Review: Ballmastrz: Rubicon

Overview:

Say goodbye to the Rad Wars and the fast-paced cutthroat action of “The Game” because the Leptons have evolved from athletes to warrior archetypes! Hot off the heels of Ballmastrz: 9009, Ballmastrz: Rubicon begins a bold new chapter in this extreme universe that features a bold homecoming for Crayzar that establishes a new status quo and sets Gaz, Ace, and the rest of these underdog heroes on a magical journey of untold treasures…beyond the rubicon. 

Our Take:

Television has absolutely embraced the medium of anime and its distinct aesthetics and it’s reached a point where even mainstream Western properties like Star Wars and The Boys have anime installments in their arsenal. Christy Karacas and Ballmastrz: 9009 was always ahead of the curve in this department and they’ve had ridiculous JoJo’z Bizarre Adventure and Vampire Hunter D deep cuts just for the hell of it. Ballmastrz’s embrace of all things anime may have helped contribute towards its status as an unsung Adult Swim series. That being said, Ballmastrz: 9009 is a show that’s always distinctly been itself, especially when it comes to its anime influences. Thankfully it’s received the opportunity to continue its story, on its own terms, and indulge even further in its polarizing passions that made its hardcore fans fall in love with it in the first place. Ballmastrz: Rubicon is an exciting evolution of what made the original such a treat and it’s a 22-minute love letter to anime that will please both dedicated Ballmastrz audiences and newcomers alike. 

Ballmastrz: Rubicon wastes no time and jumps right into its action-heavier mecha mentality where the mere thought of picking up a ball and engaging in a “game” seems ludicrous. This space-traveling mecha-bursting state of mind gives a strong indication of what season three of Ballmastrz: 9009 would have looked like and it’s an exciting breath of fresh air for a series that never felt stale. Voltron, Gundam, and other giant robot staples are in full-force here as they collide with other broad anime stereotypes. For instance, it’s especially satisfying to see that Crayzar controls his gargantuan mecha through the maneuvering of a beautiful rose. Ballmastrz’s fearlessness to blend together mecha and magical girl customs is just the tip of the transforming iceberg in Rubicon. 

This explosive and chaotic makeover is a lot of fun, but Ballmastrz has also never looked more beautiful than it does in Rubicon. Titmouse did exceptional work in the original series that truly pushed boundaries and was able to easily cultivate an anime atmosphere. However, Ballmastrz: Rubicon elevates this idea to even greater heights through its recruitment of acclaimed anime studio, Studio 4°C (Mind Game, Children of the Sea, Tekkonkinkreet), to handle the animation duties. Rubicon looks distinctly different from 9009 and some characters, such as Gaz, are even difficult to initially identify. It’s quickly able to acclimate towards these changes and in the end Ballmastrz: Rubicon feels like the franchise in its purest state, as it was always meant to be, without any form of compromise. 

To that point, Rubicon also kicks off with a lavish opening theme song that’s aping the legendary Daicon IV opening animation. With 22 minutes, Rubicon has the proper amount of time to indulge in such luxuries whereas the original series had to fly through exposition and couldn’t invest in a lengthy opening theme. The Daicon IV reference is the anime nerd Easter Egg icing on the cake, but even without this cultural reference point it’s a glorious piece of animation that trumps most of the animation from the original series. These flourishing visuals are set to an ELO-esque rock organ soundtrack that perfectly sets the tone for this trippy space battle. The stylized rock opera sound becomes just as an effective accompaniment to Gaz and Crayzar’s inspirational speeches as it is to their explosive galactic battles.

It’s not only smart, but absolutely necessary for a special like Ballmastrz: Rubicon to completely shatter the paradigm of the original series. In minutes, Rubicon establishes that what were previously the highest of stakes in 9009 are now utterly meaningless. With this now out of the way, Rubicon is allowed to engage in character-driven space chaos and the start of a legendary hunt for cosmic treasure that could be ripped straight out of Outlaw Star. Crayzar is robbed of his powers, which puts Gaz in a unique position to inspire not just her Leptons, but all of space. This washed-up has-been proves that she truly does give a damn. Gaz and the Leptons are a team, even if they don’t have a game to play. It’s the right message for Ballmastrz: Rubicon to enforce and it echoes the original series`themes even if story and scope have changed. It’s familiar, yet different.

Ballmastrz: Rubicon is an extremely satisfying return that follows up on the lofty promise of season two’s finale, but also succeeds in how it defies expectations and features some creative and unexpected developments. Ballmastrz: Rubicon accomplishes all of this while looking visually gorgeous and creatively in a league of its own. This special accomplishes so much in only 22 minutes that it never gets a chance to slow down, but its relentless tempo is emblematic of Ballmastrz. The worst thing about this special is that there’s not more of it.