Tag: Future Police Urashiman

Ongoing Investigations: Case #080

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hisuiconDespite all odds we have gotten Gosick: The Crime with No Name in the U.S. so we decided to give it a look after enjoying the first book. After Victorique solves the case of a stolen plate for Kazuya they both find an ad in the newspaper that summons them to the town where Victorique’s mother was born. They must solve several deaths in town as well as a famous death that occurred many years ago. But this is an odd and isolated town with many secrets. I was slightly disappointed in the mysteries in this book. The author did not tie them together like the mysteries in the first book. The town was very odd but I think I rolled with that fact much more than Narutaki. I enjoyed seeing Kazuya and Victorique again as they are lovely characters but I would have like to see them in a stronger story. Still I had a good time and the story answered some questions while stetting up future stories. I also have the distinct feeling that the odd nun at the beginning of the book is set to be a reoccurring character for better or for worse. After reading this I am really curious to see the Gosick anime that has just been announced. I fear that we will not be getting any other Gosick novels any time soon but until someone picks up the manga the anime will have to do for our mystery fix.

The fact that a second Gosick was released at all in English is in itself something to be grateful for. The story starts off very much like the first as Victorique solves a case in mere moments. Only this time around the thief ends up as a traveling companion for our two detectives. Three more travelers join their caravan as the larger mystery involving Victorique’s mother rears its head in the strange mountain town they are bound for. Some things about this story kept me from fully enjoying it. Not the least of which was that is was painfully obvious who the culprits were in each mystery. Considering that Victorique is supposed to be a Sherlock Holmes like detective, I should almost never be able to deduce who the culprit is. The friendship between Kazuya and Victorique which I found amusing in the first book is stilted and borders on cruel in this second installment. The dialogue is also really clunky, not sure if this is just a rushed translation or not. Gosick 2 didn’t capture me like the first even though it should have because learning anything more about the eccentric Victorique is welcome. I am glad Gosick got another volume released, but I wish I could give it a better review.

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Ongoing Investigations: Case #079

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hisuiconIt can be easy to dismiss Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn with “another year another Gundam project” but I am thrilled to see a full return to the Universal Century. Unicorn is so UC you can hardly tell it’s not directed by Tomino. Banagher Links is a student on the colony of Industrial Seven.  He is quickly drawn into a brewing conflict when he helps the mysterious girl Audrey Burne who is trying to prevent a war between Neo-Zeon and the Federation over a mysterious object know as the Laplace Box. At the end of the episode most of Banagher’s friends at school have been killed by the fighting that had broken out, he has found his father just before he died, Audrey and his remaining friends have been picked up by the Londo Bell soldiers, and Banagher himself is piloting the Gundam Unicorn. The animation is luscious and everything is what could only be OVA quality. The fights be they hand to hand or mecha are fluid and expertly choreographed. My only real complaint is other than being totally into Audrey I did not get much of an impression about Banagher. We know that Micott is the inheritor of the Frau Bow legacy of being in love with the main guy who totally ignores her and Takuya is a geek. Suberoa and Marida Cruz of Zeon distinctly make an impression as people to watch. It will be a hard 6 months to wait for the next episode but it will be worth it.

YAYAYAANEWUNIVERSALCENTURYGUNDAMYAYAYA! Okay, now that I got that out of my system, I can happily say that all the hype (that I myself was contributing to) surrounding this OVA release is 100% justified. Gundam Unicorn has all the trappings of the original storyline directed by Tomino, it knows its source material well. Audrey caught me happily by surprise with her determination and courage. Banagher acts in typical UC teenager style and does things seemingly for no reason and falls in love at the drop of a hat, but atleast I didn’t want to punch him! They set up a lot of players for the coming story and rattle off a few tempting names before a spectacular finale. I am completely in love with the modern but 70’s characters designs that are the trend for series with old roots, their simplicity actually makes the series looks even more slick. And that’s pretty amazing because the production quality is on overload with this. I am also enjoying the robot designs with this animation as well, Marida’s Kshatriya makes quite a splash in this first installment. Everything about Gundam Unicorn’s debut episode was exciting and better than I could have imagined, here’s to the rest being as impressive!

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