Forum - View topicBNA: Brand New Animal (TV)
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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BNA: Brand New Animal (TV) Genres: Comedy, drama, action Themes: Animals, politics Plot Summary:
---------------------------------------- Yes baby, it is a Trigger anime! I am a pretty big Trigger fan, the likes of Kill la Kill, Inferno Cop, Little Witch Academia, Kiznaiver, Space Patrol Luluco, SSSS.Gridman, and still enjoyed the whole journey of Darling in the Franks. Maybe even my top studio that I hold up high, and look forward for whatever opportunity when I will get a chance to watch Promare. But first BNA, well unfortunately for strictly legal viewers this is another Netflix coming right off of Netflix having Beastars. Why the furry shows? Before the season was even meant to start, apparently the first six episodes were released on Japanese Netflix, prior to even the TV run, and considering the ways things can distributed like any show that will eventually have its release on Netlix in the West, one could have ways to watch it. I will post my thoughts that I wrote after each episode, but I really liked what I saw of this, and could see myself really rewatching this once it does get released in the West. I love me some Trigger goodness. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 1
So happy to see a new Trigger anime. It had some nice animation in the first part, but really coming into itself when it had a few characters stretch, the more signature style that gives Trigger anime characters their energy. But it was the battle at the climax of the episode that gave no fears that this is most definitely Trigger, with the wolfman being awesome and things like physics thrown out the window for the sort of stuff that works so great in things like KlK. The animal characters going into more bestial forms also some good additions. Not to mention quirky characters, I was actually a bit worried at the start that our heroine would be a bit too understated, but things like the ED showed me the sort of thing I want from a new heroine. Also, Inferno cop on a random screen. Episode 2 Societal issues, people caught through the cracks where women are left to the so called Rabbit town, and also children there too, who don’t even know how to read and write. Michiru was teaching them to get her wallet back, but of course her empathy extended to wanting to help these kids. Seemed complex that these women are indebted in someway to yakuza, questionable beyond how they might be involved in the organized crime beyond pickpockets. But how easily these women followed through with trying to sell the children and Michiru as part of it, lose a lot of empathy as they clearly were not just trying to look out for those who could not look after themselves. Michiru indeed has some strange powers, bringing up questions along with apparently used to being a human. Michiru did not take too kindly that Shirou took so long to intervene in the whole ordeal, him apparently waiting for evidence, but it was clearly scary for her and her worry about how Shirou might not have been able to stop it if he left it too late. The kids were then taken in by services like orphanages, which do exist and Michiru became all the more furious over the rabbit woman in acting like she was taking the kids in as a kindness. Michiru being told that she lacks the bestial nature makes her again frustrated with how she does not understand this whole thing. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 3
Another fun episode. But did start with a hint at Michiru’s past, a basketball player her and her friend had an accident, and one day her friend suddenly turned into a beast person, maybe a secret one all along, and not longer after that Michiru also turned into her tanuki form after seeing her friend taken away by forces unknown. The episode generally hinted that the scientists did something to her after she had her accident, my first guess was something simple as a superhero origin of beast person blood transfusion, but wondering if her friend might have been in the same boat. Can’t be sure, but rather than her ears stretching like that is her power, I was kind of wondering if they turned into rabbit ears when she was trying to listen, so she can transform multiple animal traits. Was kind of hoping that she would suddenly grow wings to fly when thrown off the building, but Shirou was also dang awesome when he jumped to save her. A funny part, when Shriou tried locking her up and, and tried to pass Michiru’s screaming for help to the mayor as bird’s doing. Also, I was thinking of it in an earlier episode, but the whole animal thing, especially with Michiru, really makes me think of Little Witch Academia where Akko got rabbit ears. Or really that she could transform a lot. Episode 4 Michiru becomes friends with a dolphin girl called Nina, who of course turns out to be the daughter of the biggest gangster, Flip. They get to talk about the human society, Nina being a big fan while feeling like a big fish in a small pond, and Michiru becomes able to hold back her old human form. Liked the Trigger touch of showcasing that she can wear hats again and one of said hats being like the Luna Nova hats. The two of them then manage to sneak off onto the mainland to go to a house party. An interesting choice that in fact the people at the party are actually excited to see Nina as a dolphin person, putting her in the spotlight and enjoying her as show. Probably not a surprise that the mayor manages to pick up on Nina and Michiru being on the mainland since they would monitor social networks for things, and she gets Shirou to try and take them back quietly, since it is dangerous there, and especially if this causes Flip to…. Well flip. Also equally unsurprising that Flip was well on his way to start carnage to bring his daughter back safe, and Shirou cuts him off that he would be better served to do so without incident. Flip has a sort of Spiderverse Kingpin thing. Michiru hears that the guests while excited over Michiru, still are not totally accepting by seeing her as lesser, and comes back to find that the foolish humans thinking Nina was tired somehow put her in a fish tank, largely not seeming to understand dolphins need air. Kind of freaky seeing the humans laugh as Nina was drowning, kind of reminds me of that one situation where a bunch of people killed a baby dolphin because they kept taking it out of the water for selfies. Michiru seems to have come to an understanding that she also wants to understand the beast people more, something realized to how even the originally accepting humans were kind of ignorant to what they did not understand, and could be something gained from understanding their situation. I really hope that Nina will return and both Michiru and her can be friends. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 5
A Baseball episode, in the vein of the sort of random sports episodes, a good way to have some wacky fun. It also seemed to really confirm that Michuru can transform along the lines of other animals, turning her legs into that of a cheetah to run faster. Lots of Trigger fun with the different character designs, especially with the last team that looked like the sort of random crazies you would see in a Kill la Kill group that would play on being the most intimidating, lovingly over the top. The slum setting also helped with the KlK look. Also, one of the bears looked like Winnie the Pooh. Episode 6 Well, Michiru found her friend, Nazuna, and is currently the idol of a cult that is displaying her like she is a mythical god, said cult definitely shady. The crux of the episode is that Shriou does not trust Nazuna as he recognises her part of the shady cult and won’t let Nazuna stay with them, and Michiru goes to follow her friend and support her. All to find out that Nazuna values her position of an idol above Michiru’s good intentions, taking advantage of her, and way too willing to follow the plans of the cult to use her for possibly suspicious reasons, she is totally going to be used to manipulate people. Looked like it hit hard that not only is Nazuna not willing to return Michuru’s valuation of friendship over desires, but Nazuna looks down on Michiru’s selfless nature as just doing it to stroker her ego. Probably of note that Nazuna’s beast type is a fox compared to Michuru’s tanuki. Both are creatures of Japanese folklore that are known for their ability to transform and even habit of tricking others, but kitsune are usually shown as far more malicious in their trickery than tanuki. This just happened to be a part of a video I saw recently that looked at Animal Crossing, New Horizons just coming out, that the signature tanuki, Tom Nook, is against some often misconceptions not such a bad guy, actually really nice. Apparently Tom Nook having a bad history with an actual swindler, Crazy Redd the fox, an actual bad dude. Actually, the whole animal thing and both coming out around the same time, I kind of expect a lot of BNA and Animal Crossing fanart. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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The episodes of 7 to 12 are out in Japanese, been fansubbed, and I can imagine that Netflix would be looking to have the series dubbed and released in English. But to not blow through it I have just watched two first, feels like the Corona virus has made daily anime picks a little thinner anyway. A little crazy that the whole pandemic was not on the radar when I saw the previous episodes.
Episode 7 Finally got to the episode that went through of the foreshadowing of Michiru’s flying, because indeed she can fly. Although, this came up after making friends with an albatross beastman, and needing to after him, and needing to save Shirou, this going back to what I thought would happen in the third episode, but I guess it partially came from her wanting to protect. The albatross guy kind of made it a point that he really was not planning on assassinating the mayor, and kind of made him look like a good guy, but it all still kind of bugs me, like I am pretty sure he was getting paid. I don’t know if I am missing something, but my clear thought was that he was meant to be a distraction, stopping Shirou from preventing the actual planned event, the assassin after pharmaceutical president, which I think seems pretty clear was meant to fail. My confusion is that I thought he was involved in the conspiracy, but was then trying to go against the cult, so my thought is if the cult is a plan to have religious control of the beastmen, he manufactured this event so that he could make a reason to support them. Playing both sides of controlling economics and spiritual parts. Unless he is somehow being tricked. Episode 8 If you have some Trigger anime with a big strong guy, who seems to just get bigger and stronger, especially following damage, I am going to think of Gamagori, I love that guy. Can’t recall too much other times of Trigger doing the whole big brute thing, maybe also the minotaur in LWA. God I love some good Trigger action. I can’t believe how they are just buying that the president guy means good, when it feels so obvious he should not be trusted, but I guess he has just put up a good act by making the mayor think that he trusts her. Also, not really a surprise but Shirou is the real Ginrou, we additionally got his and the mayor’s backgrounds, his something to do with the deaths of thousands of his beastmen brethren, and her experiments where she was pretty much experimented on by Nazis. At least she did not turn into Magneto. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 9
And so we learn for a fact that the pharmaceutical organisation was behind Michiru and Nazuna becoming beastmen, and that the security personal around the president, Alan, are the ones who were seen abducting Nazuna in the past. Alan went so far as to explaining how everything was a simple mistake, that he has been trying to make things right and there was no ill means involved. But as much as it maybe explains the actions of the doctors in the earlier episode, it does not really explain how Nazuna went from being the custody of his men, to being the centre of a cult, to him then introducing himself to her and trying to keep the cult going. It seems to be a clear case that he is mixing pieces of truth into naratives he has created to make him appear good. The simple fact seems to be that indeed Alan wants to control the beastmen, quoting something called “mental entropy”, when really he means control. And a little frustrating that Michiru did not say everything to Shirou, because there should have been a red flag when he mentioned collecting beast factor, being what turned humans into beastmen, and that the rhino guy had high levels of beast factor. The fact it happened after meeting the cult guy and you can tie him to the pharmaceutical company. Alan also seems to be about to do something with the government. Michiru turning into a Chamaeleon was pretty cool though. Episode 10 Geez Alan is able to spin a good story. Apparently his ancestor was the general of the army that killed Shirou’s people, and Alan was saying the narrative was wrong, and in fact it was the beastmen killing each other, which makes some sense in regards to how humans were meant to be able to keep up with the superhuman beastmen. But everything points to Alan being a slick tongued backstabber who is controlling things. Would not be surprised to learn that Alan is actually the general from the past, and there is a long history of trying to use beastmen for pharmaceutical means, giving him immortal life, with Shirou accidentally getting it too. But that is just a guess without any real proof. Shirou is now on the run, from him acting violent and such, and he has turned to Flip of all people, but I feel like he might actually be helpful over everything that is happening. Because clearly Alan is artificially causing these rampage events, the evidence about it being from different kinds of beastmen being near each other is a lie. The concert mentioned by Nazuna that is Alan’s idea will most likely be him making the audience all rampage. Episode 11 Even with all of Shirou plan to stop it from happening, Michiru even convincing Nazuna not to reveal it, did not end up managing to do so, the cult guy managing to go over her head. Even worse, Shirou went into a rampage and seemingly hurt Michiru, so it is onto the last episode. The ED being grey just hints an emotional centre. I kind of assumed that the whole rampage thing was like something done like a chemical to make the beastmen turn, and yet even those who were watching the stream changed. Feels confusing because if this was natural, then it should have happened more in random cases. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15591 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 12 (finale)
So, Alan is a mystical purebred beastmen, considering himself above all humans and beastmen, which he considers mongrel. He can even turn into a golden Cerberus that shoots lasers. Michiru’s blood can be a vaccine to the rampaging, but Shirou’s howl can also placate them under some control before they get a cure. And managing to hold back the tide they get the city under control and keep autonomy. Nazuna even became a bit of an idol for the city, and the mayor thinks bringing humans into the city will eventually help. In the end I actually kind of feel a little conflicted from finding parts a bit confusing. Like Alan apparently got his powers from soaking in the blood of wolf beastmen, his people were behind the massacre, but nothing definitive about the Alan being the leader. Kind of confusing where Alan turning into his current form fits into. No explanation of why the rampaging syndrome happened recently, Alan’s theory about mongrel blood seems wrong, but also odd why the first case was the guy they wanted kept secret. To be totally honest about how this all ended, it feels like we were meant to have more episodes that could have gone into things. Shirou’s full history seems very lightly touched on, the ram woman that may have been his lover in the past you probably could entirely miss if you were not paying attention to it. Just makes me think that maybe they wrote the series with twice the episode length in mind that could have included episodes that went into the past more. I similarly feel bummed that the second half of the series is pretty much entirely absent of the sort of side story episodes that I liked the most. Like Nina was pretty much entirely absent from the rest of the show except for several shots in the concert crowd, not even an update about her after everything happened, and that her father was part of the force fighting back the robots. Flip shooting bazookas and missiles was a great Trigger energy though. His whole mob family was practically absent from this second half in general, and just kind of feels like missed opportunity for fun. Twelve episodes is shorter than the likes of Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia, which I kind of feel compelled to especially compare to since they have the same kind of energy and worldbuilding. I would probably put Michiru right next Ryuko and Akko. No surprise that the director of this is strongly tied to LWA. I generally feel like BNA really got some aesthetic stuff right, OP is banging, and the ED is just beautiful, super loved when it was used within the regular episode as a song important to Michiru and Nazuna. In the end it just feels like it went into super rushed towards the end. I won’t say that LWA did not get a bit spinning its wheels a little in the second half, but I do think the payoff in the end worked in a way I feel in contrast to BNA’s. Another example is that it feels like Michiru’s transformation abilities are a bit sporadic in her character growth, a big contrast to Akko, which was kind of awesome how it tied to Akko growing as a person to getting abilities. Kind of feels like there should have been more standalone episodes that might have made Michiru getting new forms. So I love bits, and think other parts did not work in the length it was, an idea that was made to be fleshed out but in this length, but just squashed in twelve episodes. To be sure, KlK and LWA have things totally break Ryuko and Akko, that hit them to the core of their character, where they build themselves up stronger than ever, but Michiru feels like she missed out on that, or it was squashed into her old friend not being super friendly back. My rating is Very good (8/10), I am not going to be too harsh on BNA not matching up to shows I pretty much consider perfect, doing so pretty much always leads to disappointment. But man, do I love me this Trigger energy, I need more of this in my general anime viewing, the shot to my system that fills me with my love of anime that I think that I can even forget at times. Also, surprise, they did not go to space this time. |
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