|
 Captain Earth is an original mecha anime from Bones airing in the Spring 2014 season. Takuya Igrashi, Yoji Enokido, and various other members of the Star Driver team have reunited for the project. Story Well, we know that the main character has a dead dad, ends up on an island, gets a giant robot, and him and his friends fight off an invasion from Uranus by a group called the KILL-T-GANG. Other than the bare bones of the story and some sparse character details (listed below) there haven't really been any more detailed descriptions released on how this is going to play out. Even the promo videos are pretty vague about anything that might happen after the first one or two episodes and the official website still doesn't even have it's "Story" section up yet. Endokido has gone on record saying that while Star Driver was a "school mecha" anime, this is intended to be more of a "traditional mecha" anime. Characters (Descriptions from ANN)  Daichi Manatsu (VA: Miyu Irino): A 17-year-old second-year high school student who becomes a pilot of Earth Engine, a general-purpose manned Impacter (read: giant robot).  Teppei Arashi (VA: Hiroshi Kamiya): A 17-year-old boy who harbors powers beyond those of humans, as well as a sense of alienation.  Hana Muto (VA: Ai Kayano): A girl who looks 17 years old, but whose true identity is unknown.  Akari Yomatsuri (VA: Rina Hidaka): A 17-year-old genius hacker.  Tsutomu Nishikubo (VA: Rikiya Koyama): The commander of the Globe Tanegashima Base and a close friend of Daichi's father and Daichi.  Amara (VA: Kenichi Suzumura): A Kill-T-Gang Amarokku humanoid and the Planetary Gear Device leader  Moco (VA: Maaya Sakamoto): A Kill-T-Gang Morukin humanoid who despises Daichi. She is the first Kill-T-Gang. Staff and Additional Details Director: Takuya Igrashi (Star Driver, Ouran High School Host Club) Screenplay: Yoji Enokido (Star Driver, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Diebuster, FLCL) Music: Satoru Kousaki of monaca (Star Driver, Bakemonogatari) Engine Series Design/Main Design: Shigeto Koyama (Star Driver) Machine Good Fellow Design/Mechanical Design: Takayuki Yanase (Star Driver) Animation Production: BONES (Star Driver, Eureka Seven, Fullmetal Alchemist, bunch of other stuff) Air Date: April 5th Streaming Options: Crunchyroll, Saturdays at 11 AM PST (2 PM EST). Promo Art and Videos   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI3cy5TRgLo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCRmhnG_Mq0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpMw8ZyotSE Personal Opinions Star Driver was rad as heck (screw the haters) and I'm looking forward to what the staff responsible for it can cook up next. The actual plot details that we know about so far are kind of maddeningly vague, but the music sounds cool and the giant robot looks cool and Enokido is good about two thirds of the time so I'm ready to strap in and enjoy the ride. jonjonaug fucked around with this message at 18:30 on Apr 5, 2014 |
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 02:37
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 13:10 |
|
|
Oh, so it's not an anime remake of Captain Planet. Bummer! 
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 02:42
|
|
|
DrSunshine posted:Oh, so it's not an anime remake of Captain Planet. Bummer! I was very tempted to use Captain Planet as the header image for the OP.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 02:43
|
|
|
I'm also one of the weirdos who loved Star Driver, and pretty much everything else Enokido has ever done. So I'm pretty RUNAWAY HYPE TRAIN for this show. At the very least, we'll get a kick-rear end OST out of this deal.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 03:10
|
|
|
Star Driver was pretty good until the ending, though I got a bit bored of every fight being basically exactly the same, and I will watch literally any mecha show unless it's as boring as Buddy Complex, so yeah.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 03:25
|
|
|
Star Driver was entertaining for the most part, even with the repetitive robot fights. I don't expect anything in particular out of Captain Earth beyond also being mostly entertaining. If it goes beyond that and reaches greatness I'll be happy, but if not then I'll just count it as a fun time and move on. For now, I can say that the premise sounds perfectly alright and the main mecha looks nice.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 03:30
|
|
|
I'm looking forward to this. The lead mecha's design is cool, and if the ride is as enjoyable as Star Driver's ended up being, hey: I'm down for it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 03:30
|
|
|
You know what? Star Driver was ok. So yeah, I'm down for this.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 03:35
|
|
|
The first episode of Star Driver was magical. Then every episode after that felt too much like exactly the same thing, and I quickly lost interest after about 6-7 episodes. Gonna check this out at least.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 04:26
|
|
|
If they have stock animation for launching the robot from a HLV every time it has to go DEFEND EARTH I am so super down for this, even if the Bones curse is in full effect
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 04:55
|
|
|
jonjonaug posted:
Every time I see these two fellows together in a show I can't help but remember this picture.   I think this was actually drawn by one of the ladies at CLAMP.Excited as hell for this, even if it looks a bit more sedated than Star Driver (which was indeed fun, if somewhat lackluster towards the endgame). ^^^^^^ e: What's the Bones curse?
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 05:04
|
|
|
Wark Say posted:^^^^^^ e: What's the Bones curse? Whatever makes Bones produce shows (especially sequels of some kind) that people tend to find disappointing for various reasons.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 05:42
|
|
|
I don't really think they're cursed so much as they're really, really inconsistent. Eureka Seven, for instance, was good! But it dragged somewhere around at several points, and while the complete package was good, it had enough to going against it to keep from truly legendary status. The sequel has generally been poor across the board then, not to mention Actually unfinished, unless the last two episodes aired at some point when I wasn't looking. Star Driver was a trip, but also had a kind of blah ending, and was pretty much Giant Robot of the Week for most of the series. Watching something from Studio Bones is like a game of roulette. Everything may go perfectly fine and you'll get a nice spot of entertainment! Or you'll get a boring piece of poo poo that nobody remembers a year from now because it was so forgettable.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 08:45
|
|
|
Well, as someone who loved Star Driver and has a real soft spot for Enokido and Igarashi in general, I really can't wait to see what they have in store for us this time. They got a late night slot this time around, so who knows how weird they're gonna get.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 08:50
|
|
|
Alectai posted:I don't really think they're cursed so much as they're really, really inconsistent. IIRC, both Fullmetal Alchemists were Bones productions. They did Gosick too, which is one of my favorites, though I dunno how goons feel about that one.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 08:53
|
|
|
For me, Bones is VERY hit or miss. Gosick I quit after 5 episodes because, as a detective mystery, it was utter poo poo, and I really like detective mysteries. Bit I did really like Un-Go, which was made later that year. Eureka Seven I thought was pretty good, but X'amd was just plain bad (though fun to watch because of the great animation), and E7:AO doesn't deserve to exist. I though Blast of Tempest owned for the most part, but Noragami ended up feeling kind of bland. And then there's Wolf's Rain, about which I still have no idea what to think. It had great writing, animation, direction, music, art, etc. but the story was just so  .e: VV Like I said, Blast of Tempest owned. 
ViggyNash fucked around with this message at 14:51 on Apr 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 14:17
|
|
|
In the last 8 years (since the end of the great Ouran High School Host Club) the only Bones show that was unambiguously good was Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. Yes, even FMA:Brotherhood, which while largely more entertaining than the original still managed to be an extremely watered down take on the manga. They're very consistent! It's just that they are consistently mediocre. E: I don't think they're outright bad, though. "Consistently bad" will always be reserved for DEEN instead. Nate RFB fucked around with this message at 14:34 on Apr 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 14:25
|
|
|
Alectai posted:The sequel has generally been poor across the board then, not to mention Actually unfinished, unless the last two episodes aired at some point when I wasn't looking. It did have an ending, I wouldn't bother watching it though. Nate RFB posted:In the last 8 years (since the end of the great Ouran High School Host Club) the only Bones show that was unambiguously good was Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. Yes, even FMA:Brotherhood, which while largely more entertaining than the original still managed to be an extremely watered down take on the manga. They're very consistent! It's just that they are consistently mediocre. Blast of Tempest was the best 2012 show that no-one watched.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 14:32
|
|
|
Bones tend to do better with stuff they know (or can plan) an end too rather than one they need to make up out of thier arse.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 23:08
|
|
|
People should pay attention to the director/writer/etc instead of studio, imo. Unless you're talking about animation quality, in which case I'm sure that Bones will do an ace job with this like they normally do; they generally don't half-rear end the animation, after all! Saying stuff like how the Eureka 7 sequel was terrible doesn't really have anything to do with this since the folks heading the writing side of things here weren't involved in that in any significant capacity (The director for Captain Earth did a storyboard for a single episode and that is all my brief check has revealed). I was pretty lukewarm with Star Driver but I'm down with giving the folks behind it another chance. Between Build Fighters and Buddy Complex ending/taking a break respectively, I'm hoping I'll have at least one mecha show to follow this season now that I currently have none. Srice fucked around with this message at 23:23 on Apr 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 23:19
|
|
|
That was one hell of a combining sequence. The Star Driver team hasn't lost their touch.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 18:27
|
|
|
Crunchyroll just announced that Captain Earth will be added to their lineup. The first episode goes up in half an hour.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 18:29
|
|
|
Crunchyroll just picked the show up for streaming. Edit: Beaten 
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 18:29
|
|
|
jonjonaug posted:Crunchyroll just announced that Captain Earth will be added to their lineup. The first episode goes up in half an hour. Sort of bizarre to announce something a half an hour before it's up  What are they, Japan?
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 18:51
|
|
|
Zorak posted:Sort of bizarre to announce something a half an hour before it's up Well, they are dealing with Japanese companies. Knowing Japan, they might have actually been forced to wait until right before putting it up to announce it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 18:53
|
|
|
Episode 1 is live
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 19:20
|
|
|
I'm not quite sure of most of what's going on in this show as of yet, but it was: 1. Star Driver as gently caress. I would not be surprised if this ended up being in the same universe or whatever. 2. Gorgeous. Like this show looks sick nasty good, way better than Star Driver even. 3. A proper super robot show. Like this has a feel of a 70s/80s super robot show. And I am down with those. The character writing thus far has been pretty good as well (as to be expected), I look forward to watching this. If I'm understanding the setting humanity is in contact with these aliens from Uranus called the Kill-T Gang, whom occasionally engage the Earth. If they make it to Earth, something terrible will happen. Apparently some of the Kill-T Gang work for humanity and helped boost our technology to engage them? Everyone with weird hair colors looks like they're either Kill-T Gang or Kill-T Gang clones. It looks like the only approach humanity has is to destroy them before they reach Earth, though an opposing world government faction wants to build an ark to escape instead? The thing I don't understand is that it looks like the baddy Kill-T Gang folks were hanging with humans too? Is it ALL an inside job? HMMM. I'm intrigued, they've set up a lot of weird questions but seem to know what they're doing with them.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 19:54
|
|
|
Zorak posted:I'm not quite sure of most of what's going on in this show as of yet, but it was: Pretty much my impression, though I haven't watched Star Driver. I summed it up to  .
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 20:07
|
|
|
A medium sized mecha is the smallest part of the machine... How loving big is that robot.  Serious star driver vibes off that whole sequence with the pink haired girl's mecha too.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 20:30
|
|
|
I also have not seen Star Driver, but if Captain Earth can manage to be at least on the level of Majestic Prince I should be happy as a clam.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 20:45
|
|
|
Libido-powered robots? The listlessness of youth? Dead parents? Long-rear end transformation sequences? Mysterious singing girls? "We reveal the dream of the world"? Yup, that sure was Enokido as gently caress. This is so Star Driver 2.0, and I could not be more excited about that.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 20:47
|
|
|
I thought that was a really good first episode. This show might be worth watching for the animation quality alone if it stays consistent. The sequence where the robot appears was incredible. Also it really makes me laugh at how both this show and Star Driver use the word libido.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 20:47
|
|
|
Nnnnnnnn...I think Giant Robot shows just aren't me. The animation was gorgeous, and the presentation was fine and all, but...I just apparently don't like any of the tropes anyone expects with this genre. Don't like them at all. Gurren Lagen and FMP are the closest I've come to appreciating something kinda like a giant robot show, in retrospect. Oh well, I'll just leave it at that.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 21:47
|
|
|
This show looks awesome. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 22:09
|
|
|
madmac posted:Nnnnnnnn...I think Giant Robot shows just aren't me. The animation was gorgeous, and the presentation was fine and all, but...I just apparently don't like any of the tropes anyone expects with this genre. Don't like them at all.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 22:43
|
|
|
That's less a "super robot" thing and more the writer's style. "Here are a bunch of things you don't understand at first. This will make sense with time." The setting is itself a mystery to be solved. The writer has more of a background in magical girl stuff anyway. Zorak fucked around with this message at 22:57 on Apr 5, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 22:48
|
|
|
Star driver owned and this show owns stoked for more mysterious singing.
|
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 22:56
|
|
|
Zorak posted:That's less a "super robot" thing and more the writer's style. "Here are a bunch of things you don't understand at first. This will make sense with time." The setting is itself a mystery. One of the transition screens had "Eveything will be obvious soon." on it, so they're making that intention pretty clear.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 22:58
|
|
|
Oh man, that launch and combination/transformation sequence was spot on super robot. Like I'm half wondering when the toy tie-in will be announced. As for the Bones curse, no one ever seems to remember my favorite of theirs Skull Man and it seems like the oldest shows of theirs that ever get remembered is the Evangelion-alike RahXephon. Also Wolf's Rain because it got that run on Adult Swim. They also did Darker than Black, Soul Eater and, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. All of which were well received during their runs.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 23:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 13:10 |
|
|
I'd only just marathoned Star Driver two weeks back so its going to be interesting going straight from that to this. Having watched the assembly sequence more times than I care to admit, soaking in all the little details, I REALLY hope they dont use the full thing quite as often as they did Tauburn's entrance. Yes it's extremely cool but at a point its clear they're doing it to save money, not because its cool.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2014 23:55
|
|