Viewtiful Joe – Volume
One (Animé TV)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: B-
It was not long until some Animé pulled a Sherlock Jr.
and it took a popular video game adapted to the small screen top do it. Viewtiful Joe is about a young
semi-slacker who has a girlfriend he is not paying enough attention to, but
because of big screen superhero he loves.
Things go bad when the franchise decides the hero should loose!
Then, in a strange twist of fate, Joe finds himself being
able to enter into that film world, hastened by the fact that his girlfriend is
kidnapped, which suddenly increases his consideration of her. He gets to become a superhero with powers of
his own too. The result is a spoof of
the superhero genre, giant monster movies, Japanese action shows and even
videogames that has a consistent sense of humor and is not bad. It was a hit on the WB Network, which has
just merged into the CW Network with the also-former UPN, but I would be surprised
if this show gets dropped.
After all, he is pretty fly for a white guy, with his
retro Rock attitude and all. Too bad
his attention span and slight ego is to his disadvantage, but he is a good guy
at heart and when that comes through, things have the ability to work out. The first episodes here are:
1) Just A
Dude Named Joe
2) What’s-His-Name
To The Rescue
3) Dude,
Did You Say “Viewtiful”?
The titles give you an idea of the humor and no mater
where the show lands up, Geneon is poised to release the entire series on DVD,
so fans of all ages can enjoy the show as it comes to DVD in each volume. The 1.33 X 1 image is not bad, with its
simple, but colorful and solidly drawn images.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no major surrounds, but is a recent
recording that does sound good. Extras
include a trailer, character profiles and TV spot collection. Amusing all around.
- Nicholas Sheffo
