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SUMMARY

Ban and Genji are "The Get Backers", a recovery service with a near 100% success rate.  From stolen packages, to missing people, there is nothing they can't find.

Unfortunately, there isn't much need for a recovery service, never mind that both were former gang leaders.  Genji used to be known as "The Lightning Emperor", because of his ability to generate electricity from his body.  Ban is well known for his "Jagan", a mystical ability that puts people in a waking dream.  Try as they might, neither one can escape their past.

When the beautiful Hven hires them to recover a stolen box for a high ranking government official, they quickly learn it's not going to be a simple job.  The Transporter Service they must go up against consists of the notorious Himiko, lady of poisons, and the cruel, surgical blade wielding Doctor Jackal.

If the two of them fail, it isn't their reputation that they'll loose, it's their lives!

DVD VISION TEST

VIDEO: The DVD quality is great. There were no color bleeds, pixels or digital garbage.  The image was sharp, with no noticeable edge enhancement.

AUDIO: Well done for both the English 5.1 and Japanese Dolby 2.0 tracks. On both versions, the sound is crisp and rich, full of surround sound during the action elements.  Naturally, the 5.1 is louder than the 2.0.  

The commentary track is a 2.0 mix, with the speakers in the front, and the English dub playing in the background.

EDITS: Clean open and close animation with English titles have been used.  No other edits have been made.

EXTRAS: There are a few.  There is the clean open and close, audio commentary on episodes 1 and 5, and some extra interviews with the English voice actors called "Behind the Scenes" interviews.

WIDESCREEN REVIEW

STORY: Adapted from Rando Ayamine's manga, planners Masahiro Nouchi, Toshifumi Yamamura and Series Composer Akemi Omode's "Get Backers" is part action/comedy, part drama, and nothing but fun.  They don't let things get too serious, but that doesn't mean they won't tug on the old heartstrings once in a while.

ACTING: Both the Japanese and English casts are so good, it will depend on what way you prefer to watch your anime.  Shotaro Morikubo and J. Shannon Weaver are hilarious as the cute, and some what naive Genji. Both do well playing of the strong readings of Nobutoshi Kanna and Rich McDonald as Ban.  I truly believed the camaraderie between the two heroes, and I could not help but laugh at their crazy antics.

The stand out performance for this volume is Shannon McCormick as the evil Dr. Jackal.  His icy demeanor and supreme confidence oozes out of his every word.  His voice leaves no doubt that this psycho is as crazy as they come!

FAN SERVICE: Well, Hven is your big, bouncing chest fan babe, and that's about it.  Having not read the manga, I can't tell you where the references from the source are.

CONCLUSION

I did not expect a lot out of "Get Backers".  Hearing the words "fan favorite" being bandied about didn't bode well.  Too many times, what otaku consider "fantastic", I consider crap (Love Hina a perfect example).  So, I was expecting another lame "L/R" type story, with two heroes who spend most of the time talking, not keeping me entertained.

I am more than willing to admit, I was very wrong about "Get Backers".  This wasn't some overly hyped piece of flotsam disguised as the next best thing in anime.  It's a cute, funny, action packed bundle of energy that doesn't take itself too seriously.

The world of the Get Backers is set in the very near future, and things have certainly changed.  The Diet building, formerly the symbol of Japanese Government, is now known as "The Limitless Fortress".  In habited by "gangs", it seems that the general public doesn't know, nor care about what goes on there.  They don't even know about the various groups that work in the shadows of this building: interception agencies, transporter services, recovery specialists, and in smack in the middle of it all, negotiators.  Like some sort sub-culture, these professionals will risk life and limb for some cold, hard cash.

The public is also blissfully unaware that there are men and women with very special abilities living among them.  Folks like Genji and Ban.  Genji is like an electric eel, he can store and exude over 200,000 volts.  Ban has two talents, his "Snake Bite" a 200 kilogram hand grip, and the "Jagan", a sort of magical "dream weaver" power.  One look in his eyes, and his target will enter a living dream for almost a full minute.  While these abilities certainly make them formidable, it doesn't mean that they are invincible.

Perhaps the most dangerous of these "invincible beings" (as they are called by the underground) is the creepy and malevolent Akabane, or "Doctor Jackal".  This sick, surgical blade wielding bastard takes pleasure in his work, and has no qualms about killing anyone, just for fun.  He is also supremely confident in his powers (which are pretty freaky), and never hesitates to tell people about how good he is.  Unlike most villains of this kind, he has the skills to back it up, as you will see.

I think the main reason why I like "Get Backers" is because it's got that whole "Cowboy Bebop" vibe going for it.  Like Bebop, this is a tale of two loveable rogues, trying to make one big score that will set them up for life.  Like Spike and Jet, Genji and Ban have turned their back on their wicked ways, yet the sins of their past continue to catch up with them.  I have to agree with their friend Ken who says they must have ticked off one of the money gods. Every job they get winds up costing them more than what they make.  Despite all the hardships, the one thing they never loose is their boundless optimism.

There are some genuinely touching moments peppered through out these episodes.  Ban comes off as a toughie, but deep in side, he has a gentle soul.  He has a soft spot for transporter Himiko, also known as Lady Poison, even though she hates his guts.  He refuses to kill her, even when he has no choice.  Genji is generally a sweet guy who wants to help, so you wonder how he was the leader of the infamous "Volts" street gang.  Generally, street gangs are not known for their "people skills".  He is more prone to emotional outbursts than the cool Ban, but it never gets in the way of doing his job.

Along with characters you can care about, "Get Backers" also has plenty of comedy to keep you laughing. Like "Warner Bros." cartoons, these guys get flattened, burned, drowned, tossed out windows, and on one occasion, Genji gets turned into a monkey.  You will be laughing your butt off many, many times.

The fight sequences are very well done.  While I'm not a big fan of battles that last three episodes, the fight between the Get Backers and the Transport Service was kick ass.  Every time it seemed that Ban and Genji had won, Himiko and Dr. Jackal would pop up and do even more damage.  Like "The Terminator", Himiko and Jackal  just kept on coming!

The writers do a wonderful job at keeping things light, even during the darker aspects of the episodes.  They never go too far in one direction, making sure that an emotional scene is followed by something energetic.  They also don't give you any time to catch your breath.  The first episode starts off running, and it doesn't stop until the end.

"Get Backers: G&B on the case" is a fun start to a rocking series.  With interesting characters, solid action, and a light-hearted story, this is one fun ride.  It's seems that Ban and Ginji have recovered my love for the phrase "fan favorite".

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