Blue Gender

Blue Gender is a 1999 Japanese animated science fiction television series produced by AIC and creator Ryōsuke Takahashi. The series is set in the 2030s, where Earth has been overrun by alien insectoid creatures called the Blue, which have wiped out most of the human race and forced the surviving humans to flee to Second Earth, a huge space station that orbits the planet. It focuses on the relationship between Yuji Kaido - a Japanese civilian rescued from cryogenic sleep, and Marlene Angel - a soldier from Second Earth, as they participate in military operations against the Blue.[2]

The series was broadcast on TBS from 1999 to 2000 and spans 26 episodes. The series was followed by Blue Gender: The Warrior, a compilation movie with an alternative ending, in 2002. Blue Gender was also broadcast in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2003 on the Sci Fi Channel. In 2003, Blue Gender was released on American television as part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, though it had originally been planned for a Toonami broadcast, and was thus edited to remove more of its graphic violence, nudity, and sex scenes than usual, even for Adult Swim's standards. However, it aired uncut on the Funimation Channel in the United States.

Plot

In 2009, Yuji Kaido is diagnosed with a severe illness and is put into cryogenic sleep until a cure is found. In 2031, he is awakened amid a raging war between armored soldiers and insectoid beings called the "Blue", which kill and harvest humans for food. The Blue have overrun the Earth and wiped out most of the human race.

The soldiers are from an orbiting space colony collectively called Second Earth and have been ordered to recover "sleepers" such as Yuji around the Earth. They are led by Marlene Angel, who at first appears to be heartless toward others. On the journey to Second Earth, Yuji meets many of the humans who were left behind during the evacuation due to limited resources. Standing orders for Marlene and her platoon are to consider any human survivors on the surface to be already dead, which greatly troubles Yuji.

On their journey, all of the soldiers are killed except for Marlene, causing Yuji to fall into deep depression as he recognizes the destruction around him and his inability to save those he cares about, especially after failing to save human survivors from a swarm of Blue in Seoul. During their travel to the Baikonur Cosmodrome through the mountains of Central Asia, Yuji and Marlene develop a bond that softens her sharp edges and they become romantically involved with one another. Upon reaching Baikonur, Yuji and Marlene encounter another group of soldiers and after fighting off more Blue, they escape on the shuttle. During the flight to Second Earth, a mutated Blue hidden in the shuttle attacks Yuji, critically injuring him.

Yuji and Marlene are separated upon arriving at Second Earth, and the High Council demotes Marlene and sends her back into training at the education station as punishment for failing to protect Yuji. Not knowing what happened after he was attacked, Marlene rebels and is determined to find Yuji. When she does, she finds he has healed and is being trained to use a new specialized sleeper-specific mech called the Double Edge, which is much stronger than the originals used in the war against the Blue. It is revealed that Yuji's illness is the key to destroying the Blue and taking back the planet. Yuji and the other Sleepers have B-cells, which are also the genetic makeup of the Blue.

The High Council reluctantly agrees to reinstate Marlene and allow her to work with Yuji again. After intensive training, they return to Earth with two other Sleepers - Tony Frost and Alicia Whistle. They and the other forces of Second Earth battle the Blue, successfully destroying the most enormous nests across Africa. However, the battles begin to harm Yuji, who has minimal regard for human life and is utterly obsessed with surpassing Tony in killing the Blue. Yuji's actions deeply concern Marlene, and she begins to realize something is wrong.

Shortly after returning to Second Earth, the High Council orders the Sleepers on a second offensive against the Blue in New York City. As the Sleepers are carrying out their mission, a battle on Second Earth between two factions is waged. Seno Miyagi, the director of Second Earth's science division, leads the Ark rebellion and seizes control of the military, lunar resources, and education stations of Second Earth from the High Council, who escape to and retain control of the medical station. Seno reveals to Marlene the nature of the illness that put Yuji in stasis, the source of his abilities, and the source of the Blue: they are a defense mechanism enacted by the Earth to purge the existence of humanity, and the B-cells that exist in the Sleepers could become a potential threat to humanity as well.

After the Ark successfully takes over Second Earth from the High Council, Marlene heads down to New York in search of Yuji. When she finds him, his B-cells are beginning to activate, and goes berserk as a killing machine. After struggling with him, Marlene is finally able to get through to Yuji and helps him overcome his madness by showing him her human emotions and feelings. Meanwhile, Tony and Alicia abandon the remaining ground forces as their B-cells have fully awakened. They return to Second Earth with several Blue when they board the medical station, killing most of Second Earth’s high command.

Tony and Alicia plan to ram the medical station into the military station to destroy Second Earth. They see this as the "Grand Will of the Earth", in which they will become "messiahs" and cleanse Earth of humanity forever. Yuji, Marlene, and a group of other soldiers infiltrate the station and subdue Alicia. Yuji then confronts and shoots Tony. Alicia ventures back to Tony to die with him as the military destroys the medical station.

Seno's junta decides to abandon Earth, and Yuji becomes depressed and contemplates his existence, wondering what he has been fighting for, why he was awakened, why he cannot save his friends, and what Earth's true will is. However, Marlene manages to reconnect with Yuji again; they agree to convince Seno to let them go back to Earth and fight the Blue, and finally become lovers.

After discovering a new migration pattern of the Blue, Seno agrees to let Yuji and Marlene lead a group of volunteers to an area in South America where a massive nest is located. The nest seems impenetrable at first, but they eventually find an entrance with the help of the local people. The entrance leads to a tunnel where the walls, ceiling, and floor of the cavern are composed of fossil-like Blue. The team finally comes upon a crystal formation in a massive cavern. A huge Blue is born from the gel substance sitting atop the formation and kills everyone except for Yuji and Marlene. Yuji kills it and concludes that the sphere will hold the answers he seeks. He sends Marlene, who is pregnant with their child, to the surface to regroup with the remaining volunteers and wait for him. He then gets a vision and can see what the Earth itself can see. Yuji comes to understand how mankind can live alongside the B-cells and returns to Marlene.

Meanwhile, Second Earth's citizens revolt against Seno and kill him, and then begin abandoning the station for Earth via shuttles. A firefight erupts over the last remaining overcrowded shuttle, and a massive explosion destroys the station. All around the world, from former Blue Nests, long strings of coalescing energy ascend into Earth's atmosphere and form a ring. Yuji and Marlene watch this, realizing Earth is now safe again, and look forward to the rest of their lives together as the sun sets.

Main characters

• Kaidō Yūji (海堂 祐司) - After being diagnosed with an incurable disease (later discovered to be B-cells), Yuji Kaido decides to be put in cryogenic sleep in hopes that an effective treatment will be developed soon. In 2031, twenty-two years later, Yuji wakes up to find the world overrun by a deadly alien species known as the 'Blue'. In 2009 Yuji worked in a gas station, rode his motorcycle, and hung out with his friend Takashi. But in 2031 everything Yuji knew has been destroyed by the Blue. He feels lost and alone in an unforgiving new world. For better or for worse, Yuji is guided by the only thing that he can't trust - his emotions - as he attempts to gain control over his new life.
• Marīn Enjeru (マリーン・エンジェル) - Orphaned at the age of ten because her parents were killed by the Blue, Marlene was one of the few lucky ones to make it to Second Earth. Since then, Marlene has dedicated and trained herself to defeat the Blue. Though seeming very heartless and cold in the earlier episodes, as time progresses, Yuji opens up Marlene's emotions and a bond is created. As Marlene's emotions begin to resurface, everything she was taught to believe in begins to break down. Towards the end of the series, she and Yuji conceive a child together.
• Tonī Furosuto (トニー・フロスト) - Another Sleeper who unlike Yuji, awoke on Second Earth. A very powerful Sleeper, He is easily the most advanced member of the Sleeper Brigade and trusts no one. Yuji strives to improve himself to be able to beat Tony. Tony seems to have no emotion except for the euphoria of destroying Blue. It becomes apparent in later episodes, however, that he sees himself as a Messiah when his B-cells initiate, and teams up with Alicia to carry out “Final Judgment” to cleanse Earth of humanity forever.
• Arisha Wissuru (アリシア・ウィッスル) - Another Sleeper on Second Earth who is paired with Tony. She immediately gravitates towards Yuji, seeing Marlene as an obstacle to a relationship with him. She is very young and often naïve. However, like Tony, in later episodes she sees himself as a Messiah when her B-cells initiate, and she and Tony decide to carry out “Final Judgment” to cleanse Earth of humanity forever.
• Seno Miyagi (セノ・ミヤギ) - A high-ranking member of the science division on Second Earth. He suggests that Yuji and Marlene be kept together in order to get the best results from Yuji in the Sleeper program. Not agreeing with the High Council's leadership of Second Earth or its reckless use of the sleepers, he eventually forms a group called The Ark, which would later overthrow the High Council's "government" on Second Earth. Seno would subsequently become the leader of Second Earth, but only for a brief time. His order to abandon Earth eventually results in a revolt and his execution by citizens who wanted to return to Earth.
• - Rick is a military Elite, and although he fights on the Sleeper Brigade, he is not a Sleeper. He is cocky, confident, and loves strong women, especially Marlene.
• - Doug is the assistant to the High Council and a high-ranking official on Second Earth. He is the Director of the Military Station, and also participates in High Council inquiries. He is later shot and killed by Miyagi.

Episodes

Blue Gender: The Warrior

The compilation movie, Blue Gender: The Warrior is composed of both old and new footage—with many clips being completely re-animated—and a very different ending. Roughly the last third of the original series' story arc was removed for the movie, thus requiring an alternative ending. It was released on November 20, 2002, and in English on July 20, 2004.

Reception

Critical reception of Blue Gender has been mostly positive. Allen Divers of Anime News Network gave the series a rating of A dubbed and B subbed, praising the story, mecha and monster designs, animation, and characters, with his only complaint being that the series was too long, which slowed down the story telling.[3] Animerica gave the series a positive review, stating that some might compare it to Starship Troopers, and concludes that "if you like action, mecha, hardcore sci-fi, and global plots, this series has a lot to offer."[4] Todd Douglass Jr. of DVD Talk gave the series a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, praising the story, characters, and animation, and stated that "on the surface the show may seem stereotypical and familiar but once you actually delve into its depth you'll recognize it for what it truly is; an awesome show."[5] Nerdgenic.com also gave the series a positive review, with their only criticisms being the main protagonist Yuji, and the slow progression of the plot. They handed out praise for the series' secondary protagonist Marlene, the story, and the mech and monster designs.[6]

Not all reviews were positive, however. Issac Cynova of THEM Anime Reviews was far more critical, and gave the series a rating of 2 out of 5 stars, stating that "Blue Gender is one of those titles that hooks you right from the beginning, but then just fails to deliver."[7]

External links

• Blue Gender at AIC studio
• Animerica review