Monday, March 02, 2009
Koi Kaze - Vol. 3: The Decision
With this third volume the story of star-crossed lovers Koshiro and Nanoka come to an end. Koi Kaze has been a sea of emotions thrown in the utterly believable yet horribly taboo relationship. Koshiro decides to be the adult of the situation and moves out suddenly in the hopes that the feelings he and Nanoka have for each other will subside. In his new apartment he lives on takeout and instant meals while his coworker, Chidori makes regular visits and spends most nights there.By all outward appearances he has moved on and has started a relationship with Chidori. The truth is another matter. Inside Koshiro is torn and wishing that he could see Nanoka again although he actively avoids her if he sees her. This unfortunately doesn't last forever when Nanoka starts coming by his apartment regularly. Though he's given several chances to break the relationship and let things return to a somewhat normal state Koshiro instead gives in to his urges and the two move further beyond the point of no return.
I have been reviewing DVDs on this little blog of mine since September of 2003. Yet in the five and a half years since I started the site I have never had a harder time reviewing a dvd as I have with Koi Kaze. Oh sure there are times when watching garbage like Omoo Omoo the Shark God I just want to pull my hair out over having to remember how awful it was. Koi Kaze is something completely different as it is a fascinating story and yet incredibly disturbing and tragic.
When I first decided to sit down and watch Koi Kaze, I was fearful that it would try to portray incest as a normal, everyday occurrence and that this would be treated as a sort of propoganda for acceptance of a sexual kink or something like that. While Koi Kaze is not exactly promoting the lifestyle of Koshiro and Nanoka, it doesn't do all that much to discourage it. The judgement is left up to the viewer and we must judge whether what has transpired is good or evil.
Watching Koi Kaze is in many ways like watching a Greek Tragedy. You know the ending before it begins and you know that things aren't going to turn out well. I won't pretend to claim that Koi Kaze is in the league of Sophocles but the tradgedy and human emotion is very real and I did find myself feeling quite depressed over the state of Koshiro and Nanoka's life. As an observer I, like Chidori, wish that I could just slap some sense into the poor misguided fools and allow them to take a different path. Yet, like Oedipus the King, their fate seems pre-ordained.
This show is not for everyone. It deals with deeply disturbing topics in ways that many of us might not be comfortable with outside of the latest joke about renecks. Still, it's an interesting and well made anime that deserves a chance. If you can watch with an objective mind there's plenty to enjoy here. At the very least it got me to think.
Labels: Animation, Anime, Japanese
Koi Kaze - Vol. 2: Budding Attraction
As we left Koshiro and Nanoka in the last volume we see two confused siblings who seem to have noticed the start of some attraction but have not really acted upon it. Koshiro being the older and more experienced member of the family seems to know what he must do and yet he struggles to treat Nanoka as a sister. Sadly, just when he seems to get the hang of the familiarity of her, the affection of Nanoka is returned with the simple words, "I like you."Meanwhile while this is going on Koshiro's co-worker Chidori is becoming more and more suspicious of the two. She observes that they don't look like the typical brother and sister and she also notices that Koshiro is no longer as belligerent about his sister as he once was. While she can't quite put her finger on it, she seems to know that something is up.
Koi Kaze is progressing along very nicely and I must confess that as I watch each episode I become more and more engrossed. While incest has been seen in literature from Genesis to Greek Tragedies to modern blockbuster films it is rarely handled in such a sensitive way. What surprises me so much about Koi Kaze is how well written the show is. Honestly most anime appears to be written to a focus group. If I did have one complaint it would be the character of Odagiri. In what is otherwise a totally atypical anime the stock pervert co-worker just seems out of place.
It's a hard show to recommend based on its subject matter but if you can stomach the idea of incest and a romantic relationship with a minor. While I personally cannot understand the feelings of the main characters, the idea of a forbidden or unattainable love/lust is a universal feeling felt by all. Here's hoping that things somehow get better in Volume 3.
Labels: Animation, Anime, Japanese
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Koi Kaze - Vol. 1: The Reunion
Koshiro is a 27 year old man employed in a marriage arrangement company. Despite working to make other people's lives happy his own personal relationships are nothing to be proud of. Living in a rut Koshiro is always sporting a five O'clock shadow and is barely able to take care of himself. He is dumped by his girlfriend and yet he doesn't seem to care. He also lives at home with his father in the city, far away from his mother and sister whom he hasn't seen since he was a small boy.This all changes when in one chance meeting he happens to run into a high school girl named Nanoka. After a couple chance encounters he takes her to an amusement park where he finds out that she is his sister who has come to live with him in the city. After the initial shock is over Koshiro soon finds that his feelings for Nanoka are not the normal brother and sister relationship feelings but instead he begins to desire her more as a female much to his frustration where he must begin to sort out the feelings in himself and how they relate to Nanoka.
Anime by and large is a genre which is rarely taken seriously in the west. The main reason for this is that for every Miyazaki film there is a dozen giant robot shows and for every Akira or Metropolis there are hundreds of fan-service shows released each year. Thus when a show attempts to look at such taboo and difficult subjects as incest, lust, regret and shame it is bound to make an impression one way or the other.
When I first heard of Koi Kaze back in 2005 I was at first intrigued by it but decided to pass as I wasn't sure how comfortable I was with the premise. I honestly didn't think that a show about a 27 year old man in love with his 15 year old sister could be entertaining but upon the suggestion of a friend, I decided to pick it up.
Koi Kaze is a hard show to review. It certainly has its share of drama with some comedy thrown in to keep things lively. This is no ordinary romantic anime, though; the subject matter is treated very seriously and the lives of Koshiro and Nanoka seem realistic and it never feels as though the show was created to fulfill any sort of fetish or perversion. Koi Kaze is certainly not for everyone but it is intriguing and certainly fascinating so far.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Maison Ikkoku: Volume 7
Here we have twelve more episodes of what is certainly one of the best anime shows ever. It's always sad to see your favorite show work towards a conclusion but that is exactly what Volume 7 of Maison Ikkoku does. Several side plots and characters such as Yagami and Coach Mitaka are more or less put to rest in terms of the Kyoko / Godai romance story.I find that as I review each volume of Maison Ikkoku I find myself with less and less to say. It's not that I am losing interest in the show but that I feel there is nothing more I can say that hasn't been said before. Maison Ikkoku is consistantly good and if I was to find any fault it would be that at times they don't deviate much from the path. While I would love to see more episodes focusing on the side characters like Yotsuya and Akemi this is a show about Godai and Kyoko.
I can't wait to watch the next and final volume. While I will be sad to see the show end, I know that I will most certainly have to watch it again. It would certainly be a good excuse to try and introduce it to some friends.
Labels: Animation, Anime, Classics, Maison Ikkoku
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Emma: A Victorian Romance: Season 2
After watching and reviewing the first season of Emma, I knew that I had to see more. Thanks to a DVD sale at Deep Discount I was able to pick up the show relatively cheap and let me tell you, this is a show that is worth just about any price.Picking up where the first season lets off we see Emma in a new house working for the Molders, a wealthy German family. She has a new life and even makes new friends and tries desperately to leave William behind and to, in her eyes, set him free.
William, on the other hand falls into a state of depression and drowns his sorrow in work and longs for Emma. When his attempts to find her fail his eyes turn to the ever available Eleanor Campbell as a means to ease his lonliness. He even goes so far as to propose to her. While we the viewers look on in shock, it's all that's needed to get the gears of fate moving as he is reunited by chance with his beloved Emma at his own engagement party.
Season 2 is quite different from its quaint romantic predecessor. Instead of the subtleties we learn from the quiet pace of the courtship of William and Emma, we instead are treated to something a bit more conventional in the way of romance. The story has its twists and turns yet you always hope and know that we will eventually get a happy ending.
Emma is a rare breed in the world of anime. In most anime containing maids they are there simply for fanservice or to add moments of slapstick. Emma instead moves us beyond that stereotype of the teenage boy's fantasy and instead shows us what life was like for an entire profession and class of women in the 19th century.
My only disappointment is that since Emma is a rather niche title a dub was impossible as it would be too cost prohibitive. This is a show that really deserves a full dub of British actors using various accents to flesh the characters out a little. I can almost imagine what extra dimension this could add to an already fine show.
While Emma isn't a masterpiece in the true since of the word, it's flaws of a somewhat predictable story can be easily overlooked in its masterful storytelling. For the same reason people flock to see the newest romantic comedy or why they want to see Lassie get Timmy from the mineshaft for the umteenth time people love a good romance. You can certainly do a lot worse than Emma.
Highly Recommended!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Fansub Review: Nozomi Witches
As this is the first time (I think) that I've reviewed a show only in fansubs I'd like to have a bit of a history lesson to start.
I've been an anime fan for a good 10+ years now. There's no secret that in that time anime has gone from an emerging niche market to a full blown marketable product that just about everyone knows about. While it still has yet to become mainstream, you can at least walk into your local video store (or even Walmart) and pick up a copy of some of the more popular titles.
Back when I was just starting to become an anime fan I got my fix through VHS tapes which cost $20 and up for two to four episodes. In order to watch as much as I could on my limited budget I got into the fansub market trading tapes and requesting Nth generation copies from fansub distros. Back then I was watching mostly shows from the 80s and early 90s as all the "new" stuff would take a year or two to come to LaserDisc in Japan and then it might get picked up by a fansubber. If not, you were SOL.
Today, if you want a fansub you can usually get an episode a few days after its airing on Japanese TV. Many in the anime communities feel that fansubs have lost that amateurish feel and that "By fans for fans" comradery and that today's fansubs are little more than piracy. While I won't argue that fact here, I will state that fansubs are still the only way to see some shows and sadly, they will most likely be the only way to ever see such shows.
Bewitching Nozomi is such a show. Made in 1992 around the Barcelona Olympics we get the story of a young boy named Ryotaro who, after being scouted by his neighbor Nozomi starts his trek to become a boxing champion and fulfill Nozomi's dream for him.
The plot is relatively simple and yet it works. The element of realizing a dream for a female love interest is certainly not new to anime. Touch did it back in the 80s with baseball instead of boxing. Yet there is something enduring about the show which I can't put my finger on. Perhaps it's because the characters are so enduring despite only getting to know them over the course of three episodes.
As a three episode OVA from 1992 the animation is perhaps a bit dated by today's standards but it holds up very well, outside of a few early digital type effects in the OP.
It should also be noted that the OP song, "Flash of Thunderlight", bears a striking similarity to both "Eye of the Tiger" and also Bonnie Tyler's "Ravishing". Not that that's a bad thing.
If I had any complaints about the show it's that the story does, at times, feel a bit rushed and that it could have easily have been expanded to a 13 episode TV series. Yet I'm satisfied with what we have and I think you will too.
Nozomi Witches a.k.a. Bewitching Nozomi is a pretty rare find, even for fansubs. Checking the usual places I can't find a copy. Mine was a copy of the old Lupin Gang SVHS so the video quality isn't quite what you expect. Still, I say this is a show worth hunting down. When you finish it, be sure and send a note to the anime companies in the States and ask them to license it.
I've been an anime fan for a good 10+ years now. There's no secret that in that time anime has gone from an emerging niche market to a full blown marketable product that just about everyone knows about. While it still has yet to become mainstream, you can at least walk into your local video store (or even Walmart) and pick up a copy of some of the more popular titles.
Back when I was just starting to become an anime fan I got my fix through VHS tapes which cost $20 and up for two to four episodes. In order to watch as much as I could on my limited budget I got into the fansub market trading tapes and requesting Nth generation copies from fansub distros. Back then I was watching mostly shows from the 80s and early 90s as all the "new" stuff would take a year or two to come to LaserDisc in Japan and then it might get picked up by a fansubber. If not, you were SOL.
Today, if you want a fansub you can usually get an episode a few days after its airing on Japanese TV. Many in the anime communities feel that fansubs have lost that amateurish feel and that "By fans for fans" comradery and that today's fansubs are little more than piracy. While I won't argue that fact here, I will state that fansubs are still the only way to see some shows and sadly, they will most likely be the only way to ever see such shows.
Bewitching Nozomi is such a show. Made in 1992 around the Barcelona Olympics we get the story of a young boy named Ryotaro who, after being scouted by his neighbor Nozomi starts his trek to become a boxing champion and fulfill Nozomi's dream for him.
The plot is relatively simple and yet it works. The element of realizing a dream for a female love interest is certainly not new to anime. Touch did it back in the 80s with baseball instead of boxing. Yet there is something enduring about the show which I can't put my finger on. Perhaps it's because the characters are so enduring despite only getting to know them over the course of three episodes.
As a three episode OVA from 1992 the animation is perhaps a bit dated by today's standards but it holds up very well, outside of a few early digital type effects in the OP.
It should also be noted that the OP song, "Flash of Thunderlight", bears a striking similarity to both "Eye of the Tiger" and also Bonnie Tyler's "Ravishing". Not that that's a bad thing.
If I had any complaints about the show it's that the story does, at times, feel a bit rushed and that it could have easily have been expanded to a 13 episode TV series. Yet I'm satisfied with what we have and I think you will too.
Nozomi Witches a.k.a. Bewitching Nozomi is a pretty rare find, even for fansubs. Checking the usual places I can't find a copy. Mine was a copy of the old Lupin Gang SVHS so the video quality isn't quite what you expect. Still, I say this is a show worth hunting down. When you finish it, be sure and send a note to the anime companies in the States and ask them to license it.
Labels: Animation, Anime, Fansub only
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Emma: A Victorian Romance DVD Collection 1
Emma: A Victorian Romance is the tale of two lovers across social divides trying desperately to overcome prejudice and social constrictions of 19th century London. Sure the story has been done countless times in books, films and television shows and yet never once does it feel forced or fake. They could have taken this in a trashy romance novel direction and yet they deliver a great deal of honesty and accuracy. I really don't want to say any more as that would spoil the plot but I will say that the show kept my interest throughout.For someone who appreciates antiques and Victorian fashion in general the show is a plethora of Victorian fashion and stylings. To do such a show in live action would require either an astronomical budget or fall into the anacronism trap that many period pieces fall into. Still, it would be nice to see.
RightStuf (aka Nozomi Entertainment) did a great job on this DVD set. The picture and sound are excellent and the extras are nice. I try and support every release of Nozomi as they tend to listen to the fans the most. In fact I already have Season 2 of Emma and Season 1 of Maria Sama ga Miteru ordered.
In short it is simply one of the best anime releases this year.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Maison Ikkoku Vol. 6
In what seems like ages I have returned again to one show that gets put on the shelf for far too long. Maison Ikkoku is quite simply put an absolute masterpiece. It's also a crying shame that I shelve it to "spread it out" over time instead of just watching it all. After all, I can tell that once I'm finished with it I will go back to it again and again.In these episodes we get to peek more into the life of young Yusaku Godai. The poor guy never can catch a break and yet strangely has a few female admirers despite his undying love for Kyoko. In these episodes things seem to get more and more confusing for the guy as he now heads out looking for a "real" job. As a man who was in this situation last year (and is somewhat considering doing it all over again next year or the year after) I can certainly see where he is coming from and how frustrating life can be.
What's a crying shame is how these are now out of print. Sadly, despite Maison Ikkoku being a masterpiece, the American anime fan never was willing to pony up the cash for it. If you do get a chance, check it out. You won't regret it!
Labels: Anime, Classics, Maison Ikkoku
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Sugar - Vol. 6: Sugar Baby Love
Well, after waiting almost a year since watching volume 5, I finally have gotten around to watching the final volume of Sugar.Basically since I don't want to spoil the show, I will simply state that it is one of my favorite anime shows that I've seen. There really is something magical and delightful about the show that really keeps me entertained. There's nothing objectionable and I can certainly see this as a show that I would show my kids someday should I ever have any.
Excellent and recommended in the highest way possible! Too bad it's out of print.
Labels: Animation, Anime, Classics
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
_SUMMER
Every once in a while I come across a fansub that really grabs me as something unique and interesting. Of course, then a lot of times I find stuff that's just so generic that if brought over they wouldn't make a cent off of it._SUMMER (pronounced Underbar Summer) is an anime which made me wonder if I was supposed to do some prerequisite reading for. Come to find out, it's a video game but unlike another video game anime I'm currently watching, it's really more of an introduction than an attempt to sum up the story of the game.
In fact, in many ways the show plays out like a dating game with two episodes introducing the situation with each girl and then left open ended for us to go dive into the game and choose a path for our young lead.
I really can't recommend it despite having nice animation and cute designs. There just isn't enough here.
Labels: Anime
Friday, April 04, 2008
Some random TV/DVD notes
Yes, I know I used to be so good about keeping this blog. I know that if only for me it's a great window into my life which I can use to sort of track my habits back.
The majority of my TV time has been spent with a controller in hand. If you check out my other blog, you can kind of see more about that but I've gotten lazy on that as well. Since I've been watching a few random episodes of things, I'll try and post at least a quick update here.
MST3K - Time of the Apes: Editing TV shows into movies is never a good idea. While there are tv movies based on shows which are made to be split into pieces (i.e. Super Ducktales) going in the reverse almost never works. Sometimes it's passable like another MST episode Riding with Death and other times like with the Mobile Suit Gundam series fans even accept them greater than the original show. In the case of Time of the Apes, we get the worst scenario and get total trash. 26 episodes really can't be chopped down into an hour and a half without losing something and so we end up with a mishmash of plots which don't make a whole lot of sense. Like Johnny, I just don't care.
The riffing is excellent, however. I actually see myself watching this one again.
Tales of Symphonia - the Animation: This anime is really good ... if you loved the game. Luckily I loved the game so I'm enjoying this show but I doubt many others would like it as a stand alone OAV.
Touch!: What an excellent series! Now once I get time to watch more I'll enjoy more.
Wrestlemania 24: Wow, what a FANTASTIC event. I got to see this at the college which makes me glad to be an alumni.
'Taker's streak continued, Orton retained and Ric Flair wrestled in one of his best matches ever with a fitting end to a LEGENDARY career.
I'll try to post more later and at least keep up. Here's hoping I can at least do that.
The majority of my TV time has been spent with a controller in hand. If you check out my other blog, you can kind of see more about that but I've gotten lazy on that as well. Since I've been watching a few random episodes of things, I'll try and post at least a quick update here.
MST3K - Time of the Apes: Editing TV shows into movies is never a good idea. While there are tv movies based on shows which are made to be split into pieces (i.e. Super Ducktales) going in the reverse almost never works. Sometimes it's passable like another MST episode Riding with Death and other times like with the Mobile Suit Gundam series fans even accept them greater than the original show. In the case of Time of the Apes, we get the worst scenario and get total trash. 26 episodes really can't be chopped down into an hour and a half without losing something and so we end up with a mishmash of plots which don't make a whole lot of sense. Like Johnny, I just don't care.
The riffing is excellent, however. I actually see myself watching this one again.
Tales of Symphonia - the Animation: This anime is really good ... if you loved the game. Luckily I loved the game so I'm enjoying this show but I doubt many others would like it as a stand alone OAV.
Touch!: What an excellent series! Now once I get time to watch more I'll enjoy more.
Wrestlemania 24: Wow, what a FANTASTIC event. I got to see this at the college which makes me glad to be an alumni.
'Taker's streak continued, Orton retained and Ric Flair wrestled in one of his best matches ever with a fitting end to a LEGENDARY career.
I'll try to post more later and at least keep up. Here's hoping I can at least do that.
Labels: Anime, MST3K, site news, wrestling
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Rose of Versailles - 1-8
So I'm starting a few new anime series to try and break me out of my anime slump. Figuring I should go for a classic instead of taking a chance on some mediocre backlog entry I went ahead and tried a classic: The Rose of Versailles.
The Rose of Versailles (or Lady Oscar) is a great 18th century drama in pre-Revolution France about a woman raised as a boy who excels in swordsmanship and raises to head of the Royal Guards and ends up as the personal protector of the new princess Marie Antoinette.
So I'm eight episodes into the show and I can really see why people adore it so. The characters are rich and interesting instead of many of the stereotypical anime characters of most other shows. I guess it's true that a classic does last forever.
The Rose of Versailles (or Lady Oscar) is a great 18th century drama in pre-Revolution France about a woman raised as a boy who excels in swordsmanship and raises to head of the Royal Guards and ends up as the personal protector of the new princess Marie Antoinette.
So I'm eight episodes into the show and I can really see why people adore it so. The characters are rich and interesting instead of many of the stereotypical anime characters of most other shows. I guess it's true that a classic does last forever.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sugar: Vol. 5: Home Sweet Home
Moving away from the theme of finding a "twinkle" Volume 5 of Sugar talks more about the relationship between Saga and Sugar as well as Saga with her friends. Saga goes through quite a bit in this volume including losing her mother's piano to her friend and rival, Greta. These episodes were quite nice and actually I'm seriously considering marathoning the series after I finish it, or at least parts of it.Sugar is a show that is readily growing to become one of my favorite shows made in the last decade. It is steadily growing to show the different layers it contains. Between the fairy tale fantasy, silly comedy and wonderful music it reminds me in many ways what it was like to be a child and also reminds me of a time when I tended to enjoy just about every anime I watched. While many claim I'm a huge pessimist about shows made after the move to more computer animation techniques (and they'd be right) Sugar is a show that makes even someone like me step back and realize that not everything out there is trash, just 90% of it.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Urusei Yatsura: TV Series 04
Diving into the backlog is another volume of the incredibly strange movie about some mixed up aliens.Urusei Yatsura is a show that I'm really unsure of how to take. The show seems to go to great lengths to establish Lum as a likable character and while I do feel for her fruitless attempt to keep Ataru faithful, there are times I wonder why she doesn't just give up.
I have one more disc of this and perhaps if my backlog was zero I'd get some more but for now, the show is continuing to be quite blah.
Labels: Anime, Comedy, Japanese
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Lupin the 3rd - Vol. 06: Lupin the Target
Whenever I want to see a great comedic action anime, I always reach for Lupin the 3rd first. This disc brings the show to 32 episodes out of 155 total so there's still a ways to go. Therefore the show is still pretty fresh and exciting with one episode on this disc (Lupin Dies Twice) that actually had me guessing as to how the world's greatest thief could steal himself away from an assassin's bullet.I really enjoy Lupin and while many will argue that the movies are a bit more solid and enjoyable, the show is undoubtably a classic and is something every anime fan should watch. That is, if they can put down their CGI flashy shows and appreciate this admittedly dated classic.
Labels: Anime, Japanese, Lupin
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Dragon Ball Collection #1: The Saga of Goku
Every story must have a beginning and Dragon Ball is no exception. Before there were super Saiya-jin level 20 billion and an entire season devoted to five minutes, there was a little comedy story loosely based on A Journey to the West. Here is where we first meet Goku, Bulma, Oolong, Yamucha, Muten Roshi and Chi-Chi in a more comedic and fairy tale-like show that may not please all Dragon Ball Z fans but is quite entertaining on its own.Since the video rights of the first 13 episodes of Dragon Ball are caught in somewhat of a snag in the States, Funimation has not been able to release them uncut. In Austrailia, however, things are a different story. Working on a sublicense through Funimation Madman has released all the FUNI Dragon Ball sets much to the delight of those down under as well as importers worldwide.
The first thing I should mention is that these sets are not an alternative to the US sets. Since Madman licensed these through Funimation, any gripes you have on the American sets are present here plus one. These discs are encoded to fit the dimensions of the PAL video system and thus are incompatible with most American DVD players including those that are Region Free. If you plan on watching these on a computer with region free capabilities, you should be okay, otherwise make sure you have PAL to NTSC conversion as a feature on your region free player before buying this.
Despite all the issues, I still recommend this set. Dragon Ball is a great show which is sadly overshadowed by its sequel series. Yet when given a chance on its own it's a lot of fun.
Labels: Anime, Comedy, Dragon Ball
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Sugar: Vol. 4: Magical Sparkling Days
Four more episodes of this adorable little anime are sure to make your teeth rot. It delivers some good stories centering around the fairies while allowing us to look more into Saga's life and how she deals with it all. Usual cuteness warnings apply.As I get further along with Sugar, the more it is certainly growing on me. When I first started the show I found it almost too cute to get through although now I find myself enjoying it more and more. I guess my main advice to those thinking about the show is that you might have to invest some time and watch a bunch of episodes before giving up on it.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Chobits - Vol. 6: My Only Person
In the thrilling climax and conclusion to Chobits the true origins of Chi are revealed as well as all the secrets that everyone has been hiding suddenly come out to the forefront. It's quite the clash at the end and the ending actually had me guessing for a while.I think the first thing to mention about Chobits, now that I have seen the end, is that it is a show that frankly I just don't understand it. In some ways I wonder if it is every fanboy's fantasy to have his computer or toys basically come to love and return the love that they pour into them at the expense of relationships with other humans. Chobits seems to say, to me, that it is okay to love your toys.
In that regard, Chobits, I'm afraid, loses some points. Honestly, while the whole robot love thing seems to leave me with more of a depressed feeling than that of joy for the characters.
In the end, computers and robots are no substitutes for human emotions and such. People do give their hearts to strange things but I hope that the otakus out there don't take this all too seriously.
So, Chobits as a whole is worth watching for the fun, although I doubt I will rewatch it much, if ever.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Lupin the 3rd - Vol. 05: Mission Irresistible
Tonight I tackle the next disc of Lupin the 3rd. As episode three Hitler no Isan (Hitler's Legacy) was skipped on the first disc due to fears it may taint the run on Adult Swim they put it off until this volume to show it. Due to this we get a full six episodes here instead of the usual five.The episodes on here were quite good, actually and I can see myself going back to rewatch them at some point in the future. I especially enjoyed the episodes which focused more on Goemon and Jigen as I feel that at times they tend to be neglected.
I also loved the copious amount of classical music featured here with selections from Carmen as well as the Voice of Spring making appearances in the soundtrack.
Labels: Anime, Japanese, Lupin
Friday, July 06, 2007
Bottle Fairy - Vol. 2: Autumn and Winter
Bottle Fairy is the adorable and educational story for four little fairies who wish to become human. Before they can do that, however, they must first learn the ways of the average Japanese person which leads to some rather silly situations.This is a show that I can easily recommend to the casual viewer as well as the otaku. Due to its length at just 13 episodes with each episode running about 12 minutes there is not a great time investment needed to understand the show. One other aspect that is inviting is the fact that it is so easy to just pick up an episode here and there without having to remember what happened in the last episode.
I definitely recommend it but, as always, watch for sales.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Sugar: Vol. 3: The Bear Pianist
Since today was a rather dreary and somewhat lethargic day it almost seemed appropriate to liven things up with a little Sugar.Here on this disc we get a nice story arc centered around a group of traveling actors who put on a show about a bear who plays the piano. The whole town seems caught up in it including Saga and the season fairies. During the course of events Saga meets up with Vincent, the man in the bear costume and the relationship between the two as he teaches her about the piano is done in a rather nice manner and the whole show gives you a warm fuzzy feeling after watching it.
That said, Sugar is still best taken in small doses, but a few episodes now and then is good for just about anyone.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Burn-Up Scramble - Vol. 2: Babes Battle Bandits
After giving the first disc a less than favorable review two years ago I honestly thought I was done with the series. I eventually changed my mind, however, when RightStuff offered the rest of the show at $4 a disc.Burn-Up, for those unfamiliar is a franchise of anime that started back in 1991. The original show was fairly standard in terms of comedy, fanservice and action, although later elements like Excess seemed to rely more on the fanservice. With Scramble they decided to take the tried and true characters of the originals and totally reinvent them with a completely different art style. What they ended up with is a sort of Tenchi in Tokyo scenario where fans of the original series may be completely turned off and new fans may not understand the big deal.
The Burn-Up franchise is admittedly something that is not a favorite of mine. While I do own a Burn-Up W laserdisc, I have yet to watch the DVD sitting in my backlog for several years now. I think the problem with a show like Burn-Up was that back when I was in high school I could enjoy just about any anime as long as it had a large supply of busty women. Strangely I suppose I have grown up and the fanservice shows don't seem to interest me as much and Scramble doesn't have enough comedy to keep me that interested.
At $4 a disc, I don't feel too ripped off but I doubt I will rewatch this anytime soon.
Labels: Action, Anime, Comedy, Ecchi, Japanese
Plastic Little: Essential Anime Edition
Plastic Little is an odd little anime that I first picked up a few years ago. Over the years I have tried a few times to actually watch it and yet I was never able to actually finish it. After finally watching the entire movie, I can understand why.What you have here a basic sci-fi and action anime with hefty doses of fanservice. Despite what should be a winning combination I found myself bored throughout most of the movie due to the rather bland plot. Therefore I can't recommend it although someone out there may find it interesting.
Labels: Action, Anime, Comedy, Ecchi, Japanese
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl - Complete Collection
Disc 1 Review: 6/6/07 - 6:16PMHere's a show that's been on my shelf for a few years which for one reason or another I never made an effort to watch. Feeling I was in the mood for watching something different I gave it a shot.
Jubei Chan is about a young girl named Jiyo Nanohana. Not only is she the most adorable girl in her 8th grade class (not to mention the bustiest) but there is more to this bubbly girl than her bra size. It turns out she is the reincarnation of the legendary swordsman, Yagyu Jubei. With an eyepatch shaped like a heart she transforms and gets all of the power of the real Jubei. Of course, the funny thing is Jiyo doesn't want anything to do with this power much to the disapproval of most everyone else.
The show is quite amusing and it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.
Disc 2 Review: 6/26/07 7:52PM
Jiyu is now Jubei whether she likes it or not, and in fact she hates it. The episodes on this disc, while comical, take us away from the "monster of the week" feel of the first disc with a central plot emerging and more emphasis being placed on the emotions of Jiyu as she deals with having this curse of power.
One thing that so far has impressed me with the show is how
Note: This show was originally released in singles but the content appears to be the same, down to the extras. I am not 100% sure about the newest complete collection but I assume it is just a new pressing with a different cover.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Dragon Ball Z episodes 28-32
While not technically a backlog or real DVD in the sense of what I usually review, I did watch the next five episodes of Dragon Ball Z on the DVD-R I made from my old fansub tapes. I have debated on buying the R2s which, amongst other things, have have great cover art and definitely have better video quality than the crappy old tape prints I have.
Labels: Action, Anime, Dragon Ball Z, Japanese
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 9 - Vegeta Saga II - Ultimate SacrificeThe battle against the Saiya-jin continues on with Tenshinhan meeting his fate along with Piccolo as the warriors still wait for Goku to return and help them fight the alien invaders off. These episodes are particularly poignant for fans of the original Dragon Ball as it is in some ways the last elements of the older show are literally being killed off in favor of the bigger and stronger bad guys that would follow.
With this the last release of Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Uncut edition I'm afraid my watching habits will now have to change to the fansubbed tapes I copied to DVD-R. While their quality is garbage, at least the aspect ratio is correct. Sad that FUNimation is the top selling anime company in America after doing garbage transfers and then screwing up Dragon Ball Z even worse than before. At least I bought the ultimate uncut used ...
Labels: Action, Anime, Dragon Ball Z, Japanese
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 8 - Vegeta Saga II - Saiyan InvasionThe showdown with the Saiya-jins has begun. Gohan, Piccolo, Kuririn, Tenshinhan, Chaozu and Yamucha stand ready to face the evil warriors and the first major battle in Dragon Ball Z is about to begin. This is the last major fight where some of the major secondary characters from Dragon Ball such as Yamucha and Yajirobe are relevant and it's sad that this is their last hurrah.
For those unfamiliar with this series, or at least with the way the show works, it can basically be assumed that when there is a battle it will not end for many episodes. Just one segment of a fight or even one attack can take up an entire episode. Seeing this for the first time can either turn you off of the show or, in my case, fascinate you and keep you hooked.
Dragon Ball Z has its fans and detractors. If you like it, you probably already own this DVD. If not, you can get it used for dirt cheap on Amazon.
Labels: Action, Anime, Dragon Ball Z, Japanese
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Doki Doki School Hours: 5th HourFinishing up the show are the last four episodes which seem to be quite mixed. The first two have more of a fantasy element which plays with the characters in different ways. While these episodes were good it's nice to know that the show ends on a more serious note with Mika-sensei going through the arranged marriage route and she and her students contemplate what it would mean if she was to get married.
Doki Doki School Hours is an odd show. The comparisons to Azumanga Daioh will be apparent to fans of that show but that the Doki Doki manga predates Azu by two years. Still, it is a fun show and is quite entertaining in its own right.
Give the show a shot. It's cheap at Rightstuf right now.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 7 - Vegeta Saga I - Back From the DeadAfter several discs of filler the show gets down to business. Goku finally meets Kaio-sama for training and the Saiya-jin appear on the Earth with Goku still in the other world a day late. This disc seems to have more plot than the last three combined and while it would have been nice to perhaps extend Goku's training, it's time to let the battle against the Saiya-jin commence.
These are really the last silly episodes of the show with the rest of the series being more about the fighting and the next big enemy. So cherish them while they last as there's a whole lot of yelling and fighting to come.
One side note: I'm really quite amazed that I made it through 7 discs (21 episodes) of a show so fast. I almost never do that.
Labels: Action, Anime, Dragon Ball Z, Japanese
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Melty Lancer - Vol. 1: AlphaI'm really not even sure where to start with a title like Melty Lancer. It's almost a stereotype in itself. We have a show where several hot girls are formed into a counter-terrorism group. No, this isn't Burn-Up! as that would be giving it way too much credit. Instead it's a steaming pile of waste based on a Playstation Game.
I find myself losing patience with the younger breed of anime fans. I had a coworker about 2 years ago who loved the latest and greatest shows and I remember him declaring once that GONZO made the best anime. Well, here we have a GONZO show that left me not only bored but had me wondering if this was the kind of show that appeals to the new otakus on the block. Hopefully I'm wrong and this is just a turkey.
Skip this.
Labels: Action, Anime, Crap, Japanese
Friday, June 15, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 6 - Vegeta Saga I - Doomed HeroesThe filler episodes wind down a bit as Gohan begins training with Piccolo and Goku finally makes it to the end of the Serpentine path to the home planet of the great Kaio-sama for training. Meanwhile Yamucha, Kuririn, Tenshinhan and Chaozu all train at Kami's place fighting Saiya-jin from the far past to see just how weak they really are.
This disc is certainly one of the more interesting ones as we build up for the coming of the Saiya-jin. I'm really enjoying this series again and I believe that the show has great rewatchabiliy as I find myself feeling as though this is the first time I've seen the show, despite the fact that I have seen these episodes countless times uncut on old fansubs.
Labels: Anime, Dragon Ball Z, Japanese
Bottle Fairy - Vol. 1: Spring and SummerTaking a break from the action and adventure of most everything else I was watching, I decided to give Bottle Fairy a try. I anticipated that this would be a cute show made for little kids yet as I watched the show I began to question whether this was made for more for the otaku crowd.
The show jumps right in without an origin explanation or any real introduction to the characters. What I was able to figure out is that they are, as the title suggests, Bottle Fairies and they are searching for a way to become human. They do this by reading up on various subjects such as school and marriage and misinterpreting them to the ridiculously cute degree. Realizing their mistakes they get their help from the girl next door, Tama, who seems to get the girls even more confused. Usually it's up to Sensei-san (who doesn't appear to have a real name) to sort things out at the end.
The show is totally contrived of cuteness yet at the same time I've heard it is a good show for western fans to watch to understand a little about Japanese culture and festivals. I can also see this being a good tool for students as well and perhaps introducing children to various aspects of another culture.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Lupin the 3rd - Vol. 04: Thieves' ParadiseIt's no secret that Lupin is one of my favorite anime characters of all time. Strangely while I was putting out the money for things like Fujiko figures and such I never put out the dough for the DVDs. Luckily it was RightStuf to the rescue which allowed me to buy most every disc I had been missing.
The episodes here were fairly good. I really liked the Goemon centered episode which allowed us to look a bit into his past as well as find out more of what's going on inside his head. The rest were all classic Lupin with plenty of fanservice, hijinks and adventure. Of note I had to smile at one scene where Lupin and Fujiko were playing Pong against one another. Ahh, the 70s!
One of the aspects of Lupin that may appeal to some American fans is the sheer episodic nature of the show. There aren't long story arcs but instead just simple 23 minute adventures. Because of this Lupin the 3rd is a show that isn't exactly for every anime fan and its age does show. Still, Lupin is a classic and deserves to be seen.
Now I just wonder if we'll get the original 1971 show.
Definitely a reccomended viewing for those not afraid of a show with some age.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 5 - Vegeta Saga I - Goku Held HostageAnother disc of Dragon Ball Z and we have three more episodes to prepare for the coming of the Saiya-jins. Watching these brought back some memories and at the same time surprised me a bit too with things I had forgotten.
While these are more filler, the show is still entertaining in the comedic way that would be abandoned later on. Basically all that happens of interest on this disc is that Goku has some perils along the Serpentine Path and Gohan decides to try going home.
This disc also has the episode that featured the infamous "Home For Infinite Losers" censorship which made me smile and simultaneously cry remembering how cut up this show used to be shown.
Labels: Anime, Dragon Ball Z, Japanese
Monday, June 11, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 4 - Vegeta Saga I - Gohan's TrialsDragon Ball Z can be summed up into basically two types of shows. There are episodes with major events taking place over the course of several episodes and then there is lots of filler with no real plot development stuffed in-between. With Goku still on the Serpentine Road and the Saiya-jins still en route to Earth this disc is 100% filler which is not awful but it would've been nicer had Funimation released more episodes to a disc. The reason for this filler was a necessary in order to allow Akira Toriyama more time to write the manga so that the show would not get ahead of his pace.
While this disc is just filler, at least it is enjoyable filler. Included here was one of my favorite episodes growing up which is where Vegeta and Nappa stop at a planet inhabited by giant mantis-like creatures and overthrow a dictator only to blow up the planet anyway. Other than that, we get to see Yamucha, Puar, Tenshinhan, Chaozu and Lunch for the first time in Z as they all head to be trained by Kami.
Personally I really enjoy the first season of Dragon Ball Z the best. Perhaps it is because it was in that transition between the original and Z or because it seemed so fresh and new to me back in 1997 or so. Either way, these are the episodes I enjoy the most and wish that the series had continued to be more like this over all the "Super Sayia-jin" stuff that it would end up as.
Labels: Action, Anime, Dragon Ball Z
Friday, June 08, 2007
Ai Yori Aoshi: 5. With All My HeartHarem shows are a dime a dozen these days. The premise which started way back with Tenchi Muyo was repeated over and over through the years. You take a rather awkward teenage boy and surround him with gorgeous women who all have the hots for him. While there have been variations on it over the years with such series like Angel Tales with the girls being pets and series like Love Hina where all characters are made as unlikeable as can be.
Ai Yori Aoshi is at the higher end of the harem spectrum. What makes this show interesting is not the fanservice as clearly that is not overwhelming in the show but it's the fact that it does set out to tell a story and include some very interesting cultural overtones such as the traditional lifestyles of Aoi's family blending with the more western and modern style of Kaoru and how it shows that while the two may not mesh well all the time, there are high points of both.
I personally really enjoyed Ai Yori Aoshi despite the fact that it took me so long to watch it all. The show really, for me, is a great relief from the pratfall a minute and two-dimensional characters that so many harem type shows have as standard. It was also refreshing to see Kaoru as such a strong male lead who can stand up for himself and not be a pervert or doormat like so many other male leads seem to be.
Ai Yori Aoshi is easy to recommend. It has a lot of laughs and a lot of quiet moments to get you thinking about the characters and their life. If you want to see if a harem show can be deeper than Love Hina, you can't do much better than Ai Yori Aoshi.
Highly recommended!
Sugar: Vol. 2: Friends and DreamsHere we have four more adventures of the little fairies who are working hard to become full fledged season fairies so that they can control the weather. The story itself is rather plain but it's obvious that this show was made for cuteness overload which can be a good or bad thing depending on your preference.
Sugar, like its namesake, is something best taken sparingly. While some children may eat it up, older anime fans such as myself who can appreciate cuteness will most likely feel that it is better in small doses.
I recommend it as an average show when watched an episode or two at a time but it gets boring when watched in "marathon" form.
Labels: Anime
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Hyper Police - Vol. 6Natsuki and Co. continue with the adventures of the dome from the last disc and expand upon it with time travel as well as coming to terms with the mingling of the beast world and the human world. Natsuki is given the chance to live in the human world where beasts never coexisted with humans which leads to perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the show with Natsuki shown as an ordinary teenage schoolgirl.
If I was to have any complaints about the disc it would be the ending. Personally I would've either have liked to see something more conclusive or more episodes of the show.
I saw Hyper Police not long after I started getting into anime seriously. While I had been buying anime dubbed back in 1997 or so, it wasn't really until 1999 that I was seriously buying fansubbed VHS tapes. One of the first shows for me to get my filthy mitts on was Hyper Police which I watched to death back in the day. For that reason it, along with my other early fansub finds Saint Tail and Wedding Peach hold a special place for me in my collection.
Hyper Police is an easy show to recommend as it is a nice blend of comedy, action, catgirls and fanservice yet not being too overly ambitious in one area over another and still maintaining a decent plot. The discs are fairly cheap so pick them up if you can!
Labels: Action, Anime, Comedy, Japanese
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Chobits - Vol. 5: DisappearanceChi, as the volume title suggests, has gone missing and in plain sight. It turns out she was abducted by a persocom enthusiast who want to know the secrets of Chi and Chobits but it seems he may have gotten more than he bargained for.
With this being the next to last volume of Chobits, the show is really commencing to build up the suspense as well as reveal that this is no ordinary fanservice anime. As Hideki searches for Chi he is reminded over and over that Chi is a machine and not a human as Ueda (the shop owner where Chi works) tells his tragic story of falling in love with his persocom and how it was no Coppelia-like comedy. This brings up some very deep thoughts from the usually clueless Hideki and seems to only make his desire to find Chi stronger.
I definitely recommend this volume and personally I can't wait for the conclusion to see how this all ties together.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. #1:This show begins with a strange story shown in the form of a grainy student film apparantly made by our main characters. It is certainly interesting, especially after seeing many such "fan films" myself over the years and the fanservice wasn't so bad, either.
Haruhi Suzumiya should be a normal high school girl. She excels in sports, gets good grades and is quite easy on the eyes. However it seems she is determined to find aliens, time travelers, espers and other such supernatural things. She drags a poor first year student, Kyon, who sits in front of her in class into her little club. What comes next is a series of misadventures with poor Kyon caught up in a world of insanity that unfolds around him.
It's not very often that I buy new releases of anime but for some reason Haruhi seemed to catch my eye. Perhaps it was the box or maybe the massive Haruhi dance at Anime Boston.
Labels: Anime, Comedy, Japanese, sci-fi
Friday, June 01, 2007
Hanaukyo Maid Team La Verite - Vol. 2: Lost in Kamakura:Harem Shows are a dime a dozen and this show is no exception. While I will admit to enjoying the show as a time waster, it really brought nothing new to the anime table and, sadly, doesn't seem to add anything new over the original series. In fact I'd go so far as to say the original show in its 15 minute format was more appropriate for this light fluff.
What the show does deliver is a lot of silly fanservice. If that's what you're in the mood for you can certainly do a lot worse. Besides, maids are pretty hot.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wandaba Style: Vol 3: Idol Invasion!So the girls of Mix Juice finally get to land on the moon. Of course, now the real question is "How to get back?" Even though he lost to his mother in the moon race, it's Tsukumo to the rescue again. Then when the girls come back to Earth there are more problems with their newly gained fame of performing on the Moon.
Wandaba Style is at the surface just another silly and disposable anime series. Digging deeper than that you see that indeed that is all that it is. There are some fun songs along with some rather silly moments that make for a good waste of time.
This show gets my half-hearted recommendation to buy it cheap and enjoy.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Dragon Ball Z: Vol. 3 - Vegeta Saga I - Into the Wild:As the Saiya-jin are on their way to earth the earth's warriors must train. Goku continues along the Serpentine path, Gohan has his survival training in the wild, Piccolo goes on alone and the rest of the gang are invited up to Karin's tower to train. This means that this disc as well as the next are mostly filler.
Still the episodes here are interesting and if you have never seen the show uncut before, they are worth watching. As a matter of fact, the last episode of the disc where Gohan meets a lost robot was cut completely from the US release for unknown reasons though it's position as a disposable filler episode is probably the answer.
Out of curiousity I checked out the dub to see what FUNi could do with it. It's still crap, just like it's always been. Of course that's why I don't watch dubbed anime, especially from FUNimation.
Labels: Anime, Dragon Ball Z
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Dragonball Z: Vol. 2 - Vegeta Saga I - Piccolo's Plan:In these episodes Goku and Piccolo take on and finish off Raditz with Goku dying in the process. However they learn the horrifying fact that two much stronger Saiya-jins are on their way to Earth to use the Dragon Balls to wish for immortality. So the warriors all have to train in the coming year and prepare for the coming danger.
As I continue with my quest to watch all of Dragonball Z I can't help but think that the main appeal here is simply the nostalgia. I love being transported back to when I first saw these on television years ago and also allowing me to see these uncut and subtitled.
These episodes get Z off to a good start and we haven't yet reached the loads of filler that is to come in the next few episodes. I can see why the season sets, despite their stupid and ignorant cropping, seem to be selling so well as getting a season of twenty some episodes at once of DBZ is more necessary. Unfortunately the video quality is certainly less than stellar and yet they are so much better than my crappy old tapes and unlike the season sets are in their original aspect ratio and thus I'll just continue to collect these.
Labels: Anime, Dragon Ball Z
Friday, May 25, 2007
Chance Pop Session: Session Two:The trio of friends continue in their quests to become singers and they are met with failure, success, setbacks and even a wardrobe malfunction. We also learn some interesting revelations about Akari and Yuki and about their early lives and how they are connected.
Chance Pop Session seems to continue along at a rather steady pace and while the show is completely predictable, it still is a decent time waster.
What I find quite fascinating about this show is the fact that Akari is a Christian. I think this is the only anime I've seen where a character is a practicing and apparently Protestant Christian. While the show doesn't seem to really go into that much, it is an interesting aspect since sadly so few in Japan are Christians.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Dragonball Z: Vol. 1 - Vegeta Saga - Saiyan ShowdownAs anyone who knows my history in regards to anime will most likely remember when I first got started into the hobby. Back while waiting for the bus to take me to high school I would watch Dragonball Z in my living room. I enjoyed the show quite a bit despite realizing the edits and went so far as to get fansub tapes with horrendous quality up to the end of the original edit job and then bought the rest of the Freeza saga on DVD.
Unfortunately after Freeza my interest in Dragonball Z waned. Part of this was the fact that during each new saga the Saiya-jins got that much stronger and the more interesting humans would get that much weaker. By the end of the Cell saga and the beginning of Buu, I just gave up. However I never stopped enjoying the first few seasons and waited patiently for them to be released to DVD.
I snatched this volume up when it first came out but like other things, I just never had the nostalgia to put it in and watch it all. Plus the cost of buying the series three episodes at a time was always difficult for me to do and thus, I stopped.
Fast forward to the present and FUNimation is now releasing these episodes again in season boxsets but the video is horrendously cropped to fit widescreen TVs under the silly notion that this is "the way it was meant to be seen."
Calling bullshit on that, I decided it was time I went ahead and bought all those released (used of course) and began transferring the rest of my fansubs to DVD-R. If FUNI wises up and gives the remaining episodes a proper release I may support them with my wallet. Until then, they can stick their fake widescreen where the sun don't shine.
Labels: Anime, Dragon Ball Z
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Wandaba Style - Vol. 2: Warp Speed!Boy genius
The show is incredibly comical and while it does have its perverted moments with the occasional bra and panty shot, the show is mostly fitting of its PG rating.
As I said before, the show is decent enough but not really worth paying full price over. I stand by my recommendation to get the collection instead.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Ai Yori Aoshi Vol. 4: Truly Yours: Today I sat down and watched five more episodes of Ai Yori Aoshi. This above average harem show does take some getting into but at the same time it seems to have a charm that others seem to lack.In this disc we are introduced to the last member of the harem, Chika. She is Taeko's cousin and seems to think that Kaoru is just perfect for Taeko. Thus she seems to try and push them together a lot leading to some rather amusing scenes and situations.
The disc was quite enjoyable and I know I'll have to take some screenshots of Tina as a tiger gal and Taeko as a cow girl (but not in the Dale Evans model unfortunately) and just the general cuteness of the show.
If you liked the others, no reason to stop here.
Labels: Anime, Comedy, Japanese
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Wedding Peach Vol. 10 - DX: Ending the classic Wedding Peach series is a four episode OAV which takes the show and expands upon it in ways the original never did before.As anyone familiar with my anime taste knows, I am a big fan of Wedding Peach and have been ever since I saw the first four episodes in high school. This was back when Techno Girls were subtitling and Animerica was telling us how bad this show was. Strangely while I always knew more of the series existed and my belief it would never be picked up, I never got the rest of it. At least now, after probably eight years of first learning of it, I have finally seen Wedding Peach DX.
I had heard that DX was different and yet I had no idea just how different. The OAV seems to pick up right where the TV show left off in some ways acting like a few "lost episodes" yet with the benefit of an OVA budget they were able to have somewhat better animation. Being released straight to video also seemed to allow the fanservice to be upped a notch or two. What was once a tame show for young girls now has cleavage, panty and bra shots. Not that I'm complaining, of course but it is certainly different.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Chobits - Disc 4: Love Defined: Finishing up the night is the fourth volume of a rather enjoyable anime series. Chobits seems good at being a good silly and ecchi show when it wants to be.On the other hand, beginning with the last episode the show is starting to add a decidedly more serious side, especially when it comes to the notion of people falling in love with their persocoms and thus avoiding the real world. I wonder if this is perhaps Clamp's way of telling us that we need to get off of our computers and away from our technology lest we be engulfed by it. Or perhaps I'm looking into it too much.
Labels: Anime, Japanese, sci-fi
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
DiGi Charat Nyo! - Vol. 1: Nyo Arrival: After close to two years of delays Di Gi Charat Nyo finally comes to DVD. I preordered this title when it was announced and forgot about it when it was delayed until I got an email that the card used for this order was long expired. I guess when something is delayed for two years it's not a surprise that cards would expire before then. Still, depite all this it's now in my grubby hands.The show itself is fantastic. I am a DiGi Charat fan and have been ever since I saw Panyo Panyo so long ago. While Panyo was more of a show for little kids and the original being more of an "otaku only" show, this one is quite interesting in retelling the original series but in a more accessible story format.
If I had a complaint, it would be the dub. The ADV dub of Panyo was almost preferable to the original but the dub here is a little on the weak side. That's not to say it's bad, I'll just watch the show subtitled is all.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Lupin The III: The Castle of Cagliostro: Here we have the first of the Lupin the 3rd movies. In this film Lupin instead of selfishly stealing great treasure instead uses his skills to help rescue a princess in need.I have to say after watching it I have a bit of mixed feelings over it. On the one hand it was a fabulous adventure. The sheer scope and magnitude of the castle and the lengths Lupin went to rescue the princess were amazing. I was literally on the edge of my seat during most of the film.
On the other hand, I kept thinking to myself during the film that it really didn't seem like Lupin. He seemed a bit too kind in a way and I expected him to be more of the letch and con-man that we've all come to know and love and yet here we see a more kind and caring Lupin. That's not to say it's a bad thing, it's just different.
This film has taken a life of its own thanks to its director, Hayao Miyazaki. Before creating Studio Ghibli and creating such classics as Totoro and Spirited Away, Miyazaki was an animation director for a few Lupin the 3rd TV episodes and was chosen to direct this film. This is most certainly the reason for the changes and the art style of the film is very Ghibli-like.
I definitely recommend this film to all anime fans and also to those looking for a good movie. After checking it out, though, I suggest you go check out the Lupin the 3rd TV series next.
Labels: Anime, Classics, Japanese
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Lupin the 3rd - Vol. 3: Family Jewels: After Anime Boston I decided it would be a good idea to watch anime and then update this blog. Since I bought an awesome figure of Fujiko, Lupin was an obvious choice of anime.Lupin the 3rd is one of those vastly underrated series here in the States. Part of the reason is the age and the general look of it but getting beyond the surface you have perhaps one of the most fun anime series ever released.
Definitely recommended!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Ai Yori Aoshi Vol. 3: Hugs & Kisses: In a little over two weeks I'll be going to Anime Boston. Because of this, I am going to be reviewing quite a bit of anime in the time being. Unfortunately I have a lot of papers due at the same time, so I shouldn't expect regular reviews.Ai Yori Aoshi is another typical harem show and in this disc, more harem things happen. We are introduced to a new character, Mayu. Mayu is another girl enamored with Kaoru, our male lead. Of course this leadds to jealousy between her and Aoi and, of course, she ends up living with them.
The show is progressing nicely and while there's nothing wrong with a good harem show now and then, the premise has been done dozens of times before.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Chobits - Disc 3: Darkness Descends: Moving on to something much better is Chobits Disc 3. Here were have the further misadventures of Hideki and Chi in what is turning out to be one of the best anime shows I've seen in a long while.The highlight of this disc has to be the last episode where Hideki is loaned a DVD player and video game system. I certainly found the whole online gaming experience to be portrayed quite nicely, especially in the sense that it showed how many hours are wasted by people on them. I'm sure that doesn't sit well for those who devote months of their lives to World of Warcraft, but oh well.
Chobits is cute, funny and most of all it's just plain entertaining. I can't wait to start disc 4.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Chobits - Vol. 2: The Empty City: After getting my new widescreen monitor I decided it might be a good idea to test it out with a good widescreen disc. Diving into the backlog first, I pulled out the second volume of Chobits a mere two and a half years after watching volume 1.Chobits is the charming tale of a boy and his robot (or Persocom.) Hideki is your typical country bumpkin who has gone to the big city to study. Along the way he finds his own Persocom named Chi whom he takes home and gets to know.
In these episodes we see the relationship between Chi and Hideki grow. It's quite entertaining watching Chi being incredibly naive about the world and Hideki almost taking a father-like approach to teaching her while at the same time being attracted to her.
This is one of the better anime show I have seen recently and I certainly look forward to watching the rest.
Labels: Anime
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Wandaba Style - Vol. 1: Rocket to Stardom!: When the ADV sale hit a few weeks ago, I got the chance to pick up some anime I normally would have passed by. One of those releases I never knew existed was Wandaba Style. Since it was $5 a disc, I decided to give it a try and while my satisfaction is somewhat mixed I'm not sorry.Four cute idols of various genres are put together by their afro sporting manager, Michael Hanagata. Included are a child star singer, Sakura Haruno; Ayame Akimo, a folk singer who claims to see fairies; Himawai Natsuma the enka balladeer and Yuri Fuyude, a tough rock star. Mixed together they become Mix Juice and play the lowest venues such as advertising for a supermarket.
Desperate to make the girls stars again their manager signs them up for a new project: to be the first band to give a concert from the moon. They attempt to accomplish this by participating in the experiments of the eccentric boy genius, Dr. Tsukumo who plans to send them to the moon using hair brained schemes such as using the power of a giant seltzer bottle or a giant slingshot.
In the end this ends up being one of those predictable shows that I probably would have eaten up about five to ten years ago when anime wasn't so common. I did, however, laugh at parts and I do feel it was worth the $5 I paid for it, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much.
If you can get it cheap, by all means buy it. Otherwise, I think buying the complete collection might be a better idea.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Cosmos Conqueror: Over the last few months, I've been searching for the newest batch of IFD releases from Digiview. After finding two recently, they ended up at the top of the pile and I am so not disappointed.This film, like the others has a rather thin plot. Aliens are again attacking the Earth. Lucky for us three kids got command of another alien robot, the "Robot King." Unlike the others, I did not detect any direct copyright infringement in the mech or character designs.
This one was definitely above average and I am more than satisfied with the last couple. Now I just need to find the other three.
Labels: Anime, Bad Movies, Cheap DVDs, Dollar DVD
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Captain of Cosmos: They're BAA-ACK! Yes, just when you thought it was safe to visit the dollar bin, more Korean anime ripoffs come our way via Joseph Lai and the good people at Digiview.In this release we see ripoffs from the Gundam universe in the form of character designs. Our hero in this film, Captain Leo of the Cosmos Warriors, bears a striking resemblance to Char when he has his helmet on and with it off, he looks just like Amuro. Now if that's not enough to get Gundam fans' heads spinning, they should know that the female lead alternates between Sayla and Kycilia Zabi depending on whether her helmet is on or not. The similarities stop there, I'm afraid as despite what the cover art shows, there are no Gundams or giant robots in the film at all.
The story in this was rather weak with an alien queen kidnapping humans to rebuild her destroyed planet and the Cosmos Warriors coming to the rescue. The evil queen has her army of robots and green centaurs apparently can fight but cannot think or build like the humans can. Forcing humans into slave labor the evil queen ends up capturing our heroes and the predictable happens.
What I will congratulate the Koreans on with this is that the plot actually seemed to be somewhat coherent as opposed to some others like Space Thunder Kids which flat out made no sense. I can't say I was enthralled with this DVD but I did get a good chuckle or two and it kept me awake.
I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend this one. Unfortunately I had to pick up my copy online at eBay since my local Wal*Marts have yet to pick them up for sale. Hopefully someone gets them in soon, or I can find the rest on eBay.
Labels: Anime, Bad Movies, Cheap DVDs, Dollar DVD
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Urusei Yatsura: TV Series 03: Continuing with the backlog reduction, I decided to give this series another shot.Volume 3 continues the story of Lum and Ataru. If you have seen the previous two volumes you know what to expect. The show continues to be silly and predictable and thus I admit I am getting a little bored with it. I doubt I will ever finish up the series but I might as well watch what I have.
Labels: Anime
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon: Season 1: Many anime fans my age were either brought into the genre by either one of about three or four series. Your "gateway" was either Dragonball Z, Tenchi Muyo, Pokemon or Sailor Moon. While my personal gateways were Speed Racer and Dragon Ball Z, I must confess that in my eleven years as an anime fan I had never seen the first Sailor Moon series in its entirety. Back in Summer of 2004 I was willing to give the show another chance and due to a sale at RightStuf I was able to snag this and Season 2 for $50 each. Since then the show has gone out of print and the DVDs nearly impossible to find. Still, I feel it necessary to at least say a few words about it.Sailor Moon is a series that really needs no explaining. It has transcended as an anime and has become a pop culture icon from Japan to Europe to the US. Since its original manga form it has spawned several TV series, a live Action Japanese version, several musicals, a horrid Americanized live action version which, thank God, never got beyond a promo reel and more merchandise than one could ever hope to collect in a lifetime.
Viewing it without anything else and placing this series in a bubble is a bit difficult if not impossible. To be quite honest, many of the episodes are silly filler where Sailor Moon and co. go up against another monster of the week and using the same stock footage are able to defeat her. Of course this is quite entertaining filler, it is filler nonetheless.
Still, throughout it all I will say that I am glad that I did watch it, even if it took me over two years to finish the set. I guess in two more years I'll have watched R.
The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz: Here's another Enoki anime release brought to us via our good friends at Digiview. Unfortunately, like their other releases this is a sloppy compilation of a 26 episode series into an hour movie. Still, it gives a good preview of what the show should be.The original show is Space Oz no Bouken which ran for 26 episodes back in 1990. The animation style is quite familiar to fans of American animation of the time which was made in Japan as the show has decidedly DIC like character designs but yet never lets you forget that it's anime.
I guess for a dollar, it is alright but the whole 26 episode series released bilingually would have been nicer even if I realize that such a thing is impossible.
Labels: Anime, Cheap DVDs
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Burn-Up Excess - Vol. 4: The Case of the Black Diamonds: After finishing up Taruto earlier I decided to finish up another anime series I had laying around the backlog.As is the series ends we get a good three part storyline about the new Mecha-Cops added to the force. At first they look like they will replace the WARRIOR girls but, of course, things are not so simple. The robot cops go wild and it's up to Rio and the gang to get to work.
The Burn-Up series is one I've known for a long time. I remember watching Burn Up W back on laserdisc. It's a show defined by girls with large breasts fighting crime. It is certainly better, at least in my opinion, that the new Burn-Up Scramble show.
Fun stuff!
Labels: Anime
Magical Meow Meow Taruto - Vol. 4: Real Magic: Concluding one of the cutest anime series I've ever seen we get three more episodes of Taruto. This volume continues with the cuteness while bringing in an end to the short story introduced in the last volume. Actually what this volume ended up being was basically an hour long chase scene with the bad guys after the princess (Taruto) before the grand finish of the series at episode 12.This series was fun but on the whole I felt it was a bit too short. That's not to say I was screaming for more episodes but I do feel the ending was a bit rushed.
All complaints aside it was a cute series. Pick it up if you can get it cheap.
One last note, Chiffon is still drawn way too sexy for a children's cartoon.
Labels: Anime
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Leave it to Piyoko Vol. 1: From those crazy folks at Broccoli comes another side story in the wonderful world of Di Gi Charat. This one, as the title suggests is about our favorite adorable villian, Pyocolla Analogue III (or Piyoko for short.)The plot, like all other Di Gi Charat shows, is quite thin and is about Piyoko's quest to kidnap Dejiko for ransom so that her poor planet of Analogue won't be so poor anymore. Of course this leads to a lot of the silliness and randomness that Di Gi Charat is known for.
All in all it's a good show. It won't replace Panyo Panyo as my favorite Di Gi Charat series but it's quite good on its own.
Labels: Anime
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
MØUSE: 2 - Lusty Ambitions: Here comes another anime with no plot and lots of fanservice. In some ways it's a cross between Lupin the Third and a harem show. Mouse is a master thief masquerading as an art school student. He also has that great anime tradition of being loved by just about every large busted woman around who are willing to be his servants.The show was silly and pointless but I was expecting that and thus can't hold it against it. If you like this sort of thing, pick it up. If you don't like it, well you figure out what to do.
Labels: Anime
Monday, December 25, 2006
Sugar - Vol. 1: Sweet Mischief: Here is a title that in some ways I was a bit embarrassed tohave on my shelf. Most of my anime has either robots, fan service or is just made for a more mature audience. There are times, however, when a nice cutesy show can fill a void in me and feed a desire for something silly which doesn't require much brain power. Sugar can and does do this quite nicely.
Sugar is a show about a little apprentice snow fairy who is trying to become a full fledged fairy. In doing so she meets Saga, a human girl, in what appears to be a distinctly European town. She also has two friends who are also apprentices named Salt and Pepper. The three fairies are off to look for a "twinkle" which we nor the characters for that matter know what it is.
Everything in this show is cute: the fairies are cute; the humans are cute; even the waffles are cute. This can lead to a bit of, if you forgive the pun, a sort of over sweetness and is a show that I can only see myself watching in small doses.
The whole premise is that of your average kids' anime and it is something that one could show their children without worrying about anything really inappropriate. For us adults, however,
you might want to treat this Sugar like the real stuff. That is to say, a nice treat but don't overdo it.
In other news, my backlog has officially hit 150. This is a momentous occasion and at the same time a rather hollow victory. With it being Christmas morning already and no doubt having a few DVDs under my tree (I know my family well) and the large Hong Kong order I've had planning for months, the backlog will take a huge surge in the next few days. I had tried to do some damage control and get the backlog down fast but with me just now getting over my flu it wasn't easy.
Also, to all of my readers (yes, all the few of you) I will you all a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!
Now I think I shall go watch something else before falling asleep ...
Labels: Anime
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Pretear: Volume 1: Being the anime fan that I am, I tend to watch a wide variety of shows. Yesterday I watched a fan service title but I can also sometimes be found watching everything from shoujo to mecha. Upon a recommendation from a friend I picked this up a while back and gave it a shot and never got beyond the first two episodes. Now, in going back to it I see that I was right in my first instict.Pretear is a sort of Cinderella story with our main character, Himeno, living with her wick stepmother and stepsisters who make her life a living hell. Lucky for her some knights show up and can combine with her so she can become a magical girl and wear a different outfit.
While this may sound good on paper, I just wasn't digging it. I found myself snoozing more than anything and thus, this will remain another unfinished show on my shelf.
Labels: Anime
Popotan - Vol. 1: Vanishing House: Every once in a while I try out a new anime and it either works or it doesn't. In the case of Popotan, I can't say that it really does either. It was more mediocre material with a hefty helping of fan service. Now fan service is okay so long as there is a reason for it or the story can hold it up. However, Popotan didn't seem to have this and it was more breasts for the sake of breasts.I don't think I'll be buying the rest of the series unless I can get it for almost free.
Labels: Anime
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Maison Ikkoku: Box Set Vol. 5: After a long hiatus from finishing the last set, I have finally gotten around to watching the next box set of one of my favorite anime.In these episodes the story is advanced quite a bit more. Godai starts his student teaching and in so doing meets a spunky young student named Yagami who takes a liking to him. Of course she senses that Kyoko is her main rival and declares war. This of course leads to some great comedy and a sweet examination of how romance affects those at that tender age of our early teenage years.
Maison Ikkoku is one of the few anime that doesn't seem to go stale. It's one anime I look forward to watching the most and the show I most hate to see end. It's an enjoyable way to spend a half hour or more. I can't wait to start Volume 6.
Labels: Anime
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Love Hina: Spring Movie: Every once in a while there is an anime which polarizes fans so much that people either love that show or hate it. Amongst my friends and acquaintances it was that way with Love Hina. While I watched all six volumes of jiggle-tv back in the day I eventually became rather bored with the one one trick pony. After being quite disappointed with the Christmas special, I put off watching the Spring movie and never even bought the final OVA, "Love Hina Again".In choosing DVDs for my helpdesk job, I decided to give this particular chapter a try and see if maybe it would help me rekindle some of the lost love that I once had for this show. I have to admit that I am almost regretful that I did wait so long to watch this as it wasn't nearly as bad as I had thought.
The story follows the chapters of the manga where Keitaro goes with Musume and Naru to take the entrance exams for Tokyo U. Keitaro spaces out and rushes through the test in five minutes and ends up leaving with Seta to go on an archaeological expedition and forget Naru and the others. Of course the girls won't let him go so easily and chase after him leading to some silly situations and some obligatory fanservice in the tropical island paradise.
Was it bad? Honestly I would have to answer no to this but I will not concede that it was anything particularly special.
Monday, September 25, 2006
The Big O II - Vol. 4: Aggressive Negotiations: Every great anime, sadly must come to an end and after two seasons and 26 episodes, Big O has come to an end. While I was a bit disappointed with the ending being left somewhat unexplained, I do like the fact that all of the major characters from the beginning, including Beck, would follow through to the final episode.All in all, Big O remains one of my all time favorites and I am glad that Cartoon Network helped fund a second season of it.
Of course, my favorite episode is still "Legacy of Amadeus" from the first season. Anyone who has seen the episode and knows of my fondness for Chopin will understand why.
One last note, I know my DVD watching is down considerably from before. I do expect to add at least one more tomorrow night but mostly I am working on DVD sets which take quite some time to finish. Of course I also have things like homework to worry about as well. ~_^
Saturday, September 02, 2006
The Big O II - Vol. 3: Enemy Attacks: I hate to sound like an old and resentful man, but sometimes I wonder just why they don't make anime like they did back in the good old days like 2002 when Big O Season 2 came out. Of course I'm being silly in saying that but I have to admit a great deal of negativism anytime I watch an anime I enjoy. I always end up wondering if I can find another good show after this one is over.But about Big O. I thoroughly enjoyed it during its first run on Cartoon Network's old Toonami block and enjoyed the series quite a bit on DVD. For some reason or another, I never got around to watching the second season. I certainly regret missing out on it as it is just as enjoyable as the first. I will have to get out the last volume and complete the story as I am definitely hooked.
And for a side note, my goal last month was to watch 31 DVDs or one per day. For September, I feel with college starting, and the fact that I missed the August goal by 8, I am readjusting my goals and cutting it down to a 150 backlog which, if I don't buy anything new, will be a total of 23 watched this month counting the two I watched today. This goal seems attainable and we'll see where I am in a month.
With my previous goal of 150 being so close, I just may have to readjust the limit of when I can make that Hong Kong order. With the money situation, it will most definitely have to be after my birthday.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Hyper Police - Vol. 5: Here is the next to last volume of Hyper Police and things are definitely starting to come together. While the show retains its episodic feel, we get thrown a curve at the end with the last episode, "Mysterious Dome," in which the gang all venture inside an electrostatic field and venture into the Showa period.I think with the show almost over, I should comment at least once on the fan service. While I'm not one to be overly turned on by catgirls and the like (which admittedly sets me apart from most on AnimeOnDVD's forums) I remember when I first saw this show back in high school, I remember noting how all the females were quite well endowed. Of course, being a typical high school male, I never complained a bit.
Despite all that silliness, Hyper Police remains a favorite and I certainly hope it becomes one of yours.
As a side note, I will come no where near my goal of 31 DVDs watched this month but the backlog is at 174
Monday, August 14, 2006
Ai Yori Aoshi - Vol. 2: My Dearest: One of the disadvantages of having a large backlog is the inescapable fact that some series are going to slip through the cracks. When I first purchased Ai Yori Aoshi, I expected to watch it fairly quickly and one thing lead to another and I bought the entire series and the sequel without ever watching more than one disc. With the backlog finally being chipped down I am coming across these types of series which, as NBC would say, are "new to me."At first glance Ai Yori Aoshi is just another harem show. Of course at second and third glance that is exactly what it is. It is a fun show despite the typical boob jokes and fanservice a show like this is bound to have. What makes it interesting is that it does not rely on crude humor like that and thus avoids the fate of other harem shows such as Love Hina, which end up as "one trick ponies." For an entirely predictable and silly show, it's not bad.
Labels: Anime
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Hyper Police - Vol. 4: Hyper Police is definitely a fun show and it's a show that I really wish I had time to watch but since it was a series I had already seen, I put it in the back of the list. I feel bad about doing that as it is a show that brings back a lot of memories for me. The show itself is pretty decent if you like big busted catgirls and stuff, but I watch it more for the fact that it is a really funny show.I first got into anime back in 1997 or so when I getting fansubs from friends and then later through tape trading. These were the VHS kind where you got 10th generation tape copies which were of obscure shows that your average 8 year old kid had not seen. One of the first shows I remember watching in high school was Hyper Police. Of course when it was released on DVD I diligently bought each release as it came out.
Unfortunately it is still somewhat unknown to a lot of anime fans because while I may adore its silliness, many others never even picked it up. I speculate that the sales must not have been so hot as this is the only anime release by Image Entertainment.
Labels: Anime
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Wedding Peach - Vol. 9: Wedding Day: Rounding out another anime series this week is the classic maho shoujo, Wedding Peach. This disc brings to an end the clash between the Love Angels and Queen Raindevilla. The ending is everything you'd expect it to be and closes the series leaving you wanting just a little bit more but in general, content with its length.The comparisons of Wedding Peach to Sailor Moon are many but one thing I will say about Wedding Peach is that it held my interest much more than Sailor Moon has. It also wasn't a million episodes long. It did suffer from the stock footage issue that Sailor Moon does but they at least tried to mix up the attacks now and then to keep it somewhat fresh.
Wedding Peach is a good show, but I'd recommend getting the thinpaks over buying the sets. While I love the extras that were in the two sets, the price difference is too much.
Labels: Anime
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Tenchi Muyo! GXP - Vol. 8: Past, Present and Future: At last I have finally gotten around to finishing Tenchi Muyo GXP. While it has been a long time since I saw the last volume, it was easy enough to jump back in where I left off.This volume concludes the adventures of Seina and his little harem of girls. The show did close things up nicely although it did feel a little forced and rushed at times. That said, I do like how they at least let it end and at least let Tenchi and the gang have one last cameo.
While I am glad to have seen it, and I am even more glad it was made, I can not help but long for more of the original Tenchi gang. Tenchi Muyo GXP will sadly live forever in the shadow of the far superior Tenchi Muyo OAV from which it spun off from. At least with OAV 3 still going on there is some hope.
Labels: Anime
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report: As with most other Gundam shows, the 08th MS Team was made into a movie giving the general sense of the show in under an hour. I think that the drama of the show was pretty good even if it was condensed and pretty much skipped the beginning and the end. In a way, this is a side story of the larger series as told through the eyes of Alice Miller, an Intel agent set to give a report on the actions of Shiro Amada.The 08th MS Team was a pretty decent show and I would recommend the full series before watching this as it really only scratches the surface of a great anime.
Labels: Anime
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
I have now watched Volume 3 of Please Teacher. This disc had the series go from comedy to drama. I can't say I disliked it, I just didn't like it as much as volumes 1 and 2.
Labels: Anime
Monday, January 05, 2004
I have watched the second disc of Please Teacher and its a series that's really shaping up into a pretty decent one. I may marathon the next two DVDs tomorrow but for the rest of tonight I may just watch a movie.
Labels: Anime
Sunday, January 04, 2004
Today so far I have gotten around to watching a few episodes of Chance Pop Session. I will probobly watch the other 2 episodes on the disc later tonight.
The show so far is pretty decent and I'll have to pick up the second and third volumes sometime. Of course I'll wait for a sale or something from TRSI or wherever.
The show so far is pretty decent and I'll have to pick up the second and third volumes sometime. Of course I'll wait for a sale or something from TRSI or wherever.
Labels: Anime
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Well tonight I finished Moldiver. The last two episodes got surprisingly violent and there wasn't so much comedy. I guess I'd say the series was just average at best.
Labels: Anime
