Linebarrels of Iron - Kurogane no Linebarrel - Review and Recommendation Overview "Linebarrels of Iron" is a TV anime series that aired from October 2008 to March 2009, and is based on a manga by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi. The story follows 14-year-old boy Koichi Hayase, who obtains a giant humanoid robot called "Linebarrel" and gains overwhelming power that causes the world around him to move in a big way. It was directed by Masamitsu Hidaka, animated by GONZO, and produced by Linebarrel Partners (Flying Dog, GDH, Akita Shoten, Chubu Nippon Broadcasting). ■ Story Koichi Hayase meets a girl in an accident and obtains a giant humanoid robot called "Linebarrel." Until now, he was powerless to do anything and only dreamed of justice, but now that he has acquired overwhelming power, things begin to move around him at a rapid pace. Koichi grows as he meets new friends, takes on the burden of what he must protect, and comes to terms with the world around him. This story is taken from the official GONZO website, and the highlights of the story are Koichi's growth and the changes in the relationships around him. ■Explanation "Linebarrels of Steel" is a work that depicts characters with overwhelming individuality delicately and boldly, and realizes dynamism and sharpness in robot action. A luxurious team of creators has gathered, including director Masamitsu Hidaka, creative producer Goro Taniguchi, and special effects director Ichiro Itano. In addition, the powerful tag team of series composition Kiyoko Yoshimura and special setting Shigeru Morita, who is in charge of the special setting, will develop the love, friendship, setbacks, conflicts, and heart-to-heart exchanges of boys who continue to fight for justice while interspersing casual daily scenes, and will lead to a touching conclusion that will gain the sympathy of viewers. The attractive and beautiful characters created by Hisashi Hirai, who was in charge of character design and general animation director, are brought to life by a luxurious cast of voice actors, creating "moe & burning" regardless of gender or age. Furthermore, it has achieved a 3D that shows the emotions of the creators, with a touch of 2D, which is on a different level from conventional 3D robot depictions, and has secured a core demographic. This commentary is also quoted from the GONZO official website, but it conveys the appeal of the work well. ■Cast The voice actors for the main characters are as follows: - Koichi Hayase: Tetsuya Kakihara
- Emi Kinosaki: Mamiko Noto
- Kunio Ishigami: Joji Nakata
- Hisataka Kato: Jun Fukuyama
- Reiji Moritsugu: Yuichi Nakamura
- Hideaki Yajima: Go Shinomiya
- Makoto Domyouji: Jun Kanno
- Risako Niyama: Noriko Shimoya
- Dmitry Magaloff: Masahiko Tanaka
- Eiji Kiriyama: Shou Hayami
- Masaki Sugawara: Susumu Chiba
- Yui Ogawa: Sayaka Ohara
- Shizuna Endo: Kana Ueda
- Izuna Endo: Rie Kugimiya
- Rachel Calvin: Chiwa Saito
- Satoru Yamashita: Miyuki Sawashiro
- Kujo Miu: Hirano Aya
- Igarashi: Shozo Iizuka
- Amako Kinosaki: Masahiko Tanaka
- Prime Minister Kodama: Shin Aomori
- Takuro Sawatari: Toru Inada
- Jiro Aonuma: Yuto Kazama
- Goro Maki: Hironori Kotatsu
- Chisato Hayase: Masako Shiro
- Hayase Mina: Yuka Okada
■ Main staff The main staff are as follows: - Planning: Shiro Sasaki, Yoshi Hoshino, Jun Ito, Tsuneaki Hattori
- Original author: Eiichi Shimizu, Tomohiro Shimoguchi
- Director: Masamitsu Hidaka
- Producers: Hiroyuki Odomegawa, Osamu Nagai, Takaaki Kuwana, Yoshihiro Iwasa
- Creative producer: Goro Taniguchi
- Series Composition: Kiyoko Yoshimura
- Special setting: Shigeru Morita (Studio Nue)
- Character design and chief animation director: Hisashi Hirai
- Chief animation director: Hiroya Iijima
- Special effects director: Ichiro Itano
- Mechanical design: Tsutomu Suzuki
- Prop design: Hideki Harada
- 3D Director: Hiroshi Shirai
- 3D modeling designers: Katsunori Ohno, Toshiyuki Shiro, Takeru Goto, Chihiro Gaman
- 3D Texture: Toshiyuki Shironobu, Takeshi Goto
- 3D Production: Tatsuya Maki
- Art board: Yukiko Maruyama (Atelier Musa)
- Art setting: Shigemi Ikeda (Atelier Musa), Shuichi Okubo (Atelier Musa)
- 2DCG: Yosuke Nanjo
- Title logo: Noriko Iwashita
- Format editing: Shigenobu Ogata (Video Tech)
- Music: Cornish
- Music Production: Flying Dog, Future Vision Music
- Music producers: Yoshimoto Ishikawa, Junji Fujita
- Recording: Fujio Yamada (Tricycle Studio)
- Sound effects: Kenji Koyama (Soundbox)
- Recording assistants: Sayaka Ninomiya (Aoi Studio), Hiromi Yamaguchi (Tricycle Studio)
- Recording studios: Aoi Studio, Tricycle Studio
- Sound Production: Techno Sound (Kyoko Tsutamura, Yosuke Kanai)
- Sound Director: Masafumi Mima
- Planning cooperation: Champion RED editorial department, Satoshi Mashima (Taki Design)
- Publicity Producer: Takanori Sugawara
- Advertising: Megumi Mashiko, Yusuke Suzuki
- Sales promotion: Hiroshi Yamashita, Risa Eguchi
- Program Promotion: Kazuyo Shigematsu (CBC)
- Official website, advertising cooperation: Tomoya Yamamoto (NEC Biglobe)
- Military setting cooperation: Takaaki Suzuki
- Media writer: Yuniko Ayana
- Rights Manager: Yoko Mitsui
- Overseas sales: Okumura Mizoko
- Sales Production: Hideki Tanno
- Production manager: Yuichi Tashiro
- Setting production: Yu Sato
- Art director: Shigemi Ikeda
- Director of photography: Takeo Ogiwara
- Color design: Eri Suzuki
- Edited by: Akinori Mishima
- Animation producer: Eiji Sumitomo
- Animation Production: GONZO
- Produced by: Linebarrel Partners (Flying Dog, GDH, Akita Shoten, Chubu Nippon Broadcasting)
- Provided by: flying DOG
■ Main Characters The details of the main characters are as follows: - Kouichi Hayase: A boy who aspires to be a hero of justice. He witnesses the fall of the giant humanoid robot, Linebarrel, and becomes a factor (pilot) who shares his life with Linebarrel. He is in his third year of junior high school.
- Emi Kinosaki: A girl who has lost almost all of her memories except for her name. She seems to have some kind of connection to Linebarrels...
- Kato Hisataka: Commander-in-chief of the secret society, Kato Agency. Highly charismatic and intelligent, he is obsessed with the word "imagination". What is his goal after world domination...?
- Reiji Moritsugu: Head of the Special Affairs Department of the Juda Corporation and the factor who controls Machina and Verdant. He is an expert in combat who never loses his cool and always assesses the state of the battle.
- Satoru Yamashita: A member of the Juda Corporation Special Task Force, he is the factor of Makina and Hind Kind. He is a naive high school freshman who looks up to Moritsugu.
- Endou Shizuna, Endou Izuna: A member of the Juda Corporation Special Affairs Department and the factor of Makina and Diseve. They are twin siblings in their second year of middle school. Due to having moved around Japan many times, Shizuna speaks standard Japanese and Izuna speaks Kansai dialect.
- Miu Kujo: A member of the Juda Corporation Special Task Force, she is the factor of Makina and Painkiller. She has a kind and gentle personality, but also has an unwavering strength of will. She is a first year high school student.
- Rachel Calvin: An American girl who works as a mechanic for the Judah Corporation. A precocious genius, she graduated from college early. She is constantly trying to analyze and improve Machina.
- Kunio Ishigami: President of Judah Corporation. He has strong connections with the political world and the United Nations. He is skilled at dealing with people, and has a playful side that stirs up situations in a funny way.
- Yui Ogawa: Secretary to the president of Juda Corporation. Always calm and collected, she doesn't get upset easily. She also keeps Ishigami in check. She's like an older sister to the other members.
- Hideaki Yajima: Koichi and Risako's childhood friend and school classmate. He has always protected Koichi since they were young. He was concerned about Koichi, who used the power he had acquired to behave arrogantly, but...
- Risako Niyama: Koichi's childhood friend and classmate. A tolerant and homely girl. She's a good cook and is good at making cupcakes. She cares about Koichi.
- Domyouji Makoto: Koichi's classmate. A charismatic middle school student (self-proclaimed) who has decent grades, is an excellent athlete, and is the most popular among girls. He takes an interest in Koichi and Kinosaki, and teases them.
- Sugawara Masaki: Captain of the Kato Engine Unit 1. Always stands by Hisataka's side.
- Takuro Sawatari: Captain of the 4th Division of the Kato Agency. He is belligerent and willing to use underhanded means to achieve his goals. He controls Alma and Idaten and prefers tactics that emphasize mobility.
- Julianne Faithfull: Captain of the 7th Division of the Kato Agency. A bewitching beauty who controls Alma and Tsubakihime. Her combat skills are light and agile.
- Munemi Nakajima: Captain of the second division of the Kato Agency. He controls Makina and Talisman. He is a ruthless person who enjoys fighting despite his polite tone. He always wears Japanese clothes.
- Jack Smith: Captain of the 6th Division of the Kato Agency. A one-eyed samurai with extremely high combat abilities.
- Eiji Kiriyama: President of Kiriyama Heavy Industries, a large company whose main business is the aviation industry.
■ Main robot items Details of the main robots and items are as follows: - Linebarrel: A Makina operated by Kouichi Hayase. It is a machine specialized for close-range combat, but it also has hidden fixed armaments designed for long-range battles. In normal combat, it mainly uses the long swords equipped on both lower arms.
- Verdant: A Machina for close combat. In normal combat, she mainly uses the long sword stored in her Variable Binder.
- Hind Kind: Originally a heavy combat machina for long-range attacks, it mainly uses bullet arms, a reflector core that acts as a radar and high-performance scanner, and iron stakes that can be fired from its lower arms.
- Disive: An electronic nerve warfare machina operated by Izuna Endo and Shizuna of the Juda Corporation Special Task Office. It is the only non-combat type machina in existence.
- Painkiller: A base defense machina operated by Kujo Miu of the Juda Corporation Special Task Office. It has a humanoid shape, but uses many curves. The head with a face guard makes it look feminine, but at the same time it gives the impression of Western armor. It is equipped with railguns on both hips and is armed with throwing knives.
- Idaten: A highly mobile combat Alma exclusively for Takuro Sawatari. The armor and legs have been modified to improve mobility. Its main weapons are a long sword, a special gun called "Tanegashima," and a spear called "Issen."
- Kagutsuchi: Demitri's personal heavily armed Alma. Its main weapon is a special heavy machine gun, multiple missiles on both shoulders, and Tanegashima Kai on the side armor. Its main role is in mid-to-long range artillery battles.
- Talisman: A Machina with Nakajima Munemi as its factor. A close-combat unit, its main weapon is the spear "Tail of Kingdom" mounted on its rear armor.
- Tsubakihime: A machine built for Julianne's personal use based on the mass-produced Alma. It is lightweight and has superior maneuverability to the normal Machina.
- Apparition: A Machina that was previously a Stray Machina. A long-range sniper unit, its main weapon is a large-caliber rifle mounted on the arm on its back.
■Subtitle The subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode are as follows: - #01 Kurogane and the Boy (2008/10/03)
- #02 Running Justice (2008/10/10)
- #03 Terror of the Blue (2008/10/17)
- #04 The Price of Justice (2008/10/24)
- #05 Signpost to Tomorrow (2008/10/31)
- #06 Bright Night (2008/11/07)
- #07 The Worst After School (2008/11/14)
- #08 Playful Demons (2008/11/21)
- #09 Black Chamber (2008/11/28)
- #10 OVER DRIVE (2008/12/05)
- #11 SUPER NOVA (2008/12/12)
- #12 From the South Seas with Love (2008/12/19)
- #13 Black Enforcer (2008/12/26)
- #14 Blood flows, tears are lost (2009/01/09)
- #15 Vector (2009/01/16)
- #16 Dusk Condemnation (2009/01/23)
- #17 The Curse of the Machine (2009/01/30)
- #18 Encounter (2009/02/06)
- #19 The Sun Reaches, the Shadows Revealed (2009/02/13)
- #20 The Man of Destiny (2009/02/20)
- #21 Wings of Madness (2009/02/27)
- #22 Demon Devourer (2009/03/06)
- #23 How you die determines how you live (2009/03/13)
- #24 Steel Flower (2009/03/20)
■ Related works The following works are related to "Linebarrels of Steel." - Linebarrels of Steel Picture Drama
- Linebarrels of Steel: Genius Beautiful Scientist Rachel
- Linebarrels of Iron Shadow
■ Theme songs and music Details of the theme songs and insert songs are as follows: - OP1
- Period: 2-26
- Demon Emperor's Sword
- Lyricist: Arika Takano
- Composer: Mikiya Katakura
- Arrangement: Mikiya Katakura
- Sung by: ALI PROJECT
- ED1
- Period: 1-13
- It rains
- Lyricist: Maaya Sakamoto
- Composer: Kano Kaori
- Arrangement: Saito Neko
- Vocals: Maaya Sakamoto
- ED2
- Period: 14-26
- Remedy
- Lyricist: Maaya Sakamoto
- Composer: Solaya
- Arrangement: Solaya
- Vocals: Maaya Sakamoto
- IN1
- Period: 14, 22, 24
- Follow your heart
- Lyricist: Risa Komine
- Composer: Risa Komine
- Arrangement: Risa Komine
- Vocals: Komine Risa
- IN2
- Period: 18, 24
- PROUD
- Lyricist: Risa Komine
- Composer: Masumi Yamazaki
- Arrangement: Jun Yamazaki, Takanori Eguchi
- Vocals: Komine Risa
- IN3
- Period: 20th, 23rd, 24th
- Demon Emperor's Sword [orchestral arrange ver.]
- Lyricist: Arika Takano
- Composer: Mikiya Katakura
- Sung by: ALI PROJECT
- Orchestral Arrangement: Yoshihisa Hirano
■ Evaluation "Linebarrels of Steel" is the story of a boy who obtains a giant humanoid robot called "Linebarrel" and fights for justice. The appeal of the work lies in the overwhelmingly unique characters and the dynamic robot action. Of particular note is the fact that it brings together an all-star team of creators, including director Hidaka Masamitsu, creative producer Taniguchi Goro, and special effects director Itano Ichiro. Their careful portrayal of the character growth and changes in relationships leaves viewers deeply moved. Furthermore, the storytelling by series composer Yoshimura Kiyoko and special effects creator Morita Shigeru skillfully blends everyday life with epic battle scenes, drawing viewers in. The beautiful characters created by Hisashi Hirai, who was in charge of character design and general animation direction, are "moe & burning" for all genders and ages, and the performances of the star-studded voice actors also enhance the charm of the work. In particular, Tetsuya Kakihara as Koichi Hayase, Mamiko Noto as Emi Kinosaki, and Jun Fukuyama as Hisataka Kato all express the individuality of each character. The music is also an important element in livening up the atmosphere of the work, and many memorable songs are used, such as the opening theme "Kitei no Ken" and the ending songs "Rain Falls" and "Remedy". The robot action scenes are distinctive in that they are expressed in 3D with a touch of 2D flair, setting them apart from conventional 3D depictions. This allows for realistic battle scenes that reveal the emotions of the creators, satisfying even hardcore robot anime fans. In particular, the designs and battle scenes of the Machina, such as Linebarrels, Verdant, and Hind Kind, are spectacular and provide a visual treat. The storyline focuses on the growth of Hayase Koichi and the changes in the relationships that surround him. When Koichi obtains Linebarrels, the world around him begins to move in a big way, creating tension and excitement for the viewer. Additionally, meeting new friends and having things to protect are important factors that encourage Koichi's growth. Conflicts with organizations such as the Kato Organization and the Judah Corporation also add excitement to the story and draw the viewer in. Overall, "Linebarrels of Steel" is a work that perfectly combines character growth, changes in human relationships, and spectacular robot action. It provides deep emotion and excitement to the viewer, and is enjoyable for people of all genders and ages. I would especially recommend this work to those who like robot anime and coming-of-age stories. ■Recommendation I would especially recommend "Linebarrels of Iron" to the following people: - For fans of robot anime: You can enjoy characters with overwhelming personalities and dynamic robot action.
- For those who like coming-of-age stories: The growth of Koichi Hayase and the changes in the relationships surrounding him are carefully depicted, making for a moving story.
- For those who like beautiful characters: Hirai Hisashi's numerous attractive characters create a "moe & burning" atmosphere.
- For those who want to enjoy the performances of a stellar cast of voice actors: The performances of a stellar cast of voice actors, including Tetsuya Kakihara, Mamiko Noto, and Jun Fukuyama, enhance the appeal of the work.
- For music lovers: Many memorable songs by ALI PROJECT and Maaya Sakamoto are used, and the music really adds to the atmosphere of the work.
"Linebarrels of Steel" is a work that provides deep emotion and excitement to the viewer, and can be enjoyed by people of all genders and ages. I would especially recommend it to those who like robot anime and coming-of-age stories. Please give it a watch. |
