Logo handmade by Bannister
Column by Scott Green
Podcast Recommendation
Fans of giant robots looking for like minded audio commentary would do well to sample the podcast Dave and Joel's Fast Karate For The Gentleman. The weekly review/rant attacks anime and video games with a balance of rational critique and manic rampage. Which isn't to say that their commentary would endorse the specific topics discussed in this update, but when discussing giant robots, it's worth mentioning one of the style's vocal advocates.
Evangelion Shin Gekijou Ban
The Japanese version of anime magazine NewType has set the anime world aflame with information about the new Evangelion animated project Evangelion Shin Gekijou Ban / Evangelion New Theatrical Version. Four theatrical films will be included in the umbrella imitative, which will be a distinct, purposefully more accessible, retelling of the Evangelion story.
Three of the movie are said to be Gundam style compilation films.
Creator and director of the anime Hideaki Anno will be supervising the project which be directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki (responsible for the first two episodes of the original and FLCL), with character design by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Eva, Nadia, FLCL, .Hack) and mecha design by Ikuto Yamashita (Eva and Yukikaze).
Various sources are saying that the first is due in summer 2007.
Scans of the magazine can be seen here
Gainax's official site has been updated at www.evangelion.co.jp/
Godannar
Volumes 1-7
Released by ADV Films
If you haven't seen a giant robot show in a decade or two, but you're intrigued by Voltron's DVD release and the upcoming adaptation of Transformers, Godannar is the one show to watch. Voltron might not hold up to grade school memories. Transformers might be a disappointed. Alternatively, Godannar is the spiked punch of the genre. Sugary. Intoxicating. Not going to make you an addict, but long life enhancing or experience pushing either. Just a fun thrill that an adult doesn't really need, but which is a good time none the less.
Though it borrows influences, Godannar isn't as much climbing on the shoulders of the genre as it is screaming for recognition. Doubts about its fortitude will vanish after seeing its raging torrent of robot on monster violence. Its effort to strive to be reconquer fans can be seen with its sincere dedication to the form, funneled through kinetic animation. In its first scene, seeing city blocks being shattered with concussive blasts of air, then a huge robots pulling back to punch a even more behemoth monster with reignite older fans' embers of dumb giant robot appreciation.
The opening helps plenty too...
Yasushi Nagaoka deserves credit for acknowledging the obvious. Regardless of whether it's healthy or it should be the case, there are grown men who are still fascinated by giant robots. And the foundation might be more prevalent than just those who grew up idolizing Optimus Prime or the Power Rangers. On a psychological level are the metal symbols of power that different than watching tank documentaries on the Historical Channel? On an aesthetic level, is the bright machinery and ritual that different than NASCAR?
What sets Godannar apart from most anime giant robots works of the last decade is that the series puts all of its bombasticness for the screen. Rather than being self satisfied with its concepts or self conscious about being an anti-logical work of pop fiction, Godannar abandons all hang ups, what makes sense, what's a good idea, what's appropriate and puts together an example of what is a now rare, logic defying super robot show. While some anime warrants a slap for slipping in sexual pandering, Godannar is flagrant about it. Big robots. Big women. Worn proudly. It's not sly. Even if its going to do something it probably shouldn't do (and it does!), it is completely overt about sinning against what is socially acceptable.
Much of Godannar could be used as meta-commentary, but within the context of the series these notions seems more to be brainstormed ideas put into action without excessive thought to the implications. One such is the rebirth of the "super robot".
Five years before the series' commencement, hordes of Mimetic organisms attached Earth's populations centers. Mimetic beasts seem to periodically attack humanity on semi-regular intervals for oblique reasons. With the new attack veteran Goh and his 17 year old child bride Anna set their fiery passions to piloting the Dannar and Neo-Okusaer ( plays on "husband" and`"wife"), robots that combine into monster smashing Godannar.
In the late 70's/early 80's, series like Gundam and VOTOMS attempted to reconsile fighting robots with logic, making the machines mass produced military weapons, inventing reasons why robots might be used on a battlefield, toning down the extravagant design. These were labeled by fans "real robots. Defined by their opposite, the classic robots remembered from childhood, who would slay enemies in ritual fashion with blazing weapons became known as "super robots".
"super robots" are machines designed in the fashion of super heroes, yet featuring the size and capabilities of a robot. Where Gundam's titular robot's recognizable form is distinctive, its truly iconic element is its face, which is based on the samurai's kabuto helmet, in contrast the complete super robot is a canvase to be stylized for expressiveness rather than function. Which mean bold color schemes, dramatic face sculpture adorned by elaborate head-dress and bodies given stylized abstract forms. The last of these is given emphasis in Godannar more than just about any other work.
Because the series is directed to 12 year olds at heart rather than 12 year olds in age, the robots eschew the trappings of power and merchandising for power and sex. The forms are chimeras are of metal and idealized imagery of the human shape.
While robots piloted by males are burly, the female robots decidedly flaunt T&A. Especially T. In 1972 Go Nagai challenged rational sense, not to mention taste, with a female shaped robot with breast missiles. In 2003, Godannar responded with female shaped robots whose breasts have nipples, not to mention a secondary a female shaped robot with has to be sufficiently large enough to be called utters.
To say nothing of breast bouncing animation of the series' people, which reaches a climax with the anime itself. At the appex, every shot with a female characters contains at least one instance of chest motion.
As with anime that has an adult affection for the material, like Mazikaizer, Godannar laughs with the viewer rather that at them.
Normally material like this would set the condescension klaxons ringing, but Godannar never triggers that reactions. Because it is sufficiently unforced, because it doesn't sit atop pretension and because it is funny without being outright parody, there's a joy in discovery. It's not breaking the rules way something like Getter Robo Armageddon may have, but at the same time, it's taunting sensibility and sending a flurry of jabs at good taste.
Godannar inject its robots into plenty of flames, explosions, pro-wrestling moves and huge leaping and punching attacks, when at its best, set at a speed in which if you blink you'll miss some strange one time gimmick, like inflating cushions in the palm of the robot for rescuing people who happen to be falling out of aircrafts and such. As opposed to more introspective, symbolism heavy utilizations of the genre, Godannar's heroes are the descendants of Mazinger Z's Kouji Kabuto. Their burning passion is to win their battle against their foes. They are strictly unconflicted about their mission and rather than being in existential conflict with the endeavor, piloting the giant robots allows them to get it touch with their primal nature. Even the apron wearing younger brother eventually shed's his eunuch role and finds his burning warrior inner self.
Having spent several decades largely focusing on the implications of giant robots (or at least making pretense towards that), Godannar isn't alone is allowing itself to get caught up in the fun of the specticle, but doing so is still almost an act of rebellion. That its characters show an artist's zeal and expressiveness make the series a fresh experience regardless of whether you haven't seen a giant robot show since childhood, or kept following the developments in the genre.
Godannar is more a work to bounce around an idea than explored the idea, but it invests itself in these emotionally committed warriors to the degree that it tries out a few noteworthy tests on the concept. This is less deconstructionist than it sounds, but an "isania virus" whose "rapid syndrome" turns combustible, righteous anger against the pilots.
A problem with Godannar over the course of its 26 episodes is that it was orignally segmented into two seasons. What these on DVD the divide turns into a chasm. The first season built to a unresolved climax that seemed ready to break looks the flood gates and launch an all-out assault. The second recommences with character depression and starts rebuilding from a lower energy orbit. If this wasn't bad enough, elements are bought in or replaced with new elements that series own thematic white-blood cells seemed to reject. Flops include a lesser opening animation that doesn't carry the punch-your-neighbor verve of the first and a childhood-promise love interest that is strictly alien and antithetical to the marriage elements of the high concept.
As the second season progresses. it attempts to dig into the composition of its ancillary characters. Not only does character drama sit uneasily on the bombastic tone of the series as often as synchs as effective melodrama, but the issues themselves are often turn-offs. The series is built around a marriage whose age disparity pushes civil appropriateness (especially considering the ages at which the characters met), but it really starts assaulting matters that the viewer can't easily ignore with the secondary characters (paired pilots of other robot teams). A sort of mistress-slave pair falls within the bounds of how consenting adults may choose to live their lives, but a two way unrequited love between a pair of siblings and an unconsummated lesbian relationship in which one side fantasizes about raping the other cross the line between exaggeration and going too far.
This might be illustrative that Godannar was a concept that couldn't be contained by 13 episodes, but which was a bit too slim for 26 because its conclusion built in its ultimate stretch of episodes was the spectacular, rewarding experience of an student able to funnel previously uncontained energy into a jittery but stunning final project. Almost all the previously introduced elements, event those merely hinted at, come together in time for the anime to juggle them into a hugely satisfying controlled melt down.
