Amazon.com

As Gundam Seed (2002) continues, the war raging in 70 C.E. (Cosmic Era) becomes less a struggle between the political entities Earth Alliance and ZAFT than a conflict between the Naturals and the genetically enhanced Coordinators. A dedicated ZAFT officer in the tradition of the Gundam Wing pilots, Athrun Zala believes in a warrior's code of honor; reluctant soldier Kira Yamoto cares more about protecting his friends aboard the Earth Alliance ship Archangel than about a space-age version of bushido. Kira rescues Athrun's fiancée Lacus Clyne, the daughter of the ZAFT Supreme Council Chairman, who becomes a hostage and a pawn in the conflict. When Kira returns Lacus to Athrun, he alienates the personnel of the Archangel, confirming their doubts and prejudices about Coordinators. These interlocking conflicts embody the elements that have fueled the popularity of the various Gundam series since 1979. (Rated13 and older: violence, minor profanity) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shuzo "Shu" Matsutani, a rambunctious adolescent kendo student, encounters a mysterious girl named Lala-Ru in an abandoned factory near his home. When she's captured by hostile mecha, Shu is taken with her to another world, to the unfortunately named fortress-ship Hellywood, ruled by the psychotic King Hamdo. The apparently ancient Lala-Ru can produce vast quantities of water, which Hamdo desires. Shu is imprisoned, beaten, and tortured before being inducted into Hamdo's army of child-soldiers. He doggedly insists that he must protect Lala-Ru, despite her great powers. They escape Hellywood, wander through the desert, and reach a pueblo-like village where they defeat Hamdo. The rambling storyline recalls both El Hazard and Escaflowne. What sets Now and Then apart is the gritty realism of the violence: unlike other anime characters, Shu seems to feel real pain when Hamdo's thugs beat him. Although the rape of the Earth girl Sara is suggested rather than depicted, she has to decide whether to keep or abort the child. These depictions of the brutality of war give Now and Then a grim power many better-written and better-animated series lack. The most interesting segment on the "bonus disc" juxtaposes the animated version of the final episode with the storyboards. "From Then to Now" includes clips from the audition tapes of the actors playing Hamdo (Jack Taylor) and Shu (a surprisingly burly Ed Paul) along with interviews and standard behind-the-scenes footage of the recording sessions. Rated 16 Up for considerable violence, minor profanity, adult themes. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (30)

An excellent series that is very brutal and depressing
If you are expecting a mecha series based on the cover illustrations, you are going to be badly disappointed. If you are hankering for a serious and compelling anime series that will challenge you, "Now and Then, Here and There" (NTHT) is a very fine example. This series is a match with "Grave of the Fireflies" in its depressing story.

Briefly, this series covers the exploits of a 15 year old boy, Matsutani Shuzo or Shu, as he is pulled into the distant future when he attempts to rescue a girl, Lala-Ru, from a mechanized extraction force. In this distant future, Shu experiences some really tough ordeals as he continues his attempts to rescue the girl and return home. What Shu experiences is no match for what an American girl, Sara, who has been abducted from the same present that Shu exists and whom he meets, goes through in this series.

Through the course of NTHT, issues like child soldiers, torture, rape and its effects, the micro aspects of war, and even conservation are dealt with. No matter how tasteful some of these issues have been tackled in the series, the impact is no less brutal. You WILL flinch at some of the brutal stuff depicted in the series. Some scenes are absolutely gut wrenching.

NTHT has 13 episodes and none of them are fillers. Each episode follows on from the previous episode with no recaps. The pacing is very good with no significant let up in the story flow. From the first five episodes in the first disc, NTHT builds up the brutal and depressing world in a very unrelenting manner. The second and third discs then advances the series like an unstoppable train towards its cathartic ending. Watching all 13 episodes in a marathon session is not recommended unless you want to be emotionally drained at the end.

This is not an easy series to watch but you will be greatly rewarded when you finish it. For serious anime buffs, this series comes very highly recommended.

The box set is attractively priced and includes an additional disc filled with extras.

Almost wish I'd not watched this series...
Now wait, don't get the title wrong...I ENJOYED watching this series but it REALLY depressed me. It was probably some of the best anime I'd seen in a long time...nothing since Trigun or Cowboy Bebop has moved me quite so much. Heck, those are almost tame compared to this one (although Bebop and Trigun are still killer). I hardly ever have felt such anger, indignance, sadness or depression over a set of characters and a story. Only at times does Here And Now even have a moment you could deem 'heart-warming' and I think I laughed maybe once in the first ep. when Shu rammed his head into a pipe accidently. That's about it.

After meeting a mystical girl named La La Ru (nice name...ick), a goody-goody boy named Shu is transported into the hellish future of Earth. He is taken captive into the cruel empire of the tyrannical and totally nutty King Hamdo. There Shu faces a whole other plane of reality...one of utter cruelty and depravity. A place where kids are brought up as cannon fodder for King Hamdo's noble war effort to take over Earth. A place where they are taught to kill, follow orders to the T, and die for King Hamdo if necessary...A place where most females are seen as sex objects or only useful to bear more children for future soldiers (that incensed me the most).

Our main hero, Shu, is like a younger Vash the stampede...he hates killing and violence, his motto is "Things will get better...as long as we're alive, good things will happen". As chumpy as he may come across, he's the only ray of light in this series and the only beacon of hope for those he comes into contact with (Nabuco, Sara, Boo, etc.). He stays his optomistic self to the very end, despite the fact that he gets the brunt end of so much brutality (I just kept marveling at his strength every time he'd get beaten.) He's also somewhat unbelievable yet an amazingly good hero. He strives to rescue La La-Rue from Hamdo's grasp and puts up one of heck of fight to keep her away from the king because she plays a very important part as you will find out.

So many different other characters with such distinct personalities, you won't forget them. There's the childish and mad King Hamdo whom you will utterly deplore yet he will also amuse you from time to time by his kooky antics. His cold, unflinching right hand woman Abelia, who for some reason puts up with him. Nabuca and Boo, two soldiers who have been brainwashed for so long into killing for Hamdo but are changed after meeting Shu. The kind Sis of Zari Bars and her loving family. And probably the character that breaks my heart the most, Sara, an earth girl taken from Shu's time as well. Her
plight depressed me the most...

What can I say? I watched this series attentively...seldom did it ever get boring. In fact, I'm the kinda person who gets sucked into something if its good and really lets it get to me. That's what happened with Now and Here...and that tells me its a good anime. I recommend it whole-heartedly, but be warned it will most likely put you in a funk...I know it did me. Oh yeah, this ain't for kids...it shocked me at every turn (I'm 21).

I just bought the VHS tapes separately, but instead of reviewing all three apart, I thought I'd do them together because I think its a cohesive story on a whole.

Anime forever!

What a powerful show.....................................
ok this show is powerful! I bought this collection cuz I read some reviews that it was sadder and more depressing then Grave of the Fireflies and some that said it was powerful but not as sad as Grave of the Fireflies. Now I have to say Grave of the fireflies is still the most saddest experience I ever had with watching anything in my life. Now and Then, Here and There is just powerful and depressing and it can be sad but not as sad as Grave of the Fireflies.

Now on to this review. Everyone but 3 of the main characters die. Mostly every1! I was surprised with how 2 of the characters surviving cuz I thought they would be the 2 ta die. The main character like usualy lives throughout it all. But Lala ru why did she just die off like that!? That was so sad! EVery1 died just died with a blink of the eye. Even lil kids like Boo and the girl kill each other. What a sad show. Now that I think bout it this show is evry sad but not as much as Grave of the Fireflies. I think nothin will top that. Buy this movie! Learn a lesson or 2 bout life and stick with Shu's omtimistic personality and you will go far in life!

Now & Then, Here & There is a work of art
I have only been an anime fan for a few years. The first weries I bought was Robotech, then Neo Genesis Evangelis, and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. I have to say without a doubt that Now & Then, Here & There is the best of all these other series.
A boy (Shu) is transported from our world Japan to a desert wasteland where a psychotic military leader (King Hamdo) chases an immortal girl (La La Ru) that has the ability to store vast amounts of water in a crystal. He is tortured for countless hours as interogators ask him questions he does not know. Eventually escaping, he discovers that to raise the population of his Army King Hamdo kidnaps boys from villages and girls as well who are raped so that they will become pregnant.
This is not an anime for young viewers. It is dark and disturbing. The only part of it I did not like was the ending where Shu returns to our world Japan. After all he had been through, I figured he had found a new home.

Intense, powerful.
As the first episode of Now and Then, Here and There opens, we see Shu, the protagonist, dashing downstairs to eat breakfast, which he wolfs down with endless enthusiasm, until his sister tells him she's heard that he's going to ask a girl out if he wins the day's kendo match, at which point he sprays beans out of his mouth across the table at his father, who, without even looking up, lifts up the newspaper he's reading as a shield.

Soon after, he's sucked into another dimension where children are forcibly drafted into an army and forced by the deranged, Caligula-like King Hamdo to carry out genocidal raids on peaceful villages.

And that's what immediately strikes one about NaTHaT: Shu is an unapologetic, goofy, exaggerated ANIME character, yet he's juxtaposed with a relentlessly grim setting--something that I personally had never seen before; contrast it with Grave of the Fireflies, for instance, a similar work in some ways, except that the characters don't clash with the background, because they're a PART of it.

I fear that this sort of cartoonishness in such a dark show may confuse, baffle, and generally turn off a certain sort of person, and that is too bad, because NaTHaT is certainly the best anime I've seen recently. Shu's resilience notwithstanding, there are parts of the show which are simply hard to take. What a lot of reviews seem to gloss over is that it does have its quieter, happy moments, but these only go so far; NaTHaT is not a show that pulls its punches. It's not always fun, but it's necessary nonetheless, both as an unflinching study of lost innocence (the kidnapped children--one of whom appears to be around six years old--are quite a punch to the gut), and as a powerful anti-war allegory (sadly, more necessary than ever right now)--made all the more powerful by the fact that it's far from one-sided.

It doesn't matter whether or not you like 'anime' as a general concept; you should watch NaTHaT regardless. I saw it subtitled, but from a cursory check, the dubbing seems pretty good. Either way, it gets my seal of approval. ... Read more

Reviews (199)

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

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

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

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

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

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

POSITIVES:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

It’s Full Metal Pandemonium! Sousuke and Kaname are back in action! And this time, the battleground is the school ground! High-yield explosives and hilarity come together with a bang, as the somber soldier and his unwitting target brave everything from lovesick "terrorists" to an unforgiving teacher who is bent on revenge. But as good as he is with guns, Sousuke is one clueless commando when it comes to girls – especially Kaname! A day at the beach turns sour after Sousuke misses the point one too many times (and even fails to notice Kaname’s new bikini). Then, when Kaname is suddenly kidnapped, it’s up to our dense hero to devise a daring rescue! Don’t miss the hilarious antics of everyone’s favorite military maniac – and Jin High’s most fiery female – as the full-throttle action begins! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fumoffu! Forever
This anime series is a wonderful production featuring the characters from Full Metal Panic in a completely independent storyline. I recommend seeing this series even if you have never seen the original. The general idea of the show is Sosuke is works in a special operations branch that is currently interested in protecting Kaname. However, for all of Sosuke's training, his skills in warfare and gun use will not solve every social problem he encounters. This does not stop Sosuke in the least. Definately the best love comedy ever.

Furthermore, the authors of this Dvd's have included 2 of the unaired episodes in this dvd, but they have appeneded them to episodes 1 and 2.

The hilarious side of FMP!
This show cracks me up. It is much more hilarious and lighter than the original Full Metal Panic series. If you are a FMP fan, you own it to yourself to get the FMP Fumoffu!

must see for full metal panic fans
This series is a must see for fans of the original full metal panic series.If you enjoyed gundam wing, rurouni kenshi, great teacher onizuka or nadeisco then you will like this anime.

GREAT STUFF, beats the first on a funny level
This series is funny and even makes fun of other anime, volume makes fun of "You're Under Arrest", a poke at Indiana Jones (guy swings blade around, Sousuke just shoots him), bullet-time dodging, and brilliant use of military gear (episode 1, Ghillie Suit, for those of you who know what it is). I heard that this series had focused on the school comedy, and I thought it wouldn't be that great, as I enjoyed the first for it's combat, but I was wrong. Hilariously wrong. The directors chose the stories in the manga that used the explosives, running from police, grenade launchers, and Sousuke's favorite Glock 26.

Fumoffu, can actually be placed early in between in the original series, as both were taken from the manga. One focuses on the serious action plot, while fumoffu shows "daily" life in school. The directors wanted to focus on the comedic romance, rather than only the action (which made the first one convoluted as soon as they introduced the Lambda driver). I'd recommend both, and the manga itself, to see where it came from. This series has the destruction, comedy, but sadly no Armed Slave, but one funky lookin' mascot.

After you see this series, you will ask for MORE...
I have seen both full metal panic and FMP fomoffu.Let me tell you this second season has nothing to do with the first series, but it has also A LOT of new stuff and if you like humor situations you won't like to miss this one.
Althougt i found this 15 episodes series too funny, i don't recomended for children, because it has some minor nudity and sexual situations.It is not hentai, but some people may find disturbing some of the scenes.
If you haven't seen full metal panic, what are you waiting for??, and if you already did, you won't like to miss this one.
Trust me!!.

PD.- This DVD obviosly doesn't have all 15 episodes.
... 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

Reviews (9)

EVEN EXPOSURE GETS BORING
You know, I keep hearing that Go Nagai is this manga/anime legend. After viewing Cutey Honey and looking at the character designs and reading reviews of his other works, I'm not impressed. To me, it would be like saying Tiny Tim was a pioneer of rock music. It just doesn't add up. The first volume of this collection was fair, but the second disk became unwatchable fast.

The world of Cutey Honey is a strange place, looking like something from Hell basically. Cosplay City, where the action takes place is a gloomy, sunless, place where you would expect to find Lucifer. We do find his equivalent in the uni-brow demon crime lord Dolmek. The city is overrun with crime, even the parents of the preadolescent Chokkei, are involved in the crime wave. The new mayor is trying to change things but even he can't rid the city of crime alone. That's where Cutey Honey comes in.

Cutey Honey is a well-endowed female android whose powers allow her to shapeshift to defeat the evil person of the week. She also has an attraction to Chokkei which borders on the illegal.
In the end she always transforms into a beautiful red-headed warrior with a sword, but before she does that she catalogs all of her guises she used in the episode before she kills her enemy. To transform she has to yell "Honey Flash!" This is a good pun because all her clothes dissolve off her body and she is stark naked as she changes. Her enemies are usually human in appearance until she begins to fight them and then they shoot up something from a syringe and they transform into a demon.

The first disk ends in a confrontation with Dolmek in which the ship she is fighting him on blows up as Chokkei looks on helplessly. Is Cutey Honey dead? Did she win? Did she escape?
Who knows?

When you put in volume 2, unexplainably you are on a different world. The characters are basically the same, except Chokkei looks about 17 or so now and Cutey Honey is asking him about sex. The city has the same name and mayor but it has transformed into a modern looking city with skyscrapers and such. Without any explanation, we have dimensionally shifted to a world completely different than the first volume. This is where my attention span dropped off. It was too disorienting to me. I mean, 2001: A Space Odyssey made more sense to me.

The series was interesting at first but the battles all ended the same way. It followed an unalterable formula. The abrupt change with no explanation on the second disk destroyed any enjoyment. I didn't even finish watching after the 2nd episode on Volume 2.

There are tons of extras if you're a Honey fan. Especially amusing were the sections showing these 3 Japanese actresses portraying characters from the series at press conferences and anime festivals. At one point, they are singing the theme song, and they are the most horribly choreographed 3 people I have ever seen. They can hardly even keep a beat, and their moves are so slow, you can tell they didn't get much rehearsal time. when they act out a fight scene from the show, it looks like William Shatner and Dolemite had a hand in the stunts. There are interviews, trailers, phone messages, and a recording session of the theme song. If you really like Cutey Honey, you'll love this collection. If you're not a fan, I would recommend you not waste your money on these dvds.

For better fan serviced action that actually is of good quality, I would recommend Najica Blitz Tactics on Dvd.

Great
This is a great movie. This is a must buy DVD.

One of the greats!
This series and Project A-Ko were what got me interested in anime years ago, and I was thrilled to see this come out on DVD. A very entertaining yet brief (8 episodes) show, that was great if you are a fan of superheroes. Not an overly serious show, but great character designs, artwork, lots of laughs and fan service type nudity, mixed with great action in a villain of the week style format. The only complaint I had was that it seemed as if the 2nd half of the first DVD seems like the climax finale to the series, and in fact was the best 2 episodes. The 2nd DVD just felt like filler episodes.

Great Anime By Master Go Nagai
Go Nagai is one of the best animator's alive, and Cutey Honey is one of his most fun series to watch. Honey is a beautiful android who is able to change into many forms. She reminds me of Naomi Armitage in that she feels very deeply for other humans. Her nemesis is Dolmeck, ruler of the dark world. He controls various demonic creatures that pose as normal humans, and Honey must battle these demons in pretty much every episode. Beautifully done, with a great sense of humor. If you enjoy Cutey Honey, then check out Kekko Kamen or Hanappe Bazooka. If you want more serious anime, then buy the Devilman DVD! He is also responsible for Mazinger and Getter Robo, for you fans of Robotech, Macross and Gundam. I would highly recommend getting as many of his videos and DVDs as possible. They are all very different and unique with great storytelling and animation!!

the extras are the only good things.
The DVD version of the frequently-transforming android's adventures is chock-full of extras, like a press conference, crazy interviews, a live-action Cutey Honey performance, phone messages, and a design portfolio. While those are pretty cool, the series itself is boring .... It looks as though ADV wanted to emphasize that New Cutey Honey is for older audiences, so they took the liberty of adding as much unnecessary cussing as they possibly could to the dub and even the subtitles. ...

The storyline is pretty weak- you have an android named Cutey Honey that can transform into any type of person (a samurai, gymnast, wrestler, ninja, etc.) and use their abilities in the situations that they are needed. Each episode features a villain doing something evil, so Cutey Honey is dispatched and fights the bad guy in a very dull and predictable fight scene. The DVD extras are actually more interesting than the anime itself, which isn't a great thing, you know. Stay away from this unless you're a big fan of the 70's TV series. ... Read more

Description

The final act of the original Robotech series begins as an advancerescue mission mounted by the "Mars Base" Division of the Robotech ExpeditionaryForces is wiped out by the Invid-a powerful and mysterious alien race. Scott Bernard,one of the few survivors of the battle, leads a colorful band of freedom fighters in acampaign to seek out and destroy Reflex Point, the Invid Stronghold. Along the way,Scott and the others are forced to look inside themselves to discover hidden strength andthe determination to carry on in the face of overwhelming odds. Throughout this finalchapter, many of the mysteries of Protoculture are revealed, including the role the Invidplay in this complex, dramatic intergalactic saga. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

EL FINAL DE UNA SERIE UN POCO DIFICIL DE ACEPTA
EN ESTA SAGA FINAL.. LA SERIE ROBOTECH DA SU PUNTO FINAL, CON UN COMIENZO. NO QUIERO ADELANTAR NADA Y CONTAR EL FINAL DE ESTA SAGA.. PERO EN PARTICULAR PARA MI, ESPERABA UN POCO MAS EMOCION Y SINGULARIDAD EN EL FINAL.

LA TRAMA EN ESTA SAGA, ES MUY BUENA. DESPUES DE LA SAGA MACROSS, CONSIDERO QUE ESTA ESTA MEJOR QUE LA SAGA DE LOS MAESTROS.

EN ESTA SAGA VUELVEN LOS VERITECHS AHORA COMO ALPHAS, Y PODEMOS DISFRUTAR DE LAS MOTOCICLETAS CYCLONS, MUY BIEN ELABORADAS.

EL ENEMIGO. "INVID" UN POCO TONTO, PERO MORTAL.

ESTE DVD NO TIENE LEYENDAS EN ESPAÑOL.

Possibly the best of the three
It wraps the storyline of Robotech in a satysfying way and it has good character development as well as a good plot. I believe that people would probably wonder why didn't they strech the episodes to 36 like the Macross saga when there are so many things that can be said for the main characters. Even though the Macross saga is the classic one it sometimes gets tiring and repeats itself. However, the new generation moves smoothly not only in the robotech main's story but also in the characters' story. Add the coolest mecha in the whole series and you guess why this might be the best one of the trilogy.
One last thing I would like to mention is that this series was like a myth to me when I was 10-13 as I could only watch it in some foreign channels, while I didn't even understand the language well. The series never aired in the Greek channels. The magic about this anime is that now that I am 25 I enjoyed it even more and the magic still remains. It still gave me the chills when I heard the opening tune of Robotech.

In a word? Sweet.
Being a relatively new Robotech fan, I was blown away by how good this series was when I first started watching. Especially considered how I've been spoiled by more rescent anime such as Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop. The New Generation story is as simple as it gets. Big bad aliens attack and take over the Earth and humans are trying to take it back. But oh it's so much more than that. The action is still amazing even after fifteen years. It's fast, exciting and it still sets the bar for giant robot action. And I mean come on, it's got a motorcyle that turns into power armor! If any shred of childhood remains in you, you have to admit that's pretty dang awesome. Yes, I'll admit the dialoge is clunky and melodramatic, but heck, that's half the fun! In the end, Robotech is really a hyped up cross between Top Gun, Saved by the Bell, and Star Wars. Best of the Eighties all the way!

Robotech Is Back Now!!
When I purchased this I had how many episodes comprised the "new generation" I was pleasantly surprised. I remember New Generation the 3rd chapter in the saga of Robotech as being one of my favorites next to the Macross Saga. Scott, Rand, Rook, Lance (or Lancer), Annie and that big Mexican looking dude that reminds me of Hunk of the Voltron series. They all struggle to get to Reflex Point to kick some Invid butt and their adventures are the stuff of nostalgia. I thought I would never see Robotech again after it went off the sci/fi channel but now it's back thanks to fans around the world. Robotech fans rejoice!

robotech new generation
bueno esto es lo maximo programas como este ya no existen
lo vas a difrutar mucho ja ja volveras a ser nino otra ves ... Read more

Description

The year is 1928.Jazz is hot, bootleg liquor is king and the idle rich of a nation have discovered a horrifying new past-time:summoning demons!To combat this growing threat, a new order of Holy Warriors has arisen.This is the story of Sister Rosette, an elite Exorcist in the Order of Magdalene, whose soul has been bound by alchemy to that of the devil Chrono.Armed with Sacred ammo, they form an unstoppable team, ready to wage war at a moments notice… because when the gates of hell are opened, someone’s got to put the devils back! ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (1)

City Hunter is the Best
I have watched all the seasons of city hunter and they have to be some of the best i have ever seen.it is very funny.But all the seasons come in japanese lang. only. ... Read more

Description

A new evil has surfaced to wreak havoc on mankind!Only the Order of the Magdalene and its band of elite exorcists stands a chance of stopping this horrendous demonic force. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

And The Search For Joshua Continues....
Brought to us from Gonzo Studio (Full Metal Panic, etc.), they bring the much loved manga series "Chrono Crusade" by Daisuke Moriyama, to life. While the anime series is not exactly like the manga itself, I believe that Gonzo is doing a good job so far with the series.

Reaching the climatic ending of the series, Rosette, Chrono and Azmaria begin their journey to San Fransisco to search for Joshua Christopher. Along the way, many things and plot twists come to pass, making the story even more twisting to the viewers mind.

The relationship between Rosette and Chrono deepens over the mighty night time view of San Fransisco and we also learn more of Stella, the jewel witch, and of her scared past. Aion, as always, makes appearances and reveals more about his plot to destroy the world.

Though this anime is not well seen by some of Moriyama's fans, I believe Gonzo has done a very good job capturing the world of Chrono Crusade. Presenting the characters we know and love from the manga, Gonzo has brought the humor we have come to know them for. The indepth story of the battle between hell, heaven, and earth is presented in such an intense fashion. Also, the anime is drawn with quality and time.

Any anime fan should give this series a try! Good work Gonzo, looking foreword to volume 6! ... Read more

Description

This is the story of Sister Rosette, an elite exorcist in the Order of Magdalene, whose soul has been bound by alchemy to that of the devil Chrono.Armed with sacred ammo, they form an unstoppable team, ready to wage war at a moments noticebecause when the gates of Hell are opened, someone's got to put the devils back! ... 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 pull it off. The AnimEigo release has 36 episodes spread over 9 discs (The best space-use/image balance possible!) and the ADV release will have 36 episodes spread over 6 discs so you can do the math on image degradation due to the compression.

The results with the increased compression actually aren't bad at all, especially, considering how wretched the original Robotech Series looked both on TV, VHS, Laserdisc, and the initial DVD release as much as we loved it.

For those who want to appreciate the level of restoration they were able to do and also understand the Macross TV series as a stand-alone release before it was spliced into Robotech, the AnimEigo set is still the best one to own and it is available for order from Amazon and AnimEigo and the Robotech website.

One must wonder why they just didn't just go 9 for 9 on the number of DVDs utilized in this release. My suspicion is that they were either feeling cheap or they wanted fans to be able to replace the two intitial release DVD's that came with each Legacy Box Set 2 for 2. A better strategy would have been to follow the Animeigo 9 for 9 approach and then release a special case for the Bonus Discs.

The credit text and organization are a vast imrovement and the "new" opening credits are just the original Macross TV Series opening credits with the new Robotech Credits. They have added A LOT of improved and way-cool weapon and ship's systems sound effects which adds a level of believability to the action. For instance, the SDF-1 take-off, transformation, and bridge scenes all have techno-sounds which make them feel more real then before.

The original US version of the credits was more integrative for the combined series -- Though the credit text looked cheap and awful! -- but this is a fun alternate version although seeing Lisa Hayes (Misa Hayase) tossing her hair like she is in a Pantene Commercial looks pretty dumb considering how serious the character was most of the time.

Another thing that doesn't make sense (And blame for this goes to Tatsunoko because they designed the credits!) is that the SDF-1 is shown firing its Main Gun while flying through the upper atmosphere in cruiser mode using it's gravitational control system which NEVER happened in the original series and which would have been IMPOSSIBLE given the limitations of their reflex furnace power, their gravitational control system's requirement for standby booster support while in cruiser mode and within Earth's gravitational field, and the disappearance of the fold system which rendered the Main Gun inoperative while in cruiser mode.

Anyway, ADV and Harmony Gold could have given us a slightly more Royal Treatment, but, considering all the hard work they have done, considering how badly we all wanted the Restored Version/Deleted Scenes to be paired with the US Music and Vocal Soundtrack and to have it all come together in this life, this version, and the Southern Cross and Mospeada versions that are going to follow, are going to be a welcome addition.

Well done, ADV, AnimEigo, and Harmony Gold, well done!

SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM...
With a stroke of success in the 80's, the Robotech: Macross series still has a place for many fans today and shares a strong cult following. Being a fan of the series as a kid, I decided to buy the whole Robotech: Macross series, but I came across the overwelming amount of editions to the series. I didn't know which to buy, so I watched them all. Here are the differences between to different boxsets (all offered through Amazon):

Robotech: the Complete Macross Series
One Boxset: 6 disc

Sells for around $60-$65
Nothing special, picture quality is not great, but bearable. Comes in one compact boxset with all the disc in it. Would not reccomend getting this edition unless you just want a copy of the series and want to spend the least possible amount of money.

Robotech: The Legacy Collection: Macross Saga (Collections 1-3)
Three Boxsets: with 3 disc in each
Sells for around $40 each boxset, entire set around $120-$130
Same picture quality as the above set, but with addtional features. Comes with the most extras out of any current sets, but even then, they are so-so. I would actually recommend getting the above edition as I was not impressed with the extras, some were interesting, but it definately didn't justify the price. Your paying almost twice the price.

Robotech Remastered: The Macross Saga (Volumes 1-3)
Three Boxsets: Two disc each boxset
Sells for around $25 each boxset, entire set around $75-$80
Remastered picture quality superior to both sets above, sound quality much improved. This is the set that I would recommend. The price is affordable and well worth the extra money compared to the first set. Also includes a few bonus footage.

Macross: Super Dimensional Fortress (Sets 1-3)
Three Boxsets: Three discs each boxset
Sells for around $60-$70 each boxset, entire series around $180-200
Macross is the original Japanese series of the Robotech: Macross Saga. The storyline is slightly different with different music and sounds. When it was brought to the US, Harmony Gold added the Macross material with two other Japanese series to make Robotech. Macross is more "mature" and includes several scenes taken out of Robotech. Picture quality is even more crisp than the Remastered Series. I would reccomend only to die-hard Robotech fans. It's pretty expensive and lacks really any real extra features.

Better for Big Screen
Well for starters I'm a total Robotech fanatic (as if my alias didn't say it) so I have purchased the Remastered and the Legacy collection DVDs. I must admit at first I was skeptical about getting these as I really had no reason to since I already owned the whole collection. Then I kept reading that the difference wasn't that great. Guess what? Those reviews are one of 2 things. 1) Wrong or 2) those people watch TV on small TVs. The Legacy collection while already complete and having the bonus material looked horrible on my 53" which was rather upseting once I bought the TV. But I just received the Remastered DVDs a few days ago and the difference is absolutely unbelievable. The colors for starters are much sharper and brighter. The quality just looks more like something that should be on DVD while the Legacy looked just like the original airing, which looks like VHS quality(fuzzy). Besides those upgrades it looks fantastic on my 53" Widescreen which the Legacy did not (I had to set it to 4:3 to make it bearable). And to top it off a 5.1 Surround Sound upgrade. Life is good. I would recommend this set to anyone who loves Robotech. And for those who don't care about the extra features or who are trying to decide between the 2, I'd say go Remastered! Especially for those w/ big screens.

Robotech: The Remastered Edition
Robotech is actually the combonation of three seperate anime (Japanese animation) series, which were cut and combined by Harmony Gold USA in order to create the popular anime phenomenon, Robotech. While you might think that's a pretty bad English dub, I actually found the way that Harmony Gold USA combined the three seperate stories to be interesting and unique and consider it to be an alternate universe to it's Japanese counterparts rather than an awful English dub. I haven't actually bought this DVD yet, as I already own the original DVD release of the Macross Saga, but this DVD re-inserts any visual footage that Harmony Gold USA cut out from the English dubbed version of Robotech and I believe that's the only difference betweeen this Remastered edition and the original DVD release other than some differences in picture and sound quality, as other people have mentioned. Personally, I wouldn't recommend buying this DVD unless you're a diehard fan of Robotech and Macross. If you want to see deleted footage, just buy the Japanese version of Macross and you'll get more out of it than this release and if you've already seen Robotech, just stick with the original DVDs. ... Read more

Description

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

Reviews (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 (172)

Great movie and one of the best anime DVD's around
Perfect Blue is a strange and wonderful movie, and this DVD really does it justice. The menus are beautiful and fit the film perfectly, and the extras are refreshingly good. We actually get interviews with the three main actors and actresses who contributed their talents to the (pretty good) English dub; it's beautiful and kind of strange to hear them speak in a normal conversational tone about the film and its meanings. The interviews with director Satoshi Kon and Japanese voice actress Junko Iwao aren't as good, but at least they're there. Everything else is good for an anime DVD release, and the film... well, you have to see it and make up your own mind. A lot of people hate it and others (like me) think it's great; everybody will agree, though, that it's confusing as hell at times thanks to some crazy editing. The movie tries to take us into the psyche of a crazy person, and for this film that means not knowing what's real and