FIF#62-Super Dimension Fortress Macross

In the year 1999, a massive alien spacecraft crash landed on Earth, leaving destruction in its wake.  10 years later, humanity has rebuilt the ship, adapted it’s technology and now the Super Dimension Fortress Macross stands ready to launch.  But when an armada of Alien warriors appears in Earth orbit, secret fears are realized: the Macross once belonged to these monstrous foes, The Zentradi, and they want it back.  When a freak accident lands the Macross at the other end of the galaxy, a young and inexperienced crew must band together to return to Earth and hope that the Zentradi don’t destroy it, or them, first.

Welcome to the first of a special 3 part First Impression Friday.  Over the next few weeks im going to be looking at the first episodes of the three shows that comprised the 80’s classic, Robotech.  To better explain, Robotech was a fusion of three separate series: Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeda.  The shows were largely unconnected to one another save for one common element: giant transformable robots (mostly fighter planes).  Through some tricky editing and clever writing, each series became a separate season (or saga) for the Robotech, each one telling the story of a different generation throughout a decades long intergalactic war.  As I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to reviewing this series as a whole (I did review the movies a while back), I decided to at least look at the shows the Robotech saga was based on, since theyre all on Amazon Prime along with Robotech itself.  And that begins here with the show that ended up being the reason Robotech is so remembered today.

The Macross franchise is the one set of titles I can think of with as long a lifespan as Mobile Suit Gundam.  Whereas Gundam redefined the genre, focusing on humans fighting other humans in giants mecha, Macross gave the more traditional intergalactic conflict focus a bit of a shot in the arm.  Youth, fast paced action, deep storytelling, and an emphasis on music and romance sent the series into the stratosphere.  And while the titles in its library aren’t as numerous as Gundam, Macross still churns out quality titles.  And that show of goodwill and trust in the franchise was birthed with this 1982 classic and it still holds up.  Classics don’t get more classic than this.

The first episode of Macross is mostly setup but its fun set up and not without its fare share of action (though the giant robots sit out the fun until the second episode).  There’s something to love about the entire cast: from the three “kind of just there” bridge bunnies to the fun sibling banter between Misa and Claudia or Hikaru and Roy.  Even the big men in charge of both sides of the battle have their shining moments: Global being the grumpy old dad who doesn’t want the spotlight but will get the job done anyway; and Bertai, a warrior general who is more calm and inquisitive than you’d expect.  If a show is to last a certain length of time (I think this show clocks in at an unusual 37 episodes), you’d hope that the cast would be more than enough to carry that weight and the cast of Macross is more than up to the challenge.

What surprised me the most about the first episode of Macross is how largely unchanged it was from the original Robotech pilot.  Yes, there were some lines changed or added to lay the seeds for future storylines (like the Robotech Masters).  But the general premise of the first episode remains the same: The Macross crashes and is rebuilt; the Zentradi come for it and Hikaru gets thrust into the middle of the fight.  That said, I know there is bound to be a lot of differences between these two stories.  It’s that familiarity for me that makes Macross more approachable and less dismissive of it being an older Anime.  And man even for a classic from the 80’s the animation here still rocks.  I can only imagine how much time went into drawing all of these characters and complex mecha, especially during the transformation sequences.  I will say, the animation has aged better than the original Mobile Suit Gundam series for sure.  This first Macross series was a benchmark for a franchise whos animation presentation has only gotten better going forward (especially with the flawless sequel, Macross Plus).

At some point, I would like to go through Super Dimension Fortress Macross and watch it from beginning to end.  While I have seen the full Macross Saga from Robotech, the only Macross related shows ive seen in full are Macross Plus and Macross Frontier.  As a huge fan of the Giant Robot Genre, I feel like I owe it to myself to put in the time to check this classic out in full at some point.  Maybe I should consider setting this one aside for a big summer review series (would be tricky to justify sticking with one series for a couple of months unless I do an accelerated review schedule).  But in general, to close out, the first episode of Macross is a show that I would put on an Anime Mix tape, a sampler to show people the perfect first episodes to show new fans that could get them interested.  They don’t call Macross, or its subsequent sequels, the Top Gun of Anime for nothing.

Check back next week for my initial thoughts of the series that made up The Robotech Masters Saga of Robotech: Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross.  And in two weeks, Part 3 of this little special: Genesis Climber Mospeda.  See ya then.

T5W#163-Top 5 Anime Double Features

Imagine this: It’s Friday or Saturday night.  No plans to go out and a wall full of Anime to peruse.  So…why not make it a double feature evening?  Yeah this weeks kind of a throwaway week for T5W but I still think this would be a fun subject to talk about and throw out some mini marathon suggestions.  These are the pair ups that can be shared between newbies or at a long time Otaku hang out.  Either way, a fun evening can be had.  Welcome to my list for the Top 5 Anime Double Features.

#5-Rurouni Kenshin (Live Action)/Gintama (Live Action)

Hey normal live action movies are always a good double feature idea, so how about two of the best live action Anime adaptations out there?  Both RuroKen and Gintama feature a lot of rapid fire and well choreographed swordplay.  This goes double for RuroKen, which basically rewrote the book on how to film any kind of action scene ever.  Gintamas self referential humor is second to none and is sidesplitting hilarity.  After watching a bunch of back to back misfires including Ghost in the Shell, Death Note and Fullmetal Alchemst, the Rurouni Kenshin/Gintama double feature is a solid reassurance that, in the right hands, we can bring our favorite Anime tales to life.

#4-Pokemon: The First Movie-Mewtwo Strikes Back/Digimon: The Movie

This just popped to mind and would be one helluva nostalgia trip.  While it was arguably brief, Pokemon and Digimon did rival each other in terms of popularity.  I personally loved the energy and creativity of early Digimon but Pokemons first couple of seasons and those addictive games are eternal.  So how about a double feature of their first theatrical outings?  Digimon is a unique case as it’s three Digimon movies reedited almost Robotech style into one semi cohesive feature…with varied results including a second third that would become the template for Summer Wars (no lie, look it up).  Pokemon: The First Movie still remains one of the more darker entries in the franchise with a climactic battle that made every kid cry in theaters.  If you want to remind yourself of Anime in your childhood, take a gander at these two timeless (kind of) classics.

#3-Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack/Mobile Suit Gundam F91

I had to think a bit about what kind of Gundam entry id throw on this list.  After all, most Gundam films are not just compilation movies, but they usually come in sets of 3 or more.  Trying to keep all entries to two selections (double feature duh), I decided to choose these near back to back theatrical features (Gundam 0080 would pop up in between).  Char’s Counterattack closes out the grand first chapter of the Gundam mythos, detailing the final battle of longtime Gundam rivals Amuro Ray and Char Aznable.  Gundam F91…trieeeed to start things off fresh with a new chapter…but it was almost a poor imitation rehash of the original series.  The film is worth a watch just for the errors and edits that were the cause of much behind the scenes turmoil (one of those cases where the making of the film might make a better movie).  So yeah, its an example of Gundam at its best, followed by Gundam at its worst…but its still a hella good time if your watching them with friends.

#2-My Neighbor Totoro/Grave of the Fireflies

This was an actual double feature back in the day, no lie.  And man, can you think of two opposite films than these two?  You have My Neighbor Totoro, one of the most innocent, child friendly, feel good movies in all of Anime.  Then you put on Grave of the Fireflies and watch the heartbreaking tragedy of two siblings struggling to survive in World War II Japan with their only hope being their unbreakable bond.  Grave of the Fireflies contains one of the most realistic and saddening endings in all of Anime…so maybe you should switch these around and watch that first followed by Totoro.  I think we’d all need a giant tree spirit plushie to hold after watching that kind of masterful dark reality.

#1-Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone/ Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance

Toonami actually did this a few years back and I was lucky enough to catch it.  Let me tell ya, it really works.  It would have been easier to place Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth and Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion in this spot…but really it bothers me that D&R’s Rebirth portion is just the first quarter of End of Eva and nothing more substantial (you could just pull D&R out after Death and just run End of Eva no prob…im ranting).  The first two chapters of the Rebuild of Evangelion series, by comparison, are the full package in two separate but equally amazing features.  1.11 offers a familiar reintroduction to the world of Eva with a few twist setups towards the end.  2.22 is the locomotive that is unleashed once that setup is completed.  This is one instance where while these are the first 2 parts of a 4 part tale, there’s no need to include 3.33-You Can (Not) Redo…cause it pails in comparison to the high bar set by this two part epic return of one of the greatest Anime franchises of all time.

The Slayers Part 6 Episodes 23-26

It’s all hands on deck as The Slayers learn the truth behind Rezo’s return.  But that’s the least of their worries when Eris sets her sights on unleashing the darkest form of vengeance on Lina Inverse and her friends: a demon even more powerful than Shabranigdo.  Lina, Gourry, Zel, Amelia and Sylphiel have come a long way since they first met but now they face their ultimate test.  The fate of the world is at stake and now they face a foe only one man in history was able to defeat.  So that means Lina’s getting paid double for this job right?  Cause The Slayers are here to save the world…but they aren’t going to do it for free.

If watching a full season of Slayers has taught me anything, it’s this: no matter the level of darkness, the size of the monster, the vastness of despair…there’s always time to crack a joke or break the 4^th wall and remind everyone that this is first and foremost a parody of the Fantasy genre.  Not every joke works but you can never fault Slayers for trying.  And that goes double for the epic Season One finale. 

The finale started off great and even opted to do the smart thing and remove Eris from the playing field quickly.  She was always just a means to an end and a character with little depth.  Though they tried to make her death tragic, I wasn’t too moved as she was never that memorable to begin with.  This gave the Rezo clone the full stage.  I guess he managed to free himself from Eris’ “control” crystal by sheer will and ill admit, he definitely seemed to trump the original Rezo in a couple of ways.  No longer blinded by his quest for sight (literally and figuratively), Rezo 2.0 only wanted one thing: to surpass the original by killing Lina and the Slayers (he even took in the power of another demon but at least Rezo got to fight as Rezo without transforming this time).  And too his credit, he came pretty damn close.  Lina getting mortally wounded had all the effects you’d expect, especially from poor Gourry.  Of course Lina was going to survive but it’s never a fun sight to see the plucky heroine so close to deaths door.  It sounds mean to say so but Lina’s near death brought the Slayers together better than before.  Luckily, her epic comeback reset things for one helluva finisher.

The animation quality of the true final battle was really something.  Normally you’d see some of the best animation in the first episode to make an eye catching pilot with which to pitch the show.  In the last episode, however, it looks like the best was saved for last.  Every spell attack, sword slash and full on charge of every single character flowed a lot smoother and packed an almost OVA quality punch (fitting since the direness of the situation felt almost Record of Lodoss War like.  It was a wild rush, right down to the final thrust of a sword from Lina.  She got her big damn hero moment for sure.  She even Rezo 2.0 a peaceful farewell, kind of mirroring how Shabranigdo congratulated The Slayers for defeating him.

Things were pretty intense for sure but Slayers didn’t forget to let the trademark humor take off some of the stress.  There were plenty of 4^th Wall breaks.  Lina and Zelgadis made several cracks about the end of the series being near and Lina even ranted about being denied screentime because of her injury.  Sure said injury killed playtime a little bit but I was never worried the show was ditching all of its hilarity just for the finale.  Nope, Slayers has always been about the humor right til the end and I hope this formula doesn’t change, even when it doesn’t work out for the best.  One thing that I hope does change is Sylphiel’s voice actress from the English Dub, who I think has been my real problem with the character.  In the beginning of the series, there were several soft spoken characters like Zel and Rezo.  Zel’s voice changed when he returned later in the series to Crispin Freeman (who voices Zelgadis from here on out) and Rezo’s voice actor managed to sound a bit more maniacal and less boring with Rezo 2.0.  Sylphiel, however, was so one note in her acting it was irritating.  At moments when she should have been shouting, she sounded so quiet and dull.  When she should have been terrified, she sounded so bored.  None of her lines worked with the character on screen and it really took me out of the moment, even in the climax of the final battle in which Sylphiel plays a vital role.  It’s time like this that the voice work of Lisa Ortiz as Lina Inverse really saves the day as she brings all the energy and fury to make up for most of the other castings weaknesses in spades.

So, the land is saved, Rezo is done (hopefully for good this time) and The Slayers are going their separate ways.  And just what did I think of The Slayers?  It was good, not 100% great but still really good.  Lina Inverse steals just about every scene she’s in better than she does the gold she’s trying to poach.  Her charm, confidence, power and humor in the face of certain death make her a character you cant help but love, even at her most greedy.  The world around her was lively and full of both danger and jokes from Demons to walking Fishmen.  And the supporting cast shined and grew…mostly.  Gourry and Zel never bothered me in the slightest.  Amelia started off irritating (and infuriated me big time in one episode), but she grew a lot too and became a powerful ally by the seasons end.  The villains were hit and miss.  Rezo 2.0 was an improvement over the original and Zangulus was an excellent rival for Gourry.  But Verumugun and Eris never hit their stride and original Rezo’s plan was…well im kind of glad he got swapped out for a scarier demon adversary.  And while some bits overstayed their welcome, the humor of Slayers remained it’s strongest spell in its arsenal.  For every moment of intensity, there was equal levity and neither competed for screentime, being balance reasonably well.

In the end, I award Season One of The Slayers 7/10.  If some of the voice acting choices for the English Dub were better, it might be an 8, but 7 still isn’t bad.  Record of Lodoss War this show isn’t but it’s still a very strong and confident fantasy epic that’s all about the journey and not the destination.  It was fun running around with Lina and her gang and I cant wait to go another round.  While Supernatural: The Anime Series is up next for Halloween, look forward to more adventures with Lina Inverse and crew when Slayers Next kicks off 2019 in a few months.  Til then, see ya around everyone.

FIF#61-Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

Narumi Momose has just started a new job in the city and she’s desperate to keep a secret, one that she believes caused her to change jobs in the first place: She’s a hardcore Otaku.  On her first day, however, Narumi crosses paths with her childhood friend Hirotaka Nifuji, who, like her, is also a hardcore Otaku, a gamer to be more precise.  Narumi’s secret is out of the bag and soon, she and Hirotaka begin to reconnect after years apart.  As the two realize that neither of them have had success in the world of romance, an idea blooms: they should date.  After all, they grew up together and love the same things, plus they’ve got the backing of their fellow Otaku coworkers.  But are two lifelong Otaku really compatible?  Or is this a recipe for certain disaster?

What is it like to date an Otaku?  Is it possible for an Otaku to find love outside of their beloved community?  And most importantly, how does it all work?  Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, looks to be taking all of these subjects and more head on, in a very charming, heartfelt and hilarious fashion.

It isn’t everyday that I easily venture away from my Anime safety zone: the scifi/mecha/fantasy genres.  When I do though, I often find myself enjoying shows I never thought I ever would: Free, Yuri on Ice, Bamboo Blade, Ouran High School Host Club and Haikyuu to name a few.  And while it would seem like this one would go over my head, Wotakoi seems poised to join the ranks of those shows. 

The setup feels very much in the vein of an American TV Sitcom like Friends or How I met Your Mother, featuring a cast of characters who are tight knit, into similar things and get into some wacky hijinks (If there isn’t a Wotakoi AMV mixed to the theme song from Friends, I need to rectify this ASAP).  Yeah, a lot of the reference and subject matter are cattered to Otaku but if you can enjoy The Big Bang Theory (for whatever ungodly reason) then this is a show I could see working for very casual Anime viewers too.  Every single adventure shared between Narumi, Hirotaka, Hana and Kabakura feels like an everyday event but in an Anime fashion, hence, for me, it can be widly entertaining even if this isn’t a show id approach easily on my own.  Learning more about each individual member of the core quartet only makes me more curious about them, especially how the two Sempai: Hana and Kabakura, ever came to be a couple in the first place.  Kabakura is the most stiff of the group so far, but only a bit more than Hirotaka.  Hana, besides being drop dead gorgeous (dear God), seems to be far more energetic and commanding (also fun loving when it comes to cosplay). I actually never expected there to be much of a clash between fandoms with the core group: Narumi’s general Anime, Hirotaka’s Video Games, Hana’s Cosplay and Kabakura’s…you know I don’t really know what his field of Otakudom is actually.  But man is it fun to watch everyone attempt to get everyone to try their fandom with varied results.

As for Narumi and Hirotaka…they’re pretty good.  Hooking them up almost right away was bold but I did like how Hirotaka, for all his wooden aloofness does seem to have genuine feelings and affections for Narumi, going back to when they were friends in grade school.  Getting these two together also allowed Watakoi to get right into the awkward trials that come with this little experiment.  Narumi is a fangirl of the highest caliber, right down to recognizing Hana’s famous crossplays, who also writes and sells her own Doshinji.  Hirotaka is glued to his Nintendo Switch like gamepad even when he’s at work on lunch break.  This clash of fandoms and character quirks does work better than you might expect.  Most of this comes from the surprisingly touching Hirotaka, despite how dull and uninterested he might sound.  He’s a good balance to the ticking time bomb of overexaggerated reactions from Narumi, though she is pretty cute when she flips out. I was kind of surprised that Wotakoi didn’t keep Narumi’s Otaku lifestyle a secret for very long.  I was immediately reminded of Himouto Umaru Chan in that I assumed the show would focus on Narumi’s constant struggle to keep her hobbies under wraps for fear of social ostracization.  Im actually glad it didn’t go this route.  It keeps things fresher and allows things to be a bit more flexible and daring with its storylines.

Three episodes in and Watakoi actually has me invested in where the romance could lead.  Narumi and Hirotaka are easy to root for and their misadventures are some of the funniest bits ive seen in a slice of life Anime in a long time.  This is a feel good show, easily accessible to non Otaku and loaded with references to tons of shows and games that will help normal Otaku feel right at home.  I can say that I will be continuing it until its conclusion (which right now sits at 11 episodes, I hope this show did better to merit another season maybe).  I’ve got my fingers crossed that things do workout for the two Otaku…but I also hope they don’t reach their big happy ending so soon…cause their pratfalls and the hilarity that comes with it might make this the feel good Anime of the decade.

T5W#162-Top 5 Video Game Soundtracks

I was talking with a friend the other day when the topic of Video Game Soundtracks came up.  Their favorite was an old Sega Genesis Classic, Sonic 3.  It got me thinking about what I considered to be my favorite soundtracks to listen to which came from the games I grew up playing.  Honestly, it did seem kind of hard at the moment.  When thinking about the best do you look to the classics from the NES, SNES, Genesis era or to the more modern, fully orchestrated soundtracks that are on par with most feature length film productions.  The answer, dear readers, is that it’s ok to go with both.  After I gave my friend the 16bit generation answers, I gave them the name of my all time favorite and thus, this list was born.  So enjoy today’s Top 5 Wednesday, taking a look at my Top 5 Video Game Soundtracks and the tunes ill listen to even when im not playing the actual game.

#5-Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

DKC2 is a prime example of how to make a sequel that surpasses its predecessor on every level (wont be the only one on this list too).  And the soundtrack compliments these improvements.  The high flying adventure of the Pirate Ship themes to the darkness of the underwater depths or the haunting but catchy beat of the Lost World, every track from Diddy’s Kong Quest feels epic in nature and fits the scope of the gameplay.  And, if im honest, the Rare Logo Track that plays when you power up the game was an early on signal that this game was going to be something special. 

#4-Final Fantasy XV

I’ll prepare for the onslaught of backlash on this one.  Yes, Final Fantasy has many other soundtracks that are more amazing and iconic.  But give Final Fantasy XV a little bit of a break, it has the potential to stand among the legends of Final Fantasy VI-X.  From the peaceful tracks that play as you ride around in your kick ass Regalia to the bombastic, operatic set pieces when you battle giants and tough as hell bosses, there’s plenty to classify this as a worthy Final Fantasy Soundtrack.  Also, Apocalypse Noctis is one of the most epic battle themes of all time and I get pumped every time I hear it.

#3-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

This game is considered to be the quintessential Ninja Turtles Video Game and why not?  Well in addition to the multiplayer, the iconic enemies and all the time traveling, the soundtrack is a major part of the experience.  From adrenaline filled battle themes like Big Apple 3AM and Technodrome: Let’s Kick Shell to the period piece inspired tracks like Skull and Crossbones and Starbase: Where No Turtle Has Gone Before to the amazing final track that plays during the credits, Turtles in Time is filled with so many likeable songs they’ll be playing in your head long after you’ve beaten the game.  It’s no wonder we never really got a decent Ninja Turtles Video Game since…cause this was 16bit perfection here.

#2-Mass Effect 2

To this day, Mass Effect 2 remains one of the greatest video games I have ever played in my life.  Better story, stronger gameplay, more interesting characters (and older ones who get a lot more depth).  It’s a damn near perfect game with the soundtrack to match.  The world of ME2 is larger, darker and more dangerous than the previous game.  The Tron inspired cords that made ME1’s soundtrack a classic return with more grit and action and an occasional chanting chorus to dial up the direness of any situation that seems impossible to escape.  The big stand out is the track that plays during the start of the final, potentially suicidal, mission.  You know you’re in the thick of a legend making event when that choir starts chanting.

#1-Halo 2

Halo 2 is a game that holds a very special place in my heart considering when I first played it.  The game helped me through my trial filled first year at college and introduced me to a franchise that is still an integral part of my life.  For all of it’s gunplay, imaginative story and epic scope, the soundtrack of Halo 2 still stands as the best in the entire franchise for me…plus I could have easily just said every Halo Soundtrack ever made belongs in the #1 spot.  Of course, the original Halo theme gets an incredible hard rock upgrade but the rest of the soundtrack is a perfect mix of all things action packed but calming, terrifying but wondrous, epic but personal.  This soundtrack set the benchmark for all other Halo games going forward and is still one I will listen to at night while working on random assignments…kind of like this list haha.

The Slayers Part 5 Episodes 19-22

Much to the shock of Lina and The Slayers, Rezo the Red Priest is still alive…or is he?  Regardless of the mans return, he’s still more dangerous than ever.  Even with the return of Zelgadis and aid from Gourry’s old friend, Sylphiel, the team is way more outmatched than ever.  The only hope of bringing Rezo down for good is to track down his ancient vault and retrieve Rezo’s Legacy, whatever it may be.  It wont be easy as the last of Rezo’s forces stand in the teams way, and theyre the deadliest bunch yet.  The end is in sight and it’s time to settle old scores and, quite possibly, save the world in the process.  The Slayers are on it.

I cant really put it any better than Lina did.  It doesn’t matter if this new Rezo is the original or a clone.  Watching him blow up half off Syraag without much remorse is probably the coldest, darkest moment of Slayers yet.  And this is a Rezo using his own power, no Demon Lord hidden within him (at least not yet).  Though im not sure if, beyond this, I can accept this new emotionless Rezo.  When he appeared last week I was excited, hoping maybe he could make up for some of his lackluster appearances in the first half of the series, especially after Shabranigdo showed up and totally outclassed him.  Now, Rezo’s just a smug smile with a lot of firepower…and that’s about it.  There are still four more episodes to turn him around.  Which is more than I can say for his overzealous fangirl servant Eris, who has done absolutely nothing since she appeared last week and proclaimed herself Rezo’s Number One Fan.  Just what is her connection to the Red Priest and is she in for more than just ultimate power if she finds Rezo’s Legacy?  Yeah not even a cute outfit can forgive any of Eris’ shortcomings and that’s saying a lot coming from me.

But where the main villain and his “number two” have failed, Zangulus made up a lot this week.  He’s always been a blast, whether serious in combat or the comedy department and this week was a good combo of both.  Best of all, it looks like we got a solid conclusion to his arc as he and Gourry faced off in one last duel.  There was no doubt in my mind Gourry was going to win, especially after Lina fibbed about making him dinner if he did come out the victor.  But to see Zangulus take his defeat like a man and offer The Slayers one crucial bit of intel before dipping out, you cant ask for a better resolution to one of the best antagonists of the series.  Heck, Gourry even gave Zangulus his due as a great swordsman.  Here’s hoping Zangulus pops up again in later seasons, especially for his fun banter with Gourry.

As we get ready to head into the end of The Slayers (Season One), it does feel like everything is coming to a head.  While the hunt for “Rezo’s Legacy” dragged on for far too long (especially the cast stuck in a labyrinth led by a deceitful chicken…it’s Slayers just run with it), there was excitement to be found in other spots.  Lina seems to have become quite the leader of the band, coordinating spells and maneuvers utilized all of the teams magic users (theyre up to four now), and she isn’t afraid to step back and let the others get some of the glory when she cant use her most powerful attacks.  It shows growth in her…and gives a good excuse for Zel to kick all kinds of monster ass (seriously, if I had seen this show alongside Dragon Ball Z long ago, id’ve killed to see Zel and Future Trunks team up.  The series even took a moment to shed some light on how far Lina and Gourry have come as a pair.  Last week saw the introduction of Gourry’s old friend Sylphiel, who is basically just a female version of Gourry with poor magic skills and a more airy personality.  She hasn’t contributed much to the tale besides being a conduit to explore a potential Lina and Gourry romance and to reflect on the possibility that she herself might not end up with the dim witted but gallant swordsman.  Sylphiel just isn’t doing it for me and the team feels one magic user too many because of her.  Extra bonus points go to the war of the Chibi Linas and Gourry’s during the cloning machine disaster, showcasing once again that even with a nuclear wizard on the loose, The Slayers still knows when to crack a joke under pressure.

Heading into the final stretch, my feelings are…mixed.  Ive enjoyed this first season for the most part but I cant help but wonder if the best is still to come in later seasons and its really just a matter of getting through these last four episodes and enduring the good (Lina, Gourry, Zel…even Amelia) and the not so good (Rezo, Sylphiel, Eris).  Who knows, next weeks finale might end up surprising me.  We’ll see, one more week to go and then we’ll discuss when were getting to Slayers Next.  See ya then.

Bleach (2018 Live Action)

Ichigo Kurosaki is a high school student with a special gift: he can see spirits.  One night, an encounter with a monster known as a Hollow brings Ichigo face to face with a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki.  Through a twist of fate, Ichigo gains Rukia’s powers and becomes a Soul Reaper himself.  With Rukia as his mentor, Ichigo begins to embrace his new abilities.  However, great challenges lie ahead for both of these souls.  Ichigo must face a great darkness from his past while Rukia’s own actions threaten her future. All points converge on the ultimate battle between good and evil, with Ichigo and Rukia caught in the middle.  The legendary Shonen Jump classic comes to life at last.

In the vast universe of Anime, Bleach is a title you’d think would be tough to tackle for a live action project.  Based on the long running Manga of the same name, Bleach is a tale that spans multiple worlds on a beyond epic scale and has all points action, comedy and drama.  Taking even a sliver of that to make into a roughly two hour film is a difficult task.  And while I think this film feels a couple years too late (it’s been ages since Bleach was at the height of it’s popularity), the live action Bleach film at least manages to do a better job adapting a beloved story than Fullmetal Alchemist.  It still, however, falls incredibly short of matching the perfections that are Rurouni Kenshin and the Death Note Duology.

The film covers the first arc of the series, the Substitute Soul Reaper Arc.  It’s pretty faithful to the source material, at first, until we get past Ichigo’s first battle.  Then we begin to see things both diverge, merge and clash together.  In a way, it’s not a bad choice to take two of the biggest conflicts of the arc and purge the rest.  It helps make Bleach a little more focused than most live action Anime while also giving the film its own identity to stand apart and focus on telling a stand along tale without setting things up for a long running franchise…yet.  This is helped greatly by the characters and the world they live in.  Rukia, Renji and Byakuya are all dead on in their portrayals but the MVP is definitely Ichigo.  Ichigo is still the all around tough guy with a very strong sense of honor and loyalty and a good heart that made him so endearing in the Anime and Manga (a far cry better than the dismal portrayal of Edward and Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist).  His actor gets some of the films best moments (especially in the films climax), even if the film itself isn’t working as well as it could.  I also liked how the battles of the movie played out in a very “secretive” manner, not unlike X-1999.  While warriors are slicing away at monsters, normal humans cant see them and instead believe a natural disaster, like a small tornado, is unfolding.  That was pretty neat and visually, the rest of the movie keeps up.  The Hollows do look terrifying and id be lying if I said seeing the brief glimpse of the Soul Society and Renji’s Zabimaru didn’t leave me wanting more.

However, the story, for all its credit for trying to condense, is where the film falters the most.  While the movie clocks in at about an hour and forty five minutes, Bleach seems to drag on ALOOOOOOTTTT.  For a movie based on an Anime about Reapers hunting Monsters, things couldn’t be more dull for more than 3/4s of the film.  The film lacks a clear energy to keep the viewer engaged, no matter how cool the characters look on screen.  Worse yet, while there are a couple of good action scenes, especially the centerpiece Ichigo vs. Renji, they are few and very far in between.  Seriously, after Ichigo’s first Hollow battle I don’t think we got another action scene til about the one hour mark and even then it was very brief before going back to tons of talking.  There is a sense of urgency brought into the story at about the last act but that should have been something going through the film as a whole.  The pacing is terrible and ruins what Bleach already had going for it which had been lacking in other recent live action Anime adaptations.  Would it have been better had the film tried for a beat for beat retelling of the Anime or Manga and carried the energy those versions had along with it?  I also feel like the movie is coming in a little too late for it to matter in the grand scheme of things.  Like I said, it’s been a long time since Bleach was even in the Anime spotlight along with it’s other two Shonen Jump brethren, Naruto and One Piece (together forming SJ’s Big Three for many years).  I wonder if I would have been more pumped to see more had this come out back during the near apex of the shows popularity.

Bleach has a lot of good going for it with a smart approach to the source material, a great cast and visual style.  However, the smart approach isn’t executed very well and the movie suffers from a lack of action and way too much exposition.  It is a better movie than Fullmetal Alchemist but Bleach could have been a heckuva lot more had it quickened the pace and added more fight scenes (id hoped it would at least rival Gintama, which, despite it’s third act stumble, was a very good time).  I’m kind of mixed on whether or not id want to see more from this version of the story but at the same time, it seems right that the film ends on a stand alone note rather than being prepped to launch another long running live action Anime film franchise.  It’s not the worst attempt to bring one of Anime’s greatest legends to the screen.  It just had a lot of potential to do things a lot better than many recent films had.  But hey…at least everyones swords looked bad ass (which is why I got into Bleach in the first place).

6/10

FIF#60-FLCL: Alternative

High school senior Kana and her best friends: Hijiri, Pets and Mossan, are content just chilling out in their hometown.  The future lies ahead but the present has their full attention and theyre going to live it up how they want.  And then she arrived; a girl with pink hair, a wacky attitude and a penchant for pulling random weapons out of peoples heads.  Haruko Haruhara has arrived and so has the future that Kana and company cant avoid forever.  No one ever said 17 was an easy year to live…especially when you’ve got giant robots coming out of your skull from another dimension.

FLCL: Alternative is set to be the third, and supposedly, final entry in the now FLCL trilogy.  Those of you who managed to catch Toonami’s April Fool’s airing of it’s first episode (in Japanese), id say you were lucky to get a glimpse of future/more FLCL (at the time, not only did I miss it but I was still unsure if more FLCL was a good idea).  Much of what little I heard about Alternative was that it was going to be a whole different beast compared to the supposed direct sequel that was FLCL: Progressive.  Well, now that Episode 1 has come and gone, what are my thoughts on the beginning of FLCL’s final chapter?

Well it certainly does feel different compared to its predecessor.  Kana and her trio of besties have a bit more of an upbeat energy compared to Naota and Hidomi.  The first half of the first episode starts very differently from Progressive.  There are no nightmare sequences, no ones running plowing into a poor kid with a moving vehicle.  Instead, we get a rather tranquil look at the life of Kana, Pets, Hijiri and Mossan.  It does feel like both a slow burn and the furthest from the FLCL vibe of past seasons.  But kind of like Progressive, this new approach helps the series premiere stand out and give a sense as to how greatly things are going to get shaken up when the crazy kicks into overdrive.

While Kana and her friends are the oldest leads thus far in FLCL, being high school seniors, they do seem to behave more like kids than Naota and Hidomi ever did.  The way Kana scoffs at teachers trying to prepare them for post high school grad life is incredibly childish and naive.  Funny enough, the others might just be humoring that world view of hers since they seem to have a sense of direction as to what they might want to do with their lives: Pets as a social media queen, Hijiri as a cute model, and Mossan as an artist.  I did enjoy most of the scenes with these girls together though.  Again, it’s a big change from the dark and brooding atmosphere of Progressive.  Sure it’s not kicking things off at warp speed like the first episode of FLCL did.  But I like the chill of it all.  It’s further helped by The Pillows continuing to provide the greatest rock tunes ever conceived even this late in the FLCL saga.

And what about our resident crazy girl Haruko?  Oh yeah, she’s back and in a big way.  It’ll be interesting to see if the events of Progressive are mentioned in Alternative because Haruko feels very different, despite her zaniness.  As much as she clearly enjoyed teasing Kana about the huge life upheavel  headed her way, she did tell Kana she could just start building her precious group rocket all over again…and not in a demeaning way.  Maybe Haruko has accepted the growth she went through in Progressive.  Or I’m just reading too much into it so soon.  To counter this, yeah, Haruko still gets to kick her fair share of ass in the premiere, with both her fists and a new guitar from Kana’s head.  One thing that stood out was Haruko’s interactions with a man who clearly knows who she is.  This guy appears to work for the same group as Amurao and I wonder if it could be him (the eyebrows do stand out even if theyre not as huge). I’ve heard a rumor he could be another familiar face…but ill stick with my own theory for now.

Overall, FLCL: Alternative takes its time with its premiere to let us hang with the four new protagonists but still lets FLCL do what it does best: crazy action with Haruko Haruhara in the drivers seat.  I liked the lightened atmosphere and the more music we get from The Pillows the better.  That said, if this is the last of FLCL, what is the grand endgame of it all and is everything going to tie together?  Or should I just shut up and enjoy one last ride with my favorite wild child and her kick ass Vespa?  If nothing else, I love the new end theme and welcome the return of mixing Anime with a live action montage of various spots in Japan.  FLCL is back, one more time.  Let’s sit back and enjoy the show.

T5W#161-Top 5 Anime Characters Who Could Take on THE PREDATOR

Predator is one of my all time favorite scifi/action films.  How can it not be?  The action is spectacular, the Predator itself is very unique and cool and, yeah, the one liners and Ahnuld still hold up and rock to this day.  Since the films debut, there have not only been sequels, a new one of which comes out this weekend, but various spin off stories seeing the alien hunter taking on pretty much all pop culture icons from Batman, to Judge Dredd, to Robocop, to even Archie (yes that’s a thing, ive never read it).  Well the Predators had its share of battle with US heroes across the spectrum…but what about the world of Anime?  Surely there are a couple of tough as nails warriors, or people with a mad death wish, willing to battle the greatest trophy hunter in the universe.  Well today im gonna pick five of them id put to the test.  So GET TO DA CHOPPA and get ready for my Top 5 Anime Characters Who Could Take on THE PREDATOR.  One minor rule: im making my choices based on challenge and uniqueness of how creative these guys could take on the Predator.  So OP characters like Saitama and Goku, aka guys who could kill the Predator in One Punch or with a planet sized fireball wont be included.

 

#5-Haruko Haruhara (FLCL)

I had to hold back from making this a guys only kind of list.  Unlike the predator franchise, Anime has plenty of girls just as bad ass as the Govenator who could give The Predator a run for his money.  In the end, I chose Haruko because, unlike most other characters on this list, she’s far more unpredictable and hard to read.  She doesn’t really have a plan that doesn’t involve smacking things around with her guitar until it just stops moving…or something pops out of its head.  And I’d die of laughter seeing The Predator get run into by Haruko’s amazing vespa scooter.

 

#4-Jubei Kibagami (Ninja Scroll)

It’s a shame we’ve never gotten a Predator prequel set in a different time period.  As Predator 2 shows us, these guys have been hunting on Earth for centuries.  So why not see the Predator take on the ultimate historical samurai warriors of the Edo period?  And what better choice than Ninja Scroll’s Jubei, the man who almost single handidly defeated seven devils, all of whom are just as tough, if not tougher, than the Predator himself.  If you ever bothered to see 2010’s Predators, you’ll no doubt remember we got one of the best fight scenes in the franchise where a Yakuza Enforcer battled a Predator with a ceremonial Katana and managed to take it out…that alone is enough proof we need way more of these battles in our lives.

 

#3-Batou (Ghost in the Shell)

It would have been easy to choose Motoko Kusinagi cause she’s the main heroine of this cyberpunk franchise.  But Batou I think is a more fun choice because he’s as close to Schwarzzeneger as you’re gonna get on this list.  He’s got a wide assortment of big guns and explosives, military training, a shotgun in his arm and plenty of wit and one liners to make the Predator feel right at home.  Also, Batou’s spent a lot of time in jungle combat (where all of the action of the first Predator took place). And maybe it’s just me but I wonder if he could find a way to use his hacking abilities to short out the Predators cloak, heat vision mask and nuke device…hey it’s a skill set, he might as well put it to some use.

 

#2-Shunya Kogami (Psycho Pass)

The second I thought about doing this list, Kogami was my first pick.  All throughout the first season of Psycho Pass, this man was able to match both mind and muscles with the best of the worst, especially his eternal rival, Shogo Makashima.  Just seeing Kogami have a workout with high level set battle android shows me he’s always preparing for the ultimate fight.  He might not be able to wax philosophies with The Predator but Kogami’s ability to adapt and outthink the most horrific killers could come be a huge advantage.  Forget the Dominator too, if I want Kogami to take down the Predator, its going to be in a no holds barred fight club cage brawl.

 

#1-Sousuke Sagara (Full Metal Panic)

The Serious Sergant has been known to plan out his battles wayyyyy far in advance.  Besides the more deadly combat he’s been in throughout the franchise, let’s not forget some of the crazier stuff Sousuke did in Full Metal Panic: Fumofuu, like steaking out a spot behind the school for five hours with a sniper rifle thinking he was being led into a duel; and he set up an insane amount of sentry guns to stop Kurtz, Shinji and Onode from peeping into the girls bath at a hotspring.  So how Sousuke would handle things isn’t unlike how Arnold plans out his final battle with the Predator in the first film with old school jungle tactics. Even without his Arm Slave, Sousuke could bring all kinds of pain against the Predator.  For further proof, just wait til I get to Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory in the fall.  Sousuke proves there he is more than worthy of the title, “Army of One”, the perfect trophy for the Predator.

The Slayers Part 4 Episodes 15-18

With a price on their heads, Lina, Gourry and Amelia make their way to Syraag, and supposedly to whoever put said bounty on their heads.  But the road is long and treacherous.  And with every town on the lookout for them, it means the Slayers aren’t getting any money (or food) any time soon.  There’s no greater threat to the balance of nature than a hungry and broke Lina Inverse.  From fake weddings to stage plays to a mission to exterminate a Sea Dragon, there isn’t much the Slayers are willing to turn down to reach their destination.  And boy are they in for a shock when the true mastermind behind their recent troubles is finally revealed.

This weeks set of episodes is kind of what I expected Slayers to be from the very beginning: various stand alone adventures with tiny hints at a larger plot brewing.  Don’t get me wrong, the first half of the series keeping things more connected wasn’t bad at all.  And while the final destination of the second half of the season might be in sight, the bulk of this weeks episodes, much like last week, were about the journey, not the destination.  Things did get a little repetitive early on, hell even Lina made a comment about the endless attacks by bounty hunters galore.  But there was plenty of fun to be had as well.  After all, even when it’s not on it’s A Game, Slayers is still a show about fun.

There were three stand alone adventures this week that sort of followed the same format in the beginning but still did enough to stand out overall.  Lina being forced into a wedding was fun if only to see Lina in a wedding dress.  Somehow I doubt even an actual marriage for Lina would happen without her blowing something up.  The play reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender, specifically the episode where Team Avatar sees a Fire Nation play about their exploits and how wrongly theyre portrayed.  Of course it’s no surprise everyone views Lina as a monster except for Lina herself, which made it all the more entertaining.  My favorite part though was when Lina and Gourry used the final play to their advantage to take down Zangulus and Vrumugun.  Zangulus definitely seemed right at home on a stage…Vrumugun is still as dull as ever so whatever, forget him.  Lastly, we had Lina and Amelia dress up Gourry to look like Usagi Tsukino in order to sneak through a town and defeat a Sea Dragon before they could reach their final destination.  Poor Gourry.  Not only did he get hit on by a hulking swordsman but the same guy also proposed marriage…huh two marriages in one set of episodes, weird.

Things picked up again once we got to Syraag.  Finally, it was time for answers.  And just who did put out the bounty on Lina and Gourry?  Another sorceress named Eris, who is a disciple of Rezo the Red Priest.  Not gonna lie…that feels kind of underwhelming.  If anything, I feel like Eris should have been built up a bit more besides the teeny mentions to her then undefined character by Zangulus and Vrumugun.  Nothing really made her stand out besides her skimpy outfit.  However, this meant we could finally get a true, no holds barred showdown between The Slayers and Team Rezo. Zangulus and Vrumugun’s defeats were both epic, though im not positive Verumugun’s dead cause apparently he can copy himself.  And who did Vrumugun in?  ZEL!!! Hell yes, my man Zelgadis is back and now Team Slayers is complete (also he’s got Crispin Freeman debuting as his longtime voice, so this is even more momentous).

Unfortunately (and I mean this in a good way actually), Zel wasn’t the only returning face….yeah Rezo’s alive.  I should be questioning and denying this return out right but man, a chill ran down my spine when he spoke and emerged.  I know I ragged on Rezo a bit in the first half of the season cause his goals were overkill.  That’s actually why im excited to see him back, this seems like a possible do over (even if he’s probably an impersonator or even a clone).  In any case, Rezo’s return was a big cliffhanger to end an uneven but fun week of Slayers antics.  We’ll see where this heads next week right here on the Gundam Anime Corner.