"Kidô senkan Nadeshiko" (1996) TV series

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Directors:

Nobuyoshi Habara
Tatsuo Sato

Writer:

Michitaka Kikuchi (comic)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

16 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Get ready for the wildest space adventure ever!

Plot:

Some unknown presence is attacking Earth with dangerous robots and the only thing that can save the day is the crew of the Nadesico: a powerful spaceship.

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Space War | Giant Robot | Piloted Giant Robot | Space

Cast

Spike Spencer	...	Akito Tenkawa (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Mark Laskowski	...	Juk Idi (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Phil Ross	...	Jin (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
John Swasey	...	Seiya (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Rob Mungle	...	Goat Hory (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Paul Sidello	...	Prospector (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Jay Hickman	...	Chairman (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Jason Douglas	...	Additional Voices (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
John Gremillion	...	Additional Voices (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Andy McAvin	...	Additional Voices (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Greg Stanley	...	Additional Voices (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Lew Temple	...	Additional Voices (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Junie Hoang	...	Eri / ... (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Brett Weaver	...	Gai (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
Yûji Ueda	...	Tenkawa Akito (9 episodes, 1996)
Houko Kuwashima	...	Misumaru Yurika (9 episodes, 1996)
Kentarô Itô	...	Jun Aoi (9 episodes, 1996)
Naoko Takano	...	Megumi Reynard (9 episodes, 1996)
Maya Okamoto	...	Haruka Minato (9 episodes, 1996)
Omi Minami	...	Hoshino Ruri (9 episodes, 1996)
Nobuo Tobita	...	Seiya Uribatake (8 episodes, 1996)
Jûrôta Kosugi	...	Holly Goto (4 episodes, 1996)
Nobuo Tanaka	...	Fukube Jin / ... (3 episodes, 1996)
Kenichi Ono	...	Prospector (3 episodes, 1996)

(more)

Series Directed by
Nobuyoshi Habara		(unknown episodes)
Tatsuo Sato		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Michitaka Kikuchi		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
John Ledford	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Mark Williams	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
David Grundy		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Toshihisa Koyama		(26 episodes, 1996-1997)

Series Animation Department
Mika Akitaka	....	character designer (unknown episodes)
Keiji Gotoh	....	character designer (unknown episodes)
Yoshinori Kanada	....	animator (unknown episodes)

Distributors

• ADV Films (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Production AI  background art
• Studio Giants  key animation
• Trans Arts Company  photography

Also Known As:

Martian Successor Nadesico (USA)
Mobile Battleship Nadesico (USA)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG

Quotes:

Ruri Hoshino: I guess we're *all* idiots.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Clean (2004/I)

Soundtrack:

Itsuka... Shinjite

Enjoy it for What it is!

The only thing that really compares to this show is the movie "Scream." Both incorporated the knowledge all fans of each genre (horror for 'Scream' and mecha for MSN) to make something original and funny.

"Funny" being the prime word here. This thing is a riot! The entire crew of the Nadesico is made up the the biggest bunch of weirdoes this side of Jupiter. You've got a super-perky, dim, but, for no apparent reason, capable captain, a pilot obsessed with a cheesy 70's mecha show, a engineer who joined up just to get away from his wife, another pilot who just want to be a cook and for the captain to not be in love with him, a genius little girl you thinks everyone around her is an idiot (she's right), a beancounter, a former secretary, and a voice actor. Think 'Hogan's Heroes' meets 'BattleStar Galatica.

While the show is great, the US version has some flaws. The subtitled version is hard to read. For some reason a light blue color is used at times that's almost impossible to see. The dubbed version has screens that have had the kanji glaringly replaced with English.

On the plus side the VA in both versions are all very good. You also get the song lyrics in English and phonetics. That's a rather nice bonus.

MSN is a great parody of the mecha genre and to a greater extent anime fandom as a whole. The story is funny, but with enough serious stuff to keep things from getting to silly.

Overall, this is a good series to invest your anime-buying money in.