Review done by TheChoujinVirus
Note: this review may have spoilers to the franchise, so if this is your first time with this, I’d advise you to watch before reading this
With the talks of a new game on Steam called TemTem, it got me thinking and remembering the various monster collecting genres that existed. We all know of Pokemon, the franchise that more or less is king in the genre, and we are all familiar with those digital monsters we call Digimon and the oddly gimmicky Yo-kai Watch series. Some might not have forgotten about an odd series that was introduced by Tecmo and introduced on the Playstation in 1997. This franchise is known as Monster Rancher (or Monster Farm in Japan). However, we won’t be talking about the games (that’ll be for another time), but we’ll be discussing the 1999 anime that was released. For this, we’ll start out with our review of the first fifteen episodes and explain the events that transpire but don’t worry. I’ll be doing reviews of the rest of them soon enough. Another note is that I might make a comparison between the US version and the Japanese versions at the end (or added in an explanation with parenthesis). Without further or due, let us get started with our review of the Monster Rancher anime.
Our story begins with an introduction to our protagonist Genki, a child who is obsessed with Monster Rancher and champion at a major Monster Rancher tournament. One day, as part of his prize, he receives a copy of a new Monster Rancher game and heads home to play it. Little does Genki know is that the game he’s playing is tied to the Monster Rancher world and is pulled into it after witnessing two beings being chased by Black Dinos: Holly and her friend Suezo. After being pulled into the area, Genki learns from Holly that she and Suezo are on a quest to find the mythical Phoenix. They need this monster because of another evil being called Moo, who has the power of turning good monsters evil and that the Phoenix can not only stop Moo but make evil monsters good again. Genki thinks the game disc that brought him here may contain the Phoenix, but when they awaken it, it turns out it’s not. It’s revealed that the monster is a pink, squishy armadillo creature called Mochii. Though it’s not the fabled creature, the group continues on their journey as they’re guided by Holly’s magical pendant on a quest that points her to the Phoenix. Along the way, they gain allies for their adventures, such as Golem, a giant and friendly rock monster who was guarding a graveyard of dead monsters. Then they’re followed by Tiger of the Wind, a horned blue wolf monster who wants revenge on Moo for kidnapping his brother Grey Wolf and Hare the trickster who starts out joining under not so noble intentions and interested in money.
Throughout their quest, they also meet some strange allies and enemies along the path. Some who are redeemed like Allan and his Worm and others lend aid like Ed, a prisoner who helps the travelers across a canyon. The crew also has to deal with Moo’s forces known as the Baddies, and having to deal with his most dangerous generals known as the Big Bad Four. Composed of four monsters: Gali, Naga, Pixie, and Tiger’s brother Silverfang. Each of them is loyal to Moo and aid in enslaving both monsters and humans. Genki and company are successful in defeating the first of the Big Bad Four, Pixie, and thus were able to deliver a blow against Moo. It an episode prior to this, Holly remembers events of her village as she remembered her father being banished and a few years later, invaded by Moo’s forces as she escaped with Suezo, thus starting their journey. The group also later awakens a monster named Monol and learn about the ancient race that created the monsters and how rampant war gave birth to Moo and his nemesis, The Phoenix.
Eventually, the group finds themselves face to face with Moo himself and kidnaps Holly as he needs her pendant. He reveals that though he is Moo, he’s only a spirit possessing a vessel until he can find his true body: the dragon body that he lost in the great war. Moo reveals (akin to a Star Wars twist) that he’s Holly’s father. When Holly’s father was banished from the town due to a failed election, he stumbled upon the mystery disc containing Moo’s soul, and as a result, he has become Moo himself. Holly’s pendant is used by the villainous Moo, and he’s able to find the location of his body. The gang staged a rescue and managed to help Holly escape from Moo’s palace with the help of a group of monsters called Pirate Dragons. They also gain the aid of Pixie, who now has switched sides against Moo. Once Holly is rescued, the group managed to make their escape and thanked the Dragons for saving Holly, the group began to ponder that if Moo could use the magic pendant to find his body, perhaps they can do the same to find the Phoenix. Holly then uses the magic stone, and it guides them toward a direction across the ocean. Everyone is excited, save for Golem, who is revealed to have aquaphobia due to being a rock monster.
Though as the group is admiring the sea, Gali of one of Moo’s Big Bad Four has dispatched his troop of raptor-like Zuums to attack the group when they arrive at a nearby port town. However, they’re rescued by a blue Suezo with a horn named Captain Horn and his white Suezo Rockies. The group then explains to Horn that they need to cross the ocean to find the Phoenix. Horn agrees to this deal but wants to put a wager through a game of Old Maid. Should the group win, he’ll sail them across the sea, but should he win, he’ll sail off with Holly instead. Suezo and Horn are mono y mono in their game of old maid to the point that both resort to cheating and sneaky tactics in order to win. Though just as the game will turn into a brawl, the Zuums arrive to attack the group and Horn’s crew. They now take their chance to set sail while Golem holds off the Zuums, though he manages to get aboard and briefly ignores his fear of water until he’s aboard the ship. The group now ready to search for the Phoenix’s body.
Now with the summary of the first 15 episodes of Monster Rancher done, let’s get to some of the good and the bad of the series. Now, for those who may have watched the American dub of Monster Rancher, you’d like how you have some decent voice acting for the dub and had some like Scott McNeil voicing the roles of Suezo and some of the monsters and villains like Gali or the Black Dino captain. Even having major voice actors like Sam Vincent (Ed, Edd, and Eddy fame) as the voice of Hare, and you have a young Andrew Francis voicing the protagonist Genki.
However, though as the anime in the US had its pros, there were some cons in the series that might get some people upset in this day and age is that some of the stuff in the series may have censored some moments such as removing references of Hare’s gas attack (an attack where Hare farts on his foe. In the US version, it’s changed to a rabbit punch). Other changes were mostly stuff such as removing the Tecmo logo, and altering scenes of violence where it’s not so dragged out or extremely painful. This is nothing new as anime in the 90s to early 2000s had this level of typical censorship, and some of it doesn’t seem to be that bad. I could list more of the changes, but that would take away from this review. Another happens to be the “Unlock Your Disk” song, a song that is played in the first break that feels great with it’s rap-like tone. However, it feels like a knock-off of the Poke-Rap. The beat’s good though, but again..doesn’t feel orginal.
With that done, that’s my review of the Monster Rancher Anime. For those who are asking, there are more episodes, fear not, I’ll be doing future reviews of the later episodes soon. So don’t worry, we’ll see what happens to Genki and his friends soon enough.
References
- The playlist of all Episodes of the Monster Rancher anime, hosted by TMS (the distributors of the series)
- IMBD of Monster Rancher
Absolution's Archive 
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