Amazon.com

.hack//Sign is set in the world within an online game. Tsukasa, a powerful Wave Master, finds himself lost in the cyberworld, with little memory of how he got there. More significantly, he's unable to log out of the game and is apparently immune to many of its restrictions. He may be the focus of an impending crisis linked to the mysterious Key of the Twilight. As he wanders through different realms, Tsukasa meets spunky girl warrior Mimiru; earnest soldier Bear; the Crimson Knights, who maintain order in the game-world; and genially heroic Crim, a Heavy Spear wielder. Tsukasa also encounters a potent but unseen entity who promises to protect him--and does. Handsomely designed, well animated, and skillfully directed, .hack//Sign stands out as an example of how to turn a game into a series that can stand on its own merits. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Amazon.com

These episodes make up the first ("Tokyo") story arc of the popularcomedy-adventure set in 1878, 10 years after the Meiji Restoration ended the TokugawaShogunate and reordered feudal Japanese society. Although they provide plentyof flashy battle scenes and belly laughs, the filmmakers use these adventuresto introduce their cast of engaging misfits, each of whom is haunted by anunhappy past. "Miss Kaoru" inherited the impoverished Kamiya Dojo when her fatherwas murdered; Yahiko had to work as a pickpocket after he was orphaned;mighty Sanosuke saw his comrades betrayed by Imperial agents. During the revolution, Kenshin Himura was Battousai the Manslayer, a deadlyassassin working for the Imperialists. Although he's vowed never to kill again,Kenshin remains a swordsman of unmatched ability. He's also an agreeableklutz, the butt of much of the slapstick humor, and his character owes a greatdeal of its charm to the nuanced performance of voice actor Richard Hayworth.Viewers may find that Kenshin reminds them of Vash in Trigun. But Vashneither controls nor understands his destructive powers; Kenshin's murderousskill is the result of rigorous training, and an icy discipline underlies hishappy-go-lucky demeanor.

The unconventional quartet battles counter-revolutionaries, gangsters, andopium smugglers, although the tone is considerably lighter than the laterSamurai X feature and four-partOVA. The Rurouni Kenshin broadcastseries remains one of the most popular anime continuities of all time--with goodreason. (Rated 13 and older: violence, minor profanity, brief nudity, alcoholand tobacco use) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Awesome, incredible, legendary, priceless, amazing
This is the first of three box sets (one season in each) of Rurouni Kenshin, THE best anime I know of. This box sets serves as a good introduction for the REAL Rurouni Kenshin, which is on the second season The Legend of Kyoto. This is the greatest series, featuring amazing animation, good plots, interesting characters, and a perfect mix between comedy and action, UNLIKE Trigun. The action is very, very well done, and never bores you like in DBZ (in which they spend an episode looking at each others' faces). Oh, and the soundtrack is breathtaking. I have seen this box set three times now, and it never fails to entertain me. You should watch it subbed, because altough the dubbing is pretty good, the original is MUCH better, giving it more emotional impact. The characters are very cool and interesting, some you'll love (Ayame and Suzume), others you'll hate (Hiruma Gohei)and others will make you cry (Seta Soujiro). This series is about Himura Kenshin, as he tries to atone for killing a lot of people during the Bakumatsu (Revolution). Back then he was known as Hitokkiri Battousai and was an assasin beleiving he could help build a better world. After the Bakumatsu ended, he swore never to kill again and got a Sakabatou (reverse-edged katana) to protect and save people. Eleven years later he meets with Kamiya Kaoru and thus begins this amazing and unforgettable adventure. Whoever sees this series will never forget it, and I guarrantee you'll enjoy it. Its a long series, but every DVD is worth it, altough I prefer the box set for collectible reasons. The best part is the second season Kyoto Arc, but get this one as well, and also the ending (if you got as far as 2/3, why not finish? plus, altough the last season is not as cool as the second, its worth seeing if you liked the first two) Also get the OVAs Trust & Betrayal and Seisouhen (Reflection) to understand better and also you can get The Motion Picture for those who can't wait for the next box set (like me!). The only complain I have is of the packaging of the DVDs. The cardboard sleeves can scratch the disks and are easy to fall off them, but you can always just put them on jewel cases. Other than that, this is a perfect product, and is worth buying. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LEGEND OF KYOTO BOX SET!!!!!!!!

Simply amazing!!
Rurouni Kenshin is my favorite anime series period. Everything in my opinion is superb. The story is well thought out and paced very well. The music is terrific, as is the art work and animation. This box set includes the frist 27 episodes in the series.

The series starts off buy giving you insight on who Kenshin used to be and how hes trying to repent for what he did. It introduces the main characters and builds their relationships. There is a lot of action to be found here, but quite a lot of humor too. The humor is typical anime fashion and might turn some people off, but you would be a fool to do so.

If you do decide to get this box set be sure to check out the OVA's Trust and Betrayal first. These two dvds will show you Kenshin when he was "Battousai the Manslayer" and you will understand why he wants to repent for what he did in the TV series.

The Meiji Era, a time of trouble and profit.
Japan, after a long and bloody civil war, is now trapped between the ideals of the past and the promise of the future. Swords have been outlawed yet the survivors of the revolution are waiting in the shadow. The defeated wait for their chance to strike back while many of the winners now use their power within the government to gain power and wealth.
Kenshin Himura, once a Imperial assassin, is now the only man the stands between peace and renewed war. Can a former killer with an outlawed weapon be faithful to the new ways or will his violent ways take control again?
Six DVDs with 27 episodes, outtakes, art work, notes on Japanese history and terms, this is a great collection to have. Includes the English voices of the very good Richard Hayworth, the independent Dorothy Melendrez, the young Elyse Floyd, the serious sounding Lex Lang, the sexy Wendee Lee, the delightful John Billingslea, the always sweet sounding Rebecca Forstadt (also known as Reba West) and the evil Steve Cannon (the voice of Harry McDougall from the Outlaw Star). Please note that Elyse Floyd is ALSO Wendee Lee and the cute sounding Sandy Fox also sings the English version of the opening song.
And while not a fan of any ONE Japanese voice actor, the Japanese voices are good too!
I got it used, in so-so condition, so I got a REAL deal. Some of the episodes are stand alone, but many of the stories are two or more episodes long, with lots of cool fights and tons of humor. The artwork is so-so, but the rest of the features found on the DVD make up for it.

FINNALY.
I have been waiting for a box set for all these years because there is such so many DVD's,22 to be exact. I am a real fan of Rurouni Kenshin and Now I can finnaly get the whole T.V series easily but there are three box sets,Wandering Samurai, Legend of Kyoto and Tales of the Meiji also maybe coming out in the future the Jinchu Arc which is only on the manga for now so don't waste all your money just for this because the rest of them are a lot better. This is about a man named Himura Kenshin. He was one of the best assasin in Japan during the Revolution he became the Hitokiri Battousai, but when it was over he became a rurouni (wanderer). But when a young girl named Kaoru was getting angry at a imposter who also was named the Battousai she get's mad at the wrong person. Well anyway I am not gonna waste my time writing a long review so go get this box set right a way and make sure you have at least $150.00 with you because this box set is not exactly cheap.

UNBELIEVABLE!
I just have to say what a great plessure it is to own such a great anime such as rurouni kenshin.Sorry Amazon I was just about to get this right on this website but reading all the reviews I just couldn't take the chance.This great box set has the first 27 episodes of rurouni kenshin which make up the "Tokyo Arc" it's good but not as good as the Kyoto Arc.I don't have the Legend in Kyoto box set but i'm saving up my money.If you get this box set be very careful with the way u handle it because you might get deep scratches in it.This is a great season but u would rather get the second because that's the best I only this first because I want to see the first episodes and I want to get it in order. You better get this box set. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

My favorite childhood movie - and it has a message!
I first saw this movie in theaters when it came out, which would make me nine or ten at the time. I loved the movie then. The environmental message made sense to me, and it really got its point across even to a young kid, though I didn't understand consciously that Batty had be a subject of animal experimentation (now I'm an 18 year old animal rights activist, so maybe it registered on some level though).

But a great message alone isn't enough to make a movie. It's got all the classic elements necessary for a kids movie. A great villian - Hexx is scary, unique, and voiced to perfection by Tim Curry, two strong protagonists for guys and girls in Zak and Crysta, a mythical past and setting, fun comic relief - Robin Willians is terrific as Batty, and plenty of great songs.

It's different enough from your typical Disney movie to be great, but similar enough that kids will love it. Plus, it will be something they've never seen before and it will send many important messages (about taking care of the environment, believing in yourself, and how you can make a difference) that every kid should hear. I definatly believe this is the best children's movie ever made.

Very beautiful, gentle nature story
Well, I'll just be brief with this one.
Synopsis:Zach, a 15-20 year old city boy comes to work for a deforestation company in the rainforest. A fairy, Chrysta, falls upon him by chance and to save his life, she attempts to give him fairy SIGHT, but ends up giving him fairy SIZE. Once Zack begins to explore the beautiful world of Fern Gully, he sees a side to nature that must be preserved. All of this is threatened though by Hexxus, an evil spirit that feeds on pollution.
Cons: A very overly pretty boy characters...but that's not always bad. An almost irritatingly naive female character, a shrinking violet a lot of times. Magic that unfortunately doesn't exist.
Pros: A good story to get across without being boring, dreary, or scary although a lot of people said that Hexxus terrified them. Batty Koda! Robin Williams plays the character of the brain scrambled bat very well and adds humor to the movie. Very sweet little movie to teach children about the destruction of the rainforest.
Overall: It's quite worth buying. A very charming movie for all ages, Fern Gully will help people to see another side to the rainforest while, not exactly realistic, is very lovable and lively. Enjoyable.

Spectacular beyond words!!
(...)Lovely animation, wonderful message, lovable characters....it has everything! It deals with the most important issue plaguing our planet to this day. It shows that living things deserve to be left alone, and that humans should stop interfearing (sp?). When I remembered this movie from years and years ago, I knew this had to be where my passion for animals and nature originated. This is a deeply moving and empathetic movie; the fairies can feel a tree's pain. It's seriously the best movie on the face of the earth to me. It's absolutely brilliant, spectacular, inspiring, powerful, uplifting, etc. I'm passing it on to my children and their children, without a doubt!

Message to everyone: Speak out for things that can't speak for themselves. Go vegetarian, adopt needy animals from shelters.....any little bit helps. We have alternatives to meat and paper and pencils.....why don't we use them and save a couple trees and animals? We need to have more sympathy and respect for the suffering of innocent lives who never did anything to deserve what they go through.

Long live tree-huggers!

(...)

Surprisingly Good
This is one of my favorite animated movies. Obviously this movie is one big enviornmental awarness message but so is about 90% of all movies. Although this movie features a very well told story, the best feature is the beautiful animation. Showcases early use of CGI effects that are used today. This movie does have musical numbers but they are good musical numbers. And of course, who could forget Robin Williams as the crazy bat. Recomended to anyone.

Important Lessons Sometimes Come in Small Packages
I absolutely adore this movie. It presents a delightful mix of humor and poignant symbolism. Perhaps if more children watched movies like this they would grow into enviromentally conscious adults. The characters are as loveable as they are educational. If I could, I'd buy a copy of this movie for all the children I know. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The vampire-turned-hunter saga Hellsing owes a lot to both the original and remake of Vampire Hunter D. In Britain, vampires that were artificially created by implanting chips in their necks are attacking people. Dispatching them is the job of the Royal Order of Religious Knights, headed by the icy (and apparently female) Sir Integra Hellsinger. Her chief agent, the red-clad Arucard, destroys one vampire, then turns police woman Victoria into a servant-vampire, bound to him. The outré story violates the rules of the traditional legends: vampires wear crosses, enter churches, and pose as priests; Hellsinger's mortal enemy is the Vatican's Iscariot Organization. The animation is very static, and the design style changes from character to character. Despite grotesque imagery borrowed from Night of the Living Dead, the result is more silly than scary, and the series suffers from underdeveloped characters, a plot that is sketchy at best, a surfeit of pointless violence, and inadvertently hilarious dialogue.

In subsequent episodes, Luke and Jan, the Valentine Brothers, lay siege to the headquarters of the Hellsing organization, the Royal Order of Religious Knights. After numerous humans have been killed and eaten by an army of ghouls, Sir Integra Hellsinger, Arucard, and Seras must hunt down the perpetrators. Not surprisingly, the finale is elaborate, violent, and inconclusive. The closing titles announce that the search for the creators of the artificial vampires continues, so a sequel may be in the works. (Rated 16 and older, but unsuitable for viewers younger than 18: graphic violence, profanity, gore, violence against women) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Best Bloody Vampire Series Available!
The Japanese seem to find the western version of the Vampire myth quite appealing, and the expression of that fascination reaching a peak with the anime series Hellsing.

Set in modern-day Great Britain, Hellsing focuses on the effots of a powerful private enterprise headquartered in Great Britain and dedicated to defending "God, Queen, and Country" from the ravages of vampires. Led by Dr. van Helsing descendent Sir Integra Hellsing (an icy-cool, determined woman) with the aide of her vampire minion Alucard--the coolest and toughest anime hero to come along in many a day, the Hellsing Organization faces an onslaught of man-made "freak" vampires and ghouls plus the dangerous Iscariot Organization of the Vatican and their knife-wielding human regenerator.

If you enjoy bloody anime, this series is for you. It's not nearly as gruesome as many out there but does have more blood and violence than any of the stuff shown on Cartoon Network today. If you like vampire anime, then this series is also for you; it's a neat take and breath of fresh air in a genre well-exercised in Japan.

The animation itself is done really well in terms of visual quality, with a blend of CG and hand-drawn cel work; however, it is somewhat more static in nature than much contemporary anime, comparable to that done for the Record of Lodoss War series.

The audio, though presented only in stereo sound, features a soundtrack you'll want to hunt down like a freak after fresh blood. Surprisingly, the english dubbing is quite good, featuring British-accented voice actors far superior to the average anime dub.

Hellsing is an excellent addition to any anime fan's library and a must-watch for vampire lovers everywhere.

Flash over substance, but still worthwhile
The characters are awfully one-dimensional, the story is far from deep, and it just about all falls apart at the end -- so why should anyone care? Well, nobody should, really. And yet, I do. Sure, the story, set in modern day Britain, isn't particularly brilliant: Alucard, an incredibly powerful vampire decked out in a blood-red coat, serves a gelid female by the name of Sir Integra Hellsing, who runs a secret organization that eliminates vampires. They, along with Seras Victoria, a somewhat ditzy police girl Alucard turns into a vampire early on in the series, spend much of these 13 eps investigating 'freak' vampires, humans turned into vampires by having chips implanted -- none of which is really all that exciting. And there's no real character development to speak of; the characters are exactly the same at the end of the series as they are when first introduced. But the creators make up for most of this with style. Lots and lots of style, actually. Bloody battles, cool weapons, gorgeous gothic backdrops, heaps of attitude, slick soundtrack -- truly excellent stuff. And, of course, there's Alucard, whose cool, laid-back personality never gets old (nor does him showing off those enormous guns he wields). Taking place in Britain, the Japanese voice actors feel greatly out of place, so thankfully the dub is quite adequate. The extras are fairly standard stuff: sketches, ads and the like. But despite all its shortcomings, Hellsing manages to remain entertaining throughout, even during the last few eps where our hero does battle with Incognito, one of the most asinine villians in anime history. It's slick, violent, and always cool, one any vampire fan could enjoy, so long as they don't mind turning their brain off for a bit.

Hellsing is a pretty cool Anime
i thought this was very interesting. it's about an artificial vampire hunting organization called Hellsing and how there strongest force Alucard helps turn a dying police girl named Seras into a vampire, and they then join togethar to defeat the articial race of vampires. althogh i must agree that there are much better animes out there, i still thought this had some really cool action sequnces as well as some totally kick-a$$ bad guys. this box set is a must have for any Otaku who hasn't gotten into this yet.

VERY GOOD!
Well im not going to give a super long review so im gonna try and keep it short. For me it started off slow but after 5 or so minutes or when alucard first drew his gun I was hook. I highly recommend this title just I think the price tag at amazon is high. See if you can buy it cheaper.

Buy the anime and manga immediately
Hellsing came to me while I was in my deepest depression. The reason for that is so simple. I am a "vampiraholic" ( if you allow me to use such a word ). I like vampires to death. I like everything about them. Their abilities, strength,weaknesses,and their dark lust for human's blood. BUT, I was disappointed with the thousands of movies and animes that were about vampires. They were never satisfying or worthy in terms of vampires. In fact, they never quenched my thirst for vampires. They were always either about LOVE like "Queen of the damned" and " Embrace of the vampire" or a stupid struggle between being a human or a vampire like "Blade" and "Vampire hunter D". I am not saying those movies were all that bad (especially vampire hunter D whom I love his character very much ),I am just explaining that they did not make me happy nor represented vampires as real,authentic,and dark creatures .
When I actually bought Hellsing, I could not express my mixed emotions while watching a unique piece of work . I loved Alucard and Seras(or Ceres as it is written in Japanese)Victoria from the very beginning of episode one. I was amazed by the fact that a decent, powerful, and proud vampire like Alucard is serving a human ! And to to be more exact a female !In addition, I was struck by the idea of Alucard using magnificent human's guns to eliminate his enemies.Also, I was astonished to see Alucard's true power in episode 6,when he showed his dark nature.Oh man! All those scary eyes , black space , and fatal dogs !Do I dare to deny that I was scared?!What more do I want? .Furthermore, those incredible battles between Alucard and his deadly enemies such as Incognito and Alexender Andersong . That's what I call kicking ass ! Not to mention Alucard's dark, vague, and heart-breaking identity which keeps you attracted to the series until the end .Even Alucard's clothes are well done; the long red coat, the hat, the glasss, and the white gloves with the sorcery circles on them !
The feminine side in this series is so amazing . Imagine a strict, fearless, beautiful, and intelligent woman called Integra. Not only that,imagine a cute,sexy,charming,and smart chick called Seras(Ceres) Victoria. Oh no! Please do not let me start on her! A well-made and developed character that was an interesting addition to the story. You do not see her like those other idiots turned by vampires who,those idiots, keep struggling and wanting their human life back.NO, the issue with Seras is totally different. She is not rejecting being a vampire(actually she chose that by her own will).However, she is rejecting certain things like sucking blood(make that drinking blood),and sometimes the cold sarcastic way her master deals with things and sitautions. (...0
The effects are top-notch, especially the sound of Alucard's guns while firing. Moreover, the actors voices are worthy and up to such a perfect work(I consider it to be the best English dubding I have ever heard)).And last but not least, the music. The opening of Hellsing is the best I have ever heard. The whole music is fantastic. It takes you to a higher level of enjoyment.
Finally,the main climax is when you discover who Alucard really is! (a clever hint was given at the end of the series).For me,Hellsing is the second best anime I have ever seen after Berserk. ... Read more

Reviews (226)

An Incredible Amount of Depth for a Film
Almost invariably, "Waking Life," the 2001 animated film from Richard Linklater is described as 'original.' For once, this oft-overused moniker is accurate: there isn't anything quite like this movie. It advertises itself as a series of philosophical vignettes, which range all over the subject spectrum but are usually united by a common thread of meaning: that of dreams and the reality of the 'dream world.'

A film based upon that premise could easily fall into the highschool-discussion/drug-induced-nonsense level of discourse, but "Waking Life" plunges headlong into the fray without batting an eye. Fairly early in the film, pretentious philosophy is dismissed with a nice rebuttal to the sophomoric question: "What if you're just a construct of my dream, and exist only in my mind?" "Well, then I'm as real as anything else." And that's the starting point for a meditation on the meaning (if any) of dreams, and some of the dreamlike things people encounter in their daily lives.

"Waking Life" is also animated, using a pretty unique form of animation: each scene was shot, and then "drawn over" by animation artists in a variety of styles, from expressionist art to nearly-photographic digital renderings, depending on the mood of each scene. The result is something that resembles an acid trip or a hallucination, where tables of restaurant patrons float above the ground, faces change while moustaches stay the same, and the background is in a near-constant state of flux. It can get nauseating after a while, but the overall effect is subtle enough not to draw attention from the content of the film, which is a rare quality for so-called "art" films. It's almost a crime that "Jimmy Neutron" was nominated for "Best Animated Film" while "WL" was not.

Because of these varied qualities, "Waking Life" isn't for everyone, and certainly gets a "rent-if-before-you-buy-it" caveat. The DVD presentation is as good as one could want: an anamorphic widescreen presentation with crisp colors and a 5.1 soundtrack (not that philosophical conversation requires dynamic sound), and a nice helping of extras. Don't write "Waking Life" off as something smart people (or those who pretend to be smart) will enjoy and yack about - it's just not the average, everyday film and requires an attentive mind and (perhaps) multiple viewings to fully enjoy. For those willing to take the plunge with an open mind, "Waking Life" is a rewarding film experience.

Final Grade: A

Glorious
"Waking Life" is so full of ideas, one flowing to the next, it really does feel like some sort of lucid dream. The animation adds to the overall vitality of the film. It jumps off the screen, challenging the viewer to wrestle with these questions, to take responsibility for his/her existence for at least a couple of hours. There is a sense of urgency bordering on desperation as the dream continues and the search for a center, for some kind of clear understanding begins to seem endless.

There is so much here to absorb, you can really loose yourself completely in the film. At one point, we watch two men discussing the nature of film as an art form (I can't remember who they were) and then the perspective widens and we see that they are, themselves, on a movie screen in a theater with our main character as its sole occupant, which makes sense since it only exists in his mind - in his dream. Of course, we are also in a theater watching the film, adding another level to this already multi-layered context.

After seeing this movie, I felt thoroughly invigorated. I wish there were more films like this.

This review reflects the film, not the DVD
which I assume I'll review again once I buy it.
Waking Life is for the most part, a successful experiment, that is beautiful to watch unfold. I'm a pretty big Richard Linklater fan, from Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, and even School of Rock (I've yet to see Tape or the Newton Boys, however). I like him, because he seems to have a real love for making movies. But also, he seems to have a love for life. Think about it, not counting School of Rock most of the movies above are about wandering (and wondering) and talking and learning, and living. I don't think this movie is pretentious because that would imply Linklater is trying to be something he's not-and he is not doing that. He genuinely cares and is interested by these ideas, and I think if you thought this movie was pretentious, you weren't watching it close enough.
Yes, the movie is fascinating to watch. Different animators were brought in for every scene, right? Well, it shows. Sometimes, the scenes have a strong abstract feeling (like the scene with Wiley and the red-headed woman) where the characters have rough geometric shapes and blank or abstract backgrounds. Sometimes, they're very realistic (like Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy scene). All of it is great to watch, however.
The "plot" of this movie, is that Wiley Wiggins is in a dream from which he cannot wake up. He floats and flies (on occasion) from scene to scene, and each scene features someone talking to him about anything. However, he's not in every scene, so some of the movie (in my opinion) is even more abstract than that: it's just a film about dreaming and living, sometimes starring Wiggins. Follow? Good.
And now for the scenes themselves. Most are good, and sometimes even enthralling. The best scenes in my opinion are scenes that unravel like someone telling you a great story (the ones that immediately come to mind are the ones with Wiley and the two guys that explain to him how you know you're in a dream, and the one at the very end with Linklater himself). Some are a little long-winded but none are boring, if only because of the great animation.
The only scenes that give me trouble are the one with the prisoner planning revenge, and the scene with the bartender telling the man about how he almost got killed (which ends bizarrely). I just don't know what to make of them.
The worst part of the film is that, yes, you are basically watching people talk for about ninety minutes. Until the end scene with Linklater, it can be a tad grating (especially on a first viewing) towards the middle-end, but you'll keep watching. I think this movie uses the film medium to its extent...I mean, can you imagine reading the novelization of this movie? It strikes a balance between abstract but watchable. If I have another problem it's that I wish it could be a little more exciting, like if the stories being told were visualized, but that would mean changing the whole format of the movie and going for something more obvious.
This movie itself is like a dream. It leaves you feeling a little dazed at the end and you're not quite sure what to make of it. It sure is inventive though and unique, though. I like Waking Life because it's full of ideas and original thoughts, maybe too many of them, which is why it's not exactly a masterpiece but certainly not a movie to pass over like so many bad Hollywood pieces of junk. I like it because it's a movie that has too many ideas, instead of too few.

Beautiful but boring!!!
Richard Linklater has made some good movies and I appreciate what he's trying to do here, but the film was downright excruciating to watch. I can't imagine anyone finding it interesting, but apparently, many do. Maybe Philosophy itself just bores me. I did think the animation was cool, and the Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy Before Sunrise scene was inspired, otherwise, this film is better left on the shelf. It is definitely not for all tastes.

The best how to do animation DVD in the World
The real utility of this DVD - "Waking Life" - is that it is the ultimate "how to" book for any would be animator in this 21st century and a counting.

My comments arise from how I watched it - first without any of the special features, then I watched it with the text-feature, third I watched the movie under the animation and then I watched the special feature in which I watched the explanation by the director of how he had done things with the computer and why he had done so - or rather how he had managed to direct over twenty different animators and get it as seamless as he did - tips like taking the color from the movie instead of from the palette. I suppose if one animator did the entire movie that would be less an issue. As it is you may note that some of the other reviewers still note the movie is not seamless and no it is not but many of the methods that the director explains make it more so than would otherwise be so.

There is I suppose a message and medium issue - as for the message whether it is philosophy made simple or existentialism made simple to just concision is up to the viewer - If you view it 5x as I have you see how animation makes it work where the film does not - in the film there is too much information in how the speakers really look - each one could have been a movie in themselves and I can recommend the DVD to point new viewers to these ideas towards the real speakers - if you watch the film with the text on you can capture the names and hence go deeper - as it is - it is an astonishing concision of the meaning of lucid dreaming, cognitive science, existentialism and the big questions. And as the animation holds it together you hear not one speaker but twenty. And that is what makes it so extra-ordinary. The director tells you how they do that. I mean how they animate - it is amazing and an incredible act of kindness to share method. Wow wow. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The beauty of this entry in the Baby Einstein catalog is its integration of puppets, toys, and live farm footage to help babies and toddlers make the connection between their plastic play sets and stuffed animals with images of a real farm. As always, the spoken language is minimal, omitting the pesky verbs and adjectives that would confuse the very young. The 30-minute main program is divided into sections: barns and equipment, animals, planting crops, and harvesting. Background music ranges from "Old MacDonald" to Schumann, and DVD extras include a 6-minute puppet show and visual "discovery cards" identifying animals and farm paraphernalia with a single word. (Ages 6 months to 3 years) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Great Addition to the Baby Einstein collection
I bought Baby Mcdonald for my 21 mo old daughter. She absolutely loves it and asks to watch it . It seems to be her favorite one of the Baby Einstein collection so far, although she does like many of the others too. It is a great video with children and animals. It also has many scenes from a farm too. Great video well worth the money.

FANTASTIC TOOL FOR YOUR CHILD
I have a 12 month old daughter and she absolutely loves not only this video, but all of the Baby Einstien collection. I can pop in any one of these DVD's and she is instantly enthralled. This particular DVD gives you an up close look at the farm. It breaks down the farm into groups such as planting the field, harvest, barnyard animals etc....each one of these sections is filled with high color images, interesting and unique toys, and some pretty amusing puppet shows. I am a huge believer in the Baby Einstein products and will reccommend them to anyone who will listen. If you haven't tried out these products yet then give it a chance, I promise the $14.00 is well worth the enjoyment your child will get from it.

Baby Einstein-Baby MacDonald
My 23 month old daughter absolutely loves watching this show as well as Neighborhood Animals. It has really encouraged her to make animal sounds, point and name each one and sing a cute version of e-i-e-i-o with hers being "e-o"
This is definitely one of her faves as well as ours.

Can't get enough of it!!
My 15 month old has been watching Baby MacDonald since his 1st birthday and can't get enough of it. He can tell mommy what sound a cow, horse, and rooster make. He even points to the cows and horses he sees as we drive in the car. We have most of the Baby Einstein collection and he loves them all. Highly recommend getting the collection.

very adorable
We let our 14 month old watch this video now it is requested everyday, multiple times. He is exposed to TV on occasion, but has never really paid much attention to it. He loves singing and dancing and likes this alot. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Each of the snazzy 25-minute installments from the most popular Japanese animated TV series of 1998 is a satisfying adventure tale about a futuristic hipster bounty hunter. This is an elegant action-comedy anime, with smoothly integrated CGI space-flight elements, gorgeous graphics, blues harmonica and sax riffs on the soundtrack, and a no-sweat post-Tarantino attitude. Despite occasional eruptions of gun-fu Asian-action violence, and some intimations of heavy-duty drug use (in the first of 26 episodes, one especially noxious narcotic is administered as an aerosol spray straight onto the user's eyeballs), the tone is surprisingly convivial. None of the generic tough elements are grim or mean-spirited. Lanky antihero Spike Spiegel is a planet-hopping freelance hunter with an ex-cop sidekick named Jet, a loopy fellow hunter named Faye, a teenage computer hack, and a genetically enhanced Welsh corgi assistant in tow. The emphasis is on clever twists of plot in an episodic short-story format with as many wisecracks as punches being thrown. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (336)

best anime ever
An interesting twist on traditional anime, Cowboy Bebop is at once fresh, original, and wildly entertaining. It injects new life into a classic genre.

I first discovered this series on Cartoon Network's adult swim late-night block, and quickly began to really like it. The fight scenes are beautifully animated, the 26 episodes (each of which stands on its own) are well written and perfectly paced.

Speaking of which, the episode structure is very unlike most anime, where you have to see every episode or you don't understand it at all. The episodes in Bebop are all tied together with a common theme: Spike Spiegel and company travel throughout space in the near future, looking for bounty, their own backstories unraveling bit by bit. This formula works very well.

Bebop also conveys an atmosphere that sometimes changes but is always well done with each episode. It is, for the most part, either gritty and violent (Episode 5: Ballad of Fallen Angels) or goofy and sometimes laugh out loud funny (Episode 12: Toys in the Attic). Director Watanabe is great at really drawing the viewer in so that often you forget about what else is happening around you.

Bebop is not without flaws, however. Sometimes the episodes seem to have filler or are WAY too slow paced. This is mainly only a problem with Episode 20: Boogie Woogie Feng Shui. Half the episode is almost all dialogue, with hardly any real movement. It just doesn't feel like the rest of the series.

That one very small shortcoming aside, however, Bebop is amazing, and well worth it whether you enjoy anime or not. This is something anyone can appreciate.

You've got to see this...
The future isn't always bright and happy, but at least its presented in a spectacular series like Cowboy Bebop. Following the crew of the Bebop, each episode takes on new challenges everytime and new feelings. Moods for each episode is never consistent, as they change from action-packed (Gateway Shuffle) to somber (Speak Like A Child) to sadistic (Pierrot La Fou) to comedic (Mushroom Samba). Each episode has its own unique flavor, which will satisfy all types of people.

The main character is Spike Spiegel, an ex-member of a crime syndicate and a bounty hunter. With his tall, lanky, slacker-look about him, he easily throws people off guard when they first meet him. His cool demenor and level-headedness are an excellent cover for a master of hand-to-hand and ranged combat, as well as being quite skilled in piloting his starship, Swordfish II.

The lead female character, Faye Valentine, is very similar in many respects to Spike, which causes some friction throughout the series as they both hunt for bounties. Although she may look like she is in her early 20s, Faye was suspended in a cryo-genic freeze for 54 years following a space accident. Her past is a mystery (Episodes 15, 18, and 24), but she keeps her cool and is confident and daring all at once. If Spike is ever in the middle of a fight, she'll usually wander in to help. While she is definitely a sexy woman, her charms tend to work on every man other than Spike and Jet. In addition, she has her own little starship, Redtail, which she uses to get herself out of whatever trouble she finds.

Jet Black is a former member of ISSP (InterStellar Space Police) on Ganymede, where he shortly retired after losing his left arm. He is partnered with Spike as a bounty hunter, and is the captain of the Bebop and his own personal ship, the Hammerhead. However, most of the time, Spike is on the frontlines while Jet provides support through information or backup.

Ed's real name is Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky 4th, but Ed is 13 year old female who is an expert computer hacker commonly known as "Radical Edward." Although she may sound serious, this couldn't be further from the truth. She may be extremely intelligent and a prodigy, but don't let her wacky antics and crazy talk fool you. She may not be able to take life too seriously quite yet, but she is a force with which to be reckoned.

Ein is a Welsh Corgi dog who was apart of an experiment at an early age. Consequently, he's smarter than the average dog now, and when Ed joins the crew of the Bebop, they're instant friends. Often times found eating, sleeping, or accompanying Ed, he's the one character that no one argues with (except for Faye).

The year is 2071 A.D., and mankind has spread throughout the Sol system after a tragic accident on Earth. The crew of the Bebop hunt down criminals for bounties, all the while, trying to survive the harshness of space. Spike and Jet are the original crew members of the Bebop, and while Ein, Faye, and Ed become apart of the "family," conflicting pasts and perspectives often times drive each of them away to solve their problems, but they always come back for one reason or another.

The plot? Excellent. The characters? Great. The animation? Great. The series? Flawless.

An additional note, I'm not positive, but I do believe that all of the music (with exception for the beginning and ending tracks) are never repeated. You'll watch TV and anime series, and often times, you'll find a particular piece of music being repeated for certain situations to help clue you into the mood for that scene. However, in Cowboy Bebop, that isn't so. For one episode, you'll have a unique set of music tracks that are never repeated throughout the rest of the series. For example, the music track "Ballad of a Fallen Angel" is never repeated outside of the cathedral scene in the episode "Ballad of Fallen Angels."

I can't think of anything else that I was more pleased with after buying than Cowboy Bebop. : )

Note- I'm reviewing the bootleg
Although it may be unAmerican, and surely it's a rip-off from potential money going to Bandai, (...)I was really worried about what I'd be receiving. The truth is, the package was awesome- the DVD quality if FANTASTIC (there's a little digital blurring during a ship-flight scene), and the dub is exactly the original American dub seen on Adult Swim (the English subtitles disagree somewhat). There are even a few special features, including music videos and such- nothing important really. I'm a little hesitant, as some may have had different experiences... I'll say that the copy I got is 3-CD, from Singapore, in a brown/gray cardboard-flip case that has Spike in a subway or something, standing next to a blonde woman. The inside has a bit of art as well. It's not the cover, with the black on top and bottom and all the characters, shown on Amazon.
Your experience my differ, and granted, this set isn't exactly perfect, with a little digital blurring. But for 30 dollars, my experience, at least, was an awesome deal.

The GREATEST anime series of all time
This is the best anime series I've ever seen and I've seen alot of them including movies. When it comes to anime there is a few names people know. Akira, Macross, Ghost In The Shell, Trigun, Ninja Scroll. Cowboy Bebop is right up there. I love this anime because it is real and it doesn't pull any punches. It is classic yet new age. It's a sci-fi space thing yet it's like a western yet like an epic. It is everything that is good. I own the Limited Edition Box and the 3 disc Hong Kong import. The story is based on 5 characters who all have their own interesting backgrounds and somehow life as it happens has these five come together. Spike Spiegel and Jet Black are bounty hunters using a commercial fishing ship(spaceship this is the future) as their mode of transportation. In this bounty hunting is very lucritive as there is even a tv show that updates them on new bounties. Along the way they meet three other characters that join the crew at Spike's displeasure and Jet's indifference. There is far too much for me write of in the epic of anime greatness. I really felt like I knew and shared in their journey by the end. All this and probably one of the best soundtracks ever produced. Eclectic is the word...it is a jazzy, blues inspired rock techno organism of music that plays well with the story. All I say is rent, buy or borrow and watch this is you are an anime fan and you have not yet, for some God awful reason, seen this. Now the nice collection you see with the entire series is not the Limited 7 disc set which includes the soundtrack...if you find the big box it will be at least $200 dollars but probably more than that as it is a limited numbered to 15,000. The 3 disc collection containing all 26 episodes is the import Hong Kong version which can be played here. This is usually around $30 dollars or so. It has great video and sound quality and doesn't suck compared to the U.S. releases as some would say. Either way it is a great series and all anime fans should have this one.

Pure Masterpiece...
Cowboy Bebop. The jazzy series that has anything I could possible want in an anime. This is the kind of thing you'd like to watch after you invite a few friends over to spend the night, play Nintendo, talk about boobs, indulge all the junk-food you have, and then watch this late at night. It's one of those movies like Young Frankenstein that is funny in a way that makes you think. Not like sooo much bubblegum-anime on the market today that just tries to be funny by making bad puns, and saying retarded things. I enjoy the factor that the cast of characters is such a dysfunctional motley assort of people. The story is as good as I expected it to be, I like every bit of the storyline and how it sometimes purposly went out of context.
I like how it went like a duality of two faces: Sweet, and Sorrow. First the Sweet lures you into the story and makes you happy. Then when your inside, The Sorrow stabs you with a knife making you sad.... (My analogies rock!). This anime is for everybody, even (some) adults like it! I'm going to buy the soundtrack when I get enough money, It's like Hellsing which has a kick-ass soundtrack! Jazzy and up-beat. Yet melodic and sadening. The ending ephisode is heart wrenching to me atleast.
This anime is for everyone and anyone! Get it, you won't be dissapointed! ... Read more

Description

The Dumbo 60th Anniversary Edition was the beneficiary of an electronic film restoration process where every frame of film was scanned into a high resolution computer system, then painstakingly examined and repaired frame by frame to eliminate negative and positive dirt, film scratches and the like. A high definition transfer was done and color correction was supervised by Disney Feature Animation to ensure faithful reproduction of the colors as they were originally intended. ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Excellent for two and three year olds and everyone else too!
Dumbo is a cinematic milestone and masterpiece of family entertainment. The storyline and characters are well rounded enough (just) to entertain adults and older children and the quality of the animation both holds children's attention and enables them to empathise with the principle characters. In addition, the moral of the story is well presented without being clumsily overstated as in much modern animation.

Both my children have frequently watched this DVD (which first came out (without extras) in Europe in 1999) since they were one and both enjoy it imensely.

I'm both astonished and disturbed that anyone could deem this movie unsuitable for children but can only assume they come from the same group of people who banned Robin Hood books from schools for being 'pro communist' and Shakespeare for being 'too explicit'!

The 'drunken scene' is funny, brief and discrete (all you see is the shadows of characters through canvas). As to fast forwarding through the dream sequence for the kids' benefit because it is 'too long' that is verging on irresponsible. All doing so teaches a child is that it's OK to have a short attention span and to zoom through films to the 'interesting bits'. Perhaps I was wrong though and the moral of the story has been hidden too deeply "Persevere - Don't Give Up" is lost on some people.

Great, despite the grainy picture quality
This sweet animated film (only 64 minutes long) is truly a Disney treasure. The simple story is about a little elephant that just doesn't fit in because of his freakishly large ears. Timothy, a little circus mouse, befriends Dumbo and sees only beauty in his new friend. Dumbo entertains us, as well as teaches us a timeless lesson about love and tolerance in a world that is often times unkind and cruel. The animation is rather simple as compared to the detail found in Snow White or Pinocchio, but it somehow works because of the film's other strengths. In Dumbo your emotions run the full spectrum from laughter to tears. The musical numbers are memorable, especially "Baby Mine". Baby Mine is a tearjerker if ever there was one. The crows add great comic relief toward the end of the film. The Special Bonus Features on the DVD are a real nice touch and generous. Among the extras are a "Celebrating Dumbo" featurette, two animated shorts, and a Music Video of "Baby Mine" sung by Michael Crawford that will have you sobbing all over again, guaranteed! The only complaint I have was mentioned by other reviewers, that being the grainy quality of the film. This flaw simply does not make any sense. I would have expected that Disney, promoting Dumbo as the "60th Anniversary Edition", would have bothered to restore the picture and audio elements. The DVD back cover makes claims to Dumbo being digitally restored and remastered with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, but it certainly is not evident to me. I guess we should be thankful for the merits of the DVD which are many. Recommended.

A True Disney Classic
This is one of Disney's true enduring classics. The story is simple. A baby elephant is delivered to the delighted Mrs. Jumbo, but he has big ears. Dubbed Dumbo, he is soon separated from his mother and must find a way to deal with his ears on his own. With only Timothy Mouse to help him, he soon learns that, thanks to his big ears, he can fly.

I have always loved this movie. The story is simple, but moves quickly and from heart felt emotion to laughter easily. The moral is simple, but isn't preachy. Watching this movie again recently, I was surprised again at how much of the early story to told in song. I usually forget "Look out for Mr. Stork" and the song they sing as they build the circus in the rain when thinking about the classic songs. "Baby Mine" is one of my favorite Disney songs because of its heartfelt emotion and I love all the puns in "When I See an Elephant Fly."

This is a truly remarkable movie. Pop some corn, sit back, and joy this classic tale.

Good, yes... however...
Sure, it's a good tale. However, one thing you might consider before letting your children watch it is how dark this movie is. This movie is an exploration of some of the more darker and vile aspects of the human psyche. It is an animated meditation on abuse, slavery, and mistreatment. As such, it may disturb not only the children watching it, but the parents as well. Think twice about this one. There is also the very weird scene where Dumbo gets stinking drunk on alcohol and has "hallucinations." Yes, you should very much think twice about this one as a parent.

Dumbo, a classic
Made in the 40s and still appreciated by yours truly now. My favorite scene is when Dumbo and the mouse fall into the well and his wine in it. they get so drunk and they ended up hallucinating for like a 10 minute long substance abuse horror scene for children. honestly, unless you are taking shots of cheap vodka or smoking out of your buddies pipe whose name is an inside joke, do not let your kid see this part. (OR ANYOTHER SCENE because I remember crying when I was a little kid when Dumbo goes in a different cage than his mom on the circuis train and they get separated).
Anyways, about that scene. why does it last so long? was it like an inside joke to all the older viewers? i think this movie was the origin of the timeless hallucination of pink elephants. it is so trippy like when the elephants combine and they shoot into the sky or something like that and everything turns into fire works.
the next morning dumbo and his mouse friend end up in a tree and they're like man what happened. ... Read more

Description

Magic Knight Rayearth continues. Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are finally able to leave Cephiro, after they had killed the very person they were sent to rescue. Filled with regret, they returned to Tokyo. Now, the girls are summoned back to Cephiro by an unknown force, and must find a new Pillar before Cephiro disintegrates! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A beautifully packaged, wonderful series
This box set contains 29 episodes on 7 DVDs, which comprise the second (and last) season of Magic Knight Rayearth. The packaging is beautiful: a heavy box which opens in the front with artwork of the magic knights on the front and sides. This is by far the best box put out by an American anime company, and it puts the season 1 box to shame. Absent some spelling errors on the individual DVDs, the packaging is simply top notch.

As for the show, it is a fair bit different than the first season. An underlying current in the first season was that the show was something of a parody of Japanese RPGs (role-playing games). Here, the situation is more serious; somewhat unexpectedly, the show has more humor as well. The magic knights, three 14-year old girls from Tokyo, are summoned again to the world of Cephiro by an unknown force and find it crumbling. Cephiro is ruled by a pillar, one person whose will rules all; in the previous season, Cephiro lost its pillar, and it is now crumbling into nothingness. To make matters worse, three other worlds are invading it and a dark enemy has appeared from within. The show does start a little slow, and there are some saccharine moments--but those are to be expected if you saw the first season. On the other hand there's no concerns about nudity (although there is an innocent exchange reflecting a girl's anxiety about her chest) or language or graphic violence, so it's a fairly safe title for kids to see. Note that there is fighting, death, and occasional blood, so this is not a show for those who want to avoid all violence. If you've seen the first season and liked it, you'll like this: at once darker and funnier, with characters you came to like.

Second Season Magic Knight Box Set
The second season of Rayearth is really a must see if you liked the first season. As other reviewers have stated, it's considerably more serious then the first season, but it most certainly has its lighthearted moments.
There are a few downsides, of course...for example, Hikaru becomes the sole main character. In the manga, the relationship between the three Knights is much more balanced, with each girl getting about equal screen time. The animation in the show can get a bit off at times, but that's what happens with all anime at one point or another.
Honestly, I would reccommend the manga above the anime at any point in the Rayearth series. The manga art is breathtaking, the plot more intriguing, the story is faster-paced with fewer 'filler' episodes....and NO NOVA! And there was much feasting and rejoicing!
Of course...with the anime, you get Ogata Megumi as Eagle's Japanese voice actress (Yes, he's played by a girl, you got a problem with that?!). So that more then makes up for Eagle's fate. (IwillnotspoilIwillnotspoilIwillnotspoil...)
Overall, buy this if you're a Rayearth fan. But buy the manga first.

Once
Season 2 was good, but not great. I would recommend if you have a friend, to borrow it from them. It's not worth buying, but worth seeing. It is alot more serious than the first season and some parts don't quite make sense.

Major changes from the manga, good nonetheless
***Warning: contains spoilers!***
If you have watched season one of MKR, and most of you probably have, the second series has some major deviations from the manga (while the first season pretty much followed the manga). Overall, this season is darker and somewhat more violent than the first season, and the relationships between characters are examined more closely. Ok, now since I properly warned you in the beginning of this review that I am going to reveal important plot points, don't be angry or bitter if you feel all this spoils your precious MKR2 watching experience.
First of all, new characters were added, namely the villian characters of Nova and Lady Debonair. I thought these were interesting additions because of how these villians were created. Nova was inadvertantly created by Hikaru just before she left Cephiro after killing Zagato and Emeraude in the first season. Her intense negative emotions about killing Zagato and Emeraude created Nova. I thought bringing this character was an effective way to force Hikaru to deal with the conflict inside of her. Lady Debonair was created in a similar manner, although she was created by the fear and uncertainty of the people of Cephiro. Lady Debonair's character gave the different "factions" (Cephiro, Autozam, Chizeta, Fahren) an ultimate evil to unite against. Isn't that what we like to see, a showdown between the forces of good and evil?
While I thought the two aforementioned characters brought some interesting aspects to the series, I thought that it could seem a bit "cluttered" at times, jumping back and forth between what was going on with Nova and Debonair and Chizeta and Fahren and Autozam. The way they kept going back to Alcione was especially annoying to me, but I guess she provided a way for Debonair to invade Cephiro's castle. And Debonair's laughing was VERY annoying...
The second major change was the ..The third major change is the absence of any important function of Mokona. True, in the first season he guided Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu while they became Magic Knights. But in the second season he is reduced to just being cute and jumping around and saying his standard variations of the word "puu." ... In the anime however the role of The Creator is never mentioned and the Magic Knights summoned themselves to Cephiro. It was interesting to find out in the manga that Mokona had created Cephiro in response to humans on Earth. Unfortunately, all this was left out of the anime.
Also, as a stated in the intro, this season of MKR is darker and more violent. There are more battles and more blood ... But the battles and actions sequences were exciting.
The relationships between various characters are more pronounced in the anime than in the manga, it seems that everyone is in love with everyone else. ...Overall, I liked MKR2, despite the major changes. There were changes I thought were improvements but there were changes that I thought were steps backwards, but I love MKR and still loved the anime and thought it was wonderful. Decide for yourself if you can overlook the major changes. Happy watching!!!

^-^ MKR2
Yeah, I love MKR. Season 2 is good, but doesn't follow the Manga close enough...

I still like this. I find that Nova, Hikaru's...uh...shadow is an awesome character, but she wasn't in the manga...but hey! It is still an awesome series from CLAMP and is worth every penny.

Dvd boxset box looks MUCH better than the first season's did. Pretty...picture. (I'm obsessed with pictures, fyi.)

One of my most hated moments in this season. I'm sorry to say this if you haven't watched this is that different from the manga, Eagel dies, which I hate! Thus why this is my least favorite of the MKR collection.

My MK Rayearth rankings:
1: MKR Magna (Direct from CLAMP's minds, of course.)
2: MKR TV Season 1 (Yeah...it's BASED on the Manga by CLAMP)
3: Rayearth OVA (Screwed up; twisted revamp of the story. Still cool.)
4: MKR TV Season 2 (Yet again BASED on the Magna; THEY CHANGED IT TOO MUCH FROM THE MANGA!) ... Read more

Amazon.com

"A Simpson on a T-shirt. I never thought I'd see the day." So remarks Marge Simpson in "Dancin' Homer," just one of 22 mostly classic episodes that comprise this series' brilliant second season. The Simpsons by that time was already a pop culture phenomenon, but instead of suffering a sophomore slump, this iconoclastic animated series was just hitting its stride. Series milestones include: first Oscar®-winning guest voice (an unbilled Dustin Hoffman in "Lisa's Substitute"), first Beatle guest voice (Ringo in "Brush with Greatness"), first "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episode, first flashback episode ("The Way We Was," in which Homer meets Marge), and the first episode to make me cry (Bart's last frolic with obedience school washout Santa's Little Helper in "Bart's Dog Gets an F"). It's in this season the The Simpsons really finds its voice. The writing is sharper, and the upending of sitcom convention more subversive. "Perhaps there is no moral to this story," observes Lisa at the end of "Blood Feud." "Exactly," agrees Homer. "Just a bunch of stuff that happens."

In the first season, Bart was the series' breakout star, but in the second, The Simpsons established itself as a true ensemble series. Each character came into their own with career-best episodes. Marge, the family's long-suffering voice of reason, crusades against cartoon violence in "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge." Lisa, the heart and tortured soul of the series, develops an ill-fated crush on her new teacher in "Lisa's Substitute." Bart desperately tries to raise the money to buy Radioactive Man No. 1 in "Three Men and a Comic Book." Homer's stock rises when he grows hair in "Simpson and Delilah." Joining the Simpsons roster of scene-stealing supporting characters are Dr. Hibbert ("Bart the Daredevil"), shyster lawyer Lionel Hutz (voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman in "Bart Gets Hit by a Car"), the Ahnold-esque action hero McBain ("The Way We Was"), slobbering aliens Kang and Kodos ("Treehouse of Horror"), and "nutty professor" Frink ("Old Money"). This essential, extras-laden DVD set is illustrative of why The Simpsons is, in the parlance of Comic Book Guy, funniest show ever. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (216)

America's Favorite Family
These are the episodes I grew up with! Simpson fans have been waiting for a collection like this for a long time. Well, the wait is over! The following are the first ten episodes and a brief commentary.
1) Bart Gets an F: Bart fails yet another test and makes a deal with Martin...tutoring in exchange for lessons in coolness. Martin relishes his new persona and abandons the deal. Bart tries his and still fails, but he manages to impress Mrs. Krabappel into giving him a D.
2)Simpson and Delilah: Homer's new head of hair transforms from a lazy slob into a young go-getter...at least Mr. Burns thinks so. He awards Homer a new position and an assistant named Karl. Eventually he loses his new hair and new career.
3)Treehouse of Horror: The first in the annual series. First tale finds the Simpsons in a haunted house that drives them mad. In the second tale the family is abducted by Kang and Kodos. The final segment is Homer's interpertaion of "The Raven".
4)Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish: Bart catches a three-eyed fish near the nuclear plant. Despite the bad press, Homer persuades (sort of) Mr. Burns to run for governor. The fish comes back to haunt him in the end when Marge serves it to him on live TV.
5)Dancin' Homer: Homer is the main attraction at the ballpark as the mascot for the Springfield Isotopes. His crowd pleasing routine catches the eye of a recruiter for the Capital City Capitals. Homer and the family make the journey to Capital City where Homer finds his dancing is not well received.
6)Dead Putting Society: Bart and Todd square off in a miniature golf tournament while Homer and Ned square off with each other. Both fathers push their kids to beat the other and make a foolish bet that they both lose in the process.
7)Bart vs. Thanksgiving: Bart destroys Lisa's centerpiece and is ordered to his room. Bart runs away and eats dinner in a homeless shelter where he is also put on TV. Eventually he returns and makes up with Lisa.
8)Bart the Daredevil: Bart becomes obsessed with risky skateboard stunts after seeing a daredevil at a monster truck rally. Homer gets concerned and tries to dissuade Bart from performing his next stunt. In the end, Homer, not Bart, accidentally attempts to jump Springfield Gorge.
9)Itchy Scratchy and Marge: Convinced that violent cartoons negatively influence children, Marge wages a successful battle to change Itchy and Scratchy. The new shows flounder and kids abandon their television sets for the outdoors. The show regains its former bloody glory when Marge fails to object to the display of questionable art.
10)Bart Gets Hit by a Car: Mr. Burns hits Bart with his car, sending him to the hospital with minor injuries. Lionel Hutz assures the family that they could successfully sue. In court, the truth about Bart's feigned ailments comes to light.

Episodes, Interviews, Music Videos... and Butterfingers!
As good or better than the Season 1 set of discs. These discs are jam packed full of quality entertainment... twenty-two episodes from their 2nd season, commentary, 2 Bart videos ("Deep, Deep Trouble", and "Do the Bartman"), 3 different Butterfinger commercials, still photos, DVD easter eggs, and a special Emmy awards presentation. Animation is sharper - even the rougher (Season 1) Simpson's are fine with me. Comic wit is bolder and cruder. Over a decade of prime time animated TV and I still have not seen an episode I haven't liked.

Season 2 episodes in order:
"Bart Gets An F"
"Simpson And Delilah"
"Treehouse Of Horror I"
"Two Cars In Every Garage And Three Eyes On Every Fish"
"Dancin' Homer"
"Dead Putting Society"
"Bart Vs. Thanksgiving"
"Bart The Daredevil"
"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
"Bart Gets Hit By A Car"
"One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish"
"The Way We Was"
"Homer Vs. Lisa And The 8th Commandment"
"Principal Charming"
"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"
"Bart's Dog Gets An F"
"Old Money"
"Brush With Greatness"
"Lisa's Substitute"
"The War Of The Simpsons"
"Three Men And A Comic Book"
"Blood Feud"

Season 2 contains some classic early episodes... a favorite of mine, "The War Of The Simpson's". Marge signs herself and Homer up for counseling. They go to a cottage retreat where Homer battles his marriage as well as a giant fish. Season 2 also introduces the 1st Halloween special ("Treehouse Of Horror")... which is now an annual party for the creators to think outside the box of normalcy. Having so many episodes on a few DVD's is worth it. Quality in picture, dolby sound, and everything else that goes with the incredible technology of the DVD. Only complaint here is it's 4 DVD's... even Homer would want this all on 1-2 DVD's so it's less time getting up off the sofa and having to change the discs in the DVD player.

Good
The Complete Second Season is still not perfect, it doesn't start to get to be the best show in the world until Season Three, but I would still reccomend The Complete Second Season. It's not that I dislike this season, in fact, they are all amazing, twice as better as the first, but The Simpsons got better as time progressed, but this is still a five-star DVD, with a lot of great episodes:

1. Bart Gets An F

2. Simpson And Delilah

3. Treehouse Of Horror I

4. Two Cars In Every Garage And Three Eyes On Every Fish

5. Dancin' Homer

6. Dead Putting Society

7. Bart Vs. Thanksgiving

8. Bart The Daredevil

9. Itchy & Scratchy & Marge

10. Bart Gets Hit By A Car

11. One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish

12. The Way We Was

13. Homer Vs. Lisa And The 8th Commandment

14. Principal Charming

15. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

16. Bart's Dog Gets An F

17. Old Money

18. Brush With Greatness

19. Lisa's Substitute

20. The War Of The Simpsons

21. Three Men And A Comic Book

22. Blood Feud

Those are twenty-two amazing episodes compared to the First Season's thirteen. Plus a LOT more special features on the Second Season. This season has to be more than twice as good as the first because it has almost twice the episodes and more than twice the features. Incase you were wondering what the special features were:

• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)

• Animated, Color, Closed-captioned, Box set, Dolby

• Commentary by on all episodes

• Interviews with James L. Brooks and Matt Groening

• Bart on the American Music Awards (with commentary)

• "Do The Bartman" video (with optional commentary)

• "Deep, Deep Trouble" video (with optional commentary)

• "Do The Bartman (Director's Cut)" - video

• David Silverman on the creation of an episode

• Licensing and merchandising review

• Emmy Awards presentation

• 3 Butterfinger commercials

• Still Photos (Easter eggs)

• Early drawings

• Full-screen format

• Number of discs: 4

A must buy for anyone, even non-Simpsons fans.

Brilliant TV and DVD
After listening to every commentary track in this set, I have a newfound respect for James L. Brooks. Apparently for these first few seasons (this one in particular), he was the emotional backbone of the show. He came up with Mr. Bergstrom giving Lisa the note that says, "you are Lisa Simpson" and other equally touching and hilarious moments. In one episode someone quipped, "if it's a line you remember, Jim probably wrote it."
This season was/is awesome. This one has some really great episodes (the first "Treehouse of Horror", "Bart Vs. Thanksgiving") and episodes that are among my favorite of all time ("Dead Putting Society", "Bart the Daredevil", and "The Way We Was"). It's funny and emotional stuff, the only problem with this season is that the blend of humor and emotion is not perfect yet. I like the episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" but it's really too emotional. I think in later seasons they would've put more humor into it. Although nothing beats Larry King reading the Bible.
And the same can be said for the entire season, but the show was still coming into form but was already excellent. Look for the third season for true brilliance but this one is awesome as well.
The extras are great. The only thing bad about the commentaries I can say is that I don't think a single cast member is in any of them, but they're otherwise very funny and informative. None of the other extras are as cool as Season Three's "Pop Up Simpsons", but they round out the package nicely.
Overall, this is a hilarious DVD set that might bring a tear to your eye (I know it did for me). It only gets better, however.

The Pop Phenomanom Begins!
What started out as crude filler material for the Tracey Ullman Show has now become part of animation and pop culture history. With the 13 episode first season under it's belt, the producers expand to the standard 22 episode format. The porducers also made the dramatic change of taking away the show from the aura of Bart to make the show slightyly Homer-centric.
The epsiodes of the second season have a broad range of styles, from the slapstick humor of "Three Men and a Comic Book", to the ephemeral nature of a life on the verge of death in "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" as Homer must find time to live his "last day" with his loving family while coping with the prospect of death.
The producers also managed to attain the musical prowess of pop culture mainstay Ringo Starr in "A Brush With Greatness", and Hollywood's flamboyant actor-playwright Harvey Fierstein in "Simpson and Delilah", as Homer reeps the benefits of his new life in the corporate fast lane as junoir executive with his new, suave look.
The DVD set also contains the long extinct music videos "Do the Bartman" and "Deep Deep Trouble", as well as the requisite commentaries by various show producers and vocal talents.
The second season DVD collection is an relic from the past, but an essential for any fan who has lost interest in the Scully-Graham era of The Simpsons. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An imaginative mixture of adventure, charm, and emotional warmth madeCardcaptor Sakura a big hit in both Japan and America. In contrast to theone-note and often bratty girls in American animation, ten-year-old Sakura Kinomotois a good-natured but never saccharine character who learns and grows fromher magical experiences. A cheerful 4th grader, she lives with her older brotherToya and her widowed father, a professor of archeology. Sakura dislikes mathand Toya's teasing, and nurtures a crush on his friend Yukito. When she opensa mysterious book in her father's study, glowing forms fly into the night.Kero, the winged, toy-like creature from the book's cover, explains that she hasreleased the magical cards created by the sorcerer, Clow Reed. Despite herprotests, Kero insists that Sakura must become a Cardcaptor and retrieve thembefore they work mischief on the world.As she pursues various Cards, Sakura's best friend Tomoyo videotapes heradventures. Shaoran Li, a student from Hong Kong related to Clow Reed, initiallychallenges Sakura's right to the Cards. As they move from reluctant allies tofriends, the relationship is complicated by Shaoran’s loudmouth cousin Meilin.Toya, who "sees things other people can't," keeps a watchful eye the magicalgoings-on.

Sakura wins increasingly powerful Cards, but is haunted by a recurring dreamin which she battles an unseen foe atop Tokyo Tower. Meilin returns to HongKong, allowing the partnership between Sakura and Shaoran develop smoothly. WhenSakura captures the last Card, she faces the confrontation she saw in herdreams. Losing this battle would have dire consequences. But Sakura provesherself worthy to become the new master of the Cards: the timid girl of the firstepisodes has discovered reserves of inner strength she didn't know shepossessed.The arrival of Eriol, who is somehow linked to Clow Reed, produces newtroubles for Sakura and her friends, just as Shaoran is coming to grips with theawkward realization that he likes Sakura. The interplay of personal moments andthe increasingly ominous plot keeps this extremely popular "magical girl"series moving smoothly through the two and half seasons included in this collection. (Note: this series is rated "13 and Older," but appropriate for viewers threeyears younger. The popular Cardcaptors series heavily edits this original series for a much younger audience.) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

It is the best ever!!!!!!! ( okay only my oppion but)
Cardcaptor Sakura is the orginal uncut verison of Cardcaptors. Cardcaptors is pretty family friendly but unlike Cardcaptors, Cardcaptor Sakura has a pretty good plot. If you like magical girl anime look no further. This is my favorite anime out of 20 that I own. I totally reccomend if your like 10 and up and like Magical girl. But get ready to cry maybe have tissues handy when the series is over. You'll also need 16 which can also come with this ( oppitional of course) and volumes 17 and 18 and the two movies. This is a pretty good deal, so buy it. Sakura is a series made in Japan of course its in Japanesse. You should always research this kind of stuff fully. I hope you are at least smart enough to pick good approriate anime for your child or your child is. I rate it 5 stars cause the most I can and thats the best rating it can get.

An Excellent Anime Series
Ignore the above review in the show
received a low rating because the dvds are in Japanese.
It is a series made in Japan. Of course the audio
would be in Japanese.

This anime is delightful. The animation, color
range of the paint, special effects, voice
acting, and music are all excellent. The frame
rate is also very high for a tv show, and
the animation is quite smooth. It's miles above
what you might be expecting from television
animation.

This show is something that can help us all
remember our childhoods and the process
of growing up. The story is sweet without
being too sugary, and the characters do not
burst into song for no apparent reason,
unlike a Disney cartoon. I would recommend
the show to just about anyone. If you're trying
to learn Japanese, the show could teach you a lot
of common, everyday spoken Japanese as well.

I'd give it 6 stars, but 5 appears to be as many
as I can give.

BUY IT !!! IF YOU UNDERSTAND JAPANESE.
ALL THE DVDS ARE IN JAPANESE.
WHATS UP WITH THAT.
MY SMALLEST DAUGHTER WATCHES IT WITHOUT READING THE SUBTITLES
OR LISTENING THE AUDIO.
THIS REMINNDS ME OF::::BUYER BE WARE.

A MUST HAVE for any CCS/CC fan!
Cardcaptor Sakura is the original version of Cardcaptors and it's a great deal to be able to get them all at once if you plan on getting the whole collection. I love this series! It's one of my top favorite animes to watch. If you love the series and have always wanted to watch them all in their uncut forms than this is perfect. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 33 episodes in theMeiji Era Premium Box conclude the popular 1996broadcast series Rurouni Kenshin, although the characters later appeared in a theatrical feature (1997), the Samurai X OVA (1999), and various compilation "specials." Usually referred to as "The Tales of the Meiji," these brief stories lack the sustained plotline and depth of characterization that distinguish the Legend of Kyoto narrative.

The most interesting story requires Kenshin to deal with the aftermath of the conflicts that produced the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Once the trusted lieutenant of the last To