FMA Movie Review

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The Basic Plot
Gene Starwind is a bounty hunter and wannabe adventurer on the Planet of Sentinel 3. Working with his young partner Jim Hawking, Gene is hired by “Hot Ice” Hilda, a self-proclaimed outlaw, as a bodyguard as she races to claim a treasure. It turns out to be the bio-android Melfina, a perfect replica of a human girl, but has no memory of her origins. Once the dust settles, Gene is now the owner of the Outlaw Star, a unique ship, and has promised Melfina to find her answers. The trouble is, the pirates who built the ship want it back, for something called the “Galactic Leyline”, and Gene doesn’t know where to begin. Fortunately, he’s about as good at making allies as he is at making enemies, often at the same time. He soon acquires Twilight Suzuka, an assassin, and Aisha Clan Clan, an immortal Ctarl-Ctarl, as allies. If only he could turn a profit, life would be easy.

This Review is Brought to You By The Mighty Ctarl-Catrl Empire!
First off, describing this series as a space western is inaccurate. Outlaw Star could be considered to be a Japanese take on Star Wars at times, or at least drawing on the same traditions, with a bit of Chinese mysticism. Gene Starwind is like a young Han Solo, and the Tao magicians could easily be viewed as Jedi. The anime certainly has an interesting and varied universe of aliens, and, thankfully there’s none of the flaws Star wars had (such as prequels). The initial episodes are pleasingly fast, white knuckle rides. The sense of adventure is strong, and the regular patches of comedy and fan service only enhance this. Outlaw Star’s main strength is its varied action sequences. The “grappler ship”, is a very unique take on space combat, basically seeing ships punch each other, which is just the right kind of daft for a series like this. However, the series does not rely on this gimmick, and most of the episodes take place on solid ground, giving some good gunfights. Sadly, Outlaw Star runs out of steam at the end of its second story arc. Having blasted through eight episodes without pause for breath, when things slow down the overall quality of the series starts to drop. The series becomes largely episodic, and while we get some quality comedy, its not until the final story arc does the series regains the energy that it lost.

An irritation for me was that the characters do not grow beyond their initial appearances, and while that is not necessarily a problem for an action series, I did feel that something should have done done. Suzuka in particular is a closed book for most of the series, and that’s really noticeable in a anime which only has 5 regular characters and only so much for them to do. Jim also suffers from an increasing lack of purpose and screen time. That said, things aren’t all bad on the character front. You could complain that Aisha was two-dimensional, but that’s really part of her charm, like Armstrong from Full Metal Alchemist. The combination of Amazon, Werewolf and Catgirl really does make for a memorable character. While on the subject of over-the-top minor characters, the arms dealer Fred Lou often steals the show, for reasons I won’t spoil by revealing here. A good subplot is where Melfina attracts a stalker, one of the MacDougal brothers, whom Gene has very a personal beef with. This helps gives some depth to the weak middle of the series, although Mel is very much a damsel in distress, presumably to balance out the level of badassery that Aisha and Suzuka represent. So while, you couldn’t call the series deep, it always entertains.

Conclusion
Writing this review has made me realise how my own tastes and the wider anime industry have changed since this series first appeared. Outlaw Star is a good example of the sort of anime that was popular in the 90’s, a mix of action, comedy, fantasy, science fiction and some unusual girls in the cast. It’s got a lot of charm for that very reason, but it’s often unremarkable and forgettable. These flaws aside, there is something fundamentally enjoyable about series which features a scarred letch with a magic pistol, a weapons grade catgirl, an assassin with a wooden sword, a child genius acting as the voice of reason, and a navigator who has to get naked in order to guide the ship. In fact, how could anyone fail to enjoy that?

6/10

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The Basic Plot
In a different reality, the nations of Revillia and Zafran dominate the world, using weapons from another time. The mecha known as Decimators were discovered centuries before in mines and on the seabed, and the two nations are now close to another war. Lean is a gifted mechanic working with his employer Zante on a Decimator salvage ship, and events spiral out of control. Feeling honour bound to join the military as a result, Lean is recruited by the unconventional Lieutenant Manning. Things go badly and Lean is trapped behind enemy lines with Nataruma, a young woman fleeing the Zafran military, while the fighting happens around them.

Putting a New (or Old) Spin on Things
There are only so many ways to handle originality, especially when writing a sequel. The first is to ignore it, and just give more of the same, but you won’t gain any praise or new converts. The second is to do something very different, but in doing so you loose the audience. Orguss 02 takes the subtle third option, and that’s to shift everything slightly in a new direction, basically being a side story rather than a true sequel. The visuals march to a different beat, there’s a hodgepodge of European styles, mostly early industrial, showing steam trains co-existing with salvaged and slightly improvised mecha. However, the real thing that sets this series apart from its kin is the simply fact that while it is about a large scale war with mecha, the actual focus is on the people not really involved in fighting it.. If you were to list clichés and conventions in “real robot” animes, you’d find Orguss 02 is going against most of them. The most notable of which being that Lean is simply a nice guy trying to do the right thing, not an angst ridden teen, hot blooded youth or a professional soldier. Lean only pilots a decimator twice in the series, and instead spends most his of time a victim of circumstance.

The bulk of the anime comes from three plot threads that gradually come together, Lean and Nataruma’s escape, the intrigue in the Revillian Court, and the various Decimators at war. The sections with Lean amount to lots of one-to-one character scenes against a background of danger. Quickly betrayed, Lean has to earn the trust of Nataruma in order to survive, and the interplay between the characters is one of the series better points. These intimate moments are counter balanced by the politics and formality of the royal court, as the various power brokers backstab each other in an attempt to profit from events The intrigue nudges the plot along, and while you can see some things coming, such as the death of the king, the hows and whys aren’t so easy. The anime still manages to produce some startling action scenes even if the bulk of the series is small scale and personal. The massive Decimator Verifer advances across the landscape like a tide of molten lava, intractable and destructive, providing most of the explosions. There is a powerful scene in the snow which sees a final desperate attempt to stop this monster, and the animation has aged very well. These threads are tied together by Lieutenant Manning, a brilliant subversion of the mentor archetype. Selfish, manipulative, womanising, and completely honest about it, Manning is a good example of how this anime differs from the norm. While for the most part he’s an amoral opportunist, or at least pretends to be one, but it’s difficult to dislike a character whose grand plan to infiltrate enemy territory, is to pose as underwear salesmen. The anime isn’t without a sense of humour.

For the most part the drama in the series is good and effectively paced, but there are some duff notes. The scene where Lean finally looses his temper at his situation and lashes out, honestly felt wrong, both for his actions and the responses of the other characters. The ties to the original series, while deftly handled, basically boil down to deus ex machina. (A viewer is probably best off taking the explanations the series gives you rather than looking deeply into the plot of the original.) It also gives us a notable change in the feel of the series, as the action shifts into more conventional mecha territory. Another issue is the less than brilliant UK DVD release, which has just about every sin imaginable short of a Robotech style rewrite, and this is the first time I’ve ever felt that such matters are worth mentioning in a review. However the quality of the overall anime is enough to overcome this. There’s a love triangle which could easily have felt tacked on were it not for the characterisation of those involved, and the series manages to be self-contained, unlike so many sequels. All in all, it’s good.

Conclusion
Orguss 02 could be used in a master class for anime OVAs; short, sharp, and self sufficient. While some elements would have benefited from an expanded episode count, virtually nothing fails. Give it a try, because if there was ever proof that there’s more the mecha genre than giant robots, and Evangelion, its here.

8/10

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I've bitched about this aspect of modern anime in the past, but this is the first time I've seen this aspect pop up and ruin something I was really enjoying till that point.

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The basic plot
Light Yagami is a bored, frustrated, but exceptionally gifted teenager. Ryuk is a similarly bored Deathgod, who drops his Deathnote, the focus of his power, into the human world. Light picks it up and immediately experiments with this notebook and the instructions within, killing a gunman and a petty thug in the process. Overcoming his revulsion at what he’s done; Light soon embarks on a quest to rid the world of evil, with Ryuk along for the ride. The world soon notices, dubbing the anonymous Light as “Kira”, but L, the world’s greatest detective is soon after him. The scene is set for a battle of wits the like of which has never been seen in history.

I have seen the Light! He carries a notebook…..
Few animes have a concept and story as interesting as Deathnote. Imagine a notebook, in which you could write a name of a person whose face you know, and that person will die. How would you use this tool? To take down the”bad guys”, or would you just throw it away? What would happen if it fell into the hands of someone with no morals at all? Or worse, someone who had a god complex? Deathnote assumes the last possibility happened, and makes this character the lead of the anime. It does not attempt to make Light into some kind of super villain, an anti-hero, or pose a moral quandary about his actions. Light is simply an unrepentant murderer who is swiftly, and totally, corrupted by the power of the note. Well, perhaps not totally, while he kills all that threatens or offends him, he does not kill wantonly. Light is entirely cold, ruthless, intellect and in any other anime would be a hateful foe. I hesitate to describe Light as a “monster”, as this would imply his behaviour is somehow inhuman. It isn’t, just look at the history books. He is simply, evil as a human can be, and placing him as the lead character is Deathnote’s big gamble, and what makes it work is the anonymous detective known only as “L”. This quirky individual matches Light step for step, revealing the limitations of the notebook in episode 2 and singling out Light as a Kira suspect with speed. The series quickly becomes a battle of wits between two big brains, one rigid and self-righteous, and the other rough and creative. L also likes to play dirty, if the need arises, which stops the series from becoming a simple good versus evil tale. It is very satisfying to watch, the tension in the series keeps you coming back to see what happens next. Factor in some frankly beautiful animation for a TV series, and a solid voice cast, and you got some quality entertainment.

Now, the problem with reviewing Deathnote is that its entertainment value is based solely on its plot, and to discuss it properly I would need to do so in detail. This makes it very difficult for me praise it properly without spoiling the experience, so I avoided doing so. This is a weakness common to anything which relies on big plot twists (I know I never bothered to see The Sixth Sense, when I discovered the ending by accident). I still credit Deathnote with having one of best stories I’ve seen in anime, and some very interesting characters. So, I’d like you keep this in mind, while I give what must seem a litany of complaints.

The David Beckham of Animes (think about it)
In broad terms, the series is a little stupid at times, and this is all the more noticeable given how sophisticated the series makes itself out to be. The first problem is the supporting cast, with a majority of them being in the “Doctor Watson” mold. Used only to explain the reasoning of the lead characters, and make them look impressive in the process, most of them are two dimensional as a result. Yes, several do really steal the show (such as Deputy Chief Yagami), but most are forgettable and some are frankly sycophantic towards Light. Given how the anime tends to avoid discussing morality in any meaningful way, this comes across as a glorification of Light’s homicidal tendencies. Large chunks of the plot require major suspension of disbelief, to the point where it is hung by the neck, rather than suspended. Its one thing to accept the functions of the Deathnote, contrived as they are, it’s quite another to stomach the massively complex gambit Light pulls off towards the end of the second act. This is then followed by a new storyline, which just seems to be more of the same, rather like a filler arc in Dragonball. There seems to be in the anime a much more elegant story that has been dragged out unnecessarily; instead of there being a fighting fit 26 episode show, Deathnote comes in at a flabby and self-satisfied 37. Eventually, you realise Death Note’s real weakness, the creative staff simply isn’t as clever as the characters they are dealing with, leading to a drawn-out series with increasingly little depth to it.

In many other series, these flaws might have been excusable, but the anime is so invested in the intellectual that I just could not forgive the writers. You see, what the series actually amounts to is lots and lots and lots and lots and LOTS of standing around and talking. There isn’t much in the anime to entertain beyond this, and those seeking a little comedy, or perhaps a subplot, have a long wait for it. By the time this does appear, the people who enjoyed the plot are likely becoming frustrated that the series is moving so slowly. While it is welcome that the anime tries to grow beyond its own format, thanks to an expanding cast and a very clever plot twist, but the execution is increasingly poor. The idea of having Light get a bubbly and somewhat dumb girlfriend, for example, was definitely a good one, given the humour this brings to the series. However, this character is a harem anime stereotype, and frankly feels out of place in comparison to the rest of the cast. None of the above is immediately fatal, but I would say its best not to look too hard at this anime, because there are simply so many wasted opportunities and examples of laziness.

Conclusion
Deathnote is an anime with a very clever concept, but suffers from a painfully dragged out story, and a format that is pure marmite. Based almost entirely on “Xanatos Gambits”, and beautifully animated, Deathnote is a great anime for lovers of spy dramas and detective novels. Sadly, it doesn’t live up to the expectations it gives you.

6/10

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The Basic plot
In the far future of 1999, an alien spacecraft suddenly crashes on Earth, triggering the Unification Wars. The victor, the new UN government, sets about reverse engineering and restoring the wreck, dubbed the “Macross”. A decade later, Hikaru Ichijo, an amateur pilot has been invited to its launch ceremony. However aliens hunting the ship, the Zentradi, choose this moment to investigate, and war breaks out. Matters go from bad to worse as the Macross, Hikaru and a large chunk of the local geography are accidentally transported to edge of the solar system. 70,000 civilians soon take up residence in cavernous bowels of the ship, and the Macross sets course for Earth. Naturally, the Zendradi pursue, and the Macross must fight its way home.

Up, up and away
A big, big part of the series appeal are the VF1 series Valkyries, the transforming jet fighters that most of the characters pilot. These were possibly the first transforming robots that made any level of practical sense. The simple fact that these are treated as planes first, and mecha second gives the series a very different feel. The VF1s spend most of the time in jet form, animated with a good sense of speed and the huge missile volleys which would become a trademark of the franchise. The combat sequences are still good today and quite far removed from the style of Gundam; the norm is combat between dozens of different mecha, not a handful. It’s almost realistic too. The fact that the VF1 series is continually modified, rather than replaced is inline with how a real military would operate, as is the total absence of super prototypes. However, something that will turn people off is the often poor animation, a result of a minimal budget and sub-contracting (a major factor in the creation of Robotech). Even accounting for age, the lack of money behind the series is obvious, and animation errors dog it from beginning to end. The series seems to have bitten off more than it can chew in places, but few animes attempt the sheer scale of combat seen in this series. It deserves credit for being almost sensible with its combat scenes and plotting, while still coming across as exciting. Many big names can’t claim that today.

However, the series really isn’t about blowing stuff up, its more about life and love against the background of war. Macross is not, like so many of its contemporaries, a “monster of the week” show; instead we follow Hikaru as he goes from talented amateur pilot to full blown officer. Something of an everyman character, Hikaru is not cast as the best pilot, or indeed as being vital to events. He’s just there making the best of things and trying to do the right thing. He’s not an especially distinctive character, but he seems to be a fairly human one, as most of what he deals with are common wartime problems (even if the foe isn’t human). Rather than focusing on the war as the sole plot of the anime, instead it’ used as a context for the characters. Macross is not especially romantic, but the nature of romance in wartime is a recurring plot thread, and a notable number of the cast end up with someone, however briefly. What this means in practical terms is that a love triangle is just as much credence as the actual war. Hikaru is soon finds himself torn between Minmay, a young girl he saved, and his older superior officer, Misa. In this respect the series is a little old fashioned, but character scenes are enjoyable as the action ones. A solid cast of likable and interesting supporting characters is another asset to the series, bridging the gap between the action and romantic aspects.

The Queen of Marmite Characters
However, your enjoyment of the quieter bits will depend on how you feel about Lynn Minmay, a character who can be hard to like. There’s a tendency for Hikaru to spend much of an episode pondering over her actions, as she is largely unconcerned with dangers of living on the Macross and is constantly sending mixed messages. This is a girl who shares a life and death situation with Hikaru, suggests he become a fighter pilot, uses this as inspiration for a song, “My Boyfriend is a Pilot”, annnnnddddd still claims he’s just a friend. It’s tempting to dismiss her as an immature girl with the socio-political awareness of a lemming, and her tendency to sing her Eurovision grade songs provide another reason to dislike her. But then, Minmay lives in a very different world to the rest of the cast. Like most of the refugees, she managed to rebuild a little copy of her old life within the ship, and ignoring the war is very a popular pastime in real life. Minmay also becomes a singer successful beyond anyone’s dreams, and this would understandably warp her perspective. The likeability of the character, and her tendency to split the audience, seems to be deliberate. While Minmay the person may be a little dumb, Minmay the storytelling tool is a work of genius.

From an intellectual perspective, Macross is about conflict between different societies, Alien and Human, Military and Civilian, and that old chestnut, Man and Woman. What makes Minmay so important to the anime is that she is the major catalyst for all three of these conflicts. By comparison, Misa Hayase is a decidedly more rational, by-the-book character, meaning that she is less likely to provoke dislike in the viewer than Minmay, but is probably less interesting overall. Misa’s attitude to Hikaru is more consistent, maintaining a professional demeanour while she tries to work out how to express her feelings, and getting irritated when she can’t. It’s not surprising Hikaru found choosing difficult; the two are very different without being obvious opposites, and the relationship works well because of this. It also helps that the series largely predates the harem romance genre, and so avoids some of the odious clichés that have developed over the years. Its clichés are however still old and obvious, the most notable of which is the fact that the love triangle seemingly goes on forever before anyone makes a move, thanks to a lack of brains on all sides.

Making “Culture”
The love triangle is typical of a wider pattern of minor weaknesses that bring the anime down. Its not the case that something notable is wrong, other than the animation, and that’s excusable. It’s the pacing of things more than anything else, as many ideas seem a bit rushed or sudden. The last nine episodes see the aftermath of the war, and while it is welcome to see a mecha anime deal with such things, the arc feels a little unnecessary in places (like the last season of Babylon 5). Part of the problem it is how the characters don’t drive the plot as such, and events are often beyond their control and very sudden. There are a lot of very clever things in this series, but execution is perhaps not what it could have been, which is probably due to the low budget nature of the anime. Of course, this is where people can go wrong; taking Macross as serious piece of science fiction, and then judging things harshly. SDF Macross simply isn’t that serious, it has a tongue in cheek, knowing tone. The anime is not a comedy, but often it seems to be winking at the viewer, whispering “Yes, we know this is silly, enjoy it anyway”.

The Macross itself is a salvaged heap of a spacecraft, whose poor state of repair has a direct and almost farcical effect on the plot. This is a series which sees a baby being used as psychological weapon, a 12 metre robot ambushing someone in a toilet, a several spaceships being punched to death, and, of course, the trio of Zentradi spies. The marriage episode is notably daft, and I would like to single out Max Jenius as one of the jammiest men ever to pilot a robot. The Zentradi are a case in point. Militarist warrior races are ten-a-penny in science fiction, but its how the anime uses these giants is what makes them special. In the first of several ironies, the opening episodes see the crew of the Macross fighting what they believe is a desperate struggle. The Zentradi are however far more bemused than belligerent, deliberately holding back as they wish to capture the vessel intact for its lost technology, and are generally confused by the actions of its crew. As the series progresses, it becomes clear they have no concept of a life beyond warfare, and contact with the Macross has a powerful and divisive effect on the Zentradi. The “what is this earth thing called kissing?” joke is soon played out on a massive scale, some Zentradi going native, and others reacting like religious fundamentalists. The scenes which see them trying to understand or adapt to human life are some of the most interesting and endearing. Its something Macross keeps coming back to, the idea that’s there is more to life than fighting. It’s a good idea for an anime to have.

Conclusion
In Macross we see first steps towards the romantic/comedic mecha animes, where the focus was not on war drama or the robots, but rather the characters as people. Without it, we might not have got the likes of Escaflowne, Nadesico and Full Metal Panic. It offers solid entertainment, although you do have to be prepared to push past the obvious age of the anime. Macross may not have aged well in places, but the series has a good amount of charm, thanks to some quite inventive ideas and a subtle sense of humour.

8/10

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1) Dislexia is not a weakness.
2) How to be confident.
3) Don't confuse someone with your granny when hugging them. Bad things happen.

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Mum: I've resumed regular concact with my mother, and things seem to be going well. Things are being taken slow.

Jobs: My (now former) councellor's idea of working as a Libarian, seems to be a good idea, but getting started is proving to a bit of a bitch. Finding an entry level job that isn't a paycut is proving difficult, and I work in a supermarket for fuck's sake.

Gundam: The most recent series, 00, should have been everything I wanted, especially as it makes none of SEED's retarded mistakes, but it just isn't grabbing me. Then I realised I haven't liked a Gundam TV series since Wing. I feel a rant coming on.

Macross: I recently fulfilled a ten year dream and obtained a remastered and unmolested version of this genre making Mecha anime. Expect a review in a month or so.

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The Basic plot
Simon is a timid young miner, working to expand an underground village. Kamina is the local rebel, sporting tattoos and telling tales of the surface, which the village elder swears does not exist. Both orphans, Kamina and Simon form a sibling relationship. One day a large monster falls through the ceiling, followed by the minimally dressed gunslinger, Yoko. She identifies the monster as a “Gunman”, and Simon finds a much smaller version buried. Kamina names it “Lagann”, and they force their way to the surface. Kamina soon seeks his own gunman, triggering the events that will lead to the creation of Team Gurren, the human resistance against the Gunmen and the Beastmen controlling them, and its symbol, the robot Gurren-Lagann. Thus begins the story that will see Simon challenge the Beastmen, their King, and the force behind them; from his origins in a mudhole, to the ends of the universe.

Who the hell do you think I am?!
Gurren Lagann is a very enjoyable series, which is a once homage of, and evolution of, the first mecha shows. Its action driven, but favoured with comedy, drama and fan service. The basic elements of heroism, totally implausible mecha designs and uncomplicated morality is something which has been done hundreds of times before, although such animes are not common in the UK. The likes of Mazinger Z are still largely unknown to the UK scene. What makes Gurren Lagann brilliant is that while it keeps the spirit of shows like Mazinger Z, it dumps what made these animes so stale. There is almost no stock animation, and no episode formula. What it keeps is a relentless energy that infects every aspect of the show. The characters themselves are optimistic and driven, often far removed from the angst most people associate with giant robots. This style is however an acquired taste and I can imagine someone being turned off by it. However, to do would be a tragic mistake. A great strength of the series is its pacing, and willingness to court controversy. The plot is not complex or notably original, having elements of the coming of age story, the master and apprentice dynamic, and ultimately, the damsel in distress. But by the end of the series, it has reinvented itself three times, and given you three red herrings in the bargain. While you could claim that the series is cheesy and clichéd, you could not say its slow paced and boring; risks are often taken. The first was the one-off radical change in animation style for episode 4, which remains the series only real misstep. Then the series does something that must be discussed despite its status as a massive spoiler, Kamina’s untimely death, an event which honestly made me tearful at the time.

Up to this point, the series was largely comedic, with no real plot and a lot of silliness. All of a sudden this is stripped from us. Kamina represents what is the overriding ideal of Gurren Lagann, one which does pop up a lot in super robot animes, but perhaps not to this level. It’s that self-belief, and the will to win, will grant victory irrespective of the odds or common sense. In Kamina this comes across as bravado and stupidity, but it proves to be just the attitude needed to pilot a Gunman and inspire those around him. The battle cry “Who the hell do you think I am?!” is at the heart of the anime, a sense of anarchy and the will to hit back at anything that holds you down. With Kamina gone the series seems to falter; Kamina’s luck ran out, and Simon dives headlong into grief. By this point of the series, you can’t help but empathize. Kamina is such a charming character, with more depth then first apparent, and his loss is upsetting even if you saw it coming. Seeing Simon come apart at the seams is almost as sad. This is a kid who has more or less lost everything, and only makes things worse by trying to avenge Kamina.

But then, something spectacular happens, Simon breaks out of is depression and resolves to be his own man, but finish what Kamina started. Think about that for a second, the character actually matures, and overcomes his angst. Simon fufills his potential after an immense personal loss; Shinji Ikari should take the hint. This leads us to Gurren Lagann’s other main theme, moving on in the face of death. Most of the characters are orphans, and several of them die during the course of the series, but the survivors do not let themselves obsess over it. Far from it, they mourn and resolve to carry on; even performing acts of heroism that they know would lead to their own demise. The concept of “emo” is something the anime refuses to acknowledge, it does not make the mistake of confusing plain misery with character development. Simon’s triumph over his grief is both the anime’s best moment, and its declaration of principles. Gurren Lagann’s message, if it has one, is don’t give up. Ever.

The Look
While this metamorphosis in Simon takes place, the wider series is also going though a big change, the shift from simple comedy to light hearted drama. This is the third big risk. Whereas before the series was very much in the 1970’s style of daft robots, this arc put me in mind more of the 1980’s. With a clear goal, a much larger cast, and a mobile battleship as a base, Gurren Lagann starts to resemble a Gundam with a sense of humour. The catalyst for all this is Princess Nia, Simon’s love interest, and daughter of the Helix King, leader of the Beastmen. It’s another bold move by the anime, replacing a comically masculine character with completely innocent and naïve girl, but it works. Nia adds a welcome feminine touch, and her presence kick starts the long term plot. While the story takes on a more epic feel, the visual quality keeps place, shifting from on-on-one fights, to large scale battles.

You have to acknowledge the look of the series, which is smooth and quirky to start with, but becomes progressively more inventive and impressive as time wears on. A big part of the shows appeal is its animation, which constantly shifts styles. Different episodes where often made by different animation teams, who seem to have been in open competition to produce the most vivid and over-the-top piece of eye candy. As I mentioned earlier, there is almost no stock animation here, only when there is deliberate decision to do so, such as in the combination sequence and the Gurren Lagann’s signature attack. Even these are used sparingly, and you’d have to look very hard to see something being recycled. Even the explosions seem to be have been animated from scratch for each episode. And what animation it is.

Gurren Lagann often feels like a series of experiments by different animators, and they have had some very interesting material to work with. The Gunmen at first impression are comedic, squat creations with no heads, and faces on their torsos instead. The first appearance of a “feminine” Gunman will raise your eyebrows. Once you’ve acclimatised, you realise how expressive and distinct they actually are. Few mecha visibly change expression in response to their pilots, and in one case, a wardrobe malfunction. Most are indeed comedic, but it is something the characters who pilot them overcome. The walking battleship Dai Gurren for example, is ungainly and quite phallic, and yet it produces some of the more memorable, and funny, action sequences in the series. Kittan, second in the command of Team Gurren, pilots something resembling an angry, spiky banana and he still comes across as a badass. The titular Gurren-Lagann itself is created by accident, a result of Kamina’s bravado, but still comes across as hugely powerful and flexible machine. The actual character designs are of a similar quality

Another Contraversy: The Time Skip
After an extremely satisfying end to the second arc, the series tempts the wrath of fanboys yet again, with another shift. The story jumps forward seven years, and appears to make homage to another decade of mecha animes, the 1990’s. In what has been called the character flaw arc, the anime introduces the real villains, while Team Gurren fragments. The design aesthetic also changes, Gunmen have been replaced by the mass produced Graparl, the settings is now a city rather than wilderness, and the badguys are computer generated. The real change however is the shift away from action and comedy, to the differences between Simon, and Rossiu, his former co-pilot. In the face of things, Simon’s approach to things seems antiquated, too simplistic for the new world of politics, and things don’t go much better on the battlefield. Rossiu acts as the ultimate pragmatist, doing exactly what is required, regardless of his own opinions. Kamina’s ideal is again questioned, not just by Rossiu, but the entire cast, as revelations about the Beastmen cast doubt on the entire war against them. There is also a hint of conflict between generations, as most of Team Gurren is in the government, and the fighting being done by the young(er). Things quickly turn a bit dark.

The reason why this is a risk is because the anime bears now very little resemblance to the original episode. Action and comedy does still remain, but there’s an air of sadness to events as characters that you rooted for end up fighting each other or feeling redundant. But its not a bad thing, as the supporting cast get more time to shine. Gunman veteran Dayakka has to cope with being a father and how this overrides his old loyalities. Yoko disappears for a time, only to get an episode to herself which reminds us that there’s more to her than her dress sense (although you may wish to deduct/add points for the amount of boob shots in that episode). Gimmy and Darry, two orphans from Rossiu’s village are now grown up, and fulfilling action duties. The runaway success however is Kittan. Seeing though Rossiu, reforming Team Gurren and his actions at a hospital confirm Kittan as a hero in his own right. Unfortunately, it is also true to say that the series is starting to suffer from having too large a cast. Ultimately, this story arc is a test of faith, both for the viewer and the characters. Hope returns to the series with a bang, and series moves on to its final stage. While it would be a great spoiler to discuss the ending, I will say one thing. Those of you expecting Gurren Lagann to end in the manner of Gainax‘s other works, will be surprised. The series keeps raising the stakes, and it reputedly spent 40% of the budget of its final story arc. Looking at it, it’s easy to see how.

Conclusion
As a cynical old fart, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann appealed to me far more than I expected. Admittedly, I have enjoyed the dafter kind of mecha show before (GaoGaiGar), but I never considered this anything more than amusement for my inner child. Gurren Lagann convinced me that you don’t need quasi-real science, war drama or deeply layered plots for a good mecha show. If you get the feel right, everything else is gravy. Hugely entertaining, well-paced, occasionally smart, and actually uplifting, this anime deserves the hype. While it IS cheesy, old fashioned, simple, and flashy, it has heart. And that counts for a lot.

9/10

Comments

1) Spider-man unmasks himself in front of a press conference.
2) Predicatably, asssasins go after him and shoot Aunt May.
3) Mephisto (demon lord) shows up and says that he will save her if Spiderman gives up his marriage.
4) Procrastination follows, and Mary Jane makes the decision for him
5) Time is altered, the marriage never happened, and Harry Osborn is back from the dead.
6) Continuity since 1971 is destroyed, with knock on effects on all other Marvel comics.
7) All because someone thought Spiderman would work better as a single man, despite his relationship with Mary Jane being a key part of the character for decades.

Commentary
The I-Mockey review, be warned, some swearing.

J. Michael Straczynski, writer of the comic, and creator of Babylon 5, has his say.

WikiPedia

Comments

Comments

The Basic Plot
Elulu, the granddaughter of the village elder, discovers an injured man in the forest. He has no memory of his past, and wears a mask which cannot be removed. Taking the name Hakuoro, he tries to adapt to life with Elulu, and her younger sister Aruru, but fate has other plans. A chance encounter with the local Lord spirals out of control into bloodshed, and Hakuoro finds himself leading a peasant uprising.

Who is this masked man?
Utawarerumono shows its heritage in many ways. The lead character is an anonymous individual with a mask, and dating games tend to avoid showing the faces of their player characters. He attracts a mixed dozen of girls, catering for every taste, though with a definite slant towards that type of innocent, quiet and immature girl known as “moé”. The first episode did little to convince me the anime might be anything else. Then the first of many surprises occurred, a monstrous feline beast, a popular rebellion, and Hakuoro becoming emperor with shocking speed. I paused, and realised that I had this series wrong from the start. Utawarerumono, despite the painful name, and the elements that scream “harem anime”, is actually a proper fantasy anime, dealing with international conflicts and small things like court affairs. Hakuoro is not another worthless male lead, a shonen teenager or a generic amenesiac. He’s a kind and surprisingly capable individual, not phrone to angst or emoutionally maladjusted. This characterisation is the series in a microcosm, a misleading outer layer, hiding something much more interesting.

He also fights with a steel fan of all things, which brings us to what the meat of the series actually is, namely combat. There is a definite similarity to long running martial arts animes like Kenshin or Bleach. The foes Hakuoro faces are either two dimensional stereotypes with low life expectancies, or join his entourage after loosing to him in a fight. While this does mean that the series lacks a memorable villain, but one of the things that makes Utawarerumono so good is that it does not follow the other conventions of that genre. There are no named attacks, and battle is fought with strategy. The anime does epic battle far better than any TV series I’ve seen recently, and this is a big thing. Comedy also pays its part, mostly of a subtle kind. Whereas the gender balance would make you think of fan service, the series (perhaps mercifully) resists for the most part, and sticks to character based humour. What all this adds up to is an enjoyable action series with a side order of romantic comedy and cute. However, its difficult to hold up any particular aspect as exceptional, save for the wonderful world created for the series. The fantasy genre is famous for reusing the same ideas, such as orcs and elves, ad nausea. The various dog-tailed and feather-eared races featured in Utawarerumono help raise it above the pack and the feel of things is very Japanese.

The series’ only real problem is one so common to anime; it suffers in the second half and ends poorly. Things seem to have been written with the assumption of a much larger episode count, in that there isn’t much ofan on-going plot, instead presenting several multipart stories. Again, like a martial arts anime. While these prove to be entertaining, the result is a rush to wrap things up in the last four episodes. The sudden introduction of mecha, for example, is one of a spate of unpredictable turns that the anime makes, and never fully realises. The anime simply tries to do too much, and the ending is unsatisfying with some fairly big questions left unanswered. Actual character development is patchy, and a lot of the cast are two-dimensional. Some judicious editing, or possibly the dropping of a few characters would have helped a great deal with these problems. However, the charm of the series largely makes up for this. Utawarerumono is that rare beast, a fantasy world that is somewhat original, and well-handled .While there are flaws, they can be easily ignored.

Conclusion
I was surprised by Utawarerumono, I must admit. Animes inspired by games, especially hentai dating games, tend to have a patchy reputation, and cute does not appeal to me. The anime however proves to be an entertaining series, despite weaknesses in the long term storyline. Give it a try.

7/10

Comments

Why did I met her? Well she sent me a letter, and I figured I'd have to face her eventually, if I wanted to move on.

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I've been toying with the idea of an "Anti-Christmas" for sometime, the thoeretical inverse to the solar festival. Thanks to Phil for his input on this.

Food
Starter: Summer Fruits
Main: Tofu Salad
Dessert: Yogurt

Entertainment
Movies: Bad Santa, Die Hard, and the Nightmare before Christmas
Music: Satanic verse and the Spice Girls

Decoration
Black Lighting

Presents
Stolen from an orphanage.

I'm not going to do this, but what do you think?

Comments

Sad thing to say is, it sucks, its the embodiment of everything people say is bad about Games Workshop. The Orkz (delberate use of "z") have lost their trademark special rules, meaning that they are significantly toned down in close combat, and they weren't exactly uber in the first place. Orkz could take down most things if they timed it right, but now just about everything will be striking before them, resulting in a bloodbath. To make matters worse, various changes to to unit selections have made 99% of Ork army lists obsolete, requiring significant purchasing to make up the difference. In broad terms, everything that made the army popular has changed for the worse. Again. GW we had enough of this shit with Tyranids, Chaos and fecking Dark Angels

Its not all bad, most notably the shootaboys and lootas, but baring a last minute rewrite its a clusterfuck. So, Games Workshop, my message: Well done, you are now the Disney of minature wargaming. Sure, you are popular with the kiddies, and the money is still coming. However, you stopped being good in the 90's, you keep putting out mediocre product,and everybody with two brain cells to rub together has written you off. Buy out another, better, company and complete the metatphor already.

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That's the union flag, with the symbol of the Great Gurren Brigade on top. The designer even qoutes the series. I've been making references to Gurren Laggan for sometime. If you haven't investigated the series by now, you should. If only as a conversion starter.

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Anyone get the reference?

Comments

Well, I've found a shrink, and I'm seeing him for the first time today. The free first session may not be long enough, with my childhood bullying, my incredibly obvious mother issues and my startling lack of confidence. I dread to think how he'll take my mecha fixation.

On the job front, I had an interview last week, but I am still a trolly boy. This is proving to be fun in the rain.

On the creative front, its been hard. As the anime club website is being remodelled, my reviews have not been posted, so its diffiuclt to write more when there's no demand. Work commitments have done much to break the habit. Possibilities on the horizon......

Kishin Heidan Review: Basic framework laid down, still trying to process it. As an anime it failed to provoke strong feelings from me.

Tengen Topp Gurren Lagann Review: For this first time ever, I was on at the ground floor for a classic mecha series. I'm running into the same problem with Full Metal Alchemist though. Fan boy drool.

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Lolicon (lolita complex)
There are a lot of teenage girls in anime, partly because teenage girls DO watch anime, and teenage boys definately do. I suspect the tendancy of schoolgirl uniforms in japan to end above the knee is a factor. While jailbait is perhaps excusable when you consider these girls don't actually exist, what has become appearent is that the age of these girls has been definately been descreasing. There is a current fashion for very young girls in anime, often involved with recognisably older males. Its been a long time coming. The original harem anime Tenchi Muyo has two characters that would really upset the Daily Mail, and its a genre standard to a have little sister type in such shows. This isn't the same thing as the tendancy towards cute in anime, but is a related factor. Little girls tend to be mascots in all kinds of anime, and given the fanbase's tendancy to corrupt anything into doujins, it is perhaps not surprising that somebody thought of tapping into this slightly suspicious market.

This upsets me, I'm very much in the "consenting adults/prudish" camp of sexual politics. Is the kind of fan exploitation you find behind the worst of fanservice animes, and its exactly the kind of indulgence that shouldn't be encouraged. Yet we keep getting animes like this, such as Rizelmine, which has the slightly demeaning sight of a twelve year old singing "Lets do it for the first time" in the intro and the wider cast completely ignoring the age difference and forced marriage. Tsukuyomi Moon Phase is more of a drama, but that just makes things worse, as someone in cast should be raising an eyebrow.

In the interest of fairness, I should mention sometimes it works. Hayate the Combat Butler is almost a lolicon anime, but when the realtionship is between a misunderstanding girl with a crush and oblivious teenage butler, the definition is streched. Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan makes much of the lolicon tendancy of the male lead and fanboys in general. In both cases the series is so damn funny you don't care.

Alledgedly Intellectual Anime
While I have yet to successful using by computer degree, I am university educated. I like to think, read and find learning enjoyable. Therefore, I don't usually find anime difficult. What DOES tend to happen though is that you get a lot of artistic anime such as Ergo Proxy or the second Ghost in the Shell movie Innocence, that people hold up as brainy masterpeices and say that I don't understand it when I criticise.

Horse shit. Dislexic I am, stupid I am not. A lot of people these days are confusion pretention with ntellect. Innocence was a half hour episode padded out with an hour of qoutes. The most recent movie is much better. Ergo Proxy felt like the result of brainstorming session for interesting ideas, but completely failed to weave a coherent story out of it. Anime must entertain and engage.

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Well, I've been taking off the stock control job I was doing at my supermarket. I am now being transfered back to till, with a side order of trolly duty. It feels like a demotion, but the pay is the same. As I have a week off, its time for a serious jobhunt.

In the meantime, I feel I should share with the perhaps 5 people who read this, something that has brought me much joy. Those with an interesting in anime should make themselves familar with the series Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. There hasn't been a mecha series that has made me this exicited in nearly five years.

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The basic plot
Harimu, is a gentle and slightly effeminate teenager with an interest in botany. When he is turned down by a girl had a crush on, he travels up to mountains and takes a UFO to the face. The aliens rebuild him, but acceidentally his switch his gender, announcing it to the world. However, seems the object of his/her affections has a strange illness, young Yasuna cannot distingish between men. Things may work out between them yet, and the aliens are sticking around to watch.

Not as naughty as it sounds, sadly
The animes greatest strength is that is handles an all female love triangle without adolescent sniggering or a stream of dirty jokes. The basic concept could so easily have been used for a fanservice anime, which could have been fun, but most likely would have been crass. Its weakness is that while it handles things with charm and subtlety, it avoids dealing with some of the likely consequences. Very little actually happens in early episodes, and I found myself wondering why things are so placid and calm in the face of a truly life changing event. The anime desperately needed to show Harimu having a real identity crisis, or possibly some scenes with the girls questioning their attraction to her. Don’t get me wrong, I can live without predictable scenes of Harimu in shock at the loss of certain body parts, but the anime does not ask the dramatic and obvious questions. The anime does not make a commentary on gender identity, as Harimu is rather girly even before the big change. The gender switch seems to have been used as a convenient, and safe, way to set up a yuri scenario. This is a little disappointing, as you know real comedy and drama could have come from this. However, after episode two, Harimu’s transformation is accepted and largely ignored, while her growing attraction to two other girls plays out gradually and without controversy or comment from the rest of the cast.

With the main plot being handled in such a timid and slow fashion, the anime compensates with humour. For the most part, its amusing, but often a little weak and out of place. Harimu’s perverted father, and the alien observers, do have their moments, but its by the book stuff. The inevitable beach trip episode is an exception, as we see Harimu’s male friend dealing with the extremely awkward situation of seeing his best mate in a bikini and then in an apron. Once the love triangle is out in the open, the drama and comedy do start working a little better, but it’s not enough to save the series. The episode which sees one of the girls finally make a move is a series of extremely predictable misunderstandings. This led me to realise what was annoying me about this series; regardless of who the players are, the parts they play are almost stereotypical of romantic animes. Kashimashi plays out exactly like any other anime love triangle, and not very well at that.

Conclusion
What we have here is an interesting idea is smothered by a painfully slow pace and desire to play things safe. Kasimasi is a fairly conventional love story where the only noteworthy thing is that all involved have the same gender. This is fine if you like that sort of thing, but the anime is average at best.

5/10

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Sainsburies have offered me a new job. Its evening work at the same pay, but its more responsible position, and I don't have to get up early anymore. I'm still searching for a full time job, or some hope of a career. The lack of female companionship is no closer to being resolved. Still, I'm not actually unhappy at the moment.

Coming to the blog whenever I feel like it:

The search for the Weirdest Anime: I've been asked to write some articles for NAMSOC and this is the first.

Girl Meets Girl review: An anime about a boy who turns into a girl and starts a lesbian love triangle. Not porn.

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Career: No ideas what to do here, but if your employers asks you to do a more responsible job, may be there's something there.

Finances: Incomings now match outgoings, yay.

Personality: Its not hard to be a better person if you are happy.

Women: Not gonna speculate on this one, except to say I don't like being single

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The Basic Plot
Kouhei works as a photographer for a mystery magazine, the only work he could get as the apparently talent-less son of an extremely magical family. In Germany he meets Hazuki, a young vampire and literally the spoiled princess. He frees her from her castle, and is made her “servant” when she bites him. Unfortunately for Hazuki, it doesn’t work as it should and Kouhei refuses to do what she wants. Unfortunately for Kouhei, she won’t go home, and scary people are after her.

Chibi Vampire! No, not Karin
Say what you will, that is a good setup for a series, with promises of both comedy and drama. The series tries hard to live up to this, maintaining the plot from the get-go, rather than falling into the trap of episodic silliness. There is also some attempt to address the difficulties of a slightly petulant vampire suddenly appearing, featuring some rarguements between Kouhei and Hazuki and a novel solution to the sunlight problem. The initial episodes are somewhat removed from the cutesy image the series often has, which makes things interesting enough to keep you watching. Then again, the cute factor is pretty high, with cat ears being a big theme.

There is, of course, the romantic element to things, but the series lacks the maturity to deal with the issues this should raise. The phrase “Lolita Complex” is always lurking in the background, and its not just Haruhi; Kouhei’s family is in the habit of arranging marriages with substantial age differences. I would feel happier about this if the series had the nerve to deal with this head on (which would make for uneasy, but daring and praiseworthy viewing) or was sufficiently funny I wouldn’t care. As it is not, this series doesn’t really sit well with my English sensibilities, and I find myself wondering if I’m hitting some kind of cultural barrier here. The relationship between Kouhei and Hazuki is both innocent and completely benign, but you may very well find yourself asking questions. If you can’t cope with the idea of a non-sexual, but emotional and loving, relationship between an adult man and 13ish years old looking vampire girl, there’s no point in watching as this relationship is the focus of the show. However, this is not the series only problem, and is not the biggest flaw by some margin.

The series suffers from one major flaw; it is simply boring. The plot just doesn’t grab you, and the humour does not offset this. I think the main problem is that the series can’t quite work out what it wants to be. Initially, the main appeal is the cuteness of its characters and certain levity, but this slowly disappears as other elements come into the series. It tries to be a comedy, but doesn’t have many jokes, favouring slapstick and visual gags. The anime is very fond of repeating these gags ad nausea, with characters hit from on high by tin baths and kettles seemingly three times every episode, usually at inappropriate moments. There are elements of fighting anime in here, perhaps surprisingly, but the series doesn’t have the budget for it. There are two drawn-out combats during the series and in both the animation quality drops suddenly, and there is an attempt to compensate with odd colours and perspectives. The series also tries for drama in later episodes, but ends up with melodrama instead. Genre-hopping can bring dividends to an anime, but in this case the result is an anime which is below average in several different things, rather than good at few things. The anime seems confused, slightly random and overlong. The last episode is the worst example of this, and oddly also the single most entertaining episode, with such random plot twists I found myself wishing more of the series had been like it.

Conclusion
When you write a review, it’s a good idea to acknowledge the audience the anime was aimed at. I wasn’t able work out who that was in this case. Occasionally quite funny, and praiseworthy for paying more than lip service to plotting, Tsukuyomi Moon Phase is ultimately a very average anime with elements that don’t translate well. While it does have its moments, the series is more likely to annoy and bore, than entertain.

4/10

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The Basic Plot
The year is 2005, and the Autobots have been driven from their home planet of Cybertron by their enemies the Decepticons. As a decisive battle looms, a greater evil lurks in the background, the intelligent and destructive planet Unicron. Battle is met, and the Transformers are too weak to respond to this new threat. Hope however lies with the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, and young recruit Hot Rod.

I’ll rip out your optics!
I suppose the main reason why the movie has remained a cult classic is because it did things that children’s cartoons hadn’t done before, and largely haven’t in the twenty years since. Within the first thirty minutes, virtually the entire original cast of the cartoon are felled with surprising speed and brutality. Characters with guns actually hit and kill their targets, and in kid’s TV that’s genius. It then takes things a step further, with kid’s hero Optimus Prime killed, in a no holds barred brawl with his nemesis Megatron. Children cried, and the cast actually grieved, though briefly. Let’s be honest, there are few animes that kill off so many characters in such a short space of time, and even fewer that so definitely kill off the iconic hero to make way for a new generation. With hindsight, we know it didn’t take, but the movie has something of an epic feel as a result.

However, the effect depends on you actually knowing who the characters were in the first place. If not, all you get is a stream of Hollywood violence aimed against robots with silly names. You can still tell it is a children’s cartoon in many ways, and not just for the tag-along Daniel and the female transformer Arcee. There are a host of irritating characters, such as the rhyming boy Autobot Wheelie, and the moronic Dinobots who were so much better in the comics. The movie also retains the animation flaws of the original TV series, with characters changing size, shape and colour between scenes. The film is, to be blunt, 1980’s vintage cheese, and while I like cheese, many people won’t. Any attempt to judge the film based on quality of writing, consistency of animation, characterisation or plot, will find it lacking. I’d also like to know who thought the dance scene was a good idea.

You probably won’t be bored. The movie is fond of action scenes to hair metal music, trying its damnest to keep you entertained. It definitely works, in that as a child I didn’t notice the plot holes, and as an adult mecha fanboy, I couldn’t help but enjoy myself. From the battle of Autobot City, to the Quitesson Court and beyond, things are fast paced and surprisingly inventive. The movie throws dozens of characters at you, but a few are memorable. Hot Rod is very much an 80’s era Neo, and his banter with the veteran Kup was of a higher standard of writing than in the series. In fact, the dialogue, while corny, is definitely one the strengths of the picture, being very quotable. Of course, the undeniable star of the whole thing is Unicron, the massive planet eating transformer voiced apparently by Orson Wells. Featuring the best animation in the movie and a powerful screen presence, Unicron left enough of a mark on me, to make me buy the first official toy of him more than a decade and a half later.

Conclusion
Erm, such heroic nonsense? The Transformers is a lot like the original Star Wars, in that it’s a badly written and shoddily made fairy tale, which nevertheless has a special place in the hearts of a generation. Its highly entertaining, and the live action movie will have a tough act to follow, but then it won’t have the benefits of childhood nostalgia. Mileage will vary.

6/10

Comments

The Basic Plot
Several hundred years in the future, the world is dominated by an intelligent and often hostile forest. Agito lives a village that tries to co-exist with it, although a nation nearby is building weapons. While stealing water for his ill father, Agito finds a cryogenic chamber, and awakes the girl Toola, a survivor from the times before the forest. As she tries to come to terms with life, it becomes clear she holds the key to destroying the forest.

Beauty versus Brains, Style versus Substance
Visually, Origin is a very well made anime. There are beautiful scenes of a village perched atop a mountain of fallen skyscrapers, and very pretty scenery throughout. The animation refuses to be static, barely slowing down through the entire movie, and the technical achievement is noteworthy. From an artistic perspective, Origin is competing directly with Studio Ghibli output, most notably Princess Mononoke (see trees) and Laputa (see girl with ancient artefact). Its not as polished or as obviously Japanese, but undeniably nice and more accessible to western audiences. Characterisation is also reminiscent of Ghibli work, and I mean this as praise rather than criticism. For the first 45 minutes at least, Origin bears the comparison. The problems start in the second half of the movie, where it becomes clear the writing cannot match the visuals, as stereotypes, clichés and the downright silly start competing for screentime.

Toola decides to go with the obvious villain to find an artefact that will destroy the forest. Agito decides to rescue her, going into the forest to gain, wait for it, tree based super powers. While it is welcome to see this level of animation spent on characters which can toss around artillery shells like tennis balls, you can’t help but question the plot. Why is destroying the forest a bad thing? It admits it eats people and we see an entire city surviving without it. Why are the only people actually trying to rebuild depicted as the bad guys? Why does Agito side with the forest, and why does he want to rescue Toola even though she went willingly? And most importantly, who thought a mobile volcano was a good idea? The movie develops an ecological message (perhaps a contradiction there, as the forest is a GM forest), but the build up to this was mishandled. Origin feels less like a self-contained movie, and more like a hurried compilation of a series, where the key ideas were kept, but the scenes that tied them together were jettisoned. As a result, plot elements pop up suddenly and are passed over at speed without pausing. Like hedgehogs on a motorway at two in the morning. To make matters worse, dialog also suffers, with Agito spending prolonged scenes screaming “Toola!” at the top of his voice. Suffice to say, you will find this either highly irritating or unintentionally funny. The same is very nearly true of the entire movie.

Conclusion
Pretty and fun, Origin is worth a look. However, Gonzo seems to have spent years on the visuals and twenty minutes on the script, a lot like a Hollywood movie in fact. Just watch it with your brain turned off, and possibly the sound too.

5/10

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State of the Art
Its difficult to tell where Mecha animes will go next. The last Gundam series proved to be more popular than some parts of the franchise, but its fair to say the reaction from older fans, especially western otaku, was mixed. This happens with every new Gundam TV series, but SEED Destiny made the mistake of recycling mecha designs, with neither legitimate reasons, nor quality of writing. The so-called “Real” Robot style of anime may be entering a lull, as recent animes have tended to be remakes of older super robot shows. Several of the newer mecha animes, such as Eureka Seven and King Gainer, have not really fit into either category. However, series such as Run=Dim and Code Geass have kept to the military formula. In any case, with anniversaries of both Macross and Gundam on the horizon, any such lull may be brief. One thing which appears increasingly certain is the use CGI.

Animes to try
So, you live in the UK, you want to try some anime with giant robots in it. Here’s a few ideas.

Macross Plus: Probably the most accessible anime out of the list here, with beautiful transforming planes and wonderful music set above strong characters and story.

Gundam Seed: While not by favourite anime by some margin, but this is fine starting point if you want to get into Gundam.

Full Metal Panic: A good series to start with if you like humour.

MEGAS XLR: Currently doing the rounds on cable, you should watch it to appreciate that mecha can be intentionally funny.

Websites to visit
Mecha Anime HQ
The heart of the online mecha community, although most of the information featured is gundam based.
http://www.mahq.net/

Mecha Outpost
While out of date, this website formed the inspiration for this article.
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Chamber/8190/momain.html

Macross World
The online Macross Community.
http://www.macrossworld.com/

Gunota Headlines
The only real provider of mecha news, although very much a Gundam site.
http://aeug.blogspot.com/

Gears Online
A resource featuring many of the more obsure mecha series.
http://www.gearsonline.net/

UK Anime News
This site features several introductory articles to Gundam and Macross.
http://www.animeuknews.net/index.php

Comments

Patlabour was very much the epitome of “realism” that hardcore fans had been hoping for. It featured mecha as construction vehicles, and the police units formed to combat the crime this gives rise to. Military mecha did exist, but weren’t the focus of the setting, nor were they superweapons. In practice however, the anime has a police drama first and foremost, far removed from the teenaged heroes mecha were better known for. Escaflowne was a fantasy series that depicted mecha as a natural progression from plate mail, although the idea of a white mecha being pursued by an evil empire was clearly a nod to the original Gundam. Here the lead character was a school girl dragged into this world, but one who never used a weapon. The feminine aspects this brought to the show made Escaflowne one of the few mecha animes that have cross gender appeal. (Another was Gundam Wing, whose cast of Backstreet Boys look-alikes have made it a gateway drug for yoai fangirls).

While Patlabour and Esacaflowne are most well known of the atypical mecha animes, there are a few other overlooked titles that deserve to be mentioned here. The idea of mecha as war machines was more or less perfected in the series Gasaraki. This series was very much Tom Clancy meets mecha, with Japanese mythological undercurrents. Full Metal Panic would mix humour with mecha so successfully as to gain two sequels, and an audience outside the usual mechheads (in fact, the characters were so popular, there was a mecha-less comedy spin off). The most recent noteworthy mecha series was Eureka Seven, a character driven piece with an extreme sports angle. The genre had now reached the point where you could have skyboarding giant robots, and STILL have intelligent writing. Animes such of these, are how the Mecha Genre came of age.

Mecha started out dumb. Then it got serious, then too serious. In the 90’s we started to see real signs of self-awareness, post-modernism (gah, I hate that term) and parody. The trend that was started subtly by Macross and Gunbuster, had bore fruit. In the aftermath of Evangelion, a series would appear that could have been designed as its antidote. Martian Successor Nadesico was an affectionate parody on the genre and its fans, which proved popular enough to gain a theatrical sequel. If you want to understand what it means to be a mecha fan, this is the anime to watch.

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