Anime Reviews ⇢ Contributors ⇢ Davidizer13
Contributor Report: Davidizer13

The following is a list of all ratings and reviews submitted by Davidizer13. The links below can be used to quickly scroll down to a specific title.
Flag (Jump to title)
- Overall: 6
- Violence Rating: 5
- Nudity Rating: 1
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Review So. Stop me if you've heard this one before: in the present day (or a reasonable facsimile of it), a superior military force conducts an operation to "liberate" the citizens in a scrubby, desert-y Middle Eastern country. Things go well and the mission seems complete, until religious extremists rise up against the occupying force and start pushing the country towards civil war.

If you're thinking of the United States' invasion of Iraq or Afghanistan, then that's exactly what the makers of Flag were intending. They were attempting a "ripped from the headlines" feel, and visually, the anime nails the realism they were looking for. Unfortunately, the story itself doesn't quite hold up to that same realism.

As mentioned before, Flag is a visual treat, unlike anything else I've seen. Apart from a couple shots, the whole show is viewed through various camera lenses, complete with HUD overlays like you'd see on a real camera, which is a brilliant touch. The main characters are only seen occasionally, being behind the camera we're viewing from; as journalists, they're observers to the action rather than participants, and they often focus on the backgrounds and scenery, which are gorgeous, some of the best I've seen. In exquisite detail, the backgrounds give the feel of a real, living place. Character designs are realistic, similar to something out of the works of Naoki Urasawa (20th Century Boys) or Satoshi Kon (Paprika). However, most of the vehicles (including the HAVWC) are rendered in CG, often with a weightless feel, which sometimes clashes stylistically with the traditional animation. Overall, though, this show is beautiful to look at.

If only the plot and characters held up to the visuals. For most of the show, the characters we're hanging out with are members of the UN's special squad. They're the standard military types; you've got the calm, stoic pilot, the calm, friendly pilot, the rule-bending commander, a quirky tech guy... You get the idea. While these have been done well many times in the past, Flag doesn't do much with the characters, holding them to being defined by their particular quirk or personality trait and not going any deeper. This is exacerbated in the main two characters because we can't see them most of the time, and again, as journalists, they prefer to stay out of the way of things so they can document the events. Even so, one of the more interesting characters is Keiichi, who is Saeko's mentor and fellow photojournalist, but more for the events he's involved in rather than what he actually does - he serves as the narrator of the story, but speaks in overwrought, pseudo-philosophical metaphor, which grates on you after a while.

But this isn't Flag's biggest flaw. That particular honor goes to how it treats the conflict it's supposedly pulling from the present day. The antagonists of the series are death-worshipping Buddhist cultists, led by a Dalai Lama analogue. We never see any of their faces, only the monkey-like masks they wear. And that's pretty much all there is to them: they kill stuff just because, without any overarching plan besides "stop the peace treaty." This is totally different from what's really going on in the Middle East. There, the combatants aren't clearly defined: anyone on the street could be your enemy. As I watched this series, one of the biggest issues in the real Afghan war was incidents where Afghan police trainees turned on the NATO forces training them. Whether they were caused by Taliban infiltration or by soldiers who had fallen into those ideologies over their training is yet to be known, but still, the idea that the person you're training to fight could turn around and kill you is a scary thought. This isn't a possibility in Flag, where all the bad guys (and only the bad guys) run around in monkey masks, and the nature of the conflict and of your enemies is clearly defined. Even Gundam has more moral ambiguity than this.

spoilerAnd speaking of death cultists, later in the series, Chinese versions of the HAVWC show up on their side. Why is China supporting a group whose only goal is to kill people? Who knows? It's not really explained, and makes no sense.



Furthermore, in light of the realistic elements, the mecha action that serves as the main draw of the series, though also bent way towards realism in a way unlike any other series I've seen, is weak. Much like The Big O, the robot seems to be out of place in light of the rest of the story, but unlike Big O, where the giant robot fights are impressive and the world has an "anything can happen" feel to it, Flag's footing is in the realistic geopolitics of the present day, and the fights are often quick and anticlimactic. More than any other show I've seen, the mecha seem to be shoehorned into a plot that would've done just as well without it, in order to draw in fans in that otherwise would have passed it over.

Even so, though, there's some compelling moments in the series; however, most of them revolve around Keiichi's presence rather than Saeko's, despite her being set up to be the focus character. There's great interactions between him and a former priestess of the indigenous religion, and when he and Saeko reunite in the midst of the series' climax, the show is at its best.

However, these moments don't make up for the rest of the story, with its weak characters and a plot that's full of holes even as it tries to make a statement about current events. If you really, really like realistic mecha or other military-style action, it might be worth a watch, but don't expect much from the payoff.

Violence (5/10) - Realistic scenes of modern warfare - a religious guerrilla war is central to the plot. People are shot through the view of the HAVWC's thermal cameras, with smoke obscuring the bodies left behind. We see the aftermath of the UN forces' bombing campaigns, which seem to be targeting civilian targets.

Sex/Nudity (1/10) - None.

Bad Religion (4/10) - In the country of Uddiyana, the extremist Buddhism of the antagonists and an animistic religion coexist. The mastermind of the flag's theft is worshipped as reincarnation of the Buddha, speaks of the death and destruction he's causing as a cleansing, and his adherents are willing to die for the cause. In contrast, the local animism worships a young girl selected from the population, doted on for a year as a representation of the sun and the rebirth its rising brings; one of the subplots focuses on an adult who was formerly one of those girls. The former is treated as a negative force, while the latter is treated more respectfully, fitting in with the passive observer/journalist theme of the rest of the series.

Language/Others (5/10) - Moderate swearing, a-- or d--- pops up about three or four times an episode. Many of the journalists work out of a bar, with the requisite drinking and chain-smoking. The series' villains worship death, and are seeking to continue the war wracking the country.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Jump to title)
- Overall: 10
- Violence Rating: 6
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still (Jump to title)
- Overall: 10
- Violence Rating: 5
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 6
Gunbuster (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 6
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (Jump to title)
- Overall: 10
- Violence Rating: 7
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 1
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Mobile Fighter G Gundam (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Mobile Suit Gundam (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 6
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 4
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 7
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Review Aired in 2007, Studio Gainax

27 episodes, dub by ADTV

Streaming options: English dub on Hulu, Netflix and Youtube (North America only)

Gurren Lagann (as Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is known in English markets) is the story of humanity’s struggle to survive in a universe that thwarts their advances at every turn.

No, that’s not quite it. Gurren Lagann is also about giant robots with giant drills and the people who pilot them.

Actually, Gurren Lagann is really about a young man named Simon. He digs tunnels for his underground village: it’s not too exciting, but hey, it’s a life. His friend Kamina, meanwhile, is much less enthusiastic about this whole thing. See, Kamina is convinced that he’s been outside the village, to a place called “the surface,” and drags Simon into his schemes to return there, all of which have failed. In the meantime, however, Simon has been finding strange things in the dirt of the tunnels. Like a metal face with arms and legs, about twice as big as he is – Kamina dubs it the Lagann.

And then, one bright day, the surface comes to them. An even bigger metal face smashes through the ceiling of the village, pursued by a scantily-clad girl named Yoko and her huge laser gun. To make a long story short, Simon gathers the courage needed to power the Lagann, which he uses to pierce through the monster and fly up to the world beyond. And with that, the first episode of our saga ends.

The series can roughly be divided into three parts, and each can be categorized by Simon’s interaction with different characters: the first third is about Simon and Kamina; the next is about Simon and Nia, a girl who shows up in Simon’s hour of need; and the last part is about Simon and the universe. Each part develops Simon in different ways, but taken together, all of them turn him into a more likable and more courageous character, and into the leader his friends need.

The plot for the first two parts are pretty standard super robot stuff: the primary antagonists are the tyrannical Lordgenome and his Beastmen, who forced humanity underground in the first place. As the story progresses, the Lagann gains a body and more attacks, more characters join the main team, and more battles are fought. Of course, not everything is as clear-cut as it would seem, and this becomes more obvious as the plot grows heavier and more dramatic.

However, the show really takes off in the last section. At its beginning, the team is scattered and divided against each other, but a new crisis forces them all to take action once more. This occurs with a massive shift in tone, changing the series from an above-average super robot show into something truly amazing. Without spoiling anything, the climax of this series is one of the best finales in all of anime. For this alone, it’s probably worth watching the series.

The setup may sound cliched at first, but I believe that’s the point: the creators of the series wanted to take that old formula of mecha anime and do something better with it, and at this they succeeded. However, the real strength of Gurren Lagann is not in its concept but in its characters: the unbridled enthusiasm of Kamina, the growing confidence of Simon, Nia’s quiet strength… all of these characters give the show its unique feel, despite being based on familiar forms. If there’s any problem with the setup, it’s that its first few episodes take a bit to get going, spending a couple episodes on side-trips that do little to advance either the characters or the plot. If all you’ve got is 26 episodes, then you’d better use them all, something Gurren Lagann initially fails to do.

Visually, there is no other show like Gurren Lagann. Period. It’s made up of various disparate parts that at first glance, should clash, but instead all works very well together. Its art style is edgy and angular, with lots of thick outlines and sketchy forms, but is still very flexible, and twisting, cartoonish distortions in sizes and shapes of objects are common. Mecha made out of skull-like faces coexist with abstract geometric CG designs and effects. Characters run the gamut from Lordgenome: a huge, bald, muscular man who resembles Sagat from the Street Fighter games, to the minor character Artenborough, who looks more like a rejected Muppet design, and pretty much every design in between. Battles are beautifully animated and choreographed, packed with smooth, exciting action that is incredibly satisfying to watch.

The series’ soundtrack is above average overall, but it does have its great moments. It’s mostly orchestral, with some electronic, rock and world instrumentation, but one of the most interesting songs is “Libera Me from Hell,” which combines sweeping, operatic cues with Engrish-y rap. Another highlight is the second ending song, “Minna no Peace,” an upbeat punk anthem that's about harmonizing with love and rock, whatever that means. Meanwhile, the sound effects aren’t quite as distinctive: it all sounds good, but it just doesn’t stand out from anything else.

Similarly, the English voice acting is well-done, but there are a few characters that stand out from the norm, like Kamina’s irrepressible exuberance as he alternately yells his way through life and acts as the voice of reason for Simon, or the ultra-effeminate Leeron. But in the final episode, everybody (and I mean everybody – special note must be given to the awesome voice of the final enemy) cuts loose and taps into their inner hot-blooded mecha pilot, hamming it up the best they can, making the fight even more entertaining to watch.

Taken together, all of these add up to a brilliant show, definitely worth the watch – with a few precautions.

Violence: 4/10 - Giant robot action: stuff gets blown up, robots get torn apart, things get punched, drilled through and/or shot. A couple characters bleed heavily in scenes.

Sexual Situations/Nudity: 7.5/10 - And here's where Gurren Lagann gets into trouble. There are two huge pitfalls: an early episode, set at a hot spring, and Yoko. In the former, almost all the male leads (and Yoko) end up naked, and uses equally suggestive methods to cover it up. This occurs throughout the whole episode, which was cut to ribbons due to broadcast standards and was combined with clips from earlier in the show to fill the time lost. Fortunately, because of this, the plot doesn't advance very far in this episode, and you can skip it without losing too much.

Not so with Yoko. The camera continuously focuses on Yoko's chest and other curves, following their every bounce and sway. Her outfit really, really isn't helping, either: in the inevitable beach episode, her swimsuit covers more than her normal clothes. It's a shame she's so sexualized, because she's a good enough character that she deserved more characterization that should have spoke louder than than "I'm a girl! I have breasts! Look!" There's some other bits here and there, too: in the aforementioned beach episode, Nia (who looks about 14, tops) is the focus of the other characters' attention when she's in her (much more modest) swimsuit, and in another part of the series, an evil character gives her some lecherous looks.
The character Leeron is another possible sticking point. He is very clearly gay, though he rarely acts on that with regards to other characters. Many other suggestive moments abound, driving home the fact that about 99% of it was unnecessary, distracting us from the focus of the series and what is good about it.

Problematic religious themes: 4/10 - Gurren Lagann is very ambiguous when it comes to religion. An early episode depicts a spiritual leader who uses an ancient holy book to explain his attempts at limiting his village's population. He does this by banishing people to the surface, sending them to their deaths. However, late in the series, it's revealed that he couldn't even read the book. It's unclear what they're trying to say here: Do people who use religion for evil understand their own religion? Is religion itself made to confuse people? It's hard to say, and either way, it's a side plot to the real action.

And speaking of which, one of the primary struggles in the show is of control vs. free will: the villains are powerful regimes who are imposing strict policies of extermination on humanity when they get out of line. In one light, this theme could be seen as rebellion against God, who is seen as unfriendly and even evil. Taken another way, though, it could be seen as destroying entities that have falsely set themselves up as God. Once again, there is no clear answer here.

Other than that, the source of the heroes' power is known as Spiral Power, and is said to be drawn from the force of a species' evolution. Make of that what you will.

Language/Problematic themes: 5/10 - Some d---, b-----d, a-- sprinkled through out; one instance of b----. Kamina's catchphrase, "Who the h--- do you think I am?" is repeated loudly even more commonly. One minor character is never seen without a cigarette in her mouth.

Bottom Line: Gurren Lagann is a giant robot sugar rush: it's familiar, but different from anything else out there, and it's well worth the ride if you take it. However, you'll have to get past the near-constant fanservice it throws at you, and its religious pitfalls.
Other activities: 9 records found.