Reviews (16)

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

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

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

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

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

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

~

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

And trust me
you'll want to say:

WHAT.
THE.
HELL?!

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

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

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

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

Description

Includes episodes 111 - 124Three years have come and gone, and the day of reckoning has finally arrived!The Androids are here, just as Trunks predicted, and they’re wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting city!Goku and his friends must now put their training to the test, but are they ready to face these mechanical monsters?Yamcha is held at the mercy of the ruthless Android 20, and Goku and the others must race to help their friend. Believing their power to be far superior, the Androids tempt Goku’s rage by leveling half of the city!But there’s one thing the Androids didn’t count on -- Goku’s a Super Saiyan!The battle with the Androids begins in earnest as Goku launches an all out assault against Android 19.The Super Saiyan seems to have the fight well under control, but something is horribly wrong!Goku’s strength is mysteriously draining away!And Android 19 isn’t showing any signs of slowing down! Attacked from within by a crippling virus, Goku is helpless against the maniacal Android 19.But just when it looks like the end for Goku, Vegeta appears on the scene!And he’s got a few big surprises in store for the Androids!In his first fight as a Super Saiyan, Vegeta takes control of the battlefield and defeats Android 19 in convincing fashion!Unwilling to share 19’s fate, Android 20 runs for cover in the mountains!Now Vegeta and the rest of the Z-Fighters must find the diabolical Android and put a stop to his evil ways.The hunt is on!Vegeta, Piccolo, and Gohan lead an exhaustive search through the mountains for the wily Android 20.But all is not as it seems -- the hunters are also the hunted!Android 20 lurks in the shadows, ready to strike, and it looks like Piccolo is his first target!Can the mighty Namek withstand the Android’s energy-draining attack?Our heroes make a startling discovery – Android 20 is none other than the evil Dr. Gero himself!But this new revelation may have come too late, for the diabolical doctor has fled to his secret laboratory, where he intends to awaken two more killer androids!Can the Z-Fighters stop him in time? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Set. New characters.
This saga takes place after the trunks saga. Androids come to west city and since the Z fighters were informed already they are waiting for them. Yamcha is the first to encounter them and his energy is absorbed. Goku fly's off with them to an island and fights android 19. His disease that he was warned about takes effect and he starts to lose. Luckily Vegeta steps in and takes control. He is now a super saiyan. Trunks also comes back and tells them that the androids that have seen are not the ones that are in his world. The other android is actually Dr. Gero and he must go and activate android 17 & 18. They kill him and go off on their own. Vegeta catches up with them and fights 18 but loses. They fly off and they decide to drive to gokus house. This saga is great because we get to see vegeta be a super saiyan for the first time. We also get to see some great fight scenes. Like always this is a must have for the fans.

Great Box Set, it is worth a buy
This Box Set is an incredible deal, getting 4 DVD's (14 episodes) for just under $50. But the great part of all is that these DVD's are incredible. The first two DVD's in this box set detail the encounter with the very first androids, 19 and 20. They have amazing fight scenes and a very interesting story with tons of plot twists which end up with the unleashing of Androids 17 and 18 during the third DVD. The last two DVD's detail the fights with these androids. (Oh how great it is to see Vegeta completely fail.)

With tons of plot twists and an incredible story, this box set is definitely one to be had. The fact that they are uncut is good because there is a ton of humor in here that is taken out of the edited versions along with some of the fighting moments. Every DVD is bilingual, which means that they all have both the Uncut Dub and the Japanese Sub versions. The end of the box set sort of ends on quite a cliffhanger, which will leave you wanting the Imperfect Cell Box Set (and I'm not going to go and say that's bad, it is also a very good box set.)

In conclusion, this box set is definitely one to be bought, it is very good.

COOL!!
The Androids boxset is one of the few best episodes in the series. Your introduced to new characters and you get to see vegeta turn into a super sayian at last!! And Future Trunks gets a big fat role in this series *For anyone who likes Trunks!*. Go ahead and buy the dvds. You'll definatly get a kick out of it!

Anime with no taste...
Let me warn all of you that DBZ is only good for the first 10-20 episodes. Anyone who buys past that either already has every other anime DVD, or has no taste in it. There are two main reasons you should not buy DBZ: repetition and absurdly long battles.

The story line practically never changes, the heros just get older and stronger. They have the stupid idea that they should make the enemys stronger every time, to the point that when the heros are about to lose, and then they come back with some "newfound energy". This can be good, but DBZ way over uses it.

The battles are the second huge weakpoint in DBZ. Battles are ok to have on a lot of the episodes in anime, so long as it's not purely battles. Unfortunately, DBZs battles are purely battles, to the point where the only things heard throughout the entire part of that show are FX, grunts, threats, and gasps.

I did say that the first few episodes were good, but once they're done with the battles on earth and go to Namick, it goes downhill.

Those first two points make the show really irritating, If you want to see what real anime is, stay away from this and go with shows like Cowboy Bebop, Ninja Scrolls, Fooly Cooly, Evangelion, Akira, etc. Also, any show on adult swim on Cartoon Network. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Great movie and one of the best anime DVD's around
Perfect Blue is a strange and wonderful movie, and this DVD really does it justice. The menus are beautiful and fit the film perfectly, and the extras are refreshingly good. We actually get interviews with the three main actors and actresses who contributed their talents to the (pretty good) English dub; it's beautiful and kind of strange to hear them speak in a normal conversational tone about the film and its meanings. The interviews with director Satoshi Kon and Japanese voice actress Junko Iwao aren't as good, but at least they're there. Everything else is good for an anime DVD release, and the film... well, you have to see it and make up your own mind. A lot of people hate it and others (like me) think it's great; everybody will agree, though, that it's confusing as hell at times thanks to some crazy editing. The movie tries to take us into the psyche of a crazy person, and for this film that means not knowing what's real and what isn't. You really lose track of reality, because the screenplay keeps turning the old "The character wakes up and it's all a dream" cliche on itself. After a while you forget whether it's a dream or not, and you start to sympathize with the insanity of the various characters. It's a powerful and unusual film, one of those movies you keep thinking about six months after watching it, and I think everyone should experience its lunacy.

Will the real Mima Kirigoe please stand up?
Based on a novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, 'Perfect Blue' is one of those anime that successfully attempt the unexpected. Written and paced more like a Hitchcock film than the typical action film, this is a story where the psychological aspects are as compelling as the sometimes-ferocious action.

Mima Kirigoe is an idol singer, part of a moderately successful trio called Cham. Since the career life of these singers is, at best, a matter of a few years, Mima has decided to leave Cham to try her hand at being an actress. She lands a part in 'Double Bind,' a suspense thriller that will test her commitment in many ways, putting her in situations that some of her old fans find uncomfortable. This explodes into her life in a big way when Mima finds an internet website that purports to be written by her.

Whoever is writing the site knows too much about what Mima is going through, and she finds herself stalked by an unhappy fan that has developed a fixation on her. Soon people are dying in gruesome circumstances, and Mima becomes more and more confused about whom she really is and what is real. First time director Satoshi Kon is merciless, making sure that the viewer gets few clues about which reality is real and whether what one sees is in 'Double Bind,' 'Perfect Blue,' or in Mima's mind alone.

This is really a remarkable piece of work. Great care is put into artistic and musical values. It has striking graphic qualities without the viewer ever getting the feeling that the images are overwhelming the story. In addition, I particularly like the imaginative use of color. Of course, the use of music is particularly important in a film about Japanese popular entertainment figures, and Kon makes sure that the film lives up to aural expectations.

This is a rough, gripping film. Violence, murder, and rape are depicted with the deliberate intention of making the watcher uncomfortable. It skirts the edge of being offensive, and is sometimes classified as hentai - animated pornography. It isn't by my standards, but 'Perfect Blue' is graphic enough to offend some people. Take this into consideration before deciding to watch.

The best psychological thriller.
Perfect Blue is one of my all time favorite anime's by Manga. This movie is twisted with a damn good plot, it has some of the best animation and character design's you will find in an anime. It took me about two or three times watching this movie to fully understand what was going on but in time i finaly did, this movie is the s**t. I've loved it ever sence the first time i watched it and hopefully you will come to love it to (it is a masterpeace). I recomend it to fans of Manga Entertainment and to anime lovers, get into anime's for they will change your life.

I really wanted to like it
After I saw Millenium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers, I had the highest hopes for other anime by Satoshi Kon.

I guess he just set the bar so high with those movies that even he can't always meet the standard he created. Perfect Blue is watchable. It says some interesting, even disturbing things about what it means to change. It just didn't have the impact on me that the other movies did.

Severley Over-rated
I found Perfect Blue to be one of the most overhyped anime's to this day. I find little about which is original, memorable or interesting in any way. The story is a farce - anyone who watches mysteries or movies in general can pan out the plot by the middle of movie. What more evidence can you see about this anime's forgettableness then the fact that the last review was posted
August 2003? The animation is average, so is the sound.
I suggest those out there think about whether they really enjoyed this rather then echoing other reader's opinions, or the opinions of what they read on anime review sites. Imitating another reviewers opinion doesn't necessarily make you more open minded or knowledgeable about the whole anime scene. Learn to recognise a crap movie when you see one.
You want something mindbending? Watch Lain, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira...et cetera....oh and just for records, Cowboy Bebop is almost identical to Trigun which was made before it and has a much better storyline, humour and characterisation, and while Cowboy Bebop attempts to be a bit more 'adult', it lacks originality. Face it - you just want to jerk over the chick in the tight orange top. Metropolis is a peice of utter **** too. I've never seen a movie which could potentially make a human being go insane if seen a second time. Stay away from these anime's, people - they might represent popular anime culture but in every genre, there's the real deal and there's the commercially viable otaku wannabe fakes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) directed these broadcast episodes, they lack the panache of the earlier OAVs; both were based on the manga created by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. This version of Miyu is less aloof; she enrolls in a Tokyo school and makes a few friends. Larva is more of a companion than a servant, and his mask conceals the face of a bishonen (beautiful boy). He and Miyu are joined by Shina, a spirit who resembles a cross between a rabbit and a Pokémon Clefairy. As the Protector, Miyu battles Shinma, evil spirits that attack humans, but the many episodes suggest she isn't particularly effective at the job she's destined to fulfill. In one episode, a Shinma uses a thug as an assassin; Miyu calmly remarks, "It's not really my concern how many people you have him kill." In "Your House," she destroys a cat-Shinma only after it's caused four deaths, and she gives several victims a fatal eternal happiness with her bite.

Two extended storylines frame the shorter stories. One pits Miyu against the snow demon-Shinma Reiha and her obnoxious talking doll Matzukaze; the second involves the evil bird-demons who are determined to destroy Miyu. Although Miyu's childhood experiences link the two plots, neither achieves a coherent resolution. The limited-edition boxed set includes a soundtrack CD and a charm like the ones Miyu and her friend Chisato carry. (Unrated but suitable for ages 16 and older: considerable violence, nudity, grotesque imagery, suggested lesbianism and incest) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Average
This is an average anime in terms of plot, animation and character development. It does have an excellent character design for Miyu. If you get a chance to rent it, do so. If you have to buy it in order to watch it, don't. Save your money for something more worthwhile.

Many of the episodes have a monster-of-the-week favor. The story usually revolves around the theme of obsession, but it is usually not too inspired. The animation quality is that which you can expect from made-for-TV animations. In other words, they are nothing to write home about. The only thing good about the series is a very alluring character design for Miyu, which is quiet, enigmatic, seductive and dangerous. In a word - vampiric!

Awesome Anime for vampire anime fans
This is quite good and to be honest I kinda liked Miyu and Reiha but this anime was one of the best with breathtaking music , I would recommend this to someone with good tastes in anime especially those new to anime you might get more than you wanted

A GENTLE VAMPIRE ? MAYBE
This is one of most interesting anime series ever.
Its about a girl from an unsealed bloodline of vampire demons whos job is to protect earth from any demon that might escape from the sealed abyss.
This series isnt really horror,its more like dark drama-action.
She would drink blood in order to live and grant them eternal life.
A must see for all vampire movies fans.

Different from the OAV, but very good
In this series, unlike the original, Miyu is more of a schoolgirl than a menace, but the series overall is still engaging. Just when the plot started to become predictable (mysterious happening leads Miyu to the Shinma, then a battle), the episodes started to focus on the victims of the demons. The two-part Light of the Sea was also a winner.

Great attention was paid to the details of costumes and creatures, and the DVD inserts about the monster designs are a welcome extra. The music CD is heaven itself - what a great combination of moods and styles! I've listened to it dozens of times and still enjoy it.

The addition of pretty-boy Larva was disconcerting at first, since it removed a great deal of his menace. But the character works overall. The only clunkers are Reiha and Matzukaze. Their constant taunts and threats became repetitious and their actions were predictable, and it was not helped that Miyu did not have a complete victory over her rival(s).

Princess Miyu anime
I thought that the anime in the DVDs is very good and anime fans would enjoy whatching it. Although the episodes contain alot of unnessisary violence and a very repetitive plot. Alothough I do not like the idea in each sieres the music is very good. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (33)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (12)

A great sci-fi mini series.
Crest of the Stars is a anime based on a novel and it shows. Lots of details, lots of background, lots of characters and lots of action. Jinto Lin, a Abh by title, and Lafiel, a Abh by birth, are the focus of the 13 episodes. They are thrown into the chaos of a galaxy about to explode into a war, but they always stay the focus of the story even when the events shown are light years away.
The Abh are a race who live in space and use genetic engeering to improve themselves. They believe that to bring peace to the galaxy that they have to control it - why else would they have massive battle fleets and take over planets that couldn't be a danger to their Empire? Of course, the other Human Empires don't agree with their viewpoint and also fear the Abh who they see as organic machines who have gone nuts.
The anime gives us the impression that the Abh have the edge in spaceships and military weapons, yet also show that even the Abh can be selfish and unsure of themselves. At one point, in the last few episodes, a Abh officer did not understand why the enemy fleet would attack him even after realizing that he had the bigger fleet. The idea that the normal humans might prefer to die in battle than retreat or become 'slaves' seemed to be beyond his grasp.
This is the FIRST part of a Epic of stories, starting with Creat of the Stars. I plan to get them all. I want to see who wins, even if I'm not to sure who is the Good Side and who is the Bad Side. Much of the story is seen from the Abh's point-of-view.

An excellent start to an unforgettable epic
Firstly I would like to start off by saying what an incredible value this collector set is...Crest of the Stars is a beautiful anime worth more much more than what you will be paying for.
People looking for mindless action like that of anime like Gundam and Dragon Ball Z will be very disappointed with Crest of the Stars. Crest of the Stars is not an action anime; it is an adventure, love story and political drama all in one. The story of Crest of the Stars is its strongest point along with its characters. Many of the episodes in this series are spent on character development instead of focusing on the actual plot. The animation quality is great but since the anime is a few years old it isn't as good as most of the recent BANDAI/Sunrise projects such as Cowboy bebop. The music is excellent but it is not typical of most Japanese anime as it has a more sci-fi feel. At only 13 episodes, Crest of the Stars is hardly complete, which is why viewers of this anime who like it should check out the sequels Banner of the Stars and Banner of the Stars II. Most people who are past the age of 13 and who don't consider Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z the best of anime will most likely like this series.

Legacy of the Stars
Crest of the Stars is not for the impatient. I remember buying the first volume years ago, and thinking at the time that I might continue watching it, but it was the slowest moving anime I had ever seen. This still holds true. The storyline on this one is much deeper than your typical anime, or even your typical sci-fi. The story revolves around young Jinto, who through no fault of his own became royalty, a traitor to his people, and a person without a real family while still a child.

The whole chain of events gets started when the Empire of Abh invades the Martine Star system and Jinto's father (leader of the planet) surrenders without firing a shot. Really, one might say that the real focus of this series is how different ways of thinking cause misunderstandings. When the Martine Star System is invaded, the Abh tell the planet's inhabitants that they are not interested in the planet, just the space surrounding it, and that the people can be ruled by one of their own. The people of the planet take it as an insult, rather than as an act of mercy, and view the surrender of their leader as betrayal, rather than as a brave course of action that probably saved their lives.

What really makes for an interesting twist (like some of the best anime) is the fact that there really aren't any good or bad guys in this one. Some of the things that the Abh Empire does could be seen as evil, and some of the things that the Abh do could be seen as extremely noble. One part of the series which really had a strong impact on me (once I understood it) was an old woman who was helped by Lafiel when her luggage was being stolen, and swore at her. Only at the end of the episode do we see what she was carrying (anti-Abh propaganda).

All of the galactic politics of war in this show is great stuff to be sure, but Jinto and Lafiel are the true stars of the show. On the suface Jinto appears to be a weak and mild-mannered person, and Lafiel appears to be a strong and resourceful Imperial soldier. As the show goes on though, we come to see that there is more to them than meets the eye. Jinto can be brave and ingenius (and even heroic) when he needs to be, and underneath that cool exterior, Lafiel is really just a kind young girl in need of love and understanding.

I highly recommend watching this one in the original Japanese, as it is vastly superior to the English dub. If you love hard-core sci-fi and serious drama, you'll love this show and need to buy it immediately. Espeically if you have the patience for a good story that takes its time.

Misses Greatness But Still Fun
* At the beginning of CREST OF THE STARS, a 13-episode anime series on
four DVDs, the Abh, a spacefaring race of genetically modified humans
with blue hair, occupy the planet of Martine, with the planet's
president making a deal with the invaders to become the planet's king
instead.

This makes his young son Jinto Lin a prince of the Abh Empire, and he
is educated accordingly, even though he finds the idea of being a
prince a little baffling. His duties as a prince
include military service, and so when he comes of age he reports to be taken
to a training academy. He is greeted by the first Abh he has ever met
face-to-face, a girl about his age with long blue hair and pointy ears
who gives her name as "Lafiel". At the time, Jinto has no idea that
pointy-eared Abh are royalty, and Lafiel is pleased by his
unselfconcious and unfamiliar informality. However, as the two return
to the patrol vessel that will take Jinto to the training academy, the
wheels are in motion that will lead to a galactic war with the rival
empire of United Mankind. The war will send Jinto and Lafiel off to
many adventures and make fast friends of them.

CREST OF THE STARS, based on a novel by Hiroyuki Moriyoka, is
basically a formula Galactic Empire story. There is very little that
is conceptually new here, and the story delivery is not particularly
inspired. CREST OF THE STARS can be annoying since it seems to
consistently fail to pick up on interesting story leads, for example
on the nature of the semi-benign / semi-authoritarian Abh Empire, and
also gives a consistently flat delivery of story elements that were
probably meant to be funny in Moriyoka's novel -- for instance, the
part of the story concerning the "Space Bimbos of Baron Fedbash" is
played almost straight, though it seems hard to believe somebody
wouldn't play it for laughs.

However, that said, I can see why this series has its fans. The story
is actually fairly strong, strong enough to still shine to a degree
through the clumsiness of the anime production, and in particular
Jinto and Lafiel are very appealing characters -- Jinto often boyish
and bumbling, but still courageous and bold when necessary; and Lafiel
leaking out glimmers of vulnerability under her sometimes overdrawn
military / imperial bearing. The two form a good team. The
production values are also good in general, if not remarkable, though
I found the theme music ham-fisted and thoroughly overused.

I tend to see CREST OF THE STARS as a "Galactic Empire Space Opera for
Adolescents" and as such found it enjoyable, reminiscent of a lot of
the sci-fi for adolescents I read when I was a teenager in the late
1960s. It has a certain Miyazaki-like flavor, not only because Jinto
is drawn in a way that suggests Miyazaki's artwork, but because the
Jinto-Lafiel team is reminiscent of Pazu and Sheeta in CASTLE IN THE
SKY. This is not entirely a happy comparison, however, since thinking
of it immediately brings to mind the thought: "CREST OF THE STARS
would have been really fantastic if Miyazaki had made it." Still,
I'll take what I can get, and wish that the production crew will
mature in time to make more of the good material they've got.

Can I recommend this? Yes, if cautiously. It's better than ordinary
anime, most of which I have trouble swallowing -- but that doesn't
make it extraordinary. I like to think of it as being what I wish
ordinary anime actually was. Certainly it's a good buy for the price,
which is surprisingly low for a four-disk set. I'll likely pick up
the sequels.

Interesting, & Intelligent Sci-Fi series with Great Visuals!
Jinto and Lafiel are two young royals, who are thrown together during an interplanetary war. The Empire Abh, and the United Mankind Empires are fighting. It raises questions as for who to root for in the conflict. I believe the Abh were once humans, who have progressed through genetic manipulation, and have now rebelled. There seem to be many conflicting reasons for the conflicts, and unusual treatment for the conquered. Jinto was the offspring of a political faction and somehow made a prince.

Beyond the political intrigue, we have some of the differences in the cultures displayed through Jinto and Lafiel. Jinto spent his life on the surface; Lafiel was basically, born in space. Most of the time, it's the Vulcan like logic, and intelligence of the Abh, Lafiel making Jinto seem very impotent. Things change later in the series, when they crash, and have to survive on the land.

It does appear that Abhs were modeled after Vulcan's. The pointy ears, long life spans, and stoic intelligence gives that away. Still, something is quite different in their war vs the human culture. The series has other intelligent treatments of concepts like hyperspace. I did have a bit of trouble believing that mines were an effective space weapon, but I suppose its possible. The space battles are nice and very believable action.

The main thing the series has going for it, is still the characters. The main characters and supporting players, are well developed at each point in the story. The story often plays more like a medieval era adventure, so it can seem a little choppy in places. Still, it looks like the storyteller stuck to their vision, and played out the plots of the main characters within it. When it all comes to an end you do want more, and they made two sequel series, both under the Banner of the Stars heading in the US. Its too bad such a richly created universe does not have the support to create 200 episodes like some other anime series. I guess it would cheapen the quality. ... Read more

Amazon.com

D, a haunted half-human, half-vampire warrior, wanders the countrysideof a feudalistic future, hunting his own kind while battling his own evil nature. Like a rogue samurai, the silent, solitary hero wanders into a small hamlet terrorized by the all-powerful Count, a monstrousvampire lord, and his demonic minions from a castle that casts a long shadow over the countryside. The Count has claimed the human Doris (who wields a mean cutlass herself) as his bride. D becomes her protector and--when she's captured by the Count's shape-shifting minions--her savior. Designed in slashes and sharp, angular images and directed with abrupt explosions of lightning-fast action, Vampire Hunter D is violent and bloody in the mode of a samurai adventure. The sleek D is appropriately dark and quiet, cutting a mysterious figure, while the Count is a veritable demon of a vampire, a supernaturally powerful monster whose appetites know no bounds. The undercurrent of sexuality never spills over into the sadistic vein of so many "adults only" thrillers, but it is recommended for mature audiences.

The DVD features both English and Japanese language soundtracks with optional English subtitles. It also has a documentary featurette, deletedfootage, and an artwork gallery by Amano among its supplements. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (171)

Credit should be given where it's due.
This was one of the first anime movies which hit America. It can be called an 80's slasher pic. But it is so much more than that. After Akira took American anime audiences by storm, they wanted more. That's where Vampire Hunter D entered the picture, with the right amount of sexiness, violence and humour, this movie held it's own, and was really popular.

Watching it for the first time, 14 years after it's release, I was not dissapointed. My favourite character is the hero's talking hand. I want one of them for christmas..

Anyone who enjoys gorey slasher type flicks, and is a fan of Anime will enjoy this one. I recommend Blood to you, if you just like gorey stuff with an electirc atmosphere, but if you would like a good story line, this movie is for you.

A girl's life is in jeopardy, after being bitten by a vampire. A vampire who's taken a liking to her. The only solution involves the death of the vampire. Enter Mr.D, the vampire hunter. Dissapointingly enough, he doesn't talk a lot at the beginning of the movie, which is a shame, because he has a rather cool voice. However it does add to the mystery surrounding him.

The plot isn't really amazing, and it's all been done, but the sheer coolness of D and this movie earnes it a 4/5. Watch it, it's a part of anime history.

Boring like hell - slow like a snail.
I am a casual anime fan. I like cartoons in general, and I love sci-fi. I've bought into 'Vampire Hunter D' based on all those fantastic reviews. I was extremely disappointed. This is was the slowest anime I have ever watched. No thrills, no action, stupid dialogue, and no mystery at all. The story line was also very simple, and the heroes lacked dimensions. I bet the original comic book was much better than the movie. At least the graphics were true stills.

The Original Classic
Vampire Hunter D is not just your average anime movie in any form or fassion. It is a classic that no other anime movie can live up to accept it's wonderful sequal Bloodlust. It has a great combination of action, romance, blood, and unique characters. The story is about a young woman named Doris who is bitten by the Count Magnus Lee. She hires D to kill Magnus Lee and to protect her. The main character in this movie is by no means dull. D is a unique and well balanced character who struggles with the hardship of being a vampire ,and falling in love with Doris. Even with such a great main character the story fails to go into depth with the other except Doris.

So this is how I rate Vampire Hunter D

Sound:8/10- The voice actor for D is incredible. The other voice actors are struggling with the concept of sound.

Visuals:9/10- D looks amazing while the other characters look a little dated. Sometimes the movie can get incredible dark and it is hard to see what is happening.

Style:10/10- A great way to put it all together

Story:7/10- Can sometimes be a little repetitive. Other than that it is a great story.

Rating:14 and up- for violence and nudity.

Extras:7/10- You will watch them once and only once.

Movie/10/10- An amazing movie.

The

Among my favorites
This is a classic. Unique storyline (unlike bloodlust), basic animation, good characters, superb violence. Worth owning? Definitely.

Anime Classic finally on DVD. What a great transfer!
Vampire Hunter D. . . this is a film in which I tend to judge other anime films against. Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D are the Fab Four of the Anime Universe. You simply cannot go wrong by buying this film. Lots of futuristic action with a major Goth theme to it. You would swear that this was taking place in the dark ages during some parts of this film, but then you see the technology that they have in the future. . . WOW. That's all I can say. WOW. Do yourself a huge favor: See this movie! And with it coming out on DVD, how could it possibly get any better? By the way, even if you don't fully apreciate Japanese animation, this is still one of the greatest vampire action movies of all time. If you want to see an example of what great japanese anime is all about, then there are just a few films that you truly must see: AKIRA, Princess Mononoke, Ghost in the Shell, and Vampire Hunter D. This is truly a classic film. Enjoy.

fin ... Read more

Description

Love is never easy, and that goes double for Daisuke Niwa.The only way Daisuke can rid himself of the phantom art thief, Dark, residing in his DNA is to have his love returned.The problem is he has fallen for Risa who is obsessed with his alterego Dark.It's Risa's twin sister, Riku, who seems to have eyes for him! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

D.N.Angel just got more interesting
In this dvd we learn about Daisuke's father and how he met his mother. I just loved how they met because it was just one of those couples that fall in love at first sight. The first episode on the dvd is just humorous and it is just nothing but comedy. The episode just talks about how Risa and Riku switch and take each others parts. Other than that overall I would still recommend watching this series to anyone who likes anime and has patience!

Fun to watch
This a very good DVD in my opinion. but if you dont think so then you not into the innocents type of show's. like i am. so if your not into the innocents type of show's. then this is not for you. but I do so I like it.

xoxo,
Kaoru the White Lilly

One of the greatest animes
I just finished watching the entire DVD, extras and all, and I just got it today!That's how much I wanted this DVD and absolutely loved it.
The voice commentary this time is the voices for the twins, Riku and Risa, which is soo funny!
We get to hear an unplugged version of the opening song, which just grips and makes you feel the song even more.
The four episodes this time are much more developed character wise, and once again staying to some point with the mangas.
This is a series that is totaly worth checking out, and a DVD to get! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Fun Little Peice of Anime
People expecting the next Kite should deffinatly not watch this. Mezzo Forte is much lighter than Kite (although still VERY violent) and takes everything with the tongue placed firmly in the cheek. Oh and just to make this clear, I saw the cut version of Mezzo Forte (sans all adult scenes).

The dub for this release is also pretty well done. Some very familiar voices grace the screen, and not the usual Kitty actors (although I read at AnimeonDVD that the girl who Mikaru had a voice double for the more mature scenes).

This is not for kids at all! There is plenty of nudity and some pretty strong sex related dialogue in the first few scenes. Also, even though this is a comedy, it is VERY violent. People are shot, impaled, exploded, and beaten with bats to name a few little things. A deffinate 16+ viewing experince (and the directors cut is deffinatly a 18+.)

For the fans...
Well, this 2-ep. OVA was quite a surprise after something like Kite. I really liked Kite for it's no-sweat attitude and violent action sequences. The same things can be found in Mezzo Forte, but it's taken in a slightly different approach.
This anime wasn't made to be taken seriously. It's more of a lighthearted action show rather than a pychological action drama(like Kite was). It's like a Yasuomi Umetsu grab-bag film (meaning that you'll find most of the things he does well in this movie)

The first thing that will strike you about Mezzo Forte is it's art and animation, which are a large step above Kite's (which is excellent on it's own). The character animations are very smooth, and the coloring is very detailed and diverse. Unlike Kite's animation where everything but an action sequence uses mostly still fraims, Mezzo Forte gived nearly equal treatment to every scene throughout. The character designs are very appealing and attractive (espcially for the female characters. You could almost drool over them. I want the director's cut now *gawww*) As you can see, Action scenes aren't the only thing in this show that are a sight to behold.
Speaking of action scenes, this anime takes Kite's standards to a new level. Remember the exploding bullets from Kite? Mezzo Forte has exploding people(well, they're actually sex robots) and explosive bowling balls. Not only are there gun fights, there are also some superbly executed hand-to-hand combat scenes that have great attention to detail in the choreagraphy.
In conclusion, as far as art/animation and action goes, you will not be dissapointed in this title.

Now not 5 instead of 4 stars? Well, that's for the title's lack of depth. You won't turn off the film and start thinking about the plot's twists and turns. The entire film is pretty straightforward. Some people tend to like that in action films, that it not being too cerebral. I'm more of the cerebral type, but this movie was still quite enjoyable. Like I said, Mezzo Forte is quite light-hearted and is filled with jokes and gags. You could almost call it a comedy.
There's a hilarious parody of Die Hard during the second episode and watch for the *blink-and-you'll-miss-it* cameo of Sawa from Kite.

The dubbing is also quite good. I espcially liked Mikura's cute voice done by Ed's voice actor from Cowboy Bebop. The Japanese VAs also do a terrific job.

Overall, the film's lack of depth doesn't keep it from being a very goofy and entertaining story. If you want something like Kite but less depressing, then this is your film.

I also wish Mezzo Forte was longer (only 55 minutes). I thought that it really could have used an extra half hour. I wanted more!

But even though the film is goofy, it is filled with blood and guts. There first scene in the film has a guy beaten to death with a baseball bat and then shot several times. People get shot not once, not twice, but dozens of times before they die. Mezzo Forte isn't for the squemish. As the cover says, this is Kite times 2.

A Fun but Short Anime
Most anime are fun little distractions, rather then serious works of film. With that in mind, I have to say I love Mezzo Forte, and I love Mikura.

The main character of the show is the cute, spunky, and feisty Mikura. She's a badass fighter and really flexible, we never know why she got so good at fighting, but then who cares? She has a firebrand nature, and can be easily upset. Where her two partners are spineless to a point, she is afraid of very few things.
In the same Investigation agency she works for, there are two clowns, Harada a young mechanic of cyborgs, and Mr. Kurokawa, a ex-cop with money.

The main story revolves around the trio kidnapping a mob-like owner of a baseball team, but then things go sour fast, and next thing you know there is fighting and explosions, and Mikura!!! The story is by no means great, as it feels as though the writer wanted alot more then an hours worth, but never got it. Secondly, this movie is the prelude to the TV series which is either running or will be running on Japanese TV, which means its more of an introduction to the team, rather then a complete "stand alone" movie. In the end the story is enjoyable for what it is.

The animation in the movie is top notch, as it comes from the same guy who brought us the gritty movie "Kite". Mikura, for a cartoon is sexy cute, and all the other characters in the movie are graphically pleasing in their own ways.

In the end this a fun little movie, not to be taken seriously, but to be enjoyed for the zanny characters and the excellent graphics.

anyone else get a heavily edited version?
I got it as gift for a friend who's into "hardcore" anime. He's still mad about it - apparently the one I got has been heavily editted (according to him) because it only implies sex - it doesn't show it.

Great Action Anime
This is one of the finest anime for those who like Action ^^ from gunfights to catfights this show has it all , I guarantee you wont be dissappointed , Did I mention the exploding bowling balls and cute girls who kick ass? ... Read more

Amazon.com

As this popular shounen-ai ("boy love") story continues, the filmmakers streamline Maki Murakami's popular manga while preserving its essence. Bad Luck is preparing to release their first single under their take-no-prisoners American manager K, when Shuichi's life is derailed by the arrival of Ayaka, the fiancée Yuki's family has chosen for him. As Bad Luck's popularity grows, Taki of the rival band Ask, has Shuichi savagely beaten, then blackmails him, threatening to reveal his relationship with Yuki. Bad Luck guitarist Hiroshi remains the lone pillar of sanity in this increasingly fractured world. Voice actor Rich McNanna captures Shuichi's mercurial personality, effortlessly shifting from repentant stumblebum to adoring boyfriend to charismatic performer. Rome Elliot is appropriately sullen as Yuki: when he tells Shuichi, "I'll be your lover," his voice sounds like ice cracking. (Not rated, suitable for ages 14 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use, suggested homosexuality) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Description

Niwa Daisuke is your average teenager, until his fourteenth birthday.He tries to declare his love to the girl of his dreams but fails.Suddenly, whenever he thinks about this girl, he turns into the legendary phantom thief known as Dark Mousy.Daisuke's mother, very much aware of this, makes him turn into Dark and steal valuable works of art for a purpose unknown to Daisuke.As the story unfolds, he learns why and about his classmate who seems to have the same ability. ... Read more

Reviews (199)

A Definite Ending...and WHAT an Ending!
I bought this DVD the day it came out and loved it instantly. But I didn't really have anything to say about it until watching the ending of another great anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. Both the TV and movie versions of that series angered me to no end, but they made me realize how great "Endless Waltz" is.

The ending of the "Gundam Wing" television series wasn't really that at all. Sure, the 'bad guys' were defeated, but anyone who thinks that's all that matters isn't a fan of good storytelling. "Endless Waltz" answers pretty much every question you might have about the fates of the characters, and I don't mean just the Gundam pilots, either. Every important character of the series is brought into play, and even some not-so important ones. As icing on the cake, this DVD also answers many(though not all) questions about the characters from before the start of the series.

The animation, characterization, and excellent soundtrack ("White Reflexion!") all make up for the fact that the plot is slightly silly and a little cliched. More of a bad guys versus good guys thing as opposed to the complexity of the series. But hey, it's a movie, how deep do you want them to get, here?

Two more reccomendations. Watch the movie version, as opposed to the OVA version. You'll be glad you did. It contains extended and all-new footage that really makes the story flow better, plus there's some great music in certain scenes that were silent in the OVA vesion. Secondly, and this is something I never ever say about anime, watch it dubbed. No, I'm not insane. It's actually better, I swear to God. I've seen it in both languages, and simple lines (such as many of Heero's) just sounded better delivered in English.

Gundam Wing is back!
all you out there who have seen the gundam wing TV series will probably and mostlikly enjoy Endless Waltz. Of course its the bad guys vs. good guys thing again but hey, pratically all movies are like that and that's what gives it a good egde.
i so have to say though that the song, "White Reflection" really rocks. i was so moved i swear to god. I had recorded the movie off of Cartoon Network when it was showing and i watched it twice in a row, so what if i finished at 3 am! Of course there are the little twists here and there and then you have the old and the new characters, well all except the dead ones and just a hint to the people who haven't seen Endless Waltz, one of the guys isn't really dead! Anyway, You have the Funny Duo Maxwell all the way down to the Serious Heero Huy, but all in all it was really good. Usually sequals to things are so lame that you feel like shooting yourself but i was really surprised when Endless Waltz wasn't like all the other sequals for movies. i really enjoyed the special effects and the way it was down. the color was great and some things looked sorta wierd once in awhile but nothin totally major to distract you from the main point. I liked how they sorta summed up at the end of what the charicters did with there lives after blowing up their Gundams, although i was sad that they did that cause to me it seemed as if Gundams were their lives. But only one questions remains.... WHAT HAPPENS TO HEERO HUY?
i really liked how they showed some past images here and there so you really could understand how they got their gundams. once again i would like to metions that the outline was done pretty well, the music was AWESOME, the drawings we really COOL and they kept everything in line. Two thumbs up!! ;)

Five Shiny Stars For This One...
Gundam Wing was always my favorite Gundam series, I liked it due to the plot, characters, and design of the mobile suits. The animation in this series was superb. About this DVD:

POSITIVES:

1.) This DVD offers the OAV (or OVA), meaning Original Video Animation in the three separate parts, as shown on Cartoon Network, only with a few uncut scenes added.

2.) You can choose the Japanese voices with english subtitles or English voices with English subtitles (the wording won't be exact in the english language/subtitles, because the Subtitles allow you to see the dialog they said in Japan) Both languages had a good set of voices, but I love Japanese voices Ü...

3.) You can see the "Movie" version of Endless Waltz (MUCH Better in my eyes)which is longer, and shocked me with tons of scenes that were omitted from the OAV/OVA (the dub too) (This is the BEST part of the DVD)

4.)You can acess trailers, mobile suit data, and other things from the main menu....

Get this DVD...The price is steeper, but it's really worth the buy...

Endless Waltz, a good ending, but good enough?
At the end of gundam wing, we are left with the feeling that there is something missing. Relena and Heero's romance is unresolved, the future of the gundam pilots is undecided, and many things are left unanswered. That's where Endless Waltz comes in. In this movie, we find out what happens after gundam wing ends.

The picture of course is excellent, as with most DVD's, and the music is new and refreshing from the typical Gundam Wing music that we fans are accustomed to. But the dialogue is flawed, badly flawed. The first version of this movie I saw, was the Japanese VCD version, 3 discs, with english subtitles. The subtitles from that VCD version conveyed the direct meaning of the translated dialogue, and displayed it in a near-flawless translation, keeping its meaning, dramatics, and intensity. The American/Canadian English actor version, the one I am reviewing, does not. In several places, the translation skews slightly, making some scenes lose their meaning and intensity, greatly decreasing the effect that this movie has with its viewer.

Unfortunatly, the story is also left unfinished in this ending to the Gundam Wing series. Once again the future of some of the characters is left uncertain, as well as the situation with Heero and Relena. However, I still like the movie and can only say, buy the Japanese w/english subtitles VCD if you want to see this movie at its best. I give it a four out of five.

A great end to a great series
INTRODUCTION:
Ever since the late seventies, the Gundam series has been one of the most successful and widely-loved anime series in the world. It has become a favorite of many over the years. There have been several different sub-series over the years, and one of the most popular ones of which is the Wing series, released in the mid-nineties. Following the conclusion of the television series, a three-part movie was released. Read on for my review of Endless Waltz.

BASIC PLOT:
The Gundam Wing pilots have finally won the war against their enemies, and have shipped their Gundams straight to the sun to be destroyed, since they will never have to use them again. But, Relena is kidnapped, and a new conflict begins, forcing the pilots to retrieve their Gundams and re-enter the fray.

SERIES OPINIONS:
To put it simply, this is an excellent movie. The storyline is great, the animation is great, the characters are great - everything about this film is great. We even get to learn about the past of many of the characters! My only complaint is that the film could never actually have taken place - it tells the story as if the "custom versions" were the Gundams that the pilots had all along, and this is sure to create confusion for novices to the series. It's good to see it get a long overdue DVD release in America.

DVD:
These DVDs is good because it has both the Movie and OVA/OAV version of the movie, as well as a dubbed version. As another reviewer stated, this is a rare example of an anime movie where the dub is actually very good! Check it out - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

OVERALL:
Overall this is an excellent conclusion to a great series. If you liked the series and you can overlook the storyline inaccuracies I mentioned above, you'll love this - no questions asked. ... Read more

Description

Saber Marionette J - Ultimate Collection collects all 25 episodes of Saber Marionette J, all 6 "OVA" episodes of Saber Marionette J Again, and all 26 episodes of Saber Marionette J to X in a boxed set individually autographed by Saber J Character Design Tsukasa Kotobuki. ONLY 5000 pieces made.
Welcome to Japoness, an all male society, where the only females are high performance emotionless androids known as "marionettes".Martial arts student and all around nice guy, Otaru, accidentally discover and wakes a coquettish marionette named Lime.He soon learns that Lime is very different from other marionettes; After waking two more emotion filled marionettes, Cherry and Bloodberry - Otaru and friends will face tough challenges ahead as they battle the evil Faust and his Saber Dolls. Can Otaru rise up to the challenge while teaching the marionettes about human emotions.Part comedy.Part Love Story.All Action.Saber Marionette J, Program Start! DVD EXTRAS: Interviews with Tsukasa Kotobuki, Music Videos, SMJ Databank, Image Gallery, Textless Opening/Endings, Saber Marionette Commercial Collection, Exclusive Man and Machine Video Clip, The Making of Saber Marionette J to X. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

AMAZING Just AMAZING!
OH MY GOD! This was, by far, one of the best animes I've ever seen. The storyline was not only funny but dramatic (a very dangerous combination) and the voice work was awesome. Even though it took some getting used to each English Cast (Which changed with each series) I found they all did great. I'll admit that SM JtoX had the weakest of the VA's, but I still loved it anyway (it had it's bad moments, but still did a good job). Of all the characters, I love Lime. She is so cute, and all three of the VA's did her great (I couldn't believe the SM JtoX Lime was the same voice as Reece the blue devil from Zoids Chaotic Century). The Humor was hilarious. I could watch it over and over and still crack up. The drama had me on the brink of tears once or twice. The storyline is very original and movie. The animation was great (if you'd exclude the obvious CGI-house scenes)

The one thing I love about anime is that, unlike some american spin-off's or series sequals, animes never done anything less than equal if not surpass their predecessors (I.E. DB to DBZ, Sailor Moon to it's spin-offs, and especially Saber Marionette J). I highly recommend this DVD set for all. If you never watched an anime before but would like to, START WITH THIS ONE! You'll never regret it.

good fisrt half bad scond
first half is good with good voice cast. second half j to x is badly dubed and the voice are different and flat sounding. sadly that ruins the whole box set

A great anime!
Saber Marionette J is one of the only anime series that actually made me almost cry. Saber Marionette J takes place on Terra 2, an all male planet. Because it is an all male planet, marionettes were created to replace the human female. The main character is a man named Otaru. One day, Otaru somehow(don't want to ruin the story)woke up a marionette named Lime. Lime, unlike other marionettes, has emotions. Otaru also awakens two other marionettes(Cherry and Bloodberry) with emotions as well. And thats just a summary about the series(Not very good huh?).

Anyway, the animation of J and J Again was excellent(J was better). The animation for J to X looked more simple and childish. The English VAs are different for each series. J has a good dub, J Again has an average(good VAs, but not accurate)dub, and J to X's dub is terrible(stay away from it). If your listening to the Japanese, you won't even notice(by the way, the Japanese VAs are good)! The songs are great. The opening song for J, J Again, & J to X and closing song for J and J to X are sung by Megumi Hayashibara. You'll most likely start buying SMJ soundtracks.

Now about the box. The box is strudy, but too tight so you may have to tip over the box and get the dvds. There are 14 DVDs in seven 2-discs sets. The box and cover art looks nice and the box has the signature of the character designer and is individually numbered. There is no volence and not a lot of sexual situations. Even though, this series for preteens to adults. There are some things to complain about SMJ, but this series has a good plot, lovable characters, excellent music, great animation(I'm talking about J and Again)so it is a must see for all anime fans.

Review and a Cautionary Warning
Before I get to my review, here's a little disclaimer:

Beware if you are buying this boxset--mine was not packaged well at all, and as a result several of the discs were damaged! The DVD's are packaged two discs to a sleeve, and when they arrived, nearly half of these discs were floating around in the cases (the holders had broken, apparently during shipping) and were getting scratched in the process! Another of the cases had THREE discs (one was a duplicate) floating freely around in the case; they are all damaged. The last time this happened was when I purchased a VHS boxset and several of the tapes were not functional. I just wanted to give everyone whose interested a head's up. I wish I had been warned. But onto my little review:

This show is nothing ground-breaking, but I found it entertaining nonetheless. The character designs aren't really my cup of tea (they are remniscent of The Slayers), but the animation is pretty well done.

I found the characters to be pretty hard to like, honestly. Otaru is just a WEIRDO--I don't care if his robots look like girls, they are robots! Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry are ROBOTS. I don't care how "cute" they act, it doesn't change the fact that they're machines. And the whole "Master, we love you" attitude of the marionettes got to be grating. It did!

Another bothersome aspect was how all of the main characters relentlessly picked on the character Hanigata! I mean, the guy could be annoying, but is that any reason to punch him everytime he says something or push him off cliffs, or give him over to the enemies to save yourself? What kind of a "hero" type character does that? Suffice to say, I came to sympathize with Hanigata the most, and not give a rat's tail about the main cast.

Yet, despite its many flaws, this was an enjoyable watch.

Yaoi and shounen-ai fans might enjoy Hanigata, voiced by the popular Koyasu Takehito, whose also lent his voice to characters like Aburatsubo (another flamboyantly gay character) from Magic User's Club and Mosquiton from Master of Mosquiton. Hanigata develops an undying love for Otaru (who knows why) and constantly flirts with him--and is violently rejected each time. It's really hard to believe that there isn't MORE homosexuality in this show, however, seeing as these characters inhabit an all MALE planet. In that context, I don't understand why it would be considered so unusual by Otaru for another guy to like him.

And one more note: I'm usually not one to say this but AVOID the dubs! The voice actors were not chosen well at all, and they aren't even consistent, as they changed casts with each series. Stick with the subtitles on this one.

A Surprise Hit
When I bought this dvd, I had never seen any episodes. All I had to go on were reviews from the discs and hope. After purchasing and viewing this set, I can honestly say that spent my money well. The series all start out kind of comical, but as they go on they make an effortless transition into pure action with drama. I watched the entire series in about four days (thats a total of 57 episodes) and i wanted mo