Today's review is on Shotaro Ishinomori's Cyborg 009-1. If you're familiar with Kamen Rider, Kikaider, Skull man, or even Cyborg 009 (though it bares no relation to this title) then you have an idea of what the show's pacing feels like. Cyborg 009-1 or Cyborg Kunoichi (if you're into Japanese and puns you'll see how clever that is) is about spies, action, cold war, spies, and vivacious looking women killing people left and right. It spans about some 12 episodes, one being a sort of a special ova episode. But that's not why you're here. After all, this is all online and google is everyone's friend these days. So where's the review?
Sure thing boss, lemme break it down.
I remember when this series first came out, I was really beaming about it. Hot chick who does spy stuff? And she's busty? I'm there. The first episode I think is what turned me off. I couldn't seem to see it in Japanese as I typically prefer, though the English VAs for the series wasn't particularly bad if that's your bag but the story is what made me reconsider. It just seemed to flounder. Flop around. Then there's those tits. Those funbags. Dem Ta-tas. Normally I'd love to motorboat something like that, but then bullets came out of them, so the fantasy just went terribly wrong in my head. Whole thing was a turn off and a queer reminder that old Japanese men loved putting guns where they really shouldn't belong. Am I right Astro Boy fans? Could have been worse. What do I mean worse? Oh. Simple. Imagine Astro Boy shooting you from his dic-
Oh hey a review about spies! Right? Right.
But I wanted to give it a fair shake. Small titles do that to me. and of course, it's Shotaro Ishinomori we're talkin' about here....
Female spies are always hot.
After all, I'm a huge fan of Ishinomori's work. Dude did a lot. In fact he did more than anyone. Seriously, Ishinomori is the king of printed manga seeing that he published enough work to dwarf some of the greats like Oda, Toriyama or Kishimoto who came after him. So I bit the bullet, and did round two.
James bond-esque spy intros means it gets classy.
Thank goodness for round two. The story flounders because well, it's rather familiar. The whole thing plays like the cold era, with East Bloc and West Bloc as warring governments. The plot follows Hoffman on missions as she starts to uncover a plot to use mutants to win an even scored zero-sum game. As the episodes progress, you get to understand who Hoffman is and who she isn't. Most of the time, she's serious. No bubbly warm character, no bimbo strategies, mostly Hoffman in some really wonderful outfits shooting people in the head with a laser gun. Hell, she's probably on par with Space Adventure Cobra and Cobra never misses. Speaking of Cobra, there's one enemy who I've named Crystal Girl. You'll know who I mean when you see her in action. In fact, by the end of the series I haven't seen a female spy so hardcore. To the point of taking out some key players that happen to be important in her personal life as well as the mission. The story firms up as the episodes go on and looking back at it, I found that though it stumbles like a model's first steps in some super duper high heels, she recovers so quick that you forgot she stumbled at all. By the end, you feel like you watched something that was not only a great spy title but something that aged well, which is no surprise since the story was written so well from the start.
Here's some of the English Dub in case if you're curious.
I would certainly advise anyone to check this show out. If so, consider the box set called "S.A.V.E". 15 bucks and shipping will get you the episodes commercial free. If you can't wait or you're curious as to what the fuss is about or consider if I'm full of shit with this review, I've included both the Youtube Channel and Hulu channel where you can watch the episodes in full and make your own decision about 009-1. Hulu also offers the OVA episode "R&B" which features some of the best Jazz I've heard since Cowboy Bebop.
Watch this, you will not have wasted your time on this. Let me know in the comments below!
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