Hi everyone. I'm sorry about not posting up anything yesterday. I was busy with a bunch of stuff, and the internet at my place was acting a little strange. So, because of all that, I wasn't able to watch the movie I planned to review yesterday. I didn't want to leave you in the dark, so I decided to post something today. So, read on to see what I have in store for you.
If you've read through my reviews, you'll noticed that I've done the following in a bunch of them:
"insert show here" was released by ADV Films (R.I.P.)
Many of you are wondering "that's a little strange". It is, I won't lie. However, I keep doing that because ADV Films deserves it. The company was one of the first to bring anime into the United States (the first show they ever brought over was Devil Hunter Yohko), and they were the first to popularize the medium. At first, their video releases were just subs, but they began using dubs with their own voice actors a few years later. When they closed in 2009, they had a large library of shows under their belt. Look below to see the lists:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:ADV_Films
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:ADV_Films&pagefrom=Tokyo%3A+The+Last+Megalopolis#mw-pages
This collection deserves some respect, whether the shows are good, bad, subbed, and/or dubbed. Many other companies don't quite have a library as extensive as this.
I also do the R.I.P. thing because I was a loyal fan of ADV Films when I saw their site & some of their trailers back when I started college, as well as receiving my DVD collection of Comic Party Revolution a few Christmases, and buying some of their titles over the years before and after their closing. I just loved what they released, and a bunch of my friends owned some of the shows they released, so it was like being with the crowd and such. I was distraught when I found out that they closed, and to honor their memory, I watch the shows that I own from them to remind me of one of the greatest anime companies in the world.
So that pretty much why I do that R.I.P. thing. To steal a catchphrase from Bret "The Hitman" Hert: ADV Films is the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be.
See you next week, where I'll post up some more Street Fighter goodness for you. Until then, stay Otaku!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Review
Hi guys! Due to my little goof up, I went back to my library to look for a show that I've had for a bit. After looking through, I found a series that's perfect to review today. So, for your viewing pleasure, here's a review of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki.
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Aired in Japan on September 25, 2003, and ended on September 14, 2005, then was released by Funimation in that year, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki is a spinoff of the original Tenchi Muyo series. Taking place after the events of the original series, we find that the life of the Masaki Gang is back to normal, or so they think. A mysterious guest arrives at the house, and at first Tench believes it's his mother come back to life, but in reality it's his sister, who looks a lot like his mom. She's come back to earth to inform him that he is to be married to a woman chosen by the Jurai family. As usual, the girls of the house react in their normal manner (yelling, whining, and complaining), while Tenchi himself reacts in his standard indifferent attitude. He goes about his day in the fields, where he unknowingly spots his bride. The story then go for the standard Tenchi points: humor, sci-fi, political intrigue, hints of fanservice, etc. I can't really say the rest of the story, but I will say that things occur that you may not expect, as well as things you will expect.
To start off the positives, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki stays within the original Tenchi world. No Tenchi Universe, or Tenchi in Tokyo. This show stays with the original characters, as well as the original story. So side shows, no characters from other series. This shows stays within the confines of the original series, while developing it's own story and feel. To take a quote from DVDTalk.com:
"It's Tenchi at it's core, and that's definitely a good thing."
This also leads into the second positive. Many of the voice actors who worked on the original Tenchi Muyo have returned to reprise their roles. The original voice actors for Tenchi, his father & grandfather, Ayeka, Washu, and Sasami have come back, while the voices for Ryoko, Mihoshi, and Ryo-Ohki have new voice actors. The new voices actors do a good job with the characters they play, especially Ryoko. I don't know if it's just my hearing going out, but I swore on numerous occasions that Ryoko sounds like Stan's mom from South Park! If anyone's had this same experience, let me know in the comments.
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki's third positive is the visuals. Despite being made in 2003, the show almost looks as if it was made in the middle of last decade, or the late part of last decade. The show has come a long way from the original Tenchi Muyo: everything is so smooth, so streamlined, and so vibrant. The characters themselves have more of a lifelike look and feel to them than they ever had. It also doesn't hurt the fact that the girls this time around look even more cute, hot, and sexy.
The fourth positive of this series is the episode length. Despite being just 7 episodes (more on that later), each episode runs in at 22 to 24 minutes, and given how many episodes there are, you could watch this in one afternoon if you're a dedicated anime fan. For more reasonable fans (of which I am one...sometimes), 1 or 2 days will be about the standard amount of time to watch this show.
This show's fifth positive is the extras. Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki comes with a bunch of extras, including:
*Character Profiles
*The Real Tenchi Tour
*Japanese TV Spots
*Lovely Cookin' Music Video
*'Himitsu Nabe' Tenchi Muyo! Special (40 minute live action special, 30 minute radio drama)
*Trailers
A good collection of extra, if I do say so myself.
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki's final positives are it's availability & pricing. Although it came out in 2005 on individual DVDs and a set (minus the 7th episode), it more recently came out in 2009 & last year as a full set. Over on Amazon, you can find the older and newer releases with some frequency (more so with the newer release, less so with the older releases). I bought my copy (the 2009 version) back at Conneticon 2010 for I believe 20 dollars. Copies of the 2009 release range from 19 to 30 dollars, so my wallet didn't get a scratch. As for last year's release, pricing is even more relaxed, ranging from 11 to 13 dollars. There's not many used copies, so don't both unless you're strapped for cash.
Like a lot of shows I review that are good, they always come with a few blemishes. Luckily, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki only has 2 dark spots on it's image.
In the Tenchi series, there's always been a lot of episodes. Even the spinoffs have had their fair share of episode sizes (GXP has a whopping 26 episode length). Compared to everything else, Ryo-Ohki seems a bit small, and that's not just the amount of episodes. The story (which, in all honesty, is quite good for a Tenchi series) seems to be missing things. Now, given the fact that they were wrapping up this story of Tenchi, I'll let it pass, but hardcore fans may blow a fuse on something.
I give Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki a 8 out of 10, but more hardcore fans will give it a 7 to 8 out of 10. It stays within the original Tenchi series, most of the original voice actors are back, the visuals are spectacular, the 7 episodes make for a quick but enjoyable viewing, there's plenty of extras, and the pricing & availability are decent, but there's only 7 episodes, and the story sees to be missing...something.
Until next time, stay Otaku!
_122611_cactusbastard_preview-8a545d58.jpg)
Aired in Japan on September 25, 2003, and ended on September 14, 2005, then was released by Funimation in that year, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki is a spinoff of the original Tenchi Muyo series. Taking place after the events of the original series, we find that the life of the Masaki Gang is back to normal, or so they think. A mysterious guest arrives at the house, and at first Tench believes it's his mother come back to life, but in reality it's his sister, who looks a lot like his mom. She's come back to earth to inform him that he is to be married to a woman chosen by the Jurai family. As usual, the girls of the house react in their normal manner (yelling, whining, and complaining), while Tenchi himself reacts in his standard indifferent attitude. He goes about his day in the fields, where he unknowingly spots his bride. The story then go for the standard Tenchi points: humor, sci-fi, political intrigue, hints of fanservice, etc. I can't really say the rest of the story, but I will say that things occur that you may not expect, as well as things you will expect.
To start off the positives, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki stays within the original Tenchi world. No Tenchi Universe, or Tenchi in Tokyo. This show stays with the original characters, as well as the original story. So side shows, no characters from other series. This shows stays within the confines of the original series, while developing it's own story and feel. To take a quote from DVDTalk.com:
"It's Tenchi at it's core, and that's definitely a good thing."
This also leads into the second positive. Many of the voice actors who worked on the original Tenchi Muyo have returned to reprise their roles. The original voice actors for Tenchi, his father & grandfather, Ayeka, Washu, and Sasami have come back, while the voices for Ryoko, Mihoshi, and Ryo-Ohki have new voice actors. The new voices actors do a good job with the characters they play, especially Ryoko. I don't know if it's just my hearing going out, but I swore on numerous occasions that Ryoko sounds like Stan's mom from South Park! If anyone's had this same experience, let me know in the comments.
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki's third positive is the visuals. Despite being made in 2003, the show almost looks as if it was made in the middle of last decade, or the late part of last decade. The show has come a long way from the original Tenchi Muyo: everything is so smooth, so streamlined, and so vibrant. The characters themselves have more of a lifelike look and feel to them than they ever had. It also doesn't hurt the fact that the girls this time around look even more cute, hot, and sexy.
The fourth positive of this series is the episode length. Despite being just 7 episodes (more on that later), each episode runs in at 22 to 24 minutes, and given how many episodes there are, you could watch this in one afternoon if you're a dedicated anime fan. For more reasonable fans (of which I am one...sometimes), 1 or 2 days will be about the standard amount of time to watch this show.
This show's fifth positive is the extras. Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki comes with a bunch of extras, including:
*Character Profiles
*The Real Tenchi Tour
*Japanese TV Spots
*Lovely Cookin' Music Video
*'Himitsu Nabe' Tenchi Muyo! Special (40 minute live action special, 30 minute radio drama)
*Trailers
A good collection of extra, if I do say so myself.
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki's final positives are it's availability & pricing. Although it came out in 2005 on individual DVDs and a set (minus the 7th episode), it more recently came out in 2009 & last year as a full set. Over on Amazon, you can find the older and newer releases with some frequency (more so with the newer release, less so with the older releases). I bought my copy (the 2009 version) back at Conneticon 2010 for I believe 20 dollars. Copies of the 2009 release range from 19 to 30 dollars, so my wallet didn't get a scratch. As for last year's release, pricing is even more relaxed, ranging from 11 to 13 dollars. There's not many used copies, so don't both unless you're strapped for cash.
Like a lot of shows I review that are good, they always come with a few blemishes. Luckily, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki only has 2 dark spots on it's image.
In the Tenchi series, there's always been a lot of episodes. Even the spinoffs have had their fair share of episode sizes (GXP has a whopping 26 episode length). Compared to everything else, Ryo-Ohki seems a bit small, and that's not just the amount of episodes. The story (which, in all honesty, is quite good for a Tenchi series) seems to be missing things. Now, given the fact that they were wrapping up this story of Tenchi, I'll let it pass, but hardcore fans may blow a fuse on something.
I give Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki a 8 out of 10, but more hardcore fans will give it a 7 to 8 out of 10. It stays within the original Tenchi series, most of the original voice actors are back, the visuals are spectacular, the 7 episodes make for a quick but enjoyable viewing, there's plenty of extras, and the pricing & availability are decent, but there's only 7 episodes, and the story sees to be missing...something.
Until next time, stay Otaku!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Chobits Anime/Manga Comparison
Hi guys! Well, I've read through the entire manga, and watched the whole anime, so now it's time to see how both versions of Chobits. During this comparison, I'll attempt to point how how these two are the same, as well as their differences. Note, this is not a review of both mediums, but at the end I'll give my verdict to which is better. Also keep in mind that this comparison has a lot of spoilers, so if you've never watched the anime or read the manga, then turn away right now. So without further delay, here's my first anime/manga comparison. Hope you'll like it!
To start off, here's a section from my Chobits review from this Tuesday:
"Originally a manga created by CLAMP that was released from February 21, 2001 to November 29, 2002, the anime version was directed by Morio Asaka & released by Madhouse from April 2, 2002 to September 24, 2002, then acquired by the now defunct Geneon studio from 2003 to 2007 and later released by Funimation just last year, Chobits is the story of Hideki Motosuwa, a farm boy from Hokkaido trying to get into a Tokyo college. He doesn't get in, so he goes into a cram school instead. During this time, he comes across persocoms, which are computers that look exactly like people (except for their access ports where their ears should be). These machines can do anything a normal computer can do, and more. Due to his situation, Hideki cannot afford one, so he despairs about not being able to buy one. Then one night, he passes a pile of trash on his way home to his apartment, when he spots what he falsely thinks is a dead body. After some clarification, he realizes that it's a female persocom wrapped up in cloth. He decided to take it home, and turn it on to see if it works (to reveal how he turns it on would run some of the humor). He turns it on, and the persocom comes to life. However, the newly activated persocom isn't acting normal, as the only thing she says at first is "Chi". Hideki attempts to work things out, as this new persocom is now an important part of his life."
That is the story of Chobits, and that is one of the first things the anime & manga have in common. Both have essentially the same story: boy finds persocom, boy turns on persocom, persocom falls for boy, friends around him notice, secrets about the persocom arise, and other things that are typical of a love comedy/drama hybrid. Despite the similarity, there are some big differences in how the story plays out, but that's for later.
The next thing that the anime & manga have in common is the characters. Regardless of the medium, the cast of characters are exactly the same, right down to their personalities. The only things that are different between the two is the secondary characters that are in the anime & manga, and what some of the main characters do or say. The different secondary characters are not to fret over, but what the main characters do or say may cause a stickler or two to pitch a fit.
This leads to the third thing that the anime & manga have in common, and that's the vibe. Despite the differences, there's a feeling of love between Hideki & Chi, as well as the other characters that eventually fall in love. You can also feel happiness, tragedy, remorse, and a host of other emotions within the anime and the manga.
Now that the things in common are out of the way, let's get into what makes the Chobits anime & manga different from one another. There's a bunch of things to cover, so let's get to it!
The first thing that make the anime & manga different is who is emphasized more. In the manga, Hideki takes center stage the majority of the time, while Chi is given a lot of screen time in the anime. On top of that, there are many episodes, or moments in episodes, where Chi is providing moments of fanservice or doing cute things. In this regard, fans of the anime like the second half of the show, where the moral and philosophical explorations of the relationships between humans and artificial intelligences are explained. In the manga, things are explained throughout the whole story.
The next difference between the Chobits anime & manga is the tone. The manga is a balance between sweet and serious, while the anime (despite the darker moments) doesn't seem quite as tragic, and tends to emanate more pleasant emotions than the manga. I'm going to give Madhouse the benefit of the doubt in this case, as perhaps they wanted to put a positive spin on things, but fans of the manga may or may not like this difference.
Which leads into the third difference of the Chobits anime & manga. Within the anime, there are certain things that don't happen in the Manga. These include:
* A trip to Minoru's (one of the main characters) beach house.
* The circulation of an online urban legend regarding Hideki's apartment being haunted.
* He and Chi helping Ms. Hibiya (another main character) clean the apartment complex
* Chi needing to be charged and Chi cooking for Hideki.
Strangely, the issue of underwear pops up in the anime & manga. In the manga, it is devoted to just two pages, while in the anime it takes up an entire episode. This really shouldn't be a problem with fans, as I thought that Hideki trying to buy underwear, and Chi's actions throughout the episode, was hilarious.
This leads into the last difference, well, differences, between the Chobits anime & manga. There are many story points within the manga that don't show up in the anime, while the story points that do show up have been altered in some way. The complete changes are:
* In the manga, Hideki is already in Tokyo and employed when he introduces himself. In the anime, he is shown moving to Tokyo and meeting Chitose Hibiya, and he doesn't have a job.
* In the anime, Shinbo Hiromu (Hideki's friend, and one of the main characters) lives in the same apartment complex as Hideki, while in the manga he doesn't.
* In the manga, Hideki learns Ms. Shimizu (Hideki's school teacher, and another main character) and Shinbo are having an affair when he searches for Chi, who went to look for a job and wound up at Club Peep. In the anime, he finds out at a much later point.
* In the anime, Yumi Oumura (a possible love interest & main character) is the daughter of manager Nekoi (a side character) at Club Pleasure, while in the manga she isn't.
* In the manga, Chi gets an outfit from her past life from Chitose Hibiya the night after Takako Shimizu stays at Hideki's apartment. In the anime, Chi gets the outfit after she and Hideki help her with cleaning the apartment building.
* In the anime, Chitose Hibiya's late husband Ichiro is not named, nor is his affiliation with the creation of Angelic Layer (Angelic Layer also happens to be a manga/anime that took place before the events of Chobits, and was also done by CLAMP) talked about. In the manga, he is mentioned exclusively by name, as well as his work on Angelic Layer.
* Freya "dies" in the anime and manga under the same circumstances (her CPU becoming overstressed by too much "pain"), but for different reasons. In the manga, she tells Ichiro Mihara (Ms. Hibiya's husband) about her feelings for him, and feels pain and joy at the same time which was too much of an emotional burden on her "heart". Within the anime, she mentions that she couldn't admit that she loved her "father", and suffered from the pain of using all her willpower to keep her feelings a secret.
* The endings of the anime & manga differ in several ways. The differences including not alluding to Hideki never having Chi because of her switch location (right were the Vagina is on a normal girl), and Freya taking over Chi's body, and asking her mother Chitose to shut her down in the process, all the while saying the Chobits series is a failure, and the activation of the program regardless, although the effect on the persocoms is different between the anime & manga.
Now that we know what makes the anime & manga of Chobits the same as well as different, which is the superior product? For me at least, I enjoyed the both of them. The anime tended to be a bit more silly, and I tend to enjoy silly shows, while the manga manages to strike a good balance between silly and serious.
I hope you enjoyed my first ever anime/manga comparison. Until next time, stay Otaku!
To start off, here's a section from my Chobits review from this Tuesday:
"Originally a manga created by CLAMP that was released from February 21, 2001 to November 29, 2002, the anime version was directed by Morio Asaka & released by Madhouse from April 2, 2002 to September 24, 2002, then acquired by the now defunct Geneon studio from 2003 to 2007 and later released by Funimation just last year, Chobits is the story of Hideki Motosuwa, a farm boy from Hokkaido trying to get into a Tokyo college. He doesn't get in, so he goes into a cram school instead. During this time, he comes across persocoms, which are computers that look exactly like people (except for their access ports where their ears should be). These machines can do anything a normal computer can do, and more. Due to his situation, Hideki cannot afford one, so he despairs about not being able to buy one. Then one night, he passes a pile of trash on his way home to his apartment, when he spots what he falsely thinks is a dead body. After some clarification, he realizes that it's a female persocom wrapped up in cloth. He decided to take it home, and turn it on to see if it works (to reveal how he turns it on would run some of the humor). He turns it on, and the persocom comes to life. However, the newly activated persocom isn't acting normal, as the only thing she says at first is "Chi". Hideki attempts to work things out, as this new persocom is now an important part of his life."
That is the story of Chobits, and that is one of the first things the anime & manga have in common. Both have essentially the same story: boy finds persocom, boy turns on persocom, persocom falls for boy, friends around him notice, secrets about the persocom arise, and other things that are typical of a love comedy/drama hybrid. Despite the similarity, there are some big differences in how the story plays out, but that's for later.
The next thing that the anime & manga have in common is the characters. Regardless of the medium, the cast of characters are exactly the same, right down to their personalities. The only things that are different between the two is the secondary characters that are in the anime & manga, and what some of the main characters do or say. The different secondary characters are not to fret over, but what the main characters do or say may cause a stickler or two to pitch a fit.
This leads to the third thing that the anime & manga have in common, and that's the vibe. Despite the differences, there's a feeling of love between Hideki & Chi, as well as the other characters that eventually fall in love. You can also feel happiness, tragedy, remorse, and a host of other emotions within the anime and the manga.
Now that the things in common are out of the way, let's get into what makes the Chobits anime & manga different from one another. There's a bunch of things to cover, so let's get to it!
The first thing that make the anime & manga different is who is emphasized more. In the manga, Hideki takes center stage the majority of the time, while Chi is given a lot of screen time in the anime. On top of that, there are many episodes, or moments in episodes, where Chi is providing moments of fanservice or doing cute things. In this regard, fans of the anime like the second half of the show, where the moral and philosophical explorations of the relationships between humans and artificial intelligences are explained. In the manga, things are explained throughout the whole story.
The next difference between the Chobits anime & manga is the tone. The manga is a balance between sweet and serious, while the anime (despite the darker moments) doesn't seem quite as tragic, and tends to emanate more pleasant emotions than the manga. I'm going to give Madhouse the benefit of the doubt in this case, as perhaps they wanted to put a positive spin on things, but fans of the manga may or may not like this difference.
Which leads into the third difference of the Chobits anime & manga. Within the anime, there are certain things that don't happen in the Manga. These include:
* A trip to Minoru's (one of the main characters) beach house.
* The circulation of an online urban legend regarding Hideki's apartment being haunted.
* He and Chi helping Ms. Hibiya (another main character) clean the apartment complex
* Chi needing to be charged and Chi cooking for Hideki.
Strangely, the issue of underwear pops up in the anime & manga. In the manga, it is devoted to just two pages, while in the anime it takes up an entire episode. This really shouldn't be a problem with fans, as I thought that Hideki trying to buy underwear, and Chi's actions throughout the episode, was hilarious.
This leads into the last difference, well, differences, between the Chobits anime & manga. There are many story points within the manga that don't show up in the anime, while the story points that do show up have been altered in some way. The complete changes are:
* In the manga, Hideki is already in Tokyo and employed when he introduces himself. In the anime, he is shown moving to Tokyo and meeting Chitose Hibiya, and he doesn't have a job.
* In the anime, Shinbo Hiromu (Hideki's friend, and one of the main characters) lives in the same apartment complex as Hideki, while in the manga he doesn't.
* In the manga, Hideki learns Ms. Shimizu (Hideki's school teacher, and another main character) and Shinbo are having an affair when he searches for Chi, who went to look for a job and wound up at Club Peep. In the anime, he finds out at a much later point.
* In the anime, Yumi Oumura (a possible love interest & main character) is the daughter of manager Nekoi (a side character) at Club Pleasure, while in the manga she isn't.
* In the manga, Chi gets an outfit from her past life from Chitose Hibiya the night after Takako Shimizu stays at Hideki's apartment. In the anime, Chi gets the outfit after she and Hideki help her with cleaning the apartment building.
* In the anime, Chitose Hibiya's late husband Ichiro is not named, nor is his affiliation with the creation of Angelic Layer (Angelic Layer also happens to be a manga/anime that took place before the events of Chobits, and was also done by CLAMP) talked about. In the manga, he is mentioned exclusively by name, as well as his work on Angelic Layer.
* Freya "dies" in the anime and manga under the same circumstances (her CPU becoming overstressed by too much "pain"), but for different reasons. In the manga, she tells Ichiro Mihara (Ms. Hibiya's husband) about her feelings for him, and feels pain and joy at the same time which was too much of an emotional burden on her "heart". Within the anime, she mentions that she couldn't admit that she loved her "father", and suffered from the pain of using all her willpower to keep her feelings a secret.
* The endings of the anime & manga differ in several ways. The differences including not alluding to Hideki never having Chi because of her switch location (right were the Vagina is on a normal girl), and Freya taking over Chi's body, and asking her mother Chitose to shut her down in the process, all the while saying the Chobits series is a failure, and the activation of the program regardless, although the effect on the persocoms is different between the anime & manga.
Now that we know what makes the anime & manga of Chobits the same as well as different, which is the superior product? For me at least, I enjoyed the both of them. The anime tended to be a bit more silly, and I tend to enjoy silly shows, while the manga manages to strike a good balance between silly and serious.
I hope you enjoyed my first ever anime/manga comparison. Until next time, stay Otaku!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Chobits Review
Hi guys. Well, spring is in the air. The grass is green, the birds are chirping, and love is in the air. There's definitely a lot of love, and more, in the anime that I'm reviewing today. So let's jump right in: here's my review on Chobits (for the purpose of this review, I'll be looking at the blu-ray release).
Originally a manga created by CLAMP that was released from February 21, 2001 to November 29, 2002, the anime version was directed by Morio Asaka & released by Madhouse from April 2, 2002 to September 24, 2002, then acquired by the now defunct Geneon studio from 2003 to 2007 and later released by Funimation just last year, Chobits is the story of Hideki Motosuwa, a farm boy from Hokkaido trying to get into a Tokyo college. He doesn't get in, so he goes into a cram school instead. During this time, he comes across persocoms, which are computers that look exactly like people (except for their access ports where their ears should be). These machines can do anything a normal computer can do, and more. Due to his situation, Hideki cannot afford one, so he despairs about not being able to buy one. Then one night, he passes a pile of trash on his way home to his apartment, when he spots what he falsely thinks is a dead body. After some clarification, he realizes that it's a female persocom wrapped up in cloth. He decided to take it home, and turn it on to see if it works (to reveal how he turns it on would run some of the humor). He turns it on, and the persocom comes to life. However, the newly activated persocom isn't acting normal, as the only thing she says at first is "Chi". Hideki attempts to work things out, as this new persocom is now an important part of his life. The rest of the tale is filled with humor (both clean & innocently dirty), suspense, drama, sci-fi, and a host of other genres.
Starting off Chobits's positives are the visuals. Despite being a show from the early part of last decade, everything looks really good, especially the people & persocoms that populate Tokyo. The characters move rather fluidly, and the environments have a realistic look to them. There's even a couple references to western pop culture sprinkled around, such as the Col. Sanders statue in episode 4. Little things like that make the world seem a bit more realistic, and it just adds more to the charm.
Chobit's second positive are the characters. It doesn't matter whether the character is good or evil, they all seem to be likable in some way. Right off the bad, you'll come to appreciate Hideki's charm & clumsiness, and enjoy the pure innocence of Chi. The other characters are lovable as well, like Hideki's friend Shimbo and his persocom Sumomo, a rather spastic and adorable mini-persocom. There really isn't any focus on the minor characters, as they're just around to propel the story further, but once in a while they'll do or say something that may be stuck in your head for a little while.
The third positive of Chobits is the voice acting. All I can say is that everybody tries their hardest, and adds a lot of depth to the characters. They all sound like people that you'd meet in real life, and their voices show off what goes on inside their heads & hearts. That "hearts" mentioning sounds a little silly, but trust me when I say that it's an accurate description.
The fourth positive of Chobits is it's availability. Having been re-released just last year, you can find copies of both the blu-ray and regular release in stores and online. Over on Amazon they still have tons of copies, including the original release & re-release. Despite the pricing (more on that later), this is a show that nobody should pass up.
Chobits's fifth positive is the extras. I don't know if they're all included on the normal release, but there are a ton of extras on the blu-ray release. The list included interviews with some of the voice actors, a "Chibits" mini-episode, a textless opening and closing, and trailers for some shows. There's enough extras on the blu-ray to keep you occupied for a day, or maybe a day & and half.
The sixth positive of Chobits is how well it mixes the various genres it uses. Like I said earlier, the show is a mix of comedy, suspense, sci-fi, and drama. Usually, a loot of genres can sometimes bog down a show, but not Chobits. Each episode perfectly balances these four genres, although there are certain situations where a genre may have more time than the others.
The final positive of Chobits is how long it is. Most standard anime (with a few exceptions) come in at 12 or 13 episodes, but Chobits has the distinction of being a 26 episode series, 22 to 24 minutes in length. I watched this show over the course of a week, but if you're a big anime fan, you'll probably finish it in 4 to 4 and a half days. Maybe even less time if you're really interested in this show.
Despite all of these positives, Chobits does have some thing looming over it. The show is still a masterpiece, but these things can't be ignored, and the first is the voice acting. I know that I said earlier that the voice acting, but they used the exact same voice and sound effect tracks from the original recordings. I don't necessarily have a problem with this, and I'm actually going to give Funimation the benefit of the doubt on this issue, cause it probably would have been expensive for them to use new voice actors, and to create new sounds. For anime sticklers, this will be something that will bug them.
Second negative of Chobits is how different the story is. I've read the manga, and I've obviously watched the show, and there are a bunch of differences between the two mediums. Some are big and some are small, but they're all noticeable. I can't say what they are just yet, as that would ruin my Chobits anime/manga comparison later this week. Once again, I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but there are some things that strike me as odd. More on that later this week.
The final negative of Chobits is pricing. More than likely, the cost of the blu-ray and normal release in a place like Best Buy or FYE is going to be relatively high, possible in the 50 dollar range. Over on Amazon, however, things are a bit different. The standard price for the normal release of the entire show is about 50 dollars, while the blu-ray release is 55 dollars. That's a bit high, if you ask me. Luckily, the site is selling them cheap at the moment, as the normal release costs 27 dollars, and the blu-ray release is just two dollars higher. Buy as many cheap copies as you can, cause they probably aren't going to last much longer.
Chobits gets a 8.5 out of 10. The visuals look great, the characters are likable, the voice acting sound good, it very available, there's a lot of extras, there's a balance among the genres used, and the shows last for a while, but the sounds are exactly the same, the anime & manga are relatively different from each other, and the pricing can be steep for some people.
See you later this week when I take a look at the anime & manga, back to back. Until then, stay Otaku!
Originally a manga created by CLAMP that was released from February 21, 2001 to November 29, 2002, the anime version was directed by Morio Asaka & released by Madhouse from April 2, 2002 to September 24, 2002, then acquired by the now defunct Geneon studio from 2003 to 2007 and later released by Funimation just last year, Chobits is the story of Hideki Motosuwa, a farm boy from Hokkaido trying to get into a Tokyo college. He doesn't get in, so he goes into a cram school instead. During this time, he comes across persocoms, which are computers that look exactly like people (except for their access ports where their ears should be). These machines can do anything a normal computer can do, and more. Due to his situation, Hideki cannot afford one, so he despairs about not being able to buy one. Then one night, he passes a pile of trash on his way home to his apartment, when he spots what he falsely thinks is a dead body. After some clarification, he realizes that it's a female persocom wrapped up in cloth. He decided to take it home, and turn it on to see if it works (to reveal how he turns it on would run some of the humor). He turns it on, and the persocom comes to life. However, the newly activated persocom isn't acting normal, as the only thing she says at first is "Chi". Hideki attempts to work things out, as this new persocom is now an important part of his life. The rest of the tale is filled with humor (both clean & innocently dirty), suspense, drama, sci-fi, and a host of other genres.
Starting off Chobits's positives are the visuals. Despite being a show from the early part of last decade, everything looks really good, especially the people & persocoms that populate Tokyo. The characters move rather fluidly, and the environments have a realistic look to them. There's even a couple references to western pop culture sprinkled around, such as the Col. Sanders statue in episode 4. Little things like that make the world seem a bit more realistic, and it just adds more to the charm.
Chobit's second positive are the characters. It doesn't matter whether the character is good or evil, they all seem to be likable in some way. Right off the bad, you'll come to appreciate Hideki's charm & clumsiness, and enjoy the pure innocence of Chi. The other characters are lovable as well, like Hideki's friend Shimbo and his persocom Sumomo, a rather spastic and adorable mini-persocom. There really isn't any focus on the minor characters, as they're just around to propel the story further, but once in a while they'll do or say something that may be stuck in your head for a little while.
The third positive of Chobits is the voice acting. All I can say is that everybody tries their hardest, and adds a lot of depth to the characters. They all sound like people that you'd meet in real life, and their voices show off what goes on inside their heads & hearts. That "hearts" mentioning sounds a little silly, but trust me when I say that it's an accurate description.
The fourth positive of Chobits is it's availability. Having been re-released just last year, you can find copies of both the blu-ray and regular release in stores and online. Over on Amazon they still have tons of copies, including the original release & re-release. Despite the pricing (more on that later), this is a show that nobody should pass up.
Chobits's fifth positive is the extras. I don't know if they're all included on the normal release, but there are a ton of extras on the blu-ray release. The list included interviews with some of the voice actors, a "Chibits" mini-episode, a textless opening and closing, and trailers for some shows. There's enough extras on the blu-ray to keep you occupied for a day, or maybe a day & and half.
The sixth positive of Chobits is how well it mixes the various genres it uses. Like I said earlier, the show is a mix of comedy, suspense, sci-fi, and drama. Usually, a loot of genres can sometimes bog down a show, but not Chobits. Each episode perfectly balances these four genres, although there are certain situations where a genre may have more time than the others.
The final positive of Chobits is how long it is. Most standard anime (with a few exceptions) come in at 12 or 13 episodes, but Chobits has the distinction of being a 26 episode series, 22 to 24 minutes in length. I watched this show over the course of a week, but if you're a big anime fan, you'll probably finish it in 4 to 4 and a half days. Maybe even less time if you're really interested in this show.
Despite all of these positives, Chobits does have some thing looming over it. The show is still a masterpiece, but these things can't be ignored, and the first is the voice acting. I know that I said earlier that the voice acting, but they used the exact same voice and sound effect tracks from the original recordings. I don't necessarily have a problem with this, and I'm actually going to give Funimation the benefit of the doubt on this issue, cause it probably would have been expensive for them to use new voice actors, and to create new sounds. For anime sticklers, this will be something that will bug them.
Second negative of Chobits is how different the story is. I've read the manga, and I've obviously watched the show, and there are a bunch of differences between the two mediums. Some are big and some are small, but they're all noticeable. I can't say what they are just yet, as that would ruin my Chobits anime/manga comparison later this week. Once again, I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but there are some things that strike me as odd. More on that later this week.
The final negative of Chobits is pricing. More than likely, the cost of the blu-ray and normal release in a place like Best Buy or FYE is going to be relatively high, possible in the 50 dollar range. Over on Amazon, however, things are a bit different. The standard price for the normal release of the entire show is about 50 dollars, while the blu-ray release is 55 dollars. That's a bit high, if you ask me. Luckily, the site is selling them cheap at the moment, as the normal release costs 27 dollars, and the blu-ray release is just two dollars higher. Buy as many cheap copies as you can, cause they probably aren't going to last much longer.
Chobits gets a 8.5 out of 10. The visuals look great, the characters are likable, the voice acting sound good, it very available, there's a lot of extras, there's a balance among the genres used, and the shows last for a while, but the sounds are exactly the same, the anime & manga are relatively different from each other, and the pricing can be steep for some people.
See you later this week when I take a look at the anime & manga, back to back. Until then, stay Otaku!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu Review
Hi Guys! It's pretty unusual for me to do two reviews on the same week. Most of the time I do that because I have something going on (like reviewing the Uncle Yo DvD & Rammstein CD on the same week because of Genericon the following weekend), but this time around I'm doing it because I'm a little impatient. I reviewed a show that sucked horribly, so I figured I'd review something that'll put a little pep back into myself. So, here's a review for Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu.
Running from August 25 to November 18, 2003, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu is a spin-off of Full Metal Panic! Unlike the original show, Fumoffu doesn't have a central story. Instead, each episode (sometimes it's a single episode, sometimes it's 2 episodes put together) is it's own little story, involving most of the cast of the original FMP. Also unlike the original show, most of what's going on is very funny, and there's very little of the mecha combat or political intrigue that was the basis for the original.
So that starts off Fumoffu's first positive. The humor in this show is very much of the slapstick variety, as one of the main characters, Sosuke, is often shooting, blowing up, or punching something that doesn't need to have one the mention forms of violence applied to. Even if he isn't the focus for something goofy or silly, and he usually is, then one of the other characters is doing something goofy instead.
Fumoffu's second positive is it's shift from the original FMP. I've never watched the original Full Metal Panic, but from my understanding it was much more gritty & dark. This version on the other hand, does a complete 180 (with the exception of a few moments) and heads in the comedy and light romance direction. For fans of the original Full Metal Panic who want something a bit different, Fumoffu definitely fits the bill, and for somebody who want a nice comedy show, then it'll most likely satisfy that person.
The third positive of Fumoffu is the voice acting. Unlike my last review, where the voice actors just sucked, the voice actors in this show do a great job with the characters, especially since they're the same actors from the original FMP. Much like that show, they do a great job here of bringing out a character's personality and emotions. Only this time around, they're a lot more funny.
Fumoffu's 4th positive is the visuals. This show came out back in 2003, right around the time that computers started to supplement traditional animation skills. Ironically, this show doesn't look any different from Full Metal Panic, as they were both made by the same studio. The only thing that really separates the two shows is that Fumoffu mostly takes place at the high school the characters go to, and other upbeat settings like a beach or the woods. For fans of the original FMP, it's a refreshing change.
Fumoffu's 5th positive is the time length. Coming in at 12 episodes (last about 22 minutes), this is a great series to watch over the course of a few days with a couple friends.
Fumoffu's last two positives are pricing and availability. I got a used copy of the complete series originally released by ADV Films (R.I.P.) at Genericon just a little while ago for a price that I can't seem to remember at the moment, but Funimation managed to pick it up back in 2009 for a re-release. As far as finding the ADV complete series, you can find a handful of new copies starting at 34 dollars. If that's a bit too expensive for you, there are plenty of used copies on sale starting at just under 10 dollars. Curiously, there are also numerous copies of the season on individual DVDs for sale, with prices ranging from $3.15 to close to 10 dollars for a new copy of the various DVDs. Funimation, on the other hand, has released the entire series together on DVD & Blu-Ray. New copies of both cost anywhere in the 20 dollar range on Amazon, with the DVD release around 20 dollars, and the Blu-Ray release starting at 25 dollars. Not that much of a difference, if you ask me.
Unfortunately, Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu has two dark spots blemishing it's otherwise perfect image. Luckily, they can be explained in a single paragraph. The first negative is the content of the show. If you've never watched the original FMP, then you'll get confused by who's who and what's what. Fans of the original FMP will easily get what's going on, but new comers who've never seen FMP will get a little confused. Fortunately for me, I bought the show for the humor, and I learned what's was going on just by watching the first episode. The second negative is the pacing. Much like my Comic Party Revolution I did last year, I explained that you can pretty much watch the show in whatever order you want (unlike that show, you don't have to watch the last two episodes back to back). Also like that show, the episodes in Fumoffu have their own stories and are presented in a haphazard manner, but not as bad as Comic Party Revolution.
Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu gets a 9 out of 10. It's incredibly funny, the focus has shifted to more lighthearted themes, the voice actors do a good job, the visuals look nice, the length of time is decent, and it's plentiful and easy on the wallet, but it can be confusing for people who've never seen FMP, and it's pacing is a bit akward.
Until next time, stay Otaku!
*
Ironically, this was the 3rd show I discovered while I was back in college (when ADV was still around). I didn't remember it as much back then, and I still haven't figured out why. Here's the original trailer that I saw for the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1bAVLCL50o
Running from August 25 to November 18, 2003, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu is a spin-off of Full Metal Panic! Unlike the original show, Fumoffu doesn't have a central story. Instead, each episode (sometimes it's a single episode, sometimes it's 2 episodes put together) is it's own little story, involving most of the cast of the original FMP. Also unlike the original show, most of what's going on is very funny, and there's very little of the mecha combat or political intrigue that was the basis for the original.
So that starts off Fumoffu's first positive. The humor in this show is very much of the slapstick variety, as one of the main characters, Sosuke, is often shooting, blowing up, or punching something that doesn't need to have one the mention forms of violence applied to. Even if he isn't the focus for something goofy or silly, and he usually is, then one of the other characters is doing something goofy instead.
Fumoffu's second positive is it's shift from the original FMP. I've never watched the original Full Metal Panic, but from my understanding it was much more gritty & dark. This version on the other hand, does a complete 180 (with the exception of a few moments) and heads in the comedy and light romance direction. For fans of the original Full Metal Panic who want something a bit different, Fumoffu definitely fits the bill, and for somebody who want a nice comedy show, then it'll most likely satisfy that person.
The third positive of Fumoffu is the voice acting. Unlike my last review, where the voice actors just sucked, the voice actors in this show do a great job with the characters, especially since they're the same actors from the original FMP. Much like that show, they do a great job here of bringing out a character's personality and emotions. Only this time around, they're a lot more funny.
Fumoffu's 4th positive is the visuals. This show came out back in 2003, right around the time that computers started to supplement traditional animation skills. Ironically, this show doesn't look any different from Full Metal Panic, as they were both made by the same studio. The only thing that really separates the two shows is that Fumoffu mostly takes place at the high school the characters go to, and other upbeat settings like a beach or the woods. For fans of the original FMP, it's a refreshing change.
Fumoffu's 5th positive is the time length. Coming in at 12 episodes (last about 22 minutes), this is a great series to watch over the course of a few days with a couple friends.
Fumoffu's last two positives are pricing and availability. I got a used copy of the complete series originally released by ADV Films (R.I.P.) at Genericon just a little while ago for a price that I can't seem to remember at the moment, but Funimation managed to pick it up back in 2009 for a re-release. As far as finding the ADV complete series, you can find a handful of new copies starting at 34 dollars. If that's a bit too expensive for you, there are plenty of used copies on sale starting at just under 10 dollars. Curiously, there are also numerous copies of the season on individual DVDs for sale, with prices ranging from $3.15 to close to 10 dollars for a new copy of the various DVDs. Funimation, on the other hand, has released the entire series together on DVD & Blu-Ray. New copies of both cost anywhere in the 20 dollar range on Amazon, with the DVD release around 20 dollars, and the Blu-Ray release starting at 25 dollars. Not that much of a difference, if you ask me.
Unfortunately, Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu has two dark spots blemishing it's otherwise perfect image. Luckily, they can be explained in a single paragraph. The first negative is the content of the show. If you've never watched the original FMP, then you'll get confused by who's who and what's what. Fans of the original FMP will easily get what's going on, but new comers who've never seen FMP will get a little confused. Fortunately for me, I bought the show for the humor, and I learned what's was going on just by watching the first episode. The second negative is the pacing. Much like my Comic Party Revolution I did last year, I explained that you can pretty much watch the show in whatever order you want (unlike that show, you don't have to watch the last two episodes back to back). Also like that show, the episodes in Fumoffu have their own stories and are presented in a haphazard manner, but not as bad as Comic Party Revolution.
Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu gets a 9 out of 10. It's incredibly funny, the focus has shifted to more lighthearted themes, the voice actors do a good job, the visuals look nice, the length of time is decent, and it's plentiful and easy on the wallet, but it can be confusing for people who've never seen FMP, and it's pacing is a bit akward.
Until next time, stay Otaku!
*
Ironically, this was the 3rd show I discovered while I was back in college (when ADV was still around). I didn't remember it as much back then, and I still haven't figured out why. Here's the original trailer that I saw for the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1bAVLCL50o
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
SiN the Movie Review
Well guys, it's finally happened. I have finally reviewed something that I can't unsee. No, it's not a creepy hentai, which is ironic, considering that most hentai is creepy. No, I just watched a show in which everything that you think doesn't get screwed up on a mainstream anime does get screwed up: predictable story, mostly bland characters, half-ass voice acting, poor 3d animation shown along the 2d animation, and a host of other things that I refuse to type down unless I go bash my head against a brick wall. The abomination in question is SiN the Movie, so lets step into this cesspool of animation.
Released on VHS & DVD in 2000 in Japan, and in the U.S. by ADV Films (R.I.P.), SiN the Movie is loosely based on the game of the same name that came out around that time (October 31, 1998 to be more specific). Usually at this point, I explain the basis of the story, but I can't. Most of the time a release from ADV Films (R.I.P.) tends to have a good story, or a wacky story that somewhat makes sense, but this is one of the few titles that I've watched from the company that doesn't have a good story at all. Right below is the list of how the story in this movie plays out:
1) A funeral tended to by the main character that involves a character that received little screen time.
2) A dark, seedy meeting between the main character and a side character that has some obscure connection to him. Also, one of the main characters that joins in later is spying on the 1st main character in a effort to trying and bring him down for killing the insignificant character that died at the beginning.
3) A mysterious character (in this case a little girl) reappears (don't ask) to add some mystery and move the rest of the story.
Actually, I'm not going to type the list anymore. To put it bluntly, SiN the Movie's first problem is that not only is the story predictable, it is somehow confusing as hell. The story bounces all over the place, and you have little time to react and pay attention. Even if you do pay attention, you'll still be confused by the placement of things.
If that doesn't make you feel some kind of pain, let it be known that just about every single character that appears on screen is about as entertaining as standing in a line at the the DMV. It doesn't help the fact that the voice acting sucks (I'll get to that a little later), but even if the voice acting didn't suck, the character's just don't have much put into them. Their personalities are flat, and they simply aren't likable. There is only one character (the main villain) that has personality & depth, but even then it's just a sliver of each, and any interest in the villain quickly disappears.
So, we've got the crap story out of the way, and the characters are not worth the time. Next up is the voice acting, and let me tell you, it's amazing...not! I've definitely watch my fair share of dubbed animes. Most of them had great dubbing, and a few had okay dubbing. This is perhaps the first show in my entire life that has the worst dubbing. It's not bad because of the translation, cause I think they got that right. It's bad because there is simply no emotion in the words spoken. Basically, they voices are like themselves: flat & un-enjoyable. It also doesn't help the fact that when the characters try to sound serious, it just feels fake and cheesy. Once again, the main villain has some strength behind her voice, but then again it's only a sliver.
Lastly, the thing that I'm willing to put down about SiN the Movie's flaws is it's mix of 2d & 3d. At numerous points throughout the show, 3d effects are used to display building, computer screens, etc. Now, the idea sounds good in theory, but it ultimately fails completely. The 3d animations look like they were from the late 80s & early 90s, not from the late 90s where 3d animation is starting to look good and improve. This is perhaps the only negative that I'm willing to forgive, but even then I'm not going to be forgiving. If you're looking for an anime that mixes 2d & 3d, then go for Blue Submarine No. 6. Trust me on this.
By this point, you're wondering if there's anything good about SiN the Movie. I'm mean, I've been pretty brutal and honest about this show. You're thinking "How can there be any good in this!?" Well, surprisingly, there are some good things about SiN the Movie.
For starters, the show matches the game. Loosely, but it matches. It's dark, gritty, despair inducing, and is perhaps one of the most blood soaked things I've ever seen. The game is pretty gory, but the show somehow kicks the violence button up a notch. The show's blood content puts it up there with shows like Ninja Scroll and Higurashi, and I don't think it'll ever be dethroned.
Secondly, SiN the Movie lasts for one hour. If you've taken in the bad things I've said here, then you'll be glad to know about how long this lasts. Even if this show didn't suck, a one-hour movie is always good to watch on a slow afternoon or evening.
Finally, if you want to subject yourself to this mess, there are plenty of copies on Amazon. I bought a used copy of the Collector's Edition for $6.99 (The Collector's Edition comes with a soundtrack of the show, a card, and a few extra features), but there's the original 2000 release, the Collector's Edition release in 2001, and a re-release in 2009. I should point out that new copies of the 2000 release go for just one cent. That's right people, all you need to pay for this is a single penny! Even the used copies start out at one cent. That should prove to you that SiN the Movie was a psychotically poor excuse for a show. However, new copies of the Collector's Edition (there are 7 in total on Amazon as I'm typing this) start at a little over 12 dollars, while used copies (8 in total as of right now) start at close to 6 dollars. The 2009 re-release (there's 14 right now), on the other hand starts at $3.69 new, and used copies start at 3 dollars. If you for some reason are a masochist, and enjoy inflicting pain on yourself, then I suggest you pick this up.
SiN the Movie gets a 3 out of 10. The story is predictable and is hard to pay attention to, the characters are practically unlikeable, the voice acting is horrible, and the 2d/3d mix is just awful, but it loosely matches with the game, lasts just for an hour, and is plentiful and cheap.
See you next, when I will fortunately review a good series. Until then, stay Otaku!
*
If you interested in SiN the game (which is far better than the movie), then take a look at the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_%28video_game%29
Released on VHS & DVD in 2000 in Japan, and in the U.S. by ADV Films (R.I.P.), SiN the Movie is loosely based on the game of the same name that came out around that time (October 31, 1998 to be more specific). Usually at this point, I explain the basis of the story, but I can't. Most of the time a release from ADV Films (R.I.P.) tends to have a good story, or a wacky story that somewhat makes sense, but this is one of the few titles that I've watched from the company that doesn't have a good story at all. Right below is the list of how the story in this movie plays out:
1) A funeral tended to by the main character that involves a character that received little screen time.
2) A dark, seedy meeting between the main character and a side character that has some obscure connection to him. Also, one of the main characters that joins in later is spying on the 1st main character in a effort to trying and bring him down for killing the insignificant character that died at the beginning.
3) A mysterious character (in this case a little girl) reappears (don't ask) to add some mystery and move the rest of the story.
Actually, I'm not going to type the list anymore. To put it bluntly, SiN the Movie's first problem is that not only is the story predictable, it is somehow confusing as hell. The story bounces all over the place, and you have little time to react and pay attention. Even if you do pay attention, you'll still be confused by the placement of things.
If that doesn't make you feel some kind of pain, let it be known that just about every single character that appears on screen is about as entertaining as standing in a line at the the DMV. It doesn't help the fact that the voice acting sucks (I'll get to that a little later), but even if the voice acting didn't suck, the character's just don't have much put into them. Their personalities are flat, and they simply aren't likable. There is only one character (the main villain) that has personality & depth, but even then it's just a sliver of each, and any interest in the villain quickly disappears.
So, we've got the crap story out of the way, and the characters are not worth the time. Next up is the voice acting, and let me tell you, it's amazing...not! I've definitely watch my fair share of dubbed animes. Most of them had great dubbing, and a few had okay dubbing. This is perhaps the first show in my entire life that has the worst dubbing. It's not bad because of the translation, cause I think they got that right. It's bad because there is simply no emotion in the words spoken. Basically, they voices are like themselves: flat & un-enjoyable. It also doesn't help the fact that when the characters try to sound serious, it just feels fake and cheesy. Once again, the main villain has some strength behind her voice, but then again it's only a sliver.
Lastly, the thing that I'm willing to put down about SiN the Movie's flaws is it's mix of 2d & 3d. At numerous points throughout the show, 3d effects are used to display building, computer screens, etc. Now, the idea sounds good in theory, but it ultimately fails completely. The 3d animations look like they were from the late 80s & early 90s, not from the late 90s where 3d animation is starting to look good and improve. This is perhaps the only negative that I'm willing to forgive, but even then I'm not going to be forgiving. If you're looking for an anime that mixes 2d & 3d, then go for Blue Submarine No. 6. Trust me on this.
By this point, you're wondering if there's anything good about SiN the Movie. I'm mean, I've been pretty brutal and honest about this show. You're thinking "How can there be any good in this!?" Well, surprisingly, there are some good things about SiN the Movie.
For starters, the show matches the game. Loosely, but it matches. It's dark, gritty, despair inducing, and is perhaps one of the most blood soaked things I've ever seen. The game is pretty gory, but the show somehow kicks the violence button up a notch. The show's blood content puts it up there with shows like Ninja Scroll and Higurashi, and I don't think it'll ever be dethroned.
Secondly, SiN the Movie lasts for one hour. If you've taken in the bad things I've said here, then you'll be glad to know about how long this lasts. Even if this show didn't suck, a one-hour movie is always good to watch on a slow afternoon or evening.
Finally, if you want to subject yourself to this mess, there are plenty of copies on Amazon. I bought a used copy of the Collector's Edition for $6.99 (The Collector's Edition comes with a soundtrack of the show, a card, and a few extra features), but there's the original 2000 release, the Collector's Edition release in 2001, and a re-release in 2009. I should point out that new copies of the 2000 release go for just one cent. That's right people, all you need to pay for this is a single penny! Even the used copies start out at one cent. That should prove to you that SiN the Movie was a psychotically poor excuse for a show. However, new copies of the Collector's Edition (there are 7 in total on Amazon as I'm typing this) start at a little over 12 dollars, while used copies (8 in total as of right now) start at close to 6 dollars. The 2009 re-release (there's 14 right now), on the other hand starts at $3.69 new, and used copies start at 3 dollars. If you for some reason are a masochist, and enjoy inflicting pain on yourself, then I suggest you pick this up.
SiN the Movie gets a 3 out of 10. The story is predictable and is hard to pay attention to, the characters are practically unlikeable, the voice acting is horrible, and the 2d/3d mix is just awful, but it loosely matches with the game, lasts just for an hour, and is plentiful and cheap.
See you next, when I will fortunately review a good series. Until then, stay Otaku!
*
If you interested in SiN the game (which is far better than the movie), then take a look at the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_%28video_game%29
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Jungle De Ikou Review
Hi everyone! I'm still coming off of my Genericon high, and I'm just starting to look through photos and watch videos from the con. This year was awesome, and if anyone who went there, it was a great time. As for those otaku who didn't make it, then my condolences to you.
Now that that's out of the way, it time to get to the review. Like I said last post, I got 5 shows during the weekend. I also said in that post that I'd continue through the older shows I have before I get to the newer ones, but one show called out to me. A show that has been around for a long time (it has been around since the late 90s) and has gained a reputation for incredible amounts of fanservice and humor, not to mention a ridiculous plot. That show, ladies & gentlemen, is Jungle De Ikou!
Directed by Yuji Moriyama back in 1997, and licensed by AnimeWorks for VHS & DVD in 2001, Jungle De Ikou shows the tale of Natsumi Rokudo, a ten-year old student who's father just happens to be an archaeologist. He's recently come back from New Guinea with an ancient statuette, and gives it to his daughter as a gift. Little does Natsumi realize, the statuette was actually a prison for Ongo, the spirit of wood & destruction, and he gets released into her room. Luckily, he's just a little guy that is more of an annoyance than a force for destruction. However, before Ongo is released, Natsumi is visited in her dreans by Ahem, the god of the earth. He tells her of Ongo's coming, and teaches her a dance (a sexy, funny, perverted dance) that bestows upon her the form and power of Mii, the goddess of flowers, fertility, and reproduction. With her massive breasts, Mii protects Japan from Ongo's eventual destructive rage, and from Rongo the water spirit. I can't reveal more, as it would ruin the story. Suffice it to say, it is a wonderful and hilarious ride that should be shared with everyone that is willing to sit down and watch.
I normally don't like anime intros, but Jungle De Ikou's intro is the first positive. The intro that I liked before this one were for Chobits and Love Hina, but Jungle De Ikou's intro is a mix of upbeat tribal drums and jazzy sounds that somehow fits. The video used in the intro shows of Mii and her massive...capabilities, as well as the various characters that eventually appear in the show, and also gives the watcher a taste of the wackiness to come. If you'd like to take a gander at the intro, then click on the link below:
Jungle De Ikou Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0zXXy-UULI
By the way, the ending song isn't that bad either.
Jungle De Ikou's next positive is the humor. I'm putting it right out there: this show is pure fanservice and slapstick. There is not a minute where you aren't laughing out of your seat, or oggling at the myriad panty shots and boob shots. The majority of the humor within the show comes from Natsumi's interaction with Ongo and Ahem, and the fanservice (most of it, anyway) comes from Natsumi's transformation into Mii, and Mii's massive boobs. If you don't believe me, then click on the link below (if you don't want to spoil some of the story for yourself, then don't click on it):
Jungle De Ikou Transformation (From Episode 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c5wzAZMrro
That was merely a taste of what the show provides. If you don't have a sense of humor or if you didn't feel the slightest bit aroused (trust me, I was), then this show is not for you.
The next positives for Jungle De Ikou are it's availability and pricing. My used copy at the con was just $7.99, but the starting price over on Amazon is 16 dollars, which still puts it in the affordable area. The copes of Jungle De Ikou on Amazon are also plentiful. Despite being a little over a decade old, there are 26 new DVDs, and just 9 used copies, which start out at $15.95. Your best bet is to buy one of the new copies, and leave the used copies for those who can't afford a new one.
Jungle De Ikou's last positive is the length of each episode. Despite only being 3 episodes long (read below), they clock in at about 22 minutes, making this a show that can be watched in one sitting (I have a lot of these shows, don't I?). As a suggestion, if you plan on showing this to your friends, make sure they're just a pervy as you.
Despite it's strengths, Jungle De Ikou has a couple weaknesses as well. The first is that there isn't a lot of episodes. As I just typed above, there are only 3 to watch. Much like Gunsmith Cats, there were going to be more episodes of Jungle De Ikou, but there simply wasn't a demand once the show came on. It's tragic actually, as I would have loved to see more episodes, and that the show has a lot of potential.
Secondly, while Mii is clearly an adult (A big breasted adult, to be exact), Natsumi is a 10-year old girl. I normally don't have a problem with this kind of stuff, but for some reason, seeing a young girl perform a provocative dance is a bit disturbing. Luckily for me, I got over it by the second transformation sequence, but more prudish anime viewers with turn away after seeing the dancing for the first time.
Lastly, Jungle De Ikou has the problem of being an anime that is a bit under the radar. While more popular that say Burn Up Excess (look at that review if you don't know what I'm talking about), Jungle De Ikou is more of a sleeper hit than a widely known series, although Wikipedia quotes that "The series is remembered for its wildly comedic moments and fanservice elements", so perhaps I'm missing something.
Jungle De Ikou gets a 7.2 out of 10. The intro and ending sound great, the humor is awesome, the pricing isn't a wallet-killer and copies on Amazon are plentiful, and the short nature of the show makes it great to watch in a day, but there's only 3 episodes, the main (non transformed) female acting sexy can be a bit disturbing, and the show isn't as popular as you may think.
Come back next week, where I'll review a movie that makes me ashamed to own it. Until then, stay Otaku!
Now that that's out of the way, it time to get to the review. Like I said last post, I got 5 shows during the weekend. I also said in that post that I'd continue through the older shows I have before I get to the newer ones, but one show called out to me. A show that has been around for a long time (it has been around since the late 90s) and has gained a reputation for incredible amounts of fanservice and humor, not to mention a ridiculous plot. That show, ladies & gentlemen, is Jungle De Ikou!
Directed by Yuji Moriyama back in 1997, and licensed by AnimeWorks for VHS & DVD in 2001, Jungle De Ikou shows the tale of Natsumi Rokudo, a ten-year old student who's father just happens to be an archaeologist. He's recently come back from New Guinea with an ancient statuette, and gives it to his daughter as a gift. Little does Natsumi realize, the statuette was actually a prison for Ongo, the spirit of wood & destruction, and he gets released into her room. Luckily, he's just a little guy that is more of an annoyance than a force for destruction. However, before Ongo is released, Natsumi is visited in her dreans by Ahem, the god of the earth. He tells her of Ongo's coming, and teaches her a dance (a sexy, funny, perverted dance) that bestows upon her the form and power of Mii, the goddess of flowers, fertility, and reproduction. With her massive breasts, Mii protects Japan from Ongo's eventual destructive rage, and from Rongo the water spirit. I can't reveal more, as it would ruin the story. Suffice it to say, it is a wonderful and hilarious ride that should be shared with everyone that is willing to sit down and watch.
I normally don't like anime intros, but Jungle De Ikou's intro is the first positive. The intro that I liked before this one were for Chobits and Love Hina, but Jungle De Ikou's intro is a mix of upbeat tribal drums and jazzy sounds that somehow fits. The video used in the intro shows of Mii and her massive...capabilities, as well as the various characters that eventually appear in the show, and also gives the watcher a taste of the wackiness to come. If you'd like to take a gander at the intro, then click on the link below:
Jungle De Ikou Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0zXXy-UULI
By the way, the ending song isn't that bad either.
Jungle De Ikou's next positive is the humor. I'm putting it right out there: this show is pure fanservice and slapstick. There is not a minute where you aren't laughing out of your seat, or oggling at the myriad panty shots and boob shots. The majority of the humor within the show comes from Natsumi's interaction with Ongo and Ahem, and the fanservice (most of it, anyway) comes from Natsumi's transformation into Mii, and Mii's massive boobs. If you don't believe me, then click on the link below (if you don't want to spoil some of the story for yourself, then don't click on it):
Jungle De Ikou Transformation (From Episode 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c5wzAZMrro
That was merely a taste of what the show provides. If you don't have a sense of humor or if you didn't feel the slightest bit aroused (trust me, I was), then this show is not for you.
The next positives for Jungle De Ikou are it's availability and pricing. My used copy at the con was just $7.99, but the starting price over on Amazon is 16 dollars, which still puts it in the affordable area. The copes of Jungle De Ikou on Amazon are also plentiful. Despite being a little over a decade old, there are 26 new DVDs, and just 9 used copies, which start out at $15.95. Your best bet is to buy one of the new copies, and leave the used copies for those who can't afford a new one.
Jungle De Ikou's last positive is the length of each episode. Despite only being 3 episodes long (read below), they clock in at about 22 minutes, making this a show that can be watched in one sitting (I have a lot of these shows, don't I?). As a suggestion, if you plan on showing this to your friends, make sure they're just a pervy as you.
Despite it's strengths, Jungle De Ikou has a couple weaknesses as well. The first is that there isn't a lot of episodes. As I just typed above, there are only 3 to watch. Much like Gunsmith Cats, there were going to be more episodes of Jungle De Ikou, but there simply wasn't a demand once the show came on. It's tragic actually, as I would have loved to see more episodes, and that the show has a lot of potential.
Secondly, while Mii is clearly an adult (A big breasted adult, to be exact), Natsumi is a 10-year old girl. I normally don't have a problem with this kind of stuff, but for some reason, seeing a young girl perform a provocative dance is a bit disturbing. Luckily for me, I got over it by the second transformation sequence, but more prudish anime viewers with turn away after seeing the dancing for the first time.
Lastly, Jungle De Ikou has the problem of being an anime that is a bit under the radar. While more popular that say Burn Up Excess (look at that review if you don't know what I'm talking about), Jungle De Ikou is more of a sleeper hit than a widely known series, although Wikipedia quotes that "The series is remembered for its wildly comedic moments and fanservice elements", so perhaps I'm missing something.
Jungle De Ikou gets a 7.2 out of 10. The intro and ending sound great, the humor is awesome, the pricing isn't a wallet-killer and copies on Amazon are plentiful, and the short nature of the show makes it great to watch in a day, but there's only 3 episodes, the main (non transformed) female acting sexy can be a bit disturbing, and the show isn't as popular as you may think.
Come back next week, where I'll review a movie that makes me ashamed to own it. Until then, stay Otaku!
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