Otaku Evolution

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Otaku Evolution Episode 190 – Silent Möbius 2

In case you were wondering, my review of the first movie is here

You know, the premise of Silent Möbius– a police force using a mix of magic and technology battles interdimensional monsters- lends itself to interesting story possibilities. But the Silent Möbius movies just don’t live up to the potential. Perhaps because it’s too busy being an origin story. But they could have done so much better at getting me interested in whether or not (and how) Katsumi joins the AMP, an already forgone conclusion given the bookends in the first movie. This movie, like the first, just feels like completely empty calories. But at least this one was a minor improvement on the first, because it wasn’t quite as dull. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 189 – Trigun

While not holding up entirely, Trigun is, overall, a pretty fun television series that can proudly stand apart from the manga. There are definitely episodes that are significantly better than others, but you can find that in even the best anime. What I think I like the most about Trigun is that it’s a unique experience. I mean, name another anime that’s even somewhat like it. I mean, aside from (vaguely) Kenshin, but Trigun is more than just “Kenshin with guns” or “space western Kenshin“. I was happy to revisit it. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 188 – Cyborg 009 (Part 2)

 

Part two of my look at 2001’s Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier involves looking at some of the non-Black Ghost related storylines in the series. There’s the mythology arc with the cyborgs fashioned after Greek gods, the two parter with the extraterrestrials/otherdimensionals, and there’s the unfinished final arc where the cyborgs get an upgrade. But there are also one-off episodes that I thought were worth highlighting here, like the one where 009 experiences time different because his Accelerator Mode is stuck (that might be my favorite episode). read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 187 – Cyborg 009 (Part 1)

It’s been a while, huh? We’re all still feeling the hurt from last year, aren’t we, and yet here we are? As usual, I took January off to cool my jets, but I’m back for another year of the plucky little anime review show that can… well, can’t, really, but tries anyway.

First up? A look at the 2001 anime TV series Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier. It’s a 51 episode series about cyborgs with different abilities fighting… well, mostly other cyborgs with different abilities. It’s like Kakaider, but a little less up its own ass. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 186 – Year End English Dub Review VII

 

2020 was a horrific year. The year saw a pandemic, social strife, and an election that seems to still linger (for some reason). We lost Kobe Bryant and Alex Trebek, and many of us lost people even closer. So it feels a bit frivolous to care so much about a silly little anime review show that few people even watch to begin with. The weight of this year is heavy. But maybe that’s why we need some lighthearted frivolity now and then.

I’m moving along in the Lithos storyline, which will carry over into the new year, with some more bits about the Penguinopolis Mk. II. I have a general idea where I want the story to go, but don’t get hung up on direction, because there are elements where I’m just winging it. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 177 – Batman: Gotham Knight

How often do I get to talk about my favorite superhero (aside from Jarro, the jar-sized Starro) on my little anime review show? Never, is when. So I leapt at the chance to finally getting to the Batman anime, Gotham Knight, which contains plenty of Vitamin B(atman). Not only that, but I compiled a bit of a list of recommended Batman reading for the viewer in the credits section, so keep an eye on that, and pause on each section to write the list down.

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Otaku Evolution Episode 176 – Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

I don’t review a lot of comedy anime, because a lot of anime tries really hard to be funny and truly isn’t. Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is even a bit of a mixed bag itself, in terms of funny, but it does get a few chuckles out of me, and besides which has a classic “coming of age” angle to it, though it takes a back seat to gags. It’s kind of a Baby’s First FLCL.

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Otaku Evolution Episode 175 – Armitage III

 

Not a whole lot to say about this one, except that it has this weird “evil feminist conspiracy” angle to it that Chiaki Konaka must’ve dreamt up while he was in a paranoid state after too much cocaine. Honestly, other than that, Armitage III‘s a pretty straightforward cyberpunk action OVA with a little bit of a mystery in it. I do really like the character of Armitage, though Ross is a little dull. I don’t know, maybe it’s the fate of all people named Ross to be dull. It’s a very dull name. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 174 – Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (two seasons) is 52 episodes long, making this the most episodes I’ve ever watched to review for these videos. Not only that, but it’s definitely the most I’ve ever watched to review for a single video. I didn’t even break this into two or three parts! I probably could have stretched the material, too. But I felt like one succinct video was enough to give the right impression of this classic anime.

Well, actually, it was a tiny bit longer, originally, but I had to edit it down because it was blocked in some areas. Always a pain in the ass, YouTube and Japanese companies. But you get the drift. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 173 – Mid Year English Dub Review VI

More wrap-around material in this one. This will be the last one for a while, though I have plenty of ideas for that stuff. I wanted to do something with Ambassador Morran and thought I’d throw in the assassin Ravex as well, since I’ve barely used him. Here they’re visiting Golex’s people, the Lithos, for some reason. I’ll get to that another time. After this, I want to concentrate more on the reviews themselves.

Speaking of the reviews, I’m glad I didn’t have to suffer through too many lousy dubs in this half of the year. I didn’t plan based on dub studios, just based on what I felt like reviewing or what I had time to review when I scheduled everything. I only have a tenuous schedule for the second half of the year, though I did name drop some of the things I’ll be doing at the end of this video. read more

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