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. 71-FLCL

"Never Knows Best"
FLCL

2000-01 OVA, 6 episodes

Director-Kazuya Tsurumaki, Studios-Gainax/Production IG, Writers: Kazuya Tsurumaki and Yoji Enokido

also

2 volume manga (2000-01)-Art by Hajime Ueda; story by Gainax

So, Happy New Year readers

Well, I figure I shall start out the new year with a review of a show that's over a decade old and done by one of my favorite anime studios-that being FLCL or Fooly Cooly. Note, I will be talking about FLCL overall, no need to worry about spoilers. That said, go see this!

Now a brief summary: Naota is just your typcial young kid living in a city, dealing with puberty and the implications of that, be it his brother's ex-girlfriend, etc. He likes life to be easy and dull, yet one day Haruko, a crazy pink haired girl, runs into him with her Vespa motorcycle and from that moment onwards, Naota's life changes forever, for better or worse (more the latter then former anyway).

Suffice to say that it is all I am saying about, because this OVA has been quite overplayed for the past decade, first airing by Toonami then subsequent reruns every now and then. Yet, this show is still quite popular and well-known here in the States. Why's that?

Huh, something about this looks familiar.....

Well, the greatest strength of FLCL is that it serves as a grand pinnacle to anime comedy, at least for Studio Gainax. It is just so quick-fire in pacing that the gags fly full and above the rest, nearly blowing out of the water many of the other anime comedies I have seen. Granted, a lot of the comedy presented is rather surreal so at first glance one might not get it. I stated back on my Anime Favorites page regarding FLCL as such, and I stand by that statement. I feel that Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, which I quite like, is a mere pale shadow of this: the jokes there are more hit and miss, dependent on your tolerance for toilet humor. FLCL is one crazy, insane ride from start to finish and it never lets up at all. In fact, FLCL can be more compared to Kill la Kill, the recent 2013-14 anime put out by Studio Trigger, which is made up of former Gainax staffers. If you have seen Kill la Kill (and you should because it's awesome), then that comparison becomes quite clear.

Why the malformed face......eh?

Of course, this aspect is helped favourably by other factors. First off, there is a great director-writer team in Kazuya Tsurumaki and Yoji Enokido working on this. Now, prior to this, Tsurumaki had overseen the last third of Kare Kano anime (which I have looked at before) and Enokido had written a large part of the Utena anime and co-wrote a few episodes of Evangelion. So, in essence, we get a team getting their first project to run themselves. The result is nothing short of fantastic. The direction is vibrant and full of life, firing on all cylinders like a finely tuned machine. Of course, the animation derps and dips in place, but that seems to be delibarate. But when it is great, the animation can shine, due to this being a Gainax/Production IG collab, which both by this point had done some great work and would continue to do so for at least the next decade. Enokido provides a script which at first might be a tad confusing, but upon rewatching it clears some things up. FLCL is a series that is designed to be rewatched, in order to be fully understood. There is distinct lyrical, nah poetic aspect to the dialogue, though very postmodern, with little throwaway bits that later come into play in surprising ways. The middle of the OVA (episodes 3-4) might seem to be filler material and the ending is so ambiguous, but it manages to be entertaining enough so as to dissaude such accusations. Its no surprise that this same team would go on to make Diebuster a few years later, which is why those two Gainax shows are my favorite over some of the other entries in their catalog, though a good part of the Gainax catalogue holds a special place in my heart. Such a shame that Gainax has been in the pits for the past few years-their current stuff just doesn't match up to what they used to do, or rather they no longer suit my tastes which could be it.

A Faux-meganneko, if you will xD

The sound is equally terrific for FLCL: both the OST and language tracks. The entire OST is done by The Pillows, an alternative rock group who have been around for some time. In particular, the ending song "Ride on Shooting Star" is just awesome (FLCL ED). While serviceable in the Japanese, the English dub is quite good, with some noteworthy performances from Kari Wahlgren, Barbara Goodson, Stephanie Sheh, etc. Though, there exists a nagging problem with the dub: it is too faithful to the original Japanese. Not just in terms of the adapted script, but in how its performed vocally. This has been quite an issue with West Coast/LA dubs, in that they tend to hue more towards the original Japanese. I first actually noticed this with the dub of Lucky Star, which has predominance of 'chipmunk voices' in the dub in an effort to make the dub more like the original Japanese. Madoka also suffers a bit from this practice in the dub as well. It doesn't seem to me that anyone really notice or let them know about that. Regardless, the FLCL dub is still quite good.

Groovy  ^_^

And now for the manga adaptation, as I said before, this is an Anime vs. Manga article:

Typical start of your day....

Hajime Ueda did the artwork for the manga, having been a doujin writer prior to getting tapped for this manga adaptation. Story is credited to Gainax, though I'm willing to bet it was Ueda collaborating with Tsurumaki and Enokido in terms of the writing.

Volume 1 is nearly beat for beat the events of the first 2 episodes of OVA: Fooly Cooly and Firestarter. Some of the details are slightly altered, but the semblance of plot remains roughly the same. If you are thinking that the manga segments in the OVA are like the manga itself, then you are sadly mistaken. The art is very rough around the edges, very cartoonish one might say. Of course, it does fit the tone of the piece anyway, so any quibblings that can be made about the artwork are just that. There are a lot of more references made in the manga, such as one chapter starting off with a panel of Tak-kun and the robot making a rendition of Edvard Munch's The Scream.

Of course, the second volume is a different beast altogether. Sure, it starts off with what happens in Episode 3 and then veered off into totally unexplored territory. In many ways, this is where the manga makes less sense than the OVA, if that is even possible. The manga, in comparison to the anime OVA, ends on a more ambiguous note, but then again that's the open ended nature of the conclusion. That being said, the manga is a quick read (less then 300 pages between the two volumes), so if you have seen the OVA, then I definitely recommend checking out the manga as well. As for other work by Hajime Ueda, well, we shall take a look at that laterz.

Of course, Yoji Enokido did write a pair of novels based FLCL which has been released as well. I have yet to read those, but if given the chance I most likely will.

Actual Audience reaction after this 

At the end of the day, FLCL is a fun and twisted bundle of cartoony insanity. In many ways, it represents the pinnacle of Gainax as an animation studio, in the prime of its heyday. It is very nice that its legacy extends into the present with shows like Gurren Lagann, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt and Kill la Kill.

So, what's next on my platter? Well, its another project Yoji Enokido worked some years later....involving racing and fast action that would put the Fast and the Furious franchise to shame. 'Til next time, dear readers.

Anime Review no. 70-Patlabor OVA

Patlabor OVA
1988-89, 7 episodes
Studio: DEEN/HEADGEAR, Director-Mamoru Oshii, Writer-Kazunori Ito



Hello there, well it is time for the final review for the blog this year. In case you didn’t get it by the preview trailer posted at the end of the previous review, I am going over the Patlabor OVA, the other release I got from Maiden Japan this year. This review will be more of an episode guide as this show is old enough to warrant it. Therefore, spoilers warning.
Episode 1: Second Unit, Move Out!


Notice anything off here? 

It’s the near future in Japan, where giant robots have been developed for wide use in society. However, crime rose as a result and in response the police develop the Patlabor, which unsurprisingly look like the robot from Appleseed. This information is dispensed through the pre-opening intro at the start of every episode.  Then the opening song (link to OP), which I have to say is one of the best from the old school anime I have looked at. It’s energetic and fun, and gives you enough clues about what this is about, namely giant robots.



Essentially, Patlabor is the chronicles of the Second Unit of the Tokyo Metro Police Security Division. This series came out at a time when giant robot shows were rather simplistic: Macross, Gundam, etc while entertaining and successful money makers. Patlabor added some depth and philosophy to the mix-years before Anno did the same thing with Evangelion, except this works out a bit better. I believe that is due to the director, Mamoru Oshii. He also is behind Ghost in the Shell, another sci-fi which deals with similar themes and ideas to Patlabor. It is very cautious optimistic: robots have done some good things for society and that all our problems have been solved with technological progress, but still some of the societal ills exist nonetheless.
Anyway, the SV2 is headed by Captain Goto, a deadpan snarker boss. Shinobu is the female captain for the first unit and double acts against Goto quite often, providing some nice comedic moments here and there, in small doses. Of course, our main characters are the squad members: Noa Izumi-plucky genki redhead girl, names her Patlabor 'Alphonse'; Asuma Shinohara-down to earth guy who’s son of the president to the company that made the Labors possible; a gun otaku named Ohta, a scrawny newly married man Mikiyasu and the gentle giant Hiromi.  

 
One things I have to give this series is that it has quite solid animation, both in mecha design and backgrounds

Basically the first episode serves as a standard first episode: introducing the world, the characters, the main draw (the Patlabors), and setting up the situation. I have to say they do a very good job at this task. It does take a bit for it get interesting but luckily once it picks up, it does with great speed. What happens is that the SV2 grab their Patlabors and go to deal with some criminals who have gotten hold of a Labor and a police chase ensues The fight and chase scenes is well done, quick and kinetic animation. I also like to point out that the animation is rather solid and consistent, with some great backdrops thrown in for good measure. The episode ends with them capture the bad guys yet the Patlabors need repairs; overall a decent first episode.  

Episode 2: Long Shot (aka ‘Dat Face!!’)
It starts off with something completely out of left field: Izumi getting to test out a new Patlabor-which looks like a Gundam knockoff. However it fails, but then it turns out that it was all a dream.


Oh, mai waifu! (No seriously Kanuka rules, screw you guys)

Anyway, new character introduced: Kanuka Clancy, aka my favorite character in this show and potential waifu. No, seriously. Despite being an American transfer, she is the most Japanese looking of the entire cast, which is very funny. It also doesn't hurt that she is voiced by Angora Deb, one of my favorite voice actresses from CPM dubs (others being Veronica Taylor, Rachel Lillis, Megan Hollingshead, Jessica Calvello). She is here to oversee a goodwill trip by the NYC mayor; acting as temporary Security advisor.
It is in this episode that the Babel project is first brought out: basically turn Tokyo Bay into a mini-version of the Netherlands, to solve land issues. There is lots of talk about this, but it isn't explored too much in the OVA at least that I am aware of, acting as something in the background. Opposition in the form of terrorists and other anti-govt people that don’t much care for the Babel Project for very vague reasons.


Gah, what a face >.< 

It turns out some mad scientist has set up a bomb right near the hotel building where the NYC mayor will be at; the episode turns into a ticking clock type situation-real tense. She pretty much saves the day as she is like the expert on explosives and helps Shinohara with 'which wire is cut?' scenario then ends up cutting the wire herself just in the nick of time. 


Bwahahahahahaha Dat Face (twice in the same scene)

Shinohara wants to quit, yet stays when its announced that Kanuka Clancy is staying for a year with SV2. Possibly due to him gaining a crush on Kanuka, I don’t know it isn’t explained clearly at this point. Despite that, I quite like this episode: great action and suspense, and an introduction to one of my favorite female characters in anime.  

Episode 3: The 450 Million Year Old Trap
Ok, right off the bat, this whole episode is practically a dead straight parody of the 1954 Godzilla film. I say dead straight parody because as ridiculous as the premise is, it is played completely serious. It has all the elements of a monster flick: Mysterious sea creature, mad scientist who created it, various schemes to deal with the creature (ranging to scientific to practical to just plain silly), scientific psychobabble (panspermia theory and ruminations on evolution).


Oh you knew I had include another Kanuka screencap in here somewhere

The scene in Hirata's lab is really the one highlight: the writing, animation, lighting, direction-its all impeccable.Kanuka Clancy is really the sane one of the group but then is quickly involved, but more in the ‘oh let’s just kill the sucker’ which is rather disheartening. Unfortunately, it is very anti-climatic. 

 
Yeah, this makes even less sense in context. 

I see why most people don't like this episode, as it is rather unlike anything else in the OVA series. It turns the show from a police procedural with giant robots and blending in elements from B-movie monster flicks. On the other hand, I can also see shy Mamoru Oshii says that this is his favorite. He seems to be very much a Godzilla fan and wanted to pay homage to it in this project. Personally, I find this episode to be more an interesting experiment that fails in execution rather than planning. Sure, the plot is nearly beat for beat Godzilla, the fact that they play it straight makes its more entertaining, at least in my eyes.

Episode 4: The Tragedy of L
It opens with the SV2 squad brought into deal with a hostage situation at a VHS store. Yet, they manage to botch that up and Capt. Goto decides that they need some retraining. So, they go back to their former training school. They still get some R&R (nice bath scenes with a bit of male and female fanservice, at least by late 80s standards).

 
Dat Face strikes again 

But, some strange things occur: Someone put red paint in the bath, Ohta finds hair in the sink and spots a ghostly girl, A mossy overgrown Patlabor emerges from the mist with a skeleton inside, and some other coincidental events relating to a tragic past incident at the training school. Shinohara and the others are piecing together the puzzle in order to solve the mystery. Shinohara comes in and basically shows that all isn't what it seems.

However, he is upstaged by Kanuka who very much steals the scene and goes further than Shinohara could: its takes more to put the pieces together-one must analyze and synthesize the whole situation and all the information presented to you must be taken into consideration: to sift out the truth from the lies.  
The only thing I really like about this episode is that it offers some interesting commentary on the structure of mystery tale. Otherwise, an OK episode.  

Episode 5/6: The SV2's Longest Day, Parts I-II Pinnacle of the whole OVA series
In Winter (February to be precise), Shinohara finds out that his father's company is developing a new Labor for military use. It is also around Holiday season, and so the SV2 squad are all off on vacation. Meanwhile, a widespread criminal conspiracy is afoot with a past friend of Capt. Goto's, named Kai, at its helm-mysterious men in black scouting out the SV2….for nefarious purposes mwahahaha.  


And another Kanuka screencap added in (also, the action scene she's in is fantastic)

Quick paced action and drama rolled in one; great character moments-everyone in the main cast have their moment to shine (Shinobu's defiance against the authorities who'd prefer to turn tail and run, Goto dealing with stopping Kai's plan, Kanuka and her crazy driving scene, Shinohara and Noa's buddy comedy scene as they make their way to help). Another thing I like about this show is that any sort of romance is rather subdued: Goto x Shinobu, Shinohara x Kanuka is more implicit in nature, and that it doesn’t detract at all from the main story.


Yeah, this is how the 2 parter ends....on a still frame for reasons that forever baffle me

Some other things of note: real nice cliffhanger between the parts as the squad gets together to do battle. Part I is all establishment and build-up, then Part II is big bang action and quick payoff. It is a nail-biting, down to the wire scenario. Finally, if properly edited, this could have been a good standalone movie for the series (oh wait...).  

Episode 7: SV2 to the North!
We sort of go full circle with the seventh and final episode, as the SV2 squad deal with a stolen prototype Labor, which got stolen twice. The unfortunate thing is that it isn't connected to anyway to the events of the last 2 episodes which were great-no sense of any time lapse or skip, even a basic mention.  

 
The Patlabor rolling out and the ensuing robot fight is really the only highlight of this episode

Gosh I love Kanuka Clancy-only one not arguing/bickering and just wanting to get the job done. Noa’s and her team-up with the prototype Labor against the company’s own Labors which turn on them near end of the episode is the highlight. It ends on a definite high note: Promise of good stuff to come….
That being said, it is a good episode overall, but it feels like the ending for this particular OVA, and not for a series: Not surprising, as by the time this episode was released in Japan a TV Series and Movie was being made.  

Misc observations:
I love how this series explores the impact that the advancement of technology has on society. It offers an interesting look into society of the future, that even with the giant robots, the police will still have to deal with criminal activity regardless.

The English dub: quite good, certainly one of the better NY/CPM dubs I've listened. For all the flack i give CPM when it comes to their releases, they did do quite a number of good dubs: this one, Slayers, Utena, etc. Dan Green is in this dub, and yes kiddies before Yu-Gi-Oh! He was in quite a lot of these CPM dubs. Everyone else is rather good, though a few slip-ups and hammy acting occur as well. Once again, Angora Deb is another standout performer as Kanuka, and certainly some of the others (Michael Schwartz as Capt. Goto) give some really great performances.

Overall, Patlabor OVA is a very good old school giant robot show. It is certainly one of the best old school (80s and 90s) anime that I have looked at. And I am glad that Maiden Japan has taken an interest in licensing and releasing this as it had been out of print for at least a decade. If you’re a fan of old school anime or giant robots, then I definitely recommend checking this out. Also, Maiden Japan has been releasing the TV Series which is based off of this OVA (4 sets in total) primarily because they did a license rescue of the stuff that US Manga Corps released back in the day. The movies in this franchise are still in the hands of Bandai, though been out of print for some time but can be found if you're willing to do some digging. I hope to get my hands on at least the first movie and go from there. This OVA, more than anything, has served as a great introduction for the Patlabor universe.

Well, that covers 2013 for me. I will be posting an update on the Anime Favorites page on my blog Sunday with Entries #4 and #3 for that list.

Anime Review No. 56-Evangelion Rebuild 1.11 and 2.22

Evangelion Rebuild film series (2007, 2009) from a fan's perspective

Well, coming full circle once again. Evangelion is the anime that got me initially hooked. I remember when back around 2003-04, as I was entering high school, I first came across this title. Back in the day, there was a Blockbuster video store down the way from my house. As I was strolling through the shelves once, when I saw something that caught my eye. It was two VHS tapes with the title 'Neon Genesis Evangelion. Intrigued, I rented them and watched them, and it was wonderful. Granted, it was only first four episodes, but it got me interested. I ended up collecting most of the DVDs, later owning the Platinum collection and the End of Eva movie for some time.

Evangelion, it has to be said, is one of the most talked about and analyzed pieces of Japanese animation. Put Evangelion analysis into Google and you'll see. Whether or not you like Evangelion, that is something to be recognized. It broke ground in the mecha genre when it first came out in 1995 and even today the anime landscape has been influenced tremendously by it. My opinion of Evangelion is that despite its flaws (which it does have), it is a very good anime series.
 

But then, talk of a 'Rebuild film series' surfaced around the time I went to college. At first, I was like 'huh?' and 'why?' and 'whats the point?'.. But then, at Anime Weekend event hosted by the anime club at the college I went to, they were showing Evangelion 1.11 film. It was pretty good. Two years later, I saw the second Rebuild film, which is a masterpiece as I will mention later. Recently, I obtained both films from MovieStop at a substantial bargain. Now, onto the films.

Eva 1.11 aka You are (Not) Alone

This is a decent anime film. In terms of story it is basically a showcase of the first five episodes of the TV series rolled into a movie. Or moreover, it's like a highlight reel of the series' start and doesn't really do much beyond that. It does have brilliant animation-nice blend of CGI and digital cel don't get me wrong. But that's hardly praise when most of the movie consists of scenes that beat for beat just like the original series. Of course, this will be evident to only the most astute viewers or fans of the original series.

However, there are great things about this film. For one, Hideaki Anno (director/writer for both the films and the original TV series) seems to learned a bit from the original series as some of its flaws (characters and story) has greatly improved. He has definitely written the characters (especially Shinji) to where they are more relatable. Second, the English dub. This being Funimation, one expect a very good job and they certainly pull this off. Kudos for getting Allison Keith and Spike Spencer back for the dub as Misato and Shinji probably wouldn't have been done justice with a different voice actor. And really, it just go to show how better those two in particular are in comparison to the english dub for the original series, which let's be fair, is a bit rough around the edges.

Overall, a good film. If a newbie to anime wants to know more on Eva, this is a suitable starting point.

Eva 2.22 aka You Can (Not) Advance (and spoiler alert)

The second movie, on the other hand, is far more interesting hence why I shall talk more about it than the first film. The opening sequence with Mari is bloody fantastic and really hooks one into the movie. It also let me know that this is miles above a mere remake of the original series.

This attitude continues with the intro to Asuka and Unit 02: vastly different from the series, but still awesome, using the same music from her introductory episode of the TV series. Now, as for Asuka Langely Shikinami: while toned down in bitchiness for sure, she is still cocky and confident. She also got that still lingering hidden sadness and psychological issues-though not rammed into the viewers' face. Another point is I like how Tiffany Grant returns for the dub. She does a pretty good job, in comparison to TV series dub. Asuka is a tad abrasive towards Rei and Shinji at first.

There is also the lingering mystery of Gendo. Is he doing some kind of Instrumentality project? I don't know, any scenes with him involve being cryptic and mysterious. And what's with the random one-off shots of Kaoru? Once again, I am not sure. There is some more hinting at Rei's true nature and intro to SEELE.

Another aspect of note is the oblique reflection of 'Kare Kano'. Several music bits are recycled from Kare Kano (anime series by Gainax back in 1998-99 and previously reviewed on this blog). I have been wrapping my head around for some time. The best I can come up with is that its Anno looking back obliquely at the previous series he did, before he left Gainax and pursue other projects.
 

That's not to say that it's all serious business. Comedy/light-hearted moments are plenty in this movie: Shinji and Asuka's home life with Misato, school life scenes, the visit to the 'Aquarium' where even the downtime shows character development, and the night after the team fight against the Angel: intimate moment between Asuka and Shinji.

That's not to discount the Angel Fights: very well good, kinetic without cutting too many corners. The Angels are a visual treat, more so than the first film (otherworldly CGI is the way to go). In other words, showing how with the advancement of technology the animation staff and Anno are basically amounting to saying 'Oh look at what we can do now!". The second Angel they fight in the movie (the one that falls down on top of them) shows the group dynamic very well (Rei, Shinji, Asuka).

In addition, Shinji and Kaji's relationship is allowed to develop more so then in the series, like the scene at the aquarium or the watermelon field scene. It's all very good stuff. I really like the Second Impact flashback-visually stunning and captivating and good utilization of the visual medium.

Mari's entrance into the narrative proper, well that's quite surprising-this one scene establishes her character-outgoing and a bit quirky (She likes the smell of LCL?! What?! Explain, movie). Still, it's good to see if this character pays off. We'll see.

The third act aka Rei's Dinner Plans, where the plot begins to deviate wildly from the source material, but for the better. Well, it turns out that there is an Experimental Unit 04. Events in this segment seem to be akin to the 'Calm before the Storm'.

For example, Eva Unit 02 gets grounded and Asuka is not pleased. This leads to the Elevator scene, which is improved vastly from the original 'moment of silence'. There exists actual dialogue and character interaction between Asuka and Rei as they spell out clearly what they are about. IT makes me wish that the TV series had more scenes like this, as it would have bolstered that up a bit.

There is also the Dummy Plug System, which is explained briefly so my thinking is how long 'til someone gets hurt?

What color me surprised Asuka will go in for the experimental test for Unit 03. Though, this makes more sense than in the TV series. There, Touji (Shinji's classmate) ends up the pilot as some feeble attempt for pathos and it fails. This is due to Touji being a side character, so who gives a crap? At least with Asuka it leads to me giving some concern towards what is happening. Asuka's phone call to Misato is a very great moment for Asuka's character development. I have to ask: Why didn't the series have more of this?

Experiment goes awry, as expected. Unit 03 turns into an angel and goes on a rampage. With Asuka in there, the moral dilemma Shinji has is more real and believable. He's hesitant sure, but given the time he has had with Asuka its understandable. It also really shows how much of an emotionally distant authority Gendo is, but again this has been obvious from the first film, so moving on. Finally, with Asuka in the corrupted Eva, it makes Shinji's brief post-battle rebellion much more credible.

Dummy Plug Unit 01 ripping to shreds the Angel-controlled Unit 03 is just a sight to behold. Disconcerting music playing over it, with sweet song over a scene that is still brutally violent, just makes it a terrifying beauty to be seen.

Another aspect of note: The psychoanalytic scenes are short and to the point, not redundant and overbearing like in series In addition, actions have consequences: Asuka is recovered but quaratined , Shinji is told to leave for good and Rei is the last usable pilot. Oh dear...

The Tenth Angel forms the tremendous finale to this movie. It is a very tense and harrowing situation. Mari's first sortee mostly involves to keep on whaling on the Angel with little to no effect. She activates the Beast mode which can summed up as: wow, just wow. Dayumm... Turns out, it is Mari's the one who gets Shinji to man up a bit and get involved by getting him to come back. Once Shijni see the destruction unfolding before him, he realizes that he can't run away. He goes to fight and nearly fail when Eva Unit 01 goes berserk which is another fantastic moment in this movie. It then enhances the scene further by having him save Rei from the Angel itself, now that was a very powerful moment as well.

Third Impact begins.... Ok, ending on a cliffhanger, it seems. Well, alright then. I shall eagerly what happens with the third movie, Evangelion 3.33 or Eva Q,

Still the two Eva Rebuild films are released to the USA by Funimation and I highly recommend them to any fan of the original series or newbies who want to see what all hub-bub is about.

Anime Review No. 55-Diebuster

"Hard Work and Effort"

Diebuster (2004 OVA, 6 episodes)

Studio: Gainax

Now, onto Diebuster. Let me stress first off that I have not yet seen Gunbuster, the original 1988 OVA done by Gainax. So, my evaluation of Diebuster will not be as a 'sequel' to another work, but rather as a 'transitional piece'.

Diebuster is an 6 episode OVA from 2004, in order to celebrate Gainax's 20^th anniversary. It tells the story of Nono-chan, a pink-haired girl from the country who strives to see the stars by becoming a space pilot. She runs into Lal'c Melk Mal, the ace pilot of Topless, an organization where teenage pilots using highly specialized giant robots to fight off space monsters. But, Nono holds a secret that could change the tide of the conflict for the better? What is the nature of the space monsters? Will humanity survive? All these questions are all very interesting.

Of course, from reading my summary, one can piece together similar concepts from other Gaianx shows. Well, no surprise, as Diebuster is very much a pastiche of stuff Gainax has done. From using mecha that wouldn't feel out of place in Evangelion to having a story that at its core is much like Fooly Cooly; that is, it is a coming of age story for both Nono and Lal'C though not in the way most expected.

One of the nice things about Diebuster is its small yet tightly controlled cast. There are only about 5-6 recurring characters throughout the 6 episodes. Nono and Lal'C have an interesting dynamic (some would say its a shoujo-ai relationship, but its more out of admiration than love). The other characters (Casio, Tycho and Nicola) each are very interesting with their own focus episode/time. I won't spoil further, but suffice to say its makes things very interesting.

But more than a simple character study, it is also a rather exciting space adventure. One of the things that struck me about this OVA is how great it looks. From a production standpoint, Diebuster is very pretty to look at; clear, crisp and consistent character design and modeling, even if some of the shots are clearly CG, but then again most CG from pre-2006 or so is mostly obvious and/or jarring, so I won't complain much on it. The action scenes are very well-done, kinetic and fast-paced which you do need in your show with giant robots.

Diebuster also stands as a 'transition piece'. On the one hand, it looks back to Gunbuster (of course), Evangelion (mecha and cosmic horror of space monsters) and FLCL (both share the same writer and director). On the other hand, it looks forward to Gurren Lagann, as both are basically gung-ho sci-fi mecha shows where hot-bloodedness and enthusiasm takes central stage. The epithet 'Hard Work and Effort' which I've titled this review initially serves as the central message of Diebuster, that through hard work and effort one can do the improbable, which happens to occur so often one could make a drinking game of it. Seriously, the feats that break not just physics but reality itself committed by Nono-chan for the most part is astounding yet awe-inspiring.

But, I think that "Hard Work and Effort" stands as a slogan for Studio Gainax itself. This is the studio founded by fanboys back in the 80s who loved those sci-fi/mecha shows from days of yore. They put in a lot of hard work into their shows, despite any production/budget issues, and it shows here in spades with Diebuster. This intense passion and enthusiasm can be seen from the beginning to the final scene. It is very inspirational and powerful.

Now, onto some other aspects of the show: The music is phenomenal, having been done by Kohei Tanaka, who has done several scores for anime, OVAs and games. Just check his Wikipedia page for full credits. His music is very powerful and fitting in just about every scene in this OVA. Of particular note is "March of the Exelion" and "Inazuma Double Kick".

The Japanese voice acting is very good. The DVDs I have for Diebuster were from the Bandai Visual release a few years ago. They decide to just release it subbed, with no english dub at all. Which is fine, as I feel a dub wouldn't be too good. Plus, Diebuster is a very niche title, so I guess that Bandai figured that they could just make their money back on it by just selling it subbed release.

Luckily, Discotek Media is releasing the complete collection of Diebuster in May. This definitely gets a recommendation from me. It is probably one of the better entries in the Gainax catalog, and that includes 'Evangelion', 'FLCL', 'Gurren Lagann' and 'Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt' so it's in good competition/company. Its very good in just about everything. Now, if you wish to view this as a sequel, I would recommend checking out the original Gunbuster, as I hope so to do in the near future. However, as a 'transitional piece', it is perfectly fine to watch just this, it works well as a stand-alone work.

Next review concludes Gainax month with the Eva Rebuild films, to be posted April 27th-28^th.

Laterz,

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