Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Super Agente Cobra, Space Cobra Japanese: スペースアドベンチャー コブラ
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 31
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Oct 7, 1982 to May 19, 1983
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 7.991 (scored by 376 users)
Ranked: #3412
Popularity: #2200
Members: 742
Favorites: 13 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
action sci-fi |
SynopsisThe series is adapted from the beginning of eight volumes of Terasawa`s magnum opus, broadly covering three "chapters".
The first is the quest for the "Supreme Weapon". Cobra, his nemesis Lord Necron and other affiliates of the Guild search for a fabulous treasure left by the adventurer Nelson who tattooed the treasure map on the backs of his three daughters.
The second, and by general consent most successful part of the series shifts the emphasis from space opera to the sporting arena. Cobra travels to the planet Ralou where the national sport is rugball. Cobra joins the sport`s premier team in a bid to uncover the Guild`s drug trafficking operations.
The third saga which closes the series details the hero`s confrontation with the Guild`s supreme ruler, enigmatic both of name and personality, Salamandar.
(from AnimeNfo) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Space Adventure Cobra
Alternative version: Space Adventure Cobra - The Movie, Cobra the Animation: The Psycho-Gun, Cobra the Animation: Time Drive, Cobra the Animation: Rokunin no Yuushi, Space Adventure Cobra Pilot
Sequel: Cobra the Animation: The Psycho-Gun
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
|
|
Rampant
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
|
31 of 31 episodes seen
|
| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
I am putting the conclusion first for those who do not care about details: this is a typically solid '80s series, one more focused on fun and action than fleshing out deep character qualities. It has a lot of foibles, but nothing that should keep you from skipping the series if you like action and adventure focused anime.
This series is kind of like what you would get if you took Space Captain Harlock, but if instead of going the route of incredibly self-serious and subdued it went for of goofy and flamboyant. You can see the difference really starkly comparing the flashbacks, where Cobra has long hair, talks much more seriously, and the music becomes more dramatic, with the less serious present where Cobra looks goofy.
I first became excited by this series when Cobra was thinking really hard about his past, and then suddenly the art zoomed into a box like 1/12th the size of the screen with his face, resembling a mirror I guess, and then this randomly propagated five times in a diagonal line. I became even more excited when the first climactic battle scene had soft jazz playing, which was surreal and hilarious. It is the little details like this that make the series great if you watch out for them, and it is refreshing to have a series where the humor relies on wit instead of events like random school chase scenes (Code Geass) or how much food someone eats (too many anime to even try to single one out).
As you can see from the summary, the series has three really nice arcs, with some shorter one shots and the like at times too, which gives you three different thoughtful stories. Fans of anime that really ramp up just how incredibly evil and malicious the enemy empire is might be disappointed here, since the main foe (The Guild) is, for the most part, more of an entity that Cobra is constantly annoyed by rather than a big bad that is so evil it must be taken down at any cost.
Regarding character, Cobra is unfortunately a little too much of your typically invincible hero. You never feel any urgency of a possible loss for Cobra, and indeed none ever comes. I do like how this series approaches the morals of the characters. The girls are sexual instead of sexually indignant all but once, taking compliments in stride even if they turn Cobra down. Although Cobra tries to generally save people, he certainly has no qualms about killing them. I think this is the first time I have seen or read anything like this that the hero does not constantly puzzle the moral quandary of whether or not a bad guy should die.
One rather large character problem is that Cobra's sidekick, Lady, basically has no reason to be there. Lady either sits around waiting to rescue him when he finishes kicking ass, or she gets captured, giving Cobra motivation to kick someone's ass. This is probably not a series to watch if you become upset by subtle/overt chauvinism (whichever you would decide this series has).
The voice acting is around the high quality level of any well funded '80s series. The music is never bad, but the main climactic theme is overused. The music is probably most exciting in any club scene, where the anime rather charmingly struggles to futurize '80s club life.
The art is not the best art ever, but it is rather consistent. Rather amusing is that before commercial breaks and at the end of episodes the art becomes bolder and sketchier to try to strike an emphatic capturing of the boldness that the audience should be feeling...when often it is not really there.
read more
Recommendations
|
|
Ryo and Cobra were more than likely good friends, or maybe even roomates during college. But seriously! These two are both explosively awesome action comedies, with some of the manliest leads you'll ever come across (and both original Japanese voice actors for the two do an incredible job at bringing their characters to life!) Beautiful women are riddled throughout both series and the two men will stop at nothing to get them! Hah! You can certainly expect some serious drama here and there too and both shows do that exceptionally well. These two are classics nonetheless, you must watch them and all their sequels/spinoffs.
|
|
|
Both are based off manga's by Buichi Terasawa and have very similar vibes and storytelling. Goku himself is very much like Cobra and they both posses in a way, a "power" or ability that gives them an edge when it comes to fighting. Great action, adult themes (Goku gets away with more being an OVA), very cool sci-fi settings, familiar imagery, etc.
|
Opening Theme"Cobra" by Yoko Maeno
Ending Theme"Secret Desire" by Yoko Maeno
| No posts for this board were found |
No discussion topics have been made yet, how about starting one?
Fansubbing Groups
Which fansubbers do you like the best? Click + to approve of their subs for this show. Click - if you don't think they did such a great job.
Related ClubsSmoker's club, Nijiura & Futaba Channel, SKETCHY LINES EVERYWHERE Appreciation Club, Old School Anime, Anime Blue, SKETCHY LINES EVERYWHERE Appreciation Club, The Real Man Club, Retro Mecha Club, AnimeOu, Long Live the 80's
Recently Watched By|
3 hours ago |
Yesterday, 10:41 AM |
Yesterday, 7:59 AM |
11-06-09, 6:27 AM |
11-05-09, 2:25 PM | |
11-05-09, 9:31 AM |
11-05-09, 6:51 AM |
11-04-09, 6:17 AM |
11-02-09, 4:10 PM |
11-02-09, 2:17 AM |
|
|
