Tetsujin 28 Vol 1: Monster Resurrected

 

Reviewed By:  Andrew Kaplan

 

DVD (Single Disk) Geneon

 

What it’s (basically) all about: This remake of the classic Tetsujin/Gigantor series, set in 1955, tells the beginning of the tale of a boy and his robot.  Developed as a weapon during WWII, Shotaro (the 28th Tetsujin robot experiment) was abandoned and hidden away on a Pacific isle after the death of its creator, Professor Kaneda.  When the robot returns, the professor’s son, Shotaro (for whom the robot was named) is able to take control of it.  Together, they uncover and fight other bizarre experimental weapons left over from the war.

 

Nitty Gritty: Tetsujin 28 features a retro design aesthetic, echoing 1950s roots.  The characters and robot designs all have a more rounded, simplified feel to them than most contemporary anime.  This results in a very child-friendly look to the packaging, but this is not necessarily a story for young kids.

 

Although the hero is an eleven year-old boy, the overall tone of this DVD is not as obviously suited for all ages as, say, Pokemon.  The stories—indeed, even the color palate—is fairly dark and moody.  The anti-war message is probably best appreciated by older kids, at least in middle school.  Some parts of the story are told in a non-linear manner, with flash-forwards and flashbacks.  And characters die, sometimes in grim and upsetting ways. 

 

There is a certain amount of fantasy violence, with robots fighting other robots and monsters, but no graphic gore.  One character does die in a car crash, and bloodstains are visible, but they are colored black.  There is no mature language or sexual content.

 

This is a series that, at least with this first volume (which contains five episodes), straddles the line between juvenile and young adult.  Ultimately, it may be best suited in a YA collection, but it would not be inappropriate for a middle-school audience in many communities.

 

Extras include:

Clean opening animation

 

Trailers for:

Submarine 707R

Starship Operators

J2 – Jubei Chan 2

All of which are appropriate for a YA audience.

 

Survey says: While suitable for sixth-grade viewers and up, this DVDs PG rating and darker tone place it most appropriately in young adult collections.

 

Personal Ad: I am a complete sucker for the retro look.  Give me a big ol’ giant robot that looks like it’s made out of cast iron and riveted together, and I’m so there.  But I don’t want just a complete duplication of the original series.  The original Gigantor is out there to watch if that’s what I want to see.  This new series combines the look and spirit of the original with a more contemporary animation and storytelling feel, resulting in a very successful update of a beloved classic.