Dominion Anime Review

Quick Review

• Reviewer: Marc
• Review Date: 2005-02-01 (updated 2013-12-22)
• 4 stars out of 5 (?)

Dominion is an anime classic with a little bit of everything: lovable characters (from the tank-crazed Britain to everyguy Al to innocent-yet-psychotic Leona), fun action in abundance (even a couple Scooby Doo-style musical interludes), silly humor in all the right places, and (true to Shirow form) a really convoluted plot. The philosophy may get a bit heavy in the second of the two story arcs, but even then the unexpected time spent on an outwardly superficial villain is an interesting change of pace. Throw in a creative world, high quality animation that holds up well to the test of time, and a funky soundtrack for good measure (in the sub only--the re-recorded songs and weak acting make the dub a poor choice on this one).

If you're a fan of Shirow's manga, you definitely shouldn't miss Dominion--it's one of the most faithful anime adaptations of his manga work--and anybody who enjoys a light comedy with a bit of a sadistic streak and a dose of convoluted plot and philosophy should give it a look.

Read the full-length review...

Full Review

• Reviewer: Marc
• Review Date: 2005-02-01 (updated 2013-12-22)
• 4 stars out of 5 (?)

Dominion is an anime classic with a little bit of everything: lovable characters, fun action in abundance, silly humor with an ornery edge in all the right places, and (true to Shirow form) a really convoluted plot laced with philosophy.

Of the half-dozen or so animated incarnations of Masamune Shirow's work in existence as of this writing, Dominion is probably the most true to the manga original (one of his earliest). Not to say that Dominion is the best of the lot, but it captures his comedy-sprinkled drama and the feel of the manga version (which it is effectively a prequel to) very well. Most of the other animated adaptations diverge widely, at least in mood, from the manga they're based on, regardless of critical acclaim and huge budgets.

It's also worth noting that Dominion is the most humorous of Shirow's comics, and definitely the funniest of those that have been animated, although the heavy philosophy that marks his other works does creep in.

There are two story arcs in this series, of somewhat differing mood. The first, though it has a few introspective moments, is basically high comedy: There are tank chases, cheerfully sadistic (if a bit unsettling, particularly in light of more recent events) interrogation scenes, and a generally high-spirited mood. The second story arc is no slouch on fun or humor, either, but it delves more deeply than you'd expect into the backstory of a seemingly superficial bad guy. This unexpected philosophical twist will no doubt put off some people who came looking for empty comedy, but it does match Shirow's knack for blending comedy and complex storylines together. About the only thing that bothered me was the very ambiguous ending (heck, the whole story is pretty obtuse), but even that somehow seems to fit, and of course you can read the manga to see what happens next.

As with any good anime tale, the thing that really makes Dominion a keeper is the characters. Although it's a comedy series, the cast has plenty of personality, and in a couple of cases, more depth than you'd think (how many comedies spend a significant portion of their running time looking at the traumatic past of the villain?). That unusual focus on the villains as more than just antagonists--they're more central than any of the secondary Tank Police members--is a distinguishing point carried over from the manga.

Other characters, of course, are just silly caricatures, but you've gotta love them anyway--who can resist the tank-loving Captain Brenten or lovable anime-everyguy Al. Al, in fact, deserves an honorable mention in the "poor guy fighting for the heart of the girl who doesn't seem to notice him" category; this guy isn't up against the girl's dream hunk, her family, or even her job--he's got a miniature patrol tank to compete with. Unsuccessfully at that--the ongoing refusal to let human romance ruin the tank-love is a high point.

The protagonist, Leona, is a scene-stealer--cute and seemingly innocent at the start, yet cheerfully and willingly committed to the Tank Police and its psychotic way of getting things done. She's got enough humanity and personality to keep her above caricature status, which of course makes it all the more fun watching her tank-devotion drive her to out-psycho the rest of the psycho squad.

Artistically, Dominion is an older series, but despite showing some of its age still holds up very well. Its biggest strength is, again, the characters--memorable character designs, expressive faces, some hilarious physical comedy, and all-around good character animation. The only flaw is a few bits of inconsistent character art (almost entirely on the Cat Sisters).

Also noteworthy is the world itself, both for its originality and faithfulness to Shirow's original story. Rather than generic futuristic skyscrapers, Newport City is covered with oddly organic-looking structures, and even the tanks (most are made of bio-plastic) have a rather alien look to them. Despite this, the world still seems like a place where real people live, and the city streets always have an abundance of pedestrian traffic and extraneous action (car accidents, people getting run over by tanks...).

The animation, though shy of perfect and perhaps a bit heavy on slapstick and cartoony flavor, is quite good by any standard, even more so when you consider its age. The fast-paced chase scenes stand out as the best of the action, though several musical interludes catch the eye as well--the funked-up intro animation, a striptease by the cat sisters, and a couple of Scooby Doo-style tank chases set to music.

Speaking of which, the musical score features a funky (and very amusing) mix of light '80s J-rock, playful little interjections, and old-fashioned Japanese themes.

USM's old-school English dub doesn't fare so well; all of the music was re-recorded for the dub (with entirely different tunes), and the quality is noticeably lower--weaker and more repetitive than the original. On the same note, the acting in the dub isn't particularly good, either, although the humor does survive the translation process relatively well.

The Japanese acting, on the other hand, is hilarious--some great offhanded humor, lots of distinctive voices, and a few standout performances. Hiromi Tsuru is perfect as Leona--cute and lively, with just the right amount of psychotic edge. Yuusaku Yara is spot-on as Brenten, as are Michie Tomizawa and Yuko Mita as the cat sisters (points for not using the same voice actress even though they're twins), and many of the minor Tank Police members are almost as much fun. The only weak point is Buaku; while the unmistakable Jouji Yanami gives him a distinctive, gravely voice that fits his look, the comparatively quiet delivery of his lines doesn't really match either the general mood of the series or the apparent amount of screaming being animated--the lack of really over-the-top yelling in particular was disappointing. On the bright side, his acting is fine, some of his more offhanded humor comes across quite well, and his style works better in the quieter moments in the second story arc.

In all, Dominion is well worth your time if you enjoy light, wacky, occasionally sadistic comedy mixed with a stiff dose of convoluted plot and philosophy. The second half of the story is a bit slower and more philosophical than the first, so come prepared, but it's good fun all the way through. If you're a fan of Shirow's manga work, you definitely shouldn't miss Dominion, and it should be worth adding to your collection.

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Related Recommendations

If you enjoyed the manga series, have a look at this, but be warned that the plot is a lot different, as it is effectively a prequel. You might also want to have a look at Shirow's other stories--Appleseed, Black Magic M-66, and Ghost in the Shell--but keep in mind that all of those are more serious, and the anime adaptations are even more serious than the manga originals.