City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes

The City Hunter anime series from the late 1980s and early 1990s are a genre on their own. They were fun and silly, and for that time period the animation and storyline were perfectly fine.

Unfortunately, trying to make another series for the 21st century just doesn't work. Sure, the animation is modern and arguably better. But the characters and situations don't fit as well.

The Good: The main characters Saeba Ryo and Makimura Kaori have not changed. Their antics and relationship remain the same. While that is in a way good, this time it feels more like a lost opportunity.

The Bad: I think it can be argued that having an older Ryo with a bit more maturity, and Kaori's relationship with him advancing beyond simply bashing him in the head could have made for a better City Hunter.

The fans who watched City Hunger 30 years ago have grown up, and the series needs to do the same. Many aspects that made the series entertaining should be kept, of course; but others need to change.

In the end, I don't think we needed yet another City Hunger; I think we needed a believable progression of the main characters keeping with the times and the core audience.