[Mesnick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuardianAngel87

I am now back into the world of Garo and this time, I have finally gotten around to start watching the Red Requiem movie.

I remember this movie. Very stylish and with the recognizable signature of Keita Amemiya.

[GoldenXtreme]

I gave Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon a watch, along with a friend who had watched the anime version in the past (though it was a long time ago for him). It was a solid experience overall, one that managed to satisfy both as an alternate take on the original Sailor Moon story arc for my friend and as a interesting mashup of magical girl and tokusatsu elements for me. Oh and before I get started just let me say: don't use the Miss Dream subs for this show. I did and it was a truly astonishing mess of lacking grammar, typos, and flat out mistranslations. I don't know how the Sea of Serenity subs are, but this is a low bar to clear so they are probably superior.

Since I'm not really familiar with Sailor Moon beyond second hand knowledge, I tried to approach the show on its own merits. It's low budget, but as it goes along you can tell the show gets more comfortable with balancing practical action with CGI. It's not mind blowing, but it does show that its actually possible to put the glamour of magical girls in the tokusatsu quarry. The story throws together some truly absurd romance with a plot that shares a lot of structure with the near contemporaneous Kamen Rider Ryuki (also by Kobayashi). Seriously though, the ending in particular really invoked Ryuki, with a bloody swathe being cut through both the hero and villain casts, the protagonist dying, and everyone eventually being revived in a new world. While not directly Ryuki related, I also found it kind of flabbergasting to see a magical girl treated like a tokusatsu berserk form, with Princess Serenity usually being treated as an object of abject terror who is also completely FABULOUS.

I think what might be a sticking point for a lot of viewers with this show though is that there is a lack of communication in this show that would genuinely put Toshiki Inoue to shame, with the various heroes often running off and doing their own things and not telling anyone. Like, I get that after a certain point everyone basically had to treat Usagi as a bomb that could go off if she ever got upset, but it was an element long before that too. I did particularly like Rei though, whose actor also really got to show off some incredible talent for a newbie during some of the more dramatic scenes, even if she might be the most prone to running off and trying to progress the plot on her own. I'm also not really keen on romantic elements, which is something I've occasionally brought up before. I was pretty okay with it here, where at its highest level of angsty teenage pining it actually crossed the line into being flat out funny and sometimes I ever found it sweet, like the Makoto coming to slowly accept her crush on Motoki.

There are some elements to the story that are never fully resolved though. Nephrite's storyline just stops after a certain point, it's never really made clear what exactly Queen Metallia is, stuff like that. There were also some parts that just dragged or were supposed to be serious were amusing to me for the wrong reasons. Still, even if I'm not sure I was really the kind of person this show was supposed to appeal to, it was unique and interesting. It'll be fun to compare it to some of the other magical girl toku that exist and I'd even like to check out some of the Sailor Moon manga and anime at some point so I can compare them.

[Mesnick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenXtreme

I gave Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon a watch, along with a friend who had watched the anime version in the past (though it was a long time ago for him).

It's a great show in its own right. It's also really cool and positive that the actresses are still friends more than 20 years after the show aired.

[Mesnick]

Finished rewatching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Next Mutation. I feel like I need to give this show another post because my previous comment was too harsh. Either the show improves after the introductory arc, or I just got used to its style, but gradually my opinion of it improved. Yes, there is really too much humor, and not a particularly successful one, but still the characters are sometimes serious. Moreover, there is character development in the show (albeit directionless due to its open-endedness), which is greatly aided by the fact that everyone except Leo has a deeper connection to specific villains. Also, my favorite turtle is Donatello, and he gets a lot of attention from The Next Mutation. Perhaps even more than in any other version.
It is also very noticeable that the writers love the Venus they invented more than other characters, but I would not say that this directly spoils the plot and I would not call her a green Mary Sue. Although here it should also be taken into account that I grew up on “Guest from the Future”, “Mary Poppins, Goodbye!” and "Rock 'n' Roll for Princesses." So I wouldn’t be surprised by an omniscient female character.
It should also be noted that the fact that in this version the Turtles are not particularly heroic, and sometimes downright unpleasant, is also not necessarily a minus. This creates an interesting field for discussion, which, unfortunately, does not happen, because this is an action sitcom from Saban. But still, this moral ambiguity is present, which prompted me to the following thought.
The next Mutation is the antipode of MMPR. If the great success of the Rangers is due to the fact that they came out at the perfect time, then this show missed the mark with timing and format. If it had been released in 2017 on Netflix, with an emphasis on drama and re-interpretation, the result would probably have been different. Yes, most likely, then, during the first season of 8 hour-long episodes, there were three two-minute fights, and only towards the end did the Turtles emerge from the sewer for the first time. I myself would have abandoned such a show after the pilot, but others would have watched it. Someone is watching Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.But even in this form 1997, I still like The Next Mutation much more than Michael Bay's blockbusters, which have nothing to offer other than modern CGI.
To sum it up, it's still a bad show. But not because his idea or its implementation is bad. It just uses the wrong methods to implement this idea. So I still recommend it for viewing or re-watching for those who don’t have anything better in mind.
P.S. Ending the show with two recap episodes really sucked.

[Mesnick]

I've watched the first three episodes of Wingman 2024. So far, I'm really enjoying the show. It genuinely contemplates what it would be like if a tokusatsu fan became its hero, without slipping into infantile power fantasy or cynical deconstruction. All the actors deliver excellent performances, without the overacting typical of anime adaptations. This, however, is most likely due to the age of the source material and the difference in formats.
The main character is especially good. He's likable, even if at times frightening with his obsession with his dream. Fujioka Maito gives it his all, and for me, he really shines as Kenta.
The villains are also very cunning and inventive, and they don't limit themselves to sending out MotW and hoping for the best. Perhaps this is due to the small number of episodes, but compared to The High School Heroes, for example, it didn't help. Although, of course, comparing the two shows isn't entirely fair.
The costumes, special effects, and fights are also very good. I especially want to see the fights without costumes, which, thanks to the well-aimed sound effects and competent fight choreography, feel very brutal. They are frightening and create a sense of menace, making you care about the characters.
I'd also like to note that the transfer of the plot from the 80s to the present day is done somewhat half-heartedly. On the one hand, the show is well aware that it's impossible not to be on camera these days and uses it to develop the plot.
On the other hand, while the posters and toys in the frame are extremely diverse, the dialogue mentions Gavan (though that name is now back in vogue), Shaider, Black RX, Denjiman, and so on. This sets Kento apart not only from those not interested in tokusatsu, but also from most modern fans. Although, I do give him a thumbs up for keeping the school uniform. It looks stylish and makes the stills from the show instantly recognizable.
So, for now, I'm enjoying it and continuing to watch. It's even a shame I've been so long with this show.



P.S. And yet, how often do these unfortunate schoolchildren have their memories rewritten?

[Mesnick]

I finished watching Wingman. I really enjoyed it. The story itself isn't unique at all, maybe even banal, but it's executed very well and with great love. The final episode especially captivated me. The romantic plot is handled brilliantly. It's amazing how many other shows, given more episodes and therefore more time to develop relationships, failed to do so. And Wingman did it with ease, like a feather dancing in the wind. I'm absolutely delighted.
So I recommend this show to everyone, and I'm adding Wingman 1984 to my viewing list. It's interesting to see a different version of this story. From a different time, a different duration, and animated. It should be interesting. Considering that Wingman is a coming-of-age story, the large number of episodes will definitely help better reveal the hero's journey.

[Sunred]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

Had this been made in the mid-2010s I bet Mackenyu aka Zoro from Netflix's One Piece would've gotten the lead role.