Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)

“Years efore the 1999 26-episode TV series was a mid-90′s six episode OAV series based on the adventures of Starship pilot Yamamoto Yohko, all collected on one DVD for a great price!  Space  action, cool battles and a good dose of humor that will definitely keep you entertained!”

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko (aka Soreyuke! Uchū Senkan Yamamoto Yōko)

DURATION: (6 OAV episodes – 180 minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: English and Japanese Audio, English Subtitles, Dolby Digital 2.0

CATALOG #: RSDVD9010

COMPANY: The Right Stuf International

RATING: 13 and up

STAFF INFORMATION:

ORIGINAL CREATOR: Shouji Takashi

DIRECTOR: Akikyuki Shinbo

ORIGINAL CHARACTER & MECHA DESIGN: Akaishizawa Takashi

CHARACTER DESIGN: Nakazawa Kazuto

MECHANICAL DESIGN: Hamazaki Ken-ichi, Ando Masahiro, Ishihama Masashi

CHIEF SCREENWRITER: Sekijima Mayori

PRODUCED BY J.C. Staff and T-Up

CAST INFORMATION:

Yamamoto Yohko – Takayama Minami

Mido Madoka – Hayashibara Megumi

Kagariya Momiji – Niiyama Shiho

Hakuhon Ayano – Miyamura Yuko

Rote/Lotte – Kanai Mika

Rouge – Tamagawa Sakiko

Curtis Lawson – Matsumoto Yasunori

A thousand years from now, the great battles between civilizations have been reduced to the shoulders of a handful of chosen champions.

When a war is waged, each side picks its representatives, gives them spaceships and the fight is on! Of course, if their champion loses, they must admit defeat and give into the wishes of the other. Very handy, very civilized…unless you don’t happen to have any good fighters…

Terra team has it tough lately: Ness “Red Snappers” team had things their way. Even with technically superior ships, things are bleak for Terra…

To make matters worse, they only have three pilots. Despite a concerted effort to recruit girls from the past, the team simply keeps losing! Now they desperately need someone special…someone powerful, capable, and who possess a killer instinct. A pilot of extraordinary skill to crew the new model ship. They need… Yamamoto Yohko!

Now if they can just convince her that a better life awaits her in the future, with new friends, new video games and some very powerful hyper-technology (well some things just take less convincing than others!), Terra might be able to defeat the Red Snappers for a change!

I stumbled upon an older issue of “Animerica” magazine that I had and to keep things within budget, I like to purchase complete OAV or TV series and realized that a 2003 release of “Starship Girl, Yamamoto Yohko” featured both the 1996 3-episode OAV’s and the 1997 3-episode OAV’s on one DVD.

Going online and finding them so cheap, can’t beat the price and definitely wanted to see what this series was all about.

A lot of the staff working on the OAV series were quite new at the time with the exception of director Shinbo Akiyuki who worked on sereis such as “Devil Hunter Yohko”, “Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha”, “Pani Poni Dash!” and many more.

But if anything, the price was the major consideration and the fact that you get all OAV series available. Also, who can resist “Ranma 1/2″ alumni Hayashibara Megumi (Ranma and plays Terra pilot, Madoka) working together with Takayama Minami (Nabiki, and plays the main character Yamamoto Yohko) for this series.

The episodes are featured as a total of six episodes, the first three was released back in 1996 and “Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko II” featuring the remaining three was released back in 1997

FIRST OAV SERIES:

Episode 1- The first episode was an introduction to both the Terra and Ness teams. Terra featuring three pilots, constantly losing a battle and thus needs to find a special fourth pilot. Through the leadership of Lawson, the Terra team goes back a thousand years into the past (1996) to recruit video game shooting enthusiast Yohko.

A gamer that is confident about her video game playing abilities and Lawson and the girls of Terra do what it takes to recruit Yohko to the team.

The anime focuses on two teams: Terra and Ness and a big problem with this episode and future episodes is that there really is no strong character development. If anything, for the Terra team, you are familiar with mainly the Admiral Leon and Terra engineer Lawson, Yamamoto Yohko and pilot Midou Madoka because the two quarrel all the time. The other two members Kagariya Momiji and Hakuhouin Ayano are just there for team support and their characters aren’t fully explored in the OAV series.

The same can be said for the Ness team as you learn more about General Fluger, Ness leader Rouge (Yohko’s rival) and second sister Rote (known for being annoyingly cute and dumb). While third sister Lubrum and youngest sister Eryton are there, offer a few lines but similar to the Terra team, characters not fully explored in the OAV series.

Episode 2 – This episode features the ladies on vacation. The Terra team are now doing better with Yohko on their team and even during vacation, the two teams can’t relax as both Yohko and Rouge challenge each other in competitions.

Episode 3 – This episode focuses on team Ness as Rouge finds the remnants of starships and one that her mother worked on. Her mother was developing a system where plants and roses can survive in space. As the Ness team ventures into the laboratory, team Terra learns that a starship has an unstable nuclear reactor and is on a collision course for the planet Earth. Yohko makes her way to destroy the starship not knowing that team Ness is inside it.

SECOND OAV SERIES:

Episode 1 (or DVD episode 4) – An ancient legend in a distant planet states that four goddesses will one day descend from the skies and reawaken a goddess. What happens when the Terra team and Rote make an emergency landing on that planet and how will its inhabitants treat the pilots upon arrival?

Episode 2 (or DVD episode 5) – It’s rest time and Yohko is enjoying some rest and relaxation in her own time period. But suddenly , a skilled (and disgraced) pilot named Sara Dread from Terra’s past has stolen Ness technology and appears in Yohko’s timeline and wants her revenge against Terra by challenging their best pilot Yohko to a duel.

Episode 3 (or DVD episode 6) – It’s a time for celebration where command of Terra and a pilot gets to go to an extravagant ball to meet Ness command and Rouge. Rouge is in love with General Fluger and just wants one dance with him. But what happens when Yohko wearing a dashing outfit and a blonde wig gets that first dance instead? Also, a reappearance from a familiar face wanting a one-on-one duel against Yohko.

Overall, you get a good action-based anime OAV series which features space battles and some weird, crazy humor thanks to the character of Rote but all in all, the first episode didn’t win me over but after watching the remaining five OAV episodes, upon completion, I did enjoy it. It’s a fun series!

VIDEO:

For an older anime, even an OAV series, many made during the 90′s sometimes look washed out because of it’s age and this series is no different. There is a noticeable difference between part II which the colors look a bit more vibrant than the first. Things look a bit better animation-wise.

AUDIO:

Both audio is dolby digital 2.0. I watched the episodes primarily in Japanese with English subtitles and for me, to have a series with both Hayashibara and Takayama together again is a treat! As for the English dub, English dub was good but there were some mannerisms like the character Rote that voice actress Kanai Mika just nails! Job well done!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Surprisingly, this DVD does have a few special features such as a slide show (still images from the animation to music from the anime) and the outtakes for the goof-ups from the English dubbing.

I have a mild interest in watching the TV series now after watching the OAV (unfortunately, no one licensed the TV series in the US yet).

The first half of “Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko” gradually became better. Because the first episode of space competitions and racing around a planet was just not to my liking. But the story started to focus less on the competitions between Terra and Ness and focused more on the rivalry between the teams and storylines putting the two groups together. Mainly to flesh out some character development of certain members of the two teams.

Of course, the main thing that suffers with six OAV episodes is that although certain episodes did showcase some character development, with so many characters, despite having some speaking roles, a good number of them are just people I recognized as members of Terra or Ness and really didn’t care about them at all.

Granted, with its 26-episode TV series (which took place a few years after the OAV series), I would imagine that each character would have episodes that would feature more character driven storylines and more character development.

But with six episodes, not much you can do with character development with so many characters but the staff managed to make the episodes entertaining and keeping it focused on the primary characters Yohko, Rouge, showcasing the team rivalry and then Yohko’s battle between Sara Dread.

Overall, after watching episode 1, I really wasn’t expecting much from this anime OAV series but once the episodes progressed, I really started to enjoy it and for its price (especially since it was released back in 2003) and the fact that you get all six OAV episodes, it is quite a steal.

As for the viewing rating of 15+, I don’t recall nudity or fan service. If anything, it was primarily during the outtakes where the English dub voice actor for Lawson kept cussing when he messed up his lines.

I know many current anime fans have a disdain of watching older anime series but if you enjoy action series, especially featuring a near all-female cast, “Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko” may be for you!

+ A fun OAV series with fun characters

+ A good balance of space battles and humor!

+ Ranma 1/2 voice actresses Hayashibara Megumi and Takayama Minami together again!

+ Because it’s an older anime DVD, you can find it cheaper these days and the fact that all six OAV episodes are in one DVD is great!

- Older anime and the visuals maybe too washed out for picky anime fans

- With only six OAV episodes, not much character development for the many characters featured in the OAV series (Fortunately, there is a 26-episode TV series that can feature more character development. Unfortunately, no one in the US picked it up the license).

 

Seventh Tarz Armstrong – The Tokyo City Big Nights (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“Japan’s punk/rock music artist Seven Tarz Armstrong is back with another impressive album featuring multiple rock collaborations and more!”

ARTIST: Seventh Tarz Armstrong

ALBUM: The Tokyo City Big Night

LABEL: Cutting Edge

CATALOG #: CTCM 65102/B

DURATION: 35:56

RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. around the night, in NewJK.
2. t.o.a.s.t Under-Northlake
3. SiNaGanalWaharf.
4. i know… [ver. 2, For6.words]
5. serial numbers of SBvalley.
6. still life fractal [ver. Hi-CircleTemple.]
7. en-dless f/River2ChildBall. t/SixTrees.
8. IKBKR.owl tells westexitpark-syndro-me
9. goodnight war at 3Cafes.
10. my feeling feared [ver. Back of FieldsCamp.]
11. passport, imagination takes offrom Mt.Blue.

DVD: Region 2, DURATION: 5:23

1. around the night, in NewJK (Music Video)
2. still life fractal [ver. Hi-CircleTemple.] (Music Video)

Last year’s album debut of Seventh Tarz Armstrong’s “The World is Mine” became my summer album of 2007.

The music featured a more Western rock style that can be comparable to an Avril Lavigne and several other female rockers.

And last year, it wasn’t a surprise since according to the official website and bio of Seventh Tarz Armstrong attended Cal State Bakersfield and learned English in California.

Enjoying the music so much, I researched more and more to find out that Seventh Tarz Armstrong is actually Girl’s Box pop idol Hoshii Nanase’s other identity (common with some solo female artists in Japan most notably Tomosaka Rie, who had another artist identity as Sakamoto Eri).

So, the whole bio of Seventh Tarz Armstrong, not sure if its just a story set around her this persona but nevertheless, both Hoshii Nanase and Seventh Tarz Armstrong are like apples and oranges when comparing both their image and musical styles.

Nevertheless, I would come to think that this identity as Seventh Tarz Armstrong is what Hoshii is comfortable with since she is more of a fan of Shiina Ringo, Radio Head, T.Rex, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Maroon 5 fan and her transition to this new persona fits her much better image-wise and musically.

Personally, it’s cooler, it’s a bit dark, vibrant and just overall kick ass!

So far, Seventh Tarz Armstrong releases have been very cool and I have given each positive reviews and the accompanying DVD’s for her first two mini-EP’s featured an actual two-part film and her last EP titled “7 Shortracks” was interesting because it was mostly tracks primarily songs 1-3 minutes long.

This latest album features multiple musical collaborations with talent from the US, UK and Japan and overall, the music for this album just surpasses the first album in a many ways.

Vocals by Armstrong are more confident and just works overall with the music. Again, the music is very Western in a rock n’ roll sense but manages to keep the Japanese side with Armstrong’s high-pitched vocals.

Similar to previous albums, the majority of the words were written by THE COWBOY BLASTERS and this new album is supported by Fender USA.

As for the titles of the songs, for this album, it appears the titles of the songs came from experiences and in a blog-like style, the CD insert booklet features a diary/blog like style with the title of the song and experiences of that day and its relation to the songs.

The music for the majority of the tracks are upbeat, fast rock-based with a strong emphasis in electric guitar and

The first track “around the night, in NewJK.” features music written by Tim Pagnotta of the California-based rock band SUGARCULT (known for their rock hits “Memory” and “Pretty Girl (The Way)” and Brooke Heller. Pagnotta plays the electric guitar in this track.

The second track “t.o.a.s.t Under-Northlake.” features music written by Fujino Hiroyuki (of clip.). Fujino contributes to electric guitar in this track.

The third track “SiNaGanalWaharf.” features music written by Jez Ashurst (of FARRAH), Richie Wermerling and Ryan Shaw. Jez Ashurst is a singer/songwriter/musician who has done work for Ryan Cabrera and Kimura Kaela. Ashurst contributes musically via electric guitar and bass.

The fourth track “i know….[ver. 2, For6.words]” features music written by MY SUMMER PLAN. This song was originally featured in her last ep “7 Shortracks” but this is version 2. For this track, Yasushi Ishi of My Summer Plan contributes musically via playing the electric guitar, bass and pianoforte.

The fifth track “serial numbers of SBvalley.” features music written by SUGGY (of STRIPE EFFECT and MR. ORANGE). SUGGY contributes musically via electric bass, electric and acoustic guitar.

The sixth track “still life fractal [ver. Hi-CircleTemple.] features music written by Dan Likacinsky (from THE ONE THOUGHT MOMENT). This song is very unique that it’s sung by STA and the band members of The One Thought Moment and also THE COWBOY BLASTERS.

The seventh track “en-diess f/River2ChildBall. t/SixTrees.) featuring music written by Kevin Ridel. This song is probably the most different compared to the other tracks. Where the others are very electric guitar and fast-paced, this track is a bit more mellow and casual.

The eighth track “IKBKR.owl tells westexitpark-syndro-me” featuring music written by Duncan Redmonds (of SNUFF, THE TOY DOLLS, BILLY NO MATES). Duncan Redmonds contributes musically via the drums, electric bass and keyboard. The song is probably my favorite musically and arrangement-wise. The music is just hard hitting and wonderful!

The ninth track “goodnight war at 3Cafes.” features music written by Scott Murphy (of ALLISTER, THE GET GO). Another awesome rockin’ track! Scott Murphy performs all music for this track.

The tenth track “my felling feared [ver. Back of FieldsCamp.]” features music written by Joe (of VIBEDRED).

The eleventh track “passport, imagination takes offrom Mt. Blue.” featuring music written by SIMON. The track is relaxing and mostly acoustic guitar-based in its first half and transitions to a much faster upbeat song during its second half.

The DVD features two music videos for “Around the night, in NewJK.” and “still life fractal [ver. Hi-CircleTemple.]. both music videos are similar with the group performing in a room and frenetic filming, quick transitions on the musicians and vocalist.

The CD insert features the production credits and instead of the lyrics, each song is written in like a diary style of setting but with photos and the title and time in a blog-like style.

I really enjoyed the first album by Seventh Tarz Armstrong immensely. The second album is very good and the multiple collaborations with established with American and UK-based musicians definitely lends a fresh sound that you may hear from several bands such as ELLEGARDEN, FAT PROP, MY SUMMER PLAN and others who have adopted that Western style of rock music.

With the release of the first album, I wasn’t too sure if this persona of Hoshii Nanase was long-term. Especially since there are Girl’s Box activities that are still going on but from what I’ve seen, both persona’s have been kept separate and I have to admit that Seventh Tarz Armstrong is just exciting overall and because of the style, the dark clothing, the jet black hair and how it just works in conjuction with the hard hitting music, guitar thrashing sounds.

Now how this style of music is appreciated in Japan, I have no idea. What I do know is that I hope that STA gets more visibility not just in Japan but also outside of Japan (note: There has been interest in having Seventh Tarz Amstrong perform in the USA) and that people support the music.

As for “The Tokyo City Big Nights”, the multiple collaborations have helped in STA’s favor by bringing in awesome music and a style that you don’t get from Japan from other female rock artists.

It is of course staying on path with the goal of Language Destruction Sounds (L-D-S) that was set for the first album and that is not focusing so much on the language but focusing on the sound and how it can be appreciated worldwide. The second continues that with a good blend of musical styles from the USA, UK and Japan.

Again, another wonderful album and I hope more and more people open up to the music of Seventh Tarz Armstrong.

BUY THIS ALBUM:

 

Toki Asako – Summerin’ (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“A summer album featuring original and cover songs by former Cymbals vocalist Toki Asako combining pop, rock and jazz music and creating a casual, sensual and elegant atmosphere. Definitely an album worth checking out!”

ARTIST: Toki Asako (土岐麻子)

ALBUM: Summerin’

LABEL: rhythm zone

CATALOG #: RZCD-45913

DURATION: 32:46

RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. LIBERTINE
2. サマーヌード
3. 小麦色のマーメイド
4. Reach Out, I’ll Be There
5. La Isla Bonita
6. smilin’
7. 都会

For those not familiar with Toki Asako, she is a member of Players SMA Inc. (Players Sony Music Artists, Inc.) which represents artists such as Ska Paradise Orchestra, Rolly, Watanabe Shunichi and others on various labels.

Toki was a member of the Japanese rock group Cymbals (1997-2004) and since their breakup, has been able to carve her own niche with her own style of music.

Toki Asako returns with her seventh album titled “Summerin’”, an album with a few new songs and cover tracks featuring a total of seven tracks and an album that shows good balance between pop, rock and jazz.

The first track “LIBERTINE” is an original Toki Asako pop song but with jazz and funky style elements. Very enjoyable and relaxing. Beautiful electric guitar, bass and electric piano playing in this track.

The second track “Summer Nude” and is a cover of the Magokoro Brothers hit. An upbeat jazz hit with cool bass, acoustic and electric guitar, electric piano and flugelhorn and trumpet. Another beautiful track on the album!

The third track “小麦色のマーメイド” (Komugi Iro no Mermaid/Wheat color mermaid) is a jazzified upbeat version of the sultry 80′s slow jam by Matsuda Seiko.

The fourth track “Reach Out, I’ll be There” is a cover of the Four Tops 1966 hit. The song is sung in English where the original was soul, Toki’s version has the original elements of the Four Tops hit but this version is more of a happy, Katrina & the Waves (Walkin’ on Sunshine) style.

The fifth track “La Isla Bonita” is a jazzed up version of the popular Madonna hit. The song is sung in English and a song where bass, acoustic guitar, smooth percussion and trumpet has a great presence in the overall track. A very smooth and sensual cover of the popular pop hit.

The sixth track “Smilin’” is another original track by Toki Asako and features a hip, jazz track where the electric piano/synth, flute, trumpet and flugelhorn, guitar and bass creates a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.

The seventh track “都会” (city) is a cover of a 1977 song. A beautiful slow jazz song featuring piano, bass and a string quartet.

The CD insert is a quad-fold featuring lyrics and production credits on one side and photos of Toki Asako on the other. Also, a rhythm zone flyer with June 2008 releases is included.

Toki Asako’s latest album on the rhythm zone label is definitely a winner. Although it doesn’t include many tracks, the overall music is quality and Asako’s voice is just sensual and “Summerin’” was a pleasant and enjoyable album overall.

I have to admit that its really interesting to see rhythm zone now incorporating more genres to the label. Typically known for their urban, soul R&B sound, with Toki Asako and Dorlis being promoted by the label, definitely signifies a change for the label to diversify into other areas.

I definitely look forward to listening to more of Toki’s musical works and for those wanting to try something new, I definitely recommend this album.

BUY THIS ALBUM:

 

[WII] WII-KLY UPDATE: ONE WIIWARE GAME AND TWO VIRTUAL CONSOLE GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

July 28, 2008

If variety is the spice of life, we’ve got an extra-spicy lineup for you this week on the Wii™ Shop Channel. From bouncing balls to out-of-control cars to hardcore fisticuffs, the latest game additions offer an incredibly diverse mix of Wii™ thrills. So if you’ve been saving up your Wii Points™ for something new and different, here’s your opportunity to cash in and kick up some serious fun. Enjoy!

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

WiiWare™

Pong Toss-Frat Party Games™ (JV Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Language, 800 Wii Points): Pony up-it’s Pong Toss time. Compete against your friends or the computer in this ultimate party-game favorite. Play on a regulation table with up to four players. Make consecutive shots for the Fireball bonuses and Roll-Backs as you or your team try to dominate the table and reign as Pong Toss champs. In Speed Pong, up to three challengers can compete at the same time. Speed and strategy are the keys to this fast-paced game. Jack up your opponents by using a slew of power-ups that will slow them down. The first one who sinks the last cup wins it all. Be fast. Be furious. Be victorious.

Virtual Console™

Chase H.Q.® (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Drug Reference, Mild Violence, 600 Wii Points): This is a different style of racing game in which you attempt to catch criminals by chasing them and ramming their cars off the road. Playing as two cops from the NYPD special “CHASE H.Q.” unit, the first half of each stage involves you maneuvering your unmarked car in a heated chase, followed by an action sequence in the latter half. Once you reach the target vehicle, you flip on your lights and siren, and then try to stop the culprits by repeatedly colliding with them. Use your different gears wisely as you make your way through streets and around corners, and be careful not to hit objects or other cars, or you’ll lose speed. Also at your disposal are turbo units for temporary extra speed and ramming power.

ART OF FIGHTING 2 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1994 by SNK, ART OF FIGHTING 2 sees 12 characters compete for the title in the toughest fighting contest of them all: King of Fighters. Each character has a range of deadly techniques in his or her arsenal, and players must use these lethal techniques to fight their opponents. As in the original ART OF FIGHTING, however, using a deadly technique lowers a character’s mental-energy gauge. For this reason, players must use these techniques carefully. Meanwhile, players can taunt an opponent to exhaust his or her mental energy, and even suppress their opponent’s techniques if successful. This type of mental-energy offense and defense gives ART OF FIGHTING 2 a uniquely enjoyable spin on the fighting-game genre. Further adding to the strategy required to win, an attack will become stronger or weaker depending on exactly when the button is pressed. And even if a player is thrown, defensive action is possible with the timely press of a button. All of this adds up to an intense and nail-biting fighting-game experience not found anywhere else.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

 

Hatsune Okumura – Honto wa ne (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

The debut of SEED, from the Kyushu entertainment school and a new dance unit that is following the footsteps of Okinawan Dance School students/group SPEED. Overall, a good debut but I actually enjoyed the coupling track more than the main dance track.

ARTIST: Hatsune Okumura

CD SINGLE: Honto wa ne

LABEL: Avex Trax

CATALOG #: AVCD-31458/B

DURATION: 17:35

RELEASE DATE: July 23, 2008

BUY THIS CD SINGLE from cdjapan.com:

 

Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 8 (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)

“As we reach the final two volumes, there are new revelations and the Earth Defense Force and the United Colony Corps goes to war against the aliens and a key betrayal comes unexpected in this latest action-packed volume of ‘Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars’”.

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 8

DURATION: 72 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: COLOR/ MPEG-2 / DVD-5 / NTSC / Japanese Audio (Dolby Digital Stereo) / English Subtitles / 16:9 LB

CATALOG #: BUDH0136

COMPANY: Bandai Visual / Honneamise

RATING: 13 and up

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

STAFF INFORMATION:

ORIGINAL STORY: SR Production Team

DIRECTOR: Kakudo Hiroyuki

SUPERVISOR & SERIES PLANNER: Terada Takanobu

CHARACTER CONCEPTION: Kohno Sachiko

CHARACTER DESIGN: Ikeda Yuji

MAIN MECHANICAL DESIGNERS: Katoki Hajime, Miyatake Kazutaka, Okawara Kunio, Saito Kazue

ART DIRECTOR: Kato Kenji

PRODUCED By: SWROG PROJECT

CAST INFORMATION:

Ryusei Miki Shin-Ichiro, Ingram: Furusawa Toru, Yukiko: Sakuma Rei, Kusuha: Takahashi Mikamo, Tenzan: Kawazu Yasuhiko, Laker: Kiyokawa Motomu, Kenzo: MUGIHITO, Kai: Saizan Tadahisa, Hance: Masutani Yutaka, Shu: Koyasu Takehito, Bian: Iizuka Shoz

At last, the battle moves to its final stage… The astonishing truth is revealed in this volume!

The muzzle that has been leveled is one of betrayal, and the swords that must protect the Earth will be drawn for their final mission!

In volume 7, the Alien Aerogater’s made their move by invading Earth and abducting Earth Federation Army soldiers and pilots.

Volume 8 continues the storyline about the war between the Earth Federation Army/United Colony Corps and the Alien Aerogaters who have now started to decimate major cities but this volume will be known for its major betrayal by one of the main characters of this series.

In episode 21 titled “Stage 21: Misgivings”, the Aerogater attack has thrown the Earth’s Sphere into chaos. An introduction to a new character named Brigadier General Normany Srey of the Earth Federation Army who drafts Operation SRW for an assault on the massive Aerogater base, the “White Star”.

Also, Ingram has begun Kusuha’s training as a pilot on the Grungust Type-2 while other pilots question Ingram using an unskilled pilot to take control of a Super Robot.

In episode 22 titled “Stage 22: The Muzzle of Betrayal”, the Aerogaters begin decimating the Northern area of China. The Hagwane heads to the area and the Personnel Troopers face their deadliest enemies yet.

Because of the dire situation, Ingram Plissken orders the SRX Team to transform and become as one. An order that the Ryusei and team have never done before. And a major character becomes a traitor.

In episode 23 titled “Stage 23: The Day of Parting”, the team has been betrayed and the group is at a loss not knowing why it has happened, especially what may have happened to their teammate Kusuha who has disappeared in battle.

The ramifications of the betrayal has led to the SRX team to be jailed and the higher ups want their mechas to be dismantled.

Meanwhile, the Earth Federation Army and the United Colony Corps rendezvous at the L5 Point and launch Operation SRW and come head-to-head with a former teammate.

VIDEO:

As for the video, since it’s a newer anime series that aired back in the end of 2006 and early 2007, as expected, the anime is clear and colorful. Also, because it is a Bandai Visual release known for their audio and video quality, the anime is presented in 16:9 LB anamorphic with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1.

AUDIO:

Bandai Visual is known for their quality A/V and audio is encoded at 488kbps. There is no Digital 5.1 audio selection, just Dolby Digital Stereo. And primary audio is in Japanese. There is no English dub tracks, for those interested in that.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Surprisingly, there are no special features. I would expected maybe a textless opening or ending, especially for the JAM PROJECT fans out there who enjoy the opening theme. But unfortunately, there are no special features at all.

As for the DVD-insert booklet, there is an 8-page character guide and glossary. Also, included is a “Special Message” (continuing from the last four volume booklets) segment which features more voice talent giving their thoughts about their character and a message for the fans.

The eighth volume of “Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars” is another exciting volume in the series and as usual with the series, there was a lot of action and mecha battles galore!

But there are some problems when you think about the concept of time and part of the problem is when you have so many characters, where a mecha series such as “Gundam” has over 40-50 episodes, they are able to flesh out the story with more character development and even budding relationships. Also, there is a sense of time of how many days or weeks things have passed.

With this volume, Kusuha is now a pilot of the Grungust Type-2 and willing to go to battle. But how long has she actually been training. A day, days, weeks? Ryune Zoldark is concerned with the incarceration of the SRX team but since she was just let on aboard the Hagwane, without that much character development for her, would Ryune really be that concerned? So, perhaps she has been friends with Ryusei and Rai for days or weeks?

But another problem which I mentioned in previous review and again becomes a major pet peeve is the sense of death. With the battle of the Aerogaters, the Earth Federation Army and the civilians become casualties. Soldiers who pilot an airplane or drive a tank are the ones that are typically killed in battle.

But not one major character has been killed. They have been injured but well enough for battle in a few days with no lasting ramifications from injuries.

We have seen death for United Colony Corps and Divine Crusaders characters but even in this volume where Aya is shot point blank, she survives and is hospitalized and is ready to go battle by the end of the volume.

No one dies, no one gets majorly injured and with every death that we have seen on the “good” side of a mecha series, the death makes an impact.

And so you wonder what if “Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars” has had the chance to get a 40-50 episode treatment. Character development and even budding relationships can be furthered explored but at least there would be a sense of timing.

But with that being said, the end of the “Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars” is the next volume and volume 8 which features a major character betrayal was exciting and to see the turn against the fellow teammates was quite riveting.

Overall, this is a 26-episode series and Kakudo Hiroyuki and staff has done what they can to fit everything they can in a short time. It’s a bit sad to know that there is one more volume left in the series but so far, I have been entertained. The series although not perfect, is still riveting, action-packed and explosive.

I look forward to the final volume!

+ “SUPER ROBOT WARS” in an animated television series based on a long running video game… A long time coming!

+ Finally, the battle between the Earth Defense Army and the United Colony Corps versus the alien Aerogaters.

+ Well done voice acting with many of the original voice talent from the video games involved.

+ A very good volume that focuses on the character development of several key characters.

- For those who need and prefer an English dub, this DVD is ONLY Japanese with English subtitles.

 

Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 7 (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)

“After the final battle with DC Commander-in-Chief Bian Zoldark, volume 7 introduces Zoldark’s daughter Ryune and her mecha Valsione plus a final confrontation between the Earth Federation Army and the remnants of the Divine Crusaders and the long awaited battle between Ryusei and Tenzan.  Another action packed volume!”.

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 7 DURATION: 72 minutes DVD INFORMATION: COLOR/ MPEG-2 / DVD-5 / NTSC / Japanese Audio (Dolby Digital Stereo) / English Subtitles / 16:9 LB CATALOG #: BUDH0135 COMPANY: Bandai Visual / Honneamise RATING: 13 and up

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

STAFF INFORMATION:

ORIGINAL STORY: SR Production Team DIRECTOR: Kakudo Hiroyuki SUPERVISOR & SERIES PLANNER: Terada Takanobu CHARACTER CONCEPTION: Kohno Sachiko CHARACTER DESIGN: Ikeda Yuji MAIN MECHANICAL DESIGNERS: Katoki Hajime, Miyatake Kazutaka, Okawara Kunio, Saito Kazue ART DIRECTOR: Kato Kenji PRODUCED By: SWROG PROJECT

CAST INFORMATION:

Ryusei Miki Shin-Ichiro, Ingram: Furusawa Toru, Yukiko: Sakuma Rei, Kusuha: Takahashi Mikamo, Tenzan: Kawazu Yasuhiko, Laker: Kiyokawa Motomu, Kenzo: MUGIHITO, Kai: Saizan Tadahisa, Hance: Masutani Yutaka, Shu: Koyasu Takehito, Bian: Iizuka Shoz

The battle reaches a new stage with this watershed volume! The threat of the White Star has appeared in the Earth Sphere… Humanity faces its greatest crisis, and the iron giants shall assemble!

With the last volume, the war has pretty much ended with the defeat of Bian Zoldark but remnants of the Divine Crusaders continue to cause trouble as Adler Koch has taken control. In episode 17, the Divine Crusaders tried their best to kidnap Princess Shine Hauzen from the Principality of Riksent but the Ryusei and Rai arrived right in time to defeat the DC. In episode 18 titled “Stage 18: Ryune and the Valsione”, a gravitational anomaly is detected at the L5 Point, something similar to Meteorite-3 (which was technology used to create the super robots and new weaponry). As the Earth Federation goes on alert, the two assault cruisers, the Hagwane and Hiryu Kwai are dispatched to the L5 Point.  But waiting for them is Ryune Zoldark and the Valsione. In episode 19 titled “Stage 19:  Enter the Hellstar”, the threat that Prof. Bian Zoldark has talked about comes true as the alien Aerogaters massive fortress known as the “White Star” has appeared at the L5 Point and the aliens have declared war against the Planet Earth. As the Earth Federation Army holds their own against the aliens, it appears the aliens are abducting pilots and members of the Earth Federation Army. Also, one of the higher ups of the Earth Federation Army is revealed to be a traitor that has been working with the Divine Crusaders and has kidnapped the Princess Hauzen. In episode 20 titled “Stage 20: Twilight of the DC”, the remaining elements of the Divine Crusaders led by Adler Koch try to take advantage of the Aerogaters attack on the planet and launch an offensive to conquer Geneva, the Earth Federation Army’s nerve center. This episode features the final battle between the Earth Federation Army and the Divine Crusaders and also a battle pitting Ryusei and his “Burning PT” rival Tenza VIDEO: As for the video, since it’s a newer anime series that aired back in the end of 2006 and early 2007, as expected, the anime is clear and colorful. Also, because it is a Bandai Visual release known for their audio and video quality, the anime is presented in 16:9 LB anamorphic with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. AUDIO: Bandai Visual is known for their quality A/V and audio is encoded at 488kbps. There is no Digital 5.1 audio selection, just Dolby Digital Stereo. And primary audio is in Japanese. There is no English dub tracks, for those interested in that. SPECIAL FEATURES: Surprisingly, there are no special features. I would expected maybe a textless opening or ending, especially for the JAM PROJECT fans out there who enjoy the opening theme. But unfortunately, there are no special features at all. As for the DVD-insert booklet, there is an 8-page character guide and glossary. Also, included is a “Special Message” (continuing from the last three volume booklets) segment which features more voice talent giving their thoughts about their character and a message for the fans.

After episode 17, with the introduction of Princess Hauzen and the episode becoming lighthearted again, I was curious how vol. 7 would be?   Would the war against the aliens begin?  Will the Earth Federation Army finally confront the Divine Crusader remnants? And the answer is a resounding yes on both counts! The battle between Ryusei and Tenzan and pilots versus Tempest Hawker in a battle to the death was great to see. At least there was build up in previous episodes for a final battle with the DC and it was great to see that happen sooner than later, especially now that the war between the Earth Federation Army/United Colony Corps taking on the alien Aerogaters has begun. The introduction of Ryune Zoldark (daughter of DC commander-in-chief Bian Zoldark) wanting revenge for her father’s death was a bit short for my taste and how quickly the Earth Federation let her join the team aboard the Hagwane, again pacing went very quickly with her introduction and how she becomes part of the team. But this volume did provide continuing mecha battles and definitely sets things up between the war between humans and aliens. As far as mecha’s are concerned, I have to admit that the Valsione mecha design was a bit unusual, especially since the mecha’s head is of an anime style girl but with so many variations of mechas introduced in this series, the Valsione ranks up there for unique mecha design. All in all, volume 7 of “Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars” was entertaining and a few more revelations are made and I can’t wait to see how things play out in volume 8.

+ “SUPER ROBOT WARS” in an animated television series based on a long running video game… A long time coming!

+ Finally, the final battle between Ryusei and Tenzan!  And the final battle between the Earth Federation Army vs. remnants of the Divine Crusaders.

+ Well done voice acting with many of the original voice talent from the video games involved.

+ A very good volume that focuses on the character development of several key characters.

- For those who need and prefer an English dub, this DVD is ONLY Japanese with English subtitles.

 

GeGeGe no Kitaro: Sennen Noroi Uta Original Soundtrack (A J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“The latest soundtrack for the latest live action “‘GeGeGe no Kitaro’ film features a combination of Japanese rock/electric guitar driven themes, symphonic orchestra and Japanese traditional instrument driven tracks.”

MUSIC BY: Takanashi Yasuharu with Konstantin D. KRIMETS and the Moscow International Symphonic Orchestra

ALBUM TITLE: GeGeGe no Kitaro: Sennen Noroi Uta Original Soundtrack

LABEL: avex trax

CATALOG #: AVCD-23641

DURATION: 50:59

RELEASE DATE: n/a

1. 千年呪い
2. ゲゲゲの鬼太郎
3. 空へ
4. ねずみ男
5. 妖怪図書館にて
6. 地下に蠢くもの
7. 旅立ち〜古の楽器を求めて
8. Tanu☆Festa
9. さとり〜心の隙間
10. 楓〜愛のテーマ
11. 逆鳴らしの呪方
12. アダージョ／トリオ・ソナタ
13. ぬらりひょんのレクイエム〜真実
14. 秘めた想い
15. 生還〜鬼太郎の決意
16. いざゆかん
17. 地下での戦い
18. 夜叉〜修羅の妖怪
19. 君を信じて
20. 甦るガシャドクロ
21. 海人〜愛しい人へ
22. ガシャドクロ暴走
23. 祈り〜呪いは愛に
24. 風の人

“GeGeGe no Kitarou” is somewhat iconic in Japan. Created back in 1959 by Mizuki Shigeru, the manga series has spawned anime, video game, tv dramas and live-action films.

The series is primarily about a boy named Kitaro, a yokai (supernatural being, ghost, monster, etc.) born from the cemetery. Known for his features of his hair covering an eye socket (he is missing his left eye) and he and other yokai’s fight for peace between the humans and the yokai.

In 2006, the first live-action film to star WaT member Wentz Eiji and actress Tanaka was released. The film did well and warranted a second film. This time the subject was the “1,000 Year Curse” and came out in theaters on July 12, 2008.

The soundtrack was released on July 9th and would feature 24 tracks by Takanashi Yasuharu, known for his musical works for anime such as “Naruto Shipuuden”, “Ikkitousen”, “New Fist of the North Star”, “Hell Girl” “Gantz” and many more anime, video game and drama series.

The soundtrack features a total of 24 songs with 23 of the songs featured are instrumental with the exception of track 2 which is the well-known “GeGeGe no Kitaro” theme song.

The music features a balance of rock/heavy electric guitar themes, symphonic orchestra and traditional Japanese influenced music.

Songs such as “Sora e” (track 3) feels like a BGM from a major Japanese RPG video game series. While tracks such as “Tanu☆Festa” (track feels like a track from the animated film “Akira” but with hard-rock transitions.

But the majority of the tracks are orchestral/traditional Japanese music-based and are quite beautiful

The orchestral music was done by the Moscow International Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Konstantin D. KRIMETS.

The theme song “Kaze Tachinu” sung by Nakamura Ataru is not featured on this album nor is an instrumental version.

As for the CD insert, a standard bi-fold with production credits, small movie stills and a flyer promoting Nakamura Ataru’s CD single.

I understand that chances of many people seeing this live-action film outside of Japan are possibly slim.

But like any film, where beautiful music can set up the atmosphere, may it be beautiful or dark, happy or sad, it depends on the listener, if the soundtrack resonates with the listener and warrants that purchase.

I listen to a lot of soundtracks, review many soundtrack for films, anime, musicals and opera that I have not watched or probably watch many years later but I fall in love with the music first.  Based on the music alone, I can say that the music for “GeGeGe: Sennen Noroi Uta” is beautiful and enchanting.

I was surprised that there is no hint of the theme song by Nakamura Ataru included on this album. Most often you would get an instrumental version or remixed version of the original song but “Kaze Tachinu” is not on this album.

But regardless of the theme song not being included in any way, the fact that the “GeGeGe no Kitaro” theme is included will satisfy fans of the series.

Overall, this soundtrack is quite beautiful and for those who are fans of Takanashi Yasuharu’s work or fans of the live-action film may want to give this soundtrack a listen!

BUY THIS ALBUM:

 

ALIEN NINE (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)

“A cute anime OAV series that will either make you cringe from all the crying or capture your attention and making you crave for more”.

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: ALIEN NINE

DURATION: 100 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital Stereo, Region 1

CATALOG #: USMD 2241

COMPANY: US MANGA CORPS

RATING: 13 and up

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

STAFF INFORMATION:

ORIGINAL STORY: Tomizawa Hitoshi (Published in ‘Young Champion Comics’ by AKITASHOTEN)

DIRECTOR: Fujimoto Jiro

SUPERVISOR & SERIES PLANNER: Murai Sadayuki

CHARACTER DESIGN: Irie Yasuhiro

CREATURE DESIGN: Iwakura Kazunori

ART DIRECTOR: Hyunichi Higashi

SOUND DIRECTOR: Iwanami Yoshikazu

MUSIC COMPOSER Hajima Kuniaki

CREATED BY: GENCO, J.C. STAFF

PRODUCED BY: Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo Media Set, Nippon Columbia, Anime Theater X and GENCO

CAST INFORMATION:

Otani Yuri – Kelly Ray/Ihata Juri

Kawamura Kumi – Angora Deb / Shimizu Kaori

Tomine Kasumi – Zoe Fries / Shitaya Noriko

Hisakwa Megumi – Veronica Taylor / Hisakawa Aya

Tamaki Miyu – Rachael Lillis / Nakayama Sara

Yuri’s Borg – Joshua Popenoe / Nakao Ryusei

Kumi’s Borg – Jimmy Zoppi / Nakao Ryusei

Kasumi’s Borg – Tristan Goddard / Nakao Ryusei

From the screenwriter of “Millenium Actress”, “Cowboy Bebop” and “Bubblegum Crisis” and the producer of “Tenchi Muyo”! Based on the best-selling manga by Hitoshi Tomizawa

DEFENSE FROM GRADE 6!

Yuri is totally bummed. She just started 6th grade and has been elected to capture and eliminate the aliens that are constantly invading the school…a difficult and dangerous job! Even worse, she has to wear a creepy symbiotic alient helmet to get the job done…GROSS!

This anime DVD has received rave reviews since its release back in 2003 and having heard so much about this anime and its manga series, I figured that I’ll give a try since you can literally pick this title up for around $5 online (or $15 for the Ultimate Collection which includes the three manga graphic novels).

The storyline focuses on three girls:

Otani Yuri – Yuri is a sixth grader and the eldest of the three and somewhat the main character of this OAV series. She was elected by her classmates to be the representative for the Alien Party (their duty is to capture aliens that land in their school yard). Yuri is a fearful girl, always scared, very shy and cries nearly about everything.

Kawamura Kumi – A sixth grader and is the tallest member of the group, member of the student council and independent. Since her father has passed away, she has lived life as a mature young girl, assisting her mother in work duties, chores and very disciplined.

Tomine Kasumi – A sixth grader that is multi-talented. She excels in everything she does and has trophies and awards for her accomplishments. She is the shortest member and when she talks, her vocabulary is like a young girl and answers with a neko-style “nya”.

These three sixth graders make up the Alien Party under the tutelage of Hisakawa Megumi, their advisor and councellor.

Being a member of the Alien Party may seem exciting. If there is an alien that has landed in school, you don’t have to attend classes and you are somewhat popular among your classmates for the work that you do. But for Yuri, she didn’t want to do this.

She hates the aliens, she hates conflict, she hates having to be an active person and she hates that she has to bond with a borg.

A borg is symbiotic life form that bonds with their host. They are worn on the heads of an Alien Party member and provide the offense and defense for them. In return for what they do for the Alien Party members, they request to feed off the waste (typically licking the backs of sweat or whatever on the girls).

The first four episodes are more about friendship and how these three young girls get along, especially since they are quite different from each other.

Episode 1 is more of an introduction to the children and their parents.

Episode 2 features Otani really trying to do her best but obviously she’s not cut out to be a member of Alien Party as she depends on the other two for everything. But something terribly goes wrong when the teacher allows Yuri to feed the aliens all by herself (the goal was trying to eliminate Otani’s fears but it seems to have backfired).

Episode 3 features the three girls and Otani’s friend Miyu (who becomes the moral support for Otani and befriends the other two) going on a vacation.

Episode 4 is the final OAV episode featuring teamwork against an whale-like looking alien known as Yellow Knife.

And I just want to mention that despite the characters being young and character designs quite cutesy, the series does feature quite a bit of violence and definitely not a series you want younger children to watch.

As for the staff behind-the-series, a good number of talent behind this series with director Fujimoto Jiro known for episode direction for series such as “Vampire Princess Miyu”, “Dai-Guard” and “Welcome to the NHK” and more. Character designs by Irie Yasuhiro known for key animation and animation works for heavy hitters such as “Escaflowne”, “Raxephon”, “Giant Robo” and “Fullmetal Alchemist”. And Iwakura Kazunori who provided the creature designs but known for character designs for series such as “Ai Yori Aoshi”, “Sky Girls”, “Slayers Great” and many more titles. And to round things off, music composed by Haijima Kuniaki, who has done the music for many titles such as “Gasaraki”, “My-Otome”, “Spriggan” and “Macross Zero” and sound direction by Iwanami Yoshikazu, a big name for tons of anime for sound production for series such as various “Transformers” series, “Maria-sama” and “Ah! My Goddess” the movie.

VIDEO:

The original OAV series was released back in 2001 but for an anime that old, the colors are vibrant and the fact that the series is featured in a variety of settings in school, at home, at the beach, etc. Animation was quite nice to watch in the style of Irie Yasuhiro’s character designs complimenting the original style of Tomizawa Hitoshi.

AUDIO:

Audio is primarily dialogue-based than action-based. Both are in Dolby Digital Stereo and watched the series both in Japanese and English.

In Japanese, the voice acting is well-done, especially showing Otani’s fear and all in all, a job well done on voice acting.

As for English, it’s a bit of a pet peeve when adults are used to provide voices for children and the children don’t sound like children at all. This is the case of “Alien Nine”, the children sound like seniors in high school. The acting and delivery of the lines are well done, that is, if you don’t mind the children sounding like older teenagers.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There are a good number of special features on this DVD.

Included is an art gallery, sketch gallery, behind-the-scenes video, “Alien Nine” Japanese promos (and there are a lot of them), Producer Taro Maki commenting on “Alien Nine”, a manga preview, “Alien Nine” trailers and previews for Central Park Media.

I really did enjoy the interview with Maki-san in terms of the difference for producing an anime working at Pioneer versus doing it now through his company GENCO (which produces “Alien Nine”).

Also, going into certain areas of the anime series and having to end it at episode 4 despite the manga series still was ongoing in Japan.

But all in all, it was great to see this DVD jam-packed with many special features.

I actually enjoyed the series but I admit that my patience was wearing thin in regards to the character of Otani Yuri.

For me, I do no like characters that continually cry and whine (a side note: It’s one of the reasons why in the past, I have not finished “Neon Genesis Evangelion” because of the whining of character Shinji) and I have found the character of Otani Yuri to be just that.

It’s one thing if they become a whiny underdog and then proves everyone wrong as the character matures but for Otani, it was becoming a drag to hear her cry so much throughout this OAV series at almost everything that happens to her. But if there was one positive of the OAV series being only four episodes long, that is the viewer is not subject to whining and crying for a long period of time.

Each time she’s scared or yelled at, she cries. And these are not few or small segments, she does it too much! Yes, I’m sure that is how her character is and how it was probably show in the manga but there is only so much crying that can be done and since her character is a primary character in this OAV series, you would hope that she grows from it.

I kept asking myself, what if she was put in the situation where she needs to save someones life. Would she cower in fear or save their life and in episode 4, she is put into that predicament.

So, the over abundance of crying scenes by Otani’s character was starting to wear thin for me but I’m sure other viewers took it in stride and have more patience than I do.

Episode 4 is a bit more darker and definitely opened things up for something exciting to happen between the members of the Alien Party in future episodes and that is where another problem that I had with the series begins.

There are no future episodes. There are no plans for a TV series or OAV series since the release of the four episode OAV back in 2001.

For an anime and manga series that was well-liked in Japan, you can only hope that an animated version would continue.

But similar to a series like “Submarine 707-R”, I dislike watching a series that you really get into and enjoy but knowing that there are no further episodes left to watch, that kind of sucks!

There is a one volume manga series titled “Alien Nine Emulators” released by Central Park Media which follows the three Alien Party members as they enter Junior High and having to adjust to puberty and emotions. Also, “emulators” is supposed to be much darker and more violent and there are other manga that have been released in Japan but that is if you are willing to import it.

But as for the DVD and OAV series, “ALIEN NINE” was a series that I did enjoy. Yes, it’s a cutesy anime but it is quite unique in its own way. The anime features way too much crying that nearly wanted to make me yank my hair out but all in all, it got very interesting as the storyline progressed and I actually wanted to see more.

Now, there is an ultimate version of this DVD release available that comes with the manga graphic novels.  I’ve been told by many that the manga and anime versions are quite different and where the anime focuses on friendships, there is more than friendship going on in the manga series.

Needless to say, after watching this regular edition, I now regret not picking up the ultimate edition because at least maybe there would be some areas that would fill in some plot holes and at least show me this other side in the manga series not explored in the animated OAV series.

But all in all, both DVD versions can be found quite cheap online (and that’s new not used).  Plus it’s full of special features, so for its current price online, it’s an OAV series definitely worth checking out.

+ Can be found for nearly $5 online for a new copy! Or $15 for the Ultimate edition that comes with the manga graphic novels

+ The anime series is well acted in the Japanese version. And Ihata Juri does a great job capturing the emotions of the crybaby character, Otani Yuri.

+ A lot of special features included on this DVD

- Too much crying that it may want to yank your hair out if you don’t have the patience for it.

- The OAV ends with an episode that makes you want more but unfortunately seven years later since its original release, it doesn’t look we will see anything in animated form for now.

 

dorlis – swingin’ singin’ playin’ (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“Featuring several hits by the sexy classic duo that captivated listeners in the 70′s not just in Japan but also in the US”

ARTIST: dorlis

ALBUM: swingin’ singin’ playin’

LABEL: Rhythm Zone

CATALOG #: RZCD-45914

DURATION: 31:43

RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2008

1. 水平線と夕焼けと片思い feat.Likkle Mai
2. はじまりのリズム
3. 恋のバトルスティック feat.JABBERLOOP
4. 運命のルーレット
5. 市民プール 〜swingin’ singin’ playin’ ver.〜
6. マーブルの月〜swingin’ singin’ playin’ ver.〜
7. ひとりごとみたいにアイシテタ 〜swingin’ singin’ playin’ ver.〜
8. マリポーサ 〜swingin’ singin’ playin’ ver.〜

The fifth album from dorlis marks a new beginning for the swing-inspired music artist with a move to the urban rhythm zone label.

For those not familiar with dorlis, the artist has an interesting musical history as a young woman inspired by music and quit high school and hitchhiked and played her jazz and swing style of music via acoustic guitar on the streets of Japan.

Eventually she was discovered by a scout for producer and music artist Matsubara Ken (who is known for spotting other artists such as Misia, Hirai Ken and BoA) and back in 2002, was on her first label.

Eventually she was on the Victor Entertainment label for several years until most recently now moving on to the rhythm zone label.

With her fifth album “swingin’ singin’ playin’”, the new album features a few new songs and songs previously released but in a “swingin’ singin’ playin’ version”.

And like previous albums, dorlis wrote all lyrics and music and performed the acoustic guitar in each track.

The first track ” 水平線と夕焼けと片思い” featuring Likkle Mai (a reggae artist) featured a jazz style with drum, bass, guitar and piano and a ukulele are used. Combining the music with dorlis smooth vocals comes out quite beautiful and enjoyable.

The second track ” はじまりのリズム” features another jazz style of track with a hint of swing.

The third track ” 恋のバトルスティック” features another collaboration with jazz artist JABBERLOOP. A faster paced jazz track which utilizes brass horns and a style which is more funky jazz.

The fourth track ” 運命のルーレット” is another fun jazz track but has a different feel compared to the other tracks because its utilization of violin and the accordion. The song has a French-like atmosphere which I found refreshing and enjoyable.

And the fifth through eighth tracks are all dorlis acoustic guitar-driven tracks of previous CD singles and albums such as ” マーブルの月” and ” マリポーサ”.

Also, there is a musical video included of ” 水平線と夕焼けと片思い feat.Likkle Mai” but no DVD but an MPG that is on the CD itself.

The music video is an artistic video featuring dorlis performing with her guitar and picture frames of video float around in a photo book style, magical feel to it.

Also there is a second video. Right after the music video is a live performance of dorlis jamming on the acoustic guitar performing ” マリポーサ” and very good to see that this was included because you can see her actual fingerwork. Very cool performance and was great to see the actual close up of her fingers playing the acoustic guitar for that cool intro of “Mariposa”!

The videos are on one single ten minute MPG file.

The CD insert features the lyrics and like previous albums, the artwork of Maeda Yuka. Also included is a promotional flyer for July releases on the rhythm zone label

Overall this mini-album is definitely refreshing to listen to. If you are open to jazz and acoustic guitar driven music, dorlis definitely has a lot to offer.

She’s a very talented artist with beautiful, smooth vocals and cool music.

It was good to see the a music video included on the CD but also for the inclusion of “Mariposa” because viewers can see her awesome fingerwork on the acoustic guitar.

All in all, a very cool album and I highly enjoyed the overall atmosphere of dorlis music for “swingin’ singing’ playin’”. I definitely recommend this mini-album to jazz/swing or acoustic guitar-genre music fans.

BUY THIS ALBUM

 

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