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Log Horizon Collection 2 (anime Review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 3, 2015
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Log Horizon collection 2Title: Log Horizon Collection 2 (on Blu-ray)

Director: Shinji Ishihara

Author: Toshizo Nemoto

Studio: Studio Deen

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Jan. 27th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 300 Minutes / 12 Episode

Genre: Sci Fi, Fantasy, Adventure

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Even as Shiroe slowly learns the secrets behind the creation of the World Fraction spell, the origin of the Demi-humans, and how his own actions in the Real World have affected the world in which he now dwells, the seeds of thought he’s planted in the minds of others begin to bear fruit. Game strategy and tactics may have been intended for amusement, but their origins were pulled from actual war planning and stratagems. As others begin to accept and implement those theories on their own, the existing alliances and balance of power begin to shift.

Those changes can’t possibly come quickly enough, as the adventurers’ preoccupations have allowed the Goblins to unite and amass a giant army. Now the Goblins are on the march, and as the Estal Lords debate their course of action, Minori makes a dangerous gamble and initiates action on her own. In the midst of this MMORPG turned real, an unassuming princess may prove to be the key to ultimate victory.

Commentary:

As Log Horizon progresses so does its depth. In the first half of the first season it setup the premiss and gave us a working understanding of the world these characters live in. Now that things are somewhat set it looks like the plot thickens with another layer of underlying complexity. I found this new aspect to be rather refreshing. This is where many series fail to properly setup the story and end up falling flat. Log Horizon doesn’t loose focus and continues to give us the same structure we have become used to and at the same time show bits and pieces of the layer beneath it all.

If there is a weakness to the series it has to be the animation style. I’m not saying it doesn’t look good, I just find it to be a little too playful with the characters and if it had been a little darker in nature and styling I think the series would stand out even greater. On the other hand I find the writing to be outstanding. This series is about strategies and that is what games are really all about. We get every bit of the plot and strategy that goes into the story.

Overall Grade: A-

Log Horizon collection 2 managed to continue the story in a way that both gave support and depth to the plot. I am very interested in what comes next. I can see why the series found a fan base in Japan and believe that with the right connection here it will find the fan base in the U. S., or at least I hope so. Honestly I found it better than Sword Art Online, but there is a cult aspect around that series and the animation style is less playful which helps add to the mystic. I’m not trying to alienate SAO fans, but I think that if you are a gamer and also enjoy the concept of people being trapped in a game then I think you will find Log Horizon truer to the concept then maybe SAO or even .hack.

I am looking forward to season 2 (collections 3 and 4) to come out.

Fairy Tail part 14 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 14, 2014
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Fairy Tail part 14Title: Fairy Tail 14

Director: Shinji Ishihara

Studio: A-1 Pictures, Satelight

Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

American Release Date: Dec. 2nd, 2014

Genre: Supernatural, Adventure, Comedy

Format: DVD/Blu-ray Combo, 275 minutes, 11 episodes

Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

The Grand Magic Games is a yearly competition that pits guild against guild in a weeklong battle for the honor of being called the most powerful wizards in the Fiore Kingdom. Fairy Tail may have come in last place for the past seven tournaments, but now that all their strongest members are back in action – and leveled-up – they’re determined to take the number one spot and rebuild their reputation!

Winning the games won’t be easy, though, as Natsu and his selected teammates are forced to navigate enchanted labyrinths, battle wizard saints, and go head-to-head with a host of familiar faces. But with more than one guild targeting Fairy Tail before the competition even begins, the guildmates will be lucky if they even make it out of the opening ceremonies alive.

Commentary:

Fairy Tail is back with a new arc and it seems as though placing them in a situation where they consistently have to battle to prove themselves is more entertaining that other struggles they had to go through. I feel like there is a very heavy hand pushing the difference that 7 years makes. Funny thing about 7 years it isn’t even a quarter of a generation but, based on the level of wizard power you would think they were frozen for 100 years. The friction plays well, but it also comes across a little odd and at times rather awkward.

There is one other thing about this set and the plot line of this arc that saddened me was the return to making a certain individual the focus of attention by the antagonist. I have become tired of seeing similar plot devices from Fairy Tail and it points to a place that tells me that the writer is getting burned out. Now I’m not saying that the action and comedy fails me, but instead it is the way these stories begin to look very similar and basically the same plot woven into a different settings.

Overall Grade: B

Fairy Tail is a solid series with plenty of great characters. This plot is a little tiring and somewhat lacking in creativity and frustrating from time to time. I did enjoy these 11 episodes and am looking forward to the rect of the story. Of course I really want to know what is behind the door. I know it is not unusual for shonen series to follow a somewhat typical progression, but Fairy Tail had made some great strides and recreating the fantasy fighting world and it is very possible that it will again get back on the path of giving us something more entertaining than a magic games and a dark guild after a certain celestial wizard in order to get to a power they should not wield.

Ok, Funimation bring on part 15.

Cat’s Eye: Season Two (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 8, 2014
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Cat's Eye Season 2

review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Cat’s Eye: Season Two

Director: Kanetsugu Kodama

Studio: Tokyo Movie Shinsha

Author: Tsukasa Hojo

U.S. Distributor: Lucky Penny,  Nozomi Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: November 4, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 37 Episodes / 925 Minutes

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mystery, Romance

Industry Age Rating: 16 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Lupin III and Cat’s Eye: Season One

Synopsis:

Hitomi, Rui, and Ai are back in Cat’s Eye: Season Two! Toshio is also in tow and has yet to figure out that Hitomi is a member of Cat’s Eye. As you know, they are the greatest art thieves Japan has ever known. However, they do not steal for money or fame; they do it in the hopes of finding their father, a great painter who went missing after World War II.

A new female thief claiming to be Cat’s Eye starts wreaking havoc in Tokyo while they are off searching for their father in Europe. She steals anything and everything she can get her hands on and her brutal methods are putting the lives of the police, including Toshio, at risk. It is finally time for the real Cat’s Eye to head back to Japan and bring her reign of terror to an end! Will the true Cat’s Eye make it back in time? Will they finally find their father? You will have to watch Cat’s Eye: Season Two to find out.

Commentary:

You really have to love anime series from the 1980’s. Do not allow the age of this series to put you off because Cat’s Eye: Season Two will deliver a truly satisfying experience from the first episode to the ending credits. Cat’s Eye: Season Two is an episodic series so you are able to watch a few episodes at a time in between other series and still know what is going on. Some episodes are better than others but I did not find that any of them really disappointed me.

This season really focuses on the relationship between Hitomi and Toshio and the hilarity that ensues as Hitomi hides her true identity from Toshio. Or in many cases, knocks him out so she is able to make her great escape. Toshio is a very naïve, dense person who cannot figure out that his fiancé is a member of the infamous Cat’s Eye gang. But he really does care for her and maybe love is truly blind. Rui and Ai are interesting characters to say the least. Ai is the tech girl and loves tinkering with stuff as she invents things to use during their robberies. She seems to be a tomboyish high school or college student and loves to cause trouble when she can. Rui is the eldest Kisugi sister and is also the classiest of the three. She is the one who plans all of their robberies.

The animation and audio were re-mastered for this release and the subtitles were updated as well. Even though these series was re-mastered it is still the typical style of animation for the early 1980’s. The fight scenes and anything with fast movement is depicted in stills leaving it up to your imagination as the technology at the time could not handle those scenes. The opening and closing animations are completely 1980’s as they include the characters in unitards dancing around to the workout music of that time.
Extras:

Cat’s Eye: Season Two includes clean opening and closing animations and two Nozomi Entertainment/Lucky Penny trailers per disk as special features. Japanese with English subtitles is the only language option available for this series.

Overall Grade: B

If you have read my previous reviews, you are aware of my love for the old animes I grew up with. It continues to bring me great joy that someone is releasing the true classics. Cat’s Eye: Season Two continues the retro anime being made available to the new generation.

One Piece Season Six Voyage Two (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 7, 2014
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One Piece Season Six Voyage TwoTitle: One Piece Season Six Voyage Two

Director: Hiroaki Miyamoto

Original Creator: Eiichiro Oda

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Dates: Nov. 18th, 2014

Format: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Action,  Adventure, Shonen

Age Rating: TV14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Luffy’s impulsive attack on Gecko Moria ends up costing the rubber-man something he can’t live without – his shadow! When Zoro and Sanji find themselves in the same boat, the three fierce fighters must find a way to recapture what was lost, or face the possibility of death by sunlight. Luckily, their skeleton friend, Brook, knows the trick to defeating Moria’s zombie army, and he’ll gladly share the secret in exchange for a little help defeating a sinister zombie samurai!

Meanwhile, Nami is kidnapped by an undead scoundrel who wants to make her his wife, and Usopp must rely on his natural state of negativity if he hopes to survive his encounter with a gothic Lolita and her ghostly minions. Hair-raising thrills are the story of the hour as the Straw Hats attempt to escape Thriller Bark with their shadows – and souls – intact!

Commentary:

Hey everyone here’s Brook! For a series as long as One Piece there is rarely introductions of recurring characters and this one little grouping provides maybe the best thing that has happened in the series in a long time and that is Brook. He is a funny strange character that provides even more humor to this silly show.

As with the rest of the One Piece series I can’t say that this is a standout or anything special. The story feels like an endless string of filler arcs that really don’t go anywhere. The humor is still the main focus of the series and with the introduction of Brook there is a brief improvement of the quality of comedic relief, but all in all it is a silly series that just keeps going.

Overall Grade: B

One Piece is one of the longest running series and it has a simple formula and sticks to it. The artistry of the series doesn’t stand out. The depth of the subject matter doesn’t even exists. The warmth and loving personas of the characters has never developed. There really isn’t much that this iconic series has to offer other than it is just silly. So, if looking at Season 6 voyage 2 I have to say that it does a decent job of providing humor and even a little stranger and sillier than usual. My only real question is how long can it go? Personally I would like to see it go the way of Dragon Ball Z and just focus on the movies because I find them much more entertaining.

Fairy Tail parts 12 & 13 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 6, 2014
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Fairy Tail part 13Title: Fairy Tail Parts 12 & 13 Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Director: Shinji Ishihara

Studio: A-1 Pictures, Satelight

Distributor: FUNimation

American Release Date: Oct. 28th, 2014

Genre: Supernatural,  Adventure, Comedy

Format: DVD/Blu-ray Combo, 600 minutes, 24 episodes

Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Using a book from the Heartfilia library as a guide, the members of Fairy Tail split up to track down pieces of the Infinity Clock – a legendary enchanted item that could have the power to bring ruin to the entire world. Standing in their way is a secret order of wizards known as the Legion Platoon, who don’t trust the magic time bomb in the hands of the notoriously destructive guild. As the clock ticks closer to doomsday, an old enemy – Oracion Seis – is reborn in a terrifyingly powerful new form. This dark guild has its own plans for the magical timepiece, and if Fairy Tail and the Legion Platoon can’t stop them from using the catastrophic clock, time could be up for the Fiore Kingdom.

Oracion Seis has kidnapped Lucy and is using her to power a clock capable of spreading catastrophic magic cross the world. If Fairy Tail doesn’t stop the dark guild, the entire Fiore Kingdom will fall into a waking nightmare and their teammate will merge with the enchanted timepiece forever. But Oracion Seis isn’t the only group of wizards standing in their way: the Legion Platoon has decided that to save the world, they’ll destroy the magic clock – and Lucy.

While Fairy Tail fights with all their power to rescue their teammate, the truth about Michelle comes to light and a devastating deception is exposed. When the clock begins to chime reality descends into chaos, and in the end Natsu and his fellow wizards might be too late.

Commentary:

Fairy Tail clearly understands what it take to be a long lasting series that can keep the fans interested, but it also falls into the trap that seems to take the fandom for granted. In these twenty four episodes there is a classic trap of relying on the basic aspects of the series to carry it through. This particular arc is something of a rehash of the original Oracion Seis arc and I’m not real sure why they were made the focus of the antagonist. Why not come up with another set of dark guild? I guess it was easy to revive some old foes to fight. The funny thing is that there really wasn’t much of a fight.

Just because I was not entertained by the plot doesn’t mean that these episodes aren’t fun to watch. In fact I found this group to be very funny and entertaining. The writing was slightly above par for the series and some of the gags really stood out for me. For a series like Fairy Tail this is key and is a testament to its longevity.

Overall Grade: B

I think that if there had been a new foe this arc would have stood out as one of the best yet. Bringing back the Oracion Seis really fail the franchise and almost ruined this arc. Overall though, it is clear that the writing is still at the top of it’s game. As the episodes flow they hit at the right moments and keep the laughs coming. There is also a wonder lack of expanded battles. Most of them end up being less frustrating than what is typically found. Unlike One Piece and even Naruto, Fairy Tail takes what is best of those two world and manages to pull it together at one time. Were One Piece is totally meaning less, Fairy Tail provides enough story to keep it going. Naruto ends up taking itself way to serially and Fairy Tail knows that being self deprecating can be a true asset and manages to play along nicely.

I think this group of episodes will prove to be a hit with the fans and continue the strength of the franchise. I just wish the series wasn’t rolled out in 12 episode installments.

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 6, 2014
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space pirate mitoreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection

Director: Takashi Watanabe

Studio: Triangle Staff

Author: Fumihiko Shimo

U.S. Distributor: Nozomi, Lucky Penny

U.S. Release Date: November 4, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction, Adventure

Industry Age Rating: 13 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Project A-ko

“Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!”

Synopsis:

Most teenage boys have enough trouble just dealing with the pressures of school and dating, but 15-year-old Aoi Mitsukuni’s life becomes exponentially more complicated when his mom returns from a long “business trip.” He discovers that not only is his beautiful mother actually an alien, but she’s the notorious Space Pirate Mito to boot! She’s known as the galaxy’s most dangerous pirate, a wanted criminal who destroys a dozen police space cruisers every day before breakfast. But all she really wants is to be called “Mom.” To make matters worse, Mitsuki the girl Aoi likes at school is actually a secret Galactic Patrol agent attempting to find and arrest his mother. However, the three of them end up saving the Universe! No one ever said being a teenager in love was easy!

Now a malevolent entity calling herself the true Queen of the Universe appears with enough power to destroy entire planets. Aoi must defend her new throne, but she needs Mutsuki’s help. Mutsuki must come to terms with her own feelings for Aoi so they can defend Earth together and become the galaxy’s first royal pair of queens. Will the Universe survive this epic fight? You will have to watch Space Pirate Mito and find out.

Commentary:

Commentary:

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection is an odd series but is still enjoyable with its colorful art style and strange cast of characters. Just do not try to make too much sense of the plotline as you will severely hurt your brain. I liked the first season the best because it was not as crazy as the second season and it seemed that Aoi just had some issues with his mother. The second season seemed really out there because of the introduction of the First Queen, Hikari. She takes strange to a whole new level and her reign as queen can be described as an age of fear.

There was a good amount of character development between the two seasons. Aoi really grew as a character and it was interesting to watch how bizarre his alien biology was. Let’s just say that it will be an eye-opener when you watch the series. Mito is an absurdly youthful mother but only in appearance because she looks like an elementary school student if she takes off her Mail Suit; plus she is a space pirate. She also wears a giant waist ribbon that is so large that its tails have little bows on them.

Mito’s crew on her pirate ship is mostly animal’s that have human bodies and are able to function as humans. I lost it during the first episode because it was so funny but it also made me realize that this series would be better suited to a younger crowd. The story line is not hard to follow but it keeps your interest. The music was fun to listen it and the opening and closing animations were cute. I did feel that the space ships looked very “CG” but they did look awesome. The voice actors did a great job of bringing characters alive and jumping off the screen.

Extras:

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations, TV commercials, promotional videos, a special bonus episode, and Lucky Penny trailers as special features. This series was released with English as a language option for the first 13 episodes and Japanese with English subtitles for the entire series.

Overall Grade: B-
I would have no problem showing this anime to my children once they reach third grade or so. I really feel this series is geared to children and I think they would enjoy it.

Log Horizon Collection 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 15, 2014
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Log Horizon collection 1Title: Log Horizon collection 1

Director: Shinji Ishihara

Author: Toshizo Nemoto

Studio: Studio Deen

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Nov. 25th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 325 Minutes / 13 Episode

Genre: Sci Fi, Fantasy, Adventure

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Elder Tales has become a global phenomenon, immersing millions of players in its online fantasy world. However, something goes wrong with the twelfth expansion pack. Eight-year veteran Shiroe and 30,000 other players suddenly find themselves trapped in the game’s no-longer-fictional universe!

Except it’s not even exactly the game they knew: things are in different places, the portals don’t work, and if a gamer was playing an avatar who wasn’t a physical match for their real self… well, let’s just say that everyone who’s been playing is going to have to make some serious adjustments to their new world view.

On top of that, the former Non-Player-Characters are now self-aware and working towards their own ends. This collision of the Elder Tale people and players with seemingly impossible skills, abilities, and knowledge promises to be cataclysmic. Get ready for heroes to rise and new legends to be forged as Shiroe and fellow players Naotsugu and Akatsuki discover what happens when sword and sorcery becomes real!

Commentary:

My first impression of Log Horizon was thinking “Oh, no not another gamer stuck in the game anime”. As I settled in and started watching the first episode I began to see something I really didn’t expect. I saw a series that take the gaming world and leans on the structure of the game more than giving us a bunch of teenagers who run around and battle things just because. Log Horizon takes the concept one step further and gives a feeling that the story is still in the game with a little more reality for the players.

I think that the concept is taking the right view and allowing the characters to develop as the also discover their new reality and what they can do in it. There is also the aspect that the ancillary game characters the are not players take on personas and are given life is a wonderful way to add depth to the show.  With each episode we get to see these characters grow and develop as they become more involved in the world around them. They also discover that they have limitations to what they can do and also what they can be, but this just adds to the richness of the series.

Overall Grade: A-

Log Horizon has caught my attention with this first collection. I manages to paint the picture of a rich world that may be a prison for these players, but it also represents itself as a fully realized environment that can be both dangerous and rewarding. The show forces these new inhabitants to look at this reality differently and end up understanding that they have more and greater abilities than they thought. My trepidation that it would just be a ripoff of the popularity that Sword Art Online has is not founded and in fact I see this series as being superior in many ways to Sword Art Online. Too bad that it may never get the chance for the broader distribution that  would get in front of more people. If you haven’t see Sword Art Online yet and are interested by the concept of players getting trapped in the game then I would start with Log Horizon it is, in my opinion, a better series.

I couldn’t be a hero, so I reluctantly decided to get a job. Yusibu (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 1, 2014
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I couldn't be a hero, so I reluctantly decided to get a job. YusibuTitle: I couldn’t be a hero, so I reluctantly decided to get a job. Yusibu: The Complete Series

Director: Kinji Yoshomoto

Writer: Masashi Suzuki

Studio: Asread

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Nov. 18th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 13 episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Harem, Supernatural, Action, Adventure

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Synopsis:

Raul Chaser never wanted to work in retail, but when the war against the Demons ended unexpectedly, the Hero Training Program he was in shut down. But although combat-trained Raul may feel out of place dealing with customers in a department store instead of dealing out death with hardened steel, his newest co-worker’s culture shock is even worse. While Fino Bloodstone is ready, eager, and willing to please, she’s also the daughter of the now-deceased Demon King!

Not only are her social skills a little challenged, but it’s going to be up to Raul and the staff to teach her the finer points of the human concept of a “pleasant shopping experience”… not to mention when it’s proper to wear what kind of clothes and whose bed you can sleep in. And they’ll have to do it quick, because there’s a sinister major retail chain moving into the area with plans for global domination.

Commentary:

First of all I want to say that I feel like the rating on this series is off the mark. I honestly believe that because of the amount of nudity that Yushibu should be rated TV MA. It is not just the fact that there is some partial nudity, the issue I have is that in almost every episode there are fully developed undressed breast showing and it is not like the old days when the breast were just round bumps, these are as realized as possible and meant to arouse the viewer not just an teasing prop.

Now that I have said my peace regarding the rating I can get into the series. I think that the plot and story line are a fun and light approach to a classic fantasy genre. The idea that the demons have been subdued and that there is no longer a need for heroes is a great idea and then add in the thought of what they would have to do with their lives. This is also approached in the popular series The Devil is a Part Timer, but for Yusibu the main characters haven’t lost their magical powers they just have to forget that they have them and adjust to being a normal work-a-day person. Then they through in the mix of demons and humans having to learn to live together without being at war is a great play on a very real subject that our world has to deal with all too often.

I think where it falls apart for me is that they try to hard to make it funny and sexy at the same time. I think that the focus was more on the bouncing boobs rather than the story. At times the sexual humor was funny, but most of the time it felt like pandering to a very specific fan base. I know that this is not unusual and that there is plenty of money to be made appealing to this fandom. Shows like Sekirei, Ikki-Tousen and Tenjo Tenge have proven the viability of this approach to story telling.

Overall Grade: C+

When I get right down to it I would have to say that this may be a funny and inventive series, but the overall focus on fan service overwhelms the rest of the story. It really want until the end of the series that I began to really connect with several of the main characters. This help bring my opinion of the series up a little and would now like to see how the series would develop now that stability has been established between the Demon King and the Hero.

There is one other series that pulls the female Demon King and Hero together and the story take a completely different approach to how the two realms can co-exist. That series is Maoyu, but if you want funny and bouncy breast then I couldn’t be a hero, so I reluctantly decided to get a job: Yusibu is the series for you. I id find it better than other series like Sekirei and Ikki Tousen.

 

Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Season 2 Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : October 18, 2014
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Hakkenden: Eight Dogs from the East Season 2Title:Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Season 2 Collection

Director: Mitsue Yamazaki

Creator: Miyuki Abe

Anime Adaptation: Osamu Yamasaki

Studio: Studio Deen

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 28th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 13 episodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy, Historical Myth, Action, Adventure

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Forced to choose between death and an unnatural life bound to the living sword Murasame, Shino Inuzuka chose the sword. Now, however, in the bloody aftermath of his transformation and Kohaku’s death, Shino’s awareness of the true scope of his bond with Murasame has expanded. Is he truly a curse to all who meet him?

In the end, the focus must return to the mysterious beads which started everything. What exactly are their origin and powers? Who and where are the holders who have not yet been located? And what are Rio Saotome and the Imperial Church’s real roles in all of this? Does the woman who is “She,” hold the answers?

Commentary:

Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Season 2 is a great followup to the plot and story layer down in season 1. The follow through is seamless and it allows the tail to be revealed in a smooth and reliable manner. The characters are brought together and with the search for the remaining Dog Worriers things come together nicely. The episodes are well written and do a great job of telling us about each of the history of the remaining group. I felt like if there was a easy out for these characters to be brought together it was the fact that each was forced out of their home and ended up heading to the capitol city. Of course they needed to come together, but to make them abandon their homes the way they did seemed a little contrived.

The animation was well done and it suited the series well. It came across with a soft easy feeling that also aided in helping the characters remain sympathic and easy to stay connected to. I can’t say that the soundtrack or music made any difference for me. I was somewhat stock and blended in to become nothing more than background noise. That in itself is not a bad thing and in this case I guess it was appropriate because the story didn’t need a dramatic soundtrack.

Overall Grade: B+

I am a fan of the series and found most of it to be really enjoyable. If there was any aspect to it that I found unsettling it was the tendency to make Shino a object of desire for too many of the male characters. I really found that humor to be somewhat disturbing and rather tasteless. I would have rather seen more of a brother approach to the relationships. I know that there was a brotherly commentary running through the series when it cam to Shino and Sosuke and even some underlying connection with Rio Saotome. It is some of the other that seem to come across with more than a brotherly love .

I was also disturb that the story was not properly wrapped up. I guess that there is always hope that more funding will come along to allow production of a third season. If not I will be rather disappointed that there are so many questions left unanswered.

Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Season 2 is a wonderful second step and it does a great job of bringing the group together. I believe that the fans of this series will be happy with season 2 and that they will also find some frustration with the way it is wrapped up.

Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Borders 1 & 2

Posted by :Patches On : October 17, 2014
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Ghost in the Shell: Arise Borders 1 & 2Title: Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Ghost Pain & Ghost Whispers

Director: Kazuchika Kise

Studio: Production I. G.

U. S. Distributor: Funimation

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 28th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / DVD / 114 minutes / 2 episodes

Genre: Sci Fi, Action, Adventure, Cyber Punk

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

This set contains Ghost in the Shell: Arise Borders 1 and 2 on Blu-ray and DVD!

Border 1: Ghost Pain
When cyborg hacker Motoko Kusanagi is hired to investigate a devastating bombing, she must fight her way through a maze of phantom memories to unlock her mysterious past – and track down the evil mastermind behind the attacks.

Border 2: Ghost Whispers
Witness the formation of the legendary Public Security Section 9. When a clandestine organization hacks every car in the city, Kusanagi recruits a lethal team of cyber operatives that includes a badass brawler with Special Forces training, an explosives expert, a technology specialist, and a chain-smoking jack-of-all-trades with a sordid past. Together this ruthless gang of enforcers sets out to clamp down on the chaos and make the city safe again.

Commentary:

It has been years since we have been graced with the Ghost in the Shell franchise and it is about time that we are treated to this ground breaking series. The wait is well rewarded. The two episodes in this set are both great in their approach and also  their delivery. Both are imaginative and slick in production. I did find some of the CG to be a little lacking in quality, but overall it really hit the spot.

With the main character being the cold and somewhat calculating Motoko Kusanagi who seems to be on a private mission. In the first episode, Ghost Pain, we are treated to the basics behind the short series and the solid backbone to the stories to come. We see a cyber operative who has no past and no future, but in her own way she is quickly creating a future that she can own all to herself and in her own way she will also begin to give a team of societies tools a chance to work in the shadows and at the same time live their lives in the bright light that they all have hidden fro their entire lives.

Ghost in the Shell Arise, gives a new look at the world that suggest that there might be a time when life will be both improved by cybernetics and darkened by the way both the military and enemies of the state will use these new powers. It also paints a picture of a world that has begun to rely on technology way too much. It may be part of the story and the old Sci Fi genre that has been out there for many years, but with our own move to becoming too attached to our phones / computers the world of Ghost In The Shell feels all to possible.

Overall Grade: A-

Both of these episodes remind me of why I and many others are big fans of the Ghost In The Shell franchise and why they manage to hit the mark in both story telling and a peek into a future that is less than favorable. So, if you haven’t had the chance to see any of the Ghost in the Shell films or series then there is no reason to miss these two. There are another two episodes in this series and I for one am looking forward to seeing them. There is plenty of story left, I just hope they don’t roll through the next too quickly. So, bring it on I am waiting.