Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Ouran High School Host Club: Season 1, Part 1 Review

Ouran High School Host Club: Season 1, Part 1
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To try and explain Ouran with a basic synopsis does this anime little justice. There's always so much going on, and with a diverse cast of character's including the princely, yet sometimes idiotic, drama-king, Tamaki, or the mischievous, trouble-making Hitachiin twins, there's no end to the variety of often strange activities the club members get into at Ouran Academy, a high school for the rich and prestigious. Add to this, Haruhi, a scholarship student and "commoner" who was drafted into the Host Club after she accidentally broke an $80,000 vase. The twist is, Haruhi is actually a girl and only the club members know it. Being very plain spoken, Haruhi nicely complements the strange behaviors of her rich counterparts and is often the inspiration for many of their adventures, much to her annoyance.
Probably the biggest concern of Ouran fans about this dvd collection is the transition over from Japanese to English. As many fans will argue (myself included), the Japanese voice acting is flawless, making an English dub no easy task. But after getting a recent peek at episode one, I feel Funimation has met the challenge with great success. While I'm not as hard core of a critic as some, I did carry some doubts as to how well they could pull off a decent dub. Let me just say, I'm sorry I ever doubted them. Usually it takes me a little while to adjust when I switch from the sub to the dub, but that wasn't the case for me here. While there is the occasional rough patch, I think each voice actor did an excellent job matching his or her character's personality. I found nothing distracting or out of place about any of them.
My biggest beef, if any, is with the English opening and ending songs. They aren't horrible, but they are a bit weak compared to the originals. Not a big deal, though, as I'm sure you can still listen to the originals on the dvd.
Overall, I'd say this is a must buy, whether you're already a fan or a newcomer. The acting in both versions each have their own charm and you're bound to enjoy a few laughs every step of the way. This anime also has the ability to keep you coming back again and again. I never get tired of watching it, and the ability to have it in two languages just makes for double the fun. Subtract a star from my rating if absolute randomness bothers you. The Host Club members thrive on the out of the ordinary. They are a bunch of rich kids looking for entertainment after all (well, except poor Haruhi).

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Ouran High School. An institution of extravagance and prestige where learning is secondary to luxury.
Bookish Haruhi can't afford to slack, being on a scholarship and out of place among the moneyed. No matter… The Host Club is now open! A group of handsome boys dedicated to selling their charms to their bored female classmates, Haruhi is suddenly in debt to the club after breakingan expensive vase in their lair. The only way to pay for the damage? Haruhi will work as a Host! The only problem? Haruhi is a she! Between the wildly inflated ego of the expert escorts and the potential calamities of constant cross dressing, Haruhi's freshman year looks like it will be one to remember.Wallpaper forOuran High School Host Club (Click to download and save)




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Friday, March 29, 2013

Death Note II: The Last Name Review

Death Note II: The Last Name
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Based on the manga and anime series that has captured the attention of viewers worldwide, "Death Note" the live action film makes its way to the US on DVD.
"Death Note" is an adaption of the popular manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata and stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (known for his work in the popular "Battle Royale" films), directed by Shusuke Kaneko (known for the 2006 hit film "Gamera") and another theme song "Snow (Hey Oh)" by the popular band RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
The sequel is the conclusion to the thrilling cat and mouse chase as the murderer Kira (Light Yagami, who has attained a large cult following for killing off criminals) tries to find a way to kill his nemesis, the top investigator in the police force known as L. While L suspects Light Yagami as being Kira.
The film is 140 minutes long, pacing was indeed well done and overall, despite being different from the manga and anime series, both Shusuke Kaneko and Tetsuya Oishii managed to come up with a thrilling, dark and gripping storyline that remains faithful to the overlying theme of the film.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
The film is featured in 16×9 anamorphic widescreen and was originally shot in 35mm (1:85:1 ratio). My main interest was to see how the CGI would be for the shinagami Ryuk and Rem. And how that would translate on film and the two shinigami look exactly like it does in the anime and manga series but Rem seems to look more less detailed than Ryuk. But overall, the CG works with the film.
As for audio, the film is featured in both English and Japanese via digital 5.1 and 2.0 stereo. I typically dislike English dubbing of Asian language films but what brought a smile to my face was that VIZ used the original voice actors of the anime series (which had great English dub work) on this series. So, for those who are fond of Brandon Swaile's Light, Alessandro Juliani's L, Brian Drummond's Ryuk, Shannon Chan-Kent as Misa and the other English dub voice actors will be happy to know that they did the English dub for the live film. That surprised me and definitely major kudo points for Viz Media for keeping things consistent in the voice acting.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Special features in the film include the Death Note anime trailer, the Japanese and US trailer and Viz Pictures Presents. The primary featurette is "the Making of Death Note II", a 23-minute featurette which includes interviews with the director and the main talent involved with the film. Definitely good insight of what the talent felt about the characters and the challenges that they faced. For example, Ken'ichi Matsuyama (L) having to constantly eat sweets. He mentions that he had to do it so much that he couldn't tolerate it anymore and couldn't swallow. He just spit it out after the shot. Also, explanations by director Shusuke Kaneko on differences from the live film and the manga version. Overall, a solid featurette.
"DEATH NOTE II: The Last Name" was extremely popular in Japan. Having been #1 in the box office for five weeks and earning 5.5 Billion yen in Japan, the film was indeed a success.
I enjoyed the film a lot and the pacing was much better with the second film but if anything was amazing, it was Tetsuya Oishii's screenplay. It is challenging to get so much storyline from the manga and making a live action film. There is so much story in the "Death Note" manga that it would be difficult to translate all that in two films. So, there had to be major differences in the live film versus the manga and unfortunately, for many films based from a long manga series, they don't succeed because they try to condense everything into one film.
As for "Death Note II: The Last Name", Oishii manages to create a new storyline that is so different from the manga series but yet manages to stay within the confines of the main focal point. Kira vs. L and finding a right conclusion.
Having the storyline so different from the manga, I was pleasantly surprised by it but by the film's end, I was rather pleased. Both Kaneko and Oishii pulled it off.
What I love about this film is that Kira and L are two individuals who are intelligent and the way they try to outdo each other, is always amazing. In a way, it's like a chess game between these two as they do what they can to outwit each other.
Also, I enjoyed seeing how many other characters were integrated into the overall storyline. And knowing how different this film is from the manga and anime series, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the film and overall, I really enjoyed the sequel. Good storytelling by Oishii and managing to pull of a storyline that is just as satisfying as the manga but yet quite different.
If you enjoyed the first live film, then you will definitely want to pick up the sequel. "DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME" is a thrilling, suspenseful and enjoyable film. Highly recommended!

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DEATH NOTE: The Last Name is a sequel to the movie DEATH NOTE, which closely follows major plot elements from the original manga series, while featuring several new key story differences. The story begins on the heels of the first movie as Light Yagami joins the investigation team in pursuit of the serial killer known as "Kira." While L still strongly suspects that Light is "Kira," Light tries to uncover L's real name so he can kill him with his Death Note. Confusingly enough, a new rash of murders all around the world are taking place, with a Second Kira" claiming responsibility. Light learns the identity of the Second Kira and suggests they join forces to get rid of L. Will L be able to catch "Kira" before he is killed? Bilingual (English/Japanese), featuring star voice actors from Anime series Director s interview Making of Death Note Director & Cast Profile

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Monster: Box Set 1 Review

Monster: Box Set 1
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Naoki Urasawa's psychological crime drama MONSTER is, as the other reviewers have said, undeniably one of the most accomplished anime series of all time. It is a near shot-for-shot adaptation of Urasawa's manga, and it is a testament to the strength of the story that almost nothing was changed. It seems almost too good to be true that this series is finally seeing a release in the United States.
Speaking of that, you can currently catch two episodes every Monday night on SyFy's Ani-Monday block. They are airing the English dub.
The story takes place in 1986 Germany. True to the times, the plot is rife with political drama; true to Urasawa, though, you will find a slowly arching, psychological thriller emerge in this gem of a story. Tenma, a Japanese doctor working in Dusseldorf, decides to go against the orders of his hospital's director by operating on an injured child instead of the rich Mayor. Demoted, he loses his fiance and his position in the hospital. In one of the best twists to come out of any fiction recently, the child he saved ends up being a manipulative psychopath, bred by others to be a successor to Hitler. The series begs the question, what do you do when your altruistic intent turns into something wholly horrible? Tenma sets out on a quest to fix his mistake, and the plot slowly unravels along with the mysterious past of Johan Leibert, the monster he brought back to life.
Now, the pros versus the cons. Anything good that can be said about this release is said about the show itself. Before I watched the show, the premise itself was enough to make me sit back for a few minutes and wonder what I might be getting myself into. There was no question in my mind that I would have to watch. And it excels in areas where few anime excel. Perhaps it is the intrinsic advantage that an animated work can sometimes have over a live-action one, but the directing of this series is stellar. As I mentioned, it follows the cinematic scenes and pacing of the manga so closely that it is represented like a film from a master director. Urasawa has a lot to be proud of in his creation, and in this adaptation.
There are bad things about this release, however. The series is 74 episodes long, and these 13-episode DVD releases by VIZ are simply too small. There is no reason to divide so few episodes on so many discs. A 24 episode episode set, even a 16 episode set, would be infinitely better not just for ease of consumption but for the wallets of consumers, too. At the Amazon pre-order price of $32.99 for all 6 anticipated DVD sets, this series will end up costing almost $200, around $2.70 an episode. Still, this is a small complaint when weighed next to the worth of the series, I suppose. The only other nitpick is the quality of the dub. Where characters appear menacing or calculating in the original language, the English dub can, at times, make them appear almost laughable. We have seen, especially recently, that dubs can be done right, though with this series the massive cast of characters and sweep of location can possibly make that difficult.
In short--this series is worth watching. These DVD sets may get expensive over time, but luckily the show is also airing on SyFy for those strapped for cash. Get a taste of it one Monday night and you will undoubtedly anticipate the next episode. This is a great series, not to be missed.
Revision 12/24/2009: I'll leave the review as it is, but as can be seen in my comments (and indeed on the box itself), the product contains 15 episodes. We'll have one less DVD set, it seems.

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MONSTER BOX SET 1 - DVD Movie

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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Street Fighter II V: The Collection Review

Street Fighter II V: The Collection
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If a series can get me to watch all the epsiodes back to back than that definetly says something. Street Fighter II V has definetly done that.
The plot behind Street Fighter II V is that Ryu goes to America to visit Ken. While there they get into a fight with a group of Air Force troops. After Ryu and Ken victory they get...handed to them by Guile. They then travel the world to learn new martial arts techniques and later unlock the power of the Hado. Whie traveling they befriend Chun Li, Fei Long, Sagat, Dhalsim, and eventually Guile. However they face deadly opponents such as Vega, Bison, Cammy, Zangief, and more.
The story is surprisngly very good, and when an Anime series last up to 30 episodes that says something (considering most barley make it to 10). THe Animation is great, the story is great, and this is hands down the best video game to series (anime and Live) available. Also look for background cameos from Akuma, he appears frequently in the most unusual places.

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Item Name: Street Fighter II V: The Collection; Studio:Manga Video

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Saturday, August 18, 2012

Bleach Uncut Season 3 Box Set: The Rescue (2009) Review

Bleach Uncut Season 3 Box Set: The Rescue (2009)
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Now that they've gotten into the Soul Society and the Seireitei, Ichigo and Co. have ANOTHER problem: rescuing Rukia and escaping with their body parts intact.
Unfortunately, it's not going to be that easy. "Bleach: The Rescue" kicks everything about this brilliant anime up a notch -- lots of blood, sword-fights, a fiery climax at the execution grounds, and some amazing character development. But the best part is that the treacherous conspiracy merely hinted at in prior episodes, which sparks a minor civil war within the Seireitei.
Yoruichi starts the badly-wounded Ichigo on a special new training regimen -- to rescue Rukia, he must achieve achieve bankai (the ultimate release of a zanpakuto) in three days. In the meantime, Uryu has encountered the most horrendous of Soul Reapers, who is responsible for the death of a loved one, and Captain Hitsugaya is confronted by an old friend who tries to kill him -- accusing him of murdering Captain Aizen.
But the chaos really starts when Rukia's execution day rolls around: mass murder is revealed, captains turn against one another, and Renji fights a devastating battle against the implacable Byakuya. Ichigo appears on the execution hill with devastating new power -- intent on rescuing Rukia and defeating her brother once and for all. But when he seems to be losing, a horrific new change comes over him.
And in the meantime, the conspiracy that's ripping apart the Soul Reapers is revealed -- the identify of the Big Bad and his sidekicks, the reason he wants Rukia dead, and how many people he'll coldly destroy to get what he wants.
"Bleach: The Rescue" is a turning point for the entire series -- everything before it has built to this point, and everything in the future will spring from it. For an action anime, it is also quite heavy on the plot as it sets up the Big Bad: faked murders, real murders, conspiracies, hypnotic tricks, betrayals, a clever triple-cross perpetrated by Gin Ichimaru, and Urahara's hidden motive in helping Rukia.
There's also lots of brilliantly explosive action using ice dragons, black fire, razor-sharp cherry blossoms, exploding Soul Reapers, a giant bone-snake, and a firebird the size of a submarine. The action only serves to underscore the tension that is building throughout the entire season, until it explodes on Sokyoku Hill. It's also got solid dialogue, some quiet moments for Ichigo's pals (hanging out in prison) and some flashbacks to Renji, Rukia, Kira and Momo's days at the Academy.
Fortunately, all this dark stuff is speckled with funny moments like Ichigo's relaxation in a healing spring ("I AM GOING TO DROWN YOU!"), and an entire episode in which the characters unwind and recover after the events of "the rescue."
Our Hero really shows his stuff in this season -- Ichigo puts his life on the line to reach an incredible level of spiritual power, and rescue Rukia no matter what happens. Too bad he turns out to have a freaky dark side (and Johnny Yong Bosch has a brilliant demon cackle). And Uryu inadvertently gets to the bottom of his grandfather's death, and goes to devastating lengths to get revenge for what happened to him.
But most of the characters get to shine in this, although Chad and Orihime are somewhat neglected: the Yoruichi-obsessed Soi Fon, the kindly Ukitake and his best buddy Kyoraku, the happily hyperaggressive Zaraki, boy-genius Hitsugaya, and the fusty and arrogant Head Captain Yamamoto (among many others). We also learn how far Renji will go for Rukia, as well as the true reason why Byakuya has been so cold and seemingly cruel.
"Bleach: The Rescue" is a brilliant arc of action-packed, tightly-wound anime, with a shocking twist at the core of the story. Definitely a must-see -- especially for everything that comes later.

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The day of Rukia's execution draws ever closer, and to save her, Ichigo and his loyal comrades must navigate the madness of a Soul Society on the brink of collapse. Ichigo and Renji face the most difficult training of their Soul Reaper careers as they struggle to achieve bankai, without which they have no hope against the most powerful captain of the Seireitei--Byakuya Kuchiki. While all the players converge at the site of Rukia's imminent execution, in the background, a group of Soul Reapers slowly uncover an unimaginable betrayal at the hands of one of their own--a betrayal that will shake the Soul Society to its very core.

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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Bleach Movie 2: The DiamondDust Rebellion (2009) Review

Bleach Movie 2: The DiamondDust Rebellion (2009)
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Of all the characters in the popular manga/anime "Bleach," Toshiro Hitsugaya is amongst the most popular.
And he even got his own movie: "Bleach Movie 2: The Diamond Dust Rebellion," a beautifully animated anime that takes the ice-slinging child genius into an encounter with his own past (along with Ichigo and the others, of course). It has some basic canon flaws (since when can Ichigo fly?) but the storyline and animation are truly lovely.
While the Ouin is being transported, the procession is attacked and robbed -- and Hitsugaya unexpectedly takes off. Being an old fart who loves to blame people, Yamamoto puts the entire division under house arrest.
Meanwhile, Ichigo shelters an exhausted, badly-injured Hitsugaya -- only to have the boy-captain run away after one night, after muttering something about "Kusaka." His friends start sniffing around for evidence of this Kusaka, while the wounded Hitsugaya is tottering around Karakura -- and an execution order has been put on his head.
Then Captain Kyoraku is nearly killed by Hyorinmaru, at the same time that Hitsugaya was fighting Kira and Hisagi. During a battle with the mysterious Kusaka, Ichigo realizes who he is and why the Soul Society tried to kill him -- and how much power the Ouin his given him. Now Hitsugaya is determined to stop Kusaka, but Ichigo is determined that he won't be the only one to fight...
Perhaps the biggest problem with "The Diamond Dust Rebellion" is that it plays fast-and-loose with some of "Bleach's" canon, such as the idea that two people can have the same zanpakuto's spirit.
But if that can be overlooked, then "The Diamond Dust Rebellion" is a pretty brilliant piece of work -- more focused and intense than the first "Bleach" movie, and beautifully animated. The animation is precise, detailed and smooth, and everything is bathed in pale frosty light and wintry clouds, augmented by explosions of ice and blasts of mist and snow.
And it has plenty of amazing action sequences (a moonlit fight at a shrine) and some lovely visuals (the ornate cloud-borne procession in the first scene), right up to a spectacular climactic fight between Kusaka and all the most powerful Soul Reapers. Fortunately to keep things from becoming too grim, the writers also included a bit of comic relief -- namely Renji's method of "resuscitating" an unconscious Ichigo. Let's just say it doesn't involve mouth to mouth.
Obviously Hitsugaya gets the most development in this movie -- he's always been an icy loner, but here we get a glimpse of his past losses and a lone friendship. And once more, he tries to take on all the responsibility so others will be spared. Thankfully, the flashbacks are oblique enough that at first we don't realize what he's doing, or why.
Ichigo comes in a close second, since he's had that lone-wolf/tough guy act in the past, and it seems pretty natural that he'd want to help out someone who has the same emotional problems. But a lot of other characters get little spurts of attention -- the kindly Ukitake, shrewd Kyoraku, his uptight lieutenant Nanao (who loses her cool after he's injured), rough-edged Renji, and many others.
Even the villain is well done, since you can see how he ended up so bitter and vengeful -- although his little sidekicks are basically cannon fodder.
"Bleach Movie 2: The Diamond Dust Rebellion" is a far smoother ride than the previous "Bleach" movie, with brilliant animation and a stunning ride into Hitsugaya's clouded past.

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When a caravan transporting the King’s Seal is attacked, Toshiro Hitsugaya and Squad 10 are on the ready. As they prepare to protect the treasure that holds immeasurable power, Hitsugaya suddenly abandons the scene alongside the thieves and becomes one of the accused. In response, the Soul Society calls for his capture and execution.Upon hearing the edict, Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki is immediately suspicious and determined to uncover the facts. But when Hitsugaya refuses to defend his actions and fights against his comrades, it seems his fate is all but sealed. Can Ichigo uncover Hitsugaya’s motives before they destroy his honor, his life, and the Soul Society?

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Bleach Uncut Box Set: Season 5 - The Assault Review

Bleach Uncut Box Set: Season  5 - The Assault
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The Bounts have finally invaded the Soul Society, and all hell is about to break loose... very, very slowly.
In fact, it takes quite some time for the final leg of the Bount arc to fully unfold in "Bleach Box Set 5," and it ends up being a pretty uneven and sputtery ending. There are some truly brilliant ideas, epic fights and the reappearance of many favorite Soul Reapers... but there are also a number of plot holes and some fights that are just the same ol' same ol'.
The Bounts invade the Soul Society at last, and quickly begin staging a rebellion in the forests near the Seireitei; meanwhile, Ichigo and his friends alert the Soul Reapers to the approaching danger and prepare for battle. But being in the Soul Society has given the Bounts a new advantage -- Rukia is quickly defeated, and even powerful captains like Byakuya are having a tough time fighting against Kariya and the other Bounts.
But Kariya doesn't just plan to defeat the captains -- he plans to tap into a half-forgotten power sealed within the Seireitei's foundations, and use it to destroy the entire Soul Society. The only person who may be able to help stop him is Ran'Tao, an exiled Soul Reaper scientist who created the Bounts in the first place. But with the clock ticking to doomsday, Ichigo will have to put his life on the line and fight the superpowered Kariya once and for all.
As endings go, "Bleach Box Set 5" is kind of lackluster -- there's a lot of frenetic fighting interspersed with long stretches of infodumping/flashbacks. What's more, a number of basic plot holes crop up, such as Soi Fon forgetting her own zanpakuto's power, or Kyoraku and Ukitake (the most powerful battle captains) being assigned to... flip through library books. And the whole "sealing the Jokai Crests" subplot just sort of fades away.
The writers also fail miserably at creating any kind of dramatic build-up -- you never get the feeling that anyone actually thinks that Kariya WILL destroy the Soul Society. With only a few hours until doomsday, the Soul Reapers... have a potluck dinner and NAP?
Fortunately, the writers did manage to come up with some suitably epic fight scenes, including a bloody desperate fight between a weakened Rukia and a supercharged Yoshino, and creepy mad scientist Mayuri fighting against an arrogant old coot. And there are some funny moments sprinkled through the story ("AAAAAAAAAA... an exploding egg!") to lighten the overall mood, as well as some supercharged Bount powers that make the Soul Reapers' duties a lot harder.
Pretty much everybody gets some attention in these episodes -- Byakuya's affection for Rukia, Ichigo's steadfast determination, and the ever-pragmatic Zaraki gets to wipe the floor (both physically and philosophically) with the whiny, hypocritical Ichinose. And an extra episode at the end of the season provides flashbacks of Rukia's first solo assignment, Renji's promotion, and Ichigo's "ordinary" life prior to becoming a Soul Reaper (including comforting a little girl killed in a car crash).
"Bleach Box Set 5" is a rather uneven and holey ending to the first filler arc of this anime, but there are enough highlights here to make it still worth watching -- mostly the fights, and the final episode.

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Back in the World of the Living, Ichigo Kurosaki has been officially recognized as a Substitute Soul Reaper by the Soul Society. Then trouble comes to Karakura Town in the form of Visoreds, a group of ex-Soul Reapers that have crossed over into the realm of the Hollows. As they try to recruit Ichigo to their side, it is revealed that former Captain Sosuke Aizen is attempting to create an army of Hollows with Soul Reaper powers called Arrancars. It will take Ichigo and friends along with a detachment of Soul Reapers to keep them from destroying the town.

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Black Butler: Season One, Part 1 (Limited Edition) Review

Black Butler: Season One, Part 1 (Limited Edition)
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I love this anime a lot, though I have to agree with other reviewers and say the manga is better. But hey, what manga ISN'T better than the anime(other than ones that were written after the anime). I am not going to make this review very long, seeing how I personally hate reviews that pick at every little thing in the series, and are 5 pages long. (plus I am a bit lazy to make it very detailed)
Art/Animation:
I liked the art. I totally disagree with the other reviewer saying it was hard to recognize Sebastian in the anime. Seriously? What? Are you partially blind or something? Animation and drawings are completely different, so there obviously be some differences. I enjoyed both greatly.
Story:
I've read up to the most recent chapter releases of the manga, in Japan and I can't tell even begin to tell you how far way this anime strays from the plot of the manga. Though I suppose it'd be boring for both the anime and manga to be completely the same. Yes, there was some slight fillers in the first season, but nothing too bad that made me even begin to dislike the series. I wasn't a big fan of where the plot went at the ending of the series though, mainly because it got sort of dumb and freaky.
Characters:
The characters are amazing in BOTH the anime and manga. I love all the characters, (okay, all of them except Lizzy) and think their personalities are shown very well.
Overall:
I'd highly recommend this series. Especially if you are a fan of BL (there are some nice hints). I LOVE all of Yana Toboso works, and will be a fan for a very long time. While this series has it's -.- moments. I still very much enjoyed it.
Ps. I haven't purchased this product but I plan to. I just wanted to leave a review that this series was very good, since it got such a bad review.

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Ciel Phantomhive is the most powerful boy in all of England, but he bears the scars of unspeakable suffering. Forced to watch as his beloved parents were brutally murdered, Ciel was subsequently abducted and violently tortured. Desperate to end his suffering, the boy traded his own soul for a chance at vengeance, casting his lot with the one person on whom he could depend: Sebastian, a demon Butler summoned from the very pits of hell. Together, they'll prowl the darkest alleys of London on a mission to snuff out those who would do evil. They're a rare sight, these two: the Butler who dismembers with dazzling cutlery - and the Young Master who carries the devil's marking. Rest assured that wherever they may be headed, it'll be one hell of a ride.

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Sunday, June 26, 2011

Bleach Uncut Box Set 7 Review

Bleach Uncut Box Set 7
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The arrancar are threatening the world of the living, and Ichigo's only chance of defeating them lies with the visoreds. And "Bleach Uncut Box Set 7" kicks off around round of shonen-action training -- this time focused on whipping the teenage protagonists into some kind of fighting shape.
Ichigo finally comes to the visoreds for help controlling his inner hollow, and soon discovers that it's not his choice but theirs whether he'll learn from them. Before long, he's been thrown into a pitched battle with his inner hollow -- and as his monstrous body fights with the various visoreds, he goes through a terrifying ordeal inside his own head, with his life and soul in the balance.
But he's not the only one trying to learn: Chad goes to Urahara and asks him to train him, and Uryu keeps struggling to get back his Quincy powers. And in the Soul Society, the Soul Reapers have discovered the core of Aizen's malevolent plan, which could give him control of the worlds of the living and the dead...
There's a grim, desperate undercurrent to all the episodes of "Bleach Uncut Box Set 7," especially when we discover that Aizen isn't just planning to rule over Hueco Mundo. There's still plenty of funny moments (especially Ikkaku in his pinky fluffy T-shirt), but it feels like the tense grey moments right before a storm breaks.
This arc starts off strong, especially since the training episodes are surprisingly solid and interesting, especially when Ichigo's hollowfied form goes on a screeching rampage against all the Visoreds. The episodes become a little weaker near the end, since the writers tack in some filler episodes involving a ghostly brat who causes trouble for the Soul Reapers. But I gotta admit, it's fun to see Ikkaku and Hitsugaya engaging in some spots (soccer and kendo).
So what's the biggest downside of this boxed set? It's only twelve episodes! Again! It's three bucks an episode! What is UP with this?!
Ichigo obviously gets the most attention in these episodes -- basically he's thrown headfirst into the darker corners of his soul, and has to become stronger by conquering and training his hollowesque abilities. And there's some solid development for the girls when Orihime gets depressed over being told not to fight, and Rukia rises to her defense. It's nice to see two very different female characters who share a strong friendship.
Also, the Visoreds are fleshed out at last... and they're about as peaceful and orderly a group as you'd expect from a random gang of ex-Soul Reapers. We've got a thug, a flake, a gentle giant, a fop, and so on and so forth.
"Bleach Uncut Box Set 7" suffers from a distinct shortage of... episodes. But fortunately what content there is is of good quality -- some middling filler meshed with outstanding main stories.

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