English Dub Review: LastMan Episodes 1-4

Don’t be the “last” one to check THIS series out.

While most people think that the United States and Japan are the loners in terms of producing animated content for the world, Paris, France is home to some of the biggest producers in the world. Usually, however, when Europe produces animation, it’s mostly kids shit. Save for one or two cases, we seldom see how producers in say France react to productions like Attack on Titan or how Australia would react to The Simpsons. With peer-to-peer internet on the rise, even countries trying to restrict the types of content pouring in are susceptible to massive leaks of international influence.

In the United States, only in the last decade or so are we starting to see the international markets produce content and then license for English dub. For years, subtitles-fanmade or otherwise- was the way to watch international content, but companies like Mondo, Gkids, and Funimation understand the future of the animation industry and have done stellar jobs in making sure international acquisitions begin the process of mass adaptation. It’s not a perfect transition yet, and you definitely get your diehards that prefer to read television rather than to watch it in a language that is the national standard, but it’s definitely a growth trend.

This bodes trouble for the American television networks whom, for the most part, produce strictly animated comedy. Yes, this country is responsible for some excellent series like The Simpsons, BoJack Horseman, Rick and Morty, and more, but the networks almost never take chances on animated content geared towards adults that are anything but comedy. Ironically, the growth in the last year or so for American audiences seeking adult animated drama or action series has been coming from films, usually animated long-form adaptations of the video game or comic book franchises.

Enter Lastman. A new French-produced animated series which acts as an animated prequel series to the comic book of the same name that was then picked up for English adaptation by Mondo Media, an animation channel that, along with others like Shut Up! Cartoons and Cartoon Hangover had felt the effects of the Youtube free-cartoon bubble bursting in favor of more sustainable options like Hulu, Funimation, and Netflix, all of which offer subscription-based channels that allow animated productions to be profitable. It took a while, but Mondo would undergo a bunch of changes with Brendan Burch and Six Point Harness absorbing Mondo Media all the while the one-time Youtube channel had went the VRV route, allowing fans to enjoy new content, both acquisitions, and original content, for a low, nominal fee.

In terms of acquisitions, Lastman may be hard to beat. Yes, this is on the same network as the Oscar-nominated but critically disappoint Pear Cider & Cigarettes, but by a mile, Lastman might be the most exciting franchise on VRV.

Lastman follows boxer/MMA fighter Richard Aldana who unexpectedly becomes the guardian to Siri, the daughter of his mentor/father figure David who was viciously killed at the hands of the terrifying Razel, the head of The Order of the Lion religious sect, who is looking to usurp some sort of mystical power from the little girl for his use. And as if that isn’t crazy enough, when the fallout ensues over who is to take over Dave’s boxing gym, the same place where Richard had been able to hone his fighting skills that would prove to be fruitful later, Rich is the one that’s gotta deal with his…um…” landlords”.

The many faces this series takes is stellar, the aesthetic is some of the best production I’ve ever seen, with Everybody On Deck and Je Suis Bien Content showcasing technical prowess that would make most of Toonami blush with envy.  Jérémie Périn does a stellar job of helping build the settings of Lastman that somehow are able to handle mystical elements, killer boxing matches, and a brooding gangster underworld, all into one like it was nothing. The English dub is stellar, with Michael Sinterniklaas earning grandiose kudos in helping produce English voice actors that crush with their deliveries and staying away from the sometimes hokey and corny shit that we see with some Japanese-English dubs. No, the mouth animations aren’t perfect, but you need to squint a bit to discern any glaring weaknesses, and I definitely could’ve done without the vanity cards in between shorts, but these are otherwise slight qualms in an otherworldly masterpiece that could be one of the best foreign-animated acquisitions this year.

One part Rocky. One part Batman. One part Jason Bourne.  Lastman is a near flawless endeavor that hopefully catapults the animated genre here in America. For $2.99, you’re not gonna find a better deal elsewhere in which to plunk down your cash, and we’re only four episodes in. By the end of this thing, I may need a cutman.