FIF#62-Super Dimension Fortress Macross

In the year 1999, a massive alien spacecraft crash landed on Earth, leaving destruction in its wake.  10 years later, humanity has rebuilt the ship, adapted it’s technology and now the Super Dimension Fortress Macross stands ready to launch.  But when an armada of Alien warriors appears in Earth orbit, secret fears are realized: the Macross once belonged to these monstrous foes, The Zentradi, and they want it back.  When a freak accident lands the Macross at the other end of the galaxy, a young and inexperienced crew must band together to return to Earth and hope that the Zentradi don’t destroy it, or them, first.

Welcome to the first of a special 3 part First Impression Friday.  Over the next few weeks im going to be looking at the first episodes of the three shows that comprised the 80’s classic, Robotech.  To better explain, Robotech was a fusion of three separate series: Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeda.  The shows were largely unconnected to one another save for one common element: giant transformable robots (mostly fighter planes).  Through some tricky editing and clever writing, each series became a separate season (or saga) for the Robotech, each one telling the story of a different generation throughout a decades long intergalactic war.  As I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to reviewing this series as a whole (I did review the movies a while back), I decided to at least look at the shows the Robotech saga was based on, since theyre all on Amazon Prime along with Robotech itself.  And that begins here with the show that ended up being the reason Robotech is so remembered today.

The Macross franchise is the one set of titles I can think of with as long a lifespan as Mobile Suit Gundam.  Whereas Gundam redefined the genre, focusing on humans fighting other humans in giants mecha, Macross gave the more traditional intergalactic conflict focus a bit of a shot in the arm.  Youth, fast paced action, deep storytelling, and an emphasis on music and romance sent the series into the stratosphere.  And while the titles in its library aren’t as numerous as Gundam, Macross still churns out quality titles.  And that show of goodwill and trust in the franchise was birthed with this 1982 classic and it still holds up.  Classics don’t get more classic than this.

The first episode of Macross is mostly setup but its fun set up and not without its fare share of action (though the giant robots sit out the fun until the second episode).  There’s something to love about the entire cast: from the three “kind of just there” bridge bunnies to the fun sibling banter between Misa and Claudia or Hikaru and Roy.  Even the big men in charge of both sides of the battle have their shining moments: Global being the grumpy old dad who doesn’t want the spotlight but will get the job done anyway; and Bertai, a warrior general who is more calm and inquisitive than you’d expect.  If a show is to last a certain length of time (I think this show clocks in at an unusual 37 episodes), you’d hope that the cast would be more than enough to carry that weight and the cast of Macross is more than up to the challenge.

What surprised me the most about the first episode of Macross is how largely unchanged it was from the original Robotech pilot.  Yes, there were some lines changed or added to lay the seeds for future storylines (like the Robotech Masters).  But the general premise of the first episode remains the same: The Macross crashes and is rebuilt; the Zentradi come for it and Hikaru gets thrust into the middle of the fight.  That said, I know there is bound to be a lot of differences between these two stories.  It’s that familiarity for me that makes Macross more approachable and less dismissive of it being an older Anime.  And man even for a classic from the 80’s the animation here still rocks.  I can only imagine how much time went into drawing all of these characters and complex mecha, especially during the transformation sequences.  I will say, the animation has aged better than the original Mobile Suit Gundam series for sure.  This first Macross series was a benchmark for a franchise whos animation presentation has only gotten better going forward (especially with the flawless sequel, Macross Plus).

At some point, I would like to go through Super Dimension Fortress Macross and watch it from beginning to end.  While I have seen the full Macross Saga from Robotech, the only Macross related shows ive seen in full are Macross Plus and Macross Frontier.  As a huge fan of the Giant Robot Genre, I feel like I owe it to myself to put in the time to check this classic out in full at some point.  Maybe I should consider setting this one aside for a big summer review series (would be tricky to justify sticking with one series for a couple of months unless I do an accelerated review schedule).  But in general, to close out, the first episode of Macross is a show that I would put on an Anime Mix tape, a sampler to show people the perfect first episodes to show new fans that could get them interested.  They don’t call Macross, or its subsequent sequels, the Top Gun of Anime for nothing.

Check back next week for my initial thoughts of the series that made up The Robotech Masters Saga of Robotech: Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross.  And in two weeks, Part 3 of this little special: Genesis Climber Mospeda.  See ya then.

T5W#163-Top 5 Anime Double Features

Imagine this: It’s Friday or Saturday night.  No plans to go out and a wall full of Anime to peruse.  So…why not make it a double feature evening?  Yeah this weeks kind of a throwaway week for T5W but I still think this would be a fun subject to talk about and throw out some mini marathon suggestions.  These are the pair ups that can be shared between newbies or at a long time Otaku hang out.  Either way, a fun evening can be had.  Welcome to my list for the Top 5 Anime Double Features.

#5-Rurouni Kenshin (Live Action)/Gintama (Live Action)

Hey normal live action movies are always a good double feature idea, so how about two of the best live action Anime adaptations out there?  Both RuroKen and Gintama feature a lot of rapid fire and well choreographed swordplay.  This goes double for RuroKen, which basically rewrote the book on how to film any kind of action scene ever.  Gintamas self referential humor is second to none and is sidesplitting hilarity.  After watching a bunch of back to back misfires including Ghost in the Shell, Death Note and Fullmetal Alchemst, the Rurouni Kenshin/Gintama double feature is a solid reassurance that, in the right hands, we can bring our favorite Anime tales to life.

#4-Pokemon: The First Movie-Mewtwo Strikes Back/Digimon: The Movie

This just popped to mind and would be one helluva nostalgia trip.  While it was arguably brief, Pokemon and Digimon did rival each other in terms of popularity.  I personally loved the energy and creativity of early Digimon but Pokemons first couple of seasons and those addictive games are eternal.  So how about a double feature of their first theatrical outings?  Digimon is a unique case as it’s three Digimon movies reedited almost Robotech style into one semi cohesive feature…with varied results including a second third that would become the template for Summer Wars (no lie, look it up).  Pokemon: The First Movie still remains one of the more darker entries in the franchise with a climactic battle that made every kid cry in theaters.  If you want to remind yourself of Anime in your childhood, take a gander at these two timeless (kind of) classics.

#3-Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack/Mobile Suit Gundam F91

I had to think a bit about what kind of Gundam entry id throw on this list.  After all, most Gundam films are not just compilation movies, but they usually come in sets of 3 or more.  Trying to keep all entries to two selections (double feature duh), I decided to choose these near back to back theatrical features (Gundam 0080 would pop up in between).  Char’s Counterattack closes out the grand first chapter of the Gundam mythos, detailing the final battle of longtime Gundam rivals Amuro Ray and Char Aznable.  Gundam F91…trieeeed to start things off fresh with a new chapter…but it was almost a poor imitation rehash of the original series.  The film is worth a watch just for the errors and edits that were the cause of much behind the scenes turmoil (one of those cases where the making of the film might make a better movie).  So yeah, its an example of Gundam at its best, followed by Gundam at its worst…but its still a hella good time if your watching them with friends.

#2-My Neighbor Totoro/Grave of the Fireflies

This was an actual double feature back in the day, no lie.  And man, can you think of two opposite films than these two?  You have My Neighbor Totoro, one of the most innocent, child friendly, feel good movies in all of Anime.  Then you put on Grave of the Fireflies and watch the heartbreaking tragedy of two siblings struggling to survive in World War II Japan with their only hope being their unbreakable bond.  Grave of the Fireflies contains one of the most realistic and saddening endings in all of Anime…so maybe you should switch these around and watch that first followed by Totoro.  I think we’d all need a giant tree spirit plushie to hold after watching that kind of masterful dark reality.

#1-Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone/ Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance

Toonami actually did this a few years back and I was lucky enough to catch it.  Let me tell ya, it really works.  It would have been easier to place Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth and Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion in this spot…but really it bothers me that D&R’s Rebirth portion is just the first quarter of End of Eva and nothing more substantial (you could just pull D&R out after Death and just run End of Eva no prob…im ranting).  The first two chapters of the Rebuild of Evangelion series, by comparison, are the full package in two separate but equally amazing features.  1.11 offers a familiar reintroduction to the world of Eva with a few twist setups towards the end.  2.22 is the locomotive that is unleashed once that setup is completed.  This is one instance where while these are the first 2 parts of a 4 part tale, there’s no need to include 3.33-You Can (Not) Redo…cause it pails in comparison to the high bar set by this two part epic return of one of the greatest Anime franchises of all time.

The Slayers Part 6 Episodes 23-26

It’s all hands on deck as The Slayers learn the truth behind Rezo’s return.  But that’s the least of their worries when Eris sets her sights on unleashing the darkest form of vengeance on Lina Inverse and her friends: a demon even more powerful than Shabranigdo.  Lina, Gourry, Zel, Amelia and Sylphiel have come a long way since they first met but now they face their ultimate test.  The fate of the world is at stake and now they face a foe only one man in history was able to defeat.  So that means Lina’s getting paid double for this job right?  Cause The Slayers are here to save the world…but they aren’t going to do it for free.

If watching a full season of Slayers has taught me anything, it’s this: no matter the level of darkness, the size of the monster, the vastness of despair…there’s always time to crack a joke or break the 4^th wall and remind everyone that this is first and foremost a parody of the Fantasy genre.  Not every joke works but you can never fault Slayers for trying.  And that goes double for the epic Season One finale. 

The finale started off great and even opted to do the smart thing and remove Eris from the playing field quickly.  She was always just a means to an end and a character with little depth.  Though they tried to make her death tragic, I wasn’t too moved as she was never that memorable to begin with.  This gave the Rezo clone the full stage.  I guess he managed to free himself from Eris’ “control” crystal by sheer will and ill admit, he definitely seemed to trump the original Rezo in a couple of ways.  No longer blinded by his quest for sight (literally and figuratively), Rezo 2.0 only wanted one thing: to surpass the original by killing Lina and the Slayers (he even took in the power of another demon but at least Rezo got to fight as Rezo without transforming this time).  And too his credit, he came pretty damn close.  Lina getting mortally wounded had all the effects you’d expect, especially from poor Gourry.  Of course Lina was going to survive but it’s never a fun sight to see the plucky heroine so close to deaths door.  It sounds mean to say so but Lina’s near death brought the Slayers together better than before.  Luckily, her epic comeback reset things for one helluva finisher.

The animation quality of the true final battle was really something.  Normally you’d see some of the best animation in the first episode to make an eye catching pilot with which to pitch the show.  In the last episode, however, it looks like the best was saved for last.  Every spell attack, sword slash and full on charge of every single character flowed a lot smoother and packed an almost OVA quality punch (fitting since the direness of the situation felt almost Record of Lodoss War like.  It was a wild rush, right down to the final thrust of a sword from Lina.  She got her big damn hero moment for sure.  She even Rezo 2.0 a peaceful farewell, kind of mirroring how Shabranigdo congratulated The Slayers for defeating him.

Things were pretty intense for sure but Slayers didn’t forget to let the trademark humor take off some of the stress.  There were plenty of 4^th Wall breaks.  Lina and Zelgadis made several cracks about the end of the series being near and Lina even ranted about being denied screentime because of her injury.  Sure said injury killed playtime a little bit but I was never worried the show was ditching all of its hilarity just for the finale.  Nope, Slayers has always been about the humor right til the end and I hope this formula doesn’t change, even when it doesn’t work out for the best.  One thing that I hope does change is Sylphiel’s voice actress from the English Dub, who I think has been my real problem with the character.  In the beginning of the series, there were several soft spoken characters like Zel and Rezo.  Zel’s voice changed when he returned later in the series to Crispin Freeman (who voices Zelgadis from here on out) and Rezo’s voice actor managed to sound a bit more maniacal and less boring with Rezo 2.0.  Sylphiel, however, was so one note in her acting it was irritating.  At moments when she should have been shouting, she sounded so quiet and dull.  When she should have been terrified, she sounded so bored.  None of her lines worked with the character on screen and it really took me out of the moment, even in the climax of the final battle in which Sylphiel plays a vital role.  It’s time like this that the voice work of Lisa Ortiz as Lina Inverse really saves the day as she brings all the energy and fury to make up for most of the other castings weaknesses in spades.

So, the land is saved, Rezo is done (hopefully for good this time) and The Slayers are going their separate ways.  And just what did I think of The Slayers?  It was good, not 100% great but still really good.  Lina Inverse steals just about every scene she’s in better than she does the gold she’s trying to poach.  Her charm, confidence, power and humor in the face of certain death make her a character you cant help but love, even at her most greedy.  The world around her was lively and full of both danger and jokes from Demons to walking Fishmen.  And the supporting cast shined and grew…mostly.  Gourry and Zel never bothered me in the slightest.  Amelia started off irritating (and infuriated me big time in one episode), but she grew a lot too and became a powerful ally by the seasons end.  The villains were hit and miss.  Rezo 2.0 was an improvement over the original and Zangulus was an excellent rival for Gourry.  But Verumugun and Eris never hit their stride and original Rezo’s plan was…well im kind of glad he got swapped out for a scarier demon adversary.  And while some bits overstayed their welcome, the humor of Slayers remained it’s strongest spell in its arsenal.  For every moment of intensity, there was equal levity and neither competed for screentime, being balance reasonably well.

In the end, I award Season One of The Slayers 7/10.  If some of the voice acting choices for the English Dub were better, it might be an 8, but 7 still isn’t bad.  Record of Lodoss War this show isn’t but it’s still a very strong and confident fantasy epic that’s all about the journey and not the destination.  It was fun running around with Lina and her gang and I cant wait to go another round.  While Supernatural: The Anime Series is up next for Halloween, look forward to more adventures with Lina Inverse and crew when Slayers Next kicks off 2019 in a few months.  Til then, see ya around everyone.

FIF#61-Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

Narumi Momose has just started a new job in the city and she’s desperate to keep a secret, one that she believes caused her to change jobs in the first place: She’s a hardcore Otaku.  On her first day, however, Narumi crosses paths with her childhood friend Hirotaka Nifuji, who, like her, is also a hardcore Otaku, a gamer to be more precise.  Narumi’s secret is out of the bag and soon, she and Hirotaka begin to reconnect after years apart.  As the two realize that neither of them have had success in the world of romance, an idea blooms: they should date.  After all, they grew up together and love the same things, plus they’ve got the backing of their fellow Otaku coworkers.  But are two lifelong Otaku really compatible?  Or is this a recipe for certain disaster?

What is it like to date an Otaku?  Is it possible for an Otaku to find love outside of their beloved community?  And most importantly, how does it all work?  Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, looks to be taking all of these subjects and more head on, in a very charming, heartfelt and hilarious fashion.

It isn’t everyday that I easily venture away from my Anime safety zone: the scifi/mecha/fantasy genres.  When I do though, I often find myself enjoying shows I never thought I ever would: Free, Yuri on Ice, Bamboo Blade, Ouran High School Host Club and Haikyuu to name a few.  And while it would seem like this one would go over my head, Wotakoi seems poised to join the ranks of those shows. 

The setup feels very much in the vein of an American TV Sitcom like Friends or How I met Your Mother, featuring a cast of characters who are tight knit, into similar things and get into some wacky hijinks (If there isn’t a Wotakoi AMV mixed to the theme song from Friends, I need to rectify this ASAP).  Yeah, a lot of the reference and subject matter are cattered to Otaku but if you can enjoy The Big Bang Theory (for whatever ungodly reason) then this is a show I could see working for very casual Anime viewers too.  Every single adventure shared between Narumi, Hirotaka, Hana and Kabakura feels like an everyday event but in an Anime fashion, hence, for me, it can be widly entertaining even if this isn’t a show id approach easily on my own.  Learning more about each individual member of the core quartet only makes me more curious about them, especially how the two Sempai: Hana and Kabakura, ever came to be a couple in the first place.  Kabakura is the most stiff of the group so far, but only a bit more than Hirotaka.  Hana, besides being drop dead gorgeous (dear God), seems to be far more energetic and commanding (also fun loving when it comes to cosplay). I actually never expected there to be much of a clash between fandoms with the core group: Narumi’s general Anime, Hirotaka’s Video Games, Hana’s Cosplay and Kabakura’s…you know I don’t really know what his field of Otakudom is actually.  But man is it fun to watch everyone attempt to get everyone to try their fandom with varied results.

As for Narumi and Hirotaka…they’re pretty good.  Hooking them up almost right away was bold but I did like how Hirotaka, for all his wooden aloofness does seem to have genuine feelings and affections for Narumi, going back to when they were friends in grade school.  Getting these two together also allowed Watakoi to get right into the awkward trials that come with this little experiment.  Narumi is a fangirl of the highest caliber, right down to recognizing Hana’s famous crossplays, who also writes and sells her own Doshinji.  Hirotaka is glued to his Nintendo Switch like gamepad even when he’s at work on lunch break.  This clash of fandoms and character quirks does work better than you might expect.  Most of this comes from the surprisingly touching Hirotaka, despite how dull and uninterested he might sound.  He’s a good balance to the ticking time bomb of overexaggerated reactions from Narumi, though she is pretty cute when she flips out. I was kind of surprised that Wotakoi didn’t keep Narumi’s Otaku lifestyle a secret for very long.  I was immediately reminded of Himouto Umaru Chan in that I assumed the show would focus on Narumi’s constant struggle to keep her hobbies under wraps for fear of social ostracization.  Im actually glad it didn’t go this route.  It keeps things fresher and allows things to be a bit more flexible and daring with its storylines.

Three episodes in and Watakoi actually has me invested in where the romance could lead.  Narumi and Hirotaka are easy to root for and their misadventures are some of the funniest bits ive seen in a slice of life Anime in a long time.  This is a feel good show, easily accessible to non Otaku and loaded with references to tons of shows and games that will help normal Otaku feel right at home.  I can say that I will be continuing it until its conclusion (which right now sits at 11 episodes, I hope this show did better to merit another season maybe).  I’ve got my fingers crossed that things do workout for the two Otaku…but I also hope they don’t reach their big happy ending so soon…cause their pratfalls and the hilarity that comes with it might make this the feel good Anime of the decade.

T5W#162-Top 5 Video Game Soundtracks

I was talking with a friend the other day when the topic of Video Game Soundtracks came up.  Their favorite was an old Sega Genesis Classic, Sonic 3.  It got me thinking about what I considered to be my favorite soundtracks to listen to which came from the games I grew up playing.  Honestly, it did seem kind of hard at the moment.  When thinking about the best do you look to the classics from the NES, SNES, Genesis era or to the more modern, fully orchestrated soundtracks that are on par with most feature length film productions.  The answer, dear readers, is that it’s ok to go with both.  After I gave my friend the 16bit generation answers, I gave them the name of my all time favorite and thus, this list was born.  So enjoy today’s Top 5 Wednesday, taking a look at my Top 5 Video Game Soundtracks and the tunes ill listen to even when im not playing the actual game.

#5-Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

DKC2 is a prime example of how to make a sequel that surpasses its predecessor on every level (wont be the only one on this list too).  And the soundtrack compliments these improvements.  The high flying adventure of the Pirate Ship themes to the darkness of the underwater depths or the haunting but catchy beat of the Lost World, every track from Diddy’s Kong Quest feels epic in nature and fits the scope of the gameplay.  And, if im honest, the Rare Logo Track that plays when you power up the game was an early on signal that this game was going to be something special. 

#4-Final Fantasy XV

I’ll prepare for the onslaught of backlash on this one.  Yes, Final Fantasy has many other soundtracks that are more amazing and iconic.  But give Final Fantasy XV a little bit of a break, it has the potential to stand among the legends of Final Fantasy VI-X.  From the peaceful tracks that play as you ride around in your kick ass Regalia to the bombastic, operatic set pieces when you battle giants and tough as hell bosses, there’s plenty to classify this as a worthy Final Fantasy Soundtrack.  Also, Apocalypse Noctis is one of the most epic battle themes of all time and I get pumped every time I hear it.

#3-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

This game is considered to be the quintessential Ninja Turtles Video Game and why not?  Well in addition to the multiplayer, the iconic enemies and all the time traveling, the soundtrack is a major part of the experience.  From adrenaline filled battle themes like Big Apple 3AM and Technodrome: Let’s Kick Shell to the period piece inspired tracks like Skull and Crossbones and Starbase: Where No Turtle Has Gone Before to the amazing final track that plays during the credits, Turtles in Time is filled with so many likeable songs they’ll be playing in your head long after you’ve beaten the game.  It’s no wonder we never really got a decent Ninja Turtles Video Game since…cause this was 16bit perfection here.

#2-Mass Effect 2

To this day, Mass Effect 2 remains one of the greatest video games I have ever played in my life.  Better story, stronger gameplay, more interesting characters (and older ones who get a lot more depth).  It’s a damn near perfect game with the soundtrack to match.  The world of ME2 is larger, darker and more dangerous than the previous game.  The Tron inspired cords that made ME1’s soundtrack a classic return with more grit and action and an occasional chanting chorus to dial up the direness of any situation that seems impossible to escape.  The big stand out is the track that plays during the start of the final, potentially suicidal, mission.  You know you’re in the thick of a legend making event when that choir starts chanting.

#1-Halo 2

Halo 2 is a game that holds a very special place in my heart considering when I first played it.  The game helped me through my trial filled first year at college and introduced me to a franchise that is still an integral part of my life.  For all of it’s gunplay, imaginative story and epic scope, the soundtrack of Halo 2 still stands as the best in the entire franchise for me…plus I could have easily just said every Halo Soundtrack ever made belongs in the #1 spot.  Of course, the original Halo theme gets an incredible hard rock upgrade but the rest of the soundtrack is a perfect mix of all things action packed but calming, terrifying but wondrous, epic but personal.  This soundtrack set the benchmark for all other Halo games going forward and is still one I will listen to at night while working on random assignments…kind of like this list haha.