
	Length: 30 minutes Released in North America by: Animevillage.com English Dubbed version reviewed
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Blue Submarine No. 6: Blues

Score: 7 / 10

blue submarine,review

Ooo, pretty! This is some anime with a gorgeous look to it. The mix of computer animation with hand drawn art cranks up the drool factor to 11. Not only this, but the design of the characters has a unique, neat-o twist to it that is a refreshing change from the norm. Although it’s the first

episode in the series there isn’t the usual slow pace that pilots tend to have, instead there is plenty of blasting and smashing to soak in during this 30-minute show. Blue Submarine No. 6 takes place in the not so distant future where the ice caps have begun to melt and have caused much of the land to become submerged. Not only this, but a scientist called Zorndyke has started to mutate humans into strange, genetically altered half man, half beast-type creatures that live in the sea. Now this new breed of being is at war with the humans to control the planet, and since the world is a giant watery funpark this means there are naval battles galore to be had, with submarines being everyone’s favorite war machine of the deep.

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At the center of the story is an ex-naval sub pilot, named Tetsu Hayami, who happens to be one of the best pilots in fleet. With all of the recent hostility and the completion of construction on Blue Submarine No. 6, the fleet’s biggest, bestest sub, they want him to come back and fight. Of course who better to send than an overly zealous, go-getter with an annoying, high-pitched voice to visit and try and convince him to return.

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This energetic banshee goes by the name Mayumi Kino by the way. Of course Hayami flat out refuses to rejoin the fleet, Kino gets in a pissy mood over it, then through a massive act of aggression by Zorndyke forces Hayami decides he should join the fight to stop these sea monsters. Yeah, the story doesn’t offer much outside of the Epic Struggle framework, but the action and visuals more than make up for it.

Seeing these battles for the first time is really something else. The computer animation add a little bit of zesty spice to the traditional anime, as it adds a some nice lighting effects and other computer related goodies to the fray. However, they don’t quite blend with the hand drawn art in the, instead looking ever so slightly distinguished from it, making it stand out a wee bit too much. General set and character design is interesting though. Zorndyke’s creations have astrangely modern look to them that has been squished with a 70s feature cartoon aesthetic.

The humans look fairly standard, with some minor differences that help them to stand out from other anime. The subs look very good, and Tokyo has a lovely Bladerunner meets Waterworld sort of vibe to it. All in all the art is very appealing, despite some minor issues.

Unfortunately the voice acting is hit and miss. Hayami, as well as a number of the supporting cast, are performed very well. But as was mentioned earlier, Kino has a very irritating voice and the way her eagerness is portrayed just doesn’t feel fully believable.

Be that as it may, Blues is a great start to the series. The action hits viewers fast and hard, and the artwork has a very different style to it worth checking out. Regardless of some weak voice work and a potentially generic story line, this first installment in Blue Submarine No. 6 is very much worth investigating. However it may be worthwhile to rent it first, as the tape is only 30 minutes, making it hard to justify buying right from the get-go unless you’re a rabid fan.

Reviewed by Mr. Nash


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