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A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 28, 2014
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A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1

Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai

Studio: J.C. Staff

Author: Seishi Minakami

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: July 1, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Fantasy, Super Power

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: A Certain Scientific Railgun, A Certain Magical Index

Synopsis:

Something sinister is growing in Academy City. The shadows are filled with whispers of a project to clone one of the super-powered students known as espers. High-ranking master of electricity Mikoto Misaka, or Railgun as she is known to other espers, laughs off these stories until she comes in contact with a copy of herself. The duplicates are real and are being mass-produced from Misaka’s own DNA, making each one of them a little piece of her. The Sisters, these clones, are being systematically murdered in a series of experiments designed to turn a sadistic killer into the strongest esper in history. Misaka vows to save her copies and destroy the project. However, this might be one fight she cannot win alone but she hates to ask for help. Be on the lookout for high-energy battles and intense action in this continuation of the A Certain Scientific Railgun series. Will Misaka be able to turn to her friends for help or will she be forced to fight the good fight on her own? You will have to watch A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 and find out.

Commentary:

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 still takes place in academy city with the four usual characters Misaka, Kuroko, Uiharu, and Saten. However, this season focuses more on Misaka’s background story and outlines her more as a character. We are also introduced the fourth level five esper and the first level five esper making for some well animated fighting scenes. In these first twelve episodes some of the characters from the first season were not featured as much as they could have been. I am hoping that will change in Part Two.

The Sister’s story arc really caught my interest. I remember some of it from A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 just expands on it and fills in any blanks that A Certain Magical Index left. You also see a different side of Misaka in this season. She became slightly darker, at least to me, and that added depth to her character. She really grew into her character this season and she also learns some very important life lessons. It also ties you emotionally to her and the fights that she has in A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1. Touma from A Certain Magical Index also makes an appearance in the last few episodes and I am hoping that he will be there in Part 2 because he adds that certain something to the plot. Academy City seems like a Stepford city. Rules for the general public must be followed and images for the general public must be believed. So long as the general public accepts those rules then everything will be great, however there are issues because every city has its issues. It will be interesting to see how Academy City fairs in Part 2.

J.C. Staff did an amazing job with the animation. The scenes burst to life off the screen and drag you into the story and do not let go until the end of the disc. The voice actors did an amazing job and brought the characters to life. The opening and closing songs were okay. I did not see anything special about them but they were decent for what they were. I cannot wait to see the rest of the series and I will be sitting on the edge of my seat while watching it.
Extras:

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 includes episode commentary, clean opening and closing animations, and Funimation trailers.

Overall Grade: A-

I really enjoyed A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 and I cannot wait to see Part Two. I personally enjoyed this season more than the first but I recommend the entire A Certain Magical Index series and spin-offs as the storylines keep you interested. Just a word of advice for those who are reading this, do not offer up your DNA to some doctor unless you are ready for the consequences.

Code: Breakers Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 27, 2014
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Code: BreakerTitle: Code: Breakers Complete Collection 

Director: Yashiro Irie

Studio: Kinema Citrus

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Date: June 24th, 2014

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Supernatural, Crime Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: B

Synopsis:

Rei Ogami doesn’t have a problem with killing. As a Code:Breaker – a super-powered assassin employed by a secret government organization – he works outside of the law, existing in the gray area between right and wrong. When Rei gets an assignment, criminals are cremated in a blaze of blue fire. That is, until a classmate named Sakura witnesses his fatal flames in action and makes it her mission to keep him from killing again.

As Sakura becomes entrenched in Rei’s world of cruelty, mayhem, and violence, the line between good and evil begins to blur. When another Code:Breaker goes rogue and the remaining assassins assemble, murder might be the only way to make things right. Or is it? The more Sakura stays with Rei the more we discover about Sakura and it just might be possible that Sakura was meant to be part of the world after all. The further you go the more you will question so, get ready to be amazed and baffled at the same time.

Commentary:

I realize that it is somewhat normal for artist to get their ideas from other artist and there are plenty of copy cat series out there in the world just trying to sponge some money of an idea that capture plenty of attention and provide the be full of imagination. Code: Breaker manages to entertain while at the same time make you think about all the other series it has in common. The first one that jumped out at me was Darker Than Black, next I was whisked away to the world of Full Metal Panic lastly there is X-Men. I’m not going to go into all of the reasons why Code: Breaker reminds me of these series because it would spoil the plot and series for you. Just take my word for it, Code: Breaker was built on the backs of giants and it almost pulls it off.

There is plenty about Code: Breaker that made we want to root for it and continually come back for more.  At first I thought it might be similar to other crime dramas of the last few years that left me wanting for more or rather wishing I hadn’t waisted my time.  I kind of expected the over the top melodrama that was presented in Psycho Pass or the lack luster writing of Guilty Crown.  After a few episodes I was pleasantly surprised that both the drama and writing held their own against a story that  feels a little contrived. Even with the contrivance of the plot the characters and general writing stood up and gives you reason to keep coming back. I was a little concerned about the Sakura at first but once you get into the heart of the story her character stands out and doesn’t become some week cliché. On the other hand the Rei Ogami comes very close to being that overly hyped anti hero with some grudge against everyone and everything. There just so happens to be a few moments that bring him back from that dark hateful world that sucks all too many main characters into that pit of waited leading men. The rest of the cast holds their own and end up bringing plenty of solid diversity into the plot and in the end really do make a difference.

Overall Grade: B

I wish there had not been so mush reference to older classic series. I guess it is sometimes hard to avoid, but for Code: Breaker the similarities are at its core and if they are taken out all you are left with is nothing at all. I guess that my grade is at this level because the series does pull it off and gives you a product that is both easy to watch and enjoyable at the same time. One point of contention though, the set is called the Complete Series, but there are 3 OVA’s that go along with the 13 episodes and I have a feeling that those will come out later with a silly name attached and a high price tag. For a few extra buck I thing people would have rather seen it all together. If you are a fan of Darker Than Black I know you will enjoy Code: Breaker.

 

Amnesia (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 23, 2014
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AmnesiaTitle: Amnesia The Complete Collection

Director: Yoshimitsu Ohashi

Studio: Brain’s Base

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U. S. Release Date: June 3rd, 2014

Format: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Shojo, Romance,  Supernatural, Drama, Otome

Overall personal Grade: B

Synopsis:

She runs through the flaming building seeking escape. She struggles in the water, desperate to keep afloat. She wakes in the hospital, with no knowledge of how she got there or memory of who she was. People she doesn’t know come to visit her, but only the one whom no one else can see, the spirit boy who calls himself Orion, seems to understand what has happened to her, and he tells her not to let anyone know of her amnesia.

As the Heroine struggles to recall her past and connect the random recollections in her mind to form memories, one thing seems sure: time is no longer a constant, and the date of August 1st – the day she keeps waking up in the hospital – is somehow significant. So are each of the people she meets, though the stories that link her to them seem to shift like sands in an emptying hourglass. Will she be able put the pieces of the puzzle together, and what will she see if it becomes complete?

 

Commentary:

Amnesia is a wonderful example of a series developed from the visual novel / game known as Otome. These games set you up as the main character as you move through the different situations in the story. With Amnesia, we follow Heroine as she awakes with no memories of her prior life and discovers she is in a relationship with someone that seems to know her but she has not idea of who they rare. There are several young men in her life and every time there is a traumatic event in her life she awakes to find herself in a new relationship. She does have one constant and that is the fairy spirit that has attached himself to her soul and he ttys his best to help her out.

This jumping from one reality to another makes thing interesting, but ends up becoming a little frustrating as she ends up appearing more naive than she was early on. The reason for this frustration is because she does begin to remember the previous reality and she ends up playing the role of the dumb woman that is neither realistic or enjoyable. You know when you go to a bad horror film and you know the young lady shouldn’t go into the room or water and end up yelling at the screen “DON’T DO IT!”. This is a feeling that ends up becoming more frequent as there series progresses. It is not until the end of the series that she begins to have some semblance of intelligence. I never want to see anyone played out in this fashion, but this is what you get with Amnesia.

The animation style is right out of the manual of how to draw shojo characters. The girls are sexy and the guys ate almost stick men with strange but appealing close on that either make them look sexy or dark and mysterious. Of course they are beautiful with Heroine coming across somewhat plain compared to everyone else. This makes it easy to sympathies with characters who’s eyes we are seeing this through. I have to admit that the writer,Touko Machida, did a fine job of bringing this to life and interweaving the story that keep the real mystery lingering until the very end.

Overall Grade: B

Amnesia is a perfect anime for the love struck young girls and any romantically inclined fans, but if you are looking for action and adventure then you really need to look elsewhere. Visually it does a great job of living up to the genre it comes out of. Although, I would prefer somewhat less idealized stick figures. All I can think of is what would these young keen look like if they didn’t have their shirts on. I’m sure they would lack any type of muscle to their figures and look more like Jack Skellington rather than Brad Pitt or Orlando Bloom.  Being a guy I can say it does nothing for me, but maybe that explains why I didn’t have the much luck with the girls when I was that age, I just wasn’t skinny enough. Anyway, I think this is a great series for role playing and a wonderful example of the gaming style of Otome. So, if you are looking for a little romance and confusion along with it then Amnesia is right up your ally.

Karneval (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 23, 2014
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Karnevalreview provided by T J

Title: Karneval

Director: Eiji Suganuma

Author: Touya Mikanagi

U.S. Distributor: Funimation

Release Date: Jun 10, 2014

Format and Length: DVD/Blu-ray; 13 ep

Genre: action; sci-fi

Industry Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series: K; Star Driver

Synopsis:

Karneval tells the story of a world swimming in conspiracy and secret government organizations and cover-ups. The story follows a thief names Gareki who has only been looking out for himself his entire life. His motto is “Life always boils it down to three choices: enemy, obstacle, or easy mark.” That is the mantra he lived by up until he ran into a boy named Nai being held prisoner in a mansion. Gareki agrees to break Nai out as he deems the boy useful for his naïve innocence. What should have been an easy job becomes much more complicated when the owner of the mansion reveals herself to be a strange inhuman creature that wants to eat Nai and Gareki. Upon escape from the mansion, they stumble into an organization known as Circus which was investigating the mansion. It is revealed that Circus is a government organization whose purpose is to find and eliminate the criminal organization known as Kafka who has been creating the monsters which are called Varuga. Since the actions taken by Circus can be quite violent and could make a scene, they distract the public eye by holding a festival, the main attraction of which is an actual circus. Circus eventually discovers that Kafka has a special interest in Nai and then decide to use him to try to draw them out, and in turn they will help him find a man he is looking for: a man called Karuko who they find out is being held by Kafka.

Commentary:

Karneval is an all right series. It is not the greatest, but it is definitely not bad. The fight scenes are exciting to watch and the story is a good one. However, it does feel disconnected almost like the creators could not decide whether the main plot is Nai finding Karuko and the subplot is Circus taking down Karafka or vice versa. The comic relief is very well done as well. The way it is done plays off the characters’ naivety and makes it cute as well as amusing, especially when they encounter Circus’s robotic servants that look like rabbits and sheep.

One of this series’ main points is the outfits the characters wear. In fact, the character designs are easily the best part of Karneval. They are very flamboyant and over-the-top, which makes sense as they are in a “Circus.” There are two characters who seem to be in competition on who can wear a tux better. Even the monsters were designed excellently. They were all different and very creative, even if they were inspired by (if not downright copying) the Necromorphs from the Dead Space video games. There are only two characters that did not feel up to par and they were the protagonists. Gareki is basically a cookie-cutter angsty teenager and was easily the least creatively designed character, which was disappointing as he was one of the focal characters. The only problem with Nai’s character was the voice acting. He looks like he is supposed to be 14-16 years old, but he sounds like a 10 year old girl. This was probably done to emphasize his innocence, but it could still have been done easily if he had a more masculine voice that was more fitting of a boy of that age.

Overall, Karneval is a pretty good series. It has its problems, but it is still on the good end of the spectum.

Overall Grade: B+

Karneval overall was a decent series. The plot could never decide what direction it was going, but its still a good story. The character designs really take it though, most the characters are very interesting and are always fun to look at.

“In the Radius:”

Other similar titles to check out might be K or Star Driver

Aria The Origination Anime Review

Posted by :Joann On : June 22, 2014
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Aria The OriginationTitle: Aria The Origination

Director: Jun’ichi Sato

Studio: Hal Film Maker

U. S. Distributor: Nozumi

U. S. Re-Release Date: May 6th, 2014

Format: DVD / 13 Episode / 380 Minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, Fantasy

Age Rating: 13+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

 

Set in another world, in the quiet tourist town of Neo-Venezia, Aria follows the journeys of young women who are training to become the top gondoliers and tour guides.

Synopsis:

Series: Neo -Venezia is a town re-created to be like Venice in Italy. There are seveal companies that employ people who guide the gondolla boats through the canals. They are both like taxi drivers and tour guides. Each must go through long training and lots of practice to move through the ranks to be the top level godoilers called Primas.  Akari is training  as a gondolier at the Aria company under her Mentor Alicia.

Aria The Origination is the third season. Akari is working hard to learn about the city and its treasures. The warmer weather is here and the city seems more relaxed and quiet. Each new passenger helps Akari discover more about the city, the people and herself. In one trip, a lady passenger helps her to see an exceptionally beautiful hidden gem.

The 3 friends, Akari, Aika and Alice often practice together, and when they can, they head into the city to have a little fun spending time together. They  visit places like Cafe Florian which has an amazing and elaborate interior.  One day the see new cart selling little chocolate in cute jars. Akari eventually becomes the seller’s friend.

Besides being tour guides, the gondoliers can work with others from different companies on the taxi boats. They are a bit bigger and service the residents of the city. By meeting others, they not only make friends but learn and sharpen their skills.

To become a prima, it takes skill in managing the boat, in depth knowledge of the city and its sights, the characteristics to work with people and something a little extra. A special skill or something that makes one stand out. Becoming a Prima is not only reaching a goal, but it is a major life change. Alicia tells Akira her story of when her and her friends were working to become Primas and how that affected their lives. We also learn the history of the Aria company.

 

Commentary:

Aria really is about a Utopia. An ideal life where opportunity is gained by persistent work and practice, with a general appreciation for the world and all the places and people in it. The makes Aria inspirational, and a direction to aspire to. The characters are so grateful, even if they are feeling down and unhappy, their friends help pull them out of it and they then can find resolve to appreciate what they have and how they are to continue on their journey.

As an anime, the music support was really wonderful, it really help set the tone with out being distracting. It also created a way to feel what was going on inside the characters.

Visually, Aria is stunning. Great importance was put into the setting, making it nearly a character of great influence. The waterway, the skies and the buildings have a defined beauty. The architecture is taken from the real Venice, which is wonderfully brought to light in one of the extras.

President Aria, the cat mascot, was a real missed opportunity for cute. The way it looked with blank circles for eyes and walnuts for eyebrows were weird and distracting. It really confuses me why a anime that lives in the realm of beautiful and cute would have a character, especially a cat, have blank and nearly emotionless eyes. Really, eyes are vital in expressing a lot in anime. To mess it up further, the eyes are so low on President Aria’s  cheeks, it takes a couple of episodes to figure if the eyes are the circle or the brown things floating on its forehead.

The pacing of this anime comes across to me as rather slow. There’s little to be excited about as everything seems to float along. Except for some self doubt, there isn’t much that goes wrong, and nothing goes really bad. I never felt a need to see what happens next.  In fact, in long doses, it got tedious. I think the best way to see it would have been on episodic TV, where once a week I could look forward to taking respite in a beautiful world with wonderful characters.

Aria is suitable for all ages, and I assume is preferred by girls. It seems like the main audience will be girls, maybe 4th grade and up, but all the reading might be too advance for the younger age. I’m not saying that this isn’t enjoyable for a wider age range. But by not dubbing it, it always limits the audience, and for anime that seems to target an American audience not in the serious fan group, this can really hurt its scope.

This final set doesn’t use the other worldly setting much as in the firs two. It could have easily been in the real Italy except  for a few Japanese cultural influences.  The focus is with the characters, their relationship, and mostly about achieving their goal of becoming Primas.

 

Extras:

There are several picture drama that include stories like a trip to the hots springs and ghost stories.They are basically episodes where the camera moves around still pictures or cuts to a new one, but all with Japanese voice overs and English subtitles. Perhaps these were story boards that never made it into an anime episode.

Two of the participants in making the anime travel to Venice, we travel along to a video of the trip and the traveler’s later commentary. I highly recommend you watch this on the Extras disc.

Overall Grade: B+ The simple beauty of everyday life with deep appreciation for the world and community around us.

 

Ah My Buddha! Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : June 15, 2014
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Ah My Buddha!Title: Ah My Buddha!!

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Studio: Studio Deen

U. S. Distributor: Nozomi / Lucky Penny

U. S. Re-Release Date: June 3rd, 2014

Format: DVD / 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Harem, Supernatural

Age Rating: 16 +

Overall Personal Rating: B

 

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Ikkou Satonaka has raging hormones that make every other boy’s look simply weak in comparison. When he gets turned on, he’s literally turned into a super-powerful Buddhist monk capable of vanquishing the most evil of spirits! Ikkou’s parents send him to the Saienji Temple to train to become a proper monk under the watchful eye of his grandmother. One of his first challenges is to learn to control his lusty desires – but that’s easier said than done when he’s surrounded by a bevy of beautiful nun trainees who keep losing their clothes! Can Ikkou pull himself together, or will his pervy nature win out?

 

Commentary:

Following behind some other great Harem series like Ah! My Goddess and Ai Yori Aoshi, Ah My Buddha!! stays true to the sexy comedic format that made these harem anime so very popular. In this case it plays off the heavy use of a simple young man who is plagued with a very special spiritual ability that helps drive away demons and spirits who aim to cause harm. The only thing is that his awakening is brought on by his natural perversion and inability to control himself when flashed by a young women. Of course this leads to plenty of humors situations, but it also limits the series to a continual stream of some rather uncomfortable situation for the other young sisters in training.

For the viewer it comes across as an inevitable event, but after a while it becomes a little sexist in nature. It was nice to see this become a condition that Ikkou, our hero, is forced to learn how to control and something less of a prop and more of serious plot device.

The animation is still fresh looking today, almost 9 years after first released and the writing is strong enough to keep us entertained throughout the series. I do have to admit that all things being equal, this series is full of fun and sexy young women. It is classic in its depiction of young ladies and their full development that is clearly idealized.

Overall Grade: B

Ah My Buddha!! is very easy to watch and stays light enough to keep you coming back for more. One thing about Ah My Buddha! is that it is a perfect example of the style of series that had it height of popularity from the late 1990’s thru the mid 2000’s.  There are still plenty of new harem series being produced but they tend to have a darker side and some what more cynical outlook.  The one that has a very similar premise to Ah Mt Buhhda! is the more recent release I Can’t Play H where a young mans simple perversions make him a savior of humanity and the demon world. So, if you want some fan service and a relatively fun harem then Ah My Buddha!! would be a great choice. Thanks Nozomi/ Lucky Penny for bring this back to life for the next generation to experience the fun ans simple approach to telling a story of this nature.

Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster!: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (live action review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 13, 2014
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Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster!: Godzilla vs. Hedorahreview provided by Coyote (Batdad)

Title: Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster!: Godzilla vs. Hedorah on Blu-ray

Director: Yoshimitsu Banno

Starring: Akira Yamauchi, Hiroyuki Kawase, Toshie Kimura, Toshio Shibamoto, and Keiko Mari

Studio: Toho

U. S. Distributor: Kraken Releasing / Section 23

U. S. Release Date: May 6th, 2014

Original Release Date: July 24th, 1971

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 86 minutes

Age Rating: TV PG

Genre: Kaiju, Sci Fi

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

Forget about acid rain and global warming!  The worst ecological nightmare is actually Hedorah, which starts off small but quickly mutates into a giant flying monster capable of wiping out all life on whatever unfortunate planet it lands on! And since Hedorah grows by consuming the toxic gases and chemicals mankind has spilled into the air and water, in the early 1970’s that means that its potential growth is unlimited!  Fortunately for the human race, the Earth has the ultimate green defender who doesn’t need to sing protest songs or try to enact new laws to get things done.  Because nobody, and nothing, can stop Godzilla when he decides to push an environmental issue, and while Hedorah may be the dirtiest opponent Godzilla ever faced, his name is going to be mud by the time he’s been stomped into the whole Earth a few dozen times.  Get ready for the wildest Godzilla film ever as the social concerns and way out fashions of the seventies collide head on with the ultimate in big monster brawls in Godzilla vs. Hedorah!

Commentary:

Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster! is by far one of the most wildly creative Godzilla movies ever made.  It incorporates a healthy dose of metaphorical imagery and symbolism, psychedelic visions, animated cartoon interludes, and pop music that reflects the growing youth protest culture of the time.  Like the original Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1954), this feature delivers a stern warning to viewers, but changes focus from the dangers of nuclear radiation to ecological degradation.  Perhaps the most notable innovation is Godzilla’s role as a hero.

Although this Blu-Ray version doesn’t translate the title song “Save the Earth”, this environmental message presented by Banno is clear.  During this time period, Japan was suffering from serious problems with pollution, and Banno chose to respond with a somewhat darker tone.  The film is littered with grimey imagery of fuming smokestacks below Mount Fuji and cesspools of trash, scum, and dead fish polluting the waters.  Even the cartoon interludes bear a cynical tone with it’s gritty style.  At the same time, there is a youthful spirit of activism directed at the audience with psychedelic scenes shot in a Japanese nightclub and, later, a “Let’s rock like it’s Woodstock (even though there’s like nobody here)!” protest rally.  Other novelties include backgrounds with lava lamp splatters that resemble the polluted cesspools, multi-paneled shots to convey a sense of mass frenzy, and trippy dancers with fish heads to emphasize the fishy themes.  Despite the darker tone, there is still a campy spirit that has become so popular with the genre.

Hedorah is like a strange sentient version of the Blob that feeds off pollution and chemical waste. As it grows, it changes form from aquatic tadpole with big red eyes to terrestrial slime beast with big red eyes to aerial acid-spewing, lumpy pancake…with big red eyes.  It’s corrosively crappy composition makes it particularly resilient to physical attacks.  Plus, with spewing sludge, red eye lasers, and a tricky nature, Hedorah is quite a formidable villain that loves to fight dirty!  At one point he actually burns Godzilla to the bone, and later tries to bury our beloved kaiju alive in a pool of sludge.  Hedorah’s attacks are also the first graphic scenes of mass civilian casualties since the original, adding to the darker tone of the film.  Although it is theorized that Hedorah originated from outer space, it’s never actually confirmed, and man’s polluting habits still remain as the true source of the problem.

Godzilla proudly marches into the movie before a background of the rising sun as a  hero.  He is idolized by Ken (Kawase), who dreams of the mighty lizard destroying toxic cesspools with his atomic breath and likens him to Superman, which is even more hilarious because Godzilla also uses his atomic breath to fly during the final battle.  Unlike other versions of Godzilla as a rampaging destructive force indiscriminately toppling any buildings and structures in his way, this film shows him carefully sidestepping buildings and directing his measured attacks squarely against Hedorah with very little collateral damage.  Near the end, Godzilla even figures out how to use man’s failed technological solution to his advantage.  Godzilla is truly the ultimate green defender determined to defeat Hedorah to the end!

Overall Grade: A

The overall creativity of this Godzilla movie makes it one of my favorites.  You will not hear any “Oh, no! It’s Godzilla!” in this flick.  Godzilla’s role as an intelligent defender of the Earth, although unexplained, is strangely satisfying and will have everyone rooting for him.  Also, despite the darker tone and environmental messaging, there is still plenty of campy fun and lively entertainment to enjoy.  Just like many participants of the 1970’s, you are going to see some weird stuff in Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster!, and you’ll probably love it.

Date A Live Complete Series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 11, 2014
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Date A Live Complete Series

review provided by Luther

Title: Date A Live Complete Series

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Writer: Hideki Shirane

U. S. Distributor: FUNIMATION

U. S. Release Date: June 10th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 1 OVA / 311 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction, Harem

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

In a world devastated by mysterious Spatial Quakes, Shidoh isn’t what you’d expect in a hero. He’s an average Joe who gets bossed around by his adorable little sister and mocked by the popular girls at his school. You’d definitely pick him last for dodge ball, but when it comes to saving the planet from imminent destruction, Shidoh’s got one thing going for him: intergalactic hotties can’t keep their hands off him!

When the secret to stopping the Spatial Quakes turns out to be romancing the extraterrestrial Spirits responsible for all the chaos, Shidoh the loveable loser becomes the hero of all humanity. For every Spirit he makes out with, mankind breathes a little bit easier. Kiss the girls – save the world. That name of the game is driving the space babes crazy, and nobody does it better than Shidoh!

Commentary:

At its core Date A Live is a harem anime, in which an unsuspecting dull male protagonist spontaneously attracts a horde of eccentric women. In many ways Date A Live is just a standard harem, for even the heroines are common character types. So the show does have a somewhat generic feel to it, however that does work to its advantage in some ways. With the show being as short as it is, having characters that are very distinguishable and easy to connect with, I was able to get a relatively good understanding of who the characters are with the limited episodes available.

One thing that Date A Live does have that sets it apart from other harem anime is that the protagonist, Shidoh, goes on actual dates with all the girls. While this may not be a revolutionary concept, it’s definitely not something I’ve seen in a lot of harem anime. There is also a lot of action in this series, for these dates will explode in to fantastical fights between super powerful girls. Though the change in action can be sudden and drastic, the transitions are well done and work well with the setting of the story.

Overall Personal Grade: B

Although Date A Live isn’t anything outstanding, it has bold characters in a memorable story and a good mix of action and romance. If you are a fan of harem anime, this series should not be missed.

Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster!: Ebirah – Horror of the Deep! (movie review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 8, 2014
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Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster!: Ebirahreview provided by Coyote better known as Batdad

Title: Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster!: Ebirah – Horror of the Deep! on Blu-ray

Director: Jun Fukuda

Starring: Akira Takarada, Kumi Mizuno, Akihiko Hirata, and Jun Tazaki

Studio: Toho

U. S. Distributor: Kraken Releasing / Section 23

U. S. Release Date: May 6th, 2014

Original Release Date: December 17th, 1966

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 88 minutes

Age Rating: TV PG

Genre: Kaiju, Sci Fi

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

When Ryota’s brother Yata disappears at sea, the intrepid youth and his friends join forces with a slightly trustworthy bank robber, steal a boat and go after him! Of course, there’s the little problem that Yata may be lost on a mysterious island where the evil terrorist organization Red Bamboo has enslaved natives to make heavy water for nefarious purposes. And that means dealing with the island’s monstrous, 164 feet tall guardian Ebirah, as well as Red Bamboo’s arsenal of super advanced weaponry. On the plus side, help may be at hand in the form of a nubile island girl, two tiny fairies, their giant protector Mothra and the big G himself, the mighty Godzilla. Surviving the results of all that “assistance” may not be guaranteed, but Red Bamboo will never want to tangle with teenagers and Godzilla at the same time again! Take a South Seas cruise to non-stop mayhem and giant monster destruction with Ebirah – Horror of the Deep!

Commentary:

Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster! is a classic example of a campy Godzilla flick. Unlike the original black-and-white Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1954) which was steeped in dark overtones about the dangers of the man’s use of destructive forces, this exciting feature is a straight shot sci-fi action adventure about the good guys working together to stop the bad guys. Godzilla is more rampaging anti-hero than monstrous villain. His destructive nature just happens to do more harm to the bad guys which is great for everyone else.

King Kong fans will be correct for suspecting this tale of originally being written for the big ape, who was featured just a few years earlier in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). This is mostly evident in the odd discovery of Godzilla being found sleeping in a cave, and the strange allure he has for the native island girl Daiyo (Kumi Mizuno). Also, Godzilla’s first battle with Ebirah involves kicking and hitting boulders back and forth like a beach volleyball, which seemed more like a poo-flinging monkey kind of tactic. 

Despite a lot of shooting by the bad guys, the casualties are pretty low. A couple of escaping islanders are shot in the distance, and two others (as miniatures) are skewered by Ebirah, but without any bloody gore. At one point, one of the heroes escapes a volley of gunfire by accidently riding a large balloon to the neighboring Infant Island, home to Mothra (Yeah, baby!). For any parents trying to figure out what level of parental guidance they should exercise for their little Godzilla fans, I only noticed one scientist that was actually bloodied by falling debris and died, but in all fairness, he was a bad guy using his skills for evil. Godzilla’s final battle with the giant crustacean Ebirah may seem a bit brutal to some, but really isn’t anything more than what you might see at a Red Lobster restaurant.

On a brighter note, Ebirah’s choice theme music is surfer rock music. He cranks it up like whenever he’s making waves, dude. As an added bonus, Mothra provides an assist to Godzilla’s haphazard heroics. A fair amount of miniatures, the usual over-the-top voice dubbing, and a smattering of bright colors among the costumes, sets, and effects also adds to the fun, and makes for an exciting adventure without getting too dark.

Overall Grade: A-

I really had a great time watching this one with my kids. A hidden island, a not too mysterious monster, bomb-building baddies, enslaved islanders, and a ragtag group of friends to awaken Godzilla are all the ingredients you need for a little fun-in-the-sun excitement. All in all, Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster! is an entertaining flick that’s easy to follow, perfect for any Saturday afternoon with friends and family.

 

Samurai Bride (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 7, 2014
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Samurai BrideTitle: Samurai Bride on Blu-ray

Director: KOBUN

Studio: Arms

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U. S. Release Date:  June 24th

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Harem, Fantasy, Comedy, Fan Service!!!!

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: C+

 

Synopsis:

Things seemed to be going so well for Muneakira Yagyu. On top of dealing with Jubei, the immortal samurai warrior who fell out of the sky and into his arms and lips, he used his ability to awaken the latent power of a female samurai with a kiss to successfully juggle a handful of very powerful, very female master samurai, AND led them all to victory against the minion of a great evil. So was it too much to ask for a little break in the routine of saving Japan?

Apparently it was, as another great evil has appeared in the land, this one even stronger than the last. However, that’s the least of Muneakira’s problems, because with all the women he’s kissed in order to awaken their latent samurai powers, the inevitable has finally happened. Someone’s taking the long walk down the aisle with a samurai girl! It’s going to be a really old-fashioned wedding and any resistance by the groom will be totally feudal!

Commentary:

Ok, all you fans of Samurai Girls here comes the next installment. All the bouncing women parts are making their way through this simplistic story of light vs dark. Of course the series characters take on the names of famous historical figures, but all of these figures must be rolling in their graves with the depiction of their famous personas. I doubt seriously that the great Yagyu, Jubei was ever interested in being depicted as a rather  simple young woman, but this is not the first time his should has found its way into a rather bountiful young women. The thing with this series is the fact that it is really focused on the fan service.

Studio Arms has done its best at what it does best Samurai Bride. That is depicting the female form and showing to off from opening credits throughout the entire series to the closing credits. On the other hand the male characters much less developed and they clearly are secondary figures and represent a vessel for that viewer to use as a conduit to the women.

Overall Personal Grade:

Samurai Bride is not a series for everyone and in fact it has a rather narrow audience in the U. S. When putting the series together I can tell that the target audience is males between age 17 to 30 and it is put together just for them. I guess there can be some cross over, but seriously doubt if it will find a place in many other collection. For the harem, Fan Service crowd this one will hit a home run. This one is a classic of the idealized female form and does have its moments of real comedic relief that makes it fun. So, if you are looking for something that will arouse and humor you at the same time then Samurai Bride is just the thing you are looking for!