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Kidô keisatsu patorebâ (1989)
It was unthinkable, but for me.... in terms of story and character development, PatLabor beats Robotech.
I faintly recall this anime in the fall of 1989, but I didn't watch it for some reason.
But five episodes in, this show edges my once all-time favorite mecha show, Robotech.
What sells me on this concept is the character development. There is a Lot of it. The way the story-writers put this together is seamless. There is continuity in every- yes, Every episode. I literally have to watch the episodes in sequence to catch a reference, even a nuance.
I love the personality of each. Regardless of gender, I see a tiny bit of myself in each character. I believe many watchers can identify with or at least relate to most of the characters. It mirrors what life might really be like if we loaded our workloads onto mechas.
Most of the story- if I could "guesstimate"- about 85% involves subject matter Not involving the mechas- and of that 85%, 80% deals with their relationships to each other at work and away from work. The atmosphere of the workplace accurately reflects a typical work environment. There are slow days too, and there are certainly a few episodes where you see Special Division 2 crew members just sitting around eating or cutting into each other.
They're a really curious bunch, often bordering on the verge of nosy, just like real people can be! Each regular has a unique sets of strengths and flaws, and you get to see those quirks play out often and in entertaining ways! Each character has a unique and special kind of chemistry that works so well, that you can often really forget that you're watching an anime. As I often do.
I agree with another poster/reviewer on another site. She said the fun really lies with seeing how the characters deal with each other. There are a few episodes you can see where Special Division 2 members don't even use a mecha (not even Izumi Noa). It's exciting to watch them press each other's buttons- and this happens Often (if you haven't watched the show yet, by all means do, and you will see exactly what I'm saying). They also come together to support a fellow crew member in tough times.
This TV show has been "under my nose" for all these years and I'm only really getting into it as of late. I'm enjoying it more than the PatLabor movies. I recommend watching this series! I've watched all 47 episodes. And not once have I not enjoyed several good laughs or had a dull story to sit through. So go watch it!
Sometimes I'm really hard at work, other times it's just an act.
The Mighty Orbots (1984)
Mighty Orbots: An Animator's Short Analysis
I'm going to write this review from an animation student's perspective- on the care that Tokyo Movie Shinsha took into doing the following: Art/Animation, Character Personalities, and Storyline. For those readers looking for a quick review, this isn't one of those. But if you want a closer look at this gem, you might not mind.
Art/Animation:
The backgrounds are well-drawn and detailed. While they aren't at the level of Frank Frazetta's (Fire and Ice, Heavy Metal) painstakingly picturesque detail, they surely do the job nicely.
Osamu Dezaki, famous for Golgo 13 and Space Cobra, uses cel shading heavily in this series, and does a thorough job at painting such gorgeous cels here. Another critic noted Dezaki's use of 'dancing light' across objects and characters; Dezaki doesn't let up here, either.
Shingo Araki (Saint Seiyu) and Skip Jones (Secret of Nimh, Space Ace) served as key animators for this show.
If you watch the animation frame rate (or are a nerd about that stuff, like me), you can look at how the smooth the animation moves, and several dynamic angles you see the characters move in. The frame rate seems to average between 24fps-30fps. It's literally a mini-feature film! In Mighty Orbots, TMS created a show that supersedes brown budget (TV cartoons) production values.
Personality: You get the idea that the animators followed the model sheet specs carefully because each and Every character has a personality--from their movement and mannerisms down to their walk and run pattern.
For instance, take the blue Bort, the shape-shifter of the group, suffers from personality disorder. It's as though his virtue of changing anything the Orbots need to fight the bad guys at the moment- serves as a vice to his own self.
Bo (orange) the assertive sexpot, and Boo (yellow) the shy robot, are the two sisters with occasional sibling rivalry.
Bo has the stronger personality of two girls; she also has control over the elements. She puts her power of manipulating earth, fire, and- you get the idea- to use when danger calls for quick solutions. As I had a crush on her as a little kid, I feel like they made her too sexy for a kids' cartoon... not that there's anything wrong with that.
Boo uses magic of illusion and her magnetic field to the Orbots' advantage whether in battle or out. I felt like they underused her abilities.
And Crunch (purple/black) the stout droid cares mostly about eating metal and boulders. He serves to energize them when they need a power boost.
Tor the big red robot, isn't exactly an oaf, but he is a bit narcissistic. When they form the giant robot, he serves as the torso that Commander Rob controls them.
And the little robot precocious Ohno favors Shirley Temple a lot, and the Orbots have distinct traits, even if they teeter on the edge of stereotyping.
Voice Acting: I enjoy the stellar cast of talent. Don Messick (Astro from the Jetsons and hundreds more) and Barry Gordon (best known as the voice of Donatello for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1987-) do an awesome job here. So do Jennifer Darling, Jim MacGeorge, and several others who have gone on to do Bionic Six. The actors do their jobs very well, and as a method voice actor myself, I really appreciate it.
Storyline: There's a solid storyline here with a unique directive for each episode. Rob created these robots as part of the Galactic Patrol, a police unit that saves monitors criminal activity, namely started by Shadow. I could go into more detail here, but I want to address one factor that most discerning viewers take into consideration:
There is NO sense of continuity between the episodes.
As a viewer, you want to be able to watch the first episode and watch the next and have them address something from a previous episode. Or better, a character will undergo some change or deal with an issue that lets you see how he or she grew- or deteriorated- from it. But none such here.
Flaws: These have been pointed out before in TV Tropes. I will, too.
1. Rob Simmons vs. Commander Rob Bespectacled Rob Simmons the Scientist is the prominent- no, the ONLY blond character who appears consistently in each episode- to serve as main character in this show. Rob's leader Rondu knows his alter ego as Commander Rob sans glasses. Rondu's daughter Dia largely ignores Rob's requests for a date. Yet Dia goes gaga for Rob in his Omnisuit? Really? Rondu addresses Galactic Patrol Rob as 'Commander Rob'. Commander Rob. Rob. Does Dia really MISS the connection? I think, even if you're a little kid watching this, at some level you realize that they ARE the same person.
2.Voice of the Narrator I like Gary Owens' voice as the announcer of the show. He makes some key points where there's a major shift in the action. But do we HAVE to hear him comment on EVERYthing as obvious as a clogged toilet Every. Single. Minute?!
3.Lack of recurring villains Umbra is the only villain who appears in every show. Nowhere in the series do we have any other villain appear more than once, ever.
4. Size issue As individual robots the Orbots range between 1.7 meters (5'8") to 2.8 meters (9'). But when the Orbots form the giant Orbot, something odd happens. The Orbots grow to be 30-50 times their regular sizes.
Summary: All rants aside, I enjoy watching this show and the personality and all the producers, voice actors, writers, and animators have injected into it to make for a moment in my childhood that I fondly remember.