Time has passed but some people stay the same, which is a good thing. What They Say:
A few years have passed since Jin went missing. Kouga, still dreaming of becoming a real hero, is intent on catching a serial arsonist prowling the streets.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
After an interesting first episode that definitely provided some Guyver flair to it while also having a few echoes of Tiger & Bunny from the design side, Zetman takes the fun challenge of taking what we knew in the first episode, mildly convoluted as it was, and then advancing the story several years and aging u Jin. With Jin having gone missing after the incident from then, he’s managed to grow into a street smart protector ever since it seems as we get a good look at him here at the start where there’s a sense of very controlled power about him. His arrival definitely sets a few small waves, especially as he lands in the middle of protecting Konoha who has long held some affection for him. It’s a kind of mellow opening that also has a little bit of fun about it as we see Jin reconnect with his life.
Jin’s coming back into the real world has him doing a good amount of good right from the start, but he’s also getting caught up with something far uglier as there’s one creature that can control and create flames that’s causing a lot of damage in the city. Jin’s return coincides with Kouga’s attempts to become a “real hero of justice” as well and that has him and his small “organization” working to catch what they believe is a serial arsonist. So it’s amusing when the two of them come together in the midst of a fight and you have to take that second to wonder which way it will go. Thankfully, it avoids the fight that they might have ala classic superheroes as the two have enough of a past to know the truths of each other. And that means they can get to saving people in the building and going after the “arsonist” that’s out there.
When Zetman shifts to the actual action here, it really does excel in a way that will excite old school action fans. It may not be Guyver and it may not be a Go Nagai series, but it has some serious inspiration from there with the designs that stand out from the kinds of silly monsters we’ve had in so many series recently. Here, there are bloody attacks, limbs being ripped, bodies being stabbed deep and a sense of power that’s really intense. Especially when Jin is transformed and goes to the dark black and white coloring that makes him even more ominous. It’s the kind of dark hero that you know will do things right but has no compunctions about doing what is necessary to do those right things. And that’s always been the challenge of the classic here in just how far they’ll go before they cross the line. Here, there are no lines, just doing what needs to be done.
In Summary:
Zetman plays up some interesting things here, especially in the shift forward by several years. That alone gave me reason to be interested in the show as I wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with a dark series involving a young kid as we were shown in the first episode. With the older Jin now on the scene and getting involved in things and Kouga stepping up to the plate to do good himself as a “real hero” that he wants to be, there’s plenty to like on that level. But there’s more to like for those that want something that’s deliciously violent and doesn’t hold back when the transformed guys get down to business. I’m still not sure what to really make of the story as a whole since it’s sliding in a few different pieces here and there in the background, but the out front story right now is just kind of a basic fun thing where it’s dark with good action and no problems in being violent. With the strong character designs it has as well and the solid animation, it’s definitely a draw but it still needs that something extra to really leap up to the next level.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Viz Media
Review Equipment:
Sony KDS-R70XBR2 70″ LCoS 1080P HDTV, Dell 10.1 Netbook via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
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