Forum

I've got to say... watching this show was a big mistake. Not because it's bad but because it is so much better than I was expecting. I love the animation and almost wish I had waited for the blu-ray before watching this show (preferably dubbed so I could take in the amazing visuals). More importantly, I can think of maybe two other shows that I was so engrossed by that I would watch 13+ episodes of a day and so far this feels like one of those shows. I was rather distraught by the time the episode ended and the reality sunk in that there was no "next" to click on.

The first episode had a more intense action pacing, naturally, to draw the viewer in. This episode scaled that down somewhat but in exchange for some more character development and some pretty sweet emotional moments that really resonated with the romantic in me. My feelings were already starting to stir in all the good guy moments; both the visions of the past and the allusions towards the future. The comedic moments are also genuinely humorous so this show is charming in every way I can think of. So there has been no real loss in quality and that was a relief. It looks like the creators of this show really know what they are doing. If they can keep this up I feel like this show will not only be great, but have a powerfully emotional ending, which are my favorite kind.

But now I have to wait a whole other week and it's killing me. I blame Zac for this.

No lolis, no underage-looking moe girls, un-PC characters, and Gai Daigoji, how could it be bad?

It still needs some greater plot to be a true classic, but at only episode 2, I don't expect that to show up (at least not in a way we notice.) Going back to the oft-compared Heat Guy J, I stuck around for the dozen or so episodes before any inkling of something deeper came around, so I'll give this the same treatment.
(Also, this show has gotten my attention in Japanese, while things like HGJ were unwatchable to me in their native language.)

I wish it had a better theme song though. It's a cheesy action show, where are my cool seinen guitar-heavy songs? This theme is weak and rather prosaic. It's not as out-of-place as some (IS), but at the same time, we have a viable opportunity for Let's Go Gekiganger Three! and we aren't using it! That's a crime. Even pure cheese like Gravion got the Gasshin God! Gravion transformation song. If a sub-par show like SRW:OG:DW can get something like Break Out!, why can't this superior show?

Speaking of dubs, and Gai, I wonder who they'll get for the main character. (Assuming Funi gets this one). Clearly Brett Weaver is out. Maybe Robert McCollum could do it, Tiger reminds me of Tozawa a bit. Didn't Mark Stoddard voice a character similar to Bison in Samurai 7, or am I getting confused? (I despised that show) BTW, am I the only one who pictures the "Solty" hero being dubbed by Carrie Savage? Obviously the resemblance has biased me.

I can't tell you how much I needed this series. A series that grabs you immediately and makes you want to watch more. The ending was great as it looks like it's going to setup the real plot of the series so it's not just "bunch of heroes go around saving people while hijinks ensue". It was also great how we see how Next effects people, it really reminded me of X-men.

I'm SO very impressed with this show! The second episode delivered the comedy and action I was hoping for, as well as tugging a little on my heartstrings withOUT being overly sappy about it. Somehow Tiger and Bunny manages to use all the same old tropes and still be amazingly refreshing.

My only regret is that I can't own it on blu-ray yet :p

Thank goodness for ANN's anime preview guide, because I doubt I would ever have even known this existed without it.

Quote:

Thank goodness for ANN's anime preview guide, because I doubt I would ever have even known this existed without it.

You mean the giant banner on the main page didn't inform you? The really kiddie logo & name that, taken alone, gave this show the impression of being something like Japenese Teletubbies didn't inspire you to seek out this show?

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you! Shocked

(You're not alone in your sentiment, if the preview guides hadn't sung praises for this show on high, with the "kiddiness" it puts forth, I never would have given it a shot. Thanks for that.)

Echo_City wrote:

No lolis, no underage-looking moe girls, un-PC characters, and Gai Daigoji, how could it be bad?

Wrong!

Kotetsu daughter is a loli...

How would you describe Blue Rose's "Cutie Escape!"?...

Dragon Kid looks underage and she could even be passed off as a bishounen since her costume seems to be hiding her breasts.

I'm actually surprised that western anime viewers really like this show... I mean there is an actual weebo character in it. I guess if he's Russian it's ok to laugh at his useless ass?

Isn't there an "a" in "weeabo"? I'm not up on my Encyclopedia Dramatica. Anyhow, Western viewers can tolerate a "weeabo" character in a show as we know that ALL of Japan's population consists of "reverse weeabos". The Russian is just them trying, poorly, to compensate. Also, what other shows do any viewers really have to latch onto this season? The only other highly-ranked preview I recall was for that Lucky Star looking show, and I'm not surprised this has more fans. Who would want a moe-blob rehash when they can have Gai Daigoji? It's not so much that this show is great compared to all shows, in as much as it is great compared to its contemporaries.

Quote:

How would you describe Blue Rose's "Cutie Escape!"?...

In the show they give the impression that it's an action that has been overplayed and so named by the television company to drive up ratings by appealing to the moe-obsessed (bleh) fans. In other words, they're using moe to mock moe. Like what Haruhi was supposed to do.

Echo_City wrote:

In the show they give the impression that it's an action that has been overplayed and so named by the television company to drive up ratings by appealing to the moe-obsessed (bleh) fans. In other words, they're using moe to mock moe. Like what Haruhi was supposed to do.

Haruhi was more self awareness than mocking, they knew what Mikuru's role was and so they pointed it out. If Blue Rose is nothing more than an airhead who runs around screaming while spouting her catchphrase than it would simply be self aware.

I expect them to develop her and try to show us how she's more than a shill for Pepsi.

Tiger and Bunny has the chance to be the best original anime since Gurren Lagann.

Charred Knight wrote:

It was also great how we see how Next effects people, it really reminded me of X-men.

Oh yeah. That was definitely taken right from X-men's whole mutant situation. We really didn't hear much about that in the prior episode.

Not to mention Wild Tiger's mutant ability of having super powers for five minutes is similar to DC's Hour Man. Not that I'm calling foul. Plenty of the sueprheroics here have been seen elsewhere, just like any new US superhero comic has tropes and powers from older ones. There are only so many powers out there and I'm glad to see a more obscure idea like this being used. Certainly better than just ice and fire powers.

ac195 wrote:

Echo_City wrote:

No lolis, no underage-looking moe girls, un-PC characters, and Gai Daigoji, how could it be bad?

Wrong!
Kotetsu daughter is a loli...
How would you describe Blue Rose's "Cutie Escape!"?...
Dragon Kid looks underage and she could even be passed off as a bishounen since her costume seems to be hiding her breasts.
I'm actually surprised that western anime viewers really like this show... I mean there is an actual weebo character in it. I guess if he's Russian it's ok to laugh at his useless ass?

Don't forget the un-pc Fire Emblem. He's both a token black guy and a walking gay sterotype. For crap's sake. They literally made the gay character a 'flamer'. As I said in another post, they grouped two of Japan's ostracized groups, African Americans and gays, into one character. That's double your Japanese prejudices and stereotypes in one character. Of course it's the foreign black guy that's gay. Much more comfortable for the masses than an actual Japanese character be gay. A gay friend said that there's a common idea in Japan that homosexuality is an American thing, not something in Japan. All the gay Japanese guys he met there point to that being a myth.

Charred Knight wrote:

I expect them to develop her and try to show us how she's more than a shill for Pepsi.

Of course my other concern about the series is the whole corperate superheros aspect. Can they really criticize corporate superheros when they're using real companies like Soft Bank and Pepsi? If anything I DO want at least one of them to be just a corporate shill, a hollow standee pop star and not a real hero. That's certain one idea this show can mine if they have the stones to. That or they'll just tow Japan's pro-corporation right wing politics and make the series less interesting. (And mind you I say that as someone financially right of center politically.)

Quote:

Haruhi was more self awareness than mocking, they knew what Mikuru's role was and so they pointed it out.

I know, which is why I said "what Haruhi was supposed to do". Haruhi was supposed to poke fun at the moe cliches, but instead ended up embracing them. I didn't revile the show or anything, just making a comparison.

Quote:

Tiger and Bunny has the chance to be the best original anime since Gurren Lagann.

If they kill off Tiger, turn Bunny into a Tiger-wannabe, and then have Tiger appear to guide Bunny ala Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'm going to have a conniption. That killed Gurren Lagaan to me, Kamina was the reason to watch.

If Tiger & Bunny is really going down the X-Men path, then it will try and advocate gays in mainstream culture. Maybe even throw in AIDS awareness. Actually, considering how the gay dude is a superhero, in a way the show is already preaching gay advocacy. They could have made the gay dude some prissy weak character who is on the sidelines. Also, what criminal is going to conduct open "hate crimes" against gays if they know that the Human Torch is defending them? (BTW, I don't think Japan needs to have the "token black dude", that's an American-media-only thing.)

I just want to remind everyone that Hector (that's Fire Emblem's real name btw) is described on the main site as cool-headed and runs his own company. All the tech he uses is made and sponsored by him. In short, except for the fire, he's essentially Batman.

As for development, episode 4 will be Blue Rose centric and focus on how she does not like being a idol hero and how she balances it with high school. Episode 5 is about Dragon Kid.

Also, apparently, Rose and Kid are the secondary main characters.

garfield15 wrote:

I just want to remind everyone that Hector (that's Fire Emblem's real name btw) is described on the main site as cool-headed and runs his own company. All the tech he uses is made and sponsored by him. In short, except for the fire, he's essentially Batman.

As for development, episode 4 will be Blue Rose centric and focus on how she does not like being a idol hero and how she balances it with high school. Episode 5 is about Dragon Kid.

Also, apparently, Rose and Kid are the secondary main characters.

Where are you getting that information?

http://www.tigerandbunny.net/character/02.html

There is no character with the name of Hector on the show, Fire Emblem's real name is Nathan Seymour.

Quote:

If anything I DO want at least one of them to be just a corporate shill, a hollow standee pop star and not a real hero.

I'd think you'd be wanting a superhero who is the opposite of a corporate shill, someone who refuses commercial intrusion into the business of saving lives, someone who doesn't want filthy lucre motivating justice. A hero who doesn't play the game, and is on an anti-corporation crusade. Basically a Hollywood actor with superpowers, and who can actually be bothered to do something besides pontificate. Wink

Quote:

I just want to remind everyone that Hector (that's Fire Emblem's real name btw) is described on the main site as cool-headed and runs his own company. All the tech he uses is made and sponsored by him. In short, except for the fire, he's essentially Batman.

Thus he is more than just a token gay stereotype. Maybe not much more, but still.

Quote:

As for development, episode 4 will be Blue Rose centric and focus on how she does not like being a idol hero and how she balances it with high school.

Hopefully that "arc" will be good, it has potential, but it makes me think of the rather lame idol-girl arc from The World only God Knows.

Quote:

Episode 5 is about Dragon Kid.

"Ep 5: Solty's own episode". Or maybe it will kill the Solty nostalgia the character conjures up with me. We'll see. I'm hoping the show doesn't fall, obviously, and I'm also hoping it makes it to a 2nd season so we can see if the 2nd theme song is better. In my experience, the 2nd theme song of shows which only have 2 is worse by far.

EDIT: I'm waiving this post as it is based on specious info. Brutal. Sadly, the internet-restricting Powers that Be restrict me from actually going to the official web site, or I wouldn't have been in this possibly compromised position. Again, Brutal.

Echo_City wrote:

EDIT: I'm waiving this post as it is based on specious info. Brutal. Sadly, the internet-restricting Powers that Be restrict me from actually going to the official web site, or I wouldn't have been in this possibly compromised position. Again, Brutal.

Actually most of the information is right (according to Google translate), Nathan/Fire Emblem is his own sponsor, the 4th episode is about Blue Rose being personally conflicted (although it's about how she wants to sing, and doesn't want to be a hero). It's just that I have seen no word about the 5th episode, and Fire Emblem's real name is not Hector.

Although Hector is one of the main characters in the GAME Fire Emblem.

http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Hector

Charred Knight wrote:

There is no character with the name of Hector on the show, Fire Emblem's real name is Nathan Seymour.

Wow, where the hell did I get Hector from. Sorry, I meant Nathan.

Forum - View topic
Now Streaming: Tiger & Bunny 02: A Good Beginning Makes A Good Ending.

Taste Naruto's Ichiraku Ramen in Real Life in Silverlake Ramen Campaign

New Spice & Wolf Anime's English Dub Features Returning Cast From Previous Series

Gundam SEED FREEDOM's Rie Tanaka, Sōichiro Hoshi Share Memories at Los Angeles Premiere

Kurayukaba and Kuramerukagari Anime Movies Review

The Spring 2024 Anime Preview Guide

This Week in Games - Ask Yourself, "What Would Shadow Do?"

Forum - View topicNow Streaming: Tiger & Bunny 02: A Good Beginning Makes A Good Ending.

Forum

Forum - View topic
Now Streaming: Tiger & Bunny 02: A Good Beginning Makes A Good Ending.