Anime Reviews

[Revolver Ocelot]

I don't really agree with anime being film. Anime FILMS are comparable to film. TV shows.. definitely not. I wouldn't rate Seinfeld on the same scale I would rate Blazing Saddles. Though many TV shows have a continuing plot, almost all of them are episodic to an extent. Each episode has its own Freitag's triangle with instigative incedent, rising action, a climax, and denoument. A TV shows quality is based by large on the sum of all those instigative incidents, rising actions, climaxes and denouments. OVAs can go either way depending on their structure, as some are just movies chopped up into half hour bits.

I'm not saying Ebert's a quack whose opinion is worthless. I'm just saying, when it comes to anime, he's not really suitable to make recommendations as far as I'm concerned. I think "This is the best anime ever." is a statement whose implications are a pair of shoes too big for Ebbert's feet, or the feet of any critic who doesn't have experience with anime outside of Manga Video and Miyazaki flicks, to fill.

And Ebert's never said the exact words, "Greatest anime ever", but in regards to My Neighbor Totoro, he's said "some of the finest Japanese animation has to offer.", and he's said similar things about Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, etc. James Cameron has said of Ghost in the Shell, "It's the definitive anime of our time.", and he has said similar things about Battle Angel.

[necromaniac]

Bah, who cares what James Cameron has to say anymore. Ebert is usually half-right though, because the only anime movies he sees are the ones that have been carefully selected for film festivals around the world, and you won't be seeing Naruto 5: Enter the cyborg samurai there.

[MRSKELETON]

I always thought battle angel was pretty boring.

[Revolver Ocelot]

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki

Studio: AIC

Director: Hiroki Hayashi
Writer: Nahoko Hasegawa (screenplay), Hiroki Hayashi & Masaki Kajishima (original story)
Producer: Hiroaki Inoue, Izumi Ota, Yasuo Hasegawa & Yasushi Yamamoto
Composer: Seikou Nagaoka
Designer: Masaki Kajishima

Released: September 25th, 1992
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Harem, Sci-fi
Format: Continuing OVA series
Runtime: 6 episodes, 30 minutes each + 45 minute special (225 minutes)
US License: Geneon



Tenchi Masaki is a well-mannered, neurotic young man who spends his days taking care of his family shrine in the mountains along with his crazy old grandfather, Katsuhito. Tenchi has always been curious about the strange, forbidden cave just outside the shrine. When he was a child, his grandfather told him stories of a demon that slept there, but he figured those stories were just to scare him away.



One summer, during his vacation from school, Tenchi's curiosity finally consumes him, and he snatches the keys to the gate barring entrance to the cave and sneaks inside. After finding a rusty old sword, Tenchi ventures deeper into the cave where he finds a mummified creature. The creature awakens at his presence and the horrified Tenchi runs out of the cave, locks the gate behind him, goes back to school that fall and tries to forget what had happened.



Little does Tenchi know, the mummified creature he awakened was actually the legendary space pirate, Ryoko, who had been imprisoned in the cave for 700 years. Ryoko is none too happy about the Masaki family keeping her sealed and she decides to take her frustrations out on Tenchi. However, before she can dish out his punishment, she finds that she has become particularly fond of him. Tenchi now has to deal with a perverted demon lady pining for him. But things are about to get even more complicated for Tenchi, as Ryoko's awakening has alerted the royal family of the planet Jurai, Tenchi's ancestors who had hunted down and imprisoned Ryoko, to her presence. Now a royal envoy, including the two princesses Ayeka and Sasami, travels to Earth. Tenchi is now caught in a battle between pirates and aliens, both of whom want Tenchi for themselves.



One of the most legendary OVA releases of all time, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki[/i] is a classic story that involves the oblivious and unwilling Tenchi Masaki getting caught up in an amazing set of circumstances that escalates out of control at a blindingly fast pace. Before long, he comes to find himself surrounded by a harem of alien women who are all vying for his affection and wreaking mass amounts of destruction in the process. The poor, overwhelmed Tenchi must also deal with his destiny as a warrior of Jurai as he takes on the villainous criminal Kagato, and from start to finish, his adventure is a rollercoaster ride of fun and hilarity.



Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki[/i] is both the prototype and Holy Grail of the harem anime genre. Although throughout the 90s and this decade as well, the show's premise has been done to death with shows like Love Hina[/i] and Yumeria[/i], Tenchi Muyo![/i] manages to remain unique amongst its descendants thanks to its perfect mixture of adventure, action and sci-fi/fantasy elements. The plot is engaging, the characters are lovable, the comedy is quite charming, and the writing, especially for the dub, is exceptional. Few works of anime offer the sheer amount of variety Tenchi Muyo![/i] does, and that fact has kept it in the ranks of anime's alumni for well over 15 years.



One of the most amazing things about Tenchi Muyo![/i] at the time of its release was its jaw-dropping animation. Nothing outside the world of theatrical anime films had even come close to the level of animation used in Tenchi Muyo![/i]. Just as they had done with Megazone 23[/i] in the mid 80s, AIC had proven once again that they were unequaled in OVA production. Tenchi Muyo![/i]'s production values are through the roof, and between the smooth animation and the original, iconic character designs, the OVA is still quite beautiful today.



Tenchi Muyo![/i] is also an aural treat. Every scene seems to have a realistic ambiance where most anime up to that point had by large only used what sound was relevant to the action in the scene. The music, composed by then rookie Seikou Nagaoka, who would go on to do other AIC OVAs like the classic El-Hazard[/i], is whimsical, catchy, and dramatic when it needs to be. Above all else, it is memorable and fitting. Just as with almost all of Pioneer's work throughout the 90s, Tenchi Muyo![/i]'s dubbing is also amazing. Seriously, if you watch this show with Japanese audio, you are really missing out. Matthew Miller's performance as Tenchi is one of the greatest dub jobs I have ever heard in all my years of anime watching. The subtle nuances and nerdiness he brings to Tenchi's character is utterly fitting in comparison to his Japanese counterpart. Petrea Burchard steals the show as Ryoko, bringing just the right amount of obnoxiousness and callousness to the perverted space pirate. Jennifer Darling's ear-grating, annoying, shrill, yet dignified voice flowing through Ayeka's mouth is perfectly fitting of a snobbish, spoiled princess. The incredible performances by the other actors follow right behind theirs. The dub voices are the definitive voices of the Tenchi Muyo![/i] characters, without a doubt.



There is something for everyone in Tenchi Muyo![/i]. It is one of the most charming and endearing animes I have ever seen. If you cannot find it in yourself to fall in love with this first OVA, then you simply have no soul. This OVA, when it came out, represented the epitome of production value and attention to detail. In the following years, another OVA, two TV shows and three feature films would be made, and recently, yet another OVA and another TV series have been released, proving that Tenchi Muyo![/i] still lives on in the hearts of many fans. But none of that other stuff compares to this, the original OVA. This is light-hearted anime at its finest.

- Shalashashka

Story: A
Animation: S
Design: S
Music: S
Direction: S
Overall: S
Sub or Dub: If you watch this subbed, you are a tool.

[Shellshock]

Sorry for going back to the GiTS movie, but since I have been a Shirow fan since the early 90's and I own everything he ever put out, both video and manga, here's my opinion.
As the film is a compressed version of the first manga, all the "cheap philosophy" and technical talk isn't completely in tune with the original, and might not make much sense and/or seem silly to viewers of the film (not to mention how boring it is to both readers and viewers who are not interested in Shirow's particular taste for it). Much like the Akira movie.
Another problem is the characters' creepy doll eyes. It robs them from very important human emotions and expressions they are capable of showing even if they have prosthetic bodies, it doesn't match the original work, and it's just creepy.

So don't think the movie is a good representation of the manga, read the latter preferably.

[Revolver Ocelot]

Slayers, The

Studio: E.G. Films

Director: Takashi Watanabe
Writer: Takao Koyama
Producer: Kazuto Imanishi, Noriko Kobayashi, Yumiko Yazaki & Zen Enoki
Composer: Osamu Tezuka
Designer: Naomi Miyata

Released: April 7th, 1995
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Format: Continuing TV series
Runtime: 26 episodes, 25 minutes each (650 minutes)
US License: Central Park Media (1997-2005), FUNimation (2005-present)



"The Dragon Spooker" "The Bandit Killer" "The Enemy of All Who Live" These are a few of the nicknames for the star and heroine of this show, Lina Inverse. Lina is a genius when it comes to magic, and her spells can level a city in the blink of an eye. But do not think she is a wise, sagely wizard. Lina is a feisty, temperamental, ruthless sorceress who will do just about anything to get some money, or better yet, some food. Though she may be a bit insecure about her flat, pencil-shaped body, she is as dangerous as they come.



Lina can be commonly found traveling with the likes of Gourry Gabriev. If you look up the word "Dumbass" in the dictionary, you will find a picture of Gourry. Though he might be pretty slow, that does not stop him from letting witty remarks about Lina's bust size and eating habits roll off his tongue. Also tagging along with Lina is Amelia, the young daughter of Prince Phil the Extremely Violent Pacifist (?!), who seems to have watched one too many an episode of Sailor Moon, as she has an extremely unhealthy obsession with justice. And then there's the foil to this trio of goofballs, the ultra-serious, stone-skinned Chimera, Zelgadis. Together, they are The Slayers, and with them roaming the world, no one is safe…



The Slayers[/i] is to fantasy epics and role-playing games what Spaceballs was to science fiction. Lina and company venture across the world, getting wrapped up in one crazy situation after another, from dragon slaying to dramatically expressing themselves on the Proscenium stage. Along the way, there are plenty of thrills and action, but mostly laughs, as the show punches holes through every classic fantasy RPG stereotype in the book. Spikey-haired heroes with big swords, nonsensical character motivations, contrived plot devices, stock dialog, Slayers[/i] made fun of all of these elements before the internet even made making fun of these elements the "in" thing to do.



But The Slayers[/i] is not all fun and games, and sadly, that is the show's biggest ailment. At two distinct points throughout the show, The Slayers[/i] thinks it is an actual fantasy epic and becomes the very thing it has sought to make fun of, taking itself a bit more seriously than it should. The last few episodes in particular start to get WAAAAY too dark, and the plot of The Slayers[/i], by its design as a show using archetypes to make fun of the fantasy genre, is just not interesting enough for that change in tone to be engaging. Make no mistake, The Slayers[/i] is a comedy to the bone, but occasionally, like even the best works of fiction, it slips up.



Visually, The Slayers[/i] looks decent. The animation can be pretty inconsistent, and there is a pretty sharp contrast in the animation quality between standard action and specialized spell animations. Though the show does not look breathtaking at any point, it never quite looks "ugly", and there is a certain charisma to its simplistic art style and character design. Osamu Tezuka (the composer, not the creator of Astro Boy[/i]), who would later compose the epic score for Shadow Skill, completes the technical side of this series by providing a surprisingly epic orchestral soundtrack. In particular, I get giddy with nostalgia whenever I hear the "Breathless Fighting Scene!" theme that plays frequently during battles throughout the show.



Comedy is quite possibly the hardest genre to pull off well, as it requires not only great writing, but to an even greater extent, great delivery. Thankfully, The Slayers[/i] has excellent voice acting on both Japanese and English fronts. Voice acting and pop-music legend Megumi Hayashibara plays Lina Inverse in the original Japanese version. But for me personally, the dub works just a bit better than the sub because nothing beats hearing the hilarious dialog being delivered in your own language. For this, I have to commend Lisa Ortiz in her portrayal of Lina. She has the cynical, sarcastic edge that perfectly suits Lina. Even better is Eric Stuart's picture perfect performance as the idiot swordsman, Gourry Gabriev. Every time he says "Shabadingo", I just lose it. Zelgadis is a bit of a mixed bag. He starts out being played by Daniel Cronin, who is actually an ADR producer rather than a voice actor, and it shows. His stilted delivery and overall lack of character keep Zelgadis from being an engaging character earlier on. Luckilly, after Zelgadis leaves during the first arc, he comes back much later with a new voice; that of the phenomenal Crispin Freeman, and I do not need to tell you about him, do I?



Before I wrap this up, let me tell you about The Slayers[/i] on DVD. There are two releases; the original 2001 release by Central Park Media, and the new 2007 release by FUNimation. Both use the same dubbing, and although FUNimation claims to have remastered the video, it certainly does not look that way, and the packaging looks pretty cheap. The FUNimation release is way cheaper and easier to find, though.



In the end, The Slayers[/i] is fun and funny, and no matter who you are, you are bound to get quite a few laughs from it. This is a lot more likely, however, if you are a long time fan of RPG video games, as the jokes will be far funnier that way. While sudden bits of seriousness toward the end can be pretty awkward, it is not enough to severely damage the show's overall value as a great work of entertainment. Many people have already enjoyed The Slayers[/i], so much so that it has spawned three more seasons (the fourth is in the works as of this writing), an OVA series, and half a dozen movies, and you should join them.

- Shalashashka

Story: C
Animation: B
Design: B
Music: S
Direction: S
Overall: B+
Sub or Dub: Dub

[Revolver Ocelot]

Planetes

Studio: Sunrise

Director: Goro Taniguchi
Writer: Ichiro Okouchi & Makoto Yukimura (manga)
Producer: Atsushi Yukawa, Chiyuki Uehara, Jun Yakawa, Tomoyuki Uehara & Yoshitaka Kawaguchi
Composer: Kotaro Nakagawa
Designer: Yuriko Chiba (characters, Seiichi Nakatani & Takeshi Takakura (mecha)

Released: October 4th, 2003
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-fi
Format: Continuing TV series
Runtime: 26 episodes, 25 minutes each (650 minutes)
US License: Bandai



In the upper atmosphere, small pieces of trash and debris orbit the Earth at several kilometers per second, a speed at which something as tiny and miniscule as a screw can puncture through nearly half a foot of pressure-treated, bullet-proof glass. This is shown to us in the tragic prologue of Planetes[/i], where a commercial sub-orbital space-liner suffers a sudden, violent decompression, killing all the passengers in that section of the craft. This is not the world of sci-fi. Kessler Syndrome is a very real issue that affects us even today, forcing us to delay shuttle and rocket launches until there is a clear pocket within the debris.



In 2075, the Technora Corporation employs the use of a special team of debris haulers who work at the very bottom level of their company. This team is made up of a variety of losers and oddballs who run missions in a beat up old jalopy called “The Toy Box”. Amongst them are Yuri Mihairokov, a highly focused, serious-type who lost his young wife in the aforementioned space-liner accident, Fee Carmichael, the fiery, chain-smoking MILF and the glue that holds the Debris Section together, Philipe Myers, the neurotic wuss who supervises the Debris Section, his assistant Arvind Lavie, who spends his time looking for more clever ways to kiss the asses of his superiors so he can crawl higher into the company ranks, Edel Rivera, the snide and jaded temp secretary, and last but certainly not least, Hachirota “Hachimaki” Hoshino, the main character of this story who has dreams of one day owning his own space ship.



We join the Debris Section as they recruit a new member, the naïve, romanticizing Ai Tanabe. Ai’s presence marks the beginning of a sequence of strange, wonderful, suspenseful and tragic events in the story of the Debris Section. We observe their lives as they go out on missions, each one with some kind of emotional baggage attached, each one uncovering a new bit of history on one or more of the characters. The show evolves from what first appears to be a sitcom in space to a jarring and heartfelt drama with an oh so rare engaging romance constantly teetering between happiness and disaster. By the end of the show, your emotions will be wracked.



Planetes[/i] is simply a wonderful story with great direction, pacing, and an incredibly realistic atmosphere. Credit must be given to the design and conceptualization of the show. I cannot even begin to imagine the amount of research that went on to make this show what it is. It is, by far, the most realistic anime I have ever seen. Nothing, absolutely NOTHING is ever done for style’s sake. As with any work of fiction, there are some flaws and certain things that could have been handled better, but for the most part, Planetes[/i] is absolute bliss and some of the finest storytelling I have ever seen.



Helping the show along greatly is its visual design. The art style is extremely detailed, and the characters lack the exaggeration of typical anime designs. Great care was taken in giving every background object a purpose, and everything was aged properly, simply reeking with untold history. The animation is absolutely spectacular. Just imagine Cowboy Bebop[/i] to the 4th power. Smooth, atmospherically lighted and shaded, great use of camera angles and juxtaposition… Planetes[/i] is a visual marvel.



Kotaro Nakagawa, whom previously composed the soundtrack for s-CRY-ed[/i], works with Taniguchi once again here. This time, Nakagawa provides a completely different score from his previous work, steering away from the Latin beats and rock music for a mostly orchestral score that provides an incredible backdrop for the drama. The tension of the conflicts and the suspense of the action are multiplied tenfold by Nakagawa’s tactful compositions. The contrast between his work in s-CRY-ed[/i] and Planetes[/i] shows that he is as versatile a composer as Taniguchi is a director, making them a perfect match.



The level of drama in this show would not come off well, no matter how well written, had it the performances not been good. Fortunately, Planetes[/i] has one of the best dubs in the history of anime. Kirk Thornton provides the voice of Hachimaki-sempai, and he does an amazing job playing a character unlike anything he has ever played before. But it is Julie Ann Taylor playing the sweet, innocent and passionate Ai Tanabe that steals the spotlight. Her performance is so sincere and intense that she had me close to tears on more than one occasion. The rest of the performances are also stellar, and if you watch this show, I strongly suggest you watch it dubbed. You would be doing it a great disservice otherwise.



In all, I have to say, Planetes[/i] is one of the greatest shows I have ever seen. After the action-packed s-CRY-ed[/i], Taniguchi returns to the sort of personal, intense story he directed with Infinite Ryvius[/i], showing how varied his work can be. I do not care what sort of genre you have a preference in, Planetes[/i] is a human story that will undoubtedly touch every person who watches it. You would be hard-pressed to find better example of excellence in animation as this.

- Shalashashka

Story: S
Animation: S
Design: S
Music: S
Direction: S
Overall: S
Sub or Dub: Definitely dub

[YourAverageJoe]

Haha. I think you need a better image host.

If this was the first review by you I'd read, I'd think it was biased beyond relief, and I've yet to see the series...Can anyone confirm this series' supposed demi-godhood?

[Isao Kronos (BANNED)]

I want to see Slayers, but I'm sorta in the poorhouse. Planetes sounds interesting, but I didn't really care for s-CRY-ed.

[Revolver Ocelot]

youraveragejoe said:

Haha. I think you need a better image host.

Yeah, I dunno what that's about. I see the images just fine. Try refreshing your browser.

If this was the first review by you I'd read, I'd think it was biased beyond relief, and I've yet to see the series...Can anyone confirm this series' supposed demi-godhood?

What do you mean by biased, exactly? Of course it's biased. ALL REVIEWS ARE BIASED. They're biased by design. Because it's their opinion. The writing contained within a review is always going to have a level of self-serving. There's no such thing as an objective review. Do you want me to reserve high scores for only like 4 or 5 animes or something?

If you're saying I'm biased in regards to Goro Taniguchi.. well, I'll have you know that I can be quoted all over the internet saying that Code Geass, his most celebrated work, is overrated.

And another thing.. how can you confirm a show's quality? It's based on an opinion. The only way to confirm whether it's good or not is to watch it yourself because you're the only person who can determine that. But just to satiate you.. I guess this is what you mean by confirming;

THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 - Planetes. Score: 5/5 Stars

Quote from the review: "One of the best shows I’ve seen in a while, Planetes is an excellent and engaging work that while addressing a number of thematic issues, never loses its character focus."

Anime News Network - Planetes DVD 6. Score: A-/A+

Quote from the review: "There are anime series out there with better action, more liberal use of humor, and more consistently intense drama and character interaction than Planetes. All it does is tell a good story that won't fail to keep the viewer's interest, deliver a satisfying conclusion, and provide a stellar level of realistic detail to its view of life and work in space in the latter half of the 21st century. Although it has a good share of human interest, its most important contribution to anime in general (and sci-fi in particular) is to restore a sense of wonder, thrill, and even danger to the mundane aspects of space, something often bypassed in an effort to make the next slam-bang sci-fi thriller. That, more than anything else, is why it's one of the best sci-fi anime series in recent memory, and that's why you should be watching it if you haven't been already."

Anime Boredom - Planetes Vol. 6 Review. No score.

Quote: "Planetes has proven that it can handle a huge range of subjects whilst at the same time remaining an entertaining show. This series has felt like it deserves to be called an anime classic since volume one and is certainly a must have for any collection."

Reviews: Planetes (TV) - vissione. Score: S/S

Quote: "Planetes is one of those great shows that only comes along once in a while."

Point Blank Anime Reviews: Planetes. Score: 4.3/5

Quote: "I suggest you get your hands on this title, even if you haven't heard a lot of it. It brought back my faith on new anime after many series that were hyped so much proved out to be fairly average. Sunrise can be proud of their work, once again."

Is that enough or do I need more proof to validate my OPINION?

Planetes sounds interesting, but I didn't really care for s-CRY-ed.

That doesn't really make sense as Planetes is NOTHING like s-CRY-ed, as stated in the review. That's why Taniguchi is such a great director. He went from Infinite Ryvius to s-CRY-ed, from s-CRY-ed to Planetes, from Planetes to Gun x Sword, from Gun x Sword to Code Geass. That's fucking EPIC.

[Atma]

If you don't like The Slayers, you're a tool of the anti-fun establishment.

[Isao Kronos (BANNED)]

I want to see Geass BADLY.

[Warchief Onyx]

The dub of Code Geass is going to start airing on Adult Swim as of next Saturday. Should be erm... interesting to see, as Johnny Yong Bosch is Lelouch. I love Bosch as a voice actor, but unless he can pull a completely different voice out of his ass, it seems like a complete miscast.

Also, Rebecca Forstadt is in the dub cast. That makes me incredibly sad, as she is the female equivalent of David Moo, ruiner of characters.

[Revolver Ocelot]

onyx said:

The dub of Code Geass is going to start airing on Adult Swim as of next Saturday. Should be erm... interesting to see, as Johnny Yong Bosch is Lelouch. I love Bosch as a voice actor, but unless he can pull a completely different voice out of his ass, it seems like a complete miscast.

Also, Rebecca Forstadt is in the dub cast. That makes me incredibly sad, as she is the female equivalent of David Moo, ruiner of characters.

Yeah. I was really hoping for Ocean Group to work Geass. But I guess then it would've been TOO much like Gundam SEED.

[Isao Kronos (BANNED)]

I don't really get to watch TV in my dorm, someone's either playing Brawl on the community's TV or watching crap.