Eightman After

Plot/Story: 7.5/10
8 Man After offers an enjoyable plot set years after the original 8 Man series. The new protagonist, Hazama Itsuru, takes on the role of the hero while seeking revenge in the name of justice. The story unfolds over four episodes, which would have been better suited as a film. It's a slow burner that caters to audiences seeking a dramatic theme. The story is exciting, dramatic, and surprisingly violent.

Animation/Design: 8/10
The animation in this anime is well-executed, with each scene beautifully drawn and colored. The visuals remain clear and never become cluttered. The highlight of the show is the well-illustrated fighting scenes, showcasing the ... impressive powers of 8 Man and the villains. These moments truly captivate the viewer.

Characters: 5/10
The characters in the show are one of the weaker aspects, but not for the reasons one might assume. Hazama, the strong protagonist, drives the show forward, while the other characters serve as supplements. The majority of the story revolves around his development, leaving less room for fleshed-out supporting characters.

Audio/Soundtrack: 4/10
The soundtrack of the show is rather basic, featuring common cybernetic noises, combat sounds, and ambient music that serve their purpose adequately. The audio mixing is well done, although some scenes inexplicably feature excessively loud yelling from Sachiko. There are no notable tracks that stand out.

Honorable Mentions:

Sub is better than the Dub
Strong Robocop influence
Great fight sequences
Review Conclusion:
8 Man After falls somewhere in the middle—not exceptionally bad, but not particularly outstanding either. Viewers could pass on this anime without missing much. I would recommend it primarily to fans of the 8 Man series, Kamen Rider, Cyber009, and Robocop, who may find elements to enjoy in this show.

You'll find a good story line and very good character development presented with a bad, dated soundtrack and slightly better than mediocre art that is surprisingly enjoyable to watch.

Generally, I'm not a big fan of superhero stories. I also tend to shy away from cyborg stories as well. However, I gave 8 Man After a shot and to be honest, I was surprised just how much I liked it.

The story is pretty simple, but you do have some complex undertones that I found a nice addition to the story. You have several tragic subplots as well as a love subplot that support the overall story. ... None of it seems out of place or forced.

The art is fair. I wouldn't say it's bad, but I've also seen better animation from the 1990's.

Sound was extremely dated. The music feels out of place even from something of this age and it really gives it a cheesy and dated feel.

Characters were actually very good for this series. Each character has an issue it has gone through and is currently going through and each character feels genuine to that issue. That is to say, each character feels properly affected by that issue. Also, each character's issue feels somewhat resolved by the conclusion of the series.

Overall, I surprisingly enjoyed 8 Man After despite it not being in the wheelhouse of what I typically watch. I have to say that I am glad I gave the series a shot.

8-Man After is the sequel to the original 8-Man series of the 60's.The character was also given a live action film I have never seen and a couple of manga series as well. There has also been a video game released of him for the old Neo Geo system. 8-Man has also been said to be the inspiration for Robo-Cop. The similarities seem to be rather obvious but I think it pales in comparison to the robotic police officer. The point people.... 8-Man is rather popular and has developed quite a following.

8-Man After is in no way a work of art and I could never ... consider it to be classic material. It is a below average OVA that would have been better suited for a 13 episode format. The story is simple and predictable at times, to include it doesn't truly excel in any area.

The OVA contains action scenes that are brutal at times. You get quite a few graphic death and body tearing scenes, with the occasional blood gushes that have become synonymous with anime of the 90's. Some of the action consist of 8-Man running pass his opponents at very high speeds causing them damage, plus using his super strength to tear off their cyborg body parts in bloody fashion. It's cool to watch at first, but soon becomes boring due to its repetitive usage, which is very similar to the exploding heads found in Fist of the Northstar.

The setting of the anime is an often over looked attribute. The OVA paints a decent picture of the crime laden city. The gangsters have no respect for the police department, and random violence does claim the lives of civilians. The dark tone is never really lost, and the very small comedic segments doesn't rob it of the dark setting provided. Unfortunately, the length didn't give this viewer much reason to truly become gripped to the story. This is only one of the areas where a longer length could have helped the story develop. I believe there was a bit too much attempted here with not enough runtime to accomplish it.

Surprisingly, there is a very small bit of character development to be found here, which is mainly provided through character background. Now to me, character background doesn't quite equate to character development; unless the character becomes a better or worse person, but the background was indeed needed since it added a bit of depth to at least one of the characters, in particular, a former washed up football player seeking to regain his former glory through cyborg implants. I'm sure there's a former broken athlete before his time out there whom could relate to this in some way. Once again, it's a shame that the length works against this story element as with others because more time could have fleshed out the characters a lot more.

The artwork is decent and doesn't have that much of a dated feel to me. 8-Man has a nice, yet cold look with the coolest design in the OVA. The gangsters whom are referred to as cyber junkies are ok themselves, with some of them using rocket launchers and gatling guns for limbs. Almost everything else is sub-par at best.

The animation has plenty of down moments on the other hand which consist of re-used cels. For example, 8-Man running in slow motion on static backgrounds time and time again, plus too many annoying stills, such as the main cast speaking and moving while everyone is in freeze frame motion. Some of the battles took the lazy approach by providing quick paced, non detailed action in order to simulate action. The few battle scenes that contain motion are pretty good though.

Although the soundtrack is nothing impressive and barely worth mentioning. The music sets a good mood for the action taking place. I also have to mention that there is no Japanese sub for this release which can be an issue for some viewers.

The OVA has an ending that seems too rushed but at least the loose ends are tied up well. The main villain is also a plus in someways, however he never came off as a real threat to me. 8-Man After can really use a remake. The film can use a longer run time, better animation, and character development. It definitely needs more to become the classic that several has claimed it to be.

I have known many to compare this with Ninja Scroll in a good way concerning action. Don't believe this for one second; there is no comparison between the two. Ninja Scroll is far more stylish with much better and memorable choreographed action. It blows 8-Man After into pieces in the action department. I only recommend this title to hard core anime fans and action gurus. There is also no fan service for those whom must have that in their anime. Others are better off skipping it.

Highs: Some good gore, dark tone, somewhat decent action at times...

Lows:...action is weak otherwise, re-used animation, kind of stale