“BetterMan” is a 26 episode TV anime series from 1999. Set in the same fictitious world as “GaoGaiGar”, it shares the Brave Series’ character designer, Takahiro Kimura, director, Yoshitomo Kometani, and production company, Sunrise.

Led by corporate greed, the megacorp, NEO - New Environment Organization has sought to create an invincible human, able to live forever, heal, no matter what the wound, and be immune to all pathogens: BestMan. Using a newly discovered fluid, Linker Gel, the company enacts the Dive Inspection, to fuse the potentials of many people, into one. However, the project goes horribly and horrifyingly wrong.

“We tried to become immortal. However, death is a part of evolution.
It is a necessary stage in the process of the species’ survival.”

NEO awakens Algernon (Flowers for…?), a hidden prerogative for death within human DNA that drives people homicidally insane. The Dive Inspection’s test subject is transformed into “Kankel”, an invincible and immortal being who can consume all life and bring about the end of humanity!

“I am the destiny of human evolution, Kankel!”

To fight and fix its mistake, NEO splits into three separate companies: Mode Warp, Bio-Production Laboratory - BPL, and the Superhuman Federation. Mode Warp partners with another company, Akamatsu Industries, to create humanoid mechanical suits, Neuronoids, to fight against Algernon, while BPL and the Superhuman Federation seek to create a new super being to combat Kankel. But, as they were part of the original Dive Inspection, all three sub-companies are infected by Algernon, and are unknowingly bringing about world destruction. At the same time, the mistakes of humanity awaken on Earth a hidden race of superior humans who can transform their physical shape, our only true hope for survival against the hubris of our own corporate structure, and science gone awry, BetterMan.

“If you still have the will to fight, stand up!”

A pretty cool anime with Tokusatsu style, giant monster fights. It has the look of a brightly colored Super Robot show, but, because of its secretive and convoluted storytelling, it has an unexpectedly scary and creepy feel. Though filled with anime cliché characters, “BetterMan” is able to rise above many other shows, through its uniquely engaging scenario.

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