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Sunday Without God (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : October 25, 2014
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Sunday Without GodTitle: Sunday Without God Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Hiromi Mizutani

Studio: Madhouse

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 21st, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 1 OVA / 325 Minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy, Mystery

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Fifteen years ago on a Sunday, God abandoned the world and closed the gate to Heaven, leaving the souls of humankind trapped in limbo. With the dead unable to rest and the living unable to have children, the world is slowly coming to a halt. The only key to mankind’s salvation rests with the Gravekeepers, mysterious beings charged with the task of sending the deceased to their final resting place.

Twelve-year-old Ai, one of the last children in the world, soon finds herself shouldered with the burden of becoming her village’s newest Gravekeeper. But beneath the village’s unassuming exterior lies a dark secret that is revealed with the arrival of a gun-wielding stranger in black. With her position as a Gravekeeper now uncertain, Ai has no choice but to set out to put the living dead to rest. But in a world where no one can die, is death truly the ultimate blessing?

Commentary:

Conceptually Sunday Without God is an interesting proposition. To pull it off and take the subject matter seriously would be very hard to do. In the early episodes things don’t add up as well as I wanted, but by the third episode things start to come together. I have to admit there is a twist up front I didn’t expect and part of me id not sure if it makes much sense. Anyway, the series does come together and provide some semblance of living up to its title.

The real strength to the series is the animation done by Madhouse. The look is classic anime with a cute girl being the main protagonist. And the rest of the characters either being sweet and cute or strange and somewhat bizarre or older and worn out. The overall style is somewhat typical, but there are moments when the look becomes a little rustic with a truly ethereal feel that is an important tie-in to the series.

Overall Grade: B

There are such great possibilities with the subject matter and in some ways Sunday Without God delivers and in others it misses the mark. I’m not sure why the main girl had to be so cute and simplistic. I think that if the story had been re-written to make all the characters older would have made more sense and also given the plot a dramatic edge that it is missing. For the most part I found it to be relatively entertaining and when I forgot about the plot it was down right fun.

To really enjoy the series I would tell you to leave the concept behind the story at the door and just sit back and watch it without any preconceptions. That way the cuteness and melancholy that is presented early on is received with a viewpoint that doesn’t jade the rest of the series.

if, you are looking for a series that makes you think, you might want to look elsewhere. If you are looking for a series that looks great and entertains at a level that is both fun and somewhat thoughtful, then Sunday Without God is a series that you will enjoy and should check out.

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.

Bayonetta Bloody Fate Feature Film (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : October 17, 2014
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Bayonetta Bloody FateTitle: Bayonetta Bloody Fate

Director: Fuminori Kizaki

Studio: Gonzo

U. S. Distributor: Funimation

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 21st, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / DVD / 90 minutes / Feature Flim

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Adventure, Gaming Related

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis: 

Twenty years after her awakening, Bayonetta is still searching for clues that could help unravel the mysteries of her dark past. Aided in her quest by the clandestine weapon smith Rodin – and his deadly creations: Scarborough Fair – Bayonetta continues to leave a trail of angel corpses in her wake. Her search for answers leads to encounters with a mysterious – and eerily familiar – little girl, a vengeance-obsessed journalist, and a deadly white-haired beauty that seems to know more about Bayonetta than the witch herself.

As she moves through the mystery she begins to discover some rather interesting aspects to her life. Will these remembrances lead her to the truth or will she fall pray to the evil that lies within the secret that has left her without her memories?

Commentary:

Bayonetta Bloody Fate is a slick and fanciful story that gives us an eyeful of a bountiful woman who may not know who she is but she does know that she hates angles and is destine to be the Witch who is out to end the reign of the evil ones. Her re-emergence signals the beginning of the end or is it. She has more power than any angle can through at her and when she comes face to face with another Witch all bets are off.

The story is fast and flows at a furious pace that may be one of its greatest weakness. It told the story so fast that it did allow for any time to digest what was going on and lacked to give any nuances that would have made a big difference. Even with the slick graphics the story fell flat.

I have to admit I did enjoy the look of the film. It was well crafted and Gonzo proved itself as still being a top creator who can take even a weak story and make it look great. If it wasn’t for the heavy stylized animation I feel as though Bayonetta would have been left on the editors floor to become just another anime that never made any difference.

Overall Grade: B-

With the Bayonetta franchise behind the film it might be able to find some reasonable fandom, but I am afraid that once if has time to make the rounds it might be left on the self as just another anime that failed to capture the essence of the game it came from. If you are looking for some great eye candy then give this a chance. If you are looking for a solid story that has a lot to give them maybe you should look else where. Although Bayonetta herself is hot and looks good in lots of black hair.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods

Posted by :Patches On : October 6, 2014
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Dragon Ball Z: Battle of GodsTitle: Dragon Ball Z Movie: Battle of Gods

Director: Masahiro Hosoda

Studio: Toei Animation

U. S. Distributor: Funimation

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 7th, 2014

Format: DVD/ Blu-ray / Feature Film / 105 Minutes

Genre: Shonen, Action Adventure, Martial Arts Battle

Age Rating: TV 13

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Following the events of the Dragon Ball Z television series, after the defeat of Majin Buu, a new power awakens and threatens humanity. Beerus, an ancient and powerful God of Destruction, searches for Goku after hearing rumors of the Saiyan warrior who defeated Frieza. Realizing the threat Beerus poses to their home planet, the Z-fighters must find a way to stop him before it’s too late. Only Goku, humanity’s last hope, can ascend to the level of a legendary Super Saiyan God and stop Beerus from destroying Earth, and possibly the entire universe!

Commentary:

In the world of anime there are some very consistent truths and one of those truths is that Dragon Ball Z will never end. With that thought in mind you might think why would they keep making these movies, well the simple fact is that the fans are all nuts about it no matter how good or bad the movie is. In the case of Battle of Gods I guess you could say it was good. At least better than most of the films. It does everything any dragon ball fan wants to see and then just a little more. There is plenty of high action and Goku on the verge of getting beet. There is a foe that appears to be more powerful than anything anyone except the Kai’s have ever see. There is a mythical story about a Saiyen or should I say a Saiyen God. There is also Vegeta, well being Vegeta.

If there is anything really missing it is that Krillin doesn’t die and also has a full head of hair. For me those are two things that are right out misses for me.  Everybody is there for Bulma’s big birthday bash which give way to some very funny action and also some rather goofy stunts. Honestly I enjoyed the action at the party more than the fighting. It still ends up being the bash to be at for all of the characters.

Overall Grade: B

Even though I enjoyed the film for what it is, I can still say it is not an outstanding film in its own right. If it didn’t have so much history and story behind it I think that Battle of Gods would be a rather average action film at best. Most of the jokes are there because of the series and simply put if you don’t know the series then you won’t understand what is going on most of the time. Of course there may only be 5 people on earth that would sit down to watch this film and not know the back story.

Battle of Gods is a relatively good Dragon Ball Z film and it does one thing that most of the films don’t do, and that is to lead you to the next story. Battle of Gods does everything it can to setup the future for the franchise and look out once it gets hear you better keep your arms and hands tucked in or you might loose something on the ride.

Psychic Detective Yakumo Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Posted by :Patches On : September 30, 2014
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Psychic Detective Yakumo Title: Psychic Detective Yakumo: Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Tomoyuki Kurokawa

Written By: Hiroyuki Kawasaki

Original Novel by: Manabu Kaminaga

Studio: Bee Train

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Sept. 30th 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Psychological Drama, Mystery, Detective Fiction, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating B

Synopsis:

Haruka Ozawa’s sophomore year is getting seriously scary. One of her friends is possessed, another has committed suicide, and Haruka could be next. She has a real talent for digging up secrets, but some killers won’t hesitate to kill again to keep those same secrets safely buried. So, how does Haruka get out of this potentially lethal dead end?

She’ll have to convince Yakumo Saito, an enigmatic student born with a mysterious red eye that allows him to see and communicate with the dead, to team up with her. Will Haruka be able to solve the ultimate in dead case files with Yakumo’s help? Or will they end up in cold storage themselves? They may just have a ghost of a chance.

Commentary:

Even though it has been almost a year and a half since Psychic Detective Yakumo was released in the U. S. inDVD format, it is good to see it coming back into the spotlight for the Blu-ray release. The series is a very special one because of the way it approaches the world the series is wrapped up in. It allows us to believe in things that typically scare us but in fact are not the source of despair that most ghost stories wan to lead you to believe. In fact it is the ghost that help solve the mystery and end up just being nothing more than souls that still had something to say.

I really like the way they portrayed Yakumo Saito. He comes across as a cold dejected person who does not care at all about the world around him but as we move through the series we begin to see just how connected and caring he really is. There are moments when I wanted him to show a little more emotion and maybe even give Haruka something that would help her bond better, but I guess that is part of the charm that is this somewhat dark series. I say somewhat dark because it is more of a mystery or deceptive series that a ghost or horror series. I can’t say so much for Haruka’s character. As much as I wanted to like her I just felt like she got in the way most of the time. I realize that she added some sexapeal, but this series didn’t need that. I do have to hand to the writers, they could have made her character to be a ditz but they did give her a relatively solid personality that could handle complex situations.

The plot of the series did drag a little at first but once it got moving everything began to fall in place and it ended up being somewhat of a solid storyline. The animation by Bee Train fit well with the subject matter my only issue is that Yakumo took on a rather stereotypical profile that made him end up being closer to L from death Note than a recluse who can see ghost. His quirky person worked well for a while but in the end it drug his character down just a little too much. I can’t say it was overwhelming but by making essentially a human with a lazy cats aloof personality didn’t play as well as it could have.

Overall Grade: B

Psychic Detective Yakumo is a solid detective mystery  series that will keep you watching. I know that the series was a live action TV show in 2006 ad I would have loved to see it broadcast. I’m sure it was well received. I also know that there are a series of light novels that preceded both the TV, anime and manga series. As a person who loves books I would like to read some of the novels, I’m sure that the characters are richer and much more fun to move through the stories with.

All-in-all I have to say that Psychic Detective Yakumo is a solid series that could have been great. It just lacked in character development and some relative basic styling. Other than that it was a genuinely entertaining series with plenty of drama and mystery to go around.

 

Golden Time collection 1

Posted by :Patches On : September 28, 2014
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Golden Time Collection 1Title: Golden Time Collection 1

Director: Chiaki Kon

Author:  Yuyko Takemiya (Light Novel), Fumihiko Shimo (Anime)

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Sept. 30th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama, Josei

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Tada Banri is beginning anew in the busy streets of Tokyo as a freshman student at a private law school, away from the troubles of his former life. While managing to get lost on his very first day of class, he finds himself befriending fellow law student Mitsuo on the way. Things get a little more interesting when a stylishly well-dressed beauty suddenly appears – only for her to slap Mitsuo across the face with a bouquet of roses!

The mystery girl is Mitsuo’s childhood friend and self-appointed future bride Kaga Koko. It seems that more problems are on the horizon for Banri and his new friends with a troubling secret that will change them forever. What kind of new life has Banri stepped into and will he be able to survive the trials ahead of him? Join this group of friends as they attempt to discover themselves while juggling love, life, and a little drama!

Commentary:

One of the more popular story lines in anime over the last few years has been the use of amnesia as a important plot device. In Golden Time the discovery of this issue comes on slow, but ends up playing a very important role is creating the tension and drama in this straight forward love story. I have to say that using amnesia for this story works well and the way that it is given an almost counter intuitive aspect gives the series a life of its own.

The diversity in the characters also makes the series work well. It really does have the feeling of a collage where the students come from all walks of life and have a broad and various backgrounds. We have the rich who generally haven’t experienced much in life outside their sheltered worlds and there are also students form the other end of the spectrum who have seen all kinds of experiences and don’t always have the common sense to show restraint.

The animation itself is classic J. C. Staff. It looks warm and inviting.  I would think most us would connect with the artist work similar to Torardora! and even Waiting in the Summer. There is also some of the same feeling of visual statement found in Heavens Memo Pad. Golden Time continues to show why J. C. Staff continues to dominate these warm heartfelt stories and showcase their ability to make the visual and emotional come together.

Overall Grade: A-

I am easily soft at heart or rather a easy target for these emotional stories that give you great hope for the story and at the same time lee you wondering which way the love story will fall. There are plenty of possibilities left for Golden Time and don’t even come close to believe that it will stay on the same trajectory that it is on. I think that the second half of the story will bring the story home in a wonderful way that will not only continue to give us hope in the power of love but also in the spirit of the human soul.

If you enjoy love stories that have a twist and want to see one that takes place in college rather than high school then you must check out Golden Time. It is a winner in my book.

 

Fate / kaleid liner Prisma * Illya

Posted by :Patches On : September 28, 2014
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Fate / Kaleid LinerTitle: Fate / kaleid liner Prisma * Illya on Blu-ray

Directors: Shin Onuma, Takashi Sakamoto and Miki Minato

Studio: Sliver Link

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: September 2nd, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 11 Episodes / 275 minutes

Genre: Magical Girl, Comedy, Action

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Synopsis:

llyasviel von Einzbern’s normal life is suddenly halted by the Kaleidostick Ruby, a magical wand on the run from her former master who instantly decides that little Illya has all the right stuff to become the next great magical girl. However, Ruby’s previous owner Rin Tohsaka isn’t exactly thrilled to be de-wanded, especially since she’s just accepted an assignment to collect the seven legendary Class Cards. It seems the only solution is for Illya to take up the task and learn the ropes under Rin’s supervision.

Meanwhile, a girl named Miyu has been chosen by the Kaleidostick Sapphire as HER new master, much to the irritation of Sapphire’s previous master, Rin’s arch rival Luviagelita Edelfelt! Exactly what kind of plan are the wands conjuring up? Find out as the Fate/stay night universe “kaleids” with a healthy dose of magical girl mayhem!

Commentary:

The Fate franchise is a being fan favorite and most of the fans will be happy to enjoy the fun that comes with Fate / Kaleid Liner. Of course I went straight to the connection with the past and began to see this as a modern day version of Cardcaptor Sakura. With Fate / Kaleid Liner being much shorter and much less diverse leaves it lacking in impact and entertainment. Fate / kaleid liner is fun and funny along with having plenty of action but it ends up leaving me a little flat.  The real reason for this lack of impact is clearly linked to the limited development of the main characters.  Both Illya and Miyu have great potential and their characters are left on the floor with only limited understanding of who they are. In fact there is so much about these two that is suggested that it is disappointing that we just don’t find out who and what they really are.

If you can set the week character development aside the rest of the story was solid but once again rather single layered. There is a lot that happens and plenty of action along with a solid growth in the girls abilities, but there end up being more questions than answers at the end of it all. I guess that the second season of the series will explain most of these dark secrets.

Anyway, I can say that the series is good looking and I understand why it is released on Blu-ray. The production is slick and everything looks very good. With the action happening at night it is easy to make this look rather dark, but the overall artist style of the series saved it from being too dark. There is also the look of the heroins, they all come off looking great. The silly magical girl look for Illya and Miyu sets a goofy tone and at the same time pokes fun at the entire genre.

Overall Grade: C+

As I am sure that the Fate fans will enjoy this I have a feeling that other might find it lacking depth and context. Without a solid understanding of Rin & Luvia’s background it might be hard to get into the series. Their obvious tension and loathing for each other and yet ability to fight with some very special unity is a little confusion from time to time and most notably in the opening episode. The things that make this series worth watching art the fights and the overall good look and artistic styling to the series.

I am very interested to see how these characters are played out in the next part to this story which just wrapped in Japan on Sept. 10th, 2014.

Kampfer: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Posted by :Patches On : September 23, 2014
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Kampfer: The Complete CollectionReview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Kampfer: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Yasuhiro Kuroda

Studio: Nomad

Author: Toshihiko Tsukiji

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 23, 2014

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 2 OVA’s / 350 Minutes

Genre: Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, School, Super Power

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Ikki tousen, IS: Infinite Stratos, and Sekirei

Synopsis:

Waking up transformed into a beautiful girl might be the stuff of some guys’ fantasies, but when the suddenly effeminized Natsuru is informed by a stuffed tiger that he is now a Kampfer, a mystical fighter who has to fight other Kampfers in female form, his life becomes a living nightmare. Putting aside the obvious issues of turning into a girl, Natsuru’s best childhood friend turns out to swing the other way and she has a crush on his new female body. But that is not complex enough for Natsuru as his school has separate sections for boys and girls, so he and she are now double enrolled. The rumor-mill is running wild saying that he is dating herself. Then there are those other crazy Kampfers who want to take her out. But does that mean on a date or permanently?

Things get even trickier when Natsuru becomes convinced that it would be a good idea to move in with his three Kampfer friends for their “mutual defense.” Natsuru must become a full-fledged wonder woman or die trying in this full-contact, no-holds-barred, Amazon action-fest that is Kampfer: The Complete Collection.
Commentary:

Let me start by saying I am somewhat separating this review. Kampfer: The Complete Collection is true to its name as it included both the TV series and the OVAs on this Blu-ray edition. I am extremely happy to see that they grouped them together instead of separating them, not making you have to buy an additional set to finish it off. Good work Sentai Filmworks!

Kampfer: The Complete Collection is a series that packs a lot in. Want action? Fighting? There’s some of that. Romance? Yep, got it. Echhi fan service? Why not. Comedy and humor? Boy you want a lot don’t ya, but it’s in there. A poor high school boy that wakes up one day to find that ‘its’ not there anymore, replaced by the parts of the other sex, and a disemboweled stuffed animal tiger with an eye patch, is talking to him, telling him he is now a Kampfer? Yep, just what you wanted, right? You ask for a lot. But that’s not a problem. You can have all this, and without the need for a shrink afterwards. Awesome! Kampfer: The Complete Collection is that series.

Kampfer: The Complete Collection manages to combine all those attributes and does it successfully. Not overpowering any one aspect, it covers all you could ever want from a series like this, except for being a bit more unique. It does share many of the same themes as other series, with a few exceptions. The male lead is forced to become a female to fight. That’s a bit different. Another thing is that though action is considered a main theme, there was some, but never was it a main theme. No crazy multi-episode bouts, with heavy destruction and the elimination of a character. Just kinda fun little skirmishes meant to keep things lively. The other thing that sets it way apart is character development. Most of the time character development will be non-existent in series with similar themes. Kampfer took the time to develop the characters, and give each their own personalities.

Kampfer: The Complete Collection is a very funny anime series to say the least. The humor, though not necessarily blatant, is clouded in heavy innuendo and sexual jokes. They don’t say what they mean outright, but anyone with any intelligence will know what they are going for. Not quite over the top but close. Kampfer does primarily focus on echhi and romance, and has a shounen fighting feel to it at times, but that does not last too long, and neither is overpowering one or the other. Though it seems every girl in that school ‘prefers the company of other girls’, it hardly stops whatever romance they can come up with. There was fan service for those who like it, again not too overpowering or dominating everything else out of the equation.

The two OVA episodes are the continuation of season one of Kampfer and explain what really happened after the final battle of the series. They also added an additional special episode just for the laughs. If you liked the original Kampfer, you will also like this one. There are more girl on girl battles, more guy trying to figure out how to be girl while trying to handle a love, multi pointed two-dimensional object crazier than any triangle, and more all female harems. That and fan-service; must not forget the fan-service. There was a ton of comedy in the two OVA episodes but there was also a ton of fan-service, much more in these two episodes than in the entire TV series in my opinion.

The animation was pretty good and the opening and closing themes were catchy. The voice actors did an amazing job and really brought the characters to life. I really wish that Kampfer: The Complete Collection had wrapped up the series because I hate that I do not know what will happen in the end. The story line was actually interesting and they could have made additional episodes or a movie to wrap everything up. They really had a good concept with the Kampfer’s fighting battles on earth that decided the future of far away planets. They could have done so much more but I am hopeful that eventually they wrap up everything and release either more episodes or a movie.

Extras:

Kampfer: The Complete Collection includes the short animation “Amazing Bowel Familiars”, clean opening and closing animations, and Sentai Filmworks trailers. This release is only available in Japanese language with English subtitles.

Overall Grade: B

Kampfer: The Complete Collection is a really interesting anime and I recommend it for anyone who is into the fighting ecchi genre of anime.

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : September 23, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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Stella Women’s Academy High School Review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection

Director: Masayoshi Kawajiri

Studio: Gainax

Author: Getsumin Ikoma

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 2, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Action, Comedy, School, Sports, Military, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating:C

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Girls und Panzer and Upotte!!

Synopsis:

Yura Yamato has just arrived at Stella Women’s Academy. She transferred in wanting to avoid people from her old school, seeking a “new life” because her shy nature has made her a social outcast at her middle school. On her first day she remains shy, but is overwhelmed with requests to join a club called C³, who are lacking members. After finding out her roommate Sonora was also part of the club, she was again extended an invitation to join. It quickly becomes clear that the girls of Stella Women’s Academy are VERY different. She joins C³ (which stands for Command, Control and Communications) whose main afterschool activity is playing survival games! It’s not a typical teenage girl pastime, but Sonora and her trigger-happy friends are seriously into it. The question that puts Yura in the crosshairs of a dilemma is if she has what it takes to join up, stand up, and deliver in the face of friendly fire.

Commentary:

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection on its face looked to be another notch in the belt of the “cute girls doing cute things” slice of life genre, a genre that has had a few successful entries in the last two years. Right off the bat, it wastes no time starting out as a “cute girls doing cute things” series. Cute girls playing war games with airsoft guns. What’s not to like? The main story line revolves around Yura, the quiet newbie that everyone continuously tries to get to come out of her shell. It continues on its way the way all the others did. It looked like it was gonna be a cliché addition to all the rest. At this point you are looking for something to differentiate one series from another. Then out of nowhere it changes. Suddenly it adds a supernatural link. A deity from feudal Japan suddenly joins the story line, to teach someone that they have some special power. The artistry in this portion is quite good. At first it seemed it would be quite an intriguing addition. You are suddenly drawn back in wondering where they may take this. You think of how this could make the series very unique. They focus on it quite strongly… For one episode… Then it returned back to the slice of life it was beforehand completely forgetting that a feudal deity ever even appeared. Then out of nowhere it changes once again. Then it becomes a motivational story line. How with hard work, you can do anything. That lasted for maybe one and a half episodes. After that it quickly becomes completely serious, a lesson teacher. Suddenly morals come into play. It’s now a story about how a character loses sight of what’s really important while chasing a dream and how she works to gain it back. This at least sticks around for a few episodes. Then once again, all is forgotten and returns back to being cute. This discombobulated mess tends to leave you scratching your head. Don’t get me wrong. Individually, they are all good ideas to go with this type of series, to help further expand the normally weak story line. But the problem is that they cannot seem to choose a direction of which they want to go. And this odd range of choices does not go well together, since they can’t seem to pick which one they really want to go with. And they change the idea as quickly as a quack experimental anime. I wish they would have choose one and stuck with it.
The character development was pretty decent. Even at the end you tend to see everyone is likeable, and that each have individual, and maybe a little cliché, but developed personalities. You even tend to like the person you least expected to like. The art was standard. Not anything special, except the details of the supernatural scene, and the weapons. None actually look like airsoft unless you see them loading and charging them. With no differentiating characteristics from the real thing, you would probably be arrested for having one in Japan. The battle background music caught my ear quickly, being a nice higher tempo modern jazz piece. The opening and ending were nothing special either. Overall I had high hopes for this one and they made sure to quash them at every turn.
Extras:

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with only Japanese language with English subtitles.

Overall Grade: C

While I enjoyed watching Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection, it fell short of what it could have been.