Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Military Sci Fi Anime for older viewers, November 5, 2005
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.
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37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely for adults and an amazing show!!! , May 5, 2006
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...
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blue Gender is the BEST!!!, July 2, 2006
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.
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