THE CRITERION COLLECTION & ECLIPSE SERIES (a J!-ENT Listing of all Criterion-related Blu-ray and DVD Reviews)
May 17, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements.
The following is a list of all the CRITERION COLLECTION Blu-ray and DVD’s we have reviewed on J!-ENT thus far.
THE CRITERION COLLECTION BLU-RAY AND DVD REVIEWS (Listing are in the Criterion Collection & Eclipse Series numeric order):
Note: Reviews are from 1999-Present
Seven Samurai – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #2 (Blu-ray release)
Amarcord – The Criterion Collection #4
the 400 blows – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #5
Beauty and the Beast – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #6
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #7 (1998 DVD Release)
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER – The Criterion Collection #7 (2012 Blu-ray release)
Walkabout – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #10
The Naked Kiss – The Criterion Collection #18
Shock Corridor – The Criterion Collection #19
High and Low – The Criterion Collection #24
alphaville – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #25
Branded to Kill – The Criterion Collection #38
Tokyo Drifter – The Criterion Collection #39
ARMAGEDDON – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #40
For All Mankind – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #54
The Passion of Joan of Arc -THE CRITERION COLLECTION #62
The Third Man – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #64
The Blood of a Poet – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #67 (part of “Jean Cocteau’s Orphic Trilogy”)
Orpheus – The Criterion Collection #68
Cléo from 5 to 7 – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #73 (part of the “4 By Agnès Varda” Box Set)
Chasing Amy – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #75
Brief Encounter – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #76 (2000 Release)
Brief Encounter – The Criterion Collection #76 (as part of the “David Lean Directs Noel Coward” DVD Box Set) (2012 Release)
Good Morning – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #84
L’Avventura – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #98
GIMME SHELTER – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #99
BEASTIE BOYS VIDEO ANTHOLOGY – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #100
THE ROCK – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #108
M. Hulot’s Holiday – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #110
Mon Oncle – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #111
Playtime – THE CRITERON COLLECTION #112
Sullivan’s Travels – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #118
Rashomon – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #138
Contempt – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #171
Band of Outsiders – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #174
My Life as a Dog – The Criterion Collection #178
Night and Fog – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #197
The Rules of the Game – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #216 (2004 Release)
The Rules of the Game – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #216 (2011 Release)
Smiles of a Summer Night (Sommarnattens leende) – The Criterion Collection #237
A Woman is a Woman – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #238
The Battle of Algiers – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #249
SHADOWS – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #251 (as part of the “John Cassavetes Five Films” DVD Box Set)
Fighting Elegy – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #269
Tout va Bien – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #275
L’Eclisse – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #278
Jules and Jim – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #281
Le Samourai – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #306
Masculin Féminin – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #308
Metropolitan – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #326
Late Spring – The Criterion Collection #331
Yi Yi – The CRITERION COLLECTION #339
The Bakery Girl of Monceau – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #343 (part of “Eric Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales” DVD Box Set)
Suzanne’s Career – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #344 (part of Eric Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales” DVD Box Set)
My Night at Maud’s – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #345 (part of “Eric Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales” DVD Box Set)
Pandora’s Box – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #358
The Double Life of Veronique – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #359
symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #360
The Emperor Jones/Paul Robeson: The Tribute to An Artist – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #370
Overlord – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #382
La Jetée/Sans Soleil – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #387
Robinson Crusoe on Mars – The Criterion Collection #404
Breathless – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #408
La Pointe Courte – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #419 (part of the “4 by Agnès Varda” Box Set)
Pierrot Le Fou – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #421
Antonio Gaudi – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #425
Trafic – The Criterion Collection #439
BOTTLE ROCKET – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #450
CHUNGKING EXPRESS – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #453
El Norte – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #458
Simon of the Desert – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #460
THE LAST METRO – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #462
In the Realm of the Senses – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #466
The Curious Case of BENJAMIN BUTTON – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #476
Made in U.S.A. – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #481
Marty (as part of “The Golden Age of Television – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #495)
Germany, Year Zero – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #499 (as part of Roberto Rosselini’s War Trilogy)
REVANCHE – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #502
Make Way for Tomorrow – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #505
Dillinger is Dead – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #506
Vivre sa vie – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #512
Summer Hours – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #513
Red Desert – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #522
The Secret of the Grain – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #527
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #535
Paths of Glory – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #538
MODERN TIMES – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #543
CRONOS – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #551
The Times of Harvey Milk – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #557
Topsy-Turvy – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #558
The Mikado – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #559
Something Wild – The Criterion Collection #563
Pale Flower – The Criterion Collection #564
The Great Dictator – The Criterion Collection #565
The Makioka Sisters – The Criterion Collection #567
People on Sunday – The Criterion Collection #569
Zazie dans le métro – The Criterion Collection #570
Léon Morin, Priest – The Criterion Collection #572
The Music Room – The Criterion Collection #573
Secret Sunshine – The Criterion Collection #576
The Complete Jean Vigo – The Criterion Collection #578
The Phantom Carriage – The Criterion Collection #579
Le Beau Serge – The Criterion Collection #580
12 Angry Men – The Criterion Collection #591
Design for a Living – The Criterion Collection #592
Belle de Jour – The Criterion Collection #593
The Moment of Truth – The Criterion Collection #595
Three Outlaw Samurai – The Criterion Collection #596
Tiny Furniture – The Criterion Collection #597
World on a Wire – The Criterion Collection #598
Letter Never Sent – The Criterion Collection #601
The War Room – The Criterion Collection #602
David Lean Directs Noel Coward – The Criterion Collection #603-606
A Hollis Frampton Odyssey – The Criterion Collection #607
¡Alambrista! – The Criterion Collection #609
The Organizer – The Criterion Collection #610
Being John Malkovich – The Criterion Collection #611
Certified Copy – The Criterion Collection #613
ECLIPSE SERIES DVD REVIEWS
One Hour With You (part of Lubitsch Musicals – Eclipse Series #8)
Tokyo Chorus (part of Silent Ozu: Three Family Comedies – Eclipse Series #10)
I Was Born, But… (part of Silent Ozu: Three Family Comedies – Eclipse Series #10)
The Ascent (part of Larisa Shepitko – Eclipse Series #11)
Wings (part of Larisa Shepitko – Eclipse Series #11)
Eclipse Series #21: Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties – General Review
Pleasures of the Flesh (part of Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties – Eclipse Series #21)
Violence at Noon (part of Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties – Eclipse Series #21)
Sing a Song of Sex (part of Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties – Eclipse Series #21)
Japanese Summer: Double Suicide (part of Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties – Eclipse Series #21)
Three Resurrected Drunkards (part of Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties – Eclipse Series #21)
Eclipse Series 23: The First Films of Akira Kurosawa – General Review
Sanshiro Sugata (as part of The First Films of Akira Kurosawa – Eclipse Series #23)
The Most Beautiful (as part of The First Films of Akira Kurosawa – Eclipse Series #23)
Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two (as part of The First Films of Akira Kurosawa – Eclipse Series #23)
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (as part of The First Films of Akira Kurosawa – Eclipse Series #23)
Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and Company (as part of The Actuality Dramas of Allan King – Eclipse Series #24)
Eclipse Series 25: Basil Dearden’s London Underground (General Review)
Sapphire (as part of the Basil Dearden’s London Underground – Eclipse Series #25)
The League of Gentlemen (as part of the Basil Dearden’s London Underground – Eclipse Series #25)
Victim (as part of the Basil Dearden’s London Underground – Eclipse Series #25)
All Night Long (as part of the Basil Dearden’s London Underground – Eclipse Series #25)
MISC. RELEASES
Band of Outsiders (part of the “10 Years of Rialto Pictures” DVD Box Set)
Blu-ray Disc Reviews: The Complete J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Reviews Listing
May 11, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
The following is a listing of all Blu-ray reviews done for J!-ENT which are listed in alphanumeric order:
10 Things I Hate About You: 10th Anniversary Edition
the 400 blows – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 5)
Abingdon Boys School – Japan Tour 2008
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
AFRO SAMURAI: The Complete Murder Sessions
¡Alambrista! – The Criterion Collection #609
Alice in Wonderland – 3 Disc Version
Alice in Wonderland: 60th Anniversary Edition
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel
Amarcord – The Criterion Collection #4
Angel Beats! – The Complete Collection
The Apartment: Collector’s Edition
Avatar: Extended Collector’s Edition
Bacanno! Blu-ray Disc Box: Limited Edition
Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts Season 1 – The Complete Set
Basilisk – The Complete Series
Beauty and the Beast – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #6
Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
B Gata H Kei: Yamada’s First Time
Black Blood Brothers – The Complete Series
Black Butler: The Complete First Season
Bleach the Movie 3: Fade to Black
BLUE THUNDER – SPECIAL EDITION
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
BOTTLE ROCKET – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 450)
Burst Angel: The Complete Collection
Buster Keaton: The Short Films Collection 1920-1923
The Cable Guy: 15th Anniversary Edition
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam – Extended Edition
Casshern Sins: The Complete Series
Certified Copy – The Criterion Collection #613
CHUNGKING EXPRESS: THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 453)
City Girl – The Masters of Cinema Series #8
Clerks: 15th Anniversary Edition
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Complete Jean Vigo – The Criterion Collection #578
The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos
The Curious Case of BENJAMIN BUTTON – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 476)
Dance in the Vampire Bund – The Complete Series
Dances with Wolves: 20th Anniversary
Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor
The Darkest Hour: Special Edition
Das Boot: 2-Disc Collector’s Set
THE DA VINCI CODE: EXTENDED CUT 2-DISC SET
Demon King Daiamo: Complete Collection
Design for a Living – The Criterion Collection #592
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series – The Complete Collection
D. Gray-Man Season One Part One
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
Division III: Football’s Finest
Donnie Darko: 10th Anniversary Edition
The Double Life of Veronique – The Criterion Collection #359
Dr. Doolittle: Million Dollar Mutts
Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker
Dragonball Evolution: Z Edition
Dragon Ball Z – Dead Zone The Movie / The World’s Strongest
Dragon Ball Z – Tree of Might/Lord Slug
Dragon Ball Z- The History of Trunks / Bardock the Father of Goku
Dragon Ball Z – Super Android 13/Bojack Unbound
Dragon Ball Z – Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan / Broly – Second Coming
Dragon Ball Z – Broly Triple Feature
Dragon Ball Z – Fusion Reborn/Wrath of the Dragon
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Three
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Seven
Eden of the East – The Complete Series
Eden of the East: The King of Eden – The Motion Picture
Eden of the East Movie II: Paradise Lost – The Motion Picture
El Mariachi/Desperado: Dual Feature
El Norte – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 458)
Eureka SeveN: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers
Evangelion: 1.11 – You Are (Not) Alone
Evangelion: 2.22 – You Can (Not) Advance
Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side
Fantasia/Fantasia 2000: 4-Disc Special Edition
Fantastic 4 – Rise of the Silver Surfer
Father of the Bride: 20th Anniversary Edition/Father of the Bride Part II – 3-Disc Combo Pack
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (BUELLER… BUELLER… EDITION)
Fiddler on the Roof: 40th Anniversary
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete
For All Mankind – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #54
Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Unrated
FREEDOM: Blu-ray Disc BOX Limited Edition
Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part One
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part Two
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part Three
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part Four
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – The OVA Collection (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos
Full Metal Panic! – The Complete Series
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu – The Complete Series
Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid – THE COMPLETE SERIES
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
GENGHIS KHAN: TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND SEA
Ghost Hound: Complete Collection
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Gimme Shelter – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #99
Giorgio Moroder presents Metropolis
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
glee: The Complete Second Season
Good Morning Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
GREASE (ROCKIN’ RYDELL EDITION)
The Great Dictator – The Criterion Collection #565
GROUNDHOG DAY: SPECIAL 15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
GUNBUSTER vs. DIEBUSTER – Aim for the Top! The GATTAI!! MOVIE
Gunslinger Girl – The Complete First Season
Gunslinger Girl ~Il Teatrino~ The Complete Series
Guyver: The Bio-Boosted Armor – The Complete Series
Heroic Age: The Complete Series
High and Low – The Criterion Collection #24
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR DELUXE EXTENDED EDITION
A Hollis Frampton Odyssey – The Criterion Collection #607
Hoodwinked Too!: Hood vs. Evil
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Gabriel Iglesias: I’m Not Fat…I’m Fluffy: Live From El Paso
In the Land of Blood and Honey
In the Realm of the Senses – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 466)
The Incredibles: 4-Disc Combo Pack
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas
James and the Giant Peach: Special Edition
JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE: DELUXE EXTENDED MOVIE
Joss Whedon’s “dollhouse” – Season 1
Kurokami the Animation Volume 1
Kurokami the Animation Volume 2
Kurokami the Animation Volume 3
Kurokami the Animation Volume 4
Kurokami the Animation Volume 5
Kurokami the Animation Volume 6
Lady & the Tramp: Diamond Edition
THE LAST METRO – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (No. 462)
Last Tango in Paris: Uncut Version
Late Spring – The Criterion Collection #331
Le Beau Serge – The Criterion Collection #580
Legally Blonde 2: Red White & Blonde
Legends of the Dark King: A Fist of the North Star Story
Legend of the Millennium Dragon
Léon Morin, Priest – The Criterion Collection #572
Letter Never Sent – The Criterion Collection #601
The Lion King: Diamond Edition
The Lion King 1 1/2: Special Edition
Los Angeles Lakers 2010 NBA Finals Series Collector’s Edition
LOST – THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
LOST – THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
LOST – THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON
LOST – THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON
LOST – THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON
Loups=Garous: The Motion Picture
Kathleen Madigan: Gone Madigan
Major League: WILD THING EDITION
The Makioka Sisters – The Criterion Collection #567
Marley & Me: 3-Disc Bad Dog Edition
Mars Needs Moms: 2-Disc Combo Pack Edition
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #535
Metropolis (The Complete Metropolis)
Micmacs (Micmacs à tire-larigot)
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie – A Wakening of the Trailblazer
Modern Times – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #543
The Moment of Truth – The Criterion Collection #595
The Muppets: The Wocka Wocka Value Pack
The Music Room – The Criterion Collection #573
My Life as a Dog – The Criterion Collection #178
Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds
NEXT AVENGERS: HEROES OF TOMORROW
Nick & Norah’s INFINITE PLAYLIST
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – 2-DISC COLLECTOR’S EDITION
Not the Messiah: He’s a Very Naughty Boy
NOTORIOUS – UNRATED DIRECTOR’S CUT
Okami-san and Her Seven Companions
One Piece Movie 8: The Desert Princess and the Pirates – Adventures in Alabasta
The Organizer – The Criterion Collection #610
Orpheus – The Criterion Collection #68
The Other Guys: The Unrated Other Edition
Ouran High School Host Club – The Complete Series
Pale Flower – The Criterion Collection #564
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
People on Sunday – The Criterion Collection #569
The Phantom Carriage – The Criterion Collection #579
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ – The Complete Series
Pierrot Le Fou – The Criterion Collection #421
Pinocchio: 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – 2-Disc Combo Pack
Playtime – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (no. 112)
Poltergeist II: The Other Side
PRIMAL FEAR: HARD EVIDENCE EDITION
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy)
Princess Jellyfish: The Complete Collection
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 1 – Limited Edition Box Set
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 2 – Limited Edition Box Set
Raging Bull: 30th Anniversary Edition
Red Desert: THE CRITERION COLLECTION #522
The Return of the Magnificent Seven
REVANCHE – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #502
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne – The Complete Series
Robinson Crusoe on Mars – The Criterion Collection #404
The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
The Sacrifice: Remastered Edition
Samurai 7 (Akira Kurosawa’s) – The Complete Series
Samurai Champloo – The Complete Series
Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
Scrubs – The Complete Eighth Season
The Secret in Their Eyes (El secreto de sus ojos)
The Secret of the Grain – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #527
Secret Sunshine – The Criterion Collection #576
The Secret World of Arrietty (BD)
Sekirei: Pure Engagement – The Complete Series
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings – The Complete 1st Season
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings – Season One
Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy – Uncensored!
Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai) – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #2
SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE – EXTENDED CUT
Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure: 2-Disc Combo Pack
Sid & Nancy: Collector’s Edition
The Simpsons 20 Years – The Complete Twentieth Season
Smiles of a Summer Night (Sommarnattens leende) – The Criterion Collection #237
Kevin Smith 3- Movie Collection
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Diamond Edition)
SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert
Sora no Otoshimono: Heaven’s Lost Property – The Complete First Season
SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next
Soul Eater: The Meister Collection
Soul Eater: The Weapon Collection
The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition
SOUTH PARK – THE COMPLETE TWELFTH SEASON
Spice and Wolf – The Complete Series
Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Series
Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy
Stranger than Fiction: Special Edition
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans – The Masters of Cinema Series #1
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Tears to Tiara: The Complete Collection
The Terminator (Digibook Version)
Thelma & Louise: 20th Anniversary
The Third Man – THE CRITERION COLLECTION (#64)
The Three Musketeers: Special Edition
Three Outlaw Samurai – The Criterion Collection #596
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Tiny Furniture – The Criterion Collecton #597
TO Film Collection (Elliptical Orbit/Symbiotic Planet)
Toy Story 3: 4-Disc Combo Pack
TRANSFORMERS – TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION
Transformers: Prime – Season One – Limited Edition
Trinity Blood – The Complete Series
Tron 2-Movie Collection: Tron: Legacy 3D and Tron: The Original Classic (5-Disc Combo)
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – Collected Memories
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – Season One
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – Season Two
Tsubasa the Movie/xxxHolic the Movie – CLAMP Double Feature
Tsubasa OVA Collection: Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations/Tsubasa Spring Thunder
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Underworld Trilogy: The Essential Collection
Universal Soldier: Regeneration
Vivre sa vie – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #512
Walkabout – THE CRITERION COLLECTION #10
The War Room – The Criterion Collection #602
West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition
Winter in Wartime (Oorlogswinter)
Witchblade: The Complete Series
WITHOUT A PADDLE: NATURE’S CALLING
A Woman, a Gun and A Noodle Shop
The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake
X-Men: First Class – 2-Disc Set
Xam’d: Lost Memories – Complete Collection
Yi Yi – The Criterion Collection #339
You Got Served: Beat the World
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Handsome Stranger
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete First Season
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete Second Season
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete Third Season
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete Fourth Season
Zazie dans le métro – The Criterion Collection #570
Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City
ANIME (a J!-ENT Listing of all Anime-related Blu-ray and DVD Reviews)
May 11, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
Since 1993, J!-ENT has been reviewing anime (Japanese animation) from VHS to LD and now Blu-ray to DVD.
The following is a list of all the anime Blu-ray and DVD’s we have reviewed on J!-ENT thus far.
ANIME BLU-RAY AND DVD REVIEWS (Listing are alphabetical order):
Note: Reviews are from 1999-Present (NOTE: Due to the amount of reviews we have done over the years, not all are included in this listing yet. We are periodically updating this section with our past reviews. Also, please note that some of these reviews are very old and are in a different format to our current review style.)
009-1 – Volume 1 (DVD)
5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND (DVD)
11 EYES – COMPLETE COLLECTION (DVD)
.hack//Quantum (BD)
AFRO SAMURAI: The Complete Murder Sessions (BD)
Afro Samurai – Director’s Cut (DVD)
AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION (BD)
Agent Aika Volume 1: Naked Missions (DVD)
Ah! My Goddess – The Movie (DVD)
Ah! My Goddess – Flights of Fancy – Season 2, Vol. 1 (DVD)
AIR – The Complete Series (DVD)
AIR – The Motion Picture (DVD)
Akane Iro ni Somaru Saka: Complete Collection (DVD)
Akira (BD)
Allison & Lillia: Generation 1 (DVD)
AMAZING NUTS! DVD BOX SET (DVD)
Angel Beats! – The Complete Collection (BD)
Animation Runner Kuromi 2 (DVD)
AQUARION: THE COMPLETE SERIES (DVD)
Area 88 – The Original OAV Series Volume 1 (DVD)
ARJUNA Anime Legends Complete Collection (DVD)
B Gata H Kei: Yamada’s First Time (BD)
Bacanno! Blu-ray Disc Box: Limited Edition (BD)
Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts Season 1 – The Complete Set (BD)
Banner of the Stars – Anime Legends Complete Collection (DVD)
Basilisk – The Complete Series (BD)
BASTARD!! Complete Collection (DVD)
THE BEST STUDENT COUNCIL VOL. 1 (DVD)
Big Windup! -Oofuri-: Part 01 (DVD)
Big Windup! – Oofuri: Part 02 (DVD)
Birdy the Mighty: Decode – Part One (DVD)
Birdy the Mighty: Decode – Part Two (DVD)
Black Blood Brothers – The Complete Series (BD)
Black Butler: The Complete First Season (BD)
Black Butler: The Complete Second Season (BD)
Black Butler: Season 1, Part 1 (DVD)
Bleach – Season Four Box Set, Part 2 (DVD)
Bleach: DVD Set Seven – Original and Uncut (DVD)
Bleach: DVD Set Eight – Original and Uncut (DVD)
Bleach DVD Set Nine – Original and Uncut (DVD)
Bleach DVD Set Eleven – Original and Uncut (DVD)
Bleach DVD Set Twelve – Original and Uncut (DVD)
BLEACH the Movie 2 – The Diamond Dust Rebellion (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)
Bleach the Movie 3: Fade to Black (BD)
Blue Exorcist – Volume 3 (DVD)
Blue Submarine No. 06 Volume 1 (DVD)
Blue Submarine No. 06 Volume 2 (DVD)
Blue Submarine No. 06 Volume 3 (DVD)
Blue Submarine No. 06 Volume 4 (DVD)
Boogiepop Phantom (Evolution 1-4 Complete) (DVD)
Brighter Than the Dawning Blue (DVD)
Broken Blade: The Complete Series (DVD)
Bubblegum Crisis 2040: Volume 1 (DVD)
Bubblegum Crisis 2040: Volume 2 (DVD)
Bubblegum Crisis 2040: Volume 3 (DVD)
Bubblegum Crisis 2040: Volume 4 (DVD)
Bubblegum Crisis 2040: Volume 5 (DVD)
Bubblegum Crisis 2040: Volume 6 (DVD)
Burst Angel – The Complete Collection (BD)
Case Closed: Captured In Her Eyes (DVD)
Case Closed: Countdown to Heaven (DVD)
Case Closed: The Last Wizard of the Century (DVD)
Case Closed: The Phantom of Baker Street (DVD)
Casshern Sins: The Complete Series (BD)
Cat Planet Cuties (BD)
Chaos;Head Complete Series (BD)
Chobits: The Complete Series (BD)
Chrome Shelled Regios: Part One (DVD)
Clannad ~After Story~ Collection 1 (DVD)
Clannad ~After Story~ Collection 2 (DVD)
Clannad – The Motion Picture (DVD)
Claymore: The Complete Series (BD)
Claymore: The Complete Series (DVD)
CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Rebellion Part 1 (DVD)
CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Rebellion Part II (DVD)
CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Rebellion Part III (Volumes 5 & 6) (DVD)
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2: Part 1 (DVD)
Comic Party Revolution Volume 1 (DVD)
Corpse Princess: Aka – Part One (DVD)
Corpse Princess: Kuro – Part Two (DVD)
COYOTE RAGTIME SHOW VOL. 1 (DVD)
Crest of the Stars – Anime Legends Complete Collection (DVD)
Cromartie High School Volume 1 (DVD)
Cyberteam in Akihabara Vol. 1 (DVD)
D. Gray-Man Season One Part One (BD)
DEATH NOTE: R – Relight: Visions of a God – DIRECTOR’S CUT (DVD)
Dance in the Vampire Bund – The Complete Series (BD)
Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor (BD)
DEATH NOTE – Volume 1 Box Set (DVD)
DEATH NOTE – Volume 2 Box Set (DVD)
Demon King Daiamo: Complete Collection (BD)
Demon Prince ENMA Vol. 1 (DVD)
Demon Prince ENMA Vol. 2 (DVD)
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series – The Complete Collection (BD)
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (BD)
Disgaea: The Complete Series (DVD)
Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker (BD)
Dragon Ball – Season One (DVD)
Dragon Ball – Season Two (DVD)
Dragon Ball – Season Three (DVD)
Dragon Ball – Season Four (DVD)
Dragon Ball – Season Five (DVD)
Dragon Ball Movie One: Curse of the Blood Rubies (DVD)
DRAGON BALL GT – SEASON 1 (DVD)
DRAGON BALL GT – SEASON TWO (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 1 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 2 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 3 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 4 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 5 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 6 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dragon Box Z Vol. 7 (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z: Season Two & Three (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z: Season Four (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z: Season Five (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z: Season Six (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z: Season Seven (DVD)
DRAGON BALL Z – SEASON EIGHT (DVD)
DRAGON BALL Z – SEASON NINE (DVD)
DRAGON BALL Z: BARDOCK THE FATHER OF GOKU (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z: Cooler’s Revenge/The Return of Cooler (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z – Dead Zone The Movie / The World’s Strongest (BD)
Dragon Ball Z – Tree of Might/Lord Slug (BD)
Dragon Ball Z – The History of Trunks / Bardock the Father of Goku (BD)
Dragon Ball Z – Super Android 13/Bojack Unbound (BD)
Dragon Ball Z – Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan / Broly – Second Coming (BD)
Dragon Ball Z – Broly Triple Feature (BD)
Dragon Ball Z – Fusion Reborn/Wrath of the Dragon (BD)
DRAGON BALL Z: THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS (DVD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part One (BD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Two (BD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Three (BD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Four (BD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Five (BD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Six (BD)
Dragon Ball Z Kai – Part Seven (BD)
Dragonaut – The Resonance Part 01 (DVD)
Dream Eater Merry: Complete Collection (DVD)
Eden of the East – The Complete Series (BD)
Eden of the East: The King of Eden – The Motion Picture (BD)
Eden of the East Movie II: Paradise Lost – The Motion Picture (BD)
ef – a tale of melodies-: Complete Collection (DVD)
ef – a tale of memories-: Complete Collection (DVD)
El Cazador De La Bruja: Part 1 (DVD)
Eureka SeveN: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers (BD)
Evangelion: 1.01 – You Are (Not) Alone (DVD)
Evangelion: 1.11 – You Are (Not) Alone (BD)
Evangelion: 2.22 – You Can (Not) Advance (BD)
feature2: Coicent/Five Numbers! (DVD)
FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE (BD)
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (DVD)
FLCL: The Complete Series (BD)
FREEDOM: Blu-ray Disc BOX Limited Edition (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part One (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part Two (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part Three (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Part Four (BD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – The OVA Collection (BD)
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: PREMIUM OVA COLLECTION (DVD)
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos – The Motion Picture (BD)
Full Metal Panic! – The Complete Series (BD)
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu – The Complete Series (BD)
Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid – THE COMPLETE SERIES (BD)
Ga-Rei-Zero: Complete Series (BD)
Genshiken – Complete Collection (DVD)
Ghost Hound: Complete Collection (BD)
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (BD)
Girls Bravo – The Complete Series (DVD)
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (BD)
THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (DVD)
GUNBUSTER vs. DIEBUSTER – Aim for the Top! The GATTAI!! MOVIE (BD)
GUNBUSTER vs DIEBUSTER – THE GATTAI!! MOVIE – AIM FOR THE TOP! DVD-BOX (DVD)
GUNBUSTER 2 Vol. 1 (OAV Episodes 1 and 2) (DVD)
GUNBUSTER 2 Vol. 2 (OAV Episodes 3 and 4) (DVD)
Gunbuster 2 Vol. 3 (OAV episodes 5 & 6) (DVD)
Gungrave: The Complete Series (BD)
Gungrave – The Complete Set (DVD)
Gunslinger Girl – The Complete First Season (BD)
Gunslinger Girl ~Il Teatrino~ The Complete Series (BD)
GURREN LAGANN – SET03 LIMITED EDITION (DVD)
Gurren Lagann the Movie -Childhood’s End- Limited Edition (DVD)
Gurren Lagann the Movie -The Lights in the Sky Are Stars- Limited Edition (DVD)
Guyver: The Bio-Boosted Armor – The Complete Series (BD)
Hakkenden, The Legend of the Dog Warriors (DVD)
Hakugei: Legend of Moby Dick Vol. 1 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 1 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 2 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 3 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 4 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 5 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 6 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 7 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 8 (DVD)
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ – A Tale of the Eight Guardians Vol. 9 (DVD)
Hell Girl: Two Mirrors – Collection 1 (DVD)
Hello Kitty Animation Theater Vol. 1 (DVD)
Heroic Age: The Complete Series (BD)
Hetalia Axis Powers – Season One (DVD)
Hetalia Axis Powers: Season Two (DVD)
Hetalia Axis Powers: Season Three (DVD)
Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint It, White! (DVD)
Hidamari Sketch – Season One (DVD)
High School of the Dead: The Complete Series (DVD)
HUNTER X HUNTER DVD Box Set Volume 1 (DVD)
Infinite Stratos: Complete Collection (DVD)
Initial D: First Stage – Part One (DVD)
Initial D: First Stage – Part Two (DVD)
Initial D: Second Stage + OAV Extra Stage (DVD)
Initial D: Fourth Stage – Part 1 (DVD)
Initial D: Fourth Stage – Part 2 (DVD)
InuYasha – FIRST SEASON BOX SET (DVD)
InuYasha – SECOND SEASON BOX SET (DVD)
Jinki:Extend – The Complete Series (DVD)
JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade (BD)
Kaze no Stigma Volume 2 – Fire (DVD)
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 2 Part 1 (DVD)
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 2 Part 2 (DVD)
KimiKiss – pure rouge Collection 1 (DVD)
Koihime Musou – Complete First Season (DVD)
K-ON!: Volume 4 (BD)
Kurau Phantom Memory Vol. 1 (DVD)
Kurokami the Animation Volume 1 (BD)
Kurokami the Animation Volume 2 (BD)
Kurokami the Animation Volume 3 (BD)
Kurokami the Animation Volume 4 (BD)
Kurokami the Animation Volume 5 (BD)
Kurokami the Animation Volume 6 (BD)
Kyo Kara Maoh! Season II – The Complete Season Set (DVD)
La corda d’oro ~primo passo~ – Collection One (DVD)
La corda d’oro ~primo passo~ – Collection Two (DVD)
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (DVD)
LE CHEVALIER D’EON Vol. 1 (DVD)
LE CHEVALIER D’EON Vol. 2 (DVD)
LE CHEVALIER D’EON Vol. 3 (DVD)
Legends of the Dark King: A Fist of the North Star Story (BD)
Legends of the Dark King: A Fist of the North Star Story (DVD)
The Legend of the Legendary Heroes: Part 1 (BD)
The Legend of the Legendary Heroes: Part 2 (BD)
Legend of the Millennium Dragon (BD)
Linebarrels of Iron: Volume 1 (DVD)
Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2 (DVD)
Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection (DVD)
Living for the Day After Tomorrow – Complete Collection (DVD)
Loups=Garous: The Motion Picture (BD)
Macross Plus: Movie Edition (DVD)
Magikano – The Complete Series (DVD)
Mardock Scramble: The First Compression (DVD)
Maria Holic – The Complete Collection (DVD)
Master of Martial Hearts – The Complete Series (DVD)
MARTIAN SUCCESSOR NADESICO: VOLUME 1 (DVD)
Misaki Chronicles Vol. 1 (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 – Season 1, Part 1 (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie – A Wakening of the Trailblazer (BD)
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0080 – WAR IN THE POCKET Complete Collection (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team – Collector’s Edition Box Set (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam – The 08th MS Team – Complete Collection (2009 Release – Anime Legends) (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team – MILLER’S REPORT (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam F91: The Motion Picture (Anime Movie Classics) (DVD)
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM MS IGLOO vol. 1 – Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO – The Hidden One-Year War
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM MS IGLOO vol. 2 – Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO – Apocalypse 0079 (DVD)
Mobile Suit Gundam Trilogy (DVD)
My Bride is a Mermaid – Part 1 (DVD)
My Bride is a Mermaid – Part 2 (DVD)
Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok Vol. 1 (DVD)
Naoki Urasawa’s Monster – Boxset 1 (DVD)
Motto to Love RU – Complete Collection (DVD)
Naruto Uncut: Season Four Box Set Vol. 1 (DVD)
Naruto Uncut: Season Four Box Set Vol. 2 (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden Box Set 1 – Season One: Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden Box Set 2 – Season One: Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden Box Set 3 – Season One: Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden DVD Box Set Set 4: Season One – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden DVD Set 5 – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden DVD Set 6 – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden DVD Set 7 – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden DVD Set 8 – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden: DVD Set 9 – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden: DVD Set 10 – Original & Uncut (DVD)
Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds (BD)
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (DVD)
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (DVD)
NERIMA DAIKON BROTHERS VOLUME 1 (DVD)
New Fist of the North Star Vol. 1 & 2 (DVD)
NieA under 7 Vol. 1: Poor Girl Blues (DVD)
NOW AND THEN, HERE AND THERE DVD COLLECTION (DVD)
Nyan Koi! – Complete Collection (DVD)
Oh! Edo Rocket: Season One, Part One (DVD)
Oh! Edo Rocket: Season One, Part Two (DVD)
Okami-san and Her Seven Companions: The Complete Series (BD)
One Piece – Season Two: Second Voyage (DVD)
One Piece – Season Two: Third Voyage (DVD)
One Piece – Season Two: Fourth Voyage (DVD)
One Piece – Season Two: Fifth Voyage (DVD)
One Piece – Season Two: Sixth Voyage (DVD)
One Piece – Season Two: Seventh Voyage (DVD)
One Piece: Season Three, First Voyage (DVD)
One Piece: Season Three, Second Voyage (DVD)
One Piece: Season Three, Third Voyage (DVD)
One Piece: Season Three, Fourth Voyage (DVD)
One Piece: Season Three, Fifth Voyage (DVD)
One Piece Movie 8: The Desert Princess and the Pirates – Adventures in Alabasta (BD)
Oreimo: Limited Edition Complete Box Set (DVD)
ORIGIN: SPIRITS OF THE PAST (BD)
Ouran High School Host Club – The Complete Series (BD)
OUTLAW STAR – Collection 1 (DVD)
Papuwa Vol. 1 – Wild Things (DVD)
Petite Princess Yucie Vol. 1 (DVD)
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ – The Complete Series (BD)
piano – the melody of a young girl’s heart… – The Complete Collection (DVD)
Ping Pong Club: Loser’s Club (DVD)
The Place Promised in Our Early Days (DVD)
Pokemon: The First Movie (DVD)
Pokémon Movie 12: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (DVD)
Pokémon Movie 13: Zoroark – Master of Illusions (DVD)
Pokémon the Movie 14: Black – Victini & Reshiram / White – Victini & Zekrom (DVD)
Ponyo (BD)
Princess Jellyfish: The Complete Collection (BD)
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 1 – Limited Edition Box Set (BD)
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 2 – Limited Edition Box Set (BD)
PUMPKIN SCISSORS Volume 1: HONOR AND BLOOD (DVD)
Pumpkin Scissors – The Complete Series (DVD)
Ranma 1/2 – The Movie 1: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China (DVD)
Ranma 1/2 – The Movie 2: Nihao My Concubine (DVD)
RED GARDEN – Volume 1: LIVE TO KILL (DVD)
Red Garden – The Complete Series & OVA (DVD)
Red Hawk: Weapon of Death (DVD)
resident evil: DEGENERATION (BD)
REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA – THE ROSE COLLECTION 1 (DVD)
REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA – THE ROSE COLLECTION 2 (DVD)
Rideback: The Complete Series (BD)
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne – The Complete Series (BD)
Romeo x Juliet – Juliet Collection (DVD)
Rosario + Vampire: Season One (DVD)
Rozen Maiden: Träumend – Complete Set (DVD)
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise (BD)
Rurouni Kenshin: The Movie (BD)
The Sacred Blacksmith: The Complete Series (DVD)
SAILOR MOON R (The Promise of the Rose): THE MOVIE (UNCUT SPECIAL EDITION) (DVD)
SAILOR MOON S (Hearts in Ice): THE MOVIE (UNCUT SPECIAL EDITION) (DVD)
SAILOR MOON SUPER S (Black Dream Hole): THE MOVIE (UNCUT SPECIAL EDITION) (DVD)
Samurai 7 (Akira Kurosawa’s) – The Complete Series (BD)
Samurai Champloo – The Complete Series (BD)
Samurai Harem (Asu no Yoichi) Complete Collection (DVD)
Samurai X OAV 2: Betrayal (DVD)
Sands of Destruction – The Complete Series (DVD)
School Rumble 2nd Semester – The Complete Collection (DVD)
The Secret World of Arrietty (BD)
Sekirei: Pure Engagement – The Complete Series (BD)
Sekirei – The Complete Series (DVD)
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings – The Complete 1st Season (BD)
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings – Season One (BD)
serial experiments lain: navi vol. 1 (DVD)
serial experiments lain – Knights – vol. 2 (DVD)
serial experiments lain – Deus – Vol. 3 (DVD)
serial experiments lain – RESET – Vol. 4 (DVD)
Sgt. Frog – Season One, Part 1 (DVD)
Sgt. Frog – Season One, Part 2 (DVD)
Sgt. Frog – Season Two, Part 1 (DVD)
Sgt. Frog – Season Two, Part 2 (DVD)
Shadow Skill Vol 1: Fight For the Ones You Love (DVD)
Shigofumi: Letters From the Departed – The Complete Collection (DVD)
Shiki: Part One (BD)
Shin Chan – Season 2, Part 2 (DVD)
Shin Chan – Season 3, Part 1 (DVD)
Shin Chan – Season 3, Part 2 (DVD)
Shin Kimagure Orange Road: Summer’s Beginning (DVD)
Shin Koihime Musou ~Otome Tairan~ (DVD)
Shonen Onmyouji: The Complete Series (DVD)
The Skull Man – The Complete Series (DVD)
The Slayers: The First Three Seasons (DVD)
Sora no Otoshimono: Heaven’s Lost Property – The Complete First Season (BD)
Sora no Otoshimono: Heaven’s Lost Property Forte – Season 2 (DVD)
SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT (DVD)
SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next (BD)
Soul Eater: The Meister Collection (BD)
Soul Eater: The Weapon Collection (BD)
Special A-Class (S.A.) Collection 1 (DVD)
Spice and Wolf – The Complete Series (BD)
Spice and Wolf – The Complete First Season (DVD)
Spice and Wolf – Season Two (BD)
Spriggan Collector’s Edition (DVD)
Star Driver Vol. 2 (BD)
Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko (DVD)
The Story of SAIUNKOKU – The Complete Season One DVD Box (DVD)
STREET FIGHTER ALPHA: THE MOVIE (DVD)
Strike Witches – The Complete 1st Season (DVD)
SUBMARINE 707R Limited Edition (DVD)
SUPER ROBOT WARS: ORIGINAL GENERATION – THE ANIMATION (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 1 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 2 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 3 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 4 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 5 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 6 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 7 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 8 (DVD)
Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Vol. 9 (DVD)
Tales of the Abyss Vol. 1 (DVD)
Tales of the Abyss Vol. 2: Limited Edition (DVD)
Tales of the Abyss Vol. 3 (DVD)
Tales of the Abyss Vol. 4 (DVD)
Tears to Tiara: The Complete Collection (BD)
Tears to Tiara – Collection 1 (DVD)
Tekkaman Blade II – Complete Collection (DVD)
TO Film Collection (Elliptical Orbit/Symbiotic Planet) (BD)
To Love RU – Collection 1 (DVD)
To Love RU – Collection 2 (DVD)
THE TRANSFORMERS (More Than Meets the Eye) – THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (DVD)
THE TRANSFORMERS (More Than Meets the Eye) – Season Two, Volume One (DVD)
Transformers the Movie – 20th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED SEASON TWO
Transformers Cybertron: The Ultimate Collection (DVD)
Trinity Blood – The Complete Series (BD)
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – Collected Memories (BD)
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – Season One (BD)
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – Season Two (BD)
Tsubasa the Movie/xxxHolic the Movie – CLAMP Double Feature (BD)
Tsubasa OVA Collection: Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations/Tsubasa Spring Thunder (BD)
UFO ULTRAMAIDEN VALKYRIE: THE OVA COLLECTION (DVD)
Urusei Yatsura – Beautiful Dreamer (DVD)
Uta∽Kata – The Complete Series (DVD)
Utawarerumono “Mask of Stranger” Vol. 1 (DVD)
Vampire Knight Guilty Volume 1 (DVD)
Vampire Knight Guilty Volume 2 (DVD)
Vampire Princess Miyu Vol. 1 (DVD)
Vandread: The Ultimate Collection (DVD)
Venus versus Virus Vol. 1 (DVD)
Vexille (BD)
Voltron Defender of the Universe Vol. 1 (DVD)
THE WALLFLOWER LESSON 1 – MY FAIR BISHONEN (DVD)
The Wallflower – The Complete Series (DVD)
Welcome to the NHK – 1st Conspiracy (DVD)
Welcome to the NHK – The Complete Series (DVD)
Witchblade: The Complete Series (BD)
The WINGS of REAN Vol. 1 (DVD)
The WINGS of REAN Vol. 2 (DVD)
The WINGS of REAN Vol. 3 (DVD)
The World God Only Knows: Season One (DVD)
Xam’d: Lost Memories – Complete Collection (BD)
Xenosaga the Animation – Vol. 1: ENTER THE GNOSIS (DVD)
xxxHolic – The Complete Series (DVD)
You’re Under Arrest: Fast & Furious Collection 1 (DVD)
You’re Under Arrest: Full Throttle – Collection 1 (DVD)
Yugo the Negotiator Vol. 1 (DVD)
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete First Season (BD)
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete Second Season (BD)
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete Third Season (BD)
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete Fourth Season (BD)
ZIPANG Vol. 1 – “Future Shock” (DVD)
KINO Video/KINO International/KINO Lorber (a J!-ENT Listing of All KINO Blu-ray and DVD Reviews)
May 2, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
Kino International was founded in 1977 as a theatrical distribution company specializing in classics and foreign language art films. The company began operation with a license to handle theatrical distribution of the Janus Collection, a library containing over 100 important European and Asian art films of the 40s, 50s and 60s.
Kino now boasts a catalog of over five hundred films — one of the most important libraries of classic and contemporary world cinema titles available to the home video collector — and has been honored by numerous critical accolades, including the prestigious Heritage Award from the National Society of Film Critics for its work in film preservation in 2002 and 2003.
The following is a list of all the KINO VIDEO/KINO INTERNATIONAL/KINO LORBER Blu-ray and DVD’s we have reviewed on J!-ENT thus far.
Note: Reviews are from 1999-Present
- Avant-Garde: Experimental Cinema of the 1920s and ’30s: Ménilmontant by Dimitri Kirsanoff
- The Blue Angel: Special Two-Disc Collection
- Buster Keaton: The Short Films Collection 1920-1923
- Casanova ’70 (as part of the “Great Italian Directors Collection”)
- The Charley Chase Collection Vol. 2: Dog Shy
- Charlotte Rampling: The Look
- The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom
- The Constance Talmadge Collection: Her Night of Romance
- The Constance Talmadge Collection: Her Sister From Paris
- David Holzman’s Diary: Special Edition
- Gaumont Treasures Vol. 2 1908-1916
- Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould – Director’s Cut
- Giorgio Moroder presents Metropolis
- The Good Fairy (as part of the “Glamour Girls” DVD Box Set)
- Great Italian Directors Collection
- happily ever after (Ils se marièrent et eurent beaucoup d’enfants)
- Harry Langdon…the forgotten clown: Long Pants
- Intermezzo (as part of the “Ingrid Bergman in Sweden” DVD Box Set)
- Intolerance (as part of the Griffith Masterworks DVD Box Set)
- It/Clara Bow: Discovering the “It” Girl
- June Night (as part of the “Ingrid Bergman in Sweden” DVD Box Set)
- La Ronde
- Metropolis: The Complete Metropolis
- Metropolis: Restored Authorized Edition
- The Norma Talmadge Collection: Kiki
- The Norma Talmadge Collection: Within the Law
- The Ocean Waif (as part of “The Ocean Waif plus 49-17″)
- Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
- Rapt
- The Sacrifice: Remastered Edition
- Story of a Love Affair (as part of the “Great Italian Directors Collection”)
- Strike
- Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?
- A Woman’s Face (as part of the “Ingrid Bergman in Sweden” DVD Box Set)
- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Robinson Crusoe on Mars – The Criterion Collection #404 (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)
January 2, 2011 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment
A classic sci-fi favorite for many fans of the genre, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is an enjoyable sci-fi film about one man’s battle for survival in a martian planet. From director Byron Haskin (“The War of the Worlds”, “The Outer Limits”), “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is an enjoyable sci-fi film that looks fantastic on Blu-ray!
Image courtesy of © 2010 Paramount Pictures/2010 The Criterion Collection. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Robinson Crusoe on Mars – The Criterion Collection #404
YEAR OF FILM: 1964
DURATION: 110 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (2:35:1 Aspect Ratio), Color, Monaural
COMPANY: Paramount/THE CRITERION COLLECTION
RELEASE DATE: January 11, 2011
Based on the novel “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe
Directed by Byron Haskin
Written by John C. Higgins, Ib Melchior
Produced by Aubrey Schenck
Executive Producer: Edwin F. Zabel
Music by Van Cleave
Cinematography by Winton C. Hoch
Edited by Terry O. Morse
Art Direction by Arthur Lonergan, Albert Nozaki, Hal Pereira
Starring:
Paul Mantee as Cmdr. Christopher “Kit” Draper
Victor Lunding as Friday
Adam West as Col. Dan McReady
The Wooley Monkey as Mona
Special effects wunderkind and genre master Byron Haskin (The War of the Worlds, The Outer Limits) won a place in the hearts of fantasy film lovers everywhere with this gorgeously designed journey into the unknown. Robinson Crusoe on Mars tells the story of U.S. astronaut Commander “Kit” Draper (Paul Mantee), who must fight for survival when his spaceship crash-lands on the barren waste of Mars, a pet monkey his only companion. But is he actually alone? Shot in vast Techniscope and blazing color, this is an imaginative and beloved marvel of classic science fiction.
“Robinson Crusoe”, a novel written by Daniel Defoe back in 1719 would become an inspiration for a 1964 Techniscope sci-fi film titled “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” directed by Byron Haskin (“The War of the Worlds”, “The Outer Limits”, “Captain Sinbad”) and written by Ib Melchior (“Death Race 2000″, “Death Race”, “The Outer Limits”, “The Time Travelers”) and John Higgins (“Border Incident”, “He Walked By Night”, “The Public Pays”).
While the original film focused on a castaway trying to survive 28-years in a remote tropical island trying to survive from Native Americans and captives, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is a story about two astronauts: Colonel Dan McReady (played by Adam West) and Commander Christopher “Kit” Draper (played by Paul Mantee) and Mcready’s monkey named Mona who are the crew of Mars Gravity Probe 1.
When a meteor is incoming, the crew uses up their fuel to avoid a collision from the meteor and end up stuck in orbit. So, to survive, the crew have no choice but to eject to the surface and will become the first men on the planet.
For Commander Draper, he nearly suffers a tragic landing but manages to survive with a two oxygen tanks and a few equipment but unfortunately his radio is not working in the martian environment.
As he observes the martian landscape, there is nothing but rocks and a volatile environment. The first thing Draper needs to do is find shelter and manages to find a cave. Draper believes he has about 60 hours tops before he runs out of oxygen, so he needs to go find Colonel McReady and hopefully the two can get some help. When he goes to check out the surface, he notices rocks catching on fire and amused by it, he brings a few back with him.
As he conducts tests on the rocks, he learns that they are combustible with oxygen and enough to keep warm during the cold nights.
As he goes to find Colonel McReady, unfortunately he finds a perished spacecraft and the body of McReady but surviving the accident was Dan’s monkey, Mona in which he manages to use some of Mona’s oxygen tanks to keep them both alive. With not much oxygen left, Commander Draper knows he is going to die and he makes it to the cave along with Mona and collapses near the rocks.
Next thing you know, the rocks seem to be blowing oxygen and keeps Draper alive. It appears that the coal-like rocks not only are great for heating, they also provide oxygen and now he knows that he and Mona can survive on the planet. But now, the problem is water and food. As Draper tries to conserve their space tubes of food and what little water they have, Draper notices that Mona is gone for hours at a time? Where is she going?
When he goes to find her, he falls through a shaft and in that shaft he finds Mona drinking water and eating food. It appears that Mona has found a water source underground and also a food source which include edible plant-like sausages.
As Draper and Mona tries to survive in Mars, he tries to communicate with his aircraft above but with no success. Feeling helpless and isolated, he slowly begins to crack. Although Draper has had months of isolation training, he knows that after that training, he would be back to reality. But this time around, he knows that he may be stuck in Mars, the only human there.
One day, while walking around Mars with Mona, he notices a rock in an upright position and discovers a skeleton hand with a bracelet on it. As he digs up the corpse, by analyzing the body, he realizes that the human has been murdered and his skull was charred. He realizes that the presence of the Mars Gravity Probe 1 spacecraft could show signs of his presence, so he uses a destruct code to blow it up.
He notices that after he does that, unidentified flying objects show up and start attacking the Mars landscape. He grabs his video camera and starts focusing it on the UFO’s and sees a man trying to escape from the area. Commander Draper realizes that he is not the only human on Mars and helps the man back to the cave. He names the man “Friday” (played by Victor Lundin) as as he watches video footage, he sees alien beings uses these humans as slaves and the reason why they were shooting was to capture the escaped slave, Friday.
The two manage to have a friendship and try their best to communicate with each other.
But Draper learns that the bracelets (that were found on the dead skeletal remains and on Friday) are communication alert tags put on the slaves by their alien captors to find them and Commander Draper knows he must do all he can to remove those bracelets from Friday and save them from the enemy UFO’s before they end up being killed.
VIDEO:
“Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is presented in its original Technicscope aspect ratio of 2:35:1. According to the Criterion Collection, the high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a 35 mm 2-perforation A/B interpositive struck from the original negative.
Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI’s DRS system and Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, while Digital Vision’s DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.
Compared to the original Criterion Collection LaserDisc and the 2007 DVD release, the Blu-ray release of “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” looks great on Blu-ray as we can see the detail of the rocks with clarity. The film was originally shot at Death Valley National Park in California as well as Zabriskie Point, Ubehebe Crater and Devil’s Golf Course.
The colors showcase the red atmosphere of Mars but also shows detail on the grime and skin pores of Commander Draper and the fur of Mona. The film doesn’t utilize any uber-expensive production sets but utilizes area of Death Valley, with the desert, the rock formations and a lot of dirt.
Where we see most of the color of the film is when Draper is inside the cave and we see pink and green illuminating rocks or outdoors when it shows fire coming from the rocks. But we see a lot of the detail coming from the three main characters and the rocks themselves. Good use of color filters in the composite shots. Colors are vibrant, blacks were nice and deep and a good amount of grain featured throughout the film.
If there was a downside, it would be the dated special effects, especially when featuring the UFO’s but If anything, the picture quality for “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” on Blu-ray is pretty solid and definitely a major upgrade from the original 2007 DVD release.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is presented in lossless monaural. The soundtrack was absolutely crystal clear. Dialogue was understandable and those UFO laser blasts sound absolutely great as well!
According to the Criterion Collection, the monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35 mm magnetic full-coat three-track master. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.
Subtitles are in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Robinson Crusoe on Mars – The Criterion Collection #404″ on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:
- Audio commentary – Featuring screenwriter Ib Melchior, actors Paul Mantee and Victor Lundin, production designer Al Nozaki, Oscar-winning special effects designer and Robinson Crusoe on Mars historian Robert Skotak, and excerpts from a 1979 audio interview with director Byron Haskin
- Destination Mars – (19:30) A video featurette by filmmaker and space historian Michael Lennick detailing the science behind the film
- Music video - (4:34) Victor Lundin’s song “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” receives a music video courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
- Stills gallery – Using your remote, you can view the various concept artwork and production material for the film.
- Theatrical trailer – (4:01) The theatrical trailer for “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”.
EXTRAS:
Included is a 14-page booklet featuring an essay by Michael Lennick as well as Melchior’s “Brief Yargorian Vocabulary” (a glossary of original alien dialect) and a list of facts about Mars, both from Melchior’s original screenplay.
One must put themselves through the shoes of those who lived in the early ’60s. The Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union was in full steam and both countries were committed to their space program and the future of space exploration.
In 1961, Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel to space on Vostok 1. Three weeks later, Alan Shepard became the first American in space. In 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth and that same year, President Kennedy gave a speech about the importance of America getting to the moon.
So, naturally space exploration was in the minds of many Americans. But as America was focused in getting to the moon, other countries including the United States have also focused on sending spacecraft, orbiters and rovers to Mars. And many programs were unsuccessful.
But in 1964, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” was shown in theaters and while many sci-fi films tend to focus on alien invasion of planet Earth, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” fascinated movie-goers as it pertained to space exploration as many people believed that Mars would be a planet where people would find alien life, that something had to exist in the planet that is next to Earth.
So, for me to watch this in 2010, especially how nearly five decades later, the planet Mars is still on our minds as NASA continues to explore life and water in the planet and the excitement still exists, even after we have discovered many Earth-like planets in other galaxies. Also, exciting is to see how the technical side of science as thought of back then were employed in this film.
Yes, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” was a sci-fi film, a B movie that literally banked on the special effects and popularity of filmmaker Byron Haskin and what he had accomplished in “The War of the Worlds” and “The Outer Limits”. But the writers were smart to follow science of that era of space exploration and also to develop technologies that they felt would exist in the future. And interesting enough, there are aspects of the film that scientists are quite amused of watching this film today because those technologies exist today and some of the science is still relevant today. But of course, some of the crazy and ridiculous imagination of the writers.
Although I would believe that many people are probably not familiar with the character of “Robinson Crusoe”, I think many people can see a connection with the Tom Hanks film “Castaway” and “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”. A person taken out of his real life element, trying to survive in an area where no human life exists and the isolation one goes through of living alone for a long period of time. Whereas Tom Hanks’ character had a volleyball named Wilson to converse with in “Castaway”, Paul Mantee’s Commander Draper had Mona the monkey.
And while the first half of the movie was quite intriguing as we see how Draper does all he can to survive and how the monkey proves to be an interesting character as well, it’s when the film gets to its second half where I would seem to guess that moviegoers at the time were wondering “where are the aliens?” and that is where Haskin delivers as we get the hostile UFO’s trying to blast Draper and his newly discovered humanoid friend Friday. The storyline which is all about survival in the Martian planet is the focal point from beginning to end.
I would imagine that when Friday was discovered and we see this humanoid sporting Egyptian style of hair, sandals and without a shirt, critics at the time probably saw sci-fi kitschiness. But people have to realize that this was a low-budget sci-fi film and it has been discussed for many generations that perhaps the set, the technology and even the UFO’s were from previous Haskin films from the ’50s. Probably true but I don’t think I was so in awe of the technology compared to a “Star Trek” TV episode which came out five years after this film.
Sure, there are some farfetched ideas featured in the film. In one scene, a meteor explodes and black parts of the meteor can be seen falling down on both Draper and Friday. Granted, I would imagine that the high heat of those meteor parts would have been quite deadly for humans. Also, when people see sausages come out of plants in mars, I found it to be quite humorous but yet, I suppose it works with the whole context of the film especially its overall look.
So, while I was watching this film, I had an enjoyable time watching this old sci-fi film. I was not expecting anything significant in terms of the look of the film considering the year it was made and if anything, I was just hoping we wouldn’t see creatures come out with rubberized suits. So, the fact that the film played off of Draper’s isolation and survival was very intriguing and in some ways, if you enjoy Bear Grylls on “Man vs. Wild”, imagine Commander Draper as a Bear Grylls-like character in this sci-fi film.
While watching this film, I had the chance to watch it with a few others and interesting, they had a different perspective towards the film. One felt “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” had a homo-erotic sensibility to it, while another felt it was a film that would probably inspire Gene Roddenberry.
As for the Blu-ray release, this is definitely a wonderful looking film on Blu-ray compared to the original Criterion Collection LD and 2007 Criterion Collection DVD release. With the clarity of the details throughout the film, the fact that you can see rock formations and ever crack and granule to the hair puffing out of Mona the monkey with such clarity, you can’t help but feel that this is probably the best looking version of the film on video. And if you love the film, which I know many sci-fi fans consider “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” to be a fan favorite, then this Blu-ray release is what you are looking for. Solid PQ and clear lossless monaural soundtrack.
As for special features, the features remain the same as the 2007 release but for those who owned the original LD version of the film and were hoping that the text supplements that were included in the older LD and not on the DVD release (well, actually there was a PDF with excerpts ala DVD-rom and played on a computer), will appear on the Blu-ray release. Unfortunately, the screenplay or Robert Skotak’s “Retroview” text supplement are not included on the Blu-ray. So, if those text supplements are still important to you, you may want to hang on to that old Criterion Collection LD.
And if you own the 2007 “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” DVD (which was a solid Criterion Collection release), the upgrade to Blu-ray is definitely worth it. Especially if you love/enjoy the film!
Overall, I am biased towards sci-fi films and I definitely enjoy classic and even a few kitschy sci-fi films but I also know that not everyone digs analog sci-fi films, let alone classic sci-fi films that may be too dated for their personal taste. I can’t say that “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” will be an awesome viewing experience because it’s not exactly the greatest sci-film ever made. But I will say that it is a good, entertaining classic sci-fi film worth checking out.
So, if you are a fan of classic sci-fi, then most definitely give “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” on Blu-ray a try!
Classic Hollywood: Blu-ray & DVD Deals – Our Top Picks this Black Friday Week!
November 23, 2010 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
There are plenty of awesome sales this week and as classic Hollywood fans, there have been incredible price drops. Here are our top picks thus far:
Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection
BEFORE: $119.99 | NOW: $47.99 (AMAZON)
Bogie and Bacall – The Signature Collection (The Big Sleep / Dark Passage / Key Largo / To Have and Have Not)
BEFORE: $39.98 | NOW: $17.99 (AMAZON)
The Marlon Brando Collection (Julius Caesar / Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 / Reflections in a Golden Eye / The Teahouse of the August Moon / The Formula )
BEFORE: $59.98 | AFTER: $15.99 (AMAZON)
Gary Cooper – The Signature Collection (Sergeant York / The Fountainhead / Dallas / Springfield Rifle / The Wreck of the Mary Deare)
BEFORE:$49.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
The Bette Davis Collection, Vol. 3 (The Old Maid / All This, And Heaven Too / The Great Lie / In This Our Life / Watch on the Rhine / Deception)
BEFORE: $59.98 | NOW $16.99 (AMAZON)
TCM Spotlight: Doris Day Collection (It’s a Great Feeling / Tea for Two / April in Paris / The Tunnel of Love / Starlift)
BEFORE: $49.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
The Complete James Dean Collection (East of Eden / Giant / Rebel Without a Cause Special Edition)
BEFORE: $69.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
Errol Flynn Westerns Collection (Montana / Rocky Mountain / San Antonio / Virginia City)
BEFORE: $49.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
TCM Archives – Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2 (The Divorcee / A Free Soul / Night Nurse / Three on a Match / Female)
BEFORE: $49.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Volume Three (Other Men’s Women / The Purchase Price / Frisco Jenny / Midnight Mary / Heroes for Sale / Wild Boys of the Road)
BEFORE: $49.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
The Little Rascals: The Complete Collection
BEFORE: $89.99 | NOW: $15.74 (BN.COM) (USE CODE ON CHECKOUT for 30% off: P4A4N7P)
The Marx Brothers Collection (A Night at The Opera/A Day at The Races/A Night in Casablanca/Room Service/At the Circus/Go West/The Big Store)
BEFORE: $59.98 | AFTER: $16.99 (AMAZON)
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup)
BEFORE: $59.98 | AFTER: $22.49 (AMAZON)
The Kim Novak Collection (Picnic / Jeanne Eagels / Bell, Book and Candle / Middle of the Night / Pal Joey)
BEFORE: $39.99 | NOW: $20.99 (AMAZON)
Martin Scorsese Collection (After Hours/Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore/Goodfellas/Mean Streets/Who’s That Knocking At My Door?)
BEFORE: $15.98 | AFTER: $16.99 (AMAZON)
Frank Sinatra – The Golden Years Collection (Some Came Running / The Man with the Golden Arm / The Tender Trap / None but the Brave / Marriage on the Rocks)
BEFORE: $39.98 | AFTER: $16.99
The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Volume 1
BEFORE: $39.98 | NOW: $15.99 (AMAZON)
The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Volume 2
BEFORE: $29.98 | NOW: $12.98 (AMAZON)
James Stewart – The Signature Collection (The Cheyenne Social Club / Firecreek / The FBI Story / The Naked Spur / The Spirit of St. Louis / The Stratton Story)
BEFORE: $49.98 | NOW: $17.99 (AMAZON)
Tracy & Hepburn: The Signature Collection (Pat and Mike / Adam’s Rib / Woman of the Year / The Spencer Tracy Legacy)
BEFORE: $39.98 | NOW: $17.99 (AMAZON)
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 1 (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)
BEFORE: $68.98 | NOW: $17.99 (AMAZON)
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 2 (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)
BEFORE: $59.98 | NOW: $17.99 (AMAZON)
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 3 (Smart Money / Picture Snatcher / The Mayor of Hell / Lady Killer / Black Legion / Brother Orchid)
BEFORE: $69.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 4 (The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse / Invisible Stripes / Kid Galahad / Larceny, Inc. / The Little Giant / Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film)
BEFORE: $69.98 | NOW: $16.99 (AMAZON)
John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection 2009 (The Searchers Two-Disc Special Edition / Fort Apache / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon / They Were Expendable / 3 Godfathers / The Wings of Eagles / Directed by John Ford)
BEFORE: $15.98 | AFTER: $17.99 (Amazon)
TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Vol. 2 (Thrill of a Romance / Fiesta / This Time for Keeps / Pagan Love Song / Million Dollar Mermaid / Easy to Love)
BEFORE: $59.98 | AFTER: $16.99 (AMAZON)
Tennessee Williams Film Collection (A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Two-Disc Special Edition / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 Deluxe Edition / Sweet Bird of Youth / The Night of the Iguana / Baby Doll / The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone)
BEFORE: $68.98 | AFTER: $20.99 (AMAZON)
Natalie Wood Collection (Splendor in the Grass / Sex and the Single Girl / Inside Daisy Clover / Gypsy / Bombers B-52 / Cash McCall)
BEFORE: $59.98 | AFTER: $17.99 (AMAZON)
Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)
November 3, 2010 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment
This budget-priced OVA set features two episodes which should be watched after you have seen the entire TV series. So, if you enjoyed all 24-episodes of “Linebarrels of Iron”, then definitely pick this DVD up. Otherwise, on its own, it’s an OK release that is more for the fans, especially since it features more fan service.
Image courtesy of © 2008 Eichi Shimiazu, Tomohiro Shimoguchi, Akita Publishing/GONZO/Linebarrel Partners. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection
DURATION: 2 episodes (50 Minutes)
DVD INFORMATION: Language: English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, Japanese Stereo, English Subtitles
COMPANY: Gonzo/FUNimation Entertainment
RATED: TV MA
Release Date: October 5, 2010
Based on the manga series “Kurogane no Linebarrel” by Eiichi Shimizu, Tomohiro Shimoguchi
Directed by Masayuki Kojima
Series Composition by Kiyoko Yoshimura
Screenplay by Kiyoko Yoshimura, Shigeru Morita
Music by Conisch
Character Design by Hisashi Hirai
Chief Animation Director: Hisashi Hirai
Mecha Design by Tsutomo Suzuki
Sound Director by Masafumi Mitsuma
Featuring the following voice talent:
Mamiko Noto/Alexis Tipton as Emi Kizaki
Tetsuya Kakihara/Josh Grelle as Kōichi Hayase
Aya Hirano/Monica Rial as Miu Kujou
Chiwa Saito/Tia Ballard as Rachel Calvin
Emi Shinohara/Michele Specht as Yurianne Faithful
Gô Shinomiya/Joel McDonald as Hideaki Yajima
Hirofumi Nojima/Ian Sinclair as Sobi Nakajima
Jun Fukuyama/Todd Haberkorn as Hisataka Katō
Jun Konno/Jerry Jewell as Makoto Doumyouji
Kana Ueda/Cherami Leigh as Shizuna Endō
Masako Joh/Cynthia Cranz as Chisato Hayase
Miyuki Sawashiro/Mary Morgan as Satoru Yamashita
Noriko Shitaya/Carrie Savage as Risako Niiyama
Rie Kugimiya/Aaron Dismuke as Izuna Endō
Yoshikazu Sato/Bob Carter as Jack Smith
Yuuichi Nakamura/J. Michael Tatum as Reiji Moritsugu
Rachel Calvin, a young American genius, has a hard time reaching JUDA headquarters after wild animals eat her map and a bulldozer crushes her credit card. Upon finally arriving at her destination, she stumbles upon scenes of debauchery that will leave her glasses foggy for days!
And that’s just the beginning! See more of your favorite characters than ever before as the JUDA crew slips out of their uniforms and into their swimsuits for a trip to the beach!
In 2004, the manga series “Kurogane no Linebarrel” (Linebarrels of Iron) was created by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi. The manga was first serialized in Akita Shoten’s monthly shonen manga magazine “Champion Red” and in 2008, received its anime adaptation featuring a total of 24-episodes which ended in March 2009.
The anime series is directed by Masamitsu Hidaka (known for his directorial work on various “Pokemon” series and films), series composition by Kiyoko Yoshimura (“Chocolate Underground”, “Dogs: Bullets & Carnage”) and Shigeru Morita (“Mobile Suit Gundam Seed”, “Seikon no Qwaser”). Character design for the series is by Hisashi Hirai (“Mobile Suit Gundam Seed”, “Sokyu no Fafner”, “Infinite Ryvius”, “Heroic Age”), mecha design by Tsutomu Suzuki (“Zone of Enders”, Kurokami the Animation”, “Bokurano”) and music by Conisch (“Hitohira”, “Hipira: The Little Vampire”). “Linebarrles of Iron” is animated by Gonzo.
“Linebarrels of Iron” is a story about Kouichi Hayashi, a teenager who is often bullied. He always dreams that his purpose in life is to be an ally of justice but he is often picked on and bullied in front of his childhood friend and the girl he cares about Risako Niyama. Things get so bad that often she tries to defend him and when things get tough, his friend Hideaki Yajima is always there to protect them.
One day, Kouichi is bullied by three people who force him to get their lunch, which Kouichi agrees to and infuriates Risako. He tells her that he believes he has a hidden, latent power to become an ally of justice but of course, his two friends don’t believe it and try to tell him to fight back. Meanwhile, an object called “Linebarrel” is heading towards the planet Earth.
When Kouchi is arriving back to school after getting the bullies their food, he sees the object going straight down on him. When Kouchi awakens, he sees a big giant mecha robot in front of him and right next to him, a naked girl. He brings the girl, who doesn’t remember who she is to his home to get some clothes. But while they are talking, three mecha show up in the area. They belong to the Katou Organization and start destroying parts of the city.
The girl, Emi Kizaki immediately remembers that those mecha are the enemy and the military with their mecha start to protect the city and fight against the enemy. Both Kouichi and Emi are stuck in the neighborhood with no chance to escape but his friend Yajima finds them and tries to save them. Kouichi who has had enough of people trying to protect him, gets upset and punches the wall and ends up breaking the wall. Emi then remembers and tells him that he has power and must call the power of Linebarrel. Immediately a light surrounds both Koichi and Emi and he awakens and calls a huge machina named Linebarrel to appear.
We then see a more confident Kouichi with special abilities and Kouichi believes that this latent power to become the ally of justice has finally awakened, when the truth is that on the day the object fell on him, he died but Emi saved his life by having Linebarrel choose him for a factor. He now has special abilities and has been given a second life which is tied to the life of the mecha. But the problem with Kouichi is that the power has gotten to his head, his idea that he’s the ally of justice makes him feel that he is the most powerful being and doesn’t understand humility. All he cares is people recognizing his power and wanting to exact revenge on those who hurt him.
But eventually, he’ll learn a big lesson when someone close to him dies and knows he has a major responsibility by having this newfound power.
In “Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection”, there are two OVA episodes. One focuses on how Rachel Calvin came to join JUDA and the second episode featuring the group taking a break and being attacked by a group of Linebarrels. Who is behind this mysterious group of Linebarrels?
“Linebarrels of Iron” is a series that pits two organizations against each other. The good guys are known as JUDA while the bad guys are known as the Katou Organization.
JUDA consists of:
- Kouichi Hayase - The main character who goes from the weak teenager constantly being bullied to a boy who controls the powerful machina known as Linebarrel. He was killed on the day Linebarrel crashed into him and shares his life with Linebarrel. Linebarrel has now given him power and also power to automatically restore his body. But because Kouichi is somewhat unstable with his emotions and his belief that he is the ally of justice, his ego tends to get into his head at times. But throughout the series, we see him grow as an individual and becomes protective over the people he cares about, including the girls of JUDA who suddenly start taking a liking towards him.
- Emi Kizaki – Emi was supposed to be the initial factor (pilot) of Linebarrel. She is a mysterious member of JUDA because she came from another dimension. She tends to be hard on Kouichi but at the same time cares for him. But she gets very angry when she thinks Kouichi is always trying to see her nude.
- Reiji Moritsugu – The Chief of the Special Task Force at JUDA. He is a calm but cold person who seems to be impervious of pain. He and Kouchi often get into squabbles because of their sense of dealing with justice.
- Satoru Yamashita – (the blonde factor at JUDA) A subordinate of Reiji and also obsessed with him. Also serious but can be cheerful. She pilots the machina known as Hind-Kind.
- Shizuna Endo – One of the twins of JUDA, She is very loud and always screaming and hurting Koichi but you can tell she has feelings towards him, especially when Kouichi treats her as a girl and compliments her. She and her brother pilot the machina known as Deceive.
- Izuna Endo – One of the twins of JUDA, he is very shy and introverted. His sister Shizuna is more domineering. He pilots the machina Deceive along with his sister.
- Miu Kujo – The kindhearted (and well-endowed) member of JUDA. She has a crush on Kouichi after he saved her life. She pilots the machina Painkiller.
- Kunio Ishigami - The Chief of JUDA Corporation. A former high-ranking officer of the Katou Organization with many secrets. Also, loves to prank his pilots and have fun.
- Yui Ogawa – Ishigami’s secretary and is the more maternal member of JUDA, giving the pilots advice and admonishing her boss for his pranks.
- Rachel Calvin – A genius from the US who is the chief of research and development for JUDA. Often gets angry with Kouichi.
The Katou Organization:
- Hisataka Katou – The head of the Katou Organization. Cold and calm, his goal is world conquest with bloodshed. He is the pilot of the massive mecha known as Shangri-La.
- Masaki Sugwara – The right hand man of Katou. The First Division Captain who is mysterious and sports a cowboy outfit and long hair with no emotions. Pilots the second largest Machina known as Glein-Neidr.
- Takuro Sawatari – The Fourth Division Captain of the Katou Organization. Violent and brutal and wants to destroy Linebarrel. He pilots the Arma Idaten.
- Dimitri Magarov – Third Division Captain and a creepy looking man who pilots the Arma, Kagutsuchi.
- Yurianne Faithful - The Seventh Division Captain. An attractive redhead who pilots the Arma Tsubaki-Hime.
- Riku Ousei - The Eighth Division Captain who is very obese and a psychopath. Pilots the Arma Yaoyorozu.
- Jack Smith – The Sixth Division Captain – A human with a power of the Arma, doesn’t pilot any mecha and follows the code of honor in combat.
“Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection” comes with a total of 2 OVA episodes on one DVD. Here is a basic, spoilerless summary of each episode:
- EPISODE 1 – Pretty Girl Genius Scientist Rachel – There are two parts in this first episode. The first part is a prologue of how the young American genius Rachel Calvert came to join JUDA and become their chief of research and development. The second part features Rachel broadcasting a show on her new co-workers of JUDA.
- EPISODE 2 – Shadows of Iron - The JUDA team are on a break but suddenly the are attacked by a group of Linebarrels. Who is responsible for them?
VIDEO:
“Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection” definitely looks better than its TV counterpart. More artistic backgrounds, more lighting, more shading and more detail are featured on the OVA episodes. For the first OVA, we see a Rachel Calvin visiting a variety of locations and the fact that this is an OVA and not a TV episode that has a much more strict deadline, there is more effort put into the overall artistic backgrounds and more locations are featured.
Meanwhile, the second episode features much more mecha action and great battles between Moritsugu and the other Linebarrels. Also, a much more emphasis on the the female characters bosom it seems. So, if anything, its quite evident that the OVA episodes are geared for the men because there is quite a bit of fan-service in these two episodes.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
Audio for “Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection” is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound and Japanese Stereo. Both voice acting for the English and Japanese are well done. The English dub is very well done and was quite pleased with the amount of action and sound effects. Good use of surround channels and good punchy bass for booms from the subwoofer. I definitely would love to hear this soundtrack ala lossless audio if brought to Blu-ray. But for the most part, English dub soundtrack is well done and more immersive. Japanese soundtrack is very good but only in stereo but if you have a home theater receiver capable of setting audio on all channels, it definitely makes the soundtrack much more immersive.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection” comes with the following special features:
- Textless Opening Song – (1:47) Opening theme song by JAM Project.
- Textless Closing Song – (1:35) The ending theme by Maaya Sakamoto.
- Trailers - FUNimation Entertainment trailers
“Linebarrels of Iron” is a pretty cool mecha, harem anime TV series and I definitely recommend both DVD volumes currently available from FUNimation Entertainment.
But what makes me scratch my head is the fact that these two episodes were not included in part 2 of the “Linebarrels of Iron” TV series because these are two short episodes that could have easily been put on the part two DVD (which FUNImation Entertainment usually does). But because there are only two episodes on a single DVD, this anime release is budget-priced.
The first episode is Rachel Calvin driven, and while Rachel is known as the feisty young American genius, not really too sure why she got her own episode but for fans of the series, it is a welcome addition since we don’t know too much about her.
But the second episode is where the action’s at and the way it ends, it ends in a cliffhanger and makes you wonder if there will be a continuing TV series or OVA release to continue this storyline.
The only reason why I think that these two OVA’s were not included in PART 2 of the “Linebarrels of Iron” TV series DVD box set was because these are some fan service that may have needed a different type of rating. For example, the opening sequence tries to make the young Rachel Calvin seem quite sexy. But she’s a young girl and personally, she’s the last person you expected the animators trying to make sexy but I suppose the hardcore otaku fans of the series will probably dig that. And of course, the second episode, definitely a fan service episode with Kizaki and Ritsuko in their teeny bikinis. But that is my opinion of why these episodes were not included on the Part 2 DVD box set.
On it’s own, it’s hard to recommend this OVA to people who have never watched the TV series but if you have, then the fact that this release goes for under $10 is quite enticing and I can see fans of the series definitely purchasing this OVA collection.
Overall, “Linebarrels of Iron: OVA Collection” is more for the fans of the series and by no means are these two episodes meant as a starting point for those curious of “Linebarrels of Iron”. Watch both volumes of the TV series first and then watch this OVA collection.
Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2 (a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review)
November 3, 2010 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment
A solid continuation of the mecha anime harem series “Linebarrels of Iron”, the second part of the series features more harem-driven storylines but also a more serious tone as there is more suspense, more death and destruction and more mecha action! Definitely recommended!
Image courtesy of © 2008 Eichi Shimiazu, Tomohiro Shimoguchi, Akita Publishing/GONZO/Linebarrel Partners. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2
DURATION: 13-24 episodes (300 Minutes)
DVD INFORMATION: Language: English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, Japanese Stereo, English Subtitles
COMPANY: Gonzo/FUNimation Entertainment
RATED: TV MA
Release Date: October 5, 2010
Based on the manga series “Kurogane no Linebarrel” by Eiichi Shimizu, Tomohiro Shimoguchi
Directed by Masayuki Kojima
Series Composition by Kiyoko Yoshimura
Screenplay by Kiyoko Yoshimura, Shigeru Morita
Music by Conisch
Character Design by Hisashi Hirai
Chief Animation Director: Hisashi Hirai
Mecha Design by Tsutomo Suzuki
Sound Director by Masafumi Mitsuma
Featuring the following voice talent:
Mamiko Noto/Alexis Tipton as Emi Kizaki
Tetsuya Kakihara/Josh Grelle as Kōichi Hayase
Aya Hirano/Monica Rial as Miu Kujou
Chiwa Saito/Tia Ballard as Rachel Calvin
Emi Shinohara/Michele Specht as Yurianne Faithful
Gô Shinomiya/Joel McDonald as Hideaki Yajima
Hirofumi Nojima/Ian Sinclair as Sobi Nakajima
Jun Fukuyama/Todd Haberkorn as Hisataka Katō
Jun Konno/Jerry Jewell as Makoto Doumyouji
Kana Ueda/Cherami Leigh as Shizuna Endō
Masako Joh/Cynthia Cranz as Chisato Hayase
Miyuki Sawashiro/Mary Morgan as Satoru Yamashita
Noriko Shitaya/Carrie Savage as Risako Niiyama
Rie Kugimiya/Aaron Dismuke as Izuna Endō
Yoshikazu Sato/Bob Carter as Jack Smith
Yuuichi Nakamura/J. Michael Tatum as Reiji Moritsugu
Kouichi Hayase is everything you never wanted in a hero. He’s a cocky flyboy whose bad attitude and reckless antics endanger everyone around him. Sound like a nightmare? Well, it’s even worse. Thanks to Kouichi’s partnership with the revolutionary Linebarrel mecha, he’s the only one who can save humanity from a deadly race of alien invaders.
With his dream girl missing and his best friend back from the dead, Kouichi must join forces with an unlikely ally to prevent the pulverization of his precious planet. The time is now for Kouichi to prove he has what it takes to become a true “Hero of Justice.”
In 2004, the manga series “Kurogane no Linebarrel” (Linebarrels of Iron) was created by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi. The manga was first serialized in Akita Shoten’s monthly shonen manga magazine “Champion Red” and in 2008, received its anime adaptation featuring a total of 24-episodes which ended in March 2009.
The anime series is directed by Masamitsu Hidaka (known for his directorial work on various “Pokemon” series and films), series composition by Kiyoko Yoshimura (“Chocolate Underground”, “Dogs: Bullets & Carnage”) and Shigeru Morita (“Mobile Suit Gundam Seed”, “Seikon no Qwaser”). Character design for the series is by Hisashi Hirai (“Mobile Suit Gundam Seed”, “Sokyu no Fafner”, “Infinite Ryvius”, “Heroic Age”), mecha design by Tsutomu Suzuki (“Zone of Enders”, Kurokami the Animation”, “Bokurano”) and music by Conisch (“Hitohira”, “Hipira: The Little Vampire”). “Linebarrles of Iron” is animated by Gonzo.
“Linebarrels of Iron” is a story about Kouichi Hayashi, a teenager who is often bullied. He always dreams that his purpose in life is to be an ally of justice but he is often picked on and bullied in front of his childhood friend and the girl he cares about Risako Niyama. Things get so bad that often she tries to defend him and when things get tough, his friend Hideaki Yajima is always there to protect them.
One day, Kouichi is bullied by three people who force him to get their lunch, which Kouichi agrees to and infuriates Risako. He tells her that he believes he has a hidden, latent power to become an ally of justice but of course, his two friends don’t believe it and try to tell him to fight back. Meanwhile, an object called “Linebarrel” is heading towards the planet Earth.
When Kouchi is arriving back to school after getting the bullies their food, he sees the object going straight down on him. When Kouchi awakens, he sees a big giant mecha robot in front of him and right next to him, a naked girl. He brings the girl, who doesn’t remember who she is to his home to get some clothes. But while they are talking, three mecha show up in the area. They belong to the Katou Organization and start destroying parts of the city.
The girl, Emi Kizaki immediately remembers that those mecha are the enemy and the military with their mecha start to protect the city and fight against the enemy. Both Kouichi and Emi are stuck in the neighborhood with no chance to escape but his friend Yajima finds them and tries to save them. Kouichi who has had enough of people trying to protect him, gets upset and punches the wall and ends up breaking the wall. Emi then remembers and tells him that he has power and must call the power of Linebarrel. Immediately a light surrounds both Koichi and Emi and he awakens and calls a huge machina named Linebarrel to appear.
We then see a more confident Kouichi with special abilities and Kouichi believes that this latent power to become the ally of justice has finally awakened, when the truth is that on the day the object fell on him, he died but Emi saved his life by having Linebarrel choose him for a factor. He now has special abilities and has been given a second life which is tied to the life of the mecha. But the problem with Kouichi is that the power has gotten to his head, his idea that he’s the ally of justice makes him feel that he is the most powerful being and doesn’t understand humility. All he cares is people recognizing his power and wanting to exact revenge on those who hurt him.
But eventually, he’ll learn a big lesson when someone close to him dies and knows he has a major responsibility by having this newfound power.
In “Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2″ (episodes 13-24), the episodes take an interesting spin as many of the young women of JUDA start to fall for Kouichi and also, something mysterious is going on when Kouchi’s friend Hideaki who was killed earlier, seems to be back and is alive. Meanwhile, more political turmoil takes place within JUDA when one of their own is killed by the Katou Corporation and just when you think that things are becoming much more difficult for the JUDA Corporation, a new threat has arrived.
“Linebarrels of Iron” is a series that pits two organizations against each other. The good guys are known as JUDA while the bad guys are known as the Katou Organization.
JUDA consists of:
- Kouichi Hayase - The main character who goes from the weak teenager constantly being bullied to a boy who controls the powerful machina known as Linebarrel. He was killed on the day Linebarrel crashed into him and shares his life with Linebarrel. Linebarrel has now given him power and also power to automatically restore his body. But because Kouichi is somewhat unstable with his emotions and his belief that he is the ally of justice, his ego tends to get into his head at times. But throughout the series, we see him grow as an individual and becomes protective over the people he cares about, including the girls of JUDA who suddenly start taking a liking towards him.
- Emi Kizaki – Emi was supposed to be the initial factor (pilot) of Linebarrel. She is a mysterious member of JUDA because she came from another dimension. She tends to be hard on Kouichi but at the same time cares for him. But she gets very angry when she thinks Kouichi is always trying to see her nude.
- Reiji Moritsugu – The Chief of the Special Task Force at JUDA. He is a calm but cold person who seems to be impervious of pain. He and Kouchi often get into squabbles because of their sense of dealing with justice.
- Satoru Yamashita – (the blonde factor at JUDA) A subordinate of Reiji and also obsessed with him. Also serious but can be cheerful. She pilots the machina known as Hind-Kind.
- Shizuna Endo – One of the twins of JUDA, She is very loud and always screaming and hurting Koichi but you can tell she has feelings towards him, especially when Kouichi treats her as a girl and compliments her. She and her brother pilot the machina known as Deceive.
- Izuna Endo – One of the twins of JUDA, he is very shy and introverted. His sister Shizuna is more domineering. He pilots the machina Deceive along with his sister.
- Miu Kujo – The kindhearted (and well-endowed) member of JUDA. She has a crush on Kouichi after he saved her life. She pilots the machina Painkiller.
- Kunio Ishigami - The Chief of JUDA Corporation. A former high-ranking officer of the Katou Organization with many secrets. Also, loves to prank his pilots and have fun.
- Yui Ogawa – Ishigami’s secretary and is the more maternal member of JUDA, giving the pilots advice and admonishing her boss for his pranks.
- Rachel Calvin – A genius from the US who is the chief of research and development for JUDA. Often gets angry with Kouichi.
The Katou Organization:
- Hisataka Katou – The head of the Katou Organization. Cold and calm, his goal is world conquest with bloodshed. He is the pilot of the massive mecha known as Shangri-La.
- Masaki Sugwara – The right hand man of Katou. The First Division Captain who is mysterious and sports a cowboy outfit and long hair with no emotions. Pilots the second largest Machina known as Glein-Neidr.
- Takuro Sawatari – The Fourth Division Captain of the Katou Organization. Violent and brutal and wants to destroy Linebarrel. He pilots the Arma Idaten.
- Dimitri Magarov – Third Division Captain and a creepy looking man who pilots the Arma, Kagutsuchi.
- Yurianne Faithful - The Seventh Division Captain. An attractive redhead who pilots the Arma Tsubaki-Hime.
- Riku Ousei - The Eighth Division Captain who is very obese and a psychopath. Pilots the Arma Yaoyorozu.
- Jack Smith – The Sixth Division Captain – A human with a power of the Arma, doesn’t pilot any mecha and follows the code of honor in combat.
“Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2″ comes with a total of 24 episodes on two DVD’s. Here is a basic, spoilerless summary of each episode:
DISC 1:
- EPISODE 13 – Black Executioner – Whatever happened during their vacation, there is a rift between Kouichi and Kizaki.
- EPISODE 14 – Shed is Blood, Lost Are Tears – The secrets of LINEBARREL are revealed, meanwhile a trusted friend at JUDA becomes a traitor and joins the Katou Corporation. A member of JUDA is killed.
- EPISODE 15 – Vector – Kouichi and Kizaki are on the run. Meanwhile Kizaki starts to remember memories of her deceased father.
- EPISODE 16 – Judgment at Dusk – With Kiriyama and Katou Corporation trying to shutdown JUDA, the JUDA members will not give up!
- EPISODE 17 – Mechanical Curse – Yajima returns but somehow Kouichi is not sure how his friend is back alive.
- EPISODE 18 – Memento Mori – Yajima wants to know Kizaki’s true feelings towards Kouichi, meanwhile Kouichi goes to an abandoned Russian base in which the Katou Corporation are waiting for him.
DISC 2:
- EPISODE 19 – Kight Reaches, Shadow Us Incovered – Masaki who is pilotin gthe GLAIN-NEIDR installs the last sphere. Meanwhile, Kouchi must try to rescue Kizaki.
- EPISODE 20 – Man of Destiny – Miu has not been doing so well in battle with PAINKILLER which is unable to advance. Meanwhile the Katou Corporation has set up Spheres throughout the world for a multidimensional invasion. Shizuna and Izuna try to convince the UN to take action.
- EPISODE 21 – Wings of Madness – Kouchi and JUDA must hold back the launch of the SPHEREs.
- EPISODE 22 – That Wich Devours Demons – Kouichi must take on his nemesis Moritsugu Reiji. Who will win?
- EPISODE 23 – The Way of Life Determined by Way of Death – The enemy invasion has begun and Kouchi and team try to defend Earth.
- EPISODE 24 – Flowers of Steel – Kouchi reflects on his life, meanwhile Linebarrel shows its true form.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2” features pretty solid animation. The artistic backgrounds are nicely lighted and shaded. Character designs are also well done and feature the character designs with a lot of shading and featuring the character in a variety of emotions. Also, the series features a lot of mecha. Each pilot on both sides with their own machina and abilities definitely brings in this other element to the series. There is a lot of action featured in “Linebarrels of Iron” and a lot of destruction. GONZO did a spectacular job with the animation and a series that I hope receives the Blu-ray treatment.
Audio is in English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound and Japanese Stereo. Both voice acting for the English and Japanese are well done. The English dub is very well done and was quite pleased with the amount of action and sound effects. Good use of surround channels and good punchy bass for booms from the subwoofer. I definitely would love to hear this soundtrack ala lossless audio if brought to Blu-ray. But for the most part, English dub soundtrack is well done and more immersive. Japanese soundtrack is very good but only in stereo but if you have a home theater receiver capable of setting audio on all channels, it definitely makes the soundtrack much more immersive.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Linebarrels of Iron: Part 2” comes with the following special features:
DISC 2:
- Textless Opening Song – (1:47) Opening theme song by JAM Project.
- Textless Closing Song – (1:35) The ending theme by Maaya Sakamoto.
- Trailers - FUNimation Entertainment trailers
“Linebarrels of Iron” is enjoyable, action-packed, sexy and mecha driven anime series with a twist.
With the first half of the series, I found it interesting on how the main protagonist was literally mentally unstable and egotistical. This time around, Kouichi has developed confidence and the series starts to shift more to a sci-fi harem series as now various women start to care for him and it was one thing to deal with Kizaki or Ritsuko liking Kouichi but this second half throws more romance at you as Miu starts to fall for Kouichi and somehow its starting to have an effect on the group. But interesting enough, Kouichi is quite oblivious to what is going on.
Also, the second half definitely amps up the action and the series definitely becomes more serious as characters die and literally Kouichi and Kizaki are on the run. Meanwhile, a major threat is about to happen on the planet and chaos starts to reign in on both JUDA and the Katou Corporation.
But part of the allure with “Linebarrels of Iron” is how the episodes are structured, there are no filler episodes. With so many characters featured in this series, there is a good amount of character development and a very good balance of humor and action. And that is what makes “Linebarrels of Iron” so addicting and enjoyable. I really enjoyed this second half of the series and it ends in a pretty solid note.
It is important to note that there are two OVA’s and released on the same date of this second part of the series is the OVA’s for “Linebarrels of Iron”.
As for the DVD, this is a pretty solid release that actually has a good number of special features than just the opening and ending theme songs. Character and mecha design especially the artistic backgrounds are well done. The series is also well-acted both in Japanese and English. Personally, this is one series that I hope FUNimation Entertainment considers for a Blu-ray release. It’s a really fun, action-packed series that I can imagine, will look and sound great via HD.
Overall, both volumes of “Linebarrels of Iron” was exciting to watch and a good amount of mecha action, humor, fan service and more. Definitely recommended!
Rin ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~ – The Complete Series (A J!-ENT Anime Blu-ray Review)
July 13, 2010 by Dennis Amith · 2 Comments
Sexually charged, dark and violent, if you are looking for a mature anime series on Blu-ray, definitely give “Rin ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~ – The Complete Series” a try!
Image courtesy of © 2007 XEBEC/GENCO. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Rin ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~ – The Complete Series
DURATION: 6 Episodes (270 Minutes)
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition 16×9 (SD Remaster), Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English
RATED: TV MA
COMPANY: FUNimation Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: July 20, 2010
Directed by Shigeru Ueda
Screenplay by Hiroshi Ohnogi
Storyboard by Shigeru Ueda
Music by Takayuki Negishi
Original Character Design by Chuuouhigashiguchi
Character Design by Mitsuru Ishihara
Art Director: Yumiko Kondou
Animation Director: Mitsuru Ishihara
Anime Production by Xebec
Featuring the voices of:
Mamiko Noto/Colleen Clinkenbeard as Rin Asogi
Akira Ishida/Todd Haberkorn as APOS
Rie Kugimiya/Jamie Marchi as Mimi
Rie Tanaka/Monica Rial as Sayara Yamanobe
Sayaka Ohara/Clarine Harp as Laura
Yasunori Matsumoto/Christopher Bevins as Tamotsu Yanagihara
John Swasey as Tajimamori
Kaori Nazuka/Luci Christian as Mishio Maeno
Rin Asogi is an immortal private detective with a thirst for vodka and a talent for attracting things that go bump in the night. In a series of nightmarish vignettes spanning sixty-five years, Rin’s lush body is sadistically pierced, blown up, and mulched to a bloody pulp. The fiend behind her tortured existence is Apos, an eternal being obsessed with sacrificing Rin to Yggdrasil, the tree of all life.
While Rin struggles to unravel the secrets of her endless agony, Apos lurks in the shadows, eager to tear into her ripe body and devour the memories of her countless lives. Rin’s no stranger to the realm of the dead, but her next visit could last forever.
Sexually charged, dark and violent, “Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” is a much more mature anime series on Blu-ray from FUNimation Entertainment.
Known as “Mnemosyne: Munemoshune no Musumetachi” (Daughters of Mnemosyne), the six-episode TV series premiered on AT-X in Japan in 2008 and was produced by Xebec (“Bleach”, “Love Hina”, “Arc the Lad”) and Genco and was released on DVD as a complete series by FUNimation Entertainment and an upscale Blu-ray release will be released on July 20th.
The series is directed by Shigeru Ueda (“Serial Experiments Lain”, “Tales of Eternia”, “UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie”), series composition by Hiroshi Ohnogi (“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood”, “Aquarion”, “RahXephon”), music by Takayuki Negishi (“Cardcaptor Sakura”, “Bakugan Battle Brawlers”, “Ichigo 100%”), character design by Mitsuru Ishihara (“Rockman .EXE”, “Chosoku Spinner”) and art direction by Yumiko Kondou (“Halo Legends”, “Heroman”).
The series revolves around a busty, martial arts female protagonist named Rin Asogi. Rin runs a private investigation agency and takes on strange cases. But despite what cases she takes on, no matter how violent or grotesque, no matter how injured or close to death she may find herself in, Rin somehow finds a way to come back and making the viewer believe that there is more to this woman, possibly supernatural.
The series revolves around the concept of immortals and angels. Immortals who have a time spore which keeps them alive with regenerative abilities, while Angels are driven to consume an immortal (and an immortal is sexually aroused by their presence and want to be consumed to death). With Rin being an immortal, she does all she can to stay alive even trying to repress her sexual desires by eliminating Angels. Meanwhile, a being known as APOS wants her dead.
The main characters of “Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” are:
- Rin Asogi – The main protagonist with a secret past who runs a private investigation agency. A woman who has a “time spore” which has made her immortal, young and able to withstand and regenerate after being killed or losing a limb. Very smart, cunning and an awesome martial arts fighter willing to take on any case.
- Mimi – Rin’s assistant at the private investigation agency. Also an immortal like Rin, she has the appearance of a teenager despite being older. It is implied that both Rin and Mimi are intimate with each other.
- Laura – An assassin hired by APOS to kill Rin and is a constant rival for Rin.
- APOS – A being (or hermaphrodite) who is an angel and an immortal who has an interested in Rin and enjoys going after Angels and immortals to consume their “time spore”.
- Koki Maeno – A man saved by Rin who joins the private investigation agency.
- Sayara Yamanobe - The head of the Aoyama Pharmaceutical research lab. Sadistic, cold and the scientist responsible for using illegal cloning techniques to create the time spore.
VIDEO:
“Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” is presented in 1080p High Definition 16×9. The series is an standard resolution upscaled to 1080p and I saw no major compression problems, edge enhancement haloing, blurring, etc. Blacks are nice and deep and colorful images were vibrant. But as mentioned, this is an upscale, you will see the edge enhancement stairstepping and some aliasing. But not as bad as other upscaled anime series on Blu-ray.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English and DolbyTrue HD Japanese 2.0. I did notice use of surround during the action sequences and center and front channels were crystal clear. I didn’t notice any major low frequency but did notice the surround channels more for its ambiance. But overall, a good soundtrack with the English dub track sounding much better with the lossless 5.1 track but for those with a modern receiver, can easily enjoy both soundtracks via stereo on all channels to make things a little more immersive. If anything, for those wanting the Japanese soundtrack to be included as a lossless track, should be happy.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” comes with the following special features:
Disc 1:
- Episode 2 Commentary – Audio commentary featuring ADR director J. Michael Tatum and Rob McCollum, Jamie Marchi and Colleen Clinkenbeard.
Disc 2:
- Promotional Videos – (10:33) The Japanese promotional video for “Rin – Daughter of Mnemosyne”.
- Japanese Cast Interview – (13:48) Featuring the pre-AT-X interviews with the Japanese cast of “Rin – Daughter of Mnemosyne”: Mamiko Noto (Rin), Rie Kugimiya (Mimi), Sayaka Ohara (Laura) and Rie Tanaka (Sayara).
- Textless Closing Song – Cause Disarray - Featuring a closing theme performed by Galneryus.
- Textless Opening Song – Alsatia - Featuring a closing theme performed by Galneryus.
- Trailers – FUNimation Entertainment trailers
When I first watched “Rin”, the first thing that came to mind was Marvel’s “Weapon X” (for the X-Men fans) as the storyline of Rin’s regenerative abilities reminded me of Wolverine/Deadpool and the series has its share of violent moments in which Rin’s investigations lead her to dark situations that would lead to anyone’s death. But of course, Rin is not a normal being.
The first thing that caught my attention while watching this anime series is its use of sex and violence and aside from previous FUNimation Entertainment series liked “Speed Grapher”, it’s a been awhile since we have seen a series that combining sexual themes, bloody violence and action. In fact, the protagonist – Rin, is quite different from most leads. She is not perfect and in the first episode, we get a glimpse as she is running from her assassin and has her arm blown off and falls many floors down to the pavement. Of course, she has regenerative powers, so she can’t die.
Needless to say, the series has its interesting characters. Add the hermaphrodite antagonist, the sadistic scientist and immortals who also have their share of faults despite being killing machines, “Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” is not really a story about good vs. evil but survival.
Characters that are not like other type of characters you would see in an anime series and a six-episode OVA series that can easily get complex (especially with its timeline) and may require several viewings. In fact, even during the audio commentary, the voice talent said they needed to rewatch it again.
Overall, “Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne” is one of those darker, action-driven series that people have wanted to see. FUNimation has had its share of violent anime series on Blu-ray such as “Afro Samurai” (action violence), Shigirui: Death Frenzy (action violence and a darker storyline) while “Rin” is much more accessible but has a more mature theme with its nudity and bloody violence, yuri themes but also often has its fine share of dark humor and not always bleak (especially earlier on in the series).
I do caution people that despite the earlier upbeat scenes, “Rin ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~” is a series that can really get disturbing with its depiction of S&M torture. This is one series that is definitely not for everyone and if you are looking for a romantic comedy or an uplifting anime series, “Rin ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~ – The Complete Series” is probably not for you. But if you are looking for a more mature, violent anime series, then definitely give this series on Blu-ray a try!
Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)
June 26, 2010 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment
For those who grew up watching “Guyver” the OVA series or reading the manga, were no doubt excited about the release of the TV series which would follow the manga series much more. But what made “Guyver” so exciting was its combination of violence and dramatic elements, the TV series is unable to get too violent but for the most part, anime fans looking for an action-driven series on Blu-ray may find “Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” to their liking.
Image courtesy of © Takaya Yoshiki, Kadokawa Shoten/GUYVER Production Partners. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series
DURATION: 26 Episodes (625 Minutes)
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition 16×9 HD Native, Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English
RATED: TV MA
COMPANY: FUNimation Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: June 22, 2010
Based on the original manga by Yoshiki Takaya
Directed by Katsuhito Akiyama
Series Composition by Junki Takegami
Music by Hayato Matsuo
Character Design by Yoshihiko Umakoshi
Anime Production by Oriental Light and Magic
Featuring the voices of:
Kenji Nojima/Chris Patton as Sho Fukamachi/Guyver I
Kousuke Takaguchi/Lowell Bartholomee as Tetsuro Segawa
Katsuyuki Konishi/Brian Jepson as Agito Makishima/Guyver III
Mitsuaki Madono/Andrew Love as Masaki Murakami
Nana Mizuki/Luci Christian as Mizuki Segawa
Kinryuu Arimoto/Bill Wise as Richard Gyuot
Michiko Neya/Brittney Karbowski as Shizu Onuma
Saburo Kamei/Klaus Vaux as Hamilcar Barcas
Takeharu Onishi/Illich Guardiola as Toshiaki Hayami/Bio-Freezer
Tetsu Inada/Robert Kraft as Aptom
Tomo Adachi/Kira Vincent-Davis as Natsuki Taga
Unshou Ishizuka/Jason Douglas as Oswald . A . Lisker/Guyver II
Yasunori Matsumoto/Gray Haddock as Archanfel
It is a world controlled by a sinister brotherhood who hide their fangs behind masks of humanity, known as the Chronos Corporation. While investigating a mysterious explosion near his school, Sho Fukamachi happens upon the Chronos Corporation’s greatest weapon: a techno organic suit of bio armor known as “the Guyver.” But Chronos is determined to conceal their secrets at any cost. Sho soon finds himself relentlessly pursued by its army of horrific bio-monsters. With nowhere to run, Sho is forced to call upon the fearsome power of the Guyver and rip his opponents limb from limb in a desperate struggle for survival.
In 2006, “GUYVER” made its return! And this time with a new 26 episode anime series which was previous released by ADV Films and now out on Blu-ray courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment.
I have to say that “GUYVER” has been a major anime series among old school anime fans. We grew up watching the 12 episode OAV series and of course there were the two live movies but the manga story of “GUYVER” has been around a long time.
The original manga series written by Yoshiki Takaya back in 1985 in “Shonen Captain” magazine and is currently serialized in Kadokawa’s Monthly Shonen Ace magazine over 20 years later.
The “GUYVER” series can be a bit complex for me to explain but to simplify things, two high school students Sho and Tetsuro discover a mysterious object which pretty much is being heavily sought by the Chronos Corporation. The object is a Guyver unit stolen by a test type Zoanoid (three units were stolen) and now the corporation is doing what it can to recover them.
While Sho and Tetsuro were messing around with the object, it begins to envelops Sho and merge with him and literally transforms him into the Guyver unit 1.
The Chronos Corporation tries to get the unit back through evil means but standing in their way is Sho who uses the unit to protect and also in many instances, save his friends.
The original anime series (a 12 episode OAV series) was released in Japan from 1989 to 1992 was loosely based on Yoshiki Takaya’s manga, “Bio-Booster Armor Guyver”. The new 26-episode anime TV series is more closely based on the manga and allows for more character development for Sho, his friends and also the people behind Chronos.
The main characters of “Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor” are:
- Sho Fukamachi – The main character and a teenager who comes across the Guyver unit accidentally and merges with the unit to become “Guyver I”. Now, he is a wanted man by the Chronos Corporation.
- Tetsuro Segawa – Sho’s closest friend and highly intelligent. A big sci-fi fan and the older brother of Mizuki.
- Mizuki Segawa – Tetsuro’s younger sister who once had a crush on Agito Makishima but through time, develops feelings for Sho.
- Agito Makishima – A high school student who is stoic in nature. Discovers one of the Guyver units to become “Guyver III” and for some reason, has knowledge of the Guyver and its abilities.
- Natsuki Taga – A high school student and a good friend of Sho and the Segawas who helps the three when they get into a bind.
VIDEO:
“Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” is presented in 1080p High Definition and because the series was released on television back in 2006, it is quite obvious that the Blu-ray release is not native HD and is an upscaled release. And while the series does have its times of vibrant colors (especially the green trees or blue skies), the series puts a lot of focus on making the action sequences come alive and some of the natural background settings are not as detailed but some background elements are handpainted and it definitely brings something different for the artistic backgrounds. But as far as PQ goes, you will notice edge enhancement and some haloing around the edges.
The new anime series doesn’t have the sketch/drawn style look that the original series (which many OAV’s from the 80’s tend to look like) had but the TV series looks good. Again, it’s not super-detailed but it does tend to focus more on the action sequences which there are plenty of in this series. I preferred the original OVA series with its detail and because of its more violent nature which fit the series.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) and DolbyTrue HD 2.0 (Japanese). First, the English lossless soundtrack features a good amount of surround usage for the various battle sequences. Good amount of sound effects utilized and the English dub voice acting was well done. For my experience though, I had an issue with the center channel being a bit low. I usually never have to adjust the center channel when watching an anime series on Blu-ray but for “Guyver”, I had to really boost up the center channel during viewing.
As for the Japanese DolbyTrue HD 2.0 lossless track, I preferred to watch the anime series in the original Japanese dialogue. Voice acting is well done and for those with a modern receiver, I chose to have my settings set at stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundscape.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” comes with the following special features:
Disc 1:
- Episode 1 Commentary – Audio commentary featuring ADR director Charlie Campbell, Ron Peters (marketing manager) and Jack Glausner (marketing associate and convention coordinator).
Disc 2:
- Episode 13 Commentary – Audio commentary featuring ADR director Charlie Campbell and voice actor Lowell Bartholomee (Tetsurou) and their experience working on an action-driven anime series.
Disc 3:
- Episode 23 Commentary – Audio commentary featuring ADR director Charlie Campbell and voice actor Chris Patton (Sho). Discussion about the fandom and the popularity of the series.
- Episode 26 Commentary - Audio commentary featuring ADR director Charlie Campbell and voice actor Chris Patton (Sho) and Lowell Bartholomee (Tetsurou). Discussion about the final episode and their experiences working on the series.
- Manga to Anime Comparisons – (1:06:50) Featuring manga to anime comparisons for episodes 1-26.
- Clean Opening Animation- Featuring the clean opening animation featuring “Waiting For…” by Reiri.
- Clean Closing Animation – Featuring the clean closing animation featuring “Cotton Candy” by Bonnie Pink.
- Trailers – FUNimation Entertainment trailers.
When I first heard that a TV series for “Guyver” would be airing on Japanese TV, I was excited!
I owned older Japanese manga of “Bio Booster Armor Guyver”, I bought the 12-episode OVA series of “The Guyver-Bio-Booster Armor” and at one time, I even had the VHS for “The Guyver” live action-films. So, I suppose you can say that I’m a big fan of the “Guyver” series and with the announcement of “Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor”, you can’t help but be excited with a series that would try to incorporate the manga elements to the storyline.
Granted, because this is a TV series, I figured that the violence would not be as graphic as the OVA series and after watching the first two volumes, I was literally hooked on the series. I enjoyed how the series would focus on the friendship of Sho, Mizuki and Tetsuro much more than the OVA series but most importantly, the sheer number of characters introduced and also involve storylines with those characters.
And it’s one of the few series where the protagonist ends up being gone for several episodes and focuses on the supporting cast (Sho’s friends) and also the series puts more time into the behind-the-scenes of what Cronos Corporation was planning, the introduction of the Zoalords and for the most part, the series does manage to keep its action-packed storyline from beginning to end as we get to see Guyver III in action.
I have to admit that my enjoyment of “Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” is due to my previous love for the original OVA and manga series and part of that enjoyment was that it was a sci-fi violent anime series that had an intriguing story behind it. Granted, the TV series is is not as violent as OVA episodes, but the fact that it does tend to follow the manga series definitely made many of us excited. But in many ways, I felt that once it was all done, there should be much more story that needed to be told. Hopefully there will be another Guyver series in the future.
As for the Blu-ray release, I pretty much made up my mind that if you want outstanding HD anime for a TV series (not a film or an OVA), you may need to look for series created post-2008 versus pre-2008. “Guyver” is upscaled and definitely much better looking (and sounding) than its previous DVD releases.
Overall, “Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” is a pretty cool action-driven anime series but I have to admit that the storyline starts to taper off a bit in the second half. Some may find the series a bit repetitive, I actually enjoyed the OVA series more because of its animation and the action was more violent in nature which fit the series quite well. But there is only so much you can do for a TV series.
In the end, if you are like for an action-driven anime series on Blu-ray with battles galore and a dramatic storyline along with it, definitely give “Guyver – The Bioboosted Armor – The Complete Series” a chance.
