Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro (Movie): Added 9-08-06
Few series have such a diverse selection of OAVs, TV series and movies as Lupin III. The playboy thief with a sense of humor has delighted fans for nearly three decades and though Castle of Cagliostro hovers around circa 1979 it still manages to entertain its audience with a script penned by none other than Hayao Miyazaki. I will preface the rest of this review by noting that the first go around I opted to review the dub and I will be following up at a later date with a review of the subtitled original.

Click here for the full review

Negima (Vol 1): Added 8-29-06
Holy moley has it really been that long since I did a formal review? Well I've also been brushing up on a backlog of really good anime as well. OK so where was I? Negima, at first I had a lot of apprehension about this series. I mean if you were to look at the boxart you'd suddenly think it was an attempt to create a Harry Potter anime. Luckily however it isn't quite that kind of a story.

Following the misadventures of 10 year old wizard prodigy Negi Springfield as he teaches at an all girls school, viewers can expect fan service, comedy and some very good dub work by the folks at ADV. Click here for the full review.

Starship Operators (1-3): Added 5-21-06
Rarely do I ever watch mostly serious anime. I decided to give Starship Operators a look after reading about the plot. Set in the future Starship Operators revolves around a crew of cadets aboard a highly advanced 'guardship' the last free-ship of their nation. A space nation called Kibi which was invaded by another space nation. In order to fight, the crew makes an unusual decision to work with a reality TV show.

Click here for full review

Desert Punk Volume 1&2: Update 11-1-06
Take one smart alecky punk, give him a shotgun a penchant for boobies and a lot of sexual humor and you get Desert Punk. The series isn't going to win over critics but it will keep you laughing.

Released by FUNimation here in the states the cast is moderately sized with a few interesting names appearing (Eric Vale and Luci Christian among them) Desert Punk is definitely not intended for younger audiences and as such has a TV-MA rating here in the US.

Click here for the full review.

Now I'll admit the ending leaves me to wonder if a 5th stage really will be in the works. I've read a few rumors that it is indeed going to happen but nothing official (press releases what not)

Since only the Sub was available that's what I watched, and it was refreshing to hear the real VA's. I do admit though it makes you realize how odd the Tokyopop dub is of the first two seasons. Bunta's voice does seem to make sense on both versions.

If you're a car buff, or a just like action, male oriented anime, I'd definitely look into the 4th stage (be it in subbed or hopefully in a few years dubbed). I give this 8.1/10 I'd give it a 9 but damnit I'm itching for a 5th Stage now.

The best way to descrbe this series is Chobits meets Gantz. If you know either series then you probably have a good idea for what this series mixes. We find ourselves observing the escape of a mysterious mutant with frightening powers. At the same time however we also find a seemingly innocent pair of cousins that meet up.

Though the opening sequence is full of anime horror, midepisode you'll find yourself some what confused by the sudden turn to more of an ecchi style of animation. This pattern continues throughout the first three disks, but the final disk definately takes a turn for the darker. Our key characters are Kohta (a young boy with an unusual past) and Lucy(aka Nyu) the mysterious mutant who somehow has a bond with Kohta.

Storywise the entire series is a quest to discover the truth behind Kohta and Lucy's relationship. Along the way there are many interspersed moments of cuteness and yet also horror. This pattern keeps you as a viewer on your toes, though it can become somewhat disjointed.

In the end the conclusion of Elfen Lied is somewhat dark but makes sense. There are a unfortunately a lot of unanswered questions but it doesn't appear that an OAV or a followup are in the works. I give this series a modest 7.2/10 Might not neccessarily appeal to everybody but it has its moments. Musical score might get stuck in your head at odd moments.

All images property of ADV Films

With psychological images, concepts such as the id, ego and super ego playing prominent roles and a sense of sexuality and depression, Eva is much deeper than the early 20 episodes let on. Hideaki Anno, the troubled creator of Evangelion (Or Neon Genesis Evangelion if you'd rather) put a lot of his own experiences with psychoanalysis into the series. My first run through, not having been armed with this bit of knowledge I found a lot of the images oddly placed. With this second go-around I found it much easier to examine the parallels of the characters to aspect of psychology (wow, College Psych finally has a use).

Unfortunately my attempts to rent End of Evangelion have hit a roadblock, but I tend to think of that as an alternate, albeit wayyy more visual ending to the series. The introspective montages used in the last two episodes to me, made slightly more sense (assuming you understand the background of Anno). While this retake on my views of Evangelion afforded me more experience I still conclude that for most viewers the series will seem visually amazing but without the background data, the last two episodes will just be a gut-wrenching topsy turvey journey.

In retrospect, I give Evangelion a 7/10 (the ending still isn't reachable to most users)

Area 88 Vol 1-3: Added 12-26-05
A remake of a previous OAV which itself was based on the side scroller video game of the same name. There's not a lot of complexity to Area 88 other than the fact that for a remake it does a good job of modernizing the tale and adding a few enhancements.

We follow the adventure of two Shin's. Mokoto Shinjou and Shin Kazema (Chris Patton). Kazema is the reluctant ace of Area 88, a battle torn base in which the pilots are all mercenaries who have two ways out. Serve three years in the defense of the Aslan government or earn kills in order to buy their freedom (at the price of $1.5 million). Shin the ace of the facility was tricked into serving and now struggles to return to the love of his life Ryoko Tsugumo (Hillary Haag).

If I had to create a parallel, the series is sort of Top Gun meets Initial D. Like Initial D, the story centers around a reluctant hero who defies the odds. In terms of use of CG there are even further parallels to Initial D. Though running just 1 season, Area 88 thus far has been very enjoyable. One thing I found particularly well done was the musical score. A combo of techno and classical makes for some very well choreographed aerial battles.

Without giving away too much plot, you can expect characters that come and go, a few plot twists and a lot of action. Though not great Area 88 is entertaining though it adds very little in comparison to the original. Tentative score 7.5/10

Fafner: Updated 11-14-05
There was a time that I associated Pioneer(Geneon) with Tenchi Muyo and a few other fun series. Now I seem to associate Geneon with a lot of fan service oriented titles. On a lark, I decided to pickup Vol 1 of Fafner. The name intrigued me and the trailer showed some promise as far as mecha anime goes.

The storyline isn't overly complex. Earth is being attacked by some sort of creature, refered to in the early episodes as Festum, and the inhabitnants of a single, high tech island use cloaking technology and giant mecha (Fafner) to defend themselves. Japan itself is gone (when isn't Japan toast or in some other way under siege in these things?) and the inhabitants of Tatsumiya island appear to be at odds with everyone else left in the world.

The first volume focuses on two of the male leads while the later half of the volume introduces the next would be pilots. Our first two leads Kazuki Makabe and Soshi Minashiro seem to both exude the stereotypical silent brooding pilot, with Kazuki being the junior of the pair and Soshi the more hardened senior. There are moments that I wonder if latent homoerotic tones aren't being tossed in for later tension.

In a somewhat Gundam inspired fashion, additional pilots are brought on which I can only assume will be the launching point for the next few volumes. Like many other dramatic action series there seems to be an indication that the fate of these children has been pre-destined through eugenics or really bad luck of the draw.

Visually the art direction on Fafner is passable, but the pace and dubbing of the whole series seems disjointed. The use of mythical names throughout the series can also throw you. You never quite understand why a Japanese island is using names like Fafner and Brunhilde. Overall I would give this series a 6/10. I doubt it's going to garner a huge following, but if you're up for an action oriented series with a few underlying social commentaries this might be up your alley.

Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu Updated 10-30-05
OK I admit, somehow I forgot to add the fact I've been watching and waiting very anxiously for the remainder of Fumoffu. The Full Metal Panic! spin off (Or Sequel if you prefer), steers away from the high-action focus of its original and instead centers on the high school life of our lovable but clueless Sousuke Sagara and the ever brash Kaname Chidori.

Artistically the style is a nearly exact match for the original. The key difference being that no Arm slaves make an appearance. Instead we see more focus on the characters as high schoolers. This lends it self to more costume changes and interaction which I found refreshing.

Though the english voice cast returns for sequel, it seems as though a few of the voices have shifted just a bit. Hillary Haag as Tessa sounded as though she was trying a bit harder to capture a youthful voice, and I'm not sure if it gave the character too much of a pre-teen sound. Other cameo characters were voiced in a similar manner. Proof that they're only human. Thankfully however the leads (Chris Patton and Luci Christian) do a great job reprising their roles.

While the 2nd volume was a bit light, I can whole heartily say that the 1st and 3rd volumes are very entertaining. Volume 1 gives a great introduction to the new focus of the sequel and introduces several new characters. Episodes 7 and 9 are absolutely hilarious. With great dialogue in 7 and a great use of "background" throughout 9. Episode 7, which will forever be referred to as the "Rugby" episode, is both wonderful to view as an audience, but you can't help but crack a smile realizing how much fun the voice actors must have had in recording (be sure to check out the extras for some info on the inside scoop). Episode 9 is particularly full of fanservice, though playfully done. The influence of a certain comedic movie (Yeah baby!) are apparent and the nod to other genres is reminiscent of Nadesico. Part of me is a little sad to see the series nearly close with Volume 4 right around the corner, but I can say that it's been a great little ride. I'm hoping to see a little more closure for Sagara and Kaname. And of course plenty of over the topic antics.

Having finished the remaining disk, I can honestly say I've enjoyed this series. I'm definately hoping that FMP: Second Raid is picked up here in the states. *crosses fingers* There's a little more fanservice in the final volumes and just once you see Sousuke and Kaname getting close. If you enjoyed the first few volumes the final volume shoudln't disappoint. I give this a strong 8/10. It's not going to appeal to everybody, but FMP! fans should definitely consider watching at least the first 5 episodes.

Tenchi Muyo Ryo-Ohki Vol 1 Added 7-8-05
One of my favorite series, despite its shortcomings is Tenchi Muyo. The original OAV was a fun blend of romance, comedy and action. I recently picked up the first volume of Tenchi Muyo's 3rd OAV, or Tenchi Muyo Ryo-Ohki. The storyline picks up immediately after the last episode of the 2nd OAV. We see a new character and are gradually reintroduced tot he original cast. For the dubbed release all but one voice actor reprises his/her role. Unfortunately the lack of Petrea Burchard is a painful hit. Mona Marshall's vocal work is well established but her voice is no direct fit to Burchard. Somehow Ryoko sounds somewhat awkward, as though Marshall is still settling (at least in these first 3 episodes). Oddly enough even Matt Miller seems off as Tenchi. The first episode it felt like Miller was trying to recapture a youthful sound and it wound up making one of his scenes extremely difficult to watch.

Artwise the animation is crisp and vibrant, keeping the original style while adding improvements that you may have seen in the GXP spin off. Familiar environments have returned such as the Masaki shrine, and the enigmatic Azaka and Kamidake. We also have a chance to see flashbacks of the original OAV and some of the sites involved in the earlier part of the series. Tenchi's school, the site of his old house, and his father's (Nobuyuki) working place.

The plot unravels fairly quickly and can be very confusing. Given the odd family tree that Tenchi has it's no wonder the first two episodes are geared towards setting up the framework of new characters from Jurai and their role in the series. The voice of actor for Noike seems particularly a nice match to the personality of the character. We are also able to see considerably more of Jurai and the even a few cameos by Mihoshi's family.

While the first Tenchi OAV had some very pleasant music, (who can forget Yamararinai!) this OAV seems to have lost its musical edge. Voice work is for the most part the same as the original, but I feel the rust has set in for some of the voice actors. Given some of my own irritation towards Mona Marshall's portrayal of Ryoko I may give the series a second assessment with just the subbed version. Overall I think new fans will find the series too confusing, Tenchi fans though may enjoy the new cast additions. Overall I give the first disk a 7.5/10

Gunparade March (3-Disks) Added 5-15-05
I'll admit it I'm a sucker for good mech-anime, unfortunately, this isn't one... Based on a PS2 title of the same name, this series has a lot of nods to others in the action genre, with a typical assemblage of "young teen" soldiers. If you've watched/read Starship Troopers things will feel very familiar.

Our plot revolves around a post-WW2 Earth in which before the close of WW2 aliens have attacked and wiped out most of the world. The Ginjyu basically look like crawling spider things with a cycloptic red eye. So mecha aside, we have two leads. Mai Shibamura and Atsushi Hayami a pair of HWT (Humanoid Walking Tank -- Mecha) pilots that are put together in a "tandem" model. With that setup we follow their lives as school students trying to grow up and grow closer under the blanket of war.

While the plot held some promise, by the 8th episode I quickly realized the series wasn't going to live up to any expectations I may have had. Visually Gunparade is well drawn, with fair attention spent on the character facial gestures. Unfortunately the auditory work on this series leaves much to be desired. The characters are voiced by some of the stiffest voice actors I've ever heard. Sadly the two leads seem to be voiced by the least emotive VA's. Deborah Sale Butler and Larry Law are the voice actors for the lead characters. It isn't until nearly the end of the series that we start to hear both of them relax their vocal chords a little and sound like actual people. If it was chosen for effect to show how tense the characters were with one another it worked a little too well. I found myself just hitting mute and watching subtitles.

Yukikaze (Disk 1 First Impressions) Added 9-21-04
There are just certain things that action oriented geeks gravitate to. One of those things is dog fighting super-fighters. Enter Yukikaze, an action packed Top Gun for the anime world.

Centered around ace pilot Rei Fukai and his advanced fighter AI "Yukikaze" the plot for Yukikaze is a bit much to swallow at first. Aliens have ripped an interdimentional hole to attack Earth only to be thwarted by the United Nation's elite combat forces. After having made that leap of faith the series becomes a visual ride blending cell and CG work into a very entertaining series.

I would liken Yukikaze to a blending of Top Gun action with a sci-fi slant along the lines of Macross Plus. One of the failings thus far with Disk 1 of the series is that character development seems very limited. Aside from Rei and his fighter AI, there is very little that you actually see in terms of support characters and their evolution throughout the overarching plot.

If you enjoy CG work and action based anime I'd say you should consider Yukikaze a once over.

Tenchi Muyo GXP (First Impressions) Added 9-19-04
The original Tenchi Muyo/Tenchi Muyo Ryo-ohki is one of the classic harem styled anime that brought me back into watching anime in early 2000. Tenchi Muyo GXP a spin off based within the Tenchi time-line is an interesting application of the world and theme of the original. With the same writing staff as the Tenchi Muyo OAV as expected there's a good deal of fan service with buxom women just fawning for our reluctant hero. Seina Yamada our hero is classically unlucky. In fact one would be pressed to say he is the epitome of unluckiness, affecting machines and people around him.

Surrounding Seina who has mistakenly joined the Galaxy Police, are Amane Kaunaq (buxom blonde officer who first meets Seina), Kirika Masaki a GP inspector who harbors feelings for Seina, and Erma a cat-like humanoid who seems to have feelings towards Seina, though they may be of a more "clinical" nature. Seina is not alone as a young cadet. With him are his roommates Kenneth and Rajau. Along the way Seina runs into a myriad of characters including the wanted space-pirate Ryoko Balta.

Disk 1 of this series has its quirks, but the humor is simple in most areas and sometimes just over the top with it comes to sexual gags. Despite a theme song which makes my ears bleed (akin to "I am a Pioneer" from the OAV), the animation style is still very much in the Tenchi Muyo tradition and this spin off appears to be a great tide-over until the release of the much anticipated Tenchi Muyo OAV 3.

A word of caution for viewers of the new GXP and potentially the OAV. The voice acting cast has changed considerably, even cameos of the classic Tenchi cast are voiced by newer talent. I for one am crossing my fingers that contract disputes and labor issues are resolved before Tenchi OAV3 is dubbed. But, for those of you who are Robotech fans, you'll enjoy the vocal work of Tony Oliver (Seina Yamada), Rebecca West (Erma), Wendee Lee (Kiriko Masaki)

Azumanga Daioh Updated 10-24-04
There are some series in animedom that are cute, there are those that are funny. This certainly falls into both categories. Centered around a small group of high schoolers, and one _really_ bright 10 year old, Azumanga Daioh was literally described to me as an anime about nothing, an anime-Seinfeld. In some ways it really is with a plot that is fairly tame by the standards of other anime. No giant robots, no magical powers, no beings from other planets, just people, their lives and the hilarious things that happened in day to day life. I'm not going to flesh out a whole lot of details, but I will say these are some notable characters. Chiyo Mihama stands out, as the 10 year old prodigy who happens to be in High School (a whole 5-grades above where she should). Over the top Tomo Takino, Chiyo-chan's polar opposite. Calm and cool Sakaki, the 'too-cool for school' older student. The usual brainy student, Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara. The ubiquitous transfer student Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga (who oddly in the dubbed form has a southern accent). Kagura the somewhat competitive tomboy. There are several adult characters as well, including the dirty-male teacher, and a rival pair of female teachers who were once students at the very school they are teaching in. I found the DVD to be very informative as well, with a small booklet citing some of the more culturally specific jokes and references. Being only slightly versed in Japanese culture I found the included guide entertaining and informative.

You won't find a lot of frills or ultra-deep plot here. The humor is often subtle and understated. Deviating from the normal anime-tradition of over-the-top antics, Azumanga Daioh brings to the world of anime a light hearted episodic comedy that explores what it was like for most of us when we were young and just starting to understand the world around us. Azumanga touches you in an innocent way that makes you sort of laugh and chuckle if only to remember those good old days. OK, even if you aren't female...

I can readily say that we were at Vraxx.com and the folks of #mayhem give AD a strong 9.1/10. It's one of those few anime that you can watch over and over again and never really tire of the humor. Well OK maybe after the 5th time...

Last Exile (First Impressions) Added 8-17-04
So it's been a while since I wrote any sort of review. Truthfully this isn't gonna be a review, but more of a very brief 'first impression'. While bored I decided to flick on Anime Unleashed (G4TechTV) and caught a few episodes of Last Exile. I'll have to admit, there are elements which seem interesting enough. The dynamic of the two lead characters Klaus Valca, a talented, if young "Van Ship" (a small flying craft) and his childhood friend/navigator Lavie Head is particularly fun to watch.

I found the artistic style simple, but interesting. The use of CG seems to be modest enough that it doesn't detract from the story itself. The storytelling occasionally plonks you down without really giving you a framework for the "world" you find yourself in, but in all I can say that the storyline is still forgivable. I hope to see good things emerge as this series unfolds.

[Gate Keepers 21 (Episodes 1-4)] Added 2-18-04 updated 3-1-04
Once in a great while there comes a case of dubbing so gawd awful even I can't stand to watch, and I'm not all that particular. Gate Keepers 21 (which as far as I can tell is sort of a blend of scifi and magic/fantasy genres) which airs on TechTV's Anime Unleashed looks something like Lain meets Cardcaptor Sakura, with magical mystical powers and techno-aliens that have to be defeated. Though technically a spinoff of the original Gatekeepers series, GK21 apparently leans on the darker side. I'm not basing this on any previous exposure to the original Gatekeepers. Then it gets ugly. While the plot is moderately entertaining and the artwork fairly well drawn, the vocal work is something akin to watching a good movie while simultaneously listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. The lead characters are predominately teen-aged high schoolers, with a brooding geeky-girl and her stumbling, bumbling protegé. I'm not even going to dignify this review with character names as they were relatively unforgettable (Ayane, Miu). Perhaps part of the low-quality here is due to the fact that GK 21 is in fact only 6 episodes long. Short to me, even by OVA standards. Four episodes in and I rate this title a paltry 4/10.
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[Big O Season 2: Cartoon Network] Added 12-25-03
Now this is one of those series that I really had to sit myself down and just say "OK Vraxx, you're going to watch this" While the premise is a tad on the absurd side the artistic style is interesting and at times gives you small snippets to think about. If you're able to sit through the Intro music sequence with its zombie like "Big O! Oooh ooh Big O!!" mantra, you might be able to glean a few interesting scenes. Following the exploits of 'negotiator' Rodger Smith, Big O follows the mysterious world of Paradigm City in which everyone has lost their memories. Our male lead, Smith, is linked to the all-powerful, and very bulky looking Big O, a Megaduce (trust me I was making cracks about Deuce Bigellow from day one) which apparently is basically a huge mecha. Little by little Rodger uncovers the truth behind the lost memories he and everyone else seem to have. He encounters several recurring character such as the enigmatic android Dorothy and the mysterious Angel. At his side is his ever faithful butler Norman. In many ways the artistic style is a little bit of Cowboy Beebop and Batman: The Animated Series. I was grudgingly following along for the 26 episodes hoping for some kind of resolution to this great mystery. While many of the interpersonal interactions were interesting to follow the ending left me with a strange empty hole in my mind. While not giving away any endings let me simply state that if you enjoyed the Matrix... this might be about the same as Revolutions. The plot goes from a mere "eh" to a near-Gainax "WTF??!" I rate Big O 6/10. I'm still recovering from shock and hope that Episode 26 wasn't the actual series ending!
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Image the property of Cartoon Networks

Our Male Lead Kazuki

[Noir Disks 1-7] Added 11-24-03/Updated 2-18-04
What do you get when you blend guns, women, the mafia and a powerful musical score? Well you wind up with a very entertaining DVD that has a certain La Femme Nikita like quality to it. Noir follows the search for identity of two highly skilled assassins. I won't go to in depth as I have only viewed the first 8 episodes of this series. The plot follows the exploits of Kirika Yuumura and Mireille Bouqet, highly skilled assassins seeking the secrets of their shadowy past. The artistic style is readily influenced by CG work but the ink work is still soft and lacks the excessive harshness of a purely CG based anime (Blue Sub 6 for instance). While the idea of young-female assassins is nothing new I think Noir goes the extra mile to set the environment with a musical score that is quite impressive.

Action sequences are well paced and designed with a good deal of consideration to the background and scenery. Some of the sequences are reminiscent of scenes from Cowboy Bebop. A fairly limited character palate keeps the series manageable. If you dislike classical musical scores or opera then you may not be so inclined to enjoy this series. Eight episodes in I give this series an 8.2/10

Update: A few more disks in and the storyline continues to evolve. I've found that the character development for both Mireille and Kirika is rather interesting as are the obvious indications of conflict between our two heroines.
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[Full Metal Panic Vol 1 to 7] Added 10-27-03/Updated 3-7-04
Now I'm pretty quick to review and I'm not going to differ here. There are certain immutable laws in Anime. Mecha are cool. Heroes are usually clueless, and that damsel in distress usually isn't what she appears. You get all that and a bag a chips in Full Metal Panic. Well ok there's no chips but the storyline is still enjoyable. Two lead characters (potentially a third) carry our story. Sousuke Sagara, silent brooding soldier type. Kaname Chidori, mysterious high schooler with a strange past and her rival of sorts Teletha"Tessa" Testarossa, the youngest ship captain this side of Nadesico.

Imagine if you will if a teenage girl finds herself in the middle of a war against a terrorist organization, with a gun-ho bodyguard bumbling about her daily in school. That is the effective backdrop of Full Metal Panic. The interaction and of course romantic interaction between our two leads, Kaname Chidori (school golden girl) and her military trained bodyguard Sousuke Sagara, is undeniable and pleasant. A good dose of hate, fear and emotion balled into one. The musical score is surprisingly up beat and the artistic style is extremely sharp. Lighting and shadow in particular are used well in many of the more touching scenes.

Action fans will find the smattering of fight scenes well paced, full of all the special effects and mecha action you've come to expect from quality anime. Overall the series (which is still being dubbed for US release) is a nice compliment to any Anime collection. While ardent action fans may find the focus on female leads a bit off putting the humorous moments and dialogue should please even the most dour of viewers. Vraxx.com rate's this title a strong 8. We do hold the right to bring this score down as the future volumes are reviewed. (Lest we forget the 'wtf is going on' chaos that was Evangelion).

So with the final episode now viewed I can truthfully say that the series ended with a bang, literally. Not every loose end was tied up, but then again I don't think I expected that. A good smattering of sappy romance and some action sequences made for a conclusion that was modest at best. Dialogue was actually fairly well written and all in all got me anxious to see the 2nd spin off of the Full Metal Panic franchise, Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu. So once more, I stand by my 8/10 score. While perhaps not a strong 8, the title stands on its own and avoid becoming too unforgettable.