Fighting Spirit 2 –
Debut Match (Animé TV)
Picture: C+ Sound: B- Extras: C Episodes: B-
One of
the best Animé imports in years, the Japanese boxing comedy/drama Fighting
Spirit has put an interesting twist on the usual genre workings by delving
into male gender politics just enough to offer more than a run-of-the-mill
show. That it does this without being
exploitive is a great plus and the good running plotline development does not
hurt. The episodes here include:
6) The
Opening Bell Of The Rematch
7) The
Destructive Force Of 1cm
8) Promise
To Meet Again
9) C
Class License
10) Debut
Match!
Miyata is
in for his first serious ring fight, and having never been able to show what he
is capable of in a fight, has all his fellow gym-mates looking on. Instead of the graphic violence one might
expect from the genre at its bloodiest, this version is for ages 13 and up,
which is not as bad. The stylized
violence is very well done, the slow motion shots greatly drawn, and it yet
again feels like an unintended but palpable throwback to the 1970s Big
Jim-style of action figures. This
series could be a minor classic when all is said and done.
The full
frame, color image still has a bit of softness and is still one of the better
1.33 X 1 Animé titles we’ve seen from any company to date, but I wish it were a
tad sharper. The sound is again
available in Dolby Digital 2.0 English, Japanese, and Spanish language with
some Pro Logic surrounds. Extras
include the Spanish end credits, a bloopers reel and trailers for three other
Geneon DVDs. That is par for the course
for such releases, but that is good. Be
sure to start with the first DVD and we bet you’ll move on to this one.
- Nicholas Sheffo
