Galaxy Angel Z

Publisher
Bandai
Director
Morio AsakaMorio Asaka, Yoshimitsu Ohashi
Production
Bandai, Broccoli
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
19 episodes, 15 minutes per episode
Year
2002

Galaxy Angel Z V. 2 to 3

By David Rasmussen
22nd May 05

It has been awhile, now hasn’t it!
But at long last we’re reviewing Galaxy Angel Z, aka Galaxy Angel Season 2!
No need to recap what came before since it’s all episodic here, so you can just jump in and enjoy!
EXCEPT there is the new format to speak of. Yes, the new format. Episodes are now bunched in two packs, in other words each “episode” is now two episodes long, as opposed to Season 1 which had single episodes of about 15 minutes or so each. Also there’s a brand new opening/closing song which will make you want to rush out and get the Galaxy Angel BGM Soundtrack… and if one does not exist you’ll want to demand one.
Okay. Nuff said, time to jump in and enjoy the brand “new” season of Galaxy Angel (Z).

Volume 2 - Galaxy Size Combo
Episode 7 - Deep Fried Egg Rolls of Love
Reunions suck, no question about it. It’s worse when the so-called “reunion” seems to be with strange old clones of the people you happen to be working with at this very moment! That is the strange situation Volcott finds himself in today. Once upon a time Huey Volcott (the Colonel of the Angel Brigade) used to be part of a group known as the Fairy Brigade, who… oddly enough… are just carbon copy clones of the present Angel Brigade… but older, much much older… scary older.
While at this reunion he meets Sylfie who, I guess, is supposed to be another version of Milfeulle… yeah, I don’t get it either. It’s just an excuse for a reunion episode, but I guess it’s a good excuse so I can forgive it since it’s not a bad reunion… it’s scary but it’s not bad… except whenever did Volcott look like the young guy in this episode? I don’t know, I just don’t know.

Episode 8 - Wedding Cake Combiner Special
What happens when people start hiring old technical crews from other series? Series where mechas and giant combining robots are the norm? Series like Mobile Suit Gundam, Macross slash Southern Cross slash Mospeda (the triad of Japanese series which became Robotech in the USA) and Voltron.
I‘m going to focus on Voltron since, well, I watched it in my youth so I know of Voltron.
Now, for argument’s sake, say the old technicians who used to maintain one or two of the three Voltrons were given work with the same military that employs the Angel Brigade? And they were commissioned to build a giant robot to fight the “phantom menace” of the so called Galactic Beasts… what would they build?
Why, you get the plot of this episode of course (complete with the combining robot they built).

Uh? Yeah. Three Voltrons. Inner/Middle(center)/Outer Planets if I remember right (though I could be wrong). One was the lions, one was the 20 or so combining ships, and the last is the never seen in America Middle Planets Voltron that… well… I don’t know anything about. Like I said, it was NEVER SHOWN IN AMERICA so how would I know what it was about. Guess if there are any die hard Voltron fans out there they’d know the answer, it’s just not me.
Yeah, I know, Voltron is not the only combining robot out there… except it’s the only one I watched in my youth so that’s all I know of. Voltron Voltron and Voltron… except I never saw the third Voltron so it’s actually Voltron & Voltron sans one Voltron.

Anyway to make a long rant short (I know, too late) it must be a Lion Voltron parody since it’s five vessels and five girls… five… one, two, three four… waitaminute, something’s missing… oh, right! Ranpha up and quit in a rather strange flashback scene in front of an old train so she could run off and marry this guy she won in a lottery. Apparently he was really hard up for something and marriage was a viable option.
So with one pilot short it looks like nothing but trouble will come, especially since their so-called nemesis the Galactic Beasts are on their way. And the Beasts even come complete with a MechaGodzilla monster thing in their ranks, go figure.

So if Ranpha doesn’t come back however will they manage to merge their five vessels to form that champion of robotic justice… uh… uh… hey look I just picked up Grand Theft Auto : Vice City for $20 and I’m going to review it in a few weeks! How cool is that, eh? And I‘m biting the smack laced bullet and weighting in on this whole NARC controversy with a review… huh? What’s the robot’s name?
What! You think I’m dodging the topic because I don’t know the robot’s name? Do you?
Look, a puppy!! Puppies are cute and… go on, look… Uh… alright, I don’t know. Moving on now!

Episode 9 - GA Analytic Tea-Ceremony
So, just what deep dark secret is Colonel Volcott hiding? How does he keep his team together when it looks like they should be tearing themselves apart? Someone from the military happens to be there to find out, only to find himself experiencing abit of “The Usual Suspect” as they happen to be there at the right time as someone is ripping off the evil corporation known as The Dream Foundation who seems to have a love for skull logos, outrageous flying fortress vessel “money vaults” and ripping people off. Could the Angels be behind it? What’s with the strange retro animation style in some parts of the episode? What’s with thinking Volcott’s some mastermind? Is he a mastermind? I don’t know, but it’s a good episode.

Episode 10 - Served to Taste Revenge Lunch
“Tell me, my old friend, have you heard the Klingon proverb that revenge is a dish best served cold --
It is very cold… in space.”
Ricardo Montalban (Khan Noonian Singh) (Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan)

In a strangely titled episode that probably should have been entitled Revenge Lunch Served Cold (since the reference is probably a Star Trek II revenge reference) this is about how Normad goes Khan on everyone and seeks vengeance when Vanilla is apparently killed while fiddling with the station’s TV antenna while they’re watching soap operas. A soap opera about the love between a half human female/half elephant and a half human male/half giraffe who both work for the airlines… I think. Ugh. Not something worth dying for.

Yes, it does seem that vengeance shall be a dish best served cold… or wet… or Monty Python style… or something like that. Vengeance, served cold, by Normad who suddenly resembles that one eyed weird tyrant bot thing that was the enemy in DC’s One Million crossover event. And yes, of course since this isn’t the end of the season, and nobody said they’ll be replacing Vanilla in Season 2, I’m guessing she’ll be OK… or this is a strange alternate episode and everyone dies.
One or the other, but you’ll have to watch to find out.

Episode 11 - Revolving Sushi to the Hereafter
How odd! Usually I would think that if you were looking at so-called “Lost Technology” in the shape of a tombstone, then you should be checking for the Umbrella Seal of Approval meaning it’s 100% undead generating fun to be had by a whole planet ready to become the next Raccoon City.
But no! It only does a weird body swapping thing and everyone ends up in everyone else’s bodies. Yeah, that’s odd. But it’s also something touched on in a few parody sketch panels in the back of Galaxy Angel GN 5 (Broccoli Books) (only with the cast of the manga swapping bodies).
This won’t last long so enjoy it while it lasts.

Episode 12 - Steel Jambalaya
Sorry, no fun here. It’s a big serious story about Forte’s past, her connection to Volcott, and how they once hunted out of control combat droids codenamed “Silent Soldier”.
Technology runs amok here, lots of drama (no laughs) yet it’s also a nice solid episode (as they all are).
And for a nice bonus you’ll find out a lot about Forte in this episode, so it’s a great way to wrap Vol. 2.

Volume 3 - Stranded Without Dessert
NOTE - No, that’s not a typo. It’s the exact name subtitle used for, yes, Galaxy Angel (Season 1) DVD Vol. 3. Why the same subheading was used for Galaxy Angel Z (Season 2) DVD Vol. 3 is not entirely known. Oh, well. Let’s move on.

Episode 13 - In-Flight Meal (Excuses Curry Loaded with Ingredients)
Question - What do you get when you combine a strange Doomsday Machine type bio monster thing that swallows whole planets and suns… you know, like that Star Trek episode with the Doomsday Machine… and you have five Angels set out to destroy the monster? Lots and lots of excuses as somebody tries to figure out who destroyed it, then whose to blame for it‘s initial awakening.
If you live in certain parts of the galaxy you should consider relocating ASAP, things won’t go well here.

Episode 14 - Love and Doubt Fried Cabbage Cake
Somehow Normad is abducted by a strange guy and he ends up taking a trip. The rest you’ll see when you watch the episode.

Episode 15 - Fresh Catch; Miraculous Boat-Wrap Sushi
The girls take some time off for a vacation on this planet, and it seems they’re on a cruise… as it would have been if the Captain of that boat from Jaws was running the cruise.
Yeah, it looks like Forte has fell off the deep end of reasoning and, dawning the gear of certain Captain from the movie Jaws, is out to hook the great “Phantom Fish”! No, not to save a hapless seaside village and it’s inhabitants, but for the money (a million GC to be precise)! So Forte has become the ultimate killjoy by putting money before vacation. And as for the fish? Does it exist? Of course it does! In fact it’s quite familiar, that big fish! I’ve seen it before… Jaws… Deep Blue Sea… Abyss… Orca… OH! I remember now! Resident Evil 4, only bigger!! Yeah… they should have stuck to Plan B and stood on dry land, at least they shouldn’t have gone vacationing on a planet whose tourism board is funded by Umbrella Corp.

Episode 16 - Forbidden Meuniere; Alluring Grated Yam Topping
If you are a stickler for genetic mutations you’re going to love this, if you are a fan of the ethical treatment of animals then you might be a little put out by this… skip ahead and watch the galaxy hold it’s breath over the emotional stability of Milfeulle.

As for this episode? Looks like a strange human/fish hybrid called the Mock Sunfish is on the verge of extinction! So why are these strange things (looking like a human in a stupid fish costume with their arms/legs sticking out) going extinct? Is it because they taste good with tartar sauce? Is it because people keep trying to “Free” them into the ocean, like Free Willy, only to watch them drown since they’re not very good in water? Or is it because they’re the secret ingredient in something called “Baby Baby Face”, a “magical” liquid that makes skin youthful… it’s the last one, believe it or not.

The girls are thus sent to make sure the fish does not go into extinction. Yeah, right.
Much like holding this year’s Boy Scout Jamboree over in North Korea (or a certain someone’s Ranch) is not a good idea, so too is the idea of putting these girls in charge of this endangered species. Why? After finding out said Mock Sunfish is the vital ingredient of “Baby Baby Face” it seems that Forte, Ranpha and sweet cosplaying addicted Mint has become obsessed with the fish. They want to get close to it, look at it, behold it, then go Anthony Hopkins on it’s sweet self and cannibalize it for it’s meat.
Apparently Soylent Green tastes like human/fish this week, and it cooks well in a nabe (hot pot) too!
Now the only question is WHY are they so obsessed! Considering they’re only in their teens to early twenties you shouldn’t be seeing these girls be so damn obsessed with their looks, yet they are for some reason… so be afraid gentle readers, be very afraid.

Episode 17 - Moon-View Soba sans Moon
Looks like Milfeulle is going to be taking the day off, and she’s going to go hiking down on Traansval (the planet Galaxy Angel HQ orbits over) to see this meadow of flowers she visited last year.
But unknown to her there’s a darkness coming, for today (from their “command center” in this huge borrowed room that looks oddly enough like the bridge of the Yamato (if I remember said bridge right)) it looks like the Angel Brigade, and the galaxy, is about to experience the “Great Inauspicious Day” in the life of Milfeulle as the situation known best in the manga comes at last to the anime!

In the manga Milfeulle experiences a strange balance and counter balance of good to bad luck, but she mostly has good luck in the anime… until now. Now it looks like Milfeulle’s good luck is draining away to be replaced by the most bad luck, but this is even stronger when she’s stressed out. So, like the Hulk, you don’t want to make Milfeulle cry… lest you have a death wish.

Of course it’s easier said than done since they’re not even 30 minutes into the day when the first incident happens, leaving a whole day yet to forge through. Of course it’s only a trip to a meadow of flowers, right? What else could possibly go wrong… other than everything… time once again to “get on da’ bus” and take a ride that may end in tragedy if Milfeulle gets too stressed out.
Everybody hold up a puppy to the screen for Milfeulle to see! If it worked on that one episode of X-Play it might work now!

Episode 18 - A Never Before Seen Mystery Carpaccio
Ah, what is the mystery? The mystery is how the heck did this become a super powers parody.
That and how the heck did Season 2 end so fast! Is this really it? Only 19 episodes?!?
Anyway since we’re just about done you can find out the events of this episode for yourself…

Episode 19 (in the extras section) - Gunsmoke Tobacco smoke Cassoulet
Sorry, you can watch this one on your own to find out what it’s about!

Galaxy Angel Z Breakdown the 2nd and 3rd
What’s Hot?
What isn’t hot? This series is just plain good. It’s funny, got great writing and damn good production value (from the animation and Japanese voice acting to the soundtrack) so what is NOT good about Galaxy Angel Z! One of my favorite series of 2005 I’m sure it’ll find that special place in your heart and become your favorite series as well.
And, for the record, it was darn near close to winning last year’s Best of 2004 Awards for best Series but was only narrowly edged out by Ghost in the Shell : Stand Alone Complex and Azumanga Daioh!

What’s Not?
I now have less to complain about, especially when it comes to the Now I Get It! Lectures!
In fact, in the past, my only real complaint was the whole Now I Get It! Lectures, but I digress since this is a new season and a new batch of lectures, and what a difference a year makes! Now diverting from the previous lectures to Q&A sessions, it looks like our charming “host”, the Japanese voice actress for Milfeulle, is improving on her delivery of these segments.
She now holds onto eye contact longer than before (when she always had her head down looking at her notes), and she is trying to become less stiff and more energized (but it could use abit more work). Also she is doing better than she did in Season 1’s “Now I Get It!” sections.
Of course a little more work is needed. Abit more energy, more focus, and a little more spit and polish to give it the feel that she’s talking to you, and only you, then we have ourselves a winner. I’m looking forward to seeing how much more she improved when they roll out Galaxy Angel Season 3 sooner or later.

Moments to Remember?
I can’t really narrow this down, but I guess if I were to say I’d say my favorite episodes are the most memorable about these DVDs… eh… not telling though what my favorites were because, well, they’re MY favorites! When you watch these (and you will) you’ll find your own favorites and they’ll be your best memories of these DVDs. Basically it’s all good, and quite memorable to boot, and that’s a good thing in my book if I do say so myself!

What to Ignore?
You mean other than how this season was abit short? Hmm… can’t think of anything…. Oh, wait! I thought of something! Mint! Now despite the fact that you see Mint displaying her cosplaying addiction in the opening credits you don’t really see her do her thing in these DVDs! No episode like Season 1’s amusement park mission which saw Mint succumb to the Fowl Side of the Force by donning the chicken outfit!
Maybe there’s an episode like that on DVD Vol. 1, but I guess only reviewing that will answer that question or not, eh? Gotta look into that. Otherwise nothing much to ignore here. No sir, nothing much!

Overall?
It’s good. It’s lasted four seasons, hopefully moving onto Season 5 this year, so you can see how hot it is.
Right now we’re on Season 2, hopefully meaning we’ll be graced with Season 3 shortly.
Until then you’ll have this and the upcoming Galaxy Angel A from Broccoli Books to tide you over, not to mention the upcoming Galaxy Angel Party books from Broccoli Books… if they ever get around to releasing it that is. So hold on, it won’t be long before the next Galaxy Angel fix comes along! Promise!

-- David Rasmussen 22nd May 05