Otakuism

Contains some manga spoilers. You have been warned.

The second episode of Bokurano was rather “disturbing” to me. No, not because of Waku’s unfortunate ending, I’ve seen that before, but because of several minute changes Gonzo made to the story, that only serve to weaken it as a whole. Bokurano is, at its heart, a psychological story, one more concerned with the characters than any mecha of the week. In the chapters of Waku’s story most of the time is spent in his head and figuring out what makes him tick. Things like deciding to keep Zearth a secret and the introduction of Dung Beetle are actually done quickly, unlike the half episode length that was spent for them. Also, the mecha was changed from a bulb-like creature to a praying mantis robot; why, I have no idea. Waku’s skills as a soccer player are the deciding factor in both battle’s though.

Waku’s story was deprived of its emotional value in its shortening. Waku is a kid who questions whether it’s right for him to be liked by people. After winning the soccer tournament he finds out his dad did the same when he was a kid, but now his dad is a salaryman who enjoys baseball. What does this say about Waku’s future? Waku finally denies the course of overthinking instead for a course of action when he fights in Zearth, deciding that his actions will decide his future. This makes his death all the more unfortunate, because this kid had just decided to change his life. Maybe the full complexities of Waku’s story could not be fully conveyed in one episode, and lengthening it to two wouldn’t of worked, as Waku’s story lacks a cliffhanger. Other kid’s stories are longer though, so I hope full attention will be paid to them. Maybe I’m just a nitpicking purist, but Bokurano is too good a story in my eyes to be plagued by half hazard changes. Right now Gonzo if focusing on Bokurano as a mecha series with some sad elements. Hopefully this will change shortly to show its true strength.

Bokurano is probably my favorite manga at the moment. It’s an amazingly deep and complex work; a true classic in my opinion. So, of course, I was ecstatic when I heard there was finally going to be an anime of it, and the promo just helped to fuel my anticipation. Fortunately, the anime looks to be a winner. I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible, so anime viewers can experience the true force of the many surprises ahead. At a summer camp fourteen middle schoolers and one elementery kid have gathered. There’s too many for me to name here, but everyone is a complex individual, with thier own histories and problems. Bored one afternoon, the group decides to explore a local sea cave. There they find a room of computers and its owner, the enigmatic Kokopelli. The mysterious Kokopelli enlists them in a game, a game where they will fight a series of enemies with a giant mecha. They all, but one, eagerly sign one. Later an enemy mecha does appear, along with their own to fight it. This is no mere game. Kokopelli fights and successfully defeats the first enemy, only to disappear shortly after. All the children are eager to get their try at being a hero. Little do they realize the sad destiny awaiting them…

First things first: that OP is damn awesome. Best one of the season hands down. Though, I found it funny how the refrain was “Uninstall,” which really makes no sense. I thought it was saying “God is strong” which fits better with Bokurano I think, but anywho. The first episode followed the manga to a tee, something I’m happy about. The mass amount of characters will probably confuse a lot of people, but I think Gonzo did a good job giving them all a little bit of characterization, especially when compared to later stories. After a particular character’s story you’ll look back and say, “Oh, he/she was acting like that from the beginning.” Bokurano better be glad it has such an excellent story, because it’s rather lacking in the art department. Mohiro Kitoh has a very distinct, minimalistic art style, which the anime adapts pretty faithfully. And the color helps me tell all the girls apart. Mohiro Kitoh isn’t known for his varied character designs.

I didn’t really enjoy the CG mecha. They were passable, but very clumsy. Zearth’s not the most mobile mecha in the world, but he should move a bit better than that. I’ve put up with Gonzo CG mecha before, though, so I can stand this. The only thing I have to worry about is whether Gonzo will mess with the story or not. Later chapters are very dark and gruesome, not in a bloody way but more psychologically. “Taboo” themes are touched upon a lot. I hope Gonzo will refrain from censoring itself. Bokurano will probably be the dark horse of the season, but I hope its wonderful story will capture the hearts of many viewers this season. It’s definitely a series in need of more attention. And check out the manga if your interested. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Gonzo can’t resist putting fanservice in anything.