English Dub Review: APPARE-RANMAN! “Sunny [Appare], With Occasional Showers [Kosame]”

Overview:

Appare has big dreams.

Our Take:

I’m already down for this series. Just from the very opening, the race across America, we get to see all these characters with designs that pop, in cool cars as they take on this massive race too. Also, it seems to be a period piece (we will later find out it’s early 20th century), which makes things even more interesting. What’s going on? What is this race? And who are the Japanese trio that have a late start? I instantly want to know more just from the opening sequence, which is really good.

Appare is a genius inventor, who after witnessing Commodore Perry’s ships land in port, became fascinated with technology and all that it can create. He became convinced that there is more than life just in Japan (remember, Japan was previously extremely isolationist before Perry’s ships came) and wants to traverse the world to find out. His greatest dream is seeing the moon, inspired by a common fairy tale as a child. Of course, he is also very untuned to social standards and his inventions cause nothing but trouble, which gives him a lot of friction with the local government.

By contrast, Kosame is much more reserved. He comes from a traditional family who has inherited a dojo, and is tasked with keeping Appare in line. Appare takes interest in him because it seems he seems to be more flexible than everyone else he encountered– only to be disappointed when Kosame ridicules him. Nonetheless, Kosame is so committed to his duty that he ends up hopping aboard Appare’s handmade steamboat, and they end up floating out to sea.

Appare shows his downsides in this portion; while he is a mechanical genius, and is able to grasp European technology just from the limited resources he has, he doesn’t think very far ahead. He’s prepared for repairs to his ship, but he didn’t prepare any food or water for seaside travel. Only being focused on one thing and one thing only isn’t that good, and it shows that Appare needs a more level head with him-Kosame. Luckily, the two are saved by a steamboat crossing the Pacific, and they end up in Los Angeles- America, where they will assumably stay for the majority of the series.

I like it so far! The characters have a lot of charm, the animation seems smooth, and it looks like something cool is on the horizon. Looking forward to the second episode.