'See? Even the military thinks he's a girl!' by Kara
Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 9:39 AM

Okay, it's a little cold. I'm thinking maybe typing will get circulation back into my fingers.

So last night when I had time to sit and watch, I took Co-Writer's advice and dug down to Tetsujin-28 in my pile of unwatched anime. (This being the new one, naturally, not the original. Though that'd be fun, too.)

I've seen one DVD -- being five episodes -- and so far I really like it. Like the adaptation, like the retro art style mixed with the hardcore rivets-and-steel, like the voice acting, and the Geneon sub is pretty good. Though why they don't just call him 'Dr. Franken' instead of 'Dr. Furanken' is beyond me. I am looking forward to watching more, even though I've heard it gets oddly depressing towards the end. I would sit and wonder how it could, but I've already seen the dark bent this series is taking, so I can conceive of it.

(Also, forget Tetsujin, I want Shotaro's little car. Screw Power Wheels, that's how a kiddie car should be done.)

There is one huge, major, glaring error in this remake, though, and one that's likely going to bother me for the whole series. Let's see if you can spot it.

Compare this clip (from the original 1963 series) ...

... to this clip (from the 2004 series).

Can you see it yet?

A clue: it has nothing to do with the KKK.

Still can't see it?

No fucking Glico jingle.

Understand that the first I ever really saw of Tetsujin-28 to recognise it was during Co-Writer's history of super robots panel, where that first OP was the first clip he showed. I've always found it damned funny (and a good reminder of when it came out, a few years after America had 'The Johnson Wax Program with Fibber McGee & Molly' and the like). But I never realised what a jolt it would be to not have that silly-ass thing in the OP.

I got over it in a couple episodes. If I hadn't, that would speak pretty poorly of the series.

However, I will say that my desire to buy Glico products has decreased significantly since last night. And whose fault is that, eh?

If you have been, put it away or I'll have to slap your wrists.