DubSub - Anime Reviews

Master of Martial Hearts Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:55:00 +0000

Master of Martial Hearts
Funimation
Complete Collection - 1 disc
150 mins. - 5 episodes
$34.98 (2010)
$24.98 (2011)
ISBN 704400088469
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Yoshitaka Fujimoto
Studio - ARMS

Synopsis: Aya Iseshima is just a regular high school girl until she and a friend stumble into a brutal match between two girls in the Martial Heart tournament. She ends up helping one of the combatants named Miko fight off the crazed attacks of her sadistic oppenent who is dressed as a flight attendant. Aya is secretly a highly trained martial artist (she takes after her mother who is also a skilled fighter, but retired) and manages to stop the match. Aya and her friend Natsume befriend Miko and learn about the tournament - a magical jewel exists called the Platonic Heart which grants a wish to the winner of the tournament. Only women can participate and each girl has a special wish they fight dearly to see fulfilled.

Miko mysteriously disappears and Aya joins the deadly tournament in order to find her missing friend. The losers of each match are not only beaten physically, but are never heard from again. Can Aya survive each successive match against progressively stronger opponents, will she ever see Miko again, and what horrible secret related to her family's past is buried at the heart of the tournament?

The lovely ladies of the Martial Heart tournament
Aya in the center framed by Miko and Natsume

Pros: Lots of fan-service and nudity - literally every battle has the beautiful combatants getting their clothing blown off by body hits, good opening and ending (episode 5) theme songs by Little Non, unexpected shock twist ending was a surprise

Cons: Ending theme song for episodes 1-4 was lame, character designs were generic and/or ridiculous (fighting outfit for teacher was particularly horrible), story was rushed (too short) with no character development

"You punched my shirt off - prepare to die!"

Mike Tells It Straight: You will believe a girl can be undressed by an uppercut! This show is a generic knockoff of Ikki Tousen with a schoolgirl participating in a battle tournament, but it fails in several key areas. The character designs and fighter gimmicks were weak (science teacher using molecule elements as fighting move combos was the worst). Fight scenes were completely unrealistic and bland. Aya gets her butt kicked across the floor and then manages to pull out a finishing move for the win? Not bloody likely.

"What!? Not again!"

The only redeeming qualities were a consistent level of fan-service, naked boobs during every fight, extendedly naked shower scene, and the sadistically evil shock ending. It came out of nowhere and was highly amusing, especially the final scene.
Overall a stunningly mediocre series with a few high points and many, many flaws. It's a brief watch and the ending might be the redeeming factor, but I wouldn't recommend this show very much (especially at the MSRP). Watch it if you're hard up for fan-service and brief nudity, but many other current shows deliver far better.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Highschool of the Dead (HOTD) Season One Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Highschool of the Dead - Season One
Section 23
Complete Collection - 2 discs
300 mins. - 12 episodes
$59.98 (2011)
$69.98 (2011) Blu-Ray
ISBN 814131015617
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Tetsuro Araki
Studio - Madhouse

Synopsis: Takashi is a regular high school student who worries about classes and friends. He grew up with classmate Rei and has a secret crush on her, but she likes his best friend Hisashi. The three are attending classes at school when the "Outbreak" happens. Strangely violent people appear at the school's gate and attack a group of teachers. The teachers begin spitting blood and then attack some students - it continues and soon the entire school is overrun by flesh-eating zombies. Not only is the school filled with zombies, but everywhere on Earth has been struck by a highly infectious disease and society is beginning to crumble.

"Have you seen my homeroom teacher? I need to chop off his head."

Takashi, Hisashi, and Rei must battle their way through the killer hordes of zombies in order to find their families. Other students trying to survive join their group and these include Saeko the beautiful president of the kendo club, Saya the girl genius, Kohta the overweight gun otaku, and the school's incredibly busty nurse Shizuka. Along the way the group gathers more members, but those without a strong nerve and will to survive fall to the zombie horror.

Great animation and background visuals

A teacher manages to join the group along with several students following him, but the group soon discovers the zombies are not their only danger to be faced. Humans taking advantage of the breakdown of society's laws are just as deadly as the shambling flesh-eaters. They come across many people suffering from extreme psychological trauma and acting irrationally. Will there be any rescue from this nightmare, can the students survive, and what hope do they have to find their families?

"Get back you undead fiends!"

Pros: Tons of fan-service with a nude bath scene thrown in for good measure, violent and gory - just like any good zombie flick should be, good script/dialogue with decent dub, great animation quality, nice music, opening/ending sequences are well done, underlying theme of friends sticking together was nice message

"I've been wondering all day if these are real!"

Cons: Over the top, not much character development, they establish zombies use hearing to find their prey and then everyone runs around shooting loud guns *sheesh*, annoyingly cute dog (that makes a ton of noise, people!), too few episodes (this set is the first season and just the start of the story, which is still in development) making this set pricey

"Do you mind? I'm trying to take a
private bath with these two other
naked girls."

Mike Tells It Straight: HOTD is the best of both worlds - equal parts ample fan-service and titillating zombie horror. It delivers at every opportunity panty shots, jiggling boobs, up-skirt camera angles, bondage moments, and even firing guns causing boobs to jiggle. If you like fan-service then you're in heaven here and there's even a fun bath scene where the girls grab each others' boobs. Whee!

This show is definitely not The Walking Dead - it's not serious and lacks any true emotional drama past the first episode. The characters run around among hordes of zombies without a care in the world. The situations are over-the-top and unrealistic to the Nth degree. If you're looking for a serious zombie show then look elsewhere, but this one is an action-packed romp.

Let's be realistic here - there is no such thing as a serious animated zombie show. TWD is as close as we're ever going to get with a live-action show and we don't need to beat up HOTD just to vent our frustration. It's going to be okay. HOTD doesn't elevate the zombie genre and only serves as an amusing escape from reality with a heavy dose of T&A. The show is still better than 90% of the B-movie zombie flicks produced over the last 30 years. Check out the series if you dig blood-splattering zombie horror flicks, big anime boobies shaking all over the screen, and can live without a compelling story.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Battle Angel Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:23:00 +0000

Battle Angel
ADV Films
Complete Collection - 1 disc
70 min. - 2 episodes
$29.98 (1999)
ISBN 702727000621
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hiroshi Fukutomi
Studio - KSS, Madhouse, MOVIC

Synopsis: The floating city of Zalem is a utopia in the clouds. Scrap Iron City has grown up around the garbage heap of Zalem and feeds from the refuse of the privileged. Ido is a former citizen of Zalem and a gifted cybernetics doctor now residing among the filth in the city below. He scrapes together a living by repairing broken cyborgs and one day salvages a cyborg girl from among the trash.

Zalem the floating city

He rebuilds the girl and names her Gally. She becomes his helper and eventually like a daughter to him. A boy named Hugo does odd jobs around the city and befriends Gally. His secret dream is to save enough money to buy his way into Zalem one day.

The city is a dangerous place with spine thieves and deadly criminals waiting around every corner. Everyone lives in squalor with the sight of Zalem hanging over their heads. Ido's disgraced former partner Chiren appears in the city and begs him to help her get back to Zalem. She ends up working for the cyborg gladiator games and harbors a deep resentment for Ido.

Chiren will do anything to get back up to Zalem

Ido and Hugo are both hiding deadly secrets and Gally will sacrifice her innocence to protect the people she loves. Hidden within her tiny frame is a startling power and she is destined to become a true "Hunter Warrior"!

Pros: Cult classic, great characters, cool action scenes, decent music, poignant ending

Cons: Only two episodes - too short and too much story crammed into the limited time, disappointing to diehard fans of the manga, English dub is not good

Gally goes berserk

Mike Tells It Straight: My experience with Battle Angel (aka Gunnm or Battle Angel Alita) goes back to the mid-'90s when my art instructor Barron Storey at the San Francisco Academy of Art gave a VHS tape of Japanese anime as a class contest prize. On the tape was Battle Angel, the Fist of the North Star movie (not the live action travesty), Genocyber, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. It blew my mind and cemented a love for anime started with the 1985 airing of Robotech. Watching this anime again after all those years brought back a lot of fond memories from art school.

The story is pure cyberpunk and incredibly simple yet compelling. Gally's character is heartwarming and plucky. All of the characters are very well done with clear motivations and defining moments. The ending is still emotionally moving after all these years. I consider the poignant moments in anime as the true elevation of the medium (particularly the depiction of death and duty in a mature manner - Grave of the Fireflies, Barefoot Gen, and Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket come to mind). Battle Angel has that depiction and I've loved this story since first watching it over fifteen years ago.

The eyes of a Hunter Warrior

It's based on a long-running manga series with its own cult following. Those diehard fans of the manga will be sorely disappointed by the anime. I'm pretty sure Yukito Kishiro, the original creator, was not happy with the story translation and another anime attempt has not been made. For years an American film version directed by James Cameron has been rumored and is unofficially expected in 2016. Cameron is supposed to be a huge fan of the manga and we'll hope he can do the story justice.

The anime butchers the manga storyline, but is a wonderful gateway to steer people towards the manga and a truly classic cyberpunk series. I hadn't read the manga and found Battle Angel to be really great. Imagine how good the manga is going to be. Check out both, but start with the anime first and you won't be too disappointed.

Classic image from Gunnm - this is the Battle Angel

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Spriggan Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:15:00 +0000

Spriggan
ADV Films
Movie - 1 disc
90 min.
$29.98 (2002)
$29.98 (2005) Special Edition
ISBN 702727021527
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hirotsugu Kawasaki
Studio - Studio 4⁰C

Synopsis: An ancient artifact is discovered and thought to be Noah's Ark. Two clandestine groups battle over its possession and the world will never be the same! On one side is ARCAM, an organization charged with recovering and guarding powerful ancient objects to ensure they never fall into the wrong hands. On the other is the U.S. Machine Corps - a rogue division of powerful cyborgs funded by the Pentagon.

ARCAM employs hyper-skilled agents called Spriggan in every country across the globe. One of their most capable Spriggan is Yu Ominae from Japan. He rushes to investigate the Ark and stumbles upon a secret more terrifying than anyone could imagine. Along the way he will face his greatest childhood tormentor recreated in a horrific cyborg body.

The world faces annihilation as Colonel McDougal, a psychically augmented boy with nihilistic dreams, takes possession of the Ark and unleashes is terrible power on the populace. Can one Spriggan hope to defeat a god?

Will you be my Valentine?

Pros: Excellent action sequences, good character designs, great background music, nice CG elements, some interesting sci-fi concepts using old testament mythology

Cons: Some stiff 'action movie' one-liners, too few explanations for many of the characters (like how does Yu or any of the other Spriggan have powers?, what's up with McDougal's brain fluid thing?, are Fatman and Little Boy really gay and who is the bottom?, etc), zero character development

Mike Tells It Straight: Spriggan is an action movie first and foremost. It gives us a non-stop adrenaline rush of violence and killing for the first half of the movie. The action scenes are pretty amazing and some of the best in anime (particularly when it debuted in 2002). The plot comes a distant third with little to no real setup for the histories or motivations of the characters. When we meet Yu, he's in high school and suddenly he's a badass special agent. No setup, but we're whisked along for the ride and it's a fun one.

Yeah, it's funny when someone gets kicked in the nuts

The second half of the movie drags as we're forced to somewhat pay attention to the plot and there's a lot more talking. You can tell Katsuhiro Otomo had a big hand in developing the story and character designs - McDougal could easily have walked straight out of Akira.

If you're looking for a good action anime with some killer battles and a paper thin plot then you'll get your fix with Spriggan. There's no romance, tons of things blow up, the heroes are invincible, and no one ever reloads. It really hit my nostalgia bone with Otomo-influenced character designs and screenplay. Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Tide-Line Blue Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:29:00 +0000

Tide-Line Blue
Bandai Entertainment
Complete Collection - 4 discs
325 mins. - 13 episodes
$49.98 (2008)
ISBN 669198228445
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Iida Umanosuke
Studio - Bandai Visual

Synopsis: It's been 14 years since the catastrophic environmental disaster called "The Hammer of Eden" flooded 90% of the Earth's surface and killed over 6 billion people. Mankind perseveres and has rebuilt a global civilization comprised of island nations. Leaders from these surviving political states have gathered to discuss the establishment of a new United Nations under proposed chairwoman Aoi. The negotiations have been less than successful as larger nations with deeper resources demand veto power.

In the midst of the negotiations Captain Gould, the renegade commander of the now-modified nuclear submarine the U.S.S. Ulysses, attacks. His goal is to unite the world by military force where political meetings have failed. Gould's physical appearance is unsettling - he's covered in scars across his body and has lost the use of one eye. His determination to achieve his goal runs as deep as his scars, but he once had a collaborative relationship with Aoi after the global disaster.

Caught in the middle of the fight are delinquent Keel and his beautiful, pregnant friend Isla. The shock of the battle forces her into early labor. The two are aided by a member of Gould's crew and by shocking coincidence Keel's twin brother, Teen. He delivers the baby and disappears amidst the carnage. Keel, Isla and the newborn baby manage to find their way aboard Gould's ship.

Seriously, what happened here? I need to know!

They find the frightening Captain Gould to be a gentle, rational man at heart who takes them both under his wing. Keel and Isla must readjust to life aboard the Ulysses as the world's naval forces vigorously pursue them. Keel and Teen are linked to the last manned space station in orbit called Freedom. They haven't spoken in years and despise each other. What made them this way and complete polar opposites? Keel is rambunctious while Teen is reserved.

Overwhelming forces are on their trail and the two must work together in order to save the world's hope for a fragile peace. What secret does Freedom hold which could tilt the delicate balance of power in the world and why is Aoi hiding it?

Pros: Quality animation and production values (Bandai Visual doesn't fool around), good use of CG, highly accurate portrayal of naval vehicles, distinct character designs, some amusing moments, cool extra where they sail a motorized model of the Ulysses in a swimming pool - damn fine looking model, the ostrich was pretty funny

Cons: Environmental disaster "The Hammer of Eden" is never explained, I didn't really dig Keel's character design, comedy deflates the serious nature of the story (too goofy for the subject matter), especially Captain Gould - the guy was a hardcore submarine captain yet he had this jovial side which appeared constantly (quite a contradiction and completely on purpose), ending with Keel and Teen was unsatisfying

This man does not look jovial and should really wear an eyepatch

Mike Tells It Straight: This show is very well-crafted with an interesting plot setup, quality animation, and characters with compelling motivations - yet is fails to be emotionally moving because of the obtrusive comedy moments laced into what should be a serious plot.

Tide-Line Blue was created by Satoru Ozawa, renowned creator of Blue Submarine No. 6. Both shows have a similar post-apocalyptic world-with-flooded-land and massive population decimation, but the latter had a serious tone and much more positive reception.

The story tries to be funny and endearing, but ends up diluting its potential to make a lasting impression. It's still a decent show and I mostly enjoyed watching it (let's be honest - you're not going to find too many submarine anime out there), but it just didn't quite iron out.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Popotan Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:42:00 +0000

Popotan
Geneon (Pioneer)
Complete Collection - 3 discs
300 mins. - 12 episodes
$34.98 (2007)
$29.98 (2009)
ISBN 013023295292
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Shinichiro Kimura
Studio - Shaft

Synopsis: A magical house mysteriously appears outside of town and is rumored to be haunted. A young boy musters his courage and enters the house to investigate. Instead of finding ghosts he accidentally barges in on a naked young lady after her bath! He discovers the house is inhabited by three lovely sisters, their maid, and a feisty little ferret. They befriend him, but soon thereafter the house and sisters disappear.

We follow the sisters as their magical house travels through space and time on a search for an enigmatic young woman. At each place the sisters converse with 'popotan' (dandelions) and find clues to the whereabouts of the young woman. The sisters also make friends and help people at each place, but are forced to abrubtly abandon their friendships when the house transports.

Mai, Mii, Ai, Unagi and the mystery girl

Their quest becomes increasingly difficult as the sisters continuously leave friends behind. They move forward in time and witness the negative results of their departures on those left behind. Can the sisters maintain their quest despite the grueling emotional challenges they face?

List of characters residing in the house and participating in the quest:

Ai - the oldest sister who wears glasses, has large boobs, cooks terribly, has the ability to speak to the 'popotan', has an easygoing nature, but is too accomodating and will let people walk all over her
Mai - the middle sister who is more athletic, has small breasts (and is constantly reminded of this fact by her younger sister), is tomboyish, has the hardest time dealing with leaving her friends behind each time the house travels
Mii - the youngest sister who cosplays as 'Magical Girl Mii', is obsessed with rubbing her face on anything 'puffy' including people's cheeks and especially breasts (particularly Ai's)
Mea - the sisters' maid, is apparently an android showing very little emotion, has small breasts like Mai, a voracious appetite, and is a skilled fighter
Unagi - the sisters' pet white female ferret, she can apparently transform into human form, and likes to hang out in between Ai's breasts (because they are warm and soft)

Pros: Lots of fan-service/nudity - the girls take a lot of baths together (at least once an episode), opening/ending theme songs are really catchy (especially the ending song), good soundtrack, trip to the hot springs episode, nice theme of valuing your friendships with other people

Mii loves her 'puffies' at bath time!

Cons: Nothing is really explained about the ultimate purpose of the sisters' quest or the convention of how the magic works, character designs are a little bland, the youngest sister Mii is shown naked quite a bit - lolicon (see explanation below) and could be offensive to some viewers

Mike Tells It Straight: Based on an adult-themed computer game (a visual novel with decision points varying the plot), Popotan has a storied and successful history in Japan. The video game's protagonist was a wandering guitar player who rents a room with the sisters and his goal in the game is to have sexual encounters with all of them (and then unlock a couple more girls for him to have sexual encounters with). Yeah, this doesn't happen in the anime.

Instead we get a show with heavy fan-service and a minor lolicon character in Mii. Lolicon is the Japanese version of the "Lolita complex" where underage girls are portrayed in sexually suggestive poses, clothing or situations. Mii runs around naked in the bath, talks about and rubs her face on 'puffies' (boobs) a few times. This could be offensive to some viewers and if you're one of them - the show is not for you. Be glad Mii doesn't act the same in the anime as in the video game (which will never be released in the US).

This dance became an internet phenomenon. Try it!

As far as I can tell this show is for introverted, adult males (otaku) based on the source material (a video game where you get to score with girls). It really doesn't explain much about the setup for the story - the girls just keep jumping to a few different places and forward in time. The game goes into a lot more detail, but first-time viewers are not given any backstory.

I almost gave up watching this show after the first few episodes because it seemed ridiculous. Every episode the girls talk to flowers, take nude baths together and then disappear. Sticking it out was a good thing as the story progressed beyond the mere fan-service vehicle it seemed into a poignant tale of caring for ones friends. The message was heartfelt, but I didn't really care about any of the characters except Mai. She was the most interesting and showed genuine emotional loss at the forced abandonment of her new friends.

The progression of time and effect the sisters' relationships have on other people was done well as everything interlaced quite nicely. I loved the ending theme song too - it was super-catchy. This show had some good points, a lot of mediocre bits, and gets a fair recommendation. It won't blow your socks off (maybe that happens in the video game), but you'll probably enjoy some of it.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

E's Otherwise Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:39:00 +0000

E's Otherwise
ADV Films
Complete Collection - 5 discs
650 min. - 26 episodes
$59.98 (2006)
$49.98 (2009)
ISBN 702727150326
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Masami Shimoda
Studio - Studio Pierrot

Synopsis: Kai Kudou is the latest recruit to join AESES - a team of young psychics working for ASHURUM, one of the twelve corporations controlling the modern world. Psychics (also known as Espers) have incredible mental powers, but are feared and hated by humans. AESES was put together by Eiji Sagimiya in an effort to study, train, and police the world's psychics. Kai's sister Hikaru is sickly and Eiji offers her the best medical treatment available in exchange for Kai's participation.

After completing his training along with the other psychics of AESES, Kai is sent out on missions by Eiji - missions to apprehend renegade, dangerous psychics endangering the general population. A sinister plot emerges when Kai starts to notice all of the psychics he apprehends mysteriously disappear.

AESES is sent into neighboring territory Gald to 'apprehend' more psychics, but the mission ends in disaster as Kai is injured and lost in the city. He is taken in by two human siblings, Yuki and Asuka. Kai stays with them in Gald to escape ASHURUM and worries about his sister.

Clockwise from left - Kai, Asuka, Eiji, and Yuki (holding the gun)

Kai begins to understand the humans' fears of pyschics and uncover the secrets of ASHURUM. Will he be too late to save his sister Hikaru from the evil plans of Eiji and his legion of brainwashed psychics?

Pros: Some neat psychic powers and battles, interesting story setup with evil corporation exploiting psychics, animation for opening credits was pretty good

Who is that strking young lady?

Cons: Opening/ending theme songs were generic, Kai *reluctantly* cross-dresses a couple times (shyea-right), too many silly episodes in the middle, dub voices were pretty annoying (especially Shen-Long and Asuka), weak animation quality, no extras

Mike Tells It Straight: I've had this series on my 'to be watched' list for a long time and finally checked it out over the holidays. It could have waited. The first few episodes were great and the drama built as Kai began running missions for AESES. Right when things were really gaining steam the story veered off into a silly, episodic mess with Kai helping Yuki do odd jobs. I guess the Gald episodes were meant to show Kai growing closer to Yuki and Asuka in a lighthearted fashion, but it really killed the momentum of the series.

I wish the animation looked this good

The story finally picked up again in the last few episodes, but the ending felt rushed with too much crammed into that final episode. We learn several key details about Kai, Hikaru, and Eiji at the end, but I still felt confused. I really loved the character designs and art from original creator Satoru Yuiga's manga, but it didn't translate into the anime. Despite having some good points, this show was a confusing mess and doesn't rate a good recommendation.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Strike Witches Season One Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:57:00 +0000

Strike Witches Season One
Funimation
Complete Collection - 2 discs
300 min. - 12 episodes
$59.98 (2010)
$49.98 (2011)
ISBN 704400011900
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Kazuhiro Takamura
Studio - Gonzo

Synopsis: It is 1944 and the world is threatened by an extraterrestrial threat called the Neuroi - unidentified flying objects which have destroyed and occupied much of Europe. The national armed forces of the world have united to fight the alien threat, but conventional warfare has proven useless. Instead the magical abilities of young women have been put to military application and give the world a fighting chance.

The Witches' powers include enhanced strength, tracking, telekinesis, a deflector shield, healing, and a myriad of others. Each Witch manifests dog ears and a tail when using their powers. Scientists have developed the Striker Unit for the Witches' use - a hybrid magical/mechanical propeller device worn as a pair on the Witches' legs. The Striker Units allow Witches high-speed, maneuverable flight capabilities and may only be used by highly adept Witches in their prime (typically below age 20). The units also enhance the magical abilities of the Witches.

Each Witch possesses a unique Striker Unit based on airplanes from their home country. Because the units affix to the legs of the Witches, require a high amount of skin-to-machinery contact, and due to the unpredictable attacks of the Neuroi, the Witches have stopped wearing pants as part of their military uniforms. The lack of pants allows them to quickly don their units and race into battle.

We first meet Yoshika Miyafuji, a witch with powerful healing abilities, as she is recruited into the 501st Joint Fighter Wing aka the Strike Witches. Her father was a prominent scientist and largely responsible for creating the Striker Units, but died in the war. She is anti-war, but wants to help protect those who fight the Neuroi. Does she have what it takes to become a Witch and what secret is the military harboring which may affect the future of the Witches?

List of Strike Witches:

Yoshika Miyafuji (Mitsubishi A6M Zero) - Japanese, healing abilities, father created Striker Units, peaceful and cares greatly for the welfare of others
Mio Sakamoto (Mitsubishi A6M Zero) - Japanese, veteran fighter of the Neuroi, chief trainer of the Witches, wears an eyepatch over her magical eye (enhanced sight)
Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke (Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2) - German, enhanced spatial awareness, ranking officer of the 501st, lost her lover during the war and afraid of losing those close to her
Lynette Bishop (Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX) - British, superpowered magical shots and sharpshooting, becomes best friends with Miyafuji, sometimes clumsy
Perrine-H. Clostermann (Arsenal VG-39) - French, lightning spell, emotionally traumatized by the Neuroi destruction of her homeland, has a huge crush on Sakamoto, highly jealous of Miyafuji because of Sakamoto's time spent training her
Erica Hartmann (Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6) - German, wind-based spell to distrupt enemies, a flying ace, only serious when the situation calls for it, panty stealer
Gertrude Barkhorn (Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-6 Prototype) - German, enhanced physical strength, has a younger sister injured in a Neuroi attack who resembles Miyafuji
Francesca Lucchini (Fiat G.55 Centauro) - Italian, pinpoint energy burst, childish and self-indulgent, enjoys naps, friends with Yeager
Charlotte Yeager (North American P-51D Mustang) - American, superior speed abilities, tall and buxom, neat freak, obsessed with speed and broke land-speed record on a motorcycle
Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen (Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4) - Finnish, precognitive abilities, mischievous, possessive of Litvyak
Sanya V. Litvyak (MiG-60) - Russian, enhanced spatial awareness and intercepts hard to detect signals (like radio waves), flies the night patrol

Pros: Excellent animation, tons of fan-service, some nudity during extended bath scenes, Striker units are pretty cool and modelled after actual WWII fighter planes, this show was obsessed with panty shots

Aerial group hug panty shot maneuver

Cons: Neuroi are a bland plot foil - generic alien enemy for the Witches to fight, excessive panty shots (I can't believe I just wrote that), girls appear very young - kinda pervy if you add in the panty shots (although perfect if you're a teenager), lolicon (see explanation below) - may be offensive to some viewers

Mike Tells It Straight: This show literally felt like one long fan-service panty shot. Good animation, some character development, and a heaping dose of young, barely-clothed girls loosely wrapped in a paper-thin plot. The Strike Witches evolved from a series of illustrations by Humikane Shimada depicting kawaii (super-cute) teen girls combined with WWII era military airplanes. The idea became popular and a series of novels/manga was created prior to this anime series along with some video games.

The Witches celebrate another victory...over pants

The fan-service was very well done (pretty much the show's main focus) and the character interactions were entertaining, but the plot was an afterthought. The girls themselves were prime examples of "Lolicon" the Japanese version of the "Lolita complex" where underage girls are portrayed in sexually suggestive poses, clothing or situations. The loli's could be offensive to some viewers (i.e. your parents).

Bathtime is fun time for Perrine

If you're looking for panty shots and nudity with a sparse plot then park your rear. Want a good story with some depth? Not happening here - pass on by. Miyafuji's character development was a tiny diamond in the rough, but not enough to carry the show. Seriously, there is only one reason to watch this show - hot young girls allergic to pants.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Dance in the Vampire Bund Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:21:00 +0000

Dance in the Vampire Bund
Funimation
Complete Collection - 4 discs
300 min. - 12 episodes
$64.98 (2011) DVD/Blu-Ray
$69.98 (2011) Blu-Ray
ISBN: 704400013034
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Akiyuki Shinbo
Studio - Shaft

Synopsis: Vampires are real and Mina Tepes is their queen! She reveals the existence of the vampire race on live television in spectacularly dramatic fashion. Don't let her tween looks fool you - she's calculating and ruthless, but has a soft spot for third-year high school student Akira Kusaragi. One year ago he had an accident and lost his memory including a childhood promise given to Mina to always stay by her side.

That's highly inappropriate

Now she's turned his life upside down and nothing will ever be the same! Despite being many centuries old Mina still acts like an impetuous child at times. She has a lofty goal to establish 'The Bund' on a small island off Japan - a sanctuary for vampires and especially 'fangless' vampires (those choosing to remove their fangs and attempt to live normal human lives). Her position as queen of the vampires is highly political and she must deal with vampire terrorist groups, 'true blood' aristocratic vampire nobles, and human politicians trying to block establishment of 'The Bund'.

Akira must regain his memory in order to save Mina and along the way discovers an affinity which startles him greatly. She wrecks his school life, wears inappropriate clothing, and gets jealous of his girl friend Yuki. All the while a dense political scheme grinds in the background with an explosive finish.

Pros: Great animation, good opening/ending theme songs & visuals, some fan-service, very brief nudity, good mix of modern with old vampire lore, relationship of Mina and Akira is touching and well-played, nice action scenes, unedited as far as I can tell

That's even more inappropriate

Cons: Differs from the original manga version (which is ten times racier), Mina's body is that of a barely pubescent girl and it's a little pervy to watch her, high school girl shows inappropriate feelings for young boy neighbor, first episode is actually pretty awful (it gets better in episode 2), pricey

Mike Tells It Straight: This show is one of the best vampire-themed anime you'll find. It feels vibrant and hip, but naughty as well. There is plenty of action and good characterization - the story progresses and secrets are revealed. Great visual animation style and production values. Although I've never heard of the anime studio Shaft it's pretty good. I would rank this up there with Blood+ (another highly popular, but much longer vampire anime), but prefer the Bund because the characters have actual personalities.

Lolicon - get it?

Why is this anime not for everyone? "Lolicon" - the Japanese version of the "Lolita complex" where underage girls are portrayed in sexually suggestive poses, clothing or situations. Mina's character is many centuries old, but inhabits the body of a child - a thinly-veiled excuse for lolicon and potentially offensive to viewers. Reminds me of the character Claudia in Interview with the Vampire (portrayed by Kirsten Dunst in the movie).

I thought Mina's sexual ambiguity was a risk that paid off for the producers. Vampires are portrayed as dangerous and sexy - what better way to push the envelope than having a lolicon queen of the vampires? It gave the love shared between her and Akira a poignant quality. Overall much better than I expected, not for the squeamish, and absolutely not for the kiddies.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Halo Legends Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:21:00 +0000

Halo Legends
Warner Home Video
Complete Collection - 1 disc
119 min.
$14.98 (2010)
$19.98 (2010) Special Edition (2 disc)
ISBN 883929099245
Japanese/English Audio
Japanese/English/French/Spanish Subtitles
Directors - Frank O'Connor/Joseph Chou/Toshiyuki Kanno/Hiroshi Yamazuki/Koji Sawai/Tomoki Muraki/Daisuke Nishio/Hideki Futamura/Keiichi Sugiyama
Studios - Studio 4°C/Production I.G/Casio Entertainment/Toei Animation/Bones/Warner Bros./343 Industries

Synopsis: Seven tales from the Halo science fiction universe:

"The Babysitter" - A team of Helljumpers attempt a long-distance assassination of a Covenant Prophet and are led by a Spartan. Constant screw-ups by the troopers distract the Spartan from completing the mission. Can the troopers suck it up for long enough to kill the Prophet?
"The Duel" - A covenant Arbiter openly dissents from the Covenant religion and is targeted for assassination by a legion of footsoldiers. Though a powerful warrior he also has a loving family which proves too tempting a target by one Covenant assassin. Can the Arbiter fight to save his family in time?
"The Package" - An elite group of Spartans must retrieve a special package from a Covenant ship. They board Booster Frames and begin a space fighter battle. Can the group get to the ship and find the package before they all die horrible space deaths?
"Origins" - Cortana, an artificial intelligence, recounts the origins of the Halo weapon system. She tells of the ancient race called the Forerunners and the deadly plague which brought them low called the Flood. Forced to destroy the universe in order to stop their hated enemies along with dooming themselves. Get the origin of the entire Halo universe in one shot.
"Homecoming" - Spartan Daisy-023 helps evacuate a UNSC squad from overwhelming Covenant forces. She has flashbacks of her time in the Spartan-II supersoldier project and specifically the day she breaks out in order to return to her previous life. She is shocked to find herself still living her old life. Who is she and why does she wear a teddy bear charm?
"Prototype" - The Covenant are close to gaining possession of a key research facility which houses a powerful prototype weapon. A demolition squad is dispatched to flatten the facility and led by squad leader "Ghost". His nickname was earned after his last squad was completely annihilated except for him. Can he stop the same thing from happening to his current squad and what is the weapon?
"Odd One Out" - Spartan 1337 possesses incredible bad luck - he accidentally fell out of his transport and got stranded on a remote planet. Worse, the Covenant sends their latest bio-weapon, Pluton, a being with massive powers to destroy everything in sight. Did I mention the dinosaurs and superstrong teenagers with their biting sarcasm? Yeah, it's going to be a long day.

Cover art for the Special Edition 2 disc set

Pros: Great animation by top studios, interesting science fiction stories, relatively easy for non-Halo fans to understand, good range of informative/action/humor stories

Cons: Mixed bag of animation and story styles, animation style on "The Duel" looks messy/blurry, may not be hardcore canon enough for the hardcore Halo fans, too many suicide missions

Spartan flying a Booster Frame

Mike Tells It Straight: American science fiction, first-person shooter game Halo gets a collection of short anime stories by top notch Japanese talent. Halo is a massive video game franchise and we get a nice complement to their epic storylines. I've played the games a few times, but never got deeply involved and experienced these stories as a relative newbie. They have a very wide range and were overall very enjoyable. I really liked how the first story was the origin to give us background information on the Halo universe and the last story was a funny parody to leave us laughing.

Daisy-023 shoots 'em up

Warning! If you cannot stand when a story does not follow canon to the letter then this collection is not for you. Rarely will a franchise translate into another medium seamlessly (i.e. comic books to motion pictures as a prime example) and this instance is no exception. Those players who have spent a good portion of their lives with these games will be the most affected. The casual viewer and sometime player will probably enjoy this release in an oblivious manner (like me). The hardcore fans will either love or hate it (especially those unfamiliar with anime). It sold a ton of copies and you can buy one for relatively cheap - pick one up and find out what your weird brother has been doing in his room all these years (besides surfing the net for porn).

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Pom Poko Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:25:00 +0000

Pom Poko

Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Disney)

Movie - 119 min.

$29.99 (2005)

ISBN 786936175257

Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles

Director - Isao Takahata

Studio - Studio Ghibli

Synopsis: A massive urban development is encroaching on the natural forests of a group of tanuki ("raccoon dogs"). Soon the tanuki are fighting amongst themselves for the diminishing resources available to them. Finally fed up with losing their habitat the tanuki band together to stop the humans with their only weapon - the magical ability of transformation!

The tanukis practice transformation

Only the elders remember the proper techniques and must teach the younger generation. Soon the whole group is able to pull off imaginative acts of sabotage on the construction workers and their equipment. They scare away many workers by feigning supernatural hauntings, but more workers take their place.

The resistance escalates into all-out warfare as the tanuki grow more desperate. A group of elders arrives from a far-off island where transformation techniques have reached their pinnacle. With the powerful elders on their side the tanuki prepare to launch their final illusion. Will the brave tanuki manage to halt the irresistible force of man's progress?

Lush backgrounds - exactly what we expect from Studio Ghibli

Pros: Amazing animation by Studio Ghibli, wonderful backgrounds, thoughtful story with good mix of humor with serious message, highly creative and entertaining illusions, the tanukis use their massive ballsacks as parachutes and to thrash on humans!

Cons: The giant tanuki ballsacks may not be appropriate for children - because they could wet themselves from laughing so hard

Mike Tells It Straight: Studio Ghibli deliver another amazing film with top notch animation, lush backgrounds, great character designs, unparalleled creativity, and a mature environmental message. It's nature vs. the destruction caused by man. Even though the tanuki are playful and their acts of sabotage are more funny than anything, it's tragic to see their way of life slowly destroyed despite all their best efforts.

Tanukis unleash their secret weapons in a police skirmish

I'm impressed Disney had the "balls" to release this film domestically considering the numerous scenes of "balls" throughout the story. I'm glad they did and anyone seriously offended by the "balls" should lighten up. It's a foreign film and part of the folklore of tanukis in Japanese culture - deal with it. The dub uses the word "pouch" to describe their "balls" which should more than appease an American audience.

Ghibli have become known for their powerful pro-environment messages and score another victory here for enlightenment. It's a touching, funny film with some highly entertaining illusions by some highly entertaining tanukis. Watch this movie because you won't see that everyday.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Teknoman Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:39:00 +0000

Teknoman
Anime Works-Media Blasters
Complete Collection - 6 discs
1075 mins. - 43 episodes
$19.99 (2008)
$16.98 (2009) Thinpak
ISBN 631595082074
English Audio only - No subs
Director - Hiroshi Negishi
Studio - Tatsunoko Production/Satsu Agency

Synopsis: The year is 2087 when the Venomoids invade Earth. Though human technology has built an orbital ring around the planet, they are no match for the hordes of Spider-Crabs besieging them. Incredibly powerful Teknomen lead the monstrosities and soon the orbital ring has fallen into enemy hands. Death rains down upon human cities and the military is hopelessly ineffective. Only the Space Knights, an autonomous military think-tank, are Earth's final hope with their advanced weaponry and cool heads.

Blade as human and Teknoman

Blade, a renegade Teknoman, appears and battles the Venomoid hordes and their lieutenant, Dagger. He bears an all-consuming hatred for the Venomoids and their leader Darkon. After crash landing on Earth he is taken in by the Space Knights. Blade's single-minded mission of revenge makes him a difficult ally and he regards the Space Knights with cold indifference despite his obvious need for human companionship.

Now humanity has a chance against the Venomoids with Blade and the Space Knights on their side. Too bad Blade isn't the only Teknoman and soon a group of them show up to kick him and the other Space Knights around. Why are the Teknomen human and how did they gain their terrible powers? We learn all of the chilling secrets of Darkon and the Venomoids as Blade travels his road to vengeance. Can he save the Earth, but at what cost to himself?

Pros: Uncut version with a few very minor bits of nudity (during transformation sequences), dramatic plot with family-centric theme, cool mecha designs, fantastic low price for the whole series

Cons: Opening/ending theme songs are lackluster (they're the only parts in Japanese) plus they only use one for each (the Japanese version changed opening/ending theme songs halfway through the show), includes two recap episodes (they cut six episodes from the Japanese series and left the two recap episodes? - bah!), no extras - nothing, box set packaging is flimsy, some sets have episode skips on the first disc (fortunately my set did not), voice-acting and dialogue are weak, original Japanese plot is butchered by American producers, Venomoids? - lamest villain name evah!

Mike Tells It Straight: I never saw Teknoman when it originally aired in the US and am missing any nostalgic recollections to offset the overall marginal quality of this show. The animation looks dated (produced in 1992), soundtrack was weak (I heard the American version had a catchy theme song, but it's abandoned for the original Japanese theme), voice-acting/dialogue was stiff, worst villain name I have ever heard (Venomoids), and zero extras.

Teknoman Blade in front of the Earth w/orbital ring

This set is strictly quantity over quality for the price. Despite having a satisfyingly epic finale there are only a few truly good episodes. It literally felt like Blade was getting the crap kicked out of him every episode up through the ending. The nostalgia factor and price/quantity ratio are the two biggest positives going for this set. Beware of box sets with episode skips on the first disc - it's a widespread production flaw. I don't think the thinpak version (from 2009) has the same issue.

I've heard the original Japanese version is pretty good and would recommend checking out the Tekkaman Blade series if you don't mind reading subtitles.

"Tekno-Power!" Kinda says it all.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 07:32:00 +0000

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki
Funimation
Complete Collection - 3 discs
295 mins. - 7 episodes
$39.98 (2007)
$29.98 (2009) Viridian Collection
$19.98 (2011)
ISBN 704400076619
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Kenichi Yatani
Studio - AIC

Synopsis: The Masaki household is still wild and crazy after all these years - Tenchi Masaki released a space pirate from a 700-year imprisonment in his family's shrine only to have her (Ryoko) fall in love with him, then a royal princess (Ayeka) from space gets stranded on Earth and falls in love with him, along with her sister (Sasami) who falls in love with him, a klutzy yet Galaxy Police member (Mihoshi) shows up and falls in love with him, and a mad scientist (Washu) appears who falls in love with him. Buddy, that might be too many girls for your own good. Along the way we meet Ryo-Ohki the cabbit (cat-rabbit, get it?) who transforms into a space ship (huh?) and a little girl...who is in love with Tenchi. Notice a theme here? Then we learn Tenchi is a royal prince and has several cosmic powers - forms a lightsaber blade, has a battlesuit, performs matter-energy conversion (energy projection), teleportation, and manifests 'lighthawk wings' which do other 'stuff'. He's really just a mild-mannered dork and completely embarrassed with all the attention (particularly the female kind) heaped on him.

Can you spot the cock-blocker in this picture?

None of the above happens in this series - it's a sequel to two previous series about Tenchi where we learn and meet the cast of characters. What happens here is a continuation of the abnormal adventures of Tenchi's household along with some startling new developments. These include:

Noike - the fiancee!?

We learn what Tenchi's mother was like and the truth about her death
Tenchi has an older sister
Cosmic confrontation with Z - he was experimentally modified by Lady Tokimi with incredible powers to rival or surpass even Tenchi's. He is a tormented soul and lashes out with blind rage
Another love interest - meet Tenchi's arranged bride Noike who turns out to be Ayeka and Sasami's aunt and a really nice person
Fight off a band of mercenaries trying to kidnap Ryoko, Ayeka, and Washu
Meet Mihoshi's bungling twin brother Misao and his involvement in a dastardly plot to destroy Tenchi (by destroying the Earth)
Find out what the heck all this royal family, lighthawk wings, arranged marriages, experimental beings, goddesses, and cabbits business is about!

Pros: The Tenchi gang are back in all-new adventures, new characters add some fresh air to the cast, some good comedy, better CG, action and explanations - an ending after all these years!

Cons: Voice actress for Ryoko is different from the previous series and doesn't sound the same, new characters added to an already excessive character count, royal family and hierarchy between character lineage is horribly confusing, explanations just leave more questions, Tenchi remains a bland character

Z - this guy is pissed off

Mike Tells It Straight: Tenchi Muyo! was a great anime and one of the first shows to go mainstream on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming back in the '90s. The first OVA is a classic and I was completely excited to hear about this new series. You absolutely must have watched the previous OVA episodes in order to even remotely have a chance at understanding this series. The character relationships are oppressively complex in this show and I felt totally lost without a major scorecard (thank goodness for the internet). Apparently Tenchi Muyo: GXP will also help prepare you for the convoluted mess of this finale series.

This is a cabbit. Kawai!

The production timing of this finale detracts from the impact of the show - the first OVA (seven episodes) was released in 1992 (in Japan), the second OVA (six episodes) in 1994, and this final OVA (seven episodes) didn't show up until 2003. That's a long time and the GXP television series (26 episodes) helps to make things even more confusing by adding more layers of complexity to the intergalactic/political relationships of all the characters. I forgot most of it and since it's so damn complicated it took awhile (and a fair amount of time on the internet) to get back up to speed.

Overall an amusing show with a decent finale. Although it fights an uphill battle I think the series will satisfy most Tenchi fans (who are more interested in just having more Tenchi after all), but will warn it's a love/hate scenario. You will either love that more information is given about the major powers playing behind the scenes (and the Tenchi cast hijinks) or hate all the additional crap thrown into an already convoluted storyline. Your therapist would recommend watching this show just to get closure.

Seriously, this will help

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:27:00 +0000

Queen's Blade: The Exiled VirginMedia Blasters
Complete Collection - 3 discs
300 mins. - 12 episodes
$49.99 (2011)
$59.99 (2010) Blu-Ray (2 discs)
ISBN 631595104974
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Kinji Yoshimoto
Studio - ARMS

Synopsis: Every four years a tournament is held to determine the next Queen. Beautiful, female warriors from across the Continent migrate to Gynos, the Queen's capital and participate in brutal, one-on-one battles. Our tale begins in the fourth year as the tournament is just beginning and follows the events leading up to the participants arrival at the capital city. The combatants include:

Leina - known as the Wandering Warrior, she's the daughter and heir of Count Vance, renouncing her heritage she enters the tournament as an inexperienced fighter, but through training and perseverance gains formidable fighting skills, Echidna has a crush on her
Risty - known as the Benevolent Bandit of the Wild earning the title by robbing from the rich and helping the poor, she possesses an Amazonian physique and is a tenacious fighter

Risty captures a runaway Leina in the first episode

Echidna - known as the Veteran Mercenary, she's the former leader of the Assassins of the Fang, is a wild jungle elf with no inhibitions and an eye for fine maidens, has lived for more than 500 years, wears her pet snake Keltan as a thong
Menace - ancient princess from Amara (similar to Egyptians) resurrected by the Swamp Witch, wishes to restore her long-dead kingdom and specializes in mind-control, her talking sceptre Setora is a complete lecher
Nanael - known as the Angel of Hope, she's an angel from heaven sent to earth in order to officiate the Queen's Blade tournament, a complete dumbass she gets exiled for being incompetent, one wing is smaller than the other and she feels inferior to the other angels - so she acts out, possesses formidable powers, but forced to carry a vial of "holy milk" which diminishes her powers if spilled
Tomoe - Warrior Priestess from Hinomoto, pure of mind and spirit, many of her fellow priestesses were killed in a battle with the Kouma ninja clan, she must win the tournament and save her people, possesses incredible sword techniques

Tomoe finds it quite rude to disturb bathtime

Airi - known as the Infernal Temptress, she's a ghost maid in service to the Swamp Witch, wields a scythe in battle, and feeds on vitality in order to stay corporeal
Claudette - known as the Thundercloud General, she's the oldest daughter of the Vance Family, an illegitimate child she is not counted in the line of succession and charged with protecting Leina the true heir, wields a powerful sword called Thunderclap which controls lightning
Shizuka - former leader of the Kouma ninja clan, battled Tomoe in the past and lost, aids Tomoe after the Kouma against her wishes clash with the Hinomoto priestesses, despite her ninja training she is easygoing and likes to try on hot bikinis
Cattleya - known as the Giant Slayer, has a son named Lana, her missing husband is also a monster hunter, wields a massive greatsword which is only dwarfed in size by her massive breasts

Cattleya wields her giant...sword

Elina - younger sister to Leina and Captain of the Vance Guard, a ruthless fighter with love only for her family, she uses spears and a tiger-claw gauntlet, has an unhealthy fascination with her older sister naked full-body rubdowns
Nowa - half-elf/half-human and mistrusted by her elven brethren due to humans' prejudice against them, known as the Forest Keeper, has a pet monkey named Ruh, she doesn't wear underwear
Melpha - holy priestess with incredible divine powers and enormous breasts

Melona

Melona - known as the Protean Assassin, she's a minion of the Swamp Witch with the ability to shapeshift into a pink liquid form, has a sadistic personality and shoots acid from her breasts
Ymir - known as the Steel Princess, she's the daughter of the Dwarven King, despite her diminutive stature and childlike appearance she's actually quite older, hates snakes, wields an enormous axe and fights in the tournament to prove the strength of Dwarven steel
Irma - leader of the Assassins of the Fang, former apprentice to Echidna, master of stealth and treachery, she wields twin daggers
Alleyne - known as the Combat Master, she's Nowa's instructor and one thousand years old, sets out to help Nowa in the tournament
Aldra - known as the Bewitched Queen, she's the reigning queen, a cursed half-demon who can encase foes in amber with her "evil eye", has won the Queen's Blade tournament two times in a row

Pros: More fan-service than you can shake a "stick" at, tons of nudity - every battle has the combatants losing their tops and bottoms, decent story, Nanael adds some humor to the show, excellent animation and backgrounds, decent opening/ending theme songs, collection includes six OVA episodes comprising Queen's Blade: Beautiful Fighters side series, oil wrestling
Cons: It ends, only the first half of the Queen's Gate saga - finishes in the second season (next 12 episodes)

Echidna (standing) and Irma (seated)

Mike Tells It Straight: This show is all about fan-service - the story is entertaining and adequately explains the motivations of the characters, but it's all about showing off their sexy bodies at every opportunity. A trend in recent anime with a heavy fan-service theme (like Sekirei and Girls Bravo) is to show a lot more nudity. I certainly don't mind and find it a logical progression to the genre. Some may call it excessive, but Queen's Blade has been focused on scantily-clad warrior women in half-naked poses since the beginning (originally based on a series of visual combat gamebooks).

It's not for kids due to the nudity and sexual themes, but perfect for the otaku man-cub. If you like excessive fan-service with a proliferation of nudity and a story barely held together by g-string, then pick up this show. The DVD and BD sets are great, especially with the bonus OVA episodes which you won't see on Netflix.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Basilisk Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 06:11:00 +0000

Basilisk

Funimation
Complete Collection - 6 discs
600 mins. - 24 episodes
$89.98 (2007) $49.98 (2008)
$44.98 (2009) Blu-Ray
$39.98 (2010)
ISBN 704400085161
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Fumitomo Kizaki
Studio - Gonzo

Synopsis: Two rival ninja clans, the Kouga and the Iga, with an old, deep-seated grudge are pitted against one another in a bloody showdown to the finish. They are pawns in a political battle to name the next Shogun and now there are two lists with names slowly being written off in blood.

Caught in the crossfire are two lovers whose union would have meant a truce between the two clans. Now there is only tragedy as the lovers must face each other on the battlefield with no mercy!

Gennosuke and Oboro

Each clan member possesses a powerful Dojutsu technique:

Kouga clan

Gennosuke - heir to the clan leadership and betrothed to Oboro of the Iga clan, can cause any enemy who meets his gaze to kill themselves instead of him
Kagerou - extremely attractive woman, her breath becomes poison when she is sexually aroused, hopelessly in love with Gennosuke
Saemon - expert at infiltration, can impersonate anyone by making an mold of their face (they are usually dead at this point), older brother of Okoi
Hyouma - Gennosuke's uncle, possesses the same ability as Gennosuke, but his power cannot be turned off and only works at night, he wears a blindfold and is effectively blind by choice so as not to accidentally kill his loved ones and friends, has enhanced hearing
Gyoubu - can merge into any solid object, very large and powerful, expert at infiltration, must strip naked for his power to be effective and cannot carry weapons with him
Okoi - tomboyish, well-endowed, younger sister of Saemon, through skin-on-skin contact with an enemy can drain their blood into herself (she must vomit up the excess)
Jousuke - good-humored and rotund (i.e. not your typical ninja), a perverted lecher, possesses remarkable speed and agility for his size, body is the consistency of rubber and allows him to deflect physical attacks, squeeze through small openings, and attack by assuming the form of a bouncing ball
Jubei - lacks both arms and legs, but still extremely cunning, can slither like a snake by manipulating the metal plates of his armor, his tongue is highly skilled (hear that ladies?) and can manipulate/deflect weapons, hides a dagger in his esophagus (throat, not his a$$ creep)
Shogen - a hunchback resembling a spider, spits a sticky fluid similar to the spider's webbing, specializes in combat instead of stealth

Okoi naps with her big bro Saemon

Danjo - elder leader of the Kouga when the truce is broken, as a young man he and Ogen, of the Iga clan, were in love and planning to be betrothed (like Gennosuke and Oboro), but a war between the two clans broke out destroying their chance at happiness, now they are bitter enemies

Iga clan

Oboro - heir to clan leadership and betrothed to Gennosuke of the Kouga clan, does not possess any physical ninja skills, but can negate the Dojutsu of anyone who meets her gaze
Tenzen - usurper to clan leadership, sadistic and malicious, share his body with a symbiotic being who regenerates any wound and grants him immortality
Akeginu - highly attractive woman, Oboro's bodyguard and confidant, secretes blood from her pores which can sprayed in her opponents eyes to blind them or spread as a fine mist to cover her attacks, in love with Koshirou
Koshirou - Tenzen's apprentice, creates mini-whirlwinds to rip his opponents to shreds
Jingoro - an expert assassin, loathsome and cowardly, transforms into a slug-like form where he can climb walls and squeeze through impossibly small spaces to creep upon his targets, can suffer extreme dehydration in this form and must rehydrate or risk dying, incredibly frightened of the salt water
Hotarubi - petite and dark-haired beauty, betrothed to Yashamaru, creates swarms of glowing butterflies to distract her opponents, has a snake pet/bodyguard
Nenki - simian features including profuse body hair (ridiculous amounts of nose hair), uses a bo staff, brash and arrogant, able to manipulate his hair as a weapon
Rousai - eldest of the Iga, has a gourd-shaped head, can stretch is limbs to incredible lengths, power of his punches and kicks can fell trees
Yashamaru - can manipulate steel-like strands of wire and slice his opponents to ribbons, betrothed to Hotarubi
Ogen - elder leader of the Iga when the truce is broken, as a young woman she and Danjo, of the Kouga clan, were in love and planning to be betrothed (like Oboro and Gennosuke), but a war between the two clans broke out destroying their chance at happiness, now they are bitter enemies

Other

Hattori Hanzo - leader of the Shogun's intelligence group, there are four total (all sons succeeding fathers), regrets the battle between Kouga and Iga, but understands its political necessity

The Kouga clan

Pros: Great animation, voice acting is well done, spectacularly brutal action scenes, a gut and heart-wrenching story running a gamut of emotions, very brief nudity, good opening/ending themes, I watched the more expensive 2007 set and it had a ton of extras + very nice packaging

Cons: A lot of the powerful characters get killed by treachery (bastards!), all the guys have really thick eyebrows, not enough nudity

Mike Tells It Straight: I loved Ninja Scroll and have been waiting for a series to successfully follow in its footsteps (the Ninja Scroll TV series a few years back wasn't very good). Basilisk is an emotionally charged bloodbath as ninja clan members get brutally killed with regretful blood spraying from their severed arteries. Excellent action, great character/Dojutsu designs, and you can't help getting attached to the characters knowing full well they're going to buy it. This show will satisfy your action craving and gives a decent story behind the senseless murder. Highly recommended.

Gennosuke says "Look into my eyes...and die!"

TO BUY and Recommendations:

My Neighbor Totoro Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:50:00 +0000

My Neighbor Totoro

Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Disney)
Movie - 88 mins.
$29.99 (2010) $29.99 (2004)
ISBN 786936791716
English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hayao Miyazaki
Studio - Studio Ghibli

Synopsis: Satsuki and Mei move with their father, a university professor, into an old house in the country to be closer to their mother who is in the hospital. The sisters (ages ten and four) explore their new home and discover all sorts of interesting phenomena. Upon their arrival and first inspection they disturb the 'soot sprites' living in the empty house. Their father knows the only way to keep away house spirits is to laugh very loudly - and that's just what they do!

Mei spies this little guy

After several weeks the girls have adjusted to their new home and enjoy exploring the surrounding woods together. One day Mei happens upon a pint-sized magical creature and follows it to a huge ancient tree. She falls into the tree and right on top of a massive, sleeping Totoro! Mei is fascinated by the huge furry creature and Totoro is indifferent to the tiny creature sitting on him. They both take a nap.

Satsuki offers Totoro her extra umbrella

Later Satsuki and Mei encounter Totoro waiting at the bus stop in a heavily wooded lane. He gives them a bundle of magic seeds before boarding a catbus. The girls enjoy several more encounters with the 'king of the forest'.

Pros: Hand-rendered animation, simple and believable human characters, unmistakable sense of wonder/delight at the benign supernatural, the two little girls are adorable and well-portrayed, widespread international appeal, Totoro is great/hilarious (so is the theme song), catbus!

Cons: Slow-paced, Disney English dub is different than original (long out-of-print) Fox/Streamline English dub (those familiar with previous dub may be disappointed by new dub)

The magic seeds grow with a little help from Totoro

Mike Tells It Straight: This movie is one of my all-time favorites and has such universal appeal that anyone will enjoy it. It put Studio Ghibli on the international map and they don't use Totoro as their mascot by coincidence. The curiosity and wonder of the girls meeting Totoro is absolutely precious. My two-year old can't get enough of Totoro and goes crazy every time I wear a Totoro-face shirt. It's slow-paced, but builds to some pretty amazing moments and will captivate younger viewers. Watch this movie and be transported back to childhood when magic still happened every day.

Kaaawwaaaiiii!!!!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Kaze No Yojimbo Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:58:00 +0000

Kaze No Yojimbo

Bandai Entertainment
Complete Collection - 25 episodes
625 mins. - 6 discs
$49.98 (2006)
ISBN 669198235061
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hayato Date
Studio - Studio Pierrot

Synopsis: George Kodama shows up in Shinijuku looking for a man named Genzo Araki to ask him some questions. He quickly realizes the town is not quite what it seems and people are hiding something. Two rival gangs have an uneasy truce in town until George begins stirring things up. He winds up bodyguard to the daughter of one of the crime bosses. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

It's slow going for George, but he eventually gathers clues to the whereabouts of his long lost brother and a train full of gold bars which went missing near the town fifteen years ago. The secret could get him and a lot of other people killed as old secrets bring deadly consequences. Can George solve the mystery before the people he cares about get hurt?

Another bowl of ramen eaten at Tonbo

Pros: George can kick some ass and eats a lot of ramen, chicks dig him and guys want to be like him, George smokes

Cons: This story is really boring and excruciatingly slow-paced, character designs and animation are bland, CG looks terrible, has these weird scene cuts with static elements which are distracting (probably used to save money on actual animation), soundtrack is awful, dub acting is weak

High school girls love this guy

Mike Tells It Straight: Title literally translates to "bodyguard of the wind" and based on Akira Kurosawa's film Yojimbo. This show was oppressively slow-paced and I was too bored to care when the 'big reveal' ending finally happened. I highly recommend avoiding this sucker unless you're specifically looking for a slow-paced, drama/mystery with a terrible soundtrack and weak animation.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

The Place Promised in Our Early Days Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:14:00 +0000

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

ADV Films
Movie - 90 mins. - 1 disc
$29.98 (2005)
ISBN 702727127724
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Makoto Shinkai
Studio - CoMix Wave Inc.

Synopsis: Hiroki and Takuya are classmates and obsessed with building an aircraft in order to fly over to Hokkaido where a mysterious tower reaching to the heavens can be seen. Japan split after WWII with the southern region occupied by the US and the north by the Soviets. The tower is on the northern side while the boys live in the south. It's visible for miles around and represents an unknown force hanging over the lives of everyone around. Befriending the two boys is Sayuri, a girl classmate and the three teenagers spend the summer before high school together. The boys promise to fly Sayuri to the tower with them, but she mysteriously disappears before the end of summer.

Fast forward three years and the two clever boys are working for the government investigating parallel dimensions bordering our own. Apparently the tower on Hokkaido is an advanced technology linking to other dimensions in order to research them. It begins acting unstable and leaking another dimension "over" our own. The boys have grown apart and come to uncover a mystery linking Sayuri to the tower. Can they rescue her even if it means the overlap or rewriting of the world?

Incredibly stunning visuals

Pros: Beautiful animation and visuals, compelling characters, a decent mystery, voice acting was good, tons of extras including interview with director

Cons: Slow-paced, not much action, vague at points (like why Sayuri is linked to the tower)

Some neat sci-fi designs - that's a plane?

Mike Tells It Straight: A very pretty film with stunning visuals and an interesting plot. Two friends have a dream in childhood, but drift apart as adults. The show is very slow-paced in the beginning and then speeds up near the end. Recommended if you want a thoughtful story progression with a sprinkle of sci-fi, but avoid if you're looking for any type of action.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Project Blue Earth SOS Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:38:00 +0000

Project Blue Earth SOS

Funimation
Complete Collection - 6 episodes
288 mins. - 2 discs
$49.98 (2009)
$29.98 (2010) S.A.V.E.
ISBN 704400069406
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Tensai Okamura
Studio - A.C.G.T.

Synopsis: A new fighter plane utilizing the experimental G-Reaction engine mysteriously disappears during a test flight. Fast forward five years and a new bullet train using the same type of experimental engine evaporates into thin air. Two charismatic teen detectives witness the train disappearance and burst into action. One is Billy Kimura, heir to billion-dollar Kimura Industries and a boy genius in his own right. The other is Penny Carter, orphaned at a young age, but highly intelligent and a master of quick thinking. They investigate similar missing devices using G-Reaction technology and aided by gal pal Lotta Brest, they uncover a sinister plot by ruthless aliens to invade Earth from extra-dimensional space.

Can the plucky trio help the clandestine organization whose mission is to stop the invasion and save Metropolitan X?

Pros: Slick animation, nice use of CG, some good mystery/suspense with the alien invasion

The aliens use goofy looking guns like these

Cons: Teen characters are mostly annoying, Lotta Brest is a pervy name for a teen girl without big breasts (her tutor Emely had ample cleavage and could have pulled off the name), retro-future designs didn't quite work, English dub is not as good as original Japanese

Mike Tells It Straight: Revisit those campy sci-fi matinees you loved as a kid (or as an adult) with this show. It's got a nice retro-futuristic feel and modern animation/effects, but mostly fell flat for me. Only garners a meager recommendation due to the annoying kids (blame the English dub actors) and dull plot elements. It was just highly unclever.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:50:00 +0000

Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne

Funimation
Complete Collection - 6 episodes
270 mins. - 2 discs
$49.98 (2011) $59.98 (2010)
$59.98 (2010) Blu-Ray
ISBN 704400096426
English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Shigeru Ueda
Studio - Xebec/GENCO

Synopsis: Rin is a private detective and runs her own agency with the help of her assistant, Mimi. If they're not downing shots of vodka the pair will be out performing all sorts of odd jobs - finding lost cats, searching for stolen priceless stamps, or blowing up pharmaceutical companies which are fronts for clone farm organ harvesting. She's immortal and has been inhabited by a 'time fruit' from the world tree Ygddrasil. Other immortals exist and though Rin attempts to create a life for herself, she is constantly assailed by her past.

This chess game is taking forever!

Another immortal named Apos lives to torture Rin and employs several other immortals as his agents. They continually accost Rin and often torture her to death in sadistic fashion. Witness the progression of time as Rin struggles to end the cycle of her torment and protect those around her.

Pros: Bizarre yet compelling story, lots of nudity and some lesbian action, plenty of violence, great take on future technology, decent opening/ending theme songs, quality animation

Cons: Rin is immortal and gets shot/stabbed/crushed/tortured a lot - she is usually naked when this happens which is a tad grotesque, Apos likes to torture women and has a very freaky secret, story is a bit vague at points, collection is expensive for a mere six episodes, ending could have been better

Mike Tells It Straight: This show is a twisted, erotic mystery intended for mature audiences with a high tolerance for viewing pain. The animation, story concepts, voice acting, and music were all very well done. I really liked the time leaps in each subsequent episode and piecing together the 'gaps' in events - like the character Kouki from the first episode has a son who plays a major role in the third episode. Rin, Apos, and the other immortals remain constant while the world rapidly evolves around them . Portrayal of the future was especially keen with the real world (1.0) slowly being supplanted by the online world (2.0). It gets graphic and the ending is not as spectacular as I had hoped, but definitely a worthwhile show.

TO BUY and Recommendations: Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne Hell Girl

Sword of the Stranger Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:44:00 +0000

Sword of the Stranger

Bandai Entertainment
Movie - 103 mins.
$24.98 (2009) $39.98 Blu-Ray
ISBN 669198200120
English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Masahiro Ando
Studio - Bones

Synopsis: Kotaro, a young orphan boy, barely escapes the destruction of the temple where he lives by a band of Chinese Ming fighters. They pursue him as a sacrifice to create an elixir able to grant eternal life to the emperor of China. The Ming are aided by a rogue feudal lord and include a ruthless, blond-haired warrior possessing incredible skills.

Hiding out in an abandoned shrine, Kotaro and his faithful dog Tobimaru meet a wandering ronin calling himself No Name. When Tobimaru is poisoned, No Name helps save his life and a bond is formed with Kotaro as No Name becomes his bodyguard.

No Name has vowed never to use his sword again as penance for acts he performed as a warrior under a feudal lord. He has a knot tied around his sword, but is still a formidable fighter without it. A bloody showdown is on the horizon, but will the three companions survive and can No Name atone for his past?

Pros: Incredibly lush background visuals, thrilling and well choreographed fight sequences, humorous banter with boy and samurai, good ending, interesting characters, Chinese vs. Japanese martial arts, Ming characters actually speak Chinese (Mandarin), decent soundtrack

Cons: Story is a bit cliche, No Name still kills albeit without a sword - makes his vow to never unsheathe his sword a bit hollow, the Ming wanting to sacrifice Kotaro didn't seem plausible, the most powerful Ming warrior was a foreigner - never explained how this guy got so good at martial arts

Mike Tells It Straight: This movie has great visuals, cool fight scenes, and some interesting characters. Mildly lacking in the story department, but overall very enjoyable. I think people have been waiting for a truly spectacular anime movie to come along for the past few years and put a lot of expectation on this one to deliver a transcendental experience. Don't get me wrong, it's a really good movie in the genre, but not quite the calibre of a Princess Mononoke. It's a solid watch and actually better than I expected.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Girls Bravo Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 06:32:00 +0000

Girls Bravo
Funimation
Complete - 24 episodes

560 mins - 4 discs

$49.98 (2010)

ISBN 704400045806

English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles

Director - Ei Aoki

Studio - AIC

Synopsis: Yukinari has been bullied by girls his whole life, especially his next door neighbor Kirie. It's gotten so bad he's actually allergic to them and breaks out in a rash anytime he comes in contact with a girl. When he accidentally gets transported through his bathtub to the planet Seiren, with a population made up of 90% women - it's his worst nightmare come true!

Fortunately he meets Miharu, a beautiful girl with uncanny abilities and the first female who doesn't make him break out in a rash. She gets transported back to Earth with Yukinari and must deal with the culture shock of a new world.

Yukinari has his hands full with all of these crazies:

Miharu - from Seiren, has strange abilities and an unquenchable appetite, loves Yukinari
Kirie - Yukinari's next door neighbor, well-endowed, tough, has a crush on Yukinari despite his wimpy demeanor
Kazuharu - is Yukinari's classmate and the most popular boy at school, incredibly rich, a total lecher with the exact opposite allergy as Yukinari - he is allergic to guys and can only be around women
Lisa - Kazuharu's sister, a witch, believes Yukinari is her soulmate after reading a horoscope
Koyomi - from Seiren, sent to retrieve Miharu, afraid of guys, searching for her father on Earth
Tomoka - from Seiren, sent to help Koyomi retrieve Miharu, is a pre-teen, knows some magic
Maharu - Miharu's big sister with even bigger boobs, obsessed with finding a husband
Hayate - Lisa's attendant, has ninja stealth skills
Kosame - another of Lisa's attendants, strong fighter, in love with Kirie

Pros: Fan-service with actual nudity, lighthearted comedy with lots of sexual innuendo and endearing characters, Kosame's lesbian crush on Kirie is hot!, each episode usually starts with a naked girl in the bathtub

Cons: Typical harem show, story is brainless and silly

Mike Tells It Straight: Harem shows should drop the pretense and follow Girls Bravo's lead by giving us what we really want - fan-service with nudity! It's pure comedy mixed with sexual innuendo, but never takes itself too seriously or goes too far (unless you're easily offended by inappropriate sexual behavior, and then it goes too far). Released in two "seasons" of 12 episodes each for a total count of 24 episodes. They noticeably up the fan-service factor after season one! Even the opening credits have nudity - so if you're looking for something silly with fan-service (and you're old enough to watch it) then this show is perfect!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Afro Samurai Director's Cut Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 07:53:00 +0000

Afro Samurai Director's Cut
Funimation
Complete - 5 episodes
125 mins. - 2 discs
$24.98 (2007)
ISBN 704400079801
English Audio
Directors - Fuminori Kizaki & Jamie Simone
Studio - Gonzo

Synopsis: The Number 1 headband is worn by the greatest fighter in the world and can only be challenged by the fighter with the Number 2 headband. Number 2 can be challenged by anyone and is under constant attack. In a battle on a snowy mountaintop the Number 2 decapitates the Number 1 and claims his headband. The former Number 1's son is witness and vows revenge. His name is Afro.

Fast forward many years and Afro is under constant attack as Number 2. He's on a collision course with Number 1 and cuts down all opponents in his path. We learn the details of his heart-breaking journey. Can he defeat the unkillable Number 1 to claim revenge for his father and friends?

Pros: Great packaging and lots of extras - including 15 minutes of additional footage, hip hop/samurai theme is slick, Samuel L. Jackson is the voice of Afro, some nudity, great visuals and tons of hardcore action

Cons: Storyline is flimsy, one trick pony filled with one-liners and scenes with two macho guys staring each other down, Afro's sidekick Ninja Ninja is really annoying

Mike Tells It Straight: Revenge! Pure and simple. This show (movie if you want to call the episodes chapters) is an unflinching revenge tale with gruesome deaths and betrayals galore. Not very deep and singularly focused, but the visuals are pretty good. Mindless entertainment if you're in the mood.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Puni Puni Poemy Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:57:00 +0000

Puni Puni Poemy

ADV Films

Complete - 2 episodes

60 mins. - 1 disc

$29.98 (2004)
ISBN 702727072925

English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles

Director - Shinichi Watanabe

Studio - J.C. Staff

Synopsis: Poemi is a hyperactive 10-year-old with dreams to become a voice actress and a crush on the most popular boy in her grade. Pretty normal, right? You are @#$%-ing wrong! She is thrust into a massive alien plot when her parents are killed by Alien #1, an extraterrestrial assassin.

Moving in with her best friend Futaba and her six sisters, Poemi discovers they are secretly a squad of magical superheroes with inane powers. Peomi manages to become a magical girl to stop the alien invasion and avenge her parents!

Pros: Wacky, fan-service - especially Shii, shounen-ai (look it up)

Cons: The main characters are too young for fan-service, too weird and questionably poor taste at times, hard to follow

Mike Tells It Straight: This is a magical girl show on crack! It's got some mature themes - best friend Futaba is a hardcore 10-year-old lesbian trying to put the moves on Poemi and the alien assassin doesn't wear pants to cover his giant, hanging gonad. WTF to the Nth degree and banned in New Zealand. Spawned from Excel Saga with the exact same director, but far too manic for my taste. Only watch it if you really need to go there and can handle the trip.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Garzey's Wing Anime Review

noreply@blogger.com (MichaelSzele) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Garzey's Wing
U.S. Manga Corps
Complete - 3 episodes
90 mins. - 1 disc
$9.99 (2003) $29.99 (2000)
ISBN 719987228429
English/Japanese Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Yoshiyuki Tomino
Studio - J.C. Staff/BMG Japan

Synopsis: Chris is a regular high school student (who just happens to fail his college entrance exams for the second time = loser) when he is suddenly pulled into the world of Byston Well and thrust into the middle of a slave rebellion. He possesses the mystical power of Garzey's Wing and is the prophesied savior of the slave tribes. The power manifests as giant wings of light which spring from his ankles allowing him to fly.

Meanwhile Chris still exists in our world and the two halves of his soul communicate through a necklace they both wear. When Byston Well Chris gets cut fighting soldiers then real-world Chris also is cut. Can Chris save Byston Well and his real-world self?

Pros: The main character steps up to the challenge of risking his life to save people

Cons: Story is obfuscating, dub is lame, no biomecha like in Aura Battler Dunbine, soundtrack is weak

Mike Tells It Straight: Yoshiyuki Tomino is a legendary writer/director and the original creator of Mobile Suit Gundam and Aura Battler Dunbine (the original Byston Well show from the 80s). This show is his worst ever. Seriously, I checked and really don't recommend it.

TO BUY and Recommendations: