Goku: Midnight Eye - 1989

I have been watching more retro anime shows in an attempt to justify my annual subscription to RetroCrush. Goku: Midnight Eye was one of those cyberpunk themed anime that I had added to my list a year ago, but only finally just got around to watching. It is a TV mini-series adapted from a manga consisting of 2 episodes about an hour long each. The manga ran for about two years and contained many more storylines than what’s depicted in the mini-series, but I felt satisfied with the stories told in the show.

It starts off in a chase scene with a shady man running across a rooftop and through a breezeway before being cornered by our protagonist, Goku. After a witty exchange, we learn that he is not a simple hit man, but a licensed private investigator. Just as he prepares to finish the deed, our shady man pulls the ace up his sleeve, literally. He reveals his bionic arm and it comes to fisticuffs. Luckily, Goku manages to finish the job, but this also helps to detail the futuristic setting. Much has changed in the far off year of 2014: bright and flashy skylines contrast the dark and gritty underbelly of the city, while the impressive industrial architecture compliments the new norm of cybernetic implants and other technological toolery.

Soon after, he begins pursuing another lead in the grander mystery of alleged police officer suicides, but finds himself in trouble. On the edge of death after a pursuit goes haywire, a seemingly divine entity intervenes and grants him a pair of life-changing tools. A mechanical quarterstaff that can extend to nearly any conceivable length, and more interestingly, a bionic eye. This new eye comes equipped with a micro supercomputer that has the ability to hack into and control any computer in the world, ranging from simple security systems and personal computing hardware to massive worldwide databases and international military systems, all within the blink of an eye (no pun intended). These new abilities give Goku a new and immense power, but more importantly, he receives a second chance to get to the bottom of things, now with a world of information at his disposal.

I have always been fascinated with the retrowave/cyberpunk aesthetic. I found myself completely enamoured in the atmosphere with its bright chrome and neon contrasting the dark and seedy abyss of corruption and desire. The sparkling skylines and shimmering harbors emit a cozy allure while also masking the gritty mechanical underbelly of the city and the cold pessimism that lies within the attitudes of its inhabitants. The duality of this aesthetic is one of the reasons I find it so appealing, though it’s ironic how this is the reality we live in now, just without the glitzy and hazy facade.

I tend to appreciate well-designed characters; The average male getup of a plain collared shirt or tee and shorts comes off as complacent, uninspired, and platitudinous. So when a male character actually has some thought and uniqueness put into his appearance, it manages to catch my eye. Goku’s own striking design really stood out to me. I am always in favor of male objectification, so I enjoy the partially exposed chest and abs being tastefully framed by his jacket and high-waisted pants. The wild and greasy mullet styles of the era also appeal to my tastes in long-haired men; there’s just something about a full head of hair, no unimaginative fades or tapers, that pleases me. Even with his smug exterior, inside he has a certain level of creativity and tenacity that helps him protect those in need, which I find admirable.

There are also some other stand-out designs, particularly of the accompanying woman on the promotional artwork. The “Motorcycle Girl” does her job well of alluring your gaze to her juxtaposed body, putting on a show of thrusting and raving to flashing lights and a thumping bassline. I sometimes forget how objectified women were back then, but the amount of bare cleavage on display serves as a pretty clear reminder. Though she only utters in moans and grunts, she lived, she served cunt, then she died. Also, she shoots a laser from her mouth.

Goku: Midnight Eye is good old-fashioned action filled to the brim with beautifully cel-shaded backdrops and a distinctly endearing English dub, appropriate for the era. Even though a couple more episodes would have been great, I am never one to underappreciate what I am given. The story works well enough to connect the action and set pieces, which is the goal; it’s not groundbreaking or revolutionary, but it provides some good fun and thrills in an imaginative way. I could watch this again and again just to get lost in the ambiance and fantasy of facing an unforgiving world with the power to fight for the future. Definitely worth a watch if you’re into this kind of stuff.