Anime of the Month (February 2007) - Star Ocean EX

[JShaggy]

This month's Anime of the Month is one of bigddan11's favorites: Star Ocean EX from Geneon Entertainment. The complete box set is available now.

Here is a synopsis of Volume 1:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/releases.php?id=3119

(Courtesy of Anime News Network)
Claude and his father are on their mission to investigate the unexplored planet, Mirokinia. When they arrive at the planet, Claude mysteriously gets transported to another planet called Expel.

Wandering around in the woods trying to find a way back home, he saves a girl named Rena from a monster with his phase gun. Rena tells him that he is the Legendary Warrior of Light whom she's been looking for. The two set off in search of Sorcery Globe, which is believed to be the source of evils. Their journey that will determine the world's fate...
You may now discuss the series, keeping in mind to put any discussion beyond Volume 1 in spoiler tags like this:
Rena gets eaten alive

P.S. Don't forget to rate the series when you finish.

[bigddan11]

Hail to our conquering heroes: Star Ocean EX. While it's true that EX is based on a video game, I have kept nominating it because of the various characters in it. The have comedy and action mixed together and weak and strong characters. They also have an unknown evil trying to take over the world. My only lament is that Star Ocean EX didn't get high ratings in Japan, so it ends at the half way point of the game.

My favorite character is Claude. He starts as a weak character, but he learns to fight with a sword and slowly builds up his on self esteem. He also easily befriends those around him, before making a choice of whether or not he will rejoin his father and crew.

[Duke]

While I haven't watched Volume 6, I will admit that it's not all that bad (aside from the annoying lolicon romance going on). I wouldn't complain if it aired during the first half of Toonami.

[Ultra8]

Star Ocean Ex is an interesting though under-noticed series. It has plenty of unusual and interesting characters and a good opening story. Pitty the anime never made it past the middle of the game's story, as there was still characters and places to introduce, not to mention some space exploration(I think).
I still have to watch Vol.2 & up for the dub(though I have seen it subbed up to the girl genius' intro), which I'm looking forward too.

[The_Magick_Hat]

Not too bad for a RPG game-to-anime project, it actually turned out very well. I've watched all the way up to the end and...
I'm a little annoyed at the cliffhanger ending, since it doesn't go into the whole Energy Nede arc where you meet Chisato and Noel, as well as fight the Ten Prophets
I have the japanese manga for Star Ocean: The Second Story and the anime pretty much follows that more than the game itself. Still it's good. The english dub is not that bad, either, though I'm somewhat annoyed how they pronounce some of the names (Clode? Rina? Oi...), since the names are clearly non-japanese (well, maybe not Rena, but still). Then again, that's how the japanese pronounce the names as well. The dub, overall, is still better than how the game dub was, so I'm happy for that.

[Conan-san]

Could any dub be worse than the US Game one though? Honest;y?

[The_Magick_Hat]

Legend of Dragoon, Tales of Phantasia (Gameboy Advance version), and Xenogears come to mind.

And pretty much any dub that has been done in Singapore.

[Karl Olson]

Legend of Dragoon, Tales of Phantasia (Gameboy Advance version), and Xenogears come to mind.

And pretty much any dub that has been done in Singapore.

I dunno, the Singapore dub of Fantastic Children was used on the US release, and the only clue to me that something was different was the slight accent on the lead VA. Even then, the whole dub quite good and aurally pleasing. I mean, yeah, some of the other stuff they've done is atrocious, but there is some very good dub work coming out of Singapore too.

[Conan-san]

Legend of Dragoon, Tales of Phantasia (Gameboy Advance version), and Xenogears come to mind.

And pretty much any dub that has been done in Singapore.ER...I was meening SO EX exclusively

[The_Magick_Hat]

ER...I was meening SO EX exclusively
Oh. Sorry, I must have misunderstood. I thought you were asking for comparisons to the game dub as noted in your post. Oh well.