Customer Reviews

Blue Gender - The Complete Collection

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Blue Gender is a science fiction military anime series that revolves around Yuji Kaido, a recently awakened "sleeper", and Marlene Angel, a sniper pilot detached to the Second Earth Tokyo Recovery Squad. Yuji was placed in suspended animation in the hopes of finding a cure for his disease, expecting to be awakened one or two years later when a treatment program would be found. Instead, he finds himself revived twenty-two years later to discover that the world he knew is completely gone. Everyone he once knew and cared about is dead, and the world he knew has been transformed into a nightmare.

Blue Gender is a tightly woven story that combines military sci-fi, romance, and suspense together into an action packed and emotionally charged series. If you're expecting a series that has invincible comic book heroes that are smug in their moral superiority, possessing super human powers, and somehow always coming out ahead, then you're in for a surprise. Each of the characters is painfully human, and often dies in violent, vicious encounters. The main characters are often forced to make horrible, heartrending choices that sometimes result in tragedy. One of the many themes that are explored is the cost and sacrifices that must be made for the greater good.

While the battle scenes are executed very well, it's the characters that kept me wanting to see "just one more episode". Yuji's initial horror, confusion, and fear after just being awakened are very believable. The character growth that he undergoes, from being a frightened, helpless civilian to eventually becoming a confident and proficient soldier was handled in a realistic manner. There are no magical spells where one day he suddenly became a super soldier. Instead, seeing the horrors of his world, the death of close friends, the sense of all that he's lost, combine to forge his personality and determination.

What is interesting is that his moral character, his sense of what's right and wrong, never changes. His reactions to the military's utter indifference to the safety and well-being of the earth bound civilians mirrored my own, as well as his feelings of being hurt and confused when he sees his potential love interest casually sleeping with a fellow soldier.

Marlene is perhaps the most complex character in the series. Extremely self controlled and deliberate, she initially comes across as very cold and emotionless. The only purpose she had ever known was her duty to her people, and the constant struggle to survive the next battle against the "Blue" (military slang for the insect like creatures). When she begins to view the world through Yuji's perspective, she begins to question everything that she believed in, thus slowly cracking her emotional shell. Her confusion over her emotions as she becomes closer to Yuji are interesting, especially considering how hedonistic her society had become.

One note should be made about the series depiction of sexual themes. Blue Gender attempts to show not only the physical changes in the world, but changes in human society's attitudes as well. Attitudes toward sex are very different from Yuji's time, and it's just one more element that jars the viewer into realizing just how different his world is now.

As Marele puts it, "Love had nothing to do with it. I needed him, and he needed me, that's all. Listen, I could be dead tomorrow, or seconds from now. There's just no way of knowing. What is so wrong with trying to feel alive while you still can? Don't let your old values confuse you. You're living in a very different time now"

I highly recommend this series, but I don't believe that it's for everyone-- certainly not for children or younger teenagers. Aside from the graphic and violent nature of some the images, many of the themes that are explored are complex and meant for older audiences. In addition, while there is plenty of action in the series, there are also "slow" periods where there aren't constant battles.

For those who are tired of the sweet, candy coated anime meant for children, and want a series that's truly geared toward the older audience, then I can't recommend this series highly enough.

This is my opinion about the shows. First of all, a few words about the story. In the near future, the main character, Yuji Kaido, has been diagnosed, as other ordinary people, in having an incurable disease. Because there was no cure available at that time they put him with the others alike into hibernation, supposed for a time span of two years. Unfortunately for them, in the mean time Earth got invaded by alien bucks, called "Blue" and most humans got killed. For this reason, humans retreated to a space station called Second Earth. A few decades later, Yuji was awakened by a soldier among other commrades, who was sent down on earth to find the "sleepers" (and there is a reason for it), in other words the ones that had been put into hibernation. The soldier was no other than Marlene Angel, who is the other main character of the show. In the mists of war, a love story will start to evolve around these two main protagonists who will have to go through various dangers and do everything to survive and to safe the world (well, what is left of it). The story has many twists and although it refers to a (near)future time the messeges that this show "sends out" are all the ones that we are facing nowadays, like the environment, human behavior towards others, military/political power games etc. In the show we see a possible outcome of our actions.

SPOILERS INCLUDED!!!

Some explanations that I consider important so that the people who read our reviews and are wandering if to buy the shows or not can have a better picture of the shows.

As for the battle scenes, yes they are brutal and realistic. To get a better idea, if someone is caught up in a war zone and his or her friend gets shot etc. then of course blood and body parts will fly around. That is how REALITY is and that is what is shown in these series.

Moreover, the series try to present things as they would be, if something like this would happen for real. For instance, Yuji comes more or less from our time continuum and now he is confronted with what human beings, after these experiences, consider to be appropriate. To simplify matters, Yuji sees things with today's values but Marlene, at the beginning, is cold, sleeps around etc (something that changes later on). She justifies her actions in saying that if she doesn't know if she is going to be alife the next minute than why shouldn't she feel alife (well, something among those lines). The question is, if you were in a situation like this how would you re-evaluate your own (or today's) values?

Apart from it, someone said something like, Yuji was "crying" etc. Let us make a comparison: In Evangelion the main protagonist was "crying" all the time till the end. However, many consider the shows as unique and brilliant of its kind (well, me included). Fortunately, and in contrast to the main character of Evangelion, after Yuji gets through the first shock he gets his s*** together and becomes amazing.

As for the storyline, my humble opinion is that it is a very good one, interesting, a lot of action (which is astonishing), violent, science-fiction drama, romance and the character development deep and very well executed. As for the atmosphere of the show, well it is dead serious and no silly things will occur at all; something that possibly would happen in real life if humans were confronted with such threat.

The dub is actually very good.
The animation is very good (of course, there will be definitely a few shows out there that have a better animation).
Now to the main two questions: Should someone watch the shows and most of all buy them?

If you can afford the money, than you should certainly buy it and be reassured that you will not regret it at all.

One more thing to consider: The shows are aiming at a more adult audience - now you understand why it also is ultra-violent, has nudity etc. - and therefore, if you are parents and have very young children, my personal suggestion would be to watch the shows when they are asleep or not around.


About the movie (Blue Gender "The Warrior"):

Well, if you have watched the shows than you do not need to buy the movie of blue gender; which is basically, a "putting-together" of the series in about 95 min. or something with a few changes and a different ending (still a good one, but completely different as the one of the series). This box-set has the entire series and the movie included. The series would get straight 5 stars but the movie not more than 3.

As for the box set, it looks more like a siled book, which is basically very cool. It contains all the series and the movie called: The Warrior

I hope that I was helpful...

All I can say is WOW. I had heard that this series was good but that was a monumental understatement. This series is deep. This is not a funny, fun series. This series is full of suspence, action and drama from beginning to end.

You begin with Yuji, having to learn how to survive in a world infested by giant bugs called Blue, whose sole purpose is to destroy humanity.

He meets Marlene, an emotionless soldier who cares about nothing but getting the mission completed no matter the cost.

As the story continues, there are many fantasic episodes and some you won't like but they benefit the whole story in an amazing way. Each episode leaves you wanting to see the next one.

Episode 26 finishes the series in an absolutly shocking way. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone but you HAVE TO SEE IT. You have to see the other 25 episodes first or it won't make any sense.

Believe me, you won't be at all disappointed in buying this series.

This series box set also comes with the Blue Gender movie: The Warrior. This is the only downside to this box set. The movie sucks. If you watch it before the series it might be good but after the movie really sucks. It's just a retelling of the series in a condensed form with a few changes. I didn't like it but you might have a different opinion.

Overall, I give this series five stars because it really earned them. I also liked that the DVD case is like a book. All you do is put it on your shelf.

Buy this series if you want to see an Amazing Anime.

I am very conflicted about this show. I don't know if I found it addictive because I liked it or because I was fascinated by the relationship between Yuji and Marlene and wanted to see how it ended. The premise behind the show, kind of a starship troopers forgery without the bitter political satire and brainwashing, is okay. I didn't find it that tantalizing, but I am not a big mecha fan. What makes this show stand out for me is the relationship between Yuji and Marlene. Even if you can handle the predictability of the mecha battles (Marlene saves Yuji at the last minute, or vice versa), it is worth watching to see what I consider one of the best love stories in anime. Marlene and Yuji start out at polar oppisites, slowly converge, and then cross paths. Marlene becoming more like how Yuji was at the beginning, and Yuji becoming a hardened, bitter veteran of war. The end is heartwarming and makes me happy for them, even if it is just colored pencil drawing processed into digitalized animation. Recommended if you are like me and have started to run out of options regarding quality anime.

Well, I don't really share the enthusiasm of most of the reviewers here, I found Blue Gender mediocre in every aspect. The story has some nice moments but ultimately it's nothing spcial, I mean the hero wakes up after years of cryogenetic sleep to find the earth devastated and almost conquered by alien bugs, it's something between Starship Troopers and Demolition Man...

The animation isn't that good either , not much detail is shown and many static screens remind of older times. The drawing of the main characters is nice, but the mecha gear and the bugs are mostly unimaginative.But even though the title has these disadvantages , it somehow manages to grip you and make you wanna see more. The most interesting thing here is the relationship between the two protagoninsts and it's the only thing the creators seem to have really cared about.

This title is like a good B-movie of the anime gender, it has it's faults but in the end it's entertaining

In the future, civilization has collapsed, because the earth is infested by big, big bugs.

It sounds like the stuff of utter mind blowing disaster, but thankfully "Blue Gender" succeeds in being a fairly intelligent, intricate sci-fi anime. Lots of horror, giant bugs and a fish-out-of-water hero who manages to be fairly interesting as he becomes a seasoned warrior, but the characters develop by leaps and bounds -- and the ending is completely out of left field, apparently in an attempt to be bleak and "deep."

Yuji Kaido was an ordinary teenager in the not-too-distant future, until he came down with a strange disease. The only hope for a cure is to be put into cryogenic sleep.

A few decades later, he awakes to a whole new Earth -- sparsely populated, civilization overturned, and with every continent overrun by hideous enormous insects called the Blue. Then two enormous mecha piloted by humans appear, and after many dangers Yuji is taken by a chilly soldier named Marlene to Second Earth, a space station where humanity is organizing a fight against the Blue.

But Yuji soon learns that life is dangerous -- not just because of the Blue, but because of the militarized humans on Second Earth, who see him just as a sample to be used. After Yuji vanishes, Marlene begins a desperate quest to find him, even if it gets her in hot water. And when she does find him, they both discover the secret of Yuji and the Sleepers, and why they may be the key to destroying the Blue once and for all. Except of course things aren't that simple.

"Blue Gender" has a pretty generic sci-fi concept behind it, the sort of thing you'd probably see on a Sci Fi original movie. Fortunately the actual series is much better than you'd think -- a vivid cocktail of action, conspiracy-laden suspense and science fiction in equal measure, but with the occasional pauses injected between the action and suspense sequences, where the writers can focus on the characters and what they feel.

Along the way, there's lots of grotesque, vaguely Freudian megabugs that have swarmed all over the globe, and whose origins are explored even as they eat people and overturn large machines. Lots of splattered gore, enormous insects that almost look real, and big industrial-looking mecha. But as the series winds on, there's an increasing emphasis on what the humans are doing as well, and their desperation to defeat the Blue -- and there are some surprising plot twists thrown into the mix.

The biggest weak point? The ending is a disaster that throws out most of what comes before it, in the name of a bizarre pseudo-environmental message that just explodes out of the, ahem, Blue. It feels like the writers couldn't come up with a suitably epic ending, so they went for the most bleak and "deep" finale they could.

Yuji is a bit of a pain at first, since he does nothing but scream and panic over the first few episodes. But after a little while, he decides to become master of his own fate, and his story arc shows him turn from a nice ordinary guy to a hardened soldier. On the flipside, Marlene starts as an ice princess, but we see her gradually
thawing under Yuji's influence until she has become more like he once was, and vice versa. Most of the secondary characters die off or vanish pretty quickly, but they're well-drawn as well.

This box set also contains "The Warrior," which basically takes the whole movie and whittles it down to movie length. It's sort of "Blue Gender: The Cliff's Notes," and it's a severely mixed bag.

"Blue Gender Box Set" is a solid sci-fi/action anime with plenty of giant bugs and military attacks, but the ending entirely spins out of control.

I read a lot of good reviews for this series, so when I finally got around to watching this series, I fully expected to some first rate anime. After having watched all 8 discs, I was sorely disappointed.

First, the character of Yuji is REALLY annoying! He's got to be one of the worst anime protagonists I have ever seen. The director of this series clearly wants to play out the human side of Yuji. But give me a break, human nature is not just a bunch of sissiness in the fact of eminent danger, wanting to convert your enemy even when she has a gun pointed at your head and when she along with the other major villain has just killed THOUSANDS of your fellow soldiers. And so on and so on. I am really fed up with this guy.

Second, most of the animation is crudely drawn. But I really have problems with the animation for Yuji. In coming up with the image of Yuji, the animators seem can't make up their mind whether they want to portray Yuji as a female or male. So basically for half of the series Yuji ends up looking like both.

Third, the science behind this sci-fi series is crude at best. B-cells, for crying out loud are basic plasma cells. When you have an excess of B cells, you eventually end up with any one variant of the many types of B cell leukemia. It doesn't turn you or any other types of animals into human killing monsters. The story writers should hire some biology/medical consultants before they come up with these far fetched ideas.

I think all anime studio's should start just making anime shows complete in a box set instead of just making three or four episodes on one single disc and expecting people to buy it.

About the show Yuji is a boy who was sleep for so long when he woke up it was the year 2023 alien insect's called the blue have taken over all of his friends and family are dead. Marlene Angel and her crew have taken Yuji in they call him the sample. Yuji want to learn how to defend himself so he can fight the alien's which will come in handy cause since he's the sample he has hidden super fighting strength. Marlene falls in love with Yuji.

I must say at the beginning episodes the animation was good but on latter shows it turned darker the characters were drawn different and the graphics were terrible. Thats why I left a star out but I still like the show.

First of all I read the rest of the reviews i agree with the niko guy its a very good movie. I mean to help people understand it more I'll give you a small base line of the movie. First Yuji wakes up in a place and hes all messed up. Then later on he runs into this huge a** bug huge like the size of a semi tractor trailer. This robot thing blasts holes in it and kills it, and then another one shows up and it attacks the robot and hits the mask on the person and it was human but not any human it was a girl. Marlene angel was her name, and so story goes on and yada yada yada when he finnaly gets his "S*** together" he askes to be trained to defend himself and the crew says no but then they give in and marlene teaches him how to use a pistol but since hes never used a gun she steps in and "positions him" so that he can shoot, she presses up against him and he blushes forever. then when we reach the half way point yuji offers a clean slate between them and marlene instead of taking his hand she kisses him. And that ladies and gents is all i'm gonna say if u want to learn more i would recamend this movie it is superb I mean It is the best movie I've seen. One more thing i would recamend watching this movie with someone whos not squeemish tons of blood and guts, and in the end theres a happy ending but to find out what it is watch the movie.

It's rare to find an anime that tries hard to be unique without ripping it's source material off. Blue Gender isn't that series. I grew up with DBZ and Yu Gi Oh and I have no idea what it means to be deep or complex. This show made me care for the characters and not only loved it but made me buy it. However it did seem odlly familiar but when I figured it out I didn't care I was far more invested and by that time I was in love with the series.