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by Bamboo Dong,⏎Guilty Crown ⏎ Rating: 3.5 (out of 5) ⏎ As an action series, Guilty Crown hits all the right spots. It's fast-paced, it's exciting, it fires up the imagination, and there's just enough mystery to keep viewers on the hook for the second episode. Production IG's latest offering, it's also an absolute blast to stare at, packing great animation and innovative mech designs. Every scene brings scores of sweet new robots to gawk at, and it's no wonder—serving as the mechanical designer is veteran Takeuchi Atsushi, whose resume includes renowned sci-fi properties like Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, and Halo Legends. It's the kind of show that's easy to get lost in and totally geek out over. ⏎ In the future, Japan is hit by a massive virus outbreak that cripples the nation. Capitalizing on the country's weakened state, an multi-national organization known as GHQ takes control of Japan, overseeing everything from its military to its postwar restoration efforts. It doesn't take a wide stretch of the imagination to see how the writers might have drawn inspiration from Japan's history. To counter GHQ, there is a growing grassroots resistance movement. We're introduced to it via a hapless high schooler named Shu Ouma, who stumbles upon an injured woman named Inori, a famous singer who's also a member of the resistance group, Undertaker. In trying to help her, Shu unlocks a power in which he can literally pull weapons out of people's bodies. Imagine pulling a gnarled three foot sword from inside of someone. That's the kind of nerdy imagery that permeates Guilty Crown. ⏎ What makes the series so fun to watch is its relentlessly fast pace. Everyone is always on the go, and something is always happening. Fortunately, the show still finds time to fill in the proper backstory and introduce viewers to characters. Japan's sordid history with the virus and the subsequent GHQ takeover is explained without turning into dry exposition. The only complaint is the overused cliche of Shu as the zero-to-hero high school coward, who suddenly gains a new power. Then again, that is the foundation of escapist anime fantasy so it's understandable, if not fully forgiven. As escapist pop entertainment goes, Guilty Crown is a solid offering. The first episode was dedicated mostly to action, but as the series progresses and develops more meat on its bones, it may end up being one of the more fulfilling blockbusters this season. ⏎ Guilty Crown is available streaming at Funimation. ⏎ Un-Go ⏎ Rating: 3 (out of...