Astro Fighter Sunred

Astro Fighter Sunred / Tentai Senshi Sunred

While I hardly watch anime unless it greatly interests me (the only recent anime I have recently watched besides from Sunred was Linebarrels of Iron, and that was only because it had giant robots), I like this one. A lot. To the point of loving.

There is no real "storyline" in Astro Fighter Sunred, besides from being a "day-to-day" showing of the main characters. If you are expecting a high-paced action series, you might want to watch something else. However if you are into offbeat humor and parody of the Super Sentai (or even superheroes in general) genre, this is for you.

The first episode (along with a few random episodes along the way) makes you think that this is your typical high-speed punch show, however after the opening, it is completely different.

The story revolves around the character Sunred, a lazy prick of a superhero who mooches off of his girlfriend Sayoko for pachinko (a type gambling machine) money, alcohol, cigarettes, and anything else, as well as Vamp and his monsters. Vamp and his monsters are one of the nicest guys in the entire series, which to me was a complete surprise (due to them being villains and all).

Despite Sunred (the so-called hero) being a jerk and Vamp being extremely nice, they still stick to their role of hero and villain respectively. It's weird to explain how this is, but when you watch it, you will understand.

As a (jerk) hero, Sunred must stop and defeat the forces of evil, which includes Vamp and friends (their evil organization is called Florsheim). Most of the time it's a single handed fight where Sunred completely destroys every monster thrown at him with one hand while smoking a cigarette with the other, followed by Sunred ordering Vamp and the gang to sit down and listen to him lecture them. Despite the opening showing Sunred clad in a battle outfit, he is never seen in it during the actual series (only in dreams). In one episode Vamp asks where the "Sun Shoot" (basically a raygun used by Sunred) is, and Sunred replies with it being lost, as he either put it in the toolbox or misplaced it (the Sun Shoot is seen in the opening of the second season).

Even more, the story is set in an actual city in Japan, and it has been noted that a lot of the places in the show are actual places (such as shops, streets, alleys, construction areas) in that city.

I won't spoil the show any further, but I find it very amusing on how it pokes fun at the typical Sentai and hero/villain stereotypes by mixing it up a bit. It has offbeat humor, and despite Sunred being a mooching jerk, there are actually a few cute romantic moments with his girlfriend (nothing too mature though). :')

I have watched the ANBU/Over-Time subbed versions (Over-Time took over the last few episodes as ANBU's staff left the Sunred team I believe).
Just Youtubed the first episode; this looks hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Wx1O3fH...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-DurXxTf...re=related

Even though one of the video's subtitles is not in English, it is still a good video. A very small part of me wants the series to be like that, but the series wouldn't be the same that way.