The story opens at the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga, a storyline that depicts Jean Grey's last moments on Earth. A year later, the X-Men are reunited when Professor Xavier is asked by a friend to look into the disappearance of his daughter, Ichika Hisako. Making up the team is Storm, Beast, Cyclops and Wolverine. The show's opening credits suggest Emma Frost (The White Queen) will also join them.
Xavier explains that he cannot find Hisako, even using Cerebro, the super-computer mutant-tracking system. What's more, all of the mutants in the area seem to have disappeared. Who is behind the vanishing Hisako and local mutant population?
Marvel is continuing the collaboration with Japanese anime production company Madhouse. X-Men is the third in a series of four comic book titles that are to be anime-ted. Iron Man and Wolverine have already debuted on Japan's Animax channel; X-Men was released on April 1, and the last title, Blade, is set to be aired in July.
Die-hard X-Men fans will be pleased with the artwork style, which is in keeping with the present comic book art. The animation is by far the best of any of the animated X-Men shows, which proves superhero animation from the US needs to step up in terms of both artwork and animation technique. Shows like The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is a step in the right direction; but only a step, on a journey of a thousand miles.
Keep an eye on Animax for the local release of X-Men.