Please welcome the latest column to the Premium Hollywood family: Animation Station, where you can read about some of the latest anime titles currently in stores. I don’t presume to be an expert in the field of Japanese animation, but I do respect the medium and agree that it has a place in the industry. So enjoy my commentary and reviews, and feel free to post your questions and comments below.
Burst Angel: The Complete Series
“Burst Angel” represents everything you could ever want in an anime: action, comedy, CG mech battles and, of course, big-breasted women packing semi-automatic weapons. The only thing it lacks is a story, so, yes, it doesn’t have everything, but that should be the least of your worries when watching a series that clearly chooses style over substance. The series takes place in a future Tokyo where the carrying of firearms is perfectly legal (as is firing it in public), but despite the inception of a new task force meant to keep crime levels at an all time low, the streets have become crowded with man-made monsters and machines. In response to the impending threat of annihilation, four women have joined together to fight evil. The summary may sound a bit generic, or at least a lot like “Bubblegum Crisis” (and it is), but that doesn’t make “Burst Angel” any less entertaining. Fans of sci-fi action animes will definitely enjoy the show, while the provided eye-candy doesn’t hurt either. The six-disc box set collecting the entire series is also one of the best sets Funimation has put out in a while and includes all 24 episodes, six guidebooks featuring character profiles, interviews and production art, as well as extras like director commentary, outtakes and more.
Tsubasa: Vol. 1 – Gathering of Fates
No, this isn’t the Japanese version of the delicious Polish sausage, but rather the very first collaboration between all-girl manga group CLAMP and anime producers Bee Train. “Tsubasa” tells the story of Syaoran, a young archeologist in love with childhood friend Princess Sakura. When Sakura’s soul is lost and broken into feather fragments spread across the universe, Syaoran embarks on a dangerous journey (along with a group of strangers accompanying him for different reasons) to retrieve the feathers so that Sakura can be brought back to life. Best described as a mix between “Cardcaptor Sakura” and the “.hack” series, “Tsubasa” is about as generic as animes come. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, as it is the perfect series to recommend to someone looking to get into Japanese animation. Things do get complicated during the course of the first five episodes, as several new characters come and go with little explanation, but the included bonus material features a character guide that serves as a clear-cut appendix to the world.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward
When the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles returned to the small screen in 2003, creators Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman reintroduced them to a new generation as the darker, grittier versions that first appeared in the original comic book series. The show lasted four seasons – developing the Turtles far more than ever before – and was concluded with a cliffhanger episode meant to be resolved in a fifth season. Instead, the continuation of the Ninja Tribunal story arc was shelved in favor of a new concept (dubbed “Fast Forward”) that found our heroes transported hundred years into the future by Cody Jones, the great grandson of Casey Jones and April O’Neil. The result is a manga-inspired Saturday morning cartoon for the ADD-generation (much like the WB’s “The Batman” series) that clearly frowns upon the complex story development that made the 2003 series such a welcome revival of the classic property. Still, while many fans have openly voiced their disapproval of the new direction the show has taken, it’s really not that bad. Sure, the episodes are more standalone than ever, and the slapstick comedy is a bit overdone, but Laird and Eastman haven’t jumped the shark just yet.
