The TRESE Experience

Trese Here... Trese There... I see my social media accounts and billboards on ESDA showing the latest Netflix original anime series, TRESE.  It was adapted from a Filipino Manga of the same title.  Curiosity crawled into me and made me dig a little deeper about it before I watch it.  Here are some of the awards they got:

• Trese Mass Murders - 29th National Book Award - November 2010

• Trese Midnight Tribunal - Filipino Reader's Choice Award for the Fictional Anthology 2014

• Manila Noir - National Book Award for Best Anthology in English 2014

I use to enjoy watching anime when I was a kid.  The internet is non-extensive those days, so we rely much on what is being shown on TV and on pirated DVD’s available in the public market.  I grew up in the world of Samurai X, Ghost Fighter, Dragon Ball, Daimos, Voltes V and many others if I had just called cartoons.  Then came the world if internet wherein you can get everything thru MIRC, Torrents, and other P2P apps.  You can share almost everything during the early days of the Internet.  Although, you can still access them today but there are more restrictions now.  Those were the times I could watch and read almost all anime that I can think of.   Then life become hectic and busier that what I only watch and read are those that are in trend.  The recent anime I have watch are Yowamushi Pedal, Boruto, and Attack on Titan.

I was bumming around one day and decided to watch TRESE and see what made it so hype lately other than the fact it is being launched at Netflix.  I am a Filipino but will try to not be biased on this because of that.  I watched the Tagalog version and watch parts and parts on Japanese version with English subtitle.  I am no critic so; I will discuss this in a very layman approach.

Overall, it was great.  Filipino Culture on anime.  I have this book titled The Lost Journal of Alejandor Pardo – Creatures and Beasts of Philippine Folklore and I had to get it during the watch to see if they will be included or the presentation of each are the same but sadly not all are there and some differs in graphical way.  But let us continue:

I love the concept.  Oh, I am much into fantasy fiction, battle of good and evil, sorcery and magic kind of stuff.  So, the concept appeals to me.  The first scenes, made me think, is the concept more of a rip-off or tweaky versions of Ghost Fighter, and Demon Slayer.  And there is one more very similar anime and I cannot remember the title.  Well, TRESE is like more of Lord of the Rings, wherein different type of entities that walks the earth join forces and have agreements to have peace and when bad guys walk in, they join forces and battle them out in a more Filipino Culture type of way.

I love the graphics.  The background really captures the scenes in Manila.  Combination of digital and human artistry.  Superb.  No doubt about this.

Music in anime really plays an important aspect of watching it.  The intro and end music plays a major role eventually.  It always should have an impact.   No doubt, the intro is great.  It is from an Ifugao song and chants wherein much of the scenes during the episodes incorporated a lot of Ifugao Music.  A combination of traditional music intertwined with contemporary instrumental music effects.  As for the end music.  Well, I was hoping for it to be a more rock type of music. goth feel, dark and heavy.  To show a much heavier tone in it and could have made a more impact.  I did not say it is not good, but I prefer it my way, I guess. 

After watching it.  I said, there is something missing on it.  The plot was great but it feels different.  I thought maybe it’s the delivery of the dub.  At first, chants and spells are not very well emphasized which should have been.  Fight scenes are so calm and dialogues that supposed to have anger and emotions sounds so normal conversations only.  I heard the English and Tagalog dubs are from a famous celebrity here in the Philippines.  Well, I just hope they were not selected just to hype and bring people to watch this because its them.  I do not want to be rude but there are a lot of great story tellers on AM and you can feel the story and emotions just by hearing. Yeah, no graphics needed and you can witness the story right in front you without seeing anything.

Then I watched some seen on Japanese dubbed on English Subtitle and damn its good.  Should have watch on Japanese First.  I will if time permits me. 

So, for the next series, shall I watch it on Japanese version or not or if the Tagalog version improves on the dubbing.  I wish to see a more exciting end music.  I want to see more and more detailed fight scenes. more of chakras and magical spells.  I want to see more of the other not so famous entities.

Overall, it is exciting.  It’s a Filipino anime.  Much different from the usual Filipino noon time shows and telenovelas we usually see on our screens… A must watch…oh just make sure to select the Japanese version.