Nadesico
It's the same, but different...
Review by: Craig "Insert Witty Nickname" Norris
Length: 26 episodes
Genre: Mecha, action, parody
Watched: 1-26, subbed
I've always tried to avoid mecha animes. I chalk that up to the discomforting experience of watching End of Evangelion (to this day, I shake uncontrollably whenever I see a red leaf). Besides, it always seemed to me to be a genre that has been done to death. After all, how many Gundam series are there now; about 426, give or take a dozen? But, in my ongoing attempt to diversify myself, I decided to give Martian Successor Nadesico a try. After all, with my brain already completely fried by End of Eva, I didn't have much to lose.
Plot synopsis: The war between Earth and the mysterious race called Jovians has gone on for over a year. Despite their best efforts, Earth's military has failed to repel the attacks of the Jovians, who utilize a phenomenon called Boson jumping, allowing them to instantaneously transmit unmanned weapons over 
great distances. In response, the private Earth-based corporation Nergal has constructed a state-of-the-art battleship, the Nadesico. Composed of the most capable crew available, the Nadesico fights independently of the military to bring peace to the war-torn solar system.
Artwork: I found the animation quality to be very inconsistent. There are many times when it appears crisp and fluid, but a few instances when it looks several years older than it actually is. In some cases it is meant to be so, such as when exploring the fictitious "anime within the anime" Gekiganger 3, but the sloppy production does rear its ugly head at a few inopportune times as well. The character designs are distinctive, and the mecha and ship designs are all good, despite being fairly generic. Overall, if you forgive a few hiccups in quality, the animation is above average.
Music: The main focus of the composers seemed to be fitting the music to the mood at the moment, and they largely succeeded in doing so. The music was dramatic during dramatic scenes, tense during fight scenes, and light during the comedic moments. The music itself is nothing to get too excited over, but it is integrated seamlessly into the show. In fact, one might go so far as to say that the music is typical mecha fare, which would be in keeping with the parody inherent throughout; an idea underscored by the fact that the characters will sometimes start singing the opening theme during the episodes. Doubtless, Gundam and Macross fans will nod their heads and say, "That sounds awfully familiar."
Characters: Martian Successor Nadesico sports a very large cast, as is often the case with the mecha genre; in fact, the large and diverse cast seems to be another parodied subject. First there is Akito, the reluctant but skillful pilot of the show's battle mecha, the Aestivalis. In a typical scenario, he avoids piloting due to tragedy in his past. In another typical scenario, he becomes the love interest of at least half the female crew members. One of those is Yurika, the unsure captain who was childhood friends with Akito. She is constantly questioning her true role on the ship when she's not chasing blindly after Akito. Megumi is the affable communications officer who in several instances is Yurika's direct rival for Akito's affections. She shares many of Akito's apprehensions about being involved in a war that shouldn't be fought. Ruri is in charge of the ship's computer, and plays the role of the stoic genius child who rarely smiles. Her attitude, along with her blue-grey hair and pasty skin, probably means she's Rei Ayanami's long-lost kid sister. Uribatake, the ship's mechanic, is very enthusiastic about his projects, and is 
even more enthusiastic about trying to score with the plethora of young female crew members, his marital status be damned. Ms. Inez, picked up by the Nadesico during a failed rescue attempt on Mars, feels the need to explain everything meticulously, even during the most inopportune times. She even goes so far as to recruit Yurika and Ruri to star in a child-oriented show that explains the inner workings of the ship. Ms. Howmei is the lead chef on the ship, and takes Akito under her wing in his quest to leave combat behind and become a cook. Minato is the ship's navigator, and probably has the most carefree attitude of all the main crewmembers. There are three female Aestivalis pilots; green-haired Ryoko, bespectacled Hikaru, and the eccentric Izuki. Ryoko is the most battle-hardened of all of them, but shows a romantic side through her crush on Akito, for which she is teased incessantly by Hikaru and Izuki. Hikaru is eager and energetic, and responds to excitement with noisemakers attached to her headband. I don't get it, either. Izuki is... well, she's a bit off. She says many strange puns, and some completely random things that only she finds amusing. Jun is Yurika's right-hand man and long-time friend. Though he is often at odds with the captain, he would do anything to protect her. The supporting cast is even more expansive, including a finance-conscious corporate representative, an anime-obsessed crack Aestivalis pilot, and a bossy helmswoman. Despite sporting a huge cast, the show does a very good job of keeping tabs on them all.
Plot: It's difficult to balance plot with parody. Unlike Excel Saga, which focused more on parody than plot progression, this show is the exact opposite. Sometimes the parody is completely phased out in favor of engrossing plot developments. Granted, the plot is fairly predictable, chock-full of romantic rivalries, corporate espionage, military double-crosses, and an overarching unsureness of whether the enemy is really the enemy, or whether or not the war should be fought at all. Even more interesting is how the plot parallels a lot of the scenes from Gekiganger 3 that are shown periodically. It is pretty much a given that, when a clip from Gekiganger 3 is shown at the beginning of an episode, the episode of Martian Successor Nadesico will somehow parallel it. At first Gekiganger 3 seems to be an afterthought thrown in for entertainment, but I was astounded at the significance it held towards the end of the series. Martian Successor Nadesico shouldn't be considered episodic, but there are various filler episodes, some of which were actually quite unnecessary. Instead, more effort should have been made on the ending, which I found to be very lackluster and disappointing.
CHICKS!: How 'bout a whole shipful, brother? The vast majority of the crew, outside of the maintenance hanger, that is, seems to be largely female, all the way up to Captain Yurika. Yurika seems to be a bit of an airhead at times, and hesitates on big decisions. But she is a looker, so morale is high. Megumi is a sweet girl, who seems to want nothing more than to leave the war behind and cuddle up next to that special someone (who is, of course, Akito, that lucky SOB). Inez is something rare in anime: a blonde with brains. She would certainly be quite a catch... if you'd be willing to sit patiently through her incessant explanations. Minato would be the one to go after if you're more of a fan of casual relationships. However, as the series clearly shows, she is also capable of deep emotional attachment. Hikaru is the resident cutie, but sometimes displays maturity that transcends her demeanor. Unfortunately, she seems to avoid relationships (even with that undeserving chick magnet Akito). Ryoko is a determined and self-reliant woman, and as such has a hard time expressing her feelings. If it weren't for Hikaru's and Izumi's prodding, she probably wouldn't reveal herself at all. Izumi is, for lack of a kinder word, a whacko. Her ominous laughter disturbs me. But she's got a hot body, so I'm conflicted. Suffice to say that I might go on a date with her, but I would not feel very safe. In short, no matter what your tastes are in chicks, the Nadesico's got a crewmember to fit your needs.
Overall: Like the "Scream" trilogy, Martian Successor Nadesico offers up a distinguishable template for its genre, blatantly pointing out the cliches in mecha anime. By integrating Gekiganger 3, it actually turns out to be two animes, with each continuity presenting itself in an exaggerated way. However, as opposed to giving in to strict parody, it also presents its own plot that it takes seriously for the most part. If you'd like to see a mecha anime that is the same old stuff but also radically different, I can't think of a better title than Martian Successor Nadesico.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Successful parody
+ Many well-developed characters
- Inconsistent artwork
- Unfulfilling ending
Rating: 7.5/10
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