Review provided By Luther

Title: Space Runaway Ideon on Blu-ray

Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Maiden Japan

U. S. Release Date: Feb. 5th, 2019

Format: Blu-ray / 39 Episodes and 2 Movies / 1158 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Mecha, Drama

Age Rating: MA

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Synopsis:

Space Runaway Ideon contains anime episodes 1-39 and movies The Ideon: A Contact a movie compilation and The Ideon: Be Invoked the sequel all directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino

When Earth archaeologists on the planet Solo dig up a set of strange vehicles, they have no idea that they’ve unearthed something that will change the course of mankind. Even more shocking is the discovery that a SECOND human race called the Buff Clan is also seeking the mechs! A deadly competition ensues as the two races battle to secure the secrets of what the Buff Clan calls the “Ide”. While the fight initially favors the Buff Clan, everything changes when young Cosmo Yuki and his friends accidentally power up the ancient machines that form the most powerful robot the universe has ever seen! But even with the Ideon defending them, the return to Earth won’t be easy, and there’s a long hard journey filled with combat and sacrifice ahead!

Commentary:

Space Runaway Ideon aired in 1980, as such while watching the show I indulged in some of the 80’s culture surrounding the show, that being building a model kit. 80’s animated television being a vehicle for merchandise sales, especially toys, is a fairly well known phenomenon. In the United States the toys based on shows were typically action figures or dolls, but in Japan a common thing to see was model kits, especially models of giant robots or mecha. Mobile Suit Gundam is the most well known example of these model kits, but Space Runaway Ideon was no stranger to model kits. The titular mech, Ideon, received several model kits, as well as some of the space ships and the enemy mechs. The model I built was one of the enemy’s crafts, a blue saucer with three long flimsy legs it barely manages to stand on. The design of which is reminiscent of the alien crafts in H. G. Wells The War of the Worlds. My experience building the wild looking model kit was rather similar to building Gundam models of the same age, just cut out the pieces and glue them together, only when finished the model from Ideon had difficulties standing. As such building the model was rather analogous to my experience watching Space Runaway Ideon, both were basically the same as Gundam, just not as good.

Comparisons between Space Runaway Ideon and Mobile Suit Gundam are going to be inevitable, in part because Ideon aired a little over one year after Gundam, but the main reason for the comparison is that both were done by the same studio, Sunrise, and directed by the same person, Yoshiyuki Tomino. Furthermore, Tomino included a number of references or easter eggs to Gundam, with the mascot character Haro showing up in the background of some scenes as well the protagonists and mechs from Gundam making brief caminos.

Overall Grade:

Brief cameo characters are not the only thing Space Runaway Ideon shares in common with Gundam, for both stories share some rather similar story beats. In both series a young man, who’s father is working on a project relating to mecha, winds up in the middle of an unexpected battle were he accidentally ends up piloting a powerful mecha he used to fight a space faring people. Of course both series do their own twist on this narrative set up but, especially for the beginning of the series, Space Runaway Ideon just feels like a rehash of Gundam.

Gundam as a franchise has made a history of roughly duplicating the narrative of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, to some success. Thus the problem Space Runaway Ideon has is that it uses these narrative elements in a setting that is less engaging and with characters that aren’t as sympathetic. The central conflict of the battle between the two main factions is sparked from misunderstandings and both group’s militaries shooting first before trying to understand what is going on. Compare that to the complex political drama Mobile Suit Gundam takes place in and Space Runaway Ideon presents a far less intriguing story. The story of Space Runaway Ideon is further dragged down by an overabundance of uninteresting characters. At the start of the series far too many characters are introduced in a short amount of time, as such none of them are able to be portrayed as unique or complex characters. Both the issues with the story and characters are eventually overcome as the narrative deepens and as the characters get more and more screen time, but the first 10 episodes or so feel like a slog to get through, and the overall narrative does not take the series in a particularly unique direction.

Yet, despite any shortcomings with the characters or narrative, Ideon’s biggest flaw is the age of the show. Not to say that old anime are fundamentally flawed but rather compared to some of its contemporaries, Space Runaway Ideon has aged rather poorly. In its time Ideon was a fairly unique in many ways. The use multiple vehicles to form a single mech was not common in mecha anime, nor was ancient technology being advanced as established of a narrative device. Additionally, Ideon’s depiction mecha as tools of war and the suffering such conflicts can cause was fairly unseen, with Mobile Suit Gundam being the series that started the such trends only a year prior. While it is neither the fault of the series or the creator that Space Runaway Ideon struggles to compete with the anime that came after it, the show is still difficult to recommend to a general audience. However, Space Runaway Ideon is still a solid classic science fiction anime and can easily be enjoyed by fans of such anime. Space Runaway Ideon would also be a curiosity for fans of the Gundam franchise, for the series is deeply entangled with Gundam. Fortunately, for those curious about the Space Runaway Ideon but don’t wish to sit through a 39 episode series, the first movie included in the blu-ray set is a recap of the series, making it a good jumping in point. Thus for anyone looking for some classic giant mecha action or who enjoys exploring the mecha grene’s history, then Space Runaway Ideon a great title to check out.  

Title: Girls Last Tour; Complete Collection

Director: Takaharu Ozaki

Writer: Tsukumizu

Screen Play: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu

Music: Kenichiro Suehiro

Studio: White Fox

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Jan. 29th, 2019

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Drama, Sci Fi, Post Apocalyptic

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

The world we knew is gone. The massive cities, once filled with people, lie silent, empty and decaying. There are no more forests filled with animals; no more birds in the sky. But life hasn’t disappeared completely; not just yet.

Amidst the rubble two small figures, young girls, travel together, scavenging what they need to survive as they explore the remnants of a world that they are too young to remember. It’s a strange journey, but one that’s filled with wonder as each new day brings another discovery, another echo of the devastated past or moment of unexpected beauty. And as long as Chito and Yuuri have each other, they have a reason to keep pressing forward. As long as there’s still life, there’s still hope for a future.

Commentary:

Sometimes you read a synopsis and ask yourself “am I ready for this?”. I asked myself if I was ready for a sad depressing series and with all of those expectations I started watching Girl’s Last Tour. I have to admit I was somewhat surprised. The first few episodes really made me think and then as things progressed I began to see the sweet optimism that is infused in the entire series. There is a complex story being told by a simplistic vision and cadence.

These two girls represent two different worlds and both also prove why they need each other. Chito is the cerebral and Yuuri is the physical and together they manage to make a true team that is doing the only thing they can do, keep moving forward. In a world of mystery and possible starvation they find ways to stay naive and strong.

Overall Grade: A

I have always loved series that make me think and ones that take a simple structure to tell a complicated story. Girl’s Last Tour won my heart and soul within minutes and keep working on my brain. It took some time before my head joined the team, and it rejoiced with the realization found in the story. Of course each person will have to find their own reality in the series. Who knows what they will find.

Girl’s Last Tour is wonderful in much the same way I found Mushi Shi wonderful. That is the quiet way the story is told. there doesn’t need to be any great monsters to defeat or a hero’s saga to work through to gain the meaningful message being told. Anime and the eastern philosophies tend to lend themselves to a quiet simplistic story telling nature that is rarely seen in the west and most notably in North America. A young culture often looses itself in its own power where as older cultures can look back and be thoughtful in the things they have to say. Girls’ Last Tour could have easily been a warriors last battle type of story where these girls have to fight their way past the crazed remnants of humanity just to survive.

Title: Human Crossing on Blu-ray

Directors: Akira Kumeich, Kazunari Kumi

Studio: A.C.G.T.

U. S. Distributor: Maiden Japan, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Jan. 8th, 2019

Format: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, Drama

Age Rating: MA

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

There are over 120 million people living in modern Japan, and over 38 million live in the greater Tokyo area alone. Some live in incredible luxury, while others to struggle to survive. But from the high to the low, all are connected through the complex web that binds us all, the bonds of family and relationships. Yet there are times when the isolating nature of urban life tears and tatters that fragile safety net to the breaking point. At times like this, each person can only do the best they can. To meet the challenge or fail. To rise or to fall. Eventually, all of us must make that transition from one part of life to another. From the award-winning manga by Masao Yajima and Kenshi Hirokane, these are the interweaving stories of the Human Crossing.

Commentary:

I am not sure that the anime community is ready to have Human Crossing re-released, but I must commend Maiden Japan for taking the chance to provide this one of a kind true Slice of Life anime back to the western audience. There are plenty of Slice of Life anime that give us the typical day to day high school life but almost none that look at what it means to be an adult who discovers things about their past that have had real impact on their lives.

Overall Grade: B+

Human Crossing is a little dated and most of the stories are a tad simplistic, but the concept behind all of the stories is very eastern in philosophical in nature. That in itself makes Human Crossing worth watching. You just don’t find wester culture interested in discovery of our being or wishing to understand ourselves at a deeper level. I for one find Human Crossing to be a wonderful mirror to humanity and think everyone should take the time to watch it and think about the deeper message it is trying to present.

The real drawback is going to be the age of the series and the overall production quality. It looks dated, but the stories are timeless.

Title: Princess Tutu on Blu-ray

Director: Junichi Sato (Chief), Shogo Koumoto

Studio: Hal Film Maker

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Dec. 11th, 2018

Format: Blu-ray/ 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Magical Girl

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Princess Tutu contains episodes 1-26 of the anime directed by Junichi Sato and Shougo Kawamoto.

Once there was a writer, a creator of tales, who was blessed with the ability to bring his stories to life. But when the writer dies before his story is finished, what becomes of the characters left behind? For the girl known as Duck, the world changed when an old man gave her a pendant that transformed the duck that she was into a young girl. Now she must gather the shards of a shattered Prince’s heart and finish the story of the Prince and the Raven. But will that require Duck to make a sacrifice of her own? Enter a world of dance and wonder as ballet, myth and romance come together in the anime hailed as a modern classic, at least by some.

Commentary:

In a world of strange anime it may be possible that Princess Tutu manages to reach its way up the list to a modest place of oddity. There is so much going on here that it is hard to put your finger on how Princess Tutu fits into any mold. Lets just say that Magical Girls and Ballet makes for an almost interesting concept. For me I found it to be a mix of Pinocchio, Cardcaptor Sakura and D Gray-man. Although, it is possible that D Gray-man pulled from Princess Tutu. I still felt the imagery was very familiar.

The thing about Princess Tutu that kept my attention was the sheer strangeness of the story. I wasn’t interested in the dance or the plot, but rather how very odd everything was.

Overall Grade: B

Princess Tutu does something that is often tried and failed at and that is pull off a truly absurd plot line. The weird overlay of genre and confusion at the begging of what is going on keeps you a bit off balance, but the art style manages to work for the concept. The only real failing I have is the weakness of writing. I found the plot lacking conviction and several of the characters were just a little too stiff.

I think that anime fans of the absurd anime genre should take the time to check this one out. It doesn’t matter if you are into ballet or not Princess Tutu is just weird. I am not ready to call it a modern classic, but it is fun to watch.

Title: Xabungle on Blu-ray

Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Maiden Japan

U. S. Release Date: Dec. 18th, 2018

Format: Blu-ray / 50 Episodes / 1334 Minutes

Genre: Space Western, Mecha, Drama, Comedy

Age Rating: MA

Overall Personal Rating: C

Synopsis:

Xabungle contains episodes 1-50 of the anime directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino plus the movie in standard definition on blu-ray discs.

On the planet Zola, the statute of limitations for any crime is just three days, so when Jiron Amos’ family is murdered and he fails to catch their killer before he receives full immunity, Jiron snaps and continues to pursue his quest for revenge; even though that now makes HIM the lawbreaker! 

With the help of desert drifter Rag and her gang of Sand Rats, Jiron soon finds the opportunity to steal the perfect weapon for his quest: a giant robot called the Xabungle. Taking the Xabungle, however, entangles our heroes with culture-obsessed rich girl Elchi Cargo, the highly dysfunctional crew of the giant land ship Iron Gear, a bevy of chorus girls, gun-toting toddlers, a Man with No Name named Timp, and an insanely escalating series of increasingly strange plot twists in the weirdest, wildest and most hilarious parody of outer space westerns ever animated: Blue Gale Xabungle!

Commentary:

What happens when Gundam meet a Serio Leone film. Well unfortunately, it is Xabungle. I find it rather curious that Xabungle is listed as a comedy when in fact it is not very funny. Granted there are some rather strange things going on, but on a whole it is rather heavy handed.

Xabungle shows just how big a deal space westerns were in the early 1980’s thanks in part the popularity of Star Wars and in Japan it included Mobil Suit Gundam (also directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino). I found it interesting that Tomino managed to find a way to revise a popular ideal that was at its hight in the late 1960′ and early 1970’s and blend it with the more timely genre of the space sci fi. Serio Leone gave the world some rather weird spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood the found immense popularity and also many copy cat shows popped up. Of course, there is no reason why the Japanese wouldn’t find a way to mold this odd genre in there own special way. It should be noted that in the late 1990’s series like Trigun and Cowboy Bebop were created and are now considered to be true classics.

Overall Grade: C

It is always fun to see some historical series that manage to blend the popular genre of the day, but the one thing that these rebirth also show is that the animation of the period does not age very well. There is also a glaring reminder of how the anime industry was a high production sweat shop industry and it is not just the animation that suffered from the high pressure production levels. The writing and voice acting also suffered greatly. In the case of Xabungle the rush to produce provides a series that misses more than it hits.

I will say that fans of the Space Western / Mecha series will find that Xabungle provides a great window into what was really happening 35 to 40 years ago. I have to hand it to Maiden Japan for giving us the opportunity to visit the past that is often left in the vault.

Title: Takunomi

Director: Tomoki Kobayashi

Publisher: Sentai Filmworks

U. S. Release Date: 12/18/18

Format: Blu-ray / 12 episodes  / 150 Minutes

Genre: Slice of life. Foodie educational.

Are Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:  

 Leaving her rual life behind, Michiru Amatsuki moves to Tokyo. Excited with her move, she wants to be the sophisticated modern “Tokyoite”. She is moving into Stella House Haruno with three other roommates. All the gals are friendly enough, especially enjoying an evening at home with drinks mixed with a bit of alcohol tutorial.  Nao usually over indulges, so is often the teacher, she loves her mixed drinks and beer, knowing how and why things should be mixed and maybe even some history. 

Commentary:

Takunomi was light and fun, like visiting with friends who are glad you are there. The episodes are short, but it reminds me of several other anime or manga series that throw in some educational aspects as entertainment, specifically about food and drink. My first introduction to this Foodie Educational genre was Oishinbo (Originally published in 1983,  English compilations weren’t released until 2009.)  I would also includes series like Yakitate Japan (All about bread.), Ben-to   (Culture of store bought bento.), and even Food Wars (Cooking in general with over the top expressions of delight.)

Takunomi has an over series storyline of a Michiru moving from the county and trying to fit into the modern and sophisticated city life of a working woman that she idolizes. She lacks confidence, but is learning though experience. The other theme really is fun with alcohol.  So fun it is. And this is what makes it directed at an older audience. There is a clear waning at the beginning of each episode about the proper use of alcohol, although the rules are different in Japan than where I’m at.

As an anime, I watched it dubbed and thought they did a good job matching the characters. The animation was colorful and looked good, no complaints from me. The pacing was well done. And, unexpected, there was character development. I can’t think of a negative, unless the morning after scenes make you remember (regret) some over indulgences of your own.

Overall Grade: A-

I enjoy this genre of anime/manga, if you seen/read one, I encourage you to enjoy one of the others like Oishinbo or Yakitate Japan, or for the older viewer/reader, Takunomi, Drops of the Gods,  or Food Wars.