Tonight I bring you an audio drama that harkens back to the days of old time radio dramas, despite being made in 2010. The DesuDesu Brigade (or D2 Brigade) are usually anime reviewers, but tonight they head into the seedy underworld of the 1930’s (or maybe 40’s, my history isn’t that good when I’m in a hurry) to battle crime. Beware evil doers when the Red Scorpion and Ms. Crystal come for you!
There’s no dedicated page for this series, currently at three episodes. You can find it in their specials page with a little searching, and you should do so. The Red Scorpion takes it cues from classic radio dramas like The Green Hornet or The Shadow, as well as the pulp fiction that inspired those characters.
If the theme sounds familiar to you, it sounds to me like the same one for “The Grey Ghost”, a classic TV show and one of Batman’s inspirations in Batman: The Animated Series. Nice choice.
I’ve been enjoying Professor Otaku‘s work, and he appears to be the grandmaster of this series. Between this, his anime reviews, and his work on other projects, I wouldn’t think that he had any other media interests. However, as writer and star of this series he does very well, as do the other two Brigade members who joined him.
Arkada‘s work I’ve seen before. His Glass Reflections series is more relaxed than most internet review shows, but there’s still quite a bit of humor. I admit I have yet to check out Vixen‘s work prior to this, but when I have seen her in other D2 productions I wouldn’t have seen the voice she brings here as Miss Crystal, the Kato to Red Scorpion’s Hornet, coming. Usually when I hear her she…pardon, I’m not good at vocal descriptions…think of Officer Hooks in the Police Academy movies, but easier to listen to. Here is…do I want to say sharper or heavier or…I don’t know, but she pulls it off nicely.
Only three voices, you wonder? Are you talking about the other two members not being in this? Radio dramas never had more than a handful of people, and many did more than one part. What works here is that Otaku, Arkada, and Vixen pull off each character beautifully. Whatever role they’re playing, you can tell which character is speaking, and there are times when you can’t tell two characters are the same actor. The results are rather professional.
I hope they make a dedicated page and a few more episodes. You do find other original audio dramas on the net, and I may hunt some down in the future, but the Brigade should be proud of their work here. And thanks to Prof. Otaku for allowing me to post this. Apparently I’m learning a few things about my video reviewing counterparts (being a text reviewer myself), and there may be more on what I mean in the future.
Oh, and don’t forget to check out their other anime reviews at D2Brigade.net.
(I hope to be back online later with a personal rendition of what I think the costume may look like, but I’m pressed for time today.)
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