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Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt December Sky

Posted by :Patches On : June 14, 2017
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Category: Reviews

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Title: Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt December Sky on Blu-ray

Director: Kō Matsuo

Writer: Kō Matsuo

Music by: Naruyoshi Kikuchi

U. S. Distributor: Sunrise, Right Stuf

U. S. Release Date: July 7th, 2017

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 70 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Mecha, Action, Adventure, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

Their war has not yet ended…

It is Universal Century 0079, at the end of the One Year War between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon. The space colonies of Side 4, or Moore, were previously destroyed by a Zeon attack, and many colonists lost their lives. Side 4 became a shoal zone filled with the wreckage of destroyed colonies and warships, lit by constant flashes of lightning due to collisions between electrified debris. It soon came to be known as the “Thunderbolt Sector.”

The Moore Brotherhood, an Earth Federation Forces unit made up of surviving citizens from Moore, set out to exterminate the Zeon forces in the Thunderbolt Sector in order to reclaim their homeland. To halt the Federation advance, the Zeon forces deployed their own Living Dead Division, which was established to collect combat data on soldiers with prosthetic limbs.

Io Fleming, though part of the Moore Brotherhood, hates being tied down by his homeland and family history. Daryl Lorenz, having lost his legs in earlier battles, is now an ace sniper of the Living Dead Division. When they confront each other on the battlefield, they will reach a mutual realization. These two are destined to kill each other.

Commentary:

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt December Sky is the type of anime film that proves if you keep doing a thing enough you will finally get it right. This film hits on several major points and leave3s you wanting for a lot more. From the opening sequence all the way to end ending montage I found December Sky to be a delight. It did manage to have some of the overly melodramatic elements that Gundam Universal Century calls for and at the same time uses music and lively characters to make this fast paced film something worth watching.

One thing is very clear and that is the fact that Kō Matsuo understood the import of making these characters complex and human enough to sympathize with on both sides. Funny thing, I found December Sky to be one of the most anti war Gundam produces yet.

Overall Grade: A

As you can tell, I really liked December Sky and will recommend it to all Gundam fans and all other Sci Fi fans who love music and action. I don’t really care if it doesn’t resolve anything I think that from the artistic stylings to the insane character development everyone can get a great idea of what this film is all about. So, I just want to tell Kō Matsuo thank you for proving us with 70 minutes of pure excitement.

The Big O (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 10, 2017
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Category: Reviews

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Title: The Big O: The complete Series on Blu-ray

Director: Kazuyoshi Katayama

Studio: Sunrise

Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

Release Date: June 20th, 2017

Format: Blu-ray / 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Mecha, Drama, Post Apocalyptic

Age Rating: TV 14+

Overall Personal Grade: B+

Synopsis:

Forty years ago, the minds of Paradigm City’s inhabitants were wiped clean of all recollections of the past. Now, ruled by a powerful corporation and cut off from the rest of the world by desolate wastelands, Paradigm has become a virtual police state where Negotiators like Roger Smith keep the wheels of progress, commerce, and society turning.

As a combined hybrid of detective, mediator, and enforcer, Smith’s primary resource is his keen, analytical mind, but it doesn’t hurt to have a mansion filled with gadgets, his butler Norman, and his attractive assistant Dorothy to fall back on. Additionally, for those times when cases end up “in dispute,” he also has the biggest, baddest back-up that any cop or small army could ever hope for: the Big O, a giant robot loaded with all the extras. Film noir thriller meets mecha mayhem masterpiece as the acclaimed classic series returns in the complete collection of The Big O!

Commentary:

If you can imagine a nix of Batman the Animated Series and Cowboy Bebop with a dash of Gun X Sword then you should be able to get a great idea of what The Big O is like. It is very clear that designer Keiichi Sato and director Kazuyoshi Katayama (the creators of the series) are major fans of Batman based on some of the supporting dramatic devices that are cemented in the series. You have a single man living in a rather lavish old bank building with his butler who takes care of the home and the Megadeus (Big O).

This blending of both east and west wrapped in the complicated story of Big O makes the first season a little hard to follow because if is basically episodic. That leaves the viewer with a somewhat cold feeling for both the overall feel of the show and the characters too. Once the second season kicks in there is a much different feeling and the fog begins to lift.

Overall Grade: B+

All too often it is hard to get into older series and with Big O almost 20 years old the animation style comes across very dated. That older TV anime style does let the series down a bit, but if you let the story drive your attention then you should be fine.

As a story I found the Big O to keep my interest once the it got later in the first season and began to introduce much of the recurring cast for the second season. As the second season opens and flows through the first few episodes the series really solidifies. As it winds up there is a solid attempt to bring everything together and manages to hold the story and characters up in a fine fashion.

As an example of anime from the late 1990’s, The Big O sits above average. If you are a fan of Batman the Animated series from the early 1990’s then it is a must see.

As for me I found Big O to be a fun and interesting series because of the nostalgia and the plot that goes from simple to complex in a rather short time span and also manages to confuse me a little. So, if you like a dark hero with a heart of gold mixed with some rather strange characters then  The Big O! is for you.

 

Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 23, 2017
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Title: Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team on Blu-ray

Director:   Takeyuki Kanda (Eps. 1-6),Umanosuke Iida (Eps. 7-12), Shinya Watada (OVA), Mitsuko Kase, Takeyuki Kanda, Umanosuke Iida (Millers Report)

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Rightstuf

U. S. Release Date: May 2nd, 2017

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes and OVA and Movie / 355 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Mecha, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team contains episodes 1-12 of the Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team OVA Series plus the Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team: Miller’s Report movie.

The year is Universal Century 0079. The Federation has begun mass production of prototype Gundams for use by its ground forces. Shiro Amada, commander of the 08th MS Team, must lead his soldiers through fierce fighting on the ground. However, the Zeons are developing a secret project which could tip the balance of power! Can Shiro and his ragtag team of castoffs, rejects, and bad attitudes save the Federation?

Commentary:

Okay, now we have a Gundam series that is worth a little praise and a hefty pat on the back. Giving us the a hero how commands a standard grunt force stuck in jungle warfare is just beautiful. The team is made up of a wide variety of personalities and each one of them are just precious.

The overall feel of Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team is rather straight forward and doesn’t leave us wondering what is going on. Shiro is one of those commanders who seems rather calm on the surface but makes it clear that he believes in a rather optimistic hope for all of humanity. This and his apparent affection for a Zeon female soldier help him continue to do the right thing and also save the Federation from the Zeon zealots?

Overall Grade:

I really enjoyed the Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team it gave me the kind of character development I have been looking for in the Gundam Universe without the overwhelming melodrama. There is plenty of melodrama, but it is tempered by the 08th Team itself.

The animation quality is rather good for an older series and placing the series on Earth in a jungle setting helps keep it grounded. The action and overall feel of  08th Team has a lightness rarely found and it is easy to see the the writing team enjoyed doing this one. The directing is also rather seamless between directors which also shows a continuity in the writing that helped.

To put it simply, Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team is good and has plenty of tasty meet still left on the bone.

Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory & Afterglow of Zeon Film: Complete series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 4, 2017
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Title: Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory & Afterglow of Zeon Film on Blu-ray

Directors: Mitsuko Kase (eps. 1-5), Takashi Imanishi (eps. 2-13)

Writers: Fuyunori Gobu (eps. 1-4), Akinori Endo (eps. 5-6), Asahide Ookuma (eps. 7-8, 10, 12-13), Ryōsuke Takahashi (eps. 9, 11)

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Right Stuf

U. S. Release Date: April 4th, 2017

Format: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes & film / 444 Episodes

Genre: Sci Fi, Mecha, Drama

Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 contains episodes 1-13 of Stardust Memory plus the Afterglow of Zeon compilation film.

Universal Century 0083. Having triumphed in the One-Year War, the Earth Federation has grown complacent, while the last remnants of Zeon forces have been planning one final stand. It all hinges on ace Zeon pilot Anavel Gato stealing one of the new prototype Gundams out from under the Federation’s nose. With a nuclear-equipped Gundam missing and their pride wounded, the Federation ship Albion and rookie pilot Kou Uraki set out in pursuit of the Zeon thieves and the stolen Gundam GP02A.

Special Features: The animation shorts “the Mayfly of Space 1” and “The Mayfly of Space 2”, Clean Openings, Clean Closings, and Japanese Promos.

Commentary:

In the Gundam franchise there are few series that I find above average and Stardust Memory is one of the few. There is still plenty of the over-the-top melodrama and one sided seriousness that I do have to cringe from time to time. Stardust Memory is fairly straight forward and clearly opens with the plot and development of the story.

Overall Grade: B

Without giving anything away I can honestly say that I believe that Gundam and non-Gundam fans will find this to be one of the best written series in the Universal Century saga. I can’t say that the age of the series will help bring people to the table because the animation shows it age and some of the dialogue is standard Gundam diatribe.

With all of the Gundam available I would suggest seeing Char’s Counter Attack before watching Stardust Memories (0083). You would at least have some understanding of what is really going on and maybe even have a little more appreciation of this series and Afterglow of Zeon.

I must admit that it great to see the Gundam universe come back to life.

Turn A Gundam part 1 on Blu-ray (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 13, 2017
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Title: Turn A Gundam part 1 (on Blu-ray)

Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Writer/Creator: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Nozomi, Sunrise

U. S. Release Date: Feb. 7th, 2017

Format: Blu-ray / 25 Episodes / 625 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Mecha, Romance, Steampunk

Age Rating: TV 13

Overall personal rating: B

Synopsis:

For 2000 years, a separate race of humanity has lived on the moon. Known as “the Moonrace,” their technology is leaps and bounds beyond those that stayed behind on the Earth’s surface. Now seeking to return to their original home, the Moonrace send three teenagers – Loran, Keith, and Fran – down to Earth on a reconnaissance mission to test the viability of its environment.

After spending a year on Earth, Loran has become good friends with Sochie and Kihel, daughters of the prestigious Heim family, and he looks forward to fully integrating into Earth society. But before Loran gets the chance to make his report, the Moonrace launch a surprise attack. Earth’s primitive airplanes are no match for the superior power of the Moonrace’s mobile suits. However, in the midst of the initial attack, Loran and Sochie uncover a long-forgotten relic: a white mobile suit. As a Moonrace, Loran is quickly able to grasp the basics of piloting it, but by doing so, he inadvertently places himself in the middle of a war.

Commentary:

Gundam Fans get in line for here come the resurrection of the mysterious Turn A Gundam. Reaching back to the year 1999 Sunrise with the help of Nozomi have brought back a slick version of the a series that many people can’t waited to get the next installment of and everyone else figures it may be time to give it a rest. Personally, I am a believer that the Gundam franchise may have seen better years, but honestly I found Turn A Gundam every enjoyable. Of course it felt dated and the writing fell flat more than a few times. Even with those detractors the story held my interest and gave me a reason to think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Compared to most of the older Gundam renditions I feel as though Turn A Gundam builds on a simple story and support both our future and past. There is obviously the leaning to the earth bound humans and a slightly sinister approach to the Moonrace humans. I’m not sure that there is a real need to make one more sympathetic than the other and I think that ben though the Moonrace has better technology that doesn’t mean their lives are that much darker. If I was human and bound to a dead rock where we have to manufacture everything even the air you breath I would be a little bitter about the selfish earth bound humans who are too ignorant the understand what they really have.

I’m not saying that all of the Earth humans are portrayed as naive or even good natured and not all Moonrace humans are evil. That would be against all anime doctrine and would also fail the entire Gundam universe. What I am saying is that I could see myself siding with the Moonrace and wanting to drive out the stupid Earthlings so that someone who would appreciate the earth for what it is could be in control.

Overall Grade: B

Turn a Gundam is a new twist on an old Gundam plot, but it does a good job of telling the story. I just wish the animation was better. By 1999 – 2000 anime productions values had really found a new look and Turn A Gundam held on to some rather tired old artistic values in this series. I get that it is a Gundam series, but for gods sake they should have made it look a lot better than they did.

One other thing that I reality like about Turn A Gundam was the fact that human technology was all about the steam power and Steampunk ruled the day. This added romantic ideal did help give some beauty to the visual aspects to the series and it helped give me a reason to keep watching in some of the slower moments.

Even with the poor production value I still find it to be a solid series with plenty of Gundam goodness packed into it. There is one other thing that I must mention and it is the disc art work. The five disc have possibly the best disc art covers i have ever seen. If the series would have looked that good it would have overtaken the Gundam and Mecha anime world and blown everyone away.

I am looking forward to seeing the second half of the series. So all you Gundam fans get ready for the one true Steampunk Gundam coming at you. Now on Blu-ray makes it even better.

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : August 22, 2016
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cross-ange-2review provided by Karie and Andrew

Title: Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 on Blu-ray

Director: Yoshiharu Ashino

Studio: Sunrise

Author: Tatsuto Higuchi

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: August 23, 2016

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Mecha, Sci-Fi

Industry Age Rating: 17 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Queen’s Blade: Rebellion, Freezing, Akame ga Kill!

Synopsis:

The foundation of Ange’s world has been ripped to shreds over and over again, since the moment her throne was stolen and she was stripped of her humanity. But the destruction of Arzenal and the stunning revelation about the true nature of the Dragons were only the start of a devastating new series of shocks and discoveries.

Transported to an alternate and devastated world with Tusk and Vivian, Ange will finally learn the history of her world and the true nature of her own reality. She will discover who her ultimate enemy really is and how her para-mail, Villkiss, may be the only key to salvation.

The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance, but unless Ange can conquer her own fear and rage, the battle will be lost before it’s even begun. The final war between man, Dragon, and machine is about to begin in the climatic conclusion of Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 on Blu-ray!

Commentary:

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 on Blu-ray is an interesting mix of genres to say the least. It is basically a sci-fi and mecha series that has a lot of promise to be something amazing with a ton of fan-service and yuri scenes added in that take away from that promise. However, they did a very good job of wrapping up the story albeit very quickly. They really could have stretched these last 13 episodes into an extra six episodes or so. Each episode is packed full of drama and energy and they go by far too quickly.

The story picked up right where Collection 1 left off and we are introduced to a new character, Embryo. Embryo is the character that everyone will come to hate if you have a soul. He calls himself “The Turner” and basically he created the world as they all know it. He then decides that Ange would make the perfect wife for him so he sets out to convince her of that fact. But he goes about it all wrong and instead ends up attempting to rape her. I preferred Tusk’s character. Tusk is a Knight of Villkiss, or as he says in the later episodes, Ange’s Knight. He takes all of Ange’s abuse in stride and somehow always ends up with his head accidently between her legs. But that is all sweet and innocent because anything sexual is far out of his mind until the battle with Embryo is over. All he cares about is making Ange smile and protecting her.

The animation was alright; nothing spectacular but it did not look horrible. There was a large number of well known Japanese voice actors in this series and they did a wonderful job as always. The opening and closing songs were enjoyable and the animations were cute. The fighting scenes were short and looked rushed. They were also full of CG but you have to expect that these days. They did a good job with the CG but I wish they had made them look better because the fighting scenes were fun to watch.

Extras:

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 on Blu-ray includes Cross Ange talk show, music video, clean opening and closing animations, and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 on Blu-ray was released with English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options.

Overall Grade: B

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 2 on Blu-ray really finished the story off perfectly. I still recommend it as long as you can look past the yuri scenes and large amount of fan-service.

Gundam Build Fighters Try (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : August 16, 2016
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gundam-build-fighters-tryTitle: Gundam Build Fighters Try 

Director: Shinya Watada

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Sunrise, Right Stuf

U. S. Release Date: September 6th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / 25 Episodes / 625 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Mecha, Drama, Comedy, Fantasy

Age Rating: TV – 8+

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis: 

In Gundam Build Fighters Try, seven years have passed since Sei Iori won the 7th Gunpla Battle Championship World Tournament. The Gunpla Battle Championship is now run by Yajima Trading. With new rules and battle modes, the game’s popularity has become even more widespread.

However, the Seiho Academy that Sei Iori once attended has failed to catch onto the trend. The only member of the school’s Gunpla Battle Club is its president, middleschooler Fumina Hoshino. Currently there is no way the club can participate in the upcoming Gunpla Battle Japanese Under19 Championship, where players fight in teams of three.

Then Fumina meets a new transfer student. He is Sekai Kamiki, a young martial artist who has been travelling with his master. Together with a young Gunpla builder named Yuuma Kousaka, they finally have three members for their team.

Sekai Kamiki, Yuuma Kousaka, and Fumina Hoshino — team “TRY FIGHTERS” is about to begin its challenge!

Commentary:

The Build Fighters universe is a lot more fun than the original Gundam universe. Nobody dies and only the ones who really love the battle get the win. The concept of building these Gunpla just for the fun to compete is something to take and enjoy for what it is. I know that I found it both funny and uplifting. In may ways it was a typical anime that used heavy sentimental posing to bring home the dramatic moments and then tossed in a mild harem aspect to keep the comedy moving forward. I think that many of the plot points may have been simplistic, but it is the nature of the series to be that way.

The way that the try fighters grew in both understanding and friendship is a reminder of how we, as humans, need each other to find  richer  meaning and satisfaction in our lives. Gundam Build Fighters Try showcases each of the team members and shows how different personalities and abilities make a strong team not a bunch of members with the same views and talents. We are also given a taste of what it is to be underdogs who manage to find respect and unification in all that they do.

Overall Grade: A-

After all is said and done Gundam Build Fighters Try is a solid series. The one area that I thought was a tad weak was the writing, it was simply to base and silly at times. The easy way out is to make the drama over the top and to follow with simple silliness and because the series is geared toward the under 12 age group it stayed simple. The funny thing is that, in the U. S., the audience is the the over 20 age group. It is great to see the Gundam universe take a look at how Gundam and Gunpla has found a genuine fandom.

If you are looking for some fun and don’t mind it being a little over the top from time to time then Gundam Build Fighters Try is the series for you, I know I loved it.

Love Live! The School Idol Movie (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 17, 2016
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love-live-school-idol-movieTitle: Love Live! The School Idol Movie

Director: Takahiko Kyōgoku

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Release Date: June 28th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 99 Minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, School Idol

Age Rating: PG (All Ages)

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

The long-awaited finale of the popular Love Live! series is here in Love Live! The School Idol Movie!

Although μ’s, the defending champions of the school idol tournament, plans to dissolve their group after the graduation of their senior members, they receive news that leads them to holding a concert event! The 9 girls continue to learn and grow in this new and unfamiliar world. What is the last thing that these girls can do as school idols? With the clock ticking, what kind of meaning will the μ’s members find in performing the most exciting live performance?

Commentary:

Love Live! is one of those series that is just so positive it is almost impossible to dislike. Love Love! The Movie didn’t disappoint and tossed in some odd encounters that questions reality. Of course it does give us a true end to μ’s time together, but there are glimpses of the future that might just open the door to more from the franchise.

As movies go Love Live! The Movie is better than most. More often than not movies are just silly romps that have nothing to do with the plot of the original series. In this case the original plot is at the core to the film. This concept of sticking with the original premise behind the formation of the group help make the difference for me. As just a romp off to New York to shoot a music video to help promote a Idol performance is less than exciting. It is the back story and the struggles with fame that makes things interesting.

Overall Grade: A-

Love Live! The Movie has its moments of wonderful entertainment and its moments that are nothing more than fluff. I thing that the overall story came together once they got back from New York and had a tough question to answer. I would have liked to see how others in the group dealt with the big question other than Honoka, but with her being at the center of the group it was fitting that she had the dilima thrust upon her.

Love Live! is another in a long list of girl high school series that are both easy to watch and simplistic in nature. If this is a picture of how life is in Japan then it is something that should exported everywhere.

Love Live! The Movie is a hit in my books and a great way to wrap up a series.

Gundam Build Fighters (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 11, 2016
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gundam-build-fightersTitle: Gundam Build Fighters Blu-ray

Director: Kenji Nagasaki

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Sunrise, RightStuf

U. S. Release Date: August 2nd, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / 25 Episodes / 625 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Action

Age Rating: TV 14+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

The time is the near future. Years have passed since the 1980s, when “Gunpla” — plastic models based on the “Mobile Suit Gundam” animation — created a huge boom.

Now, a new wave is sweeping the world, in what could be called a second Gunpla boom. Its popularity is driven by “Gunpla Battle,” in which assembled Gunpla can be controlled and made to fight. With the introduction of this revolutionary Battle System, its popularity has expanded to the point that a Gunpla Battle World Tournament is held each year.

The main character of the story, Sei Iori, is a young Gunpla builder who loves Gunpla and dreams of entering the Gunpla Battle World Tournament. As the only heir to a hobby shop, he has high Gunpla building abilities, but he doesn’t know how to control them in battle and is continually defeated in the opening rounds of tournaments. When he meets Reiji, a mysterious boy with superb Gunpla control skills, they team up to take on the World Tournament.

Sei, the Gunpla builder.
Reiji, the Gunpla fighter.
Sei builds, and Reiji battles.

They’re the Build Fighters everyone is talking about! Their goal is to enter the Gunpla Battle World Tournament — and win!

Commentary:

In the Gundam Universe there are very few series that diverge from the overall Gundam ideal and Build Fighters is one of them. This fun an light hearted series blends a couple anime tropes to create something that seems to illicit strong feelings from the Gundam fandom. Bringing the gaming world to the Gundam world is a blast.  I realize that many Gundam fans feel like it makes fun of the Gundam fandom, but in reality what it does is bring in a new group of viewers.  I see people of all likes watching and liking Build Fighters for what it is and also creating a introduction to the world of Gundam.

The series doesn’t take itself too seriously and also plays with the wide diversity of gundam builders. It would be great if this series pushes more young people to the fun of building and how much variety there is in the building world.

Overall Grade: B

If I had to look at this as strictly a Gundam series I would have to say it comes up short. The funny thing is that it comes a little closer to showing off how serious the building community is and at the same time blending in the gaming world. The initial concept left me with a feeling that Build Fighters was made to exploit the battle card games and maybe make a few more buck s and expand the model building selection. I was very surprised and pleased with the final product and am glade it was made.

I am sure that there are Gundam fans that both love and dislike Build Fighters, but I think the important group that it will draw into the Gundam Universe are non-Gundam anime fans and so,e of the card players that will find this series as nothing more than FUN!

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 21, 2016
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cross-age-rondo-of-angel-and-dragon 1review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 on Blu-ray

Director: Yoshiharu Ashino

Studio: Sunrise

Author: Tatsuto Higuchi

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: June 21, 2016

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Mecha, Sci-Fi

Industry Age Rating: 17 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Queen’s Blade: Rebellion, Freezing, Akame ga Kill!

Synopsis:

Betrayed by her brother, stripped of her birthright, and declared an abomination is just the beginning of the nightmare for the girl once known as Princess Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi since she does not have to ability to use magic, which makes Ange less than human in the eyes of the human law. Now she has been exiled to certain death as a slave soldier in a war against dragon invaders! However, the people and land that cast her out have made a lethal error as Ange is no longer an innocent Princess being led to rape and slaughter. She has learned the hidden truth about the world she thought she had known. She has discovered that she is willing to kill in order to survive and they have given her the training and weapons in order to do so. Will Ange survive? Will she get her revenge against her brother and her people? You will have to watch Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 on Blu-ray and find out.

Commentary:

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 on Blu-ray is an interesting mix of genres to say the least. It is basically a sci-fi and mecha series that has a lot of promise to be something amazing with a ton of fan-service and yuri scenes added in that take away from that promise. The plot is interesting because God remade the planet to have no war or anything bad and people gained the ability to use Mana, or magic. However, there are some people who are not able to use Mana and they are called Norma. Norma’s are not considered human in the society where Mana is used to control everything around them thus making life easier. Norma’s are hunted down and taken away from society quiet violently and placed on a prison island called Arsenal. That is where they learn how to hunt dragons.

The character development in Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 on Blu-ray is well done. Most of the characters do not get too much development but two of the main ones are Hilda and Ange. Ange really grows as a character from the spoiled princess to the killing machine she becomes. She has to learn how to deal with her new situation in life and she really takes to it. Hilda is another story all together. She matured from Ange’s bully to one of her friends. She finally learns how to work with the other girls instead of just bedding them. That is when she actually becomes an interesting character instead of just a background one.

The animation was alright; nothing spectacular but it did not look horrible. There was a large number of well known Japanese voice actors in this series and they did a wonderful job as always. The opening and closing songs were enjoyable and the animations were cute. The fighting scenes were short and looked rushed. I wish they had made them look better because the fighting scenes were fun to watch.

Extras:

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 on Blu-ray includes a special interview by Momoka, commercials, clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options.

Overall Grade: B

Cross Ange-Rondo of Angels and Dragons: Collection 1 on Blu-ray really drew me into the storyline and I would recommend it as long as you can look past the yuri scenes and large amount of fan-service. I cannot wait for the second collection to be released.