That kind of duality is not uncommon in what we think of as good scripted TV.
Within that range, I think its sentimentality all the same.
Julia, the woman Spike had fallen in love with, had been Vicious girlfriend.
InSympathy For The Devil, they face off against a nearly century-old foe who looks like a little kid.
That dynamic has helped to essentially drive the guy, once a music prodigy, to power-hungry bitterness.
InHeavy Metal Queen, Spike connects with VT, an old space trucker who hates bounty hunters.
Checking Roccos story out, Spike visits the sister and lets her touch his face.
To Vicious, these are just signs of weakness.
None of Watanabes other shows have had a protagonist quite as angry as Mugen.
Hes a ronin who doesnt believe theres a lord worth fighting for.
In a way, Mugen and Jin see each other as what they hate most about the world.
When Mugen and Fin resume their duel at the end of the series, both their swords break.
Its a sign that theyre both equals.
Released by Fuu from that sense of obligation, they no longer want to best each other.
Space Dandyis, by far, the Watanabe-associated work that takes itself the least seriously.
And, of course, hes worked with some truly great voice casts and translators.
They all add up to storytelling in which notions of genre dont ultimately trump character.
