price：$4.99
Adv Films
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (You'll Like this if you Loved...) 『Rather than going over the story (which the other reviewers here have done exceedingly well), I will offer this:
If you liked/loved Fruits Basket, Kaleidostar, Ouran High School Academy, Miyazaki's works, or Angelic Layer, then you will like/love this series as well.
For our family, we have cycled through many anime titles in search of those that have the same combination of addictive qualites as those listed above. This one has landed high on that list - the top 3rd or 4th according to my wife! 』
(Cute, but not for everyone) 『Pretear is, for lack of a better description, a modernized anime magical girl version of Snow White. While Himeno doesn't talk to animals like Snow White does&her stepmother isn't wicked (just a little self absorbed), she's still bossed around&bullied by her step sisters (one more so than the other). Enter a group of beautiful young bishies (each fulfilling a different type of bishie-ness), who proclaim that she's a princess that has to save the world from bad things that want to destroy everything.
I liked this series, although I will admit that at times I got a little frustrated with the cuteness. Still, it's a small flaw&I ended up really enjoying this series. The characters are cute&there's a bishie for every fangirl (even the shouta fans).
Would I recommend this to a friend? Only to the ones who like or can tolerate shoujo. The others wouldn't really get into it. Still, I'd recommend this to most, even if it was only as a rental.』
(Good, until the end.) 『The series was good and funny, until it decided to stray from it's lighthearted atmosphere (which is common in a lot of these types of animes). When the last 2 or 3 episodes show up, it becomes nearly unbearable for my viewing
SPOILERS
A few important characters seem to die, or be on the verge of death, and their death speeches are way too frikkin long. One death speech seemed to be enough (at about 3-5 minutes), but then that's all the rest of the episodes are! First it's one of the good guys (or one that used to be good), then another one, and then the person who is supposed to be bad but is on the verge of turning. These scenes get to be way too much for me. It turns into one of those animes where I wish the annoying characters would just die. The worst part is that they don't. They all live at the end, bad guy (er, gal) included!
So 4 stars for the first 3/4 of the anime, 1 star for the last 1/4, 3 stars overall. At least the series started out funny, even though cliched.』
(shoujo done well) 『One of my friends lent me this anime long ago, and I wasn't overly excited, but I was very happily surprised. I'm not really one to pick such a girlie anime for myself, but the storyline contains enough action, and twists it held my attention.』
(It was okay....) 『The series was okay, but that was about it. Granted, the art was fairly well done and the musical score was fine, but the story plot was fairly predictable. Himeno (main character) is designated to battle evil with the help of the Leafe Knights, who give her power by... turning into dresses... Yes, she fights against the Princess of Disaster (main villain) with the power of accessorizing. That was about the only shock I got out of this series. After that, it was fairly easy to tell what was going to happen next. Younger individuals of about 13-15 would probably enjoy this series tremendously, but anyone older than that may find it a bit juvenile. Still, if you're a collector of Japanese Animation, I wouldn't say it's a complete waste of money. I sometimes watch this with friends so we can laugh (mostly because of the men turning into frilly skirts and such). But the characters are fairly fun, so if you just want to kill some time and not get seriously addicted to an incredible story plot, I'd say this would do fine』 『Studio: Adv Films Release Date: 08/09/2005 Run time: 325 minutes』
price：$15.00
Bayview Entertainment/Widowmaker
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (to reduce some confusion) 『to reduce confusion of Astro Boy DVD series, please note that there have been 3 series so far: the Black and White 1963 series, the 1980 First Color version, and the 2003 Color version with different stories.
The black and white 1963 version has 193 episodes.
The 1980 version has 52 episodes for the Japanese version, with the first and second episodes merged and cut into 1 episode as the US version. The birth of the character Atlas is removed in the US version. As a result, the US version only has 51 episodes.
The 2003 version has 50 episodes. This version once again has one more episode in the Japanese version. The US version has 1 episode less, which is replaced by a "clip show episode". (probably meaning frame by frame). Personally, I think the 1980 version is slightly cuter than the 2003 version. The 2003 version is more lavish.
More information can be found on Wikipedia: use the keyword Astro Boy, and then try Astro Boy 1980 and Astro Boy 2003』
(Overpriced and incomplete) 『As per usual, my ratings given are for this release, and not for the content.
Simply put, this is not a a true "Collector's Edition". It's priced as one, but it's not at all a complete edition, something on this scale and at this price should include all the original japanese language soundtrack with english subtitles.
A real let down.
Sadly even if you remember it in english as a child, you don't get that because the studio destroyed the original copies. So it's not so good for nostalgia, and not good for japanese animation buffs.』
(Astro Boy Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1) 『Astro Boy - Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1
This is a beautifully packaged and presented DVD set, which has obviously been put together with great care. The episodes are fantastic, and it is interesting to see how the story lines were morphed in the creation of later series.
The robot/human rights issues are if anything more pronounced in the older series reproduced here.
A warning, these dvds did not play on my multi-region player in Australia. This is something Amazon warned me about, so I was prepared for it. However, I was able to get around this using a certain back-up utility:-).
Great job, and on to Set 2!』
(Astro Boy returns!) 『I don't know if anyone under a certain age would really be able to appreciate this set, but for someone like me who saw and loved these as a kid, this is a long awaited release. Sure it's "only" in black and white, and the sound on some of the episodes leaves something to be desired, but these cartoons have something a lot of todays animated shows for kids lack and that's HEART! I had also forgotton the surprising amount of adult themes in some of the stories. The role of technology, human-robot relations, and whether robots are really " alive ". A lot of ideas that would much later be developed to a greater degree, of course, in movies like " Blade Runner ". And characters actually die on occasion. Plus there are plenty of cool robots, monsters, aliens and gangsters that look like they stepped out of an old Warner Brothers movie! And to top it off, the upbeat Astro Boy theme music. So, if you're expecting " Ghost in the Shell " style animation...look elsewhere. But if you are an old die-hard Astro Boy fan, you are going to love this, faults and all!』
(I feel like a boy again!) 『Hello Astro Boy fans!
I was about 7 years old when this series first aired on television. Being raised in a middle class family, in 1963, we had only one television. Everything was in black and white and there were only 7 channels on the VHF air waves. Cable didn't exist and the internet was the subject for magazines like "Popular Science" or comic books: It simply didn't exist. Color had not really come out yet and when it did come out, you had to be very rich to afford a color TV. The channels our black and white set could recieve were 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11&13. Channel 2 was CBS; Channel 4 was NBC; Channel 5 was KTLA; Channel 7 was ABC; Channel 9 was KHJ; Channel 11 was KTTV and Channel 13 was KCOP.
That was it back then. We didn't have desk top computers or any of the high tech gadgets young people take for granted these days. Most of these technological changes came after 1981.
The best anyone personally had, in the way of a calculating device, was either an abacus or a slide rule back in those days. (lol) I remember sharing this with a group of friends in my mid twenties, while sitting next to me was a beautiful, 10 year old boy, who looked up at me, with Astro Boy eyes, asking "What's a slide rule?". Boy it sure made me feel old, after a quarter of a century of living, being asked the question. I guess you can tell when you are getting older, once you start to use the words; "Do you remember when". I do that allot at 50 years of age these days. (chuckling)
The really big computers; I did get to see as a boy. Those units took up an entire building with their vacuum tube/transitors. Next to how things look today, you might say we looked rather backwards in those days next to today's technology; but it was a magical time to be alive in regardless. You can watch the movie "Destination Moon" and get a pretty good idea how rheostats, dials and gauges looked back when I was a boy. In fact I use to take apart old abandoned radios that had been thrown away near some old railroad tracks where we use to live, just to salvage their old parts to help me learn how they worked: This was before Radio Shack offered kits to teach young boys, like me, how such things worked. In fact, back in those times; Heathkit was the name if you wanted to buy do it yourself components while teaching yourself electronics.
From 1981 on; I watched as our whole society started to change into the world of Astro Boy! Even the planning being done for cars, that will run themselves without drivers in the not so distant future, is well in the works these days, just as Osamu Tezuka forsaw back in his day. I suspect someday soon, the real Tobio will be born to ride in one of those cars; given the direction technology is taking mankind. I also can see the day when artificial intelligence will be more real than anyone ever imagined, providing mankind doesn't destroy itself getting there.
The original 1963 Astro Boy, not only taught us great values growing up, concerning righteousness and kindness toward each other, but it paved the way showing us what our future might look like and it appears Osamu Tezuka hit allot of things right on the mark since then. The laws that make up the human heart, of course, never changes: Those are timeless and Osuma did a grand job covering the variables of good vs evil; not to mention the preciousness of human life in his work.
These anime's are nothing but uplifting to watch. You go to bed having nothing but good dreams when you watch this old series. These days; there is little on TV, let alone in the theatre's, that leaves you with this kind of feeling; with so much being darkness in all our movies these days. In fact, when my cousin recently took me to a nearby DVD store, all I could see with the covers of all the DVD's, that lined the shelves, was artwork that was always dark and foreboding. At my age, you see things allot more clearly than the young do and boy I could hardly wait to get out of that store. Very little was uplifting on the shelves or worth buying in my view. For the most part, I keep my buying assigned to the internet these days, while being careful what to chose to add to my library and I love shopping on Amazon because of its review section.
I carefully select what is to go in my library and for something to be considered, it must have a good story line that teaches a good moral or gives a profound revelation about human nature. It must also have good character development as well. I don't mind the clash beteen good and evil; but I do love a happy ending. Cecil B. Demil was right when he said; "You can show all the evil you want on the silver screen, but make sure good wins out over evil or your audience will hate you."
I don't know of any film, which has broken that rule, that has survived in anyone's memory. Even the Harry Potter films operate from a simple premise of good vs evil and very successfully I might add. The premise Jo Rawlings is using is very simple: Dumbledore is God; Voldermort is the Devil; Hermoine, Ron and Harry are the soul; (the mind, the heart and the will) with Hogworts being their spiritual realm of operation or the Universe. Gene Roddenberry knew the same formula with Star Trek. Spock, McCoy and Kirk are the soul; (the mind, the heart and the will) travelling in a body; (the star ship Enterprise) suspended between the good and evil of the Universe or Spiritual realm of God.
In short, you can't get away from the good and evil aspects of free will in God's Universe, but if the good was not always winning out, then the Universe, it seems to me, would have destoyed itself a long time ago, especially this world. Our kids need this message of hope and the old Astro Boy series brings that home.
While the 1983 and 2004 remakes are different from the 1963 original; those works should not be compared to the 1963 original, although I do see the 1983 remake followed allot of the original 1963 story lines. In fact, I think the 1983 remake was a little more "cutesy", than the 1963 formulation; but I still enjoyed it. 1983 and 2004 were different times and those works are great in their own right. I especially loved the 2004 remake. Very intense and more together in terms of the major story behind Astro; which is the natural world vs. the synthetic world our science has unleashed, since the first A-Bomb was dropped and how the two clash looking for coexistence. How it all turns out, it seems only Astro knows in the end.
While the 1975 master reels were destroyed, I think the folks who did all they could to round up master copies, while syncing up the sound, did a great job; all things considered. Only about three episodes have sound quality that sounds like the recording was recorded in a glass jar, but otherwise the rest of the audio is just great. Looks almost new for the most part.
The design work on the box is just fine: Very tight package. Even the booklet that comes with the set gives a good history behind the whole Astro Boy phenomenon. The lithographic printing is excellent for both box cover and booklet I might add. There is even an extra disk which includes the first of a two part interview with Fred Ladd, who tells a little more of how Astro Boy made it to the United States from its original Japanese audience and boy am I sure glad it did. It sure helped my childhood along. My thanks to the late Osamu Tezaka for his gift to all us kids and his vision of what could be a great future one day.
All in all, it's all worth the price of admission. This is gret for the whole family. Delivery was on time. No complaints! Thanks Amazon for making this available to my generation again. I should think kids of today would enjoy the old series, like we did as kids; that is when they are not too busy being blown away by the 2004 remake of Astro. (chuckling) 』 『ASTRO BOY, the series that launched the anime phenomenon, returns to the US for the first time on DVD in a stunning new collection! The very first anime ever produced, Osamu Tezuka's (KIMBA, THE WHITE LION / HI NO TORI / METROPOLIS) original 1963 - 1964 ASTRO BOY delighted children around the world with its touching stories and compelling characters. In the U.S., many will remember this popular children's series which aired on TV during the 1960s. Now, this groundbreaking series returns for the first time ever in a stunning new collector's edition that includes the first 52 episodes of the original black and white series as seen in the US, restored to pristine detail, and featuring never-before-seen footage and brand new exciting extras. The original boy-robot with 100,000 horsepower strength and courage! In the year 2000, Dr. Boyton creates a super-robot in his deceased son's image. He calls the robot Astro Boy. Astro Boy can swim oceans, leap over mountains, even fly into space on his own power. However, Astro Boy can't replace his son; Dr. Boyton becomes dissatisfied with the boy robot and disowns him. Astro Boy is befriended by Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun of the Institute of Science, who guides him through his adventures. Endowed with super strength, rocket-powered flight, a selfless heart and a kind demeanor, Astro Boy fights a never-ending crusade against the forces of evil! The special Ultra Collector's Edition DVD Set 1 features the first 52 episodes of this great series, an entire DVD full of extra bonus material, including: Part 1 of an interview with series producer Fred Ladd, Original Japanese Episode #1 (with English subtitles), Original Character Art Gallery, Merchandise Gallery, and a Collector's Booklet featuring: "The History of Astro Boy", an "Osamu Tezuka Biography", and much more!』 『Astro Boywas not the first Japanese animated series, as some fans have claimed, but it was the first with an ongoing storyline--and the first to air in the U.S. Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989) began Tetsuwan Atom (literally "Iron-arm Atom") as a manga in 1952, then adapted it to a TV series that debuted in January 1963. NBC Films bought the rights to about half of the 193 episodes and edited them for American viewers.Astro Boypremiered in the U.S. in September 1963, and ran on local stations through 1972. The story is well-known to anime fans: After the death of his son Astor (Tobio in Japanese), Dr. Boyton (Dr. Tenma) builds a 100,000-horsepower super-robot to replace him. But a robot can never grow and truly replace Astor, so the scientist sells him to a cruel circus owner. Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun (Dr. Ochanomizu) rescues Astro and helps him become a fighter against crime and injustice.
The original English-language masters were destroyed in 1975, when Tezuka's Mushi Productions went bankrupt. For the Ultra Collector's Edition, Right Stuf tracked down the best surviving voice elements and combined them with video from the original Japanese negatives. Not surprisingly, the sound quality varies on the discs, but barring the discovery of additional material in some forgotten vault, this is the closest to a definitiveAstro BoyEnglish speakers will see. Tezuka wrote some of the scripts and co-directed the 1980 remake (Astro Boy Collection Box Set); the 2003 incarnation combined drawn and CG animation (Astro Boy: The Complete Series). But the stiff, black-and-white original remains the truest version of Tezuka's watershed creation. Extras include: the first part of an interview with producer Fred Ladd; two episodes in Japanese with subtitles; small galleries of character art and merchandise; "The History of Astro Boy" in booklet form; and a biography of Tezuka. (Unrated, suitable for ages 7 and older: violence, alcohol use)--Charles Solomon』
price：$14.99
Well Go USA
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Digimon data squad) 『Hi, I really like Digimon a whole lot I do hope that they will come out with some new Digimon on DVD real soon and some new Digimon shows soon as well that would be great as well.
Candy』
(Good Release..but where's the rest??) 『Data Squad is a definite departure from prior seasons of Digimon: Digimon Limited Edition Collectors Box Set: The Complete 4th Season
Digimon Limited Edition Collectors Box Set: The Complete 3rd Season (Digimon Tamers)
Digimon Limited Edition Collectors Box Set: The Complete First Season
, which is a good thing. The story features a great ensemble of voice actors (besides the VA who does Kenan..but to be fair...there wasn't much range to work with). Digimon isn't usually known for a strong background score, but this season the production company chose to change that by offering a blend of strong rock/keyboard blend that really works in the tense battles situations. The set itself is designed fairly well and as for the content...while I personally don't prefer Widescreen, it's bearable. Hopefully us Digimon fans won't get the Fox Home video shaft as in the company only releases 13 episodes and then abandons all plans for future volumes.』
(On DVD Finally!) 『I'm glad to see Digimon Data Squad finally gets a dvd release... This is the first Digimon Series to be released on dvd... It's a shame that Digimon Season 1 to 4 never got a dvd release... I'm hoping that sales for Digimon Data Squad do well...
Digimon Data Squad is a excellent series next to Digimon Season 1 and 2... The company that did the dubbing had an excellent cast of well known voice actors and actresses such as Chrispen Freeman... Kids and die hard Digimon fans should enjoy the series... I hope that the Collection 2 DVD comes out soon...』
(Finally a new Digimon Collection) 『I'm very excited about this new Digimon Data Squad DVD set. There has not been a new Digimon DVD in several years and this series was my favorite. The action, story lines and characters in Data Squad are easily the best out of all the Digimon sagas. I tivo the episodes from TV when possible but have always wanted the series from start to finish. Bring on Collection Two..』
(Surprise, surprise! A really strong 5th series) 『I am a huge Digimon fan who grew up with the series and was pleased to watch the series grow up just as fast as I did. It started off as being for children and tweens, but I feel like this season is also really intriguing for teens and young adults who were fans of seasons 1 and 2. Not only is Agumon back (and don't worry, his new voice will become tolerable) but I find this season as being far more dramatic and character-driven than say series 4, which seemed more like a Power Rangers/Digimon crossover gimmick. This is like watching Digimon in a teen drama setting (think 90210ish--I know its a stretch). It deals with much more intense themes like losing a parent, papparazzi intrusion, untrustworthy friends, and others. Granted, the episodes are grossly translated from the Japanese version (even changing Bombernanimon to Citramon - a giant orange), but overall I would say that this season was far better than seasons 3 or 4 and a must-have for any Digimon fan. I, personally, am super-jazzed its coming out on DVD and hopefully if this sells well, more Digimon seasons will be released.(:』 『This first ever Digimon Data Squad Collection One set contains 13 full episodes from the newest Digimon series. Follow the adventures of Marcus, a cool junior high school student, and his favorite Digimon Agumon as they investigate their way through the Digital World battling Digital Monsters in exciting and different situations. Marcus best friends Thomas and Yoshino with their Digimon partners Gaomon and Lalamon join in the adventures and help challenge and battle strong opponents along the way. Experience the final Digimon series like never before.
EPISODES INCLUDE There are Monsters Among Us Marcus' Inner Strenght The Return of Thomas The New Team of Marcus and Thomas Digital World, Here We Come The Ultimate Team No More A Birthday Kristy Will Never Forget The Singer's Secret Never Meet Your Heroes Curse This Curse-Marcus' Bad Day The Vile Of Vilemon The Digi-egg That Fell To Earth The Rise of Greymon』
price：$9.99
Adv Films
Usually ships in 7 to 11 days Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Loved it!) 『One of the best anime production I have seen since Nadesico and the remake of Evangelion. Has the politicial drama storyline of Gundam Wing with the comedy romance of Love Hina. They really though this one through. Epic storyline from the begining to the end. The teaser at the end is a little big of a let down. I won't spoil it for you just wish something better (Hint: kiss) happened.』
(A great Action/Comedy Series) 『The Show: "Full Metal Panic" has long been one of my favorite anime series. It has fun characters, and a good, intriguing storyline. I also find the alternate-history-with-giant-robots setting to be an intriguing one. Between the action and the often-hilarious comedy, it is a very rewatchable series. It was therefore with great satisfaction that I finally decided to purchase this box set.
The Box Set: I'd say it's a pretty good deal at this price, overall. There's not much in the way of DVD extras, but the important thing is that all the episodes are here, dubbed and subtitled with good image and sound quality. This was a good purchase.』
(good blend of action and comedy) 『though more of a fan of school comedies, the action in this series is really well done and engaging. the plot may jump around a bit when concentrating on souske's military missions but the comedy is top notch, and there is definite progression in character development. very enjoyable series that perfectly sets up the following comedy oriented second season.』
(Full Metal Panic! One Of The Best Animes!) 『I was deciding whether to buy Full Metal Panic! It took me a day to decide if i want to buy the anime and i'm glad i did. This is one of the best animes i have ever seen!
Introduction to FMP On the surface, Kaname Chidori appears to be a normal high school student, Unbeknownst to her however, a group of terrorists believe she posseses the special powers of "The Whispered," and they're out to kidnap her. Enter Sousuke Sagara, a young hotshot agent from the anti-terrorist organization Mithril, assigned to protect Kaname without her finding out what's happening. Will he be able to keep her from falling into the cluthes of evil, or will he just drive her crazy as he tries to fit in as her awkward, gung-ho, war-crazed classmate?
Sum Of The Story (No Spoilers and in my words) Full Metal Panic! is in the lines like Ranma 1/2, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Sousuke, a military officer is sent to protect a high school girl name Kaname. The reason Kaname needs to be protect is because Mithril (The anti-terrorist organization) believes that Kaname is capeable of ending the terrorist war and also believes that she is "The Whispered". "The Whispered" has mental powers and if capture by the terrorist, Mithril mission will fail. Mithril is more advanced than any other military. In other words, Mithril is 10 years more advanced than Japan current tech. Easy? Not for Sousuke! Sousuke serves as a bodyguard for Kaname but, Kaname doesn't know that she has a bodyguard. Sousuke is your typical military guy while Kaname is popluar, and loud. The two doesn't go quite together, so expect one hell of a ride!
The setting takes place in Japan around the future. The graphics are really good and the action is really good. There is alot of action and alot of emotional moments. The anime is balance, Like action, comedy, emotional, action, While maintaining the plot. The music is good and sets the mood in certain situtions, Don't get me wrong, The soundtrack for FMP! is really good! The opening and ending songs stay true to the anime. There are brief nudity scenes, so i reccommend the age for 16+. Their is kinda a strong language in the anime, so if you are not a big fan of people cursing, then you should consister if you still want to buy it. If you don't care about the cursing, brief nudity scenes and want to buy the anime, I'm not stopping you.
The boxset is big. The box is design like the outside of a machine (which is really cool!) The boxset can fit anywhere, but be expected to move things if it can't fit the way you want it. It comes with 7 Dvds with extras. Now for the episodes, there are a total of 24. The extras are Clean Opening, Clean Ending, Production Sketches, Privacy Warning, ADV Previews. It the same thing for each disc, but the previews are different.
Since Full Metal Panic! was one of the North America best seller, There is actually three seasons. First is the Full Metal Panic!, Next is Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu, and the last is Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid. The second and third season already came out, but the third season is made by Funanimation Productions. So expect the third season to be really good! When i finished FMP, I felt like i just finished an anime that i can watch over and over again. I had the same feeling when i watch Gunslinger Girl (which i watch a total of 6 times). Buy FMP! You will not regret buying the anime!
』
(FMP) 『Excellent Series. I must have watched this collection 8 times already since I received it.』 『Collection of Mission:01-07』 『In this winning comedy-adventure, writer Shouji Gatou and director Koichi Chigira combine mecha battles, psychic abilities, and teen-age romance, infusing the mixture with a rambunctious comic energy reminiscent ofGenerator Gawl. High school student Kaname Chidori may be a "Whispered," an individual who possesses vast, untapped mental powers. The KGB and other sinister organizations want to capture individuals with those powers, so the anti-terrorist mercenary corps Mithril dispatches a mismatched trio of officers to protect Kaname: Melissa Mao, Sousuke Sagara, and Kurz Weber. Sousuke tries to blend in at Jindai High, but his military bearing, hair-trigger reflexes, and literal-mindedness get him into trouble with the teachers and Kaname. At a time when many anime series feel like variations onEvangelionand a few other prototypes,Full Metal Panicoffers an upbeat, appealing originality. This set contains the entire seven volume series. (Unrated: Suitable for ages 14 and older: violence, brief nudity, alcohol use, risqué humor)--Charles Solomon』
price：$3.98
VIZ VIDEO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Pokemon never get old) 『This is the second of two volumes and pretty cool episodes the speed I got the DVD was faster then said on the website :)』 『Ash, Pikachu and their Pokémon friends give their all as they battle their way across the Battle Frontier! Will Ash win the ultimate prize and become a Frontier Brain? May has her own challenges to overcome when she goes up against her most determined rivals in the Grand Festival. But Ash and May's toughest battle of all may be--against each other?!』 『The more entertaining second half of theBattle Frontierstoryline focuses less exclusively on Ash and includes more adventures for May, Max and even Brock. May competes for the Ribbon Cup, the ultimate award in Pokémon Contests, a combination of battle moves and performance routines, but places second. Ash wins the remaining Frontier "symbols" (rather than badges), and eventually takes on Brandon, the reigning champion. But his eventual victory in the Battle Pyramid is the toughest of his career. The elaborate special effects in several episodes give them the feel of mini-features. In the two-part "Deoxys' Crisis," Max and Meowth enter the consciousness and memories of a Pokémon from outer space. "Battling the Enemy Within" boasts a number of Spielberg-esque touches as the gang wanders through the booby-trapped ruins of a vast complex built by the last king of Pokélantis. Ash learns an important lesson about the importance of friendship and the dangers of overweening ambition. These dramatic moments are balanced with the slapstick villainy of Team Rocket's efforts to steal Pikachu and other Pokémon to win their boss's favor. The series ends on a more somber note as the members of the quartet split up and head for their respective homes. A second pal--the rather obnoxious Aipom--joins Ash and Pikachu as they set out for the Sinnoh region with its promise of new battles and new Pokémon:those adventures are chronicled in theDiamond and Pearlstory arc. (Rated A, suitable for All Ages: minor cartoon violence.)--Charles Solomon
(25. Second Time's The Charm! 26. Pokemon Ranger! Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 1), 27. Pokemon Ranger! Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 2), 28. All That Glitters Is Not Golden! 29. New Plot--Odd Lot! 30. Going for Choke! 31. The Ole' Berate And Switch, 32. Grading Spaces, 33. Battling the Enemy Within, 34. Slaking Kong, 35. May, We Harley Drew'd Ya! 36. Thinning the Hoard! 37. Channeling the Battle Zone! 38. Aipom and Circumstance! 39. Strategy Tomorrow--Comedy Tonight! 40. Duels of the Jungle! 41. Overjoyed! 42. The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing, 43. Pinch Healing! 44. Gathering The Gang Of Four, 45. Pace--The Final Frontier! 46. Once More With Reeling, 47. Home Is Where The Start Is) =』
price：$4.00
Tokyo Shock
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great deal on the second half of Zatoichi season 1.) 『You'll save money purchasing this set vs. buying the DVDs individually. If you're a fan of samurai films, Lone Wolf&Cub, or the Zatoichi films then you'll love Zatoichi the TV series. The production isn't quite as good as the films, but it's good enough. The incredible stories and sword fighting is what will keep you glued to your seat. The original actor from the films reprises his role here and is excellent.
I highly recommend this set, as well as set one. And if you haven't seen the films, definitely go check those out as well. Zatoichi is a masterpiece in storytelling.』
(Season One, collection two, episodes 14-26) 『As stated in the title, Zatoichi Collection II contains Episodes 14-26 of the First Season.
Whether you are a die-hard Zatoichi fan, or a casual viewer looking for something different, the Zatoichi Collections are great place to begin (Or end, if you've already seen all 26 of Katsushin's movies. If you haven't, well...what are you waiting for?!?)
Each of the 13 episodes (14-26) averages *about* 50 minutes. If you find yourself questioning "how many scumbags can our hero possibly dispatch in only 50 minutes?", well, the answer is "as many as he wants".
Each episode is a mini-movie, with all the action, humor, drama and tragedy of a full-length movie packed into 50 minutes. I've seen all 26 episodes of the 1st Season, and I enjoyed every single minute of my time spent with Shintaro Katsu as the immortal-beloved, Zatoichi.
Fans of Zatoichi will notice repeat plot-lines, gags, and similar stunts during certain action sequences, but don't even think of letting that dissuade you from purchasing these treasures. The true beauty of Zatoichi is that it's star, the very soul of the show, Shintaro Katsu, could make a humorless joke funny, or a cliche' pratfall look new, interesting, and even dangerous. He could make eating a steaming bowl of rice look so delicious, that I just had to stop and cook myself some right then and there, while Ichi-san waited on pause in the living-room.
Now, writing a review of each episode is a lot of work, and I'm far too lazy to even consider doing that, so just take my word when I say that even a *not so good* episode of Zatoichi, is still twice as good as almost anything out there. In my book, there are a few *not so good* episodes, while the rest (and there are 100 episodes in all) fall into the *Oh my god, that was awesome!* category.
In closing, I'll just say if you don't already own Zatoichi Collection I, go buy it right now. If you already own it and are reading this review of Collection II, you can stop reading now and go buy it; I won't be offended you didn't finish reading this, I promise.』
(Repackaged) 『Read my review of collection one (1). This is not Season Two of the TV Series. It is Season One repackaged to look like a new season. Rally PO,d』 『A threat is uttered, a blade is drawn, a flash of cold steel and then...a dozen attackers now lie silent, dispatched by the lightning sword of Zatoichi. A humble masseur and gambler, Zatoichi wanders the countryside of Japan, going from town to town plying his trade and rolling the dice. With kind heart and lethal sword skills, he is protector of the innocent and the ruin of wicked men. A pop culture icon since his screen debut in 1962, Zatoichi (played by Shintaro Katsu) was a matinee favorite throughout the 1960s. After a dozen years and 25 films, the blind swordsman transitioned to the small screen in 1974 in the series, Zatoichi Monogatari. Episodes 14-26 have been compiled in this three-volume, six-disc set.』
price：$4.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review ("Love At First Bite") 『-Box Artwork- The box is slim and thin. Can be easily disformed if improperly stored.
-CD Cases- Contains only two very slim cases with two characters on the backside. The frontside features the phases (aka series) that are grouped by episodes. Opening these contain two disc with picture artwork inside the disc.
-Extra Features- Comes with advertisement of upcoming titles and a postcard to fill out to Funanimation. There are no special features on the disc except the 4th disc which are textless endings and openings, however it doesn't contain all the endings/openings. Boo.
-Languages- Contains both English and Japanese versions along with the option of subtitles.
---Music--- The music fits the scenes and mood of the show. There's a very nice soft-spoken song at the end credits that I would recommend listening to.
-Plot- A supernatural photographer comes across a mansion in which he sees a mysterious girl ontop of the roof. Her name is Hazuki and she has been imprisoned in the castle for many years, waiting for the day that her freedom would come. Now that "he's" here she'll be set free from the castle. But this seemingly 'innocent'-like girl has an spoiled attitude of her own and is determined that he will become her servant, whether he wants to or not. However, the Master and his servants are searching for Hazuki, to bring her back to the castle and convert her back to her 'proper' form permanently.
Good: -Humor, laughs, and frying pans? -Artwork is gorgeous and interesting at times -Vampire girl dresses as a cute kitty? -Fights are interesting/cool. The Count's ability to "change" from bending light is a interesting battle to see.
Bad: -May be turned off that the main character age difference. -Hazuki can appear to be 'seductive' at times. Again, may be turned off by this. -We never get to see the "Master" in this series. Maybe he'll be in the future? -Hazuki's voice is annoying in the dub. -*Spoiler* is Elfried's relative?!
A cute,eye-candy rewarding series to watch. Like vampire stories but don't like the intense overly-dark plots? (Vampire Hunter D, Hellsing? then moonphase is for you. Although moonphase does has humor it never looses sight of it's true objective and can be serious at times. A definite and recommended buy with a love factor thrown in the mist. 』
(Anime "Moonphase" box set.) 『Excellent blend of suspense with a lot of humor. Not one boring, or filler, episode! Great storyline and a hilarious last episode to wrap up the show!! Ann Z.』
(Dismiss the cover art, this collection is good.) 『The description's plot is a tad inaccurate, as the story revolves around Luna and "The Master" (not seen in the episodes*).
Hazuki, aka Luna (only when wearing the pendant on a full moon), is trapped in a castle. Kouhei is enlisted to help Hazuki break free of the castle's barrier, and "adopts" Hazuki into his family.
There are actually two stories within this series: Hazuki adapting to a world where people care about here after being left alone and "The Master"'s attempts at restoring Luna. The two stories intertwine nicely and the overall plot is well written.
Hazuki's character can be a bit annoying at times (especially whining about Kouhei being her slave). Monica Rial, who voiced Hazuki, does a good job but at the cost of a high-pitched whining little vampire. I wish she would have used Luna's voice instead, but such is life.
The additional characters, such as Grandfather, are a welcome addition to the story and actually offer substantial meaning to the plot. There are times when the show seems a bit dark, but is quickly brought back with the family style bickering between Kouhei and Kazuki.
It won't take long to feel for Kazuki despite her difficult transition into the real world, especially near the end of the series (no spoilers, sorry). In short, take advantage of the low cost of this collection and enjoy it.
This collection is tastefully done. While there are a few bathtub scenes, nudity isn't present, nor does it contain over-the-top sexual innuendos. However, some elements of darkness may not make this series suitable for those under the age of 13.
*Since we don't see "The Master" in this series, I would certainly hope a sequel is coming. I would love to see one.』 『The complete Gothic vampire series for a great low price!
Starring the cutest little bloodsucker you will ever set eyes upon, MoonPhase is a lighthearted yet deceptively entertaining tale. With a lineup of characters at once silly and endearing, this spunky series takes tongue-in-cheek comedy to a whole new level… Pointless frills and all!
While Kouhei ranks among the best in paranormal photography, he’s never actually seen a ghost. So when he fails to capture a hauntingly beautiful young girl on camera, curiosity drives him into the arms of a vampire and a world he cannot comprehend. Hazuki, having waited years for someone to finally set her free, proves unwilling to part with her unwitting hero and follows him home, promptly adopting his life as her own. And as the petite fanged wreaks her own flavor of havoc, mysterious forces conspire to reclaim what was lost. The truth could be one that none dare to face.
A story of forces both light and dark, of family curses and bonds stronger than blood. Some riddles are best left unsolved…
price：$5.00
Shout Factory Theatr
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Not a very good product) 『This DVD set includes exactly what is described, but there are some issues that make me very dissatisfied with the set overall. First of all, the artwork on the box's cover is from the wrong season. They have Metabee from season 3 on the cover, which goes to show that whoever designed the package wasn't familiar with the series. The DVD menu also includes art and character images that don't appear until the 3rd season. This is very strange and completely out of place. Most fans really don't like anything past the second season.
The video quality is fine. The audio is dub only. Would it have killed them to include the Japanese version? I guess that means that this set is edited or censored.
The final problem with this set is that it has been around for a little over 2 years and there's still no word of a physical copy of season 2. There's some video on demand, but anybody who wishes to have the series in a physical format is SOL. Don't buy this set if you're a completionist. Don't buy this set at all, it's a terrible product.
Honestly, if you want the whole series in a physical format, you'd be better off ordering the 13 individual volumes by ADV. They're a much better product than this.』
(saturday morning cartoons) 『if you are a fan of beyblade, yu gi oh, or any of the saturday morning cartoons this is a must watch! quality is excellent! and when you are done watching you will be wanting more!』
(Very good series!) 『An amazing anime that often gets short-changed. Almost no-one has herd of it, but I loved every minute of it. The first season is one of great (although the second season is my favorite!) This show has a nice balance between comedy and action, which many shows have trouble nailing. This collection is missing one episode of the first season, but that is available if you truly need to have every one. Its a great gift for any kid if you give it a chance, and while it dose not contain the Japanese audio- it is not a big deal as this is one of the most accurately translated dubs I have ever seen. The show did not do well when aired because it was put out at the same time a pokemon, but when I saw the show- It had a lot more depth of character then the often shallow episodes of pokemon and while I gave up on pokemon a while a go- this still has a nostalgia factor even enticing to an adult. If you give it a chance- it may not be your favorite show as it was mine, but it is definitely worth the price for the classic episodes of this hard to find anime. You will be hard pressed to find a more interesting character then Metabee in a children's cartoon.』 『Set in the near future, Medabots revolves around the supercharged battling adventures of a group of kids and their pet robots. Fueled with artificial intelligence and a specialized arsenal of high powered weapons, Medabots compete against each other in exciting Robattles, with the winners acquiring Medaparts from the defeated Medabot. With over 370 unique robots ready to Robattle, Medabots is filled with explosive adventures in a world where kids have the ultimate power. But more than anything else, these challenges are about courage and mind power, where the soul of the Medafighter and Medabot combine to emerge victorious. Are you ready to Robattle?』
price：$4.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Patrolling the Mean Streets of Judoh in Style) 『Heat Guy J is one of those properties I've encountered in my travels but always seemed to disregard in favor of titles that were hotter, cheaper, or just better promoted. The idea of a law enforcing android sounded interesting enough to this self-proclaimed mecha fan boy, but until now the show has managed to fly below my proverbial radar. Let me just say that after completing the show tonight, I shouldn't have waited so long to get involved! But before I get ahead of myself, let's take a look at the cold hard facts, shall we?
Heat Guy J The Complete Series comes in at a runtime of 650 minutes and contains 26 episodes spanning four discs. The DVDs come packaged in a pair of thin packs within a simple but effectively decorated cardboard outer slipcase.
The show wears an appropriate TV 14 rating due to some slightly adult slanted themes of violence, criminal activity and just general conflict. There is no nudity or rough language to worry about.
Speaking of, language options are typical sub and dub, which means the viewer has the choice of running either the original Japanese dialog track or an English dub (either of which are in stereo) and the option of displaying English subtitles beneath either dialog choice.
Extras include an interview with the show's creator and a crop of upcoming Funimation anime previews.
The story, which is nice and gritty in its presentation, goes like this: The unlikely duo of young loose cannon cop Daisuke "Dice" and steam powered android J are the (fictional) city of Judoh's last line of defense against a whole host of criminal bad guys which include feuding mobs, illegal immigrants, and androids sent in from other districts.
The plot structure of each show is a bit formulaic but this isn't to be mistaken for simplicity. In truth there is an undeniable "cool factor" associated with the title character even if you aren't impressed with his gray-hair, pony-tailed persona upon first glance. To begin with the art work/ animation segments designed to show the world through J's eyes is very good stuff. His calm and business-like demeanor is offset by swiftness and precision once the scene turns ugly (and it will, take my word for it). In all the dynamic between the two lead characters works really well and lends some genuine humor to the formula. Dice is kind of reminiscent of a cross between Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers and Crockett (Don Johnson) on Miami Vice while J is equal parts Robocop and Steven Seagal.
Sure the story arcs are merely glorified retellings of the "two underdogs against the entire criminal underworld" scenario, the show's production team wisely created an antagonist interesting (and challenging) enough to make for some really slick episodes. The bad guys in Judoh are mob families, the likes of which could almost work in a show like The Sopranos. I say "almost" because a perfect fit would demand more violence and cussing than you're going to find here but the politics, motivations, and friction between gangsters is both well developed and intriguing.
Pacing is nice and fast with very few episodes (even in the middle) that find themselves bogged down with unimportant details or story thread tangents. Rare but certainly welcomed for a 26-episode run.
The artwork is gritty and moody just like a criminally infested city should be. Nobuteru Yuuki's character designs are both simplistic and alarmingly complex through their mannerisms and fluid animation. A few of the CG elements don't mesh quite as well as they could have with the dark background work but in all the art is easily on par with the remaining production value (which is to say well done).
Voice work, as has been the case with Funimation's sets of late, is equally powerful in either language option. The Japanese track offers a bit more emotion but the English harkens to many personas (bad guys especially) right out of American pop-culture. Truly one of few properties that can be called equally enjoyable in either language (which of course is the polite way of suggesting you watch it in both).
Conclusion: Slickly developed lead characters, plots involving believably criminal minds, intense action sequences and spectacular voice acting all add to a highly recommended package. Crisp visuals, tight production, and dark gritty environments are the icing on the cake.』 『Super criminals and mafia families have become more powerful than any police force in the oceanic city-nation of Judoh. That’s why the government built Android J, a cybernetic crime-fighting machine destined to rid Judoh of the criminal element. Together with his partner, Daisuke Aurora, the most dangerous criminals will soon find themselves on the run. The mob won’t take this sitting down, though, and as the criminals toughen up and the stakes keep rising, J finds himself matched in more than one battle.』
price：$5.99
Funimation Prod
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (An enjoyable baseball-driven animated series. The second part features more on baseball (almost entirely on one game)...) 『In Japan, sports-based anime have been quite popular. From series such as the basketball anime "Slam Dunk", soccer anime such as "Captain Tsubasa", football anime such as "Eyeshield 21 and tennis anime "Prince of Tennis", comes an anime baseball series that is just fun and enjoyable.
In Japan, baseball is a big part of Japanese culture. Aside from soccer and sumo wrestling, Japanese baseball has been covered in manga and anime series such as the popular series "Touch" as well as"H2, "Princess Nine" and "Idol Ace", to name a few.
In 2003, Asa Higuchi began a manga series which is serialized in the monthly seinen magazine "Afternoon" since 2003. The series has won an award such as the "Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize" and the "Kodansha Manga Award" and eventually was made into a 26-episode anime series in 2007.
Animation was done by A-1 Pictures (A studio from the Sony's anime production division, Aniplex) and shown on TBS and Animax Asia. What many people don't know is that Higuchi has researched and collected data on Japanese high school baseball for ten years before she started on the manga series.
With the first 13 episodes released in August, the second and final part of "Big Windup!" (also known as "Okiku Furikabutte" aka Ofuri) will be released in the US courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment.
The series is directed by Tsutomu Mizushima ("xxxHolic", "Genshiken" and "Kujibiki Unbalance), written by Yousuke Kuroda ("Gungrave", "Infinite Ryvius", "Mobile Suit Gundam 00, etc.), character designs by Takahiko Yoshida (who has worked on "Honey and Clover", "Gad Guard" and "Welcome to the NHK") and music by Shiroh Hamaguchi ("Ah! My Goddess", "One Piece", "Sakura Wars" and "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children").
The animated series initially revolves around a boy named Ren Mihashi. Mihashi is a pitcher who has low-self esteem and lack of confidence courtesy of his former junior high school who criticized him because he was made starting pitcher of his junior high school team because his grandfather owned the school. Because of that, he underwent some major bullying from his baseball team, to the point that everyone expects the worst out of him and expect him to lose each game. In fact, Mihashi buys into all the negativity they give him and he blames himself for his teams losses and ruining his schoolmate's love for the game, thus Mihashi's self-confidence is totally shot. So, bad that he's always cringing in fear, always thinking that others are thinking negative of him and that he will ruin things for everyone.
Mihashi decides to go to Nishiura High School and ends up being coached by Coach Momoe for Nishiura High School's first baseball team. In the first part of the series, Mihashi learns that by listening to catcher Takaya Abe, he can be a successful pitcher. Abe knows that Mihashi has true pitching talent but he needs direction which he is willing to give. But he and his other teammates know that it is important to get Mihashi's self-esteem up and thus, the team goes through intensive training and even going against Mihashi's old high school to get the team's spirits up.
For the second half of the series, Nishiura High School enters its first summer tournament. But unfortunately for them, for the lottery, they end up picking last year's champions, Tosei High School.
The DVD set features a total of 13 episodes on two DVD's:
DISC 1:
* EPISODE 14 - Challenge * EPISODE 15 - The First Run of the Game * EPISODE 16 - Don't Underestimate * EPISODE 17 - The Third Runner * EPISODE 18 - Another Score * EPISODE 19 - Tosei's Real Power * EPISODE 20 - Turning the Tables
DISC 2:
* EPISODE 21 - One More Run * EPISODE 22 - Defense! * EPISODE 23 - Precisely * EPISODE 24 - The End of the Game * EPISODE 25 - After One Win * EPISODE 26 - The Basics of Basics
Where the last volume of "Big Windup! -Oofuri-" focused on Mihashi and the team development and dynamics, the second volume and the final half of the series focuses on the first round of the summer tournament between Nishiura High and Tosei High.
VIDEO&AUDIO:
"Big Windup!" is presented in 16:9 and sports a lot of painted backgrounds with its baseball field surroundings, neighborhoods but for a TV series, sports quite a bit of detail for its players and their baseball equipment. May it be the dust on the baseball, their gloves or the catcher's shin guards. Each character has their own personal traits and for the most part, animators captured the wide range of emotions of each character quite well. For the most part, there is a country like feel to "Big Windup!" but for the most part, a television series that does look quite nice! Bare in mind, this is not a OVA or film, so for a TV series to a good amount of detail is a major plus.
The series does sport a soft kind of look. The colors are not as eye-popping vibrant as I would have liked but actually is quite consistent with many other television animated series.
As for the audio, the English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound is actually more livelier compared to its Japanese vocal counterpart (featured in stereo). The soundtrack of course is more dialogue-driven, so expect to hear more use of the front and center channel speakers. But for optimal sound on both soundtracks, for those with a receiver that is able to make all channels stereo, I found this setting to be the best. And both English and Japanese vocal tracks are quite solid.
In terms of dialogue, there is quite a difference in terms of language used. The English dub does use certain words that some may consider profanity but for the most part, the series is not vulgar, nor is there really anything violent. It's just certain words used in the English dialogue that gives the series its TV 14 rating.
Subtitles are only in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
On the second DVD, you can find the textless opening and ending theme plus FUNimation Entertainment trailers.
JUDGMENT CALL:
"Big Windup!" is an enjoyable baseball anime series!
In a way it kind of reminds me of the classic American baseball film "The Bad News Bears" in which a team of baseball players that were no good, overcame adversity and through teamwork, became an awesome team. In "Big Windup!", it's almost a similar situation which the team has its share of talented players and not-so-talented players but compared in size to the other competition, Nishiura High baseball players are much shorter nor are they physically as strong as compared to the senior baseball players of other high schools, nor do they have a top notch training facility as other high schools and last, this is the high school's first year as a baseball team.
But the strength of the team relies on defense and pitching, with Mihashi having pinpoint accuracy when it comes to pitching, it all comes down to Takaya Abe, the catcher to direct him. At first, Mihashi does get a bit too much (or very annoying) for the viewer as he is always afraid, whining, crying and quite literally is acting like a baby but when the team dynamics start to come to play, this becomes less noticeable and the series becomes more enjoyable.
I will say that the first part of "Big Windup! -Oofuri-" is more viewer-friendly for those not familiar with baseball. This second part is now more baseball-driven as the majority of the episodes revolve around the whole nine innings between Nishiura High School and Tosei High School and the strategies involved by the two opposing coaches, making their calls and the players adapting.
Most sports series do not focus on this many episodes on one matchup but "Big Windup! -Oofuri" does. As a baseball fan, I enjoyed it. And as a fan of Japanese baseball, I enjoyed it even more, especially how it captures the cheering squad as you hear the theme songs of Pink Lady's "Southpaw" and other themes being played by the trumpet player and drummer. Personally, I enjoyed the strategy that was featured in this anime series, I don't think I have seen any sport anime series show the realistic nature in such detail as this anime series. Needless to say that Asa Higuchi's research paid off.
But I have to admit, with so many episodes dedicated to the matchup, I was starting to lose my patience because I knew there were only 26 episodes in this series and I was hoping to see more episodes that were not related to the tournament.
But suffice to say, for those who are casual sports fans or a non-sports fan, this second part may not be your cup of tea. In fact, only the last two episodes are not involved with the first round tournament. Episode 25 going into the day after and episode 26 focusing on players of Musashino Dai (Ichi High School). Which was surprising because there was no real conclusion to the series and made me wonder if there were plans like other sports-related anime in having this series going longer than 26-episodes.
But overall, I really enjoyed "Big Windup!" and finding myself wanting to watch even more after it ended. This is truly a series about underdogs who have a lot to offer but must go through sacrifice and working as a team in order to become successful. And for the most part, the series balances out the baseball aspect but also the series crazy antics and the humor of each character. It's basically a fun series to watch and enjoy.
"Big Windup!" doesn't take long to get into the action and unlike "Slam Dunk" or "Prince of Tennis", this is not an anime series that really goes into the dramatics of relationships or love triangles or anything like that. Nor is it a series that tries to promote its characters as cool and visually appealing for female fans. It's pretty much an anime series of a group of young teens who want to be a very good baseball team but knowing they have to do many things in order to become successful. And as a viewer, you end up rooting for the underdogs (which of course is Nishiura High School) and hope they can beat their opponents.
If you are a person who enjoys sports-related anime series especially baseball, "Big Windup!" is absolutely fun and entertaining.』
(Should be called "The Big Letdown Part 2") 『Was this Part 2 horrible? No, but it was a Big Letdown. First off let me say that I loved the first collection (ep1-13) and gave it 4 stars. It was entertaining fun seeing Mihashi(Ren) grow and become friends with all the guys and it encompassed more than just the game of baseball. This second boxset basically was just baseball. No school, no home, no hangin out like the first set; no just baseball. 11 episodes in a row of the same game which was hard to watch. Whereas the game in the first box set was fast moving with meaningful inner dialogue and strategy, this 11 episode game was drawn out and had way too much of the opposing teams perspective. At one point I thought who am I supposed to root for? Also Mihashi's cousin arrives who was cool but was pretty much squandered by pretty much sitting in the stands. I would have liked to have seen her and Mihashi together more but her character was sadly wasted. The next episode was pretty much a filler episode but I was happy to see Tajima back to his likable self as he is by far one of the coolest anime characters EVER! The saddest thing was the last episode didnt even have anything to do with Mihashi and the boys. I was hoping for at least a narrated diary episode of the remaining tournament so we could see how far the guys got but no, just a bonus episode of another team we dont care about. Why they ended the series this way I don't know. My wife liked both box sets so I guess take this review with a grain of salt. Just know, this set is not even close to the first. Whereas the first set was a great watch with cool characters that grew and were entertaining with situations that were fun, this set is just 1 boring drawn out baseball game and then no real ending.』
(Big Windup!'s Conclusion Arrives) 『Much to the dismay of many critics, I likened The Big Windup to one of the better Shonen (fighting-based) anime series out there only rather than an ongoing tournament, the sport of baseball acts as the catalyst to tie together all of the teenage (and older) characters.
I'm sticking by that claim because quite frankly, the show retains all of the best aspects of a shonen piece with a healthy dose of believability.
Previously released only as an online video-stream, Big Windup! was a Geneon property picked up by Funimation that's finally come to dvd format for those of us who prefer to enjoy our anime on the 42 inch plasma with surround sound (rather than in our media players through two tinny speakers that came with the computer monitor).
Coming at a total runtime of 315 minutes, Big Windup! Part 2 (Oofuri) consists of episodes 14-26 spread across 2 discs packaged within a standard-size dvd case. The show wears an appropriate, if not slightly conservative TV 14 rating (no violence, nudity or foul language).
Extras are limited here to textless songs and a nice assortment of Funimation trailers on the second disc.
As is standard fair with sub&dub anime, the language options consist of the original Japanese dialog track (in stereo) and an English language dub presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround with the option of English subtitles available under either choice.
The story picks up with young student Ren Mihashi's baseball endeavors coupled to his life as a regular high school student.
Whereas the first edition established Ren's desire to play ball even if bot hhe and his team's skill left a bit to be desired, this installment starts out right at the end of spring training. Mihashi has discovered some newfound confidence thanks to beating his old school in the big game (again in the first release). With Abe calling the pitches, the once insecure Ren has a few tricks up his sleeve. However, the big summer tournament is just beginning and as fate would have it, the Nishiura Nine find themselves going up against the defending champs in the very first round.
Being the second and final installment of the show, this set does represent the conclusion of the franchise and is done well accordingly (although you will get the impression that the tale could have gone longer if there had been demand for a continuation).
The story's an even-flowing, fun romp through the rigors of both school life and after school sports activity. It's bright, clean and pleasant in its delivery that uses elements of team-building and personal growth as the backbone to a lot of baseball-game onscreen action sequences.
If this sounds a little odd, don't let the sports-themed arc to trip you up from enjoying a tasty little tale that works for the same reason shonen (fighting-themed anime) is so popular: the viewer ends up caring more about the characters than the specific forms of competition that are used to advance the plot. As it stands however, the baseball animation, scoring-system, and physics are exponentially more realistic (and relatable) than mystical fighting tournaments with monsters and magic spells.
The music is nothing overly dramatic or spectacular but it's catchy and rhythmic in all of the right places. Interestingly, when available as a video stream the only language option was the English dub. Funimation has wisely included the superior Japanese vocal track on this dvd set. Not to suggest that the English dub isn't worthy; the dramatic attempts just simply feel a bit less forced in the chipper and lively Japanese form.
In all, Big Windup! Part 2 continues to make use of some of the livelier aspects of popular shonen anime with a nice likeable cast of characters and some sports elements that nearly anyone can sit down and enjoy. 』
(Underrated! Definitely a Must Watch!!) 『I LOVED LOVED LOVED this anime. I'm so completely and desperately in love with each of the characters - of course, particularly Mihashi&Abe-kun. Deliciously suspenseful, packed with action, and yet not lacking the sentimentals - I can watch the episodes over and over and over again. In fact, I HAVE watched the episodes so repeatedly that I've decided to buy the DVD set, lol. There are only 26 episodes in total to this anime series, split into 2 DVD sets. I'm extremely disappointed in the shortness of the series, but hope [with all of my being] that with enough fans and supporters, they will make a second season!! I STRONGLY recommend the Japanese audio/English subs, as the voice acting of the characters is crucial to their distinctive qualities.
From the mass of anime titles available, I definitely think that Big Windup (or 'Ookiku Furikabutte') is one worth owning. Though an underrated series, not as well known as my other favorite animes (e.g. Death Note, Cowboy Bebop, FMA, Ouran HS Host Club..), it is just as addicting and wonderfully satisfying to watch!! In addition to the great story and inspiring character interactions, the artwork is actually extremely good and wonderfully pleasing to the eyes - an attribute that is often overlooked in anime these days.』 『Spring training is over, and it’s time for the real fun to start. Mihashi’s confidence got a huge boost from beating his old school, and now he’s more determined than ever to become his team’s ace. With Abe calling the pitches, the once shell-shocked hurler feels like he can strike out the world. But things won’t be easy for the Nishiura nine in the big summer tournament. They play the defending champs in the first round, and Mihashi comes down with a bad case of fastball envy when he bumps into Abe’s old pitcher. Playing for fun is fine, but now that the games count – it’s time to win!』
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