Review of Heat Guy J: Vol 1

Introduction

Ten years ago, Manga Entertainment epitomised anime in the UK. I still have many of the videos (remember those?) that I bought when I first became fascinated with this provocative art form, and to a tape they all have the Manga Entertainment logo on. But time passes, and fortunes change, and with the DVD revolution, the anime industry in the UK has altered beyond recognition. Several new companies have started up and are releasing varied series on the market. That isn`t to say that Manga Entertainment was quiescent, far from it, as the company`s back catalogue ensured that the DVD release schedule was just as prolific as any of its rivals. But when it came to new anime product, Manga Entertainment`s output was sporadic at best. That changed when the company passed into new ownership, and last year released Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex as its flagship product. The Streetfighter Alpha prequel, as well as the stunning Millennium Actress followed that. Retro hits weren`t left out either, with the classic Robotech making it to UK shores. Manga seem to cherry pick their titles, with some eclectic names accompanying sure-fire hits.

The first quarter of 2006 sees them significantly fill out their release schedule. With the Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig volumes the high points of 2006, as well as the release of Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence, it`s certain that the Manga Entertainment logo will be on many shelves this year. This spring also sees some more new animation from Manga, as they appear to experiment with release formats. With most companies releasing series in single disc volumes, with 3,4 or 5 episodes per disc, there is room to experiment with the format. The Submarine 707R OVAs make a single disc release, while 6 discs of Tokyo Underground are being released in a Season 1 boxset. In the US, the 26 episodes of Heat Guy J were released over seven volumes, but Manga Entertainment are trying a more budget friendly format. The first volume of Heat Guy J in the UK contains 8 episodes on two discs for a wallet friendly price. But for that economy, something had to give.

In the future ocean metropolis of Judoh, androids have been banned. That is with the exception of J, a powerful machine that has been put to work in the City Safety Management Agency`s fledgling Special Unit. Consisting of just three members, Daisuke Aurora who partners J, and Kyoko Milchan who deals with the administration, their mission is one of crime prevention, stopping the worst from happening before it comes to the attention of the police. The series begins at a turning point in Judoh`s underworld community, as the head of the Leonelli family is laid to rest, and his son Clair dons the mantle of Vampire, threatening to bring a new wave of anarchy to the city. In a world where criminals are punished by genetic alteration and the transplantation of animal heads, Daisuke and J will have to keep their wits about them to stay one step ahead.

1. Guy
The death of the previous Vampire leads to a power vacuum in the city`s underworld, but this doesn`t concern Daisuke much, as he has an investigation to conduct into a murder that ties into the recent arrival of three illegal immigrants. They may be smuggling contraband, but their interest in J goes beyond idle curiosity. However their sponsor in the city will go to any lengths to ensure their silence.

2. War
With Clair Leonelli succeeding his father to the position of Vampire, he is determined that he has the respect of his rivals, despite his relative youth. Soon there is a stink in the city, literally so and people start complaining of respiratory ailments. Daisuke and J have to race against time to stop a devastating explosion.

3. Bomb
A serial bomber is making his presence felt in Judoh with a series of escalating attacks. Meanwhile there is a new fad for trading cards sweeping the city, with candid shots of the city`s more attractive female residents proving very popular. Daisuke finds that he is vulnerable when J`s creator, Dr Antonia Bellucci takes him back to her lab for routine repairs. Kyoko is a little put out that she hasn`t been snapped for a trading card yet. Meanwhile, the bombs keep going off.

4. Chaos
A gang is celebrating its ill-gotten gains when they are interrupted by a mysterious lupine figure. The `werewolf` Boma demands the whereabouts of `his Usagi` and deals death to those who can`t answer. This sort of talent attracts the attention of Clair Leonelli, who realises that Boma can rid him of the hindrance to business that is the Special Unit. J may be fast and powerful, but against Boma he`s in trouble.

5. Doll
An old man is left bereft when Clair takes his young son away from him. Meanwhile J is acting suspiciously, causing Daisuke to call on the assistance of Dr Bellucci once more. It may be too late when J takes a swing at the same young child when encountered in the street, and the city`s administration is on the verge of ordering J`s destruction. But there is more to this boy than meets the eye.

6. Money
A new fad sweeps the city once more, this time the citizens are engrossed in the stock exchange and commodities market. But Clair is up to no good again. Daisuke`s investigation leads him to the middle of a tomato field, but this time he`s dancing to Clair`s tune.

7. Circulation
A criminal holding a grudge attacks Daisuke, and as usual J intervenes. In the process however, Daisuke loses the pendant given to him by his father. He decides to venture into Judoh`s sewer system to find it, and in the process discovers a city beneath the city, an underworld in name and in nature. Daisuke`s attacker is already there, getting more genetic enhancements, and he isn`t the only enemy awaiting them.

8. Brother
Daisuke`s having a row with his brother over the seriousness of the Special Unit, and he doesn`t leave in the best of moods. When he discovers a gang terrorising a young musician, he isn`t in the mood to be lenient. However Kia Freeborn doesn`t stick around to show his gratitude. When Daisuke catches up with him, he meets a bitter man trying to escape the shadow of his famous father. Meanwhile there is an illicit gun factory operating in the city.

Video

Heat Guy J gets a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, and by and large the transfer is clear and colourful. There is a hint of an NTSC to PAL transfer, and the occasional minor compression artefacts pop up during moments of frenetic motion on screen. The animation is accomplished well, combining 2D and 3D elements to good effect. Heat Guy J has a relatively muted palette, with the show having a bright hazy feel to it. The CGI is combined with traditional animation almost impeccably, with the characters fitting into the environments seamlessly, allowing for some grand camera moves. That said, the limitations of the 2D animation become apparent in quieter moments, during dialogue scenes for instance.

Audio

Manga Entertainment does its usual `filled to the brim with soundtracks` routine presenting DD 2.0, DD 5.1 and DTS Japanese and English soundtracks, with optional translated subtitles. Listening to the Japanese DD 5.1 track, I found it to be fairly vibrant, but not too dynamic. I feel that Manga missed a trick by not subtitling the songs during the credit sequences. The music for Heat Guy J is good though, with a couple of toe tapping credit sequences and some good incidental music. The English dub is one of the better ones, with the voices suiting the characters and the translation natural and flowing well.

Features

Were this the Region 1 Limited Edition, you would be looking at a featurette, the radio drama, textless credit sequences, a music video, trailers, outtakes and artwork. Region 2 gets none of that, nothing at all in fact. The animated menus are quite nice, although you can`t use the stop button while browsing them, and you have the option to play all the episodes, or select them individually.

The big difference is, whereas Region 1 gets extras, Region 2 gets 8 episodes for the usual price of 4.

Conclusion

Heat Guy J proved to be successful when broadcast on MTV in America, and it is easy to see why. It`s an action packed series, with interesting characters and a degree of wit. It`s also a cop show which appeals to a wide demographic. The pairing of Daisuke and J makes for an unconventional partnership, with J something of a cross between the Terminator and Robocop, striving to relate to humanity with the use of trite maxims about how a man should behave. Daisuke is the easy going hero of the two, rising to all occasions, but managing to stay cool about it. The stories on these two discs are entertaining, well constructed mysteries, often with two or more disparate clues coming together to reveal the nature of a crime. The stories do rely on coincidence, but they are put together well enough that it never becomes tiresome.

The first disc is the better of the two, as the series opens quite explosively. The introduction to the heroes contrasts with the developments in the Judoh underworld, as we get to know the rather warped character of Clair Leonelli, and what he is willing to do to make his mark. It`s obvious that Daisuke and Clair will have a reckoning, and the build up to that is entertaining. The stories on the first disc have something of a momentous feel to them, these are events that shake the city and put Daisuke and J to the test. In contrast, the episodes on the second disc are somewhat more subdued, and the cat and mouse between Clair and Daisuke almost takes on a trivial feel in comparison. However, in terms of character development and exploring the city, these episodes are stronger.

These opening stories are all about presenting the world and introducing the characters. It`s obvious that the incidental characters like Monica the Street Photographer, and Shogun the Informant will have a greater part to play. Indeed Shogun is shown as having a greater link than expected to the underground, and his motives in helping Daisuke are surely suspect. The relationships that are introduced here are complex too, Daisuke`s brother Shun is responsible for the Special Unit, but there is more than civic mindedness to his plans, and Clair`s relationship with his major-domo Mauro certainly bears examining. The world, which seems straightforward at the outset also begins to get complicated as the show progresses, with the exploration of Judoh`s underworld showing that even the residents above the surface do not know all about their city, and the question of why androids are banned in the city is a perplexing one. There is also the question of why criminals are punished by having their genes enhanced and reflexes sharpened. They may have the faces of animals replacing their own, but they are still made to be better criminals.

This interesting show starts off with some intriguing episodes, but the stand alone nature of the stories, and the slightly routine nature of the mysteries would have given me pause for doubt, were it not for the fact that I cheated and looked up an episode guide for the show. There is definitely a whole lot of story to look forward to, and the promise of the opening eight episodes is taken in unexpected directions. I`m tantalised by just how the rest of the series will pan out on screen. Manga have taken the option of value for money over adding extra material to the disc, and I certainly can`t fault them for that. Eight episodes where we would normally get just four is a stunning bargain, especially when this show is of such splendid quality. However, Manga Entertainment did release supplementary material for Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and hopefully the sales of Heat Guy J will be enough to warrant the release of a bonus disc, or even find some room for some extras on the final volumes.

Good stories, an interesting world, and great characters come together in a stylishly animated cop show. Everyone likes cop shows right? Heat Guy J is definitely an anime to look out for.