I’m going to start this off by saying that parts of this show remind me of a 90’s film
called freejack, brownie points if you’ve seen it before.
Not only do I think of it because of people being transported out of their time, but also
because I could totally see Mick Jagger fitting in with this show’s universe.
So the start of this show, I’ll admit, it’s nothing fantastic.
Washed out landscapes, muted colors, and samurai fighting each other with horses in a scene
I’m guessing is supposed to be profound in some way.
Feel free to grab some snacks during this part.
I’m sure nothing of importance will be missed.
Anyways so the camera is following around this one particularly detailed warrior (obviously
the main character) until he seems like he is defeated and spewing blood everywhere,
whoa would you look at that a main character that lost.
I doubt that’s going to stick for long.
He then winds up in a completely white room full of doors, and a seemingly indifferent
employee of some kind behind a desk.
Do you have your snacks already?
Good because this is the point where shit gets interesting.
The employee, in an almost bureaucratic fashion like a man in charge of the afterlife, sends
our protagonist through a black door into another world.
Apparently we learn that he has done this numerous times, each time with various historical
figures.
We also know that we was not the only one, and now in this weird fantasy universe that
our characters find themselves in, a war is erupting with various super-powered people
from history going around and wrecking shit.
Mostly at this point I see this show as an excuse to pit famous people from history against
each other in supernatural fashion, like a better produced version of who would win,
superman vs batman, answer we all lose.
You know though I am of two minds, I’ve said before that I think dragging up historical
figures for use as characters can be seen as lazy, see my Rage of Bahamut video, but
in this case all of the characters so far have been shown as complete exaggerations
of their actual selves.
I think that works a bit better, these aren’t necessarily the same people we know from history,
they are more just like a bastardized homage made for the lolz and to just be insane for
the action sequences.
Because if the creator of Hellsing knows how to do anything, it’s how to make insane
action sequences.
Though that I can see being a negative later on.
There is a story to be told here, but the series is taking its dear sweet time actually
trying to explain anything.
So far instead of giving us reasons to cheer for one side or another, we just get scenes
of some characters being badasses but we don’t know why they are doing what they are doing.
We also don’t know why they were all brought together in the first place, why they will
care enough to participate in this war between the powers that brought them there, and why
they don’t just go rouge and do their own thing.
These are all questions that I hope and expect to be explained as time passes.
I also just very much hope that we don’t get what was pulled in Hellsing ultimate,
tones of awesome buildup followed by like 6 hours chronicling that one awesome battle
for London that didn’t really resolve anything.
If all you are wanting is badasses being badass then absolutely this series is for you and
I recommend it highly in that regard.
But if you want anything else, well the verdict is still out on that.
I can at least be sure that it’ll be entertaining for many people in either case.
So Do I think Drifters is worth watching?
Yes, but there’s an asterisks on that.
For the time being what I see is a wonderfully animated and produced bloodbath of a show
that lives by the rule of cool and if you want it to be just that then this is definitely
the show for you.
Otherwise I’m not so sure.
Based on the original magaka’s work I might be in for some disappointment later on in
the series as far as the plot is concerned, so I’m cautious about that.
But until them I’m doing my best to just enjoy the spectacle as it has been presented.
Let’s hope that’s enough.
At the time of this video, this series has been licensed by Funimation Entertainment
and is available for streaming from then as part of their broadcast dub lineup including
being in their dubbletalk lineup, in addition it’s also available on Crunchyroll in sub.
Link in the description as usual for a crunchyroll free trial should you require it.
So what did you guys think of Drifters?
Let me know down in the whatchamajig, and for those of you who are further along in
the show or have read the manga, no spoilers please.
Thank you for joining me on this First Reaction.
If you like this sort of thing, hit the like button to let me know and if you have a suggestion
for what you think I should talk about next, let me know down in the comments, though chances
are I’m doing it anyway.
And until next time, ladies, gentlemen, and others, Stay Frosty.