Recap: Gray and the Blues

Hello again. As you all know, I'm not a fan of the Bakugan series of anime. I have

spent all four years it's been in existence disliking it, and a year of that mocking it. The

animation is not very good, the writing is tired and cliché, and the characters are as flat

as an open can of Mountain Dew Voltage.

Even with that on the table, this was not the first attempt to make a series of its kind.

Before that, there was a series called B-Daman, which was created to sell a series of toy robots

that fired marbles at each other. Though the series had been around in Japan since 1993, the

success of Beyblade convinced Hasbro to buy the US rights from Takara in 2004, with the third

anime based on the series, Battle B-Daman, being dubbed for English-speaking audiences in

2005. As it turns out, the toys were prone to breaking, given a design flaw in many molds

and shoddily-made parts, and the brand did not do as well as Hasbro hoped. The anime was

also not the biggest hit, as its US run was canceled after the first season due to poor ratings

(though the second season did air in Canada on the popular Teletoon block).

As time passed, however, the series began circulating online and it gained an affectionate fanbase who enjoyed the bizarre nature of the dub; as it was discovered that

the same people behind the dub of the first three seasons of Digimon produced it. Unlike

Duel Masters, B-Daman actually managed to do the gag dub justice by taking the

ridiculousness of the concept and running with it.

Even so, the series is as silly as all get-out; as you'd very well expect a series about

robots that shoot marbles to be. So, I'm going to do a recap of an episode out of context to

give you an idea about how strange it is. I have chosen “The Gray and The Blues” as my

target. So, let's open this one up.

Rather than a cold opening as we've been getting with most of the anime I've recapped,

we get right on with the theme song. As with Ouran and Dinosaur King, this is the first time

I've listened to the theme song. What do I think? Well, the tune isn't half bad, and the opening

does a good job of showcasing the action and the unusual characters of the show.

We open on a group of cats recapping the events of the previous episode on their TV.

Our male lead, Yamato, and his cohorts Gray and Bull went to a glacier in the mountains in

order to find a new B-Daman, Chrome Zephyr. They were then confronted by Wen and Lee,

two members of a group called the Shadow Alliance. You know, you're just destined for evil

when you enlist in a group called that.

Why are cats telling us about this? It turns out that Yamato was raised by cats until

he was adopted by a kindly woman. As such, a group of cats and their mother, a blue cat

inform us of all the “previously-on” hijinks.  

We then get our title card, with white text against a sepia-toned map of what is known

as B-Da World. I will provide the music for this type of title card, though you're on your own

if you want it to burn up.

Back with our heroes, the glacier appears to be lashing out at them; as it wants Yamato,

Bull, and Gray dead.

Watch out! They're going to get stabbed by the Paramount logo!

Wen and Lee get back at them, and fuse their B-Daman together into a single, more

powerful B-Daman, Bakkurikuso. Only $12.99! Available at most toy and hobby outlets!

Wonder Twin Powers Activate!
Form of- a mecha that shoots tiny balls!

We then see a true oddity- an ion storm occurs. That's right, an ion storm in a glacier.

If that's not enough, we go into flashbacks of how Yamato met Gray.

Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty, oh won't you please take me home?

Throughout the flashbacks, we see that Yamato is kind of weird. I would expect this

of him being raised by cats. I also find it odd that the show that preceded Bakugan has

better animation than Bakugan. Then, just as the flashbacks end, we see another cat;

who is presumably the leader of the Shadow Alliance.

You seek the Kwisatz Hedarach?

Yamato is very outgoing from being raised by cats. I mean, he looks like one, acts like

one, has the playful spirit of one...

The battle begins as Wen and Lee use Bakkurikuso to attack Yamato. Yamato realizes

his own robot, Cobalt Blade, might not have the firepower he needs. He then dodges all the

marbles shot at him by skating on the ice. And so, figure skater Yamato has worked the

projectiles being shot at him into his routine.

Well, you cats saved me the trouble of finding another clip.

The blue cat then exposits a bit more about Yamato's situation as we go to our first

commercial break.

When we return, we see Wen and Lee making fire tornadoes to attack Yamato, as well

as use o-fuda to block any counterattacks Yamato makes.

Yamato then asks Bull to help him, as well as asking for a cupcake. Bull complies with

the cupcake, then takes his hood down. A strange thing that happens when Bull takes his hood

down is this: he loses the chibi expression he has with it up, and grows far more confident;

as well as aging 10 years with a more serious face.

Bull produces an add-on for Cobalt Blade-the Wide Server. Only $8.99! Get yours

today! Gray then asks what they intend to do with this. Good question, Gray.

Dare! Dare to believe you can survive! You hold the future in your hand! Dare! Dare to keep all your dreams alive! It's time to take a stand! You can win if you dare!

Yamato then engages Wen in a B-Da Battle. The marbles come by twos and fours,

both players going at each other for the prize.

You've got the touch! You've got the power! Yeah!

The ice finally breaks on the mountain, and Wen and Lee attempt to take Chrome

Zephyr. That's not a good idea, buddy, I heard of guys who got murdered for PlayStation 2

systems back in the day.

Wen and Lee grab Chrome Zephyr. What dirty bastards! They then attempt to return it

to Gray. Wait. Do they want Chrome Zephyr, or don't they?

As if that's not enough, Wen and Lee go after Cobalt Blade. Now I'm reminded of those

incidents where people got stabbed over Cabbage Patch Kids and beaten up over Power Rangers action figures.

We then get Gray's backstory, which reveals he joined the Shadow Alliance in order to

help his younger sister, Rhianna. I shall set the mood here. 

Wow. I've been making a lot of Transformers: The Movie references in this recap.

Anyway, Yamato challenges Gray to a B-Da battle, possibly a fight, but Gray just leaves,

saying he's not going to hold back next time. Well, that was anticlimactic.

“Gray and the Blues” is a good episode to show case how silly B-Daman is. Peculiar

how a series that is well-known for having a gag dub I hated, but a series that I just watched

on a whim I actually found amusing. In a way, it was a good breather from the recap

of “Playing With a Full Deck,” and for the next one I do. As much as I like this show and hate

Bakugan, I'm doing another Bakugan recap next time. If I remember, it's number four, which

is a bad omen; as anyone who teaches you about Japanese culture can tell you. Especially given

the episode I chose.

One more thing: I'm not starting the next recap just yet. I may be getting a job writing

for a local newspaper, so I'm going to wait to see if any of the pieces I sent get printed, as well as write a few more. On top of that, school is starting again, and I need to register for classes;

buy some new clothes, buy supplies, all that good stuff. So, I bid you farewell with one more

Transformers: The Movie song, and another Weird Al song at that.