Anime Review No. 93 (Sakura Wars)

“With Fiery Passion!”

Sakura Wars TV (2000)

Director: Ryutaro Nakamura

Writers: Hiroyuki Kawasaki, Kunihiro Okajima, Yoshimi Narita, Katsuhiko Takayama, Kenichi Kanemiki, Gou Tamai, Sachiko Doi, Takao Yoshioka, Tatsuya Suzuki, Ken Abe, Kazuharu Sato, Takao Yoshimoto

Studio: Madhouse

Ok, so now we are at another important title, at least in my development of being an anime fan. Around 2009, I had come across this on the shelf at Best Buy when I was at college in Virginia. This was actually one of the early complete collection sets I gotten, the first one being Evangelion Platinum Edition back around 2006. That show being, as you expect, is Sakura Wars. Please note that I am only really talking about the TV series here. Yes I am aware of the games, manga, OVAs and the movie but my focus will rest with the 25 episode TV series that aired in 2000. So what’s it all about?

Well Sakura Wars (Sakura Taisen in Japanese) is the story of Sakura Shinguji, a country girl who ventures to Tokyo to become part of the Imperial Combat Troupe-Flower Division, a part of the defense force defending the capital from the denizens of evil. Although at first, she is a bit out of her depths when dealing with the other team members, both during and outside of combat and training. Of course, in the process she becomes part of the team both on the battlefield and on the stage. All set with a backdrop of alternative historical 1920s, steampunk-esque Tokyo where advanced mecha technology converges with dark mystical power.

The story of this series rests on the hands of three men: Ohji Hiroi who developed the original manga and acted as creator/producer for the franchise, Satoru Akahori.the head of the writing team (series composition) and finally Kosuke Fujishima who along with Hidenori Matsubara handled the character designs which you tell as the character designs closely resemble those from the contemporaneous Ah My Goddess the Movie. And they managed to succeed in forging a franchise that persists for several years. Sakura Wars is a brilliant meld of Super Sentai, Japanese historical fiction and nice character driven storytelling.

Of course, the series itself is drawn back from being truly great and that is for two BIG reasons. The first reason is that the story takes a very ‘long game’ approach to the storytelling. Which means for one thing it takes time for the show to get really great, like in halfway through I would say. But once it does it becomes easily one of the most interesting and entertaining anime ever. A colleague of mine once told me that he tried watching Sakura Wars but couldn’t get past episode 7 or 8 and I can understand in that leads to my other reason: The cast starts off very unlikeable or very shallowly developed, with a few that come across very stand-offish or straight up loathing. But thanks to the ‘long game approach they do get appropriate development as they are shaped by the events that occur and their interactions with each other and others is really compelling for the last few episodes.

The animation is well, alright and functional. Granted this was done by Madhouse before they were particularly well-known for the quality work that they are known for nowadays. It also falls in that same category of previously reviewed anime like Nadesico and Silent Mobius where the meld of traditional cel animation and digitally painted cel animation/CG. This does make the anime look a bit rough around the edges but by the final few episodes the production look a bit more even. What works great in the show’s favor is the soundtrack, with music done by the legendary Kohei Tanaka. The OP as I have mentioned before is one of the best OPs I have heard-an all time favorite.

Now for the english dub. Oh boy, what an uneven jumble. Of course, this dub is brought by the now long defunct Monster Island Studios, the secondary studio in Austin that ADV ran from 1998 to 2005. This is the same group that dubbed stuff like My Dear Marie (my favorite and only recommendable dub from this group), Eden’s Bowy, Zaion and heck Wedding Peach. What hurts the dub is several things. For one thing, it starts off not really good, sort of directionless with either too much hammy overacting or too little effort put into the vocal performances. Most of the supporting cast sound alright, but the main cast aren’t all that good starting off, no surprise that aside from a few (Larissa Walcott and Samantha Inoue-Harte), this was the one and only project that they were involved with. Worse still most of them employ rather obviously fake accents. Though to be fair, they do grow into the roles by the end, though its too little too late.

So overall Sakura Wars is an example of a rather interesting premise that gets fudged up by production troubles but its still impressive given the effort and work that went into it. I would add that the TV show serves as a good primer for the whole franchise. My opinion of it might have soured against it recently, but the series hold some significance to me regardless.

Speaking of significance, the next series I am reviewing is also another real important show for me…..

Til next time, dear readers

Anime Review No. 92 (Martian Successor Nadesico)

'You Get to Burning!'
Martian Successor Nadesico (1996-97)

Director: Tatsuo Sato

Writers: Hiroyuki Kawasaki, Miho Sakaki, Naruhisa Arakawa, Satoru Akahori, Shou Aikawa, Takeshi Shudo

Studio: Xebec

So, the new year is abound us. The holidays were nice on me, got to see my family along with grandparents for the first time in a few years and it was all nice and calm. Now then onto the first review of 2015, a look at a show that I have been meaning to get to, and that is…. the space opera Martian Successor Nadesico, an adaptation of a manga series by Kia Asamiya, who was also the creator behind Silent Mobius. .

Nadesico is the story of Akito Tenkawa, a young man who while yearning to be a cook, is instead roped into joining the new crew of a new starship the Nadesico. There he is joined by a crew of veritable oddballs, be it sexy helmswoman Minato, the stoic child genius Ruri, the fanboy pilot Gai and the young captain Yukari who might be someone from his blurry past. Together, they journey to Mars to discover some rather unsettling things from humanity’s past, possibly relating to invaders from Jupiters and their Chulips and also to have some hijinks of the slice-of-life and romantic varieties.

One of the things about I like about the show is how transitional, but then again that is part of the times. The Mid-90s sci-fi anime scene was dominated by one giant show: Evangelion which to this day still has an influence stretching to the present day. Nadesico, in many ways, was the next big game-changer for sci-fi anime. Though more for the space opera subgenre whereas Evangelion was a grand turning point in giant robot genres. Of course this show is mostly forgotten, but in many ways I find that Nadesico works a lot better then Evangelion.

Now why’s that? Well, for one thing Nadesico has a better and more likeable cast of characters. Granted, some of them are based on archetypes of the genre (young male pilot, the captain, the helm crew, the child prodigy, etc) but they have enough quirks and eccentricities that ultimately make them charming. And each of the them gets their episodes to focus on them individually and how they worked together as an ensemble. While Akito is a main character of sorts, pretty much all the other major characters get their own character arcs that are for the most part very satisfying. I see Akito as an improved version of Shinji from Eva, in more ways then one. He at least has some sort of spine.

For another thing, the story is much more interesting and yet takes risks to explore new areas in its home genre. It takes place in a future much like Star Trek, where humanity has combined their efforts to explore the stars. Only not so optimistic, with the world controlled by the all-powerful military and corporations that seek nothing more to fuel the engine of war even at the expense of life and peace. At yet our intrepid crew, when a big story twist comes in halfway through the series,  seek out the truth and hope against hope that someday peace and reconciliation. Like Evangelion, though they do some psychological introspection but thankfully it is kept to mostly one episode with a few other scatterings as the series progresses. No, what the show is really about is learning to overcome differences and make it better for the next generation. There is a vehement anti-military, anti-war streak in the ‘shades of grey’ morality and there’s a good reason for that, being head writer Shou Aikawa who would go onto do Neo Ranga and FullMetal Alchemist ‘03 and those share that similar moral trend. But it doesn’t come across as preachy, and that’s by giving the other side fair and equal treatment, something which not many anime accomplish successfully. The sci-fi elements, be it the Nadesico spaceship, the concept of space travel via the means of the Chulips and the effect of time dilation are very well-thought out. And then the movie happened, and well if you want my thoughts on it, see my review on that back in January 2013.

Of course, the story is without its visual presentation. However, like Silent Mobius which I talked about back in October, this show runs into the fact the show came at a rather awkward time.The production does show signs of digital techniques and CG intruding into a mostly solid and well-done hand-drawn cel animation. Fortunately, it isn’t so obvious here as it is in Silent Mobius. In fact, recently RightStuf released the series and movie remastered. I however have the old ADV 3-2 disc sets from back in the day. In part because I feel its best to see it as it was, even it is imperfect. The show director is Tatsuo Sato, who after this show, would go on to have a career mainly helming solid and entertaining or interesting sci-fi series (Stellvia, Lagrange, Bodacious Space Pirates). Also the opening song, You Get to Burning, is freaking awesome and is one of my favorite opening songs of all time. The rest of the music is done by Takayuki Hattori (Slayers and Gundam Origin OVA among others) and it’s amazing and really powerful full-on orchestral music. Its really good stuff.

Now for the english dub. It is solid if a little uneven, much like the show itself. Produced in 2000-01, its a dub of its time, that being the ADV Greenfield era. I say this as the first era of Houston english dubbing, from 1995 to roughly 2001-03 when Matt Greenfield was the main director/writer for ADV dubbing (Amanda Winn Lee and  Tristan MacAvery were also directors/writers as well, heck Steven Foster’s career goes back to this era). Of course, it is also a very transistional dub, featuring veteran 90s ADV talent like Spike Spencer, Tiffany Grant, John Swasey, Rob Mungle, Brett Weaver, Marcy Rae alongside newer talent like Kira Vincent-Davis, Jenny Strader, Jay Hickman (and Monica Rial in a small blink and you’ll miss it part). It takes a part of time to get good, but when it does it gets really great and ultimately makes the show all that more charming and fun.

It's kind of a bummer that this show has been largely forgotten and thrown aside. Despite the fact hasn't really aged all that well, its a very underrated gem from an era that is slowly fading into obscurity. Speaking of obscurity (or not).....

Til next time dear readers

Anime Review No. 52-Debutante Detective Corps

"Bombshells and Fluff"

Debutante Detective Corps

1996 OVA, 30 minutes

Production: Toho/Head Room/Marcus

Genres: Comedy, Mystery

Well, my next two reviews are covering some other OVAs directed by Akiyuki Shinbo. For those of you not in the know, Akiyuki Shinbo is my personal favorite director for anime TV series. Since joining Studio Shaft in 2004, he has helmed quite a lot of shows that I like, such as Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Negima!? (remake not a second season), Pani Poni Dash, Arakawa Under the Bridge, and Madoka Magica. Whether or not you like their shows, one thing you can't fault them is not being entertaining. Shinbo, through use of visual and textual references and slapstick comedy, along with the ability to deconstruct/reinvent common genres (like Madoka as reinvented Mahou Shoujo), makes most of their stuff very fun to watch.

Though, before 2004, Shinbo had a rather patchy career directing OVAs from various other studios. I have covered some of them here: The Galaxy Fraulien Yuna OVAs and Detatako Princess OVA back in 2011, and Tenamonya Voyagers last year. Those have their moments of inspired genius, but they suffer a bit from not being like Shinbou's later works. Not surprising as he hadn't yet to develop his own style yet, thus making the OVAs he did work on rather generic and not unlike other shows of the time. This fact is apparent with today's show of review, "Debutante Detective Corps", a DVD I picked at last November's Atlanta Anime Day for about 5$.

"Debuntate Detective Corps" is a 30 minute OVA from 1996, the same year that the second Galaxy Fraulein Yuna OVA came out. It tells the the adventures of five rich and well-endowed high school girls as they contend with an escaped convict who plans to kidnap them. I won't go into too much details on the characters, as they are woefully one-note: Each girl has a special talent, be it computer hacking or master of disguise powers. That's all on the plot and characters. Wow, this review will be fairly short. Yeah, this is a pilot for a TV series that never came to be.

Well, I can still elaborate on the animation and direction a bit. Animation is well standard for the mid-90s; it probably looked good then, today it is merely passable. The direction by Shinbou is a bit wacky, like how over the top the entrances of each girl is or how ridiculous the story goes. Though, I think that stuff was added in by Shinbo himself, as without them its just a stock standard action piece with hot girls and explosions.

Lastly, the dub by ADV Films (who seriously released this 30 min. OVA with the tagline "You Can't Fight Fashion") is not very good. If I scrunched my ears up I'd swear the cast of "Totally Spies" was voicing the characters. Heh, wow am I old. Nevertheless, it is funny but too short to be  enjoyable through extensive re-watching.

So, I can't really recommend this, if only barely to fans of Akiyuki Shinbo. There just not a whole lot to talk about with this one. However, my next review will be more extensive.

Laters, The Eclectic Dude

Anime Review No. 47-Martian Successor Nadesico Movie

"See what you can do to explain this shit to me"

Martian Successor Nadesico The Motion Picture (The Prince of Darkness)

Written and directed by Tatsuo Sato

Studio(s): Xebec and Production IG

Genre: mecha, scifi, space opera, satire

So, it has been a while. Between dealing with a dead laptop and getting ready for the last term of tech school, I've been quite busy. Then again, I still intend on sticking to my review blog schedule as much as possible. So, onto the subject of this review.

Martian Successor Nadesico (or Nadesico for short) is space opera TV series from 1996-97. If Evangelion is considered the turning point for mecha anime, then Nadesico can be considered the turning point for space opera anime. Previous entries in this genre were shows like Macross or Gundam, rich in action and high flung drama. While Nadesico does have these elements at first, it swiftly becomes a tale of intrigue, political/social satire, among other things. In fact, Nadesico is a far better show then Evangelion, including relatable/likable characters, coherent plot and motivation, etc., which are woefully absent in Eva I dare say.

Unfortunately, this series fell pretty quickly from the awareness of most anime fans, except for 90s anime geeks like yours truly. This is partly due to the fact that it is a unfinished series. The first and only season ends on an episode where most but not all of the plot points are resolved, leaving one hanging. It felt like a season finale, but not a series finale is what I'm getting. Instead, we get this movie. Oh yeah, spoilers ahoy.

The opening credits with company logos are similar to those from End of Eva, a film that came out a year previous. This is not a good sign, as most anime fans worth their salt will tell you. First thing in the movie I notice is that wow, this is like the TV series if it had a fecking budget (for 1998 though). It has some quite impressive visuals, even some very nice CGI for the time. What follows is a series of scenes that don't make a lot of sense unless you have watched the TV series so I won't bother mentioning.

First part of the movie feels like the TV series, well the later episodes when it got dark and serious. Some rebellion is going on at a space colony out in space , and the Nadesico is sent out to deal with it, with Ruri Hoshino as commander with two new guys under her command, Saruboto and Hari (who like Ruri is an re-engineered person able to communicate with spaceships). Now, I'll admit like Ruri from the TV series. She's one of the more interesting secondary characters, with episode 18 involving her backstory being one of my favorites. Anyway, Ruri Hoshino is now 15, so this movie takes place 3 years after the events of the TV series. Though, something seems off with her. She comes across, in terms of actions and dialogue, as more cold and distant than she was in the TV series, much less in the later part.

There is some exposition on boson jumping which is only for people who haven't the TV series. To be fair that might be part of the point, to grab the attention of audience members who hadn't yet seen the TV series. Anyway, this becomes important as it is revealed that secret boson jumping experiments are taking place within the space colony. Of course, just as that happens, a mysterious message (OTIKA) starts popping up everywhere in message screens throughout the colony.

Of course this mysterious element is quickly and predictably revealed as AKITO backwards. Akito is the main character, a young reluctant man who rather cook than fight in a giant robot, however cool that may be. He's generally nice and calm guy, but when he gets angry or outraged (as he did often in the TV series), watch out.

But a battle develops at the space colony. Ryoko (one of the female mecha pilot for the Nadesico) makes her return (with her natural dark hair inside of green dye job she had in the series) kicks some ass which is really neat. In the middle of this, a mysterious figure in a dark bulky mecha with an equally mysterious girl ('Lapis') appears. But in a twist, it turns out the second in command for the space colony conducts a double-cross. He is revealed as the Leader of the 'Martian Successor' rebel group.

In another interesting plot development, the mysterious figure (revealed as Akito) wanted to open up a secret gate on the space colony, which reveals... The Martian Ruins aka The Black Box of Boson Jumping, something that came into play in the last few episodes of the TV series. The Black Box then unveils, in a rather visual scene rather like a blooming flower, Yurika trapped in some crystalline shell. I like this, as finally there's a point to this movie

Then it comes to a different sort of movie: a nostalgic road trip. They are going to the new Nadesico C and need some of the old crew. Characters like the Prospector, Hikaru (a struggling mangaka), Izumi (bar hostess), Ms. Amano, Ms. Howmei (restaurant owner/chef), etc. This is interspersed with flashbacks to the TV series, which are nice but a bit pointless. Now, while it is nice to see these characters, I have to ask: What's the point? Hell when one of your characters (Hari) points how ridiculous this is, then you got an issue. So enough on that, because half of the characters don't really benefit or deter the plot. Moving on....

We cut back to the main action, as it seems Yurika is still sending out 'AKITO' messages and the MS rebels can't really figure out what. In order for boson jumping to occur, Yurika needs to be 'emotionally stable'. The scientists looking into this issue are getting inspiration... from shoujo magazines?! This is the breaking point in the movie for me. Oh my god that is so stupid and makes little to no feckin' sense!!!

Cut back to the nostalgic snooze fest, which is pointless anyway so moving on again....

The scientists are reading the shoujo mags. OMG it is still stupid!!! They think this will work? What you read in manga clearly and obviously does not reflect reality at all. Granted, Nadesico TV did have some silly moments, at least they made sense. And you know what, it fecking work, damn it!! ARGH!!!!!

Hari participates in a boson jumping experiment coordinated with the Nergal and Inez Fressange (whose not revealed unless you've the series) to the moon. I'm sure this will in no way lead to conclusion of the space colony battle. Wink, wink.

At last, we come to the graveyard scene where Ruri and Ms Amano see Akito, in full black garb, there praying at the supposed grave of him and Yurika. It is a very tense and dramatic scene, which is something this movie needed to have more of. However, before much happens, some assassins for the rebel group come by to capture both Akito and Ruri, for some vaguely explained reasons. But, Tsukomi (character from the series not explained) shows up to fight and after a brief struggle the assassins tap out and leave. There is a brief cut back to the crew going off via shuttle to the new Nadesico. There is also a flashback to the graveyard where there was an exchange between Ruri and Akito which is chilling to say the least, so I won't spoil it.

However, some rebel fighters attack the escort group with the shuttle that has the crew inside. Oh noes, dramatic third act tension! Meanwhile the multiple boson jumping experiment continues, with Inez Fressange (introduced after the fact) as convenient exposition dumper, telling the audience stuff already known before this point, though it is a nice little throwback to the TV series.

The MS stage an ambush on the UEF HQ and run into a concert by Akatsuki, Megumi, the Howmei girls, and the Prospector. This is an very odd but somewhat clever turn as stuff like this would happen in the series: Doing something light hearted in face of great danger, with lots of energy and enthusiam. But the UEF with assistance by Ruri and the Nadesico C completely turns the tables on the MS group and their plans. Using what, you ask? Why, with multiple boson jumping of course! Oh how lovely /sarc. The MS group rebels just surrender like that, well there goes the tension.

However, before we reach the end, there is one last battle between Akito/Lapis and the MS assassins. Akito beats the crap out of all of them, that's all.

The final scene is upon us: Yurika awakens, for who knows what reason. Honestly, I can't care enough. Akito departs, with word or anything, which is just great. Ruri makes some vague statements about pursuing him to the end of space, but since this was the last thing with Nadesico involved, that's a plot point left forever unresolved.

And that's the Nadesico Movie, how is it? Not bad but not good. I am still on the fence on this movie. On one hand, it has some very nice visuals which give it some epic feel to the proceedings. On the other hand, it is uneven in all other categories: characters, plot, comedy, etc. It feels like a mish-mash of good scripts thrown into a blender and then taped back together. Which is a shame as

there is a 'good story' here, but it is waded down by a lack of focus on it.

I would really only recommend this movie to people only if you watch the TV series at least once, that way you gain a proper understanding of what goes on with the movie.

Next review is over El Hazard The Magnificent World OVA 2 on January 26^th.

See you then

The Eclectic Dude

Anime Review 46-Dragon Half

A Great, Wonderful Joke: Dragon Half (1993 OVA)

Hi, I am the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.

Well, It’s Holiday Break and you know what time is it? Why, yes, to look at another wacky fantasy OVA from the 90s. Last December, I looked at Detatoko Princess, which involved the wacky adventures of a magical princess and her band of friends. This year, well, is Dragon Half.

DVD cover

Dragon Half is based off of a manga created by Ryusuke Mita, who has done other stuff but none of that ended up in the States, sad to say. The manga ran from 1988 to 1994, making this the second series that’s as old as I am. Good dear Haruhi, I am getting old. In 1993, a 2 episode OVA came out, quickly licensed in North America by once-old reliable ADV Films soon after. This review will have details of the plot in it, so if you don’t like spoilers, to put it bluntly: oh well.

Mink and her two friends, blonde elf Luffa and little girl Pia with her pet 

The first episode is titled “Mink’s Journey”. This serves as an introduction to Mink and the world she lives. Mink is a Halfling, result of a marriage by a once famous knight and a red dragon (the most dangerous kind it appears). She is terrifyingly obsessed with Dick Saucer (heh), the kingdom’s male idol singer and dragon hunter. Her titular journey is get to his recent concert in the big city, since she lives out in the boonies.  A subplot emerges as the king and his sorcerer scheme to kill Mink’s dad, then later Mink, so they can get the female red dragon. But it doesn’t amount to much, so nothing else will mention on that.

Anyway, Mink goes to the big city, which is a mix of medieval fantasy and some extraneous elements, like an airport and TV and other such things. There, she runs into Princess Vina, daughter to the king who also has a crush on Dick Saucer. A scuffle ensues, with Mink crashing into a window and kissing Dick Saucer by accident. OF course, then Vina points out that Mink would never get Dick Saucer’s affections since he is a dragon hunter and she is a half-dragon: “You would end up on his wall then in his bed” as Vina puts it. So, Mink goes on a journey with her two friends to get the famed ‘people potion’ when can turn the user into a full human. It turns out, through flashback, that Vina is a half-slime who learned dark magic to be human. However, Mink’s journey is sidelined until the next and last episode.

Mink during the low point of the tournament

The second episode is “The Brutal Killer Martial Arts Tournament”. Mink and her friends run into Dick Saucer (his mic is also a dagger as well-must make concerts where he would throw his mic into the crowd rather dicey affairs). A rather one-sided fight ensues and doesn’t really resolve. The rest of the episode turns into a tournament episode, much like how much one entire arc of YuYu Hakusho devoted to this. It features not just Mink, Dick Saucer, Princess Vina and some other monsters with bad-ass fighting skills. Though, Mink has to go through an initial Test-fight against Minotaurus, which is easy won despite Minotaurus looking like a scary dark RPG reject. There is one hilarious bit with the king’s sorcerer accidentally giving ex-lax to Dick Saucer and other failing schemes. The various matches are short and sweet, thank goodness. Though, I suppose if this show got full series, they could have stretched out each fight per episode. Mink, of course, ends up beating all of her enemies (totally pawning Princess Vina). Her final match is against the prince of a Warlock. Much wanton destruction ensues. But at the end, Mink wins the tournament. And there was much rejoicing (and fan service lol).  

Now, here are the good things about the Dragon Half. Like most fantasy OVAs of the decade, it shares many traits with those titles: Simple plotting, Humor aplenty, goofy monsters and characters, cheap looking yet charming. The plot is as simple as it gets. Much like Rune Explorers, simple is often best. There are plenty of humor, both in the visual imagery and in the script. Humorous images include Ye King’s Anger being a giant rock, the sorcerer carrying around bucket of ice, Princess Vina being really OTT, Damamaru the stupid knight of the king (any scene will do) the warlock prince timing out the match against Mink to watch the first episode on VHS (oh wow that makes this OVA show its age). The script is loaded with lots of funny lines. Here is just a sampling:

“Love has overcome my common sense”

“Well, I’m the product of very strange circumstances”

“A demon doesn’t consider story continuity”

The characters are goofy as are the monsters. Then again, medieval fantasy by necessity is inherently ridiculous anyway. But, that’s what I like about it. Again, the main cast of characters is just a step up from being caricatures. However, the humor more than makes up for the deficiencies in character or plot in this OVA.

One of many chibi moments (kawaii xD)

Finally, this OVA is cheap looking yet charming. Even on the DVD that I watched this on, it still looks cheap. The animation also has a tendency to shift from semi-competent animation to full-blown chibi/SD and then back again, even within seconds. Yet, it has a certain endearing charm to it. It’s like the production team was like ‘Well, we only got 2 episodes and the budget of next to Nil, but dang it we will make it fun and entertaining’. This applies to the ending song nicely. It is a wacky adaptation of Beethoven’s Ninth, written by Kohei Tanaka (really amusing), with completely nonsensical song lyrics of course.

On a final note, the dub is pretty fecking hilarious. Granted, it is another 90s ADV dub, featuring Jessica Calvello, Amanda Winn Lee, Aaron Krohn, etc. The English dub goes above and beyond with the humor that is in the original Japanese.

This leads into the only real downside: There are only the 2 episodes of this series animated. Originally, it was slated to be a 4 episode OVA but since the first 2 episodes bombed in Japan upon original release, the other 2 never got made. ADV Films bought the license and distributed it, where it has gained quite a cult following in the anime community. They were hoping of continuing the series, but that got dragged into production hell. Now, since ADV went under, I doubt that will ever happen.

That is quite frankly a shame. I once showed this OVA at the local anime club meeting a few months ago. The other members were laughing their pants off, as was I (and I’ve seen it before). Then the end of the second episode came, and some of them asked me “Is that it?” and I replied flatly, “Sadly yes.” Granted, there is still the manga which is lurking on the web somewhere I’m sure.

In short, Dragon Half is funny and hilarious, yet cheap looking and too short. If you got a hour to kill, then this is a suitable use of that time I’m sure. If you like wacky fantasy anime, then you’ll enjoy it a lot. Well worth the look.

Next Up:

Christmas Special (TBA), released on Wednesday December 26 2012

Laterz

Anime Review No 45-Gunsmith Cats

Hi, this the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz. 

Cover of the manga Volume 1, with Rally Vincent (nice, thumbs up)

I went out to MovieStop one time last summer, it being the only the store that sells anime in the entire county, a sad reality of economic times to be sure. It was there, sitting on the shelf for $3.99. I thought, what a bargain, compared to the prices online for this OVA.  I had heard of it before, rather good things about it. I am talking, of course, about Gunsmith Cats.

Gunsmith Cats is a Japanese seinen manga series by Kenichi Sonoda, well known for this and Bubblegum Crisis. The first series came out from 1991-97, which was then followed up by a sequel in 2004-08. A 3 episode OVA came out in 1995 done by Kodansha/VAP/Tokyo Broadcasting, with a stateside released a year later by ADV Films.  

The basis of this is the adventures of young female bounty hunters in Chicago, Illinois, a double act as it were: Rally Vincent (the gun bunny) and Minnie May (the gal with the bombs, literally). Teamed up with Becky and ATF Agent Bill Collins, they deal with gun runners and in the process stumble onto a plot involving political intrigue, a Russian psychopath assassin and lots of action. It’s a wild ride in the Windy City.

Heh-that almost looks like Diet Pepsi Minnie May is drinking ^_^

Now, I absolutely love this OVA. Everything about this is a like a well-oiled machine, firing out on all cylinders. The animation here is quite good and holds up even to today. Granted, the anime-style characters seldom look out of place within the realistic back-drops, but it’s hardly noticeable. Speaking of backdrops, the background art looks amazing; it feels like you’re actually watching something that’s taking place in Chicago. This is due to the fact that some of the production crew actually went to Chicago and did some location scouting, details of that are in a special ‘making of’ documentary included in the DVD. In addition, the production crew learned about guns and such while in Chicago, something uncommon in Japan. This translates to the OVA where the guns and weapons look also fairly realistic. Kudos to you, production crew.

Car Chase Ahoy!

Now, the plot of Gunsmith Cats is much like a fast paced action packed movie, just divided into three episodes and borrows quite a lot of tropes of that genre. In fact, I’m surprised by two things. First, why hasn’t this gotten a re-release by Sentai as a full length film feature? I mean, seriously, this deserves it. I don’t mind listening to the OP thrice (cus it’s awesome), but really this needs a re-release. Come on, Sentai, you re-release Burn Up for fudge’s sake. Second, why hasn’t this gotten a live action adaptation? I mean, this yearns for it. It takes place in Chicago (an actual locale) and features hot babes and explosions. It would have a far better chance than something like Cowboy Bebop or Evangelion for fudge’s sake.

Finally, the dub is quite possibly one of the best ADV put out ever. It’s got some excellent voice work by Amanda Winn Lee, Kim Yates and Tiffany Grant and most of the cast do a pretty good job. But by far, Robert Mungle as Agent Bob Collins nearly steal the show with his performance. Seriously, his one-liner ‘I’m a real Eliot Ness, pussycat!’ is just a sample of what his dialogue is, wonderful.

There is, however, one minor downside to Gunmsith Cats OVA: I wish there was more of it! Granted, the three episodes by themselves constitute a complete story, so no worry on that end. But, seriously, why isn’t there more of this anime? Yes, I’m aware there’s the manga but still I wish they were more episodes of Gunsmith Cats. But, I can be sated with just these 3 episodes. 

Still, well worth the look and then some. Gunsmith Cats is awesome, and as any kind of anime fan you should check it out.

Next Review is Dragon Half. See you then. 

Anime Review No 41-Ruin Explorers

Hi, I'm The Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz. 

Ok, time to start off Fantasy: Then and Now. I will look 2 anime titles from the 90s (Then) and the 00s (Now) for September and October. I have reviewed other fantasy anime titles before, like Princess Minerva and Detatoko Princess (check those reviews out by the way). This time, I hope to present some titles I own that are better then those I just mentioned. Let's get started with Ruin Explorers.  

DVD Cover

Ruin Explorers is directed and written by Takeshi Mori, who also directed Stratos 4 and Vandread.

Based on the 1992 manga by Kunihiko Tanaka, its production was done by ANIMATE and Asia-do. 

It was licensed in the USA by ADV Films, with VHS in 1999 then DVD in 2004. I own it under the "Essential Anime Collection" line, same for "Golden Boy" OVA. 

Ihrie and Fam 

Ruin Explorers tells the tale of 2 Ruin Explorers (Treasure Hunters) Fam and Ihrie in a European Medieval setting. Ihrie is a female warrior-tomboyish, headstrong, and confident. Fam is a squirrel Wiccan, despite looking more like a catgirl. She is the mage of the duo, timid, soft-spoken and cute. They are on a quest to get the “Ultimate Power”, key to the survival or destruction of the world. It requires 3 items to activate, because that's how that works in these fantasy stories. 

Migel, Galuff with his dog and Rasha

Fortunately, they are joined up by several travelers in this quest. They include: Rasha, another female mage; Miguel, a big brute of a swordsman; Galuff, a sneaky and conniving merchant (sidekick dog); Lyle, prince of a fallen kingdom. All the while, they must contend with the villain Ruguduroll, a priest from Lyle's kingdom who went insane and wants the "Ultimate Power" for himself.  

Now, onto the strengths/weaknesses of this OVA, which are quite a few. First, It tells a complete story in 4 episodes, a rarity in the 90s OVA market. As I have demonstrated, lots of 90s OVA went unfinished due to money running out of production or low video sales or etc. Granted, the ending seems a bit rushed, with a few unanswered questions which leaves you wanting more. There is potential for more, but as it stands what we got is pretty good. 

The story, while not exactly original, has a nice mix of comedy, drama, and adventure. Takeshi Mori comes across as being competent with telling this fantasy tale, but that's about it. It has an interesting cast of characters, even if there are just fantasy archetypes (Ihrie-female warrior, Fam and Rasha-mage, Miguel-big brute warrior, Lyle-prince of a lost kingdom, Ruguduroll-powerful villain) Nonetheless, the interactions and relationships between these characters keep the audience's interest up with little/no problem. 

Second, the music is very great, all orchestral  and performed by the Versailles Chamber Orchestra. It is very Wagnerian/Fantasy RPG Video Game in terms of music, with the use of leitmotifs, rich harmonies, long sweeping melodies, etc. It is not on the level of LOTR music, but fittingly epic. I would love the CD for the OST, but sadly that might never happen. 

Third, the animation is pretty good for something that came out 15+ years ago. Granted, it looks quite similar to stuff from the mid-90s, but the background visuals are very good looking and show that a lot of effort went into it. 

Lastly, the english dub is probably the best way to enjoy this OVA. It seems fitting given the European Medieval Fantasy setting. The cast includes people from 90s ADV dubs, including Tamara Lo, Jessica Calvello, Guil Lunde, Brett Weaver, Kelly Manison, Jason Douglas, and Tristan MacAvery. Now, T. Lo and Calvello a little rough when it comes to screaming/yelling, but serviceable in the rest. Kelly Manison and Brett Weaver are very good (one extra on the DVD is a commentary on episode 2 from both of them, which is very entertaining). Guil Lunde is pretty funny, spouting out some more comedic dialogue of this short series. Tristan MacAvery (Gendo from NGE) turns in a particularly nasty performance as the villain. Lastly, Jason Douglas is OK, even with the not so good British accent (really? why?)

Final Thoughts: 

Ruin Explorers is a very simple yet good fantasy tale. It borrows quite a lot from other better fantasy tales, but its decent and entertaining anyway in its own right, which is due to how 'straight' they play it. I like it for this, as my previous titles I've reviewed (Detatoko Princess and Princess Minerva) they do it silly, dumb yet funny. With Ruin Explorers, its more simple tale with the right mix of serious and funny moments. 

If you got a friend who wants to get into fantasy anime, then this is a decent OVA to start off with. I can attest to this, as a friend of mine wanted to get into fantasy anime and I said to him "Oh, here's Ruin Explorers-Enjoy!" 

Other Recommendations include "Detatoko Princess", "Princess Minerva" (previously reviewed), along with "Those Who Hunt Elves", "Eden’s Bowy", "Spice and Wolf", "Slayers", and "Escaflowne".

  

Anime Review No. 36, "Birth: A War of Two Worlds"

Hello, I'm the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.

Well, sorry for the delay. I've been busy the past week, what with midterms and then contending with a recent heat wave down here. Urge, anyway, to this week's review.

Well, this is a first, as I am reviewing something from the 1980s. I generally don't watch anime from the 80s for a few reasons. One, I'm really more of a 90s anime fan despite being born in the late 80s. Two, a lot of it is science fiction through many of its subgenres. Three and last, its not cheap/easy to get some of the series from that era. When you think 80s anime, you think Macross, Gundam, etc.

Not to fear, this week's review is over a movie I found at Atlanta Anime Day last November. It is called "Birth" with a subtitle: "A War of Two Worlds". Alternate titles include Planet Busters and World of the Talisman. A 1984 anime movie, it has an interesting history. Originally done by Kaname Production (now defunct I suppose), it has been released twice in the States. The first time was by Streamline Pictures back in 1987 on VHS tape. In 2004 and 2009, ADV Films picked up the licence for it and released on DVD with a brand new dub. So, is it any good or should it stay forgotten? Let's found out.

The basic story of the movie deals with a group of people living on a planet devastated by a past calamity. There is Nam, the hero; Rasa, the token young woman; Bao, middle aged bandit and Kim, Bao's partner in crime so to speak. They are on a quest to retrieve the SHADE, a super weapon from some far off planet that grants the yielder power (or something, its very vague). Standing in the way are the Inorganics, robotic creatures who have taken over the planet after the calamity and also seek out the SHADE. Gee, sounds familiar, eh? Of course, they don't prevent the impending apocalypse that results from use of another superweapon, which goes off for the stupidest reason ever.

Now, the positives. Umm, it is well a told story. It uses the visuals with music for certain segments in order to tell the story, showing us what happens instead of telling us. Yet, it uses just enough dialogue to get the plot along, which is pretty simple by today's standards. Seriously, the plot of this can fit into one measly paragraph, as demonstrated above.

The script is not half bad. It is abound with several humorous moments, with some random Japanese sayings sprinkled in for good measure. It is also free of a lot of technobabble, so even a casual viewer can enjoy it.  On a related note, the dub is ok. Just because ADV Films released doesn't mean this has voice actors typical of the series they released, like Monica Rial, Spike Spencer, Allison Keith, or Tiffany Grant. It seems they just got their list of actors who don't work often for this dub. Still, it is OK, not great but probably not terrible as the first dub (haven't watched it with the first english dub, its on a out of print VHS).

That's not to say it's all good. For 1984, the animation is very crude but effective. This movie is a full-on fossil, by this point in time. Even on the 2009 DVD I own, it still looks very ok, but its a product of an era done with just hand-drawn cel animation, an era now long forgotten it seems. The soundtrack is also old school, being mostly 80s techno music. Granted, it works here in presenting a look and feel of being on a  strange and alien world. Lastly, there are lots of scenes which are just still frames with nothing happening. I swear, if you cut out about 10-15 minutes of this from the movie, it would be better paced.

Overall, a good movie, if you like science fiction or obscure stuff (like I do), then check this out. I won't say its essential viewing, but its a pretty good and entertaining movie. Also, considering it's a Heat Wave Weekend, this is something to watch while inside. Then again, there are so much more that you could watch that's better, but this movie isn't too bad.

Next week is UltraManiac, Episodes 1-3. Oh boy ........
  

Anime Review 31: Golden Boy Part 2 (Episodes 4-6)

Well, continuing from last week, I shall finish up Golden Boy with its last 3 episodes. Will it be good, or be bad? Let’s find out. Like I said last week, the OVA episodes are based off of the first volume of the manga of the same name. Why just the first volume? Well, after the first volume, the content gets very adult in nature, being a few steps short of full-on hentai. Trust me, I’ve read it. Well, up to the sixth volume then gave up, it got a bit much even for me.

He's floundering lol (Sorry)

Anyway, let’s move onto the rest of this OVA. The fourth episode takes place in winter, with Kintaro working as a swimming instructor at an indoor pool. There he meets the head instructor, a rather hot babe who is a bit of a bitch, to be honest. She seems a bit uncaring at Kintaro’s antics, which seem dialed up to 11. His antics reach the peak of annoyance in the ‘swim race’ scene, and he gets kicked out. However, much like the first episode, he ends up revolutionizing the teaching method at the indoor pool: Get the kids to like the water, and they will swim. Genius! /sarc. Though, the head instructor ends up, well, in love with Kintaro, but doesn’t go after him…just yet.

I like this episode a lot. Yeah, Kintaro’s antics are ramped up to levels not imagined, but I can somewhat understand that. He is basically an everyman, with all his strengths (good-natured, smart, lot of heart etc.) and his flaws (yes that includes his hugging of toilets and finding the need to ‘satisfy’ urges). But that makes him a great character, the fact that you simultaneously want to root for him and also slap him in the face.

What he's watching is very much NSFW to be sure 

The fifth episode, titled “Balls to the Walls!”, is perhaps the most insane episode out of this OVA series. I won’t say much on it, if you have seen it, then good on you. It is one of those episodes in anime that, quite frankly, has to be seen to be believed. I will say it involves motorcycles as metaphor for well, ‘urgings’ and some other adult material masked oh so subtly. 

Kintaro busy at work. Note how realistically detailed the desks behind him are 

The sixth and final episode is titled “Animation is Fun!”. Kintaro is working at an animation studio, helping out with odd jobs. He meets Chie, a female animator who works there. The studio is working on a movie based off of a story by, get this, Tetsuya Engawa. That’s right, this episode is rather meta-fiction as the author of the Golden Boy manga makes a cameo. This episode is also a tremendous love letter to the art of animation, with Kintaro’s speech about why he loves animation being the high point of the OVA, for me at the least.

Unfortunately, production difficulties mount, as the director ends up in the hospital and the schedule gets shrunk down. But, Kintaro to the rescue! He calls up all his potential love interests from the other 5 episodes to assist with the production. I really like this part, as it brings in all the loose ends and finally everything is connected. Also, it gives an interesting life lesson: Networking will help you out someday! The movie is done on time, though Kintaro runs off at the end with the other women chasing after him. But, Chie doesn’t follow. When asked about it, she states “I will, but first I got a job to do”. Chie represents the well-adjusted woman, hard working, kind and yet open to a potential relationship.

Well, final thoughts: A really good OVA series, great on comedy and yet still has human drama to it as well. From start to finish, it is a great and funny ride. This is further enhanced by the English dub, done by ADV Films. Yeah, Doug Smith’s performance as Kintaro might seem inconsistent at times, but it fits the character very well. The other voice actors are very much standard 90s era ADV dub cast, with V.A.s like Tiffany Grant, Allison Keith, Laura Chapman, etc which are fairly consistent, given the material.

Overall, a great series and despite being a guilty pleasure of mine, I would recommend this to another fans of anime. It is one of those ‘Must-see’ anime series. So, yeah, Golden Boy deserves that “Essential Anime” title bestowed upon it by ADV. Good job, ADV!

Until next week,

The Eclectic Dude 

Anime Review No. 31, "Golden Boy" Part 1 (Introductions, Episodes 1-3)

Well, Guilty Pleasures Month continues with Golden Boy, a 1995-96 OVA of 6 episodes long. Based on the manga by Tatsuya Egawa, this OVA animates the first volume of that manga series of the same name. It was directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo and produced by Production IG, so you know that some talent went into this. Also, this OVA is more well-known due to some rather infamous scenes/characters, which I’ll explain later.

The DVD cover  

This is also another anime series I discovered online before purchasing the DVDs for it. I bought the 2 disc DVDs on the ADV Films ‘Essential Anime Collection’ line. I’ll see if it deserves that distinction.

The basic premise lies in the character of Kintaro Oe, who is a freeter or someone who goes around and do part-time jobs. He apparently went to Tokyo U but left before graduating, even if he did all the requirements to do so. He is well, an interesting person. A slacker it seems, at times, but he does seem a bit smarter than he lets on. The OVA chronicles his adventures through Japan in the world of part-time work. But, will things go smoothly or will hijinks ensue? Let’s find out.  

The Madame President (nice office clothes there, lady xDD)

Episode 1 has Kintaro Oe going to work for a computer company, who are developing software for American clients. There, he meets the Madame President (a very attractive blonde) who at first seems disinterested in Kintaro. But when a power failure (caused by Kintaro) sends the office in frenzy due to loss of computer software, he ends up saving the day by giving them his own version. In the process, the Madame President’s heart is taken by Kintaro as she goes off to track him down (he left mysteriously).

I really like this episode, possibly one of the best first episode in an anime.  Egawa gives Kintaro a very good introduction, as a simple everyman wandering through life. He does the best he can, though he isn’t a saint (toilet hugging notwithstanding). His ability to fix a problem that he made himself does seem a bit improbable, but then again it is clear that isn’t meant to be realistic at all. His catch-phrase “Life is Study” is very much in tune with what the series is about: Education is more than the stuff one learns at school. I also like the details given, especially about the yakuza, computer science, etc.

Though, the rest of the characters in this episode are somewhat one-note (mostly being eye-candy), with the exception of Madame President. She comes across as an ‘ice queen’-cold and distant at first, but warms up a bit. It very much tells what to expect: a slacker goes from place to place and meets very attractive girls.

Naoko

This trend continues in Episode 2, with Kintaro working for the election of yakuza-backed Mayor of another town. Though, that’s not the focus, as that would be interesting. Instead, Kintaro has to contend with the Mayor’s high school daughter Naoko who is a bit of crush on our intrepid hero, even when he is supposed to be tutoring her. He manages to evade her advances, but then gets placed in an awkward situation. Despite that, he still gets away with it by professing his love for Naoko which sets her heart a-fluttered.   It ends with her basically willing to have Kintaro take her virginity when he gets back.

I am a bit put off by this episode, even if it is entertaining. Granted, it does have moments of great hilarity like the first episode, but it just seems a tad unsettling. The plot boils to this: A High school girl is teasing a guy a good 7-9 years her senior. Granted, Egawa turned their tables by making the girl a sexy tease instead of the guy, I’ll give him that. Kintaro, despite his pervert urges, manages to resist Naoko’s sexual advances. Still, it seems the story starts off one way, then verves off to another story. I mean the whole mayoral election elements are dropped mainly through the first third, in favor of developing the actual part. One could take that out as it doesn’t factor into the overall episode at all.

Noriko, who has a thing for flower arranging, apparently

Episode 3 has Kintaro working at a family noodle shop, filling in for the father/owner who got involved in a recent accident. He then gets embroiled with a suave pimp/hustler who’s gunning for the noodle shop’s owner daughter named Noriko. It turns out he has a scheme afoot in marrying Noriko, then selling the noodle shop and then kicking her out afterwards. The plan is foiled and Noriko gains some affection and respect for Kintaro.

This is a far better episode then the second episode. It is a well-adjusted version of that episode 2, without the unnecessary plot elements. Kintaro is at his most likeable here, as I get the feeling he really wants to help Noriko out, even if she doesn’t want him to (which happens at one point by the way). I rooted for him to go so far as beat up the bad guy that when he did, he was pleasantly surprised when he reacts to this by saying “… my Kendo training was put to waste. I have so much more to learn” (paraphrasing). Even he is aware of his shortcomings, and that I can relate to. Also, Noriko is more likeable since she is the ‘naïve maiden’ type, as opposed to the sultry ice queen of the Madame President or the walking sex-tease of Naoko. The pimp-hustler is the first actual villain Kintaro has come across and comes across as a very unlikeable and slightly hammy villain.

So, 2 very good episodes with one not so good episode, I have to say that is very even so far. I’ll see about the other 3 episodes next week. 

Anime Review No. 24 "My Dear Marie"

I'm the Eclectic Dude, and I review it for the lolz

Well, Romance and Relationships Month is drawing to a close, my second (and certainly not the last) themed month of reviews. This week's review is now over "My Dear Marie", another relatively less known OVA from the 90s. But is it a lost gem, or should it go into the bin?

"My Dear Marie" is  3 episode OVA dating back from 1996. Originally written by Sakura Takeuchi as a 10 volume manga published between 1994 and 1997.  The OVA director was Tomomi Mochizuki, with productio work done by Studio Pierrot, which brought us such works as Yu Yu Hakusho, Naruto, Saiyuki and the likes. So, sounds promising enough. Now, onto the OVA itself.

Episode 1, titled "The Birth of Marie", introduces the main characters and the basic plot. First off, there's Hiroshi, a typical college male nerd (complete with glasses and dorky looks). He has loneliness problems, something that makes him relate to me personally. He has a crush on Mari, a female tennis player with purple hair (cus its anime). She is completely oblivious to his feelings, of course. So, Hiroshi decides if "yeah I can't get a girl I'll make one myself". He then constructs a female android, made to look entirely human. He spends a lot of time building her, basing her entirely on his crush Mari. Once finished, he names his creation "Marie". She awakes the next day, coming across as being rather nice, likeable, but behaves more like a younger sibling than as a girlfriend. Of course, Hiroshi doesn't mind this, since he made the robot Marie out of need for a companion, then really anything else.
But, one day, Marie and Mari meet unexpectedly, something Hiroshi didn't want. This is awkward to say the least, as the only difference between the two is hair color: Mari has purple hair, Marie has pink hair. Of course, Hiroshi covers this up by saying that Marie is his 18 yr old younger sister, which works surprisingly well. Of course, Tanaka, another guy on the tennis team who likes Mari, starts crushing on Marie big time. Marie does some tennis, which she is very good at, since she is modeled on Mari. The two girls (Mari and Marie) have a tennis match to determine who goes on a date with Hiroshi or Tanaka. Marie wins, so Mari and Hiroshi go on a date together, while Tanaka attempts to 'get it on' with Marie, but she evades his advances.
Marie tries to catch up with the couple, like a slightly obsessed but well-meaning sibling. But, she seems to be one step behind the couple, as well getting distracted by doing good deeds, like saving kids from an incoming train and saving the elderly from an apartment fire. Finally, Hiroshi ends up leaving his date with Mari early in order to find Marie. The two reunite, and go to a local noodle shop and enjoy a quiet meal together. It's the simplest things in life that one must appreciate, I suppose.

Episode 2, "The Appearance of Hibiki Kennou" continues the story. It brings in another character, Hibiki Kennou. She is a tomboy fighter and bit of a troublemaker, picking up men just to steal money from them (minus the s__) or beating up punks for money. On one occasion, Hibiki is beating a whole group of school punks by herself, when Marie was walking by and intervening. Hibiki also meets p with Hiroshi, and love at first sight occurs. She becomes a bit flustered, wondering why she might have feelings for such a dork, spouting out lines like "Longing for someone you never met before..." and "[Love], its an unprofitable emotion".
One day, she tracks down Hiroshi to his place, and finds out that Marie is a robot (oh noes!!!).  She then blackmails Hiroshi into going on a date with her to keep Marie's secret, well a secret. Their date includes going to an amusement park, karaoke (bad singing ftw),generally having fun. The date culminates with the two going to Hibiki's apartment for a nightcap. Of course, this was just to get Hiroshi to 'do it' with her. Of course, neither one of them are particularly knowledgeable in this area, which is both hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
Thankfully, Marie comes to the rescue, saving the viewer from any hentai scenes (thank god). Hibiki attempts to blackmail Marie by bringing up the fact that she is a robot, and that revelation might ruin Marie's life. Marie's response is as follows: “I would rather be a robot with a brother who loves me, than a human woman with no one to love” (Absolute zing ftw). This hit Hibiki to her core, she contemplates this during the night.
Of course, Hibiki finds out that Mari and Marie are rather similar. This angers her so much, that she tracks down Hiroshi to beat him to a bloody pulp (rightfully so, I might add). Marie and Hibiki then fight, the only action scene of this entire OVA. It is surprisingly well-done, all things considered. It has lot of character insight, with Hibiki and Marie both being characters with similar inadequacy, that being unfulfilled love. Also, Hiroshi (who's watching the fight and tries to stop it) notices that Hibiki looks a bit familiar. The fight ends with a punchout. The episode closes out with Hiroshi realizing that Hibiki was a girl he once knew in his childhood. There was an incident where they were playing in a kiddie pool, he pushed her into the kiddie pool with a 'scary face'. It scarred Hibiki since then, and impacted what kind of person she is. Of course, it turns out he did that in order to protect her from a nearby wild animal, which bit him in the arm. The two, now with more understanding, part ways.

The third and last episode, "Dreaming Android" is the odd one out of the three episodes made. In fact, it is a reference to Philip K Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (in fact referred to once in this episode). This episode deals with Marie wanting to be able to dream, which she finds to be something new she wants to try. She gains this ability with help by Hiroshi.

Rest of the episode becomes an extended dream sequence (series of vignettes with no real flow or reason to them) Somethings to note on it: 

-catchphrase: "Dreams can be wishes" pops up from time to time

-dwelling on nature of reality and the individual, theme of relationships/love, etc.

-rehashes scenes in sequence, or scenes from first 2 eps but with a twist

 -tries to be philosophical and deep at first, yet comes off as being rather strange and weird

-halfway goes heavily into Marie introspective mode (big time)

                Relationship to Mari (Marie as a reflection) and Hiroshi (unfulfilled love)

                Reversal of fortunes: Marie as human, Hiroshi as robot 

The ending? Well, it is certainly unexpected. Unfortunately, its is a cliffhanger, as no other episodes exist of this series. What a bummer, in my opinion. 

So, onto the good. Unlike last week's entry, this has good things going for it. The story is compelling and interesting, the characters interesting and nuanced. The story is very strong in the first 2 episodes then goes completely wtf for the third and final episode. The english dub voice acting is decent for the most part, though not particularly noteworthy. Still listenable, though.

Also of note is the ending song. It is called "Hello, Strange Days". The singer of the song is the Japanese VA for Marie, Yuko Miyamara. It is a love letter, essentially, talking about love and life (the underlying theme of this OVA), done over a montage of Marie as a human girl growing up, experiencing the life she never had. It is rather sad and poignant, especially after watching all 3 episodes. 

There is nothing really bad about this OVA, expect that it is another unfinished OVA. But, unlike Last of the Last Labyrinth, this fact makes me sad rather than just 'meh'. It is a shame no other episodes were made. Granted there's a manga but it never made it stateside and I doubt it ever will. UGH -sigh-

So, in conclusion, "My Dear Marie" is a lost gem. It is a pretty good OVA, very well done. What a shame only 3 episodes exist! I can only hope that there is a revival/remake in the near future.Yeah, I can dream, right? This is definitely a MUST-SEE, especially if you are a fan of sci-fi rom comedies. 

Well, that ends Romance and Relationships Month. Expect a post midway through this week with the reviews I will do in March.

Laterz ^_^