Appare-Ranman!

This anime is something.

There's a remarkable originallity on it, but, at the same time, it feels a bit nostalgic. Appare Ranman has quite a strange plot, its _bizarreness_ isn't something your average anime has.

Its characters are unique, and, at the same time, clichè. Appare is an aphathetic boy, but really gifted. His companion, Kosame, is loud and a complete opposite of Appare. Their relationship develops in a strange yet hillarious way, making the anime more enjoyable.

The art and the sound, the "creativeness" of all of it. Frantically exposing its own weirdness. Yeah, im quite amazed by how enjoyable and funny all of ... it is, and they are yet to start the Race!

Appare Ranman is a gem of this year, i'm happy it's back!

9/10 till now.

Jojo's Steam Ball Run: the Animation, that is yet unfortunately another COVID-delayed show.

It's hard to believe that this one show that's full of experimental creativeness and perceived notion is all conceived by one man alone: Masakazu Hashimoto. From the story to the series composition that's tons of wacked insanity, it's more than enough to stand out in its originality, yet also be a callback to his career days of starting out as a director over at P.A. Works circa. 2011 (after flailing around from different anime projects in the 2000s with varying degrees of success). His first directorial and series composition work being Tari Tari ... way back in 2012 wasn't game-changing, but the way that it was done certainly had the early otakus take notice of his idea of a unique storytelling that's totally Hashimoto's: a fairly simple tried-and-true story plot, but with a pinch of inspiration to carve out its own identity and stand out as so. But as is with HaruChika's somewhat odd approach and consequence of people attacking him (as the director) vs. the novelist that has somewhat of a mish-mash of ideas that are not put well together, it's sad to say that it was kinda a defining moment of unnecessary hate strewn from that.

But now, after some time, Hashimoto is back with a story setting about a cross-country race that spans cities and people from the East to the West within a 19th century modernized Wild Wild West take, and it's honestly a thrill to follow the many characters who have defied dangers whilst participating in unforeseen deathmatches, fighting to save theirs and others' precious lives from time to time. "It's a strange world" as the quotes say, with the bombastic bizarreness of a plot and setting that only complete once they are joined together.

"Who says death-defying races are just for the Americans, both locally and natively?" This is a question that always pops up in my mind about people from different cultures entering into another culture, and totally getting that "culture shock" factor, and that is exactly what the 2 main characters are here for: the "Alexander Graham-Bell" of big-ass inventions of a dreamer that is Sorano Appare, and the skilled coward of a samurai who needs to pluck his courage, Kosame Isshiki. The idea of steamships in the 19th Century was a thing when transportation was getting ready to ship the masses across vast distances, and with Appare enamored at the idea of it, he so desperately wanted to create one for himself. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the playful strings of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" landed both Kosame and Appare in another continent (that is the U.S. of Los Angeles) and a particular race (of which the prize money won will be used back to Japan) sets the both of them on a course that will teach each other about camaraderie, and the dependence that will prove to be both MC's biggest character tonal shifts from time to time.

A "Trans-America Wild (car) Race" that's sponsored by organizers of big coporations who call themselves B.I.G. Boss (that you can see where the inspiration when it comes to automobiles), and within it, an assassination plot of the most mind-numbing kind that only weaves its unwelcoming stance the more is revealed...that suddenly isn't so much of a race anymore against rivals, but a fight to the death with a group of bandits wreaking havoc all around. Simple and overly cliche, but it works as a final product altogether.

To properly understand this show in general, there are many characters that play a part in this expedition:
- The Appare-Kosame team of an unusual steam-powered car, along with Hototo, a "Red Indian"-ish native American of a child, whose gain is to seek revenge for a gang that killed his tribe and family after being rescued from thugs.
- Jing Xialian, an assistant for a racing team that is constantly being accused and judged by her gender in an all-male society, and her #MeToo statement being a forthcoming judgment to see her in a totally different light, that women can also be like men and race wild.
- Al Lyon and Sofia Taylor, potential family heir and the heir's chaperone of one of the B.I.G. Boss corporations (BNW), with a desire to win to prove his solidarity and firmness of being his family's next in-line to the corporation.
- Race organizer Seth Rich Carter (you can call him Mr. Carter), whom has been ridiculed in the past as an engineer for another B.I.G. Boss corporation (G.M.), but like Kosame, holed up due to cowardice and not being able to stand up for himself.
- The Bad Brothers Tristan and Chase, whom like native Hototo, are burly Americans but whom first came under the wrong impressions, and are some of the kindest characters in the series.
- Last but not least, the "Thousand Three" outlaws which form the basis of B.I.G. Boss: skilled gunmen Dylan G. Oldin (racing for G.M), "Crazy" TJ (racing for Iron Motor Company) and the leader of the bandits Richard "Gil (the Snake) T. Cigar" Reeseman (lone driver).

All characters get their lone times of character development, which is to say that for 13 episodes of a shit-ton of concurrent events happening at different times, every character has their definite background moments to shine their light and shoot over the moon. Take Appare and Kosame for example: Appare is like a gifted bookworm, very focused on what he needs to do and forgets about the outside world instantly, while Kosame is loud and obnoxious, with a clear reason for his vengeance and redemption as the series progresses, both characters shrug each other off at the very beginning, but the apparent figures of simultaneous events that force them to double-team up and understand each other's motivation is always nice, and it only gets better from there on. Needless to say, the character department will be one of Appare-Ranman!'s stronger aspects when considering about the final product (which is the show itself in full glory).

P.A. Works is NO stranger to original shows in the past few years, but the records have been few and far in-between if there is any level of hype to back it up. Of course, this show had it in the Spring season, but the COVID push-back of a seasonal delay definitely hurt the enjoyment more (of people forgetting that it exists, DUH). It was a constant treat to see the art and animation show its legs, and even with some CGI (on the race), it will not win any awards, but at least it'll get the race done and dealt with. Overall, I'd never think to see 19th Century America so well-thought out, even resembling with the Wild Wild West of olden days past with a good sprinkle of animation to accompany it.

The OST, well oh well, it had a very nostalgic feel to it...that's if you feel inclined about 19th Century worldly standards. A good job on taking what is already well known and putting a nostalgic spin on it, kudos for setting the appropriate atmosphere for what it is. Good pairing of the OP and ED, and YES, finally a good song from Mia REGINA that screams "I don't give a F***" at how balls-off-the-wall the series has been flexing its personality. Long-time veteran Shoutarou Morikubo with his ED is also a good way to finish each episode, and anticipating what's to come, step-by-step. Truly the "I've got it!"A-HA moment.

The above-average spectrum of P.A. Works's catalogue of original shows, and watching people do what they love is a nice gesture, on top of just going bonkers and sticking lackluster endings of the shows gone by. At most this was a passion project done pretty good (not great, but passable), but at least I enjoyed my run with this show.

Now if you'd excuse me, I must now muster my creativity to make my own dream automobile and enter the race of a "lifetime".

Another season. Another good original work anime by P.A works. This time it comes in the form of a racing anime. Appare-Ranman is different from anything I've ever seen. From the character designs to the actual plot of the show, nobody can say it's generic at all. The closest comparison I could think of for Appare-Ranman is around the world in 30 days. It's a wild, wacky and entertaining journey with Appare and co. as they race from LA to NY for prize money to return home to Japan. Unfortunately, things aren't as smooth sailing as they'd like.

Unlike Fairy Gone, which I love, Appare-Ranman has ... some solid CG. One of the biggest complaints about P.A works last show was the subpar CGI, convoluted plot, direction, etc. All of those were improved upon massively here. While I didn't enjoy Appare as much as FG, objectively it has better quality production.

It's rather sad that the show was postponed due to COVID a few months ago, it took a lot of wind out of its sails and led to it being criminally slept on as people forgot it really existed. That said, I'm glad I was one of the few to watch this show, it really is unique and entertaining. I know those phrases get thrown around a lot, but I'm confident you'll find enjoyment from this one.

Appare-Ranman gets 8(insert something catchy from the show) out of 10 from me.

Do I recommend this series? Yes, I recommend this a lot.

Appare Ranman deserved so much more attention and love. If this anime didn't get delayed and cut into pieces by COVID 19, this could have been the biggest spring anime this year.

[Main review]
Do you want to see a samurai race across America with a native-american boy? Do you want to see the boundaries of racing pushed? Do you want to see cool engineering and masterminds fight? Do you just want speed? If so this is the perfect anime for you. Completely unique, original, well animated, and most importantly its actually good.

Story - 7/10
I'm ... not sure about you, but this is the first time I've seen something like this. I like it. The story is completely new (I think), and for once it's done correctly. Some animes with new concepts just flop and just become unbearably bad, while others are just generic. This plot might be a little too easy to predict, but I will love seeing this grow bigger.

Art - 9/10
I like it. I always say no art is bad in my reviews, can I just say the art is really nice this time. The coloring, the character design, the settings. All of those are very distinct. The animation is nice. Done well. Never seen characters so original.

Sound - 5/10
Honestly as long it is in sync, not too cringy, and sound good I don't really care. Who even judges animes by the music? I can assure you the intro is pretty good.

Characters - 4/10
Besides from the art quality, man its shallow. Not much characteristic, not very unique. There is the smart one, the girl, the rival, the funny sidekick, and the invis support sidekick. Did I basically describe all the characters in the series? Yea, I guess.

Enjoyment - 6/10
I could have enjoyed it so much more if the pace was a little faster. 6/10 isn't bad, I just have high standards.

Overall - 7/10
Doing the thing you love and is good at is always fun. Watching something new being made is always fun. This anime was good, could have done so much better, at least it tried and didn't flop. Keep in mind I never said it was bad.

There is a lot to be said about this show, for a lot of good reasons then bad.

First let's get to the world the show is in. It's that desert sort of oldie wild west feel, which also feels steampunk like in a few parts. Which looks really great honestly, as the art style and music really fit both of these themes, and are really good in general. A major plus if you're into those themes, but also for the anime itself.

Second so far, the characters. There are a lot of relatable characters in the show, mainly from their personalities and backgrounds. But also ... just a likeable cast in general, with how they interact with one another, with how the story goes at least. Along with the chemistry with other characters. Just looking at our two MCs as an example, they really fit and mesh together well, and some of the moments so far are quite a laugh.

Each character has fun and interesting backgrounds of how they all came here too. Sure some are quite heart wrenching or depressing, but they're still strong characters, even with all that.

The story itself seems rather interesting! A big race that we're all just dying to see. Just reminds me of that Tom and Jerry race movie, and that was great, and so far this has been too! I'd honestly give this a watch if you wanted to pick it up.

Appare-Ranma! it is an anime very difficult to describe because he does not go to an exact destination, the anime does not want to do just one thing. It is a crazy running anime, a thematically inclusive anime and an anime that develops very interesting internal dramas, but nothing said connects very well, there is not a 100% well-connected connection to work on all these amazing themes, however, that doesn’t is a problem, put anime decides to work all this in a very peculiar and fun way.

Perhaps that is the word that defines this anime so well, its peculiarity. It's in everything: in cars; in ... the characters; in the city; in the historical context and also in the plot. He doesn't follow a line that goes linearly throughout the anime, he doesn't go from point A to B like a Mad Max; Fury Road for example, he has his stops, he brakes and moves the pace in a very confused way, the characters should be doing one thing, when they are doing something completely out of the curve and it is still good. Perhaps the great reason for this lack of discomfort with elements that should be treated as problems in other animes gains a lot of strength here put the anime ties it all up in a very new and inventive way. But yes, does he have any facilities or generic choices to keep the story going? it certainly has, but the way it is staged does not. The choices, even if they are made and pointed to a path that will obviously conclude, are executed in a way that always seeks novelty. The anime does not let the viewer try to anticipate what will happen because it is presented to us in a very thought-provoking way, it is really concerned with trying to establish a link between this peculiar construction with all elements of the work directly with the viewer.

Appare-Ranman! is an anime that will use several conventions already seen in other anime in an always renewed and unique way within its own construction.

"APPARE-RANMAN!"

Genre- Comedy, Sports, Historical, Cars, Action.

'This is not logical.' We humans aren't machines and therefore, cannot subdue our feelings or emotions like one. But for Appare Sorrano, things are different as he is built in a way where he can only care and think about the next new invention and things that will make the world advance towards the new evolution. Devoting his time and everything to his scientific studies and engineering, Appare gets in trouble and ends up leaving Japan in a self-made steamboat.

Only to get carried away to America and participate in a Trans-America Wild Race, where many racers will now take part ... in a race from Los Angeles to New York, and the winner shall receive the prize money of $1,510,000. During his journey, Appare goes on to change his way of thinking and feeling like a human and along with his friends and comrades takes on an adventure of his lifetime, an adventure that includes guns, swords, deaths, explosives, cars, and most of all, a lot of steam and rebirths. Here we get a backstory of almost all the characters and seeing how the anime ends, we can get a surety that there might very well be a second season.

The animation and post-production of the anime are just too good and the 3D effect that highlights the cars and other machinery in the anime helps to give it that extra glow. The story is on point as it doesn't waste our time with extra scenes and twists and keeps the main plot on point, making the anime all that better and subtle.

This anime is absolutely a 'MUST WATCH."

This show is a victim of the covid shuffle, airing 3 episodes before being halted... during which it rightful made waves...and then it was forgotten about.
It re-aired in July to a chorus of tumbleweed.... wild west pun innit.
I literally felt so strongly I made a youtube video about how amazing this anime is and how unfair it is to see it go unloved.

The strongest points to this anime by far is its characters/ relationships / interactions and building of bonds. Every character grows... every character is explored and developed some more than others...but its enough for us by the time stuff really ... goes down in ep 8 and 9 ... yes prepare yourself as I don't think any of us saw that twist....
but by this point you will feel something.

The next point I really want to praise is the art/ the shadow and use of light/ there are some beautiful scenes in this anime... the art style took some getting use to. But by the time we get some beautiful misty mornings/ sun shining through trees and shadows.... I was on board.

The plot itself is straightforward enough. Through a series of mishaps Appare and Kosame two Japanese characters...end up in turn of the century LA.
They have no money to their names and Appare is a wacky out there mechanic...they see the Trans atlantic race is about to happen with a sum of money as a reward and booom plot is in motion....however what I wasn't expecting was a whirl wind of emotions that followed.
The plot initially seemed boring to me... but I was wrong.
The race is just a driving force.... haha car pun.... it moves the characters forward...however along the way there are obstacles to over come and feels to feel.

I dont write reviews until the end credit has rolled. But because no one is talking about this anime... I made the choice to write it early.

If you have an interest in - steampunk/ wild west/ cars or the dying samurai way ...this anime may be for you....
Also because hes mentioned nowhere in the cast...or wasn't when I made the video....Kenshiro Tsuada is literally killing it this season as the evil shark from GOH and now hes terrorizing the west. The voice talent in this show is amazing.
Its funny/ sad/ interesting and at times clever ....this anime deserves to be on your watch list!!!

Steam punk modified to a 20th century era themed, not bad at all.

So:

Story:

Pros: As an original work of studio "PA Works" it wasn't bad at all when it has a combination of the following: the setting of "Wild Wild West," The comedy of "Wacky Races" and a couple of "Fast and Furious" action, all rolled into one.

Cons: IMAO, nothing bad about this original anime's story plot.

... Verdict (8 over 10)


Art:

Pros: None of that Xialian and Sofia's fanservice.....

Cons: Ok , there was that Sofia's underwear service , but it's of 1910's era, so not hot in a sense.

Verdict (4 over 10)

Sound:

Pros: Good Opening theme "I got it!" by Mia REGINA and ending theme "I'm Nobody" by Shoutarou Morikubo....

Cons: Nothing to mentioned.

Verdict (7 over 10)

Character

Pros: The Kosame and Appare relationship where at first they started off on the wrong side of the bed , cu'z Appare is a free thinker who often does a lotta trouble in the name of science and Kosame who is suppose to put hi behind bars but gets out witted. In the end by some freak accident the 2 found themselves in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where they were rescued by a ship bound to the USA, from there they have to find a way to live in that new place and yes it entering that race that would serve as their ticket for the two to go their separate ways since the two don't want to have to do with each other , that's it as soon as Appare comes up with some ways to make a something they can use to race and win. Hototo, comes in and he basically serves as a binder of the two given that he knows the back country's of the USA ......Xialan , serves as this anime's gender equality character where she is presented as not just a girl who not only can race but also can kick ass as well, TBFH, I only mentioned them since they're the ones who made an impact to this anime's overall enjoyment....


Cons: Gil T Cigar was just too much of an overrated antagonist that he has to be the BIG BAD GUY that has to be super good that it has to take 7 to tire him out and 2 to take him out.

Verdict (8 over 10)

Enjoyment:

Pros: Not a chore to watch.

Cons: ________________

Verdict (8 over 10)

Overall:

Verdict (9 over 10)

Kudos to studio "PA Works" and Original Anime Director, Hashimoto Masakazu.....Well worth it.

Just like the vehicles it depicts - fast, powerful and fancy.

I find that Appare-Ranman! embodies, in both content and intention, that of surpassing boundaries. It's not just that the show is set on the cusp of technological revolution, nor that the expansive cast hails from all nations and backgrounds, but also that the work itself is able to refute traditional genre constraints, free to present something altogether new, a rarity in this age. And it's not just a thoroughly unique story, but one that becomes its own themes manifest; innovation and refinement being both watchwords and destinations.

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At first glance, the story doesn't appear quite so ... special. A lawless race with a huge cash prize and the impetus of being stranded across the ocean are both strong ideas, but both have been explored. Where Appare-Ranman! adds intrigue to the mix is with its cast, and the approach they take to the goal. A test ordinarily of speed and determination instead becomes one of creativity and research. This is most evident in the downtime allocated both prior to and alongside the race, where careful planning and constant improvement are what pull the protagonists through. These points also provide an excellent stage for each of the many subplots, though I have to note something of an imbalance amongst those focusing on side characters, with some particularly endearing ones robbed of more exploration.

On the subject of characters, I must commend the way Appare-Ranman! handles its roster. Rather than the opponents being a simple gallery of faces to strike down one by one, each and every other participant gets to spend plenty of time with the protagonists. As a result, the interactions between the group are fluid, believable, and quite entertaining. Their attitudes toward each other make for some ratehr good moments of comedy - the "Who's a thinker and who's a fighter?" scene toward the end is a great example. Again, thought, there is a single gripe to be had, and that's that giving each and every cast member focus leaves the eponymous Appare somewhat less than the protagonist should be allocated, even compared to his companions Kosame and Hototo.

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It's animated well, but there's little I can say to dwell on that. Instead, it would be more germane to praise the design work on display. Appare-Ranman! has a brilliant eye for colour, and uses it to full effect to create one of the more visually unique, and I presume intentionally anachronistic, settings in recent productions. The music is likewise more important, and thankfully brilliant across the board, with the OP, ED and OST all top-notch. Each uses an interesting blend of instrumentation that matches the meting pot nature of the rest of the show, and thus fits exactly.

The direction front is, alas, a mixed bag. Though there are dozens of nice touches, from believable gun and swordplay, to effective visual characterisation, they're let down by the framing. Without explaining the last act too much, a moment tense and sombre is shattered just by recalling the first scene. I do however have to give credit to the niche act of race direction, which has been given surprising attention. It is easy to understand the relative positions of the competitors, the sequences surrounding them are thought out, and there's even at times a live-updating leaderboard, a feature entirely superfluous, yet exhibiting an endearing sort of dedication.

----

Were I to polish it up, I would do away with the framing and give a few more spots dedicated to Appare. Little else needs to be done, which rather succinctly demonstrates the show's quality.

With that all assessed, Appare-Ranman! was a marvellous outing with a whole crowd of talent at the reigns. I certainly and unquestionably recommend it to anyone seeking out creativity.

And I would, finally, like to make a note, in part to myself, to follow Ahndongshik's future work, as what has been presented here has been exquisite.

I’m just gonna assume someone at P.A. Works decided to throw caution to the wind and suggested something stupid for their next project. Which, if this is really how this thing came about, I’m all for it. I know darts on the wall don’t always work, but when they do, they do.

Story:

At the height of the roaring 20’s, an eccentric inventor by the name of Appare causes trouble in his little town in Japan before deciding that instead of staying in a place that doesn’t appreciate his push of progress, he will take his invention and his tools across the Pacific Ocean and go to ... America where stuff like that is both commonplace and encouraged given the technological advancements in the country. Dragging alongside a poor man named Kosame who only wanted to keep the poor boy safe, the two of them enter that grand trans-continental race starting for a shot at the prize money. And for Kosame, a chance to get back home.

So that’s the framing device for the anime, and what we have here is definitely a trans-continental race that takes up a greater majority of the series once the setup’s out of the way. So there’s no funny business, is there? Well… Appare-Ranman has something of a mixed identity. It definitely feels like the creators wanted to do a racing/car anime. But at the same time, it also seems like they really wanted to do a western with gunslingers, shootouts, gun-fu, and the like. As a result, the story bounces back and forth between both of these storylines, crossing over a couple times only to transition the racing parts to the western parts and vice versa. While it’s not bad, it’s definitely not what I expected in this show, although given what our cast list is, this was almost assuredly the expected result.

Despite that, the execution of this mixed identity was surprisingly well-made, especially given the fact that the show managed to also provide decent character arcs for most if not all of our main cast members, and managed to keep the tempo of the series going till the very end. An energy that gives the series a satisfying result due to the tension and escalating moments that keep ramping up as the western half of the show starts to encroach more and more onto the series. A big part of this as well comes from the historical aspect of the show, as 1920’s America is at the heart of the show’s story. The ugly side of this developed country from the misogyny (which isn’t an America-exclusive thing, mind you), to the treatment of its natives and other races adds another bit of spice to this already volatile mix of a show, which again, is an aspect I neither expected, yet is something I greatly appreciate.

My only qualm with all of this comes with the show’s ending because the show kinda feels like it forgot to give a proper ending to the whole thing. Things just kind of end, and it’s a stain on an otherwise really fun and surprisingly well-executed show. I’m not really gonna hold it over the show’s head, but it’s kind of a shame considering the sheer amount of cheese, energy, excitement, tension, and just overall fun the series exudes. Only for the series to drop the ball at the very, very end of the series as an anticlimactic tick to the whole thing.

Characters:

You ever seen Wacky Races? Think that but with stereotypes as the racers instead of goofy characters.

Appare is our kabuki actor-looking protagonist that’s both equal parts eccentric and aloof. Focusing pretty much only on his machines and whatever goal he has a the current time, Appare is interesting if only because he feels more like a robot than a human. His qualities make him less of a protagonist to latch onto, but instead more of an interesting case study to watch as the audience is treated to watching a robot discover feelings for the first time. Personally I think he’s interesting, but gets treated like too much of the Messiah to everything, especially since his only expertise is machines. He’s certainly a good engineer, being able to do literal ‘quick maths’ on the spot, but in the rest of the cast list, there’re definitely other contenders for the spot of ‘main character’ in this show.

Kosame is the opposite of Appare, being more grounded and more of a realist who worries about their situation since they’re in a new country who by all sense of the word, are folk that they really shouldn’t be able to communicate with. Semantics aside, Kosame comes into the series as a character who has his own personal struggles and has a fairly satisfying character arc that, though kind of by the numbers, helps add to the series’s overall energy. Which is something that I can’t really complain about because his chemistry with Appare is fun, and he definitely pulls his weight around to become his own character instead of just the dude to reel Appare in.

All that being said the cast for the Appare-Ranman is a bunch that each hit different points of stereotypes and have similar character arcs that ‘make sense’ for who they are. Al is the fancy French boy who wants to prove something to Daddy, Jing is the Chinese woman who wants to prove that a woman can do what a man can do, you have the Hispanic brothers who fit the small smart one and the big gentle one tropes respectively, Hototo the Native who wants revenge on a white man, literal Jazz Funk personified, and the brooding white outlaw loner who does things his way and has a dark past. They’re all pretty simple characters with simple character arcs and motivations, but seeing how they mix with each other is where the real fun comes in. Their interactions with each other were way more entertaining than they had any right to be, and after a while, I kind of cared less that they were all stereotypes that served the purpose of easy character writing. Especially as the story pushed them to talk to each other more and more and face similar issues.

Aesthetics:

P.A. Works seems to have fallen in a bit of a ‘less spendy’ mood lately, as the quality here with Appare-Ranman is about the same as what we got with Irozuku and Fairy Gone, with a few resources allocated elsewhere depending on the project. With Appare-Ranman, the budget seems to have gone towards the backgrounds and animation. The setpieces depicting 1920’s America are honestly really nice, and it’s clear that for the times the cast are in cities, there was effort to show off the kind of modern living that was available at the time. And by contrast, what the midwest looked like as a result of Manifest Destiny, showing off a lot of western-inspired towns that really makes me think that there were people involved that really wanted to make a Western show instead of a racing one.

And that shows with the animation as there are a lot, and I mean a surprising amount of gunfight scenes that show off a lot of dynamic action and CQC combat among the combatants. It’s something I never expected in the series, and I’m pleasantly surprised that they went that route considering this was supposed to be a RACING anime. Speaking of the racing side, the show exclusively uses 3-D modelling in order to show off the various vehicles in the series, which honestly works for the show if only because the models flush well into the overall look of the series, and it’s not a glaringly obvious thing that looks out of place.

Mia REGINA’s “I got it!” is a high energy, big brass song that is way more memorable than it has any right to be. The song just screams ‘fun’ to me, which coupled with the images of gunslinging and car repairs, shows off the series in a spectacular light by being this excitable, big band number that portrays what Appare-Ranman is in a nutshell.

By contrast, Shoutarou Morikubo’s “I’m Nobody” is a more acoustic song that plays during the literal movie credits that show up at the end of every episode. It’s literally country music, and well, it’s fitting. It’s not my style personally, but it only adds to the sheer amount of ‘America’ that P.A. Works wanted to go for this show when they made it. Which is an effort I appreciate, even if some of that effort went in ways I don’t really agree with.

Final Thoughts:

I was supposed to finish this one last season, but COVID happened, so unfortunately this show got pushed back a season. (Which ofc a P.A. Works show of all things got pushed back for me, ugh.) That being said, honestly…I really like this one. My history of shitting on P.A. Works shows is nothing new, but honestly, this show was really, really fun. And I’m glad I can put away my distaste for the company’s storytelling directions for one show. (Though I can’t guarantee it for the next one.)

That being said, there’re a few notes I can’t fully agree with, and that’s mainly on some of the character designs and the coding that goes along with it. Things like having the only Chinese character know Kung Fu and the Native American wear feathers in their hair make for easy nods to representation, but kind of turn the ‘diversity’ instead into either design or character quirks for each of the racers. Though this is just a minor point of criticism just based on my personal bias. Overall, the cast is still one that I had a blast watching, and Sofia is undoubtedly the best of the bunch. And I lament the treatment of her character the longer the series went on.

Honestly, there really isn’t much I can say that’s bad about the series aside from a few minor points, a mixed identity, and a sort of anticlimactic ending. The story is kind of by the numbers, but I can’t really dispute how much enjoyment that I got out of this story, especially with how much I like history, and this really scratches my itch at something that’s not wholly Japanese set in a not Japanese place. I’d recommend this show to anyone who wants to have a fun time, since this show has the correct amount of dumb and serious to make the viewing experience satisfying and fun as a result.

Now if only P.A. Works could keep up a streak past one…

Appare Ranman is probably one of the greatest anime, ever!! This anime was not what I expected at first, and it's greatness blew my mind! Every single character is so loveable (except that Gil the Butcher), and the art and animation is purely amazing!!! The story itself is great, and the Intro's definitely the part of this series that's gonna be stuck in my head for a loooong time. Some of the parts of the story don't really stick together though, and there are some flaws in each character's personalities, which annoyed me from time to time. I'm really gonna miss this anime though, and ... can't wait for the next season (if there'll be one, which there definitely should)!!!!!

For me, Appare-ranman was one of the best anime of the season, surprised me and surpassed all my expectations.

It's a simple story, original, and creative, the comedy is very good (I had a great time watching) and tense moments were also good. The art is amazing, I loved the colors, the background, I liked the soundtrack and the op is a banger!!! The design and the trait of the characters is something unique and the personality of each one stands out.

I liked the development of the story and especially the characters, Appare developed in a realistic and mature way. It was great to accompany them ... in these 13 episodes.

I really fucking enjoyed the show, it's captivating and I clung to the characters.

I'm going to miss Appare-ranman, would be happy to see a second season.

I think you should watch it, this anime deserves to be on your watch list!!!!!!!!!

Overall: 7.9

The truth Appare-Ranman seemed like a revelation to me.
I came here because of the expectation of the races and I end up being satisfied with much more of the work itself, which is precisely this theme. Both in the characters being simple, but at the same time with their charisma, added to a fairly well elaborated story and set at all times. A very polished visual posture and a catchy and convenient Opening for this show leave great feelings of it. So I think that in general terms this adaptation has a job that is quite subtle, without being too pretentious or commercial, but ... if you give it a chance you will surely not regret it and it is fun enough to keep the viewer glued to the screen.
Now if I had to name a program defect I lean towards the issue of the format and the lack of a certain number of more chapters, to give an even more epic ending. I feel that from what happened with Kosame for chapter 8/9, until the end of his broadcast of the program, events tend to have a higher pace and does not leave room for some specific issues such as the suffering and growth of Appare e on The whole race itself, which really leaves a little flavor in this sense, being very summarized in this end.



En español:


General: 7,9

La verdad Appare-Ranman me parecido toda una revelación.
Llegue aquí por la expectativa de las carreras y me termino quedando conforme con mucho mas de la obra en si, que justamente esta temática. Tanto en los personajes siendo simples, pero a la vez con su carisma, sumado a una historia bastante bien elaborada e ambientada en todo momento. Una postura visual muy pulida y un Opening pegadizo e conveniente para este show dejan grandes sensaciones del mismo. Por lo que considero que en líneas generales este adaptación tiene un trabajo siendo bastante sutil, sin ser demasiado pretenciosa o comercial pero que si le das una oportunidad seguramente no te arrepientas y es lo suficiente divertida para mantener al espectador pegado a la pantalla.
Ahora si tuviera que nombrar algún defecto de programa me inclino por el tema del formato y la falta de una cierta cantidad mas de capítulos, para dar lugar aun final mas épico aun. Siento que desde lo que sucedió con Kosame por el capitulo 8/9, hasta el final de su emisión del programa, los sucesos tienden a tener un ritmo mas elevado y no deja lugar hacia algunos temas puntuales como el sufrimiento y crecimiento de Appare e sobre todo la carrera en si, que realmente deja un sabor a poco en este sentido siendo en este final muy resumida.

Do you want to watch an anime adoptation of Fast and the Furious? Just kdding! But here i'll introduce you a somewhat peculiar anime about steampunk meets samurai meets cowboy meets weird hair MC. The story starts with our MC Appare, a very genius 19 years old boy when it comes to machine. He builds his own machinery such as steam boats and other invention but in his country that's not something acknowledgable for them because they are too old fashioned and still stuck in the past. He decided to go for an adventurer and prove to the world that his ... creation. To do this He must join a competition of racing with his companion but this race is not an ordinary race. It is a race of life and death and all of the participants here have their own reason why they must win the race. As for the artstyle, damn, the animation is good and fluent and check out the manga! The artsyle really is beautiful. As you can see the character design in this anime is quite unique so it's a plus points for me. As for the sounds i really love the OP and ED and all of the seiyuus are really great. One of my favorite seiyuu is here, Amamiya Sora, who played as Jing ( the chinese hot girl). I really love all of the cast, no one is boring or dull and even the season 1 have only 11 episodes you'll get attached with all of them because they did a great job of developing all the characters within these 11 episodes that's a good job. I really fucking enjoyed the show so it's an easy 10/10

I really enjoyed this anime! It should have been 24 episodes so viewers could have gotten to know the supporting characters on a deeper level. Either way, the cast was pretty diverse and they all worked together to stop the baddy bad guy. I am very satisfied that there was a strong female character that can fight as well if you are a person that likes seeing strong women in anime. There was character development for Appare which is something I eat up in stories. It was very humorous and overall, it's a good past time anime if you're thinking of something fun to watch ... that has strong characters that leave you smiling and maybe crying.

Do you like original stories ? Then, this might be just for you.
Appare-Ranman, an anime about a race across america. First I did not except that much of it, but after I watched it, it was actually good.

Story: 10/7
Well, I liked the story, it is original and creative, and the writing is good even when the anime progresses fast, it still is entertaining to watch.

Characters: 10/5
The characters weren't bad, but they are decent. At least, they are not annoying to watch. They are just cliches, they don't have that much of a development, but there is a little bit of it anyway.
Mostly, I liked how ... they bringed characters from different cultures.

Sound: 10/5
I actually don't care much about music in anime, but I really liked the op in this one, I can say: It suits it.

Art: 10/7
The art is amazing. The characters designs are also great, I liked how they did the colors, and the background is beautiful, the desert was the right choice for a place were the story is happening.
And the CGI was decent, it is not mind blowing, but is not ugly to the point where you cry blood and scream for help when you see it.

After some episodes it gets kind of interesting.
So, I recommend it

Thank you for reading my first review here.

Thank to kami-sama this show wasn't a victim of the current global situation...

Aside from the fact that finding like the design of the main character (undone like how ambiguous is, it look like a girl but he isn't. And the red dots in the end of his lips don't help) I find this show very interesting,

The opening show you the kind of stuff you are about to see, the melodies of some "old type of music" kicked to my heart. The show take place in some kind of "steam punk" old United States organizing a race across the country (from L.A. To NY) to ... push the business of gasoline fueled motors.

The "Easter eggs" from the motor world are nice, but doesn't affect if you don't understand them.

I'm some way, kinda remind me to and old cartoon show named "wacky racers" where thematic cars of Hanna barbera franchises runs in some kind of competition.

You totally should give a shot to this "offroad" show. Hahaha.

With a premise as strong as "western/steampunk Wacky Racers by P.A. Works", with some of the best character design of the year; this original series should've absolutely dominated. Appare is an inventor (his genius matched only by his lack of social skills) & obsessed with motors & engines. Trying to escape the consequences of his actions, he & his retainer Kosame find themselves on the other side of the Atlantic, just in time to catch a cross-country race. Since the prize money would easily get them back to Japan, Appare enters them in the race (converting his steam-boat into a proto-hybrid car).
I will say ... that this series does suffer from something I've classified 'The 2/3rds bait & switch' (as seen in Carole & Tuesday), where a premise is established, characters are introduced & stakes are laid out. Then after the half-way point, an element (previously hinted at/glimpsed only) enters the story becomes the sole focus of the story/characters. This is a very specific personal nitpick, so your mileage may vary whether it affects your enjoyment of the series.
In all honesty, had the series not swerved away from the actual race so hard (or at least had the villain be characterised a little more ... comedically evil & less war crimesy) I probably would've placed it much earlier in this list, because on every other front, this is a triumph of a story & I think we need to do more to support anime that isn't just a glorified commercial for the source material.

I wasn't actually that interested in this anime since it has the tag "cars" which i'm not into. But it only took 2 eps to get me hooked.

The good parts about this anime is: 1st people actually die xD not only knocked out like in all other shounen animes.
2nd: the main character isn't the one who changes everyone around, it's the opposite, which makes it so good ;-;

3rd and the most important thing is: they don't take half of the episodes explaining difficult stuff about cars and engines and whatever like in ehm all science-fiction or mecha, which why most mecha are ... boring, and appare ranman isn't boring at ALL.

It even got me interested in engineering even though i hate those subjects. It just makes even stuff you' aren't into look fun and interesting!

Aside from that, characters are all reaal good and lovable. I had a hard time choosing a fave.

I'm 100% sure this anime deserves more than its current rate.