Anime of the Year 1995-IV Fall - Koukaku Kidoutai

Koukaku Kidoutai is the second genius masterpiece I can proclaim , plus this season sees the start of Neon Genesis Evangelion even though its first half was not outstanding

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン  [Gainax, Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Mecha, Psychological Action, Avant Garde, Award Winning, Drama, Sci-Fi, Suspense Fifteen years after a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact, the world faces a new threat: monstrous celestial beings called "Angels" invade Tokyo-3 one by one. Mankind is unable to defend themselves against the Angels despite utilizing their most advanced munitions and military tactics. The only hope for human salvation rests in the hands of NERV, a mysterious organization led by the cold Gendou Ikari. NERV operates giant humanoid robots dubbed "Evangelions" to combat the Angels with state-of-the-art advanced weaponry and protective barriers known as Absolute Terror Fields. Years after being abandoned by his father, Shinji Ikari, Gendou's 14-year-old son, returns to Tokyo-3. Shinji undergoes a perpetual internal battle against the deeply buried trauma caused by the loss of his mother and the emotional neglect he suffered at the hands of his father. Terrified to open himself up to another, Shinji's life is forever changed upon meeting 29-year-old Misato Katsuragi, a high-ranking NERV officer who shows him a free-spirited maternal kindness he has never experienced. A devastating Angel attack forces Shinji into action as Gendou reveals his true motive for inviting his son back to Tokyo-3: Shinji is the only child capable of efficiently piloting Evangelion Unit-01, a new robot that synchronizes with his biometrics. Despite the brutal psychological trauma brought about by piloting an Evangelion, Shinji defends Tokyo-3 against the angelic threat, oblivious to his father's dark machinations. Of course I watched it in the past as well. I was never head over heels about it - just a good mecha anime with unusually good twists and characters. I still don't consider it perfect, because I can't say I enjoy every episode and every scene. There's enough of stupid dialogues, long pauses and immature behavior . Start is rather slow as there's the need to show SOL, give some easy enough wins under disguise of usual mecha and present both heroines in a likable manner. The real shock comes when things stop being just monster of the week entertainment, no spoilers intended. The real question for me is it intellectual enough for a 9, and I'd say it is with all those monsters called "angels" and evangelic motives with even mecha called "EVA" and the whole surreal seven last episodes - there's a lot of room for drama, psychology and interpretation. At the very least, it promotes the thought to love and respect yourself and to not blindly follow socially accepted behavior as it may easily be a trap.   Overall Rating: 9/10

2. Gokinjo Monogatari Neighborhood Stories ご近所物語 [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Shoujo Visual Arts Comedy, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life The protagonist, Kouda Mikako, is a student of "Yaza Gaku". Specialising in fashion design, Mikako dreams of becoming a fashion designer with her own brand. Living next to her is her childhood friend, Yamaguchi Tsutomu. Even though they have been close since they were young, they share a platonic friendship. However, Tsutomu has been gaining popularity, especially with the girls, because he seems to resemble a popular vocalist from a band and somehow, Mikako begins to see him in a different light. This is a story about how youths cope with dreams, love and friendship. A pretty good shoujo comedy with distinctive corresponding visual style preceding Nana. But these visuals, lack of psychology and rather shallow characters prevent me from enjoying this.   Overall Rating: 6/10

3. Bakuretsu Hunters Sorcerer Hunters 爆れつハンター  [Xebec] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Ecchi In the continent of spooner, sorcerers, who are the continent's aristocrats, have begun to abuse their powers. Under the guidance of Big Momma (their boss) Carrot (who turns into a giant monster every time he's placed under a magic spell), Gateau (a bodybuilder), Marron (a mage), Chocolate and Tira (who can transform into dominatrix's at will) must stop the evil sorcerers from picking on the weak; however, none of them (except maybe Marron) have a clue to what's going on. It feels like a mix of Slayers and Magical Circle Guru Guru as there is both fantasy action absurd parody. It's aimless, episodic, shallow and overall not great although quite easy to watch  .   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Kaitou Saint Tail Mysterious Thief Saint Tail 怪盗セイント・テール [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/43) Tags: Shoujo Adventure, Romance Meimi Haneoka, 14, is a normal girl during the daytime, but during the night, she assumes the "position" of Saint Tail, a modern-day Robin Hood who steals from thieves and gives items back to their original owners. She is aided by her friend, Seira Mimori, a nun-in-training, and she is chased by her classmate (and soon-to-be love interest), Daiki Asuka (often called "Asuka Jr."). Imagine a series where a boy would pursue the identity behind Sailor Moon while attending the same school as her, and that would be this title. And thanks to no big arc behind it all, it manages to be easygoing and rather fun comedy if not expecting much out of it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. El Hazard: The Wanderers 神秘の世界エルハザード [AIC] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Isekai Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance High school science-whiz Makoto Mizuhara is working on his newest project in preparation for the school festival, alongside his best friend Nanami Jinnai. Nanami's brother and Makoto's lifelong rival, the unscrupulous student council president Katsuhiko Jinnai, is under scrutiny for mishandling the school festival planning and is convinced that Makoto is plotting to steal his position. One night, as Makoto and Nanami are taking a break with their teacher Masamichi Fujisawa, Jinnai sneaks into the science lab and sabotages Makoto's device, which suddenly opens a portal that flings all four of them into another world! Upon arrival, Makoto is immediately attacked by a horde of giant bug monsters. While running from them, he comes across Fujisawa and a girl named Rune Venus. After Fujisawa fights off the monsters, a group of dignitaries arrives, looking for Rune, their princess. They inform Makoto and Fujisawa that they are in a world called El-Hazard and take them back to the palace of Roshtaria, their kingdom. Though her advisors are suspicious of the newcomers, Rune decrees that they are to be treated as guests and quickly befriends Makoto. Unaware that Nanami and Jinnai are in this world as well, Makoto gets to work trying to figure out a way back to Earth. It still reminds Tenchi in isekai setting, but this one is even worse than original OVA that tried to remain serious and realistic while this one is too simple in comparison.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. Virtua Fighter バーチャファイター [Tokyo Movie Shinsha] (Finished 3/35) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Comedy Akira Yuki has spent years honing his Bajiquan skills under the guidance of his grandfather. He yearns to see the constellation of the eight stars of heaven, which are only revealed to those with real strength. This burning desire urges him to embark on travels, so as to learn more about how to see the stars. Meanwhile, a nefarious robotics scientist, Eva Durix, desires to create the perfect soldier. Eva's group, Judgment 6, tracks down and kidnaps Sarah Bryant, a college student and close acquaintance of Akira who is investigating a mysterious accident concerning her brother. Akira must now fight his way to Sarah to save her from the clutches of Judgement 6, a perilous path sure to be paved with countless challenges. Partially translated. For a fighting game adaptation an ok action comedy, but for an outsider can hardly be enjoyable.   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Mojakou モジャ公 [OLM] (Finished 1/74) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi  Sorao is an ordinary student who lives an ordinary everyday life of a typical kid, accidentally makes friends with two aliens stranded here on Earth. His life changes as he decides to help them find a way to get home. When they do reach the aliens' homeworld, Sorao along with Miki, discovered a blood feud between two different tribes. Things gone awry as the tribes' representatives try to out do one another in search of the missing treasure of the past with the help of an uncovered clue. Just one episode translated. No miracle as I consider this Doraemon clone to be a work for kids only. It's unusual to see duo of protagonists, plus a whole family of aliens, but the flow is familiar for this kind of shows.   Overall Rating: 5/10

8. Touma Kishinden Oni 闘魔鬼神伝ONI [J.C.Staff] (Finished 0/25) Tags: Supernatural Shuramaru is hated and feared by the villagers for his unusual powers. He thinks he is human, but... is he? Not found.   Overall Rating: 0/10

9. Golden Boy ゴールデンボーイ [APPP] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Adult Cast, Gag Humor Adventure, Comedy, Ecchi Kintarou Ooe is a specialist in part-time work, riding all over the highways and byways of Japan on his trusty steed, the Mikazuki 5, and finding employment wherever he can. His adventures bring him knowledge and experience that can't be taught in a classroom, from political corruption to the delicacy of a young woman's heart. With nothing but the open road before him—not to mention the many beautiful women along the way—Kintarou pursues his spirit of education while attempting to hold down his various odd jobs, however undignified they may be. As he learns from each task he takes on, who knows what could happen? He might even be able to save the world one day. One thing is for sure—this will all be very educational! A memorable fanservice ecchi with genius pervy protagonist who is shown as goofy in the beginning of each episode, and thanks to his motto "Study, study, study" he achieves unbelievable results and wins everyone's hearts in short time. Dumb, but quite watchable with switched off head .   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Gunsmith Cats ガンスミス キャッツ [OLM] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Seinen Detective Action, Comedy In the dangerous suburbs of Chicago, skilled bounty hunters Irene "Rally" Vincent and "Minnie" May Hopkins run Gunsmith Cats, a firearms store of questionable legality. One day, Bill Collins, an agent for the Chicago branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, blackmails Rally and May into working with him on a case. The stakes are high, but Rally’s gunmanship and May’s knowledge of explosives are unmatched. As Rally and May unravel the secrets of the case, the two will need to use guns and grenades while being faster, stronger, and better than everyone else in order to stay alive. With Dirty Pair trashed new competitors show up on the same stage. It's pure cliche action with a bit of fanservice and humor, so nothing much.   Overall Rating: 6/10

11. Bio Hunter バイオ・ハンタ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mythology Action, Horror Two scientists are attempting to distribute the cure for a demon virus that is affecting people all over Japan, however, things have become complicated. One of them has become infected. So begins his battle with himself, as he attempts to not only control his emerging demon side, but also to save the lives of others by wielding its great strength. All the genetic transformations are disgusting for me, plus there's even no good story behind it.   Overall Rating: 4/10

12. Yuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: Eizou Hakusho II 幽☆遊☆白書Ⅱ: 幽助、蔵魔、飛影、桑原 [Pierrot] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural Eizou Hakusho II actually consists of four separate volumes. Each volume focuses around one of the main characters; Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, or Kuwabara. Each episode is basically recap about the specific character's involvement in the series. It's OVA for fans as focus is on certain character. I never finished the series and did not find these recaps entertaining either.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. Shadow Skill 影技 SHADOW SKILL [Zero-G Room] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Drama, Fantasy In this OVA, the story of Gau's history with his adopted sister and the secrets that make up the shadow skill unfold. The pair make their annual return to the gravesite of Gau's parents, where his growth and progress as a warrior can be exhibited for them. Gau has come along way in his training as a Sevalle under Elle's mentorship, but there are those who wish to find a way of eliminating them, just waiting for the right opportunity to mount a deadly attack. As the travellers make their journey, their family bonds and skill will be tested. Opponents are many, and battles are fierce, but Gau's training also entails taking on his sister in battle, and fully embracing the skills he must learn to defeat his ultimate opponent. Epic fighting action is in the center, and everything else is derivative, so it fails to transcend the averageness.   Overall Rating: 5/10

14. Yousei Hime Ren Elf Princess Rane 妖精姫レーン [Dangun Pictures] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy  Gou has woved to find the legendary treasure of Salamander. Searching for it he meets Ren, a fairy, who is looking for the four treasures of Heart. Gou's childhood friend Mari is frustrated with Gou running after treasures, but befriends with another fairy Rin. Gou and Ren's treasure hunt messes with a secret project led by Mari's father. It turns out Salamander isn't what Gou thought it was in the first place... Absurd comedy with some fanservice and hardly anything funny at all.   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. Dirty Pair Flash 3 ダーティペアFLASH 3 [Sunrise] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Detective Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Sexy superagents Kei and Yuri find themselves in serious trouble when they attempt to track down Kei's godson and cross paths with a killer ski patrol. This collection of episodes also features the crime fighters fending off seagulls and assassins. There is no time to rest for these two anime characters, who must continually put their lives on the line in order to successfully complete their important missions. First flash tried to be a prequel, second flash tried to present an improved version for newcomers, and this third one is mostly about fanservice, so for me it's probably the worst one in the flash series.   Overall Rating: 5/10

16. Akazukin Chacha OVA 赤ずきんチャチャ (1995) [Gallop] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy Following the original TV series, the story tells the efforts of Momiji Gakuen, Chacha's rival school principal, to discover what is so special about Urara Gakuen students and what she could do to "produce" the best students. Absurdist gag comedies are hard to describe, but it's definitely in the flow of the original series.   Overall Rating: 6/10

17. Chinmoku no Kantai 沈黙の艦隊 [Sunrise] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Seinen Military Action, Drama During the cold war, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force jointly developed a nuclear submarine with the United States Navy. On its maiden voyage, the captain of the submarine declares the submarine to be an independent state, "Yamato." I'm not a fan of navy anime, it's only slightly above average, but 90 minutes is not enough to tell a military story.   Overall Rating: 5/10

18. Shin Kaitei Gunkan 新海底軍艦  [Phoenix Entertainment] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Historical, Military Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Moments after an atomic bomb falls over Hiroshima, a secret Japanese submarine sails into battle against its American counterpart, and both are lost to history. Some fifty years later, a special UN task force sent to investigate unusual phenomena in Antarctica is threatened by a mysterious black cylinder. And another navy story, but this time with fantasy element in the form of subterraneans, so it was at least slightly amusing and paved the way to Zipang many years after.   Overall Rating: 6/10

19. Gakkou no Yuurei 学校の幽霊 [Toei Animation, Aubec] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mythology, School Horror This OVA is a live-action/animation mixed collection of short school ghost stories. Not translated. Just school horror stories, better drawing that it used to be for ghost stories, so at least watchable.   Overall Rating: 5/10

20. Compiler Festa Compiler 2 [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi  Compiler and Assembler have been given 3 days to return the the 2-D world. If they do not return the council has sworn to destroy it. How will the they spend their last days on earth. Will they be able to confess their love. If only things were that simple. Now a mysterious character is eliminating other individuals from the 2-D world. Can Compiler and Assembler stop this new fiend and be together with those they love. First Compiler was manga spin-off without any introduction or explanation. This time it's conclusion, but it does not make it much better. In the end it becomes something like Oh Megami-sama, just more ecchi.   Overall Rating: 5/10

21. Haou Daikei Ryuu Knight: Adeu Legend II Lord of Lords Ryu Knight: Adeu's Legend II 覇王大系リューナイト アデュー・レジェンドⅡ [Sunrise] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Fantasy Continuation of the series. I'm glad to see that series got more serious in the sequel, but a little too late, also ending is unsatisfying.   Overall Rating: 5/10

22. Yamato Takeru: After War ヤマトタケル ～After War～ [Nippon Animation] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Space Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Three years have passed after the decisive battle at the end of Yamato Takeru and peace has return to the land. Takeru, Oto and their friends return to the village and continue living their days in bliss until one night Shuranoo, piloted by Mikazuchi, marks a return and appears in the village to wreak havoc. Takeru is left without any choice and is forced to reactivate the sealed Susanoo from his slumber. However, this is just the beginning of a new threat, and Takeru has to overcome himself if he wants to rescue Oto from the impending danger. One more weird franchise to end. Average and ugly.   Overall Rating: 5/10

23. Koukaku Kidoutai Ghost in the Shell GHOST IN THE SHELL（攻殻機動隊） [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Psychological Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense In the year 2029, Niihama City has become a technologically advanced metropolis. Due to great improvements in cybernetics, its citizens are able to replace their limbs with robotic parts. The world is now more interconnected than ever before, and the city's Public Security Section 9 is responsible for combating corruption, terrorism, and other dangerous threats following this shift toward globalization. The strong-willed Major Motoko Kusanagi of Section 9 spearheads a case involving a mysterious hacker known only as the "Puppet Master," who leaves a trail of victims stripped of their memories. Like many in this futuristic world, the Puppet Master's body is almost entirely robotic, giving them incredible power. As Motoko and her subordinates follow the enigmatic criminal's trail, other parties—including Section 6—start to get involved, forcing her to confront the extremely complicated nature of the case. Pondering about various philosophical questions, such as her own life's meaning, Motoko soon realizes that the one who will provide these answers is none other than the Puppet Master themself. I did not plan to give genius masterpiece scores to movies initially, but then I remembered there's GitS, and it's impossible for me to give it anything lower. Alpha and Omega, the ideal entrance point into anime for anyone still calling it cartoons for kids.   Overall Rating: 10/10

24. Memories MEMORIES（メモリーズ）  [Madhouse, Studio 4°C] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Military, Psychological, Space Award Winning, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi Memories is a compilation of three standalone short films encompassing different genres. Magnetic Rose In the far reaches of space, after tracing a distress signal to a large abandoned space station, a pair of engineers—Heintz Beckner and Miguel Costrela—find a derelict mansion and decide to explore on foot. Their investigation reveals a dark secret surrounding the fate of Eva Friedel, a renowned opera singer with a tragic history. Hallucinations soon begin to plague them, and they must fight to retain their sanity in order to escape the station alive. Stink Bomb Hapless lab technician Nobuo Tanaka consumes some pills at his laboratory to cure a cold. Unknown to him, however, the pills are actually experimental drugs that enhance his flatulence to a lethal degree. As the toxic gas escaping him kills everyone in his vicinity, he is ordered by his superiors to retreat to the company headquarters in Tokyo. The journey to the city is made all the more arduous as Nobuo struggles with his deadly odor while the police, military, and foreign adversaries are hot on his trail. Cannon Fodder In a fortress city filled to the brim with cannons, a young boy wishes to surpass his father by becoming a revered artillery officer. Despite no proof of an enemy nation, he cannot resist the urge to partake in the daily bombardment routines organized by the city. Whether at school or just before bedtime, he only dreams of someday firing a cannon for the sake of his homeland. A decent anthology, but I watched it twice over last 20 years already and I barely remember it at all by now again, so can't rate too high.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS: Sailor 9 Senshi Shuuketsu! Black Dream Hole no Kiseki Sailor Moon SuperS the Movie: Black Dream Hole  [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Drama Everywhere around the world, the children sleep. Unaware of danger lurking in the shadows. But tonight, a strange darkness floats in the wind. And the children, one by one, begin to disappear. It seems to be a supernatural force that feeds on their dreams. The evil queen, Badiyanu, and her loyal fairies assist in using the "Black Dream Hole" to swallow the earth. It is up to Sailor Moon and the Sailor Soldiers to prevent the approaching Darkness. The best Sailor Moon movie so far since focus is more on cuteness and sweets and less on fighting.   Overall Rating: 6/10

26. Macross Plus Movie Edition マクロスプラス　ＭＯＶＩＥ　ＥＤＩＴＩＯＮ [Triangle Staff] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi A.D. 2040—Thirty years have passed since the battle between the Earth and Zentraedi forces changed the lives of both races. On planet Eden, a top-secret project known as "Supernova" is being held to determine U.N. Spacy's next-generation variable fighter. Competing to win the funding are Shinsei Industries' YF-19 and General Galaxy's YF-21. Piloting the YF-21 is Guld Goa Bowman, a half-human, half-Zentraedi. Shinsei receives its new test pilot in the form of the unruly fighter pilot Isamu Dyson, who was once a friend of Guld. Meanwhile, as Isamu and Guld furiously battle to see which of their fighters is superior, a Virturoid Idol named Sharon Apple is to perform her debut concert on Eden. In charge of Sharon is producer Myung Fang Lone, another former friend of Isamu and Guld. When the three meet each other, old disputes spark from a troubled past. Little do they know that their past incidents—along with the Supernova Project and Sharon Apple—will somehow bring them together. A super fast recap of the season which only proved to me that story is not as important as music here.   Overall Rating: 6/10

27. Gotou ni Naritai. ５等になりたい。 [Tama Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School Drama, Slice of Life Story of a girl born with a bad leg. Ritsuko longs to go to school and make lots of friends but it is not so easy. Her mother is very protective of her and at school she is teased by her classmates for her strange way of walking. Will she manage to keep her smile? I have nothing against tearjerker bullying movies, just don't expect me to like them.   Overall Rating: 5/10

28. Azuki-chan the Movie あずきちゃん [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shoujo Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life It's Valentines' Day, the girls are thinking about the chocolate to give to their love. Youko is having a party on the Valentines' Day. The girls refused her invite, but found out that their love are going to her party, even Azuki-chan's brother is going! Yunosuke-kun gave Azuki-chan a chance to give chocolate to him before Youko's party. Will she be successful in making a chocolate? Will Yunosuke-kun receive her love? Just 30-minute promo of the series, nothing remarkable though.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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