Oh Ryo Ryo dance across the Rio Grande
I’d like to talk to you about an old favorite of mine. It’s a great anime that seems to be overlooked quite often, at least in America. It’s full of action, comedy, romance and even the occasional fan service.
City Hunter.
It’s been around for a while. Jackie Chan even played the role of City Hunter in a movie. That was pretty surprising to me, it didn’t seem like his kind of role. Sure, he’s known for action comedy, but more of the action slapstick variety. The humor in City Hunter is a bit more lecherous. Ryo Saeba, City Hunter himself, is just a tad ecchi. Flirting with any woman he meets and trying to get a peek at their panties. When he gets out of hand his partner Kaori usually hits him with something very large and very heavy.
Ryo isn’t your average pervert though. He’s also a very skilled detective/bodyguard/assassin. He’s very highly trained in the use of any weapon imaginable. Where he got that training is kind of a mystery, as is most of his past.
He’s not alone in his adventures. He has friends, and backup when he needs it. One is an old friend who runs a coffee shop where Ryo hangs out. They must have met in the service because he is almost as dangerous as the City Hunter himself. His partner Kaori is the younger sister of his (dead) partner. He looks after her, and she tags along when he has a job. This is where the romance comes in. He feels responsible for her, and for a while tries to keep her away from his work. He just can’t do it. Being the good sidekick she ignores him when he tells her not to come with him. He soon comes to understand she’s not a little girl anymore, and begins to see her differently. When he realizes this he does what he always does, flirts and tries to get a peek at her panties. Kaori reacts like any girl would, she produces a 7 foot 100 ton hammer and clobbers him.
In America a lot of people seem to be passing it over. That’s a shame.
If you haven’t seen City Hunter before, give it a shot. If you have, revisit it, it’s still a great show.
Now would be a good time because there’s another City Hunter, Angel Heart. I’ll review Angel Heart a bit later when I’ve seen a few more episodes.
Have you seen City Hunter? What did you think of it? Leave a comment and share your opinion with us.
anime, action, comedy, City Hunter, Ryo Saeba, Angel Heart
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