In the anime series Aquarion, Earth falls victim to the Shadow Angels, who awaken from a 12,000-year slumber and embark on what comes to be called the Great Catastrophe. A decade later, surviving humans are reduced to a state of feral scavenging, but help is on the way in the form of Mechanical Angel Aquarion, an advanced weapon that is actually a trio of souped-up military vehicles operated by teenage pilots with supernatural abilities. Mechanical Angel Aquarion looks suspiciously like a poor man's Transformer (minus the obnoxious personality), while the cool bravado of those kid fighters is often at odds with their exasperatingly immature behavior. Unfortunately, despite a stylish design that deftly mixes CGI effects with traditional animation, Aquarion plays like a tired rehash of old mecha themes (perhaps the second half of the series will provide a much-needed turnaround—if not a complete overhaul). Presenting the first 13 episodes in a dual-language three-disc boxed set, suitable for 15-up, DVD extras include an interview with the director, as well as footage from the 2005 Tokyo International Anime Fair. Very optional. [Note: Aquarion: Complete Series, Part Two is slated for release on July 15.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)
Aquarion: Complete Series, Part One
(2004) 3 discs. 325 min. DVD: $59.98. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 23, Issue 4
Aquarion: Complete Series, Part One
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