Search - Betterman, Vol. 6: Finality on DVD

"Better" than many say.

drallosaurus | Chicago, IL | 12/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Betterman" is the type of anime series that is, essentially, a novel length story told over 26 episodes. Many negative reviews seem to be from viewers who were confused early on, became irritated, and then determined to dislike whatever came next. So much of what is going in the nature and structure of the work is missed. Watched carefully and with concentration, the "Betterman" saga is no muddle. It is exuberant and unrestrained, but isn't that a big part of what we come to anime to see? The dial gets turned to "11" without hesitantion. By the last episode of this final volume, all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Mysteries unexplained from as far back as the very first episode are now made clear and we see one, complex, sprawling story has been set before us, a small piece at a time. In many ways "Betterman" is an old-fashioned horror/mystery much like H.P. Lovecraft's "At The Mountains of Madness" or "The Shadow out of Time". I recommend watching the complete series, a few episodes at a time, over a period of nights, and you may find the complete work worth your time and attention."