Anime: Figure 17 - Tsubasa & Hikaru

[areaseven]

Figure 17 - Tsubasa & Hikaru (フィギュア17つばさ＆ヒカル) is a 2001 anime TV series directed by Naohito Takahashi (Steel Angel Kurumi, Berserk) and animated by GENCO (Azumanga Daioh, Please Teacher!) and Oriental Light & Magic (Comic Party, Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor). The 13-episode series originally aired from 27 May 2001 to 26 May 2002. Unlike most anime titles, Figure 17's episodes were aired monthly, each with a 46 minute running time.

The story focuses on Tsubasa Shiina, a 10-year-old girl trying to adjust to life in Hokkaido. One night, an intergalactic police spacecraft crashes near her home, and when she arrives to investigate the scene, she encounters a deadly alien being called a "Maguar". In the midst of the chaos, she comes into contact with a synthetic alien lifeform that transforms her into Figure 17 - enabling her to destroy the Maguar threat. The lifeform changes into an exact copy of Tsubasa and becomes her twin sister Hikaru.

D.D., the pilot of the downed ship, reveals to Tsubasa that he had confiscated a cache of Maguar gems - which are illegal to engineer in his home planet - and was on his way to deliver them to the galactic police when one of them hatched, causing his ship to crash into Earth. The Maguar gems were also scattered all over Hokkaido during the crash; as a result, Tsubasa, Hikaru, D.D. and his parner Oldina must hunt down and destroy all of the Maguar gems before they hatch and become a threat to mankind. At the same time, Tsubasa slowly becomes more open-minded due to her interaction with Hikaru.

Figure 17 is currently available on DVD from Media Blasters/AnimeWorks in the U.S. and Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eic3BjdIT5g"]Figure 17 Trailer - YouTube[/ame]

Figure 17 info at Anime News Network

 

[ninjadetective]

It was years ago I saw it, but I really, really liked it. Very enjoyable. Despite that, I've yet to convince anyone to watch it.

 

[areaseven]

It was years ago I saw it, but I really, really liked it. Very enjoyable. Despite that, I've yet to convince anyone to watch it.

Yeah, it ain't easy to introduce it to anyone. Media Blasters didn't do much to promote it. I only found out about it by doing a random anime rental through NetFlix back in 2004. Right after the first disc, I got hooked. I even bought the sixth and final DVD at AnimeExpo directly from the Media Blasters booth a month before its official domestic release. Hell, I loved this anime so much that I imported the soundtrack CD (plus Glint Beat by The Alfee, which has the full opening and ending themes) and bought the watered-down manga adaptation.

Also, very few people know that the anime has a lot of homages to tokusatsu, as Figure 17 does a lot of Ultraman and Kamen Rider fighting stances.

 

[areaseven]

Here are some sample tracks of the anime soundtrack:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkD36xVcbYk"]The Alfee - Boy (Figure 17 Opening Theme) - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB1dEGthMUI"]The Alfee - Fairy Dance (Figure 17 Ending Theme) - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKzhdm45QLg"]Figure 17 OST - Battle of Fire (Female Chorus Version) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[KouAidou]

Hell, I loved this anime so much that I imported the soundtrack CD (plus Glint Beat by The Alfee, which has the full opening and ending themes) and bought the watered-down manga adaptation.

You don't know how it warms my heart to hear that some anime out there, somewhere, was actually able to introduce an American fan to The Alfee. :laugh:

(And after posting, I realize you're from the Philippines. Oh well, close enough? Are they more common knowledge over there?)

I only ever watched the first episode and didn't really "get it" at the time; this was when it was first coming out in fansubs about ten years ago and I was kind of dumber about my tastes. I'd really like to give it another try, now that I'm older and more familiar with the tokusatsu/shoujo/J-drama tropes.

 

[areaseven]

You don't know how it warms my heart to hear that some anime out there, somewhere, was actually able to introduce an American fan to The Alfee. :laugh:

(And after posting, I realize you're from the Philippines. Oh well, close enough? Are they more common knowledge over there?)

I was living in L.A. during the time I discovered this anime. And while the Philippines has a heavy anime fan base, there are no official distributors (every title is sold as a bootleg) and nobody here has ever heard of Figure 17.

I only ever watched the first episode and didn't really "get it" at the time; this was when it was first coming out in fansubs about ten years ago and I was kind of dumber about my tastes. I'd really like to give it another try, now that I'm older and more familiar with the tokusatsu/shoujo/J-drama tropes.

It's a bit dragging at times due to its running time, but what really sold me on it was its storytelling. There are no common stereotypes among the characters and you really get to relate to them in every episode. The fight scenes are brilliantly choreographed and the background music goes perfectly with them.

Also, the English dub is actually very good - undoubtedly one of the best voice acting jobs by Bang Zoom! Entertainment.