Rideback - Episode 1: "The Crimson Iron Horse"

Time for Round 3. I’ve made a couple of decisions in choosing this time around. First off, no more ecchi bullshit. I need a break, and there’s only so many ways I can say, “This drawing of boobs was shocking to see.” Something with adventure or drama or something besides boobs. I also didn’t want to get locked in for half a year, keeping it as short as the others I‘ve done. After weighing my options, looking around, I figured a female protagonist is probably safe, and when it came down to it, that motorbike has arms. That’s a huge plus. So, Rideback.

NetFlix Synopsis: Based on a Japanese manga, this anime follows the adventures of a ballet dancer named Rin who gets injured but finds a new passion: racing motorbikes with the university's competitive Rideback club.

What else would it be based on?!

0:13 Ballet! Japan kinda gets it!

0:51 Holy crap a girl! I hear that she might be good or something? I’ll just overreact I guess!

1:34 The hell?! It is the shitty totalitarian future? Oh dear.

3:01 This lady does not even know she exists unless she is doing ballet! She is that intense about it! Sure hope nothing bad happens to her!

3:31 Oh no something bad happened to her!

4:20 You guys haven’t seen Ghost in the Shell, right? Oh man, I hope you guys haven’t seen Ghost in the Shell.

5:30 Why did they do a coordinated jump? The hell for?

6:34 DRAMATIC CHERRY BLOSSOM!

7:20 This just in: It is not cool to hang out with an old lady and her dog.

8:46 What’s wrong with her tooth?

9:22 I hope this person passes out soon.

10:10 “You want lunch? How are things?” I have lunch, and things are fine, and what a weird question.

10:56 So, like, a dozen people go to this school? Where is everyone?

11:23 Wait, this lady quit ballet and her biggest fan in the world hasn’t heard about it?

12:12 Oh you know! Just hanging out near the airplane hangar in the rain, like all college students do!

13:20 It’s weird seeing the role as the sexy bad boy being played by an inanimate motorbike with arms.

14:05 It was only a matter of time before an attractive lady showed up and joined my nerdy club! That happens all the time in anime!

15:01 How? How does this bike move in all three directions? What does that mean?

15:47 SHE MOUNTED THE CRAP OUT OF THAT!

16:33 So….the bike moves on its own? Then what the hell is the point?

18:13 The bike is a lady. Ladybike.

18:34 That is crazy! A motorcycle responding to your weight being shifted around. Nonsense!

19:45 Hang on, emergency, I can explain my crazy sweater later.

20:35 Oh no not the tennis poster! Oh it’s okay.

21:08 Oh god the guy with no pupils almost died!

22:31 Ah man don’t do that! Your watch will get all wet.

23:42 Come out back, I’ll beat you to death with a spanner.

Verdict: Not bad. Reasonable set-up. Fairly melodramatic, but hey, the characterizations are pretty believable, except maybe the ballet fan. I really don’t get the future totalitarian government thing, I mean, what’s the point of that. Hope it actually means something.