Plot: What’s it about?
Just five years ago, an epic war raged between the Mimetic Beasts and the Dannars. The Mimetic Beasts sought to demolish Japan and leave chaos in their wake, but the brave Dannars fended off their attacks. The Dannars are huge robotic suits of sorts, worn by pilots who can then harness the robotic abilities and power of the suits. In the battles against the beasts, without the suits, mankind would have been doomed. The most revered pilot was Goh, but after he lost the love of his life just before the war’s end, he stepped down and left the service. Just as he begins to move on, with romantic intentions for a young woman named Anna, a beast returns and threatens the human race once again. Goh is prompted to take action, but when Anna joins him and winds up in a Dannar suit as well, he knows his purpose in life has returned. Can Goh and Anna, even with the power of the Dannar suits, defeat whatever beasts might return to threaten mankind?
I am by no means an expert when it comes to anime, but I do know what I like. I haven’t found much entertainment in shows that center on giant robots, though the concept is an anime staple. So as I prepared to watch Godannar, I wasn’t thrilled, but I did keep an open mind. In the end, the show didn’t convert me, but I had more fun than I expected. This series is able to deliver not only epic battles with the robots and monsters, but also good stories and characters. All too often with shows of this kind, I was to fast forward to the action, but Godannar held my interest throughout. By no means is this a deep, literate series, but there is a bit more depth than you find in most. The tone is just right too, some self awareness is evident and things never get too serious, another reason why I liked the show. Godannar is a solid mecha series and since I am not a fan of this type of anime, that is a true compliment. ADV Films’ Complete Collection has no extras, but does sport a lower price. So if this is your kind of anime, give it a look, even if just to admire the oversized breasts on all the females.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. I did see a twinge of aliasing at times, but aside from that, these episodes look terrific. The image is crisp and clear, so the visuals never look worn or soft. The show’s vibrant color scheme looks great too, with bright and vivid hues at all times. No problems with contrast either and as I said before, the image is sharp and so detail is never a concern. A great looking series given a great looking presentation, we couldn’t ask for more.
Audio: How does it sound?
This collection provides the original Japanese soundtrack in a stereo option, or the English language version with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. I prefer the original soundtracks when possible, so I went with the Japanese choice. I do think the battle scenes could have used a boost, but aside from that, the audio sounds good. The audio is basic and even thin at times, but I have never been that into the dub soundtracks, so I stuck it out. This release also includes optional English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes no bonus materials.
