Appare-Ranman!

Jojo's Steam Ball Run: the Animation, that is yet unfortunately another COVID-delayed show. It's hard to believe that this one show that's full of experimental creativeness and perceived notion is all conceived by one man alone: Masakazu Hashimoto. From the story to the series composition that's tons of wacked insanity, it's more than enough to stand out in its originality, yet also be a callback to his career days of starting out as a director over at P.A. Works circa. 2011 (after flailing around from different anime projects in the 2000s with varying degrees of success). His first directorial and series composition work being Tari Tariway back in 2012 wasn't game-changing, but the way that it was done certainly had the early otakus take notice of his idea of a unique storytelling that's totally Hashimoto's: a fairly simple tried-and-true story plot, but with a pinch of inspiration to carve out its own identity and stand out as so. But as is with HaruChika's somewhat odd approach and consequence of people attacking him (as the director) vs. the novelist that has somewhat of a mish-mash of ideas that are not put well together, it's sad to say that it was kinda a defining moment of unnecessary hate strewn from that. But now, after some time, Hashimoto is back with a story setting about a cross-country race that spans cities and people from the East to the West within a 19th century modernized Wild Wild West take, and it's honestly a thrill to follow the many characters who have defied dangers whilst participating in unforeseen deathmatches, fighting to save theirs and others' precious lives from time to time. "It's a strange world" as the quotes say, with the bombastic bizarreness of a plot and setting that only complete once they are joined together. "Who says death-defying races are just for the Americans, both locally and natively?" This is a question that always pops up in my mind about people from different cultures entering into another culture, and totally getting that "culture shock" factor, and that is exactly what the 2 main characters are here for: the "Alexander Graham-Bell" of big-ass inventions of a dreamer that is Sorano Appare, and the skilled coward of a samurai who needs to pluck his courage, Kosame Isshiki. The idea of steamships in the 19th Century was a thing when transportation was getting ready to ship the masses across vast distances, and with Appare enamored at the idea of it, he so desperately wanted to create one for himself. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the playful strings of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" landed both Kosame and Appare in another continent (that is the U.S. of Los Angeles) and a particular race (of which the prize money won will be used back to Japan) sets the both of them on a course that will teach each other about camaraderie, and the dependence that will prove to be both MC's biggest character tonal shifts from time to time. A "Trans-America Wild (car) Race" that's sponsored by organizers of big coporations who call themselves B.I.G. Boss (that you can see where the inspiration when it comes to automobiles), and within it, an assassination plot of the most mind-numbing kind that only weaves its unwelcoming stance the more is revealed...that suddenly isn't so much of a race anymore against rivals, but a fight to the death with a group of bandits wreaking havoc all around. Simple and overly cliche, but it works as a final product altogether. To properly understand this show in general, there are many characters that play a part in this expedition: - The Appare-Kosame team of an unusual steam-powered car, along with Hototo, a "Red Indian"-ish native American of a child, whose gain is to seek revenge for a gang that killed his tribe and family after being rescued from thugs. - Jing Xialian, an assistant for a racing team that is constantly being accused and judged by her gender in an all-male society, and her #MeToo statement being a forthcoming judgment to see her in a totally different light, that women can also be like men and race wild. - Al Lyon and Sofia Taylor, potential family heir and the heir's chaperone of one of the B.I.G. Boss corporations (BNW), with a desire to win to prove his solidarity and firmness of being his family's next in-line to the corporation. - Race organizer Seth Rich Carter (you can call him Mr. Carter), whom has been ridiculed in the past as an engineer for another B.I.G. Boss corporation (G.M.), but like Kosame, holed up due to cowardice and not being able to stand up for himself. - The Bad Brothers Tristan and Chase, whom like native Hototo, are burly Americans but whom first came under the wrong impressions, and are some of the kindest characters in the series. - Last but not least, the "Thousand Three" outlaws which form the basis of B.I.G. Boss: skilled gunmen Dylan G. Oldin (racing for G.M), "Crazy" TJ (racing for Iron Motor Company) and the leader of the bandits Richard "Gil (the Snake) T. Cigar" Reeseman (lone driver). All characters get their lone times of character development, which is to say that for 13 episodes of a shit-ton of concurrent events happening at different times, every character has their definite background moments to shine their light and shoot over the moon. Take Appare and Kosame for example: Appare is like a gifted bookworm, very focused on what he needs to do and forgets about the outside world instantly, while Kosame is loud and obnoxious, with a clear reason for his vengeance and redemption as the series progresses, both characters shrug each other off at the very beginning, but the apparent figures of simultaneous events that force them to double-team up and understand each other's motivation is always nice, and it only gets better from there on. Needless to say, the character department will be one of Appare-Ranman!'s stronger aspects when considering about the final product (which is the show itself in full glory). P.A. Works is NO stranger to original shows in the past few years, but the records have been few and far in-between if there is any level of hype to back it up. Of course, this show had it in the Spring season, but the COVID push-back of a seasonal delay definitely hurt the enjoyment more (of people forgetting that it exists, DUH). It was a constant treat to see the art and animation show its legs, and even with some CGI (on the race), it will not win any awards, but at least it'll get the race done and dealt with. Overall, I'd never think to see 19th Century America so well-thought out, even resembling with the Wild Wild West of olden days past with a good sprinkle of animation to accompany it. The OST, well oh well, it had a very nostalgic feel to it...that's if you feel inclined about 19th Century worldly standards. A good job on taking what is already well known and putting a nostalgic spin on it, kudos for setting the appropriate atmosphere for what it is. Good pairing of the OP and ED, and YES, finally a good song from Mia REGINA that screams "I don't give a F***" at how balls-off-the-wall the series has been flexing its personality. Long-time veteran Shoutarou Morikubo with his ED is also a good way to finish each episode, and anticipating what's to come, step-by-step. Truly the "I've got it!"A-HA moment. The above-average spectrum of P.A. Works's catalogue of original shows, and watching people do what they love is a nice gesture, on top of just going bonkers and sticking lackluster endings of the shows gone by. At most this was a passion project done pretty good (not great, but passable), but at least I enjoyed my run with this show. Now if you'd excuse me, I must now muster my creativity to make my own dream automobile and enter the race of a "lifetime".