Adieu Galaxy Express 999

Two years later, the Machines, angered by the death of their Queen, have struck hard at humanity.  Among those fighting to save the planet is Tetsuro Hoshino.  His days of fighting are cut short when Tetsuro receives a mysterious message from Maetel, telling him to board the 999 once again.  Tetsuro barely makes it off the planet alive aboard the train.  But the road to Maetel is fraught with new dangers and worse revelations in an ever changing universe.  A new journey awaits Tetsuro, Maetel and their allies aboard the 999 and the end may be the last place they ever want to reach; not because it ends their journey but because of what horrors wait for their arrival.

I was ready for more.  Galaxy Express 999 left such a mark on my Anime watching history, a journey I wasn’t ready to see come to a close.  So when I heard there was a sequel, I was set (especially having procured it alongside the first film at Otakon 2012).  Much like my all time favorite movie, Blade Runner, some classics are best left to one entry and one story alone (I write this knowing Blade Runner 2 has been greenlit but have a bad feeling about it).

The setup is probably the best part of this movie.  A sequel should strive to be bigger, a little darker and with more at stake for the main characters.  A universe is at war thanks to the efforts of Tetsuro and Maetel to destroy Queen Prometheum.  That such a conflict should reunite these two is cool.  The escape from Earth is pretty intense.  Seeing the Earth railway collapse as 999 escapes is chilling and adds a sense of dread to the film.  Consequences will be felt and it’s likely Tetsuro will never see home again once he’s gone.  The ride is a little smooth after that with the Conductor getting more of a role as Tetsuro’s companion before Maetel returns.  We’ve also got the chilly Metal Minna helping around with her own secret agenda.  Also, this film looks great.  Two years later, the animation that brought the 1979 classic to life looks improved and feature quality for sure.  The characters, the ships and battles, even the backdrops look so great and 999 looks freaking gorgeous.

Sadly, that’s kind of where my praise for the movie kind of ends.  Once Tetsuro is off Earth, Adieu begins to become almost a beat for beat retread of the original film, especially when Maetel comes back.  There’s an attempt to add new mystery with the introduction of the Machine Knight Faust and the 999 rival, the Ghost Train.  I thought the Ghost Train revelations were a bit unsettling but Faust…oh man Faust.  There are several clear nods to another popular space age adventure in Adieu and some are more forced than others.  Faust is case in point.  The second you see him, you never realize they were going to go a certain route with his big reveal…but it seems obvious in retrospect given his character design.

The films finale tries to go big and chaotic but ends up being a poor, pale imitation of it’s predecessor.  Even the brief returns of Harlock and Emeraldas seem forced and unneeded.  If you’re going to bring these two back for more adventure, bring them back for more than just their ships and their much needed fire power.  Emeraldas gets the shorter end of this deal, being in the film for under 2-3 minutes probably.  Idk, I just cant stand when a film has to shoe horn in returning cast members just to get them in rather than giving them something pivotal to do besides being a deus ex machina device.  By the time the final battle is FINALLY over with, youre relieved; not because of the outcome but because the movie is almost over.

And that’s a shame.  I said the original Galaxy Express film worked as a good stand alone.  Truthfully though, this is a universe that could be explored in much greater detail and would allow for some potential sequels, either as movies or as a series (and yes there is a TV series with a separate storyline from the movies).  Adieu Galaxy Express 999 was the wrong way to proceed with things.  The darker story had potential.  It ends up being wasted on familiar mysteries, action and nothing unique to make it stand out besides how bad it ends up being.  There is a third film in this series apparently, 1998’s Galaxy Express 999 Eternal Fantasy.  If I ever finally get the chance to watch it, I only hope it’s far better than Adieu Galaxy Express 999.  I still want to travel on this train, just on a different, more original direction.

5/10

Note:

Still working on what series im going to review to close out 2015.  Right now the choice is tight between Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn and Ghost in the Shell: Arise but it depends on if I can get the final episode of Arise before Christmas.  So I will leave next weeks review a surprise for all.  See ya then.

T5W#15-Top 5 Things im thankful for in Anime

Well its that time of year again, when family gathers for good food and good company.  I’ll definitely be doing that on Thursday.  Since this is an Anime Blog, however, if figured id take a minute or two to jot out a list of things im thankful for in life thanks to Anime.

 

#5-Brand new worlds

So many years later and Anime is still showing me there is no limit to imagination.  Ive seen dragons battle tanks,  heroes from history in a battle royale, even a chibi cartoon set in a very dreary zombie apocalypse.  Point is, new worlds of possibility are still popping up to be my escape from reality for half an hour.  While I do have my franchise favorites, more on that later, fresh new takes and twists on genres are always welcome.  GATE and Aldnoah Zero have become some of my favorite original stories since Code Geass.  If it’s one thing im definitely thankful for its that Anime is never running out of stories to tell.

 

#4-Giving me a reason to smile

This goes more in line with a T5W I did a while back (http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/t5w10-top-5-f-yeah-anime-moments.html )

The moment of Anime when you’ve had a really, REALLY bad day and just want to take your mind off things.  But then that moment happens that inspires you, puts the biggest smiles on your face and just makes you go F*** YEAH!!!!  I had a moment like that with Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works’s finale this year.  And I can always look to a particular scene in Summer Wars to bring a tear and smile to my eyes, heck I might watch it again over the next couple of days.  It’s moment like these that remind me why I love Anime.  Because it can cure the darkness some days bring, gotta be thankful for that.

 

#3-Ongoing Franchises (For better or worse)

Im always game for original Anime (see #5 above).  But part of me will eternally have a soft spot for the series that got me into the genre to begin with.  This year we saw brand new material for Dragon Ball with Dragon Ball Super, a brand new Ghost in the Shell movie and 2 new Gundam entries with Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin and Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans.  Hell, there’s even a new Digimon series that just premiered.  And they don’t look dated in the slightest, standing tall with original works like Kill La Kill, GATE and Aldnoah Zero.  Bring on the new but leave some heart open for the old.  Without it, we wouldn’t be the fans we are today.

 

#2-New Dream Girls

Yeah I’ll be a little bit of a guy here.  While I drool over Supergirl on TV, im definitely grateful for the continued tradition of beautiful and amazing women in Anime.  This past year I finally got into the world of Fate/Stay Night, enjoying the adventures of Rin and Saber.  Aldnoah Zero has some cool heroines too, even if I cant remember their names. Plus the always pretty Asuna returning in Sword Art Online II.    They happily join the ranks of Sailor Mars, Misato and Revy as the girls we all wish were real.  Cosplayed properly, you could meet them at conventions and learn about the girl behind the costume and who knows, a long lasting friendship could form.  Keep looking good ladies and keep kicking ass.

 

#1-Conventions

This year I went to two big Anime conventions and without Anime I wouldn’t have found a wide world of enthusiasts who love what I love for different reasons.  Otakon 2015 in particular, came at the right time.  This year has probably been the worst for me in recent memory and there was a moment I didn’t think id be able to attend.  But I did and it was the best choice.  You don’t just meet fellow Otaku at conventions.  You make friends and some of those friends become very near and dear to your heart, becoming family.  Your horizons broaden, you learn about new shows and even end up watching one or two you wouldn’t have tried on your own.  Theyre events that begin with a bang of excitement and end in such a rush its hard to believe they happened at all.  So yeah im thankful for Katsucon and Otakon and look forward to both in 2016.  They are parties I never want to end, and a home away from home I cherish with all my heart.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, spend it with everyone who matters to you

(And no I could not resist the Hamtaro pic, it's too damn adorable)

 

Galaxy Express 999

Tetsuro Hoshino is an orphan living in the slums of planet Earth.  For a long time, he has dreamed of boarding the space fairing train, the Galaxy Express 999, an expensive and almost impossible dream.  When Testuro runs into a beautiful woman named Maetel, his life changes forever when she grants him permission to travel alongside her onboard the 999.  Amidst a sea of stars, adventure awaits Tetsuro and Maetel on route to the machine world of Andromeda.  Vast dangers and ghosts from their separate tragic pasts also await as does romance and the wonders of time on the greatest journey through the galaxy you’ll ever find on the Galaxy Express 999.

In the wide world of Anime, it makes me almost sad that you don’t see much of Leiji Matsumoto’s work given it’s due praise these days.  Galaxy Express 999 is a film and story I feel Anime today owes a lot.  It’s universe spanning story, endless feels of wonder and excitement and memorable characters all still strike a chord with me, and this is from a film that came out in the late 70’s. 

Galaxy Express 999 feels like a very traditional heroes journey, almost like a fairy tale with a space age twist.  This feeling is no doubt helped by the fact that the 999 (Pronounced Three Nine for anyone curious) is a literal train ridding across the cosmos.  Save for a very futuristic main car, the rest of their traveling vehicle looks like something youd see in a 1930’s setting.  It’s comfy and inviting and like the movie itself, it will draw you in and make sure you feel like you don’t want the journey to end.  Even though young Tetsuro has his own agenda, he cant help but get swept up in the side quests and other characters he meets along the way.  It could go on forever and youd be hard pressed to say youre bored.

Joining Testuro on his journey is the beautiful Maetel, a true vision of a beautiful Anime woman.  Dressed in a winter coat and possessing an inviting yet haunting face, Maetel could almost be the siren of the sea who lures Tetsuro in.  To his demise or enlightenment?  That is one of the big mysteries of the film as Maetel’s own past is never fleshed out as early as Tetsuro’s is.  Also along for the ride are some of Leiji Matsumoto’s other heroes and heroines of his universe.  Bad ass pirates Captain Harlock and Emereldas bring the flair and aweseomness, mostly showing up for the films full of boom action sequences.  Watching this classic duo reign hell from their pirate space ships is nothing short of awe inspiring.  But they also share a short but memorable tale that will hopefully encourage viewers to look into their separate stories.

For a film that came out in 1979, Galaxy Express 999 looks like a film of it’s time.  Characters have over exaggerated reactions at all times, especially Tetsuro.  Every scene looks filled with blood, sweat and tear hand drawn dedication, there’s hardly a frame of this film that looks bad.  And the music is very 70’s with two pop songs accompanying a symphonic opera that rivals 2001: A Space Odyssey’s magnificent soundtrack.  The film looks and sounds great.

The end of the film does seem to be the part where I’d have to throw out some sort of negative thoughts.  A lot of what happens in the last half hour feels a little forced and even bears a bit of Deus Ex Machina to its finale.  If one or two things had been a bit more developed before this point, the revelations and even the start of the outcome could have had a bigger impact.  Now, this isn’t nearly as bad as some things in the forthcoming sequel, we’ll get to that next week.  But for those who take their stories more serious than others, one or two big spoilers I wont talk about in this review, may derail things, which would be a shame.  I’ll also wont say Galaxy Express 999 is a full on childrens fairy tale in space.  It does have some dark moments and can get a little too violent at times.  It’s aimed at a younger audience for sure.  Just keep an eye on how young they are when watching this one.

Galaxy Express 999 is a film I can still pop into the DVD player and watch with a wonderous smile on my face.  It makes me think about when I first glimpsed it at Otakon 2012.  The ten or fifteen minutes I sat there watching a raw Japanese dub of the film made me want to get a copy of the film and it’s sequel, Adieu Galaxy Express 999, that same weekend.  It’s just as flashy, sprawling and attention grabbing as most Anime features today.  There is, however, a sense of importance to this film.  Without it in Anime history, we wouldn’t have many stories today be it Macross, or Spirited Away or Outlaw Star.  It’s not a perfect film but it’s close.  It’s also one I would recommend to anyone who wishes to see at least one good example of Anime from back in the day and a title that should continue to be talked about even today.  Take a trip, you’ll never regret it.

9/10

Is the second trip as good as the first?  Find out next week with Part 2 of our Galaxy Express Double Feature: Adieu Galaxy Express 999.

T5W#14-Top 5 Superheroes who need an Anime adaptation

The world of Japanese Manga and American Comics are not so totally different as most would think.  I mean ok, Manga tends to be a bit more graphic with well…everything, whereas mainstream Marvel and DC can have some intensity but for the most part keep it PG-13 for younger readers.  But still, they push the limits of creative imagination and more often than not, we want to see them leap from page to screen.  Both DC and Marvel seem to have this down in the TV and film realms (DC striking big with Arrow, The Flash and most recently Supergirl while Marvel’s film roster gets stronger each year with The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy).  Now, at least Marvel has taken the test plunge into the world of Anime with…mixed results (X-Men the Anime, Iron Man: Rise of Technovore-see image above).  But im curious, what other heroes or heroines could benefit (properly) from their own Anime Adaptation, Marvel, DC or otherwise.

 

#5-Green Lantern

Talk about endless possibilities, Hal Jordan’s ring is the picture in the dictionary definition of such an aspect of life.  A mecha? A giant blaster, a vacuum, or even an old school giant fist.  Not to mention it’s a big universe out there, lots to see and lots to explore.  Throw in a cool cast that would allow us to see Anime versions of John Stewart, Kyle Raynor and Kilowag and even some fun appearances by Hal’s on again/off again love interest Star Sapphire (who’s costume just begs to be tampered with in an Anime world), and you’ve got a potential Star Wars of Anime right here.

 

#4-The Punisher

No villain is safe from his hail of bullets and sense of judgement.  But while the movies were decent enough, you know an Anime version of the trials of Frank Castle is where the Punisher could truly be unleashed.  He could be as violent and bloody as he wants to be, no restrictions, no restraints.  Plus could allow for some truly awesome action sequences and gun play.  If Hellsing could provide us all that carnage and at least look great, no reason The Punisher couldn’t share in the same blood soaked glory.

 

#3-Guardians of the Galaxy

We’ve seen it done a little bit in Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, hell even Trigun: a band of rag tag individuals who cant really get along trying to eek out a living on the edge of space while keeping the universe safe.  So why not bring over the stars of one of the biggest revived titles of the last decade?  While they have existed for a long time, it wasn’t until the kick ass movie arrived in 2014 that the world began to look closely at Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.  The mix of classic space age adventure with an instantly lovable cast and one of the best soundtracks ever assembled was something everyone could get behind.  So yeah, an anime adaptation with a cute Chibi Groot and the wildest voice actor you could get for Rocket Raccoon plus maybe a mix of music from all across the Japanese music map (orchestra by Yoko Kanno or Kenji Kawaii and throw in Aimer, Nami Tamaki, TM Revolution, Kalafina or Aoi Eir) or be bold and continue the classic 70’s-80’s rock music.  As I said, the possibilities are endless with this one and it’s bound to work.

 

#2-Zenoscope’s Grimm Fairy Tales

It’s the stories you grew up with as a kid with sexy versions of your Disney Princesses (not affiliated with Disney) and language, gore and sex and awesome violence.  GFT is the Fairy Tale equivalent of Heavy Metal, faithful in respects to the source material with a hard edge twist mixed in.  The lives of Sela Masters, Robyn Hood and Britney aka Red Riding Hood amongst others are wrought with horrors beyond imagination and beautiful images to balance the evil they fight.  And the evil they face they fight with an assortment of weapons, spell and sexy costumes.  This has Ninja Scroll potential written all over it.  And the wide world around it opens the possibility of spin offs and other tales to tell, especially since the main GFT series is Sela’s territory. 

 

#1-Batgirl

This might cause a bit of controversy but please hear me out.  I’ve always been a fan of the Dark Knight Damsel since I first saw her.  I didn’t start reading BG regularly until the DC New 52 launch.  While I did enjoy Gail Simone’s run, it was still very much surrounded by the darkness that was the New 52 as a whole-too much evil, very little hope and heroes pushed to their absolute limits.  The new post Gail Simone run is where I really began to fall in love with this series all over again.  The art style of the comics remind me of Scott Pilgrim vs the World (which has it’s own Manga vibe to it’s comic book art style) and the feel of it is just very Anime: Babs’s reactions to things, her quirkiness, her energetic and amusing battles with her new Burnside adversaries.  The new direction has given Batgirl a new lease on life and yes I love the costume as well.  This seems like another no brainer for an animated adaptation, so why not Anime so the wide range of awesome can run free?

 

 

 

WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3

A series of grizzly murders leads Tokyo detective Hatta and Kasumi into a web of intrigue and danger.  The case takes a turn for the bizarre when Hatta encounters and begins to date a beautiful scientist, harboring a dark secret.  A new breed of monster is lurking in the shadows of Tokyo Bay and it’s existence could be a dark foreboding of things to come.  As Hatta and Kasumi hurry to unravel a dangerous conspiracy, the military takes action.  It all leads to a showdown in a stadium between a new breed of weapon and the Patlabors of Special Vehicles Section 2.

WXIII (or Wasted 13 if you were curious), is the (so far) final entry in the Patlabor Movie Trilogy.  It’s the only of these three films not to be directed by Mamoru Oshii.  That doesn’t make it feel any less like one of his films though.  The atmosphere and long touring moments of cities and day in the life activities are still ever present, as is Kenji Kawai’s comforting yet exciting score.  But that’s not the only thing that stands out about this great entry in the Patlabor franchise.  Time between Patlabor 2 and 3 and the advances in Anime also offer a great service to the film.  Patlabor 3 is visually stunning and, like Patlabor 2, you just want to mute the audio, keep the music on and just watch the film unfold in a soothing but heart pumping experience, especially once the finale gets going.

Right off the bat, you’ll see that this isn’t an SV2 story.  No the movie takes us into another group of detectives we normally wouldn’t see much of in this universe.  For me, it’s not too hard to look at Hatta and Kasumi and not think of Benjamin Bratt and Jerry Orbach from Law and Order.  I cant help it, it’s just a vibe I get from their character designs.  I do like the mutual respect they have for each other.  Kasumi hardly ever flaunts seniority over Hatta and in return Hatta is able to speak with him as an equal even in the most intense moments of the film.  One part I did like is towards the end of the film when Hatta is in dire need of help.  Kasumi doesn’t hesitate to rush to his aid, even if he has a bad leg injury.  The rest of the SV2 only pops up a little bit throughout the film: Shinobou is totally absent, Noa, Asuma and their unit only appear at the end to take on the WXIII monster.  Only Gotoh has any sort of meat in the movie.  He’s not only an old friend of Kasumi (almost making me think that Kasumi was his detective friend Matsui from the other films) but he’s also the police rep when it’s time to plan the offensive against WXIII.  I did find it funny that Hatta thinks SV2 should be brought in super early and Kasumi comically dismisses the idea, kind of the films way of saying this is going to be their story alone, for the most part.

We get a nice, solid monster mystery tale in WXIII and a tragic one at that once we learn of the poor things origins.  It’s kind of a classic fall from grace mixed with mad and depressed scientist tropes.  I do think they could have fleshed out the relationship between Hatta and Misaki before the latters mysterious past is revealed.  Idk I just didn’t buy them as a couple.  This can make their side of the story a little tough to accept.  But I think there’s more from Patlabor 3 that makes up plenty for this unbalanced romance.

The monster moments when Wasted 13 makes itself known on a construction rig are just great as Hatta, Kasumi and a couple of red shirts try to avoid death by giant teeth.  Being a robot sized bio weapon also means we do get to see the SV2 Patlabor’s in action against this unexpected foe.  Tack on a piano piece that makes sense when you watch the film and you’ve got one the best paced, best looking robot vs kaiju fights ever, seriously I think this showdown tops the end of Patlabor 2.

If this is to be the end of the Patlabor film saga, it’s kind of sad.  Patlabor 3 is a very welcome entry to the franchise, expanding on the world and giving us some fun new characters and action to enjoy.  Those expecting another full blown outing with the SV2 may be let down by the amount of screentime our favorite Police mecha pilots get.  I still wouldn’t let that keep you from enjoying this one.  Had the Hatta and Misaki parts been stronger, I would be willing to rate this alongside Patlabor 2 for excellence.  But still im willing to give the grand finale of the Patlabor Film Trilogy, WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3… 

9/10

Getting into the Thanksgiving holiday over the next couple of weeks.  So we’ll be spending them with two Anime classics that should never be forgotten.  The Galaxy Express double feature begins next week with Galaxy Express 999.

Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie

2029 AD, Newport City.  With her team formed, Motoko Kusinagi is now free to carry out investigations as she sees fit.  Following an operation to settle a hostage situation, an unexpected assassination attempt claims the Japanese Prime Minister and an old friend of Motoko’s.  Justice and vengeance take hold as Motoko begins to look into the case with the help of her new team.  But in this world of man and machine, organics and ghosts, nothing is ever what it seems.  The seeds planted in this case will sow the seeds of Motoko’s future and see the birth of Section 9.  This is where the beginning reaches it’s end.

I managed to catch a special showing of this the other night and figured id give it a review.  Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie, is the feature length final chapter of the story begun in Ghost in the Shell: Arise.  It is it’s own stand alone entity and has nothing to do with Kenji Kamiyama’s hit Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex universe.  It may look different but this is still the Ghost in the Shell was know and love in the world of Anime.

I have to note this right away: I have only seen three episodes out of the four part Arise series.  So while I had a good understanding of most things like how Motoko formed her team, I was a bit unsure about several story elements: why wasn’t she working with Aramaki yet?  If she wasn’t why does she still have 4 Logicoma tanks?  Things were iffy between Motoko and Kurutsu but what happened to generate so much animosity between them?  Short version, if you haven’t seen all of Arise, you’re going to be lost. 

I will say that even if you pull those problems away, this is still a very solid Ghost in the Shell kind of story.  The action is loud and over the top as ever, the cybernetic ethics talks are as deep and confusing as they’ve always been.  What I did enjoy most was actually seeing Motoko’s Proto-Section 9 work as a well oiled machine.  Those of you who kept up with my Stand Alone Complex reviews know that I harbored some harsh criticism towards some characters for kind of just being there and not really contributing much to the series.  In this film, Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa, Paz, Borma, Saito and Motoko all played together nicely.  They aren’t perfect but theyre still just starting out (Motoko needing to calm down Saito’s itchy trigger finger).  One of the best scenes of this strong developing bond is when Togusa calls Motoko and Batou together to discuss a case in person, sharing a meal, rather than talking via a chat room hub like always.  Motoko doesn’t get it, Batou teases Togusa, this is something that I felt Stand Alone Complex lacked actually, a sense of real comradery and team work as it mostly fell to one or two people to get cases done, usually Motoko herself.

The animation is a mixed bag.  For the most part it’s just a more polished version of Arise’s already well rendered visuals.  There are several animation cues back to Ghost in the Shell 2, especially with the chat room scenes.  Character design wise, everyone except for Motoko looks a lot closer to their original Manga counterparts than ever before (plus Paz smiles, did I ever expect to see that?)  Our leading lady, imho, has never looked better.  It may have taken me a while to accept the new haircut and younger looking face, but Motoko was on her A-Game, design wise anyway.  Her combat uniform looks great and I loved her red jacket and pants look, way better than her SAC look.  Still there were some moments where the animation took a dip into a more cartoony realm, this went especially for wide shots featuring two opponents fighting. 

The story…well to be honest I’m kind of lost on it but that’s Ghost in the Shell for me.  I’d never want any entry in this franchise to dumb things down for me and I’m glad it doesn’t.  It keeps the chats at decent length and makes you think even when you don’t know what’s going on.  Bare bones version: someone is committing terrorist acts using a familiar face and it’s up to Motoko to stop them.  As iterated above, it’s not that simple and again that’s not what Ghost in the Shell does.  And to balance things out, we get some of the best action ever with the hostage rescue scene at the beginning and the Proto Section 9 smack down against their enemy in the films finale.  It’s great watching everyone work together as a team and Motoko can still throw down no matter how many times she gets an arm shot off (seriously it happens so many times in Arise id feel bad if she didn’t care).  Plus you gotta love the in battle banter like when Batou complained to the Logicoma about not having a cockpit and the poor robot screaming “YOUR SUGGESTION IS BEING PROCESSED!!” as it evaded fire.

Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie was a fun return to a new take on a familiar world.  I think I warmed to this more than I did Stand Alone Complex really.  But I wont be able to make a full decision on that until I see the rest of Arise, which will hopefully be soon.  And if anything, you have to watch the final five minutes of the movie.  It was one amazing, smile worthy surprise to see one of the most infamous scenes in Anime brought back once again, a particular scene from the original 1995 Mamoru Oshii Ghost in the Shell film.  Stand Alone Complex also nodded to this scene…but The New Movie did it better.  Heck, I really liked this one and hope to see more from this particular incarnation soon.

8/10

T5W#13 -Top 5 Most Disappointing Anime Series

Not every Anime is a sure fire hit, nothing in media ever is.  Expectations can be high, like Dark Knight Rises high.  And when the production cant live up to that hype, you feel it, badly.  These are 5 such examples of Anime I was looking forward to, watched (mostly in some cases) but ultimately walked away wanting those hours of my life back.

 

#5-Trinity Blood

This show had the potential to be the next Hellsing.  A Vatican special unit with a Vampire at it’s head, this is a golden premise.  But not only is it unoriginal: A Vampire with a shoddy past who acts like a goofy priest but has a demonic side when pushed too far is so totally Kenshin Himura or Vash the Stampede, it is BOOOOOORING.  Trinity Blood spends most of it’s episodes in long arcs that never really go anywhere and it’s mostly Father Nightroad doing all of the work.  There are other members in his special unit but their either don’t show up too much or when they do, they’re such as waste of time it isn’t even funny.  I don’t think I ever watched Trinity Blood all the way through as it did enough damage early on for me to write it off as a failure.  Even when I gave the ending a chance, the door left open for a sequel should be bolted shut, covered in cement and tossed into the deepest ocean cavern, never to be found again.

 

#4-X-Men: The Anime

Again, this show had so much golden potential.  Hell even the Japanese airings of the 90’s X-Men series had custom Japanese Anime style openings that were more bad ass than the show.  Show why was this one such a let down?  Underplay, pure and simple.  For all the bad assness the X-Men are capable of, theyre put on a pretty short leash.  Even when Wolverine is allowed to cut loose, he doesn’t for very long.  I loved the designs of the characters, especially Storm and Emma Frost.  But throw in unnecessary repetitive character arcs like Cyclops being a very incapable leader, an annoying mutant spirit mecha girl (figure that one out though I hear she’s in the comics) and a finale that turns into another Akira rip off and I see why the Marvel Anime Universe is kind of reviled besides the Iron Man entries (and even then the Iron Man: Rise of Technovore movie totally turned into Akira at the end).  Come on Marvel: your characters plus Anime should be a no brainer…so do it like your movies and do it right.

 

#3-Gundam Seed Destiny

This one is pretty bad and by bad I mean im not alone in hating this entry in the Gundam franchise.  Any chance of glory this saga had after Gundam Seed is squandered pretty fast.  The show starts off well enough with upped stakes and a bold new start of conflict.  But then we have to travel around with the worst put together cast in any Gundam series, complete with a protagonist I cant even call a protagonist.  Any reason we have to root for Shinn Asuka is never warranted and even when forced I wasn’t willing to like him.  The reused animation is too often a handicap for big battles, characters change allegiances based on how long they’ve been off screen and the end battles suddenly turns in the direction of the good guys just because it’s time to wrap things up with the best happily ever after it can manage.  It’s sad when your most positive thoughts come from the cool theme songs from TM Revolution and Nami Tamaki.  But this was the first time I had watched a Gundam series, wishing episode after episode that it would get better.  Ultimately though, I wanted my 50 episodes of watch time back.

 

#2-Dragon Ball GT

I had heard things before.  Somehow I didn’t want to believe it.  From the moment me and my friends started delving into Dragon Ball Z, learning the story far beyond what was being shown in the US at the time, it was inevitable we’d find GT.  Giant Super Saiyan Monkeys?  Gohan, Goten and Trunks grown up and looking serious?  Those same monkeys doing Kamehameha waves?  What the heck was going on?  And then I watched the show…dear God.  There’s a reason that GT never reached the 291 episode count of it’s predecessor, Z.  First off, the show ditches the formula winning fighter set up that made Z a hit in exchange for a return to Dragon Ball’s earlier adventure roots.  Fail automatically, especially after Z’s high.  Trunks has nothing to do.  Pan is easily the series killing cancer and Kid Goku is just as annoying as he ever was.  By the time GT tried to get things back to Z level quality, the damage was done.  Even a cool fusion between Goku and Vegeta into a Super Saiyan Level 4 Gogeta and the brief return of Frieza and Cell couldn’t save GT from being cancelled at 64 episodes.  Many fans consider this series NON CANNON since series Godfather Akira Toriyama didn’t have a hand in it’s production.  But is GT really that bad?  Well just look at Dragon Ball Super and see how theyre completely wipping the slate clean of GT’s mess.  Yeah GT is that bad…nevermind the incredibly cringe inducing rap theme song they put in the English Dub, talk about a bad sign of things to come.

 

#1-Gundam Build Fighters Try

Come on, you didn’t see this coming?  Not sure how much detail I want to pour into this one since I did a full blown rant on this a few months back(http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/gundam-anime-rant-gundam-build-fighters.html ). 

 

Short version: Gundam Build Fighters Try took the fun and optimistic feel of Gundam Build Fighters and turned it into an overdramatized, depressing and downright scary take on a fun looking sport.  Sekai is a terrible clone of Reiji, the less said about Yuuma the better (Go die in a fire).  Even the inclusion of a cute female lead in Hoshino cant mask how really disappointing this series was for me, downright heartbreaking.  And here I thought it couldn’t get any worse than Seed Destiny…I was wrong, I was soooooo wrong.

 

Patlabor 2: The Movie

Tokyo, 2002 AD.  Three years after the Babylon Project Disaster, Captains Gotoh and Shinobu are drawn into a mystery which could have devastating reprucutions for Tokyo.  A renowned military strategist returns seemingly from the dead to begin a secret, invisible war across the city with no clear enemy or target the military can prepare against.  As martial law and paranoia grip the city, Gotoh seeks to reunite his scattered former unit to solve the case.  Shinobu, meanwhile, must confront her past and a love that almost cost her career.  The fate of Tokyo is once again in the hands of Special Vehicles Section 2.

Talk about a doing a complete 180.  Patlabor 2 is about as different from Patlabor 1 as you could possibly make it.  The levity is almost totally gone, as is most of the original cast for most of the film; the mecha battles are much fewer in number; animations different; scores different; story is way more edge of your seat…and it’s not such a bad change of pace at all.

I said that Patlabor 1 was a very Un-Oshii film, being more of an action mystery than a philosophical Anime with action set pieces.  Patlabor 2 is again the opposite, it’s text book Oshii.  From the minutes upon minutes long discussions about cases that lead to questions about life and society; to the long, slow music accompanying montages of spots around the city.  This is a much slower film than it’s predecessor no question.  I do think that might turn off potential viewers who don’t know much about Patlabor or Mamoru Oshii films. 

There also the added bit of Noa, Asuma and their team only popping up sparcely before the films finale.  Again, this isn’t a bad thing as they wouldn’t really have much to do until the end.  This is Goto and Shinobu’s story, well more the latter than the former at times but still.  And they are a very solid detective/leadership team.  Goto’s got the knack for piecing things together and being cool in the middle of a crisis and Shinobu’s got some key background connections to the films antagonist.  I don’t think im looking too deep into things when I say that Goto tries to do his best to keep from leaning on Shinobu for connections instead of support.  They have a solid bond and Goto clearly cares a great deal about her as more than a co commander.  Seeing them tackle this case with dry wit and determination was a joy.

The setup for Patlabor 2 feels like something out of  Tom Clancy film with a hint of Christopher Nolan.  The political intrigue is through the roof and it’s a scary scenario to think about.  When the military is manipulated into thinking there’s an invisible enemy and sends troops in to occupy a city with no real lead on who they should be fighting, that’s a worst case scenario right there minus the nukes.  One mans determination to make a nation feel as helpless as he did during a military operation gone FUBAR brings the chaos you’d expect.  I mention Christopher Nolan because many of the snow covered, occupied Japan shots look like a much cleaner version of Gotham in The Dark Knight Rises.  Even the shots of chopper bombing bridges brings thoughts of Bane’s men bombing the bridges out of Gotham…maybe this film was a secret inspiration?

Visually, Patlabor 2 is freaking gorgeous, miles above the first film.  It has a more realistic scifi feel to it, a future that could be very much what awaits us in the next ten years or so.  This upgrade in animation also means the mechs look amazing.  Be it standing up in display or docked or heading into a very brief but well done battle in a waterway, the Patlabors never looked better.  But action aside, the whole film could have been muted with Kenji Kawai’s amazing music playing in the background against all of these images and I would have been satisfied.

If Patlabor 1 is an underrated scifi mecha classic, then Patlabor 2 is an underrated overall classic of Anime in general.  It’s got a great story with high stakes, well above the norm animation that looks good even 20 years later and a rare zen state of being I don’t normally associate with scifi/mecha anime.  What I mean by that is that it’s easily a film you can sit down and enjoy.  But it’s also one that can sing you to sleep like a lullabye.  Easily one of the best Anime films I have ever seen.

9.5/10

Not sure I can say the same comfort comes from the final film of this little trilogy.  Not when something terrible lurks in the waters of Tokyo bay.  But trust me, that’s not a bad thing.  The Patlabor Trilogy wraps up next Monday with WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3.

T5W#12-Top 5 Anime Abridged Series

Sometimes, you cant help but watch an Anime with friends and point out all of the absurd things that go on.  It’s even ok to make fun of the good decisions characters make or the epic awesomness of an action scene (oh I cant wait til someone does a GATE Abridged series).  Over the last few years, Abridging has become almost a genre unto it’s own.  It’s looking at a loved show, or sometimes not so loved, and giving it a big dose of comic relief.  These five series below all feature great laughs, a lot of heart and some of the best takes on these series I have ever seen.

 

#5 -Yu Gi Oh Abridged

 

The one that started it all (I think).  If you ever made fun of the original 4Kids Studios dub of this series, then this series is the one for you.  Joey’s Brooklyn accent, Pegasus’s over sexualized speaking tone and Tristan’s lovable goofiness are matched only by Yami Yugi’s “Im the best around” attitude and Kaiba’s ability to create internet memes with a single breath (SCREW THE RULES I HAVE MONEY, 1 Smile = 1,000 dead puppies).  I’ve seen series creator Little Kuriboh several times at Otakon and have had the pleasure of speaking to him very briefly two or three times.  He’s a charming man with a great sense of humor and fully intends to see this project to the last Yu Gi Oh episode.  If anyone was to pioneer this new frontier of internet parody, im glad he’s still at the forefront.

 

#4-Mobile Suit Gundam Abridged

Once I started watching this one, I couldn’t stop. To call this series from Gutted Wren Studios funny just doesn’t do it justice.  From Char’s always drunken Lieutenant to a funny take on Bright and Amuro’s father/son like relationship (my own hit never fathered me like that), the laughs just keep rolling.  Sad to say, an accident with lost footage resulted in the untimely cancellation of this project with no signs of resurrection (unless I missed something).  Still this is the only project on this list to get a proper finale and if it is to be the final word on this list, it does so with a great deal of sadness but no loss on the comedy that made it work in the first place.

 

#3-CodeMENT Abridged

Possibly the most bizzare entry on this list, this abridged series of Code Geass is sometimes too funny it’s almost scary.  Turning Lelouch into an off his meds maniac is a stroke of genius.  Making Suzaku is incredibly retarded counterpart is equally entertaining.  Both leads are on hand with some hilarious dialogue.  PurpleEyesWTF even managed to pull a crossover with his other series, the One Piece Parody, NonePeice for one of the best fan fiction crossovers ever.  It makes no sense but I love it nonetheless.

 

#2-Dragon Ball Z Abridged

If Yu Gi Oh Abridged got the ball rolling on Abridging, then Dragon Ball Z Abridged took the ball and threw it into a fighter Jet and unleashed it fully.  This isn’t just a parody of a beloved Anime, it’s the ultimate fan loving project.  Not only are the jokes funny, but they make you think about the decisions and characterizations we watched for years with this series: is Goku the best dad on the planet, oh heck no.  It’s an honest look at Dragon Ball Z and it never lays down any hate, it’s all out of love and respect for this great show.  Plus we’ve got the best version of Vegeta ever, as well as lovable takes on Piccolo, Gohan and even Nappa gets an extended, hilarious update.  This is what abridging as all about: love, respect and laughter.

 

#1-Hellsing Ultimate Abridged

I thought it wasn’t possible for TeamFourStar to top their own genre defining series.  But low and behold, Hellsing Ultimate Abridged does just that.  Alucard is a happy go lucky smart ass, his boss Interga is always agitated by the amount of collateral he collects and Seras is still a shy, sexy British police girl with a nice chest.  Every bit of comedy you can mine from this dark and gritty action/horror Anime is pulled to the front, with Alucard getting some of the most hilarious lines ever including the eternal fan favorite, “Bitches love cannons.”  TFS has been keen to release a new episode once a year, debuting it at the convention where they all met, Youmacon.  This makes the wait for new episodes well worth it when this reimagined crew of monster slayers graces our screens again.