What’s it about ?
A spin-off show about anime!X-Men’s Magneto figure.
This seems to be original material, after a 2008 TV series that was a semi-close manga adaptation.
Characters
Kyousuke Hyoubu really does share a lot of traits with Magneto at his best : charismatic, confident, more than slightly creepy, ridiculously over-powered (there’s a reason the show is subtitled “the Unlimited”), and a body count in the dozens in this episode alone. Despite this being his show, he’s actually positioned as a bit of an antagonist. As he should, really.
Andy Hinomiya is our real protagonist and point-of-view character. He’s a prisoner in an mutant esper detention facility set in some south-american-ish island military dictatorship. His powers are said to be kinda crap (some weak telekinesis ?), but he’s a very good fighter, and there’s definitely more than meets the eye. He catches Hyoubu’s attention, and eventually gets to join the Brotherhood of Mutants his group of esper terrorists PANDRA by the end of the episode.
Yuugiri, a young (?) girl hidden in the depths of the prison. She’s the real reason Hyoubu lets himself get “captured” : his plan was to rescue her from the get-go. Destroying a lab performing evil experiments on esper prisoners doesn’t displease him either. Anyway, he calls her “Queen”, which is quite intriguing. (Has he moved on from Kaoru ?)
Most of the PANDRA members sketched out in the main series are to be part of the cast, obviously. The titular Children aren’t anywhere in sight, although the OP/ED heavily promises that their handler Minamoto is going to show up at some point and be as badass as ever.
Production Values
Quite good. This seems to have more of a budget than the original series, with some impressive action sequences. Overall, the atmosphere is much more serious, with no comedic exaggerations, and character designs of the “noodle people” variety.
Overall Impression
This is a promising start. Hyoubu is an interesting character when he’s not being a lolicon perv, so there’s something to be said for a “serious” spin-off series focusing on his Brotherhood’s action, without the comedy trappings of the main show. (Although, you know, his tsundere telepathic flying squirrel sidekick is still around.)
The good idea here is to have Andy as a protagonist, which gives the series a narrative arc of its own. I really doubt he’ll succeed in bringing Hyoubu down in any meaningful way, but it should be interesting to see him trying against impossible odds.
This is definitely more interesting than I was expecting, and notably better than its parent show. I’m in for the ride.
