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Mar 22, 2009
Of the many merits the Eureka Seven anime hold, the series is well-known for its outstanding soundtrack and slick animation. So naturally, the question that dwells on the mind of anyone who is considering the manga is: "Would the manga adaptation fare well within a medium devoid of these things?" The answer is "yes". With a darker and more mature story, great artwork, and extremely engaging drama, the Eureka Seven manga is well worth the time of newcomers and anime veterans alike.
The story centers around the adventures of Renton Thurston, who upon meeting a peculiar mecha-riding girl named Eureka, escapes his mundane life at the
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town of Bellforest to join the Gekko State, a band of counter-culture renegades. The coming-of-age story that ensues is one full of the spirit of adolescence: self-identity, love, rejection, and rebellion. Though this in itself may not be anything special, Eureka Seven sets itself apart by placing the balance just right. The unfolding drama never feels too vague or distant, yet it never dips into the "overwrought and cheesy" territory. The product is an engaging tale of two young lovers that should viciously tugs at the your heartstrings if you were ever young and in love at some stage of your life. As the story progresses, it becomes considerably darker as the reader is increasingly confronted with themes of human nature and the environment. Though this may take those who watched the anime off guard, the different direction taken by the adaptation is nevertheless a welcome one as the grim narrative not only has the intensity to glue the reader’s eyes to the pages, but to provoke some profound thought on the off chance as well. Furthermore, fans of Anemone and Dominic of the anime will be overjoyed to find a much more elaborate and emotionally charged story of the two characters, despite minor alterations to their characters.
Like the plot, the artwork does not slouch either. Though the dizzying spectacles of the mecha sequences are sometimes hard to follow on paper, the action is still kinetic, bold, and often more strikingly visceral than the anime counterpart. The character art does not deviate far from the anime, which is good news to veterans and newcomers alike, as the cast looks expressive and stylish. However, more so than the impressive technical merits, it is the creative aspects of the manga that really ought to be brought to attention. The manga masterfully incorporates motifs from The Wizard of Oz into Anemone's story, as well as taking imaginative liberties with the imagery of the hallucinogenic segments of the story. Not only does the symbol-laden art look great, it contributes to the intrigue of the story without the use of words.
Unlike many short anime-to-manga adaptations, Eureka Seven is by no means a quick money grab to ride on the success of its anime counterpart. In all fairness, this manga adaption stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its inspiration. While the anime offers a mostly light-hearted romance and adventure, the manga offers a grim and intense story that leaves reader little room to breathe – or put down the book, for that matter. Fans of the anime should find the distinct take on the story very interesting (assuming they are not die-hard loyalists to the anime’s plot), and newcomers to the franchise will have no problem diving into this engaging and well thought-out story.
Pros:
- Substantive story complimented by effective drama
- Anemone and Dominic's story
- Imaginative artwork in the hallucinogenic segments
Cons:
- Mecha action is sometimes confusing
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 19, 2009
Ever wonder what happens when a fifty-episode series gets condensed to under two hours? The answer to that lies within Mobile Suit Gundam F91 -- a textbook example of wasted potential. Though F91's core story is a solid idea that draws plenty of inspiration from its predecessors, without any flesh on its narrative bones, F91 is reduced to an inconsistent and and very much rushed tale. However, boasting its nostalgic story along with great animation, F91 is still worth a look by fans of the gundam franchise.
Due to disputes amongst the original production staff, this ill-fated chapter of the universal century gundam saga was cut
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down in size in a rather extreme extent. F91 tells the tale of Seabook Arno and the crew of the Space Arc, a spaceship of civilians trying to escape the conflict between the Earth Federation and the Crossbone Vanguard, a faction led by the Ronah aristocratic family. As usual, the protagonist is forced into the cockpit of the gundam in amidst of the chaos and destruction on the civilian population and is bound there by his obligation to protect friends and family. While F91 certainly does not make new ground in the way of plot creativity, it does incorporate many of the key themes in the gundam franchise with great success. There are a number of solid lessons and morals to be learned in F91, and though there is very little originality amongst them, they provide the film with much-welcomed substance.
However, after the first third of the film, the plot begins to lurch forward erratically. Viewers are expected to connect the dots in places where considerable lines of narrative have been truncated. Names, faces, places, and political intrigue are constantly thrown at the viewer and are gone before the viewer gets a chance to absorb them. The end product manages to be more or less coherent, but much of the plot is lost and damaged due to the lack of elaboration. Needless to say, this does not make for good entertainment.
Fortunately, the production value of F91 is that of a feature film rather than a TV series. Like other Gundam OVAs and films of its era, the action looks great -- arguably superior to the modern TV productions. The new generation of mobile suits (three decades past the technology of Char's Counterattack) have a number of new tricks, which makes for eye candy that will please most mecha fans.The 1991 character designs also hold up well to the test of time, though looks alone would not be able to veil the considerable flaws in characterization. Though Seabook Arno is a mature and charismatic gundam protagonist, due to the limited runtime and the large cast, most key characters are not very well developed, hence some of their actions they take seem incomprehensible. Thankfully, none of the characters manage to be obnoxious and repulsive. F91 is accompanied by a mediocre musical score that is sparingly used, though viewers will find a great theme song and plenty of classic sci-fi sound effects, for better or for worse.
There's a great story in F91 dying to get out -- a story forever lost to the squabbles of yesteryear. Chances are, if you're a gundam fan, you will leave Mobile Suit Gundam F91 satisfied to some degree under the laments of disappointment over its lost potential. If you are new to the gundam franchise, there are much better choices than F91 for your entry point into the metaseries. And if you're not a fan of gundam or mecha in general, F91 is not going to convince you otherwise.
Pro:
- Great animation
- Gundam veterans will be able to appreciate the remains of the amputated plot
Cons:
- Barely coherent
- Underdeveloped characters
- Bland musical score
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 19, 2009
The fighting shounen manga is possibly the most widely read and widely published genre in circulation today. Hence, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders faces a great deal of competition for the attention the reader. However, JoJo's visual flare, entertainment value, and unrelenting creativity make it the cream of the crop among shounen adventures.
The story takes place 40 years after the events of Battle Tendency (the second part of the JoJo saga). The protagonist is none other than the grandson of Joseph Joestar -- Jotaro Kujo. When the coffin of the vampire Dio (the antagonist of part one, rival of Joseph’s grandfather Jonathan Joestar) was excavated
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off the coast of the canary islands, the ancient enemy of the Joestars awakened mysterious powers known as "stands" in Joseph, Jotaro, as well as Jotaro's mother Holly. However, Jotaro's mother is unable to control the consuming power of her stand and falls gravely ill. In order to save Holly from eventual death, Jotaro, Joseph, and Joseph's stand-user companion Avdol must embark on a journey to Cairo in order to destroy the root of her illness: Dio, while making new friends along the way. However, Dio's army of stand-users await our heroes at every turn to impede their progress.
While the outlandish premise of JoJo may not blow anyone away, the sheer creativity employed in the numerous fights will. The term "fight" is used loosely here, as many of the encounters don't rely on the trading of fists, but rather a test of wits and quick-thinking. This is largely due to the dizzying array of abilities that the enemies possess. While the stands of protagonists have more or less conventional superpowers (save for Joseph Joestar), anything is fair game for their foes, with powers ranging from bestowing magnetic pull to the bodies of opponents to the ability to merge with mineral objects, demanding a combination of brains and brawn from the heroes. The action is often visceral, suspenseful, and full of intrigue, especially as the series progresses onwards, when the more outlandish enemies make their appearances. The occasional emotionally charged encounters further enhances the intensity of the story, especially towards the end of the adventure, producing an adventure that is not merely flashy in its action, but truly a memorable journey.
The characters of JoJo are simple and straightforward, each with their own undeniable charm. The strong and reserved Jotaro is the embodiment of "cool", while Joseph makes for spectacular comedic relief with his offbeat attitude, especially for a man of his age. However, most of the villains the group encounters don't have much character behind their stand powers -- they either fall in the "hopelessly psychotic" category, or are bound by their greed for wealth and power, though there are a few exceptions. This is forgivable flaw, given the format of the story, which is a fast-paced ride from one opponent to another, with only brief introductions to the exotic locales in between. There is no mistake in that JoJo does not take itself seriously, as it gives no pretence of plot and character depth, but rather opts to focus on entertainment value, and to this end, JoJo succeeds spectacularly.
The art of Stardust Crusaders, like the previous instalments of the JoJo saga, remains one of the key selling points. The distinctly bold and detailed art style makes it difficult to believe that JoJo was produced weekly. Like the previous incarnations, the characters in part 3 all sport heavily muscled builds, though their bulkiness has taken a step towards moderation from the ridiculous flesh fortresses that appear in the previous two instalments. The fashion sense of the characters is equally wild -- one only needs to take a glance at Jotaro to notice the logic-defying style employed in the manga. Author Hirohiko Araki makes good use of his outrageously stylish artwork by producing action on the page that's ready to leap out at the reader. The fights are kinetic and brutal in presentation, locking the reader's attention and never lets go.
In the end, finding a concrete flaw in JoJo proves to be a difficult task. Its lack of depth is obviously intentional, as JoJo is meant to be a thrill ride -- and what a thrill ride it is. With style, creativity, and exciting bursting at the seams, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders is a no-brainer for any fan of the shounen fighting manga. Even to those who don't usually read works of this genre, JoJo has plenty to offer, and one is bound to be charmed by one of the many positive aspects of Hirohiko Araki's highly influential work.
Pros:
-- Endlessly creative
-- Outrageously stylish
-- Superb action, enhanced by stunning bold art
Cons:
-- The first few encounters don't measure well with the later encounters, though respectable in their own right.
-- Over-muscled men may be a turn-off for some readers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 3, 2008
Few anime titles have the power to rile up a heated argument better than Neon Genesis Evangelion. Though successful and hugely influential, this classic of the 90's nevertheless suffers from a slew of problems that cannot be ignored even by the most rabid fanboys out there. However, the hard-to-swallow human drama presented in Eva not only sets it apart from other anime, but depending on the viewer's willingness to analyze the characters, the potential power of Eva's strikingly realistic cast makes for an unforgettable experience that should not be missed out on.
The story of Evangelion is twofold: the psychological drama between the characters and the
...
underlying plot pertaining to NERV's conflict against its aggressors. While the former is superb, the latter suffers from a number of glaring flaws that not only makes it inaccessible, but incomplete as well. Though it sets the stage for the various challenges faced by the characters, Anno's cryptic method of relaying the story to the viewers failed to answer a number of key questions that are crucial to the plot: why are the angels attacking Tokyo-3? What exactly are NERV and SEELE's agendas? What is this prophecy that's constantly referred to? Worse yet, there exists a couple of major plot holes that makes it ever harder for the view to take a grasp on the plot. Though one can try to theorize all sorts possibilities with the help of GAINAX's blatant retroactive continuity, it is still a frustrating and unrewarding experience. Like a leaking coffee mug, the plot of Evangelion is a considerable obstacle to the viewer's enjoyment of the contents.
That aside, the character drama in Eva is great. Hideki Anno broke established conventions of mecha anime at the time by introducing true-to-life characters into a farfetched sci-fi premise. The result is something that betrays the expectations of many newcomers: instead of the bold protectors of humanity, the protagonists of Evangelion are a group of conflicted anti-heroes. Throughout the series the three Eva pilots wrestle with their identities as mankind’s only hope, struggle between intimacy and privacy, question their self-worth, and battle the fear that comes with risking their lives in battle, in ways that are feasible for real pre-teens. This means there will be bound to be the immaturity and angst that naturally comes with youth, but this fact really brings the characters to life and pushes them beyond character archetypes. Shinji’s character cannot be summed up quaintly as “the introverted mecha protagonist”, nor is it fair to label Asuka as “generic tsundere”, as the underlying currents that drive the actions of the characters are vivid and complex. Shinji’s of rough personal journey is very compelling, given that the viewer is able to take notice of his various inner conflicts and insecurities. The deeper one delves into the characters, the more insight and enjoyment it will bring – that is without question the greatest strength of Evangelion.
The presentation value of Eva remains great even over a decade later. The character designs are instantly memorable, especially in the main female characters, who have become enduring favorites. The designs of the angels have a real otherworldly feel to them, though not all of them are very exciting. The mechanical designs are superb. The thin, tall, and sleek look of the Evas is unique, and many of the action scenes look spectacular, especially considering its age and budget. There is an issue of consistency in the art, though, as the size of the Evas fluctuate depending on dramatic effect. Sometimes their size dwarfs the tallest buildings of Tokyo-3, yet at other times they are able to hide within the urban sprawl. Evangelion is also famous for its frequent tendency to cut corners in terms of animation. While the movements of the characters and mecha are well animated, there are a number of scenes where nothing moves onscreen. Be it for the purposes of mood buildup or the peculiarities in the character’s habits, these scenes would have been better with at least some movement, perhaps in the form of mannerisms or minute movements, which can go a long away into conveying the scene.
The sounds of Evangelion are also great. The roars of the Evas, the shrieks of the angels, and booms of the explosions serve their roles very well. Shiro Sagisu’s work in the music department is also splendid with a number of great instrumental pieces and battle themes.
The last two episodes of Evangelion were the result of the exhaustion of budget and time in Gainax at the time. Hence, they feel far from complete and fail to grant viewers with satisfactory closure. This would heavily blemish the Evangelion experience if not for the film End of Evangelion, which retells the events of the last two episodes from a different perspective. The film, though cryptic in its own right, provides an amazing end to Shinji’s grueling story, and is a definitive achievement in anime filmmaking. Since Neon Genesis Evangelion is incomplete without the End of Evangelion, the film should not be missed by anyone who sat through the 26 episodes, under any circumstances.
In the end, Evangelion is something you need to watch, if only because of its titanic influence on Japanese animation, and even Japanese culture, to a degree. That said, not everyone would enjoy it. The plot is needlessly cryptic, the characters may be hard to digest for some viewers, and the grim tone may not be everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to the idea of entertainment. Like a piece of postmodern art, Evangelion may appear daunting and inaccessible. But what lies in the end of the experience is a powerful coming of age story and an allegory to the otaku experience. A ride full of palpable genuine emotion exuded by the characters, Neon Genesis Evangelion truly lives up to its popularity and success, and should not be missed by anyone.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 27, 2008
Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! is a classic example of looks over substance. While not totally devoid of any redeemable qualities, it's hard to recommend Manabi Straight to anyone, as it is simply outclassed by too many other choices.
The story revolves around the Seioh high school student council and its attempt at organizing the school fair. Underneath that lies a story of friendship between the five girls who takes part in student council activities. However, neither of these stories succeeds in gathering much interest for one important reason: the characters.
Simply put, after the initial impressions, the characters of Manabi Straight get stale very quickly. You have
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Manabi, the hyperactive student council president; Mikan, the mousy and insecure treasurer; Mei, your typical tsundere in an all-girl setting; Mutsuki, the cheerful tomboy, and Momo, the side character with the attention span of a goldfish. There's not much to the characters beyond that, and if you have watched any significant amount of anime, none of the characters would strike you as original; but more importantly, the key flaw is in the lack of meaningful character development. Viewers are never given a glance behind Manabi's over-excitable disposition, hence they never come to understand her zealous passion for the school. Mikan's growth from her shy self is done in the ancient formula of "confidence through friendship", the kind of stuff you would expect from series aimed at younger children, such as Digimon. The only meaningful character development happens with Mei, but most of that takes place in one episode during the first half of the series, leaving the rest of Manabi Straight rather dull.
The underlying friendship story concerning the student council as well as the rest of the school is just not very compelling, partly because of the caricature-like main characters, as well as the cliche developments that you would be able to see coming from a mile away. Because of this, it's very hard to actually care for the personal struggles of the characters or the school fair, which accounts for much of the overly simplistic plot.
On the bright side, the art style of Manabi Straight definitely scores it some much-needed points. The colors are very pleasantly vibrant, both in the backgrounds and on the characters, producing an unique sheen. The characters are drawn in a slightly chubby style that is probably cuter than their actual personalities will ever hope to be, though trying to pass them off as high school students is a very long shot. Beyond that, the animation in the movements and mannerisms of the characters are above average, though the detail is never too high when dealing with the simplistic (but pleasant) character designs.
In the terms of sound, the seiyuu of Manabi Straight did a fine job, though Mikan's mousy voice may get on some viewers' nerves at by the end of the series. The musical score consists of nothing too memorable, but nothing offending either. The opening, ending, and insert songs are also commendable, but once again fail to leave much impression.
In the end, beyond the refreshing art style, Manabi Straight fails to impress. With a story more suited to younger audiences, yet a concept that appeals to older viewers, it suffers from a sort of identity crisis. The comedy is sparse, the drama is weak, the plot is cliche, the characters are generic -- reflecting upon these facts, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! probably turned out better than the sum of its parts. Of course, that's not saying much, as Manabi Straight remains merely a mediocre experience.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 21, 2008
Set in an alternate Clannad universe, Another World presents viewers with a love story between Okazaki Tomoya and Sakagami Tomoyo. Though it suffers from a number of problems, Another World nevertheless still achieves the emotional drama viewers would expect from an extension of the Clannad series.
With the run time of an ordinary episode, Another World inevitably suffers from a shortage of story development. The usual buffer time for viewers to get attached to the characters is heavily truncated -- the process of Tomoyo and Tomoya falling in love is not included in the episode, for obvious reasons concerning time. However, the fact that it detracts
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from the potential emotional impact from the climax of the story cannot be ignored.
That aside, the story that is present in the OVA is solid. Unlike other Key stories, Another World is low on moe fetishism and comedy, but rather it offers a more feasible romance story without over-the-top characters (though Sunohara's antics are still present, which is a good thing). The challenge faced by the lovers in the story strongly highlights Okazaki's strength of character, making him very admirable in the viewer's eyes. The increased focus on Tomoyo in the OVA also makes her charm all the more pronounced. The dramatic moments also bring out fragments of Tomoyo's personality that were not revealed in the TV series.
The story itself is laced with thick but effective melodrama, as expected from Key's works. The ending will not surprise anyone, as it is quite cliche. However, despite the lack of creativity, Another World continues to do what the TV story does best: tug at your heartstrings. Even though the background story is not present, the climax of Another Story should at least give viewers a lump in the throat, while some may get watery-eyed and perhaps even cry. It begs the question of how much more potent the impact might have been if extra episodes were allocated to narrate the entire story -- it's almost a scary thought.
The presentation value remains mostly consistent with the TV series -- the colors are vibrant, the character designs are clean, the background art is above average, the animation is good, the voice acting is superb, and the soundtrack continues to add to the mood and drama, etc, etc. However, there are two notable faults in the sound department, the first being an absolutely HORRID segment of engrish. Not only is the accent thick enough to deflect cannonballs, the actual content is so laughably ridiculous that one cannot help be to be distracted by it, which completely derails the mood of the scene. You'd think Kyoto Animation would have the funds to pay a starving exchange student somewhere for a few lines of coherent English script, jeez. The second fault also pertains to the problem of bad English, this time in the song played during the climax of the OVA. While the tune is good and the pronunciation is somewhat passable, the lyrics are only a little better than an attempt at throwing absolutely arbitrary phrases in a blender, which once again results in distracting noise. Therefore, unfortunately for English-speaking viewers, they'll have to make an effort to drown it out. However, don't be discouraged from the criticisms in the sound department, as the overall quality of Another World's presentation is still very commendable.
If you're a Clannad fan, then you shouldn't need my persuasion to watch Another World -- it's good, VERY good, especially considering its limited length. It may not have the same amount of emotional buildup as the other stories in the TV series, but the delicious melodrama will still hit you like a brick in the end. If you haven't watched Clannad, know that Another Story is yet one more reason to check out the great series, since it relies on some background information provided in the original.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 13, 2008
Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy is the definitive incarnation of the massively influential Mobile Suit Gundam TV series. It may not be perfect, but it definitely deserves its lofty status in the history of anime as a proven classic. As one cannot have one part of the trilogy without the others, this review will cover all three of the compilation movies.
The first question on any new viewer's mind regarding the story of Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy (MSG) would be: "Do the films condense too much story from the TV series to fit into its limited run time?" The answer to that is
...
"no". MSG takes the liberty to cut some of the flab from the original series and manages very well in terms of preserving the integrity of the story. The pacing may strike as a little faster than usual, but there are no glaring problems pertaining to the question above.
The story of MSG follows the crew of White Base, a secret earth federation battleship housing the RX-78-2 Gundam. The protagonist, Amuro Ray, makes the difficult transition from an ordinary civilian to the ace pilot of the federation military, along with a number of other civilians who were also pulled into the conflict against the Principality of Zeon when their space colony was destroyed by a Zeon attack, the purpose of which was to destroy the White Base, along with the experimental mobile suits being developed in secrecy. The long journey aboard the White Base exposes Amuro to many ugly facets of war far beyond the destruction of his home and the loss of life. In the midst of it all, Amuro is burdened with the responsibility of risking life and limb to protect his friends and comrades aboard the White Base, a target of constant Zeon attack, with the gundam. All this weaves an engrossing tale of struggle and growth, rife with challenges on and off the battlefield, making MSG a very interesting war story. There is an epic feel to the films, because though the adventure of the White Base stretches over many destinations, it is but a small part of the vast web of war and politics that makes up the interstellar conflict, and the characters' struggle for survival in the monstrous web makes them seem all the more vulnerable and the story that much more gripping.
The characters of MSG are some of the most iconic in the history of anime. Amuro, as mentioned above, is a very well-developed character. His teenage angst may strike as a little too much in the beginning, but his clear maturation throughout the story makes him an endearing character. The antagonists of MSG also also equally memorable, as they are some of the best antagonists one will come across in anime: the cunning and skillful Char Aznable and Ramba Ral, the bold and courageous Dozle Zabi, and even the cold and calculated Ghiren Zabi -- all of them have plenty of admirable traits that really makes the viewer respect the nazi-inspired Zeon. Even when these antagonists bite the dust, the viewer would still feel for them.
Hailing from the early 80's, MSG's visuals and sounds are quite aged. Though the animation has definitely improved from the sometimes laughable quality of the original TV series, it will not win over any new anime fans by itself. The frame rate is low, the proportion are sometimes warped, and the details are always shallow. Yet despite all this, MSG still manages to produce a number of memorable battle scenes, which is something to applaud for. The mecha designs, especially that of the gundam and zaku II, influenced mecha designs for decades to come. Even to this day, these old-school robots are sights to behold. The sound effects of MSG are almost as iconic as the mobile suits themselves. Fans will recognize the buzzing sound of the beam saber as well as blast of the beam rifle from miles away. Granted, the quality of these sound effects aren't anything amazing objectively, but they serve their functions well, and their nostalgia value is beyond measure. There are also a couple of very catchy battles tunes to be heard, as well as great sound acting, though Amuro's voice may be a little over-the-top at times.
In the end, Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy should be a must-watch for anyone interested in mecha anime or the history of anime in general. Its influence, popularity, and historic value is simply through the roof. There is a reason why even almost three decades later, model kits of the old RX-78-2 are still selling like hotcakes and the name "Char Aznable" remains recognized almost everywhere in japan. MSG is the very definition of a classic, and this fact cannot be denied. What lies in question is the modern viewer's enjoyment of the aged classic. But with a stellar story and memorable characters, MSG still has the quality to win over its viewers, a quality that will most likely remain as long as there exists people who watch anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 13, 2008
Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy is the definitive incarnation of the massively influential Mobile Suit Gundam TV series. It may not be perfect, but it definitely deserves its lofty status in the history of anime as a proven classic. As one cannot have one part of the trilogy without the others, this review will cover all three of the compilation movies.
The first question on any new viewer's mind regarding the story of Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy (MSG) would be: "Do the films condense too much story from the TV series to fit into its limited run time?" The answer to that is
...
"no". MSG takes the liberty to cut some of the flab from the original series and manages very well in terms of preserving the integrity of the story. The pacing may strike as a little faster than usual, but there are no glaring problems pertaining to the question above.
The story of MSG follows the crew of White Base, a secret earth federation battleship housing the RX-78-2 Gundam. The protagonist, Amuro Ray, makes the difficult transition from an ordinary civilian to the ace pilot of the federation military, along with a number of other civilians who were also pulled into the conflict against the Principality of Zeon when their space colony was destroyed by a Zeon attack, the purpose of which was to destroy the White Base, along with the experimental mobile suits being developed in secrecy. The long journey aboard the White Base exposes Amuro to many ugly facets of war far beyond the destruction of his home and the loss of life. In the midst of it all, Amuro is burdened with the responsibility of risking life and limb to protect his friends and comrades aboard the White Base, a target of constant Zeon attack, with the gundam. All this weaves an engrossing tale of struggle and growth, rife with challenges on and off the battlefield, making MSG a very interesting war story. There is an epic feel to the films, because though the adventure of the White Base stretches over many destinations, it is but a small part of the vast web of war and politics that makes up the interstellar conflict, and the characters' struggle for survival in the monstrous web makes them seem all the more vulnerable and the story that much more gripping.
The characters of MSG are some of the most iconic in the history of anime. Amuro, as mentioned above, is a very well-developed character. His teenage angst may strike as a little too much in the beginning, but his clear maturation throughout the story makes him an endearing character. The antagonists of MSG also also equally memorable, as they are some of the best antagonists one will come across in anime: the cunning and skillful Char Aznable and Ramba Ral, the bold and courageous Dozle Zabi, and even the cold and calculated Ghiren Zabi -- all of them have plenty of admirable traits that really makes the viewer respect the nazi-inspired Zeon. Even when these antagonists bite the dust, the viewer would still feel for them.
Hailing from the early 80's, MSG's visuals and sounds are quite aged. Though the animation has definitely improved from the sometimes laughable quality of the original TV series, it will not win over any new anime fans by itself. The frame rate is low, the proportion are sometimes warped, and the details are always shallow. Yet despite all this, MSG still manages to produce a number of memorable battle scenes, which is something to applaud for. The mecha designs, especially that of the gundam and zaku II, influenced mecha designs for decades to come. Even to this day, these old-school robots are sights to behold. The sound effects of MSG are almost as iconic as the mobile suits themselves. Fans will recognize the buzzing sound of the beam saber as well as blast of the beam rifle from miles away. Granted, the quality of these sound effects aren't anything amazing objectively, but they serve their functions well, and their nostalgia value is beyond measure. There are also a couple of very catchy battles tunes to be heard, as well as great sound acting, though Amuro's voice may be a little over-the-top at times.
In the end, Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy should be a must-watch for anyone interested in mecha anime or the history of anime in general. Its influence, popularity, and historic value is simply through the roof. There is a reason why even almost three decades later, model kits of the old RX-78-2 are still selling like hotcakes and the name "Char Aznable" remains recognized almost everywhere in japan. MSG is the very definition of a classic, and this fact cannot be denied. What lies in question is the modern viewer's enjoyment of the aged classic. But with a stellar story and memorable characters, MSG still has the quality to win over its viewers, a quality that will most likely remain as long as there exists people who watch anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 13, 2008
Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy is the definitive incarnation of the massively influential Mobile Suit Gundam TV series. It may not be perfect, but it definitely deserves its lofty status in the history of anime as a proven classic. As one cannot have one part of the trilogy without the others, this review will cover all three of the compilation movies.
The first question on any new viewer's mind regarding the story of Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy (MSG) would be: "Do the films condense too much story from the TV series to fit into its limited run time?" The answer to that is
...
"no". MSG takes the liberty to cut some of the flab from the original series and manages very well in terms of preserving the integrity of the story. The pacing may strike as a little faster than usual, but there are no glaring problems pertaining to the question above.
The story of MSG follows the crew of White Base, a secret earth federation battleship housing the RX-78-2 Gundam. The protagonist, Amuro Ray, makes the difficult transition from an ordinary civilian to the ace pilot of the federation military, along with a number of other civilians who were also pulled into the conflict against the Principality of Zeon when their space colony was destroyed by a Zeon attack, the purpose of which was to destroy the White Base, along with the experimental mobile suits being developed in secrecy. The long journey aboard the White Base exposes Amuro to many ugly facets of war far beyond the destruction of his home and the loss of life. In the midst of it all, Amuro is burdened with the responsibility of risking life and limb to protect his friends and comrades aboard the White Base, a target of constant Zeon attack, with the gundam. All this weaves an engrossing tale of struggle and growth, rife with challenges on and off the battlefield, making MSG a very interesting war story. There is an epic feel to the films, because though the adventure of the White Base stretches over many destinations, it is but a small part of the vast web of war and politics that makes up the interstellar conflict, and the characters' struggle for survival in the monstrous web makes them seem all the more vulnerable and the story that much more gripping.
The characters of MSG are some of the most iconic in the history of anime. Amuro, as mentioned above, is a very well-developed character. His teenage angst may strike as a little too much in the beginning, but his clear maturation throughout the story makes him an endearing character. The antagonists of MSG also also equally memorable, as they are some of the best antagonists one will come across in anime: the cunning and skillful Char Aznable and Ramba Ral, the bold and courageous Dozle Zabi, and even the cold and calculated Ghiren Zabi -- all of them have plenty of admirable traits that really makes the viewer respect the nazi-inspired Zeon. Even when these antagonists bite the dust, the viewer would still feel for them.
Hailing from the early 80's, MSG's visuals and sounds are quite aged. Though the animation has definitely improved from the sometimes laughable quality of the original TV series, it will not win over any new anime fans by itself. The frame rate is low, the proportion are sometimes warped, and the details are always shallow. Yet despite all this, MSG still manages to produce a number of memorable battle scenes, which is something to applaud for. The mecha designs, especially that of the gundam and zaku II, influenced mecha designs for decades to come. Even to this day, these old-school robots are sights to behold. The sound effects of MSG are almost as iconic as the mobile suits themselves. Fans will recognize the buzzing sound of the beam saber as well as blast of the beam rifle from miles away. Granted, the quality of these sound effects aren't anything amazing objectively, but they serve their functions well, and their nostalgia value is beyond measure. There are also a couple of very catchy battles tunes to be heard, as well as great sound acting, though Amuro's voice may be a little over-the-top at times.
In the end, Mobile Suit Gundam: the Movie Trilogy should be a must-watch for anyone interested in mecha anime or the history of anime in general. Its influence, popularity, and historic value is simply through the roof. There is a reason why even almost three decades later, model kits of the old RX-78-2 are still selling like hotcakes and the name "Char Aznable" remains recognized almost everywhere in japan. MSG is the very definition of a classic, and this fact cannot be denied. What lies in question is the modern viewer's enjoyment of the aged classic. But with a stellar story and memorable characters, MSG still has the quality to win over its viewers, a quality that will most likely remain as long as there exists people who watch anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 6, 2008
As the starting point for one of the longest running manga series', JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood, while certainly not very flashy, provides a solid foundation on which Araki builds the rest of the JoJo saga.
The story of Phantom Blood is simple: save the world by killing the false childhood friend turned vampire. To accomplish this feat, Araki introduces "Hamon", a fighting technique based on breathing. Though an interesting concept, Hamon is not the most creative feature to be found even in shonen manga, especially compared with the wonderfully imaginative "Stands" introduced by the third JoJo series "Stardust Crusaders". Nevertheless, along with the
...
powerful fighting technique comes equally powerful foes derived from English history with the intention of putting an end to Jonathan Joestar's quest for revenge. This of courses makes for plenty of exciting action, but at the end of it all, the story is still highly generic. An emotional ending wraps up the five-volume series quite well, but it is only enough to carry quality of the overall story to a mere "fair" level -- not bad, but nothing to be amazed about.
Like the story, the characters of Phantom blood are also very simple. They are mostly distinctively black-and-white. The good guys are exceedingly noble and just, while the bad guys are overwhelmingly sinister and cruel. There are a lot of exaggerated emotions to be seen from the characters -- tears would be shed at the hero's act of benevolence, while the vile deeds of the villains would always be accompanied by exclamations of sheer horror. But because of how excessive it is, the reader would often passionately cheer for the heroes and boo for the bad guys, adding satisfaction to each of the heroes' victories. The simplistic characters of JoJo, while not outstanding, carry a hint a undeniable charm.
The art style of JoJo is definitely its selling point, though it may not appeal to everyone. The physical build of the characters is Phantom Blood's most obvious distinction: virtually every male character who makes an appearance dons the physique that would be the envy of bodybuilders. Araki loves to draw muscles, and a LOT of them, to point where he would draw muscles that do not exist in actual human anatomy. As a result, the men become hulking giants with clothes so tight that it makes make one wonder how they can manage to breath. However, the burly heroes and villains look great while fighting, and combined with Araki's bold style, the action is both gruesome and vivid. The tone of the panels are dark due to the heavy use of shading, which serves to build the dark atmosphere of most of Phantom Blood's settings. The details on the monsters make them so hideous that instances of their often brutal demise are greatly satisfying.
If you are looking for a simple beat-them-up shonen manga and do not mind the lack of creativity in the story and characters, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood is worth a look. It is not the best the JoJo saga has to offer, but its unique and dynamic art, accessible characters, and even the simple but generic plot still offer up plenty of thrills.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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