Sunday 17 January 2016

ANIME REVIEW: RED VS BLUE SEASON: 12


Red Vs. Blue Season: 12
Released By: Animatsu
Rating: 15
Running Time: 180 Mins
Audio: English With Subtitles
Release Date: 8/2/2016
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes 

Times couldn't be worse, shipwrecked and trying to sort out their lives makes life suck more - even in Blood Gulch for our intrepid team mates, the Red and Blue of Project Freelancer. As one of the most long-running science-fiction comedies around at the moment, there is plenty to laugh about all tucked up in one cunning story worthy of a Halo game plot.

Tucker, Grif, Symmons and Caboose are alone with nothing but complaining to do rather than a whole lot of work, like leading an army to victory in a civil war raging around them. The red team, with the help of the rebels are infiltrating an enemy base on Planet Chorus, a former mining facility and all Griff can do is complain that he's not gold, but orange, which results in some fine arguments, but not before they have to sort out their plan of attack.

This all might sound strange, but it's all part of a training exercise that happens to go awfully wrong.  Felix and Tucker have their own issues apart from not being able to work together, while more is learned from the data Tucker stole from the base that Wash and co are being held against their will at an Arctic base before they get to their newest destination - the city of Armonia, Chorus's capital. Through all the petty conflict and funny moments, there are a few reveals about their enemies, sub-plots and many things that could be spoilers.

RvB is a series that is hard to get sick of, it has the animation, CG style and humour we have come to expect as the series has moved on, and as some animation series don't progress, it is great to see that this one has, even if we do get annoyed at there being a wait between the series. One of my personal favourite characters is the comical pink private, Donut, while the English challenged, Lopez is another. Fans will have their own and many can be maniacal, but still comical.

For those who watched the previous few series, they will have noticed that the production value got much better with the use of better CG. Now it looks polished, and the animation moves at a decent pace, so you don't see the drag effect it used to have. Grif, Caboose and Tucker + other characters can move around like real characters while realistic looking backgrounds really shape up the overall look of the animation. Seriously, RvB has never looked so good.


Bonus Material: Audio Commentary, Blooper Reel, Deleted Scenes, Season 12 Teaser Trailer,4 PSAs, and Character Journal Entries.

Summary: Steady, intriguing plot and humour you just can't forget to miss - make this a 2016 must buy!