Marvel Media Mania: Marvel Anime: Wolverine

Marvel Anime: Wolverine is the second show in the Marvel Anime project. It had 12 episodes total and was released in 2011.

Marvel Anime: Wolverine

Of all of the Marvel Anime projects, this is perhaps the one that makes the most sense. Wolverine has direction connections with Japan from the comics and this show builds directly upon those roots. Instead of reinventing Wolverine as Japanese the show keeps his Canadian origin and we first see him in New York. For the most part, Wolverine is largely unchanged. He has enhanced healing, metal claws, and heightened senses. Although his berzerker rages seem tamed down (he never gets uncontrollable) and his claws don't seem to be made of adamantium (at one point steel armor deflects them).

The writers take pains to connect Wolverine to established continuity. At one point, Cyclops briefly shows up flying the Blackbird. Omega Red is the lone recognizable big-name villain (along with the organization AIM). SHIELD also makes an appearance in the show. And Wolverine ends up in Madripore a time or two.

The overall story is pretty simple: Wolverine's long time love, Mariko, is being forced into an arranged marriage by her warrior father. Wolverine sets out to free her and gets into a lot of fights along the way.

The action itself is 100% typical anime. Characters leap into the air while lines of movement zip past in the background. Still shots are held while the camera pans over them. Characters react in slow motion. You get the picture. Wolverine's claws were used a bit awkwardly, I thought, when going up against a sword. Frequently Wolverine and his opponent will stand with their blades crossed and I would wonder why his opponent just doesn't push his blade down Wolverine's claws and directly into his hand.

The content is pretty bloody and violent and it is better off for it. The creators take great advantage of Wolverine's healing powers and then mangle him every chance they get. At one point his entire chest is split open. At another point he's nearly cut in half and his half sags away from his body with an arm hanging limply at his side. After this happens battle after battle, however, you get to get the idea that Wolverine may not be a very good fighter after all.

The dialogue is absolutely atrocious. Essentially, the writers relied upon one cliche after another. This eliminates any possibility of you taking the show seriously. There are some moments that seem like they should be genuinely emotional moments but I just couldn't bring myself to care when the dialogue is incredibly predicable.

If you can actually sit through the entire series the ending provides a great twist. Frankly, the ending is the best thing about the series and not just because it is over. The ending really came as a shock to me but ultimately fails to capitalize on the twist.

1LR REVIEW - 10 out of 20! It's a Miss!

Marvel Media Mania: Toei Spider-Man Movie (1979)

The Spider-Man movie was created for and shown at the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival in 1979. It is in continuity with the Japanese Spider-Man television series and takes place in continuity between episodes 10 and 11.

Japanese Spider-Man

Since this film is in continuity with the Japanese television series, I won't rehash all of the changes made from the US version. I discussed that in my review of the television series here.

Essentially, this "film" was just like any other episode of the Japanese Spider-Man TV show except that it was filmed in widescreen. The length of the movie is 23 minutes - the same as the average Japanese Spider-Man TV show. Even the introductory title sequence is the same (except portions are cut off because of being fitted to widescreen). The show is without the transitions that would normally go before and after the cuts to commercial. At the end of the film, a "The End" card is displayed.

The plot revolves around an Interpol agent, Mamiya Juzo. Juzo has discovered Spider-Man's secret identity and has a mission for him - stop the Machine Bem, Sea Devil, who has been blowing up oil tankers. Perhaps the thing that makes this movie most different from a normal episode is the introduction of Juzo, who is then becomes a reoccurring character in the next few episodes of the series.

The production value was really stepped up for this movie. The highlight is a helicopter sequence that has Spider-Man dangling from the helicopter, just barely able to hang on. Sets and camera work are much improved as well.

Still, those changes do very little to improve the overall quality of the storyline. It's still a Power Rangers episode that happens to star someone dressed up like Spider-Man.

1LR Review - 6 out of 20! It's a Faliure!

Marvel Media Mania: Toei Spider-Man (1978)

Spider-Man is a live-action television series that aired in Japan starting in 1978. It was on the air for 41 episodes. It was made by the Toei Company.

Japanese Spider-Man... Notice the "Spider-Bracelet"

Wow. Where to start with this one.

First, this IS an officially licensed Marvel product. The similarities between the Japanese and American versions are mostly superficial, however. Japanese Spider-Man has the same superhero name, costume, and webbing that American Spider-Man does. Besides that, they're are COMPLETELY different - and I mean COMPLETELY. But that's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, right?

Sure. Except, in this case it is. It totally is.

Spider-Man isn't Peter Parker - he's Takuya Yamashiro. Makes sense since all of the main characters are Japanese after all. Takuya's motivation is revenge for the death of his father who was killed by the Iron Cross Army. Who are they? They're an invading alien race that is lead by Professor Monster. Another alien, Garia, gives Takuya a Spider-Bracelet from which he has access to the Spider-Protector (the Spider-Man suit), Marveller (a gigantic, transforming robot), and GP-7 (a Speed Racer car look-alike). Professor Monster uses Amazoness to unleash an unending horde of monsters that can grow to Godzilla sizes called Machine Bem and he also commands unending swarms of faceless foot soldiers that look like they have a bird beak on their faces.  

So, if I had to explain it in one sentence, every episode is almost exactly like an episode of the Power Rangers.

The actual Spider-Man action is remarkably similar to the 1977 American television show. I'm guessing they used many of the same techniques the American film crews did. While Japanese Spidey does his fair share of climbing up buildings, he spends a lot of time in the forest as well.

The actual character of Spider-Man is almost unrecognizable. Sure, he has the suit but that's about it. His motivation is revenge, pure and simple. At one point, he grabs a machine gun and shoots up a lab, shouting, "Get down if you want to live!" When he arrives at the scene to stop the bad guys, he announces himself as an, "Emissary from hell!"

The production value on the show is very low. You can tell they put their whole budget into the Machine Bem monsters. Spider-Man's webbing is obviously just plain rope (even more so than in the US series). The camera work is very shoddy and shakes. Scenery and props almost serve as mere visual suggestions such as a gray tarp that is suppose to be a rock cave wall.

If this show has any redeeming value it is as accidental humor. It's almost like a horrible cultural train wreck - it's too horrible to look away. Somehow, the end result of the combination of gutting a beloved character, cheap production, and thin plots is strangely and unintentionally amusing. This is the cinematic equivalent of the bearded woman. You don't want to look but you have to just to verify that it does, in fact, exist.

1LR Review - 4 out of 20! It's a Total Failure!