Anime Review: Busou Shinki Episode 1

Hi guys. Autumn season is already started. Thus, there are also a lot of autumn season anime titles already started. One of those are Busou Shinki, aired at 5 October 2012 midnight. And so, this is the review of its first episode titled “大切なもの見つけました (Taisetsu na Mono Mitsukemashita; We Found Something Important)”. Side note: this is my first anime review.

(WARNING! SPOILER CONTENT INCLUDED! OPEN AT YOUR OWN RISK!)

Yes, Busou Shinki is one of the TV anime series I've been waiting for so far. The reason is that I actually own the figure, which the series is originated from. I also play the PSP game, the Battle Masters series which is a good game although it's actually quite hard for me sometimes. There are also the MMO PC game, the Battle Rondo which now the server is already closed, and also a social games for Japanese smartphones, the Battle Communications. I never play both of them before, so... yeah...

The real Busou Shinki figures. Both of those are mine by the way

So, what is Busou Shinki? Thankfully, they give you a background at the very beginning of the anime. So, Shinki is actually a 15 cm robotic figurine that act as your own personal assistant. They have a very special intelligence and emotion and they also serve their “Master”. Time goes by as the technology grows up, they made a weapon set for Shinki to fight against another Shinki. Thus they called it Busou Shinki. That's simple the background in the anime. Want to know more? You better visit the franchise website.

The anime starts with a battle between Strarf Mk.2 vs Eukrante (named Clara as the credit title say so) in some Shinki match. If you know the franchise or at least following the game story, you might know what will happen next.

Yes, the match won by Strarf Mk.2.

Now, the story then. The series itself first time (including the Battle Rondo) sets the time at year 2036. Then the PSP game, the Battle Masters series, sets the story at year 2040; 4 years after the original one. They also introducing a new system called “Ride On System”, which is a system to control your Shinki on your own. But, since the Shinki itself also can move by their own, the better the synchronization between the owner and the Shinki, the better the result. The TV anime however didn't tell the year of the timeline. Maybe they will tell us later on the series, so let's just say “In the future of the world”.

Now, the story of the anime begins with Rihito, the protagonist and the Shinki master, come back to his hometown to start his first year of high school. As a Shinki master, he also bring his Shinki as well. Since Rihito is actually move back to his hometown, he is actually bring so much package besides his own Shinki.

Rihito's apartment

She is Ann, an Arnval Mk.2 type Shinki. She is Rihito's first ever Shinki and he's also already own it since childhood. So she already on her master side for a very long time. In personality, she is very energetic and also very cheerful. She is also serious and also pretty strong in combat and sometimes tends very easy to get angry.

He is Rihito, the protagonist. He's been a Shinki master since childhood. His first Shinki is the Arnval Mk.2 type, named Ann. He's now starting his first year of the high school. And also, he just move in to his hometown.

Then she is Ines, an Altines type Shinki. She is Rihito's other Shinki alongside with her wave sister, which will be shown later, besides Ann. She is quite tomboy in personality, but also a bit tsundere. Like Ann, she is also serious in combat, though not as strong as Ann.

Finally, she is Lene, an Altlene type Shinki. She is Altines wave sister in terms of the product line up, so she's also new like Ines. She is clumsy and a bit airhead. In combat, she is pretty much the same as Ines (I think).

All the Shinkis gather up

So, the first episode of this anime is about an attempt of all of those Shinki to tidy up Rihito's room while he is in his school. In the time when they want to do it, they find a box says “Important” on it. They're curious, but they still have to tidy the room. So they leave it and keep tidying.

Until.....

Ines sitting on a ruler and unexpectedly sends a knife fly, and stabs into the box. Afraid that the things inside broken because of the knife, Lene is trying to open the box to make sure that the things inside is save, but she slips down and end herself up taped with its box tape. And thanks to Ines for helping freeing Lene, the box is finally opened.

Sometimes later, they found a letter that slips out from a book inside the box which Ines guess is a love letter. They want to know the content of the letter, but Ann insist not to open it. Wind blows, making the letter flying out from the window. Because of that, they have to catch it back.

Meanwhile in some park, Clara is on a training to make sure she is strong enough to win a Shinki Tournament. Then, she noticing something is coming. But then she is crashed by a flying letter and splash down to a little river. On the other hand, Ann, Lene, and Ines finally found her master's “important' letter. By that time, they also ignoring Clara's babbling.

Annoyed with that, Clara then activate a field generator, making a battle field. Though Ann and Ines refused to have a battle, Clara transforms and take on them by force. And on the instant, Ines transforms and protects Ann and the letter from Clara's attack. Thanks to that, Ines now have a battle with Clara.

But then.....

A spark from a contacting swords hitting both Ann and the letter, damaging the letter a bit. This makes Ann angry, and fights Clara.

Ann finally beat Clara pretty easy. But suddenly, a bell signs for her master to come back home rings. With Lene finally turning of the field generator, She, Ann, and Ines is now go back home. Confused, the same bell later rings to Clara and she also go back.

At home, Rihito is now back from his school. The Shinkis then showing the letter to Rihito. It turns up that the letter contains a mini disc which is a Shinki room design he made since childhood for Ann. Noticing that, Rihito now promise to his Shinkis to make a Shinki room to all of them.

 Little Rihito with Ann alongside him

 The episode ends with Rihito found an unknown box that turns up filled with a Strarf Mk.2 type Shinki inside.

That's the recap of the episode. Now, let's make a first impression of the anime with some “YEAH!!!”, “Hmm.....”, and “NAAAH!!!”.

“YEAH!!!” - KAWAII~

Yes, this anime is absolutely cute. Because they originally a small action figure (or commonly known as a toy for some people). And they still make it cute up until the end of the episode. Cool!

Lene in her own "Maid Uniform Armor" really suits her

“YEAH!!!” - It's pretty much the same as the video game!

I played the PSP game before. Though I mostly use Arnval Mk.2 (named “Aria (アリア)”) while playing. So let's use her as the example. And in the anime, she is pretty much the same as the video game does. She is friendly, cheerful, energetic, serious at certain times, and also tends to get angry easily. Maybe they will shown Arnval's (both the first and the Mk.2) most famous problem, the system bug, later on the show. I really can't wait to see that! And also, I like fact that they actually make the armaments the same as the video game. Unlike the Moon Angel OVA, which making the PDW11 (Arnval Mk.2's pistol) into a fire-powered pistol instead of a laser-powered, which does in the TV anime. Well done.

“YEAH!!!” - Story-wise

This anime is still on the first episode. So I can't say very much about the story. Because the main story itself, I think, is not started yet. But, I can say the first episode itself is pretty fun and very enjoyable with some actions as the appetizer. I said that because the first episode is about a daily lives of a Shinki, right? So, a good plus then.

“Hmm.....” - 8Bit Studio's action scene

This anime is made by the same team as the one who make IS <Infinite Stratos> anime before, 8Bit. And to be honest, I don't actually like the action scene (mostly the battle scene), like the IS does so. It's cool actually because it's drawn in 3D. It's also cool when in the head on actions and also the close cam actions. But, it tends to loose focus sometimes in the high speed actions. Sometimes, they shoot the action scenes from far, so the characters looks small like a flying mosquito. And also sometimes, it looks floating to me instead of flying. But hey, it's still good anyway. So, average.

Some of their good flying scene

“Hmm.....” - Some of the Shinki's stuffs are missing, though it also unknown if it's exist or not

In the anime, the Shinki stuffs I can recognize are obviously, although also not mentioned in the anime, the CSC (Core Setup Chip; heart of a Shinki. A Shinki can't alive without that), the MMS (Shinki's main body), the cradle (Shinki recharging pod; you can see it in the scene when Ann is sleeping), and probably a field generator. The new one is the portable field generator which is a disc-like thing, like a Ride-On Gear's disc in the Moon Angel OVA, you can see in the park scene. A transforming Shinki is also new to me since originally, Shinki needs to wear their gears by herself to attempt the battle. Shinki Center is not there, though I think it supposed to be there. And there's no Ride-On System, which means there's no Ride-On Gear nor the Ride-On Stage...... yet, I think.

A portable field generator which can be activated by the Shinki

So, 3 pluses, 2 averages, and no minuses so far. That means this anime is good. Although it's still on the first episode, this anime already shown its greatness. I like it. Recommended for people who like action anime, and it's also very recommended for people who like a toy-themed anime (like Danball Senki, B-Daman, BeyBlade, etc.). Although it's also quite erotic I think. Shinki is a figurine (girl-based figure). So I think that's why the team making this anime with a bit sexual approach. There's a jiggling breast scene in the opening, and there's also a sexual gag inside.

Ann: "The chest is a bit tight." Lene: "Ah, this is for Ines."

Now, question time. You see, in the anime, they show Strarf Mk.2 battle with Clara at the beginning and also Strarf Mk.2 sleeping in the cradle at the end of the anime. To notice you, they both have a different hair and eye color.

So, what do you think? Is that the same Strarf Mk.2 or they both different?

Next episode, we have Strarf Mk.2 join the company and also Howling and Mao Chao attacking them. What will happened then? I really can't wait to see it. So let's wait the next episode next

Friday midnight.