Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Obsolete: Complete Collection (2019-2021)

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There is no doubt that Urobuchi Gen created a smart mecha anime series that delves upon our world and a big “What if?” and how would the world change if the world was given alien technology known as Exo-Frames and how it would be utilized. A fascinating concept worth checking out if you love mecha anime series!

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TITLE: Obsolete: Complete Collection

ANIME SERIES RELEASE DATE: 2019-2021

DURATION: ONA EPISODE 1-12 (Duration: 156 Minutes)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (16×9), English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English and Spanish Subtitles

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATING: TV 14 VL

Release Date: May 3, 2022

Originally concept by Urobuchi Gen

Director: Yamada Hiroki, Shirato Seiichi

Series Composition by Urobuchi Gen

Character Design by Yoshida Akihiko

Art Director: Taniguchi Junichi

Music by Ishikawa Tomohisa

Anime Production by Buemon

Featuring the following voice talent:

Barry Tarallo as Wangchuck

Chris Jahn as Zahir

Yamanoi Jin/Clay Cartland as Loewner

Sugimoto Yuu/Daryl Patrice as Kayira

Tanaka Masahiko/Gregg Weiner as Bowman

Morikawa Toshiyuki/Jason Kesser as Miyajima

Tezuka Hideaki/Phil Dubois as Reshep

Honjo Yutaro/Randall Swinton as Jamal

Takagi Wataru/Rayner Gabriel as Fernando

Kaiden Michiko/Sandi Stock as Michelle

The people of Earth learned they were not alone when the aliens arrived, wanting to trade an incredible advancement in technology for the small price of a few shipments of common rock. Almost every country and corporation in the world seized upon the opportunity, and within a few years the massive robots known as EXOFRAMEs had replaced most forms of motorized industry.

But perhaps mankind should have been more cautious of aliens bearing gifts, because in one fell swoop the precarious balance in military forces and hardware that had long separated each nation and rogue group was irrevocably altered. With the scales of power thus readjusted, many who hated their neighbors or coveted their possessions saw a chance, at last, to strike. And so, the bloodshed and the wars began as the old status quo became OBSOLETE.

Japanese novelist Urobuchi Gen is known for co-creating “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” and his work on the anime “Psycho-Pass”, “Fate/Zero” and the tokusatsu show, “Kamen Rider Gaim”.

But when it comes to mecha anime series, Urobuchi has worked on mecha sci-fi action before such as “Aldnoah.Zero” which he plotted with direction by Aoki Ei back in 2014.

In 2019, Urobuchi created an original mecha anime series for YouTube titled “OBSOLETE”, a 12 episode ONA series which premiered in 2019 and concluded in 2021.

While “OBSOLETE” is an intriguing mecha action series as it delves into an area of what happens when alien technology is given to people all over the world and how this technology can easily change poor and wealthy countries.

The storyline of “OBSOLETE” is how aliens who are in pursuit of limestone make a deal with humanity in 2014, giving them advanced technology for limestone, and thus poor and wealthy countries would soon gain these multipurpose mechs for a variety of functions. May it be for good or even for nefarious reasons.

And then each episode begins with each year from 2015 and on, how society has evolved with Exo-Frame technology.

The first episode introduces us to the EXOFRAME Force Recon of the U.S. Marines who are sent from United States to assist Ecuador in 2014. Peru will declare war on the U.S. if they intervene but this episode shows us how even the poorest countries have shifted momentum because of their access to Exo-Frame technology.

This premise extends to episode 2 of how Exo-Frames were introduced to humanity and how countries with this technology were able to use it against military with modern technology and how this alien technology has turned the tide in 2015. The episode introduces us to U.S. soldier Bowman and his company overseeing Angolan farmers using Exo-Frame technology.

Episode 3 shows us how the Indian army is using Exo-Frames in their military and plan to use it in their dispute with Pakistan in 2016. We are introduced to Japan Self-Defense Forces exchange officer Miyajima Rei, who encounter a Pakistani Army utilizing Exo-Frame technology.

Episode 4, with countries using Exo-Frame technology, the threat of this alien technology has led to the growth of private military companies and mercenaries.

By episode 5, we learn how Exo-Frames are used in conflict zones and armed insurgents have recruited children to use Exo-Frame technology to fight and be used as sacrificial pawns. We are introduced to children Jamal and Kayira.

Episode 6 goes into how these children being freed by Commander Zahir, have now been trained with Exo-Frame technology and the future of Jamal and Kayira.

Episode 7 goes into how the Sankt Gallen Arrangement regulates the market distribution and usage of Exo-Frames but how there are nations going against these regulations.

Episode 10 show how people are using Exo-Frames to for drug cartels on the Mexican-American border.

And for the most part, the anime series really goes into how this alien technology can destabilize the world. How poor countries have turned the tide because of access to this alien technology because they have more limestone to give to the aliens in return for more technology.

It’s an intriguing concept because most mecha anime series focus on mecha being utilized as technology to defend ones country for survival. Typically again an all-attack from a threatening alien species.

But in the case of “OBSOLETE”, the aliens are not the threat, they just want limestone and in return, giving humanity alien technology of Exo-Frames for weaponry.

And once you give countries with unstable or poor economies a way to become a megapower due to Exo-Frame alien technology that can wipe out military powers using current modern technology, it changes society for the worse.

As one can see from the brief synopsis, India and Pakistan utilizing Exo-technology, drug cartels using Exo-Frames to bring drugs over the border, as no one can stop these drug runners or even terrorist organizations using children as sacrificial pawns to defeat their enemies.

These are areas of technology that are rarely touched upon in mecha anime series and gives a what if countries came upon alien technology, which has been rumored and making the area of Roswell and Area 51 as mysterious locations in reality.

Because “OBSOLETE” is structured with most being stand alone episodes about “Exo-Frame” technology, there are no protagonists or continuing storylines that people are used to seeing in an anime series. For some, they may find “OBSOLETE” a bit too “mecha” bordering on storylines that are political/sociological while others may embrace the series for being different than other anime out there.

For me, I found “OBSOLETE” to be fascinating but found it to be a series where I would need to watch an episode or two daily and not through one sitting, because I found myself being distracted because there is no sense of urgency to watch because each episode really doesn’t lead to anything significant.

In fact, it’s rather interesting that when you reach episode 12, you get an episode in which the creative style changes as it looks like a kawaii girl mecha anime series and there is no clear-cut finale.Making you think, perhaps there is more “OBSOLETE” that may be created or it is what it is, an anime series that wants to show us how weaponry can get out of hand when the wrong people are in control of it.

While a fascinating mecha series, I also give a thumbs up for the “VOTOMS tribute” video included in the special features. “Armored Trooper VOTOMS” is a long running anime military sci-fi mecha anime series about two nations who had been at war and both nations using VOTOMS (Vertical One-man Tank for Offensive & ManeuverS) mecha technology.

Overall, there is no doubt that Urobuchi Gen created a smart mecha anime series that delves upon our world and a big “What if?” and how would the world change if the world was given alien technology known as Exo-Frames and how it would be utilized. A fascinating concept worth checking out if you love mecha anime series!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

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