Streaming video review: The "Durarara!!" Gang Wars

"Durarara!!" leads anime fans into an entertaining world with one of the deadliest political dramas between high school kids.

You heard me right. High school kids involved in a frightening battle of wits and violence.

The first 12 episodes were a simple introduction to the different gangs of Ikebukuro. The series starts as an unusual story about a Celtic fairy known as a Dullahan. The fairy is searching for her head, which was shipped into Japan in Ikebukuro. Although many of the characters tried to hunt for the head, most attempts have failed.

The head was traded amongst many hands, including a pharmaceutical company. However, the head has now reached the hands of Izaya Orihara, a shrewd entrepreneur. Orihara heard that the only way to awaken the Dullahan's head to its full potential is if he starts a violent battle. His vague plan is to start a big gang war in Ikebukuro between three gang leaders.

However, these gang leaders are not people you'd expect to rule the underground world of Ikebukuro. No, these leaders are simple kids, each of which have different philosophical views of their typical lives.

There are a few spotty moments, especially during episodes 16 and 17. The director has a difficult time explaining the entire origin of the slashers that are appearing in Ikebukuro. Celty and her friends learn that the slasher's code name on the Dollars chat website is Saika. At this point, the show takes a complete turn from a mystery show to a horror series, involving an army of zombie-like people invading Ikebukuro with knives and swords. Fortunately, the zombie invasion ends once the leader awakens to her powers. And yes, the leader is a high school girl.

Certainly the story will not make very much sense at first. When the pieces come together though, you'll find that this is a dark piece that depicts the social war between three gangs. The leaders are caught in a desperate struggle to stop the onslaught of brutal attacks and murders in the city. The war is ironically created by a shrewd trickster, whose intentions don't clear up until the very last episodes.

This is possibly one of the greatest shonen anime shows ever made, for its depiction of how political leaders are nearly unable the power to stop the incoming contagion of violent warfare. The anime studio, Brains Base, deserves high praise for using its incredible animators to create a world that completely redefines how we depict reality with two-dimensional drawings.

This is a must-see series. Even though you'll never know why all these superheros are all living in Ikebukuro, you will have to see this series, because it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Watch the show for free at crunchyroll.com.

Image courtesy of photobucket.com

Crunchyroll review - Courageous soldier girls fight for peace

The girls of "Soranowoto" valiantly work for the common good in a post-apocalyptic world of warfare.

At first glance, there are numerous reasons why this series shouldn't work. The cute girls seem out of place in this period piece. The intense violence is shocking. The ending theme song counteracts with the serious tone of the show.

And yet, "Soranowoto" succeeds on so many levels, as a cheerful ode to the courageous work of soldiers. Although these military dogs appear too cute for their own good, the anime ends on an optimistic note of peace and understanding. In fact, the show was one of the best for this season.

The main narrative centers on a girl named Kanata Sorami, a rural villager whose parents died during the war in Helvetia. When she sees a female soldier play "Amazing Grace" on a bugle, she becomes inspired to join the military.

Yes, Kanata becomes a soldier because she wants to play the bugle. It sounds like the most ridiculous reason to join the armed forces. However, the single event helped her grow up to become a strong, vivacious teenager.

And even though Kanata initially loses track of the destination of her post, she discovers that her work is much more enjoyable than anyone would expect. She doesn't just learn to play the trumpet. She befriends a wonderful group of four soldier girls, whose mission is to help the villagers in the town of Seize.

Even though the character designs of "Soranowoto" look like they were taken straight from the other cute series, "K-On!", the story is rich with a unique blend of Mayan culture, Japanese food and European landscapes. This is an extremely idealized view of life as a soldier. Yet, this series was meant to focus on the few pleasures of life in spite of all the negativity and chaos surrounding them.

The violence sometimes reaches a horrific level, considering how adorable all the girls are. Bullets and mortar wounds literally can rip their bodies apart. The violence literally can tug at people's heartstrings with shocking images. The characters are constantly forced to courageously stand up against all odds, rather than fall victim to their traumatic anguish.

Unfortunately, the tone of the series fluctuates greatly through the 12 episodes. The ending sequence in every episode features opposing images of girls laughing and playing to some cheesy J-pop tune. The animation looked almost hypocritical, considering how frightening the last two episodes turned out.

Other parts are left unexplained. For instance, Kanata finds a mysterious underwater fossil of an angel creature in the first episode. Believe it or not, this fossil is somehow connected to the events which led to a post-apocalyptic universe. Knowing that it was an angel, the director might have wanted to make some sort of connection to the dystopian angel apocalypse in the film "End of Evangelion." We will never know about this angel.

However, we don't need to know all the symbolism and history of the angel fossil to enjoy this series. Every part of the series fits together nicely in its short 12-episode run. "Soranowoto" is about all the joys of working for the good of humanity, to understand everyone as friends and not enemies. Even though the series ends with a somewhat unbelievable scenario, it presents a hopeful dream of peace for everyone.

Image courtesy of photobucket.com

DVD Box set review - Epic gang wars never die out

In an earlier review, I criticized "Baccano!" for a plot which didn't make sense. However, I had only seen the first volume. After watching all 16 episodes, I really enjoyed this series as a whole.

The "Baccano!" box set released in December showcases the best qualities of 2000s anime--epic battles, splattering blood, dense storylines and incredible drama.

You probably won't understand the story of "Baccano!" from the first episodes. It looks like a mish-mash of random battles, mindless violence and unfinished storylines. However, the plot is quickly set into place in episode seven on the second DVD.

A group of alchemists meet a man named Maiza Avada aboard the Advenna Avis in 1711. He summons a demon to produce an elixir, giving all the passengers complete immortality. However, everyone also has the ability to devour other immortals to gain their knowledge.

The shrewd Szilard Quates plots to devour Maiza, but his plan is thwarted when the other people warn Maiza. He escapes by jumping overboard, only to reappear in urban America in the 1930s.

This anime is about far more than just defeating an immortal overlord. Characters such as Czeslaw Meyer suffer horrific torture from his immortal guardian. Eva Geonard is searching for her lost brother, who was captured by the Geonard family of immortals.

Meanwhile, the Camorra gang's new recruit, Firo Pinocacchio, bumps into a mysterious woman named Ennis, who is working for Szilard. Szilard's cooking up a new elixir which keeps people from aging.

To make matters even more confusing, a ruthless gang war ensues on a train known as the Flying Pussycat. The Russo family assassins, led by Ladd Russo, plan to kill all the members of the Laforet family. On top of this, a Rail Tracer is killing passengers on the train.

If all this sounds too much to handle, don't worry. It all wraps up nicely at around episode 14. There's plenty of gang wars, but the series isn't all about gangs.

"Baccano!" is all about the everlasting bonds the characters make as they regenerate throughout the series. Characters such as Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent spread their goodwill to everyone by stealing money from the gangsters and giving the money away to the public. Firo helps Ennis socialize with his friends.

Even newcomers such as the mute Chanel LaForet learn to escape from their gang affiliations by loving other people. "Baccano!" might features some of the bloodiest battles in anime history, but it has a big heart. This series is about the unbreakable love between friends, even as people kill them numerous times.

Although you could say this is an evil series about a deal with the devil, this series keeps the hocus pocus witchcraft to a minimum. Instead, "Baccano!" delivers a dazzling story about unforgettable acquaintances and friendships within some ruthless gang wars in 1930s New York. This is an absolute must-see series that everyone has to watch at least once.

Image courtesy of seaslugteam.com

Looking back: Blood+

I'm getting pissed at Sony's strategy for selling "Blood+". Sony's release of part one of the series is premature. Their box set, priced at a whopping $90-$100, is $40 more expensive than all four of the single DVDs.

That, and that "Blood: The Last Vampire" movie looked disappointing.

With all that said though, part two of the series is (finally) coming out in October 2009. The big question is whether people will actually buy it, knowing that the big box is a complete rip-off.

Despite all these problems, and the terrible scheduling of the TV broadcast, I'm looking forward to watching the end of "Blood+". It was the big series that quenched my thirst for bloody, but beautiful action anime. And Saya is still the coolest female vampire hunter in anime history.

Look forward to seeing a review of part two of "Code Geass." The series is reaching its dramatic peak. Sorry if I couldn't finish a review sooner--I had to wait a long time for the DVDs to arrive, due to high demand for the series.

DVD Review: The Claymore Battle Royale

From the first volume, "Claymore" hit the ground running with intense monster battles. Volume two heats up with flashy superhuman Dragonball Z-style sword battles.

Episode 6 opens with Claire actually speaking out her heart to Teresa, pleading to stay with her. There's even a scene where Claire strips off her clothes to show that Teresa means everything as her only mother. It's a saddening sight to watch Teresa leave Claire for her Claymore duties. However, when a band of thieves burns the town down, Teresa has no choice but to kill them.

A Claymore isn't allowed to kill humans, though. However, Teresa refuses to die this easily, slaying the Claymores who planned to execute her. But her Claymore buddies don't plan on letting her leave. The organization sends four of the top-ranked Claymores to fight her, leading to some ferocious, incredibly fast battles.

It's an understatement to say that "Claymore" is one of the craziest action anime series ever made. Each of the Claymores has a unique special power, and some of the Claymore powers are visual astounding. For example, Irene's quick sword technique cuts so quickly that no one can even see her arms. She can move her arms faster than the speed of light. This leads to an amazing sequence in which Teresa arm is speedily blocking Irene's sword slashes at the speed of a Dragonball Z fight.

The fight turns to a fatal end in episode 8, with one of the Claymores, Priscilla, growing amazingly powerful as she slowly uses more and more of her Yoma powers. Many Claymores die in this volume, leaving the remaining survivor devastated. This tearjerking episode will tear viewers' hearts out with emotion.

Volume two sets the tone for Claymore as a godlike superhuman action anime. Although it is limited in its rather formulaic Dragonball Z-style plot, the true draw of the series is the visuals. The dark colors and fierce fighting make for one of the most sinister, violent anime ever seen. However, this is a wonderful anime for its expression of raw female power.

To say the least, the battles are stunning. There's nothing more astounding than watching Claymore jump to incredible heights, swinging their swords in a rapid-fire machine gun fashion and healing their wounds extremely quickly. Like any typical action series, it tends to rely too much on the same formulaic tearjerking action sequence, with one character dying off and another seeking revenge.

However, this series is even more earth-shattering for its horrific displays of violence, with characters getting their limbs and their heads chopped off. This series is definitely not for kids--the violence is very intense. However, it's a beautiful series which shows the power of women, even when one of them is getting attacked by disturbing tentacle monsters in episode 10.

Although I had my misgivings for the series when it began, "Claymore" is a definite keeper for anime fans. However, be prepared to get shocked with this second DVD.

Image courtesy of amazon.com and their wallpaper downloads.

DVD Review: Killing people while eating potato chips

I've held back on reviewing "Deathnote" for about a year, because all the characters look so stereotypically emo. L looks especially goth and emo, and I really hate the entire goth community for being so emotionally pissed off.

Now then, where was I? Oh yes, the review.

Anyhow, "Deathnote" is an excellent shonen anime, with a gripping plot about a boy who can kill people by writing their name in a notebook. This review covers volumes 1-3.

This boy, Light Yagami, was a goody two-shoes law student, until a shinigami spirit drops a "Deathnote" book. If anyone writes a person's name in the book, the person with that name will die of a heart attack.

Light thinks this is a joke at first, but he soon discovers the ruthless power of the book. He starts killing prisoners left and right, hell bent on removing all the evil people from the Earth to create an ideal world. Light pronounces himself to the world as a god, simply known as Kira.

Fortunately, the Tokyo police have implemented every effort they could to defeat Kira. They hire L, the most famous detective in the world, who has never lost a case. L is so elusive that hardly anyone knows his real name. Thus, Light and L engage in a battle of wits, each hoping to outsmart the other to reveal his true identity.

This is one of the more violent anime series. Just from what I've seen in the first three volumes. Numerous people die of heart attacks or gunshots in the series. Although there isn't anything that resembles the grotesque gore in "Fullmetal Alchemist," this series features so much killing that one has to wonder whether Light has even a shred of humanity in him.

Thankfully, the series isn't completely composed of gloom and doom. Light has an especially humorous photo-opportunity moments, in which he epicly pronounces in the middle of one of his killing sprees that he's going to take a potato chip and eat it. And for some reason, Light's shinigami friend Ryuk, who gave him the Death Note, spends most of his time eating up apples. L and Light even engage in a tennis match, in which each characters is plotting their next move while they are playing their game.

While the series gets really overdramatic and over-the-top, "Death Note" is intriguing for the deep mind games which the heroes and villains play against each other. For example, L spends plenty of time predicting how Light will react, so that he can calculate the odds that Light really is the mysterious Kira. L even uses Light's deducing skills to his advantage, so that he can brainstorm what to do next.

And even if the characters yakkity-yak a little too long while standing still, they are very smart at predicting each other's next move.

Although "Death Note" is an overdramatic action anime, the characters still manage to pull off brilliant voice acting. Shonen anime fans may want to pick up "Death Note" just to see how cerebral the series gets.

Images courtesy of randomc.animeblogger.net

DVD Classics: Ghost in the Shell boots up for a 2nd Gig

"Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig" is long overdue for a re-release, but thankfully Bandai has set up an Anime Classics release of the entire box set in September.

GitS: SAC 2nd Gig is the excellent second season of the GitS: SAC, with a compelling political plot on terrorism and the oppression of refugees.

Although GitS: SAC has always been known for complicated dialogue and complex idological conversation, 2nd Gig makes for a far more dramatic season. The new enemy faction in this season, the Individual Eleven, attacks the Japanese embassy in the first episode of 2nd Gig and holds the emissaries there hostage. Although Section 9 returns to save the day, the Prime Minister reinstates them in a haphazard fashion, ordering them to save the hostages in only 15 minutes.

This is a much more violent and intense season, focusing more on the plight of Japanese refugees, impoverished in the aftermath of two more World Wars. The devastation of these military attacks has left some cities of Kyushu nearly devastated.

Out of these attacks, an independent militarist group of terrorists, named the Individual Eleven, have manipulated information networks within the government. They have managed to use Section 9 as a tool for their own purposes, even going so far as to transport illegal weaponry, such as nuclear fuel rods. They've already attempted to assassinate the new Prime Minister. At this rate, terrorism in Japan can only get worse.

Although GitS 2nd Gig almost gets a little too wrapped up in conspiracies and meandering plotlines, the second season is far better than the first. Certainly, we're not used to seeing Section 9 fail in their missions. As saddening and infuriating as it gets, anime fans will deeply sympathize more with this group as they try desperately to do the right thing, while the Individual Eleven finds more and more ways to cover their tracks. Despite what other people might think, there's nothing more beautiful than watching Section 9 fight military battles in an already devastated landscape, with sunken buildings and crumbling freeways. The music is incredibly chaotic, with fantastically dissonant string sections, all arranged by the female superstar composer Yoko Kanno.

Best of all, there's far more momentum in this second season. The first season had more of a fake egotistical coolness in all of Section 9's operations, especially in the stand-alone episodes. However, this season is filled with some of the most creative plotlines and twists. Episode two literally takes place in the mind of a military veteran, who confuses the audience with his own bizarre fantasies of killing his employers. Episode seven and eight are mind-bending episodes of Section 9's attempt to capture Kazundo Gouda, the shrewd head of the Cabinet Intelligence Service who always manages to stay one step ahead of them by dispersing misleading information to cover up his tracks.

Anyone who ever doubted that "Stand Alone Complex" would end up too complicated for its own good will be proved wrong with "GitS SAC: 2nd Gig." This is another must-have series, available in September.

Image courtesy of espvisuals.blogspot.com

DVD Review - Bloody murder in Baccano!

When I started "Baccano!", I said it was very confusing for an anime. However, as each consecutive DVD reveals the plot, I can't help but think that this series is amazing.

Though it's one of the goriest anime I've ever seen, volume two of "Baccano!" is a brilliant time warp, filled with brutal mob wars linked to a scientific experiment gone mad.

By time warp, I mean that "Baccano!" has jumped around in time in the 1930s setting. Some parts take place on a train, some parts take place in New York and some parts take place in the 1770s.

You heard me--episode seven takes place where the story began, in 1771, on an old European ship. With the help of the alchemist Maiza Aviro, a group of people attains immortality through a special elixir.

With these powers are many life-threatening risks. Each new immortal person has the ability to suck out a person's body and knowledge into his/her body by placing a hand on the person's forehead.

These are shocking new revelations that put the entire storyline of "Baccano!" into perspective. Thus, many of the main characters have the ability of rebuilding their body parts even if they die. We already know that Maiza Aviro in the 1930s is now a member of the Camorra mafia. And Firo somehow attains the same abilities as Maiza. Oh, and Szilard is an old evil crony who just sucks in all the people into his body for himself. And he wants to sell elixirs for immortality. What a punk.

It's almost too difficult to figure out which character is most significant, since each one has different philosophical standards in their use of immortality. However, probably the most significant ones are Firo, Szilard and Maiza. However, this series, like the American TV series "Lost," features s so many excellent side characters as well.

One of these characters, Jacuzzi Splot (how the hell did he ever get that name?), is a crybaby who has probably killed too many people in his lifetime. Fortunately, he still manages to muster up the courage in the train to confront Ladd Russo, the grade A sadist who killed some of his gang members.

Oddly enough, though, Russo is more interested in the conductor who was savagely murdered, so Russo and Splot's fight will have to wait. Meanwhile, some creepy monster, called the Rail Tracer, is absorbing countless immortal people inside the train.

As one can see, each episode is a tough-to-follow string of situations. While this is confusing, the anime still holds down the fort with some of the most unforgettable characters. Comedians, such as Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, pop in and out dressing up as zany Indians and cowboys. They may have a grudge against the mafia--they've already stolen most of the Gandor inheritance. Then again, they're too happy-go-lucky to really care about who they steal from.

And it's hard not to love them--they just want to perform good deeds to make up for their sins. They cheer up young Eve Geonard in 1931, who misses her swindling big brother, Dallas. Isaac and Miria also crack some funny jokes to cheer up Jacuzzi on the train in 1932, before they get ready to bust the heads of the train murderers.

At the same time, the immortal characters make for brutal mafia members. They're not just powerful--they just cannot believe in any religion at all. Dallas shouts at his poor, innocent sister whenever she prays to God. Perhaps they're really afraid that God won't forgive them for their mischievous life throughout 200 or so years of living.

This is a multi-faceted storyline with so much sheer complexity that it's brilliant. It's a must-have anime for any action fan. Although the scene where a demon chops Szilard's head in half is brutal, the regeneration scenes immediately after the murder makes for fascinating eye candy. Who ever knew that chopping off a limb and regenerating it would be so damn cool?

Image of Jacuzzi and Nice courtesy of funimation.com

DVD Review - Action in the dark

The action in "Darker Than Black" heats up in volume two, with probably some of the best dialogue I've ever heard in an anime.

It's still hard for me to explain why "Darker Than Black" is one of my favorite series of 2009. The series features the best music from Yoko Kanno to date, with lonely acoustic guitars interspersed with some hard rock fight music. The characters don't follow a formulaic dialogue either--they simply wander about with their conversations, leading to emotional revelations of their pasts.

Volume two continues the smooth pacing, with nothing forced or excessively overplayed out. Episode five continues the story of "The Red Dream of a Calamity Disappears in Eastern Europe," in which Li Shengshung interrogates Havoc to find the location of his little sister. However, Havoc cannot remember a thing unless she moves closer to Hell's Gate.

Other episodes include "The Gardenia Gives Off Fragrance in the Early Summer Rain" parts one and two, which switches from the perspective of Li's syndicate to two crime detectives, named Guy and Kiko. Guy is a tall man who sometimes smokes cigarettes, and Kiko is...ahem...an energetic pink-haired otaku girl who loves anime and cosplay. The cute duo work on the greatest crime investigation in their career--searching for a woman's missing cat.

The final two episodes, parts one and two of "The Pure White Dress is Stained By the Girl's Dreams and Blood," is a dramatic and violent story in which policewoman Misaki is searching for the elusive VI952, the mass murderer contractor in the Qing Long Tang Chinese mafia.

This anime features both the funniest string of episodes and the most violent string of episodes. Guy and Kiko make for a hilarious mismatched duo. Guy would love to call himself a great private investigator, at least until little Kiko annoys him for not being able to pay the bills. And the battles between Li and VI952 are the most exciting yet, with VI952 destroying an entire rooftop, and brutally blowing off body parts with the snap of his fingers.

"Darker Than Black" is one of the most exciting anime series, with a dark metropolitan feel to it. The story, action, music, comedy and drama of "Darker Than Black" is making me even more hungry to watch more episodes. There in no action anime that's hotter than "Darker Than Black" right now.

Image from randomc.animeblogger.net

DVD: Violent assassins, mafias and some serious goofballs

Admittedly, I have no idea what to make of this next series, "Baccano!", which is a fun and exciting mix of Italian mafia wars, psychotic assassins and some funny guys.

While anime fans will love all the exciting characters and indelible genre hopping, they may still wonder what the main plot is.

Well, the story takes place in 19th century America. Certain characters have the ability to regenerate their bodies, even if their fingers have been cut off. And the cast is a humongous group of varied characters.

The first part of the story covers a bloody incident on a train. There are plenty of unique characters on board. First, Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent are professional thieves who goof off too much to pay attention to everything else that's going on. Second, a group of thieves are hell bent on killing everyone in the train. Third, a group of assassins led by Ladd Russo, is hell bent on killing people for the hell of it. And Russo is interested in taking the wife and daughter of Mayor Belino hostage.

The second part is set in New York City, involving a mogul named Szilard Quates. Szilard has developed an elixir which will make people immortal. He sends his servant, Ennis, to find the professor who cooked the elixir up. However, when Ennis arrives, the laboratory is in flames. She meets Firo Pirochainezo, a member of the Camorra mafia, and a skilled fighter. Ennis drops one of her cuff links on her suit jacket, and Firo chases after her, so that he can return the cuff link.

Meanwhile, a young girl named Eve Geonard is searching for her older brother, who possibly may have died in the city.

Other characters include the Gandor mafia, which consists of Keith, Berga and Lucky Gandor. They appear in the middle of episode one, and we don't get to see too many scenes with them.

And there's also Nice (pronounced Neesu) Holystone and Jacuzzi Splot, who had their faces burned. Oh yeah, for some reason, they're in the train story.

As anyone can see, I was very, very confused by the story. The series jumps around between the train story and the city story in 1930 and in 1931, making for tons of confusion. Sadly, I could hardly keep track of all the characters to really care.

The series is visually astounding. There's nothing more gory and shocking than watching Firo get his fingers chopped off, only to see the fingers and blood move back into his hand. And the action is brutal and masochistic. To say the least, Ladd Russo is a mean beast, who takes more joy in beating other people to death and slitting their throats. But since I couldn't understand the plot, I really didn't know what to make of this series.

Overall, "Baccano!" is okay. However, anime fans should be prepared to be confused. There's hardly any grounding plot to keep all the characters together. And ultimately, it all just feels like a bizarre and perplexing mix of violence, comedy and drama.

Image from absolutvanny.googlepages.com

DVD Review: When they cry vol. 3

At this point of "When They Cry," I'm a little tired of more kids going insane and killing people. Volume three adds a slight twist--Keiichi becomes the murderer.

In the Tatari Goroushi (Curse killing) chapter, Keiichi's friend, Satoko, was abused and beaten by her uncle. Keiichi finally had enough, and now he wants to save Satoko by killing her uncle.

I hope no college kid in their right mind decides out of the blue, "Hey, let's kill my uncle!" Anyhow, Satoko is sick, so Keiichi decides to attack her uncle, who is picking her up. After smacking him with a baseball bat (ow), he buries him.

But Satoko is still in shock. Her friends say that Satoko's uncle is still alive, and that Keiichi was at the cotton-drifting festival at the same time that he killed Satoko's uncle. To say the least, Keiichi gets very, very confused. And the tone of the plot goes from wicked to horrific.

This is a more disappointing volume of the series. I'm starting to get a little tired of hearing Keiichi go emo and scream out in confusion and terror. I wish he would express some different emotions for once.

Thankfully, the Himatsubushi (Time Wasting) chapter is a change of pace. This chapter follows Akasaka Mamoru, an investigator for the Tokyo police. He is looking to see how the mob families, the Sonozaki family and the Furude family, are connected with the kidnapping of the prime minister's son.

However, the priest's daughter, Rika Furude, is keeping an eye on him. In fact, she even gets possessed by a demon and tells him never to come back. Is this just a coincidence?

While volume three only covers the first chapter of this story arc, it is one of the more interesting storylines, covering the mystery of Hinamizawa from the policemen point of view. Unfortunately, Funimation couldn't separate each of the complete story arcs onto individual discs, because they still want to sell all the volumes of the series.

Still, this is a solid anime. Just don't expect anything to deviate at this point. At least not yet.

Image courtesy of yarukizero.wordpress.com

DVD Review - Twin sister goes on a killing spree

Mion adds spectacular excitement to the anime "When They Cry" with her maniacal killing spree in the second volume.

As we recall from previous episodes, "When They Cry" focuses on Keiichi, a new transfer student in Hinamizawa who likes to hang out with four girls, Rena, Satoko, Rika and Shion. Shion was the tall girl with the green hair.

But who is Mion? Well, Mion is actually Shion's twin sister. And to add confusion in the second story arc, she looks almost exactly like Shion.

Without giving too much away, Mion takes the male lead character, Keiichi, to an ancient shrine during the Watanagashi (Cotton-drifting) festival. They meet up with a photographer named Jiro Tomitake and a nurse named Miyo Takano, who break into the shrine to see the statue of Oyashiro. Oyashiro is the ogre god who could be spiritually killing off people each year after the Watanagashi festival.

In the second story arc, we are introduced to the photographer Tomitake, who also appeared int the previous story arc, before he stabbed his throat with his fingernails. In this story arc, Tomitake once again dies after the festival, and Miyo is missing. Soon Keiichi's elementary school friends wind up missing. After investigating the scene, Keiichi and his friend, Rena, suspect that Shion murdered them all.

Keiichi also discovers that Shion imprisoned her sister, Mion, in a dungeon and was ready to kill her with state-of-the-art torture tools. Shion almost kills Keiichi through a nasty execution procedure, but after some negotiation, Shion turns herself over to the police and Mion is saved. All is well, until the police officer says that Mion is the real killer.

This is a brilliant chapter with some of the most perplexing character twists. Now we know that Shion has an identical twin sister, and we may never know whether Shion is actually Mion, or Mion is actually Shion! This is one of the most shocking plot twists in the series.

And just when things couldn't get worse in Hinamizawa, the third story arc of "When They Cry" features child abuse. Satoko, the elementary school girl, comes with her friend, Rika, to cook for Keiichi. We learn that Satoko used to cook for her brother, Satoshi, who mysteriously disappeared.

But we also learn that Satoko suffers from child abuse. After her parents died, she and her brother lived with her evil uncle, Teppei Hojo. Teppei bosses Satoko around and beats her all the time. Keiichi hears from her doctor, Irie, that Satoko believes that her brother will come back if she goes through this suffering.

Poor Satoko. I wouldn't have even thought that she was as messed up in the head as Rena or Mion. At this point of the series, the blue-haired elementary school girl, Rika, might actually be the only sane character in this series.

Admittedly, this is a brutal anime to watch. However, it plays out like a strange soap opera. In every scenario, lots of people die. However, each story arc is even more fascinating, revealing the tortured past of the girls of Hinamizawa. And I never thought I would say this, but it's entertaining to see how insane all of the children get. This anime features the most unforgettable characters in anime history. Hopefully these kids get a hug after they're finished with this, because they could use some emotional relief.

Image courtesy of radda.wordpress.com

DVD Review - No Turning Back from this Bloodbath

In case you haven’t read my previous posts about “Hellsing Ultimate,” here’s a simple warning. If you’re the type of person who would faint at the sight of blood, definitely do not watch this series.

Now then, let’s move on.

“Hellsing Ultimate” continues its goofy plot with a storyline where the Catholics are creating violent forces to help the Nazis.

Yes, it is admittedly a silly plot, when you actually think about it. I’m guessing that the Catholics supported the Nazis for money, to pay for retirement plans for their vampire-hunting paladins.

After a heated discussion with a papal official which almost ended in a bloodbath, Integra von Hellsing discovers that the Millenials are the Nazis, who escaped to Germany after World War II. They’ve apparently got plenty of violent ghouls ready to kill people around the world

Thankfully, the Hellsing organization recruited Wild Goose, a band of the best mercenaries around. They needed them after that bloodbath in the previous episode. Alucard was given a pretty simple mission in Brazil—search and destroy.

There’s really not much to this series—it’s a big, wild bloodbath. At least for part of the episode. At the end of the episode, Alucard drinks the blood of the assassin hired to kill him. Through the blood, he discovers that the Nazis want to engage the world in a never-ending war. And Alucard's even more determined to kill the Nazis.

But even if this is a bloodbath, “Hellsing Ultimate” has the strongest anti-war visuals ever. Blood gushes over in an ugly mess. Bodies are left as empty skeletons. Bodies are torn apart. Nothing is glamorized.

And war is ugly, but then again, nobody should even be fighting Alucard, the ultimate soldier, in the first place. All armed forces undergo the risk of their lives if they ever face him. Alucard is an invincible bloodthirsty monster. He wants to exterminate the Nazis, even if humans get in his way.

Admittedly, “Hellsing Ultimate” is almost way too nihilistic for its own good. But that’s the point—-the violence is splattered in a grotesque mess that no one wants to see. Alucard would almost be a complete anti-hero, if Integra didn't give him the guidance to take down the Nazis.

And even though Seras, the former policegirl turned vampire, doesn’t like blood, she still joins Alucard in his killing spree. After all, she has been sexually mistreated in awful ways, especially in the beginning of the series. Perhaps she wants her revenge against the masculine forces that hurt her.

Sure, “Hellsing Ultimate” is a revenge anime with the most sinister hero in anime history, but the characters are taking their sweet revenge against the violent masculine power of the Nazis. Despite how absolutely mindless this anime is, “Hellsing Ultimate” is a grotesquely beautiful romp to destroy all the extreme hatred and violence in the world. Just keep in mind that the Catholics are not really secretly supporting the Nazis as they are in this DVD. Believe me--they’re not.

Image courtesy of mysite.verizon.net

DVD Review: Claymore tops the best anime list

Claymore is one of the best anime of 2008, if not the best.

Not very many action anime are as complex as "Claymore." The female warriors are extraordinarily strong, but are emotionally fragile. This is one of the few series in which the gender roles in an anime are reversed, where the main female heroine is strong, but represses intense emotional anguish.

The plot is simple. Yoma are violent monsters who terrorize towns and cities in the world. The only way in which humans have dealt with these monsters is through the Claymore warriors, hired superhuman warriors who are half-Yoma, half-human.

Raki, a human boy, takes interest in the first Claymore who comes into his town. Her name is Clare, and at first she remains cold and unemotional. But Raki tells her that he wants her to kill the Yoma who murdered his parents.

While Clare says that she doesn't care for his revenge plot, Raki is saved by Clare when his older brother reveals himself as a Yoma. Clare slices the Yoma in half. However, because Raki had lived with a Yoma, the villagers exile him. They are frightened that he could turn into a Yoma.

Raki passes out in a desert, but is saved by Clare. Raki befriends Clare and travels with her, learning more and more about Clare's life as a Claymore.

The Claymores undergo some heart-wrenching moments. In episode two, Clare's best friend Teresa sends her a black card, indicating that she is about to turn into a full Yoma. Whenever a Claymore is sent a black card, it is a request indicating that they want their best friend to kill them, so that they won't terrorize other humans as a Yoma. Although they follow their chivalry code loyally, they clearly have a difficult time controlling themselves.

It's almost unbelievable how much the Claymores repress their emotions, even in near-death situations. Even though Clare is extremely powerful, if she harnesses too much of her Yoma power, she suffers the potential to lose control and kill other people. Thankfully, Raki is her best friend, and acts as her emotional support, even after devastating battles. Clare's emotional journey makes for one of the best stories I've ever seen in an action anime.

Very few anime are as excellent as "Claymore." This is definitely one of the best anime of 2008 so far. It's hard to find more drama and more emotion than this anime series.

Image courtesy of boontan.net

DVD Review: Great horror anime, horrible dub

"When They Cry" (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni) is probably the best horror anime I've ever seen, with a complex plot in so many levels.

Just keep in mind that while the Japanese voices in "When They Cry" is great, this has one of the worst English dubs I've ever heard.

For the uninitiated, "When They Cry" is based on an older interactive novel game, also named "Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni." The plot is simple. Keiichi and his friends live in a rural town named Hinamizawa. Every year, the village has a festival known as the Watanagashi (Cotton drifting) festival. In the festival, villagers float cotton on a river to release the evil from their bodies.

However, this village has a dirty secret: for the last five years, someone has died after every Watanagashi festival. And this particular year is special, because in every short four- or five-episode part of the anime, the village has a string of genocidal murders.

In the beginning of the series, Keiichi kills Rena and Mion, and then kills himself by stabbing his throat with his fingernails. Don't worry--we don't actually get to see him kill himself. However, after each string of murders, the scenario replays again with the same characters, but a completely different plot.

This makes for some extremely brilliant twists in every rendition of the "When They Cry" story. For example, I didn't even expect that Mion actually had a twin sister named Shion. All the main characters also have a dark personal past as well. For example, Rena went berzerk after she left Hinamizawa, and broke the windows of her school with a baseball bat. She transferred back to Hinamizawa, hoping that she would leave these accidents behind.

While volume one has the most depressing storyline of the series, the Onikakushi-hen chapter, it also starts anew with the Watanagushi chapter. We also get introduced to Shion, Mion's twin sister. And ironically enough, she has a crush on Keiichi for all the wrong reasons, which have yet to be explained in later chapters.

I was afraid that this series would never see the light of day again, after Geneon shut down its American publishing branch. However, now that Funimation has picked up where the series left off at volume four, we can definitely look forward to seeing more chapters to the series. After all, there is nothing more fun than watching these characters die horrible, miserable deaths, only to live to die another day.

Oh don't worry, there is a happy ending. But happiness is pretty far away in Hinamizawa, at least for now...

By the way, do not watch this series with the English dub. The voices are so horribly generic. And they also replaced the cool Japanese ending song with a god-awful American pop song. Blech.

Image courtesy of emmyriceball.wordpress.com

DVD Review - What the hellsing?

"Hellsing" is one of the deadliest vampire action series ever released. This review is about "Hellsing Ultimate," supposedly the ultimate version of this bloodfest.

However, it reflects so many changes to the original TV series so much that previous fans might not appreciate the so-called ultimate version.

For the uninitiated, "Hellsing" is a series about the Hellsing organization, bent on keeping the bloodthirsty vampires from sinking their teeth into the citizens of Romania. The organization, led by Integra Hellsing, sends a special vampire to slice the chests of these other vampires. His name is Alucard, and as far as I know, even if someone chops off his head, he can come back to life.

The first volume of "Hellsing Ultimate" covers the first three episodes of the "Hellsing" television show. In a short summary of this disc, Alucard recruits Seras Victoria, a policewoman, as his apprentice vampire. Alucard and Seras also fight Alexander Anderson, a Catholic paladin. Yes, there is actually a clash between the Protestant Hellsing Organization and the paladins of the Vatican.

There are many changes that could keep old fans of "Hellsing" from watching the new ultimate version. For starters, the first DVD is a near-perfect adaptation of the original manga. Because of this, the ultimate version is missing the cool, collected style of the priest vampire, who seduced Seras Victoria in the TV version. Now the priest is a blatant pervert who grabs her crotch and declares that he intends to rape her.

Of course, the ultimate version of "Hellsing" is close to the manga, but the director sacrificed his own original take, which was admittedly much cooler. The original TV show had an awesome mix of honky-tonk pianos and funk music in the background. It felt like a dark version of "Shaft," with Alucard saying in Japanese "Keep your hands off her," and yelling "PUNK!" in English. And Alucard even had cool dialogue about his custom-made silver bullet pistol.

Then again, "Hellsing Ultimate" was made with a much more horrific mood in mind. The series has plenty of bloody action sequences where thousands of zombies riddle Alucard with a million bulletholes, and yet Alucard manages to come back to life. Of course, with a nearly invincible vampire, I wonder how dramatic this series can possibly get if Alucard cannot die.

Still, this is a solid second rendition of a good vampire series. Some people may want to steer away from this super-violent series, but if anyone is in the mood for violent anime, "Hellsing Ultimate" is a must-see.

DVD Review - Pumpkin Scissors continues investigating conspiracies

Pumpkin Scissors is a very good anime series, even if the story spends too much time away from the main storyline. The characters' dialogue is fantastic, raising the tension through episodes five to 12.

As mentioned previously, Pumpkin Scissors, the third section of the Imperial Army State of the Royal Empire, is devoted to war relief. The first volume focused on Pumpkin Scissors' new recruit, the tall, unstoppable Randel Oland. While the Pumpkin Scissors is investigating the Invisible 9, the anti-tank regiment which Oland fought in, they are also fighting in side missions. The second and third volumes of the series follow these side stories.

After Oland recovered in the hospital, he found a baby dropped off by the Imperial Army's headquarters. Oland brings the baby to Pumpkin Scissors' office, and they spent the episode searching for the mother. The group also searched for missing supplies while Alice went out with her fiancee. Warrant Officer Oreldo also helped a prostitute who is still longing for her husband, who died in battle.

The last two episodes of volume three were devoted to Pumpkin Scissors continuing investigation into the Invisible 9. The Pumpkin Scissors leader, Second Lieutenant Alice, was kidnapped by a woman, who claimed that her brother was killed for writing a report revealing that the army was experimenting on the Invisible 9 soldiers, who destroyed her hometown. Unfortunately, her two comrades knocked her out to sell her report to a journalist. Assassins soon shot the journalist and the woman's two comrades, and the newspaper publishers lost the report. Oddly enough, the man who invented tanks was also killed. The episode ends with Alice's fiancee, Lionel Taylor, secretly talking with a stranger in a dark room about the recent events, as if they were plotting something.

Although the series spent lots of time with side stories, the dialogue is very good in this series. Unlike the war anime series "Fullmetal Alchemist," this series is heavily reliant on dialogue and hilarious mishaps. For example, in episode eight, the regiment was stuck in an abandoned lodge after their truck was attacked by snowboarding bandits. In a freezing lodge in the winter, a fire in the lodge would attract the bandits' attention, so Oreldo made the embarassing suggestion to Oland that one of them could sleep in the same blanket as Alice to stay warm.

However, the last two episodes revealed that the military is really doing a lot to hide their secrets. In the middle of searching for the report on Invisible 9, Alice and Oland are attacked by an assassin with two swords. Although it's really weird to have an assassin dressed like an Englishman who fights like a ninja, it really proves how much the Imperial State Army wants to hide their scientific experimentation on soldiers.

"Pumpkin Scissors" has a very good story going for it right now. Although the series gets a little sidetracked from the main story, the dialogue for the series is excellent. Hopefully, the series will continue with more revelations to come.

Image courtesy of randomc.animeblogger.net

Box set review - Buso Renkin

It's been awhile since I've seen a really promising action series, and Buso Renkin is a welcome surprise to the shonen (male action) anime scene. This is an awesome sci-fi action series that features intense fighting sequences, humanoid monsters and embryonic parasites.

The series doesn't begin very happily--a student named Kazuki Muto gets killed while trying to save a schoolgirl from being attacked by a monster. Although Kazuki gets stabbed very badly, the girl, Tomiko Tsumura, saves him by planting a hexagon-shaped chip in him to act as his heart.

The chip, known as a kakugane, is not an ordinary pacemaker though. In fact, Kazuki can use it to obtain specialized weapon, known as a buso renkin. Tomiko is no ordinary girl either--she informs Kazuki that she is using her buso renkin to hunt down monsters called homunculus. These first homunculi are monsters created from plants and animals by a high school boy known as the Creator. The homunculus turn into mindless slaves that eat humans to whet their appetite.

However, the Creator plays a dirty trick on Tomiko--one of his monsters drops an homunculus embryo from the sky onto her leg. The embryo attaches onto her and impairs her powers. Tomiko says that the embryo will attack onto her spine and turn her into a homunculus in one week, but Kazuki is willing to do anything to save the girl who saved his life. Thus, Kazuki embarks on a quest in the first eight episodes to find the Creator to obtain the homunculus antidote.

For an anime series, Buso Renkin looks amazing. The main characters have awesome weapons. Kazuki can produce a gigantic sword with his kakugane. Takiko has an especially cool weapon as well. Her buso renkin, the Valkyrie Skirt, consists of four robotic arms with scythes attaching to her legs to kill enemies with ease. Also, the homunculus designs are very creative. I would have never thought that a hawk homunculus would ever have metallic wings and razor-sharp claws.

However, the Creator, Koshaku Chono, has the most hilarious butterfly glasses. The glasses are shaped so because he is a sickly child and he wants to become a butterfly. And when he first turns into a homunculus, he looks even more ridiculous--he flexes his muscles to rip his clothes off so that he's only wearing spandex. Then he takes his glasses out of the crotch part of his spandex. Gross.

Okay, maybe the series is a little too off-kilter with the characters. However, the weird character designs also plays in with the humorous tone of the anime series. In a hilarious meeting between heroes and villains, Chono meets with Kazuki and Tomiko at a local burger joint. Of course, Chono wears his trademark butterfly glasses and a wacky black suit showing off his chest. Then Captain Bravo makes the meeting even spookier, showing up in a silver cloak and cowboy hat. Everyone in the burger joint is pretty spooked over the costumed men.

Probably the only thing that I don't understand his how those main characters take so many fatal blows from sharp claws and swords and still manage to remain standing. Kazuki especially gets stabbed through the stomach at least five times. I guess their kakugane must give them superhuman strength as well, because there's no way an ordinary human could get sliced that many times.

Regardless of the abnormal amount of blood in the series, Buso Renkin is one of the most entertaining action anime series of the year. Even if I've heard this action story before, the character designs look so awesome that this series is too hard to pass up.

And there is even a bigger story arc involving another butterfly scientist sending his homunculi to fight against Captain Bravo and his alchemy warriors, Tomiko and Kazuki. I can't wait to see the rest of the series.

Image courtesy of kljs.blogspot.com.

DVD Review - New Edition of Angel Sanctuary offers nothing new

I have to admit that I've seen a previous version of "Angel Sanctuary" before. Apparently Bandai Visual released a new "special edition" of the anime. However, there's nothing to really worry about, because this new version offers nothing new.

That's right--this three-episode OVA (Original Video Adaptation) is nothing really special. Hardcore fans of the OVA can watch the yaoi (uncut boy love) trailers for this series. There are also textless versions opening and ending sequences and galleries. But really, for anyone who has seen this before, there is nothing new.

And for anyone who hasn't heard of it, "Angel Sanctuary" is a violent and incestuous romance anime. Think of "Angel Sanctuary" as the equally bloody series "X", only with a love relationship between a teenage boy and his little sister. The series actually has a decent plot--there is an ongoing war between angels, the higher-ups in the world, and the demons. Apparently, the angels decided to kill off all the demons after the humans polluted their cities too much. They sought to chop away all of the evil sinners with their swords, but one angel rebelled against the others. Her name was Alexiel.

That's right, Alexiel is the woman who stands for the poor. He defended demons from the angels. She would have killed her brother Rosiel, to stop this nonsensical war. Instead, in pity of him, she instead sealed him onto the Earth in human form, leaving Alexiel with his body and mind separated.

While the subject matter is controversial, the series saves itself by showing that this story isn't exactly about Christianity. Rather, this series is about defying fate, especially about defying an apocalyptic future. And its an impressive range of bloody battles and swordfighting. And overall, even with the incestuous sex scene, the series is more about becoming an individual.

However, many of the characters' behaviors are questionable. And even though the voice acting is performed extremely well, the action in these angel horror anime series is way too bloody for its own good. The incestuous romance is a little too much, especially for religious folks in the United States. And there are no especially new features. Oh yeah, the English dub is TERRIBLE. I cannot recommend this one. If anyone has nostalgia for angel and demon-killing, feel free to buy it. But I don't care.

(edit) I received some responses from the anime club, and I have heard that this is a far better series in manga form. In fact, the OVA only scratches the surface. A couple volumes in, the incest issue doesn't come into play anymore, because the little sister actually transforms into a different angel or creature. And based on their responses, I have reason to believe that if you want a better visual experience of "Angel Sanctuary", get the manga.

Image courtesy of daeya.org

DVD Review - Flag presents Middle East War as seen through Japanese eyes

Although many anime series have political overtones in their storylines, very few series present warfare in a realistic portrayal. "Flag" is one of the few anime which take viewers to the front lines of a country similar to Iraq. However, based on what I've seen from volume one, "Flag" also highlights the drastically different viewpoint of the Iraq War through a Japanese perspective.

According to the fictional world of "Flag," Uddiyana is a country in Southeast Asia under political turmoil. After a violent civil war, the U.N.F. finally took over the country and formed a peace treaty between the U.N.F. and the Subashi insurgent group. Saeko Shirasu, a 25-year-old photographer, came with her professor, Dr. Akagi, to take pictures in Uddiyana. During the occupation, Shirasu had taken a photograph of two people praying, silhouetted as a shadow behind the new U.N.F. flag. Ever since she took the photograph, it has been used by the U.N.F. as a symbol of peace between the two countries.

However, a terrorist group of radical Buddhists invaded the U.N.F. embassy and stole the flag. Radical Buddhists. I cannot really fathom that radical Buddhist terrorists would really exist in Southeast Asia. Anyway, the U.N.F. plans to get back the flag as a symbol of their roadmap to peace (sound familiar?). The U.N.F. asked Shirasu if she wanted to join the regiment assigned with mission as an embedded journalist, and she gladly accepted. Dr. Akagi, worried about his student, traveled to Uddiyana to learn more about the insurgent groups of Uddiyana.

While this anime is set in a fantasy world, the world is very similar to the situation in the Middle East. Dr. Akagi visits many groups, such as the Buddhist governing sect, the Gulut, who rules Uddiyana. There are also groups in Uddiyana who believe in Shintoism, but reject Buddhism. Dr. Akagi even meets a young girl who at one point acted as Kuhura the goddess, whom some people in Uddiyana believe in. The animation studio took plenty of time to make this situation as realistic as they possibly could.

The regiment Shirasu was embedded in, however, remains distinctly Japanese. All the soldiers have Japanese mannerisms. Right from the get-go, all the male soldiers stay very generous to female photographer Shirasu, and let her take all the pictures she wants. They even let her plant cameras everywhere, in the helicopters and even in the HAVWC tank. There's no way that an American regiment would actually permit these actions. In spite of this cultural difference, the group is part of a Bush-styled road map to peace, which according to photographer Akagi, seems highly unlikely to succeed.

However, the cinematography style for the anime is the most amazing part of this series. Animated like a documentary, much of the story takes place from the cameras of these two photographers, Dr. Akagi and Shirasu. Movies with audio are filmed through their cameras. The animators even took the effort to tilt the screen to different angles whenever the photographer dangled the camera to her/his side. A computer even handles the ordering of photos and videos into one 25-minute film.

Although some parts of the anime seem a little too unbelievable, especially the demonstrations of the regiment's big walking HAVWC robot, "Flag" still shows a realistic portrait of war like no other anime has done before. The quick gunfire action is brutally intense. The photography is well filmed. And oddly enough, this anime was produced by Answer Studios, a new animation studio. This group already shows plenty of promise with their first DVD of "Flag." Hopefully, they'll produce more cutting-edge anime like this one.

The dub in English is exceptional, although the military commanders' English dubs sound much tougher that the Japanese voices in the subtitled version. The English voices have a rougher, masculine American texture to it. Obviously there are many differences reflected between the two countries in this DVD.