Martian Successor Nadesico/Kidō Senkan Nadesico
Genres: adventure, comedy, drama, science fiction
Themes: harem, mecha, military, parody, real robot, space
Objectionable content: Mild
Plot Summary: Akito doesn’t want to fight. Despite a childhood spent on the anime Gekiganger 3, a Mecha show, he’d rather cook than pilot a Mecha. Fate intervenes when his home on Mars is destroyed, and he is transported instantly to the Earth, mysteriously. He has questions no one can answer fully, but follows a girl from a chance meeting in hopes to discover any. The girl, Yurika, is captain of the private battleship Nadesico, and in order to follow her, he enlists as their cook. Possessing the nanite implants that allow to control mechas, he’s a handy backup pilot for the mechas of the Nadesico. He joins a crew bent on revenging Mars and composed of misfits, otakus, and ditzes. But in reality they are handpicked experts. They take their own private war back to Mars to face the harsh reality that life may not always be like a Giant Mecha Series.
Number of episodes: 26
Vintage: 1996-10-01 to 1997-03-24
Gekigangar 3 (OAV) Vintage: 1998-02-21
Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness / Kidō Senkan Nadeshiko: Prince of Darkness Vintage:1998
Reviews
In Summary:
This was a big production for ADV when this show was first released. With more than 120 different characters, Matt Greenfield had to work hard to cast the show just right. He hit a home run with the majority of the cast. Jennifer Earhart was brilliant as the ditzy tactical genius captain Yurika Misumaru. Spike Spencer as Akito got to work against his previous role as Shinji in Evangelion. And Brett Weaver gave the performance of a lifetime as the anime-crazed giant robot pilot Gai Daigoji. When this show was first being released, I was buying it on subtitled VHS. Then I bought the first DVD release. I tried it a few times in English and didn’t care for it. Now, all these years later, I’m discovering I really enjoy it in English. I still love the Japanese performances. After all, it has Houko Kuwashima, Omi Minami and Naoko Matsui. But I’ve discovered I like the English dub just as well.
As for the show itself, I’ve always loved it. It’s a beautiful homage to anime and giant robot shows, with clever writing and great characters. The show is able to handle being both a comedy and a serious parable about war. Some scenes have stayed with me for years, such as Yurika agonizing over a decision that will affect the survivors on Mars, or the brilliant transition in the first episode when everything is getting tense, and then the music switches to a smarmy Burt Bacharach-like version of the ending theme when Yurika realizes the stranger in the robot is her childhood sweetheart and goes into a rapture of romantic joy. The show does that repeatedly, poking holes in the show when it gets too serious, but bringing the reality of war back into the show when it starts getting too silly or too full of itself.
Grade: A
Anime On DVD Review Excerpt Essentials 1-3 (A Grades):
In Summary:
Sho Aikawa’s writing in Nadesico is something that has always impressed me. Clever homages, unique stories and well-considered concepts enhance this show, making repeat viewing worth your while. Keiji Gotoh’s character designs, based on Kia Asamiya’s conceptual art, has always appealed to me as well, although I realize it’s not to everyone’s taste. The show’s blend of comedy and heartbreak is what makes it special. No show has ever handles it better. As for the English dub, it remains a favorite of mine. After seven years, I still find new things to enjoy, just like the show itself. This truly deserves the title of “essential anime.”
Grade: A
Essentials 3 set:
