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EP. REVIEW: Cutie Honey Universe


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StarFan13



Joined: 06 Aug 2017
Posts: 336
PostPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:27 pm Reply with quote
Honey Flash! i'm changing. First person to comment.
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Angel M Cazares



Joined: 23 Sep 2010
Posts: 5406
Location: Iscandar
PostPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:38 pm Reply with quote
I am liking the show so far. In don't know how Universe compares to previous Cutie Honey iterations because I did not watch them. All I know is that I am having fun watching this new show.
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darkchibi07



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 5459
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:22 am Reply with quote
Can't say I disagree with this so far because I too felt this is disjointed, and also I got rather bored so far. That would be the most damning thing you can ever do to Cutie Honey is make it dull and forgettable. Maybe I got spoiled by Gainax's flair in Re: Cutie Honey, but at least that has a stylistic thumbprint that fits the 70s aesthetic.
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Levonr



Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 807
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:00 am Reply with quote
I haven't started it yet but I'm disappointed they didn't have a new remix of the original OP. It was like a tradition, especially for the Go Nagai 50th anniversary it would've made sense.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:21 am Reply with quote
This is going to be more fun than I thought.

You can't take a series this serious when its titled Cutey Honey Universe just so the acronym can be CHU. That hit me right in the first episode; "Chu/kiss, really? We're going there? No, we're starting there?"

I love the music and I love the casting of classic voices all over the place. This is a show more for fans of anime than fans of Cutey Honey. It has style to burn and unlike other shows that have tried this, it's very fluid so far. I like it.

Candy colored cornucopia... Cool
Certainly, a copious collection of colors clashed., contrarywise colorful curves circumvented the clutter.

Be C ing you....
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GeorgeC



Joined: 22 Nov 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 3:10 am Reply with quote
I like the 1970s Cutie Honey TV series and the 1990s OVAs sequel series as well as Re: Cutie Honey. Re: Cutie Honey was a retelling of the basic story of the 2004 live-action film Anno directed as well. Loved the 2004 live-action Cutie Honey as well... One of the better live-action adaptations I've seen of a manga/anime series.

Re: Cutie Honey was definitely more hyper than the earlier CH anime series. It's still Cutiey Honey and has my favorite version of the theme song. Crying shame Re: Cutie Honey hasn't been licensed for North America. It's a nice mini-series and embodies the best of absurdist elements of anime farce.

The one thing 1970s CH TV anime and the New Cutie Honey 1990s anime OVA series had in common was that they never really finished the storyline with Sister Jill. Both projects got unexpectedly cut short. I have wondered if Nagai ever really finished the original CH manga storyline before it went on hiatus for years. That would explain why the 1970s series ended like it did. The 1990s OVA series ended because the sales couldn't justify continuing that series past Episode 8. There were plans to carry it to Episode 10 or 12 but even Episode 8 was hardly finished and released in a rough state.

I didn't care for what I saw of CH: Flash (too much like Sailor Moon) or CH: Tears. The latter completely missed the point about CH and was a very dark, generic sci-fi movie.

Haven't caught CHU yet beyond the series teasers. The designs and title animation do look nice. I didn't like the fact they didn't use the classic CH theme. That seems like a must if you want to do a CH series. The CHU theme in place is very generic.

The impression I got from the previews from CHU was that the reviewers had already pre-judged the series without seeing an episode. I wonder if they really understand Go Nagai's sensibilities. If you're that hung-up on fan service, and, are politically correct which is at odds with anime in general, I kind of wonder WHY you would be watching this stuff... Life ISN'T politically correct. You'd think people in their 20s and 30s would understand that.
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Joshua Zarate



Joined: 12 Jan 2017
Posts: 2061
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 3:45 am Reply with quote
So far, while this show has its’ issues, it’s definitely not boring/dull as it was quite entertaining to watch. It definitely has a retro feel to it, with its’ 70s like aesthetic in many parts of the episodes and its’ character introductions. The action scenes are nicely animated and engaging. Overall, I’m having fun with this show and it will be quite the treat to watch on Sundays this season.
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MarshalBanana



Joined: 31 Aug 2014
Posts: 5294
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:05 am Reply with quote
I can't see this, or too be fair most of Go Nagais work, being a critical darling. I do think it will please most of the fans, at the very least I am happy, for the most part, on how this turned out. My only major complaints are the obvious lack of the iconic opening song, and the dreadful CG cars.
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StarFan13



Joined: 06 Aug 2017
Posts: 336
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:54 am Reply with quote
GeorgeC wrote:
I like the 1970s Cutie Honey TV series and the 1990s OVAs sequel series as well as Re: Cutie Honey. Re: Cutie Honey was a retelling of the basic story of the 2004 live-action film Anno directed as well. Loved the 2004 live-action Cutie Honey as well... One of the better live-action adaptations I've seen of a manga/anime series.

Re: Cutie Honey was definitely more hyper than the earlier CH anime series. It's still Cutiey Honey and has my favorite version of the theme song. Crying shame Re: Cutie Honey hasn't been licensed for North America. It's a nice mini-series and embodies the best of absurdist elements of anime farce.

The one thing 1970s CH TV anime and the New Cutie Honey 1990s anime OVA series had in common was that they never really finished the storyline with Sister Jill. Both projects got unexpectedly cut short. I have wondered if Nagai ever really finished the original CH manga storyline before it went on hiatus for years. That would explain why the 1970s series ended like it did. The 1990s OVA series ended because the sales couldn't justify continuing that series past Episode 8. There were plans to carry it to Episode 10 or 12 but even Episode 8 was hardly finished and released in a rough state.

I didn't care for what I saw of CH: Flash (too much like Sailor Moon) or CH: Tears. The latter completely missed the point about CH and was a very dark, generic sci-fi movie.

Haven't caught CHU yet beyond the series teasers. The designs and title animation do look nice. I didn't like the fact they didn't use the classic CH theme. That seems like a must if you want to do a CH series. The CHU theme in place is very generic.

The impression I got from the previews from CHU was that the reviewers had already pre-judged the series without seeing an episode. I wonder if they really understand Go Nagai's sensibilities. If you're that hung-up on fan service, and, are politically correct which is at odds with anime in general, I kind of wonder WHY you would be watching this stuff... Life ISN'T politically correct. You'd think people in their 20s and 30s would understand that.


Well Which anime better on you CH, SCH, CHF, RCH, or CHU? note: they mean Cutie Honey, Shin Cutie Honey, Cutie Honey Flash, Re:Cutie Honey and Cutie Honey Universe
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DangerMouse



Joined: 25 Mar 2009
Posts: 3980
PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:11 am Reply with quote
Levonr wrote:
I haven't started it yet but I'm disappointed they didn't have a new remix of the original OP. It was like a tradition, especially for the Go Nagai 50th anniversary it would've made sense.

Yeah, I'm having quite a bit of fun watching it so far, haven't seen anything since a bit of ADVs release of the old OVAs and some of Gainax's Re:Cutie Honey. But I do miss that catchy classic OP theme song, even despite not seeing everything of CH I've still heard it a ton over the years, like you said they should have made a new version of it since that's been the tradition for the series and for Go Nagai's 50th, just like Lupin Parts IV and now V did. Maybe if it ends up longer than 13 and gets a second OP there'll be another chance.

I loved the action BGM around the middle of ep 2, it reminded me a little bit of the Gatchaman Crowds epic theme but without the vocals.
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StarFan13



Joined: 06 Aug 2017
Posts: 336
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:09 pm Reply with quote
I wish there's fanservice in this anime like CH, SCH, CHF, and RCH Did. Wait a moment this anime (CHU) has Fanservice
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GeorgeC



Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Posts: 795
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:38 pm Reply with quote
[quote="StarFan13"]
GeorgeC wrote:


Well Which anime better on you CH, SCH, CHF, RCH, or CHU? note: they mean Cutie Honey, Shin Cutie Honey, Cutie Honey Flash, Re:Cutie Honey and Cutie Honey Universe



I'll be honest,
As a storyline, I probably like the ORIGINAL 1973 series best even if it felt incomplete and didn't have a true ending.
Shin Cutie Honey (called New Cutey Honey in the US; that's how ADV Films released it) was the continuation of the 1973 series but it didn't get finished, either, because the sales fell on the later volumes.

Artwise, I think I prefer Re: Cutie Honey but it's basically an alternate telling of Cutie Honey with the character's age set in her early 20's as opposed to being 16 or so in the original manga/anime series. Re: Cutie Honey uses the same basic storyline as the 2004 live-action film it was tied into. They actually used the animation from the Re: Cutie Honey intro anime/theme for the 2004 live-action film, too. Re: CH has the best version of the theme song that I've heard.

I haven't seen Episode 3 of Cutie Honey Universe yet but definitely felt Episode 2 was an improvement over Episode 1 but it was still mild only a mild improvement.
I did NOT care for what I saw of Cutie Honey Flash. It felt more like a Sailor Moon series partly because of the character designs. Essentially, the production crew that worked on the last season or two of Sailor Moon did Cutie Honey Flash and it was also toned down from the previous two Cutiey Honey series (the original 1973 series and New Cutey Honey OVAs). It was more "Sailor Honey" than anything else.

CHU has a ways to go to match the original series, Shin Cutie Honey, or Re: Cutie Honey. I don't care for the changes they made in the characterizations and the scripting has been off. They've made some odd choices in their changes. It's hard to put the finger on what's going wrong so far but they sure got off on many longtime fans' bad sides by not using the classic theme song. I don't understand why they did that and even the intro animation for CHU was nothing to write home about, either. The intros for previous Cutie Honey anime (including Flash) were much better than CHU's.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:14 am Reply with quote
I love the sound production of this show. I know that kind of sounds like "This is the only thing I can praise about it" but it's honestly great. The enclosed car scene was suffocating and tense because outside sound was muffled and the inside sound had an echo effect applied to it.

It probably also helps that I watch anime while wearing a great pair of stereo headphones and this episode in particular was an audio feast with the background noises occasionally becoming part of the soundtrack which itself goes from synth tech to 70s funk and back again.

I kept expecting Jill/Jenet... I keep thinking of Jean Jenie somehow but it's probably just a coincidence... to take the white rose and stick in Natsuko's neck at any point so wishing for Panther Claw, Jill's own organization, to interfere with the date would be counterproductive to that aspect of the plot. Or the basic plot to keep Honey busy so Jenet could ply Natsuko for information.

And the episode ending with everyone but a few select few receiving white roses is giving me a good "life is cheap" Kingsman: The Secret Service feeling that anyone/everyone can die if the main villain gets a notion to do it. The comic relief, the cutie? Yeah, you're not safe here. The main hero character?

Well, we're not that crazy...
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Mosaic



Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:38 pm Reply with quote
GeorgeC wrote:
The one thing 1970s CH TV anime and the New Cutie Honey 1990s anime OVA series had in common was that they never really finished the storyline with Sister Jill. Both projects got unexpectedly cut short. I have wondered if Nagai ever really finished the original CH manga storyline before it went on hiatus for years.


You're mixing up Sister Jill and Panther Zora. Jill only makes a brief cameo in New Cutey Honey. And as for the original series, spoiler[Jill and Honey have a final battle in the last episode. Jill is defeated.]

The original series was initially planned to only run for two seasons, but the producer was confident it would go on longer. Unfortunately, the higher ups (whether it was Toei, NET TV its not clear) decided to keep it at 25 episodes. The producer got pissed, and decided to leave the story open-ended. Go Nagai followed his lead, and so did other artists that did adaptations of Honey. spoiler[Go Nagai has done sequels to the original manga, but the overall storyline won't have a definitive ending, since both Honey and Panther Claw are essentially immortal].

I highly recommend Cutey Honey Flash. The first few episodes are certainly a little lame (you can tell they didn't know where they wanted to take it), but once Jill gets more involved, the series really picks up. The series original character, Misty Honey (Hazuki Seira) really adds to the story, and the plot throws a lot of nice curve balls to the audience. The series also increasingly pushes the envelope. The series doesn't get enough credit.

Anyway...

I'm having mixed feelings about CHU. It feels like the storyline is moving too quickly, yet at the same time... not moving at all. Characters feel underdeveloped. Honey almost feels like a secondary character. Jill is learning way too much about Honey too quickly. It's weird. I am intrigued to see what they're gonna do.
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Brack



Joined: 15 Oct 2005
Posts: 281
Location: UK
PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:24 pm Reply with quote
The first two episodes were sort of adapting sequences from the comic, to arguably diminished effect. The third felt a lot better, as while it seems to be leading to the same conclusion, it was doing it under its own steam, rather than the comic's.

The tonal roller coaster is fine, as that's a feature of the comic material too.
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