Some Quick First Impressions: Angolmois, Shinya! Tensai Bakabon and Lord of Vermilion

Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki

Short Synopsis: The ruler of an island hires some death row prisoners to protect her island from Mongolian invasion.

Aidan’s review:

A pretty strong first episode but you can tell this isn’t going to be historically accurate. This is certainly very shounenfied history with strongmen who can break manicales and a cast with their own heighted superhuman aspects. I mean a ninja assassin managed to jump ludicrously high into the air and land on his boat so if anything we might as well consider this history told by a storytelling exaggerating the details. The story certainly wants to look like it was painted on scrolls as the full episode has a filter place over it, one which I feel distracts more than it enhances. It’s fine for still shots but when the camera starts panning that filter just sticks out far too much. Other than that this makes for a rather enjoyable watch, not particular deep or outstanding but interesting enough so far with fairly decent characters. I was surprised by how many voice actors I was able to recognise as well, hello there Tora. If you are a fan of shounen anime this could very well be for you and even if not it proves to be a good watch so far.

Potential: 70%

Mario’s review:

Looks like we got a solid historical thriller dose of the season. I was mildly intrigued by the settings – where Mongol invades Nippon (just a historical trivia here but Mongolian Empire was extremely powerful in the early era), but I didn’t expect it to be this strong. The production, in particular, has extra grainy filter which add to the seediness of the era, and I particularly like the raining filter that looks just like a moving painting. The fights have some dynamic choreography there. We also have a strong male lead that worth investing to, a hero type who has his dark past. I’d have preferred the princess of this island stays cruel like she first appeared, given when she displays her weak side, it treads the well trodden path. The story is what I’m a bit worried about. We still don’t know for sure how much of disbelief we need to suspend regarding the cast’s combat skills. I mean, we have a guy who literally parkour roll 20 meters away from where he fights to his ship, which for me is just comically ridiculous. The story establishes its main concept, however how they execute it so that they can keep our interest is hard. This show reminds me a bit of Shoukoku no Altair: rich history context but too crammed with plot progressions and many layers of side characters. The leaner it gets the better. We shall see on this then.

Potential: 60%

 

Shinya! Tensai Bakabon

Short Synopsis: The cast of a 70s anime struggles to find a new look for the modern era.

Wooper’s review:

This is a postmodern reboot of a 50 year old manga by Fujio Akatsuka, author of Osomatsu-kun from the same time period. That series was the basis for the Osomatsu-san anime from three years ago, which saw Studio Pierrot use well-loved characters to provide irreverent commentary on current trends in anime and Japanese culture in general. If you liked what Pierrot did with that show, you’ll probably like this one, especially since it features a gag where Bakabon undergoes surgery to become a set of sextuplets. The surgeon is none other than Black Jack, who appears briefly to turn Bakabon’s dad into a woman (while preserving his new voice, courtesy of Jun Fukuyama), and if you’re with me so far, you’ve probably arrived at the conclusion that this anime is totally bonkers. The premiere spent most of its time taking the “things sure have changed” sentiment to ridiculous extremes, dealing with its need for a new coat of paint by trying every shade at five different stores. While that’s a theme that non-Japanese viewers can grasp, there were at least a dozen references to personalities and cultural practices that sailed over my head. This was less of a problem in Osomatsu-san, which focused intently on the antics of its characters without worrying about what year it was. Hopefully the new and improved(?) Bakabon leaves its identity crisis behind after another episode or two – if it does, the show might be worth your time each week this summer.

Potential: 60% if you liked Osomatsu-san, 20% otherwise

Mario’s review:

So, this one goes for Osomatsu-san route. When adapting a beloved classic manga, it always raises an issue of how relevant it is for the new audience today. And that’s exactly the topic this first episode addresses. This new version of Bakabon is a whacky take on the length these characters would go to adapt themselves and appeal to the new market. If you’re big on meta-jokes you’ll find a lot to love here. Fans of the recent Osomatsu would find themselves at home as well, although in that regard I don’t find the humor as fresh as it was with Osomatsu-san. The real story will begin next week, and you can expect it has all the bawdy humor (and the same artstyle) that made Osomatsu-san a hit in recent years. Not a bad way to approach this classic material, but it feels like an inferior Osomatsu-san at best.

Potential: 30%

 

Lord of Vermilion: Guren no Ou

Short Synopsis: When Tokyo is surrounded by a red mist, cut off from the outside world, it is up to the young few with blood awakened by the mist to gather together and discover what has happened to Tokyo, or die trying.

Mario’s review:

I give it points for not outrightly terrible, but it’s ultimately a forgettable title. There’s two main issues with Vermilion, that it takes its premise a tad too seriously, and that both the characters and the story aren’t that interesting to hold any interest. The show starts right at the end (or maybe not?), when it’s clear that our hero team members fight each others to death, accompanied by generic lines (“that’s the only way I could come up to kill you, sister”. Oh hell I care) and some ridiculous deaths. Then the show goes back to the present and introduces characters that way too bland with not even one memorable characteristic (Main guy especially receives the “prefect” status). The plot itself has many holes (like why many of them dissolved into thin air, while others don’t; why this red wall of Berlin cut off the supply but leaves the food alone? What happened to the people that dissolve into dust?), and based from the flashforward it looks like the cast will try the special power from the red mist and pays their own price for that. I’m not particularly interested to see it play out at all.

Potential: 10%

Lenlo’s Review:

So, I know I referenced Kekkai Sensen in a previous first impression, but Vermillion really is a wanna-be version of it. City cut off by otherworldly mist/barrier? Check. Otherworldly monsters.inhabitants? Check. Blood based superpowers? Another check. However unlike Kekkai Sensen, which revels in its absurdity and just has fun with itself, Vermillion takes itself far to seriously. Like it’s trying to be some kind of fantastical drama. I just couldn’t get into it. If your ok with some good natured fun getting sprinkled across your fantastical drama, something that doesn’t take itself to seriously while still having a story to tell, go watch Kekkai Sensen instead of this. It’s just better.

Potential: 0%