You know what's a rarity in anime and manga. The western, as in the genre. Sure, you get a lot of anime inspired by westerns, like "Cowboy Bebop", "Trigun", "Gun X Sword", "El Cazador de la Bruja", "Outlaw Star", and "Coyote Ragtime Show", but nothing that's just a straight up western. Sure, there are a few manga that are westerns, such as "Gun Blaze West", "Green Blood", "Miriam", and "Angel Gunfighter", but since there is a lot more manga, you're bound to get more variety in manga, but the genre is still few and far between, and it's certainly an untapped genre when it comes the mediums of anime and manga. But one of the anime to pop up that is a straight western is 'Early Reins'.
Set during the early 1800s, the early years of the United States of America, Early Reins takes place entirely on a train en route to Sunshine Hill, shortly before it gets hijacked by robbers. While the soldiers onboard are caught unawares, the tables are turned as several women on board manage to stand up to the robbers and fight back. The heroine of this story, Margaret Hart, a young woman determined to become a sheriff, but lacks experience.
Unfortunately there isn't much to say about the anime outside of it's basic plot synopsis without spoiling specific details, since it's only 40 minutes long, barely long enough to qualify as a movie, there aren't any more episodes beyond this OVA, or even a manga to fall back on to read more of if you happened to really like what Early Reins has to offer.
Since it's so short, all of the good things that I could say about it feel like backhanded compliments due to just how short it is. The fact that it not only has an all female cast but each one of the characters has a distinct personality is nice. Even the English dub giving the cast era appropriate accents is a nice touch, as cliche as it is. But that's where my compliments end.
While a lot of it looks alright, it clearly uses early digital painting, which gives it a flat look, and some of the animations are clearly underdeveloped. It also came out when CGI was first being used on a wider scale for anime, and it clearly didn't have enough money put into it to make it look good, since there was no real guarantee if it was going to make it's money back.
I know that it seems like my review isn't exactly all that fair towards Early Reins, but that's because all there is a test pilot for a series that clearly never got off the ground. I actually liked this OVA, and it certainly has a lot of charm to it that a lot of other anime doesn't. It would have been neat to see our main characters as they went about their daily lives in an old timey western town, with each episode featuring a new conflict for our main characters to deal with and see the characters interacting with each other, or have a character centered episode.
Honestly, there should be a few more western inspired anime. Even though Japan doesn't really have the history with westerns that America does, the fact that several anime and manga, weather it be through it being a dedicated western or simply one of the things to influence it, have done a good enough job that I feel anime and manga could easily take the genre on under the right person or people.
Anime: Early Reins
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Six beautiful women are on a train en route to Sunshine Hill in the early 1800s. When the train is hijacked by robbers and the soldiers on board are caught unaware, another surprise is in store: these lovely ladies can fight! Margaret Hart is a young woman determined to become a sheriff, and takes on the fight, although she is somewhat lacking in experience. She gains plenty on this trip, however, and the ragtag team of Western warriors joins forces with another passenger, Spencer, to fight some nefarious bandits and guide the train to safety.
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by gambit on 2003-08-27 06:54
Approval:
65.3% (7 votes)
A western which had to be pushed into 45 minutes, but the crew clearly didn't know how to cut it into one nice piece, which leaves a forced anime.
The animation is decent. The characters look okay, although they have made all of the characters pretty exaggerated: the women are all stereotype, same for the robbers. Of course the boss is the guy with the biggest biceps. Not really original. So I have to distract some points for Character Design from an already poor animation (notice the word Innocennce at the station)
They also tried to blend in some CG stuff, but even though that already looks bad - it doesn't blend in with the backgrounds, so it looks like it was just pasted on the background - it also doesn't fit the scenes. It doesn't make sense to use CG when you leave the rest just as plain as possible.
The OP/ED songs are decently done. They try to give a western-feeling, which is clearly, but some of the songs played are just songs which should've been played at a slapstick, while there wasn't anything funny at that moment. Bad thing to do then.
The voices are okay. Most of the voices are done well, although the spoiled-girl voice was a bit annoying.
The story is very, very simple and it might be clear that they never intended this anime to be a deep story. In fact, they just didn't develop the plot at all. There is a train and it gets robbed. Do a lucky guess why robbers would want to rob a train, back in the Wild West. Indeed, predictable.
Very predictable, they hardly pay attention to the characters itself as well. Everyone gets a weapon when they start shooting and all of them hit as well. Not only is it hard to use a weapon, especially for people who have never used a gun (in that time, no normal woman would have used a gun at all - let alone a gatling gun), but shooting someone on a horse would even be hard for someone experienced. Here the realistic value drops below zero.
Also the clue was really predictable and they even showed it a little before they really exposed it, which was also bad.
The characters are all stereotype, which isn't that bad, but they are all sheep. "No, I don't wanna go." and the next moment they all yell "Yes, let's go kick their asses!" which sounds at least a bit unrealistic when people change that much within 5 seconds. There is absolutely no room for character development, and the only tiny bit there was, was for the sherriff. But that development is so forced that it was better if they didn't add it at all.
In the end, it didn't matter anyway, since the characters were meant to be there - and it was a coincidence that there was also a story.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, therefor I doubt it does have a rewatch value. It hardly has a watch value, unless you like to see another fighting anime (this time with guns) without a story. I didn't enjoy this anime at all, just because it had a serious lack of plot and the characters couldn't make up for it either. 4 out of all 6 characters hardly even had a role at all and were just added for support.
The animation is decent. The characters look okay, although they have made all of the characters pretty exaggerated: the women are all stereotype, same for the robbers. Of course the boss is the guy with the biggest biceps. Not really original. So I have to distract some points for Character Design from an already poor animation (notice the word Innocennce at the station)
They also tried to blend in some CG stuff, but even though that already looks bad - it doesn't blend in with the backgrounds, so it looks like it was just pasted on the background - it also doesn't fit the scenes. It doesn't make sense to use CG when you leave the rest just as plain as possible.
The OP/ED songs are decently done. They try to give a western-feeling, which is clearly, but some of the songs played are just songs which should've been played at a slapstick, while there wasn't anything funny at that moment. Bad thing to do then.
The voices are okay. Most of the voices are done well, although the spoiled-girl voice was a bit annoying.
The story is very, very simple and it might be clear that they never intended this anime to be a deep story. In fact, they just didn't develop the plot at all. There is a train and it gets robbed. Do a lucky guess why robbers would want to rob a train, back in the Wild West. Indeed, predictable.
Very predictable, they hardly pay attention to the characters itself as well. Everyone gets a weapon when they start shooting and all of them hit as well. Not only is it hard to use a weapon, especially for people who have never used a gun (in that time, no normal woman would have used a gun at all - let alone a gatling gun), but shooting someone on a horse would even be hard for someone experienced. Here the realistic value drops below zero.
Also the clue was really predictable and they even showed it a little before they really exposed it, which was also bad.
The characters are all stereotype, which isn't that bad, but they are all sheep. "No, I don't wanna go." and the next moment they all yell "Yes, let's go kick their asses!" which sounds at least a bit unrealistic when people change that much within 5 seconds. There is absolutely no room for character development, and the only tiny bit there was, was for the sherriff. But that development is so forced that it was better if they didn't add it at all.
In the end, it didn't matter anyway, since the characters were meant to be there - and it was a coincidence that there was also a story.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, therefor I doubt it does have a rewatch value. It hardly has a watch value, unless you like to see another fighting anime (this time with guns) without a story. I didn't enjoy this anime at all, just because it had a serious lack of plot and the characters couldn't make up for it either. 4 out of all 6 characters hardly even had a role at all and were just added for support.
by nwa on 2003-08-08 14:01
Approval:
65.1% (9 votes)
There isn't much western style animes around and now I know why.
Wild Wild West and anime don't mix, from my point of view of course.
Altough the animation and sounds were pretty good, with country music and all, the story was lacking in many ways.
First of all, all the "good" guys are women and all the "bad" guys are men, even the most honourable of them turns out to be the biggest cheater, well, ok I can live with that since the females look good, but the plot itself is already so overused making it a first class cliche. You can predict the following scenes so easily as if you were a seer. Still...if there was a direct sequel to this then I'd certainly watch it, if not for the hopes for a better story then at least for the decent action scenes and for the girls ^_^
The characters have almost no background(just the very basics like where they live(d) and what they do etc.) and very little developement. But it would have been quite difficult to fit all that into a 40 min OVA so I guess it's forgivable.
Beware, sterotypes are abound!
The animation is good but CGI could need some polishing, especially the train. The music is all western style and it's quite cheesy but I guess some J-Pop tracks wouldn't really fit in.
Overall it was enjoyable, but not rewatchable unless you like girl power at its fullest.
Wild Wild West and anime don't mix, from my point of view of course.
Altough the animation and sounds were pretty good, with country music and all, the story was lacking in many ways.
First of all, all the "good" guys are women and all the "bad" guys are men, even the most honourable of them turns out to be the biggest cheater, well, ok I can live with that since the females look good, but the plot itself is already so overused making it a first class cliche. You can predict the following scenes so easily as if you were a seer. Still...if there was a direct sequel to this then I'd certainly watch it, if not for the hopes for a better story then at least for the decent action scenes and for the girls ^_^
The characters have almost no background(just the very basics like where they live(d) and what they do etc.) and very little developement. But it would have been quite difficult to fit all that into a 40 min OVA so I guess it's forgivable.
Beware, sterotypes are abound!
The animation is good but CGI could need some polishing, especially the train. The music is all western style and it's quite cheesy but I guess some J-Pop tracks wouldn't really fit in.
Overall it was enjoyable, but not rewatchable unless you like girl power at its fullest.
by themug on 2003-06-11 22:07
Approval:
46.9% (9 votes)
A very unfortunate cross of anime and western cliches. You have all the western ingredients and every sterotype of anime you can think of. Female sheriffs, mini skirts, gunplay you cannot believe etc.
The animation was almost ok, even if it was a little bit jumpy at times. The characters are stereotype, both in character as in drawing. The music is your elevator-type western background.
I really cannot recommend this one as for both the western and the anime lover it just does not mix very well. For the western fan there is too much amiss and does not fit the timeline. For the anime lover the setting is just wrong and all that happens has been seen just too many times already.
The animation was almost ok, even if it was a little bit jumpy at times. The characters are stereotype, both in character as in drawing. The music is your elevator-type western background.
I really cannot recommend this one as for both the western and the anime lover it just does not mix very well. For the western fan there is too much amiss and does not fit the timeline. For the anime lover the setting is just wrong and all that happens has been seen just too many times already.
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main character
15, female, cowboy bootsCowboy boots refer to a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a high heel, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing. Cowboy boots are normally made from cowhide leather but are also sometimes made from "exotic" skins such as alligator, snake, ostrich, lizard, eel, elephant, sting ray, elk, buffalo, and the like., denim skirtA denim skirt, also called jean skirt or jeans skirt, is a skirt made of denim, the same material as blue jeans., green eyesThe character has green eyes., humanModern humans are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina. Together with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, they are part of the family Hominidae. Terrestrial animals, humans are characterized by their erect posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communications; larger, more complex brains than other animals; and highly advanced and organized societies., long legsAlthough this is mainly a trait of tall characters, with enough exposure of bare or even clothed (preferably skin-tight) legs, even a short character may apply., necktieThe necktie (or tie) is a long piece of cloth worn around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat., revolverA revolver is a repeating firearm that has a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing., skirtA skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped piece of clothing that hangs from the waist and covers the legs partially or fully. Skirts are often seen as garments for women, but exceptions exist. In anime, they`re almost always worn by women, generally as school uniform or workplace garments, and a man with one will likely be cross-dressing. Skirts that go below the knee are usually associated with strict rules and at times with winter, though even in winter anime schoolgirls in miniskirts can be found.
voiced by:
Kawakami Tomoko
secondary cast
16, female, blue eyesThis character has blue-colored eyes., braided hair hairbandBraided hair can be tied up to form a braided hair hairband. A well known real-life example is former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko., braidsBraids is a style of hair in which the hair is interweaved into locks. Braids can be displayed in various styles, such as twin braid tails or a braided hair hairband., broochA brooch is a decorative jewellery item designed to be attached to garments, often to hold them closed., dressA dress is an item of clothing, usually worn by females, which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirts below the waist., hair ribbonHair ribbons are ribbons used both as hair decorations and as hair ties. Hair ribbons are often tied into bows. They may also be present as part of a hairband. In older anthropomorphic series, where the gender of characters was sometimes hard to tell at first glance, ribbon bows were used to indicate a female character., humanModern humans are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina. Together with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, they are part of the family Hominidae. Terrestrial animals, humans are characterized by their erect posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communications; larger, more complex brains than other animals; and highly advanced and organized societies., yellow hairThe character has yellow hair. This does not map precisely to real-life blond hair.
voiced by:
Oosawa Chiaki
17, female, bib-and-brace overallsBib-and-brace overalls are loose, sturdy trousers, with a bib or biblike piece to which shoulder straps are attached to hold them up. Originally worn over other trousers to protect them, as by factory workers or farmers, overalls are now often used as standalone legwear. In US English the term overall is used. Some people call an overall a "pair of overalls" by analogy with "pair of trousers"., braidsBraids is a style of hair in which the hair is interweaved into locks. Braids can be displayed in various styles, such as twin braid tails or a braided hair hairband., brown eyesThe character has brown eyes., frecklesSmall brownish spots in the skin due to augmented melanin production that increase in number and intensity on exposure to sunlight., gun marksmanshipA person who is both skilled at firing a gun and accurately hitting what they are aiming at., hatA hat is a headgear that typically has a shaped crown and a brim; the shape and size of the brim changes with the type of hat. Hats may be peaked. Hats are worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory., necklaceno description set, twin braid tailsHair braids can be tied as a pair of twin braid tails.
voiced by:
Takeuchi Junko
32, female, elbow glovesElbow gloves are formal female gloves that reach until but not past the elbow. Formal gloves are typically worn with formal attire for fashion purposes; they generally serve no functional purpose. Elbow gloves are not to be confused with evening gloves, formal female gloves that reach beyond the elbow, or with formal wrist gloves, formal gloves that reach until the wrist or slightly onto the forearm, but not much beyond., evening gownAn evening gown or evening dress is a long female dress usually worn to formal occasions. The drop ranges from ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), tea (above the ankles), to full-length. Evening gowns are usually made of luxurious fabrics such as chiffon, velvet, satin, organza, or silk. A cocktail dress is a long dress worn to semi-formal to informal occasions. Styles and lengths vary greatly, but most are longer than knee-length. The most formal type of female dress is a ball gown., glovesA glove is a garment covering the whole hand., humanModern humans are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina. Together with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, they are part of the family Hominidae. Terrestrial animals, humans are characterized by their erect posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communications; larger, more complex brains than other animals; and highly advanced and organized societies., lipstickLipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color, texture, and protection to the lips. Many varieties of lipstick are known. As with most other types of makeup, lipstick is typically, but not exclusively, worn by women. The use of lipstick dates from the ancient times., ponytailA ponytail is a hairstyle in which most or all of the hair on the head is gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip or similar device, and allowed to hang freely from that point., revolverA revolver is a repeating firearm that has a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing., singingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice and augments regular speech by the use of sustained tonality, rhythm, and a variety of vocal techniques. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist.
voiced by:
Mizutani Yuuko
28, female, braidsBraids is a style of hair in which the hair is interweaved into locks. Braids can be displayed in various styles, such as twin braid tails or a braided hair hairband., brown hairThe character has brown hair., cyan eyesThis character has cyan color eyes., dressA dress is an item of clothing, usually worn by females, which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirts below the waist., humanModern humans are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina. Together with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, they are part of the family Hominidae. Terrestrial animals, humans are characterized by their erect posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communications; larger, more complex brains than other animals; and highly advanced and organized societies., physicianA physician is a professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. While physicians are usually referred to as doctors, a physician may or may not be the holder of a doctorate and the two should not be confused.
voiced by:
Sasaki Youko
26, female, axeThe axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. A battle axe is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were deployed two-handed., bootsBoots are heavy-duty work shoes that are often made of leather and have thick rubber soles. They are usually found stomping on things: floors, people, etc. Generally, typical boots can be as short as angle height (ankle boots), and as long as the mid point of the lower leg (crew length boots). Boots at least longer than crew length would be half boots or higher., cowboy hatSome cowboy hats have been called "ten gallon" hats. The term came into use about 1925. One theory for how the concept arose is that the tight weave of most Stetsons hats made them sufficiently waterproof to be used as a bucket., dual wieldingThe ability to use a weapon in each hand skillfully., fingerless glovesFingerless gloves or "glovelettes" are garments worn on the hands which resemble regular gloves in most ways, except that the finger columns are half-length and opened, allowing the top-half of the wearer`s fingers to be shown. This provides much of the warmth retention without negatively impacting dexterity., humanModern humans are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina. Together with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, they are part of the family Hominidae. Terrestrial animals, humans are characterized by their erect posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communications; larger, more complex brains than other animals; and highly advanced and organized societies., jeansJeans (usual notation in plural) are pants usually made of dungaree or denim cloth., revolverA revolver is a repeating firearm that has a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing.
voiced by:
三森愛子
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| 21.04.2020 | CsRmX | complete | N | 1 | 0 | ja en | DVD | N/A (0) | 0 | |
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| 25.12.2008 | AniMugen [AMF] | complete | 1 | 0 | ja es | DVD | N/A (0) | 0 | ||
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