Samurai Like Speed Too
Appare-Ranman! focuses on a weird engineer Appare Sorano and a clever, yet timid samurai Kosame Isshiki. The two need to compete in the Trans-America Wild Race to win the prize and to return back home to Japan. The duo will face many outlaws and madmen during the race. Will they return back home safe and sound?
Appare Ranman is weird looking characters, goofy looking supercars, many puns and a comedy that is quite funny. Basically, there is an automobile race from Los Angeles to New York, and there are many people from all the parts of the world, willing to take part in this race. Some want the fame, some are just crazy for speed and cannot live without that daily portion of adrenaline, some, however, are just too poor to return to their homeland and need the prize to return home. But this might be wrong for Sorano Appare, because he is an engineer that does not like to concede. Long story short, the storyline gives all the needed hints: it explains why the two need to participate in the race and it also gives all the needed background of the protagonists. That said, the storyline does its work well; however, my only problem is that it lacks a grain of uniqueness to make it stand out.
Animation wise, it is quite catchy. It might be somewhat difficult to come up with the art that will be unique in 2020, but Appare Ranman does manage to do it: every single car has its own unique flair that demonstrates the drivers’ personality, character designs look unique and memorable and, of course, the background looks cool, too, depicting Feudal Japan and the old version of America.
Character wise, this is where this series shines quite bright, I must say. Appare is your typical anime genius: he is a genius engineer, he can make a car out of literally nothing, however, he is terrible when it comes to communicating with other people. This is quite what we have seen many times, the difference, however, is that Appare does not care that much about being the best and trying to make other people understand that he is superior to others, all he wants is to live his life as an engineer and he is just fed up with the people, telling him what to do. Next comes the clever, yet timid samurai Kosame Isshiki. He is a low-ranked government official, who lived in the same town as Sorano Appare. The two end up in an absolutely unfamiliar land, with its own customs and people that are quite different from what Appare and Isshiki have ever known and they now need to work together, in order for them to succeed.
Criticism
While I did say that the storyline lacks originality, it still is very enjoyable nevertheless. I have not said anything about the supporting characters, too, which is another problem this series has; they could have received more development. Yet again, this is a story of Kosame Isshiki and Sorano Appare, so while the supporting characters are needed, they do not need to get that much of a screen time, so it is fine.
With that being said, Appare Ranman is a pure fun to watch. It is made for you to enjoy and the fans of car racing series will surely appreciate Appare Ranman’s take on racing. I do admit that this series has quite a sloooow start, but it becomes much better, if you give it a chance. Of course, not a masterpiece, but it deserves your time.
