price：$44.99
Adv Films
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (you have to watch this!) 『This series combines a twist on our regular stories which we have grown up loving with an original idea creating a wonderful piece. A must watch.』
(Saw onces, Could not get away) 『I watched the first three episodes of this show with a group at school, and fell in love with it. Finally decided to order the seasons, and completely satisfied with it. The DVD has extras that include mini dance lessons with Neko Sensei(Mr. Cat). It also allows for the viewer to choose Japanese, with or with out subs, or english, with or without subs. Would recommend for pretty much any age group that likes anime.』
(Wonderful Series... with great bonuses!) 『I give lots of praise to this series, but I thought I'd clarify a few things for people interested in this set. There is another, more expensive set on amazon. This set is the recent re-release with a different package design. Unlike most ADV releases, this box set contains the original discs, which are still loaded with bonus features, making this a great buy. My one gripe is that the DVDs are all stacked, instead of being in individual holders, but I still consider this official release a great buy.』
(My daughter adores it!) 『My daughter found this series on youtube by herself and loves it. I bought her this package for her birthday and now she has started a Princess TuTu fad at her school. I admit its not for me, but I love seeing her take such an interest in it that she wants to read the books also. I can say the soundtrack for it is filled with wonderful classical favorites.』
(Awesome Anime even for the young ones!) 『I am by disc 4 and I get my 3 year old daughter to watch it with me and we are glued you dont even notice how fast the time goes by!』 『Studio: Adv Films Release Date: 04/21/2009 Run time: 650 minutes』
price：$9.99
Funimation/Geneon Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Full Anime DVD Release Arrives At Last) 『Shônen Onmyôji is a pretty rich franchise and odds are pretty good that you may have encountered it in some variation in the past. Based on a 25-volume light novel in Japan (by Mitsuru Yûki/ illustrations done by Sakura Asagi), it has made its way to the United States in the form of drama CDs, a video game on the Playstation 2, and even a DVD release of the anime from Geneon.
After releasing only two volumes of the anime to North America, Geneon pulled out of the anime game and that's where this FUNimation Complete Series comes into play. This is the first time all 26-episodes of the program have been released to the United States in a single box set collection.
Released across six discs, Shônen Onmyôji The Complete Series comes packaged in three thin packs (each housing two DVDs) within an outer cardboard slipcase and consists of episodes 1-26. The show comes in at a total runtime of 625 minutes and wears an appropriate if slightly conservative Suggested 13&Up rating due to animated violence and adventure qualities.
Language options are standard sub&dub with both an English dub and original Japanese soundtrack (either in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)&the choice of English subtitled if so inclined to turn them on.
Extras include textless opening and closing songs, and a host of fresh Funimation trailers.
The story goes something like this: Abe no Masahiro is the grandson of the great onmyôji (sorcerer), Abe no Seimei. Despite being taught the ways of magic from his grandfather, Masahiro finds very little reason to flex his "magical muscles". In fact the poor kid feels like a bit of hack when compared to the greatness of his grandfather's reputation.
In true "use it or lose it" tradition, the lack of spell casting in Masahiro's life actually results in the disappearance of one of his main gifts: The ability to see ghosts. Deciding to take it as a sign to pursue other avenues, Masahiro nearly puts it all behind hum until an entity drops down from the clouds one day with a message: Masahiro is to continue the work started by his grandfather regardless of his own fears and failures.
In case your Japanese history isn't up to snuff, Abe no Seimei is an actual person in Japanese history with a reputation of having the trust and confidence of the emperor back during the Heian era in Japan (which is the setting for the anime as well).
What makes this piece so charming is the intermingling of actual Japanese history, culture and beliefs with a fictional and funny character in the foreground to tie it all together.
Despite a title that insinuates endless scrapping and tournaments, Shônen Onmyôji is actually a blend of comedy, historical and supernatural elements of Japanese culture, action, and a bit of romantic interest to keep things interesting.
The art is consistently solid without resorting to flashy CGI segments or gimmicks to lure viewers. Perhaps the show's greatest strength however is its pacing, which establishes a nice hardy clip early on and doesn't waste a whole lot of time venturing off on tangents or setting up story threads that lead nowhere (which is often a legitimate concern with 26-episode runs).
The characters are well developed and manage to accomplish the difficult task of teaching history without drawing attention to this fact or sacrificing entertainment value to do so.
The English dub is quite well done but the visuals and themes simply work better in the native Japanese dialog track. While it isn't openly said, the Japanese voice actors must surely have had a lot of fun working on the project.
In all this is a solid series that's finally getting the complete DVD release it has deserved much to the delight of existing fans who were left high and dry after only two volumes a few years ago and anime buffs in general seeking a unique twist on history.』 『Abeno Masahiro is the grandson of the great sorcerer Abeno Seimei. Unfortunately for him, his grandfather did such a great job in the past, he really hasn’t had a need to perform any magical duties and as a result, Masahiro lost his sixth sense and the ability to see spirits. One day, a demon drops from the sky and proclaims that Masahiro must continue his grandfather’s work and learn to be an Onmyouji regardless of the dangers that await him!』
price：$17.99
E1 Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours 『“Gigantor the Space Age Robot is at your command!” The First 26 Episodes of the Classic Series Digitally Transferred from the Original 16mm Film
Premiering in the‘60s, “Gigantor” blazed a new trail in America for Japanese animation. The influential series was one of the first featuring a giant, heroic robot and was designed with a cinematic sensibility that thrilled and captivated audiences.
When terrorist groups, evil criminals and hostile aliens become too powerful for Earth’s armed forces, the virtually-indestructible robot is built to combat them. Commanded by Jimmy Sparks through a remote control, Gigantor must battle to save the world from a never-ending assault by ruthless villains.
BONUS FEATURES: Interview with director/producer/writer Fred Ladd Interview with anime historian Fred Patten from Animation World Magazine Select audio commentary with Fred Ladd Gigantor comic book issues 1-6 (DVD-ROM content) PLUS 16-page companion guide with episode summaries and archival publicity materials』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Explores the wretchedness of the human condition.) 『If anything, this anime is a mirror against humanity, savagely satirizing its darker aspects.
Despite it's title, and even the author's claim that the ugliness in the world makes the good things more beautiful ... as a viewer I don't see this at all.
No, the world is ugly, and that ugliness consumes the beautiful.
The countries Kino visits are often made of people who are gullible, moronic, dogmatic, zombie-like conformist, extremist zealot, utterly insane or a combination of all.
But what's disconcerting, and what makes this series partly a satire, is that all these dysfunctional countries are examples of what's in the news and history books.
As for the emotional theme of this series, the best I can describe this series is ... it leaves you slightly paranoid and afraid.
There is good reason, because everyone and everything has a dark secret or a hidden agenda. You feel as if danger lurks behind every word, or facial expression, despite the almost always sunny skies and bright colors.』
(weird, but lovely) 『I'm not through this anime yet, but I really like it. So far I adore it. I think it's weird and wonderful! It's not your typical action packed anime. It goes a bit slow for those of us used to fast paced, but it's more methodical/philosophical than most. It truly is an artistic storytelling, with lots of lessons entwined within the stories. (ex: living off of animals - one dies for the expense of another, helping others and then being betrayed, being a "perfect adult" etc...) It can be somewhat dark, but at the same time it's very cute! It's definitely a thinking person's anime. I would definitely recommend it.』
(Great stories) 『Although this anime is sometimes a little hard to follow, the stories presented in each episode bring up interesting moral questions. The animation is beautiful, making some of the episodes more poignant when contrasted against the ugly realities of Kino's world. I highly encourage people to watch this one.』
(Simply Wonderful) 『I have been able to identify with the heroine of this anime series more easily than any other that I have encountered thus far. Kino above her desire to not be defined by her gender or age, is strong-willed, independent and follows the path that she has chosen for herself without ever wavering and always with open eyes and a healthy appreciation for the world around her. Okay, perhaps "identify" is not the right word choice, as I don't feel I personally embody those ideals, but I certainly do "admire" every single one of them.
Kino is, above all, an embodiment of a "strong female" character, without the baggage of "femininity" which all too often in anime renders that strength ultimately meaningless when the character "falls in love" or succumbs to the stereotypical "weaknesses of womanhood" when they sacrifice themselves for the sake of a child or some other such ridiculous stereotype. I'm not saying that self-sacrifice is not something women are "prone" to, or that it is a bad thing, but I take issue with the assumption that women are, or more importantly should be, like that. Kino as a character turns that concept on its head.
She travels through the world on her sentient motorcycle, Hermes, visiting different lands, experiencing their cultures, and instead of being swayed to "help" them, or give something of herself to them, she moves on in order to experience the next. Some have called her, and the series because of it, apathetic. I would disagree, and Kino lays her reasoning out very early in the story. Kino travels through the world with the eyes of an anthropologist: taking in everything with a wit that belies the youthfulness of her countenance, and above all protecting her own needs first, and the needs of anyone else afterwards. She does not risk her own safety in order to affect host cultures, even if she believes that somehow she could "help" the situation. Instead, when threatened or when pulled into a situation she cannot easily watch from the sidelines, Kino will react for her own sake. If there's time after that, she'll consider others as well. The threat of imposing ones own values upon a host culture is always at the forefront of Kino's mind, as the effect of culture works both ways. Kino only wishes to avoid that and simply enjoy the world around her for what it is. She is neither hero nor villain, having no interest in holding power over anyone nor any ambition other than to travel.
When I saw the second episode in particular, concerning the value of human life against the lives of other living creatures and the personal choice to make one's own needs more important than the needs of others, it struck a serious chord. The episode is shocking in many ways (not the least of which is the way it ends), but mostly what I took from it, and from the series as a whole, is that we do what we have to do to survive, and there are many horrible things in the world that force us to make those choices, but despite all of that the world is still a beautiful place full of wonderful things that we would be cheating ourselves out of if we refused to experience them (whether out of fear, ignorance or what-have-you).
And the series does all of this without being pretentious or preaching morality. That is not to say that Kino is a pushover by any means, or that the story is somehow boring and lacking in action. To her credit, and despite her small stature, Kino is a crack shot, possibly one of the greatest marksmen in all of anime. She's a quick study and is not above, or afraid, of using force to protect herself. She likes to avoid taking life when possible, but she's not above that, either. This lends the story to both quiet slow moments of appreciating the beauty around her and fast-paced action ones where that beauty is shattered, both of which compliment each other, never seeming out of place, even when the viewer is being jarred out of one by the other.
I highly recommend Kino's Journey, especially to those who are looking for a good story that avoids many of the current trends (ie, moe) in anime. The series runs a short 13 episodes (released in the no-thrills thinpack version here), is based on a series of novels by Keiichi Shigusawa (only the first of which was ever released in English) and features a wonderful soundtrack, including the beautiful opening theme "All the Way" by Mikuni Shimokawa.』
(I'm so glad I found this.) 『I found this series here, on Amazon while looking for complete collections of new anime with good reviews. I was not disappointed. The series follows a traveler Kino and her motorad Hermes as they travel across the globe, only spending three days in a country (which is more like a village). In every episode, the two come across a different country with interesting people. The episodes are told as you would a story or if you were reading about it in a book, a collection of tales, all involving a traveler as she passes through. After almost every episode I found myself wanting to tell people the story of the episode. Action isn't the focus but there are a few episodes of that if that's what you're into. This anime is more geared toward the intellectual crowd, full of philosophy and psychology. If after reading this, the series seems interesting, you won't be disappointed.』 『Destination is a state of mind. Travelers not only find themselves in a variety of locations and geographic phenomena, but they also bare witness to the whims of culture and the skewed effects of subtle circumstance. Kino is such a traveler. Sitting astride Hermes, the ultimate internal combustion companion, Kino searches for life’s answers, life’s questions, and the myriad of interpretations connected to them. A wielder of cutlery, firepower and a piercing tongue, Kino is ready to embark on a journey unlike any other!』
price：$5.00
RIGHT STUF
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (An Anime Classic) 『This is a collection of the classic anime Irresponsible Captain Tylor. Full of laughs, fights, and the sort of logic that can only exist in anime, this is a must-have for any true fan. Easy watching, and with chapters set up for easy skipping of title sequences.』
(Delightful Space Opera Spoof) 『Irresponsible Captain Tylor captures the best elements of classic science fiction humor with some unusual twists. The traditional elements include the crew of misfits in a battered old destroyer, who (in spite of the odds) survive and frequently triumph over the alien forces and their own somewhat unscrupulous military high command. Irresponsible Captain Tylor provides its unique spin on this sub-genre in the form of Captain Tylor -- young (age 20) with his entire military background consisting of a short stint in the military pension office. The surprisingly well developed and generally sympathetic elf-like aliens wonder whether Tylor is a genius or an idiot. Tylor's crew of misfits in the destroyer Soyokaze decide that while he doesn't embody many (or any) military virtues, he is fun to have around. Tylor is warm-hearted but also magnificently irresponsible.
The series of 26 episodes has a well connected trajectory. Only a few episodes contain pointless filer. Fortunately, the writers left the question "Is Tylor a hidden genius, a lucky idiot, or (perhaps) a bit of both?" unresolved. The result is a surprisingly satifying conclusion.
In the finest tradition of space opera, the laws of phyics are cheerfully ignored. My personal favorite is the flag waiving on the bows of the destroyer Soyokaze in deep space. (The emblem on the flag appears to be a tomato.)
The music is pleasing, with a mix of cheery pop and light jazz. One later episode contains a lengthy space battle choreographed to classical music that is a tour de force.』
(Great anime series!) 『Short review: This is a really, really fun show. The misfit crew of the Soyokaze are among the most memorable characters ever to grace Japanese animation. One of those shows that you just don't want to see come to an end.』 『Justy Ueki Tylor had his life all planned out: join the military, get a cushy desk job, and then retire with a big fat pension check. The perfect plan...until he wandered into a hostage situation and somehow managed to save an Admiral! Now Tylor a man who wouldn t know what discipline was if it bit him in the backside has been made Captain of the space cruiser Soyokaze. The crew of this run-down ship is the craziest, rag-tag team of misfits you re ever likely to see, and they re not too fond of their complacent new leader. But they better learn to work together, because they re about to go head to head with the mighty Raalgon Empire. For better or for worse, the Earth s fate has been placed in the hands of a man who s either a total idiot or an absolute genius! Contains the complete 26-episode TV series with remastered video from the Japanese DVD release! DVD Features: Completely remastered video from the Japanese DVD release! Scene access, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for English and Japanese dialogue, English subtitles and English on-screen translations. PLUS: Character bios, UPSF ship data, Raalgon Empire ship data, textless opening, textless closing, liner notes and Nozomi Entertainment trailers.』
price：$4.99
Bandai
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Dorothy, Dorothy!) 『Really, there's only one reason to watch this anime- an android girl who has become something of a cult idol figure among fanboys....R. Dorothy Wainwright. She is a fantasic character, extremely cool with a very dry sense of humour. Unfortunately, they didn't use her as much as they could have. The series really revolves around Roger Smith, a Negotiator who solves the problems in Paradigm City. Of course, when you have a dirty big mecha to call on when things get rough, "negotiation" with the bad guys becomes a lot easier!
I was a huge fan of the movie Dark City, and there's a definite similarity in the film-noir atmosphere and the obession with memory. Batman is also an obvious influence. In fact, it's possible to list a number of Batman/film noir cliches in the characterisation: the ultra-cool lead, the stoic butler, the femme fatale (Angel), the Joker-like psychotic baddie (Beck), and the shadowy criminal mastermind behind everything. And of course there's Dorothy. There's not exactly much subtlety or even depth to the characters, really, but they fill their roles well. The often funny interactions between Roger and Dorothy alone are worth watching.
However, the plot itself is a big let-down. The first series consists of mostly stand-alone episodes that hint at something deeper, but the series ends just as some of these important plot points are revealed. I was expecting the second series to continue from where the first left off, but it too wanders down side plots and stand-alone episodes, and again seems to end too abruptly. Apparently a further series was planned but never eventuated, leaving 'The Big O' with a rushed, unfinished feel. The plus side is the second series features more of Dorothy, and in a more active role.
Many individual episodes are interesting enough, but it's hard not to wish they formed a more coherent, finished, whole. As it is, the series has enormous potential that it never quite fulfills. However, the cool characters and their interaction do make up for this somewhat, and it is worth seeing if you like Batman, Dark City, or sci-fi/retro anime in general.』
(A Great Anime Series.) 『BIG O was a unique show, with a good concept. Having everyone in the worlds memories erased and no one knows what happened, but everyone has clued inside of their minds. It reminds me a little of the movie DARK CITY. It had a nice twist on the Giant Robot anime, instead focusing on the characters and story. The story was great, you couldn't stop watching. All the twists and turns along the way in search of the what happened forty years ago. The story and characters were the best part of the show. The music was great, the animation was pretty good, and the action was good. The ending was great, but I still have no idea what really was going on. That's why I wish Cartoon Network had agreed to a season 3. I guess it just wasn't popular in both Japan and the USA.
Overall I think BIG O is under appreciated by most anime fans. Everyone should check out this series』
(It's showtime!) 『Imagine a crumbling domed Gotham City where everyone has amnesia, and Batman fights evildoers using a giant black mecha.
That's a fairly basic description of "The Big O," a strange and action-packed anime with an art deco style, a noir atmosphere and lots of giant robots and strange conspiracies. This is no simplistic action show -- there's a deep central mystery that each episode revolves around, and some deeper meditations on the nature of memory.
Negotiator Roger Smith is hired to get the kidnapped daughter of a client back... only to discover that "Dorothy" is an android, who asks him to protect her. When he starts investigating, Roger learns of her "sister" -- vast mecha "Dorothy 1" -- who can only be stopped by his own mecha, the Megadeus called "Big O." But when Dorothy vanishes during the attack, Roger must find her before a gang of thieves do.
With the help of Dorothy and his faithful butler Norman (and occasionally hardened cop Dastun), Roger uses Big O to deal with a series of increasingly bizarre mysteries. Among his problems: a giant electric eel, a skeletal mecha controlled by the psycho ex-reporter "Schwarzwald," a billionaire's missing son, a piano-playing android, a "sea titan" in a flooded city, a mysterious cat with horrifying origins, a Heaven's Day attack, and a mysterious woman haunting Dastun's dreams.
Things take a darker turn in the last few episodes, especially since Paradigm City's strange past becomes the most important part. Roger is hired to give a severance check to Schwarzwald, but becomes enmeshed in his plans for Paradigm City -- and witnesses the unveiling of another Megadeus, Big Duo.
And when a series of murders are committed by a red-cloaked figure -- who leaves Big O's motto "Cast In The Name of God, Ye Not Guilty" at each crime -- Roger starts to suspect that Dorothy may be involved. And even more confusing, Roger is suffering flashbacks of whatever happened forty years ago... which may be even more ghastly than anyone suspects.
"The Big O" is one of those series that drips with lots of influences -- it hasa lovely classic noir feeling, more than a hint of "Batman," and some tinges of Isaac Asimov (R. Dorothy?). And even the animation has a style reminiscent of art deco, with lots of long clean lines and dark shapes -- even the vast Megadeuses and other mecha have them.
But the real beauty of "The Big O" is in the storytelling: the individual plots are reminiscent of a noir detective's adventures, but with a weird sci-fi twist -- a mad journalist in a haunted subway, a mad geneticist, and giant robots that fly and swim. It's also graced with some explosive slam-bang action, intriguing hi-tech gadgets, and lots of wry humour (Dorothy sets off an elevator's weight alarm) and dialogue ("Did you say 'mama'? As in your mother?").
And running under each episode is the haunting question of what happened to Paradigm forty years ago. The plots drop hints about floating memories and something terrible that turned Paradigm City into a series of half-ruined boroughs. This is especially true in the final episode, which briefly shows the horrifying past.
Dashing playboy Roger Smith is a pretty likable hero -- charismatic, charming, a bit lacking in chivalry at times, but ultimately quite heroic and kind. Dorothy's emotionless attitude makes a nice counterpoint, but she shows some signs of becoming more human ("Even I feel like playing the blues sometimes"). And for the true noir feel, there's a mysterious femme fatale named Angel who keeps getting Roger into trouble, and the likably efficient butler/cook/technician Norman.
While it appears to be just another mecha anime on the surface, "The Big O" is actually a clever sci-fi/noir series with underlying conspiracies and haunting mysteries.』
(Big O! BIG OOOOO!!) 『How can you forget that song? Even after a few years, the story of Big O and the music still remains. The characters are people you can relate with, or understand. The animation is good and the music is fantastic! I can never get the apologize theme out of my head. Though it might be confusing to some people, it really clears it all up in the in. Most of the episodes have a tie in with what Paradigm city is really all about. 5 stars definitely.』
(As good as it gets.) 『This is one of my favorite animes. And for $40, no better deal around (considering other collections run for $100 or more.) Great story, unique animation style, and the soundtrack is absolutely astounding. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Film noir style in general. This is as good as Samurai Champloo, Gungrave, Cowboy Bebop, and just about any other top anime.』 『Paradigm City. A City of Amnesia. Forty years ago everyone lost their memory, but humanity continues to survive. They've learned to operate machinery, produce electricity, and go on living each day at a time. Still ther's something missing in a town with no past, no history of what has come before. Roger Smith is a Negotiator, hired to negotiate disputes between parties. And Roger enjoys a reputation of being the best at his job. But he has an ace up his sleeve, a rather big ace! He contrls the Megadeus called the Big O, a wondrous piece of technology from befeore the age of Amnesia. Occasionally, fragments of memories appear, and with them often comes trouble. The Big O comes in handy for subduing such dangers, but does it serve some greater purpose? Together with the unusual R. Dorothy Wayneright and his loyal butler Norman, Roger Smith keeps Paradigm City safe from the nightmare of memories. Genre: Action/Mecha/Sci-Fi.』
price：$4.96
VIZ VIDEO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Charming and fun) 『As long as you don't expect plot and great story you will find yourself enjoying the Ranma 1/2 series. I find myself watching them when I just want to relax and smile. It is an easy series to sit down and watch an episode or two.』
(The fifth season of Ranma 1/2) 『Ranma 1/2 Martial Mayhem is a DVD box set of the fifth season of Ranma 1/2. This set contains a total of twenty-four episodes. The first four discs contain five episodes, while the fifth disc contains four episodes and the special features.
The special features menu contains five options: "Line Art Gallery," "Textless Opening," "Textless Ending," "Cast List," and "Actor Profiles." As expected, the textless opening and ending are just the opening and ending credits without the text. The line art gallery contains model sketches of the characters that appear in this DVD box set. However, I don't know how many pages of sketches there are, because no page numbers were included in this feature (which had been the case for the previous Ranma 1/2 DVD box sets). The cast list is a list of the English and Japanese voice actors for each character. The actor profiles are selected filmographies for the English voice actors. It should be noted that, unlike some of the previous box sets, that the English names that appear in the cast list are not links to their entries in the "Actor Profiles" area. In my opinion, I thought that Viz Media was putting less effort into the DVD extras in this set than they had on the previous DVD box sets.
Ranma 1/2 Martial Mayhem is a rather "low frills" DVD set. While the special features are better than what appeared on the first Ranma 1/2 DVD box set, I wish something had been done that took a little more effort, such as interviews with the English voice actors, or character profiles for the characters that appear on the box set.
Ranma 1/2 Martial Mayhem tends to run between $40 and $50 at retail. While this could be considered a little high-priced for what you get, the episodes are still worth the cost. The series is very enjoyable for an older audience (16 and up), and really should be in an anime fan's DVD collection.』
(The Humor and Entertainment Continue With This Great Series) 『I still remember when I started getting this series for the first time at first I thought it would turn out to be a stupid comedy with no likability, and how wrong I was as this series turned out to be truly entertaining and funny to watch. The series is very light hearted as the main characters are Ranma a young teenage boy martial artist who had the unfortunate accident while training in China to fall into a cursed pool at jusenkyo that turns him into a girl when dosed with cold water and can only change back with hot water, and Akane a young teenage girl martial artist whose father is the master and owner of a martial arts dojo and is Ranma's betrothed fiancee which neither Akane or Ranma knew that their fathers had set up. Of course sparks fly between the two betrothed at first and not love sparks especially when Akane at first thinks Ranma is a girl(Seeing him in girl form when they first meet) and than realizing what has happen to him after Ranma's father explains about the accident. The series of course has a gaggle of other characters trying to woo Ranma and Akane to them and some of those characters have themselves been cursed by the pools of jusenkyo. The video is decent but not as sharp and clear as recent animes have been but that's a little understandable as this series started around 1989 and finished around 1996 so most of the animation won't be as up to par as with the animes in the past ten years. The voice cast for both the subbed and dubbed are great and memorable in their roles as they played them incredibly of course the one major change was the male voice of Ranma was changed in season four so if you have the previous three season sets you'll of course notice that one difference but no worries as that doesn't make that much of a difference. So if you're tired of the dramatic and serious anime and are looking for a more light anime here's a great choice to check out for you home anime library...』
(all time favorite) 『It is very interesting about this season 5 Ranma 1/2. The series has been improving in story, character designs from one season to the next season. Needless to say, the story is hilarious. The character's action, gesture, speech are the icons of Takabashi Rumiko sen sei's animation. From Urusei Yatsura in the 80's to some latest works, her skills are praised and even imitated by other creators.』 『From Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Inuyasha, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma½ is one of the most recognized and acclaimed anime series on the market today!
It's not easy being teenage martial artist Ranma Saotome, but it's even worse when your martial-artist father Genma takes you from home at an early age to go on a decade-long training mission. He doesn't speak a word of Chinese, and yet he insists upon bringing you to the cursed training ground known as Jusenkyo, where falling into one of the many springs there instantly turns you into whoever--or whatever--drowned there last. And then, the two of you have this little accident...
From now on, a splash of cold water will turn your father into a giant panda, while you...well, you turn into a red-haired (and problematically well-built) female version of yourself. Hot water will reverse the effect, but only until the next time. What's a half-guy, half-girl to do?
* Bilingual: English&Japanese * English Subtitles * Scene Access Menu * Digital Hi-Fi Stereo』
price：$48.49
ANIMEIGO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (THE BEST IN JAPANESE GRINDHOUSE) 『If you like Japanese Samurai movies you must own this series. I just wish the series continued.』
(Be warned!) 『It's too bad this set is not what it says it is. In other words, the movies are not "un-cut." Yes, the movie contents are not cut but each and every film in this set features the films where both sides of the frame are literally chopped off for no acceptable reason. The results are quite terrible considering the fact that many scenes obviously lack one of the duelists missing from the frame which totally disturbs the viewer and spoils the atmosphere. If you're willing to truely enjoy the movies to their maximum entertainment potentials, I would recommend buying the Japanese issued versions that should have the films in their original ratios though they cost tons more and come in different region codes.』
(a real MASTERPIECE!) 『Forget about Spider Man, X Men, Superman Returns, ouch! This one is a real comic book based set of movies. A complete masterpiece to go along with the book collection. Anything I say wouldn't be enough to express how good this is. Try to learn something, Avi Arad.』
(the original ronin) 『you really cannot describe this movie.there is nothing like it.if you have never seen it,rent it first.start with the first dvd.people who have studied martial arts seriously will love it;especially the relationship between itto and diagoro.in spirit,mind and body,they are absolutely convinced the only thing that matters is the task in front of them.complete conviction!the lesson i have learned from these charaters is that there are always going to be obstacles.BE PREPARED FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE.』
(Kosure Ogami ROX!) 『I'm not the most impartial critic: in the early seventies, I was serving in the Navy, stationed in Japan. I was trying to learn to speak Japanese and watched a lot of Japanese television to try to get the pronunciation right. At the time, Kosure Ogami was a big hit TV series there. I became addicted. Withdrawal came when I rotated back to the 'States.
I knew they had made a movie based on the TV series, poorly overdubbed in English and released in this country as "Lightning Swords of Death". I'd seen it in a theater, and been disappointed (the overdubbing, as I said, was not very good).
A few weeks ago, a friend and I were discussing martial arts movies and it got me to thinking. I Googled "Lightning Swords of Death" and wound up on Amazon, looking at not just one, but a box set of SIX Kosure Ogami films, which I promptly bought.
I've since watched all six. Ogami Itto is still the best swordsman in Japan. Daigoro is still a sharp kid. The (obviously) fake blood still flows like water - special effects were never the series' strong suite. But the poor English overdubs have been replaced with English subtitles - the original Japanese soundtrack is intact. It was taken from really good prints - the video and audio quality are excellent.
Is this great cinematic art? No. But it is an interesting story, fairly-well acted, with some of the best-choreographed swordplay ever filmed. I think I got my money's worth and more.』 『The LONE WOLF AND CUB series chronicles the adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro, who sell their services to people in need while traveling the countryside in search of revenge against the hit squad who killed Itto's wife. All six parts of the martial arts-based drama are included here. In the first film of the series, SWORD OF VENGEANCE, Ogami escapes with his son in a wooden baby cart after an assassination attempt on his family. The second film, BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX, sees Ogami stalked by a deadly female ninja as he attempts to assassinate a spy from the Shogunate. The journey continues in BABY CART TO HADES, with Ogami coming to the aid of a prostitute who killed her pimp. But he has to undergo torture to win back her freedom. In the follow-up, BABY CART IN PERIL, Ogami must battle a female martial arts master and defend his son from an assassination attempt by an enemy clan. The fifth film in the saga, BABY CART IN THE LAND OF DEMONS, features a duel between Ogami and five warriors who hold not only his assassin's fee, but vital information he needs to hunt down his enemies. Then, in the sixth and final installment in the LONE WOLF series, titled WHITE HEAVEN IN HELL, Ogami faces his ultimate challenge when all remaining members of the enemy Retsudo clan band together for a face-off on a snowy battlefield.』
price：$4.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Instant Star Forever) 『I enjoyed watching the show on DVD! During my stationary bicycle workout I watched my dvd and it was very enjoyable and my workout was very enjoyable.』
(Season 3/4) 『When are seasons 3 and 4 coming to DVD? Come on, The-N, we've been waiting too long. We appreciate the extras, but what about the ACTUAL show?』 『Jude Harrison is totally excited to be the winner of Instant Star season one! She’s got a new record deal, her tour’s about to kick off, and all of her wildest dreams are starting to come true. But before she can make the transition from rising star to superstar, she’ll have to steer clear of the pitfalls on the road to fame and fortune.
Legions of screaming fans and a fabulous new wardrobe are just a few of the perks of living the good life, but it’s not a drama-free world by any stretch of the imagination. The cute boys in her band make her stomach do back flips, and the killer crush she has on her producer is driving her crazy. Despite all the distractions, Jude must get wise to the fact that the music business is more concerned with bottom lines than bass lines. And if she wants to stay on top, she’ll have to learn to play the game because there’s always another contestant ready to take her place as the next Instant Star!
DVD Extras Include:Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, Original Cast Auditions, Music Performances, Instant Star Road Album, Can't take the Me out of Me,&the Be An Instant Star! Contest Winners
price：$4.98
Viz Video
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (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.』
(Pokemon Advanced- Boxed Set Volume 1) 『Best videogame cartoon I've ever seen; great anime for your kids or the kid in you. If you're a fan of this series, drop in; if not, drop in anyway.』
(Pokemon Advanced Box Set 1) 『This fabulous DVD Box Set contains the first 20 episodes of the 6th Pokemon season "Advanced". Any Pokemon fan who likes to follow the adventures of Ash Ketchum MUST add this set to their collection!!! I am personally very satisfied with this DVD and recommend it to all Pokemon fans.』
(May&Max's debut! "Remarkable!" :)) 『What a fantastic collection of episodes for this first volume of "Pokemon Advanced!" I enjoyed each of the episodes very much! There was not one poorly-written episode to be found, so the "Pokemon Audience" is treated to some more exciting adventures!
Here are some of my favorite moments from each episode:
"Get the Show on the Road:" Most hilarious scenes for me: *When May's eyes bug out after seeing Duskull! *May telling Mudkip to use water gun, plus the result! *Jessie's worn out attitude during the Team Rocket Motto!
"A Ruin with a View:" James: "Spaghetti&meatballs with garlic bread sticks on the side!" ~Favorite line in the episode! Funny scene featuring Team Rocket's Pokemon going back into their Pokeballs after they see Team Magma's Pokemon! I also get a kick out of Team Rocket attempting to nearly whisper their motto, till Wobbuffet gave them away!
"There's No Place Like Hoenn:" Awesome background music featured as Pikachu battles Vigoroth! The Ash/Max argument is hilarious as is Max being the victim of Pikachu and Torchic's attacks! Ash's deadpan reaction to his friends falling into Team Rocket's pitfalls is classic, too!
"You Never Can Taillow:" Brock's stew to the rescue! His remark to Ash and May while cooking is priceless: "Guys, you're drooling on me!" Hilarious argument between Brock and Team Rocket over the sandwiches! Remember: "Unbeatability" is not a word! :)
"In the Knicker of Time!:" Some hilarious quotes: May: "I didn't know Zigzagoon could evolve into humans!"/James: "Surrender now with your exposed knees or prepare to fight!" :) Love the "copyright pitfall" scene! Nice showcase episode for Mudkip, too! Wonder where Nicholai stores his costumes? He pulls them out of thin air!
"A Poached Ego!:" Nice to see Team Rocket do something for good, like they do on a few other occasions! Check out a dramatic moment as Rico unleashes Pupitar at the end of Act 1! I think that Rico would be the perfect date for Hunter J from the Diamond and Pearl Season!
"Tree's a Crowd:" "When you want to catch a Pokemon you should weaken them in battle first..." ~Great reminder from May to Ash, as it was originally Ash who gave May the same advice, earlier on! :) Nice scene featuring Ash and Pikachu trying to help Treecko save the dying tree. The scene showing the vision of the tree blooming was moving.
"A Tail with a Twist:" I choose "Jessie!" :) You know, if Jessie kept Arbok all along, I'm sure it would have eventually evolved into a Seviper, so it wasn't a total loss for her! Treecko's training really paid off too!
"Taming of the Shroomish:" Jessie: "Work the chainsaw instead of your mouth! If I have to spend another minute in this jumpsuit I'm gonna scream!" James: "Yes ... They do have a tendency to ride up!" Ha, ha! :) Brock plays "Fraidy Cat" in this episode! Wobbuffet seems more hyper than usual, too!
"You Said a Mouthful:" Team Rocket's remarks about catching a "More Powerful Pokemon" to overpower the "Most Powerful Pokemon" are a hoot! :) Also, it looks like Anthony is wearing a WWE championship belt!
"A Bite to Remember:" A fine episode explaining the facts behind Pokemon evolution. Hilarious dialogue from Jessie about Albert Einstein "inventing the light bulb," and from James when he says to "Pull the lever thingy!"
"The Lotad Lowdown:" Brock's reaction to eating Natalie's pie is hilarious ("Uh, thanks! I'd love to! It looks really good!") and so was the Tomato Berry scene with Team Rocket! Meowth: "We can kiss our butts goodbye!" Ha, ha! :)
"All Things Bright and Beautifly:" Brock's remarks to Janet, as Beautifly lands on his head, had me in stitches: "HELLO! Is your mother a great artist? Cause you're a work of art! Pretty as a pict-yi!" Love the "Atrocious Spectacle" scene ... Seviper makes some pretty wacky sounds during that moment!
"All in a Day's Wurmple:" What gives? Jessie and May get different results by throwing a Pokeball at a Wurmple that isn't weakened! Love how Wobbuffet causes Team Rocket to "blast off." :) Wurmple's appetite is like that of Snorlax!
"Gonna Rule the School!:" Hilarious scene with Brock and Lotad inside the classroom! Great team effort with Max and the students, near the end of the episode. :) Kind of odd to see Team Rocket "Blasting off" with their backs to the camera!
"The Winner By A Nosepass:" Ash and Brock's acceptance of May's decision was nice. James is really psyched throughout this episode: "SHOVEL! SHOVEL!" Team Rocket's "outcome" is hilarious! The battle featuring Geodude was fantastic!
"Stairway to Devon:" The President of Devon Corporation reminds me of Willy Wonka! James' laugh is over the top in Team Rocket's opening scene! Team Rocket's attempt to fool Officer Jenny with their disguises is hilarious! :)
"On a Wingull and a Prayer:" Whoever ran the website featuring the directions which May printed out needs to brush up on their updates! At least Briney knows how to get pasta for the heroes! :) The "S.S. Wingull" is top-of-the-line!
"Sharpedo Attack!:" Check out how small Team Rocket's Margikarp Submarine is in proportion to the villains, in the very first shot, as they emerge from the sea! Funny how we hear Seviper's voice, for a change, instead of Wobbuffet's, while Team Rocket "Blasts off" at the end of Act 1! For their second blast off, Team Rocket shouts their usual phrase BEFORE actually blasting off!
"Brave The Wave:" Team Rocket's motto is hilarious, here: "Prepare for trouble! You want fries with that?" :) Good moral lessons learned about both battling and training near the end of the episode. "Wicked Wavage!" Ha, ha! :)
Before I close, I wanted to mention something unique in regard to the "Advanced" episodes of Pokemon ... When it comes to the musical themes used in the Pokemon series, notice that, in this season of Pokemon, the background music that accompanies the Team Rocket Motto has changed, yet I enjoy both themes equally. Also, notice that the instrumentation to the musical theme that is used whenever the Pokedex provides info is different. :)
Fantastic job to everyone who contributed in making the Pokemon episodes and the DVD sets! :) Thanks for reading! God Bless...
~KevyGuy :) * * * * * * *』
(The Hoenn Adventures Begin!) 『Fans of Pokemon will appreciate this Pokemon Advanced boxed set. It features the introduction of May and her little brother Max. Ash catches the memorable Treecko. And Jesse and James have to say goodbye to Arbok and Weezing. I don't think later seasons were able to quite capture the naive magic that the first season had, but this is still a highly entertaining box set for Poke-fans... and with 20 episodes in the set, it's a good bargain.』 『Ash, Brock and Pikachu meet the sibling team of May and Max and begin their journey into the Hoenn Region!
Includes the first 20 episodes of Pokémon Advanced, over 7 hours of Pokémon action on 3 DVDs!』
The scallop of large satisfactory ! northern countries and - [ of how much ] botan shrimp are ! tightly.
getting to know the technique of motorbike expensive sale -- Ta -- if -- -
>,Artist Not Provided
