Basically, this show is kinda all over the place and is hardly comparable to a regular anime (mostly because of its lack of a specific overarching plot and the fact that there are like a hundred characters. Literally.), so writing a standard review would take too many words. Instead I'll do this in a Q&A format:
Q:What is the plot of The Inspectors?
A:There is no overarching plot. But there are millions of small sub plots. This sets it apart from most anime, because rather than create a setting and use all of 0.00001% of it to tell a story, this show heavily utilises its setting. For instance, unlike, say, the original Gundam, where Char and Amuro was the only significant rivalry to ever develop in the whole, supposedly large, one-year-war. In The Inspectors however, there are dozens (to make the comparison worse, SRW's earth and enemy forces are orders of magnitude smaller than they are in gundam). So right off the bat, I can guarantee you that The Inspectors has much more content than does most standard shows (mech or otherwise).
Q:Does having this much content clutter the show?
A:Yes, but not because the show is cluttered (ie: poorly written), but mostly because viewers don't have a 20-minute attention span. Unlike many anime series, where forgetting 70% of an episode doesn't have squat influence on the plot, you would do well to remember what was in each episode of the Inspectors, as much of it is important. Indeed, if you watch a particularly fast episode twice I can effectively guarantee that you'll see something new the second time round, especially if you leave a day or two between watches.
Q:So what are the upsides to having this many characters?
A:The usual answer would be "to please fans of the character from the game". This is a stupid statement. I mean think about it, this just begs the question as to why the character was in the game in the first place. That's not particularly helpful. So instead I'll offer an actually useful answer: Because having loads of characters from different backgrounds working toward their various goals is PRECISELY what the SRW franchise has sought to do from its inception.
I mean honestly, in this show you can do something nigh on impossible in almost every other anime. Watch the show from different points of view. Take Axel in the first episode. Then the end of ep6. then the beginning of ep8, etc. The perspective you get is radically different to the one you'll get if you watch the show in full. Then you can re-watch from Rai or Gilliam's point of view, etc. To me, this is the appeal of the OG saga lines, everyone and everything is an actual character, not just a puppet with a face being pulled by the strings of one or two lead actors in a play. Everyone is legitimately different.
Q:But if these characters are just from a game, aren't we just getting the "same old" stuff rehashed?
A:NO. This is NOT an adptation of a game (or at least, not one that has been released so far). It would be much more useful to think of this as an expansion pack. The general gist of the show is along the same lines and the game, but there are so many (often very large) differences between the game and show that calling it an adptation does an injustice, there is a large volume of content added that you'll never see if you only play the games released thus far.
Q:So, are there any changes that make it worse than the game?
A:Only one- Wodan Ymir. Saying why would be a spoiler, but suffice to say, when a character is popular because of nothing but raw strenght, then you have to be very careful how you depict that strength. A point of reference must be made, because unlike the game, the anime has no health bars and damage meters (excluding those awesome computer menu screens). Compared to the game Wodan was not done well. That's not to say he was done badly, just that the game did it much, much better.
Q:so that's plot and characters, what about art and sound?
A:Sound, firstly, is friggin AMAZING. The original score is really really good, and the score recycled from the game is incredible, since the games have had years and years of refinemnt go into them. Voice acting and sound effects too, are amazing. The first OP is the only thing I'll criticise- it really lacked "flow" so I felt it doesn't really work as a theme, though this is minor considering how many other good pieces of music they had. And some people liked that song. (I must admit the full version is better than the TV version)
But art is the big one.
Firsly, the art is very VERY flashy. Crisp colors with loads of contrast and special effects make this show a pleasure to watch.
The 3D CG is excellent. It is used in only a few specific instances (such as the lion series and explosions and battleships), and even then, only when it fits. But more importantly, it is shaded very vibrantly, so it fits in very well with the show, so unlike many other mech shows with 3D in them it is entierly possible people won't even notice the CG at all.
There is also a liberal amount of VERY high-quality artwork (still frames) employed in the show (these make GREAT backgrounds xD), which serves to boost the show and deliver eyecandy to keep up the bombardment of awesome that comprises almost every scene in this show.
But there are downsides. There is a lot of stock footage that gets recycled. This is used approriately and in varied circumstances, so even when it is heavily employed, it feels fresh, but it is noticable.
The bigger issue is the regular drops in quality in minor scenes. the producers obviously were stretched for resources (I'd say manpower, since I've seen shows with a low budget, and the Inspectors doesn't have those symptoms) and in some scenes it is quite apprant.
But frankly, at its lowest quality this show is still of a much higher standard than most anime.
Q: Overall?
A: Simple. This show is PACKED. And I mean PACKED with stuff. Art, sound, stories, characters, mechs, new stuff, old stuff, you name it. Sure, some people like their anime simple, shallow and two-dimentional, but if you're up for something bigger, the inspectors delivers.
-Also, this show is a sequel. the first season was ridiculously mediocre, with obvious CG, bland BGMS (except for the ones from the games) and dated character designs. But that said, it may help you get familiar with the cast, which, being as huge as it is, is no lean feat. I suggest watching it, but be aware that the Inspectors is RADICALLY different.
