My suspicions stemming from the 16th episode are panning out after all: there is something quite fishy about the murder of Barnaby’s parents. Kriem, who magically survived when Mister Jake somehow couldn’t, informs dear Barnaby that Jake couldn’t have possibly been the Brooks murderer. On that fateful day, Jake was busy trying to hold Kriem ransom for money. Plus, what motive could Jake possibly have for murdering Barnaby’s parents anyhow?
Parental legacy
It’s kind of poetic — the Brooks were scientists in the field of robotics and their son is, well, a bit of a robot. Barnaby’s parents wanted to create a robot that could one day aid humanity, but they, as we all know, died early so their dreams were never realized… or were they? Whoever conspired to murder the Brooks have, as a result, created the Barnaby we see now. After all, Barnaby’s tragic past was just a little too… oh, by-the books. Barnaby always felt a little emotionally stunted and this is possibly a consequence of having lost his parents so young.
Once Barnaby started to doubt himself, he ignored all protocol and interrogated his own aunt. He never really considered the implication of what he was doing. I always knew Barnaby could be robotic at times, but I never made the connection until now. If you couldn’t create a robot, why not turn man into a robot to do your bidding? Barnaby might not be literally a robot, but he is a creation, a man with a crafted upbringing, a savior more concerned with points than heroism — an inorganic superhero. The only question now is whether or not Barnaby will descend into an existential crisis.
NEXT discrimination
“Tiger & Bunny” is borrowing heavily from “X-Men” here, but the execution, much like Kriem’s backstory, is clumsy. I can understand the public’s one-sided fear of the NEXT, but even Kriem’s very own mother? I dunno, I guess I don’t buy the following line: “If I’d have known she was a NEXT, I wouldn’t have given birth to her.”
The thing is, “X-Men” comes from a culture where racial and sexual politics often dominate the public discourse. There’s a backdrop of discrimination to draw inspiration from. It was no coincidence that the X-Men first appeared in the tumultuous sixties. Even now, the latest X-Men movie is full of thinly-veiled subtext about LG&T discrimination.
With that said, what message is “Tiger & Bunny” trying to convey? Is it simply aping “X-Men” for the sake of it? Or, if we consider the show’s audience, is the anime actually concerned about some real instantiations of discrimination? Cynically, I have the feeling that the show’s discrimination message is supposed to appeal to anime nerds’ oft-maligned status in our society.
Coming-of-age
Lost amongst all the juicy plot development is Kaede’s struggles as a young NEXT and her father’s absence. On the surface, of course it’s a story about the poor girl’s inability to master her own powers, but this is also a good metaphor for young people’s confusion during that tricky time of puberty.
What makes this even more compelling is if Kotetsu fails to deliver on his promise, Kaede may grow to resent her new abilities. After all, bloodlines are at work here, and a rejection of her NEXT status would also imply a rejection of her father. I think this is family drama done well.
Stray Observations
• Of course Kriem is still alive. People never die in superhero stories unless they literally disintegrate before your very eyes. I’m not sure why Barnaby didn’t just lie to Kriem and tell her that Jake was still alive. Would this have been immoral? Are we Kantians all of a sudden?
• Jake didn’t dress much like a clown in the past.
What the hell happened to him over time?
• Everyone’s making it harder for Kotetsu to announce his retirement.
Except Karina, of course, but Kotetsu is your typical oblivious anime protagonist.
• Ugh, we’re going to have to deal with a sad Karina when she finds out he’s retiring.
How is that going to go? “Oh, you’re going to quit so you can take care of a daughter who’s only 8 years younger than me? But Kotetsu… d-daisuki~” Yeah, talk about barf.
• I love the soundtrack’s folksy twang during the anime’s lighter moments. Makes me feel as though I’m chilling down south with some buddies or something.
