Buzzer Beater

Buzzer Beater, a Basketball anime, I love basketball, never thought this anime would work, the first time I saw it, I shared that opinion, the second time too, but now I've watched it for the first time I really enjoyed it.

So it's about Basketball, intergalactic basketball that is. Which is a pretty cool idea, if they used basketball like it would be in real life, it would've been just as good as now, but perhaps the intergalactic part brings the anime more out to the public, sin...ce it's something special.

I really enjoyed the characters, the main character is like most shonen-kids, loud, irritating and cocky, ... but since it's a regular thing, you probably won't mind it. The other characters are really cool too, they look normal, some even plain, but that's a cool think, I wished they would've worked them out more, but maybe that'll happen in the sequel(?) "Buzzer Beater 2007". But how they want to create a human team to enter the intergalactic league is cool, since we got underrated too much by those stupid aliens.

Oh, the aliens, that part could've been better too, it's an intergalactic match, but in the entire show, we get to see 2 races, Gorans and Humans. They should've expended that view on races more.

The art is good, at first I got annoyed by it, because when they spoke or awed, their lips hung out, that's kinda annoying. But if you get further to the end that dissappears, or I just got used to it. The animation itself is from mediocre level, and in the field/matches/games it's entirely different, sometimes they use CG/3D art, for example the ball or if they shoot hoops. And sometimes they use this special form of camera work.

The motion is smooth yet simple, and the envirment moves like crazy, which makes it look like a drunk is holding the camera, this was weird once I saw it, but sometimes it gives out a cool scene, the matches itself are sometimes simple, but exciting. The normal things you see in these kinds of anime's, the training and the result of training, can't be seen in this anime. The end of the last match was a bit too.. weird? It didn't fit the character that much, nor the anime itself.

We can see the main character en the head point guard train in one episode, but there's no result left to be seen, not enough, but that could be that the opposing team was just to strong. Kind of disappointing, the length of this anime could've been increased too.

It's just 13 episodes, and how the story goes now it's fine, I don't know if the viewingrate was good, but when it was, they should've lengthened it, maybe to the mediocre 26. Since now it still ended in the smaller league.

Besides that it's actually a quite enjoyable anime, there are funny sequences, but also tense one's. For a basketbal-lover, it might be a bit disapointing, but it should be watched since it's pretty good.

Note: this is from a video review, look for links on my profile page.

It is, nominally, about a game, but as is regular in the genre it turns out to be about the characters, although mainly focusing on a few. Like its similar predecessor, SD, BB is comedic and has a personality-driven protagonist that, despite the differences in height and blue, instead of red hair, can get into mischief. The comedy springs from there principally, but both have differing approaches to their relationships with other characters (SD has more of an attempt at romance); both, clearly, have a dissimilar number of episodes, and so can ... express each personality for a longer or shorter time, but BB could have included more of them (besides the central cast), although in the end it is still sort of a microcosm of the author's previous manga.

It doesn't exclusively focus on the sport, but it is in the background and integrates along with its other narrative details. It tackles a concept that not many other 'casual' anime in this genre can address, "what if whole teams were much taller, stronger?" - since, like in SD, they're set not in a hypothetical near future, but likely in schools where everyone has basically the same strengths and weaknesses, with only a little variability (and even then, with usually at least the same amount of tall people in each team) - but not BB, it isn't even set in any kind of school (which already makes it different from most others in the genre), and instead wonders whether those with talent potential, no matter their background circumstances, could succeed in a competitive environment. Of course, this isn't any scientific evaluation, and the protagonist specifically clowns about, often with his street friends (who are more alike in height and personality, as opposed to the differences in Sakuragi's group), which makes this a fundamentally comedic narrative, but it does have its serious moments even for Hideyoshi. The comedy can focus more on height here, whereas in SD it wasn't as possible since the protagonist wasn't as short.

The science fiction elements are also an obvious difference in comparison, and while the most immediate effect this has is on, as mentioned previously, the opponents the protagonist's team play against (who, despite being from another planet, are shown to be relatable and not at all dissimilar to Earth's team) - the sci-fi is also very much in the background, with flying cars and apparent differences in technology shown in between discussions and games.

Also, what is apparent from watching is that decisions were made to contrast the hues in the anime; protagonist's blue, so his opponent's red, but that doesn't stop there at all as even environments are usually one or another, kind of like how in Tatami Galaxy one hue is more likely to envelop most others, except in BB they're more 'solid', more bright (as even street lights are), and this presumably was made so life could be felt emanating from, mainly Hideyoshi, but also societies at large.

So, this anime tries to differentiate itself as much as possible, especially from its predecessor, and it succeeds to be sufficiently different (just not as long). One doesn't then quite understand why, on average, it seems to be perceived as inferior, by not even a margin, as it is fundamentally similar, actually. In addition to the comedy it adds imaginative, sci-fi elements, with architecture pronounced to an extent that it needs to be highlighted - SD doesn't have such, mainly due to its mundane settings, and so the geometry can't be seen as unique in as much as it is similar to most other, usually slice-of-life anime out there, whereas in BB it adds a background to what is, still, a familiar narrative.

It is grounded in any reality potentially common to many, with aspirations possibly matching too, as is SD, but it looks upwards and asks what and how something as mundane as a team game can be combined with a concept as grand as the universe. While it does not explore everything that may be as most other sci-fi do (e.g. Kaiba, about memories, but then again how tall players are is more relevant than their memories in a game), it is still very much solidified as a background in its multitudes - architectural sci-fi, if such a genre were to exist.

It is a story about change, growth, substance. Even the wealthy owner of the team is shown as seeking something other than what is material, and while the protagonist's comedy doesn't always coincide with the owner's desires, it still works well to cover any ground between the serious and the ridiculous. It isn't quite a complete story, but then neither was SD, although it was still appreciated for its comedy mainly - viewers might have bonded with the characters more due to being four times as long, but then, if one was to evaluate the comedy on its own both can be enjoyed in their own way.

The male protagonist has a comedic relationship with their female counterpart, as in SD - although both approach the dynamics from a different point of view, as with the latter it is more romantic, whereas in BB a sibling rivalry is more the feeling (notice the red-blue differences, such contrasts not present in SD). What this anime combines well is differences - whether the story is situated in this world or in another in outer space, it can be quite seamless, but still obvious as the hues are, almost always, clearly distinct. The very fact that it attempts to deal with a mundane sport, only for it to be exported to a hypothetical future where intergalactic games are possible, is, at the very least, an interesting intertwining. Even the protagonist's name comes from Japanese history (a daimyō from nearly a century before Yoshimune, a shōgun, also the owner's name in BB), thus merging the past with the present and future. Hideyoshi was historically known as a "great unifier", so Inoue Takehiko, the author, is possibly making the protagonist in the anime a similar figure when it comes to winning or losing games.

Sometimes the anime even tries to make viewers think it's some detective story (mainly instigated by journalists) or even a neo-noir, especially in the latter half, and so appropriately it utilizes jazz to instill vitality where otherwise there is either comedy or competition.

This is a city most would recognize even today, with existent buildings, but then suddenly it's outer space and the travel is much easier and as omnipresent as the flying cars that also silently create a technological norm within the anime. What makes it different from sci-fi like Kaiba is that the entire world isn't unrecognizable, the geometry isn't so unique that even the art style is idiosyncratic (although every anime's art is different, it shares with SD certain comedic indicators e.g.) - it is a world that could easily be reality animated, but then it goes further and asks "what if?"

It is a journey of maturation, not unlike most other narratives, but yet it is done in a certain optimistic, zesty sense of mockery that Sakuragi, in his 'genius', would surely appreciate. It is a tale of hope, possibilities, and the many impressions light can have. It is a visual feast, and while not perfect or complex, it is surely about as enjoyable as its older 'sibling' anime. Just as this is a shade of blue, the red contrasting 'beetle' is just as hilarious. Whether 26 episodes or 101 anime can surely still be entertaining at whichever length and for a variety of reasons, whether comedic, visual, or speculative.

Buzzer Beater is an anime centred around the young basketball genius Hideyoshi and his attempt to take on the inter-planetary basketball league which is currently dominated by the physically superior Aliens.

Buzzer Beater was an anime with a fair amount of potential, but it is in my opinion lacking what makes a good sports anime.
There is a lack of effort put into the series and although I have not watched the sequel ( Buzzer Beater 2007 ), this first installment was not satisfactoy in terms of "sports action" nor noticeably entertaining (thus renegating it to the level of timekiller).

Story - 6/10
The anime mainly focuses on the ... matches of the All-Earthlings basketball team and the personal journey of Hideyoshi as a sportsman.

The story is a typical sports one; it covers practice, build-up before matches, basketball games and bits and pieces of characters doing their own thing.

Sadly, I feel that the story was rushed with many little bits being skipped or cut out as well as events happening too quickly (or not fast enough).
There is never enough time for the important parts to be spaced out satisfactorily, while I recall some moments where re-used scenes and useless dragged out parts became somewhat intolerable.

This leads on to a sub-section of the Story that I would like to cover:

Matches - 4/10
Now the matches in a sports anime are like your fights in an action anime, it's really one, if not the most important factor/s.
The basketball games in Buzzer Beater are sadly disappointing.
The camera moves; panning and zooming around following the ball which is not necessarily a bad thing, except there's a bit too much *swirling* at times.

As a player dodges past all the opponents, your viewpoint ducks and weaves after them. This creates a nice atmosphere but it seems overdone.

Sometimes there are reused "action sequences" where a 1v1 follows practicalyl the same pattern with perhaps a change in character.
There are frustrating skips in every match, where you go from a third way through the match and suddenly *CUT!* and it's all over with a nice shiny score of 100 - 40 suddenly popping out of nowhere.
(abit of an exaggeration)

Basically there are only a few (about 3 in total) mediocre, animated basketball games with perhaps a special "shonen" scene of amazing styalised "epicness" occuring such as: growing magical angel wings!
(not really a spoiler)

Character - 5/10
All the characters apart from Hideyoshi are underdeveloped at best, which really makes it almost a one-man show with some help from the cool looking guys with fancy hairstyles and dress-sense (everyone else on his team). It's a shame though cause they all had alot of potential.

Art and Sound - 6/10
Reasonable art. The main few characters look alright, but the minor characters and the backgrounds are nothing inspiring. The art does suit the anime, yet the sci-fi aspects are especially pathetic.

In the sound department we dont it's all acceptable stuff, the OP, ED and soundtrack are pleasant enough. I do wish Hideyoshi's voice wasn't quit so girly, it was rather painful at times.


Enjoyment - 3.5/10
4 being decent and 3 being poor, 3.5 reflects a feeling of something not worth the time. It isn't very enjoyable and isn't special unless you've yet to have seen basketball before.
Not as enjoyable as I had expected, especially so after watching Slam Dunk (which may be the cause of my biasedness).

Overall - 5/10
It's a shame but there's just not enough to this anime. It has a rushed feeling. Too few episodes for what should have been some nice, spaced out matches. In hindsight it may be because the creators didn't feel there was anything "important" that needed to be shown, but it makes the experience feel cheap.

Buzzer Beater gives off the feeling of an anime targeted at kids who in a cheap attempt at combining sci-fi and basketball together to grab some attention.

For a serious or mature anime watcher, Buzzer Beater in my opinion should be a miss.
If you want depth, storyline or just some good sports entertainment, watch the far better, though older alternative of Slam Dunk. Or if you just wanted to see basketball, go watch the NBA or you're local counter-part.