BitSnark

Dammit. I didnt even realise how close it was. Yup, ADV’s license marks the second release of the cherished (certainly by me anyways) and classic original Macross TV series in North America. Although I already own the AnimEigo sets, I still want the ADV set just outta a morbid curiosity for a) the dub and b) possible extras considering they’re going with a two-disc format for each volume.

Plus! I think the box art looks quite nice too, whaddya think?

http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/4818.php (cut ‘n’ paste that sucker)

Macross is currently due for (re)release on the 10th of January and runs 36 Episodes across seven volumes. Get saving kids! ^_~

Whilst we’re on the subject of Mamoru Oshii, here’s a review of one of his finest.

Ghost In The Shell

Genre: Sci-fi Cyberpunk
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Distributor: Manga Entertainment UK
Duration: One movie – 85 minutes approx.
Production Creation: 1995

Plot Synopsis

Based on Masamune Shirow’s near legendary manga, Ghost In The Shell is one of the few anime movie features that can be credited for spearheading anime penetration in the West.

It is AD 2029. Networks are everywhere and everybody wishes to become a part of them. Technology has advanced to the point where people can augment entire sections of their body to fit their medical needs, personal requirements or vocation. All such people who augment themselves still retain, at least in part, their human brain. Within this brain, is the ‘ghost’ or ‘soul’ of each cyborg, and due to the links with cyber overnetworks, ghosts can now be hacked and manipulated by those who know how and false memories are able to be implanted.

When the interpreter of a high ranking government official is targeted by a mysterious hacker known only as the ‘Puppet Master’ and is subsequently ghost hacked, Special Section Nine of the state owned police force is called in to help. Section Nine’s finest officer, Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg herself, is assigned to the case. However, the ‘Puppet Master’ will lead her into a world political espionage, physical danger and even to question her very own existence and what it means to be human.

The Review

From the camp of anime fans who say that Ghost In The Shell isn’t all that, to the camp that says it’s a mature sci-fi masterpiece, Ghost In The Shell has enjoyed a wide variety of opinions from anime fan and otaku alike. Regardless though, no anime fan can deny that it’s remains a landmark anime almost eight years on.

Produced by Production I.G, one of the major animation powerhouses of Japan, Ghost In The Shell enjoys very high production values and this is immediately evident as visually, Ghost In The Shell is absolutely breathtaking. The animators and artists have really done a superb job of bringing Shirow’s vision of quasi-futuristic cityscapes, locations and it’s characters to life. Complex skyscrapers, sprawling computer laboratories, urban areas and even run down slums are brought to vivid life with some of the most detailed background art seen in an anime feature since Akira.

The characters though, are something you will largely hate or like depending on whether or not you’ve read the manga. If you’re like me, and haven’t read any or only read very little of the manga, the character designs won’t offend you as they are detailed, expressive and quite stylish. Those of you who are massive fans of the manga though, won’t be too enthralled with what you see here, as the characters, Motoko in particular, bear a scant resemblance to their manga counterparts.

The animation also benefits from the high production values too with fluid and precise movements throughout. CG is also used in places, although sparingly so, to display such things as cloaking devices, explosions and such like. One sequence that takes place at the start of the film, which shows Motoko’s cybernetic overhaul, showcases this lavish animation wonderfully and to this day looks as stunning now as it did during it’s original release.

The soundtrack by Kenji Kawai (Patlabor movies 1,2 and WXIII) is a perennial favourite of mine as it’s very atmospheric, starkly sombre and quite haunting. A special mention must also go to the music that accompanies a group of scenes in the film which shows Motoko wondering in different parts of the city in both slow motion and a mixture of still frames. Drawing influences from Chinese folk music and various other oriental choral melodies, it’s simply a very stirring piece of music that not only adds layers of atmosphere to the anime but also compounds the fact that the soundtrack is among the most memorable i’ve heard to date.

When we dig past the impressive audiovisual aspects of the film, Ghost In The Shell appears to almost break under the weight of it’s undeniably impressive scope and range of themes, but thankfully is saved by Oshii’s typically tight and somewhat methodical direction. There are aspects of politics, introspection, dystopian ideals, self-reflection and many other themes that may have proven too much for other directors to fully explore, but are done so here with admirable success. Some may see the slow and deliberate pace of the film as a factor that acts as it’s detriment, and as such will probably turn action fans off pretty quickly. However, the slower pace works to its advantage since this is an intelligent work that requires a more deliberate pace to engage the viewer to a fuller extent.

Unlike Akira, Ghost In The Shell doesn’t suffer from any kind of compression problems as far as the plot and characters go, but it’s still fairly easy for the uninitiated to become confused since there are a lot of profound and abstract moments in the movie that wouldn’t make too much sense on the first viewing. Nevertheless, the cohesiveness of the tight storyline and characters to the impressively daunting technical aspects of the production remain a balancing act that Ghost In The Shell just about manages perfectly.

Also unlike Akira, there are many times in the film where Oshii encourages the viewer to fill in the narrative gap with their own thoughts and conclusions and as a result, you never feel like that this is a ‘dumb anime’ but rather an intelligent feature film that forces you to think and contemplate rather than have everything spelled out in front of you. The previously mentioned scenes of Motoko walking through the city, flicking between frames containing shop windows, graffiti walls, broken down houses and aircraft soaring slowly overhead, are complete devoid of are perfect examples of this.

Ghost In The Shell is a landmark anime that still retains the same poignancy and ability to compel now as it did when I first saw it. As an anime feature to gain notoriety across the world, it’s importance shouldn’t be understated as in a stark contrast to Akira which had a compressed plot and underdeveloped characters, Ghost In The Shell manages an impressive interpolation with all it’s elements to a create a whole which remains true to it’s impressive hyperbole and strong caliber.

Simply unmissable.

Ratings Summary

Animation: A+
Art: A
Music: A+
Content: A

Overall: A+

Review by: JP Jones

Suitability for children

There are a few extremely violent scenes in Ghost In The Shell along with a smattering of mild profanity (mostly from Batou) and a bit of nudity (mostly from Motoko). Strictly for those aged 15+.

If you liked this why not try…

Ghost In The Shell: Innocence – DreamWorks Entertainment
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Bandai Entertainment

It seems that Oshii’s next, Tachigui, is not just an anime. Instead it would appear that it aims to be a mixture of anime, CG and live action.

Hmmmm, interesting. Would still like to know some meat about the story and characters though =o).

According to Anime News Network, Mamoru Oshii, the directorial brain behind the Ghost In The Shell and first two Patlabor movies, is to adapt a novel about fast food into an anime sometime in 2006.

The name of the novel and the subsequent anime feature is Tachigui.

Now we can all make a collective ‘HUH?!’.

Well it seems that the trend for anime videogame adaptations continues unbated, with cult PS2 RPG Disgaea next up for the anime treatment. It’ll be cool to see how this one turns out actually, considering it’s wargaming and strategy gameplay. So going on that we shouldn’t expect some dumb Shonen fighting anime, right?…….RIGHT?!

Ahem well anyways, here is the link to the official Disgaea site.

Better have those Japanese language packs installed or this sucker aint gonna look too good:

http://akaitsuki.net/index.html

Time for a nice tall glass of strange. Enjoy ^-^

Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Distributor: Anchor Bay (On Indefinite Hold)
Duration: 66 Minutes Approx.
Production Creation: 1985

Plot Synopsis

In a world thick with twisted shadows, old cities and dark landscapes, a lonely young girl lies asleep cradling a mysterious egg. When she awakens, she begins to walk through a dark forest that leads her into a dank, abandoned city where she meets a man who seemingly wants to acquire the egg for himself….

Directed by Mamoru Oshii and with a screenplay by Oshii himself, Angel’s Egg charts the fantastical journey of a young girl through a surreal world where shadows pervade, illusions are everywhere and trust has to be earned.

The Review

Angel’s Egg is just so different from practically every anime out there, that it really is quite hard to know where to start when reviewing it. One thing is for sure though, if you like your anime loud, fast and action packed then stop reading this review as Angel’s Egg will do nothing for you.

Angel’s Egg is one slow, slow burner.

Obviously this will annoy people who particularly want to see a lot of action in their anime, and even people who just want some decent plot and character development (like me for instance), and as such it’s hard to argue against that. Angel’s egg has no real protagonists as such, no kind of written plot with any real kind of beginning or conclusion and as a result there appears to real point to any of it. There are some revelations toward the end that refer to Noah’s Ark and the fact that the cities are all flooded because of the biblical floods but to be honest it all comes about to late and doesn’t really come together in any kind of semblance of a plot.

There are many ponderous and quiet moments in this film, which the audience will either appreciate or be frustrated by. Most of these moments are times when Angel is just taking in her surroundings while collecting water in different jars, or when she is sat down with the mysterious soldier that follows her throughout the movie. In all seriousness, there are literally about twelve lines of dialogue in the entire film. Total.

Often I got the impression that the lack of speech and action in many scenes was perhaps not laziness on the part of the creator, but instead to try and force the audience to think for themselves just what exactly is happening, rather than having everything laid out in front of them.

It would seem all very minimalist at times and somewhat empty, if it wasn’t that it is, for the breathtaking artwork and animation. Set in a dark world, mired in water and bathed in a melancholy atmosphere, the landscapes and locales in Angel’s Egg range from the downright strange to the darkly classical. No matter the style of background however, the detail is simply stupendous. From cobblestone streets with dusty old shops selling antiquated goods through to a flooded forest garden teeming with natural beauty and serenity, the quality of the artwork on offer here is nothing short of staggering when you think that the movie was made nearly eighteen years ago.

The Yoshitaka Amano character designs also deserve a worthy mention, as they provide the characters with a downbeat disposition and appearance that fits in perfectly with this melancholy world that they find themselves in. The animation is also very impressive with carefully animated and articulate character movements that again defy the age of the production.

It’s truly hard to understand whether or not Angel’s Egg is simply an exercise in wonderful aesthetics and style with no substance or if the director is trying to get at something deeper in the movie’s duration. If there are hidden meanings or a deeper message it certainly escaped the attention of this reviewer. Or perhaps I’m looking for things that aren’t there, but there are echoes, almost traces of something elusive beneath the surreal aesthetically accomplished surface that I can’t quite put my finger on. It certainly comes across as an ‘artsy’ film but one that is enjoyable to watch as an experience, rather than a movie since it doesn’t really have a fully fledged story and cast of characters.

Angel’s Egg then is certainly an oddity among both it’s contemporaries and the anime that’s around today. It’s slow, pondering and static with no story or character development to speak of, yet it stands out simply because it is different and also because it’s just so darn surreal.

Go on give it a try, you might just lose yourself.

Ratings Summary

Animation: B+
Art: A
Music: A-
Content: B+

Overall: B+

Review by: JP Jones

Suitability for children

There is no violence, profanity (there’s practically no dialogue) or nudity at all in this film. But the rather introspective and pondering nature of the film will probably bore younger audiences. In terms of maturity of content though, this material is good for anybody aged 3+.

If you liked this why not try…

Currently, there is nothing like Angel’s Egg available. (Really there isn’t!)

Four episodes. Yup four episodes, thats how much of Blood + I have seen this week and I have to say that if the early episodes are any kind of indication, we’re all in for a treat next year when it gets licensed.

As befitting it’s OVA and manga heritage, Blood + is full of great, highly kinteic and not to mention gory fight sequences. But its the story and the characters are the things that this time provide the hook.

Adopted into a family living in Okinawa, Saya has no memory of anything that happened more than one year ago. Living the life of a normal school girl she goes to school with her friends, enjoys time with her family and so generally just lives a normal life. This comes to a screeching stop however as it appears that after a massacre in Vietnam that she perpretrated, her new ‘family’ are no more than caretakers for her while more sinister groups wait for her to ‘awaken’.

Of course she is needed to awaken so that she might fight the chiropteans, the same blood drinking shape shifiting creatures that appear in the manga and OVA. It isnt until the appearance a mysterious stranger who has a deep, forgotten link to Saya’s past, that Saya begins to slowly rediscover herself as a cold blooded and detatched killer.

Another aspect of the characterisation that is keeping me hooked, is simply how her regular down to earth foster family, find themselves eneveloped in all the horror and violence that Saya beings with her. This is further compounded by the juxtaposition of Saya’s relatively calm ‘normal’ life, with that of her inner self and all the misery and death that comes with that.

Purely on production values alone, Blood + Excels here too. Featuring character designs that are completely removed from the OVA and in fact sport similar traits to the designs found in Bleach, they are nonetheless detailed extremely well and are animated to a high standard. The high standard of art animation also extends to the fight scenes which are extremely visceral. One such example is when we see Saya awaken for a short time, and she slices her sword into one of the chiropteans her blade gets stuck in it’s gut and as she begins to push the blade through, massive jets of blood spray across her face and all around the room. A bit Kill Bill(ish) maybe, but damn impressive to behold all the same.

The Hans Zimmer scored music is absolutely fantastic, bringing something more epic and grand than the typical J-Rock stuff that we might have otherwise been laundered with. You simply have to listen to the soundtrack yourself, it is really THAT good.

But in conclusion I think that everybody should give the series a go and watch a couple episodes and see if they like it. Most will I believe and if the series lives up to it’s early promise, we all have a lot to look forward to in 2006.

*Clears space on his shelves for the inevitable first volume art box release*

Here we go as promised =o)

Genre: Martial Arts Combat
Director: Ikuo Kuwana
Distributor: Manga Entertainment
Duration: 45 Minutes Approx.
Production Creation: 2005

Plot Synopsis

Pausing on his quest to become a master of the martial arts, Ryu returns home to pay homage to the memory of his old master, Gouken. Gouken was killed many years ago by Gouki, a twisted user of the forbidden Dark Hadou, a method of converting dark karma, anger or bad chi into an immensely destructive force.

Drawn inexorably toward a showdown with his master’s killer, Ryu soon discovers that as powerful as the Dark Hadou is, it will only be his street fighting skills and sheer determination that will allow him to have any chance against the demonic Gouki.

The Review

Some six years later we finally arrive at this, the follow on to Street Fighter Alpha, a tighter sequel than its predecessor in many ways, it will still only appeal to fans of the genre, and those fans? Well dive in.

The story follows the exploits of perennial Street Fighter hero Ryu in his quest to become the ultimate fighter, and in doing so to also defeat the demonic martial artist Gouki, who murdered his old master. Thankfully, because the scope of the story is relatively small, it all fits nicely within the forty-five minute running time, which to be honest I wanted to be a lot more. The reason why this disappointed me was because I wanted the production team to explore more of the Street Fighter Alpha mythos as there is still a lot of creative potential waiting to be tapped, especially in regards to the other fighters from the popular beat em up series and their respective stories.

Although such an approach would have resulted, more than likely, in a less focused feature, I’m sure that they have learnt their lessons from the cameo crammed Street Fighter Alpha anime. Which is why I’m thankful in some ways that this newest OVA is nice and compact as it feels likes a breath of fresh air in some ways. As the short running time coupled with the tight story feels a world away from Alpha’s somewhat wasted potential, with its silly sci-fi lab experiment storyline, pointless character cameos and horrid liberties taken with the Street Fighter canon.

Quite thankfully, this is not the case with Generations, as the story itself mainly focuses on the history of the Dark Hadou and provides some good insight into the histories of Ryu’s and Gouki’s respective masters without ever really straying from the Street Fighter canon.

Like Alpha, we obviously get the token over the top fighting scenes, complete with trademark moves and shouts, but they remain pretty much top notch as they always have, this time however with cool blurring effects and perspective shots for even the most basic of moves. In comparison, some of Alpha’s fights like positively toned down when compared to those found in Generations. Yet as good and explosive as these fights are, for a fighting fan, there simply isn’t enough of them, and only the final fight between Gouki and Ryu, really approaches the pulse pounding climax of the two-on-one climatic showdown of the Street Fighter II movie.

In terms of the characters, Ryu obviously gets a whole load of screen time, but also so does Gouki . In particular, we get some good Gouki back story as we see him as a young martial artist doing his thing, but being chided by his master for using the Dark Hadou when there are reasons why he shouldn’t. Naturally I don’t want to say anymore than that, but it is indeed a cool thing for a Street Fighter fan to finally watch the evolution of the demon and see how he became so twisted and merciless.

Old time Alpha favourites Ken and Sakura also appear as supporting characters but don’t really spend much time in the limelight, Ken fans especially will have a hard time swallowing his limited role in this feature, but the less said about that the better.

I guess that what I’m trying to get out is, that as much fun as I found Generations, and as interesting as the back stories of Gouki and the Dark Hadou were, I just wanted more. As I said there is just so much of the Street Fighter Alpha mythos to explore and tap it’s untrue, and after six years of waiting for an Alpha sequel, I feel a little short changed by what Street Fighter Alpha Generations has put on the table. Ultimately a tasty morsel that leaves you hungry for more.

Recommended to Street Fighter fans and fighting fans, but lets just hope that we don’t have to wait another six years for another Street Fighter Alpha feature.

Ratings Summary

Animation: B
Art: B
Music: B-
Content: C+

Overall: B-

Review by: JP Jones

Suitability for children

The fights although short, do tend to get quite violent with a fair amount of blood (particularly at the start of the feature). There is however no swearing whatsoever or sexual factors to worry about so therefore this is watchable by those aged 12 years plus.

If you liked this why not try…

Street Fighter II V TV Series – Manga Entertainment
Street Fighter Alpha – Manga Entertainment
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie – Manga Entertainment

NB: You will not BELIEVE the amount of times I typed ‘Akuma’ instead of ‘Gouki’!

Whoa. Just watching the early fansubbed episodes of this series has me hungering for it in a big way.

Ever since I watched the Blood OVA(the last vampire, review forthcoming BTW), I just wanted more. This was especially true considering the 45 minute running time, didnt allow much exposition of this bloody, visceral world. So imagine my glee when it was actually announced that Production IG, were going ahead with a double season, 52 episode TV series.

I was stoked. And after seeing the first couple of episodes, i’m now ecstatic. The character designs (way different from the OVA) and just the overall style of it all makes it look like a strong series already. I really dont want to say anything more, (at least until I review the damn thing which wont be for a long while yet) but trust me it’s all good.

Enough rambling though, take a look at the official site: http://www.productionig.com/

I really, I *really* hope this gets a good license.

Already on my ‘To Buy’ list! =o)

Quick note: This is a review of the Manga Entertainment UK DVD release, and such, is *NOT* the edited US Sony version that was floating about for years before.

Genre: Martial Arts Combat
Director: Gisaburo Sugii
Distributor: Manga Entertainment
Duration: 96 Minutes approx
Production Creation: 1994

Plot Synopsis

Based on the popular hit video game of the same name, Street Fighter II shows us a future where the world is under threat from the evil shadowlaw organisation and it’s nihilistic commander, M Bison. M Bison hopes to rule the world by turning powerful warriors, known as Street Fighters, into his loyal subjects. Ryu and Ken, two best friends, are possibly the two most powerful fighters in the world and as such, find themselves targeted by Bison for this very reason.

Something stirs inside of Ryu when his longtime friend Ken is captured on the eve of their reunion. With a new sense of purpose and drive Ryu, along with your other favourite characters, prepare for the final showdown with Bison and his henchmen.

The Review

Okay, name exactly how many anime productions or for the matter, Hollywood movies, based upon video games that turned out to be any good. One or two maybe? That’s perhaps being a bit generous don’t you think? And so it was with this same apathy that I greeted Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie.

Let’s start from the bottom. For a straightforward martial arts anime, Street Fighter II fulfills it’s vocation nicely enough. There are plenty of fights on offer, each containing a variety of combat styles and bone-crunching moves. Importantly, each of the characters in this anime actually look the part and closely resemble their video game counterparts, moveset and all. So at the very least, that should keep the people who came to see this movie off the back of the video game pretty happy.

Indeed, there would seem to be a lot of content for the fans of the video game to recognise here. Their favourite characters pounding the absolute snot out of each other whilst screaming the different names of their special movies at the top of their voice is just one such recognisable trait of the series. Also, for all of those die-hard Street Fighter fans who had posters of Chun Li plastered on their walls, there’s even a bit of nudity and fan-service in it for you too.

Now that the loyal fanbase have stopped reading this review and have gone off to watch the anime, i’ll turn my attentions to the anime fan that actually cares about the little things like plot and characterisation.

As far as both plot and characterisation go, they’re pretty thin on the ground. Cookie-cutter is the perfect term to use here as everything is exactly how you would expect it to be.

The characters are painfully one-dimensional, and as such match up nicely to the wafer thin plot on offer. There are no surprises here, no plot twists, no convoluted endings, hidden meanings or anything like that, but then again there was never meant to be, as whatever plot/characterisation exists only as a vehicle with which to support the fight sequences.

What we have here is simply just a dumb action anime, good only for it’s fight scenes, which thankfully it does quite well. You get to see Ryu and Ken throw their fireballs, execute their Hurricane Kicks and basically give Street Fighter fans everything that they wanted to see from their favourite characters.

The art and animation are both quite good and allow the many fight sequences to become very action packed affairs with a good amount of detail, intensity and fluidity. The soundtrack of the version I watched apparently differs greatly from the original Japanese audio track. For some reason the Japanese audio track was not available on my copy and as such I can’t verify this point, however, most people have complained that the track composed for the Western release is unsuitable. Personally, I think that the heavy metal and techno style suits this anime very well and it accompanies the fighting scenes perfectly.

To be honest if you come at this anime with high expectations, you will be disappointed, however, for those of you looking for a good martial arts anime to while away ninety or so minutes, you could certainly find many more worse examples of the genre around.

Ratings Summary

Animation: C+
Art: C
Music: B-
Content: C-

Overall: C

Review by: JP Jones

Suitability for children

Even though this is based on the video game of the same name, it certainly is not suitable for that same audience. There’s a fair amount of blood, quite a bit of heavy swearing and some nudity. Suitable only therefore for those aged 15+.

If you liked this why not try…

Street Fighter II V TV Series – Manga Entertainment
Street Fighter Alpha – Manga Entertainment
Fatal Fury: Double Impact – Pioneer Animation
Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture – Pioneer Animation