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Super-Deformed Double Feature
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Title Info
- type: movie
- grade: flawed
- genre: parody
- made: unknown
- Review created: Recently, but I didn't record the date.
- mod: none
A very strange tape. It is basically a collection of bits and pieces, thus while it is probably formally several OAV's the word `special' better captures the feel. The tape I saw held several sup-parts. Including `10 little gall force' and `scramble wars' as the main draws, with various other filler material. Both of these shows are permanently in SD mode and draw from various other materials by the same studio. These shows include Gall force, Bubblegum Crisis and Genesis Survivor Gaiearth. The filler includes a mini-doco on Kenichi Sonada (character designer for most of the above) which is scary, a simple anime he drew to explain the delay in Gall force 2 and some Seiyuu (voice actors) playing to the camera while recording a song for Gall Force. So, the immediate question is whether it is any good?
Well, yes and no. The filler is mildly interesting, mostly for the anime fan getting to see Sonada at work in the less than glamorous field of making anime. The `scramble wars' is a crazed race between all the various characters, with lots of jokes from the series and quite a lot of humor. Unfortunately it isn't that funny, and the opportunity to spot anime references is not intrinsically exciting (perhaps as some otaku competition?). Thankfully 10 little gall force is much better, being the animation of `filming' the anime as if were a live action production. This is much richer territory for humor, and the in-jokes are actually used to parody the events of the actual gall force videos (the 10 comes from the 7 in the movie and those added in Gall force OVA 1). Of course without a fairly decent knowledge of Gall force most of the jokes will be missed, and even at its best it is more chuckle than laugh. Being a parody of the `filming' of gall force it also includes various production crew, which might also be amusing if you have sufficient knowledge. When all and said is done it sits in the watchable section, with an additional chuckle if you liked Gall force, as a bit of fun but not something to own or re-watch.
As for the animation quality? Well, the live action content has the hand-camera look to it. The actual anime is super deformed mode (squished doll like figures and cartoonish action) which has a certain `cute' value but discounts and possibility of being impressed by the animation. And amongst super deformed animation this is fairly basic. 10 little gall force also includes some animation from the actual Gall force Movie and OAV's, which is better quality but is somewhat jarring when cut into and out of. The whole production feel is as a `bit of fun' so the plot, writing and voice acting is all loose and light. This doesn't hurt the contents much, and gives it a curious energy, but means that technically there is nothing interesting on this tape.
Wow, the fine folks at THEM really like it. In this review they give it four stars and say, "Parody is a true art, and these people have mastered it." Although THEM are in general pretty supportive of parody type material. The review from the Anime Critic is interesting, considering he disliked Gall Force. He rates it as average, preferred scramble wars, and suggests it is one for the fans. And both pages also referred to the SD Nene as being super-cute...scary. Lord Carnage doesn't appear to have managed a rating, but this short review seems to suggest he enjoyed himself.
Words by Andrew Shelton, Web by Ticti, Last Compile: Wed Aug 5 12:39:24 WST 2009