Kakumeiki Valvrave episode 01

Contrary to the way I found out some series this season, this one was probably the first preview I saw last year. I had been looking for info on the next Gundam series, when I saw a preview for this series. Well, since Gundam AGE was a little ehhh, I figured I'd give Valvrave a chance.

Let me start off by saying that after watching episode 01, I had this feeling of, this isn't exactly a vast world. I mean the setting, the universe the story is set in, it doesn't feel like you can get technical with it. I don't know if I'm making any sense, but....it just doesn't feel like a deep story. Let's say example, the characters, namely the group of baddies we see early in the episode. They don't feel unique. It's hard to easily describe them off the bat. In Code Geass, there was Orange-kun, the dark skinned lady (forgot her name >_<), Suzaku, there was the niisan who didn't last long, characters that have their unique traits. Valvrave was instantly compared to Gundam Seed due to a number of cliches in the first episode, but even Gundam Seed had a squad of baddies that were unique, the easygoing Dearka, the model soldier Yzak, the pianist Nicol, the father's son Athrun, characters you feel would be important later on.

In Valvrave, these "druggies" as some have called them, all pretty much act the same way, and their names are.... in fact, I think only 3 of them have been mentioned >__> I just don't see these guys as important like some series that have memorable bad guys, maybe the leader of that group, but everyone else is just... bland.

Whatever the case may be, like most series, I take a great liking to the girls :D maybe we're not supposed to care about the bad guys and just focus on the good guys side, I have no problem with that \o/ take for example the above girl, Shoko, look at her, you just gotta love a girl like her, one of the cutest dense girls I've seen in recent years, she's got a bright personality and those hair accessories she has makes her stand out.

After the little bit of information we get about why humans left earth (again >_>), we get some peaceful times of these students and an eating competition. Oh, maybe they're trying to show us that this pacifist colony has nothing on war... like in Gundam Seed >_>

Motorola phones of tomorrow

I think the part that I found absolutely ridiculous was, why in the world was a giant robot being developed underneath the school swimming pool. Ah, well, who'd attack a swimming pool. Any attacker would be too busy ogling the beautiful girls taking a dip :P

I gotta say though one thing I thought was cool, was that mecha units before Valvrave were leg-less. That would be one thing I'm looking forward to, is why going humanoid will be the next superior step in this universe. Those booster legged mechs seemed fine, if a little under-armed, so I guess that's one giant step for mankind. But throughout the attempted hijacking, I just couldn't help but think about Gundam Seed through to the end of the episode, to me it felt like Valvrave was missing some serious details. 

On the left is home, on the right, Vivid Red Operation's Himawari jumped series

Maybe it's something else, one things for sure, that OP shows some serious promise, well, the music was nice, but more importantly, the visuals, it looks like we'll get different colored Valvrave's later in the series, which will hopefully be more than 12 eps, maybe what is dampening my viewing experience is that I keep going into new series as if they are 12/13 eps only. Valvrave needs to go more than that if I am to shake off these Guilty Crown feelings :P

That doesn't look good...

Oh well, every hero needs a tragedy in his life anyways...

I find it so funny how, in their dying strength, they knew exactly which button to press.... they probably had practice drills a lot, yeah probably (Gundam Seed Destiny says hi!) :P

One of the reasons why I say the OP holds promise, is because I am so looking forward to Ruri Hoshino Version Ka :D

And, in honor of the upcoming Wolverine movie: