Subculture Anime Blog

OP: “RIDEBACK” by MELL – Yea! Mell is awesome! The animation for this is definitely fitting, but it’s honestly something I’d expect more in a video game intro rather than an anime. The credits are also in english; making me wonder if this is just for stylistic purposes, or if the series already has plans on being marketed overseas.

Summary:

In 2020, a group known as the GGP has taken control as a governing force in the world. Not without a cost, however, as severe conflict and suppression has been caused around the world because of their intervention. This did not matter to a girl named Ogata Rin, who only did as her mother instructed her to by growing up to become an exceptional ballet performer. During a particular performance though, she had an accident which would change her world. In the present, Rin and her friend Uemura Shouko get acquainted with the campus they will now be staying at. In her living quarters later, Rin gets into a conversation with her grandmother about previously stopping ballet. As usual, Rin confirms that she is fine with the decision. The next day, a girl named Uchida Suzuri approaches Rin while expressing how big of a fan she is of her ballet performances. Shouko attempts to change the subject when she sees how troubled Rin is, even giving her a chance to escape, then explaining the circumstances behind Rin’s quitting to Suzuri afterwards. Even though she probably had the ability to continue after her injury, Rin was not satisfied in her ballet. After all, her mother Miyuki was a renown performer.

While walking around campus, Rin takes notice of a man leaving a small warehouse on what appears to be a robotic motorcycle. Curiously entering the building, she is mistaken as a possible recruit by one of the current members named Hishida Haruki. Haruki welcomes Rin to the Ride Back club, then offering to let her try riding one of their vehicles. Rin is introduced to the motorcycle known as a Rideback, as well as the particular model Fuego. She learns that the Rideback also has some form of intelligent recognition, and as the rain outside stops, she is helped to take a test run. It is soon revealed that some of the controls on the Rideback aren’t functioning, causing Rin to speed through the campus on the vehicle. Rin is quickly attached to the Rideback, but as she continues to speed through the school grounds, the other Ride Back members begin chasing after her. The member Okakura Tenshirou eventually notes that Rin is heading towards a dangerous area, and though he barely fixes Fuego in time, Rin is still sent off a high ledge. Despite this, the only face Rin can put on is one of excitement. To her, the world had started to change.

ED: “Kioku” by Younha feat. GOKU – I initially didn’t like the slow song paired with what seemed like faddy graphic design inspired animation, but after the tempo picked up, I was fairly hooked.

Preview: A race with Tamayo.

Impression:

Let’s get maneuver! I’ve been secretly pumped about this show ever since I saw its pv a few weeks ago, as the style reminded me a bit of Initial D. I didn’t exactly come into the first episode with huge expectations despite this, and didn’t even plan on blogging it at first, but I was very pleasantly surprised after watching. This production obviously has some of Madhouse’s more talented animators behind it, as most all of this episode looked spectacular. I’m not typically a fan of heavy CG in anime, but this showed that several studios are certainly beginning to learn how to add it more seamlessly to their work.

I was hooked during the last few scenes of this episode, as Rin’s flying at the end even had me feeling the same way I did during parts of Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo. The focus of this series will obviously be on the “Rideback” vehicles, and Rin’s becoming involved with them, but it also seems like there will be several anti-government and protest themes mixed into the overall plot. With driving scenes that are simply fun to watch, a plot that has the potential to become quite powerful, and a lead being played by my favorite Nana Mizuki, I am now really looking forward to watching more Ride Back. (Don’t count on me covering it though, as I already have far too many other shows on my schedule at the moment.)

Notes:

• Hi, Miku.
• So, in a decade, we will have robotic motorcycles.
• Romi Paku still needs to go back to NANA.
• Ogata Rin in Ride Back, and Ogata Rina in White Album. Wow, Mizuki.
• I never knew ballet could be so engaging.