Heat Guy J

[areaseven]

Heat Guy J (ヒートガイジェイ)

Satelight/Heat Guy Project/TBS/Bandai Visual, 2002-2003

Pioneer/Geneon Entertainment, 2003-2004

Directed by Kazuki Akane (Escaflowne, Geneshaft)

Rated 13-Up (should be 16-Up) graphic violence, suggestive drug use, mature situations, and strong language.

In the city of Judoh, Claire Leonelli has inherited leadership of the Mafia group "Vampire" following the death of his father. To keep Claire's and other criminal activities in check, the city's Bureau of Urban Safety has Special Services Division operative Daisuke Aurora and the super android codenamed "J" (who is apparently kept in secrecy, as androids are banned in the city). With both of them around, crime now has little room to breathe in Judoh.

Story: A-

Heat Guy J is Ghost in the Shell meets Cowboy Bebop, only with more action. The series is episodic like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, so one episode doesn't need to rely heavily on another.

Despite not being the main character, J remains a badass by his own right. He's kind of like a T-800 Terminator on steroids. And the way he lets off his steam is unbelievable.

Animation: A++

Satelight (Macross Zero, Earth Girl Arjuna) takes no prisoners when it comes to churning out a deadly barrage of digital 2D and 3D animation. Whether it's J's fight sequences or Daisuke's badass bike, Heat Guy J is nothing short of awesome. Character designs by Noboteru Yuki (Escaflowne, Angel Cop). Mechanical designs by Takayuki Takeya (Gene Shaft) and Takeshi Takakura (Martian Successor Nadesico).

Soundtrack: A+

Try Force (led by veteran anime music artist Hironobu Kageyama) delivers with their arsenal of techno and hard rock, and some bagpipe music on the side. Their opening theme "Face" is nothing short of awesome.

Sub vs. Dub

Heat Guy J features Masaya Matsukaze (Ragna in Get Ride! Amdriver ) as Daisuke, Takayuki Sugo (Nenji in NieA Under 7) as J, Saeko Chiba (Tsubaki in His and Her Circumstances, Asmaria in Chrno Crusade) as Kyoko, Shinichiro Miki (Allen in Escaflowne, Kurz in Full Metal Panic!) as Shun, Daisuke Sakaguchi (Kazuki in Maburaho, Usso in Mobile Suit Victory Gundam) as Claire, Sanae Kobayashi (Sara in Macross Zero, Reina in Najica Blitz Tactics) as Antonia, Ai Shimizu (Minawa in Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful, Karen in Onegai Twins) as Monica, Keiji Fujiwara (Eledore in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Volcott in Galaxy Angel) as Edmundo, Hikaru Miyata (Prof. Hodgson in Serial Experiments Lain) as Shogun, Ryoko Nagata as Cynthia, Takahiro Sakurai (Cyborg 009, Shun in Gate Keepers) as Boma, Nobuaki Sekine as Mauro, Kenta Miyake (Tsume in Wolf's Rain) as Giovanni, Kazuhiro Nakata (Bear in .hack://SIGN, McDougal in Outlaw Star) as Misha, Katsuyuki Konishi (Samurai Deeper Kyo, Louie the Rune Soldier) as Nichol, Michiko Neya (Nancy in Read Or Die, Melissa in Full Metal Panic!) as Phia, Akeno Watanabe (Witch Hunter Robin) as Janis, Mayumi Iizuka (Sora in Escaflowne) as Rumie, Jurota Kosugi (Dryden in Escaflowne, Darain in Dirty Pair) as Noriega, and Norio Wakamoto (Coach Ota in Gunbuster, Vicious in Cowboy Bebop) as Echigo.

Wow. Bang Zoom! Entertainment (Vandread, Chobits) has just produced their best dub ever (right up there with Animaze's Cowboy Bebop dub). Featured voices include Steve Cannon (Shiro in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Rei in Yukikaze) as Daisuke, Bob Pappenbrook as J, Kay Jensen (Witch Hunter Robin, Haruko in FLCL) as Kyoko, Johnny Yong Bosch (Vash the Stampede in Trigun, Kaneda in AKIRA) as Claire, Lex Lang (Space Pirate Captain Herlock, Gineas in Gundam 08th MS Team) as Shun, Wendee Lee (Faye in Cowboy Bebop, Kaolla Su in Love Hina) as Antonia, Sandy Fox (Sumomo in Chobits, Kiyoko in AKIRA) as Monica, Edward Villa (Rurouni Kenshin, Legato in Trigun) as Boma, Abe Lasser (Teddy Bomber in Cowboy Bebop, Kaiser in Gate Keepers) as Shogun, Sparky Thornton (Gato in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083) as Edmundo, Richard Epcar (Guld in Macross Plus, Bateau in Ghost in the Shell) as Misha, Dave Wittenberg (Kei in Please Teacher!, Sora in .hack//SIGN) as Ian, and Beau Billingslea (Jet Black in Cowboy Bebop, Millard in Macross Plus) as Wei-Long Lin.

DVD Extras: A+

Details are too big to list here. Scroll down for the full review.

The Bottom Line

Finally, an anime that can go head-to-head with Cowboy Bebop in the badass factor.

Links

Heat Guy J Official Homepage (Japanese)

TBS' Official Heat Guy J Homepage (Japanese)

Pioneer/Geneon Entertainment's Official Heat Guy J Homepage

Reference

Anime News Network

Newtype USA #1

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DVD Extras: A+ (Boxed Set)

The Supplemental DVD includes the following features:

Behind-The-Scenes Footage

1. Action Scene Choreography

- Hosted by Masaya Matsukaze (Daisuke), this short clip shows how the cutting-edge fight scenes are choreographed by martial artist Yuichi Aida.

2. Radio Drama: Saeko Chiba's "Let's Go Home"

- Saeko Chiba (Kyoko), Matsuzake and Takayuki Sugo (J) share their ideas and take you inside the recording studio for the Heat Guy J radio drama.

Opening/Ending/Music Video

1. "Face"

2. "Kokoro no Sukima"

3. "Face" (Music Video)

- Both opening and ending themes have creditless and Japanese text options. Creditless versions include Karaoke feature (excellent for anime parties).

- The music video is good, but it's a bit short.

Commercials/TV Spots

"Heat Guy J! DVD! Heat Guy J! DVD!" - Daisuke Aurora

"A man shouldn't promote himself so easily." - J

Outtakes (Intentional and Unintentional)

- In English only. Some are bloopers, while others are total gags. In one scene, the English voice of J attempts to impersonate Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Hey, it's deja vu again." - J, while being incinerated on an exploding tanker truck.

Conceptual Art Galleries

1. Characters

2. Mechanical Designs

3. City of Judoh

Other Extras

- Just TV warnings by J and Kyoko. These warnings have been standard on anime titles ever since the Pokemon epileptic incident back in 1998.

In short, Heat Guy J Boxed Set I is nothing short of omake heaven. Do not hesitate to buy Heat Guy J now. It's definitely worth the $39.99 sticker price

[JELEINEN]

A pretty good show, which really surprised me. I was expecting it to suck.

[areaseven]

It's a sad day in the world of dubbed anime...

Bob Papenbrook, voice of "J", dies at 50

[therealfolkblues]

It's a sad day in the world of dubbed anime...

Bob Papenbrook, voice of "J", dies at 50

383202[/snapback]

Hate to hear that, his delivery as J was spot-on...Heat Guy J is still one of the "gateway" anime series I show to anybody who hasn't seen alot of anime. HIGHLY underrated show, and if anyone hasn't seen this show, don't sleep on it any longer!