GENESIS CLIMBER MOSPEADA
I hadn’t initially seen this series when I first heard about it a couple of years ago, and now that I have finally given it a watch, I think it’s a ride worth talking about. I saw it a couple of days ago, and it feels like I’m still absorbing the events of the series! It wasn’t convoluted or anything, just so intense and fast-paced.
I feel like, since the series has been on my mind ever since I finished watching it, I think it deserves thumbs up in my book. Overall though? It does come with its flaws; it isn’t perfect by any means whatsoever. However, the actual content within the series, the story, the direction, the immaculate action, and the production values are executed exceptionally well.
The story is easy to grasp, but the direction makes it a complicated affair making it engaging and mysterious to discover as you watch through it. Earth was invaded by an alien race called the Inbits, the surviving humans have been hiding or relocated to other planets, or perhaps they had always been on other planets. Ever since the invasion, Humans have been trying to liberate earth from the Inbits’ grasp but have consistently failed to do so.
The main story follows Stick Bernard, our hero. He was part of the Second Liberation Force, but when the entire fleet is destroyed before it even reaches planet Earth, he’s the only survivor and a stowaway on his own planet. Once on Earth, he collects a ragtag squad of rebels in hiding and begins his trek to the Inbit headquarters on a mission to obliterate it and liberate the citizens of Earth from the shackles of this alien force.
While the story itself isn’t anything entirely unique, it’s a decent enough affair. It’s a very A to Z series, with our characters going through certain events till they reach their checkpoints at the end of it all. The main reason why this series was so good is the characters. Even the main character is a person of his own and not created to make a relatable face for everyone.
Stick is showcased out to be this uptight soldier who cannot even fathom the idea of a morally grey situation. The concept of the good and evil dichotomy has a firm grasp on his ideals. Ray is one of the more comic relief characters, while Mint has the same role but on an even larger scale. Hoquet is the show’s heart though, her personality brings a charm to their group of rebels, and she’s just such a badass female character.
It’s very nice to see that from an eighties anime. Jim was the designated coward of the bunch, and even he was an interesting and complex character by the end of it. These characters develop and behave how people in the real world would, and for a complete sci-fi series, that was a pleasure to watch. They had increasingly somber moments and moments of top-tier teamwork during high octane battles.
The best part about this series’ story is the characters; their uniqueness brings this animated vision to life. The voice acting just brings these characters to life even more, with each voice actor bringing their absolute best to the table. The way they are written makes them life-like, and if not life-like, then at least believable enough that you get attached to them both emotionally and in terms of the show’s story. You care for their journey, and their struggle matters to you as a viewer.
The art itself isn’t anything revolutionary; in fact, there’d been artistically better series released in the early 1970s. The few excellent artistic design choices were the mecha choices, such as that motorbike that turns itself into a mechanoid battle suit for the rider, and that was just super cool to look at every time.
There’s also an aircraft with three different forms, one as a regular aircraft, the other is an aircraft but with limbs, and the final one is a full-on giga-mech. It’s just super cool to see these designs, which are unique and new.
The animation, on the other hand, is INSANE. It’s so good with the animation; even as an eighties series, it feels terrific to watch. Each background is so well animated that the series lives and breathes atmosphere, and the action is so beautifully done that its smoothness never lets you even realize that this is an anime from the mid-eighties. The transformations into mechanoids are so smooth and fluid, and the way each character moves even outside of the action is amazingly animated.
The best aspect by far of this series isn’t even the characters; it’s the music. Right off the bat, the opening theme called "In Search of Lost Legends" takes you in; it immerses you in the series’ world. Mine Matsuki created yellow Belmont’s songs, and they are stunning compositions.
Emotionally resonant songs are aplenty in this anime. And last but not least, the background score was done by none other than Joe Hisaishi, long collaborator of Hayao Miyazaki San. Mospeada is one of his oldest works, but the sonic power of this soundtrack is still incredibly resonant.
In conclusion, Genesis Climber Mospeada is a more straightforward eighties series to come out of anime. It was a time of experimentation and tradition, yet this anime does both with its character-driven storytelling techniques and its high focus on action.
Mospeada also has one of the best soundtracks by Joe Hisaishi, along with some well-done animation and a reasonably decent art design. While its story lacks ambition, it makes up for it with an absolute chock full of entertainment value. Every single eighties anime buff should give Genesis Climber Mospeada a watch; you’re in for a wild ride!
