So, what is this show about? It's about giant robots... but it's not your typical giant robot anime. It's about people who use giant robots... TO PLAY BASKETBALL, HOLY CRAP!!


(Dan, the protagonist. He's like a three-way fusion of Kamina from TTGL with Soul and Black Star from Soul Eater.)

The animation is the best I've ever seen in an anime, in my opinion, surpassing what we've seen in "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann" and "Soul Eater"... though something about the art style reminds me a LOT of the former. Actually, those of you that didn't like the fanservice in TTGL might not care for the fact that the fanservice in this anime is a little more gratuitous, but other than that, I think this show is so far a pretty awesome one!


(Miyuki, the love interest. She provides the fanservice, much like Yoko from TTGL.)

Anywho, this show is still brand-spanking new (it came out two weeks ago and so far only two episodes have aired in Japan), but I'll try to get this series up in the ATZ as soon as possible! Seriously, guys, you gotta give this anime a chance! I think it's pretty awesome, so far! Like a fusion of Gurren Lagann, Zoids, and uh... Slam Dunk! Okay, I've actually never seen Slam Dunk, but I couldn't think of any other anime that involves basketball. XD

Giant robots that play basketball?

... I don't know why, but that's awesome. XD

...The first thing that pops up when I think of giant robots is Transformers...this is just...wow. Relatively unexpected...but ya gotta start from somewhere, and there are endless possiblities after that, I suppose.

"Somewhere in space...

there exists a galaxy,

in which there is a planet known as Earth Dash.

If you look up to the sky there, you can see a lunar city called Lumes.

During the day, it's brighter than the sun.

During the night, it shines prettier than the stars.

It is the symbol of dreams and hopes to people.

Everyone aims to live on the moon someday..."



Ladies and gentlemen, Basquash has arrived to the Anime Theater Zone.

I encourage everyone to watch the first episode and tell me your thoughts on it. And just to see if I can entice CR, I'd like to also state one of the co-creators of the series is Thomas Romain (yes, as in the co-creator of Code Lyoko and director and character designer of Oban Star Racers), the other co-creator being Shoji Kawamori.

So, with that being said... everyone watch the first episode and then come back here and share your thoughts. It's okay if you don't like it, I just want everyone to give it a try first. :)

hahaha why haven't I actually replied to this?! I watched the first episode the minute you sent me the pm Spoony XD

All you had to tell me is that Thomas Romain played a part in creating this :D

And it's funny because I can see simularities between Basquash and Code Lyoko and Oban Star Racers (but that's probably because i'm a freak who spends too much time rewatching Code Lyoko and Oban ). The character designs have this strange simularity, sort of like qualities French animators like to add (3D animation for example). The look of the show isn't quite completely Japanese which makes me adore it.

Plus the animation is freaking gorgeous.

Oh and did I mention I LOVE the ED for Basquash? Well I do!

I'm still not sure the whole robot basketball thing is my cup of tea but I said the same thing about kids traveling into a computer to fight an evil digital dictator and Star Races XD

But of course I give ANYTHING Thomas Romain does it's fair chance :)

So yup! Thumbs up for me!

I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. I'll be sure to try and update the ATZ with new episodes as they come out, since I've totally fallen in love with this show. :D

And yes, the ED is incredibly catchy. The animation really fits the beat, too.

And this show is pretty unique in that it's half-French, half-Japanese. It makes for quite an interesting combination! And I do see a lot of similarities to Code Lyoko, but even MORE similarities to Oban Star Racers! Both in character designs and the setting.

EDIT: Heh... TV Tropes' "in a nutshell" description of Basquash! is rather amusing. "Megas XLR meets Space Jam". :p

I'll definitely say I see the Gurren Lagann in this series, from the first episode; don't know about Megas XLR or really any of the other stuff compared to it, though (but I've only watched one episode, and need to catch at least one or two more before making more-definitive opinions beyond the TTGL comparison).

Well, to be honest, I think they only compared it to Megas XLR due to the fact that the mechas have cars for cockpits. XD

But, ya, I think it has more Gurren Lagann in it than anything else, followed closely by Oban Star Racers. I compared this show to a lot of things, myself, but I think those two are pretty definitive of what this series is like.

If I really wanted to make a stretch, though, I could have even compared it to Code Geass due to product placement (only this time it's Nike rather than Pizza Hut).

But, no, really, this show is just TTGL meets OSR. Everything else I compared it to was just my initial excitement getting me to grasp at straws. XD

So far, I do like the show, though. I think I'd like it more if they cut back on all the fanservice, though. In that department, I think it may even trump our beloved TTGL, which gets distracting sometimes. But outside of that, I don't have many complaints. Well... maybe it's a little too fast paced sometimes, too, so I have to rewind to figure out what the hell just happened, but... ya, I think that's about all the complaints I have so far. XD

EDIT: Heh, since Megas XLR was brought up, I'd like to share something that I found rather amusing...

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HOLY CRAP, episode 6 was awesome! Seriously, if real basketball were as amazing as it was in that episode, I'd take back everything I ever said about sports being boring.