Saber Marionette J > X

I saw a little of this series before, and didn't really like what I saw. Everything was business as usual as it slipped back to its slapstick cliche routine. But later I read on newsgroups that J > X had the best story of them all. Now that I've seen it all, I can see what they mean. If you can get by the first 9 episodes intact, you'll have a blast for the rest of the show. This is the sequel to J you've been waiting for. It talks about what happened at the very end of J that was never explained. It also ties up a lot of loose ends of J too very nicely. Unfortunately, it's hard to talk about what these things are without spoilers so don't read the next paragraph unless you've seen J.

The story focuses on a lot of things, but one crucial aspect is that of the female clones. At the end of J, Lorelai's DNA was going to be used to clone females. But until those clones are matured, whoever has access to those cells has the power in Terra 2. The story in J > X leads us from Japoness to Xian, hence the name. In Xian, Otaru and the others will meet new friends, but will also find their match. Viewers may remember that Dr. Hesse disappeared at the end of J, and he takes center stage here. He teams up with a government official in Xian in a scheme to threaten not only the peace of Terra 2, but the safety of it as well.

Throughout this plot, you see a lot of what made SMJ, SMJ. There is a very humanistic sentiment at play. Even though the marionettes matured to full potential in J, they are continuing to learn what characterizes humanity... and have to come to grips as they discover their differences as marionettes. But it's Otaru that goes through the most growth this time, as he stands to lose everything. Although many of the themes are the same, SMJ and J > X are not. They are two sides of a single coin. It's pretty evident these two series were planned from the beginning. J > X takes everything J was and adds some dimensions. And just like J, the ending is extremely memorable and makes watching the series all worth it. Is it the best of all 3 series? In some ways yes. In some ways no. But it certainly is a must-watch for every fan of J.

Mata Mata Saber Marionette J

Also called "Saber Marionette J Again", this is a follow-up to the original 25 episode TV series, this time in the form of a 6-episode OAV series. The visuals are a mix... indeed the art is nice with a lot more fluid animation than the original TV series, but there's some digital effects thrown in there that don't always look natural. Nevertheless, Otaru and his marionettes are back and they've got company. The Saber Dolls, previously the marionettes' #1 enemy, are asked to be trained under Mamiya Otaru's supervision so they could mature. But if that wasn't enough, a 7th marionette named Marine Blue appears and the series is centralized on her.

I generally thought the main storyline of this OAV series was pretty typical anime ho-hum stuff... you really don't gain much from Marine Blue's existence. But in terms of the entire SMJ universe, there are some little details that work out nicely. As mentioned before, the Saber Dolls are back and this time they're learning a lot about life through their stay with Otaru. But a lot of their interactions have an ecchi flavor to them, which turned me off. Still, one character in particular has to deal with the consequences resulting from the end of SMJ, which was probably the biggest highlight of this OAV series to me. It was not the focal point at all, however I was glad to see that this was definitely filling out some of the details of the end of SMJ. That one aspect is, for me, the only thing preventing this OAV from being a pointless filler. It's still pretty skippable though.

Saber Marionette J

It's not a perfect show by any means... but I like it. I remember the first time I saw it, I really hated it. The beginning relied on so many anime cliches, that it was hard to really be interested. Of course, the less exposed you're to anime, the less annoyed you'd be by this aspect. This was my brother's first entry into anime, and he loved it to death. Nevertheless, for me it was an exercise in patience.

But 'lo and behold, after the beginning introduction episodes, the plot started to move, even if very little. It was that plot that kept me clinging onto the show until the last 8 or so episodes which totally pulled me along for the ride. The setting is a planet full of men who survived by cloning their offspring. No woman can be found because of an accident that happened 300 yrs ago. But to fill that void, these men created their own machines with female likeness called marionettes. Enter Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry - special marionettes with a unique "heart" that gave them emotion. As good-natured Mamiya Otaru discovers each of them and nurtures them with love, they begin to learn what it means to be human. But little did he know what role he and his marionettes would eventually play. Little did he know what purpose those three marionettes were created for. Little did he know why an evil dictator would pursue him to no end.

When the plot finally kicks in, it kicks in. It went from an entirely forgettable show to an interesting one to one I could not stop watching. It'll throw you in an emotional roller-coaster, with so many heart-felt scenes of love, sacrifice, and pain. It is a social commentary on what it means to be human. It blurs the boundaries between man and machine. But most of all, it awakens a part inside of you that allows you to feel the characters' warmth, experience their struggles, and cry with their pain. It may take a while to get going, but when it does, you'll experience one of the finest forms of entertainment out there.

Shin Seiki Evangelion

Evangelion is a rarity. One of the most popular series of all time (if not the most), I'm shocked that the show actually has quite a lot of substance. Let's look at the specs. It can be looked upon as three different series. The first 13 episodes serve as a dull mech show. Characters are introduced. A plot exists, but does little other than to justify the monster of the week setup. As such, it is sometimes painfully slow to sit through. I've known many a people who abandoned the show after this. Strangely enough, it's the mainstream audience that was attracted to these boring segments. Phase 2 of the series involves the next 11 episodes, which introduce you to the larger framework of the plot. Conspiracies abound, so keeping up with what's happening is a bit difficult. Nevertheless it's more than enough to propel you through, guessing at each corner. There's a lot more action and violence as well, making it far more entertaining than the first half. Yet when it's all said and done, the last segment hits, and you are thrown for a loop. See, the last two episodes focus on the psychological battle going on in the characters' heads. Although you've seen glimpses and outward expressions of this in the previous 24 episodes, they are now brought to the forefront. All of a sudden you realize that the show isn't about what you thought it was about. That the story of man fighting heavenly messengers in a battle for existence is secondary... that it's merely a backdrop to show the internal psychological struggle of the characters, and even greater - of humanity.

While the situations for Eva characters may be quite extraordinary, their fears and insecurities ring true for many of us. Director Anno asks many questions, and often gives no answers. While this may sound like a bad thing, it's actually not. Perhaps the truth is that there really are no answers. Human emotion is a fickle thing. There lies the brilliance in the series. It's philosophy disguised as a mech show. It questions the will to live, the reasons for living, and the concept of existence. It's intelligent.

That being said, I rather enjoyed the show. It's not something I thought I would like. Admittedly, I couldn't really find any enjoyment in the series for the bulk of the first half. But I stuck with it just to see what the fuss was about. Is the series overrated? Who knows. Depends on what you expect. I found it a refreshing change from most of the series out there. Not only is it different, but it's thought-provoking as well. I think everyone should watch it in its entirety, and nothing less. It is almost like three different shows combined in one, however the unity is only achieved once you've gone through the full process. Love it or hate it, it's truly something worth talking about it.