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Showing posts from July, 2006

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He-Man and the Masters of the Universe...

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I picked up the first two volumes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe . He-Man and the Masters of the Universe makes its debut on DVD in a robust collector's set, filled with extras any fan would enjoy. Part one of season one contains a whopping 33 episodes, following the hulky, well-tanned muscleman who masquerades as the irresponsible, goofy Prince Adam by day. The secret of He-Man's dual identity is only shared by The Sorceress (who's only powerful so long as she remains near Castle Greyskull, where she lives), Man-At-Arms (the king's gadget specialist) and Orko, a floating creature whose backwards magic spells often leave everyone with egg on their face (literally). He-Man's legacy was also its focus on family values, illustrated at the end of each episode through a moral lesson given by one of the characters. They range from the useful (Don't judge people by their looks) to the somewhat trite (When you're sad, sing a song). He-Man's nemesis,

Flash Gordon...

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I picked up the animated Flash Gordon box set yesterday and watched most of the first season. Though it only aired for two seasons, the 1979 Flash Gordon cartoon series is fondly remembered for its innovative use of rotoscoping (a form of animation that involves tracing over live-action footage for a remarkably kinetic effect). Closely adhering to the style and storyline of Alex Raymond's classic 1930s comic strip the series followed the intergalactic adventures of Flash Gordon as he his girlfriend Dale Arden and their scientific companion Dr. Han Zarkov fought to save the universe from the evil plotting of tyrannical space lord Ming the Merciless. The set includes both the first and second seasons on four DVDs and some extras on the fourth DVD. There are also little tidbits scattered throughout the chapter selection menus on each DVD. I wasn't too thrilled with the packaging. The DVD case is extra wide with spindles inside for four DVDs. The DVDs partially cover each other

Madlax...

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From the creative minds behind Noir , comes Madlax , a compelling saga of two lives and the dark circumstances surrounding their mysterious connection... Volume 1 -  Connections Madlax An assassin, head and heels above the rest. She is a deadly poison, yet irresistibly sugar-coated. Nothing can surpass her skill in the art of combat-except perhaps her skill in the art of deception. She will find you, she will charm you, and then she will most certainly harm you. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't even matter if you know she's coming. Because in the end, strong or wise, rich or hardened, friend or foe, Madlax will have you eating bullets out of the palm of her hand. Margaret Burton An orphaned schoolgirl with issues the size of plump juicy peaches. Haunted by bizarre and cloudy dreams, she must not only endure the horrifying images of her past, but she must also traverse the treacherous path of high school. Margaret is lost

Mr. Stain on Junk Alley (Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta)...

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I picked up Mr. Stain on Junk Alley (Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta) because I happened to notice this big green cat's face staring back at me. I've always liked CG animation and I thought I might like Stain... Mr. Stain on Junk Alley (Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta) is the story of a street-dwelling bum who has uncovered a twisted and bizarre world within Junk Alley, the back lot he calls home. Now with the help of an unpredictable feline and a group of extremely unusual friends, Stain digs himself into the most magical, hilarious and sometimes disturbing adventures imaginable. Stain doesn't actually say anything. In fact, no one says anything. Stain is reminiscent of golden age animation like Tom and Jerry or Road Runner where the animators tell a complete story without a single word of dialogue. The CG effects are fairly simple, but, the animators have constructed a complete and believable world for Stain and his companions to live in. There are no naughty bits or gore. There is some violence, but, St

Harvest Night...

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Harvest Night is a very violent and very adult title that is certainly worthy of the yellow and black warning stripes that adorn many other adult titles... Episode 1 Rose and Poppy There's a bridge that divides the town, separating violence from non-violence, immorality from morality, sexually abusive lifestyles from ordinary lifestyles. There's no order beyond that bridge. That's where Ryoko enters in search of her childhood friends, Masato and Honoka. What she finds there is Masato, now the leader of a gang that profits from violence and sex. Although Masato is a capable leader, he's not without trouble. Shinji, one of his subordinates, is deceiving him, and mutiny is brewing. We also meet Lisa, Shinji's girlfriend, whose cruelty winds up killing a girl from an opposing gang... Episode 2 Ashes in the Urn In an attempt to enslave Ryoko and make her become one of them, Lisa and other girls try to get Ryoko to sign a contract to be a hooker, but Honoka inte

Porco Rosso...

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Carl Macek, founder of Streamline Pictures and infamous for producing dubbed-only versions of certain Japanese titles, produced a dub of Porco Rosso several years ago for in-flight screening on Japan Airlines. But, this version was never released in the U.S. When Disney decided to release Porco Rosso , they created an all new dub... Take flight with Porco Rosso , a valiant World War I flying ace! From tropical Adriatic settings to dazzling aerial maneuvers, this action-adventure from world renowned animator Hayao Miyazaki is full of humor, courage and chivalry. True to form, there are no naughty bits. Despite the war setting, there is no bloodshed and no one dies. In fact, Porco goes out of his way not to kill. His sense of honor won't allow it. There's plenty of action though. And, the animation quality is excellent. Hayao Miyazaki's work is nothing short of amazing. My favorite scenes are the air battles. I enjoyed the entire production from beginning to end and I hav

Saikano aka She...

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Recently, I took the opportunity to watch Saikano ... TV Series Volume 1 A beautifully rendered story of two young high-school seniors in a rural countryside of Hokkaido. This is a love story of how their love for each other transcends and evolves to something infinitely deeper and binding. Shuji and Chise - find themselves caught amidst a war of destruction that needs to be fought. Shuji one day discovers that his girlfriend has been turned into "The Ultimate Weapon," an engineered weapon capable of destroying entire cities. Discover how Chise and Shuji, divert their focus of war, destruction, and killing, into love and strength. After completing her duties as a "Weapon," Chise starts to doubt her actions, as she watches city after city being destroyed. When an earthquake strikes during class, Chise reacts as if it were an attack and accidentally destroys a section of the school. After witnessing the incident, Shuji learns to fear his girlfriend, the Ultim

Daphne In the Brilliant Blue...

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I took the opportunity to watch Daphne In the Brilliant Blue ... Volume 1 Initiation Maia is having a very, very bad day. Her life-long dreams to join the elite Ocean Agency are demolished when, despite everyone's high expectations, she fails the entrance exams. Then she gets evicted! Penniless, homeless, and unemployed, Maia finds herself in the middle of a shoot-out between fugitive convicts and the Nereides - sexy agents who only take the most high-paying and dangerous jobs. Desperate, Maia takes the only job she can find: playing bait in the Nereides' next operation! Volume 2 Reunion "Beautiful, Dangerous, and Desperate for work..." Nereides' sexy female agents will take on any job for the right price, no matter how dangerous or demanding. Yu Park, a deadly martial arts expert, returns to Nereides. She has been serving time for causing injuries to more than 20 bystanders just for trying to capture a petty thief. She is the close range combat specialist

Scrapped Princess...

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Scrapped Princes s has the look and feel of an ancient medieval setting with knights and horse-drawn carts. But, throughout the series there are glimpses of super-science and advanced technology disguised as magic and sorcery.,, Volume 1 Family Ties Pacifica Cassul is known as the "Scrapped Princess." According to prophecy, she is the poison that will destroy the world on her 16th birthday. In order to avoid being killed, she must secretly wander the lands along with her two siblings who vow to protect the princess every step of the way. But being the Scrapped Princess means you must stay one step ahead of your enemy. Just how long will they journey before time runs out? Volume 2 Melancholy Wagon Tracks Her Birth Foretold the Destruction of the World The journey continues as they successfully evade the forces of Mauser. But a bounty on Pacifica's head is now set and a bounty hunter aims to collect using poison to end her life. Raquel and Leo must now set out