7 Jul 2012
2 CommentsIron Man Anime Review – The Marvel Anime Series
A look at the Iron Man anime from the Marvel Anime series.
The Iron Man anime wasn’t bad. For some reason, I expected it to be. I remember all the Marvel Anime series came to G4TV, and the network advertised them heavily. For some reason, I never really had the urge to tune in. Then, I figured why not. So, I started watching them all in order, starting with Iron Man.
About the Iron Man Anime
I won’t get into everything you need to know about Tony Stark and Iron Man. If you are watching this anime, there is a good chance you read the comics, watched the American animated series, or are a fan of the Avengers or Iron Man MCU movies. Well, you may also enjoy it if you don’t know anything about Iron Man but are a fan of anime in general. Specifically mecha-type and giant robot anime.
This story starts with Tony Stark going to Japan to introduce and supervise the construction of the new ARC reactor station. The station represents a form of clean, free and unlimited energy. However, from the moment he arrives, there is trouble. That trouble comes mainly in the form of a terrorist organization known as Zodiac.
That’s all you really need to know to before watching. I will say the story is surprisingly complex, filled with political intrigue, shady characters and maybe even a word or two about the human condition. However, all the stuff you would expect from an action anime series is present. Each episode has Iron Man facing off against a giant mecha-like threat. After all, what else would you expect to find in Japan?
There is a lot to like about this anime. It’s clever, witty, well-rounded and even manages to tie everything up neatly in just 12-episodes.
The Dialogue
Keep in mind this is a real anime. The English dialogue is dubbed from its original Japanese. I watched the English dub, but the subbed version is available as well. Sometimes dubs can cross into being a little awkward, but the voice talent employed here is good. The dialogue is snappy and Tony Stark’s little witticisms come across well. None other than Adrian Pasdar voices Tony Stark/Iron Man. Yup, the dude that played Senator Nathan Petrelli in Heroes.
The Writing
The writing moves the story along at a quick pace. Somehow, the writers managed to fit a big story into a series of mostly self-contained episodes. Each episode has a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. Yet, each episode serves to move the overall plot along. The good writing is due to the awesome and talented Warren Ellis guiding the overall story.
The Animation
With the Madhouse animation studio at the helm, you would expect top of the line animation. In this case, you would be right. The animation flows smoothly, even during the fast-paced action sequences. You can tell a lot of work went into getting this thing moving the right way.
The Verdict
Although well-made, I cannot say that everything about this series was great. I enjoy an intelligent story, and Iron Man certainly has one. However, none of the big reveals will be very surprising if you pay attention to what’s going on. Overall, I would say this series is worth a watch. The show appeals to several different groups at the same time, so it has the power to pull in crossover fans. You can probably get through all the episodes in a day or two and feel satisfied when it is over.
The show is a nice cross between many of my favorite things, which include the Iron Man movies, comic books, and anime. I didn’t find myself overwhelmed by it. For instance, I don’t think I will ever watch it again. But, that’s just me. You may thoroughly love it. There is a lot there to love. For me, this isn’t the best nor the worst, Just something entertaining to pass the time.
Iron Man is only the first of four in this Marvel Anime series. The next one is Wolverine.
The Iron Man anime is available everywhere you would expect to find it. Here are a few places if you’re interested:
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22 Aug 2012
0 CommentsX-Men Anime Review – The Marvel Anime Series
X-Men is the third in the Marvel Anime lineup, and possibly the most entertaining. Apparently, the creators put more time, effort and thought into the X-Men anime than they did with the previous two.
Much like the Wolverine anime that preceded it, the X-Men anime borrows heavily from the source material, but flips it. For instance, any longtime fan of the comic book will recognize a few elements of the Legion storyline and a few more things to pick up on. The choice of villains was interesting as well. They went with the little-known U-Men and the more well-known Inner Circle.
The anime features an X-Men lineup consisting of Cyclops, Storm, Beast, Wolverine and later, Emma Frost and Armor. The storyline starts with Jean Grey’s fiery death as the Phoenix. The individual teammates coming to grips with it sets the tone for the rest of the series. Honestly, if you don’t know anything about the X-Men, you can have a little trouble understanding the motivations of the characters.
The Dialogue
The dialogue is good…very good. I watched the English dub with the subtitles turned on from the original Japanese. It’s odd how much of the story changes between the two. In fact, I find the English dub to be far superior in the way it tells the story. The story is much clearer in the dub. Although, there were a few instances where you would wonder why they chose a particular phrase over another.
On a side note, the voice and overall character of the Wolverine in this series is much better than the Wolverine from the actual Wolverine anime. This is the Wolverine we know, and it makes you wonder what happened between the two series. Even a special feature segment on the DVD mentions the fact the two seem different from each other.
The Writing
The story is good. In the 12 episodes, there are four or five different plot threads that all come together. I won’t get into it all as there is a lot going on from beginning to end. The writers managed to tie it all together smoothly without a hitch. There was a small hiccup near the end that I did not like, but overall, Warren Ellis and the storyboarders did a hell of a job with the writing.
As this is an action anime, the creators managed to fit a lot of action between the exposition. There is a very good balance but also a lot of repetition. Some of the story elements and explanations repeat just a little too often.
The Animation
The animation is damn good. The characters look great, the action sequences are phenomenal. The crew at Madhouse did an excellent job of adding the Japanese look to familiar characters without making it overt and in your face. It leads to what I think is a unique look for the X-Men. That’s all there is to it, it’s just good.
The Verdict
Of all the Marvel Anime, this one is arguably the best. The extra effort put into the creation of this series is noticeable and a joy to watch. The storytelling works, the animation is superb, and you can tell that much care went into this show.
One of the few downsides was a sequence near the end of the series that I found to be a bit superfluous. It involves cameos from other characters of the X-Men universe. Either they should have devoted a whole episode to the scenario or left it out completely.
However, that aside, if you don’t watch any of the other Marvel Anime series, then you should definitely check out the X-Men.
Where to Get the X-Men Anime
Get the X-Men Anime DVDs from Amazon
Get the X-Men Anime as digital downloads
X-Men Anime on Itunes
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