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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Tokyo Revelations Legal Streaming Annoucement
The Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Tokyo Revelations OVA episodes are now streaming subtitled from Funimation's Video portal click here!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Anime Review: Afro Samurai (2008)
Quick Info
Directed by: Fuminori Kizaki
Distributor: Funimation Productions
Written by: Tomohiro Yamashita
Release Date: August 26, 2008
Runtime: 125 Minutes
Availability: On DVD and Blu-Ray, streaming on Crunchyroll
Distributor: Funimation Productions
Written by: Tomohiro Yamashita
Release Date: August 26, 2008
Runtime: 125 Minutes
Availability: On DVD and Blu-Ray, streaming on Crunchyroll
Story Summary
In a distant, yet feudalistic future, a young boy watches in horror as his father is decapitated by a man seeking the “Number 1” headband. Whoever wears it is the strongest samurai in the world and can only be surpassed by the one who wears the “Number 2” headband. After his father’s death, a boy known only as Afro sets out on a Journey to reclaim the Number 1 headband and avenge his father’s death.
Thoughts on the Plot
The story is interesting, not really amazing or spectacular, but it's an interesting story. It is essentially a Hollywood story animated by the Japanese animation studio Gonzo, but it's a decent story that was enjoyable to watch, just not particularly amazing or exceptional.
It is amusing that Samuel L. Jackson wanted to make an anime, but I also enjoy that he's an anime fan. Even if I don't agree with him politically, I can appreciate his work, whether it's a movie or an anime.
The Animation is Good, but the CGI is Weird
The animation by Gonzo is really good, the fight scenes are interesting to watch, and there’s plenty of action in this short series. The fight scenes are clever and interesting, and it is a decent-looking anime, with some conspicuous CGI in it, but it’s not too bad. But the design style makes this anime a little different than other anime.
Gonzo Studio either makes amazing animation, or it can be decent to downright terrible animation. Afro Samurai falls under decent animation; it's not terrible, but it's not their best work either.
The English Dub Is Good
This anime is very unique; it’s a different type of story, and it’s very interesting because it’s one of the few anime, outside of Hayao Miyazaki movies, to have a Hollywood celebrity, Samuel L. Jackson, in it. He voices Afro, the lone warrior who wants to avenge his father’s death. He also plays Afro’s strange traveling companion, Ninja-Ninja, in a quirky fashion as well.
Other members of the cast are also very good to listen to. Yuri Lowenthal as Kuma is a great voice actor and he gives a great performance as Kuma. The dialogue between him and Samuel L. Jackson is terrific, even though his character, Afro, doesn’t talk much. The other character that does a lot of talking is Ninja-Ninja. Yuri Lowenthal and they both are excellent, especially during their fight scenes against each other.
Kelly Hu is very good despite her one-time appearance in the series; she does a good job too. Ron Perlman is spectacular as Justice; he’s a truly evil villain, and Ron plays his part perfectly. He hasn't done a lot of voice acting because he's been in Sons of Anarchy and other movies, but he's still a terrific voice actor.
The English dub is good, but not one of those mind-blowing dubs that set the bar for anime; it's just Samuel L. Jackson wanting to have fun and be in an anime.
There is no Depth, Just Mindless Violence
Is the plot good? Yes, but it’s not particularly deep or anything; it’s mainly a fun hack-and-slash sword-fighting anime, but there is no Afro Samurai, only Samuel L. Jackson with an afro and a sword. The plot is fun, and that’s the main draw to Afro Samurai, besides having Jackson in it.
It's a popcorn anime that's just mindless action and fight scenes. But if you enjoy that kind of thing and you're looking for something to watch, you'll probably enjoy Afro Samurai.
If you're looking for a deeper anime, you should look elsewhere, but if you just want an action anime, this is the one for you. It's just a mindlessly fun action series.
Parental Warning
The strange futuristic setting might not appeal to all audiences, along with the strong profanity, a sex scene, and bloody, gory violence, gave this anime a TV-MA rating when it aired on Spike TV. Afro Samurai is definitely for adults and not for kids; this is meant for ages 17 and up.
It's Got a Great Cast With a Decent Story
While the setting and story might not appeal to everyone, if you like Samuel L. Jackson, Yuri Lowenthal or Kelly Hu, you should definitely rent Afro Samurai from Netflix or your local library, it’s a mindless Acton anime, but that’s what makes it fun, along with a good musical score, Afro Samurai is an anime that should be watched at least once, whether or not you want it in your DVD or bllu-ray collection is up to you. But bloody swordfights never looked so awesome. The entire anime of Afro Samurai, including the movie Afro Samurai: Resurrection, is available from Funimation Entertainment.
My Grade: C-
Afro Samurai is a novel anime; it's not the best anime I've seen, but it's decent. It's not particularly memorable either.
Afro Samurai is mindless fun, just another action series for adults. It's not particularly memorable unless you like Samuel L. Jackson, Kelly Hu, or Ron Perlman. It's an anime you watch and then move on to the next one. It's only memorable for using celebrity voice actors and decent animation from Gonzo, but not much else.
It's a mindless action, popcorn anime that's a time-waster if you're bored and you can't think of anything to watch. It's mainly fun if you're a fan of Samuel L. Jackson and want to watch something different that he's in compared to the typical live-action movies that he's usually in.
It might be worth your time if you're a fan, but it's not really worth the money unless you really feel you have to have it in your anime collection.
It's worth streaming on Crunchyroll's website, but only diehard fans of the anime will buy it. It's worth your time, maybe, but not necessarily your money.
© 2015 ReViewMeMedia
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Manga Review: Bleach Manga Volume One by Tite Kubo
Disable ads on this blog and Hubpages, read my review of Bleach
here
Buy Bleach here
here
Buy Bleach here
 Bleach Manga Volume 1 - $7.49 Bleach volume 1 features story and art by Tite Kubo. Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a shinigami (spirt of death) and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family, but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy.Now a full-fledged shinigami himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits, and along with Rukia, who is slowly regaining her powers, it's Ichigo's job to both protect the innocent from Hollows and to help the spirits themselves find peace. |
Thoughts on Fullmetal Alchemist And Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
My thoughts on Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and what I like about both series.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Manga Review: Romeo X Juliet Omnibus
Manga Review: Romeo X Juliet Omnibus
My written review for the Manga Romeo X Juliet Omnibus from Yen Press.
My written review for the Manga Romeo X Juliet Omnibus from Yen Press.
Anime Review: Samurai Champloo
Anime Review: Samurai Champloo
My written review of the popular anime, Samurai Champloo from Geneon/Funimation Entertainment.
My written review of the popular anime, Samurai Champloo from Geneon/Funimation Entertainment.
Anime Review: 'Trigun' (1998)
Director: Satoshi Nishimura
Studio: Funimation, formerly Geneon Entertainment
Released: March 12, 2013
Runtime: 650 minutes
Availability: In Print, on DVD, Buy on RightStufAnime, and Amazon
Streaming: Hulu and Funimation, check to see if it is streaming in your country here
Studio: Funimation, formerly Geneon Entertainment
Released: March 12, 2013
Runtime: 650 minutes
Availability: In Print, on DVD, Buy on RightStufAnime, and Amazon
Streaming: Hulu and Funimation, check to see if it is streaming in your country here
Story Summary
In the distant future, on a desert planet called Gunsmoke, a notorious outlaw travels the world, wreaking havoc and destroying cities wherever he goes. His name is Vash the Stampede, and he is the $$60,00,000,000 man, and everyone is chasing him, including two insurance girls, Meryl and Milly, who try to keep the damage Vash causes to a minimum.
But Vash's goofy exterior hides a dark past that refuses to leave him alone. He must confront the mysterious Gung-Ho Guns and keep his promise to "Take care of Knives".
Impact of “Trigun” and Licensing Woes
Even after 24 years, Trigun is still a great anime; it’s considered a classic these days. But why is it still so popular, even though it’s been out of print for ages after Geneon Entertainment closed, and has recently been licensed by Funimation Entertainment and is now available on DVD? The movie has been licensed and released in the U.S. years after the series was finished.
This was a gateway to anime for a wide audience because it aired on Adult Swim. It's a classic, right up there with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Cowboy Bebop. The dub is highly regarded by fans, even if they prefer not to use English dubs.
Two Decades Later, The Animation Still Holds Up!
Even though it wasn’t an exact faithful adaptation of the manga, it’s still a very good anime to watch. The action sequences were exhilarating, and the character designs are unique and stand out.
The art style is nice, and while the animation doesn't look as polished as digital animation, it's still special because cell animation is no longer used in the same way as it was in Trigun.
Studio Madhouse made this anime, and while it wasn't as stunning as a lot of their later work, it's still really good. The animation still stands out despite its age.
The English Dub Is Great!
This review will not cover the Japanese dub with English subtitles because this review is written for people who might just be getting into anime and aren’t “sub purists” who only watch the Japanese version and don’t watch the English version.
The Japanese dub isn't bad, but since this is a space western and westerns are associated with America, English is the best choice between Japanese and English. If you like Japanese voice acting, you'll probably enjoy Trigun in Japanese.
The English dub is terrific, and everyone sounds great. The performance by Johnny Bosch, who voices Vash the Stampede, is perfect, and it’s surprising because this was his first anime role. Jeff Nimoy is also great as Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a very unconventional traveling priest.
Dorothy Elias-Fahn is also well cast as Meryl Strife, and she’s a very good voice actress. Lia Sargent plays the seemingly air-headed insurance girl, Milly Thomson, and she gives a nice performance. It’s nice to listen to her voice, even though it might get on some audience members' nerves.
Bo Williams was great as Millions Knives. He did a really good job as Knives, playing an excellent villain. He was an interesting character, and the showdown between Knives and Vash was fantastic.
The dub is still fun to listen to, even though it's really old now, and dubbing has improved a lot since Trigun was released. It's still one I enjoy a lot.
The Soundtrack Is Great!
The musical score is very memorable, especially the opening theme “H.T.”
The music evokes the feel and emotions of a western, and it sounds like something you'd hear in a western. It has a lot of twang and guitars, and the music is a wonderful thing to hear. It evokes emotions in the audience, and there are musical themes that I think of when I remember Trigun.
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The Themes of "Trigun"
There are also themes concerning pacifism and genocide, and strong Christian themes in the character of Vash the Stampede. Trigun’s themes resonate with many viewers and have made him one of the most memorable and iconic anime characters on screen. It defined anime for many in the U.S. and is considered an anime classic that is a must-watch.
The themes of pacifism and morality, and how much restraint is needed not to kill in a world where killing is easy, make the audience think about Vash and his beliefs about not taking a life.
There's also the interesting relationship with his mother in the story, and how he wants to follow her ideals.
It also deconstructs the idealistic view of pacifism that is shown in stories where it's easy to cheer on a pacifist when they're not being shot at. What makes Vash's pacifism stand out and stay with the viewer so much is the space western setting, where killing is easy, normal, and commonplace.
Vash is defined by being a pacifist in a setting where that is the hardest thing to do. It makes him one of my favorite anime characters. The Christian themes aren't easy to spot, but they are there.
The Tonal Change Might Throw You Off
Trigun has an interesting story because of the tonal shift. It starts off light-hearted and funny, but slowly shifts into a more serious tone as the story progresses. The shift could throw off the audience because they're expecting it to be pretty funny, but when it becomes serious, it's rather jarring.
The manga didn't really start out funny, but it's an interesting way to introduce Vash. The humor. The inconsistent tone is weird, but it makes the story interesting.
Parental Warning
Trigun's violence isn't extremely graphic, but people are shot and wounded by gunfire or slashed with melee weapons.
There is also some profanity, but it's not as strong as an MA-rated anime or R-rated movie.
It’s an Older Anime, but It’s a Must-Watch for Anime Fans
Overall, Trigun is a great anime, and it still looks good despite its age, although the characters do sometimes go off-model. The music is nice, and the English dub is very good. The story is worth your time, as it is deep, meaningful, and carries a good message. However, it is not suitable for kids, due to its stronger language, blood, and violence. But it is definitely a classic anime that deserves to be on your shelf. Experience the space western for yourself; it’ll stick with you after it’s over.
Trigun is available on Hulu and Crunchyroll.
Grade: A-
Trigun is an anime classic that was the gateway anime for many Western fans. It has excellent animation, deep themes, and a captivating story. It's well worth your time and money, and it's not expensive to purchase at all.
Studio Madhouse has improved a lot, but it's interesting to see some of their old work; it still holds up despite being one of their older titles. The animation still looks really great and shows off Vash in his iconic red coat.
It's still a wonderful space western, and it's a classic anime that every anime fan should watch. If you like Johnny Yong Bosch, you should enjoy watching his first foray into anime dubbing. It has a great dub.
I enjoy watching it, and it's one of my favorite anime to watch. The Trigun movie, Badlands Rumble, has been released on Blu-ray and DVD.
If you want to stream the anime, you can watch it on FunimationNow, Hulu, and YouTube.
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Anime Review: Fullmetal Alchemist (First Series)
Anime Review: Fullmetal Alchemist (First Series).
Here's my written review of Fullmetal Alchemist, The first series.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
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