Anime REVIEW: Godzilla Singular Point

Godzilla Singular Point is available in streaming form on Netflix

It's hard to believe that despite being a franchise spanning over 65 years at this point, there's never been a fully-fledged Godzilla anime series. We've had a couple of American cartoon series over the years and a trilogy of CGI animated films from Toho and Polygon in 2017-18, but in 2021 did the King of the Monsters properly jump into television anime with Godzilla Singular Point. A co-production between acclaimed studios Bones and Orange, Singular Point is a "Netflix Original" series that released weekly in Japan between April and June before all 13 episodes dropped worldwide on the 24th June. The series was written by Toho Enjoh, an award-winning Japanese author specialising in science and speculative fiction.  

First Impressions: Godzilla Singular Point

Despite it not being an anniversary year, 2021 is looking to be a big year for Godzilla. As well as finally facing off against King Kong in American Monsterverse sequel Godzilla vs Kong, over in Japan the King of Monsters is also starring in a brand new anime series. Godzilla Singular Point is a co-production between studios Bones (Fullmetal Alchemist, Eureka Seven, Mob Psycho 100) and Orange (Land of the Lustrous, Beastars), and has been licensed by Neflix much like the Godzilla anime movie trilogy produced by Toho and Polygon in 2017-18. While the series began airing in Japan at the beginning of April, Netflix's preferred binge-model for the rest of the world means that its official intentional release is still unknown outside of "some time later in the year".

Toybox REVIEW: Nendoroid Hana Mutou

Captain Earth probably didn't have quite the impact Bones had hoped that it would, but that doesn't mean it didn't have some pretty great moments. Its beautiful mecha designs were squandered with fleeting action sequences, but in its stead came some really memorable characters that received some nice development. So when my favourite of the Midsummer's Knights - Hana Mutou, was announced for Good Smile Company's Nendoroid line it's fair to say I was pretty excited. "Waifu" isn't a term I like to use often (Gurren Lagann's Nia and Kill la Kill's Satsuki notwithstanding), but the Flare Engine pilot and component of the mysterious Blume spaceship is definitely someone I'll make an exception for...

Anime REVIEW: Space Dandy

There have been quite a few extremely popular anime shows that have aired in the past year, but I don't think any have sparked off as much interesting conversation as Space Dandy. One of the latest ventures from prolific studio Bones, this show also features famed Cowboy Bebop (plus others) director Shinichirō Watanabe at the helm. But on top of those already pretty impressive credentials, Space Dandy is also part of that very exclusive club of shows that has received a simuldub. That's right - as the Japanese language version was being released, we Westerners were also getting a full English version via Funimation and Adult Swim. Now I'm usually a sub man myself, but considering this rather impressive venture I thought it obligatory I checked out the dub. And rather unexpectedly, that's also the version I ended up sticking with.

Anime REVIEW: Captain Earth

When people think of studios that specialise in mecha series the likes of Sunrise and Gainax are naturally the first ones to come to mind, but with the likes of RahXephon, Eureka Seven and Star Driver under their belts Bones are managing to creep up that list by combining their own formula for the genre with the high quality animation the studio constantly delivers. Taking that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude, their newest entry for the genre is Captain Earth - a 25-episode series that aired between April and September 2014.

Anime REVIEW: Soul Eater Not!

Given that Soul Eater seems to still have a fair bit of popularity in it for a show that aired six years ago, it was only a matter of time before its spin-off manga series also received the same treatment. Once again with studio Bones at the helm, Soul Eater Not! is a prequel/spin-off series that features a (mostly) new cast and a fluffier demeanour. With the action still taking place at Death City, there's still plenty of action, supernatural beings and people turning into weapons though. At only 12 episodes long, it's also significantly shorter than the 51 episode main show.

First Impressions: Soul Eater Not!

It seems Captain Earth isn't studio Bones' only heavy hitter for this anime season, as this Spring also sees the return of one of their more popular titles. Soul Eater Not! is a comedy spinoff of Soul Eater (obviously), based on the manga of the same name. When I began watching the original Soul Eater I liked it a lot, but unfortunately being one of the shows based on a (then) ongoing manga series the story progressively suffered more and more as it went on. The Soul Eater Not! manga is also currently ongoing, so will this show end up suffering the same fate? Either way its time to make a long overdue return to Death City.

First Impressions: Captain Earth

With the more juvenile series out of the way, let's get talking about one of the REAL mecha shows making its debut this anime season. Captain Earth is the brand new show from Bones, written by Takuya Igarashi and directed by Yōji Enokido - both of whom worked on Star Driver. Those two aren't the only Star Driver staff returning, with artists Shingeto Koyoma and Takayuki Yanase (both of whom also worked on Eureka Seven and its sequel Ao) handling mecha duties. Mentioning these two series is pretty important, as prior to airing some referring to Captain Earth as "Eureka Seven meets Star Driver". With those being two of my favourite anime series of all time, Captain Earth was probably my most anticipated show for this season.

First Impressions: Space Dandy

There's been a lot of hype surrounding Space Dandy. Not only is the brand new show from both Bones (the studio behind Eureka Seven, Fullmetal Alchemist and more) and Shinichirō Watanabe (director of Cowboy Bebop, amongst others), it's also storming new ground by being simultaneously released in Japan and dubbed in the US on Adult Swim's Toonami block. It's not the first show to have ever received a dub the same time as its Japanese airing, but this sort of creative talent behind it its certainly the one to get the most attention. But all this effort isn't going to go very far if the show falls flat on its face on the first hurdle, so was the first episode any good?

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Takuto Tsunashi

Despite what my collection habits may have you believe, the S.H. Figuarts line isn't just about tokusatsu toys. Other than the Kamen Rider and Super Sentai franchises the toyline has also played host to a number of anime franchises including Dragonball Z, Pretty Cure, One Piece and, more recently, Code Geass and Sailor Moon. This review is of a one-shot figure that was released back in 2011 to roughly coincide with the release of a Robot Damashii figure from the same series. I give you the Galactic Pretty Boy himself, Takuto Tsunashi from Bones' underrated Star Driver.

Takuto's packaging is pretty simplistic in terms of colours and layout, but certainly has the flare and elegance befitting of the Galactic Pretty Boy. The predominantly white front features a star shaped window, with the figure image all red save for his yellow hair section. The writing is in a very nice red foil, and the bottom has the series logo above a rainbow backdrop. The back however is much more like the show, with the figure posed on a back drop of the "zero time" the mecha fight scenes take place in.

Out of the box we can see that Bandai have adequately replicated Takuto's spindly frame, which works both to the figure's advantage and disadvantage. On the plus it makes the sculpt that more accurate to the show model, but unfortunately it means posing him can sometimes be a bit of a pain - especially with a billowing soft plastic tailcoat that has next to no articulation. However it seems Bandai anticipated the posing difficulty somewhat and made some attempts to fix it, as we'll see further down in the review.

As a figure that's now over two years old, you can also see just how far Figuarts have come in terms of engineering. While the shoulders and elbows still offer a similar amount of articulation to their more modern counterparts, looks-wise they are far more intrusive. The other annoying thing about the shoulders is that the pads almost constantly pop off when moving the arms - its just a ball and socket so not hard to pop back in, but annoying nonetheless. These old style joints aren't quite as sturdy either, so while Takuto can hold a decent amount of poses there is a fair bit of floppiness at the same time.

While not completely overloaded with accessories, Takuto comes with more than enough to keep a Star Driver fan happy. We have 3 alternate faces (standard, smiling and screaming), 9 swappable hands (including one of the Glittering Crux' "KIRABOSHI!" pose), a normal sheathed sword and finally Takuto's signature weapons - the star swords Emeraude and Saphir. These star swords are smaller versions of the ones included with the Robot Damashii Taubarn, and while they aren't a whole lot to look at detail-wise the coloured translucent plastic is really nice.

But that's not the only surprise in store! Outclassing most BETTER Figuarts, Takuto also comes with his own signature Tamashii stage. I say signature, it's the same one included with Taubarn - made of translucent red plastic and with a 5-point star base. I really like this stand, so I was glad to see it included again with the figure. Plus its a massive boost to the set as a whole since Takuto isn't so great at holding dynamic poses under his own weight (blame a huge coat and spindly anime legs).

Takuto is a great figure, but one that falls noticeably short of the usual S.H. Figuarts standard. Whether this is due to its age, build or simply the fact Bandai hadn't quite nailed poseable anime figures in this line yet, he certainly doesn't measure up to the numerous Rider and Sentai figures I have. Still, poseable Star Driver figures are something that are very hard to come by and there's unlikely to be any more in the future so if you're as big a fan of the series as me this is definitely one worth getting - either to nicely compliment the RD Taubarn or simply look fabulous on a shelf alone.

Anime REVIEW: Eureka Seven AO

Sequels are often in a difficult position before they even get off the ground. If the preceding series was excellent, then they're already given the daunting task of living up to it. If it was bad, then they not only have to prove themselves good enough to warrant interest in the first place, they also need get out of the shadow cast by their predecessor. So when Bones (one of my favourite anime studios) announced a sequel to Eureka Seven (one of my favourite series) my reaction was both excitement and scepticism. The prospect of more Eureka Seven was brilliant, but the original series had such a perfect ending it was hard to see what direction a sequel would go in. Eureka Seven AO (Astral Ocean) aired this year between April and November, and ran for a total of 26 episodes.

The uninteresting cast of Eureka Seven AO

In the year 2025, Ao Fukai is a 13-year-old boy who lives on the island of Iwato Jima with Dr. Toshio Fukai, who took Ao in after his biological mother Eureka (from the original Eureka Seven series) disappeared 10 years ago. When the nearby Scub Coral is attacked by a huge monster (later revealed to be named a Secret), Ao finds himself tangled in the battle and activates a large IFO (Intelligent Flying Object) known as the Nirvash. Discovering the Nirvash once belonged to his mother, Ao joins research organisation Generation Bleu in an attempt to unravel the mysteries of his past and track down his missing mother.

Ao and Naru discuss her awful taste in headgear

While Eureka Seven AO is an ambitious series, its immediately clear that its links to the original series are tenuous at best. Prequel episode "New Order" tries to tie the undisclosed gap between the two series', but the fact its simply a clip show with new audio makes it all the more confusion. The only characters who appear from the original series are Eureka and (very later) Renton, but these appearances are fleeting and Renton is very different to the boy we knew at the end of the original. The only other link viewers have is the appearance of the Scub Coral, but the show keeps how everything ties together in the dark until the very end - presenting one confusing mystery after the other. The world of Eureka Seven AO is completely different to the world of Eureka Seven, and with no strong connection (both physical or emotional) it fails as a sequel. Unfortunately, Eureka Seven AO doesn't stand up very well as a side story or even its own show either.

Truth. You'll learn to hate him.

The show centres around Ao and Team Pied Piper, a division of Generation Bleu that investigates both the Scub Coral and the Secrets. As a set piece, it works very much like the crew of the Gekko did in Eureka Seven. Except none of the cast have any of the charisma their peers had. Eureka Seven had an epic plot that involved science fiction, mecha and political intrigue, but at its heart it was always a character driven. Eureka Seven AO on the other hand is an event driven show, and this is clear at the expense of characterisation. Naru, Ao's childhood friend who is later played up to be a big drive of the series, has barely any personality at all, which severely affect her motivations. Fleur Blanc, fellow Pied Piper pilot and potential love interest to Ao, is perhaps the sole character who deserved more development yet remains mostly underused and reduced to primarily eye candy. Worst of all is Truth, the show's central antagonist. His origin and motives remain a mystery for almost the entirety of the series, but instead of adding interest renders him a completely overpowered villain that the audience can project their frustration at the series onto.

Eureka's back. Don't expect to see her much though.

So what little good does this series have? Well the art is to Bones' usual high standard, and the mecha design and fight sequences are a marvel to behold, even when the plot has been completely thrown out the window. The gunmetal grey of the Nirvash Mark I is quite difficult to the colourful white and red Nirvash of the original series, but is much more fitting with the show's heavier focus on politics and the military. Plus it makes it easier to tell them apart when both Nirvash begin to duke it out.

Renton's back too! Expect to see him even less.

Ambition will only get you so far, and it's a shame that Eureka Seven AO had to fall flat on its face for the most part. It's one thing to make your audience sit through 26 episodes of (well animated) dullness, but to reach the end of the series and practically tell them that nothing they've just watched is even important is nothing short of insulting (and to without giving away too much, yes that is pretty much how the series ends). Bones might be the masters of making a great series, but this is just another example that they have a lot to learn when it comes to making sequels.

Movie REVIEW: Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos

It's surprising that a series as popular as Fullmetal Alchemist hasn't had more big screen outings - until now there was only the somewhat epic but also wholly unsatisfying Conqueror of Shamballa, the finale to the original series. But in 2011 FMA returned to the big screen with The Sacred Star of Milos, which while set in the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood universe has no bearing on the plot and is more of a side story. Much like most anime films of long-running series then.

The Elrics are back for a brand new adventure

The plot revolves around Edward and Alphonse Elric joining in the effort to capture an escaped prisoner, the escapee using an unknown style of lightning and ice alchemy. After discovering with Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye that he, who is using the false name of Melvin Voyager, escaped after seeing a photo of a girl named Julia Crichton who was arrested while entering illegally in the remote Table City, set in the border between Amestris and the country of Creta.

In typical Elric style, the two brothers continue to investigate, intrigued by the Voyager's alchemy and hopeful that it may give them a clue how to regain their bodies. Their train to Table City is subsequently attacked by not only a wolf-chimera, but also a group of glider soldiers calling themselves the Black Bats. Ed and Al soon become involved with the group of freedom fighters from Milos,a slum located at the bottom of the trench separating Amestris and Creta. Melvin is revealed as Ashley Crichton, brother to the now fugitive Julia, both originally from Milos. Using a legendary star that can control the magma under them, the Milos people plan to take back their home from the two opposing countries. But for Ed and Al, the star of Milos sounds all too familiar...

Melvin Voyager meets Julia Crichton

While this may be an all new plot line with mostly brand new characters, it doesn't stray too far away from the typical Fullmetal Alchemist themes. Between warring factions, a suffering nation and the all-important subject of equivalent exchange, on paper its almost exactly the same story as before in a shorter running time. However that doesn't mean The Sacred Star of Milos doesn't do anything differently, and so the film makes its mark through an extremely character driven story where the twists and turns make it difficult to determine between friend and foe. The new protagonist, Julia, is a likeable foil to the Elrics and the villain (who's identity would spoil the film so shall remain hidden) is just as twisted as any Homunculi the show gave us, but without the bizarre looks or powers.

This film has everything from "werewolves"...

That isn't to say the film is without its problems however. To make room for the focus these new characters need to be interesting, unfortunately the supporting cast of the show have been pushed aside. Mustang, Hawkeye and Winry all make appearances in the film, but their roles are for the most part superfluous and have very little bearing on the story. Armstrong makes a very brief cameo, but that's your lot as far as the FMA regulars are concerned. The film also suffers from extended periods of mundaneness, which in the long run serve to flesh out its climax but at the time seem to drag the film along.

Despite still being a BONES production, this iteration of FMA looks rather different from its predecessors. The character designs are much sharper with very minor, but still noticeable, facial differences. Characters also suffer badly in ranged shots, where they're either lazily drawn or completely blurred - each resulting in it difficult to make out who is who sometimes. But in opposition to this the fight scenes are beautifully animated and live up to the expectation of "bigger is better" when it comes to anime films of this kind. The violence has also been moved up a notch this time around, with some rather graphic deaths and removal of transmutation circle-tattooed skin.

...to mysterious masked generals

The Sacred Star of Milos is ultimately a curious entry into the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise, because despite being a better film than The Conqueror of Shamballa its place as a (debatably non-canonical) side story makes it far less memorable. Fans of the series will be happy to see the characters back again for one more adventure, but this film falls slightly short of the god-like status FMA has made for itself.

Anime REVIEW: Star Driver - Takuto of the Radiance

From acclaimed anime studio Bones (responsible for Eureka Seven, Soul Eater, Fullmetal Alchemist and much more) comes Star Driver, a story of super robots gone fabulous. Star Driver tells the tale of Takuto Tsunashi, a young boy who arrives on the remote Southern Cross Isle. The island has a dark secret though, as a group of masked individuals known as the Glittering Crux Brigade are attempting to release a hoard of mysterious mecha known as 'Cybodies' from an alternate dimension known as Zero Time. To do this they must first break the seals of the four maidens of the island. Takuto has a secret of his own though, as he soon reveals himself to be the 'Galactic Pretty Boy', a legendary fighter who defends the maidens with his own Cybody, Taubarn. Takuto not only becomes popular at school, but soon enters a complicated love triangle with his two best friends - South maiden Wako Agemaki and Sugata Shindō, Wako's fiancee and pilot to the most powerful Cybody of all, Samekh.

With so many great things to say about this series, it's very difficult to decide where to begin. The story is very much super robot, explosive over the top action with little regard for logical sciences - but there's so much more to it than that. The Cybody action is only one segment of the series, Star Driver is also at heart very much a series about romance, comedy and school life. Unlike other animes which have tried to combine two seemingly contrasting genres and failed, Star Driver has succeeded. I want to say its like Ouran High School Host Club meets Gurren Lagann, but to make that comparison sells Star Driver to short (and to be honest, the narrative isn't particularly like either) but that's the kind of image it visually presents. Takuto is desired by both his friends and enemies, as is in some ways Sugata. While this and many other things (such as an interesting play performed by the main cast as the Drama club) are equally as focal as the main plot, what's at stake in Star Driver is never lost, nor is the plot spoon fed to the audience. There are plenty of plot twists, and revelations are kept to themselves until the very last minute (but with plenty of hints for people to draw their own conclusions before the big reveal).

Takuto's transformation into the Galactic Pretty Boy is a striking sequence, with more things in common with a Magical Girl anime than a Super Robot one, but somehow it works. With a flowing coat, dual hair and knee high boots, the only way to describe the Ginga Bishounen is fabulous. Not to be outdone, the Glittering Crux have their own 'unique' look, with costumes featuring feathers, masks, suspenders and various levels of bondage (and with aliases like 'President', 'Window Star' and 'Scarlet Kiss', it seems rather appropriate).

But what probably drew me to Star Driver in the first place were the robots. Star Driver already had its fair share of unique designs with the Crux's wardrobe of choice, but it doesn't stop there. The Taubarn isn't like any mecha you've seen before - it has a plume on its head, a tiny waist with huge hips and pointed high-heeled feet. It looks more like its about to strut down a catwalk than engage in a massive sword fight, and the majority of the other Cybodies in the series also follow suite. The battle sequences are extremely interesting, operating outside the real world in Zero Time, where the scenery is extremely reminiscent of the final battle from Gurren Lagann. The action is explosive, but in a very different way - there are times where Taubarn seems like it's dancing as much as its fighting.

In short, Star Driver is nothing short of brilliant. It maintains a level of being both equally serious and light hearted, each character is unforgettable and the art is simply stunning. Even the opening/ending themes, along with each maidens' unique theme song are fantastic. It is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best anime series I have ever watched. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of giant robot animes, there's enough here relevant to other genres that will keep you watching.

Anime REVIEW: Soul Eater

Originally released in 2008-09, the 51 episode series revolves around Shibusen, a school run by the Grim Reaper in order to train teams of weapons (humans that have the ability to turn into weapons) and meisters (wielders). The three main teams consist of Maka Albarn and her partner Soul (who can turn into a scythe), Black Star and Tsubaki (who can transform into a variety of ninja weapons) and the Grim Reaper's son Death the Kid and his twin partners Liz and Patty (pistols). With the help of their teachers and under the guidance of a rather eccentric Grim Reaper, they battle witches, golems and finally, a face off with the madness spreading 'demon-god' Asura.

Soul Eater gets off to a very promising start - rather than throw the viewer right in at the deep end, we're treated to three prologue episodes, each starring one of the three main groups of characters. This is a great introduction to world of Soul Eater, and only after these three episodes to the characters start appearing together properly and sharing adventures. Add in a strong and diverse group of side characters and it has the makings of a very strong show. The first arc is very strong in terms of content (and feels like it's leading on to something bigger, but ultimately doesn't). It's also one of the few anime shows out there were the few filler episodes are as equally entertaining as the main plot - the moomin-esque Excalibur is actually one of the series' comedy highlights, and he has some pretty stiff competition in the forms of the Grim Reaper himself and Kid's rather simple partner Patty.

The art and music are top notch - particularly the first opening track 'Resonance' and its accompanying opening. My only regret is that the series is completely animated in the deep shadowy style of its opening city scape, which for me remains the animation highlight. The series itself is equally fluid, if a bit brighter. The uses of CGI don't detract (Shibusen looks fantastic in all its birthday cake glory) and it has a strong selection of background music.

As fun as Soul Eater is as a series, its also littered with problems. Being based on a manga that's still ongoing, it's only natural that there would be several dropped plot points, but Soul Eater seems to take it to ridiculous levels. Soul's determination to become a deathscythe? Never happens. Villain Mosquito's powerful 400-year old form? Never shown. And anyone expecting second arc big-bad Arachne to do anything apart from sit on a spider's web and order people about will be sorely disappointed, as this is all she does as her whole scheme is orchestrated by her henchmen. There's not even an indication of exactly how powerful Arachne is. Her apparent rivalry with sister and first arc big-bad Medusa is rendered null, as Medusa proves to be a far more interesting a threatening villain throughout.

The second problem is the series insistence on giving almost every character some sort of catchphrase or quirk - Soul always talks about how something is cool/uncool, Black Star will surpass God, Kid is obsessed with symmetry, Crona can't deal with things etc. And that's not all of them either. While a lot of these a dropped as the series progresses (and some are interesting character traits/genuinely funny), to begin with they're drilled into the viewer non-stop. Finally, the series ends on an incredibly abrupt note with plot points coming out of nowhere without even being vaguely hinted at, leaving a rather unsatisfying taste.

Another problem is Black Star, who is horribly one dimensional. His arrogance has no bounds, and there's no other side to it either. All he does is shout his way through the series claiming he's going to get stronger, and he does. While it does add a bit of variety to the cast, he's so arrogant it becomes nigh impossible to like him as a character and difficult to watch him on screen - and as a main character, that's quite a lot of screen time. It's a wonder how the hell Tsubaki puts up with him.

Soul Eater is by no stretch a bad series, in fact it's a very good watch full of likeable characters and (for the most part) an engaging plot. It was certainly better than the Naruto-lite-with-demons-instead-of-ninjas I was first expecting it to be. But in comparison to some of Bones' other works (which include both Fullmetal Alchemist series', Eureka Seven, Ouran High School Host Club and more recently, Star Driver) it doesn't quite live up to the standards the studio usually produces. Catchphrases, annoying main characters and a horrifically rushed ending get Soul Eater a high 3 out of 5 rating, but just make it miss out on receiving a 4.