Pulp Sci Fi truly is a beautiful thing because it's not bound by any restrictions, their the stories where you feel anything to everything is possible and from all the strange and interesting things in them it makes the universe within the story all the more bigger. This is another of my favorite anime series of all time.
The Cobra series was a big thing at the time which makes sense as this series was out about the same time as sci-fi comic magazines like "Heavy Metal" and "2000 A. D." were massive hits in the 70's, though like a lot of pulp heroes Cobra has been forgotten. However, this series legacy lived on as it was highly influential and slightly predated other sci-fi programs over the years, from most other anime series like "Space Dandy", "Outlaw Star", and "Cowboy Bebop". Even movies like the 80's film "Star chaser: The Legend of Orin" and the TV show "Firefly."
I really like the animation presentation which I think is smooth, this show has a lot of stunning visuals, from Cobra's ship which is cool, the robots, aliens, cities, worlds just everything in it's strange and vast universe which remind me of the things you would see on "Heavy Metal" magazine, I can't really describe it as their the things you just have to see to believe.
The music is great I really love the theme and end theme song which are both one of my favorite theme songs of all time. From the beginning theme which just has this jazzy noir tune to it and could almost sound like another theme for a James Bond movie which perfectly fits the series as Cobra is a pulp/noir like hero. The end theme which is a soft romantic tune that just give you a calm feeling.
The stories are good each of the episodes are always something different which is good as it gives the show that unpredictability factor as each episode always feels like a different adventure. But the show has some story arcs which give the show a bit of a throwback feel to the pulp serials for pulp hero figures most notably "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rodgers", this makes sense since Cobra is one of those figures. The stories are colorful and memorable from one where Cobra is on a giant roulette wheel of death, may the good lord forbid the ball lands on zero or should I say him. An arc where he's undercover in a futuristic sport which is a crazy mix of baseball and football. And there is an arc which is a revenge thriller.
The show also does have some eroticism as you have a lot of females easy on the eyes in some rather interesting attire; but that was always part of the flavor of the pulps which was on appeal. However just like in the Bond movies the female characters aren't just for decoration but actual in many of the stories some are strong characters that can hold their own against danger and are useful in Cobra's missions.
Cobra is another of my favorite pulp heroes alongside "James Bond", "Flash Gordon", "Doctor Who", etc. Basically, Cobra is pretty much James Bond but in Space which is cool. One of the features of him is his psycho gun which is his left arm which is an arm cannon; in a way he sort of predates The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes from "Captain America" and any other protagonist that has a cybernetic or weaponized appendage. This psycho gun is another of my favorite fictional weapons as it's a wicked cool weapon as it can wipe away anyone or almost everyone within a perimeter.
Though how the heck he can discharge the laser blasts without pulling the trigger or even charge up enough bolts is anyone's guess, does the gun work with his mind? Like in all the pulps it doesn't really matter you just roll with it because it's just a fun thought having a handy weapon which is both powerful, discharge as much as you want, and best of all never lose.
I really like the character as he's got sort of a mix of both a cowboy and noir protagonist charm. Though he's not too smooth as he might stumble just a little bit which is why he doesn't always get the girl or at least not until the second try. This to me makes the character slightly human, because as much as I like James Bond when it comes to romance, he hardly has to try he practically always wins in that game. But with Cobra this guy really has to put in the effort when it comes to having a significant other in his life and this applies even with the missions, he's on. We do see the guy struggle a little which once again humanizes him which I'm fine with as you really don't want your hero to come off too strong otherwise you lose the element of suspense. Though like with every pulp hero you can easily guess Cobra will win, but the suspense is in wondering how the heck he's going to do it.
This snake charmer has lots of venomous charm with the mind bolts to bite.
Rating: 4 stars.
