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January 30, 2006
The end of Area 88 and Gantz and the start of Diamond Daydreams
AnimeTalk a bi-weekly column by Don Houston, John Sinnott, Chris Tribbey, and Todd Douglass Welcome to the latest installment of Anime Talk. This week in our capsle reviews we have the last volume of Area 88 that ends on a high note, and the concluding episodes of Gantz that doesn't. Case Closed wraps up its fifth season, and Mermaid Forest comes to a close too. We also look at a new series, Nickelodeon's Avatar and review the collected Zone of Enders boxed set. Holly's Anime Bargains returns, for those looking to stretch their anime dollars after the holidays, macho-man has Chris Tribbey a look at a new romance series that looks promising, Diamond Daydreams, and we have our table of upcoming releases. Is there something else you'd like to see in Anime Talk? Something you like or dislike about the column? Drop us an e-mail and let us know!
The Latest
Anime Reviews:
In Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo V2, Albert learns more about the mysterious Count but his motives are still unclear. The privileged aristocracy has much to fear from the fabulously wealthy man yet the web of the series is still being weaved at a stately rate in order to truly flesh out the reasoning behind his dark scheming. Is the Count a villain or the victim in this futuristic version of the Alexandre Dumas classic? Continue to watch it and find out but keep in mind that the technical aspects of the series alone are worth a peek with the writing elevating it even higher in the opinion of many. The fifth season of Detective Conan, known as Case Closed here in the States, wraps up with volume five. This DVD has only three stand alone episodes, but they are some of the best shows in the season involving some fun mysteries and good detective work. The disc starts off with a locked room puzzle, which is the best and closest to a traditional mystery story, but the latter two epsides also feature some good plots. While the fact that Conan does want anyone to know that he's really solving the mysteries is pretty dumb and often played for laughs, and some of the crimes are really stupid, this show comes up with its fair share of good mysteries. With a blend of reality TV, live news and science fiction, Starship Operators is one unique little series. The only problem is that the first four episodes on the premier volume don’t do a lot to suck you in as a viewer. The characters are not well represented and the story is slow and plodding. The basic premise here is that a grand war is going on and the evil force known as The Kingdom forces the surrender of the Kibi nation. This doesn’t sit well with a group of military cadets who above all rhyme and reason take over their ship to wage a one vessel campaign to regain the dignity of their people. Sure it sounds interesting, but until more volumes come out and we learn more about what’s going on this one sits comfortably in rental territory.
Volume five of Kyo Kara Maoh is another solid installment in the series. First, the demon king Yuri has to save an endangered dragon from poachers, and then the series starts another multi-part story when a 10 year old girl attempts to assassinate the king. Managing to avoid a lot of the cliche's of fantasy anime while still having a familiar feel, this is show is worth checking out. A little beyond the halfway point in the Fullmetal Alchemist series the show proves that it still has what it takes to keep going strong. The seventh volume takes a step back from the action and events of the past few in order to reflect upon things. We finally get to meet Ed and Al’s alchemy teacher in a display of hilarity and violence that is the source for many flashbacks. Getting some glimpses at the brother’s past helps to flesh out their characters even more, as if they really need it. The show offers just about everything that you could want from an anime and we’re still glued to the edge of our seat to see if Ed and Al get that Philosopher’s Stone. The unedited version of the first Dragon Ball Z saga continues in Vegeta Saga Volume 7. The pace really picks up in these three episodes with Goku starting, and finishing, his training with King Kai, the Z Warriors go back to Earth and prepare for a fight, and the Saiyans finally arriving on Earth. There are some interesting extra scenes that weren't shown on US television too, appearing here for the first time in region 1. Well worth picking up for DBZ fans.
The fifth volume of Baki the Grappler has come along and this time the series is at a point that is five years later than the last installment. You see, after Baki lost to his father and after the subsequent death of his moth, he realized that he still needed more training. He left the country only to return and enter an underground combat arena known as the Holy Land of Fighting. All of the best fighters in the world gather there and for the time being Baki actually has remained champion. This volume introduces us to his new life and brings a slew of new warriors into the picture. The direction may be a little different than the previous volumes but this is the material that fans of the Baki OVA have been waiting to get to. In the second season of the show, Girls Bravo 4 seemed to take a renewed look at the common factors of the show with lead male Yukinari still allergic to women but barely showing it as he dealt with the twisted Fukuyama’s schemes repeatedly. The fantastical elements of the show weren’t exactly written out of the episodes but they were downplayed to the point where they weren’t noticed nearly as much in favor of more fan service than the show has displayed previously. If you like seeing animated breasts popping out of clothes, nude anime chicks running around, and lots of panty shots, you might overlook the problems the show had. Just as wild and wacky as the first three discs, the fourth volume of Kodocha is a lot of fun. This time Sana has a problem that she can't solve by being chipper and happy. It seems that there is a mystery in Sana's past, possibly involving her father, and her mother is going to use it as fodder for her next book. This is a really different show, a girls anime that's actually funny and entertianing. The English dub is really good too, and most of the credit for that goes to Laura Bailey. Her work as Sana really brings this show alive and makes it incredibly funny. Her voice just fits the 11 year old Sana well, and the many scenes where she's rattling off some mondo-bizzaro dialog is laugh-out-loud funny. This is a very entertaining show that really should be getting more press. Check it out, it is highly recommended.
More Mimetic Beasts continue to wage war against the humans near the close of the first season of Godannar. Mira is progressing quite nicely so that creates a rift between Goh and Anna that may very well drive them apart. A mysterious warrior known as Ken steps into the picture seeking vengeance for the death of a loved one. It’s difficult to tell whose side he’s really on, but Lou becomes infatuated with him and eventually gets taught how to be a pilot. The action and fanservice continues with the third volume as the show continues to be a guilty pleasure of sorts for mecha-freaks. Mermaid Forest: Neverending Nightmare, the final volume of episodes where immortals Yuta and Mana walk the countryside in search of a cure for their having eaten the mystical flesh of mermaids was released recently. While not the best Japan has to offer, fans of the darker side of storytelling might appreciate how the couple continued to struggle against those who’d do them harm (apparently, everyone wants to live forever but these two). I saw some elements to enjoy in the series but the limitations were more readily apparent so check it out as a rental first. Be sure to take a look at recommendations by DVDTalk’s twisted cast of reviewers in their Best Of Anime 2003, Best Of Anime 2004, and Top Ten Anime discs of 2005 articles.
Scheduled for release on Feb. 7, 2006
Scheduled for release on Feb. 14, 2006
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO by Chris Tribbey DIAMOND DAYDREAMS VOL. 1
It's hard to impress action anime fans with stories of romance. I'll take a mecha, a sword-slinger, or a magic-wielder over an anime love affair any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. After just one episode of Diamond Daydreams, though, I eagerly awaited the next chapter. I'll never admit it to friends, and I promised myself a Ninja Scroll binge afterward to remind myself I'm tough. But the stories and characters of Diamond Daydreams captured me fully and quickly, and (with the blinds closed) I'll watch volume two when it comes out. In the first of two tales on this DVD, 20-year-old Atsuko helps her mom run a small food stand, working hard but feeling like life is passing her by. Mom is a no-nonsense woman, running her daughter hard, but lovingly, chastising Atsuko's friends for calling work, and prodding her daughter to marry that pompous (yet well-off) young gentleman, who can help get the store out of financial difficulty. After all, Atsuko is a plain girl, not unattractive, but surely a tomboy, who's lucky to have a suitor at all, in mom's estimation. All plans - mom's, the suitor's, Atsuko's - are dashed aside when tall, dark and handsome enters the picture. He's engaging, humorous, and he wins Atsuko's eye and affections. A gentleman, this saxophone player begins a budding romance with Atsuko. But mom, and more pointedly, Atsuko's expectant husband won't allow this to happen without a fight. Not at all. The second tale follows a bed-ridden beauty with an uncaring ass for a doctor. Two years in the hospital has left Karin forlorn and lonely. Her only solace is found in a laptop, where she writes her thoughts in a blog. Soon, she has a caring and intriguing pen pal, asking pointed questions and showing great affection for Karin. But will her dreams match reality when she comes face to face with her newfound friend? Diamond Daydreams surprised me. While it moved at a snail's pace sometimes, I found the characters immediately engaging. Many romance anime give us immature, bumbling fools, feeling about blindly on their first road of love. You can spot the lacking ability of romantic storytelling in the creators of these shows when they revert to slapstick comedy and busty fan service. This anime features believable characters who've reached young adulthood, giving off mature emotions of tempered longing and troubled contemplation. Sure, every now and then Atsuko may trip and spill cartons of squid everywhere, but those few trips are forgiven in an anime that knows what it is, and doesn't stray too far. Some interesting direction, decent designs, and fitting music wrap around this above-average romance tale. Recommended for fans of romance anime that don't try to be comedies
at the same time.
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Don't like it? Have a comment or suggestion? Drop us an e-mail
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January 16, 2006
Kamen Rider V3
AnimeTalk a bi-weekly column by Don Houston, John Sinnott, Chris Tribbey, and Todd Douglass Anime Talk has always featured reviews of the latest anime DVDs, and this week is no different. However, in addition to our take on the latest installments of Samurai 7, Madlax, and the new Neon Genesis Evengelion Platinum Collection, this installment we have a look at a DVD release that may have passed under most reader's radar: Kamen Rider V3! This live action super hero show from Japan is a lot of fun and will really appeal to a lot of anime fans. In addition Holly returns with another set of anime bargains and we also have our tables of upcoming anime releases.
The Latest
Anime Reviews:
Shotaro Kaneda sees the light in Tetsujin 28: Tetsujin vs. the Mafia when the mob steals Tetsujin and uses him to rob and plunder Japan. Figuring out that the robot itself isn't evil and can be used for great benefit to mankind, he struggles to regain control of his father's creation before more harm can come to the local populace. Risking life and limb won't be easy however since they have no intention of giving up their newfound tool for profiteering. If you've seen the Divergence Eve series, you be familiar with the cast of Misaki Chronicles 1 but that might not save it for you. The spin off series follows the continued exploits of Misaki, Luxandra, Kiri, and Suzanna as their squad trains for their shot at the big leagues before noticing that something isn't quite right with their surroundings. Eventually finding themselves stuck in a time bubble of their own making, will they be able to solve the problem as the series progresses or will they find themselves the victims of the latest advances by their sworn enemies, the Ghouls?
ADV Films is still on a roll with their conversion of past series in the form of boxed sets with Sakura Wars TV: Complete Collection. Set in 1920's Japan, the series was derived from a videogame but found new legs as a group of spiritually charged girls fight off hordes of demons invading Earth as well as find the time to excel at the finer things in life as opera performers. Focusing on a girl named Sakura, the series explored a lot of heady concepts but remained fun at the same time in a show that we found fun to watch in this value oriented boxed set. Wrapping up a show is sometimes tough, especially when it kept getting better with each volume. Such was the case with Yumeria: End of a Dream as slacker Tomokazu Mikuri fought off powerful beings invading Earth as well as the perverted principle of his high school while assisting a group of his female friends in their dream state attacks on the enemy. While it didn't completely cover all the little plot threads, the general theme of self sacrifice was explored further and made the episodes fly by in this admittedly quirky show.
The fifth volume of Burst Angel picks up the pace of the show with four action filled episodes. Not only are there a lot of fights, but the plot is advanced as well. More about Jo's background is revealed, and a major conspiracy is uncovered, and Takane, the Angel's friend from Osaka makes another appearance. This is a fun filled volume. Giant robots and boy detectives are something of an anime cliché. One of the originals was a sci-fi creation called Tetsujin and nearly fifty years later the series has been resurrected from the scrap heap. Granted the show has seen several animated incarnations over the years and this new one isn't a whole lot different. The story takes place during the aftermath of the war when Japanese culture is starting to find itself again. A relic from the not too distant past appears in the form of a missile and literally lands on young Shotaro's lap. The boy quickly finds a remote control and now he has a new toy; a 100 foot metallic behemoth. This revision offers a fantastic premise with some great animation and vintage art design. The fourth volume of Galactic Railways goes down a notch in quality from the previous discs. While the earlier episodes in this series toyed with melodramatic elements, most of the shows on this volume fully embrace it. There's just a bit too many people pining for their lost love and not enough action that had previously made the show so entertaining. While it's not a bad set of shows, it didn't have the charm of the other volumes.
If you ever wanted to learn about Japanese culture through the eyes of adorable little faeries, then does Geneon have something for you. No, it's not a straight jacket (not yet anyway), it's the super short series known as Bottle Fairy and the entire run is actually found on only two discs. The anime follows the adventures of four little fairies as they learn about the world around them through the musings of an eight year old girl. The show is cute and offers a fairly loose interpretation of life in Japan, but not the most endearing series to come along in recent days. A short while ago we took a look at the complete collection for the Nuku Nuku Dash series, but for some strange reason ADV released that set before the first TV adaptation. All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku TV followed the OVA but just like the Dash series it took a few liberties. The characters were all present, much of the plot was still the same and even a lot of the jokes were similar. This version was much more lighthearted in nature than its predecessor but it just doesn't feel as well structured or interesting. Be sure to take a look at recommendations by DVDTalk's twisted cast of reviewers in their Best Of Anime 2003, Best Of Anime 2004, and Top Ten Anime discs of 2005 articles.
Kamen Rider V3 - The Complete Series Review by John Sinnott With the incredible success of Power Rangers, a show originally made in Japan and adapted for US audiences, and the fact that anime currently dominates children's TV programing in the United States, it's curious that Japanese superhero children's shows haven't migrated to the US. Johnny Sokko and His Giant Robot and Ultraman were favorite after school programs for many children in the late 60's and early 70's in the US and are conspicuous in their absence on DVD. Yes, FUNimation did release four volumes of Ultraman Tiga in 2004, but aside from that, there hasn't been much in the way of live action Japanese TV. The Kyoryuu Sentai ZyuRanger series (that was used for the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the US) would have a built in audience, as would Spectral Mask, a masked-avenger series staring a young Sonny Chiba. One company is doing their part to bring these adventure shows to US
viewers though. JNProductions, a company based in Hawaii, has licenced
and released Kamen Rider V3 in a very nice 6 disc DVD set that contains
the entire 52 episode series.
Kamen Rider is one of the longest running hero franchises in Japan (second only to Ultraman) with a new incarnation of the show (Kamen Rider Hibiki) currently airing. It has also been credited with being the first Henshin (transform in Japanese) series and started a whole genre of TV shows. Though it was preceded by Ultraman, Kamen Rider doesn't fight giant Godzilla-type monsters, instead he battles normal human sized villains. The first incarnation, simply titled Kamen Rider, started in 1971 and lasted two seasons. During this series Kamen Rider, a powerful cyborg, fought the evil organization Shocker. Over the course of 98 episodes Kamen Rider 1 (later aided by Kamen Rider 2) battled the creatures that Shocker created, and finally managed to defeat the group. Following the conclusion of Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider V3 was
launched in 1973. This time the story involves Kazami Shiro (Miyauchi
Hiroshi). When he accidently witnesses the murder of a man, Kazami
and his family become targets themselves. That's because he saw the
operatives of Destron, an evil world wide criminal entity with a mysterious
leader who are trying to take over the world. Since they are a secret
group, anyone who sees them is killed. One night, a Destron mutant
breaks into Shiro's home. Kamen Riders 1 and 2 arrive in time to
save Shiro himself but not before the mutant kills his parents and sister
before his eyes.
The two Kamen Riders start perusing Destron, but quickly fall into a deadly trap. Kazami, who has dedicated his life to avenging his family, is able to save the pair, but in the process becomes mortally wounded himself. Riders One and Two are able to save Kazami's life, but only by turning him into a cyborg too. Now, with much of his humanity gone, he fights alongside the original Kamen Riders as Kamen Rider V3. Not for long however. Almost immediately Destron attacks again. This time they have planted a nuclear bomb in one of their mutants, and plan to destroy Tokyo. At the last minute the two original Riders take the mutant and fly him out to sea, where he harmlessly explodes, killing the two heros (or do they really die?) That leaves V3 to fight Destron alone. Aided by the original Rider's
mentor, Tachibana Tôbei, and the lovely Tama Junko whose life was
saved by V3, they set up a secret hide out for the newest Kamen Rider and
recruit a group of Rider Scouts, a bunch of Kenny clones who ride their
bikes around the country side and help V3 discover Destron's plans.
Though he has a lot going for him, V3 has some problems too. Riders One and Two died shortly after creating him, and they didn't have time to tell Kazami what his abilities and powers are. He knows that he has 26 secrets, but he has to discover them for himself. Even more importantly, V3 has four fatal weaknesses and he's not even sure what they are. This was a really fun series. The great thing about it was that
it was more than a monster-of-the-week show. Yes, V3 did fight a
new monster in just about every episode, but there show was broken up into
two episodes stories. There would be a problem for V3 to solve, a
reason for Destron to attack, a usually great cliff-hanger after the first
show, and an exciting resolution. These two-part stories also advanced
the main story arc too, something that kept the show interesting.
They would also have smaller stories within the main arc too. The villainous Doktor G takes control of the Japanese arm of Destron with the purpose of killing V3 in one, and other officers are appointed during the course of the series too. Another exciting arc has Kamen Rider V3 meeting another masked person, Riderman. He was a scientist working for Destron, but has he changed his ways? The show also keeps you guessing by killing off some unexpected people.
Not only do the original Kamen Riders fly off into the sunset, but there
are a fair amount of minor characters who are killed, and it often comes
as a shock because these plot points aren't telegraphed in advance.
If the scientist that V3 is looking for gets killed, what's to stop the
other characters from being sacrificed at the alter of moving the plot
along?
With a new episode airing every week for an entire year, the production schedule must have been brutal. A lot of the credit for the show being so entertaining goes to star Miyauchi Hiroshi. He preformed all of his own stunts (though there was a stunt man in the Kamen Rider suit) and did a great job of adding an extra dimension to the production. He played the romantic subplot with Junko just right. With hardly any dialog he was able to establish that Kazami is attracted to her, and that he feels he can't have a relationship since he's a cyborg. He played it subtly and made sure that this plot never got too sappy. After watching this show it's easy to see why Hiroshi is one of the most popular SF sTV stars in Japan. He also went on to have staring roles in Secret Taskforce Goranger as the first Blue Ranger and Swift Hero Zubat. The DVD: This entire 52 episode series comes on 6 DVDs which are housed in a
fold out book (like the Buffy season sets) and comes with and illustrated
slipcase.
Video: Originally airing in 1973 in Japan, the full frame image has been cleaned up, but is still showing its age a bit. While the picture is good and easy on the eyes generally, it looks like a 16mm print was used for the master, and there is some of grain to the image. There is bit of dirt on the print, but it's nothing significant. The colors look very nice though, with the colorful villains, not to mention Kamen Rider himself, are bright and vivid. The level of detail is generally fine, but some detail is lost in the dark scenes. While not a reference disc, this image is solid and acceptable. Audio: Like the video, the Japanese two channel audio is acceptable not great. The range isn't great, and there is a slight bit of distortion now and again, but the dialog is easy to hear. The effects and music are strong and though I would have loved to hear this show in 5.1, this mix will do. There are two optional subtitle tracks, one a direct translation and the other with the mild swearing removed. Though I don't speak Japanese, I thought the translation was very good with the dialog sounding natural and seeming to capture the spirit of the original. The did not translate the word "kamen" (masked) when referring to V3 which was good (the less I recall of the American Masked Rider the better.) The term "henshin" (transform) was also left in tact when Kazami would change into V3 which also worked well, though when Boiler Toad wanted to attack V3 rather than Kazami he did goad him to "transform." As far as the cursing goes, it's limited to the frequent use of "damn" and "hell" to describe the Destron monsters with an occasional "bastard" thrown in when some particularly nefarious scheme is unveiled. There is no English dub. Extras: This set has a lot of bonus material, much more than I was expecting. Each disc has copious liner notes discussing each episode and pointing out supporting character actors and production snafus. I'm not talking about 5 or 6 pages either, there are 50 to 70 pages of notes on each disc. These are very informative and contain more information than you'll ever want to know about the series. My only regret is that they didn't include them as a .pdf or text file so that you would have the option to print them out. Paging through 70 screens of information can get tiring, especially when you are looking for something in particular. In addition to the notes, disc one also has two other text pieces. Who Was That Masked Bug-Man is a through history of Kamen Rider covering his creation to the latest feature film, and Destron: The Army with Roots in Hell is a nice background piece on the villainous organization that V3 fights in this series. The rest of the extras are on the final disc. They include an interesting half hour interview with Miyauchi Hiroshi where he talks about his time working on the show and gives his opinions of the actors and talent he worked with. There are some interesting revelations such as the fact that he's never worn the V3 costume. (A stunt team did all of the costumed fight scenes.) There is also a very complete set of character profiles, 71(!) in all. They describe the various villains and friends that appear in the series, and lists the episodes that they appeared. For those of you who can't get enough of the catchy theme music, there are six karaoke videos along with the option to play them all or to shuffle them. The extras are rounded off with a listing of the staff and cast associated with the show, a trivia quiz, and a minute long promo for the DVD set. An all around excellent set of bonus material. JNProductions should be commended for their work in assembling such a nice package. Final Thoughts: This series is a lot of fun for both young and older viewers. I viewed much of this series with my two sons, aged 9 and 13, and they didn't have any trouble reading the subtitles. Occasionally they wouldn't be able to finish reading before the word left the screen but this was the exception rather than the rule. I was also surprised to discover that the subtitles didn't diminish their enjoyment of the series. They never complained about having to read the dialog, and loved the show. We had a great time guessing the names of the mutants based on their appearance, often getting it right. (Though there were loud complaints when the costume wasn't accurate enough. "That doesn't look like an armadillo!") I really enjoyed the show too. The series moves the story along at a good rate to keep things interesting and has enough surprises so you're never sure what's in store. The Destron mutants are hilarious at times, but the show is oddly addictive. Though the price might seem a bit steep at first, for the small, limited run that was pressed it really isn't bad at all. A 26 episode anime series on six discs would retail for more that these 52 episodes. If you buy this you'll also sleep, well knowing that you've helped support a company that's bringing entertaining Japanese children's programs to R1. This set comes Highly Recommended. This set is available for purchase only through the Generation Kikaida web site.
What do you think about the column? Like what you see? Don't
like it? Have a comment or suggestion? Drop us an e-mail
and let us know!
January 02, 2006
Honorable Mention series for 2005
AnimeTalk a bi-weekly column by Don Houston, John Sinnott, Chris Tribbey, and Todd Douglass To start off 2006, Anime Talk looks at a few excellent anime shows that just barely missed making it onto our Top Ten list. These Honorable Mention titles were selected by the staff and represent some fine programs that haven't gotten a lot of notice in the press. We also have capsule reviews of the latest anime releases including the last volumes of Saiyuki Double Barrel Collection and Stellvia as well as the first volume of Doki Doki School Hours and many other anime discs. Be sure to check them all out.
Honorable Mentions - 2005 There were a lot of great anime DVDs released last year, and the best made it onto our Top Ten list. Unfortunately there were a few excellent series that just didn't make it into the ten slots that were opened. The Anime Talk contributors wanted to point out their favorite also-rans from last year and came up with this list of anime shows that deserve to get a little more notice.
The Latest
Anime Reviews:
The Saiyuki Double Barrel Collection wraps up with volume 6. This two disc set presents volumes 11 and 12 of the original releases at a reduced price, and finishes up the story of Homura, the War God and his attempt to remake heaven and earth in his own image. Though the story does reach a conclusion, it was a little dissatisfying. When all was said and done the show just seemed to drag on too long and have too many filler episodes. It was still nice to see how the show wraps up, making this a good rental. Another title worthy of a rental this week is the latest DVD movie for the world's greatest, and lecherous, thief with Lupin the 3rd: The Columbus Files. Lupin must deal with a rival nearly as cunning and skilled as himself with Fujiko’s life hanging in the balance as she uses amnesia to prevent a dangerous artifact from falling into the wrong hands. The material in question would’ve made for a great television episode but the filler used to expand it to a full length movie got in the way a little too much for our staff.
Ghost Stories 2: Sophomore Scare was another volume in ADV Film’s great experiment using general guidelines rather than a fully fleshed out script to get their voice actors to try their hands at comedy. The material this time worked slightly better than the initial volume in the series but all too often, the crew opted for a set of cheap laughs aimed below the belt and unless you want to hear variations on how “gay” the guys are repeatedly, it might not work as well as you’ve heard from other media sources. Everybody knows about Rurouni Kenshin and chances are good that you have seen the long running anime at some point or another. If you’re a diehard, or even passing fan then you may recognize Samurai X as the OVA that accompanies the series and broadens the tale. The Director’s Cut collection includes Trust & Betrayal as well as Reflection with some extra fluff content and a more theatrical presentation. If you’ve already seen the originals there’s really not enough to bring you back for this set, but if you need more Kenshin and haven’t checked them out you definitely need to.
The fourth volume of Galactic Railways goes down a notch in quality from the previous discs. While the earlier episodes in this series toyed with melodramatic elements, most of the shows on this volume fully embrace it. There's just a bit too many people pining for their lost love and not enough action that had previously made the show so entertaining. While it's not a bad set of shows, it didn't have the charm of the other volumes. The fourth volume of Baki the Grappler comes along and it’s time for Baki and dear old dad to fight it out to the death. The first three volumes built a climax up to this point, but unfortunately the offering here is a tad disappointing. There’s still a great amount of action and the series takes a new direction at the end of the installment, but it’s not the strongest release that the show has seen. It’ll be interesting to see where Baki goes from here and if the new road will be a path worth seeing traveled. The eighth volume of Stellvia brings the series to a close as the cosmic rift races towards the Earth. The fate of humanity hangs in the ability of Shima and Kota to pilot their spacecraft. Though Kota is ready, Shima is doubting her abilities once again. In this final volume there's a lot of action and suspense, making it one of the better volumes in the second half of the series.
The fourth volume of Gilgamesh has some interesting twists in the plot that will entice fans of the show. While there's a lot to recommend in this show, it is still hampered by stylized animation and a slow moving plot. That wouldn't be so bad, but the gaps in plot development are fill with teenage angst that really has been overdone in anime recently. The good aspects of this show definitely make it worth watching, but I can't help but think that with some slight alterations this could be a much better show. The second volume of Mythical Detective Loki: Ragnarok is doesn't really improve on the first disc, which is unfortunate since the premier volume was pretty bad. This boy detective series tries to add an original twist of having the main character be a Norse god, but the stories are nonsensical and the characters just aren't that interesting. You'd think they'd be able to write an interesting tale about the Norse god of mischief. Be sure to take a look at recommendations by DVDTalk’s twisted cast of reviewers in their Best Of Anime 2003, Best Of Anime 2004, and Top Ten Anime discs of 2005 articles.
What do you think about the column? Like what you see? Don't
like it? Have a comment or suggestion? Drop us an e-mail
and let us know!
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of the highlights of this edition of Anime Talk is clearly 
In
yet another version of the classic tale, 
One
show that has been a lot of fun, while also having a complex and intracate
storyline is 
If
you can't get enough of teenage girl fashion accessories and fawning over
boys then you'll probably dig 
Check
Out Your Local Best Buy for:
All
year end lists involve compromise and it was unfortunate that 
In
general, sequel series aren't that entertaining. They tend to be
either a shadow of the original or change gears all together so that they
are unrecognizable. 
It
seems like there is one truly funny anime show released each year.
There was 
Did
you enjoy Azumanga Daioh? If you did you may want to check out 
One
series that is worth buying is 
The
A-Class Tournament gets underway in the ninth volume of 
If
you enjoy hot naked alien chicks and tons of fanservice but don’t care
that much about plot or uniqueness, then 
Check
Out Your Local Best Buy for:
