Anime Reviews (2010-2019): BEM – The Complete Series (A Neo-Tokyo 2099 Anime on Blu-ray review)

With the upcoming animated film for “BEM” to hit theaters later this year, one can only hope the characters are presented in a much better written story than what was featured on the TV series.

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TITLE: BEM – The Complete Series

ANIME RELEASE DATE IN JAPAN: 2019

DURATION: Episodes 1-12 (300 Minutes)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 4×3, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Funimation

RATED: TV 14

Release Date: April 28, 2020

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Directed by Odaka Yoshinori

Series Composition by Tomioka Atsuhiro

Character Design: Sunagawa Masakazu

Art Director: Akashi Seiko

Anime Production: LandQ Studios

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Featuring the following voice talent

Ono Kensho/Aaron Dismuke as Belo

M.A.O./Dani Chambers as Bela

Konishi Katsuyuki/Gabe Kunda as Bem

Ono Daisuke/Christopher Wehkamp as Helmut Felt

Sakamoto Maaya/Colleen Clinkenbeard as Mystery Woman / Vega

Saito Soma/Dallas Reid as Daryl Bryson

Suwabe Junichi/Daman Mills as Dr. Recycle

Uchida Maaya/Felecia Angelle as Sonia Summers

Nomura Kenji/Jason Douglas as Joel Woods

Nishiyama Kotaro/Stephen Fu as Roddy Walker

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Libra City is a sprawling metropolis, whose districts split the rich and the poor. Hiding among the populace are three humanoid monsters—Bem, Bela, and Belo—who protect humanity and hope to one day become humans themselves. However, when a Mysterious Lady threatens their way of life, Bem, Bela, and Belo are pulled into a plot unlike anything they’ve ever known.

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In 2019, an anime series titled “BEM” aired on television as part of the 50th anniversary project of the franchise.

The original anime series “Yokai Ningen Bem” originaly aired from 1968-1969 and revolves around humanoid monsters (yokai) who fight for justice.

The three yokai, BEM, Bela and Belo lilving among humans and protect humanity from evil yokai despite being disliked by humans and other yokai.

The series would receive another adaptation in 2006, a TV drama in 2011, a live-action film in 2012 and a 12-episode anime series in 2019.

With the announcement of a “BEM” animated film titled “BEM: Become Human” set for Fall 2020, now the 2019 anime series will be released on Blu-ray/DVD courtesy of Funimation.

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In 1969-1969, “Yokai Ningen Bem” aired on Japanese television and when it was first released, the three main characters, BEM, Belo and Bela are yokai and you can tell from their character designs is that they are monsters and in their humanoid forms, they still look creepy.

The 2006 anime series managed to keep some similarity to the 1968 series but for 2019, the decision was made to give the main characters more humanoid features and make them look less creepy and make them look more modern.  Is that a good thing or bad thing?  I guess it’s all subjective.

My first time getting acquainted with the series was at AnimeJapan 2019 at their booth promoting the anime series and there was no doubt a feeling that they were pushing for a new vibe.

The first episode introduces us to a police officer named Sonia Summers working in the Upper area of (the wealthy) of Libra City but after talking down to her supervisors, she was sent to work in the crime infested “Outside” of town (the poor).

It was when she meets the mysterious Bem and it would be the first time she witnesses his transformation of the three into yokai to take on other monsters of its kind.  While Bela and Belo, who are assisting Bem, wonder if they will ever be accepted by the humans.

Meanwhile, Dr. Recycle is giving powers to these evil yokai, the police is corrupt, while the invisible council controls the city.

So, you have two storylines with Sonia and police discovering deaths outside of town, while Bem, Bela and Belo take on yokai but hoping they can be human and be accepted by humans if they continue to defeat evil yokai.

Watching “BEM”, I felt that the series wanted to create a darker environment, characters that are distanced from its previous adaptations and is presented much differently in story.  Characters should be the main draw of why they desire to be human, but instead we are given a new adaptation with no clear answers.

But that’s where the upcoming 2020 animated film “BEM: BECOME HUMAN” comes in as the questions that we were wondering of why the three desire to become more human, this will be the focal point of the animated film.

The film answers questions and also helps answer what happened to the characters two years after what took place in the final episode.

If anything, I found the pacing of the TV series to be problematic and the storyline devoid of character dynamics. Was it a series that needed 24-episodes versus 12?  Possibly, because the writer needed more time to answer questions regarding the characters and felt, because there was only 12 episodes, the writers tried to cram as much as they can, to segue to the upcoming film.

I found “BEM” was a series that wanted to be a popcorn action anime series and feature many characters, yet not bothering to use the characters efficiently.   “BEM” seemed as if it was rushed and that is quite sad considering this anime was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the series.

One can only hope that the animated film “BEM: BECOME HUMAN” has a much more enjoyable storyline and better use of characters than what was accomplished in the TV series.

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