Reviews (21)

Ready for Season Two?
Ah Saiyuki Season 2!

Three new characters show up. The war prince Homura (voice acted by none less than Jason Douglas, he also was the English voice of Lord Illpilatzo from Excel Saga, he always gets casted for the world conqueror bit doesn't he?), and his two minions Zenon and Shien descend to start a rebellion against the heavens. Now it looks like there is a three way race to get Scriptures now...

This Disk features FOUR new adventures for the Sanzo party and their enemies.

Episode 27: Basic Introduction of Homura and his minions... Homura calls the Sanzo party by their past life names, destroys literally truckloads of Demons with but a thought, and Sanzo's gun has no effect on Homura.
Most notable seen: Sanzo's introduction about the "If you meet the Buddha kill the Buddha"

Episode 28: Homura starts to gather demon followers, he apparently can turn demons into "gods". The Merciful Goddess refuses to do anything to stop Homura, says that watching Homura will keep her from being bored for awhile. Apparently Homura is the half human son of the Jade Emperor... the gods will do nothing to stop him as they have grown lazy and fat. Sanzo's party has to share a single room and draws cards to see who gets the bed while the others sleep on the floor. The episode ends with an attack on Houtou Castle to get the Seiten Scripture. Most notable scenes: The first meeting of Sanzo (of God Sanzo) and Son Goku. Goku and Gojyo fight over the bed and the innkeeper walks in and sees them in a rather embarrassing situation.

Episode 29: Homura and gang assault Houtou Castle. Homura single handedly bests both Dokugakuji and Kougaiji. Dr. Ni (that crazy scientist with the stuffed bunny) just hands over the Seiten Scripture to Homura in hopes that he will leave Lady Koushu and the rest with their lives. Sonzo gets a rude awaking from the merciful Goddess, who reminds him of the Teachings of his Master. The "if you meet the Buddha kill the Buddha" which has been said at least 3 times in the series now... Zenon kills a demon who killed his human wife. Basically this episode was to show that these new characters are in fact a force to be reckoned with.
Most Notable scene: Sanzo tries to shoot the Merciful Goddess... and fails."

Episode 30: Homura sends his latest Assassin to kill the Sanzo party to get the Scripture that Sanzo carries. This demon makes a village into a ghost town, his "Perfect Paradise". He calls himself the Undertaker, and puts the entire Sanzo party through all kinds of physiological torture. Basically Puts a plate of food in front of a hungry Goku to only make it disappear a second later. Deprives Gojyo of women and alcohol . Burns Hakuryu to get Hakki upset, and gently just pisses Sanzo off with the whole ordeal of things going on. They basically best him and go on their merry way. Most notable scene, Gojyo practically begs Sanzo for a smoke, and Sanzo reminds him that he said "You said my smokes tasted like Crap."

Basically this DVD has the basic ADV basics, a new opening theme and animation, new closing theme and animation, but no longer gives you any previews of upcoming episodes.

Like all the other volumes of Saiyuki they give a wonderful Culture references from the "Journey to the West" and other Japanese jokes you hear while listing to the Japanese audio. Also this series is best kept in context with the Japanese audio as the English seems to completely warp it at times... all in all a good DVD for Saiyuki fans. And also the fact that you can't go wrong with Zenon, how cool is a god with an AK?

The Remaking of a Myth
Saiyuki is a retelling in modern garb (if a dragon/jeep and beer can toting demons can be considered modern) of an old Chinese legendary tale - Journey to the West, originally set down in the 16th Century. Faced with the loss of a manuscript of great magical significance Sanzo, a priest , is dispatched along with three companions. As told here his companions are three demons - Goku the Monkey King, Gojyo the water sprite, and Hakkai a human turned demon when he slaughtered a thousand demons in revenge.

The four reel from one hair-raising adventure to another as they head for the final confrontation. Arguing, brawling and womanizing in between the heroics. As I've noted elsewhere this is an essentially masculine story, with women playing what is so far a very secondary role. This is a different spin than usual for this kind of anime, and it is surprisingly successful.

In these episodes each of the demons faces their own personal demons - Hakkai's grief over the loss of his beautiful wife, Goku's need for someone he can trust, and Gojyo's surprising soft spot. Sanzo is the wise man and healer in this group of stories, although sometimes his advice is every bit as harsh as the problem it solves.

Dialog is what really makes this series work. Not that there is anything to slight in the story or the artwork, but the snappy give and take of this modern gang-on-a-mission is what carries the day. In addition, the episodes refuse to become yet another tale of finding and destroying evil in the goriest fashion possible. Instead, they demonstrate instead a surprising amount of literary merit.

saiyuki is excellent!
saiyuki is a great action show. A tiny bit of humor now and then is a great show by me.

Once More Into The Fray (Again)
Seems like everyone has the names of Sanzo and his party of pilgrim/adventurers inscribed on their weapons of choice. Carrying ascripture around in this alternate Chinese world is risky business. The priest, Goku, Gojyo and Hakkai don't need any help to get into trouble though, but they are getting much more than they ever bargained for.

It seems that the god Homura's decision to rebel and gather the scriptures for himself has attracted some followers. First Souto, head of a group of crack divine shock troops gets the assignment to take Sanzo down. A little later, Homura and his own sidekicks, Zenon and Shien show up to demonstrate that Sanzo and Goku are completely outclassed in this contest. As usual, the monk pulls through, but not without serious damage.

While all this is going on there are two visits from season one - first a pair of twins in the service of Gyokumen Koushu show up with utter destruction on their mind - and then the idiot impersonators show up again for a short sojourn into the more violent forms of comedy. Somehow, our heroes keep up their attitude and return to each conflict determined to survive.

Production quality seems to have improved an order of magnitude since the last season. In the previous DVD I wasn't sure whether to believe it or not, but with this second one it is clear that the show has iimproved, both in art and writing. In the middle of all the action, the group finds time to develop as characters, and both animation and color have increased in intensity.

This series is a bit past the point where one can pick it up mainstream. This isn't a bad thing from a watcher's point of view, but be prepared for a sudden urge to empty your wallet for the series.

Saiyuki is more than you could expect
To basically start this off I'll start with the obvious, well Genjomaden Saiyuki is one of the most comical, entertaining, and certainly up with the best. I personally love this anime. There's a lot of DVDs and as far as I do I beleive that there are 18 DVDs total. Of course only up to 9 came come out and we all eagerly awaiting March 30th aren't we? Well at least I am. Saiyuki is about Demons and Humans living in Shangrila (let me know if I spelled it wrong; I'm not in the mood to look it up)together and I know this 7th DVD, well the Demons get all uncontrolable and attack humans while these gods come along and such, the god of war. Well the Sanzo gang consists of Son Goku (Demon), Genjo Sanzo of course, Sha Goyjo (Half water Demon), and last but never least Cho Hakkai (He killed 100 Demons which turned him into one). Basically that concludes my ranting... if any of you actsually read this, thank you!^^ Any questions e-mail: warrior.killua@verizon.net,
Arigato!
-Killua ... Read more

Amazon.com

As the story of RahXephon unfolds, its similarities to and differencesfrom Neon Genesis Evangelion--the subject of heated onlinedebates--become increasingly evident. Unlike Shinji, Ayato is curious--and suspiciousabout the events surrounding him. He's right to be suspicious: lurking in theshadows is mysterious billionaire Ernst Von Bähbem, who may be over 500 yearsold.His relationships with TERRA, the Mulians, and Ayato are only hinted at.Quon begins to discover her latent powers, although "the time of her awakeninghas not yet come." Music exerts a curious power in this world: Quon floatstoward a great Mulian egg singing the familiar "Second Polovtsian Dance" ofBorodin. The ultimate success of the series will rest on whether director YutakaIzubuchi ties all these elements together more satisfactorily than he did inGasaraki. (Rated 15 and older: violence, brief nudity, minor profanity,tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Another fine one
Another fine addition, the story really builds on the characters instead of JUST big mechs etc... I mean giant machines piloted by humans is just too cool but the characters presented here are well done.

A must-have for a sci-fi fan
RahXephon is a sci-fi anime with an intriguing story. Editorial review does a good job for summarizing the overall scenerio, so there is no need to lengthen my review. RahXephon resembles Neon Genesis Evangelion in many respects but it doesn't have the drawbacks of Evangelion that I mentioned in my review of its complete set. If you enjoy science-fiction books or movies having interesting and intriguing subjects, you will enjoy RahXephon as much as I do. If you need an example from anime to make your decision, I can say that the ones liked Gasaraki will probably like RahXephon, too.

Video and audio quality of this DVD edition is very good. Most anime fans dislike dubbing and prefer to watch Japanese sound with English subtitles. However, subtitles are not that good. I found out that listening an important conversation, which you couldn't understand it at first, for a second time is much more efficient than figuring out what happened from subtitles. You should notice that there are actually two English subtitles. First subtitle is the regular one and the second one is similar to the "Pill" option of Akira, it only translates Japanese words on the video and background conversation on scenes such as a news heard from a TV. This second English subtitle is benefical to turn on.

Leaflets on DVD's are very wellcome and useful. There are fully coloured drawings of mechas and persons together with a brief information. The leaflet of this first volume also includes short interviews with Japanese cast but no translation notes this time. Production sketches, opening and closing animations are there again in the extras, as well as ADV previews. Final extra of this volume is the early production promo trailer. As being early, this is not as good as the trailer in the first volume. To summarize, this volume has the weakest extras amoung the first four.

Third volume has only three episodes. 10th movement, first episonde on this volume is among the weakest of those in the first volumes. This is only because of its slow pace but it contains some important key points. I would give the volume four stars if all the episodes were like this one. However, the next episode is very "Matrixish", making it up - 11th movement is to be praised by Matrix fans like me. I, as a science fiction fan, give five stars to this volume as well as the other three and I am looking forward for the rest.

Interior Dialogues
This series has a particular fondness for exploring the inner workings of its characters. Frequently this is in association with RahXephon's battles, but the first episode here is an exception, playing the antagonistic relationship between Ayato Kamina and Megumi Shitow against Commander Jin Kunugi's painful visit to his daughter's grave. In a sense, fractured relationships are as much a major sub-theme of RahXephon as is the music that often expresses via the mysterious Quon Kisaragi.

In the next episode, Ayato, pilot of the RahXephon, encounters a new Dolem, 'Vivace,' in battle. It thrusts Ayato into a strange dream world that is a partial replica of the Tokyo locked behind the time barrier. He finds himself more in touch with his on inner turmoil and fears of intimacy than he expected to be, creating a crisis that will resound through the rest of the series.

The last episode is Quon's tale. Her role so far has been that of a beautiful, but physically weak woman who is most noted for her poetry and violin playing. In undergoing her own crisis - triggered by Ayato's in the previous episode, Quon comes face to face with her own potential, and very nearly overreaches herself.

Often, this series will get compared to Evangelion, and not inappropriately. But there is much more going on here at the character level than it's forbearer offers - and correspondingly less action. If you can imagine Evangelion grown up a bit, with even better music and art you would have a good idea of what to expect. I find it fascinating both as art and concept, with a difficult to achieve naturalness to the acting.

By all means seek this series out, it shows every sign of being a keeper.

This should have been titled Dissonance
This is what I would consider a break away from the main series with three episodes that stray a bit from reality.

This disk is going to be a love or hate. The art and color use are still great. Not much is revealed about the main story line and as I said its a few steps away from where the rest of the series has been so far. If you are looking for answers you wont find them here but if you pay attention you can intuit a few things that I feel will be major in the story line later.

I liked departure from reality episode. It reminds me more than just a bit of the Twin Peaks TV series. The pacing could have been faster but I think it was done well enough. It also sets some interesting character relasionship umm.. dificulties. I'm interested to see if they intend to work through them or if they will just go away next episode and everyhting will be fine again. Could go either way.
I think it was a brave move for the creators of the series to take this kind of divergence from the formula people might have come to expect. I don't know that it would work for the whole series but I think it works on these few episodes.

Like I said - love it or hate it, to each their own.

The Series Continues To Set Up
This series overall gets a five; and while this disc is essential to understanding RahXephon, it's one of the slower offerings that is used to set up the rest of this intriguing series.

As a recap, the title character is a giant robot with yet unexplored but sound-related abilities, and uniquely pilotable by teenager Ayato Kamina. Kamina has just been freed from the space-time bubble surrounding Tokyo-Jupiter (where time runs at a rate years behind) and has been told that what he thought was reality is a construct by an alien race of Murians. The battle for Tokyo-Jupiter and its numerous human inhabitants is waged with Dolems--the Murian giant robots--and RahXephon, on behalf of the "real" Earth.

Call Vol. 3 the Quon Disc, as it deals heavily with delving into exactly who this unnerving girl who calls Ayato "Orin" or "Ollin" (depending on the version) is. The two continue to find more and more connections with each other, and this volume spends most of its time exploring that. Each episode features one Dolem battle (one and a half in the first); one, in particular, is very important in setting up the series. As the battle progresses, RahXephon is swallowed by the Dolem and transported to a different temporal space, and Ayato proceeds to go through a hallucinatory dream/trance that takes him back to Tokyo/Jupiter and explores some of his hidden feelings.

It's a necessary volume, but one that is a bit slow-paced, even for RahXephon fans. However, nearly everything shown will come back in some form in the series later episodes. The previously mentioned Dolem fight will seem like a preview for the things to come in the pivotal Vol. 4, which will kick this series into high gear.

Great art, in the new modern style seen in series like Gasaraki or Full Metal Panic--cleaner, CGI-integrated, not line-y art; different music, mixing techno-pop with majestic orchestra. A great series that takes some time to develop...and this is the last disc in that slow process. Not recommended by itself, but necessary if you have started collecting the series. ... Read more

Description

A woman warrior named Aiko rises to power in a violent and bloody crusade. Haunted by memories of another life, she travels backwards in time to solve the mystery of her past and finds herself caught in an incredible battle to save the future! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

good idea, but that's about it
From the back cover: A Destiny Betrayed
A woman warrior named Aiko rises to power in a violent and bloody crusade. Haunted by memories of another life, she travels backwards in time to solve the mystery of her past... and finds herself caught in an incredible battle to save the future!

This story actually starts with a good idea, but does not amount to anything further than that because of a overly complicated story and an over excess of crazy sex. Hans, leader of a band of young crusaders is betrayed by the Pope in the year 1212, thus loosing his faith in God. Becoming a fallen angel, Hans is reborn as Aiko 700 plus years later. In an attempt to save his/her friends in the past, Aiko travels back in time to save them. However, in the past Hans and Aiko are being hunted by a demonic woman who can manipulate time and people; choosing Aiko's long lost lover to help her in her scheme. All this and more packed into two 45 minute episodes. Take a chance with it if you want, but i would not suggest it.

Rated 16+ for a lot of nudity/sex/rape, violence and some language.

Um, what can i say about this
Um, I think of this and say, "What the hell was that"

This was a story unlike anything i have seen. and quite frankly i never want to see it again. I got the dub version, and the voices stunk. then the script was horrible too. that didnt make a very good movie.

Sins of the Sisters, one of the best anime movies ever.
As this is my first review in Amazon.com, I will like to greet all fellow reviewers. I will also like to star this review by revealing what this movie is about, it is a movie, which revolves around the life of a soldier during the Crusades of the 13th Century. He is betrayed and kills himself, vowing to return as a fallen angel. He is then reborn in the body of a young woman named Aiko, and subsequently becomes the leader of a new Crusade one that is bent on abolishing all religion. However, Aiko is haunted by his/her past and travels back in time only to get caught in a battle that could destroy his/her future. This is a great movie, which features all the props that make a great anime movie, and I recommended to all anime fans. ... 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

This 1971 classic is key for any Fulchi collection.A woman's nightmarish fantasies of murder and sadism come to life.Contains the legendary disemboweled dogs scene, courtesy of Carlo Rambaldi's special effects.Stars Florinda Bolkan, Jean Sorel, Silvia Monti, Stanley Baker and Anita Strindberg. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Oh,Media Blasters where is it?
We (the Eurohorror fans) are already waiting more than a year for this release.Where is it??
I haven't seen the film yet,but according to many this is better than Don't Torture A Duckling.
All we can do is wait I suppose :-(
Only one star for the waiting...will be more when/if it arrives....
Cheers,
"Crystal Plumage" ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Street fighter /Beyblade meets Gundam??!!
This entire series is lame. It's embarassing enough to even have the name Gundam attatched to it. Ignore this series if you are a true Gundam fan. 'Nuff said.

CALLING ALLLLL GUNDAMMMMMMMMSSSSS!!!!!
This is also an EXCELLANT DVD set. It has everything a person would want in a anime show, excitement, suspense, new charaters, awsome action, **warning this DVD set might might make you choose sides!** We see your hero Domon K. gearing up to fight in the final battles to see who fill rule in the universe. He has arrived from arduous journey back from the Guyana Highlands only to be attacked by two mysterious gundams. After the other fighters are being introduced, he gives a warning to his former teacher Master Asia, that he will win all the fights, to battle the Undefeated of the East. Along the way he finds himself that it was easier to talk then to win. But dispite all of his braging, he still manages to win. He is set up to battle the tougest of fighters buy the cruel Neo Hong Kong Prime Minister Wong. Wong watches over the battles and will stop at nothing to try to defeat Domon for the sake of Master Asia. Domon eventually meets the Neo Sweden fighter Alleby Beardsly that has a powerful fighting technique and the two join forces in a tag team event in which the both fight two other fighters from other countries. Thier relationship makes you wonder if theres any thing going on behind Rains back. But not to worry Rain and Domon, meet to youngsters that keep the laughs going. Don't forget the others SA memembers! Young Neo Chinas fighter Sai Sachi makes a new girlfriend and gess who her older bros happens to be! Neo Russias Argo Gulskii suffers a horrible defeat, you'll never gess what happened to Nastashas whip, Neo Americas Chibodee Crocket gets sadding flashbacks when he was a young kid, and don't forget Neo Frances fighter George De Sand, he becomes a sluth in a crime committed by a person we all thought was dead. WATCH AND SEE!!!
In a nutshell: get this DVD it proves to be that a little advice, friendship, and hardwork go a long way.

Everybody was Gundam Fighting...
So begins the second half of the show. New opening and ending songs, new villains and a new Gundam... All of the Shuffle Alliance have made it to the finals in Neo-Hong Kong where foul play is afoot. 2 fighters previously defeated by Domon have been allowed into the finals and Master Asia has returned. But the Alliance are forced to ignore these matters and concentrate on winning their divisional fights to make it to the Battle Royale. Domon soon becomes one of the favourites to win as he and his new God Gundam manage to win every fight there in. For those wanting an idea of how powerful this thing is, it's Normal Mode outclasses Shining's Super Mode. But soon the darker matters return when an enormous carrier is delieved to the city during the knight and the 2 formerly defeated fighters begin using new, deadly Gundams in their matches against the Alliance. When Neo-Hong Kong ruler Wong Yun Fat thinks that Domon is onto him, he attempts the divided-they-fall technique by having Domon face all 4 of his allies in matches. Whilst Domon pleads that they should be focusing on the more important matter of the Devil Gundam, his friends ignore him. They are all intent on having a decisive match with Domon. Only then will they return to fulfilling their duty as the Shuffle Alliance. The first 2 of these matches end the disc, with the other 2 to appear in the next set. Whilst this disc does feel like taking a few steps back, it's all buildup for the final discs. As their enemy is the very man in charge of the Fight and humanity, he can get away with anything and this also prevents the Alliance from doing anything against him as it could cost them their places in the tournament. This buildup will pay off majorly in the last set of episodes... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although it helped to create an audience for Japanese animation in the United States, Robotech (1985) has always been an anomaly: an anime series that was never seen in Japan in its final form. Producers at Harmony Gold edited together footage from Super Dimension Fortress: Macross, Genesis Climber Mospeada, and Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross, three similar-looking series from Tatsunoko Studios, to create an 85-episode sci-fi epic with a new story line. In addition to the second 12 episodes of the Macross adventure, this second three-disc set includes "Robotech Galaxy of Stars," a short promotional film from 1986, with unidentified voice actors signing photographs for children, and "Point of View," an interview that producer and story editor Carl Macek did with a Dallas talk show just before the local premiere of the feature. There are galleries of character model sheets and comic book covers, and "International Clips" offers two short sequences in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. Even more fun is a collection of TV commercials for the original Matchbox toys, although the action figures, play sets, and spaceships the long-haired little boys gleefully play with now sell for up to $600 in online auctions. Robotech occupies a special place in the hearts of the Generation Y's who grew up watching it, and the appearance of the series on DVD has been eagerly awaited. Unrated; "contains mild animated violence" restricted to spaceship and robot battles; suitable for ages 8 and up. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Keep em comming.....Cant wait fot #3
For anyone who waited for the TV show to unfold this SAGA is a Must Have. As a long time fan of Robotech, I am glad to know that this great work ( for the time it was made ) is finally being made available again. Not only that but in the DVD format with all the extra's and goodies we have come to expect from this new format. This Second Boxed edition is great. Not only did they put a nicely packaged Box-Set together, they added a bonus disk that Iced the cake and made up my mind in a heartbeat. The only drawback is that like the previous Boxed-Set there is not a whole lot to it. The Gloval report is OK, but the interview with Carl was [bad]. Had i seen it when it aired i would have called and complained to the TV Station. Knowing how many of us were in the DFW area at the time we shoulda complained, but is a little late now. Hope you enjoy it. I am now patiently waiting on the Third Boxed-Set.

Business Is About to Pick Up...Highest Recommendation!!!
The Robotech Legacy: Macross Saga Collection 2, a three disc collection, contains episodes 13 through 24 of the legendary anime series from the mid 1980s. The first two discs contain six episodes each. The third disc contains all the "Exclusive DVD features" and is only available if you purchase this boxed set. Robotech was the most popular of the Americanized Japanese anime series to hit American TV waves during the 1970s and 1980s. Known for its cutting edge animation, thrilling battle scenes, futuristic weapons (planes, tanks, motorcyles that transform into robots), cool alien invaders, and realistic and compelling storylines, Robotech swept an entire generation and helped put Japanese Anime forever on the map of American pop culture. Set in the 21st century, Robotech's sweeping saga spanned three seasons. The basic story premise is that the earth became forever changed after a mysterious alien battleship crashed on earth. The people of the world, now knowing that they are not alone in the universe, end all wars and unite to understand and assimilate the advanced technology and prepare for the inevitable alien invasion that is sure to come. As the story unfolds mankind would go on to battle three separate alien races over the next three seasons. The sweeping intergalactic saga itself though, merely becomes the backdrop of a deeper "human" saga. This volume chronicles the "meat" of the adventures from the first season - The Macross
Saga. In this volume the story is off at full steam with TONS of INTENSE ACTION and intense loss as the enemy attacks relentlessly. Also at full speed is the equally intense soap opera love triangle between Rick, Lisa, Minmei and Kyle. Here's a listing of what you'll find on these discs.
Disc 1 - Homecoming, episodes 13 -18. Episode 13 - Bluewind: It's a race against time as the Zentraedi renegade Khyron renews his attack. Can they make it back to earth before Khyron destroys them? Plus, the Zentraedi infiltrators begin their study of "Micronian" culture. Episode 14- Gloval's Report: Recap of the events till date as Gloval files his report to the Earth Government recounting the events of the past year. Episode 15 - Homecoming: Gloval and Lisa report to the Earth government calling for peace negotiations. Plus, introducing Minmei's cousin, Lynn Kyle.
Episode 16 - Battle Cry: Rick is critically wounded!!! Episode 17 - Phantasm: As his body struggles for life, Rick's mind struggles over his feelings for the two women in his life, Lynn Minmei and Lisa Hayes. Episode 18 - Farewell, Big Brother: Rick recovers in the hospital. Lisa struggles with her feelings over Rick. Ace Zentraedi pilot Miriya meets her match in Max Sterling.
Plus, tragedy befalls as one of our greatest champions goes down. Disc 2 - Battle Front, episodes19 - 24. Episode 19 - Bursting Point: Another cataclysmic battle with the Zentraedi. The plan to
unload the civilian refugees goes awry as for the second episode in a row, tragedy strikes again...
Episdoe 20 - Paradise Lost: The spies return home sharing and reflecting on their life changing "Micronian" experience. Also, BANISHED - the SD-F1 without a home!!! Episode 21 - A New Dawn: Rick and Lisa bond while trapped in a section of the SD-F1 during an attack. Plus, Minmei and Kyle make their big screen debut (with EVERYONE tuned in)!!! Episode 22 - Battle Hymn: Macross City invaded!!! Plus, Minmei's music FOREVER changes the Zentraedi empire... Episode 23 - Reckless: Desertion in the Zentraedi ranks!!! Plus, more fighting and more soap opera escapades with our four star-crossed lovers... Episode 24 - Showdown: Lisa returns to Earth to lobby for peace. Miriya gets her rematch with Max, at the arcade!!! Disc 3 - Extra 2: Elements of Robotechnology This is the "Special DVD features" disc that contains all the DVD extras. It is only purchasable with the Boxed Set. On this disc you'll find the following: 1. Robotech Galaxy of Stars: 90 second promotional video highlighting a fan fest where the toyline debuted. 2. 11 original Robotech toy commercials (with LAME jingles and dialogue....) 3. Comic Book Cover Gallery: 36 comic book covers from Comico's adaptation of the 36 episodes of the Macross Saga. Cool stuff!!!
4. Animation Production Sheets: Drawings of the mecha. COOL stuff!!! 5. Character Bios for theMacross Saga. Very informative. Great background info. 6. Point of View with Carl Macek: Fifteen minute interview with Robotech producer Carl Macek done on a talk show back in the 80s. A Must Listen!!! 7. More International Clips. Listen to both the scene where the SD-F1 "bridge babes" metup with the Zentraedi spies and where Roy Fokker passed away in either French, Portuguese, Spanish or Italian. VERY cool stuff!!! I am personally very happy that ADV and Harmony Gold have finally released this series on DVD. This is BY FAR one of THE BEST cartoon/anime series from the 80s or the best ever PERIOD!!! If you've never seen Robotech, simply put YOU MUST. The action and the drama are compelling, clearly showing why Robotech became a pop culture hit. It is the series that forever put Japanese anime on the map in the US. If you did grow up with Robotech, give these a watch again. They're great for a trip down memory lane. I can honestly say that they are better than I remember. You can't lose!!! Give this (and all other current and future releases) a watch. You won't be disappointed. If you are planning on purchasing, pick up the Boxed Set. It's the only way you'll get the Elements of Robotechnology Disc. Alone, the individual volumes DO NOT come with DVD extras. For the cost, it's still a great bargain for all the action and extras. Highest Recommendation

You can go home again
Robotech, for may of us was one of our first tastes of Japanese Anime. For the longest while the only way to see it was on TV or to buy the VHS versions released by FHE video. It gladdens my heart to see them finally on DVD. With so many features and add-on in the legacy collection, it makes the perfect gift for the ulimate robotech fan.

...Just when you thought you've seen Robotech
You've got the 1st Robotech Legacy DVD box and thought you were ready for this one ? Think again; sure you may have (re?) -lived those fantastic moments where the civilisation on SDF-1 catches up and the people start to pick up there lives. Or you may have seen Minmee becoming Macross Queen.

This box continues the action big time, it just becomes better and better. And to top that they even put in yet another superb bonus DVD into the package. Did _you_ know about the Robotech toys? You will after getting this box... "A must have for Robotech fans" IMVHO.

Malcolm Jamal-Warner?
Although I'm glad ROBOTECH is available on the digital format- with 6 shows per disc, no less!- I'm somewhat disappointed by the picture quality. Sadly, it's only a slight improvement over the old VHS tapes I used to own. The sound's not too much better, either. But, at least there's some improvement. And if given the proper care, I'll never have to worry about the picture & sound quality degrading on the DVD format like I did with the VHS counterparts. So there's some good news, anyway.

Another disappointment I have is the fact that the Robotech DVDs aren't in 'Perfect Collection' format, where the viewer can watch both the American-release eppie and its original unedited Japanese (w/ English subtitles) counterpart. You know, a little something for both the hard-core Robotech nut and the Macross/anime purist. Sadly, this ain't likely to happen in the near future- the Macross series (which was re-made into the first part of Robotech) is getting its own separate DVD release. Looks like I'll have to clear off some more space on my video shelf...

Anyway, this particular set includes Volumes 3 & 4 (shows 13 through 24) of "Robotech: The Macross Saga" (lots more death & destruction, and the loss of a couple of the series' beloved stalwarts), and an extra features disc that's exclusive to this set. Probably the most interesting bit on this extras platter is a 15-minute interview with producer/writer Carl Macek on a Dallas-area community-access show. Although the clip is somewhat bland, Macek does discuss the other then-upcoming Robotech projects that never really took off, including the Sentinels series and rarely-seen Robotech Movie, which saw only a limited release in the Dallas- Fort Worth area before it pretty much disappeared from the scene. In fact, a few scenes from the movie are shown here, and are likely the only parts of the ill-fated flick that'll ever see the light of day in a legitimate commercial recording. BTW it's probably just as well anyway; I've seen the entire Robotech Movie on bootleg video. It's a pretty sad sight to say the least...

Also featured are brief character bios & animation model sketches of various mecha & equipment seen in the Macross segment. Unfortunately, these extras weren't too new to me, since most of the bios & sketches are also available in the Robotech Art 1 book. But, since Robotech Art 1 is a rare book, and thus very hard to track down, these particular bits are likely to be brand-spankin'-new to the average 'Techie. Then there's the featurette that takes you behind-the-scenes at the 1986 Robotech Galaxy of the Stars convention, complete with droves of geekin' fanboys, autograph booths, toys, buttons, posters, & other swag, and... Malcolm Jamal-Warner? What's he doing there, and why does he have his own autograph table? Was it part of a plot to cross over ROBOTECH with 'The Cosby Show'? Methinks a sinister conspiracy is afoot...

Like the previous box set extra features platter, this set's disc includes clips from the show dubbed in different languages. I find these parts kinda painful to look at. It's mainly due to the fact that the voice actors doing the foreign dubs tend to sound better than the English ones! Better emoting, inflections, the whole nine yards- especially the French & Portuguese voice-overs! I'm glad to see some folks still take pride in their work. Too bad it's in languages I only partially understand!

Finally, there's the wide array of Robotech toy ads- action figures, vehicles, die-cast toys, playsets, and fashion dolls! All done in that trademark loud, pumped-up 80s hype-it-to-death style that got many a spoiled brat to annoy the 'rents to buy, buy, buy! And you thought Transformers & G.I. Joe toy commercials were obnoxious!

'Late! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Award-winning actress Airi, weapons expert Ritsuko, and martial artist extraordinaire Junpei have somehow been transported to an alternate sword-and-sorcery world. The only way they can get back to Japan is with a magic spell that was accidentally "quinsected": its five fragments were transferred to the skins of five elves. With the reluctant assistance of elf queen Celcia, who has been transformed into a dog, the trio roams the world in an army tank, getting into scrapes and forcing elves--invariably curvaceous female elves--to strip. (Even fans have asked why the Earthlings have yet to encounter a male elf.) Sometimes they help villagers defeat monsters, sometimes they just cause trouble. Elves is a very silly series with paper-thin characters and over-the-top vocal performances, but it offers a slapstick diversion for viewers weary of pondering the semiotics of Slayers and Dragon Half. Contains the first 6 of 24 episodes. Unrated; suitable for ages 14 up: Nudity, violence, minor profanity. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Wit and Elven Nudity, What more do you want?
While the title may brand it a bit risque, this anime is actually pretty tame. Well tame in the sense there aren't really a bunch of naked elves running around. This series' wit and humor make it a classic and a must own for anyone who truely enjoys both anime and a good laugh. Between a bigheaded fighter, a militant teenager, an actress who is almost too smart, and an elven leader forced to live out the series in the body of a dog you really can't go wrong. And the whole stripping every elf they come across thing helps too. So pick it up and remember that there is a Those Who Hunt Elves 2 that will be released as well.

Very funny...in a safe, nonthreatening way.
Now, as there are already more than enough reviews, let me just add something. This anime is very funny, with hints and suggestions of naughtly, kinky fun, but like 'The Benny Hill Show' you won't really SEE anything. I would even suggest that older kids could watch it without a problem.
Frankly, a T-74 tank taken over by the spirit of a kitten seems very cute to me. You have to watch the episodes to get it. The good thing is the DVD holds 6 episodes!
This is one of a two DVD set that makes up the first series and 'Those Who Hunt Elves II' should become DVDs sooner or later.

A constant adventure full of laughs
'Those Who Hunt Elves' is a wonderfully written series, while not on the serious side, this Anime focuses mainly on humor. Only in Those Who Hunt Elves, would people get teleported to another world with a Tank in tow. Another rare quality is that the anime is actually well dubbed! Although as most dubbing, the side characters don't have the best voices, but the main character's english voices are enjoyable to hear, and act thier emotions exceptionally well. If you're searching for a lot of laughs, this DVD is definately the key. Keep an eye out for the next DVD release, because after you see the first half, you definately will want the rest.

Comedy Hunters
Taking place in an alternate world similar to earth. The high priestess of the elves, Celcia, was fighting against a powerful demon, so she cast a summoning spell, but instead of summoning something useful, she got three idiots from planet earth. Celcia did try to send them back, but the spell got screwed up and fragmented into different countries and etched themselves onto the bodies of elves. So the three idiots, Junpei- the martial artist, Ritsuko- sharp shooter, Airi- the movie star; join forces to hunt down elves. The funny thing is that they have to strip the elves naked to check if they have the spell fragments on their bodies. Celcia turned herself into a dog in disguise but found out that she couldn't return to original form unless she got the spell fragments too. They all traveled together on top of a tank that got possessed by the spirit of a cat. This series is funny, and had the right blend of action and character development. They fought against all types of creatures, including skeleton soldiers, fishmen, wizards and more. It's also funny how they try to convince the elves to strip off their clothes and their reactions. The cat/tank got excited and chased after mice and rabbits, yet was afraid of a dog. The character design are great, I loved the elven women and the heroes were funny and skilled at fighting. I also liked how the anime was able to make fun of itself; in a couple of episodes the characters stated "...even for a fantasy show this is too corny". The only flaw is that the animation is not up to par with current anime standards. Some of the action sequences were done like still shots, instead of being fully animated. And even though the elves get nude, their bodies are blank looking and lack detail. But this series was as enjoyable as the "Slayers". Light nudity and violence, good for teens. Adults may think it is too dumb, but I enjoyed it very much. The last episode made it seem like the series was supposed to continue, but it never came back. Ends on episode 13. Some of the episodes are self contained, but most continued.

Very entertaining romp!
One of the most humorous anime series I've come across yet! The subtitle is a bit misleading, though, this is in now way one of those "x" rated anime series. A 6-time martial arts champion, and oscar award winning Hollywood actriss, a tom-boy wepons expert and a T-74 tank are transported to a sword and sourcery world. The head Elven priestess tries to preform a spell to send them back (the whole hellarious plot unwinds in the second episode), but something goes wrong, and the spell is quinsected, and imprinted on the skin of 5 unknown elves. The only way the trio can get home to Japan is to scour the land, stripping every female elf to look for the 5 lost pieces of the spell. As I said, this does not turn into an "X" rated feature, but much of the humor occurs in both the journey and the Elf stripping! Increadably, the English language version turns out to be more crude than the original Japanese script.
Be sure to by both disks (only 12 episodes in the original): the funniest episodes are 7-9, and the entire plot is explained in the last two episodes. I'm looking forward to Those Who Hunt Elves II! A difinate buy for the anime fan (well written, but the animation is average to T.V. anime). ... Read more

Amazon.com

The new series from Studio Gainax offers a freefall zaniness similar toExcel Saga or Burn Up Excess, but with more appealing characters andsharper parodies. Twelve-year-olds Sasshi Imamiya and Arumi Asahina havegrown up together in Osaka, but when the local shopping arcade closes, the harmonyof the four Chinese directional gods is thrown out of whack. Sasshi and Arumivisit parallel universes, each boasting transmogrified Shopping Arcades thatparody Evangelion, Fist of the North Star, 2001,Voltron, and Star Wars. The reluctant heroes attempt to return to theirreal home, impeded by their relatives and friends, who form a sort ofinterdimensional repertory company. The voice actors affect Texas accents toapproximate the rough Osaka dialect of the original, which takes some getting used to,but the results are outrageous--and hilarious. (Rated 17 and older: gross andrisqué humor, brief nudity, violence, minor profanity, alcohol use) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (8)

So Dog Gone Funny
I loved this DVD mainly because Sasshi is very funny and Arumi is so mature for her age. The whole story behind this series is about two 12 year old kids who have been best friends for a long time are moving apart. But when someting goes wrong within their shopping area Abenobashi just turns into so wacky virtual reality place.

The whole show to me seems like a video game that they have to learn how to get out of.

Intensely Funny
Gainax does it again with another dizzying comedy very much in the spirit of FLCL. However, Gainax is not the type of studio to simply repeat the same thing over and over, and as such Abenobashi clearly stands on its own two legs.

First off, I'll speak of the art. Abenobashi is done in a bright, visually pleasing style very similar to the animation of FLCL, Gainax's other recent comedy series. It is high quality, and the dizzying animation style keeps pace with the equally dizzying storyline to leave your head spinning.

Second, the characters. Sasshi and Arumi, the two main characters, make for a cute couple, and their constantly-at-odds personalities provide a great deal of the humor of the series. In general, the characters are all quirky, bizarre, and interesting, from the town transvestite to the improbably-busty Mune-Mune.

Third, the music. I'm not sure I'd really call it quality music, but the quirky tunes fit well with the show. It's not as outstanding a match as the Pillows with FLCL, but it's far from bad. I found the opening song rather endearing, despite its preponderance of badly-pronounced English.

Fourth, the voice acting. Someone at Gainax seems to have a thing for regional dialects and odd pronunciations. The vast majority of the characters in the series speak in Osaka-ben, which is part of its charm. I wouldn't recommend watching this series dubbed, as the Osaka dialect is transfigured into an irritatingly fake-sounding Texas accent. Again, I can't say that the voice acting in the series quite lives up to the wonder that was FLCL, but it's definitely a cut above average.

Lastly, some general comments. The overall trend of the series seems to be that each episode the two main characters -- Sasshi and Arumi -- find themselves in a new alternate universe version of their home, the Abenobashi shopping arcade. The alternate universes are not so much alternate in the sense of Sliders, as each is a representation of a particular genre or cliche -- with its own 'rules' of reality based upon that. For example, the second episode is based upon fantasy rpgs (such as the older Final Fantasy games), while the second is a mish-mash of science fiction and mecha anime.

The stabs at the convention of each genre are witty and genuinely funny, and this is one of many shows that makes many of its jokes by parodying other anime. Interestingly, Abenobashi unabashedly parodies other anime by Gainax, at one point going so far as to play one of the songs from the show Neon Genesis Evangelion. I think it was at this point that I fell in love with the series. It takes a great sense of humor to be able to make fun of oneself so completely and effectively.

The one serious drawback I can see with this series is that I'm not sure that the conventions and pace that it has set itself can last thirteen episodes without becoming tired and boring. Hopefully at some point the series will break the format which it has presented itself in in order to remain fresh and interesting. If the problem isn't addressed, however, I can see how the latter end of the series could be rather disappointing.

Over all, I must say that I was very impressed with this series. Every time Gainax steps up to the plate, they hit the ball.

Love it...
ADV does some of the best American releases of anime these days, and Abenobashi is right up there with the best. Naturally, this is a very off beat anime done by the Gainax crew who basically did FLCL, His and Her Circumstances, and Evanglion. So it might not be for everyone, and probably isn't for anyone because this has been a sadly under publicised series.

Basic story : Osaka shopping district kid duo gets swept into alternate usiverses of their block where they deal with condensed, stereotypical worlds based on their shopping district home.

It is a 13 episode series released in 2002 in Japan as a kids show. While it is off beat, it is very enjoyable. The show uses every bit of information and energy they can muster to keep these silly, fantastic and post modern affairs tangible or at least enjoyable. Littered through out are tons of sci-fi, anime, manga, hollywood, video game and literature references. As the father of Harumi says at one point 'No matter how much GEEK knowledge you have, you are no match for me.'

Great animation, wonderful backgrounds and a very offbeat idea. While these first stories are indeed Gainax, later episodes on fuirther disks are done heavily in Korea and look cheap. ADV keeps good picture quality, but not always as nice as the original Japanese releases. Fun fun fun. Nice acting and posing. I can't imagine anyone except prudes regretting this purchase. Some sexual/odd erotic situations/imagery. Guns occassionally. No tangible death.

Intensely Funny
Gainax does it again with another dizzying comedy very much in the spirit of FLCL. However, Gainax is not the type of studio to simply repeat the same thing over and over, and as such Abenobashi clearly stands on its own two legs.

First off, I'll speak of the art. Abenobashi is done in a bright, visually pleasing style very similar to the animation of FLCL, Gainax's other recent comedy series. It is high quality, and the dizzying animation style keeps pace with the equally dizzying storyline to leave your head spinning.

Second, the characters. Sasshi and Arumi, the two main characters, make for a cute couple, and their constantly-at-odds personalities provide a great deal of the humor of the series. In general, the characters are all quirky, bizarre, and interesting, from the town transvestite to the improbably-busty Mune-Mune.

Third, the music. I'm not sure I'd really call it quality music, but the quirky tunes fit well with the show. It's not as outstanding a match as the Pillows with FLCL, but it's far from bad. I found the opening song rather endearing, despite its preponderance of badly-pronounced English.

Fourth, the voice acting. Someone at Gainax seems to have a thing for regional dialects and odd pronunciations. The vast majority of the characters in the series speak in Osaka-ben, which is part of its charm. I wouldn't recommend watching this series dubbed, as the Osaka dialect is transfigured into an irritatingly fake-sounding Texas accent. Again, I can't say that the voice acting in the series quite lives up to the wonder that was FLCL, but it's definitely a cut above average.

Lastly, some general comments. The overall trend of the series seems to be that each episode the two main characters -- Sasshi and Arumi -- find themselves in a new alternate universe version of their home, the Abenobashi shopping arcade. The alternate universes are not so much alternate in the sense of Sliders, as each is a representation of a particular genre or cliche -- with its own 'rules' of reality based upon that. For example, the second episode is based upon fantasy rpgs (such as the older Final Fantasy games), while the second is a mish-mash of science fiction and mecha anime.

The stabs at the convention of each genre are witty and genuinely funny, and this is one of many shows that makes many of its jokes by parodying other anime. Interestingly, Abenobashi unabashedly parodies other anime by Gainax, at one point going so far as to play one of the songs from the show Neon Genesis Evangelion. I think it was at this point that I fell in love with the series. It takes a great sense of humor to be able to make fun of oneself so completely and effectively.

The one serious drawback I can see with this series is that I'm not sure that the conventions and pace that it has set itself can last thirteen episodes without becoming tired and boring. Hopefully at some point the series will break the format which it has presented itself in in order to remain fresh and interesting. If the problem isn't addressed, however, I can see how the latter end of the series could be rather disappointing.

Over all, I must say that I was very impressed with this series. Every time Gainax steps up to the plate, they hit the ball.

A Wonderful Day In The Neighborhood
Arumi Asahina and her childhood friend Sasshi Imamyia find their lives interrupted by the inexorable forces of progress. Arumi's family have moved from a house to a condominium, leaving his toys and baseball cards behind. And now Arumi's father, a chef, has taken a job far away, threatening to part the two friends in the cruelest possible manner. Worse, the Abenobashi Shopping Arcade that was the center of their social lives is giving away to progress. Soon it will be completely deserted.

When one of the magical figures that make Abenobashi a comfortable place to hang around is accidentally destroyed, Arumi and Sasshi discover that all was not as it seemed. The Arcade is just a place to shop, but a portal to other realities. They are catapulted headlong into a series of wacky adventures filled with unexpectedly twisted characters. Don't be surprised to find hostile mushrooms, buxom pirates, dizzy transvestites, rude noises, and a host of the equally peculiar.

This is a 13 episode series that achieved a cult status in Japan for its rather daring story line. Not that it is a particularly explicit series, but it crosses some taboos in its irreverence and deserves its 15+ rating. Even though it is about two 11-year-old children, it sometimes sounds like Benny Hill. And the English language acting that tries to smooth some of this rudeness over winds up making it even worse.

For some reason, the dubbing crew decided to play the folk of the Shopping Arcade with heavy Southern accents - making the English dialog sound like Beverly Hillbillies meet Godzilla. I assume this was meant to convey something about the class or culture of the characters, but I found its effect was either tedious of irritating. They also managed to butcher the translation. The subtitling is much better, and the Japanese acting captures more of the spirit of what is going on. I you don't like dealing with subtitles you probably will not like this series. ... Read more