Reviews (687)

Mononoke a must for Fantasy Fans
This is an amazing anime feature reminding me a little of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Except that was Chinese Folklore). It has simplistic yet very professional and detailed animation by Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring a beautiful instrumental score rendered by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. This movie is set in isolationist Japan, and is filled with eastern/Japanese cultural elements for us westerners to attempt to understand. Along with a decent fantasy helping of personified animals and Gods. Be careful watching it if you can constitute a western audience member. This isn't a tree hugger movie like Fern Gully (me shudders). If you think this movie has contemporary western political motives then you are thinking too hard! I had to stop myself and just enjoy it. The story really has no antagonist because both sides in the story are equally guilty of one emotion (try and find the best line in the movie that sums up what I just said)...plus it smacks of Eastern values and mythology. And that's all I'm going to say about the story. If a devout conservative can love this movie...anyone can. Leave the soap box at home. Incidentally the english dub features the voices of American Hollywood stars such as Gillian Anderson (The X-Files)and Billy Bob Thorton (Armageddon, Pushing Tin, etc...)...But don't tell the real Anime buffs that I watched it dubbed...lol...I know only real anime fans watch subbed anime.

Excellent Display of how our world is!
I have experienced some of the things that Miyazaki has put in "Princess Mononoke". For example, i've had to step into fights and then get rejected by both sides. We ourselves are demons in a certain view. We hurt others when they're in the way of our dreams or whatever. For example, if I wanted to rule the world and my friend opposed me, I would hurt him. Miyazaki is clearly showing this and that's why I give "Princess Mononoke" a 5-stars rating.

Be literal, "artistic" metaphors are stupid!!
Don't listen to rhogen, he's not smart. So what if all the characters have human actions, this movie is full of dizzying contradictions and superstitious crap!! Those who think in a literal way are much smarter than those who don't. I'm not an Evangelist Christian from Mississippi who thinks Princess Mononoke is full of paganism, I'm a Soviet Marxist who thinks Princess Mononoke is full of anti-human new-age supersition and metaphors that are silly and nonsensical. Miyazaki screwed up and should keep his enviromental anti-human commentary in Japan, like killing people will help trees grow. Watch Akira (Streamline version), Ninja Scroll, and Ghost In The Shell. All of those anime have adult and provacative content, but don't have anti-human new-age spiritual crap, "artistic" metaphores, and they don't make you puke out your lunch.

Don't be so literal, this is artistic metaphor at its best
I have to respond to those who freak out about the "superstitions" of this film. Being a totally non-magical thinker myself I can understand the first-order reaction. But frankly, you need to see the metaphors. When the spirit gods express anger at "humans", this is metaphorically our own conscience questioning and evaluating what we are doing. It's that simple. If you can do that, you will be able to LOVE this film. SEMI-SPOILER: The first great thing about it is that there are no mustache-twirling villains. Everyone's motivations are human, they're doing what they think is best. That's just the appetizer. Great stuff!

VISUALLY SPECTACULAR, HOT-BUTTON MESSAGES, BUT..
The reviews for this typical Miyazaki blockbuster are so rabidly of the WOW mentality that you may expect something mind-blowing. 'Manage your expectations and enjoy the bloody ride' is my advice.

In terms of sheer execution this is one of the best anime capers you'll see, replete with beasts of mythic proportions, lush forests, sparkling waterfalls, and some mind-numbing inter-galactic slaughter. I could wager in a blink that this is what inspired Tarantino to do that little anime insert in Kill Bill Vol 1.

Plus, the film has some swank credentials under its belt: the Japanese voices are dubbed, not just subtitled, by big *American* stars -- Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver, Claire Danes, Bill Crudup, etc -- who lend their laryx to a host of universally relevant issues such as the plight of indigenous people and nature in the face of unchecked business interests, the death of spirituality in the name of social progress, misogyny in its many variations, etc.

But I have my gripes. The film is violent. Very violent. Sometimes senselessly violent. I had to frequently turn my volume knob to the left. There are gigantic guns, and blood and guts splatter the landscape every minute. Most of this soon seems overdrawn (and the film is looooong) with all this supposedly cool action amounting to precious little in terms of any clear message about good versus evil. The underlying purpose is summed up brilliantly by a roadside beggar when he says something like the world is cursed, but we still find a reason to live.

I also found something lacking in the animation itself. While exquisitely vivid it seems to lag in its flair for capturing natural motion. Disney or Pixar movies pore over a sense of suppleness when an eye is raised or a muscle is twitched by a character. Miyazaki's animators on the other hand haven't penetrated beyond the skin, the moving creatures feel inarticulate and jerky, particularly when played against the very 2D painted backgrounds.

But that still doesn't stop me from recommending this powerful cult flick, a must if you're an anime acolyte. If not, then be prepared for a Tarantino x 100 and you'll do fine. ... Read more

Reviews (749)

Destined to be a classic.
My title may sound a tad cliche, but I believe it. The guys at Pixar understand the mind of children - because they still haven't grown up! That's why Monsters, Inc. is the perfect balance of children's entertainment and adult sophistication. I love it when a studio produces movies that kids love, but at the same time are able to add a level of maturity and sophistication that adults appreciate - without sexual innuendo or appealing to the lowest-common denominator. (i.e. several instances in the movie, Shrek)

The animation is simply incredible; the characters are compelling and hilarious; Boo is worth the price of TWO admissions; the plot and backstory are completely ingenious.

Buy this movie. Enjoy it. Enjoy Disc 2. (Tons of extras - including "Mike's New Car" and another Pixar short entitled "For the Birds" -- PLUS, clips from the Monsters, Inc. office musical production "Put that thing back where it came from or so help me..." !!) With the possible exception of Toy Story 2, one COULD argue that this is the (or at least ONE of the) greatest animated movies ever made.

Sorry if I'm gushing too much. I love this movie. My kids love this movie. It's just plain, good, old-fashinoned FUN.

"MONSTERS, INC." will scare up a treat for audiences
Delightful, uproarious, fun, hilarious, cute and cuddly, jovial... Just a few of the numerous "happy" adjectives you could pin on Pixar's latest pixilated masterpiece "Monsters, Inc." Pixar once again proves itself Disney's most valuable asset with their knack for original stories and often witty and clever humor.

John Goodman and Billy Crystal provide their trademark voices for Sully, the big blue furry monster, and Mike, the cycloptic short green monster as they scare up kids' screams which are converted to energy to power the televisions and alarm clocks of the monster metropolis. (Seems very allegorical of the California power outages this past summer, no?) Conflict brews when Randall, the gecko-like monster, gets greedy and wants to become the top "scarer" by exploiting the screams of the innocent human child, yet show-stealing cute, Boo. While kids might get lost in the action of the movie, the CGI effects and clever Laurel and Hardy-esque slapstick of Sully and Mike (or Lenny and George, which ever way you want to look at it) will have the kiddies captivated from beginning to end.

While Dreamwork's box office baby "Shrek" may have just as good edgy, clever humor and depth, Pixar is far from being out of the running. Keep in mind, Pixar is already a veteran with "Toy Story 1 & 2" (with a third on the way), and "A Bug's Life". There's no doubt in my mind that Pixar and Dreamwork's will be at the helm of the fully computer animated feature for years to come. May the best company win!

For the time being, strap yourself in for the first in some great holiday flicks coming to the silver screen near you! "Monsters, Inc." is already off and running to box office gold, and is a wholly satisfying and entertaining movie for kids, parents, and "Average Joe" movie critics alike.

A big Kid at Heart
I was in the library with my niece and she grabbed this DVD. How can you say no to someone with the most adorable eyes. So I checked out the DVD, we went home and had a wonderful, wonderful time. This is the kind of movie you can appreciate no matter how young or old you are. James P Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman), and Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) are monsters who work for Monsters Inc. Sulley is the best at getting his fair share of scares, but he has some competition in Randall who wants to be the top scare monster. The more screams collected, the more energy for Montropolis. The monsters are led to believe that if a child enters their "world" they will be contaminated and everything could be destroyed. The real fun part starts when this adorable human child named Marry (Boo buy Sulley) sneaks into Montropolis by accident. The kids are scared of the monsters, and the monsters are terrifiedof the kids. Sully and Mike try to get Boo back to her world, but she won't leave. Turns out Randall is her scary monster. Also turns out that Randal has a plan up his sleeve to extract screams that could put the other monsters out of work. It's up to Sully and Mike to save Montroplis and Monsters Inc. This is a fun, entertaining film that will leave with a happy, happy feeling when it's all over. Steve Bucemis I the voice for Randal Boggs, and other notable actors are James Coburn, and Jennifer Tilly (who has the perfect voice for animation, she should do more of it!!!) and Bonnie Hunt.

This is an adorable movie. One I will watch again, with or without my niece.

More Family Magic from Pixar! Great DVD Extras!
"Monster's, Inc." combines a fantastic cast, cutting edge imagination, and a tender storyline into a wonderful, delightful family film . . . it may even cure the nighttime frights of your wee ones!

Most of us were scared stiff at some point in our childhood by the spooky, imaginary "monsters in the closet," usually after we've read "Where the Wild Things Are" for the first time. "Monsters, Inc." plays on that near-universal fear by creating a rational explanation -- monsters live in a parallel universe, connected to ours by closet doors, and they power their land by the energy contained in human screams. Makes perfect sense!

Sulley (the hilarious John Goodman) is a celebrity in Monstropolis as the leading scare-getter for Monster's, Inc. Sulley is generally a lovable big blue yeti-bear-creature, but he can be quite terrifying. Blissfully unaware of the terror he unleashes, he enjoys his job. Basking in Sulley's reflected glory is his sidekick and assistant, Mike Waznowski (Billy Crystal, perfect as ever). Mike is a lime-green-yellow glob with one giant eye and an even larger mouth. He helps Sulley get the screams and stay one step ahead of the competition.

And the competition is fierce. The dragon-chameleon Boggs (Steve Buscemi, suitably creepy without being too scary for the kids) is right on Sulley's heels to be the scream champion, and he's willing to go to any lengths to beat his nemesis.

All is well in Monstropolis until Boo, a human child, accidentally finds her way through the closet and into Monstropolis. It seems that as scared as kids are of monsters, the monsters are equally scared of the kids -- their touch (allegedly) brings death and ruin. (This misunderstanding leads to great comic scenes as X-Files-type HAZMAT crews invade every time there's a kid sighting, usually to the woe of the monster who has seemingly been infected by the kid!)

Like all Pixar films, the glories are in the details. Check out the gentle satire of Hollywood celebrity culture, of mindless bureaucracy, and the perils of romance in the office. The animation is also wonderful -- Pixar continues to evolve with every picture. For example, Sulley's fuzzy hair is fully articulated as he zooms through various escapades.

The story is fast-paced, with enough jokes to keep the adults laughing . . . which is good, 'cause your kids will likely keep throwing this into the DVD player.

Speaking of the DVD -- there are lots of fun extras on this two-disc set. Personal favorites include the fake "outtakes," similar to those at the end of "A Bug's Life," a short film featuring Mike showing Sulley his new hi-tech car (with hilarious consequences), and an Oscar-winning short film, "For the Birds," which shows how funny animation can be, even in short doses. There are additional extras that will keep the kiddies occupied for hours.

All in all, a must for the family's DVD library.

100% Kid Friendly
There aren't many movies that can be seen over and over and over again and still be enjoyed so much. My little sister is addicted to Monsters, Inc. Instead of having to look under the bed to make sure there are no monsters there, she wishes and hopes that when the closet door is opened, Scully will be in there waiting to "scare" her. She was Boo for Halloween last year and requested a Little Mikey stuffed animal for her birthday. Basically, she can not get enough of anything to do with Monsters, Inc.

OK, I admit it. I'm hooked on Monsters, Inc. too. After seeing it thirty plus times with the little one, I still find myself actually watching it and laughing out loud. What a great movie with lovable characters.

Monsters, Inc. is a 100% kid friendly movie that adults will enjoy as well. ... Read more

Reviews (247)

Kidnap the Sandy Claws!
This is my favorite animated film and in my opinion the best to come out of the Burton/Elfman team. The plot is... well... "different": The denizens of Halloween Town kidnap Santa Claus and have their way with Christmas. i.e. make a complete mess out of it. The visuals are spectacular (if a little dark) and the music and songs are wonderful and fit right in with the action. Regarding the "family appeal" of this movie: just keep in mind that this is a Tim Burton creation (Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow) and therefore it is dark, a little scary and the humor is on the sarcastic side. Oh, and if you absolutely can't stand musicals, then this movie will either make you a believer (like it did to me) or will put you off.

About the DVD edition: I've seen this movie in the theater, on TV, on VHS and now on DVD and I must say that the DVD edition had the best sound quality. They could have included some bonuses (a "the making of..." type of feature is really missing) but the excellent sound and decent picture quality was good enough for me.

Go ahead and give it a try, especially if you're a Burton/Elfman fan!

Fantastic, wonderful, and moving...
I've not seen this movie in a very long time, and it wasn't until just recently that I revisited it. The Nightmare Before Christmas' title sounds like something from a horror movie, but it certainly isn't one. Sure, everything looks grim and creepy, but that's just the setting. The story of Jack Skellington feeling as if everything is a routine for him and wants to experience something different was kinda touching, as is with the songs he sings to himself in the film. The music is creepy at times and is beautiful when needed, and it's all composed by Danny Elfman; who in turn also wrote the songs, and does Jack Skellington's voice. TNMBC was skillfully animated, using the stop-motion style, which most likely took them quite a while to finish. The end product looks pretty good too, especially for a movie released back in '91. Tim Burton has always been one of my favorite directors, and this film didn't let me down. Not only did it bring back some nice childhood memories, but it also made me feel good in the process. Those parents who aren't sure of showing this film to their kids because it may scare them, at least consider that the movie has NO violence either than a stitched-up lady jumping from a building, but she doesn't get harmed as she puts herself back together. If your kids can handle the creepy looking monsters and creatures, by all means let them watch this movie. They most likely will never forget it.

the best christmas and halloween movie ever
wellllllllllllll.the guys from halloween land go to x-mas land and kidnap santa and do x-masup thier own way.its animated or something so no stars per say.this one is for some kids and not for others.the sensitive types need to be in bed.it is another one of tim burtons abselute masterpieces.there are basicly 2 kinds of movies.your julia robetrs-sell out-hollywood-junk and movies that actualy required some thought.so anyone with an imagination will like it.this is themost over the top and wild x-mas movie ever.

Spellbinding
This movie is beyond enchanting, delving into the realms of spellbinding. I never thought that an animated film could be so stunning with its cinematography mixed with the music. That's the amazing beauty of Tim Burton's world: it's filled with contrasts. In particular is Sally (voiced by the Canadian goddess Catherine O'Hara) the ragdoll who externally is not the most beautiful thing with her stitchings and patched clothes, but internally she is pure and filled with love for Jack. Even her singing (again Catherine) sounds like an innocent child, straight tone (no vibrato) and a flowing, velvet soprano.
The world of Halloweentown is dark, but filled with beauty and rich melodies straining through (by the genius Danny Elfman). The construction of the film is so perfect making Halloweentown filled with browns and blacks whereas Christmastown is bright and cheerful, joyful as we expect Christmas to be and the real world is somewhere in between. All of it pulls together beautifully to create a timeless story and the most magnificently filmed ending with Sally and Jack in the snow.
Just proves the genius of the film makers.

yuck
Why does "everyone" love this movie? It's not that good. Not at all. I saw this when I was four and I absolutely hated it when I found out they kidnapped Santa Clause. The zombie girl taking her head off at one point in the movies was pretty gross too...yuck. I don't reccomend this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The skillful blending of drawn animation and computer-generated imagery excited anime fans when this science fiction mystery was released in 1995: many enthusiasts believe Ghost suggests what the future of anime will be, at least in the short term. The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when an unnamed government uses lifelike cyborgs or "enhanced" humans for undercover work. One of the key cyborgs is The Major, Motoko Kusanagi, who resembles a cross between The Terminator and a Playboy centerfold. She finds herself caught up in a tangled web of espionage and counterespionage as she searches for the mysterious superhacker known as "The Puppet Master."

Mamoru Oshii directs with a staccato rhythm, alternating sequences of rapid-fire action (car chases, gun battles, explosions) with static dialogue scenes that allow the characters to sort out the vaguely mystical and rather convoluted plot. Kusanagi's final quote from I Corinthians suggests that electronic evolution may compliment and eventually supplant organic evolution. The minor nudity, profanity, and considerable violence would earn Ghost in the Shell at least a PG rating. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (373)

Storyline is extensively borrowed, but good A/V
When Ghost in the Shell was released, it was hailed as "the future of anime." A fair claim, as more recent works blending drawn artwork and CG have demonstrated. In this respect, it's an interesting piece of work. Note that Macross Plus experimented with this visual technique 3 years earlier, but not to the extent of Ghost.

Unfortunately, Ghost in the Shell borrows heavily from "Blade Runner", "The Terminator", and even "La Femme Nikita" to creative an unoriginal storyline. American movie fans will undoubtedly see the similarities here. I don't think Mamoru Oshii was racking his brain to create something absolutely original from a script perspective. He probably had a "look" in his head of how the film should have appeared, and filled in the narrative gaps to include as many special effects as possible. Hardcore Ghost fans will undoubtedly disagree with me on this.

The anamorphic format is great, picture quality is great. The sound quality is good, except it's too bad that there wasn't a DD5.1 Japanese audio track available on the disk. The English version dub was fair, at best. Overall, the film is definately worth watching, but isn't quite the classic it's hailed to be.

Best anime next to Akira!!
This anime was revolutionary, well drawn, well animated, and highly philisophocal. I love how GITS intrigues the mind with how technology has created highly sophisticated robots with human brains to make them the best replication of humans. Also, it teaches how science will never be able to define life. Lots of action, some violence, bare female robot flesh, and sophisticated thought have created a masterpiece. This not only challenged minds, but was the first animation to combine celluloid and computer animation. By the way, Paul Duet outta be beaten to death with a mace for saying Akira and GITS suck and saying that Trigun and Tenchi Muyo rule!! I also think genner outta be shot in the face with a 20-gage shotgun loaded with phosphor shells. Watch this, it's alot better than Princess Mononoke and Trigun combined!!

Matrix like anime
Ghost in the Shell is by far the most intellectual anime I have seen so far. The story deals with a group of cyborgs running after a new sort of being, the Puppetmaster.

The animations are of course superb and even realistic. Try the Japanse voices, I heard the American and they are sometimes lacking in emotional depth and range. A little flat sometimes and that did not do good to this otherwise great movie.

If you like the Matrix, it looks a little like it. People who can hook up to the net etc.

One of the greatest sci-fi films of all time.
Ghost in the Shell is simply my favorite science fiction film second only to Blade Runner- Director's Cut. Which, not surprisingly, influenced this movie a great deal. I remember back in 1996.....already a full blown anime aficionado, I had followed the production of this film since the first Japanese press release and was eagerly awaiting its indefinate arrival on American shores. Having read Masamune Shirow's graphic novel that inspired the film, this became the first anime title that I ever pre-ordered and counted the days upon its release.

But the movie wasn't what I had expected. The entense action was toned down a bit. The humor in the graphic novel was entirely non-existent in the film. What was left were the deep philosophical ovetones. And I commend Mamoru Oshii for making the risky decision to focus mainly on this aspect of the story. The movie, in fact, was BETTER than I could have ever hoped.

The story seems simple even typical when described, but it's the underlining philosophical themes that make this film such a treasure.

Our protagonist is Motoko Kusanagi, an officer of a military division known as Section 9. On the trail of a Notorious hacker dubbed The Puppet Master, Kusunagi begins to question her own consciousness or "ghost" as she unravels the case.

Deep in 'noir' territory, Ghost in the Shell is definately not for the viewer who likes to check their brain at the door. You will be challenged to discover the existential nature of the characters as they discover it themselves. This is not bad filmaking rather than a forced empathy with Kusunagi that will hopefully get you contemplating some of the philosophical issues presented here.

An instant classic.
intellectually and visually stimulating. great shots, action, and dialogue. ... Read more

Reviews (373)

Pure enjoyment for the open minded...
This review is directed to those who, like myself, are not avid anime fans. I own three anime DVDs: Ghost in the Shell, Akira, and Ninja Scroll, and I enjoy all three. However, Ninja Scroll is far the most enjoyable to watch. But this review is not a comparison of the three.

I would like to praise the writer/director of Ninja Scroll for creating such an exciting and artistic work while at the same time retelling the ancient tale of the reluctant hero. The plot was sufficient enough to withstand the weight of the amazing action sequences and fun sexual content. The character development was superb. Jubei (the hero) is not portrayed an all-powerful superhero. Instead, we just see a gifted fighter with an immense will to survive.

The action scenes are among the best I have ever seen, with battle choreography that is comparable to that of the best filmakers. The villians are imaginitive and original, not to mention devious. The plot is extremely imaginitive, touching on topics that are not common to the "super robots and cute little girls" world of Japanese Anime: love triangles, rape, greed, self esteem, and homosexuality. This film was enjoyable from beginning to end, and if you are searching to expand your collection into something new, pick up this DVD. Its pure enjoyment.

Breaking the Samurai Code
One tradition of Japanese manga and anime is based on the legends of Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, who was a very real swordsman serving the Tokugawa Shogunate at the beginning of the 17th century. Jubei was known for wandering Japan, sometimes as a spy for the Shogun, and righting injustices with displays of his extraordinary swordsmanship. Kind of a Japanese Knight of the Roundtable.

In 'Ninja Scroll', this part is played by Jubei Kibagami, an itinerant ninja. He is drawn into clan politics when he comes to the aid of Kagero, a female ninja in service to the Yamashiro clan. To save Kagero, Jubei must successfully challenge Tessai, an evil ninja (one of the Eight Devils of Kimon) with the ability to turn his skin into stone, and the strength to chop walls down. Jubei succeeds, but Tessai swears vengeance, leaving Jubei deeply entangled in a struggle with the Shogun of the Dark.

The third player in this contest is Dakuan, the Shoguns spy. He is a deadly old man who recruits Jubei by giving him a poison that will kill him in a day and a night. Dakuan informs Jubei that Himuro Gemma, an old enemy that Jubei was sure was dead, was still alive, and, in the company of the Devils, was at the center of the plotting. Jubei, Dakuan, and Kagero must defeat the evil ninjas and discover the purpose behind the killing of an entire village.

Kagero is a poison taster, and, as a result, is permeated with deadly toxins. She can never take a lover, because even her kiss would kill. At this point in Japanese history such a woman was an outcaste, having little value in the eyes of her society. Jubei shatters her world when he insists on treating her as an honorable human being, creating a strong emotional tension that plays against the simple samurai action of the main plot.

Production qualities of the film are beautiful, echoing traditional Japanese art forms with a fine sensibility. Line and color are strong. Violence, of course, is present, but is tightly controlled, not dwelt upon. This is one of the best and most representative films of the more conservative Japanese traditions of anime. Worth seeing for its historical status as well as for its outstanding artistic values.

Even good with overdubs
The thing that bothers me the most with Anime from Asia is the sometimes horrible overdubs in English that sound flat and unimaginative. Ninja Scroll (and Princess Mononoke) is an exception.

The drawings are as always superb and the story line is as well. This story is about Ninjas in 16th century Japan, but with supernatural powers. REally interesting.

It is very graphic and the language is sometimes very coarse, does make it more 'real' in some strange way or another.

Really good movie, watch it twice, once in Japanese, once in English and be surprised

One of my favorite Anime flicks
Ninja Scroll is about a masterless ninja named Jubei who basically wanders around Japan looking to work for anyone worthy of his service. he eventually gets caught up in a change of events that force him to fight the Seven Devils of Kimoen who are trying to take over Japan and rule it by force. this movie contains a number of cool characters and very innovative villians with unic powers. there is lots of sex and voilence in this movie so i would recommend waiting until your at least 13 before veiwing this. i(being the Anime obsessed Otaku that i am) enjoyed every bit of this and i recommend that any fan of Anime should check this out.

10/10

Mehh....
I don't want to piss the NS fans out there but I don't see how good this is? I mean I have to agree with one reviewer, this is one of the coolest animes but I didn't think it was a masterpiece.
The story was alright but not big!
The animation was great but not excellent.
The action was great.
Over all it was an alright Ninja flick. Though I think this film is a little overhyped.

Also I have a problem of people saying "OH THERES A RAPE SCENE! OH!
Gimmi a freaking break its not like you see what going on! Even though you have the sence of whats going on it's still stupid how people make a big deal that you see like a 2 minute rape scene which you barley see anything but a nipple shot. Jeez.

Now I must say the violence is over the top. Especially when one guy gets both his arms ripped right off. EEWWWW thats gotta hurt.

Over all I thought this was an alright flick I guess.
Check it out for yourself and give your opinion on it. ... Read more

Description

In 1988, the landmark Anime film AKIRA, by director Katsuhiro Otomo, defined the cutting edge of Anime around the world.By today's standards, Akira remains the pinnacle of cel animation and retains the explosive impact of its highly detailed animation and its intensely violent saga of power and corruption.Neo-Tokyo has risen from the ashes of World War III to become a dark and dangerous megalopolis infested with gangs and terrorists.The government seethes with corruption and only maintains a token control over the powerful military that prevents total chaos and hides the secrets of the past. Childhood friends Tetsuo and Kaneda plunge into Neo-Tokyo's darkest secret when their motorcycle gang encounters a military operation to retrieve an escaped experimental subject.Tetsuo, captured by the military, is subjected to experiments that make him a powerful psychic, but, unfortunately for Neo-Tokyo, Tetsuo's powers rage out of control and he lashes out at the world that has oppressed him!Nothing can stop the destructive forces that Tetsuo wields except possibly the last boy to destroy Tokyo.Insert: 1) Black BRC response card (regular version).

2) Todd McFarlane Toy Insert (limited to 300,000 total inserts)* Anime masterpiece first time ever on DVD for North American release! * Created and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo.Special Features: * Digitally re-mastered including High Definition film transfer, High Definition restoration. * THX Certified * New English dialogue, new 5.1 mix (on the English audio only), scene access and more. * Disc 2 contains supplementary materials including "Akira" Production Report, "Sound Clip," director's interview, trailers, production materials, Restoration of "Akria", and "Akria" glossary. * Widescreen format (1:78) and enhanced for widescreen TV's (anamorphic).Akria The Special Edition (DVD9, 2 discs) ... Read more

Reviews (557)

The classic in a spiffy new version
For the uninitiated to Anime, Akira is the prototype. Everything great about Anime is here -- Rich scenes, bold action, powerful emotions and a mind-bending plot.

The Special Edition vocals are a departure from the old vocals, and, as other reviewers here note, are not always an improvement. The translation is also subtly different, with fewer memorable lines. However the story is easier to understand at the same time. Both versions have their high and low points...

The DVD transfer, BTW, is flawless -- and the soundtrack on DVD (I had worn out my VHS type) is impressive with my 5-speaker Dolby Digital setup.

The movie also has some of the downsides of much Anime -- some characters are cardboard cutouts, the animation has moments of lameness that appear dated followed by beautiful, flowing chase scenes. And the movie does not always make perfect sense, but then, if you are watching a movie about people who can channel pure energy, why get technical?

Warning for all squeamish people: This movie is NOT for you. More people die in this movie than in Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Pearl Harbor combined. (Of course, 20 million people die in the first scene, but that's beside the point...many of the deaths are graphic and my wife had a hard time watching).

The Special Edition includes lots of neat extras on the second disc -- trailers, making of, cool stuff about the weird instruments used to make the eerie music, and an interview with the creator, who doesn't seem to realize the enormity of his creation.

The Greatest anime movie now on DVD!
Set after 1988 when Tokyo gets bombed, 30 years later in the near future somewhere in 2019, it's now called "Neo-Tokyo" a urban jungle of Neons and Technology. A gang of good bikers led by "Kaneda" have a war against another Biker gang, but one of Kaneda's friends who is named " Tetsuo" gets hurt in a accident and is taken by Army soldiers, that's when things turn for the worst. Tetsuo is being the subject of a secret government experiment that gives him telepathic powers and telekinetic powers beyond belief, he now goes mad and rampages through Neo-Tokyo to find the source of his power.

A brilliant, visually stunning, spectacular and unique futuristic animated science fiction thriller from Japan that set the ground for anime back in 1988, based on a popular Japanese comic book and is one of Japan's most popular and highest grossing movies. In 1989, it was brought here in America and amazed audiences as well as critics and introduced them to Japanese anime. Phrased for it's awesome animation, great artwork, details, stunning background, ultra-violence, high action, Atmosphere, character devolpment and a odd ending which makes this movie a one-of-a-kind experience that you must see on DVD.

The DVD 2-Disc set is great and has great picture quality and CD-like sound in THX, Widescreen format, Bilignal with english Subtitles, and tons of Extras such as Trailers, "Behind the Scenes" and more, so if your interested in Anime or a fan of Animation, Science-Fiction, Action and anime then this is a must own.

Also recommended: Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner, Scanners, Total Recall, Heavy Metal, Day of the Dead, Carrie, Roland Emmerich's Making Contact ( a.k.a. Joey), The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Starship Troopers, The Matrix, Mad Max, Fist of the North Star ( 1986 animated), The Crow, The Road Warrior, Firestarter, The Rage: Carrie 2, The Fury, Metropolis ( anime version), The Dead Zone, Nightmare City, Die Hard, The Noah's Ark Principle, Saving Private Ryan, Esclaflowne: The Movie, The Sixth Sense, Minority Report, The Running Man, Wizards, The Thing ( 1982), Altered States, The Stand, Terminator 1 & 2, and Spriggan: The Movie.

This is The Best Anime I Have Ever Seen
I think this movie is a good example of anime,this movie got me in to anime because it has a cool storyline and good animation, I don't reccomend this just to anime fans but to anyone, even if your not fan of anime, this movie will get you into anime

Great film
This is one of the best anime films i've ever seen. The animation is good. Even in the original film the animation is great for a 1988 movie. It is violent and has plenty of language. The dubbing was horrible, not the voice acting but how the characters mouths moved with the words (for those of you who really care about that sort of thing.) I actually liked the voices. If you've ever seen the series Trigun or Dual Parallel - Trouble - Adventure you will probably recognize the voice talents of Johnny Yong Bosch (sp?) who was Vash in Trigun and the dude who played Kasuke in Dual. The story is also pretty cool. The only really downside to the movie (for some people only) is that the movie seems to go on for a really long time. I kept thinking it was about to end and then something else would begin and that got kinda annoying. Overall I really enjoyed this movie and would definately reccomend it especially for fans of the Armitage movies.

Vash vs Leo, Leo kills the p*ssy!!
Akira is the greatest anime, but Kaneda's "Vash" voice makes the movie repulsive to watch. Kaneda's "Leo" voice was a billion times better. Not only that, Leo is tough, cool, and respectable; Vash isn't!! If Leo and Vash got into a fight, Vash would have an advantage because he has firearms instead of swords, but Vash won't exploit that advantage because of his p*ssy belief of not killing his foes. This will give Leo the advantage and he'll chop Vash into bits!! Leo rules Vash blows!! That retard who said that Vash is better in the review below mine ought to be beaten to death with a Soviet sledgehammer!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro) achieved his first international hit with this delightful 1979 adventure yarn. Quick-paced, high-spirited, and loaded with wit, Cagliostro is a dandy throwback to the caper pictures of the '60s. International man of mysteryLupin III stumbles back into the picturesque European duchy of Cagliostro with his faithful and gruff sidekick, Jigen. They will encounter, in no particular order, a runaway bride, a magical ring, an evil count with a dastardly plan, an inspector bent on catching Lupin, perilous rooftop chases, hooded guards with superhuman powers, a well-used dungeon, a counterfeiting scheme, and an ancient mystery promising grand treasure. Lupin deploys an array of Bond-type gadgets, razor-sharp wit, and a surprise up both his sleeves. Despite the hail of bullets, this caper is great fun, never taking itself seriously. Miyazaki's career illustrates how limiting the term anime can be for these films; there are hardly more than10 live-action films of this genre as entertaining. Far less mean thanHollywood fare, it nevertheless is for ages 9 and up with language and gunplay. The Lupin character has been featured in other anime films, but never as successfully or with as much fun as in Miyazaki's film. The new English-language dubbing is excellent to boot. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Fun!
Castle of Cagliostro has everything a retro 70's
action/adventure film should have: a fearless hero
with faithful sidekicks and slick gadgets, an evil
villain, a damsel in distress, a castle, plenty of
humor, daring escapes and chases and of course,
music from the 70's. This is probably because it was
made during the 70's ;-).

Seriously speaking, Lupin is a successful merger
between James Bond and Indiana Jones, with a
personality and sense of timing which surpass
both. The movie is a lot of fun to watch. Jigens
(his partner in crime) is also a great character.
This movie is a lot of fun. Everything is stereotyped
(Lupin is the typical charming rogue which gets away
with all his thefts). I don't think you'd regret
watching it and even buying it (if you collect anime).

On the technical side, the animation shows its
age (both in detail, frame rate and quality of
picture). The soundtrack is good; however, in my
copy the Japanese track is simply _horrible_

(technically speaking; the voicing is wonderful).
I don't know if it's because of my system (an old
amplifier) or because that's the way they recorded
it, but compared to the English track it sounds
like it was passed through a telephone speaker!

The best Lupin movie; one of Miyazaki's best movies
This film is great! A great mix of genres(suspense, action, romance, humor), a feel-good tone throughout the film, and a great, light-hearted story make this a must-see film for anime fans and even non-anime ones. Fujiko goes from being brunette to blonde in this one, although it's not really important. A bit of Lupin's past is revealed when he and Jigen trail a counterfeiter to Castle Cagliostro. What can I say? It's just good. The English dubbing(on the DVD, as I've never heard the original English dub) is excellent, far beyond the horrid dubbing used for the TV series. Unlike Tony Oliver, David Hayter(Metal Gear Solid) does a perfect job of capturing the same tone of the late Yasuo Yamada. Sadly, this was the first and last Lupin show/movie he did(as of now). The dubbing people of the Lupin TV series should watch this film and pay attention on how to make a good dub! But enough said, the movie's EXCELLENT!

Great caper film which happens to be anime.
Monday, May 03, 2004 / 4 of 5 / Great caper film which happens to be anime. This was my first full length film exposure to the Lupin mythos. Long ago I had played the laser disc game 'Cliffhanger' in the arcades when it first came out, it incorporated most of its plot and scenes from this movie. It was great to finally see the whole thing as I only ever made it about half way through the game, heh. Lupin and sidekick rob a casino and during the ensuing pursuit happen upon a princess chased by thugs. Ultimately leading back to a castle, a count, and a small country holding secrets to counterfeiting and beyond this was an excellent early anime with a great plot. It's interesting to see the character and stylistic cues later anime, particularly Cowboy Bebop, took from the Lupin saga. The plot was what surprised me the most, very sophisticated and entertaining for an anime, it was almost like an animated Bond film, or similar spy caper/mystery. Recommended.

Now we're cooking with gas!!
This is the cream of Lupin films and was created by a celibrated master storyteller and director. It's got everything a good adventure aught to have. The dashing roguesh hero. His faithful assosiates of great skill and daring. A beutiful damisal in distress. And evil and dastertly villan. Lost tresure. Harrowing escapes and great car chases. All of which are crammed into this rip-roaring ride that is Castle of Cagliostro. Throw in international esponage and intrege. Add a dash of comic relief.While stirring in the boys from Interpol and you get the general idea. This film simply ROCKS!!

DVD Review
Castle of Cagliostro is Miyazaki's first feature and stars the characters of the Lupin series. Miyazaki worked on much of the first season of Lupin and did two episodes in the second including the finale. I haven't been able to determine if these episodes are avaible on any in-print English release. While the animation is considerably cruder then Miyazaki's later works, the film is filled with thrilling adventure and fun humor. The breakneck pace and knock out action set pieces make up for the cruder animation style. Even without any prior knowledge of the Lupin characters, the story is simple to follow. Only the appearances of the female spy and the samurai seemed odd to an unititated viewer.
Film: 4 stars out of 5.

It is not Miyazaki's best, but it is easy to see his style emerging. The character designs for the count and the bride would soon appear in Nausicaa as Kurotawa and Nausicaa. Castle of Cagliostro is a great adventure film, but lacks the emotional realism and epic narratives that make up his later films. It may be Miyazaki's best on a pure entertainment factor. Think of it as a James Bond film by way of Pink Panther with Jackie Chan.

Manga's dvd is less then stellar. Picture quality is dicey. Most of the time the picture is fine with good color, but there are problems that pop up. Black spots appear on the film from time to time and several times heavy black blobs show up on the frame. The print also suffers for instances when the images shudders and appears to shake a bit when there isn't movement in the frame. These problems do detract, but generally they didn't distract from my viewing.

The video is presented in letterboxed format with subs that are half on the frame, half on black. I avoided the dub because the Japanese audio was just fine. Purists might be annoyed to find that the end credits are typed in English over a black screen without music, I don't know what the orginial Japanese print had. There aren't any extras other then several lame Manga Video ads.

Castle of Cagliostro is not part of the Disney/Ghibli deal so don't plan on them for releasing a new dvd. I would still recommend this dvd, although hopefully someone in the future will release it without the minor picture problems. Pioneer and Funimation both have recently put out other Lupin dvds, but I don't know of plans to pick up this title.
DVD: 3 out of 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (247)

Great for kid and adults
WOW! I got this for my AFI 100 Best Films collection and this by far is one of my favorites. Kids will love this for the same reasons we and previous generations did. And adults and film buffs will love it for the sheer volume of extras that this DVD comes with. It's almost as if the movie is secondary! There is so much here it even comes with a guided tour which I highly recommend taking. Before you do that though, leave the disc on the main menu screen for awhile. The Magic Mirror will let you know what he thinks about you taking your time!

This is also a great way to introduce your kids to Walt Disney as he is clearly throughout the entire DVD. Hopefully they will be as entranced as we were. The "Disney Through the Ages" is my favorite featurette. It takes you decade by decade from the year Snow White was released until the year 2000. You have the option to play each separately or all together. This even has deleted scenes and songs from over 60 years ago!

Kudos to the Mouse for the time and effort on a format for much a beloved film! Get this while it lasts.

Disney Magic Makes SNOW WHITE Classic DVD
I was extremely excited to receive this DVD.... Upon opening it, one gets the feeling that it is truly a special edition. The packaging is very nice: the DVD box is sturdy with two openings for each disk. The pamphlet inside the DVD is gorgeously produced and very helpful.

My first impression is that Disney has spent much time making this DVD user-friendly. There is an abundance of directions and drawings showing you what is on the disk and how to get there. Since there are two disks and a KINGDOM of information to pour through, these directions are very welcome (even to this seasoned DVD-viewer!)

Disney pulls out some familiar faces to make the experience as warm as possible: Disney himself appears in various footage; Angela Lansbury narrates the documentary and provides a "tour" of the disks; Michael Eisner shows up; and Barbra Streisand sings a specially recorded version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come".

SNOW WHITE, the movie, looks gorgeous and, although old fashioned, is quite wonderful. SNOW WHITE, the double-disk, is a lot of information to wade through. I am amazed at the amount of behind-the-scenes film that exists! Disney must have suspected that he was creating a classic - he filmed every aspect of it! I especially enjoy the HALL OF ART section. There are 3 halls of various story art (i.e. "The cottage"; "The castle"; "the Forest"; etc.) Although initially I found it hard to move from hall to hall, I eventually figured it out. The animated HALLS are extraordinary and the art that "hangs" there is incredible -- various renderings and attempts at bringing the story and locales of SNOW WHITE alive. It's even more incredible that Disney Co. held on to these papers for all these years.

Well, in case you can't tell, I highly recommend the special SNOW WHITE disks. You will spend days looking at everything that is included -- or you can opt to spend an hour and a half viewing the original,gorgeous film that started the Disney empire....

Great movie for beauty experts
Snow White's Step Mother sure had the power to transform to an ugly witch, Why not use her power to transform fairer than Snow White ? In present situation there are so many people who wants quick fix, Liposuction, Facelift, Botox etc.But with Snow White's Step Mother She wished for her death instead,that's her quick fix.
There's one classic Wile E. Coyote scenario also, When the Witch was being apprehended by the seven Dwarfs, The Witch is about to drop a huge boulder onto the seven dwarfs but she was strucked by a lightning and the boulder fell with her in a cliff.
What's the moral of the story? Don't ask a mirror who's fairer but ask an Expert Doctor who does miracle face transformation instead.

The one that started it all and still the best of them all
This is my personal favorite disney movie the best moment is the ending where the prince wakes Snow White up and they go to the castel,I also loved the music very much,disney had done a great job with this movie,its also one of the most important films in cinema history,this is definitly a classic disney movie that every disney fan should add to their collection.

1.33:1 instead of the original 1.37:1 aspect ratio
I stand corrected. The original format is only slightly wider than the DVD format. This should clip or pan the video very little. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on a series of fantasy novels by Hideyuki Kikuchi, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a bloody anime adventure. Set in the distant future, the story focuses on D (voice by Andrew Philpot), the son of a vampire and a mortal who has dedicated his life to exterminating vampires. D is pursuing Charlotte (Wendee Lee), who has been carried off by vampire Meier Link (John Rafter Lee). The bounty-hunting Markus brothers and tough-talking Leila (Pamela Segall) are also on the trail. A long, violent chase brings them to the Castle of Carmila the Bloody Countess (Julia Fletcher), where the narrative founders in a series of confusing illusions that lead to an inconclusive ending. Bloodlust looks better in still images that evoke Yoshitaka Amano's intricate illustrations than it does in motion. The very limited drawn animation clashes visually with the more fluid computer-generated imagery--D's cape billows dramatically, but his expression rarely changes. Fans of such violent anime features as Sword for Truth and Ninja Resurrection will enjoy the no-holds-barred action sequences, but more squeamish viewers will be put off by the beheadings, impalements, disembowelments, etc. Vampire Hunter D, an earlier, more modest feature based on the same material, is a better adaptation. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (331)

Mediocre at Best
Maybe I anticipated the release of Bloodlust too much or maybe I've just watched too many really good animations recently, which detracted from this movie. Most likely, it just wasn't that good. I was a big fan of the first VHD, but for a new movie that has had this much attention and praise I was quite disappointed. I'm not going to just give it a good score simply because of high hopes and respect for its predecessor. D didn't deliver the sword battles that can be found in Samurai X. The artwork wasn't sinister or gothic compared with Blood - The Last Vampire. The characters weren't nearly as well developed as those found in Ninja Scroll. After the dust settles and the hype moves on to a new movie, Bloodlust will be far removed from the status of "an anime classic" reserved for the likes of Akira and Ghost in the Shell. This move could've been much better than what's playing in movie theaters right now, but that's just my opinion.

The Original Classic's Sequel
Bloodlust is a great combination of action and beautiful animation. Those of you who have seen the first film and were not impressed should look no other place than Bloodlust. Unlike the first film this is much more of an action packed violent movie. The voice acting of D is again done very well. Unlike in the first film all of the side characters are done just perfect. The animation in this film is the best you will ever see. The sound and picture quality is also very good. But no anime can be perfect as shown in this film. The D's hand which was awsome in the first film comes of as annoying in this one. The Scene in which the shuttle lifts of may make you gag put it isn't too horrible. Even with these flaws it is still a far superior film than the original. Those of you who have not seen the original should probably see it after you see Bloodlust.

So this is my review of Bloodlust

Story 7/10- The story thats there is good there just isn't that much of it.

Sound 8/10- The voice acting is done well and the quality is good.

Visuals 10/10- Great.

Extras 7/10- Nothing special.

Rating 15 and Up- Its not as violent as people say it is.

Movie 10/10- With a great lead character, tons of acton, decent story, and great animation Bloodlust is a must see.

The End

Um..Studio Madhouse..Kawajiri....Amano.....could there be...
..........a more incredible team to bring the latest Vampire Hunter D story to life?

Our wandering vampire hunting bad*** has been hired very reluctantly by a local aristocatic family to rescue a woman kidnapped by an ancient vampire named Meier Link. But D has some competition in this particular mission. The Markus Brothers, a team of vampire hunters with advanced technology hope to beat D to the prize. But after a brief encounter with Meier Link, D begins to suspect that the realtionship between Link and his abductee might not be what everyone assumes. Very dramatic with an outstanding orchestrated soundtrack, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a worthy follow-up to the 80's classic. And believe me, fans of the original were the most difficult to please.

Some people have complained that this DVD doesn't contain the Japanese track. It should be noted that there is no Japanese track. Since the film takes place in Europe, the film was originally dubbed in English using some of the top American talent. Which is why the dubbing is far superior than most other Englich-dubbed anime.

"I know I'm a parasite, but I've always been a helpful parasite haven't I, D?"......HA

better than it deserves to be
first off i want to stay that i HATE vampire hunter d. the original that is. i saw it once a few years back and thought it was the most worthless piece of trash i'd seen this side of dragonball z. i still do. so going into this i already had some preconcieved notions about how assy this would be.
the opening scenes just floored me. the animation is second only to akira, and its a close second. the characters, even the secondary characters like the marcus brothers, are spectacularly designed and have great personality. the plot, while on the surface may seem very standard fare, is done delicately and with enough pinache to absorb a casual viewer.
the action scenes are top-notch. the music is awesome.
the ONLY downer to the movie is the main character, who through most of the movie just sorta sits there. as boring and mannequin-ish as he is they did a pretty noble job of giving him some personality. if you dont believe me just watch the closing scene.

One of the best 10 movies I have seen. Period.
I cannot say why. It is, after all, animated. There are few animated full-length films on my best-100 list. Nevertheless, Vampire Hunter D is on my of-all-movies, top-10 list.

I am not knowledgeable enough to rate the animation. Maybe the most important thing is it is not evident after the first few viewing minutes; the movie just becomes an engrossing story. Animation only comes to mind afterwards; when something is obviously better done through animation than special effects (somewhat as black and white goes away after a few minutes of Young Frankenstein or Casablanca and comes to mind only when you think back on the film and realize color would not have been an asset).

Bloodlust has fabulous characters and a story complex enough and good enough to draw you in completely. It is much better than the first film. ... Read more

Description

In a riot of color and music, master animator Bruno Bozzetto offers his irreverent tribute to Disney’s Fantasia.Transcending parody, this erotic, satiric, and delirious animated feature represents Bozzetto’s vision of the world.In six distinct episodes, fantastic cartoon creatures march, slither, and bounce to the classical rhythms of Debussy, Dvorak, Ravel, Sibelius, Vivaldi, and Stravinsky.Perhaps most entrancing is the visualization of Ravel’s "Bolero," in which the dregs of a Coke® bottle set forth a frenzied animal evolution across a surreal landscape.Maurizio Nichetti (The Icicle Thief, Volere Volare) stars in the equally wild live-action sequences that introduce each piece.For many critics, Allegro non troppo matches or surpasses the imagination and technique of Disney’s masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Finally,..to be released on DVD
I have the laserdisc of Allegro Non Troppo, and it's good to see that it's finally going to be released on DVD. As most readers of this already know, ANT is Bruno Bozzetto's Fantasia-styled movie. ANT has a beautiful sense of humor that no Disney animated movie has had. Some of the animation in some of the scenes is "primitive" compared to Fantasia, but the simple animation works very well with the humorous scenes. My favorite animated scenes? Slavonic Dance and the Finale. Very funny stuff (and very simply drawn, too.) This is a great movie and I hope it gets proper treatment for DVD. One thing that appears to be missing from the DVD is the English-dubbed track for the live-action scenes between the animated scenes. It will be nice to hear the original Italian dialog, but I will not be able to understand it and have to rely on the subtitles. It's sad that the English dubbing has not been included. (Why hasn't it been included?) Especially in comedies like ANT, dubbing into other languages can be used for comedic effect. (An extreme example of this is What's Up, Tiger Lily?) For this reason, I'm giving 4 stars for the DVD. Despite the lack of the English track, I'm eagerly awaiting the DVD's release...but I will still hang on to my laserdisc.

Brilliant animation, pretty good satire
It's okay to like Fantasia and Allegro non troppo too. But they're not the same, which makes the satire of Disney so funny, especially after 20 years of massive Disney expansionism.

Animating music, which is inherently abstract, is always a risk. However, if you aren't too worried about everything being pretty (like in Fantasia), this film will work for you. How can you tell? If you're still dry-eyed after watching the Sibelius Walse triste sequence, there's something wrong with you.

Highly Entertaining
I'd seen this in college (about 1979?) as required for a music course. There were no Italian translations, and I mostly found it confusing. The DVD release has subtitles, and is most enjoyable. I especially found the "Best of" additional short works funny and mildly political (love/peace/green earth hippie ideals of the 1960's and 1970's). There's enough sexual content and mild nudity that I'd would suggest not for younger than 10 year olds.

Superb!
This really is a wonder to behold. The animation is breath taking and the stories are straight from the heart. Much better than Fantasia. Also, the bonus footage on the DVD is wonderful. Buy this DVD!

Video for Music Class
Allegro Non Troppo is the best animated feature I have ever seen. All the humor and pathos of music are creatively expressed in each segment. I saw this feature in college and have never forgotten it. My favorite part is the "Sad Waltz" (Valse Triste) by Sibelius. ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! I will be using parts of the movie in my music classes. The kids need something new and fresh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although it boasts plenty of sword fights, martial arts combat, and odd, orange blood, Samurai X offers deeper and more sensitive characterizations than typical anime samurai epics. Based on the manga by Noboru Watsuki, the film centers on questions about the nature of Japanese society during the years following the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century. Kenshin Himura and his friends Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko seem like an ordinary, slightly goofy quartet. But red-haired Kenshin is an expert swordsman; tall, lanky Sanosuke, a martial arts master; adolescent Yahiko, a samurai-in-training. Kaoru fills the role of outspoken anime heroine. An ugly encounter with some drunken British sailors introduces Kenshin and his friends to the noble Takimi Shigure and lovely Toki Takatsuki. Shigure leads a group opposed to the Meiji government, which they believe is corrupting Japanese culture, and his ill-conceived attempt at rebellion brings him into conflict with Kenshin. A key fighter in the Restoration, Kenshin received scars on his soul that mark him more decisively than the X on his cheek; he weeps for the needless bloodshed he helped to unleash. Director Hatsuki Tsuji builds subtle visual patterns of downward motions--falling tears, fluttering bamboo leaves, the deadly stroke of a sword, Kenshin's spectacular leaps--to create a film with an unusually satisfying resolution. Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and up for violence. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Misleading Packaging AND Reviewers
To get it out of the way first, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie--I am huge fan of the Rurouni Kenshin series, and the movie, while not quite as good as the series' best parts, succeeded in giving me more of the same stuff I love so much (as long as you don't watch the horrific English dub--even compared to the series' English dub it's horrible).

Now on to the important part--the confusion that has been steeped upon this release. Here's what everyone should know, but seems to ignore (at least in reviews): "Samurai X" is the American title used to replace the Japanese title, "Rurouni Kenshin," when this movie and the OVA's were released by ADV. The original series (it came first, only after the comic) is being released under its original title by Anime Works. The Kenshin OVA's (under the American titles "Samurai X: Trust" and "Samurai X: Betrayal") were made later as a prequel to the series, chronicling the early days of Battousai the Manslayer/Hitokiri. By the time the series begins, 10 years later, the main character Kenshin has given up his past role of Battousai in order to somehow make up for his evils, so he lives as a wandering swordsman (note: not a samurai by any means, ever!) who refuses to kill. The Rurouni Kenshin movie takes place around the time of the series--as in, the same supporting cast appears, and Kenshin is currently a wanderer. Not only does the movie's story occur within the context of the series, but stylistically it fits as well.

Comparing the RK movie to the OVA series, in terms of story or style, is useless. They are two completely different works based on the same series, one made to portray the dark and violent aspects of Kenshin's early life, and the other meant to act as a direct companion to the material in the series. One reviewer relates the series and OVA's as being two seperate universes, and the movie an amalgamation of the two. Well, that is just flat-out wrong. All three works have been created along a timeline in terms of story, and in the case of style, have been created to reflect the period of Kenshin's that is being chronicled. The only reason the name "Samurai X" was given to the OVA's and movie was to make them look "cooler" for an American audience by Sony & ADV after they acquired the rights. The American name says nothing about the contents.

Don't get confused!
Samurai X is more of the anime series instead of the ova and the title was just created by A.D.Vision so don't get confused with the title. Samurai X (Rurouni Kenshin) The Motion Picture is about Kenshin Himura Dealing with his own past back during the revolution. When Kenshin and his go to Yokohama for a little vacation they run into a swordsman that was alaso in the revolution that wants to have revenge against the man that killed his best friend in the revolution. This movie was alright but the story was kinda boring and I had to see the same scene about 6 times during the movie. Get this if you want to if you are a real RUROUNI KENSHIN fan because this may not satisfy you.

excellent addendum to the series
This DVD was actually my introduction to Kenshin, which might have been a mistake as I was not able to appreciate it as fully then as I can now. The animation is as beautiful and the colors are as vibrant as the series. As for the story- it says that it occurs in the 12th year of the Meiji so I'm assuming that it takes place after the adventures in the original televised series. It's a wonderful continuation of Kenshin's life as someone who chooses to fight when necessary, but not to kill. Kenshin is, as always, goofy, sweet, and the most unassuming former manslayer you'd ever meet. I enjoyed this movie a lot more than the Reflections OVA as this one was right in line with what I feel Kensin is all about. I'd recommend viewing this after seeing the Kyoto arc of the original series.

A long chapter of the series
This movie might fit between almost any of the series chapters. Its just like a long one of them. It was the first Kenshin thing I watched in full -having tried to see the preludes once, I got stuck with all the violence of the first scenes- so this worked out fine for me in my path to becoming a Kenshin fan. There are a couple of scenes that they abuse in showing them over and over again, but it's ok. As it was for me, it would be useful to give someone who has never seen the series or OVAs a taste of what this is all about.

It's alright.
Samurai x the motion picture is alright,the only reason I bought it was because I am a big rurouni kenshin fan and because I needed some to waste my money.The story starts out with a backround of kenshins life during the revolution(CAUTION:this scene comes out a few times so you might get tired of seeing it).Then later Kenshin and his friend's meet up with a guy named Shigure that was also in the revlution 10 years ago.My favorite scene was when Kenshin fighting shigure in the last battle in the whole movie. This feature is preety much about revenge and making a name for them selves, it's actually very stupid.Like I said in my review the story is alright the fighting was alright the movie is alright I just did not like the dubbing it was just horrible I just had to ger used to it.Only get this if yu are a true rurouni kenshin fan like I am. ... Read more

Description

Sawa may seem innocent and naïve, but don't be fooled. She's a cold-blooded killer, and if you're on the wrong side of the law, you may be her next target. Not content to just watch as the imperfect justice system frees more criminals each day, a detective trained Sawa to be his instrument of justice. Now she will go to any length to execute her targets. ... Read more

Reviews (84)

I would recommend the uncut version, but still a great movie
"Kite" has been one of the hardest movies to find uncut for a long time, and for good reason. "Kite" has scenes of very graphic rape and raw violence and gore. But none of it is gratuitous, it all adds to the amazing story.

"Kite" brings to mind the movie "The Professional," but with a bit of a twist. In "The Professional," a young girl's family is killed and a kind assasin takes her in and teaches her the way of the hired hitman. In "Kite," Sawa's parents are murdered and she is taken in by the man who killed them, he forces her to become an assassin for her and also his sexual slave. Sawa is connected to him by dependence and hate. When she meets a fellow orphan and assassin, the handsome and destructive Oburi, she is given another path.

"Kite" is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. The killings in the film are treated with such nonchalance that it affects you all the more. You are instantly attached to Sawa, despite her unblinking view of murder. "Kite" definitely has heartfelt moments in it too. The calm innocence Sawa and Oburi share together keeps you close to the characters.

I gave this movie a 4 star rating, only because this is the edited version. The uncut version of "Kite" is available now. You can buy it on animecastle.com, and I would definitely recommend the uncut over the cut.

A mesmerizing movie!
Wow, this is an amazing movie. This is the "cut" version, but it is still great. I had the fortune of obtaining the Uncut version, and while it has more "graphic" everything, this is still a good version.

This story is about Sawa, a young girl, who was orphaned when her parents were murdered. She is taken in and "adopted" by Akai, the Police Detective assigned to her parents murder investigation. Sawa, reminiscant of "La Femme Nikita" is an assasian of sorts. Ordered about by her keeper Akia, she must do his bidding. Sawa meets Oburi, yet another vigilante such as she, a young man, and sparks fly. They develop a friendship of sorts. While Sawa is a girl of few words, her face and expressions speak a thousand of them.

I absolutely loved this movie. If you love a good Japanese anime, then this is for you. If you love a good action packed flick, then this is for you. The animation is so well drawn, it is mind boggling. The scenes are so realistic, but the storyline is definately NOT for children. I give this movie two thumbs up, and so will you!

A Little Too Much
I usually like a little darkness in anime shows; however the uncut version was just a bit too much. Frankly if you get a kick out of men taking advantage of young girls, don't hesitate to check it out. The movie was about a young girl who gets tricked into working for the very man who killed her family. She is trained to be a killer by her family's murderer and goes around killing people. She meets up with another guy assasin who is closer to her age; and of course, they fall in love. Then of course, she is supposed to kill him. In the end they both get revenge on the bad guys; but, like all anime, there is that little twist in the end. Blah, blah blah.
This movie left me feeling dirty and depressed. For anyone who gets their kicks out of sick shows and love being shocked, this is your movie. If you would rather watch a show that has some darkness, but yet some deep meaning, watch "Now and Then, Here and There", "Hellsing", or "Battle Angel". At least there is some discretion used in these movies and series.

Director's Cut version
when the print says "Absolutely not for children" they weren't joking around! I'm an adult so the gratuotis sex/rape scenes didn't really bother me. It actually played a part in the movie so it wasn't neccessarily random and pointless that the makers included those scenes. The action is decent and the Sawa reminds me of Matilda in the movie Leon: The Professional. Clocking in at 60 minutes it was all so short. if it was longer and more to it I would definately vote it 5 stars. I'm glad it's part of my collection none the less. The flashbacks help tell the story of the characters and allow the viewer to follw the movie easily. I'm glad the ending left off like it did. It's good to see that not all films end on a positive happy go lucky tip. In a way it was a new beginning for Sawa which was a positive in itself. Length of movie was the biggest minus i can think of. Not for the faint of heart! Recommended. B+

Terrific movie integrating true reflections human complexity
I have seen the original Japanese uncut version, which, since it's from Japan, contains much more sexual and gore content.

But don't be confused. This is not some cheap porno cartoon. The movie itself has a very twisted, but deep and many sad parts. The creator here has a movie that will really intrigue you as you watch this movie.

It's much deeper than an action movie. Tons of human emotions are involved.

Highly recommended for Anime Fans who are Adults. It's not appropriate for children. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

Welcome to... METROPOLIS
I waited for what seemed like years to see this movie but when I finally did see it, it lived up to all expectations. It's about a 20's version of the future where robots are just as smart as humans but they are treated differently. The story goes much much deeper than that but i don't want to explain it.
ANIMATION:10/10: It's a mix between anime a fifties cartoon and computer graphics. I personally thought they blended very well. Although the CG wasn't superb it WAS passable and there was a whole lot of it.
SOUND:9/10: In the theatrical release there was no english dubbing, it was left in it's original japanese form with subtitles. However the DVD has the english language and the original japanese language. The dubbing is actually quite good. The music was EXCELLENT! However if your not into jazz you should probably turn the sound off and just read the subtitles. At the end when they played "i can't stop loving you" it had a really weird effect on you but it was cool.
CHARACTERS:9/10: Metropolis has realistic lovable characters that wear cool clothes. (Rock's boots are tight!!!)
OVERALL:10/10. Metropolis is a must see and a must own. Buy the DVD.

Style extravaganza... but falls short of it's potential
As an anime fan, I felt compelled to watch this movie. After all, it's a must see, according to everyone and their mothers. Sadly, this movie doesn't hold to the hype.

It's undeniable that it gets brownie points for style: The graphics are crisp and clear, and the jazzy music worked it's way into my soundtrack favorites list. However, I felt the use of