Reviews (6)

Sexy and Very Exciting!!
NBT is a like James Bond, only there's a really sexy female instead of an English man. Najica is a super spy for the government when she's not working as the President of the most successful perfume company in the world. The animation is very sexy with gorgeous females in skimpy clothing in every scene and the action scenes are magnificant. This is a very ecchi anime with each episode like a rollercoaster ride. Najica's humanoid partner Lila is much like the character Chii from Chobits: ignorant at the beginning of the series, but she goes through a lot of character development until the end. This anime is pure eye candy. It's not meant to be a philisophical anime like Evangelion or .hack//sign. Instead, it's much like Cowboy Bebop in that Najica must find and retrieve a line of missing humanoids who are usually causing trouble in the world.

Bottom line: This anime will keep you VERY happy for a few hours!!

James Bond if he was a girl?
First off, this is good work. The art is good, the voices selected for the English subtitles are all veterans, and the action is cool. I love the sci-fi setting of Earth in the future, with androids (called Humaritts), orbiting space weapons that have been around for 30 years and cities sinking into the sea. Yet, while this might sound like a dark future there is no sign of social decay or crowds of homeless people living on the street. Sure, there are terrorists and criminals, but there is also beauty and perfume!
The idea that secret agent Najica Hiragi is a perfumier by day seems almost original and really added to the humor. A cosmetic empire as a front! Sure, maybe they took a lot from James Bond or Noir, and maybe there is A LOT of fan service. So what? It if funny, sexy and I enjoyed it.
The DVD's extras are nice too. Previews, of course, as well as sketches and commentary for one of the episodes by the two main female voice actresses.
At 100 minutes, with only four episodes, I would suggest getting it new or used. It's that good.
PS - There seems to be nothing going on between the two main female characters, sorry. I know what it looks like on the first DVD's cover, but that's just to hook you too.

Anime's Definitive James Bond
Ok I have to admit it. This is fun. Najica is full of action and excitement, and the characters grow on you. Like other reviews have said, this isn't high-art. It's an action flick, with literally so many gratuitous underwear shots it is almost comical. We're talking 1 a minute here during the slow parts...

But silly fanservice underwear shots aside, there are hours of enjoyable James-Bond style action here. And this series has all the style, panache and glitz of any Bond film you will ever find.

So, if you feel like watching a female agent and her cyborg teammate fire an RPG from the hood of a sleek red car at the evil agent's oil-slick-producing mercedes this is the DVD for you. You can do better, sure, but check it out this agent has explosives hidden in her earrings....

Oscar Material? No. Fun to watch and worth my $20? Yes.
If you are looking for the next "Grave of Fireflies" or "Spirited Away," it is best to simply pass this title over. If you are offended by women's undergarments, this title most definitely is not for you either. However, if you are looking for something along the lines of "Gunsmith Cats" or are entertained by classicaly cheesy spy-movies, this is certainly worth a look. Najica: Blitz Tactics features a whole lot of action. Yes, there are panty-shots in nearly every scene, and I count two brief, nonsexual instances in the first two DVDs of bare [upper bodies.] But when fanservice used that often, it crosses over the line from being [inappropriate] into being just hilarious. ...the action-sequences are really very good. It's not a cartoon for kids, this is certain, but I would put it pretty much on the level with all the other cheesy spy-action flicks hovering about. Except that this one is anime. The overall product quality is very high, as is consistent with the recent ADVFilms anime releases, including an excellent English dub. The commentary track by the voice actresses for the two leading ladies is very entertaining itself. The series itself I would rate as a 3, but ADV's product quality is easily 5, so it all averages out to 4/5. A B-action series.

i am not a hormonal adolescent and i liked it
the animation is lovely and the voices are excellent. There is, however, an interesting plot that goes along with all the fan service. i am a normal adult woman, not a hormonal adolescent, and i found this dvd quite enjoyable. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Arjuna An Enviromentalist Anime
Arjuna is just one of those animes you really have to love unless you really hate enviromentalists and love pollution. <---lol I hope not too many people like pollution but anyways on to the review. Arjuna at 1st glance you can obviously tell its beautifully animated and the cg is great. What you don't get to see though is the excellent music done by none other than Yokko Kanno which for the anime beginners out there is the same person responsible for Macross Plus, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and Wolf's Rain (of course Arjuna!). Which also means the music is excellent it fits perfectly I found no flaws with the music at all. The storyline on the other hand is very complex and not for children who don't understand the complexities of everyday people who don't even notice everything they are doing to harm the Earth. This storyline is not for kids because there are some graphic images (whether you agree with me or not) of children starving to death, animals dieing, and other things I don't want to get into because it may ruin the story line. The other side to Arjuna though is the love story between Juna and Tokio her boyfriend. Its a very beautiful love story but with every love story there are challenges that they must go through that only strengthen the couple!

So I recommend this to everyone 16+ who cares about the enviroment and anyone who loves a good drama!

Anime That Looks LIke a Moving Picture
Shoji Kawamori gets very personal in one of his most unique series yet. This anime legend created classics like "The Vision of Escaflowne" and "Macross", and teams up with Yoko Kanno again to create "Earth Maiden: Arjuna", a pioneer film to strike your senses at all levels. Taking place in the present day Tokyo, we watch an urban girl, Juna, as she wakes up to her surroundings and how much she is needed to act to protect the wellbeing of the planet she's taken for granted. When Juna realizes what it is she must do, she's endowed with the strength of the Earth to combat spiritual, snake-like destroyers born from human waste called the Raaja, but before she can even think of purifying the world she must first purify herself. Part environmentalist exposee, part romance, part coming-of-age story, Earth Maiden: Arjuna will dazzle your eyes, ears, mind, and spirit.

"The Road Was Further Than I Thought"
Disaster strikes Japan - the Petrochemical Decomposing Bacteria (PDB) accidentally released by Juna and Tokio combines with the Raaja and proceeds to dissolve one of the underpinnings of modern civilization - plastics and similar products. The result is a complete loss of the country's support systems. Juna is stranded in New York City while her friends Tokio and Sayuri struggle for survival with no food, surrounded by the pollution released in the crisis.

Facing opposition from those who would prefer to see Japan quarantined and its people abandoned Jun rebels, and uses her powers to return to her home in full battle array. About to forcibly cleanse Japan, Juna finds herself facing an unexpected opponent. In the midst of her heroic effort she must confront a spiritual crisis that will change her forever.

Throughout this series there has been a tension between Shoji Kawamori's educational intentions and the flow of the story line. While the moments of ecological explanation are well done, they are a bit too pedantic for this watcher, perhaps because I have heard these lessons before. But the lessons are important, and the story line weaves these pieces together and provides a spiritual context as well. In these last two episodes, everything comes together and a compelling message is delivered perfectly.

This is a series that is perfect for its intended audience, those aged 13 and up. It depicts the typical problems of teenagers growing up in a flawed world with candor and honesty. It presumes that the watcher is comfortable with the minimal content present, which is completely innocuous when compared to what occurs in a typical TV advertisement.

Arjuna's message, to demonstrate the interconnectedness of all life is one that truly needs to be taught - repeatedly. This is a good family series that can provide the material for some excellent discussions. And I believe that most of us adults will benefit as well. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

crazy man. crazy
look i hate basically all anime but i thought FLCL was great. its just so......weird its like a mind bending drug with out the mess. so all you junkies out there looking to get off just watch this and youll be completely be blown away!

Tries to be crazy and cool.
This anime is pure rubbish, it tries to look like Akira or Ninja Scroll by putting a bunch of random crazy stuff and tons of pop-culture references in it. This show tries to be like a Quetin Tarantino movie, who is a good movie director but not the best. The characters look stupid and it has no plot, no wonder this show only lasted six episodes!! I'd rather watch La Blue Girl any day of the week!!

Does it get better than Mamimi.
FLCL(Fooly Cooly)- The secound disc is phenomenal, some of the best animation you will find. This series had me from the first time they had it on Adult Swim. It looked kind of stupid when i first saw it, but after i started to watch it i saw something i've never seen before (the way anime's should be). If you've never seen this series before i recomend you go to Best Buy, Sam Goody's or wherever you can get movies and pick it up (trust me you will not be disapointed). It is a great series for anime lovers of all kind's, and for the people that are just starting out. Some people will not like this series, they might find it stupid or pointless but take it from me you will end up wanting more after you've seen it.

Great Anime, Bad Anime DVDs
Why is good anime often under represented or under understood (if that is a word)? Greed. FLCL is a great anime. But it's only 6 episodes at around 3 hrs. Yet somehow the DVD makers felt is necessary to split a 3-hour series over 3 DVDs and charge nearly $30.00 bucks a piece for them. I don't buy my anime in the U.S. I buy it overseas. Sure I may have to read subtitles, and I might occasionally even unintentionally be purchasing a pirated property (which I try to avoid by usually buying from a select number of dealers and by paying attention to the name of the DVDs' producers) but when I can buy an entire 26-episode series (like Cowboy Bebop or Witch Hunter Robin) on 3 DVDs for less than the price of one of those DVDs in the U.S. that only has three or four episodes of the same series (with all the "extras" - some sketchbook drawings & trailers for other DVDs aren't exactly extras in my book!), I'll pick reading any day (especially since dubbed English DVDs are becoming more prevalent overseas). DVD producers will say that they have to charge that much because it's a niche market, etc. All I can think is that it will never stop being a niche market until people can see an entire series without having to pay $100.00-$300.00 to watch it.

It's All In Naota's Head
Naota, the young teenager who is the central character in this imaginative series finds himself in the envious position of having two women dote on him. One of these is Ninamori, the young daughter of the mayor of Mabase, and the other is Haruko, an attractive 'alien' who has moved into his house as maid. Or this would be an envious position if Ninamori didn't want him to play the cat in the school play - Puss and Boots. And the perpetually effusive Haruko loves Naota for the space warp between the hemispheres of his brain.

Ninamori has her own problems, a philandering father, a home that is falling apart, and a desperate need to hide her feelings behind a veneer of adult maturity. Like Naota, life has become too complicated and efforts to reign it in wind up creating new monsters that spring unbidden from one's brain. Haruko is that shaman who brings these things to the surface. Whether they be creatures from outer or inner space, we don't know, but like a mad psychiatrist, Haruko presides over their birth and their final demise.

In the second episode on this DVD a baseball game becomes Haruko's metaphor, as she and Naota play on opposite sides in the game. Despite having his brother's bat, Naota seems unable to play, while Haruko, who hits equally well with both bat and base guitar, is apparently the next best thing to Mickey Mantle. Naota's frustration includes not just his failure at sports, but a dark jealousy over Haruko's relationship with his father. He hides behind his powerlessness, unwilling to take any risks, while Haruko keeps telling him that nothing will happen until he swings the bat.

This is possible the zaniest series in modern anime. Haruko runs the gamut from being an object of innuendo to acting like one of those Zen masters that leap out of nowhere to hit you with a stick until you learn to avoid the beating. She has her own agenda, which might include saving the earth or turning the unsuspecting Naota into something greater than his own expectations. As of yet, the bemused viewer has no clue.

Again, the series benefits from extensive director's commentary. Not that this ever quite explains anything, but it provides many reassurances that it is the series, and not the viewer, that is insane. Outstanding are and music fill out the bill, making FLCL a must see for the anime aficionado and amateur psychologist alike. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Series
Steel Angel Kurumi is an awesome series. I bought the set here because I couldn't find it in stores. I should have just waited as it was $38.99 at Best Buy when I actually saw it there. That ticked me off.

One of the Best Anime's in existance!!!!!!!!
If you choose any anime to get someone interested in anime it has to be this one it hase everything Action, story, beautiful art work, comedy, sexy Characters, and a true sence of what japan really looked like in those times. An anime to fall in love with over and over.

angel madness
steel angel kurumi is based in the 1900's with its beautiful art of the japanese culture and the wonderful animation i give it a 5/5 *'s. The series is based on so called steel angels which are beings for the purpose of military use only. when fate brings them together young mystic, makihito incounters the first of the steel angels with the mark II heart and has life takes its course she is awakened by one simple kiss. nakihito is no longer known as nakihito to kurumi he is know as 'master'.

Starring the voice of
kelli cousins- as kurumi
monica rial- as saki
hillary hagg- as karinka
and
claudia black- as...well you'll just have to watch the series now wont you!!!T_T

An Enjoyable Romp and an Excellent Value
"Steel Angel Kurumi" is not for everyone; I often have questioned myself as to why I like it. But I do...it's a guilty pleasure.

Set in the 1910's, the story revolves around a "steel angel" robot/weapon named Kurumi with the personality of an innocent, scatterbrained, clingy young girl, who is activated/brought to life by the kiss of a young boy mystic. The adventures that follow...the relationships that develop, the introduction of Kurumi's "sisters" (steel angels sent to destroy her), and the gradual revelation of Kurumi's incredibly distructive powers...draw the viewer to the inevitable nearly catistrophic climax.

Now ADV has issued has issued this "Complete Collection", containing the original 4-disc, 24 episode first series, the single disc 4 episode encore OVA, and the 2-disc, 12 episode second series, with a plethora of extras. However, if you already own any of the original DVD releases, you'll find that this collection is just a re-issue of the currently available DVDs. All of the information here has already been issued.[...]

The first 4 DVDs contain the original "Steel Angel Kurumi". It's an unusual series; cute and sappy as much as it is action filled, sweet and innocent as well as loaded with sexual overtones. The charaters are well drawn and the animation is top notch. The storyline drags a bit, but develops well, as do the characters. Some great stuff here. It's campy, but highly enjoyable.

The extras on the first 4 discs are exceptional; interviews with the English dub cast, translator's notes (which helps clarify a great deal), background information relating to the setting and time frame in which the series is set, and more. ADV makes a great effort to help in the enjoyment of the series, and the material presented is quite interesting.

The good quality continues with the single disc encore OVA. The 4 episodes are well done and add to the original series. The extras are plentiful here as well, including a running commentary with some of the English actors.

It's the last 2 discs that drop the ball a bit. The second series in general is basically a re-hash of the first, and a not real good one at that. A few decent ideas are launched (a modern setting, the mystic that awakens Kurumi this time is a young girl, which boosts the already palpable lesbian overtones), but some of the ideas are just plain bad. The delicate balance of comedy, camp, action and character development that existed in the first series is totally upended in the second. It can still be fun, but pales by comparison. Plus the extras on the DVDs are minimal at best.

Still, at this price, it's better to get the whole package for the price of buying 2 seperate DVDs, and it is definitely worth it for the first series alone. A great value and a fun anime. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In "The Birth of NERV," the filmmakers offer the viewer glimpses of the main characters' childhoods in scenes that hint at the sources of their problems and sorrows. And the penultimate episodes are dominated by sorrows at NERV, the organization that handles the Earth's defenses against the invading Angels. Asuka has grown so hostile, she can no longer bond with her Eva. After being badly injured in battle with the 15th Angel, she's removed from the program she lived for. As Commander Ikari insists on keeping Shinji's Eva in "cryostasis," Rei is left to face the serpentine 16th Angel alone: rather than be overcome by it, she destroys her Eva, the Angel, much of the surrounding landscape--and herself. Shinji is shattered by her disappearance. After decoding a message from the murdered Kaji, Misato forces Ritsuko to reveal to her and to Shinji the hideous truth about the creation of the Evas. But Misato, Shinji, and Ritsuko are only pawns in the larger game being played by the ruling cadre of the sinister SEELE organization. The 16th Angel has been vanquished and, according to the predictions they have derived from the Dead Sea Scrolls, only one remains to appear. These fragmented episodes showcase the singular mixture of Christian symbolism, sci-fi action, and Eastern mysticism that has made Evangelion one of the most widely--and hotly--discussed series in the history of anime. Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and up: robot versus robot violence, minor nudity, and grotesque imagery. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Description

Isn’t there anyone who can stop the Sphere of Vogler? After their last encounter, the remaining Experts of Justice prepare for one final rush against Genya and the massive anti-Shizuma machine. Meanwhile, infighting among the enemy comes to a head with the appearance of Big Fire himself, along with his three mystic guardians. With the help of Murasame the Immortal and the memories of all those lost along the way, the Experts bet life as they know it on Giant Robo and Daisaku. With the last of their strength, they bring an end to the seven days that no one will ever forget! ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com

This OAV (original animation video) adventure brings back all the characters from the sprawling broadcast series--even ones who were killed. When Miaka, Tomahome (who now lives in the real world), Keisuke, and Tetsuya go visit the grave of Takikio, the one-time priestess of Genbu, Tomahome mysteriously vanishes back into Universe of the Four Gods. Miaka and Yui join him there, causing the Warriors of Suzaku and Seiryu to reassemble. Their reappearance has been arranged by Tenkuo, the former master of the evil Nagako, who hopes to rule the alternate world. Yui summons all four Gods to seal him away and prevent any further contact between the two worlds--which also means Miaka and Tomahome must separate. The secondary characters remain more entertaining than the whiny Miaka, especially sorcerer-in-training Chichiri and mountain bandit Tasuki. Viewers should watch the broadcast series before the OAVs, or they'll be hopelessly lost. Each episode is followed by an omake, or extra: a chapter of "F&ucirc;shigi Y&ucirc;gi Rest and Relaxation Bus Trip: The Tale of the Forbidden Women's Hot Spring Resort," an offbeat farce that features the characters as themselves and as actors playing those roles. It provides a welcome break from the turgid melodrama of the main episodes, much the way Kyogen comedies are traditionally performed with Noh tragedies in the Japanese theater. Genki Yoshimura's script exhibits some chronological problems. When Tomahome arrived in Konan in episode 1, 50 years had passed since the battle at the end of the broadcast series, and Hotohori's grandson was emperor. When Tomahome and Miaka visit Konan in episode 5, only two years have elapsed and Hotohori's infant son occupies the throne. However, these inconsistencies are not likely to trouble fans of this mawkish magical-girl series. Much of the final episode, which is nearly twice as long as the others, is spent on a convoluted subplot involving Tomahome and Taka appearing in the same time and place when they're the same person. As a result, there's little time for the final battle. Perhaps it shouldn't feel too decisive: Miaka's final words to the remaining six Warriors of Suzaku, "I know we'll meet again," suggest that further sequels may already be in the works. Rated 16 and up for nudity, sexual situations, attempted rape, suggested incest, and violence. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A great continuation to an awesome anime series!
I'm a huge fan of Fushigi Yuugi. If you are too, you should get this OVA boxed set!

The Fushigi Yuugi OVAs take place a bit after where the original series takes off. The first three episodes on this DVD are from OVA I, which is simply an anime-only filler to explain how Taka (Tamahome) made his way into Miaka's world. The next six episodes are from OVA II, which in my opinion, is great. It contains many new enemies and many new surprises.

My personal favorite episode on this DVD is the 8th episode (which is OVA II episode 5). It focuses on my favorite character, Chichiri. In it, you learn all about his past, and he winds up fighting someone very familiar to him...I won't spoil it, so if you want to know, buy the DVD!

This DVD is packed with action, adventure, fighting, and romance (No, I'm never going to get over that super cute Tasuki/Chichiri scene in OVA II eppy 5...heh heh heh...). If you're a fan of the series, you should get this DVD! You won't be disappointed!

Confusing Beginning, Satisfying End (?)
Of all the anime series I have seen, Fushigi Yuugi is simply the best. The plot is great, and the series ended well, but the OAVs are definitely a good ending to the ... well... ending. For those who haven't seen the 52 episode series, you will be very confused, so you should probably see those first. (^.~)

I admit that the first three OAV episodes are REALLY confusing, and a lot of people may not like them at all (Sad to say, I was one of those people). The villain just came out of NOWHERE. I didn't get that. But don't be dispirited! The other six episodes make up for the first three, I assure you!

Also, a very wonderful part of the OAVs are the "in-betweeners." This are "mini-episodes" about the characters that give you a good laugh between episodes that don't give you much of one. So, basically, you still get comedy, even when the plot doesn't provide it! A very good thing it is, trust me.

As some of you may have guessed from earlier episodes, Tasuki develops a love for Miaka. ( ...interesting...) The seishi falls for the priestess, despite Miaka's love for Tamahome, who is now Taka. While Taka struggles with his two sides (Taka & Tamahome), Tasuki tries to win over Miaka ... but sorry, can't tell you what happens!

Also, Chichiri's old friend (you know, the one that stole his girlfriend ...;.;), Hikou, returns. The ninth episode leaves it open for another sequel (hopefully there will be one!), that's the reason for "End(?)."

Saying anything else would probably spoil the story, so I won't. My last statement to all you faithful Fushigi Yuugi fans is this: Don't be disappointed by the first three OAV episodes; ultimately, the OAVs are worth every cent.

Correction on the Editorial
"Genki Yoshimura's script exhibits some chronological problems. When Tomahome arrived in Konan in episode 1, 50 years had passed since the battle at the end of the broadcast series, and Hotohori's grandson was emperor. When Tomahome and Miaka visit Konan in episode 5, only two years have elapsed and Hotohori's infant son occupies the throne. However, these inconsistencies are not likely to trouble fans of this mawkish magical-girl series."

Actually, the Konan that Tamahome arrived in (50 years passed) was an illusion. So there is no such inconsistency. Maybe a bit hard to follow, but there was no such mistake made.

Overall, a disappointment
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Apparently, the people who made this OVA never heard that expression.

I adored the original Fushigi Yugi series and thought the ending was perfect, so this OVA needed something really special about it for me to put it in high regards, and I'm sorry to say that didn't happen. However, I should point out that apparently Charles Solomon failed to watch the entire series, as it is explained why the chronological idiosyncracies exist.

I actually gave up on watching the OVAs about four episodes in because I was so BORED by them and went to do something else for a while. I did come back later that day hoping for a payoff similar to the one given to fans who stick with the original series. It never came.

I didn't care about the villains, and the story focuses on Tamahome, who, as I've stated in other reviews, does not have a personality. You cannot build a story around a character who doesn't have a personality (not a good one, anyway, as this OVA proves).

The best things about the OVA are the little comedic pieces at the end of each episode, rewards, if you will, for those who actually manage to make it through an episode without giving up. The ones where the Suzaku Seven and the Seiryu Seven take charter buses to a hot spring have some side-splittingly hilarious moments. The pieces that parody scenes from the episode they follow contained some jokes I didn't understand, and I'd imagine most who doesn't live in Japan probably wouldn't get them either, but still provided a good laugh nonetheless.

Don't watch this OVA if you haven't watched all 52 Fushigi Yugi episodes. Besides the spoilers and the fact that you'll be hopelessly lost (heck, even people who saw the series will often find themselves scratching their heads in a state of "buh?"), it will give you a bad opinion of a great show.

Fantastic Fun For Anime Lovers!!
Begining of the Fushigi Yugi is easy to understand if your a true anime lover and is very exciting from the very begining to the end! To my opinion it is maybe one of the best animes anyone could hope to see. Full of comdey and action as well drama in a few scenes. But the best part is you will never now what happens nexts and it always suprises you. For anyone whos interest has my word for this is a 5 star anime you'll love forever. ... Read more

Description

It's just another day at the Tendo Anything-Goes Martial Arts Training Hall - that is, until a strange girl named Lychee and her giant elephant Jasmine arrive to settle a score with lecherous martial arts master Happosai. Apparently, a very long time ago, Happosai gave Lychee's great-grandmother half of a legendary scroll guaranteed to bring happiness to whoever was holding it. The women of Lychee's family have been waiting for three generations now, and the prince STILL hasn't come - but of course, the moment Lychee lets the scroll out of her hands, the prince finally appears. Only now it's Ranma's reluctant fiancée Akane that's holding the scroll, and the long-awaited prince is only too ready to sweep his lucky bride off her feet. Now Ranma & Co. have no choice but to follow Prince Kirin's majestic flying barge all the way to Nekonron, China, where they find themselves in a showdown with the Seven Lucky Gods of martial arts! ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A good movie, but a bare-bones DVD
This is the first theatrical release in the Ranma 1/2 series, featuring a high school boy who turns into a busty girl when doused with cold water, and back in hot water.

First, the movie. While not as good as the second one, it's still funny and gives one of the best minor characters, the lecherous martial-arts master Happosai, a chance to truly shine. Happosai's scheming leads to Akane (Ranma's reluctant fiancee) being kidnapped by a prince who wants to marry her, and the entire gang (plus Lychee, the bride originally intended for the prince, and her pet elephant Jasmine) have to set out for Nekonron, China to stop the wedding.

The DVD has a few extras, most notably a character gallery - they're strictly bare-bones, though, nothing particularly good or worthy of seeing twice (although this seems to be the case more often than not with anime). The video quality is as good as the animation can look on DVD (much better than the TV series), and the language tracks in English and Japanese are good. It helps that Viz Video is one of the few competent anime dubbers around.

If you're a Ranma fan, you should buy this - just don't expect worthwhile extras.

A pleasing addition to Ranma.
The thrill alone of actually purchasing a Ranma 1/2 movie is worth the price. However, if you are expecting it to be faithful to the show, you may be dissapointed. I am a longtime Ranma fan and this may be one of the dullest videos (however it still deserves 4 stars) in the series.

If this is your first time experiencing Ranma, this movie is not a good thing to start off with. Watch (or read) the series to understand all the wacky events. Just because it seems weird, doesn't mean it isnt good. On the contrary, weird things can always be excellent and interesting.

The story is simple enough (too much for the Ranma 1/2 world). Akane is kidnapped when a scroll is dropped into her hands. Kirin, the master of the scroll, arrives to take her as his bride. Ranma and Ryoga do not take kindly to this and along with the rest of the gang, and Lychee, who owns the scroll, set off to Nekonron in China to confront Kirin.

As usual the dubbing stinks (except for Shampoo), but the DVD soon fixes this problem by adding te additional language (Japanese) and English subtitles. Not only this, but there are other extra features: movie trailer, conceptual art, original japanese ending, information on the story and characters. Either way it is a great experience. I would rate the dubbed version 3 stars amd japanese version 4 stars (so I rounded it up).

Awesome!!!
I have never seen any episodes of the real Ranma series sadly. I have only read the manga. >.< Well This Was an awesome movie! I was impressed; when I saw the front cover I thought it wouldn't be that good. It was increddibly funny and exciting. I really loved this movie. Sadly I don't own it; I borrowed it from my library once. It was a really good movie. (I also suggest you get the CD! ^^)

Funny movie, with typical Ranma humor
This was a funny film, Ranma and co. have to head to China when, true to series form, Akane is kidnapped, and once more by a guy named Kirin who wants to(what else?) marry her, so it's up to the usual gang(and thankfully, Ukyo's not with them, she only makes a brief appearance), along with their reluctant ally Laichi, who is ticked off at Happosai, because Kirin was supposed to marry her, but he mistook her for Akane, as well as her elephant, Jasmine, and save Akane from him! There's a bit more humor than action in this one, and the fight scenes in the 2nd film are a bit better, but it's still worth at least checking out. It also has one of the rare times Soun uses his infamous, "Demon Head," form in the anime, plus also features a HUGE chase scene at the beginning with nearly every character to ever appear in the series, including Mikado, Asusa, Ryoga's dog, the Dojo Destroyer, Gosunkugi, Dr. Tofu, the Gambling King, the little pork and bean bun-headed guys that wanted the Dragon Whisker, the Ghost Cat Maomolin, and more! I also think the end theme, "It's Love," by Rabbit, is also pretty catchy! Although people not familiar with the series may not know what's going on, if you're a Ranma fan, I recommend you check it out!

normal person who enjoys ranma
Ranma the movie was very funny. In the movie akane is kidnaped (of corse). And ranma saves her, but on the way he gets into some interesting perdicaments. The movie was great. My only conplant was the lack of pronouns, and over use of proper verbs, but if you can over look that you will love it. ... Read more

Description

In this epic mini-series based on Jules Verne's novel, Englishman Phileas Fogg (Pierce Brosnan) prides himself on his clockwork discipline. Fogg is so confident of his ability to beat the clock that he bets a small fortune with members of the Reform Club that he can use modern transportation methods to circle the globe in 80 days! With servant Jean Passepartout (Eric Idle), Fogg soon finds himself crossing war-torn Paris, traversing the jungles of India and Burma, and dueling with Jesse James on the American prairie! And if that weren't complicated enough, Fogg is the prime suspect in a London bank robbery, and Detective Wilbur Fix (Peter Ustinov) is pursuing Fogg and Passepartout, in hopes of returning Fogg to England to be arrested-and to collect the reward money!

The voyage even brings an unforeseen responsibility when Fogg rescues the beautiful Princess Aouda (Julia Nickson) and she arouses long-dormant feelings in Fogg's bachelor heart. Can Fogg acknowledge those feelings? Will he win the bet? Will he give Fix the slip? The ending is one you don't want to miss! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Entertainment
This is a charming and wonderful journey to watch. I enjoyed it a great deal, but be warned... this is NOT a family movie. Today's youth with short attention spans who like blood and monsters won't understand this one. Save it for the adults. Its well written, well acted and simply great fun.

journey with lots of obsticales
I saw this movie last summer on tv. When I started watching it I had no idea that it was as long as it is, otherwise I probably wouldn't have watched it, what would have been a mistake. Then this movie is wonderful. The only reason I can see that some people might not like it is, that it doesn't use all this high technology, full of action and sex scenes that we are used to now a days, when watching a movie. For me it is a welcome change and I enjoyed it, but everyone has their own opinion and is entitled to it.
Another thing I like about this movie is all the build in obstacles Pierce Brosnan has to go through on his quest. Often, it seems to me, that once he got out of one problem, he faces another one, what creates suspence on whether he will reach his goal or not. Also I highly appreciate the differente cultures portrayed in it.

Lost a lot of fun!!!
I watched the same film in VHS few years ago.
It was very impressive and had a lot of fun.
But after I got this DVD, it really disappointed me!!

A lot of scenes have been REMOVED: just like the chapter in China, Japan and India.And that part(saving the princess) has gone also.

If this is a miniseries, I guess they really didn`t have an idea about when and where to cut it!!!

Excellent movie however DVD lacks quality
This is an excellent movie which aired as an mini movie in 1989. The movie has a nice flow and the characters are quite vivid. Around the world imagery is quite colorful. It was a delight to watch it again. Unfortunately, the DVD quality resembles that of VHS. It was a poor quality transfer for a DVD considering that this movie was shot using Panavision equipment.

Wonderful family movie
I think this is a perfect movie to watch when you have several hours to spend relaxing. It's very long but you don't have to watch it all in one sitting. You'll want to get back to it as soon as possible though because it keeps you wanting more!
I divided it up into two evenings. This is one movie you can watch with your grandmother or with children around and not be embarrassed. I think it's a great family movie. And the picture was fine. I used to have the VHS copy and this DVD was much better quality. ... Read more

Description

Heishiro, a noble Samurai, sets out in search of the renegade who stole his clan’s treasure and killed his best friend. Heishiro should be able to hold his own against the villain Rannosuke, who has only killed hundreds of men and fought entire armies while simultaneously defending himself against dozens of deadly ninja assassins. This is Samurai Fiction. Don’t believe everything you see in Chambara movies! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Encore! Encore!
Just about the most entertaining film I have see so far this year!! This is such good stuff!! It's reassuring to know that less can certainly be more in a movie. The black & white approach to the film was a nice "retro" touch. The soundtrack was enjoyable as well. A little jazz a little spaghetti western and a little surf music?!? Oh well, sounds strange but it certainly enhanced some scenes. The story line was typical but the dialogue certainly wasn't. Who ever wrote the script certainly wasn't going for that purist kinda thing, refreshing it was!! What really made this film work was the obvious pleasure the actors displayed in making it. That's always a big plus and also infectious!!! At least it infected me!!!

If you have to see one Samurai movie this year....
See this one. Forget about the one with Tom Cruise - this is so much better as to be not even a comparison. Hotei's acting and hot guitar licks make for a pleasing sound and sight. It's almost a mime performance - he has so few lines. I'd call him the Japanese equivalent of Clint Eastwood - cool and tough. Nakano's use of black and white and color make this film as beautiful and artsy as it is well told and acted. It proves that you don't necessarily need a huge budget and millions of bucks to make a great movie. It's also wonderful because it doesn't take itself to seriously.

I will say it again - if you have to see one - see this one.

come on see it i know you will like it
This was one of the first movie that i ever felt so good.I bought this movie becouse wanted something diferent.when i finish seen it i was speechless it was just what need it to see.The film has great story amazing cast and the director and also the dir of photography is damn good.THIS IS A MUST HAVE YOU WONT REGRETED

Great
This movie is funny, yet still maintains a serious theme. A must have for any foreign movie buff!

One Amazing Movie
The plot is as follows. A samurai clan entrusts a talented but unknown ronin to guard their ceremonial sword. He ends up stealing the lovely weapon for his own use. Upon hearing this, a young swordsman and his two best friends go on a journey to retrieve the sword. Their first confrontation causes each of the three warriors to take a path separate from the other.

The plot is fairly basic (the stealing of the sword reminds me of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), but the way director Hiroyuki Nakano sees it is very original. Shot mostly in black and white, it's an obvious way to get the audience to appreciate his artistic vision.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of "Samurai Fiction" is the musical score, composed by Tomoyasu Hotei, who you may know as "...the guy that made that song from Kill Bill" (Battle Without Honor or Humanity, the part where O-Ren is entering the house of blue leaves). Every fight scene and many simply well directed scenes are pulled from 1696 to modern day with hard rock or techno anthems.

This is a must have DVD for any martial arts fans, particularly those looking to see where Quentin Tarintino got "Kill Bill" from. ... Read more

Amazon.com

American viewers know Genesis Climber Mospeada (1983) as one of thethree unrelated series combined to form Robotech, but it's beenunavailable in its original form. The program bombed when it aired in Japan (the toysdidn't even sell), but Robotech fans have kept its memory alive. In the original story, Stig Bernard is a dedicated officer in the force sentby the human colony on Mars to free Earth from the alien Inbit, who conqueredthe planet 33 years earlier. Stig survives the destruction of the space fleetand forges a group of freedom fighters out of the unlikely individuals heencounters: irrepressible Ray, tough-as-nails Houquet, whiny Mint, Jim themechanic, and transvestite singer Yellow. They bond as they destroy a seeminglyendless succession of Inbit mecha. The Refles, the ruler of Inbit, morphsthree warriors into human form. The females fall in love with Stig and Yellow;the male becomes a fanatic warrior, whom Stig dispatches in a climactic duel. Mospeada ends on a weak note: after 24 episodes of warfare, theRefles suddenly decides to lead her people to another planet where they can realize ahigher destiny. Unlike their previous rereleases of Robotech, ADV did the neededrestoration work for Mospeada: the colors are true, with no fading to pink.Although it's interesting to compare the original series with the familiarRobotech version, Genesis Climber Mospeada reveals just how farJapanese animation has developed in the intervening decades. (Unrated: suitable forages 10 and older: nudity, violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --CharlesSolomon ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Surprisingly Different Experience.
I grew up with the Robotech Trilogy version of the Mospeada television series and didn't think I needed the unaltered, Japanese original. But, I must say it's like watching a completely new story. Not that there are many differences between the Robotech and the original show. It's all about a difference between what American audiences and Japanese audiences wanted from their television shows. The music and dialogue is different. The whole mood of the two series' are polar opposites in some respects. It's surprising how different the same show can atually be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Great Teacher" Eikichi Onizuka drinks, leers, and chain-smokes his way through these adventures at Holy Forest Academy. Unlike the shorter stories in volume 1, most of this five-disc set is devoted to two extended narratives: Onizuka's efforts to raise the money for a class trip and the subsequent visit to Okinawa. The vindictive Aizawa makes it look like Onizuka stole the funds forshort outing; rather than expose her deception (and admit he was outwitted), Onizuka plays guilty. He wins back the students by offering them the trip to Okinawa, then has to scrape up 8 million yen. In Okinawa, Aizawa causes more trouble, especially for poor, put-upon Yoshikawa.

Onizuka remains irrepressible and unrepentant, but the writers run out of ideas. The storyline about Aizawa framing the teacher recalls episode 1. The rambling Okinawa storyline suffers from a weak ending: why would Aizawa fall for the nerdy Yoshikawa? And why would Yoshikawa want anything to do with a girl who viciously abuses him, even after he's saved her life?In a final demonstration of loyalty, Onizuka takes the rap when the Board of Education tries to frame Aizawa for murder. He escapes from the police and goes on the lam, abandoning his students and the long-suffering Ms. Fuyutsuki--hardly an example of the revered tradition of the seishokusha (one who works in a sacred vocation). (Rated 16 and older: sexual and toilet humor, profanity, nudity, violence, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (9)

BEST ANIME EVER!!!
I fell in love with Soul Hunter from the first DVD. Everything after that was absolute heaven... True, it has some faults, like sometimes breaking the fourth wall and/or moving too rapidly to comprehend. I recommend watching the Japanese version w/ subtitles. More info, and the voice actors sound much more suited to the characters. Anyway, Slayers fans should like this. If you like drama without frivolity, I suggest you try something else. SD fans should also watch... Taikoubou goes SD a lot.

Great for kids
A typical English translation of the novel that this show can trace its lineage to is over 110 chapters and eight pounds. That gives you some idea of the complexity of the source material, a novel that combines Chinese mythology and some ancient historical events in China. The show follows the basic events of the source material via enhancing the background and status of Taikoubou who was a bit more of a minor character in the initial material.

However, despite the relative complexity and obscurity (to most Westerners anyway) of the original material, this show is still quite accessible. It can get a bit confusing at times with so many different characters and factions introduced, but they generally take the appropriate time to introduce and give enough background on the characters introduced so even the unfamiliar viewer can understand the relationships involved. At times, the show does feel a bit crowded though with so many people getting introduced. The main lead, Taikoubou, who at first just comes off as somewhat stupid (albeit good hearted) does actually get good character development in the second half, but I was vaguely dismissive of him during the first half of the series.

In a sense, the initial set up of the show is somewhat deceptive. It appears, on first, that it is simply going to focus on a "battle of the day" formula of Taikoubou squaring off against whatever demon he is dealing with, but over the course of the opening episodes as characters are gathered and the background is established, that aspect begins to be minimized as a more grandiose plot slowly develops involving the fate of the Yin Dynasty and the role of supernatural beings in human history. Toward the very end, we get a few surprise elements that are interesting thematically, but a bit rushed to for maximum effectiveness. When the show is staying a bit closer to its roots and focusing on the various themes of honor, duty, obligation, and royal corruption it actually is fairly good, but the writers and director far too often let the show drift away from what was working to try out something that was considerably less interesting.

Unfortunately, various design and story choices also knee cap Soul Hunter and help to prevent it from rising from being average overall. Perhaps the most obvious is certain anachronistic elements that sometimes show up in the show. The mystical beasts and vaguely science fictionesque "magic" mecha did not really bother me as they fit in with the general atmosphere of the show, but the random appearance of say a modern stereo system just seems jarringly out of place. Later you get elements like Dakki playing a video game to "simulate" whether the forces she controls will be able to beat another army. The way they choose to portray Dakki early on was a bit odd, as she comes off as a simple flighty bimbo rather than a ruthless manipulator. One could argue that it was supposed to show how unassuming she appeared to others, but I thought it could have been accomplished with a lot more subtlety than they choose to use here. I have a hard time understanding why these elements were included since they don't really fit well with the show and don't really work strongly as comedy either.

There is also some odd tone shifts. While many great examples of both Western and Eastern fiction often alternate between comedy and tragedy to maximize emotional impact, there are just several comedic elements that felt a bit out of place especially later on as the plot starts getting much more serious in tone. Also, if a show is going to break through the Fourth Wall and acknowledge its fictional nature, they need to be a bit more consistent about it. They would have a character speak to the audience, do nothing with that aspect for episodes, and then suddenly have an odd exchange like this out of no where (this might not be an exact quote but it is pretty close):

"Onee-san, why are we wearing [] outfits like this anyway?"

"Fan service for the viewers."

A lot of this irritated me, because Soul Hunter kept temporarily rising to levels of excellence in regard to both characterization and thematic elements right before letting some bizarre random element or unnecessary plot development totally disrupt the atmosphere of the show. If they were going for more a comic feel overall, it would have been sense, but that just isn't wasn't they really were getting across, particularly as we get to the second half of the series. The elements were often unnecessary or could have been toned down to the overall betterment of the show.

Visually the show is pretty new and so the animation and art quality are pretty high. The character design choices range from the very tame to the wildly exotic and anachronistic at times, but overall I liked the character design work. There are a number of battles and they are well animated even if they focused a far too much on long range mystical attacks for my personal taste.

Overall, this show had a lot of potential but just didn't quite make as good use of it as it could. The sad thing is once the show got going it actually did have a lot of good characterization, plot, and thematic elements, but the uneven nature of the writing and design work kept dragging it down and preventing it from achieving excellence.

Though this show had, overall, an interesting plot, ideas, and some interesting characters, it was far too uneven in quality and execution to be called more than average overall. If fantasy or Chinese myth/history derived epics aren't really your thing go ahead and subtract a star.

good to watch, but better to just rent
I have seen the entire series and this is a rather interesting anime but it's flaw is it trying to mix comedy, action, and drama equivalently. The drama sometimes seemed to drag on too long, and the action didn't last long enough, but some of the comedy is really great and the philosophical views and lessons that the anime teaches you are very powerful. I enjoyed it for a very strong fact that it had a good story. Other positives things that could be commented on would be the extras in the dvds, and the american voices. I liked the translation notes especially because they told me some of the verbal jokes that couldn't be translated into english (like japanese puns) and what some of the words they used mean ("gung-fu"?). The american wasn't that bad, in fact I prefered listening to it rather than the japanese one (I still left the japanese subtitles on) because of some of the voices, namely Nataku's voice, which was much better in english. Even though most of the voices were good, I personally hated Raishin-shi's voice because he sounded like some ghetto, black-washed, kid trying to sound cool, especially when he refers to his dad as "pops". The thing that annoyed me the most was the animation, which seems to change every episode. One episode it was sophisticated and clear, next episode, it was gaudy and didn't have the same quality and the previous one. I gave this one a 4 mainly because it kept me interested throughout most of the episodes. It was good but I would recommend it be rented not bought.

Go Youzen!
(Don't ask about the title- I'm a little obsesed...) but anyway this DVD and infact this whole series is something you do not want to miss! It combines a really good sense of humor with a very serious plot line...almost depressing at times...but then in the next scene you have Taikoubou, the main character, eating grass with Sibuxiang or something...Wait was this reveiw soposed to be on this DVD! Okay, this particular one is basically one big battle- a really cool, long, serious, and at times a really extremely funny one! It is a must have for those of you fallowing the series and my personal favorite. It has some really great scenes and Taikoubou defeats this bad guy, Ohma, is the coolest way! I only have two complaints: 1. grr...it leaves off right at the good part!! 2. I am sorry, I mean I really like the character Kisho, Lord of the West, but why did they have to put him on the cover with Youzen? It's no fair! Kou Tenka gets his own cover why shouldn't Youzen! I guess they did that because he is a very important character int the plot of the DVD(okay, I am over it)...but this simple thing was not enough to give this product 4 stars...Buy this DVD!

Oddly Entertaining.
While some may view this anime as childish and silly (i.e. the rest of my household) it is a very good balance of the dramatic and the fun.

I want to know how a series with at least four deaths in the first DVD can be classified as 'just silly'.

The plot is a bit deeper than it first appears, as is the main character. I myself own up to volume three and it has drawn me in to its bizzarely addictive little universe.

In fact, I'd buy it just for the Translator's notes, which are at times strangely hilarious in their own right.

Its definitely worth the money. ^_~ ... Read more

Description

The final Utena story arc! Utena is about to solve the mystery behindher best friend’s enslavement, the secret duels, and the forces that have manipulated herlife from the beginning! Contains episodes 27-39 ... Read more

Description

Just when everything was finally turning around, Yuki has fallen ill! When Toumadiscovers that it's Shuichi's fault that Yuki's sick, he's determined to stop thetwo from seeing one another. Will Shuichi stay, even if it hurts his beloved Yuki?Yuki's soul, meanwhile, is in torment. His dark past continues to haunt him,pushing him away from the people who love him most. When he suddenly disappearswithout telling anyone, Touma, Mika, and especially Shuichi will stop at nothingto find him! However, Bad Luck's manager K isn't about to let Shuichi go runningoff when they have a huge concert tour scheduled to begin. Forced to make theultimate choice, will Shuichi pick Bad Luck or Yuki? ... Read more

Amazon.com

According to A.D. Vision, "a fresh, clean digital transfer of Robotech fromthe original film stock" returns the cult favorite to "a lovely andnear-pristine state." The new release looks darker than the previous DVD, especially thecolors at the blue end of the spectrum. But the original elements have fadedbadly, andcorrecting the problems would have required enormous amounts oftime and money. The faces of Lisa and the other female characters remain pallid,pink and white masks; the shading around Rick Hunter's eyes makes him looklike a raccoon in some shots. The added footage "cut from the original broadcastversion" amounts to little more than different commercial lead-ins and anoccasional brief image like the one of Rick and Roy Fokker in biplanes in "BoobyTrap." (Rated 13 and older, but suitable for ages 8 and older: violence,restricted to spaceship and robot battles) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (23)

For what it is, it's great
I'm new to Robotech. I remember watching it as a kid, but not a whole lot. So I had to go from the start. And I'm a guy who's always confused when looking at anime series because of all the volumes, series, sub-series, movies that take place between certain episodes and sub-series, editions, special editions, etc etc etc. Often it just makes me turn away and look for something else to watch.

But this Robotech Remastered came out and it plainly says it contains episodes 1 thru 12. It was clear that this is the start and it's a new and supposedly extended edition. And this was $17.99 at Target(check your local Target first, heheheh) so I was like "hey alright, I'll do it!" and I bought it.

So I'm not a guy who's seen earlier DVD editions or read Macross comics or learned the Japanese language just to understand the original dialogue or whatever. I just want to buy a DVD or DVD set and enjoy it. And that's what I did with this one, and for what it is, this set is great.

Animation quality is old looking of course, but I got used to it. It clicked with me. I laughed as Rick Hunter was caught in the lingerie store and called Lisa a "sourpuss." Exploding ships and laser battles were fun to watch. An entire city inside a gigantic space ship? Alright, works for me. Dialogue was easy to hear and understand. Character interaction and development was cute but intelligently done for its time.

Again, I know there are Robotech "purists" and whatever and I haven't seen all those other editions out there nor do I want to devote that many hours and dollars just out of curiosity. I from what I learned about this sort of thing, I see that people are looking for the definitive version, edition, or whatever you wanna call it. And often it's just up to each person's opinion and what works for them. And this Remastered edition of Robotech works for me. Maybe I'll see the "The Complete Collection" that was mentioned in an earlier review later on and like it better. Who knows. But I like this one and I'm planning on getting volumes 2 an 3. I didn't see them at Target so I guess I'll get them on the next best place, amazon.com :-D

Robotech Remastered (A.K.A. The AnimEigo Restoration Lite!)
In order to appreciate this release, you have to know what went into making it possible.

For those NOT in the know, independent US Anime Distributor AnimEigo (with the cooperation of North American Macross distribution right holder Harmony Gold) conducted an EPIC and PAINSTAKING restoration of the original UNCUT Japanese Language/Soundtrack Macross TV series from the original 35mm Film Masters that Robotech's Macross Saga was based on and then released this MASTERPIECE on 9 DVDs.

The Macross release was then followed by a DVD release of the UNCUT Japanese Language/Sountrack version of the Southern Cross and Mospeada TV series which made up the second and third arcs of the Robotech storyline respectively.

On the 9 DVD AnimEigo release, there was the option to play the Restored Japanese Language version of Macross DVD's without the sound.

This curious feature led many of us to suspect that Harmony Gold agreed to the AnimEigo funded and conducted restoration because they had already secured the right to use the finished product of it and because they had always/secretly/eventually intended to do a Special Edition Robotech release which would take the form of Robotech Re-Mastered.

This hypothetical release would likely be created using the restored video masters synchronized with the US English Language/Robotech Soundtrack which was composed by Ulpio Minucci. It would also likely include the extra deleted original footage which had been deleted from the original Robotech TV series because of concerns over continuity, length, and content back in the 80's when Robotech first came out. As it turns out the original audio master tapes had been destroyed in a freak flood accident but a recently discovered back-up gave Harmony Gold the missing piece of material they needed to do a full audio merge with the restored Macross TV Series making Robotech Re-Mastered possible.

With the release of these sets, our suspicions have been confirmed and Robotech fans everywhere can rejoice and dance in the streets!

The reason that the image quality isn't quite as good in this release (Even though it came from the EXACT same AnimEigo Restored 35mm Film to Digital Video Master!) is because Harmony Gold has squeezed MORE episodes onto each disc (6 as opposed to 4!) INCREASING the amount of compression necessary to