http://www.filmmonthly.com/ en Copyright 2012 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:23:09 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Kimi Ni Todoke (From Me to You) is a slice of life high school drama so full of dramatic emotions and sappy dialogue that it is great! Watching it as an adult, you remember what it was like to be a teenager. If you are a teenager then you will be able to relate to the events, no matter what culture you are. The nature of the themes can speak to anyone in any culture; making friends, finding happiness, and budding romance. While there are situations that deal with Japanese etiquette specifically, like calling people by their given names, even if you are not aware of the societal implications you will still understand the scene. This is not to say that the themes of the anime are completely superficial. If that were the case, while watching Kimi Ni Todoke you would not feel a great connection to the characters. Through all the drama and romance there are deeper themes such as bullying, loneliness, and what it means to truly accept someone as your friend. Kimi Ni Todoke is the story of a high school girl, Sawako Kuronuma, who is misunderstood by her peers and this causes rumors to be spread about her. Sawako has been given the nickname of “Sadako” due to her close appearance to the character in The Ring. Along with the nickname come more rumors. Rumors like Sawako can see ghosts or if you look into her eyes for longer than seven seconds something terrible will happen to you. The truth is that Sawako is a shy naive girl who has been lonely for so long she doesn’t know how to make friends. This first part of the series sees Sawako slowly learning to make friends and become accepted by her classmates. Much of this change is due to one of Sawako’s classmates, Shota Kazehaya. Kazehaya is a popular boy who also happens to be really kind and sees something in Sawako that others don’t. He befriends her and this leads to others doing the same. Now Sawako has another problem; how is she supposed to act with friends? The four-disc, Blu-ray/DVD Premium Edition of Kimi Ni Todoke comes in an 8"x11"x1" beautifully simple cardboard cover-box along with a 28-page, full-color, hard cover book. The book is entitled “My Memories” and is set up much like a scrapbook. It contains gorgeous snapshots from the show, both scenery and character. The writing in the book comes straight from the dialogue in each episode. The book is split into small sections that pertain to each episode. Although they use pictures and dialogue from each episode, they do not give away the plot. It feels as if you are looking at a scrapbook Sawako put together herself. After reading this you feel even closer to her as a character. The book is not just supplemental material for the anime but to your emotions. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/kimi_ni_todoke_volume_one_premium_edition.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/kimi_ni_todoke_volume_one_premium_edition.html Asian Video and DVD Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:35:13 -0600 Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings is a show any action junkie should not want to miss. Based off of the hit Capcom beat'em up games, the show is set in a fictional version of Warring States period in Japan. Various warlords like Masamune Date, Yukimura Sanada and others fight across Japan for power and glory. When an evil lord, Oda Nobunaga decides to take over all of the land, by any means necessary, all of the warlords decide to team up to him down. This first season was directed by Itsuro Kawasaki, famous for other shows like Legend of the Legendary Heroes and L/R: Licensed by Royalty and produced by Production I.G. While the series definitely takes some liberties to Japanese history, in terms aesthetics and design, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings is a great action show and some of the most fun I've had in a while. The first two episodes alone were enough to have me hooked, in terms of the quality and content within. Production I.G does an amazing job to illustrate the intensity and scope of the series with the meeting of Masamune Date and Yukimura Sanada. They cause giant waves of energy to bounce off of one another and even a massive mushroom cloud explosion to show off their manliness and fierce fighting spirit. It is the equivalent to a summer Hollywood blockbuster film and I was just grinning from ear to ear as various battles played out for 13 episodes. While most shows based off of video game properties usually tend to go through the motions and be very bland, this never came off that way. This series is really impressive in the way that it is able to emulate the sheer insanity and chaos of the game and is able to focus that into a clear and concise narrative. From the very designs of the characters, (Masamune Date's horse has handle bars and exhausts pipe, like a motorcycle) to their attitudes, Sengoku Basara has an edge that other shows severely lack and makes you look forward to the action and thrills contained within. If there was a single issue that I'd have with the show is that it might be hard for people to keep up with all of the characters included. There's no real background story to any of the warlords and its pretty helpful if you're already familiar with the Warring States era of Japan. If not, you might get confused as to who these characters are and their alliances to one another. The video on the Blu-Ray discs of Sengoku Basara are encoded in a 1080p, AVC transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Production I.G has a rich history of superb animation, with films like End of Evangelion and Eden of the East as part of their resume. The HD transfer of Sengoku Basara places the studio's efforts at the forefront and it passes with flying colors. The color palette is rich and the level of clarity is astounding and all of these details give way to the natural beauty, grand castles and epic battlefields that ancient Japan had to offer. The DVD's that are included look great as well, they're just presented in standard definition. The audio comes in two versions, the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel and the Japanese Dolby True HD 2.0. The mix of the 5.1 track is extremely impressive with the use of incredible panning and its ability to draw one into the large battle sequences. The 2.0 track was the one I stuck mostly, due to the fact that since the show takes place in ancient Japan, it seemed much more suitable that way. It's been a long time since I've seen an anime period piece that delivered as much as Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings. It's well animated, action packed and delivers an interesting twist into the wars and battles that have created Japan. I think its one of the bes new offerings that Funimation has to offer and kudos to them for bringing it out here. Highly Recommended! ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/sengoku_basara_samurai_kings_season_1.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/sengoku_basara_samurai_kings_season_1.html Asian Video and DVD Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:38:04 -0600 One Piece Collection No. 4, one of the best sets yet in the long running series. The Straw Hat Pirates are very close to Alabasta, but they must search for doctor in order to treat Nami's high fever. This leads them to Drum Island, an island known for its medical doctors and advanced treatments that is blanketed in an eternal winter. It is here that they will gain a new member and continue on their journey into the heart of Alabasta, to confront Baroque Works and their sinister plot to take over the desert kingdom. This collection collects episodes 79-103 of One Piece and contains some of the best batch of episodes yet. This set is a real treat because it gives you the entirety of the Drum Island arc and good portion of the Alabasta arc. Not only does this collection do it justice by having the quantity of episodes, but the sheer quality of them are just brilliant. Just about every single character in the Straw Hat Pirates crew have some sort of tragic back story. Nothing that came before can compare to the beginnings of Tony Tony Chopper, the new recruit in the group. What really works for this origin is the fact that Tony's cute and mascot-like appearance, betray what the audience expects from his history. The heart of this show has always been its characters and with Tony's origin and recruitment, it is ever more present and a perfect example of why people have flocked to this show. While I was hesitant in the past to seriously commit to a show that currently has over 500 episodes, One Piece Collection No. 4 has made me an die hard fan of One Piece. The show knows when to make you laugh, when to make you cry and above all, entertain you with the thrill of adventure. These One Piece Collection's are pretty bare bones and they continue to do so with Collection No. 4. There's only a few commentaries by the English cast, textless intros and outros and a bunch of trailers for other Funimation shows. While other sets like this may not cut the mustard, One Piece has a plethora of episodes to get through and its more than enough to carry one through, without the a wealth of extra features. While I will definitely say that all of the other sets were enjoyable in their own right, One Piece Collection No. 4 is the one that I would push on people. Its a prime example of its key themes, well executed story and entertainment that make it one of the shows around. Highly Recommended!]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/one_piece_collection_no_4.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/one_piece_collection_no_4.html Asian Video and DVD Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:24:22 -0600 Fairy Tail brings with it all the greatness that the show began with. If you were a little discouraged by the last few episodes on the second set, don’t worry: The first episode on this third set puts all your faith back into the show. The story is written at a great pace with all the great fight scenes and comedy that makes the show so wonderful. This is not to say that the show goes back to the small but relatively insignificant missions that were in the beginning of the show. On the contrary, the problems seem to get more complex. At the same time we find out back story to one of the shows more mysterious characters, Erza. After we finish up the war between guilds, we now begin a storyline that will reveal Erza’s past. While Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Erza, and Happy are enjoying themselves at a casino, people from Erza’s past show up and reek havoc. These magic users take Erza back to the place that she escaped from as a child on the order of their leader. The leader of this small band of magic users is as evil as Erza is good. This creates an interesting contrast in personalities and convictions. During this storyline we also see the magical council take action against the same enemy. Their reasons for getting involved are concerned more with the welfare of all of the people, both magic users and not. This is putting our Fairy Tail heroes in a real life-threatening situation that they are not even aware of. I am not sure how our heroes are going to get out of this one all in one piece. Fairy Tail has a great blend of seriousness and comedy. The laughs are so perfectly placed throughout each episode. The jokes are placed throughout the show in such a way that they enhance the parts that are meant to be serious. The contrast makes the show feel realistic. It also gives you an emotional release so that you do not become overwhelmed with the seriousness of the overall situation. Much of the comedy centers on the actions of Natsu. This is not to say that Natsu is nothing but a comedy relief character. In this volume we get a glimpse of the greatness that Natsu possesses. We have been focusing so much on the other characters in the past couple storylines that it is nice to see Natsu getting a chance to grow during these episodes. I am looking forward to seeing how amazing Natsu can be. This volume of Fairy Tail also sees the introduction of some new characters. Some of which leave the spotlight after a few episodes and others who become an integral part of the later episodes within the Erza based storyline. The introduction of new magical powers and the ability to build the main characters through their interactions are the best parts of these new characters. Fairy Tail: Part Three comes in a case which contains a reversible character cover. This is a fun extra to the purchase, as it gives you the ability to make the set your own by choosing the cover you prefer. This is by far one of my favorite aspects of these new releases. Other extras in the set are episode commentaries, textless songs, and trailers.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/fairy_tail_part_three.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/fairy_tail_part_three.html Asian Video and DVD Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:03:05 -0600 Redline is the pinnacle of Japanese animation and quite possibly the best animated film to come from Japan in the last 10 years. This is no disrespect towards Hayao Miyazaki, the Walt Disney of Japan or Hideki Anno, whose done a bang up job with his new Evangelion films. What separates Redline from those other films is how bold it is, in terms of its presentation. The film follows a group of intergalactic racers that dominate the galaxy by continuing to race with vehicles with wheels, as opposed to hovercrafts. The protagonist is JP, a human with an insane pompadour that has been in love with racing since he was a kid. His goal is to participate in Redline, the championship race that every racer like him tries to be a part of and take home the glory. After he and his alien best friend, Frisbee, get caught up with the mafia, they are forced to use his racing abilities to rig races. After a few people drop out of the latest Redline competition, due to the race being held on a hostile planet run by cyborgs, JP gets the opportunity of a lifetime to pursue his lifelong goals. JP must duke it out with the likes of bounty hunters, pop idols, aliens and even his love interest, the beautiful Sonoshee, to get to the finish line. The film took seven years to make, due to it being hand drawn by the talents of Studio Madhouse and sprang from the minds of Takeshi Koike and Katsuhito Ishii, the men behind great anime works like the animated segment in Kill Bill Vol.1 and The Animatrix. A film like Redline is an absolute breath of fresh air in the modern world of anime, filled with tons of moe characters and cute mascots. Everything from the characters designs, to the backgrounds and the style of it all keeps Redline fresh and invigorating for every single second of the its running time. The film effectively introduces us to the style and everything that's important in the film within the first 15 minutes. Redline follows this golden rule of filmmaking and fulfills its promises that are given to us, through the use of great action and intensity. Anime films like this just simply do not come around and kudos to Ishii and Koike for showing the world of what makes anime fun and exciting. Studio Madhouse has been the progenitor of high octane anime, with films like Vampire Hunter D and Ninja Scroll under their belts and Redline is just another notch they can add to it. The Blu-Ray of Redline is presented in a gorgeous 1080p AVC encoded transfer, with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The sheer level of detail in this film is just fantastic to look at in the HD transfer. The color palette is all over the place, but never feels out of balance. Deep blacks and blues to vibrant greens and pink colors pop off the screen that just make this film pure bliss while watching it. The 100,000 frames used to animate the film show the level of detail placed in the film and this presentation is the absolute best way to experience it. The audio on the disc comes in two lossless forms, the Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix. Both of these mixes are phenomenal and incredibly immersive through the use of music, effects and overall soundscape. It's a bit easier to see the film in English, due to being able to focus on all of the images as opposed to seeing the film in Japanese and trying to read the subtitles. The voice talent is excellent in both version and do a great job and giving life to the characters. Overall, this is the life breath of anime at its finest and Redline is an absolute must see. Whether you're a fan of Japanese animation or not, you cannot deny the power and intensity this film has. Redline shows the power of the medium and really did a fantastic job at reminding me why I love anime in the first place. From the cool aesthetic values to the intensity and energy, Redline is a hell of a ride, from start to finish. Highly Recommended. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/dvd_releases/redline.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/dvd_releases/redline.html Asian DVD releases Video and DVD Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:19:57 -0600 Revolutionary Girl Utena is an absolute masterpiece of an anime and is a prime example of the power of the eastern animation tradition. Broadcasted in 1997 in Japan, the story contains a fairy tale introduction by a princess that has been abandoned by her parents, due to their untimely death. A handsome prince comes along, comforts her and tells her that one day that shall meet once again. After placing a rose crest ring on her finger, the prince rides off, leaving the princess so enamored by the princes charm, that the princess herself decides to become a prince, in order to bestow comfort and kindness to those in need. Flash forward to the present day, we follow Utena Tenjou, a high school student enrolled in the Ohtori Academy, where she wears a tradition male uniform and must deal with members of the student council, who bear the same exact rose crest ring. Each of them challenge Utena to sword duels, in order for the hand of the Rose Bride, that shall help bring about the power of revolutionizing the world. The Apocalypse Saga Boxed set by Nozomi Entertainment contains episodes 25 through 39 of the series, as well the film, The Adolescence of Utena. This is the largest set of all three and with the inclusion of the theatrical film, it sends off the Utena series with a bang. The Apocalypse Saga brings about the direct confrontation between Utena and the person whose been masterminding everything, Akio, Anthy's older brother. Akio uses his powers of persuasion to influence a new duelist, Ruka and most of the original duelists, Saionji, Miki and Touga. While all of this is happening, Utena and Anthy have no clue that Akio has his hands deep into the inner workings of Ohtori Academy. As time goes on, Utena begins to fall in love with Akio and feels as though she finally has found her true prince. Her world is torn apart once she sees the true relationship he has with Anthy and Utena must stand and battle the harsh realities that have shaken up her world for good. What was laid out in the first to sets, in terms of tone and plot comes to a complete head and make for some incredible drama to wrap up the series. There's betrayals, deaths and all sorts of other events that up the ante in the series to give it some real weight and gravity that most anime series nowadays severely lack. The second set dealt with many of the minor characters dealing with the troubles of adolescence. These last episodes brings these elements to all of the main characters, primarily Utena by having her confront the very essence of her being. The theatrical film, The Adolescence of Utena does a really great job at presenting a different approach to the Utena series. Ikuhara and BePapas had come up with the idea of the film shortly after the series had ended. The director's idea was to do everything in the film that he never had a chance to do within the series itself. One of the biggest contributions of this is the direct relationship between Utena and Anthy. While the show teetered around the fact that the two of them could be best friends or be lovers, the film outright makes them out to be the latter. The third act presents an amazing car sequence that meshes the ideas of Akio's symbolic car in the finale of the show with the reversal of Anthy's portrayal of heroine. The extras on this boxed set are overflowing with great content regarding the last episodes and the film. There's a a bunch of behind the scene's footage of for the series, animated art boards and karaoke for the dueling themes. For the film's extra's, there's a director's commentary, interviews and a look into the American dub for the film, supervised by Ikuhara himself. The 130 page booklet shows some great art boards, insightful interviews and design work that all went into the making of everything included in this final boxed set. Nozomi Entertainment has done justice to this release of this classic and seminal work of Japanese animation. I'm not generally a fan of Shojo style shows in anime or manga, but the execution and reversal of stereotypical elements in Utena have always made this series stand out. The title of this series has always been adequate and fitting because it is quite truly, revolutionary. Highly Recommended!]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/revolutionary_girl_utena_the_apocalypse_saga_boxed_set.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/revolutionary_girl_utena_the_apocalypse_saga_boxed_set.html Asian Video and DVD Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:33:42 -0600 First Squad: The Moment of Truth is neither and presents a very different approach. With the production handled by Studio 4°C and created by Molot Entertainment, First Squad: The Moment of Truth tells the story of an elite fighting squad in the Russian army set to stop the Nazi army, pre-World War II. An occult group within the Nazi party, the Ahnenerbe are trying to summon a dead warrior, Baron Von Wolff from the dead in order to turn the tide in battle and take over the world. During a critical moment in the world, The Moment of Truth, when a either a person, event or action can change the world forever, is the exact moment when Wolff is to be resurrected and give way for the Nazi power to flourish. The Russian army is keen to this and decides to send out the First Squad, a group of individuals with psychic abilities in order to stop the Nazi's. The film is presented in two different ways, one that leaves you scratching your head and the other, wanting so much more. There are two versions of First Squad on the Blu-Ray, the long and short version, with about 17 minute difference between the two. In the long version, there are various talking head segments like a documentary, intercut within the segments of animation. Each person is a either a scholar, a war veteran or a historian of some sort that elaborates on events and actions happening in First Squad. While it makes for an interesting angle to approach the subject of occultism in the Nazi party, the Russian experience and a historical context of World War II within First Squad, it just comes off as weird. It's trying it's best to validate all of these subjects within the medium of animation, when animations strengths always lie in the beauty of being fantastical or imaginative. Nadya, the squads de facto leader, is fleshed out very well and is given a solid backstory in order for us to follow her to complete her mission. One of the major strengths of First Squad is the stunning animation from Studio 4°C and the level of quality they bring to the production. Everything from the characters movements, to the lush backgrounds have been done extremely well and retain plenty of detail. It's these great moments of animation that keep one watching First Squad, down to its final frames. This is definitely shown in a spectacular HD transfer that appears on the Blu-Ray disc. Shown in a full 1080p HD transfer, with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The color scheme is a bit drab, with it being set in the war, but the colors that are there pop off the screen and give the movie a great look. On the audio side, there's more than enough here to keep one satisfied on the Blu-Ray. There are Russian, Japanese and English in Dolby TrueHD and every single one of them sounds amazing. The mix for all three are really great with some wonderful use of low end for the explosions, using the front and rear channels for gunfire and fantastic voice acting in all three versions. DJ Krush's contributions round out the everything and does an impressive job for doing some original work for the film. His intro, “Valor”, gets things started well with its use of horns and percussion that set the epic tone for the film while his outro, “Blade Wind”, sticks to his traditional style of turntable skills to smooth things out . While the film leaves you wanting more, First Squad is a pretty decent action packed anime. It's got chicks with swords, Nazi's, ghosts and plenty of other things that is bound to excite somebody. It's worth checking out and I'd definitely be interested if Studio 4°C and Molot Entertainment decided to do some more. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/first_squad_the_moment_of_truth.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/first_squad_the_moment_of_truth.html Asian Video and DVD Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:22:24 -0600 Nabari ( Nabari No Ou--Ruler of the Underworld) is an experience that should be had by everyone. The story plays out in ways that are unexpected and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The animation is beautiful, with distinct character designs and movements. The arch of the characters is written in such a way that they pull at your emotions in pleasantly unexpected ways. Miharu Rokujo is a middle school student who doesn’t have a care in the world. His best known personality trait is his apathy. To this young apathetic boy, a gift of the Shinra Banshou is given although he didn’t even know what it was or where it came from. The Shinra Banshou is an extremely powerful forbidden ninjitsu technique. Miharu did not ask to have the Shinra Banshou within him, and he doesn’t want it there. Tobari Kumohira and Koichi Aizawa, Miharu’s teacher and school mate, have vowed to protect Miharu and prevent the use of the Shinra Banshou. There are several ninja villages still in existence throughout Japan. These different villages are trying to collect forbidden books held in the various villages in order to have control over the Shinra Banshou. But Miharu has plans of his own. As a modern day ninja story, Nabari has many elements that are common and expected, but this is not to say it is boring or takes away from the story. One example of a common theme is the “outside world” being kept separate from nabari (underworld). Most people who are a part of the nabari world have day jobs and many of the ‘villiages’ have covers such as a temp business or private school. Although the element of keeping the secret underworld separate from the ‘outside world’ is a common theme, being essential to the story, it is not done in a way that feels common. Although we see the characters in the outside world, most of the story focuses on their lives in the underworld and thus we see them mostly inside nabari. Small conflicts with the outside world may arise from time to time but for the most part it doesn’t play a big role in the storyline. This means that we are not constantly bombarded with the need to make all the events more complicated than they already are. As a character story, Nabari is fantastic. At the beginning of the story, we seem to know who we are supposed to root for. The good and bad guys are clearly defined. But then the lines begin to blur. The characters are written as they would be in real life; real people with multiple sides. The characters fall somewhere on the line of good and bad, many of them being neither one nor the other specifically--although there are some who are closer to pure good or bad, which is needed in order for contrast. This means by the middle of the series you find that the people who were set up as the ‘bad guys’ are not that bad and the ‘good guys’ are not always good. They become people you can relate to, and thus you become conflicted as to who you want to see come out on top in the end. This aspect of the anime pulls you in emotionally. You become invested in the story through the evolution of the characters. It is the best aspect of the anime. Being a ninja story, there are plenty of fight scenes in Nabari. One of the greatest aspects of the fights is the way in which the characters are animated. The characters are mostly designed as tall, skinny characters with long limbs. Because of these long limbs, the characters are able to move in interesting ways during the fights. The movement of the characters during the fights is an art in itself. Becoming absorbed in the fight is not hard, you not only care about the characters but the animation is interesting and beautiful. Whilst the fights are drawn in similar ways, the individual characters still have their own ways of moving through them. Thus, adding another layer to the animation. The mute button could be on during a fight and it would still be visually captivating enough that you would become enthralled without knowing the reason for the fight. It should be said that the entire anime is not fighting. There are wonderful scenes of character development, intrigue, comedy, and drama. Nabari has a little of everything, put together beautifully so that you do not feel that anything is being forced. Nabari: The Complete Series is available through FUNimation’s S.A.V.E. (Super Amazing Value Edition) line, thus making it a cheap way to add this great anime to your collection. The DVD comes with a reversible cover art which allows you to choose how it is displayed on your shelf. The set also has episode commentaries and textless songs along with the twenty-six episodes of the series. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/nabari_the_complete_series.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/nabari_the_complete_series.html Asian Video and DVD Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:24:06 -0600 here. Kunihiko Ikuhara's Revolutionary Girl Utena is an absolute masterpiece of an anime and is a prime example of the power of the eastern animation tradition. Broadcasted in 1997 in Japan, the story contains a fairy tale introduction by a princess that has been abandoned by her parents, due to their untimely death. A handsome prince comes along, comforts her and tells her that one day that shall meet once again. After placing a rose crest ring on her finger, the prince rides off, leaving the princess so enamored by the princes charm, that the princess herself decides to become a prince, in order to bestow comfort and kindness to those in need. Flash forward to the present day, we follow Utena Tenjou, a high school student enrolled in the Ohtori Academy, where she wears a tradition male uniform and must deal with members of the student council, who bear the same exact rose crest ring. Each of them challenge Utena to sword duels, in order for the hand of the Rose Bride, that shall help bring about the power of revolutionizing the world. The Black Rose Saga Boxed Set by Nozomi Entertainment contains episodes 13 through 24 of the series. This set just continues the great visual and aural presentation of the show as the first boxed set has, as well as a melange of extras that this second boxed set worth owning as much as the first. The first major distinction of the Black Rose storyline within Utena, is how much darker the series gets from here on out. While there are still plenty of funny episodes that break up some some of the tension, that tension is the brought on by the fractured psyches of the new duelists. Each of the new duelist are chosen by Souji Mikage, a counselor that runs the Mikage Seminar at the Nemuro Memorial Hall. The hall brings about much controversy amongst the students, due to there being a rumor that 100 students were burned alive there. During the Mikage Seminar, secondary characters that were in the first story arc, begin to take council there and Souji finds a way to for the characters to reveal much about themselves. Through their psychological turmoil, Souji manages to root their problems to either Utena or Anthy and makes them want to destroy the Rose Bride, in order to replace her with a young man named Mamiya. These sessions with the characters and Souji really enhance what the first set of episodes did with it's original duelists. By the very end, once Utena must face Souji in a duel, he even invades her mind by making her question her meeting with the prince as a facade of some deeply rooted problems, making her question her own beliefs. With The Black Rose Saga fleshing out all of the characters that we've seen thus far, giving them real world issues and never spoon feeding the audience at any given moment show how great Revolutionary Girl Utena is and continues to be. The video and audio for the rerelease is just like the previous set and shows how dedicated Nozomi Entertainment to the level of quality. It contains the original dub from the CPM Manga release, the Japanese 2.0 track and a new remastered Japanese 5.1 audio track. The extras that are included are animated artboards, various trailers from Nozomi and a 4 part interview with director Ikuhara, discussing the show. The booklet contained within the set also has great key art, liner notes and interviews that discuss the show as well as the origins for the Be-Papas production team themselves. While this set ramps up unhealthy doses of implied incest and reused animation, that shouldn't detract anyone from watching this show. It is a multi-layered work that dives into the psyche of high school students and does so with both style and sophistication. Whether it's the fairy tale imagery or grace of the duels themselves, The Black Rose Saga is just another one reason why anime fans should be paying more attention to this release by Nozomi Entertainment. Anime shows this good with this amount of quality and content to boot, almost never come around this often. Highly Recommended! ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/revolutionary_girl_utena_the_black_rose_saga_boxed_set.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/revolutionary_girl_utena_the_black_rose_saga_boxed_set.html Asian Video and DVD Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:51:14 -0600 Revolutionary Girl Utena is an absolute masterpiece of an anime and is a prime example of the power of the eastern animation tradition. Broadcasted in 1997 in Japan, the story contains a fairy tale introduction by a princess that has been abandoned by her parents, due to their untimely death. A handsome prince comes along, comforts her and tells her that one day that shall meet once again. After placing a rose crest ring on her finger, the prince rides off, leaving the princess so enamored by the princes charm, that the princess herself decides to become a prince, in order to bestow comfort and kindness to those in need. Flash forward to the present day, we follow Utena Tenjou, a high school student enrolled in the Ohtori Academy, where she wears a tradition male uniform and must deal with members of the student council, who bear the same exact rose crest ring. Each of them challenge Utena to sword duels, in order for the hand of the Rose Bride, that shall help bring about the power of revolutionizing the world. The Student Council Saga Boxed Set by Nozomi Entertainment contains the first 12 episodes of the series, with some fantastic extras and brand new HD transfer that make this set an absolute must own. Ikuhara's rose to fame and fortune by taking over the Sailor Moon TV series, during its second season and furthered it to be a huge success. After the fourth season of the series. Ikuhara decided to leave the show and wanted to create something with like minded people. Be-Papas was born of this and their first creation was Revolutionary Girl Utena. Like his work on Sailor Moon, Ikuhara creates very bold and strong female characters, that can take care of themselves physically and be beautiful whilst doing it. This was something that wasn't commonplace in Shojo anime but has now become commonplace, due to Ikuhara. While it may seem strange that a girl is wearing a boy's uniform, the gender roles that Ikuhara addresses in Utena create a fascinating story, great character development and interesting character motivations. From Miki's attempt to “Protect” the rose bride to Jury's disbelief in miracles, every episode counts for something and constantly progresses the plot forward. While there is plenty of depth and thought that has gone into the series, Utena contains plenty of comedy and high school hijinks, in order to break some of the tension that constantly builds. From the lovable Chu Chu, to Nanami's plans to get her brother's attention, Ikuhara knows exactly when to make one laugh and do a great job at it. While the series is overflowing with great ideas, characters and visual sensibilities, there is just one small problem. Every time Utena enters a duel with another student, the same animation is used, over and over again. If it weren't for J.A. Ceazar's catchy tune “Zettai Unmei Mokushiro” (Absolute Destiny Apocalypse), I'd just fast forward the entire part. The video and audio for the rerelease is fantastic and is one the best releases from Nozomi Entertainment. It contains the original dub from the CPM Manga release, the Japanese 2.0 track and a new remastered Japanese 5.1 audio track. Utena has always been a colorful and lively show and the video restoration looks superb. The extras that are included are various trailers of Japanese releases, music videos and textless opening and closing songs. There's also a booklet that includes interviews, key art, episode commentary, liner notes and an essay that make it quite the supplement. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a phenomenal work of anime that rightfully stands next to works seminal works like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop. It was one of the few shows that never seemed like it would come back here in the states, after CPM Manga closed up shop, but Nozomi has taken care of that in spades. This rerelease is one of the best anime releases of the year and essential viewing for any anime fan. Highly Recommended! ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/revolutionary_girl_utena_the_student_council_boxed_set.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/revolutionary_girl_utena_the_student_council_boxed_set.html Asian Video and DVD Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:58:50 -0600 Gun X Sword falls into that same vein of anime that made a huge hit in the late 90's and early 2000's in the US, the sci-fi western. The series follows Van, a tuxedoed drifter that is on a quest for revenge after his bride was murdered on their wedding day by a man with a claw for a right hand. After going through a town called Evergreen, he meets a young girl named Wendy, who's also on a quest to find her brother that has left Evergreen to mysteriously travel with The Claw. Along the way they meet a rag tag group of heroes, an information hunter with a yo-yo and plenty of other people that make for an interesting journey. Once they finally meet up with The Claw, their quest finds new meaning and find out the real origins of the giant robot that Van pilots, Dann of Thursday. The series was originally picked up by Geneon Entertainment and has been rereleased by Funimation. One of the great things behind this show and what make all of the other sci-fi western shows so good is their amalgamation of the two genres to make something very fun and unique. While the themes of revenge and betrayal were handled better in Cowboy Bebop and Trigun much more efficiently, Gun X Sword is definitely a good tale. The character designs by Takahiro Kimura are really great, distinctive and a pleasure to look at. The animation handled by AIC is fantastic and stay pretty consistent throughout the entire series. My only real problem with the series is with Hideyuki Kurata's scripts for Gun X Sword. Certain plot developments and character developments happen at very odd times, that make for poor pacing. There's always something good happening and the story keeps moving forward, but there are just mere moments where Gun X Sword just slightly missteps. With this rerelease containing three audio tracks, in English 5.1, Japanese 5.1 and a Japanese DTS track, the Gun X Sword-San episodes and other extras that were in the original release, it's definitely worth every penny. While I had a problem with the pacing, seeing all of the fantastic action and well done comedy made me enjoy Gun X Sword very much. Whether its giant mecha that tickle your fancy or a great adventure, Gun X Sword delivers a well told tale that's fun, action packed and looks great, all the way through. Recommended.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/gun_x_sword_the_complete_series.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/gun_x_sword_the_complete_series.html Asian Video and DVD Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:39:28 -0600 X is an action packed apocalyptic anime that doesn’t fail to deliver. There is drama, fighting with characters possessing supernatural powers, intrigue, sacrifice, and even a little romance. X is a story of the world changing decision that a young man named Kamui must make. The end of the world is coming fast and there are two factions of fighters who are being drawn to Tokyo; the dragons of heaven and the dragons of earth. The dragons of heaven, or the Seven Seals, are fighting for the world to stay as it is thus allowing all the humans to live. The dragons of earth, or the Seven Angels, are fighting for a revolution, thus the earth will live on in peace without the humans. Kamui doesn’t belong to either group, but it is his destiny to choose a side. As with any decision there are consequences, Kamui must decide which consequences he feels are more acceptable and then fight for the side he chose. X is based on the manga written by the all-woman artist group, CLAMP. As in many CLAMP stories, the plot of X is revealed slowly throughout the anime. While the audience is given small hints throughout the story, the facts are not given until the characters find out. This creates a storyline that will keep you guessing and trying to put together the small hints that you are given. There are times when you are not quite sure which character is on what side, or where the story is going to go next but you have confidence that it will all be revealed. As with the plot, the characters are built slowly throughout the episodes. You feel as if you are learning the group of characters as you would if it were real life. Information is given at a rate that allows you to get to know the characters without feeling as if there is too much being given to you at once. At the same time, enough is given to you early on in the anime to allow the characters time to change and grow as the show goes along. The art in X is classic CLAMP style with thin characters who have pointed chins and large expressive eyes. The backgrounds are beautiful, but I will admit that the beauty of the characters draws the eye more often than not. So much about the characters are told through their body language and eyes that it is truly awe inspiring. X is available through the Anime Classics line from FUNimation Entertainment. The X DVD contains all twenty-four episodes plus the OVA, entitled O-An Omen, on four discs. Other extras include the trailer for the OVA, an interview with the director and trailers. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/x_the_complete_series.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/x_the_complete_series.html Asian Video and DVD Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:41:22 -0600 Fairy Tail, one of the best animes to be released in years, is back. In this next volume of Fairy Tail, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Erza, Happy and the rest of the Fairy Tail Guild are back to fight villains, each other, and repercussions of their own past. This set delves deeper into the characters and the reasons for the actions they have taken and the friends they have made up to this point in their lives. We also meet new characters as well as learn more about other members of the guild who were less prominent in the first part. Fariy Tail: Part Two starts by finishing the story that ended the first set. Through this storyline, we learn about Gray's past and the relationships he left behind (as well as why he is always stripping!). This storyline is excellent. Gray is an intriguing character and learning more about him makes him even more likable. We are also introduced to Gray's childhood friend, with whom he trained with as a child. We learn just as much about Gray's friend during the story as we do about him. I am really hoping we see more of this character as the show progresses. In a few episodes in the middle of the volume, we learn a little more about the past of Natsu and Happy. There are some interesting issues brought up during these flashbacks, which could really create some good character growth for Natsu as the show moves along. As the volume progresses, the Fairy Tail Guild finds themselves in a 'war' with another guild. This particular storyline is introduced without warning and through seeming plot devieces. It feels like an introduction that would work in manga style but fails in anime form. This does not create the sense of urgency and empathy for the characters needed in order to invest fully in the storyline. The one great aspect of this particular storyline is that you are introduced to the backgrounds of some of the other Fairy Tail guild members, which are particularly interesting. These stories also blend into the parts of Natsu's past that you learn from previous episodes. The relationships of the characters to one another and their pasts was a theme during this volume. It gives the episodes depth and feeling. Once we have learned who the characters are and how they fight as wizards in part one, we now begin learning about them as humans. This is one of the aspects of the show that makes it one of the most entertaining animes to watch. The writing is done in a natural and logical manner. You have enjoyed the characters as fighters and wizards and now you can enjoy them as individual characters. You will now be able to pick the characters in which you can relate, thus helping you to invest more in the anime as a whole. The episodes of Fairy Tail: Part Two are every bit as impressive and enjoyable as the previous episodes. The end of the set leaves you looking forward to what is coming next, which I am sure we all are.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/fairy_tail_part_two_1.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/fairy_tail_part_two_1.html Asian Video and DVD Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:35:02 -0600 Jackie Chan’s Who Am I?, Gen-X Cops) wrote, edited, produced, and directed City Under Siege, a kung fu monster flick about a group of circus performers who are mutated by a super soldier gas developed during WWII. The majority of the performers exposed to the gas take on monstrous forms and turn to crime, with the exception of Sunny (Aaron Kwok, Convergence), our hero, who is tasked by the Hong Kong Police Force with stopping the other mutants. And Sunny makes an incredibly interesting protagonist. A hapless circus clown who dreams of following his father as a Flying Dagger master, Sunny does not possess any particular talents prior to his mutation, nor is he even socially competent. Sunny is more the sort of comic doofus you’d get in in a relief role than a lead. This makes his journey all the more exciting to us at the outset of the film, as we know that he will, at some point, have to man-up, stop being an idiot, and face his nemesis Chu (Collin Chou, Flash Point). The appeal of Benny Chan alone will likely suffice to draw most any kung fu fan to City Under Siege, not to mention the presence of stars Kwok and Chou. Hell, that’s what drew me to City Under Siege. The Chan-directed Who Am I? is one of my absolute favorite kung fu movies. Unfortunately, while FUNimation’s release of the film offers the stellar video and audio transfers you’d expect of the distributor, Chan himself failed to deliver on this one as he scrambles to find a direction for the plot in the film’s latter half. The film builds to an incredible 10-minute battle at the mid-point, but thereafter loses all focus. At the midpoint, once Sunny’s mutant abilities become public knowledge, he turns into something of a fame whore, making numerous public appearances and appearing in commercials for everything from bug spray to anti-diarrheal medication. This plot device certainly could have been incorporated in such a way that it would lead logically to the character’s acceptance of those responsibilities that comes with his powers. Instead, its inclusion effectively derails the narrative as well as the character’s progression. As if to rectify the situation, Chan forces a love triangle into the film’s closing half hour, which bogs down the final confrontation between Sunny and Chu with laughable results. In short, the film tanks hard after an incredibly successful first half that, I should add, seamlessly alternates between action and comedy. As such, this is really a film for fans of Chan or the stars only. That being said, FUNimation provides the highest quality transfer possible with pristine HD picture and one of the most dynamic audio mixes I’ve ever heard. Both the original Cantonese track and the English dub are presented in explosive Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mixes. Special features on the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack include a making-of featurette and the original trailer, and the release also features reversible cover art, which is a practice of FUNimation’s of which I am particularly fond as a collector. So I give FUNimation an A+ on this one, even if Benny Chan failed me.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/city_under_siege.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/city_under_siege.html Asian Video and DVD Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:00:38 -0600 Rosario + Vampire is a fun and entertaining high school drama with girls kicking ass and plenty of fan service! With both seasons available from FUNimation, you will be able to enjoy all twenty-six episodes. Tsukune Aono is a hopeful high school student in Rosario + Vampire: Season One. There is only one problem, he failed the entrance exams and has been rejected from all the schools in town. One day his father comes home with information to enroll Tsukune in a high school named Yokai Academy. Shortly after arriving Tsukune befriends a beautiful pink haired girl named Moka Akashiya, and as it turns out, is a vampire. Come to find out everyone at Yokai Academy are monsters and there are no humans allowed: what is Tsukune to do? In this high school drama with a monster twist, you will enjoy watching Tsukune live everyday with only Moka knowing that he is a human. He manages to get himself in trouble because at this school he is a heartthrob! There are many girls who fall in love with him. These girls end up becoming friends with Tsukune and Moka, which creates a team of beautiful girls to save Tsukune at every turn. Despite the team, most of the saving comes from Moka. But not in her pretty, sweet-natured pink haired form. She wears a rosary that locks her true power and form inside. Tsukune is the only person who is able to remove the rosary from her neck. When this happens, Moka becomes a strong S-class vampire, and is able to beat the enemy quickly. This is not to say that Tsukune doesn’t play a part in saving his friends, it is just not done in the same way. The comedy in Rosario + Vampire relies heavily on sight gags and repeated jokes, most of which are done in a way that remains funny through the whole thirteen episodes. One gag that is done well is where Tsukune and Moka look longingly at each other as if they are going to kiss and then it ends with Moka sucking Tsukune’s blood. At first it is funny, then it begins to get old, but as soon as this happens, the bat narrator and other characters begin pointing this same fact out with makes it funny again. Many of the gags are done in the same way, which keeps you laughing, even if the joke or gag is the same you saw in the previous episode. There is a common theme running through the show; accepting people, or in this case monsters, for who they are. The theme is not forced due to it being shown that there is not only prejudice between humans and monsters but also between the monsters on campus. This theme comes to the forefront when the rest of Tsukune’s friends are forced to face the reality that he is a human and that Moka was helping him to keep the secret. It adds an undertone of a serious nature to the otherwise fun-loving episodes. This also helps to give the end of the season the real background that is needed in order to make the battle that is being fought feel as serious as it is. Rosario + Vampire: CAPU 2 has the whole gang of friends returning to Yokai Academy for another year of high school. In this season, there are new threats but for the most part it focuses on the girls fighting over who is going to be with Tsukune romantically. Some of the girls’ parents get involved in the dispute and this leads to strange and hilarious circumstances for Tsukune. The second season was put together much like the first; with there being a dramatic circumstance surrounding Tsukune and his friends that is solved by bringing out Moka’s strong vampire side. The few instances that they did attempt to change the format did not really work in the series as a whole. There seemed to be a lot of musical numbers throughout the second season, many of which did not fit inside the action and felt more like time fillers. Also, some of the gags used in the first season were reused, which in itself is not the problem, but they tried to change them up ending in gags that were not as funny this time. A part of the second season I felt they should have focused more on is the latent power that was now inside of Tsukune. Due to the fight at the end of season one, Tsukune was a little more than just human. This aspect of him was not explored until the last two episodes of the second season, although there were plenty of opportunities for it to be shown earlier. It almost felt like it was only used to help him achieve his goals instead of making a critical part of his growing character. If this aspect would have been explored in further detail, perhaps the other changes would not have been necessary. The plot would have had enough depth to support the normal routine of the show. I did feel that the fighting in Rosario + Vampire: CAPU 2 was done better than in the original season. The other characters were given a chance to show their worth, instead of it just being up to Moka. Although in the end Moka still played the “save the day” character, this time she was willing, and at times asked for the help of the other characters. This gave the fights more depth and variety. Rosario + Vampire is available to buy in three ways; the Rosario + Vampire Limited Edition First Season, Rosario + Vampire: CAPU 2, or Rosario + Vampire: The Complete Series box set. Rosario + Vampire Limited Edition First Season box set comes with a full color art book. This book contains beautiful drawings of the girls from the show. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/rosario_vampire_season_one_limited_edition_and_capu_2.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/rosario_vampire_season_one_limited_edition_and_capu_2.html Asian Video and DVD Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:58:23 -0600