OBSOLETE
(2019 - 2020)/Somali and
the Forest Spirit
(2020/both Sentai Complete
Collection Blu-rays)
Picture:
B+/A- Sound: C+/B+ Extras: C Main Programs: B+
Now
for the latest anime releases...
The
aliens are here. However, they just want to trade, just for a few
pounds of the cheapest rocks on Earth they give EXOFRAMES. They
don't care about politics, culture or even reveal what they look
like, but just about anyone can get a frame. And in just a few short
years, the world is filled with them. However, the human scientists
are unable to make them or much less understand how they work, but
they continue to revolutionize the world, and now people can't stop
using them, the frames have endless power, strength and speed.
They're not tanks (and they can be destroyed) but humans realize they
revolutionize warfare and they are soon seen on battlefields
everywhere in the new mini-series OBSOLETE
(2019 - 2020.)
EXOFRAMES
are mechas about the size of a motorbike or small car, but they are
clean energy, faster, stronger and more agile and adaptable on or in
any terrain on Earth. While some thought it was a joke, the aliens
don't matter as much as when any country can get them and militarize
them. Anyone with EXOFRAMES has a tactical advantage in battle, only
others with EXOFRAMES can fight on par with each other. In the end,
humanity doesn't change much and they adapt to a new technology even
when they can't understand, but mankind doesn't care as long as they
believe they are the ones in control. So how will that play here?
This
was an interesting mini-series, there are no main characters, but
mainly just soldiers using/learning to use the mecha, but the show is
not about the mecha as much as it is about human nature. Each
episode is only about 10 minutes long and each episode explores how
the mecha would 'revolutionize' the world. It gives an idea of how
world could change but human nature would not. Extras include clean
closing animation, VOTOMS tribute and trailers.
Somali
is a young girl living in a world of 'monsters' and is journeying
with her 'dad', a Golem (mythically protectors of Jewish people, but
not specifically so here). Together they are searching for humans
and what remains of the human race, but all they find is rumors,
legends and stories. After the war between monsters and humans,
humans had lost and became the hunted and eaten and now humans are
the endangered species. Somali disguises herself as a child minotaur,
as they travel, they meet and make friends and enemies. The Golem's
goal is to return Somali to her kind, but Somali wishes to stay with
her 'Dad' forever. What will happen when they reach the end of their
journey? Will Somali's 'Dad' be able leave her in the end?
In
Somali
and the Forest Spirit
(2020,)
Golems are guardians and protectors of the forest but after saving
Somali he must learn what it is to be a 'father', but the Golem is
hiding a secret from Somali, every Golem lives exactly 1,000 years
and his time is almost up and that why he needs to find humans. As
they search for humans, the Golem must protect her from dangers and
monsters that would see Somali a (literally) a tasty dish. In time,
Golem in turn learns he has feelings too and what it means to be a
family.
This
was a fascinating anime, it was a series which was not only about the
main characters but the story of the world it is set in. In a
monster filled world, you can't help but wonder what the humans did
to make the monsters hate the humans so much. Extras include
trailers.
Episodes
include:
Journeying
Parent and Child - A Golem, a guardian of the forest journeys
with a young human girl in a monster filled world, but he must keep
other monsters from discovering she is a human. As they journey, he
must teach her how to survive.
Edible
Herbs and the Oni's Dwelling - Somali and the Golem meet two Oni's,
Shizuno and Yabashira and the Golem learns to make medicine to better
take care of Somali. The Golem reveals that his time is coming to an
end and in about a year he will cease functioning and that is why he
must reunite Somali to humans.
The
Sea at the Bottom of the Cave - Somali and the Golem arrive in a
town and the Golem takes a part time job in a restaurant to earn
enough money so they can journey across the desert.
The
Wishing Flower and the Promise Request - Somali goes into an
underground world to search for a flower that grants wishes and she
wishes to stay with the Golem forever.
The
Wandering Birds - The Golem and Somali meet another traveling
pair, Uzoi a harpy and Haitora and offers them to travel together
across the desert, but Uzoi and Haitora have a secret of their own,
Uzoi is traveling looking for a cure for Haitora who is ill and
requires the blood of Somali.
Dying
Flowers Look Up at the Birds - Haitora reveals he was once human,
but when he killed and ate Uzoi's mother he became cursed and he is
slowly dying. Uzoi after learning the truth, will she accept Haitora
or reject him?
The
Footsteps That Stalk the Witches - Somali and the Golem journey
to the village of the witches where they record all knowledge and
history of the monster world and search for clues to where humans
might still exist. But the book they have is eaten by demon fish.
Meeting
and Bonds Prayed For - Somali and Golem meet the leader of the
Witches and learn of her past and how she met humans and how humans
feared and killed monsters and why now monster kill humans. Seeing
Somali and the Golem, she tells them they are the hope, they are the
proof that humans and monsters can co-exist.
Memories
of Minor Days - Somali and the Golem take shelter from the storm
and run into Shizuno and Yabashira again and go into town. Somali
becomes worried when she gets her first loose tooth and tries to keep
it a secret.
The
Infant Child and the Fortress - The Golem reveal how he met
Somali and she was the sole survivor of monsters with human slaves
and she kept following the Golem and called him 'Dad' and eventually
the Golem learned to care for her.
Those
Who Protect and Those Who Threaten - Somali makes a gift for the
Golem, but then they became hunted by a party of human hunters.
Bonded
Father and Child - Somali and the Golem get trapped, and the
Golem goes into a berserker mode killing everything, but then Somali
steps in front of him and brings him to his senses. During a fair,
the Golem tries to leave her saying he is a danger to her if he ever
loses control again, Somali tells him she is only safe because he is
with her and convinces him to come back. The Golem then promises to
spend whatever remaining time he has with her.
Now
for playback performance. The
1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers on both
releases look great, with Somali having the edge (and why no 4Ks from
Sentai yet?) with fine color range, depth and detail. They are as
state fo the art as they can get. As for sound, both are available
in their original Japanese and lesser English dub mixes, but OBSOLETE
offers DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mixes that are not always convincing
in separation, but it is a welcome item from Sentai, who does not
issue enough in multi-channel releases. Somali
is only here in DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo lossless mixes,
but I thought it worked a bit better.
-
Ricky Chiang