This was the first anime video (subtitled) I ever bought, with the exception of the dubbed My Neighbor Totoro, though I had watched anime for about six months before that. I can't say I was too impressed with it, especially compared to the comic. A lot of it has to do with the fact that it adheres to the comic almost frame-for-frame, whereas others (like Mermaid Forest, Maris the Chojo, and even Laughing Target) all change numerous things and add things that enhance (for the most part) the story. All Fire Tripper the Anime adds is an extended "fans service" (nude scene) and a freeze frame ending showing what their life will be be like. Also, the only decent acting comes Suzuko's voice-actress, Sumi Shimamoto (who, among other things, also starred as Nausicaa in Kaze no Tani no Naushika and as Kyoko Otonashi in Maison Ikkoku)--everyone else is either annoying (Shukumaru) or dull (everybody else). All the same, Rumiko Takahashi's story is still terrific, so I give this a 7 out of 10.
3 Reviews
Rumiko Takahashi's precursor to INU-YASHA
petekrug1720 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
As someone else stated, this is clearly the shorter, rough draft for INU-YASHA, a story about a modern, Japanese high school girl who is transported back in time to the futile era and meets and befriends a young, rough-around-the-edges warrior.
Based on a short manga story of the same name (which can be found in one of the "Rumik World" short manga story collection books,) it tells the story of Suzu, the afore-mentioned modern high-school girl who is walking home with neighborhood elementary school boy Shuhe (pronounced,"Shoe"). They pass by a gas plant, when suddenly there is a leak and the building explodes. Somehow, instead of being obliterated, Suzu is transported back in time to Japan's medieval period! She is attacked by bandits with evil intentions, but luckily before they can do anything a young warrior, Shukumaru, comes with his friends and kills the assailants. He takes Suzu back to his village, where Suzu meets among others a little girl, Suhu, who is Shukumaru's younger sister. He gives his sister a bell that is just like the one Suzu had. Over the next few days Suzu develops an uneasy friendship with Shukumaru (think the kind of relationships that are typical for Takahashi stories, where at times she can't stand him and at times she finds herself liking him quite a bit.) But then Suzu finds a set of Shuhe's clothes in the village. It seems that he too was transported back in time! Suzu wants to look for him, but there is an impending problem in that more of the bandits are expected to attack the village soon, and even if she survives, will Suzu ever be able to return home...? Even as short as it is, (and the animation is clearly of the older "early-to-mid 1980's" Japanese animation,) the story is a beautiful one, and you really get attached to the characters and come to care about them. It's no wonder to me that Takahashi decided to return to and expand on this idea with INU-YASHA. Sadly, although FIRE TRIPPER was indeed dubbed (and subtitled) into English and released on VHS in the U.S., it apparently fell under the radar, and now is nearly impossible to get ahold of. I can only hope that some day, preferably before long, it gets released on DVD. This has happened to such hidden gems as ROCK & RULE, CHOPPING MALL, FIRE & ICE, CHEERLEADER CAMP and DATE WITH AN ANGEL, so I suppose it's always possible.
Based on a short manga story of the same name (which can be found in one of the "Rumik World" short manga story collection books,) it tells the story of Suzu, the afore-mentioned modern high-school girl who is walking home with neighborhood elementary school boy Shuhe (pronounced,"Shoe"). They pass by a gas plant, when suddenly there is a leak and the building explodes. Somehow, instead of being obliterated, Suzu is transported back in time to Japan's medieval period! She is attacked by bandits with evil intentions, but luckily before they can do anything a young warrior, Shukumaru, comes with his friends and kills the assailants. He takes Suzu back to his village, where Suzu meets among others a little girl, Suhu, who is Shukumaru's younger sister. He gives his sister a bell that is just like the one Suzu had. Over the next few days Suzu develops an uneasy friendship with Shukumaru (think the kind of relationships that are typical for Takahashi stories, where at times she can't stand him and at times she finds herself liking him quite a bit.) But then Suzu finds a set of Shuhe's clothes in the village. It seems that he too was transported back in time! Suzu wants to look for him, but there is an impending problem in that more of the bandits are expected to attack the village soon, and even if she survives, will Suzu ever be able to return home...? Even as short as it is, (and the animation is clearly of the older "early-to-mid 1980's" Japanese animation,) the story is a beautiful one, and you really get attached to the characters and come to care about them. It's no wonder to me that Takahashi decided to return to and expand on this idea with INU-YASHA. Sadly, although FIRE TRIPPER was indeed dubbed (and subtitled) into English and released on VHS in the U.S., it apparently fell under the radar, and now is nearly impossible to get ahold of. I can only hope that some day, preferably before long, it gets released on DVD. This has happened to such hidden gems as ROCK & RULE, CHOPPING MALL, FIRE & ICE, CHEERLEADER CAMP and DATE WITH AN ANGEL, so I suppose it's always possible.
Good, some interesting parallels to Inuyasha
Miriani23 March 2003
I had seen this and read the manga, and then years later saw some curious parallels with one of her other manga, Inuyasha. Both dealt with a modern girl transported to the distant past, and falling for someone in that past timeline. A good show, though.
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