Director: Keiichi Sato
Starring: Hiroaki Hirata, Wally Wingert, Masakazu Morita, Yuri Lowenthal, Minako Kotobuki, Kari Wahlgren, Kenjiro Tsuda, John Eric Bentley, Mariya Ise, Laura Bailey, Go Inoue, Patrick Seitz, Taiten Kusunoki, Travis Willingham,
Running Time: 175 minutes
Certificate: 12
TIGER & BUNNY was a breath of fresh air in the world of superheroes; a world where heroes are sponsored by major corporations, broadcast on TV, and try and gain points for criminals caught and civilians saved. It was a perfect mix of common tropes and social commentary that excited and dealt with contemporary issues. This second collection of episodes continues with the “Lunatic” storyline, where a Next (person with superpowers) uses his powers to murder criminals, as well as focusing on Barnaby’s past as he searches for his parents’ killer.
Needless to say, there is certainly a lot happening in this set of 6 episodes. The constant movement is something that keeps the show travelling at a furious pace, and yet it still has time to pause for some much needed character development. The heroes that were not covered in detail in the first box-set are given their dues here. The show takes its time to really look at the pros and cons of being a celebrity superhero and isn’t afraid to give some Nexts fairly useless powers, and there are themes of acceptance and a struggle of power between Nexts and humans. Although explored in other franchises before, having the heroes be part of moneymaking corporations means there is a satirical aftertaste to the protagonists actions.
The storylines are also jumped between, which makes perfect sense given supervillains wouldn’t wait around for their predecessors to finish. This means some fans will be left with questions by the end of episode 13, but are also treated to a satisfying climax thanks to the inclusion of villain Mister Jake. His powers really put the heroes to the test, and even though it sets up the generic anime ‘tournament’ style storyline, it is one that lasts just two episodes. The animation in said battle scenes is top class, always demonstrating an effortless blend between CG and traditional animation – the CG additions allow the action to overcome any limitations, as well as adding to the futuristic feel of the show’s setting.
Anyone who enjoyed the first collection will love seeing characters and plot strands developed. Whilst the show maintains an excellent level of quality, it does veer closer towards the familiar structures viewers have been exposed to since BLADE restarted the heart of the superhero genre. But this is natural due to the personal vendettas that are being explored, and it is certainly not settling on predictable scenarios. TIGER & BUNNY remains an enjoyable treat with a range of characters that are begging to be revisited.
TIGER & BUNNY PART 2 is released on Blu-ray and DVD on 22nd April via Manga Entertainment.
