Tiger & Bunny

[kkslider5552000]

we need more buddy cop hero anime!

Seriously, I just decided to watch this because I saw it on Hulu and was like "hey, new anime, sure why not?". And it turns out to be awesome.

It's a superhero anime (and I can say that without saying shonen adaptation or parody even!) where this group of heroes are part of a reality television show called Hero TV and saving people and catching criminals are done just as much for points as they are for the sake of being a good guy. The main characters are Wild Tiger, the goofy but idealistic old school hero who at the end of the day and despite his annoyances with how heroes are (and how he himself is) treated, always just wants to be a hero and the newer hero Barnaby (Bunny), the new marketable bishonen hero with a tragic past.

The show is mainly just a great, well written superhero show. Kinda cliched but done so well it doesn't matter. I say show instead of anime because it is like a mix of what to expect from a good anime and a good western action cartoon. Storylines, characters, writing, humor, action, everything is done extremely well.

It also has some great satire. The hero's armor all have sponsors, many of the people likely care more about ratings than human life and one of the characters is an idol who often has concerts in her hero outfit. The OP really highlights as it's genericness combined with the camera focusing on the sponsors is hilarious. But for the most part it doesn't overshadow the great action storylines or anything. The best part about it though is that they use real products as sponsors (which explains the high quality art and animation every episode) which means they are using money from corporations to ridicule corporations.

[Akonyl]

yeah, the advertising thing reminds me of the documantary Pom Wonderful Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold ( a documentary about advertising paid for entirely by advertising ) :V

But anyway, yeah it's a pretty good show. I'm also happy that rather than the hero being the young dude who broods over his dark past, that guy's actually the secondary character (though he's considered more of a "hero" in the show), and instead the main character's some relatively happy middle-aged dude with a family.

[Soreiyu]

As much as I like angsty teen heroes, it's nice to have a laid back adult hero for a change. It makes things feel more fresh and new even if the anime itself is a little predictable at times.

[kkslider5552000]

I honestly haven't watched a new anime that I enjoyed this much since Welcome to the NHK (although obviously for ENTIRELY different reasons). A lot of it just brings a smile to your face, it's great superhero fiction and hilarious.

[tantei okuoku]

I really liked the series so far.

[kkslider5552000]

I was gonna say the satire and hints of hero deconstruction were gone but than I saw the latest episode...

...holy crap, dark plot twist much? Granted, I've seen so much darker stuff in anime but still...

[Soreiyu]

I think they replayed a certain scene way more than necessary in that ep. o_O;

[kkslider5552000]

1. it's anime, nothing new
2. the way they did it made some sense as it at least gave us a new perspective on the scene each time

[Akonyl]

most recent episode was awesome

gogo Kotetsu!

and since it was 3 weeks ago, which scene were you referrin to?

[kkslider5552000]

episode 16, also known as Lunatic is sad

[Akonyl]

yeah, right after I posted that I thought back a few episodes and was like "oh yeah, thaat"

[kirite]

Firstly

http://www.zerochan.net/623260

Secondly

EPISODE 20 FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[Akonyl]

d'aww

though at first, because of the first+second panels and the way they were dressed, I figured it was going to be a re-do of barnaby's parents getting killed except with Kaede and Kotetsu and was like "omg" D:

edit: Also, since when did Ms Ice Lady have such a thing for Kotetsu? I remember her sorta having it as early as the babysitting episode, but it seemed sorta random when it first happened. Maybe I just missed something though :V

[kkslider5552000]

because tsundere is popular

that's really it

sucks since the anime tends to avoid or mock that type of thinking

[Akonyl]

she doesn't even really have the "tsun" part of tsundere for the most part, though. Aside fro mthe few times he's (legit) messed superhero stuff up, she spends most of her time just being really awkward when he's around.

edit to avoid doubleposting: Ffff these last few episodes have been awesome imo. I was goin all "nononono" when

Spoiler:

Kaede went up to the Hero headquarters and Maverick put his hand on her head, I was just like "oh god don't tell him you're his daughter nooooo"