Blue Gender - The Complete Collection (2005)

Imagine waking up inside a medical facility after spending more than two decades in suspended animation due to an incurable disease. You awakenm to a worl more terrifying than your worst nightmare. A world where human beings are hunted down by giant insect-like creatures call The Blue. Welcome to Earth...2031. A time when the planet is no longer ours. Earth's very survival now rests in your hands. Includes the entire 26 episode series and the feature-length movie The Warrior.

I would have prefered sleeping through this catastrophe myself!

Blue Gender(BG) is a very good anime series that slightly misses excellent in my view. Despite its small short comings, BG delivers on several levels. The action is definitly one of them plus it's supported by realistic characters. Those searching hard for a mecha series where dialogue and psycho babble is overshadowed by action. Most likely won't be disappointed with BG.

After a very long slumber, Yuji Kaido awakens in a world he does not recognize. He finds himself running for his life from giant creatures. He is then brought up to speed by a mecha pilot named Marlene. Yuji learns that the human race is on the brink of extiniction after being attacked by giant bugs called Blue. He then finds himself fighting for survival along with Marlene and what's left of her recovery unit.

First things first, the action. Blue Gender delivers with loads of combat. The battles with the Blue are gory and action packed. This is one mecha series that trys hard to limit the talk. The series does a really good job with its setting. The war torn earth speaks for itself.

Several people mention that Yuji's whining is pretty annoying. Well, I don't think anybody would easily digest waking up in a world where giant bugs just destroyed everything they knew. And on top of that, the civilians are being treated worst than trash. So Yuji's b***hin' makes alot of sense. There is some character development. To include the story progresses nicely and little subplots take place. Now there is a bit of filler but the story picks up again. Plus the last few episodes and ending does deliver.

Now some people actually said the animation is outstanding. I would like to know did we all see the same series. This is BG's biggest fault besides it's questionable science(which I still think is cool due to imagination). The animation is not very good at all. Most of the effort is put into the mechas and the creatures. Almost everything else takes a serious back seat. The animation does get better on episode 17 and a few times during the episodes afterwards. Still, when compared to series that came out around the same time. BG doesn't hold up. The soundtrack is done pretty well and works really well with the scenes. The opening and ending themes are pretty good.

BG also has a bit of nudity and a few soft sex scenes. Plus a small bit of girl on girl action much later on. Someone may find it offensive, so it's best to mention it.

Even though the story and some elements is seen that before. I was still entertained by this series and it's something I can watch many times. People looking for a mecha series that's less blab and more blast should check this out. May 27, 2008

Marlene . . . your'e to good for Yuji.

I am very conflicted about this show. I don't know if I found it addictive because I liked it or because I was fascinated by the relationship between Yuji and Marlene and wanted to see how it ended. The premise behind the show, kind of a starship troopers forgery without the bitter political satire and brainwashing, is okay. I didn't find it that tantalizing, but I am not a big mecha fan. What makes this show stand out for me is the relationship between Yuji and Marlene. Even if you can handle the predictability of the mecha battles (Marlene saves Yuji at the last minute, or vice versa), it is worth watching to see what I consider one of the best love stories in anime. Marlene and Yuji start out at polar oppisites, slowly converge, and then cross paths. Marlene becoming more like how Yuji was at the beginning, and Yuji becoming a hardened, bitter veteran of war. The end is heartwarming and makes me happy for them, even if it is just colored pencil drawing processed into digitalized animation. Recommended if you are like me and have started to run out of options regarding quality anime. December 5, 2007

Laments of the Living Nightmares

Unfortunetly I got what appeard to be a boot leg copy of Blue Gender. Beyond that though, the series as a whole is highly fufilling to adults, and I do mean adults only. Blood,gore, and sex are intrecitly laced in a story of utter sadness and hope overcoming the dark. Although this may possibly be the most depressig anime I have ever seen, there is no such thing as "filler episodes" in Blue Gender, all moments are useful and precious. September 23, 2007

So there are three genders now?

I've had this boxset for a couple of months after being recommended by anime pulse.

I come from a background of Evangelion and Ranma 1/2, so I am a bit critical on character design. The story is pretty good for the last 2/3 of the series. The first part of the series seemed a bit stretched, and a few loose ends never got tied by the end.

There is some romance between the two main characters that is somewhat graphic (nudity), so I wouldn't suggest this for under 17. The action and effects are awesome. Full out.

All in all, the $50 is worth the cost of this series. IT is not epic like Evangelion, Ranma, Naruto, or Bleach....but it is good for the general distraction from the billion other action animes out there. August 17, 2007

I am forced to disagree- very ordinary

Haven't we all seen this one before? Or so it seems. So-so animation (very flat), bog-standard plot, little depth, or,indeed, anything distinctive to distinguish it from the seething mass of so-so anime. Also, extremely annoying characters, I just wanted to slap the whiny little gits.

I must make a confession, this review is only for the first three DVDs. My wife and I simply gave up, and lost the urge to go any further. We ended up watching 'Samurai Champloo' instead. That was a bit like moving from me singing in the shower (off key) to a Bach Brandenburg Concerto. You get the idea... July 26, 2007

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