DVD Talk DVD Reviews https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/list/DVD Video DVD Talk DVD Review RSS Feed en-us Kannagi Vol. 2 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/42270 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:47:30 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Originally released as a manga by Eri Takenashi in 2005, Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens was something of a hit in Japan. The book went on to become an animation in 2009 and there were some other materials as well such as a novel and OVA animation. A short while ago we had the opportunity to check out the first release from Bandai Entertainment. With 7 out of 13 episodes we got a very good look at Kannagi and had a chance to see what it was all about. The result was pretty positive, but does that trend continue with the second half?

Okay, before we get into what's on this disc, let's just recap the first volume and the premise of the show for those of you just joining us. Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens features an average high school student named Jin who happens to be sensitive to spirits and the like. One day he takes a chunk of wood from a sac...Read the entire review

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Kannagi Vol. 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/42238 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:17:57 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens carved a name for itself in Japan when it launched not too long ago. Originally released in 2005 as a manga by Eri Takenashi, the franchise quickly took the next logical step and in 2008 A-1 Pictures produced a 13 episode animated series. From there Japan saw a light novel and subsequent OVA release in 2009 as well. On our side of the pond Bandai Entertainment scooped up the show and released individual volumes last year, though the discs only just showed up on our doorstep.

With a rather strange sounding name that doesn't leave much to the imagination Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens is a rather straightforward show. It's all about an average high school student named Jin who happens to be sensitive to spirits and the like. One day he takes a chunk of wood from a sacred tree and carves the figure of a young girl out of it....Read the entire review

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Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Season 1, Pt. 1 (Special Edition) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37885 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:46:55 UTC Highly Recommended

THE PROGRAM

"Mobile Suit Gundam 00" is one of many installments in the longstanding and considerably popular Gundam series, which debuted back in the late 1970s. As of this writing, this newest 2007 installment is just finishing its second season in Japan. The collection here offers viewers the first 9 of 25 episodes in the first season.

Anime in general has never been a huge interest of mine and my knowledge of the genre is relegated to mainstream titles like Akira, Cowboy Bebop and Fist of the North Star. Knowing the complex history of this franchise, I approached this release with a bit of trepidation. From the opening episode however it's very clear this is a series even newcomers can enjoy.

Set on Earth in the year 2307, solar energy is a widely used power source and the building of outer space arrays to harness this energy has split the world powers into three "blocs....Read the entire review

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Eureka Seven: Complete Collection, Vol. 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37754 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:59:44 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Eureka Seven has been around for a little over four years and in that time it's made quite the name for itself. Licensed by Bandai Entertainment the show was not only successful enough in Japan to warrant 50 episodes, a slew of manga, a lot of games, and even a feature length film, but here in the States it landed on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup. That means it joins the ranks of Wolf's Rain, Cowboy Bebop, Witch Hunter Robin, Death Note, and Samurai Champloo. That's some list of peers and it should clue you in that this show is something special.

On DVD Eureka Seven has enjoyed a fair amount of success as well. Twelve volumes of the show were released containing all 50 episodes plus supplemental material. Bandai finished releasing the individual installments well over a year ago, and if you're anything like me...Read the entire review

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Sword of the Stranger DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37647 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:16:47 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie:

A little while ago Sword of the Stranger made its debut in select US theaters, and it's my understanding that there was a decent turnout from the anime loving crowd. Now that the DVD has arrived I can honestly say that I wish I was able to attend one of those showings. Sword of the Stranger is a riveting action flick. It presents a straightforward story, solid pacing, amazing art direction, and the cast brings a great amount of energy to everything. It's safe to say that if you enjoyed anime films such as Ninja Scroll you're going to love this one.

Originally released in Japan in 2007, Sword of the Stranger was produced by Bones and comes from a first time director (Masahiro Andou). Bandai has acquired the rights to release the mo...Read the entire review

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Sword of the Stranger (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37543 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:36:14 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie:

All a movie needs to do to succeed is tell a simple storywell.  That's what Sword of the Strangerdoes.  While it is set in ancient Japanduring atime of war and strife, the movie's focus on a boy, his dog, and thewanderingronin that decides to protect them is straight forward and heartfelt.  Everything else is just dressing and thisfilm has a lot of that too.  Released byBandai, the Blu-ray presentation looks and sounds great and has a goodnumberof bonus featurettes, something that anime often lacks.
 
During the Sengoku period, also known as the "era of WarringStates" Read the entire review

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Lucky Star, Vol. 6 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37384 Wed, 27 May 2009 16:12:23 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Is comedy anime your thing? If so then I'm sure there are several shows in your collection which you'd consider to be a "go to" when you're looking for a good laugh. Many fan favorites top that list such as Azumanga Daioh and Excel Saga, but several other, lesser known shows are just as good. Take Lucky Star as one example.

This series, which came out in 2007, gained something of a following on both sides of the ocean. The manga by Kagami Yoshimizu was a hit, and the anime proved to be a madcap and endearing recreation of the publication. It's unfortunate that this 24 episode series started out on a sour note under the direction of someone who didn't quite manage to pull it together. Thankfully after the first volume the show reset itself and the rest has been one hilarious adventure after another. In case you have missed the show, or were tur...Read the entire review

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Gurren Lagann, Pt. 3 Limited Edition DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37278 Sat, 16 May 2009 18:03:36 UTC Highly Recommended

The Series:
 
The final set of dubbed Gurren Lagann episodes closes out theshow withthe last nine episodes.  Though sometimesanime programs have a hard time wrapping things up, that wasn't thecase withthis show.  It concludes just as strongas it started, making this one of the better releases of the year. 
Still filled with a lot of humor and somekick-ass mecha action this is one of the most enjoyable anime series tocomearound in a while.
 
Series Background (warning: contains spoilers from sets one and two):
Read the entire review

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Wolf's Rain: Anime Legends - Perfect Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37240 Wed, 13 May 2009 16:56:48 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Whether you're into anime or not chances are very good that you have at least heard about Wolf's Rain. This series was plastered all over Cartoon Network a while ago and it developed quite the following during this period. The show's popularity mirrored its success in Japan, and even on DVD the series has done well for itself. Bandai Entertainment still holds the rights and though we've already seen a complete boxed set, and an Anime Legends release before, they've done it again for the third time with a Perfect Collection.

Made up of seven DVDs, the Wolf's Rain Perfect Collection includes all 26 original episodes from the 2003 series, as well as the four OVA episodes from 2004. With a full individual volume release on top of two prior complete collections, the Perfect Collection of Wolf's Rain feels a little redundant, but this is what anime ...Read the entire review

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Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Pt. 2 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/37211 Mon, 11 May 2009 18:41:20 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Bandai Entertainment has been hitting a lot of homeruns lately. With releases such as Code Geass, Lucky Star, and Gurren Lagann under their belt, they have been making their mark on the industry even in this tough economy. I suppose in this day and age you have to be fairly certain that a license is going to do well before you bother investing time and money into it. The gamble has certainly paid off for the aforementioned shows, but what about Ghost Slayers Ayashi?

After experiencing the first "part" of Ghost Slayers Ayashi I can definitely say that it didn't wow me like those other shows have. The depressive atmosphere, subdued characters, and meandering plotline did little to make it stand out. There was plenty of interesting bits to it for sure, and it certainly was unique, but the first ten episodes of the show just didn't p...Read the entire review

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Code Geass Leouch of the Rebellion, Pt. 3 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36996 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:04:48 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

I'll say one thing for Bandai Entertainment. They certainly look for quality over quantity. Rather than bombard the market with release after release the publisher takes its times finding just the right license. From shows such as Lucky Star to Gurren Lagann, Bandai has been making waves lately. Their other big recent his has been Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

If you have been following the world of anime at all you have undoubtedly heard your friends going on about Code Geass, or at least read about how awesome it is. The show originally hit Japan in 2006 and after the first season came to a close, a second was ordered almost immediately. While we're still receiving the first season here in the States on DVD, it's safe to say that this is one of the better shows to come along in quite some time. It's a solid mix of drama, actio...Read the entire review

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Lucky Star, Vol 5 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36935 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:09:37 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Is comedy anime your thing? If so then I'm sure there are several shows in your collection which you'd consider to be a "go to" when you're looking for a chuckle. Many fan favorites top that list such as Azumanga Daioh and Excel Saga, but several other, lesser known shows are just as good. Take Lucky Star as one example.

This series, which came out in 2007, gained something of a following on both sides of the ocean. The manga by Kagami Yoshimizu was a hit, and the anime proved to be a madcap and endearing recreation of the publication. It's unfortunate that this 24 episode series started out on a sour note under the direction of someone who didn't quite manage to pull it together. Thankfully after the first volume the show reset itself and the rest has been one hilarious adventure after another. In case you have missed the show, or were turned...Read the entire review

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Gurren Lagann, Pt. 2 Limited Edition DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36908 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:33:22 UTC Highly Recommended

The Series:
 
The second set of dubbed Gurren Lagann episodes is just as afun, funny, and hyper-kinetic as the first.  The series moves fast,with several unexpected twists and turns keeping the interest level upand the narrative flowing along.  Filled with a lot of humor and somekick-ass mecha action this is one of the most enjoyable anime series tocome around in a while.
 
Series Background (warning: contains spoilers from set one):

Simon is a driller.  He lives in a subterranean cavern and hisjob is to drill new tunnels to expand the living area of his clan. He's quite good at making new tunnels, one of the fastest drillers thetribe has, and one day he discovers a strange spiral shaped object burieddeep below the surface as well as a metal face the size of a man. Simon's friend, Kamina, names the face Lagann and when a huge Gunman (mechaunit) cra...Read the entire review

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Clamp School Detectives: Complete Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36875 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:25:02 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Given how popular the manga group CLAMP is I'm kind of surprised that School Detectives didn't hit DVD until over a decade after its original release. Then again their popularity has been climbing over the years, so I suppose the demand wasn't that great back in the late 90's. The only exposure this series has had in the States comes from a VHS release some years back. Due to that fact, don't beat yourself up too much if you're a CLAMP fan and you haven't seen the series before. All you really need to concern yourself with now is whether or not the show is worth checking out.

Bandai handled the original VHS release, and they maintain the DVD rights as well. All 26 episodes of CLAMP School Detectives have been brought together on six discs. Originally released in 1997, School Detectives is a fairly self explanatory show just from its title. The...Read the entire review

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Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Pt 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36576 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:55:13 UTC Recommended

The Show:

I don't know about you, but I have really enjoyed the way Bandai has approached some of their series as of late. With some high profile shows being released in parts, it allows those of us who want more than just one volume at a time to dig in and save a bit of money upon release. I have been watching Code Geass in this manner, and having enjoyed that I figured it would be worth giving Ghost Slayers Ayashi Part 1 a spin as well.

Consisting of the first two volumes of the series, the first part of Ghost Slayers Ayashi packs in 10 out of 25 episodes, so you really get a good sense of what the show is about. Released in Japan between 2006 and 2007, there's no denying that the show took some time to make its way to our shores. Considering the posthaste mentality of Bandai regarding some of their other licenses, this made me wonder whether or not <...Read the entire review

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Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36252 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:48:06 UTC Recommended

The Movie:
If you've ever wondered what an anime scripted by Søren Kierkegaard or Friedrich Nietzsche might be like (and who among us hasn't?), the evidence is there in all its overpowering verbosity in Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. This visually impressive feature is so full of insanely byzantine dialogue about pseudo-philosophical subjects that I have to believe something must have gotten lost in translation from Japanese to English. Except that this new Bandai Blu-ray offers not one, but two, English soundtracks (each with a unique translation), as well as English subtitles, all three of which don't help one whit to make anything less opaque. The good news is, there's an incredible amount of stuff to look at throughout this film as the various androidesque characters spout their incessant philosopho-babble.

Innocence was initially guilty of a supposedly botched DVD ...Read the entire review

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Rocket Girls: Complete Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/36085 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:46:12 UTC Recommended

The Show:

Rocket Girls is one of the latest releases from Bandai and it comes hot on the heels of other highly successful licenses they've acquired. While Code Geass and Gurren Lagann have been making their own waves the upcoming Ghost Slayers Ayashi looks equally promising and epic. With such a pedigree in their lineup is there room for an unassuming and relatively unheard of series such as Rocket Girls? At first I was rather skeptical about the series, but after sitting through it I must say that Bandai was on to something when they picked this little show up.

Mook Animation and relatively unknown director Hiroshi Aoyama worked on Rocket Girls, which is based on the light novel series by H&#333;suke Nojiri. The novels began in 1995 and the animated version saw the light of day in 2007 so it's worth noting that there's a bit of...Read the entire review

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Gurren Lagann Part 1 Limited Edition w/Artbox and LED light DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/35875 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:38:22 UTC Highly Recommended

TheSeries:
&nbsp;
With the anime market being so tight, publishers are tryingnew things to cut costs and raise revenue.&nbsp;FUNimation is releasing various series in half season sets thewayAmerican TV shows have been distributed for a while, and Bandai Visualhasplayed with releasing anime in the USthe same time they come out in Japanwith the same price point.&nbsp; BandaiEntertainment is trying something a little unusual with their releaseof thecult hit show Gurren Laganntoo; they're releasing the show in a sub-onlyversion spanning three volumes first, then as releasing it again w...Read the entire review

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Code Geass Leouch of the Rebellion: Season 1, Pt. 2 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/35797 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:06:02 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Chances are good that if you have your fingers on the anime pulse you have undoubtedly heard about Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. It's not only a difficult to pronounce title, but it's also a successful anime series from the mind of Ichiro Okouchi who has worked on Stellvia, Planetes, and Eureka Seven. In addition to that it's worth noting that the original character designs were put together by the popular manga group CLAMP. With 25 episodes under its belt Code Geass' first season came out in 2007 with a second that began airing earlier this year. That's a mark of success for anime series, but I suppose another test is whether or not the series withstands the test of the American audience.

Released by Bandai, Code Geass's first episodes came out a little while ago in individual volumes and a part, which collected b...Read the entire review

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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/35788 Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:05:47 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie:

Back in 2006 Madhouse and Kadokawa Pictures joined efforts to create an updated version of Yasutaka Tsutsui's original novel from 1965. The film became one of several incarnations of the story that have made waves in Japan. Over the decades there have been many versions of the movie, but to my knowledge none of them have really made their way to the States, at least not that I've seen. If you're anything like me then Bandai's release of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time will feel very original.

The movie begins quite plainly with a high school girl named Makoto Konno playing baseball with her two best friends, Chiaki and Kosuke. From here we are introduced to her life and the state of things such as they are. Makoto lives with her mother, father, and sister, she attends school, though she's not particularly adept at studying, and all around she's about as re...Read the entire review

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Lucky Star Vol 4 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/35763 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:49:20 UTC Recommended

The Show:

When it comes to the comedy genre for anime, it's kind of a funny thing (pun intended). There are so many different shows out there with concepts and styles that are completely unalike, and yet they invariably are compared with one another. How many times have you seen Excel Saga brought up in a conversation? Or even Azumanga Daioh for that matter? In all honesty, there are way too many comedy animes to list when comparing, so we always look for the main players as the most popular points of reference. With that in mind you've undoubtedly heard of a show called Lucky Star at some point before.

One of the biggest trends in the comedy genre of anime over the past decade or so has been the emergence of four panel manga to anime transitions. So many shows got their start in this fashion and Lucky Star is only the latest example of that prac...Read the entire review

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Gunbuster vs. Diebuster: Aim for the Top! - The Gattai (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/35749 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:01:30 UTC Rent It

The Movie:
I guess it can be looked on as comforting in a way to know that the straight-to-video knockoff is not an exclusively American phenomenon. Japan, too, is into home video product that never saw the broadcast or theatrical light of day, as evidenced by the strangely popular Gunbuster series, which first came out on VHS in 1988 as what is perhaps optimistically and colorfully described as an OVA (original video animation). The original six episode OVA was then recut as the Gunbuster "film" in this collection, which also includes the sequel Diebuster and an extra Blu-ray of bonus features. While the two OVAs (OVUMs?) are at times charming and fun, anime has come so far so fast since 1988 (and even 2004, when Diebuster in its original incarnation was released) that only die(buster)-hard fans are going to find enough in this set to make it a worthwhile purch...Read the entire review

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My Hime: Anime Legends Complete Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34927 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:05:36 UTC Recommended

The Show:

A couple of years ago Bandai started releasing My-HiME to the masses here in the States and it drew in a decent crowd. Originally the series aired in Japan between 2004 and 2005, so when it was released here in America it was very fresh. Now that some time has passed, and the inspired spin-off My-Otome is currently available, Bandai decided it was time to bring the whole original show together as part of its Anime Legends collection line.

In case you missed it the first time around, My-HiME contains 26 episodes of high-octane action, plenty of boobs, and a plot that keeps you guessing the whole time. The whole idea behind the show is that there is this school where a lot of weird stuff is always happening. The Fuka Academy is run by students for students, but there is something else going on behind the scenes.

Monsters known as Orphans being to ap...Read the entire review

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Lucky Star, Vol. 3 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34914 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:53:14 UTC Recommended

The Show:

When it comes to the comedy genre for anime, it's kind of a funny thing (pun intended). There are so many different shows out there with concepts and styles that are completely unalike, and yet they invariably are compared with one another. How many times have you seen Excel Saga brought up in a conversation? Or even Azumanga Daioh for that matter? In all honesty, there are way too many comedy animes to list when comparing, so we always look for the main players as the most popular points of reference. With that in mind you've undoubtedly heard of a show called Lucky Star at some point before.

One of the biggest trends in the comedy genre of anime over the past decade or so has been the emergence of four panel manga to anime transitions. So many shows got their start in this fashion and Lucky Star is only the latest example of that prac...Read the entire review

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Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion Part 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34609 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:15:19 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Chances are good that if you have your fingers on the anime pulse you have undoubtedly heard about Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. It's not only a difficult to pronounce title, but it's also a successful anime series from the mind of Ichiro Okouchi who has worked on Stellvia, Planetes, and Eureka Seven. In addition to that it's worth noting that the original character designs were put together by the popular manga group CLAMP. With 25 episodes under its belt Code Geass' first season came out in 2007 with a second that began airing earlier this year. That's a mark of success for anime series, but I suppose another test is whether or not the series withstands the test of the American audience.

Released by Bandai, Code Geass receives the mutli-disc treatment for its first outing...sort of. The publisher has issued individual volumes that st...Read the entire review

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Gurren Lagann 3 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34606 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:04:58 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Gurren Lagann has something of an interesting history here in the States. A while ago ADV had announced that they acquired the license but due to mitigating factors the company was unable to follow through. Bandai Entertainment was quick to pick up the title but rather than release it with an English dub they decided to push through the series with the original Japanese language first. It's a move that may feel rushed and haphazard for all intents and purposes, but you know what? I'm damn happy Bandai picked up the series and released it such as they did.

The 27 episode Gurren Lagann hit Japanese airwaves in April of 2007 and enjoyed a decent amount of success. Produced by Gainax and directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi (who worked on FLCL) it developed a cult following both in Japan and here in the States. A manga has been released and an animated film is a...Read the entire review

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Gurren Lagann 2 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34590 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:51:38 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Gurren Lagann has something of an interesting history here in the States. A while ago ADV had announced that they acquired the license but due to mitigating factors the company was unable to follow through. Bandai Entertainment was quick to pick up the title but rather than release it with an English dub they decided to push through the series with the original Japanese language first. It's a move that may feel rushed and haphazard for all intents and purposes, but you know what? I'm damn happy Bandai picked up the series and released it such as they did.

The 27 episode Gurren Lagann hit Japanese airwaves in April of 2007 and enjoyed a decent amount of success. Produced by Gainax and directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi (who worked on FLCL) it developed a cult following both in Japan and here in the States. A manga has been released and an animated film is a...Read the entire review

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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34362 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:53:30 UTC Highly Recommended

THE SHOW:

"There's nothing to do so you just stay in bed
(oh, poor thing)
Why live in the world when you can live in your head?
"

- Pulp, "Monday Morning"

A lot of people who claim to out-and-out hate anime usually have a fairly good reason for that: a lot of anime is derivative of other, more successful anime. Granted, this is just like any industry, where the cool thing du jour is immediately cloned and recycled over and over until it's neither cool nor du jour. (Discuss.) If there is anything special about this practice as it applies to anime, it's likely the specialty aspect of the product, that it comes from Japan, that it's animated, that it contains identifiable style characteristics. To the uninitiated, all mag...Read the entire review

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Toward the Terra: Part 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34227 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:59:34 UTC Recommended

The Series:

Anime distributors are going through a rough time with sales being downacross the board.&nbsp; To combat this trend some companies are gettingcreative with the way they release their product.&nbsp; Several companiesare putting out catalog titles in complete sets at a lower price point,but Bandai has decided not to wait to lower the price of a new series.&nbsp;They are putting out Toward the Terra in regular four episode DVDs,but with a retail price of only $29.98, about a third less than the typicalrelease.&nbsp; Not only that but they have packaged together the firsttwo volumes and released them as "Part One" for only $34.98 a good $5 savingsover buying the individual volumes.&nbsp; Otaku have been complaining foryears about the high price of anime, and it's good to see at least onerelease that has started mo...Read the entire review

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My-Zhime: My-Otome, Vol. 7 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34113 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:39:02 UTC Highly Recommended

The Series:

Otaku who have been following My-Zhime - My-Otome will definitelywant to pick up the final volume.&nbsp; While some anime series have ahard time wrapping everything up in a satisfactory manner, this serieshas no such problems.&nbsp; Things look desperate as Arika and the Queenlead a rag-tag team of Otome in an attempt to recapture the capital.&nbsp;There's a lot of action, some interesting revelations and a surprise ortwo in volume seven of My-Zhime - My-Otome.

Series background:

The planet Earl has lost most of the technological knowledge that theyonce had.&nbsp; One of the few pieces of advanced tech that they stillhave access to are nanobots that can enhance a woman's strength and abilities,but only virgin women.&nbsp; The women who are injected with these devi...Read the entire review

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Gurren Lagann, Volume 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/33809 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:35:44 UTC Highly Recommended

The Show:

Gurren Lagann has something of an interesting history here in the States. A while ago ADV had announced that they acquired the license but due to mitigating factors the company was unable to follow through. Bandai Entertainment was quick to pick up the title but rather than release it with an English dub they decided to push through the series with the original Japanese language first. It's a move that may feel rushed and haphazard for all intents and purposes, but you know what? I'm damn happy Bandai picked up the series and released it such as they did.

The 27 episode Gurren Lagann hit Japanese airwaves in April of 2007 and enjoyed a decent amount of success. Produced by Gainax and directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi (who worked on FLCL) it developed ...Read the entire review

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Lucky Star, Vol. 2 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/33814 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:35:44 UTC Recommended

The Show:

When it comes to the comedy genre for anime, it's kind of a funny thing (pun intended). There are so many different shows out there with concepts and styles that are completely unalike and yet they invariably are compared with each other. How many times have you seen Excel Saga brought up in a conversation? Or even Azumanga Daioh for that matter? In all honesty there are way too many comedy anime to list when comparing so we always look for the main players and most popular points of reference. It's with that in mind we look at Lucky Star; a show that draws direct comparisons to Azumanga Daioh.

One of the biggest trends in the comedy genre of anime over the past decade or so has been the emergence of four panel manga to anime transitions. So many shows got their start in this fashion and Lucky Star is only the latest example of t...Read the entire review

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Silent Mobius: Complete Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/33680 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:06:30 UTC Rent It

Background: One of the things many anime detractors dislike about the field is that it is so ridden with clichés as to make many series very much alike. As a long time reviewer of anime, I acknowledge that this is the case but I point out how mainstream entertainment is very much the same way, hack writers knowing no boundaries as far as I can tell. One of the most common scenarios for a show is to focus on a futuristic world of doom & gloom, the state of affairs largely our own doing as we greedily consume resources faster than we replace them, some tragic event having impacted the globe in some major way, or technology barely keeping up with the resulting challenges. The latest such show to make it my way was Silent Mobius: Complete Collection, containing all six discs of the three volume sets that came out several years back.

Series: Silent Mobius: Comp...Read the entire review

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Aika R-16 Virgin Mission DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/33552 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:15:01 UTC Recommended

The Show:

A short while ago we had the opportunity to check out Bandai's collection of Agent Aika. This series proved to be quite entertaining with its ridiculous concept, gratuitous amount of fan service, and penchant for over the top action. It should be no surprises that the follow-up OVA entitled Aika R-16: Virgin Mission offers much the same.

Roughly ten years ago the original Aika series was released from Studio Fantasia and it featured a somewhat different world than we're used to. The planet's surface is mostly covered by water after some event and all of the old world's treasures are lost on the bottom of the ocean. Scavengers have emerged as a viable class of workers and in particular one girl named Aika is making a name for herself. In the midst of a job she becomes involved with some dangerous things and faces down many a female opponent wit...Read the entire review

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Lucky Star, Vol. 1 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/33506 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:34:07 UTC Recommended

The Show:

When it comes to the comedy genre for anime, it's kind of a funny thing (pun intended). There are so many different shows out there with concepts and styles that are completely unalike and yet they invariably are compared with each other. How many times have you seen Excel Saga brought up in a conversation? Or even Azumanga Daioh for that matter? In all honesty there are way too many comedy anime to list when comparing so we always look for the main players and most popular points of reference. It's with that in mind that we look at Lucky Star; a show that draws direct comparisons to Azumanga Daioh.

One of the biggest trends in the comedy genre of anime over the past decade or so has been the emergence of four panel manga to anime transitions. So many shows got their start in this fashion and Lucky Star is only the latest example...Read the entire review

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