Ronald Reagan must’ve been on to something with all that talk about the “silent majority.” When I watched the first episode of this show, almost everybody who commented in the talkback said, “Don’t pick this up! It wouldn’t make a good series to follow.” Yet when it came time for everybody to actually vote, SOUL EATER was the one that came out on top. Words and deeds, right? Of course, the irony is that there’s actually only four episodes of this online, anyway. I guess the DVD must’ve come out recently. I wasn’t aware of that when I set the poll up because there were far too many shows on the docket to investigate every one individually, but there you go. Once I get to episode #4 of this, expect the runner-up to get picked up. I guess that means the poll is still open.
The more of these watch, the more I realize that I get more enthused about a show where the fantasia’s as total as it here. It can be serious at times, sure. There’s no problem with that. Just don’t set it in some drab locations and have the characters speak in such grave, hushed tones the whole time (alluding to GUNSLINGER and PHANTOM, of course.) In this case, the kids actually seem, at times, like they just stepped out of NARUTO, but I don’t have any problems with that because the entire world is so off-the-wall. Like the whole 100 sword trick the bad guy pulls. By acknowledging how ridiculous it is and having some fun with it, it actually ends up even more badass than it would’ve been if they’d just played it straight. Having Capone’s goons randomly wear masks was a brilliant flourish, too.
Introducing the cast, one pair at a time, is an interesting approach to setting up a show. While I’m all for starting things quickly, I’d say this is a better alternative to cramming too much into the first episode. A lot of pilots have buckled under the weight of too much material. This couple swaps genders with the last one, and the reaper-to-weapon dynamic seems flipped too. Cool. Let’s see what happens when the next guy has two partners.
Also, do the souls seem sperm-like in design to anybody else? White balls little curly tails? Seems like a visual innuendo.
Watch this episode "I Am the Star - -The Big Man is Showing Up Here?" below, decide for yourself and 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
