Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 4 Episodes 16-20

(Originally Written June 8, 2014)

Disaster strikes on all fronts.  A new Eva pilot is chosen, leading Asuka to fear she might be replaced.  But when that pilot becomes trapped in an Angel controlled Eva, Gendo will go to extreme lengths to put it down, forcing Shinji to do so as well.  As if that were not enough, the most powerful Angel to date attacks NERV head on, smashing it’s way past Rei and Asuka and Shinji is nowhere to be found.  Can this Angel possibly be the one that accomplishes what all other Angels have failed to do…commence Third Impact?

And here…we…go.  We finally made it to the point of Evangelion where, following the end of the last set which revealed the target of the Angels is right in NERV’s basement, the series seems to either do a 180 or finally pull back the curtain on it’s true self.  This set of episodes is the exact opposite from the previous ones.  Just when you think mankind has a chance at surviving the Angels, everything from personal drama to allegiance shifts to some horrifying twists of fate appears to sucker punch everyone.  And if you need more proof tell me what you're first thoughts are of that image of Evangelion Unit 01 above...be afraid, be very afraid.

And when I say horrifying, man did these episodes get gruesome.  It’s practically raining blood several times when Evangelion Unit 01 clashes with all three presented Angels.  On one occasion it literally tears one to pieces (poor Toji btw but we’ll get to him in a moment) and in another it…eats another Angel.  Now to be a tad fair, the Angel in Episode 19 does prove to be an unstoppable challenge that quickly disables both Asuka and Rei, and eventually pushing Unit 01 to use up all of it’s power before it “awakens” (as Ritsuko puts it).  But becoming the main course for a rabid Eva’s dinner is chilling to the core.  This is the weapon that’s supposed to be humanity’s salvation right?  The heroic robot we’re supposed to be rooting for?  It doesn’t look like that’s the case anymore as, to borrow from Del Toro’s Pacific Rim, “in order to fight monsters, humanity created monsters of its own.”

And how does all of this action affect the cast?  In a lot of ways.  Shinji has the most understandable overreaction after realizing how far his father would go to get the job done.  Poor Toji though.  He finally gets his moment in the spotlight to be an Eva pilot and he ends up not only trapped in an Angel possessed Evangelion Unit 03 but also crushed by the vicious auto piloted Eva Unit 01 that Shinji could not control thanks to his father.  Helluva way to deal with a rather comic relief character who was hit and miss with his moments.  Anyway, after that kind of ordeal Shinji has every right to not want to pilot and Eva but after seeing an Angel ruthlessly come so close to killing his friends, he gets right back into it.  It would have been neat if we did get to see more of NERV without Shinji but we’ve seen how that goes earlier in the series and man was it boring.  So it’s not bad that he got thrown right back into the saddle again…only to have us discover that Shinji’s inner monologue’s are an even worse place to be than real world Shinji.  From rapid paced dialogue to Shinji essentially screaming for ten minutes straight he doesn’t want to feel pain anymore to his kind of creepy fantasies of getting it on with Misato, Asuka and Rei, it’s safe to say that mentally…Shinji is pretty F’ed up and nothing at NERV, be it the Angels, the Evas or his father are helping matters.

Thankfully the moments when we are not neck deep in mentally distorted Shinji-ville, and focusing on what’s happening outside of that messed world are far more fascinating.  Rei’s beginning to act more like a girl with a soul and stand up for Shinji as opposed to Asuka who begins to feel pushed aside and useless.  And Misato, man are the revelations she’s been getting pushing her.  Her “friendship” with Ritsuko is strained more than ever and the good Doctor even takes operational control away from her on one occasion due to Misato not wanting to sacrifice Shinji.  Speaking of which, the importance of Unit 01 is highlighted several times and im not just talking about it’s berserker fits of rage.  Gendo and Ritsuko as well as the mysterious SEELE have a particular interest in preserving the Eva no matter the cost.  Between that and Adam, a serious endgame is set to begin.  Gendo even remarks that seeing the unleashed Unit 01 that “this is the beginning”

 

Before I close I should mention that from episode 16 onwards we do also get into another one of Evangelions more infamous aspects.  Some of you may remember when I reviewed Record of Lodoss War I noted the use of still images with army clashing sound effects and their over usage.  Well in Evangelion, I distinctly remember one interrogation scene that lasted about three minutes with one character in the spotlight, not moving or anything, while dialogue was exchanged.  There are several examples of this in these five episodes to the point where you get the feeling they really were tight on the budget by this point and that so much work was put into the action (epic as it may be) that they forgot everything else.  So they just decided to front load plenty of existential/expositional writing into scenes with maybe one or two shifts in picture focus.  Don’t get me wrong, when the action is good, it’s good, the money is being saved for those special moments.  But we could use some more movement in other areas to keep us from falling asleep.

Sure enough, we are approaching the home stretch (though I may have to rethink my strategy for reviewing the rest of the series) and there is no going back for every character on this show.  The “we’re winning” feeling from before is long past and everyone is in danger from Angels, Gendo and SEELE.  Even Kaji manages to make love to Misato for what he feels might be the last time.  What will become of Unit 01 now that it’s real form has been revealed?  Can Shinji recover?  Will Asuka fall apart on everyone?  What’s Rei’s role in Gendo’s endgame?  How long before Misato confronts the powers that be about NERV’s true intentions?  So many questions.  But they’re nail biting ones and they’re the reasons Evangelion is still such a beloved Anime.

The end begins next, see ya then

Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 3 Episodes 11-15

(Originally Written June 1, 2014)

Just when it seems like a nice groove has been found in the lives of Shinji, Rei, Asuka and NERV, the rug is slowly pulled from under them.  The faces behind NERV itself come forward and reveal to Gendo the final endgame they put NERV in place to enact.  It’s not just about surviving the Angels anymore, it’s about surviving the one thing NERV was trusted to protect.  And by the end of Episode 15, things will never be the same.

Now we are getting into it.  The War against the Angels is well underway now and Team NERV is working just fine against them.  Shinji, Asuka and Rei may not be BFF’s but despite Shinji’s whining, Asuka’s arrogance and Rei’s distance, they’re all proving to be a very effective fighting unit.  Same can be said for their NERV back up.  Misato, Ritsuko, and even the cold and calculating Gendo manage to get involved in the action.  The blackout plot of Episode 11 is a stand out story, throwing everyone into total darkness and a city of lack of power yet managing to come out on top and even stop an attacking Angel. 

In fact Episodes 11-13 are all outstanding for their separate yet equally desperate scenarios that involve them thinking outside the box and even outside the Evangelion’s to take down Angel’s that drip acid, dive bomb from the sky over an unknown location or even digitize themselves to attack NERV directly (how do you stop an Angel without an Eva…EP13 has one solution lol.)  It’s episodes like these that give one hope that NERV can actually pull off the impossible and prevent the Angels from destroying the world…that is when there aren’t scenes indicating bigger and darker things are ahead, as showcased in a recap episode which has Gendo speaking with the powers above him about the consistent Angel attacks and their effect on “the schedule”.

This set of episodes also starts delving into the deeper histories of the main cast and the organization they work for.  Misato gets a whole episode dedicated to her backstory, revealing she witnessed the apocalyptic Second Impact first hand after her father sacrificed himself to protect her from the initial blast.  Her hatred for the Angels runs deep and even though she opens up to Shinji about her past, it’s hard to tell how far she will push him to satisfy her own personal vendetta.  But this more so something to be addressed in the realm of Gendo Ikari, whose mysterious backers are finally given a name (SEELE) and shows that he has a strange penchant for watching Rei float around in a test tube naked…weird.  However, Gendo has an endgame, one not even his right hand Fuyutsuki knows.  And while we cannot see it, it is apparent the pieces on his chess board are moving exactly where Mr. Ikari wants them too.

We get to see a bit more of Kaji outside of his flirting with Misato mode and get some insight to his “true mission.”  Is he a double agent playing both sides?  While that may not be the case, Kaji does know more than he lets on.  And while he does go back to Misato flirt mode later on, he does reveal that despite everything that has happened between them in the past, he still loves her deeply and is there for her when Misato breaks down over her own insecurities and failures.  And what better way is there to show someone you care than to show them NERV’s ultimate secret…THE FIRST ANGEL, captured and nailed to a cross in their basement with a mysterious lance stuck in its chest.  Helluva way to end this fantastic set of episodes.

Secrets start to become uncovered.  Teamwork begins to get better (even resulting in the most awkward kiss of Shinji’s life from Asuka lol).  Romance still blooms and the end of the world has more factors added in for good measure.  But now that we know what’s setup in NERV’s basement, is it safe to say we may not be entirely rooting for the good guys anymore?

We…will…see…

 

Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 2 Episodes 6-10

(Originally Written May 25, 2014)

The war against the Angels continues.  Shinji and Rei are joined by a third Evangelion and it’s pilot: the red head force of nature that is Asuka Langely Soryu.  Asuka is more than willing to destroy the Angels without the help of the scared Shinji and soulless Rei.  But there is a reason a third Eva has been sent to Tokyo 3.  The Angels are becoming bigger, deadlier and far more than any single opponent can withstand.  They may be different, they may not be able to stand each other.  But if Shinji, Rei and Asuka want to save the world…they’ll have to work together whether they like it or not.

Evangelion kicked it up a notch in these last few episodes.  Five more episodes in, new characters are introduced as are new mecha, new Angels and new mysteries.  Hell there are even some new developments with Shinji, well after episode 6 that is.  He is growing more comfortable in the Katsuragi household it seems and even has gotten to a bit of back talking with Misato, Toji and Kensuke without sounding like a whiner.  He’s still a bit annoying when it comes to “I don’t want to pilot an Eva anymore” for the many-ith time, but that’s only one episode out of five so any progress is good progress.

The biggest draw of this new batch of episodes is the appearance of the Second Child, Asuka Langley Soryu, who brings not just a brand new Eva but her own brand of kick ass.  Asuka is almost the exact opposite of Shinji and Rei.  She’s not scared to pilot an Eva or content to just follow orders, she’s ready to rumble and throw herself into the fray to handle Angels single handedly.  She’s arrogant, confident, and beautiful but also a tad grating with how much she belittles everyone around her.  There are a couple of hints to some deeper trauma in her past but it’s still too early on to delve into them since it’s just her intro.  But will any future revelations make her a bit more bearable?  Only time will tell.

Shiji does get some great interaction with both of his fellow pilots.  Rei’s calm and silent devil may care is a stark contrast with Asuka’s bull by the horns attitude and Shinji must contend with both.  Between the two, he has a better time with Rei, who doesn’t belittle him and is actually a bit kinder to him than Asuka, though I think it’s kind of obvious Shinji is slightly attracted to the red head fury (he does try to kiss her while she’s sleeping in Episode 9 which is hilarious).  Actually Episode 9 is actually one of the best episodes of the series so far, which features Shinji and Asuka being forced to work together and learn an elaborate Evangelion Dance Routine (you read that right) to defeat a clone forming Angel.  We see how effective Asuka and Shinji can be when not at each others throats but we also get a great scene of Shinji and Rei practicing the routine, no muss no fuss, and doing amazingly well without the conflict.  Asuka may be the better fighter but Rei seems a nice calm fit for Shinji right now.

Other spotlights this time fall on Misato, who shows a bit of an “at all costs” attitude when it comes to defeating the Angels while also trying not to tear apart her recently appearing Ex, Kaji.  Kaji, speaking of which, seems like a very smooth operator.  Able to seduce anyone from his jilted Ex to her best friend to even catching the eye of the younger Asuka, he looks like he could be a fun addition with his calm, smart ass demeanor.  He’s also the only character besides Gendo who seems to have a special agenda in mind that has not started to rear it’s head fully yet but it is peaking. 

The action gets some of the series best moments and more will come for sure.  The arrival of Asuka allows for some great in your face combat with the Angels, something we really haven’t seen much of in a couple of episodes.  Eva Unit 02’s Angel Smack downs in Episode 8 and 9 are great examples of how amazing the action can be when the Eva’s are power cordless and able to perform some of their most human like movements.  Eva Unit 01 gets some good moments with Unit 02 and the nail biting sniper scene in episode 6.  But it’s stand against the Jet Alone in Episode 7 was kind of…eh.  And actually the Jet Alone reminded me of a possible prototype Jaeger from Pacific Rim, even with a nuclear reactor like Gypsy Danger.  And Del Toro says this show had no influence on Pacific Rim…B**********

Ok, now that ive gotten that out of my system, I’ll wrap this up.  Evangelion stepped it up a notch with this set of episodes.  The arrival of Asuka will provide a potential new dynamic for the three young pilots and Gendo’s and Kaji’s secret agendas and the clouded pasts of Asuka and Misato should keep viewers on the edge of their seats for more.  And the best is yet to come.

Macross Plus Part 1 Episodes 1 and 2

                       

                

2040 AD. Humanity has expanded beyond the stars in the wake of an Alien invasion from decades ago.  Isamu Dyson is a renegade style ace pilot with amazing instincts and he’s just been sent to planet Eden to become the test pilot of a new prototype fighter.  But he’ll be doing more than testing, he’ll be competing with a rival teams new fighter and their own test pilot, Dyson’s old acquaintance Gould Goa Bowman.  It isn’t said outright but these two have a history, a history that drove them apart.  On top of all of that, legendary AI superstar Sharon Apple is coming to Eden for a concert…and her project manager is none other than Dyson and Bowman’s former friend Myung.  It’s been seven years since a tragedy drove this inseparable trio apart.  And now it seems fate has brought them together again to be at the forefront of another potential tragedy.

From the get go, the very first soft, feminine tones of the opening lyrics to “Voices,” (Macross Plus’ main theme) you know that this is going to be something special.  This is one of the big ones, of the greats that inspired a generation and gave added weight of excitement to projects like Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop just because of the people who worked on this OVA.

 

But first a bit of background and trivia:

Macross.  The legend, the groundbreaker, the memorable sci fi opus.  What’s kind of funny is how Macross first got recognized here in the states.  In the 80’s the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross series was used as the basis for the first saga of Robotech: The Macross Saga.  Of the three series that ended up making Robotech: Macross, Super Dimensional Calvary Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada, Macross is the most associated and recognized with it.  While changes were made to suit Robotech’s story, it remained pretty faithful to original Macross tale. Not only that, but the characters, mecha, music and that infamous love triangle are forever ingrained in the minds of most Anime fans who were thrilled by Macross’s out of this world adventures…who also cringed at the voice of Lynn Minmei but we’ll touch on that briefly in a moment.

And now we come to one of the more legendary entries in that saga, Macross Plus.  It’s interesting to note that even though it’s written on the cover of the DVDs, many will already agree that this OVA is the Top Gun of Japanese Animation.  Hard to argue, you could easily throw in Harold Faltermeyer’s score or any of the songs from the soundtrack and it would match up just fine.  Plus you’ve got the hot headed pilots, the rivalry, the sweet freaking fighter jet sequences.  And if there had been a love triangle between Maverick, Charlie and Iceman, you can bet it could have turned out something like Isamu, Myung and Gould.

It’s both sad and yet very fun to watch the core three interact with each other.  We only get glimpses of the defining moment that drove them all apart but you get how powerful it was, how hurt they still are after seven years.  Myung shows her hurt more than any of the trio.  Her brave public face is admirable but she’s not the most skilled at hiding how much the past still haunts her.  She wants to move on and yet she is the only one of the three who hasn’t achieved her childhood dream, not exactly anyway.  Why Myung choses to be the Wizard behind the curtain for Sharon Apple is beyond me when her voice, beauty and talent could win the masses over in a heartbeat.  Myung’s the biggest mystery of the main trio and that makes her also the most tragic and sad of the bunch. 

And yet, Isamu and Gould’s bickering is so great.  From love of Myung to love of the competition, these two are great rivals who cant wait to grasp victory while really wanting to stick it to one another.  What’s interesting more so are the tactics Isamu and Gould are using for their new planes.  Isamu is the old school Maverick who is all instinct and thrill at the controls of a Veritech.  Gould, however, uses a new possibly ground breaking mental control system that requires a calm and composed mind, even though he runs the risk of hulking out (more or less) around Dyson because of bad memories.  Egos and ideologies clash in equal amounts.  And when they finally go at it, first in simple training exercises and then on an off the grid showdown, man do we get some great action.  Missile dodges, mid air transformations, even a Pacific Rim style boxing match, if you love your combat fast paced and full on hard hitting…chances are you have this series to thank for that.

Much like the original Macross, music is still a key plot element rather than a simple marketing grab.  I’m pretty certain this was the score that put Yoko Kanno on the map and elements of touches she would go on to feature in later productions like Escaflowne, Turn A Gundam and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex are all present.  Orchestra is used amazingly for the flight and fight sequences, matching up perfectly with the images on screen.  But my personal favorite are the Sharon Apple songs.  Cyberpunk inspired and synth infused tracks, they do sound like the Pop songs of the future.  And Sharon’s voice is haunting and heart racing depending on the song and a far cry better than the annoying tunes belted by Lynn Minmei in the original Macross.  Sharon’s adoration by the media and her hold over the crowd can never be questioned.  Even her incredibly trippy musical numbers cant really be questioned just because they look so freaking fantastic, fusing 2D and 3D animation spectacularly. 

A lot of important plot elements are also set up in regards to Sharon that I think will pay off in the next part.  How will Myung’s reuniting with Isamu and Gould and her eye opening catch of Isamu at the concert affect Sharon further than it might have?  Will Sharon play a role in forcing her to choose between Isamu and Gould at the end or is there something darker in the mind of the cybernetic diva?  Myung’s boss seems like he could play a shady role in some of this, acquiring illegal (?) tech to complete Sharon.  It raises all kinds of red flags, especially for Myung’s safety…and not just because Sharon started a fire to get Gould and Isamu’s attention, almost killing Myung.

Whatever the answers may be, this series has my attention.  I want to see more one on one fighter combat, I want to hear more Sharon Apple, I want Isamu to keep being a reckless bad ass and I just want to know in general how this series will wow me more.  Will I be accepting of it’s 4 episode length or sad it couldn’t be longer? You’ll have your answers next week, and so will I.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 1 Episodes 1-5

(Originally Written May 19, 2014)

The year is 2015 AD.  Fifteen years ago, an event known as the Second Impact, melted the polar ice caps and eliminated half of the worlds population.  Now, the Angels have returned to finish the job left unfinished by the horrific event.  But humanity is ready.  A special organization known as NERV has created giant mechanized fight machines known as Evangelion, to combat the Angel threat.  Piloting humanity’s last hope is a young boy named Shinji Ikari.  His father doesn’t want him, the outside world won’t take him, the Earth needs him (yes that is a riff on the tagline for Constantine, nyeh).  But can this uncertain young man carry the fate of humanity in his hands?

Neon Genesis Evangelion.  There is nary an Anime fan out there who has seen or at least heard of this title.  Released in 1995, Evangelion changed the giant robot genre for a whole new era, just as Mobile Suit Gundam had done so in 1979.  It’s mix of monsters vs robots action mixed with heavy human drama and religious symbolism galore made it both highly entertaining and highly controversial upon it’s release, especially towards the end of the series.  But we are not starting at the end, we are starting at the beginning of Evangelion and what a beginning it is.

From the start it’s hard not to have Pacific Rim or Godzilla come to mind in the first episodes opening minutes.  A deserted Tokyo-3 is attacked by a colossal monster known as an Angel.  Planes, trains and automobiles (ok maybe not trains but I did see a few cars and plenty of planes) lob missile after missile, bullet after bullet, even a nuke at one point, to not effect.  The Angel may not have atomic breath but it does makes its presence known to the world by simply walking past everything that tries to take it down.  The threat is serious and to quote Charlie Hunnam’s Raleigh Beckett from Pacific Rim, “We needed a new weapon.” 

We also meet Shinji during this chaos and man is he already set to be a pain from the start.  Granted it’s still early on in the series so he doesn’t seem so out of place from typical boys thrown into the cockpit of a giant robot when the job calls for it.  He’s young, he’s nervous, he doesn’t want the responsibility even in the face of certain destruction.  But as the episodes go on, it becomes a little bit…much.  The whining, the isolation, one can try to sympathize and guess how rough of a life he had with his father, the cool and calculating Gendo Ikari, but something tells me room for growth is not something to look forward to with Shinji Ikari.  Shout out to his English voice actor Spike Spencer btw, man can that guy scream.  It’s amazing this role did not destroy his voice.

We meet other characters in these first five episodes as well.  Most are your typical tech and authority figures but two of the stand outs are Misato and Rei.  Misato’s a babe, what more is there to say?  She’s tough, she’s bad ass, a bit of a goof ball, and sports one hell of a figure she isn’t afraid to flaunt (as evidence by the flirty previews of upcoming episodes she narrates, always ending with the promise of more fan service).  Rei is silent, mysterious, pretty but very little is glimpsed of her until episode five…then we get to see all of her in that awkward apartment scene where Shinji manages to not only see Rei naked but also fall on top of her while exposing her panty drawer to the world…it’s all awkward and a bit comical but Rei doesn’t show the slightest bit of emotion over this scene.  Her distantness could rival that of Shinji.  And much like both Misato and Shinji, Rei’s attitude speaks of a past that hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows.

But it’s not the complex characters you’ve come for in this show (though you’ll be staying and bonding with them for a while so get comfy lol) it’s the giant robot battles, of which we have two big ones.  The more enjoyable of the two is the first sortie of the Evangelion Unit 01 against the Third Angel (the one at the beginning of the series).  At first it looks like Shinji is the worst pilot of all time, unable to get a grasp of the controls and getting the crap pummeled out of him.  But then…BERZERKER!!!  The Eva goes into autopilot (?) and proceeds to kick all kinds of ass resulting in money shot after money shot that has made this series a classic.  While the second battle didn’t reach the heights of the first, the personal stake and emotion that came out of it was effective and showed that when pushed Shinji is capable of pushing back. 

If there are a couple of downsides to this introductory set of episodes it’s that the pace does slow a bit in between battles with scenes that often involve Shinji wandering around the city aimlessly.  Sometimes it feels that all that is missing from this scenes is the End Theme from the television version of The Incredible Hulk, with Bill Bixby as David Banner walking down a road trying to hitch a ride.  And as stated above, Shinji seems like he’s going to be frustrating at times, whining about his state of being when he doesn’t want to better himself.  Again this could speak to his mysterious upbringing.  We know he hasn’t seen his father in years and he was only summoned as Gendo puts it, “Because I have a use for you.”  The real drama will no doubt stem from here…or will it?

All in all, this is a great start to a series that has reached legendary status in the Anime community and I look forward to running through it again.  Much like Lodoss, this was a big show for me when I was getting into Anime more and more and it has been a while since my last real watch through.  If anyone hasn’t seen it yet, Anime fan or not, I hope these reviews help spur your interest.  If not, you’re still cool and let no one tell you otherwise lol. 

Record of Lodoss War Part 3 Episodes 11-13

(Originally Written May 12, 2014)

In the wake of the great battle, Parn’s world is forever changed.  In the blink of an eye, old friends perish and others are drawn to the darkness within.  A dark rival attains leadership of Marmo while a once trusted wizard unveils his own endgame.  And what’s worse, Deedlit, the Elf woman Parn’s trusts with his heart and his life, may be the catalyst to starting the apocalypse on Lodoss.  One battle is over but the real war is about to begin.  Armies gather, demons swarm and Dragons from across the world fill the skies.  The Battle for Lodoss is about to reach it’s climax.

The end of the journey.  And ends in the middle ground of bang/whimper…pop?  Either way, this marks the end of my trip down Lodoss memory lane.  Plenty to love but sadly many of my complaints from earlier episodes reared their ugly heads at the finish line despite some very epic and well done moments.

Pan of stills continue to be a downside, especially when we cut away from them ever so often to the smaller partied but nonetheless just as important showdowns happening underneath Marmo.  Deedlit, captured and dressed in a very sexy sacrificial outfit hehe, is to be drained of her life force for Cardis’s resurrection?  Not if Parn has anything to say about it.  But the loss of Ghim and Woodchuck is felt, especially with Woodchuck’s current state.  Parn is left with the shows weakest/most annoying cast of all wizards to get him into the castle and while I should be concerned for everyones safety this late in the game…I really only hope that Parn and Deedlit make it out.  Not that anything Parn has done has been brag worthy, but his and Deedlit’s friendship/romance feels like the only big character payoff in this show.  Slayn and Lelia?  Where the hell did that pop up from?  Sadly that is a downside to 13 episodes instead of 24-26, rushed story with no character development.  And Etoh?  Wait he’s still here?  And Shiris and Orson?  I kind of hoped they would have more to do but brought in so late they never gained much traction with me.  Orson with his berserker powers had potential but Shiris literally spends most of her time pouting over the fact that she can’t have Parn…why?

It may feel like I’m ragging quite a bit but I actually like the very last episode of this series quite a bit.  Here some of the series flaws seem to work to an advantage.  Still shots of Dragons oddly enough seemed the most epic and useful though again not much movement.  And then there is the three  way battle between Wagnard, Parn and Lodoss’s unsung hero Ashrum, still alive and ready to kick some ass and does he ever.  His final clash with Parn is Highlander level awesome (cue Princes of the Universe every time you watch it lol).  It all comes down to Parn though, can he pull off the win and save the girl?  Should seem kind of obvious but even if you feel that Parn hasn’t earned a thing this series, even Deedlit’s love, it’s a cheer worthy moment to see him go for it, leaping right into hell to bring her back.  An excellent mix of swords, sorcery, bravery, love and friendship made the final episode a wild ride that sadly had to come to an end with the promise of more…thought that more would be in a series retelling I have not seen yet.

So final verdict?  Though flawed more than I remember, I don’t mind returning to Lodoss every once in a while to enjoy the fantasy and adventure.  The scope is the standard by which all other fantasy anime, even Slayers, has had to follow.  Has it been done better? Eh…Escaflowne the Series maybe.  But there’s something truly timeless about Record of Lodoss War, from the classic if mostly forgettable cast, to the fast paced but slow panning epic battles, to the beautiful opening and ending themes that are truly flawless.  Even if it has problems, it’s worth one very enjoyable watch and an item that should be in everyone’s Anime collection.

 7.5/10

Record of Lodoss War Part 2 Episodes 8-10

(Originally Written May 5, 2014)

 

The War of Heroes is over.  Emperors Beld and Fahn lie buried after their climactic battle.  However there is no time to grieve for Parn and his allies.  The Grey Witch Karla must be stopped before an even greater chaos can envelop Lodoss.  Joined by new warriors, Shiris and Orson, Parn, Deedlit, Ghim, Woodchuck, Slayn and Etoh prepare for their greatest battle to date.  All the while, the leaderless Marmo forces turn to Ashrum the Black Knight for leadership.  Even if Karla can be stopped, can Ashrum be defeated when he seeks to attain the most powerful weapon in existence, guarded by the fiercest of all Dragons?

WHAT A STEP UP!!!!  After a decent but flawed start, the second half of ROLW kicks off with some big game changers.  Granted losing the Kings should have been a crushing blow but did we ever really care about them?  King Fahn, a little bit.  But Beld was your generic take over the world villain.  Their deaths didn’t seem to carry a lot of weight with me.  But…losing Ghim and Woodchuck in the same episode?  Wow, that is a pretty ballsy move to make.  However, there was only but some much time Ghim was going to spend with the team before he and his gruffness went off to finish their own quest.  He wasn’t going to be stopped and he went out like a champ…completing his quest and living long enough to see Leylia smile again.  As for Woodchuck, dam that is so unfair.  Was he just not popular enough or just seemed the easiest to get rid of in the minds of the creators?  I don’t know but losing Etoh would have been better, seriously has that guy done anything useful besides be an old friend of Parn?  Woodchuck becoming Karla’s new host, walking into the desert with a lifeless look and that freaking tiara is still a bone chilling scene.  Speaking of Karla, I’m so happy the team finally got her to stop her monologues and put up or shut up.  Her excuse that power should not be in the hands of one person in Lodoss hence the chaos is pretty weak and contradictory since she seems to have more power than anything in the land…and yet gets her ass kicked by five out of six Final Fantasy party members.  It’s such a satisfying moment.  Also satisfying is her/his (I guess now) minimal involvement afterwards.  I guess the possibility of Cardis returning is enough to get Karla to vanish in fear, thank God.   I’m pretty sure during my initial watch of ROWL when I was younger I had to stop here because so much happened I had to take a break and let it all sink in.  So where do they go from here?

Well onto other adventures of course.  We are given two new teammates in the form of Orson and Shiris.  Shiris just seems to be a pretty face with a sword, very cute.  But it’s Orson that holds the newest element of the series: Hulk like Berzerkers.  Shiris’s attraction to Parn I think is going to get annoying pretty quick especially since it’s increasingly clear Deedlit will end up being with him in the end.  Speaking of Deedlit, she gets put in the spotlight big time in this section of the series as her lifeforce is needed to resurrect Cardis.  This leads to some nice action with her and the Dark Elf Pirotess and her group of Dark Elf warriors.  I guess that leads to another point of praise, the action for the most part is much better than the first half of the series.  Deedlit vs the Dark Elves and Parn vs Shiris and Orson are more fluid and vibrant rather than still photos with sound effects.  The same however, cannot be said for the appearance of Shooting Star, one of the Dragons we saw arise at the end of the last part of the series.  He falls victim to that same frozen in place animation shortcut and seems to barely move at all.  In a time when we know how bad ass dragons can be when unleashed, this one only gets the look and ferocity right and not much else.

The final battle on Fire Dragon Mountain may not have an amazingly great Dragon Slaying scene because of Shooting Stars stiffness.  But we do get some nice new moments with Parn, Ashrum and Pirotess.  It’s hard to believe that the Black Knight who seems set to rule Marmo could have a heart but low and behold how he embraces Pirotess after she sacrifices herself for him, clearly a reflection of the bond Parn and Deedlit share.  Is Ashrum done for?  Well we see him sink into the cave slowly holding Pirotess but I wouldn’t count him out just yet.  His rematch with Parn was really brief and another sampling of the greater duel to come between them. 

So the series does pick up in many way but still maintains the flaws that progressed through the earlier half of the series.  Still, characters have been dispatched, others added and the adventure got a small dose of added epicness with Dragons and the promise of evil goddess resurrections.  Can the finale deliver? 

Record of Lodoss War Part 1 Episodes 1-7

(Originally written April 27, 2014)

Lodoss, the Accursed Island.  Once this land was the setting of a clash amongst Gods that shaped the island to its current state.  Thousands of years after the battles end, darkness begins to creep again.  Emperor Belge and the forces of Marmo march for conquest.  But even they may be the least of concerns when compared with ancient forces capable of controlling the fiercest Dragons.  A battle hardened Dwarf, a beautiful Elf, a sagely Wizard, a kind hearted Priest, a sarcastic Thief and a would be Knight are all individuals one would not expect to work together.  But a storm of darkness is approaching Lodoss…and they are all that stands in its way.

Record of Lodoss War was a series I first saw when I was younger, middle school I think.  The series had been advertised on Toonamis new streaming website and it look pretty cool. (I then discovered it wasn’t this OVA but the TV series, Chronicles of the Heroic Knight).  As luck would have it I found the complete OVA collection at a Blockbuster and watched it over a free weekend.  I was hooked and I think it was one the first time I did some serious marathoning with an anime, even Dragon Ball Z and Gundam Wing.  So when I picked this title up finally at a video and record store in the city, and totally made the cashier jealous hehe, I was ready to rewatch the classic once again.  Does it hold up for me now as an adult as it did when I was in middle school?  Yes and no.

Besides the classic art style, this OVA came out in the early 90’s, ROLW sports many aspects of the fantasy genre that are now major staples.  The core cast is an ideal Dungeons and Dragons questing crew that is sent on a Star Wars/Lord of the Rinds style journey for destroy a powerful enemy and save the world.  Parn is the Luke Skywalker of this tale, a kid with next to little combat experience who wants to be a (Jedi) Knight like his father and protect the realm.  Ghim is his Chewbacca, though not as cuddly.  The Dwarf can kick all kinds of ass for an old man and spurs Parn on to become a better fighter.  There is even a Han Solo type to be found in Woodchuck.  He’s a thief who has a small sense of honor still left to him as he sticks with Parn after he is saved by the kid.  But he’s also a gambler and eager to stay out of the big picture though when he is forced to, he doesn’t run from the fight.  There’s also a Wizard named Slayn and a Healer named Etoh to round out the DnD party but they are not nearly as interesting, especially Etoh, who seems to just be there to make this an even party of six.  However, there is still the scene stealer of the series.  Deedlit is his beautiful companion who isn’t in much need of saving so far in the series.  In fact she, like so many others, saves Parn more often than not.  Blonde, graceful, fearless legs for days and a master of a Rapier, Deedlit is the quintessential Anime fantasy heroine and a perfect foil for the headstrong Parn.  Their scenes together are a joy to watch.  My favorite is the ballroom scene in episode 5 where Deedlit is clearly a hit with everyone around her but Parn is too focused on his hero worship/man crush on King Cashew.  Deedlit pouts, puffs and frowns but eventually forces Parn to dance with her.  THEN he sees the beautiful girl before him.

 

There are others of course in a story so big.  The villains are standard fare, guys who want to take over the world.  We get some glimpses at the bad ass black knight Ashrum, who is set for a good rivalry with Parn from the looks of it, and his Dark Elf companion Pirotess, who falls for the handsome knight in seconds.  The strangest villain of the series so far is the beautiful grey witch Karla, who seeks to restore Lodoss to proper balance…by throwing everything into total chaos.  Sure she’s powerful but she stands around, or floats, and monologues just because she can.  It’s gets pretty annoying when she pops up, seemingly knowing something no one else can guess when really she’s just there to say, “Hey I can cause trouble whenever I want just because I can…nyeh.”  Though beyond her the first half of the series does hint at something bigger and scarier than she is popping up…the sight of five Dragons waking up Voltron style is an instance of good promise.

Speaking of bigger, the scale of this series can be felt and not felt at the same time.  It’s one thing to see Dragons soar and armies clash and while the action is great, you can tell they might be saving some money for later on in the series.  Much of the shows later battle sequences when the cast goes to war are minor duel sequences followed by long pan shots of drawings if the conflict with battles effects and sounds rather than fluid motion.  It’s kind of a let down to see this in a fantasy OVA when films and TV series, most notably anything Mobile Suit Gundam related, showcase armies of hundreds duking it out and flying all over the place rather than being frozen on screen for a thirty second pan shot.  But again, this is only looking at the first half of the series so im sure things will improve once the second half gets going if I remember correctly.

There is a nice bit of nostalgia to watching this show again.  The kid in me is happy to see it again, so is the adult.  It’s just that there are certain things that I can now see are not as charming or enjoyable about it as I recall.  That’s not a bad thing at the moment, not at all.  I still love this series right now: the scale of it all, FREAKING DRAGONS, Parn and Deedlit…ok more Deedlit than Parn, and the beautiful opening and closing theme songs.  Still the first half leaves a lot to be desired after an action filled to mark a brief stopping point.  Can the action get better, will certain characters become more bearable, can Deedlit get her own spin off story with Parn just to look sexy and bad ass by comparison to the would be heroic knight?  At least two of those three are a possibility, the third, that’s what fan fiction is for.

Escaflowne Part 5 Episodes 21-26

 

All out war now consumes Gaea as Dornkirk moves to make his ideal future a reality.  Hitomi finally feels the weight of the world collapse upon and seeks to return home, away from the fighting.  With the woman they both love moving further away from them, Van and Allen head for the frontlines to destroy Zaibach once and for all.  Love and fate, destruction and rebirth, the end and the beginning all come together in one epic final battle that will see loyalties change, revelations appear, and, one way or another, a new future for Gaea come into being.

The second half of Escaflowne has become one of the most irritating pieces ive ever had to watch and I find myself wondering how I actually enjoyed this show once upon a time.  Did it have it’s moments, oh yes lots of good ones.  But now that im watching it from a critical standpoint, I’ve gotta say, this really confusing and it actually made me long for the day when villains just liked to kill everything for world domination rather than be super freaking cryptic about their plots.  Dornkirk’s quest to control fate and seek the rebirth of Gaea seemed like a very simple plot extended into a very unnecessarily complicated matter that could have just been simplified without over explanation and…sigh it’s just not the strongest point of this series.  Maybe a rewatch down the line could clear things up but my mind needs a break from it, sorry.

Before I get too far into the finale, should probably go back and address the wrapping up of last weeks events.  Naria and Eriya’s special luck blood (yeah that’s still a thing) ended up shorting out causing them to weaken and eventually die.  Hitomi’s attempt to bond with Naria was kind of touching but I’m with Naria in wondering how Hitomi can trust so easily despite all sorts of harm coming her way from Naria, Eriya and even Folken.  I get that she wants to hope for the best in everyone…but some things like kidnapping and being used to alter fate are pushing it.  Still Naria and Eriya stayed true to their love for Folken til the end and losing them finally got Folken to see straight….just after Van brought down his floating fortress single handidly which was pretty awesome. 

This also resulted in Hitomi saying enough was enough and returning home the day before she went to Gaea.  Much like last week when we briefly saw Hitomi’s friends talking to her mother to see if Hitomi has turned up, I didn’t think this was worthy of an entire episodes worth of time.  Heck they spent half of an episode most times with these character examinations.  It just felt like time was being wasted getting to the big reunion between Hitomi and Van.  And when we do get back to Gaea, all hell has broken loose and war has erupted…and we missed a great fight scene watching Hitomi mope about her feelings on Earth…boo.

Also…DILANDAU IS ALLEN’S LONG LOST SISTER!!! HUH!!!???????  Yes, as it turns out young Selina was captured and altered by Zaibach to become the blood thirsty war jackal who has been one of the most consistent entertaining parts of this series.  I feel like this came out of nowhere though and is really only in place so that when Van is about to kill Dilandau for good, Allen comes to his/her/I don’t know’s defense which means…ALLEN vs VAN.  Overlooking Dilandau’s last minute thrown in backstory, it was good to see him again after a couple of weeks out of action.  He may be wild and crazy still, but at least he makes more sense than Dornkirk as a villain.

Van, Hitomi, Allen and even Folken had to wrestle with their own feelings to finally figure out what they wanted in the end.  And I’m glad to say, all the right choices were made in the end: Folken turned on Dornkirk and tried to make amends for his actions even at the cost of his own life, Allen let go of Hitomi (cause let’s face it at the rate that was going he was becoming an ass towards her, threatening to lock her in a birds cage to keep her safe and all that) and Van and Hitomi finally quit being idiots and admitted how they feel about each other.  The animation was most definitely on point this week for the grand finale.  The free for all in the series finale is simply breathtaking to watch, especially Van and Allen’s showdown.  And really, any scene with a floating in the sky Van and Hitomi felt like a moment long craved for and earned.  We may not have gotten a kiss at the end but hey if Korrasami has taught us one thing, a kiss doesn’t need to shout “I love you”.  Sometimes a long lasting hug is all that matters.

So Gaea becomes peaceful at last, Van lets go of his Gundam, feeling his fight is now over, and Hitomi heads back home while the reconstruction begins.  As far as final scenes go, the end of Escaflowne is pretty great and almost makes you forget that there was a whole land of confusion to get through to get there.

So how was Escaflowne as a whole?  Well it’s a good blend of fantasy and mecha, something that I don’t think has been attempted much in Anime.  The animation, despite it’s constant need to cut between 2D and 3D pretty unevenly, is classic and nostalgic.  The music is the stuff of Yoko Kanno legend.  The story? It’s ambitious at times but too ambitious when it comes to the motivations of the villains and the overall endgame.  And the characters float back and forth between charming and cool to annoying and frustrating.  But at least many of them got sorted out by series end, even if it did feel last minute.  What works in Escaflowne really works from the action to the music to the classic animation (more than the 3D as I said).  Plus you had a mecha that could change into a Dragon…really how cool was that? 

7/10

And with that, Escaflowne concludes it’s time in the Anime Corner.  Next week we head into an OVA that featured many of the same creative talents behind this series.  The Top Gun of Japanese Anime finally arrives next Monday…with Macross Plus.

 

 

Eden of the East Part 4-Paradise Lost

(Originally written April 20, 2014)

 

Takizawa and Saki return to Japan only to find forces moving against them and their allies quickly.  Selecao’s Number One and Two set in motion their final plans to effectively remove Taki from the game for good.  Now the race is on to see who reaches the finish line and ends the game once and for all.  Meanwhile, Saki and the Eden of the East team, hunted by Mononobe’s people, delve into the origins of both Takizawa and the elusive Mr. Outside himself.  Can this game really be won and if so what is the grand solution…and who will be the one to come up with it?

 If a stranger handed you 10 billion Yen then said “Improve this country?” What would you do?  How would you answer him?

And with that one scenario, a spinning yarn of intrigue, deception, violence, misdirection and plenty of confusion was set in motion.  And now we’ve come to the end.  After four weeks we finally reach the conclusion of my Eden of the East coverage with Eden of the East: Paradise Lost.  I have to admit right off the bat, it took me three separate viewings of this film to finally understand much of what it was trying to say.  The films second half is more dialogue heavy in it’s execution than the rest of the series before it but it lacks the explosive, high stakes interest that drove the original series and The King of Eden to great cliffhangers.  No explosions here, it’s time to get down to some explanations.

I will say that the first half of Paradise Lost makes up for the slower paced first half of The King of Eden, mostly.  Takizawa hits the ground running, almost literally.  Eluding Mononobe and the pissed off family of the former Prime Minister whose son he claims to be, Taki hurries along with the Eden Team to secure his Juiz before Mononobe detonates it like he did with the other Selecao too close to stopping him at the end of the previous film.  There’s an energy in this chase that is up there with the conclusion of the TV series.  You can feel that the build up to the end is well in swing and we might be headed in the direction of something good.  The same, however, cannot be said for Saki, who is sent on a quest to find Takizawa’s long lost mother.  While I understand Taki’s urge to finally get some answers about his past, a quest frontloaded into The King of Eden, this story is a story element exactly like Saki, truly and utterly boring.  All she does is cry and plea for this woman to admit what she and we already know but will stay totally cryptic about.  Jumping from Takizawa hijacking his Juiz truck to Saki’s exposition heavy scenes occasionally kills the momentum, which is not what we need right now this close to the end. 

And then there is the final showdown between the great minds of Takizawa and Mononobe.  It’s fair to say that these two could have been friends and good collaborators in this confusing game.  But as Takizawa notes, Mononobe is a bit too ruthless for his tastes.  But that’s not the only confrontation we get.  We also get to meet the elusive man himself, Mr. Outside, and finally discover how Takizawa was pulled into the game.  It’s always been fascinating the players involved in this affair: from former government men, to lazy minds, to a manic filmmaker, to a gorgeous serial killer.  Takizawa has always stood out for somehow thinking outside the box and being clever with his plans, offering a rare insight no one would expect from such a young man.  It makes sense now why he was recruited and why he could be the one to win the game.  But why the urgentness?  Why the need for such extreme measures in not only facilitating the players requests but their sometimes bloody outcomes?  Why make this all more dramatic than it needed to be?  I guess it depends on the player but for a guy who started this game to make sure Japan was well taken care of after he was gone, Mr. Outside’s execution of it all does seem a bit extraneous…especially when it becomes pretty clear that players could work together to a common end without consequences to their lives…so long as they don’t want to nuke the country.

As for the game’s final move?  Like I said, I was confused through previous viewings but understand it a little better.  But for sake of spoiling anything else I’ll say that Taki does come through and a solution is found, one that will not only affect him and Japan but the other Selecao as well.  That doesn’t mean, however, that all questions are answered, especially regarding the evolving, emotional Juiz we saw in the previous film and the identities of the remaining Selecao.  I will detract points for that and say once again that another 13 episodes would have done the trick on exploring these questions rather than two feature films (though those films could have come later possibly if they still wanted to have them).

And what about Taki and Saki?  Do they get their happily ever after?  Ehhhhh…..I won’t say but given my general distaste for the boring as all Saki, if it were up to me that would be a no.

All in all, this was a fun series and in the past I’ve dreaded going back to this film after being confused by it upon first viewing.  But I find Paradise Lost to be a fitting conclusion to a great series.  It gives a good sense of finality to the long running conflict and will give fans more to discuss in later years and will warrant more viewings of the series as a whole. 

Speaking of as a whole, I’m going to give my scores now for the series, the films, then the overall venture.

Eden of the East-8.5/10

Eden of the East: The King of Eden-7/10

Eden of the East: Paradise Lost-7.5/10

The story gets you from the get go and never lets go.  The series runs at a breakneck pace for 11 episodes but slows terribly at various points in the films with needless subplots and unexplored new aspects of the characters and The Game.  Plus the show could do better with a stronger heroine who is constantly overshadowed not just by the way more interesting male lead but her other more go getter supporting cast members as well.  Saki, I may not be able to stand.  But Akira Takizawa, The Game and Eden of the East (even Ms. Kuroha hehe) well this will definitely not be my last encounter with them and maybe in a few months time, I’ll start it all over again.  Til then, this was a great series to start for this new feature on my page.

Eden of the East Part 3-The King of Eden

(Originally written April 3, 2014)

 

Six months following the successful derailing of another Careless Monday, Saki heads to New York to track down a missing Takizawa.  With Eden backing her up from Japan, Saki seeks to uncover the truth behind Takizawa’s mysterious final request: to become the King of Japan.  All roads lead to Takizawa, who has once again erased his memory and is apparently being identified as the son of the Japanese Prime Minister.  But there’s also the other Selecao to worry about, some known and others finally showing their face for the first time.  The Game is entering its most intense phase and the stage is about to be set for a grand finale.

Back again for the beginning of the end.  Eden of the East begins it questionable move from TV Series to two part film finale with mixed results.  The film does feel bigger than the series moving it across the ocean back to the states, New York of all places but there’s a reason for that.  However one thing I noted while watching The King of Eden is the pacing.  The film doesn’t seem to carry over any of the momentum from the final two episodes of the series, probably the high point so far.  Instead we pick up with Saki basically mopping about while Takizawa is in the wind.  Even as Eden expands and becomes a legit business, she is the only one not happy in the slightest.  I swear and I’ve probably ranted on this before, but Saki is the weakest part of this story despite her essential importance to Takizawa and her friends.  Even her allies who care about Taki and consider themselves in his debt for what he did for Eden can somehow carry on in his absence.  But Saki?  No she shuts down, pushes herself away from the world and mopes about.  But when Takizawa appears on the radar, screw you guys I’m going after him no matter the risk.  There’s a difference between love and Saki and Saki is just…I think ive ranted enough, can’t stand her, nuff said.

Thankfully Takizawa’s latest mind wipe kept his charming personality intact.  When he does show up again, you’re happy he’s back and the mystery can resume proper.  While the story about Akira Takizawa’s search for his childhood memories does slow the film down quite a bit, the deepening mystery of The Game and the Selecao hasn’t lost any energy.  In fact, as much as I liked seeing Taki again, I was more interested in Eden’s digging into the Selecao back in Japan.  We get a full run down of the players thus far and even learn that not only are there plenty we haven’t seen yet but others may not have met the fate we guessed for them.  We do meet one new Selecao, Number Six, who is hellbent of creating the ultimate romance film at the cost of Taki and Saki’s lives…unreal.  But it’s his requests and his conversations with Juiz that lead to the films strongest point, Juiz is evolving…I think.  In the series she was calm, collective and somewhat cheerful.  When talking with Number Six, she lashes out at his outrageous requests and back talks him hilariously.  When she talks with the returning Kuroha, she sounds sad and anxious, wondering why Kuroha has given up her Johnny snipping to help Taki from the Shadows, believing for a moment her poor service is to blame.  Why is Juiz acting like this?  Is her programming changing itself somehow?  Due to Mononobe’s game changing move at the end of the film which I won’t fully spoil, I will say we may never get an answer to that question or any of the others brought up.  Hence another reason I would have been ok with an 11 episode second season, to delve deeper and expand and get to know more about the new Selecao.

However this is only part one of the big finale.  In a way, The King of Eden is more of a continuation than a beginning of the end.  But I think making the next chapter a film and not breaking down the story into more episodes hurts the overall pacing and though I am a bit worried that more questions need to be answered by the end of Paradise Lost, I hold hope that Eden of the East can deliver.  The King of Eden isn’t a bad movie, it’s just not the direction I would have gone with for this series or if so, tighten up some plot points and dump some others for an even bigger cliffhanger.