Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1 English Sub & Dub

About Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1

If you are hunting for a new action series, Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1 (ちいさな英雄－カニとタマゴと透明人間－) deserves a look (2018). The setup goes like this. In short: Modest Heroes will consist of three shorts by three different directors: "Kanini & Kanino" ("Kani no Kanino") by Hiromasa Yonebayashi will be a 15-minute fantasy adventure story of two crab siblings, and will be long. "Life Ain't Gonna Lose" ("Samurai Egg") by Yoshiyuki Momose will be a 15-minute "human drama" showing the love between a mother and a boy.

Next up: "Invisible" ("Toumei Ningen") by Akihiko Yamashita will be a 14-minute "action spectacle" that centers on the lonely struggle of one invisible man. Studio Ponoc describes the shorts as "tales of modest heroes of our times."

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Toto (Masaki Terasoma) and Kanino (Rio Suzuki) are two of the characters you will meet early. This one is best suited to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. At 3 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Studio Ponoc, so the studio's house style defines how Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1 looks and moves on screen. Within the action category, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. With a 6.7/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. On the casting side, Masaki Terasoma voicing Toto gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2018, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.