Anime of the Year 1994-IV Fall - Blue Seed

Blue Seed surprised me a lot this season climbing up in the masterpiece league. 

1. Magic Knight Rayearth 魔法騎士（マジックナイト）レイアース [Tokyo Movie Shinsha] (Finished 4/20) Tags: Shoujo Isekai, Mecha Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji are strangers brought together by fate when they meet during a seemingly normal field trip to Tokyo Tower. Accompanied by a great flash of light, they hear a mysterious woman's plea to save "Cephiro," and the junior high heroines are suddenly swept away by a giant flying fish. Afterwards, they arrive in an unknown land, where they encounter a man called Master Mage Clef. Clef informs the girls that they were summoned by Princess Emeraude to fulfill their destinies as Magic Knights, restoring peace and balance in Cephiro. The formerly lively and peaceful land has been in disarray ever since High Priest Zagato imprisoned the princess, who acted as Cephiro's pillar of stability. The Magic Knights reluctantly accept Clef's words as truth and embark on a journey to save Cephiro from the clutches of evil. A logical and easy to watch show and even with some basic RPG qualities. It also seems to be the first anime where SD characters are used occasionally for humor moments just as we often have nowadays. A the same time plot is simple and characters are quite simple as well. Brilliant execution of not too interesting material, but that is not enough for a masterpiece.   Overall Rating: 6/10

2. DNA² Ｄ・Ｎ・Ａ²　～何処かで失くしたあいつのアイツ～ [Madhouse, Studio Deen] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Time Travel Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi Karin, a DNA operator from the future, is on a mission to change the course of History by stopping Junta Momonari from becoming the Mega-Playboy who fathered 100 children and led to the overpopulation of the world. But Junta is no playboy; in fact he is allergic to girls. But when Karin shoots him with the wrong DNA-altering bullet, he starts sporadically becoming the Mega-Playboy capable of charming any woman. Karin must try to restore the situation to normal before the change to Mega-Playboy becomes irreversible. Show starts really strong, but manages to get worse and worse with each following episode. In episode 2 we get to learn that in macho mode Junta is also super strong so it becomes action. As early as in episode 3 the first signs of disaster show up, and it only goes downhill from there.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Macross 7 マクロス７ [Production Reed] (Finished 3/49) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Military, Music, Space Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi 35 years have passed since Lynn Minmay had brought peace between the Zentradi and the humans in the events of Macross. Nekki Basara is a guitarist and a singer of the band Fire Bomber. Living in a less-developed part of the flying colony City 7 which is looking for a habitable planet, he composes and sings songs in the belief that music holds a greater power. During its flight, an unknown alien race appeared and started laying siege upon City 7. However, its attacks are not conventional -- instead of trying to destroy them, they steal what is known as "spiritia", rendering victims unresponsive and zombie-like. During these battles, Basara always goes out into the middle of the warzone, singing his songs and expecting friend and foe to listen and be moved by his music. Macross Plus felt like a side-story, but it had a normal concept, not music defeats evil. Macross 7 is return to the roots with emphasized battle music meaning. Macross 7 is polarizing even among fans, and I consider it to be the worst series in the franchise.   Overall Rating: 4/10

4. Blue Seed ブルーシード [Production I.G, Production Reed] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Momiji is an average girl until the day she finds she is the descendant of the great Kushinada family. Only she, with her Kushinada blood, can stop the Aragami, demonic plant-like monsters threatening to destroy Japan. Along to help her is the TAC, and a possible love interest in a young man named Kusanagi. A unique mix of action, mystery and unusually serious plot. There are also a lot of characters to shine and no babysitting them. Momiji despite frail nature has a great fighting spirit and resolve while Kusanagi is a cool cynical bakemono. Lots of greatly shaped beasts. It's refreshing when viewers are not regarded as idiots or kids. I did not expect anything from this show, but I managed to enjoy it. I heard this anime was aired in the USA which is terrific as roughly from this show anime stops to be treated as entertainment for kids and gets to be treated seriously.   Overall Rating: 7/10

5. Captain Tsubasa J キャプテン翼Ｊ [Studio Comet] (Finished 3/47) Tags: Shounen Action, Sports The first 33 episodes are a summary of the previous series. In the first new episodes a new character, Shingo Aoi, (playing in Italy) is introduced. After that the world cup begins, this time with extraordinary, new countries like Sweden, Thailand or Uzbekistan. Unfortunately the Anime ends in the middle of the world cup after the match Japan-Uzbekistan. Just great, start with retelling the original season so that I watch the same stuff yet again.   Overall Rating: 5/10

6. Mahoujin Guruguru Magical Circle Guru Guru 魔法陣グルグル [Nippon Animation] (Finished 7/45) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy There is a small village called Jimuna on the continent of Jamu Jamu. This village is home to a girl named Kukuri. She is the last descendant of the Migu Migu Tribe. She is raised by an old witch who teaches her the secret magic of the tribe, but Kukuri is not a good student. In the same village lives a boy named Nike. He has been raised by very strict parents. They discipline their son to become a brave hero of the village. Nike himself does not want to be a hero at all, but he grows up to become a mighty boy. One day the king of the village, Kodai, recruits troops to fight against the ruler of the darkness, Giri. Kukuri and Nike are accepted. The two children, the strong but reluctant hero Nike, and the eager but unskilled little witch Kukuri, set out on a wonderful journey full of adventures and friendship. Crazy nonsense gag comedies have its fans. I'm not one of them.   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Ai to Yuuki no Pig Girl Tonde Buurin Super Pig 愛と勇気のピッグガール　とんでぶーりん [Nippon Animation] (Finished 5/51) Tags: Shoujo Parody, School Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance "Look! In the sky...It's a bird...It's a plane...It's Super Pig?!" One fateful day, Karin, a junior-high student, found what she thought was an injured piglet. However, the piglet was just exhausted from hunger. After the piglet regained his health by eating Karin's apple, he revealed that he is a prince, Tonrariano III, from a planet called Booringo. Tonrariano wanted to reward Karin for helping him and so he transformed her into a pig with superpowers. Karin was not at all pleased with the gift because she wanted to become a pretty superheroine like "Cutey Chao" (a parody of Cutey Honey), not Super Pig. Reluctantly, she became more interested in her role as Super Pig when she found out that she can turn into someone like "Cutey Chao" if she can collect 108 pearls through doing good deeds for other people. Just a normal shoujo magical pig. Also not much sense, and humor is not to my liking.   Overall Rating: 5/10

8. Shinken Densetsu: Tight Road 真拳伝説 タイトロード [Toei Animation] (Finished 0/13) Tags: Martial Arts Action - Not found this video game adaptation.   Overall Rating: 0/10

9. Key the Metal Idol  [Pierrot] (Finished 6/15) Tags: Mecha, Music, Psychological Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Tokiko Mima, nicknamed "Key," is a 17-year-old girl living in the Japanese countryside who, despite her human-like appearance, is a robot. When Key's grandfather Dr. Murao Mima passes away, he leaves her a dying message, telling her that she can become a real girl if she is able to make thirty thousand friends. Thus, Key moves from the quiet Mamio Valley to the busy streets of Tokyo, where she soon runs into her childhood friend Sakura Kuriyagawa. Key quickly becomes enamored with idol singer Miho Utsuse and wonders if becoming a singer will allow her to make the amount of friends needed for her to become human. But Miho carries a ominous secret: she is connected to Jinsaku Ajou, an old rival of Dr. Mima trying to make new a breakthrough in robotic weaponry. As Key works to become a real girl, Ajou sets a dangerous plan into action, and it turns out there's much more to Key than meets the eye. I gave this anime many chances on the course of 6 episodes, but it remained a tiresome bore with bland characters and more of a stage than a real plot.   Overall Rating: 5/10

10. Musekinin Kanchou Tylor OVA Irresponsible Captain Tylor OVA 無責任艦長タイラー OVA [Studio Deen, Daume] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Military, Space Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi Six long months have passed. The Raalgon Empire has developed a horrible new type of weapon, and Tylor has been charged with the duty of intercepting it as it is being transported. But when all that could go wrong does go wrong, the crew members of the Soyokaze find themselves at the mercy of their enemies. As the hours tick down toward their execution, the crew wonders: has their irresponsible captain misled them? Or is this all a part of some greater strategy? Tyler was great, but I believe it was a bit too stretched. This OVA is slightly worse as it's additional stretching with more of the same.   Overall Rating: 6/10

11. Aozora Shoujo-tai 801 T.T.S. Airbats 青空少女隊 [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 7/7) Tags: Shounen Military Action, Comedy, Romance When aviation mechanic (and anime fanboy) Takuya Isurugi is transferred to the 801st Tactical Training Squadron, he gets more than he bargained for. Moderated by hard-headed veteran ace Mitsuru Konishi, the "Airbats" are an all-female aerial acrobatic team consisting of loose cannons Miyuki Haneda and Arisa Mitaka, karaoke freak and gambling genius Sakura Saginomiya, and junk food lover Yoko Shimorenjaku. Both Haneda and Mitaka do not get along with each other, and their rivalry worsens when they both fall for Isurugi. But with the entire JASDF having doubts about the team, the Airbats must work as a team or face total disbandment. A new harem that felt a lot like Tenchi, but with additional unnecessary drama and challenge for the protagonist. The worst thing is that there is no plot, just pilot school and romance. It's just average.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Gatchaman  [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts, Super Power Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi In the year 2066, the Republic of Hontworl, a charter member of the United Nations, leaves the organization without explaining its motives. This causes an outrage within the U.N. and places the security of the world on edge. Soon after this incident, Myori, the capital of the Republic of Triad, is attacked by a bird-like, flying fortress known as the Turtle King. The International Science Organization, which is headed by Dr. Kouzaburou Nanbu, is tasked to deal with this mysterious enemy. At the same time, the leading scientists of the ISO are disappearing. The five members of the Science Ninja Team, the Gatchaman warriors, are called upon to get to the bottom of things. It's been years since the team has fought Berg Katze and the infamous Galactor organization. Will Ken, also known as the Eagle, still be able to lead his team to victory against this supreme force of evil? I'm allergic to this series and I fail to understand how it manages to exist at all. Previous series had some nice twists even with deaths, but it happened midway or closer to the end, and before that there's at least 15 episodes of nothing even remotely amusing. This OVA does not have the luxury of volume, so it loses pretty much everything it had.   Overall Rating: 4/10

13. Bounty Dog: Getsumen no Ibu バウンティドッグ~月面のイブ~ [animate Film] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Space Action, Sci-Fi In the future, mankind has colonized the bleak expanses of the moon. Cities now stand proudly where there was once only desolation and emptiness. But there are alien forces that do not want mankind to succeed and only one man can stop them. He is a member of the Bounty Dog Investigation Unit, a high-tech cybernetic mercenary team. It's so bad that I don't even know how to describe it. It's ugly and gory and nonsensical... and disgusting.   Overall Rating: 4/10

14. Dengeki Oshioki Musume Gootaman R: Ai to Kanashimi no Final Battle Butt Attack Punisher Girl Gautaman R 臀撃おしおき娘ゴータマンＲ（リターン）～愛と悲しみのファイナルバトル [Studio Kikan] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Parody Action, Comedy, Ecchi Gootaman is back, and ready to bring justice to the Black Buddha gang who are still terrorizing the PR Academy! Unfortunately her alter ego Mari has fallen in love with the group’s leader Tobishima, who has been tasked with killing the bare bottomed hero! Will their romantic feelings overcome his murderous intent, or is Mari destined to be alone as the scantily-clad champion forever? It manages to present even less worthy humor and more H focus than prequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. Wild 7 ワイルド７ [Pierrot Plus] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shounen Detective Action, Drama An elite police crime fighting team is formed using convicted criminals. Using their first hand knowledge of the criminal mindset, the Wild 7 are first sent after a gang of Bank robbers. Then in Wild Biker Knights they are sent after a huge crime syndicate that has many high powered government officials in its deep pockets. I'd call it Angel Cop done right - no superficial elements , serious with some comedy and charismatic enough protagonists. There's enough goodness for a decent action show.   Overall Rating: 6/10

16. Yamato 2520 YAMATO2520 [ヤマトニーゴーニーゼロ] [Studio Take Off] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Military Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Set hundreds of years after the original, Yamato 2520 chronicles the adventures of the eighteenth starship to bear the name, and its battle against the Seiren Federation. On a planet harshly ruled by the Serien Federation, a group of earth teenagers discover the ancient hulk of the Earth Federation Battleship Yamato. By stealing it's data disk the teens are able to use the Serien's own automated ship yards to construct a new Yamato. I'm actually sick of old Yamato already, so I looked forward to this one, and it actually looked somewhat like Venus Wars with additional cyberpunk at first . But very soon a bunch of kids start to rebuild one of the biggest spaceships in history Yamato ... out of boredom. Just wow for this kind of motivation, they literally got sick of their planet Rimus and wanted to see the Earth again. Of course these useless kids who miraculously own some jets and at least a dozen of cyberbikes succeed in rebuilding the spaceship, and only in the last of three episodes finally have space clash. Everything in this anime is so convenient and illogical that it irritates. Like scientist who gets possessed by neo-fascist ideas of human race superiority who gets away with pretty much a single spaceship and luckily finds a new energy supersource and starts a new civilization in order to... attack Earth that has people of the same race as him... so stupid, so bad .   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Oira Uchuu no Tankoufu Mighty Space Miners おいら宇宙の探鉱夫 [Triangle Staff] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Space Adventure, Sci-Fi In the mid-21st century, mankind has begun the exploration of space, and one company, Planet Catcher Corporation, has pioneered capturing asteroids and comets to mine the resources within them for use on Earth. On one such asteroid, Tortatis, lives 12-year-old Nanbu Ushiwaka - the only child ever to be born in space and survive. But survival itself is no longer guaranteed - a military satellite triggers a disaster during a operation to capture Halley's Comet, and Ushiwaka and his fellow colonists must find a way to survive when both their country and their company abandon them. Can they escape before the nuclear reactor on the asteroid melts down? Or are they doomed to die as they lived, among the stars? It's basically a constant survival story as brat protagonist is challenged by dangers in every step and he barely manages to escape each time by using some low quality gear or just surroundings. Protagonist personality is irritating and story hardly has any plot besides survival and ends too fast as if it's just prologue to longer series , so it's not satisfying .   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Tanjou: Debut 誕生～Ｄｅｂｕｔ～ [Pierrot, animate Film] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Romance, Slice of Life, Supernatural  Aki Itou is a normal highschool girl doing normal things: reading books, feeding stray cats, eating at restaurants with her friend Kumi, dreaming of being an adult, and admiring the boy she likes. However, reality is not always kind to girls with dreams, as she finds out. Super basic idol gimmicks , as expected.   Overall Rating: 4/10

19. Otaku no Seiza おたくの星座 [Bee Media, 81 Produce] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Parody Comedy Anime based on Otaku no Seiza: in Another World, on the Turbo CD, and Otaku no Seiza: An Adventure in the Otaku Galaxy, for the NES, which were two Role-Playing games, published by M&M, released in Japan in 1991 and 1993. First of all, it's ecchi. Apart of that, it's nonsense. Maybe those who played games could make some sense out of it, but I could not.   Overall Rating: 5/10

20. Shura ga Yuku 修羅がゆく [Knack Productions] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Seinen Organized Crime Drama Based on a Yakuza drama manga by Kawabe Yuu and Yamaguchi Masato. Not translated. Another obscure low quality yakuza story. Everything is as usual - ecchi and full focus on violence, total seriousness this time, but since it's oversaturated with action seriousness looks like a parody at times. Anyway, pretty average and only suits those who'd want to watch another yakuza story.   Overall Rating: 5/10

21. Saitama Bousou Saizensen Flag! Shinimonogurui no Seishun!! 埼玉暴走最前線 フラッグ! 死にものぐるいの青春!! [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Slice of Life  Based on the manga Flag! by Hotta Akio, which was serialized in Young King from 1992 to 1995. The OVA depicts the tumultuous daily lives of three boys, including Noboru, Akira and Haruo, who inherit the flag of the locally famous fugitive tribe "Moonlight". Not translated. Biker gangs compete for girls and Moonlight flag. Pretty short and average overall.   Overall Rating: 5/10

22. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Kaguya-hime no Koibito Sailor Moon S Movie: Hearts in Ice 美少女戦士セーラームーンS かぐや姫の恋人 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance An unusual snow storm hits Tokyo and the Sailor Senshi discover that an evil snow queen Kaguya, wants to freeze the entire earth. It's up to the Inner Sailor Senshi along with the Outers, to defeat the Queen. Meanwhile, Luna falls in love with a human astronomer named Kakeru whose girlfriend is an astronaut about to take a space shuttle mission. Kakeru becomes ill and Luna wishes she could be a human to help him. Solid ice-themed boss and a new guy Kakeru with frozen feelings. Visuals are really great, especially due to all the running snow.   Overall Rating: 6/10

23. Darkside Blues ダークサイド・ブルース [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Psychological Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi The Persona Century Corporation has purchased nearly every parcel of land on earth. Dissension is not tolerated within the corporation's borders and those who oppose Persona are dealt with swiftly. Of those few places not yet under Persona's control is the free town of Kabuki-cho, also known as "The Dark Side of Tokyo". Within the town, under the leadership of a woman named Mai, is a small resistance group called Messiah. Into this world steps a man who takes the sobriquet of Kabuki-cho: Darkside. Sealed up in another dimension eighteen years ago by Persona Century, Darkside now returns to aid Messiah using his unique mystic power of renewal. There's a cool dystopia setting, nice characters and great precise retro-drawing. What really stands out is Darkside with all his magic and darkness , as well as other assassins with psionic powers. It's unusual and quirky enough to be called decent, but also too weird and rushed for anything bigger.   Overall Rating: 6/10

24. Ninkuu: Knife no Bohyou NINKŪ－忍空－「ナイフの墓標」 [Pierrot] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Comedy This was shown as part of the "Jump Super Anime Tour" of October 1994, prior to the Ninku TV series. TV series is coming next season. As a prequel special it's not much - a bit of absurd comedy and some fighting action.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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