Geobreeders

Original Title: ジオブリーダーズ - 魍魎遊撃隊 [File-X] 「ちびねこ奪還」
Romanized: Geobreeders - Mouryou Yuugekitai [File-X] "Chibi Neko Dakkan"
Literal: Geobreeders Anti-Spirit Commando Unit [File-X] "Rescue the Kitty"

Plot Synopsis

Say hello to Kagura Total Security, a well-equipped freelance company that specializes in trapping phantom cats. Don't laugh--they may look like cute little kitties, but due to the fact that they're data-phantoms, those furballs are liable to take over any computer controlled piece of hardware in sight. Add a serious attitude problem and near-invincible human form to that, and you've got a recipe for trouble.

Just one problem: from their lethargic driver to their trigger-happy, white-suited, "mystery" shrouded weapons expert to poor, abused salaryman Taba, the misfits of Kagura aren't exactly the ideal people for the job. But, they've got the hardware and they're crazy enough to do whatever it takes to stay ahead of the professionals--The Hounds, a government paramilitary anti-cat squad--on any job that pays well enough.

When the cats start trying to smuggle serious military hardware into the country and kidnap Kagura Total Security's very own cute phantom cat, will even everything they've got be enough? (And even if they succeed, will there be anything left of the city when they're done?)

Quick Review

Rating: 3 / 5
Reviewer: Marc
Review Date: 2005-11-14

The randomly-named Geobreeders is, like the comic it's based on, an odd little nugget of over-the-top action. It distinguishes itself for having oddly young-looking character designs and a sub-plot so mysterious and convoluted that neither the viewer nor the characters have any idea what's going on with it. But, there is really one and only one reason to watch Geobreeders: Crazy, over-the-top action. The quality animation makes it look good, the meticulous mechanical design gives it enough of an air of realism that the missile riding and falling-off-buildings work, and the light slapstick does enough to fill the gaps in between.

Basically one of those series where you take a bunch of cute girls, give them homicidal tendencies, a penchant for collateral damage and some oversized weapons, then throw them at a menace of one sort or another, Geobreeders adds up to an enjoyable waste of time for fans of truly extreme and slightly silly action.

US DVD Review

The DVD is pretty good by USM standards of the time. It has a nice video transfer, good audio (Japanese and English Stereo), and an English subtitle track. Special features are slim unless you use a computer, though; a funky little application on the disc (a crusty OS9 one for Mac users) lets you access scripts, a passable gallery of images, and the storyboards for two scenes. One positive note is that this disc actually includes the main cast members in both English and Japanese on the disc jacket (as USM started doing at some point, the info is printed on the inside of the cover, and the case is transparent). Plus, they left in the Japanese credits, so you'll find a complete translation here. The disc is also available in a 2-pack with the sequel, Breakthrough.

Content Guide

Has a fair amount of non-erotic nudity early on and is generally violent, though not particularly serious about it. USM's 13-up is about right, though much of it doesn't even feel quite that serious.

Violence: 2 - They do a lot of violence to a lot of cat-people, but it's not graphic and I'm not even sure they're technically getting killed.

Nudity: 3 - Again a fair chunk early on.

Sex/Mature Themes: 0 - Essentially nothing.

Language: 1 - Nothing strong.

Notes and Trivia

Based on a comic series by Akihiro Ito, available in English from CPM Manga. Though the series is usually just called "Geobreeders" (in English) even in Japan, the full subtitle means something like "Commando Unit for All Types of Ghosts and Goblins". This animated version was also known as "File.X", probably to distinguish it from the comic continuity (which it more or less retells with some minor changes). It is also AKA (in Japan) "Geobreeders The Movie", though it isn't, and "Geobreeders [File-X] "Get Back the Kitty"".

There's an odd little commercial for catfood between episodes 2 and 3 on the DVD; it's probably not an actual ad, although "Neko-genki" catfood (written slightly differently) was and is an actual product produced by Unicharm (the other brand, Lulu, is what Maya is always eating). The other two Mayas are from other anime series, one rather well-known. (For those wondering, it certainly could have been a real ad--Japanese commercials are often that short and nonsensical.)

As I mentioned above, the writer/artist of the manga (available in English from CPM Manga), Akihiro Ito, has a thing for superrealistic weapons and other hardware, and that carries through into the anime version. Being something of a geek, I personally noted a Logitec QuickCam on top of the computer setup at the restaurant, and the two OSes that show up are the real thing (notice that the good guys use a Mac). One minor error for the geek with a sharp eye: when their connection gets broken halfway through the cat-girl's transmission, the computer shows a "Type -192" error. Any old-time Mac tech will tell you that's a "Resource not found" error, more likely caused by a glitch or running out of memory. So, of course, my first instinct when that flashed on the screen was "Their computer crashed!" not that the transmission had been cut. Ah, the difficulty of suspension of disbelief that plagues techheads...

Availability

Available in the US on hybrid DVD from US Manga Corps, both as a budget-priced single-disc version of all three episodes and in a combo pack with the sequel, Breakthrough. Was also available on a single subtitled or dubbed VHS volume, both out of print.

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