tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30293217498060454042024-02-08T11:07:04.335-05:00Anime MakiToddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-23447001533297249052010-04-12T23:19:00.000-04:002010-04-12T23:19:51.530-04:00Anime Maki has moved!!!!!Thanks for stopping in to say hi, but I've moved to a new domain! Anime Maki is now located at:<br />
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<a href="http://www.animemaki.net/">www.animemaki.net</a><br />
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Yup! No more free hosting for me! I'm moving up in the world and all that jazz. Please join me in my new home!Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-1973605974472430302010-04-10T21:38:00.001-04:002010-04-10T00:02:31.832-04:00Manga Review: Mikansei No. 1 Volume 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_W0-Qe1cI/AAAAAAAAAx4/4Wny-D5Fo2Q/s1600/mikansei.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_W0-Qe1cI/AAAAAAAAAx4/4Wny-D5Fo2Q/s200/mikansei.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458317478950000066" border="0" /></a>Clocking in at only two volumes Tokyopop's <i>Mikansei No. 1</i> won't demand much from your shelf space. The first installment was released here in the latter part of 2009 and today we're looking at the second volume, which hit stores a little over a week ago. In case you're unfamiliar with this particular series, all you really need to know is that it's a shoujo romantic comedy. The book follows most of the genre stereotypes with regards to characters and plotlines, but the setting is more on the unique side.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><i>Mikansei No. 1</i> follows the exploits of a girl named Neo Takigawa who happens to be from the 23rd century. In her time she's considered an outcast due to her love of loud music and flashy clothing. The norm in that particular time period is to conform and not stand out, so naturally that doesn't sit well with her. Through a series of circumstances she finds herself back in the 21st century and winds up joining a band in an effort to live out her dream. To hell with disrupting the timeline!<br /><br />Neo makes a splash almost immediately and she befriends another musician named Saya Kudou, who also wants to make the big time, so they make a band called Clap=* (that's supposed to be a star by the way). Together they do what they can to get on stage, but that isn't as easy as either of them thought it would be. In the second volume of the manga their time is at hand and they've been hitting the streets trying to get people to come to their concert. Unfortunately things fall through and their venue isn't quite what they thought it would be. As one might expect, however, Neo finds the positive to the situation and looks on the bright side though when Saya announces he's going to leave the country and go back home she reacts in a way she never thought she would. From here a relationship grows between them and the two become closer as they strive to become a hit band.<br /><br />One of the more interesting things that comes about in this installment is the involvement of people from the 23rd century who are tracking Neo down and trying to bring her back. There are some fun moments with regards to this as we see glimpses of the future as they are looking at the past. Both plotlines come together in a dramatic moment towards the end of this volume and it brings about a fitting, if not somewhat abrupt, conclusion to the series.<br /><br /><i>Mikansei's</i> second volume by Majiko is attractive and packs a lot of personality onto each page. The book maintains a sketched look and isn't as polished as other efforts, but really I think that makes the artwork stand out more. The characters are cute, the backgrounds are detailed, and all around Majiko's style really speaks for itself. The translation of this installment is solid as well with smooth dialogue and no noticeable errors.<br /><br />If you saw the first volume of <i>Mikansei No. 1</i>, then you'll definitely want to pick up this second piece to round out the collection. If you're new to the franchise though, you should consider this two-volume affair entertaining, but not exactly the freshest thing out there. The premise is appealing and packs a punch, though the character personalities and development don't break stereotypes. Overall it's entertaining, but not an incredibly memorable manga.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_W7Z-1FLI/AAAAAAAAAyA/TWBv0d3T3W0/s1600/3_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_W7Z-1FLI/AAAAAAAAAyA/TWBv0d3T3W0/s320/3_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458317589471368370" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Tokyopop. <i>Mikansei No. 1</i> is rated Teen 13+ for Aggression (Rah!). </span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-30797260347113130842010-04-09T20:19:00.003-04:002010-04-09T20:25:32.147-04:00Manga Review: Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning Volume 11<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_EOQVMtcI/AAAAAAAAAxo/cYJQpqueUUE/s1600/Spiral.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_EOQVMtcI/AAAAAAAAAxo/cYJQpqueUUE/s200/Spiral.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458297022577423810" border="0" /></a>The mystery manga series, <i>Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning</i>, has been out for quite some time now. Originally the book by Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuno ran for 15 volumes between 2000 and 2005 in Japan. In the States the manga's history is a little confounding considering Tokyopop had the license, but let it slide and Yen Press picked it up a couple years later. Along those lines Yen Press is releasing the eleventh volume of the book later this month.<a name='more'></a><br /><br />In case you're unfamiliar with <i>Spiral</i>, you're not alone. In all honesty I've only seen the 25 episode anime that was released a few years ago, and I never went back to re-watch it. One thing to consider with that information is that the anime followed only through the sixth volume of the manga. So with that in mind my history with the series is a little fuzzy, though I'm familiar with the basic premise so it made what transpired in this installment relatively easy enough to figure out. Just keep that in mind, though truly if you've never read the manga before you're not about to jump in with the eleventh volume.<br /><br /><i>Spiral</i> is a mystery book about a group of people known as the Blade Children. Basically the series follows Ayumu Narumi as he searches for his brother with "Blade Children" being his only clue. These people are apparently cursed, cat-eyed, and missing one rib. Bizarre to the say the least, but these people are considered dangerous in some circles, though looked upon as worth saving in others. There are Hunters who exist to track down and kill them, but in the case of Ayumu he winds up backing them and he's looked upon as the only one who can save them.<br /><br />In this volume of the book things start out with Ayumu recovering in a hospital after a presumed attack or accident of some kind (as stated I didn't read the previous volumes, so I have no clue what happened). Basically all that happens in this volume is a month worth of Ayumu in the hospital talking to people and trying to figure some things out. He comes to a few conclusions and determines whose pulling the strings and why, but frankly nothing else really happened. I hate to say, but without knowing the plot up to the point just before this much of the dialogue and conversations were lost on me. You'll get much more out of this volume if you've been following the series, as some interesting revelations come through during these talks.<br /><br />This installment of <i>Spiral</i> features some fantastic character artwork by Eita Mizuno. Faces offered lively expressions, clothing is detailed, and all around the look of the book is very attractive. There's hardly ever a background image though, so many panels look rather bare.<br /><br />While this particular volume will hold more worth for readers of the manga, <i>Spiral</i> certainly is an interesting series. The anime was quite good and I appreciated the mystery surrounding the Blade Children. The situation Ayumu has been placed in certainly layers on the intrigue, and this volume sees some revelations to that end. It's a slow burn, however, and if you're not in the know then you're going to be totally lost from the get-go.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Review material provided by Yen Press. Spiral Volume 11 is rated Teen for Language and Violence. </span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-39933758655033892212010-04-09T09:19:00.001-04:002010-04-09T09:19:00.728-04:00DVD Review: The 14 Amazons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S71Q5tbpTSI/AAAAAAAAAxg/LoKvIIBFFss/s1600/14_Amazons.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S71Q5tbpTSI/AAAAAAAAAxg/LoKvIIBFFss/s200/14_Amazons.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457607275821223202" border="0" /></a>FUNimation's the Hong Kong Connection is their latest lineup. This particular diversion is a cooperation with Celestial Pictures and sees their live-action department focus on the kung fu cinema of yore. That means you can generally expect each of these films to be chockfull of action, cheesy dialogue, and bad English dubs. Then again considering these dubs are new, FUNimation obviously knows its audience (which it certainly seemed they did when they talked about the HKC at Anime Boston 2010). One of their first releases, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030ZOYW2?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0030ZOYW2">The 14 Amazons</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0030ZOYW2" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i>, has made its way into my hands and I have just finished watching it.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><i>The 14 Amazons</i> was a 1972 Shaw Brothers film directed by Kang Cheng. It features a tale about 14 women from the Yang family who are thrust into battle when they receive word that General Yang Tsung Pao was killed in combat. The women, along with the small army the Yang commands, head off to the front despite opposition from ministers of the emperor. It would seem that if you want a job done right, then you have to send in the women. The big villain here is the barbarians of the Western Xia, lead by their king and his ruthless sons. They are the ones that killed Tsung Pao, and just so happen to have the targets painted on their backs by Mu Kuei Ying (Ivy Ling Po) and the rest of the girls.<br /><br />As the Yang family rushes to war and get into many skirmishes they receive help from slaves of the Xia along the way. The women prove to be not only cunning in their tactics, but also skilled with the blade in battle. There are many outstanding fight sequences here, and quite honestly the battles stand out from the effort we saw in <i>Shaolin Hand Lock</i>. Rather than traditional one on one kung fu fisticuffs, <i>14 Amazons</i> features large scale action that bear an epic feel to it. Nothing is ever done simply in this movie and some of the scenes are quite impressive. Then again considering this film was choreographed by Cheng Hsiao Tung (<i>House of Flying Daggers</i>, <i>Shaolin Soccer</i>) I suppose that shouldn't be very surprising.<br /><br /><i>The 14 Amazons</i> entertained from start to finish, but I was disappointed by two things. The first was due to the fact that there were so many cast members, it became difficult to keep track of who was who. Sure some of the Yang family has more important roles than others, but better introductions and more dialogue would have gone a long way to drawing viewers in. The second thing that didn't feel right here was the pacing. This is a film that starts out strong, gets dry for a while, and then wraps up quickly, which leaves the pace feeling rather erratic. Both of these are minor flaws in the grand scheme of things, and quite frankly the movie is ahead of its time in many ways.<br /><br /><i>The 14 Amazons</i> is presented on DVD with an anamorphic widescreen image. Celestial Pictures did one hell of a job pulling this transfer together and quite honestly this is probably the best this film has ever looked. For a movie that's 28 years old it doesn't show any real decay, and that's an impressive feat. Sure some colors are washed out, there's some dirt, and each scene has grain, but that's all part of the charm, isn't it? More often than not this transfer is sharp with clean details.<br /><br />The audio here is solid as well with a Mandarin mono track and English stereo being the main sources of output. As one might expect the presence on the soundstage is a little muted, but that's par for the course I suppose. The English dub stands out as having much cleaner, sharper audio, but personally I felt the Mandarin track was better. As far as bonus features are concerned there's nothing to see here folks. Sorry, move along!<br /><br /><i>The 14 Amazons</i> is a fantastic flick with elements that are downright ahead of their time. The story is rich and deep, though character development suffers due to the overwhelming cast numbers. The same can be said for the pacing which is a little wonky, but regardless of these flaws the movie is quite entertaining. If you're curious about the Hong Kong Connection lineup then this is a great place to start.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7vdrIjIQsI/AAAAAAAAAu4/lspJGMjpn80/s1600/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7vdrIjIQsI/AAAAAAAAAu4/lspJGMjpn80/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457199106588426946" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by FUNimation. The 14 Amazons is unrated. Please support Anime Maki by buying from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030ZOYW2?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0030ZOYW2">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0030ZOYW2" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" />. </span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-9370935968127254632010-04-08T10:24:00.002-04:002010-04-08T10:24:00.491-04:00DVD Review: Shaolin Hand Lock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S71QvbrIJQI/AAAAAAAAAxY/4x4KKT_59B8/s1600/hand_lock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S71QvbrIJQI/AAAAAAAAAxY/4x4KKT_59B8/s200/hand_lock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457607099255629058" border="0" /></a>Who doesn't love cheesy kung fu flicks?<br /><br />Apparently that's the reasoning behind FUNimation's latest lineup of films, the Hong Kong Connection. At this past weekend's Anime Boston convention I sat in on the FUNimation panel where they talked about, made fun of, and previewed their latest line. Wouldn't you know? I happen to have one of their first releases, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030ZOYNQ?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0030ZOYNQ">Shaolin Hand Lock</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0030ZOYNQ" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i>, sitting right here.<br /><br /><i>Shaolin Hand Lock</i> was originally released in 1978 and was directed by Ho Meng Hua. This particular film was one of those Shaw Brothers flicks you could randomly catch late at night while channel surfing. In other words, it's basically the stuff that kung fu films are made off; overblown sound effects, cheesy dialogue, and all.<a name='more'></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7qdz3hhSZI/AAAAAAAAAuw/7AO_w4cn400/s1600/Untitled-2+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7qdz3hhSZI/AAAAAAAAAuw/7AO_w4cn400/s400/Untitled-2+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456847412916210066" border="0" /></a>This particular picture is a revenge piece with a kung fu master, Li Bai (Dick Wei), being murdered at the beginning. We soon learn that Li Bai was the possessor of the dreaded Shaolin Hand Lock technique, but that he also passed it onto his children, Ching Yang (David Chiang) and Meng Ping (Chan Ping). When the murder took place the assassin mistook servants for Li's children, so that left the kids free to take revenge on the man responsible.<br /><br />It's not long until Ching Yang is running off by himself to track down the assassin. He soon finds the man in a brothel and takes care of him the old fashion hand-locking kind of way. He gets some information from the man before he offs him, and eventually winds up getting involved with Lin Hao (Lo Lieh), who was the man that ordered the assassination. Working to gain his trust Ching goes undercover and eventually sees his moment to strike, however, Lin Hao was ready for his special technique. It would seem he has spent years practicing ways to defeat the undefeatable, and all Ching Yang winds up with is a wounded leg. Lucky for him his sister shows up to take off some of the heat. I'll leave out some of the details regarding what happens next, but let's just say the film basically winds up the way you'd expect it would.<br /><br /><i>Shaolin Hand Lock</i> is presented on DVD with an anamorphic widescreen presentation. The film looks very good despite its age and it's clear that FUNimation took some time to clean up the image. Colors are vibrant, the image is crisp and detailed at times, and truth be told this is a transfer that hides the film's age quite well. There is some noise, banding, and blurriness to contend with, but none of these really detract from the experience.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7qdxY0kHMI/AAAAAAAAAuo/11BnzzchteM/s1600/Untitled-1+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7qdxY0kHMI/AAAAAAAAAuo/11BnzzchteM/s400/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456847370314849474" border="0" /></a>As far as the audio is concerned <i>Shaolin Hand Lock</i> comes with its original Mandarin mono track as well as a newly dubbed English stereo offering. The English track in particular falls under the category of so bad it's good. It's clear FUNimation wanted to keep the campiness alive with its dub, and there are several points here where you'll burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Kudos should go to the team for understanding the appeal of the genre.<br /><br /><i>Shaolin Hand Lock</i> is a fun, campy kind of movie that is the very embodiment of the genre. Every hit, slap, kick, or poke is met with a whip-crack noise and it's so overdone at times it is borderline ridiculous. Despite that fact, there's some solid action in this movie that lovers of the genre will certainly appreciate. The plot is more serviceable than engaging, but it works as a backdrop for the action and the pacing never really skips a beat. This is a gem that undoubtedly slipped under the radar for many and it's nice to see FUNimation dusting these off so to speak. After this one I'm curious to see what else the Hong Kong Connection has to offer!<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7qbgLsajYI/AAAAAAAAAug/tEagZgquR-U/s1600/3_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7qbgLsajYI/AAAAAAAAAug/tEagZgquR-U/s320/3_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456844875709975938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by FUNimation. Shaolin Hand Lock is unrated. Please support Anime Maki and buy from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030ZOYNQ?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0030ZOYNQ">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0030ZOYNQ" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-69093286802445150482010-04-08T09:43:00.003-04:002010-04-08T09:43:00.577-04:00DVD Review: Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne - The Complete Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S71Qi5_SYaI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/d2Qb6GVVCc4/s1600/Rin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S71Qi5_SYaI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/d2Qb6GVVCc4/s200/Rin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457606884054950306" border="0" /></a><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UOMGXS?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002UOMGXS">Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002UOMGXS" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i> is freaking awesome. Buy it.<br /><br />That's it. That's my review.<br /><br />Okay, it's really not, but in all honesty I just saved you the trouble of reading through what I'm about to type. This latest anime release from FUNimation is without a doubt and hands down one of the best shows to come along in the past decade. It is uniquely mature, entirely captivating, and engrossing from start to finish. To put it bluntly, you've never seen a show like this before and everything about it stands out in a huge way.<a name='more'></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDRixd5oI/AAAAAAAAAuA/6gVxPe8fiEE/s1600/Untitled-2+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDRixd5oI/AAAAAAAAAuA/6gVxPe8fiEE/s400/Untitled-2+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456466392207189634" border="0" /></a>Produced by Xebec and Genco <i>Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne</i>'s original airing was in 2008. The show received six 45-minute episodes and instantly made an impact with its often grotesque erotic imagery. Adding to the mystique of the show is thef act that it was directed by Shigeru Ueda, who had his hands on <i>Serial: Experiments Lain</i>. But enough about the background, what's it all about?<br /><br /><i>Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne</i> takes place in a world where immortals live among us. Basically there's a big tree called Yggdrasil that is not visible to mere mortals. Every once in a while Yggdrasil releases spores called Time Fruits and when one enters your body you become immortal...if you're a woman, that is. If you're a man you do not become immortal and instead your lifespan is shortened by a substantial degree. In return for having only a couple weeks to live you also gain immense power and become a being known as an Angel. Immortals fear Angels because they are the one force on Earth that can kill them by devouring them bit by bit. Making matters worse is the fact that when an Angel is close an Immortal woman will succumb to intense arousal.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDUsF-JWI/AAAAAAAAAuI/u7zlJNvMZek/s1600/Untitled-3+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDUsF-JWI/AAAAAAAAAuI/u7zlJNvMZek/s400/Untitled-3+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456466446248715618" border="0" /></a>Caught at the epicenter in the world of Angels and Immortals is none other than Rin. She's gorgeous, well-endowed, and dangerous. She also happens to have been around for about a thousand years. The show explores her life and we experience most of what happens through her eyes. Rather than chronicle the years leading up to a certain point the series begins in the 90's and follows a timeline of events right on up through 2055. There are some flashbacks to various points in the past to help flesh out her character, but what's most fascinating is the here and now, and what's coming. You really get the sense that the story is leading you somewhere and the giant leaps in time only hammer that fact home.<br /><br />Early on in the show Rin and her partner, Mimi, get involved in a case involving a young man, Kouki Maeno, who says he doesn't feel quite right. It's not that he's really sick, it's just a feeling that something is off. It turns out that he's a clone and eventually comes into the employ of Rin's detective agency. Through the years they remain friends and one of the most impactful things about their relationship is the fact that as he grows older, gets married, and has a kid, Rin stays as young looking as ever. The show leaps forward in years and you just know he's going to bite the dust. It's sad for sure, but the series plays with the memory of the character by keeping his bloodline connected to Rin. Right up until the end there's a Maeno helping her out and it has a strong feeling of fate attached to it.<br /><br />The core story of <i>Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne</i> focuses largely on the world and on Rin, but also on the involvement of a being named Apos. This person plays a large role in the shape of things to come and the show builds towards an inevitable clash between the forces of the Immortals and Angels. While the plot is certainly a winner it's the character drama and atmosphere that are the most engaging.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDXPHQkmI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/IHY8rQegbXw/s1600/Untitled-4+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDXPHQkmI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/IHY8rQegbXw/s400/Untitled-4+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456466490009096802" border="0" /></a>We've already talked about the characters, but what about that mature bit I talked about earlier? Well, this is a dark show and there is a ton of violence. Most of this violence actually happens to Rin, since she can't die. In the opening moments of the show we see her body blasted to pieces by a shotgun and further into it she's pierced repeated by a sadist, sucked through the engine of a jet, shot in the head, and disemboweled by an explosion. Adding to this is the presence of bondage, nudity, sex, and all manner of kinky things. It's not exactly hentai, but <i>Rin</i> definitely tiptoes the line and may be a little extreme for some tastes.<br /><br /><i>Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne</i> lands on DVD with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation. From top to bottom this show is gorgeous with fantastic designs and fluid animation. The team up between Xebec and Genco produced some fine results and there is virtually nothing to complain about with regards to the design of the show. The transfer is solid all around as well with strong colors, sharp details, and a picture that is quite stable. Equally satisfying, if not more so, is the audio package for <i>Rin</i>. This DVD set comes with English and Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital surround tracks to choose from. Both dubs are incredible and bring a lot to the table.<br /><br />A decent supply of bonus features makes the cut here with clean animations, trailers, promotional videos, and an English audio commentary for the second episode. This was a treat to listen to and was one of the better anime commentary tracks I've experienced in a while. Add to this an original interview with Japanese cast members prior to the airing of the show and you have a collection of features a bit more substantial than we otaku usually receive.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDOhhO_zI/AAAAAAAAAt4/q5JE5MUK4F4/s1600/Untitled-1+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lDOhhO_zI/AAAAAAAAAt4/q5JE5MUK4F4/s400/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456466340331061042" border="0" /></a>Despite it's sometimes off-putting sadistic, sexual tone <i>Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne</i> is alone in the world of anime. There's something nothing else like it on the market and it is captivating from start to finish. I haven't felt this satisfied from a show in a very long time and it's easily on my list of top animes of all time. The only thing that would make this series better is a 1080p presentation on Blu-ray. Highly, highly recommended!<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lBFwThA-I/AAAAAAAAAtw/2QGNjkBVO_4/s1600/4.5_maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7lBFwThA-I/AAAAAAAAAtw/2QGNjkBVO_4/s320/4.5_maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456463990657975266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by FUNimation and DVDTalk.com. Please support Anime Maki and buy from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UOMGXS?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002UOMGXS">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002UOMGXS" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" />.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-38028426828757520292010-04-07T18:00:00.006-04:002010-04-07T20:48:52.021-04:00Blu-ray Review: Heroic Age - The Complete Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70n7PPuDKI/AAAAAAAAAvo/qITM0zlIoiI/s1600/heroic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70n7PPuDKI/AAAAAAAAAvo/qITM0zlIoiI/s200/heroic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457562222101138594" border="0" /></a>At last year's Anime Boston I caught a preview of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UOMGW4?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002UOMGW4">Heroic Age</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002UOMGW4" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i> during FUNimation's business panel. The teaser left me a tad underwhelmed, but after checking out the show on DVD my early impressions were thankfully misguided. The series turned out to be a solid science fiction anime with plenty of space opera elements. It wasn't something I would have labeled as "epic" or a "must see", but it was a good quality sci-fi production with some very climactic moments. The battles were big, the characters were interesting, and the story was interesting right to the end. With that in mind when the opportunity presented itself to check the series out on Blu-ray I jumped at the chance.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />Produced by XEBEC, <i>Heroic Age</i> consists of 26 episodes and debuted in 2007. Directed by Toshimasa Suzuki, <i>Heroic Age</i> takes place quite far into the future. Man has set for the stars and wouldn't you know we're not alone. A long time ago there was a race of omnipotent beings known as the Gold Tribe who reached out through the cosmos in search of other sentient species. The came upon the Silver, Bronze, and Heroic Tribes and there was some history between them for a time. Just before the final curtain call on the Golden Tribe's existence in our galaxy a young upstart named the Iron Tribe (humanity) stood up and said "look at me!"<br /><center><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1243308466_3.jpg" /></center><br />The Iron Tribe caught the Gold's attention and in the final moments of their time here, the Gold Tribe left Iron the gift of a savior. You see, the Silver and Bronze tribes sought to eradicate the Iron Tribe. Our worlds have been invaded and we've been pushed to the brink. The only thing standing between humanity and annihilation is a prophesized hero known as Age.<br /><br />The lone survivor of a ship that crashed onto a desolate world over 60 cycles ago, Age possesses something called a Nodos, which is the final gift of the Gold Tribe. Basically with it Age is supremely powerful and can transform into a behemoth known as Bellcross capable of destroying armies of enemies without breaking a sweat. Considering humanity is about to be flushed down the galactic bowl it's no surprise that a ship carrying the princess of their race has been searching for cycles trying to find him. Despite his fearsome power and divine status, Age isn't exactly what they bargained for. He's naïve to a point and downright monkey-like. He hasn't really been around other people that often and considers the AI of a derelict ship to be his mother. Naturally he rubs a few people the wrong way when he joins humanity's fleet.<br /><br />Now, despite his awkward behavior he makes friends relatively easily and there's no denying his power. He's got it stuck in his head that he's the one to save humanity and along with that notion there's a set of instructions set unto him by the Gold Tribe. In the process of driving back the forces of the Bronze and Silver, Age must also confront other bearers of the Nodos and their combat forms as well. They all want to destroy Age and humanity, but somehow, someway, there's a glimmer of hope in the fleet.<br /><center><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1243308467_4.jpg" /></center><br />What makes <i>Heroic Age</i> stand out from beginning to end is its characters. There's a mystique built around each of them. Age is innocent, yet dangerously skilled and intelligent. Dhianeila is mysterious and infectiously hopeful as the princess of humanity. While those two take the center stage other characters such as Iolaus, Mobeedo and Nilval truly stand out even as second tier personalities. It also helps the show that Age's rival Nodos users are also richly developed and equally dangerous.<br /><br />Throughout the 26 episodes of <i>Heroic Age</i> the story unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner, though there are a few surprises here and there. While you never really know 100% what's coming, you can rest assured that Age will see things through to the end. I mean, the show's named after him for crying out loud! You just know that if he's involved in a fight, chances are good he's going to come out on top. Towards the end of the show, however, things get a little sloppy. The pacing gets kind of erratic and some plot developments just aren't given the time they need to truly come to fruition. The show starts out fairly strong and stays that way for a majority of its run, but just fizzles out at the finish line unfortunately.<br /><br /><i>Heroic Age</i> is presented on Blu-ray with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen image. This release of the show hits home with 1080p that utilizes an AVC codec. The overall presentation here is fantastic and there's no grain and no compression anywhere here. Frankly there are only two flaws worth mentioning: aliasing and the black level. On the aliasing side of thing there are some terrible examples on the space ship designs used in the show. They just stand out as poorly rendered and whenever they move here you can clearly see the lines shift. As far as the black levels are concerned I was hoping this release would make them more pronounced, but as it stands the black levels were fairly shallow.<br /><center><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1243308466_1.jpg" /></center><br />Dolby Digital Japanese 2.0 and Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 are the two audio tracks available for this show. While I'm typically a stickler for the original Japanese when it comes to my anime I occasionally from my preferences lie elsewhere with some shows. I have to say that <i>Heroic Age</i> is just that kind of show. The English TrueHD track supplied here really kicks the experience into high gear with some nice uses of the channels and an all around solid voice cast. The bass is employed liberally throughout the show as well and it stands out the most when Age becomes Bellcross and uses his powers. English subtitles are also included of course. As far as supplemental content is concerned this Blu-ray release of <i>Heroic Age</i> only features textless animations and trailers.<br /><br />Despite the lackluster conclusion <i>Heroic Age</i> is a solid science fiction piece that fans of the genre should definitely check out. The characters are interesting, the battles are insane, and all in all the show bears a sort of high profile feel to it. The premise of the series is also quite good and there's a rich history the producers obviously had a fun time exploring. If you missed it the first time around on DVD then checking this Blu-ray out is something you'll want to consider.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7k_Hg2I7OI/AAAAAAAAAtY/3dOyaHZ61GA/s1600/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7k_Hg2I7OI/AAAAAAAAAtY/3dOyaHZ61GA/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456461821844712674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by FUNimation and DVDTalk.com. Please support Anime Maki and buy from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UOMGW4?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002UOMGW4">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002UOMGW4" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-3089852676243156282010-04-07T08:11:00.004-04:002010-04-07T20:54:48.351-04:00Manga Review: Cirque du Freak Volume 5<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70pQ2aQFEI/AAAAAAAAAvw/tTKOoNJEIFA/s1600/cirque.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70pQ2aQFEI/AAAAAAAAAvw/tTKOoNJEIFA/s200/cirque.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457563692903175234" border="0" /></a>While <i>Cirque du Freak</i> is a major motion picture at this point, it all started with a series of novels by Darren Shan. In 2006 a twelve volume manga was released in Japan with artwork by Takahiro Arai, and today we're looking at the fifth volume translated into English by Yen Press.<br /><br />The manga follows the exploits of a young boy named Darren, who is turned into a half-vampire one fateful night. He struggles with the loss of his humanity and attempts to find acceptance in the world of vampires. Having left most anything from his former life behind, this installment of the book sees young Darren taking the necessary steps to moving to the next level. You see, typically it's unheard of for a vampire to be made at such a young age, and as such he isn't really accepted anywhere.<a name='more'></a><br /><br />This installment sees Darren undertaking some trials that basically make or break a vampire. If you survive, you are revered in the vampire society and everyone pretty much has instant respect for you, however, if you fail you die. Yup, there's no do-overs with these tests. He doesn't necessarily know full-well what he's getting himself into at the outset, but Darren eventually steals his resolve to soldier forth.<br /><br />The first trial he faces is a fascinating maze where he's blindfolded, tied to a boulder, and dropped somewhere in the center. From this point he must use his senses to find his way to the door in order to be released. Adding pressure to this event is the fact that water continuously pours into the entire maze, leaving him with roughly fifteen minutes before there's no room to breathe anywhere. Naturally he feels the pressure here, but he actually makes it through in the nick of time.<br /><br />The next trial involves a lengthy crawl along a cavern riddled with needle-like stalagmites and stalactites. It's pretty brutal to read through as he's cut up badly, and even tougher once he realizes the slightest tremor or noise causes the deadly stalactites above him to fall. Yet again he makes it through alive, but he's quite injured without a lot of time before the next trial is to begin. That's where some mysticism comes in and we get to see Darren's bond with spiders play a beneficial role.<br /><br />From this point forward the book goes on to take Darren through two more trials, and things take a rather surprising twist towards the conclusion of the second. It sets things in motion for the sixth installment, and quite frankly I won't divulge what transpires. It was out of nowhere and something fans of the book will want to experience for themselves.<br /><br />The story here is quite good and the artwork by Takahiro Arai keeps in step. The characters are richly detailed with unique features and great expressions, and the backgrounds are just as detailed and dynamic. Some moments seem a little exaggerated, but these were done more for effect than anything else. The translation of this volume is good as well.<br /><br /><i>Cirque du Freak</i> is a fascinating vampire story in its own right, and this manga is just as entertaining. The character development is top notch, the world is imaginative, and Arai's artwork suits the material. If you've been reading the series then you'll be pleased to know that the fifth volume lives up to expectations. However, if you're new to the franchise you'll definitely want to take the time to go through the first four installments. In the end you should consider this book recommended.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7krKQ1uw0I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/SmhexEDN6rQ/s1600/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7krKQ1uw0I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/SmhexEDN6rQ/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456439878855082818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Yen Press. Cirque du Freak Volume 5 is rated Teen for Language and Violence.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-28559675660383949452010-04-06T18:26:00.002-04:002010-04-07T20:56:11.252-04:00Figure Preview: Houkago Play KanojoThe manga, <i>Houkago Play</i>, was something of a sensation when it was released in Japan in 2009. The was a Dengeki 4-Koma comic from Kurosaki Rendou sold out on its first run and became a hot topic shortly thereafter. Word of mouth was great for this particular manga and many likened its success to the characters, style of humor, and erotic content.<br /><br /><center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kaa8XcJ3I/AAAAAAAAAso/nqsD0elZjo0/s1600/kanojo1109_up.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 158px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kaa8XcJ3I/AAAAAAAAAso/nqsD0elZjo0/s200/kanojo1109_up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456421473719428978" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kahk4_zWI/AAAAAAAAAsw/c7iT36ch4WQ/s1600/kanojo1109_front.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kahk4_zWI/AAAAAAAAAsw/c7iT36ch4WQ/s200/kanojo1109_front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456421587676810594" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kaobK7e6I/AAAAAAAAAs4/wVYTQTX58m4/s1600/kanojo1109_back.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kaobK7e6I/AAAAAAAAAs4/wVYTQTX58m4/s200/kanojo1109_back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456421705326754722" border="0" /></a></center><a name='more'></a><br /><!-- More -->The book features a story about a boy and his girlfriend who are hanging out after school. There's a series of four-panel stories revolving around their time together, and in between the Girlfriend really stands out for her seductive and dominatrix-like nature. A little while ago Kotobukiya announced that a figure was on the way of the famous Girlfriend. This figure has some striking detail from the accentuated hair to her long legs and dark clothes.<br /><br />Kanojo (Girlfriend) stands an impressive 10 1/2 inches tall (1/7 scale) and is made of PVC. She's available for pre-order now, though she should be out later this month with an SRP of $79.99.Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-69215367510552963262010-04-06T13:46:00.012-04:002010-04-07T20:57:36.308-04:00Manga Review: Yotsuba&! Volume 8<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70p1D5-QqI/AAAAAAAAAv4/SexI5HmVFkU/s1600/yotsuba.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70p1D5-QqI/AAAAAAAAAv4/SexI5HmVFkU/s200/yotsuba.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457564315001176738" border="0" /></a>Ever heard of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031607327X?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=031607327X">Yotsuba&!</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=031607327X" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="0" border="0" height="0" />before? If you haven't then it's time to come out from that rock you've been living under. This hilarious manga series has been around since 2003 and is the brainchild of Kiyuhiko Azuma (the creator of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316077380?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316077380">Azumanga Daioh</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0316077380" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i>). The series is going strong in Japan and is up to the ninth installment, though no animation has been announced (sadly it seems Azuma doesn't want one). However, here in the States we have plenty to cheer about because the eighth installment is on the horizon thanks to Yen Press.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />In case you truly don't know <i>Yotsuba&!</i>, all you really need to know is that it focuses on the adventures of five year old Yotsuba as she experiences the wonders of life in a way that only someone of her age could do. She views everything as a naïveté and spends most of her time with her adopted father, Koiwai. Even by little kid standards she's considered strange and often views things that are a part of every day life as though they are biggest, coolest thing in the world. Needless to say there's a lot of charm in this manga and Yotsuba truly is an entertaining character to watch and read about.<br /><br />In the eighth volume of the manga Yotsuba has returned from the ranch with thoughts of cow-milking and ranching running through her head. She shares some of her souvenirs with the neighbors and in return she gets a gift as well. Thus Yotsuba determines that the day is opposite day and continues to pester Koiwai with statements such as "I'm Full!", when she means she's hungry, and "Yucky!", when she means it's good. This continues as the two go out for lunch and wind up bumping into some friends.<br /><br />The next leg of their journey takes them into town during a festival as Yotsuba meets a panda and shakes his hand, experiences a haunted house for the first time, and eats some traditional cake. Of course she wanted strawberries and they didn't have a strawberry cake, so the people running the stall have to think of something else for her on the fly. After the festival a typhoon comes to town and Yotsuba is utterly fascinated by it. She drags her dad out into it and they wind up going to their neighbors house for some snacks. As the volume continues there's more festival fun and Jumbo and Yasuda head over to their house while Koiwai is away.<br /><br />As always <i>Yotsuba&!</i>'s art style is absolutely gorgeous. Azuma has a style all his own and frankly it's one that I can't get enough of. I loved his work in <i>Azumanga Daioh</i>, but with this series it seems like he's really come into his own. Every panel is overloaded with detail and the characters all stand out through their expressions, especially Yotsuba. The translation for this volume is great as well and all around it will keep fans, and newcomers, of the series happy.<br /><br />If you've been following Yotsuba's adventures then you'll be picking this installment up without hesitation. It's entertaining, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny from the first page to the last. There's a little bit of magic in this book and it's a shame that no animation has been planned yet. With only one more volume to go, it may be a long wait for fans of the book who want to see what happens next. Still, this series is highly recommended and this volume exemplifies why. Check it out.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7jQk3BjL5I/AAAAAAAAAro/4JrVP408Wo4/s1600/4_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7jQk3BjL5I/AAAAAAAAAro/4JrVP408Wo4/s320/4_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456340280223674258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br />Review material provided by Yen Press. Yotsuba&! Volume 8 is rated All Ages with some light examples of Language and Violence. Please support Anime Maki and buy from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031607327X?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=031607327X">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=031607327X" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /><br /><br /></span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-44113304036194170412010-04-05T16:11:00.004-04:002010-04-07T20:58:13.144-04:00Figure Preview: Marvel Bishoujo PhoenixKotobukiya's Marvel Bishoujo line continues with the addition of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038OMC6A?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0038OMC6A">Phoenix</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0038OMC6A" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="0" border="0" height="1" />, otherwise known as Jean Grey. This particular lineup of figures features some of the femme fatales from the Marvel Universe as rendered by popular anime artists and sculptors. The twist with Pheonix is there are actually two versions being released.<br /><br />The first is the traditional version of the character:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kPk5rSI3I/AAAAAAAAAr4/yTG3-ifBx7k/s1600/phoenix_up1.jpg"></a><center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kPk5rSI3I/AAAAAAAAAr4/yTG3-ifBx7k/s1600/phoenix_up1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kPk5rSI3I/AAAAAAAAAr4/yTG3-ifBx7k/s200/phoenix_up1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456409550168138610" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kPvO-eJ_I/AAAAAAAAAsA/KBP5TbwtOyc/s1600/phoenix_aori.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kPvO-eJ_I/AAAAAAAAAsA/KBP5TbwtOyc/s200/phoenix_aori.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456409727684454386" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kP55La-SI/AAAAAAAAAsI/47aNXzwavGY/s1600/phoenix_back1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kP55La-SI/AAAAAAAAAsI/47aNXzwavGY/s200/phoenix_back1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456409910811752738" border="0" /></a></center><a name='more'></a><br />The second version is the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038OMC6K?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0038OMC6K">Dark Phoenix</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0038OMC6K" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" />, which was another personality that emerged from Jean Grey during one particular saga of the X-Men comic:<br /><center></center><center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kQmy8qavI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/ow01Hj7gpXU/s1600/D_phoenix_up1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kQmy8qavI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/ow01Hj7gpXU/s200/D_phoenix_up1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456410682233350898" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kQxR_uS4I/AAAAAAAAAsY/Mdn3CdF_XBc/s1600/D_phoenix_front1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kQxR_uS4I/AAAAAAAAAsY/Mdn3CdF_XBc/s200/D_phoenix_front1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456410862366378882" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kQ7KTO6LI/AAAAAAAAAsg/QLVdFr20X0g/s1600/D_phoenix_back1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 108px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7kQ7KTO6LI/AAAAAAAAAsg/QLVdFr20X0g/s200/D_phoenix_back1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456411032099416242" border="0" /></a></center><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Which version do you like? Personally I think the Dark Phoenix is the way to go, but then again that just happened to be my favorite interpretation of the character.<br /><br />Both figures measure 9 inches tall (1/8 scale) and are available for pre-order now (released in August) with an MSRP of $64.99.<br /></div>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-84370510172418988242010-04-05T12:06:00.002-04:002010-04-07T20:59:06.154-04:00Manga Review: Maid Sama! Volume 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70qSSysvrI/AAAAAAAAAwA/whdZrWeJkSw/s1600/maidsama4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S70qSSysvrI/AAAAAAAAAwA/whdZrWeJkSw/s200/maidsama4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457564817213406898" border="0" /></a><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1427814066?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1427814066">Maid Sama!</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1427814066" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i> came out a little while ago here in the States, but in Japan it started running in 2005. The manga was created by Hiro Fujiwara and hit the ten volume mark, with an animation set to be released sometime this year. That says something about the quality and popularity of the work, but does it have that kind of staying power in America? Not too long ago I had the chance to check out the third installment and it proved itself to be entertaining enough, but does that continue into the fourth volume?<br /><br />Before we get going into what happens with this installment, let's backtrack a little and check out what the show's all about. The series follows the exploits of a girl named Misaki Ayzawa, who just so happens to be the student council president at her high school. She has a reputation for being tough as nails and single handedly changed the fact that Seika High used to be an all-boys school. She has a strong influence and is regarded by many to be strong of character, however, everyone needs a job. She gets a part-time gig at a maid café and much to her dismay a boy named Tamaki Usui discovers her "secret". Cue hilarious antics and the beginnings of a relationship.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />In the previous volume Misaki had to take part in a dress-up race where she wound up dressing up like a maid. This bit took up a whole chapter and really was a nice exploration of her character. The book also introduced the character of Aoi, who happened to be a boy dressed as a girl. He/She created an interesting dynamic within the makeup of the cast. Towards the end of the installment a hypnotist named Kanou was introduced as well, and its his antics that kick off the fourth volume of <i>Maid Sama!</i>.<br /><br />At the beginning of this book Kanou unsuccessfully tries to hypnotize Usui into hating Misaki. He wants to break up their friendship and potential relationship, and figures Usui isn't that strong of a character. He's mistaken, however, and Usui sees right through his attempts easily enough. That's when Kanou turns his sights to Misaki herself and winds up hypnotizing her into hating Usui. The trick is, she has to fall asleep at some point within the next 24 hours for the spell to take effect. After five o'clock the next day it will be null and void. What happens next is rather humorous as Usui does his best to keep Misaki awake by stalking her, harassing her, and fawning over her every time he sees her. It's pretty funny and in the end he's successful.<br /><br />As punishment for Kanou's attempted hypnotizing Misaki forces him into a situation where he must work with girls. You see, Kanou has a fear of girls and thinks they are stupid and weak. Misaki more or less makes him appreciate the fairer sex for who they are and gives him ample opportunity to see their strength, and to see why they belong in the school.<br /><br />The rest of the book moves forward with some episodic chapters involving a company trip to the beach. Misaki is forced to dress in a bathing suit and maid's apron, which Usui thwarts by giving her a hickey on her back. Aoi also catches them in a rather compromising position. The best bit of this installment comes later and sees Usui altering the course of Misaki's dreams as she sleeps by reading to her from a book of fairytales. We see the perspective of this story from the dream-state and it's quite amusing what Usui comes up with.<br /><br />Like the volumes before it <i>Maid Sama!</i>'s fourth installment is very entertaining. The book features a sharply written script with lots of humor, fantastic artwork, and some wild memorable characters. If you haven't read the book before then you should consider it worthy of being added to your "to do" list. The series is shaping up nicely at this point and it'll be interesting to see how the animation compares later this year. Highly recommended!<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7i5G0addeI/AAAAAAAAArY/03M_b6pFtH8/s1600/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7i5G0addeI/AAAAAAAAArY/03M_b6pFtH8/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456314475359335906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Tokyopop. Maid Sama! Volume 4 is rated Teen Age 13+ for Aggression and Mild Fanservice. Please support Anime Maki and buy from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1427814066?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1427814066">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1427814066" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-53986975313684127322010-04-04T10:25:00.002-04:002010-04-04T10:29:29.707-04:00Back up and running!!!Okay, so there was a bit of a blackout on AnimeMaki recently. A couple of things happened that just really set me back:<br /><br />1.) The internet at my house died and I had to wait for a week until Comcast had an appointment to come out and fix it.<br /><br />2.) My laptop died and I was unable to use the wifi at my work to post articles.<br /><br />This left me high and dry with an iPod Touch being my only source of contact with the outside world. Then on top of that I spent the past couple of days at Anime Boston. Okay, so that's a good thing, but it also meant I wasn't at home to work on stuff. Here I am today though, caught up, internet ready, and facing a giant pile of stuff to post.<br /><br />Thanks for reading my blog and keep coming back for anime, manga, and figure reviews!<br /><br />ToddToddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-32161934363556973332010-04-04T10:15:00.007-04:002010-04-09T20:47:44.594-04:00DVD Review: My Neighbor Totoro<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_Kiodsj-I/AAAAAAAAAxw/bloEnHA6Nio/s1600/totoro.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 141px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7_Kiodsj-I/AAAAAAAAAxw/bloEnHA6Nio/s200/totoro.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458303969722666978" border="0" /></a>Few names in anime are as prolific around the globe as Hayao Miyazaki and the production studio he co-founded, Studio Ghibli. After all their efforts are regarded as the best of the best, and have the most mainstream appeal here in America. Universally there's just a certain level of quality one can expect from a Ghibli film. From the story to animation, voice acting, and music, there's just such a fantastical atmosphere to each that they stand out like no other. There's a sense of magic and wonder to each release that truly speaks to the hearts of viewers young and old alike. Whether you're looking at one of their most recent efforts, or one of their oldest, there truly isn't a bad piece in Studio Ghibli's library. <a name='more'></a><br /><br /><center><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1268786799_3.jpg" width="400" height="223" /></center><br />Over the years Disney has released Ghibli's films in one form or another. While the only one to set foot on Blu-ray to date has been <i>Ponyo</i>, the rest have received 2-disc Special Editions. Today we're going to look at <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i>, which arguably stands out as one of Ghibli's most iconic.<br /><p><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZTQV8Y?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002ZTQV8Y">My Neighbor Totoro</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002ZTQV8Y" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></i> (<i>Tonari no Totoro</i>) was originally released in Japan in 1988. The film wasn't necessarily a breakout success, but over time it developed in stature and gained acceptance. It wasn't until years later that a dub was created, and even more time until Disney got their hands on the film and redid the dub with an all-star cast. They also released it for the first time with the original Japanese language and dub available on one disc. This 2-disc release offers the same in terms of quality, but we'll get into that in a moment. First let's talk about the film.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><center><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1268786799_4.jpg" width="400" height="223" /></center></div><br />When <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> opens up we're introduced to Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe, who have moved to a rural town with their father Tatsuo. Tatsuo's wife, Yasuko, is staying at a nearby hospital with a long-term illness and the family uprooted themselves to be closer to each other. Under these circumstances you'd think the move would be hard for the girls, but it's not really. The house they have moved into appears to be haunted by soot sprites (dust bunnies) and soon enough acorns litter the way to a much larger adventure.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Mei sees two furry little creatures scampering around and she follows them to a den in the nearby forest. There she meets a bigger creature named Totoro who is mysterious as he is cute and kind. Naturally Satsuki doesn't believe Mei's story until she sees Totoro with her own eyes soon after. Unwittingly they make friends with the creature and it's a magical friendship that takes them high into the air, on ride on a cat bus, and places they never thought possible.<br /></div><br /><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1268786800_6.jpg" width="400" height="223" /><br /></div>While <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> is a fascinating and captivating film in its entirety, I dare say that the plot is very thin and not complex in the least. It follows a simple structure and is more effective than it is flashy. The pacing is slower than one might expect and from top to bottom the film is very subtle. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, mind you. It just really sets this film apart from others in the sense that it's unique and does its own thing without being too predictable.<br /><p>Where the film's real heart lies is within its characters. Watching the downturn of events involving Satsuki and Mei's mother is heart wrenching, especially when viewed from their perspective. There's just an innocent nature to their reactions, though Satsuki's at the age where she understands the gravity of what her family is going through. Despite the darker tones in the plot, the film is never weighed down by them. Totoro acts as a ray of hope for Satsuki and Mei, and it's a role he fulfills wonderfully.</p><p><i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> is presented on DVD with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and has been enhanced for anamorphic widescreen playback. The transfer for this release is identical in every way to the one from a few years back. The picture is wonderfully vibrant with sharp lines, colors that pop in every frame, and clean animation all around. Some grain does find its way into the image and the picture flickers from time to time, but through and through this is a solid presentation for the film. <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> is presented with English and Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks. First off, the dubbing quality is fantastic no matter which track you listen to. Personally I preferred the original Japanese language, but the English track with names like Tim Daly, Dakota Fanning, and Lea Salonga is quite impressive as well. On the technical side of things the presentation of <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> is a little lackluster. The sound is crisp, clean, and fine otherwise, but the limitations of the 2.0 space on the soundstage removes one from the experience a bit.<br /></p><p>For bonus features here some were available on the previous edition of the film, and some of the content is new. Some trailers are present on the first disc with the rest of the supplemental material presented on the second disc. Those with the previous release may recall the "Storyboard Presentation of the Movie", which is the movie essentially in its entirety as told through storyboard images. The new material for this release is broken up into a section called "The World of Ghibli"<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">There are two sides to "The World of Ghibli". The first is "Behind the Studio", which is broken up into eleven different selections. "Creating My Neighbor Totoro" (2:59) features Miyazaki in his home talking about working on the film, how it came about, and some of his impressions of the project. "Creating the Characters" (4:24) is a similar feature, but this time Producer Toshio Suzuki and Miyazaki are present for interviews. "The Totoro Experience" (2:03) once again features Suzuki and Miyazaki, and this one is more relative to the reception of the film itself. The two once again make an appearance in "Producer's Perspective: Creating Ghibli" (1:19) where they talk about the foundation of their company.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1268786799_1.jpg" width="400" height="223" /></p>"The Locations of Totoro" (28:35) is the most robust feature here. It has been pulled from a documentary called "The Scenery of Ghibli" and more or less is a travelog with actress Mayu Tsuruta. In this feature Mayu shows us the many locations near Kanto that inspired, and were inspired by, the film. "Scoring Miyazaki" (7:19) has Joe Hisaishi talking about the music found in Miyazaki's films (<i>Totoro</i> and otherwise). If you've ever loved the music in these efforts then you'll appreciate this feature. Included here are also a two-minute original trailer for the film and "Behind the Microphone" (5:38), which features the American cast talking about working on the film. Closing out "Behind the Studio" are features for other Ghibli releases: "Creating Ponyo" (3:57), "Creating Kiki's Delivery Service (2:27), and "Castle in the Sky: Character Sketches" (2:40). Neither of these are extremely in depth looks, but are more than enough to make you want to watch those films.<br /><br />The final feature on the second disc is "Enter the Lands". This inclusion is an interactive map that provides trailers, information, and artwork for <i>Ponyo</i>, <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i>, <i>Castle in the Sky</i>, and <i>Kiki's Delivery Service</i>. Each map has a good amount of areas to explore and kids will undoubtedly love digging through seeing what's available. There's nothing substantial, mind you, but it's fun to take for a spin.<br /><p><br /></p><center> <img src="http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/142/1268786799_5.jpg" width="400" height="223" /></center>In many ways <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> is a film about coping with loss and of growing up. It's a piece about the mysteries of childhood and a movie that will appeal to viewers young and old alike. As I stated, the plot isn't exactly the most involved thing about <i>Totoro</i>. The atmosphere, characters, and message ring through much louder than the core tale. It's a fairytale unlike any other and it's timeless in many regards. If you have never seen <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i> before, then you've been missing out on an amazing film.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7igqTiu67I/AAAAAAAAArI/VsoSITcZOSc/s1600/4.5_maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7igqTiu67I/AAAAAAAAArI/VsoSITcZOSc/s320/4.5_maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456287597220260786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Review material provided by FUNimation & DVDTalk.com. Please support Anime Maki and buy from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZTQV8Y?ie=UTF8&tag=animak-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002ZTQV8Y">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=animak-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002ZTQV8Y" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /><br /></span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-36735332086539756942010-04-04T10:09:00.003-04:002010-04-04T10:11:33.236-04:00Blu-ray Review: Trinity Blood the Complete Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7ieB-W4bJI/AAAAAAAAArA/TtTqc52pJ2k/s1600/trinity+blu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 309px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7ieB-W4bJI/AAAAAAAAArA/TtTqc52pJ2k/s400/trinity+blu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456284705315384466" border="0" /></a>Vampires and anime go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Don't believe me? Look how popular <i>Blood: The Last Vampire</i> and <i>Hellsing</i> are. Beyond that there are other shows like <i>Moon Phase</i>, <i>Rosario + Vampire</i>, <i>Karin</i>, <i>Vampire Princess Miyu</i>, and <i>Vampire Knight</i>. See what I mean? Oh, and there's also a little show called <i>Trinity Blood</i>.<br /><br />The show has been around in America for a while now, and chances are very good that you have at one point or another looked at either the individual volumes, or collection on DVD. Recently FUNimation took the next logical step for the franchise and retooled it for a Blu-ray release. All 24 episodes are presented here on three Blu-ray discs with an accompanying 22-page art booklet to boot.<br /><br /><i>Trinity Blood</i>'s main plotline all began several years prior to the show's current timeline. As the story goes humanity made it to the stars and even got as far as Mars, where they discovered two types of nanomachines which they naturally injected themselves with. This changed our fate forever and created two types of beings: the Methuselah and Crusniks.<br /><br />The Methuselah were basically augmented humans who took on several vampiric traits. The Crusniks turned out to be a vampire to the vampires. While the Methuselah treated themselves to humans, the Crusniks liked the taste of Methuselah ("Tastes great! Less filling!"). With these two new types of people back on Earth all hell broke lose and a war erupted that nearly destroyed the world.<br /><br />In this setting the Vatican stands as the last safe haven for humanity, but with diplomacy there's some wheeling and dealing going on in the background. There's a group known as the Rosen Kreux that is working on their own secret agenda (they're basically the bad guys), and beyond them there's yet another faction known as AX (basically the good guys). No matter how you slice it, that's a lot to take in and to say <i>Trinity Blood</i> is a complex show would be an understatement.<br /><br />The lead character here is arguably a guy named Father Abel Nightroad, who works for the AX. Abel is one of the legendary Crusniks and was born nearly a thousand years ago and fights for the Vatican. The show follows most of his exploits as he tries to stop the Rosen Kreux. It's worth noting that Abel isn't exactly your typical hero since he suffers from Vash-complex (yes, of <i>Trigun</i> fame). What I mean by that is Abel is obnoxiously goofy at times in order to hide his fearsome power. I hated it in <i>Trigun</i>, and I'm not too keen on it here. Thankfully the rest of the cast built around him is solid and the concept is interesting, so it washes out in the end.<br /><br />It should be said that <i>Trinity Blood</i> is a rather unbalanced affair. The first half is largely episodic and dry while the latter episodes really kick it up a notch. Because of this the pacing feels disjointed somewhat, and some of the details in the plot come to fruition a little too late in the game. Despite that the show is quite entertaining and there's some cool action, especially for those in the audience who enjoyed <i>Hellsing</i>.<br /><br />The show looks fantastic on Blu-ray as well with a full 1080p output, AVC encoding, and an anamorphic widescreen transfer. The quality of the show was incredible to begin with thanks to the production by Gonzo, but in high definition it's even more gorgeous. Lines seem sharper, colors are more vibrant, and all throughout the compression rate is better with less noise. It's not a perfect picture, mind you, but it's definitely better than the transfer offered by the DVD. The same can be said for the audio as well with the Dolby Digital TrueHD English 5.1 track being the winner as far as presence on the soundstage is concerned. The Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 track offered a much better dubbing cast, however.<br /><br />For bonus features this collection is a little light. Clean animations, trailers, and some historical facts about the show are all you're going to find here. The booklet, while cool, unfortunately doesn’t hold a candle to the six booklets that were released with the DVDs when they came out.<br /><br /><i>Trinity Blood</i> may be a somewhat unbalanced effort, but the show is quite entertaining at times. I enjoyed most of the characters, the setting, and the action, but felt the episodic pacing, goofy Abel, and certain points in the plot dragged the show down a smidge. It's strongly recommended though, and if you haven't seen it then by all means, consider this Blu-ray presentation the way to go. I wouldn't exactly call the video and audio light-years beyond what the DVD offered, but it's a step up in that department even if you forgo some of the material from the original booklets.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7id9zXolXI/AAAAAAAAAq4/_p4bVdSp4k8/s1600/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7id9zXolXI/AAAAAAAAAq4/_p4bVdSp4k8/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456284633646273906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review Material provided by FUNimation. Trinity Blood is rated TV-MA.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-38796604682945023472010-04-04T10:07:00.003-04:002010-04-04T10:08:45.692-04:00Manga Review: Spice & Wolf Volume 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7idOIxraQI/AAAAAAAAAqg/BwdhRq7kl8c/s1600/spice.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7idOIxraQI/AAAAAAAAAqg/BwdhRq7kl8c/s320/spice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456283814758934786" border="0" /></a>I'd be lying if I said I didn't fall in love with <i>Spice & Wolf</i> the animated series when I first saw it. The show just popped in every way from the intriguing characters to the story and personality. Everything about the anime caught me off guard in a positive way and stood out as unlike anything I had seen before. Then again, it all started somewhere, right?<br /><br /><i>Spice & Wolf</i> began as a novel by Isuna Hasekura and was published in manga form back in 2008. It took a couple of years, but Yen Press has translated the book and we finally have the first volume in hands. How does it stack up? The short answer to that question would be that I enjoyed this first installment as much as I liked the anime. Then again, that wouldn't make a very compelling review now, would it?<br /><br /><i>Spice & Wolf</i> is about a traveling merchant named Lawrence who is always out to make a dollar (or Trenni Silver coin, if you will). He roams the land with his carriage and horse making trades and working the market to his benefit. At the beginning of the story he travels to a village where a pagan ritual is underway involving a wheat crop and a wolf god named Holo. It would seem it has become a tradition for the villagers to chase someone with a stock of wheat as the embodiment of Holo, however it's more of a game now than anything religious. There used to be a time before farming technology improved that Holo was truly looked upon as a deity.<br /><br />Lawrence takes all this in and winds up leaving with some of their wheat crop after a trade. That night he's surprised by a beautiful naked girl sleeping in his wagon, however, the fact that she had a long fluffy tail and ears were more startling to him. This girl happened to be Holo herself! After convincing Lawrence that she is indeed who she says she is, Holo goes on to describe how she had essentially become a prison of the wheat. She can only go where the wheat goes and will only disappear when the wheat dies, which is basically never in this case. She wishes to travel north to her homeland and Lawrence reluctantly allows her to tag along.<br /><br />Holo and Lawrence become unlikely traveling companions, yet at the same time they are nearly of a kindred spirit. Lawrence's awareness of money and Holo's intelligence, abilities to lie, and ears that can decipher the slightest irregularities in the purity of coins go hand in hand. As they travel Holo finds ways to help Lawrence to repay him for freeing her and allowing her to head back home.<br /><br />Much like the show, the book is really about Lawrence and Holo and the relationship that develops between them. They play off each other very well and whether Holo is teasing Lawrence, or they're working together on a deal, it's always a joy to see the two together. Adding to the richly developed characters is a robust world surrounding them. All the talk of markets, currency, and trading is quite unique in the manga world, and in that regard <i>Spice & Wolf</i> is truly fascinating. Hasekura truly went the extra mile to think of every minute detail in order to craft an original and expansive world.<br /><br />As was the case in the anime, the artwork here is absolutely fantastic. With character designs by Jyuu Ayakura and detailed artwork by Keito Koume, <i>Spice & Wolf</i> literally leaps off the pages. Every panel is packed with careful brush strokes and the characters display all kinds of emotions and facial expressions. Likewise the translation job provided by Yen Press is certainly noteworthy. Holo has a unique way of speaking that I'm pleased to see represented here in true form.<br /><br />Whether you've read the book, have seen the anime, or simply never heard of it before, <i>Spice & Wolf</i> is a franchise worth picking up without hesitation. The first volume of this manga is highly entertaining, full of charm, and features two of the most interesting characters to grace the manga world in some time. I can't say enough good things about this book and story. I loved every detail about it and highly recommend it without hesitation.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7idWyV0eqI/AAAAAAAAAqo/Dx__tCRy3hs/s1600/4_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7idWyV0eqI/AAAAAAAAAqo/Dx__tCRy3hs/s320/4_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456283963355331234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Yen Press. Spice & Wolf is rated M for Mature due to Language and Nudity.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-47232227361970136692010-04-04T10:05:00.004-04:002010-04-04T10:08:59.305-04:00Manga Review: Bokurano Ours Volume 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7idAtzcx5I/AAAAAAAAAqY/3GlPgzzW95I/s1600/bokurano.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7idAtzcx5I/AAAAAAAAAqY/3GlPgzzW95I/s320/bokurano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456283584180307858" border="0" /></a>Every once in a while you read or see something that hits you in a way that's unexpected. When VIZ's latest release, <i>Bokurano: Ours</i>, was announced everything I read about the title suggested it was just another giant mech piloted by kid manga. To be quite fair the genre has been played to death and anything remotely close to the genre feels stereotyped somehow. Now that the first volume of <i>Bokurano: Ours</i> has come out, I dare say that my preconception of this manga has been shattered.<br /><br /><i>Bokurano: Ours</i> follows fifteen children over the course of a summer as they take part in a program called "Seaside Friendship and Nature School". The kids all attend the same junior high school and are in the seventh grade together (the exception being one girl who is in the fourth grade). When the book opens the kids are all on a beach doing some natural research for a project. After a while they discover a cave entrance and head inside to see what they can find. The cave is dark, but just a little ways ahead of them is a source of light so they decide to keep going. What they find is more than they bargained for.<br /><br />A strange man named Kokopelli has apparently been working out of this area, as evident by a lot of computer hardware and such. He tells the children that he's working on a game and asks if they would like to participate. He convinces them to sign up by touching an object, and the next thing they know they all wake up on the beach thinking it was a dream or something. When a giant beast is summoned into existence before their very eyes the reality of their "game" hits home.<br /><br />As it turns out Kokopelli is an alien of unknown origin who invites them to each take a shot at piloting the massive mech. In turn the kids will all have to defeat other massive monsters in an effort to save the world. Naturally some of the children are fearful of that prospect, and others jump at the chance to sit in the pilot's chair. What happens next once they start playing is something that simply has to be seen to be appreciated, in all fairness. There are some heavy duty spoilers that would be dropped if I continued going on about the plot, so I'll refrain from that direction.<br /><br />Aside from the story, another thing that stands out about <i>Bokurano: Ours</i> is the dark nature of it all. Some unexpected stuff happens and a lot of people die. Adding to that sense of tragedy is the way it is played out with the children as they all deal with the gravity of the situation. It's quite unique in many regards and in between all the drama is the sense of a foreboding mystery working in the background.<br /><br /><i>Bokurano: Ours</i> was created by Mohiro Kitoh and features some fascinating, unique artwork. There's a frantic look to every line and one really gets a sense of movement and emotion in each frame. There's a lot of detail in the book and some of the designs truly speak for themselves. The translation is smooth as well and there really is no problem as far as editing is concerned.<br /><br />The first volume of <i>Bokurano: Ours</i> is quite a success. The book is fascinating and messes with readers in many ways. The mystery is compelling, the relationship the kids form shows promise, and the dark undertones really leave a sense of unease after putting the book down. It's not quite a horror, but rather a manga that's more adult and suspenseful than one might think. It'll be fascinating to see where the series goes from here and I for one look forward to the next installment.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7ic9pWI7YI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/l8XKt825sqI/s1600/3_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7ic9pWI7YI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/l8XKt825sqI/s320/3_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456283531444022658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by VIZ Media. Bokurano: Ours is rated for Older Teen.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-10921975087376446422010-04-04T10:02:00.004-04:002010-04-04T10:09:16.742-04:00Manga Review: Arata the Legend Volume 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7icWtsr_zI/AAAAAAAAAqA/arLbjibNVXM/s1600/Arata.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7icWtsr_zI/AAAAAAAAAqA/arLbjibNVXM/s320/Arata.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456282862597439282" border="0" /></a>Yuu Watase's <i>Arata the Legend</i> debuted last year in Japan, which makes the fact that we already have an English language release all the more impressive. Typically manga takes a little longer to make its way to our shores, but VIZ Media obviously wanted to get its hands on this license as soon as possible. With that in mind we dig into the first volume. Was it worth getting this manga to the masses as quickly as it did?<br /><br /><i>Arata the Legend</i> takes place in another world where things are a little different than they are here. Some of the women can use magic known as Amatsuriki, while the men are powerless and can only use abilities from ancient weapons known as Hayagami. Their world is in turmoil and some things are set in motion before the book even begins, so readers may be a little fuzzy on the details because the book simply doesn't delve into the story's history.<br /><br />Basically all one needs to know is the people of this world worship a princess who is only supposed to rule for a certain amount of time. Unfortunately her replacement can only come from a particular clan and they simply haven't produced a girl for quite a while. That's where Arata from the Hime Clan comes in, but he doesn't have the right "equipment" to take over for the current princess. His grandmother lied about his gender when he was born and has told him it is his destiny to portray a girl and take over the throne. Naturally he doesn't want that.<br /><br />One thing leads to another and there's some political upheaval as Arata is falsely accused of murdering the princess. Soon he's chased into a mysterious forest and we're told that the only way he'll emerge is if he becomes a different person. From there the book changes gears to current day Japan where a high school student, also named Arata (let's call him Arata-B), is trying to get through his every day life. He's picked on at school, and in general finds that he doesn't have any trustworthy friends. Through a set of circumstances he and the other world Arata switch places and visit each other's worlds.<br /><br />To say that Arata-B is lost from the get-go would be an understatement. He's being hunted for murdering the princess, Arata-A's grandmother is trying to shove destiny crap down his throat, and some of Arata-A's servants are clamoring over him. To make matters even more challenging for Arata-B he is chosen by a magical Hayagami blade and bestowed with the power of wind. From this point on he takes steps towards fulfilling his destiny in this strange new world, and there's even a meeting with Arata-A where they talk about these things.<br /><br />If you're reading this and you're confused by all the "Arata-A and B" nonsense, I apologize. In all honesty the shift in setting and the fact that the characters have the first name is a little jarring at first from the perspective of a reader. The story is also rather perplexing as it leaves many details that have to do with the plot out of the picture. With the pacing and the way things unfold I'm sure more information will emerge down the road, but for now this first volume leaves readers in the dust a little.<br /><br />As always, Watase's creativity and art designs speak for themselves; after all she was the creator of <i>Fushigi Yuugi</i>. The characters are wildly expressive, the backgrounds are richly detailed, and throughout this book there's just an overall sense of wonder in the artwork. It's whimsical and engaging, and because of that it really stands out as one of the book's strongest suits. The translation and writing is solid as well and there isn't a flaw to be found in this volume.<br /><br /><i>Arata the Legend</i>'s first volume is a success overall, but I do have some reservations about it. As is the case with any new book the introductory volume makes or breaks whether or not a reader will come back to it. I appreciate what I've seen of the story and the characters are developed well, but the lack of details as far as what's going on leaves one with a bag full of questions and not a single answer. I'm certain those answers will come in future installments, however. If <i>Arata</i> proves to be even half as entertaining as <i>Fushigi Yuugi</i> did then the trip will be worth it. Consider this installment strongly recommended.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7iccBdvZqI/AAAAAAAAAqI/CERJ56vt718/s1600/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S7iccBdvZqI/AAAAAAAAAqI/CERJ56vt718/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456282953802802850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by VIZ Media. Arata the Legend is rated Teen.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-61154878138003326942010-03-25T19:25:00.002-04:002010-03-25T19:26:48.085-04:00Manga Review: Mugen Spiral Complete Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6vxF4Ka-II/AAAAAAAAApw/h0oNSVgvp70/s1600/Mugen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6vxF4Ka-II/AAAAAAAAApw/h0oNSVgvp70/s400/Mugen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452716857139853442" border="0" /></a>Originally released in Japan in 2004 <i>Mugan Spiral</i> has made its way to the States in the form of a collection of its two volumes. Created by Mizuho Kusanagi, <i>Mugen Spiral</i> came out in America back in 2007. Tokyopop has collected both volumes and is presenting them as a massive 400-page edition slated to be released next week. If you already have the prior release then there's really no need to get excited about what's here (unless the special stories at the end weren't included in the first printing?), but if you haven't read the book before then you may want to give this a shot.<br /><br />In some ways <i>Mugen Spiral</i> reminded me of a cross between <i>Natsume's Book of Friends</i> and <i>Inuyasha</i>. The series follows the exploits of a mystic named Yayoi who happens to be 78th in the line of Suzaku mystics. As it stands she's pretty powerful, but despite this ability she's also quite lonely. Her parents are both dead and she pretty much just gets by due to the fact that demons continuously try to kill her in order to ascend in rank. When one such demon, Ura, tries to take her down he finds much more than he bargained for.<br /><br />Ura is strong, even by demon standards, and he's the son of the current demon king. Taking down Yayoi should have been an easy job, but she used her powers and the magic of some rosary beads made of cat bone to turn him into a black cat. Now Ura lives with Yayoi as a pet of sorts, though he becomes a trash-talking demon kitty hell-bent on taking Yayoi down and eating her. Normally people would be a little put off by that, but Yayoi just goes with it and brushes his constant tirade of threats aside.<br /><br />Early on in the book it becomes clear just what kind of relationship the two are going to have. While Ura does remain in his cat form he is able to release his powers and turn into his true form whenever Yayoi kills off one of the beads on his necklace. She winds up having to do this quite a bit because Ura isn't the only demon gunning for her head. Sure she's more adept than most other mystics and she can pretty much take care of herself, but other demons want to become king and in order to that they basically have to kill her. Lucky for her Ura won't let another demon eat her before he does, so he becomes himself at just the right times to rescue her when she is in over her head.<br /><br />Predictably over the course of the book a relationship forms between Ura and Yayoi, despite their adversarial beginnings. Yayoi sees through Ura's tough exterior and she begins to grow on the demon after a while. She perplexes him in ways girls often confuse boys and the manga is full of development of the character's personalities and their relationship. Through the course of the story other characters are introduced as well, such as Ura's brothers, and they certainly shake up the continuity and dynamic of the series.<br /><br />Kusanagi's <i>Mugen Spiral</i> was a fun book with some fantastic artwork. The designs were sharp with a wide range of expressions (I particularly enjoyed Ura's cat form and how he was portrayed). Backgrounds were rather simplistic, but there were a few panels packed with details. The translation work was solid as well with some liner notes and sideline commentary.<br /><br />Despite feeling rather familiar in some respects, <i>Mugen Spiral</i> is a fun two-volume manga presented at a very affordable price here. You can pick this up on Amazon for around $11 and frankly you can't argue with that. Sure it's a little predictable and the setup is nothing new, but it packs in plenty of laughs and personality.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6vxKTBaGaI/AAAAAAAAAp4/pr9pGzu5lsM/s1600/3_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6vxKTBaGaI/AAAAAAAAAp4/pr9pGzu5lsM/s320/3_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452716933069281698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Review material provided by Tokyopop. Mugen Spiral is rated Teen Age 13+ for Non-Sexual Nondescript Nudity, Mild Violence, Mild Gore, and Mild Language.Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-29766862125213907452010-03-22T15:57:00.003-04:002010-03-22T15:58:53.775-04:00Manga Review: Happy Cafe Volume 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6fL9VKg_kI/AAAAAAAAApo/tVu5g2NI4gs/s1600-h/happycafe.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6fL9VKg_kI/AAAAAAAAApo/tVu5g2NI4gs/s400/happycafe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451550128468983362" border="0" /></a>A little while ago we got the chance to check out the first installment of Kou Matsuzuki's <i>Happy Café</i> thanks to the team over at Tokyopop. The book originally launched in 2005 and found itself with a second volume later that same year. In case you missed the review of the first volume here it is. If you don't want to bother with that link here's a brief description of the manga:<br /><br /><i>Happy Café</i> follows the exploits of a 16 year old girl named Uru Takamura who comes to find herself working at a place named Café Bonheur. Her only goal in life is to basically make other people happy and when she sees the kind of pleasure the guys at Bonheur churn out she naturally must get a job there. The café is operated by a mysterious manager who leaves it run by two guys named Shindo and Ichiro. Shindo is the baker and all around gloomy gus, but he's happy when he's baking and his treats put a smile on anyone's face. Ichiro is easy going, but prone to falling asleep when he's hungry, which is a crux of the humor in this manga.<br /><br />To put it bluntly, the set up for <i>Happy Café</i> is simplistic almost to a fault, but there's an endearing charm to it all. The first volume shows as Uru gets acquainted with Shindo and Ichiro, and in general, life in the café. Nothing really happens in the first volume and basically it kicked it into neutral only to introduce the characters and setting. Thankfully some of that changes with this installment.<br /><br />The opening chapter presents more of the same with Uru, Shindo, and Ichiro operating business as usual. Things change, however, when a pair of troublemakers from a rival pastry shop shows up and causes quite the stir. Their appearance instantly creates tension in Café Bonheur, which is a good thing. Competition is good for business, they say, right? Well, when the guys post a "closed" sign on Bonheur's front door and spread rumors about the cost of their sweets the gloves come off, sort of.<br /><br />In addition to their appearance this volume also heads down some amusing paths as Shindo hurts his baking arm trying to save Uru from a nasty fall. This sets up an awkward situation during a contest between the two bakeries. Not only does all this happen, but Strawberry Girl makes several appearances, and Uru's mother makes a café house-call. It all comes together to make a volume of the manga that's far more interesting and entertaining than the first. It's clear that Matsuzuki's book no longer relies on Shindo's mysteries and Ichiro's narcolepsy to provide interesting material for the reader and the events in this book actually left me curious about what would happen next.<br /><br />Once again Matsuzuki's art style is a standout with some attractive designs and solid backgrounds. Again there's a simplistic nature to it all and not every panel is brimming with detail, but it's done for emphasis and it's effective. The translation is good as well and there were only a couple of minor mistakes in the book.<br /><br />The first volume of <i>Happy Café</i> left me a little underwhelmed, but I'm pleased to report that things are far more interesting in the second installment. The characters are livelier, the world is developed more, and the secondary characters worked perfectly. I'm interested in seeing where it all goes from here, and if this installment is any indication, it can only get better (hopefully).<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6fLzA0Nt7I/AAAAAAAAApg/yVfZ-nahuLA/s1600-h/3.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6fLzA0Nt7I/AAAAAAAAApg/yVfZ-nahuLA/s320/3.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451549951208044466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Review material provided by Tokyopop. Happy Café Volume 2 is rated Teen 13+ for Mild Sexuality, Aggression, and Moderate Language.Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-20471434517516131752010-03-18T18:15:00.004-04:002010-03-18T19:59:44.080-04:00Manga Review: Red Hot Chili Samurai Volume 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6K-TLTU7gI/AAAAAAAAApQ/DyHGEvLL5zI/s1600-h/rhcsamurai.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6K-TLTU7gI/AAAAAAAAApQ/DyHGEvLL5zI/s400/rhcsamurai.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450127735732366850" border="0" /></a>Dang, has it really been a week since I've made a post? It's amazing how much time flies when you're not having fun! The story of this past week is work, work, and more work. While I do have several other reviews in the works, much of my spare time lately has been spent watching anime and reading manga (such as the massive pile of books that just arrived from Tokyopop). The first title I've cracked into in their latest lineup is <i>Red Hot Chili Samurai</i>.<br /><br />Created by Yoshitsugu Katagiri, <i>Red Hot Chili Samurai</i> actually has nothing to do with the "Red Hot Chili Peppers", contrary to what the hot red chili comparison would have you believe. This first volume was originally released in Japan in 2007, and becomes available here in the States March 30, 2010.<br /><br />The first thing I want to say about <i>Red Hot Chili Samurai</i> is that the book just doesn't pop in any way. Sure it's whimsical and the world it takes place in is fairly interesting, but the characters are rather generic and hardly developed at all in this opening installment. You'll feel no connection with the hero or his sidekicks, and some things just aren't explained well enough to draw you in. This isn't a grievous strike against the manga, but rather an example of its lack of a hook. You won't feel endeared to it with this volume and you won't wait with bated breath for the second installment.<br /><br />So what is the book all about? Well, it centers around the exploits of a young chili pepper loving samurai named Sento Kokaku, who is also referred to as Hanshu. What's a Hanshu? Well, it's not really explained, but basically what I gathered from reading this volume is that his bearing of a black crane tattoo is a status symbol that identifies him as the son of the Hanshu. You know, whatever the Hanshu happens to be.<br /><br />Anyways, Kokaku works for his father and pretty much just goes around helping people out. He's joined by a silent ninja, named Shou, who supplies information and two more active members: Ento and Ran. Together they form a group that gets involved in things that just don't seem right. For instance there's a brothel where some bad stuff is going on, a kid finds himself getting picked on, and there's a gambling den that's cheating its customers. In each instance it's basically up to Kokaku to jump into things feet first, beat the snot out of everyone, and call it a day.<br /><br />The only really interesting bit in this installment is the introduction of a rival of sorts called Shikki, the Turtle. Shikki basically comes along and contrasts Kokaku's heroic ideology. Where Kokaku doesn't necessarily kill people indiscriminately, Shikki does and he's not afraid to bare the sharp part of his blade. They clash at first and square off, but eventually they come to an understanding of sorts. It's an interesting relationship that shows potential for future installments.<br /><br />The stories here are broken up into chapters, as are most manga, and for the most part each chapter is exclusive. There's no overarching storyline that carries through, and this unfortunately detracts from the development of its characters. Sure Ran and Ento get some decent interactions with Kokaku, and Shou is a great source of comic relief, but beyond that you don't really see much of the background characters. Kokaku gets the most development here, though the only thing we really learn about him is how he grew to love peppers so much and how he developed his hero code. It's unfortunately very light and in some instances it does not make much sense.<br /><br /><i>Red Hot Chili Samurai</i>'s first volume is not a complete failure. It's entertaining to read, there's a great deal of humor, and the action is pretty good as well. Katagiri's artwork is fantastic and throughout the book there are solid designs from the background to the characters. The sense of movement and emotion is fantastic and the translation of this manga is smooth as well. Despite the many positives the series has going for it a lack of development and standalone storylines don't necessarily help things out here. Hopefully that will change in the coming volumes, but for now consider this one lightly recommended.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6K-YkArqsI/AAAAAAAAApY/QlsAL07Wr2U/s1600-h/3_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S6K-YkArqsI/AAAAAAAAApY/QlsAL07Wr2U/s320/3_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450127828264397506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Tokyopop. Red Hot Chili Samurai is rated OT (Older Teen 16+) for Mild Voilence, Mild Gore, and Tobacco Reference/Use. </span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-73359070723405144092010-03-11T23:18:00.007-05:002010-03-11T23:23:55.503-05:00DVD Review: Evangelion 1.11: You are (Not) Alone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nBHBBqJ0I/AAAAAAAAApI/zkOMKYrMLLA/s1600-h/51LuJFVuSeL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nBHBBqJ0I/AAAAAAAAApI/zkOMKYrMLLA/s400/51LuJFVuSeL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447597550559962946" border="0" /></a><i>Evangelion 1.11</i> may very well be the greatest thing to happen to anime since...well...it's awesome. Let's just leave it at that.<br /><br />Have you ever heard of a little show called <i>Neon Genesis Evangelion</i>? Perhaps you may recall this little number from the mid-90's? You know, it's that one with giant mechs piloted by children prone to psychotic breakdowns as they try to save the human race for annihilation. Yes, THAT <i>Evangelion</i>!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nAw5y0RyI/AAAAAAAAAog/ii1sq2-fEWQ/s1600-h/eva1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nAw5y0RyI/AAAAAAAAAog/ii1sq2-fEWQ/s400/eva1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447597170661541666" border="0" /></a>It should go without saying that the original series was a breakout success and proved to be a benchmark for anime at the point in time that it came out. Things being what they were, however, the show wound up ending on a rather convoluted note. Rather than go into the details, let's just say that it was so confusing that the original staff put together a couple of OVA releases in an attempt to make it clearer. Their efforts were successful enough, but there was still the feeling that the franchise could have been done better. Now, over a decade later, Hideaki Anno and company have reignited the project as a series of films. The first, <i>Evangelion: You are (Not) Alone</i> is here in my hands.<br /><br />In case you're unfamiliar with this revitalization of the franchise, then let me fill you in. Basically what happened here was the original animation was cleaned up and interspersed with new animation and effects. The story was tightened up as well to make things more cohesive. This first film is more or less the consolidation and combination of the first six episodes. It was released a few months back here in the States as <i>Evangelion 1.01</i>, but a special edition in the form of <i>1.11</i> has just come out with additional animation and bonus features. The release is available on Blu-ray and 2-disc standard definition DVD as well.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nAzQ6e-II/AAAAAAAAAoo/HyGh7hLZfWM/s1600-h/eva2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nAzQ6e-II/AAAAAAAAAoo/HyGh7hLZfWM/s400/eva2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447597211227453570" border="0" /></a>In the opening moments of <i>Evangelion 1.11</i> we're introduced to none other than Shinji Ikari, who is roaming the streets of a city under lock down due to the appearance of an Angel. The military is fighting against this monster with all their force, and just when it seems that Shinji is about to bite the big one, his rescuer comes along and carts him off to meet his father. Shinji's dad, Gendo, is quite the son-of-a-bitch who basically shuns his own son and uses him for his own personal goals, regardless of how he feels. What is his goal, you ask? Well, saving the world basically, but it's a little more complicated than that.<br /><br />If you are unfamiliar with <i>Evangelion</i> then you should know that at this point in history about half of the world's population has been wiped out due to an event called Second Impact. In the year 2000 a meteor struck the planet and along with it the Angels came about. In order to prevent a Third Impact, and in an effort to save humanity, an organization known as NERV has put together monstrosities of their own known as Evangelions. These biomechanical creatures seem to be the key to humanity's future and are basically the only line of defense we have against the Angels. The only problem is that the Eva units can only be piloted by children. That's where Shinji comes in.<br /><br /><i>You are (Not) Alone</i> quickly settles into its story and basically pushes Shinji into Eva Unit 01 in an effort to save Tokyo-3. After one hell of a fight Shinji emerges victorious, but the celebration is short-lived. Shinji really doesn't want any part in this battle and making matters worse is the fact that the Angels keep on coming. The fate of the world is thrust upon his shoulders and it's more than the 14-year old can handle. Shinji doesn't have to do it alone, however, since he also works closely with the cold and indifferent Rei, and excessively lively Misato.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nA1gm7XFI/AAAAAAAAAow/ep6_srIQ9Z8/s1600-h/eva3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nA1gm7XFI/AAAAAAAAAow/ep6_srIQ9Z8/s400/eva3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447597249800133714" border="0" /></a>The story here is top notch and presented in this form, the opening leg of the <i>Evangelion</i> arc is truly compelling. Considering this part of the journey focuses largely on the conflict with the Angels there are a ton of battles. Some of the moments here are truly epic, and even though we may have seen them before, they have never looked quite this good. With all of that being said, <i>You are (Not) Alone</i> does have its flaws.<br /><br />Though Anno and his team took time to develop the characters over the course of the show itself, there's not much room for that in this film. Shinji stays whiny throughout, Rei is a cold fish, Misato is overly boisterous, and Gendo is just a dick. The lack of development for each of the film's main characters hurts the experience somewhat and leaves it feeling unbalanced. The characters are almost one-dimensional in many ways, which is a far cry from how they wound up at the end of the series. Hopefully we'll see more focus on the characters in the next three films, but that's going to be a long time coming unfortunately.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nA4dTWJ8I/AAAAAAAAAo4/lGXJDkM2uN0/s1600-h/eva4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nA4dTWJ8I/AAAAAAAAAo4/lGXJDkM2uN0/s400/eva4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447597300452304834" border="0" /></a><i>Evangelion 1.11: You are (Not) Alone</i> is presented on DVD with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio. Having watched both the Blu-ray and DVD versions, I can honestly say that the Blu-ray picture is much sharper and more refined, but the DVD is nothing to scoff at. This is a gorgeous film from top to bottom. The color palette is bright, the image is sharp, and all around there's very little grain and virtually no compression. The sound package is awesome as well with English and Japanese 5.1 tracks that truly pack a punch. The sound-field is diverse, rich, and the film truly packs a punch at some points.<br /><br />Some trailers for other FUNimation titles are included here, as are some previews, trailer spots for the film, and a promotional music video. "Rebuild of Evangelion: 1.01" stands out as something that might have held a lot of promise. I mean, it hints at being a behind the scenes making of feature, right? In some sense it kind of is with two different versions of the changes made from the show to the film, but in all fairness neither is extensive or informational enough to be very interesting.<br /><br />From top to bottom <i>Evangelion 1.11</i> is an incredible release. Whether or not you've seen the original is irrelevant. GO BUY THIS NOW! I can't stress how truly awesome the film is and how great it looks (though the Blu-ray is better). <i>You are (Not) Alone</i> is absolutely a title I unequivocally recommend whole-heartedly.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nA94XRIKI/AAAAAAAAApA/mCIWVkhVB4M/s1600-h/4.5_maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5nA94XRIKI/AAAAAAAAApA/mCIWVkhVB4M/s320/4.5_maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447597393615855778" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by FUNimation.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-32193130605061715722010-03-10T20:09:00.007-05:002010-03-10T20:22:59.159-05:00Blu-ray Review: Yojimbo - The Criterion Collection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEbw5YisI/AAAAAAAAAnw/i7xE-vWYe_4/s1600-h/51RbL16tsXL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEbw5YisI/AAAAAAAAAnw/i7xE-vWYe_4/s400/51RbL16tsXL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447178993077357250" border="0" /></a>Okay, so I realize that this review isn't about anime and it really doesn't have anything to do with the format. What it does pertain to is Japanese cinema, and I personally feel that appreciation of both go hand in hand. Also this is my blog and I want to review <i>Yojimbo</i> so, yeah. If you're an otaku that hasn't experienced a Kurosawa film before, then by all means consider this a wake up call.<br /><br />There's just something about the classics that never go out of style. They are every bit as fun to watch today as they were when originally released, and that holds especially truly for just about every film in Criterion's lineup. I can honestly say that I don't know of any other company with as much variety and quality as they offer in their catalog. One of the most popular lines of theirs, from the standpoint of collectors, has been the accumulation of pictures from famed Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>In fairness it's almost daunting to think about the quality Kurosawa pushed out through the 30 films he created, however, there were a few that stood out and really withstood the test of time. With the shift in format towards high definition the Criterion Collection has made the move to Blu-ray and has taken Kurosawa with them previously with their release of <i>Kagemusha</i>. Released later this month <i>Yojimbo</i> and <i>Sanjuro</i> will both avail themselves in 1080p. The titles will be packaged as a collection or individually. For the purposes of this review we're looking at <i>Yojimbo</i> specifically.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hF3zKo08I/AAAAAAAAAoY/IQQ9PQHXfjE/s1600-h/yojimbo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hF3zKo08I/AAAAAAAAAoY/IQQ9PQHXfjE/s400/yojimbo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447180574234563522" border="0" /></a>In 1961 <i>Yojimbo</i> was released and it quickly solidified itself as a darkly comic Japanese western. Starring legendary actor Toshiro Mifune, <i>Yojimbo</i> followed the exploits of a wandering samurai named Sanjuro Kuwabatake who has the misfortune of happening upon a town with some serious problems. Upon arriving he's greeted by a dog scampering down main street with a human hand in its mouth. From that point Sanjuro comes upon two warring gangs vying for control in the village, and eventually settles down in a small restaurant in order to get the dirt on what's happening.<br /><br />It would seem that the guy who runs the brothel and silk factory is clashing against the man in charge of sake production. Bad blood has been going on between them for some time now and both have hired thugs and mercenaries in an effort to out do the other. As the restaurateur states, there's nobody making money at this point in the town aside from the guy who makes coffins. Both sides are losing men and the village has lost all hope. Naturally Sanjuro sees an opportunity here.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>The samurai wastes little time unleashing his skills and showing both gangs why they want to go bankrupt to have someone of his caliber on their side. Sanjuro plays them off each other masterfully and creates a much stronger element of confusion and chaos. He brings events to a boiling point several times during the film, and each time it happens he sits back and watches the events unfold.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEeBlTUpI/AAAAAAAAAn4/gqTMD8vHr2k/s1600-h/yojimbo1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 161px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEeBlTUpI/AAAAAAAAAn4/gqTMD8vHr2k/s400/yojimbo1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447179031916270226" border="0" /></a>Eventually some other characters stand out to throw a wrench into Sanjuro's plans. The son of the sake brewer, Unosuke (Tatsuya Nakadai), is introduced into the plot as Sanjuro's rival. He's a pistol-toting badass who quickly asserts himself as a fearsome person, though he doesn't display much in the way of sword abilities. Inevitably the film comes down to a showdown between the dark forces of the town and Sanjuro, and naturally Unosuke is a part of that.<br /><br />When examining <i>Yojimbo</i> as a film there are a few things that stand out almost immediately. For starters the atmosphere is undeniably unique. Kurosawa's vision brought through some incredible moments here and everything from the music direction to the cinematography and action comes together in an East meets West kind of ordeal that feels like no other. Adding to that layer of mystique is a darkly comedic vibe that uses dialogue and visuals for laughs, which really helps break up the foreboding tone that blankets everything.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>Probably the biggest thing about <i>Yojimbo</i> that stands out as a shining reason to watch it is Mifune's portrayal of Sanjuro. Of course Mifune was a legendary Japanese actor, but his role in this film is downright iconic. From the awkward twitch of his shoulders to the way he carries himself and spits out dialogue, Mifune comes across as the ultimate badass. This is still the case even when Sanjuro is taking his lumps and up against seemingly impossible odds. Going along with the western motif in <i>Yojimbo</i>, Mifune's performance here could make light similarities to Clint Eastwood's character from "The Man with No Name" trilogy (though really since Sergio Leone was a Kurosawa fan, I suppose the comparison could be the other way around).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEhbRhBrI/AAAAAAAAAoA/Yel_m6bEXsc/s1600-h/yojimbo2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 161px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEhbRhBrI/AAAAAAAAAoA/Yel_m6bEXsc/s400/yojimbo2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447179090352211634" border="0" /></a>Whether you've seen <i>Yojimbo</i> before or not, all you really need to know is that it's classic Japanese cinema and a downright awesome samurai flick. It's a period piece done in a fashion that only Kurosawa could do and I dear say that Mifune absolutely makes this film as priceless as it is. It's a classic among classics and deserves to be in the collection of anyone who appreciates older films.<br /><br />Criterion's remastered standard definition DVDs looked pretty darn good, but they hardly hold a candle to the spectacular transfer available for this Blu-ray release. Presented with its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, 1080p resolution, and encoded with MPEG-4 AVC Criterion's <i>Yojimbo</i> is truly a force to be reckoned with. Seriously; for a film that was originally released in 1961, the cleanup job done for this disc was simply astounding!<br /><br />From top to bottom the picture is crystal clear with hardly a moment that seems out of focus or flawed in any way. Every scene strikes an appropriate balance between blacks and whites, and every single detail from blades of grass, panels of wood, or even patterns on the costumes stand out. The image is free of dirt and scratches, there's no compression of any kind, and the only thing that's even worth mentioning is a minor flickering that takes place in a few scenes. I never imagined that <i>Yojimbo</i> could look as good as it does here. Hats off to Criterion!<br /><br />The audio package on this release is downright awesome as well. When you approach <i>Yojimbo</i> keep in mind that there's not a bombastic 5.1 track or anything of that ilk. Instead, a Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0 and Japanese LPCM 1.0 are included here. The limited range in the sound field may be off-putting for some, but personally I felt this presentation retained the integrity of the original track. The quality is clear, concise, and downright free of any flaw. It's an improvement over the DVD release of the film, though not quite as grandiose as the video quality. English subtitles are included.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEj6FFKSI/AAAAAAAAAoI/Vj-IRSPmv18/s1600-h/yojimbo3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 161px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hEj6FFKSI/AAAAAAAAAoI/Vj-IRSPmv18/s400/yojimbo3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447179132981291298" border="0" /></a>A good supply of supplemental content makes its way onto this Blu-ray release of <i>Yojimbo</i> as well. For starters there is a classy 22-page booklet packed in with the case. It features pictures and information about the film as well as musings on the genre by Kurosawa and other prolific personalities. Film historian Stephen Price provides a solid and informational audio commentary for the movie that is definitely worth checking out at some point. There's also a stills gallery, trailer for the film, and teaser as well. The biggest draw from the bonus feature menu (aside from the audio commentary) is a featurette created as part of the "Toho Masterworks series, Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create" (44:37). This is basically a scene by scene look at many of the film's better moments. There's also a fair amount of commentary provided by people who worked on the film.<br /><br /><i>Yojimbo</i>'s Blu-ray release is nothing short of extraordinary. Criterion went through a clearly painstaking process to get all the details right from the video to the audio. This release is a dramatic improvement over the original and stands as Criterion's best Blu-ray release to date, in my opinion. It's absolutely not to be missed by fans of the film. If you've never seen <i>Yojimbo</i> then consider this the best opportunity ever to check out one of Kurosawa's more iconic films.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hFIBVy5OI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/jsL2RT_mJMo/s1600-h/5_maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5hFIBVy5OI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/jsL2RT_mJMo/s320/5_maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447179753405736162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Criterion. Screenshots in this review are from the standard definition release and are not indicative of the outstanding quality present on the Blu-ray disc. </span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-14745609429327390772010-03-08T21:13:00.007-05:002010-03-08T21:20:24.431-05:00Blu-ray Review: Claymore the Complete Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WvPKHCYvI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/G5zTpWbrPb8/s1600-h/418Su-QyAqL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WvPKHCYvI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/G5zTpWbrPb8/s400/418Su-QyAqL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446451999321252594" border="0" /></a><i>Claymore</i> kicks all kinds of ass. 'Nuff said.<br /><br />Seriously, if you've never seen <i>Claymore</i> before you're in for one hell of a treat. The 26 episode series originally aired in Japan during 2007 and came from the manga-ka Norihiro Yagi back in 2001. The show came out on DVD a little while ago and right from the gate it was clear that FUNimation did themselves a favor by picking up this license. While the aforementioned standard definition release is already on the market, FUNimation recently sent out a Blu-ray version of the complete series to stores as well. Is it worth it?<br /><br />For the unfamiliar, <i>Claymore</i> could be best likened to <i>Berserk</i>, though that's not entirely a fair comparison. The show takes place in a fantasy world where demons known as Yoma feed on humans. They are fearsome beasts that can take over the bodies of people, inherit their memories, and when the time is right, strike. To say the populace is essentially an All You Can Eat Yoma buffet (which costs just $6.99 after your senior discount) would be an understatement. Fortunately for us frail morsels, er...I mean mortals, there is a group known as the Organization.<br /><br />The Organization is a collection of people known as Claymores and a hierarchy of order. These people are pretty much the only force that stands between the Yoma and their midnight munchies. As such one might think that these Claymores would be heralded as heroes and revered for the services they provide. Unfortunately that's not really the case.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WwE7cNbtI/AAAAAAAAAnY/rHKewqBhOi4/s1600-h/Claymore1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WwE7cNbtI/AAAAAAAAAnY/rHKewqBhOi4/s400/Claymore1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446452923096461010" border="0" /></a>You see, the Claymores are women who not only fearsome warriors, but also half Yoma. When they are young they undergo a ritual that essentially merges their human bodies with the flesh of a Yoma. It's a painful process to be sure, but what winds up happening is they retain their human consciousness and memories all the while gaining the strength and ferocity of the Yoma. There's a catch, however (isn't there always one?). By doing this they also run the risk of being overtaken by their Yoma half and losing themselves to the beast. This generally occurs if they use too much of the power within them. Naturally they are viewed as ticking time bombs, because that's essentially what they are, but there are contingency plans for if a Claymore gets to that point.<br /><br />In <i>Claymore</i> the story follows a particular member of the Organization known as Clare. She's a tough as nails fighter, adept with a sword, and all around badass when it comes to dealing with Yoma. One day a village sends a request to rid themselves of a Yoma and it's Clare that responds. She takes care of the beast, but in the process winds up helping a young boy, Raki, out since he was essentially ostracized by the town who all thought he was next up to be a demon in disguise. There's really no rhyme or reason to why she took in Raki, but it seemed to be a whim that struck chords with a memory of her own past. They make an unlikely duo for sure!<br /><br />The show follows the two for a while and then breaks off into a tale about Clare's past and how she became involved with a Claymore named Teresa. This splinter in the plot is important for a couple of reasons. First it lets you see Clare's frame of mind in her reasoning to let Raki tag along. Second it introduces to a main villain in the second half of the series, Priscilla.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WwHDz3wOI/AAAAAAAAAng/PZGVgMnLFaA/s1600-h/Claymore2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WwHDz3wOI/AAAAAAAAAng/PZGVgMnLFaA/s400/Claymore2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446452959702925538" border="0" /></a>From this point <i>Claymore</i> basically picks up momentum right to the end with talk of war and the chaotic ending of the Organization. Claymores are either killed or Awakened (they become powerful Yoma) and Clare and Raki are caught in the middle of these events. It's fascinating to watch everything unfold and the series is rock-solid in just about every way. From the over-the-top action to the character development and plot, which is full of surprises, <i>Claymore</i> really pulls it together. With that being said the ending is a little bit of a letdown, but considering the show got ahead of where the manga was at by this point it seems as though the producers just kind of improvised. It wasn't bad, but just not quite up to snuff compared to the rest of the show.<br /><br />Now, in case you're wondering "what's the big difference between this Blu-ray version and the original standard definition one?" This version of <i>Claymore</i> is presented on Blu-ray with a 1080i high definition transfer that uses AVC encoding. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen image is certainly better to look at than the original presentation. The overall picture quality has been ratcheted up a notch and all around the anime is sharper and better defined. Colors are vibrant, the image is stable, and there's very little to gripe about. Sure there are some moments where grain and artifacting can be easily spotted, but they aren't pervasive enough to ding <i>Claymore</i> too much. It's a very good transfer all around, just not as flawless as one might hope.<br /><br />The sound quality on <i>Claymore</i>'s Blu-ray release is a tinge better, however. With Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 and Japanese Dolby 2.0 tracks there's plenty of variety to be had. The dubbing quality of both tracks remains up for debate for which one is the better option, but technically speaking you just can't pass up the Dolby TrueHD track. It's far better than the 2.0 options and is much more diverse in its offering. The action fills the soundstage and all around the sense of immersion is quite good.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WwJpfxo_I/AAAAAAAAAno/yCx631WmB1I/s1600-h/Claymore3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WwJpfxo_I/AAAAAAAAAno/yCx631WmB1I/s400/Claymore3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446453004178924530" border="0" /></a><i>Claymore</i> hits Blu-ray with three discs and comes with some additional bonus content as well. Packed in with the set is a slick 48-page art, sketch, and interview booklet for starters. There are also six English commentary tracks, trailers, cast auditions, clean animations, original TV commercials, and interviews with the original Japanese staff. That's a rather loaded package as far as anime is concerned and it's nice to see these features ported over form the original DVD release.<br /><br />The bottom line is <i>Claymore</i> is a lot of fun to watch. It offers up some intense action, richly developed characters, and a story that will keep you strung along to the end. It's quite violent at times and maintains an edge that few other shows could even hope to get close to. If you missed it before on DVD then consider the Blu-ray a solid investment, however, if you already have the original release in your collection then the quality of the Blu-ray's presentation is certainly worth the upgrade.<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WvAJM70jI/AAAAAAAAAnI/R4-PQ5H6Bps/s1600-h/4_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5WvAJM70jI/AAAAAAAAAnI/R4-PQ5H6Bps/s320/4_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446451741379514930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Review material provided by FUNimation. Claymore is rated TV-MA and contains scenes of graphic violence, partial nudity, and strong language.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029321749806045404.post-9271380738166877002010-03-07T21:01:00.005-05:002010-03-07T21:06:41.630-05:00Manga Review: Blood Honey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5RbIzD-mcI/AAAAAAAAAnA/IcO3q1s9u2A/s1600-h/51BNsrvmelL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5RbIzD-mcI/AAAAAAAAAnA/IcO3q1s9u2A/s400/51BNsrvmelL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446078056101747138" border="0" /></a>What happens when a vampire family's bloodline begins to run thing? Their descendent gets a job at a blood donation clinic, that's what!<br /><br />That's vaguely the premise behind <i>Blood Honey</i> by Sakyou Yozakura, which is the latest from Tokyopop's Blu yaoi lineup. For a better description, here's what the back of the book has to say for itself:<br /><br />"Nurse Yuki Akabane is a descendant of a line of vampires. He's often visited at the hospital he works at by a donor nut named Osamu Mayuzumi, the insatiable cram school teacher. Yuki never really thought twice about Mayuzumi, but when he drinks some of his blood on a whim, it tastes so good to him that he tries to get closer to him to savor more... Will he ever be able to drink another's blood again?!"<br /><br />When <i>Blood Honey </i>starts out that's exactly what we get within the first couple of pages. Yuki is a relatively good natured vampire and he's quite sick of Mayuzumi coming around constantly and asking for him. One could say that Mayuzumi is Yuki's stalker, but since Yuki is so adept at drawing blood for humans he naturally has quite the clientele. When Yuki does sip the deliciously sweet blood from Mayuzumi, he devises a way to get the man to come to his house and give him his blood outside of the clinic. During such efforts Yuki cooks him "stamina" dinners and the two hang out for a time almost like a date kind of.<br /><br />Eventually Yuki is caught at work by his boss, and we are soon treated to the knowledge that his employer is a hound dog and seems to lust after Yuki. Luckily for the vampire his favorite client showed up in the nick of time to save him from being sexually assaulted. That's more or less the beginning of their relationship, but as the book continues Yuki finds other lovers as well.<br /><br />Now, let me just state that I am not a fan of yaoi. At all. I appreciated Yuki's character and found some of the writing and moments in this book to be rather amusing. The story has a lot of promise as well and Yozakura created a very interesting world and some fun characters. Unfortunately there's quite a bit of hardcore yaoi material here and, well, it's just not my cup of tea. I personally don't want to see guys having sex with each other or jerking each other off, but if you're into that kind of thing then there's plenty of stuff here that you'll enjoy. Trust me on that. The book has relatively uncensored pornographic material aimed directly at yaoi lovers.<br /><br /><i>Blood Honey</i> will score well with fans of the yaoi genre, but as stated I'm just not one of them. I tried to objectively ignore the content I didn't want to see, and what's here for a story is quite entertaining. Yuki's character is a lot of fun and the book really comes to life when it's focusing on him, but even so there are times where plot gets sidetracked or introduces a character that doesn't quite jive with what has already been establish. Overall this book will entertain yaoi fans, but the content will be lost on everyone else (which includes me, unfortunately).<br /><br />Maki Rating:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5RaqD0uAjI/AAAAAAAAAmw/RSlCRsYN47o/s1600-h/2_Maki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 26px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jmvx9G_LGD0/S5RaqD0uAjI/AAAAAAAAAmw/RSlCRsYN47o/s320/2_Maki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446077528025203250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Review material provided by Tokyopop. Blood Honey is rated M for Mature and includes Explicit Sexuality, Sexual Full Body Nudity, Mild Violence, and Alcohol Use.</span>Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01308347324346081526noreply@blogger.com0