With a name like Tiger & Bunny, you'd think this is a children's cartoon that teaches numbers and colors. When you find out it's an anime, you may fear that it's some kind of furry show. Looking at a poster, you may think it's just another giant-mech show. TIger and Bunny is none of these, but it's highly enjoyable, and I'd say one of the best anime for American viewers. Here's why you should watch.
The show takes place in an alternate version of Earth where super-powered individuals started appearing some 40 or so years prior. The setting is Stern Bild city, based on New York City, The show takes place roughly in present-day. When individuals with special powers appeared, companies saw an opportunity. They would sponsor heroes, televise their exploits, and cover any damages the heroes incurred. In return, the heroes would wear company logos and promote the company's products. In the present day, the current oldest-serving hero, Wild Tiger, is sponsored by a small company that is bought out by a much larger one. The new company partners Wild Tiger up with a new hero, Barnaby Brooks Jr., the first hero without a secret identity. At first, the level-headed and populist rookie and the old-timer clash in principles and procedures, but over time they learn to work together to take down super-villains.
I said earlier that this is a great anime even for people who aren't anime fans. The dub in this show is fantastic. I'd say most dubs have problems with syncing the original Japanese lip-movements to the new English dialogue. Oftentimes, the resulting delivery is very stilted to accommodate the original lip-movements. Tiger & Bunny, thankfully, has almost no moments when the dub is distractingly awkward. The voice actors in the dub are all great, and the only one I felt could have been better was the lead, Wild Tiger. To be fair though, it's hard to compete with Hirata Hiroaki's fantastic original Japanese voice performance.
The show is full of action, likeable characters, cool exploration of some areas that the Western superhero genre has failed to tread (like competing popularity between superheroes, reliance on corporations, etc.). The supporting cast is all great, and the CG in the show is incorporated surprisingly well.
Does the show have flaws? Yeah, of course. The second season was much worse than the first, featuring a lackluster villain, awkward exposition scenes, and a conclusion that somehow felt both rushed and drawn-out. Regardless, it was very unsatisfying. However, looking back on the show, I'd say I had a really good time. There were surprising great bits of humor, good characters, and a neat premise that ties this show into a nice little package, and an anime definitely worth watching.
The show takes place in an alternate version of Earth where super-powered individuals started appearing some 40 or so years prior. The setting is Stern Bild city, based on New York City, The show takes place roughly in present-day. When individuals with special powers appeared, companies saw an opportunity. They would sponsor heroes, televise their exploits, and cover any damages the heroes incurred. In return, the heroes would wear company logos and promote the company's products. In the present day, the current oldest-serving hero, Wild Tiger, is sponsored by a small company that is bought out by a much larger one. The new company partners Wild Tiger up with a new hero, Barnaby Brooks Jr., the first hero without a secret identity. At first, the level-headed and populist rookie and the old-timer clash in principles and procedures, but over time they learn to work together to take down super-villains.
I said earlier that this is a great anime even for people who aren't anime fans. The dub in this show is fantastic. I'd say most dubs have problems with syncing the original Japanese lip-movements to the new English dialogue. Oftentimes, the resulting delivery is very stilted to accommodate the original lip-movements. Tiger & Bunny, thankfully, has almost no moments when the dub is distractingly awkward. The voice actors in the dub are all great, and the only one I felt could have been better was the lead, Wild Tiger. To be fair though, it's hard to compete with Hirata Hiroaki's fantastic original Japanese voice performance.
The show is full of action, likeable characters, cool exploration of some areas that the Western superhero genre has failed to tread (like competing popularity between superheroes, reliance on corporations, etc.). The supporting cast is all great, and the CG in the show is incorporated surprisingly well.
Does the show have flaws? Yeah, of course. The second season was much worse than the first, featuring a lackluster villain, awkward exposition scenes, and a conclusion that somehow felt both rushed and drawn-out. Regardless, it was very unsatisfying. However, looking back on the show, I'd say I had a really good time. There were surprising great bits of humor, good characters, and a neat premise that ties this show into a nice little package, and an anime definitely worth watching.