Soukyuu no Fafner: Dead Agressor

Currently watching this anime.

Anime with giant robots battling mysterious giant aliens with kids as pilots. Lots of drama. Lots of characterisation. Sounds like Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Set in a not too distant future, most of Earth is destroyed by mysterious giagantic beings called Festum. One island was able to develop the technology to shield and hide away from the Festum. The island is regard as Paradise.

Hmph, who are they kidding? In the first episode, they have been found by a Festum. However, they were not unprepared. The island is equiped with shields, weapons and most of all a giant robot called Fafner Mark Elf (or Fafner MK 11).

Fafner is a giant robot: "Named after a giant called Fafner who could transform itself to a dragon to protect it's treasure". Though up to episode 4, it still hasn't transformed, just connected/merged to a jet. I'm not sure it's suppose to transform.

As usual, the Japanese love to torment their kids and send them out to battle and die. But in the first episode, we get to see the original Fafner pilot (a woman) killed on her way to the base. These kids are one of the few with the genetic make up that could synchronise with Fafner, enabling them to pilot it. I like the how one scene is played, when they've decided that they need more pilot candidates, the commander and the doctor went to each parents house to informed them. Most of them reacted with a "Why... my son??", "He is chosen?? This can't be!!" or "No this can't be happening...*cries*", one couple were so happy that they couldn't wait to announce it to their son.

It is quite an interesting anime. It looks like the character designs are done by the same person who did Gundam Seed. Lots of similarities. Mecha designs are interesting (though unconventional) but I doubt I would recognise or remember it after a few years. Just like Nadeisco's Aestavalis.

The anime is a bit too much like Evangelion. Heck, even the sountrack, the BGM where they are luanching the Fafner sounded like the BGM in Evangelion when they go into battle. The opening theme, "Shangri-La" sung by Angela is really good. The first time I heard it was at XL-Shop but I did not know it is the opening theme for this anime until now. If you've heard of Uchuu no Stellvia (Stellvia of the Universe) opening theme, "Ashita no Brilliant Road" (also sung by Angela), you would know how "Shangri-La" sounds like. The same type. Characterisation wise, it looks like it has more dept than Eva. Animation is pretty good. Seems like alot of production values have went into it.

Brother bought the DVDs. No need to pay to watch, so I'm not complaining. It has enough mysteries to keep me interested. But it just felt too much like watching Eva.

The official site: http://www.fafner.jp/ Pics rip from there. :P

"anatawa soko ni imaska....?"