Hi I'm Dranzerstorm
You may remember me as a regular contestant on the caption battle contest.
Welcome to Retro Retrospective, my world dedicated to the old guard of the Otaku world; expect some reviews of the old & obscure, and in-depth geeky knowledge with the occasional top ten and I now have a logo.
Little info about me
Well I'm British and I'm in to all things animated and nostalgia.
I've grown up with every cartoon going and have watched hundreds of anime.
Oh and to answer a question I was asked once, no I don't wear glasses in real life, I would wear Loke's sunglasses though.
I'm revisiting this list for a couple of extra entries as two recent ones showed a couple of fun Cinderellas.
This list will only show animations that have used the Cinderella story to some degree in universe, all entries must have the three crucial scenes of the Godmother, the Ball and the Glass Slipper.
So without further delay lets begin.
12. Alvin and the Chipmunks
This version is obviously told through the Chipettes as Brittany refuses to do chores and not surprising doesn't get to go anywhere, so cue the Cinderella dream sequence with all the bells and whistles you can expect from the story. Simon's role as Fairy Godmunk is particularly hilarious to watch.
11. Hamtaro
Lead human Laura gets picked for the title role but the slipper goes missing during the play so it's up to the Ham-Hams to get it back to her. Like I said in my review of Hamtaro last year, it's the ultimate in super safe anime.
10. Betty Boop
Cartoon's first femme fatale is the oldest entry on this list with all the classic sing song and slapstick of cartoons of that era, she also has red hair which is quite unique as her hair is normally black.
9. Science Fell In Love So I Tried To Prove It
The Science type Cinderella is hilariously off the wall as our two leads try and make sense of the story through Scientific eyes yet still playing the roles themselves.
8. Keroro Gunso
One of only two genderswap entries in this list. Giroro wants to declare his love for Natsumi at the ball she's going to, so using a device borrowed from Kululu, he makes himself human and dances with her, you know it's only a short but you can't help but hope for a happy ending.
7. Pink Panther
The Pink Panther cartoon has always been an interesting one as each short is done with just music and sound effects and no dialogue. In this version the Pink Panther finds a witch's wand and helps out a girl in need of some luck and love which the Panther is more than happy to help with, what makes this more interesting is the fight he has with the witch.
6. Strawberry Shortcake
The only Cinderella story I know to feature stepsisters who apologize mid insult. It's even better in the German Dub.
5. Family Guy
One of the rare moments where Meg Griffin is allowed to get her own back a bit, it's surprisingly well done for a relatively new episode as it's in the same season as that other episode that killed Brian off.
4. New Fruits Basket
The miscasting of all the roles with Tohru being a step sister, Kyo being the Prince, Yuki being the Godmother...okay not all miscast and finally Goth Girl Saki as Cinderella who only went to the ball for Yakiniku. My niece expected food at the ball as well, I'm glad there's a Cinderella who agrees.
3. Cardcaptor Sakura
The other genderswap version and boy is it hilarious as Toya pulls off the manliest looking Cinderella ever. Brooding males seem to work as princesses, who knew?
2. Smile Precure
The Precures go into the Cinderella world to try and save it by making sure the story finishes on a happy ending. Cure Happy is obviously Cinderella, but we got Cure Beauty as the Prince (Yuri Writers smile in delight), Cure Peace as the Godmother and Cure March & Sunny as the horses, yeah you heard me, horses.
1. Sakura Wars
But the best ones at doing Cinderella are the Imperial Floral Assault Team, as the lead goes to Sakura Shinguji as part of her character development but that's not the end of it. In a spinoff Columns puzzle game, all the girls have a go at becoming Cinderella with some surprising results particularly how well Kanna cleans up in a dress despite the fact that she almost always passes for a man, it must be the Monkey D Luffy voice.
Licensing anime in the west is difficult to digest, especially when dubs were expected of every property so some do become lost, especially when you get into the legal side of things. Here are ten dubs lost to time.
10. Futari wa Precure
Before Precure was a household name there was an attempt by 4kids to dub the series but unable to find a channel that would take it, the license ran out which was then picked up by Ocean dubs for Canadian and British release, it's unknown whether they got anywhere with it but there are rumours of a 4kids opening that was likely made as a promo.
9. Cyborg 009
The original dub for Toonami was lost after the broadcast when they re-recorded some episodes due to mild profanity, there's also episodes recorded of two different voice actors for the lead role and because Cartoon Network are dicks, they didn't release the final episodes despite already being dubbed.
8. Escaflowne
The Fox Kids alternative dub was butchered beyond belief to the point that it was barely recognisable, but it's been lost since it's cancellation with only the first dub in it's entirety on dvd being a clue of it's fox kids era.
7. Idaten Jump
A toy based anime expected to jump start another franchise ultimately failed leaving only a couple of dub episodes littered online with the bonus of the original Japanese also being notorious to find.
6. Gurren Lagann
ADV Film's last attempt at a dub was never finished as the company went under and the anime ultimately went to another company, this is also the reason why it started release as a subbed only until the rights were sorted.
5. Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch
ADV Films again had this one but failed to find a broadcaster so the rights ended up expiring but TV Aichi who own the rights has the full completed dub in their possession with no plans to release it and still have it.
4. Keroro Gunso
Guess what? ADV Films again, they had three different versions of the dub with lots of switched around voices and even when it went to Funimation there were still unreleased dub episodes.
3. Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal
The death of 4kids animation came with it a lengthy bankruptcy period in which Yu-Gi-Oh was caught in the middle. This would need another post to explain but in short 4Kids dub still exists but another company made a dub which was never used and ultimately never will, Yu-Gi-Oh is dubbed by it's own company run by Konami with a few ex 4Kids employees who currently hold all the Yu-Gi-Oh dubs.
2. All Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku
A British dub was made but no evidence of it exists on home release with only occasional videos popping on Youtube. I have seen these dubs but sadly I can't give evidence.
1. Dream Dimension Hunter Fandora
But I can with this one.
Youtubber Kenny Lauderdale is an expert at finding long forgotten anime but as to where this dub was found is a mystery, as you can see it's god damn terrible. It's probably at this time the most lost dub in existence as at least with the others there was proof that it existed. This one has no leads other than that footage.
For those new to my worlds, I hold the title of 'Master of Lists' so let's start with a list. Requests are always welcome.
Honorable Mentions
Honey Kisaragi from Cutey Honey
Not consistently an Android through her various canons
Android 18 from Dragonballz
Never started as an Android
Elara from Twin Signal
The show doesn't get enough love
Kurumi from Steel Angel Kurumi
Old school robot girl anime at it's best but just a little too annoying
10. Naomi Armitage from Armitage III and Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell
Not really much to choose between them, both are considered the most human like androids in their respective cyberpunk shows
9. Nuku Nuku from All Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku
This is how you make a catgirl, take an Android body and mix it with the brain of a cat and somehow this works.
8. Any Service Doll or Toy from Angelic Layer, Busou Shinki, Chobits and Hand Maid May
Grouping these together for convenience but any small sized robot used for service or as toys does count, including Chii from Chobits who is built by the same inventor of both the persecoms and the Angels.
7. Alita from Battle Angel Alita
Probably the most badass android on this list, a capable combat robot in pint sized form.
6. Marionettes from Saber Marionette J
In a world without women, men built their replacements in robot form but some had a special circuit that gave them emotions, the genki Lime, the cute geek Cherry and the full bodied powerhouse Bloodberry are certainly lost favourites of Oldtaku.
5. Nano from Nichijou
A school girl created by a child scientist that operates on a clockwork key, watching her interactions with the world are a joy as well as various parts of her body being used for storage.
4. Mahoro Andou from Mahoromatic
A combat android who served in a bloody war for many years, becomes a maid for the son of a military official who lost his life. With a time limit counting down, Mahoro lives out the life of a maid.
3. Ruru Amour from Hugtto Precure
Starts as a replacement daughter for Dr Traum, acts as an evil henchwoman, becomes a Precure after meeting Emiru and becoming her musical partner. The only non organic Precure in the franchise. She's also my favourite Precure
2. Chachamaru Karakuri from Negima
The android doll assistant of Evangeline and one of my favourite Negima characters, easily the most capable among the other robot girls
1. Dorothy R Wainwright from Big O
The top four were fighting for this spot but it goes to Dorothy. A robot girl with such a deadpan sense of humour that it plays well with Roger Smith's Batman playboy type and gave Big O a unique identity.
The latest Precure was not only an anniversary year but out did every other Precure that proceeded it and here are some reasons why. Be aware of spoilers.
1. Hugtan is the least annoying toddler in fiction.
Any character under four is annoying by default but Hugtan manages to be less annoying than even older child characters.
2. All the Precures in one place.
While not uncommon in Allstars the sequence of all the Precures fighting, showcases Precures uniqueness of letting their characters throw punches as opposed to stand there and shoot beams and all 55 were there to lay the smackdown.
3. Precure Works on Multiverse Theory
In most cases Precures grow up at the end so the way all of them can turn up is through Multiverse theory.
4. All the Villains are Redeemable
The motivations of the villains never really came from a bad place, so their appearance in fighting the last bosses with Precure was nice to see, even George's motivation is entirely justified which leads nicely to the next point.
5. Most Mature Precure
The motivations of George and Dr Traum both come from the tragedy of losing a loved one, in this case Hana and Ruru. Despite all the colourful, happiness the franchise is known for, it's refreshing that they can touch a subject that even some adults can't cope with.
6. Ruru changed the Precure Rules
Ruru is the first non organic character to become a Precure but that's not the only character to change the rules.
7. Boy's can be Princesses to
A quote uttered by Hana as she tries to save Henri became a social media praise all across Japan which would later create Cure Infini the first official male Precure.
8. Adults can still Dream
It's easy to overlook Precure as a kids anime but yet another quote from Hana of "Adults can still dream", actually made me start giving a damn about my life again despite all that happened in 2018.
9. Everyone is Precure
It is silly but why not? Up until now the oldest cure was 17, so this scene alone gives me some hope of an all adult precure team.
10. The Final Message to the First Fans
It was obvious that Hana is Hugtan's mother fully realized in the final scene where Hana actually gives birth on screen, but it delivered it's most beautiful message to the first Precure fans. Precure as a series is 15 years old so the fans of the first Precure are now the parents of the children watching the current Precure. And what better way to say thank you for making this franchise the success that it is was to have a lead Precure become the mother to another Precure.
Bet you weren't expecting this post to be the last entry. Get ready for the final five.
5. Fairy Tail
My favourite shonen anime, a showcase of the best fight scenes anime can muster, with all the raw emotion that comes with some of the best performances from the voice actors.
4. Precure Franchise
The perfect magical girl franchise with a rich history between it's various Precure teams only rivalled by Power Rangers, not a single series can be considered bad and it's the magical girl show that says "girls can punch just as well as men"
3. Dirty Pair
My very first anime. A retro blend of over the top sci fi through the eyes of it's destructive heroines. It doesn't get enough love from otaku and I find this series more influential to the anime female character than those before it.
2. Slayers
For years I didn't think there would be a series that could knock Dirty Pair off my top spot, yet there are two; Slayers is a classic fantasy about an OP sorcerer named Lina Inverse, a chaotic neutral so to speak and it's fantastic but I rate it this high as it helped shape my interest in the music of anime with a handful making my playlist.
1. Black Lagoon
As I've grown up with anime I've seen it change for the better and for the worst and in that time I long for an anime with a classic feel yet with enough modern influence to stand up as a series. Black Lagoon is the perfect anime series, a love letter to every kind of trope that forms anime in a nutshell in the west. Ultra violent, rich in colour and animation, an elaborate multi layered story, many strong female characters, a normal main character that isn't annoying, balls to the wall action and a great sense of humour.
There will never be another anime this perfect again.
