I didn’t actually realize that Mutta’s voiced by the same guy who played Kotetsu in TIGER & BUNNY until one of you lunatics pointed the fact out to me. As you’ve all might have noticed, I’m not much of purist when it comes to dubs and subs, so I don’t usually have my ear so finely tuned as to recognize a voice actor speaking in a different language. Well, except in extreme cases, at least. I actually did have an inkling about the link here before it was spelled out for me, and that says a lot about how much personality Hirata San brings to the recording booth.
It also speaks to the man getting typecast a little, because there are certainly more than few similarities between this aspiring space cadet and the Wild Tiger. Both are neurotic guys suffering some confidence-dimming setbacks due to their age; both are ostensibly partnered with over-achieving golden boys. I’m sure the connection came up more than a few times during the production process.
Regarding another “behind-the-frames” topic, I’m starting to feel like the 50 or so episode length of this series isn’t helping it for me. Wasn’t there some weird production schedule where the live-action feature version of the manga was released at the same time that the anime started? I saw the trailer for that. Seems like the “transmedia” equivalent of shooting one’s self in the foot, because I’m now starting to wonder if I’d prefer this story in that form. I feel like it might distill everything I like about this show into a leaner package that cut out “filler” like this episode.
Watch this episode, "Next to Hibito” here and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
hmm I have found "filler" to usually have some of the best character moments. Only a few shows (inuyasha, dragonball) where the extreme length turned me off. Shonen (which really doesn't have much character development really) is usually where that is. Still not having seen this show I can't say. I have found some people who enjoy visual art more than I do tend to like anime more than live action simply because of the artistry involved.
Perhaps a good column lies in the ideas of the different ways people came to anime. I can see people attracted first to the visual artistry, the sex and violence (lets be honest), and the deeper storylines and non black and white world view.
Wait, what the heck? This series is going to go for 50 episodes, since when? I was under the impression that it was going for 12 episodes for the first season.
edit: alright so yes apparently it was announced to be a 50+ episode anime. Still not really sure how I feel about this. Damn myanimelist can be so unreliable with this information.