Reviews (2)

Nuclear missiles, subs, and jet fighters...oh my!
The second DVD in the series is even better than the first in some ways. Not only do we get a lot of fan service, which is why this show is for ages 17 and up, but great action scenes, truly interesting plots and great artwork. Also, the character of Najica finally asked the two questions which were on my mind, just how MANY humaritts are out there and WHAT were they all made for? You see, after having to deal with a combat model humaritt (in episode six), Najica has become a tad wary of the all missions they keep sending her out on. It seems she spends most of her time capturing rogue humariits than fighting terrorists and it's starting to make her wonder.
The DVD has extras in the form of production sketches, previews and even a commentary by Andy Mcavin (who is the voice for Gento) and Mike Kleinhenz (Majima) of episode eight.
She's no James Bond in panties, she's a lot better looking than that!

Guilty fun but not a lot of substance
I have two reasons for buying this series. The first was to try and fill the void that the ending of Noir brought. The second is Hilary Haag. I know purists prefer the orginal japanese dialogue, but ADV's monster island has some of the best english VAs in the business. I simply love Hilary Haag's voice.
The series is supposed to take place in the future where 17% of our current land is covered by water, though this is never really touched on, save for a few second scenes where we see a sunken city.
The plot is reminiscent of Blade Runner in that Najica has to hunt down rogue androids. though, in this case, instead of "retiring" them, she has to return them to their manufacturer.
This volume shows the deepening bond between Najica and Lila. It is hard to really apprecaite what their relationship is since Najica seems to go back and forth between caring for her android partner and wanting her to make her own decisions or detesting her partner because of her lack of said ability.
While the series does touch on some interesting ideas, it never really comes up with it's own answers. There is fun to be had here, but don't expect to be dwelling on it days later aswas the case with Noir. ... 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

After destroying the spidery Ninth Angel, Shinji is shocked to receive a word of praise from his emotionally remote father. An extended flashback reveals how Misato's ineffectual father rescued her from the destruction caused by the Second Impact; Ritsuko confides to Misato that she never got along with her mother, the creator of the all-powerful trio of computers known as the Magi. Ten years after the release of Evangelion in America, the engineers at AD Vision remastered the audio tracks in5.1 surround sound for the "Platinum" edition. Although some spectacular explosions occur in the battles with the Ninth and Tenth Angels, the remix is often most effective in quiet moments. When Misato steps out into the rain, the sound of the falling water envelopes the room. Shinji, Rei and Asuka are caught away from the base during a power outage and have to travel through ventilation ducts to NERV headquarters: the listener can follow their progress through metal tubes. As the extras, which include a discussion of the changes in sound technology, are the only new footage, the "Platinum" discs are really for viewers who've installed a 5.1 system, but who don't already have Anno's watershed series. (Rated 15 and older: violence, minor profanity, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the first anime series to air in the U.S., Robotech(1985) spawned a line of merchandise, role-playing games, and novelizations, which have helped to maintain its loyal following. The remastering for this edition was apparently limited to the soundtrack. The laser blasts, gun fire, and explosions have added presence, and viewers can follow the sounds of screeching air ships and stomping mechaacross the screen. Unfortunately, Minmei's singing is also louder and clearer. The visual elements look as if they were printed with the contrast raised and the color saturation increased. The characters' faded faces are often ghostly white with red blotches for shadows. Very little additional material has been included--far less than in the Elements of Robotechnology discs that accompanied the earlier Legacy Collection. (Rated 13 and older, but suitable for ages 8 and older: violence, restricted to spaceship and robot battles) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Well Expected and desired
One thing in particular about this box set that stands out, is that if you are are a die hard Macross fan, than one thing is for certain that anybody will most certainly want to pick up this DVD set immeditly.
--[Although there are a few falws]--{And some well presented items]--
1. is that if you have a hi-def tv that is 16:9 the picture sometimes appears jagged, although that would be the price you pay
2. The Picture isn't really an improvement, but the sound is phenomenal; espcially if you have a DOLBY DIGITAL set up like I possess.
3. Another reason this is a well put together is that if you need to obtain and unedited copy of the show than this is for you, but I don't believe that it really is quite bad considering you only get glimpse of some brief nudity.
Other wise this is a pretty solid title and definetly worth picking up if you apreciate Robotech/Macross or you would like to see some mech action and a great tribute to dramatic anime...
I'd also like to say that it is an excellent title to add to anybodys DVD collection.
4. Another big complaint I have is that there ARE NO SPECIAL FEATURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really want to know how stingy you have to be for a film company to not include any. Com'on!!!!!!
5. The audio is great but if I were ADV iw ould have added a few alternate tracks to the DVD, something like rock or a somewhat dramatic song from todays leading artists, and also an option to turn the sound tracks off.
6. If you buy this know that the show is pretty short and any person will go out and buy the next box set.
7. Most of the show is well presented and put together, and an excellent collaberation to the Macross universe.
HAVE FUN WATCHING OR NOT!

One of the greatest animated television shows Remastered.
You have heard it before and you will it hear it again. Robotech is a landmark in the history of animated TV shows and few have ever reached such greatness. That is the opinion I had when I was 10 years old and its still the same today. Watching the show now, I am amazed by how smart Robotech is. It's not often that a cartoon show aimed at kids features mane characters getting killed off, smart science, and commentary on war and culture. Robotech was ahead of its time and it still shows that today.

Now Harmony Gold and ADV have finally released a definitive edition of Robotech on DVD (well, maybe not totally definitive). Volume 2 of Robotech Remastered features better picture quality then the previous releases, an enhanced 5.1 audio mix, and small scenes that where cut from the original broadcast of Robotech. The picture quality is the only thing that really didn't come through for the set. There is still dust, clutter, and other problems with the picture. Colors do look better though and picture does look a lot brighter.

The added scenes and sound mix are a great reason to buy this set, but also, this set has some of the best episodes of the series. In the Volume 2, you get 'Homecoming', 'Battle Cry', 'Farewell, Big Brother', 'Bursting Point', and 'A New Dawn', just to name a few. This is the point in the series where it started to show that it was more then just action mecha extravaganza and was also a show about character, drama, and story.

If you're a Robotech fan who still doesn't own it on DVD, this is the perfect time to buy it.

Robotech in 5.1 makes watching again a new experience
All I can say is Robotech in Dolby Digital 5.1 makes watching Robotech feel like an engrossing experience. If you have the legacy set, I suggest you Ebay it and buy this set.

Another Success !!!
You can toss the extra box and toy (really, who cares?) but this is the second volume in the BEST version of ROBOTECH you'll ever own!!!

Robotech Remastered: a few decent improvements
Sheesh...I guess it wasn't enough that Harmony Gold & ADV got me to buy the Legacy Collection DVD box sets; now they gotta throw out all-new platters with a souped-up sound mix and "new" footage in an avaricious effort to get me to buy the same thing twice (sorta)?! Well, looks like their efforts succeeded, 'cuz I just hadda pick this latest volume up to go with the first one I snagged a couple months ago (as of this writing). And besides, it gives me an excuse to waste yet another hunk of Amazon's bandwidth with my insipid scrawlings! And awaaaaay we go...

The main attraction of this "new-&-improved" edition is the inclusion of some "new" footage that was originally edited out of the original Macross show 'cuz it was considered less than appropriate for the American kidvid audience at the time. The more notable extra bits in this particular collection consist primarily of the extended death scenes of Roy Fokker and Ben Dixon. And thanks to this set containing two flashback/recap-type shows ('Gloval's Report' and 'Phantasms', respectively) featuring recycled footage from previous eppies, the viewer is once again treated to Minmei showering (from episode 4), and another scene extension (Zentraedi soldier gettin' shot from behind by Fokker in his Skull Leader rig) that, oddly, wasn't shown first time 'round. Otherwise, not much else in the way of visuals has been thrown back into the mix. Well, except for the redone opening and closing credits, which contains new typeface and more Macross footage to replace the excised Southern Cross and New Generation bits. 'Course, if you've seen the original Macross show that the first act of Robotech is based on (which I highly recommend if you haven't seen it yet--the second set, which covers the same episodes as this collection, is available for purchase at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000B1ODN/qid=1080091979/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-0457490-8406223?v=glance&s=dvd), the added scenes won't be all that new to ya, anyway...

My biggest disappointment with this set was the remastered video, which displayed inconsistent picture quality throughout. Fortunately, the picture clarity here is a might better than the even-more-inconsistent video quality of the first Robotech Remastered set (check it out at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00011ZBRA/qid=1080091881/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl74/103-0457490-8406223?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846). Sadly, Harmony Gold was unable to acquire the footage that AnimEigo painstakingly cleaned and restored for the aforementioned Macross DVD sets, and had to go with the best of what they had on hand. Which was okay for what it was, but not as sharp, clear, and vibrant as I was hopin' it'd be...

This collection's one truly extensive improvement is the sound mix, which has been beautifully remastered in 5.1 channel stereo. Most of the sound effects have been totally redone, especially the various explosion and space fold noises. The only downside to the new explosions is that they're not too varied; most of 'em sound like rock slides and crumbling masonry. You know, noises that a metal spaceship most likely doesn't make when it's gettin' blasted to bits ('course, I could bring up the point that there shouldn't be any noises at all in the space battles, but that'd be gettin' too anal-retentive). Other sounds have been "boosted" for better auditory perception. The most noticeable examples of this enhanced audio are the background noises that play during the "battle stations" scenes on the SDF-1's bridge. But the best audio improvement of all is the remastered voice track: they fixed it so that it stands out reasonably well from the background sounds, thus making the dialogue more comprehensible.

As for bonus material and special features-- well, aside from trailers for other ADV anime videos and a cutesy transformable super-deformed Skull Leader Veritech fighter toy, there ain't any. Looks like you'll hafta hang on to those 'Elements of Robotechnology' bonus discs that came with the Legacy Collection box sets you bought a couple years back (and don't tell me you didn't buy 'em, 'cuz I know better!) if you've a hankerin' for supplemental material...

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (146)

Classic Anime Series
Trigun, in my opinion, is THE best and most original anime series to date. It has a certain flair of action, adventure, comedy and even drama and romance. Its the story of Vash the Stampede, a man who the whole world fears. They call him the Humanoid Typhoon. Trouble lurks everywhere he goes and he doesnt know why. The story line for the series is addictive and captivating. I already have the whole series on the seperate DVD set that comes in 8 volumes, but i'm still willing to spend money to purchase the boxed set. Theres a lot to find out in the series, like why theres trouble lurking wherever he goes, why the show is called "TRIGUN" and just who is Vash the Stampede? So grab a couple 2-litter bottles of your favorite soda, grab a couple bags of chips and get ready to get stuck on your couch, glued to the tv, watching TRIGUN.

Trigun - A Fine Anime
This show caught me totally off guard. I look at the cover of the first DVD and see this tough guy who I would never mess with ever. What I view is the goofiest anime protagonist in recent memory. I fell in love with this show after the first few minutes. The first and last halves of this show are very different.

The first half is happy-go-lucky character development with white-knuckled action scenes and change-your-underwear comedy. Vash has a misadventure in each episode. Most episodes are stand alone in the first half, but each episode affects the plot. Even if the show kept up this pace for the entire 26 episodes, I still would have loved it.

Alas, about halfway thorugh, the show take a very serious turn. Vash isn't so goofy anymore. His mysterious past becomes known. The two halves are almost completely different shows. As much as I loved the first half, I love the second half even more! Vash juggles the desire for revenge with his his desire for "love and peace." The moral dilemmas of the second half are phenomenal. The episodes are no longer independent. Each one picks up where the last one left off, making for a more involved story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and blow you away by the end. This show seriously has it all.

The animation is much better than most. It is not perfect, but it does what it needs to and it does it very well. Duels are done fluidly and never fail to disappoint. Every now and then, there is some SD (especially in the beginning) which adds to the general insanity of the scenes.

The music is awesome! I like it better than Cowboy Bebop's. The theme song is one of my favorites ever. The background music has this really laid-back slide guitar which adds to the whole western atmosphere. No song is out of place or is distracting to what is going on in the show. Excellent all around.

Guess what? The dub rules! No flat voices and they all match the characters! The translation is very accurate, too. I have seen Trigun subbed and dubbed and prefer the dubbed version (although the subbed version isn't bad by any means).

I seriously cannot recommended this show enough. It has something for everyone. There are a bunch of anime that I enjoy, but few change the way I actually think. Trigun made me look at my own morals and view of life. Trigun truly made an impact on me. Do yourself a favor and pick up the box set. You will not be disappointed.

lack of consitent visual art and incomplete storyline..
After watching the whole Trigun series, I learned to appreciate Cowboy Bebop much more. It shows how directors and artist really put forth the effort to make such beautiful artistic masterpiece.. and just how does Trigun stand against Bebop?? Not even close..
I purchased whole trigun pak for... moolah's after reading all the good overrated biased reviews. I should of known better but I don't regret it, but I just don't think that Trigun is worth [money]..

Story revolves around Vash the Stampede a.k.a. "The Humanoid Typhoon" with a bounty of $60 billion on his head. Total chaos and destruction follows him where ever he goes (well, usually caused by bounty hunters..). Bernardelli Insurance Society decides to sends two insurance agents (Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson) to investigate, prevent, and control damages that are caused by the "Humanoid Typhoon." Along the way, they meet up a gun-totin' preacher named Nicholas Wolfwood, who like Vash, will have you laughing and cheering at the same time.

Just like any other Jap. animation series, typical slapstick humor is present along with slow paced plot and character developement. Certain scenes just made me ROFL my butt off.. but the problem is not so much in the storyline, but inconsistent art work. After second episodes, you notice many flaws in the art right away (if you don't or can't see the difference, then you haven't seen anything better or just plain blind and stupid). The musical score gets tedious and annoying with a simple bland of rock guitar intro, but it DOES pick up near the end (there's nothing here that you would want to download). At least you'd expect a solid storyline with detailed character developement?? Not quite.. Trigun does a descent job of character developement, but never quite answers such questions as, what is Vash the Stampede?? human? alien? robot? How did two simple insurance agents know how use weapons with such skills?? Was Knives ever injured enough to send his goons to inflict pain?? If not, why is he in the recovery tank thingy with just parts of him showing like he was decapitated?? There are tons of questions that Trigun fails to answer and yet, they waste four or five volumes on a meaningless filler episodes filled with morality issues that Vash lives by. Couldn't they used half of those episodes to show more background info on how Vash gained such talent and skills (dodging bullets in blank range and shooting skills) instead of clips and flashbacks of his past that only answers his morality issues??

Trigun is a typical comedy/action/dramatic anime genre that are the root of Japanese Anime/Manga. It stands out in many ways because it does contain an intriguing storyline along with some memorable characters, but not enough to be ranked as one of the best anime series ever. I personaly enjoyed watching Trigun series, but I truly felt as I was watching a rough draft of what would be re-written, re-edit with better art work to be one of the best.. then realized this was the finished product. Maybe I was expecting too much, but if people claim this anime series to be "the best ever" then wouldn't the "best ever" anime series fill my cup of expectations with ease?? As disgruntledpoet put it best, "I don`t know what makes people obsessive about bad animation series, perhaps it`s because they`ve never seen anything beter, perhaps they`re so entangled in their subculture that they do it out of instinct, or maybe their all just stupid. I`m guessing on the latter, because this is the fith enormously popular anime series I`ve been recomended by god knows how many fans, and the fith that has dissapointed me." I wouldn't call trigun BAD.. but good (not best) with lot of flaws.

So funny (and deep too)!
Some other reviewers have noted that Vash is an implausible(...); that he is un-heroic and the show lacks balance in the transition from funny to serious. This, of course, stems from a misunderstanding of what a hero is and how complex characters are developed.

The theme of the reluctant hero is rather common--it exists from the Christ (who wished not to die) to the "manslayer" (another hero that refuses to kill). Vash has tremendous power (as does Knives) but he chooses to use it for good. The first ten episodes of the show emphasis his childish nature and establishes his pacifist beliefs, his sense of justice and how he must reconcile the two.

Despite his constant heroics, people both hate and fear him, mistaking him for the villain and trying to cash in on the $60 billion on his head. And perhaps the key part of his character is missed by these reviewers; Vash suffers to save others (the "by his stripes we are healed" of Isaiah is literal-Vash is covered with scars from times he refused to kill). His is a "hunter of peace, chasing the elusive mayfly of love", trying to find his small piece of happiness and peace in a barren world.

So, in a sense, the other reviewers are right that Vash is weak in the sense that the Knight of the woeful countenance was crazy. The villains on the show certainly view him as such and one wonders which will crack first: Vash or them. The show heavily emphases Christian themes (even featuring a gun toting priest and two episodes: Diablo and Sin) especially redemption

And besides, this show is filled with humor, wild west/techno guitar music and awesome duels; the only trouble is the subtitling that is filled with errors. Trigun is one of the greatest Animes and Vash the humanoid typhoon is an ultra cool tragic hero.

Very Different Show
Having heard alot about this show I finally decided to buy it and was certainly not dissapointed.
Trigun is a very unusual show. One of the criticisms I have heard is about Vash being a pacifist. However there was something refreshing about it. It brought a totally different slant to fight scenes and made deaths seem all the more horrific when they occur.
This is a very philosophical show and really does force you to think about the right to take a life in any circumstance.
The Score is excellent, ranging from moving "film noir" style music" to sterotypical Cowboy music to Heavy Metal.
Plus it has big guns and cursing!!!!!! ... Read more

Description

As the secrets of Mireille's past are unearthed from their graves in Corsica, Kirika's own grim history slowly begins to reveal itself. The revelations bring no conclusions or happiness, however; only murder and death. As Chloe and Altena wait in the shadows, the malevolent intent of the Soldats finally becomes clear.The darkness begins to consume the light as the four horsewomen of the Apocalypse prepare for battle. The lines in the sand have been drawn in the fifth electrifying volume!Contains three complete episodes! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

"The two rails don't always end together"
Four the previous four volimes (thru episode 16) the story has revolved around the waif-like Kirika and Mirielle a professional assassin of unquestioned skill and beauty. Mirielle's story was definitely the real focus, if for no other reason than Kirika's past was a blank slate. As their adventures progressed, they ran afoul of Les Soldats - an ancient criminal organization. Apparently this was due to Mirielle's choice of an operating name (Noir) and the links between Les Soldats and her Corsican family.

Episode 17, 'Return to Corsica,' brings and end to this phase as Mirielle returns to her ruined ancestral home and is forced to face the truth about her history. But the real shock is Chloe's revelation about the reality of Noir and the relationship between her and Kirika. Mirielle return to France finally understanding that she has become the third wheel in a deadly company.

Unable to deal with this Mirielle rejects Kirika and a new phase begins as we finally are treated to some clues about who and what Kirika is. Warring factions of Les Soldats are fighting for control of the true Noir or, in the absence of that, the death of these young female killers. Kirika has always been the deadlier of the pair, despite her lost child appearance, and now she must look into her heart to discover her true nature. Without that knowledge, she and her friend are lost.

Intensity builds as the story becomes increasingly dark. In the midst of the interplay between the three women and Les Soldats death is a constant companion. And deadly traps are a way of life. In the episode 18, 'The Darkess within Me,' Kirika must make a decision that raises as many questions as it answers. In the next episode more of the truth surfaces, as Kirika and Mirielle draw closer to a book containing the old texts of Les Soldats. But this triggers another round of deadly deception.

The artwork for this series, which has always been of an extraordinarily high level deepens in color to match the mood, shifting from bright sunlight to evening tones. And what started as the story of two killers, has become a major tale of suspense. In the end, Kirika is terrified at what the return of her memories might bring to her, unsure of what will become of her relationship with Mirielle.

the best
if you do not see then boir series you are missing a part of your life.

The mystery...and the chasm...deepen
This series just keeps getting better the deeper it goes. For me, Noir got off to a slow start with an assassination-of-the-week type of feel that was saved by the sheer atmosphere of the work...a blending of music, lush visuals, intriguing characters and mystery. The power of Noir is its masterful, minimal storytelling, where each spoken word counts for so much, and each of the main characters' reactions is allowed to linger long enough for the viewer to absorb it and truly feel it. There is a tenuous, understated bond between Kirika and Mirielle that's both sweet and sad. In this 5th DVD, we learn more about the ghosts that haunt our heroines. One driven by an obsessive need for revenge, the other for a desperate need for redemption, in this DVD the chasm between them widens. The final line uttered by Kirika at the end of the last episode on the disk is a heart-breaker. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most absurdly violent films ever made, this outrageous comic book of a movie is short on style but makes up for it in sheer audacity and excess. Brooding street kid Ricky Ho (Fan Siu Wang, playing the part of avenging angel with self-righteous earnestness) walks into the corrupt corporate prison system with superpowered martial arts skills and proceeds to punch his way through every bullying thug and sadistic guard who comes his way. Literally. His fist puts a gaping hole through the stomach of a giant sumo-wrestler-sized thug and the jaw of a pompadoured bully, and turns the skull of a pathetic guard into a bloody stump. As Ricky becomes a hero to the downtrodden prisoners, the assistant warden (who keeps breath mints in his removable glass eye) organizes the dreaded "gang of four," the cell block gang leaders, to take Ricky down. Fat chance!

There's nothing realistic about the bone-shattering, blood-splattering spectacle of crushed heads and snapped limbs, but the unrestrained display becomes so preposterously grotesque it hardly matters. You'll be convinced that the "Oh" in Riki-Oh stands for "Oh my God, did I really see that?" Yes, Ricky really does tie a sliced tendon with his teeth, a thug cuts open his gut and uses his own intestines to strangle Ricky, and the warden (for no apparent reason) puffs himself up into a giant rubber ogre. Ricky's curvy, feminine nemesis Rogan is played by Yukari Oshima, the butt-kicking, all-woman star of Angel and others. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A movie so bad that it's entertaining.
....Riki-Oh: The story of Ricky is a B movie beyond any B movie I've ever seen.As a movie, it gets 1 star,as a form of visual entertainment for the morbid,and/or people with strong stomachs looking for a movie to make fun of,a full 5 stars.The dubbing is bad,the music is bad, the plot is full of holes,and ridiculous things happen in his movie that could never occur in real life,but all this does not matter,because the gore and violence are so over the top. If you have a morbid sense of humor, this movie will definitely do. There are tons of graphic scenes of major mutilation and death.I found it so funny that I often had to replay the scenes in slow motion to see how they did it,and when you slow it down,it looks even funnier.This movie is crazy,and doesn't make a ton of sense,but I find it very entertaining.If you've got that "special sense of humor",you owe it to yourself to buy this DVD,and gross your friends out with it.I have to find/make a T shirt that has the DVD box art on it! Too funny.

Ridiculously violent masterpiece of bloodshed and mayhem.
OK, this is either the worst movie ever made, or the best, depending on how you look at it. By normal standards upon which most movies are reviewed, it doesn't get much more terrible than this. However, based upon sheer violent content that reaches such an unbelievably, unimaginably, outrageously graphic level it achieves comedic sickness whether its meant to or not, it is the best movie ever. Riki Oh is by far the bloodiest, goriest, and sickest film ever concieved. Imagine the game Mortal Kombat... and make it 50x bloodier. Holes are punched through people, heads are crushed, tendons are ripped and tied, intestines are pulled out and used as weapons, body parts fly, eyes shoot out from the sockets, and people are shoved into meat grinders. That is only half of it. Blood flows like water. Watch it, you'll have a good time doing it. You'll be watching the fight scenes over just to make sure that, yes, you really saw Ricky tie his own tendon with his teeth. Watch it with a group of friends, you'll all be laughing your butts off, either that or vomitting profusely. Riki Oh is a tremendously enjoyable experience, however those who are weak of stomache should stray away from this movie at all costs. If you are a gore freak, or just looking for a good distraction from your woes, by all means get Riki Oh. If you are looking for depth of plot and heartfelt acting, avoid Riki Oh no matter what. Again, it cannot be stressed how insanely violent this movie is.

So bad it's funny
Story of Riki is a must see.
It is so bad it's funny. Especially the laughable dubbed version of the film.

The plot is pretty dull but still holds a grudge.
The film is very very Cheesy too.

The violence is over the top but very unrealistic but Still over the top such as the part were Riki pumbles through a guys stomach or of course the part were riki smashes through a guys hans. This film is very very violent and graphic but in a funny way.

The music was acctually pretty good! The story of Riki Rules! And I recomend this too some one who just wants to see some thing F-d up.

Over all this is a horrbily but funny movie even though it's not tended to be funny.

Get it...NOW!!!

Later

Ricky's Great! Ricky's superb!!!!
Recently I've been reading up on Horror movies while on the internet, which naturally leads to discussion of gory films. Not too many non-horror movies would generally come up, except for this one, which was referred to repeatedly. Still, I wasn't too interested til I came across it in a store, and noticed the 'features the hilarious exploding head from the daily show' sticker.

Clearly, this was a film I had to see.

Normally, I write long, tedious reviews, but really what can you say about Riki-Oh. This is the height of camp entertainment. It is compulsively watchable, including the non-action scenes which still have immeasurable camp appeal. The ultra-cheap, inappropriately brightly colored sets are delightful, and the subtitles are absolutely atrocious, both of which add to the film's appeal. Honestly, this movie would be pretty damn amusing even without the delirious effects.

The effects are the real star, and they are fall-down hilarious. Contrary to what you may think, there isn't much kung-fu in this film, especially on the part of Ricky, who generally just lands a single, explosive deathblow with his mighty fist. There isn't all that much variety in the gore fx, but the sheer absurdity and audacity of the bare-handed-explosive-mutilations maintains interest throughout. Despite the general technical incompetence of the film they manage to pace it pretty well, not overdoing the violence early, but not having too little happen either, so it entertains well continously.(And they still save most of the best effects for the final act) Personally, I found the funniest effect one to be the least graphic one: Ricky's girlfriends staggerinly unrealistic plummet from a rooftop. The film falters slightly at the very end. The fight with the warden goes too far over the top, but their doing so was pretty much inevitable considering the nature of the film, so I applaud them for managing to delay this inevitablility until the very end.

This is an utterly bare-bones dvd, which looks pretty much like a tape. A nice digital make-over wouldn't be appropriate for this picture, but it's annoying to have to pay nearly 30 bucks for something so cheaply done. Really, this should only cost half of it's suggested price. But what can I say, it's worth it.

RIKI SET ME FREE!!!
If you deal opium, oppress old men who build toy trains, fillet the skin off of poor mutes, get in Riki's business, or otherwise piss Riki off: YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!!! This movie is totally ridiculous and wild! Bad dubbing, cheesy fx, and over-the-top gore will have you rolling! The only reason this isn't getting five stars is because of my dissappointment that the warden's fat, annoying boy didn't get pummeled. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On the Spooner Continent, humans are oppressed by evil wizards who ruleover them; their only hope lies in the Sorcerer Hunters, five supernaturalheroes who fight injustice according to the orders of the goddess-like "BigMomma." The improbable quintet at the center of this 1995 broadcast series is a lotless dignified than their title suggests: blond muscleman Gateau Mocha,elegant Marron Glace (pronounced "GLAYSS," rather than "glah-SAY"), his klutzybrother Carrot (the self-proclaimed "love machine"), and the Misu sisters, Tiraand Chocolate.

During the first season, the characters wander around, dispatching badguys while Carrot chases every female in sight. The tone darkens in the secondseason (originally released in the U.S. as Spell Wars: Sorcerer Hunters'Revenge), when they're pitted against Zaha Torte ("Sacher Torte" in sometranslations), who wants to destroy the world so it can be reborn in a purer form.To accomplish his desire, he must unleash the God of Destruction who dwellswithin Carrot. Their drawn-out confrontation takes a number of odd twists beforelove triumphs over evil.

Sorcerer Hunters is surprisingly entertaining, with a slapsticktone reminiscent of Slayers or Generator Gawl. The filmmakers giveCarrot some unexpected kind moments that separate him from run-of-the-millanime lunkheads, but the fate of the cosmos resting in the maladroit hands ofCarrot and his friends seems as improbable as the cast of Seinfeldturning out to be the gods of Olympus. (Rated 15 and older: risqué humor, briefnudity, violence) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the best fantasy series out there.
This is a great series for fantasy anime fans. It's fast-moving, hilarious but occasionally touching and dramatic, has killer art and animation, and is just very enjoyable overall. The bread and butter of any great anime series is the characters and Sorcerer Hunters delivers big-time in this area. The English cast is top-notch and delivers brilliant performances as the team of super-powered heroes sent out by Big Momma (yeah, I know it's a cheesy name, but what can you do?) to hunt down the world's evil magic users and exterminate them. The main hero introduces himself to ladies as "Carrot Glace, love machine" and that pretty much says it all. His only power is that when he's hit by magic, he becomes a giant, kickass monster. Cool character. He's probably the funniest anime pervert I've ever seen and he seriously hams it up every chance he gets. Then there's my favorite characters the Misu sisters, Tira and Chocolate. Tira is the shy one with coke bottle glasses, and Chocolate is the sweet but bold one. That is, until they change into psychotic dominatrixes in what have to be the coolest transformation sequences ever. They pursue Carrot endlessly and never fail to "punish" him for showing attention to every female but them. Carrot himself has no interest in the sisters (Chocolate:"Are you saying I'm more woman than you can bare?" Carrot:"I'm saying I'd rather make love TO a bear!" Ouch.). Anyhow, most of the comedy revolves around this cute little love triangle. There's also Carrot's brother, Maron, who uses magic seals to attack and is just a bit too effiminate to be straight. Gateau is the token big, strong guy who likes to pose and show off his muscles. There are also hints that he (ahem) plays for the other team, as they say.
Sorcerer Hunters is the rare anime series that can get away with every cliche' in the book and still come out smelling like a rose. The reuse of the sisters' transformation animation in EVERY episode, the male pervert (Carrot, of course), the cute fairy girl (Dotta, Big Momma's daughter and companion), the villain (Tira:"Somehow, I just knew he'd be wearing all black") who seeks to destroy the world and rebuild it as a utopia, the music video ending, and the good old moral struggle between the rights of the one against the needs of the many all serve as anime themes we've seen over and over. But when it's done right and the characters are this good, you just can't hold it against them. The series starts quite slow, but hits it's stride early and glides all the way to the last few episodes without any complaints from me. Unfortunatly, the ending is not to my taste. I can't get into the details without major spoilage, but let's just say it's pointless, solves nothing, makes little sense, and takes too long to build up and not long enough to wind down. Other than that, I loved every aspect of this series and would highly recommend it to my fellow Slayers fans or just people who love (or are looking to get into) fantasy/comedy anime.

Overrated
I've always wondered what the fuss was about Sorcerer Hunters so I check it out. My question still wasn't answered. First, there are tons of stories with a lecher as one of the main characters, and most of them have a decent plot. Next, like Utena and Sailor Moon, these are a generic "magical girl" transformation shows with the similar routine. However, unlike Sailor Moon and Mosqiton 99 (which most people haven't seen), this is poorly pulled off. Mosqiton 99 has some of the same pitfalls as this one: repetitive action (the bane of all magical girl stories), lack of main villain (not that they don't have one, but none in the forefront like Sailor Moon), and an overlarge impersonal cast (the actual size of the cast doesn't matter, too big is when only one or two characters are involved at a time in battle). Sailor Moon had only one of these vices, and that was the repetitive action. Mosquiton 99 had all of these, but they found a creative way of working around it, and characters had motives for their quest(something that Sorcerer Hunters lacked completely). They tried to make each episode fresh and failing that add in between episodes (Sorcerer Hunters stuck to routine no matter what), they added the major villain so that it fit without him (Sorcerer Hunters has the villain set up for a deus ex machina appearance), and they solved this by the party system (only four people involved at a time). Don't get this, instead get Orphen or Gokudo, for these are real fantasy. Blecch.

Finally, a box set!
It's wonderful to finally own a boxed set of Sorceror Hunters. This is a loveably goofy show with no real point to it, but who cares? It's too fun watching the interaction between the five main characters.

My one complaint with the box set is, the sub/dub choice seems pretty messed up. At first when I popped the disk in, it wouldn't allow me to select Japanese w/English subtitles. So I went directly into the settings and chose Japanese audio, English subtitles. Well, I could get the audio but not the subtitles. Finally, I stopped the disk completely, opened it, put it back in, and this time I could select Japanese w/English subtitles, but after hitting "play all" I discovered that it automatically switches back to english audio (although it keeps the subtitles) after every flipping episode. *sigh* Oh well, it was nice and cheap, for the entire series, but it is annoying.

The extras aren't much - some ads for other stuff by the same company, original trailer for SH, and profiles (which are strangely incomplete - they profile Tira and Chocolate but the boys don't get included, and then they go on to profile a couple of villains and, well, that's it).

In the end - yes, I'd buy it again. But keep in mind I had a $10 off coupon and got the free shipping.

Sorcerer Hunters kicks!
I may have only seen the first three episodes of the series, but I know about some of the later episodes, would like to see them, and bought this out of curiosity. I'm sure I will love them as much as I loved the first three episodes. Plus, MEGUMI! I will update this review once I get it. ... Read more