Synopsis
The next level of man’s evolution is through the brain. One day we will be able to attach our minds directly to a machine and control it with our thoughts. As science further advances at an alarming pace, the entire city of Tokyo has become the guinea pig of experimental research as unethical clinical trials are conducted amongst its innocent populace. Who will defend us when the government is in on this scheme? The fate of Tokyo rests in the two hands of one maverick woman.
Review
Baku-ten, short for Bakuretsu Tenshi, first aired on April 6, 2004. The English title is Burst Angel or Explosive Angel referring to Joe’s alias: the angel from Hell. Blasts and smoke are always left in her wake. Lara Croft Tomb Raider eat your heart out! No one can mess with Joe and expect to come back in one piece.
The official Japanese flash site is http://www.baku-ten.com where you’ll find character biographies and incomplete story information. The website is largely under construction with no special wallpapers. It is like it was abandoned an no longer updated. Bandai’s site http://www.b-ch.com/contents/bakuten/index.html can finished episode descriptions with a small screenshot.
The Breakdown
Everybody loosey!
» The Pros
At first glace it appears that Kyohei is the main character who happens to always be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. But the real star of the stage is Joe. The reason Kyohei is even in this series is to give a glimpse of their impact (Joe and the gang) on a regular citizen. Kyohei's girlfriend gets kidnapped by a giant mechanical bird, and he asks Joe to save her. He has to baby-sit Meg for an evening. His own life is in danger when a secret weapon is injected into his body. Once involved, he can't escape at least his daily cooking duties until Sei says so. Women are the strongest forces on this planet. LOL
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» The Cons
Is it Joe or Jo? In episode 1, Amy specifically writes out Jo in their advertisement flyer. But at baku-ten.com they spell it like Joe. All my girl friends spell their name Jo, while guys spell it as Joe. Since when does a girl have a guy's name? That is unless the character design team wanted to emphasize that she can fight better than any trained soldier. One coincidence is that Amy, Sei, and Meg are all three-letter names so naturally Joe would fit this pattern. Truly indigenous Japanese sounding names, no? Kyohei can never really fit in with the group. Jinno, the mechanic, can always go by the name Leo.
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» Animation
9.0 |
Joe reminds me of a female Strider or a female Ninja Gaiden because of the scarf. Meg has a western hat, boots, and spurs on her wrists. Amy is your oh so typical child genius hacker. All the mechas are done by computer. Jango or at least its head looks like Sergeant Hatter (Aphardm) in Virtral-On Marz (PS2). |
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» Sound
9.0 |
The OP theme is jazzy. The EN Under the Sky is just as relaxing as it sounds. Meg plays herself. I mean Megumi Toyoguchi (Hack//Sign's Mimiru). Amy is performed by Mikako Takahashi who starred as Hyatt from Excel Saga. Rie Tanaka in her more serious roles voices Sei (also Chi from Chobits and Ran from Angel Tales). Kyohei is none other than Yuji Uedo, Love Hina's Keitaro. The background music is a mix of Kill Bill western, rock, and a weird, mechanical, pulsing, techno action theme. |
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» Story
7.0 |
The storyline is like Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040. Tokyo always seems to be in the center of some catastrophe. There was a great earthquake common to both series. You can't really rely on the police for help hence the need for an underground female militia. They don't have a fancy name like the Knight Sabers but they can get the job done. Baku-ten ends more gratifying than Bubblegum Crisis. *Spoilers* I'll try not to go into too much detail. The red Jango was most likely designed by Jinno. Remember that Meg is as good a sharpshooter as Joe except that she lacks formal combat training (she did know how to get herself kidnapped). Amy is still around. When we last saw Sei, her injuries didn't seem that life threatening. And as for Joe, it is clear that no one can kill her. |
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» Recommend
8.5 |
The limited edition box sets price for a weighty 20,000 yen ($193.42). The regular edition only goes for 6,000 yen ($46.20) for two episodes. Visit http://www.cdjapan.co.jp for ordering. Best to wait for a domestic release. |
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» Other Information
Language: Japanese
Extras: The Box Set limited edition DVD Vol. 1-3 comes with a Joe figurine. There is also a Meg, Amy, and Sei edition with their respective models.
Package: The crazy burst angel, Joe |
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
