Slayers Evolution R Part 3 Episodes 9-13

Ages ago, Lina Inverse faced the Red Priest Rezo…twice and twice defeated him, once when his body bore forth the ancient demon Shabranigdo.  Never did one day Lina think she would be on a quest to resurrect one of her greatest foes.  However, in order to save Pakota’s home of Taforashia, that’s exactly what needs to happen.  With time running out for Taforashia, the road to Rezo’s return becomes paved with thieves, monsters and the return of an ancient evil that nearly wiped out the Slayers once before.  For Pakota, for Taforashia, it’s time for Lina Inverse, Gourry, Zelgadis and Amelia to do what they do best…ok the second thing they do best besides eating…it’s time to save the world one more time.

Well, we’ve come to it at last, the series finale of Slayers Evolution R and with it, the conclusion of The Year of the Slayers here at the Gundam Anime Corner.  And I’ve gotta say, wow.  If this is the potential final bookmark in the franchise (though given how shows like Full Metal Panic and Fruits Basket are getting sequels and remakes almost a decade after their first airings), then Evolution R went out with a bang.  While the humor took a backseat for much of it, that small sacrifice didn’t detract from a finale that looked all the way back to the beginning of the Slayers franchise and produced some solid and satisfying conclusions to several long running story arcs.

However, before the good could begin, we had to get in one last true attempt at humor…that sadly didn’t work as well as I think the writers hoped.  Turning the soul of Rezo, trapped in the Hellmaster Jar, into a dim witted sage before he fully woke up bombed hard, mostly.  A lot of that episode basically had Rezo as a discounted (and somehow way more annoying) version of Excalibur from Soul Eater, aka he thinks he’s wise and leading people to greatness but is really just an idiot.  Having Ozzel as his predominant mouth piece wasn’t funny either.  The frustration over this episode was immense and thankfully Lina had the same exact reaction I did, going nuclear and smashing a field of jar regardless of whether or not she’d end up destroying Rezo’s jar in the process.  That bit was classic Slayers comedy gold.  And turns out it might be the last true bit of old school Slayers humor given everything that came next.

Bringing Rezo back into the fold after so long proved to be one of the best moves Evolution R made all season.  Rezo has had far reaching effects for several of the main Slayers cast since the beginning.  For Pakota and Zelgadis, both had to contend with their own separate and conflicting views of Rezo: Pakota believing Rezo could do no wrong; and Zel still dealing with a mentor’s betrayal that turned him into a stone monster.  This clash was great and brought about good vulnerable moments for both characters, Zel especially with his cries of anguish when he learned he could never fully become human again.  It’s easy to hate Rezo for all that he’s done.  However, Evolution R has been playing an equally interesting and head scratching game with his resurrection.  Ozzel came to Lina and company to destroy the jar back in Slayers Revolution but also risked her life to protect it all season long.  Even Rezo himself couldn’t make up his mind if he wanted to come back or not.  Was Rezo reveling in tormenting Zel and Pakota’s situations that he had a hand in or did he truly feel guilt for the atrocities he’d committed in order to get his sight back?  Then there was Xellos and his own agenda.  What was it all leading too?  I’ll admit, Rezo coming back at last and restoring Taforashia seemed like too neat a way to wrap everything up.  Thankfully, Evolution R was more clever than I gave it credit for.  It even openly addressed the continuous indecisiveness of Ozzel and Rezo throughout the season, props.

Turns out a certain theory about Rezo’s return proved to be true.  Brining Rezo back also brought back Shabranigdo, aka the big bad Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis fought all the way back in Season One.  Yep, the red demon kaiju’s essence was still sealed away in Rezo’s eyes, even when he took on Pakota’s body.  This brought us to the ultimate showdown of epic proportions.  Shabranigdo’s design with the new animation was truly monstrous and he brought a real sense of apocalyptic weight with him, all kinds of lava, demons, fire and brimstone, the works.  And for the first time, I really thought this was going to be it for everyone.  Zel, Amelia, Gourry and even Xellos took heavy hits during the final battle.  Meanwhile Lina grappled with being forced to use the Giga Slave again, aka the attack that could destroy the world.  It’s rare to see the Slayers in such dire straits and Lina freaking out the way she was.  Honestly, this was golden and once the Slayers Next theme song kicked in behind the action, I knew this was going to be so good and I was right.  Teamwork, massive stakes, a sense of worry and the never ending sense of boundless Slayers optimism.  As a cherry ontop, even Xellos had to admit that Lina’s victory had earned her and her friends the title of “Slayers.”  God I think I clapped a little bit at that. 

In a way, the final episodes are filled with so much drama, action and scope, one could almost wonder why we don’t spend a lot of time wrapping things up a bit more thoroughly, especially if this is it for the travels of Lina Inverse.  At the same time, a simple montage and Pakota finally being able to return to his father and his home (while getting new ears sewed on that he lost in battle) was fitting and just as well deserved.  And really, that’s all that’s needed.  The Slayers will go their separate ways but you know something will eventually come up that will bring them back together.  As Lina and Gourry run off again with Xellos smiling in actual appreciation (I think), this marks the end of the tale begun in Slayers Revolution.  But it’s not truly the end of The Slayers, is it?  Nope, the adventure will always continue for Lina Inverse and company, even if we don’t see it in Anime form.  And it will for all of us so long as we remember to “Eat, Drink and enjoy the journey.”

Man, I feel like I was about to tear up there.  Guess we had to reach the conclusion eventually.  So how was the grand final chapter of the Slayers saga?  Despite some bumps in the middle with some not so effective melodrama and a painfully failed attempt at humor, Slayers Evolution R is a solid and epic conclusion to the journey of Lina Inverse and her friends.  The quest produced some fun diversions, resulting in classic Slayers fun.  The new drama brought about some great character moments especially for Lina, Zel, Pakota and surprisingly Rezo the Red Priest.  Bringing things back to Rezo felt like a full circle maneuver that paid tribute to the success of Slayers in the past while closing out this latest chapter on a high note.  Honestly, if it weren’t for the super dramatic and problematic bulk of the Raddock and Abel storyline and the fact that you did need to see Revolution before this season, Evolution R would stand as a true equal to Slayers Next.  That said, it’s about on par with Revolution, if not a bit better.  And for this last set of episodes, I’m willing to score it a teeny bit higher, so it now sits between Revolution and Next.  Before I give the final score for Slayers Evolution R, how about a quick recap of scores from previous seasons (including Season One from back in 2018):

The Slayers-7/10

Slayers Next-9/10

Slayers: The Motion Picture-6/10

Slayers Try-6/10

Slayers Revolution-8/10

And finally Slayers Evolution R finishes off The Year of the Slayers with a really good 8.5/10

Def some high points and low points.  But in all honesty, this has been an amazing venture to undertake with Lina, Gourry, Zel, Amelia, Xellos and the many other memorable characters they’ve met along the way.  Slayers is definitely a major staple in the fantasy genre of Anime and a classic I hope isn’t forgotten in the vastness of time.  At the very least, the character of Lina Inverse should never be forgotten as one as one of the greatest Anime heroines ever (thanks in no small part to the excellent voice casting of Lisa Ortiz in the English Dub).  Here’s hoping I come across the rest of The Movies and the OVA’s so that this isn’t the last time I review Slayers here at the Gundam Anime Corner.  In the meantime, might see if I can squeeze in one more review on New Years Eve (I try to, no matter how small a title it is).  But just incase, thanks for a great 2019 everyone and I’ll see you in 2020. See ya around everyone.

FIF#104-Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer

Cosmic Era 73.  The ruins of the colony Junius Seven fall to Earth, creating catastrophic damage across the planet.  As the survivors try to recover, tensions between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT escalate and a new war seems inevitable.  While this is happening, the Deep Space Survey and Development organization refuses to halt its plans for a special project involving a new prototype Gundam, the Stargazer.  At the same time, an elite Alliance unit, Phantom Pain, is dispatched to steal this Gundam and the technology within.  On a collision course, a dedicated Alliance Ace pilot and a beautiful Coordinator researcher for the DSSD try to find hope amongst the ruins of a world descending into chaos once more.

It’s hard to think of what to make of  the first episode of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer.  This is a relatively short ONA (Original Net Animation) that was released well after the end of Seed Destiny.  And by short I mean each episode is in and around 15mins long…and it’s three parts.  That means there isn’t much time to waste in telling a story.  I cant say where I think this miniseries might be heading but wow the first episode left a huge impression. 

While we don’t get the full details of the DSSD’s operation or the beautiful Selene McGriff’s goals regarding this launch into space, what we do get is something Seed Destiny kind of glossed over: the aftermath of the Junius Seven drop.  This was probably Seed Destiny’s highest point (and early on in the series too). The devastation that the colony drop caused was massive and Stargazer spends the first third of its first episode showing just how much of a nightmare this kind of catastrophe can look like.  Explosions, tsunamis, the cries of people in panic, it’s a hard watch and one that helps you remember this act of terror left an impression that would no doubt send two sides ready to kick the crap out of each other into full on armed conflict (especially when no know knew who to blame).  Honestly, those first five minutes were the strongest parts of the episode.  The rest was a very rush job getting Selene out of a flooded city and to her shuttle launch while the world panicked around her.  What makes her job so special and why would her would be love interest, Edmond, risk his life to ensure she leaves Earth alive?  And what’s the deal with this Phantom Pain unit, each looking like they have their own state of the art Gundam Mobile Suit?  I wont lie, at the point I wonder if this ONA will be able to answer those questions at all.  Part of me wonders if we should’ve just done more storytelling with the colony drop aftermath instead.

For an ONA as short as this, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer starts off with one helluva opening act…and then decides to skip to the plot of its own miniseries that has a lot to do to justify its existence after such a traumatizing glimpse at one of Seed Destiny’s biggest moments.  It’s short so I might be worth a nice sit down watch and maybe even a future review for next year.  Who knows, maybe Stargazer may end up being one of the few wins one of my least favorite eras of Gundam manages to pull off.  

T5W#228- Top 10 Favorite Anime of the 2010’s

Hard as it is to believe, we’ve almost turned the corner into a brand new decade.  As we get ready to take in the (hopefully) first fresh breaths of air for the 2020s, I feel I should do something a bit more special to not only close out 2019 on the Gundam Anime Corner, but the 2010’s in general.  This past decade has brought us joy, laughter, frustration, anger, and downright reactions of “huh?” all across the Anime spectrum.  Trying to pick five titles and actually rank them as the best of the decade is hard enough (though I did give it a shot during a Top 5 Wednesday miniseries a while back, see here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/05/t5w93-top-5-favorite-anime-of-2010s-so.html).  But here we are, at the end of an era and it deserves recognition and commendation…the good things anyway.  I’m gonna go for it.  Whether they were truly prolific or game changing or not, I’m going to list my personal favs from the last 10 years.  There are a couple of titles on this list that are still ongoing (and could botch their intended landings) and singled out seasons of certain Anime if the show as a whole wasn’t as good (you’ll know which ones when you see them).  BUT ENOUGH ALREADY.  Strap in for the last Top 5 Wednesday of 2019…which will be a special Top 10 edition (cause its momentous and hey…it’s also Christmas).  Let’s do this.  These are my Top 10 Favorite Anime of the 2010’s.  And Merry Christmas to all from the Gundam Anime Corner.

#10-Yuri On Ice (2016)

Majestic, beautifully animated and full of heart, Yuri on Ice was a surprise hit that still resonates even though it might be well past its heyday so soon after its launch.  The story of Yuki K.s quest for professional redemption turning into a quest for the love of the man who sees the best in him is a beautiful one.  The multicultural cast is stellar and likeable, even when their immense egos make them super douchy.  And that soundtrack?  Every genre of music gets representation in dozens of different dance numbers on the ice.  Also, be use of “the day after” montage from The Hangover ever in Anime. 

#9-One Punch Man (Season One) (2015)

 

From the moment you hear the cry “ONE PUUUUUUUNCH!!!” in the legendary OP, you know you’re in for something special.  For anyone tired of the super seriousness of US comics these days (especially in DC Extended Universe movies like Batman V Superman or Justice League), One Punch Man is your medicine.  What if Superman was bored with all the power he has?  What if he had to help train a bad ass ninja cyborg?  What if he was launched to the moon and just did a little hop to see how cool it was before he flies back to Earth?  God this Anime is just so much freaking fun and even has fight scenes that rival the epic planetary scale heavy hitting of Dragon Ball Z.  Listen to Saitama kids, his wisdom may seem dumb but it’ll be the best life advice you ever get. 

#8-Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt (2010) 

Probably the most creative and out of control Anime of the 2010’s borders the line between Anime and super raunchy American cartoon.  Then again, Panty and Stocking can take every single dirty adult joke in the US and Japanese book and smash them together for the ultimate thrill ride.  From all out action to Satoshi Kon and David Lynch style satire to the best retelling of the Transformers saga since Beast Wars, there’s literally something for everyone to enjoy in at least one episode.  Whether you’re in it for all the references or the two baddest and sexiest Fallen Angels in existence, Panty and Stocking is probably one of the biggest gems of the 2010’s.

#7-Gundam Build Fighters (2013)

Well this is a Gundam page so there had to be a Gundam entry in this list of Anime across the decade, right?  Well while there were some solid titles like Gundam Thunderbolt and The Origin, my choice for best Gundam title of the 2010s goes to my favorite entry in the franchise in general to date.  Whoever said Gundam only has to be about “War is Hell” never saw this coming.  Build Fighters is a kids show that’s also the biggest love letter to the Gundam franchise across almost 40 years.  With appearances by just about every Mobile Suit (Gundam or otherwise) across the mythos and cameos from beloved fan favorites, Build Fighters might not take itself too seriously…but it does remind me of why I love Gundam in the first place: cause

#6-Psycho Pass (Season One) (2012)

Holy freaking crap this first season is pretty much flawless.  Dystopian scifi future with guns that blow people up with a single shot.  A tightly focused and fascinating commentary on free will.  A murder mystery that might not be the most complex but is wildly entertaining.  And a cast of characters that you grow to love and care about in a world where it seems impossible to feel that way about humanity as a whole.  The final five episodes of this season in particular stand out as we get some definite payoff for everything that’s been leading to this point.  Oh and the second theme song is one of the best Anime Ops of the decade too.  No wonder Psycho Pass 2 crashed so hard.  This first season was a freaking masterpiece that has yet to be topped (even though The Movie gave it a good shot).

#5-Free! (2013)

I was so ready to ridicule this show like so many others have in the past.  Low and behold I’ll openly admit I love this show and all of the seasons weve gotten thus far.  Kyoto Animation has never made swimming look more epic and awesome (partly thanks to a jamming soundtrack).  But the characters at the heart of this series are the real draw.  Theyre more than just shonen beefcakes, theyre brothers in arms with dreams, aspirations and a drive to help each other achieve those goals no matter what.  The penultimate episode of the second season, featuring Rin and Haru traveling to Australia to get Haru’s head on straight, stands as one of the very best episodes of Anime I have seen in my entire life.  Anytime the boys of Iwatobi and Sumezuka pop back on the screen, you know that youre gonna have a good time.

#4-Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011)

I started the first episode one afternoon…and then blinked and realized I was clutching my pillow 4-5 hours later after a whole day of brilliantly done but traumatizing magical girl action.  Sailor Moon this show is not.  Is it superior?  I cant say cause I haven’t seen all of Sailor Moon yet but Madoka Magica could give it a run for its money.  This show is unrelenting in the harsh realities of becoming a hero and trusting in the wrong people for the power to change the world.  Every character has their own incredibly heartbreaking story, with Homura towering as the Queen of Tragedy.  If you haven’t yet, watch this show in full (or track down the two part compilation films that are surprisingly just as good).  You might be a little shaken but it’ll be in the best way.  This is Anime storytelling done right (and the visuals rock too so there’s that as well).

#3-Fate/Zero (2011)

My gateway to the Fate universe is still one of the greatest Anime shows ive ever binged.  This is the Game of Thrones of Anime (even with an ending that doesn’t quite stick but it’s way better than GoTs.).  Twists, turns, betrayals, action on a scale that has rarely been matched, and a cast of flawed souls duking it out for a goal that might not even be worth it.  Honestly, it’ll always be the action and visuals that get me with this one.  Studio Ufotable has proven time and time again across the decade with Fate and Demon Slayer that theyre capable of delivering movie level animation on a TV budget and choreographic fluidic and flawless action scenes.  This show set such a high bar it’s taken until Heavens Feel for a Fate entry to challenge this one for title of best in the franchise.

#2-Your Name (2016)

Few Anime have surprised me with a premise I wouldn’t totally ignore if it were a generic US rom com.  Your Name grabs your attention within seconds and never lets up.  The animation is flawless and somehow gets better the further you get into the movie.  The music is some of the best tailored to an Anime since FLCL.  The characters will become etched in history one day as Taki and Mitsuha are two of the most adorable Anime leads of all time and an even cuter will they/wont they couple.  Your Name is a special film that I think more than deserves its rightful place in history as the film that made the entire world look at Anime once again with wonder and awe…man does Makoto Shinkai have a tricky career ahead (though I hear his most recent film is just as good, if not a smidge better, than Your Name).

#1-My Hero Academia (2016)

Whereas One Punch Mans satirizes the superhero genre, My Hero Academia is a love letter to the same genre.  In many ways, it contains an optimism and sense of hope that has been long missing from many US comics (DC Comics in particular but im not gonna even start with that).  The journey of Deku and his classmates to become the next generation of great heroes never loses its heart, its soul or any of the lessons its learned along the way with every new episode.  This is the true F YEAH, feel good Anime of the decade and a worthy successor (if not superior) to some of the Shonen genre’s greatest juggernauts like Bleach, One Piece, Naruto and yes Dragon Ball Z.  As we look towards the future all we want to do is grasp the sun while screaming, “PLUS ULTRA!!!!”.