Considering how when you Google ‘mecha Naruto,’ you get dozens of images of the character in a new game before you see one of him in the episodes he actually debuted in, I have a crazy suspicion that this two-parter might’ve been concocted just to establish that bonus skin. If so, it certainly fits.
I was more eager to pick this ‘special episode’ up because it was presented as something fun and self-contained that you could just drop into without having to get entangled in the latest dour SHIPPUDEN arc. C’mon -- it’s called “NARUTO VS. MECHA NARTUO?” The shenanigans practically write themselves.
Well, it’s a lot less fun - - and far more convoluted - - than the title would suggest.
== TEASER ==
The special plays some a few, rather obvious homages to Western characters. Mecha Naruto is created in a laboratory powered by a kite in a thunder storm, and the sequence might as well be taken shot-for-shot from any iteration of FRANKENSTEIN. The mech goes on to basically serve as an Iron Man armor for our titular ninja boy, right down to having an in-helmet, holographic HUD that lets us see Naruto’s manic expressions as he pilots.
What’s weird is that all of this sounds wonderfully absurd, but plays rather dourly, even when the show’s attempting to go for jokes. Seriously, there’s a sight gag where Mecha Naruto gets down on his hands and knees and literally sucking Regular’s Naruto’s Chakra energy in from waist level. It’d be funny if anybody made a double entendre, but the whole production feels so rushed, it’s like they forgot the punchline they were setting up, and the scenario just seems… awkward.
‘Rush’ is really the write word, because a lot of the potential fun seems to be spread out by Naruto getting manically carted through his home town and running into what felt like dozens of names from his roster of friends. It feels less like a tribute special, and more like the crew just throwing in as many familiar faces as they can to fill air time. I kept watching these guys are awkwardly scurrying about, carrying Naruto in a protective cart, and wondering how it didn’t feel as funny as it ought to.
Well, if the aim here was as mercenary as the Google search suggests, than I think I’ve already answered my own question. This doesn’t really feel like ‘filler.’ It feels like spam, for the game’s DLC.Watch "the Directive to Take the Nine-Tails!" and "Naruto vs. Mecha Naruto" and decide for yourself, then read our take on the previous batch of episodes.
from Anime Vice Site Mashup http://ift.tt/1mcAea3
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