Hamatora:
The Animation - Season 1 (2014/Sentai Blu-ray
Set)
Picture: A+ Sound: B+ Extras: C
Episodes: A
Hamatora
detective agency is your average freelance detective agency, but like
any detective knows ...looks are never what they appear to be.
Hamatora takes on cases involving 'Minimum Holders', people who are
born with supernatural abilities. When the police are left clueless
and powerless, Nice and his partner Murasaki are often called in to
solve the cases, but unknown to the police and Nice, a mad scientist
named Moral is murdering 'Minimum Holders' and using their brains as
research to give non-Minimum Holders powers in Hamatora: The
Animation - Season 1 (2014).
When some Minimum Holders
discovered they are sent to the 'academy' to receive training to
awaken their latent abilities and kept a secret from the general
public they are called Minimum Holders because only a minimum amount
of people can have these abilities, some decide to abuse their power
for selfish reasons or personal gain, others live in fear and are
shunned for their powers ...afraid of their own power and what
society will do to them if they are discovered. Nice is one of the
graduates from the 'academy' and uses his sharp wit and mind with
superspeed ability to protect the weak from the strong. Murasaki has
super strength and near invulnerability.
This series was like
a anime version of X-Men with a plot (vs. X3?). In truth,
what would happen if people suddenly discover there are mutants,
psychics, or espers? How would society change? Even if people
accepted there are those with powers would they become jealous,
afraid? And what would they do if they found out normal humans can
gain powers by ingesting/injecting the brains of those with powers?
The
1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image across the board is
great all the time throughout, while the lossless DTS-HD MA (Master
Audio) 2.0 Stereo with some Pro Logic-like surrounds is very, very
well recorded and mixed. Wish it were 5.1 or 7.1 though. Extras
include clean opening and closing animations, Japanese promos and
disclaimers, and trailers.
Episodes
are...
Egg
of Columbus - Nice and Murasaki must stop a Minimum holder with
super strength.
Beloved Bastard - Hamatora is hired to
find a beloved missing teacher ...but things aren't what they appear
to be.
Have and Have-Nots - Hamatora faces politicians
and zealots who believe 'Minimum Holders' have an unfair advantage
over those without powers and seek to discredit Minimum Holders.
The
Wandering Totem Pole - Hamatora discover someone is using their
minimum ability to brainwashing kids into becoming
terrorists.
Sweat, Muscles and Me - Hamatora and
company goes to a city resort to find a Minimum Holder who's ability
is to make other men 'play for the other team' (turn men gay).
The
Prophet's Torment - Hamatora is hired on a case when an artist
goes missing, in the case where the artist knew ahead of time that
she was going to be kidnapped.
Black Cosmos - Detective
Art discovers Moral's plan to turn everyone into Minimum Holder at
the sake of sacrificing all current Minimum Holders and him become a
God.
The Blood-Soaked Bitter Melon - Hamatora discover
a drug created by a Minimum Holder who puts people to sleep
...forever.
Little Beauty and the Beast - Nice
discovers Three's past and a group a terrorist planning to kids at an
orphanage which Three runs.
March of the Weak - Moral
leaks the existence to the public and mob rule takes to the
streets.
Flight of the Victor - As chaos spreads
throughout the city, Nice faces Moral and his renegade Minimum
Holders continue to fan the flames of war between Minimum Holders and
non-Minimum Holders.
Resolve (Ego) - Nice faces a
showdown with Moral who now has the ability to neutralize all Minimum
Holder's ability. Art returns from beyond the grave.
-
Ricky Chiang
