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Jun 7, 2012
The nature of Sergeant Frog can be very deceiving with its simplistic, child-like animation style. This series is hilarious, clever, and vastly underrated. Although one would think this show was intended exclusively for a very young audience, it is suitable for people of all ages. It is a shame that this title languished so long under ADV before being passed to and poorly marketed under Funimation. If it were marketed better in the United States, I could see it being a mainstay on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network’s Toonami.
Each episode of Sergeant Frog plays out like a sitcom, deriving its comedy from a combination of
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smart wordplay, highly expressive physical humor, breaking of the fourth wall, and many pop culture references (but not in an arbitrary, unoriginal way like Family Guy. Bleh.). Anime lovers will enjoy the many instances when our favorite alien invaders parody other titles such as Gundam, Kamen Rider, Space Battleship Yamato, Dragon Ball, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Sergeant Frog is much more detailed and direct in its Gundam references, since Bandai does hold rights to the Gundam franchise. However, even with the presence of the occasional otakucentric homage, one doesn’t have to be an otaku to “get” it.
The personalities of the invading Keronian A.R.M.P.I.T. platoon hit just the right mark. Sergeant Kerero is amusing with his screwball antics, ADD behavior, and Gunpla obsession. Giroro, the serious soldier of the platoon, has an aggressive, militaristic style that plays great for laughs. Tamama is cute, but is also jealous and obsessed. The cold, calculating nature of Kururu is delightful–he can be so perverse and sadistic. Lastly, Dororo is a ninja with a calm nature, who is often at odds with the goals of his friends. There are many other characters that are introduced who complement and interact with our protagonists very well.
The music in this series is very fitting. Unlike other shows of a similar genre, the music has a modest presence and takes a backseat to the action itself. The opening and closing songs are a mixed bag of randomness that change as the series goes on. The first opening, “Ribbit March” is a whimsical, enthusiastic propaganda inspired military march that will be stuck in your head for days. The first closing theme song “Afro Gunso” is a funktastical disco number with dancing CG frogs.
Finally, for those who may not be fond of dubs, Sergeant Frog may be an exception. Funimation did a great job in the English dub. Given the nature of this show, a rewrite of the script was necessary in order to make it relevant to American viewers. (note: this is not to be confused with the English dub made by Animax for Asian markets.)
In conclusion: Sergeant Frog is a great watch for just about anybody. My baby-boomer relatives, who have never watched anime before, enjoy it. Whether an anime newbie or hard-core otaku, old or young, I am adamant that this series is at least worth a watch. It is exceptionally rare to have a show more effective in its humor or more consistent in belly laughs. Sergeant Frog, although a long-running series, manages to stay fresh. It is a shame this show will likely never make it to a wider viewership.
Credits: Anne of Anne's Anime Blog. Posted with permission.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 30, 2012
Mobile Suit Gundam 00, is the eleventh incarnation of Sunrise‘s long-running Gundam franchise, and consists of two seasons (50 episodes total). It is the first Gundam series to be animated in HD widescreen, also the first Gundam to be set in a non-fiction A.D. timeline. It aired in Japan from October 2007-March 2009.
Unlike Gundam SEED, the pace of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 begins at full throttle; we see the fragile peace of the world start to crumble. Celestial Being is a powerful organization intent on ending war forever with the help of their Gundam meisters. Gundam 00 has epic battles, tense confrontations, and a few
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shonen clichés that may seem predictable to anime cynics.
While the futuristic setting and political games are carefully crafted, the speed at which this show begins causes underdeveloped characters. Aside from their roles with Celestial Being, not many details of their lives are given. Gundam 00 prefers bursts of mission-oriented action to the planned escalation of Seed. There is no human spirit, and the main Gundam meister Setsuna remains cold & unlikeable throughout most of season 1. With no empathy anchor, Gundam 00 is difficult to enjoy apart from a purely cerebral or aesthetic level.
As season 2 begins, The new global government decides to take action against Celestial Being, while the main characters keep up their goal of eliminating war. The ending action scenes, explosive and plentiful, are finally able to create some tension and the puppet pilots get some long-awaited character development. For example, Setsuna matures, and seems less robot-like. Gundam 00 does manage to pull itself together, and delivers a decent ending.
To Gundam 00’s credit, the animation quality is extraordinary, and has some of the most appealing mecha fight scenes yet. Gundam 00 proves that the franchise may yet be financially viable, but that Sunrise is unwilling to escape the mold of past Gundam series. While an attractive and intelligent series, Gundam 00 was somewhat lifeless and unoriginal. If this is your first exposure to Gundam (or Shonen in general) you may find this enjoyable. Otherwise, it’s…ok.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 11, 2012
Baccano! is a genre-busting anime that began as a series of light novels. There are three interchanging plot lines which dominate Baccano!, taking place in 1930, 1931, and 1932.
The first episode contains scenes from the endings to each of the three stories. Later episodes jump back and forth, between, and even within the separate stories with little warning. All spiral together to create a surprising, original series that may leave many viewers confused as to what is happening. Even if you stay alert while watching Baccano!, this anime will likely require either a full or partial re-watching if you wish to clarify some story details/subtleties
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missed due to the skewed timeline.
On a positive note, despite the complex plot lines, the way the opening sequence puts names to the faces of all the characters is very helpful–considering the daunting cast list. The beginning cinematic is very reminiscent of Guy Ritchie’s Snatch. However, Baccano! takes the hard-boiled violence of the mafia film genre to new levels throughout this show. Gore alert: characters and scenery often get covered in blood due to the extreme violence that occurs. In one scene, a character “dances” in a flood of gore. Fortunately, the pacing between lighthearted and extreme moments in this anime prevent it from being utterly sickening. That, and knowing most characters are immortal and will recover later.
Aside from this, the strength of Baccano! is in its characters; original author Ryohgo Narita allowed them to run the show. For example, Isaac and Miria’s carefree enthusiasm and antics are a major contribution to the enjoyment of this series. Capturing them, and the rest of this unique, outlandish cast, was essential.
For a Japanese animation, the creators did their homework. Taking place in America, this production was impressively devoid of engrish. The Brooklyn accents of the English dub contribute well to the atmosphere of 1930’s mobster culture. Baccano! gushes with style–It’s powerful, but does not come off as heavy-handed. It was enjoyable to connect with a fresh gangster aesthetic.
Baccano! is recommended for those who have a penchant for mafia-centric films or like a lot of action and intrigue. Also, if you are sick of the “same old,” this show is a great boredom buster. Although this isn’t a horror, if you are squeamish with blood/gore, you may not enjoy this title.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 11, 2012
.hack//Legend of the Twilight is part of the extensive .hack franchise. It is a hybridized sequel to .hack//Sign, and to the .hack video games. Although there are brief mentions and easter eggs from these previous installments, this anime is still quite watchable without having previous knowledge.
This show has a completely different feel than any of its predecessors. For those who have seen .hack//Sign, the major difference with this series is that it is a much livelier (at a faster pace of 12 episodes), playful look at “the World” and the things that go on inside it. A great deal of .hack//LoT is centered around normal
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game situations: special events, quests, and even caring for a grunty! Also, the main characters have a more “cutesy” appeal. This may displease franchise devotees who enjoy the cerebral, serious tone of .hack//Sign.
One issue that some viewers of .hack/LoT may find unsettling is the incestuous vibe in some of the scenes with the main characters Shugo and Rena. Anyone who has played an MMORPG before can tell you that real-life attraction vs the attraction to the look of one’s game character/avatar are very independent of each other. This alleviates what would otherwise seem to be an uncomfortable element of this show.
All in all, .hack//Legend of the Twilight is a good view. The characters have some great adventures, the plot keeps momentum besides a “let’s go to the beach” episode, plus maintains mystery and suspense throughout the series.
If you are interested in exploring the .hack universe from the beginning, but don’t know where to begin, I have included the generally accepted order:
1.) .hack//Sign (26 episodes)
2.) .hack//Intermezzo (OVA; Side story told by Mimiru)
3.) Video games: (.hack//Infection, .hack//Mutation, .hack//Outbreak, .hack//Quarantine)
4.) .hack//XXXX (Manga; Adaption of the above video games)
5.) .hack//Gift (OVA sidestory; contains video game characters and Sign charcters)
6.) .hack//Unison (OVA sidestory; contains video game characters and Sign characters)
7.) .hack//Legend of the Twilight (12 episodes; includes references to the video games)
8.) .hack//Legend of the Twilight (Manga; Adaptation of the anime)
9.) .hack//Liminality (OVA)
10.).hack//Roots (26 episodes; prequel to GU video games)
11.).hack//GU video games (Rebirth, Reminisce. Redemption)
12.).hack//GU + (Manga; Adaptation of the video games)
13.).hack//4koma (Manga; Contains characters from all the previous video games)
14.).hack// GU Returner (OVA; contains GU video game characters and Root characters)
15.).hack//GU Trilogy (Movie; Adaptation of video games I believe?)
16.).hack//Link (Manga; Takes place 3 years after GU, new characters)
17.).hack//Quantum (OVA; released by Funimation Feb. of 2012)
18.) .hack//The Movie (In Japanese theaters from Jan. 2012, not yet licensed).
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 11, 2012
With attractive character designs, on-model appearance, detailed backgrounds, and a brilliant color palette, the production quality of Rosario + Vampire is strong. A Funimation cast of regulars give a great performance for the English dub.
Rosario + Vampire is comfortably formulaic: a panty-laden harem comedy with monsters, plus a few magical girl elements (Moka’s repeated transformation scenes & catchphrase).
Tsukune is a cookie-cutter male lead: a lovable, pure-hearted wimp who only has eyes for Moka but still likes the other girls as friends. Granted, Tsukune’s flimsiness is more excusable given the monster-power of the other characters. Throughout the series, his girls protect him through climactic one-on-one fights.
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This pattern continues with minor character growth, leading up to a few final episodes framed with themes of friendship and tolerance. Some viewers may find this repetitive.
For humor, this show is hit or miss. Characters like to break the fourth wall, which can be fun. The music director did a terrific job of choosing themes to support the comedic moments of this series. The running gags which get further lampshade treatment by a bat character mascot (rather than the writers making new jokes) get stale very fast.
Aside from some predictable jokes and episode pacing, Rosario is good, light entertainment. There is much action, and some surprisingly emphatic scenes. The main attraction of Rosario + Vampire is the fanservice, and it is present in every part of the series (on a Najica Blitz Tactics level), to include the opening, closing, and “Next Episode” preview. If you enjoy ecchi anime and risqué situations, this show will appeal to you.
Manga Fan Disclaimer:
The timeline of Rosario+Vampire the anime is very different from the manga. There are many storyline changes. Some characters appear earlier, some are anime exclusive, and certain minor characters appear more. It is the general consensus among fans of the manga that this show took excessive liberties.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 11, 2012
Mouse begins with our benevolent hero Sorata stealing an entire museum under the watchful eyes of the police, but gets much more absurd from there. Heavy on the man-rape humor, “Mouse” is surrounded by a bountifully breasted, cat suited trio of live-in assistants–yet frequently protests their blatant sexual advances to “send their master to paradise”.
The extreme amount of fanservice wasn’t a problem, as I do enjoy the occasional ecchi anime. However, the production value is amateurish and low budget for having debuted in 2003, appearing on par with anime of the 80’s. The girls have large eyes that occasionally look cross-eyed, which when combined with
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often outlandish costumes makes them unappealing.
Also, expect some horrible puns. In the squeaky opening theme song “Mouse Chuu Mouse”, “Chuu” is both the sound a mouse makes in Japanese and the sound effect for kisses. If that weren’t enough, the title is pronounced “Mouth to Mouth”.
As for plot, the logic of Mouses’ heist plans lacks mystery and creativity. It meanders around with flashback episodes before building to a partially explained, anti-climactic face-off with a rival thief.
On a positive note, Mouse is a series that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is its redeeming quality. I did chuckle on occasion, but not at the intent of the creators. This title managed to have enough fun, tease, and laughable clichés to put it at a level of mediocrity in terms of both narrative and convention. If you are looking for deep character development and moving story, skip this show. Otherwise, it is great for sitting around and giving the “Mystery Science Theater” treatment. Watch it streaming on Netflix or Crunchyroll to avoid buyer’s remorse.
*By the way, if you are interested in this anime because you think a cat-burglar protagonist would be fun, you should definitely check out the master thief “Dark” in DNAngel (note: DNAngel has no ecchi, but is more of a “slice of life” adventure).
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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