price：$22.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Welcome To The NHK!) 『I just wanted to say that this is probably my favorite show of all time. Not just anime, but my all-time favorite show in general. I don't really necessarily know what it is I like about it so much, but I find it absolutely hilarious and it's a very moving story that will also touch your heart.
I think that everyone should at least give it a try.』
(Great Anime) 『I own and have watched many animes, but this one stands out as a fairly unique series. First i'd like to say that this series is not a gory hack-n-slash with shotouts with zombies demons and aliens being resurected to take over the world. Nope not at all, this series is likely to have alot in comon with the people who watch animes for the Mature Humor. the Series is basicaly about what hapens to a person if he shuts himself away from the world and the toll it can take on the mind. It has alot finer points to it that you normaly don't see in animes like the *Real Life Factor* no magic, no guns, no swords, well actualy it does have those things but its all in guys mind. There is lots of sexual humor... well I ant gunna write all day soo i'll get to the point.
Its a Psychologicaly Hilariuse Anime.
Its full of things that people would connect and relate too.
Its a fairly deep complex story that can throw people off which may lead to people misjudging it.
Its a College Student Must Watch!
yeah, im lazy so i'll stop here.』
(For Those Who Like Their Comedy Twisted) 『There are some anime properties that you really can't imagine working in any other medium. Sure anime is very closely related to its manga cousin but comics fail to deliver when things really get zany and personable. Welcome to the N-H-K is exactly one such property. It's so unique on so many levels that it's actually hard to believe it came out of the typically conservatively regarded Gonzo studios. But before we get ahead of ourselves here, let's take a look at the hard facts.
Originally released by ADV Films, Funimation has recently acquired the rights to the show and has wasted little time in getting a Complete Series release out to the public. Coming in at a total runtime of 600 minutes, Welcome to the N-H-K the Complete Series spans 4 discs and comes packaged as a pair of thin packs within a cardboard slipcase.
The show wears an appropriate TV MA (17+) rating, which is surprising should you base the show on the previews alone (a more accurate depiction of what's in store would be to check out the cover art and its foaming can of beer, pair of scantily clad women, and lead character looking slightly neurotic).
Language options are typical sub&dub meaning the option of original Japanese dialog track (stereo) or an English dub (5.1 Dolby Surround) and English subtitles available under either language choice.
Extras are limited to textless songs and a host of Funimation trailers.
I'll do my best to summarize the story without giving away any spoilers. The viewer is introduced to Sato, a college dropout who has just about had all he can take of society. So withdrawn from society is our hero that he locks himself up in his dreary apartment where his very grip on reality is becoming more and more twisted by the day.
His own delusions coupled to his lack of outside contact result in his becoming convinced that he is the subject of a vast conspiracy designed keep him under wraps by the secretive agency known as the N-H-K.
Like most mentally ill individuals, being a delusion-suffering recluse results in a twist of incredible fortune when a friendly, pretty, and just generally good hearted young lady named Misaki shows up one day out of the blue with intentions of getting old depressed Sato back into society.
The lead character pair ends up becoming a trio once the loud-music bumping neighbor of Sato's (and an old high-school pal, it turns out) joins the fray. In all this unlikely team makes it their mission to rehabilitate the ever-degenerating mental and social health of Sato through a sort of long and drawn out intervention.
Believe it or not, this is a comedy anime title despite what you may have figured after reading the summary. It's based on a novel, which although I haven't had the pleasure of reading personally, can't possibly capture the oddity and personality that the anime just relishes in around every corner.
The core of the show alternates between a cityscape reality and the hallucinations of Sato, which sometimes border on sexual fantasies. I should note that there is no real nudity involved in said scenarios, but rather provocative outfits and a bit of suggestive dialog. It is the language that earns this show a majority of its MA rating here in the US.
A lot of the show's charm stems from the age-old gag of presenting a fairly "out there" conspiracy theory that can never fully be dismissed by the viewer. The show's creative team does a great job painting a lead character who is clearly suffering from social dysfunction although there are moments along the way where you can't help but wonder if indeed some other forces (like a top-secret agency for example) aren't at play.
The biggest problem I had with the show is that it lacks consistency in nearly sense of the term. There are some genuinely funny moments but they are few and far between. There are some intriguing psychological undertones that slip away to cheap attempts at humor. There are some nice textures and visuals on occasion but more often than not you'll be looking at art that simply gets the job done. About the only aspect of this program that holds steady is the soundtrack, which includes some smooth melodies and catchy J-Pop numbers throughout.
The acting work is solid in both language options, with the Japanese dialog squeaking into the top-spot thanks to a female actor ensemble that feel almost custom tailored to the material.
In all, this is definitely not a show for everyone, nor is the silly/ goofy type of light-hearted romp that previews suggest. It's really a tragic tale if you allow yourself to look beyond the bright visuals and giddy personalities that make up the superficial. Pacing is nice and swift even if the show does struggle at times to firmly establish itself into a genre.』 『Sato's life - or what' sleft of it - is a paranoid mess of conspiracy theories and social anxieties. He's terrified of the outside world; his apartment is overflowing with the remnants of cheap take-out food and his retinas have been permanently scarred by a steady diet of internet port. But maybe it's not all his fault. After all, the nefarious N-H-K is out there and they're determined to turn society's fringe-dwellers into a brainwashed lot of jobless, hopeless, futureless reclusesEnter Misaki - a mysterious girl next door type who is Sato's last chance to beat down his inner demons and venture out into the light of day. She's already to help him overcome his crippling phobias. but Sato would rather cower in this existential foxhole and pressed to work on the demo for his virtual sex game.He's afraid to face the world. She's strangely desperate to the total stranger』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Classic Cartoon!) 『I was a huge fan of Battle of the Planets as a kid, but of course I never realised at the time that it was a cut down version of a Japanese classic with strange robots thrown in! I was keen to see the original uncut version, 'Gatchaman' so I ordered the first few collectors sets. BOTP was always a great show and still watchable from a purely nostalgic point of view, but Gatchaman is a completely different show. It is more adult in tone, and nasty things do happen - there is no 7-Zark-7 to explain that the squadron of fighter aircraft that has been destroyed were 'only robot fighters'. I have watched most of the episodes with the American dub, which is very good, and the voices do grow on you; Berg Katse (aka Zoltar) does take some getting used to, and some of the Galactor commanders sound weird! The presentation of the episodes is wonderful - so clean looking, and each box set includes a disc of extra features, the first five each focussing on a different member of the Science Ninja Team in turn. I cannot recommend these DVD's more highly, and should also make special mention of the excellent soundtrack - the theme song 'Destroy Galactor' is excellent!』
(Gatchaman or G-Force Battles for the Planet) 『Wow! Here it is. Gatchaman aired in Japan in 1972 and is one of the early greats of anime. Many of us remember rushing home at lunch hour to watch "Ken", "Jason", "Princess", "Keyop" and "Tiny" in the watered-down American variant called Battle of the Planets. Battle of the Planets cut down the adult themes and took great pains to cut out the violence, which it replaced with poorly drawn scenes featuring a retarded R2D2 clone called 7-Zark-7 and his pet dog, 1-Rover-1. The result was a much lesser, but still entertaining, hack job. ADV Films has taken great pains to translate and voice the original Gatchaman as it was meant to be seen (and was originally seen, in Japan). This set is comprised of two discs of episodes, #1 through #12, and a Special Features disc. This is a great set, and the Special Features discs of the Boxed Collection sets are fantastic, some of the best and most in-depth I have seen, with audition footage, interviews with the voice actors, and behind-the-scenes stories covering the formation of Tatsunoko Productions and the inspirations of the series creator.
The show was created and produced by Tatsunoko Productions, the same leading-edge company that had produced Speed Racer in 1967 and would bring us Super Dimension Fortress Macross (later to become the first one-third of the Robotech series in the U.S.).
Gatchaman was ahead of its time, boasting a faster frame rate and greater detail than any show that had gone before. Although it may seem today a bit dated, it is a nostalgia-inducing retro trip to the groovy side of the 1970's. The show seems to start off a bit slow, finally hitting its groove between Collection #2 and Collection #3. It has been an amazing trip down memory lane for me, and fun to watch the show in its original, pre-North American release form. Only the first 85 episodes of 105 total received the Americanization treatment, so starting with Collection #8, due to be released in August 2006, we'll be able to watch the shows that were never re-edited as either Battle of the Planets or its dopey younger brother, Turner Broadcasting's G-Force.
There were two subsequent TV series, numerous comic books and even a radio show in Japan, but this is the most beloved incarnation. I personally would love to see either a CGI or live-action revisit of this great show, as long as it's not done by the Hollywood phony farm.
I'm giving the episodes on this boxed set 3.5 stars, although the exceptional effort shown by ADV in maintaining the show's original flavour, the really cool Special Features and the fact that this is the lead-up into a really great series, including more, really great Special Features, brings the rating up to 4.5 stars (rounded up).
Enjoy!』
(More like a Question...) 『Hello all, I am more like asking Questions about this two box-sets than reviewing... I grew up watching the Mandarin-dubbed version of this great cartoon, I saw a total of 3 seasons-1st season they have the main ship called the "Phoenix" and it looks like an ordinary futuristic "dagger-shapped" spaceship; In the 2nd season, the "New Phoenix" looks like an eagle/falcon with a head and a beak, wings in a folded manner...; In the last and final 3rd season, they don't have a main ship, but instead their 5 main vehicles combine to form a triangular-pyramidal shape ship...
So my question is, which season is this box set?? I don't really like the 1st season, but the 2nd and 3rd is quite awesome!
So someone please enlighten me! Thanks!!
Cheers』
(Great!) 『All waht is said before this is very true. It is a great show and finally after 20 I can watch it uncut the way it was shown in Japanese. The Great thing is we should finally see the last episodes where Zoltar dies! I just like to add that you get 12 episodes and actually get 3 DVD's in this Box set. 2 + 1 Bonus, and the bonus is outstanding.』
(good stuff) 『This is something I thought I'd never see, the planned release of every Gatchaman episode unedited.
I watched the first few episodes in Japanese but I decided to get lazy and switch to the dubbed version, which isn't that bad. I think the worst voiceover is for Berg Katse, the main bad guy. They make him sound almost like Paul Lynde. I think the idea was to riff on his sexual ambiguity or something but it comes off sounding too 60s Batman style campy. But I will always remember Keye Luke's vocal performance in Battle of the Planets as definitive.
The extras on these DVDs focus around the english voiceacting. More thought and effort went into that than I thought.
The translation seems okay, but they throw in some slang every now and then "dynomite!!". At one point Ken says "I'm going to take it to the next level" which is a little too hip-hop for a 70s show. If they play around with that stuff too much it edges it closer to MST3K level.
There really are only a few truly good shows on this collection for an adult audience. The rest are formulaic. There are a couple shows that explore the aftermath of the death that Galactor causes which I thought was well done. And there are some elements here and there that hint at an overall "arc" like Red Impulse.
If you dissect the plots, they are full of holes because the story wants to somehow get the characters into an infiltration scenario (to allow them to do Ninja type stuff) so the godphoenix usually just creeps up into the enemy ship and leaves it sitting there unprotected. The enemy does a lot of "monologuing" as it is called in The Incredibles, or insisting on capturing the team first instead of just offing them directly. If you look at it more as a comic book and not hold it up to a realistic standard then it's okay.
I think Yamato (Starblazers) is the king of 70s Anime, so Gatchaman has to come second.
I've really forgotten a lot of the old Battle of the Planets shows so that, plus watching it unedited with a new voice cast makes it feel almost like a new show.
Since there are over 100 episodes it will be costly to collect the entire set but I'm going to do it. There are a lot of episodes that were never even shown on Battle of the Planets so I'm eager to see the story unfold in order to its completion.
』 『In the 21st century, the evil organization Galactor has its sights set on global conquest. Their use of tyrannical terrorism and high-tech mayhem has the world in the clutches of fear! The only thing standing in the way of complete global dominance is the International Science Organization (ISO) and its chief scientist, Professor Kazaburou Nambu. Dr Nambu's primary weapon in the fight for freedom is his top secret experiment, the five kids who make up the Science Ninja Team. Bird, go!』 『AsBattle of the Planets(syndication, 1978), the Japanese seriesScience Ninja Team Gatchaman(1972) helped to build an audience for anime in America. ForBattle, the original 105 episodes were recut to 85, with much of the violence deleted from the fight scenes. New animation featuring the comic robot 7-Zark-7 linked what remained. Turner Broadcasting recut the series into 85 different episodes, restoring much of the violence and eliminating Zark forG-Force(Cartoon Network, 1995). TheGatchamancollections present the series in its original form.
Five teen-age adventurers--Ken the Eagle, Jun the Swan, Ryu the Owl, Jinpei the Swallow, and Joe the Condor--make up the Science Ninja Team. Dressed in bird suits, these stalwart heroes fight the Galactor Group, an evil cabal bent on conquering the world. Galactor henchmen usemechamonsters to steal uranium, hurl meteors at the Earth, interrupt air travel, and, incongruously, capture the world's supply of sugar. The Ninja Scientists thwart these nefarious schemes.
Gatchamanshows its age, not only in details like Ken's shoulder-length hair and bell-bottoms, but in the stolid pacing, minimal character development, and rudimentary special effects. Gen-Xers who grew up onBattle of the Planetswill love this uncut version. Among the extras are "karaoke" episodes (the dialogue appears only in subtitles, so the viewers can supply the voices) and scenes of six actors auditioning for Ken, including Leraldo Anzaldua, who got the part. (Rated TV PG, suitable for ages 8 and older: violence, occasional grotesque imagery, tobacco use)--Charles Solomon』
price：$12.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 2 to 3 days Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Desert Punk FTW) 『Great purchase! Thats all I can really say I watched this series non-stop for 3 months because i loved it so much. I am happy that I purchased this set. The set comes in crappy little plastic cases, but that doesnt take away from the quaility of the show. Im not much for purchase presentation when it comes to movies, as long as the picture is high quality and the show rocks. which it does. This review probably wasnt very helpful, but i assume that anyone thinking about purchasing this collection has seen the show and is just debating wether or not to shell out the cash-do it!』
(The show is awsome, gonzo however not so much.) 『I watched this back a few years ago and loved it, put it on my wish list, and got it in the tin for xmas, downside is no disc one. Other then that great quality show, I just can't really re watch it with the first episodes MIA. Other then what I am hoping is a rare problem I highly recomend this tin box set.』
(Something a little different) 『Bought this as a gift for somebody who likes obscure anime. From my brief exposure to it, I would say it is very entertaining, combines some good sci-fi overtones, but is not an anime classic.』
(p.s.: your mother is a dirty whore......) 『when I was recommended this series from a friend. I dodnt know what to exspect. but I must say it was highly enjoyable. the characters were well written, the action scenes kicked ass, and it had one of the most interesting plot twists out there. If ya like post apocolyptic series like Trigun, this is your bag.』
(desert punk box set) 『I own a lot of anime and desert punk is in my top five.Very very funny plus a lot of guns,babes and the it facter!the it facter is a anime that makes you want more no matter the cost for the price it is now dont let this one on pass you by.』 『The Viridian Collection box sets contains all six volumes of the Desert Punk series. Over 600 minutes of insane action and screwball comedy!
The Great Kanto Desert is a place of extremes where a hero dies an anonymous death and a villain goes down in a blaze of glory. And then there’s this guy… Meet Kanta Mizuno. He’s not your typical hero and his methods are not always honorable, but he’s the closest thing to a good guy the desert’s got. Self proclaimed as the "Desert Punk," he’s out to make a name for himself as the best handyman for hire. No job is too tough, noopponent too nefarious – Once Desert Punk’s on the job, it’s as good as done!
price：$4.99
Bandai
Usually ships in 1 to 2 months Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (G GUNDAM ALWAYS DELIVERS) 『This second half of the series is truly the better half of the whole. Domon's journey to defeat Master Asia and the dark Gundam, as well as finding his brother Kyogi is both action packed and heart wrenching. As a whole, this series is more engaging than many of the other gundam series. The story is spectacular and plausible. The Gundams included are amazing and very unique. The series also surreptitiously includes Gundams from other series in the final battle against the Dark Gundam. A great buy.』
(Where to purchase G Gundam Complete Second Collection) 『After a bit of research into which seller to choose I found DeepDiscount.com to be the cheapest and safest retailer to choose from (aside from Amazon.com). Many of the other retailers do not have verification on their websites that indicate a safe and secure transaction. Some don't even have a proper return policy. If you want to buy this item at a lower price but want a safe, expeditious transaction, then I would recommend DeepDiscount.com.』
(FInishing where the first box set started...) 『My personal favorite anime's second set was no disappointment. If you were smart and bought the first collection before this, you pretty much have seen everything on this set. Same style of interviews, same features. Only difference is episodes. No big deal though, it still more than works...』 『The Battle Royale begins! Domon must defeat his friends and face the Four Evil Kings. But with the fate of his brother still fresh on his mind, Domon and the rest of the Shuffle Alliance must face the ultimate test as they rocket into space to save the Earth. Beside them stands all of the Gundams from all of the nations of Earth. The Gundam Federation has been formed to prevent the destruction of the Earth from the Ultimate Gundam. But is it too late? The Epic Conclusion to G-Gundam collected for the first time! Genre: Action/Sci-Fi/Mecha.』
price：$12.49
Bandai
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Review for My-Zhime) 『If you have seen My-Hime and liked it, then you will like this one. It has even more fanservice then My-Hime and a very different storyline. All that I can really say is that I enjoyed it as much as if not more then the original series and if you do too then check out My-Zhime: My-Otome Zwei It is also great!』
(Great show) 『Bought MY-Hime and watched My-Otome online and found it just as enjoyable as the former considering they used many of the original characters and design but it made for an entertaining thrill ride and as usual had a twist much like its predecessor.』
(A Nice Set For The First My Hime Box Set But Nothing To Really Run To Get.) 『If You've already bought the My Hime Complete collection than this collection set won't surprise you as it almost follows the previous mentioned one exactly except for some personality changes to the previous cast. The story also has the plot that only female can become Otome(Powerful warriors with incredible powers), but if they ever have physical relationships with males(Pretty much specified meaning sex) they will loose their Otome powers. The reason why is explained that unlike the My Hime story where their powers were mystical the Otome's powers are based on Nano machines which only work with the X chromosome(Meaning females) but if the Y chromosome is introduced to the nano machines they will loose their ability to function properly thus causing the Otome's to loose their powers for good. The girls who have potential to become Otome's are trained at a special school to see which of them will actually become true Otome. The series like the My Hime will have same sex romance for some of the Otome and some will seek out male romances which is technically wrong for them to do. A little spoiler there is one couple that is a little unnerving to watch that one being a young potential Otome girl begins to have feelings for a man that has raised her since she was a young child and while not related by blood just seemed to be to close to an incestuous relationship for my liking. The series also has the usual plots of people wanting for power and using various Otome's to do it and while there is a dramatic undertone to the series there's enough comedic scenes in it to still keep it from being to dark and serious. The animation is the same as the My Hime series so while no bad it's not really the greatest either, also while the Japanese voice cast were great again in their roles sadly as with the Hime series the English voice cast were at best a 30/70 with their acting qualities. That probably will be the only true complaint you'll have with the series, the only other thing is and I know it sounds heartless is that not one of the characters seems to be killed, you'll see them fall in battle scenes from very high in the air but most seem to survive these defeats, I mean they should show the dark truth of war like on the Gundam series with the cost of battle in showing that not everyone is going to come back as much as you hope they do. So for the price is the set worth getting I say yes most definitely especially if you've already got the My Hime collection already but don't expect a great in depth drama or to many hardcore battle scenes like the Gundam series....』
(Must have.) 『Has a little bit of everything, love, friendship, betrayal, action and fan service. The characters are all well thought out and the story feels complete from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the extra scenes that doesn't show on the normal episodes and it also clarifies a little of the characters background.』
(Not based on manga) 『I want my money back they cut out the main character from they manga. I was thinking he was coming in later but no they changed everything. I wished the dvd had a different name.』
price：$22.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Witchblade: The Complete Series) 『The Series was not particularly deep, but it was sexy and fun. It was pretty cool visually, with heavy innuendo (e.g., cleavage, crotch shots and the morning after scene) which led me to wonder about the intended audience. This could cause some adults to think twice about using this as a stocking stuffer. The storyline provided a relatively good time, providing just enough intrigue to keep the viewer wanting to know what lied ahead for our heroine. Kudos to Funimation for the presentation. If there were anything lacking (in my estimation), I'd say it would have been the lack of supplemental material typically offered with boxed sets. If you're a fan of the series or you enjoy scenes with scantily clad women, dispatching a variety of villainous types, this would definitely be worth purchase or a rental. At $57.00, the set is a bit pricey. A quick search on Amazon could save the potential buyer nearly half off the list price (if you don't mind used goods).』
(Poignant and wonderfully bittersweet) 『That's not something I'd usually say about an anime, but Witchblade certainly merits it. This is, at the most basic level, a wonderful story about a mother's love, and what it really means to be a mother, all very cleverly wrapped up in an action packed anime full of hot, busty women in skimpy outfits. In fact the underlying thread is so well woven that it will sneak up on you if you're not careful. I'm the emotional type and I'm not ashamed to say that Witchblade moved me to tears, and if you're like me, have a good supply of tissues on hand -- but don't miss this one!』
(Surprisingly Epic) 『I often passed over this anime, fearing it would contain more fan service than actual content. On a whim, I started watching it on YouTube. After four episodes I was hooked. This is one of those animes where you find yourself staying up way later than you should as you keep telling yourself "Just one more DVD and then I'll go to sleep"; needless to say I watched the whole thing in one sitting.
The story and characters are fantastic, both the former and latter are deep and draw you in. The animation is superb (fair warning: there is a lot of fan service).
The product itself is contains 6 art/story inserts, and is 5 DVDs. The first 4 DVDs each contain 6 episodes. The last DVD contains trailers and commentary. When you load the first 4 DVD discs, a preview will play that you cannot fast forward or hit DVD menu for; if you hit title menu, it will break you out and to the main screen. The DVDs are packed in a fairly slim case consisting of four panels when fully opened. The first panel is an episode list. The second panel contains one DVD. The third and fourth panels each contain two dvds, stacked and offset so as to not damage each other. Overall, I am very pleased with the packaging of this anime.
I highly recommend this anime. You will not be disappointed.
One final note: This anime is violent, contains adult themes, and contains a high level of fan service. I do not recommend it for children.
』
(Wow! A really fun anime) 『Watched this with my daughter and it was fun with a great soundtrack, story and artistry.』
(Ended to soon.) 『When this series first came out I didn't pay any attention to it. About two months ago my older brother bought the box set and he loved it and a week ago he let me borrow it. The anime is loosely based off the comic which I read and really liked. Still I wasn't expecting to much from the series but I was wrong.
The story was very good. Focusing on the mother (Masane) and daughter(Rihoko) relationship. The Witchblade plays a secondary role in the anime which I thought was good. The two problems with the story was the back story of the blade which they never even hinted at. The biggest problem though was the ending. It was plain terrible, you can tell it was rushed. I know there are many reasons a anime series ends to soon. From being unpopular to running out of money, but they could have at least tried to make a coherent ending. They should have extended it to 26 episodes that would have been more than enough time to give a ending to the series.
Perhaps the best part of the series were the characters. Masane and Rihoko were great as mother and daughter. They brought the emotion to the series and you end up really caring for them. The other characters from Reiji, Hiroki, Shiori and the rest all add something to the series.
The animation done by GONZO was brilliant, but what do expect from one of the best anime studios. The music was also outstanding.
Overall a great anime worth watching, but prepare to be a little let down with the ending.』 『Sought by the greed of Men since the dawn of Humankind, but only bestowed upon the woman whose fate it forever scars– The Witchblade. Is it the Righteous Sword of God, of the Hand of the Devil Himself? Now a new bearer has been chosen and she must discover the answers for herself. As she stands on the brink of destiny, she is forced to seek the balance between ecstasy and ruin…
Masane Amaha is a woman on the fringe of society, bouncing rootless from town to town with her daughter, Rihoko. She struggles to build a life for her family, with no memory of the past and no clue as to what the future holds. But upon their arrival back in Tokyo forces conspire to separate parent from child, unleashing the fury of the Witchblade. The young mother will find herself conscripted into the service of the Doji Group and hunted down by the emissaries of the NSWF, all while seeking to balance the weight of this forced duality.
Over 135 minutes of Extras!:
Japanese Cast Interviews
A Tour of Top Cow Studios with Marc Silvestri
How to Create a Comic Book the Top Cow Way
The Witchblade Forged– Parts. 1-3
Top Cow Studio Tour Outtakes
Coloring a Comic Book Page
The Early Days of Image Comics
The Top Cow Staff Talks about Comics
Experiences in Japan / Other Top Cow Franchises
Crossing into Other Media
Textless Songs』
『The fan-service adventureWitchblade(2006) is another trans-Pacific hybrid: a Japanese TV series based on an American comic. Masane Amaha and her obnoxiously precocious daughter Rihoko were discovered amid the ruins after an earthquake devastated 22nd century Japan. During the disaster, she somehow acquired the sentient ultimate weapon, the Witchblade. When Masane comes near an X-Con, a prototype cyborg made by Douji Industries from human cadavers, the Witchblade causes her to morph into a fighting fiend--in an outfit Pamela Anderson might wear in a sequel toThe Dark Knight. The Witchblade supposedly endows the wielder with "insatiable lust and unthinkable power," but Masane gets her exposed derrière kicked by women using Cloneblades, imitation Witchblades the Douji Group also created. Maria, the most powerful Cloneblader, emerges as a potential rival to Masane. When she decides to seize control of Douji Industries, the audience is left to wonder how and why she went from an undisciplined,infantile killer to a disciplined, mature killer. The inevitable duel between Masane and Maria atop Tokyo Tower suggestsHigh Noonwith implants. Masane triumphs over Maria and the power of the Witchblade in a finale that's simultaneously gory and mawkish. Although the convoluted plot stumbles along like Masane after a binge,Witchbladewill delight adolescent boys who want to watch fights between overendowed, under-dressed babes. In an accompanying interview, character designer/executive animation director Makoto Uno says, "We added a devilish element to the physical beauty of women and animated them with particular attention to the breasts and butt." No kidding. (Rated TV MA, suitable for ages 16 and older: violence, violence against women, grotesque imagery, risqué humor, alcohol and tobacco use)--Charles Solomon
price：$4.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Would never buy from this company again.) 『The product was fine, I just wish we had ordered from someone else. I live about 35 minutes from this company and it took them about 2 weeks to get my order to me. At the same time I ordered from them, I ordered from an amazon store in CA, about a week before Christmas. I got my order from CA within 3-4 days. But the reason I won't order from them again is that the tracking information they gave me was invalid and I had a very difficult time getting anyone to respond to my emails about an accurate tracking number. I never did get an accurate tracking number. I would never order from them again.』
(Great Anime! Hard to Find, Worth it!) 『A great collection of this anime, hard to find sometimes, but kept looking and found it here! Keeps your attention, very well made. Great for those anime lovers out there!』
(Messy finish ruins an otherwise great show) 『I've been on the look out for sad and depressing anime ever since finishing Now and Then, Here and There, so when someone pointed me towards Air TV I was more then happy to try it out. At first glance Air seems like the pure definition of a heartwarming, yet sad tale, but once you get past the initial tear jerking moments found in abundance in volume one, the story really has very little to offer. Yukito is a young traveling puppeteer who moves from town to town searching for a mysterious person who he calls "the girl in the sky." one day, tired and hungry, he stumbles into a small coastal town and meets a young, energetic, girl named Misuzu who seems to be as clumsy as she is cute and charming. Although Misuzu is the main focus of the show, Yukito meets three other misfit girls, each one, much like Misuzu, hide their own secrets and deal with their own personal problems, some of which will leave your breathless. If I were to compare this show with another anime, I'd say it has a lot more in common with Haibane-Renmei then anything else, but where Renmei slowly builds up its momentum to a captivating finish, Air slowly fizzles out and allows itself to die out long before the closing scene. This show, in all honesty, should have been four episodes shorter, for although I understand where they were trying to go with the ending, I couldn't help but feel that it was rushed, unprepared, and mellow dramatic. Where the opening is nothing but pure heartbreaking tragedy, the ending manages to somehow turn an otherwise great story into a cheesy soap opera with Misuzu and her mom taking center stage at the expense of every other character the creators of this show worked so hard to develop.
And that's where this show ultimately fails, in my opinion. Characters like Kano, Tohno, and Michiru get so much attention in the first half of the series that when they suddenly drop off the map nothing felt right anymore. They are very well developed characters with some very serious problems but after maybe two episodes devoted to each, after their lives are suddenly and magically put back together thanks Yukito they are no longer necessary parts of the story and are dropped altogether. Why, I wonder, did the writers bother to put them into this story if they weren't going to play any significant role in the overall plot? Why bother? It isn't as if the story needed them, although they did add some touching moments. Their characters were far too well developed and their stories far too touching to be dropped completely after they served their purpose.
The art work is nothing sort of amazing. I defy anyone to show me an anime series more visually beautiful then this. Every frame is a masterpiece of artistic brilliance found only in anime movies such as Voices of a Distant Star and Place Promised in our Early Days. the characters designs may be a bit cliché, with the stereotypical long hair, enormous water eyes, school girl uniforms, the works, but they have a personal feel that ultimately made the characters seem more real, more alive, and that's all that matters in the end. to accompany these visuals, this show boasts a very quiet, very sweet andhaunting musical score, mostly piano pieces that reminded me very much of Voices of a Distant Star. I didn't even realize until the last few episodes that they were just playing the same three songs over and over again, and even then it didn't matter. Numerous times I found myself ignoring the dialogue and just listening to the sweet melodies of the soundtrack and watched the beautiful visuals.
In all this show starts out extremely strong, but somehow manages to ruin an amazing story with an ending soap opera writers would be proud of. The series really ends at volume three, or at least that's where it should have been, everything after that, although it has its occasional moments, ruins all credibility this show had as a drama. Watch this show for the visuals, the soundtrack, and heartbreaking opening, and nothing else.
Replay value; Very low. 』
(great animation) 『great animation, personally didnt care for the story, it had its funny points...but I was looking for the happy ending call me a sap!』
(This is the Weakest Link) 『Of all the Key anime series that have been localized for the American audience, Key is the weakest of the lot. It contains all the usual Key elements - gorgeous back grounds, a tragic story line, a mystical or magical element to the backstory, and lots and lots of cute anime girls. However, for some reason, the elements that made Kanon and Clannad so good don't fit together so well in this story. It's almost as if they put all the various Key elements into a box, shook it up, and poured them out on a table and called the result a new series. I can almost see the lab geek with a clipboard checking things off. "Pretty Girl cast, check. Mysterious magical powers or tragic backstory for each girl, check. Forgotten past life connection between the hero and the obvious heroine, check. Ambiguous pretty boy hero, check. Single mom/aunt/caretaker for hero/heroine, check. Pretty art, check. Nice music, check. Okay, call it a wrap. Put it in a box and ship it!"
Oops, forgot to write a story that makes sense.
There are two things that should serve as a warning: right on the back of the box, it reads "The questions are rampant, but the answers float aimlessly in the air." Which, in plainspeak, means even the people who made the thing can't figure out what is going on. Then, if you read the box for "Air, The Motion Picture" (which, admittedly, I have not yet watched) it describes itself as "a cinematic reinvention of the acclaimed television series". A good story would not have needed "reinvention".
Before you read any further, I will warn you that I do include spoilers in this next bit. The story, such as it is, is this: Yukito is a traveling performer who can make dolls move with his magical powers. He also is looking for a mysterious "girl in the sky" that his mother had been looking for her entire life and never found. As the story goes on, we learn that the girl in the sky suffers from sad dreams, but if she should ever stop dreaming, she will die. Then we meet Misuzo, a clumsy ditz who befriends Yukito. She has an odd phobia in that she gets hysterical if she makes a friend because she's lost everybody in her life she cared about up to that point. She is an orphan, being cared for by her aunt who doesn't seem to give a hang about the girl and isn't at all disturbed when she brings home Yukito. Yukito then encounters a wide assortment of other schoolgirl/love interests, any one of whom may or may not be the girl in the sky because most have magical powers of some kind or other. As Yukito and Misuzo get closer to each other, Misuzo reveals that she has dreams about flying, which are very sad dreams, and Yukito begins to wonder if she is the girl he has been looking for.
At this point the story begins to lose its way. We discover that Yukito's mom actually knew the girl in the sky, and promised to take her to the beach, thinking this might make her happy and stop the sad dreams, but the girl in the sky dies before she can fulfill her promise. So the duty passes on to Yukito to find the girl and fulfill her last wish, which is kind of hard to do since she supposedly died. Then, suddenly, we find ourselves in fuedal Japan, where the whole story line of the magical winged girls is explored. Then Yukito, evidently remembering that he was a samarai who protected the winged girl in fuedal Japan, vows to use all his powers to make Misuzo happy before she has the final dream and dies. And things go totally whack-a-ding-hoy. He turns into the idiot bird who has been hopping around in and out of all the episodes. We then see a retelling of Misuzo's life, with minor changes so that things will have a happier ending. So far so good. Then Misuzo's aunt, who now suddenly has really loved her all along, vows to take Misuzo to the beach. This fulfills Misuzo's final wish, so she up and dies, making Yukito's unexplained transformation and sacrifice meaningless. And here the TV series ended. The story left me thinking that the writers had all the elements of a good story but did not know how to put the pieces together. All the side stories, centering around the other girls, seem unrelated and tacked on, the girls seeming to be there only to provide Yukito other love interests.
We then get the "Air in Summer" specials, which takes the feudal Japan back story and expands upon it. The only thing the specials explains is that Yukito is the descendant of the two bodyguards for the Girl in the Sky, a samarai and a lady magician, who after the death of the Girl in the Sky, decided that she will probably be reincarnated somewhere down the road so they should start having babies with each other so that their descendants can watch out after the next incarnation of the Girl in the Sky. One again, the whole Yukito=bird and Why the heck did Misuzo Have To Die questions are unresolved.
All these complaints aside, if you like Key series, you will probably like Air. But it is the poorest, so far, of the Key offerings. It seems almost like they were writing this anime following a formula, without any inspiration to guide them. The music is nice, the art is pretty, (though the backgrounds are gorgeous, the characters themselves look like they were lifted out of a video game and don't have the same level of finish as the backgrounds). If you can make sense of the story, you are a smarter person than I am. But even at it's worst, Air is a much better watch than, say, One Piece, Dragon Ball Z or (shudder) Naruto.』 『Yukito is a traveling performer. He moves through this world with only the clothes on his back– driven onward by stories of “The Girl in the Sky”. Not knowing when or if he will find her, Yukito wanders, clinging to fleeting hope. Destitute and near starvation, Yukito’s life changes after the eccentric beauty Misuzo offers him food and shelter. This fragile treasure shares with him her dreams of a life lived amongst the clouds, and he listens closely out of a gratitude which soon gives way to rapt curiosity. The unlikely pair grows close, but Yukito cannot forget his destiny – or his past. In the end, the compelling need to find “her” remains. Who is the girl in the sky?Does she even exist? The questions run rampant, but the answers float aimlessly through the air.
Stills fromAir : The Complete Series(Click for larger image)
price：$16.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (This isn't the Catholic church that I remember.............) 『The premise of a teenage Pope let alone the fact his two main advisors are his older siblings is a little far fetched to say the least. It would have been nice to have more character development in their earlier stages. Father Able is a shining example of not judgiung a book by its cover. The rest of the supporting cast are interesting especially "Seth". I was stunned how quickly the story had ended. I hope they make another.』
(Don't miss this!) 『This anime is based off vampires and humans in a semi-peaceful existence, where the world has been ravaged by WMD's. However, war may break out at any moment. Abel is the main character. It is a spin-off of Cain and Abel from the Bible. Abel is...special, that's all I will say. He acts like the clutsy hero, who has a dark past, as well as a dark side. This show has many philosophical moments, as well as many bloody moments, but it does stay away from a lot of gore. This story is full of drama and romance, as well as action and adventure. Each character has their own attitudes and style of behavior, which is great. Overall a good anime, comparable to Trigun, but not quite enough to reach Cowboy Bebop.』
(3 Stars) 『PACKAGING Nice packaging. Comes in a slip case with nice artwork of all the characters and the now common viridian collection stamp on the front, back and side. Inside is two thin cd cases with 2 cd's in each. (again nice artwork on both cases with that steel cross looking symbol on the back of both. Each cd has red and gold symbolic artwork on it with roman numerals 1-4 (1 for each cd).
CONTENTS **Complaint** there is no extras on the first 3 cd's. A quick trailer (of one anime or another) will play prior to the main menu screen, but only disc 4 has any extra features, and all it has is the textless opening and ending (which is not really textless because you can't turn of the subs that show) and a list of trailers. There are no commentaries or behind the scenes.
ANIME The 3 stars is for the anime itself. This is a personal opinion and you should watch the anime yourself because you may think it deserves a better rating. I just honestly think there was too much panicked screaming on Ester's part and the bit about **SPOILER** Father Abel saying he promised not to kill anymore? Are you kidding me!? I remember more than once him swinging that demon scythe thing and wiping out plenty of enemies.
But all in all I didn't like it, but don't let that stop you from buying it, if you like the anime it's a great price, and I love the overall theme, I just think the execution could have been better.』 『Armageddon... The ultimate sin of humanity, perpetrated upon itself, which cast the shroud of death across the world centuries ago. And out of that lasting darkness, they emerged... From the legends of ancient times, they have been called forth into the world anew... Vampires.
Two races, Terran and Methuselah, human and vampire, are locked in a struggle for existence, trembling on the brink of war. Some seek the path to a peaceful coexistence, while others pursue a dangerous shift in the balance of power… And the world’s enemy, Contra Mundi, is starting to move. Cooperation and goodwill between the two races may be their only chance for survival.
Abel Nightroad, a touring priest for the Vatican, walks calmly where others fear to tread. A member of the formidable AX, tasked with the protection of the fragile equilibrium. Neither human nor vampire, with an awkward yet optimistic nature, this Father is a force wholly his own. When the greater threat emerges, the enemy of my enemy is my friend… And Abel Nightroad seeks a safe path for all.』
price：$8.93
VIZ VIDEO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Pokemon Fun for All Ages!) 『Ok, First. These DVDs (along with every other Pokemon DVDs) are only in English. There is no Japanese like some reviewers are ranting about. But, why should you want the Japanese version? The Japanese version is exactly like the English version except for the voices, names of Pokemon, Humans, Places and Terms being in Japanese, with the occasional Japanese joke instead of an understandable English one. If you are an American (or any other non-Japanese) Pokemon fan and play the games, then what reason is there to watch it in a way you wouldn't understand? Japanese language doesn't trump everything in English. The English voices sound perfectly fine to me and I like them. Ash's voice is the only one I think could be a little better, but it's still very tolerable.
With that done, I will move onto the product itself.
The D/P DVD box sets are basically 2 volumes in one. It contains 2 DVD cases with around 8-9 episodes each for a total of 17-18 episodes each box set (depending on which volume). The packaging is pretty simple&basic, but gets the job done. So are the Menus (Luckily, there is no ads before the Menu screen, just a VIZ logo); you get the choice to either: (1) play every episode in order, or (2) choose which episode from either the beginning or mid-point. The Openings and Credits are present also, except that the Credits play only a non-vocal song, unlike when it airs on TV (Thankfully).
The Video and Sound quality are very clean and excellent. No qualms here.
These DVDs do not contain any extras. Just the episodes. I have no problems with this, I bought these DVDs for the episodes and they deliver (not to mention, most DVD extras plainly fail!).
If you love to watch Pokemon, I recommend getting the DVDs! If you are new to the show, I suggest, at the very least, to watch the "Indigo League" season first (can find them in a total of 3 box sets). That is when main characters such as Ash, Pikachu, Brock and Team Rocket get introduced. You will have an easier time getting into D/P then (being familiar with the games helps too!).』
(Pokemon Anime Buyers Guide:) 『If you want to collect some or all of the pokemon anime episodes on dvd, then here is a comprehensive guide that will help explain the progression of the pokemon series and the current availability in box set form.
Season 1: Indigo League (available in 3 dvd box sets, 79 episodes)
Season 2: Adventures in the Orange Islands (1 dvd box set, 35 episodes)
Season 3: The Johto Journeys (*no box set available, 41 episodes)
Season 4: Johto League Champions (*no box set available, 52 episodes)
Season 5: Master Quests (2 dvd box sets, 64 episodes)
Season 6: Advanced (2 dvd box sets, 40 episodes)
Season 7: Advanced Challenge (*no box set available, 52 episodes)
Season 8: Advanced Battle (*no box set available, 54 episodes)
Season 9: Battle Frontier (2 dvd box sets, 47 episodes)
Season 10: Diamond and Pearl (2 dvd box sets, 51 episodes)
Season 11: D/P Battle Dimension (tba)
Season 12 D/P Platinum (tba)
* = can be found on vhs and single disc dvd containing 3-6 episodes ea.』
(complete disappointment) 『If you have seen the product description and planning to buy it on the basis that it is in Japanese, please just buy something of your second choice.
This is NOT IN JAPANESE.
In other words, do not trust the description provided.
I am terribly disappointed in Amazon's incapability in providing accurate informatin despite the first review (which most people tend to not read).』
(No Japanese language option) 『The products details include the following: "Format: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC Language: Japanese Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.) Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1"
Unfortunately, there is no Japanese language option. My 9-year old loves watching Pokemon every Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, so I thought I'd buy her the DVDs and let her hear the dialog in the original Japanese. The only language on the discs is English. She enjoys the cartoons nonetheless, so it's not a total loss.
If I'd have known this were the case, I probably would have gotten her something else. For now she'll have to stick with Tonari no Yamada-kun (My Neighbors, the Yamadas), Tonari no Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle for her Japanese language fix.』 『Ash and Brock are back for more Pokémon battles and adventures! Joining them is Dawn, a young girl who dreams of one day becoming a great Coordinator like her mother. Together the three travel through the Sinnoh region, collecting new Pokémon, facing down Team Rocket, and training hard to be the best!』 『This 99-episode adventure from 2006 features characters, places, and Pokémon from the Sinnoh region, the setting for theDiamond and Pearledition of the video game. Ash, Pikachu, and Aipom set out from Pallet Town in hopes of winning battles and badges. Almost immediately, they meet up with Brock, who has become a skilled Pokémon healer, and Dawn, an argumentative 10-year-old who wants to become a star Coordinator. Professor Rowan presents Dawn with a Piplup, a penguin-like Pokémon, while Ash acquires a Grass-type Turtwig. Brock befriends a Croagunk, a frog-like Poison Pokémon who slaps him and drags him away whenever he begins romancing Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny, or some other hapless girl. Ash acquires a rival in Paul, a rude trainer who treats his Pokémon with neither respect nor affection: Their competition runs through the series. Most of the episodes represent Poké-business as usual. Ash tries enteringa Contest with Dawn, but his focus on battle moves rather than grace quickly gets him eliminated. Dawn learns how to use a Pokéball and begins developing routines for the Contest circuit. Jessie, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket build increasingly elaborate machines to capture Pikachu and other Pokémon, but invariably go down in flames. Ash fails in his initial attempt to win the Coal Badge from Roarke of the Oreburg Gym, but with 82 episodes to go, he doesn't need to hurry. (Rated A, suitable for All Ages: minor cartoon violence.)--Charles Solomon
(1. Following a Maiden's Voyage! 2. Two Degrees of Separation! 3. When Pokémon Worlds Collide! 4. Dawn of a New Era! 5. Gettin' Twiggy with It! 6. Different Strokes for Different Blokes! 7. Like it or Lup It! 8. Gymbaliar! 9. Setting the World on its Buneary! 10. Not on My Watch Ya Don't! 11. Mounting a Coordinator Assault! 12. Arrival of a Rival! 13. A Staravia Is Born! 14. Leave it to Brocko! 15. Shapes of Things to Come! 16. A Gruff Act to Follow! 17. Wild in the Streets!)』
price：$7.48
Manga Video
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A perfect conversion) 『Everyone knows the generic beat 'em ups with two fighters on the separate sides of screen. Obviously that is not a good source for a good anime without some changes and that is what happened to Street Fighter II Victory - a repetitive fighting game converted into a five-star anime. The series explains the origins of the characters of SF II: The New Challengers minus Deejay and T. Hawk. Akuma cameos are also there.
The animation itself is quality work. The graphics are nice for a mid-90's series, the casting is nice and the dubbing is even better. Every episode has a lot of happenings and there are a few cliffhangers which is nice and there are parallel stories going on, preventing the show to get boring. The last few episodes were a bit of a disappointment with all that mystic power and world domination mumbo jumbo. Overall, the fighting scenes, the characters and the story are strong points of the series.
I think this series is must for all SF fans and friends of good anime. The only bad thing about this release is the absence of the TV release openings and endings. At least the blood and violence is still there so I don't mind.』
(AWESOME) 『This goes perfectly as a prequel to Street Fighter 2 the animated movie. But as good as Street Fighter 2 the movie is, this collection might just have it beat. Its that good. While everything in this series isnt perfect, its so entertaining and it grabs you and pulls you in that you forget about its flaws. The story is awesome and you get to travel the world with Ryu and Ken basically as they try to master various martial arts. Once you get to the second episode, you'll be hooked and you wont be able to stop watching it until the end. After watching this, you'll feel like you literally went on a really cool life journey. The animation is top notch. The music is top notch. The story is top notch. The fights are bad a**. Buy this Collection. You wont regret it.』
(Great Gift!!) 『This is a great dvd for the older people that used to own a super nintendo (before all these other game systems came out) and played streetfighter. Most of you would remember the characters such as: guile, ryu, ken, chun Li, vega and others. The dvd tells you how some of those characters from the game met and started fighting. I got this as gift to my brother and he hasn't been able to put it down.』
(The Street Fighter Series Everyone must watch.) 『Street Fighter II V is probably one the best action based anime series around. Even though it was based on the popular video game series, Street Fighter II V does have all the most popular characters from the game series. A storyline that everyone can relate too, a journey of self-discovery and heroism. A must have for any anime or Street Fighter fan.』
(Very good collection) 『Even though its not very faithful to the storyline. I stilled liked it alot as a fan. Nice action scenes and good ending. My biggest problems are too many needless episodes and scenes. And some of the fight scenes repeat alot. I would have given this 5 stars but my second watch wasn't as great. StreetFighter fans should see it.』 『Fron the sinister back alleys of Hong Kong to the Muddy Banks of the Ganges, through Thailand, Spain and across lands unknown, martial arts masters Ken and Ryu track down the very best fighters to discover the secrets of their fighting skills.』
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