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Bokurano
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Animation - 7.2 |
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Sound - 7.8 |
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Story - 7.4 |
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Character - 8.6 |
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Value - 7.8 |
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Enjoyment - 8.0 |
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Average - 7.8 |
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| Average |
8.7 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| 2007 had one anime in particular that didn’t really flesh itself out commercially, but was a taste of the shit some, if not all, anime fans wanted to taste in such a desperately long period of time. Significantly reduced to a timely parable of children begrudgingly helmed as saviors of the (their) Earth, Bokurano, detracting from the unflinchingly subversive source material ( a manga of the same name serialized in a monthly magazine called Ikki), plants itself firmly as the sociopolitical commentary in a menagerie of hard sci-fi (some mecha wouldn’t hurt), warranting some of the most believable adolescent leads ever patented in the small screen. The narrative deliberately examines the break between pre-pubescence and preadulthood, never resorting to shock the viewer on vicarious terms; so to say, inimical to Now and Then, Here and There, wherein the upheaval of childhood’s seemingly perfectible fantasy world take its toll on the characters at the very propensity of their emotional and mental implosion.
Bokurano bears more verisimilitude to Dennou Coil’s self-contained, decisive moments, teeming with natural wit, one where a change of heart, a thug at the gut is an apparent consummation of knowledge (understanding of the situation and circumstances) rather than mere instinct. This knowledge, however, is learnt when ‘freedom of choice’ is intentionally set at a premium, bearing burden on the characters whether to die with what they believe in or with what they believe against. Thus, Bokurano, as a whole, is not entirely unlike Now and Then, Here and There in how thin the line that separates rationality from desperation is.
Thankfully, though, not all of the show’s fifteen characters share the same self-reproaching sentiment as to get wishy-washy in the cerebral quandary. Waku, being the first chosen to pilot Zearth, readily accepts his fate; the dire hopelessness and implicit hap of his position does not trouble him, and it is not coincidental that he is the most overtly stable of the whole caboodle. Kodama, hauling the second slot, perceives the opportunity to self-aggrandize; Chizu attempts to justify her conflicting emotions by “getting even”; Anko endogenously recovers from the slandered reputation of her family. For each character, different reasons and coping mechanisms to embattle and hold up to the task, usually moot at best but, just to set things straight, most of the kids admirably deters the odds with inestimable willpower. That is when all are asked the question: “Would you save the Earth’s ass at the expense of your life?” Swarming with the discomfiture of that thought, Bokurano is both clear-eyed and ruthless in its characterization.
Although the context of Bokurano’s plot is spastically ruined by emotionally vapid scrimmages, the political component has enough beef to substantiate the existing fluff. Suspense pairs with intrigue like a one-two punch, succoring to apportion the story into psychological insight and interpersonal dynamics as it is aimed to mirror our own repercussions when pegged in the same Petri dish. Many of these elements conjoin with the underpinnings of Bokurano’s sensational concepts of “sizing up” life by its breadth and depth and of leaps of faith, and, in spite of those subjects’ familiarity in toto, their concerted effort in execution—yes, it is the execution that retorts---convincingly bolsters the universal fact (or notion) that nothing is of value unless you’ve paid the price.
2007 was in particular a bouillabaisse of genres droningly missing its niche. That in the sense, by and large, is it ultimately like any other year. Likewise, to generalize Bokurano, one could say, that it is the redemptive factor of that vintage in which it is elevated among its peers. It doesn’t immediately add something new to the “anime” distinction; neither does it suffice the political incorrectness of science fiction. To be, of all things, redemptive, though, Bokurano has that peerless sense of urgency, one which is bluff and willing to dig deep without losing the lynchpin (and, of course, that humanism). It was a real taste of some kind of shit----and we want more.
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Encu |
(2008-01-09 00:38:31) 2008-01-08 18:12:19 |
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| Average |
6.0 |
| Animation |
5 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
5 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| Bokurano isn't a terrible anime, and it has some depth that almost makes it interesting enough for me to recommend it.
It fails, though, as the plot flaws gnaw away at the core, which is revealed to be lackluster by the end.
So, I can't highly recommend this series. It starts off strong and may entice you with its passion, but turns out to be a barely above average series in the end.
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1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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nauXolo |
(2007-11-26 23:11:38) 2007-11-26 18:46:36 |
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| Average |
8.0 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| At first glance, Bokurano is a gripping and revolutionary sci-fi anime that impresses. It is full of mysteries, twists and turns, and drama. However, in afterthought, it was enjoyable but not mind-boggling. Nevertheless, Bokurano has a new and fresh scent that cannot be ignored. Definitely recommended.
The first half of Bokurano seems to slowly unravel the life stories of the many characters (15? 16? I am not sure). They are engaged and caught in an inter-dimensional plot to battle for the survival of their dimension. A relentless war where the cost of a battle is the life of the pilot. As each one dies, we gradually get to know what kind of life was sacrificed in order to preserve their own world. Some questions come up such as: who am I fighting for? why should we destroy another dimension for the sake of our own? etc. Meanwhile, interspersed throughout the episodes, more answers are revealed as to the identity of some of the behind the scene characters.
The second-half gets a little more dramatic, but it also focuses more on a set few characters. Although the sad stories remain lingering in our hearts, almost immediately the story focuses on a select few characters. Many of the previous pilots are long forgotten, and only mentioned in passing. Nevertheless, there is something eerie about the empty chairs that remain as the pilots die one by one. In this half, we learn more about the past behind this interdimensional war, and learn about how the whole system works.
Bokurano did not turn out what I thought it would be. Rather than focusing on the overall picture, it keeps its focus on this current dimension. Instead of revealing the secrets to the high powers (vague to avoid spoilers), it focuses more on the drama and the personal fights of the pilots.
While the mecha fights were unique - none of this Gundam stuff, it was definitely not the highlight of the show. There were some really laughable opponents, as well as some intimidating ones. I thought that the variety of opponents was well chosen, and the opponents abilities served well to bring out aspects of the pilots we followed.
Overall, Bokurano is a very engaging and fresh anime that really hooks you in. Not recommended for light viewing or heavy marathon runs, but requires much digestion due to the heavy emotional content. In terms of mysteries and secrets behind the stories, not much is really revealed, except to give us a broad general overall picture. I found the mysterious atmosphere to lead me to produce many conjectures along the way. While fun to do, it is not very successful with this anime due to its focus on character past stories and drama. Still, great anime that is made very well.
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4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
8.0 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Bokurano is not a mecha anime. The mecha fights are realistically slow and mostly uninspiring. Bokurano instead concentrates on the back-stories of the various characters. The main plot is superficial and relies on plot twists, revelations, and
The core of the series is designed around watching 2-3 episodes at a time. Try to marathon this show and you will probably fall asleep. Watch only one episode a week and you will lose the liveliness of your emotions from the previous episode.
Bokurano does something different from most other animes in that it does not concentrate on a single character and instead hops from one to another. While this is original, in my opinion, it is the downfall of this anime. The lack of a personable conscience through the 24 episodes of this series will leave you feeling disconnected and indifferent to various plot devices.
However, all in all, Bokurano is an enjoyable series as long as you aren't looking for anything too deep. If you liked Gantz, Narutaru, or the series summary sounds even mildly interesting, give it a try.
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Largo |
2007-10-20 20:28:00 |
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| If you like your anime's with loads of morals, sadness, weirdness, and death - this anime is the choice for you.
The anime begins on some akward footing that doesn't make a lot of sense. Even later on in the series, it only makes a little more sense. The story unravels through 15 kids and entails their individual family and life problems while being threatened with the imprisonment of a guranteed death. The episodes are laid out by a kid being chosen to pilot Zearth, and their flashbacks or individual stories before their ultimate battle and demise.
The series incorparates loads of morals and emotion. It's quite the melancholy series but is very interesting. Read more if you want...
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9 of 11 people found this review helpful.
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