It's difficult to keep track of all the anime titles that are released each year, let alone watch a few before a new batch arrives. Regardless of what they may have to offer, a lot of shows will unavoidably slip through the cracks due to this continuous stream of submissions. The kind of movies that people would only discuss if they gain a committed cult following or are just discovered by chance by viewers leafing through old catalogs. Additionally, the likelihood of such stragglers slipping from the public's notice has increased because to the dramatic increase in title releases in the 2010s.
Another example of this phenomenon is 009-1, which was passed over in favor of the far more well-liked shows that aired that same year, including Death Note, Code Geass, Welcome to the NHK, Higurashi, Black Lagoon, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club, and many more. Apart from the fact that the aforementioned works are well-known, 009-1's appeal may have played a significant role in this happening. An appeal that the anime market wasn't particularly craving at the time. However, given that the topic of this appeal has recently taken center stage in local discourse, perhaps now is the ideal moment for it to resurface in the public consciousness.
Recently, there has been an increasing trend of adapting older manga/anime titles or maintaining their aesthetic elements in order to either cater to the older lovers of the medium or retrofit it for a new audience. 009-1 is essentially an early example of this, including entries like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Hunter X Hunter, Sailor Moon Crystal, Parasyte, and Kill la Kill, to mention a few. But I believe it's reasonable to say that something like Kill la Kill and Parasyte is aimed at a completely different audience for 009-1, even though they're attempting to capitalize on that appeal while still catering to contemporary tastes.
The art style is definitely the first thing that will catch your attention. It combines a traditional look with a contemporary presentation, thus it seems sense that the target demographic would be primarily young adults and older. This portrayal was deliberate, as it is an adaptation of a manga that was released between 1967 and 1974. Although it's packaged with old enthusiasts in mind, younger anime lovers could still find it to be rather enjoyable. Simply put, people who are interested in more traditional art forms would find it more enticing than people who are not familiar with or accustomed to modern art forms. It's as though the program chose to wait until the 2000s to thaw out its capture of an anime metamorphosis in a cryogenically frozen condition.
Exaggerated physical characteristics were frequently employed to highlight the personality traits that the characters would represent, thus the characters were literally pulled to their archetype. Crazy villains appeared crazy; decaying elderly hags appeared decaying; sexy super spies appeared sexy, and so on. Even while they didn't always look nice, it helped to make them immediately recognized. Although the creative initiative is commendable, there was a chance that some of the characters might come across more as parodies than as real people. They can be as basic as drawing boards or as complex as body models lifted directly from an old Disney movie. The animation is quite smooth even with some of the bizarre (even by old standards) character designs.
The settings and set pieces are dark and gloomy thanks to stark shading and restrained color schemes, which fits quite nicely with the kind of mystery usually connected with spies. Additionally, scenes or other interesting elements within keyframes were occasionally further emphasized by using this restrained color scheme. Though not very outstanding, it was a nice addition to the visual tale. Although the tone frequently shifted depending on the task at hand, it generally maintained a melancholy atmosphere. It had a chilly, lonely vibe to it, which frequently reflected the attitudes of the adult ensemble that makes up the majority of the show.
I strongly recommend checking this one out if you enjoy espionage fiction or just the look of the 1960s and 1970s. Unlike other shows that cling stubbornly to broad appeal and miss everyone at once, this one knew its demographic and had style. Even though 009-1 had some rough edges, there was an unmistakable swagger and confidence to the way that they handled themselves. And for that reason alone, I think it's a title worth looking into.
0 out of 0 found this helpful