Anime Reviews

Astro Fighter Sunred

In a typical story, the unwritten rule is that the main character exemplifies every ideal trait known to man. The main character usually has superhuman aspects like abnormal strength or an ability to read minds but, to me, what stand out about this poster-boy/poster-girl protagonist are their morals. The main character is the classic blue-collar worker, always diligent and persistent at what they want to do (Rocky Balboa). The main character is pureness personified, always kind to others and willing to lend a helping hand (Snow White). The main character, above all else, is the awe-inspiring role model for how people should live, a shining symbol of virtue (Superman).

Meet Sunred. The central character of the anime series Astro Fighter Sunred, he is the exact opposite of the aforementioned poster-boy protagonist. A famous crimefighter long ago, Sunred now spends his days lounging around his girlfriend's house, drinking his life away, and playing pachinko at the local club. Sunred's life isn't as entertaining as that of his equally-powerful counterparts in more renowned anime, and his personality wouldn't attract the adoration of fans either. The always-angry Sunred (accompanied by a mask which he never, ever takes off) involves himself in the series with vicious insults galore and an arsenal of snide remarks. Among our protagonist's favorite hobbies are fighting a group of villains called "Florsheim", not actually defeating his opponents as much as verbally crushing their self-esteem. Sunred is the Jake LaMotta of anime, making Eren Yeager of Attack on Titan fame look like Santa Claus in comparison. Despite the overwhelming unlikability of the main character, this anime persistently digs deeper into the protagonist's psyche, uncovering his intimacy with those he cares about and, in the end, discovering a complexity to the personality of the seemingly simple Sunred.

Just like how Sunred separates himself from the rules of the classic hero, the villains of Astro Fighter Sunred also break away form acting like the Ivan Dragos and the Darth Vaders that viewers are accustomed to. General Vamp, leader of Florsheim and the main antagonist of this anime, is the biggest example. A ridiculously more likable character than Sunred, Vamp is a mentor to the others in the group, always handing out lessons and tips; he is also a fantastic cook with a ton of recipes (which I will mention later), but what stands out about Vamp is his kindness. Kayoko is Sunred's girlfriend who works at an insurance firm and loves chatting with her friend Vamp (When she talks to Sunred, Kayoko usually has much less enthusiasm than when she converses with Vamp). Accompanying Vamp in his many, many battles with Sunred are a variety of monsters and animal-like creatures, ranging from a giant tiger-man to a lip-stick-wearing bird-like thing and even a mummy.

If you're someone who watches anime because of the fight scenes, then you'll be really disappointed with Astro Fighter Sunred, as there are either one-punch-knockouts from Sunred or multiple Sunred barrages (which are hidden form the camera). This anime more than compensates for its lack of action with its comedy. Every episode is 13 to 14 minutes long (short and sweet) and none of them are without a fair dosage of laughs, the episode filled with shorts like Gaima's Ambition (this guy spends 7-plus episodes thinking about buying a dog!). There's the short called Animal Soldiers (a subdivision of Florsheim consisting of little bunny Usacots , diabetic cat Devil Neko, bird-like robot P-Chan, and blue wolf Hellwolf), who desire to be viewed as real villains but are instead adored because of their cuteness. There's also a short titled Host club, where Mr. Reiji (my favorite character), a floppy-eared dog with a fancy business suit and a James Bond – like suaveness, decides whether or not he desires the woman of the episode and, if he does, he gives her tons of champagne. The last short is General Vamp's Quick Recipes (which usually appears near the episode's end), where Vamp gets to showcase his cooking talents via really simple recipes to delicious foods (I have to try one sometime). Astro Fighter Sunred, a hilarious anime that references shows like Mythbusters and Bamboo Blade, is not only different form the stereotypical superhero shows, it even pokes fun at them. It's mostly Sunred, who looks like a Power Ranger, that mocks the stereotypes.

The opening for Astro Fighter Sunred is one of my all-time favorites, where a particularly passionate singer (accompanied by a smooth guitar) injects the song with an overdose of emotion and, by the song's end, is practically screaming the lyrics. Throughout the show, the main theme is altered, in one episode a live-action version is inserted, in another a minor character sings a very silly edition of the song. At the series' conclusion, the theme song was there and it was a perfect way to close this anime, a great song for an anime with touching moments, believable characters, and a lot of hilarious scenes. If you want a revisionist look at the traditional hero vs. villain story or just a simple slice-of-life comedy, look no further than Astro Fighter Sunred.

Rating: 7 out of 10