Most of you were probably turned off by several things about this show: It's Sanrioesque visuals, its typical "evil empire wanting to rule the world" plot, its purposely diverse cast of characters...These are all good points, but the truth is that Cyborg 009 is really not as bad as the commercials would make it look.

While the "evil empire" thing has been done to death, it's not really where this show shines. Yes, there are 9 people who have been made into robots, that's also not new. However, I guarantee you that 009 could probably make your precious gundams into cans of Campbell's.

The show's high point is in its battles. They alone made me raise the

score several points. 009 actually has a booster which makes him so fast that time slows down around him! It may be a gimmick, but it's a damn good one. 009 also fights all kinds of enemies, each with different abilities. That also means that 009 has to employ a different and new strategy for each opponent.

Outside of the fight scenes, Cyborg 009 is average at best. It's not horribly written, but it is extremely campy, which the more cynical viewers simply will not put up with. If you have patience with Cyborg 009, there is bound to be at least one thing in there that will make you glad you watched.

7/10