I have a love-hate relationship with this episode.

Because half this episode is really engaging with a character who's quickly making himself to be rather likable, and the other half... isn't.

Let's start with the "love" half first. Much of this episode has to do with Agent Hughes' investigation into who exactly the "ghost" of Center City(Heroman) is, and the logic of his deductions.

All throughout, Hughes shows himself to suave, smooth, and most of all, reasonable. He's able to figure out that Minami is up to something at a glance, respects the input of the townsfolk, and even when he sets a trap to see Heroman for himself, he's calm and civil all throughout.

And then we have the "hate" half with another new character: Holly. She's the exact opposite of Hughes in every way. She's bossy, annoying, selfish, obnoxious, rude, all around unpleasant to be around, and worst of all, embodies something I hate in almost every single anime it pops up in: The stock "mean girl idol" tropes found in anime that want to sell soundtrack CDs.

Don't even try to give me that "oh well that just makes for some thematically fitting duality" crap either, because "thematic" or not, the end result is still that every time Holly is on screen I'm tempted to stop watching this show that I otherwise really love. Her being Joey's' sister and making it a point to torment him in increasingly abusive ways doesn't help anything. Infact I dare say it makes everything even worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NDh9qZaAGw

Where I gave up on Holly entirely was at the end of the episode, wherein we get the tired, annoying trope of "Oh well you see, she might be horrible to everyone she talks to, but she can sing well, so deep down she's a beautiful soul and you should like her!" Yeah, I don't care if the very basic pop song she sings sounds nice, that doesn't change the fact that she actively torments not just Joey, but also Psy who is now crippled. Holly is actively the worst thing in Heroman, and you will not read me having any nice thoughts about her during her time on the show. Idol or not, she's trash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_98V-ACY960

Joey and Lina go on their date. That should tell you everything about this episode.

It's the sort of scenario that has been in American media since like, forever. The friends stalking the two love birds, "Mr. Blue Sky" playing, the works.

And yes, that means that you can probably guess exactly how about 90% of this episode goes. And as far as cliche date episodes go, this one isn't bad. There's some fun character humor to be had, and nothing about it really annoyed me.

It just leaves me with not too much to talk about. Even the fight at the end is moreso to move the plot with Hughes along a bit more, as Joey being connected the Heroman is discovered due to Joey's' own heroic nature. Props for the irony of Hughes being the one to help Joey with the date though.

But on that note, there was one very nice highlight for me in all of this, and that's the showing of how Joey isn't dumb. Not only does he catch on to his friends getting in on his business, but he also realizes pretty quick that the fight with Minami's' robot is a setup. Even so, he doesn't let anything stop him from doing what he feels is right, and is even able to make the day a memorable one with Lina regardless.

Is the episode anything super special? No, but for what it is, it's done well.

The government has officially labeled Heroman an enemy.

Notably, Hughes isn't thrilled about the situation, but he's got a job to do, and that's to arrest Joey.

Thus, the whole episode deals with Joey's' attempts to escape Center City, which has been placed on lockdown by the local authorities. And surprisingly, Psy and Denton are sticking by Joey's' side.

While the episode isn't exactly "detailed" in any way, it's a fun ride throughout. We get to see one of Heroman's' new attacks (which these subs call "Magnecto" instead of "Magnet" for some reason), the planning stages from both sides are interesting to see play out, and the promise of a shake-up in locale is exciting.

Although everything technically works out in the end, with Joey escaping capture, it's clear that the victory is fleeting, if not coming at the cost of Joey's' old life. It's a victory, sure, but it all ends on a bit of a somber note.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKyEWcbwZnY

Which sure can't be said about the new opening that Heroman now has, starting with this episode. "Missing" by Kylee is an energetic song with an equally action packed animation to match. Don't get me wrong, I love "Roulette" too, but I think this second opening blows the first out of the water in terms of both music and visuals. It's such a cool opener all around and I love every second of it.

"...then they can fight without holding back."

It's an unfortunate way that things tend to work. Propaganda is a powerful tool, even unto today.

As the trio of Joey, Psy, and Denton continue to be on the run from the feds, Hughes and Minami stand on very opposites sides of how to approach the job they've been given.

This episode is full of nice character dynamics playing out. There's the obvious, big things, like how Hughes is trying to keep everything as low key and peaceful as Minami wants to use as much brute force as possible, but there's also alot of smaller stuff like Joey calling Lina to make sure she's okay.

Often true to many scuffles though, brain outmatches brawn, and unfortunately, despite our heroes' best efforts, Hughes is a professional when it comes to this sort of thing, and he's not only able to keep up with all of the group's' tactics, but outplay them at many points as well. And all without ever having to raise a gun himself. Minami though, well, he has other ideas. And is often outwitted.

It's an episode that's all about the tension of the chase, and in that regard, I think it handles itself rather well. I'm never not impressed by just how well Heroman is able to balance its more talky nature with spurts of exciting action, and this episode is no exception to that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXytCELDScA

This song with the unpronounceable name comes from Mass Alert, and serves as the anime's' second ending song. I like the song a bunch, but the visuals that go along with it... not so much. Like, I get the general idea: To provide a sort of snapshot montage of the character's' lives, but it's not only not exactly engrossing in the way it's done, but I feel it's a major step down from the rather creative credits sequence that came before it.

Also said ED has a massive spoiler in it, so that's not cool.

This episode could've gone so much darker than what it had.

But luckily for both us and Joey, Hughes is a man of integrity, and does his best to keep his word. Minami, well, not as much.

In alot of the shows that I've seen, the military is often treated with scorn. The US military especially. And I'm not saying that such an attitude is entirely unfounded, given the history of, well, every country ever.

So imagine my surprise when Heroman comes in and, rather than take the easy potshots so many stories have of the military being outright evil and/or incompetent, is treated as an organization with many sides to it. With those who wish to do right by others just as much as those who abuse their power.

It's a surprisingly balanced view on things, even in regards to Heroman's' usual bout of optimism. And even then, it's not like the threat of Minami's' abuse of power is completely negated. Because while the first half of the episode is Hughes bonding with Joey, the second is Minami wreaking havoc in order to satisfy his own ego, in an intense bout that caught me by surprise.

Heroman suffers his first loss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McQDPQDx46Y

And going along with Minami taking everything in the episode personally, today I highlight the song "Mechanical" which tends to play whenever there's about to be a bout with one of Minami's' mecha. It featured a hardened, industrial sound that's very fitting for both the scenes it plays in as well as a song centered around robots created by mad scientists.

I was only half lying in the previous post, I swear!

This episode is all about the final battle with Dr. Minami, and it's a rather intense one all throughout.

The thing that makes it quite the scene to see play out is that Heroman is actually on the ropes throughout alot of it. Either due to some surprisingly smart tactics by Minami, or the fact that Heroman isn't willing to put others in danger.

Minami's' one and only goal is the destruction of Heroman, and he doesn't care what gets destroyed or who gets hurt in the process. Joey and Heroman, however, take an exact opposite stance. And it's that sort of integrity and more open minded thinking that not only allows them to win, but be seen as heroes.

I was very swept up in the emotions of this one(as I often am with this show). Not just in terms of the fight itself, but also the little glimpses of other things such as the live broadcast from the press who want to set things right, to the happy ending where everything works out. All charges against Joey and friends are dropped, and Minami and his cronies end up in jail.

Curiously though, Minami's' secretary doesn't end up arrested. Odd, that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ccVugfcLI

Speaking of Minami though, while "Mechanical" was most often associated with his machines, "Madness" is more akin to a theme song for Minami himself. The way the song is structured, it reminds of the sort of song you'd hear in a Sonic the Hedgehog game associated with Dr. Robotnik. It's a funkadelic electro-beat that matches the eccentric personality of the mad doctor wonderfully, and I like it a bunch.

The third arc of Heroman starts off incredibly strong.

So much of this episode is like something out of a film noir. Or, in keeping with the superhero comparisons, a stylistic Batman cartoon.

And with it comes an incredibly downbeat and mysterious atmosphere that I really dug. The sequences with the mysterious new figure that this episode deals are stellar, and the fact that Bones put in the effort to animate them in their own style unique to everything else in the anime makes them all the better.

Said figure has been doing their best to eliminate any remnant of the Skrugg; whether it be leftovers of their technology, or even so much as people researching them. This thing has been on a warpath all across the United States.

It's a mystery that's solved by the end of the episode, as it's more to serve as a hook for the rest of the arc rather than being the entire arc's' plot in and of itself, and in that regard it's incredibly effective. But adding onto that mystery aspect, I do really love that the audience gets one big hint as to who the culprit is when they confront Heroman at the episode's' climax.

As it turns out, Will has returned, and he's changed; evolved. Both figuratively and literally. His physique is almost entirely different, and his demeanor indicates that he's begin to embrace the more monstrous side of himself alongside his exiling himself from the rest of humanity. And like Heroman has done before, Will now also sports new ways to fight. This includes a really cool and demonic electro-claw that's become a signature of the character.

If Joey is Spider-Man, then Will is now Venom. And it'll be great to see how this new dynamic plays out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsfMqRcq9pE

Alongside Will comes some fresh and new songs, of course! The one premiering in this episode is "Nightmare" which sorta serves as his new theme song? It's a darker and more spooky piece that plays during the scene featuring him in this one, and it escalates everything associated with it wonderfully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJwHe4mjx4E

Nothing like a nice and cozy beach episode to relax you, right?

It's certainly a fun one to be sure. And it's especially enhanced by all of the little character moments sprinkled throughout.

Ms. Colins now being a part of the group adds someone new for the cast to bounce off of, and even beyond that many of the scenarios the team finds themselves in offer moments that are either heartwarming, funny, or both.

The biggest highlight to be sure is Heroman himself, who has the absolutely funniest bits throughout the episode. And it was really cool to see the cast genuinely treating him like a friend rather than just a weapon that Joey uses. Especially love the bit about him diving into the sea.

Swimming, sand castles, a barbecue, and general fun in the sun makes this a really fun time to experience alongside this cast. And it did alot to warm me to them even further.

...And then the second half of the episode hits, where the story ends up turning into something straight out of Iczer.

Because as it turns out, the island is actually the home of a secret experiment that just recently escaped captivity. And the sign of it being around is tentacles. Alot of tentacles. With mouths. Needless to say things become a real life ghost story pretty quickly, and in the end, as the title tells you, Joey and Lina end up cut off from the rest of the group.

I was very impressed at just how well this episode was able to cleanly transition between its two moods. It all feels very natural with nothing coming out of left field, and the cast staying in character and letting their personalities shine all the while. It makes for a really fun ride all throughout and, because of how well everything is handled, this episode has now become one of my favorites in the show. A shame I didn't realize how great it was the first time around.

But in any case, the point is that this episode is a great time, and it'll be fun to see how it's second part is handled in the next episode.

Normally it's Heroman who saves Joey. Now, it's the reverse.

This episode is very much the "part 2" of the previous episode, with the very clear mission to killing whatever monster the government has created.

And I gotta say, for a monster made out of vines, I certainly did find it to be overall rather inventive. And the way that it gradually evolves over the course of the episode does make for a pretty cool boss fight.

The episode also played with my expectations a bit due to how other, similar stories have played out in the past. Dr. Ravi's' behavior can easily come across as suspicious; what with him somewhat easily coming around to helping the group after being so opposed initially.

But as it turns out, he really is just inspired by Joey and Heroman's' heroism, and does infact help everyone to save the day by giving them the key to the monster's' defeat. Things could've easily swung in the opposite direction to drag things out or to make the story more cynical, but no, everything is very straightforward and refreshingly so.

It just goes to show that sometimes the best twist is no twist at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YohDbU-i0Kg

This episode didn't introduce any new songs(or atleast none that I noticed), so I figured now would be a good time to highlight the Super Robot Wars remix of "Roulette," which is sadly the only other song from Heroman to appear in the franchise so far. Should this anime ever make a triumphant return to SRW, I hope we can get atleast one more song in there. Even if they go the easy route and just use "Missing."

This one was a little tough for me to get through.

Because frankly, a majority of the episode is designed as a means to try and win the viewer over to Holly. And while I could see it working for some, it didn't for me.

It's the classic "mysterious abductions" scenario that you've likely seen in many other stories(especially those concerning aliens), and it's mainly just an excuse to try and showcase Holly's' better qualities.

The problem being that the episode practically starts off by showcasing some of her worst traits, and unfortunately, I'm not the kind of guy who just immediately forgets when they've been slighted. I still don't like Holly even if she's very slightly less annoying in this episode.

That said, the episode isn't a complete wash. It's unfortunately rather minor, but there is a very small theme going throughout about the relationship between parents and their children, and the few scenes that hung on that idea were rather enjoyable to me. Both Lina talking things out with her father and Joey talking about his mom, while brief, were rather nice moments.

It's just, you know, Holly dominates like 80% of this episode so the overall effect is a bit diminished.

This isn't the worst episode of any anime ever or anything like that, but it is a definite downturn in the usual quality that Heroman typically provides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i_qtJR7Lzc

Today's' song is "Justice" which usually plays whenever there's some sort of breakthrough being done within the current situation. Fittingly enough it sounds very triumphant, yet at the same time having a tone of mystery. Rather fitting given the plot of this episode.

There are two halves to this episode, both of equal importance.

One half is resolving the abduction plot that should've been the main focus of the previous episode, while the other half is a personal story involving Psy.

When it comes to the abduction plot, and hence the bigger overarching plot of the current arc, it turns out that remnants of the Skrugg have been kidnapping people and animals in order to create robot copies. And they are very dangerous.

And in the search for those kidnapped, we get a small glimpse into Joey's' past, as the mine that the Skrugg were hiding out in is one that Joey himself is familiar with, with Holly even noting that the mine is "cursed" during the final moments of the episode. This will get further explored in the future.

Don't get me wrong, that's all big stuff, but the emotional core of the episode lies with Psy, wherein we get a closer look into his past and, more specifically, the incident that robbed him of his ability to ever run normally again. Previously it was framed as Will being the culprit, and while still technically true, we get get the full context here.

In short, an argument followed by a botched play on a part of both Psy and Will led to Psy's' knee getting completely shattered. Tragic to be sure, but a surprising takeaway from the story is how Psy is able to reflect back on it, and rather than use it as fuel to hate Will, sees it as proof as to the type of person Will is: Yes, Will is rough around the edges, but the fact that Will never forgave himself for what happened proved that he'd never go out of his way to seriously harm others.

While it does stand a bit in opposition to how Will treated Joey in the early episodes, and even with how he attacked the group at the start of the arc(Joey even brings this up), I think the whole point of the discussion is moreso to show how people are complex in what they do and how they think, and it's up to you in what qualities you choose to keep at the forefront of your mind. The scars of what happened to Psy will never fully go away, but he chooses to make the most out of it that he can, and is mature enough to not see Will as the sole villain.

Plus, man. That sequence of Psy trying to score just one more touchdown? That hit right in the feels, I must admit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhibZWuNiJQ

Today's' song serves as the last "normal" battle theme in Heroman(if memory serves). "The Dawn: Heroes and Villains" certainly has a grandiose name, and an equally epic score to match. It certainly serves to highlight how big of a deal the prospect of the Skrugg returning really is, ontop of being a banger.

This is my favorite episode of Heroman.

And yet, in contrast to all of the love that I'm about to give this episode, it's also the one that cemented me never liking Holly.

A vast majority of the episode is about what heroism means to different people, ontop of Joey and Holly's' relationship with their parents. While they have the typical main character trait of both parents being dead, this episode delves into it.

Joey takes a very positive and optimistic view of both of his parents, as do the residents of Center City, given that Joey's' father was someone who ended up sacrificing his life in order for others to live. Holly, however, takes a very negative and pessimistic view of her father, and refuses to elaborate.

Look, I get it. Holly's' entire viewpoint is meant to highlight not only her not processing the sudden death of her father properly, but to have a contrastic viewpoint to Joey in order for the overall message of the episode to come out stronger. Remember the lesson Psy imparted to Joey last episode? Holly is meant show the polar opposite of that idea.

But just because I can acknowledge the purpose, doesn't mean that I have to like it, nor like Holly as a character. She is entirely selfish in this whole ordeal, and whenever Joey attempts any sort of communication with her, she brushes him off. And yet the episode still attempts at making her look sympathetic in all of this. I will definitely give the episode credit in that it never once tries to show Holly as being in the right, though.

So, on nothing but positive notes going forward, I dug almost every moment of this episode through and through. The atmosphere is incredibly somber throughout. The backstory of Joey's' parents in themselves were ones I found very engaging, and the subplot about Lina meeting Will felt every bit as powerful despite not being the center focus. The climax of the main plot, showing how the anime has had hints leading up to this big moment were great to see too, leading to the twist about the helmet that really did work for me.

It's been years, and yet I still remembered almost the entirety of this episode beat for beat. And hopefully that'll tell you something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxpr-kjJ0Sc

Following in the somber mood, today's' music highlight is "Lost" which is an equally somber song. Here it's used in regards to Lina, who fittingly enough is at a loss about what to do with her own family situation. I really felt for her in all of this, as her sections being the side plot helps to highlight her own feelings of being pushed aside. And this song very much helped in carrying those emotions.

Heroman has entered its endgame.

The remnants of the Skrugg finally make their move; Taking over the White House and planning another full scale invasion.

And while the arc welding that goes on here is pretty nice, and the stakes of the final battle made very clear very quickly, I really gotta hand it to this show for making the time to have the "smaller" moments between characters take place.

I really like the scenes between Joey and Lina, which are not only acted well, but composed well too(in terms of both music and scene direction). It goes to emphasize that despite the divide that been put between them due to recent events, both still care for eachother.

Outside of that, again, this episode is very much just prep work for the endgame, with the invasion of the Skrugg, Will being on the move, and some sick new power armor for Heroman himself. The finale is definitely looking to be bombastic, and I of course am not going to give anything away, but I will say that viewers are definitely in for a treat with the next few episodes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0YfYeYhj3o

"Advent" heralds the arrival of the Skrugg, and the utter ruthlessness inwhich they're able to take control of the territory they want once again. Everything began with their arrival, and the show makes it very clear that it'll end with them too.

Is Joey a bad enough dude to rescue the president?

This episode details the siege on the White House, with Joey and Heroman fighting their way through horde upon horde of Skrugg Robots.

The action is all very cool as usual, what with the whole man vs army aspect ontop of getting to see alot of what Heroman's' new upgrade can do(Lightsabers! So cool!). But it's not only them getting in on the action.

I was really impressed at just how many elements from past episodes were congregating at the center of this final battle. From past characters, to past robots, it seems like everyone who's ever been involved with Heroman has a stake in this. And that includes Kogorr.

As the episode spoils for you, he's revived at the very end of the episode with a brand new body. Though in a very smart move from the writers, the exact specifics and extra bits that come with his revival are left a mystery for next episode. It's just very clear that whatever comes next, is going to affect everything on a global scale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9C5yTVzsUA

No new music this episode, so I'm instead highlighting a song that I didn't realize is one that'd be permanently missed. "The Theme of the Skrugg" is a really good, haunting song that has so much effort put into it, and yet it only plays once in the entire show and for a very short scene during the first episode. Maybe I'm mistaken and it'll play at some point during the next two episodes, but I unfortunately doubt it. So here this is now.

The middle act of the final battle!

There's a surprising amount of talking and planning in this one despite Kogorr's' full revival, and yet it surprisingly works.

While on paper it sounds as though the action stops dead for everyone to exposit, that's actually not quite it. The main thing to keep in mind is the various different players all contributing to this last act.

Many people are pieces are being moved at once, and the episode makes sure to get all of them their fair share of screen time. From Denton's' plan to supercharge Heroman, to Kogorr absorbing the Spheres(which is a really cool visual, I might add!), to Hughes deciding to get more personally involved, there's alot happening.

And with Will joining in for the episode's' climax, we have all the pieces needed for one heck of a finale. Because not only is the siege on the giant Kogorr a really fun action sequence, but the hook it ends on is one which turns the situation from bad to incredibly dire. Kogorr's' plan to consume the planet is now very much in the realm of possibility, and our heroes have never been in a worse spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ0SekIjni0

Highlighting the awesomeness of the climax is "Light and Darkness" which serves as the theme for Joey, Heroman, and Will all teaming up for their last stand against Kogorr. The song itself is wonderful as per usual, but its high intensity matches up with the scene it's scored to perfectly.

I am seriously struggling to think of what to write for this.

It's the grand finale of Heroman. And despite being so words are utterly failing me what angle to go at with this.

While past writings of mine might have you thinking it's because the episode is so horrible that I don't even know where to start, but you'd be wrong in that case. Because this episode? This finale? I think it's absolute perfection.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is not only one of my favorite endings, but one of my favorite episodes in all of anime period. There's so much going on here in terms of character development, plot, atmosphere, symbolism, sound design, and action. I just love every aspect of this episode to bits.

And of course, I'm not leaving out the soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lftZf7E2Xoc

Leaving "Joey and Heroman" as the last song to highlight was my plan from the very start. Not just because it's my favorite song from the show's' soundtrack, not just because the way it's utilized throughout the anime(and this episode) is done absolutely perfectly, but it, in essence, IS this show. Just as this episode in itself says, Joey alone isn't the lead character.

Joey isn't THE hero. Heroman has been there right by his side from the very beginning, and they together are what make everything work out. The episode is equal parts about stopping stopping the Skrugg once and for all as it is about highlighting just about important the entire cast of characters have been all throughout the show's' runtime. And it's what makes all of the heavy emotions running throughout the episode really, really work.

This episode had me tearing up practically from beginning to end, and it's going to always hold a special place in my heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlXsEfFpyQk

Heroman isn't anything special.

Everything that it does, some other anime almost certainly does alot better. Perhaps that might be the reason it's become so forgotten?

Stan Lee was certainly proud of the show, and he did everything he could to both get it a second season as well as an American English dub, but it unfortunately never came to be despite all of his efforts.

From what I understand, there just wasn't enough of a demand from the Japanese audience for a second season to get made, and the eventual Asian English dub that the show got seemed to be done solely out of obligation, given that it swiftly became lost media.

And I get it. The action isn't nearly as bombastic as the average Shonen anime out there. The plot doesn't exactly have multiple layers to unpack. The animation, while great, isn't about to be winning any awards. And the show as a whole was very optimistic and wholesome during a time when audiences were demanding more cynical drama.

But it's almost because of all of that that Heroman ended up becoming one of my favorite anime of all time. Sure, each individual aspect of the show would lose out when compared to many other individual anime, but I'm not kidding when I say that I genuinely feel that Heroman is alot more than the sum of its parts. Nothing about it might be the absolute best, but it all comes together to form an experience that I very rarely get out of any show I watch period.

From start to end, I was completely enamored with what was being presented. The characters were all likable with depth to their personalities and backstories. The action was always smooth and engaging. The character drama managed to find a perfect balance between the mundane and the fantastic. The story never once felt inorganic or lacking in logical or emotional sense. And perhaps most importantly, the music, both in utilization and composition, was fantastic. All of these together made an experience and a world that I hope to forever love.

So, no. Strictly speaking, there is nothing incredibly standout or special about Heroman. But that, in itself, is what makes it so special. The execution was what was put at the forefront, not the idea. And I'll always love the show for that.

In the end, I give Heroman a perfect score of 6/6.