Anime of the Month (May '06) - Godannar

[JShaggy]

This month's selection for Anime of the Month is one of ADV Films' latest giant robot anime series, Godannar. Here's a brief synopsis of Volume 1 of the series, which is available now, with Volume 5 being released later this month.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/releases.php?id=5313


(Courtesy of Anime News Network)
Five years ago, as the Mimetic Beasts laid waste to Japan, Dannar Pilot Go saved young Anna Aoi’s life. Now, as they prepare to march down the aisle, a new Beast appears and Go is summoned into battle once more. But he’s not going alone, not if his blushing bride to be can help it! It’s a honeymoon from hell as two stubborn mecha pilots bump heads, egos and other bits; but if Anna and Go can mate their robots’ interlocking parts, they’ll form the ultimate marriage of man, woman and machine! The battle of the sexes and the battle for the future of mankind are fought simultaneously in the wildest giant robot series ever, GODANNAR!

You may now discuss the series, keeping in mind that any discussion beyond Volume 1 should be placed in spoiler tags.

[Undrave]

Episode 3 that is on this disc is one of my FAVORITE of the season, at least in term of action. It's a great showcase of the internationnal teams ^^

"VOLSPINA! SLAVE ON!
"CHANGING GENESISTER!"
"MUSHI ITTAI! GODDINER!"
"DRAGLINER! TAKE OFF!"

And it has that adorable line by Eris "Nee-san! Dragfighter stand-by OK!" Or something to that effect XD

I like the Dragliner crew and their mecha.

Godannar is filled with boiling blood type action, great humor and some surprisingly dramatic moments later on ^_^. One of my favorite shows of recent years.

[Beat]

This show rocks. In an age where every single mecha show bought to America has to be slow, boring and angsty, but above all, slow and boring (coughEureka7cough) Godannar is a punch to the face of actual FUN. If you like comedy, fanservice, big robots, and other things, you'll like this show.

[GWOtaku]

Unfortunately, the fanservice in this show shatters my tolerance level many times over. Its ALWAYS there one way or another. I'll also have to disagree on the angst, its just that instead of shonen angst we get it through a couple, Go and Anna, arguing or having some kind of issue every episode.

But yeah...if you can detach yourself and just enjoy the shouting and the explosions and all that, it works and could even be fun.

Personally, I'm waiting for GaoGaiGar.

[Undrave]

Unfortunately, the fanservice in this show shatters my tolerance level many times over. Its ALWAYS there one way or another. I'll also have to disagree on the angst, its just that instead of shonen angst we get it through a couple, Go and Anna, arguing or having some kind of issue every episode.

But yeah...if you can detach yourself and just enjoy the shouting and the explosions and all that, it works and could even be fun.

Personally, I'm waiting for GaoGaiGar.

Please it's not THAT bad.

Off course it's there... it's part of the original charater design! The girls have bouncy chest. And the bouncing is VERY well animated.

I think the fanservice in Godannar flows much more naturally because it IS part of the design. It isn't like in Harem animes where the guy catch a glimpse of some flesh and then get tekken punched into next week! It's just...there... it's only used as a joke like...twice in the first season.

IMO the TRUE Fanservice in Godannar isn't the bounceage, it's the calls! It's just so old school to have call stuff all the time^^ attacks and transformation and the Dannar base operations at take off.

BTW if some didn't know 'Godannar' is a pun, it means 'God of MArriage' and 'Neo Okusaer' is a pun on the japanese word for 'wife'

[Duke]

Every episode of Godannar is 20 minutes of awesomness wrapped up in pure greatness.

Though the second season kind of stumbled out of the gate...

[Undrave]

And the theme song is just awesome! One of my favorite ever ^^

[Duke]

And the theme song is just awesome! One of my favorite ever ^^
You mean first season. 2nd Season's theme song is rather sucky.

[Undrave]

Well we're talking about the first DVD :p

Yep first season's better than the second season theme but I like the second one too... I like that it's a couple singing it, it fits the serie.

[GWOtaku]

Please it's not THAT bad.

Off course it's there... it's part of the original charater design! The girls have bouncy chest. And the bouncing is VERY well animated.

I think you kind of made my point without meaning to. You're right, its built in, and I'm afraid that's a major turn off for me whether or not its used for jokes.

[FlyByNite77]

Every episode of Godannar is 20 minutes of awesomness wrapped up in pure greatness.

Though the second season kind of stumbled out of the gate...

My thoughts as well. I love Godannar and then the second season I wasn't feeling that much, but then it really picked up both action-wise and story-wise and the last few episodes ended the storyline really greatly.

[KasumiTen]

I'm surprised that any of the English VAs are still in the business. It seems like 3/4 of the lines in the show are hollered out. I grew very tired with just how loud everyone was. They just continued to yell at one another. The storyline seemed somewhat blah to me. There was really nothing that drew me in to have any feelings for any of the characters and their plights. I kept thinking, "You deserve that for the way you treated him/and or her." The whole relationship between Go and Anna seemed very shallow and meaningless from it's inception. The whole issue of avoidance that seemed to play into just about every area of the show became very irritating. I really didn't care for Godanner.

[Duke]

I'm surprised that any of the English VAs are still in the business. It seems like 3/4 of the lines in the show are hollered out. I grew very tired with just how loud everyone was. They just continued to yell at one another.
It's not like it's only in the English version. All the yelling's in the Japanese version as well. It's a part of the show, given what it's parodying.

[Undrave]

I like the shouting line :p

What I find odd is how Shizuru's partner in the G-Gunner just sorta dissapear for the rest of the serie. I would have liked to learn more about him, even if his robot was sorta trashed by the Club Mariner-Mimetic Beast.

[GrantM]

I'm surprised that any of the English VAs are still in the business. It seems like 3/4 of the lines in the show are hollered out. I grew very tired with just how loud everyone was. They just continued to yell at one another. The storyline seemed somewhat blah to me. There was really nothing that drew me in to have any feelings for any of the characters and their plights. I kept thinking, "You deserve that for the way you treated him/and or her." The whole relationship between Go and Anna seemed very shallow and meaningless from it's inception. The whole issue of avoidance that seemed to play into just about every area of the show became very irritating. I really didn't care for Godanner.

Like what Duke said, from what I know they are loud because it's meant to be like that in the show. But to be honest I don't see why just about every anime dub these days have to have the characters sound so loud no matter what the line is

That's all I'll say because everytime I talk about voice acting here I get into trouble.

Oh by the way over on Anime Jump forums a user claiming to be Brett Weaver (who is on the dub cast of this show IIRC) wants to know what we think of the show, I don't know if it's the real guy or not but check it out anyway http://www.animejump.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1284

[Duke]

He was in the hospital, that's why he disappeared.

[unknown hero]

Godannar is a great show. The mix of action and comedy kept me interested throughout the whole series. I also liked how the character relationships was one of focal points to the show, it helped distinguish each individual in the story.

[Creme]

Dude, I love Godannar. The opening is what got me hooked, kind of looked like a parody of mecha at first but its just a fun show to watch. And who doesn't love to examine Shizuru's perfect build? yum yum :anime:

[Spastic Minnow]

I usually don't bother watching a series until all the DVDs are out but I thought I'd give this one a chance and see what I think of waiting months to finish a story.

Watched the first volume (The other available volumes should be arriving from Netflix this week). I thought it was alot of fun.
I really like that they keep up the action, it's good stuff that really gives you a sense of peril. You realize that anyone can get hurt and anyone that doesn't live in Goh and Anna's house can die.
The characters are nice enough, I do want to see what happens to these characters next.
I worry that the Mimetic Beasts won't be suficiently explained though. Memories of Dai-Guard remind me how such a show as Godanner may not feel that we really need to resolve the reason the monsters show up, just that they are fought.
The mega-fanservice is distracting though, I'm not a hater but it just seems like they weren't confident enough in their humorous premise and action storyline, so they added REALLY excessive fanservice. I like fanservice, a bit of a bounce, a tight fitting uniform, the occasional naked anime babe, but do they really have to be that big, that bouncy, that bouyant and do the tittties really have to burst through every cloth? Anna does wear a sports bra on the treadmill though, it proves they know what a bra is, just that they don't use them unless there's a chance they'll throttle you in the face repeatedly.

[Undrave]

I think the fanservice is a sort of a throw back to Go Nagai XD