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Black Bullet (anime review)

black-bulletTitle: Black Bullet Complete Collection

Director: Masayuki Kojima

Studio: Kinema Citrus, Orange

Creator: Shiden Kanzaki

Screenwriter: Tatsuhiko Urahata

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 27th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray or DVD / 325 Minutes / 13 Episodes

Genre: Sci Fi, Supernatural, Dystopian, Moe, Action, Adventure

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Synopsis:

The Gastrea virus spreads like wildfire, causing each infected host to rapidly mutate, gaining new powers and abilities with every stage of development, even while they continue to attack, kill, and infect multiple new hosts. Unable to fight a pandemic enemy that turns defenders into adversaries, the shocked remnants of the human race are forced to retreat into cities surrounded by giant monoliths made of Varanium, one of the few materials that can stop the Gastrea.

Now mankind’s last hope lies in the Cursed Children: young girls infected with the virus who have managed to retain a hold on their humanity. Paired with a partner, they alone have the strength to take on a Gastrea in one-on-one combat. But the very thing that gives them power is a ticking time bomb, so even as they protect humanity, they are also feared and shunned. Are they girls? Monsters? Or mankind’s ultimate salvation?

Commentary:

Black Bullet is another of the many series that have gotten picked for the american market that have plenty of action and a edge of little girl perversion blended into a dark story of the potential end of humanity. Honesty I would love to see an anime that killed us all off. After watching Black Bullet I’m not sure if there is a reason to save us from our own self-destruction. Of course anime know only a few standard story lines and the end of humanity is at the top of the list. I guess if you want to get published then you need to give us cute young girls and a crazy dystopian future that only a few moral / righteous individuals manage to keep on the path.

I wish I could give this series more props, but it looses itself in its own vision and panders to a fan base that wants contemporary ninjas and magical young girls to save the world. If fan service is the point of the series they manage to provide plenty of nice looking women to drool over and enough young girls to make any Lolli perv happy. I just think all of that gets in the way of the story. Of course the story isn’t all that new or imaginative.

Overall Grade: C+

For all that I find lacking I do have to admit that the series is compelling enough to make it worth watching. The action and plot gives any viewer enough to latch onto in order to keep them watching. The animation is fair but considering that the series was originally produced in 2011 shows that it ended up the shelves of the original network and was an easy pick up for other to produce for their markets.

I understand why Sentai spent the money on giving this series a english dub but I wish they would have saved their money and used it on something that can been seen as an artistic achievement compared to a potentially strong fan favorite.

I guess that the marketing machine wants to give the masses what they think they want and not so much the stuff that they really should see. I personally love anime for the potential for artistic expression and when I see series like Black Bullet go straight for the consumer and lack the artistic or imagination that sets great series apart from the rest I just have to tell myself that it is all part of the market and needed to keep even the weakest fans engaged.

In all fairness Black Bullet does manage to pull off a strong ending that opens up the possibilities for more to come. I should also mention that their is a moral imperative that is launched and will make anyone sit up a little straighter as they watch it.

So, if you are looking for a series with plenty of action and a lot of tough little girls then Balck Bullet is right up your ally!

 

Majestic Prince Collection 2

Majestic Prince collection 2Title: Majestic Prince Collection 2 on Blu-ray

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Studio: Dogakobo, Orange

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: July 15th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Mecha, Sci Fi, Comedy, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

For the members of Team Rabbits and Team Doberman, each new sortie becomes increasingly dangerous. As the fight against the Wulgaru continues, it’s harder to determine what the real objectives of Team Rabbits are, and the arrival of a new addition to team’s lineup only further confuses things. The unwritten rules of mecha combat teams seem to require that there’s always at least one mysterious loner in the group, but the enigmas and conundrums surrounding Ange Kuroki are so extreme that even the new pilot’s gender is a riddle!

As the pieces of the puzzle come together and the layers of the riddle slowly peel back, it becomes apparent that everything Izuru, Asagi, Kei, Tamaki and Suruga have encountered are interconnected to a greater extent than they ever imagined. Deadly reversals and shocking revelations await!

Commentary:

I knew it was going to tough to wrap this series up, but to my delight it wrapped up very nicely. The utter silliness of the first half of the season has settled down and a relative seriousness of the story line takes over. This change of pace makes difference in how these young hero’s come across and it is for the best. Of course not all of the comic relief is removed and there are still some rather funny moments, but there is nowhere near the focus on this approach in the final 12 episodes. There are a few hidden secrets discovered that help solidify the plot line and at the same time clear up some mysteries about our mecha pilots.

The animation stylings still tips it’s hat to the great series of the past and manages to prove that it can have some fun with the past and at the same time show respect to what set the stage for today’s mecha stories. It is in this animation production styling that some of the strength and weakness to the series come out. There are moments in the series that I felt like they relied on the past a little too much and made the imagery look 20 to 25 years old. As much as I appreciate what they are doing I also found it distracting and somewhat disappointing.  At least this did not ruin the series for me.

Overall Grade: B

With everything that is happening with the series and how they build toward the final battle it was nice to see how they dealt with the mix in cultures and how the outcome was not totally devastating. I also felt like much of the portrayal of the Wulgaru in mays takes stab at our own species and our obsession with hunting and superiority. I found it to be a nice touch of commentary.

In the world of good and great mecha anime, Majestic Prince falls solidly between just good and great. It is very possible that with a little time, there might be a following for this somewhat quirky series. I found it to be rather entertaining and easy to watch. I also found myself comparing it to some of the more beloved mecha series that have graced our screens in the past. At time this comparison was fun and other times I found it rather distracting, but all in all I must express my appreciation for the effort that was given to reminding us all that without the past we would have a hard time enjoying the present.

All you mecha fans, Majestic Prince is a series you should check out if for no other reason than to see how many older series does it pay homage too. In doing so, you just might find it to be a positive and enjoyable show.

Majestic Prince Collection 1 (anime review)

Majestic PrinceTitle: Majestic Prince Collection 1

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Studio: Dogakobo, Orange

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: July 15th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Mecha, Sci Fi, Comedy, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B-

 

Synopsis:

In the not-so-distant future, the people of earth have expanded their frontier into the solar system. And now, we’re under attack! Advances in physics and genetic engineering have created astonishing new flying war machines and pilots with a wide array of enhanced abilities.

Young Izuru has been chosen to lead the hapless Team Rabbits into battle against the sinister Wulgaru forces. Spearheaded by the cold and savage Prince Jiart, these dark invaders possess both superior firepower and technology, as well as an unwavering thirst for earthly destruction. It will be up to Izuru and his brash band of misfits to vanquish the enemy and save us all… if they don’t kill each other first.

Commentary:

It is always fun to watch a series that proves to be a fine omage to a archetype from the past. Majestic Prince just so happens to be one of those series. In its opening segments and the others to follow it manages to tip its hat to most of the great mecha anime of the past. Of course with Majestic Prince our heroes are setup a losers right off the bat and it doesn’t take long to see where they are headed. This leaves out much of the mystery and only gives us some sad moments of self doubt and societal abuse pointed in their direction. The other side of that plot device is that it sets up some rather funny situation, but because of the way the lead characters are written they just end up being nothing more than silly and at the same time pitiful. After the first 9 or 10 episodes I did begin to feel a title sympathic toward them, but this is because they are beginning to develop into more direct and serious characters.

The animation stylings are a mix of old and new. Some of the space battle scenes look like they are straight out of Marcoss or Gundam with the odd round burst of light far off in the distance and the strange little clusters of explosions that follow. The mecha are well rendered and end of being the star of the show. With the genetic connection as being part of the premiss of the series it is hard not to make them important and to show off the thing that will allow our band of misfits to become the heroes they all wish to become.

Overall Grade: B-

Majestic Prince is one of those series that has a great deal of possibilities but end up relying on rather weak characters and tired plot devices to try and carry the series. I can understand the appeal this series might have to some serious mecha fans and also how the comedic aspects do help it stay afloat, but in the end I honestly hope that the second half of the series looses the looser persona and allows the serious side of the show to come forward. I think that if give the right writing and move in a note dramatic direction Majestic Prince could end up being both an omage to the classic mecha from the past and also a worthy series in its own right.