Arcadia Of My Youth

In the distant future, Earth has lost a war to the Illumidus Empire and humanity now cowers under their rule.  One soldier has refused to give up the fight to free his homeworld.  That man is Captain Harlock.  Once a man on the losing end of a desperate struggle, Harlock soon finds his way into the company of likeminded friends: tech genius Tochiro, the beautiful pirate Emeralds, and the alien sympathizer La Mime.  Together, these four wayward souls are all that stand between a desperate people and the wrath of the Illumidus.  This is where one of the galaxies greatest legends begins: the legend of the man who will always fight for his Arcadia…Space Pirate Captain Harlock.

The universe of Leiji Matsumoto is one I feel I never spent enough time in when I was starting to get into Anime (probably because I never knew it existed until much later).  The works of the scifi storyteller (including Space Battleship Yamato, Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Harlock) all feel like quintessential Anime tales, tales of an era of Anime long ago that are still fondly remembered today.  Captain Harlock’s name may not mean that much in the present (at least right now) but im still glad that even years after this film was released, I was able to check out the origin story of one of Animes greatest legends.  While it might not be as perfect as Galaxy Express 999, Arcadia of My Youth is a very close equal in many regards.

Origin stories can be tricky.  Harlock’s appearance in Galaxy Express 999 and its subsequent sequels never really instilled a need for one in my opinion.  He was cool, he was commanding and definitely not to be messed with.  I’m sure there was more to Harlock but could a starting point match the legendary status he had become?  As it turns out, yeah it can.  Arcadia of My Youth takes all of those already established qualtities of Harlock and shows us he’s always had them and that’s what makes him so likeable.  Harlock is a man of honor and carries himself calmly with little emotion, though he isn’t immune to a chuckle or a cry of agony.  But most of all, Harlock has a heart that will not quit even when the odds are stacked against him.  Its all of this and more that makes Harlock a sort of center of gravity that pulls in both friends and foes alike.  Many familiar faces associated with Harlock are present for this film, including his best friend Tochiro (with whom we learn Harlock has more of a history than we thought) and Emeraldas, another of Matsumoto’s many beautiful bad ass ladies.  While the focus of the film is on how Harlock met these two for the first time, it’s also notable that Harlock has a rather nice report with villains who earn his respect and vice versa.  Just goes to show that Harlock might be the most loveable guy in the universe…if you don’t piss him off, then he’ll just tear you to pieces in awesome fashion.

If Harlock hadn’t been written so well, this movie would’ve flopped very early on.  But Arcadia of My Youth carries itself with more than just a strong leading man.  The movie is an gem of beautiful animation, not quite Galaxy Express 999 level but still of that charming late 70’s/early 80’s style that shows a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into each handdrawn frame, especially during the launch of the Arcadia.  The soundtrack is able to switch back and forth between exciting, tragic, haunting and wondrous all at the drop of a hat pretty flawlessly.  And the story?  Well it can hit pretty hard.  Occupational rule on Earth is never a fun subject matter when you see how bad humanity has it.  That’s, however, almost the least of the more tragic tales in Arcadia of My Youth.  This movie doesn’t hold back on some of its subject matter and you feel for pretty much any character fighting for the side of good or an innocent caught in the crossfire who gets killed.  Themes of freedom, sacrifice, love and determination are everywhere and always invoke a strong emotional response.

So yes, Arcadia of My Youth is a great movie but it isn’t totally perfect…close but not quite (and I kind of hate to say that I have a couple of problems with the movie).  The first is a couple of flashback scenes that detail the generational history between Harlock and his eternal best friend Tochiro.  They are important to the tale as a whole, sure.  I just think that the big WWII flashback where their ancestors first meet could have been shortened a little bit.  It is a good scene, it just goes on a bit long when I feel we should have been further along in this movie that clocks in just over two hours.  The second is Harlock’s doomed romance with Maya, a girl he left behind on Earth who voices a radio broadcast of hope for the humans.  We don’t really get to see much of Harlock and Maya together and they don’t even get a flashback of their time together.  In a way, while Maya should be the second most important person to Harlock in this movie, after Tochiro, we see Harlock’s friendships with Emeraldas, La Mime and friend turned ally Zoll a lot more fleshed out.  Maya is supposed to be critical to Harlock’s development and she is.  I just feel like we didn’t see enough of it ourselves.  Lastly, the English Dub of this film isn’t bad, all of the actors give good performances.  However, this sounds very much like a dub that came out right after the film was released in Japan in the early 80’s.  So the sound quality is going to vary and it doesn’t sound like its been cleaned up completely since then.  It’s a good dub but it could sound better.

You know, even with that paragraph above, I still think the Pros outweigh the Cons on this one.  Arcadia of My Youth is a great scifi Anime flick that should be just as fondly remembered as Galaxy Express 999.  Harlock is a character that will live forever, even if his name isn’t spoken of as much in Anime circles today.  The story is both swashbuckling space adventure and tragic tale of war and the search for hope in despair.  The animation, music and action are all on point and, some minor pacing bumps aside, all still hold up very well today as a full package of classic Anime.  Much like the Yamato and Three Nine, the Arcadia and her Captain were pioneers of 70’s scifi Anime and it feels right that they got a great origin to match their unforgettable legend.  It really does make me want to dive more into the Matsumotoverse, which im sure I said after finishing Galaxy Express 999.  Fly on Harlock, may you find your Arcadia and I hope to see more of your adventures down the line.

9/10

FIF#83-Tiger and Bunny

 

It is the year NC 1978.  45 years have passed since the emergence of superpowered individuals known as Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents, or NEXT.  The most popular heroes of the city work with sponsor companies to bolster their image and seek the crown title of “King of Heroes” in a popular live televised event known as Hero TV.  This season, one company is trying something new: a team up.  Long time hero Kotetsu T. Kaburai aka Wild Tiger is being paired up with a new rookie, Barnaby Brooks Jr., a hero with no name.  Both come from very different ages of heroes so theyre bound to butt heads.  But with state of the art new gear and the will to do what’s best for the people, these two might end up being the best thing to ever happen to one another.  It’s going to be an exciting season of Hero TV that’s for sure.

When you hear a title like “Tiger and Bunny” is the first thing that comes to your mind a series about superheroes competing for ratings, adoration of fans and the overall spotlight?  If your answer is “no”, im not shocked.  It wasnt until I was maybe towards the end of the first episode when I saw this at Katsucon that I realized, “Oh this is Tiger and Bunny isn’t it?”  That’s partly my fault for coming in late (and not seeing an intro sequence) and partly the con not having the Sunday screening schedule up.  In any case, this was a surprise to check out and in a world where superhero Anime are proving to be better superhero stories than anything we churn out stateside, why has Tiger and Bunny fallen by the wayside when it seems to have basically paved the way for My Hero Academia and One Punch Man?

The first couple of episodes of TnB are a really fun ride all throughout.  The dynamic between idealistic veteran Tiger and the up and coming, by the books Bunny (who only gets that nickname because of the ears on his suits helmet), is classic buddy cop.  In fact the tag line from Lethal Weapon applies right here, “If these two can stand each other, the bad guys don’t stand a chance.”  Kotetsu is easily my favorite of the two heroes because he isn’t as much of a tight ass as Barnaby and I like that he still believes in what it means to be a hero beyond the glory that comes with it.  In fact, Kotetsu’s actions throughout might make him seem like a bit of a goofball.  But we do get some background as to why he does what he does, equal parts inspiration and tragedy. He could very well be what Deku ends up being at some point in Hero Aca…just not as clumsy and wayyyy more powerful.  The points and ratings system is fascinating.  A hero can gain or lose points (or opportunities to gain them) at various stages of fighting crime, from saving lives to last second interventions, and of course the ultimate criminal capture.  There’s also a small number of heroes fighting for the crown of Top Hero and all of them are likeable, with their own quirks and unique personalities and abiltiies.  That and they all seem to get along quite well despite competing constantly with one another.  My favorite stand out is the incredibly cute Blue Rose, who’s basically a female Captain Cold with way more powerful freeze guns.  Should also point out the animation style.  There’s a lot of 3D CG effects in this series, especially when it comes to Tiger and Bunny’s mecha uniforms they receive right after they team up.  I have to say, the combo of 2D and 3D animation isn’t as bad as other shows ive seen in recent years.  Wont say it’s flawless but I don’t have anything negative to say about its presentation either.

As far as intro episodes go, Tiger and Bunny is exciting, funny and just as inspiring as My Hero Academia and One Punch Man, which again is interesting since this came out a few years before either appeared.  I guess it just wasn’t at the right time when we really needed a huge dose of heroic inspiration in Anime?  Whatever the case, I think I could continue on with Tiger and Bunny to enjoy a trifecta of really good hero themed Anime, again a genre Japan seems to excel at more than America sometimes.  The dynamic between Kotetsu and Barnaby is entertaining without feeling cliché, the cast is diverse and likeable, the action is flashy and a ton of fun, and there’s just as much good dramatic timing as laugh out loud humor.  I really need to finish this one so I can see why it isn’t on a lot of radars like it’s fellow Heroic Anime brethren.

T5W#188-Top 5 Anime You’ll Like if you Like Game of Thrones

Winter has come and it’s gonna be a cold one.  April 14^th marks the beginning of the end for the HBO mega hit series Game of Thrones.  Based on the “Song of Fire and Ice” series by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones is the 21^st century answer to The Lord of the Rings, combining equal parts high adventure with political intrigue and supernatural horror.  The show has definitely inspired a lot since it was created and its hard not to watch some Anime titles and feel like they have that same Game of Thrones vibe to them, this goes for both classic and modern day Anime.  So when Winter (and the series itself) conclude, what’s next?  Well I have five titles from the world of Anime that could sate your Game of Thrones thirst.  These are my Top 5 Anime You’ll Like if you Like Game of Thrones.

#5-Record of Lodoss War

The quintessential Fantasy Anime, Lodoss War remains a classic kind of lost to time.  For an early 90’s OVA it still looks amazing with beautifully animated landscapes and still images that can blow your mind.  Also you get a crap ton of Dragon action, beautiful Elvish warriors and epic clashes of good vs evil.  If you ever wanted to see a Dungeons and Dragons campaign in Anime form, look no further than Record of Lodoss War.

#4-Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Game of Thrones contains plenty of scenes of tactical planning and strategizing, going hand in hand with some of the most epic clashes in TV history.  Now imagine having two warring space factions, each with their own Tyrion Lannister, matching wits and tactics against each other from the bridge of a ship amongst hundreds of thousands of battlecruisers…that’s Legend of the Galactic Heroes aka one of the greatest space operas of all time.  I’d recommend the original series over the Die Nue These series since the latter is far from finished and the former is still one of the best looking OVA series of all time, which is good considering it took nearly 10 years to see the 110 episode epic to completion.

#3-Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Magical mind altering abilties, a battle for the freedom of an entire nation and would be mad man saviors with daddy issues…Game of Thrones actually has all of these things.  Code Geass just adds the giant robots and one of the coolest and most complex anti heroes in Anime history in the form of Lelouch Vi Britannia aka Zero.  The first season of Code Geass still stands as one of the best seasons of Anime ever for me, filled with plenty of twists and turns and one of the best cliffhangers this side of The Best of Both Worlds Part 1 (that’s a Star Trek reference).  If you can stomach the minor dip in quality at the beginning of Season Two, the show still finishes as strong as it began.  Here’s hoping Game of Thrones can do the same.

#2-Berserk

If there’s one thing Game of Thrones is best known for it’s how much hell the main characters get put through, especially if you’re a good guy.  Those of kind hearts rarely win and the bad guys revel in their suffering.  Plus the ultra violence.  Berserk is one of the darkest fantasy tales in history, never mind Anime.  Not only do Guts and his allies get put through the ringer across multiple wars and political manipulations…they get put through one of the most horrendous and nightmare inducing sequences in Anime, one that even I have refused to truly watch for fear of never being able to sleep again.  And that’s all before the nightmare fueling bad CG of the follow up series.

#1-Fate/Zero

At the end of my Fate/Zero review I flat out called it the “Game of Thrones of Anime” and I still stand by that.  A cast of characters so complex you’ll have a hard time finding someone good to root for (unless bad boys are your thing); duels and action sequences that defy anything Dragon Ball Z could ever do; and a game of wits, ruthlessness and soul sacrifice all in the name of possessing one all powerful maguffin.  Yeah that sounds like Game of Thrones to a T.  Iron Throne or Holy Grail, both feature a lot of bad things happening to good people while the soulless bastards leech off their suffering and servants clash in the streets to the most epic of music and visual brilliance.  You know what, as soon as Game of Thrones wraps, just start Fate/Zero and think of it s a bonus season.  You wont be sorry you did.

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie

For years, the terrorist organization Shadaloo has stood unopposed.  In order to cement this fact, it’s maniacal leader M. Bison has begun to abduct power Street Fighters from across the globe and turn them into his personal, unstoppable army.  Two unlikely allies: US Air pilot Captain Guile and Interpol Agent Chun Li team up to investigate these disappearances with the hopes of taking Bison down together.  They’ll have to move quickly as M. Bison has his sights set on one particular fighter: Shotokan Martial Arts Master Ryu, one of the most powerful warriors on the planet.  Fists will fly and spirits will be tested as the ultimate battle on a world stage begins. 

Back in the 90’s Street Fighter was the only game out there that could rival Mortal Kombat for popularity in the arcade arena.  Lighting fast combos and memorable, colorful characters from across the globe gave the game a very unique style.  It pretty much screamed to be made into an Anime at some point.  While there were several projects, from an Anime TV series to several OVAs, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie stands as one of the most remembered of these Anime outings.  Does it live up to that legend or is it just as bad as the live action Street Fighter movie with Jean Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia? (or at the very least passable like the first Mortal Kombat movie?)

Well if you’re looking for a dumb, 90 minute action fest where you can turn your brain off, SF2TAM is the flick for you.  Pretty much every character from the Street Fighter II roster is here from series mainstays like Ryu, Ken and Chun Li to eternal fan favs like E.Honda, Blanka and Sagat.  Of course, you can guess the problem with this.  Of the near dozen or so characters around, only five of them matter to the overall plot: Ryu, Ken, Guile, Chun Li and M.Bison.  Everyone else is either window dressing or gone before you even realize they were around (poor Cammy is reduced to a barely minute long cameo).  Everyone does get a moment to shine but it both feels all too brief and too much like an unnecessary distraction from the “main plot”.

Speaking of main plot, the overcrowded cast list also highlights the bigger problem that the story doesn’t really bring the two central journeys together all that well.  On the one hand, you have Ryu traveling the countryside, getting into side quests and fights.  Then you have Guile and Chun Li doing the major lifting looking for Bison and his men.  The latter of these two tales could have made the whole movie as it feels way more focused and Guile and Chun Li are great together.  Chun Li, more so, steals the show in every scene she’s in with her bubbly attitude, dead on to the game good looks and killer fight moves.  In fact, I dare say Chun Li at least gets one of the best fights in the movie before getting sidelined for the rest of it.  Poor Guile fares worse as he doesn’t get the proper conclusion to his tale he’d worked hard toward.  Yep, at the end of the day, it was all building to Ryu and Ken fighting M.Bison because they’re the only ones who truly matter to the Street Fighter Legacy…cause why not.  It left things a bit hollow from a storytelling POV.

So the story is a bit of a mess.  And it shows when everything else about the movie looks great.  The action scenes, of which the film can be summed up as one fight after another with a couple of short dialogue driven scenes in between, feel like they’ve been extensively research and crafted.  Everything is as fast as lighting and full of color and signature attacks and everything you can get by playing the Street Fighter II arcade game.  That’s not a strike against the movie either.  On the contrary, it’s a sign that the animators have enough good sense to stay true to the source and never stray too far from pushing the fights into Dragon Ball Z levels of over the top.  And it looks great too.  From the straight from the game costumes of all the characters (Chun Li in particular looks great) to the execution of the “Hadoken” and other special moves, the Street Fighter II movie is a staple of 90s Japanese Animation and it’s easy to see why its gained such a following besides just coasting on the Street Fighter label alone.  I already mentioned the Chun Li vs Vega fight as a personal fav of mine (helped by the 90s rock soundtrack provided in the English Dub) but the final showdown between Ryu and Ken vs. M.Bison was worth the missteps the film took to get there.  Fights in 90s films don’t get much better than this…fist fights that is, you want bloodier ones, there are other options but that’s neither here nor there.

Had the story been given a tighter focus…and a lot more attention, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie would be rated a little higher in my eyes.  The film looks really good for a feature film Anime from the 90s and there’s plenty of energy borrowed from the video games, along with a huge roster of characters that youre favorite will do something memorable before they vanish.  However, I cant ignore said large cast and the story feeling so uneven.  It is a fun time and a good 90s nostalgia trip…and yes it is much, MUCH better than the Live Action film.  So in the end, that in and of itself is a win.  If you ever wanted to get into Street Fighter and never, for whatever reason, played the games…id say yeah it’s a good entry point for ya…or you could just play the game then see the movie, that makes much more sense im my opinion.

7.5/10

Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel II-Lost Butterfly

The next Holy Grail War has only just begun and yet it is a far different battle than any before it.  As a dark shadow intervenes and tears apart Servant and Master alike, the remaining players are desperate for answers.  As new alliances form and new revelations are discovered, the fate of everything rests in the hearts of two young mages: Shiro Emiya, who wishes to become a hero of justice; and Sakura Matou, the girl who longs to be Shiros one and only love.  As a new wave of death and despair tears its way through Fuyuki City, Shiro and Sakura will have to accept their destinies: who will save the world and who will destroy it?

The premiere chapter of the Heaven’s Feel Trilogy, Presage Flower, still stands as my absolute favorite entry in the Fate/Stay Night franchise.  It took chances I hadn’t seen yet in any other route and had enough shock and wow factor to keep me invested.  Plus, it did some serious amendmants to many characters I found irritable and troublesome in the past.  Needless to say, the hype level was raised and Lost Butterfly had a lot to prove, especially that Presage Flower wasn’t a fluke.  Well, it wasn’t a fluke at all.  Lost Butterfly capitalizes on Presage Flower’s triumphs and adds a few more of its own.  The end result is me cheerfully saying: This is Fate/Stay Night done right.

 

I don’t even know where I should begin with this one after that much praise in the intro.  Let’s start with Sakura.  For ages id hoped we’d finally see the story laid out for her in Fate/Zero play itself out properly.  Heaven’s Feel has fulfilled those wishes…and partly makes me wish I didn’t know the full extent because to say Sakura’s had it rough is a serious understatement.  No one child in the Fate franchise has had the perfect childhood but Sakura takes the cake when it comes to darkest upbringings and Lost Butterfly dives deeper into that than ever before.  If there are some sensitive subjects that make you uncomfortable, be warned, Lost Butterfly tackles them all.  The silver lining is Sakura continues to grow and her story remains the beating heart of this dark tale.  She is the victim of fate and a girl you want to see the best happen too, and by best I mean all possible good.  We see both Sakura’s agony in her life situation and the darkness brimming within her…cause of course the hell she’s been through would do that.  The end result is a hard watch but a rewarding one if only to see one of Fate/Stay Night’s most underutilized leads given her proper due.

 

Sakura’s story also benefits a few characters I’ve had problems with in other Fate stories, namely Shiro and Illya. Well actually, for the Illya part the improvements come from the fact that Heaven’s Feel actually acknowledges and doesn’t just skim or ignore Fate/Zero.  Everyone true lineage is revealed and we get time to see people, especially Shiro, take in these reveals and let them sink in.  In the 2006 Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero’s events are acknowledged but brushed over instantly.  Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works should have done more but didn’t.  So Illya does get a beefed up role and is so far removed from the spoiled, vengeful brat she’s been in the past.  And Shiro, wow I never thought the day would come when I’d be alright with Shiro Emiya from the get go and still be in his corner 2/3s of the way through this new story.  Sure he still wants to be a hero but has a much more narrowed focus scope for that dream: protect Sakura.  There’s always the risk that his desire might try to extend higher but for now, the woman he loves is first and foremost on his list of people to protect.  It makes Shiro stronger than ever and actively makes me root for him and Sakura all the way (sadly putting the kabosh on any Shiro/Rin romances, though they do address that too).

 

The characters are always the central focus of any Fate story.  However, if you know the franchise for its stellar action scenes, holy crap you’ve seen nothing yet.  It’s like every bit of swordplay and mage warfare Ufotable has done since Fate/Zero has been building to Heaven’s Feel.  And the studio tops itself once again with what’s probably the big action centerpiece of the film: Saber Alter vs. Berserker.  If you saw this in a movie theater with the right sound system, everything is thundering, everything is shaking and everything is going BUDABUDABOOOOOOM!!!!.  This battle is easily one of the most brutal and intense, Dark Saber is definitely not holding back cutting up Berserker and there’s plenty of shots of mutilated Berserker corpses to prove it.  That’s not to say the other battles aren’t as impressive.  Archer’s battle with both The Shadow and Rider are both exceptional as well.  There’s also a smaller battle involving a character who is usually reserved for more grand scale fight scenes.  In a way, it was kind of disappointing to see a character who’s bitten the dust in other entries go out so quietly…but the circumstances only make the stakes of the entire tale more dire, so I give it a pass.  While there is actually only a handful of fight scenes, Ufotable has already made Heaven’s Feel stand at the top of the Fate/Stay Night Action Hill Top with two movies alone.

 

My miniscule nitpicks around a certain characters fate (pun intended) aside, my only other nitpick for Lost Butterfly is that it doesn’t exactly know when it wants to end.  There were at least five different spots that would’ve made for a good “to be continued” save point.  But each time I was fooled and the movie carried on.  Im of two minds here.  It does sound annoying but I was so invested in the film, it didn’t matter when it cut off (it had too eventually cause we’ve still got Part 3 to watch).  And when the movie did end, it ended on the best “holy s***” moment that will definitely keep viewers hanging on to see the conclusion of the trilogy in 2020.  And again, subject matter involving sexual violations and self worth are heavy and not for the faint of heart.  Heaven’s Feel should be approached with caution in that regard, this is hardly the “feel good” saga of the Fate/Stay Night franchise. 

 

Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel II-Lost Butterfly took the spark ignited by Presage Flower and set off an inferno of excellence.  The characters continue to grow and become the best versions of themselves in Anime yet.  The action is legendary, more legendary than anything we’ve seen yet.  The story is darker, riskier (and more risqué), and unrelenting when tackling the toughest subject matters in life.  In short: like Presage Flower, this is the Fate/Stay Night I wanted to see when Fate/Zero concluded.  Legacy is acknowledged, everyones got an important part to play and the twists and turns make take hold of the eyes and keep them glued to the screen more than the beauty of Rin, Sakura and Alter Saber combined.  If you’re a Fate fan, this trilogy is a dream come true…or hopefully it is if Part 3 can end this saga with a bang.  For now, Lost Butterfly stands on equal ground with its predecessor…and it is gonna be a really long and unbearable wait for Spring Song in Spring 2020.

9/10