IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix

IGPX Story ~ IGPX has one of the best story line I have seen, to be topped only by Kanon and MAYBE FaTe Stay Night. The story is interesting and it is really addicting once you started to watch it. I seen the whole thing like five times... all 26 episod. Art ~ The art isn't too bad for the time it was aired, of course most anime aired in 2007 and Q1 Q2 of 2008 are far better like Clannad, Shippuuden, and One Piece HD. But it is definitely at the top at its time. Sound ~ I personally really like the OT's guitar solo at the beginning, the closingisn't as good. And most OST in the serie are among the best I have heard. Character ~ Takeshi is among the best protagonist design in the history of anime. Topped maybe by Nayuki from Kanon. Amy Stapleton is by far the kawaiiest of all female character design. Enjoyment ~ The story is over all very enjoyable.... *TRYING to sound professional here* Overall ~ Among my favorite anime I have seen so far, the only one that MIGHT be better than it is Kanon 2006.

I'm writing this because the other reviews have rated IGPX is less than ten and the anime only averages a seven. I find this deeply wrong. Never before has an anime impressed me as much as IGPX. This is a passionate plea for anyone looking at the page to go watch it. IGPX is animated by Production I.G., so high quality is to be expected. While the characters and scenery are all beautifully animated, the mecha/race sequences are entirely CGI. Thankfully, the CGI is more than enough to look good on the track, yet is kept seperate from the non-race scenes as to not be jarring.A professional voice cast consisting of Haley Joel Osment, Michelle Rodriguez, and even Mark Hamill is used to great effect. This is one of the few series I prefer to watch dubbed. A brilliantly liscensed electronic soundtrack sets the mood perfectly for the series and is never distracting. Where IGPX really shines, however, is the story. IGPX is a mecha anime, but a greatly appreciated original take on the genre. There's no intense war going on to complicate the plot. Each season is a tournament arc in the best way possible. The races are pure adrenaline and varied enough that they never lose excitement. Although the characters are never in any mortal danger, at times youcan actually feel like you're in the mecha, flying across the track at 400+ mph. Off the track the series is almost slice-of-life in plot and pacing, as it focuses on Team Satomi preparing for matches. This side of the story is enough to carry whole episodes; one of the best episodes, "Holiday," features no racing at all. Each member of Team Satomi is fleshed out just enough to keep with the gentle pacing and to make the audience really connect with each character. There is romance in the series and it is handled realistically and maturely, something uncommon in many anime. So if all this is true, why was IGPX a commercial failure? Simply put, it was never properly suited for Cartoon Network. It was too mature for Toonami and not flashy enough for Adult Swim. If it had been more successful, more seasons were possible, but IGPX ends perfectly. Every plot thread is resolved as it should be, so you won't leave the series unsatisfied. If you like realistic characterization, a great soundtrack, star vocal talent, and a nice balance of slice-of-life and action, IGPX is a must-watch. I urge you to take the chance.

IGPX is a criminally underrated gem. It's riveting the entire time. It paints a brilliant picture of the world surrounding the sport they play, and makes you feel like you're there with them, involved in the process/stressors that they're going through during the season. It's hard to talk about this without giving anything away, but if you're thinking about watching this show, just do it. Do yourself a favor. Going in blind is completely fine, you'll get sucked in pretty quick. It's 2 seasons, which i think is perfect. It doesn't overstay its welcome but it also fully fleshes out the story.

Review for IGPX : Immortal Grand Prix (2005) ========================================== Writing a Review for a 10 year old anime, Reason being : Only found out that IGPX had an anime, My watch list has been so crowded I spotted this on the front page of Kissanime as a random anime. ========================================== Summary Review of the Full review down below Story : In my opinion, the story has a lot of really dumb and strange problems, Art : The art style is fine maybe even great during it's time, No complains,Sound : The sounds are done well, No problems with the voices or effects. Character : Some minor problems with the personalities of the characters in my opinion, Some felt rather undeveloped. Enjoyment : I was sort of disappointed with it, I personally expected a little more action Overall : I am a fan of IGPX:Immortal Grand Prix's game on the PS2 and played it a lot, Personally watching this isn't that great. ========================================== Full Review Story : Can't really write much about why the story is so full of meaningless problems since that would be spoilers, Personally what I disliked about the story was more of the world the story exists in, If that makes sense. The lack of actual action on the track (racing & fighting) is disappointing, Playing the game first probably made me expect some cool tactics and strategies played out by the teams. Art : The art is fine, It was probably great back in 2005 and can still be good today, No complains here, It will not hinder your enjoyment of the anime, 8/10 is what I rate good art animes, 10/10 for animes with unique art styles that work. Characters : The characters feel very hollow and under-developed at least that's how it feels to me, Probably because their traits are very standard and don't really make them memorable in anyway. In my personal opinion. Enjoyment : I wish I could have enjoyed it more, Still an anime to watch when you have "extra" free time,