besides the amazing graphic of the battles ... i think the story is wonderful and it's maybe the best series i have ever seen... i just have to mention that i don't really fan of anime , maybe it's because of the how the characters look like or the graphic at all... but watching this great series just opened my heart... it a great story for my opinion... it's surprising and it's funny too...the tiny little robot just kept me laughing out laud, it truly made me feel something alright i would give it 10/10... and the last episode is just above even what i imagine it to be... give it a shot ...you won't regret it...
12 Reviews
Deeply entertaining
CrunchyCookie17 February 2004
I thought this might be another kiddish shoot-em-up anime, and like others here, I also mistook it for a feminist series early on. Well, it ain't either.
Allow me to make a toast to a team of writers who actually seem to understand human emotions! Unlike too many soulless anime series these days, Vandread's actually funny (both the physical and written humor) and its characters have personalities and chemistry. For that reason, the drama works, too, and the series is thankfully free of those forced incidents engineered to conveniently create melodrama. Heck, even the dorky premise that the show rests on -- males and females literally being from different worlds -- is used to good effect.
I'm also a fan of the artwork, and the hot/cute female characters make the fanservice welcome. The mecha action scenes are pretty invigorating, too (even if things move a bit fast to see what's going on). Cinching the deal, both the intro and ending theme songs kick ass.
The second season ("Vandread 2nd Stage") was a bit of a disappointment, regressing to the typical repetitive clichéd humor that defines all too many anime comedies, but to me the first season ranks right up there with Neon Genesis Evangelion in sheer awesomeness.
Allow me to make a toast to a team of writers who actually seem to understand human emotions! Unlike too many soulless anime series these days, Vandread's actually funny (both the physical and written humor) and its characters have personalities and chemistry. For that reason, the drama works, too, and the series is thankfully free of those forced incidents engineered to conveniently create melodrama. Heck, even the dorky premise that the show rests on -- males and females literally being from different worlds -- is used to good effect.
I'm also a fan of the artwork, and the hot/cute female characters make the fanservice welcome. The mecha action scenes are pretty invigorating, too (even if things move a bit fast to see what's going on). Cinching the deal, both the intro and ending theme songs kick ass.
The second season ("Vandread 2nd Stage") was a bit of a disappointment, regressing to the typical repetitive clichéd humor that defines all too many anime comedies, but to me the first season ranks right up there with Neon Genesis Evangelion in sheer awesomeness.
Men are from Taraak, Women are from Mejere
EndlessBob12 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I see it's been six years since anybody commented on this nifty little series, so I'll toss out my opinion just to keep the page fresh.
This series was suggested to me by Netflix's preference engine, so I took a look at the first episode to see what it was about. The Netflix version is dubbed, of course, and the first character you hear, right off the start, is The Premiere, voiced by Beau Billingslea (Jet Black from Cowboy Bebop) at the top of his lungs, exhorting the men of Taraak to go forth into battle against the evil women of Mejere. Hearing ol' Jet again was a plus mark that kept me going for a bit longer, at least.
The story is that at some point in the past the human race in this solar system split off into "The Planet of the Men" (Taraak) and "The Planet of the Women" (Mejere), and are engaged in constant warfare. We see how the women are portrayed from the men's point of view: as medieval-looking demons sending men into helpless fits of terror.
Next we're introduced to our hero, Hibiki Tokai, a loud-mouthed "third-class citizen" who labors on the assembly line of the Vanguards -- the mecha fighter of the men -- and has bet his fellow workers he will steal one right off the ship in which they are being loaded for the latest assault against the women.
I was not crazy about Hibiki's English voice actor, who I thought was overly loud and all shouty-like, but he's supposed to be a hothead, so OK. Hibiki makes his way onto the ship, and just as he's about to climb into his Vanguard, the ship launches early due to the excitement of The Premiere, who advances the launch by two hours.
The ship is launched, Hibiki is discovered and tossed into the brig, "for immediate execution," and then the women attack, in the form of pirates assaulting the just-launched battleship. The pirates take the ship, manned as it is only by trainees and cadets, and immediately (and humanely) evacuate them off the ship. The Premiere, not wanting to surrender the ship to the women, orders it to be torpedoed instead.
Hibiki and two other men -- Bart Garsus, the fast-talking son of a food contractor for the ship, and Duelo McFile, a doctor (voiced by the immortal Stephen Blum) -- are left on the ship in the confusion of the torpedo attack and are quickly rounded up by the women. The explosion sends the pirate ship and the battleship into a wormhole, leaving them far from home, and also activates the mysterious power center of the battleship, the Paksis Pragma, which both combines and transforms the two ships and their equipment.
The mutual discovery of the reality of men and women to each group give the show its dramatic engine, but is not treated in a simplistic manner. Both sides actually believe the propaganda they've heard about the other group, and aren't aware that they are really just male and female humans... except for the pirate's captain, an older woman who seems to have knowledge of a time when men and women weren't separated.
What I enjoyed about this voyage of mutual discovery is that, even in the generations that the sexes have been separate, the spark of interest hadn't disappeared. Almost against their will, the men and women find one another interesting -- especially Dita Liebely, a young pirate Dread (the women's mecha fighters) pilot who takes an instant liking to Hibiki, calling him "Mr. Alien," much to his annoyance. Young doctor Duelo also finds himself forming a friendship with Parfet Balblair, the pirate's chief engineer, while Bart develops an unrequited interest in the pirate second-in-commend, Buzam Calessa.
There are space battles galore, and the surviving Vanguard piloted by Hibiki demonstrates a new ability to "merge" with the pirate's Dreads to form hybrid Vandreads with new, superior capabilities. Lots of humor is derived from the pirates' eagerness (with one notable exception)to "merge" with Hibiki in battle -- at one point Dita spreads her arms and joyfully shouts "Come and get me, Mr. Alien!"
All in all a fun, two-season ride with a group of young men and women rediscovering their human heritage as they battle an implacable enemy intent on destroying their home planets. Season One shows the discovery of The Harvesters and their ultimate goal concerning Mejere and Taraak, and Season Two covers the return home, their reception by their respective planets, and the final battle.
There's humor, sadness, combat, sacrifice, and pretty much every other human emotion in this series, and good English voice acting as well.
My favorite all-time moment: in episode five, "Sweet Temptation," Dita tries to spray-paint another Vanguard pink for a mission in which the women will be flying them, because of their ability to land on a planet's surface. Hibiki, horrified, jumps between her and the Vanguard to stop her, and takes the pink paint full-blast. As Dita coos "A pink alien! How cuuuuuute!" the animation zooms into her delighted face with the absolutely most super-cute expression ever in anime. I swear. Check it out, you'll agree with me.
Catch it on Netflix while it lasts.
This series was suggested to me by Netflix's preference engine, so I took a look at the first episode to see what it was about. The Netflix version is dubbed, of course, and the first character you hear, right off the start, is The Premiere, voiced by Beau Billingslea (Jet Black from Cowboy Bebop) at the top of his lungs, exhorting the men of Taraak to go forth into battle against the evil women of Mejere. Hearing ol' Jet again was a plus mark that kept me going for a bit longer, at least.
The story is that at some point in the past the human race in this solar system split off into "The Planet of the Men" (Taraak) and "The Planet of the Women" (Mejere), and are engaged in constant warfare. We see how the women are portrayed from the men's point of view: as medieval-looking demons sending men into helpless fits of terror.
Next we're introduced to our hero, Hibiki Tokai, a loud-mouthed "third-class citizen" who labors on the assembly line of the Vanguards -- the mecha fighter of the men -- and has bet his fellow workers he will steal one right off the ship in which they are being loaded for the latest assault against the women.
I was not crazy about Hibiki's English voice actor, who I thought was overly loud and all shouty-like, but he's supposed to be a hothead, so OK. Hibiki makes his way onto the ship, and just as he's about to climb into his Vanguard, the ship launches early due to the excitement of The Premiere, who advances the launch by two hours.
The ship is launched, Hibiki is discovered and tossed into the brig, "for immediate execution," and then the women attack, in the form of pirates assaulting the just-launched battleship. The pirates take the ship, manned as it is only by trainees and cadets, and immediately (and humanely) evacuate them off the ship. The Premiere, not wanting to surrender the ship to the women, orders it to be torpedoed instead.
Hibiki and two other men -- Bart Garsus, the fast-talking son of a food contractor for the ship, and Duelo McFile, a doctor (voiced by the immortal Stephen Blum) -- are left on the ship in the confusion of the torpedo attack and are quickly rounded up by the women. The explosion sends the pirate ship and the battleship into a wormhole, leaving them far from home, and also activates the mysterious power center of the battleship, the Paksis Pragma, which both combines and transforms the two ships and their equipment.
The mutual discovery of the reality of men and women to each group give the show its dramatic engine, but is not treated in a simplistic manner. Both sides actually believe the propaganda they've heard about the other group, and aren't aware that they are really just male and female humans... except for the pirate's captain, an older woman who seems to have knowledge of a time when men and women weren't separated.
What I enjoyed about this voyage of mutual discovery is that, even in the generations that the sexes have been separate, the spark of interest hadn't disappeared. Almost against their will, the men and women find one another interesting -- especially Dita Liebely, a young pirate Dread (the women's mecha fighters) pilot who takes an instant liking to Hibiki, calling him "Mr. Alien," much to his annoyance. Young doctor Duelo also finds himself forming a friendship with Parfet Balblair, the pirate's chief engineer, while Bart develops an unrequited interest in the pirate second-in-commend, Buzam Calessa.
There are space battles galore, and the surviving Vanguard piloted by Hibiki demonstrates a new ability to "merge" with the pirate's Dreads to form hybrid Vandreads with new, superior capabilities. Lots of humor is derived from the pirates' eagerness (with one notable exception)to "merge" with Hibiki in battle -- at one point Dita spreads her arms and joyfully shouts "Come and get me, Mr. Alien!"
All in all a fun, two-season ride with a group of young men and women rediscovering their human heritage as they battle an implacable enemy intent on destroying their home planets. Season One shows the discovery of The Harvesters and their ultimate goal concerning Mejere and Taraak, and Season Two covers the return home, their reception by their respective planets, and the final battle.
There's humor, sadness, combat, sacrifice, and pretty much every other human emotion in this series, and good English voice acting as well.
My favorite all-time moment: in episode five, "Sweet Temptation," Dita tries to spray-paint another Vanguard pink for a mission in which the women will be flying them, because of their ability to land on a planet's surface. Hibiki, horrified, jumps between her and the Vanguard to stop her, and takes the pink paint full-blast. As Dita coos "A pink alien! How cuuuuuute!" the animation zooms into her delighted face with the absolutely most super-cute expression ever in anime. I swear. Check it out, you'll agree with me.
Catch it on Netflix while it lasts.
Sugoi!
Unproductivity22 July 2002
I would have to agree with the majority of the other commenters. Vandread is a great anime, with some neat CG'ing and some of the best CG/animation mix I've ever seen. I thought Titan A.E. did a good job. There are quite a few good surprises in the series that I had no idea were coming. I would recommend this anime to any beginner or long time watcher of anime.
I was amazed!!
ganthc4 April 2002
Pioneer did a fantastic job of making this DVD, as the picture was crisp and the sound was very clear. The story was very good, and you start liking the characters right from the start. Fredrik is right in that it initially seems like a feminist anime, but it isn't. It is a look at two warring cultures that start overcoming their stereotypes in order to fight a more horrible enemy. The music and visual effects as well as the story are worth checking this film out.
Simply Incredible
Anaythea14 March 2002
This is the best anime I have ever seen!
It is hard to describe it really. It takes place in the future, and some colonists have gone out in the universe and settled down. The men and the women got separated, so they live on different planets with prejudices against one another. Then some female pirates gets stranded 263 days from their home planet, with 3 males. Hibiki, the main character. Bart, the wimp and Duero, the doctor. When I began seeing it I thought that it would be the worst feminist anime ever, but it was actually quite incredible. One character, Dita, is the most beautiful anime character that I have ever seen. She is so totally adorable and innocent, and only has eyes for Hibiki, whom tries to ignore her. If you have the opertunity to watch it, don't hesitate.
It is hard to describe it really. It takes place in the future, and some colonists have gone out in the universe and settled down. The men and the women got separated, so they live on different planets with prejudices against one another. Then some female pirates gets stranded 263 days from their home planet, with 3 males. Hibiki, the main character. Bart, the wimp and Duero, the doctor. When I began seeing it I thought that it would be the worst feminist anime ever, but it was actually quite incredible. One character, Dita, is the most beautiful anime character that I have ever seen. She is so totally adorable and innocent, and only has eyes for Hibiki, whom tries to ignore her. If you have the opertunity to watch it, don't hesitate.
^_^ I give it 5 Stars!
TenznWo223 April 2002
This is a Great Anime! It's the BEST Anime I've seen in a long time! Vandread First Stage and Second Stage is funny and is filled with so many interesting characters. (Hibiki, Rabat, Dita, Pyoro, Pexis, etc.) I really hope they continue this series! The Story arc is also quite amusing and fun to see unfold!
Ja ne!
Ja ne!
Fairly good
smirre4424 July 2003
Watched Stage 1 and Stage 2 over a year ago and first of all I gotta say the spacebattles are simply breathtaking, some of the best I've ever seen in any anime. The series relies heavily on fan service too, in the form of the scantily clad women we see so often in anime. The plot is OK, it kept me watching, didn't it? :) As for the best anime ever, it is not. But it is entertaining, despite some annyoing characters that got to me. I give it 7 out of 10.
Vandread
killrken1 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Often considered a sub - par anime... Vandread is one of the lesser known Animes in todays world.. But don't let that fool ya, its a great show. Rarely can a show mix animation and 3D sequences successfully, and... unfortunately, Vandread is no exception to that rule. The 3D is wonderful, but doesn't work with the show all that great. Passable at best. But the show itself is amazing, and probably the most ORIGINAL anime, no, show in general, since... since... I don't know when. It tells the tale of a futuristic world in which Man and Woman fight one another. The men live completely separate from the woman, born as test tube babies, and the woman live completely apart from the men, born through gene splicing. The only time they meet is in Battle, which takes place in combat among giant Space Machines called Vanguards and Dreads. Only when one man rescues a group of women can the two learn to work together, combining their powers to form a "Vandread." Its a great show, albeit filled with sexual humor and the aforementioned 3D sequences. Its still aired on The Block (StarsWAM) from time to time, so if you see it on, give it a shot!
[ - OverlordSmurf ]
[ - OverlordSmurf ]
Vandread
moudoka13 March 2006
I picked up the first three tapes on VHS on a whim. I'm an avid anime fan, and after watching those three tapes, I knew I had to have the rest of the series. At first, I thought it might be a little ecchi, but it turns out to have a deep, and very thought-provoking storyline, and simply amazing battle sequences and character interactions. This series is a MUST for any anime fan. The 2nd stage was difficult for me to find, as I had to end up purchasing it on online, since no local vendors had it. However, it was well-worth the time and effort, as the finale of the series is simply stunning. Hibiki's trials through the series makes him as realistic and lovable as any character.
Vandread
Ranting-Prodigy15 March 2006
Vandread a story about two distant worlds where society has split into two groups, the Men and the Woman. Both sides hate each other, and come up with stories so scary people cower in the corners at the mere mention of their enemy. Vandread out starts with Hibiki Tokai, a young, wannabe pilot, though his position is in parts manufacturing. He takes a dare to steal a Bangata (The Men's newest mecha, that nobody knows how to pilot), and is instead launched into space on the christening of the ship that had brought them to their planet. When the ship is attacked by Women Pirates, he is one of the three men captured.
Through a freak accident, however, the ship, along with the Pirate Ship, had been connected and made compatible by a crystal originating from the Plexus, considered to be an ideal energy source. When Hibiki is captured, the plot begins to thicken, as the Pirates are attacked by an unknown enemy. This leads to one of the best story lines I've heard in a while.
Through fate or not, Hibiki, Bart, and Duero befriend the Pirates, and they become a team as they try to return to their home planets. Along the way, they discover secrets which make the storyline phenomenal to the point where its considered awe-inspiring, even to the viewer.
I loved Vandread this is definitely now one of my favorite series and I definitely enjoyed it. Its got a great storyline, and the characters develop perfectly. Hibiki is definitely my favorite, though even though he can be a bit of an idiot at times. He is constantly trying to prove himself to the point that he almost gets himself killed multiple times. Also the fight scenes were new and refreshing with the CG animation playing a big part in its attractiveness. The storyline is definitely the best part of this anime. The storyline is perfectly laid out in the anime, and it's worth the $20 or whatever you pay for it a DVD. Alos the great thing about Vandread is you can watch it again and again. I've watched it twice now and I could watch it again.
~Cyn1c
Through a freak accident, however, the ship, along with the Pirate Ship, had been connected and made compatible by a crystal originating from the Plexus, considered to be an ideal energy source. When Hibiki is captured, the plot begins to thicken, as the Pirates are attacked by an unknown enemy. This leads to one of the best story lines I've heard in a while.
Through fate or not, Hibiki, Bart, and Duero befriend the Pirates, and they become a team as they try to return to their home planets. Along the way, they discover secrets which make the storyline phenomenal to the point where its considered awe-inspiring, even to the viewer.
I loved Vandread this is definitely now one of my favorite series and I definitely enjoyed it. Its got a great storyline, and the characters develop perfectly. Hibiki is definitely my favorite, though even though he can be a bit of an idiot at times. He is constantly trying to prove himself to the point that he almost gets himself killed multiple times. Also the fight scenes were new and refreshing with the CG animation playing a big part in its attractiveness. The storyline is definitely the best part of this anime. The storyline is perfectly laid out in the anime, and it's worth the $20 or whatever you pay for it a DVD. Alos the great thing about Vandread is you can watch it again and again. I've watched it twice now and I could watch it again.
~Cyn1c
An excellent place to start your anime experience!
Guerauxguex15 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Hang on y'all! This is one of the better offerings, reminding me of a collision between Harlock & A-ko! It starts off with a bang, it's funny & action packed, & it slows down in all the right places to have a good look at the characters. Development is consistent & on occasion surprising, with touching scenes & episodes. While formulaic, it's only enough so that you could equate it with a brownie recipe you really love to smell cooking; some stuff just *has* to be added to get it to bake! I thought long & hard about including info which would technically be a spoiler, & I've decided against it. I checked the box just in case. Let me simply say that character relationships develop in a satisfying way, with just the right tension & conclusion. In conclusion, this programme was great from start to finish. Going from first stage to second was gratifying & if it's mildly disappointing that there's no third stage (that I know of) there's no feeling of being let down. Rather, I came away thinking that as with all the best stories, there's a beginning & an end. This appears to have ended, but it's a first rate ride.
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