AoD Review: Mars Daybreak Vol. #6

[Chris Beveridge]

Review

Reviewer: Chris Beveridge

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In Summary:
Mars Daybreak has been probably the weakest series from the folks at BONES but I can't say I'm too surprised since it's based off of an original concept for a video game. The show certainly has its moments along the way and it's a fairly decently done action/adventure piece but it ended up lacking a lot of really important critical background material to make the setting come alive. The concept of a water filled Mars with vast underwater cities and various pirates has a lot going for it in visuals alone but it needed a lot more to really cement it as an overall concept. The finale does a good job overall of bringing it all together but much like a lot of the previous volumes, it's not a show that really stands out above a lot of other action/adventure shows.

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[akcoll99]

Just watched this myself last night. For the most part, I really enjoyed MD but I'll admit to being disappointed by certain aspects of it as well.
I didn't realize it was based on a video game until recently, so I was really letdown by how much of the show's background was unexplained (and unexplored during the course of the series) and how it threw you (and the main character) into situations at such a fast pace, there was no way to keep things straight. By about volume 2, it settled down a bit and I was able to get into it.
I think Chris' B rating is what I would give the show overall. It could have been better and handled certain situations better, but overall, I thought it was a just-solid-enough-to-be-entertaining show that I don't regret purchasing... [img]/images/graemlins/happy.gif[/img]

[Dagger]

I found Mars Daybreak to be a heck of a lot of fun--I mean, it never really went anywhere, and it was about as fluffy and uninspired as any BONES show will ever get, but it was still a huge cut above the other fluff-shows out there. I actually enjoyed it more than Overman King Gainer, to which it is sometimes negatively compared.

The characters made the series for me: even Vess, who was ridiculously annoying in some of the early parts, became mad cool later on. I loved Enora, Esther, Elizabeth, Yagami, Kubernes, Anna--heck, practically every member of the Aurora's crew as well as the greater cast. Mars Daybreak was very far from unpredictable, but it was executed with such a sense of vivacity and light-heartedness that I couldn't honestly find much fault with it. I enjoyed the action sequences, I found the comedic parts amusing... and the end, that's all the show really aimed for.

It may also have helped that I marathoned the last three volumes. *shrugs* Either way, I was definitely in the mood for it when I finished it. A solid B show IMO.

[Leon_Belmont]

I've been Netflixing this myself. I agree with the sentiments that it doesn't offer a whole lot of distinct pleasure and is probably not going to be a "must own" for more than a handful of people. But I find myself enjoying the show as I'm watching it, and leaving each volume feeling like I didn't just waste my time. And that's a good thing. Fun show. Awaiting volume 6 as we speak and hoping the conclusion satisfies.

Personally, I liken it to Outlaw Star. Except Daybreak's maybe a teeny bit more mediocre for its time (that being now), which hurts when there's so much anime out on the market. But I've yet to see Gainer. Might have to check that out now.

End point? If you've run out of things to watch and can't seem to get any high recommendations, this show might be a fun way to kill time. I've certainly done much worse. I'd probably rent it if it's an option though.

[Chacranajxy]

Glad I dropped this show when I did. I couldn't even make it through the first disc because it was so... mediocre. Too bad since I've become a huge BONES fan as of late.