Rahxephon Part 7 Episodes 24-26

At long last, the inevitable final confrontation between Humanity and the Mu has come.  As Ayato and Quon become one with their instruments, the world begins to feel the effects of their chaotic song.  Haruka is desperate to reach the man she loves and remind him of what’s still worth protecting in this world.  But is Ayato, now fused with the Rahxephon, still able to hear her words?  What will be left of the Earth when all is finished and the final tune is composed?  The story of Rahxephon ends here…or does it?

It’s the end of the world as we know it…and I feel not as traumatized as I was with End of Eva. 

Im surprised ive gone this long throughout this series and not been flat out miffed at all the comparisons and sometimes flat out rip offs of the legendary Evangelion.  But to be honest, I feel like Rahxephon has sometimes done things much better than Eva has.  I know that’s going to net me a lot of flack but let me be clear, I love Evangelion and it can easily find a list on my 10 Greatest Anime of All Time.  Rahxephon has never been a rip off of Eva.  The similarities are pretty evident but I’ve never held those against it.  That being said, now that we’ve reached the end, does finale reach the uncomfortably somber notes of The End of Evangelion?

Short answer…no.

Whereas End of Eva was Hideki Anno’s always intended, ginormous F U to the fans that resulted in the deaths of every main cast member and a head scratching finale moment, Rahxephon piles on the intensity and loss but also offers more of a hope that End of Eva never had.  I mean sure, we lose Soichi and Elvy (amongst a list of others), and those losses really suck.  And yeah it did seem like dismal times were ahead in Earth’s final battle.  But all signs were pointing towards a more optimistic conclusion…except when we saw the final Ayato and Quon fusions with their Rahxephons…those were just nightmare fuel.

So let’s get into it a bit.  The final battle between Humanity and Mu might’ve only taken up half of the final set but it was some of the best action so far.  Elvy definitely got a couple of moments to shine before biting the bullet, as did the rest of her Alpha Squad.  And the scope just felt bigger than before.  Ships at sea blasting and being blasted by enemies from above, including a maniacal Mamoru, you knew this was going to be it, no matter the outcome.  The final battle between Ayato and Quon’s Rahxephon’s (I guess that’s the plural) was more of an uncomfortable erotic wrestling match than an actual duel.  Quon even jokes to Ayato in their dream state to “be gentle with me.”  That and all the choir screaming from them…the imagery is something but the actual watching is kind of a strange experience.

Speaking of, we did get a ton of last minute reveals to go along with all the mecha chaos.  The moments in the church with the final fates of Itsuki, Makoto and Sayako (does anyone even really remember her), and Babhem Helena detailing the history of his grand plan could have been an episode squeezed in right before the final act began.  There’s just so much story to mine there that is, instead, left as one last bit to digest before we wrap things up.  In a way, it almost feels fitting that Futagami was the one to gun down the supposed immortal Babhem before the mad man could see the new world.  That’s what he gets for showing us so little about the secrets he kept.  Plus it gave Futagami a chance to have one last moment of badassery.

The lack of Babhem explanations feels almost as unfair as not giving more time to the supporting cast throughout this series.  I felt bad losing Soichi but not so much for Kim crying over his death and blaming Ayato for it.  Kim was just too miniscule a character, compared to say Megumi or Kunigi, that I didn’t even care that she was pregnant with So’s child.  Still, it was nice to see some familiar faces give their final farewells to Ayato before the world ended.  Seeing Elvy’s final message was pretty touching, admitting that despite Ayato being a Mulian, she still thought of him as a comrade and friend…wow Elvy, you could have said this sooner but still you get all the points back you deserve. 

And what of the end?  Well, like I said, it’s a lot sunnier than End of Eva and even less, but definitely not totally, bloody.  But then again, Ayato has always been one to be more open to possibilities and the voice of his own heart…even when he didn’t realize Haruka was HIS Haruka from before Tokyo Jupiter.  I think the world was always going to be ok in his hands.  And after all the crap he went through, Ayato got his happy ending, being reborn with Haruka in the new world.  Why Quon is their baby…idk im not gonna broach that.  But as one final treat we got to see the origin of Ayato’s Mishima painting and the moment he first met Haruka.  It was a payoff we wanted to see, even though Haruka’s handling of keeping true self secret from Ayato made me roll my eyes a lot. 

Well, we’ve come to the end…sort of.  I’m tempted to do my full series thoughts now so…oh ok I’ll get it out of the way here.  There are plenty of unanswered questions and water cooler topics come series end.  But I really enjoyed Rahxephon nonetheless.  The characters are interesting (if a little annoying at times), the mechs are different and unique (even if they do share similarities with the Evangelions), the look is gorgeous (Studio Bones doing its thing and doing it well) and I was never bored and always willing to press on.  Was it better than Evangelion?  Overall, no.  But it is a very strong successor to the model that Evangelion setup and, as I said, does somethings better (more constant action, a more likeable protagonist).  I think this series doesn’t get enough attention in the world of Anime and that’s a shame.  This is one gem I hope others can discover on their own, watch and enjoy debating together.  Fly on Moose Gundam.

8/10

 

BUT…

This isn’t over yet.  There’s still one more tale of Rahxephon to tell and I’m going to review it next week.  We reach our grand conclusion with the epic encore: Rahxephon The Motion Picture-Pluralitas Concentio.  See ya then.

FIF#14-Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040

Tokyo, 2040 AD.  Six years after a devastating earthquake, the city stands higher than ever as one of the greatest megalopolis’s in the world.  Helping maintain this new tomorrow are Boomers, artificial lifeforms who serve as labor force for the city.  Lina Yamazaki has just moved to the city and cant wait to experience it all.  But when Boomers start going rogue, that’s when they appear.  They are the Knight Sabers, mysterious, mecha suited vigilantes with the tech and skill to take these threats down faster than the police.  Lina has always been a fan and seeks to join their ranks.  But does she have what it takes?

This is a show that I wish was more readily available to me.  Granted I could watch the whole series on Funimations Youtube page but id rather watch it all dubbed.  Guess I’ll have to wait for a convention to try and snag it.  Either way, a rewatch is overdue.  So until then, figured id share my initial thoughts of this 90’s anime gem.

There’s a lot to like about the first episode of Tokyo 2040.  The animation is a nostalgia trip down 90’s lane.  The mechs and city designs practically scream Blade Runner (which was noted as a direct inspiration along with 80’s rock opera cult classic Streets of Fire).  There’s the ominous dark shadow of a large threat looming as wide cast as the city itself.  The setup is fine.  Though, there are a couple of nitpicks I have as well.  How the heck Nene became a Knight Saber is beyond me, for starters.  Granted not every heroine needs to be a cold bad ass like Priss (again more Blade Runner shout outs).  There’s always welcome room for cheerfulness…but not overall annoyance.  Nene’s whining is grating, especially when she’s getting suited up.  It just doesn’t mesh well with Priss or the mysterious Sylia (who kind of reminds me of a young Mallory Archer from Archer…that’s not a good sign for any woman really).  There’s also the fact that a character with a cool design like Leon has such a dumb and brutish personality.  He acts more like a caveman than a legit cop, though his partner Wong gets a kick out of pulling his leg.

Priss and Lina both steal the spotlight in their moments on screen.  Lina’s beauty and tenacity suit her well.  Though I am curious to see how she manages to become a Knight Saber and gel with this all over the map personalities crew.  Priss, Priss, Priss, she’s practically the distant cousin of Motoko Kusinagi.  Quiet, beautiful, sports a bike and literally give zero crap about most things.  Also, she’s a singer apparently.  That’s fitting given that this series carries on its OVA predecessor’s penchant for rocking tunes.  This series could easily be about just her and her sexy Iron Man mech suit and im sure a lot of people will be happy.  And is it just me or is it pretty easy to “ship” Priss and Lina?  Their brief encounters just scream rough partnership but also hint at a little more…maybe it’s just me, moving on.

As I mentioned above, Tokyo 2040 is actually a new telling of the original Bubblegum Crisis which came out in the late 80’s as an OVA.  Much like how that series was mass of 80’s pop culture, this version is chalk full of 90’s references and feels.  This is mostly thanks to the animation quality that reminded me a lot of other titles of the time: Nadesico, Outlaw Star, Slayers, etc.  There’s also that need to make monsters out of mechas, giving a bit of scifi horror to the mix.  I don’t know if that will work better here than Silent Mobius (another series I’d love to review sometime).  But who knows.

Overall, I’ll admit, one episode in and im keen to add this series to my collection and even add it to the review block somewhere down the line.  Maybe it’s the animation or the characters.  Maybe it’s the fact that it’s getting warmer and I’m getting all nostalgic for summers long gone by where I did a lot of Anime watching.  Either way, I will never stop listening to that kick ass opening theme over and over and over again.  Listen below and tell me you wont stop either?

 

T5W#41-Top 5 X Men Who Need Their Own Anime

Before I was an Anime/Manga nut, I was a kids cartoon nut.  And there was no group more popular in the early 90’s (yes such a time did exist) than the Uncanny X-Men: Wolverine, Cyclops, Rogue, Storm, Beast, Gambit, Jubilee (more or less), Jean Grey and Professor X.  As soon as that sweet guitar theme song came on, you were ready for action.  While I doubt ill ever hear that theme song on the big screen, im still excited for Friday when the X-Men return in X-Men: Apocalypse.  So to celebrate, I’m giving the Children of the Atom their due here on the Anime Corner.  Now, as some of you know, the X-Men have been featured in Anime before…just not that great.  The X-Men got their own series, so did Wolverine, and both were poorly received (I personally saw the X-Men Anime and it was just horrible).  So, if Marvel wants to delve into the universe of X again for more Anime tales, these are the characters they should focus on.

 

#5: Magneto

Fun fact: way back when after X3 (the bad one), there were two X Men Origins films in development.  We all know the infamous one, aka the other bad one, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  Turns out Magneto was supposed to have his own origin tale too.  In the end, most of that movie was merged into X-Men: First Class.  But there’s still a ton of potential to see an X-Men less origin story for the Master of Magnetism.  I’m picturing a lot of Metal Gear Solid style story, intrigue and action for young Erik Lensher.  And Anime could be the perfect springboard for that.

 

#4: X-23

Wolverine had his shot at an Anime…it wasn’t great.  But what about his fellow adimantium infused companion, his female clone X-23?  Not only can we get a ton of rapid fire action carnage from Laura Kinney’s berserker rage, but we can also get some good story out of her quest to settle her past and find a future that is her own while also honoring Logan’s long legacy.  Plus Laura’s penchant for making fashion statements could inspire some fun cosplays.  X-23 is a great addition to the X-Men line and her own Anime is an honor definitely deserves.

 

#3: Gambit

“What up mon ami?”  The Cajun with an attitude and a penchant for energy cards has got the moves, suave and swashbucklery to carry his own story.  Gangsters, sentinels, old flames, there isn’t a shortage of stories and foes Gambit could go up against away from his X-Family.  Hell throw in Rogue for some love to bring in the female fans…more than what would already be brought in from character designs were done by the people who did Free.  Women want their sexy beefcake Anime?  Look no farther than this charmer.

 

#2: Psylocke

Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock is basically a sexy psychic ninja with purple hair and an energy blade on her arm…that isn’t Anime inspired how?  Besides possessing super sexy sex appeal, Psylocke is a major kicker of ass and, like Wolverine, isn’t afraid to hold back.  This could be the X-Men equivalent of Ninja Scroll if done right.  Plus I have her on here cause Olivia Munn looks soooooooo good as Psylocke and I cant wait to see how she does in the new movie. 

#1: Deadpool

Yeah the obvious choice.  The Merc with a Mouth would be right at home in the field of Anime where there are no limits to the humor, violence and vulgarity he could get away with.  I wonder what his fourth wall breaking rant on Hentai would be…probably the stuff of legends.  Deadpool is at the top of his game this year thanks to his own hit movie, this would push him to the next level.

 

Well at least we'll always have this...

 

Rahxephon Part 6 Episodes 20-23

Ayato returns to TERRA but must face the consequences of his trip to Tokyo Jupiter.  After losing Hiroko by his hand, Ayato is at a crossroads.  And it just so happens so is Humanity.  Makoto takes control of TERRA and announces plans to destroy the Tokyo Jupiter barrier.  At the same time, Mamoru emerges in the real world, determined to kill Ayato for the death of Hiroko.  And has Ayato really gone insane or is that Ixtli at Makoto’s side?  The gauntlets are thrown down and the first casualties of the final battle will be losses that will shake TERRA to its core.  Ayato can’t outrun destiny forever.  The time has come for him to make the ultimate choice: Humanity or the Mu?

Well at some point, the writers had to say it’s time to cut it with all the crypticness and dole out some answers.  And we did finally get some…but not all.  Makes sense given that this was basically part one of a giant two part finale.  It’s been building in this series for a long time and, if this set was any indicator, this is gonna be one helluva final fight.

First, a moment of silence…for JIN MOTHERF*****G KUNIGI!!!!!  Oh man did the commander of TERRA go out like the boss he’s always been.  His heroic final stand against his old adversary was rough to watch, especially since I meant watching Narai Kanai get destroyed in the process.  Those kinds of scenes have always been hard for me personally, watching places you’ve grown to enjoy fall to the horrors of war.  Ayato and TERRA lost their main base and home…but Kunigi didn’t let it go so easily.  Man…he’s gonna be missed.

That all adds to the fact that even though we haven’t spent a lot of time with this supporting cast, we do give a damn about them.  I just wish we had more time to spend with them.  Seeing Soichi get so choked up having to accept Kunigi’s final orders to evacuate was especially tough.  So admired Kunigi a great deal and often brought out a side of him we rarely saw.  Seeing him do his best to hold it together was tough.  Worse yet, Kunigi finally opened up to Ayato and asked him to get together some time for dinner…a dinner they will never have but at least these two found a measure of peace.  Speaking of measures of peace, good on Elvy making peace with Ayato too and telling him about Haruka (more or less).  She’s earned some points back in my book now after the last couple of weeks of douchebagery racism.

Kunigi’s sacrifice may have been the stand out moment of this week.  But there was a lot going on too.  With Makoto temporarily taking command, we got a nice taste of much deserved just rewards when everything came crashing down around him.  Having Ixtli show up in a physical form was an odd touch.  But it was worth it when she vanished from Makoto’s side right when he needed her and no one could even remember her.  It’s strange he dropped the “et tu brute?” line on Itsuki when he sided with So, but really Istuki and Makoto haven been friends in a long time.  Icing on the cake really.

And yes, we did finally find out who Ixtli really was.  As I may have guessed, IT, yes I said it, is the soul of Rahxephon and it’s sibling unit sitting in Quon’s egg, taking on the form of the one the instrumentalist wants the most.  For Quon, that’s Ayato (go figure, though if what Maya said about her at the end of this week is any indication…then grosssssss).  For Ayato, it was actually fitting to see him reject his Reika Ixtli, saying she’s not who he wanted.  Still, Ayato managed to find a compromise: use Ixlti and the Rahxephon to protect the one dearest to him.  So I guess we’ll see how that turns out when we return next week.  It will probably make more sense than anything going on at the Babhem Foundation.  With old man Babhem taking over Helena’s body…im just at a loss for why they were needed for this story at all.  But I guess they have their own SEELE like plans to intervene with Third Impact, er I mean the Tuning or whatever.

Lastly, Mamoru popped up to kick things off (I guess ive been telling events in reverse).  His arrival signaled a nice little turning point for Ayato as the Rahxephon pilot discovered his other former friend was not just a Mu but also ready to kill him and Megumi for the death of Hiroko.  It was kind of hit and miss for me, Mamoru’s psychological game with Ayato.  But I did like that his Dolem could give the Rahxephon some trouble.  I’m looking forward to their inevitable showdown next week.

When that was pretty lengthy but I guess a lot of ground was covered this week.  Coming out of a sort of disappointing return to Tokyo Jupiter, we got some great character moments, actual answers and a great setup for things to come.  Finales don’t get much bigger than this Independence Day level event that’s about to hit.  Rahxephon’s had it’s bumps but ive enjoyed it.  Let’s hope it can finish just as strong.  See you next week for the final episodes…but is it the end of the story?  Not quite.

FIF#13-RWBY Chibi

Ever wanted to see the cuter side to RWBY…well apparently Rooster Teeth sensed this before you even asked.  This kind of felt inevitable given how Anime of a style RWBY has always had.  This wouldn’t be the first time a more serious, action oriented series went the cutesy route.  Mobile Suit Gundam and, more recently, Attack on Titan, have featured their own Chibi centered spin offs.  But is this a good hold over until Season 4 shows up this year?  If the first episode is any indication, you better believe it will be.

This show is too freaking adorable.  Weve gotten little tidbits of Chibi style RWBY characters throughout the series but never like this.  These short compilation episodes of various skits are all about the big head, little body comedy versions of our core characters.  Ruby, Yang, Weiss and Blake are all present for the first part and it’s good to see them again.  Given how dark (but still incredibly well done) Season 3 of RWBY ended up being, it’s refreshing to see the girls in a more peaceful, comical light.  There isn’t too much to the first episode, just a couple of short skits.  The stand outs both featured Ruby, first trying to bake cookies in a way too cute failure fashion; then secondly denying Blake her “Ninja’s in Love” book…also delivering the best line of the episode, “This is filth…FILTH!!!”  Rest assured, joking aside, if future episodes are as on point as these jokes, this spin off will be nothing like filth, it will be golden.

I probably should have waited to view another episode before giving my first impressions.  But as soon as this finally dropped, I had to share my thoughts.  Could the episode have been longer?  Sure but at the same time, I think it’s best not to squander all of the material right away.  I don’t know how long RWBY Chibi will run for or whether or not it will air alongside Season 4.  So that makes each new episode all the more special.  It’s cuteness we could all use on a rainy day and Team RWBY is ready to make us smile again…cause Season 3 still left a lot of us traumatized so this balances the scales a lot.

BTW I cannot wait to see Chibi Zwei…the KAWAII Factor alone might kill me.

T5W#40-Top 5 Individual Anime Episodes

So in this weeks review of Rahxephon, I talked about how really freaking incredible Episode 19 of the series was and how it has, so far, stood above every other episode ive seen.  There are a few episodes of various series ive seen with this kind of effect, and ive mentioned one or two of them talking about that one Rahxephon.  So if you remember them, expect to see them (and Rahxephon Episode 19) on this list somewhere, along with two other entries.  These are the episodes that makes these shows watching and if I could only watch one episode over and over again from these series (and trust me I have with a couple) it would be this setlist.

 

#5-Jungle Cruise (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Episode 10)

It was a tough call between this one and Saito’s origin story episode from Stand Alone Complex 2^nd Gig.  But this one actually got an extra advisory warning when it aired on Adult Swim and with good reason.  The “war games” Marco was still playing in Batou’s city were nothing short of horrific and it was up to Batou to stop him.  Throw in two American agency D bags and a more serious Batou than we’re used to and you’ve got a very unique episode of the cyberpunk series that feels more human than cybernetic.  It was Ghost in the Shell gone into the heart of darkness and damn was it as amazing as it was brutal.

 

#4-Blue Friend (Rahxephon Episode 19)

As I said, this one was kind of the catalyst for this Top 5 List…so ill just let what I said in last weeks review do the talking again:

“Yes, Episode 19 ranks up there with Cowboy Bebops’s “Ballad of Fallen Angels” and Evangelion’s “Knockin on Heaven’s Door” as one of the best all around made single episodes of Anime ever made.  Narrarated almost entirely by Hiroko, we see her slow decent into sad madness as she begins to realize two things: one, she’s in love with Ayato and two, she’s becoming a full blooded Mu.  But nothing compares to her tragic end.  Awakening as a Mu Dolem arrives, Hiroko is powerless to tell Ayato her feelings while he, unknowingly, fights her in the Rahxephon.  The only way she can sort of get through is via lights on display billboards that Ayato doesn’t notice until the very end.  The way this battle is choreographed, animated, scored and dialogue driven is the best mix and a real heart tugger, especially for a character we didn’t have a lot of time with.”

For the rest, check out this weeks Rahxephon episode set here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/05/rahxephon-part-5-episodes-17-19.html

 

#3-Knockin on Heaven’s Door (Neon Genesis Evangelion Episode 24)

Much like Rahxephon basically giving us a full rounded character with Hiroko in one episode, so too did this Evangelion EP with fan favorite but short lived Kwaoru.  He never got to fight alongside the other kids, he didn’t get a chance to end the world.  What he did do, was befriend Shinji in a way no one else had at this point.  It was a friendship that fan fics are made of…and it was only a matter of time before it all went to hell.  Cue “Ode to Joy” and one of the best Eva clashes ever and end it on a full minute of waiting to see if Shinji will go through with the only solution to save the world.  This was Eva’s finest episode and set the stage perfectly for the bloodbath to come.

 

#2-Moonlit Hunting Grounds (Black Lagoon Episode 6)

Ok, this episode has a lot of depth to it.  Revy’s basically taking out her anger after a soul questioning chat with Rock on everyone she sees.  She even comes close to gunning down innocent civilians until Dutch puts her in her place.  But really, it’s most just Revy and Dutch mowing down Neo Nazi’s in an invincible manner…you can’t not get behind that and love every bit of punishment that is delved out to the would be next generation of the master race.  Brad Pitt and his Inglorious Bastards had nothing on the sexy, gun totting Revy not even batting an eye when killing these a-holes.  It’s one of the best bloodbaths to cheer for ever.

 

#1-Ballad of Fallen Angels (Cowboy Bebop Episode 5)

Spike’s past comes back to say hello in the most entertaining manner.  Gangsters, Faye in a beautiful dress, cryptic memories and a shootout in a church with a katanna wielding mad man.  This was it.  If you weren’t on board with Bebop after this episode, you might as well stop watching.  The moment the organ starts playing the opening to “Rain” and you see Spike walking up to the church, I get chills.  And when the song stops and the shooting starts…it’s one of the most glorious gun fights ever animated in history.  This whole sequence is enough to prove how powerful of a storytelling medium Anime can be.  Now, that’s not to say that the rest of Cowboy Bebop isn’t great.  But this was the episode that made it the absolute, undisputed masterpiece I fell in love with.

 

Rahxephon Part 5 Episodes 17-19

Ayato returns to Tokyo Jupiter with Quon.  But it’s not the homecoming he expected.  His mother has a lot to answer for but that’s just the beginning of his new nightmare.  Old friends return, far different and far more dangerous than he last remembered.  And now, on the run from TERRA, ones Ayato used to call allies are now after him and the Rahxephon.  After all this trouble, will Ayato find the answers he’s been looking for?  What unbearable cost will come with these revelations? 

So…we got back to Tokyo Jupiter and…didn’t find out too much.  We did get a couple of new additions to the mix and the return of some familiar faces…though not how we remembered them.  In all honesty, the best part of the return trip to Tokyo J (hey I like that) was when Ayato left.  Not just because it was kind of a letdown inside but because Episode 19 ended up being the absolute best episode of this series so far.  But more on that in a second.

The return to Tokyo J started off well enough.  We got to see the world changing a bit.  Dolems were in the skies and the population of Tokyo was pretty oblivious to it.  Even when the Rahxephon was squaring off with them, everyday life carried on in the city below.  Apparently Ayato’s slow change and awakening is causing this.  But that wasn’t made too clear as Maya kept her cryptic clues well…more cryptic.  In fact we didn’t learn much more about Ayato’s situation with her than we already knew.  He’s got blue blood (why it hasn’t turned is another mystery) but there was that little bit where Maya said she wished she bore him.  Wait does that mean she’s not his birth mother?  Or is she too busy standing around looking pretty to give us a clear answer?  Not doing any better in the answers department is Reika, or Ixtli, who is basically just telling Quon it’s not time for her egg to hatch just yet.

I wish we had gotten some more time with Mamoru and Hiroko before this set of episodes.  Besides the premiere, we’d only seen them one other time in Ayato’s dream world state a couple weeks ago.  So seeing the jarring shifts in character has some effect but maybe not all it could have been.  Had they escaped with Ayato sooner and been more in the series, I could care a bit more.  In the case of Mamoru that approach would have been tougher since he’s apparently in Maya’s inner circle.  Hiroko though…oh man, to be honest it doesn’t matter she only got a small dose of decent but too little too late character development.  She was still front and center of one of the best Anime episodes I have ever seen.

Yes, Episode 19 ranks up there with Cowboy Bebops’s “Ballad of Fallen Angels” and Evangelion’s “Knockin on Heaven’s Door” as one of the best all around made single episodes of Anime ever made.  Narrarated almost entirely by Hiroko, we see her slow decent into sad madness as she begins to realize two things: one, she’s in love with Ayato and two, she’s becoming a full blooded Mu.  But nothing compares to her tragic end.  Awakening as a Mu Dolem arrives, Hiroko is powerless to tell Ayato her feelings while he, unknowingly, fights her in the Rahxephon.  The only way she can sort of get through is via lights on display billboards that Ayato doesn’t notice until the very end.  The way this battle is choreographed, animated, scored and dialogue driven is the best mix and a real heart tugger, especially for a character we didn’t have a lot of time with.  Let’s put it this way, I felt worse for Hiroko’s tragic love story with Ayato more than I have Haruka’s not so secret love story.  Come on, we figured out she was Ayato’s old high school sweetheart a long time ago.  What’s shocking is “I’m racist against Mu” Elvy is so accepting of this revelation. 

Still Ayato wasn’t in a sure place coming out of Tokyo J and he’s sure not in a good place now that he’s killed one of his closest friends, someone he wanted to try and have a future with.  As we head into the penultimate week of Rahxephon one thing is certain, this isn’t the last tragedy he’ll endure.  Let’s just hope he handles it better than Shinji. 

FIF#12-Cyborg 009 vs Devilman

One is a demon housed in a human host.  Nine are former humans changed into powerful cyborgs by a terrorist organization.  Both are unaware of the others existence.  But when a force, darker and more powerful than any either have face emerges, Cyborg 009 and his friends will come face to face with the Devilman himself.  The world may have a fighting chance against the approaching darkness…if 009 and Devilman don’t destroy each other first.

This was…weird.

I know about both of these Anime properties.  Cyborg 009 I know a bit more because of it’s short run on Toonami back in the early 2000’s.  Devilman is another thing.  The most I remember about it is the little bits of footage I saw in a very old but still kick ass video catalogue promo from Manga Entertainment.  So, even with the smallest of knowledge bases in mind, was there really a need to bring these two franchises together?  Did they even exist in the same universe?  Well if the first episode is any indication, the answer to that second question is, No.  At least this is in regards to the Cyborg crew as it’s unclear if theyre fighting another cyborg enemy or a God in the opening act.  Devilman, on the other hand, thinks 009 and 003 are demons at first when he and 009 have their much anticipated showdown. 

There’s just so much about this attempted crossover event that feels out of place and rather forced.  For starters, neither set of characters is given the appropriate amount of backstory to bring newcomers up to speed, basically making this a nostalgia fest for fans of the franchises in the 70’s and 80’s (?) only.  The set up for bringing everyone together is also very simple and non complex from a writing standpoint: somethings coming, no one knows what it is, assumptions are made, fights break out.  There’s nothing deep or meaningful, just a lot of rushing along to get to 009 and Devilman’s showdown.  This just feels like fan fiction that ignores basic storytelling structure in favor of just getting to the action that didn’t need to happen.

Maybe it’s just because the, at the time, latest version of Cyborg 009 was airing on Toonami, but I don’t remember that show being particularly bloody when it came to the violence.  Sure a member lost an arm every once in a while but there wasn’t a ton of gore.  Which makes the bloodier moments with Devilman all the more confusing.  These two seem universes apart in terms of their content.  It’s like (oh God I cant believe I am making this comparison) DC vs Mortal Kombat.  It was never going to work even as a concept because the DC heroes don’t do Fatalities or kill their opponents.  The MK boys and girls have no problems decimating their opponents in any way imaginable.  Devilman’s segments never skimp on the gore or the disturbing imagery of humans being turned into demons.  Honestly, it’s a surprise that 009 only loses one of his arms in the duel with Devilman and isn’t dismembered.  Really, why didn’t Devilman tear him to shreds and be done with it?  Too many questions and I doubt any answers would satisfy me.

Cyborg 009 vs. Devilman is a three episode OVA but really, after the first episode, im not looking to continue with it.  009 was ok when I watched it and Devilman, well, I doubt I’ll ever check it out.  Bringing the two together confuses the hell out of me.  If there are fans out there who, for whatever reason, wanted to see these two come together to save the world, or kill each other, you’ll be well rewarded for your fan wishes.  Me…im still just going “huh?” and “Why?”

 

T5W#39-Top 5 Anime Bros

Its been a tough week on my end with some personal stuff I wont get into here.  I will say that its time like the ones I had where I really feel thankful for several people in my life, especially the friends I see as family.  I don’t think it’s sad to say that I think of Anime in the same regard.  There were always those few characters I knew I could rely on to cheer me up with scenes id watched dozens of times.  I always wished I could hang with them or go on an adventure with these characters.  So this week im counting down my five Anime bros, the ones who, whenever they were on screen, let me know that the world wasn’t ending.

#5-Tenchi Masaki

Tenchi has always been a down to Earth and chill dude, despite all the intergalactic incidents.  But really, besides the cheery attitude, the only other reason you’d want to hang around him is because he is a chick magnet.  Up to six girls around his house at all hours of the day (especially Ryoko and Kiyone), how could you not want to befriend Tenchi to take a shot at one of these girls?  But seriously, Tenchi is a loyal dude, willing to go to the ends of the universe to help you.  That endears him to me more than his “not harem” of beautiful women.

#4-Piccolo

Sometimes you just need someone to sit with you.  They don’t have to say much, hell it may not be their thing really.  Piccolo is one of those guys.  He’s not about feelings or talking about them.  He’s more about training you to be the best you can be.  But I get the feeling that if I was having a bad day or was in the middle of a tough life moment, he’d just sit there with me.  Sometimes it doesn’t take words to know that the people closest to you will always be there for you.  That makes Piccolo one of the best sensei’s and friends out there.

#3-Kenshin Himura

I would love to hang around the Kamiya Kashin Ryu dojo to learn how to use swords.  Sure Kenshin isn’t going to teach me much.  But being around that cheerful but clumsy personality and all the “oro?” would be worth sticking around even more.  And even if he cant teach me swords, Kenshin still has plenty of wisdom to share about life, the universe and everything.  Oh and there’s the potential to see him in action, rare as it can be.  The Battosai has my back and I’d have his.

#2-Duo Maxwell

One of my first favorite Anime characters of all time.  How could you not want to hang around this guy?  Duo didn’t just have the best Gundam (DEATHSYTHE!!!) but he was also the kind of guy youd want to grab a beer with after a long days work.  Always an optimist (or at least always handy with a joke), never giving up, always there when his fellow pilots need him (even when not asked).  He’d even postpone his Christmas to help you with a mission to save your would be girlfriends life.  Plus dude can rock the ponytail and still look like a bad ass.  If you need a smile to cheer you up, look to Duo, God of Death and amazing friend.

#1-Spike Spiegel

The King of Cool.  The Master of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kun Do.  The man who can pull off the not so tidy suit and still look awesome.  Spike’s the kind of character you could really get into trouble with and still have a good time.  Chances of successfully getting bounties is questionable.  But Spike’s still the big brother type every one of us wishes we had (ladies might think a liiiiitle differently).  His lifes lessons got me through some tough moments in high school and I still keep coming back for more.  Spike Spiegel, the best bro in all of Anime.

Rahxephon Part 4 Episodes 13-16

When the Babhem Foundation delivers a powerful new weapon to TERRA, Ayato finds that his days of being useful might be at an end.  And when he discovers the truth that has been kept from him since his arrival, Ayato finds himself at a crossroads.  As new players arrive to change the game, Ayato pushes himself away from those who care from him the most.  But Ayato only knows half of the story.  The other half awaits him elsewhere.  At last, the time has come to return to Tokyo Jupiter.
 

This was a busy week for Rahxephon.  We were less focused on mecha action, though what was there was great, and more concerned with starting to solve some of this shows many mysteries.  Nothing’s been clearly explained.  But now that we’re well into the second half, you can feel steps are being taken to begin that process.

Ayato’s reaction to learning about his blood is pretty understandable.  No one has been straight with him about answers ever since he arrived.  So it is no surprise to me that he decides to close himself off.     Honestly, Haruka, of all people, has no right to try and call out to him since she did promise she’d explain everything but has been too afraid to do so.  Still, it was touching to see Ayato show he still cared a little bit, holding Haruka’s hand before running off back to Tokyo Jupiter. 

It really didn’t help that Elvy turned her racist animosity towards the Mu onto Ayato when Soichi let slip the secret about his blood.  Having someone like that giving me stink eye even after helping fight by their side all this time would drive me away quick.  Seriously, Elvy’s always been kind of a bitch but this week she took it to a whole new level.  Her mini stand off with the Rahxephon (with it’s sweet new bow and arrow technique) was one of the best still shots of the series, well including the setting sun.  Still, the Vermillion is a really sweet looking mech and I feel it’s only a matter of time before TERRA has more of a mecha force to replace, rather than support, the Rahxephon.  I say support but seeing as how the shady Babhem Foundation is involved in Vermillion’s distribution, I know there’s more to it.

Following Ayato’s life changing discovery, we took an episode to look into the pasts of Makoto and Itsuki, as well as get a new intro for newcomer Helena.  If this episode was meant to humanize Makoto a little bit, it would have succeeded if his present day self wasn’t such an ass.  So he’s a clone, one of many (btw was the interestingly animated butler another clone?  Probably), and he wanted to find his parents.  Makoto’s midnight adventure with Itsuki and the proto Mu Dolem (I guess?) had an air of an 80’s kids movie to it, complete with a tragic ending.  But still, Makoto still sucks.  Doesn’t excuse that Sayoko didn’t realize she was being used by him, that’s just stupidity right there.

There’s still a lot going on in the past that will have a lot to play out in the present.  Rikudo’s daughter being Ayato’s mother was a big shocker.  As for Quon being the first Mu test subject…not really.  Given how Quon is portrayed, it’s not surprising she’s both older and a bit my cryptic than your normal 17 year old.  And Itsuki and Makoto being trained as Instrumentalists?  Were they candidates for the Rahxephon before it was even revealed.  There’s a definite connection between Babhem and the Mu there that’s sure to (hopefully) be revealed.

Whew, I said it was busy. And we haven’t even gotten back to Tokyo Jupiter yet.  God only knows how much more complicated this is all gonna get when Ayato reunites with his mom and hears the other side of the story.  Minds will be blown next week for sure.

FIF#11-Little Witch Academia

Akko has always had a dream.  Ever since she saw a performance from witch superstar Shiny Chariot, she has wanted to become a Witch.  But Ako’s not the best student at Luna Nova Magical Academy, falling asleep in class and she cant even ride a broom. Akko fears she is being taught to become a more traditional witch, the old and creepy kind.  However, all that doubt and fear is about to be put to the test.  When a school exercise goes horribly wrong, Luna Nova’s source of power, the Sorcerer’s Stone, is threatened.  It’s up to Akko and her only friends, her roommates Lotte and Sucy, to pull off a magical miracle the likes of which no one at Luna Nova has ever seen before.

Gonna be a busy weekend for me so I’ll keep this one pretty brief. 

I spotted this title on Netflix a while back and, after seeing it was a short 25min feature, decided what the hell, ive got time to kill.  Last time I did a random watch like this was with Summer Wars and that turned into my favorite Anime Film of all time.  While LWA isn’t my brand new favorite Anime of all time, i did have a ton of feels I haven’t felt watching an Anime in a long time.  Sure most Anime I watch are more action packed and full of thrills, but I do enjoy the ones that give you hope and show that with Anime, anything is possible.

There really wasn’t a single part about Little Witch Academia I didn’t like.  Akko had a lot of spunk but Sucy is sure to be a fan favorite for her tone def, morbidly hilarious sense of humor.  The animation is pretty stellar.  This one was done by Studio Trigger, the minds behind Kill La Kill, so it definitely felt like a more kid appropriate version of KLK.  The music is sweeping and as magical as it should be, given the Anime’s title.  The final battle with Akko and the Dragon especially hit all the right beats and moments of awesomeness gelled nicely with great tunes.  I have to just say outright, im not happy this isn’t a full fledged series.  I’m sure LWA was supposed to be a one off project.  There is a longer sequel: The Enchanted Parade (which I may review at another time).  But beyond that, there’s too much goodness here that it’s a shame there isn’t a 13-26 episode series dedicated to these characters, this humor and this Wizarding World that I don’t think has been looked at in a very long time in Anime. 

I went into Little Witch Academia with no expectations and I left wanting a lot more.  If this were a normal series you can bet Id throw this on my must watch list.  It made me believe in the possibility of Anime again, and we all need a show that can remind us of that every once in a while.

Keep an eye out for either a review or FIF feature on Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade, later this year.

T5W#38-Top 5 Star Wars scenes id love to see in Anime Form

I honestly don’t know if this was always a thing or if it’s recent.  But it’s as clever a holiday as anything.  Today is Star Wars Day, May the 4^th.  And to honor that “Force” of epic, creative, scifi awesomeness, here on the Anime Corner, figure id do something a bit different.  Anytime I watch Star Wars id wonder how theyd look in Anime form.  Figure id share those choice scenes here today for Top 5 Wednesday.  The Force is strong with these pivotal moments…and would be even stronger with that special surge of Japanese Animation.

#5-The Podrace (Star Wars Episode I-The Phantom Menace)

This one kind of speaks for itself.  Just watch this sequence and don’t think about Anime like IGPX or even Akira.  How bigger would the explosions be, how much more intense the carnage, and how more the F*** YEAH when Little Skywalker crosses that finish line.  Hell we need a Podracer Anime spin off series, why has this not happened yet, seriously?

 

#4-Size Matters Not (Star Wars Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back)

Anime has got some of the best mentors and sensei’s out there.  Yoda is probably the closest to an actual Japenese teacher than anything in the entire Star Wars saga, fitting since a lot of Lucas’s editing from the original trilogy is very inspired by Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood).  Yoda is very much in the line of classic Anime mentors like Yosho of Tenchi Muyo or Urahara of Bleach.  So seeing him pull an X-Wing out of a swamp to teach Luke a lesson about believing in yourself would be the one moment in all of Yoda’s resume’ I would love to see in a Star Wars Anime.

 

#3-The Battle of Endor (Space Portion) (Star Wars Episode VI-Return of the Jedi)

It was a close call between this battle and the Battle of Coruscant that opened Episode III-Revenge of the Sith.  This one though holds a more special place in my heart, a capstone finale to my first exposure to the world of movies, scifi, total imagination.  Shows like Marcoss might’ve been inspired by a battle like this one: X-Wings dogfighting with Tie Fighters to survive, battleships going head to head at point blank range, and that final run through the interior of the Death Star itself.  This kind of speed and ferocity has Macross written all over it…you know if X-Wings could turn into giant robots too.

 

#2-Rey vs. Kylo Ren (Star Wars Episode VII-The Force Awakens)

Rey alone deserves her own Anime.  In the span of a few minutes on screen, Daisy Ridley introduced me to my new Star Wars Waifu.  Rey’s resourceful, strong, beautiful and in no need of saving (even when brave attempts were made to save her).  It all culminated in her big final duel with film nemesis Kylo Wren.  How cool would it be to see some of those lightsaber moves and finisher poses in Anime form?  Rey already looked beautiful.  But drawn the right way in Anime, she’d look like a Jedi Goddess like my Anime Waifu, Rin Toshaka.

#1-Duel of the Fates (Star Wars Episode I-The Phantom Menace)

 

This was the lightsaber duel to end ALL lightsaber duels.  Two Jedi vs a double bladed lightsaber wielding Sith Lord.  Sure the moves were some of the best in Star Wars history.  But converted to Anime, we could see Jedi fighting like never before.  Think Tenchi Muyo meets the speed of Bleach and you’ve got a true clash for the ages.  I know what Anime is capable of when it comes to action.  This is the medium Star Wars was meant to be shown in.

 

Thanks for reading…and May the Force Be With You.