Perhaps it's a bit silly, to give this anime series a 10/10 overall score. To be honest, I'm very child-like in personality and I've always enjoyed children's anime like Battle Spirits, Digimon, etc. And this review is six years too late, but I'm glad to have found this anime regardless.
With this being said, let's get on with the review! I'll do my best not to drop any major spoilers. If you don't mind a little spoils then go ahead.
> STORY - 9/10
To be honest, I thought this story was almost perfect. Perhaps from a child's point of view it is. You might be put off by this series because it's labeled PG - Children, but I felt it should have been PG-13 or something because there are some incredibly dark moments for let's say, a eight year old child to understand maybe. It's too violent, but it's definitely up to Digimon Tamer's standards, which I consider to be one of the darkest children anime.
I'm not going to lie to protect this story, from my point of view (without looking at other reviews), there are some plot holes. Like we never see one of the main's parents which is strange considering he should be still in middle school and should be freaking out that their son is off doing dangerous activities. There are some Deux Ex Machina moments, but to be honest, I don't really mind the cliches. If executed well and put in an interesting story like Big Hero 6 did, then it's alright with me.
I was happy that they decided to go with the episodic three arc style and it didn't feel at all rushed like some anime these days. There are three major arcs, and one mini-arc. I've gone ahead and given them my own personal titles and I promise not to spoil too much about them. They are (in order of chronology): Skrugg Arc, Fugitive Arc, and Final Arc. The mini-arc I call the Obligated Spooky Episode, although short (spanning over two episodes), is still very enjoyable. Out of all the Arcs, I find that I enjoyed the Fugitive Arc the most because of how surprisingly realistic it was considering the government these days, but find the Final Arc the most emotionally moving. The bit concerning Joey's absent parents was absolutely heartbreaking l learn about. It's like if Uncle Ben's 'With great power comes great responsibility' had a secret meaning, oh my goodness, I couldn't stop crying. I was crying throughout the episode's end, but unfortunately, it didn't give me enough time to cry and the plot had to move forward. I ended up sniffling through the next few. The Skrugg Arc is a bit plain and perhaps a bit generic, but I feel it sets up the characters, environment, and plot up very well. I'm aware that they cut a few things from the manga it was based on and I agree they could have tried setting up the first arc better, but the rest of the arcs are absolute gold in my book.
Actually, I just finished this series and I'm planning to rewatch the series starting from the end of the first arc. I'm probably going to be rewatching this for a while, to let the story soak in. I managed to watch this entire 26 episode in around two days and I honestly felt like I rushed it, but I couldn't help it. I can't stand being left on a cliffhanger.
Talking about how I hate cliffhangers, did you know the ending of this show *grumble grumble*...I wish they made a Season 2 or some sort of sequel, but it's wrapped up well and I could probably guess what the characters are up to now...
> ART - 9/10
I personally think the art style to be appropriate for this anime. Most of this anime is 2D animated, but some aspects like the Alien aircrafts and other minor things to be 3D modeled, but some of it is so well that it took me a few glances to make sure that some of them are 3D models and it works to the series advantage. It makes the alien stuff seem so other-worldly and it didn't fit with the 2D animation, but it works so well that I don't feel any need to nitpick on it.
There was a scene I remember where the art style suddenly changed and I thought for a moment I was watching Baccano (which I haven't watched past the first episode). It fit the mood, but it was kinda scary for a PG - Children rating.
I have nothing much to say about the art. It's not as good as say, Noragami, but very good for it's time I think. It's decent enough to deal with if you're real picky with art style or such.
> SOUND - 7/10
Honest to goodness, I don't remember much of the soundtracks that much. The ones I do remember is the first two opening songs, the second super catchy ending song, and the trailer song that plays during epic battles. Although it's no Hans Zimmer, I really like some of the soundtracks, but they aren't as memorable as let's say...the Japanese Instrumental goodness of Natsume Yuujinchou where I remembered most of the soundtrack.
Anyways, I will be adding two new songs to my music playlist:
- Heroman Trailer Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UInVSerF6Y
- Heroman (Ending 2) - Mass Alert - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNgScc_k2M
I can't really explain it to you that well. You just have to listen it to yourself, I find both to be the most catchy.
> CHARACTERS - 9/10
ARGH CHARACTERS. I LOVE THEM. Well almost all of them...
For a rather passive person like me, I find myself associating Joey the most. I find Joey to be an excitable middle school student who has trouble in his life because of his absent parents and social life. Your typical hero origin story. Also I would like to point out that I was not aware that in America, middle school students could have part time jobs and I find that kind of depressing in cases similar to Joey's (to support his grandmother). I would also like to point out that Joey looks like a lady, but none of the characters seem to address it...especially since in that one episode... *grumble grumble*...Anyways, I find the way Joey reacts to his situations that he gets in is very realistic. The character development for Joey I find to be supreme. Honestly, Joey reminds me a bit of Natsume from Natsume Yuujinchou if he was much younger and more energetic. Like Natsume, Joey accepts anything thrown his way and is very passive/subtle about his actions. He changed a LOT from the Skrugg Arg and the Final Arc. The reason why I love the Fugitive Arc the most, is how Joey responded in the situations. Joey in the Fugitive Arc was so depressing my heart was in constant pain when I was watching through that arc because it just wasn't fair.
I liked Professor Denton, which is the only adult in the team of children and I found him to be hilarious. He's often the butt monkey and sometimes acts younger than the other three children mains which I find to be most pleasing. Also the way he says 'Exactly' is worth pointing out, I couldn't stop laughing. I felt bad for Psy, because of his injury, but he's pretty badass and no injury was going to hold him back from being cool as crap. Although I have to say I like Lina, the obligated female character in the children trio, the least, but I don't dislike her. I do find it hilarious that this is the first time I've seen a the trope 'All Guys want Cheerleaders' turned on it's head. She's infatuated with Joey, but unfortunately Joey's too passive and has a low opinion of himself that Lina had to go out of her way to get his attention, which is absolutely hilarious because it's supposed to go the other way around. It was a while since I found a team where I liked everyone.
However, there are some characters I don't particularly like. Mainly the villains, I hated the evil doctor guy because of just how rotten and manipulative he could be. I hated one character at one point because of the heartbreak he had caused in the fugitive arc, but warmed up to him later on. I actually hate the jock of the story, Will, Lina's older brother. Something about him just irritates me, not because he was a bad character, just the way he acts is annoying. To me, the way he acted in the Skrugg Arc was annoying and perhaps a little unreasonable. I seriously doubt anyone would act that way in the real life.
Most of the cast were enjoyable, some didn't develop as much as say, Joey who developed a whole lot, but I think they are all enjoyable.
ENJOYMENT - 10/10
First, I'm going to talk about the feels of this anime. I really really really enjoyed this series and I wish so badly that there would be a sequel or some continuation. Apparently there's a manga series which has more content, but I couldn't find any chapters past Chapter 3 and that makes me very sad. I started this series, knowing that it would be about a boy and his robot saving the world from aliens. I found it when I was browsing through the action section on AnimePlanet and was attracted to it by the small blurb.
I was expecting it to be a bit like Gundam, which I am okay with, but it wasn't really my thing. I was desperate for something to watch after drowning in the horrendous amount of Ecchi, Harems, and anime with way too much fanservice this was definitely a breath of fresh air. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this series doesn't really work like a Mecha up to any standards. In a sense, Heroman reminds me a bit of the Iron Giant he he couldn't talk. Or to be put in a more recent style, Heroman reminds me of Baymax from Big Hero 6 if he couldn't talk and was more aggressive. It's definitely Marvel alright. I actually forgot I was watching an anime because of how it progressed more like a Western Animation rather than anime. It has all the goodness from both Western Animation and Anime and that makes me happy.
It's been so long since an anime has given me a sense of thrill. I was literally sweating and felt my heart beating during some of the action scenes. My heart was honestly in pain during some of the Arcs. I loved Joey, Psy, Prof. Denton, Lina, and the rest of the characters. This show made me laugh out loud when I was watching by myself and then as soon as it made me laugh, it brought me to tears. It's been so long I been so emotionally invested in fictional characters. The last time I felt truly like this is when I watched Big Hero 6 for the first time.
Maybe it's because I'm so childish that it perhaps clouded my judgement of this anime, but this is the hidden gem I was so desperately searching for.
> OVERALL - 10/10
Honestly, I hate this anime.
I hate it because it's my ideal anime. The one I've been looking for so long. It's nearly perfect to me, maybe not to some others, but it's pefect to me. Something that resonated with me so well that if someone asked me which anime represented me the most it would be this one. I hate it, I hate it so badly because I know that I will probably never find an anime quite like this one and it makes me mad/sad. I hate this anime, I wish I could forget it all so I can watch it again.
I'm kinda sad to acknowledge that I may never find an anime series quite like this again, to give me the same amount of enjoyment and happiness. Anime these days are so riddled with fan service or absurdity that I had to resort to watching Children's anime to escape it since I've never been fond of it in the first place.
If you made it this far, then thank you for reading. I tried not to drop any major spoilers and I re-read it to make sure of that. If you have yet to watch this series, I highly recommend it regardless if you like mecha or not. If you like things like Digimon, Pokemon, Battle Spirits, etc. this anime is definitely worth looking into. Definitely in my top five anime. Maybe even the top now...
Sure it might not be the greatest masterpiece to you, the reader, but to me it was.
To me it was a greatest masterpiece.
