I enjoyed almost all of the supporting cast. What made me really enjoy this anime, wasn't the overall story. The amount of detail this anime had really surprised me. From the different names that were added to Van, to the way this anime referred back to previous episode. However, I loved how this anime tied each episode together. The first half of this anime appeared to be episodic. Wendy, the "heroine" of the story had her brother "kidnapped" by the Claw. Along his journey, he meets many others who are travelling with him for their own purpose. Van, the main character is seeking revenge on the guy (known as the Claw) who murdered his fiancee on their wedding day. Well once you overcome how insanely plain the plot is and just watch it for what its worth, you'll most likely have a fun viewing experience. But overall its a very good cast of characters. Of course there are a few annoying characters. Take that as you may but I found it to be a good decision considering how fun this show is to watch. Now there are a few unique characters in there but for the most part the main/supporting characters are direct ripoffs from other anime either in appearance or personality.
Nothing sounds over used and you'll even hear a few classic movie sounds if you can spot them fast enough. I laughed every time i heard the big band song come on when there was comedy scene. The music also sounds like it should, with the exception of the opening theme song. A wasteland sounds like a wasteland, a large train station sounds like a large train station every environment sounds exactly as it should.
From the environmental sounds, to the flora/fauna/crowds, music and even the voice actors are all there. Sound is one thing that is very hard to mess up on and the more sound added to a show the better imo. At first you would think this is a western style anime through and through, but you'll soon realize that is not the case. Everything from a barren wasteland, to a lush jungle, to a bustling industrial city are all present here. Although the art is very average, the settings are varied and vast to say the least. The character art is very average though, compared to the mechas. Of course theres the usual cheap action animation but for the most part you'll see the fighters move with accurate fluidity. They all run so smoothly and blazingly fast. But as in any mecha anime, you will see all the detail get put in the mechas and the action scenes. The art and animation wasn't too spectacular. It really made some scenes pretty interesting, especially when you realize how close they actually imitated some scenes from their action movie counterparts. The ones that stand out the most are Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, and even ROBOT JOX (you might have to IMDb that one). A good way they managed to keep it fresh throughout was that they managed to parody some classic action scenes straight from Hollywood. Doesn't sound like much of a story but in all honesty, it was a fun trip the whole way through, from beginning to end.
Along the way he makes friends and enemies. Hard boiled desperado out to seek revenge for what was lost. Anime is just like test driving a new car, 'It looks real nice, but how does it drive?' As a matter of fact, it drives REALLY nice.Īs i said before this plot has been done at least a good dozen times (in anime AND movies). So what if the plot is rehashed from many other anime. There isn't much about this show that hasn't been done before, but then again you can say that to almost every anime made. Little do they know, however, that The Claw Man is involved with something more atrocious than either could fathom. After the bandits are dealt with easily, Van and, much to his chagrin, Wendy continue the journey in search of The Claw Man. Surprisingly, Van learns that the bandits had ties with The Claw Man, and in kidnapping Wendy's brother for a reason they did not disclose. Soon after, Van comes across the raiding bandits himself and they eventually tick off the swordsman to a degree where he takes action against them for his own personal vendetta. When the city pleads for Van's assistance to defend it, he refuses, claiming it has nothing to do with him and thus leaves the city on its own to deal with the peril. It is in this city that Van meets Wendy Garret, a timid young girl who is looking for her kidnapped brother. During his travels, Van happens to pass through the city of Evergreen, which is defending itself from bandits who aim to rob the city of its treasury. The only characteristic he has to go by is that the murderer has a claw for an arm, hence the murderer being referred to as The Claw Man. Van, a lanky and apathetic swordsman, is on a journey to kill the murderer of his fiancé.