Holding Out For A Hero Part 3: Shinesman

The idea of corporate superheroes has been around for a while. There was Captain Amazing in Mystery Men and the more contemporary Tiger & Bunny. In both of those the heroes are full-time defenders of justice sponsored by large companies.  In this title the company heroes have to hold down regular 9-5 jobs with their heroics earning them tax-exempt overtime pay.  Watch a team of corporate heroes punch the clock in:

Background:
Released By: Media Blasters
Length: 55 minutes
Year of Production: 1996
Language: Sub and dub, dub reviewed
Available on Netflix:Yes

As I scour the shelves of second hand stores for DVD's, sometimes friends request I find them specific titles.  One good friend was insistent I find a copy of Shinesman.  After months of turning up a whopping zero copies I placed a special order for 2 copies at a Suncoast, one for myself, one for my friend.  I'm very glad I took her word on this one.

The Heroes
All of the heroes work for the Right Trading Company by day and also by night.  During the nocturnal hours their job descriptions changes slightly and they trade in their briefcases and power ties for weaponized business cards and ability enhancing "Go-Suits."  During their hiring interviews all 5 were asked what color a true hero should wear.  The newest member, Matsumoto from sales answered Red, and became the de facto leader of the Shinesman.  Ryoichi, a senior salesman , answered Moss Green.  He is a playboy beloved by all the women of the office.  Ono, a sales manager obsessed with his adorable daughter, thought Sepia was best suited for a hero.  Shogo insisted the ideal color was Gray, the shade of his cherished SUV.  Riko, the sole female member thought the standard female color was a bit overdone.  This victim of sexist coworkers opted for the slightly altered Salmon Pink.  Together they are The Special Duty Combat Unit Shinesman.

The Crayola Avengers is an acceptable alternative team name

Story:
Our story opens late at night with an alien high atop a city building.  The Shinesman make a flashy entrance and accuse the alien of serial corporate theft and espionage.  A few flashy moves later and the alien is sent flying off the building where it explodes.  The other Shinesman congratulate Red on his phenomenal improvement over the past few months.  The next morning Red is looking a bit hung over as his little brother Youta rouses him so they can watch Greatman reruns while eating breakfast.  They discuss the finer points of Japanese Hero shows and Youta insists that Red characters are always best.

Go Go Generic Heroes, Powerful Transforming Generic Heroes!

Meanwhile the alien Prince of Planet Voice watches video footage of his minion's fight against the Shinesman.  His henchman informs the Prince that the defeated alien had managed to destroy three earth companies with confidential documents.  Their fiendish goal is to obtain all of Earth's resources via underhanded business tactics.  Until then they work undercover at an electronics company.  The Prince's cousin Shina is planning on joining them soon to plot the destruction of the Shinesman.  The two move from their company to their lair using a teleporter in the bathroom.

Nothing suspicious about two men using the same bathroom stall

Princess Shina teleports into the middle of a crowded shopping district wearing her full royal regalia and summons her favorite monster.  The onlookers assume she is a cosplay enthusiast promoting a new anime store and ignore her.  The henchman shows up and ferries her back to their lair.

Strained Royal Relations

Back at the Right Trading Company Sepia is showing off a giant stuffed fish he bought for his daughter.  Red and Moss Green head out on a sales call.  On their way out the pair meet Grey, who is near tears about mechanics examining his precious automobile.  They also meet Salmon Pink who is angrily ranting about the men in her office using her as an errand girl.  She smashes their cigarettes while dreaming about smashing more aliens.  The only reason she stays with Right Trading is for the opportunity to beat aliens to a messy pulp.

Working on their sales reports, HEROICALLY!

The Prince's Henchman is the one meeting with Red and Moss Green to discuss a joint venture their two companies are hosting.  Right Trading is opening a theme park and Science Technologies is sponsoring a Greatman Live Show at the park.  The Henchman insists that Red bring his little brother to see the show, and Right Trading's HR manager is also oddly insistent about it.  Turns out she loves little boys to a disturbing degree. 

If anime is any indicator, little kids should be armed with mace

Shina's diabolical plan is to ruin the Greatman show and lure out the Shinesman.  She orders her tentacled beast Caramel to interrupt the show and then sneaks off to the costume room.  Shina is obsessed with Earth kids' programming and cartoons so the lure of putting on a Godzilla costume is too much to resist.  Unfortunately for her the zipper breaks, a broom falls, locking her in the room and the cheapskate janitors turn off the air conditioning.  Luckily Red stumbles across the room while looking for a client and rescues her half naked body from the impending heatstroke.  Shina panics, and claims that anyone who sees the bare skin of a royal must either be killed or become the royals significant other.  Lucky for Red, Shina thinks he is hot!

"Look not upon the Royal Undergarments unless thou art worthy!"

The two start an awkward, coerced date which ends abruptly when Caramel interrupts the show as planned.  The confused, low budget actors are thrashed about until the Shinesman transform and slice up the monsters appendages with razor sharp business cards.  They use a variety of business themed weapons including cuff link beams and tie clip bombs.  The monster manages to restrain the team and they have to dig deep to gain the motivation to break free.  Sepia needs to give his daughter the stuffed fish, Gray wants to drive his car, Moss Green has a date with Turkish twins, and Salmon Pink just hates Shina's hair.  They break free and finish off the beast.

Moments before the rage against bad fashion saved the day!

Hitomi, member of the HR Manager's support crew, spots Henchman on the video feed of the battle and recognizes him as her brother.  End of Episode 1.

Time for a commercial break!

The Shinesman start off in their office again, where Sepia needs to leave in a hurry to tend to his chickenpox stricken daughter.  Salmon Pink crushes more of the items she has been asked to fetch and Gray joyrides in his SUV.  Red and Moss Green head out on a sale call, again, and Gray offers to give them a ride.  The three are almost T-boned by Shina in a car she borrowed from her brother.  Hitomi meanwhile has a flashback to when her brother left with the intention of stopping the invasion of Earth by appealing to the King of Voice.  She never heard from him again.

With those alien ears, she usually hears EVERYTHING

The alien invaders are planning to transport Shina back home, but need to wait until the evening when the teleportation rates are lower.  Ever the shrewd business men.  Shina decides to spend the day at Right Trading's amusement park, as do Red and his brother.  The trio meet up and finally get around to formally introducing themselves.  Youta and Shina bond over their love of Greatman, while Red seems to realize the woman who insists on going out with him has the brain of a child.

Leave the brother and run man.  Don't look back!

Hitmoi spots her Henchman brother and tails him to a mysterious building.  He senses her presence and recognizes her as a fellow alien, but not as his sister.  The two have an aerial chase which the onlookers mistake for a theme park show.  After Hitomi loses her brother she remembers Voice had been experimenting with brainwashing experiments.  Red and Youda go to the Greatman show again, but Shina hijacks the proceedings with a fake team.  The Shinesman are summoned to protect the kids from the imposters.  The audience is less than impressed, insulting the color scheme of their would-be saviors.  The real Greatman appear in their underwear, defending the Shinesman and then the battle begins.

The show must go on! Greatman Assemble!

 In retaliation, the Prince banishes Shina, her minions and the Shinesman to an alternate dimension that increases the abilities of the imposter Greatman.  After a brief bout of man-to-man skirmishing, the enemy forces combine to form a massive, multicolored tornado in order to best their opponents.  The Shinesman get drubbed soundly until they decide to mimic their foes and form their own twister.  The two collide and the resulting explosion sends everyone flying, including Shina.

All colors combine to form the Black Death

Shina's clothes get ripped in the attack and she starts her routine freakout about commoners seeing a royal's skin.  Red recognizes the rant and figures out that Shina is the evil alien princess.  She also somehow recognizes who he is when he recognizes who she is.  Red feels sorry for her and lets her escape.  The Prince attempts to destroy the dimension the Shinesman are in but they teleport out just in time.  Shina decides she likes the Earth and vows to tell the King that the Prince is kind of a jerk.  He sends her off with the iconic line, "Shina, get in the glowing green square!"  And the Shinesman save the day!

Why watch?
1. Hilarity - The writing and acting in the English dub are fantastically done.  The humor from every aspect of this title combines into an overwhelming force. 

Laugh with me!

2. Business Themes - I really enjoy the business setting of this title.  The creators had a great sense for when to play it up and they do it to a much greater extent than other similar titles.

Dramatic Business Card Presentation!

Should you be watching?
This is one title everyone needs to see.  The humor is practically flawless, the setting and theme delightful, and the dub amazing.  The one debatable  weak spot is the short length of this.  On one hand the series has more punch because of the short length.  On the other hand it seems that there is a lot of wasted potential.   This sentiment can be summed up best from a line by one of the Shinesman (Originally used to insult Shina).  "She's one OVA short of a series."