By AnimeEv 1 year, 10 months ago
The problem with subtlety is that it actual requires you to appreciate it. I can flatter myself all I want by telling myself that I’m patient, by disciplining myself, by setting a hard, fast schedule and sticking to it, but I won’t lie to you: when I want animated mayhem, I want amazing computer-generated visuals and raucous action and I want it NOW.
Enter Cat Shit One.
Based on the comic by Motofumi Kobayashi, which was known in the US as Apocalypse Meow, Cat Shit One is the story of two members of what is purported to be a modern mercenary army called CMS raiding a non-descript middle Eastern village in an attempt to free 2 hostages from terrorists. The catch? The two soldiers in question happen to be rabbits, and the terrorists are camels.
Everybody who ISN’T stoked after reading that last sentence can go back to self-surgery or whatever other horrible notion which constitutes your idea of fun. I was IN IT TO WIN IT when I found out that I’d be watching bunnies play Modern Warfare against camels.
And I was not disappointed.
Make no mistake: this is not a “deep” series. In fact it makes Schwarzenegger’s Commando look like Dostoevsky. Even the allegorical representation is questionable in my mind, seeing as how there’s not enough here to formulate a cohesive metaphor about Middle Eastern covert military action or the political motivations of the characters. But what Cat Shit One lacks in narrative depth and political intrigue is made up for with dynamic visuals, cutthroat speed, and breath-taking action. It is, simply, an awesome series in terms of design, direction, and presentation.
For those of you who saw the film Heat, imagine the amazing action sequences being transported to the desolated vistas of Afghanistan or Iraq. There are enough knives, pistols, automatic rifles, trucks, flak jackets, high explosives, and claymores in Cat Shit One to make you feel like you’ve been reborn into a Counterstrike level. The crew realized the limits of the narrative early on and chose to focus on the action, which obviously makes the show a viable entity considering its format and running time.
I know some of you may be on about the lack of profound narrative development and lack of unique characterization in CS1. Do I care about Packy, the headstrong commander of the two-man team, or Botasky, the whiny and impractical-yet-brave sniper? Not really. But this show is a sugar rush, not a ritual cleanse, and it never stops reminding you of that. If anything, it harkens back to the era of deceptively simple but satisfying action OVAs such as Black Magic M-66 or Riding Bean, but differs from those fan favorites in that it is even more streamlined and action-oriented. In a possible homage to its 80’s action show roots there’s a “you gotta be kidding me!” moment replete with a rocket launcher, as well as a rather predictable but satisfying dues ex machina resolution.
The music in the show mixes between standard “dramatic” action fare and Arabian-tinged BGM, and is used as a fitting blanket for the non-stop gunplay. The real stars of Cat Shit One (say it right: “Cat-o Sheet One”) are not Packy or Botasky but the completely-done-by-computer graphics, which are worth the price of admission alone. A good quality download of the show is a must, as the physics and fluidity of the animation are ridiculous testaments to modern computer animation techniques.
Is it shallow? Yes. Is it rather simplistic in its construction? Yes. Is it something I’d recommend to a connoisseur of geo-politically accurate anti-terrorism unit tales? Not really. But it’s 22 minutes of riotous and gloriously energizing action, and I can get behind that as a fan of “big dumb explosions.” Kazuya Sasahara’s direction, while not innovative in and of itself, does a great job at presenting what is essentially a half-hour sophomoric action show, and I’ll be first in line for the next one. This one is a hoot and I’m going to go ahead and label it as highly recommended.
Cat, One, Shit
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
jesus
1 year, 4 months agoTHAT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!