Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series Review

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(More customer reviews)This show has been reviewed in detailed lots of times so if you want a review of the content then you should look at the various reviews for the dvd version as the content of the 26 episodes is in fact the same. I'll concentrate on the blu-ray vs. dvd debate that is brewing up.
Now, I've been told that this show will never actually be in true hd because of the various CG(computer graphic) elements that were done in SD. In order for us to see this show in true hd they would have to go back and redo all of the CG elements that were originally done in SD. A lot of earlier shows have this problem, such as Cowboy Bebop which when this comes out in blu-ray will probably be an upscale as well. Thus, this is probably the best we will ever get. Older animation that was hand drawn was done completely on film which in fact has an infinite resolution. Computer graphics are limited to the actual resolution at which they were created at, but they can be upscaled such as in this tv show. Since this was a tv show that aired on SD originally, the computer graphics were done in SD, hence the need to redo the CG for a true HD resolution.
I've seen pictures from an upscaled DVD and from this Blu-ray and overall the Blu-ray looks better in my opinion. If you look carefully at still shots you will notice that the dnr filter used removes some of the detail in the picture. So looking closely, the DVD has just a tad more detail in certain parts. You have to remember though, that the animation style does not have a ton of detail to begin with so you will have to look really hard to see the difference in detail. The ONLY time I could really tell that the DVD had more detail was on scenes were there were large pieces of wood paneling. On the DVD you see that there is more detail on the wood where the blu-ray version slightly blurs this out because of the dnr filter used. Again, in the still shots I saw, I could only tell on the wood paneling of certain scenes. On the characters, backgrounds, etc. I could tell no difference in detail.
A lot of people REALLY miss the benefit of blu-ray in these instances though. DVD's are much more compressed than Blu-ray's in both picture and sound. That is one of the reasons why the DVD version has colors that are not as vibrant and a picture that has a lot more noise and macroblocking. So while the DVD has just a smidge more detail in certain parts, this is negated by the fact that the DVD version is highly compressed, introducing artifacts into the picture and in the process giving you a picture that is not as good as it could be.
Overall, in my opinion, this makes the much higher bitrate sound and picture in blu-ray the winner. We can complain that the show isn't in true HD, but we have to remember that unless they redo the CG parts, it probably never will be in true HD. People can cling to their DVD's and say they are the best, but they will miss the fact that the higher bitrate of blu-ray in both picture and sound give a better overall experience.
The difference between the DVD and Blu-ray isn't night and day but it is definitely noticeable. If you have neither, then the blu-ray version is the one to pick up, but if you have the DVD set already then this isn't worth picking up unless Samurai Champloo is one of your all-time great favorites, or you just have money to burn.

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For the first time ever, the buck wild samurais of the Champloo crew are carving up the competition on Blu-ray…catch the action now before the game passes you by.
Let\'s break it down. Mugen\'s a reckless sword-slinger with a style that\'s more b-boy than Shaolin. He\'s got a nasty streak that makes people want to stick a knife in his throat. Then there\'s Jin, a deadbeat ronin who speaks softly but carries a big blade. He runs game old-school style, but he can make your blood spray with the quickness. When these roughnecks bring the ruckus, it ain\'t good for anybody, especially them. Enter Fuu, the dizzy waitress who springs her new friends from a deadly jam. All she wants in return is help solving a riddle from her past. She and the boys are tracking the scent, but there\'s ninety-nine ways to die between them and the sunflower samurai.

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Bleach, Volume 1: The Substitute (Episodes 1-4) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Yet another juggernaut has made its way across the Pacific - and this time, it has attitude. Another mega-hit manga adapted into a mega-hit Anime series, Bleach brings a whole new definition to the word "Action-Adventure" - and does it with style.
Young Anime artist Kubo Noriaki's (also known as "Kubotite") "Bleach" is the story of 15-year old Ichigo Kurosaki, who is ANYTHING but an ordinary high-school student. Possessing superhuman "Reiatsu" (loosely translated as "spirit force/ability"), he has the ability to see and communicate with Spirits of the recently deceased. However, Ichigo's life is changed forever when an evil-spirit, a "Hollow" threatens his family and friends. In the process, he encounters a young Soul Reaper named Rukia, who after being gravely wounded, entrusts Ichigo with her powers. Becoming a "substitute", Ichigo unwittingly receives the task of performing Rukia's duties on Earth, which include vanquishing Hollows, and "burying" good spirits by sending them to "Soul Society" (a kind of Japanese "Heaven"). And so begins the saga of Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Soul Reaper.
Considering the immense fan-base in the US, as well as Japan, it seemed as though it was only a matter of time that "Bleach" The Anime made it overseas. Already a major hit with internet viewers, as well as a best-selling translated-English manga, Bleach takes traditional Japanese culture and heritage and sends it smashing into bold, hip, modern style - and with surprisingly fantastic results. Almost every character in Bleach is interesting, developed, and well-defined. Writing is top-notch, and viewers will certainly find themselves gasping in awe one moment, and breaking out laughing the next.
Refreshing, original, and genre-defining, Bleach is a gem among 21st century Anime. Although a uniquely Japanese anime, this show should prove to win over even the most skeptical viewers in the States - as long as you remember not to judge a book by its bleached cover.

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Taking On the Afterlife, One Soul at a Time! Fifteen-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts-he was born with the gift. When his family is attacked by a Hollow-a malevolent lost soul-Ichigo encounters a Soul Reaper and absorbs her powers. Now, he’s dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping tortured souls find peace. Bleach anime premiers on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim time block September 9th! Bleach Manga also available from Amazon and Viz Media.

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Naruto, Vol. 1 - Enter Naruto (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well, you've probably read by now many of the hate-filled reviews by many die-hard Naruto fans who have loved the show long before it came to Cartoon Network's Toonami a while ago. I'm one of those die-hard fans. But, I'm here to try and give an unbiased review.
First of all let me say that yes, I am with those many that hate what has been done with the Naruto series here in America. I hate Naruto's every-other-sentence, "believe it", I hate Shino's voice actor, I hate the editing, yada-yada-yada I hate a lot about it you get the point and you've heard all of that before. But let me say, that for those who do not have access to the subbed version(particularly now that it is licensed and therefore some people would be deterred because that's illegal) they might find this quite an enjoyable show.
Naruto, at it's core, is good. That point is arguable only by osmeone who has underanalyzed Naruto. Naruto takes the long showcased subject of Japanese shinobi(or ninja) and turned it into something quite original. There are over thirty characters in the show, each with their own UNIQUE skills, personalities, and flaws. Take Rock Lee for example, definitely one of my favorite characters because he is incapable of using magic or illusions in battle, and therefore has relied completely on hand-to-hand combat. But since he has been extremely determined to prove him self on equal standing with the other ninja, he has become quite powerful.
Sasuke is the show's heart-throb, always one-upping Naruto and, though he's on his team, manages to be his friend and rival all at the same time. Up until far later in the episodes(where they start filling in a time skip in the manga with "fillers") the show is consistent and the plot keeps rolling along with new elements and twists, character developments, and pretty important to me, their strength. It isn't a DBZ-like approach where every time they beat an enemy a new stronger one comes, then they get stronger. It is a more realistic approach, witht he main characters and their allies under the shadow of their teachers and their most powerful allies whom they can't even hope to go against at their current levels, training to try and become close to a match.
This series has creativity, originality, great action, great story, great character development, and that all makes it a very good show. However, the flaws in the English dubbing are quite apparent. I've heard many many dubbings in my day, and I really must say that this one is quite bad(I can't say it's the worse when I still remember One Piece). The voices of the original anime help to define the character, they do a good job of suiting each character's personality, but I don't think that's the case here on the English version. It's quite apparent that these voices do not suit the characters, and that the show suffers from the changes made to it.
When all is said and done, I must say that it still manages to be a pretty good show, especially for those who are not so used to the English subtitles. The original Naruto series gets a 5/5, and the English, a 3/5. I suggest, like others here, you check out the original. It's almost a different show. Trust me, you'll thank me.
Dattebayo.

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Episodes 1-4 Deep within the Hidden Leaf Village, sharp and cunning Ninja carry amazing talents and powers while Naruto Uzumaki carries an amazing secret.Twelve years ago, the fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to save the village by sealing the Nine-tailed Fox Spirit inside this orphaned newborn.Now, this plucky prankster must do what it takes to achieve his life-long goal to become the next Hokage!

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Astro Boy Collection Box Set (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Way to go!!100,000 horse power!!!Here comes the amazing ASTRO BOY!!The orginal ASTRO BOY!! The BEST ASTRO BOY!!
After being terribly disapointed for the previous 2003 released of the new Astro boy, I was surprised to find out this new released of the orginal 1980 series to become a must-have for all those astro fans. This is the real Astro boy, Tetsuwan Atom!!
Above all the best treat from this set was: IT CONTAINS THE ORGINAL SOUNDTRACK!! not only in English, but in JAPANESE also!!!! Not only dose it contain it, and also the sound quality was amazingly well-preserved!! Even though on the cover it says 51 half hour episodes in English. I fell deeply soul-stirring while listening to the orginal theme song, of which was the one song that was never left out from my childhood memory!! The picture quality was excellent too. Followed by the artworks, performances, and the outstanding script all created by Osamu Tezuka himself, have all made this collection to be priceless!! This boxset also contains an exquisite booklet, and with all other special features I have not yet seen, including the delected scenes from the orginal show, story board sequence, Character profiles and the gallery of the orginal manga cover.
When the enthusiastic scientist Doctor Tenma lost his only son Toby in a car crash, the ingenious robot engineer was determined to construct a boy robot in a hope to make up the lost of his only son, only to find out that the robot he created could never replace what he lost. Overcame by despair Astro left Tenma on a cruised, and was later on kidnaped by a evil manager of a robot circus, thus begins our excting adventures of Astro Boy!! In these adventures we discovered the everlasting strugles about human natures, industrial evolutions, environmental crisis and many other things.
Osamu Tezuka is the god of manga. In his life he created over 400 comic books, 60 different titles of animation. Astro was 1 of the earilest charcter he created. His masterpieces also include Jungle Emperor( the orginal Lion King ), Black Jack, Fire-bird the phoenix, Princess knight, Buddha, History of birdman, Ahundred tales, Metropilos and many other amazing creations. He said that the idear through his works is just a simple message, love all creatures, love everything that has life.
If only Osamu Tezuka was still alive today, he will be happy to witness his Astro Boy has been passed on to the younger generations. This DVD collection is a must-have for all people. Highly recomended for all ages, you will be surprised how much you are gonna enjoy this masterpiece!!


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ASTRO BOY:COLLECTION BOX SET - DVD Movie

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Cowboy Bebop - The Movie (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Based on the very popular and successful TV series, "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" is one entertaining thrill ride that really shows how effective anime can really be when it is done correctly. It's hard to think of a cartoon being so action-packed and involving, but this movie does a splendid job of doing just that. You're plunged right into the nail-biting action that will have you glued to your seat until it is well over.
The movie revolves around a bunch of outlaw bounty hunters. In Mars, there's a suspected terrorist running around with a virus that could very well wipe out the existence of human beings. Spike and company decide to take the case, as there is a large reward that will be given to the person or persons who catches the madman. The only trouble is that Spike and the gang have stumbled onto something that is much more than a simple bounty and end up discovering a big conspiracy that will throw their lives into ultimate danger. The action and excitement never ends until the shocking finale.
I watched the movie TWICE in one day. Right after I had seen it for the first time, I had to immediately watch it again. You know a movie is powerful when it has that kind of effect on you. Very rarely do I run into movies that make me want to watch it again right then and there. When you're watching "Cowboy Bebop," you really don't view it as an animated feature, but as a real living and breathing film. It is done that well. And, the great thing about this movie is that you do not have to have seen the show before. I watched this without seeing any of the shows and was able to follow it without any problems. Of course, chances are that you will want to watch the series after viewing the movie. The story is well thought out and appropriately structured. There isn't a single dull moment in the entire movie.
A little warning; although this is an animated feature, the movie is rated R. While it is certainly more mild than most anime, the movie does contain violence and language. I don't think this is anything for very young children, but I don't see a reason why older teens shouldn't be able to enjoy it.
The DVD has some nifty features to offer. First off, the picture quality is GORGEOUS. Even though it is an animated movie, the picture quality is fantastic and it really shows if you have great home theater system. The sound is also very good. Extras included are featurettes, music videos, storyboard comparisons, trailers and more. You can also watch it in the original Japanese audio track or the dubbed English one. I have to say, they do a great job of dubbing it in English. If you're not a fan of subtitles, then check it out in English. Overall, a very cool DVD package.
If you're looking for a wild and exciting trip filled with humor and thrills, "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" is just for you. Again, you do not have to have seen the actual TV series to understand the characters or the story. The movie does a fine job of standing on its own. This is truly a great movie that shows you just how exciting anime can be. Definitely a favorite. -Michael Crane

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Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 09/25/2007Run time: 114 minutesRating: R

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Afro Samurai (Director's Cut) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)There's no doubt that Afro Samurai has a cool and simple concept and a very bloody style. In this future world of feudal Japan nothing seems to matter but two headbands that represent the two best fighters. To get to the number one fighter you must go through the number two and to get to the number two you must go trough everyone else. This way of life that nobody should have to live especially a child who has nothing but the headbands and revenge on his mind. As a child Afro saw his father who was the number one fighter at the time get massacred by a man named Justice. After the fight is over Justice takes the number one headband off of the head of Afro's father, which was not too far away from his body. Justice tells Afro something similar to what Uma Thurman said to Vivica A. Fox's daughter in Kill Bill, that if he wanted revenge he would fight him when he came for him.
Afro took those words very seriously and took a few things of his fathers including his very cool Katana. Afro immediately went from an innocent child to an almost emotionless man with a ton of weight on him as he begins his vengeful journey. Afro Samurai is a unique anime or story for that matter. You don't see too many people willing to put out a story with basically nothing but very bloody fight scenes for about two episodes before a really good story starts up. Especially in a 5 part series where the episodes are only between 20 and 30 minutes long. I can't lie because I love stuff like that and it made Afro Samurai all the more tempting to finish watching. The second is that this was a pricy anime to make costing $1 million per episode so I'm sure a few viewers from the Hip hop community were expected to watch this. Even if you're an action film fan you have to admit when there's too much action and not enough story Even in a revenge tail like Kill Bill with a certain scene that this anime could relate to 88 times over it had a mystery and story.
Afro was on the verge of being in the too much and not enough category and then a cool story hits you somewhere around the end of episode two. Flashbacks of Afro's life are showed, you see him as a kid again and the people who took him in and gave him his gritty skills. All throughout the 5 part series you see that the money was well spent because the animation is amazing and beautiful. The things that Afro does with his skills are crazy and this animation was a giant step up for anime samurai fight scene, it was flawless. The voice actors are great including Sam Jackson who is great for co-producing this and putting his foot in it.
I think it would have been cool to actually give Afro a real name, it's cool for people that take him on to call him Afro but I think he should have had a name for his other life before he became the Afro Samurai. In other words I kind of wish the story went just a bit deeper with a little bit more complexity. I think that Afro Samurai is a great series that everyone should see especially to view its beautiful quality.

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Ice Cold Soul and a Jones For Revenge
Afro Samurai (voiced by Academy Award nominated Samuel L. Jackson) is an epic tale of a black samurai's hunt for Justice (voiced by Ron Perlman: Hellboy Alien Resurrection ) who murdered his father. With music score by The RZA ( Kill Bill Wu Tang Clan) Afro Samurai blends traditional Japanese culture, funky technology and hip hop to create a brutally fresh entertainment experience.
Director's Cut features:
15 MINUTES OF NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE
Exclusive Manga art from Afro Samurai Creator, Takashi Okazaki
In the Booth with RZA - Music Production Tour
Director's Cut Edition of Afro Samurai is a 2-disc set with over 170 minutes of action!
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Dragon Ball Z Kai: Part One Review

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(More customer reviews)I have to say there are so many misconceptions with this series that it's not even funny. Let's just go over a few of them, shall we?
1: This is a rip-off because there will be over 270 episodes!
-Wrong. This series is MUCH SHORTER. By Episode 13, Goku is already fighting Vegeta, as opposed to being in the 30's by then. In fact, there's probably only going to be up to 150 episodes at the MOST according to Toei Animation themselves.
2: This isn't a new series, so no one will want it.
-Also wrong. While it's not a new series, the logic behind a re-release is to introduce a new generation of youth to the series and create a new generation of fans. Plus it's also going to be airing on television again soon, though again it will be severely edited.
3: The artwork is cheap!
-While it's hardly groundbreaking, the artwork is NOT cheap. It's simply a touch-up of the existing film, and anything that couldn't be saved or deteriorated too much had to be redrawn. They did that as little as possible to maintain the classic look and style that Toriyama-sensei gave to his world.
4: The acting is horrible and so is the script!
-The thing is, this was Funimation's first big anime. Most of the voice actors had not only no experience, but were STAFF working at the studio. They had to pick up the slack after a contract dispute with the previous cast went awry, and despite this, they still managed to make it a classic.
However, even if one plays the games, you can notice these actors have improved greatly over time. And this is a complete and utter redub. So they're bringing all their added talent and experience into this with a much better script. I myself have heard some of the new dubbing, and you can actually FEEL the emotions in the characters' voices.
And finally...
5: Cutting out the filler removes what let you get to know the characters better!
-Actually, the thing is... the way the characters are presented in the filler (With exception perhaps to the Garlic Jr Saga) are often times not the way they really are at all. for example, filler made Roshi into an even greater pervert than he was, made Krillin into a mere comic relief character half the time (which he's not), made Gohan seem to be much more into fighting than he actually was, etc. What gives you the character development and background is the series DRAGON BALL, which is what comes before DBZ in the first place.
Now as for what this is... this was the original DBZ story as it was written by the author. This is the characters being treated with respect and not bashed because they look funny, this is the villains being darker, this is the story with more flow... It's quite literally the manga (comic) in anime (animated) form. It's got a great new dub, new script, even in the Japanese version, and an HD touch-up on the animation. Now we seem to think HD has to fit a certain eye-popping criteria, but that's not always the case. What it means is that it's crystal clear and smooth, no visible defects, not as much grainy effect.
If you're new to the series, I suggest you watch. If you're not new to the series, you'll love it anyways. (But parents be warned, DBZ uncut is NOT the same as what you'll see on TV. More violent, for sure)
But it's well worth a purchase. :)


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The Legendary Z Reborn!For the first time in history, experience the legendary Z as the master intended: bigger, faster, stronger, and packed with the pulverizing power to blow your puny minds! Beef up your collection with this manga-centric, fresh take on Akira Toriyama\'s original vision, featuring more action than you can handle, revitalized animation, and an amped-up audio experience that will make your ears beg for mercy! The last descendants of an evil race of warriors known as the Saiyans are on a collision course with Earth, and Goku – the strongest fighter on the planet – is all that stands between humanity and extinction. To save his friends and the world he loves, Goku must travel to a realm from which few return, but should he survive, he\'ll discover the power to face the villainous Saiyan warlord – Prince Vegeta.

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Monster: Box Set 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)Naoki Urasawa's psychological crime drama MONSTER is, as the other reviewers have said, undeniably one of the most accomplished anime series of all time. It is a near shot-for-shot adaptation of Urasawa's manga, and it is a testament to the strength of the story that almost nothing was changed. It seems almost too good to be true that this series is finally seeing a release in the United States.
Speaking of that, you can currently catch two episodes every Monday night on SyFy's Ani-Monday block. They are airing the English dub.
The story takes place in 1986 Germany. True to the times, the plot is rife with political drama; true to Urasawa, though, you will find a slowly arching, psychological thriller emerge in this gem of a story. Tenma, a Japanese doctor working in Dusseldorf, decides to go against the orders of his hospital's director by operating on an injured child instead of the rich Mayor. Demoted, he loses his fiance and his position in the hospital. In one of the best twists to come out of any fiction recently, the child he saved ends up being a manipulative psychopath, bred by others to be a successor to Hitler. The series begs the question, what do you do when your altruistic intent turns into something wholly horrible? Tenma sets out on a quest to fix his mistake, and the plot slowly unravels along with the mysterious past of Johan Leibert, the monster he brought back to life.
Now, the pros versus the cons. Anything good that can be said about this release is said about the show itself. Before I watched the show, the premise itself was enough to make me sit back for a few minutes and wonder what I might be getting myself into. There was no question in my mind that I would have to watch. And it excels in areas where few anime excel. Perhaps it is the intrinsic advantage that an animated work can sometimes have over a live-action one, but the directing of this series is stellar. As I mentioned, it follows the cinematic scenes and pacing of the manga so closely that it is represented like a film from a master director. Urasawa has a lot to be proud of in his creation, and in this adaptation.
There are bad things about this release, however. The series is 74 episodes long, and these 13-episode DVD releases by VIZ are simply too small. There is no reason to divide so few episodes on so many discs. A 24 episode episode set, even a 16 episode set, would be infinitely better not just for ease of consumption but for the wallets of consumers, too. At the Amazon pre-order price of $32.99 for all 6 anticipated DVD sets, this series will end up costing almost $200, around $2.70 an episode. Still, this is a small complaint when weighed next to the worth of the series, I suppose. The only other nitpick is the quality of the dub. Where characters appear menacing or calculating in the original language, the English dub can, at times, make them appear almost laughable. We have seen, especially recently, that dubs can be done right, though with this series the massive cast of characters and sweep of location can possibly make that difficult.
In short--this series is worth watching. These DVD sets may get expensive over time, but luckily the show is also airing on SyFy for those strapped for cash. Get a taste of it one Monday night and you will undoubtedly anticipate the next episode. This is a great series, not to be missed.
Revision 12/24/2009: I'll leave the review as it is, but as can be seen in my comments (and indeed on the box itself), the product contains 15 episodes. We'll have one less DVD set, it seems.

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MONSTER BOX SET 1 - DVD Movie

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Pokemon: Giratina & The Sky Warrior Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a 41 year old anime fan and I loved this movie. I have watched it 3 times with my 12 year old son already and we both really loved it. The animation and graphics are awesome. I would recommend this movie for everyone whether you're an anime fan or pokemon fan.

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Item Name: Pokemon: Giratina & The Sky Warrior; Studio:Universal Studios

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Pokemon Movie - The Rise of Darkrai (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is by far the best looking of any of the pokemon movies. The blend of CGI and animation is better than it's ever been. Wonderful music and a great story. Also the first D/P movie and usually the first film in a new region is wonderful. This film also features more types of pokemon than anyother movie before it to help celebrate the 10 year anniversary. This is a must see for all pokemon fans.

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Ash may think he's seen everything when it comes to Pokémon, but is he ready to face the mysterious Darkrai in his latest awesome adventure? While touring Alamos Town -home of the Space-Time Tower -with the beautiful Alice, Ash and his friends discover that the town's special garden has been decimated! Baron Alberto, a dashing but arrogant fellow, immediately blames the destruction on Darkrai. As if it just overheard the accusation, Darkrai appears and confronts our heroes!Who is Darkrai? Is it a friend... or a friend in disguise? And as a battle between Legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia rages directly above Alamos Town-and threatens to tear a hole in the space-time continuum-will Ash and his friends survive this showdown and learn Darkrai's true nature?
Stills from Pokémon Movie - The Rise of Darkrai (click for larger image)

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Devil May Cry: The Complete Series Box Set Review

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(More customer reviews)SYNOPSIS:
Cursed to live as both monster and man, Dante must spend his life fighting the demonic forces of darkness.
Brandishing his sword, Rebellion, and his always-loaded guns, Ebony and Ivory, Dante is more than happy to send the demons back to hell - especially when there's money to be made. The wildly popular video game is now a series, and this time, there's no sympathy for the devil.
Contains the entire 12 episode series in a thinpack box set.
Disc one contains the first nine missions:
01. Devil May Cry
02. Highway Star
03. Not Love
04. Rolling Thunder
05. In Private
06. Rock Queen
07. Wishes Come True
08. Once Upon A Time
09. Death Poker
While Disc two has the following missions, as well as several extra features:
10. The Last Promise
11. Showtime!
12. Stylish!
REVIEW:
Devil May Cry is an anime adapted from a popular video game franchise that only augments its appeal with hard core edgy action, power house horror shoot'em ups and lethal women adding to the fan service and attraction of the animated series.
The story centers on Dante. He looks like a cross between a bounty hunter from a post apocalyptic film and a rock star. He's cool but also lazy, has a penchant for strawberry sundaes and spends what money comes his way on liquor and sweets. He may not seem in personality like a hard core killer of demons, but when the devils show up, he's all action with flippant one-liners and an irreverent attitude. He goes on one strange case after another that usually sees him by the end looking down a barrel of one of his big guns or whipping out his wicked sword to mete out bloody comeuppance on the evil carnage mongers he's set upon.
He's not alone in his adventures. He gains a sidekick, a pretty girl named Paddy with little skills but a loyal heart, much more eye-catching is the sexy Lady with her leather-punk looks, motorcycle mama attitude, and really, really big guns (she pulls out a bazooka at one point), and hardly least, there's Trish. She's a woman all in leather from head to toe and some mean skills to rival Dante's half-human/half-demon abilities. She also looks exactly like someone from Dante's past...
Don't expect a big plot line in DMC. The anime is an adrenaline pumped action horror with lots of guns blazing, sword slashing, and big explosive action. Most of the episodes are one shots dealing with whatever new case Dante is hired for. A particular one dealing with a cruise ship and a casino night where you bet your soul stands out. The more tragic tale of a rock and roller and a sold soul hits the angst hard. And comedy plus action meet with explosive results when the two women in Dante's life, Lady and Trish, meet face to face and have it out in fantastic style. By the end of the series the show has an arc where demons with a grudge against Dante's father come looking to take it out on the son. Dante has his hands full, the hordes of hell are rampaging all over the city and his friends try to fight the zombie and demon legions while Dante takes on the big bad guys in a fight to the finish.
The animation is produced by MADHOUSE who has done some of the most respected and memorable anime movies like Ninja Scroll and Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust. Most recently they worked on Highlander the animated film. Here in Devil May Cry, you get that same edgy feel and is near theatrical quality at times. The action is amazing to watch and has a wide range. There are gun fights, bazooka fights, explosions, bombs, car chases, sword duels, hellacious magic, possession, devils on earth and the undead. Rock and roll meets the macabre. The women are femme fatales pin ups to the nth degree. The music is also all go with opening songs and scores that sound like Metallica meshed with Trans Siberian Orchestra. It's wicked cool all the way through.
EXTRAS:
Bonus features include FUNimation trailers, reverse cover art, and clean opening and closing animation, special interview with Toshiyuki Morikawa (Dante), seven cut scenes from Devil May Cry video game, E3 2007 preview, Tokyo Game Show 2006 preview, short and long trailers, Devil May Cry 4 Final 2007 Footage, and Devil May Cry 4 First 2008 Footage.

IN SUMMARY:
Devil May Cry the animation is a fast paced, action loaded horror shoot `em up roller coaster of visceral violence.

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DEVIL MAY CRY:COMPLETE COLLECTION - DVD Movie

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Case Closed: Season One Review

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(More customer reviews)This hidden little GEM originally aired on the Cartoon Network at the wee hours after midnight. I don't think there is any graphic content (Blood and gore) in the show that required its airtime to be after midnight, but this is the US after all and most Japanese anime shows get censored one way or another if its airing on primetime TV. Needless to say, this show ended up getting canceled way too early and that shouldn't have been the case.
I was immediately hooked on the show from the very first episode that I saw. I didn't watch this from episode number one, but was intrigued nonetheless by the plot and murder mystery involved. However, I could never remember the exact show time and at that point in my life, I was too busy with work to have any free time to watch shows that I really liked. Case Closed is probably one of the greatest anime series to grace TV in my opinion. It ranks up there with Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z, but it's also in a class all its own since the genre is completely different.
The show starts off with teen detective sensation `Jimmy Kudo' solving a case. He is only seventeen years old, but is renowned for his detective skills and case solving expertise and is a bit of a celebrity in Japan where his efforts gets noticed in the local newspaper. Because of his popularity, he ends up getting most of the business and leaves Detective Richard Moore in the dust. Rachel, is Jimmy's best friend and harbors many strong feelings for him. Coincidentally, she is also Detective Moore's daughter. One day on a semi-date, Jimmy runs off to chase after some fishy looking men only to encounter his unfortunate fate. To make a long story short, Jimmy gets poisoned with an experimental drug that turns him into a kid and spends the rest of the series in the body of a pint size kid. In order to not get anyone in danger, he helps Detective Moore establish a bigger clientele base in hopes that over time he will eventually catch the men that did this to him. He does this by solving cases for Moore without him knowing. Jimmy gradually drops hints here and there to help Moore catch his culprit.
This is an addictive show and anyone who likes a murder mystery or a thriller will find themselves in love with the show as well. There is a great balance of humor and mystery. It's not an intense drama series, but its very light hearted and serious enough where it needs to be. Pick up this box set and watch all the excitement from the very beginning and follow Jimmy on his many adventures because "Only One Truth Prevails."
FUNIMATION, PLEASE RELEASE SEASON SIX ALREADY!!!

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Case Closed is the final verdict for mystery fans who enjoy wrapping their minds around a good, old-fashioned whodunit.
The criminal mind is a twisted place, and Jimmy Kudo knows the shady corridors of humanity better than any detective in the game. There ain\'t a bad guy in town who can outsmart him, so they try to put the super sleuth down for a dirt nap. But instead of ending up in a shallow grave, Jimmy wakes up to find himself turned back into a kid. Utilizing his unlikely new persona and the latest in crime-fighting gadgetry, he tracks down his assailants as boy detective Conan Edogawa.
The entire first season at a great low price!

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Afro Samurai: Complete Murder Sessions (Director's Cut) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've noticed lately that a lot of these reviews have been on the series itself. Let me provide you with a review on the product. Quite simply, it's top notch. The quality is amazing, far better than what I expected or remembered from the TV broadcast. The set contains two thin DVD cases, each with it's own artwork. Each case contains two discs. The original series, Afro Samurai-the five episode set, are contained on the first disc in the first case. Unlike previous director's cuts, they are separate episodes. The second disc contains the series' special features. Likewise, Resurrection is contained on the third disc in the second case, and it's bonus features are contained on the fourth disc. The actual case that houses both of the thinner cases is slightly larger than a normal DVD case and opens like a book-it doesn't snap shut like a standard DVD case. At the prices these sellers are offering, this is a steal, just for the neat looking case alone :) I highly recommend this product to anyone seeking to own this series. You won't be disappointed.

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Two of the bloodiest, best-selling and critically acclaimed anime of all time in one supreme collection.
Afro Samurai. A relentless brother wielding an ice cold soul and a jones for revenge. His path is long and violent, and the entire journey so far is now yours to witness
First, the legendary series – Afro Samurai. As a kid, he saw his father slaughtered. Now a man, Afro walks to the mountain where destiny waits on high. The perpetrators must atone, and they\'re gonna get what they deserve. Nothing Personal – It\'s Just Revenge.
The saga continues in the Emmy-Award winning Afro Samurai: Resurrection. Afro is forced back into the game by a beautiful and deadly woman from his past. She won\'t quit until Afro is schooled in the brutal lessons he dealt those who stood in his way. One Brother. One Path. One Thousand Deaths.
- The Director\'s Cut features Limited-Edition packaging and over three hours of original extras on 2 discs.
Stills from Afro Samurai (Click for larger image)

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Aeon Flux - The Complete Animated Collection (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)MTV wanted to branch out in the 1990s and get away from music programming. In particular, they wanted to produce late night programming for a young adult audience. The result was a collection of animated shows collectively known as Liquid Television. Aeon Flux originally got its start as a series of animated short films on Liquid T.V. in 1992. It was a clever mix of dialogue-less wall-to-wall action and an intriguing science fiction premise that was popular enough to spawn a ten-episode series in 1995.
Chung has digitally remastered all of the episodes and they have never looked or sounded better. The colours are much more vibrant and the animation style more clearly defined with shadows fleshed out creating an even more cinematic vibe. What is so striking about Aeon Flux is that it refuses to appeal to the lowest common denominator. It features very intricately plotted and complex stories and sneaks in all sorts of fantastical creations (including spider-like robots and deadly genetically engineered assassins with four arms), suggestive sexual references and the level of violence that you wouldn't find on regular television. Along with The Maxx and The Head, Aeon Flux was adventurous programming for the alternative nation. It was produced at a time when alternative culture was making serious inroads into the mainstream and it is doubtful that we will see its likes again from MTV.
The first two discs feature several audio commentaries with creator Peter Chung and key creative crew members (including the voice of Aeon Flux herself, Denise Poirier). However, most of them are tedious as Chung is not the most eloquent or interesting speaker. He dominates most of the tracks so that everyone else has to fight to get a word in edge-wise. While it is clear that he is trying to articulate his intentions on these tracks they are punctuated with so many "Ums" and "Ahs" that it becomes very annoying to listen past the halfway mark.
The real extras come into play on the third disc which features the brilliant pilot episode with optional commentary by Chung and music and sound designer Drew Neumann. We are presented with a world that is plagued with a deadly virus as Aeon fights her way to an antidote.
"Aeon Flux Shorts" (again with optional commentary by Chung and Neumann) features Aeon on various missions all of which she dies. In some episodes she lasts to the end in others, she is killed off at the beginning and this keeps the viewer constantly on edge anticipating how she is going to be killed.
"Investigation: The History of Aeon Flux" takes a look at how this innovative series originated. Chung had been working on Rugrats and was approached by Liquid T.V. to do a Spy vs. Spy type animated show. He had already been working on the pilot in a rough form.
"The Deviant Devices of Aeon Flux" examines the various weapons and gadgets that she uses in the show with narration provided by her.
"Production Art" is a collection of sketches, model sheets, storyboards and pencil tests of character designs, props, backgrounds and so on.
"Other Works by Peter Chung" features a promo he did for MTV Loaded, an ad for an Aeon Flux CD ROM and a cool commercial for the Honda Coupe Mission.
Finally, there is a collection of "Liquid Television Shorts" that appeared on this show in the `90s.

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Aeon Flux, the sexy secret agent extraordinaire that took MTV by storm is back on DVD! Follow the deftly skilled Aeon on her adventures through a futuristic world brimming with chaos and corruption. Experience every gripping episode of this cutting edge animated series like never before, as each episode has been digitally restored and has been bolstered with a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound audio track. Every aspect in the creation of The Complete Aeon Flux has been overseen and endorsed by original creator Peter Chung making this the definitive Aeon Flux collection.
Utopia or Deuteranopia
Trevor has an obsession with Aeon and tries to create a space in the ambassador's body (whose gone missing) for several days now. A Breen named Gildemere teams up with Aeon and tries to bring down Trevor and his evil ways, but instead Aeon turn on Gildemere as he is charged with the murder of the ambassador.
Thanatophobia
Aeon and Trevor play with two peoples life, Sybil and Onan, who are a couple trying to get to Monica, where it has more freedom. They are currently in Brenga, in which Trevor runs. When they both try to escape Onan is successful but Sybil is not. She breaks one of her spinal column and keeping her from falling apart or upright, she needs a device in which Trevor provides. Sybil decides she had enough of Aeon, Trevor and Onan and decides to try her jump into Monica again. Only to see a new device, that she help make, was planted there, cutting her legs off instead.
A Last Time For Everything
Aeon teams up with a double agent named Scafandra, who has hands on her feet. Trevor manages to create a cloning device and he manages to clone Aeon. Aeon then, we think, switch places with her clone but Trevor knows this. The "real" Aeon falls for Trevor, the "clone" Aeon tries to carry on. In the end things get too complicated to explain to the clone and the real Aeon allows herself to get killed as the "clone" runs away.
Ether Drift Theory
Aeon decides to help someone named Lindze, who is trying to get to Bargeld, the man she loves. Who was working with Trevor in a lab somewhere in the middle of a fluid. The fluid puts you in suspend. Bargeld managed to find a "cure" for the fluid, turning it to water. In the end things get complicated and Aeon gets taken over by the fluid as the lab surroundings decays.
The Purge
Aeon tries to stop a criminal named Bambara. Trevor has a new robot looking thing, called the custodian that gives you a conscience. It enters in though your naval. Aeon teams up with a group of people wanting to stop Trevor as well.
The Demiurge
Aeon is afraid of a thing that Trevor managed to acquire. This things acts as a god with peaceful intentions but Aeon wants to destroy it.
Isthmus Crypticus
Aeon is trying to free two bird like creatures (a male and female). The thing is Trevor feels for the female one but she ends up dying. The male on the other hand ends up with Aeon's friend Una, as they soar into the sky.
Reraizure
There is a creature called Narghile that produces a pellet that erases human memories. Rorty and Muriel vows to get rid of these creatures by launching them into the sun. Muriel ends up dying and Aeon, out of guilt, takes her place as Rorty and her try to finish it out. Rorty finds out (from Aeon) that Muriel was cheating on him with Trevor, which he doesn't believe at first. He gets proof himself and can't deal with it. So, he takes the pellet erasing all of his human memories about Aeon, the pellet and Muriel.
Chronophasia
Aeon is caught in a time loop, in a lab in the jungle somewhere. The reason she was going to the lab was, she was planning to save a test subject but go more than she bargined for. She encounters a little boy, who seems to be the cause of all of this. He wants her, but not in a sexual way, in a motherly figure way. We end the episode, as if they are in another dimesion (in the past) as Aeon drives this little boy (presumbaly her son) to baseball practice.
End Sinister
Trevor encounters a device that could wipe out the entire world but Aeon stops him. They both encounter an alien in which Trevor is very interested in. Trevor decides to go back with the alien to their planet and Aeon decides to wait for him, (Trevor) in the very same pod the alien had travel in. Years, (presumably hundreds) past and Aeon wakes up. She notices that the "aliens" had taken over earth and that Trevor is still alive. She then uses the device, (from the beginning) killing the entire race. What Aeon later finds out is that these alien creatures were actually humans. We end as the final words are spoken by Trevor, "It's the evolution of the revolution... may the best man win.
Runtime: 224 # of Discs: 3

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Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm going to break this review down into two parts.
The movie itself:
This is Ghost In The Shell in HD. It's beautiful, but for a smoother translation into the look of Innocence the greenish colors of the original film have been touched up and made to be more of an amber color like that seen in second film. This isn't really a change that I mind, and it's pulled off fairly well. I assume that several scenes were cleaned up digitally because the line art looks amazingly clean.
Sadly, someone felt it would be appropriate to replace some of the most iconic and stunning animation from the original with CG. A few scenes are done well like those where the CG is only helicopters or buildings, but whenever it replaces characters with crappy looking CG models it becomes stunningly bad. If you watch the making of the original movie you can see that their limited use of computer assisted animation was carefully planned and fit in with the other artwork and improved the film. The CG in 2.0 sticks out like a sore thumb in most cases. The only CG part that I liked was the pan over the cityscape at the end of the film.
If you have a bluray player and haven't seen GitS yet 2.0 isn't a bad way to see it, but fans of the original will probably be disappointed with the lack of any significant changes and the quality of what was changed.
The bluray by Manga:
Somehow Manga Entertainment never ceases to screw something pretty major up on their releases. The box lists a commentary with Oshii, an interview with Oshii and a making of GitS 2.0. None of these features are present on the bluray. You get throw away character profiles, glossary, and the old english trailer. The original making of GitS is here in VHS quality along with the unlisted bonus feature of the original cut of the movie. When I heard that I was pretty excited because in all honesty it's the only version I truly care about, but it looks to be taken from non-HD masters and only includes 2.0 audio tracks. If memory serves me correctly I believe that my GitS DVD looks better upscaled than this version does.
It would have been nice to do a re-dub of the film with the SAC cast, but I guess most of them were in the original anyway and it's a nice dub in it's own right.
This whole release just makes me want the original film untouched in HD. I can't give this less than three stars if only because seeing this movie this way is better than not seeing it at all because it's a one of my favorite films ever, but be aware of the problems with this release before deciding to buy it.

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A film that has spawned a thousand imitations but never been bettered – Mamoru Oshii\'s legendary anime film GHOST IN THE SHELL returns in a stunning new edition remastered by Oshii himself. For this definitive Version 2.0 release, all the original animations are re-produced with latest digital film and animation technologies, including 3D-CGI. Set in a re-imagined Hong Kong at a time when cyberspace is expanding into human reality, the story follows top cyberwarrior Major Motoko Kusanagi as she hovers on the border of total immersion in the digital world.

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Naruto Shippuden - The Movie (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)First off ignore the reviews from peeps who read a product listing with no clue of the actual product. The dvd comes with English dub and japanese audio, along with subs. If you read between the lines the product description does say dubbed. I am sure Amazon will fix the error in the audio part when enough of you complain. As far as the dvd what can I say its Naruto, so it totally rocks. I like English dub, my daughter likes to watch the Japanese with subs so we are both happy with this release. And yes I gotta love the fact we get new release's early due to family that work in the right places, so enjoy this one when the rest of you get the chance. It totally ROCKS!

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A powerful spirit that once threatened to destroy the world is back! Naruto\'s mission is to protect a priestess named Shion, who is the only once with the power to seal away the monster. She also has the uncanny ability to predict someone\'s fate. Her latest prediction: Naruto will soon die. Naruto's only hope is to abandon Shion, but that\'s not Naruto's style. He decides to face her fatal prediction head-on---and die!

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Thundercats - Season One, Volume One (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)Thundercats was one of the best shows to come out of the 80s (Transformers being at the top), and one every fan has been eagerly awaiting to hit DVD.
Months ago, WB finally announced they would be releasing the series in a total of four box sets (33/32/33/32), which had everyone cheering for the return of one of their favories shows, in top notch DVD quality. Most of all, they were given a SRP of $64.99, thus guaranteeing the episodes must be remastered. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
For a SRP of $64.99, you get 33 episodes on six discs, but without any remastering done whatsoever. What was WB thinking? Not only do the episodes look like they were dumped down from VHS tapes (giving it a bootleg quality appearance), but there are a mass amount of errors throughout the episodes themselves. One of the major issues is with the second episode, "Unholy Alliance," which is missing all of the music (sans the opening and closing) during the episodes. However, this is only the case in the English track as both the Spanish and French versions have the music playing. Whatever the reason is, this is totally unacceptable. Hopefully WB will issue a recall and offer replacement discs.
The next negative to this set is that it is definitely no where near woth a SRP of $64.99. Yes, you can buy them cheaper online or at a retail store, but if you pay more than $30-35 for this set, then you were just ripped off. You could buy a DVD-R bootleg (not that you should) off ebay of the entire series in the same quality (if not better) for $15 more.
With other 80's shows, coming out (or have already been released) with a beautiful remastered print, and 5.1 audio, this makes this buy even worse than it seemed before. Why couldn't WB let Rhino handle this? Rhino may have their own faults, but at least they know how to NOT mess up a release THIS bad. Not to mention Rhino would have remastered the prints and mastera a 5.1 track, while this just has a less-than-satisfying-and-boring mono soundtrack.
So if you have not bought this set yet, hold off until WB fixes the set's glitches or lowers the SRP. Also, let's hope they do a much better job with Volume 2 when it comes out in Dec than they did with this. I love Thundercats, I am happy to own it on DVD and replace my tapes from Toonami, however, the price is unacceptable for a crappy release as this.
WB, Thundercats deserves to be treated just with respect as you have done so with Looney Tunes, and as much as Rhino did so with Transformers!

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In a distant galaxy, the world of Thundera is in crisis. The planet's structure has become unstable and is near collapse. With their destruction imminent, Thundera's denizens--known as the Thundercats--escape in a spaceship and plot a course for a new home. While in transit, the Thundercats are attacked by evil mutants and their craft is irreparably damaged. Jaga, the eldest Thundercat, sacrifices himself in order to pilot the ship safely to its destination: Third Earth.

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