Anime review: Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt

In similar vein to Gundam OVAs 0080: War in the Pocket and 08th MS Team, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt presents a small scaled conflict that is but a sample of a widespread war. It spends ample time detailing the life and struggles facing both Federation and Zeon soldiers, with the former hoping that a prototype Gundam and one hotshot, self-absorbed pilot will grant them victory over a ravaged sector of space marked by the debris of abandoned space colonies. The main Zeon forces, meanwhile, stand out from the pack as being almost exclusively amputees, with their main pilot out to prove his worth in beating back the Federation forces, while also looking out for his friends and comrades-in-arms.

Gundam Thunderbolt is a very short watch. Four episodes clock in at less than twenty-five minutes a piece. But the series does not lack polish – following in the footsteps of Unicorn and The Origin, the digital animation nears movie quality, with a decidedly darker atmosphere to many environments, further playing up the desperate measures taken during the One Year War. This visual style is strikingly appropriate, given that Thunderbolt explores the motivations of the two lead pilots in great detail, as well as explores the horrible atrocities both factions carried out in hopes of securing their victory over what is essentially a mole hill compared to the ‘mountains’ of Zeon strongholds like Solomon and A Baoa Qu. If there was ever any doubt that both the Federation and the Zeons could be responsible for some morally questionable, unsettling tactics, you need look no further than Gundam Thunderbolt.

And that’s a large part of what makes Thunderbolt such a worthwhile watch; it packs a hard punch, with mature themes and few real ‘heroes’ in the mix. It also boasts an incredibly catchy, upbeat soundtrack that samples jazz, funk, and love ballads, all of which presents an eerie, yet wonderful contrast to the narrative themes at play. If nothing else, Thunderbolt is worth giving a shot for its Cowboy Bebop-flavored tunes, and worth sticking around for the escalation of power and subsequent devolution of humanity.

My rating: 8 (out of 10)

Anime review: Berserk: The Golden Age Arc

A retelling of the 1990s anime, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc consolidates those events into three films to convey the most well-known narrative involving Guts, Griffith, and Casca. It’s the most obvious jumping off-point for newcomers to the Berserk story, and would seem an appropriate first step in setting the stage for everything else within the Berserk storyline, though, until very recently, no plans to adapt the remaining volumes of the manga were apparent. As is sometimes the case with condensing series into a set of films, the pacing is not the same across the board, which might not be a major point of discussion, were it not for the fact that this element significantly impacts the quality of each of the three entries in the Golden Age Arc.

The first film does a solid job of setting the stage and introducing all of the key players. The supporting cast is shown to be a plucky bunch, with a couple of them being young and naïve, and one in particular being a bit more greedy and self-serving, but they all display a great deal of respect towards Griffith, leader of the Band of the Hawk. Due to his legacy having already been established before the first film even begins, Griffith come across as the most well-rounded and interesting character for this first of three chapters. Guts, meanwhile is given just enough development as a strong-willed warrior lacking any real direction in his life to allow viewers to latch on to him as the trilogy’s main hero, though most of his meaningful maturation will follow in the later films. Casca, meanwhile, first appears as something of a snotty spoiled brat, who, like her comrades, is also highly devoted to her comrades, but seems to bear a grudge against Guts from their earliest meeting.

A medieval setting is established, as well as how the Band of the Hawk are effectively mercenaries for hire, though tales of their victories have spread far and wide, and many of the trilogy’s villains recognize their record of success. There are mythical fantasy elements at play in Berserk, though these are not met in full force until the final film in the series. When Guts encounters one such beast at the end of the first film, it provides not only a test of his strength, but also offers an omen of events to come. This is the first in a series of key events, where the darkest of settings and most intimidating of encounters offer Guts greater insight into the nature of the world around him.

The first film does a solid job of putting all of the pieces in their rightful places, and though it does feel like it wanders from the straight and narrow on a couple of occasions, its pacing is overall appropriate – a far cry from the second film, whose bookends offer the only substantial moments of development for Guts, Casca, and Griffith. Mind you, when these events do come to pass, they are of great importance to the larger tale being woven between these three films. But the hour-long battle they sandwich is neither visually exciting, nor of significant importance to the narrative. The second film does well to take a step back from Griffith a bit, in order to better establish Guts’ ideals and ambitions, as well as prove that there is much more to Casca than meets the eye. This second entry ends on a high note for both of these characters, while still allowing them both plenty of development in the third and final entry, but the absurd span of empty fight scenes not only makes it a dull watch, it also leads the third film to feel rushed.

The Golden Age Arc is my first proper viewing of Berserk, though I’ve been familiar with Griffith’s endgame for many years. For those not aware of how the Golden Age Arc concludes, I will warn that some spoilers regarding the film’s most infamous of moments lie ahead.

The final film dives into some very dark territory, and sees Guts and Griffith part ways as anything but comrades and friends. For many years, I was under the impression that Griffith’s actions in the third film resulted from some tragic fall from glory, that he lost sight of who he was as a leader and hero to so many. Instead, it is a simple matter of him becoming upset over Guts trying to choose his own path in life, and Griffith not having complete influence over his actions that leads him to perform some horrendous atrocities. The climax for a character who proved so compelling during the previous two films ends up being an unsatisfying reveal of pathetic motivations.

And therein lies what is perhaps the greatest downfall of the Golden Age Arc – character motivations on the whole are either incredibly poor, unclear, or wholly nonexistent. Casca is the one major exception to this, offering the most human and believable reasons for joining the Band of the Hawk, for allying with Griffith, and for ultimately turning to Guts as her ally and lover. Guts, meanwhile, sees establishment as the main hero of the Berserk saga by the time the third film comes to its conclusion, but nothing beyond that is achieved. This trilogy feels like the first act of something larger, which may be fine for anyone wishing to carry on with the manga thereafter. There are elements of greatness at play in the Golden Age Arc, but the second and third films constantly deny these to become part of a more cohesive experience. The Golden Age Arc lacks any noteworthy resolution, and leaves viewers with an unsatisfying set of hanging plot threads.

Fans of the 1990s anime might not be so greatly bothered by these shortcomings. Guts, Griffith, Casca, and the remaining members of the Band of the Hawk are rendered with strong animation, while environments look equal parts gorgeous and haunting. Cel-shaded 3D models of knights in armor look a tad clunky and dated, but are generally not present outside of battle scenes, so they do not distract from the remaining visual appeal too greatly. If this trilogy is in fact the jumping off point for someone looking to continue indulging in Berserk by reading the manga, they may find decent value here – the films offer a handful of teases of characters and events that play important roles later on. But as a standalone trilogy, they feel like odd shoehorns. The fact that Guts does not fully come into his own as lead protagonist by the trilogy’s conclusion further sours the experience.

My rating: 6 (out of 10)

Anime review: One Punch Man

An energy-packed twelve-episode run, One Punch Man falls into the action and comedy genres, excelling at its delivery in both.  From the first episode, Saitama – aka, the titular One Punch Man – is shown to have immense, possibly immeasurable strength.  Each and every foe he encounters, from lowly street thugs to world-threatening foes that might as well be ripped right out of a superhero comic or sentai series, can be beaten by a single punch of Saitama’s rocketing fist.  While this might seem like an all-too-convenient trump card that would wipe out all of the series’ threats in no time, it’s Saitama’s outlook on his role as a hero that keeps both him and the larger narrative compelling through the finale.

            Saitama’s incredible strength has left him bored.  Each fight he gets caught up in is a cakewalk, and half the time he doesn’t bother to catch his costumed opponent’s name or really even pay attention to them as they attempt to overwhelm him.  Saitama is a self-proclaimed ‘hero for fun’, and finds it very odd when a young cyborg by the name of Genos wishes to train under him.  Saitama initially dismisses the notion of having a pupil, but is persuaded when Genos promises to help pay for rent and take care of chores around the apartment.  While Saitama’s gains from this partnership initially stem from his being selfish and a tad lazy, the two ultimately grow to trust one another, recognizing the strengths they possess both independently and as a team.  They forge a mutual respect, and Saitama begins to see that maybe there is more to being a hero than simply getting an adrenaline rush, though his quest to find a foe of a comparable strength to his own never ceases.

            Despite first appearing as an inattentive goofball, Saitama has a lot of heart and is willing to make some hard decisions that other heroes might hesitate on.  With regards to the other heroes, there is quite a large community displayed in the series.  Occasionally, other heroes will have a quick cameo, but for the most part, the other heroes return in later episodes.  This helps to make them feel more like rounded characters in a grounded organization, rather than simply being part of the scenery.  The designs of the other heroes do well to appeal to specific genres and eras in anime, without lending their outfits or hairstyles too closely to any particular series.  Though Saitama and Genos are the central duo to One Punch Man, a small collection of high-ranking heroes join in the fray late in the series.  Meanwhile, the C-class bike riding do-gooder known as Mumen Rider brings plenty of laughs to the table with his overconfidence against some of the series’ monstrous villains, though he too has greater character development than one might expect.

            One Punch Man boasts one of the most energetic and rockin’ theme songs from an anime in quite some time, and goes the extra mile in helping to set the tone of the series before Saitama is found staring down a fish man four times his size, an insect woman who spreads thousands of mosquitoes throughout the city to drain the blood from animals and humans alike, and a climactic face-off with an alien invader that gives any one of the major fights in Dragon Ball Z a run for their money.  The animation is great throughout, with the fight sequences proving obvious highlights, while downgrades to cheaper character renderings helps drive the comedic moments home.  The series ends with a satisfying wrap on all the major threats faced thus far, but a few threads are left hanging – a couple of which are introduced within the final couple of episodes, oddly enough.  Still, there is plenty of opportunity to continue exploring these heroes should One Punch Man get picked up for a second season.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

Anime review: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders - Battle in Egypt

Picking up directly where the mid-season break left off, the Egypt arc of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure sees Jotaro Kujo and the rest of the Stardust Crusaders facing down the last remaining loyal followers of Dio. Most notable among these foes are the Nine Egyptian Gods, foes whose Stands prove among the most intimidating and powerful the heroes have encountered yet. And at the end of the journey, in mansion deep within the heart of Cairo, awaits the main villain himself, Dio Brando. Yet, the Stardust Crusaders have a few cards up their sleeve, revealing clever and previously unseen applications of their Stands, a few assists from the Speedwagon Foundation, and a new ally in the form of the temperamental and selfish Iggy, a scrappy dog who wields the Stand known as The Fool.

This second half of the Stardust Crusaders anime feels more tightly-wound, its narrative more focused. From the moment the heroes set foot in the Egyptian desert, there is a sense of urgency about their journey that was no so prevalent in the first season. The stakes are also higher, with these new villains challenging Jotaro and company in battles of wits or other indirect means, while those that do fight them outright play host to some of the series’ stranger but more memorable Stands.

The voice work is superb, all around. While the core has the obvious task of carrying the show from one episode to the next, the villains who appear for only two episodes at a time leave a lasting, often humorous impression. As is only appropriate, Dio’s presence commands as much attention as they show can offer Stardust Crusaders chief villain. The final confrontation between Jotaro and Dio is among the most intense and rewarding endgame battles in any anime of this episode count I’ve come across.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of Dio’s loyal henchmen and women receive ample screen time as well. Some of the fights feel perhaps a bit more drawn out than necessary, but by and large, it is to the series’ benefit, as practically zero of the finer details are left out from the manga version, and the battles are not resolved in too quick a time frame that would negate the drama and intensity. Each member of the main cast undergoes significant maturation since the outset of their journey, and it’s wonderful to see just how naturally this is conveyed. Later episodes play at viewer’s emotions with masterful technique, as there are callbacks to the earliest moments of the Stardust Crusaders’ quest, as well as a severe gravity of present events as they unfold.

The animation budget seems to have received a considerable boost since the first half aired, which in and of itself gradually improved in quality from the airing of its first episode to its twenty-fourth. While most characters stick to a particular color palette for their clothing, scenes where the Stand fights become especially intense warp to more psychedelic colors, a nice nod to manga author Hirohiko Araki’s tendency to present variations on the previously-established appearances of characters. The soundtrack is catchy, moody, and always appropriate, with rock influences playing in subtly as Stands clash and the Stardust Crusaders scour Egyptian streets for any clues that might lead them to Dio.

Stardust Crusaders does offer a definitive conclusion to its own arc, and does provide a satisfying endgame for the three story arcs thus far. However, there is still plenty of money to be made by David Production should they choose to animate Diamond is Unbreakable and other later arcs of the manga, and I have no doubt they would do a similarly stellar job adapting the stories of Josuke Higashikata, Giorno Giovanna, Jolyne Kujo, and so on. It has been many years since an anime left as strong an impact on me as Stardust Crusaders has managed, but I believe it is safe to say that David Production has made one of the greatest adapted anime series of all time. In so far as I am concerned, Stardust Crusaders has earned its place among the company of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Unicorn Gundam as one of the most impressive works of its medium.

My rating: 9.75 (out of 10)

My rating for the Stardust Crusaders series as a whole: 10 (out of 10)

Anime review: Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine

A recent entry in the long-running Lupin the Third franchise, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine turns back the clock to a time when the now-iconic cast were - at best - mere acquaintances. As the title implies, the story gives Fujiko Mine center stage, but the ins and outs of how Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, and Inspector Zenigata came to cross paths and establish a history with one another does factor quite heavily into the progression of this series. In this regard, the story feels appropriate as an early chapter in the adventures of Lupin and friends, though the fact that Zenigata has already been on Lupin and Fujiko’s cases at the start of the series means that this is not the very beginning of the crew’s wacky misadventures.

This position in the Lupin the Third timeline works largely to its advantage, as it does not feel the need to spend an excessive amount of time explaining who these characters are. Instead, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine prefers to show just how extravagant Lupin’s heists can be as he busts out of an ocean-front temple on a giant rocket-propelled statue, and displays Fujiko using her feminine wiles and bombshell looks to pry information and riches alike from her latest victims. While early episodes may lead viewers to believe that each heist exists as a separate event with the only common factors being involvement from Fujiko, Lupin, Zenigata, and so forth, the truth is that there is an underlying plot that weaves each of the episodes together, though it is not revealed until past the series' halfway point.

It is appropriate, then, that this entry in the Lupin saga is considerably more serious in tone, and darker in atmosphere throughout than most of its predecessors. While Lupin and Jigen often find themselves up against improbable odds, and improvise crazy solutions time and time again, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine sets aside plenty of time to explore just what makes each of these characters tick and why. Most compelling, of course, is the story of Fujiko herself, which is given considerably more screen time than her companions/rivals, but even Zenigata’s obsessions with tracking down these thieves makes for exciting introspection.

The 1960s and 70s atmosphere still thrives in this 2012 release, with funky and jazzy tunes accompanying brightly clashing colors. Thick outlines and the impossible lanky proportions of the characters look great with updated digital animation technology, while still echoing back to their classic hand-drawn origins. The characters, meanwhile, remain largely true to their 1960s debut, with slight updates to make them more appropriate for the setting of the story as well as modern audiences. While Lupin still has his eye on Fujiko throughout this latest anime series, he views her more as the end-all prize, one that he is seemingly aware that he will likely never obtain but still attempts to impress/outdo her for the thrill of the challenge. Lupin does not, however, constantly ogle bikini-clad girls, and his heists – utterly bonkers and visually spectacular as they may be – appear to have a decent degree of planning and thought put into them, even when he is forced to improvise or revert to backups. It becomes especially obvious in later episodes that Lupin's constant crossing of paths with Fujiko is for a purpose that is both higher and more selfless than monetary pay - he is perhaps the individual most intrigued with her past, and the series makes it quite clear that he genuinely wants to help her uncover the mysteries that are tied to this, even if it means butting heads with her and engaging in firefights along the way.

In accordance with its 60s/70s sense of style, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine aligns some of its episodes close to real-world events from that era. One episode in particular sees Fujiko travel in the company of a man who serves as a fictional counterpart to Fidel Castro, and her involvement in a subplot to transport him safely to a United Nations hearing while fighter jets tail their plane and the threat of a war breaking out hangs in the balance. It’s a bit more on-the-nose with regards to how it handles the Cold War setting than most other episodes, one of which sees the characters winding down into the dark depths of an Egyptian tomb, while another explores one of Fujiko’s many aliases in the form of a schoolteacher at an all-girl’s academy.

New to this Lupin tale is Oscar, a young police lieutenant who serves as Zenigata’s second-in-command. He bears a short and rather feminine frame, which leads to him adopting a few disguises over the course of the series. While his inclusion does add a greater sense of danger for Lupin, Fujiko and company as they now have two major pursuers instead of one, his dynamic with the rest of the cast only goes so far. Oscar has some obsessive tendencies, to the point where he has to be reminded where the line of duty is and if crossing it is worth jeopardizing his career or the safety of his fellow officers. He also displays a great deal of spite toward Fujiko, as he is jealous of her taking up so much of Zenigata’s attention, a man who he not only looks up to in a professional sense, but is seemingly romantically attracted to as well.

For a modern Lupin the Third anime, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine has plenty of familiar faces and antics to offer, while also presenting characters in new lights. It is a series that builds off what has previously been established as well-received trademarks of the Lupin saga, and adds some darker story elements into the mix. The late episodes in particular delve into strange territory that one would typically not associate with Lupin the Third, yet it pays off in spades. Other experimental content in The Woman Called Fujiko Mine may prove more hit-or-miss, but the core of this series is a strong showing, and plenty of fun to boot.

My rating: 8.25 (out of 10)

Anime review: Persona 3: The Movie - #1: Spring of Birth

Following the release of the anime adaptation of Atlus’ well-received Persona 4, film trilogy was announced adapt the story of its predecessor, Persona 3. The first of these films, titled Spring of Birth, serves primarily to set the stage for all that is to come, introducing some of the major characters, teasing the eventual inclusion of others, and familiarizing viewers with the concept of the Dark Hour and Tartarus. While it may cut out a great deal of the content that falls between major plot points, this first installment in the movie trilogy does a solid job at hitting all of the important notes, though its pacing is admittedly a bit odd.

The story begins much like its video game counterpart, with the mostly-silent protagonist (given the name of Makoto Yuuki for the purpose that other characters will constantly be engaging in conversations with or about him) moving into co-ed dorms near Gekkoukan High and experiencing some strange phenomenon. Every night at midnight, clocks, vehicles, and all manner of machinery stop and most people are sealed away in coffins, entering a sort of stasis during a period known as the Dark Hour. The Dark Hour is effectively an hour-long span of time that is only perceived by those with special potential, namely individuals who can all upon Personas to aid them in battle against otherworldly monsters known as Shadows.

On the night of a full moon, these Shadows become notably stronger and more aggressive than usual, breaking out of their natural territory within the fortress of Tartarus, and taking to the streets of the outside world. It is upon one such night that protagonist Makoto Yuuki finds himself in the company of his peers and classmates Mitsuru Kiriho, Akihiko Sanada, and Yukari Takeba, as the Shadows are bearing down upon their dormitory building. Not fully understanding the nature of these Shadow monsters or his schoolmate’s operations with the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (S.E.E.S. for short), Makoto almost instinctively reaches for an Evoker, a gun-shaped device that the S.E.E.S. members rely on, and uses it to summon his first Persona.

What follows, naturally, is an action-packed beat down of the Shadows by Makoto’s Persona, dubbed Orpheus. But there is seemingly something sinister that lurks within his Persona, as – shortly before Makoto passes out from exhaustion – it transforms into a menacing creature that appears to bear some sort of skeletal face and spreads its coffin-shaped wings. Not long after, Makoto recovers and is formerly inducted into S.E.E.S. His peers make a point to bring up that relying too heavily on one’s Persona can be problematic, yet Makoto’s visits to the ethereal Velvet Room make it apparent that his ability to summon multiple Personas makes him an anomaly among Persona users.

From there, the movie takes on two very different approaches to crafting the world and characters or Persona 3 – when highlighting new party members like Fuuka and Junpei, the story’s pacing slows significantly to explain their importance to the operations of S.E.E.S., as well as give viewers a strong impression of their character traits and personal values. This makes their inclusion all the more meaningful, and is one of the film’s greatest strengths, and should provide some relief for any Persona fans who were concerned that this three-film adaptation might attempt to do too much in too brief a time span. Even Shinjiro sees some inclusion in the film, helping to solidify his inevitable recruitment to the S.E.E.S. cause in the second film, while Koromaru and Ken both make brief cameos during the opening credits.

On the other hand, the film barrels past the everyday school studies, athletics and club activities, and time spent out on the town. The anime adaptation of Persona 4 similarly kept its focus on the major story points, but still slowed down every once in a while to explore the Inaba locals and the small yet personal rewards Yu Narukami and his teenage crew of investigators earned as a result of their setting aside time to tackle minor requests. In this first Persona 3 film, the most direct involvement with teachers, classmates, and non-S.E.E.S. peers comes in the form of brief montages. While these sequences do show Makoto taking part in some school activities and even meeting up with Junpei for an afternoon at the arcade, it doesn’t offer as solid an immersion in Gekkoukan High or its surrounding locales.

The animation is solid throughout – arguably better than the Persona 4 anime, in most cases. Character renders have seen significant updates in terms of their level of detail and fluid motions from the cutscenes that played out during the original Persona 3 video game. The splotchy dark watercolor look of the invading Dark Hour on previously-established environments does a great job of presenting these areas as both familiar and alien. Meanwhile the few portions of Tartarus that are shown present it as a labyrinth fortress, with elegant floors, arched windows, and dull lighting emanating from wall-mounted candles. The soundtrack brings back a number of the video games’ upbeat and peppy tunes, as well as some of the more dire, heavy rock-influenced songs, with remixes sprinkled throughout (some significantly altered, others with more subtle tweaks).

Spring of Birth is not a perfect adaptation of the Persona 3 story, and its hour-and-a-half runtime begs the question as to how successful the two following films will adapt the later legs of the video game source material. The material that the film does cut out may not have left a major impact on the core plot of Persona 3, but it does rob the film of some of the video game’s unique quirks, as well as any connections between the S.E.E.S. members and their non-Persona-adept classmates. The major points that it does focus on, however, are handled quite well, and go a long way in establishing connections between the S.E.E.S. members, as well as painting the Shadows of Tartarus as an ever-looming threat, even if one scene late in the film is drawn out to an agonizing length and almost laughably bad presentation.

My rating: 7 (out of 10)

Anime review: Resident Evil: Damnation

Set between the events of the Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 6 video games, Resident Evil: Damnation sees Leon S. Kennedy return to the spotlight as he is sent into a small former Soviet nation to investigate the use of B.O.W.s amidst civil unrest. Despite the political reforms that followed the nation’s detachment from the U.S.S.R., rebel groups have risen up arms against the government, and have resorted to the use of Lickers, skinless quadrupeds that are easily identified by their snaking tongues and exposed brain tissue. Given his wealth of knowledge on B.O.W.s, as well as his decorated experience from Raccoon City, Saddler’s cult, and more, Leon is strategic and careful in his actions, but not without the boldness to forge his own path and bend the rules from his superiors a bit (despite Hunnigan’s protests). Even with the tense political struggle going on around him and the serious threats of biological warfare, Leon doesn’t shy away from making the occasional snappy one-liner, most of which are mildly amusing and surprisingly less cheesy than in most RE properties.

There are ties to the more recent Resident Evil games through the use of the parasitic Las Plagas, and while many of the people fighting in the streets turn into the mindless infected, others use the Plagas in tandem with the Lickers, allowing them to directly control the actions of the terrifying beasts like hounds. However, this master-servant relationship comes at a price, in that once the Plagas are willingly injected into the controlling individual’s body, it is only a matter of time before they join the creeping hordes. Limiting the variety of enemies Leon and the freedom fighters encounter is a smart decision, in that it keeps the story and action sequences focused, as well as maintains an appropriate scale for this particular struggle.

Resident Evil: Damnation adopts a more action-heavy aesthetic than some of the other RE tales, though the horror vibe ala RE4 is not lost entirely. The dimly-lit and narrow tunnels beneath the city offer a gloomy atmosphere as the infected pursue Leon and company, while the grime inside parking structures and along old brick alleyways provides a strong contrast to the pristine Imperial halls of the president’s estate. Aside from Leon, the film focuses on two rebel fighters, who initially take him captive as they believe he is a spy employed by the state, but later allow him to aid them in their push towards the capital. Sasha is more of a dark and brooding individual, and while his reasons for fighting are explained in brief, the film does not dwell long on this, an act which is both a blessing and a curse – on the one hand, the narrative does not find itself bogged down with pushing a dramatic angle for some silly romantic subplot, but at the same time it makes it a bit difficult to feel for him or even properly gauge his emotions in the midst of all this fighting. The narrative implies Sasha has experienced some emotional and moral detachment since joining the fight, however, so perhaps this depiction is not wholly inappropriate. The other rebel fighter, JD, is a more gung-ho individual, but dorkishly obsessed with the image of being cool and views Leon’s American identity as a prime example of what he wants to associate with. He may be a goofball, and his dialogue may be among the weakest in the film, but at the end of the day JD has a heart of gold. Ada Wong acts in a supporting role, serving primarily to interact with the nation’s president, but also offering Leon tidbits of advice now and again.

The level of detail seen in the environments and character models is phenomenal, a significant step up from what the previous CG film, Resident Evil: Degeneration, had to offer. Similarly, the story is an improvement, as it chooses to keep itself ground in both its smaller cast and limited scope for the setting of one particular city within a small nation. Though many of the scenes take place underground or in the city streets at night, the eerie lighting does well to evoke the feel of a proper Resident Evil game. While not a narrative that will significantly change up the way viewers understand the pre-existing RE universe, Damnation does offer a satisfying stand-alone narrative that has sufficient levels of intrigue and thrills to keep both old-school and new-school fans engaged for its concise hour-and-forty-minute runtime.

My rating: 7.75 (out of 10)

Anime review: Space Pirate Captain Harlock

A classic of a bygone era, before anime was so distinctly identified by wide-eyed faces or drawn-out power-up sequences, Space Pirate Captain Harlock’s more rounded character designs and heavy influence by western animators from the late seventies/early eighties stood among the first of their kind, then commonly referred to as ‘Japan-imation’. Fast-forward to 2013, and Captain Harlock’s latest outing is a film that revisits the roots of the character in a gloriously-rendered, if not frequently dark and gritty-looking, full CG adaptation. One of the great things about this new take on Captain Harlock is that it is easily accessible to newcomers like myself, who were born many years after Harlock’s original animated run, while still retaining the core cast and updating familiar plot points for the sake of streamlining the presentation.

Captain Harlock and his skull-decorated ship, the Arcadia – an appropriately pirate-themed vessel, matching the free-from-law lifestyle of those on board – are considered phantoms among those who have heard of them. They appear and disappear quickly, making short work of those they intend to plunder from, and though some have claimed to land hits on the Arcadia, it does not seem to make a difference, as the ship has some strange qualities of self-repair. When the Arcadia lands on a backwater world, a group of young men chase its smoky trail to its landing site, but only one – the steadfast Logan – makes the cut and is allowed to join the company of Harlock’s crew.

Logan is introduced to a few key crew members early on, including the lethal blonde beauty Kei, and the scruffy, often comical Yullian. Harlock, however, remains distant, an imposing figure always observing Logan, but rarely addressing him directly. This is perhaps for the better, as a brief while after he sets course for the stars in the company of Harlock’s loyal crew, it is revealed that Logan is actually a spy planted by the Gaia Sanction, a group determined to keep the Earth free from anyone setting foot on its surface, lest the bloody Homecoming War of a hundred years prior be repeated. Under the command of his wheelchair-bound brother Ezra, Logan is to inform them of the location and status of the Arcadia, as well as attempt an assassination of its infamous Captain Harlock.

Practically every facet of this film has been updated for today’s audiences. The pacing is spot-on, granting viewers enough time to become invested in the characters early on and subsequently find themselves immersed in the space-age fantasy tech. Harlock does a great job of pushing a ‘gritty reboot’ style that has seemingly become the norm for many properties in both the east and west hemispheres over the past decade. And yet, despite the greater degree of realism in character designs and the intimidating capabilities of the Arcadia, the film does not completely do away with the exciting fantasy thematic – rather, it embraces it just enough to cater to a broad audience. The concept of space pirates who fly the flag of skull and crossbones will no doubt entertain younger viewers, while the gravity of decisions made by the individual characters will satisfy the older crowd, and prevent this film from being simply a whimsical retread of the pioneering days of anime from which Harlock, Mobile Suit Gundam, and many other classics hail.

Admittedly, there are a couple of segments late in the film where certain characters seem to see their conflict as larger than life, and the manner in which these quarrels are dealt with might feel more at home in a film more heavily emphasizing fantastical and over-the-top fights. While these brief sequences are somewhat silly in the grand scheme of things, the tone of the film remains otherwise quite consistent throughout. This updated version of Captain Harlock is a masterful accomplishment in terms of its visuals, as a ludicrous amount of detail is worked into every environment, each character’s expressions are complex and eeriely human, and ship-to-ship combat a most fiery and bombastic spectacle to behold. Space Pirate Captain Harlock is what fun movie experiences ought to be all about – it may not be the most complicated story ever conveyed, but it knows when to pull the right punches, and has something to offer viewers both young and old.

My rating: 8.5 (out of 10)

Anime review: Pokémon the Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom

Continuing their adventures through the Unova region, Ash, Iris, and Cilan find themselves headed to a small secluded town, nestled in a mountainous area of the country. They plan to participate in a small, one-on-one and single-elimination tournament, but Ash decides to take a quick detour along the way in order to help a couple of Deerling that are dangerously close to the edge of a narrow cliff. Unfortunately this noble deed similarly puts him in danger, though he is able to jump to safety thanks to the psychic powers of the legendary Pokémon Victini. While Ash is wholly unaware of Victini’s influence over his finding his route back to his friends, word of Victini residing in the area is common folklore among the local people.

In actuality, Victini is restricted to that town and the immediately surrounding area due to powerful pillars of energy that were put in place long ago by a king who led his people away from a desert land. The king put the pillars and a giant tower fortress at the top of the mountain so as to seal the Dragon Force, a powerful energy stream that saps the life of plants and Pokémon in turn, as it winds its way across the countryside. While Victini shared a special bond with the king, utilizing the legendary Pokémon’s psychic powers in moving his people to a better homeland and stopping the destructive flow of the Dragon Force took all the energy the king had, and thus he passed away before he could set Victini free from this unintentional prison.

As Ash trumps his competition, one girl finds his winning streak suspicious, and inquires if his Pokémon had some help from Victini. Wholly unaware of the fact that this was true, Ash denies even seeing Victini, but Cilan’s home-baked treats are just the ticket for luring the psychic Pokémon out from hiding. As Ash and friends talk to the girl and her mother, they reveal that they are the same people that the king once led to safety, and that a young man named Damon wants to attempt a return to their home country.

The story then cuts to the tale that served as the origin for N’s ideals and the introduction for Reshiram and Zekrom in the video games – that being the tale of the two sons of yet another king of the Unova region. One son was known as the hero of ideals, and the other known as the hero of truth. Each partnered with one of the legendary dragon Pokémon, and were well-loved by their subjects, but eventually their rivalry turned to animosity, and in their attempts to overpower one another, Reshiram and Zekrom’s power whittled away so greatly that they were forced to slumber as white and black orbs respectively. In the present day, it is revealed that Damon has discovered Reshiram’s white orb and reawakened the legendary Pokémon to aid in his plans to return to the old homeland.

Pokémon: White – Victini and Zekrom does well in handling some of its smaller details. There are deliberate ties to the video game lore, in order to make the story of the film feel less alienated. The Pokémon typings also seem to play somewhat more of an important role this time around, as Pokémon display weaknesses to Pokémon they would logically have a disadvantage against in combat. However, in terms of the stand-alone story, the film does not make many solid connections. The backstory of the king details how Victini was used as a conduit to power the floating fortress, and so Damon’s desire to recreate this scenario makes sense given the legendary Pokémon’s immense power. However, there is no real justification given for why Damon feels it is necessary to make a return pilgrimage to the desert from which they arrived. Life in the mountain town seems quite pleasant, and Damon never explains why he feels a return is necessary – not even such a shallow explanation as ‘it’s where we started, and it’s where we belong’.

The floating fortress evokes distinct memories of the airship designed to capture the legendary birds and lure out Lugia in the second theatrical Pokémon movie. Except, in this film, Damon already has Reshiram at his side. There is no real reason for any of Damon’s grand scheme, nor is there much explored about his character. He appears to be something of a history buff, and is apparently quite well-liked by the locals, but it is unclear if he is following some delusional interpretation of the texts he is so engrossed in, or if he is simply attempting this journey home just for the heck of it.

The Pokémon battles are spaced out quite a bit, as there is some extra time needed to explain the multiple (though loosely connected) historical tales. While Ash and Pikachu playing with Victini is cute and fun for a brief while, each bout of downtime this film settles into is obnoxiously longer than need be. The last twenty-five minutes or so of the film certainly display more exciting sessions of Pokémon battles and the eventual appearance of Zekrom clashing with Reshiram, but it’s a matter of the film playing its best hand after a consistently mundane presentation. Young viewers may ignore the significant plot holes, but anyone who appreciated the extra storytelling depth presented in the generation V video game counterparts will find no such complexity here.

My rating: 5 (out of 10)

Anime review: Knights of Sidonia

A thousand years after humanity encountered the shape-shifting parasitic force known as the Gauna, the Solar System has long-since been destroyed and mankind finds itself adrift amongst the stars in the giant city-ship Sidonia. While historical records indicate that Sidonia did, at one point, have contact with other ships harboring their own large populaces, it’s been more than one hundred years since the last recorded contact, and to the knowledge of all those living on Sidonia, they may very well be the last surviving remnants of the human race. This theme of being somewhere between the end of days and in search of a new horizon perpetuates a unique atmosphere for the twelve-episode anime. While Sidonia has gone without a Gauna encounter for quite some time, this peace is interrupted by the foe’s re-emergence, and Sidonia’s nature as a military fortress is made clear within the first couple of episodes. Young cadets board mass-produced and somewhat outdated mechs called Gardes, armed with spears of a particular material known to instantly kill a Gauna if pierced through the correct part of their amoebic body.

The theme of a stranger in a strange land is not uncommon to limited run science fiction works such as Knights of Sidonia, and main character Nagate Tanikaze finds he must venture forth from the seclusion of the undercity in order to find food following his grandfather’s passing. Wholly unaware of the lives led by those in the burgeoning vertical city of Sidonia, Nagate’s introductions to his young pilot peers and Sidonia’s chain of command are jarring, to say the least. In the time mankind has been away from Earth, some bold scientific advancements have been made – some resulting from evolutionary processes, others self-induced. To accommodate for the large population on a ship such as Sidonia, its citizens have undergone cellular alteration that allows them to photosynthesize for nutrition, only needing to eat actual food once per week. Meanwhile, a third androgynous gender has emerged, one that does not take on the attributes of either the male or female sex until such an individual has become romantically paired to a partner.

While Knights of Sidonia received its TV-MA rating primarily for its degree of bloodshed and brief sequences of borderline-nudity, more carefully plotted and interesting additions to the world that is being crafted within the series provide viewers with a more concrete idea of how Sidonia’s people behave on a daily basis. One such gender-neutral individual is Izana Shinatose, who early on becomes friends with Nagate, and the interactions Izana has with his/her peers are sometimes very casual and relaxed, while at other times, he/she is judged as strange and even lesser because of his/her physical differences. It’s great to see contemporary themes worked into a setting so far-removed from the modern day, and pairing Nagate and Izana together helps them to grow as characters, and the story to become both more complex and engaging.

A group of their classmates/fellow pilots in-training are all clones of one another, a group of sisters who rarely travel without one another’s company. While Nagate and Izana appear to be in their late teens, the veteran pilots who are touted as being the best of the best look only ten years their senior, due in large part to the generally low life expectancy of Garde pilots. After his first couple of outings in an older but seemingly special Garde unit dubbed Tsugumori, Nagate finds he is the talk of the town, so to speak, as many of the veteran Garde pilots are impressed not only by his ability to handle the mech with such precision, but also his triumph over the first Gauna he encounters. Not everyone is impressed with Nagate’s performance, however, as rival Norio Kunato believes it is his rightful position to be the ace pilot and hero of Sidonia.

As Nagate’s streak of success continues, the people of Sidonia and his fellow Garde pilots become simultaneously more comfortable in their constant routine of winning battles, and more critical of Nagate’s performance. Should one of his squad members become injured or even killed in action, the immediate response from some of Nagate’s peers is to point the finger at him for not doing enough to protect them, regardless of how insurmountable the odds may have been. And while Nagate certainly finds himself at a crossroads of frustration and personal confusion, voicing his concerns to his superiors, he continues to grow as a stronger person through this series of physical, mental, and emotional stressors and traumas.

Knights of Sidonia employs a visual style not uncommon with contemporary anime, placing 3D cel-shaded character and mech models in more traditionally-drawn environments. The gold glow of Sidonia’s industrial center is a stark contrast to the dark blue depths of its artificial ocean, while the bleakness of space is interrupted by icy mining sites and the massive size of the space-faring Gauna. These foes are able to absorb various life forms and take on both physical and behavioral qualities, resulting in some horrifying and twisted mockeries of human forms facing down the Garde pilots. The Gauna’s primary means of attack may be to lash out with whip-like tentacles, but should they bear the faces or even voices of fallen comrades, the psychological impact it has on pilots is abundant in their hesitation and fear as they attempt to defend their home ship.

The Garde mecha bear design points sleek and modern, as well as some boxy and obtuse, lending a unique look that makes them stand out more noticeably in what is often an over-saturated genre. Oddly enough, the character models do not display as smooth of motions as either the Garde units or the Gauna. Nagate, Izana, and the rest of the people living on Sidonia are characterized by frequently jerky motions, whether under the constraints of gravity or freely floating in zero-g. Their facial expressions are highly animated, but only do so much to distract from this setback in production value. While the writing is generally pretty solid, there are a handful of moments that reduce the degree of immersion significantly, such as when everyone on board Sidonia is asked to brace for evasive maneuvers and apparently all they have to strap themselves in with are thin cables attached to their belts that they are expected to clamp onto the nearest piece of railing or pipe. Even if Sidonia is something of a relic given the hundreds of years since it set course for the stars, it's a bit hard to believe that the engineers of such a massive ship intended to support a metropolis-worth of people would not have the means to strap down boxes and supplies, let alone its local populace.

On the whole, though, Knights of Sidonia is handled quite well. It knows just how much time to allot to each plot point, even if the relevance of each of these is not abundantly clear at the point of their initial presentation. The characters are limited to a select group of major players, a few of whom do fall into the tropes of absent-minded scientist and jealous girl seeking affection of a popular guy. The supporting cast, meanwhile, is developed just enough to be decently interesting and open potential subplots for future seasons, but are not given so much time in the spotlight that the series detracts from its primary focus in weaving the story of Nagate as Sidonia’s new hero, its knight. Knights of Sidonia also does well in not stretching its multiple plotlines too thin, having a proper endgame in mind for each and every major one by the time it reaches its conclusion, though some of the less prominent story elements may linger to set the stage for another season.

My rating: 8.25 (out of 10)

Anime review: Sword Art Online

WARNING: While I typically try my best to avoid spoilers of any kind in these reviews, Sword Art Online is split into two major story arcs that bear notably different styles and a number of important plot points from the former influence the latter. As such, there will be a spoiler-heavy section of this review, the beginning and ending of which will be indicated by bold text. The remainder of the review, however, will be spoiler-free.

One of the most popular anime to reach North American audiences in the past few years, I missed the entire wave of excitement surrounding Sword Art Online’s initial release. My interest in it was piqued a little more than a year after its zenith, when it was picked up as part of the new Toonami programming block. It proved an unusual though not uninteresting combination of classic medieval fantasy and near-future science fiction, with the majority of the story being told through the digital realm of the massively multiplayer online game that shares its name with the series.

Young Kazuto Kirigaya, one of the early beta testers for Sword Art Online, is as eager as the rest of the world to dive headfirst into this sprawling realm of might and magic – quite literally, in fact, as SAO is coupled with a helmet that allows Kazuto and every other player a fully-immersive experience. But Kazuto is also wary of the fact that some members of the online gaming community might not take kindly to his company were they aware of his early access rights. As such, Kazuto selects an avatar for himself, which he dubs ‘Kirito’, a moniker by which he will ultimately become more well-known than his real-world name. During his first few hours in SAO, Kirito familiarizes himself with the basics and the small tweaks that have been implemented since the beta, as well as makes a few new acquaintances. But the positivity and excitement glowing on the faces Kirito and everyone else in SAO is abruptly cut short as players begin panicking, realizing that their task menus do not display a ‘log out’ button. As it turns out, this was a design point put in place by the game’s creator, who informs everyone that they can only wake up once the ultimate endgame challenge of the hundred-floor dungeon and its boss have been conquered, and that any attempts to forcibly remove the helmets from the bodies of players in reality will result in their immediate deaths.

The style of this fictional MMORPG borrows heavily from Japanese heavyweights like Final Fantasy, as players are able to craft their own identity and utilize different skill sets. Protagonist Kirito’s ace-up-his-sleeve is the ability to dual-wield blades, while other players focus on healing, illusion magic, defensive tactics, and so forth. Different guilds are founded over time, some with more strict regulations are ruthless behavior in mind, and as time passes, it becomes abundantly clear that the NPC monsters that lie within each dungeon may not be the largest of threats players need concern themselves with. What really helps shape the atmosphere of the series as Kirito and company find themselves spending days into weeks into months within the game world, is the fact that the situation is so dire. There are real ramifications for dying in the game world, as it means death for a player’s physical body as well, and players tend to be either overly cautious, worrying about the smallest of scratches from foes, or bull-headed and unnecessarily gutsy, rushing headlong into insurmountable odds. Kirito, on the other hand, tries his best to team up with a handful of players and ensure they all make it to the next area of the game world, while still doing his best to keep his advantage over fellow players hush-hush.

While the pacing of this first half of the story may not be consistent, one of its points of brilliance is the manner in which it chooses to explore the many players and regions within the game world. During Kirito’s adventures, he visits crystalline tundra, expansive fields, winding dungeons full of traps, and a calm lakeside cottage, each of which has a very different set of tasks and plot progression associated with it – both with regards to advancing within SAO and through his personal relationships with friends. Kirito experiences frustration at the fact that he cannot save people from their dual deaths, but finds trust at the side of Asuna, an ace swordswoman who becomes his closest friend, confidant, and eventually his love.

Though she holds personal and professional responsibilities as one of the most skilled members of one of SAO’s elite guilds, Asuna has wit as quick as her reflexes with a blade. While Kirito has an advantage of knowledge of SAO’s programming, he works solo for many of the early episodes, turning to Asuna gradually more and more as he comes to appreciate what she has to offer in her understanding of player-to-player relations and the sort of in-game diplomacy that the guilds stand for. The more Asuna becomes an integral part of the story, the more interesting the plot becomes, and the more genuine and well-scripted both her and Kirito’s character progressions become.

(WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW – READ AT YOUR OWN RISK)

What becomes of the second half of the story is truly disappointing, as Asuna, once a strong-willed, calculating, and admirable fighter more than capable of holding her own, is reduced to mere plot device in the follow-up game titled ‘Alfheim Online’. After Kirito and his peers escape the world of SAO, it is revealed that a select few hundred players, Asuna included, never woke up from the game, and that Sugou Nobuyuki, an esteemed employee of Asuna’s father, intends to use this turn of events to his advantage by vowing to marry Asuna and claiming a greater stake in her father’s company. This situation is only worsened by the reveal that Sugou is posing as the fairy king Oberon in ALO, and is the one responsible for holding Asuna prisoner within this digital realm.

The problem with pulling such a grand reveal so early on is that it leads the suspense and action to run dry very quickly. Sugou and his alter ego Oberon come across as nothing more than a childish jerk with control issues, and the subplot regarding his desire to research brain control methods but never with the intent to use them on Asuna does not serve any particular purpose other than to prove his lack of anything more than a selfish and depraved vision for his intentions with Asuna. While the SAO arc painted a very real threat within the game world, there is no such hurdle to overcome in ALO. The few skirmishes Kirito does have with grunts of guilds are simply included to provide some brief, action-heavy eye candy, while the new characters he meets feel sorely underdeveloped, save for Leafa and Recon, the avatar for Kazuto’s sister and her classmate respectively.

Even with these two new additions to the story, Recon sees very little screen time, and while it feels like perhaps the writers had a greater development cycle in mind for him, the purpose he ultimately serves is to support Leafa’s development as a Sylph, and – to a lesser extent – emotionally, as her friend. Whereas the SAO arc spent very little time in the realm of reality, this second leg of the story spends nearly as much time between Kazuto’s home and the fairy realm of ALO. Despite her insistence at how scared she was that Kazuto might never wake up from SAO, his younger sister Suguha seems perfectly comfortable – gleeful, even – about jumping right on into the next big online gaming craze that is ALO. While a little while has passed between the fallout of SAO and its fatal threats to players, it seems odd that none of these characters would be hesitant about running right back in.

Even stranger and frankly unsettling is the angle of sexual attraction that Suguha conveys toward her brother. While the series does explain the two are not technically related by blood, they still spent years growing up together, and this feels a highly inappropriate plotline for a series aimed at such a broad audience. It’s not a one-and-done mention, either – Suguha’s emotions are the entire reason she decides to aid Kazuto/Kirito in ALO and reality, even if she is not aware of their being the same individual. This, coupled with Sugou’s dominating personality, leads the series’ second half to feel the part of a half-baked imitation of the SAO arc, riddled with bizarre turns that feel as far from home as possible in a series like this.

(SPOILERS END)

The first half of Sword Art Online may not have been perfect – a little less time spent on certain subplots might have been nice, but on the whole, it did well to present a great degree of variety. Characters embodied different sets of values, environments were detailed and colorful, enemies bore designs both classic and imposing – all of which made for a decently entertaining first story arc. But reducing one of the best characters to mere trophy during the second half and kicking many of the others to the curb entirely proves a horrible decision. The newcomers to the second arc are, by and large, a wholly uninteresting and unconvincing lot, and the story a shallow mess that confuses its identity for entirely unclear reasons.

My rating: 5.75 (out of 10)

Anime review: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

The first full-blown U.C. Gundam series to be released in more than a decade, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn is a bold undertaking for many reasons. Of course there is the fact that, aside from the MS IGLOO side stories, the Universal Century timeline had remained dormant since the mid 1990s, while alternate universe storylines took precedence, and rekindling viewers’ interest in the context-heavy legacy of the U.C. side of Gundam would require some finesse in plotting out events. Unicorn Gundam was subject to a significantly higher production value than most of its predecessors, building off the animation style of the Zeta Gundam film trilogy and effectively turning each episode of its seven-part release into a mini-movie. But what is perhaps most telling about the advances in the production and distribution of anime both in Japan and stateside is the fact that Unicorn Gundam saw simultaneous release in those two regions, with original Japanese voice work and an English dub accompanying the initial blu-ray releases.

In fact, that release structure would remain true even as Bandai of America shut its doors and handed the U.S. release of Unicorn Gundam over to Sunrise. While there are plenty of new faces in the fiction of Unicorn Gundam, there are more than a few familiar voices, with veteran voice actors returning to reprise their roles as some of the most iconic faces in Gundam history. Unicorn Gundam is a curious attempt at catering to both veterans of the franchise and newcomers alike, one that pays off in spades. While many other Gundam OVAs have been scripted with a singular story in mind, there was typically some degree of implication that viewers would already be familiarized with the major events of the One Year War from the original Mobile Suit Gundam, the major players in the Gryps conflict from Zeta, and so forth. Unicorn Gundam does refocus the story on the mysteries surrounding the newtypes, as presented through the eyes of young protagonist and hero of circumstance Banagher Links, as well as lead antagonist and revolutionary ideologist Full Frontal, a man shrouded in mystery, but who bears an uncanny resemblance to Char Aznable.

Unicorn Gundam begins with a flashback to the beginning of the Universal Century calendar system, as representatives from the Earth and her colonies gather to take part in a treaty signing and declaration of their vision for the future. However, things quickly go awry as a small group of insurgents tinker with the rotation of the space station where this event is being held, altering its rotation, and leading to the deaths of many of the VIPs and civilians on board. The focus then jumps back to present day to introduce the Vist Foundation, one family’s legacy to help influence the course of progress for spacenoids, though in a less violent or direct manner than the major players of the Principality of Zeon or even Axis had previously done. While the full motives of the Vist Foundation’s influence are not made clear from their first minutes on screen, it is apparent that their interests are more in the development and future potential of mobile suits and related technologies.

Meanwhile, Banagher Links jumpstart into the brewing conflict is not unlike the introduction Amuro Ray and Kamille Bidan received years before him, as Banagher finds his everyday routine of life on a colony thrown upside down with the arrival of the Sleeves, one of the last remaining Neo-Zeon organizations. Within the first two episodes, Banagher crosses paths with many important players in a tangled web, and each juncture will be explored in significant detail by tale’s end. Unicorn Gundam balances its characters in a way that few other Gundam series attempt – while Banagher, young VIP Audrey Burne, ace Sleeves pliot Marida Cruz, and resident anti-villain Full Frontal frequently take center stage, each of the hour-long episodes rounds out the involvement of the Londo Bell forces, the crew of the Nahel Argama, the high-ranking staff members of Anaheim Electronics, families long-since affected by the tragedies of the One Year War, and the scrapped-together remnants of Zeon lying in wait on Earth.

While offshoots and remnants of the Principality of Zeon have long been spotlighted in Gundam OVAs and side stories, few have proved as compelling an organization as the Sleeves. As Full Frontal directly addresses Banagher, he informs him of a greater vision he has in mind for spacenoids, and even goes so far as to reveal his face from behind his symbolic silver mask. Full Frontal understands that he has a legacy to live up to – the legacy of Char Anzable – and yet, the way he intends to go about reaching the ultimate end goal of Laplace’s Box and championing it to his cause puts things in a somewhat different perspective than what longtime fans might expect from the Red Comet. Full Frontal is a complex individual, one who constantly reveals more and more about his personal values, but always leaves his enemies (as well as viewers) wishing to know more. Full Frontal holds a great degree of respect and trust in his followers, which in turn leads to their having a greater degree of faith in their own plans and skill on the battlefield – they are strong-willed and determined, but rarely bull-headed or ruthless.

At its most basic of framework, Unicorn Gundam is about a race between Banagher Links and Full Frontal to reach Laplace’s Box and discover what the truth of its contents mean for the future of mankind; spacenoids and Earth-dwellers alike. But with so many parties keeping close watch on the events that unfold as they anxiously await how this endgame reveal might affect their lives and the conflict at hand, it’s hard to ignore just how masterfully crafted the story of each individual is. While many of the biggest reveals lay in the later episodes, it is hard not to find some degree of entertainment and empathy within nearly every major character. It’s a wonderful return to that special spark that made Mobile Suit Gundam a standout anime more than thirty years ago, while taking into account contemporary methods for handling both character and story progression. Unicorn Gundam offers plenty of cleverly-timed homages to older entries in the franchise, but at the same time, it weaves a story that is more than capable of standing on its own for those not familiar with the larger Gundam lore.

While there were some large gaps in the release time between individual episodes, the time and care put into each bend of a mobile suit’s limb, each beam round fired through the blackness of space, each tense expression on a pilot’s face during an escalating combat scenario proves well worth the wait times. Unicorn Gundam is, without question, the most visually polished entry in the long-running series. The soundtrack is similarly impeccable – percussion-heavy battle tunes harken back to the march-style music that frequently accompanied tense moments in the older series, while softer melodies offer a mesmerizing pairing to the dark glows of colony interiors and the crest of the Earth’s rotation as ships leave its orbit. A rare breed, indeed, Unicorn Gundam is not only a major step forward for the franchise that helped shape what mecha anime is today, but a modern masterpiece that simultaneously breaks from what many fans have come to expect of such a specialized genre while catering to series veterans via guest appearances and hinting at connections that might be.

My rating: 10 (out of 10)

Anime review: Bayonetta: Bloody Fate

Adapting the first game in the Bayonetta saga to one hour-and-a-half anime film, Bayonetta: Bloody Fate does surprisingly well to cater to fans of Platinum Games’ signature sense of sleek style and over-the-top action. Bloody Fate maintains much of the wacky humor of the game, though its limited runtime does see a notable favoritism toward the ludicrous shoot-‘em-up fight sequences and battles against gargantuan angels. Obviously a large portion of the original Bayonetta experience had to be trimmed or cut out entirely to cater to the constraints of the anime, both in terms of its length and the change in entertainment medium, but Bloody Fate excels at keeping in focus the essence of what makes Bayonetta such a standout entry in the action gaming genre.

Much like in the video game, Bloody Fate performs a handful of brief jumps back from the present to the ancient end days of the Umbran witch clan. Viewers are quickly familiarized with Bayonetta’s lack of any real memory as to who she is, as well as given a crash-course on Luka’s vendetta stemming from his belief that Bayonetta’s awakening at the bottom of a lake was to blame for his father’s untimely death. Rodin is cool and collected as ever, though he serves more as plot device than fully realized character in this interpretation of Bayonetta’s journey of self-discovery. Enzo, on the other hand, is absent almost entirely, while precedence is given to both Jeanne and little Cereza, the former being a witch who shares some connections and powers to Bayonetta, while the latter is a young girl who clings to Bayonetta, claiming the witch is her ‘mummy’, much to the surprise and disbelief of the titular protagonist.

While the earliest of fights within a chapel sees Bayonetta perform insane acrobatics that defy the laws of physics thanks to her Umbran magic, things only grow in scale, silliness, and fun from there. Slender limbs swing out in fast-paced shootouts, while motorized vehicles ride up walls in hot pursuit of the witch that has everyone talking. Bayonetta is entertaining as ever, as she beams confidence but displays little mercy to her enemies. She revels in the fight, taunting angels and going out of her way to ensure they suffer at the hands of her most powerful demonic summons. The English cast of the video game returns to reprise each of their roles, which is a real treat, as they handle their respective performances masterfully – the Bayonetta experience just wouldn’t feel the same without Hellena Taylor at the helm.

In the same fashion as its video game counterpart, Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is unapologetic about what it wants to be and how it wants to go about crafting a tale of a witch out of her own time. Its action is bonkers, while its leading lady displays a brilliant culmination of character traits smart, sexy, and powerful. Despite its relatively short runtime, Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is a wonderful translation of the original action game that is considered by many to be a modern classic. This anime fires on all cylinders from start to finish, setting aside sufficient time to explain the important plot points and character connections, but never straying from the magical elements or raucous combat long enough to wane viewers' interest.

My rating: 9.25 (out of 10)

Anime review: Persona 4: The Animation

Anime adaptations of video games and other licensed properties sometimes receive a bad reputation due to their nature of being produced solely to make a quick buck based on namesake. Persona 4: The Animation is a curious case of trimming a fifty-plus hour JRPG into a twenty-six episode series. There’s a lot to consider with such a bold undertaking – what gets left on the cutting room floor, how do the writers properly convey such a large and diverse main cast, and how could the variables unique to each individual player’s experiences factor in without alienating viewers? The result, while perhaps not perfect, is one of the more successful forays into adapting a video game to anime in recent years.

As with the video game, Persona 4: The Animation begins with Yu Narukami moving to the small town of Inaba to live with his Uncle Dojima, the local detective, and young cousin Nanako. Early on during his stay, Yu hears rumors of a television broadcast that airs rainy evenings as the clock strikes midnight, and begins to formulate with his friends and classmates as to whether this Midnight Channel might share any connection to a recent string of murders in the area. After a few brief ventures into the world behind the television screen, Yu and friends learn they must face their inner selves in order to call upon the Arcana powers of their own unique Personas and face off against the violent Shadows that inhabit the TV realm.

Yu is the lone exception to the rule of everyone hosting a singular Persona, as he can forge bonds with his friends and locals in order to expand his capabilities. While the actual process of his forging social links is largely glossed over in this anime version due these being left largely up to individual players’ discretion in the video game, a few episodes see Yu interacting with NPCs and taking time away from the murder case in order to help an old lady and tutor a child. The dungeons are typically completely explored within a single episode each, as the anime is less concerned with the process of fighting hordes of enemies and opening treasure chests, opting instead to place greater emphasis on the investigative team facing their shadow selves and subsequently revealing more about their personalities and character traits.

Key non-combat events from the game also receive ample attention, including the school camping trip and Miss Yasogami beauty pageant. It provides a fresh break from the otherwise intense atmosphere and darker color palettes within the TV world. The animation style itself is highly reminiscent of the few fully-animated cutscenes from the video game, though Persona 4: The Animation has a notably higher production quality than said sequences. A few new subplots, such as Nanako dressing up as a magical-girl-meets-Sherlock-Holmes anime protagonist and tailing Yu to find out what he has been up to all summer break, add a bit more lighthearted storytelling that is welcome in putting a slight spin on a story otherwise quite familiar to those who have already poured multiple days worth of time into the video game.

The majority of the cast from the video game’s localization return for the English dub of the anime, with only a couple change-ups – Chie’s being the most instantly noticeable, due to how heavily involved in the story she is from the outset. Johnny Yong Bosch’s voice work for Yu Narukami is a real treat – while he may not be highly talkative in order to preserve a sense of neutrality and focus the story more on Yosuke, Yukiko, Kanji, and so on, there are certain points in the anime where he will deliver lines of dialogue that would be considered the strange or obscure options in-game. This often creates evokes humorous responses from his companions. With many of the gaps bridged due to the anime not covering so much of the downtime between dungeons, Naoto’s inclusion in the story is more consistent, and Margaret prefaces nearly every episode, giving the Velvet Room a constant presence, though one that is left largely unexplained in this version of the story. Dojima is effectively reduced to a one-dimensional and often bitter individual, which makes his shift to becoming a more caring parent in the later episodes both sudden and clunky.

As is only to be expected, the endgame storylines see slower pacing in order to fully prepare viewers for the multi-layered revelations. They remain just as half-baked as in the video game version, however, and it is a shame that both interpretations of Persona 4 stumble over themselves so late in their runs. Aside from a couple of the events signifying a maxed out social link being shuffled around to places that proved more convenient in this version, Persona 4: The Animation remains largely unchanged from its video game counterpart, and given how story-heavy the game was to begin with, that’s probably just as well. There is little revolutionary about this adaptation, but at the same time, it does exactly what it sets out to do, offering ample time to highlight Naoto’s gender dysphoria, Rise’s stress from life in the spotlight, and Teddie’s existentialism.

My rating: 7 (out of 10)