New Shows: Anime Edition!

This is Anime with a capital "A." Studio FUNimation has rolled out a slew of new anime flicks on Hulu, and while some purist fans are bemoaning the english dubbing, they should be reveling that so many episodes from so many shows have been posted in all their glory. I certainly had my own eyes opened to the magnificence of the art form (although I don't think anything is going to convince me that Mushi-shi isn't the be-all end-all goal of all anime).

Also, while I'm talking anime, I gather that there is a rabid fan base congregating at Hulu, and also that they don't care for my outsider take on this stuff. So let me put it out there: How would you anime fans rate these shows against each other, and what should I be looking for in a great anime show?

Enjoy!

Presented from Worst to First

Slayers

Episodes: Twenty-six 22 min. episodes
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: D
Lina, an alliterative sweet-sixteen sorceress slash swordswoman, blasts her way through hordes of monstrous enemies, all while maintaining a youthful outlook on life. This show is pretty dumbed down, with low-grade animation and unimaginative dialogue that's going to appeal to my videogame obsessed nephew much more than it appeals to me. With so many other superior anime offerings on Hulu, don't feel bad about passing this one by.

Black Blood Brothers

Episodes: Three episodes of 24 minutes apiece
Clips: None
Network/Studio: Who else? FUNimation
Grade: C-
I didn't much care for this futuristic sci-fi anime, which imagines a world in which humans and vampires are battling for world dominance. The violence and sex are inappropriate for the very young, but the over-the-top, dumbed-down humor and dialogue are too inane for anyone but the very young. The animation style is flat and militaristic-- think Pikachu meets G.I. Joe. If I was anime-starved, I might be spending a little more time giving this show a chance (it does, after all, have a halfway decent premise), but with such a glut of quality anime offerings on Hulu, this one is instantly forgettable.

Peach Girl

Episodes: Twelve episodes, clocking in at 24 minutes each
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: C
This is a high-school themed soap opera in which the main character obsesses with those things that occupy the minds of many young girls: boys, clothes, and boys. Momo is the new girl at school, and there's lots of talk about what type of complexion and hair color attract the heart throbs all around her. Despite having such inane subject matter, the animation is actually better than most anime. The shots and scenes are artfully constructed, and the characters have more human faces than you usually see. I'm calling this one mostly harmless.

Kiddy Grade

Episodes: Twelve 23 minute episodes
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: C+
This is some meat-and-potatoes anime, with lots of the hallmarks that make the genre so successful. The futuristic storyline involves a Global Union that seeks intergalactic peace and justice in the face of an onslaught of robotic villains. The setting is very interstellar, with many scenes taking place on spaceships that are flying around the universe to carry out some aspect of the greater mission. Some of the episodes involve a crisis on a particular planet, which top agents (and well-proportioned ladies) Eclair and Lumiere have to solve. It's kind of like Star Trek, with some governmental espionage intrigue thrown in for good measure. I didn't think it was bad, but it asks a little more of me than I'm willing to give.

School Rumble

Episodes: Thirteen 24 min. episodes
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: B-
I didn't particularly enjoy this school-set soap opera, but at least I can understand where it's coming from. It has the fresh-faced innocence of a Disney teen show-- more than anything, it reminded me of High School Musical or Hannah Montana made anime. Cute Japanese schoolgirls crush on dashing young men, and the hot topic of the day is who sits next to who on the school bus. You might find that you can really get into the wacky hijinks of the pure young lovelorn characters, or just appreciate another culture's spin on a lame, lowest-common-denominator genre.

Rumbling Hearts

Episodes: Eleven 24 minute episodes
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: B-
This is another high school drama, but it's much more serious and poignant than the other ones added to Hulu this week. Rumbling Hearts takes a stab at a universal human story, with a love triangle involving a boy and two girls. The cute naieve atmosphere takes a heavy turn when tragedy enters the story line. Some of the writing is weak and overblown, but I like that the show's creators have taken a frivolous setting and imbued it with melancholy and angst. Don't get me wrong-- there is still a certain lightheartedness and innocence to the proceedings; it's just that they're wrestling with issues that are based on more than hair color and fashion faux pas.

Galaxy Railways

Episodes: Thirteen episodes, each one 24 minutes long
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: B+
This is an exciting, full-thrust adventure story, starting with an interstellar subway train that flies passengers to points among the stars. Manabu stows away on a train piloted by his father, but soon joins the intergalactic military after his father and brother meet a terrible fate. There are lots of explosions, brave acts of self-sacrifice, and villainous enmity. The art and writing are both way above average, ensuring that you can really sit back and lose yourself in the grand spectacle. If Star Wars had never made such an indelible definition of the space opera, a faithful adaptation of Galaxy Railways would have been a great film

Moon Phase

Episodes: Thirteen episodes, 24 minutes long apiece
Clips: None
Studio: FUNimation
Rank: A-
Ooooh, I'm liking this one. Kouhei is a paranormal photographer (I don't know that that even exists in real life, but in this cartoon, he's among "the best") who has never seen an actual ghost. He travels to Germany where he meets a beautiful, haunting Japanese girl who turns out to be a spirit. The eerie settings are actually a little spooky when coupled with the well-scripted dialogue, and the thoughtful plot twists come off as provocative. Some of the action is a little "He-Man loud" for my taste, but those scenes only seem to comprise a couple of minutes per episode. Otherwise, this is a well-done, grown-up production that can serve as a great standard-bearer for the genre.

Yours;

The Hulu Man