Space Runaway Ideon: Be Invoked

Chat about stuff other than Transformers.
Post Reply
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Space Runaway Ideon: Be Invoked

Post by Cliffjumper »

Yeh, so I'm on a random 1980s anime kick, sue me...

I tried to find episodes of this and watch it all in order, but finding anything other than "Be Invoked" (if someone has a source for the first 'film', Cliffy Love You Rong Time!) was basically impossible... so I watched it anyway, partly I'll admit out of ghoulish interest for the colossal amount of violence involved. It's actually pretty easy to pick up from the second film, with a quick scan of online places for the broad gist (the mysterious discovery of the Ide and Ideon).

I really don't get this reputation about how downbeat and depressing the thing is. Sure, it's pretty rough the way the characters are killed off with some Omen-level inventiveness, and yes, Ashura getting decapitated is harsh (I can see that someone might have thought it'd be a good visual for a character to die in that fashion, but it does take a certain sort of nutcase to earmark the six-year old girl for this fate when, I dunno, Rapoh could have taken that one and Ashura could have just had the shot in the chest death), and yes, they nuke a squirrel.

But the actual ending of the thing is really rather uplifting. The bastards are all dead, and there's a fresh new universe, and everyone gets to be with their loved ones on a new plane of existence. It's nice.

That, and Cosmo is great. Despite having a ginger afro. That takes doing.
User avatar
Knightdramon
Protoform
Posts: 3621
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:15 pm
Location: York, UK

Post by Knightdramon »

Well, you're just retracing my steps from a couple of years ago, aren't you? ;)

I just searched over the places I found the files years ago, sorry, not active. Effectively I had burned the entire series plus the two movies on DVD discs, let me know if you want copies.

I watched it after reading about the apocalyptic death-all ending, it was a rough ride though. The story doesn't get anywhere until episode 29-30something, and the entire series is about 38 episodes if I remember well. Of course, you then take away the last episode and watch the "Be Invoked" movie in it's place, that's the normal timeline\story.

What I thoroughly enjoyed in the movie was that it was about two hours FULL of character deaths, and most of them were tragic enough. Sadly, my favourite character, Gije, was already dead by the timeline of the movie.
Few stuff in the UK to trade/sell. Measly sales thread.
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Yeh, I very much got the impression (after scanning the brief summaries on Wikipedia) that much of the series is pretty slow-moving, especially in contrast to Be Invoked - which is why I'm more likely to track down A Contact than any actual episodes, a nice condensation. I guess watching the eps makes the deaths resonate even more, but TBH just the second film did a pretty good job of making me care for most of the characters, and I'm not sure I'd have had the endurance.

It was the sustained level of violence I really found to be surprising - even before regulars start dying, Cosmo and Ideon must kill hundreds and hundreds of Buff Clan troops...

Oh, and talk about impressionable... I've just bought the SoC Ideon =D The original Tomy figures look... not so good...
User avatar
Knightdramon
Protoform
Posts: 3621
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:15 pm
Location: York, UK

Post by Knightdramon »

I've been eyeing a SOC Ideon for quite some time now, but truthfully it'd have no place in my collection, no matter how cool it is.

Best deal I had found was around 140 USD shipped for an opened figure, didn't take it though.
Few stuff in the UK to trade/sell. Measly sales thread.
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

I've just stumped up $190~ (inc. shipping) for an unopened one sealed, which was about the best deal on ebay (most of my money for this sort of thing is Paypal)... Possibly a little much, but I have a very bad idea of value for money - if I want something and can afford it out of my disposable cash, that tends to be that for me (though obviously I'll go for the best deal avaliable... most of them on ebay seem to be pushing $200 for the item, before shipping to the UK...). I more ask myself would I have traded the figure for the 30-40 comics and CDs I didn't want that funded the figure, and the answer is "Yes" :)

I should probably thank Tomy for making their multicoloured monkey version, making choosing the SoC a no-brainer, rather than the usual dilemma I have with SoC over whether to go with the chunky, if less spectacular, original or the update.

I'm not too sure about the long beams with their stands, which look a bit silly, but then most of the accessories for the two SoCs I already have tend to stay in the box anyway... hopefully the joints will be able to hold the Ideon cannon without the stand to some extent.
User avatar
Knightdramon
Protoform
Posts: 3621
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:15 pm
Location: York, UK

Post by Knightdramon »

Including shipping, I guess you got a very good price. Most places sell it for as much as you quoted, sans shipping.

I don't think the joints can support the cannon on their own for too long, seeing as it's crammed with electronics for the light up effects.

Personally I'd display mine with the beam swords, as my most memorable scene would have to be the one he cut that planet in half.
Few stuff in the UK to trade/sell. Measly sales thread.
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Like I say, I'm just not keen on the stands for either accessory. That said, they might look better on the shelf, rather than under bright camera lighting.
User avatar
Ackula
Posts: 3679
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:34 am
Location: CA
Contact:

Post by Ackula »

I've never heard of this anime, but it sounds somewhat interesting in an odd curiosity sort of way. I used to be all into anime in junior high school, and somehow just grew out of it as an adult. Now days I still love to watch my Studio Ghibli anime, but that is about it. I have been on a kick of watching old stuff recently though, as we have yet to obtain cable at the new house. I've just recently re-watched almost all of the Studio Ghibli movies, and the obligatory Akira and Vampire Hunter D. :)

My favorite anime of all time would have to be Battle Angel though, and I highly recommend it Cliffy, especially if you like 80's style cyberpunk stuff, it has a very good story to it. My daughter is named after the main character as well I might add :lol:
Image
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

As far as I can ascertain, the anime doesn't actually have a licensee outside of Japan, so I'm going to push the envelope and just put this here for anyone interested. The first link, for the first film, is a bit dead, but the second one works... Background without spoilers, C&P'd from Wikipedia:
Space Runaway Ideon begins in 2300, far enough in the future that mankind has begun colonizing other planets. On the planet Solo in the Andromeda Galaxy, a group of archaeologists had come across the mysterious remains of the Ideon—three large armored trucks with the ability to transform into a godlike mecha. They also come across a large spaceship. For six months they had diligently restored the machines but failed to get the giant tanks to move. Suddenly, a humanoid alien civilization known as the Buff Clan comes across Solo.
Karala, the daughter of the Buff Clan's military commander flies down to the planet against orders to investigate (her commanding officer, Gije, is reluctant with her, due to her standing and the fact that he once was a soldier under her father). She is pursued closely by comrades sent by Gije, but they lose sight of her. Assuming the "aliens" (Earthling colonists) have attacked Karala, the Buff Clan begins to attack. Cosmo Yuki, the afro-wearing protagonist of the series, climbs aboard one of the three tanks and, when it initially forms the Ideon, fends off the first assault, repelling Gije's men.
This is a short respite, though, as another force is sent down soon after. Bes Jordan, leader of the sparse military force stationed with the colonists orders that the Ideon tanks be armed with missiles, but while that's happening the cities on Solo are obliterated by the Buff Clan soldiers. An air raid siren is sounded and the survivors, using the Ideon for protection, board the spaceship found with the Ideon (known as the "Solo Ship") and flee. The survivors travel from planet to planet, constantly pursued by the Buff Clan who desire the Ideon for themselves along with the mysterious energy source behind them, known only as the "Ide".
The Ideon is piloted by several Solo Ship crew members, but the main pilot is Cosmo Yuki.
As the crew of the Solo Ship fight and survive further, the true power of the Ideon begins to slowly be revealed with terrifying results. Although the crew often latches onto various hopes and optimism, as the death toll of the crew rises and the devastation surrounding them increases, the crew of the Solo Ship slowly begin to despair. Eventually turned away by their own world out of fear, what fate awaits this lost ship and its inhabitants?
Post Reply