price：$2.46
VIZ VIDEO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Crazyiness of Ranma&Company Continue) 『Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R205Q4U9CBP3X2Season four of Ranma dubbed "Outta Control" in the US is another great addition to the wonderful universe and world that is known as Ranma. For anyone who hasn't heard of Ranma yet, or wants to get into the series - I definitely recommend starting from season one.
Season four continues the crazy antics of Ranma and company including Akane, Ryoga, Shampoo, Genma, etc. As we all know the artistry has gone a bit down hill since season the end of season two and just doesn't seem to be drawn as well as it was originally, but it's still great nonetheless. The DVDs seem to be straight ports from VHS tapes and the video quality is not stellar, but it's not awful either. This series could benefit a lot from being re-mastered. Let's not forget that this series debuted at the end of 80's after all.
One of the big changes that everyone will notice about season four is the change in the male voice actor of Ranma. What I always loved about this series was the wonderful voice of English actors that really brought life to this series. They all have great chemistry and the female voice of Ranma is just hilarious. We now have the actor who does the voice acting for the Inuyasha anime series taking on his new role as male Ranma. It took me some getting use to, but after about 3 episodes it wasn't even that noticeable anymore.
This is the second re-release of season four and the set is a lot slimmer and helps save space on your media shelf. The price has also dropped, but its better when you get this set on sale. If you're a fan of animation, cartoons, Japanese anime, comics, or just enjoy a good laugh this is the series to pick up. It'll keep you entertained in its enthralling twenty-four episode season.』
(Good fun and an easy watch) 『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 fourth season box set 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 you would expect, the textless opening and ending are just the opening and ending credits without the text. However, it should be noted that for the textless opening, it is a textless version of the original Japanese opening (the English graphic for the title that covers the Japanese graphic is absent from this version of the opening). The line art gallery has twenty-eight pages of model sketches of the characters that appear on this DVD box set. 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.
Ranma 1/2 Outta Control is a rather "low frills" DVD set, and the extras are similar to what can be found on Ranma 1/2 Anything-Goes Martial Arts and Ranma 1/2 Hard Battle. While these features are better than what appeared on the first Ranma 1/2 DVD box set, I wish an effort had been made to track down some of the English voice actors and include interviews with them as extras on the DVD box sets.
This season of Ranma 1/2 introduces the principal for Furinkan High School, a new disciple for the Tendo Dojo (who only appears in one episode), and a character that appeared in the second season of Ranma 1/2 makes a return appearance. This season also saw a couple of stories that ran for more than one episode (these kind of story arcs were all but gone during the third season of Ranma 1/2).
Ranma 1/2 is very enjoyable for an older audience (16 and up), and really should be in an anime fan's DVD collection.』
(Still Great But Next Time Hope Better Video Quality) 『I just got Ranma season 4 and 5 and for the video and audio quality I suggest reading my review of season 2 the qaulity is about the same that being said the series is still great as well as affordable.I do want to point out two things though I found some reviewers complaining about the topless scenes of Ranma you have to understand in Japan as well as Most of Europe topless or almost full nudity is not as taboo over there as it is here in the U.S. so most people from these countries don't find it very offensive as some people here do.Another thing is there have been some misleading information that the series has adult sex scenes in them that is not true except for some topless scenes in some episodes Ranma is mostly comedic do not believe this false accusation.If some people don't like the series just don't watch it do not give out such discrediting stories of the anime.I am now just waiting for the final two seasons to come out I just hope the do more with the video on these last two seasons.』
(better then i thought.!) 『Yea this season had some very funny episodes, ok so every one said this season sucked but it wasent all that bad,Alright so in this season Ranma gets a new voice acter Richard Cox The same voice that plays inuyasha yes its weird out first because his voice seems much deeper but once you get to about the 3 disc you start to get used to it but its still Ranma!,But other that the new voice acter this season is pretty good well at least i liked it and also in this season Ranma and Akane start to become more close but they still fight but in a more friendly way,It Doesnt that much muti episode arcs mostly just 30 min single episodes that are just Fun and funny all the charicter are there but theres less shampoo in this season also i dident really care for the first disc ,but still this season has some really good episodes that you wont want to miss if your a huge ranma fan like me but if you dont like ranma that much i wouldent gett this season.』 『Outta Control
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?
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A great series...) 『...if you have never watched Gatchaman in your life and you like Japanese Animation ala Anime, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. I love old 1970's Anime like the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Gatchaman. If you have watched Battle of the Planets in the past man it doesn't compare. Battle of the Planets was an extremely watered down-made for kids version of Gatchaman. The series does not contain nudity or anything like that, but the uncut ones show people getting killed--lots of them per episode. Vol. 8 is the most intense of the series because the Science Ninja Team actually get defeated and their base gets destroyed by the evil Galactor. Check them out. You will not be disappointed. BTW-they are dubbed superbly in English, and also have Japanese original audio with subtitles. Tons of extras on the box sets.』 『Casual fans will pick it up for Battle of the Planets or G-Force nostalgia. Otaku will pick it up because it’s part of the canon. Comics fans will pick it up for the Alex Ross box-art. Gatchaman has something for everyone!』
price：$9.99
Tokyopop
Usually ships in 9 to 13 days Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Loved the 1st set and this set just as good.) 『I fully recommend this set to anyone. It is just so hilarious and brillantly written. I've watched the entire series and want more.』
(keep this review posted) 『Onizuka provokes the wrath of Uchiyamada when he begins to privately tutor the Vice Principal's daughter. Compromising photos, misunderstandings and general disdain of GTO come to play - as unsual. As if that isn't enough, the street racing school nurse starts selling contraband in the infirmary!』
(Falls short of potential -- Warning: Minor spoilers ahead) 『Let me start off by saying that I read the manga before buying the anime, so it influenced my viewing experience quite a bit. That being said, I feel the series was an amusing adaptation of the GTO story and characters. However, after waiting months for the second boxed set to be released, I was somewhat let down (though not enough to make me regret the purchase). The ending was my main sticking point in the series. It just didn't fit at all. My guess is that the anime series got ahead of the manga at the time (as often happens in Japan), ratings went down, no third season was secured and an ending had to be wrapped up in the last few episodes of the second set. Other than that, the series is funny and at times almost shows a glimmer of the downright touching bits contained in the manga. This leads me to my second, slightly less major gripe: the changes in the storyline aside, there were many critical points in many of the character's backgrounds and certain key plot points that were changed in a debilitating manor or removed completely. Many of the points that were changed seemed to have been modified to "purify" the show for TV (a shock to me, considering the racious nature of Japanese TV (fan service anyone?)) due to their sensitive subject matter. The changing of these points, specifically Aizawa's reason for hating teachers and Kanzaki's revenge plot against Aizawa (and the complete removal of the REAL reason Kanzaki wanted revenge in the first place and her subsequent suicide attempt), removed the gravity from the situations, dumbed down the series, and inevitably lead to the unsatisfactory ending mentioned in the Editorial Review (which needs editing by the way: it was Uehara Anko causing trouble on the trip, Aizawa refused to even go on the trip, let alone cause trouble on it). Personally though, I implore you to read the manga as it is far easier to appreciate and well worth the read. I feel you can appreciate the anime significantly more if you understand the characters and their real motivations before you watch this series. It will help you to avoid any confusions one might have about certain events, such as why Yoshikawa and Uehara end up together even after all of the abuse she puts Yoshikawa through, why Kanzaki and Aizawa are at each other's throats, and to tie up loose ends such as what happens regarding the whole Teshigawara mess (they reintroduce him for a few brief seconds for what seems like no good reason (they apparently thought hard about writing his second plot in the manga into the anime, but whoops, no money)). Overall, while having significantly less character depth and gravity and an ending that falls flat on its face, the series is an amusing and enjoyable romp through the highlights of the first handful of volumes of the manga.』
(Great Teacher Onizuka!!!) 『This is a must-see anime for anyone with a sense of humor, the plot is somewhat ordinary but the kind of adventures Onizuka gets into are hilarious. If youre into high school type animes, or just any comedy this is the choice for you so.. YOU BUY NOW!!!』 『The hit anime series continues in this collectible boxed set! See the shocking series finale that will either end Onizuka’s career, or catapult him into the spotlight as the Greatest Teacher in the World!』 『"Great Teacher" Eikichi Onizuka drinks, leers, and chain-smokes his way through these adventures at Holy Forest Academy. Unlike the shorter stories in volume 1, most of this five-disc set is devoted to two extended narratives: Onizuka's efforts to raise the money for a class trip and the subsequent visit to Okinawa. The vindictive Aizawa makes it look like Onizuka stole the funds for short outing; rather than expose her deception (and admit he was outwitted), Onizuka plays guilty. He wins back the students by offering them the trip to Okinawa, then has to scrape up 8 million yen. In Okinawa, Aizawa causes more trouble, especially for poor, put-upon Yoshikawa.
Onizuka remains irrepressible and unrepentant, but the writers run out of ideas. The storyline about Aizawa framing the teacher recalls episode 1. The rambling Okinawa storyline suffers from a weak ending: why would Aizawa fall for the nerdy Yoshikawa? And why would Yoshikawa want anything to do with a girl who viciously abuses him, even after he's saved her life? In a final demonstration of loyalty, Onizuka takes the rap when the Board of Education tries to frame Aizawa for murder. He escapes from the police and goes on the lam, abandoning his students and the long-suffering Ms. Fuyutsuki--hardly an example of the revered tradition of theseishokusha(one who works in a sacred vocation). (Rated 16 and older: sexual and toilet humor, profanity, nudity, violence, tobacco and alcohol use)--Charles Solomon』
price：$31.49
Adv Films
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Maybe it's just me) 『I'm gonna have to give this the lowest rating. Maybe because I read Gantz comicbook first, maybe because it stretched what's worth 2 comicbooks into a 6-DVD series.
Excuse my English, I'll try to do my best. Story line is 99% same as the book. nothing new or indepth story line. Some of the still shots are exactly the same as the manga. But it contains so much empty stares and still moments (reminds me of Dragon Ball series) it is really annoying. Even the characters movement sometimes is unrealistically slow (ie, standing up from a chair or reaching for something) When it "finally" gets to action sequences, movements gets little better, but not much. And again, empty stares while groaning and yelling, (charaters just stands there and groans and makes mean faces when they should move on to the next sequence) It really cuts the flow of the movie and makes me yell "What the fvck are they doing!!!!!" Like I said before, 2 books worth of storyline stretched into freaking SIX DVDs..
Next complaint is the Illustration Quality. It just SUCKS. Not much effort went into the drawing of this animation. Characters sometimes appear cross-eyed and out of proportion. Their shapes constantly change. Eventhough some CG's were used for background, they aren't that good. This animation reminds me of poorly funded TV anime series from 90's.
Oh, by the way, Comicbook Season 1 (which is known as Phase 1) does not correspond with Animation Season 1. Animation Season 1 and 2 contains about 2/3 of the Phase 1 storyline. Again, not much effot went into this anime. or the producer decided not to spent much effort on this project. I guess they figured that the name "Gantz" was enough to return the revenue.
For such an amazingly original manga, this anime was a huge disapointment. If Evangelion scored 8/10 in my book, Gantz would score 3/10.
』
(Waste Of Time) 『This is the first time I have ever written a review about an anime. That is because I've never hated an anime as much as this one. This was the biggest waste of time ever, and this is coming from a 19 year old who has enjoyed almost every anime. I have seen almost all animes including unheard of ones, like Generator Gawl and 3x3 Eyes, to more popular ones like Bleach or Naruto.
This pretty much sums it up The Bad: 1. takes a whole episode (literally) to decide whether to shoot an alien who is killing everyone by tearing them limb to limb 2. the only reason the main character does anything is because he just wants to do this other girl 3. the storyline details are never revealed (you are trying to figure out what the whole point of the whole story is from beginning to end) Whatever details you do get are from people trying to figure it out, but they never actually tell you what is going on. 4. (Spoiler) Everyone who goes into the room dies. 5. absolutely no point of the story since it's not even people who go there when they die, they are just copies (WTF right?) 6. Same story repeats throughout the series: 1) people die, 2) they get transported to the room, 3) they are confused, 4) they get told what is going on by the other people who have been there before and don't believe them, 5) almost all of them get killed
The Good: 1. decent animation 2. if you like to see boobs I guess? lots of hentai 3. if you like wasting money』
(please dont waste your time!) 『These anime series is a waste of time and energy. Truthfully, the first two episodes was intriguing. But then it look as if the writers lost the plot and it was just a load of nonsense, in which there was no answer in the end. I am so suprise that some "reviewers" gave it 5 stars. Are you kidding me or what? Trust me it is the worst anime I have ever seen in my life, I thought NOIR was rubbish, but it made NOIR look like the best anime I have ever seen TRUST ME DO NOT WATCH GANTZ YOU WILL REGRET IT
SCORE -100/100』
(Glad I gave it a chance...) 『Ever since I first heard about Ganz, I was intrigued by the concept--the survival/contest/violence elements made me wonder if it was anything like one of my all-time favorite mangas, Battle Royale. I watched the first episode on youtube and was so appalled by one particular scene that I decided not to watch the series at that time.
This paragraph contains spoilers for the first episode. The scene that horrified me was the attempted rape of the main female character. Now let me just say that I watch a lot of horror and exploitation film and I have a pretty strong stomach. I actually love rape/revenge films like "I Spit on Your Grave" and "Ms. 45." It's the *revenge* I love! Anyway, the Yakuza thug trying to rape this girl isn't what bothered me. The fact that no one tried to help her isn't what bothered me (well, it bothers me, but I actually thought it was fascinatingly realistic). What bothered me is that 1) she didn't fight back at all (nor does she ever fight back when an annoying dog tries to lick her naked crotch) and 2) when the "moralistic" character *finally* screws his balls on and saves her, he tosses her his jacket and says "put this on so *I* don't rape you." For some reason this just pissed me off to no end, and I decided not to watch the show.
...But something about it stuck with me. I really found myself wondering what happened. The premise of the show is just so good... and I was actually interested in how utterly despicable all the characters seemed. To make a long story short (I know, too late), when I saw seasons 1 and 2 packaged together at Best Buy for a mere $30, I caved and bought it.
I am so glad I did. Although I'm still really bothered by that episode 1 rape scene, this is one of the most compelling animes I've ever seen. The reason it's so good is, perversely, the same reason why I was so bothered by it in the first place: it's a disturbing show. It's one of the most cynical and pessimistic views of humanity I've encountered outside of a Bret Easton Ellis novel. But it constantly made me think and kept me on the edge of my couch (I literally kept jumping so high that my cat would fall off my lap).
Two suggestions if you're thinking about watching this 1) don't judge the series by the first episode (especially if you're a female viewer like me), and 2) watch it in Japanese. I switched to English in episode 4 just to see how the voice acting was, and Kei's (the main male character) voice was so awful and I switched back immediately. There is no way I could have gotten through the series with that voice!
More good things: The opening song is really great. There are some seriously scary moments, especially in the last two episodes (of season 1, all I've watched so far) and some outstanding gore! The characters kept me guessing--I don't want to give away any major plot points, but I was really surprised by some of the developments. It's great to see a show where there are no heroes and no villains. There are only people who are utter and total cowards, who are just trying to get by, get laid, and live one more day. The utterly bizarre alien/machine Gantz they're up against is an apt symbolic representation of the utterly inexplicable, chaotic, and probably malevolent forces that rule our lives; in this regard, it was, like the manga of Junji Ito, very similar to the universe described by H.P. Lovecraft. This does remind me of Battle Royale in its violent and clever "reality show" premise. However, it lacks the "moral center" provided by Shuya and Noriko in BR--and, for me, that was actually what made this such a fascinating show.
A couple of bad things: Closing credits music sucks (and doesn't fit the tone of the show). The ultra-weak, giant-breasted female lead was pretty annoying. But--and again I'm talking mostly to fellow female otaku--just stick with it. Stuff happens at the end that makes it worth the wait!
I can't wait to see what season 2 has in store... and then I'll no doubt move on to the manga.』
(GANTZ SEASON 1 AND 2) 『THIS WAS AN SATISFACTORY AND VERY THRILLING MOVIE. I DIDN'T EXPECT MANY THINGS TO HAPPEN. IT HAD ME OFF THE EDGE OF MY SEAT EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. MUSIC AND ART WERE REALLY GOOD. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOX SET TO ANYONE WHO LOVES THRILLING ANIME'S WITH VIOLENCE AND GORE. FIGHTING AND THE STORYLINE WERE OUTSTANDING. THE ONLY FAULT WAS THE RUN TIME. IT SEEMED A LITTLE SHORT TO BE A SERIES. BUT OVERALL IT WAS GREAT.』 『Originally released once-a-month ove the course of 2005, the first season of GANTZ caused a sensation. Now ADV has collected all six DVDs into a single thin-pack collection that's beautiful and easy to merchandise.』
price：$5.00
RIGHT STUF
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Addictive and beautiful) 『The Amazon reviewer is completely out of it, as other reviewers have rightly said.
In fairness, it's not easy to describe this series in a way which conveys just how good it is, and why it creates that "just one more" feeling which makes you watch half the episodes at a sitting ...
There's no plot worth mentioning, the setting is about as close to paradise as you will ever see, and all the characters are just so ... nice. By rights it ought to be terminally dull and horribly twee. It isn't, but it's not so easy to explain why not.
I think what makes this special is that, strangely, there is always, somewhere in the background, a deep melancholy. The planet Aqua is a paradise, sure, but it wasn't always so; people suffered and died to make it the way it is, and in some way, the planet remembers. The Undines' life is blissful, but they know they will grow up and leave this life one day. The effect is a bit like remembering a very happy childhood, from a perspective of maturity; a happy time that it's delightful to remember, but which will never come again.
The reviewer has it quite wrong for this reason. The series is much more likely to appeal to older viewers than to small girls, who won't pick up on the sadness, or will just be mystified or bored.
"Aria" certainly isn't for everybody. It's just about the polar opposite of a Giant Mecha anime. But people on its wavelength will want to buy all three of the series, believe me. 』
(Wonderful Anime) 『Cheerful but not too sappy. In fact one character yells at another one for sappy lines. The guidebook they provide gives background information for people who did not read the manga and is a fun read also.』
(Relaxing) 『It is nice to watch an anime without attacking aliens or evil syndicates [Haruhi]; this anime ponders those quiet "wonderful" moments in life. This can easily be mistaken as 'escapism' but maybe the more "sensational" anime are the ones that should carry that label. Breath ...relax ...enjoy.』
(Relaxing on a gondola in Neo-Venezia) 『"Aria" is one of those series that drifts along without much of a plotline, but it's so beautiful that it doesn't need one.
The main story focuses on Akari Mizunashi, who is training to become an Undine, a professional gondolier and tour guide for Aqua. She works for the Aria gondola company in Neo-Venezia. However, she spends most of her time chatting and relaxing with her friends, the hard-working Aika and the shy, reserved high school student Alice.
However, Aqua itself is one of the most scenic planets, due to the wide expanse of water surrounding the entire planet. Believe or not, the planet actually becomes a character in this series, with plenty of mysterious spirits.
Because of the gorgeous backgrounds, the detailed character designs and the incredible voice actors, "Aria" is a masterpiece of art--it's the most wonderful oceanic utopia in an anime.
And Akari, her friends and her mentors make for excellent characters. One especially touching episode centers on the three gondolier mentors telling Akari, Aika and Alice how they became close friends when they were young. It's a nostalgic and impressive character analysis of the laid back gondolier Alicia, the perfectionist Alicia and the clumsy diva Athena.
With a lovable cast of characters and one of the most relaxing landscapes, it's no surprise that "Aria" is one of the best anime of 2008. I look forward to watching season two of "Aria" as well.
The season set is packed with great special features as well, such as interviews with the Japanese voice actors, clean opening and ending sequences and a special set of episodes called "Venice, I'm sorry!" These episodes document director Sato's trip to Venice, and how he integrated these shots into the anime. Also keep in mind that there are no dubs--the entire series is in Japanese.』
(It's not shoujo, lol...) 『This Solomon Amazon reviewer is an idiot. First off, Aria is not a shoujo series. I can't say exactly what it is... it's not exactly seinen, but it is most definitely not shoujo. (I've read/watched hundreds of shoujo manga/anime... I know shoujo when I see it) This guy name-throws in Azumanga Daioh (is it the one other anime he's seen?) even though it has absolutely nothing in common with Aria. Azumanga isn't even slice-of-life. Yes, there is a genre name for this kind of show. It's "slice-of-life." There is no overarching plot or intense drama. It's a subtler form of escapism, and it's only boring for "older viewers" with zero attention span and no appreciation for this kind of anime. This isn't really a kids anime, either. I'd think most kids would be bored to death by Aria. Like Kokoro Toshokan (another slice-of-life anime--not as good as Aria, but worth a look nonetheless), it takes you to a very romanticized version of the world, and eases you into its pace for a while.
That said, I was not so -very- impressed when watching the first season for the first time. I thought it merely a fairly good show. It was during the second season that I really fell in love with Neo-Venezia and its characters. By the third season it was one of my favorite anime of all time. 』 『In the early 24th century, Mars has been terraformed by mankind into a sparkling planet covered in water. Akari Mizunashi, at the age of 15, has left everything behind to travel to that reborn world, now known as Aqua. More than anything, Akari wants to be an "undine" - a female gondolier who navigates the canals of the Aquan city of Neo-Venezia. As she begins her training with the prestigious Aria Company, will she be up to the challenges that await her on the path to achieve her dream? Contains the complete 13-episode first season. DVD Features: Scene access, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for Japanese dialogue, English subtitles and English on-screen translations. PLUS: More features to be announced.』 『Theshojo(girl's) fantasyAria(2005) takes places 150 years after Mars was "terraformed" into the watery planet Aqua. Fifteen-year-old Akari Mizunashi has come to Aqua to become an "Undine," a woman who steers a gondola through the canals of Neo Venezia, offering information about its landmarks to tourists. She and her friends Aika and Alice study with the three most celebrated Undines in the city. Although Akari can be a bit of a klutz at times, her existence is so tame and wholesome, it makes "The Bobsey Twins" feel like life in the fast lane. Some critics complained that the popularAzumanga Daioh, likeSeinfeld, wasn't about anything. But the girls in that high school cast acted like real individuals; Akari and her friends behave so well they suggest throwbacks to a '50s juvenile novel. The idea of building a perfect replica of the city of Venice as a tourist attraction fits in with the Japanese predilection for creating theme restaurants and parks of all sizes. A pastel-colored Neverland inhabited exclusively by cute teenagers and cute (if strange-looking) cats may appeal to adolescent girls, but it will quickly bore their brothers and older viewers. Kozue Amano'sAriamanga scored a big hit in Japan, and the animated series spawned two sequels and an OVA. In Japanese only, with English subtitles. (Rated 13 and older, but suitable for viewers two or three years younger: brief nudity, minor cartoon violence)--Charles Solomon
(1. That Lovely Miracle... 2. On That Special Day... 3. With That Transparent Girl... 4. That Undeliverable Letter... 5. To That Impossibly Existing Island... 6. Things That We Want to Protect... 7. That Wonderful Job... 8. That Dejected President... + That Cool Hero... 9. That Star-like Fairy... 10. During That Warm Holiday... 11. On Those Orange Days... 12. That Gentle Wish... 13. That White Morning...)』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Be careful of Bootlegs in the Marketplace) 『I would like to warn anyone who reads this, if they buy this or any other DVD through the Marketplace to examine the product they received carefully. Frequently, a Seller may list the sale under a different print/edition than the one they have. Also, on an out-of-print item like this, a Bootleg may be substituted or mistakenly re-sold as the genuine item.
The first easy-to-find red flag is the Region marker on the back of the case or on the disc. All-region DVDs are frequently bootlegs and may not run on Region-specific DVD players.
The second easy-to-find red flag is the lack of a publisher's logo on the front, back or spine of the DVD case and/or on the disc itself.
The third easy-to-find red flag is the lack of copyright marks and license information on the back of the case or on the disc itself.
The fourth easy-to-find red flag is the contact information on the back of a case. If there is an email address from a free-email site like Yahoo or their site is hosted by a free-webhost like Geocities.
The actual contents of the discs may be trickier. They may be a rip of a licensed VHS (tell-tale graininess or distortion of the image), a fan-sub rip, or the subtitles may read like the script was put through Bablefish and character names are incorrect or translated into phonetic Chinese.』
(Must Buy For Anime Fans.) 『If you're into Anime, you'd be cheating yourself by not getting the collectors edition of this Anime classic. This is a groundbreaking Anime, that brings the Role Playing video game to life.
The story centers around Parn, a young man in a small village, who wishes to become a great knight like his father. A situation occurs that forces Parn to test rather he is man enough to live the life of a warrior. He meets allies along the way, and before he knows it, he and his companions are caught in the middle of a war between Light and Darkness.
The Animation aged well over the years and is still considered one of the best in Fantasy art. The Soundtrack is beautiful and one of the most celebrated parts of this Anime saga.
I could go on, but anyone who knows a teaspoon about Anime, knows about Lodoss War. It's a staple in the Art that is Japanimation.』
(Great Anime) 『Definitely the best Swords and Sorcery animated series/film that I'VE ever seen. Although I do agree with most of the small criticisms others had about the characters being fairly stereotypical, I think that these stereotypical characters were never executed so well (at least in animation). As far as the cut corners in the animation go, they were annoying, but didn't happen too often. Only in maybe episode 12 were they super noticeable and the fact is, is that this is one of, the if not the best, most well animated series in the genre.
It's too bad the previews for the sequel to this, "The Chronicles of the Heroic Knight" look so bad.
If you like fantasy though, this one is a good buy.』
(Excellent) 『I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Its characters had a clear lineage to D&D characters, but where not quite archetypes. It had a good storyline, character interplay, and associable monsters. The younger heroes evolved under the teachings of the older characters, and they were very sympathetic. This collection is perfect for fans of anime, fantasy, and especially D&D fans. IMHO, its better than the D&D cartoon series of my youth.』
(Lodoss Classic Anime) 『Although some might find the dialogue silly, or the characters standard, however it still has a storyline we all have grown to enjoy regardless of some of the confusion that surrounds it. The animation and attention to detail in the outfits of each character is enjoyable alone. If you haven't seen this series its worth a watch.』 『Lodoss, The Accursed Island!
Born in battle, baptizzed in fire, its kingdoms have been ravaged by war for thousands of years. Now, an evil stirs, an ancient goddess of destruction awakened by an evil wizard. A party of six is forged to defeat this threat, or die in the attempt. Join Parn, the young fighter, as he leads his warriors into the heart of a land where dragons rule and evil holds sway over the earth. Six swords are now drawn against this darkness. The war for Lodoss has begun!』 『Since the first chapters debuted as a direct-to-video release in 1990, this sprawling sword-and-sorcery epic has delighted fantasy fans with its ancient prophecies, lost kingdoms, enchanted swords, dragons, and wizards. The tangled story line borrows heavily fromThe Lord of the Rings, theStar Warsfilms, and numerous other fantasy works. Six mismatched characters find themselves thrown together to protect the land of Lodoss from imminent destruction: Parn is the impetuous young warrior with heroic potential who typifies the genre; in place of the usual spunky girl, there's Deedlit, an elf with magical powers. They're joined by Etoh, a young priest and healer; Ghim, a dwarf-warrior with a heavy heart; Slayn, a wizard in training; and the rascally thief Woodchuck. Their allies include the dashing lord of a desert realm, a mercenary and her Berserker companion, and a benevolent, Arthurian king. They're pitted against an array of villains that includes human warriors, an evil sorcerer, dragons, kobolds, zombies, and Karla, the mysterious "Gray Witch" [sic]. An elegant art nouveau sensibility runs through the designs ofLodoss War, especially the extravagant armor of the warriors. But the film lacks a coherent plot, probably the result of producing so much animation in a short time with multiple directors. Characters are forever dropping in and out of the story: the initial villain, the evil emperor Beld, is replaced by his henchman, Ashram, who is superseded by the dark sorcerer, Wagnard. The last three episodes build to a titanic climax that leaves a lot of plot points unresolved. Hard-core fantasy fans will loveLodoss War; but other viewers are likely to tire of its drawn-out and needlessly complicated story. Unrated; suitable for ages 12 and up; considerable violence and an extremely complicated plot.--Charles Solomon』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (WOW! Hubby loved it!) 『I bought this for my husband as he is a Transformer guru. He loved it and is actively looking for more. This was a great price and I dealt with this seller because of the great reviews they have received. I need to add mine - came very quickly in great condition and as specified.』
(cant wait to get it) 『cant wait for them to get it because i have it ordered and im not one of those people that hates waiting but when they get it and comes to my door man its going to be great』
(Transformers original) 『I highly recommend this for the young bucs to see where Transformers Armada,Energon,and the rest came from. Growing up in the 80's, you just can't beat the originals.』
(Transformers) 『I really enjoyed watching my old favorite cartoons and I'm looking forward to getting the rest of the Transformers other seasons!』
(Great season!) 『I'm a transformers fan, so ofcourse I'm gonna say this is a good buy. Transformers is the best cartoon ever made. First season is a must buy.』 『The 1985 seriesTatakae Cho Robot Seimetai Transformers("Fight Super Living Robots Transformers") was a U.S.-Japanese coproduction, written in America and animated in Japan. Based on a line of robot toys from Takara--licensed to Hasbro in America--that could be reconfigured into cars, trucks, planes, etc., it spawned numerous sequels and a feature. Civil war rages on the planet Cybertron between the virtuous Autobots and the evil Decepticons. Both sides launch crews into space to find new energy sources, but the ships crash on Earth and are buried in lava. When the robots awaken four million years later, the Decepticons, led by the dictatorial Megatron, want to drain the planet of its resources, enslaving or destroying mankind. The Autobots ally with humanity and befriend oil-rig worker Spike Witwicky. The Saturday morning-style cheat of cutting to a logo, rather than animating transitions, and the frequent pauses for commercial breaks make for very choppy storytelling. The designs of the robots are interesting but lack the graphic sophistication of Yoshiyuki Tomino'sGundamMobile Suits. The animation is very limited, and the choreography of the battle sequences lacks the panache of Tomino and other more talented directors. LikeRobotech,Transformerswill appeal most strongly to adults who watched the show as kids: it's remained popular through Web sites, role-playing games, fan fiction, and a lively trade in the original toys. Serious students of anime will find this early series of historic interest. Unrated; suitable for age 6 and up: Robot vs. robot violence.--Charles Solomon』
price：$5.00
RIGHT STUF
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Season Two Just As Good As The First) 『Emma is working in a new household with a team of other maids and servants. Certainly something she's not used to. William is seeing Eleanor Campbell. It's obvious both sides want marriage between them, except for Eleanors father. You'll see why when you watch it. No matter how much William told his father he loved Emma in part one, he's totally against him being with her. He wants William to marry into title to secure their place in the gentry.
Eleanor is foolishly head-over-heels in love with William, even though William has admitted that he just doesn't want to be lonely and likes her company. There is a scene that will floor you about how desperate Eleanor is. She is so naive! I love the blast from the past which tells how Williams father and mother met.
William thinks he'll never see Emma again, and Emma is accepting living without him and being a maid. Eleanor's older sister, tells William off and gives William an ultimatum. William proposes and Eleanor, the silly girl says yes. Hakim leaves England. It's not until Emmas new employer visits her friend, "Mrs. Trollope" aka Williams mother, that things get more interesting. Emma nearly ruins her chances to go to London again with her employer, but when she does go, she is to accompany Mrs. Trollope to a party. They dress her up and sure enough she looks like a true blue blood and all eyes are on her.
Of course William and Emma meet each other at the party, where she learns that he is engaged. My favorite part of the movie! I also love the support from her new employer. She stands back, yet encourages the match. From William breaking the engagement, Viscount Campbells revenge, Emma considering Hans, a fellow worker, Prince Hakims return to Williams unwavering devotion to Emma as well as his family, it ends with the woman who started it all. Perfect! I wish there were more movies like this.
』
(Subtle but beautiful series!) 『It's such a shame how relatively unknown this series is. Granted, it does not appeal to everyone, as it is a very subtle and quiet series. The genre is historical romance set in Victorian England. It's a beautiful series, the animation is top notch...the Japanese voice actors were wonderful and suited to their roles. However, I only wish they dubbed it as well...I would've loved to hear it in English since the story is set in England after all.』
(Wow!) 『Touching on many levels, the second season of Emma manages to do everything that the first season couldn't plus much more. It's rare that you come across a series that gets off to such a poor start before managing to tell such a beautiful second half but this one certainly fits that mold. If you are ever looking for a moving, touching and sometimes heartbreaking period romance than you needn't look any further; this is romantic gold. 』
(The end of a traditional tale) 『This second set of Emma begins with a textbook example of how to do a recap episode, as Vivian's reading of Romeo and Juliet prompts Hakim to coyly recount to the audience what's happened so far in the grand fashion of a Shakespearean prologue. As it ends with him proclaiming that the "Second Act" is about to begin, we're off with the continuing story of Emma and William.
As it begins, Mrs. Stowner's sad but natural passing has left Hakim - who isn't going to be in England forever - as the only remaining champion of Emma and William's relationship. Emma is, fortunately, not out on the streets, as she's quickly employed by mischievous, unconventional German expatriate Dorothea Molders - the woman she met at the train station at the end of the last set - who turns out to be a wonderful employer. Meanwhile, to Hakim's disappointment and dismay, William proposes to Eleanor in an attempt to please his father and forget Emma.
Of course, this is a romance, so an outrageous coincidence throws Emma and William together again and William realizes his terrible mistake. But by that time Emma has started spending time with Mrs. Molders' gruff but kind handyman Hans, with whom she has alot in common - and if William humiliates Eleanor and the Campbell family by breaking the engagement at a late stage, it might ruin his father's business, his brothers' employment prospects, and his sisters' marriage prospects all in one shot, in addition to profoundly hurting Eleanor, who he doesn't love but considers a friend...
Can William convince Emma that they can defy convention, as well as convince his family that she is worth the financial downsizing they might all face if he leaves Eleanor for Emma?
The answer is no surprise, pretty much given away in the new opening sequence and by the fact that Hakim's one-episode prologue is delivered in a fairly light tone in spite of the Romeo and Juliet springboard. It's the execution of the story that's so wonderful. The new cast members are engaging, and the scenery of the Molders' country estate expands the Victorian world largely limited to the stunning depiction of London in the first set.
Ultimately, Emma ranks at the highest level of slice of life anime, and is a must for the collection of any fans of that subgenre - as well as period piece fans or even anyone who simply wants a change from the action/adventure genre of most anime.
』 『In the faraway village of Haworth, a new chapter in Emma's life has begun. Now employed by the wealthy Mölders family, Emma has resolved to put the past behind her. She'll have to adjust to a new house, a charming (but eccentric) new mistress, and a host of fellow servants, some with buried pasts of their own. Meanwhile, back in London, William is doing his best to uphold his father's wishes as the Jones family heir, but try as he might, he can't forget Emma. Yet, whenever he feels at his worst, Eleanor is always there to comfort him with a warm, shy smile. Could the answer to his broken heart be right before his eyes? This anime adaptation of Kaoru Mori's manga features direction by Tsuneo Kobayashi (The Twelve Kingdoms, Glass Mask OAV, Super GALS!) and scripting by Mamiko Ikeda (Sgt. Frog, Fruits Basket, Princess Tutu). The original manga was honored with an Excellence Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival and is available to North American readers via DC Comics' CMX Manga imprint. Contains the complete 12-episode second season (a.k.a. "Second Act"), plus "Episode 0: Intermission," a recap/preview released prior to the start of the Season 2 telecast in Japan. DVD Features: Scene access, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for Japanese dialogue, English subtitles and English on-screen translations. PLUS: A 48-page "Victorian Gazette" that features artwork and illustrations from the series, plus an interview with EMMA's creator, Kaoru Mori.』
price：$3.99
Funimation/Geneon Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Love&Realism) 『Realism, drama and romance. Those are some of the qualities normally required for me to respect and give a story a high rating. Paradise Kiss has a mix of all three.
In a nutshell, Paradise Kiss is a story of growth. Over the course of 12 episodes, a high school girl, Yukari, transforms from a normal girl feeling pressured into studying only to impress her parent; transforming into an independent woman who follows her own heart. An encounter with George, an overconfident and handsome fashion designer and head of a small group called Paradise Kiss from a fashion design school, leads her down the path of modeling and love.
I expected fashion to be the main focus of the series after reading a description of the story, but the fashion stuff barely featured outside of costume changes and a few key plot points. It was always in the background, never being more important than the characters. So, if you are worried, fear not: characterization was clearly the priority of the author, and I am glad that was the case since fashion and me do not go together so well. Nearly all of the story focused on the love/hate relationship of George and Yukari.
Throughout the story, George is blunt to the point of being insulting, and he has no problem telling Yukari things such as how he hates women who blame others for their problems (after she blamed her parent for pushing her), or informing her that she was an idiot for putting sleeping with him above her dream. While he was usually right and said what he did out of caring for her, his needlessly confrontational attitude made him a hard guy to understand at times.
Despite my problems with George's 'bad boy' personality, I do think their relationship, including how the two end up, was handled in a very realistic and mature manner. Never did I feel I was looking in on the actions of fake individuals; I could imagine the same events playing out in real life. Their relationship came across so realistically that watching them made me a little watery eyed a few times. After watching numerous anime stories involving plain, generic leads getting it on with soulless female characters, watching Paradise Kiss was a breath of fresh air.
It was also nice seeing an anime relationship not require the male to chase after the female. It was far more equal in Paradise Kiss, with Yukari doing most of the chasing because of George's attitude. She even had to basically beg him to sleep with her after he picked up on her obvious hints but failed to take the easy openings she gave him, instead opting to make her do the work. I give major plus points for the story very rarely coming across as fake.
I only have a few negative comments about the story/characters. The first is that the relationship of George and Yukari seemed to move too fast at first, with George getting jealous after seeing Yukari out with another man, going on to ignore her... even though he had only known her for a few days. The other negative point is that the supporting cast did not get enough time. For example, I wanted to see more than Arashi and Miwako (members of Paradise Kiss) fight and have sex every now and then. Neither of the problems were severe enough to ruin the series for me, and I doubt most others would be troubled by what bugged me.
In terms of the video and audio aspects, the series is very impressive. The art looks wonderful, it being both realistic and stylish, the eyes in particular looking lovely, and the animation is up to the usual Madhouse standard. The soundtrack is a solid one, too, including an excellent opening and a few memorable pieces. As for the voice acting, the English dub is excellent, with all of the cast sounding natural.
All in all, Paradise Kiss is something either gender can enjoy. Going into it, I was a little concerned, worrying that I would not be able to get a lot of enjoyment out of it because of my gender, but I was able to get into it right from the get-go. If you are tired of all the silly, over the top anime in existence, I suggest you give this a try. If in doubt, do not avoid one the best anime out there just because you are not female.
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