Amazon.com

Gundam Wing (1995-96), a 49-part series in the AlternateUniverse continuity, scored a hit in the U.S. when it aired on the Cartoon Network.In the year 195 A.C. (After Colony), much of humanity has emigrated to orbitingSpace Colonies; those who remained on Earth are governed by the oppressiveUnited Earth Sphere Alliance. But the real power is wielded by the sinisterRomefeller Foundation, whose directors plot to control Earth and the Coloniesthrough their puppet military entity OZ, led by Zechs Marquise and TreizeKhushrenada. Five teenage pilots in Gundam mecha suits strike atEarth, hoping to aid the rebel Colonists: sullen Heero Yuy, happy-go-luckyDuo Maxwell, former circus acrobat Trowa Barton, sensitive Quatre Raberba, andicy WuFei Chang. The convoluted story line pits the Romefeller Foundation, therebellious "Treize Faction" of OZ, the Gundam Pilots, and royal pacifistRelena Peacecraft against each other. But it's primarily a battle between theadherents of a samurai-style code of honor and the soulless adherents ofrealpolitik. When the Romefeller Foundation begins manufacturing Mobile Dolls(pilotless battle robots), the Gundam pilots, Zechs, and Treize object, notbecause they can make the Foundation all-powerful, but because they willdeprive human warriors of the singular emotions experienced through heroismin battle.

The uninitiated may have trouble following the plot: strangerevelations abound (e.g., Relena discovers Zechs is her long-lost brother) andcharacters disappear for a dozen or more episodes, only to return when adeus ex machina is needed. But Gundam fans aren't interested intightly woven story lines or credible character arcs, and Gundam Wingdelivers plenty of battles between the splendidly designed robots. It's aclassic confrontation between good guys with invincible weapons and soullessbad guys who can't hit the broad side of a robot. (Rated 13 and older: occasionalprofanity, robot vs. robot violence) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Awesome
First off let me say I gave this four stars ONLY becuase it is not my favorite Anime. (In my mind nothing can beat Rurouni Kenshin) Like many others in America I was first introduced to Gundam Wing late one night while watching Cartoon network. I saw an episode about half way through the series and thought it was great. When I saw this series come out in a box set I wanted to buy it, but had second thoughts. You see I have seen some of Mobile Suit Gundam 083 and some of the other ones, and I didn't like them at all. For some reason I could not stand that little twerp Amuro. Let me say this though, this series is nothing like the others. Awesome story line, excellent characters, and lots of action make this series a must in your collection.

Gundam Wing is the most captivating Gundam Series out there!
I have to say I have seen a little bit of every Gundam Show in existence. And Gundam Wing by far, in my opinion, surpasses them all. While the animation is obviously better than it's predecessors the plot and characters are also deeper. It's a darker world in GW and a lot of things are different in this series than in any of the others. The colonies in this series are NOT the enemies, but a confused bunch of people who have been abused time and time again. They make for very good under dogs. The main characters are very well developed - and actually have emotional breaking points! Also, the main character isn't happy go lucky - but a soldier. It's kinda disturbing that they are only 15, but it just makes them deeper characters. I recommend this show to ANYBODY.
Personally I liked the English version but if you want a treat the Japanese version is hilarious. The voice actors are better and the lines make so much sense. O and read Episode Zero before you watch this series -- SO many more things make sense it's amazing!

Wing is a great series, but bootlegs should not be here
I highly recommened Gundam Wing to anyone because it is an awesome series. There is something for everyone here, romance, mech action, comedy, etc. How often is it a series' character gets his own personal stalker? How many series actually have a man change personalities like flipping a slice of bread? Great stuff.

Beware though, I was just looking at the used copies for $30, and they are all bootlegs. Yes, you heard me, those discs are bootlegs from China. The OFFICIAL set is 10 discs, no less. If you want to get this series, support Bandai with their legal set, not those loser sellers and their bootlegs.

One of my favorite anime
This has to be one of the best anime of all time. In my opion it is my second favorite of all time. It is just under ronin warriors. Gundam wing is the best gundam anime out there. The reason that it is so good is because of the 5 main piolts. by the end of the serios u feel like u know the them. No other gundam show made me feel like that. I have not bought the dvds but i have seen every episiode. If u like anime and giant robots and deep story u will like gundam wing.

Gundam Wing is the best
I recently bought this item and I have never bought a anime box set and wathched it mor the second i rurouni kenshin or hellsing which pale in comparison to this show this isnt your average gundam show it is one of the best gundam shows ever made my hat is off to Hajime Yatatae and Yoshiyuki tomino creators of Gundam Wing if they ever make a gundam series like this again i will buy it. the story of heero yuy and and the othe gundam pilots sent to earth by operation meteor is the best it shows that even the strongest of forces can be defeated meaning oz and the aliance military being defeated by just five mobile suits which dawn excelent mobile suit designs by Kunio Okawara by the way Zechs's voice is the coolest and Duo brings life and comedy to the series the mobile dolls look great as well at least for the gundams to destroy. if you are a gundam fan eva fan or raxphon fan the this will top them in my opinion evas ending wasnt the best. the animation is great especialy twords the artimis revolution and space war at the end of the series i have this box set and i did cost me 200.00 dollars but it was worth every penny. this gundam sseries is the best of them all even over 08th ms team which is a awesome show but it dosnt compare to Gundam wing with an ending note if you want a gundam show with non stop action and will make you want to play a gundam game buy this box set if you have 200.00 dollars for anime. they should also make a gundam wing video game and not fighting but more like encounters in space or journey to jaburo buy this. this is an overall perfect product it brings together every thing you love about gundam. there has never been such an awesome gundam series. ... Read more

Description

Based on a manga by Naoko Takeuchi, Sailor Moon is the story of a teenage girl who meets a magical cat who gives her super powers. She becomes the leader of a team of brave girls, known as the Sailor Warriors. Sailor Moon has long been justifiably renowned for the strength of its plot, its direct and honest treatment of romance and, in this uncut version, a realistic and unflinching acceptance of death as a necessary possible consequence of a righteous fight. ... Read more

Reviews (108)

Finally.. The Original UNCUT Sailor Moon Season 1
ADV finally announced the release of the uncut version of Sailor Moon (Season 1). It will packed in 2 high quality hard boxes each one contain 4 DVDs (46 episodes, over 1000 minutes total running time). The voices will be in original Japanese, with English subtitles.

In this uncut version, a realistic and unflinching acceptance of death as a necessary possible consequence of a righteous fight.

The story as it described in ADV words: Based on a manga by Naoko Takeuchi, Sailor Moon is the story of a teenage girl who meets a magical cat who gives her super powers. She becomes the leader of a team of brave girls, known as the Sailor Warriors. Sailor Moon has long been justifiably renowned for the strength of its plot, its direct and honest treatment of romance and, in this uncut version, a realistic and unflinching acceptance of death as a necessary possible consequence of a righteous fight.

A diamond in the rough.
I would love to be able to give this five stars, the story deserves it. Unfortunatly the box set itself is a little disappointing. The audio quality is pretty poor with the sound fading in and out at odd times as well as being rather tinny. I know some of this may simply be due to the fact that the series didn't have a big budget for sound in the begining but seriously, it's been 11 years since the series came out. It's not that hard to clean it up a little is it? Anyway another point of note for those of you who were looking to have both the english language track and the japanese language track in one DVD, this isn't it. This has only the japanese language track with english subtitles.

Aside from the technical issues with the DVD, I absolutely loved the story itself. I ended up watching the whole set in about two days because I couldn't put it down. So in spite of the technical problems with this edition, I do recommend it for any Sailor Moon fan or anybody who like me doesn't enjoy the english dubs for anime and is interested in seeing a bit of Sailor Moon. However, I do not recommend this for the very young Sailor Moon fans who aren't up to reading subtitles very quickly just yet.

Best season of Sailor Moon Ever!
I remember the first time I watched Sailor Moon was on Cartoon Network about six years ago. From the first time I saw the show, I was hooked on it. Luckily, I got to see the first season first and the rest in order. Now about a month ago I bought the boxed set uncut version and was shocked and amazed at how much better the show was in Japanese. Also, there were many more episodes which they didn't show on Cartoon Network. For about 3 years, I was off being hooked on Sailor Moon because the fourth season really lacked. But now, I want to see every episode in its original form, uncut and in Japanese. Watching theshow makes mewant to learn the language evae more. I now have to buy season two and so on. And the best part about this was that I paid less than $60 here at Amazon, about $50 less than Best Buy.

Sailor Moon--the way it was MEANT to be!!
This box set features the entire Sailor Moon Season One, all 46 episodes, all uncut in original Japanese audio with English subtitles.
Reasons why you should buy this boxset-
*Because it's subtitled
*Because it's uncut
*Because it contains several episodes that were never shown in America
And most importantly...
*Because it's Sailor Moon!

I highly recommend this to any Sailor Moon fan (ages 14+) who is looking to see the REAL first season of Sailor Moon, not the choppy, edited, dubbed, HORRIBLE Dic version.
Hope that helped.
~Ashley

Sailor Moon in its purest form
I am a big sailor moon fan and have seen all the seasons in japanese (including StarS). After all the times ive watched sailor moon since 1995 ive realized that season 1 is its purest form. Lets face it the American dub sucks. But in this version its the japanese uncut which i can say is 100% better than the stupid dubbed way. People are complaining about the sound and what not... live with it and grow up. if your a true sailor moon fan then who cares how they made it whats happening i the show should have your full attention not how the screen is and if its not loud enough turn the volume up its not rocket science. This is a really good season and as i said its sailor moon in its purest form all i can say is dont pay $150 for it when you can get it on ebay for $50-$70 and 99.9% of the time you wont have any problems with ebay ive been on ebay for quite a long time and havent had any problems yet. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who and what is Vash the Stampede, a.k.a. "The Humanoid Typhoon"? To bounty hunters, he's an outlaw with 60,000,000,000 Double Dollars on his head. To Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson of the Bernardelli Insurance Society, he's a walking disaster area who's cost the company a fortune. To otaku, he's one of the most popular characters in anime. Based on Yasuhiro Nightow's manga, this comic adventure takes place in the distant future on a desert planet that looks like the American Old West. Vash wanders from town to town, unsuccessfully pursuing peace, doughnuts, and "the mayfly known as love." Meryl and Millie follow him, trying to minimize the destruction, but Vash's only real friend is the gun-totin' preacher Nicholas Wolfwood. Despite their grudging affection, Wolfwood articulates the other characters' thoughts when he tells Vash, "When you're around, things always seem to get worse!"

Anime heroes tend to be either cold-blooded warriors who kill for honor (the Gundam Wing pilots) or unlikely nerds who grow into the role of warrior when it's thrust upon them (Shinji Ikari in Evangelion). Sometimes comic and kooky, sometimes gentle and earnest, Vash reveres life and agonizes over the bloodshed he inadvertently causes. He'd rather eat than demonstrate his amazing marksmanship: he doesn't fire a shot until the fifth episode, although one of his arms is actually a gun. Voice actor Johnny Yong Bosh articulates both Vash's suffering and adolescent exuberance whenever he sees a pretty girl with exceptional panache. The runaway popularity of Trigun seems to have surprised the filmmakers. Although no plans have been announced for additional animation, a new manga series has appeared, Trigun Maximum. It seems unlikely that the artists would prematurely end the adventures of a figure with so much potential--and so many fans. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (146)

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

A silly, funny, serious sci-fi action flick.
Trigun is a complex piece of anime. It starts out as a lighthearted western comedy with sci-fi elements and slowly turns into a very serious science fiction story.
The story basically tells the story of Vash the Stampede, a gun sliging man with a 1 billion dollar price on his head.
It starts out silly, with two female insurance agents sent to find and convince Vash to stop destroying entire towns so that the insurance agency won't lose so much money from insuring towns. As those insurance agents discover, Vash is a complete goofball with a heart of gold.
As the unrelated stories unfold, the first few episodes introduce us to the characters and the desolated world that Vash and gang live in. As we move on, more of Vash's mysterious story is revealed and the story turns more and more serious.
The story owes alot to older silly/serious characters and anime series such as City Hunter. Overall the Trigun series is worth watching for its funny moments and action sequences. Athough its got an interesting story, the story gets too depressing and just drags on for too long at the end. The animation is also a mixed bag with some beautiful episodes and some which are just mediocre. Overall Id say give the series a shot and you'll come to love it.

TRIGUN's a masterpiece, unique & ultimately brilliant anime
I started to get the TRIGUN series of anime after reviews on the net and various other sources recommended it. After getting the first DVD entitled The $$60,000,000,000 Man, I was hooked. TRIGUN features some of the strongest characters I have seen in Japanese animation. The stories are individual but build into the entire development of each character and especially the strange hero, Vash the Stampede. I won't ruin it for you by revealing any of the plot. This series is absolutely brilliant, each story is carefully thoughout and contains an enormous amount of humour (sometimes adult in theme) but the hero himself is a beautiful character that is superbly drawn. This hero is a bit like Clint Eastwood's The Man With No Name from the Dollars Spaghetti westerns. He enters towns as a drifter and is the ultimate in cool, but what sets him aside from other heroes is he acts like an idiot and does some really crazy stuff along the way. I love the English dub to this series, one of the finest and carefully put together dubs ever and it is probably even better than the Japanese soundtrack because it is so funny. The producers couldn't have found a better voice actor for the hero. The music to this series is excellent, from spanish guitars to heavy metal guitars, it never ceases to be cool. A superb soundtrack with many interesting instruments and styles sets mood and emotions.

This series is the ultimate anime treat, I have started to collect the series on DVD but now I'm just going to get the DVD box set instead.

This series works on so many levels and is a highly intelligent, thought provoking series with a high level of comedy.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (47)

It's about time
Finally! Sailor Moon the way it's SUPPOSED to be. Fans now don't have to sit through bad dubbing, fuzzy bootlegs, and don't have to hear those 3 horrible words: "Serena", "Darien", and "Rini".

For those of you who are first timers in this TV series, you'll find that this is a great investment. Not only are you getting the 2nd season uncut and uncensored, but you're getting a series that millions of fans around the world have grown to love. Any age can enjoy Sailor Moon and it offers comedy, drama, suspense, action, romance.... oh the list goes on.

And for those of you who have only seen the English version... I am so sorry. Please do yourself a favor and get yourself this DVD box set and watch the show in its Original format. THIS is the real Sailor Moon.

...And don't be intimidated by subtitles. They are actually 10 times better.

Season 2 is here, how does it stand up??
When I purchased Sailor Moon Season 1:Uncut Box Collection, I was very pleased with the Box design itself. It was made with quality. However, when I put in the first DVD and played episode 1...I was fairly dissapointed with the quality of Audio and Video. Now that Season 2 is here, I am even more outraged. I thought maybe ADV would've learned from their mistakes, but they haven't. The audio is okay until you get to the 5th disc and all you can hear is disturbance. Much worse then Season 1. The video quality was good. I mean, you can't get much better from a Anime that is 11 years old. But what I still can't get out of my head, is that Pioneer did a Fantastic job with Season 3&4 and added a bunch of extras PLUS the english and Japanese versions. It's annoying...seeing as I paid $200 (canadian) and I got low quality. If you're a huge Sailor Moon fan, buy it...it won't get any better then this. I would've given a 5 if it weren't for the annoying interferece of sound in the Audio.

R is the best Season of Sailor Moon
I am a big fan of sailor moon and have seen all the seasons including stars. Out of all of them i think the second which is called R=romance is the best. Its the one season that is different from all the others. Review: Season 1-need to collect rainbow crystals from people. Season 3(S)-need to find pure heart crystals from people. Season 4(SuperS)-need to find pegasus(helios)in peoples dreams. Season 5(StarS which you can only get on ebay)- need to collect the real star seeds from people. All the others besides season 2(R)are about the same. Season 2 is about trying to save neo queen serenity and crystal tokyo from the black moon family and they go to the future. People constantly complain about the screen and sound well the show should have your full attention if your a true fan and if its not loud enough turn up the volume. In my opinion Season 2(R) is definitely the best of them all. But dont pay $150 when you can get it on ebay or amazon for $50-$70.

wonderful
Ok I have to tell you that I started to watch this show when i was like five and I was watching the USA's edited version. Then when I got older I found some of the nonedited versions on the web and got them and they are so much better! Now they aren't for kids you should be at least 12, but they are wonderful. I am so happy that they are putting out the full seasons because before there were some shows that you could not get in the U.S. So if you are a sailor moon fan you must get this.

More Than I Imagined!
I just recently bought and finally got to veiw this set for the first time and I feel I have definatley gotten my money's worth! Many say the sound is off and to some point it is, but I am very happy to have this set and am grateful that, being Sailor Moon is no longer in production here, ADV films still made these for us die hard Sailor Moon fans! I have waited so long to finally view these in their original format and have NO complaints! Not to mention, I have read that the subtitles are incorrect. May be true, but it takes only a little common sense to understand what's going on. No offense to those who feel subtitling has to be completely accurate. To those who have not seen this version, please take the time to view them! It gives you so many details that the dubbed version left out (mind you, I still love the English version as well)!!! The box set is beautiful and very well put together! I could not have asked for more! I give this set a definate two thumbs up! Great job, ADV!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A benchmark series in the history of anime, Hideaki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most widely discussed in anime. It's not the first series to combine mecha (futuristic machines, especially robots) with theology and a character-driven story, but it does so exceptionally well. The designs of the robots by Ikuto Yamashita are strikingly original; the questions raised about the future of the human race stimulate viewers' imaginations and the characters show a depth of personality rare in anime. The story is set in 2015, 15 years after a cataclysmic explosion in Antarctica that caused the ice cap to melt, killing a large portion of the Earth's population. Although it was reported as a meteor impact, the explosion was caused by human interaction with Adam, the first of a series of powerful, sentient creatures known as "Angels" to appear on Earth. To defend against their depredations, humans rely on NERV, a secret agency dedicated to destroying the Angels with their gargantuan robot suits called Evas. Only teenagers with special psychic powers can pilot the Evas, and the best pilot is the repressed 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, who is a more interesting, believable character than standard mecha pilots. The two final chapters of the Evangelion series (which originally ran in 1995-96) are highly philosophical ruminations that satisfied neither Anno nor the viewers. The episodes were remade as the theatrical features; however, only the original 26 episodes appear in this set. Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and up: Brief nudity, violence, sexual humor, and complex adult themes. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (246)

Simply breathtaking...
For the record, I am not a huge fan of Anime. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places, but everytime I start to watch a series it ends up as mindless action or mindless comedy. I've only seen 2 that can truly be called intellectual. Serial Experiment: Lain was one. Neon Genesis Evangelion is the other.
I cannot say enough good about this series. It it quite simply the best piece of work to ever have been broadcast. Anywhere. Nothing to come out of America, nothing to come out of Japan, nothing anywhere can meet the sheer brilliance of the 26 episodes of this most disturbing, heartwarming, and beautiful anime.
Evangelion starts out simply enough. Ikari Shinji is a 14-year old boy who gets called upon to pilot a giant mecha, called an Evangelion. He, Rei, and Asuka are the three children that have the ability to pilot these machines. Simple enough, right? The first 3/4's of the series deals with the relationship between these 3 and the various leaders of NERV, the organization they work with. It is highly entertaining, beautifully drawn, and very engaging. Alot of the middle episodes are very light hearted, and nothing too fantastic, but enjoyable in their own right.
It is in the last quater of the series that it becomes brilliant. Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Misato (one of the leaders of NERV) become very introspective. By this point their back stories and personalities are developed beyond any rational expectation. I don't want to spoil the moving experience of this anime, but let me just say that it is incredibly philosophical, psychological, and depressing.
Oh, and for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT listen to anyone who tells you not to watch the last 2 episodes. They are, simply put, fools. The last 2 episodes are jarring, disturbing and very hard to watch. They do not give perfect closer to the whole series (don't worry Plot [enthusiasts], End of Evangelion, due out in September ties up all the loose ends). But they made the series for me. You have to see it to believe it and I am not going to spoil it by saying anything more. Just trust that it is simply breathtaking...

A Groundbreaking Masterpiece
It's difficult to describe Evangelion. There's much to be praised, much to be explained, and much left to the imagination. Now, I read reviews and see how people claim that this series lacked too much to be considered a classic, how the characters were too flawed, and how the story itself was too confusing and difficult to follow. Let me clarify a few of these misconceptions; 1) Evangelion is one of the greatest series ever created, whether or not it lacked the mindless action you craved. If that really is the case, go back to DBZ. 2) The characters were not flawed, they were unique. So Shinji was a whiner? So Asuka was a brat? So Misato was slightly irresponsible? So what? The characters personality broke free from the shackles of your conventional anime (1 main charcter who was perfect in every aspect). What you call flaws, I call realism, because the truth is, nobody's perfect. 3) The story wasn't supposed to be some repetitive drek that could be resolved in 2 episodes. The story had enough allusion to make it throughly complex. Sorry that you had to think when you watch TV, but God knows you probably don't do it enough anyway. Now, I can understand some people being displeased with the comic relief, but in this kind of story, it's neccesary so that the viewer doesn't lose themself in depression or thought. You see, the series is not your typical anime where there's happiness and flowers and sunshine and skipping and the whole world joining hands in song. The series is a dark epic into both the relationship between man and God and the interior of the human personality itself. The character development is superbly done in Shinji, and Asuka's is done well also, even though her development is rather negative. There is a very good amount of action in this series, but be warned: there is much blood, and some of the scenes can be disturbing depending on your constitution. The artwork is very nice (at least until the later episodes when Gainax's budget was cut. The animation is still good, but there is a slightly noticable decline in quality to the trained eye). The story is well done, though I would have preferred the series to go on longer, because not only were there a couple unresolved conflicts, but the Human Instrumentality Project could have used a bit more explaining. The music was excellent as well, especially the opening theme (A Cruel Angel's Bloody Thesis). If your looking for a dark, well done robot anime with a perplexing plot that makes you think, then Evangelion is for you! But if your not in to something so depressing, I recommend two other nearly perfect giant robot animes: Gundam Wing and Escaflowne.

The Greatest Anime Series of All Time
Not necessarily the most enjoyable or the best, but certainly the greatest.
I first picked this series up when I was just getting into anime. Browsing through various titles at the library, I found the first volume. It looked interesting, so I borrowed it.
Cool, interesting, but nothing special.
That's what I thought, anyways...
I was interested enough to pick up the next volume, but trailed off after that.
Months later, I stumbled upon the next tape in the series and figured, "Eh, why not."
I took it home and watched it, and from that moment on, I was devoted. I reserved the next volumes so that I could borrow them as soon as they arrived, sometimes on lists with over 100 people preceding me. Slowly, surely, I finished the series.
Admittedly, I was a bit irritated at the last two episodes, but that was okay, because the movie takes care of that. More on that later.
This is, in case you don't know already, the story of a future where Antarctica has been melted by a massive explosion governments claim was a meteor. I'm not sure about the rest of the world, but at least in Japan, where the story takes place (of course), there are no longer any seasons. There is only summer, with occasional rain.
Over two decades after the explosion in 2001, strange, massive aliens called Angels come down from space and attack the HQ of NERV, the organization created to battle the Angels. NERV has built a few giant robots called Evangelions, the only things capable of truly fighting the Angels. In the first episode, you see the true invulnerability of Angels to conventional weapons as one is bombarded by a barrage of missiles, bombs, and, eventually, nuclear mines.
Shinji Ikari is a boy whose mother is dead and father is distant. His father, Gendou Ikari, is the head of NERV and summons him one day to pilot an Evangelion (Eva Unit 01). From here, we meet a whole cast of deeply messed up characters:
Rei Ayanami - The mostly emotionless pilot of Unit 00. She's the blue-haired one.
Misato Katsuragi - An alcoholic and sex fiend by night, powerful commander of the Evas by day! One of the few truly good people in the series.
Ritsuko Akagi - Daughter of the designer of the MAGI, the NERV mainframe. A bit heartless and screwed up in her own way.
Asuka Langley Sohryu - An attention-grubbing, mean-spirited redhead with more than enough attitude for the whole cast. We find that she has an EXTREMELY troubled past, however...

That's just a few, but there is an immense cast of realistic characters, and the plot is insane, weaving all of their stories and motives together into one hell of a tapestry.
One tip of advice, however, before I go any further: by the sixth DVD, you should be watching the series in its original Japanese with subtitles. There is a very specific episode where the English dubbed version pales in comparison to the original haunting screams of the Japanese voice actors.
This series is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. It seems tame enough "giant robot" battle at first, but later in the series, things just keep getting darker and harsher. The characters are forced to endure horrific mental and physical tests, and there are points in the series when blood is literally gushing everywhere.
The characters are neurally connected to their Evas, and hence feel everything that happens to the Unit they are piloting. They cut neural connections or fade them to dull the pain, but this results in some pretty heavy material. I'll never forget when an Angel begins infecting an Evas arm and Ikari orders it severed. The operator insists that the neural connections need to be cut first, but he sternly tells her that they have no time. The film cuts to the Eva's shoulder as the arm blows off. You are then taken to a shot of the pilot inside, in shock and clutching at a shoulder that her mind is convinced is nothing more than a stump.
And that's minor for this show, kids!
In any case, it's very well made in terms of plot and action, and has more than its share of disturbing moments. However, the main merit of this series is its psychological aspect.
Each character, as mentioned before, has their own personal issues. There are entire ten minute spans devoted to analyzation of a character's problems, and there's such a diverse cast with such a diverse set of problems that there's no way that anyone with any issues can't relate.
This comes into play in the movie, but more on that later.
Now, about the last two episodes. Extremely controversial, simply because the people in charge of the series basically said, "Hmmm... You know what? Viewers don't need to know how the plot turns out! Let's just look at Shinji's issues in philosophical discussion for the last two episodes!"
That's right. The plot is abandoned for the sake of some deep discussion time.
However, that's okay.
The series was intended to end with the movie, "End of Evangelion."
That's where the true payoff lies. However incredible the series is, the movie is exponentially greater.
But I'll save that for the movie review.

Very good, but not perfect
Everyone seems to love this series. My fellow anime-luvin buddies kept telling me that I absolutely *HAD* to watch the series if I were to ever call myself an anime fan again. So I watched the whole thing once, and this is what I have to say...:

Pros:
-Great animation; vibrant colors and scenery
-Plot is deep and original (a big plus with me. You are literally sucked into the plot.
-Character design and look overall is great, but...
-I like to opening theme ^^ hehe
-Good voice acting

-Battle scenes are fun to watch

Cons:
-Sometimes plot is too complicated; either my mind can't comprehend some of this stuff or they really didnt explain well what was going on
-Sometimes reuse previous clips to fit in dialogue (true for eng version not sure bout jap....) This got on my nerves SO BAD at the end, cuz they pretty much used the same scene for the whole last 2 friggin episodes.
-Ending SUCKS...made me so mad that I had to rack my brain to get to this
-The characters personalities are somewhat boring. Rei with her monotone voice, shinji with his always-on-the-brink-of-insanity personality, etc.

Overall:
I like it okay. I enjoyed it enough to say this, but not enough to declare myself obsessed with it like most people are. If you want a nice, deep story, then give this a try. If big plots scare you but you like pretty colors, this one's a maybe. Or you can just watch it under peer pressure like I did. Your choice ^_^

Breathtaking! One of the Legends!
One name that is recurring throughout the world of anime is "Evangelion." I never knew why, but I wanted to find out. So I bought the box set and watched the entire series. And now, I understand. Neon Genesis Evangelion has fantastic action, unforgettable drama, and a wonderful cast of characters that would impress even the most hardcore anime fan. It explores the human mind and heart, and questions man's existence and purpose in a way no other anime has.

This series combines mecha-action, beautiful animation and designs (even by today's standards), a riviting story, and believable, diverse characters who actually have emotions and lives of their own. The story revolves around the main characters, particularly that of young Shinji Ikari, the pilot of the awesome Evangelion Unit-01. Some of the other main characters include hot-headed Askua Langley Soryu (pilot of Evangelion Unit-02), cool-as-ice Rei Ayanami (pilot of Evangelion Unit-00), lovely, unconventional Misato Katsuragi (Shinji's guardian, among other things) and Gendo Ikari (Shinji's mysterious father).

One of the reasons why Evangelion is such a fine piece of anime, is because it focuses on the charaters of the story. What the characters feel and think, and how they respond to the world around them has more importance than the action. Although, the action involving the evangelions is immensely impressive.

The final two original episodes (25 & 26) were disappointing, which is why "The End of Evangelion" was created to offer a much more satisfying ending to the benchmark series. It is sold seperately from the box-set unfortunately.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is truly a beautiful, thought-provoking, sometimes heart-wrenching work of art. It is, quite possibly the best anime series ever made. The box-set is well worth the money. And whether you are a fan of anime or not, it is a welcome addition to anyone's dvd collection. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Awesome
First off let me say I gave this four stars ONLY becuase it is not my favorite Anime. (In my mind nothing can beat Rurouni Kenshin) Like many others in America I was first introduced to Gundam Wing late one night while watching Cartoon network. I saw an episode about half way through the series and thought it was great. When I saw this series come out in a box set I wanted to buy it, but had second thoughts. You see I have seen some of Mobile Suit Gundam 083 and some of the other ones, and I didn't like them at all. For some reason I could not stand that little twerp Amuro. Let me say this though, this series is nothing like the others. Awesome story line, excellent characters, and lots of action make this series a must in your collection.

Gundam Wing is the most captivating Gundam Series out there!
I have to say I have seen a little bit of every Gundam Show in existence. And Gundam Wing by far, in my opinion, surpasses them all. While the animation is obviously better than it's predecessors the plot and characters are also deeper. It's a darker world in GW and a lot of things are different in this series than in any of the others. The colonies in this series are NOT the enemies, but a confused bunch of people who have been abused time and time again. They make for very good under dogs. The main characters are very well developed - and actually have emotional breaking points! Also, the main character isn't happy go lucky - but a soldier. It's kinda disturbing that they are only 15, but it just makes them deeper characters. I recommend this show to ANYBODY.
Personally I liked the English version but if you want a treat the Japanese version is hilarious. The voice actors are better and the lines make so much sense. O and read Episode Zero before you watch this series -- SO many more things make sense it's amazing!

Wing is a great series, but bootlegs should not be here
I highly recommened Gundam Wing to anyone because it is an awesome series. There is something for everyone here, romance, mech action, comedy, etc. How often is it a series' character gets his own personal stalker? How many series actually have a man change personalities like flipping a slice of bread? Great stuff.

Beware though, I was just looking at the used copies for $30, and they are all bootlegs. Yes, you heard me, those discs are bootlegs from China. The OFFICIAL set is 10 discs, no less. If you want to get this series, support Bandai with their legal set, not those loser sellers and their bootlegs.

One of my favorite anime
This has to be one of the best anime of all time. In my opion it is my second favorite of all time. It is just under ronin warriors. Gundam wing is the best gundam anime out there. The reason that it is so good is because of the 5 main piolts. by the end of the serios u feel like u know the them. No other gundam show made me feel like that. I have not bought the dvds but i have seen every episiode. If u like anime and giant robots and deep story u will like gundam wing.

Gundam Wing is the best
I recently bought this item and I have never bought a anime box set and wathched it mor the second i rurouni kenshin or hellsing which pale in comparison to this show this isnt your average gundam show it is one of the best gundam shows ever made my hat is off to Hajime Yatatae and Yoshiyuki tomino creators of Gundam Wing if they ever make a gundam series like this again i will buy it. the story of heero yuy and and the othe gundam pilots sent to earth by operation meteor is the best it shows that even the strongest of forces can be defeated meaning oz and the aliance military being defeated by just five mobile suits which dawn excelent mobile suit designs by Kunio Okawara by the way Zechs's voice is the coolest and Duo brings life and comedy to the series the mobile dolls look great as well at least for the gundams to destroy. if you are a gundam fan eva fan or raxphon fan the this will top them in my opinion evas ending wasnt the best. the animation is great especialy twords the artimis revolution and space war at the end of the series i have this box set and i did cost me 200.00 dollars but it was worth every penny. this gundam sseries is the best of them all even over 08th ms team which is a awesome show but it dosnt compare to Gundam wing with an ending note if you want a gundam show with non stop action and will make you want to play a gundam game buy this box set if you have 200.00 dollars for anime. they should also make a gundam wing video game and not fighting but more like encounters in space or journey to jaburo buy this. this is an overall perfect product it brings together every thing you love about gundam. there has never been such an awesome gundam series. ... Read more

Description

During a heated duel between Kyoshiro and Demon Eyes Kyo, a shooting star hits the ground, engulfing both samurai. Years later Kyoshiro wanders the land with no memory of his past. Deep inside his mind waits the soul of old rival Samurai Kyo! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Each of the snazzy 25-minute installments from the most popular Japanese animated TV series of 1998 is a satisfying adventure tale about a futuristic hipster bounty hunter. This is an elegant action-comedy anime, with smoothly integrated CGI space-flight elements, gorgeous graphics, blues harmonica and sax riffs on the soundtrack, and a no-sweat post-Tarantino attitude. Despite occasional eruptions of gun-fu Asian-action violence, and some intimations of heavy-duty drug use (in the first of 26 episodes, one especially noxious narcotic is administered as an aerosol spray straight onto the user's eyeballs), the tone is surprisingly convivial. None of the generic tough elements are grim or mean-spirited. Lanky antihero Spike Spiegel is a planet-hopping freelance hunter with an ex-cop sidekick named Jet, a loopy fellow hunter named Faye, a teenage computer hack, and a genetically enhanced Welsh corgi assistant in tow. The emphasis is on clever twists of plot in an episodic short-story format with as many wisecracks as punches being thrown. Unrated (suitable for ages 13 and older): violence, nudity, profanity, alcohol and tobacco use, occasional ethnic stereotypes. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (336)

best anime ever
An interesting twist on traditional anime, Cowboy Bebop is at once fresh, original, and wildly entertaining. It injects new life into a classic genre.

I first discovered this series on Cartoon Network's adult swim late-night block, and quickly began to really like it. The fight scenes are beautifully animated, the 26 episodes (each of which stands on its own) are well written and perfectly paced.

Speaking of which, the episode structure is very unlike most anime, where you have to see every episode or you don't understand it at all. The episodes in Bebop are all tied together with a common theme: Spike Spiegel and company travel throughout space in the near future, looking for bounty, their own backstories unraveling bit by bit. This formula works very well.

Bebop also conveys an atmosphere that sometimes changes but is always well done with each episode. It is, for the most part, either gritty and violent (Episode 5: Ballad of Fallen Angels) or goofy and sometimes laugh out loud funny (Episode 12: Toys in the Attic). Director Watanabe is great at really drawing the viewer in so that often you forget about what else is happening around you.

Bebop is not without flaws, however. Sometimes the episodes seem to have filler or are WAY too slow paced. This is mainly only a problem with Episode 20: Boogie Woogie Feng Shui. Half the episode is almost all dialogue, with hardly any real movement. It just doesn't feel like the rest of the series.

That one very small shortcoming aside, however, Bebop is amazing, and well worth it whether you enjoy anime or not. This is something anyone can appreciate.

You've got to see this...
The future isn't always bright and happy, but at least its presented in a spectacular series like Cowboy Bebop. Following the crew of the Bebop, each episode takes on new challenges everytime and new feelings. Moods for each episode is never consistent, as they change from action-packed (Gateway Shuffle) to somber (Speak Like A Child) to sadistic (Pierrot La Fou) to comedic (Mushroom Samba). Each episode has its own unique flavor, which will satisfy all types of people.

The main character is Spike Spiegel, an ex-member of a crime syndicate and a bounty hunter. With his tall, lanky, slacker-look about him, he easily throws people off guard when they first meet him. His cool demenor and level-headedness are an excellent cover for a master of hand-to-hand and ranged combat, as well as being quite skilled in piloting his starship, Swordfish II.

The lead female character, Faye Valentine, is very similar in many respects to Spike, which causes some friction throughout the series as they both hunt for bounties. Although she may look like she is in her early 20s, Faye was suspended in a cryo-genic freeze for 54 years following a space accident. Her past is a mystery (Episodes 15, 18, and 24), but she keeps her cool and is confident and daring all at once. If Spike is ever in the middle of a fight, she'll usually wander in to help. While she is definitely a sexy woman, her charms tend to work on every man other than Spike and Jet. In addition, she has her own little starship, Redtail, which she uses to get herself out of whatever trouble she finds.

Jet Black is a former member of ISSP (InterStellar Space Police) on Ganymede, where he shortly retired after losing his left arm. He is partnered with Spike as a bounty hunter, and is the captain of the Bebop and his own personal ship, the Hammerhead. However, most of the time, Spike is on the frontlines while Jet provides support through information or backup.

Ed's real name is Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky 4th, but Ed is 13 year old female who is an expert computer hacker commonly known as "Radical Edward." Although she may sound serious, this couldn't be further from the truth. She may be extremely intelligent and a prodigy, but don't let her wacky antics and crazy talk fool you. She may not be able to take life too seriously quite yet, but she is a force with which to be reckoned.

Ein is a Welsh Corgi dog who was apart of an experiment at an early age. Consequently, he's smarter than the average dog now, and when Ed joins the crew of the Bebop, they're instant friends. Often times found eating, sleeping, or accompanying Ed, he's the one character that no one argues with (except for Faye).

The year is 2071 A.D., and mankind has spread throughout the Sol system after a tragic accident on Earth. The crew of the Bebop hunt down criminals for bounties, all the while, trying to survive the harshness of space. Spike and Jet are the original crew members of the Bebop, and while Ein, Faye, and Ed become apart of the "family," conflicting pasts and perspectives often times drive each of them away to solve their problems, but they always come back for one reason or another.

The plot? Excellent. The characters? Great. The animation? Great. The series? Flawless.

An additional note, I'm not positive, but I do believe that all of the music (with exception for the beginning and ending tracks) are never repeated. You'll watch TV and anime series, and often times, you'll find a particular piece of music being repeated for certain situations to help clue you into the mood for that scene. However, in Cowboy Bebop, that isn't so. For one episode, you'll have a unique set of music tracks that are never repeated throughout the rest of the series. For example, the music track "Ballad of a Fallen Angel" is never repeated outside of the cathedral scene in the episode "Ballad of Fallen Angels."

I can't think of anything else that I was more pleased with after buying than Cowboy Bebop. : )

Note- I'm reviewing the bootleg
Although it may be unAmerican, and surely it's a rip-off from potential money going to Bandai, (...)I was really worried about what I'd be receiving. The truth is, the package was awesome- the DVD quality if FANTASTIC (there's a little digital blurring during a ship-flight scene), and the dub is exactly the original American dub seen on Adult Swim (the English subtitles disagree somewhat). There are even a few special features, including music videos and such- nothing important really. I'm a little hesitant, as some may have had different experiences... I'll say that the copy I got is 3-CD, from Singapore, in a brown/gray cardboard-flip case that has Spike in a subway or something, standing next to a blonde woman. The inside has a bit of art as well. It's not the cover, with the black on top and bottom and all the characters, shown on Amazon.
Your experience my differ, and granted, this set isn't exactly perfect, with a little digital blurring. But for 30 dollars, my experience, at least, was an awesome deal.

The GREATEST anime series of all time
This is the best anime series I've ever seen and I've seen alot of them including movies. When it comes to anime there is a few names people know. Akira, Macross, Ghost In The Shell, Trigun, Ninja Scroll. Cowboy Bebop is right up there. I love this anime because it is real and it doesn't pull any punches. It is classic yet new age. It's a sci-fi space thing yet it's like a western yet like an epic. It is everything that is good. I own the Limited Edition Box and the 3 disc Hong Kong import. The story is based on 5 characters who all have their own interesting backgrounds and somehow life as it happens has these five come together. Spike Spiegel and Jet Black are bounty hunters using a commercial fishing ship(spaceship this is the future) as their mode of transportation. In this bounty hunting is very lucritive as there is even a tv show that updates them on new bounties. Along the way they meet three other characters that join the crew at Spike's displeasure and Jet's indifference. There is far too much for me write of in the epic of anime greatness. I really felt like I knew and shared in their journey by the end. All this and probably one of the best soundtracks ever produced. Eclectic is the word...it is a jazzy, blues inspired rock techno organism of music that plays well with the story. All I say is rent, buy or borrow and watch this is you are an anime fan and you have not yet, for some God awful reason, seen this. Now the nice collection you see with the entire series is not the Limited 7 disc set which includes the soundtrack...if you find the big box it will be at least $200 dollars but probably more than that as it is a limited numbered to 15,000. The 3 disc collection containing all 26 episodes is the import Hong Kong version which can be played here. This is usually around $30 dollars or so. It has great video and sound quality and doesn't suck compared to the U.S. releases as some would say. Either way it is a great series and all anime fans should have this one.

Pure Masterpiece...
Cowboy Bebop. The jazzy series that has anything I could possible want in an anime. This is the kind of thing you'd like to watch after you invite a few friends over to spend the night, play Nintendo, talk about boobs, indulge all the junk-food you have, and then watch this late at night. It's one of those movies like Young Frankenstein that is funny in a way that makes you think. Not like sooo much bubblegum-anime on the market today that just tries to be funny by making bad puns, and saying retarded things. I enjoy the factor that the cast of characters is such a dysfunctional motley assort of people. The story is as good as I expected it to be, I like every bit of the storyline and how it sometimes purposly went out of context.
I like how it went like a duality of two faces: Sweet, and Sorrow. First the Sweet lures you into the story and makes you happy. Then when your inside, The Sorrow stabs you with a knife making you sad.... (My analogies rock!). This anime is for everybody, even (some) adults like it! I'm going to buy the soundtrack when I get enough money, It's like Hellsing which has a kick-ass soundtrack! Jazzy and up-beat. Yet melodic and sadening. The ending ephisode is heart wrenching to me atleast.
This anime is for everyone and anyone! Get it, you won't be dissapointed! ... Read more

Description

*7 volume disc set, includes all 39 UNCUT episodes of the "SuperS" TV series! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

SuperS Box Set Review
 The SuperS series is the fourth of the five Sailor Moon series. It mainly focuses on Chibi-Usa, or Sailor ChibiMoon, and a winged horse, known as Pegasus. It's basically the story of a group of enemies known as the 'Dead Moon' trying to find Pegasus, who is hiding in somebodies 'beautiful dream'.

The series is very repetitive, where in nearly every episode, the Dead Moon will choose a person who they believe is hiding Pegasus, attack them, and look into their dream. Conveniently, the Sailor Soldiers have recently become friends with whoever is targeted by the Dead Moon, and they show up to save the day.

The series does have some good points. All six of the soldiers featured in the series gain new 'super' forms, with brand new costumes, attacks, and powers. The animation, character design, and music has also improved. However, there are many problems. There are no appearnces by the Outer Senshi, who are by far regarded as some of the best characters in Sailor Moon. Also, the series is very light-hearted compared to it's predecessor, Sailor Moon S.

Overall, Sailor Moon SuperS is still part of one of the greatest Anime's of all time, and is not to be missed.

Sailor Moon SuperS -Season 4-
This is not the best series, but if you're a Sailor Moon fan, you MUST have it. It's focused on Chibimoon and Pegasus (Chibiusa is a very terrible character). Besides, it's very slow, and the Amazon Trio part isn't interesting. But, you'll see a new transformation for all the sailor senshi, better animation and character designs. The better series are (in order of favourite): S, Sailor Stars, R, Sailor Moon (first) and SuperS. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

BERSERK - BEST ANIME EVER
This would have to be the best anime I have ever seen, there is no comparison. The story is so good that once you've watched one episode, you can't to wait to see the other. It is not a predictable story unlike most other anime, where you can almost guess what's going to happen. The characters are the best, everyone has their special attribute, mostly Gatts and Griffith, Gats with his huge sword cutting through anything that gets in his way, and Griffith with his confidence and unmatched leadership. This anime is very realistic, not with too much violence but it shows you more that it is a violent world. I would probably say that this has to be the best series I have ever seen even comparing to regular tv shows and movies. You will not regret one penny you paid to buy it and one second of your life you watched it.

One of the Most Unique and Powerful Series Ever.
Berserk is one of the most unique animes, and just plain one of the most unique stories around. It has a flow and style of plot and character development all its own. The characters are all very realistic and never seem flat or predictible. Guts, himself, is a very different manner of hero. He's far from a moral character, yet not really what you would call an antihero. The story is very subtle at times and does a nice job of juggling action and helping further the narrative, with bits of dialogue that never seem stilted or generic.
The ending, as many reveiwers have already said, is very brutal and quite cruel. Some may be turned off by this, but I found the ending quite a bold move, and upon watching the last two episodes over again, prefer it to a more upbeat one. One of the most standout points I found throughout the series was its music. It's quite beautiful and matches the tone of the series perfectly, especially in the latter episodes. Perhaps the most surprising to me was the brialliant use of cuts and edits the series employs. Whether it goes to its commercial bumper or just recaps the events of the previous episode in the prologue, the series has a sharp eye for cliffhangers and last-minute revelations. Treat yourself to something fresh in the anime world and watch Berserk, you shouldn't be dissapointed.

Berserk is just simply a masterpiece!
ok this won't be a typical review like you peoples usually read. Ghetto wit style is this 1. Now here is the way I interpreted the story of ...............................

~Berserk~ The characters in this show ain't like nothin you ever seen. They have DEPTH! The most I have ever seen. But it is only 3 that has this DEPTH.

~Griffth~
~Guts~
~Caska~

because of the DEPTH to these 3 great characters is astonishing, everything these 3 characters do will be interpreted diffeerntly with every viewer that watches these 3 characters interact.

Here is a list of many things I mean............................

* Is Griffith and Guts really gay?
* Does Casca really love Griffith or is her judgement clouded for another man, maybe Guts?
* What caused Griffith to become gay?
* Who is the smarter man Griffith or Guts?
* Why is Casca always complainin?
* Does Guts want Griffith or Casca? Is he bisexual?

and there are many more. This series is everything just get it.

Oh and if you get this collector's Box of War set then watch the outtakes on every dvd cause they are very, very funny. Also in a interview the director or artist mentioned somethin bout that there may be a 2nd season! Hope so!

Holla at ya boi!!!

frustrated
i watched the whole series and must say i enjoyed most of it, but i think saying it has a bad ending is an understatement. i have never felt more frustrated about any ending more than this one. i never have felt i wanted more resolution in an aime most the time i like less but in berserk there was no resolution. i would have been satisfied if they atleast hinted in the end what happened but there was nothing.its not only the ending. the whole story has loads of foreshadow that kept me watching but in the end it combined almost none of it. i was really disapointed by it. guts is a little too invicible for my taste also.

Wow! and... Wow...
This is such a cool anime. You will understand a lot more if you read the manga as well. I'm just waiting for the 4th manga to be printed in English.
The consept of this anime is amazing in the fact that it shows the lengths a person will go to be at the top: the people that will be used, the people that will die, and the people who are really 'nothing'- just stepping stones. Wonderfully done! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although it didn't fare well on the Fox Kids network (where it played in an edited format), Escaflowne has a large, loyal following, perhaps because this sprawling fantasy offers the ingredients of classic mecha, sword-and-sorcery, and magical girl adventures. After psychic teenager Hitomi has a vision of a man battling a dragon, Prince Van of Fanelia and a dragon materialize. He slays the monster and transports Hitomi to the mysterious world of Gaea. An odd mixture of advanced technology and medieval culture, Gaea has links to ancient Atlantis. A typical romantic triangle develops, involving Hitomi, diamond-in-the-rough Van, and ideal knight Allen Schezar. The saga attains a byzantine complexity when Zaibach emperor Dornkirk--who is actually Sir Isaac Newton, captures the trio. He's at work on a machine that will enable him to create alternate destinies for Gaea. At times the story by Hajime Yatate and Shoji Kawamori seems to be careening out of control, as Hitomi whines and the supporting characters appear, disappear, and undergo radical personality changes. The most serious flaw is the failure of any of the heroes to defeat the evil Dornkirk, who has dispatched murderous doppelgangers, conducted sadistic experiments on kidnapped children, and attempted to subjugate an entire planet. But the combination of teenage romance, fantastic robot-suits ("guymelefs"), elaborate battles, histrionic villains, and a world-threatening challenge has made the 26-episode series a favorite among otaku. A feature film, released theatrically in the U.S. in 2002, repeated much of the story. Rated 13 and up for animated violence. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (64)

very good
As you may or may not know, The Vision of Escaflowne is an anime series from Japan. In my opinion, it is an extremely good series. The Vision of Escaflowne combines elements of fantasy with mecha, romance, sci-fi, and just about every other anime genre in between.

Escaflowne follows the life high school freshman Hitomi Kanzaki as she is transported from Earth to a mystical world called Gaia. Hitomi teams up with the young prince Van and the gallant swordsman Allen. Prince Van has lost his kingdom to an attack from the evil empire of Zaibach. Allen is a knight of a nearby country. Allen wishes to oppose Zaibach but the king of his country does not wish to bring Zaibach's wrath upon the kingdom. From this point in the story, viewers are lead on a whirl-wind journey of love-triangles, mecha fights, character drama, and a mystery about the real origins of Gaia. Each character (there are several) is given plot time to show their pasts, their dreams of present, and their general personalities. And though there are quite a few bloody fight scenes and some weird happenings, Escaflowne is a fairly clean work of anime. One thing to think about is that Hitomi does an awful lot of fortune telling and such work. I was somewhat unhappy about this because I do not enjoy such things but I overlooked it. Anime fans should find no problems here.

Having watched the series twice, I would recommend it to almost any anime aficionado as well as many sci-fi and fantasy fans. You will be treated to a wonderful story full of wonderful characters that presents itself in top-of-the-line artwork and has an AMAZING score. If you are seriously considering buying this WHOLE series, I can practically gaurentee you won't be disappointed. If you're not sure, try buying or renting the first volume and see if you get sucked in.

An Anime For Otakus
I am doing a premature review of this product seeing that I have only watched episodes contained on discs 1-4 of this 8 disc set.

Escaflowne is a well-thought out story with excellent animation and character development. I love the music by fabu-musician Yoko Kanno too. Her use of strings really sets the mood for the dramatic moments.

Escaflowne begins (to whet your appeitite for more) one fateful day when high school sprinter Hitomi Kanzaki experiences a disturbing vision of another world and discovers from her best friend that Amano (the track team star she has a crush on) is about to go abroad. On an impulse, she asks him the next day for her first kiss -- if, she can sprint 100 meters in thirteen seconds. But then, a young warrior prince and a dragon appears before Hitomi during the run ... that's when Hitomi's world gets turned upside down as she is transported to the warrior prince's homeworld of Gaia!

This Limited Edition Boxed Set comes with a beautiful Black Escaflowne figurine and tons of special features.

Dialogue is offered in both English and original Japanese with English Subtitles.

This is an anime series not to be missed by an Otaku of any level of experience.

Has to be one the best Series out on Anime
I have seen a lot of Anime series, but only a few have come close to this fully complete story. It has a lot of good fighting scenes including massive battles. The only series that I have seen that comes close is Evangelion series. I give Evangelion a 3.5 becuase of the ending. It just went out the window when I saw that ending, but Escaflowne does not have that flaw. It has a good beginning and draws you in with good character development. 3 different love triangles with a whole bunch of enemies and a whole bunch of killing. Most important it has GOOD ANIME none of those cheesy faded colors and x out eyes when someone gets knocked out. Or sweat coming down the side of the cheek when someone messes up or gets angry. The ending was also pretty good. The only flaw I give this series is when the intensified luck soldiers come into play. That was dumb. You'll see what I'm talking about if you see it. Well that's all for now untill next time

Just a 'heads up' re: the Limited Edition Boxed Set...
For Escaflowne fans looking to purchase the Limited Edition set, be aware that many vendors listed as selling this item are actually offering the Escaflowne "Perfect Collection"... Though both contain all 26 episodes of the series, the latter will not provide you with a numbered "Collector's Box" or the extra features advertised for the former.

To differentiate between the two, check the number of discs/DVDs that are said to be included in the set. The Limited Edition set will contain 8 DVDs, while the Perfect Collection is said to contain only 3.

With that said, however, either should provide you with a complete collection of episodes from the series. I don't see how you can go wrong with that =P...unless, of course, you're a serious collector =)... As for a comparison on the quality of the two, well, I don't own either, so I honestly have no idea.

Sorry for being a somewhat unknowledgeable reviewer, but I just wanted to add the above bit of info to hopefully prevent customers from obtaining something other than what they desired.

Cheers!

Some of the best nonetheless
Do I really need to ring Escaflowne's praises for you? Most everyone who is into anime has already seen this series but for those of you who are not but may have seen and like movies like Princess Mononoke this is the series to pick up. It is by far the most accessible of any anime series I have seen and is perfect for a budding anime guru. In fact this is the very series I will show to my friends who have yet to see any anime they think is worth watching.

Visually, Escaflowne is pretty remarkable for a TV series that shows obvious signs of extremely high production values. The story may not be the most intricate in the world of anime but it more than suffices. What is most impressive about Escaflowne is the characters. Van and Hitomi are some of my favorite characters ever and are both completely believable in their respective places; Hitomi as the fish out of water teenager and Van as the young kind thirsting for revenge. I also enjoyed many of the supporting characters such as Dilandu and Folken; even the bad guys were given a proper history and motivations rather than simple blind obedience to whatever evil scheme might be in style. In fact evil itself is somewhat grayed as no character is truly evil, only misguided doing what they believe is right and just.

I would recommend Escaflowne to anyone and everyone; it is a series that can have appeal to the very young and old alike. Truly masterful work.

Note that anyone who has seen this series on Fox Kids has been watching a kiddied down version of a show that wasn't really meant for children to begin with. Don't let that Escaflowne-lite ruin your opinion of the show. ... Read more