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Reviews
Jaianto Robo: The Animation - Chikyuu ga Seishi Suru Hi (1992)
A Stunning Tour de Force of Animation!
WARNING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS The Short Version-Giant Robo is one of the Greatest Anime Works ever.
The Long Version-Giant Robo is a 90's Anime with a 70's Heart. Everything apart from the Story is Retro in some way, the Shizuma Drize-the Ultimate Enegy Source could be from the old Pulp Sci-Fi Magazines of the 40's. The Characters themselves are the set in the Good/Evil Archtypes of Star Wars and Japanese Shows such as 'Gigantor' (who also created the original Giant Robo Comic back in the 70's, which is more Gigantor.) Archtypes such as Young Boy with Special Responsibilities, Father Figure, Genius Scientist, Big Tough Guy who has little respect for the Young Boy etc, we've seen them all before.
The Titlelar Robot-Giant Robo is a good example of Retro Designs, unlike the Giant Streamlined, sleek Piloted Robots of Go Nagi's oeuvre, with their Rocket Punches, and the gritty realism and more scientificly probable Robots from the 'Gundam' Series. GR looks like it was built in a factory with it's rivited together steel and muscular power, even better is that the Young Boy Daisaku controls Robo with his watch (again shades of Gigantor!)
But with all these elements making GIANT ROBO seem like a cut 'n' paste effort, let me tell you-IT ISN'T! The Animation is mind blowing and an obviously hard working creative team, (The Final Episode no 7 took several years to complete and it shows.) The Story improves with each episode and makes us care for the Charecters, we like/hate them, feel sad when the Heroes die (which happens several times)all this makes for a defining animation point of the 90's. A True Classic
LOOK JUST WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yûsei ôji (1959)
What is it about Male Japanese Children and Tight Pants?
Right. Prince of Space is funny (in a 60'S Batman way) unintentionally funny but still funny. Evil Chicken Aliens from the Planet Krank-Whore led by their Leader who laughs like a bad Car Engine want to take over Earth for no good Reason using their Visable Testacles (not visable but you know what I mean!)A Shoe Shine Guy known as Wally is really the 'Hero' known as Prince of Space who tells his foes that 'their weapons are useless against him' he does this about 20 times in every Scene he's in BUT THEY DON'T LISTEN TO HIM AND KEEP FIRING!!!! Two Schoolboys in Tight Shorts help him for the first half then just vanish for the rest of the film. At this Time Prince of Space takes the fight to Krank-Whore in his Flying Saucer and wipes out the Stupid Chicken Men for their own good. Terrible effects and Dubbing, perhaps if they put in some dodgy camera angles, some THWAKS and PUNCH and OBVIOUS PARODY and OOFF and I'M REALLY RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS NOW and the Little Kids saying 'Holy Ramen' or 'Holy Miso Soup' and we might have had a good film but NNNNNOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Space Mutiny (1988)
What did we do to deserve this?
This makes 'The Phantom Menace' seem like a true epic! Space Mutiny takes place on the Battlestar Galactica (well, the special effects footage does) Hero (read Weightlifter) Dave Ryder goes around this 'spaceship' (looks more like some factory, you can even see the windows where the sun is shining!) Shooting the mutineers who then fall off railings with the help of a pneumatic catapult.The Evil Kalgon tries to make his skull pop out of his skin, (so far he's only got his eyes out) who is protected by bodyguard who is a lobster boy. Meanwhile Ryder is having a relationship with a woman 50 Years older than him whose father is the Captain of the Ship, he also does Santa down at the ship's disco for the kiddies every christmas (no really, he has a big beard and is fat!)His Second in Command is Sting. At the end of the film Ryder and Kalgon race around in tiny electric dodgem zambonies which go 1 mile per hour and try to rip off 'Ben Hur'. Inserted into this 'plot' are the Bolarians who are dancers-in-training and do nothing except dance around. Watch only on Mystery Science Theatre 3000 or not at all. Also watch out for the resurrection of one of the flight crew (who is a woman with male genitals) who dies and then comes back two scenes later as if nothing happened! A Laugh Riot
Gojira tai Megaro (1973)
Bizarre
Godzilla V Megalon is a Story about two men (who might be gay) and a Microscopic Shorts wearing Kid who sounds like he drinks Acid. One of the Two Men has invented a Robot (who is NOT Ultraman) with a Psychotic Smile. Jack Nicholson is Jet Jaguar, a robot who can reprogram himself, deprogram himself and grown to Ultraman size (but he's NOT Ultraman!)without any outside interference. The Alien Seatopians operate out of a Las Vegas Casino (no sorry, underwater Kingdom)whoese ruler is still in his dressing gown. Megalon is a Giant 3 Year Old Cockroach with Christmas Trees for Arms and a Star of David on his head who goes on a Temper Tantrum and destroys a wasteland and one Air Squadron which have 5000 Jetplanes. After 5 Hours Jet Ultraman goes and Gets Godzilla by flying to him and playing Charades. Gigan (from the last film) puts up a brave fight of Stock Footage. But is defeated and Godzilla and Jet Jaguar (now Ultraman Sized but is NOT Ultraman) bully poor little Megalon untill he goes running home to Mummy.
The End (Thank God)