Buddy Complex

[Arbiter GUNDAM]

Sunrise's newest offering into the world of mechs anime will premiere on January 5th.

Looks like the cast has a few Gundam alums in there, also Macross fans should note that Sho Hayami (Max Jenius) and Marina Inoue (M30's Aisha Blanchette) will be in the show.

Let's hope this one isn't as insane as Valvrave.

[Raikoh]

I really must wonder what the naming department was thinking when they came up with "Buddy Complex." It sounds like a comedy. Still, Japanese using English for names isn't always perfect so I can understand if it wasn't something done intentionally. It might have plot relevance, or it might just be gibberish designed for the Japanese speaking world to make it have more flavor without meaning anything (like the Christian symbolism in Eva).

When it says "traditional robot action" I really have to scratch my head in confusion. Does it mean a throwback to oldschool Super Robots, or just a Real Robot show with the mentality of the Golden Age of Real Robots (i.e. the 80s - back when they didn't shoehorn illogical plot twists into every episode and stuff)?

One more little concern: the main robot design looks a tad uninspired. Like if you tossed Gundam and Code Geass in a washing machine together with a white shirt and then wore the white shirt. Not the best metaphor, I know...

Though even being skeptical as I am (and in general I've recently started wearing jade-colored glasses in regards to Sunrise's new anime), I can't really make any judgments before it even airs. Just sort of talking out loud here. I choose to tread softly in regards to this one.

[teslashark]

I really must wonder what the naming department was thinking when they came up with "Buddy Complex." It sounds like a comedy. Still, Japanese using English for names isn't always perfect so I can understand if it wasn't something done intentionally. It might have plot relevance, or it might just be gibberish designed for the Japanese speaking world to make it have more flavor without meaning anything (like the Christian symbolism in Eva).

When it says "traditional robot action" I really have to scratch my head in confusion. Does it mean a throwback to oldschool Super Robots, or just a Real Robot show with the mentality of the Golden Age of Real Robots (i.e. the 80s - back when they didn't shoehorn illogical plot twists into every episode and stuff)?

One more little concern: the main robot design looks a tad uninspired. Like if you tossed Gundam and Code Geass in a washing machine together with a white shirt and then wore the white shirt. Not the best metaphor, I know...

Though even being skeptical as I am (and in general I've recently started wearing jade-colored glasses in regards to Sunrise's new anime), I can't really make any judgments before it even airs. Just sort of talking out loud here. I choose to tread softly in regards to this one.

The new realest real-robot show? A G Gundam sucessor could work too from the released stuff.
Judging from the name, I hope it turns out like something truamatis - I mean cheerful - Space RUNAWAY Ideon！

[Mythgarr]

Got a vibe of Nadeshico crash-combined with SEED from the PVs...

[Overlord Zaru]

Character designs-meh
Mecha designs-meh
Naming-meh

Also the MC is so generic it hurts. I have low expectations for this show.

[tHeWasTeDYouTh]

One more little concern: the main robot design looks a tad uninspired. Like if you tossed Gundam and Code Geass in a washing machine together with a white shirt and then wore the white shirt. Not the best metaphor, I know...

I thought about the same thing when I saw the mech designs!!! so bland

I remember I would get all excited for new mecha shows but now I feel like everything sucks, guess I grew out of mech anime or something

[Zeonista]

The previews make it a much better show than the Japlish title suggests. And yes, it is a "traditional robot action" anime. Youthful hero, youthful "buddy", the girl with a secret past, the bold crew of Stalwart Defenders, the equally bold crew of Aggressive Imperialists, character designs begging to be stolen for MEKTON PC sheets, it's all there. Yeah, I could definitely watch this anime.

[Destiny_Gundam]

So I watched the first episode.

Spoiler

Time travel shenanigans. Some mecha pilot finds himself in the past and decides to go kill the main character, but the mysterious girl is there to protect him. At the end the main guy is thrown into the future. A computer compares him to that other main dude and declares "nice coupling." I think that pretty much sums up the fujoshi's reaction to the show

[Shinji103]

Sunrise really seems to love the bro/buddy thing just a tad too much. Gundam SEED, Code Geass, Valvrave, and now this.
From the opening they're clearly going to bring up a relationship between the hero and the main girl (I don't have their names memorized yet), but the question is if they're going to burn any and all ships and leave the hero to die again. They're on a three-runner for burning all boats (Gundam 00, Code Geass, and Valvrave), and on a two-runner for killing the hero. (CG and Valvrave) It's not looking good.

And yes, the ending to Valvrave made me pessimistic about Sunrise mecha shows that aren't Gundam.

[Destiny_Gundam]

Code Geass and Valvrave shared a writer that isn't working on this project.

Also, those other shows didn't have the bro/buddy thing to this extent, especially not in SEED or Geass where the two friends were enemies.

[Shinji103]

I'm talking about the theme, not some exact, specific instance. Kira+Athrun, Lelouch+Suzaku, Haruto+L-Elf. It would be nice if they could get out of that rut a bit more.

[Destiny_Gundam]

That's just a surface similarity. In each case the dynamic has been different and influenced events in different ways.

[Shinji103]

That's just a surface similarity. In each case the dynamic has been different and influenced events in different ways.

Not that differently. And the whole buddy system pattern that Sunrise has been on for such a while is deeper than just a surface thing. It's like Sunrise thinks their MCs can't work without being paired with somebody anymore. Kira and Athrun only kicked true @$$ as a team, Lelouch and Suzaku only kicked true @$$ as a team, Haruto and L-Elf only kicked true @$$ as a team. Seperated from each other, they were never as good as they were as a team. It would be nice to see Sunrise going back to main characters who can actually do good when solo too.
Or maybe change the dynamic and have the main character's love interest be the one who completes the team for once. Heck, it doesn't even have to be the love interest; have the partner be a female friend to mix things up even just a little, instead of acting like only Double Testosterone can get the job done in giant robots.

[iCards]

Is there a simulcast for this show, or is it "you have to find it on your own"? Bandai Channel is supposed to do one, but they a Japanese no subs I believe.

I have seen the RAW and since I am watching Steins;Gate right now I can't help but speculate(something I try not to do with anime) on Time Travel implications which is something I usually don't see with mecha; usually it's an alternate present or complete fabrication of the future. I Think the last mecha anime I saw to mess with time was Eureka 7: AO.

The story starts 9 months and 2 days from this post, and our MC is dropped off at "God knows When" from there.

The "Hina" from episode 1 may not be the "Hina" we come to know through the series, or at least the first part, since the Hina who brought Aoba to the future "dissapeared". It will just depend on "when" Hina dropped him off comared to the time she "left", and if events around her could play out differently from what the "her" in episode 1 experienced. I have not seen subs yet so this is just speculation on what could happen, and Hina's reason to bring Aoba to the future.

As far as "falling into the cockpit" is concerned I have never seen a character "timewarped into the cockpit".

Character designs are toned down A LOT compared to Valvrave, which I don't count as a bad thing. The character designs looked "normal" for the most part, which says something considering Sunrise's trackrecord for "beautiful" characters in their TV anime. Also, The mecha designs look better animated than what I thought they would.

Trivia: To SAO fans, Kirito and Sachi were together and torn apart from eachother in the same episode yet again.

[Destiny_Gundam]

Is there a simulcast for this show, or is it "you have to find it on your own"? Bandai Channel is supposed to do one, but they a Japanese no subs I believe.

The show hasn't officially started airing yet. This was just a pre-air. It doesn't look like anyone has announced a simulcast yet.

Trivia: To SAO fans, Kirito and Sachi were together and torn apart from eachother in the same episode yet again.

Haha, yeah, I got a good laugh at that.

[Amion]

Now, now people, let us not catch up an infant show into our twisted and righteous hatred for Valvrave. It is good to form an impression after watching it instead of flinging up our pitchforks at anything Sunrise brings us as heresy doomed to crashing and burning. (The MJP cocktail is still strong in me, so I could care less if it is) *Hiccup*

I cringed at the name, too. Buddy Complex? But you know what? I was getting a bigger yaoi vibe from Majestic Prince, and look where that went. So...
Watched Buddy Complex and-

Spoiler

Really now, it's not bad at all for a first episode. I suppose it's cliched but there's nothing new under the sun. Yumihara is a Saki-stand in, so maybe I'm biased when I say she seems like a strong, competent love interest. Sad though considering she's basically dead *no pun intended*.

Of course it isn't perfect, there is the afore mentioned issues with Aoba being relatively generic. But he's the opposite generic to Haruto: composed (or just badly voiced?), athletic, savvy with the girls in a more gentlemanly fashion (no rape here), instantly liked by female love interest, and oh yeah, he's brown haired and bl....oh-green eyed, not blue.

He also seems a bit too composed. Most everyone was acting more like I would expect from a giant robot descending to cause mayhem, but he almost had me thinking he knew all about it for his calmness. But I was actually relieved. No Haruto/Shinji shrieks of horror and revulsion yet.

As for pros, that last bit was basically it. That and he's apparently a good ahem, coupling with Dio, which apparently means he is a good pilot or something? This all seems to have more plot relevance than in previous shows. And that said, I still see no real yaoi yet to avert my eyes, even with the "coupling".

I will be eagerly awaiting future episodes, for now at least. Gee, this year was a great one for mecha. Yes I still count this as a 2013 show, since it caught it right at the end.

I should admit that since my expectations are so low, I cannot really be disappointed anymore. Valvrave was the trainwreck, so at this point BC can only hope to go up in my eyes.

For starters, anyone here have an episode count yet? Surely this will be a twenties show. If it turns out to be a mere thirteen or less, I may have to retract my optimism.

And what's necessarily bad about them mecha again? They seem more like Eva's to me, what with the eyes and skull underneath.

[wielder]

Whatever anyone thinks of Valvrave (and I think the "hate" some folks claim to have for that one is a bit much), the positives and negatives of Buddy Complex are going to be entirely different. It can fail or succeed for a completely separate set of reasons, because the show is clearly aiming for something else. Apples and oranges, so to speak.

That said...while I didn't have much of a problem with the first episode of the newest Sunrise series, I also wasn't particularly excited either. It's nice to see a protagonist who is a little more upbeat and the gimmick that makes this relatively unique has potential on paper. In practice, however, I'm not too impressed so far. The mechanical designs are barely serviceable, I guess.

[iCards]

I don't see how Hina is a "Saki stand-in" the only thing I see they have in common is long hair and mechs. Hina 'appears' to be a full-fledged solider, the black uniform, where as Saki started mech piloting for attention.

Aoba does act more composed than A LOT of mecha protagonists do in his situation. That could just mean he can think well under pressure, which says a lot when being chased by a robot with a lance. As far as people being curious about his voice, two of his seiyuu's starring roles are Kirito from Sword Art Online and Sorata Kanada from The Pet Girl of Sakura Hall. You can check them out if you are curious.

[HDKirin]

That was an.... interesting first episode, I guess? It's ok that I have no idea what in the world is going on, right? I just got XCOM flashbacks throughout the whole thing in terms of having a high percentage to hit a target and completely missing. Also RIP basketball.

[iCards]

To answer my own post from before Funimation has announced an official simulcast for Buddy Complex.