Back to THEAnimeHERO's Profile THEAnimeHERO's Profile

If you ever wanted to see a more romantic team up of Lupin & Fujiko, then this anime is the closest you’re gonna get.

Cinderella Boy is sort of a mix of Lupin the 3rd, Birdy the Mighty, Baron Ashura & Ranma 1/2. From Monkey Punch, the creator of Lupin the 3rd , brings a really odd idea for a story. Originally made as a one shot manga in 1980, Cinderella boy is about a pair of private detectives; Ranma & Rella. What makes it akin to Lupin are the obvious character designs and the similarities stop there. The characters don’t have much in common with the familiar Fujiko & Lupin outside of appearances.

The main story is these two botched a job & are in a car accident. A mysterious scientist operates on them; fusing them together. And this is where the other comparisons come in. Following the story of Cinderella when the clock strikes 12 they switch bodies & have no memory of the other person’s activities. Obviously, this means a lot of awkward situations during the sudden strike at midnight hence the Ranma ½ similarities, especially when certain characters have crushes.

The anime is 13 episodes long each focusing on different jobs but the pair Ranma & Rella have enough energy to make even the simplest of cases very entertaining. There’s an ongoing mystery as we do learn who operated on them and why. A organization is involved creating legitimate intrigue in its sci-fi undertones of the final episodes. It’s very interesting how it evolved from a detective story. The 13 episodes do work well in keeping me engaged to the story & once again it’s mostly because of the characters.

Ranma Hinamatsuri is a good guy with a big heart & passion for justice. His hobbies include collecting classy toy car models & has a fear of heights. Despite looking like a brown jacket Lupin, Ranma isn’t really a professional but he manages to get the job done. It’s his unpolished skills that made things really funny for me. Rella Cindy Shirayuki kind of steals the show. Both Ranma & Rella do have their share of dramatic episodes but Rella has a more assertive yet selfish personality. Actually, Rella has a bigger backstory themed episode than Ranma. She’s very motivated & easily angry allowing for a lot of energy in her scenes. Rella is a rich girl and her maid creates multiple gadgets for the ongoing episodes. Despite being wealthy, Rella seeks thrills but isn’t as heroic as Ranma. I wish there was more flashbacks or episodes where we got to see both of them together but given the plot of sharing a single body it’s an impossibility. Rella is the life of the party while Ranma offers a more comical approach to the series.

Cinderella boy manages to create it’s own underworld in Kirin Town with some recurring characters. It’s not very clear if this city has advanced technology such as flaying cars or this was just a clever way to save budget by not drawing tires but whatever I’m cool with that. Cinderella boy is the type of show aimed at fans of odd job agency anime. Series like City Hunter, Get Backers, Hurricane Polymer, & Gintama, etc. Meaning comedic adventures or some serious story lines. There isn’t much action then again this is a 2003 anime. Something about the mid 2000's seems to be a transition phase before the world went to hd as many anime around this time would experiment with some early CGI and the colors could range from looking kinda ugly to very pretty. The animation is also very… stiff in the early episodes but the rest of the series did show better mobility as it kept going. Episode 6 is the animation standout of the bunch as it was the 1st episode I noticed improvements and utilized a lot of fast paced action mixed in with the occasional colorful backgrounds. What I’m trying to get is the anime looks better as it reaches the ending but the early stuff does appear rough. I assume this is why a lot of attention was put into the characters and the writing since the animation wouldn’t be able to deliver outstanding work.

The short stories are well told playing on Ranma & Rella emotions towards their clients and being intimate with each other. It’s a very strange yet almost sad relationship as they can’t see or interact with one another except via recorded messages. I was really into the start of the anime as we saw how Ranma & Rella reacted to their partners supposed death only to find out they’re alive but I can’t see him or I can’t see her. There’s definitely some romantic tension but I wished we saw a little more of this. The anime manages to have some tragic episodes mixed in with the goofy antics of monkey punch. There’s not really anything too perverted in the anime but there’s a few topless scenes in the beginning. I’m assuming the show couldn’t keep doing that as the nudity vanishes in later episodes.

In a way, Cinderella boy could also give an insight to how a Lupin the 8th anime would be like had it fully existed but for what we got Cinderella Boy is worth watching.

Helpful

read more

This manga is now available by Seven Seas. Cutie Honey A GoGo is a retelling of the Cutie Honey series by Go Nagai. This 2003 iteration was made alongside the OVA series RE: Cutie Honey & the 2004 live action movie. GoGo's story is a mix of the two and borrows some elements from the original 1973 manga by Go Nagai.

What you need to know beforehand is this story doesn't finish properly as the serialization stopped prematurely. In other words, this probably isn't the best method for starting the Cutie Honey franchise. This version is encouraged for those who are already familiar with the character.

The plot is mostly from the viewpoint of Natsuko while investigating the recent crimes committed by Panther Claw; the series staple thieving villains. In this version, Panther Claw performed many attacks on the city & civilians with no clear motive hence the investigation. A superhero appears being Cutie Honey who can transform into anyone & create anything out of thin air. Most of the story is set on conspiracies involving the creation of Honey who was a military project. The tone of A Go Go is mostly serious but it does have some of the wacky antics expected from Cutie Honey such as the ridiculous panther enemies like Dragon Panther, Tarantula Claw, Fire Claw, etc.

Prof. Kisaragi has a bigger role to play than most incarnations adding a sentimental attachment to Honey that's rarely seen. It provided a more in depth look to the character as she was a weapon who was given a human life. Honey as a character behaves how she's normally seen but has a greater interest in eating gyudon. There's a few moments of intimacy coming from the Honey giving her a bit of an identity struggle between human and machine but it's not fully developed due to the abrupt ending. Like the mentioned movie & OVA, Honey gradually develops a friendship with Natsuko as they battle Panther Claw. Seiji behaves like he does in RE even having a secret agenda. Sister Jill is the least utilized of the main cast which could've progressed into a new direction as her creator was Dr. Hell (the villain from Mazinger Z).

There's a few moments that made this manga funny and cool but there's certainly a lot of exposition & dialogue focusing mostly from the police perspective. In short, there's not enough Honey & maybe a little too much Natsuko especially in the beginning of the story. I felt the manga was starting to feel good around halfway through but it never quite pushes an exhilaration as I hoped from a Cutie Honey series or a Go Nagai related manga. It's a decent read but I think you have to be a Cutie Honey fan to really enjoy this book.

Helpful

read more

Note: This review only covers the 2017 TV series as the story continues with the 2018 movie. Infini-T Force is a superhero crossover featuring 1970’s superheroes from Tatsunoko Productions as a celebration for their 55th anniversary. However, the show is a mixed bag of content unable to properly balance its agenda while trying to incorporate 4 different superhero franchises & doesn’t do a good job in representing or explaining those characters to a new audience. Meanwhile fans that are familiar with these classic superheroes could be discouraged from watching the show given the different interpretations of said heroes. There are some redeemable factors to Infini-T Force but not many for the established Tatsunoko fan.

The show follows the story of a girl named Emi who’s suffering from suicidal thoughts & is neglected by her father. One day, 4 superheroes appear who help Emi face her life problems meanwhile 4 villains are destroying other dimensions while pursuing Emi who has an object they’re seeking called “The Case”; a magic pencil that can alter reality.

My worry since the announcement of the anime in 2016 was this question. “Will Infini-T Force ruin 4 franchises or will it be able to respect each of their source material?” To my disappointment, Infini-T Force succeeds in representing only 1 hero out of 4. A big problem for this anime is using 4 different superhero series & 12 episodes aren’t enough to utilize the heroes to their full potential. Obvious evidence is the lack of proper introductions to a hero’s background as they each carry a lot of history with multiple anime adaptations. Within episodes 1 & 2 the main cast suddenly appear with very little explanation to their super powers, demeanor & their viewpoints of justice as if the show expects the audience to already know them.

Infini-T Force features the following superheroes:
Ken The Eagle from Gatchaman 1972. Previous English versions dubbed the series Battle Of The Planets, G FORCE, & Eagle Riders. (Gatchaman Crowds is a spin-off series unrelated to Ken The Eagle. ) Ken is the leader of the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman who use a bird theme for costumes & can be considered one of the earliest versions of Power Rangers. Ken the Eagle doesn’t have any super powers but uses various weapons such as Bird Run aka Birdarang & numerous ninja techniques. His personality during the 1st Gatchaman series depended heavily on sadness & anger as his father was killed by the terrorist organization Galactor. In later stories such as Gatchaman 2 & Gatchaman Fighter, Ken matures from his loss & becomes a dependable leader capable of taking charge & performing difficult life & death decisions. Within Infini-T Force Ken is in his leader state usually taking control of the team but also gets too much attention compared to the other characters. Emi spends the most time with Ken being the hero who ultimately helps solve her daddy issues.

Casshan from Casshan 1973. Before Megaman, there was Azuma Tetsuya who participated in an experiment to become a new cyborg called a “Neoroider”/”Newly Built Man” to battle the robot army Andro Force led by Braiking Boss/Black King. Being mostly machine, Casshan has super physical prowess with electric attacks & the Super Destructive Beam. His dog Friender can breathe fire & transform into vehicles. (Friender doesn’t show these abilities in Infini-T Force). The original Casshan series is akin to a robot apocalypse where Casshan, his girlfriend Luna & his dog Friender are the only heroes fighting an entire army in a conquered world. Casshan also fights to rescue his mom & dad adding a very dramatic quest for the lone hero. Unlike the Casshan Robot Hunter OVA 1993 & Casshern Sins 2008, the original Casshan is a very emotional & encouraging heroic character who sacrificed his humanity for the world’s freedom acting as a symbol of hope. But those same people don’t like robots so Casshan is often prejudiced. Unfortunately, Infini- T Force uses a very emotionless version of Casshan who barely contributes much dialogue and is unsuccessful to create a sympathetic mood when compared to past adaptations.

Hurricane Polymar from Hurricane Polymar 1974. After a disagreement with his father Yoroi Takeshi runs away from home & works at the Kurama Detective Agency. Takeshi also comes in contact with the Polymet; a helmet that gives him superpowers of the “Spin Change”. With his martial arts background, Takeshi uses the Polymet to create a new martial art known as Hurricane Kenpo & with the Spin Change he can shapeshift into vehicles such as giant drill, a car, a plane, etc. Polymar is very hot blooded in the pursuit of beating up bad guys but his morals are a bit questionable given how violently he fights. In Infini-T Force Takeshi is not as energetic as his 70’s counterpart and comes off as very bi-shonen wanting to be friends with everyone in the world. Admittedly, he has the least depth from the 4 heroes but in the original series he at least cared to rescue his father, friends & civilians whenever he had the chance.

Tekkaman from Tekkman 1975. (Tekkaman Blade is a reboot following different leading characters but similar story). Minami Jouji loses his father from the wrath of alien invaders known as The Waldaster. To battle these aliens Minami Jouji volunteers in the Tek Set experiment becoming Tekkaman The Space Knight. Armed with the Tek Lancer & Tek Whip, Tekkman can fire energy attacks from his forehead & fly with the help of his robot friend Pegas. (In the original Pegas was able to talk but is treated as an object in the Infini-T Force version.) In the 1975 story, Tekkaman was very young, angry & careless in his pursuit of ridding the Waldester but felt guilt when he accidently killed a family of innocent aliens. He was also racist towards Andro; a good alien who helped The Space Knights. As the story progressed, Tekkaman becomes friends with Andro putting their differences aside. His character in Infini-T Force is older and calmer than his 1975 version which shows an interesting display of maturity. While treated well within the show, regrettably Tekkaman has few scenes that allow him to show his growth as a man since Ken often takes the spotlight from other characters.

Balance is difficult as Infini-T Force tries to juggle qualities aimed for two different age demographics; fans of the old shows & new viewers of modern times. While the anime initially draws the attention of the original fans by creating this superhero crossover it also displeases them with the “handsome” character redesigns when out of costume. It’s clearly an attempt to market the heroes as eye candy to the current generation of anime fans. While redesigns are welcomed to encourage more watchers, the characters don’t look & behave like their 1970’s sources. There’s several scenes depicting them as possible shipping partners for Emi to the point where it resembles a reverse harem especially when the 4 guys suddenly move in to her apartment.

Many episodes alternate tone between a serious family drama, an epic superhero crossover and a slice of life female fantasy which all collide with each other. The worst aspects of it are the eating scenes as the series does a poor job in creating conversations. When things aren’t in a serious scene most of the time is spent on characters dining. This can work as an intimate approach for characters to learn more about each other but it often becomes a repetitive safety net. For whatever reason just about every peaceful moment has to be done while eating or cooking which grows stale. There’s other ways for characters to interact with each other but Infini-T Force has to constantly squeeze in these meal times at every possible opportunity rather than having the cast do other activities to develop their friendship. It even manages to ruin the impact of certain scenes as they’ll talk about something food related even when a battle reaches its climax.

Possibly the best material from Infini-T Force is the main villain Z who offers a perspective of overprotective parenting. While Z’s main objective is to save the life of his daughter the sinful decisions he makes is what makes this show interesting. In the original stories from Tatsunoko in the 1970’s the heroes would have a recurring usage of bonding with their father usually by rescuing or avenging him. Having the villain Z being challenged as a father figure in these dangerous circumstances is a good tribute to past works of Tatsunoko Productions.

On the other hand, the superheroics of this crossover are underwhelming when you’re well versed in any of the superheroes lore. The fight scenes are definitely cool & manages to be very well choreographed but there’s many missed opportunities for the characters to teach their roots to new viewers & pushes away their old school fan base. Casshan in the original series forfeited his humanity so he can’t feel or taste. While this show does try to make a sorrowful character its very anticlimactic for Casshan to have a human form projector. Sure he still doesn’t feel like a human being but the message would be stronger if Casshan didn’t have any human features. Aside from his brief conflict with Raja Kaan, Casshan doesn’t achieve much in this series especially not to viewers wanting to see a dark storyline similar to Casshern Sins or an emotional struggle like the 1973 Casshan anime. Casshan is simply too emotionless nor does he acknowledge his surroundings. In every version, Casshan comes from an apocalyptic wasteland so he should be surprised being sent to a peaceful world. Casshan never mentions his battle with Braiking Boss or his struggles in being an ostracized hero so it personally leaves me very unfulfilled. The original Hurricane Polymar wasn’t too heavy with plot nor did it go into complex viewpoints of right or wrong. Infini-T Force doesn’t interfere much with his character but it barely does anything new. At the start, Polymar seems to have a grudge with the villain Damian Gray but it’s quickly dropped. Tekkaman offers some resolution to the ending of his 1975 anime as it was cancelled with an inconclusive ending but the conflict with the villain Belle Lynn offers a small development to his character. It was a good dispute of opinions yet feels miniscule when compared to the overall theme created by Z & Emi. For better or worse, Ken the Eagle is the only superhero who gets a lot of focus but Gatchaman fans will be upset at certain things. For reasons unknown many characters nickname Ken as an old man or “Gramps” which is annoying. The same occurs to Tekkaman being branded as “Professor”. Ken along with the other heroes are around the same age of late teens and early twenties at least when referring to the original 1970 series. While it’s clear that Tekkaman & Ken have matured the most from their 70s counterparts, but they’re not old enough to be referred as older men especially when compared to Z. There’s also a recurring joke of Ken being unfamiliar with modern technology implying he comes from an older time period which is a bit odd as the other heroes also come from settings of the 70’s.

Ultimately, Infini-T Force’s biggest flaw was attempting to accomplish too much in very little time. It doesn’t appeal to fans of the originals but does little to draw in a new crowd. The fight scenes are cool, the drama is good when it’s the main focus of the episode but the superheroes feel extremely shallow especially when they’re in Ken’s shadow. While I can see the importance of Ken The Eagle as a leader & has shown the most growth in the original Gatchman series of 205 episodes even as a fan I am upset that the other heroes don’t have much to do. The same can be said for the new villains exclusively for this anime as Z is ultimately the character with the most emphasis on Emi & the story.

Can this show appeal to superhero fans? How does Infini-T Force fair against other superhero anime? Well it’s certainly better than 2017’s The Reflection but when paired up to the original anime storylines from the 1970’s,,, Infini-T Force doesn’t hold a candle. This was advertised as a “Superhero Crossover” yet the end result is more of guest appearances in the life of a sad girl. Rather than showing heroic things a lot of time feels a bit wasted with numerous dialogue scenes inside an apartment or eating. It’s not the spectacular superhero action that people would want. While the action scenes are impressive when they occur but they’re just too short to really appreciate the excitement. While the story isn’t awful it lacks focus & respect. The manga version of Inifini-T Force surprisingly puts a greater deal on the superhero roots of each character even informing the readers their past adventures & struggles. While the manga is still being published in the USA, I’d recommend that over this show, definitely to fan of the original anime they’re based on. But what about new viewers who don’t have any knowledge of these superheroes? Can they enjoy the show? Perhaps….if you’re willing to endure a messy structure of storytelling, however this anime will not resemble the anime these characters come from. So if it does succeed in getting a new person interested in the 1970’s anime I can’t easily picture those people being able to watch a different version of the characters they saw from Infini-T Force and feel happy. Maybe it can work if the source material gets them engaged but everyone’s different so I wouldn’t know for sure.

In terms of superhero anime, Infini-T Force is a decent show but to viewers who wanted to see their favorite classic superheroes return…. it’s very disappointing. Infini-T Force is certainly tries to be ambitious but I would encourage watching the 70’s anime, reading the Infini-T Force manga or the following series:

Gatchaman, Gatchaman 2, Gatchman F, Gatchaman OVA 1994
Casshan 1973, Casshan Robot Hunter OVA
Hurricane Polymar 1973, Shin Hurricane Polymar OVA
Tekkaman 1975
Devilman Crybaby based on the Devilman 1972 Manga
Cyborg 009 VS Devilman, Cyborg 009 2001,
Heroman
Keyman Hand of Judgment
Guyver The Bio Boosted Armor 2005
Garo The Animation, Garo Vanishing Line
Yatterman Night

Helpful

read more

This review will cover the 24 episodes of the original airing.

Not many people are aware this series is a reboot of the 1975 Time Bokan or known as Time Fighters in English. Time Bokan eventually became a long running series spanning more than 200 episodes of content by having numerous sequels such as its most popular incarnation Time Bokan 2 Yatterman. As a result, the Time Bokan series is one of the main highlights of Tatsunoko's superhero lineup such as Tekkaman, Casshan & Gatchaman.

This anime is a great improvement over the original but offers a fresh insight to the style of the entire Time Bokan series. While it's not as good as Yatterman 2008, Time Bokan 24 still delivers the episodic formula but filled with ridiculous creativity. Each episode features a new mecha, a new transformation and ludicrous content but that's the point; the series has always been a silly thing. You don't go into this show for historical accuracy like Time Squad, Dr. Who & such. This is a superhero comedy or perhaps a supervillain show. The original Time Bokan & Yatterman were responsible in creating the trope of a comedic trio of villains (Team Rocket) hence the show's greatest appeal. The Akudarma gang are the best thing of the series while poking fun in itself by dissing how bland the main heroes are. Meanwhile the villains are so pathetic you feel sorry for them much in the same vein as Florshiem from Astro Fighter Sunred.

The show itself can vary in quality & I wish certain events became more engaging by raising the stakes but it's still pleasant. I personally like how the anime attempts to be naughty despite the times being different in contrast to the 1970's where a lot of nudity & violence weren't censored. On a similar note the 2nd ending theme pays huge tribute to the original Time Bokan ending which really surprised me especially when 24's song is much better. Unfortunately, not much of the other Time Bokan series are licensed so this anime possibly serves as the first real exposure to new audiences. It's not the greatest superhero anime ever but it's a little slice of fun; the episodes do improve as it keeps going but it never really peaks into something as great as its predecessor Yatterman 2008. The final episode (EP 24) does meet that expectation especially when the villains are aware that their time slot is taken away by My Hero Academia Season 2. But in comparison to the 1975 Time Bokan, Time Bokan 24 excels in mecha designs, humor, style & definitely in its villains the Akudarma Gang.

Similar superhero/supervillain recommendations include Astro Fighter Sunred, Yatterman 2008, Yatterman Night, Zannen Onna Black General San Manga & Zvezda Plot.

Helpful

read more

This review is written by a Black Jack fan.

Young Black Jack is the 4th anime series starring Black Jack, however its quality does differ significantly from the other related anime. Despite the obvious differences in tone and writing the series might serve as a gateway to the much better Black Jack stories and related material.

This anime serves as a “possible” prequel story detailing the events of Black Jack’s origin and career as an underground doctor. The anime is set in Black Jack’s younger days where he went by his real name, Hazama Kuro, and is still in medical school. Upon doing some research, the Young Black Jack anime is based on a manga which doesn’t follow a structure as seen in Osamu Tezuka’s original Black Jack manga. Young Black Jack in its initial visuals seems to cater to a sexualized or a fan service depiction of Black Jack especially when the opening displays him shirtless and in chains. Another change are the character designs as they are not “cartoony” as that’s how Tezuka would typically draw but instead the art style carries a more feminine/shojo flair mostly through their eyes and lips. The characters are almost drawn with realistic proportions with the exception of Mr. Mustachio & few others who resemble Tezuka’s art.

Regardless of the imagery, the anime isn’t about sexualized eye candy (as I feared) but focuses mostly on medical drama as it should. This is where it gets compared to the other Black Jack series as the content in Young Black Jack varies from dull to great. I personally found most episodes to be lacking the same impact as seen in Black Jack OVA or Black Jack TV and much of the problem is Black Jack himself. Hazama Kuro isn’t Black Jack yet which is why his character should be portrayed differently. While it is natural for a character to behave differently I could not see an eventual Black Jack grow from this interpretation of Hazama Kuro. Hazama’s reactions to people suffering aren’t appropriate in some episodes specifically the Vietnam story (episodes 4-6). I noticed that Hazama’s emotions really vary per episode as in some he seems almost emotionless while in others episodes he’s clearly enraged and devastated. Most of the time he behaves cool and focused but I don’t think those professional traits should be present yet. In some scenes Hazama is presented as a tortured individual by being surrounded by thorns giving a really obvious messiah symbolism which comes off as more forced than sacred. While “Black Jack The Movie” does nickname Black Jack as the surgeon with the hands of god, Hazama isn’t at a level where he should be described as the next savior as he’s still inexperienced. For an origin story it would make more sense if Hazama made mistakes and learned from them, thus gaining knowledge as he matures into Black Jack. Episode 2&3 are perfect examples of Hazama being doubtful of his decisions which are suitable for this type of prequel anime.

The real fruit of this rendition of Young Black Jack is the inclusion of two characters from other Tezuka series being Hyakkimaru from “Dororo” & Sapphire from “Princess Knight”. These characters possess different names in this continuity but they’re basically the same character especially with Hyakkimaru. Episodes 9-11 focus heavily on Hyakkimaru to the point where it felt like a modern reboot of the yokai manga he’s based on. In short, these episodes are easily some of the best in both writing and gruesome visuals as it plays a heavy toll in shaping Hazama’s character into Black Jack. Furthermore, the final episode guest starring Sapphire also affects Hazama’s mentality leaving for a very powerful ending to this Black Jack prequel.

In summary, I think episodes 4-8 are very lackluster but that’s only because I can’t help but think of better Black Jack stories that covered similar topics and executed with more shocking drama. So I’ll end this review with some recommendations related to the Black Jack series which are the bare essentials. Young Black Jack isn’t a terrible anime by any means but it is a weaker installment in the whole Black jack franchise. The tone can be dark and emotional at times but it only shows that there are some characters whom aren’t well suited to be marketed in made-up prequels as it limits the true appeal of their peak in adulthood.

Recommendations:
Dororo & Hyakkimaru 1969 (26 eps)
This black & white anime serves as a better introduction to the Hyakkimaru character. You could also read the manga which is 3 volumes.

Black Jack OVA 1993 (12 eps)
Black Jack’s first anime debut; taken in a seinen approach. English dub is recommended.

Black Jack TV 2004 (76 eps)
Episodes are based on the original manga.

Black Jack 21 2006 (17 eps)
Episodes are heavily plot related detailing Black Jack’s family; very similar to Naoki Urasawa’s Monster.

Black Jack Two Doctors of Darkness 2005 (Movie)
A movie centered on Black Jack & Dr. Kiriko

The Black Jack manga is also recommended.

Super Doctor K Manga
Has nothing to do with Black Jack but carries a similar type of story structure just with more masculinity.

Helpful

read more

Hakugei: Legend of Moby Dick is certainly an interesting blend of space pirates and cyborgs. While the series goes back and fourth between serious and goofy, it still manages to have a dark yet melancholy story.

To begin, the story has very little to do with the original novel of Moby Dick and only borrows the titular whale character but re-imagined as a cyborg. The planet Moad is under martial law and is set to be destroyed. A kid named Lucky requests the help of Captain Ahab to save the planet and its people. Ahab agrees as the Moby Dick acts as the destroyer of the planet and it also responsible for Ahab's loss of his left eye and leg.

Initially starting as an episodic space pirate anime, it gradually shifts into a darker tale of cyborgs with a doomsday clock. Part of the serie's lore are the punishment of criminals who are turned into cyborgs to further extend their suffering. Similar to the law of robotics, these criminals are given certain commands they cannot break such as killing humans or committing suicide. The science fiction plays a larger role in the last act of the story as it becomes more serious with our character's backstory, specifically the characters Due and Jacobs.

While does have a darker tone it is sometimes unbalanced by the goofiness of Captain Ahab's crew. There are many scenes where a very tragic event occurred then the next minute will feature a very comical art style filled with very outrageous slap stick gags. The animation certainly helps demonstrate such energy in these comic relief scenes. I don't exactly hate this instability but I can certainly many others to be bothered by its mood swings.

Despite the lack of stability, I found myself enjoying the series since it incorporated a manly pirate, very gruesome science fiction, a war story and giant Moby Dick cyborg to tie it all together. Captain Ahab is a really manly character; being the best interesting character in the story. There's a scene in EP 15 that really sums up his opinion of God, thus possibly being the best scene in the anime. Whether he's being serious or goofy, he still possesses a charismatic charm; a bit similar to John Silver from the Treasure Island anime of 1978.

The story of Moby Dick has really nothing to to do with the novel( aside from the whale), but delivers variety from episodic space adventures to plot related drama and even a little bit of boxing in episodes 18-20. At the same time, those episodes also feature a couple of intriguing antagonists, Madame O' Hara & Jacobs, who become tragic characters as the series reaches its conclusion. Speaking of the ending, I accept the tragedy but something about the very last scene felt a bit abrupt. Personally, I felt the series needed a short epilogue to better end it as there are some events occurring in the universe that are a bit unresolved. I probably expected a tad more since each episode opens with a narrative from the viewpoint of Lucky, implying the series events have already occurred as it's told in the past tense.

Regardless, Legend of Moby Dick is still good but its complaints will all be very subjective due to its constant comedy. The series is directed by Osamu Dezaki who once again shows his iconic style through visual stills or post card memories. Hakugei excels in its art as there are plenty of fascinating imagery scattered throughout the anime and with its sci-fi setting allowed more room for creativity. I recommend Moby Dick in English dub simply because of John Swasey's performance as Captain Ahab. The Japanese is good too with Akio Otsuka but the pirate slang works better in the english tongue. Oh and Vic Mignogna & Stephanie Naldony are also in it. Legend of Moby Dick is definitely one of ADV Films best dubs and is a show that deserves to have a license rescue.

Helpful

read more

Vento Aureo is the most controversial part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, however upon rereading the series I discovered there's a lot of good going for Parte 5. Despite my praise, there are some undeniable cons that really affected the overall story of Golden Wind; Parte 5 isn't bad but could've been greater.

Upon Jotaro discovering Dio's son Giorno Giovanna, Jotaro sends Koichi to verify his suspicions. It is quickly revealed that Giorno is indeed Dio Brando's son, but also carries the Joestar bloodline upon bearing the Joestar birthmark. (Thus, he is also Jonathan's second son?) Possibly inheriting traits of both fathers, Giorno is a charismatic, intelligent individual who carries a virtuous heart but is willing to commit crimes for peace. Giorno proves this by entering the Italian Gangstars where his goal is to rid the streets of drug trafficking; keeping kids and minors drug free. He is placed in the Passione faction led by Bruno Buccellati who also wishes to stop the organization's drug routes and to eliminate the boss. The adventure begins after the death of an operative and the revelation of the boss's daughter who must be protected by traitorous Stand User Assassins.

While the new ultra fabulous art style takes some time getting used to, the appeal of Parte 5 is the action. Unlike parts 3 & 4, Vento Aureo manages to have this ongoing action with nearly nonstop presence. Parts 3 & 4 catered more to creating suspense, often resulting the battles to be a bit dragged out, and very little physical contact. Golden Wind instead dives straight into the fights often centered on chases, gunfire, stabbing and some actual fist fights. The enemies first appearances of their stand abilities still remained suspenseful yet would often have our heroes think of a quick solution making the battles move in a faster pace. Furthermore, the addition of bullet firing stands such as Sex Pistols & Aerosmith allowed for a new form of combat in GioGio but would also end most of the battles in a stand off with both hero and villain about to unleash their trump card at the last second.

Another key difference in Golden Wind are the villains who unlike parts 3 & 4 were assassins who were committed to "ice"their targets. Because of this demeanor, the Gangstar villains were mostly quite serious and deranged who very rarely gave in like pansies as seen in Stardust Crusaders. What made these enemies memorable were their gritty stands but also their allegiance to each other. The best example would be the pair Pesci & Procuitto who had this mentor-student relationship. In short, most of the villains die in this part facing their final moments head on which reminds me more of the mental fortitude of the Pillar Men.

Moving on to what made Vento Aureo bad would be the main villain himself, Diavolo. While his initial mysterious appearance was more appealing, the character is sadly not as interesting as his predecessors. Diavolo is closer to Yoshikage Kira due to this his need of wanting secrecy unlike Cars and Dio who were ambitious. While Diavolo does indeed have ambition he is too cowardly to be taken as a threat. He tends to boast his superiority over his opponents, but his constant urge of keeping his face hidden and the need to witness future events with his stand only makes the character seem he's scared of the unknown along with being incapable of trusting anyone out of fear of being killed. It doesn't help that Diavolo panics so much in bouts, especially when he's conversing with Doppio. Diavolo wants to conquer the world but his desperation for secrecy hints more of wanting to hide from the world. I have heard that certain assassins or cautious criminals are often cowardly but because so are able to survive in their line of work. (At least in fiction such as Golgo 13). Unlike someone as Golgo 13, Diavolo doesn't seem to have a strong will nor backbone as usually lets his followers perform his deeds despite having the power to do himself. Diavolo instead hides to avoid any risks of failure which can be as tactical but his demeanor is in constant worry.

To sum what affects the quality of Parte 5 would be the villain Diavolo, his confusing stand King Crimson, the unbelievable b.s. events for Polnareff, but most importantly would be the awkward structure to the ending. Part 5 doesn't really have a climatic final battle and concludes with a unnecessary epilogue. In the previous parts, Jotaro & Josuke had battles with their nemesis that went back and fourth. However, the final fight between Giorno & Diavolo was too one sided. What made things even more uncomfortable were the events taking place due to certain "Stand Requiem". Before the final battle takes place, a certain stand goes out of control leading to some unconventional danger even hinting at the existence of other supernatural beings but this idea is quickly dropped. Basically, the prelude to the final battle felt more climatic than the actual last fight of the series.

There are some bad things towards the end of Part 5 but interestingly has a plot hole from the beginning of the series in its battle with Black Sabbath. Despite that the only other inconsistency would be Polanereff's who was in danger for 15 or so years (during the events in Part 4). So did Jotaro or anyone ever thought of looking for him? It's just seems like a lot of bull. But what makes Part 5 strong? The tone and characters. Despite their flamboyant looks, the cast manages to have their own share of tragic pasts and manly moments as most of their battles end in bloody injuries. While many other JoJo characters had similar experiences, Parte 5 reestablishes the feel of a team that's more of family best shown during their boat scene of "whose in or out?" While I admit I didn't like the entire cast or all of the battles, I can safely say Vento Aureo succeeds in maintaining a mostly serious pace. Unlike Part 4 & 3 which had some filler-like battles, Golden Wind is mostly to the point with little fluff. GioGio's Bizarre Adventure ends a bit more on the tragic note but if Araki wrote his villain and final battle better, then Vento Aureo could've been better received as the fifth installment to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

Helpful

read more

Note: both the anime and manga are two completely different stories but as long as you bear this in mind, Devilman TV is an episodic series super hero series that can be very repetitive but manages to provide gruesome horror or other times some intentionally ridiculous entertainment.

The story begins rather unsettling as the main character Akira Fudo is killed by Devilman, thus he takes over his corpse and becomes Akira. So, in other words our main characters is actually Devilman (or Amon to be more specific with other Devilman material). Despite this key difference, Devilman falls in love with Miki and has sworn to protect her from the Demon Tribe. This leads to Devilman being branded a traitor where Demon Lord Xenon will send demons to kill Devilman. As you may have guessed, the series follows a formula where the beginning of the episode features the demon's murderous abilities which sets up the horror mood. Afterwards, Devilman has to fight him or her and usually ends the battle with a Devil Beam or a Devil Arrow.

A basic flaw of the show as a whole is the repetitive problems that it presents itself. As this Devilman is very much like a Tokusatsu series with Devilman turning into a giant and the demons usually arriving one at a time. While we all know it would make more sense to send everyone at once to get the job done, you have to watch this show knowing that it will play out like this. Of course this does hinder its story and instead relies on a fun factor which often led to some hilarious moments such as the iconic "Devil Jump!" . I think appreciating events such as that is what makes Devilman TV enjoyable.

What amazes me about this show is despite being aimed at a children audience, this is NOT a kid-friendly show. For its time and possibly even now, the series is too violent for any public broadcast with its constant use of human casualties, especially ones involving car crashes and airplanes. In a very Go Nagai fashion, many civilians aka extras are constantly killed adding to the dark tone of the series. A lot of demons are very over powered but certainly made their presence almost unforgettable due to their fearsome strength as some episodes are genuinely scary.

However, like any show there are some things that can't be ignored. One of my personal problems with Devilman TV is that the series may have been better is some battles lasted 2 episodes instead of a self-contained story. For example, a lot of the episode's time is spent on creating a terrifying atmosphere which leads to a few minutes of actual fighting. I don't mind short fights but it does get a bit annoying that a lot of the fights end very abruptly with Devilman struggling in a one sided match only to save his skin by using a Devil Beam (which you will hear a lot of.)

Basically, I had a lot of fun watching this version of Devilman but I can certainly see why people wouldn't like it, especially if they read the manga for it. The structure of Devilman TV is very similar to the other 70's Go Nagai series Cutey Honey & Mazinger Z due to their basic superhero plots. And very much like Cutey Honey, the series does end open-ended with Devilman never fighting Xenon or completely eradicating the Demon Tribe. However, I was really surprised to see Devilman gradually change throughout the series where he began as a despicable, violent person and by the end of the series he's an honest to heart good guy. The quality certainly shifts per episode but there's definitely something good to be found in this superhero anime. It's not a must watch series because its so good nor is it a show so bad its good; Devilman TV is the episodic journey of a devil whose becoming more and more human who vows to protect his love. As simple as it is, this type of series can only be enjoyed by a certain few who love tokatsu or just a monster of the week show in general. A recommendation that is inspired by Devilman but is better written is the series Hell Teacher Nube which offers more in terms of characterization and touching moments.

Helpful

read more

This anime is a spin-off from the wrestling series Kinnikuman, however Kinnikuman knowledge isn't necessary to watch this series. Tatakae!! Ramenman is a very episodic series filled with martial arts action usually being over-the-top but shares themes of heroism and honor. In short, this series is the Chinese version of Fist Of The North Star.

As mentioned earlier, the titular character Ramenman was originally from Kinnikuman but due to massive popularity Ramenman earned his own manga series which eventually became adapted into anime form. While it is a spin-off to Kinnikuman, Tatakae!! Ramenman follows it own mythology beginning from Ramenman's childhood and his further training as a man. The series is set in vague locations in China but occasionally diverts into fictional martial arts and sometimes science fiction. Ramenman is a wandering hero who seeks to reach an enlightened state as a martial artist. He also has a duty to fulfill his school's teachings and follow them to the letter. Most of the action comes from Ramenman having to save a village from bandits and villainous martial artists which usually lead Ramenman to show off his 102 techniques (although we only see about 20 or so). Ramenman is accompanied by his student; a boy named Shumai whose actress voices Meat in Kinnikuman. As you may have noticed, the basic set up is similar to Fist Of The North Star but as an interesting piece of shonen history... Tatakae!! Ramenman manga predates Fist Of The North Star. It is debatable whether which series came up with certain ideas first but both anime/manga still contain their own differences.

The series focuses on Ramenman's travels in China but will occasionally be forced to train to master a new technique or reminisces of his younger days as a disciple. It's events such as these that the stop series from getting repetitive as these multiple scenarios allow for Ramenman to gain wisdom and shows that he isn't completely invincible. As expected in martial arts shonen, the anime creates a mystical atmosphere but also follows the same tropes of 1980's shonen which often revolve around the concepts of masculinity, justice, friendship and sometimes love.

One flaw to the series is the lack of more intimidating villains. While there's plenty of foes giving worthy challenges to Ramenman, none of them really offer an interesting foil to Ramenman or can be respected as a fan favorite among other anime villains. Despite being episodic there are two ongoing plots or perhaps better said recurring scenarios. One conflict is Ramenman searching for his sister which he finds early on the series but doesn't want to reveal being her brother as his sister hates martial artists. Personally, I didn't find this subplot too important to the series and could've been better without it. The one recurring villain is man named Jewel King whose notable feature is being voiced by the late Kenji Utsumi(Raoh, Kamogawa, Senbei Norimaki and various others.) While he does come prepared with new methods in an attempt to defeat Ramenman, it does get a bit tiring seeing him escape and shouting "I'll get you next time Ramenman!"

This being the work of Yudetamago also shares certain inconsistencies similar to their work in Kinnikuman. Basically, expect some bizarre moments or errors such as a character losing his arm only to have it back a few episodes later. It should be noted that the series gradually turns more like Kinnikuman as it nears its ending. The best example is the final arc as it becomes a tournament battle complete with referees bearing a similar tone to Kinnikuman's wrestling matches.

Tatakae!! Ramenman is an amazing shonen series that embraces the martial arts gimmick in a mostly serious tone. Unlike the Kinnikuman anime, Ramenman's spin-off has a great balance of utilizing comedy and its over-the-top action as much of the martial arts are very ludicrous but filled with enjoyable creativity. My last words of criticism is the series length as the last two episodes are just a recap of the anime, ending with a final shot of new animation as it bids farewell. Ramenman... he's RAMENMANLY!!!

Helpful

read more

Ultimate Muscle aka Kinnikuman Nisei is the sequel to the older Shonen Jump series Kinnikuman which is required to be read first. Once completing the original series, Ultimate Muscle pays huge homages to the original series along bringing some familiar faces and a few retcons, but the sequel takes a violent, darker tone in its conclusion.

The series begin a bit oddly as there's multiple chapters each playing as a different origin story for Ultimate Muscle but once those chapters are out the way we discover that there has been a time skip of 28 years. Our former heroes have now become too old to keep fighting against villainy, thus they create the Hercules Factory to train their children into the new Justice Chojin aka Muscle League. Following in their father's footsteps, this New Generation will protect earth from the murderous attacks of the Demon Plant aka DMP and The Devil Chojin.

Right off the bat, we meet our protagonist Kinniku Mantaro aka Kid Muscle being the son of Kinnikuman. In our first impression Mantaro begins as an intelligent individual but is a cowardly douche. Already this is a huge contrast to our previous hero Kinnikuman who may have been cowardly at times but eventually overcame his fears and became a proud hero of justice. His son on the other hands takes a while for his manliness to sprout (after all he's only 14 years old.) While it's certainly different that our hero Kid Muscle is more selfish than his father he eventually develops an appeal, especially as the story progresses as he develops some maturity.

Very much like our first series, we are given a huge cast of characters labeled as the New Generation consisting of Terryman's son Terry the Kid and Brocken Jr. disciple Jade and that's about it. The problem Ultimate Muscle has are the lack of a successor to our previous cast of heroes. Much of the new characters sadly don't amount to much of the story, especially characters such as Gazelleman and Seiuchin who're initially introduced as power houses along with other New Generation characters. Even though Robin Mask had a son named Kevin Mask, he doesn't play a role until halfway through the series. To my surprise, Ultimate Muscle is more focused on a singular character being Kid Muscle which isn't a bad thing but I certainly wished that the New Generation characters had some part to play in the story. There are various other characters introduced later that take part of a main cast but for the most part the series is about Kid Muscle.

Interestingly, certain characters from the original series obtain more development being Sunshine, Brocken Jr, The Ninja, Kinkotsuman, Warsman, Ashuraman and Akuma Shogun. It was quite a treat to see these characters obtain a lot depth into their character, especially how all these characters were once villains. This is definitely one of the highlights of the Ultimate Muscle series as the writing was way more consistent compared to its prequel and it definitely shows during the last arc of the series.

Speaking of arcs, now seems a good time to sum up the overall journey of Kid Muscle. The first major arc consist of the New Generation training at the Hercules Factory and their battle against the Demon Plant. This arc introduces our temporary main cast but highlights Kid Muscle first steps of being a hero and his friendship with Terry the Kid. This is quickly followed by the HF Replacement Matches where the New Generation battle against Generation X of the Hercules Factory. Again, this arc establishes Kid Muscle's resolve to fight along with developing his courage, thus reinforcing his friendship with his buddies. The series then proceeds to arc dedicated solely to Kid Muscle being the Latern Challenge in which Mantaro faces against 3 convicts as a test to develop his power up, The Burning Inner Strength aka The Fire. Next the story proceeds to Chojin Olympics Resurrection where the series goes back to its roots in creating tournament arcs. Sadly, this is where it becomes obvious that the main cast becomes neglected and another con is that this arc repeats some events from HF Replacement Matches making Kid Muscle's matches a bit irrelevant. Thankfully, Kevin Mask now makes his debut with his second Kuroe delivering on some needed diversity. I'm also glad that this arc took a drastic decision in which adds further to Kid Muscle's character which will prepare him for the horror in final arc titled as The Demon Seed. Again, paying tribute to Kinnikuman, this arc combines the 7 Devil Chojin with the Golden Mask arc with a little bit of Scramble for the Throne as this plot is about the resurrection of the satanic chojin Akuma Shogun. During this retcon, Meat is required to be used as a sacrifice to revive Akuma Shogun, thus our heroes must defeat new Devil Chojin along with the return of Ashuraman. The series then concludes with a final tag match and makes a well deserved grand finale.

While these arcs bear similar content as Kinnikuman, there are a few things that make them very different. The first thing is the violence as the series become much more gritty and sometimes a bit too dark as the Demon Seed involved very gruesome and satanic subject matter. Another key difference is the writing as most of the characters felt a bit more 3 dimensional outside of their wrestling gimmick. Much of this is shown through the series antagonists as it displays a vengeful grudge that's lasted decades and how the events of the past changed the future. A good example is the comedic villain Kinkotsuman whose life off screen was one involving of physically abusing his son so he could fulfill his grudge. Many of the characters seem to go through hardships due the the times changing like Brocken Jr who briefly became an alcoholic or the villain Sunshine who reeks of nostalgia. It's quite a sudden turn to see Kinnikuman characters have a more tragic side to them, especially towards it villains specifically Ashuraman who possibly has the saddest life in the series. In other words, this series has somehow developed more sorrow in its writing but still carries the same heroic spirit as its predecessor. The goal of the story is to establish friendship among different countries and characters of different ethnics and Ultimate Muscle certainly follows the belief. While the series does have a few minor cons and drastic turn for mature content the story has those same wacky chojins, over-the-top wrestling matches and those manly moments that makes you support these characters. It's a shame that the next installment of Kinnikuman is nowhere to be found online as the series just keeps getting better with each decade. While the new characters may not be as epic as the original Kinnikuman characters, there's no denying that the story of Ultimate Muscle is on par with Kinnikuman.

Helpful

read more