Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Part 4 Episodes 14-17

With no other options left to them, the Union, HRL and AEU come together for a historic operation.  Lured into a trap, the Gundam Meisters face the full might of all three world powers at once, a battle of 4 against 1000.  It seems the end is nigh…until the Meisters are saved by the intervention of three new Gundams: the Thrones and their pilots, the Trinity’s.  Are these saviors friends or foes and what new direction will this joint venture between the Worlds Leaders send the world?

This round: the world came together, our heroes almost died, then were saved by new more ruthless pilots…who then went on to kill more people.  I wont say the game has changed fully but it’s definitely taken a bold new turn.

So the powers of the world and their stuffy represenetives finally came to a conclusion they should have reached half of the first half of a season ago…if they cant defeat the Gundams on their own, TEAM UP!!!  Seeing the Gundams face the full might of the world was both cool in execution and also terrifying to watch.  I love these four pilots and it’s tough to see them get into a battle they may not come out of.  Which begs the quick question: Did Sumeragi know that this was in fact a trap she was sending the Meisters in to and did she expect theyd die and not tell them?  Might be reading too much into it but if so…that’s messed up. 

We didn’t get to see a lot of interaction amongst the joint forces of the three world super powers but there were some cute moments, mostly for Patrick.  He got off on the wrong foot with his new superior Kati Mannequin but after a powerful show of force…he got his act together? Surprising but im looking forward to Colasours pursuit of the no nonsense commander.  Sergei and Soma didn’t get a lot of new material.  But, sigh, Graham got to spout off all kind of Gundam love as he kicked Lock On’s ass in battle…this guy…seriously, I don’t like him.

But the Meisters were saved from certain death from not one, not two, but THREE new Gundam models.  Their pilots, the Trinity siblings, are appropriately detestable: Johann’s too calm and nice, Michael’s psychotic and Nena is…well Nena’s just a bitch.  Both teams of Meisters met and immediately they didn’t like each other.  Setsuna’s reaction to Nena kissing him was great…those lips are reserved for Marina if it ever comes to that.  And leave it to three new enemies to do the unthinkable: put Setsuna and Tierria on the same page.  And they’re right to be overly cautious.  The Trinity’s next sortie saw them literally carve a path of pointless destruction across a military base, killing Professor Eifman.  It’s curious he was the target of the attack, announcing moments before his death that he knows the “true goal” of Celestial Being Founder Aeolia Schenberg’s creation of the Gundams.  It has something to do with Jupiter, which we saw a bit in a brief flashback that featured the discovery of the Haro unit carried by the Trinity’s, a real foul mouthed piece of tech that attacked Lock On’s Haro.

Just when you thought Saji and Louise could not get anymore insufferable…Setsuna is forced to sit in with them for a very brief (thankfully for him and us) scene.  Poor Setsuna.  I know he could use some more of a social life but he’s got his team for that, no need to pair him with easily the weakest element of this series (do I detest those two as much as Graham? It’s too close to call to be honest).  There was also the matter of Alejandro Corner and his secret SEELE, sorry Observers meeting.  His role has never really been defined much like Wong Liu Mei.  Is he a good guy or a villain?  Is he on the side of the Gundams or someone else?  Whatever the case, his meeting with this secret society resulted in a half episode recap that we definitely not needed.  We could have just skipped to the Trinity’s meeting the Ptolemaios Crew and moved the story along.

So the world united to battle four Gundams but will it stay united to deal with three deadlier ones?  Will they figure out the Trinity’s aren’t exactly like the ones they’ve been facing til now? (Judging from Graham’s reaction to the brutal death of the Professor…im going to go with no).  And more importantly…will Saji ever see Louise again as she goes home to Spain for break without a kiss?  Kidding, kidding.  But seriously, the Meisters need a plan to deal with these triplets.  Cause if their future missions are just as needlessly destructive, it’s going to be a bad time to be associated with a Gundam.

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Part 3 Episodes 10-13

Alleluia’s brief capture by the HRL awakens a darker version of himself, one hellbent on death and destruction.  With his origin revealed, Sumeragi ok’s a dangerous mission for the dual personality Meister that he claims must be done by his own hand.  Meanwhile, the kidnapping of a prolific Holy Leader brings Celestial Being to Azadistan.  Setsuna confronts his past and once again meets with Marina Ismail.  If the operation to reclaim their target fails, will Setsuna be true to his word and unleash his mobile suit upon the country that destroyed his?

Whew, halfway done (with Season 1 anyway), almost hard to believe.  But hey, im happy ive been so consistent with reviews for this endeavor…and im still enjoying it, every little bit.

The series split into two halves this time, both dealing evenly with central developments around Alleluia and Setsuna.  Alleluia was up first.  This isn’t the first time Gundam has delved into soldiers being modified by the military.  It goes as far back as the original series with Cyber Newtypes created by Zeon.  The Super Soldier Project we saw here falls into that vein of plot but takes it a bit further with Alleluia’s freaky, survival fueled other half, Halleluiah.  His torturous, slow kill of that one HRL pilot was terrifying and it makes me worry about the safety of the other Celestial Being crew members.  I mean yeah all of the Meisters have a past but how long until Alleluia snaps and his other half tries to kill them all?  I might be reading too much into it and for now it seems that with the destruction of the Super Human Institute and all of it’s child prodigies, Alleluia’s matter has been put to rest. 

Cudos to Sergei, who stepped up to put two and two together about the Super Soldier matter and put the scientist on his team connected to it behind bars. Of the military aces we’ve seen so far, Sergei has been my favorite.  With his age comes wisdom and a fighting spirit that you cant help but respect.  I also like his connection with Soma, who he views not as a weapon but as someone who shouldn’t be on the battlefield but he’ll do his best to protect her.  He’s a far cry from freaking Graham, who apparently we can add psychic deductibility to his list of ego stroking annoyances.  His brief encounters with Lock On and Setsuna (the latter he met in person) had his Gundam fantasies on display in full, managing to go toe to toe with Lock On.  As for his encounter with Setsuna, again, we’ve seen rival meet under unusual circumstances.  Heck, Amuro and Char met randomly while both on leisurely strolls in a colony and didn’t really suspect they knew each other…though Char is hard to not know cause of his mask.  But Graham piecing together Setsuna is with Celestial Being and possibly a Gundam pilot…I don’t know, I just don’t like how he needs to be right about everything and so freaking confident, let Graham be wrong for once. 

The second half of this block took place in the Middle East, with Setsuna and Celestial Being looking into the kidnapping of a prolific religious figure head.  The payoff from this storyline was two fold: Setsuna coming home and seeing the resolution to the entire matter.  Setsuna being unable to save child soldiers from the coup d’etat forces forced him to the revelation that he cannot become a Gundam…but his determination to bring Rachmadi back safe and sound renewed his determination to become the embodiment of his Mobile Suit was a good rebound for him.  His brief exchange with Relena, er, Marina, was noteworthy as well, telling her to fight for what she believes in much like he does.  Celestial Being got put in a positive spotlight around the world, but how long will that last I wonder.

With some strong stories this batch, we did get some nitpicks and some of them are lessons not learned from prior ones.  I am of course talking about Saji and Louise.  The “light hearted” moments came from cut aways to Saji trying to impress Louise’s mom…no just…no.  We also have some other side characters who have yet to yield any prominence to the story that information gathering and nothing more.  Sure we got to see Hong Long be a ninja for a few moments but I still don’t get why he and his “mistress” are even around.  Surely all of the info gathering could be left to the super computer VEDA that Tierria has so much faith in.  The cast is large enough and sometimes it just feels overstuffed even for a Gundam series.  If you’re going to have them in the series, give everyone something to do with purpose besides exposition. 

Speaking of Tierria, I did get a small bit of satisfaction watching him screw up for once.  His revelation of the sweet looking Gundam Nedleeh, made everyone see that even Tierra can mess up at times.  He may scoff it off, but we know haha.

That’s enough Gundam reviews for one week everyone.  Time to take a breather and get back to it next week as we get to the intense and better (?) second half of Season One of Gundam 00.

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Part 2 Episodes 6-9

Celestial Beings “Armed Interventions” have begun across the world and now Earth fears the appearance of a Gundam.  It seems few can barely even match these nearly indestructible forces of nature until a mysterious terrorist group appears to challenge the Gundams…by indiscriminately unleashing terror attacks across all three world powers.  Enraged beyond words, how will Celestial Being deal with a threat unknown to them?  And further more, how will they react when Sergei Smirnov and the Human Reform League take their own action to capture a Gundam?

“You have inspired good.  But you spat in the face of Gotham’s criminals.  Didn’t you think there’d be some casualties? Things were always going to get worse before they got better.”  That quote from The Dark Knight I think hold some merit with these episodes.  Celestial Being may not have inspired good but their Interventions were bound to bring about some form of retaliation, if not from the big three world powers then at least someone or some group.  We didn’t get to see too much of this terrorist group, La Edenra…which is kind of disappointing to be honest as their mysterious appearance could have made them good foes for the Gundams, as if they didn’t have enough to deal with challenging the world.  What we did get out of this that was great were the Meisters reactions, especially Tieria and Lock On…or should we call him Neil now?  Tieria is just begging for a punch given how he basically says, “Eh, bound to happen so what?”  His not giving a crap attitude about how the world responds to the Gundams attacks is less than human, thus not earning him any popularity points. 

As for Lock On, we know he’s got some deep rooted ties to a hatred of terrorism but we also saw him open up to one of the Ptolemios crew members, poor Feldt.  Lock On’s been one of the strongest characters from the get go, reminding me a lot of Duo from Gundam Wing but with more of a mature attitude to life.  He comforts Feldt and does his best to keep the peace amongst the Meisters, even when theyre threatening to shoot each other for missions screw ups.  Setsuna got some nice development here too as we see more of his past being a child soldier and his connection to the sure to be a handful Ali-Al Sachez.  His scars dealing with war run deeper than probably anyone we know so far, though Lock On’s might equal it…speaking of him again, he has a twin? By the way, is it just me or is Setsuna’s “I am a Gundam” hero worship a bit creepy…not anywhere close to Graham Acker’s down right creepy Gundam love (for joking purposes I may start calling him Mr. Gundam Fetish later on)…just saying a fetish for Gundams is a bit much isn’t it?

Speaking of Setsuna, fans of Gundam Wing will no doubt see the similarities I pointed out last review between Wing leads Heero and Relena and 00’s Setsuna and Relena.  Their meeting in this set is a trade off of ideals but it’s Setsuna’s dropping of the act that is the kicker.  He outright reveals who he is, what he can do and that someday he might come for Marina and her country, especially for what they did to his homeland years ago.  It bears plenty of shades of similarity to Heero’s imfamous “I’ll kill you” exchange with Relena.  I do like Marina’s reaction after Setsuna runs off though though, “That…that wasn’t a very funny joke.”

We were left with a nice cliffhanger with Sergei and his HRL unit ambushing Celestial Being when someone wasn’t doing their job.  With the Meisters a bit outmatched in space, it looks like Alleluia might be in danger.  Hopefully this means we get more insight into his hair changing split personality as he heads into a rematch with Soma Peries.  It was intense seeing Celestial Being on the defensive for once after seeing them confident since the shows beginning.  Heck even Sumeragi was content to chill out on Earth and supply swimsuit fanservice while the Gundams carried out her attack plan perfectly…nothing wrong with that but man that’s confidence.

Lastly, shout out to the King of Confidence Patrick Colasaur, who made a return to the battlefield after his hilarious defeat at Setsuna’s hands in episode one, we need more of him asap…and way less of Saji and Louise, seriously I think that’s a fair trade off, anyone agree?

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Part 1 Episodes 1-5

2307 AD.  With Earth’s fossil fuels used up, humanity has now turned to solar power as a means of survival.  Three orbital elevators, governed by three different super powers, stand to not only supply energy but like Earth to the stars.  However, in defending these towers, hostilities are high as each powers (the Union, Human Reform League, and the AEU) secretly vies for control of another.  But everything changes when a new power enters the fray.  They call themselves Celestial Being, an armed private military force in possession of four powerful Mobile Suits called Gundams.  And they have one goal: the eradication of war on Earth.  A curious goal, but with the Gundams and their Meisters descending, all of Earth will feel their wrath.

Welcome to my great summer endeavor, my full series review of Mobile Suit Gundam 00.  Ever since Gundam came into the new millennia, it’s always tried to find ways to appeal to new and old fans, like every franchise should every decade or so.  Preceding Gundam 00, that task went to the Gundam SEED saga.  Gundam SEED did an admirable job putting it’s own spin on the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam saga.  But Gundam SEED Destiny, the follow up, was the exact opposite, horrendous and downright infuriating, a devastating blow to the franchise, basically making things up as it went along with disasterous results (seriously I want those 51 episodes of time back).  Which brings us to the successor to SEED, Gundam 00…and from the first few episodes it’s a definite recoup from the dark era of SEED Destiny.

The first smart move the series makes is in it’s inspiration.  Whereas SEED drew from the original series and SEED Destiny the Zeta and ZZ sequels, 00 seems to take it’s cues from fan favorite Gundam Wing, aka the show that made Gundam a household name around the world not just in Japan.  The premise feels like Wing except a bit grander but the images of a set of Gundams suddenly appearing around the world striking down military targets is still the same.  Even the feel of some of the characters mirrors Wings. For this im looking specifically at main Gundam Pilot Setsuna F Seiei, who could basically pass for Heero Yuy’s younger brother.  Same goes for potential Relena Peacecraft, Princess Marina Ismail, who seems to be learning the ropes of politics in a harsh and unforgiving political realm.  Oh and as an added bonus for fans of the franchise, resident Gundam mascot Haro is back, this time as Lock On’s co pilot and he’s just as good as ever, I dare say this is probably my most favorite incarnation of Haro to date.

The series has a thunderous opening with the first appearance of the Gundams and their parent organization, Celestial Being.  But after the announcement of their goal: to eradicate war from the Earth, the first couple of episodes seem to follow the same pattern: recap the Gundams exploits, talk political plays, a battle pops up, the Gundams intervene and an Ace tries to take them out…repeat.  It isn’t until the last couple of intro episodes that things get shaken up a bit.  So Celestial Being’s endgame goal: to bring about the end of war on Earth, means they’ll target basically any military force with a Mobile Suit or a gun.  It doesn’t matter what sides needs more help than the other, they’ll blow them up regardless.  It’s funny when Gundam Sniper Lock On quips, “We just picked a fight with the entire world” cause that’s exactly what’s happened.  And Episode 4’s turn to have the Gundams attack a country that wanted them to fight on their behalf adds to this, they aren’t making friends, they aren’t taking sides, everyone is an enemy, that is all.  Episode 5 is a bit of a shake up as well as we see one of the pilots, the enigmatic Trowa Barton hair styled Alleluia, deal with his split personality (?) and disobey protocol to save a falling colony, rallying Human Reform League Ace Sergei Smirnov (Bad ass name) and his forces to aid him.

The cast on this show is huge and I feel like we got thrown a lot all at once.  Besides the Meisters and their support crew there’s also three governments with various characters and even some civilians thrown into the mix.  There’s some nice mystery to Celestial Being spy…jack of all trades…young child spokeswoman, you know what, five episodes in and im not sure what the heck Wang Liu Mei’s purpose in the show is, same for her manservant and her male counterpart Alejandro Corner.  As for annoying couple in love, the energetic and pretty if loud Louise and her boring as all heck boyfriend Saji (seriously how are these two compatible)…they do get swept up in the action during the colony drop episode and are now kind of just there to be the civilian POV on the whole conflict.

The rest of the production is pretty awesome. The animation is about what youd expect for how far Gundam has come since the 1970’s.  The action is just as intense and the visuals, man they can be just downright terrifying.  I don’t think we’ve reached the peaks of the blood soaked battlefields of SEED or SEED Destiny but Setsuna imagining a peaceful park destroyed while he sits there is still a pretty terrifying appetizer for what might lie ahead.  What’s in my opinion the best treat, besides some really awesome mech designs, is the soundtrack.  Anime composer Kenji Kawaii is behind the excellent soundtrack for this series.  If you don’t know who he is, just watch a Mamoru Oshii film…and then some  actually.  His resume includes the Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor films as well as live action features like Death Note and Kibakichi.  His mix of symphony, choirs and his own guitar work is a work of art and suits a Gundam series just fine.

Gundams are on Earth once again and it sure is great to have em back.  And just another heads up, ill be posting more frequent new reviews throughout the week: Monday (the regularly scheduled day for new reviews) plus Wednesday and Friday.  It’s a long series, 2 seasons 25 Episodes each and 14 DVDs between them and if I want to get it all done before Otakon, that’s what it’s gotta be.  Means I may watch more and write ahead and some reviews may be shorter than others but no matter what, this is how it’s getting done.

Welcome to Gundam 00…buckle up and Suit Up…yeah that sounded cooler when Peter “Optimus Prime” Cullen was doing that for Gundam Wing promos.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble

Special Note:
Hey everyone.  So originally I intended todays post to be just a short notice.  With my grand Gundam 00 coverage taking over the blog next up, im putting a hold on the remaining Classic Reviews and was going to do so after the Inuyasha movies were done.  But then I felt bad about a day without content and I might even try to fill the gaps on Tuesdays and Thursdays so it isn’t just Gundam 00 dominating the blog for the next month (we’ll see).  I realized yesterday that I did write a review that I hadn’t even posted, I kind of just wrote it after I watched the film just for the heck of it.  So why not post it?  Well, that post’s day in the light is today.  Hope everyone enjoys this new review and hope you’re looking forward to my thoughts on Gundam 00.

Twenty years ago, the vicious outlaw Gasback was betrayed by his own gang during a bank job and nearly killed.  However he was saved by the untimely intervention of a bumbling hostage who claimed to be Vash the Stampede.  Twenty years later, Gasback is on the move again to find those who betrayed him and make them suffer.  And wouldn’t you know it, Vash is on route to the same destination with a beautiful bounty hunter named Amelia.  But Gasback’s target, the town Mayor, has hired an army of outlaws with the promise of a hefty bounty on Gasback’s head.  It’s an all out war as Vash and Gasback clash again, only this time a peaceful solution may be out of the question.

I’ll admit, I was never a big Trigun fan.  I guess there were several other Anime at the time I was watching that were able to keep me interested and left me with little time for the Space Western Rurouni Kenshin (trust me plenty of similarities between Kenshin Himura and Vash).  Most of what I did see sort of unimpressed me and I felt the show never really hit me with the good stuff until well towards the end.  Still, Trigun is one of those shows like Cowboy Bebop or Gundam Wing that is an easy gateway for most people looking to get into Anime.  It’s a nice mix of scifi and western with an intriguing character and a nice story (well in the second half more so but that’s not here or there).  It was a very successful series no doubt deserving of the big screen treatment.  And while Badlands Rumble is sort of fun, it’s still not the big screen adventure worthy of a series with such a rep.  In a way it’s the exact opposite of the Cowboy Bebop movie.  Bebop’s movie had a larger than life villain and a dire premise that made the situation for the main characters greater than any they had ever faced before and made you question if they would survive the film (most probably knew cause it took place just before the end of the series).   In Badlands Rumble, you don’t feel like the plot is really epic or the villain very much outside of the norm of any guy Vash crossed paths with in the first half of the series.  It feels like a two part episode from the series merged into one 80min feature film.  Even Amelia, pretty and bad ass as she may be, is nothing the show hasn’t featured already…a pretty and bad ass spit fire with a troubled past linked to the villain.  And everything we need to know about Gasback and Amelia is shared in an exposition heavy first half with very little exciting action.  In truth there isn’t even any reason for the return of all of Trigun’s main players other than Vash.  Meryl and Milly don’t serve much purpose and Wolfwood is kind of just there to be cool and back up Vash when the time is right (granted Wolfwood to me is the coolest thing about Trigun so when he gets to kick ass there’s nothing wrong with that lol).

That’s not to say it’s all bad.  When the action does get going, it’s not terrible at all.  The epic car chase through the desert is very Mad Max in execution and the end duel between Gasback and Vash is some of the best Trigun action I’ve ever seen.  When Vash finally drops his “love and peace” mentality and gets down to it, he is one of the best shooters in all of Anime, downright deadly if he wants to be. I’ve also covered Wolfwood, with his metallic cross machine gun and rocket launcher loaded with extra side arms, who could probably benefit from his own stand alone movie than Vash could.  Amelia also gets her own moments to shine and show how she is more than just a pretty face with red hair and a cowboy hat.  She really does just suffer from being an unoriginal Trigun plot device.

So it’s not the greatest but it is passable fun.  Again, Trigun is not my cup of tea but I know there are plenty out there who enjoy the series.  And if you do like the series then it is likely the movie will appeal more to you than it did to me.  It was definitely a rumble in the badlands…just not as epic and memorable as it could have been.

6/10

Inuyasha: The Movie 4-Fire on the Mystic Island

(Originally Written December 29, 2014)

The mystical island of Horrai has reappeared and four “War Gods” that govern it seek a mystical box that will grant them unspeakable powers.  A half demon child named Ai escapes the island in search of the one person who can save her and her young comrades from being sacrificed for the War Gods ends: Inuyasha.  Indeed the half demon warrior has a past connection to this girl and Horrai Island and now with Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo, must return to settle an old score.  But other individuals both friend and foe are being drawn to Horrai as well as a great showdown prepares to take place.

And so we reach the end of Inuyasha Month on a whimper rather than a bang.  In truth it took me a while to type up such a simple synopsis for the movie because to be brutally honest, I did not care.  From the moment the children of Horrai first appeared in the opening act, I was not drawn in and it got worse when even the appearance of Team Inuyasha did nothing to get me excited.  And I don’t think it’s a matter of fatigue after four films.  No it’s a matter of this film itself trying to stay entertaining and failing miserably.

The story is boring and it’s attempts to copy Inuyasha 3 and make the situation a bit personal for not just Inuyasha but also Seshomaru and Kikiyo just don’t’ work.  In Inuyasha 3, you cared about the two bickering brothers fighting over a piece of their fathers legacy and wanted to see them triumph over the darkness that was unleashed.  Here, do we really care about a bunch of kids, two of whom are twins with no enthusiasm that Inuyasha spends more time beating the hell out of than he does Shippo in a whole season of episodes (ouch), or about Kikiyo and Inuyasha’s failed exorcism of the island 50 years ago or Seshomaru not accepting his fathers followers which lead to their death at the hands of the War Gods…nope.  But most of the first half of the movie is hellbent on making it so important that it will talk your ear off more than any film in the series.  And speaking of Seshomaru and Kikiyo, was there any need to include them at all in this movie?  Not at all.  However, Seshomaru does get a pretty decent fight scene and his thoughts as he kills one of the “War Gods” echoes my own, “I exist only to battle and defeat the strongest of opponents…and you are far from one of them.”  Truer words have never been spoken.

Yeah this review is more or less a short one because I’ll just end up repeating myself on a lot of points.  Boring story, villains who never break the typical villains of the week mold, an unbearable supporting cast and a feeling of the Inuyasha crew just going through the numbers to get finished with this travesty as quickly as possible.  If it weren’t for Seshomaru and a couple of the always dependable cute Inuyasha and Kagome moments, this film would be written off as a total loss.  I’m just happy that no other Inuyasha films have followed this because I get the feeling it would only get worse as time went on for them.  We got one good Inuyasha film this month…the third one.  But with Fire on the Mystic Island, we got the unthinkable, a film worse than The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass…it’s Transformers 4 all over again.

4/10

Inuyasha: The Movie 3-Swords of an Honorable Ruler

(Originally Written December 22, 2014)

Before he died, the Great Dog Demon bequeathed his two swords to his two sons: to his oldest Seshomaru the sword of heaven Tensaiga and to his infant son Inuyasha the sword of Earth Tetsaiga.  However, he also possessed a third sword, the sword of Hell Sounga.  It was a sword so powerful and terrifying that it was deemed neither brother nor any soul could wield it.  But that sword once thought lost has shown up in a shed in Kagome’s shrine and now it’s reawakened to destroy life in both the present and the past.  If Sounga and his summoned army from Hell is to be defeated, Inuyasha and Seshomaru will have to put aside their differences and find the strength in their hearts to team up and settle their fathers legacy…a task easier said than done.

Now that is more like it.  This is the kind of movie that Inuyasha was deserving of and should have been the movie we got from the get go.  Inuyasha 3 has all the elements that elevate this film beyond the two part episode filler that the previous films have been.  There’s a story that matters to the development of the main characters.  There’s a conflict that’s much deeper than dealing with Naraku or any other villain of the week.  And there’s some great interaction for the characters though that really has never been a fault of the films, but it’s much stronger here.

While Inuyasha and Kagome still get some great couples moments, both touching and hilarious, this film belongs to Inuyasha and his big brother Seshomaru.  They’re dealing with more than just their petty sibling rivalry but instead their fathers legacy.  The presence of The Great Dog Demon (he has no shorter name than that.  If he’s not called Master by his entourage it’s the name in full, exclusively in that order like “I Am Groot”) is felt throughout the films despite him only being in a couple of scenes.  He’s the man Seshomaru wanted to defeat because of his power.  He’s the father Inuyasha never met but always wanted to.  He’s the friend several people dedicated their lives to and felt great sadness when he died.  And now the darkest part of his past has come back to bite them all.  Still, you can’t help but feel his influence running through all of the main players of this film and his respect and admiration is always earned and felt.  Such can be seen in the bond between returning series characters Myoga the Flea and Totosai the Blacksmith and new character, sheath spirit Saya.  All three are introduced nicely and never feel forced or even annoyingly overused in the film, a far cry from the pointless new character in Inuyasha 2 whose name I don’t remember or care to remember.

Speaking of coming back to bite them all, the existence of a THIRD sword is pretty exciting.  Inuyasha and Seshomaru both received their swords in the series but never would one suspect there was one so evil and in possession of a great demon that it was meant to be locked away.  Sadly, Sounga’s menace isn’t much different than much of what we’ve seen from any other Inuyasha villain of the week.  It’s only his connection to Inuyasha’s father that makes the battle against him personal.  Otherwise, motivations are pretty much standard: unleash hell and take over the world.  Same goes for Takimaru, the man who fell in love with Inuyasha’s mother and tried to kill her for falling in love with a demon and giving birth to his son.  He doesn’t feel like much of a threat nor a guy you could root for when it comes to falling for Inuyasha’s mother.  He’s more or less a tool for the plot and to give Sounga a body to control.  Again, attempting to make him a more personal foe for Inuyasha and Seshomaru because of his connection to their Dad is the only thing that makes him a bit different from most foes.

The action is above and beyond anything we’ve seen before in Inuyasha.  Having Team Inuyasha, The Great Dog Demons allies and Seshomaru’s crew battle an army of undead means they have to take on just that…a freaking army of undead nearly invincible zombies.  It’s hack and slash action that plays more like a PG13 version of Ninja Scroll, fast, furious and occasionally pretty bloody but it’s epic good fun and fitting of a motion picture.  And then of course there’s the main event: Inuyasha and Seshomaru teaming up.  Much like when I read the JLA/Avengers epic a while back, it’s one thing to see these brothers battle again, it’s a whole other thing to actually see them fight alongside each other.  These two make for awesome siblings who can’t stand each other but on the other hand have an unspoken respect.  But let’s face it, as much as we would like to see Inuyasha get along with his brother, watching them bicker is great too.

This is the Inuyasha movie I had been waiting for since the first one.  It didn’t feel too long, most moments never too forced, and the fun feel of the series was preserved perfectly. In fact I think this film would make great cannon for the series, it never once felt like a filler arc like the first two films.  That’s a pretty impressive feat for this franchise to accomplish.  Well, one more movie to go and thus the last review of the year.  Let’s hope that the last movie can carry on with the same strength and goodness this movie had in spades.

8/10

Inuyasha: The Movie 2-The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass

(Originally Written December 14, 2014)

After years of battle, Inuyasha and his friends have finally brought down their long time enemy Naraku.  Before they can decide what to do next, however, a new villain takes advantage of Naraku’s absence to make her own play for conquest.  The Princess Kaguya seeks to bring about an age of timeless eternal night and needs Inuyasha’s help to bring it about.  When Kagome is kidnapped trying to protect Inuyasha from Kaguya, Inuyasha must reunite with Miroku, Sango and Shippo to track her down and save her.  But Kaguya claims she can grant Inuyasha’s greatest wish.  Will he choose becoming a full blooded demon over his feelings for Kagome?

So I was hoping that the mistakes made in Affections Touching Across Time would be lessons learned and that progress could be made for the sequel.  Oh man, it’s hard to believe but Castle Beyond the Looking Glass is actually worse, taking all the problems with the previous film and either making them worse or not doing anything at all with them.

But let me get this off my chest.  One of the reasons this film suffers is right from the get go.  Naraku has never been one of my favorite villains in any anime.  He was around too long on the show, seemed more annoying than threatening and had one of those freaking God mode eternal life cheat codes…SO WHY THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT US TO BELIEVE INUYASHA AND HIS FRIENDS CAN KILL HIM IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF THE MOVIE???!!!  If Naraku was to be killed off it would be one of two ways: 1. In an epic arc on the show, more than likely the series finale or 2. Make a full movie out of it and not shoe horn it into the opening act.  They’re basically spoiling that Naraku will be back by the end of the film and that’s just stupid.  Now im sure option 1 was probably accomplished in the sequel series Inuyasha: The Final Act but having not seen it I cant be certain.  Still this is one of the most aggravating moments of any Anime film and the rest of the movie suffers for it…but not just for that reason.

In Naraku’s place we get Kaguya…who is not as powerful but just as boring and standardized as Naraku.  Lots of speeches and some flashes of powerful attacks but again like Menomaru before her nothing to make her truly threatening.  Even having Naraku’s lackys Kagura and Kanna by her side doesn’t add much to her.  Why those two even went to find her is beyond me.  I thought it was so Kanna, good little silent soldier, could bring back Naraku, but their purpose was never clear and they’re eliminated from the film (but not killed) just as quickly.

The movie also grinds to an agonizing halt as we see the main team go their separate ways following Naraku’s demise.  Slowly, everyone finds out the existence of Kaguya and the “threat” she posses and that leads to a lot of boring exposition.  Actually, the parts of the movie that never suffer from this are from the most reliable element of this series: Inuyasha and Kagome.  They get some great moments in this film, one of them being a very amusing fight in a photo booth resulting in the best quartet of mini pictures ever.  They’re just too good together and that chemistry is as strong as ever…which leads to what might be Inuyasha’s biggest moment to date: the first kiss.  Now im not sure if Kagome told Inuyasha she loves him before this point in the series but to hear her say it then kiss him to keep Inuyasha from turning into a full demon is monumental and worth the ridiculously long wait to get to this moment.  Naturally though, this is a movie and not the series so it doesn’t last long and before you know it, they’re back to their normal will they/wont they selves.  But it’s still a great moment with love, affection, and even a bit of humor as Miroku tries to capture the moment and make it work with Sango.

A lesson this film should learn: never split this cast up, their lives are pretty boring without each other.  But there is one surprising lesson that was learned.  While im not a big fan of the puppy dog eye look character designs, the animation is way more consistent than Affections Touching Across Time, helping it look more like a movie than an episode of the TV series.  Eh, giving credit where credit is due.

Two films down and two to go and right now a win is needed.  Both films showcase a great team dynamic and family feel amongst Team Inuyasha and Inuyasha and Kagome are still the couple to root for.  But boring villains, stories that don’t feel bigger than a two part TV episode and unnecessarily cute animation have kept the Inuyasha movies from being truly big adventures.  Here’s hoping Movie 3 gives us more that what weve been given so far.

6/10 (would be lower but that kiss man, wow)

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Part 6 Episodes 21-16

The worst case scenario is upon Japan.  The Refugees and the Japanese military are in an all out war with each other.  And at the center of it all, three key powers vie for control of the situation.  As Motoko and Section 9 head into Dejima to find Kuze, Goda scripts a grand finale for the conflict he began.  As the chaos grows, Motoko and Kuze finally meet face to face.  And Aramaki and Togusa find themselves in their own battle as the Japanese government seeks to have Kayabuki removed from office.  The epic conclusion to the Individual Eleven case has come…and nothing will ever be the same when the dust settles.

Im starting to think that making this a double coverage finale was a bit of a mistake.  So much happens in these last six episodes.  That is something that I can definitely attribute to a factor I should have brought up a ways back.  In addition to the return of most of the creative staff from season one, Kenji Kamiyama also received some story development help from on Mamoru Oshii.  Don’t know the name? No big deal, he’s just one of the most iconic Japanese directors of all time in both live action and Anime realms behind such masterpieces as Patlabor, Avalon, Jin Roh and…the original Ghost in the Shell theatrical feature and it’s sequel “Innocence”.  So if your mind feels a bit overwhelmed by political drama with a dash of existentialism and some beautiful animation…blame him lol.

Everything and I mean everything, all the little details and developments have all been building towards this monster of a finale.  I’ve gripped and gripped about Section 9 basically getting its ass kicked all season and it has.  Still I cant fault that for providing excellent set up for these episodes.  First Motoko gets cyber attacked by Kuze’s cyberbrain.  Then Kuze manages to beat the living crap out of Batou (Breaking his leg then driving a pipe into his shoulder….OWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!)  Oh and then Kuze’s youngest follower suicides the Section 9 Tiltroter and leaves Ishikawa at deaths door…that’s all like almost going down in the second to last round of a fight, how do you recover, what do you do?

You get a crazier plan in motion that’s what.  With armies building up on both sides, a set up that seems very reminiscent of Oshii’s Patlabor 2, Motoko and her team decided on a ballsy move: Taking weapons rade plutonium from a bomb placed in the city and taking it into Dejima to bring it and Kuze to the Japanese forces in hopes of ousting Goda and the CIS.  The action got rolling here and crazy is about what sums up what was happening on screen.  Well not in an eye buldging WTF kind of way but a “who knows how this will all play out” kind of way.  From missile attacks to a showdown between Section 9 and Batou’s former Ranger comrades, it was time to worry more than ever about our cast.  But hey at least they were together…for the most part.

And while not fully in on the action in Dejima, Ishikawa and especially Togusa got some juicy material.  Togusa and Aramaki were my favorite of these outside Dejima tales.  With Kayabuki forcibly removed from office in a coup, Togusa had to do some Die Hard stealth to get her back…with a handgun provided by Aramaki.  “They’d frisk you but wouldn’t dare frisking me,” Aramaki says…such a boss.  Ishikawa was mostly behind the wheel of a car but even he got a moment of cool, socking it to that armed CIS agent with his cast…hell yes it was about time Section 9 got some wins this late in the season.

 

Speaking of which, I was going to open with this but figured id try to contain myself but…

HA DEATH BY MOTOKO, GODA.  TAKE THAT YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!

Ahem, sorry that was very unprofessional but MAN!!!! I cannot tell you how happy I was to see that smug SOB finally get his.  This entire season he’s done nothing but lurk in a shadowy state with his hands in that Bond villain kind of pose going “hehehehe…they’ll never get wind of my evil plans and are dancing right to my tune.”  All this just so he could get some recognition as the ultimate mastermind.  In a way, it’s a darker parallel to the Tachikoma creator episode from earlier this season.  But rather than that guy just quietly trying to escape the country he cant be fully recognized in, Goda would leave a sea of chaos in his wake as he departed and took credit for being such a “genius” at organizing a countrys downfall and giving them a hero to battle an overwhelming enemy.

Well…after all that crap in Dejima, losing the entire season and losing the Tachikomas (who were given a much more likeable and heroic send off…maybe) Motoko was having none of that and, in another reenactment of the opening scene from Oshii’s first Ghost in the Shell film, the Major emptied a clip into Goda’s head, blowing him straight to hell…wow what a feeling.

But sadly there was cost for this battle, from a storytelling standpoint there had to be with the scales enlarged like this.  The Tachikoma sacrifice was easily one of the two saddest moments of this finale, their catchy little tune as they sent their satellite into the Dejima bound nuke was cheerful and heartbreaking.  And, sadly, Motoko lost Kuze…who while it wasn’t totally confirmed, it was heavily implied he was her old childhood.  I wont say Goda fully got the last laugh, his ass still got MOTOKO’d but there was a price to pay this season and it was a big one.

Some other notes for the finale, the animation is the best in the show period, with many scenes looking almost movie level quality.  Motoko and Kuze’s rubble entrapment discussion of Kuze’s endgame is just pretty and Motoko has never looked better.  It also gives us some excuses for some cool imagery like Batou using a cross shaped steel bar to pry out Motoko from under the debris…symbolism at it’s finest, Batou the one Motoko sometimes doesn’t give enough credit.  Oh and we got to see Aramaki’s brother Yosuke in Dejima…well again if you caught him in Kuze’s flashback episode. He’s a cool dude and I wish we’dve seen more of him this season…though he is a bit more willy and kind of just Aramaki with longer hair.  Also, I failed to mention the appearance of the character known as Proto, who was assisting Aramaki and Togusa a lot this week…and truth be told I don’t know why he was around.  He was introduced like he’d always been there but he was given far less to do than even Pazu and Borma…just bothers me.  Oh and those CIA douchebags from last season were back to be smug and get to Kuze, killing him…sigh I wish we’d never seen them again.

 

Final thoughts:

The second season of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex did everything a sequel story should: it upped the stakes, gave a larger than the original kind of story, expanded on the world and even the characters (some of them anyway SHOUT OUT TO SAITO!!!!) and definitely did things differently than its predecessor.  I do wish Section 9 hadnt been beaten down so many times, it felt like they rarely ever got a win in.  Also, I wasn’t too big a fan of every episode needing to mention the main storyline, sort of ran the risk of alienating new viewers.  But if you could keep up with every little detail and reference then you got one amazing payoff in a no holds barred finale.  The added creative power of Mamoru Oshii was definitely put to good use with deeper stories and more detailed animation, making this series more of a powerhouse than ever before.  And yeah im sorry I went all season long without mentioning Yoko Kanno’s score…but really do I need to say more than what has been said, IT ROCKS.  And this season with tracks like “Rise”, “Tourika”, “Living in the Shell” and “Christmas in the Silent Forest” it only got better.

Where Section 9 goes from here?  Well it’s actually in a much better place than Season One, save for Motoko.  But this isn’t the last of Stand Alone Complex.  Not at all, later this year Section 9 returns with the (for now) final chapter in the saga.  Keep an eye out for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex-Solid State Society, coming in August.

9/10

Inuyasha: The Movie-Affections Touching Across Time

(Originally Written December 7, 2014)

When the Sacred Shikon Jewel was shattered, its shard spread by the hundreds across the land and infused themselves in demons everywhere.  One such demon is the slumbering Menomaru, whose father Hyoga was slain ages ago by the Great Dog Demon.  Now he needs one more piece to unlock the power of his families dynasty and become all powerful, Inuyasha’s Tetsaiga sword.  Now Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo find themselves facing their most dangerous foe yet.  It’s a fight that will pit friend against friend and might separate Inuyasha and Kagome forever.

Welcome to Inuyasha Month.  All this month to close out 2014 ill be taking a look at the Quadrilogy of films centered around everyone’s half dog demon/half human hybrid and his friends.  Inuyasha appeared here in the states in 2002 as one of the biggest Anime to grace Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block.  It’s popularity may not have been a cross genre worthy as Cowboy Bebop but it was still decent enough, not to mention long enough, to end up in constant circulation on the late night block for more than a decade.  Being a series based on a Shonen Jump character (aka a character with a series that goes on forever i.e. Dragon Ball Z, Bleach and Naruto) movies based on the popular series were inevitable.  So how is Inuyasha’s first date with the big screen?

Pretty uneven actually.

Yeah for a first big movie outing, Affections Touching Across Time doesn’t really end up being epic or grand in any sense.  Well at the most it doesn’t feel like something the show hasn’t done yet with many of it’s stories.  They do try to give it some weight by pitting some of the characters against each other and those actually work pretty well, more so in the case of Inuyasha vs. Kagome than Sango vs. Kirara but that’s still a well done battle as well.  Menomaru and his underlings never feel special to warrant being villains on screen, coming off as pompus and arrogant and in sore need of getting their asses handed to them.  It’s all about revenge and power, nothing new, nothing less.

I also have to say the animation quality is pretty uneven with this film.  Most times they’re trying to give the characters more of a…cutesy design.  This goes definitely for characters eyes ESPECIALLY INUYASHA.  But then the film jumps back to the shows regular animation and character designs like it can’t make up its mind what it wants to look like and stick with it.  That was pretty distracting.  I mean yeah the animation of Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone wasn’t any different from the TV series but it still looked feature film worthy.  All first films of a series should try to be stellar, make a good impression with the visuals, make us see that this is something we cant turn into every week on TV.

I do have to say though, for a story that goes through the regular Inuyasha motions, the cast is still great to watch on screen.  Little demon fox Shippo may still annoy the heck out of me but Miroku and Sango are still the comedic action couple to love.  Miroku’s lecherous ways will never die down and neither will Sango’s loud slap replies to his stroking any part of her body (and man can she rock all black and pink demon slaying armor, so sexy).  And Sango isn’t trying to keep Miroku’s hands off her, the demon slayer and monk are doing an excellent job holding their own in battle, getting the best action of the film.  True you might not feel as much for Sango and Kirara because they don’t get as much screen time as Inuyasha and Kagome but you still feel for their friendship and want Kirara to break the mind control spell over her.  Plus how often do you get to see a wind tunnel showdown with Miroku and one of Menomaru’s underlings? Bad Ass.

While I don’t think they do so well in the action department this time around, Inuyasha and Kagome still have great chemistry together, jumping from reluctant, bickering allies to a boy and a girl who care a lot about each other without having the guts to say it outright.  Helped by Kaoru Wada’s heart tugging score, Inuyasha and Kagome share a tender, and probably the best, scene where they reflect on how they need each other no matter the distance of time.  They’re still the couple you want to root for both on TV and in film.  And there’s no way im ever getting tired of Kagome’s “SIT BOY” commands that make the Jewels around Inuyasha’s neck force him to slam to the ground, classic. 

Affections Touching Across Time has a lot that doesn’t work to make a fully satisfying first movie outing but where the plot fails, the characters continue to deliver.  You care about these core five and want to see them win the day.  And who knows maybe the later films will learn from the mistakes of this one and deliver on the promise of a large scale adventure you can’t see on the big screen every week.

7/10

Summer Wars

(Originally Written December 1, 2014)

On a hot summer day, Kenji Koizo is accosted by the cutest girl in his class, Natsuki, and tricked into being her boyfriend for a weekend.  The Jinnouchi Family has gathered to celebrate the 90^th birthday of their oldest matriarch, Natsuki’s Great Grandmother Sakae.  But trying to impress this large and highly energetic family is about to become the least of Kenji’s worries.  When a mysterious computer virus invades OZ, the largest online social community hub on the planet, all hell breaks loose throughout Japan and soon, the race is on to prevent Armageddon.  Kenji may not feel like he fits in anywhere, especially amongst the Jinnouchi’s.  But if the world is to have a chance at tomorrow, the blood of a math nerd will have to blend together with this family of old warriors to create the perfect defense the world has ever known.

It’s kind of funny that I knew next to nothing about Summer Wars outside of the title before I first saw it.  Who would’ve thought that I would end up watching what I consider now to be my all time favorite Anime film?  Yes, I’ll say and defend it, Summer Wars is an amazing and near perfect Anime fun fest.  It’s all parts so many genres: action, science fiction, drama, romantic comedy, disaster and family life all rolled into one feature and balanced very well in that regard.  I don’t know where to begin with this review to be honest.  Nor do I really know how to write it without sounding like a broken record.  But I’ll try my best.

The world of Summer Wars, both in OZ and the Jinnouchi mansion, is grand and welcoming…well not so much in the case of OZ once it comes under attack but still.  OZ is essentially what would happen if Facebook, Amazon, World of Warcraft, Myspace, Twitter, Tumblr and others had an epic fusion dance and merged into one entity.  This is a nice prediction of the social network of the future, where everything beyond wall posts and pokes are done via internet connections.  Shopping, Gaming, Stocks, Event Planning, it’s all done through OZ.  It’s even mentioned that even big businesses and government agencies also use OZ because of its advanced protection systems.  In other words, this is a whole new world and it’s summed up and explored quite well in the movies opening prologue.  The Jinnouchi mansion may not be as big a planet as OZ but the scope and size make it a wonder to travel through.  Like the family itself, there’s lots of history to be seen, from the architecture to the various suits of samurai armor on display.  It would make one helluva nice summer home.

The cast is excellent, a rarity for such a large one.  The Jinnouchi clan is filled with people so caring and fun loving it’s impossible to find one you wouldn’t like.  At first you feel like Kenji, a bit overwhelmed by what would look like family chaos but gradually, you warm to them and feel like you could get along just fine. They may not always get along but when it all comes down to the wire, this family stands together as one indomitable force.  As numerous as they are, you never forget for a second that this is a family, always has been before this movie and always will be well afterward.  The stand out of this cast is Grandmommy Sakae herself.  The Great Grandmother of Natsuki is the right blend of wisdom, heart, humor and command, she is a natural leader whose words can get anyone fired up to do anything.  Her scenes with outsider Kenji are the best, the kind old woman accepting Kenji even after she discovers Natsuki’s playful ruse.  If such a woman existed in real life it would be an honor to meet her as she does feel in many ways the core at the heart of this amazing family.

When it comes to action, Summer Wars soars.  Most of it could be seen as Matrix inspired but it’s also got a great deal of Superhero level fighting going on as well.  Like Dragon Ball Z, they can escalate quickly and leave a lot of collateral damage.  But probably the best showdown of the film comes from not a fist fight but a card game.  Not since Casino Royale have I seen a card game played with this much intensity as Natsuki risks her family’s avatars to stop the dreaded AI Love Machine.  It also gives way to one of the most cheer worthy and tear producing climaxes I’ve ever seen.  Seriously every time it reaches a particular moment that I will not spoil and the music kicks in, I cant help but tear up with joy. 

And honestly, I feel that way about Summer Wars as a whole.  It’s a film that embraces you like a long lost relative and welcomes you to join in the fun, adventure, some sorrow but overall uplifting feel good get together time.  There’s something for everyone to be found in Summer Wars: comedy, action, romance, drama, science fiction, amazing characters, well animated sequences, a stellar score…it’s a lot and I could go on and on.  But I think I should stop wasting time and just say it now: Summer Wars is the greatest Anime film I have ever seen and a film I think everyone can get behind.  Once you cross the threshold of the Jinnouchi Mansion or enter the world of OZ…you never want to leave.

10/10

RWBY Vol.1

(Originally Written November 21, 2014)

In the land of Remnant, magic and technology live in peace and harmony…mostly.  Creatures of Grimm roam the land, leaving nothing but death and destruction no matter where they go.  To combat these monsters, special academies headed by the most elite Hunters and Huntresses are established.  One such academy, Beacon, stands as one that only accepts the best of the best.  And this year, it’s about to get its biggest shakeup when it accepts its youngest applicant.  Ruby Rose has always dreamed of becoming a Huntress and helping others.  Now she’ll get the chance to reach that dream.  Placed in command of her own team, Ruby will face monsters, assassins, doubts, fears and homework alongside a snobbish fencer, a silent and mysterious ninja and her well endowed party time sister.  It will be a year Team RWBY will never forget.

When RWBY was first revealed as a bonus trailer during the season finale of Red vs. Blue Season 10, the hype was big from the get go.  The trailer showed a young girl in a red hood walking through the snow and flowing petals scene to a sad song before being surrounded by wolf like creatures.  Then the second half of the trailer got going.  The music changed and picked up, a large sythe was revealed by the young girl and much ass was kicked.  This was the first of four trailers, each dedicated to the core four heroines, shown before RWBY officially debuted months later.  Rooster Teeth, the creators of the popular web series Red vs. Blue, had another huge hit.  But is it that good?  Especially in its first season?  The answer is yes but also no.

RWBY was created by Monty Oum, who is famous for several online videos involving Matrix like mash up fights between video game characters (his arguably most famous being Master Chief vs Samus, seen here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL-mR79GErU).  His work eventually lead to him working for Rooster Teeth where he became lead choreographer and designer for the CG fight scenes in Season 8-10 of Red vs Blue.  And if anyone saw how stellar those fights were, there was no way RWBY was going to disappoint in that department.  Boy did this series outdo itself in that department and then some.  A fight scene in RWBY feels like a mass mixture of Devil May Cry, Dead or Alive, Marvel vs Capcom and The Matrix (just for good measure).  Energetic and vibrant, violent but not to brutal, serious but no less fun.  From the four on one monster battles reminiscent of the older Final Fantasy games to the two v dozens of soldiers scenes, this is anime inspired action at its finest and it alone makes the series worth watching.  I mean how often do you get to see a Goku style character (more Journey to the West than DBZ sorry) rock the house with a bow staff that turns into shotgun nunchucks? 

There are two other elements that make RWBY rather successful in its freshman outing.  The first is the music from Jeff Williams.  The heavy metal guitar and drums keep pace with the action on screen and are mixed together perfectly.  Adding beauty and grace to the music is Williams’s daughter Casey, who provides the vocals for several songs on the soundtrack.  Her voice is so pretty and sweet but also haunting and tough when need be, she is the perfect singing voice for the world of RWBY.  She also gets points for the ultimate song line: “Kick my ass, im world less and Super Saiyan Now.”

Then there are the characters.  If the series means for you to like these characters right off the bat, it succeeds and when it wants you to not like the villains, it succeeds in that regard just as well.  This is a seriously lovable cast: Ruby, the Huntress fan girl Otaku; Yang, Ruby’s party girl and cheerful sister; and Blake, silent and mysterious but well meaning ninja.  Weiss admittedly irked me for quite a bit.  Her stuck up nature clashing with Ruby and Yang’s optimism or Blake’s sage advice never made it likely to side with her in a disagreement.  Still, it makes sense to have some tension on the team at first and not have everyone gel together right off the bat.  There are of course others besides the core RWBY team.  Teachers, students, rivals, terrorists, the list is pretty big.  My favorites among this vast cast are the couple everyone should be rooting for, Jaune and Pyrah.  How can you not want the far outclassed outsider to not end up with the insanely hot superstar student who genuinely likes him?

But as with all series out there, one of the key factors is story and it’s here that RWBY does falter a bit.  The season doesn’t have much structure I felt.  And just when I felt they had finally finished with establishing the world and the main characters that we would get to some adventures and even a season building dilemma…the season just ends.  True we get a great fight with Blake and newcomer Sun (the Goku type I mentioned) but it just feels like the end of a two part tale rather than the grand ending more season finales try to aim for.  There are seeds of a bigger threat on the horizon, especially in regards to Blake’s past and the appearance of the mysterious Penny, both of which play big roles in the season finale.  Maybe I’m being too critical here, but it did feel incomplete to me just when it was continuing to get good.

At the end of the day, I have to say I really enjoy this show.  If the story had been a bit tighter it could have been stronger all around.   It’s not an Anime but its Anime inspiration is everywhere, it’s energy is seemingly limitless as is it’s imagination and it’s got an amazing cheer worthy cast.  Add in a kick ass soundtrack and action sequences you day dreamed about as a kid and you’ve got the makings of something special that can hopefully get better.

(PS I’ve seen Volume 2 and yes it does get better ;) )

8/10