“Monsuno: Combat Chaos” continues the adventures of Team Core-Tech in the first five episodes of season two! “Monsuno” is a fun and entertaining animated series that has similarities to shows such as “Pokemon” or “Digimon” but a unique story that ties in with their toy merchandise line very well. An animated series that parents (who are young at heart) will enjoy watching with their children and safe action animated series for the children to watch on their own.  “Monsuno: Combat Chaos” is recommended!
Image courtesy of © 2013 Pacific Animation Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Monsuno: Combat Chaos
DURATION: Episodes 28-31 (110 Minutes)
DVD INFORMATION: Color, NTSC, English Dolby Digital 2.0
COMPANY: Jakks Pacific, dentsu, Fremantle Media Enterprises, Topps, Shout Factory
RATED: TV Y7 FV
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Director: Yoshiaki Okumura
Produced By: Jared Wolfson, Yukio Kusumoto
Producer: Chapman Maddox
Associate Producer: Joh Hudson, Yuichi Kinishita
Story Editor: Michael Ryan
Character Design: Yuichiro Hayashi
Creature Design: Designmate
Animation Creature Design: Hiroto Kato
Creature Design Director: Takaaki Hirayama, Masahiko Okura, Hiroto Kato
Art Director: Tomoko Iwasa
Mecha / Prop Design: Yasuhiro Moriki
Background Director: Shigemi Ikeda
Background Art: Shigemi Ikeda
Music by Michael Taera
Cinematography by Naoki Serizawa
Edited by Masaki Sakamoto
Casting by Rene Veilleux
Featuring the following voice talent:
Cam Clark as Chase
Christopher Smith as Bren
Karen Strassman as Jinja
Keith Silverstein as Dax
Kirk Thornton as Beyal
“Chase Suno and his Core-Tech team have emerged victorious in their most recent battle with Eklipse and S.T.O.R.M. With Core-Tech’s victory, Chase has been given the opportunity to decide the fate of the Monsuno. Believing that mankind and Monsuno can one day coexist peacefully, Chase allows them to live. But new foes lurk in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike. Is now their time? Find out with the first five episodes of Monsuno’s outrageously exciting second season!”
With the first half of season two of “Monsuno” having aired on television, Shout! Factory will be releasing “Monsuno: Combat Chaos” on DVD.
Featuring the first five episodes of season two (episodes 27-31), with Team Core-Tech having defeated the Eklipse Organization, this time around, the team come face-to-face with a members of the Forge Resistance., Drezz and the Punk Monks who work for Professor Tallis. As the enemies try to obtain the Wild Core Bomb that can destroy the entire city, Team Core-Tech wants to make sure it doesn’t happen!
What is Monsuno?
In Japan is known for having popular series that revolved around its product merchandise! From “Pokemon”, “Digimon”, “B-Daman”, “Bakugan” and many others.
But in America, replicating that success would have to feature toys that are fun to play and characters that children can identify with and also lead them to buying the merchandise in stores.
One of popular toys that have made it onto store shelves with a lot of buzz is “Monsuno” and for its animated series, we are seeing the collaboration between American and Japanese companies with the involvement of Dentsu, Jakks Pacific, FremantleMedia Enterprises and Topps.
“Monsuno” (also known as “Jusen Batoru Monsuno” or “Beast Rotation Battle Monsuno” in Japan) is directed by Yoshiaki Okumura (“Eyeshield 21”, “Dragon Drive”, “Eien no Aseria”), featuring character designs by Yuichiro Hayashi (“Soten Koro”, “PES: Peace Eco Smile”) and art direction by Shigemi Ikeda (“Bokurano”, “Basilisk”, “Gantz”, “Afro Samurai”, “Mobile Suit Gundam Seed”, “InuYasha”).
Premiering on Nicktoons in the U.S. with a total of 26-episodes shown, “Monsuno” will receive its first DVD release (titled “Monsuno: Destiny”) courtesy of Shout Factory featuring the first five episodes.
“Monsuno” revolves around three teenagers: Chase Suno, Jinja and Bren. As all three are adventure-seeking individuals, both Jinja and Bren help Chase look for his father Jeredy Suno who has gone missing in the Himalayas.
When they arrive to S.T.O.R.M. lab, the place looks like it has received major damage but inside is Jon Ace, a man that Chase is familiar with. Jon tells Chase that his father left him something inside a sealed door but the only way to get access is through his handprint. When Jon puts his hand on the panel the door opens to reveal a a Monsuno Glowblade with a computer featuring a special message for his son. But once Chase grabs the GlowBlade, Charlemagne, the commander of S.T.O.R.M. has his soldiers hold Chase and friends by gunpoint and for them to give up the GlowBlade since it belongs to S.T.O.R.M.
But Chase refuses and when things go for the worse, Chase thinks about the message that his father left and so Chase throws the Monsuno GlowBlade to the ground and upon contact, a big Monsuno monster comes out. Nearly invincible Chase and friends run away. As the big white monster pretty much chases all soldiers of S.T.O.R.M. out of the building, including Chase and friends, thinking that Chase and friends have lost the big white monster, the monster finds them immediately.
But to their surprise, the big white monster, which Chase gives the name “Lock” is friendly to them. The computer message left by Chase’s father explains that he discovered Monsuno DNA that has been around since before mankind. And by using the DNA of other animals, he was able to create the Monsuno. In Lock’s case, he is a hybrid of a polar bear, gorilla and tiger But with this technology, he wants to keep it out of the hands of S.T.O.R.M. Also, learning that the GlowBlade is where the Monsuno lives and where it heals.
But just as Chase and friends think they have escaped from S.T.O.R.M., the evil company manages to find them and each time, a battle between S.T.O.R.M’s Monsuno vs. Chase’s Lock are engaged in battle.
Eventually in the next two episodes, we see how Bren and Jinja end up getting their own Monsuno, plus the trio learn how important it is to trust the right people because not only is S.T.O.R.M. after Locke, as well as the Monsuno, but other evil antagonists are after it as well.
With season two and Team Core-Tech having mastered their Monsuno, the group now faces a new threat… Professor Tallis who has sent members of the Forge Resistance in obtaining the destructive Wild Core Bomb.
The episodes featured in “Monsuno: Combat Chaos” are the following (spoilerless summaries):
- EPISODE 27 – Flash – Team Core-Tech come face-to-face with members of the Forge Resistance, Drezz and the Punk Monks.
- EPISODE 28 – Bang – Can Team Core-Tech prevent Professor Tallis and the Forge Resistance from using the Mega Wild Core Bomb.
- EPISODE 29 – Mysterious – Medea and her team begin following Team Core-Tech, especially Chase.
- EPISODE 30 – Antithesis – Team Core-Tech take on S.T.O.R.M’s Strike Squad.
- EPISODE 31 – Kidnapped – Dax goes back to his hometown after receiving information about his parents, but it may be a trap!
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Monsuno” is an interesting animated series because right off the bat, it looks like an anime series but the character designs seem a bit different from most anime television series and that is probably because the studio was focusing on making the series look and feel like an anime but with a western animated feel. Character and monster designs are well animated and the art backgrounds look well-detailed and look very good on DVD.
Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and is front channel driven and English dialogue is clear and well-acted.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Monsuno: Combat Chaos” comes with short video profiles for Bren and Dax.
“Monsuno: Combat Chaos” is back with the first five episodes of season two.
Featuring Team Core-Tech taking on the Forge Resistance and Professor Tallis, they also run into some trouble with S.T.O.R.M.
As the first season focused on Chase Suno looking for his father and taking on S.T.O.R.M., the second season focuses on the team taking on a new antagonist who have weapons that can destroy the entire city. And that is something that Chase and the team will not let happen. But also episodes featuring Dax trying to get information about his missing parents.
With the last DVD’s focusing on the first ten episodes of season one, I was a bit surprise to see the jump to season two. But I would imagine that hopefully that means “Monsuno” season one will receive a season box set. But for now, for those who enjoyed season two, fortunately, the first five episodes are available now on DVD with “Combat Chaos”.
For the most part, “Monsuno” is an entertaining animated series featuring a joint-collaboration between American and Japanese companies and literally a series that helps promote the toyline courtesy of Jakks Pacific.
While the series has the feel of “Pokemon”, what makes the series so different is that the main protagonists are older teenagers and they tend to get themselves into trouble often. The series is action-packed but also tied to their toyline, so the teenagers are often seen throwing their “Monsuno” capsules to release them.
While I’m not sure how the toys are or how they are played, since the debut of the first DVD, I’ve been seeing a lot of “Monsuno” toys on the shelves, so I’m guessing the series has a dedicated audience.
“Monsuno” is also diverse as it features a Japanese (or Japanese American) protagonist with Chase Suno, Jinja is an independent, intelligent and kick-butt female protagonist and while Bren does a lot of whining, he makes up for it with his excellent computer skills. “Monsuno: Power” adds Beyal and Dax, two individuals who are also of a different race and adds to the diverse cast of the animated series so far.
My 10-year-old son is a big Pokemon fan but immediately after watching these five episodes, he was really getting into the series and wanted to check out the “Monsuno” toys immediately after watching. The whole concept of tossing your GlowBlade toy with a Monsuno coming out is quite interesting and I have no doubt that this series will appeal to children who will most likely ask their parents to purchase them the toys.
These five episodes of season two have been enjoyable but for parents who are wondering if the series is safe for their children, I would recommend it for older children.
The monsters may seem scar to younger children and the fact that Chase and friends are constantly being chased down by soldiers with weapons and they do get injured at times, while not super violent, parents may want to watch the series with their child to see if its right for them. But no doubt, I know that with these episodes alone, more than likely like my child, your children will be wanting the toys.
As for the DVD, while I prefer watching the series as a full complete season versus a five episode DVD release, I can only hope that Shout Factory does plan to release the whole series as a full set. But for parents who have children who enjoy the toys, the kids will no doubt enjoy “Monsuno: Combat Chaos”.
Overall, “Monsuno” is a fun and entertaining animated series that has similarities to shows such as “Pokemon” or “Digimon” but a unique story that ties in with their toy merchandise line very well. An animated series that parents (who are young at heart) will enjoy watching with their children, me and my son really enjoyed “Monsuno” and look forward to the next DVD release.
“Monsuno: Combat Chaos” is recommended!
