Well, here we are. Originally, I didn’t think it was worth writing about Royal Revival because it’s a short 90’s ova to a longer 70’s anime series. Those series either being Yatterman Knight or Time Bokan itself. Yet, looking at the disc release and seeing that Time Bokan: Royal Revival was at some point the first thing of this franchise being release in the United States was what sold me on writing about it. Especially since I’ve never watched any of the attached series so I am as blind as other people were back then and probably still would be now. At least there is education in knowing what these franchises are about and maybe looking forward into reading them sooner.
Since these two episodes are so different from each other, I want to look at them separately. There is an attaching thing though. Royal Revival is focused on the villain group the Doronbo Gang. A gang made out of the very hot Doronjo in her black, sexy outfit and her two lackies Boyacky and Tonzura. A villain group that seems to be infamous through out anime and possibly influenced other villain crews like Team Rocket in Pokémon and who knows who or what else. I find learning about them pretty great because they are hilarious characters who have their own good quirkiness. Plus, they blast off into the distance when defeated.
Episode 1
That being said, that quirkiness seems to have been passed on to a lot of other villain groups that seem to be made out of the same set up? Villain groups that I have no idea about and whether or not they are the same on purpose. There is an arc about the Doronbo trying to get Boyacky out of retirement for one of the best concepts ever, villain wacky races. You know, if you have seen that cartoon short before it’s just that but with anime villains and it’s fun. Lots of fun. Besides some character pallet changes, the mecha or robots they ride in this race are very creative.
The story around the Doronbo gang goes about how you expect it too. Boyacky eventually does leave his ramen stand to help Tonzura and Doronjo during the moment of need to win the race. That is a great arc. Its even more fun when it’s villains getting constantly hoisted by their own petards when their special attacks, technology, or whatever fail. Some take too long when they summon hero mecha from their series and they end up destroying the villains who summoned them, but it’s obviously going to work for those people who know about them.
So yeah, it’s just pure fun when watching it. I don’t mind being confused by the things that I watch. Just means more thing to learn about later. It also helps that the fun comes from 70’s mechanical designs put into high level 90’s animation. A lot of these designs have so much great movement and energy put into they look and are animated. It’s very fluid and I just can’t recommend this episode for that pure amount of fun and chaos. Wacky Races is great no matter who is in it and I just came in with that mind set.
Episode 2
Then there is this horny episode. This episode starts out with what feels to me what the usual Doronbo gang shenanigans. Using advertisements like school girls, panties, and robots to get people into a theater to steal their money. So of course, what they show to people is a giant robot school girl where the panties are pretty heavily exposed. The usual crowd of both men and women complain and want to leave, which they do after every single one of them gives all their money to the Doronbo gang.
After that the crew heads into Tatsunoko land to steal something. That means facing their school girl robot that we all saw in that movie screen against a few of the hero units of Tatsunoko. Science Team Ninja Crew, Space Knight Tekkaman, Yatterman Night, Hurricane Polymer, and Casshan. A battle that doesn’t go as you expect it to as the high school girl robot advances in age hilariously and we see the fetishes of these usually straight-laced heroes. You know, as far as I know.
I mean, the Yatterman crew apparently are married now and there is a lot of horniness about their relationship as a couple before they even get there. Plus, this is obviously a big Tatsunoko advertisement with a little more meta and fun put into it. I do like that fact. Not sure how I feel about the school girl robot at all times now, but it was unique and hilarious enough in the moment to really enjoy that too. There was just a lot of hilarious chaos on screen and that’s all I needed really. Some creepiness with Doronjo revealing her assets to her group members after her defeat, but so that is what it is.
The most hilarious part? The Doronbo gang finally realized they were in an anniversary special at the end of the episode and they finally revealed what they have all been up to. Doronjo has a family and multiple kids, Tonzura is a ceo of a major company, and Boyacky is going back to his ramen shop. I just…I haven’t seen that sort of fun befeore. With the visual quality being about as high as episode 1, not a lot to complain about here. Great 70’s mechanical and character designs in 90’s animation is always going to be incredible.
Conclusion
So in the end, as I’ve stated before a couple times in this post, I find this a fun watch. Probably still going to be placed in the ok ranking because while it was fun, there wasn’t anything that really shouted about how it was amazing at all. Just visually fun with some cool things. What it did make me want me to do was check out the Tim Bokan show that is currently on Crunchyroll right now as long as its there. Seems pretty special to me. For having this series being the first thing regarding Time Bokan that appeared in America, I think having more older aspects of the series show up after that to be nice. Or something.
Mechanical Anime Reviews 