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Outlaw Star Episode 05 – Gritty Kitty

Obviously after such a whirlwind series of events, Gene and the gang (this includes you, the viewer) have to take a break. So, we’re back at Blue Heaven, and as the Outlaw Star begins its dynamic change into the iconic ship in the opening, our remaining three heroes take some deserved R&R. Except, as per the episode title “Beast Girl! Ready to Pounce!” this isn’t going to come true.

Unlike her shrill, screamy, debut on Episode 03, the Ctarl-Ctarl’s character is handled better. Despite being a product of a proud, privileged, family with a military history, Aisha’s well… a bit dim and goofy. It helps how Gene and the gang are unfazed and unimpressed by her, and thus opens the gate for some amusing moments. We get some good fight scenes between her and Gene, and a tease of a greater Beast form in the future, so when she finally joins the crew (you don’t want the opening to LIE to you, this isn’t Gundam SEED after all) those character qualities are good to have. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Outlaw Star Episode 04 – Get It By Your Ship Hands [SPOILERS?]

SPOILERS?

In a testament to my lack of involvement in the animu community, I’m probably not even the first to think this. However…

When it comes to tragic, role model, deaths early on in an animu, erryboddy loves to think about a couple of characters from Martian Successor Nadesico and Gurren Lagann. Those two are larger than life characters (or at least acted the part well enough) who got things rolling so our main protagonists can start the series proper. On my rewatch of this episode (my third I believe), I realize Hilda does not get as much love as she should. Granted she only meets our heroes in the first episode, but her kick in their ass to get things moving has the same ripple effect the other two had on their show. So raise a toast to the now ex-Hilda before we talk about the episode proper. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Otaku Evolution Episode 105 – Boogiepop Phantom

It actually took a couple of weeks to make this (all things considered) pretty short Halloween episode that might be a bit padded, but I’m otherwise pretty satisfied with. Like last year, I didn’t want to go with a ghouls and monsters title, I wanted something more psychological, and while there are, in fact, supernatural boogie(pop)men in this, it’s very much in the same vein as Serial Experiments Lain in the way it gets you to think about the social commentary as much as the characters and plot, if not more. So enjoy my review of Boogiepop Phantom, a veritable Russian nesting doll of a narrative, and form a few memory butterflies as you watch. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
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Outlaw Star Episode 03 – All Aboard the Ctarl-Ctrain

This episode always was a bit of a lull for me. Like the last two there is quite a bit of whirlwind action taking place within the runtime, however it feels like a bit too much time is spent in transit. After putting the kybosh on their nighttime assailants, Hilda and the gang make off for the mysterious ship she spoke to Gene of last week. Obviously this means more space battles…

…However the space battles are not as exciting as they were in the first episode, and if the opening and episode 1 prologue are any indication, the best is yet to come. One can’t do too much with firing lasers on the run on ships that are immune to lasers. So what is there then to make things interesting? Well, introduce a fourth character out of the five showcased in the intro of course: Aisha Clan-Clan. The intro pretty much spoils she’ll join the crew in the future, but I guess it’s nice to see how she and the other three in the intro (Gene, Jim, and Melfina)get their destinies intertwined. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Outlaw Star Episode 02 – Pathos to Gail Simone’s Chagrin

In the fight for gender equality, I believe women have a more pressing group to compete towards than men: The waifu. You may wonder: “Yo, aren’t waifus women? What makes them different and treated better?” Well, it’s a matter of this.

When you stick a woman in a refrigerator, chances are she’s dead. When you stick a waifu in one, it’s for the purpose of waking her up again for some story element a bit of a ways away. The argument has an issue however in that River Tam was NOT a waifu, nor should be considered one. However, that is another story for another day (That will never come). Let’s get back to Outlaw Star. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Outlaw Star Episode 01 – Makings of a Legend?

I’ve a confession. I never really finished Outlaw Star. I watched the first half until the midpoint of what I remember is the Space Race, and then lost interest after that, except for the then-taboo “Hot Springs Planet Tenrei”. However, thanks to FUNimation and an evolved animu home media market which does not sell 25 to 26 episode series in three-volume two-disc sets with an MSRP of $44.99 each, I have decided to take the plunge once more. It’ll not only be great finishing this, but it’ll also be great having a full opinion on the complete product instead of one where I’m “Oh, what I saw was good but I didn’t finish it.” read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Otaku Evolution Episode 104 – WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3

Action Channel bled into October this year, but that’s fine, because I’m taking a week or two off to work on the Halloween episode!

Patlabor 3 is a strange beast. It’s barely a Patlabor movie, it’s barely a mecha movie, it’s barely an adaptation of its source material, and it’s… well, it’s kind of all over the place. It’s a kaiju horror film, it’s a hardboiled detective noir, it’s a thriller, it’s a buddy cop film, a tragedy, etc. I’m surprised that Wasted 13 didn’t end up being an interdimensional alien. But all in all, still compelling enough to rewatch without trouble. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
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Otaku Evolution Episode 103 – New Dominion Tank Police

Yikes, September was supposed to be Action Channel Month, but this is going to bleed into October! Ah well, I can move some things around.

Let’s take a look at New Dominion Tank Police!

I know this is a short video, but most of what I can say about this in terms of themes and such I basically already said when I reviewed the original OVA. Here I concentrated on some of the newer things happening to our favorite ragtag tank maniacs. Well, they do seem a tad less impulsive, but there’s plenty of collateral damage, nevertheless. But what I’ve done here is just a basic overview type of review without bells and whistles. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 102 – Vandread

 

It’s September, so naturally it’s time for another Action Channel Month (though I’ve fallen behind a bit, so expect some delays/bleeding into October). The Encore Action Channel provided me with a lot of anime to chew on in the early aughts, just when my anime fandom was kicking in highest gear, but they weren’t all Macross Plus and Metropolis. Some of them were just Vandread, a show that’s… well, somewhat memorable, at least, if just for the premise alone. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 101 – Key the Metal Idol

Sometimes anime titles slip through the cracks of my fandom, even titles that are fairly well known and appreciated. Back in the day, Key the Metal Idol was one of those titles that I’d always heard of and read about, but I never got around to actually watching it. Since it’s part of the zeitgeist of my formative years as an anime fan, I thought I’d watch to review here.

Teen girl Tokiko Mima is a peculiar sort. She’s quiet, withdrawn, and somewhat naive. Oh, also, she’s a robot created in a rural laboratory of her now-deceased “grandfather”. When she’s left his final wishes- for her to become human by making 30,000 friends- she moves to Tokyo to make it big. The only problem is, she doesn’t have any actual talents. Well, none that would make it big on the stage, unless you count her array of esp-based abilities. But is “Key”, as she’s called, less than human, or more than human? It’ll take a pop idol, a harsh taskmaster coordinator, a fanboy, a robot fetishist businessman, his indestructible right hand man, and a passive-aggressive best friend to bring out the song in this synthiod! read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•