“God Eater” is a wonderful action-packed series that is more on the deeper, violent side of anime series showcasing an apocalyptic setting. Humanity has nearly been obliterated by monstrous Aragami and only a small group of God Eaters, wielding aragami-derived weapons known as God Arc can fight back. But it’s these mysterious New Types that can wield the God Arcs to amazing weapons that may give humanity a chance. A thrilling, action-packed anime series so far, “God Eater” vol. 1 is highly recommended!
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TITLE: God Eater Vol. 1
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 2015
DURATION: Episode 1-7 (166 Minutes)
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese & English Linear PCM Stereo, Subtitles: English and Spanish
COMPANY: Aniplex Inc.
RATED: Suggested 13 and Up
Release Date: November 28, 2016
Director: Takayuki Hirao
Script by Kei Tsunematsu, Takayuki Hirao
Music by Go Shiina
Original Character Design by Koichi Itakura
Character Design by Keita Shimizu
Art Director: Masaru Yanaka
Anime Production: ufotable
Featuring the following voice talent:
Ryūichi Kijima/Robbie Daymond as Lenka Utsugi
Atsuko Tanaka/Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Tsubaki Amamiya
Chiaki Omigawa as Licca Kusunoki
Daisuke Sakaguchi/Lucien Dodge as KÅta Fujiki
Hiroaki Hirata/Kyle Hebert as Lindow Amamiya
Kanae ItÅ/Erika Harlacher as Hibari Takeda
Kazuya Nakai/Crispin Freeman as Soma Schicksal
Maaya Sakamoto/Cherami Leigh as Alisa Illinichina Amiella
Rica Fukami/Wendee Lee as Aisha Gauche
Rikiya Koyama/Spike Spencer as Johannes von Schicksal
Sayaka Ohara as Sakuya
Taiten Kusunoki as Paylor Sakaki
Tomohisa Asou as Daigo Oguruma
In the early 2050s, unknown life forms called “Oracle Cells†began their uncontrolled consumption of all life on Earth. Their ravenous appetite and remarkable adaptability earned them first dread, then awe, and finally the name Aragami, the “Mad Gods.” In the face of an enemy completely immune to conventional weapons, urban civilization collapsed, and each day humanity was driven further and further toward extinction.
The year is now 2071… the domain of the mad gods lies here in the Far East.
One single ray of hope remains for humanity. Following the development of “God Arcs” — living weapons which incorporate Oracle Cells — their wielders are organized into an elite force.
In a world ravaged by mad gods, these “God Eaters” fight a desperate war…
In 2010, “God Eater”, a sci-fi adventure video game series developed by Shift and published by Bandai Namco was released in the U.S. for the Sony PSP.
Since then, several “God Eater” video games have been released and in 2015, an anime series created by ufotable aired on television in July 2015.
The series is directed by Takayuki Hirao (“Death Note”, “Garden of Sinners”, “Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene”), script by Takayuki Hirao (“Magicl Sisters Yoyo & Nene”, “GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack”) and, character design by Keita Shimizu (“ef: a tale of memories”, “REC”, “Negima!?”), art direction by Masaru Yanaka (“Ghost Hunt”, “Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~”, “Samurai Girls”) and music by Go Shiina (“Kyousougiga”, “Tales of Zestiria the X”, “GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack”).
A total of 13 episodes were created and now, “God Eater” vol. 1 (featuring the first seven episodes) will be released on Blu-ray in North America courtesy of Aniplex, Inc.
The series is set in 2071, and the world has been nearly destroyed by mysterious monsters known as Aragami.
To fight these Aragami, an organization known as Fenrir has God Eaters, people who can wield “God Arc” weapons made from Aragami cells to exterminate them.
And it is being discovered that certain people, known as New Types, can wield God Arc’s and switch from gun and blade form.
The series revolves around a young man named Lenka Utsugi, who desperately wants to destroy all Aragami. But unfortunately, he is not ready for battle despite his hot headed temper that wants to fight and destroy them.
Lenka and Kota Fujiki are sent to training under a stern woman named Tsubaki. And as Lenka is always determined of wanting to help anyone, unfortunately that leads him to make rash decisions which would let him be killed during training mode.
This is unacceptable and when Lenka breaks orders from Tsubaki to not fight, while trying to fight and rescue someone from the Aragami, he reveals that he is a New Type.
But because he’s not fully-trained, he is almost killed until he is rescued by the First Unit of God Eatrs, Soma, Lindow and Sakuya.
But because Lenka disobeyed orders, he is jailed and is awaiting court-martial and may need to surrender his God Arc. But because of his New Type abilities and that New Type users are a rarity, he is given a second chance to fight, must team up with Russia’s New Type, Alisa Illinichina Amiella. Another person who has a hot-temper and disregards rules.
Can these two New Type God Eaters work together and defeat the Aragami but also rescue many human lives?
VIDEO:
“God Eater” is presented in 1080p High Definition. The anime series is absolutely vibrant and colorful. The background, especially the foreground artwork are beautifully painted and well-detailed, while the character designs are well-done and well-shaded. This is a gorgeous looking anime series and I thought the Aragami designs were very awesome.
But for the most part, character designs and background art for “God Eater” look fantastic in HD!
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“God Eater” is presented in Japanese and English linear PCM stereo. Dialogue and music is crystal clear through the front channels and I heard no distortion while watching this anime series.
Subtitles are in English and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“God Eater” vol. 1 comes with the following special features:
- God Eater Extra 00 – (23:43) This is the “God Eater Burst Prologue” featuring the prologue and interview with the game production staff. The OVA features God Eater Soma joining Fenrir with Lindow and Tsubaki. The OVA takes place six years before “God Eater Burst”.
- God Eater Extra 01 – (23:26) Featuring an interview with the anime production crew of ufotable.
- God Eater Extra 02 – (23:23) Featuring interviews with the musical composer, Go Shiina and the music artists.
- Textless Opening and Endings
EXTRAS:
“God Eater” vol. 2 comes with a slipcase and a 32-page deluxe booklet.
Having played “God Eater” on the Sony PSP and Sony Vita, I have to say that the “God Eater” anime series had made me enjoy the series even more, now that we have a much more intuitive storyline that is not only addicting but action-packed.
While there is some level of banality of an unknown hero that fights for an organization and no one knows if the newcomer is ready for battle, which many have seen in anime such as “Blue Demon” and “Seraph of the Vampire”, “God Eater” is an anime series that is much more deeper, violent and for the most part, humanity is on the losing side of the battle against these monstrous entities known as Aragami.
The main protagonist is Lenka Utsugi, a boy raised on the poor side of town, despises Aragami with a passion but even more, hates turning a blind eye to the suffering of humans who can’t defend themselves.
He wants to help everyone, anyone even though it’s against Fenrir’s orders and it tends to get him in trouble.
But as he is a New Type starting to discover his own ability and not fully trained, Fenrir needs all the help they can get to fight these Aragami. And for now, he and another hot-headed New Type named Allisa is what they have.
And both want to help humanity, and despise Fenrir’s practice of only helping those that are useful to the cause.
The first seven episodes develop the story of Lenka and later Allisa but also doing a good job of showing how dismal things are on the planet and how devastating the Aragami are. How they kill with no remorse, they kill anything that stands in their way and no one understands why, or why these monstrous things have shown up on their planet.
Needless to say, the first half of the series leaves people with many questions but no doubt setting up for an action-packed second half, which hopefully gives us answers to why the Aragami exist? But also, how Lenka and Allisa develop throughout the course of the series.
It also helps that characters from the video game are featured in the anime series, and so, this series does give a much more deeper appreciation for the entire “God Eater” series.
As for the Blu-ray release, animation is fantastic as characters are fully of detail, are well-shaded. The Aragami look absolutely frightening and their animation and overall design is fantastic. Background art is well-done, music adds to the riveting fast-paced, action-packed environment of the series.
And you also get the prologue OVA and crew interviews included in the special features plus a 32-page deluxe booklet as well.
Overall, “God Eater” is a wonderful action-packed series that is more on the deeper, violent side of anime series showcasing an apocalyptic setting. Humanity has nearly been obliterated by monstrous Aragami and only a small group of God Eaters, wielding aragami-derived weapons known as God Arc can fight back. But it’s these mysterious New Types that can wield the God Arcs to amazing weapons that may give humanity a chance.
A thrilling, action-packed anime series so far, “God Eater” vol. 1 is highly recommended!
