Loveless - Lost and Found (Vol. 1) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)As per the reviews below, people not used to shonen-ai do seemed turned off by this show, and I thought I would too. I only started watching as one of my favorite voice actors is part of the cast. BUT...
My my.. what a surprise. Loveless has a plot that really evolves and takes flight. Also the characters are really interesting and mysterious. My first-hand reaction to watching the show would have had be be a mix of emotions: sometimes thinking "hey, this is kinky, yet artistic", othertimes thinking "isn't this totally wrong?... yet, it seems ok" - by that I mean that this anime definetely breaks the barriers of what is love and what may or not be accepted by society today. I thought I would be totally put off by male-male kisses, but they were so well orchestrated, along with the age-gap issue, and yet there's the bondage themes... but they are all packaged in this beautifully animated, very high-quality artistic level that you are just hooked.
This is probably my wordiest review, but hopefully it will get you curious enough to watch this very unique series, and you will understand how all of the above was so interestingly melded into one story. I do hope they are able to make a second part to this series. NOT a show for kids - do not let the cat ears and tail fool you.

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Ritsuka Aoyagi is a sixth-grader who's troubled by the loss of his older brother.One day he meets a mysterious man who claims to have fought alongside his brother.His name is Sobi Agatsuma, who wants Ritsuka to become his new sacrifice since his brother died.

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Queen's Blade Wandering Warrior: Beaten Path (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Queen's Blade is a series that is built upon its superb characters, and the second volume of the anime expands the cast past the introductory characters from the first volume. As the first season enters it's halfway point the foundation begins to establish itself by introducing more characters and expanding the characters of the existing ones. The action, character development, diverse vistas, and great music are all back in stronger form than in the first volume; sure to satisfy anyone who was not satisfied by the action in the first volume.
The fanservice is still in strong form in this volume, perhaps even stronger than the first, but, as always, the series executes it's fanservice with sophistication and toungue-in-cheek moments of humor. This is one of the main highlights of the series; how the fanservice in Queen's Blade never feels forced, unnecessary, or juvenile in it's execution. As a result, Queen's Blade comes across as a fanservice anime that one can respect for it's characters, story, humor, and action rather than one of those anime one hides under their bed.
With this volume, Queen's Blade is at the midway point of it's first season; however, the entire first season acts as a foundation for the simply stellar second season. This is why I give it 4 stars. The second season is definite 5 star material.

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Ghost in the Shell: Individual Eleven Review

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(More customer reviews)It's not obvious from the product page here on Amazon, but this is an edited version of the entire 26 episode series. It has been cut down to 2.5 hours for a movie experience. It is a good buy if you have already seen the entire series or don't want to spend the time which would be upwards of 9 hours if watched as 26 episodes. It gets the idea of the story, but of course, some good things are lost. Personally, I think GITS is too good not to see all of the details.

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The year is 2030, and an influx of refugees have effortlessly transformed themselves into a terrorist organization known as the Individual Eleven. With a sadistic intent of mass destruction, will they triumph in victory or discover the gloomy pitfalls of defeat?

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Ranma 1/2 - The Movie 1, Big Trouble in Nekonron China Review

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(More customer reviews)I thought this movie was great! BIG TROUBLE IN NEKONRON CHINA was a great movie for the Ranma ½ series and it was also very funny!
It starts out as a "normal" day in the neighborhood when panty thieving Master Happosai comes back for a "visit" to the Tendo dojo. But he's not alone! After years of searching for him, a young Chinese girl, Lai Chi and her elephant, Jasmin have followed him all the way back to Japan. She's angry about a scroll that was given to her family and passed down many generations because it was said that the scroll brings luck to the holder of it. After taking her hands off of it for a second, the prophecy comes true and a Prince comes to find and marry the one who holds the scroll, and by pure luck Akane has the scroll. She gets kidnapped by Kirin and the 7 Lucky Gods Martial Artists and now it's a race to follow them to China and save Akane before she gets married to Kirin. It's up to Ranma, Ryoga, Mousse, Shampoo, Mr. Tendo, Mr. Saotome, Happosai and Kuno to save her and defeat the Seven Lucky Gods.
This is a great movie for the Ranma series. It's very funny, the story is great and all of your favorite characters are in this one. Along with a great soundtrack, BIG TROUBLE IN NEKONRON CHINA is a necessary component to any Ranma fan's collection. Plus Lai Chi is hilarious. She is really funny. Happosai's "usual antics" are pretyt funny as well, like when Ryoga and Happosai get into it on the boat to China. And of course, the Seven Lucky Gods weren't bad either.
Definitely check out this movie, it's very worth it and it's great for any Ranma collector. Also check out the special OAV series and the second movie RANMA ½ NIHAO MY CONCUBINE. I do warn you that if you aren't up to speed with the series, you might want to catch up a little and check out TV Series 1 and the ANYTHING GOES MARTIAL ARTS series otherwise some things might not make all that much sense. Either way it goes, you'll enjoy this one.

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Gunbuster vs. Diebuster: Aim for the Top - The Gattai Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm such a big fan of the "Gunbuster" and "Diebuster" OAV series. The original 1988 OAV series is among my personal favorites and the newer 2003 series was pretty cool and nicely tied with the first OAV series and both featured cool storylines and a lot of action.
In 2006, GAINAX went to create two film versions, which are more or less a condensed to 2-hour film from the episodes of the OAV series. And to celebrate the 20th Year Anniversary of "GUNBUSTER" in 2008, Bandai Visual/Honneamise released the "GUNBUSTER vs. DIEBUSTER - Aim for the Top! The GATTAI! MOVIE" DVD Box set which I reviewed back in August.
But when it was announced that a Blu-ray version of the box set was being released in Japan which would feature interviews, footage from the movie premieres and interviews galore, Gunbuster fans were salivating over this release.
And now it is released in the US and how does it stack up against the original DVD box set? The only word I can think of, after I watched the Blu-ray Limited Edition box set was "beautiful".
First, there is no difference in terms of the storyline of the films from the DVD box set and the Blu-ray box set BUT the quality differences is tremendous. Also, you get more for your money as the Blu-ray box set comes with special features, while the previous version came with nothing. But you did get postcards, booklets and a certification exam.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
The first thing I noticed when watching "GUNBUSTER the Movie" is that for a digitally remastered film, the high-definition version looked clean and the colors are much more vibrant. I was literally in awe that this film created in the 1980s, looked so beautiful today in Blu-ray. The video is featured in 1080p High Definition and the majority of the film is in 4:3 but once you get to the final segment of the film (when it goes black and white), the film is presented in 16:9.But the video just looked phenomenal.
As for audio, you get Dolby TrueHD (5.1 ch surround) and if you thought Bandai Visual didn't skimp on audio on their DVD releases, the same goes with the Blu-ray version.
It also helps that many of the original cast members returned back to re-record their lines and thus GAINAX and rework the audio for modern times. But all in all, "GUNBUSTER the Movie" looks and sounds incredible in this Blu-ray Box Set.
As for "DIEBUSTER the Movie", since this film is only five years old, it's a newer, digital film as opposed to the handdrawn original. But again, the colors are vibrant and everything looks quite beautiful in the Blu-ray release and the video is presented in 16:9 (1080p High Definition) and also the audio is featured in Dolby TrueHD (5.1ch Surround).
Also, I found the clarity of the special features on the bonus disc to be very cool. I mean, you can see the skin pores and makeup so much clearly on the Blu-ray disc. The majority of the bonus features are featured in 16:9 (1080i High Definition). Audio is presented in Linear PCM (2.0ch Stereo).
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This is where the Blu-ray blows out the original DVD box set. The special features include:
* The GATTAI!!! Movie - Stage Appearance by Cast and Staff. This is a 31-minute portion where the staff of both films meet with the lucky fans who got to see the movie and the staff. This was pretty fun to watch as you learn how both staff admire each other especially DIEBUSTER actress Yukari Fukui (Nono) of Noriko Hidaka (Noriko), especially when it came to the Lightning Kick scenes.
* GUNBUSTER: Interview on Re-recording session - This 26 min. featurette was very cool as the seiyuu had the chance to talk about re-recording their lines or preparing for the role.It was cool to see the actual footage during the recording of the original "GUNBUSTER" film.
* From DIEBUSTER to THE GATTAI! Movie - This 30 min. featurette featured the DIEBUSTER staff talking about how they decided to make the DIEBUSTER OAV series to the movie and what they hoped to accomplish. Also, some insight to the characters and how Nono was based off of Yukari Fukui.
* The GATTAI!! Movie Trailer - A 2-minute trailer of both films
* WEB MESSAGE CAMPAIGN - This section is only available if you select the Japanese menu on the beginning of the disc. This allows you to hear A LOT of audio clips, in almost like a radio drama (short audio segments) featuring the characters of the film.
Also, included are the booklets of the two films and a fold-out informative print piece that is like a primer.
Of course, I'm very biased towards the OAV series because there was more time to focus on the character development. But with the series as a film and having to condense and pretty much eliminating certain episodes, you do miss a lot of the emotional storylines and watching how these heroines got from point A to to point B in becoming talented pilots.
But the overall goal of the film is accomplished by showcasing two cool storylines and fans of the original to the new fans of the anime series can definitely enjoy. As mentioned in my review for the films on the DVD box set, I saw this as an additional compliment to the OAV series.
But focusing on the Blu-ray Limited Edition of "The GATTAI!! Movie", this literally blows away the regular DVD box set. Not only is the quality and audio much better but for fans that wanted interviews and any footage of the talent from the movie premieres or interviews with the staff, this box set has all that!
For me, just to see the original 80s staff was just remarkable and to hear and see Noriko Hidaka again was just awesome! So, for me, this is truly an awesome 20th Anniversary box set. Seeing the past and present on stage together was a sight to behold for fans of GUNBUSTER and DIEBUSTER but to see how lengthy the footage for each featurette was, this box set is pretty awesome! You definitely feel you get your money's worth.
If you are a GUNBUSTER or DIEBUSTER fan, this limited edition Blu-ray disc box set is worth it! Highly recommended!

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Studio: Infinity Resources IncRelease Date: 12/09/2008Run time: 124 minutesRating: R

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Street Fighter - Soul Powers (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)First, let's get the obvious out of the way. I'm sure the main reason the majority of guys are going to buy this is because of the shower scene. Let me just make one note about it and move on. The english version has an EXTENDED version of the shower scene. There is still one shot that's missing (just to be exact). However, the Japanese side of the disc does indeed have the UNCUT version of the shower scene. So feel free to go nuts, take screen shots etc. It is in here.
Now on to the rest of the review. This release is in everyway superior to the original US release.
It has the UK version of the movie (which is vastly extended over the US version) and the Japanese (completely un-cut).
The menu system is also a vast improvement (since the original DVD didn't even HAVE a menu system). The extra's, while sparse, also make it a cut above the original release.
The only thing I could possibly fault this release with is that it's only the Japanese version that's completely un-cut, while the UK version is merely extended.
Even that's not much of a fault. I don't typically watch my anime with the Japanese track, but with this one, I'll make an exception.
Once you see the Japanese version, you'll realize just how bad the english dub is. The dubbing team had to add to the dialogue to fit the mouth-flaps. This made for a lot of (for a lack of a better word) stupid dialogue that made some scenes go on painfully too long. It killed a lot of the flow of the movie. The original Japanese dialogue fits the flow of the movie better, and the voice acting is simply better.
While I may have actually grown to like KMFDM, Alice in Chains and Korn, thanks mostly to this movie, I can't deny that losing their music is a small loss considering how much better the dialogue is in Japanese.
A few notes on the movie itself. Yes the plot is paper-thin. But the fight scenes are what the movie is all about, and in those, Street Fighter II shines. There are a few parts with bad animation (crossed eyes being my major gripe). But taken as a whole, this movie is very well put together. It's well worth the cost. Stay away from the original US release at all costs.

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More thrilling adventures ofColonel William Guile, a martial artsexpert who travels the global competitive fighting circuit as cover for his top secretmission-he is leader of an elite group of international crime fighters known only asStreet Fighter.Their code of honor: Discipline; Justice; Commitment. Packed with fiercefighting, ample thrills and a team of genuine heroes, Street Fighter is a proven winner.

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Pokemon - I Choose You Pikachu (Vol. 1) (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, I must say I'm a bit old to like Pokemon. I'm 26, but I bought the Yellow edition gameboy game because I love video games. I wasn't sure what the heck was going on so I picked up a video. Unfortunately, it wasn't until later I picked this one up.
If you are new to Pokemon or else don't know what is going on then this one is where you have to start. It goes through the first 3 episodes. You get to learn what the deal is with these cute little creatures. I'll sum it up for you then you get the video and all will be well for you and your children. OK, at age 10 all little boys and girls get to venture out on their own to train Pokemon. It starts the day before Ash's 10th birthday. The next morning he leaves for Professor Oak's lab to get a Pokemon. Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Charmander are all taken so he get's Pikachu. Pikachu doesn't like him too much, but in time he comes to love Ash. They venture out and get chased by a bunch of Spearows. Pika helps them by zapping them and becomes hurt. On his way to a Pokecenter he crosses Misty and steals her bike, Misty later joins ash on his Pokemon quest. Pikachu is very sick and requires immediate attention. Team Roket shows up at the Pokecenter and makes their introduction. Pikachu helps out everyone and saves the day. On Ash's next adventure he catches his first Pokemon. I won't give away what it is, but no it isn't Bulba, Char or Squirtle. He trains it and it evolves for the first time. That's basically it. You get more in detail about why Ash wants to be a Pokemon trainer and why he loves them so much. You also get to see the full length Pokerap which names all the Pokemon. It's hard to explain completely, but trust me I really do like this cartoon and it gives you an idea of what is really going on in the Pokemon world. Plus you can hide your Pokemon addiction like I do....just say you are buying it for your Daughter, or son whichever you have.

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Ash Ketchum wants to become the best Pokemon trainer in the whole world by capturing all 150 of the known Pokemon. However, Ash must learn to get along with his first Pokemon, the cute, quirky, and high-voltage Pikachu! Join them on their journey as they learn about life, Pokemon and each other.

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Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Box Two Review

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(More customer reviews)I used to be one of those individuals that would criticized the dragon box because of the lack of Bruce Faulconer music and because the price was significantly higher. Since I'm a fan of the series I couldn't help myself and I found my self pre-ordering the first Dragon Box to find out what the big deal was. I knew deep down that I wasn't gonna be to happy with the Japanese music.
Once I received the box I realized how incredibly well packaged everything comes. It already made the orange bricks look cheap and I had yet to open the box. The dragon box was about the size of two orange bricks (remastered sets) and the smaller boxes inside were beautifully build. The booklet that's included with the set is very handy when watching the episodes and its hardcover and not held together with a single staple like in the orange bricks.
The quality of the video is superb, its near perfect and the colors are beautiful. I found my self looking at all the vivid colors and seeing detail I had not seen before. It was truly like watching a different version of Dragon ball Z. This is the way Dragon ball Z should have been released from the start!
Now on to the music, when I first started watching the series I wanted the American music! Since I couldn't have it, I just stop complaining and decided to watch it and appreciate it. I found my self loving the Japanese music. Before I knew it I just couldn't go back to the American version. It's almost like watching an entirely new show. Try the Japanese music and it will grow on you after each episode.
I also want to mention that I did own the orange Bricks, but now that I own the First dragon box I've sold all the orange bricks on Amazon.
Now as a conclusion if you have the orange bricks, sell them and get your self the real definitive Edition. Watch the series the way it was originally intended. For those who don't own the Dragon Box, don't give the box bad review's, just because you didn't acquire this version first instead of the orange bricks. This is the best release of Dragon Ball Z to date! Appreciate its release! Buy the dragon box you wont regret it.
The Dragon Box shows you the series as originally intended and you won't miss the American music.
Dragon Box Volume 3 May 4, 2010!
Until we meet again guys!
For those who are still curious about the quality and aren't completely sure whether they should make the jump, well check out my youtube channel I posted up two videos demonstrating the quality of the first dragon box. Search for xxtrustxx on the search menu in youtube.

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Death Note: Re-Light, Vol. 1 - Visions of a God (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)
...I was quite disappointed w/this DVD.
First, the good stuff: The animation of the new scenes is lovely; the colors & design are brighter and crisper than in the original anime. It's really the only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 2. The extra scenes are interesting, but don't add that much to the original series.
OK, now the bad stuff: This is basically a clip show, following just over halfway thru the anime (where a particularly lovable character dies). It's framed by Ryuk telling the story to another shinigami. But that's about it.
I'd had high hopes for this DVD (given the description), but, alas, they were dashed [siiiiigh].
I'd recommend this for (a) Death Note completists, or (b) someone who doesn't want to invest the time in watching the entire first half of the original anime.


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"See through the eyes of a shinigami…Light and L have battled to the bitter end over the Death Note—but what does the story look like from Ryuk's point of view?When rogue shinigami Ryuk deliberately drops his Death Note in the human world out of boredom, he has no idea how far the human who picks it up will take his newfound power. With the Death Note in hand, brilliant high school student Light Yagami vows to rid the world of evil, and when criminals begin dropping dead one by one, genius detective L steps in to track down the elusive killer known as Kira. An epic battle of wits pitting one brilliant mind against another unfolds—with the very future of humanity at stake! Ryuk's not bored anymore…Go back to where it all began and watch the epic battle from a new perspective—through the eyes of the one who started it all! "

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Nana: Uncut Box Set, Vol. 1 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)For any of you who may have suffered through the ridiculous train wreck that was the Peach Girl anime, Nana is a fresh breath of air. Yes there's pretty clueless girls, and plenty of hot guys, and yes there's lots of drama. but it's all done better. The animation is better. The voice acting is better, the characters are more developed and real. It is kind of paced slow, it starts at the present time and then spends 6 episodes giving u their back story of the year before they all moved to Tokyo. The only bad episode is where u see basically the entire first episode all over again, but with smaller new parts added. that was kind of cheap, but its off to a great start. It follows the manga pretty faithfully, and so everything is gone into detail..maybe a little bit too much. and sadly at episode 11 things are really starting to take off, but that's where this dvd collection cuts off. My ouran host club collections have at least 13 episodes and i think they could have at least given us two more episodes for the price they are asking. Nana is a great story, and it is a rollercoaster, things don't always work out they way u think they will. If u like, drama, love, sex and lots of rock'n roll then Nana is for u!
also, i got a sweet guitar pick with Nana O.'s tattoo on it. very cool. check this one out ladies!!

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One Piece: The Princess and the Pirates - Adventures in Alabasta Movie #8 Review

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(More customer reviews)How my ratings work:
5 - I really liked/loved it
4 - I liked it
3 - Could've been better/worth a look
2 - Just didn't live up to the potential
1 - Simply awful
I just saw this movie today with my friends. I've been a fan of One Piece for a good while. I've yet to read the manga, but I plant to read it some day. This movie has everything you could want: action, comedy, drama, intense battles. I don't need to go into the plot since it's mentioned above. The voice cast is outstanding, and it's cool to see it all uncut (I've mainly seen it on tv). If you love One Piece, you'll love this. If you're a fan of anime, movies, and pirates, you should love it in general.

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The island kingdom of Alabasta is about to erupt in civil war – a war engineered by Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and his criminal organization Baroque Works. Monkey D. Luffy, his Straw Hat pirates and Princess Vivi race to the island, where the strongest warriors of Baroque Works wait to stop them. Can Vivi and her friends stop an entire war? And how can Luffy fight Crocodile, when Crocodile can turn into sand?

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Bastard - Complete Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)I first heard of the "Bastard!!" series back in the early 90's and recalled many fans at an anime convention talking about how cool the series was and how funny it was because of the main character's name (Dark Schneider) and the many references to popular US metal bands (from the 80's).
After watching all six episodes, I just fell in love with this series. There have been several "Bastard!!" video games available for the SNES and Sony Playstation and the series has yet to be "fully completed", although the six-OAV episode arc is just totally awesome!
The series is about an evil warlock named "Dark Schneider" who has been freed from imprisonment and fortunately, the evil warlock has been combined with a very good kid named Rushe which makes him somewhat a hero to aid the people of Meta-Rikana" and take on his old generals and army.
The storyline is just awesome but since this anime includes combat, humor and wizardry...the battles can be bloody and too violent for some people.
All in all, an awesome anime featuring awesome characters (and character designs) such as Ninja Master Gara, Thunder Empress Arshes Nei and more.
Check out this anime, you won't be disappointed.

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Gungrave: The Complete Series Box Set Review

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(More customer reviews)Gungrave tells the tale of two best friends put on the path of their own destruction. Brandon and Harry are two street hoods who join the mafia and begin the climb the ladder, and their ascension makes a mark on everyone around them.
Gungrave is a noir, mafia story with an anime twist. It deals with the internal politics of the mob at first, before it becomes something personal for our main characters. Despite being in the business of killing, the Millenion syndicate has an unbreakable law, "Protect, and never betray the family." The "Code of Iron" drives the entire anime.
Gungrave is not a shounen. It's closer to Cowboy Bebop and Trigun at certain points. There are no bombastic characters in the mafia. These are hired killers that disassociate themselves from their dirty business. The first half of the series focuses on Bradon's, the main character, memories of the time before he died. The anime twist are the horrors that unchecked ambition created, that Brandon must fight in the second half of the series. Despite being centered around organized crime, the violence doesn't feel gratuitous, there is no drug use, and matters of love (of any kind) are relatively tame.
I definitely think Gungrave is worth a second look. If you liked Trigun and Cowboy Bebop, give this a shot. You might be pleasantly surprised.
I gaze at that gray haired hulk and think, "Beyong the Grave" was once a man. A man named Brandon Heat.I want to mention that you might want to skip the first episode of the series. It's supposed to entice you to watch more, but most might consider it misleading and confusing. Episode 2 is a much better place to start, IMO.

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Sonic X: The New World Saga- Season One Review

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(More customer reviews)My title explains a lot about my feelings on this DVD. When I ask, "Where's the rest?" I'm saying that this ISN'T the COMPLETE first season, but only half of it. This is one of the reasons why I rate it four stars instead of five; now I don't know where I can get the rest of the first season, without buying the individual volumes. This fact wasn't clear when I checked this out, so I'm making it clear now: THIS IS NOT THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON! Oh, and I should warn you that this DVD comes in a cheap box, as my box broke in the mail; my discs are okay for right now, but they were loose in a box that I'm not sure how to repair... Now that all of that is off my chest, I shall do my first grading system on the show itself. Think schoolastically, A+ being the best and F- being the worst.
Graphics B+: I'm rating loosely on the graphics because this is a cartoon; therefore, just about anything goes. The characters are done nice, but the backgrounds lacked consistency. One minute, you have a background much like the characters, slightly cartoonish; the next minute you have a background that looks like somebody's picture on their camera... This really clashed with everything else once or twice; you'll probably notice this the most during the episode of "Unfair Ball" when the manager speaks to the guy who manages the field. The people in the audience then look like fake cardboard cutouts of the real thing... The designers should have stuck with the cartoonish looking crowd.
Characters A: This grade is for the characters themselves; how well their personalities were developed, how likable and diverse they are, how often they appeared, and how close they come to their videogame counterparts in terms of personality and voice. They did a great job with the voices; my only complaints are that Sonic's voice was a touch too high, and Chris sounded like a girl... and for the parents, many of the characters have high pitched voice (Cream for example). If this sort of thing aggravates you, then find something else to watch; I didn't notice this but my mom did. Now bear in mind that this is only half of the first season (it goes all the way to Beating Eggman Part II), so I don't know how many times the characters actually appeared during the season; I'm grading strictly on the half of the shows I have seen. Speaking of being seen, Eggman was seen a little too much. One episode is pretty much about him, and it got a little dull after awhile. He, like Sonic, was also virtually seen in every episode. The interesting thing about him, I'd like to note, is that he picks robots randomly with a slot machine-like thing. It drove me crazy, hoping that the last slot would have a lemon, or something random, rather than confirmation on which robot he should use (does that eventually happen?). Sonic was also seen a lot, but he didn't drive me nearly as crazy Eggman. It did get a little tiring that he ALWAYS is the one to save the day; also, most of the time you see him napping on Chris' roof (how did he even get up there to begin with?). All of the characters are lovable in their own way (even Eggman if he's close to someone joking at him), very diverse in personalities, and pertain to the videogames pretty well. My last complaints are that though you see Big (the cat fishing with a frog in his lap) in the first episode, he doesn't speak or even show up again after that. I'm sure that left half of the viewers wondering who he even is. Shadow doesn't even make an appearance, they play the same strange sexy music each time Rouge shows up and carries out a mission (which isn't much), and there's one episode about Amy who has such a mushy crush on Sonic that it made me sick (The "Last Resort" episode)...
Plot and Details A-: Pretty interesting plot. For the time being there's a little too much fighting (don't worry, nothing with blood or anything), but I'm not counting off majorly for that because this is the beginning (how else does one get people's attention?). For the most part, many of the storylines are cause by putting characters with clashing personalities together; thus producing quite comical results. What I counted off the most for was lack of detail; whenever the characters did fight, it wasn't believable that they actually got hurt because they weren't scathed at all. I'm not saying I want blood, but something more along the lines of pokemon injuries. Those who have watched the pokemon cartoons will know what I'm talking about; every time the characters got hurt, a "number" mark would appear on them, or they got a little dirty, or even had redness for stuff like swelling. Again, I'm not saying a like seeing people hurt; what I AM saying, is that I want a more believable fight in a cartoon (I'm sorry, even Tom and Jerry received black eyes and bandages when they were hurt). The fact that Sonic was hit in the face by a robot and not even scratched, is just not believable enough for me.
Overall B+: There aren't any bonus features (besides previews and internet stuff; not really bonus), it comes in a cheap box, and it's not even the COMPLETE first season. If you choose to purchase this, be warned that you're really only buying it for the cartoon material; which can actually be a really good reason to buy it. However, if you can find something that has a little better boxing, bonus features, and is actually complete, then you're wasting your time here.

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Pokémon: The First Movie (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)My review is purely from a parent's perspective:
I have twoboys, 9 and almost 11. They love Pokemon. They loved Ninja Turtles,Power Rangers, Star Wars, etc. so you know they are prone to being led by commercialism. Pokemon encourages nurturing, caring, and ideals like honesty, acceptance, and forgiveness. The good trainers protect and care for Pokemon. The bad guys exploit them and put their own selfish motives ahead of the Pokemon. The middle-can-be-turned-around characters learn from their mistakes and are forgiven by the main characters. Even Jessie and James occasionally show remorse and are treated with compassion.
Do Pokemon battle? Yes. Unlike Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and Star Wars, however, a Pokemon doesn't have to be hurt or killed to be defeated. Their weapons are inner strengths that they are born with. And no trainer worth his salt lets his Pokemon get injured. It's not hard to take the lessons from Pokemon and apply them to the reality of the child.
It's like Beanie Babies -- I know they're making a fortune leading our kids around by the nose. But it's relatively benign and I watch every video with them to make sure nothing changes. On a long trip in the truck, I let them play the two CD's -- the music is actually very enjoyable for me (and I'm 46!) and contains no bad language.
And I liked Pikachu's Vacation film much better than the actual Pokemon movie... but my boys loved both!

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This is the first movie of Pokemon and also includes the first battle between Mewtwo and Mew!

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Dead Space: Aftermath Review

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(More customer reviews)In the latest bit of synergistic marketing, "Dead Space: Aftermath" arrives on DVD shelves on the same day that the eagerly anticipated "Dead Space 2" arrives for gaming consoles. Sound familiar? It's the same strategy that brought the original "Dead Space" game forth in conjunction with its companion piece DVD "Dead Space: Downfall." Well, who's to look success in the face and not try to replicate it? I'm a bit torn in what to say about "Dead Space: Aftermath." A perfectly acceptable adventure, by all rights, if not particularly distinguished--this will obviously appeal (or not appeal) to different people for different reasons. If you are a "Dead Space" enthusiast, then--I might rank this production at four stars for a built-in audience. If, however, you're completely unconnected with the gaming experience--I'd probably put this at closer to two stars. I also think that if you were to watch this for free, you might think it a perfectly harmless entertainment--as a game extra, it might be awesome. However, when laying down your DVD dollar, your expectation might be higher.
Enough convoluted analysis, though. Here's the story. "Dead Space: Aftermath" tells the story of spaceship USG O'Bannon. O'Bannon responds to a secret and dangerous mission to attend to a planet in distress (if you've been to "Dead Space," you'll recognize the setting). The planet, however, is extremely volatile and soon the rescue party is fleeing--but not before uncovering a strange and hallucinatory rock. Back on O'Bannon, the rock starts affecting those on the ship. Before you can say "what the heck is going on," the crew is engaged in the ultimate battle for survival. Horrible creatures start to attack just as critical characters are sinking into dementia, it's not a pretty sight! The story of "Dead Space: Aftermath" is revealed in interviews from the four survivors of the O'Bannon. But are the survivors really safe? Or are they a part of a more nefarious conspiracy? And the film's final moments tie into the upcoming "Dead Space 2."
For me, the best sequences in "Dead Space: Aftermath" involve the interrogation of the survivors. Creepy and visually inventive, these segments really stand out. However, the whole story of what transpired lacked a real freshness. I felt like I'd seen it before--and better! As someone who really enjoys a good narrative gaming experience, I'll say that the plot requirements for a game aren't necessary as stringent as they need to be for a movie. So plotting-wise, "Dead Space: Aftermath" felt a little half-baked (for my taste anyway) as a feature film. However, I will say again--some individual moments can be quite compelling. And vocal performances (especially by the survivors) are effective to very good.
The film is a collaboration of several directors. One of the more intriguing aspects of "Dead Space: Aftermath" is that each of the survivor's stories is told from a different directorial vantage point and/or a variation of animation style. Characters can look completely different depending on who's telling the story. I found this strangely distracting, at first, until I just went with it. But while I appreciated this unique approach, I don't necessarily think it enhanced the viewing experience. Overall, "Dead Space: Aftermath" is more enticing as a game supplement than as a stand alone venture. Not a disaster, by any stretch, but in the ever expanding options in the worlds of animation and anime--there are fresher choices available. KGHarris, 1/11.

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The year is 2509 and not only has Earth lost contact with the Ishimura and Isaac Clarke, but now also the USG O'Bannon, the first responder ship sent to rescue them. Four crew members of the O'Bannon have survived. But what happened to the rest of the crew? What were they doing? What secrets are they keeping? All to be revealed...in the Aftermath! Dead Space: Aftermath is a fast paced, horrifying thrill ride told through the perspective of the four survivors by several renowned international directors.

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Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Its a great family movie, that is one thing that I love about the Naruto movies and the series is that it is filled with life lessons that really prioritizes and sets what truly matters in perspective.
This movie features some of my favorite characters from the series, it is funny (of course anything with Naruto and Rock Lee is) and has a lot of action. With out getting into the plot too much or ruining all the good parts for you, its a typical Naruto movie where the squad is sent to escort/protect someone, what is suppose to be a clean cut mission turns into a lot more. The squad is forced to use their wits, team work, and abilities to carry out their mission.


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A 2-Disc Set Loaded with Special Features!Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi team up with Rock Lee to protect Prince Michiru and his son Hikaru on their return home to the Crescent Moon Kingdom. Easy enough, until the royal family becomes a royal pain! Prince Michiru can't help indulging his son, even buying him a circus along the way! Naruto has a tough time putting up with both the spoiled Hikaru and a saber-toothed tiger, but the real adventure begins when they reach the Land of the Moon and find themselves facing a villainous uprising. Does Naruto have what it takes to save an entire kingdom?Special Features Include: The Story of Naruto: Growing Up a Ninja Teamwork: The Art of Group Recording Shooting for the Moon: A Conversation with the Naruto Movie 3 Producers Original Japanese Movie Trailers Naruto the Movie 3 Trivia

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