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Exclusive review: Inu-Yasha:
Rumiko Takahashi's (Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku, Mermaid Tales) new hit TV series in Japan
  Rating: PG-13
  U.S. Distribution Rights: Bandai Entertainment
  Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi


Saber Marionette J (TV)

Description:    Late in Earth Century due to overpopulation, efforts to colonization are made. However a mishap happens for a group of colonist early on for them in this story. This is a story of their legacy continuing their memories, living on a hostile planet of Pontais and Plasma with a relationship involving a love story that has gone wrong. Here in this world robots called Marionettes are used for fighting, completing menial labor and the replacement of the female population.

Overall Grade: 91.5% (A-)

The Saber Marionette J Again (OVA) Review
The Saber Marionette J to X (OVA) Review
The Saber Marionette R (OVA) Review

  Reviewer #1: Leonard Leung
  Episodes reviewed: OVA 1-26 (Subtitled)
Grade: 89% (B+)
   The story at times lacks in effectiveness on focusing mainly on the characters' development, only to build up to the climax of this story. At the climax of the story the agendas of all the parties that are involved are unveiled. Not to spoil it, you'll be shocked after you figure it out who has conflicting agendas. If you don't then figure it out watch it again, and observe who often criticizes the main character Otaru. If you do know whom I am talking about, wouldn't you say that character is a bastard? I did feel though at times this anime is made more for children, but it does have its strong growing pains of adult's experiences. There also is a little bit of Yowee in this anime. I did enjoy the part of one the characters' imagination, which is Cherry's. I'm sure you'll also enjoy her imagination whenever she goes into her la-la land ^__^.



  Reviewer #2: Andrew Kent
  Episodes reviewed: 1-25; subtitled
Grade: 94% (A)
   Every time I attempt to explain Saber Marionette J to somebody, they always look at me like I'm nuts. "How could something that stupid be any good?" they ask. They have a good point... a story about a young man on a planet with no women and his three robotic mistresses sounds like the setup to a strange porno. However, the SMJ series really is a great show.

That said, it is the least empowering of any anime I have ever seen, bar hentai titles. The three "female" Marionettes are completely and totally subservient to their "master" Mamiya Otaru, in accordance with their programming. Don't get me started on the outfits of the quasi-German opposition and their blond-haired, blue-eyed leader Faust. In SMJ, women are inherently objects of possession, though the heroic trio can be more than a little possessive themselves. Note that, despite the not-quite-misogynistic theme, there isn't any sex to speak of in the entire series, with the implication that only a pervert would be attracted to a "machine".

With any other title, that would have turned me off, but here it comes off as funny, mostly because the guys are just so darned helpless. Otaru is a shiftless, poor ex-student with no role in society, and the only other male protagonist is Hanagata, the flagrantly homosexual next-door-neighbor, is pure comic relief. Not to say that this show needs much of that... the interplay between Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry is very comical in and of itself, and the first two-thirds of the series have a lot of good comic episodes.

Once the characters are firmly established, a few side plots have been launched, and the viewer has been sucked in, SMJ undergoes a dramatic transformation, from a light comedy series to one of the best anime dramas of the last five years. The main characters are put through the mill, ground into fine powder, and spread over cubic miles of desert, and the ending is sad, very sad. I cried a little, which is completely uncharacteristic of me, but this is the kind of show where you do that at the end.

Politically correct? Far from it. Still, though, I have to recommend the series. Funny in the early parts and powerful at the end.



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