Things We Hate About Anime Video

     About a week ago we posted a video on the YouTube channel called "Things We Hate About Anime."

     This is a fun little rant of things that get on our nerves related to anime. It is YouTube exclusive (as in, there is no written version this time), so we would highly recommend that you go watch it. We had fun making it and hope you enjoy it!

     Things to look forward to: a video of things to look forward to! Plus more reviews to come soon (now that we have more free-time). :)

     Also:
The Reviewing Modern Media/Rose Squad Reviews blog has been up and running for more than a year!!! We started in late November 2015. Here are a few of the milestones we have accomplished:
- 25 reviews
     - 21 anime reviews
     - 2 manga reviews
     - 1 movie review
     - 1 TV series review
- 4 first impressions
- 1,735 views

     We have come really far in a year! Thank you to all of you who read our posts! We hope that you have benefited from our reviews. :) Also, in the next year we hope to branch out to reviewing other forms of media and continuing to provide more quality reviews/videos for you all!

     Thanks so much for a great first year!

First Impression: Sweetness and Lightning

For a video version of this first impression go here.  (The video came first for once, guys!!)

   Note: This is an anime that aired during the Summer 2016 season.

     Comments on the theme song:
          The theme song revolves around the main characters of the show (as it often does - this show is no different. The main character is a single father trying to raise his 6 year old. How cool is that? You almost never get anime with those kinds of characters! Obviously, his daughter is also a main character. Originally, I thought that she was going to be REALLY annoying. You know, that squeaky voiced character that tries too hard to be cute. The third main character is a student at the school where the main character teaches.
          Overall, the theme song is upbeat and catchy, as well as slightly reminiscent of the theme song for Ouran High School Host Club.

     The basic premise of the show is that the main character is trying to raise his daughter to the best of his ability without his wife, who passed away six months previously. Since he is gone all day at his job he often has to resort to buying food from the convenience store for their meals. He will get home late from work most days, so they rarely eat supper together. Despite these struggles you can really tell how much they love each other.

     His daughter did not actually annoy me as much as I thought she would, which was a pleasant surprise. She is very cute and sweet!

     One weekend they go to a flower viewing together. It is spring and the cherry blossoms are blooming and many families can be seen spending time together. At the flower viewing they meet a girl who is eating her lunch alone under a tree. Her pleasure in eating the food is evident in her facial expressions and the daughter salivates over her description. The girl apologizes that she has nothing left to share, but she offers to give the main character the business card for the restaurant her mother owns (who made the food she was enjoying).

     That night the main character and his daughter are eating supper - food from the convenience store  again. He asks her if it is good and she says that it's okay. The next night he comes home to find her salivating over a cooking show on TV. This prompts him to take her to the restaurant for supper so she can get real food for once.

     However, they arrive at the restaurant to find it empty. The girl they met before apologizes, saying that the restaurant is temporarily closed because her mother is away on a trip. They turn away disappointed, intending to come back another night, when the girl stops them on the way out. She says that she can make rice and convinces them to stay for supper.

     With her mom gone on trips frequently (she hosts a cooking show) the girl is often lonely. She really enjoys getting to eat supper with other people and at the very end of the episode she asks the main character if he and his daughter would be willing to come back and make supper with her again.

     I am expecting this short series (there are only 12 episodes) to be a fun, light-hearted anime that is relaxing and enjoyable to watch!

Note: To read my review for this anime go here. Likewise, for a video version of the previously mentioned review go here.

Top 5 Animated Features to Watch

This is a list that we put together of the 5 animated features we think you should watch (preferably sometime during your lifespan). The items on this list were selected because we believe that everyone can enjoy them, and because of their importance to the animated world. These are by no means the only good things to watch, but we highly recommend them to you in hopes that you will enjoy them as much as we did.

A video version is available:

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender

    Regarding this show, there are only two types of people: those who loved the series and those who have not yet watched it. I have not met a person who watched this show and thought that it was “just ok” or didn’t like it.

Avatar has something for everybody and for every age. While the plot is simple enough to be followed by a child, the characters are complicated enough to keep even the most intellectual person entertained. Also, the characters come from a variety of cultures and have relatable strengths and weaknesses.

The animation, while not flawless, is breath-taking in it’s own right. Fluid for the time, the fight scenes are simultaneously amazing, terrifying and beautiful. The voice acting, even several years after the show aired, makes it one of the best dubs today.

In conclusion, you are guaranteed to love this show no matter what!

2. Fruits Basket

    This anime is a classic. If you are any kind of anime fan you are REQUIRED to watch Fruits Basket. While it is a drama and romance, there are many life lessons that are taught. It gives the viewer a dose of reality, while in a fictional setting. It is appropriate for all people (it only has a little bit of language) and socially relevant. But above all it is a show about relationships: family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, and romantic relationships. It may not be the most exciting and heart-pounding show to watch, but it will win you over on class alone. This is a feel-good anime to watch when you are in the dumps, bored, tired, want to relax, happy, sad, just need to kill some time, whenever! Watch it. (For a review of Fruits Basket go here.)

3. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

    Sorry, you 2003 fans out there, but we are ranking Brotherhood over the original anime adaptation. Why? The ending. This is one of the few stories in the world where the ending was everything you were hoping for--and more! Fullmetal Alchemist just didn’t have the ending payout that Brotherhood did. In addition, Brotherhood is much more plot driven, making the sequences of events much more believable. Overall, it is a great show with a wonderful plot, brilliant characters, gorgeous animation, a beautiful soundtrack, and a spectacular ending!

4. Anything Studio Ghibli

    We realize this entry is more general than all the previous ones. Where the others were recommending a series of anime this entry gives you an entire brand! Studio Ghibli is the Disney of Japan, but (I would argue) better. No matter which title you decide to watch, you are guaranteed a complex plot with fleshed-out characters. Quality, every time.  Since there are so many to choose from here are a few suggestions to get you started:

- Howl's Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle is an enjoyable romance that is mainly entertaining, but also heartwarming.)

- Spirited Away (This is Miyuzaki’s most famous work. It is very metaphorical.)

- The Secret Life of Arrietty

- My Neighbor Totoro

5. Trigun/ Your Lie in April

    As you can see, this final recommendation has two titles on the docket. That is because we just could not decide which was better and as they are both extremely good, we thought, "Why not do both?" So here you are; a double feature!

Trigun - Trigun is must-watch if only for the fact that it was the show that brought anime to the western world. Speaking of western, this show seems like it is set in the Wild West. Except, it is not the West we are familiar with. Jump on for a wild and crazy ride with Vash the Stampede as he tries to spread the message of love and peace (I promise you, it is not as cheesy as it sounds)! Bonus: there is a black cat hidden in each episode of the show. See if you can find it. :) (For a review of this anime go here.)

Your Lie in April - Everything about this anime was beautiful! The animation, the plot and the characters. At times it can get a little over-dramatic, but I think this anime will endure to become a classic loved by many. Your Lie in April deals with difficult themes and its characters, while in middle school, are definitely able to deal with that (I found them to be more mature than highschoolers). (For a review of this anime please go here.)

First Impression: WWW.WAGNARIA!!

     For the first time ever, we are posting a video and it's corresponding review (or in this case, first impression) on the same day! For a video version of this first impression go here.

     WWW.WAGNARIA!! is an anime that I have started watching recently. It is part of the Fall 2016 anime lineup on Crunchyroll, and is fairly recent (yay! another first for me!). It is about a guy (your main character) who gets a job at an family restaurant chain called Wagnaria. His coworkers are all rather odd, to put it that way. The anime is a slice of life about their adventures.

     While there are ups to slice of life anime (usually they are light and happy and entertaining to watch) there are also downs (they can get boring fast). However, I thought that this anime had more plot that most and it hasn't lost me yet! It is one I plan to keep watching.

     Also, it so happens that WWW.WAGNARIA!! is a spin-off of an earlier anime called Wagnaria!!. I watched the first few episodes of this one, but it didn't really catch my attention. Either way, I think it would be interesting if some of the characters from the previous anime showed up in the recent spin-off.

     Anyway, if this catches your interest feel free to watch this anime on Crunchyroll!

Update: Your Lie in April (First Impression) Video

     Sorry, no new review this week. However, I would encourage you to go check out the awesomeness of our YouTube channel. We just uploaded the video version of the first impression for Your Lie in April!

   

     I could ramble on and try to fill up space, but that wouldn't get me anywhere too fast. I will say that we are currently working on a Top 5 List of our favorite animated features. We just have to work out the kinks on one section and it will be good to go! So, stay tuned for that and check out Your Lie in April.

P.S. Fair warning: YouTube seems out to get me with the most awkward options for thumbnails.

Manga Review: Legend of Zelda

Note: This was SUPPOSED to be posted last Sunday, but it got lost in the time space continuum. I hope you enjoy!

Legend of Zelda in manga format - what could be better? I am referring to the Legend of Zelda Manga Box set, of which I am the proud owner (okay, co-owner - my brother helped pay for half).

This is a series that is put out by Viz and licensed by Nintendo. Akira Himekawa provides the story and art for this 10 volume set of manga, based on the popular video games. And I say based, because the manga are not a strict adaptation of the video games. For the most part, they stick pretty close. The beginning of the story is usually fairly accurate, with a few embellishments that enhance the plot (for example: Link can talk!). After the first dungeon or so less detail is paid as the author focuses on advancing the plot (let’s admit it - frustrating block puzzles are not that entertaining to read about). On occasion, new characters or plot events are added, but the stories mostly portray the original material.

The 10 volume set covers the story of eight Legend of Zelda games (If the internet is to be believed, other manga adaptations have come out for some of the more recent Legend of Zelda games. However, I did not feature them in this review because I have not read them. If you have read them, please let me know what you thought!):

• The Minish Cap*
• A Link to the Past
• Oracle of Seasons
• Oracle of Ages
• Ocarina of Time (2 parts)*
• Majora’s Mask *
• Four Swords (2 parts)
• Phantom Hourglass

The titles marked are games either I or someone close to me (aka my brother) have experience playing. I will comment on these titles specifically, as I have first-hand experience with the original material, and tell you some details you may want to know.

The Minish Cap

The beginning of the manga for The Minish Cap is pretty close to the content displayed in the game. The only differences are that Link isn’t the one who takes the sword to the festival and that he meets Vaati beforehand. In a way, the plot of the story is simplified, but it is also extended. The dungeons are glossed over (sometimes they are almost non-existent), while more focus is placed on character development (oh the wondrous things that happen when you can actually talk!). Also, a few events are edited. For example, Link doesn’t visit the Elemental Sanctuary until the end of the book and Vaati returns to being Ezlos’ apprentice in the end.

Ocarina of Time

This title has been adapted into a 2 volume story. It adds some backstories and character development to the plot that you don’t get in the game. Some of it fits nicely, but a few additions stick out. Also, not every aspect of the story is covered, so there are a few time skips. However, the author gives adequate ‘page time’ to the main events even though some of the later dungeons are abbreviated to a few pages (but let’s be honest: there are a ton of dungeons in this game). I really liked how they integrated Sheik more into the story. Also, there are a couple bonus stories at the end that are enjoyable.

Majora’s Mask

Again, a little bit of backstory was added at the beginning, like how the mask was stolen and some of Link’s activities before traveling to Termina. Because of the vast amounts of dungeons and (especially) side quests in the game, most are shortened, while some (like the later dungeons and minor side-quests) had to be left out. The only side story that really gets focused on is the one with Anju and Kafei. However, the author allows time to tell the stories behind the main three masks.

All in all, this boxed set was a really fun read! I enjoyed re-living the games I had experience with and learning about the ones I was unfamiliar with. While they don’t follow the story-line of the games to a T, they still provide a fair representation of the Zelda franchise. If you like Legend of Zelda, I would definitely recommend reading this series. Look for these titles at your local library, or buy your own copy for repeated enjoyment!

Movie Review: Joseph: King of Dreams

Title: Joseph: King of Dreams

Genre: Biblical, Historical, Animated Film

Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

General Set-Up: Joseph: King of Dreams is an animated retelling of the story of Joseph found in Genesis.

Characters: Joseph is the main character in this series. Although he looks more white than he would have actually been, he is written into the story well. In the Biblical account, it is unclear if Joseph was prideful with his brothers about his dreams or used Jacob’s favoritism over them. This version takes on that Joseph was humble, but imperfect, sometimes doing things that upset his brothers.

    In my opinion, Joseph’s brother(s)  were a little too generic. And they all looked around the same age which is impossible. Also, Joseph’s mother was the only mother shown in the movie and not the mother of his eleven step-brothers.

Plot: The plot follows the general story of Joseph found in the Bible. However, several things are left out or changes for the convenience of the plot. One thing I cannot shower with praise enough is showing the loss of identity that Joseph would have suffered. Because Joseph was educated, it is possible that he had studied Egyptian, and that was shown in the movie. Becoming a slave, he would have been stripped of his native language and cultural identity. He was made to dress like an Egyptian, talk like one, and do Egyptian traditions. Losing and regaining identity is a theme that is supposed to be understood in the Biblical text, but is often accidentally overlooked.  

    While some of the details are left out or changed for artistic purposes, I still feel that this was a fairly accurate portrayal of Joseph's story.

Ending: The ending was similar to the ending of the Biblical account. The final scenes of the movies was the nation of Israel arriving in Egypt.

Sound: The only song that really stood out was the track “You know better than I.” In my personal opinion, the lyrics of this song were much better than the music that they were put to. The singer does a good job considering what he was working with, but I would have liked more instruments than just piano.  

    None of the other songs stuck out, or even were good. Considering the musical success and genus of the creators of Prince of Egypt, I was rather disappointed in the music in this film. It is the typical home release musical music.

Animation: The animation for Joseph: King of Dreams was not half as good as its predecessor, Prince of Egypt. It was clearly a feature for the small screen rather than the silver screen. The style is very similar to Prince of Egypt, but often less detailed. CGI is also used in some of the scenes. Let’s just say that this is one of the times where it would have been MUCH better if they did not use CGI. It looks bad. Like really bad and doesn’t blend with the other animation at all.

    All in all, the animation was not terrible considering the time, but on the other hand Prince of Egypt showed us all that animation could be. All of the animation in Joseph: King of Dreams is underwhelming.

Things to watch out for: N/A

Other Media: Prince of Egypt tell what happened after the events in Joseph: King of Dreams.

Where to watch it: Joseph: King of Dreams is currently streaming on Netflix.

Update - 1,000 views!

     I am very happy to announce that our blog has hit the 1,000 view benchmark! It may seem like a little thing, but it is a great encouragement to us that you all are reading (and watching) what we put out. Thank you so much! I hope we can double our view count soon, and eventually reach higher benchmarks!

     Speaking of watching, I just posted our video review for The Heroic Legend of Arlsan! To read the review go here. To watch it go here.

     I will try to update the YouTube channel once every two weeks. Life is busy, and we have responsibilities outside of this blog, so it is easy to lose track of time and forget to post. With that in mind, I would like to apologize for any slow updates. With any luck next week we will post our first movie review. Stay tuned for a review of Joseph: King of Dreams!

TV Series Review: Young Justice

Title: Young Justice

Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, DC Comics

Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

General Set-Up: It has been many years since the Justice League was founded, and new heroes are rising up to replace the old--but not just yet. The League has run into a dilemma, a group of heroes that are more than just mere sidekicks, but not yet ready for the responsibility to be full-fledged members of the Justice League. The solution that the Justice League has come up with is to make a team of these heroes and teach them the values of the Justice League. But most importantly, it will test these heroes to see if they are really ready to defend the world.

Characters: This show has many characters, and the cast continually grows as the show progresses. The first three protagonists met are Robin, (Batman’s apprentice) Speedy, (Green Arrow’s apprentice) and Kid Flash (Flash’s apprentice). These three heroes make up the first team of the Young Justice League (just called ‘the team’). Every protagonist is well written, each with their own personalities, quirks, and aspirations. There is not a single character that I did not like, or even a single poorly written character. However, the show is based on the assumption that you know the backstories of many of its characters. While not as popular character’s backstories are explained, (such as Aqua Lad, Miss Martian, Superboy, etc.) many are not (Kid Flash, Speedy, Robin, etc.).

    The one major grievance I have with some of the protagonist in the show, is that the show ended before many of them got any development. While all the main heroes in the first and second seasons were well fleshed out, the show simply ran out of time to develop some characters. A few times the show introduced a character (on the assumption that there was going to be a second season) but never got back to that character. (Yes, I’m talking about you Kal’el!)

    As for the villains, well, they work as villains. Both well-known and lesser-known villains made an appearance in Young Justice. While for the most part they played the typical villain role (get the crud beat out of you and pretty much never be seen again) a surprising number of the cast repeatedly tried their luck against our heroes. While the ‘larger plan’ is never fully revealed due to the third season being canceled, the villains and organizations that make an appearance are very interesting and entertaining.   

Plot: As far as superhero shows go, this is one of the most balanced plots. It balances between the drama and struggles of being on a team and the villains well. It deals with themes such as responsibility, respect, teamwork, morality, and identity. And that is just the beginning. Much less repetitive than its predecessor Justice League (2003), Young Justice has a larger plot woven throughout its episodes. But the background plot does not feel forced and neither do the smaller arcs within the series.

    What I’m trying to say is this: It has a deep, well balanced plot that will keep any fan of superheroes interested. It doesn’t matter if you liked the prequels or not--this is a whole new way of looking at the Justice League. Young Justice focuses on the inner struggles of characters, explores the difficulties of working on a team, and chronicles the team's struggle to keep the earth safe.

Ending:  The show ends abruptly with no third season. It is very obvious that there was meant to be a third season. While the ending of the show answers many of the questions, many more are still unanswered. The villain’s full plan is not fully revealed, nor do many of the character’s ongoing inner battles reach their conclusion. While the ending is not satisfactory, I still highly recommend checking the show out. In addition, I have heard a rumor that Netflix might purchase the rights and make a third season. But that is, after all, only a rumor at this point.

Sound:The voice actors did an amazing job. Everyone’s voice seemed to just fit. It is one of the few shows that I can honestly say every voice actor was in the role made for them. None of the protagonist's voices felt too over-the-top, too childish, or too old. In almost every show that I have watched, there is at least one voice that just feels out of place in the English. In Fullmetal Alchemist it was Alphonse, in Ouran it was Honey. I could go on, but I think that you get the point. Every character--even the villains--had good voice acting with a variety of voices and speech mannerisms.

But one thing that really bugged me was a character later on in the series; a girl named Sam from Japan. Now, I’ve been to Japan and know some Japanese. I know how a native speaker of Japanese sounds and how a non-native speaker of Japanese sounds. The voice actor chosen to voice Sam was anything but a native speaker of Japanese. I could hear an accent from somewhere in the deep south through the poorly written Japanese. And only one word was said in Japanese (for the most part): Sumimasen. This means “I am sorry,” and that phrase was grossly misused in the second season of Young Justice. But on the  other hand, there are thousands of Japanese dubs in anime that fail at English that bad or worse.   

Animation: The animation was very similar to the style of the two prequels, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, but also added in styles used in the popular series Teen Titans. Combining these two styles (plus a good budget never hurt) the visuals are amazing. In particular the body proportions are more realistic in Young Justice than in Justice League or Teen Titans. The animation is more serious than that in Teen Titans, never using the chibi style, but less rigid or “traditional” as the animation used Justice League. I felt that it fit the story well--plus semi-realistic body proportions and no fan service!

    I was very impressed with the designs of the costumes used in the show. While some were the traditional costumes, such as Superman and Batman, most of the other costumes had a modern feel to them. DC, like Marvel, doesn’t have the best track record making female costumes that are *ahem* practical. However, Young Justice did a fantastic job of doing that. The costumes are not low cut, and because of that seem to radiate readiness for battle and a tone of seriousness instead of just trying to get views.

Things to watch out for: The show is violent (it is a superhero show after all) but does not have any gore.

Other Media: It has two prequels, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, and one sequel, Legion of Superheroes. While none of these are “direct sequels/prequels” of Young Justice,  they follow the DC comic timeline loosely. If you like Young Justice, you will like Legion of Superheroes because they share many of the same elements. In a way, Legion of Superheroes (which came out first) became the blueprint for what Teen Titans and Young Justice could be, breaking away from the superhero stereotypes found in Justice League.  

Where to watch it: Young Justice is currently streaming on Netflix.

Recommendations: Justice League and Justice League Unlimited

Legion of Superheroes

Teen Titans

Anime Review: Your Lie in April

Note: To read my first impression of this anime go here.

Anime: Your Lie in April (or Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Genres: Shoujo, drama, comedy, heart-rending goodness

General Setup: Arima Kousei is 14 years old when he meets the girl that will change his life. Not to worry, Your Lie in April is not the cliche romance comedy show we have come to expect from the shoujo genre. It is so much more. As a child Kousei was a prodigy at the piano. His mother not only taught him how to play, but she also placed all of her own hopes and dreams on his shoulders. The weight proved to be too much. After his mother’s death Kousei had a mental breakdown in the middle of a concert. He could no longer hear himself play the piano. Fast forward a couple years to the future: Kousei has quit the piano and is in his third year of middle school. His life is colorless and he sees the world in a monotone. However, that is soon to change. One Saturday morning in April Kousei meets Kaori Miyazono, a violinist with a unique playing style and an obvious joy in life. She drags Kousei and some of their mutual friends to see her perform for a musical competition. The next day, even though she knows Kousei no longer plays the piano, Kaori asks him to be her accompanist for the rest of the competition. The story follows Kousei as he learns more about Kaori and tries to overcome his psychological fears.

Characters: While Kousei has become more withdrawn since quitting piano he is not totally devoid of character. He tends to keep to himself, but still interacts with his friends. His struggle with his past is what defines the show. Kaori is a bright and bubbly girl with multiple layers. She is eccentric and has a bit of a temper. Kousei’s friends Watari and Tsubaki also play a huge role in the story, especially Tsubaki who is Kousei’s neighbor. They have been friends since childhood and have many shared escapades. Tsubaki plays baseball and is somewhat of a tom-boy. Watari is also a jock and is the captain of the soccer team. He is the guy every girl in school has a crush on. Even though he is popular Watari does not exclude Kousei, who is less outspoken and has different interests. Overall the characters really pop and have dynamic character arcs. Also, they are more mature than most high school anime characters.

Plot: The plot is simple, yet at the same time complicated, with hidden nuances. If you watch the series I would recommend re-watching the first few episodes after you finish (if anything you’ll get closure, but you can also appreciate the beginning much more). Also, it can get pretty intense - I never knew classical music could be so dramatic!

Ending: Is it happy? Yes. Is it sad? Yes. Will you cry? Yes. Is it beautiful? Absolutely!

Things to Watch For: I honestly can’t think of anything.

Humor: There is plenty of humor present in this show. Some of it comes in slapstick form (like when Kousei gets hit in the head with a baseball). Some of it comes from the character’s exaggerated reactions (like when Kousei drops to the ground spurting blood from said baseball).

Sights and Sounds: My first thought when I started watching the show: The animation is gorgeous! It is full of detail and color. If you love classical music you will love this show! The score for this anime is influenced by classical instruments such as the piano and violin. I particularly liked the first opening song and was disappointed when it was replaced at the halfway point.

Other Media: Your Lie in April is the anime adaptation of a manga of the same name. There is also a spin-off manga called Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso: Coda  that tells a story from the character’s childhood. It will be released in book format (tankobon) August 17, 2016. A live-action film is scheduled to come out in Japan this September.

Fillers: There are no fillers in this anime.

Length: Your Lie in April is 22 episodes long, which is the perfect length for its story arc. It is long enough to tell the whole story, but not so long that it is drawn out.

Where to Watch: You can watch Your Lie in April on Crunchyroll, as well as Hulu and Netflix.

Update: New Video Upload!

     First off: Happy Labor Day! I hope you are enjoying your day off!

     I hope to be adding a new video review to the YouTube channel at least every two weeks. The blog should have a review once a week. Or so. We all know life gets in the way sometimes, but we will try our best to meet this goal.

     Anyway, the review for today is Free! (both seasons). Please check it out! Here are some fun facts about this review:
- This was the third review we filmed.
- We filmed it at the beginning of summer (you can tell) but I wanted to post it now instead of waiting another year for the stars to align.
- I'm wearing swim goggles.

     That's all for now folks! See you next week!

P.S. I was trying to update the blog, but I somehow messed up the time-space continuum and made a couple posts disappear from the blog. Not to worry, in the following days I will be uploading them so that they can return to their rightful places in society. I hope this has not been an inconvenience. Thank you for your patience!

Anime Review: Trigun

Title: Trigun

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Western

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is an anime that I think everyone should watch, if not for enjoyment, to say that you have at least watched the masterpiece that is Trigun. 

This is on the Top 5 Animated features to watch before you die along with Your Lie in April.Trigun placed first for Action, and Your Lie in April won first for Drama.

General Set-Up: In a far off distant planet that is similar to the wild west Vash the Stampede (yes, that is the name of the main character) is worth 60 billion double dollars. It is said that Vash is a human cyclone, the first ever classified human natural disaster by an insurance company. It is also rumored that Vash caused an incident that caused a town to be wiped off the map. Because of this Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson from the Bernardelli Insurance Society must follow Vash around and try to prevent another disaster, all while taking insurance claims from many of Vash’s misadventures.

Characters: Vash the Stampede is not your typical main character. He tends to stand out of a crowd with his tall frame, wild, blonde hair styled into a mohawk, and bright red coat. All that and the personality to match. But what this show does best is the dual nature of the characters. Throughout the show you will be left wondering whether Vash is just doing everything by the seat of his pants, or if he actually has some semblance of a plan. The world may never know, although I suspect that it is a combination of the two. And perhaps the two things that stand out about Vash the most is his love for donuts and his desire for love and peace. Both are very important to him.

    Milly and Meryl are more simple than Vash. Sent by the Bernardelli Insurance Society, they both seem to be winging it and hoping for the best. Which, makes sense, because it’s not everyday that someone gets classified as an human disaster.

    I would be remiss if I did not mention the other main(ish) character, despite the fact that his is not introduced until much later on in the series. Nicholas D. Wolfwood! However epic that name sounds, he’s more epic. Dressed in a spiffy suit, he begins to follow Vash and the insurance girls around. Like Vash, he also has a dual nature. He is a preacher, and right off the bat, a rather strange one. He is first seen after his motorcycle breaks down, carrying a HUGE cross across the desert. With even a miniature confessional, he seems to be a rather eccentric Catholic priest. But that all flies out the window when you learn that the cross is full of guns! Is he true to the ideals of a priest or to a mercenary? You may never know!

Plot: The plot at first can’t seem to know what to do with itself. The first few episodes are very similar to what you might find on Saturday morning cartoons. The villain is introduced at the beginning of the episode, only to be defeated by the end of the episode. But the first episodes serve their purpose, and serve it well. They let us get to know all the characters and also introduce the ideals of Vash the Stampede. They are light-hearted, and full of humor, and arguably the most enjoyable episodes in the show.   About halfway through the plot suddenly becomes more serious, although there are still many humorous parts.

Finally, your main villains are introduced, and face off against Vash. The second half of the series plays like a thriller, with many twists and turns. It takes a much darker turn, going into morality, ethics, and metaphysics. The second half is different, but just as good as the first half, if not better!

Ending: The ending, while radically different than the ending in the manga, was satisfying and epic. What more could you ask for? It was as close to a perfect ending in Sci-fi that I think we are ever going to get.

Sound: The soundtrack is one thing that will never age. Perhaps the most well known track is H.T. the opening. Full of electric guitars and awesomeness, it pumps us up for each episode. It was so epic (in fact) that I listened to the opening for each episode. There is a longer version of this song called “H.T. in Badlands Rumble” that is available that was used in the Trigun movie.

    Not only was the opening spectacular, but the background music was as well. Trigun, like Cowboy Bebop, is a Space Western. The soundtrack includes many of the sounds of the Wild West like guitars and banjos, but also includes electric and synthesized instruments that form music that is familiar, yet alien, much like the setting in Trigun.

    Now, to the voice dub work. In a word: Epic. In two words: Super Epic! All the voices in Trigun were brilliant, but none as much as Johnny Young Bosch. It was the first major performance for Johnny Yong Bosch and did he ever knock it out of the park. Vash’s voice perfectly captured the character, going from zero to sixty. One moment Vash’s voice is soft and caring, the next loud and jovial, and the next challenging and harsh. It take some major voice talent to be able to pull that off.

    In my opinion, the English dub was far better than the Japanese dub. Part of it is the fact the western slang just doesn’t sound right in Japanese. Part of it lies in the fact that Trigun was very unpopular in Japan (much more popular in the west) and so had a lower dubbing budget. Part of it was also due to the fact that FUNimation pulled out all the stops, and I mean all of the stops,  for a voice acting cast. I generally don’t care if you watch a show in English or Japanese, but this is one that, hands down, should be watched in English.

Animation: Now, to be honest, the animation in Trigun is dated. There’s no way around that. But considering what they did have in 1998 it’s pretty darn good. The animation works when it has to. By far the most well animated part of the series is the characters. The facial expressions perfectly match what is going on screen, which is much better than even some recent animation that we’ve seen. Each character is drawn differently, with different designs for the eyes, texture of hair and clothing, and other details that make the animation pop.

    Also, there is this random black cat with green eyes that pops up at least once in every episode for some reason. It’s like an “I Spy” book, but you have to find the cat--not that it’s very challenging. I just find it really interesting that they put that in the show.

Things to watch out for: There is really no gore in Trigun, but there is some language and the second half of the show has darker tones. 

Other Media: Trigun has a movie that come out recently in 2010. It takes place sometime in the middle of the series, but is not important to the central plot. It is made so that you can watch the movie first, and then the anime, but I would recommend that you watch the anime first. It does not adapt any of the story line in the manga, but creates an original story.

    Trigun also has two mangas on which the series was based. Some of the first parts of the manga are adapted in the anime, but then the anime got a head of the manga. But Trigun is the only manga to anime adaptation in which I can say both endings are truly great. Both answer most of the questions left and have that satisfying feeling. While the conclusion in the manga is much longer, I can say both deserve a watch/read.

Where to watch it: Trigun is licensed by FUNimation.