Armored Trooper Votoms: Brilliantly Shining Heresy

What we get out of The Shining Heresy is disappointing compared to the show it branches from, Armored Trooper VOTOMS. Despite being full of missed opportunities to expand on the story of VOTOMS and the previous OVAs based on the series, watching this one still has its own merits. The story is the biggest and probably only major weak point in The Shining Heresy as a whole. Shining Heresy's writers had to fish for a new conflict to make the next entry in VOTOMS ripe for watching and ultimately decided to turn the Space Church into a major factor, something that was pretty much onlymentioned in the original show. After a number of asspulls with Chirico and his immortality it was decided that he was a freak of nature and was deemed untouchable, and a Nextant (which is basically a human AT and the successor to the PS program, I have to admit it's actually a really badass concept) named Teitania is sent to either convert Chirico to their religion or exterminate him. The reason for this despite marking him as untouchable either wasn't there at all or it just slipped past me and I really don't want to go back just to find out. A big part of the original VOTOMS story was Chirico's struggle to be with Fyana, who he fell in love with.. After seeing the two finally get together following being hunted down by entire armies, then subsequently watching The Shining Heresy you'll feel pretty duped because Teitania ends up replacing Fyana as Chirico's love interest only after they try to kill each other a few times or something. I don't mind good endings or sad endings but when one is already established and then soiled by another story it only comes off as frustrating to me. In just 5 episodes there is enough to keep you entertained and maintain a continuous interest in watching however. Seeing the evolution of VOTOMS from the 1980s to the 1990s standard is really fulfilling in its own right and through time it still stays true to what made the original series so good, with its gritty combat and emulation of real war's expendable nature. Along with that it still has its jazzy soundtrack that works so well with the series and a new opening that I must admit I like better than Honoo no Sadame after hearing it so much. If you're a fan and you want something that looks and sounds good, even if it doesn't really FEEL good, The Shining Heresy will satisfy you. If you're not interested after seeing this review take my advice, and let the story end where the show ends.

The worldbuilding in regards to the Church of Martial isn't as bad as some other reviewers here seem to think. Besides how cartoonishly old the space Pope is and how, well, absurd the elders act, the main reason why this expansion of Votoms' in-universe religion comes off as bad is because it doesn't click in with the original series. The Secret Society were a break-off group of this Church? I don't know, it's all very obviously written in after the fact. Not that the writers for Shining Heresy had that much to work with, but it seems like overkill. The mecha scenes are good, but thelast fight between Chirico and Teitana is rather ridiculous in how the protagonist wins. All in all, Votoms is a very hit or miss series - and this OVA sequel is very hit or miss, too. Teitana's infatuation with Chirico makes little sense, as does the Church obsession with him. It would have made more sense if they brought up what Chirico does at the very end of the series. How does Wiseman fit into their Church? Does he at all? Not boring to watch; definitely enjoyable to sit through. But rather disappointing.

This is less of a structured review and more so my thoughts on Brilliantly Shining Heresy as a sequel to Armored Trooper VOTOMS, discussing vaguely the direction and themes of the show without spoilers. Despite how wacky Brilliantly Shining Heresy may seem at first as a sequel to VOTOMS, I do feel like it is a good continuaton of the elements explored in the final arc of the show. Brilliantly Shining Heresy explored more of the religious and secret society beliefs in the setting which was interesting following the end of VOTOMS where Chirico is revelaed as an overman who is now a known entityto both the Gilgamesh and Balarant armies which he is pursued by. Considering this, the story is set within a schism between the religious factions and how to deal with the knowledge and reality of such a person existing. Because of this the plot feels less grounded compared to early VOTOMS. My favourite arcs of VOTOMS were Woodo and Kummen so I do miss the action adventure side of VOTOMS with the merry gang of Gotho, Coconna, Vanilla and even Shako who are sorely missed from Brilliantly Shining Heresy. The story more so follows a new character, Teitania who is an answer to Chirico and in light of Chirico waking up the story explores the mystery of her backstory and destiny. With this being the focus of the story Fyana is sidelined to being more of a princess in a castle. Lastly, the explaination for the ending seemed to me to lack pretext and felt shoehorned. If this was to be the finale to the franchise it is the inverse to the original series but writing this in 2024 i'm looking forward to seeing the other OVAs and sequel to Brilliantly Shining Heresy. The standout aspect of BSH for me was seeing the worldbulding expand with more revealed about the church and the evolution of AT and PS technologies. Especially with the contrasting grungy 90s sci fi and baroque aesthetics.