[DreamSword]

Episode #03: Invasion

What would you do if your home suddenly became a warzone?

Would you run for the hills? Would you stand your ground and fight? Sure, there are things many of would like to think we'd do, but the reality might not be those.

Personally, I find this episode's' portrayal of the situation to be rather realistic(atleast in regards to superhero stories), in that while the US defense force is out to fight off the invaders, the civilians are mainly out for themselves.

This even extends to our main cast. Rather than take out every Skrugg he sees, Joey's' focus is almost entirely on getting his grandma to safety. And rather than stick with and protect his sister, all Will can think about is upstaging Joey. And all while the world crumbles around them.

The atmosphere throughout a majority of the episode is appropriately intense, and while the focus is mostly on the action side of things, with the military fighting the Skrugg, there's a nice handful of character beats to carry things along. Especially on the side of Joey and Heroman. For a toy robot, Heroman sure is expressive and surprisingly autonomous.

One thing I definitely appreciate about the episode more on rewatch is the use of CGI for stuff related to the Skrugg. Especially their giant flying saucer, wherein the way that it's rendered makes it look rather otherworldly compared to almost everything around it. I do wish that the fighter jets were drawn instead of CG to help sell the effect though. But that's a nitpick in the grand scheme of things. This show's' presentation continues to be rather nice.

The climax of the episode makes it clear that the fight between humanity and Skrugg won't be a battle easily won, but that makes it all the more important that people celebrate their smaller victories. For now, Joey's' grandma is safe, and that's certainly something to feel some relief over.

While it might be labeled as Hero's' theme song, "Rise, Fight, Peace" more often than not tends to play whenever both Joey and Heroman are partaking in heroics. And indeed, a big highlight of the climax in this episode is showing that's not just either of them individually who make the hero, but rather both of them together. This song not only fits the mood made by such moments rather well, but is a very well put together tune in its own right.

[DreamSword]

Episode #04: Sphere

Just incase you thought Heroman couldn't hang with other super robos, oh he can.

The plot of this one is that while Will tries to sneak into the Skrugg's' new base, the Skrugg in turn decide to go bowling. With the city as the pins.

There's also an underlying theme of responsibility going on with this episode. And surprisingly, it's more prominent with Professor Denton, who feels that it's his fault the invasion is happening to begin with.

It presents some dramatic irony too, because Will's' entire plan is to steal some Skrugg weaponry to use against the invaders; Meanwhile Joey and Heroman have already secured an enemy blaster for Denton to study. Even if Joey didn't quite do that intentionally.

In terms of the main threat, while it might sound silly that the Skrugg plan to smash all resistance with a giant metal ball, the episode very quickly establishes why that's far more of a threat in execution than it seems on paper. Heroman is very strong, sure, but even he's not tough enough to smash the thing as easily as he has the grunt soldiers.

And I gotta say, this episode does such a great job in handling its mood. The episode is very appropriately intense throughout almost the entire run time, and the way things are framed, I legit had no idea how our heroes were gonna overcome this new threat(And before you ask, yes, I did forget how they did so). And very teasingly, the episode makes you wait until next time to find out the answer. But man, never thought Robot vs Giant Ball could be so intense!

It goes without saying that a major player in how well the atmosphere is handled goes towards the soundtrack. Fittingly, the song for today is called "Tama" or "Sphere" in English. It's a very tense track that I think was composed specifically for this episode, and it does a great job pulling double duty as a set piece for the the fight in this episode as well as just being an all around great piece for showcasing tension. And like every other sound on this anime's' soundtrack, it's just great to listen to ontop of all of that.

The episode ends with the Skrugg having captured Will and them now being fully aware of Heroman's' existence, so you can only imagine that things will snowball from here.

[DreamSword]

Episode #05: Assassins

I love it when titles have double meanings.

Because not only are our heroes acting as assassins towards the latest squad of Skrugg, but the Skrugg send their own specialized assassins in turn.

While the sphere problem isn't going to be solved anytime soon, the Professor has managed to cook up some other ways to fight the Skrugg. And adding to how this show doesn't take itself too seriously, one way is the power of rock 'n' roll.

It's a silly thing on its face; Adding the Skrugg's' amplifier device to an electric guitar, but not only does it add a layer of fun to everything that's been going on in this show, it also helps sell the ingenuity that the Professor has. He was able to determine so much about how the Skrugg operate in such a short time!

This also allows Psy to take a more active roll in everything, rather than simply be a distraction or solely moral support for Joey. For a guy with a broken leg, he sure is pulling alot of weight in the fight against these alien bugs. Heck, he's even the one who thinks up the hit-and-run tactics that the team uses during the episode's' climax. And it would've worked if not for one stipulation.

One of the big things that anyone who's seen Heroman remembers is how exactly this episode ends. Wherein it's revealed that Will and Nick have been converted into Skrugg, and Will is more than happy to use his newfound status as an experiment to take on and try to show up Joey and Heroman. Not only is the reveal a big one, but the lead up to it is handled great too, with a well choreographed fight and inclusion of Lina at the end of the episode.

The entire situation not only provides a great hook for the next episode(Heroman in general is very smartly serialized), but continues to showcase the big parts of these characters without feeling like too much all at once. The dynamic of everyone involved just shifted a significant deal, and it'll speak miles of everyone's' character with how they end up processing and handling the situation in the end. In whatever case, the fight with the Skrugg isn't going to be in any ways linear.

"Fight" is the theme that plays during the, well, fight at the episode's' climax, and once again, it's a song that sets the mood of the scene it's in perfectly. The feeling of combating a very oppressive force, given how much of an advantage that Skrugg Will seems to have over our heroes, is very much showcased in this song.

[DreamSword]

Episode #06: Backlash

I once heard a comparison that I found to be rather interesting.

"US comic books are for reading. Japanese manga are for looking." And while I don't think that's entirely true, I think I get what birthed that idea.

Because really, Heroman and, more specifically, this episode of it, sort of showcases that? Episode 6 is very talky, with the majority of it being the various factions of the cast talking about what their next move is going to be.

Heck, just like in the first episode the action climax is relatively simple, with Heroman fighting against and very, very cooly taking out a giant spy-re that the Skrugg had set up in Center City. Though for the power scalers out there, it does provide a nice basis for just how strong Heroman actually is.

The episode provides a nice drip feed into the characterization of some of the cast too. While the most obvious and most important are Lina and Will, what with the brief flashbacks we get showing how Will really does care for his sister, we also get an unexpected look into the United States President, who's shown to be a rather stern, yet caring and cautious person. It's a very nice ideal to see.

And continuing the trend of this show having really nice hooks into future episodes, this one ends not only with our tiny group of Heroes ready to go take on the Skrugg directly, but a new character, Dr. Minami, making his grand entrance into the thick of everything. The way the scene is framed makes it very obvious that he's about to become an important player in all of this, but I dare not give away exactly how.

Following up from "Fight," "Combat" is a track that not only plays when there's a big struggle going on, but also in situations that are treated as rather dire or are a race against the clock. It has the same sort of resonance and tone that "Night of Fate" does, for you Kingdom Hearts fans out there. And I love both songs just as much. And given that the first Kingdom Hearts game has one of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time, that should say something about I feel towards the quality of Heroman's' soundtrack.

[DreamSword]

Episode #07: Resistance

For an episode with so much intensity, it's surprisingly funny!

In my opinion, this episode has some of the best comedic beats in the show. That moment I screencapped has lived rent free in my brain ever since I saw it.

It's a great bit of levity, really, because right from the outset the episode sets you up for the character drama that the plot of this one entails. And while it's mainly centered on Will, other characters aren't left out.

A great duality is built between Will and Nick, for example. Since episode 1, Will has been a man who takes charge of his own path in life, whereas Nick has always wanted to mooch off of others. And once the Skrugg's' mind control is broken, things don't change.

The Presidental side of things is again included too. With Minami representing the more unsavory side of international politics. Minami sees the sphere crisis as a chance for opportunity and militaristic superiority, wheres Mr. President treats it as many others would: A crisis that needs to be stopped. It's an ugly debacle that unfortunately the world has to deal with even unto today.

But again, Will is arguably the star here despite alot of the action in the episode having to do with infiltrating the Skrugg base. That opening scene is not only appropriately atmospheric, but shows even more insight into Will's' upbringing. Including how he was the one who broke Psy's' leg(on accident), which is why Will always backs down to Psy. And of course, his love of his sister is what ultimately helps him to rebel against the Skrugg. Nick included.

The ending has serious Metal Gear Solid vibes, by the way. If you know, you know.

"Strategy" seemed like the most appropriate song to highlight this time, given how much focus is given on the planning that crew does in infiltrating the enemy stronghold. I rather liked how realistic they were being about the entire process as well. Sure, saving Will and Nick, stopping the spheres, and even beating the Skrugg would all be wonderful things to accomplish in one go, everyone knows that even just achieving one would be more than enough and to hightail it as soon as things start to go south. It should how level headed everyone is trying to be despite the high emotional stakes in everything, and I rather liked that aspect.

[DreamSword]

Episode #08: Combat

Heroman isn't the only one gaining new power as the show goes on.

Kogorr has certainly evolved past the average Skrugg, given his transformation after deciding to deal with our heroes personally.

But surprisingly, Joey is shown to be able to gain power too. Not only in his new ability to jump good shown when he saves Psy, but also gaining access to super speed during the climax of the episode.

Once Will and Lina safely evacuate the ruins of the underground, this episode is practically all action from start to finish. And it's not just Heroman and Joey vs Kogorr(the leader of the Skrugg), but also Psy and the Professor doing their best to run through the legion of Skrugg warriors getting in the way of their mission to stop the spheres.

I really do gotta hand it to the effort put into Kogorr's' action scenes though, because even before his transformation into a dragon-cockroach-thing, he shows off a style of fighting very unlike the average Skrugg and more akin to stuff you'd see in a kung fu film. Maybe he studied up during his time here on Earth?

Heck, this episode is full of shots that would end being surprisingly iconic to those who watched Heroman, especially that tag team attack that Joey and Heroman pull off against Kogorr; bouncing him off of Joey's' barrier and whatnot. It really helps to sell the idea that Heroman alone isn't the star of this show; Joey is right there alongside him. And when the two work together as a team, they're practically unstoppable.

"Invasion" felt like the most appropriate song to highlight this time, given how it seems to be mostly associated with Kogorr himself, given the few times it plays. Namely when Kogorr is utterly dominating our heroes. Like other songs tied to the Skrugg, it certainly sells the vibe of an overwhelming force, that's for sure.

[DreamSword]

Episode #09: Alive

Incase it wasn't obvious up to now, Heroman is alive.

Yes, he needs Joey's' helps for many things, and he can't speak, but he still has a level of autonomy, and most importantly, emotion.

Sure, up to now one could maybe see it as Heroman being an extension of Joey himself rather than the robot being his own being, but the way Heroman react when Joey's' life is threatened makes it clear that Heroman has a mind of his own.

The entire sequence makes for a very emotionally charged climax for the battle with Kogorr. And speaking of Kogorr and things being alive, I really gotta note just how smart of a design choice it is for the Skrugg to have eyes on their chests. It adds a while new layer to how they express themselves as well as being able to read what exactly they're thinking in a given moment. It's an aspect of the character design in this show that I feel goes underrated.

And on the topic of aspects of this show being handled intelligently, Heroman is one of the few shows I've seen where it's acknowledged that just blowing up a console won't just stop a programmed command from running. There's a reason Kogorr had confidence when deciding to flip the self-destruct, afterall.

Heck, even more on that line of thought, this episode surprised me in many ways when I first saw it. Not just the sequences described above, but also how the subplot involving Minami is handled. I expected Minami to take credit for our heroes' efforts, but surprisingly no. Everyone is able to see clear as day that Minami's' plan never even got the chance to start, and he gets no credit at all.

Everything together makes for a wonderfully memorable end to the first arc of this anime, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Oh, and speaking of memorable, this episode features a preview of the most iconic song in the entire show. Unfortunately, the exact version of it they use isn't on the official soundtrack, so instead I'm provided the version made for Super Robot Wars, which is close enough in execution. I'm going to hold off on gushing all over this song for right now though, because let's just say when the fully realized version of the track comes into play, it makes for one of my favorite things I've ever seen in an anime.

[Sunred]

Sudden thought, but looking at Will I wonder if they referred to Jyaian from Doraemon, Flash Thompson, and Eddie Brock, specifically. Reason being he's the bully of the show with a dedicated lackey and Jyaian and Flash especially are intoduced as the resident bullies of their respective comics.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunred

Sudden thought, but looking at Will I wonder if they referred to Jyaian from Doraemon, Flash Thompson, and Eddie Brock, specifically. Reason being he's the bully of the show with a dedicated lackey and Jyaian and Flash especially are intoduced as the resident bullies of their respective comics.

I'd be very surprised if they somehow didn't.

[DreamSword]

Episode #10: Approach

The struggle with Skrugg might be over, but the aftereffects are very much felt.

This episode is all about how everyone tries to regain some sense of normalcy after all the craziness that the Skrugg brought with them.

And some characters certainly fair better than others. Joey decides to utilize Heroman to aid in rebuilding Center City, Will has exiled himself from human society, and Lina tries to use her love of Joey in order to help heal her pain.

What results is definitely a much more slice-of-life style affair than what we've seen in awhile, and I rather dug it. While in a more realistic setting Lina's' behavior might be some cause for concern, in terms of standard romcom style storytelling, it was nice to see the girl trying to snag the guy for once.

There's also now the plot hook of the government trying to look into Heroman, because as it turns out, routinely doing charity work in the middle of the night is bound to grab the attention of someone out there; And that's not even getting into the Skrugg just suddenly blowing up from the perspective of anyone who wasn't there to witness what actually happened.

We also get introduced to a new player in all of this: Special Agent Hughes, who is going to go on to be a major character in the story from here on out, and the episode is not at all shy about letting you know it. But even with that, this episode is very much about setting up and easing the audience into the next section of Heroman's' story, just as the very first episode of the anime was for both the first arc and the show as a whole, and just like before, I really appreciate how it's done.

When I read a title like "Painful" I usually don't immediately think of a more laid back and somewhat humorous tune, but that's what this is. It's one of the more laid back themes that tends to play when the characters are doing their more day-to-day, silly interactions, which this episode was certainly full of. After all the intense drama of the Skrugg, having a more comedic bit of time with Lina was certainly an appreciated break.