So, Iāve recently gotten a craving for this shounen anime classic: Get Backers.
Iām not really interested in making this a formal listening/watching club with a set schedule, but rather wanna go for the type of free format that @VisitsFromTheIsnt used for their Revolutionary Girl Utena rewatch.
Iāll be posting my thoughts as I get through episodes and invite everyone that wants to watch along, comment and post as well!
A general note: to allow people to drop into the rewatch at their own pace, put each episode commentary in spoiler tags mentioning which episode youāre discussing and by using the cogwheel, either by using āBlur Spoilerā or āHide Detailsā.
Both works fine. Just keep the surprises for the coming viewers to experience, while bringing on the commentary as much as you like! ^>^
Always remember that there are no stupid questions! Bring 'em on! Iām sure that together we can figure it out!
I hope there will be a few people that might find this old-school shounen anime a fun re/new watch! ^>^
Post any extras regarding Get Backers you would like to share. This post is a Wiki! But as usual, be mindful not to post spoilers without spoiler tags.
Well, episode one is a traditional introduction episode of the characters as we get to meet and see the main character duo, but also a couple of the side characters. Weāre already treated to some of the supernatural themes of the show, with Midou Banās crushing grip and ability to whisk people into dreamland, while Amano Ginji is a human electric eel. We also get a couple of shots suggesting heās a gang leader of sorts.
I love how the animation switch between good quality shounen and cutsey animation on a whim. no need to take it too seriously!
Also, we have the main customer of the episode to immediately turn into a returning character working part-time at Honky Tonk where Ginji and Ban hang out! ^>^ The bar master remains a mystery dude!
I thought this was a joke, but I have apparently influenced this small cornerā¦ From now on I should be careful before I invoke the power of Dios! As for the show, it looks interesting, a little like Cowboy Bebop. Looking up a summary, it seems one of the main characters has an attack called āSnake Biteā. Iām in (maybe).
More social realism themes in this episode, as Ban and Ginji end up sleeping rough. They are given food and shelter at the place of a homeless old man. Turns out he has something he desperately wants to get back: his daughter. Or rather, he really wants to apologize to her for loosing his company which lead to him no longer being able to provide for her and them loosing their home. The daughter is now at the home of a yakuza boss and needs rescuing.
Now for the plot-twist: Stockholm syndrome! The daughter has found a new life living with the yakuza boss, and is adamant about not wanting to see her dad who she blames for her past misfortune. Obviously, the one to blame for her fatherās failed business is actually the yakuza, who set dad up and put the company out of business. The daughter gets a very rough wake-up call as itās all spelled out to her.
final spoilers
Ban and Ginji does their thing and itās very satisfying to see the yakuza get beat up!
This being a feel-good show doesnāt mean the plot is sugar sweet. I love that the daughter doesnāt leave with Band and Ginji, even after all she now knows. She clearly has to take some time to think about her life before making a decision, not by having Ginji make it for her. And the fatherās heart problems means heās in a dangerous situation as well. The ending is left open for interpretation: Did the father actually get to meet his daughter one last time, or did Ban use the Jagan on him?
Iāve been interested in watching this before, so I might try to follow along. I can probably only watch a couple episodes a week, though.
I love the opening for this show and it seems like itās not going to be too difficult to follow.
Episode 1 Comments
This show is pretty goofy so far. Itās funny how much they switch back forth between being cute and manly. Theyāre character designs are pretty funny too, with their really long shirts and stuff. My favorite part was when the evil policeman was looking up presumably all the Natsumis in the city on his computer to try to find out who the girl was.
I think the character design are super early 90s. Like they got inspired by that time, but then supercharged it to exaggeration! XD Banās gravity-defying hairstyle and shirt are great stuff.
I had to check Anime News Network, and it seems like the manga was published in 1999. By then people were not wearing stuff like this, so it is a retro look. XD The anime originally aired 2002-10-05 to 2003-09-20.
About the switch between the āserious character designā and ākawaiificationā (?) of Ginji
itās very unique. But, nowadays, you do get something similar though less obvious in many shows. Usually, itās like a simplification of the drawing style, no real details and just showing the most basic emotion?
But here, itās like a full transformation in size and shape and everything! So, yeah, itās pretty unusual. But it helps break the tension or serious tone of certain scenes, and itās like, āletās not take it all too seriously?ā ^^; I donāt know.
@korrtg would you want a vocab list to go with this club? I could easily set one up if youāre interested, but I think it might not be that necessary for my own needs. Just let me know and Iāll gladly oblige. Any other suggestions are equally welcome.
Episode 3 thoughts
Summary
Well, this episode is clearly ramping up the stakes of this show. Weāre introduced to a different categories of characters. While Ban and Ginji are āGet Backersā - retrieving items for their clients as their job - at the start of this episode, we meet éć¶å±: people whoās job is to deliver items for their clients. Itās clearly set up for a grand confrontation as Ban and Ginji are roped into retrieving an item already en route to its destination!
Three new characters are introduced: Lady Poison, Akabane/Dr Jackal and Mr No-break Letās just call him Truck-kun!
I almost forgot the third job-type in this world: 仲ä»å±: an intermediary finding people to take on jobs for their client. This one brings the eye candy for sure!
Well, Ban and Ginji being as broke as always, reluctantly find themselves with a clearly wealthy client. Theyāre to retrieve something of immense value clearly! What could go wrong?
Watching this episode I just realized that Nobuo Tobita is the voice of Akabane. Such an old school seiyuu, much like Midou Banās Nobutoshi Canna. Canna-san is such a character really in interviews and free talks. Heās exactly the kind of colleague youād love doing afterwork with, dropping jokes and banter.
Well, this show might not show overt carnage, like many shows after, but it is a rather mature show. I totally forgot now serious the tone got at times. Not all of the show and animation ages just as well, but it still strikes a note for me rewatching these two teams duke it out!
Edit: aaah, cliffhanger! I guess, Iāll watch another!
Episode 4, thoughts
Things are starting to get serious indeed. these ātransportersā are not to be trifled with, clearly!
I love that the character designs are retro by, like, a few years, haha. You gotta love that spiky anime hair!
I agree that the kawaiification is unique, although itās not super uncommon. Iām appreciating how all out they are going with making it silly but itās also high stakes at times.
Episode 2 Discussion
The transition between finding out that the yakuza ruined this guyās life, feeling a bit apprehensive to help and then running straight to the yakuza house was pretty funny. I wonder if Ban and Ginji are going to get shot in every episode or if itāll be more occasional in the future.
I didnāt think about the possibility that maybe the old guyās daughter didnāt actually leave and it was just Banās powers making it look like she was there. It kind of made you wonder if the daughter would be better off staying with the yakuza than she would be trying to figure things out with her fatherā¦
I donāt think a vocab list is needed for me either, but youāre welcome to make one if you later decide to.
P.S.
Iām pretty new to forum posting and I donāt know how to quote just part of a reply on here, so sorry if my reply looks messy! And I figured it out after typing this. Yippee!
Glad to hear your thoughts. You can always change your mind later.
For quoting, just use your cursor to mark off any text you wanna quote and then a pop op should allow you to quote that text. OR you can just āreplyā to the post, and in that youāll see a āspeech bubbleā. Clicking that will get you the whole thing and then you can delete as you want to make it more specific.
using the latter method, might unlock some rather interesting things from replies that seems rather odd on these forums.
It was nice to get introduced to more of the characters who are in the opening in this episode. Thereās some higher stakes in this job as well, with a ton of money on the line and scary bad guys!
It was good that none of the characters ended up getting seriously hurt after driving off of cliffs or almost driving off of cliffs!
The ćć¤ćŗć³ććć„ć¼ć attack is an interesting concept, as conveniently only the target will smell the poison. Like, how did it not end up wafting into the truck while they were drivingā¦? Itās only about intention, because itās magic, I guess!
I hope they can find the platinum (I think thatās what they think theyāre looking for) in the next episode!!
Lol, thatās quite right! There have been other anime characters with perfume attacks for sure, but it all sounds really unreliable and it stretches the imagination for sure. Then again, we have other unexplained powers in this series, so I guess, you just have to roll with it.
I really enjoyed the direction they took with this episode! It was high drama and I was expecting them to just give up going for the box. Sounds like the transporters are going back to it in the next episode, though.
Also, Himiko talks fast! I had to rewatch the part where sheās talking about Banās powers, but it sounds like he can only use it 3 times a dayā¦and only every 24 hours on one personā¦? My guess for how they could add a twist to them knowing this information is that he was lying about its limits.
Weāll find out!!
Just a thought, but when under cover, how about changing oneās hairstyle? Then again, back in the 90s, hair gel and loads of spray where the holy grail of hair styling.
I guess, this is another mini-arc! So more cliffhangers ahead!
I watched episodes 5-7 the past couple of days. I donāt really remember episode 5 that much at this point.
Episode 5
All I remember is that they did all of that work for translucent slices of melon!!!
Episode 6 Discussion
Enter the Beast Master!! What an awesome and silly power. Releasing that lion in the middle of the violin performance was something!! I somehow thought that this story was going to be one episode long, but boy are there a lot of twists and turns!
Episode 7 Discussion
They get the violin back! Mission accomplished! Or is itā¦?
It bothered me that the violinist guy didnāt give her the bow with the violinā¦?
Anyways, the girlās butler is evil and Ginjiās old friends are also evilā¦but then theyāre goodā¦? I kind of had a hard time following their intentions because they want Ginji to come back, but then they also have their own job in this operation, but then they give it upā¦? I think thatās what happenedā¦maybe there will be more clarity about this in the next episode.
I wonder how much time they spend on their hair already. With the amount of effort and skill that would go into getting all those spikes, maybe itād be good for them to change it up sometimes with some slicked back hair, haha.
I had time off work, then I got back into itā¦and got distracted by games - after my 2+ (?) hiatus. Still, tonight Iām back to watching GetBackers as itās been on my mind lately.
Episode 6
Here the GetBackers are to retrieve a stolen Stradivarius violin (lol, habit made me write Stradivarious, the nonexclusive cousin of the very expensive line of violins. ) from a Classical music competitor to the blind client girl. Thereās a lot to do with Ban using up his eye-contact powers, but really, he seems like the strategist of the duo.
I do like Ban as the Badass character, while Ginji is our happy-dude-type! Easy to bond with. While both are soft enough to bond with easily, no issue. XD
@korrtgI like the Beast Master, ngl. Even as unbelievable as his power is. How did he come by it! XD Heās introduced to be both relatable, with the scene with the violin girl, but also someone that is viciously on Ginjiās side, to the point that Ban is a target!
Episode 7
to be continuedā¦
Well, I canāt really make out the name-dropping session.
no need to take it too seriously!
of Ginji
So, yeah, itās pretty unusual. But it helps break the tension or serious tone of certain scenes, and itās like, āletās not take it all too seriously?ā ^^; I donāt know.
Letās just call him Truck-kun! 
What could go wrong?
Then again, back in the 90s, hair gel and loads of spray where the holy grail of hair styling.