Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade

During a violent riot in an alternate 1950’s Japan, Kazuki Fuse, a member of the elite Keberos Special Unit, fails to kill a young, female terrorist bomber, who in turn kills herself in front of him.  Removed from duty, Fuse encounters a girl named Kei, sister of the girl who died before his very eyes.  As a bond develops between the two, Fuse seems to question his place in the Special Unit.  All the while, a plot is brewing to eliminate the Keberos and Fuse may be the key to making this a reality.  Torn between duty and love, Fuse must chose the path of a human or the path of a beast.

Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade is another brainchild of the brilliance that is Mamoru Oshii.  Actually, it’s the third feature in his often overlooked Keberos Saga, following two live action features-The Red Spectacles and Stray Dog: Panzer Keberos Cops.  And while Oshii himself doesn’t direct the film (he did write the screenplay), Jin Roh still bears much of his signature storytelling.  Factor in some amazing talent from Production IG and you’ve got a very classy, if a little confusing, Anime feature of the very mature variety.

When I say mature, im not just talking about the subject matter. Visually, this film is as close as Anime gets sometimes to a live action film.  It actually wouldn’t shock me if Oshii initially wanted Jin Roh to be a third live action film in the Keberos Saga.  In lew of that, there looks to be a lot of time spent in making the alternate 1950’s setting look as legitimate as possible.  It’s not Ralph Baskhi rotoscoping, but the world and characters feel very lifelike.  There are other Oshii-isms that pop up here and there in the production.  The slow camera pans across long city streets echo Patlabor or Ghost in the Shell.  And while it may not be Kenji Kawaii composing the beats, Hajime Mizoguchi (Co Composer on The Vision of Escaflowne Soundtrack with Yoko Kanno, both the series and the movie), gives a sweeping score that’s thought provoking, incredibly intense and at times, pretty scary.  Oh and the action?  For a poster with a bad ass soldier on the front there’s very little but what there is, wow its brutal.  Bullets fly not in a manner of overkill but rather being incredibly thurough.  Much like Red Spectacles or Stray Dogs, whenever someone dons the Keberos Armor, whoever gets in their way isn’t living to tell the tale about their encounter.  The way Fuse stalks his prey in the sewers is very wolf like, fitting of the title, and his execution is almost like that of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator.  And yet that isn’t the scariest moment on the film, more on that in a moment.

So Jin Roh looks and sounds incredible but how does the story, a more or less real world look at the old Red Riding Hood tale, work for the movie?  Well, it’s both fascinating and a bit of a hinderance.  For what it’s worth, the screenwriters aren’t playing Disney adaptations with the Grimm Fairy Tale.  It’s a bold, hard look that isn’t afraid to play with the subject matter in unexpected ways.  I said above that the scariest moment of the movie isn’t how Fuse kills his enemies, but rather it’s a nightmare he has about a wolf pack mauling Kei to death.  Kids stuff, this movie is not.  As powerful as that scene might be, it is hindered by the fact that the movie tends to bombard you with the parallels between Fuse and Kei and the Wolf and Red Riding Hood of the Grimm Fairy Tale, albeit with an older, more romantic approach.  The first couple of references are fine (Fuse being the Wolf and Kei being Red Riding Hood), as are the few made during the films finale (when Fuse the Wolf is finally unleashed), but the middle portion is where things get a bit repetitive when they need to be moving at a brisker pace, not weighed down by nods.  Also, maybe it’s just me but Fuse feels so cold and detached sometimes its strange to think of Kei ever being interested in him, her being such a free spirit, though with a morbid fascination with real world truths.  Maybe that’s the point?

And then there’s the political drama.  Jin Roh takes place a couple of decades before The Red Spectacles and Stray Dog.  While you don’t need to see those two films to enjoy this one, there is a sense of set up going through each scene involving Fuse’s superiors.  This leads to a very complex, cat and mouse game between two rival groups.  We do get to a point where we find out one side has been playing the other all along but it all feels sometimes like it belongs in it’s own film, whereas the doomed romance between Fuse and Kei could have been its own.  The political side is kind of interesting, maybe not Clancy level interesting but it fits with other Oshii tales.  And in the end, the two plotlines do converge to give a very effective and solid finale.  Still, the mix isn’t as strong as it could be.  Thankfully, the film is pretty enough to keep interest where the story does falter.

Jin Roh is considered a classic by many and I will agree to that.  In an age where ones common take on Anime is either over the top violence or zany adventures, Jin Roh offers mature storytelling with a hard, real world edge that rivals most Hollywood film projects.  The story might not be tight but the animation, music and action are all top notch and then some.  Having seen the other two films in this series, I can say Jin Roh is my favorite as I did think Red Spectacles and Stray Dog were kind of boring.  Jin Roh always had my interest from beginning to end, even in the slower parts and bits that left me confused.  I’d recommend giving it a watch.  If Akira showed the world what Anime was capable of pushing the limits of the imagination, Jin Roh is a good example of how even Anime can make the real world feel more real than it already is.

8/10

First Impression Friday-GundamCember Announcement

Yes, folks youre reading that title correct and yes…im wondering if I should change it, not sure it rolls off the tongue…screw it, that’s the title for now.

To close out First Impression Friday’s successful return in the back half 2017, im planning on checking out a slew of Gundam shows ive never gotten a chance to either see in full or have never seen before.  My initial thoughts will be shared on 5 Gundam series, you’ll just have to check in every Friday to see which one (you know I never reveal my FIF’s ahead of time hehe).  Not gonna lie, im excited to be ending 2017 with this new venture.  I’ve done more with Gundam this year on this blog than ever before.  Gundam Month Mark II back in April (the launch of the Anime Corner’s 4^th Year) saw me reviewing Gundam 0080 and Gundam 0083 and the summer saw the surprise arrival of an old friend, Gundam Wing.  Factor in the numerous Top 5’s ive done as well during both those periods and more, and I don’t think I need to prove just how big of a Gundam nut I truly am.

 

It’s kind of funny, when I thought about bringing back First Impression Fridays, the original idea was to let it run for ten weeks before taking another extended hiatus (my time between two jobs is limited so much sometimes its hard to even make good headway in a series to keep getting my reviews done).  Well, we actually hit 10 new FIF’s a few weeks ago with Danganronpa The Animation.  I wish I had more time to do more but once these five new ones are done, FIF will be going dormant again for the time being.  It sucks but such is how things are.  I’ll def be bringing FIF back in 2018 sometime, we’ll all just have to wait and wonder when.

Anyway, that little bit of reminiscing aside, First Impression Friday: GundamCember kicks off this tomorrow with…ah heck, it’s the holiday I can reveal at least one.  We kick things off with my First Impressions of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt.  See ya then.

T5W#120-Top 5 Full Metal Panic Moments (Seasons 1-3)

This year I wanted to do something a little different with on the Anime Corner, a sort of experiment: take a long running series, or one with multiple seasons, and review it throughout the year.  It’s not unlike how I do my summer series specials where I review a 50 some odd series over a few weeks.  For this, I chose the mecha/comedy/action/drama Full Metal Panic and carefully placed where to review all three seasons: Full Metal Panic in February; Full Metal Panic Fumoffu in June; and I just finished up Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid for November.  The experience has been something, watching a series grow from a stumbling start into something truly incredible and unforgettable.  So I only felt it right, after spending almost a year in the universe of Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori, that I should dedicate one more Top 5 to their adventures.  So here we go.  Today’s T5W: my Top 5 Full Metal Panic Moments from the first 3 seasons.

#5-Bonta Kun Raid (Full Metal Panic Fumoffu)

When comedy and drama didn’t mix that well, more they kept jumping back and forth between tones every other episode that def made it a little disjointed, Full Metal Panic proved it’s at its best when focusing on one of the other.  The second season, Full Metal Panic Fumoffu, ditched the military drama for an all out comedy featuring fish out of water soldier Sousuke trying not to blow his cover in civilian life.  This season also gave us the adorable plushie mascot, Bonta Kun, which Sousuke acquired and turned into a prototype mecha suit.  He had a couple of fun encoutners with this adorable fighting machine.  The best of the these few and far between, but well used, Bonta Kun moments was Sousuke giving a yakuza group their own set of Bonta Kun suits to use in a mission to rescue Kaname and Rin.  All that cuteness with rocket launchers, machine guns, and that broken voice translator (so they can only say Fumoffu).  God we should have gotten a fourth episode.  Can we have one in Season 4 pleeeeeease?

#4-Sousuke’s Removed from Protection Detail (Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid)

If there was one thing Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid was good at, it was showing actual character growth for the main cast.  Sousuke and Kaname are both given incredible character arcs this season but Sousuke’s takes the cake.  When he is ordered to be removed from his protection detail for Kaname…he punches the laptop containing the message.  Holy S***.  Could you imagine Season 1 Sousuke ever doing that?  The best yet came from one of the seasons best scenes, where Tessa berates Sousuke for getting so close to Kaname.  It’s taking all Sousuke has not to go all out furious on his commanding officer.  It all comes to one very small but very effective moment in a hallway where Sousuke and Tessa pass each other…and Sousuke gives a very, very low “hmph”.  Tessa didn’t just force Sousuke to quit a mission he excelled at, she broke his heart.  God this was such good stuff

#3-The Desert Arc (Full Metal Panic)

The first season of Full Metal Panic had a ton of flaws for sure.  Most of that stemmed from the not so neatly balanced elements of comedy and drama.  The drama hit more and the comedy was far more miss.  Case in point is the high mark of the first season, a story arc completely devoid of any humor.  Sousuke returns to the Middle East, his homeland to be more precise, to escort a dangerous payload through enemy territory.  Not only does Gauron show up again but Sousuke must also contend with a childhood friend turned enemy.  Ive often spoken of how “Metal Gear Solid” Full Metal Panic can be sometimes (right down to Sousuke being a little Solid Snake-y).  The desert battlefield has vibes of Metal Gear Solid 4 and the brutality of the action that unfolds is nothing short of horrific.  In the end, only Sousuke returns from the mission alive, surviving a Hell he never thought he’d return to.  He might not say much in the arcs final scene…but you know he’s so happy to be back with Kaname again.

#2-Extraction in Sicily (Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid)

Sousuke Sagara.  Kurtz Webber.  Melissa Mao.  If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire…The Mithril A-Team.  This unusual trio of a serious soldier, sexy drunk and a flirting sniper has had a lot of fun together since the series began.  The Second Raid delivered possibly their most fun outing yet: extracting a Mithril Mole from a party in Sicily.  It’s everything I knew Full Metal Panic could be: a car chase that ranks up there with Black Lagoon; Sousuke volunteering to ditch weapons in the car to lighten the load…weapons Mao and Kurtz really need; Sousuke trying to drive while talking to a worried Kanamel; and, best of all, Melissa Mao in the sexiest party dress ever…soldiers of fortune don’t come anymore beautiful than Melissa Mao.

#1-The Season Finale (Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid)

This was it, this was what I was hoping Full Metal Panic would always get to.  In many ways, I expected this by the end of the first season, but only got a “so-so” ending there.  The Second Raid closed the chapter on Full Metal Panics most successful season to date with an arc that saw Mithril at its most desperate and Sousuke at his lowest point.  But there’s only one way to go from lows and despairs like that…shooting right back up to the top.  As soon as Kaname charges in to get Sousuke back on his feet, it is ON!!!!  So much good stuff: Sousuke and Arbelast kicking so much ass; Gates getting annihilated; Tessa proving her faith in Sousuke, even if he cant return her feelings; Sousuke calling Tessa her friend and reuniting with Kaname at Jin Dai…you have to clench your fist tight and just mutter to yourself, “Yes…Frak yeah”.  What a way to end this year long journey.  See you again down the line Full Metal Panic…it’s been a privledge.

Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid Part 4 Episodes 11-13

Now separated from his unit, Sousuke aimlessly wanders the streets of Hong Kong.  Here, Sousuke encounters an old foe who tries to convince him that Amalgam has dealt with Kaname.  Sousuke falls into despair and there may be no return for him.  Luckily for everyone else, Kaname is alive and well and she’s headed for Hong Kong too, to find Sousuke.  Will her presence kick start the disillusioned sergant so he can finish off Amalgam once and for all?

What…the…HELL? I mean yeah I called it way back but come on, can I be wrong when I assume that Gauron ISNT DEAD!?  Ugh, thankfully he might actually be gone for good…otherwise he really is immortal.  And for once, Gauron’s appearance didn’t feel like a waste of time.

I think I skipped ahead a little.  Let’s backtrack, WHOOOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!  Well that’s something I never thought id really say about a super serious Full Metal Panic.  Where did all of this awesome goodness come from?  This is such a far cry from the first season and it’s soooooo good haha.  Oh wow, again, feel like im jumping ahead.  Before I sing tons of praise in Final Thoughts, let’s get to the ending itself.

At the end of last week, Sousuke deserted and from then on it was nothing short of a downward spiral.  Aimless wanders, almost sleeping with a prostitiute who looked scarily similar to Kaname (clone?), attempting to drunk burbon, Sousuke had hit as close to rock bottom as he could have gotten.  Then Sousuke had his reunion with Gauron and the Psycho managed to lay out some serious knowledge and taunts on his death bed.  As I said above, Gauron actually felt menacing even from a simple bed.  With nothing left to lose, he gave Sousuke intel on Amalgam before claiming Kaname was dead.  Wow did Sousuke react or what?  I want to say Gauron wont be coming back from being shot point blank several times by Sousuke and then getting blown up…but given this guys history, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was back somehow.  After that, Sousuke just said screw it, he was done, it was all over…

AND THEN KANAME CAME RIGHT THE HECK IN!!!! Easily one of the most “F Yeah” moments of Full Metal Panic came in the form of Kaname beating the living tar out of Sousuke to shock him back to normal.  Just how did she get to Hong Kong?  I assume it has something to do with Wraith…who is actually a woman, did I miss something?  In the end, I didn’t care how because the results spoke for themselves.  It was good to see these two again after all they’ve been through on their own.  Granted their strongest scene was the very last of the season but here, Kaname looking down on a bewildered Sousuke while the sun rose behind her was the perfect set up for what came next.

Nevermind how Arbelast only works with Sousuke, again all storytelling mishaps can be forgiven considering the serious beatdown he gave Gates and his Venom sporting cronies.  It reminded me a bit of Asuka taking on the Mass Produced Eva line up in The End of Evangelion.  Sousuke cut through everything like it was nothing, all the while boldly proclaiming he is a student at Jindai High School and not a mercenary.  Kind of wish Gates had freaked out when death stared him and his…cyborg body (?) right in the face.  Sousuke won the day with one punch, impressing even Clouseau…yeah it felt right Sousuke and Kaname both got their F Yeah moments in this finale.

Probably the biggest surprise was Tessa got a couple of very strong moments that have changed my opinion of her character.  I didn’t like her at all in Season 1 and thought she was better served as the comic relief/romantic rival in Full Metal Panic Fumoffu.  However, her defense of Sousuke and standing up to her XO on the bridge during an operation was inspiring.  She even admitted she was in love with Sousuke but was putting her faith in the long list of accomplishments he’s made more than her feelings.  Add that up with her mending things with Sousuke and his promise that they were good, even calling her by her first name, and you’ve got a very smile worth F Yeah moment for a character who I never thought id be rooting for.

And it doesn’t look like things will be completely back to normal as the dust settles.  Kaname poured her soul out to Sousuke.  She still has her angry streak and will beat the heck out of him for sure.  However leaving her crying like that while her friends berated Sousuke for making her cry seems like things are going to change for Kaname and Sousuke going forward.  This is as close to her saying “I like you” as Kaname can get right now and Sousuke has made his feelings more than clear to the viewers given how thinking she was dead completely destroyed his soul.  This is the growth ive been waiting for with Full Metal Panic and im glad it finally came my way.

Couple of last loose ends.  I mentioned Wraith was a woman and was probably the reasons Kaname made it to Hong Kong…why didn’t we get more with those two?  It looked like Kaname was more the force of nature behind convincing the Observer she needed to get to Sousuke.  I just wish we had a tiny bit where we saw them hash it out somewhere.  Then there’s Leonard Testerosa.  I’ve gotta say he seemed pointless throughout the series, only showing up to indicate “I’m here in this show.”  His only real useful moment was when his men killed Yu Lan and when he kissed Kaname to prove a point about her feelings for Sousuke.  I’m glad we are getting a Season 4 of Full Metal Panic and Leonard’s confirmed to be returning, cause if that wasn’t the case including him at all in The Second Raid and doing nothing with him was a waste of time.

Now for final thoughts: This was the best (normal) season of Full Metal Panic.  The tension was raised exponentionally.  Kaname and Sousuke both got adequate time to develop separately, and together.  The action was insane and very exciting.  Gates and the Twins made for fun (if not incredibly) disturbing villains to battle.  And characters from the past who bothered me greatly made strides to better themselves (Tessa and Gauron).  While much of the humor was sacrificed, making things a little more serious didn’t hurt the seasons momentum or storytelling power.  Some elements didn’t live up to their potential (looking at you Leonard) but with Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory, confirmed for early 2018, it looks like Full Metal Panic has a chance to take everything it got right with The Second Raid and run with it to even further greatness.

This was an excellent season, the best you could ask for from a show that started on shaky ground.  For that, I award Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid…

9/10

Hooooo ok, now that that’s out of the way, it’s December.  And Angels are descending for the holidays…foul mouthed, party hardy, sex and sweets loving Angels…they are Angels right?  Pray for me as I begin tackling the bizzare Anime comedy Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt starting next week, my last series to close out 2017.  See ya then everyone.

FIF#42-Black Clover

Asta and Yuno are orphans raised as brothers since they were abandoned at a church.  As the two begin to come of age, the impulsive Asta dares to declare he will become the Wizard King.  The only problem is…in a world where magic is everything, Asta is unable to use magic.  While Yuno is the prime candidate for a number of powerful wizard guilds, leaving Asta in the cold.  But when Asta discovers a rare artifact that gives him an unexpected power, his dreams could very well become reality.  How far is Asta willing to go to become the greatest wizard of all time and is the world ready for his unstoppable fury?

Black Clover has been hailed as one of the big titles to watch out for in 2017, yet I hadn’t heard about it til just recently.  Barely five minutes into the first episode…why is this the title that holds the most promise, I ask?  Not only is Black Clover a miss mash of various Shonen and Magical titles from…well forever, it also boasts probably the most obnoxious and irritable Shonen lead.  So much so, hating Asta could maybe drive me to actually like Naruto (and I CANNOT STAND Naruto…the character, the show and manga aren’t bad).

Let’s just cut to the chase.  Asta is basically a fusion of Hinata from Hakiyuu (the hair), Monkey D. Luffy (the dreamer), and Naruto (the indomitable spirit).  On their own, those aforementioned characters do their best to lead their respective shows and give us a hero to root for.  Asta…makes you want to slaughter him thirty seconds after the fifteen year time skip where we meet him properly.  It’s his mother…freaking…VOICE!!!  Yes, whether or not Asta can actually kick ass is beyond me because as I write this, the time code of which I have paused Black Clover and have opted NOT to look back…is 8 minutes and 14 seconds.  Seriously, this is the character meant to lead a show that’s supposed to stand alongside the likes of Naruto, One Piece, Bleach and Dragon Ball Z?  Asta’s voice is so gratting.  Why does he need to yell at the end of every sentence?  I have no idea.  Does he have any other settings besides obnoxious and borderline creepy?  I cant answer that either.  Do I even remotely care if he becomes the next Hokage…no wait…Pirate King…wait im close umm…Super Saiyan…no im way off…WIZARD KING THAT”S IT…no I don’t care.  Asta can fail as much as this series is going to if it is solely relying on him to carry everything.

I have seen bits and pieces of Black Clover past its first episode but this was the first time ive tried to watch an episode in full.  And if I cant make it past the 10 minute mark, I know something is very wrong.  I’ve seen hints of Guilds that look like the Squads that make up Bleach’s Soul Society.  I’ve seen magic techniques that look no different from Fairy Tail or Slayers.  Asta’s “brother” Yuno, is basically Sasuke from Naruto (possibly even with a tragic backstory that will drive him to become Asta’s ultimate rival).  Hell, Asta’s main weapon is basically a riff on Guts’ sword from Berserk…FREAKING BERSERK.  I suppose it’s too much to ask the little brat stole it from the guy and Guts will hunt him down and show Asta some of the unspeakable horrors that happen in that dark neck of the Anime universe.  In short, there is hardly a lick of originality invested in Black Clover and it’s more a mix of…well everything else that’s come before it.  None of it sticks and, besides it still being an ongoing manga, I cant see why this show will last past its first season.

Asta’s screaming is going to be burned into my mind for the rest of the day probably and im not even certain watching Black Clover on mute is going to be worth investing my time in.  If you want to get into a really good Shonen Anime, I’d recommend My Hero Academia (cause it lives up to the hype…even though I haven’t fully caught up) or heck even Fairy Tail, which has a way more likeable lead and supporting cast…and Erza Scarlett.  As for Black Clover…if you can make it past the first five minutes and Asta’s voice that refuses to go below a ear tearing yell, then you are either the King of Patience or a glutton for punishment.  Either way, this series is a no go for me and I am not sorry.

8 minutes 14 seconds…that’s gotta be a record for me.

T5W#119-Top 5 Anime Things Im Thankful For in 2017

Thanksgiving is the time of the year I almost consider a prep for Christmas in terms of holiday spirit and meaning.  It’s a time to get together with family and friends and think back on how much you cherish them, as well as all of the other things that have happened in your life.  As the title suggests, it’s a time to be thankful.  This year has…sucked to say the least.  Those of you who know me know why I say that.  A lot of crap has happened, most of it not the best and, in many respects, it’s still ongoing.  But that doesn’t mean the year has been all bad.  My thoughts are always with friends and family, but im also thinking about this blog.  I think in 2017 ive written some of my strongest reviews and articles to date and im so happy with how this blog has grown.  The power of Anime has gotten me through many a dark day this year and today, the day before Thanksgiving, I’m giving my favorite entertainment genre all my love.  Yep, today’s Top 5 will be dedicated to the Top 5 Anime Things Im Thankful For in 2017.  This could be shows, events, people, if I has to do with Anime and I have a soft spot for it, it’s on this Top 5.

 

#5-Gigguk

If Steve Blum’s Tom 2.0 from Toonami was the voice of my Anime childhood, Gigguk has been the voice of my Anime adulthood.  Not only can he produce incredibly hilarious reviews and various coverage stories on Anime across the board, Gigguk can also speak to a much deeper, more personal side of the average Anime fan.  What he always says, comes from the heart, be it the parody, the honest, or the really bad truth (Neo Yokio is so bad it drove him a bit mad I think).  Several of his videos have made me laugh my ass off (like his recent Black Clover review) and have moved me to the point of tears (his epic Your Name review).  If there is one voice in the Anime community I’d love to meet more than Steve Blum, it’s this guy and I hope he somehow can attend an Anime convention on the east coast sometime.  Til then, be sure to check out his youtube page for some of the best Anime opinions out there, he is a very wise man.

 

Gigguk Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/gigguk

 

 

#4-Rinaca and Surine Cosplay

Rinaca and Surine are a pair of cosplayers from Denmark who have rocked the cosplay community with their awesome character portrayals and their real life love story that echoes in their character pairings as much as their real lives.  I’ve followed them both on social media for a bit but back in the Spring, we actually chatted back and forth for a bit, talking about mostly Overwatch (thanks to their kick ass Tracer and Widowmaker cosplays).  From there, I was pointed towards Haikyuu as a new show to watch, and also My Hero Academia.  Thanks to my chats with them, I resurrected First Impression Friday in the late summer thanks to a list of shows the recommended…and I still kind of need to watch (that’s my bad).  The power Rinaca and Surine have to inspire everyone with their words, their hearts and their cosplay work knows no limits and I’m glad ive gotten to chat with them on and off again this year.  It’s always a plus to make new friends in the Anime world.

 

Head over to their Facebook Pages to peruse their cosplay resume (and prepare to be blown away)

 

Rinaca Cosplay:

https://www.facebook.com/RinacaCosplay/

 

Surine Cosplay:

https://www.facebook.com/SurineCosplay/

 

 

#3-Gundam Wing: High Definition

With the announcement that Mobile Suit Gundam Wing was returning to the DVD/Blu-Ray market this year, I was pretty excited at the chance to finally add it to my collection.  While that hasn’t happened yet, Crunchyroll added the show to their streaming service and, best yet, it was in HD (basically this is how the Blu-Ray is going to look).  It may lack the popular English Dub from the Toonami era, but I still took the opportunity to finally rewatch it and, more importantly, review it for this blog.  Those of you who have been reading here for a while know that Gundam Wing is why I really got into Anime and why I have codenamed myself and named my blog after it.  In rewatching the show this summer, I got to go on a nostalgia trip and see the good, the not so great and what isn’t totally the best…yeah Wing may not be as shiny as it was back in the year 2000 but it is still a damn important series to me.  It all culminated in what might be the most heartfelt, honest, final thoughts of a review ive written to date:

 

“There are better Gundam stories out there: the original Gundam 0079, 08th MS Team, 0080 to name a few, with better pacing, character and plot development and more consistent animation levels.  But let me be absolutely clear about this: Don’t think for one second that I’m writing Gundam Wing off as a bad nostalgia trip or an unimportant entry in the Gundam franchise.  Without this show, for better or worse, Gundam would not be the name it is in the US Anime community.  Like many others, the images of the characters, battles and the Gundams themselves, are the first that come to mind often when I hear “Gundam”.  That, in and of itself, is a negative with “die hard” fans who think that Wing’s popularity overshadows better entries in the franchise.  It’s tough to try and get others into other Gundam entries but not impossible (I found the original series and 08th MS Team a year later and love them to death).  In the end, I’m on both sides of the fence as to whether or not Id recommend Gundam Wing as the starting point for new fans.  I could easily say, watch Mobile Suit Gundam first because it’s where everything began for Gundam.  For me, I’d say start with Wing…because at the end of the day, this is where Gundam started for me.  Flaws and all, I will never forget that and as much as I’ve ragged on it, I will stand up for this show until the day I die.

 

Impossible, you say?  I say…Mission Accepted.”

 

Only an Anime that I hold very near and dear to my heart could get that much honesty from me.

 

 

#2-Katsucon 2017

I wasn’t able to get to Otakon for it’s first showing in DC this year.  However, I was able to make it to Katsucon back in February and, let me tell ya, it was a trip I needed and am glad I went on.  Going a day early and watching the con slowly come to life was nothing short of magical.  Being able to spend the weekend with some really good friends I met at Otakon was a blessing.  Once again meeting awesome cosplayers like Fawnina again and meeting newly discovered ones like Byndo Gehk are feelings ill never get used to (it’s like meeting approachable and nice rockstars).  The general feeling was one I have felt a few times from con to con…the feeling that I never wanted this weekend to end.  Katsucon 2017 was a year I hold up there with the best of the cons ive been to (Katsu 2015 and Otakon 2011 and 2013).  The Dealer’s Room vibes, the humongous Overwatch photoshoot, a reunion with friends in the Game Room, hell the really freaky warm weather.  It reminded me why I think of Anime Conventions as a home away from home.  Whenever I’m there, I feel safe, happy…well…home.

 

For more thoughts on that amazing weekend in February, you can check out my previous Top 5’s for Katsucon 2017

 

Top 5 Katsucon 2017 Moments:

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/t5w80-top-5-katsucon-2017-moments.html

 

Top 5 Katsucon 2017 Cosplays:

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/t5w115-top-5-katsucon-2017-cosplays.html

 

 

#1-Your Name

When I first went to see this movie, I only knew two things about it: The title and the fact that the Anime world was praising this film like it was their equivalent of the second coming.  The positive reviews would not stop and I couldn’t understand why all this buzz was being generated around a film without much of an initial pedigree or franchise behind it.  This was Miyazaki level good hype.  Then I saw Your Name…and I found myself crying…a lot.  I ended up seeing Your Name twice: first in Japanese and the second time in English.  Both times, I was always super into it, loving the characters, digging the animation, beyond blown away by how well the premise work, nodding to the soundtrack, almost ready to cheer when something amazing happened to Taki and Mitsuha.  The last time an Anime film made me feel all of these emotions and more was Summer Wars.  Your Name easily ranks up there with it, as well as Akira, Ghost in the Shell and Spirited Away.  Though it came out in 2016 in Japan, I am breaking a rule of mine when making a Top 3 list of movies for a year and have placed Your Name on that list, where it has sat since April.  Blade Runner 2049 couldn’t dethrone it and, though im super hyped for it, im not even certain Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be able to knock it off the spot.  Your Name may not have had a Gundam or any real action (tons of tension but no gun totting bonaza’s).  But much like FLCL, Gundam Wing or even Code Geass, it reminded me of why I love Anime…and why certain films of Your Name’s caliber can make me fall in love with it all over again.

 

My full review of Your Name is right here:

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/your-name.html

 

That’s it for me today.  What is everyone else thankful for this year, IRL, Anime or otherwise?  Whatever it is, keep it close to your heart and enjoy Thursday with the people that matter…and the food that is just a really kick ass bonus.

 

Happy Holidays everyone from me right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.

Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid Part 3 Episodes 8-10

Convinced Sousuke’s closeness with Kaname is hindering him, Tessa recalls Sousuke, cancelling his mission to guard her.  At the same time, Almagram begins to come after Kaname herself.  Without her bodyguard and friend, how will Kaname survive going up against ruthless assassins?  Meanwhile, Sousuke deals with a new assignment, the wrath of Tessa and a new officer who berates his every move.  Tested at every turn, will Sousuke return to his roots as a soldier, or is there really no going back after the time he’s spent with Kaname?


Well that took a helluva turn.  Scratch that, the turn had been made and now were on an unknown road.  Following last weeks traumatic cliffhanger, it was time to look at how Sousuke and Kaname were handling their separation…turns out neither are doing so hot but one is doing a bit better than the other.


Let’s start with Sousuke.  He’s almost completely changed from the no nonsense orders taking solider he was back in Season 1.  Sousuke’s angry and unfocused and that’s definitely cost him in this set.  I liked, for the most part, his talk with Tessa.  It’s true, Tessa has to look out for Mao, Kurtz and the rest of her crew and if Sousuke isn’t 100% there, that is on her.  It was one of the few times that I felt Tessa was a competent commander…and then she had to ruin it by basically letting her jealousy of Sousuke’s feelings for Kaname creep in.  I’ll always wonder if that same jealousy is what drove Tessa to back the order to recall Sousuke (Also shoutout to the photo Tessa has of the Hot Springs trip she took with Kaname and her friends during Full Metal Panic Fumoffu, I love to see that season acknowledged in some way).  Probably the best moment by far was when Sousuke passed Tessa in the hall before his next mission.  No words were shared but the low “hmph” was all you needed to hear from Sousuke.  He’s never gonna forgive Tessa for pulling him away from Kaname.

Which begs a couple of questions: first off, I don’t get why Sousuke is so essential for the Arbelast to work?  Seems like anyone else would be better suited, including the hard ass new SRT leader Clouseau, who kicked Sousuke’s ass in AS combat.  If it has been explained, ill admit, it hasn’t been explained well.  Secondly, this separation isn’t something you can just shake off.  So why send Sousuke on a mission when he’s clearly a liability to others and himself?  As it turns out, he almost gets himself and Mao killed when thinking about Kaname.  Sousuke flat out deserting when Mao suggested he do so was a big “whoa” moment.  Sousuke’s in a lot of pain and only one person is going to be able to fix it.

That other person is Kaname and man did she get a lot to do in only one episode.  While she did eventually get a moment to break down and confess she wants Sousuke back, otherwise life isn’t normal anymore, Kaname wasn’t going to stand by and wait to be picked off.  Her skillful evasion of the rather disappointing Wraith was well done and so was her unexpected showdown with Yu Lan.  By rights, Kaname should be dead.  We’ve seen Yu Lan and her sister tear through seasoned soldiers like tissue paper.  More surprising was the appearance of Tessa’s confirmed brother, Leonard, who had next gen AS style cyborgs kill Yu Lan.  Leonard was a bit of an enigma and I hope we get a little more detail on him besides his “working for another organization” schtick.  His only good in this show, so far, was to kiss Kaname, which forced the aforementioned breakdown before she got her head back in the game.  What she’s going to do with a damaged Wraith (what the hell is Wraith anyway?) is exciting to speculate about.

I was a little worried something was going to happen to Mao once her team got to Hong Kong.  It’s a normal trope for a main character to get seriously injured or even die when they reveal too much backstory.  Hearing Mao talk about how she was engaged to be married only to bug out and enlist in the Marines that same day was very much in her unpredictable and fun character.  So it’s a sigh of relief that she came out ok.  Was also interesting to see she and the new hard ass Clouseau have a bit of history.  I don’t think I like that guy, even if he’s playing the tough love approach with Sousuke.  He just doesn’t fit in with my favorite Mithril A-Team.

 

I think I know why Sousuke was spared by the attacking AS before he deserted, especially if it is Yu Fan inside of it.  Looks like we’ll be getting to “Sensei” in the grand finale next week.  There’s a lot of ground to cover, the least of which is reuniting Sousuke with Kaname.  Will Gates get what’s rightfully coming to him?  What’s Leonard’s role in all of this?  Will Sousuke master Arbelast?  The Second Raid’s been on fire the last couple of weeks.  Here’s hoping it can keep up the pace to a blazing conclusion next week.

FIF#41-Fate/Apocrypha

During the last great Holy Grail War, one mage seized the Grail for himself and vanished into the wind.  Decades later, that mage seeks to assert his power with the Grail by declaring war on the Mages Association.  A new Holy Grail War begins with a new set of rules.  The Mages Association and the Yggdmillenia family will each choose seven members for a black and red team.  Fourteen Mages, Fourteen Servants.  The stakes have never been this intense and when the swords and spells finally clash…it’s only going to get more interesting.


Oh Fate/Stay Night.  With the Heaven’s Feel Route Trilogy now underway, we’ve pretty much come to an end with interations of the original Fate/Stay story…you know unless Ufotable wants to redo the Fate route too.  So now we’re starting to delve into alternate realities, ones where Grail wars take different turns, feature new servants and masters and have their own twists, turns and textbooks full of dialogue that will range from epic to just downright tedious (depending on who’s talking).  Earlier this year we had Fate/Grand Order and I could barely get it started without context.  Now, Fate/Apocrypha has arrived in the States and has been hailed one of the more fun titles of the year.  Is it really?


I’ll freely admit, I’m not a die hard Fate/Stay fan.  As much as I loved Fate/Zero and most of Unlimited Blade Works, I have never been tempted to track down any other titles or dig deeper into the lore surrounding this epic tale.  That being said, I’ll just say right now that I don’t think Apocrypha will be a title for me.  It starts off as most Fate/Stay entries usually do: an epic battle sequence showing us characters likely to play large roles in the main narrative while the animation studio (Studio A-1, the group behind Sword Art Online) proves that they can pull off the franchises epicly awesome battles.  After that, that’s where I got a little lost and a bit turned off.  Going into a Fate/Stay series without Rin and Shiro might not be a bad thing (especially with Shiro) but someone a bit more familiar within the cast would have helped ease me in.  Now, we do get, who I assume, is Waver from Fate/Zero, grown up and a teacher of the mages association (he even looks like how we glimpsed him in his special cameo at the end of Unlimited Blade Works).  Plus there are alternate versions of Saber and Shirou (ill get to them).  But all this newness is a bit much, especially when there’s a lot of it.


At it’s minimum, there are at least 28 characters to keep track of right out of the gate: 14 mages and 14 servants on two different teams.  Even with a series at length of 25 or so episodes, that’s a lot to keep track of.  We spent more screentime with the Yggdmillenia family than anyone else and yet their time felt so brief between clan members I can barely tell you who is who and who their servants are.  It almost makes Fate/Zero’s intro look simple by comparison.  For all of it’s complexity, Fate/Zero I was at least remembering who everyone was by the end of the first episodes, masters, servants and all.  There were a couple of stand outs in Apochrypha’s cast.  Mordred, the daughter of King Arthur, is the big Saber class and she reminds me of a hybrid of Saber and Gilgamesh.  I thought that would be a problem but she grew on me quite a bit.  She’s cute enough but I love her bad ass battle armor that she can summon and retract like a mecha.  There’s also Ruler, who appears to be some reincarnation of Jeanne D’Arc.  We didn’t spend much time with her but I can tell she’ll likely be as close to a central character as we get on this show…if we can take time away from all the team prep drama to take her in.  I also mentioned Shiro.  There is a version of him here and I’ll tell ya, it’s so scary to see him named Shiro Kotomine (related to Kirei from the main series?).  As much as I cant stand the kid, the idea that Shiro became a dark lackey for a homicidal priest doesn’t sit well with me.

There are much bigger fans of Fate/Stay Night out there and, if im honest, I’ll probably look to them for further advice on whether or not I should stick with this one.  The large cast is tough to keep track of (even if I have favorites).  The new rules to the game make the Grail War more complex than ever.  And, I do miss my Fate/Stay mainstay faces (especially Rin).  As epic as this series sounds, it just might not be one I can continue with or finish…no matter how cute Mordred and Ruler both look (seriously is there some Fate story with the two of them plus Saber and Rin? I’d watch the hell out of that no matter how confusing it could be).

T5W#118-Top 5 Favorite My Hero Academia Heroes

Anime has been on a bit of a superhero kick lately hasn’t it.  In the last couple of years, two titles have emerged to show that the world of mortals and immortals with powers beyond comprehension doesn’t just fall in the Marvel, DC, Dark Horse…American wheelhouse in general.  One of those is One Punch Man, which ill actually be getting to in a couple of months (hint hint).  The other is the still on fire and still most talked about Anime of the year, My Hero Academia.  So, since we have DC Comics set to bring the Justice League to the big screen (for better or for worse, still to be determined), I figured I’d share my thoughts on my current roster of Top 5 Favorite My Hero Academia Heroes.  I’m not fully caught up, im somewhere in the middle of Season 2 I think, but Ive def seen enough to have some insta favorites…and some insta hates (F YOU BAKUKO YOU’LL NEVER BE AS COOL AS VEGETA!)…ahem, let’s get to that list shall we?

 

#5-Izuku Midoriya (Deku)

Our central hero in a show about Heroes.  Like most Shonen action heroes, Izuku, or Deku as he’s been teasing (and affectionately in one case) been called, has always wanted to be the greatest hero ever, or at least as good as his idol, All Might (more on him later).  Deku definitely gets some real bad ass moments in, pulling out a win with his new powers or his brilliant mind that can accurately form great strategies for taking down any opponent.  However, I put him at the bottom of this list because I still don’t get his extremely unhealthy obsession with trying to become Bakugo’s friend.  The kid has been a bully to Deku and takes pleasure in putting him down every chance he gets…why would you want to be friends with this guy?

 

#4-Ochaco Uraraka (Uravity)

One of Deku’s first friends, Ochaco has the ability to make object float by touching them.  Beyond her cute super suit, I like Ochaco for her reasonings for becoming a hero.  She wants to help her family first and foremost.  They’ve worked so hard in a world that doesn’t need farmers cause it has heroes.  Ochaco just wants to give back to them and help them live a comfy life, one she feels they deserve.  Through her friendship with Deku, Ochaco is slowly finding herself growing more confident, more awesome and much more inspiring…no wonder Deku crushes on her super hard (no pun intended).

 

#3-All Might

What if Superman was built like The Hulk and had a penchant for naming his Dragon Ball Z attacks after citys in the United States…you have All Might.  When this guy shows up, no matter how perilous the situation, you know everything is going to be ok.  Hell he says it everytime he shows up on the field, “Everything will be fine.  You know why?  Cause I’m here.”  What I like most about All Might is his greatest secret…he basically looks like a less brainy Bruce Banner with not a lot of skin on his bones.  He cant use his powers for very long and there are a couple of moments where that time limit is stretched so far you wonder if All Might’s going to pull through.  He’s so exciting and fun to watch because of this and because he gives the best motivational speeches in a while.

 

#2-Shoto Todoroki

Our Sasuke of the series (in my opinion anyway).  This Two Face looking young lad looks brooding but has some deep emotional baggage that he’s trying to keep from boiling to the surface.  The child of two supers, Shoto has two sets of powers: Fire and Ice and his father (the fire side) is even known as the second strongest hero next to All Might.  As such, Shoto’s been groomed to take out his Dads rival and grab the top spot he couldn’t.  But Shoto hates his dad and wants to do his own thing, his own way.  Even if he is OP AF, he doesn’t brag about it and is basically the kind of rival Deku really needs…and who Bakugo wishes he could be (or rather I hope I see Shoto kick Bakugo’s ass, does that actually happen?  I’ll watch that fight on repeat if it’s the one sided beating Bakugo deserves…huh, I think I have some rage issues with that kid).

 

#1-Tsuyu Asui (Tsu or Froppy)

Everyone needs this girl in their lives: as a friend, a teammate, a hero.  Tsu, as she wishes to be called by her friends, has been the biggest fan favorite of My Hero Academia ever since she arrived.  Her big eyes, the tongue poking out, her plain but straightforward way of thinking and talking.  Tsu’s the kind of girl you can go to for advice on anything and, even if it’s not outright said (though she might say it anyway cause she’s Tsu), you’d still come away with a better understanding of any problem.  Plus, her Frog powers are cool to see in action.  Beware the tongue of vengeance if you piss her off.  If the MHA ever forms it’s own Justice League, Tsu should be one of the first founding members…actually the first, there is no one more deserving of a spot on the roster than her.