Otakuism

Once again my soul burns for hot-blood and mecha action, and after some searching I found this super robot show that just premiered this season, even though I never heard of it. Kotetsushin Jeeg is the sequel to Steel Jeeg, another super robot show from the seventies, both of which are created by Go Nagai. Not that it matters that this Jeeg is a sequel, since it’s a whole new cast. In a Japan sometime in the future, Kyushuu lies completely enveloped in a magnetic storm cloud, shutting it off from society. This is apparently a result of Jeeg’s final battle fifty years ago. None of this matters to Kusanagi Kenji, a hot-blooded, if slightly stupid, high schooler and motorcycle racer. There’s also his friend/rival Misumi Kyou, pretty boy extraordinaire. Tamashiro Tsubaki serves as Kenji’s childhood freind, probable love interest, and miko at the local shrine. For an unknown reason, the storm around Kyushuu activates and a Haniwa Genjin appears, a monster composed of clay statues. Build Base, commanded by the old man Senjiro Shiba, immediately moves into action.

Kenji, however, is clueless, and after driving to Tsubaki’s shrine to rescue her is met by an old lady who gives him a brand new, hi-tech bike. Kenji uses this new bike to flee from the monster further, but it is useless. The monster is unstoppable and has already taken down fighters and battleships sent after it. Three futuristic looking fighter jets appear, apparently to rescue Kenji, but end up shooting at him instead. The pilots are also incredibly hot girls in weird leotards carrying katana. One even wears an eyepatch, just so you know. Another jet appears, to save Kenji for real this time, and is piloted by Tsubaki and Ryou. It launches the Jeeg parts that combine with Kenji’s new bike, forming Kotetsushin Jeeg. Kenji uses Jeeg’s strength and flexiblity to get out of a tight spot and is now ready to fight the monster and take him down.

I’m already a super robot fan, so it doesn’t take much to make me happy. Hot-blooded characters, nice mecha design, and a lot of yelling work. Nice looking girls also help. Since this is a Go Nagai project, I’m sure to get all of these. Jeeg doesn’t really feel as epic as Gurren-Lagann, more like a retro series redone, which it is I guess. Right now there’s a lot of mysteries: What happened fifty years ago, who is attacking now, who were those hot girl fighter pilots, etc. But I’m sure that will all be cleared up soon. Jeeg has an alright design, very retro, but the colors seem odd. He also looks to be very mobile and powerful, more flexible than other robots. The rest of the animation is good, with usual Go Nagai character designs. Men with thick, curly hair; women with large breasts, very non-descript background characters, a retro feel overall. The OP is by Jam Project, but it’s not their best work. I really didn’t like it at all. I’ll probably enjoy Jeeg, but I’d only reccomend it now for people already familiar with the super robot genre. It looks to be a winner in that department.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS is shaping up to be a pretty good series. Most of the cast is introduced now and all in one place, and we even have hints of the ultimate evil the gang will have to face. But aren’t the relics just like the jewel seeds? We might have an evil-doer of the week format coming up. I would like it if some of the older characters, like Chrono, Arf, Lindy, and Yuuno would show up, or, hell, just be mentioned at all. I guess that NanohaXYuuno relationship hasn’t moved anywhere in four years. Probably Fate’s fault. Other really random thoughts:

Oh god, Small Boss has a small desk! So moe I’m gonna die! But seriously, what kind of paperwork is so small Rein can even work on it? And where did they get a working lamp that small?

I found Fate and Signum’s reunion funny. I get this idea of ex-lovers, since Signum can’t help but keep egging Fate on with what to call her, with Fate just blushing and pushing it aside. Fate can’t help but accept her true love for Nanoha. Signum already has Hayate anyways.

Small Boss is angry! Don’t make her mad or she’ll fly down your throat and choke you. Or blow you to atoms with all that magical power she has. The choking death would be cooler though. It’d be awesome if Rein changed into her adult healthy form when Hayate releases all her power, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Healthy Rein vs. Small Boss would be the greatest moe battle evar.

When I was watching this I was thinking “Man, Elio and Kyaro are really short.” That and “Teana has big breasts,” but that’s not the point. So I checked wiki and just realized Elio and Kyaro are both ten-years-old. Now, Nanoha and Fate fighting at that age are fine, since they were both special cases, but how does any army accept little kids as soldiers? I wouldn’t think that the TSAB lacks applicants, since everyone and their mom seems to serve in it. Sad thing is, Elio and Kyaro could still kick most adults asses.

Nanoha in training mode is awesome. She’s just so smug and arrogant. “Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you your magic won’t work at all. Have a nice landing, Subaru. And were working at this till midnight, just so you know. Now what’s my name, bitch?” Now I can only think of her as the R.Lee Ermey of magical girls. “Now get up maggots and blow the shit out of those robots! I don’t care if your only ten! I was destroying interdimensional witches and unstoppable, uberHAX magic before you were even some sperm in daddy’s nutbladder!”

Elio, for being a shota who wears short-shorts, is surprisingly badass. His level of destructive power seems to be up there with Subaru and Teana. Must be all that extra tutoring from Fate. I think everyone would respect him more if his outfit included pants.

Subaru is still awesome. She takes down a robotic drone larger than her just by flipping it onto its back and beating the crap out of it. Real magical girls fight with their fists of fury. And I still find that ribbon oddly sexy. Most anticipated moment of StrikerS: Subaru taking Ginga’s left hand Revolver Knuckle and performing her own HELL AND HEAVEN attack. She’s already used Broken Magnum. It would be the greatest attack evar. Now, if they could find her a golden hammer…

Oh god, Small Boss lives in a small box! And eats food larger than her! So moe I’m gonna die! When Hayate asked Vita to get a small plate I immediately thought they had an actual really small plate, with really small utensils, just for Rein. I was disappointed when it turned out just to be a regular size small plate.

Wow, that’s a really big bed. Too big a bed for one person. Apparently Fate/stays the night every night. The most blatant piece of fanservice I’ve ever seen in Nanoha. It’s like the director is are saying “Yeah, they’re a couple, but it’s not like we’ll ever tell you that.” Curse you Director! All I want is one kiss! On a side note, I wonder how large Hayate’s bed is…