Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz Special Edition

(Originally Written October 12, 2014 as part of the Anime Corner Gundam Month)

Welcome to Gundam Month dear readers.  This has been requested for some time now, not just for me to take a break from reviewing a series but also to do some coverage on the Anime Saga that provides part of my namesake lol.  So after doing a poll a little while ago, the obvious conclusion was reached as to where I should start with these reviews.  So congrats readers, you got what you asked for…I’m starting Gundam Month with Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. 

 

AC 196.  One year after the fall of the White Fang, peace has settled within the Earth Sphere.  But when an unexpected threat from the past returns to challenge the present and claim the future for their own.  Heero Yuy and his former Gundam pilot allies find themselves drawn back into action…on both sides of the conflict.  As the endless waltz of war, peace and revolution begins anew, Heero and his friends must engage in one final mission to end the fighting and bury their ghosts of their own pasts once and for all.

March 2000.  A month or so prior, Cartoon Network’s Toonami block began airing a mysterious 15 second promo for a series then dubbed Gundam W.  I had no clue what to make of this mix of young men and giant robots and lots and lots of action.  But when the series known as Mobile Suit Gundam Wing finally made it’s debut…the world changed for me in a big way.  While I had gotten into Anime through other popular shows like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and Digimon, Gundam Wing was the first Anime I felt exposed to a new kind of storytelling, one that didn’t just involve powering up and power packed punches for five straight episodes.  Wing had an amazing mix of character development, plot twists and epic battle sequences that was unlike anything I had seen before.  And it’s popularity along with Z and Moon helped propel Toonami into Must Watch TV status.  So in the November of 2000 when Gundam Wing Endless Waltz was announced to air on TV, everyone went nuts.  The story we loved wasn’t over and the characters we enjoyed were not bowing out yet.  But was it really fun then and was it still good today?  Both of them are a more or less…yeah but it could have been better.

The story picks up a year after the end of the TV series and while the movie does it’s best to bring viewers new and old up to speed, only the older viewers who have watched the series a couple of times through (like I did) will get what’s fully going on.  Example: Treize Kushrenada, kind of sort of good and bad guy of the TV series, is mentioned a few times and a huge deal is made of how much of an impact he had.  The fact that everyone freaks out when his “daughter” appears should be more than sufficient evidence of that.  But not showing flashbacks to events Treize was part of during the series or even trying to integrate him physically into the movie hurts the desired effect.  Mariemea comes off as a virtual tool and is more annoying that threatening, especially for someone following in the steps of a great man who may or may not have been her father.  Point is, plot elements like these as well as the mile a minute cameos by secondary characters probably won’t ‘wow’ casual viewers as much as older fans.  Hence Endless Waltz reveals it’s biggest weakness: it’s really meant for fans of the series, not a fully bad thing but much like the future Gundam 00 film, it doesn’t help much either. 

I also am still not a big fan of the titular Gundams themselves being sidelined til the final act of the film and then not even getting too much screen time.  Only Wufei and his Altron Gundam get the most presence since they are part of the enemy army.  Now I will be the first to say that any Gundam show is more about the people behind the mobile suits rather than the mobile suits themselves.  But this is a film with just under a two hour run time, more appearances by Wing Zero and Deathsythe…yeah the only ones that matter lol, are a must.  They could have been used sparingly in various different points of the film, like Char’s Counterattack or heck the F91 was a big presence from the last half of Gundam F91 until the end.  Point is, to paraphrase Christopher Walken, “I’ve got the fever, and the only prescription…IS MORE GUNDAM!!!” 

Speaking of Wufei, he adds to one of my bigger irks of the story, the villains.  I’ve already talked a bit about Mariemeia, who fails to be anything special.  But Wufei is made a villain for what I feel are the wrong reasons.  His excuse for fighting because he feels the world has left him behind and it’s all he knows how to do, sounds a lot like Heero’s journey in the Gundam Wing series.  Heero and the others have made a rather easy transition into the peaceful era, even going so far as to send their prized Gundams into the sun at the beginning of the movie, but Wufei, who seemed to be in the same mindset at series end, has not moved on.  It feels forced and more like an excuse to get Gundams to fight each other…you know instead of giving the enemy an original Gundam of their own.  There’s also Dekim but he’s no more than the crazed, rule the world type villain who is just as if not more worthless than Mariemeia.

Now, it may seem like I am raging on this movie a lot.  Yeah much of it bugs me to this day.  BUT I do like this movie and feel it’s a nice addition to the Wing universe.  The animation, music and action all soars at movie quality level.  The story is a bit rough but there are some good moments, like we get to see flashbacks for each Gundam pilot (trivia: those stories were actually meant to be seen in the series but cut due to time.  Full stories eventually surfaced in the Episode Zero Manga that is a really good read, highly recommended if you can find it).  And I have to say I do love this films cast and the cast of the series.  They were my first Gundam crew and it’s always good to see Heero, Duo, Quatre and Zechs back in action.  Heero gets the scene stealing moment of the film though: challenged by Mariemeia to breach her impregnable fortress, Heero replies with his famous “Roger that” line, making Mariemeia shocked for the first time in the film, before Heero does just that, blow open the fortress.  I also like how Relena was given a tougher role as the film went on and became a girl Heero truly deserves.  Many of the shows secondary characters make appearances here and there with Noin and Sally Po getting the meatier of the roles.  I wish Zechs were given more screen time so we could see how he survived the end of the TV Series (Spoiler Alert?) but his return in the bad ass Tallgeese III is more than welcome.

But what of the titular Gundams themselves?  Well for Endless Waltz, each of the five main suits got retrospective upgrades (Deathsythe Hell, Heavyarms Custom, Sandrock Custom and Altron are even seen in the flashbacks before their final forms were completed middle to end of the series).  Wing Zero Custom is the stand out.  That infamous image of the Gundam spreading its wings when Heero starts it up at the start of the last act is still the image I associate most with Gundam Wing (along with Wing Gundam’s first transformation in the series).  A close second for most improved Gundam featured is the Heavyarms, who goes from one giant gun to four giant guns and way more missiles than it’s series counterpart.

It should be noted that the original release of Endless Waltz was in a three part OVA series but combined into one “Special Edition” film with new footage and restructured scenes for release around the 20^th Anniversary of the Gundam Franchise (I reviewed the film version for obvious reasons lol).  While I think this could have been a little bit longer with more fleshed out scenes and better villains, Endless Waltz as a whole is pretty enjoyable for any fan of the Gundam Wing Universe.  Most of the central cast has lost none of it’s step (Wufei lost plenty though) and are just as enjoyable, especially Duo (Candidate for VIP of the entire Gundam Universe).  And for Gundam fans for whom, like myself, Wing was a jump on point, this is a great trip down nostalgia lane…when the world of Anime had a door kicked open into a much larger universe we were only just becoming aware of.

Gundam Month continues next time with MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: CHAR’S COUNTERATTACK.

7.5/10

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 7 Episodes 24-26

(Originally Written September 30, 2014)

No one could have imagined the Laughing Man investigation would come down to this.  As the man Section 9 has sought to bring down reveals his own hand to play, Section 9 becomes the hunted.  Motoko’s order is simple: stay alive.  But as each team member is relentlessly hunted down, is there any chance of victory.  Are these the final hours of Motoko Kusinagi and her team…or is there more to the situation than it seems?

One thing you have to love about most season finales, they always do their best to go big, to leave you on that note that makes you go both WOW and leave you awaiting more down the line.  And the end of the first season of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is no exception.  Bullets fly, people are hacked, heads are blown off and the stakes are raised higher than they’ve ever been, just when it looks like Section 9 might finally be ready to close the big case of the season.

So what do you do when you need to pit Section 9 against something more powerful than the Arm Suit that almost took out Motoko last week?  You send in a platoon lol.  Though while it was nice to see Section 9 rock the big guns, especially Batou and hey is that Borma being more useful than usual, I wish that their weapons would’ve done a little bit of damage against the building invasion force.  The self destruction of Section 9 HQ was well done too and felt very Star Trek 3 inspired if you know what I mean.  Afterwards we got the team scattered and trying to survive.  It was tough to see each member get captured but really the only ones I was concerned for mostly were Motoko, Batou and Togusa.  And man did Ishikawa get beaten badly once captured.  The other members sadly I didn’t feel much for when they were captured mostly because the season has not really done much with Pazu, Borma and Saito for me to really care about them.

On a better and slightly sadder note, characters who were given a great payoff for their season long story and made you worry about them were the Tachikomas.  Three units were back in action and ready to help save the one man who loves them so much, their man Batou.  Granted Batou got his own nice action sequence before they arrived (even finding a weapons stash underneath Motoko’s panty drawer, oh Motoko) but it looked dire when the Arm Suit arrived.  Still even though the Tachikoma’s didn’t make it, their sacrifice was heartbreaking and well done (the tear Batou’s Unit shed before dying when it saw Batou one more time should make anyone with a soul cry as well).  Motoko’s too late realization of how far the Tachikoma’s had developed more than just greater intelligence but also Ghosts was further saddening.  And for the millionth time, a standing ovation for the mistress of Anime Music Supreme YOKO KANNO.  She delivers in this final set, especially in the Tachikoma battle, excitement and somberness all around as the music times perfectly with what is about to become the inevitable fate of the lovable Think Tanks.

Motoko and Batou got some nice scenes in this finale.  Next to Aramaki and Motoko, these two have one of the most interesting relationships in the series.  Partners and comrades in battle, it’s always been hinted that at least Batou feels more than just friendship when it comes to Motoko.  That scene in Motoko’s safe house, complete with a towel and panty only wearing Motoko, sigh, where Batou covered her from being spotted by a chopper and the way they looked at each other screamed plenty but knowing Motoko, she’ll always keep it professional.  Poor Batou, losing his Tachikoma then being banished to the friendzone…unless more happened but I wont read too much into that. 

But did anyone suspect that the Section 9 takedown and the “death” of Motoko was ever a complete setup to throw off Yakushima?  I certainly didn’t, even if I knew there was a second season after this one.  Togusa got some fitting payoff in the final episode as we got to see him endure a three month period of no news about his “captured” teammates and the resolution to the Laughing Man Case being not what he really wanted it to be (aka some other organization getting the credit that should have gone to Section 9).  It was a bit cold yet funny to see the team string him along to see what he would do in the end.  But Togusa was stopped from doing something stupid and reunited with his team.  Cant say I’ve gotten a lot of great comraderie scenes with the team as a whole, but it was pretty great to see them all ok and sharing a laugh.  I do kind of wish that Togusa had gotten to talk with the Laughing Man at some point in this finale since it was really his work that brought the case back into the light and Togusa was able to piece a lot of it together.  Kind of a wasted opportunity there.

Speaking of the man who laughs…yeah that sounded like a better transition in my head, we also got one final conversation between Motoko and Aoi the Laughing Man about the entire case, the trouble it caused and the existence of the Stand Alone Complex or copies can be made despite the absence of the original.  I’ll admit, I’ve watched this episode a few times and it can be pretty hard to follow at times, especially with the library of existentialism laden quotes the two throw back and forth at each other.  Hell even Aramaki admitted he couldn’t keep up.  Still I think that the fact that the Laughing Man phenomena had endured and grown despite the absence of the OG himself and the copycats it created, even Motoko briefly when she was disguised as him last week, is something interesting to chew on and take away from the conversation as a whole.  If it is one thing to definitely take away from the season as a whole: between copy cats, clones, ghost dubbing and merging of minds, ideals and dreams never die in this age, digital or otherwise…at least that’s what it think.  It’s also worth noting Aoi shooting down Aramaki’s invite to Section 9.  While he is a bit of a smart ass and even says himself “I’m not really a team player” it would have been fun to see Aoi interact with the rest of Section 9, especially Togusa.

So besides that enjoyable but mind boggling scene and the fact that we get a tease rather than a resolution to Serano’s storyline (who knows if it will be resolved in season two), this was a big and action packed finale which blended bullets, cybernetics and philosophy skillfully like Ghost in the Shell did long before it was a TV show.

And what about my thoughts on this season as a whole?  A couple of dragging stand alone stories aside and my personal feeling that some of the team members COUGH COUGH PAZU AND BORMA COUGH were totally unnecessary as well as lack of Togusa getting to talk with the Laughing Man face to face, Stand Alone Complex had a solid first season.  The Laughing Man case was intriguing and exciting.  The main themes of life, death and the in between in a digital age were fascinating and expanded upon in many ways.  And there’s plenty to love about the cast: from Batou and his love of big guns to Togusa and his old school way of investigation to Motoko being beautiful, bad ass and rocking some of the most amazing and tad questionable wardrobe in all of Anime.  And come on, how could you not want Aramaki as your boss or the Tachikoma’s as your personal mini tank?  Visually it’s stunning, the music soars, chills and entrances with each of Yoko Kanno’s tracks.  Lots of work was put into this Anime on all fronts and it shows.  It may be a bit before I get around to reviewing the second season Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2^nd Gig, but I look forward to reuniting with Section 9 again for another case in the near future.

8/10

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 6 Episodes 21-23

(Originally Written September 28, 2014)

Togusa is in critical condition and many members of Section 9, especially Batou, want payback.  But the Laughing Man investigation has opened a Pandora’s Box of danger for the team.  They soon find themselves up against foes that not even their best weapons or Motoko’s skills can defend against.  Who is willing to go so far to stay under the radar from Section 9?  And, more importantly, can Section 9 adapt in time to defend their own?  The Laughing Man case approaches its most dangerous act and no one is safe anymore.

 

Remember last time when I said that Togusa’s injury was the point of no return for the seasons Stand Alone stories, man was I right lol.  Section 9 faced the wrath of God this week it felt like and no one was safe from harm, especially Motoko and the Chief. 

The lengths some organizations will go to protect secrets astounds me sometimes.  One small document, pretty much the biggest clue Section 9 needed to break the Laughing Man Case wide open, was a virtual atom bomb the brought about the Narcotics Suppression Squad to kill everyone and anyone in their way of retrieving the file.  And what was this file per say?  It turns out that a successful vaccine for a lethal cyberbrain virus was kept secret and used by only a small portion of the rich and powerful, some of whom are government officials.  So naturally, the rich live and the not so rich die as a result.  This in turn lead to the start of the Laughing Man case, which we got a full background story on this week as a disguised Motoko reenacted the infamous kidnapping that started it all in order to speak with Ernest Serano, the Laughing Man’s first and most infamous target. 

As for all the fury and action that brought about the heavy action early one, it was the discovery of the Murai Vaccine file brought the noise.  The Narc Squad may be a bunch of smart ass thugs but the fact that they were able to go toe to toe with Section 9 was kind of scary.  Seeing Motoko damaged and nigh defeated is enough to make anyone worry.  Actually that ISNT what should make people worry the most…it’s seeing what she does after she gets back up that’s the scary bit.  The end of Episode 21 shows Motoko at her most ruthless and most bad ass as she stands over the fallen Narc Squad leader, Gear, the same guy who put Togusa in the hospital, and empties the entirety of the clip of Saito’s Sniper rifle into his mech suit.  The suit may not have been heavily damaged but it scared the crap out of Gear and for a moment, it wasn’t hard to imagine Motoko ending the guys life…but thankfully she didn’t cross that line, not today anyway.

And as if damaging Motoko wasn’t enough, the Narc Squad got to Aramaki this week to, using a case against his long lost brother to get him to lower his guard and end up drugged and captured.  His faint cry for Motoko before he passed out was bone chilling, seeing as Motoko was dealing with another assassin of her own while she was getting a new (albeit same model) prosthetic body.  Luckilly both were saved in the nick of time, Aramaki by Batou and Ishikawa and Motoko by…the Laughing Man himself?  Yep, not so little Aoi we met a while back at the Aid Center is the infamous and rather foul mouthed cyber hacker himself.  It’s nice how Aoi has turned out to be less of a terrorist and more of a secret hero after all trying to expose the truth and his asking Motoko for help and trusting her with his memories of the Laughing Man history is a bold move, showing faith and professional courtesy in our favorite cyborg heroine.  And again, Motoko and Aramaki got a nice scene at the end of Episode 22, when she visits him in the hospital.  Sure they were caught with their pants down, but they’re ok and Motoko’s concern for the Chief was great, they really do have the best relationship of the series.

But I think the biggest takeaway from this week is the Laughing Man case finally given it’s time in the light of truth and the full story revealed.  With Serano on their side and ready to give his testimony, it looks like Section 9 could finally see a victory despite the heavy damage it took in these episodes.  A mystery practically cracked, some great action and the Laughing Man finally visible for Motoko and us to see without the infamous logo?  The season finale is right upon us, how will they be able to top this?

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 5 Episodes 17-20

(Originally Written September 21, 2014)

Familiar faces and cases are everywhere for Section 9, especially for Chief Aramaki.  A visit to London leads the Chief back to an old flame and a bad case of “in the wrong place at the wrong time” when her shop is caught in the middle of a robbery.  Back in Japan, matters concerning an old friend might lead to Aramaki making a choice he cannot fully accept.  And just when the Laughing Man case seems to hit a dead end, Togusa makes a breakthrough…and opens up Pandora’s Box in the process.

Well, it looked like this week was the big one for Stand Alone cases.  Because if the Complex episode in this set was any indication, we may have seen the last of them this season. 

Firstly, this was a big Aramaki set and his two featured episodes were great.  Daisuke Aramaki is the boss every job should have: gruff, wise, quick thinking, direct and honorable to a fault.  Most of these qualities are on display in Episode 17, which has an episode in another country, England.  Not only do we get to see Motoko rock some nice styles and work without Section 9 back up, but Aramaki takes full charge of a hostage situation gone awry, making sure everyone, even the would be hostage takers, get out alive while figuring out a deeper mystery at work.  And we even get a glimpse into the Chief’s love life, or past love life I should say.  Old and wise and still able to charm a lady, he is the man.  And I don’t think it’s any real surprise, but any scene shared with Motoko and Aramaki is pure gold.  Their relationship may seem purely professional and business like most of the time but it’s obvious to see the deeper bond between these two.  They aren’t just partners or mentor and mentee, they’re family.

Aramaki’s second centered episode was a bit sadder as he dealt with the loss of an old friend and the possibility of said friends son becoming a potential assassin.  It’s kind of scary to see how the technology of this world can see the influence of one well past death affect those still living.  We’ve seen it in earlier episodes of this season but never to this extent or this personal.  To see young Yu slowly lose the person he was to his fathers vengeful will and memories is heartbreaking (kudos too to Yoko Kanno and that one track playing throughout the episode that fit the sorrowful and downbeat mood of the entire episode).  You really feel for Aramaki at the end of the episode, when he feels that it’s twice now he’s had to say goodbye to a dear friend, the second time under worse circumstances.

The final Stand Alone episode of the season was a bit less exciting to be honest.  Even with a tense showdown between the Ex-Russian Soldier and Motoko, it still felt a bit more like a filler episode than any of the other stand alone stories this season.  Wish it would have been a bit stronger and less boring but that’s just me.

Of course, then we get to the big one, the Complex episode that will run the Laughing Man case right to the end of the season.  Togusa takes point again and manages to find possibly the most important piece of the Laughing Man puzzle.  I did enjoy his rooftop chat with Motoko, who apparently like to feel the wind at the edge of a rooftop while sharing theories and philosophies with her subordinates (oh and actually digging her new jeans look, it looks way better than her outfit from earlier in the season).  You can see the admiration Motoko has for Togusa in her face and in their conversations.  There’s a great deal of respect between these two, not unlike Motoko and Aramaki.  Togusa’s will and investigative mind are his strongest assets, especially for not being fully cyberized like most of Section 9.  And while that did help him discover a file regarding the recipients of a vaccine that could prevent a deadly cyberized disease, lack of cyberization may end up being his downfall.  Granted Togusa is a bad ass for taking on a Narc Squad single handidly, but he’s in rough shape at episodes end, bleeding into the rain.  Apparently this list is worth killing for…but hopefully Togusa isn’t on the receiving end yet. 

Togusa’s mystery file is key to the Laughing Man mystery and it’s possible it’s what even started the whole affair.  With this much blood and bullets being spilled to find it, it would surprise me if we didn’t see the Laughing Man return in some way to respond to the escalating conflict.  As it rains on Togusa’s bleeding and unconscious form, it’s not hard to see the analogy to the storm headed Section 9’s way.  The Stand Alone’s are over and the Complex Case is about to get a lot more dangerous and Complex.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Part 3 Episodes 9-12

The Refugee Policy powder keg explodes with the appearance of several suicide bombers.  As Section 9 desperatley tries to prevent more catastrophes, Motoko heads right into the lions den of the CIS to get some answers regarding their most recent pain in the butt, Kazundo Goda.  Meanwhile Togusa finds himself on trial and Motoko discovers something she’d never thought she’d see again.  And just when the team finally gets a breather from the Individual Eleven case…the most terrifying and unexpected act of the illusive terrorist group sends the whole country realing.

You know, for Motoko’s “We have zero in the wins” column remark, I actually think some of this week had a couple of small wins for Section 9.  It may not seem like they got much out of Goda’s memory, we still don’t know what his final agenda is.  But we did get better insight into his mind and his life’s greatest wish: to be the Producer behind a hero created by the chaotic times within the state.  Plus how cool was it to see Motoko single handidly (Well with Tachikoma support) infiltrate the CIS?  It’s not much but it’s something right?

Togusa got some good material this week too as he is forced to trial.  The main reason was because he fired his gun while off duty.  However, the defense attorney of the douche Togusa tried to stop from killing a poor girl but failed, turned it into an ethics issue.  Wow, way to blow things out of proportion guy.  It’s kind of hard to believe that anyone would believe the attorney’s arguments against Togusa’s actions, especially he tried to imply Togusa was kind of a racist towards cyborgs…you know the people he works with everyday and doesn’t even complain about.  Honestly, I knew Togusa would be ok and I couldn’t wait to see Togusa get proper justice, which he got it nicely via a not so subtle hack from Motoko, who managed to uncover information about the lawyer and cases similar to this that were a bit shady.  I love Togusa’s reaction when he realizes Motoko took him over for a second, but come on dude, she can be cold but no way Motoko was just going to throw her subordinate to the wolves like that…TEAM MOTOGUSA (yeah yeah but a guy can dream right?)  Also like the hint that the lawyer got what was coming to him with some hand of Section 9 interfearence…hehehehe.

Speaking of Motoko, how shocking was it that we’d get to learn anything about her past during this series?  The fact that she was cyberized from a very young age makes her tale all the more tragic.  But for me, it was when she was trying to convince the boy who was in the same accident that she was to undergo the same procedure.  Unfortunately, she was unable to do so and it was so heartbreaking when the boy realized that it was the same girl who had been comatose next to him for months who was in that cute girls body.  Will Motoko ever find that boy again?  And if she does will she even recognize him?  Who would’ve thought Ghost in the Shell could inject a nice bit of tragic romance into the mix of things and do it so well.

And how about that finale?  Well the Individual Eleven situation heated up real fast as Kuze returned and took part in a mass roof suicide on national TV.  Well not fully mass roof suicide as Kuze was able to fend off his would be killer and escape.  How’s that possible?  Well we’ve known from his first appearance that Kuze was special, not just because of his prosthetic body but also for Goda’s interest in him.  This will no doubt push Kuze to the forefront of things.  And speaking of being brought to the forefront, Borma actually got to have some decent material this week at long last: first with his knowledge of incendiaries and bombs and then when he almost died uncovering the Individual Eleven virus’s activation code.  Credit where credit is due but still feels like Motoko, Batou, Togusa and Ishikawa still dominate the investigative side of things more than anyone else. 

Special mention of a scene goes to Togusa and Batou dealing with a young girl suicide bomber, something that gets brought up in Togusa’s trial actually.  Togusa tries to talk the girl down only for Batou to come in and swiftly shoot out the girls prosthetic mouth to yank out the hidden detonator…brutal stuff.  Togusa’s heart was in the right place trying to keep the situation form escalating but Batou made the tough call and saved everyone.  That being said, how can DOUCHE LAWYER (he has a name im sure but this is better than other names I have in mind for him) judge Togusa’s dealing with a young girl compared to an out of wack sociopath?  Some things about the justice system I’ll never get. 

This was a solid week for SAC 2^nd Gig with plenty of escalation and even some unexpected backstory.  Now that Kuze is back on the radar and the Individual Eleven has taken an extreme right turn, how long before things get really out of hand.

PS cudos for keeping Goda limited to one episode this time.  Having him not pop up to rub Section 9’s faces in the mud all the time was a very welcome change.

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 4 Episodes 13-16

(Originally Written September 14, 2014)

With no new leads in the Laughing Man case, Section 9 returns to business as usual before the infamous cybercriminal returned to their lives.  Rescue ops, assassination thwarting, even cyber espionage, it’s all what Section 9 does best.  All the while, some interestesting and yet troubling developments are occurring within the units Tachikoma Think Tanks…developments that might force Motoko to make a tough decision.

The Laughing Man case was given a back seat this week in favor of some stand alone adventures for Section 9.  Yet there was one thread tying most of these tales together, though it didn’t become evident until later on in the set.  I didn’t realize until I watched this volume again that the Tachikomas were the real case this week in the middle of all the other plot lines.

The Tachikomas have always been one of Ghost in the Shell’s notable aspects.  Their cyber warfare specialist AI’s inside dangerous weapons, yet they have the minds and vocals of children.  I’m not sure why this was done to begin with but it was set from the get go and moved along with.  Personally, when the Tachikoma’s start having philosophical and existential heavy conversations, it can be a bit gratting cause of their voices but they are asking all of the right questions about life, death and what it’s like to have a Ghost and be more than just Section 9’s shield.  They’re evolving and learning but is that a good or a bad thing?  Motoko had to make a somewhat difficult call on that during this set of episodes.  And while I think it was a bit cold how she went about it, I can understand why.  Her reasoning is that the Tachikoma AI’s are developing too quickly and could lead to them not providing adequate combat support in the field, which we did spot in a couple of episodes (particularly when Saito had to remind one that it had a human in it’s cockpit while it was enjoying getting shot at).  Sadly, this is Motoko doing what any ordinary commander in charge might do to protect her unit and the missions they might be sent on.  So the Tachikoma’s are out for now but for how long and what will become of them down the road?  All remains to be seen as we’re only halfway through the season.  However, between seeing his favorite combat companions sent back to the lab for analysis and his boxing hero revealed to be a traitor  AND being left in charge of Section 9 while Aramaki and Motoko are on business, Batou was sure having a rough week. 

It wasn’t all rough times this week though.  We did get some awesome action sequences like the Oil Rig battle that capped off a strange rescue mission to rescue a young girl.  Plus we got a nice mini gang bust scene that resulted in some funny moments at Motoko’s expense…not to mention any excuse to see Motoko in revealing clothing is always a plus.  And while Batou did have to take down his idol in Episode 16, he did so in bad ass boxing fashion that would’ve made Rocky proud.  One downside this week for me were the two villainesses Section 9 had to face back to back.  The little girl leading the New World Brigade was annoying as hell, a trend in some Anime as to how one treats a kid running a terrorist organization (just wait til we get to Gundam Wing Endless Waltz).  And in Episode 14, it was kind of disappointing to see Motoko disable some hot shot assassin so easily at the end…I expected more of a challenge I gues

For a Laughing Man-less week this was not a bad set of episodes at all.  And we got to see a nice steady buildup and payoff to the Tachikoma’s situation or at least give it a bookmark for now.  Throw in some great action with some great cybernetics philosophy and it was a great week for the show, even with some downer moments for the team in the second half of this set.  Oh and a Motoko-less episode at the end?  Guess we’ll catch up with her and the Chief next time.  Til then…

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 3 Episodes 9-12

(Originally Written September 7, 2014)

With Section 9 now looking into the Laughing Man it’s time to delve into some routes untraveled in the case.  While Motoko enters a chat room dedicated to the popular subject and gets more than just web gossip, the others find their own mysteries to contend with. Togusa volunteers to go undercover at a medical facility for children with Cyberbrain Closed Shell Syndrome to investigate a hack into the Ministry of Health and Welfare.  A runaway Tachikoma enjoys a day in the sun helping a girl find something special that’s lost.  And Batou deals with a dark terror from his past that has found it’s way to his city.  Between the Laughing Man and some unexpected cases, there’s no rest for Section 9.

Going into it’s third week here on Anime Corner, Stand Alone Complex delivers a half and half serving.  Two stories were exceptionally well done while the other two left more to be desired despite some interesting moments.

First the strong stuff.  When I first heard about a chat room themed episode for the series, my curiosity was peeked instantly.  And man was it amazing to see the chat room of the future in Ghost in the Shell.  It was arguably the strongest of my two favorite episodes this week as we got to see an audience look in on a round table like discussion about the Laughing Man between five avatars and a sexy digitized Motoko.  The group that made up the chatroom is a perfect representation of the chats of today: the moderator, the super serious, the fan who knows everything, the one who mocks the former and the one who may be holding back more than he seems.  Egos and information clash and mesh and you feel like you learn a lot about the Laughing Man and the phenomena his appearance has sprouted…but also not learning much at all since no ones information seems to be concrete.  All the while, Motoko listens in and maybe even has a surprise run in with the topic of discussion…but who knows what she saw.

The other big episode for me this week was centered around a very angry Batou dealing with an incident from his past with the Rangers.  His quest to bring down the mentally broken guerilla/psychological warfare specialist Marco was tense and not just because we’ve never seen Batou this upset.  Episode 10 is definitely the most gruesome and violent of the episodes thus far (to my knowledge it is the only episode of the series that has aired on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim with an extra advisory about it’s content).  The episode does not skip on the horrific acts performed on the women Marco targets, especially when you hear them in agony.  At one point Togusa has to leave and vomit, which is pretty much what anyone would do reviewing evidence like that.  While I do like Batou’s final solution to the problem at the end, one thing that holds the story down are the two smug CIA operatives assigned to assist Section 9 with the case.  Their arrogance and stupid “We know more than you and we know it and are just going to keep smiling smugly” attitudes were a bit much and it’s a surprise Motoko or Batou didn’t beat the tar out of them sooner.  They were begging for it.

We did get one more surprise Laughing Man episode in  this set as Togusa was sent into an undercover operation to uncover the reason behind a hack of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. I feel this episode went by a bit too quickly.  By the time it seemed like it was getting somewhere, it was over.  But I suppose it was more about the big build up to the revelation that someone Togusa saw in the Social Welfare Center was the Laughing Man himself.  Odds are it was the Aoi kid he was tasked with watching throughout the episode.  But who knows.  At least Togusa got to show that his antique pistol can still come in handy even against a heavily armored cyborg.

Lastly, we got a very oddly split and somewhat uneven episode featuring two separate yet interlocked plots for a stand alone story.  The Tachikoma centered first half was fascinating.  Seeing this heavily powered and weaponized tank with and evolving mind and the voice of a child wander the city with a young girl was a very nice and unexpected use of a Tachikoma plotline.  Hearing the girl reveal that her search for her “lost dog” was a sham but something she hadn’t fully accepted yet was heartbreaking but more so was the Tachikoma’s reaction to just getting fixed when broken.  It does call into question cheating death in the cyberized age of Ghost in the Shell but it’s still something to be said when a child puts life and death into perspective.

The episode heads into strange territory afterwards as Motoko and the team investigate a cyberbrain found by the Tachikoma.  Now here is where it got a bit confusing for me and I wonder if the episode benefited or suffered from not expanding the Tachikoma’s day out into a full episode.  While seeing a purgatory like digital state and Motoko see a film that brings her to tears (she can feel GASP!!!) I don’t think it meshed well or matched the beginning of the episode.  Maybe these two should have been separate episodes but this isn’t the first time shorter stories have made the mold of a single episode.  Maybe I just need to watch it again but the Tachikoma half was definitely the stronger of the two halves.

So the chatroom of the future, a deluded menace, the Laughing Man revealed (?) and a Tachikoma gets to enjoy the sun a little bit, not a bad set of episodes here.  And the animation was back up to par with the first episodes of the series.  Will we be getting any more Laughing Man teases or will we actually see who or what Laughing Man is soon?  Time will tell.

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 2 Episodes 5-8

(Originally Written August 31, 2014)

The Laughing Man.  No one knows who he/she/or it is beyond a mysterious logo plastered across the faces of poor hacked humans.  Years ago he pulled off the biggest act of corporate espionage ever…and then vanished.  Now he has returned, seeking a new target.  Only this time, he’s up against Major Kusinagi and Section 9.  But the hunt for the Laughing Man never stopped after the crime that made him famous.  Even with their own set of special hacking skills, does Section 9 stand a chance at nailing possibly the greatest cyber criminal of all time?

Section 9 was in it big time this week following the surprise return of a criminal vanished for six years.  And while we know the team will be on this case for the rest of the season from time to time, it was fun watching them start to look into the case, from Motoko’s end almost completely from scratch.  And while Motoko basically reiterated the same questions about the Laughing Man that Aramaki did the previous week, it was fun to see her taking a look at the original crime where Laughing Man first appeared.  The (im just going to call him LM from time to time if that’s ok) LM case is a good argument for the cons of even the slightest of cyberizations in this day and age.  As Motoko points out the only two people who saw what LM looked like for real were two old homeless men with zero prosthetics in any sense.  Everyone else only saw the creepy buy memorable logo.  Clever criminal managing to pull that off.

Some of the best Laughing Man material came in Episode 6, where Motoko and Section 9 had to protect the Superintendent General from a potential LM hit.  As many people claiming to be the Laughing Man popped up left, right and center, it was easy to tell none were the real deal.  But were all of them hacked?  Now that was an almost deadly question to ask.  And while Saito and Pazu didn’t do much, Motoko was on her A Game this episode, taking on “infected” individuals in a skirt, stockings and heels and showing up every security guard.  The revelation at the end of the episode that it was a mix of individuals involved in the catastrophe was neat.  Some were infected by the virus, others were fans and others just went to get involved for the hell of it.  Laughing Man has quite the rep and it’s only getting stronger with his return to the scene. 

And while Section 9 is pretty much the only investigative team on the Laughing Man case, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t other crimes to look into.  We got a couple of decent stand alone cases though maybe not as good as the first three that kicked off the series.  The more interesting of the two was Motoko, Batou and Togusa going after a South American Drug Dealer/People’s Hero, who seemed to have a hard time staying dead when assassinations were made on his life.  The concept of Ghost Dubbing is a big topic of discussion in terms of the times Section 9 lives in: when even in death one can have it set up that their consciousness and memories are transferred to a clone or another cyborg body.  It could almost beg the question how many more like Jarty (and that smug look of not giving a crap cause he can be cloned…idk his look irked me a bit) are out there in the world and how long have their continuous cycle of lives been going on?  It does feel like a way for some to live forever if they had the means to do so.

Speaking of transferring from one body to another, the second stand alone case gives us a small bit of insight into Motoko’s past during a case involving children being given possible stolen cyber organs.  Batou reveals that the Major went fully cyborg around the age of 6, which makes the case a bit personal for her.  It’s such a harsh reality to think of, that even children can’t live full natural lives because of a rotten dealt hand and need cybernetics at some point.  Not that it is 100% horrible given the good Motoko has been able to do with her cyborg abilities but it’s still a bit sad nonetheless.  Though Section 9 does get to have a bit of fun with the perps in the case: medical students trying to be black market organ dealers.  We get to see the team, especially Motoko and Batou cut loose putting the fear of God into these poor kids to teach them a lesson.  And to top it all off, we finally get a Motoko and Batou face off…resulting in a cheerfully smiling Motoko hacking Batou’s arm to knock him out…priceless.

One mini qualm with the latter two episodes of this set, the animation quality dips a bit.  Some of the reactions look a bit more cartoony than the serious animation we saw in the first few episodes.  It’s kind of distracting but not as good as the standards this series has set thus far.

Stand Alone Complex continues to shine, through both sets of Stand Alone and Complex episodes and Section 9 was given the chance to stretch and show off both it’s offensive and investigative skills.  Plus we got to see them have some fun on a case and that’s something a super serious procedural type Anime rarely ever does I think.  Add that to some potentially endless debatable ethical notes and you’ve got a series that is every bit as fun as the manga and films that proceeded it.

Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Season 1) Part 1 Episodes 1-4

(Originally Written August 24, 2014)

2030 AD.  In an age where cybernetics have evolved and the line between human and machine blurs daily, crime is more rampant and unpredictable than ever.  Hackers, cyber warfare specialists, terrorists, criminals everywhere who are one small key stroke away from committing acts of unspeakable terror.  That’s where they come in.  They are Section 9: a small crack team of investigators, hackers, and soldiers led by the beautiful but no nonsense Major Motoko Kusinagi.  From runaway AI Tanks, to simple hackers to a cold case from years gone by, if it has to do with policing the net, Section 9 is at the ready.

Ah Ghost in the Shell.  It’s a title that, like Akira or Astro Boy before it, comes right to mind when the genre of Anime is mentioned.  The original 1995 film is an action classic and while a nice masterpiece, one couldn’t help but think while watching it, this would make a good TV series.  Well it took a few years but the wish was granted and sure enough we got Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.  And as a favor for a friend, it’s my next big series project on Anime Corner.

The series is definitely an Anime not just because of it’s art style but also the setting and Japanese mannerisms that exist even in the (now not so somewhat) far off future.  But SAC does have the prints of a classic procedural police drama tv series…you know when they’re not chasing down giant tanks with smaller tanks with childlike AI.  The cases of the week in these first four episodes are a nice set, ranging from espionage to potential serial murders to the first glimpse of the arc long mystery of the first season.  Each has their own distinct feel, some light hearted, some a bit more serious, some action packed and others mysterious and highly intellectual.  In a way it reminds me of what NCIS or CSI could be if they went fully cyberized and used second to none hacker skills to solve cases…which they do on occasion but I digress.

I should point that out right away.  Much like the movie that preceeded it, SAC is heavy on the existential dialogue, which makes sense considering we’re in that area of scifi that Blade Runner and Metropolis helped make fascinating: man vs machine.  This is an age where technology and humanity have blended together so well that it can be hard to tell who is fully human and who has even the slightest bit of cyborg technology in them.  Some show signs of their augmentations freely like Batou with his eyes.  But could you really tell that the perp who gets his ass kicked by Motoko in the opening moments of Episode 1 is a cyborg until he makes that leap and gets his foot shot off?  I’m sure that deeper debates on the matter will appear in future episodes.  The lines between man and machine have blurred greatly and it will take a new breed of cop to distinguish who’s who in this vibrant and beautiful if not dangerous future. 

And that new breed of cop rocks one interesting costume choice lol.  As the sole female member of Section 9 (well if you don’t count the robot assistants working the cpus at HQ) Motoko has to show that she isn’t just a pretty face rocking what looks like a swimsuit and a leather jacket with boots (that look garnered quite a lot of controversy back in the day but I think it’s alright).  And the first couple of episode show that she can do just that, shooting off feet and taking on tanks with no fear.  She takes no nonsense but has a light sense of humor.  She cares about her team but isn’t afraid to stick it to them when she thinks they’re in the wrong.  Motoko may be a beautiful woman but doesn’t change the fact that she’ll light you up if the situation calls for it.  I will admit, her rant about one poor kids obsession with an outdated female android and how he may treat her is pretty funny, especially Batou and Togusa’s reactions to it.

The rest of Section 9 is pretty diverse: Batou the heavy, Ishikawa the head hacker, Saito the sniper, Pazu and Boma…uh…you know I guess I should touch on that real quick. Motoko, Batou, Ishikawa and Togusa (who I’ll get to in a second), even Saito have their own specific set of special skills they bring to the table.  Pazu and Boma I can still not figure out how they really fit in with Section 9 as a whole.  They just seem like the other guys, back up for characters who need no back up.  Even Saito’s skill set seems limited and we see the least of him after Episode 2 when he uses his really big rifle to take out a menacing tank.  I don’t know, it just seem like, much as with the movie, Motoko, Batou, Togusa and Ishikawa are a fine team on their own without the excess back up. 

Then there’s Togusa, who is one of Section 9’s most interesting characters.  Unlike the rest of Section 9, he is still almost 100% human, well I think Aramaki is as well but not sure.  It’s interesting that Motoko would bring on someone like him to the team especially since they need to be a hard hitting cyberized squad at times.  But Togusa’s human element brings a lot to the mix.  His investigative mind is superb (especially when he gets to show it off in Episode 4) and the fact that he has a family outside of the job is a nice touch.  I think Mokoto really likes having him on the team and she admires how he adjusts to the situation around him and grows as a member of her team.  Oh and partnering him up with Batou is great stuff, not just for the human vs. robot philosophical discussions but also for Batou’s beat down the door approach to Togusa’s more careful execution.

One last thing I will touch on is the soundtrack of the series.  It’s funny jumping from Cowboy Bebop to SAC because you wouldn’t know it unless you looked at the credits…but they both have the same composer, the legendary Yoko Kanno.  Anime’s best music composer is on her A game once again, trading the blues and jazz for a cyberized, technopunk style soundscape that matches the setting and each story perfectly.  And cudos to her on the main theme, “Inner Universe” which is both soothing and blood pumping at the same time.

So as far as initial setup episodes go, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is off to a great start.  Setting established, team (mostly) established, main season villain hinted at but just enough to leave us wanting more, fun had…definitely.  Who is the Laughing Man and what’s his story?  What other hacker threats are out there?  And what other sexy outfits does Motoko have in her closet?  Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is just getting started.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Part 2 Episodes 5-8

When the Prime Minister becomes the subject of death threats, Section 9 is called in not to solve the crime, but to take point playing her bodyguards.  As the name “Individual Eleven” begins to reemerge, acts of terrorism begin to bombard the city.  Section 9 finds it’s hands tied and unable to work at their best, if not by the PM’s need for security then by the twisted plots of their supposed rivals, Goda and the CIS.  There’s more to this Individual Eleven case than anyone realized and it’s starting to give a feel of déjà vu for Section 9.  What is the Individual Eleven and what does a white skinned cyborg who feels no pain have to do with them?

If I had to give a one word description for this weeks set of episodes, it’s gotta be FRUSTRATING.  And let me be clear, it’s nothing to do with disliking the series, on the contrary I still think it’s great.  I just think it sucks that Section 9 seems so left in the dust when it comes to the Individual Eleven, the PM and most infuriatingly of all GODA!!!!!!!!!!!!  Ahem, sorry got ahead of myself there.  That being said, more pieces are in play to shake things up for the second season.  It’s pretty clear this escalating conflict is going to be more serious than the Laughing Man ever was.

Like is said, the story is fine but it’s Section 9 being denied a win, or a stand alone case just for them, that really bugs me.  Between the Kayabuki constantly needing Section 9 as her bodyguards and Goda’s smugness pulling their chain along, Section 9’s being treated like easy marks unable to do what they do best.  Even two cases that should have been decent stand alones ended up being tied to Goda’s freaking hidden agendas.  It’s clear that this scar faced bastard is up to no good and he’s shoving Section 9’s face in their inability to do anything about it.  And after that sly grin Kayabuki gave Motoko after their first meeting, I was disappointed to see that she was so easily scared and disrupted by death threats, an assassin and a box of severed cyborg fingers…granted that might freak anyone out, true enough.  But I’m beginning to see her as a woman unsure of what she needs to do beyond be protected by Section 9.  I’ve gotta side with Batou’s frustrations this week.  Section 9’s hands are being tied and it doesn’t sit well with me at all.  My one tiny bit of satisfaction from all of this was during Section 9’s para drop operation.  You can tell Batou was going to have fun with Goda being scared of his first air drop…haha you son of a…ahem, apologies again but anytime that guy gets ass kick handed to him, im going to revel in it.

The introduction of the samurai sword wielding Kuze was a high point this week.  His brief showdown with Motoko at the Zen shrine had a bit of a Spike vs Vicious from Cowboy Bebop feel, just in the sword vs gun action.  There was plenty to be curious about in regards to Kuze as well, from his body (being able to take so many bullets and still keep going, plus his mouth never moved as he spoke) to his history that, of course, only Goda seems aware of.  Could tie into more of the world building we have seen so far and what we’re bound to see more of as we possibly see Kuze’s history explored.

Speaking of history explored, we got to take a trip to Tokyo this week with Togusa and a Tachikoma.  We got a bit of background on refugee and other labor forces following the end of the last war.  But the scariest takeaway for me was seeing Tokyo mostly submerged under water.  It’s almost hard to believe that in the shining city where society thrives and Section 9 polices, that parts of the world like this exist, scared battleground and remnants of time long since passed.  More of this will no doubt play heavily into coming weeks regarding both Kuze’s past and the growing powder keg issue that is the Refugees in Dejima.

I have to say that im really hoping we get to see some stories that are more self contained beyond the two we saw last week.  Despite appearances from two of them, every episode ended up being connected to one another, a move that Season One only did in a couple of two parters and then the final seven episodes of that season. Point is, there was room for different cases.  Here though, everything had to have a tie back to Goda or the Individual Eleven.  That could make this series a bit harder for new viewers to jump in on.

Section 9 never seemed to get a legit win in this week and that’s something that will hopefully improve in the coming weeks.  Kayabuki needs to toughen up, Goda needs a punch to the face and kick in the ass…and hopefully Motoko Kusinagi will in some way be the one to deliver to both characters…or Batou, if anyones earned the right to sock it to Goda it’s him…man I really don’t like that guy.

Cowboy Bebop Part 6 Episodes 23-26

(Originally Written August 17, 2014)

The Bebop crew reaches a crossroads.  For some, the time has come to move on.  For others, it’s time to settle old scores once and for all.  When Vicious stages a coup and assumes leadership of the Red Dragons, everyone’s in danger, even Spike long lost love Julia.  But when the greatest tragedy imaginable happens, the time comes for the final showdown.  Spike vs. Vicious-who will walk away…will anyone walk away.  It all ends here.

Sigh, as they say, “All good things must come to an end”…but man did Bebop get one heckuva show stopping ending.  There’s a lot to cover in this final review and hopefully I can touch on everything.  Let’s get rolling then.

The set starts with the slow but still interesting Episode 23, which has the crew going up against a mysterious cult leader who may be more than he seems.  What I liked about this episode was seeing the crew acting like a team.  Not that we haven’t seen it before but watching Jet, Ed and Ein (holy crap the data dog finally shows off his skills) work out the secret of Londes was awesome.  Spike and Faye had some ok moments but mostly this was Jet, Ed and definitely Ein’s time to shine.  Also notable was the cancellation of the Big Shots bounty hunter news show, signifying that the end of the series was near.

Then to nail that “End has Come” notion in further, we bade a fond farewell to everyones favorite hacker and data dog duo.  I love Ein debating several times whether or not to go with Ed or remain on the Bebop as both are clearly important to him.  But clearly, as much as Jet has raised him and Spike and Faye has had their back and forth moments, Ed is the most important person on the Bebop to Ein and for them to go running off into the sunset (supposedly after Ed’s dad) is the perfect ending for them.  It’s a shame that Ed and Ein haven’t gotten a spinoff show of their own but like much of this show, it’s probably better that way to maintain the unique legacy of this series.

And it’s probably a good thing Ed and Ein took off when they did because there was sadly no room for comic relief or levity in the slam bang two part finale “The Real Folk Blues”.  Bullets and blood fly and Jet takes a shot in the leg as Vicious and the Red Dragons returned to shake things up a bit.  Gloom and doom were everywhere here and for the first time you felt like this might really be it for the crew of the Bebop.  And when Vicious ended up victorious in ending the lives of the former Red Dragon leaders, the stage was set for something epic.  Hell, the theme song doesn’t even play in the last episode, just a quiet black title screen, chilling.

But of course there was one element that still needed to appear and that was Julia and wow, what a woman.  Blonde, mysterious and possessing an instant draw and likability, she had some great scenes with both Spike and Faye (the latter of which she got a fun highway action sequence with).  And while we didn’t get all the answers to Spike’s past with her (just a couple of minor extended versions of images we’ve seen before) it was still good to see Julia and Spike reunited if only for a short while.  Still, the way these episodes were going, a happy ending just didn’t seem likely and while Spike did manage to blow away a bunch of Red Dragon hitmen with a shotgun, he still lost Julia.  The look in Spike’s eye said it all…no more running.

Which led to one heart wrenching farewell for Spike and his best friends.  He and Jet share one last meal and stories they hate while Faye tearfully begs Spike not to go to his death.  Oh Faye and Spike.  Theirs is a relationship that many fans of the show hoped would evolve into something more.  And why couldn’t it?  Spike’s a good looking bad ass and Faye is…well a good looking bad ass with nice legs lol.  They compliment each other and get along very well but because of his love for Julia, Spike could probably never love Faye as more than a close friend.  If things could have ever been more with them, we will never know.

And as a special rendition of “The Real Folk Blues” (appropriately titled See You Space Cowboy I think) played in the background, Spike wagged a one man war through a skyscraper of Red Dragon soldiers to get to Vicious.  Every hit Spike took made you worry.  Would he even make it to Vicious and even if he did would he be able to kill him?  The answer to that was built up to in one of the best Anime duels ever.  Finally, we got the rematch we were denied in Jupiter Jazz as Spike and Vicious clashed sword against gun one more time, resulting in wounds, a stand off, a slide of weapons to each other and one final blast…bye bye Vicious you amazingly evil bastard.

Which brings us to one of Bebops most fascinating aspects: the ending.  Spike descends some stairs as stunned Red Dragon soldiers look on.  Spike stops, smiles, raising his hand in the form of a gun and says the final word of the series…BANG, and then falls.  Cue the start of “Blue” (Yoko Kanno’s beautiful final track for the series) and a slow drag of credits leading to one final image of the fallen Spike.  NOW, when I first saw this series, the end was how I saw it: Spike defeated Vicious and died from his wounds, sad ending.  However, director Shinichiro Watanabe is pretty playful with his replies to Spike’s fate.  Did he die…or is he simply sleeping?  Truth be told, the latter is possible because it’s Spike and passing out after a fight is something he would do.  But, as hard as it is to say sometimes, I like Spike dying in the end.  It’s a suitable conclusion for his arc and while he didn’t get to be with Julia or his friends, he finished Vicious off for good.  He finally earned a rightfully deserved his long rest. 

Final Thoughts:

I know many hope that Spike’s alive so that one day there can be a sequel to the series.  But in a way, it’s better left to just these 26 episodes.  Cowboy Bebop may not be completely perfect but it’s flaws are overshadowed by it’s sheer fun and unique vibe that has made it able to gel with audiences who aren’t just into Anime but also scifi, action, westerns, film noir, jazz.  If it does succeed at one thing, Bebop blends a lot of elements together into a world anyone can love.  The characters, action, stories and especially Yoko Kanno’s music are always remembered long after a viewing.  I think it’s safe to say that if it’s one Anime anyone should see before they die…it’s Cowboy Bebop.

9/10

 

Hope everyone has been enjoying the classic reviews so far. Starting next week it's a double dose of Ghost in the Shell: Brand new 2nd gig review on Monday and the beginning of the Season One Review of Stand Alone Complex the rest of the week. Get ready for the cyberpunk take over everyone.