FIF#156-Tokyo Vice

Near the turn of the century, Jake Adelstein travels to Japan to become a Crime Reporter.  He becomes the first foreign hire of the most prestigious Crime Newspaper in Japan, the Meicho Shimbun.  Having to work twice as hard to prove he belongs here, Jake finds himself investigating the activities of two rival Yakuza factions on the brink of war.  This soon leads him to cross paths with Hiroto Katagiri, a veteran police detective, some say is the most incorruptible man on the force.  Together, the pair head right into the heart of Japans dark underworld, a place where honor clashes with betrayal, love leads to lust and death follows you everywhere you go.

 
As you may have noticed, I’m not exactly covering an Anime today on First Impression Friday.  However, I do think Tokyo Vice merits a shoutout.  It’s been on my radar for a while as the previews look like a darker, edgier…well it reminded me of Lost in Translation except it’s a criminal procedural and not about two lost Americans finding themselves again during Japans nighttime hours.  I may not speak Japanese in spite of all the Anime I’ve watched but I’ve always loved looking at the culture and watching any kind of program that can have me looking at the streets of Tokyo.  And while the first episode might be half an advert for a living in Japan experience in the late 90’s, it still offers a vibe that’s both intriguing and very cool.
 

High School of the Dead Part 3 Episodes 9-12 (+OVA)

For a moment, the endless chase seems to be over for Takashi and his friends as they arrive at the Takagi Mansion, now turned into a Fortress against the Undead.  But tensions clash between the Adults and this now battle hardened group of High School Survivors.  And in the blink of an eye, everything changes as the world is set ablaze.  With Armageddon at the Takagi doorstep, Takashi, Rei, Saeko, Hirano, Takagi, Shizuka and Arisu must make their final stand and hope they can get out of this one.  The endless war against the Undead is only just beginning.

As we’ve seen with so many Zombie Saga in modern media, there’s always a risk that it can overstay its welcome and become dull and boring.  The Walking Dead is still in the middle of it’s “Final” Season when many feel it should’ve ended years ago.  Even Resident Evil lost its way a bit with some lackluster games and those terrible Paul W.S. Anderson Movies.  Which brings us to High School of the Dead’s Finale and, as I predicted, we have another Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress situation and this time, there’s not even a Movie to go along with it, just a very short and uncessasary OVA that I will talk about.  The finale itself, it’s not bad.  Several characters showcase their growth and others get unleashed upon the Zombie hordes like never before.  If we’re comparing the two, I think Kabaneri went bigger with spectacle while HOTD goes for a more personal finale despite the Zombie carnage.  Guess I should break it down and bring this fun and sexy ride to a close.
 

T5W#350-Top 5 Anime Perfect for Mystery Science Theater 3000

In 1988, comedian Joel Hodgson brought Mystery Science Theater 3000 into the world.  The premise is simple: a hapless hero (First Joel Robinson followed by Mike Nelson, Jonah Heston and Emily Conner) is sent into space via a pair of Mad Scientists, who then subject them to a series of “experiments” which involve the hero being forced to watch a series of bad movies in order to break their will.  The heroes get by with the help of a group of robot companions: Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo and Gypsy, who join them in “riffing” on the movies.  It’s a tried and true concept that endured for years, with the Hosts and Robots riffing on everything from PSA shorts to terrible scifi/horror productions and even some Japanese cinema like the Godzilla and Gamera films.  Which begs the question…why don’t we have something like this for Anime?  Honestly, it doesn’t even need to be squarely focused on bad Anime (though there is plenty of it).  All Anime can be equally subject to good riffing due to the excess and wacky visuals that can make anyone go “Huh?” or “Did that really just happen?”  So, why spend all this time opening with a history lesson on MST3K?  Well, I wanted to do something kind of big for my 350^th Top 5 Wednesday and my good friend, JMT-117 (who also got me into MST3K), suggested I pick my Top 5 Anime Perfect for Mystery Science Theater 3000.  And it just so happens, I do keep a score log for all the Anime I look at and I do have a sub listing for all the 1/10’s and 0/10’s I’ve looked at.  Be they a movie, series, or OVA, as long as it isn’t too long, it’s fair game for this landmark T5W.  So, turn down your lights where applicable and let’s see if we can get some good riffing material out of these 5 suckers.

 

High School of the Dead Part 2 Episodes 5-8

As the World falls apart in the wake of what’s being dubbed as the “Killing Pandemic”, Takashi and his friends flee into the city, hoping to find safe haven from the Zombie onslaught.  Tensions (and hormones) are high as the Zombie hordes intensify and grow to massive numbers.  And then there’s the human element, or lack therof, to contend with as rabid survivors devolve into madness amongst the chaos.  Throughout it all, Takashi and his comrades press on, struggling to find their place in this insanity while holding onto their humanity.  They survived the High School of the Dead…hopefully they’ll survive the city too.

While I was taking notes on this set of episodes, I had to stop and really think…think about why I’m trying to think so hard about High School of the Dead and wondered if I could do a proper review of it.  I began to think that this is a show not meant to be reviewed because what’s there to delve so deep into.  This isn’t a deep series: it’s big, it’s loud, it’s heavy on the violence and sexy factor.  One could just write off High School of the Dead as shallow and disgusting and just leave it at that.  But you know what…I cant disagree that sometimes the cheesecake is a bit much but dammit, I am having fun watching it all unfold.  The sophomore set of episodes expands the scope of the threat terrorizing the world and steps up the absurd action to new levels of crazy.  This is a show meant for having fun and if youre not by now, you should have stopped several episodes ago.  Me? I’m pressing on, let’s get to it.
 

FIF#155-Spy x Family

Agent Twilight is one of the greatest spies in the world, the ultimate secret weapon of the nation of Westalis.  In order to complete his latest assignment: infiltrating an elite private school, Twilight must do the one thing he never imagined he’d have to do as a spy: get married and adopt a child.  While this comes surprisingly naturally to Twilight, he has no idea what he’s landed himself in.  His wife, Yor, a City Hall Employee, is secretly an Assassin; and his daughter, Anya, is a Telepath.  With Twilight unaware of these factors, he must find a way to become both a caring parent and loving husband if he is to complete his mission and protect world peace. 
 
Spy x Family is one of the most anticipated titles of 2022 and for a while, I couldn’t figure out why or how it would work.  A Spy, an Assassin, and a toddler who can read minds, all living under the same roof mostly unaware of each others skills and professions…it sound like a live action sitcom or a cheesy 2000’s rom com.  Either A. everyone is super good at keeping their cover, or B. everyone acts like they know it all but theyre actually kind of stupid.  Thankfully, the answer leans closer to A but also, it doesn’t matter because this shows first two episodes are A+ gold material.  In fact, I was saving this First Impression for later this summer and it was only going to be focused on the first episode.  Buuuuut then I saw Episode Two, which I think is needed and I’ll explain why in a second, and I knew I had to bump it up.  This show is going to work and here’s why.
 

High School of the Dead Part 1 Episodes 1-4

It was another day, a day like any other…and then all Hell broke loose.  Without warning, a zombie virus erupts across the city, turning millions of citizens in mere moments.  As the chaos reaches their halls, a group of High School students from different walks of life, find themselves the only survivors of a nightmarish slaughter.  The only way to make it to tomorrow is for them to band together…and unleash their own inner demons.  If they have the skills, the tools and the drive, its possible this motley crew can survive a night in the High School of the Dead.

The Zombie Genre, it’s practically perfect for Anime.  It’s become a major pop culture staple in the last couple of decades thanks to successful Video Game Franchises like Resident Evil, and of course TVs nearly unkillable juggernaut, The Walking Dead.  There’s plenty of Horror Anime out there dealing with the dead walking the Earth in droves but I doubt many have the intense and guilty pleasure laden thrills offered by the show we’re beginning today.  This, Dear Readers, is the perfect excuse to turn off your brain, enjoy the actions and visuals…and yes that includes a few bad ass girls with overexxagerated bodies smashing Zombie heads.  This is High School of the Dead and man does it know how to get down to business right away.
 

T5W#349-Top 5 Anime I’m Selecting for Custom Toonami Block 2022

Back in 2018, I did a first for myself and selected four titles that were then recent to the Spring/Summer 2018 Season and decided to watch them every Saturday as my own little Custom Toonami Block.  Those four titles were Gundam Build Divers; Legend of the Galactic Heroes: The New Thesis; Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory and My Hero Academia.  It’s one of the few times in my Anime life I’ve tried to keep up with very current shows on a weekly basis and since then, the only show I’ve continued to watch week after week whenever it airs is My Hero Academia.  Everything else, I usually just binge.  Well, as of right now, I’ve written a nice chunk of my reviews for 2022. Barring any extra piece to throw in, everything up through Mid September is good to go (just talking reviews, not Top 5 Wednesdays or First Impressions…though all FIFs for 2022 have been written too).  Ergo, I’m gonna start another round of this weekly Anime watching/Custom Toonami Block experiment as a way to give reviewing a bit of a rest and just enjoy Anime to enjoy Anime…we’ll see how long that lasts cause I’m always trying to think of review slots to fill for the rest of 2022 and you better believe I’ve been planning 2023.  These are my Top 5 Anime I’m Selecting for Custom Toonami Block Round 2.  This’ll be a proper mix of currently airing shows and ones I’m finally getting around to catching up on.  Chances are I’ll run through some of these quicker cause I don’t have to wait a week for new episodes but I’ll see how long I can commit to this lineup (I did pretty good with my 2018 selections, finishing 3 out of 4 shows).

IGPX Part 6 Episodes 22-26

It’s been a difficult season but Takeshi and Team Satomi continue to persevere.  With Amy back in action, the team is back to full strength and just in time.  Velshtein returns as Satomi’s runner up opponents and it’s more than just Takeshi and Cunningham who have a score to settle, so do Andre and Sir Hamgra.  And then, the final race arrives against Team White Snow.  Team Satomi’s last match with them ended with Amy injured and Takeshi’s confidence devastated.  Will this deceptive team of racers be the ones to put Team Satomi in the ground once and for all?  Or will Takeshi, Liz and Amy do the unthinkable and pull off a second consecutive title win in a row?

With the checkered flag in sight, IGPX rolls into its final lap here at the Gundam Anime Corner.  I’ve been having a bit of déjà vu with Season Two in that it reminds me of the second season of Code Geass.  The first half has been a bit of a mess with a mean spirited story and character flaws that have always been present in the series but I just couldn’t ignore anymore for the sake of nostalgia.  But the back half of last weeks set started righting some things to take us into the home stretch.  The question now is, does IGPX pull of a Code Geass Finale level win?  Or is it just ok…which is better than a bad one at least.
 

FIF#154-Ninja Scroll: The Series

Jubei Kibagami is a wandering Sword for Hire, his skill that of legends.  A chance encounter with a lone Ninja engaged with fierce enemies finds Jubei drawn into another job he never wanted in the first place.  This time, Jubei must protect a sheltered Priestess named Shigure from several factions of warring Demon Clans, all seeking to claim Shigure’s Dragon Jewel.  Along the way, Jubei reunites with old comrades from the past who have also found themselves drawn into the conflict.  The peace and quiet Jubei has long sought eludes him again as a new battle begins.

 
The original 1993 Ninja Scroll is an action Anime classic, nay, I say it’s a Legend.  It’s every ounce of the over the top violent Anime people came to expect from the decade in near perfect form with stellar action, grotesque imagery and a decent story to boot.  As a stand alone feature, Ninja Scroll is still pretty damn awesome.  Still, Jubei always seemed the guy who’s seen a lot and gotten into situations similar to his fight with the Seven Devils of Kimon, if not worse.  We never got a film sequel and a TV Anime isn’t exactly a bad idea…but if the rest of Ninja Scroll: The Series is anything like the first episode, then it was best left as a near pristine piece of Anime Cinema.
 

IGPX Part 5 Episodes 18-21

Team Satomi’s sophomore year in the IG-1 has been a disaster.  Amy is in the hospital after a dangerous race with newcomers Team White Snow.  Andre has returned to the pilots seat to replace her but he’s not the legend he used to be.  And all the loss and pressure is putting Takeshi at odds with his teammates and his girlfriend, Fantine.  All the while, from the shadows, Team White Snow continues to toy with the golden boys confidence, hoping that the next time they face off, Takeshi will be a shell of his former self.  Is the end nigh for Team Satomi?

So Monday, I was pretty peeved at IGPX.  It was as if the nostalgia goggles I have for this series being a major moment in Toonami history kind of came off.  As an action series, the show is fine.  As an overall Anime, it can come off as basic and at times below the par for the course of Sports Anime.  The racing action is great and the Mechs are rendered nicely in the 3D animation.  The characters are mostly generic and stagnant with a few exceptions.  Season One was passable in spite of these flaws.  But the start of Season Two left me fuming.  Takeshi was throwing hissy fits left and right and the villains of the Season, newcomers Team White Snow, were so full of themselves being awesome cheaters that could get away with nearly killing Amy, it just pissed me off…and the rest of the characters acting all out of sorts or without any actual sense only made things worse.  This might sound like I’m going into final thoughts, but we’ve still got one more review come Monday.  No, I’m bringing all of this up because this penultimate set both emphasized my irritation with Season Two while also working really hard to redeem it and get things on more stable ground.  In short, it started pretty bad but slowly got better.
 

T5W#348-Top 5 Reasons Why it’s Ok to not be into Every Popular Anime Fandom

So, time to be real for a minute: I cant get into Jujutsu Kaisen.  It’s the hottest title on the market right now and everyone has been telling me I’d like it. I watched the first episode for a First Impression back in 2020…and didn’t think it was anything special until the end.  About a year later, I tried to watch more of it while also watching Rising of the Shield Hero to see which I’d stick with the longest…I cut off Jujutsu Kaisen at Episode 8 and carried on with Shield Hero to the end.  After Jujutsu Kaisen 0 mad bank at the box office, I tried again…and I am just…not…feeling it.  It’s both driven me up a wall and also made me kind of depressed and has made me wonder if new Anime just cant grab me anymore.  The more I think about it though…that’s not true.  New Anime can grab me, it just has to be the right title at the right time.  Jujutsu Kaisen might be at the top of the Anime pyramid right now but that doesn’t mean I have to watch it or like it.  I can respect it sure but I don’t think I’m losing anything by not chatting about it like everyone else.  It was enough to make me think about this for today’s Top 5 Wednesday.  Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t the first series I’ve had this conundrum with and it probably wont be the last…and that’s o.  Because I have 5 Reasons Why it’s Ok to not be into Every Popular Anime Fandom.  And that was a really long intro so let’s get to it.

IGPX Part 4 Episodes 14-17

A whole new season of IGPX has begun and Team Satomi stands as the reigning champions.  All of their old rivals have renewed determination to take them down, including Sledge Mamma and Skylark.  But it’s the new team, recently bumped up from the IG-2, who may end up being the biggest problem of them all.  Team White Snow might come off as friendly but theyre hiding some deadly secrets.  And if the new dangers on the track don’t do some damage, Takeshi’s massively inflated ego might threaten to ruin his newfound fame.  Let the games continue.

Season Two of IGPX kicks off and I’ve gotta say I think I was maybe a little too forgiving with the First Season.  From an action standpoint, this show is great.  The CG Animation on the Mechs is top notch and the races were all pretty exciting.  From a story and character standpoint, however, IGPX is kind of weak.  The most important members of the cast are pretty stagnant with their development and the supporting cast isn’t the most memorable.  I feel like I’m backtracking on much of the praise I gave the end of Season One.  But with the start of Season Two, a lot of those issues come to the forefront along with some brand new ones, mostly involving Takeshi and the seasons actual villains, yes villains.
 

FIF#153-The Rising of the Shield Hero (Season 2)

Once the most reviled and feared in all of Melramarc, Naofumi Iwatani has embraced his role as the legendary Shield Hero.  The brief peace he finds being the Lord of Seyatte comes to a halt when a host of new Monsters attacks and the countdown to the next Wave of Monsters suddenly halts.  All of this comes as a long dormant titan awakens and begins a destructive march towards Melrmarc.  Noafumi and his allies are summoned once again to battle.  Between a monstrous “Spirit Tortise” and the looming threat of powerful Heroes from Other Worlds making their way to Melramarc, Naofumi’s mission as the Shield Hero just got a whole lot tougher.

 
While I have a love/hate relationship when it comes to Isekai, I freaking loved the First Season of The Rising of the Shield Hero.  Maybe it was the way Naofum’s story played out, just wanting to see him rise from rock bottom and see him stick it to an entire world that wronged him for no reason.  Maybe it was because I liked the JRPG elements and the uniqueness of Naofumi’s forced skillset.  I know Raphtalia is super popular…but I’ll be honest I love Queen Mirellia a lot more (sorry, not sorry).  Whatever it was, Season One was a fun binge.  While I only had to wait a few months to get to Season Two, having watched Season One Last Fall, I can only imagine how hard it mustve been for anyone watching the show when it first aired in 2019.  Yeah, it isn’t uncommon for big shows to take long siestas these days and it’s always a concern it could kill a shows momentum.  Thankfully, the Season Two Premiere is evidence enough that time has been taken to make sure that everything that made Season One work is still working while also setting things up for an exciting continuation.

IGPX Part 3 Episodes 9-13

No one would’ve ever guessed a lesser known team like Team Satomi would ever make it to the final rounds of the IG-1.  Yet, here we are and the races standing in the way of ultimate victory will be the toughest yet for Takeshi, Liz and Amy.  First, it’s a rematch with Team Sledge Mamma, with River, now as the new Forward, dead set on settling the score with Takeshi.  And then it’s the final showdown with Cunningham and Team Velshtein, who thruougly trounced Team Satomi in their first face off.  No one expected Team Satomi to make it this far.  Can they fulfill their dreams and join the ranks of the Best in the IG-1? 

I’ve gotta give it to this show, Team Satomi hasn’t been the only group getting better as their season went on.  IGPX showed some good growth and didn’t skimp on some awesome mecha duels as it closed out its First Season (yeah both halves of this show were aired months apart as two separate seasons on Toonami).  Takeshi finally showed signs of being more than an overconfident rookie and the crew all came together into their own for their last two big races.  Even supporting characters got moments to shine and complete their own arcs (looking at you River).  In short, this was a good wrap up to the first half of IGPX, let’s break down why.
 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

The exciting yet peaceful life of Sonic is brought to a screeching halt when Doctor Robotnik returns from his deep space exile, and this time he has a new ally: Knuckles the Echidna.  When Sonic discovers their target is a powerful gem hidden on Earth, the Hedgehog races into danger.  But he wont be facing Robotnik and Knuckles alone as he’s joined by the brilliant but unsure Miles “Tails” Prowers.  The fate of Earth rests in the hands of Sonics speed…and possibly that of the entire universe.

For a movie everyone thought was doom to fail, especially with Sonic’s horrific original design (seriously who the hell thought that was going to work?), Sonic the Hedgehog defied all odds to become one of the highest grossing and highly praised movies based on a video game.  It featured a strong sense of fun and love for the source material and had extra benefits from bringing in Jim Carry as Doctor Robotnik.  A sequel was a no brainer but we’ve been here before with Video Game movies.  Even if the first film does things right, or at least passably, the sequel is bound to be terrible.  One need look no further than Resident Evil: Apocalypse or, worse, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.  Thankfully, Sonic 2 is neither of those films, not even close.  It has its problems and we’ll talk about them.  But compared to what Sonic 2 does right, you can forgive a few misguided plot diversions.
 

T5W#347-Top 5 Classic Sonic the Hedgehog Games

The fastest Hedgehog on the planet returns to theaters This Friday with his much anticipated sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2.  Judging from the fun trailers, it looks like we’re going bigger, bolder and hopefully better for this Sonic Adventure.  Not that the first film was bad, it was pretty good considering the hell it went through to get there.  I’m sure I’ll review the flick when it comes out but for now, on today’s Top 5 Wednesday we’re gonna tap into some Sonic nostalgia.  While most of his 3D existence has been…well let’s just say mixed, you’ll hardly find anyone who isn’t a genuinely big fan of Sonic’s first outings on the Sega Genesis.  So, in honor of Sonic 2 coming out, I’m counting down the Top 5 Classic Sonic the Hedgehog Games.  Focusing almost exclusively on the first few games in the pantheon on the Genesis (sorry Sonic Adventure and/or Sonic Adventure 2 fans).

IGPX Part 2 Episodes 5-8

After a shattering loss to Team Velshtein, Team Satomi begins to wonder if its really just luck that’s gotten them so far in the IG-1.  Tired of being passed over time and time again, River makes a bold decision that’s sure to shake things up for him and Takeshi.  And love is in the air when Takeshi’s blossoming romance with Team Skylark’s Fantine becomes frontpage news just before their big race.  With two powerful teams standing in their way, Takeshi, Liz and Amy have their work cut out for them if they want to have a chance at making the Finals.

We enter Lap 2 of IGPX with some definite improvements from Lap 1…how long I’m gonna keep calling these reviews “Laps” will probably not last long (not the best joke).  But we got more races and a chance to see different teams of mechs operating in very unique ways.  When it comes to the characters though, IGPX kind of struggles in that department.  Though one character did make some serious moves in this set, everyone else feels mostly staggered at best and at worst uninteresting.  Let’s break it all down.
 

FIF#152-Macross Zero

One year before a cataclysmic war with a vicious enemy from the stars, the Earth was nearing the end of another long war.  UN Spacy pilot Shin Kudo encounters a mysterious enemy and is shot down over Myan Island.  Here, Shin is nursed back to health by the natives who have a strange connection to the Alien vessel that crashed in the region over a decade earlier.  Determined to learn more about the new enemy that shot him down, Shin joins up with Skull Squadron, led by legendary ace Roy Focker, outfitted with the next generation of fighters that will change the face of air combat.  Little does Shin know, the Mayan Island holds greater significance than he realized and soon the final battle will find that once peaceful island caught in the middle.

 
Welcome back to First Impression Friday.  If you’re new, this is the segment where I take a look at the first one or two episodes of a series and give my initial impressions before deciding whether to continue on or not.  Basically it’s like watching a random two or three episodes at a con and deciding if you want to buy the show or not (which is exactly how FIF got started in the first place, thanks Katsucon 2016).  Anyway, we return for a new season of FIF’s with Macross Zero.  Released in 2002, Macross Zero is the 20^th Anniversary of the Macross franchise, which began in 1982 with Super Dimension Fortress Macross.  In the years in between we had One Original Movie (Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?); Two OVAs (Macross II: Lovers Again and Macross Plus) and One follow up TV Series (Macross 7).  Macross has never been as busy as Mobile Suit Gundam churning out a title or two every one or two years.  So when a new title comes around, it gets a lot of attention because Macross is just as beloved as Gundam when it comes to Mecha Anime Pioneers.  Plus, Macross Zero is a celebratory title, set a year before the original Macross series…so that’s even more pressure.  Does the first episode show promise?
 

IGPX Part 1 Episodes 1-4

In the year 2049, the most popular sport in the world is the IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix.  Two teams of three specialized racing mechs; 60 miles of track; speeds of up to 300mph.  It’s a sport not for the feint of heart and to the winner goes the ultimate glory.  IG-2 Rookie sensastions Team Satomi have just graduated to the next level, the IG-1, which give them a shot at taking a championship win.  But Takeshi, Liz and Amy are the new kids on the block against Elites and Vetrans with far more experience and their own style of racing.  If these three can learn to work together, they could enter the history books as new legends of the IGPX.

After closing out the 8^th year of the Gundam Anime Corner talking about Toonami history, it only seems right an important chapter gets a full series review to open Year 9.  Created in 2005, IGPX serves as a Co-Production between Cartoon Network and Production I.G., becoming the first original Anime series exclusively made for Toonami.  That’s a lot of pressure to deliver as collabs like this don’t happen very often (the only other I can think of is Cartoon Network working with Studio Sunrise and Bandai to deliver a Second Season of The Big O).  In terms of presentation, IGPX comes ready to deliver with CG Animation for the main races and some top notch voice talent.  It’s come to play for sure but how is its first lap on the track?