CGI ANIMATION UPGRADES FOR GAIKING [2011]

A New Look for a Classic Anime.

There are tons of cartoon series from Japan that most of the people in the West have never heard off. And the most fascinating ones end up gaining foreign licenses and English subs, after they cross over the Pacific Ocean and hit the shores of the USA, landing on the crown of the West Side.

I do a lot of research, since I draw giant robots and such. But I can't walk up to most Western cartoon fans and ask what they thought of the action sequence in the 30-minute OVA for Bakuretsu Tenshi [Crazy Burst-Angel] or the mega robot combinations showcased in Gao Gai Gar's final season [The King of Braves]. That stuff will probably flow right over your head, so I'll save it for some other time.

Focus on this classic clip of Gaiking: Legend of Daiku Maryui [known as Gaiking, for short], an anime series created back in the 70s and reinvented in 2005 - 2006:



It falls into the Sci Fi MECHA genre, involving giant robots and morphers [a term I use in the DSNG series that is synonymous with transforming units]. Voltron is one of the most famous MECHA animes, and Gundam Wing is probably at the pinnacle of that genre, being the flagship of an entertainment franchise worth over 50 billion Yen.

I came across the Gaiking clip above while surfing for Superbowl XLV commercials [results of that search are over Here]. And I also found out that a new CGI movie is being planned for the revamp of the Gaiking series.

Check this out:



Some anime fans are only interested in the light/comedic series like Girls Bravo [you pervs  lol], or the martial arts of classics like Tenjho Tenge or the ongoing Bleach. But there is something about giant machines and morphing robots that has always appealed to fan boys & girls around the world, even when the televised feature isn't presented in their native language.

The Gaiking remix does look impressive. I don't know how the guys in Japan come up with this stuff... I just hope the movie will have a sound plot, so that it appeals to a wider audience.

The previous blog article I did in 2010 on the MECHA genre is over Here: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2010/09/mecha-genre-preview.html