Hello there! Well, my Connecticon high is starting to wear off at this point, and I’m falling back into my normal schedule of reviews. Today’s review is something that we haven’t come across in quite a while: a film that wasn’t released in the United States. It’s also a quirky movie, and a typical product of it’s time. Let’s not get caught up in more words, and look at Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei.
Story/Setup
Taken from the AniDB webpage:
“Handsome high school student Akemi is a computer genius. One day a new girl, Yumiko, transfers to his class from another school. She quickly falls in love with Akemi but, absorbed in his computers, he pays her no attention at all.
The reason for his absorption is the monster he has created with those same computers. Digital Devil has become his own evil genie, and Akemi summons this devil after school and sets it to work wreaking revenge on his enemies.”
This isn’t necessarily the deepest of stories, nor is it a complex story, but it is a clever & interesting one. It also becomes incredibly cheesy as the movie runs it’s course, and ends on a cliffhanger (The ending scene felt like one or two more movies were going to be made, but since this one never came to the U.S., I can only speculate).
Setting
Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei is split up into two spaces: the school, and the digital/other-world where the devils dwell. The school is nothing special, apart from the computer room, which is really high-tech (About as high-tech as things were in 87). It’s the portions that take place in the other-world that are different. The other-world is very dark, but at times it can be quite surreal, mixing images & themes together to create a strange whole. In fact, it sort of looks like the Shikima Realm from La Blue Girl (The original!), but that might just be me.
Characters
Much like Call Me Tonight, the characters in Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei all fit the standard tropes. Unlike the previously mentioned movie, the amount of likable characters in this OVA is nowhere near as high (At least in Call Me Tonight, you can like pretty much like everybody). On top of that, most of the characters in this film are either forgettable or unlikable, save for the following two.
First up is Yumiko. She’s pretty much the typical Mary Sue.....to a degree: she’s a transfer student, pretty, likable, and falls for the first guy she spots, this case being Akemi. I say she’s a Mary Sue to a degree because she eventually gets Akemi to come to his senses, and she actually does have some inner strength. Yeah this is typical for a lot of Mary Sue characters in Anime, but for some reason it feels different in this movie, but maybe it’s just me.
The next character is Akemi. At the start of the movie, he’s a bit of a jackass. The kick of jackass that you’d want to get ripped apart by a pack of rabid grizzly bears, to be exact. He’s manipulative, deceptive, and has a mean streak to him. Once Yumiko begins to get into more of his life at school, and realizing that he done goofed a big one, he becomes more of a human being. He does manage to become somewhat likable, but at the same time you still kinda wanna smack him in the face.
Animation
You can definitely tell that this is a movie from the 80s. If there is any computer usage at all in the animation, it must be so minuscule, that to actually look for it is a waste of time. Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei is animated completely by hand, and it shows: the backgrounds are all hand-drawn, the characters are hand-drawn, etc. In fact, this movie looks & feels very similar to Call Me Tonight, an OVA that I reviewed during October last year (Click on “***” to read it). About the only difference between the two in terms of animation is that this movies looks & feels a little smoother than the later, and it knows when to use darker scenes a little more effectively (Given the genres in question in this OVA, there’s a lot of them).
Voice Acting
Since this was never released in the United States, there’s no dub.
Episodes & Episode Length
Just like the review this past Tuesday, Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei is a movie. Coming in at 45 minutes & 45 seconds (Weird running time, isn’t it), this film is just what you need on a dark night. Keep the lights low, have some popcorn nearby, and always look behind you when something creeks or moans.
Availability & Pricing
Since this was never released in the country, I don’t know what the availability & pricing is. If you’d like to download this movie, click on the link below:
http://www.garoo9.com/elevator_kart/?p=2423
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei is something you need to download people! It’s one of those kind of movies you need to see & believe, and absorb it’s odd 80s cheeseness. I won’t talk about this any further. Just go download this!!
Digital Devil Monogatari Megami Tensei gets a 7 out of 10.
See you all next week, when we’ll be looking at a infamous fan-service OVA. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
OMG! This videos oozes 80s cheese:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeFC-rfQkVk
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Demon City Shinjuku Review
Hi everybody! Well, Connecticon 2013 was an absolute blast! Met some great people, went to some awesome panels, and picked up some nice swag (In particular, I bought the Tenchi In Tokyo & Tenchi Movie Collection, not to mention the Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy collection from Funimation’s S.A.V.E. program)! Since it’s Tuesday, I’m rested up (I’m using the word loosely) enough to put up a review today. With that said, let’s take a look at Demon City Shinjuku, and see if it falls into shlockdom, or rises to the level of classic masterpiece.
Story/Setup
Taken from Them Anime Reviews:
“Levih Rah had made a pact with the demon world, giving him nearly unlimited destructive power. Using this power, Levih Rah destroyed and took over the Tokyo district Shinjuku, transforming it into a pit of demons, evil, and crime. Ten years later, he kidnaps an important international dignitary (don't ask me why), and his daughter Sayaka enlists the help of a young man named Kyoya, whose father was killed by Levih Rah while trying to stop him from taking Shinjuku.
Like his father, Kyoya is a student of ninpo, the deadly art of making wooden swords glow blue, and the only power that can destroy Levih Rah. Together, Sayaka and Kyoya venture into the Demon City, hoping to destroy Levih Rah before he completes his ten-year plan to destroy the world. ”
It’s not the strongest movie story. In fact, it’s rather thin & weak, and filled with plotholes. The only good thing I’ll say is that the premise is interesting, and nothing more.
Setting
I’m rather disappointed by the setting. With a name like Demon City Shinjuku, you’d expect to see something, well, demonic. Instead, the whole environment looks more apocalyptic than demonic, apart from some certain scenes (These are few & far between, however). The one moment in the setting that does add some variability is towards the end: As Kyoya & Sayaka are heading through a portion of the city, one of the demons creates an illusion, bringing back to life a portion of the city. During the illusion, the two interact with images of children that died before the demonic takeover. It’s actually quite surreal, as it feels quite separate from the rest of the movie. As they complete the illusion, it fades way to a desolate park, with Sayaka holding a child’s skull, and releasing some tears. Props to you movie!
Characters
Bland is a word that fits everybody in Demon City Shinjuku. All of the characters in this movie fit the assigned role they were given: Levih Rah is the villain who wants to destroy the city (Then the world), Kyoya is the reluctant hero that’s sort of an asshole, Sayaka is the heroine/Mary Sue of the movie, etc. There’s practically no character development in the film, nor is there anything that makes the characters feel significant. Again, we’ve got bland characters people.
Animation
I’m actually gonna give Demon City Shinjuku some credit in this department. Unlike the other one-shot anime movies I’ve reviewed so far, this one relies on dark scenes far less than in other movies. When it does use them, it seems to be at the appropriate moment (Like when the characters are underground, for example). Also, despite being a grim show, it knows how to use color more effectively than in most OVAs of this style. It’s not exactly perfect (There’s moments when some colors are used more than others), but hey, I’ll take what I can get.
The downside to this is how the people look. Everybody has a very flat feel to their faces, with only the most extreme of moments bring out even a sliver of individuality. I wouldn’t call the various characters ugly, but they ain’t the greatest looking individuals around.
Voice Acting
Ugg. That would be the word to describe the voice acting in this movie!
Like my review for Baoh, the voice acting in this movie is downright boring. Whereas the other movies I’ve reviewed so far that have had boring voice acting with some variability, Demon City Shinjuku’s voice acting is just flat-out boring! Nobody seems to try and put some emotion into the characters (Even with the female lead, she just sounds weak), and any emotion that somehow does crop up is almost drowned out by how flat everybody else is. If you want to avoid hearing the dub, then I suggest you watch this movie with the subs on.
Episodes & Episode Length
Once again, this is a movie I’m reviewing (The last was Crimson Wolf, which was earlier this month). Clocking in at over an hour (1 hour, 17 minutes, and 39 seconds), this is a movie that has some substance to it in terms of running time. As for when to watch it, I’d say watch it at night. It’s not quite as bloodthirsty as some of the other films I’ve watched/reviewed so far, but there’s enough blood & skin in the film that it would make some people queezy, and it’s scary/suspenseful elements would be ruined by a daytime viewing.
Availability & Pricing
Despite being an old title, Demon City Shinjuku is readily available, especially on Amazon. Although the older edition is difficult (But not necessarily impossible) to find, it was recently re-released back in 2011, and thus can be readily bought on the site. Pricing happens to be easy on the wallet: starting prices for a new copy go for 14 dollars. There are currently only 2 used copies available to buy, so I wouldn’t go for those.
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
I should point out that this movie was from the director that did Wicked City and Ninja Scroll, two classic anime films from the 90s that paved the way for modern anime to flourish (In fact, Wicked City will eventually get reviewed in the coming months). It’s very evident that Demon City Shinjuku is related to these two movies by the animation style, as they all have a similar look & feel.
Another thing I’ll point out are the covers for both the original & re-released editions. The link below shows off the original version:
http://www.amazon.com/Demon-City-Shinjuku-Teresa-Gallagher/dp/B00007K019/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1374013657&sr=1-2&keywords=demon+city+shinjuku
It’s an okay cover. You see the two main characters standing together, with grim looks on their faces. The city in the background looks like it’s seen better days, and eyes/face of the main villain staring right out at you. It definitely gives off some of the dark feel of the movie, but not quite as much as this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Demon-City-Shinjuku-Hideyuki-Hori/dp/B005CVFZ16/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1374013657&sr=1-1&keywords=demon+city+shinjuku
With this one, we actually see the main villain (Along with some bats for some reason), the city getting annihilated/transformed by the demonic energies, the main female looking quite distressed, and the lead male holding a wooden sword (Looking somewhat badass, might I add), staring out at the viewer. From my understanding, this cover is more closely similar to the movie poster, and thus feels more epic than the older one.
General Impression & Rating
Is Demon City Shinjuku a bland movie? Not necessarily. Is it a good movie? Oh hell no!
Just by watching the first few minutes of the film, you can tell that there’s potential for a decent horror movie, complete with a interesting story & visuals. It definitely succeeds on the visuals, but fails on just about everything else. If there was even a hint of effort put into everything, this might have been an alright movie. Instead, Demon City Shinjuku is just a slightly above average flick with pretty visuals.
Demon City Shinjuku gets a 5.9 to 6.1 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when we’ll look at our first anime that wasn’t released in this country. Until then, stay Otaku!
Story/Setup
Taken from Them Anime Reviews:
“Levih Rah had made a pact with the demon world, giving him nearly unlimited destructive power. Using this power, Levih Rah destroyed and took over the Tokyo district Shinjuku, transforming it into a pit of demons, evil, and crime. Ten years later, he kidnaps an important international dignitary (don't ask me why), and his daughter Sayaka enlists the help of a young man named Kyoya, whose father was killed by Levih Rah while trying to stop him from taking Shinjuku.
Like his father, Kyoya is a student of ninpo, the deadly art of making wooden swords glow blue, and the only power that can destroy Levih Rah. Together, Sayaka and Kyoya venture into the Demon City, hoping to destroy Levih Rah before he completes his ten-year plan to destroy the world. ”
It’s not the strongest movie story. In fact, it’s rather thin & weak, and filled with plotholes. The only good thing I’ll say is that the premise is interesting, and nothing more.
Setting
I’m rather disappointed by the setting. With a name like Demon City Shinjuku, you’d expect to see something, well, demonic. Instead, the whole environment looks more apocalyptic than demonic, apart from some certain scenes (These are few & far between, however). The one moment in the setting that does add some variability is towards the end: As Kyoya & Sayaka are heading through a portion of the city, one of the demons creates an illusion, bringing back to life a portion of the city. During the illusion, the two interact with images of children that died before the demonic takeover. It’s actually quite surreal, as it feels quite separate from the rest of the movie. As they complete the illusion, it fades way to a desolate park, with Sayaka holding a child’s skull, and releasing some tears. Props to you movie!
Characters
Bland is a word that fits everybody in Demon City Shinjuku. All of the characters in this movie fit the assigned role they were given: Levih Rah is the villain who wants to destroy the city (Then the world), Kyoya is the reluctant hero that’s sort of an asshole, Sayaka is the heroine/Mary Sue of the movie, etc. There’s practically no character development in the film, nor is there anything that makes the characters feel significant. Again, we’ve got bland characters people.
Animation
I’m actually gonna give Demon City Shinjuku some credit in this department. Unlike the other one-shot anime movies I’ve reviewed so far, this one relies on dark scenes far less than in other movies. When it does use them, it seems to be at the appropriate moment (Like when the characters are underground, for example). Also, despite being a grim show, it knows how to use color more effectively than in most OVAs of this style. It’s not exactly perfect (There’s moments when some colors are used more than others), but hey, I’ll take what I can get.
The downside to this is how the people look. Everybody has a very flat feel to their faces, with only the most extreme of moments bring out even a sliver of individuality. I wouldn’t call the various characters ugly, but they ain’t the greatest looking individuals around.
Voice Acting
Ugg. That would be the word to describe the voice acting in this movie!
Like my review for Baoh, the voice acting in this movie is downright boring. Whereas the other movies I’ve reviewed so far that have had boring voice acting with some variability, Demon City Shinjuku’s voice acting is just flat-out boring! Nobody seems to try and put some emotion into the characters (Even with the female lead, she just sounds weak), and any emotion that somehow does crop up is almost drowned out by how flat everybody else is. If you want to avoid hearing the dub, then I suggest you watch this movie with the subs on.
Episodes & Episode Length
Once again, this is a movie I’m reviewing (The last was Crimson Wolf, which was earlier this month). Clocking in at over an hour (1 hour, 17 minutes, and 39 seconds), this is a movie that has some substance to it in terms of running time. As for when to watch it, I’d say watch it at night. It’s not quite as bloodthirsty as some of the other films I’ve watched/reviewed so far, but there’s enough blood & skin in the film that it would make some people queezy, and it’s scary/suspenseful elements would be ruined by a daytime viewing.
Availability & Pricing
Despite being an old title, Demon City Shinjuku is readily available, especially on Amazon. Although the older edition is difficult (But not necessarily impossible) to find, it was recently re-released back in 2011, and thus can be readily bought on the site. Pricing happens to be easy on the wallet: starting prices for a new copy go for 14 dollars. There are currently only 2 used copies available to buy, so I wouldn’t go for those.
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
I should point out that this movie was from the director that did Wicked City and Ninja Scroll, two classic anime films from the 90s that paved the way for modern anime to flourish (In fact, Wicked City will eventually get reviewed in the coming months). It’s very evident that Demon City Shinjuku is related to these two movies by the animation style, as they all have a similar look & feel.
Another thing I’ll point out are the covers for both the original & re-released editions. The link below shows off the original version:
http://www.amazon.com/Demon-City-Shinjuku-Teresa-Gallagher/dp/B00007K019/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1374013657&sr=1-2&keywords=demon+city+shinjuku
It’s an okay cover. You see the two main characters standing together, with grim looks on their faces. The city in the background looks like it’s seen better days, and eyes/face of the main villain staring right out at you. It definitely gives off some of the dark feel of the movie, but not quite as much as this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Demon-City-Shinjuku-Hideyuki-Hori/dp/B005CVFZ16/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1374013657&sr=1-1&keywords=demon+city+shinjuku
With this one, we actually see the main villain (Along with some bats for some reason), the city getting annihilated/transformed by the demonic energies, the main female looking quite distressed, and the lead male holding a wooden sword (Looking somewhat badass, might I add), staring out at the viewer. From my understanding, this cover is more closely similar to the movie poster, and thus feels more epic than the older one.
General Impression & Rating
Is Demon City Shinjuku a bland movie? Not necessarily. Is it a good movie? Oh hell no!
Just by watching the first few minutes of the film, you can tell that there’s potential for a decent horror movie, complete with a interesting story & visuals. It definitely succeeds on the visuals, but fails on just about everything else. If there was even a hint of effort put into everything, this might have been an alright movie. Instead, Demon City Shinjuku is just a slightly above average flick with pretty visuals.
Demon City Shinjuku gets a 5.9 to 6.1 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when we’ll look at our first anime that wasn’t released in this country. Until then, stay Otaku!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Cyber City Oedo 808 Review
Okay people, I’m not going to waste much time with an intro. I’m just going to say that I’m heading to Connection this Friday, for a weekend of nerdy fun & buying loot. With that little nugget out of the way, let’s look at Cyber City Oedo 808.
Story/Setup
Taken from the Wikipedia page:
“To combat computerised crime more effectively, the Cyber Police unit of the future Japanese city of Oedo has restarted the feudal practice of ho-men (??), employing hardened criminals with a history of hi-tech offences and other crimes such as murder as officers themselves.
Three such criminals are Sengoku, Gogol and Benten who are serving their 300-or-more year sentences in an orbital penitentiary. For duty served, each criminal will receive a reduction in their prison time. Desperate to get away from the boredom and monotony of jail life, they half-heartedly agree to the deal. They answer to police chief Hasegawa who keeps them in check thanks to an explosive collar that each criminal wears around his neck. Hasegawa can blow this collar remotely and it will also explode if they fail to complete their missions within an allocated time period. Each one is also armed with a jitte (the traditional weapon and symbol of authority of the ancient Edo Police), although they also have access to more powerful weaponry.
Although there are no specifics to what kind of society the series is based in, it is presented as very high-tech but also with a very dystopian feel. In the first episode for example, a man under pressure confesses to a murder (which he did commit) and which is responsible for the present crisis. This is enough for Hasegawa to order Sengoku to kill the man there and then without so much as a trial. When Sengoku fails to do so his sentence is increased.”
This is the base story of the show. Though not quite as dark or serious as Crying Freeman, this is still a grim setup. While the story itself isn’t too bad, there are moments where it’s unintentionally funny. There are also specific stories within the episodes. They are (Also taken from the wikipedia page):
Ep 1 - Virtual Death (aka "Time Bomb" or "Memories Of The Past")
“Sengoku is sent to save 50,000 people trapped in Oedo's largest skyscraper after its central computer is mysteriously taken over. Along the way, he finds that the only suspect is a dead man.”
Ep 2 - Psychic Trooper (aka "The Decoy" or "The Decoy Program")
“Gogol's investigation of a murder pits him against an experimental military cyborg as he tries to rescue his ex-partner. Of note is that during this episode we see at least one other cyber-criminal trying to (unsuccessfully) remove his collar, so it is known that there are more than the three anti-heroes being employed by the Cyber Police unit.”
Ep 3 - Blood Lust (aka "The Vampire" or "Crimson Media" )
“The freak murder of three geneticists leads Benten to investigate one man's quest for immortality, as well as finding a young woman transformed into a psychic vampire because of this quest.”
Just like the main story, the individual stories for the episodes have serious (Yet somehow goofy) setups.
Setting
Like it says in the story section, the city of Oedo is very high-tech (A.K.A. Cyberpunk) and dystopian. This mix has always managed to create interesting visuals, whether or not the show itself was good. This show is dripping with Cyberpunk: from the background, to the clothes, and even the look of some of the characters, all have some technological aspects to them. This is all well & good, but I have one big problem with the setting, and that’s the fact that they never really talk about what has happened in the world/reasons why Oedo has become so dark & full of despair. I would have even taken a bad reason over no reason, because sometimes a bad reason is better than no reason at all!
Characters
Just like Crying Freeman, Cyber City Oedo 808 has a small cast to it. Unlike Crying Freeman, this cast in this show aren’t quite as strong as those in the previously mention series. For this review, I’ll just go over the three characters that appear the most during the show.
Let’s start off with Sengoku. He’s very much a rebel, and is also anti-social (Much more in the dub, as he swears frequently). He’s quite fond of teasing Benten because of his effeminate looks (Trust me, you’d swear he looks like a woman. The Host Club from Ouran Academy would be jealous), and has a robot named Varsus following him around to monitor his behavior (Thus trying to keep him in line in the process), and to get him out of a jam.
Next up is Gogol. Gogol is a little bit different than the others: he much rather prefers to hunt down criminals rather than rot in orbital prison. He’s the perfect combination of brains & brawn: he’s a former boxer, and is knowledgeable in a variety of subjects (Computer & medicine are just two of them).
Last up is Merill, also known as Benten. Just from his physical appearance, you wouldn’t be able to tell that he was a man.......right up until the moment where he first talks. Benten also happens to be an impressive gymnast, and has some skills in astrology. While he’s not afraid to kill people, he actually does have a caring side to him (This is very evident in episode 3, when a woman falls into his charge).
Animation
Cyber City Oedo has animation that I would consider to be above average. I’d say that it falls somewhere between AD Police Files & Angel Cop: it has the grittiness of the first show, with the obnoxious dark scenes & flat feeling of the second show. I really can’t talk about much else.
Voice Acting
Cyber City Oedo 808 is right smack dab in the middle of the road in terms of dub. Nobody is horrible, but nobody is great. On occasion you do get a character (Or a main character in a unusual moment) that may sound slightly better or worse than somebody else, but everybody else is flat out mediocre.
Episodes & Episode Length
Unlike the previous review, Cyber City Oedo 808 is a shorter show. It’s only 3 episodes long, each of which run from 40 to about 44 minutes in length. Unlike a bunch of the other reviews I’ve done so far saying to watch certain shows in the afternoon, I’d suggest watching this one at night, simply because of how graphic it can get.
Availability & Pricing
Harkening back to AD Police Files, Cyber City Oedo 808 is incredibly available, perhaps more so that the previously mentioned show. I may have downloaded the show, but it’s readily available over on Amazon (Particularly the 2005 final collection edition). Pricing for this show is shocking: this collection starts out at just a single cent. A single......friggen......cent! This is perhaps the cheapest show I have ever seen so far. Used copies are less frequent on Amazon: as I’m writing this, there are only a dozen used copies available for purchase, with prices starting at $1.49 dollars. Again, this is the cheapest show I’ve come across, and I encourage you to buy it.
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
I should point out that this movie was from the director that did Wicked City and Ninja Scroll, two classic anime films from the 90s that paved the way for modern anime to flourish (In fact, Wicked City will eventually get reviewed in the coming months). It’s very evident that Cyber City Oedo 808 is related to these two movies by the animation style, as they all have a similar look & feel.
General Impression & Rating
This is definitely a shlock show. It’s not as bad as some of the shows I’ve reviewed so far (Nor is it as bad as some shows I’ve reviewed before this marathon), but it’s not that good. Having said that, this is the kind of show where you gather a couple friends, maybe have a couple drinks, and proceed to make as many funny comments about the various absurdities that Cyber City Oedo 808 has within it. For all it’s problems, I suggest finding a copy of this show, if only to make as much fun of it as heavenly possible!
Cyber City Oedo 808 gets a 5 to 5.9 out of 10.
See you all next week (Maybe Sunday this week, but I’m doubtful), when I’ll give you all a small report about how Connecticon went, and maybe a review or two (As long as I’m not exhausted from having so much fun). Until then, stay Otaku!
Story/Setup
Taken from the Wikipedia page:
“To combat computerised crime more effectively, the Cyber Police unit of the future Japanese city of Oedo has restarted the feudal practice of ho-men (??), employing hardened criminals with a history of hi-tech offences and other crimes such as murder as officers themselves.
Three such criminals are Sengoku, Gogol and Benten who are serving their 300-or-more year sentences in an orbital penitentiary. For duty served, each criminal will receive a reduction in their prison time. Desperate to get away from the boredom and monotony of jail life, they half-heartedly agree to the deal. They answer to police chief Hasegawa who keeps them in check thanks to an explosive collar that each criminal wears around his neck. Hasegawa can blow this collar remotely and it will also explode if they fail to complete their missions within an allocated time period. Each one is also armed with a jitte (the traditional weapon and symbol of authority of the ancient Edo Police), although they also have access to more powerful weaponry.
Although there are no specifics to what kind of society the series is based in, it is presented as very high-tech but also with a very dystopian feel. In the first episode for example, a man under pressure confesses to a murder (which he did commit) and which is responsible for the present crisis. This is enough for Hasegawa to order Sengoku to kill the man there and then without so much as a trial. When Sengoku fails to do so his sentence is increased.”
This is the base story of the show. Though not quite as dark or serious as Crying Freeman, this is still a grim setup. While the story itself isn’t too bad, there are moments where it’s unintentionally funny. There are also specific stories within the episodes. They are (Also taken from the wikipedia page):
Ep 1 - Virtual Death (aka "Time Bomb" or "Memories Of The Past")
“Sengoku is sent to save 50,000 people trapped in Oedo's largest skyscraper after its central computer is mysteriously taken over. Along the way, he finds that the only suspect is a dead man.”
Ep 2 - Psychic Trooper (aka "The Decoy" or "The Decoy Program")
“Gogol's investigation of a murder pits him against an experimental military cyborg as he tries to rescue his ex-partner. Of note is that during this episode we see at least one other cyber-criminal trying to (unsuccessfully) remove his collar, so it is known that there are more than the three anti-heroes being employed by the Cyber Police unit.”
Ep 3 - Blood Lust (aka "The Vampire" or "Crimson Media" )
“The freak murder of three geneticists leads Benten to investigate one man's quest for immortality, as well as finding a young woman transformed into a psychic vampire because of this quest.”
Just like the main story, the individual stories for the episodes have serious (Yet somehow goofy) setups.
Setting
Like it says in the story section, the city of Oedo is very high-tech (A.K.A. Cyberpunk) and dystopian. This mix has always managed to create interesting visuals, whether or not the show itself was good. This show is dripping with Cyberpunk: from the background, to the clothes, and even the look of some of the characters, all have some technological aspects to them. This is all well & good, but I have one big problem with the setting, and that’s the fact that they never really talk about what has happened in the world/reasons why Oedo has become so dark & full of despair. I would have even taken a bad reason over no reason, because sometimes a bad reason is better than no reason at all!
Characters
Just like Crying Freeman, Cyber City Oedo 808 has a small cast to it. Unlike Crying Freeman, this cast in this show aren’t quite as strong as those in the previously mention series. For this review, I’ll just go over the three characters that appear the most during the show.
Let’s start off with Sengoku. He’s very much a rebel, and is also anti-social (Much more in the dub, as he swears frequently). He’s quite fond of teasing Benten because of his effeminate looks (Trust me, you’d swear he looks like a woman. The Host Club from Ouran Academy would be jealous), and has a robot named Varsus following him around to monitor his behavior (Thus trying to keep him in line in the process), and to get him out of a jam.
Next up is Gogol. Gogol is a little bit different than the others: he much rather prefers to hunt down criminals rather than rot in orbital prison. He’s the perfect combination of brains & brawn: he’s a former boxer, and is knowledgeable in a variety of subjects (Computer & medicine are just two of them).
Last up is Merill, also known as Benten. Just from his physical appearance, you wouldn’t be able to tell that he was a man.......right up until the moment where he first talks. Benten also happens to be an impressive gymnast, and has some skills in astrology. While he’s not afraid to kill people, he actually does have a caring side to him (This is very evident in episode 3, when a woman falls into his charge).
Animation
Cyber City Oedo has animation that I would consider to be above average. I’d say that it falls somewhere between AD Police Files & Angel Cop: it has the grittiness of the first show, with the obnoxious dark scenes & flat feeling of the second show. I really can’t talk about much else.
Voice Acting
Cyber City Oedo 808 is right smack dab in the middle of the road in terms of dub. Nobody is horrible, but nobody is great. On occasion you do get a character (Or a main character in a unusual moment) that may sound slightly better or worse than somebody else, but everybody else is flat out mediocre.
Episodes & Episode Length
Unlike the previous review, Cyber City Oedo 808 is a shorter show. It’s only 3 episodes long, each of which run from 40 to about 44 minutes in length. Unlike a bunch of the other reviews I’ve done so far saying to watch certain shows in the afternoon, I’d suggest watching this one at night, simply because of how graphic it can get.
Availability & Pricing
Harkening back to AD Police Files, Cyber City Oedo 808 is incredibly available, perhaps more so that the previously mentioned show. I may have downloaded the show, but it’s readily available over on Amazon (Particularly the 2005 final collection edition). Pricing for this show is shocking: this collection starts out at just a single cent. A single......friggen......cent! This is perhaps the cheapest show I have ever seen so far. Used copies are less frequent on Amazon: as I’m writing this, there are only a dozen used copies available for purchase, with prices starting at $1.49 dollars. Again, this is the cheapest show I’ve come across, and I encourage you to buy it.
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
I should point out that this movie was from the director that did Wicked City and Ninja Scroll, two classic anime films from the 90s that paved the way for modern anime to flourish (In fact, Wicked City will eventually get reviewed in the coming months). It’s very evident that Cyber City Oedo 808 is related to these two movies by the animation style, as they all have a similar look & feel.
General Impression & Rating
This is definitely a shlock show. It’s not as bad as some of the shows I’ve reviewed so far (Nor is it as bad as some shows I’ve reviewed before this marathon), but it’s not that good. Having said that, this is the kind of show where you gather a couple friends, maybe have a couple drinks, and proceed to make as many funny comments about the various absurdities that Cyber City Oedo 808 has within it. For all it’s problems, I suggest finding a copy of this show, if only to make as much fun of it as heavenly possible!
Cyber City Oedo 808 gets a 5 to 5.9 out of 10.
See you all next week (Maybe Sunday this week, but I’m doubtful), when I’ll give you all a small report about how Connecticon went, and maybe a review or two (As long as I’m not exhausted from having so much fun). Until then, stay Otaku!
Monday, July 8, 2013
Crying Freeman Review
Hi everybody! In preparation for Connecticon, I’m pumping out two reviews this week. By keeping them nearly back to back, I’ll have more time getting ready for my trip. With that said, my apologies if they’re not quite as good as what I’ve posting up so far during this 4-month marathon of anime reviews. With that out of the way, let’s look at the first review this week, and it’s a doozy. Let’s take a look at the dramatic 6-episode series, Crying Freeman.
Story/Setup
Taken from the Wikipedia page:
“Yo- Hinomura, a Japanese potter, comes into the possession of some film showing an assassination by an agent of the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese mafia. When he refuses to turn the film over to them, they kidnap him. Hypnotized, he is trained as an assassin for them and his body is tattooed with dragons. He is given the codename "Crying Freeman," because he cries after a kill and longs to be free.
One of his killings is witnessed by Emu Hino, a lonely and beautiful Japanese artist. Knowing he must kill her, she paints his portrait and waits for him to come. When he does so, she tells him that she is tired of being alone and wishes to end her life. She asks for a favor before he kills her - to make love to her, so that she will not die as a virgin. He grants her wish, but finds he cannot kill her and they fall in love. The killing she witnessed was of a yakuza boss, however, so the yakuza want to find her so that they can find the killer. One of the yakuza attempts to enter Emu's home and force her to disclose the name of the killer, critically injuring her. Freeman takes her to the hospital and tells her to meet him at Hinomura Kiln, where he intends to part with her. Instead, she accompanies him back to the 108 Dragons, where he tattoos her with tigers and they marry.
The heads of the 108 Dragons decide to name Freeman as their heir. He is given the Chinese name Lóng Tài-Yáng, and Emu is renamed Hu Qing-Lán, as both pass the tests given to them. It proves not as easy as that, however, as they must contend with challenges to the leadership from Bái-Yá Shàn, the granddaughter of the leaders of the 108 Dragons, and attempts to destroy the Dragons from other underground organizations.”
This is a very intricate story. It’s filled to the brim with action, drama, suspense, love, organized crime, and betrayal. Characters criss-cross frequently, and the plot spans all over the globe. If you aren’t paying complete to near-complete attention to the story, you’re gonna get lost. If you do manage to pay attention, then you’ll understand what’s going on.
Setting
Crying Freeman has to be one of the most diverse anime I’ve watched so far, as far as locales are concerned. Yo travels not only to China, but he also goes to Africa, Italy, his homeland of Japan, and the United States (Specifically, the city of Los Angeles). It’s pretty impressive, especially when you consider the fact that a massive, massive majority of Anime takes place in Japan (Duh!). The variety of settings is more impressive when you factor in the animation quality of the time (More on this in a bit).
Characters
Crying Freeman has a small but colorful cast of characters. Everybody in this show, whether minor or major, plays a role in the overarching story. Some do die off, but only before they provided something to the plot. I won’t go into every single one of them, as doing that would tame up too much time & space. For the purposes of this part of the review, I’m just going to go over what I consider to be the most important.
Let’s start off with the lead male, Yo. In his humble beginnings, he’s a surprisingly good pottery artist, enjoying a life of peace. After the an unfortunately series of events, he’s kidnaped by the 108 Dragons, and through a long period of torture & hypnosis, becomes the ruthless Lóng Tài-Yáng (Translated as Dragon Sun). His 5 senses have become nearly superhuman, has incredible strength & speed, and is knowledgeable in martial arts, firearms, and assassination techniques. He’s also considered to be incredibly handsome as well, as no woman has ever been able to resist his charm. He gains the nickname “Crying Freeman” because he cries after he’s killed his assigned target, and is a character that’s given a lot of screentime.
Next character I’ll talk about is Emu Hino. Like Yo, she is an inspiring artist, with a grasp on paintings. Also like Yo, she was living a life of peace, until she witnessed one of his killings, and somehow fell in love with him (Weird, ain’t it?). After the two escape to Hong Kong, they eventually marry, and she’s taken in by the 108 Dragons due to her will & resolve. She’s given the name Hu Qing Lán by the 108 Dragons (Hu Qing Lan is translated into Tiger Pure-Orchid), and manages to become even more resourceful than her husband, eventually become a master swordsman (Or Swordswoman, in this case).
Animation
Visually, Crying Freeman is a dark & gritty looking show. Not in the way shows like Angel Cop & Bio-Hunter looked: this show has a more artful style to everything. The women (For the most part) are gorgeous, the men range from handsome to okay/gruff looking, and the various locales throughout the show look incredibly realistic (Think Crimson Wolf, but minus the supernatural aspects). The darker scenes actually work relatively well in this show, as they don’t get so obnoxiously dark as the previously mentioned show.
Voice Acting
Like Crimson Wolf, Crying Freeman is a Streamline dub. Like Crimson Wolf, the voice acting in this series fluctuates in terms of underwheming/overwhelming characters. Other than that, there’s nothing else to really talk about.
Episodes & Episode Length
Crying Freeman is a rather hefty series. Like Angel Cop, this on comes in at 6 episodes. Unlike AC, each episode in this show runs for a substantially longer amount of time. Around 50 minutes, to be exact (Although one of the episodes (I think it was either episode 3 or 4) runs a little over 54 minutes). Due to this increased running time, the show goes on longer, and you gain a feel for the characters & what’s going on more so than in Angel Cop.
Availability & Pricing
Compared to the other shows I’ve reviewed so far, Crying Freeman is actually quite available! Although I wasn’t able to find it in stores, and the older releases are almost non-existent, there’s plenty of copies of the 2011 complete collection re-release over on amazon. Pricing for the collection is pretty fair as well, with prices starting at 16 dollars. I may have downloaded this, but I’m definitely gonna pick this series up sometime in the coming months!
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Crying Freeman is not for me. It’s not that I don’t like serious shows, as I occasionally prefer something a little less goofy & silly. Having said that, I found this one to be a little too serious for my taste. It’s too depressing, dark, and most of the people in this show are just not all that pleasant. With that aside I do recommend picking this up, either for curiosity’s sake, or for serious watching.
Crying Freeman gets a 7.5 out of 10.
See you all sometime this Wednesday, then it’s off to Connecticon this coming Friday! Until Wednesday, stay Otaku!
*
If you would like to read a more extensive look at Crying Freeman, click on the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crying_Freeman
Story/Setup
Taken from the Wikipedia page:
“Yo- Hinomura, a Japanese potter, comes into the possession of some film showing an assassination by an agent of the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese mafia. When he refuses to turn the film over to them, they kidnap him. Hypnotized, he is trained as an assassin for them and his body is tattooed with dragons. He is given the codename "Crying Freeman," because he cries after a kill and longs to be free.
One of his killings is witnessed by Emu Hino, a lonely and beautiful Japanese artist. Knowing he must kill her, she paints his portrait and waits for him to come. When he does so, she tells him that she is tired of being alone and wishes to end her life. She asks for a favor before he kills her - to make love to her, so that she will not die as a virgin. He grants her wish, but finds he cannot kill her and they fall in love. The killing she witnessed was of a yakuza boss, however, so the yakuza want to find her so that they can find the killer. One of the yakuza attempts to enter Emu's home and force her to disclose the name of the killer, critically injuring her. Freeman takes her to the hospital and tells her to meet him at Hinomura Kiln, where he intends to part with her. Instead, she accompanies him back to the 108 Dragons, where he tattoos her with tigers and they marry.
The heads of the 108 Dragons decide to name Freeman as their heir. He is given the Chinese name Lóng Tài-Yáng, and Emu is renamed Hu Qing-Lán, as both pass the tests given to them. It proves not as easy as that, however, as they must contend with challenges to the leadership from Bái-Yá Shàn, the granddaughter of the leaders of the 108 Dragons, and attempts to destroy the Dragons from other underground organizations.”
This is a very intricate story. It’s filled to the brim with action, drama, suspense, love, organized crime, and betrayal. Characters criss-cross frequently, and the plot spans all over the globe. If you aren’t paying complete to near-complete attention to the story, you’re gonna get lost. If you do manage to pay attention, then you’ll understand what’s going on.
Setting
Crying Freeman has to be one of the most diverse anime I’ve watched so far, as far as locales are concerned. Yo travels not only to China, but he also goes to Africa, Italy, his homeland of Japan, and the United States (Specifically, the city of Los Angeles). It’s pretty impressive, especially when you consider the fact that a massive, massive majority of Anime takes place in Japan (Duh!). The variety of settings is more impressive when you factor in the animation quality of the time (More on this in a bit).
Characters
Crying Freeman has a small but colorful cast of characters. Everybody in this show, whether minor or major, plays a role in the overarching story. Some do die off, but only before they provided something to the plot. I won’t go into every single one of them, as doing that would tame up too much time & space. For the purposes of this part of the review, I’m just going to go over what I consider to be the most important.
Let’s start off with the lead male, Yo. In his humble beginnings, he’s a surprisingly good pottery artist, enjoying a life of peace. After the an unfortunately series of events, he’s kidnaped by the 108 Dragons, and through a long period of torture & hypnosis, becomes the ruthless Lóng Tài-Yáng (Translated as Dragon Sun). His 5 senses have become nearly superhuman, has incredible strength & speed, and is knowledgeable in martial arts, firearms, and assassination techniques. He’s also considered to be incredibly handsome as well, as no woman has ever been able to resist his charm. He gains the nickname “Crying Freeman” because he cries after he’s killed his assigned target, and is a character that’s given a lot of screentime.
Next character I’ll talk about is Emu Hino. Like Yo, she is an inspiring artist, with a grasp on paintings. Also like Yo, she was living a life of peace, until she witnessed one of his killings, and somehow fell in love with him (Weird, ain’t it?). After the two escape to Hong Kong, they eventually marry, and she’s taken in by the 108 Dragons due to her will & resolve. She’s given the name Hu Qing Lán by the 108 Dragons (Hu Qing Lan is translated into Tiger Pure-Orchid), and manages to become even more resourceful than her husband, eventually become a master swordsman (Or Swordswoman, in this case).
Animation
Visually, Crying Freeman is a dark & gritty looking show. Not in the way shows like Angel Cop & Bio-Hunter looked: this show has a more artful style to everything. The women (For the most part) are gorgeous, the men range from handsome to okay/gruff looking, and the various locales throughout the show look incredibly realistic (Think Crimson Wolf, but minus the supernatural aspects). The darker scenes actually work relatively well in this show, as they don’t get so obnoxiously dark as the previously mentioned show.
Voice Acting
Like Crimson Wolf, Crying Freeman is a Streamline dub. Like Crimson Wolf, the voice acting in this series fluctuates in terms of underwheming/overwhelming characters. Other than that, there’s nothing else to really talk about.
Episodes & Episode Length
Crying Freeman is a rather hefty series. Like Angel Cop, this on comes in at 6 episodes. Unlike AC, each episode in this show runs for a substantially longer amount of time. Around 50 minutes, to be exact (Although one of the episodes (I think it was either episode 3 or 4) runs a little over 54 minutes). Due to this increased running time, the show goes on longer, and you gain a feel for the characters & what’s going on more so than in Angel Cop.
Availability & Pricing
Compared to the other shows I’ve reviewed so far, Crying Freeman is actually quite available! Although I wasn’t able to find it in stores, and the older releases are almost non-existent, there’s plenty of copies of the 2011 complete collection re-release over on amazon. Pricing for the collection is pretty fair as well, with prices starting at 16 dollars. I may have downloaded this, but I’m definitely gonna pick this series up sometime in the coming months!
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Crying Freeman is not for me. It’s not that I don’t like serious shows, as I occasionally prefer something a little less goofy & silly. Having said that, I found this one to be a little too serious for my taste. It’s too depressing, dark, and most of the people in this show are just not all that pleasant. With that aside I do recommend picking this up, either for curiosity’s sake, or for serious watching.
Crying Freeman gets a 7.5 out of 10.
See you all sometime this Wednesday, then it’s off to Connecticon this coming Friday! Until Wednesday, stay Otaku!
*
If you would like to read a more extensive look at Crying Freeman, click on the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crying_Freeman
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Duke It Out In D.C. Review
Hi everybody! I hope you’re enjoying this fine Fourth of July. Whether you’re sipping on a glass of Iced Tea, munching on a burger or hot dog, or enjoying a fireworks show, I hope your day is going well. However, for those who are staying indoors, whether it’s because of bad weather in your area, sickness, or you just want a more quiet kind of day, I figured you deserve a little treat. So, for your pleasure, here’s a patriotic & surprise review of Duke It Out In D.C.!
Story
As with all the other Duke games, this one is no different in terms of a silly story. Aliens have invaded Washington D.C., taking it over, and kidnaping (then) President Bill Clinton in the process. It’s up to Duke Nukem to traverse the city, mow down alien scumbags, and rescue the president.
Like all the Duke Nukem stories so far, I can get behind this.
Settings
As the name of this pack states, the game takes place in Washington D.C. To name a couple places, Duke journeys through the White House, United States Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian Institution (More on this level in a bit). Though there aren’t portrayed even remotely accurately to the real thing, the spirit of those places infuse their video game counterparts.
There’s other levels you journey through as well, such as the D.C. metro, sewer system, submarine docks, the NORAD Control Center, and a mysterious warehouse as the secret level. Although the warehouse is completely fictional (There’s a time machine and a alien spacecraft stored in the complex), the other levels feel a tiny bit realistic.
Characters
There’s Duke. Nuff said!
Gameplay
Just like Duke Nukem 3d, Duke It Out In D.C. follows the step-by-step plan of find weapons, kill aliens, solve small puzzle, find keys to unlock doors, etc. Having said that, there are some minor changes.
For starters, there aren’t any new enemies to fight. Despite being finished around the time of the Atomic Edition of Duke Nukem 3d, we don’t see any sign of the Pig Cop Tanks or the Queen Protectors, despite them being available for this pack. Instead, we’re given the same crew of enemies from DN3d, without any new skins or noises. It would have been cool to see the Pig Cops look like Secret Service agents, but hey, I guess some things just weren’t meant to be.
Secondly, the level design are a little....odd. I’m not the only one who thinks this: the chief complaint of Duke It Out In D.C. was that the design of the levels were done in a strange fashion. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fourth level of the pack, Smithsonian Terror. When I first played Duke It Out In D.C. back in 2009 and got to this level, it took me almost 40 minutes to beat, simply because of it’s design (It was based off a portion of the actual museum), and just how large it was! I eventually found my way out of the place, but man did it take me a while!
Finally, we come to a more minor complaint about this pack. If don’t know if it’s me, but I swear to god just about every level has air vents to crawl through. Sometimes it’s only a portion or two, but other levels are absolutely filled with them. Maybe one or two of the levels don’t have any, but all the other have them! Does anybody else have the same opinion as me?
Graphics & Sounds
One thing that’s different from Duke It Out In D.C. when compared to the original DN3d is the textures. The individual that made this pack created some original textures, just to use in this game. Custom signs, custom pictures, and custom floor & wall textures can be found in many of the levels. Other than that, the graphics are the same as in Duke Nukem 3d. The sounds are the same as well, with Jon St. John coming back to voice the starring lead. Like Duke: Nuclear Winter, he has no new lines at all, save for one in the last level. As you make your way down an elevator, and into a control room, there’s one lone alien. After you bump him off, Duke promptly says “What, there’s only one of you!?”. It’s great to hear at least one new line, but a couple more would have been appreciated.
One other thing. The soundtrack for Duke It Out In D.C. uses the music from the 3rd episode of the original game. It’s disappointing that there’s no new music, but at the same time the music fits.
Overall & Rating
If Duke: Nuclear Winter was the worst of the three Duke packs from 1997, then Duke It Out In D.C. is the middle one. It’s got it’s problems, but at the same time there’s plenty of fun to be had. Despite being designed weird, the levels are pretty damn good to move through & explore. It’s only weaknesses are a lack of new enemies and weapons, no new one-liners, and a rehash of game music. A lot better than Duke: Nuclear Winter, but still not up to snuff.
Duke It Out In D.C. gets a 6 to 7 out of 10.
Hope your Fourth of July is nice. Until the next time I see you, stay Otaku!
*
For more info on Duke It Out In D.C., click on the link below:
http://dukenukem.wikia.com/wiki/Duke_It_Out_In_D.C.
Story
As with all the other Duke games, this one is no different in terms of a silly story. Aliens have invaded Washington D.C., taking it over, and kidnaping (then) President Bill Clinton in the process. It’s up to Duke Nukem to traverse the city, mow down alien scumbags, and rescue the president.
Like all the Duke Nukem stories so far, I can get behind this.
Settings
As the name of this pack states, the game takes place in Washington D.C. To name a couple places, Duke journeys through the White House, United States Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian Institution (More on this level in a bit). Though there aren’t portrayed even remotely accurately to the real thing, the spirit of those places infuse their video game counterparts.
There’s other levels you journey through as well, such as the D.C. metro, sewer system, submarine docks, the NORAD Control Center, and a mysterious warehouse as the secret level. Although the warehouse is completely fictional (There’s a time machine and a alien spacecraft stored in the complex), the other levels feel a tiny bit realistic.
Characters
There’s Duke. Nuff said!
Gameplay
Just like Duke Nukem 3d, Duke It Out In D.C. follows the step-by-step plan of find weapons, kill aliens, solve small puzzle, find keys to unlock doors, etc. Having said that, there are some minor changes.
For starters, there aren’t any new enemies to fight. Despite being finished around the time of the Atomic Edition of Duke Nukem 3d, we don’t see any sign of the Pig Cop Tanks or the Queen Protectors, despite them being available for this pack. Instead, we’re given the same crew of enemies from DN3d, without any new skins or noises. It would have been cool to see the Pig Cops look like Secret Service agents, but hey, I guess some things just weren’t meant to be.
Secondly, the level design are a little....odd. I’m not the only one who thinks this: the chief complaint of Duke It Out In D.C. was that the design of the levels were done in a strange fashion. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fourth level of the pack, Smithsonian Terror. When I first played Duke It Out In D.C. back in 2009 and got to this level, it took me almost 40 minutes to beat, simply because of it’s design (It was based off a portion of the actual museum), and just how large it was! I eventually found my way out of the place, but man did it take me a while!
Finally, we come to a more minor complaint about this pack. If don’t know if it’s me, but I swear to god just about every level has air vents to crawl through. Sometimes it’s only a portion or two, but other levels are absolutely filled with them. Maybe one or two of the levels don’t have any, but all the other have them! Does anybody else have the same opinion as me?
Graphics & Sounds
One thing that’s different from Duke It Out In D.C. when compared to the original DN3d is the textures. The individual that made this pack created some original textures, just to use in this game. Custom signs, custom pictures, and custom floor & wall textures can be found in many of the levels. Other than that, the graphics are the same as in Duke Nukem 3d. The sounds are the same as well, with Jon St. John coming back to voice the starring lead. Like Duke: Nuclear Winter, he has no new lines at all, save for one in the last level. As you make your way down an elevator, and into a control room, there’s one lone alien. After you bump him off, Duke promptly says “What, there’s only one of you!?”. It’s great to hear at least one new line, but a couple more would have been appreciated.
One other thing. The soundtrack for Duke It Out In D.C. uses the music from the 3rd episode of the original game. It’s disappointing that there’s no new music, but at the same time the music fits.
Overall & Rating
If Duke: Nuclear Winter was the worst of the three Duke packs from 1997, then Duke It Out In D.C. is the middle one. It’s got it’s problems, but at the same time there’s plenty of fun to be had. Despite being designed weird, the levels are pretty damn good to move through & explore. It’s only weaknesses are a lack of new enemies and weapons, no new one-liners, and a rehash of game music. A lot better than Duke: Nuclear Winter, but still not up to snuff.
Duke It Out In D.C. gets a 6 to 7 out of 10.
Hope your Fourth of July is nice. Until the next time I see you, stay Otaku!
*
For more info on Duke It Out In D.C., click on the link below:
http://dukenukem.wikia.com/wiki/Duke_It_Out_In_D.C.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Crimson Wolf Review
Well Ladies & Gentlemen, it’s time to jump off the edge of the cliff again! Having been a couple months since the last time we did this (It was late March when I did this, and it was with the Girls Bravo review), it was only a matter of time before a title that came to my doorstep. A title that’s original, unique, and somehow still batshit insane. Today’s movie is all of these things, and then some. Let’s not waste more time, and look at the original & buttfucking insane Crimson Wolf.
Story/Setup
Taken from the Anime News Network:
“An archaeological expedition finds the mummified bodies of Genghis Khan and his army somewhere in Mongolia. Unaware that the location is cursed, the explorers wake up the former ruler of the Mongolian empire. He warns the intruders that a large calamity will befall the world in one thousand days. The only ones who can prevent this from happening are three persons who bear wolf-shaped arrow scars. They must join forces and kill the "three emperors" so that the Khan's soul can once again sleep for a thousand years.”
There’s actually a little more to it than this. It turns out that since the discovery of Genghis Khan’s tomb, dark forces have been gathering the spirits of the first emperor of China, Genghis Khan, and out of all people, Chairman Mao, and have been putting them into a supercomputer called GOKU (Insert Dragonball Z joke here), with the intent of starting World War 3 so China/the east can take over the world. So, it’s up to our 3 heroes (Ryuko, Shin, and Mizuho) to not only take out the bad guys, but to also destroy GOKU so it’s goals can’t be seen through.
Though it does get confusing at times, Crimson Wolf has the distinction of having one of the more original stories in anime. Mixing Asian-style fantasy, with real-world history, and commentary on Chinese society under Communist authoritarian government and capitalist economic transformation. Plus for creativity!
Setting
For the most part, Crimson Wolf takes place in the real world. Early 90s Beijing China, if I am correct. It’s pretty impressive how the animation studio was able to depict the city, especially the Forbidden City. It feels very realistic (Although the animation is a little weak, but more on this in a bit), and almost manages to draw you in.
There’s plenty of other interesting places in this movie. For example, the Tomb of Genghis Khan: while we never found it, the tomb does look like something that could have possibly been built by the Mongols for their great king. About halfway through, two of the main characters have what is equivalent to a spiritual journey into their past lives, which reveals their role in the upcoming battle against their foes (All 3 heroes also travel into the spirit realm to take on the final baddie, and a myriad of images appear before the viewer. Some good, and some bad). It’s very surreal, mixing Ancient China with metaphysical themes. Perhaps the most unique place in the movie is the chamber that houses the massive GOKU supercomputer, which is an incredible behemoth in it’s size. The chamber is clean & pristine, with not a blot of grime in sight.
A big plus, in my opinion!
Characters
Perhaps the biggest weakness to Crimson Wolf is it’s characters. Let’s divide this into 2 portions:
1) The heroes (Ryuko, Shin, and Mizuho): While you don’t learn everything about them, you learn enough of their background to understand them a little. You also want to support them as they carry the fight to the bad guys, and you want them to win (Even Ryuko, who’s a bit of a scumbag at times).
2) The bad guys (Just about everybody else): Wasted potential. With an original story, you’d think that the villains would be completely original (Or at the very least, partially original). Instead, the villains act & feel far to generic, with only a mote or two of originality popping up in a scant few moments.
The one exception to the above two is GOKU, the supercomputer. On the one hand, he’s introduced towards the end of the movie, and thus you’re not given enough time him him. On the other hand, there’s a surprising amount of originality in GOKU. Essentially a combination of three of China’s most powerful historical figures (Genghis Khan, Qin-Shi Huang, and Chairman Mao), GOKU is cold, calculating, and highly analytical. He has no respect for those that won’t follow him, and those that will betray him will be cast aside. I’m impressed!
Animation
I kinda like the animation in Crimson Wolf. It’s not the most perfect thing I’ve seen, as there are moments that look like there wasn’t as much work put in as there should have been, and there’s scenes where it was darker than it should be. With that said, this movie has some of the most realistic backgrounds I’ve ever seen (This was probably much more realistic back in 1993, when the movie was first released), as well as some of the most surreal moment ever animated (When the heroes encounter GOKU for the first time comes to mind). It’s this balance between good animated moments & bad animated moments that somehow makes the movie works, as far as looks are concerned.
Voice Acting
Once again, this is a Streamline dub. The last Streamline dub I reviewed was Barefoot Gen, and while that movie had a relatively good dub, Crimson Wolf is a little different. It’s not that there isn’t effort put into the voices, because I think that there was. The problem is that characters either sound underwhelming, or characters sound over-the-top in all the wrong ways. There’s a character or two that sounds okay, but everybody else is right in the middle (For the most part, anyways).
Episodes & Episode Length
Running at a little over an hour, Crimson Wolf is a on-it’s-own feature film. As with a bunch of the other OVAs I’ve reviewed so far, this is another film to watch during the afternoon. Be sure to have your popcorn!
Availability & Pricing
Good luck finding this!
I’ve only been able to find a couple copies over on Amazon, with a drastic difference between new & used copies. At this moment, there’s only 1 new copy going for 85 dollars, but there’s a couple of used copies, with the first one starting at $3.50. Go for the used copies people!
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Crimson Wolf is a interesting film. One part fantasy, one part social commentary, and one part real world history, this movie manages to be a unique & entertaining movie. Having said that, the mix of fantasy/social commentary/real world history is coming so far out of left field, you won’t see it coming, and when it hits you, you won’t quite know what happened!
Crimson Wolf gets a 8 out of 10.
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
*
Just a heads up: later next week is Connecticon 2013! Because of the convention, there’s a very high chance that I’ll post up that week’s reviews back-to-back, and they might not be as good as the ones I’ve done so far. My apologies in advance. Also, here’s a clip from the movie, when the three are going up against Chairman Mao:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfsrIr5kM4g
I’ll let this clip sink in.
Story/Setup
Taken from the Anime News Network:
“An archaeological expedition finds the mummified bodies of Genghis Khan and his army somewhere in Mongolia. Unaware that the location is cursed, the explorers wake up the former ruler of the Mongolian empire. He warns the intruders that a large calamity will befall the world in one thousand days. The only ones who can prevent this from happening are three persons who bear wolf-shaped arrow scars. They must join forces and kill the "three emperors" so that the Khan's soul can once again sleep for a thousand years.”
There’s actually a little more to it than this. It turns out that since the discovery of Genghis Khan’s tomb, dark forces have been gathering the spirits of the first emperor of China, Genghis Khan, and out of all people, Chairman Mao, and have been putting them into a supercomputer called GOKU (Insert Dragonball Z joke here), with the intent of starting World War 3 so China/the east can take over the world. So, it’s up to our 3 heroes (Ryuko, Shin, and Mizuho) to not only take out the bad guys, but to also destroy GOKU so it’s goals can’t be seen through.
Though it does get confusing at times, Crimson Wolf has the distinction of having one of the more original stories in anime. Mixing Asian-style fantasy, with real-world history, and commentary on Chinese society under Communist authoritarian government and capitalist economic transformation. Plus for creativity!
Setting
For the most part, Crimson Wolf takes place in the real world. Early 90s Beijing China, if I am correct. It’s pretty impressive how the animation studio was able to depict the city, especially the Forbidden City. It feels very realistic (Although the animation is a little weak, but more on this in a bit), and almost manages to draw you in.
There’s plenty of other interesting places in this movie. For example, the Tomb of Genghis Khan: while we never found it, the tomb does look like something that could have possibly been built by the Mongols for their great king. About halfway through, two of the main characters have what is equivalent to a spiritual journey into their past lives, which reveals their role in the upcoming battle against their foes (All 3 heroes also travel into the spirit realm to take on the final baddie, and a myriad of images appear before the viewer. Some good, and some bad). It’s very surreal, mixing Ancient China with metaphysical themes. Perhaps the most unique place in the movie is the chamber that houses the massive GOKU supercomputer, which is an incredible behemoth in it’s size. The chamber is clean & pristine, with not a blot of grime in sight.
A big plus, in my opinion!
Characters
Perhaps the biggest weakness to Crimson Wolf is it’s characters. Let’s divide this into 2 portions:
1) The heroes (Ryuko, Shin, and Mizuho): While you don’t learn everything about them, you learn enough of their background to understand them a little. You also want to support them as they carry the fight to the bad guys, and you want them to win (Even Ryuko, who’s a bit of a scumbag at times).
2) The bad guys (Just about everybody else): Wasted potential. With an original story, you’d think that the villains would be completely original (Or at the very least, partially original). Instead, the villains act & feel far to generic, with only a mote or two of originality popping up in a scant few moments.
The one exception to the above two is GOKU, the supercomputer. On the one hand, he’s introduced towards the end of the movie, and thus you’re not given enough time him him. On the other hand, there’s a surprising amount of originality in GOKU. Essentially a combination of three of China’s most powerful historical figures (Genghis Khan, Qin-Shi Huang, and Chairman Mao), GOKU is cold, calculating, and highly analytical. He has no respect for those that won’t follow him, and those that will betray him will be cast aside. I’m impressed!
Animation
I kinda like the animation in Crimson Wolf. It’s not the most perfect thing I’ve seen, as there are moments that look like there wasn’t as much work put in as there should have been, and there’s scenes where it was darker than it should be. With that said, this movie has some of the most realistic backgrounds I’ve ever seen (This was probably much more realistic back in 1993, when the movie was first released), as well as some of the most surreal moment ever animated (When the heroes encounter GOKU for the first time comes to mind). It’s this balance between good animated moments & bad animated moments that somehow makes the movie works, as far as looks are concerned.
Voice Acting
Once again, this is a Streamline dub. The last Streamline dub I reviewed was Barefoot Gen, and while that movie had a relatively good dub, Crimson Wolf is a little different. It’s not that there isn’t effort put into the voices, because I think that there was. The problem is that characters either sound underwhelming, or characters sound over-the-top in all the wrong ways. There’s a character or two that sounds okay, but everybody else is right in the middle (For the most part, anyways).
Episodes & Episode Length
Running at a little over an hour, Crimson Wolf is a on-it’s-own feature film. As with a bunch of the other OVAs I’ve reviewed so far, this is another film to watch during the afternoon. Be sure to have your popcorn!
Availability & Pricing
Good luck finding this!
I’ve only been able to find a couple copies over on Amazon, with a drastic difference between new & used copies. At this moment, there’s only 1 new copy going for 85 dollars, but there’s a couple of used copies, with the first one starting at $3.50. Go for the used copies people!
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Crimson Wolf is a interesting film. One part fantasy, one part social commentary, and one part real world history, this movie manages to be a unique & entertaining movie. Having said that, the mix of fantasy/social commentary/real world history is coming so far out of left field, you won’t see it coming, and when it hits you, you won’t quite know what happened!
Crimson Wolf gets a 8 out of 10.
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
*
Just a heads up: later next week is Connecticon 2013! Because of the convention, there’s a very high chance that I’ll post up that week’s reviews back-to-back, and they might not be as good as the ones I’ve done so far. My apologies in advance. Also, here’s a clip from the movie, when the three are going up against Chairman Mao:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfsrIr5kM4g
I’ll let this clip sink in.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Cleopatra DC Review
Hi everybody. Well, the relatives have come & gone, and Tiny Tina’s Assault On Dragon Keep has been conquered. With those two things out of the way, it’s time to get back on schedule with the reviews for July! Today’s review is a fun but rather unknown title released by Anime Works, a group known for putting out more obscure titles. So, let’s not waste more time, and review Cleopatra DC!
Story/Setup
Here’s the snipbit from the Wikipedia page:
“Cleopatra, or Cleo as she's known to her friends, would much rather go on vacation in some exotic locale than concern herself with the business end of the Corns Conglomerate, which is the most powerful economic player in the United States. However, Cleo has a kind and forgiving nature, and will not shy away if trouble is near. And more often than she cares for, Cleo and her friends find themselves in all sorts of fantastic adventures, from putting out oil well fires to safeguarding a powerful telepathic girl.”
Like Black Magic M-66, this is an easy story that I can get behind.
Setting
For the most part, the setting Cleopatra DC is rather ordinary. You’ve got urban environments, mansions, and office buildings. Things do start to get into more exotic fare towards the end of the first episode when the gang travels to an oil field in the Middle East, as well as the NASA Space Station in episode 2, and a submarine & secret laboratory in episode 3. Unfortunately for this show, the more fantastic places seem rather lackluster, but I’ll get to that in a bit.
Characters
Cleopatra DC has a colorful cast of characters, both primary & secondary. For starters is the show’s title character: like the story section says, Cleopatra would rather go on vacation or enjoy an easier life. With that said, she does have a heart, and won’t back down when trouble shows up. Her friend & partner, Sven, is almost her exact opposite. She’s responsible, proper, and practical. Despite their differences, the two girls form a nice partnership, and will hunker down & solve a problem when it arises. Sven’s qualities also extend to the other members of the group, they’re all hard-working, and have a no-nonsense attitude to them (Although one of them, Nakky, seems to be a little more young & whiney at times).
The bad guys, while weak in terms of character, are all stereotypically evil. They’re over-the-top, scumbaggy, and somehow likable because of how goofy they can be. This is especially true of the mercenary leader: he looks & acts like somebody you’d see from an Arnold movie from the 80s. On top of that, the guy has a bitchin mustache!
Animation
Cleopatra DC is a very stylized show. The men in this show look either very handsome, mildly good looking, or rather gruff (This is especially true for the mercenaries hired by the bad guys). As for the women, they all look rather lovely. Even some of the more timid & meek girls have some looks to them. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily extend to everything else. For one thing, these moments in each episode where it looks darker than it should (It’s not quite as bad as Angel Cop was, but it can be within the ballpark sometimes). Secondly, the backgrounds for the most part look rather plain & boring. Even the more fantastical settings, such as the NASA space station in the 2nd episode, and the submarine & laboratory in the 3rd episode, feel weak. If more effort was put into them, perhaps they would stand out more.
Voice Acting
Given Anime Works’s habit of dubbing some shows & leaving other shows without a dub, I’m going to assume that this show doesn’t have one. Luckily, the episodes I downloaded had subtitles (Unlike my downloaded copy of Barefoot Gen 2), and thus I knew what was going on. If there is a dub, then I’ll be quite surprised.
Episodes & Episode Length
Cleopatra DC is a 3-episode OVA, with various running times within each episode. The first & second episode run at 29 minutes each, while the final episode is a much longer 50 minutes. Pretty much like everything I’ve reviewed so far, Cleopatra DC is a afternoon kind of show, although given the somewhat risque nature of some of the characters, you might not want to watch this among polite company.
Availability & Pricing
Despite being a obscure show, Cleopatra DC was released. However, finding a copy can be a little difficult. I was able to find a couple new & used copies over on Amazon, but not many. Luckily, the prices for both copies start out relatively low, so there’s that.
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Cleopatra DC is an odd show for me. On the one hand, it’s a relatively forgettable show. It goes by so quickly, you really don’t have time to absorb what you saw. Having said that, while I was watching this, I was having fun! It’s a very high-energy kind of show, filled with colorful characters, a healthy dose of comedy & action, and some sprinkles of fan service to keep the guys interested. I wouldn’t actively encourage you to find a copy of this show, but if you happen to acquire the show, I’d say give it a go or two.
Cleopatra DC gets a 7 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when we’ll look at a rather odd movie. Until then, stay Otaku!
Story/Setup
Here’s the snipbit from the Wikipedia page:
“Cleopatra, or Cleo as she's known to her friends, would much rather go on vacation in some exotic locale than concern herself with the business end of the Corns Conglomerate, which is the most powerful economic player in the United States. However, Cleo has a kind and forgiving nature, and will not shy away if trouble is near. And more often than she cares for, Cleo and her friends find themselves in all sorts of fantastic adventures, from putting out oil well fires to safeguarding a powerful telepathic girl.”
Like Black Magic M-66, this is an easy story that I can get behind.
Setting
For the most part, the setting Cleopatra DC is rather ordinary. You’ve got urban environments, mansions, and office buildings. Things do start to get into more exotic fare towards the end of the first episode when the gang travels to an oil field in the Middle East, as well as the NASA Space Station in episode 2, and a submarine & secret laboratory in episode 3. Unfortunately for this show, the more fantastic places seem rather lackluster, but I’ll get to that in a bit.
Characters
Cleopatra DC has a colorful cast of characters, both primary & secondary. For starters is the show’s title character: like the story section says, Cleopatra would rather go on vacation or enjoy an easier life. With that said, she does have a heart, and won’t back down when trouble shows up. Her friend & partner, Sven, is almost her exact opposite. She’s responsible, proper, and practical. Despite their differences, the two girls form a nice partnership, and will hunker down & solve a problem when it arises. Sven’s qualities also extend to the other members of the group, they’re all hard-working, and have a no-nonsense attitude to them (Although one of them, Nakky, seems to be a little more young & whiney at times).
The bad guys, while weak in terms of character, are all stereotypically evil. They’re over-the-top, scumbaggy, and somehow likable because of how goofy they can be. This is especially true of the mercenary leader: he looks & acts like somebody you’d see from an Arnold movie from the 80s. On top of that, the guy has a bitchin mustache!
Animation
Cleopatra DC is a very stylized show. The men in this show look either very handsome, mildly good looking, or rather gruff (This is especially true for the mercenaries hired by the bad guys). As for the women, they all look rather lovely. Even some of the more timid & meek girls have some looks to them. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily extend to everything else. For one thing, these moments in each episode where it looks darker than it should (It’s not quite as bad as Angel Cop was, but it can be within the ballpark sometimes). Secondly, the backgrounds for the most part look rather plain & boring. Even the more fantastical settings, such as the NASA space station in the 2nd episode, and the submarine & laboratory in the 3rd episode, feel weak. If more effort was put into them, perhaps they would stand out more.
Voice Acting
Given Anime Works’s habit of dubbing some shows & leaving other shows without a dub, I’m going to assume that this show doesn’t have one. Luckily, the episodes I downloaded had subtitles (Unlike my downloaded copy of Barefoot Gen 2), and thus I knew what was going on. If there is a dub, then I’ll be quite surprised.
Episodes & Episode Length
Cleopatra DC is a 3-episode OVA, with various running times within each episode. The first & second episode run at 29 minutes each, while the final episode is a much longer 50 minutes. Pretty much like everything I’ve reviewed so far, Cleopatra DC is a afternoon kind of show, although given the somewhat risque nature of some of the characters, you might not want to watch this among polite company.
Availability & Pricing
Despite being a obscure show, Cleopatra DC was released. However, finding a copy can be a little difficult. I was able to find a couple new & used copies over on Amazon, but not many. Luckily, the prices for both copies start out relatively low, so there’s that.
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
Cleopatra DC is an odd show for me. On the one hand, it’s a relatively forgettable show. It goes by so quickly, you really don’t have time to absorb what you saw. Having said that, while I was watching this, I was having fun! It’s a very high-energy kind of show, filled with colorful characters, a healthy dose of comedy & action, and some sprinkles of fan service to keep the guys interested. I wouldn’t actively encourage you to find a copy of this show, but if you happen to acquire the show, I’d say give it a go or two.
Cleopatra DC gets a 7 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when we’ll look at a rather odd movie. Until then, stay Otaku!
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