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.
price：$6.96
Anime Works
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Adorably cute) 『This DVD had it all---romance, drama, slapstick moments that had me holding me stomach from the laughter, and a good dose of mystery. Sunao and Sora were adorable, as was their relationship, and I found myself cheering them on despite the obstacles in their path (namely Sora's obliviousness and Sunao's many secrets), and celebrating when in the end love triumphed and saved the day. I recommend it to all who like a good laugh with their anime (but who can also appreciate the appropriate dark moments as well).』
(So Cute!) 『I really loved this series. It's rather short compared to many other anime films i've viewed, but the depth of the storyline that is contained in only 3 disks is amazing. There is a lot of guy x guy, but not so much for it to be completely inappropriate for teens wanting a bit of yaoi. It's not 'fluff' , but it's not too hardcore. I love it!』
(Cute and funny) 『Sukisho is a short anime about two boys with split personalities. To explain without spoilers... Sora wakes up one night to a boy being... let's just say aggressive... toward him, demanding to see someone named Yoru. Didn't go so well. When he wakes up in the morning, he finds a the same boy named Sunao, who has no idea what Sora is referring to when the confused boy confronts him about that night. Turns out that Sora and Sunao were frineds, but an accident earlier that involved Sora falling from a building has erased his memories. As the story progresses, you find that their past, and their relationships (theirs and their alternate egoes) are more complex and involved than they could ever have imagined.
It's a cute series with a lot of laughs and decent voice acting (japanese). Plus, there's a plot that has a little bit of substance to it, and what's not to love about that. I just wonder where all the women are in that world.... Mysteries...』
(Too Cute and Wild Hair) 『Warning for fan girls/boys right now, this is super soft core yaoi. There is a kiss every now and then, and thats about it.
If you weren't looking for intense boy love, this anime is super cute and good for a laugh. (Or in my case a lot of laughs.) It takes a while for the plot to really get going and become even the least bit understandable. Keep with it and just enjoy all the little side plots and humor.
The only downside (besides lack of hard yaoi) was all the names starting with 'S'. Poor me got a little confused.
Very cute, if you want a good laugh, go forth and buy it!』
(A MUST-SEE!! DEFINITELY WORTH IT!!) 『I LOVE the premise, characters, artwork, voices, etc. It is so much fun to watch. Funny, with really engaging main characters, interesting episodes, intrigue, etc. Don't read too many reviews - the surprises are the best part! If you enjoy yaoi at all, THIS IS A MUST-SEE! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by a picky viewer! Definitely WORTH THE MONEY! There are a lot of episodes and even a fun OVA.』 『Sora fell from the roof of his high school and was knocked unconscious. When he finally awoke, he found a kind-hearted boy named Sunao waiting over him. Sunao claims to be his best friend, but the fall erased some of Sora's memory. He doesn't remember Sunao at all, the wide-eyed young man acts like much more than just a friend. From that day on, Sora begins to experience flashbacks in which he is not himself, but a mysterious alternate personality with hidden powers. He begins to search for the secret of his lost memory and the flashbacks, but will Sunao be his companion, or his enemy?』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (SO glad to have it!) 『I borrowed my friend's Slayers DVDs years ago and fell in love with this series, so when I found this Slayers Next DVD set, I knew I had to have it. The sheer awesomeness of the series was no surprise to me, but the HOT price and the expediency by which it arrived certainly were!
The three DVDs in this set come with complete menus, and the episodes are separated into chapters so you can get to the right spot without having to fast-forward the whole way through like you're using a VCR!! Sounds crazy, but I have an anime box set that is like that =\ The choice of the English&Japanese audio is very nice, too, and it has a few small extras.
It was in perfect condition like promised, and I am thrilled on every level. It was money well spent!』
(Slayers) 『God - what can I say about this? This and Slayers Try (and hopefully the two new series once they come to the US) are the only anime that I will watch again, and again, and again. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever grow tired of them. Between episodes that sooooooo must have been written under the influence of magic mushrooms (they spend nearly an entire episode dressed as dolls...) and awesome character development and XELLOSS, Slayers is just full of awesome. PLEASE buy it today, to encourage more!!!! ^^』
(The monstrous Zoamelgustar!) 『Lina Inverse -- short, brash, flat-chested and monstrous of appetite and magical power. She's too brilliant an anti-heroine to just use once.
And her little gang reunites rather explosively in "Slayers Next - The Complete Second Season," where Lina and Co. deal with various magical threats and problems... as well as a bunch of monsters who want Lina dead for some reason. It's a darker, more intricate story than the first season, but it doesn't lose touch with the same deranged humor and lovably quirky characters.
The gang reunites in the kingdom of Xoana (where Amelia and Zelgadis become enemies for about ten minutes) just before a battle with the deranged Princess Martina, who wants to sacrifice the world to her imaginary Monster friend. One Dragonslave later, and the kingdom is in ruins.
Then they start out on a quest for the legendary magic book called the Claire Bible, which is dogged by "mysterious priest" Xellos (who is more than he seems, obviously). And they have to deal with weird problems along the way: curses from the crazed Martina, a sorcerous feud that upends an entire city, the hunt for dragon cuisine ("Oh god of cookery, give me strength!"), a magical tennis game, a tower of magic dolls and weird obstacles, a city that bans men, and a hunt for ancient divine spells that turns out to be all wrong.
But the real trouble starts when the gang makes it to Amelia's country of Seyruun -- and discovers that a conspiracy of greedy royals and evil Monsters want Lina very, very dead. Unfortunately, nobody knows why. The gang sets out to discover the reason why on a journey riddled with Golden Dragons, malignant Monsters, and the true form of the Claire Bible and its keeper. But their mysterious enemies have plans for Lina and her ultimate attack spell... which may bring about the end of the world.
Spoofs of the fantasy genre are a dime a dozen. The real challenge is creating a spoof that also has a story and mythology all its own -- and "Slayers Next" succeeds brilliantly at doing that. Not only is the second season of "Slayers" gutsplittingly funny, it has a really solid storyline, excellent writing and thoroughly enjoyable characters -- including some moments that are beautifully dramatic and horrifying too.
The main storyline really kicks in when the gang arrives in Seyruun, after some hints and foreshadowing, and after that it keeps twisting and changing, revealing one secret at a time -- Lina's pursuers, their motives, and how devastatingly powerful they are. And it takes the usual fantasy tropes -- big dumb guy with magic sword, powerful sorceress, demonic creatures, plucky naive princess -- and promptly turns them on their heads.
Things start getting grimmer in the middle when the gang finds the true Claire Bible, and that darker undercurrent gets thicker all the way to the end. The climax is literally apocalyptic in its scope -- a brilliantly intense piece of work.
And there's a lot of humour too, ranging from Zelgadis being used as an anchor ("Poor Mr Zelgadis... we can at least let you breathe down there!") to a series of running gags ("That.... is a SECRET"). At least half the episodes contain and/or end with some kind of massive explosion and/or rioting. And a couple stories wedged between the two arcs are entirely devoted to comedy -- usually they involve a more relaxed tone, with Zelgadis and Gourry in drag, idol singing, and the whole gang dressing up in big silly animal costumes.
Lina continues to be a hilarious anti-heroine with a short fuse and a seemingly endless arsenal of explosion spells, but visions of a Gigaslave gone wrong -- and Gourry's abduction -- show how much she loves her buddies. Yogurt-brained Gourry is a good complement to Lina, and hyperactive princess Amelia struggles with treachery within her loving family (and has some cute romantic moments with Zel). Zelgadis is the best-rounded character of the bunch, struggling with his insecurities, his image, and his stony-skinned body.
"Next" also introduces a couple of brilliant new characters. Xellos is a puckish trickster who flits in and out, causing trouble just for the fun of it, and announcing that whatever he's talking about "is a SECRET." He's a delightfully infuriating guy, and much more than he appears. And Martina is basically there for the comic relief -- a very insane princess who worships a Monster she made up herself, and keeps trying to curse/kill Lina.
"Slayers Next" is a brilliant fantasy spoof with a clever, twisting storyline and plenty of laugh-out-loud humor. Definitely a must-see -- along with the other seasons.』
(Slayers Rock!) 『I love this series. It's so much fun and the DVDs are great. I upgraded to the DVDs from the VHSs. If you don't know much about this series, don't even look up the info, just buy the DVD set and watch it, you won't be disappointed!』
(A great overall value for the must-own season of all Slayers seasons) 『Slayers Next is overall the best season of Slayers. And in this package you can own all 26 episodes for a very reasonable price. It is true however that the overall quality of the DVD transfer here leaves room for improvement, despite the nebulous claim to "remastering". Ignoring that loaded term, the episodes look otherwise fine for the age of the series. And of course with these DVDs one can switch between both the excellent English and Japanese voice work at will.
The show itself--the second season of Slayers--contains the best overall balance of humor, gravitas, and animation of the seasons. Original Slayers remains fun to watch, of course, though Next really does look a step above in animation. The later Slayers Try also has relatively impressive animation, but is populated by more significant highs and lows. Specific episodes of Try are some of the funniest episodes of all Slayers (especially the volatility of Filia and Xellos). But other--usually filler--episodes of Try are in some cases actually painfully bad.
Slayers Next gets almost everything right, including an epic series of final episodes with a wonderful ending that continues to overshadow the rest of the series (including the new Revolution/Evolution currently showing in Japan).
In many ways, Slayers Next is akin to The Empire Strikes Back or The Wrath of Khan, being the "superb second entry" of the given series. And thus of all seasons I consider it a must-own for any animation collection.』 『"A time-honored fantasy parody…" ---Sci-Fi Magazine
In a land beset by the forces of evil, a solitary light shines forth with the hope of salvation… but that’s a far different story!
Meet Lina Inverse, a spunky sorceress with a penchant for fire, who enjoys nothing more than liberating the unearned from those less deserving. Teamed up her strapping, yet strapped for brains, faithful sidekick Gourry, her ambitious young protégé, Amelia, and the ever-stoic Zelgadis, this ragtag team of misfit adventurers set out in search of a cure and end up on a quest to save the world. Together they find more trouble than they could possibly hope for, and nowhere near enough plunder!
Season Two contains 26 remastered episodes』
『The second season of the knockabout fantasySlayerscontinues the wacky misadventures of red-haired arch-sorceress Lina Inverse. As she wanders in search of the ancient book of spells theClaire Bible, she's accompanied by her usual friends: dumb blond swordsman Gourry; Zelgadis, the once-human chimera; and Amelia, the single-minded champion of justice. The zany quartet is joined by Martina, who fancies herself something of a rival to Lina, and by the mysterious and powerful priest Xellos. The plot rambles and stumbles along, with Lina and her friends following false clues, falling into slapstick disasters, and eating everything in sight. A more serious storyline gradually emerges that involves enmities left over from the War of the Monsters' Fall, one thousand years earlier. It climaxes in a take-no-prisoners battle that requires Lina to summon the spirit of primordial chaos. The filmmakers make the battle a bit too big. Lina Inverse isn't a complete idiot, like Excel inExcel Saga: she possesses formidable powers. But she's essentially a comic character who blows up things by mistake, overeats, and squabbles with her friends: Amelia calls her "chaos and destruction's poster girl." She's not the person most audiences would want guarding the world from annihilation. But the overblown finale probably won't bother the many fans ofSlayers, who kept the characters going for three broadcast seasons, six OVAs, and five features. (Rated TV PG: violence, brief nudity, risqué humor)--Charles Solomon』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Phase 6 of "Final Fantasy", a nice collection of anime.) 『I had to purchase the next phase to keep my collection going. Artwork getting better.』
(Interesting beginning, get more interesting moving forward, disappointing ending) 『I have been a Final Fantasy fan since version 1 of the game came out for the NES. I played through all the other FF games and loved each and one of them. Just because they are amazing developing games, it does not mean that they would do well developing movies or anime.
I got the movies through Netflix so I can watch them with my kids when I get home from work and relax. In the beginning of the story, it gave some scenes of war and destruction. The startoff was slow and have some mysteries like who is the adult woman hanging around with the two kids and who is the man with tha ma gun that always seems to show up when they are in trouble. It is very interesting to see what kind of summon comes out of the ma gun on pretty much every single episode, but the summoning takes like 10 minutes. Most of the creatures seems to be from FF7.
As the series go on, it reveal more information about some of the main characters. Toward the end, the plot is revealed but yet the end is disappointing because the watchers are wondered "what happened". It is like going to a roller coaster ride where right toward the end, it just stop and everybody get off.
I originally got the first DVD from the Block Buster bargain bin, and that should have been a flag that this is not really that good. Watch it if you have time to kill, otherwise you might be better off watching other anime like Full Metal Alchemists, Kenshin, etc.
』
(The Final Fatasy Games Maybe Great Bud Sadly This Anime Isn't) 『I bought this set during the X-mas sale online and for $20 dollars I felt it was an o.k. price but after seeing the series through I feel I'm now going to sale this to a movie store. I know the series focused mostly on the two children trying to find their parents but I also thought there would either be some cameos from characters of the games are have some references to the game worlds, sadly there was neither and the animation while not horrible wasn't anything to be proud of either. The voice actors for the Japanese cast did do a great job for their character roles sadly the dubbed English voice cast while not the worst of the lot leave a lot to be desired. Also again with some anime you just don't really feel any empathy for most of these characters, if one was killed or hurt so what? The storyline itself isn't to bad and if you've never played the games and are looking for a unique anime here's a decent one, but if you have played the game and are looking for some kid of reference to the games or game characters you'll be sadly disappointed. So at the end is this series worth getting will that's up to the person themselves, if you're looking for a fantasy anime with magical battles this might pique your interest, but if you're a longtime Fina Fantasy gamer you most likely want to just pass this series over....』
(Found It) 『I had been looking for this disc every where. I couldn't find it on any of the more famous anime vendor websites, nor could I find it in any of my local anime stores. I can't believe that I was able to find this Disc on amazon.com. I happened upon it by chance while searching for other Final Fantasy products and now this will be the first place I look if I ever need a DVD.』
(Don't look for the Game Series in this series...) 『I understand what people have been saying about it not being what they expected. Expectations greatly influence how we perceive products to be. However, this series is incredible. Though it is sometimes cheesy, it manages to have just that right amount to make it wonderful. The music is great, and the characters hilarious. There is not much in common with the FF game series, but when you take this as a separate whole, it doesn't matter. This series is fun, entertaining, appropriate for all ages, and great, as long as you aren't expecting another "Advent Children" out of this.』 『The gateway to another world appears suddenly one day and with its coming awakens two mysterious beasts of astonishing power. When the monsters appear to destroy each other, they vanish–leaving behind only the inexplicable pillar of darkness and the unanswered questions of the natural world. 12 years later, the twin children of two scientists who disappeared on the so-called Day of Conjunction go on a hazardous quest in search of their lost parents. Boarding a phantom subway, Aiand Yu travel to Wonderland, a chaotic world of amazing beauty and thrilling danger. Accompanied by Lisa, an enigmatic woman they meet on the train, and Kaze, a brooding stranger with a demon-summoning gun, the twins begin an incredible journey that will lead to the mysterious heart of Wonderland.• The entire 25 episode Final Fantasy: Unlimited series in one thin-pak boxset! • Set in the fantastical world popularized in the Final Fantasy games! • Produced by GONZO Digimation (Full Metal Panic!, Gantz, Peacemaker). • Directed by Mahiro Maeda (Second Renaissance – Animatrix, Blue Sub#6) • Epic adventure of stunning visuals and fast-paced action and lovable Chocobos』 『Twelve-year-old twins Ai and Yu Hayakawa take a mysterious subway to Wonderland to look for their missing scientist-parents. Wonderland is a hostile place, ruled by the petulant Earl Tyrant and his assorted hench-creatures. Ai and Yu are attacked by monsters and saved first by Lisa, a practitioner of the "Kigen Arts," then repeatedly by the taciturn, gun-totting Kaze. The first episodes are cluttered with characters who appear briefly then vanish. Although Ai, Yu, and Lisa do a lot of traveling, the series doesn't really go anywhere: the filmmakers seem more interested in showcasing the elaborate CG effects at their disposal than in coherent storytelling. The effects are very flashy, but they never meld satisfactorily with the drawn animation. Based on the popular videogame franchise,Unlimitedborrows from Matsumoto'sGalaxy Expressand Miyazawa'sGalactic Railroad, but offers none of their mystery and magic. (Rated 12 and older: violence, tobacco use)--Charles Solomon』
price：$22.49
Adv Films
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Entertaining and uplifting) 『Very entertaining and uplifting story of a young girl's effort to become a star in an acrobatic performance group. The animation is beautiful, the voice-acting superb, the story well-written and inspirational. Highly recommennded for everyone, but especially for families with girls ten and older. I suggest you get the two season box set, or the first season's package and then the second season set, since they follow in a logical sequence (and you'll want to view all 52 episodes, they're that good).』
(Kaleido Star Seasons 1 and 2) 『I did not actually purchase this boxed set of Season 1 and 2, because I purchased each individual DVD of the series as they originally became available in the US. This boxed set is a deal and then some for the price and the product! There is a total of 10 discs (I believe, possibly 12) in the series, so imagine speding anywhere from $10-20 per disc as opposed to just $50 or $60 for two whole seasons. Anyway, besides the great price, this series is about a girl named Sora who joins a circus/acrobatic show. It has drama, comedy, love, tragedy, sports, and really superb art. There is only one little cute animal sidekick, a seal, who gets into the act too! I really enjoy this series. I would recommend it for anyone who likes sporting anime, or anyone who likes anime period.』 『Studio: Adv Films Release Date: 10/14/2008 Run time: 1300 minutes』
price：$19.49
ADV Films
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Cake For You!) 『Azumanga Daioh...Wow what can I say?...I don't love it. I don't hate it. I'm rather fond of it but nothing cult classic. It's well High School. It focuses on the most extreme of characters. Osaka is rather spacey, and instead of her being just spacey she is oblivious...to...nearly everything. Then Yomi the girl who is self conscious about herself always trying to maintain her weight. She is fairly normal and often tires of the group for there immaturity but loves them none the less. Chiyo-chan is well she is the smart kid. But remember this is based on extremes so instead of her being just the smart one. She is a child preteen prodigy who is 11 skipped multiple grades and ended in highschool. There is also the love stricken yuri girl and the tall dark mysterious girl( Who LOVES ANIMALS BEYOND ANY WORDS yet every cat seems to bit her). And the teacher with the maturity of a twelve year old. This is just a show based on funny scenarios and one liners. The beginning of the series was rough to accept it seemed to well...childish. Keep in mind I'm nineteen but threw the series I either got used to it or it got better.
There really isn't a way to describe this show...it's cute it's funny. It shows what friendship and innocence really is like. I would really suggest the manga. It's a four panel manga slide kinds like the daily funnies in the post dispatch. They translated it to be more American cultured and some of the things that stay Japanese cultured they explain in either foot notes or in the back of the books. It made the anime a little bit easier to understand become some things seem very random but later on I fond out they do serve a purpose.
The animation is not the best but it really does suit this anime the most. It's not that the animation sucks it's just I am not a fan of it....but it really does suit this anime. And the opening and closing where so random that you have to love them....It's worth the read and if you have the money it's worth the watch also. 』
(It works....) 『If you think about it, Azumanga Daioh is one of those shows that shouldn't really work. It's simply a group of girls going to high school, with no monsters or giant robots to be fought, and no dark teen angsting and depression. The characters are standard high-school-girl stereotypes: the brainy one, the clueless one, the tall silent type, the brash tomboy, the sporty one, and the self-conscious one. The anime is very episodic, with little overarching plot and development, and again the episodes are not much different from standard high-school scenarios: culture day, sports day, summer break, etc. What's all the fuss about, you might ask?
But it works. It really does.
As others have mentioned, I think the series' very simplicity is its greatest asset. At its heart, `Azumanga' is a slice-of-life comedy, able to find humour in even the most mundane situations. It's mostly the ditzy, airheaded Osaka, child genius Chiyo, and the brash Tomo who take the comedic lead, although two running jokes involving Sakaki dominate the series. The two female teachers, particularly Yukari, complement the cast with their restless immaturity, while Kimura gets some laughs as the hopelessly perverted male teacher.
There are a couple of caveats, however. Firstly, a lot of the humour relies heavily on Japanese culture, and without at least some basic knowledge of Japan, some of the jokes fall flat. The translators for the English sub and dub do a heroic job of interpreting the various idioms, in-jokes and cultural references for a Western audience, but occasionally the original just can't translate (e.g. the `haemorrhoid' joke). Secondly, despite this being a slice-of-life comedy, there is some quite surreal humour at times, which may not be to everyone's taste (e.g. the New Year Dream sequence). Finally, a couple of the gags are done to death, endlessly repeated until they're not really funny anymore (yes, we GET that Kaorin likes Sakaki!).
It's not for everyone, but provided you can accept a few jokes missing the mark or going over your head, this is a really enjoyable little comedy. With the trend nowadays seemingly towards darker, artier, and self-consciously "difficult" anime, it's refreshing to view something that as light-hearted and fun as `Azumanga Daioh'. 』
(AZUMANGA DAIOH) 『Though I Have yet to receive this item, my happiness is overwhelming. I used to hate Anime until i watched the pilot episode, then i fell in love with it. When is was watching the final episode, and the credits rolled out, i was literally Balling in tears. I Love the series, and it was mean for the creater to dump this one-of-a-kind show. And also, does it come in an English dub, or an option? Dankre.』
(An awesome slice of life series.) 『This has that nostalgic feel.
It's a simple, yet hilarious, slice of life series. The cast really never expands, and the characters are always in character.
I highly recommend checking out this series, especially if you like slice of lifes.』
(An Anime Everyone should watch) 『Okay,In the begining like everyone else you have doubts about something before you buy if you are making a right decision or not.My Advice for this Anime GO FOR IT.Its Fun to watch from the first to last episode later in the series I began to connect with the character Osaka she just really reminds me of myself.
』 『Boys and girls, yound and old, otaku and casual fans alike-everyone loves Azumanga Daioh. It's one of the most beloved anime series of 2004, and now ADV has brought all six DVDs together in a single affordable Thinkpak Collection!』 『LikeSeinfieldor the juvenile novels of the '50s, the popularshojo(girl's) seriesAzumanga Daioh(2002) isn't really about anything. Based on the manga by Kiyohiko Azuma, the broadcast series follows a mismatched group of seven girls through their three years at an ordinary Tokyo high school. Chiyo is a cute prodigy who skipped five grades; Sakaki seems oblivious to everything except stray cats, which always bite her. Kaorin appears to be fixated on Sakaki; although she worries about her weight, Yomi is the most normal member of the cast. Osaka acts spaced-out,Tomo declares she's a "loose cannon," and Kagura is an outstanding athlete: this trio proclaims themselves "The Knuckleheads" when they face major exams. Hard-drinking, potty-mouthed English teacher Yukari resents the popularity of saner coach Nyamo, even though they're friends and former classmates; Kimura, who teaches because he likes to ogle teenage girls, is the only major male character.
Azumanga Daiohpresents no sustained story arc or character development: each episode is a collection of more or less random incidents involving the girls and the three faculty members. The stories focus on everyday activities: classes, exams, festivals, field trips, athletic events. The characters don't pilotmechaor battle demons or lose their clothes or face major emotional crises. The normalcy of the girls' lives is the main source of the series' appeal. (Rated 13 and older: cartoon violence, minor profanity, alcohol use, minor risqué humor)--Charles Solomon』
price：$8.00
RIGHT STUF
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Amazing Anime Series) 『Just going to keep it short. At first I was very skeptical thinking that this series was just some typical sci-fi post apocalyptic series that was nothing short of just a girl running around kicking butt. Don't get me wrong the action in the series is great. But what really captured and pulled me in was the story and characters. Its was hard putting in that last DVD knowing the series was about to end, but a wonderful ending it did have. If the series continues in the future I'll be buying it zero day.
5 stars for Animation, Story, Characters, Action, Personality
If you a fan of anime in general I highly recommend this. If your looking for more of a comedy check out Desert Punk.』
(A well done series.) 『To start with this Box Set itself is excellent. It is done in the same style as "Raxephon" Noir" "E's Otherwise"&Fullmetal Panic the only difference is that these are full size DVD cases and has a total of 6 with one DVD per case. Like the old "Kiddy Grade" set. It comes in a widescreen format and the sound moves from speaker to speaker depending on where the character is on screen..for the most part. Voices are well done and do not come across as hokey. As for the animation it ranges from average to above average with the exception of Episodes 13&23. Episode 13 looks like someone else drew the characters..you will see what I mean. There is CG in this and it execellently done...vehicle movement is fluid and they did an outstanding job with the AI battle, that was a thing of beauty. About the story..There are the Humans and then there are "The Third"..a mutation born with an Astral Eye. Yet they do not have the ability to reproduce, the third are born of human parents and they are the ruling class. Honoka was born with such an eye but was deemed to be defective by "The Third". Honoka never fit in with "The Third"&does not fit in with humanity so she lives a life of wandering in the desert. Taking odd jobs to pay the bills and maintain her AI tank, Bogey, whom is more like her Father..Teacher...mentor...than just an AI. A job lands in her lap and goes by the name Iks whom quickly hires Honoka to take him where ever he wants to go. How ever Iks is someone that "THe Third" are interested in. That is how the story starts and from that point on you follow Honoka and Iks on his journey of knowledge..a journey that puts them at odds "The Third" because there have placed restrictions on humanity. What kind of technology they are allowed to have...where they can go..etc. These are not self contained episodes...it plays as one continious story ...time may lapse in between but is explained. The story moves forward at solid pace and I did not notice any episodes where the story got bogged down. With the exception of a couple of Episodes there is not much blood yet there is a lot of fighting and this is due to the fact that most of the fighting is between Honoka and robotic enforcers. This was an enjoyable series and has good replay value. The type of series that I enjoy are "Black Blood Brothers"..Death Note.. Fate Stay Night...Last Exile..Trinity Blood..just to name a few. If you liked any of those you should find this worth your time.』
(Another Diamond Found In The Ocean Of Anime) 『I actually had never seen this series on t.v. but found it online while looking for another anime series, and I'm very happy that I did. The series has humanity living in a mostly desert world where almost everything is controlled by the powerful alien group called THE Third which puts a techno restriction on humanity, in other words they only allow humanity to attain a certain level of technology going father than that breaks the Third's law called 'Techno Taboo" which is punishable by imprisonment or death. The heroine Honoka a young girl with incredible fighting abilities who's a jack of all trades doing jobs from bodyguard to escorting is very endearing as the main character with her tomboyish way of dress and attitude, which hides a very caring heart for her fellow humans which is also the reason why that she will never kill human beings. Her partner is an A.I. named Bogie who takes care of Honoka and controls their home which is a massive tank as well as trying to make sure Honoka learns the way of the world. Along their journey they run into a mysterious young man named Iks who Honoka feels a unknown attraction towards. Of course you have to see the rest of the series to find out the rest but you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well the series truly is. The animation is good and clear no distortion and the music to the series is also very good, the fight scenes are great similar a little to series like Gundam or Naruto. The video is wide-screen 5.1 English audio, 2.0 English audio, or 2.0 Japaneses audio. The voice cast for both the Japanese and English actors did their jobs great so kudos to the people for getting the cast for this wonderful series. The price is little step but I figure for this set it's not to bad a price and I think you'll feel the same after watching this series too...』 『One Girl. One Tank. No Problem. In a devastated world overrun by monstrous bugs and ravaged by outlaws, there s only one person to call when you really need a job done right: Honoka. With a sixth sense for danger, sword skills that are second to none, and a smart-aleck A.I. tank by the name of Bogie, she s ready to tackle any job and solve any problem for her clients. But while crossing the desert one night, she finds a young man alone in the wasteland. It s the first step of a journey that will challenge even Honoka s amazing skills to their very limit! Contains the complete 24-episode TV series! DVD Features: Scene access, Dolby 5.1 mix for English dialogue, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for English and Japanese dialogue, English subtitles and English on-screen translations. PLUS: Reversible DVD covers, character bios (including some with commentary by Megumi Toyoguchi, the voice of Honoka ), Japanese voice actor interviews, music videos (including some with karaoke music tracks), U.S. series trailer, six color booklets, three exclusive pencil boards and Right Stuf/Nozomi Entertainment trailers.』
price：$22.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A Fun-Filled, Supernatural Brawl) 『To confess, I'm not a big "horror anime" buff but typically enjoy series based on successful video game franchises. As such it was with a blend of expectations that I set out to review Tokyo Majin, The Complete Series.
Interestingly enough, it appears as though Funimation has actually released this previous ADV Films' property as two individual season sets and is now planning a complete series box set, which contains all 26 episodes of the show.
Released across four discs (in a double-sized clamshell case), The Complete Series consists of episodes 1-26 and comes in at a total runtime of 650 minutes. It wears an appropriate TV MA (mature, 17+) rating due to violence, gore, and supernatural imagery.
Language options are standard sub&dub with both an English dub (Dolby 5.1 Digital Surround) and original Japanese soundtrack (stereo)&the choice of English subtitled if so inclined to turn them on.
The story goes something like this: The mystical energy flow that maintains order to the world (the Dragon Stream) has been disrupted. As a direct result of this disturbance, a whole bunch incidents have erupted across Tokyo, including a surge of deaths, plagues of zombies, and six teenagers (who want nothing more than to live the simple life of students) suddenly gaining mystical powers.
It's tough to put the show into a single category; it would be foolish to downplay the supernatural/ mystical elements as they are catalyst that drives the plot but in terms of delivery and pacing, Tokyo Majin may more closely resemble an action series. In other words yes there are some moody environments throughout and attempts at depth by establishing conflicted pasts for a few of the main characters, the series is really the medium in which to showcase super-human action sequences. Teenagers who can fire glowing mystical arrows from a bow or a tough guy who can uppercut through hordes of swarming monsters is going to be good onscreen fun, bottom line.
Viewers can expect episodes loaded with gruesome creatures, flashy magical effects, and fight scenes loaded to the hilt with animation detail. For the most part, the formula works so long as you go into the show without expectations of a deep psychological thriller element. This is superhero fun against the legions of the underworld first and foremost; drama and mystery serve only to compliment the greater mission at hand.
The visuals are pretty solid throughout with just the right texturing (and gore elements) to make for some truly nasty nasties and the environmental tones are nice and gritty as well. The sound work is solid for the most part, with eerie notes working nicely into the background and slick tension-building strings when the mood calls for them. Unfortunately the hard rock anthem done by ACID at the opening and closing of each episode comes off as a bit misguided until you realize that it is the theme for the evil rock star villain later on in the prose.
In all, this is a show where the visuals and effects certainly outshine the writing but perhaps that's exactly what makes it so unique. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a little supernatural butt whipping by some everyday kids. It's also really decent of Funimation to consider their fans in deciding to release a full 26-episode box set release for little more than the individual seasons have been selling for until now.』 『Tokyo. A wave of mysterious deaths ripples throughout the city. Corpses of the un-dead, controlled by monstrous creatures, scour the urban underworld at the bidding of their dark master, seeking a power that could bring about the final apocalypse.
With the police helpless in the face of these unnamable horrors, the fate of the world hangs on five unlikely saviors- the students of Tokyo Majin!
Armed with their own incredible powers, they must battle an unholy swarm of evil beings; everything from Alchemists through Zombies! It’s a deadly war fought in shadows, and they’re completely outmatched except for one thing: they never learned when to say die! The back alleys of Japan’s largest city are the site of the biggest supernatural rumble ever in Tokyo Majin!』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Good Collection) 『This is a good purchase. I'm not exactly an anime expert, but I find Neon Genesis Evangelion a thrilling story, with a good character development. The mechas design is excellent as well. It has an epic dimension that make it a must have if you like this type of animation. I must admit that Shinji character can result annoying most of the time.
This ADV edition is cool. It has a good image in general. Also the menu is nice, resembling the tech environment of the saga. I was expecting something else when I read that the set includes Bio's of all the characters and angels. It's just two or three paragraphs of info.
The box is one of the major features of this collection for me. It has the Nerv logo in one side, and a Eva in the back. In the other side you can see the Kabalah Sefiroth.
for spanish speakers from latin America as I am, another excellent feature is that it has audio in spanish, and that audio is the latin american one, the same that we heard when the serie was on TV.』
(Fantastic series that isn't for the simple minded.) 『Finally a series that I actually think lives up to some if it's hype. I will admit on my first time it came off as mere techno bubble. But there actually is more to it and the characters have a great amount of depth. I laugh hysterically when I hear the characters in Elfen Lied and Hell Girl have depth. The people who love those series have to be on drugs.
The action is pretty good, but it's the realistic characters with genuine feelings that stand out. Don't come into this looking for simple characters or storytelling. NGE will disappoint you if that's what you want.』
(The worst anime series I've seen.) 『This review is for both the series and two movies.
This overall is the worst anime series I've seen, and I've seen a lot of them. There are many things wrong with the series and movies.
First is the story. It begins in the year 2000 when a disaster nearly destroys Antarctica and kills billions of people. It's first thought to be a natural disaster, but was actually a experiment sponsored by a organization called SEELE and carried out by GEHIRN. Fast forward to the year 2010 GEHIRN has changed into NERV a military organization. NERV's primary mission is to locate creatures called Angles and destroy them. The primary story follows Shinji Ikari who decides to join NERV and his father is the head of NERV.
Now onto all the problems with this show.
First is the story: I'm not sure what the creators of this series/movies were trying to do, but they failed miserably. The story as it went on from episode to episode and movie to movie just got worse and worse as it went a long. The story was incoherent and didn't make any sense. I don't mind series that try to have a hight meaning, but at least make some kind of sense at the end, express something even if it's that everyone dies.
Second the characters: I think this might have been my biggest problem with the series. The characters brought nothing to the series. The main character Shinji has to be one of the worst if not the worst anime character ever. He had no depth, emotion, and didn't try me in. He was just annyoing, and I wanted him to die almost from the beginning, the same with most of the other ones. I can't think of on character I actually liked.
Third the animation: The animation done by GAINAX is terrible it looks like something done by in the 60s or 70s. Hell I think Speed Racer looks better than this series.
Overall this is the worst anime series ever and most overrated series I've seen. I really don't understand why people like it. If they want to see a great anime series with meaning then you should check out series like Saikano, RahXephon, and Now and Then, Here and There just for example. Just skip this series and movie, you'll life will be much better off.』
(Hate saying this but...) 『I found the story line repetetive, boring, and predictable. I hate not liking anime but this wasn't very good. The ending sucked. I know it was redone but geese. The sound track was irritating, the graphics could have been better and the characters were on the "un" side of interesting.』
(Not bad, but not perfect.) 『This series started off really slow for me. I only got really interested in the last few discs when the story gets really complex and disturbing. If the entire series had worked this way, it would be a 5 star series, but it starts off slow and takes a while to get where it's going.
The final two episodes are fine - weird, but nothing incomprehensible - but I felt I would have gotten the point anyway if it was all condensed into one episode. The ending was a let down, and I understand that the movies complete it, but the movies were not included with this set, so as a series it is incomplete.
Because NGE was a catalyst for the emergence of anime out of pop fun and into visual art, it is an important set for anime buffs to watch. Much like Citizen Cane may not be the most exciting film for film buffs to watch, it is significant because of what it contributed to the film industry and film as art. NGE could be considered the Citizen Cane of Japanese Animation.』 『A benchmark series in the history of anime, Hideaki Anno'sNeon Genesis Evangelionis one of the most widely discussed in anime. It's not the first series to combine mecha (futuristic machines, especially robots) with theology and a character-driven story, but it does so exceptionally well. The designs of the robots by Ikuto Yamashita are strikingly original; the questions raised about the future of the human race stimulate viewers' imaginations and the characters show a depth of personality rare in anime. The story is set in 2015, 15 years after a cataclysmic explosion in Antarctica that caused the ice cap to melt, killing a large portion of the Earth's population. Although it was reported as a meteor impact, the explosion was caused by human interaction with Adam, the first of a series of powerful, sentient creatures known as "Angels" to appear on Earth. To defend against their depredations, humans rely on NERV, a secret agency dedicated to destroying the Angels with their gargantuan robot suits called Evas. Only teenagers with special psychic powers can pilot the Evas, and the best pilot is the repressed 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, who is a more interesting, believable character than standard mecha pilots. The two final chapters of theEvangelionseries (which originally ran in 1995-96) are highly philosophical ruminations that satisfied neither Anno nor the viewers. The episodes were remade as the theatrical features; however, only the original 26 episodes appear in this set. Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and up: Brief nudity, violence, sexual humor, and complex adult themes.--Charles Solomon』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review ("You're wrong, the lines between them arn't so clear, and soon I'll be able to cross them...") 『(Written by Ben's 15-year old daughter)
Serial Experiments:Lain is by far one of the best series I have seen and I am no noob to anime. (I've seen anything from cowboy bebop to mushishi to inuyasha to desert punk ect.) I've read some of the really bad reviews for this series and found that people either dont understand it or complain about the animation (some were decent reviews with valid points, but they still didnt fully comprehend all that took place) and I've also read 5 star reviews from people who didnt understand half of what happened. I myself have watched this series over 4 times through (in both langauges) and still absolutly love it.
Animation: This series doesnt have what you'd call "clean" animation, but that is part of its appeal in my opinion. If it had been present in an animation similer to "Lucky Star" or even "Moribito", I really dont think it would be as meaningful or as captivating. I consider some of the animation to really show thought and hidden meaning, but definitly not the whole series being a a piece of abstract art. The series has a sort of a realistic sense, while maintianing the feel of an anime. The animation is not the point of the anime, though it works in this situation, but it is not something I'd base my opinion of the series on.
Voice Acting: English dub- I find the english dub to be miserable, and horrendous in comparison to the original japanese version. The voice of Lain, while cast to fufill her role as the timid girl who is unaware of whats happening to her, is very pathetic and cant fully express the range of emotions thats shown throughout the series. Her normal voice is so simaler to her angry and happy voice that it becomes repetetive and dull to listen to her speak. Her friends voices are either irritating or dull. Not to mention the bad translation from japanese to english loses some of the the efforts to pack as much as much meaning as possible into every event that the creators strived for. And for this anime, sinse 80% of it is foreshadowing, thats not something that you could get away with like a series like "Rurouni Kenshin or Yu Yu Hakusho" where plot is less than complex. -Japanese Version: Very well done, emotions are fully expressed and the voices blend with and form the personalities of each character and help define thier corrosponding roles in Lains "life".
Music- while music is not a prevalent part of the appeal, it doesnt hurt the series. With few songs, and background music (for when they go to cyberia) the viewer actually is able to focus more on whats taking place, which in this case is very important. The intro is one my favorite songs in(or outside) the world of anime. "Duvet" by BoA (the artist of Fukai Mori~ Inuyasha) and is sung in english is so good that I never press the skip button when watching an episode to actually get the story (which in my case is rare). The ending on the other hand is somewhat hard to listen to and is ok, but I wouldn't choose to litsen to it.
Plot: Ok, now we get to the meat of this series. Please keep in mind that this series requires at LEAST 2 full watch-throughs to fully appreaciate the thought put into it (it's really not hard as the series only has 13 episodes). I won't spoil anything but the first minutes. It starts out with a highschool girl speaking to herself while standing on the edge of a high building, screens with text which seem to reply to her appear on screen. She happily then jumps to her death while the busy "people"( which are portayed as a general idea/organism on purpose) all react to the situation. Lain, who breifly knew the girl found out that people were getting e-mails from her even though she had died. Lain (who doesnt touch her computer) eventually checks to see if she recieved one too... the initial spark of the plot. This leads into the series where her computer use escalates past obsession and reaches a point where the lines of the Wired (the internet) and reality blur and eventually meld into what is a very insightful and thought provoking examination of life and what it is to be alive. (I know, cliche right? It definitly breaks the boundries :D)
IMPORTANT: I garrantee that you will NOT understand whats happening until episode 4! It's when light is finally put on some of the situation (slightly) and a plot is visable, but even then you really don't know :) Symbolism is everywhere from the telephone lines to the blood-spotted shadows of buildings and are a constant to the end of the series. The series does drag at points, but it adds more meaning and impact for when the you reach the end. Patience is a virtue!
Rating: I would gives this an R-rating for there is blood, sexual themes, violence and drug/alchohal use. I personally ( a 15 year old girl), had no problem with it and reccomend it to anyone mature enough to watch it.
Final Opinion: This is definitly a series that deserves to be seen, one the best out there, and has terrific overall effect. Iv'e shown it to friends who all loved it, all age groups (above maybe 12, I first saw it when I was 13). Please don't skip this anime, you'll miss out. Find a cheaper version, get the slimpack edition, either way, its worth your time. ---- Angelica M.』
("Hello, Lain...") 『Not since the computer HAL has there been such an unnerving computer voice, anime or otherwise.
"Serial Experiments Lain" is a product of its time. Released on Japanese airwaves in 1998, and on American VHS and DVD by 1999, I can't imagine a series like this being made now, given how mundane many anime series have become as well as the current economic crisis. An intelligent property like this wouldn't be viable, so let's count our blessings this was ever made at all.
Much like the films of David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, "Lain" delves into the often disturbing and perplexing realm of human thought, memories, and anything in between. Fans of action anime or anything else may want to steer clear; the sheer perplexity and open-ended nature of the show is enough to frustrate most and garner academic articles from others. It really is that kind of show.
The show starts with a rather startling suicide, which leads to a number of girls, Lain included, receiving an e-mail from the dead girl explaining that she hasn't really died, and has found God within the Wired - a more advanced version of the internet.
Perhaps by fate or curiosity, Lain persuades her father to buy her the latest Navi computer. Not soon after, she's become enamored and rather obsessed with perfecting and expanding on her already powerful computer. Becoming more a part of the vast world of the Wired, Lain begins to slowly unravel its secrets and finds some disturbing links to its creation in the real world. To explain any further would do the series a disservice, as many of the more eye-opening moments are too difficult and fascinating to give away.
Its apparent script writer Chiaki J. Konaka (The Big O, Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040) and director Ryutaro Nakamura (Legend of Crystania) are either well versed or have an abundant staff who are as interested in cyber punk culture and technological information as they are. Many sequences flow in a slow, often haunting fashion, sometimes interrupted by disturbing imagery or a wealth of on-screen information. The complex story is often tangled in conspiracy theories and scientific jargon, which only serves to either alienate or intrigue you. Before this show, I certainly had no clue about Schuman Resonance, or who Vanaver Bush was. Fascinating stuff.
Though this show will most certainly never have a complete explanation from its creators or maybe even an agreement by fans on the nature of the series, it would take all the fun out of it if anything was given away. Part of the charm of this series is how much ISN'T explained or divulged; like Utena and Evangelion before it, it's far more interesting to try and piece the puzzle together yourself than have everything laid out. This was a show meant to be explored and taken apart bit by bit.
The haunting imagery, subdued and menacing music, and deliberately slow pacing all give the show a very dream-like, ethereal quality that is inherently absent in most animation, Japanese or not. When the build up reaches its crescendo near the end of the series, you'll be hard-pressed not to marathon the rest of the way through just to try and discern everything the show's creators are throwing at you. Without giving too much away, one of the most fascinating scenes in the series takes place without any vicious battles or hardcore trauma. Instead, it's the subtle and delicate interactions between two very realized and human characters. Perhaps that is what Konaka and Nakamura are trying to tell us: that any real understanding between people can only be accomplished outside the boundaries of media, and with simple words and gestures.
This is a series that should not be missed. With an open mind and some patience, it's a disturbing, incredible, and downright bizarre experience.』
(Serious Experiment Gone Wrong) 『Lain by nature is a series with odds and ends turning at every moment. As the product description describes that the episodes are literally dragged out, indeed they are. If you simply do not have the testing-the-waters-patience to wait for 13 totally episodes of cliff-hangers, avoid this title. Otherwise read on.
-The Animation-
The animation in Lain is neither grainy nor terrible. Do not however, except the shiny-rub polish of 2009 animes. Since the story focuses around the internet, the characters and their worlds are portrayed mostly in a 2D coloring and shading. Expect Patlabor 2: The Movie graphics here in a more updated verison. At times some of the worlds are interesting, such as the internet world. There are several episodes when lain's shadow is casted in a animated mirror/shadow of swirling/ red vortex.
-----------------The Plot--------------------------------------- "Present day, heh, Present Time Hahahaha!"-Serial Experiment Lain Episode Introduction
*Note: Due to the series long plot I will be splitting this review into sections for easy viewing.
-Introduction-
We start out with the main character, Lain. Apparently one of Lain's fellow classmates commits suicide by jumping off of a building. It is then upon that that Lain receives an e-mail from the 'dead girl'. Out of curiosity Lain receives a device that can connect her to the Wired world. Unknowingly though, this very device is the reason why Lain's world is turned upside down. As stated before there are many, many cliff-hangers in this series. This was the most frustrating aspect of this anime. Questions are constantly left unanswered by the characters repetitively to the point that it becomes annoying. Whether Lain ask a question, it goes unanswered, especially questions about herself.
Another downfall of this series is the whack-out proportion between reality and non-reality. There are many times when Lain is talking in the real world then suddenly the plot will switch back to the 'virtual world' as though she was still in the real world. This can make the series confusing to anyone that isn't paying attention to fine details. This can be a benefiting technique but when used repetitively it defeats the purposes, especially if you end up loosing your audience due to a choppy transition. This series wreaks of this until the very final episodes.
-The Break-down of Family ties-
In the beginning Lain's sister is being attacked by a group called the 'Knights' who constantly have been harassing her by the weakening of the two worlds. The 'wired world' has enough power now to influence people and events in the real world. Lain's sister, being their victim. Spamming her constantly with words such as "Fullfill the prophecy" until she cracks mentally. I found it idiotic how Lain throughout the entire series couldn't notice the mental-breakdown of her sister even though she had seen her many times. Not only that but the stale acting of Lain's parents is poor. They literally ignore Lain's sister throughout this entire stage, and even when she's spazzing out "beeping" noises due to her instability. Both Lain and her parent's showed no concern/emotion for their family members which I found to be totally unrealistic. The only time sadly that Lain's father shows any feeling is towards Lain when he discovers her wired-filled room. He's shocked by the amount of equipment in the room and attempts to 'say' something but as always, no one says anything and lets things be. That was the last time he showed any emotion towards her in the real world.
-Enemies of the Real World-
On the other hand Lain discovers this group named 'Knights'. Apparently they were some sort of hacker group that was causing chaos in the real world. Yet on the other hand they found extreme interest in Lain in her ability to obtain her form and influence in the virtual world. Everyone else in the world comes out as yes, body-parts (such as ears, eyes, lips and even arms) but never full-bodies. They have been imposing as to be "Lain" on several occasions, such as Lain being seen in the sky glowing yellow with the clouds parted as a so-called God, or her being a 'peeping tom' or her on television after a car-wreck. These 'Lains' however are not the real-world lain herself, but the 'Lains' from the memories of everyone. Or simply to put it, what they want Lain to be. It doesn't help either when Lain becomes so addictive to the wire that she's surfing the internet during class and hooking wires over herself in her room for countless hours that we never see her actually 'eat' or take a 'break', despite her 'only' friend, Asuri's concern. In the beginning they seem to be Lain's friends, but later she discovers that she was being used as nothing more than a playtoy to them. When she disagrees to their antics, they try to destroy lain by sending her a global virus that blows the windows out of her room. However lain escapes this by the help of mysterious men-in-black (no pun intended). Lain ask them who they are, and in a contradictory fashion they say they are 'Knights' but are not the 'Knights' in the virtual world. There's been a dialogue issue here, as the real-world knights are nothing more than a collection of average to coporate-people using those 'pyscho chips' that were trying to make Lain like their God.
-The History of Protocol 7 and KIDS-
We discover through Lain's investigation that an old man labled as the 'child killer' was the start of the 'internet merging' circumstances. Apparently he was experiencing with the 'untapped' mental state of human children and focusing this energy into 'psychic' energy that be harnessed to create one information system. This however, caused too much energy and caused the plant to backfire, destroying all the children in the process. Lain is upset at his lack-of-heart attitude but the man says that there is 'nothing he can do to bring them back'. Then why is he resting in a hospital in a paradise world (using the Wire) than rotting in a cell? This anime never ceases to amaze me with again, the lack of care for anybody. It is then when this anime takes facts from the real world (yes, our real world. History books opened please) about gimmicks about how the entire 'Alien Theory' started and the very beginnings of how the internet was being established before missing it into the gooble-ge-gook of the anime's plot.
-Wipe Out-
The group known as 'Knights' becomes exposed to Lain. Once their identities have been made, the 'Men In Black' come to sweep them clean of their troubles by annihilating them, with them later on mysteriously being 'killed' by seeing images of Lain and a mysterious figure. So with Knights out of the way the wire will return to it's normal functioning state right? Not so. Apparently another being is responsible for the havoc of the wire. We then began to learn and probably suspect in the earlier episodes that lain is simply not 'human' but a program designed by the very man who had died on a train-track. Nothing remains of this man but his virtual 'conscience' which he strives in being 'God'.
-Her Only Friend-
As i've said before Asuri is Lain's only friend. That until a dirty secret about her doing some 'private things' to herself is let loose over the wire. And Lain is the blame. When Lain meets her at school she truly doesn't understand what's going on. Asuri's friends instantly ditch Lain but Asuri decides to give Lain a chance. This however, is ruined as Asuri sees Lain on her bed while she's giving herself a R-rated lesson on a comp chair.
-Secrets revealed and friendships collapse-
Asuri of course is terrified and feels violated as she wanted to keep that naturally as a tender secret, it is then she avoids Lain in school and truly believes that she did it, telling Lain that she 'saw her in her room' as a creepy midget with a nasty smile. Lain is visited by this creature as a smiling alien. She goes on the Wire to find out who this really 'is' where this virtual-lain explains that all information should be shared on the wire. Lain tries to choke this imposter but oddly it feels 'warm to the touch' in which the imposter laughs and says 'i'm committing suicide!' This leads to the conclusion that maybe Lain isn't the only 'Lain' but that there really is another lain. This Lain I will call Virtual Lain.
-Alone Lain-
In the end Lain's parents simply get up and 'go' with her father explaining to her that he was almost jealous of her 'free will' and that their time with her was to an end. Her sister just vanishes. This of course leaves lain 'broken' in a way where she's just laying locked up in her room with wires tangled around her body, constantly 'wired' in a zombie-like state. It is then in the wired world where she is being talked into suicide, that she doesn't 'need' a body. Lain takes the gun in hand questioningly until the girl that killed herself in the first episode shows. With a sad look on her face she tells Lain that 'Death Isn't Easy' and may show signs of regret of doing so as she is nothing more than memories of her life. Asuri, remembering what has happened while everyone else suddenly 'forgets' (thanks to the helpful erasing powers of Lain) goes to visit Lain to find out the truth.
-Reality and Wired are One-
After traveling through the neglected muck-of-house she stumbles upon Lain contained in wires. Lain then sits up talking some gobble-de-gook about her being a program. While Asuri tries to make sense of this the 'God' appears to Lain, telling her that she should connect with her friend if she loves her as she claims. Asuri stands there baffled as she watches lain talking to air until a digital hand appears when he says she needs to be debugged. Lain confronts 'God', saying that without her none of his progress would have worked and who created him. As soon as she starts talking to him about him not having a body and therefore not being 'real' he explodes. A vortex-like wrap appears in which random flesh is being drawn into and machine. A tangled mass of what appears to be a man is 'growing' out of this mass, despite Asuri's frantic screams. "What do you need a body for?" Lain says as this nasty squirting mass wraps its 'tentacles' around the two females, growing a big eye and a nasty zombie-like head in the process.
-Reset-
Apparently this being got physics punched by Lain because a big hunk of machine slammed into it's body. Then it just absorbed all the rest of Lain's expensive equipment until it became nothing more than a huddle of metal. Lain tries to say to Asuri that everything is okay. However just as Lain's sister Asuri 'cracks' from everything and ends up scratching Lain's face with a slap. Lain cries, telling Asuri that she is sorry and ends up erasing the world of her memories. Life continues for the best as everyone forgets about Lain, although she does 'pop-up' to a few people. In the end Lain is only left with Virtual Lain who tells Lain to 'start-over' again until Lain sends her packing, leaving her all alone. Lain is left to cry until her father appears, telling her that he loves her. This causes rivers of tears to flow down Lain's lonely face.
-Non-existance-
'Years' later Lain appears in the real-world to her friend Asuri who is now in her 20's. Asuri doesn't recognize Lain but goes to investigate her, telling her that she 'recalled her from before' but Lain goes by saying that they 'never-met'. So to wrap up the story it's as though Lain never existed in the real-world yet she can visit the real-world to see Asuri anytime she wishes.
-The Themes- There are 3 major themes throughout Serial Experiment Lain. Homocide, Suicide, God.
The girl in Lain's school commits suicide by jumping off a building and becomes a bloddy mess on the ground. Several people shoot themselves or get shot at. Even lain's wired self laughs gleefully as it exclaims that she is 'committing suicide'. Seriously how old is Lain, 13? Another is the self-proclaimed God theme running throughout the show that can also be offensive. First knights are 'gods' then Lain is a God then 'God'(the man who made prototype 7 which is Lain) is a God. The belief that mankind can become 'God' simply by their mental advancement capacities. Ironically Lain admits "there must be God" in the end. And as much as the shock-factor of the characters are done, I believe that this series has over-done it. Why isn't anyone actually brave for once? Must I hear the constant drizzly whining of 13 year olds?
Overall Review:
Good:
-Long Plot Story -Nice intro theme by Boa -Nice chunk of episodes spanning to 4 dvd cases -Plot twist -The 'virtual flesh' scene by the fake God was cool. -Some of the artwork was nice -Asuri seemed like the only realistic character that responded realistically to her surroundings. Oh, and she actually cared for someone.
Bad:
-Dragged, dragged, dragged out storyline proves irritating. -Showing no emotions to your suffering family is cold, mechanical and not realistic concerning how everything else freaks out. -Sometimes you want the show to 'get to the point' -Constant flipping between Lain's real-world and Lain's Wired world is a choppy transit and can leave the viewer confused on what their seeing. -Themes of Suicide/Mental Instability/Questioning one's existence and homicide runs this show. Beware. -God God God. Everybody wants to rule the world. -There should have been an interesting fight scene with the virtual flesh-man instead of a sudden and dull ending by a piece of metal. -Lain went through all that just to delete herself out of existence? Boo. -Whinny emotional teens has been over-done at some points. -Why can't someone be brave in this show??? -Some characters have said things that make no sense (That 24-year oldish-MIB (Men In Black) guy telling Lain that he 'Loves her' yet only meet her in one episode briefly?? What!?Ew.) -Lain sister cracks and no one cares. The characters can be self-centered. -Some adult-orientated material such as 'drug packets' and 'sexual situations'
Overall Score: 3.0 out of 5.0
Serial Experiments Lain plot was dragged far too long and it's choppy transit sequence came to bite the series back. It would have been nicer for some fights scene than constantly witnessing characters either cracking up or dying. It's overdone.
-Queenie』
(4 Stars) 『Good. Unusual and confusing. It's a slow series, so expect slow character development and slow story line progression. Lain brings up many interesting theories about how reality works, and prepare to be deliberatly confused until it's conclusion in "reset". (and you may still be confused after that :D)
4 Stars because it's not my type of anime, but it's still very good and very deep. Everything from the art work to the subjective questions it asks, Lain is a very well put together story.
I watched it dub and have no complaints, but there's the option to watch it sub and a few extras, mostly conceptual drawings and a few promo videos and textless opening/ending. There are no commentaries.』
(The world you once knew, will change.) 『This series not only opened my eyes...it literally changed my life.
I've experienced the whole series many times, always letting it probe my mind to provoke thoughts I didn't know existed. This isn't a review, if you want to know what the series is like, watch it, or rather let it watch you.
After studying the series for a while I became deeply interested in computers, computer science, philosophy, mind-expansion, and theory. I related to Lain on such a personal level that the show almost seemed to transcend the subtext of it just being a work of fiction. But then again Serial Experiments Lain blurs the thin boundary that is reality and the virtual. The concepts and information shown at parts is very much worth looking into as well (E.I. Shuman resonance (commonly)7.83Hz). The integration into the story seems entirely possible in the future. The concept of the wired is in itself one of the most intriguing and glorious things i've ever heard of. Cyberpunk nirvana I suppose would be a way of looking at it. I could write for days on this work of art, but i'll limit myself here.
If you do decide to watch it, you must commit to the whole series, or you'll probably be confused or misled. The series comes full circle like i've rarely seen any other do before.
On a side note, the series is also an incredible psychonaut tool :D
- Don't pass this one up.』 『We’re all Connected. The world around us, made of people, tactile sensation, and culture has begun to blur with the wired world inside the computer, of images, personalities, virtual experiences. The day after a classmate commits suicide, Lain, a thirteen year-old girl, discovers how closely the two worlds are linked when she receives an e-mail from the dead girl: "I just abandoned my body. I still live here..."』 『Disturbing, perplexing, sometimes infuriating, Ryutaro Nakamura'sserial experiments laincovers some of the same themes asThe X-Filesand the films of David Lynch. When introverted 13-year-old Lain receives an e-mail from a dead classmate, she gains access to "the Wired," a virtual world that promises unlimited power to those who can exploit it. Gradually the borders between the real and the virtual blur, and Lain's own identity begins to fade and fragment. Her parents tell her that she is not really their child, her online self grows in power and independence, and shadowy organizations pursue her in both worlds. Finally she begins to realize that she is either reality's only hope, or its worst enemy.
Nakamura keeps the pace ofserial experiments laindeliberately slow, imbuing the early episodes with a sense of mounting dread that pays off as the plot develops. The anime technique of panning across static images creates a meditative stillness that works perfectly, and the repetition of certain key images gives them a dreamlike significance. Viewers will either love or hate the complex plot, which seems intent on incorporating every possible paranoid conspiracy, from sinister nanotechnology to alien plots. However--unlike many other anime--it somehow hangs together, and franklynotunderstanding everything is part of the pleasure of this kind of story. Fans of action-heavy anime and people who like every loose end tied up should steer clear, but those who surrender themselves to the slowly unfolding mysteries of the plot will be amply rewarded.--Simon Leake』
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