recently stumbled on your video can you do the French/Japanese co-production anime 40 episode Time Jam: Valerian & Laureline 2007? are you familiar with that series?
I know! It's crazy the amount of times I've mentioned it to someone, even people I wouldn't expect to know it or even be aware of it, and finding out it was one of their favourites growing up!
I do have to say I didn’t see any problem with showing Jordan’s crush on Molly from his perspective because its HIS crush. Given that Molly is open about her feelings for Aikka, she verbally shuts down Jordan’s attempts to be more intimate, and she calls him “partner” and “friend”, implies more that her view of him is platonic more than romantic like him. It gives him character for the ending where he seems to realise his feelings aren’t reciprocated but decides to love her unconditionally and sacrifice himself for her anyway instead of getting depressed or pissy about it.
I agree. I don't see Molly being comedically oblivious to Jordan, but her really not caring for him in that way so she just leaves the situation when it becomes uncomfortable. It's quite similar to how she can't tell his father who she is so she either lies or answers vaguely ("If I were really your daughter, you wouldn't have to ask. You would know right away, right?" - something like that). I felt bad for Jordan, but I think it's odd to assume that Molly likes Jordan just because she doesn't shut him down more clearly, I never saw their scenes that way. She doesn't say she has a crush on Aikka either, but there are enough signs to show that she likes him to have a solid case there.
This is why i respect Savin Yeatman-Eiffel. He truly believed that there was an important component missing in western animation. Rather than work for another studio, where he would be limited artistically, he would build his own studio and write the show as he wanted.
I just started watching Oban a few days ago and its impacted me in so many ways. My biological father wasn't a good person; he neglected me, abused me and abandoned me both as a child and an adult before eventually committing suicide in 2023. Its been nearly 10 months since his death and he never once bothered to contact me before doing so, our last interacting him telling me off for wanting to spend Christmas with him. I feel like with Don and Eva, I can at least fantasize about a world where me and dad got along. Where he'd fix his ways and be the father I needed him to be. Their dynamic means the world to me and maybe, like Eva, I too can grow to forgive my father. Not for him, but for myself.
how is it that everyone i talk to about oban has the same experience with the show? everyone seems to have watched it on TV when they were too young to properly follow along and then remembered the experience as a fever dream for years, unsure if it actually happened or not, to then stumble across the show on the internet a decade later and realise that it still holds up to this day. it's unbelievable, really
hey, this video was great!! i'm was so happy watching it. oban star racers is my all-time favorite show and i'm incredibly grateful to see more people cover the series. i really love that you were able to talk about the series with such nuance and explore topics like molly's experience with the earth team, as well as the central theme of loss in the show. i wish there were more deep-dives like this, since the show has so many layers for a mid-2000s Y7 animation. certain points in the video made me think: first, personally i never actually saw jordan's affections for molly to be reciprocated by her in full, since molly for the most part only shows him friendship. but each fan has their own interpretation of if she likes aikka or jordan better. to me, the love triangle is a total side story, as at the end of the day, molly's goal is to reunite her broken family to the way it used to be. she doesn't have a lot of time to care about romantic love, with everything else going on. another aside- it's funny just how many people misremember rick to be an asshole, when he's actually the sweetest guy, and arguably the character that is there for molly the most. he turned out to be my favorite character upon my re-watch (after molly, and before spirit), as he is the only earth team member that doesn't doubt molly's ability to succeed at any point, and serves as a great mentor/big brother/replacement father for her during his screen-time. i'm always surprised that not many people talk about this show. i always felt like it was just released too soon, and that if it was produced today it would be a major hit.
Her father wasn't trying to stop her from racing just because she was a girl, the show wasn't making a comment on a sexist nature of society that keeps girls down. Don's wife was a famous racer he happily supported as her manager. He was trying to stop Molly because a) she is a child putting her life on the line, and b)he lost his wife during a race so losing Molly (even when he didn't know she was his daughter) would be terrible for him. Also they treated Rick differently not just because he was a guy but because they had a proven track record, he was the guy they planned to take on this competition with from the start, he was charismatic, older, and composed compared to the frequently angry outbursts of Molly.
I agree. I don't feel it was really sexism at all. Perhaps with Stan and Koji, it was, though with them being the analytical type, I'd still postulate they would be more focused on her record vs Rick's.
Don Wei definetly acted out in sexist ways, even if it was induced by the loss of his wife. He may not be sexist in his worldview, but that doesn't really matter when he's acting out misogynistically in his grief, which he does repeatedly
As an older anime viewer it's something I really think holds up well. The art style, characters and story is excellent and as the show demonstrates, universal. It really deserves a Blu Ray release.
Oban Star Racers is getting a Blu-ray release. At the moment you can still preorder collector edition and some numbred ones are still available aswell. 😄✌🏻 Preordered mine already.
I'm gonna say it, Canaletto is a fantastic villain and it's a damn shame he's so often forgotte in the annals of animation evil doers. Dude pulled off his whole plan from a bird cage and was helping Eva in his own twisted way from the sidelines the whole time. He's up there with the likes of Bill Cipher and the Lich in my book.
If Eva were a boy the show would've lacked any gender-specific stereotypes you mentioned and probably make it not as good. So it's more than understandable that Savin turned down investors that insisted the change in gender.
I really don't agree with the critique of the show falling into sexist tropes at times, especially not with those examples. It's impossible to not fall into any tropes when writing a story and this one is quite good at lowering the issues that might arrive from the tropes that are being used. But I have bigger issues with that point than this. I don't see Eva doing all this for her father as falling into a sexist trope. She wants a family and he is the only family she has left, nothing deeper than that. Are female characters, or women in general, not allowed to ever care for a male figure and make sacrifices for him? It's especially weird to point that out when the male characters make just as many, if not more, sacrifices for Molly than she does for them (Jordan and Aikka do this constantly and her father towards the end puts her wellbeing over the fate of Earth). Besides it's obvious that Eva misses her mother and wants to bring her back for herself as well, not just to get her father back. Molly just isn't reciprocating Jordan's feelings, that's why we only see that romantic subplot through his eyes. The way I saw it, it isn't "sheer obliviousness", she is avoiding/ignoring the situation when it becomes uncomfortable just like she refuses to tell her father who she is for a long time, even when he asks about it... but I'm open to the idea that she does like him a bit, but not enough to cross the line between friendship and more. It doesn't remove her autonomy since Jordan's doesn't end up winning her over, even after his sacrifice he is still just her partner in the race and her friend, she is not as broken up over not seeing him again like over the bad stuff involving Aikka. The show is clearer with her feelings towards Aikka because well, she actually has feelings for Aikka, it's that simple. The whole Jordan crushing on Molly with her not caring about it subplot shows how women and girls are not prizes that you have to win. Muir would be critiqued in this video the same way as Eva if it was a she that wanted to bring back her male partner - doing everything for a male figure - so there really is no winning with this character since they unfortunately didn't use the alien setting as a way to showcase non-binary/unearthly genders. The death of the mom only makes sense as a plot device only if it was the mom, since Eva being a girl protagonist was a must for the show's creator and she had to be the reflection of her mother to even begin to justify Don Wey not wanting to see her anymore after Maya's death. Edit: I also think they needed this to explain his disdain towards female pilots, to make it even harder for Molly to make him take her seriously, but tbh in real life sexism is rarely so cleanly explained.
I was thinking exactly this, after just rewatching it the last few days I'd say it avoids any sexist trope (both modern and those of it's time). Even the scenes that could be most clearly interpreted as being sexist make sense from a character perspective. Don doesn't want Molly to race not out of some sexist reason, but because you have this girl that essentially hitches a ride uninvited (and already showed up twice, uninvited. Which pissed him off) is a complete unknown to Don. It isn't unreasonable for a manager to give a important job to a rando that just happens to be there. He also doesn't congratulate her after her 2 races because one was won by sheer luck and the other she essentially fails in but is only saved by Jordans ability as a gunner. Why would you congratulate what is in your view an rank amateur that only wins with luck and having a good team mate? Again same with not complaining about Ricks flying when he was hurt, he's a professional racer with a 10-ish year career you'd expect him to do complex maneuvers that look out of control while if an amateur does it it looks, well, simply being out of control. After this point Molly is shown to be a good pilot and gets proper training from Rick, at which point Don simply pusher her to race. That is, until he finds out she's his daughter at which point he desperately tries to avoid what happened to his wife, by not stopping her from doing dangerous stuff and losing his family again. The only true sexism in a practical sense in this show is Don's dislike of female pilots after his wife died. Which is arguably more about avoiding remembering his past than some sort of claim of inability of women or as feeling a need to protect women/view men as more disposable as he clearly knows women can race well (seeing as his wife was the best pilot on earth). What Oban does is avoid pretty much any real sexism by having every main character be complex and flawed people, but doesn't shy away from things that can be interpreted as such. Where as a lot of modern media that tries to avoid sexism at all cost and when it does show something that can remotely be interpreted as such displays it as some big bad evil. And on top of that often tries to portrait women as some "has no flaws, always right, always powerful. Unless the plot calls for it" type of character (which is in all irony rather sexist), and men often as being a villain or as weak. Oban doesn't try to make some sort of political statement in the show (let alone push it down ones throat), but rather makes a statement in the writers room and there alone. I'd say all of part 2 of this video showing more the reviewers bias than things that can be seen in the show.
Took the words right outta my mouth. I love how despite her crush on Aikka and and Jordan's feelings for her, she didn’t "end up" with either of them. That on its own is a bold choice when writing a female lead, and a very nice one!
Oban Star Racers is the first anime i watched that, when i finished it, thought it was a definitive 10/10 (Digimon Adventure is probably my first 10/10 show, but i watched that when i was so young i hadn't really thought about scores)
Y’know, people always say they want more redline. Well, this is the closest thing you’re getting to that, and I love it so much. This show really showcases the speed these vehicles are going at
TravenTalks didnt expect such detail video about Oban Star Racers on youtube. I am glad this video is made know the production behind the show. Marvelous job
Another thing is that Don Wei is empathetic, but never truly portrayed as a good person. His actions gain some context, but are not downplayed or dismissed. Hell I don't even think Eva forgives him nor does he ask for it more than once.
This video is awesome! Oban: Star Racers was a show that defined my childhood, right along with A:TLA. Thank you so much for explaining how the show came to be, I had absolutely no idea what kind of journey the creators went through to make it happen.
I used to love this show. I feel like nobody has heard of or remembers it. Fever dream memory is right the right way to describe it. I rewatched it a little while ago and everything I thought I knew from the show was wrong.
I'm kind of surprised you didn't add anything about the Opening and Ending theme(s), I think they add a lot of the Atmosphere that makes the series so good.
As a kid I almost never experienced the ending theme probably because they cut it from the program, but the final episode they kept it -that made it way more special.
Great video! Even though I was around the right age for it, I must've missed this show growing up, so I'm coming at it without any nostalgia. I finished the last episode earlier today and I was really impressed with it, it's a shame it isn't more widely known. Everything you said about the designs and the CGI is so right. There's a wealth of great character and ship designs and the cel-shaded look of the 3D elements hold up a lot better than I expected for cartoon this old. I was also surprised at how maturely it handled its story and characters. It's not an overly dark show by any means but given that it aired on Jetix and was presumably targeted at that audience, it treats its demographic with a of respect, it doesn't insult them by pandering to mandated, crass humour or anything. Oban expects younger viewers to remain engaged with a serialised story, dealing with loss and abandonment, by getting them invested in its characters and that's not only something worthy of respect but something western animation still struggles with largely today. On the subjects of subverting expectations based on character appearances, Rick's a great example. Everything about his design and his position in Don Wei's team suggests he's going to be an arrogant jerk, yet he's quickly revealed to be the most level-headed and receptive member of the Earth Crew and the first to acknowledge Molly's potential as a racer. His role as her mentor in the first half of the season was genuinely heartwarming. I don't necessarily disagree with the analysis that the show's handling of sexism might be a little basic by modern standards, but it's coming from an age of cartoons where these topics were usually dealt with by the dreaded "Boys vs Girls" episode, so I still give it props. Baking it into background of the earlier episodes was, again, a more mature way of handling it than you'd see from its contemporaries. I appreciated the fact that even overwhelmingly sympathetic characters like Stan and Koji could be dismissive of Molly and that it wasn't just limited to more tyrannical characters like Don Wei, again, just a bit more nuance than you see in other places. Also, the European/Japanese theme song is a bop. I really enjoyed the show and I'm glad I finished it just in time to find this video.
Thanks man! Ironically, I feel like I had the opposite problem - probably just a lil too young to fully get it (or even properly remember it), which is what made it fun to go back and see the full picture of it all. I also appreciate the way it handles it all - hell, I guess that's a big part of the appeal of a lot of anime/anime-esque shows, in that they do their best to meet the audience on their level instead of feeling like they need to treat them with kid's gloves. And true, that is a fair point. Guess it's a bit of recency bias skewing my perspective on it a bit, but I agree, it does handle those topics really well for the time. Honestly I probably should've tried to go into more detail in that whole regard, but man the video was already long enough, I was struggling just to make it sound coherent, lol And yes it is - but so is the US one! Just a lot of great music in the show's soundtrack, generally
The major issue I have with the show is that it clearly struggles to make and introduce its main antagonist and his plans don't make much sense. The Imperium was threatening enough and I feel that if the first season was longer, Canaleto could have been flushed out a bit better which would have made it so much smoother of a villian transition from the Krogs and the other racers to basically satan.
@@lolbuster01 honestly I quite liked the sudden change, it made it feel like a big reveal that tied in all the characters motivations and said it’s bigger than anyone of you, if you want to win you need to selflessly sacrifice your own motivations for the benefit of everyone, hence the ending we got. In other words, despite maybe being a bit more generic big bad for this genera, he doesn’t really represent an antagonist but rather a plot device to reveal the true nature of the race and allow its characters closure.
First vid of yours i have seen. found it looking for an Oban reaction vid or something but this was just better. Instant sub, thank you for this amazing vid bringing back all the memories of this fantastic series. Molly was always a great role model for me as a kid and i still love her and the series. looking forward to seeing your other vids! ^.^
Rewatching the show, I never got the vibe that Eva was into Jordan. I thought she just kissed him out of kindness/common decency especially the blow kiss at the end of the series, it felt it was just out of sadness. But a great analysis, I’ve been starving for criticism of this show and it’s one of my favorite anime 🧡
I would like to say that the design of Crog ships influenced my drawing style forever. Also absolutely agree about Rick, I essentially didn't remember him and now he's my favourite.
Wow great review dude. Love this show watched it early on in life and re-watching it now has been so rewarding and I still stands up today in my opinion
That was a deep comparison between their world and how our world changed after 2020 and people wanting to go back to how things was. Good observation 🙏
There is currently an active KICKSTARTER campaign going on for this to put season 1 on Bluray. Depending on how well this KICKSTARTER campaign does it will help with season 2.
I am a very big fan of this show and I am really surprise this video was uploaded when it did since I have been streaming Oban Star Racers for my friend since I had the DVDs (+ the official art book). My friend really likes it and now I made a new fan of the show. I love how you included the documentary clips as well. I really wish they re-release it in Bluray with the official unedited opening at 1 min 30 rather than 1 min with multiple language and subtitle options with the video at 4:3 heck I don't mind if they enhance the video quality to 1440 x 1080 resolution which is 1080p at 4:3. They can use AI video upscalers to do if need be. I want more people to watch it since Netflix took it off years ago. I don't mind watching new anime stuff but I am more of a fan of older shows from before the 2010s and 2020(s). There is a charm in older shows that most international/Western shows don't really get. This show is one of the exceptions that gets the feeling right. Too bad none of my other friends are interested since they think it has too much of a hipster vibe or they dislike the faces. I appreciate that one of my friends got hooked into the show. The CG really works in this show. Coming out of a mecha fan, I can tell you that there are a lot of shows that have bad clunky low FPS CG that seems way out of place even in more modern shows. Most of the time CG works as a camera movement thing rather than 3D models in anime. Also when my friend and I were watching the show, every time someone crashes or the Whizzing Arrow crashes we immediately think of or listen to the m.o.v.e. song RAGE YOUR DREAM from Initial D. My friend also appreciates how Don Wei's character was given depth as he hated the character at first until we really learn more about him. I like how we are given bits and pieces of each racer's personality or trait even when they are not given depth. Even the show's "villain" was hinted early in the show though I wish we had more ideas on why he chose Molly to be part of his plan. Also SUPEEERRR ... RACERR! Anyways this is probably the most in-depth video review/discussion of this show I have ever seen so far. Although I disagree on a couple of points, I think this video and your opinion is pretty spot on.
According to Wikipedia, Canaletto chose Eva because she was the only racer who would've refused becoming the Avatar if she won, thus giving him a chance to seize the power for himself.
This was easily one of my favorite shows growing up, and Molly was arguably the best protagonist I could have had as a role model around the time it was released, at least relative to other action shows on at the time. Though I agree with your critique that it's a bit simple. TV writing that incorporates sexism has benefitted from the last few decades. Thank you for your great write up on it. You covered the topics of misogyny and gender really well, in a way you don't always see in Anime reviews,
I can remember this because of the race tracks, but wasnt there like a cyperpunk/ post-apocalyptic more adult version of this anime? I feel like ive seen something like this as a kid but I cannot remember its name
Not that I can remember? The only thing I can think of is that one of the directors did a bit of concept art that's basically "what if the characters but several years later" a while back, but that's about it
I can't remember the specifics, but I think it was confirmed they were trying to do a 2nd season, but were wrapped up in getting a blu-ray re-release of the show finished first, and then, you know, pandemic - it's all very up in the air at the moment
@@TravenTalks I'm pretty sure they're going to wait to see the response of the blu-ray release before making any decisions about s2, y'know testing the waters to see if we're still here.
Thanks for recommending this series. I am forever starved for action oriented anime with a female lead. After shows like Kino no Tabi or Moribito: Guardian of Water. The typical male centric romance anime characters are too fantastically alien for me to stomach.
If any fan of the show sees this before 8th March 2022, you can contribute now to the official kickstarter to release the series on blu-ray in remastered HD!
I loved this show when I was a little boy and when I grow up I watched it again and it was so awesome like I remember it. But i dont know they didn't make Season 2 or a movie or even make a game off of it. I hope Netflix or some big company remake it.
Yoooo what show is the one at 6:55??? I definitely remember watching that, but I've completely forgotten about it for the last... 15 years. nvm found in the description, it was Storm Hawks!
If you mean the clip with the red armoured guy in the clouds, then that's Storm Hawks. Also, if there's any other shows you recognize but can't quite name, the description of the video has a full credits list in order of appearance for the media shown in the video!
The question is, in it's time, or even today ... would it have worked, if not her mother would have died, but her father (because you know it too: it was needed, one parent had died.)
Canaletto is the biggest problem with the show. I still don't follow his plan, even though I understand how it's supposed to play out and how it's happening, it comes off as a complete mess.
What's difficult to understand? He wanted to regain his power as the Avatar but couldn't compete in the race, thus he used his powers of foresight and manipulation to events to ensure that someone, IE Molly, would win the race knowing they wouldn't accept the prize, thereby allowing him to get it.
@@thefanwithoutaface8105 it comes off like Palpatine in the prequels where there is this grand plan that has so many moving parts that include random chance that it's amazing it happens the way it does. Canaletto is poorly explained and his powers ill defined. I love this show but this part is messy. I'll have to re-watch it, but I need more of him to see the flow of logic a bit better.
Not everything has to be about gender equality and feminism. The story is beautiful and there's nothing wrong with things like females having boy crushes and protective fathers.
i absolutely agree with you that although they tried to make a point that supposed to be feminist, they completly fall flat in other ways. You can feel that the show was written by men lol
I had, so many technical issues recording the audio for this, and I feel like it’s very clear to hear in my voice, lol
Also, CC available!
recently stumbled on your video can you do the French/Japanese co-production anime 40 episode Time Jam: Valerian & Laureline 2007? are you familiar with that series?
I LOOOOOOOOVED Oban Star Racers!! Sometimes I felt like I was crazy because no one else seemed to know about it
I know! It's crazy the amount of times I've mentioned it to someone, even people I wouldn't expect to know it or even be aware of it, and finding out it was one of their favourites growing up!
Exactlyyyyy, I feel like nobody knows about, without question one of the MOST underrated anime’s ever👌🏽
Its becuz star rasers is really old came out over 12 years ago😁
@@strikereureka7198 Our beautiful memory :)
Same!!!!
I do have to say I didn’t see any problem with showing Jordan’s crush on Molly from his perspective because its HIS crush. Given that Molly is open about her feelings for Aikka, she verbally shuts down Jordan’s attempts to be more intimate, and she calls him “partner” and “friend”, implies more that her view of him is platonic more than romantic like him. It gives him character for the ending where he seems to realise his feelings aren’t reciprocated but decides to love her unconditionally and sacrifice himself for her anyway instead of getting depressed or pissy about it.
I agree. I don't see Molly being comedically oblivious to Jordan, but her really not caring for him in that way so she just leaves the situation when it becomes uncomfortable. It's quite similar to how she can't tell his father who she is so she either lies or answers vaguely ("If I were really your daughter, you wouldn't have to ask. You would know right away, right?" - something like that). I felt bad for Jordan, but I think it's odd to assume that Molly likes Jordan just because she doesn't shut him down more clearly, I never saw their scenes that way. She doesn't say she has a crush on Aikka either, but there are enough signs to show that she likes him to have a solid case there.
This is why i respect Savin Yeatman-Eiffel. He truly believed that there was an important component missing in western animation. Rather than work for another studio, where he would be limited artistically, he would build his own studio and write the show as he wanted.
Holy shit, this wasn't just some vague Jetix memory from my elementary school years! *And* I now have a reason to rewatch it!
Yes, the legends are true! Oban does exist (as a show)!
I just started watching Oban a few days ago and its impacted me in so many ways. My biological father wasn't a good person; he neglected me, abused me and abandoned me both as a child and an adult before eventually committing suicide in 2023. Its been nearly 10 months since his death and he never once bothered to contact me before doing so, our last interacting him telling me off for wanting to spend Christmas with him. I feel like with Don and Eva, I can at least fantasize about a world where me and dad got along. Where he'd fix his ways and be the father I needed him to be. Their dynamic means the world to me and maybe, like Eva, I too can grow to forgive my father. Not for him, but for myself.
how is it that everyone i talk to about oban has the same experience with the show? everyone seems to have watched it on TV when they were too young to properly follow along and then remembered the experience as a fever dream for years, unsure if it actually happened or not, to then stumble across the show on the internet a decade later and realise that it still holds up to this day. it's unbelievable, really
hey, this video was great!! i'm was so happy watching it.
oban star racers is my all-time favorite show and i'm incredibly grateful to see more people cover the series. i really love that you were able to talk about the series with such nuance and explore topics like molly's experience with the earth team, as well as the central theme of loss in the show. i wish there were more deep-dives like this, since the show has so many layers for a mid-2000s Y7 animation.
certain points in the video made me think: first, personally i never actually saw jordan's affections for molly to be reciprocated by her in full, since molly for the most part only shows him friendship. but each fan has their own interpretation of if she likes aikka or jordan better. to me, the love triangle is a total side story, as at the end of the day, molly's goal is to reunite her broken family to the way it used to be. she doesn't have a lot of time to care about romantic love, with everything else going on. another aside- it's funny just how many people misremember rick to be an asshole, when he's actually the sweetest guy, and arguably the character that is there for molly the most. he turned out to be my favorite character upon my re-watch (after molly, and before spirit), as he is the only earth team member that doesn't doubt molly's ability to succeed at any point, and serves as a great mentor/big brother/replacement father for her during his screen-time.
i'm always surprised that not many people talk about this show. i always felt like it was just released too soon, and that if it was produced today it would be a major hit.
A masterpiece in animation history
Her father wasn't trying to stop her from racing just because she was a girl, the show wasn't making a comment on a sexist nature of society that keeps girls down. Don's wife was a famous racer he happily supported as her manager. He was trying to stop Molly because a) she is a child putting her life on the line, and b)he lost his wife during a race so losing Molly (even when he didn't know she was his daughter) would be terrible for him. Also they treated Rick differently not just because he was a guy but because they had a proven track record, he was the guy they planned to take on this competition with from the start, he was charismatic, older, and composed compared to the frequently angry outbursts of Molly.
I agree. I don't feel it was really sexism at all. Perhaps with Stan and Koji, it was, though with them being the analytical type, I'd still postulate they would be more focused on her record vs Rick's.
By "girl" he ment child ?
Don Wei definetly acted out in sexist ways, even if it was induced by the loss of his wife. He may not be sexist in his worldview, but that doesn't really matter when he's acting out misogynistically in his grief, which he does repeatedly
Yeah, he completely misunderstood that part
As an older anime viewer it's something I really think holds up well. The art style, characters and story is excellent and as the show demonstrates, universal. It really deserves a Blu Ray release.
Oban Star Racers is getting a Blu-ray release. At the moment you can still preorder collector edition and some numbred ones are still available aswell. 😄✌🏻 Preordered mine already.
It's an emotional show, something we can relate to, the characters dealt with real emotions and I think thats why it still holds value to this day
22:46 Slight correction. It wasn't stress or trauma that stopped him from racing, but a brain injury.
I’d say the show attempts to present it as both a physical and mental trauma
I'm gonna say it, Canaletto is a fantastic villain and it's a damn shame he's so often forgotte in the annals of animation evil doers. Dude pulled off his whole plan from a bird cage and was helping Eva in his own twisted way from the sidelines the whole time. He's up there with the likes of Bill Cipher and the Lich in my book.
If Eva were a boy the show would've lacked any gender-specific stereotypes you mentioned and probably make it not as good. So it's more than understandable that Savin turned down investors that insisted the change in gender.
I really don't agree with the critique of the show falling into sexist tropes at times, especially not with those examples. It's impossible to not fall into any tropes when writing a story and this one is quite good at lowering the issues that might arrive from the tropes that are being used. But I have bigger issues with that point than this.
I don't see Eva doing all this for her father as falling into a sexist trope. She wants a family and he is the only family she has left, nothing deeper than that. Are female characters, or women in general, not allowed to ever care for a male figure and make sacrifices for him? It's especially weird to point that out when the male characters make just as many, if not more, sacrifices for Molly than she does for them (Jordan and Aikka do this constantly and her father towards the end puts her wellbeing over the fate of Earth). Besides it's obvious that Eva misses her mother and wants to bring her back for herself as well, not just to get her father back.
Molly just isn't reciprocating Jordan's feelings, that's why we only see that romantic subplot through his eyes. The way I saw it, it isn't "sheer obliviousness", she is avoiding/ignoring the situation when it becomes uncomfortable just like she refuses to tell her father who she is for a long time, even when he asks about it... but I'm open to the idea that she does like him a bit, but not enough to cross the line between friendship and more. It doesn't remove her autonomy since Jordan's doesn't end up winning her over, even after his sacrifice he is still just her partner in the race and her friend, she is not as broken up over not seeing him again like over the bad stuff involving Aikka. The show is clearer with her feelings towards Aikka because well, she actually has feelings for Aikka, it's that simple. The whole Jordan crushing on Molly with her not caring about it subplot shows how women and girls are not prizes that you have to win.
Muir would be critiqued in this video the same way as Eva if it was a she that wanted to bring back her male partner - doing everything for a male figure - so there really is no winning with this character since they unfortunately didn't use the alien setting as a way to showcase non-binary/unearthly genders.
The death of the mom only makes sense as a plot device only if it was the mom, since Eva being a girl protagonist was a must for the show's creator and she had to be the reflection of her mother to even begin to justify Don Wey not wanting to see her anymore after Maya's death. Edit: I also think they needed this to explain his disdain towards female pilots, to make it even harder for Molly to make him take her seriously, but tbh in real life sexism is rarely so cleanly explained.
I was thinking exactly this, after just rewatching it the last few days I'd say it avoids any sexist trope (both modern and those of it's time). Even the scenes that could be most clearly interpreted as being sexist make sense from a character perspective. Don doesn't want Molly to race not out of some sexist reason, but because you have this girl that essentially hitches a ride uninvited (and already showed up twice, uninvited. Which pissed him off) is a complete unknown to Don. It isn't unreasonable for a manager to give a important job to a rando that just happens to be there. He also doesn't congratulate her after her 2 races because one was won by sheer luck and the other she essentially fails in but is only saved by Jordans ability as a gunner. Why would you congratulate what is in your view an rank amateur that only wins with luck and having a good team mate?
Again same with not complaining about Ricks flying when he was hurt, he's a professional racer with a 10-ish year career you'd expect him to do complex maneuvers that look out of control while if an amateur does it it looks, well, simply being out of control.
After this point Molly is shown to be a good pilot and gets proper training from Rick, at which point Don simply pusher her to race. That is, until he finds out she's his daughter at which point he desperately tries to avoid what happened to his wife, by not stopping her from doing dangerous stuff and losing his family again.
The only true sexism in a practical sense in this show is Don's dislike of female pilots after his wife died. Which is arguably more about avoiding remembering his past than some sort of claim of inability of women or as feeling a need to protect women/view men as more disposable as he clearly knows women can race well (seeing as his wife was the best pilot on earth).
What Oban does is avoid pretty much any real sexism by having every main character be complex and flawed people, but doesn't shy away from things that can be interpreted as such. Where as a lot of modern media that tries to avoid sexism at all cost and when it does show something that can remotely be interpreted as such displays it as some big bad evil. And on top of that often tries to portrait women as some "has no flaws, always right, always powerful. Unless the plot calls for it" type of character (which is in all irony rather sexist), and men often as being a villain or as weak. Oban doesn't try to make some sort of political statement in the show (let alone push it down ones throat), but rather makes a statement in the writers room and there alone.
I'd say all of part 2 of this video showing more the reviewers bias than things that can be seen in the show.
Took the words right outta my mouth. I love how despite her crush on Aikka and and Jordan's feelings for her, she didn’t "end up" with either of them. That on its own is a bold choice when writing a female lead, and a very nice one!
Nowadays if the lead isn't in a polyamorous lesbian relationship then its considered sexist
I have been next level borderline obsessed with this for over 10 years it honestly shaped me as the young adult I am today lol.
Same XD
A timeless classic. I should really re-watch it a third time. And how about that japanese opening theme? Absolute banger.
Oban Star Racers is the first anime i watched that, when i finished it, thought it was a definitive 10/10 (Digimon Adventure is probably my first 10/10 show, but i watched that when i was so young i hadn't really thought about scores)
One day, one day, this show will get its chance to shine.
Y’know, people always say they want more redline. Well, this is the closest thing you’re getting to that, and I love it so much. This show really showcases the speed these vehicles are going at
This one my favorite animated shows back then such underrated masterpiece 👍🏾
TravenTalks didnt expect such detail video about Oban Star Racers on youtube. I am glad this video is made know the production behind the show. Marvelous job
Thanks man!
This is one of my favorite shows of all time and I aways love seeing it getting attention.
Another thing is that Don Wei is empathetic, but never truly portrayed as a good person. His actions gain some context, but are not downplayed or dismissed. Hell I don't even think Eva forgives him nor does he ask for it more than once.
This video is awesome! Oban: Star Racers was a show that defined my childhood, right along with A:TLA.
Thank you so much for explaining how the show came to be, I had absolutely no idea what kind of journey the creators went through to make it happen.
I used to love this show. I feel like nobody has heard of or remembers it. Fever dream memory is right the right way to describe it. I rewatched it a little while ago and everything I thought I knew from the show was wrong.
Badass video. Now i will binge watch it all over again and be depressed at the ending. Thank you
I'm kind of surprised you didn't add anything about the Opening and Ending theme(s), I think they add a lot of the Atmosphere that makes the series so good.
As a kid I almost never experienced the ending theme probably because they cut it from the program, but the final episode they kept it -that made it way more special.
I happy knowing that this gem of a show is getting a spotlight this show is my childhood man
Great video!
Even though I was around the right age for it, I must've missed this show growing up, so I'm coming at it without any nostalgia. I finished the last episode earlier today and I was really impressed with it, it's a shame it isn't more widely known.
Everything you said about the designs and the CGI is so right. There's a wealth of great character and ship designs and the cel-shaded look of the 3D elements hold up a lot better than I expected for cartoon this old.
I was also surprised at how maturely it handled its story and characters. It's not an overly dark show by any means but given that it aired on Jetix and was presumably targeted at that audience, it treats its demographic with a of respect, it doesn't insult them by pandering to mandated, crass humour or anything. Oban expects younger viewers to remain engaged with a serialised story, dealing with loss and abandonment, by getting them invested in its characters and that's not only something worthy of respect but something western animation still struggles with largely today.
On the subjects of subverting expectations based on character appearances, Rick's a great example. Everything about his design and his position in Don Wei's team suggests he's going to be an arrogant jerk, yet he's quickly revealed to be the most level-headed and receptive member of the Earth Crew and the first to acknowledge Molly's potential as a racer. His role as her mentor in the first half of the season was genuinely heartwarming.
I don't necessarily disagree with the analysis that the show's handling of sexism might be a little basic by modern standards, but it's coming from an age of cartoons where these topics were usually dealt with by the dreaded "Boys vs Girls" episode, so I still give it props. Baking it into background of the earlier episodes was, again, a more mature way of handling it than you'd see from its contemporaries. I appreciated the fact that even overwhelmingly sympathetic characters like Stan and Koji could be dismissive of Molly and that it wasn't just limited to more tyrannical characters like Don Wei, again, just a bit more nuance than you see in other places.
Also, the European/Japanese theme song is a bop.
I really enjoyed the show and I'm glad I finished it just in time to find this video.
Thanks man!
Ironically, I feel like I had the opposite problem - probably just a lil too young to fully get it (or even properly remember it), which is what made it fun to go back and see the full picture of it all. I also appreciate the way it handles it all - hell, I guess that's a big part of the appeal of a lot of anime/anime-esque shows, in that they do their best to meet the audience on their level instead of feeling like they need to treat them with kid's gloves.
And true, that is a fair point. Guess it's a bit of recency bias skewing my perspective on it a bit, but I agree, it does handle those topics really well for the time. Honestly I probably should've tried to go into more detail in that whole regard, but man the video was already long enough, I was struggling just to make it sound coherent, lol
And yes it is - but so is the US one! Just a lot of great music in the show's soundtrack, generally
The major issue I have with the show is that it clearly struggles to make and introduce its main antagonist and his plans don't make much sense. The Imperium was threatening enough and I feel that if the first season was longer, Canaleto could have been flushed out a bit better which would have made it so much smoother of a villian transition from the Krogs and the other racers to basically satan.
@@lolbuster01 honestly I quite liked the sudden change, it made it feel like a big reveal that tied in all the characters motivations and said it’s bigger than anyone of you, if you want to win you need to selflessly sacrifice your own motivations for the benefit of everyone, hence the ending we got. In other words, despite maybe being a bit more generic big bad for this genera, he doesn’t really represent an antagonist but rather a plot device to reveal the true nature of the race and allow its characters closure.
First vid of yours i have seen. found it looking for an Oban reaction vid or something but this was just better. Instant sub, thank you for this amazing vid bringing back all the memories of this fantastic series. Molly was always a great role model for me as a kid and i still love her and the series. looking forward to seeing your other vids! ^.^
Taku Iwasaki's soundtrack work is so good. It's part of the reason the show was so memorable to me.
Rewatching the show, I never got the vibe that Eva was into Jordan. I thought she just kissed him out of kindness/common decency especially the blow kiss at the end of the series, it felt it was just out of sadness. But a great analysis, I’ve been starving for criticism of this show and it’s one of my favorite anime 🧡
Great review. I also think this series aged pretty well.
I absolutely loved this show man. Thanks for this nostalgia trip. I might rewatch this now
Love the show!! Thank you for the video :D
Thanks, glad you liked it!
I would like to say that the design of Crog ships influenced my drawing style forever. Also absolutely agree about Rick, I essentially didn't remember him and now he's my favourite.
Rick really IS the best character! Glad you learned!
Wow great review dude. Love this show watched it early on in life and re-watching it now has been so rewarding and I still stands up today in my opinion
That was a deep comparison between their world and how our world changed after 2020 and people wanting to go back to how things was. Good observation 🙏
Gosh i wish more people knew this show. There's so many shows from Jetix that seem to be pretty unknown, I rarely meet people who have watched them.
Good to see you, old friend! I hope you are happy and well!
Oh hey! Good to see you too, hope you're doing well, man!
I have never really been keen about racing and racing games/media myself, but i'm still eager to watch the video
There is currently an active KICKSTARTER campaign going on for this to put season 1 on Bluray. Depending on how well this KICKSTARTER campaign does it will help with season 2.
I am a very big fan of this show and I am really surprise this video was uploaded when it did since I have been streaming Oban Star Racers for my friend since I had the DVDs (+ the official art book). My friend really likes it and now I made a new fan of the show. I love how you included the documentary clips as well. I really wish they re-release it in Bluray with the official unedited opening at 1 min 30 rather than 1 min with multiple language and subtitle options with the video at 4:3 heck I don't mind if they enhance the video quality to 1440 x 1080 resolution which is 1080p at 4:3. They can use AI video upscalers to do if need be. I want more people to watch it since Netflix took it off years ago. I don't mind watching new anime stuff but I am more of a fan of older shows from before the 2010s and 2020(s). There is a charm in older shows that most international/Western shows don't really get. This show is one of the exceptions that gets the feeling right. Too bad none of my other friends are interested since they think it has too much of a hipster vibe or they dislike the faces. I appreciate that one of my friends got hooked into the show. The CG really works in this show. Coming out of a mecha fan, I can tell you that there are a lot of shows that have bad clunky low FPS CG that seems way out of place even in more modern shows. Most of the time CG works as a camera movement thing rather than 3D models in anime. Also when my friend and I were watching the show, every time someone crashes or the Whizzing Arrow crashes we immediately think of or listen to the m.o.v.e. song RAGE YOUR DREAM from Initial D. My friend also appreciates how Don Wei's character was given depth as he hated the character at first until we really learn more about him. I like how we are given bits and pieces of each racer's personality or trait even when they are not given depth. Even the show's "villain" was hinted early in the show though I wish we had more ideas on why he chose Molly to be part of his plan. Also SUPEEERRR ... RACERR! Anyways this is probably the most in-depth video review/discussion of this show I have ever seen so far. Although I disagree on a couple of points, I think this video and your opinion is pretty spot on.
According to Wikipedia, Canaletto chose Eva because she was the only racer who would've refused becoming the Avatar if she won, thus giving him a chance to seize the power for himself.
@@Peetfighter I guess that makes sense if he can see the future.
This was easily one of my favorite shows growing up, and Molly was arguably the best protagonist I could have had as a role model around the time it was released, at least relative to other action shows on at the time. Though I agree with your critique that it's a bit simple. TV writing that incorporates sexism has benefitted from the last few decades.
Thank you for your great write up on it. You covered the topics of misogyny and gender really well, in a way you don't always see in Anime reviews,
Good video bro, deserves more views
Oban Star Racers is amazing
Eva Wei Is Amazing
Thank you for making this video.
I'll give it a watch... cause dealing with grief state for so long is suffocating
Yeah, it can be tough, but hey, if you do watch it, at least it might help take your mind off it for a bit
thank you so much for this video! i havent seen many people talk about oban in the way you do :)
I can remember this because of the race tracks, but wasnt there like a cyperpunk/ post-apocalyptic more adult version of this anime? I feel like ive seen something like this as a kid but I cannot remember its name
Not that I can remember? The only thing I can think of is that one of the directors did a bit of concept art that's basically "what if the characters but several years later" a while back, but that's about it
Redline. That is definitely it. Just watched it btw.
The guys who made Oban are now making a Saya no Uta movie which is... odd.
Yeah, I remember seeing that while researching this vid and, man, it is quite a tonal shift for that studio, lol
17:59
*W E L L A C T U A L L Y-*
Wasn't there rumors of bringing this show back? Did we take the L and its not happening?? :c dang
I can't remember the specifics, but I think it was confirmed they were trying to do a 2nd season, but were wrapped up in getting a blu-ray re-release of the show finished first, and then, you know, pandemic - it's all very up in the air at the moment
@@TravenTalks I'm pretty sure they're going to wait to see the response of the blu-ray release before making any decisions about s2, y'know testing the waters to see if we're still here.
Thanks for recommending this series. I am forever starved for action oriented anime with a female lead. After shows like Kino no Tabi or Moribito: Guardian of Water.
The typical male centric romance anime characters are too fantastically alien for me to stomach.
For anyone who is a big fan of Oban you should back the Kickstarter for the Blu ray 15 year anniversary project the creator of Oban has started
That's a lot of work you put into this video, thanks! I think I'll do something simillar to this one but in Polish language. Thanks !
If any fan of the show sees this before 8th March 2022, you can contribute now to the official kickstarter to release the series on blu-ray in remastered HD!
Underrated show no one talks about 👏
I loved this show when I was a little boy and when I grow up I watched it again and it was so awesome like I remember it. But i dont know they didn't make Season 2 or a movie or even make a game off of it. I hope Netflix or some big company remake it.
it was the best show i watched as a kid and i LOVE IT SOOOOOOO MUCHHHHHH
Yoooo what show is the one at 6:55??? I definitely remember watching that, but I've completely forgotten about it for the last... 15 years.
nvm found in the description, it was Storm Hawks!
also I think this is an amazing video, I hope that it can get the number of views it deserves in time
Does anyone know the name of the show shown in the clip at @6.58? I've been looking for the name of this show for years!
If you mean the clip with the red armoured guy in the clouds, then that's Storm Hawks.
Also, if there's any other shows you recognize but can't quite name, the description of the video has a full credits list in order of appearance for the media shown in the video!
Man, I thought I had just imagined this show when I was younger.
I recommend ya try watching redline
Its animation is great as hell
And i totally recommend it
Yooooo that was a nostalgia hit, what's the show at 6:57?
Also me who watched Eureka Seven, and the lead actor being a female (Eureka). What a banger of a show, its a hidden gem, same as Oban!
Anyone who harshly criticizes Speed Racer needs a chill pill.
More like, they need to take a, SLOW pill . . .
I'll see myself out . . .
@@TravenTalks eyy
The question is, in it's time, or even today ... would it have worked, if not her mother would have died, but her father (because you know it too: it was needed, one parent had died.)
YO! THEY'RE RELEASING A BLUE RAY WITH A KICKSTARTER
i like the cat dice lady :3
Blows a GASKET, not a casket...
Anyone else saw this on jetix?
That's how I came across and watched the series. Man Jetix was awesome like that.
Dat how you make a good strong female protagonist 👍🏼
Canaletto is the biggest problem with the show. I still don't follow his plan, even though I understand how it's supposed to play out and how it's happening, it comes off as a complete mess.
What's difficult to understand? He wanted to regain his power as the Avatar but couldn't compete in the race, thus he used his powers of foresight and manipulation to events to ensure that someone, IE Molly, would win the race knowing they wouldn't accept the prize, thereby allowing him to get it.
@@thefanwithoutaface8105 it comes off like Palpatine in the prequels where there is this grand plan that has so many moving parts that include random chance that it's amazing it happens the way it does. Canaletto is poorly explained and his powers ill defined. I love this show but this part is messy. I'll have to re-watch it, but I need more of him to see the flow of logic a bit better.
Not everything has to be about gender equality and feminism. The story is beautiful and there's nothing wrong with things like females having boy crushes and protective fathers.
Ohh I wanna know what your fabricated scenes were!
Your part 2 analysis is very shallow especially when the rest of the review at the best.
i absolutely agree with you that although they tried to make a point that supposed to be feminist, they completly fall flat in other ways. You can feel that the show was written by men lol
I didn't like it
I was watching it because nothing else was on
So depressing