Anime Reviews

[Warchief Onyx]

I love s.CRY.ed, though I did enjoy the dub a lot. I thought Blum did a decent job as Kazuma (though I agree the JP voice is better), but I absolutely adore Crispin Freeman as Straight Cougar.

Episode 26 is also one of my favorite episodes in the series. Sure, it's pretty meaningless as far as the main story goes, but the episode-long fight between Kazuma and Ryuhou is one of the best fight scenes I've seen in any fictional medium, not just anime.

[YourAverageJoe]

I thought the final fight was depressing since they were basically killing themselves with their adrenaline addiction.

[Haz]

Kazuma is my homeboy.

I caught s-CRY-ed when it came on Adult Swim, and it was crazy. Never saw the Japanese voiced one, so I can't compare.

But I didn't get to see episodes 25, and 26

[Revolver Ocelot]

onyx said:

I love s.CRY.ed, though I did enjoy the dub a lot. I thought Blum did a decent job as Kazuma (though I agree the JP voice is better), but I absolutely adore Crispin Freeman as Straight Cougar.

Episode 26 is also one of my favorite episodes in the series. Sure, it's pretty meaningless as far as the main story goes, but the episode-long fight between Kazuma and Ryuhou is one of the best fight scenes I've seen in any fictional medium, not just anime.

I like the fight at the point where they say "Fuck all this flashy anime bullshit." and then just start beating the everloving shit out of eachother something dirty. Ryuho digging his fingertips between Kazuma's ribs was classic.

[Ace Whatever]

sh3llsh0ck said:

What do you guys think of that new Macross OVA "Robotech Shadow Chronicles"? What is it about?

It's basically Robotech easter egg-packed fanservice with the most laughable CG animation you'll ever see. I'm told the Macross PSX video games have better CG than this.

[Shellshock]

acewhatever said:

sh3llsh0ck said:

What do you guys think of that new Macross OVA "Robotech Shadow Chronicles"? What is it about?

It's basically Robotech easter egg-packed fanservice with the most laughable CG animation you'll ever see. I'm told the Macross PSX video games have better CG than this.

Good to know. Not getting it then. I heard it was made by some Korean studio as a low budget thing.

[Revolver Ocelot]

Attention!

All reviews have been updated to include videos of the OPs and EDs, assuming I could find them. Check'em out, especially the ones for Gurren Lagann and Claymore.

Enjoy.

[Revolver Ocelot]

Fafner of the Azure: Dead Aggressor

Studio: Xebec

Director: Nobuyoshi Habara
Writer: Kazuki Yamanobe & Tow Ubukata
Producer: Gou Nakanishi, Takashi Noto & Takatoshi Chino
Composer: Tsuneyoshi Saito
Design: Hisashi Hirai (characters) & Naohiro Washio (mecha)

Released: July 4th, 2004
Genre: Drama, Mecha, Sci-Fi
Format: Continuing TV series
Runtime: 26 episodes, 25 minutes each (650 minutes)
US License: Geneon



When Evangelion[/i] hit in the mid-90s, mecha anime was irreversibly changed. Love it or hate it, Evangelion[/i] left an impact in its genre like nothing had since Mobile Suit Gundam[/i] almost 20 years prior. Many shows in its wake strove to be as much like Evangelion[/i] as possible, from borrowing certain plot elements (Genesis of Aquarion[/i]) to completely aping the entire show (RahXephon[/i]). Ironically, Gainax’s own off-shoot company, Xebec, brings us what is quite possibly the best of this pseudo-genre of “Evangeliclones” in the form of Fafner of the Azure: Dead Aggressor[/i].



Focusing on Norse mythology rather than Judeo-Christian themes, the premise of Fafner[/i] is almost the same as Evangelion[/i], but not quite. On a remote island in the middle of the pacific, a small community of people resides in a rural village. Kazuki Makabe lives in peace along with his friends and family. But one day, all that changes. An alien, called a “Festum”, attacks the island and starts ripping through its barriers. The adults on the island all suddenly slip into the guises of military personnel and the island village begins to transform into an armored battle station. It is then that Kazuki realizes that he was living in a very fragile and tenuous reality, protected from the horrible truth by an illusionary paradise.



The truth is the world was mostly destroyed by the Festum years ago. To survive, Kazuki’s and his friends’ parents created this artificial island and erected barriers to prevent the Festum from attacking. They hoped that by making the island mobile, the Festum would never find them. But now, the Festum are aiming to “assimilate” this last inkling of human civilization. And the lies do not end there. Kazuki also discovers that the children on the island were not born, but rather, created. They were genetically engineered to pilot Fafners: large, humanoid robots with frightening power. They are the last defense mechanism against the Festum, and Kazuki Makabe is the first chosen to take up this heavy responsibility.



On the outside, Fafner[/i] is simply another mecha show. But underneath its done-to-death premise, it is a story about trust, mendacity, responsibility, and the relationships between parents and their children. Indeed, it borrows quite a bit from Evangelion[/i]. But in many ways, it goes into much more depth on subjects Evangelion[/i] only barely touched on. It is a more emotionally and physically complete series than Evangelion[/i] ever was or hoped to be, and it maintains a great equilibrium in focusing on its entire ensemble rather than on a few key characters.



Looking past its narrative, Fafner[/i] looks absolutely amazing. This is easily one of the best looking TV animes I have ever seen, both in terms of art and animation. Hisashi Hirai returns from his work in Gundam SEED[/i] to make an eerily familiar yet still beautifully designed and drawn cast of characters. Fans of Gundam SEED[/i] may snicker at the uncanny similarities between, say, Mr. Makabe and Mu La Flaga, but cannot downplay how much more expertly drawn and detailed the characters are here. In all, this is probably Hirai’s best work.



On the other side of things, you have the mecha. As Naohiro Washio’s second gig as a mecha designer, he truly demonstrates his talents. Each Fafner has a very distinct look in spite of all sharing the same basic framework, and the overall design of the Fafners is not easily comparable to anything else out there because they are very original. Washio’s exceptional work here would allow him to design the mecha for other high-profile Xebec shows such as The Third[/i] and Heroic Age[/i], and most recently for Sunrise’s epic Gundam[/i] metaverse, Gundam 00[/i].



The music and sound in Fafner[/i] is just as solid as everything else. Tsuneyoshi Saito (Nazca[/i], Kaze no Yojimbo[/i]) has composed a superb orchestral soundtrack that gives the show a very rich, epic feeling, though some of the pieces are reused a bit too much. Pop duo angela provides very fitting, celtic intro and ending themes, with Shangri-La being one of the best anime openings I have heard. In terms of voice acting, Fafner[/i] is strong both in Japanese and English, with veteran actors such as Johnny Young-Bosch (Kazuki) and Kirk Thornton (Fumihiko) providing typically excellent performances in the dub using contrived pseudonyms.



Fafner[/i] is a great, great show that proves that you do not necessarily have to be held back by an overdone premise so long as it is executed well enough. While it is easy to draw comparisons with Evangelion[/i], it is best to simply separate the two and judge them individually. Fafner[/i] stands paramount amongst Xebec’s work and offers some of the finest sci-fi mecha entertainment you will ever get your hands on. In many ways, this Evangeliclone surpasses the original.

- Shalashashka

Story: B
Animation: S
Design: S
Music: S
Direction: S
Overall: A+
Sub or Dub: Either

OP: “Shangri-La” by angela
As I said, one of the best anime openings I've ever heard. Awesome song with sort've celtic lyrics. S

ED: “Separation[/i]” by angela[/b]
Bit more of a Latin sound here, but the lyrics still sound celtic... hmmm. Good song though. A

Interested in this anime? Buy it here!

[Revolver Ocelot]

Outlaw Star

Studio: Sunrise

Director: Mitsuru Hongo
Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba & Takehiko Ito
Producer: Haruyo Kanesaku & Yutaka Maseba
Composer: Kow Otani
Design: Takuya Saito (characters), Junya Ishigaki & Shoji Kawamori (mecha)

Released: January 8th, 1998
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Gunslinging, Sci-Fi
Format: Continuing TV series
Runtime: 26 episodes, 25 minutes each (650 minutes)
US License: Bandai



1998 was the year of the “Sci-Fi Western” in anime. Trigun[/i] and Cowboy Bebop[/i] began airing only a day apart in April. But it was a somewhat lesser known show that got things started that January and paved the way for this new pseudo-genre, where the future is gritty, dusty and dirty, space ships are beat up and in major need of maintenance, and heroes always seem to be broke and hungry. This is the world of many anime shows that have come forth within the last 10 years, but it was first and foremost the world of the fantastic Outlaw Star[/i].



Gene Starwind and Jim Hawking are a pair of roundabouts who have started their own business. The adequately named “Starwind & Hawking” company will take any job for the right price, from babysitting to bounty hunting. Sadly, there does not seem to be much work these days on the backwater planet of Sentinel III, and the duo mostly spends their time meandering at the local pub and getting into the occasional fist fight. But things change one day when they get a particularly tantalizing offer from a mysterious woman.



Hired as bodyguards, Gene and Jim soon find that their new employer is in a whole mess of trouble, as they are chased by a group of magic-wielding pirates and assassins called the Kei. Revealing herself to be an outlaw, Hilda explains to the two that she alone has the key to one of the greatest mysteries in the galaxy, and that the Kei pirates, amongst other foul denizens that menace the unprotected regions of the universe, will stop at nothing to kill her and, by association, them. The key she speaks of turns out to be a young, genetically engineered girl named Melfina, designed to be the living operating system for a highly advanced ship. With Melfina in tow, the group flies off toward the stars and into one of the most thrilling and charming adventure rides in all of anime.



From start to finish, Outlaw Star[/i] moves at a blindingly fast pace, shooting our heroes into the outer reaches of the cosmos where they meet all sorts of unforgettable allies, such as the feisty cat girl Aisha Clan Clan, the beautiful yet deadly assassin Twilight Suzuka, and my personal favorite, flamboyantly gay, sarcastic, wise-cracking arms dealer Fred Lowe. But not all of their new acquaintances are so friendly. Aside from the evil Kei pirates, they also run into a pair of particularly nasty outlaws called the McDougal Brothers, with whom Gene seems to have some bad blood.



Gene, Jim, and their rag-tag assembly of friends get into one misadventure after another, most of which being episodic in nature, until the series begins to wind down with one last epic mini-arc. In between, however, there are several episodes that leave more than a little to be desired and could have easily been cut from the show’s run. But, for the vast majority of the time, Outlaw Star[/i] does not fail to entertain. It offers an equal serving of action and comedy, with some very sincere moments and shocking surprises strewn about.



Outlaw Star[/i] was a joint project between Sunrise and Xebec. As such, the animation was pretty top notch for its day, and the show still holds up well even now. The hand-drawn style of the show is very sketchy and rough, the kind of animation you just do not see a lot of anymore, with lots of detail packed into every scene. A lot of effort clearly went into designing the universe of Outlaw Star[/i], so much so that you can easily imagine the years of history behind each locale by simply glancing at it.



Legendary composer Kow Otani (Gundam Wing[/i], Shadow of the Colossus) provides the music for Outlaw Star[/i], and it is quite a fitting and memorable soundtrack. Otani uses a typical mixture of orchestral and triumphant, sensational rock pieces to carry along the action. On top of the background music, you have the unforgettable opening song, “Through the Night”, and two absolutely beautiful (though somewhat out of place) ending pieces by Arai Akino. Rounding out the sound category, Outlaw Star[/i] has an excellent dub. In some cases, the dub actors seem to fit the personalities of the characters more than the original Japanese actors.



Outlaw Star[/i] is a modern classic. No doubt about it. While not particularly deep or mentally stimulating, you would be hard pressed to find a more entertaining thrill ride. If you have not seen it, shame on you. Go out and buy Bandai’s absurdly cheap Anime Legends box sets and join the many that hold a special place in their heart for this fun, exciting, and unforgettable show.

- Shalashashka

Story: B
Animation: A
Design: S
Music: A
Direction: S
Overall: A-
Sub or Dub: Either, preferably dub

OP: “Through the Night” by Masahiko Arimachi
Catchy, hip, somewhat cheesy rock song. Good stuff. B

ED1: “Hiru no Tsuki” by Arai Akino
Beautiful, haunting song that doesn’t really fit the series, but still. S

ED2: “Tsuki no Ie” by Arai Akino
A bit faster paced than the above song, but still beautiful. S

Interested in this anime? Buy it here!

[Revolver Ocelot]

De:Vadasy

Studio: AIC

Director: Nobuhiro Kondo
Writer: Sho Tokimura
Producer: Hiroaki Inoe & Kinya Watanabe
Composer:
Designer: Masako Goto (characters) & Asmaria (mecha)

Released: November 25th, 2000
Genre: Action, Ecchi, Mecha, Sci-Fi
Format: OVA series
Runtime: 3 episodes, 25 minutes each (75 minutes)
US License: AnimeWorks



It does not really need to be said, but I will say it anyway; Japanese people are fucking weird. That is not particularly a bad thing. Japan’s eccentricity is part of what makes their culture so fascinating. But sometimes this can lead us folks on the other side of the pond into some pretty awkward situations. De:Vadasy[/i] is a shining example of this sort of situation.



De:Vadasy[/i]’s premise is one you have probably heard way too many times. Aliens attack earth, a line of super robots is made by a shady military organization, and now they desperately need teenagers, of all people, to pilot them. Preferably hormonal ones. This is where De:Vadasy[/i] takes a twist. They do not want hormonal teenagers because it makes for interesting character relations. The mecha this military organization has built are actually powered by sexual tension. Yeah, you read that right.



Horny loser Kay Anno is one such hormonal teenager, and is chosen to pilot the Devadasy. But he is not alone. His little-sister-type-who-is-secretly-in-love-with-him-but-does-not-know-how-to-express-it-character, Naoki, has also been chosen. In spite of Naoki’s attempts to get Kay to notice her, Kay is more interested in the military’s star pilot, the quiet, mysterious Amala. This, of course, leads to several different forms of tension between the three, each more disturbing than the last.



What you have here is basically a more perverse version of Evangelion[/i] (hard to imagine, I know) condensed into 3 episodes. Needless to say, this OVA is a train wreck. Rather than having any sort of coherent story, De:Vadasy[/i] instead aims to shock and arouse. Hopefully the latter will not work for you, otherwise you may want to seek help. We have every possible awkward situation here, from child molestation to attempted rape. Nothing graphic enough to qualify as hentai, but still every bit as tasteless.



Oh, yeah, and somewhere in here, there is a plot. Supposedly. In between Kay’s monologues on sexual frustration and him constantly trying to hump everything, we have bits of mecha combat. For the most part, the concept is identical to Evangelion[/i] both in the way the robots are designed and the way they move. The difference is that the Devadasy has room for two pilots, one male and one female, and the sexual tension between them is what powers the behemoth. The hornier Kay and Naoki/Amala get, the more powerful the Devadasy becomes. And yes, this show actually takes itself dead seriously.



It is not so much De:Vadasy[/i]’s ridiculous concept that kills it, though. It is how muddled and incoherent it is. First of all, the people involved with the project decided to try and be poignant by mixing up the continuity. We start off toward the end, go back to the beginning, and throughout the series, there are so many time jumps made, it is hard to tell where the hell you are at any given point in the story. Even if the continuity were not messed with, however, De:Vadasy[/i] would still be confusing due to its pacing. The OVA tries too desperately to squeeze a full series into 3 measly episodes, and it just does not work.



At the very least, De:Vadasy[/i] looks okay. It definitely has a cheapness to its animation and its art style is basically “borrowed” from Evangelion[/i], but for whatever tight budget I hope and pray they had, they did well. The characters do not look too good, but the mecha battles are pretty smooth and, dare I say, almost impressive at some points. On the other hand, the music is pretty terrible and often sounds cheaply synthesized, typical of low budget pornography, which is perhaps what De:Vadasy[/i] should have been. It's so forgettable that the composer was not even credited at the end.



De:Vadasy[/i] is, in a word, horrible. It represents everything that anime should not be, yet so many aspire to. Sleazy, sexually-charged, utterly pointless teenage escapades. It is really quite a shame because some of the people involved in this production had worked on shows like Escaflowne[/i] and Gunbuster[/i], indicating that they were truly talented people. To be associated with tasteless shit like this is a very sad sight indeed. Avoid this ridiculous OVA like the STDs the characters within probably have.

- Shalashashka

Story: F
Animation: B
Design: C
Music: D
Direction: F
Overall: F
Sub or Dub: Don’t know, don’t care.

[Shellshock]

Man, I'm digging this thread. Ocelot, I'll hold you responsible for any anime bought I end up not liking. Just kidding.

What do you think of these? A quick 1-10 score would do. I have them but haven't had the time to watch them yet:

-Samurai 7
-Area 88
-Blame!
-Niea Under 7
-Last Exile
-Paranoia Agent
-Zone of the Enders - Dolores, I

[Revolver Ocelot]

sh3llsh0ck said:

What do you think of these? A quick 1-10 score would do. I have them but haven't had the time to watch them yet:

-Samurai 7

8/10 If you liked Seven Samurai, you'll like this. Same classic story but updated for a new generation. Sort've like Gankutsuou.

-Area 88

7/10 Entertaining stuff. Might be more worth your while if you've played UN Squadron.

-Blame!

Haven't seen this.

-Niea Under 7

Nor this.

-Last Exile

9/10 Great stuff, beautiful animation, great story progression.

-Paranoia Agent

3/10 Really pretentious, overrated, haughty bullshit.

-Zone of the Enders - Dolores, I

8/10 Really good mecha series, but you need to watch Idolo first.

[MRSKELETON]

I thought claymore was dumb for playing the 'helpless men, empowered women' card, despite clare being almost completely clean throughout the whole series and never getting a scratch on her.

[Revolver Ocelot]

mazinsaga said:

I thought claymore was dumb for playing the 'helpless men, empowered women' card, despite clare being almost completely clean throughout the whole series and never getting a scratch on her.

I'd hardly call getting her arm chopped of, impaled countless times, and nearly having her guts ripped out "never getting a scratch on her." I'm not sure how her being clean throughout the series has any effect on the feminine tone of the feature. Yeah.. you don't make any sense, sorry.

[Atma]

What the hell is wrong with strong women? Seriously, that's an insult to me. I'm sorry but how can you get off saying something like that?