Angel's Anime Rating Guide

After more time than I'd care to admit, I've finally completed gathering all 26 episodes of Jane and the Dragon and added them to the archive. According to Wikipedia ... Jane and the Dragon is a CGI animated series based on the books of the same name by Martin Baynton. The show is directed by Mike Fallows and motion capture directed by Peter Salmon; it is co-produced by Weta Workshop (as Weta Productions) in New Zealand and Nelvana Limited in Canada. The series follows the comedic exploits of Jane, an adolescent girl training to be a knight, and her friend, Dragon, a talking, flying, 300-year-old, fire-breathing dragon. According to the backstory explained in the opening theme song, Jane was being trained to become a lady-in-waiting, but had always dreamed of becoming a knight. When the prince is kidnapped by a dragon, Jane sets out to slay the beast. When Jane brings the prince back, the king makes her a knight apprentice. Jane and the dragon end up becoming friends. Furt

I picked up  Defenders of the Vortex  around the time when  Robotech  was making a splash on video (mid '80s) and there was suddenly a mad scramble by various video distributors to release whatever they could... Just as the scientist Dr. Cosmo is about to unravel the secret of the Vortex, the most powerful force in the universe, the evil space alien Zoa captures him. Zoa plots to learn how to tap into the Vortex to become the universe's invincible ruler. Only the Galaxy Legion, nine super-beings each with a special power, can save Dr. Cosmo. Will the diabolical Zoa rule the universe?  For the longest time I didn't have a clue what  Defenders of the Vortex  was. But one fine day I realized that this is the Cyborg 009 movie (circa 1980) with about 40 minutes removed. The running time of the original theatrical release was 130 minutes. Cyborg 004, who keeps weapons all over his body, is supposed to die during the course of the movie. Frankly, it's been a while since

Although I've never bothered to listen to the English dub, Demon City Shinjuku is infamous for having a really bad English dub... Tokyo. The very near future. The glittering skyline which once rivaled any in the world now lies cracked and crumbling under the weight of an oppressive evil. One man, the tyrannical Levih Rah, has created this Demon City in Shinjuku, the heart of Tokyo - and he doesn't plan to stop there! Rah's mission is to destroy the entire planet - and there are only three days left until his plans come to fruition! For years, no one has dared to cross the foul moat which Rah and his band of street punks, monsters and other fugitives have built around the Demon City. Desperate to rescue her father, who has been taken captive by Rah and his monstrous minions, the young, beautiful Sayaka Rama enlists the help of Kyoya, a streetwise Tokyo teenager. The two bravely venture into the Demon City, where they encounter the fascinating. mystical character Mephist

Go Nagai, creator of  Cutey Honey and Kekko Kamen , strikes again with Delinquent in Drag aka Sukeban or Sukeban Boy ... Does being the only guy in an all girl school sound like paradise? It might be, if the girls knew you where a guy, but to stay in school teenage pervert Banji can't let anyone find out his chromosomes don't match! From Go Nagai, creator of Cutey Honey and Devilman, comes an experience in a whole new kind of sex education. Banji's status conscious parents want him to go to a good school, but not enough to spend the money on a good co-ed school! Now, in addition to studying math and science, Banji has to learn how to put on a bra and makeup. His life has become a living hell! Not only is he at the bottom of the social pecking order, he must also got to conceal his inner masculinity from the pretty classmate girl who's stolen his heart while avoiding the female bullies who threaten to expose his less-than-feminine charms in the locker room! Banji,

Detatoko Princess is also known as Suddenly Princess or by some translations, Instant Pudding Princess ... Lapis is the princess of Sorcerland. She's beautiful, powerful and has a sparkling personality; it's too bad that she's not that bright. She'll go to any length to protect the most innocent of creatures even if it means destroying the kingdom to do so. And lets not forget her obsession with pudding! She needs her pudding, she REALLY needs her pudding. And God help you is you stand between her and her sweet custard dessert! Detatoko Princess is a laugh-out-loud lampoon of all the fantasy stereotypes you've come to love with a generous heaping scoop of slapstick! Detatoko Princess is a fairly typical sword and sorcery spoof that centers around Lapis, a pudding-obsessed princess from Sorcerland. Her mother "accidentally" sends Lapis out on a dangerous quest and things rapidly go downhill from there. There are no naughty bits, blood or gore. The s

Sometime ago, I picked up Castle In The Sky ... This high-flying adventure begins when Pazu, an engineer's apprentice, finds a young girl, Sheeta, floating down from the sky, wearing a glowing pendant. Together, they discover both are searching for a legendary floating castle, Laputa, and vow to unravel the mystery of the luminous crystal around Sheeta's neck. Their quest won't be easy, however. There are greedy air pirates, secret government agents, and astounding obstacles to keep them from the truth - and from each other. According to Wikipedia : Although the plot and much of the script was left intact, Disney's English dub of Laputa: Castle in the Sky contains some changes. These differences do not appear in the original dub. A significant quantity of background chatter and one-liners were added (even more so than in Disney's dub of Kiki's Delivery Service), filling in moments of silence and increasing the frenetic effect of certain scenes. Compose

A few days ago, I saw part of the Dragon Hunters movie on cable... Get ready to hold your breath as you get whisked along an adventure to save the magical, floating, medieval, and breathtakingly beautiful world from an evil dragon. This impeccable animation tells the classic adventure of a band of eclectic characters focused on a single mission -- to save the world. Zoe dreams of joining valiant knights on exciting adventures, but because she is a girl the king has other plans in mind for her. A gentle giant, Lian-Chu, and his opportunistic friend, Gwizdo, call themselves Dragon Hunters , but seem to have an issue with getting paid. When Zoe sneaks out and accidentally meets the Dragon Hunters , she decides that they will be the ones to slay the dragon, and she also decides to join them. Dragon Hunters looked pretty good in previews. After months of searching, a gently used DVD showed up at my local video store. The special features really aren't all that special, but, having

Devil Hunter Yohko was one of AD Vision's early releases... Volume 1 What can you do when you discover that the principal of your high school not only IS an old witch, but that she wants you dead, dead, dead? Or that one of your best friends has been turned into a zombie and another has been possessed by an incubus whose only goal is to deflower you? These are but a few of the many perplexing questions pretty young Yohko Mano must answer after learning that, as the 108th generation of a family of professional demon hunters, she is personally obligated to save all mankind from an invasion of bloodthirsty demons! It's just too bad that nobody bothered to inform her first, before the demons decide to eliminate her before she can become Devil Hunter Yohko! A bizarre animated horror-comedy, Devil Hunter Yohko is a brilliant role reversal parody of the classic vampire/monster-hunter genre. Yes, this time it's the daring young heroine who must rescue the hero from a "fate

Go Nagai, the creative force behind Kekko Kamen , presents the  Devil Lady ... Volume 1 The Awakening Jun has always been different from everyone else. The life of a fashion model is unlike anything else in the world. But she has no idea how different she is until a mysterious stalker throws her head-first into a brutal confrontation with the supernatural! From Go Nagai, the master of animated horror, comes a harrowing odyssey through the twisted maze that is Jun's new life. By day a beautiful, shy fashion plate. By night a terrifying vision of demonic power! Volume 2 The Becoming Former fashion model Jun carries the Devil Beast gene, a small, microscopic speck of organic matter whose power is beyond imagination. But she is not alone-there lives among us a race of Devil Beasts. Each empowered with the ability to destroy, and each containing the ability to tear the world apart. Only a few still call themselves human. Fortunately, Jun is one of them. For now... Volume 3 T

Years ago, Devilman was available in subtitled only form from Dark Image and in dubbed only form from Manga. I wasn't really happy with Manga, so, I picked up the subtitled only version from Dark Image... Demons, once trapped in the glacial ice of the Earth, have been unleashed on mankind after centuries of non-intervention. Only two men have the ability to stop them, the cool-headed Ryo and the fearless Akira who, as Devilman, possesses the body and strength of a demon but with the heart and soul of a human. Volume 1 The Birth Normal life in modern day Tokyo is unexpectedly disrupted for a young high school kid named Akira. First his parents go missing, then his pet rabbit is viciously slaughtered and finally his best friend, Ryo Asuka, reveals a terrifying secret - something that guarantees that Akira's life can never be the same again. Ryo's late archaeologist father left him a dark and sinister legacy, knowledge of which may only condemn Ryo in the same way it con

Many years ago, I came across Project Eden, the big-budget  Dirty Pair  movie, and I've been hooked ever since... Dirty Pair Movies Affair on Nolandia The Lovely Angels find themselves trapped in a bizarre arboreal wonderland on the planet Ukbar, where a routine investigation reveals a deadly caper of galactic conquest. As the mystery unfolds, the two special agents tangle with a pair of villains who will stop at nothing in their quest to attain ultimate power. The girls are forced to deal with unexpected psychic attacks, brutal murders, sabotage and wild, improbably mind games as they cope with their formidable adversaries. The finale, a classic chase sequence, zooms by with ferocious vitality and non-stop action. Flight 005 Conspiracy The Dirty Pair are called in to investigate a mysterious explosion which destroyed an interplanetary space shuttle, as well as to look into the disappearance of a scientist involved in the production of a rare power source. What starts out a

Dirty Pair Flash  is a revamped version of the classic Dirty Pair franchise... Dirty Pair Flash Mission 1 Act 1 Look out universe! When the galaxy-wide World Welfare and Works Agency unleashes the infamous Dirty Pair, it's every sentient being for itself! From the best-selling novels by Haruhiko Takachiho comes the apocalyptic saga of two young women destined to go down in history as the most destructive force known to man. Meet Kei and Yuri, two junior level agents with a proclivity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with just enough firepower to blow their way out of a bad situation into something worse. It all starts when Yuri is playing hooky from work and a dying man gives her a secret computer card. Can the Lovely Angels evade an army of henchmen, run a police gauntlet and unlock the secrets encoded on the card in time to save the universe? Or will they just level all the real estate in their path? Act 2 Chasing a crazed neuro-junkie and with a deadly assas

Don't Leave Me Alone Daisy  is quite a strange release and that is what initially attracted my interest... Surrounded only by his inventions, Techno doesn't really interact with other people much. However, one day, a girl attempts to "break into" his fortress. This hapless passerby, a girl named Hitomi, becomes the object of his affection. Techno decides to name her "Daisy," and begins planning to make her his, but can Annie and Yamakawa X protect Hitomi or will the science nerd Techno win Hitomi's heart? Don't leave me Alone Daisy promises outrageous adventures and non-stop laughs. Volume 1 Love is Strange Nerdy genius Techno is enraged that someone is encroaching on his property - until he sees her face and falls hopelessly in love. Pity poor Hitomi! Techno renames her Daisy and decides to make her his own, but Hitomi doesn't want anything to do with him. Techno decides to pursue her, no matter what it takes, including replacing their sch

Doomed Megalopolis  was among the last of the Streamline titles to be released in the U.S. before the company ceased operations and represents an early entry in the horror anime genre... Anime Episode 1 The Hauting of Tokyo Tokyo is under siege as occult forces lay claim to the burial site of TAIRA NO MASAKADO, a founder of the centuries-oid city. Driven by a lust for power, the necromancer KATO hopes to free the soul of this ancient warrior and in so doing gain ultimate control of this budding metropolis as it boldly moves into the 20th Century. Standing in the way of KATO's quest for power are an aging priest, an innocent virgin and a group of untested heroes. But, they soon learn that the sadistic KATO is not an easy enemy to defeat. DOOMED MEGALOPOLIS is a brilliant example of mature-themed animation produced under the supervision of master film artist RIN TARO. An intensely erotic and blood-curdling masterpiece of horror and suspense. Episode 2 The Fall of Tokyo Real

I've seen a handful of episodes of Bleach on DVD and quite a few more episodes on  Cartoon Network ... Volume 1 For as long as he can remember, Ichigo Kurosaki has been able to see ghosts. But when he meets Rukia, a Soul Reaper who battles evil spirits known as Hollows, he finds his life is changed forever. Now, with a newfound wealth of spiritual energy, Ichigo discovers his true calling: to protect the living and the dead from evil. And when he vows to defend Rukia from the ruthless justice of the Soul Society, he and his friends must cross over and do battle in the spirit world... Volume 2 Ichigo and his friends make the perilous journey to the Soul Society and are promptly set upon by the guardians of the spirit world. As they dodge one foe after another, they gradually draw nearer their goal: to rescue Rukia from the tower cell where she awaits her death sentence. But their presence threatens the very order of the Soul Society itself, and they must face the ultimate opp

Way back in the misty dawn of time, I picked up the VHS version of  Dragon Half ... Knights and Dragons are mortal enemies, right? And everyone knows what happens when a Knight meets a Dragon, right? Wrong! When a Knight and a Dragon meet and fall in love, the result is Mink, a precocious young female who's half human, half dragon and all trouble! Exactly how much trouble? Well, in consideration of the fact that having vestigial wings and a tail isn't a problem most teenage girls have to bear, one can perhaps cut our heroine a little slack, but when Mink insists on compounding her difficulties to infinite proportions by falling in love with handsome pop star and professional dragon slayer Dick Saucer, she really has put her heart before her head! Talk about problem dates! Will this turn out to be a love story where the hero really does get the girl... on the end of his sword? It's goofy, it's romantic, it's violent, and it's undeniably one of the strangest com

Recently, I had a chance to see Mars Needs Moms ... Mars Needs Moms is a comic animated adventure about moms, Martians, and mutiny. Martian hatchlings are springing up out of the ground up on Mars, and there's a desperate need for a good mom to raise the babies. Mars matriarch "The Supervisor" (Mindy Sterling) sets her sights on Milo's mom (Joan Cusack) because she's doing such a good job raising Milo (Seth Green) down on Earth, and she quickly abducts her. As luck would have it, Milo's just said something to his mother that he's come to regret, goes into her room to apologize right as she's being abducted, and winds up getting caught in the spaceship that's transporting her to Mars. On Mars, Milo meets a strangely childlike human named Gribble (Dan Fogler), and the two quickly become friends and set out on a bumbling mission to rescue Milo's mom. Along the way, they get a little help from Martian Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), who sees things a li

Dragon Knight  seemed a lot like watching a video game and later, I discovered that it was actually based on a video game... Volume 1 What do an enchanted sword, a dozen beautiful girls and an instant camera all have in common? They're all objects of lust for the most wayward knight to ever set forth upon the road to high adventure! It's cold steel and hot babes as our morally impaired young hero must rescue the multiple damsels in distress imprisoned in an enchanted castle by an army of demons, pausing only for a quick click of his trusty camera's shutter as the young lasses struggle to cover their lithesome charms. Yea, the shining spirit of chivalry has never been so disgraced as by this knave in his endless search for fast gold and faster women... and yet, is it not possible to believe that even this rogue, this pillar of impropriety, might still discover the true meaning of the word "love", risking all his ill-got gains to save the life of the only woman w

Dragon Pink  was one of many mildly adult-oriented anime to be released in the U.S. in the early days of the U.S. anime industry... Volume 1 When slave girl Pink puts on the Cursed Panties of Torajima, she finds herself literally transformed into a sex kitten! Needless to say, the social consequences of having a fur coat permanently attached to your skin can be quite embarrassing, to say nothing of what it does for your sex life! Fortunately for Pink, Santa the swordsman thinks her tail is really cute, and the fact that his girlfriend's a little fuzzy around the edges certainly hasn't caused him to pussyfoot about when it comes to trying to get the cat out of her pajamas! Of course, neither Pink nor Santa will have any kind of life at all unless they can team up with the sultry elven sonnor Santa will have any kind of life at all unless they can team up with the sultry elven sorceress Pias and warrior Bobo to defeat the assorted evil beings that lurk in the heart of Tajif Fo