Zettai Karen Children: The Unlimited - Hyoubu Kyousuke

When I first started watching this series, I originally thought, “Oh, it's just another anime with cool guys and girls using superpowers and flying around like Superman-wannabees.”. Of course, that was before I watched its parent story, Zettai Karen Children. But more so, it was before I fully embraced the spinoff known as Zettai Karen Children: The Unlimited - Hyoubu Kyousuke. This new piece of work that Manglobe is presenting here could be defined as their latest line in their evolution of supernatural phenomenon. In fact, Zettai Karen Children: The Unlimited takes supernatural with a world of super powers and transforms it into profound ... psychic tale starring....

The one and only Hyoubu Kyousuke

Zettai Karen Children: The Unlimited - Hyoubu Kyousuke is a spinoff the original Zettai Karen Children. It is presented by Manglobe, a Japanese anime studio, who is known for some of its other works involving supernatural such as Deadman Wonderland, Ergo Proxy, and The World That God Only Knows. And now here we are with their latest presentation. Now, this series can spell out a lot of questions for potential fans. One of most common ones may be something along the line of, “Do I need to watch the original Zettai Karen Children?” From my perspective, it is not necessary but I would say that it can open some insight as well as background to this spinoff. But of course, this isn't the parent series. This is UNLIMITED featuring Hyoubu Kyousuke as the star of the show.

The way the series is adapted is quite a peculiar one from my point of view. Even from the starters, we can clearly see that Hyoubu Kyousuke is not your typical hero. Rather, he can be seen as an anti-hero with the way he dresses, the way he acts, the words he speaks, and the action he commits. With his silver jet hair and floating around the city, he is a man of many mysteries especially behind that devious smile. Even from the beginning, he seems to have devious plans from his head. For example, he has himself taken prisoner on purpose for the reason to save one of his own partners in crime. He often thinks before he acts and is calculating toward his goals. Additionally, Kyousuke seems to be a man with a brilliant mind and often plans strategically in order stay ahead of his adversaries. As the leader of the mysterious organization, P.A.N.D.R.A, Kyosuke shows why he is the leader with his ruthlessness when events calls for it. He really is a star of his own show here folks.

Having seen the original series, Zettai Karen Children, this spinoff originally put me on odds side with Kyousuke. In fact, he is an antagonist from the original title. Here, he is portrayed as a protagonist. (although I see him more as an anti-hero) I found out the easy way during the first few episodes when Kyousuke is able to pull off his plan in his own 'heroic' effort. With that, he even meets a new friend by the name of Andy Hinomiya. He has a mysterious power of his own that can be compared to a certain unlucky protagonist from another series. I won't spoil here so watch more to find out. At any rate, he is introduced as an anime original character who joins P.A.N.D.R.A. His friendship with Kyousuke seems to be based on both fear and respect. Yet, they do work hand-in-hand and often times gets the job done. Speaking of anime original, there is the cute Yuugiri. She is a strange girl with the ability to read minds but that often puts her at odds with society. She is even viewed sometimes as a 'monster' for just being an esper. This isn't surprising though as the world often sees those who are special regarded as being a threat to society. Among others of the team includes includes some returning characters from the original series such as You Fujiura, Momiji Kanou, and Shirou Magi. They make up the firepower of the team and gives P.A.N.D.R.A a reason to being so feared and dominant.

So, this spinoff takes the setting in a more dark city atmopshere as opposed to the 'family oriented' atmosphere that the original Zettai Karen bought to us years ago. Honestly, who remembers that stuff anyways? In most of today's anime series, the market often aims at viewers for fan service, gore, and those romance subplots. Thankfully, this series avoids most of that and aims directly towards the story along with its strong cast of characters. With his name being set as the title, it is no surprise that Kyousuke gets the most attention even through the flashback scenes we see in later episodes. The other characters aren't omitted either as they all get his or her own little spotlights.

The story focuses mainly on the organization that Kyosuke sets up. His idea is to save Espers of his own kind because the way society ostracizes them. In fact, Espers in this spinoff are not seen as saviors of the world but as harbingers of destruction. It can easily be taken the fact even from the pilot episode given Andy's treatment behind that prison. It's cruel for them just because they are “different” from others. The way I see this though is an utter misunderstanding. In fact, some of the people who treats the Espers themselves can be seen as the real monsters to society. It's irony at its very best. However, this shouldn't be entirely be blamed on such trivial accusations that Espers are evil. There have been facts which proves the existence of espers to be a threat in the case of criminals in the series. As a matter of fact, Kyosuke's father ran into a case many years ago that changed his outlook on espers forever.

The series seems to lack the ultimatum for its plot. I guess the long story short here is that this spinoff contains way too many mysteries. It starts off fast and keeps its pace here and there. As mentioned before, Kyousuke acts with a plan through his head and cunning strategies. But most of the time, I find that this is almost redundant. The guy is nearly unstoppable and presented as being a boss. His powers of flight, telekinesis, and super strength is overpowered as he takes the skies and dominates in most of his fights. Even from the original series, Kyousuke is calculating and manipulative with his actions. In this spinoff, he is no different and often plays his plans like a chessboard. The pieces are his organization but rather than using them, Kyousuke plays the role of a leader leading them through missions.

The action of the series is also full throttle and packed with explosive warfare. It doesn't run through egoistic dialogues and strange gags but gets straight to the point. Otherwise, it does occasionally lack a bit of flavor as it just seems stale. Additionally, I find the characters' designs to be a bit generic. With the lack of fan service, the characters' clothing makes its impression through..generic designs. Their seemingly lack of attractiveness in their outfits also makes their stance a bit dull. The result often leads to a repetitive fight scenes and in general, a lack of flavor. If they were so 'badass', why not go all out and make the skies your God?

Oh wait, they don't need to do that since being OP does all that for them already.

In terms of overall visuals, I thought the series did a great job here. Taken on the opposite side of the original series, Unlimited makes its way of with more of a cutting dark age background. It's not on a dystopian level but gets its point across in that the world the espers live in is not a paradise. The artwork of the city in fact reflects more of a 'gotham' like atmosphere, one where there are criminals and people who prejudices against others just based on personal outlooks.The characters' design in particular Kyousuke show that they are indeed not normal. I mean, look at that silver hair and you tell me if you see that often in real life. It's definitely not something you see every day.

The soundtrack of this spinoff makes a strong impression on me. Its organ plays and style of choice in using more of a dramatic tone enhances the theme of a dark series as opposed to the family-oriented Zettai Karen Children. In other words, most of the soundtrack is serious because the series makes its way of being darkier, edgier, and sexier. (in that Unlimited way) The OP song LΛST RESOLUTION (for some reason performed both in English and Japanese), shows the revolution in which Kyousuke sets towards those who are a threat to espers. Oh and those various ED songs? Pleasure to my ears.

Overall, this underrated series gets a score of “8” from me. I don't know about you but Unlimited sure got my attention. No, it's not because I watched the original series so I can get a taste of the spinoff. But rather, the characters, setting, and the general mood of the story gives a more defined way of the psychic world. Despite having some generic/shounen fight styles, I feel that this series pulled it off right. It doesn't seemed to be forced and balances itself well between its subplots. Hell, even the flashback arc was an entertaining watch. Ultimately, I would like to ask people to give this series a shot. It's not perfect but a definitely a way to make your time pass by. At least it did for me. After all, time isn't unlimited so make use of it wisely. This series right here is something you should spent that time on.

Zettai Karen Children: The Unlimited- Hyoubu Kyousuke is a shounen anime based on a manga by Shiina Takashi. The studio behind this adaptation of the series was handled by Manglobe, the studio behind Deadman's Wonderland, Samurai Champloo and Ergo Proxy, along with a bunch of things I haven't seen. I have no idea what to expect from this one. I'd describe that as intriguing, but the last time I expressed excitement at watching something completely unfamiliar I ended up watching Cheesesteak Suppository. Let's just take a look.

The story of Zettai Karen Children: Unlimited, henceforth referred to in this review as ZKC:U for the sake of ... brevity, opens with a silver-haired character named Hyoubu Kyousuke using ESP to wreck everything before allowing himself to be captured. He's taken to a prison camp for espers where he meets up with a young man named Hinomiya. The two start bonding and Hyoubu gives Hinomiya some of his food, which happens to be poisoned. Consequently, Hinomiya is taken to another facility. Hyoubu follows and the two escape along with a captured girl known as Yuugiri. Hyoubu offers Hinomiya a position in his organisation, P.A.N.D.R.A, which is accepted. But Hinomiya has a secret which could threaten Hyoubu and his organisation. The story mainly focuses on Hyoubu, his organisation and their goals. There are some things it does well and some it doesn't. Let's start with the latter. The pacing in this is pretty bad. they put some flashback episodes that don't serve much purpose directly in the middle of the series, which interrupts
the much more interesting action that's going on in the story's present and leaves less time to flesh out the ending. As a result the ending ends up rushed and kind of weak. On the positive side, the world they create is pretty interesting and the story is mostly effective. With everything following a logical progression.

The characters in this, with the exceptions of Hyoubu and Hinomiya, aren't particularly well developed. Most characters tend to get either really obvious arcs or be archetypal characters without much to set them apart. That being said, the character interactions are really well done. Hyoubu and Hinomiya are also really interesting characters. Although Hyoubu has some moments that make him seem kind of creepy and make you wonder if he likes little girls in an inappropriate way. Particularly during his dealings with Kaoru. To ZKC:U's credit, it's vague enough that that may or may not be what's going on, but you should never have valid reasons to suspect that your protagonist is a pedophile when they're portrayed in a generally sympathetic way.

The art in this is pretty impressive. The character designs look good. The effects when certain espers use their powers are pretty flashy but they never cross into the realm of the ridiculous. The action sequences are, mostly, well done. With the exception of one in particular that happens later on in the series and features antagonists with worse aim than the Stormtroopers in Star Wars. That one just comes across as kind of stupid.

The voice acting in this is pretty well done. Suwabe Junichi, Yusa Kouji, and Hirano Aya in particular. The one real weakness is Touyama Nao, who doesn't have any depth of emotion. Although, to be fair, her character is supposed to be emotionally stunted. The music is quite good.

The yuri factor is a 1/10. This has no yuri.

My final rating for ZKC:U is going to be a 6.4/10. It has some really interesting elements, but Hyoubu's semi-creepy scenes and the pacing do make it quite a bit less enjoyable than it could have been. With all things considered, it's still a decent series but not quite good.

Next week I'll look at Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino.

INVOLVEMENT: ★☆☆
I said to myself: I'll watch it, because I study manglobe, and the cover gives the impression of, anime with serious themes. Then, since I had already seen: samurai champloo, gangsta, deadman wonderland, house of five leaves, I wanted to see what was different. I didn't catch up with the original, as I'd read that it wasn't needed. No emotion. This anime failed to portray one emotion in a cross. Then, usual paradigm: you look at people's rating, high. You think: let's have a look. You end up asking: how is it possible, that it has 7.5? Below I explain, why I didn't like ... it, and why this grade. At the bottom you will find all the scenes that made my ears perk up.
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SCREENPLAY: ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
1. Not an original anime. Akira 1988, Ghost in Shell 2002-2005, Darker than Black 2007, Code Geass 2008. All anime with the same themes, predating this one. The only distinction of the predecessors is, being worse. Contributing to discrediting the genre.
2. Presents more than inconsistencies, many questions with no explanation, which I listed at the bottom << presents spoilers >>.
3. What is the final message? Apart from addressing the various issues, there is no real twist.
4. Does it touch on important themes? Yes. But how does it address them? Badly.
5. You don't stop for a moment to think: "Wow, this sentence is powerful. How good they did here, illustrating the problem" but only to: "Sh*t, who wrote this episode, and this? No whatever, I give up." It doesn't make you think at all. Mistakes upon mistakes, and me trying to find something profound in the midst of them. I, who love to save anime quotes. Here, I heard two profound sentences, ruined at the end by the banal atmosphere.
6. The pace, sped up x100, scenes rushed, cut. Then too many scenes not explained, just put there. As if to say: "we have little time, keep these images without logic, and enjoy them." Ep.8 the only one that saves itself, with an above average rating.
8. Full of action moments in every episode, interspersed with unrealistic calm moments.
9. Ending? Started with one ending and ended up with quite another.
10. Target (moe lolicon fan). In a world where people fight for survival, where the stakes are life and liberty, a child interacting as an equal with experienced adults or guerrillas? This creates a contrast and, it forces you to accept something that makes no realistic or metaphorical sense. There is no real emotional construction. If in order to make Hyōbu 'more human', you need a 'loli', then it means you don't have faith in the writing of the adult character. If you're selling me a mature, dark, serious spin-off (as I think The Unlimited is) you can't put sexy schoolgirls in the scene, and see them humiliating adults, and acting as mini-divinities, while everything around is serious, it's a short-circuit in tone. Don't show me three little girls laughing while blowing up a military base. If an adult character has spent years in torture, secret missions and war... There is no respect for the weight of the themes. Who is the series appealing to: moe fans? Fans of the thriller? Of the psychological drama? I feel pushed out of the narrative every time with their arrival.
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CHARACTERS: ★☆☆
1. Three characters are recurring compared to others: Hyobu, Andy and Yugiri. Only one is characterised. Being the main character the anime revolves around. Of the others, two are known, just to tie some plot points together. Yugiri was in an orphanage. Andy meta human esper, infiltrator of the States. Flat characters, who don't change. Except in words. In the last episode, at the end. Just saying, we tried. Ah dimenticavo. In ogni episodio si scopre che Hyobu puo fare mille cose con il suo potere.
2. Development that can't even be called that, because it doesn't develop anything. Characters who in one scene are fragile insects, in the next scene remorseless killers.
3. No memorable characters with any unique traits to carry with them. All C-class characters, and a 'Major' neither good leader, nor good soldier, nor sensitive human.
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VISUAL STYLE & ANIMATION: ★☆☆
1. Quality what there is, I'm not complaining. I do complain, however, about the still, cut and sped-up scenes. I guess they didn't pay the supervisor to check if the scenes are well drawn and in order with the characters.
2. Unoriginal, standard character design. Andy looks like Yuuki from YuGiOh GX. The little girls are the same little girls from other anime, big eyes that I would punch and 90s diva hair, coloured put on top of the gigantic head. And the extras, Pokemon characters.
3. Ghibli palette fan, I also love cowboy bebop, trigun. How do I rate something that falls into the 90% of animation? Basic, no more no less.
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SOUNDTRACK AND SOUND: ★☆☆
1. Opening: 'Last Resolution' by Emblem of THE UNLIMITED and Ending: 'DARKNESS NIGHT' are engaging, without exaggeration.
2. Background music, bringing in the danger or action parts, reminiscent of Aot, creates the right intensity.
3. Dubbing what it is. No memorable scenes, no screams, no tears shed because of the skill of some voice actor.

<<SPOILER>> COMPLATION BAD SCENEs for few <<SPOILER>>
1) Hyōbu, described as a very strong, cunning esper, used to complex operations. Voluntarily getting captured to save a little girl may seem noble... but hardly believable if we don't yet know his moral code well. And the prison doesn't seem threatening enough to justify such a theatrical plan. Andy is an infiltrator, he makes himself known, and Hyōbu accepts him into her world almost without suspicion. A 'chemistry' is born between the two, instantaneous, but it seems more plot-driven than genuine. The two now bestu frends, they notice that a prisoner has hurt himself, and that for serious injuries, he must be taken out of prison. Outside yes, but where exactly no one knows. And then why go to the hospital? Whatever. Hocus pocus, the guard decides to poison Hyobu, okay for revenge, but it ties in just right with ending up at the hospital. Andy is the one who ends up there, and Hyobu just follows him, because he has a hidden plan. He could have done it in a thousand other ways, but the scriptwriters decided to do it that way, ending up ruining the script. They leave the room and find themselves in front of the little girl whom Hyobu has to save. Bim bum bam (action). Hyobu makes the decision to take Andy with him... who happened to have the mission of infiltrating Hyobu's organisation. The whole episode, it's united by a very thin thread, where all it took was for someone to sneeze and this anime would end at episode one. Too bad that didn't happen.
2) Blond government character enters the scene with the gun suddenly, without any context, no escalation, no meeting beforehand where they discuss what to do "she's too dangerous, she must be eliminated", nothing. Everyone else accompanies him... running towards the crime scene with him all over town. No one trying to stop him first, no one confronting him while he is still far from the princess. They accompanied him, only to shout 'NOOO' at the moment of the shot. Yuugiri explodes in psychic power. Classic cliché: trauma → explosion. It's not that it's wrong, but it's a reaction built to make something happen, not to show the depth of the character. It just acts as a switch. You don't know what he thinks, what he feels. You don't get attached to the character because of the good construction behind it. Another stretch: "Hyōbu appears to rescue her and bring her back, perfectly on time." But how does he know? No indication that he was following the situation, no plan. It is pure script rescue, a deus ex machina to get the plot back on track.
3) The Children find the key at random, in the squirrel. And without checking, they immediately state that it is used to open an armoured security door, in a secret base. A question arises: how do they know what that key is for? No logical step. Just a throwaway sentence. It is a 'narrative trigger'. Earlier Andy talked about wanting to enter the base but not having the key. As it happens, now the key is there, and he changes his plan on the fly: to be a hostage, of no use to the children, who are children and therefore accept. At the end of the episode, as in a well-oiled play, Magi gives the key to Andy, which only a few members have.
4) Hyōbu thinks to himself that it might be his last birthday. Yuugiri is next to him, an inch away. Question that arises: why doesn't he hear that thought? Did the authors want a melancholic, reflective scene, and did they ignore the limits of power so as not to spoil it?
5) The leader of USEI, wants to shoot himself in the head but Hyobu stops him. Then, with the gun pointed at his back, he humours them by leading them to Yugiri. Sorry, but how? Ready to commit suicide, and then do as you're told?
6) If Hyoubu is able to use powers with the EDMs active in the previous scene, Andy's action of shooting the EDMs makes no sense. The stationary robots. In a real military situation, with two enemies on the ground, a drone would fire without hesitation, there would be no 'theatrical pause'. The reason why they don't shoot is clear, the authors want to give time for the dialogue between Andy and Hyoubu. But no one takes the trouble to justify: no one says 'they're on standby', no one stops the firing, the characters themselves don't seem bothered. I make peace with myself, reminding myself that this is an anime that wants to 'make a scene', not create a living, believable situation.
7) Scene that should be tense (they are trapped), surprising (PANDRA arrives). No expression, not even astonishment. In so much the antagonists remain impaled, leaving everyone talking, as if they were at an aperitif. The rush to close the plot > push on emotion (faces, sounds, dynamic direction). Wasted opportunity.
8) Kaoru is very attached to Hyoubu, but they frame her sleeping peacefully in bed. It doesn't make sense that she's not involved while there's a final battle. What's more, future queen.