natalia79 - 2014-10-02 00:59:53

This is a long review that contains NO spoilers.
I found Buddy Complex to be an interesting and enjoyable series that is now among my favourites list. This is not an all out battle mecha series, but a story based mecha series, similar to the series "Suisei no Gargantia". The story was quite interesting and even though the series does not try to push to become a multi-season anime, it is still enjoyable to watch and there is little wrong with it. You also have to make sure that you watch the final two episodes that are included in the second season titled "Buddy Complex: Kanketsu-hen - Ano Sora ni Kaeru Mirai de".
Review:
+ The story - was quite intriguing and felt like something you could follow and understand without having to question everything. I would have liked the story to slow down a bit and there where a few things I would have liked to have seen more of a back story for, but that's the difference between anime and manga.
+ Animation - was crisp and clean. Scenery was really well done. The battle scenes didn't feel like something that was made up in a 3D program and was visually pleasing.
+ Sound - This is a series that focuses less on the music and more on the SFX and character voices. It's good in that it let's you feel everything that's happening along with the animation, but it's negative in that you don't get that same emotional pump that other series give you.
+ Characters - each had there own unique personalities and quirks which made them enjoyable to watch. They also felt like real humans and not like some character pulled out of a soap opera.+ Enjoyment - This series felt like something that you could be satisfied with the development of the characters and the story as it progressed. It does not try to pull the camel through the needles eye, but follows a logic that lets you understand what's happening. With the second season, it also wraps the story up in a way that makes you feel satisfied with the conclusion and doesn't leave you hanging while trying to figure out in your own head how you'd finish the series off (So definitely make sure you watch the second season).

Cons:
To my recollection, there are only two things that I was not really happy about or did not feal satisfied with.
1. Both of the factions in the story seemed to have rediculously bad radar and scanning devices for that level of technolgy. I think it was required though in how they wanted the story to pan out.
2. The story may have progressed too fast for most people in that it left little time for the audience to process everything that happened. As mentioned before though, this is the difference between anime and manga.

Conclusion:I thoroughly enjoyed watching this series and would be happy to rewatch it again. For those of you who hate time travel stories, don't bother watching. If you are the type of person who favors a good battle action scene more so than an actual story, you should still be OK with this series, but it won't be as enjoyable. Those of you who love a good story, especially one involving time travel and a bit of romance, you should really enjoy this series and I recommend giving it a go.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy this series.

anne.wisoky - 2014-04-01 19:12:32

Buddy Complex that even sounds "gay" with its title is nothing more than a big time travel plot with paradox ripping the plot apart soo hard it makes the story worth nothing more than something put in there to give something empty and insubstancial some substance. It's like filling an empty bucket with air, you won't be actually "filling" the bucket.

Story: Well as I've already explained how the story breaks apart, in which you would have to see the whole show to understand how. It starts with Watase Aoba and this girl from the future named Hina. To make it short, shit happens, giant robot occurs, giant robot is hidden, big fight. Then Aoba is cast into the future where Hina tells him to find Dio. It starts off with a big bang to say the least. And developes perhaps into a more political thing with the war between Zogilia and the other faction that Aoba is with. But to not spoil anything, I will refrain from saying how the time paradox destroys the credibility and also validity of the plot. Since the actions occuring in past are based on the fact that you know the future, it creates a giant paradox, especially if the action is done for the very first time, though there is not even a way to tell if it is the first time or not. It becomes all very philosophical and shit as well, but to say that it doesn't pull it off in the end wouldn't be a lie. 3/10 it is.

Animation: The animation is quite decent though, and it mixes with some computer animation for the mechas which work out ok. The art style itself might be a tad bit lacking. And sometimes aren't perhaps as smooth. They might also sometimes look weird when the computer animation and the regular ones are mixed together, as there is difference in the depth in 3D and stuff. but all in all it does better than average, and gets 6/10

Sound: The voice-acting is not too bad. Especially Dio's voice is good and strong, though Aoba's voice acting might sound like he suffers from a small cold or something as it often sounds nasal for some reason. But there isn't any half-hearted voice-acting for the most part. The BGM is nothing remarkable, though the OP and ED are decent enough to be remembered to some extent, though they're not THAT good. 6/10 for sound.

Character: The characters are ok, and there is some development in the characters as the series goes on. Dio especially is the one person perhaps making the biggest change with his relations and also his perspectives. Though we all have the basic fundemental generic type characters in most action or mecha or series similar to this one. And the bad guy is nothing too spectacular or anything to brag about. So 4/10.

Enjoyment: If you enjoy mechas and robots in general, this is still an ok watch. Though it is not at any point sophisticated or deep in anyway. It is quite straightforward and plays on Aoba's naive character and view. Which is quite typical of a shounen type protagonist more or less. Still a 5/10 I guess.

Overall: All in all it was an ok series, and most likely hinting towards a second season more or less to reveal more of what the war is even all about in the future somewhat 60 years from now. Though dealing with time travel it is important not to create paradoxes because it can easily destroy a story like it did here. It will still get a 4/10 though. ;D