Tiger & Bunny — the Beginning
In early 2011, the world was only three films deep into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Let that sink in. The mighty fist of superheroes had not yet absolutely gripped us. They weren’t everywhere we looked. In November 2010, when Sunrise announced their plans to release a series titled Tiger & Bunny, the idea it might be superhero-based didn’t even cross my mind. I remember scoffing at the title even.
Fast forward to April 2011 (the year for anime), and fans watched a quirky buddy superhero series. It put The Avengers to shame a full year before that movie hit theaters worldwide. That’s right, anime fans, we’re marking superheroes off our anime bingo cards.
All right, What’s It About?
Tiger & Bunny is a fun combination of The Avengers (or Justice League if that’s your preferred superhero cocktail) and The Boys. 45 years earlier, people in Stern Bild were born with astonishing powers. Referred to as NEXT (Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents), some of these people grew up to become superheroes (or supervillains).
The best of those with powers and heroic tendencies could find corporate sponsors. After obtaining their sponsor, they’re set to stop crimes live on a reality television program called Hero TV. This is about professional heroes who stop criminals and please their sponsors to keep their jobs.
The series star is an aging veteran hero, Kotetsu “Wild Tiger” Kaburagi. While he’s not the most popular hero anymore, he still believes in doing the right thing and standing up for justice and peace. Unfortunately, that attitude doesn’t land him at the top of the season-ending hero rankings. Meanwhile, a larger company buys out Wild Tiger’s corporate sponsor, leaving him without a home. To make matters worse, in the season finale of Hero TV, a younger superhero named Barnaby Brooks Jr. with the same power as Wild Tiger appears out of nowhere.
Wild Tiger’s new sponsor offered him an ultimatum: either retire from the hero business or sign on as Barnaby’s new sidekick after their meeting. While there is a large supporting cast helping to move the story along, the meat of Tiger & Bunny is the growing friendship between the two lead characters.
Tiger & Bunny — the Assessment
As with every series I write about for this feature, we’re grading Tiger & Bunny in four categories: story, animation, characters, and approachability. How does this series stack up? If you enjoy superhero action with a touch of dramedy thrown in, there is very little to complain about within the first season or the sequel. For that matter. Tiger & Bunny is a perfected version of the buddy cop storytelling formula.
As with many other ensemble series, most of the time fans spend with Tiger & Bunny focuses on the primary duo. Kotetsu is an older veteran who is attempting to juggle not only his career but also his family life. Meanwhile, Barnaby Brooks Jr. is bucking all the rules by going by his real name. Additionally, he’s made it clear he became a hero to seek vengeance for his dead parents.
It’s an Ensemble Comedy
This pairing is bearable to an audience because the series takes time to weave the supporting characters into the story. Sadly, not all of them will get entire episodes dedicated to them (poor Rock Bison). Most characters become more realistic and relatable as the story develops personalities beyond their initial quirks.
One thing to appreciate about Tiger & Bunny is the wide range of characters present. While there is a Caucasian presence within the cast, there is also representation for the Latino community via Rock Bison and the gay community via the token effeminate but also financially successful Fire Emblem.
Other characters who appear for substantial amounts of time include the wind hero, Sky High. He is presented as the typical boy next door, complete with stylish blonde hair and a Golden Retriever. His mini-story is one of my favorites of the entire first season. I can say that the story involves a touching tale about love and imposter syndrome.
I know that it sounds like the supporting character stories are shoehorned into the first season. Allow me to ease your mind; these stories fit into the overall narrative seamlessly. This allows for much-needed development which comes into play as the bigger picture comes into sharp focus.
The Commercials Are the Gag
What I love the most about this series is the realism mixed in with the fantastical. In the first episode, the series begins with the heroes taking down a group of robbers. Filled with all the usual superhero antics, including increasingly dire straits, explosions, and chase sequences. However, once squared away, things calm down, and we see our heroes at a bourgeois dinner party speaking to their sponsors. This first episode sets up the line that these characters must carefully walk because these sponsors are the ones who pay for any damage caused in the process of bringing down villains.
It’s worth noting that real-world companies sponsor these heroes. Pepsi sponsored Blue Rose, for example. This is a large part of the ongoing joke within. You’re already missing half the fun if you watch Tiger & Bunny without the sponsor ads on the characters’ outfits.
For the animation, Tiger & Bunny used good CG animation techniques for its time. Is the CG animation brash or obvious in places? Absolutely. It doesn’t change the fact that the series still looks good to the present day. The sequel from 2022 is even better looking.
All right, So There’s One Ick
For approachability, there’s very little about Tiger & Bunny that novice fans might find off-putting or jarring. If there’s one aspect to choose from, one substory involves a female superhero who is also a teenager. While Blue Rose is a strong character, her primary personality quirk is that she’s in love with Kotetsu, who is more than old enough to be her father. Add in some fan service from her superhero outfit being super revealing, and you have the makings of a problem. While their romantic relationship never progresses into the ‘ick’ stage, it’s still worth noting that Tiger & Bunny felt the need to go there.
Tiger & Bunny is a joyful romp. There are certainly dark moments and stories, but in the end, this is an easy recommendation. This series is for fans of other superhero titles like My Hero Academia who want to see more of the genre. Tiger & Bunny walked so others could run ahead at full speed.
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