More from Commarine:
This month, I decided to add an extra section to my picks. Apart from new anime and manga, I will every so often review older anime and manga that I believe has been overlooked over the years. There have been many great anime and manga released years ago that have been all but forgotten due to the popularity of other bigger anime/manga (such as Evangelion), the lack of marketing during the early era of Manga/Anime distribution in America, and the constant influx of new anime/manga that keeps many otakus looking for the next big thing. So, whenever you see the title Manga/Anime Classic above a review, expect some good old school stuff. I hope my review of these will bring back some limelight to these venerable, but classic stories.
Ranmaru Shindo is late. Late to his own graduation! Late to his own graduation from the Police Academy! His sister, who lives with Ranmaru and also a cop was the only reason he woke up at all. If she didn't force him awake, he may have slept through the entire graduation. Damn dream! The dream of a strange woman with a weird tattoo and holding a sword has become more and more frequent. Despite not really recognizing her, she seems strangely familiar. She also reminds him of Machida, the apartment complex that his family used to live and where his parents were massacred along with most of the other tenants in the complex. Today he and his sister (the only survivors of their family) live together trying to move on... But that's not important right now. Right now he's late! After he gets chewed out by his superiors, Ranmaru finds out that he is assigned as an investigator for The Special Mobile Investigation Troops 1st Division (TOKKI). Perfect, now he can avenge his parents death by finding the murderers. After graduation, however, he is thrown for a loop when he discovers the girl in his dreams walking down the precinct wearing a police uniform. Who is this girl? What's with the mystery behind her unit, Section 2 (TOKKO)? Is it true that they hunt criminals using swords? Are they even human? Why is this girl in Ranmaru's dreams, and what is her connection with the Machida massacre? Ranmaru must solve this mystery for the sake of his parents and sanity, even if it kills him.
Characters
Ranmaru Shindo: Rookie investigator avenging the mysterious death of his parents. The investigation gets him embroiled in a world of demons and phantoms were he discovers TOKKO, a police force made up of half demons whose purpose is to eliminate the demons responsible for the Machida incident. His further investigation also show that he and his sister are not the only survivors, and may have come out more than human.
Saya Shindo: Ranmaru's sister, she is a uniformed cop and a survivor of the Machida Massacre. She from time to time helps her brother in solving the mystery of their parents death.
Sakura Rokujo: Mysterious member of Tokko division who haunts Ranmaru's dream. She wields a broadsword and has a tattoo on her right arm that shows she is a symbiote (half human/ half demon). Unbeknownst to Ranmaru, he and Sakura have a past together.
Ryoko Ibuki: Commanding officer of Tokko, she conducts anti-phantom operations in Japan.
Kucha Susuka and Takeru Inukai: Two members of Tokko Division, the hunt phantoms for their own specific reasons. They wield twin knives and a kitana respectively.
Kaoru Kinikida: Head of the Tokki division, he hates Tokko for their secretive nature. When the deaths of his own men begin to be covered up, he goes to find answers behind Tokko's purpose and the mystery of the phantoms.
Why I like it: It is somewhat rare to see Western stories in anime. Most horror anime tend to have Japanese specific demons and ghosts. Tokko strays from this by introducing demons based of old Catholic lore. The demon themselves also look more like the demons in Catholic art than those in Japanese scrolls. The story is also very engaging. As Ranmaru begins to unravel the mystery, I became compelled to know how the next piece of the puzzle connects to the bigger picture. The characters themselves are very unique as well. They tend to a more real word sense to them. The interactions between themselves and the situations they encounter remind me more of a gritty crime drama than fantasy horror story. Also, on an editorial note it's good to see the venerable Manga Video distributing anime again. Back in the early days of anime distribution, Manga Home Video was one the the major competitors. They brought us amazing anime such as Ghost in the Shell, Perfect Blue, Appleseed, Blood: The Last Vampire, Ninja Scroll and Evangelion. In the past few years, with the rise of other competitors such as ADV, Tokypop, Geneon, Anime Works, and US Manga Corps., Manga Video seemed to fade into the shadows. Recently however, with the introduction of Noein, Karas, Highlander, R.O.D., and Tokko, they seem to becoming back with a vengeance.
My verdict: A great horror anime from well established distributor!
AnimeTokko
MangaKing of Thorn
Kasumi and her twin sister Shizuku have a tough decision. They are both infected with the Medusa virus. A deadly disease that has a long, painful death where the victim eventually becomes petrified. Both are selected to be in a experimental program where they will be cryogenically frozen until a cure is found. However, only one will be allowed participate. Eventually, with great heartache, Kasumi (the shyer, more reserved twin) says to goodbye to Shizuku who stays behind for the benefit her sister. In the near future, Kazumi awakens to a savage world where man is no longer the top of the food chain. Now, Kasumi, with a small group of survivors must find a cure to their disease and discover the fate of Shizuku in a unfamiliar and terrifying world before their time runs out.
Characters
Kasumi: One of a set of twins infected by the Medusa virus. She is selected to be part of an experiment to save humanity. Incredibly shy and reserved, she attempts to find answers about her new environment and news of her sister despite her fear of the savage world in front of her.
Shizuku: Second of the set of twins. She opted out of being part of the project to save her sister. Now only a memory, she haunts Kasumi's mind as she attempts to survive her new surroundings.
Marco Owen: Tattooed survivor of the experiment. Being the largest, he mainly does a lot of the heavy work such as fighting monsters and clearing routes. Though he quickly befriends Kasumi, his mysterious past makes a few of the other survivors suspicious of his motives.
Other survivors: Ranging in age from 7 to 50, they try to survive the dangers of the savage land they reside in a race to find a cure before they succumb to their disease.
Why I like it: Survival is the most basic instinct living things have. When survival becomes a dire situation, living things do desperate things to ensure their future. Humans are no exception. It is interesting to see how humans react when their life is in danger and in this manga, the danger comes twofold. Not only to they have to survive through a world where neo-dinosaurs rule, they must also find a cure to their disease before their individual time runs out. Having these pressures upon them, there are many ways people react.
Some break down, others attempt to survive by any means possible, others become heroic and try to save others at risk of their own lives, and others react in the most unexpected ways. All these are reactions and many more are seen in within the small group of survivors that surround Kasumi. I always liked these type of stories because on many occasions, the reactions mentioned above come out of the most unexpected people. For example, despite Marco's dark nature and appearance, he saves Kasumi and the other survivors on many occasions. Also Kasumi, who seems ready to break down at any moment, keeps moving and stays focused by remembering her promise to Shizuku to live on for both of them. Many people live in a sheltered world; this allows them to create false personality traits to make themselves appear to be more than we really are. Only in dire situations will their true nature emerge. Sometimes people fall short of their expectations, sometimes they are more than they believe they will ever be.
The story itself seems well written; it has a lot of mysteries keep my attention glued. Questions such as, where did the Medusa virus come from, what happens to the world in the future, what happened to Shizuku, and who exactly is Marco Owen ? The race for a cure also gives the story a sense of suspense that accents every problem they encounter (Will they be too late? is a question that is constant in the back of my head).
My verdict: Most people rarely encounter a situation where they can define their true nature. This manga is a good read on how human nature often doesn't fit the outward personality of a person. This manga is well worth the read.
Anime ClassicBlue Gender
Diagnosed with a new deadly disease, Yuji Kaido goes into cryogenic hibernation in hopes of a cure in the near future. Unexpectedly, he awakes to a world ruled by giant insects and humanity on the brink of extinction. Known as a 'Sleeper', Yuji discovers he is a vital key to retaking the world from the Blue (the insects). With the aid of Marlene Angel and her group of soldiers, Yuji must race across the world for a spaceport to reach Second Earth, a satellite in orbit and the last oasis for mankind. Will Yuji reach Second Earth and aid in humanity's survival, or will the relentless Blue stop them before he ever begins?
Characters
Yuji Kaido: Average guy with and above average problem. Due to his mysterious illness, he is a key to defeating the Blue. This makes him a very valuable asset, whether he likes it or not.
Marlene Angel: Orphaned at the age of ten, she is one of the few lucky people to make it to Second Earth. Trained to be a cold anti-Blue soldier, she is sent to retrieve Yuji and any other surviving sleepers. As her mission progresses he softens a bit as her interactions with Yuji become more frequent and intimate.
Tony Frost: Another sleeper, he is very cold and effective against the Blue. However, despite his enthusiasm for eliminating Blue, there is a mysterious dark side to him that will ultimately prove to be trouble for humanity.
Alicia Whistle: Youngest sleeper, she is the most inexperienced in fighting Blue. Though very innocent, her Piave causes problems for her down the road.
Seno Miyagi: A scientist of Second Earth, he is the head of the sleeper program. His distrust of the ruling council of Second Earth will eventually cause turmoil on Second Earth.
Why I like it: Reading King of Thorn made me think of anime similar to this story. Blue Gender was in the first in my mind. Unlike King of Thorn, however, Blue Gender adds action to the story by having mechas. Known as Armor Shrikes (A.S.), humanity invented 'exo-suit' type mechas to combat the large and savage Blue. The story also emphasizes the importance of mechas by introducing main character Marlene in an A.S. (quite possibly one of the most memorable scenes in anime) and later by making it the main component in waking the powers of the sleepers. The action also doesn't stagnate as the story progresses. As humanity becomes more effective in killing the bugs, the Blue evolve into different, more terrifying forms to compensate. Like King of Thorn, the story is very intriguing and keeps my attention by having me wonder who will not survive the next episode. Finally, Blue Gender introduces Marlene Angel, one of the first hottie characters in anime. Like other classic anime women such as Major Mokoto (Ghost in the Shell), Naomi Armitage (Armitage the Third), The Dirty Pair and The Gunsmith Cats go beyond their respective medias to exist in the real world as PVCs, statues, action figures.
My verdict: An amazing and innovative anime that may have been ahead of its time. If it was made a little later, this story of survival and the effect of humanity on the environment may have garnered a larger following.
