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I'm
still shocked Guyver never became a huge
American film franchise. Sure, we had two films in
America, but they were direct to Video dribble. The
first film was nothing but schlocky camp based around
lampooning the concept, and the sequel almost got it
right by staging a very stern and sleek action science
fiction picture that barely anyone saw. With this
relaunch of the "Guyver" series who knows what the
future holds for my favorite anime franchise of all
time? This type of material seems ripe for any American
studio to turn in to a three picture franchise with
Rick Baker at helm for creature effects. The
possibilities of that prospect just thrills me. Someone
jump on this while you can! The Guyver deserves proper
big screen treatment. This Funimation reboot tells
almost the same story as the original series but in a
much cleaner and Americanized fashion. Funimation is
famous and yet notorious for Americanizing anime
properties, and here they do it to Guyver with mixed
results.
While
I'm a fan of the splatter and gore that came with the
original franchise, this sleeker version is also nothing
at all to scoff at. It's pretty damn hard to make The
Guyver lame. Not even the original American movie could
do that. And they had the guy from "Good Times" as a
villain. The Brotherhood are the villainous secret
organization who breed and refine monstrous villains for
their foot crew, and they're all desperately trying to
get a hold of a scientist who has engineered the perfect
alien technology. They're called the Guyver Biobooster
Armor units. Three specially crafted pods that when
attached to their hosts, become genetic biological life
forms that craft specially powered body armor around the
owner. This then forms a symbiotic relationship where
the holder of the armor becomes a super human with
abilities that can dwarf anyone's. The problem is the
power is often too much for any one person. |
| Where in Sho has one
laser in the center of his head, some have many,
where Show has two massive blades along his elbows
that can retract, some have multiple around their
bodies, forming crab-like armor. There really isn't
anything new to the series from Funimation beyond
their ability to take what's amazing and transform
it in to merely above average. But then sometimes
they take nonsense and turn it in to gold. This time
around the voices are refined for more American
sensibilities, and some of the episodes are edited
for brevity's sake. There's even a comical moment
that's mistaken for homosexuality in the second
episode that's cut in this version. While that may
spark anger in many militant anime fans, it doesn't
really ruin the integrity of the Guyver series,
because as I mentioned above: It's almost impossible
destroy the Guyver. Unless you're an American studio
unwilling to see the franchise potential with this
concept. Now
the brotherhood wants all of the models and will
do anything it takes to get them. Sadly, Shō
Fukamachi is at the wrong place and the wrong
time when the bio booster armor pods are lost,
and they claim one accidentally. In the midst of
exploring one of the pods, Sho is possessed by
the pod that turns him in to the Guyver, taking
hold of his body and forming him in to a living
breathing weapon. "The Guyver" is still a
magnificent series with some of the most amazing
character designs I've ever seen. While everyone
has a favorite among the Guyvers, The first
Guyver model is definitely my favorite. The
other models are much too showy. Sho's journey
to figure out the Guyver unit, and test his
limits and abilities makes for compelling
material, as he battles with the organization,
and even against rival Guyver units, some of
whom dwarf Sho's own model in weaponry and
mechanics.
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Extras:
The complete set is 5.1 surround
sound and letterbox format. There's
a comprehensive Manga to Anime
comparison where key scenes are
paralleled to the Manga series for every
single episode. There's a ten minute
production sketch montage, a one and
a half minute segment entitled "Clean
Opening Animation" without the
credits, and finally there's also the
Clean Closing Animation sans the
credits. These could be classified as
music videos, but who's nitpicking? |
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