DVD Corner

Tiger and Bunny Season 1 Blu-ray Review

“Tiger and Bunny” is a super anime series.

In the first 13 episodes of “Tiger and Bunny,” viewers are introduced to Stern Bild’s NEXT (Noted entities with extraordinary talents) superheroes Fire Eblem, Rock Bison, Dragon Kid, Origami Cyclone, Sky High, Blue Rose, Wild Tiger and a newbie on the scene known as Bunny. Stern Bild (a futuristic city) is so obsessed with Hero TV (a sort of reality series for superheroes) that the public actually votes on the best heroes. The general public is able to watch the corporate sponsored heroes in action as they track down the criminals at large and, in turn, the public essentially champions heroes themselves. The majority of the series revolves around a past his prime hero (Wild Tiger) being paired with a hip new hero (Bunny) to create the first hero team. Naturally, the two don’t get along well at the start, but as they work together more, they begin to bond more. Expect to see plots about: a giant statue wreaking havoc, Wild Tiger’s daughter, HERO TV producer Agnes, a documentary on Barnaby/Bunny, a bomb, Blue Rose struggling with her life as a hero, a NEXT thief named Pauly, the Ouroboros crime syndicate, a dangerous blue flame wielding NEXT named Lunatic who is targeting murderers, Mechs and Mad Bears, Barnaby investigating the murder of his parents, and Dragon Kid and a baby being kidnapped.

Despite a terrible title, “Tiger and Bunny” winds up being one of the strongest anime series I have seen over the past few years (at least in the first 13 episodes). The series not only delivers a fun spin on the tired superhero genre, but writer Masakazu Katsura also manages to craft a rich universe filled with well developed characters and a fully realized fictional city. You actually care about the characters and want to learn more of them and, thankfully, you do (although there is room for more development in future episodes of course).

The aspect that I find to be the most refreshing about ‘Bunny,’ however, are the episode plots. Having reviewed countless anime series over the years, I come across far too many series that suffer from story arcs that overstay their welcome. “Tiger and Bunny” never has this problem as multiple mini-arcs about everything from Ouroboros to NEXTs are weaved in and out of the story. The story and exposition never gets in the way of the characters as they are allowed to breathe and develop in each episode. If only there were more shows that followed this model…

Video/Audio:

From the shiny hero suits to the vibrant colors of Stern Bild, “Tiger and Bunny” simply dazzles in 1.85:1 1080p.

This set contains English and Japanese DTS-HD 2.0 tracks. The English dub is acceptable, but the Japanese track contains stronger voice acting overall. The real bummer here is the lack of a 5.1 track (especially since this is the type of anime series that demands one).

Extras:
* Neon Alley ads and 2 “Tiger and Bunny” Japanese trailers.
* Clean opening and ending.
* Special logo and production still art.
* “The Making Of Tiger And Bunny”- A featurette that contains interviews with the cast and crew, a behind-the-scenes look at the production, character and show information, etc. Definitely the best extra on this set.

Summary: “Tiger and Bunny” is the type of series that I think many anime fans will get behind. I look forward to reviewing the second season set soon!

May 20, 2013 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Tiger and Bunny Season 1 Blu-ray Review, Tiger and Bunny Set 1 Blu-ray Review, Viz Media