Tiger & Bunny is the series with the most impressive big picture of the season: perhaps it doesn’t have a single thing at which it’s the best of the season, but it has a bit of everything and does a lot of things right: likable characters, original backstory, good action, the second-best soundtrack of the season (after Hyouge Mono, which was bound to have the best soundtrack of the season anyway), an excellent sense of action and yet it isn’t afraid to look at its setting with some depth in mind, despite the flashy colours.
The flaws so far are a number of overused cliches that pop up here and there, though they all remain minor. I’m referring tot he flamboyant gay, for example, or how in this episode the bully was one of those one-sided bullies who are just there to get a plot going. Oh, and the way in which we have a workaholic who has no time for his daughter. That last one is really nit-picky, though, because this episode provided enough hints at how the creators plan to give the lead characters’ relationship with his daughter a lot of time to develop. Plus, we have a main character who is old enough to have a teenaged daughter. How awesome is that? During most other seasons we should have been glad enough to have a show with a character in his early twenties.
This episode also toyed with some other cliches as well. For example, the lead character gets a new suit that he obviously isn’t used to. Of course the likelihood for him to screw up by not knowing the right buttons to press is going to be larger. I also like how neither the lead character nor his partner are forcedly put above each other: they both have their strengths and weaknesses and yet they’re surprisingly similar: they’re both short-sighted, just in completely different ways.
In terms of the setting, this episode gave quite a nice hint about how the superheroes evolved in this universe. The superhero that the main character ran into when he was young looked really crude. It probably was at a time when the NEXT only barely appeared, and he was one of the first to take up the role of being a superhero. My guess is that after this guy caught popularity, the entire business was commercialized, people got some budget for actually good costumes and entire trends were born, like turning that ice girl into a complete idol. I also love how this show criticizes mass media, but at the same time doesn’t completely label them as purely evil.
Oh, and regarding the soundtrack: Yoshihiro Ike is one of my favourite composers, alongside Hikaru Nanase and Yuki Kajiura. It’s because of that that I’m really glad to see him on another series again where his soundtrack really works. He’s really masterful at these subtle background sounds that do a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere, and the consistency at which he does this is stunning.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
I liked that Mr. Legend obviously wasn’t prepared to be a superhero; he’s a bit out of shape, has no sponsors, and he’s a bit reckless. At the same time he’s not that out of shape, and he tries to set a good example for others. He’s very buyable as an archetype for Kotetsu, who we can imagine as growing up seeking to be Mr. Legend, only to find the whole thing turning into big business around him.
It was also nice to see that none of the younger heroes were completely out of the nobility business. Whereas Blue Rose ran away in the first episode after being shot at, she stuck it out when it looked like they could all be crushed. I hope there’s a continuing balance between altruism and self-preservation for the characters to differentiate them.
It was nice to see that Barnaby isn’t a complete glory hound in this episode. Not that he isn’t one, but his insight about the NEXT boy was surprisingly apt and he does seem genuinely heroic under his exterior. Definitely looking to see more of him and his clashes with Tiger. Even the producer had a good point this time when she told Tiger to hold off on the wires so he wouldn’t harm one of the city’s monuments – it did look like it would be hell to fix!
Tiger is a great main character, too. Pretty much the whole end of the episode was made of d’awwww, particularly how he helped save the day. And he even managed to go to his daughter’s recital after all!
The series has done a great job of making the characters feel over the top but also given bits and pieces for us to relate to. Like Chemist sad the Ice girl’s a good example. A pop idol and her “Cutie Escape!” but in this episode she steps in to stand with the rest of the heroes.
I hope they do touch upon the commercialism theme they seem have hinted at. A lot of series Eastern and Western seldom look at the issue seriously. What do I mean? Selling out usually gets the soulless whore label in most stories. But here Bunny X Tiger actually presents the fact that sponsorship provides a necessary evil. That coincides with the issue of self preservation vs idealism not always forming an easy to discern line.
Well, here’s to hoping they hit upon those concepts. If nothing else we finally have an anime lead over 30 with a teenage kid to boot. I find that premise alone worth watching.
It’s rare that a show this cliched grabs my attention and makes me want to watch it. It may be cheesy, but it’s well-paced and superbly produced. I’m honestly surprised I’m enjoying this as much as I am.
Everything about this reminds me of Eureka Seven, in a good way. It has a “classic” quality to it, while still being it’s own show. It’s also evaded pathos while still being melodramatic. How rare!
Yoshihiro Ike… that’s why the soundtrack reminded me of Karas (OAV)… epic soundtrack…
I loled at Tiger imitating ‘Bunny’ when they were caught by the giant statue. Talk about being childish!
Does it have the Basquash feel? If it does I’m all for it, especially if it’s super over the top.
While the first half of this ep didn’t do it for me, due to subbing issues and the slapstick comedy not quite working for me.
The second half, as corny as it was, was really great. I was in the middle of an exhausting day, so that might have had something to do with it, but the Tony/Tiger bit was something of a tear jerker. It was greeeeeat!
As for Tiger, I don’t think he’s a workaholic – he just has to hide the fact that he’s a hero from his daughter. In the second PV Blue Rose also says she can’t talk to her friend about her job. And of course being a hero means they have to be on stand-by all the time.
Not even ten minutes into this episode and I am thinking that the villains are constructed by the same organization that the heroes work for. The villain destroyed a billboard (for competing sponsors) and conveniently shut down before killing the heroes. I will continue watching, but if my theory turns out to be the case, I will not be surprised.
I finished watching the episode . . . perhaps not? Aw well, it seem an good theory at the time.