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When Samurai Jack burst onto the small screen in 2001, it introduced a boldly imaginative visual style to the often dreary realm of television animation. Other series have tried to imitate the flattened, angular graphics pioneered by the UPA studio during early '50s. Samurai Jack succeeds in recapturing the essence of the UPA shorts because creator Genndy Tartakovsky and his artists understand that these highly stylized visuals require equally stylized movements.

The ongoing battle between heroic Jack and the evil shape-shifter Aku simultaneously evokes and spoofs the conventions of anime and Western live-action film. Long ago, Jack nearly destroyed Aku in a duel; in desperation, the wizard hurled the samurai far into the future, where Aku's word is law. Jack fights robots, monsters, bounty hunters, etc. as he seeks to return to his own time, so he can prevent Aku's rise to supremacy.

The writing is sometimes uneven, but even when the material feels weak, the visual imagination never falters, from the flamboyant character designs to the use of split-screen. The filmmakers stage the quiet moments as skillfully as the action sequences, and Samurai Jack offers more exciting storytelling than many big-budget animated features. (Unrated: suitable for ages 10 and older: stylized violence, occasional profanity) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (29)

One of the Greatest Animated Series of All Time
Samurai Jack is great because it combines fantastic writting with a somewhat unique, stylized look and feel. It's nice to see that Cartoon Network is beginning to release series such as Jack on DVD. I don't know will there be any special features but I can give you a basic synopsis of the episodes included. The set will probably skip the 2 hour movie (episode I-III) since that has already been release seperately. Here are the other episodes

IV-Jack, the Woolies, and the Chritchellites-Jack helps a group of supposedly savage beasts called "Woolies" who have been enslaved.
V-Jack in Space-Jack helps a group of scientists who want to escape into space.
VI-Jack and the Warrior Woman-Jack seeks a strange jewel in the desert, accompanied by a mysterious woman.
VII-Jack and the Three Blind Archers-Jack hears of a mysterious island which possess a well that can grant any one wish.
VIII-Jack vs. Mad Jack- Jack must face an evil version of himself.
IX-Jack Under the Sea-Jack seeks a race of amphibians living in an underwater city who have a time machine.
X-Jack and the Lava Monster-Jack is summoned by a Lava creature under the earth.
XI-Jack and the Scotsman-Jack makes a new freind.
XII-Jack and the Gangsters- Jack joins some gangsters.
XIII-Aku's Fairy Tales-Aku tries his hand at propoganda.
XIV-Jack Learns to 'Jump Good'-Jack befriends a group of high jumping creatures.
XV-Jack Tales- Three Tales of the Samurai.
XVI-Jack and the Smackback-Jack is forced to be a gladiator slave.
XVII-Jack and the Scotsman, Part 2-Jack and the Scotsman must rescue the Scotsman's wife.
XVIII-Jack and the Ultra-robots-Jack must fight a group of robots, each with a special weapon.
XIX-Jack Remembers the Past-Jack sadly remembers his childhood days.
XX-Jack and the Monks-Jack climbs the Mountain of Fatoom in search of truth.

In ALL cases... there is more to these episodes than the sum of there parts. Samurai Jack is probably one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

GREAT SHOW
SAMURAI JACK-Season 1
2 DVD's-300 minutes

Samurai Jack is a very cool show and I'm glad it was released on DVD. It's a two-disc collector set with special features and 13 season 1 episodes. Anyone that's a fan of Cartoon Network cartoons will like this. It's definitely worth $20.

THE EPISODES IN THIS SEASON 1 SET:
I (The Beginning)
II (The Samurai called Jack)
III (The First Fight)
IV (Jack, the Woolies, and the Chritchellites)
VII (Jack and the Three Blind Archers)
V (Jack in Space)
IX (Jack Under the Sea)
VIII (Jack vs. Mad Jack)
XI (Jack and the Scotsman)
X (Jack and the Lava Monster)
VI (Jack and the Warrior Woman)
XII (Jack and the Gangsters)
XIII (Aku's Fairy Tales)

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Making of Samurai Jack
Original Artwork
Never Before Seen Footage
Creator Commentary

Powerpuff Girls bite the dust!
This is quite possibly Craig McCrackens' best animated T.V. show to ever appear on the Cartoon Network. Unlike his other previous works, "Dexter's Laboratory" & Powerpuff Girls", I believe "Samurai Jack" had more effort put into it. The detail is astounding, the atmosphere is fun and imaginative, and the characters are very interesting. Also, there's no stupid, idiotic (not to mention sometimes ANNOYING!) humor involved in this compared to the crappy 'Dexter' & 'Powerpuffs'. Once you watch the incredible (sometimes computerized) non-stop action, you'll be drawn right in to the amazing world of Jack & friends! Oh, did I forget to mention there's also plenty of blood involved? GRADE A CARTOON MATERIAL FOR ALL AGES! Now, if they could just release the COMPLETE First Season of "Ed, Edd n Eddy" on DVD I'd be even more satisfied. I hope that the Cartoon Network and Danny are up to it though. That's another good show that never fails to be funny compared to some of the other REALLY lame shows on that network!

Samurai Jack Lives
I couldn't stop watching this series when it came on. One wouldn't think an adult would like this but it's a great adult animation series. The characters are wonderful. I think only one or two at the most I didn't care for but I still enjoy them all. The animation is absolutely wonderful. I don't know why the second season isn't out on DVD yet and don't why Cartoon Network hasn't run a new series. I hope the producers don't let this character die off in pixel land.

Stylish Quality
I absolutely love this show. Samurai Jack explodes with a level of style rarely seen. The action, animation and stories are all fantastic. This is an extremely well done TV series.

The character of Jack is an immensely charismatic hero. His courage, resourcefulness and ethical code serves as a breath of fresh air in today's sea of common, immoral TV characters. This samurai actually inspires me to better myself in the real world. Not many shows have that effect and even fewer cartoons do!

The only special features in this set I liked was getting to see what some of the voice actors looked like.

The chance to own the whole first season must not be missed by Samurai Jack fans. I await the next season on DVD eagerly. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in the following: samurais, clever plots, style. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Gohan Goes SSJ, need i say more.
Piccolo merges with kami so that he can fight this new power. Vegeta and Trunks training is complete by this time and head towards cell is defeat him. Now it is gohan and gokus turn. Vegeta finally gets to cell and shows him his new power. Cell gets beat up and asks vegeta if he can find 18 and become complete for a better fight. Vegeta agrees and trunks trys to stop him. While this is happening bulma creates a device to deactivate the androids. Krillin goes to find them and when he does he cant. Cell absorbs android 18 and becomes complete. Also, gohan becomes a SSJ. A great saga. Watching vegeta beat up cell is great. Watching Trunks fight cell is also great. Watching gohan become a SSJ is the best part of the saga.

a pretty good and exciting dvd
this is a great saga. i think they extendied it a little to long though. i recommend buying it . i think they give gohan a little to much credit in this. i super saiyan 2 isnt that strong. only a little more than 1. also vegeta is to weak. if u r a true fan get this but if you just like hard core action and the best sets i am not shure if i would ge this. i would get majin buu. well averall it is a pretty good dvd

cell games
this is one of the best sagas ever made when vegeta and future trunks accend it looks awesome i would recommed buy this saga if your a dbz fan

a lot of action
see the beginning of the saga cell was a lot stronger than anyone but he gets even stronger. will our heros destroy him?will vegetas new super saiyen power be enough? find on these dvd's. THIS IS PRABOBLY THE BEST SAGA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The end!
This is the final boxed set of Macross.

see my earlier reviews for boxs 1 and 2.

This series comes to an end brilliantly with this set. much the same as Robotech but the highlights are still present here.
more crisp and vibrant animation.
Adult humor/language.
a more adult tone induced into the storyline.
and a few other small snips that were removed from Robotech.
a definite must own! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Oh, at last!
It was a sheer delight to see Battle of the Planets again, twenty years since it was last aired on television. This box set takes up where the individual releases leave off (volumes 1 through 6 of the single DVD releases) and so starts at episode 13, about where the artwork and the characterization really begins to fall into shape. Since the episodes weren't intended to air in order, the viewer doesn't miss out on any continuity, but by starting in the middle you really benefit from voice actors who have a handle on their characters and stories worth watching.

The bonus features were a pleasure: subtitled episodes of Gatchaman, the anime from which Battle of the Planets was created, and also interviews with the original cast members. I LOVE Ronnie Schell! He made Jason come alive for me and I never forgot his voice, even after all this time. It was a thrill to hear their recollections of creating the series. It sounded as if they were really enjoying themselves, and that must have contributed to why this show has such longevity.

The original show itself has some problems--notably the robot narrator and the sanitized violence--which are more glaring to an adult than they were to us in our childhood. I think that by watching both versions, we get the full experience: we remember why we loved the show, and we see what it truly was. I highly recommend this box set. I especially recommend the limited edition Jason action figure with his civilian car. I've already had to convince my daughter it's Mommy's toy and not hers! I would definitely buy this all over again if I had to, and it's terrific to see this show once more.

Great Anime - Episodes 14-27 (no 19 or 20) - Good Stuff !!!
.

First of all, Battle of the Planets is great Anime. Its wonderfully drawn and the stories are well told.

If you're looking at this specific set as an introduction - I would however, suggest you begin with BOTP (Battle Of The Planets) Vol.1 as this DVD boxed set starts at a point further into the Gatchaman storyline.

I honestly feel a little clarification is needed here with regards to this DVD set.

The set contains 4 discs. Episodes 14 through 27 are featured but episodes 19 and 20 are not included. I'm not sure why (perhpas there's a BOTP fan who can explain) but its worth mentioning.

In order to get a COMPLETE set (note the title of this boxed set is "ultimate" not "complete"), you have to purchase the previously released VOLUMES (Volumes 1 through 6). This DVD set starts off with the storyline started in those volumes.

Is it a good set - Oh yea! Its very cool and very watchable, just know what you're getting.

I would suggest - start with the individual volumes and then puchase this DVD set to continue your collection.

Happy viewing.
Best Regards,
turtlex

Misleading title: you get 12 thru 20 of 85 episodes.
Only read this if you want to know the truth about the release of these BOTP. After researching for weeks, I have learned that BOTP eps 1-12 are contained (2 apiece) on DVD's volumes 1 through 6 (plus you get the Gatchaman counterparts and a bonus G-Force). You do not get eps 1-12 (or maybe I am mistaken and it's 1-10) on this Ultimate Set.

This Ultimate Set as I am imformed, contains ONLY eps 13 through 20 OUT OF A TOTAL OF 85! That means that there are about 75 to 77 episodes you DO NOT get.

I feel that the BOTP series is great, and I like Gatchaman too... but these people are trying to turn a dime by selling crap without telling you what episodes it contains. THEY NEED TO SAY that it only contains about eight to ten of a TOTAL of 85 epidodes. Therefore, Ultimate collection, my you-know-what.

There is a serious demand for BOTP media out there, we have the money, and we will wait to buy all 85 DVD's. RESIST THE TEMPTATION to market crap to us or there will be backlash. Although the quality is the same on these as the others, we want the episodes 21 through 85 also, and it is available on ebay in the UK, so everyone buy your international DVD players now at your favorite stores and skip this marketing crud.

Each Episode Included Needs A Title For This Boxed Set
The ultimate box set does not inform us of the episodes included. I am trying to find the episode where Jason, "Stoneface", is the main focus of the story and is involved in a race. We definitely go deeper into his character. In the end, he finds a secret about his riding partner involved in the race. I would enjoy getting this one episode on DVD. If this episode is indeed in this boxed set, then this set is definitely worth getting! I would appeciate it if anybody can inform me if this episode is included in the boxed set. Thanx : )

Beautiful animation...excellent voiceovers!
That this DVD set would be vilified at all is an insult to those who had a hand in it's production.

As a kid (all of 10 during it's production) I seem to recall exclaiming how beautiful a cartoon it was not knowing at the time what made it so extraordinary. The use of the multi-plane camera and what we now call japanimation was, at the time, unique in a North American-distributed show aimed at kids.

Today there is a more ready acceptance of the genre, as exemplified by releases as 'Sprited Away' and 'Princess Mononoke" but in 1978 no one had seen it's like before.

The voiceover work demonstrated in this DVD set is an acid test for the quality that CAN be produced out of Hollywood but so frequently falls short. These characterisations were created in Valentine Studios, as far from glamorous as one can get in terms of Hollywood product. No exclusive First Class trailers here, only a dingy, stale cigarette infused room with microphones, acoustic dampening and a great deal of talent!!

Who would dare be so audacious to critique the performances of Waldo, Kasem, Schell, et. al.?! Step forward now and receive comeuppance for your insolence! Truly, these voice actors set the bar for their work. Given especially that their job was not characterization as we know it today but rather, ADR (looping). Their voices were recorded AFTER the film was already in the can. This is typical of Anime but unheard of in American animation where the voices are recorded before the animation. The advantage of the latter is voice actors have the blessing of interpreting the script as they and the director see fit and the animator produces drawing inspired by the performance. With anime, actors are required to sync their performance to the timing dictated by the animation. No small task, and one need only note the U.S. release of Sprited Away for a very stark example of the technique.

The DVD set itself sets no benchmarks in terms of features, but does contain teriffic interviews with the voice actors and does illicit the feeling of nostalgia for which it was intended (if such a thing is possible for a 'space cartoon').

I rate this box set as not to be missed! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

I luv Azumanga Daioh !^^
Eventhough im in the kind of serious and mysterious anime, there's also the lighter side of me!^^ Azumanga Daioh has become one of my favorite action/comedy animes ever! I saw the first episode in the coolest magazine ever called Newtype!I laughed out loud! This anime is about these high school girls(and one 10 year old girl)and their days in high school (yup we know how it is!)anyway its about these girls at school and well, its soo funny and sure it may sound like a dumb plot but seriously it isnt! I would also like to recomend . Hack//Sign if you want a little more mystery and action! but those of us who wanna lol, go ahead, you know u wanna read or Watch AZUMANGA DAIOH!^^ (but if you're not sure go grab a copy of the April release of Newtype with the the Azumanga Daioh girls on the front cover!) hurry!^^ remember, this is Animefreak!

Need Something Fun? Here's Your Ticket
The plot of Azumanga Daioh has already been summarized numerous times on this page, so for our purposes let's say "Azumanga Daioh is about a cadre of high school girls and their day-to-day travails."

With that in mind, understand that Azumanga is not a deep anime. It will not provoke your thoughts, nor lead you to ponder the deeper meaning of life. However, provided the proper mindset, what it will do is draw you into its simple world where the most ordinary problems (the hiccups, the appearance of a new "rival") can be the most challenging, and everything is fair game for absurd comedy.

As several reviewers mention, Azumanga has no sustained plot line per se, even each individual episode goes through several smaller events which are not necessarily connected. But this need not be a weakness; instead, it allows the show to be flexible and decide what it wants to do next irrespective of what has gone before. The jokes range from overt slapstick humor to bizarre extended word-plays, and if you watch the series long enough (the first disc has a relatively generous five episodes) you're likely to find at least one or two gags that will make you smile.

I was a little disappointed to find that the show does not offer much in the way of new material to those who have read the manga (released in English by ADV Manga), and if you already know the girls' adventures from their print form, the main draw here will be the clean, bright animation and the excellent acting from the Japanese cast. (The English dub? Well, it's not awful, but how much it agrees with you will probably depend on your tolerance for dubs whose overall quality fluctuates throughout.)

Azumanga Daioh is surely worthy of the attentions of an anime fan at least for one disc, and even moreso if you happen to enjoy comedy. It won't awe you with its insights, but it will delight you with its simple, innocent sense of fun.

~

The Beast who cannot be named...is sooooo cute!
No one, and I mean no entity in all the planes of existence, does cartoon insanity the way our friends in Nippon do cartoon insanity.
I have friends who generaly prefer mixes of the bizare and childlike...and they ended up as puddles.
Buy this demonically cute and singularly surreal work, buy it and be afraid to say 'what the HELL!' for fear that HELL may actually have something to do with it.

And trust me
you'll want to say:

WHAT.
THE.
HELL?!

Hilarious
I had been wanting to see Azumanga Daioh for a while when I managed to get my hands on the first episode. It is HILARIOUS. I know there were some jokes I must have missed due to cultural differences, but it was still funny, so that says something, I guess. Also, the first volume (included in this purchase), at least, has a booklet included that explains some of the cultural references and puns that might be over most non-Japanese people's heads.

I also want to add to the reviewer who complained about the dubbing, I really don't know what that's all about. All the voices in English are comparable to the ones in Japanese--I was amazed at how well they matched. I would actually recommend watching it in English, because there are times when the dialogue moves fast, or the timing of something is more important than the words themselves. So unless you're a sub elitist, English is the way to go (not that the Japanese is bad; I don't speak Japanese and therefore have no real right to judge it, but the English is excellent on its own).

All in all, very funny and entertaining. Perfect if you've got ten or twenty minutes to kill, but also if you want something fun to watch for a longer period of time.

The cover describes it Perfectly.
Azumanga Daioh is really funny from time to time. As the other reviewers have said, nothing much really happens; it's just everyday Japanese high school. Everything is either leading up to a big humorous event, or IS the event. There's pretty much no emotion between the characters beyond simple friendship or enthusiastic, passing rivalry. It Is fun at first, but it gets tedious. It uses a lot of empty space (ex: "Did it cure your hiccups??" *long pause..."Hic!"*), which builds things up for a good laugh, but doesn't leave much room for other events. If you think you're okay with an anime that looks pretty good, has all the old cliches (sweat drops, jests about (...) size, a cat that appears now and again, the "impossibly good student", the cute girl, the quiet one), and is really hilarious once or twice an episode, then go ahead and get this one. Me personally, I'd prefer it if some sort of plot would develop.
It's been compared to Seinfeld...close, but not quite. Seinfeld has a lot of overlapping events and deals with an immense amount of situations, tying it all together at the end. Azumanga Daioh only covers that high school scene and goes in a straight line, with No Other Purpose but to make jokes. Sometimes, even humor gets old, when there's nothing else to back it up.
Put simply: there are (basically) no males, there is no main character, there is no point. A few good laughs, is that worth $27.00? I guess that's for you to decide. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The good, the bad, and the ugly of NADIA. It's all here!
Hot on the heels of their first 5-DVD+2-CD Collection edition of NADIA: THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER, ADV Films releases the second "collector's" installment of the franchise, in a 6-DVD+2-CD package. However, while NADIA: THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER COLLECTION 1 was brilliant -- featuring the best episodes of the show -- I'm afraid that COLLECTION 2 is weaker by comparison. Although the package DOES include some more must-see treasures, it also houses a very strange mixture of mediocre to awful episodes and a totally useless, unnecessary movie.

You see, NADIA was originally intended to be a 26-part TV series, but because the show was so popular in Japan, backing distributor NHK Enterprises requested animation studio GAINAX to produce more episodes, extending the episode count to 39. GAINAX wanted no part in this, which is partially why they subcontracted the animation to other studios in Korea and Japan. Regrettably, no thought was given to the story either, resulting in some of the worst batch of filler episodes ever produced. It's a shame that a show as exceptional as NADIA would suffer from this fault, as it DOES end with a bang, but it would have been better if the filler crap remained in the trash can where it belongs. It's bad enough that NHK almost sank NADIA with such poor episodes, but two year after the show completed its first broadcast, a theatrical feature was made: an attempt which failed miserably and is almost universally hated to this day.

So what's good about this set? Well, the first two episodes on the sixth DVD (which wrap up the Nautilus arc) are some of the best you'll ever see in NADIA. Herein lies a spectacular showcase of animation, music, action, and an emotionally charged confrontation where some of the secrets we've been waiting to discover are revealed. Even better are the final five episodes (35-39), which end the show even stronger than it starts (in a way that literally blows the filler crap out of the water as though they never existed). The artwork in these episodes is amazing, and the climactic showdown features more suspense, unexpected surprises, dramatic staging, and a tearjerking ending that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

The leftover 12 episodes, however, are something of a mixed bag. Only about 30% of the content seems to keep the show on topic (landing on a floating island which turns out to be a spaceship, learning of Nadia's birth origins, as well as Jean singing a song which causes Nadia to think twice before she throws another temper tantrum for no good reason at him) and is worth watching.

The remainder of the content should very well have been cut from the show, as it's mostly the product of greedy studio executives wanting to make more money out of the show, therefore forcing the writers to churn out pointless (and some truly awful) filler material. The adventurous spirit, gorgeous artistic merits, and well-conceived character interactions are all gone from the studio-imposed episodes, which contain the following: painfully stupid and uncharacteristic antics from our pals, extraneous and poorly conceived sequences, stuff that should never have been written, and awful animation. It's probably best to skip the crap and pretend they never happened, for I cannot imagine anybody finding much to enjoy when the story reduces itself to churning out garbage and not moving along -- the Lincoln Island sequence, the King VS. King race, and some of the moving island content, in general. Some of it is funny and/or nice but too much of it is horrible. The real stinkers, however, are 1] any scene where Nadia is portrayed as an unlovable bitch and not as a confused young girl; where her actions completely contradict everything that she's ever done in Episodes 1-22, and 2] the two African episodes. They don't suit the story, they don't add anything to the show, and they don't work at all.

And then there's the Motion Picture. I haven't seen this movie, but as far as I know, just about EVERYBODY hates it. From what I was told, about 30 of the 90-minute feature consist of recycled footage from the TV show, while the remainder of the movie consists of a story which is both contrived and inconsistent with not only the series, but with itself, too. The animation, in addition, has the same inferior, cheap and rushed quality as the infamous island episodes, making the movie an altogether waste. I have no plans to watch this movie anytime soon, and my strongest recommendation is to AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS.

But I do have to give credit to ADV for finally releasing this collector's set, since most people probably can't afford to shell out over a hundred bucks for all ten individual DVDs. I won't deny that there are some episodes which provide for some first-rate, delightful entertainment. As mentioned, however, there are too many mediocre to hideous filler episodes overflowing with uncharacteristic stupidities and ludicrous writing, and a movie that falls flat on its face. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Watch the series, skip the movie
My advice for this set is to buy the two series DVDs of this set individually & skip the movie altogether. The Rose Collection DVDs are a great deal as anime goes, each having 6-7 eps on them (as opposed to the later DVDs which only have 3 or 4), & even though they are far from completing the story, you do get a complete storyline out of the two DVDs.

The Rose Collection introduces the viewer to Utena (our heroine), Anthy (the Rose Bride), & the student council, who are dueling over Anthy in order to obtain the "power to revoluntionize the world." Utena stumbles into the duels by accident, but soon is caught up in world of the Rose Bride due to her increasing attachment to Anthy. The episodes go from hilarious (the curry ep, for example) to serious, & something similar can be said about the different types of relationships in the series. The last episode of the Rose Collection is just a review of the season, but it also hints at what is to come in the rest of the series.

The series can be abstract & absurd at times, but by the end you feel very satisfied in the resolution, & every time there's a new revelation about the truth of what's going on, you can't help but be excited that you're getting closer to figuring it all out. Meanwhile, you get to laugh at the funny situations that come up, or rejoice at Utena's victories, or worry about the problems that come up.

The movie starts out well enough. It is similar in concept to the series, & even the point behind the resolution is the same. Some of the relationships have changed completely. Nanami doesn't exist (except as a cow in a video), & Touga has a very different (but actually quite interesting) role. The movie is even more abstract than the series, but there's some cool imagery in the first half. However, the actual "power to revolutionize the world" in the movie is so stupid that even in the world of Utena it was completely ridiculous. I watched the director's commentary at the end, hoping he'd explain why he chose that, & his only explanation was that he didn't think anyone would expect it. Well, yeah, I'd say not.

Anyway, you should skip buying this one as a set, & just buy the individual Rose Collection DVDs, then buy the rest of the series in the sets. Save yourself the mental trauma of watching the movie.

Utena The Magnificent
Utena is a fabulous series with great animation, music, characters and plot. The Rose Collection is a bargain especially the Limited Edition Movie that comes with it. Utena is very unique and individual, no other anime compares to this entirely. Highly Recommended.

For complete reviews on Utena, check out AnimeOnDVD.com for a full analysis. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The title character of this 1999 TV series is not a nurse, but a maid workingfor the renowned cyber-biomedical researcher Dr. Kyoji Ogami. Nanako getsinto trouble constantly: she burns meals, falls out of planes, is terrorizedby monsters, etc. These misadventures provide the artists with opportunitiesto hike up her short skirt and peak down her low-cut top, revealing herpanties and jiggling cleavage. Like an anime version of Little AnnieFanny, Nanako often loses her minimal garments--but only when there's anaudience.

The fan service high jinks play against a weird, underdeveloped plotabout biomedical experiments involving genetic material from an alien. The U.S.military and agents of the Vatican are using similar techniques to cloneJesus, using blood samples from the Shroud of Turin (!). The viewereventually learns that Nanako is the third clone of Dr. Ogami's grandfather'sassistant. Each version of Nanako lives only 20 years, including the previousone, who raised Dr. Ogami and whom he swore to save. He failed but is tryingagain with the latest edition. Amazing Nurse Nanako rivals evenBurn Up Excess for fan service jiggles--and makes Slayers feelintellectually challenging. The six episodes have been needlessly stretchedover three discs; the boxed set includes a "Nanako's Secret" catalog filledwith cheesecake drawings. (Rated 16 and older: Nudity, sexual situations,violence, grotesque imagery, potentially offensive religious imagery)--Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (3)

*jiggle*
The title says it all. That's basically what this anime's about. Amazing Nurse Nanako is 6 episodes long, each 30 min. The acutal plot starts in the last 15 min of the last episode. Nanako is not actually a nurse, that's just her get-up. She takes care of Doctor Ogami, who is forcing her to train herself for 'something.' The box itself is wonderful. It has a slip case, which when taken off, slips off her cloths, minus her bra. There is a booklet inside called, "Nanako's Secret Collection" It's basically a fictional cloths cataloug featuring...NANAKO! Like I said before, there's not much to the anime, but the idea for the box was very clever.

Good anime.
It was a O.K. Anime. i would have gave it more stars maybe it longer, but than again it could have [been worse] also if it was longer... whaterever... Still good if you collect aNiMe.

She's a Nurse?!
With only 6 episodes, Amazing Nurse Nanako doesn't have the time for a well-developed story. Some may say that there is no story at all but this show does indeed have a plot, however simple it may be. As can be seen from the covers, the show serves mostly as a fanservice showcase and has a fair amount of comedy.

The character designs are great but the video quality is poor. There are rainbow effects in most of the scenes. The audio is a basic stereo track. The menus on all 3 discs are well done and there are more extras on these discs than on most other anime DVDs. Warning: some of the extras contain scenes from episodes you may not have watched yet.

Then there's the wonderful box. There have been many compliments on the box and they are well-deserved. I don't want to ruin the surprise so you'll just have to get it to see it! P>Recommended for fans of beautiful character designs and fanservice, and fans who are looking for a short, fun series. Otherwise, stay away if you are looking for a deep story. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This early anime series that helped introduce the genre to the United States in the mid-1980s is a curious hybrid. Harmony Gold bought the rights to the 36-episode Super Dimension Fortress: Macross, in which an alien invasion was held at bay by the voice of a girl pop star, but executives felt that American viewers wouldn't accept that plot. Producer-story editor Carl Macek intercut sequences from Macross with two similar-looking sci-fi series from Tatsunoko Studios, Genesis Climber Mospeada and Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross, creating a sprawling 85-episode space opera with a completely new story line. A gigantic spaceship crashes into the Earth in 1999; after 10 years of analysis and repairs, the Earth forces relaunch the gargantuan flying fortress--just as the 50-foot alien Zentraedi attack hoping to capture it--precipitating an interstellar war. In addition to two discs (12 episodes) of the Macross adventure, this first collection includes the first video release of Codename: Robotech. Made to promote interest in the series before its debut, Codename consists of the first 13 episodes recut as a feature. Captain Gloval's reminiscences about the characters' adventures ties together the rather choppy film. The supplemental disc also offers a commentary by Macek, describing the origins of the Robotech project and the making of the Codename feature; a portfolio of character model sheets; and selected scenes in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. A must-have for Robotech fans. Unrated; "contains mild animated violence." Suitable for ages 8 and up: violence is restricted to spaceship and robot battles. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (86)

finally robotech has landed
Well it's been a long time coming but Robotech has finally come to us on DVD. I picked up the box set at media play for 40 bucks. It containts 3 DVD's 2 normals and 1 SE. I haven't had a chance to check out the special edition yet.

The set contains the first 12 episodes of robotech. The story line and characters are great. The animation is just what I would expect from a '80s t.v. show. Don't go expecting a Titan AE experience from this DVD. It's like they did an exact transfer from the Master VHS tapes. The quality is good and I couldn't notice any flicker or screen problems but I would have liked to have seen a revamped picture and possibly a transfer to anamorhic widescreen.

I had to change this review a little bit in regards to the sound. When i first played the set it was just on my regular tv since my Dolby Digital reciever was in for repair. I just assmued the whole thing was in stereo. But after looking at the DVD box itslef it says DD right on the back. So it looks like the series does support the DD sound as well.

So now I must give this box set the thumbs up all around!

SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM...
With a stroke of success in the 80's, the Robotech: Macross series still has a place for many fans today and shares a strong cult following. Being a fan of the series as a kid, I decided to buy the whole Robotech: Macross series, but I came across the overwelming amount of editions to the series. I didn't know which to buy, so I watched them all. Here are the differences between to different boxsets (all offered through Amazon):

Robotech: the Complete Macross Series
One Boxset: 6 disc

Sells for around $60-$65
Nothing special, picture quality is not great, but bearable. Comes in one compact boxset with all the disc in it. Would not reccomend getting this edition unless you just want a copy of the series and want to spend the least possible amount of money.

Robotech: The Legacy Collection: Macross Saga (Collections 1-3)
Three Boxsets: with 3 disc in each
Sells for around $40 each boxset, entire set around $120-$130
Same picture quality as the above set, but with addtional features. Comes with the most extras out of any current sets, but even then, they are so-so. I would actually recommend getting the above edition as I was not impressed with the extras, some were interesting, but it definately didn't justify the price. Your paying almost twice the price.

Robotech Remastered: The Macross Saga (Volumes 1-3)
Three Boxsets: Two disc each boxset
Sells for around $25 each boxset, entire set around $75-$80
Remastered picture quality superior to both sets above, sound quality much improved. This is the set that I would recommend. The price is affordable and well worth the extra money compared to the first set. Also includes a few bonus footage.

Macross: Super Dimensional Fortress (Sets 1-3)
Three Boxsets: Three discs each boxset
Sells for around $60-$70 each boxset, entire series around $180-200
Macross is the original Japanese series of the Robotech: Macross Saga. The storyline is slightly different with different music and sounds. When it was brought to the US, Harmony Gold added the Macross material with two other Japanese series to make Robotech. Macross is more "mature" and includes several scenes taken out of Robotech. Picture quality is even more crisp than the Remastered Series. I would reccomend only to die-hard Robotech fans. It's pretty expensive and lacks really any real extra features.

I loved it
What can I say I love robotech and I love the boxset format with a seperate extras dvd. this is one sexy box set. This is what BOTP should have done.

A true Macross fan? Don't bother. A robotech fan? Sure.
Originally I had high hopes for this set, after all they used the name Macross on the title. However after popping the DVD in I was severely disappointed. Not only is the childish dubbing still present, it is also the cut, convulated American version. You see "Robotech" is a whole bunch of Macross sagas tied together for America messing up alot of the story line.
If you are interested in the original and pure version you are better off buying the AnimEigo versions, they don't have any special features but it is the true vision of Macross.

The beginning of a legend
Robotech is a series I missed back in the '80s (as it aired against some of my existing favorite shows on Saturday mornings), but watching this disc, I can easily understand what the "fuss" has been about. While definitely a product of the '80s (note the titles and a few obvious moments of obvious visual and dialogue editing for US audiences), the series has definite depth, and a cohesive storyline that was previously impossible for American cartoons (thanks to problems with airing orders and general meddling from the Big Three TV networks). The narration is concise and, when needed, quite extensive, which helps ease the neophyte viewer into the show while in no way harming the style of the series.

One negative point is that the video isn't restored. Of course, given the nature of this series (a heavily edited and re-edited showing of three very different television shows), I'm not surprised. However, the video is at the same level as the original broadcasts (which unfortunately speaks ill of how TV shows were broadcast in the days before cable was in most of our homes), and everything is included (even commercial bumpers, recaps, and previews). The special features disc is equally loaded, with a special premeire movie (and commentary by Carl Macek, who is for all intents the "creator" of Robotech) and a series of character model sheets.

While certainly dated, with its sometimes primitive animation and now-unimaginable dubbing policies, Robotech is an essential series for all cartoon fans, and (naturally) this set is the best place to start. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Late baby boomers and early Gen-Xers grew up singing the Gigantortheme song: "Bigger than big / Taller than tall / Quicker than quick / Strongerthan strong." Based on a 1956 manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, Gigantorwas animated for Japanese TV in 1963 as Tetsujin 28-go (Ironman#28). This reedited and dubbed version, which begins with episode 27 ofthe original series, ran in syndication in the U.S. from 1966 through 1974.Near the end of World War II, a group of Japanese scientists experimentedwith giant robot-weapons. In 2000 A.D. the son of one of those scientistsowns the final prototype. Jimmy Sparks uses a remote control with a primitivejoystick to command Gigantor. With scientist Dr. Bob Brilliant, dashing DickStrong, and comic police officer Inspector Blooper, Jimmy embarks on a seriesof standard adventures. He battles smugglers, evil scientists, megalomaniacs,and assorted other bad guys, most of whom want to gain control of Gigantor.

Unlike the fantastic mecha in later anime series, Gigantor looks likehe was modeled after the Tin Woodman in The Wizard of Oz: pointynose, hinged jaw, tubular limbs. The animation is extremely limited, withrepeated footage, dialogue over still artwork, and static shots in which onlythe characters' mouths move. These early black-and-white cartoons have campyretro-nerd appeal, especially for adults who watched the series as kids.(Unrated; suitable for ages 7 and older: minor violence, tobacco use, ethnicstereotypes) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Original Robot
So many animated movies are based on 60s shows. Before there was a Lion King there Kimba. Before there was Iron Giant there was Gigantor--bigger than big :) This is great stuff and brings back memories of sitting in front of the B/W TV drinking chocolate milk.

Thank you.
I used to run home from school to see Gigantor. Thank you for putting this series on DVD. It brings back lots of good memories.

One of the Greatest Cartoons of All Time
After the success of Astro Boy in both Japan and the United States, a new anime series was born. It's name was Tetsujin 28 or Iron Man 28. In 1965, it came to the states under the name Gigantor. Now, for the first time in 37 years, you can re-live the experience that drew a crowd of many children.

Despite the age of the material, Gigantor is quite amazing. At first, it sounds pretty simple. A 12-year-old boy named Jimmy Sparks pilot pilots a giant robot to help catch the bad guys. However, each episode has enough plot twists and action to keep any viewer glued to the screen. Following Jimmy Sparks on his adventures are other characters with odd names including Bob Brilliant, Inspector Blooper and Dick Strong. Even the villains have odd names like Cats Meow and Swami Tommy.

Keep in mind that this show was distributed before TV stations started having censorship laws so don't be surprised when you see someone smoking a cigarette. Also, there is one episode where Jimmy Sparks helps a bunch of cowboys by shooting at some indians so you might be offended by some of the racism in these episodes. My only problem with this show is the music. It sounds good, but do they always have to put the same melody into each song?

The extras (yes, there are extras) are on discs 1 and 4. The first disc features commentary by the original English director, Fred Lad, on episodes 3-5 which feature the villain The Spider. Lad mostly talks about how four voice actors did all these voices, but he does make some comments on how he Americanized it and why some changes were made. The extras on disc four include a lengthy interview with Fred Lad, an interview with an old anime historian (I don't know why they included this) and a biography on the original Japanese creator. I enjoyed the interview with Fred Lad since he has done lots of research on Tetsujin 28 including the sequels to it, but the anime historian interview feels like stating the obvious to all anime fans.

Overall, I enjoyed Gigantor and I think anyone can appreciate it, regardless of the fact that it is in black and white. Highly recommended.

Gigantor
Well, I have never seen the DVD , But I have seen Gigantor and it's cool because it's anime japanese animation!!!!! It's one from the 1960's and it's about a little boy detective who gets a robot to help him solve mystreys in Japan and every where and if you here the theme song it tells you!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Prepare yourself--this ain't Disney
After reading the review below, I thought I'd better write in to clarify the sexual politics of Revolutionary Girl Utena. If you don't care one way or the other about this issue, read no further. If you do, I hope this will be a guide to help you think about the show.

Revolutionary Girl Utena is 39 episodes long, but for several years only the first 13 episodes have been available in the States. There are three reasons for this. First, the sex. We see teenage characters who are sexually active in some way, even though we don't see what they do. Second, and more important, there are some pretty obvious displays of gay sexuality, including one character who is a lesbian and knows it. Third, there are open discussions of brother-sister incest, including a younger girl who has a hopeless crush on her older brother.

Let's handle these three things one at a time.

1. The sex. In terms of its frankness about teen sex, Utena is more graphic than any US-based cartoon for tweens but far less so than Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, if Buffy doesn't bother you, this show might not either.

2. The gay themes. This show never judges people for being gay, and the entire series is clearly about finding out what you want and staying true to your own ideals and desires. The main character, Utena, seems to like only boys at first, but she also kind of wants to BE a boy--strong, assertive, and able to defend other girls who are being persecuted or pushed around. In short, this is not a show about traditional family values.

3. The incest stuff. Incest is NEVER presented in a positive light in this show. Quite the contrary, is is portrayed as a tragic reality that is neither imaginary nor safe. The show's insights into the dynamics of family desire are very, very radical, and if you don't even want to THINK about these isues, don't watch the show. However, if you want to see a show that takes the issue seriously and will give you food for thought about what incest MEANS, you are in for a revelation.

[Note--The Black Rose Saga also has hints of teacher-student sexual relations, and these are handled similarly. The reality of such relations is acknowledged, but there no sense of sexiness, much less of approval]

This middle segment of the show, The Black Rose Saga, is the least interesting one. It's sort of a lengthy pause between the first arc, which handles the development of Utena as a "prince," and the last arcs, which deal with two basic questions: what does it really mean to be a "prince," and what would it take to revolutionize the world? However, even though it's a pause, it's still an interesting portrait of some minor characters and their own struggles, which are often different from Utena's.

In terms of its overall take on sexuality and desire, Utena is more radical than ANY show in the US, including Xena, OZ, Queer as Folk, etc. In terms of its sexual politics it just might be the most radical TV show, ever. By the time the series is over, the show has pretty much completely revised the whole idea of how men and women are supposed to relate to each other and what it means for them to desire each other. From the simple image of a prince on a white horse, an entire new fairy tale emerges that suggests women, and men, are headed toward a very new future. I can't say more without spoiling the show.

I write all this becuase US fans of Utena often attempt to downplay these issues and say that the characters aren't "really" gay, etc. Fine--but the characters aren't "really" straight, either. They are complex, powerful, and often tragic individuals who are trying to figure out what they want in life. I think we need more shows like this, both for teen viewers and for the rest of us. But make no mistake, this isn't just some adventure cartoon with cool fight scenes, and it will try to make you ask questions about your own desires.

The second season of the greatest anime of all time.
The release of the second arc/season of Utena is a big deal-a very big deal for us in the states. The Black Rose arc is far from being the best Utena series, but is still better than most series. It's fighting sequences are better than that of the first season, but it dosen't focus on character relationships the way the 1st does, but gives us a good insight on the secondary characters of the show, such as:: Kanae, Kozue, Shiori, Tswuabuki, Wakaba & her Onion Price, and Keiko. It also introduces us to the so called "villians" of Utena, Mikage and Mamiya. The relationship between the two has scared some off from this series but please, there aren't any real fruity scenes between the two. It never goes farther than Mikage kissing Mamiya's fingers- so if you're homophobic, you'll still enjoy this series. Mikage is a very interesting character with a dark past that will give this series quite a shocking season finale. Don't pass up the series that shocked Japan and is flying off the US racks.

Contains episodes 14-26

***Aside from the Black Rose, this also contains the first two episodes of the highly anticipated 3rd Saga- Akio.*** ... Read more

Amazon.com

The seven-episode OAV El Hazard: The Magnificent World began the popular comedy-adventure that encompasses the 13-part broadcast series El Hazard: The Alternative World and the four-episode OAV El Hazard 2: The Magnificent World. Director Hiroki Hayashi is the co-creator of Tenchi Muyo, and both series focus on strong, outrageous female characters who fight for the affections of a dense but well-intentioned hero; in this case, Nanami and Shayla-Shayla over Makoto. Makoto lacks Tenchi's charm and secret powers, but the hard-drinking teacher Mr. Fujisawa balances the flakiness of Tenchi's father with genuine strengths. In the ruins beneath Shinanome High School, Makoto encounters Ifurita, an ancient, mysterious entity who transports him to the parallel world of El Hazard. She also takes the scheming Jinnai, Jinnai's irrepressible sister Nanami, and Mr. Fujisawa. The Earthlings find themselves in an elaborate sword-and-sorcery tale involving the Eye of God, a super-weapon created by an earlier civilization. Balanced against this threat are comic interludes that include Makoto posing in drag as the Princess Fatora and Jinnai making himself ruler of the insectlike Bugrom. The plot has an odd, circular structure in which the climax sets up the action in the first episode. El Hazard 2 picks up the action, but much of the story feels like a rerun: the characters deal with similar problems, and the threat comes from another terrible weapon, "the Trigger of Destruction." The many fans of El Hazard will welcome this set, even though it contains no supplemental material. Rated 13 and up for drinking, mild profanity, and violence. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Oh yes.
El-Hazard is, in my opinion, one of the greatest animes ever.The plot is wonderful, the characters are fun, the voice work is great, and the art is fantastic. Just imagine as mildmannered high school student Makoto and his friends are transported to the world of El-Hazard and much hillarity and action and romance and adventure. Also there arn't really any holes in the plot or weird moments that kind of make you go, "huh, that's not quite right," that you sometimes see in anime, except for a couple parts that are likely just a problem in translation. The first seven episodes are, beyond a doubt the best of the set as the box set includes the seven episodes of the origional OVA and the four episodes of OVA 2, and while OVA 2 is somewhat lack luster, and a lot of people don't like it, I enjoyed it greatly. And if you enjoyed the two OVAs you'll probably enjoy the Alternative World, which is a sort of sequal series that takes place shortly after the second OVA. But anyway, overall El-Hazard is a wonderful comical/adventurous romp that will delight viewers.

magical story will provide you with an escapist holiday
Romantic story featuring life long rivalry between two guys, Motoko and Jinai. Motoko is a golden boy who has brains, looks, honor, sanity and a pleasant personality. Jinai has none of this, but makes up for it with ambition. The two, along with a couple other people get transported to another world, El Hazard, and continue their rivarly.

ElHazard is a place that is like earth, but with differences like:
* beautiful powerful priestesses who maintain order
* a medeival society built after the collapse of a advanced civilization.
* A race of intelligent insects known as bugrom trying to take over.

The character development that occurs as the characters try to adjust to their new world is what makes this series work. Lots of unpredictable relationships as well (It's not clear from the start if any of the goddesses will fall in love with any of the characters, and if so will that love be returned).

Technically it's pretty good. The animation style has a surreal magical feel to it. The magical feeling is similar to the organic feeling one finds in the Tenchi Muyo OVA series. Sound track very good as well. Not many DVD extras though.

This DVD Box set presents good value in that it contains both the original series and it's sequel. Does not contain the third "El hazard Alternative World" or "Wanderers" kid friendly TV re-write of the story. But, as with Tenchi, the original series is the best.

Caution: Some naughtiness in two "playfully lesbian" characters. Lots of jokes about sex, but nothing really happens. Not suitable for little kids though.

Excellent series
ive seen alot of anime, but el hazard has to be one of the best. my only regret is that it was so good that it ended too soon. if ur looking for something with humor action and even some romance, i highly recomend el hazard.

A vortex of idleness sucked me into this one...
After reading the reviews of El Hazard, I was curious. Seeing that a used import copy of the full series was available through Amazon, I figured I'd take a stab at it for 25 bucks (better than _110_ for the American version). The import version is fine, but the series is like chewing on glass. Good skin, bad banana.

The Amazon.com review summarizes the plot well, I won't reinvent the wheel. The first two episodes had me hoping it would pick up. The humor was ok, the characters were underdeveloped and one-dimensional, but had potential to actually go somewhere. But by the third episode, it was clear that the guys who invented the series had no idea what to do with it. Nudity's fine in and of itself - but here it's just a cheap distraction from a poor storyline.

The poor synth music that is supposed to support the atmosphere in the series just added to my misery.

Around the fourth and fifth episode, when the main character Makoto (who was whisked away from earth to El Hazard) finally meets another main character, Ifurita, the series approaches interesting. Then the writers demonstrate that 'interesting' is beyond them.

El Hazard's artwork is occasionally beautiful - I can't sell it short when it has earned that. The second series _is_ better than the first, but it's like a revision of the first series, and that's why. Most people can learn from their mistakes, so it's no credit to the studio that they improved on a product from scattered fragments to mostly broken.

A comedy should have more humor; an action movie should have more (and better) action. A romance or a drama should have some realistic characters and some multilayered relationships. A porn should be erotic, and an epic should be at least slightly ennobling. This series fails, and it fails on at least 6 levels. It is pure escapism - at least, it aspires to be; it won't even help you escape. Buy 12 Kingdoms, and stick it out past the first few episodes of that (it becomes excellent), or buy Cowboy Bebop or Evangelion. If you've seen all them, wait for something else worthy - don't capitulate to low standards from Anime Studios.

The Magnificent TV Series
In 1999 I borrowed the entire Magnificent World series on video, I recently bought it on DVD and it rocks.
If all you want is to zone out and watch a comedy set in a fantasy world, this is the thing to watch, if your looking for something deep and involving without going into the depths of a series like Evangelion you got it all right here.
Hilarious, Sad and colourful it's a must watch, even if you don't like Tenchi Muyo SHOCK HORROR!!!(same director by the way) this is ten times better and well worth looking at. ... Read more

Description

Includes all episodes in the Kid Buu saga ... Read more

Reviews (9)

My #1 Favorite Box Set of all time
My favorite saga of all time. Goku and Vegeta have loured Kid Buu to the kai planet. Playing rock paper and scissors they decide who will fight him. Im not going to give away all the great goodies. Im just going to say that the fight between goku and buu is the greatest fight ever. The plan that vegeta comes up with is an amazing one. This saga is the greatest saga and should be on everyone list for buying. Its also the end of DBZ so all the DBZ fans out there should definately be trying to get this set.

This is deffinately worth it
Okay, to begin: if you like DBZ and you don't mind spending money, get this. It's five discs and they all come in individual cases, each labeled nicely and look cool.

The DVDs:

1.Kid Buu- Regression
This one's okay, kind of boring at times
Three episodes
2.Kid Buu- Saiyan Pride
This is when the good fights start
Three episodes
3.Kid Buu- Vegita's Plea
This one's cool, good fights and not too boring
Three episodes
4.Kid Buu- The Price Of Victory
This is prolly the best of the DVD's because it's a huge relief and you get to see an old technique at it's best
Three episodes
5.Kid Buu- A New Begining
The first episode of this sucks. The other three are a lot better though and you get to see Goku fight someone new...kind of. I won't give it away but Goku has a new friend. And Chi-chi gets mad at him-again.
Four episodes

With a total of 16 episodes, this is a great saga to own.
The extras are okay, nothing that exciting.
It's kinda funny to watch in Japanesse because the voices are so...odd. And it's cool that it's uncut because unlike when it's on Cartoon Network, they actually show blood and things like that. I really like how it's on DVD because you can skip the begining song which is really annoying. Also, you can skip to any episode and any part of the episode you want with the chapter selection thing. There is one thing I didn't like about seeing it uncut and that was Goku's..yeah. Gross. The sound quality is pretty nice, stereo on english but Mono in Japaneese, I think. I recomend this to any DBZ fan over 12. If you buy it, enjoy.

Dragonball z review
It's a great dvd, Lots of fighting and action scenes, comprehendible, well done, and full of hot anime.

A Great end to Dragon Ball Z and a great fight too
The Kid Buu Saga is mainly hear to showcase the final round between Goku, Vegeta, and the weak Kid Buu. While Kid Buu is rather weak compared to the other Buu's, Vegeta and Goku are weaker too. This keeps the action pretty intense and the ending (in the second to last DVD I mean) really suprised me. The final DVD is pretty nice and we get to see what happens ten years later. (I will not spoil anything.)

Anyway, the point is that this box set is really a great collection to have and watching the big fight uncut is a really great thing too. Enjoy it.

its the end
This saga is the last of the real DragonBall series from the original creator. This particular saga has the best fight scene (beating out the cell games in terms of intensity) and has the best animation (the other world planets are so colorful.) The dubbing for the english version is actually very good, as the voice actors do not sound contrived or forced like they do a lot of the time (i.e. before the cell games, and when buu was still fat). the music keeps the intensity up, and has some more guitar other then the keyboard techno stuff usually done. and the benefit of the DVD's is that you get to see the original japanese with all the swearing and blood (which is just soo much fun.) this saga is generally on the same level as the Cell Games, but I prefer this fight because its just so colorful and artistic. ... Read more

Description

Three uncut DVD movies of the popular Dragon Ball Z series are collected in a high quality boxed set!See "The Dead Zone", "The Tree of Might", and "The World's Strongest" in English or Japanese stereo sound. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Dragonballz 1-3
These dvds are ok.l the later dbz movies are much better, 5-10.

there are no super saiyans. they all take place after vegeta and nappa, but before nameck. over all, they get 3 stars.

this is joey now using aol!
These movies got old. Now that GT is out nobody cares about these. Personally I like Lord Slug when Goku goes 1/2 super saiyan but that's a different boxed set.

Dragonball Z - The first three movies
[I rate this three and a half stars, actually]

Basically, this is a collection of the first three Dragonball Z movies, on DVDs. For those of you who don't know, alongside the standard Dragonball Z series, 13 movies, 2 specials, and 1 OVA/OAV were released. Most of these were strictly for entertainment, as there is no way most of them could possibly have taken place. Also, none of them are very long (they are about the same length as 2-3 standard episodes.) Read on for summaries of each, and my opinions.

MOVIE ONE - DEAD ZONE

This movie occurs before Dragonball Z begins, probably a year before Raditz arrived.

Here's the basic story. A power-hungry demon named Garlic Jr. is the son of a demon who attempted to become guardian of the earth, but the current guardian did not allow it. To get revenge on the world, he obtains the Dragonballs and makes himself immortal (since Gohan was wearing his Dragonball hat at this time, henchmen kidnapped him.) This is the ONLY time in all of Dragonball/Z/GT someone SUCCESSFULLY makes an immortality wish. Goku goes to Garlic Jr's castle with the hopes of rescuing his son, while his worst enemy (at the time,) Piccolo, is also going to the castle to get revenge on the henchmen that attacked him.

This film could never have taken place, because the Z-crew already knows Gohan here, but they meet him for the first time in the Raditz saga. Likewise, Goku was surprised to see Gohan's hidden power in the Raditz saga, despite the fact that he uses it in this film. Because the film could never have happened, the Garlic Jr. saga of the actual series could also never have happened.

MOVIE TWO - THE WORLD'S STRONGEST

This movie occurs shortly after the battle with Nappa and Vegeta, but before the crew goes to Namek.

Here's the basic story. Fifty years ago, a brilliant scientist was killed in an avalanche. However, his brain was implanted into a cyborg body by his robotic assistant so that he would never die. Their laboratory was covered by ice and snow in an avalanche. Finally, the present day arrives. Kochin (the assistant) uses the Dragonballs to free the lab from the icy prison. During a recent expedition to this area, Piccolo vanished. Gohan returns to see if he can find out what happened to his friend. Also, Master Roshi is taken to the lab (because their data is outdated, it still says he is the world's strongest man.) Bulma is also kidnapped, and an all-out war against these villains begins.

This film could never have occured. After the Saiyan Saga but before the Namek Saga is the only time it could have happened, but Piccolo is alive, so that completely voids the film. Likewise, there was not an intreval of this long between the two sagas.

MOVIE THREE - THE TREE OF MIGHT

This film takes place exactly when Movie Two would have.

A mysterious group of space villains plants a seed on Earth. This causes the growth of a huge tree that drains the life force from the planet, all for a few pieces of fruit. When Turless (a Saiyan who looks just like Goku), the leader of these bad guys, eats a piece of it, his power will become unrealistically high. The Z Fighters set out to stop those who have begun creating havoc on the earth. Also, this film introduces Icarus/Haiya Dragon, who appears in the Garlic Jr. Saga, the infamous "driver's licenses" episodes, and movies 4 and 5.

This film could never have happened because Piccolo, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha - all of whom died in the Saiyan Saga - are alive and well here. Likewise, Turless is a Saiyan - The only surviving Saiyans in the universe are Goku and Vegeta (who doesn't appear in this film.) The fact that Turless looks just like Goku only adds to confusion (there are a ton of conflicting reasons for this.) Likewise, this film, which NEVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED, introduces Icarus/Haiya Dragon. Accordingly, anything else that Icarus/Haiya Dragon appears in automatically never occured.

There you have it - the first three Dragonball Z films. These were done by Pioneer, so the English dub actors are different than the ones you hear in the later TV episodes. Likewise, these DVDs have more extras than the modern DBZ DVDs, but not much. These films are good overall, but for the most part only die-hard Dragonball Z fans will get a kick out of them. I would actually consider holding off on buying these - they will be redubbed and released soon - hopefully with more extras. I hope you enjoyed this review. If you did, please click the "YES" button below.

Dragonball Z-Movie Boxed Set 1
These 3 movies are some of my favorite movies I have ever seen! My favorite out of the three is The Tree of Might which is about a bunch a of warriors go to earth and plant a seed that makes a huge tree that sucks the energy out of the earth and makes a fruit that makes you very strong. But all in all they are all awesome because all the Dragonball series are my favorite animes of all time if you don't know then DB, DBZ, and DBGT.ANIME FOREVER!

BUY THESE MOVIES!!!
If you are new to Dragon Ball Z movies you should get these movies, they are good if you've just started collecting DBZ movies. The reason why the first movie is so great is because in the cartoon it leaves out how Garlic Jr ended up in the Deadzone. And in the second one you never would've guest it yep Son-Goku has a twin brother called Turles. And the third movie is a bit weird but it's still pretty cool. ... Read more

Description

Meet Ryo Seaba: ladies' man, troubleshooter and expert marksman. When you need more help than the police can provide, he's the solution. He's the City Hunter, and if he can't solve your problem, no one can. Welcome to the world of City Hunter where freelance troubleshooter Ryo Saeba works to keep the streets of Shinjuku safe. When calling the police just won't do, leave an "XYZ" message on the board at Shinjuku Station and the City Hunter will respond to your plea for help, especially if you happen to be a beautiful woman!Contains the entire first season (26 complete episodes) on 5 DVDs! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

People who are stuck in the 80's..
City hunter's sound track was popular (3 different ending theme songs were #1 on the oricon charts in 1986 - 1987) but why would you want to "collect" animation thats 20 years old?

Hunt this out
First off, this series is Japanese with English subtitles - and that is the best thing ADV could have done. No dub would capture the frequent changes between tone the characters all use. But don't fret people City Hunter is a very visual anime with regards to plot and humour - even if you're slow at reading you'll keep up with this. Previous dubs have all been terrible changing Ryo's name to Joe anyway...

Second the boxset features an introduction to words or phrases used in the show before each episode which really helps.

Thirdly the music in this show is great (the later boxsets of the series gets even better) and fourth this boxset is great value for money - it's half the price of a season of Tenchi or Trigun and less than Ranma or Slayers too.

There's no reason not to go after this boxset of the Mokkori maniac City Hunter's exploits.

City Hunter the Best of the Best
All 140 Episodes of City Hunter (CH.1,CH.2,CH.3,CH.91) and the 6 City Hunter Movie / Special (Goodbye my Sweet Heart,357 Magnum,Bay City Wars,1000000 Dollar,Secret Service and The Death of Ryo Saeba) are Perfect for each Anime fan !!!!!!!!!!!
I saw