Gatchaman Crowds
Tachikawa Academy Z-Cune Hajime
I am a huuuuuuge fan of Maaya Uchida. Ever since she appeared on Akibaranger, being one of the voice actresses I could put a face to the name helped me get attached to her. Also, she voiced the heroine of the show within a show, and while Z-Cune Aoi has never been more than a background element, I love it like it was real. Then she was cast as Rikka around the same time, letting me experience her actress getting involved in delusions in the anime and toku worlds.
I never saw Tsuritama. Too many dudes for my taste, and I rarely watch noitaminA, though I'm slowly reassessing my opinions on fandom lately. Or waiting for something to catch my eye. So I was not aware of the pedigree of this show going in, only that it starred one of my favorite VAs in a superhero show, which, really, is all I needed.
And Hajime was wonderful. Her character design is a lot like Lucy's. Common enough for a protagonist, but also unique. I realize I may be conflating "unique character design" with "larger than average tits", which is really my biases speaking. Flat-chested characters can be designed well too, but I like a little bounce. Not just the boobs, though. Her cheerful personality that makes Mana Aida look reserved, and all her little idiosyncrasies. Now, I love magical girl shows, for they're superhero shows with a female cast, but having a female lead in a superhero show with otherwise a lot of guys is either/both a sign of the times and a great leap forward. More shows could do with something like this.
I also like Utsutsu, who's a good example of flat-chested character design. She's a great example of the emotionless type. Everyone - Jou, Sugane, OD, Paiman (a surprising role for Aya Hirano) - they all got their moment to shine. Even if OD and Utsutsu and Paipai had their forms held off until later, the reveals were made that much cooler. Episode 10's ending comes to mind. That was such an Avengers moment.
CGI'd superheroes are becoming quite common, aren't they? T&B and now this. The blending is getting better, and if I can deal with lesser quality CGI in shows like Aikatsu for its dance sequences or Gyrozetter for its robots, then it, too, is a sign of the times. That's what I liked about this show. Social media has been a consistent thing in anime since it came into being in the real world, but this one really explored the consequences of it. The pacing may have been a little weird, like that recap in the first half of episode 11, but I can let that fault slide because of the rest of the show was always interesting to watch in where it would go next, and the designs of the G-Suits were varied and pretty cool.
I love what it has to say about heroism. Hajime solves problems by talking to people, and even if it involved turning reality into a game of Candy Crush, it showed that our Twitters and Facebooks and such can still be used for good. We don't have the ability to transport ourselves physically across space and time yet, but the internet can get people mobilized to do good things. Even if the internet occasionally gives signs it's filled with the worst of humanity (present company excluded, you're all awesome), humans are all ultimately altruistic underneath. That's the kind of message I want in my shows.
I also loved the visual design. I did a report on superflat once, and this show is clearly inspired by that. Perhaps I'll get back to [C] so I can see more of it, though I like what Gatchaman is doing more. Superheroes are something I'll always take time out to watch. The opening was nifty, even if it was barely comprehensible at times, and the ending is Uchida, so... love.
Final Thoughts: Though it discarded a lot of the trappings of the original Gatchaman, it has enough threads that I hope it can be accepted as part of the franchise. Even without them, it's a fine superhero show for the modern age, with perhaps the best lead of the season. Also, I would like to see Kirihime and Hajime scissor.
