I
didn’t exactly know what to expect when I jumped into the first episode of
Tiger & Bunny. This anime presents its
goofy essence in all of its glory in a couple seconds into its opening. It doesn’t hide its true nature, never trying
to shrewdly ruse the viewer into believing it’s something it’s not. Characters are straightforward, villains are
one-dimensional and over the top, and the story is something that anyone could
write. Nonetheless, it’s a fun
experience for the right audience, especially for the ones who can appreciate
its homage to old superhero films and television series. It has a futuristic touch and a different
take on how superpowers emerged into the world.
A lot of heart was put into one of the main characters, making him an
endearing part of the overall story and its presentation. It is fully aware of its craziness and doesn’t
endeavor to take itself seriously. In
other words, there’s no identity crisis to be seen here!
From the studio Sunrise, Tiger & Bunny is a 25-episode series that mainly revolves around the two lead characters, Kotetsu (Wild Tiger) and Barnaby (Bunny). People possessing special abilities appeared in the world years ago, and their superhuman mutations caused them to be labeled “Next.” With their activism in ceasing crime and protecting citizens, their popularity soon soared. Taking place in Sternbild City, companies have contracts with most of the well-known superheroes, sponsors having a say in costumes and advertisements. These heroes actively participate in a popular program named Hero TV, earning points to increase their yearly ranking in the King of Heroes. A veteran hero, Wild Tiger, has always preferred to work alone, but with his drop in ratings and a company’s shutdown, he’s forced to pair up with the cocky Barnaby Brooks Jr. Even though their ideas of what being hero truly means differs, the two must learn to work together for the sake of the city and their jobs.
The story doesn’t go out of its way to be incredibly
original. Fuzzy logic and clichés slip
through in some scenarios—the defeat of a villain being too simplistic, or a
character magically being A-okay after a direct, lethal hit. Some lines and scenes are corn straight from
the cob, too. They’re bound to roll your
eyes or slap a smirk on your face. Also,
the series is quite formulaic at the start as it tries to establish all the
characters, which could feel flat to a majority of viewers. Side stories can be uninteresting or dragged
out too long, but I liked how main story elements were introduced during such
segments to keep your attention. One of the driving forces behind the show is Kotetsu and his sweet personality. He may fail sometimes and come off like a dork, but he wants to do what’s best for the people around him even to a fault. On the other hand, Barnaby is a big minus in terms of likeability. For the first half of the story, he’s a young hero with his priorities backwards, and he can be hard to tolerate when on screen. Both characters’ personal lives are explored to give them more depth. Their developing relationship and how they slowly begin to rely on each other fortunately didn’t feel forced. It’s gradual and only realized after a major plot point involving Barnaby’s dark past occurs. It was natural, and it was one of the most enjoyable aspects for me.
Scenes that are supposed to be emotional can be exaggerated. The later conflict Kotetsu personally has to deal with was engaging for me; I was sad but not the "tears freely falling down my face" sad. This anime wasn't designed to yank out hearts and stomp on them. The most its lighthearted sentiments about heroes and being there for loved ones will give you is a warm sensation inside (which can be rewarding in its own way). While I think the latter half is where the show starts to shine, the plot does take an unexpected detour near the halfway mark. Who I thought was going to be the main villain for the rest of the story took a sidestep, allowing Barnaby's search for the murderer who killed his parents to enter the stage. I didn't mind the twists and somewhat predictable turns the show traversed to get to its ending enemy, but the introductory episodes of the anti-hero called Lunatic made it appear as if he was the person to pursue. It was jarring to have it suddenly switch targets to a random guy never even hinted at in the former half. The fact that Lunatic seems to disappear off the face of the Earth for a small period doesn't assist matters any either.
The
animation is decent but can be a little inconsistent at times—proportions appearing
unnatural, facial expressions being hastily drawn. When Kotetsu and Barnaby and a few of the
other heroes are in their suits, they are done in CGI, which is something that
I usually don’t enjoy seeing. However, I
was pleasantly surprised by how detailed and fluid the models were in action
scenes. Occasionally they were stiff,
but it was infrequent enough so that it wasn’t grating on the eyes. When flames are flying and punches are
exchanged, the particles and effects are flashy and help in immersing the
viewer in even the shorter fights of the series. In addition, the music consists of your
average dramatic superhero tracks. It
serves to add a comedic or “epic” flair to certain scenes. The good guys kicking butt cues fast paced tunes,
and sad moments bring forth the usual piano or slow tempo melodies. There are a few lyrical songs throughout the
episodes, their insertion heightening the cheese factor more and more.
With the heroes and their catchphrases essentially
belonging to companies, and with their incessant need to please sponsors, Tiger
& Bunny does try to shake up the usual “bad guy appears, good guy must arrest
bad guy, good guy defeats bad guy” formula of superhero norms. It brings in the aspect of corporations capitalizing on the popularity of superheroes.
In a sense, we already do that today with comic books selling like
hotcakes and merchandise stocking hundreds of shelves. I don’t doubt that Superman would be receiving
TV and commercial deals if he actually existed.
Whether this series is successful or not primarily depends on the
viewer. This show pressed the correct
buttons for me in most cases—maybe it was Kotetsu’s lovable personality and
devotion to being a true hero—but the corny lines and simple solutions to
stopping villains that give a nod back to Batman “POW-BAM” days won’t be for
everyone. If you know what you’re
getting into from the onset, then it shouldn’t bother you all that much. Although it might not offer anything
fantastically original, it’s a fun and amusing ride, and for the right people, it
will be a cherished piece in their collection.
Rating: Try it
*all screenshots taken by taviastrife (me)
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