tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48650173728387390392024-03-18T15:18:44.516-07:00Anime AnywayA review blog of anime, manga, comics, and other weird geek stuff!Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.comBlogger1422125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-24339008617418179662024-03-18T15:09:00.000-07:002024-03-18T15:18:12.444-07:00You dense motherbat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j4Z_aGBKrQDEaQ8MTnD8OOjAuCAirMuQg84bk3yyBVFYYrbTqogtYo5VYvd5oviNS_mc70e7MzWlqYiX_zCCCKKKN6pfi773-t0umaS2Aa01gsgy1bcAlVt5a7MtgndQqEarXOaJaCRC_QFar1aJubxevyuaup-l2gmrLOIOWm02JWu0qdXPtpLaKBc/s985/densebat.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="687" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j4Z_aGBKrQDEaQ8MTnD8OOjAuCAirMuQg84bk3yyBVFYYrbTqogtYo5VYvd5oviNS_mc70e7MzWlqYiX_zCCCKKKN6pfi773-t0umaS2Aa01gsgy1bcAlVt5a7MtgndQqEarXOaJaCRC_QFar1aJubxevyuaup-l2gmrLOIOWm02JWu0qdXPtpLaKBc/s400/densebat.jpg"/></a></div>Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-68591134719677885932024-03-14T14:21:00.000-07:002024-03-14T14:57:21.431-07:00MISC. MANGA, *I Heart Skull-Crusher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34Z8lYiHaaOhn4326fTTSpQqk2yfLcjDR3VPsfJJH7rlQjAO1xxJW1LFm1qhgQsetf5_hV0uhthw1bEDpvC6XBuv-VfoJaRfHB-1bF7a6chkbFY8diW-lvOff-m9oDLKp47H2hkjrttuSfaHVp15rtLy3B7l7kiJjZGceshqtIn4Sw2JypMLklLrjfdw/s420/miscmanga.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34Z8lYiHaaOhn4326fTTSpQqk2yfLcjDR3VPsfJJH7rlQjAO1xxJW1LFm1qhgQsetf5_hV0uhthw1bEDpvC6XBuv-VfoJaRfHB-1bF7a6chkbFY8diW-lvOff-m9oDLKp47H2hkjrttuSfaHVp15rtLy3B7l7kiJjZGceshqtIn4Sw2JypMLklLrjfdw/s16000/miscmanga.png" /></a></div>Josie Campbell already revolutionized the old <i>He-Man</i> spinoff of <i>She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power</i> for Netflix and then went on to specialize in stories featuring the character's Golden Age counterpart Mary Marvel for DC Comics, she also brought a new anime aspect to the Man Of Steel mythos in <i>My Adventures With Superman</i>. Campbell now has an anime-themed mini-series for Boom! Studios taking a spin on <i>Battle Angel Alita</i>, although minus the man/machine overtones. <i>I Heart Skull-Crusher</i> is a post-apocalyptic lesbian roller derby sports manga not seen in anything since the wild west days of 90s anime.<br /><br />After your standard armageddon where water is the most valuable resource, civilization has calmed down a little with most of the survivors becoming huge fans of the new sport called Screaming Pain Ball. The boisterous of any of these sports fans is the energetic teenager Trini who has spent her whole sad life training to be a player in this game. Her existence is so decrepit that she had no friends poors out all her dreams to the skulls of her deceased parents. Trini get wind of a tournament coming up where she can win a spot on the winning team with her longtime idol, the notorious player known as Skull-Crusher. Our plucky wannabe gets help from a washed up ex-player plus a pair of thieving twins to set out across the desert to earn her place next to her hero who she has a major crush on.<br /><br />The series is set for only five issues, but looks like they might be able to cover quite a lot of territory in their limited run. Alessio Zonno does a great job as the artist in this what appears to be her premiere in professional comics. The first issue establishes the world quite well and gets you in tune to their vibe right away. This anime-styled American comic has some familiar cliches for average otaku, although it appears to have some suprises in store before the conclusion. While being a little campy for a wasteland fantasy, the sci-fi shojo-ai action more than makes up for it.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-23935898345689244152024-03-08T14:29:00.000-08:002024-03-08T14:29:43.858-08:00R.I.P. Akira Toriyama<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZ9KyfUpf6CveZGpCc1IU6rZlPZyQX2DdOhywXudwCmlBXWUrxocv-xuzoB1UqNHvz3xtVCQftGLUf_ljZeZVz5bQK74skqRWQ0B8H77ZAG2Knw4CbRJuoKAYHhNAGuDP4ZJzDL0Ky1hLEALSON4GbXJwammPHrdvsZqpMkkCDSk01p_qr-0xEBoKqxU/s1600/toriyama.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="776" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZ9KyfUpf6CveZGpCc1IU6rZlPZyQX2DdOhywXudwCmlBXWUrxocv-xuzoB1UqNHvz3xtVCQftGLUf_ljZeZVz5bQK74skqRWQ0B8H77ZAG2Knw4CbRJuoKAYHhNAGuDP4ZJzDL0Ky1hLEALSON4GbXJwammPHrdvsZqpMkkCDSk01p_qr-0xEBoKqxU/w640-h370/toriyama.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-9809855265235024622024-02-28T23:12:00.000-08:002024-02-29T00:02:36.718-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Zone Of Enders: Idolo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkDiTwV-qjFt6i046E191YOoy7_jp7ZzZz9Yn6nQecf0lWmZ9aA167W6f-hb45e2rdz_suOdoP0X02td7jrZZjn_5ajxUz1kjZy2Za2AtNhdPl0ug4s8WBvDZbTOx4fLR6KsfDQ-5rA0s7DhyphenhyphenlVQXmksRQMIVcSzVRJefzQCIYbrzUe0pUVNE9glOr5g/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkDiTwV-qjFt6i046E191YOoy7_jp7ZzZz9Yn6nQecf0lWmZ9aA167W6f-hb45e2rdz_suOdoP0X02td7jrZZjn_5ajxUz1kjZy2Za2AtNhdPl0ug4s8WBvDZbTOx4fLR6KsfDQ-5rA0s7DhyphenhyphenlVQXmksRQMIVcSzVRJefzQCIYbrzUe0pUVNE9glOr5g/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>While the video game series managed to find its nook in the early 2000s, the two anime tie-ins didn't fare as well. The original game installment had an OVA one-shot titled <i>Idolo</i> prequel that was followed by the <i>Zone Of Enders: Delores, I</i> anime TV series which takes place just prior and after the first game. <i>Idolo</i> was the lead-in to a multi-media franchise with hopes of becoming the next great mecha series for the new millennium, however with limp animation, delusional characters, and a giant robot design that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "cockpit", it didn't gain much traction.<br /><br />Set in 2167, a human colony had been established some time Mars for some time. The Martian colony wants gain independence from Earth, but all humans born on Mars are physically weaker than humans for Earth, similar to the <i>Warlords Of Mars</i> books. The mecha pilot Radium is with the Earth/Mars allied forces but is secretly helping the Martian military test a new robot with a cockpit literally sticking out from the model's groin area making it look like the mecha is very excited to meet you. Radium becomes the pilot for the Orbital Frame mecha called Idolo which slowly begins to rise his aggression mostly because of a new element used in the machine's design. Radium and his fellow pilot Viola are both set to test the mecha, but it only seems to respond to Radium's control. The Earth forces get wind of the Martians plot, and they attack the testing base during which Radium's fiance Dolores is kidnapped along with the head scientist. Radium chases after them in the Orbital Frame with the Martian military planning on killing him for going rogue and so the mecha won't end up under Earth's control. Our rescuer fails to save Dolores and ends up getting blasted by Viola and the other Martian mecha, although it appears that some trait of Dolores might have ended up in the Orbit Frame's programming. The epilogue shoots ahead to five years later where Viola is helping the resistance forces fight Earth's forces on the moons of Jupiter.<br /><br /><i>Zone Of Enders: Idolo</i> has an unmotivated plot with a stale cast and fails to get anyone prepped for a hack-and-slash video game with its total downer ending. This was released in English through ADV Films at first on his own and then as part of a collected edition with the TV series, but its short runtime of only 55 minutes doesn't justify getting the singular OVA volume.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-8512982207042288102024-02-27T12:43:00.000-08:002024-02-27T14:27:22.733-08:00ANI-MOVIES, *The Illusionist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCLBrfgoLzmsg4bCPhCA95IQiX_ONMOhKCr6KNIaocuJkFUX_VFYMBOLHWmOO-mjLirmBAl90HF5QRpHPl53JQWnqovGi0xki_ImofGuV3Rz4Sv9H0Z1eYMMjCcoYkC633jomhG-_THlIJ8M5qn47kGpDj3xfA872Di0K93zEFYfnlUl0EWu4Zsd7zqs/s500/animovies.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCLBrfgoLzmsg4bCPhCA95IQiX_ONMOhKCr6KNIaocuJkFUX_VFYMBOLHWmOO-mjLirmBAl90HF5QRpHPl53JQWnqovGi0xki_ImofGuV3Rz4Sv9H0Z1eYMMjCcoYkC633jomhG-_THlIJ8M5qn47kGpDj3xfA872Di0K93zEFYfnlUl0EWu4Zsd7zqs/s16000/animovies.png" /></a></div>Comics writer Sylvain Chomet already completed the innovative animated film <i>The Triplets Of Belleville</i> before he began an adaptation on the unproduced script of the late mime, actor, and writer, Jacques Tati. The deceased entertainer wrote this as a way of trying to make amends with his eldest daughter whom he ignored during the height of his busier years with the main character being inspired from his movie character, Monsieur Hulot, who was inspirational for Rowan Atkinson when he created <i>Mr. Bean</i>. The French-produced film was released in 2010 and was nominated for Best Animated Feature. Like many eastern-European animated productions, this was made largely free of dialogue, even though there is some English said throughout the film, but most of the narrative is self-expressive not needing any spoken lines.<br /><br />Taking place in France during 1959, a French illusionist moves to England to find more work after his act in Paris become stale. He gets a gig working at a pub for parties and is befriended by the cleaning girl Alice. She decides to follow him when he gives her a new pair of shoes he earned with his wages. It's hinted in the advertisement for the movie that from this point in the movie that Alice trails around with the Illusionist because she believes he can work real magic, although nothing really hinting at that ever shows up during the rest of the film. The Illusionist and Alice stay at a hotel made up of former circus performers, including a suicidal clown, a depressed ventriloquist, and a trio of trapeze artists, while the hotel itself is run by a pair of short persons. The Illusionist tries to lift up Alice's spirits by using his meager income to give her new clothes to which she is grateful for, but it's not a romantic relationship, instead it's a parent-child dynamic. The Illusionist gets odd jobs working in a garage, acting as a window performer for a department store, and as a billboard painter, all while Alice starts a relationship with a man her age. Our protagonist eventually sells the remainder of his conjuring gear to set Alice off on her own with her new love interest while the Illusionist sets off on his own unknown path.<br /><br /><i>The Illusionist</i> is largely traditional animated reminiscent of the later productions of Walt Disney and the films that Disney did following his death. This is certainly one of the most charming animated movies of the new millennium, and there is nothing offensive or racy involved so it's perfect for the whole family to enjoy.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-38904649936011551672024-02-27T12:36:00.000-08:002024-03-13T16:59:52.113-07:00You Came To The Wrong Neighborhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLO_XO7GRXIHXtlMSvHHnktFurk74Xs1GwZKwlrxuYE35B-Ljcm_U0HjWKafDxQfRM42Y7jI8LU3CwJfdQpKI4MyEbL-w9OW6Cu8zP5AuOE5w3q3oQkA57Oas1hIget9J0GalXZySVFzO2liGsD9o0aZc155Cel5hWFUtnOWmGJvuJ9WLWeGI7X-zuE50/s1600/trollans.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLO_XO7GRXIHXtlMSvHHnktFurk74Xs1GwZKwlrxuYE35B-Ljcm_U0HjWKafDxQfRM42Y7jI8LU3CwJfdQpKI4MyEbL-w9OW6Cu8zP5AuOE5w3q3oQkA57Oas1hIget9J0GalXZySVFzO2liGsD9o0aZc155Cel5hWFUtnOWmGJvuJ9WLWeGI7X-zuE50/w400-h300/trollans.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-3792647135147587792024-02-23T23:08:00.000-08:002024-02-24T00:33:05.522-08:00ANI-MOVIES, *Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4d8g8td5IuD3Pva4ZcHHcO4dvSR1ZDUlOZ0jZ2VmUXwuuMfViTAtV33xx__6LwrkB27rlHsZmpjqK7Bw4gytwQhb0E1gNGNt1xCgFMO4quWu7k-FKnu78WBhZx1O0Epn_8YfY3pdY7ghKoqUI28M3bYoanSTnuFb7vR84S6Js2Dt23Zy2cTDk-kkMaU/s500/animovies.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4d8g8td5IuD3Pva4ZcHHcO4dvSR1ZDUlOZ0jZ2VmUXwuuMfViTAtV33xx__6LwrkB27rlHsZmpjqK7Bw4gytwQhb0E1gNGNt1xCgFMO4quWu7k-FKnu78WBhZx1O0Epn_8YfY3pdY7ghKoqUI28M3bYoanSTnuFb7vR84S6Js2Dt23Zy2cTDk-kkMaU/s16000/animovies.png" /></a></div>In one of the few original Dreamworks animated films, it's easy to see this as a slight rip-off of Pixar's <i>Luca</i> and <i>Turning Red</i> which combines a girl's coming-of-age story with sea monsters. Dreamworks' head honcho Jeffrey Katzenburg had okayed the project just before he stepped down in 2016, so it was in development limbo for a while. <i>Croods</i> creator Kirk DeMicco directed it along with former <i>South Park</i> writer Pam Brady. The movie's theatrical release didn't break even from its overall production value, but it has gained a secondary success after debuting on streaming.<br /><br />Ruby is an average, blue-skinned girl with her blue-skinned family living in the town of Oceanside which is of course near the ocean. She knew she and her family were not necessarily human since her mother Agatha is vehemently against them ever going in the ocean, but Ruby finds she's going through changes. Instead of becoming a giant red panda, Ruby is a kraken capable of achieving kaiju-sized proportions and breathing water. Agatha manages to calm Ruby down after she goes full-Godzilla after failing to ask her crush to the prom and spills the majority of her family's history, which involves the arrival of her uncle Brill who takes Ruby to her Grandmamah. Ruby is the heir to the ocean kingdom where krakens are the defenders against other sea monsters, including mermaids which are deceptive shapeshifters that masquerade as attractive humans, one of whom is the new popular girl at school, the cheerful redhead Chelsea. The mermaid cons Ruby into being her friend and tries to free a magic trident(it's always a magic trident!)from the underwater volcano that Agatha sealed it up in. Chelsea is revealed to be the kraken's ancient enemy Nerissa, queen of the mermaids who hasn't aged at all during the last time she fought Agatha. Taking a new spin on the finale to Disney's <i>The Little Mermaid</i>, Nerissa grows to titan size, and the combined forces of all three generations of female krakens are the only thing that saves the day. There's a subplot with Ruby's father and brother trying to decoy a local sailor in his attempts to prove the krakens exists, but this mostly acts as padding to make the film feature-length.<br /><br /><i>Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken</i> is a decent enough movie with Dr. Seuss-inspired character designs, even though it is pretty plain to see that Dreamworks was borrowing quite a bit from Pixar's most recent movies. The movie tries to accomplish too much into its 90-minute running time, like attempting to make us care about Ruby's friends from school even though they are more just background noise. The side-story of the crazy sea captain trying to capture is like a bad cereal commercial drawn out through the movie. It's an up-to-scratch animated film for all ages and doesn't drag down the whole story with yet another reminder of how important family is supposed to be. It might not seem enticing as prior Pixar installments, even though it is an entertaining watch.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-69130475802392771402024-02-20T12:52:00.000-08:002024-02-23T22:58:25.933-08:00ANI-MOVIES, *Gundress<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWZFrAaeTxMO7E4C9hLBvDQxl73ihHf6V9lZFC0sjN28HqKQflP8QN9BFOSj5TXKBGV0mtEEoHmqWmVp8GM9BtMofnPMBwm9gtNXzniuqV_klO7hNvjQsnwwIVvpVqy_IAgWB9Yj8U2sxMvpXw08b6YMqAc8ZdDV9rSkV9fFF0K3vP_w5DOu-LRfWFbc/s1600/animovies.png" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWZFrAaeTxMO7E4C9hLBvDQxl73ihHf6V9lZFC0sjN28HqKQflP8QN9BFOSj5TXKBGV0mtEEoHmqWmVp8GM9BtMofnPMBwm9gtNXzniuqV_klO7hNvjQsnwwIVvpVqy_IAgWB9Yj8U2sxMvpXw08b6YMqAc8ZdDV9rSkV9fFF0K3vP_w5DOu-LRfWFbc/s16000/animovies.png" /></a></div>The fact that the character designs for this anime film were done by Masamune Shirow of <i>Ghost In The Shell</i> infamy is the single selling point of this cyberpunk title. Orca had already botched things up with their previous blunder of <i>Landlock</i>, but the anime studio went even further with their debacle of <i>Gundress</i>. The franchise did have a little more success with the titles having its own manga and video game, despite the fact that <i>Gundress</i> didn't have a strong footing when it came to reusing Shirow's abandoned designs for some of his former projects. The main draw is "girls in mechas" which worked fine for anime like <i>Bubblegum Crisis</i>, even though that series had its own developed plot where <i>Gundress</i> was all whistles and bells with no substance.<br /><br />Taking place at the beginning of the 22nd Century, the new metropolis Bayside City is under the protection of the Angel Arms Company under the command of the ex-cop Takako which is an all-female strike team. The members of Angel Arms each have their own set of skills that comprise the group that gets disrupted because of new recruit Alisa. The rebellious new addition has a dark past involving the leader of a terrorist group bent on drowning the city in chaos.<br /><br /><i>Gundress</i> was finished in 1999 but didn't see an American release through Media Blasters until 2006 because there was so much speculation regarding its potential for new millennium otaku who were finally getting wise to not spend all their cash on an unheard of anime. Despite it getting an American theatrical release, <i>Gundress</i> was a bomb from start to finish. The animation clumsily adapts Masamune Shirow designs, the plot is shoddy, and the dub is bad that is almost laughable. Even hardcore cyberpunk fanatics would want to skip this stale slice of bread.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-46316474336118336672024-02-19T23:27:00.000-08:002024-02-20T00:17:30.372-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Otaku No Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmilr2eCzBWa0224CQ2L8xMRyXuP6odAJ7IaXJo6BTAAC9S_vsEbYbgij-O6kgUvuNxnA5tzC0hcrA_FhjishrnRr5y6Kf0WnHt9kT4WTjYWCath720C4EfOjsqge_O8CC-mKPMamjyBH1BhHa4cuvaOp3kNTUzQqJd9Rz7Ok_lzzy7B_zUSHJvsDkvw/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmilr2eCzBWa0224CQ2L8xMRyXuP6odAJ7IaXJo6BTAAC9S_vsEbYbgij-O6kgUvuNxnA5tzC0hcrA_FhjishrnRr5y6Kf0WnHt9kT4WTjYWCath720C4EfOjsqge_O8CC-mKPMamjyBH1BhHa4cuvaOp3kNTUzQqJd9Rz7Ok_lzzy7B_zUSHJvsDkvw/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>In an early experiment in self-parody, Gainax's <i>Otaku No Video</i> was a 2-episode OVA from 1991 that takes a satirical look at the studio's history. The OVA also is a mockumentary of the lifestyles of anime fans in Japan. <i>Vandread</i> director Takeshi Mori helmed this multi-media project that was written by <i>Gunbuster</i> author Toshio Okada. The anime itself has been available in several formats through Animeigo with to date no English dub, even though that might be for the better considering the niche market this fits into.<br /><br />The first episode takes place in 1982 where young man Ken has a prosperous life with a nice girlfriend as well as being a decent tennis player. This all seems to go down a very different path when he reunites with his old school chum Tanaka who makes him part of his anime fan club that covers a variety of geek connoisseurs. Ken begins to struggle finding a job and loses his girlfriend, so he and Tanaka decide to dedicate themselves fully to being captains in the anime industry as "Otakings". The final episode jumps to 1986 where our team of devoted otaku open a model kit company that branches into other merchandise and its own media empire, including the creation of a mature magical girl mascot. They eventually create their own amusement park at the turn of the century. Years later, there was some sort of apocalypse and they all managed to survive and return to the park to launch their space battleship homage to <i>Yamato</i>. All this is occasionally interrupted by live-action segments doing fictional interviews with various anime fans and who being an otaku can consume a person's lifestyle.<br /><br /><i>Otaku No Video</i> was groundbreaking as it set the stage for future anime titles that reflected on the fandom such as <i>Lucky Star</i> and <i>Genshiken</i>. Gainax put their all into this with the stunning character designs of Kenichi Sonoda of <i>Gunsmith Cats</i> fame. Despite its short runtime, the OVA excellently demonstrates the life of an otaku in the 80s and how they had trouble fitting into mundane society. Its abrupt take on fan culture might be uncomfortable for some viewers, but you owe it to yourself to give this piece of history a look.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-45095479766917233422024-02-17T14:09:00.000-08:002024-02-17T14:48:54.686-08:00ANI-MOVIES, *Red Hawk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORVkI0Bm3INRMQKJLKTCRRLu2GvX4i5LSisu7OtLJXtP1UQ-hB2zKCQNs5-sT5MsCmve5D9wSEIQxPwYcIQYwL4-2lIGpgCF61d8TreYAuLVHu54wpzfkvaRMsm_BcJVaBAGV5bMKaabkVv8BI6kEO7khRlMxllRC51uuDSnPA4nEWWeZu8cpIvaBn5A/s500/animovies.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORVkI0Bm3INRMQKJLKTCRRLu2GvX4i5LSisu7OtLJXtP1UQ-hB2zKCQNs5-sT5MsCmve5D9wSEIQxPwYcIQYwL4-2lIGpgCF61d8TreYAuLVHu54wpzfkvaRMsm_BcJVaBAGV5bMKaabkVv8BI6kEO7khRlMxllRC51uuDSnPA4nEWWeZu8cpIvaBn5A/s16000/animovies.png" /></a></div>Being one of the first full-length Korean animated movies to get an English release, <i>Red Hawk</i> does like several cartoons from Korea and borrows heavily from anime. Whether it is <i>Johnny Destiny: Space Ninja</i> or <i>Defenders Of Space</i>, quite a number of them are just strait up rip-offs of Japanese properties. <i>Red Hawk</i> is more inspired by Chinese folklore while spilling in elements from anime such as <i>Dragonball</i>. <i>Red Hawk</i> came out of South Korea in 1995 and was given a release by Manga Entertainment in 2002 starring most of the regular 90s English voice actors like Steve Blum, Wendee Lee, and Bridget Hoffman. As far as information that was given, <i>Red Hawk</i> was an original idea, but still appropriates from several sources, including some American pulp fiction and comics with a masked hero.<br /><br />Set in Chungwon, an evil organization known as Camellian Blossom plan to take over the country with counterfeit coins. Jan Chung teams up with the green-haired warrior woman Lunyung to solve the murder of a friend's father, all while a mysterious stranger in bird-themed outfit called Red Hawk is causing problems for the counterfeiters. Jan Chung fails to conceal his identity as the superhero as he attacks the bad guys' fortress and encounters his missing brother who has been possessed by demonic spirits. Red Hawk defeats all those who stand in his way, all while his hair keeps changing color and shape similar to a certain Super-Saiyan. It all turns out to be for naught as this was just one branch of an even larger shadow conspiracy that only lost one of its ten toes.<br /><br /><i>Red Hawk</i> does contain some decent chop-socky fights, most of which are directly copying the <i>Street Fighter II</i> anime movie. The film tries to befuddle the watcher with insane amounts of pointless details bringing up lore that doesn't apply to the story at all, as if you were forming your own wiki page for it. It's largely a string of trite anime cliches with the occasional bland attempts at comedy where the title hero tries to cover up his obvious double-identity. You aren't missing out on anything by giving this a miss, especially since it's been out of print for over a decade.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-54971094672024471122024-02-15T14:07:00.000-08:002024-02-15T15:07:25.309-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Leda: The Fantastic Adventure Of Yohko<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjXfhP0NnO2NdZ-OSS6x42a45RVDkB4rEvgoOeb6JaSK9WaGfDnvrFPDJI6qMTKgjHC7SCdcY32XVm828li4DrFVOT27qZUmpUpfuVugzFjByb0JvR4smHGjZ4-R99SrZ64yvEk_pPg53DHOyy04BphnlgiGj3BjBrArmlQkw7LcVjaf7sC5vVwK_A5c/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjXfhP0NnO2NdZ-OSS6x42a45RVDkB4rEvgoOeb6JaSK9WaGfDnvrFPDJI6qMTKgjHC7SCdcY32XVm828li4DrFVOT27qZUmpUpfuVugzFjByb0JvR4smHGjZ4-R99SrZ64yvEk_pPg53DHOyy04BphnlgiGj3BjBrArmlQkw7LcVjaf7sC5vVwK_A5c/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>Possibly being the first isekai OVA ever made, <i>Leda</i> came out in 1985. It features character designs by Mutsomi Inomata who eventually did the same for the <i>Birth</i>, so you will notice an abundance of shifting models as far as how the cast appears. Kunihiko Yuyama directed this anime just after his work on <i>Minky Mono</i>, so he was a good enough authority on the magical girl genre. However, this time the magical girl goes from Earth to an enchanted world instead of the other way around. This was an original idea as it wasn't based on any existing material, even though the novelization of the anime was written by Hideyuki Kikuchi who also created <i>Vampire Hunter D</i>, and you will notice some familiar designs from each title in the final layout of the OVA. It's rumored that <i>Leda</i> was based on the <i>Valis</i> video game series starring similar character. The dub for this was made in England featuring most of the same actors from the cast of <i>Macross: Do You Remember Love</i> movie, and it was the first original dub released in America by Right Stuf International.<br /><br />Yoko (as she is called in the dub) is a lovestruck teenager who composes a song for the boy she's hot over, but she can't summon up enough courage to play for demo tape she made for him. Yoko listens to her song on her tape player which somehow opens a portal to the other world of Ashanti. She runs across a talking dog called Ringamu and a young girl named Yoki when she is eaten by a giant plant which transforms her into a sword-wielding warrior princess in a metal bikini. Yoko is given the power of that world's former heroine Leda which involves fighting skills and access to a giant robot. Ashanti's evil wizard warlord Zell knows that Yoko's song is the key to opening the portal to Earth which he plans to take over, even though he is probably overwhelmingly outmatched with just the Japanese military. Yoko battles Zell and his forces, afterwards she makes her way back home with newfound courage to confess her love.<br /><br />Kaname Productions cut their teeth on <i>Leda</i> just as the OVA market got started with the success of <i>Dallos</i> from the year prior, even though Kaname closed their doors in 1988. The anime has only been released in America on dubbed and subtitled VHS back in the 90s, so it hasn't gotten much traction since then, despite the fact that the OVA was recently given a 4K re-release in Japan which became a bestseller at the height of this new era of isekai. The animation is above expectations for its time, and substantial detail is displayed for what is revealed to be another fantasy world. The creatures and mecha designs are matched to those of early Ghibli productions even though more emphasis is given to the emerging video games that were currently on the rise. <i>Leda</i> is more than just an excuse to have a cute anime girl in a Frazetta outfit going all Red Sonja on a high fantasy realm. There is serious depth to the mark it made on 80s otaku culture, in spite of this, <i>Leda</i> is a remarkable feat of animation that set the standard for several role-playing games.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-51821593187748280942024-02-11T13:18:00.000-08:002024-02-11T14:18:04.636-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlndcjIIVBj1adfsLCgjAV6l9X3rtWvLOxTKthlC4g1lEo5sVke_aGfy3xEhoV9uHIX4qEma7HRAnqc3H6UoVOk-8yjdGBcVqwgi-Z3vLsudefHzJ7Rl8rCHXj5yabmrC6zpx5BpLWsomuFy_WB967M3MF0-uYyR7gAAxfv-QWThemdVKPIA5KS2j7nfI/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlndcjIIVBj1adfsLCgjAV6l9X3rtWvLOxTKthlC4g1lEo5sVke_aGfy3xEhoV9uHIX4qEma7HRAnqc3H6UoVOk-8yjdGBcVqwgi-Z3vLsudefHzJ7Rl8rCHXj5yabmrC6zpx5BpLWsomuFy_WB967M3MF0-uYyR7gAAxfv-QWThemdVKPIA5KS2j7nfI/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>Named after the second installment of Capcom's fighting video game franchise, <i>Night Warriors</i> was given this name as opposed to the regular <i>Darkstalkers</i> to separate it from the American animated series which was geared more towards Saturday Morning cartoon viewing. The OVA series was strewn through a quartet of 40-minute episodes. <i>Ronin Warriors</i> director Masashi Ikeda was in charge of this Madhouse production. The anime came out at the same time of <i>Darkstalkers 3</i>, so none of the characters that premiered in that game have showed up in any anime adaptations since then, even though <i>Night Warriors</i> goes out of its way to highlight the characters original to the second game which few people cared for.<br /><br />The entire anime has several conflicting segments that sometimes coincide with each other, but most of them are unrelated throughout the course of the series. There's a feud going on between vampire lord Demitri and succubus Morrigan as the bloodsucking count was booted from the demon world long ago and the sexy bat-lady stands in his way. While this is happening, Felicia is a catwoman trying to put on a circus for kids to have them not be afraid of her kind referred to as The Dark. Bulky priest Donovan is a dhampir with an agenda to hunt down all of The Dark and its related monster spawn, one of which is a cursed set of living samurai armor, and along his journey he becomes the caretaker of another half-breed, the psychic orphan Anita. The Chinese vampire sisters of Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling are also on their own crusade, but it seems closer to the focal point of the whole OVA, a demonic alien named Pyron who invades Earth in order to duel its most powerful fighters. Most of these other characters are only briefly shown in some of the opening titles like Sasquatch, so they never get a real part in the overall story. Lord Raptor does get a decent team-up with Felicia as he was voiced by Scott McNeil who was the only returning voice actor from the American <i>Darkstalkers</i> cartoon as both shows were dubbed by the same studio.<br /><br /><i>Night Warriors</i> is a passable adaptation of the video games, but it usually fails to have the level of fun that the games had which is what made the underrated American animated series tolerable. The spurious fighting scenes appear like they are right out of the game, however the entire plot is drawn out over four episodes which should have been at best 30 minutes long each. <i>Night Warriors</i> takes itself too seriously to be enjoyable regardless of the fact it's from a game where popular movie monsters are beating each other up. Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-13803322001425395562024-02-10T14:29:00.000-08:002024-02-10T15:35:08.179-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmfbKaY42S4hnzLZJRMLMdDuWbZEPJccYHGMd5iKXN8u57aI6RbvwYOfYUpar1Z1jzUIEZdovRBOZI1jCVKelNbxHu1Ymlz6lrtRX_kus20GnVLsJigaBkToAJjA06l_j0ToESkFt0dgu0Yl12lTuCBwBsHj__ecin_dxVm-uy6TSjBi3UphY1X7lhbk/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmfbKaY42S4hnzLZJRMLMdDuWbZEPJccYHGMd5iKXN8u57aI6RbvwYOfYUpar1Z1jzUIEZdovRBOZI1jCVKelNbxHu1Ymlz6lrtRX_kus20GnVLsJigaBkToAJjA06l_j0ToESkFt0dgu0Yl12lTuCBwBsHj__ecin_dxVm-uy6TSjBi3UphY1X7lhbk/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>From 1989-1992, Visual 80 and Studio Kikan did this second anime adaptation of the manga series a few years after the <i>Guyver: Out Of Control</i> one-shot. The 12-episode OVA series got further infamy. than the original anime mostly because U.S. Renditions provided a dub for the series that was later picked up by Manga Entertainment. This was probably the version of the anime that you saw in video rental stores instead of the prior one, as well as being the anime that more inspired the American live-action movie franchise. Being split into two distinct parts between two separate studios, <i>Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor</i> had three different directors and adapted the first five volumes of the manga. Manga Entertainment really knew how to milk this series by releasing only one episode per VHS, making for a dozen rentals if you wanted to see the entire series. It was of course later bundled on DVD, but has been long out of print, even though it is currently available through streaming.<br /><br />Sho Fukamachi comes across the Guyver unit stolen from the Chronos Organization to become the armored warrior called Guyver I. Chronos sends numerous Zoanoid monsters out to take retrieve the unit, including sending their agent in the Guyver II suit. Sho gets help from his comrade Tetsuro, as well as the occasional team-up from the reclusive Guyver III. The OVA does have various edits and tweaks between the VHS and DVD releases, so your experience watching it may vary.<br /><br />Being one of the first anime titles to get be made public after the cultural impact that <i>Akira</i> made on American fans, this <i>Guyver</i> anime got much exposure, and recruited many into the tokusatsu genre since it featured superheroes battling monsters. The animation is peculiar but effective, and the designs for the inhuman characters are engrossing, if not just plain gross. The dub has some noteworthy actors getting their premiere in the English dub, including Steve Blum as Guyver III. The majority of this OVA's appeal comes from its violence ante getting upped over other anime titles of the time.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-91529621918079652072024-02-08T23:05:00.000-08:002024-02-09T00:54:27.403-08:00ANI-MOVIES, *Short Peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnthdmowT5M1F1ZcHmvluzHccJvPiPZjpwcicXlM3VH-79TSg-lg9NsoiggQ0MIv8o0QO7GP9nrxiZZXCQJvRNf7pX4Erar7zpc2We_eTNceR8S3lIqwzxoffZR8-UHbzxxSMsw1jl_gWTpjLeSFTqBki4sNJSsk6WCNeIGx9iCfe0z5pclf8GxpkMdhQ/s500/animovies.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnthdmowT5M1F1ZcHmvluzHccJvPiPZjpwcicXlM3VH-79TSg-lg9NsoiggQ0MIv8o0QO7GP9nrxiZZXCQJvRNf7pX4Erar7zpc2We_eTNceR8S3lIqwzxoffZR8-UHbzxxSMsw1jl_gWTpjLeSFTqBki4sNJSsk6WCNeIGx9iCfe0z5pclf8GxpkMdhQ/s16000/animovies.png" /></a></div>It's been a dog's age since the last authentic anime anthology motion picture. Sunrise helmed this scrumptious broth of talent featuring four different segments, each by its own director, including <i>Akira</i> creator Katsuhiro Otomo. This literal animated omnibus picked up where other classic anthology films like <i>Robot Carnival</i> left off, even though there is no consistent theme to it. The movie opens with a fantastic sequence by Studio 4C founder Koji Morimoto where a little girl plays hide-and-seek with a mischievous rabbit that leads her into a Wonderland-like multiverse where her appearance changes like going through characters choices in a video game.<br /><br />The first part is <i>Possessions</i> by <i>Tokyo Ghoul</i> director Shuhei Morita about a wandering craftsman who gets caught in a storm while journeying through the woods. He seeks refuge in a vacated shrine which happens to be overrun by tsukumogami that are a kind of yokai but of old objects. The spirits each put on a small show for the traveller and he quickly starts to mend and repair each one including umbrellas and rows of silk. The remaining objects assemble into a huge jumbled dragon made of junk which the craftsman does a brief prayer for freeing them from the earthly realm. This entire short was CGI-animated similar to the some of the <i>Baki</i> anime, yet it does stand well enough on its own creative merit making you see it as a flowing puppet show.<br /><br /><i>Combustible</i> is the second installment was done by Katsuhiro Otomo based on a manga he created in the mid-90s. It's starts out with the pull out of a long woodcut of a city during the Edo period. A young girl named Okawa carries out a friendship with her neighbor Matsukichi who aspires to be a firefighter. As time goes on, Matsukichi gets tossed out by his family for getting tattoos while Okawa is raised to be married off to a rich lord. She accidently sets fire to her wedding gifts and spreads further that Matsukichi gets called in and tries to rescue her, even though she climbs to her supposed death up a burning tower which could be seen as a metaphor for social segregation.<br /><br />Next is <i>Gambo</i> directed by Hiroaki Ando that seems more condensed that it should be. The altogether story has a red oni marauding through the mountains with samurai hunting for the lumbering monster. However, of all things a polar bear is apparently sent by the gods to finally end the oni's rampage. The last remaining girl of the nearby village befriends the bear who gets into an epic fight to the death with the oni. It ends on a slightly sad note, but you come to realize that this is how the story was destined to fold out.<br /><br />The finale is <i>A Farewell To Weapons</i> directed by <i>Gundam</i> animator Hajime Katoki. Like <i>Combustible</i>, it was also based on an Otomo manga. Happening during a new world war where humans fight against machines, a special team of soldiers are in an apocalyptic Tokyo where an abandoned warhead lies for them to retrieve. The soldiers are systematically taken out by an all-terrain robot called a Gronk leaving only one remaining soldier who is left in nothing but his birthday suit when the machine leaves him a pamphlet on how futile mankind's efforts are in fighting back. The short ends with the surviving soldier running after the Gronk with the actual warhead making you wonder he managed to get some final revenge against the cold calculating machine.<br /><br /><i>Short Peace</i> brings back nostalgic visions of other anthology anime films like <i>Memories</i> and <i>Neo Tokyo</i> that makes you long for future endeavors to carry in this honored tradition. This was a multimedia project as well as a side-scrolling video game that was unrelated to any of the four chapters in the film, so it's almost like it could have just been its own entity with no connection to the movie at all. For non-anime fans, <i>Short Peace</i> is an enticing gateway drug for future otaku as the compressed status of segment makes them like an assortment of candies that you can't just eat one of.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-9860150370774428432024-02-02T23:02:00.000-08:002024-02-02T23:41:35.047-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Big Wars<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaa_pHfxI-D160XxcjuLxAZak_idtUKl-tSN0_kdI3ctZJiZGw-M7jIkYpi7OS3b-bnbdUu6NhaO-K-8pSeMUO1HmT0cVDRXvXap3h1UoVLjn_NJUnFnGtCTbVy9d4e3z7zycCmUAlmyhnzzLU4wzud0nuZbYymSM89bbu1ZTRgIxIWRWHyO73ycku0RQ/s1600/obscure.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaa_pHfxI-D160XxcjuLxAZak_idtUKl-tSN0_kdI3ctZJiZGw-M7jIkYpi7OS3b-bnbdUu6NhaO-K-8pSeMUO1HmT0cVDRXvXap3h1UoVLjn_NJUnFnGtCTbVy9d4e3z7zycCmUAlmyhnzzLU4wzud0nuZbYymSM89bbu1ZTRgIxIWRWHyO73ycku0RQ/s1600/obscure.png" /></a></div><i>Big Wars</i> is yet another military space adventure in the spirt of <i>Starship Troopers</i>, even though this feature-length anime out before the American take on book. The OVA special came out in 1993 by Magic Bus and is inherently "Earth Vs. Flying Saucers". Yoshio Aramaki who also created the <i>Kantai</i> series wrote the novel this anime is based on. Aramaki specialized in alternative history, so it's not too hard to look at <i>Big Wars</i> as being in an alternate future.<br /><br />After a whopping text crawl explaining how humans first colonized Mars, the story shifts ahead to the early 25th Century where an unseen race of aliens have appeared to claim the planet as their own and refer to themselves as The Gods. Whether these Gods are genuine divine beings isn't ever revealed in the story, but they attack with flying saucers and can brainwash humans into acting as agents for them. Captain Akuh leads an assault against the God's main mobile base known as Hell in his own submersible warcraft, the Aoba, which is similar to <i>Space Battleship Yamato</i> as it's an old military wreck that was rebuilt for a new generation. Akuh has to deal with a corrupted government and a mind-controlled girlfriend, but in the long run he leads a suicide mission inside the alien fortress in heavy gear armored suits to sabotage their engine. It's unknown whether this permanently stopped the Gods or if there was further fighting, even though it does culminate in a psychologically stressful event with the aliens using telepathy to nearly drive the Aoba's crew mad.<br /><br /><i>Big Wars</i> has bold visuals and vigorous battle sequences, even if most of it is tanks shooting down fast flying saucers. The story is fairly bland and nothing you haven't probably seen before, but the characters are still better than anything you would see in a Michael Bay blockbuster. You won't miss anything by skipping over this, nonetheless it is an interesting view at 90s anime.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-57287371496097564412024-01-31T16:08:00.000-08:002024-01-31T16:08:06.997-08:00The "Newer" Odd Couple<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSBqMU-EjJQXLqO8iOn8WSdJezj-LT-7q0ZlquixsetDg4q4OT8pwIfOBFAA92P5uf6p61irloAERsUHTwwfEl9qM1cenBnN5yw6G200gS7lCnMiMID-VumwBP7EIYrpyUjOFWcSvkZC8Tgu7xPLT9AR0C-IHZOTsZ6fjFYa1DNNexFDHdTPjC7qQpps/s666/orkdor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="666" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSBqMU-EjJQXLqO8iOn8WSdJezj-LT-7q0ZlquixsetDg4q4OT8pwIfOBFAA92P5uf6p61irloAERsUHTwwfEl9qM1cenBnN5yw6G200gS7lCnMiMID-VumwBP7EIYrpyUjOFWcSvkZC8Tgu7xPLT9AR0C-IHZOTsZ6fjFYa1DNNexFDHdTPjC7qQpps/w400-h300/orkdor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-10251441921984463422024-01-30T12:50:00.000-08:002024-01-30T23:09:50.126-08:00ANI-MOVIES, *Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths-Part One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7KnHhUGyaH-8Nv4VN3IioT8OOuVCH9wE_FqxAon6AJhBK7iDVbVDZccVNTEuLDTQ3XsEPDDeA4TzqomgKnFmF9Iz5iAVpjLZSItMPmqyMLgxtTxzq0p3DoPPzQCnU7fqhtwsM8qhknAi-2eByPC_sh5bULktugxlDUCcKFwxiXqqEVMGycfexxtQm0g/s500/animovies.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7KnHhUGyaH-8Nv4VN3IioT8OOuVCH9wE_FqxAon6AJhBK7iDVbVDZccVNTEuLDTQ3XsEPDDeA4TzqomgKnFmF9Iz5iAVpjLZSItMPmqyMLgxtTxzq0p3DoPPzQCnU7fqhtwsM8qhknAi-2eByPC_sh5bULktugxlDUCcKFwxiXqqEVMGycfexxtQm0g/s16000/animovies.png" /></a></div>Being the first in an ambitious trilogy, <i>Crisis On Infinite Earths-Part One</i> takes the existing Tomorrowverse which only got started three years ago and merges it into its own multiverse. The second Tomorrowverse film, <i>Justice Society: World War II</i> already established that parallel universes were as commonplace as sliced bread, so the fact that there were other realities in this shared timeline isn't hard to grasp. The original maxi-series from 1985 was meant to set up an entirely new status quo for DC Comice merging all the universe into a single one, of which there has already been a take on within the Arrowverse to most credits succeeded in its version. This is the first time that the original <i>Crisis</i> has been done in animated format offering no limit to which licensed characters could star in the sprawling saga. As part of the Tomorrowverse, this happens right after <i>Justice League: Warworld</i> where Earth-1 Superman and Batman along with Earth-2 Wonder Woman are taken in by a mysterious girl called Harbinger after Martian Manhunter sacrifices himself to save the heroes. Each part of this trilogy is longer than the average DC Universe animated movies, so there is more room to focus on some of the individual characters, most specifically on the Flash going back and forth to moments in his life.<br /><br />John Constantine fresh from his <i>DC Showcase</i> limbo in the House of Mystery has spent several lifetimes acting as the Pariah for this version of <i>Crisis</i>, going from one Earth to another witnessing them being destroyed by a wave of anti-matter. The main target of the story is Barry Allen as the Flash at different points in his own timeline from when he helps form the Justice League to thwart Lex Luthor's attempt to take down metahumans with the power-stealing android Amazo, to his trips to other realities like Earth-3 run by evil superheroes that he sees getting wiped out by the anti-matter wave. A being known as the Monitor sends his agent Harbinger(who it turns out is really Supergirl from the Legion of Super-Heroes future)to collect heroes and other people with the skills and smarts to discover how to counter the anti-matter from covering all the remaining universes. The heroic eggheads come to the conclusion that setting up a special giant tuning fork on each of the still-existing Earths would save them, even though Flash gets caught up in his own Earth's destruction just as the anti-matter hits it. Barry grabs his wife Iris and seals themselves off in a time envelope while the rest of the world is slowed down to a near stop as the two of them spend the next few decades perfecting their own tuning fork along with help from the head of Amazo that Flash befriended. Flash finishes his project just after Iris dies of old age to sync up the other heroes' efforts and save their universes. This act somehow effects the future as Supergirl finds out that the Legion of Super-Heroes history comes to a premature end leaving the Monitor to consult with the mysterious Spectre.<br /><br />The first chapter of <i>Crisis</i> enters a whole new world that only occasionally goes back to incidents in the Tomorrowverse, so you don't necessarily need to see the other installments to watch this trilogy. In fact, the movie goes between so many realities and timelines that brushing up on other DC titles is almost irrelevant. The animation style matches those of the current Tomorrowverse movies, nevertheless you still feel nostalgic for the style of the Bruce Timm animated productions. As far as adapting the original comic book story, <i>Part One</i> covers most of the subplots, even though it leaves out original characters like Alexander Luthor or Lady Quark who might get featured in the sequels. There is also no reveal of the mastermind behind the whole universal termination scheme, meaning that the animated trilogy might takes a different approach to the original comic's villain. It is difficult to see how the entire story arc with fold out in the next two movies, but <i>Part One</i> is enticing enough to at least begin with.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-73529292657832392062024-01-29T17:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T17:00:55.940-08:00You came to the wrong neighborhood!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZ8V9dqpcmQC4Jl2Q6yopxVN8IwBSKmOxjgkCBdDmcySBrWWe__zbLLBYMk8zVnq4tXIV83mg_kQcgiAPzYDZWaSzOHW0TyvpiCQXIrTr2UChlzNuASTKEMKSrDwVE3LSFNAuCANpjeTsHGwdNJw8DHFU8lnLQkMHBQHygulnIua2jFmrMNz60Yu1GLs/s604/Segata%20Sanshiro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="604" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZ8V9dqpcmQC4Jl2Q6yopxVN8IwBSKmOxjgkCBdDmcySBrWWe__zbLLBYMk8zVnq4tXIV83mg_kQcgiAPzYDZWaSzOHW0TyvpiCQXIrTr2UChlzNuASTKEMKSrDwVE3LSFNAuCANpjeTsHGwdNJw8DHFU8lnLQkMHBQHygulnIua2jFmrMNz60Yu1GLs/w400-h272/Segata%20Sanshiro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-51626889703874726762024-01-29T14:56:00.000-08:002024-02-15T00:14:43.959-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Geobreeders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4kGM1AJHy1pQ1zQKPdHMN1k5_RaF5NjCs7yG0STk_7pDsO-WdFhurXN_e5UzVk_1IkZUYjlTPgUSi9EYrT9NbaLHcIadTpSSI5-wW8Go39jrrWm0hfn3JnWrjXE5Vo45JOOf4U0MvGGKEeSh2fUvJvqYdzbjlJ4UVNfVDJClFmE5yjGK8IISBCPK0ZA/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4kGM1AJHy1pQ1zQKPdHMN1k5_RaF5NjCs7yG0STk_7pDsO-WdFhurXN_e5UzVk_1IkZUYjlTPgUSi9EYrT9NbaLHcIadTpSSI5-wW8Go39jrrWm0hfn3JnWrjXE5Vo45JOOf4U0MvGGKEeSh2fUvJvqYdzbjlJ4UVNfVDJClFmE5yjGK8IISBCPK0ZA/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>Akihiro Ito has a thing for girls and guns in the same way Kenichi Sonoda did for <i>Gunsmith Cats</i> with an aesthetic influenced by American movies. Ito created a supernatural action manga titled <i>Geobreeders</i> that builds on the "babes and bullets" trend that was abound in the 90s. The manga got two OVA series, a 3-episode one directed by Yuji Moriyama who helmed <i>Project A-ko</i>, and then a 4-episode sequel titled <i>Geobreeders: Breakthrough</i> by <i>Initial D</i> director Shin Misawa. Both of these along with the original manga got an English release from Central Park Media with varying degrees of success with the first OVA series having a little more traction than the sequel since they did little advertising for it. Each version of the story in anime and manga contains hardcore gun action and gratuitous portions of fanservice along with some impressive character development. Chaos Project was the studio behind both OVA series which also worked on fan favorites such as <i>Comic Party</i> and <i>To Heart</i>. The main downside to the anime adaptation is that it doesn't explain much of the plot if you hadn't already scoped out the manga.<br /><br />Kagura Total Security Inc. is team of five females in Ayagane City who hire their services specifically for the task of hunting down a terrorist group of cat people called the Phantom Cats. The evil were-cats use their shapeshifting abilities to cause instability, mainly with the government whose agencies regularly conflict with the Kagura girls. The Phantom Cats also have the power to spiritually take over various electronic devices, making them more like gremlins than lycanthropes. Kagura's only male member Taba in constantly struggling to have the other ladies stay on point while he goes further into debt to them, partially to help protect the stray Phantom Cat named Maya that he took in that the others a searching for. Kagura can use technological charms to send the cats back to the ether, the particularity involves cornering the cats into four-sided space with parchments. This leads to an abundance of destruction in Kagura's efforts to catch their prey that are up to screwball comedy levels of absurdity.<br /><br />Both pistol-packing OVA series are winsome in their own way, even though <i>Breakthrough</i> drags the premise further than it needed to with an extra episode. Unless you bothered to check out at least the first two volumes of the manga then you will be at a loss trying to comprehend the whole plot. It might seem inviting with its gun-toting ecchi girls regardless of the lack of explanations concerning its inner lore.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-78807758379898607082024-01-28T23:08:00.000-08:002024-02-15T00:13:21.052-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Genocyber<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP3CySOHLj2iaHP_-PakmaIFQqF7Z_BbgwSwfXiftGo-2eD3CiKwzKo1nTHWqKzCiphkqa73dlmbCk2UdvRfeCjnkMZ-XY3fYC_hnCCrTxVJgW5CiXkanZgf4yjV_J2xali19VvK1e6AhDAa3CXF1unbodh7kqwyrp-qfP5yxStNGXgOTsk4V5oLgGT0/s1600/obscure.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP3CySOHLj2iaHP_-PakmaIFQqF7Z_BbgwSwfXiftGo-2eD3CiKwzKo1nTHWqKzCiphkqa73dlmbCk2UdvRfeCjnkMZ-XY3fYC_hnCCrTxVJgW5CiXkanZgf4yjV_J2xali19VvK1e6AhDAa3CXF1unbodh7kqwyrp-qfP5yxStNGXgOTsk4V5oLgGT0/s1600/obscure.png" /></a></div>Tony Takezaki created a giant one-shot manga in the early 90s titled <i>Genocyber</i> that went on to form a 5-episode OVA series with plot lines that reach far into the future that weren't even covered in the original story. You can see some of Takzaki's biopunk theme in his work on the <i>A.D. Police Files</i> OVA, this however is just a sampling of the carnage that followed in <i>Genocyber</i>. The anime is an anthology with a trio of story arcs set in the same timeline. <i>Cybernetics Guardian</i> director Koichi Ohata helmed this project and was also the head writer meaning he had both feet on the wheel in driving this train off the tracks. Artmic and Artland animated this unwonted production that was splattered with scenes of evisceration and computer animation. Body horror that makes John Carpenter's <i>The Thing</i> look tame is used to pad out the bulk of this heavy metal violence fetish brought to life.<br /><br />The first chapter of this is one long episode where the research company, The Kuryu Group, is on the verge of building the ultimate weapon just as a new world government is being formed. Their test subjects for this Frankenstein experiment are two sisters, the psychic Elaine and the crippled Diana who has her body modified into a cyborg. Elaine escapes and gets abused by street urchins while avoiding Kuryu hunters, only to eventually be tracked down by Diana in her new robot form who merges her consciousness with Elaine to fuse into the monster known as Genocyber who wrecks the entire city of Hong Kong. The second chapter takes up the next two episodes with Genocyber cutting a swath through the country of Karain which the U.N. and American military fail to stop. The Kuryu Group sends another version of their weapon called Vajra to counter Genocyber who currently looks like a young blonde girl with a bionic torso with Elaine being the dominant personality, the downside to which is Diana mentality slowly driving her insane. The Vajra infects an entire aircraft carrier that morphs it into a fleshy metal abomination but Genocyber counters it as it destroys the entire country. The last two episodes conclude the series after Genocyber has devastated the majority of the Earth further in the future with humans having retreated into the sanctuary called Grand Ark. The remaining population is under the thumb of a religious order that worships Genocyber like a deity that have found the husk of its body as the sisters spirited off long ago. A psychic lady named Mei rekindles the sisters' souls within Genocyber as it ascends to waste nearly all of Grand Ark's citizens.<br /><br />The entire slaughterhouse tour that is <i>Genocyber</i> was just a sadistic saga of graphic violence. The story is nigh impossible to follow with it transitioning from one arc to another giving the viewer motion sickness with the rapidly shifting plot. The beginning episode had the hint of a decent futuristic horror story, but it just keeps chewing up everything including any human interest as each cast member just gets shoved through a meatgrinder. This whole enchilada is completely skippable and one long meaningless exercise.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-26966079665958634202024-01-28T12:31:00.000-08:002024-02-15T00:10:41.265-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Green Legend Ran<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-a6vJY39-C-_Hr19Q5JYUzoTZoZb-JqRyHUW49q5pd7YCmIbkp1tw9CL456LszG-5eA1e6rJ9prKls_mtsWJPMFSpiT2Wsh5CCzw0RdegIncTS2csxDSerRiMJoVZ-rD_rMY1Q53CIB6sUS1GJOXkiIcUTbqtbqHoX8DS4ZmuEVHM80Buhcb1z2YUbo/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-a6vJY39-C-_Hr19Q5JYUzoTZoZb-JqRyHUW49q5pd7YCmIbkp1tw9CL456LszG-5eA1e6rJ9prKls_mtsWJPMFSpiT2Wsh5CCzw0RdegIncTS2csxDSerRiMJoVZ-rD_rMY1Q53CIB6sUS1GJOXkiIcUTbqtbqHoX8DS4ZmuEVHM80Buhcb1z2YUbo/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div>AIC and none other than MTV combined their efforts as the studios behind this fine example of which genre could be labeled "sandpunk", meaning post-apocalyptic sagas taking place in a vast desert. Speaking of sagas, Satoshi Saga was the director of the 3-episode OVA series that had an original script by Yu Yamamato. The anime might seem like yet another "environmental hippie message" trying to teach people to be all eco-friendly in the spirit of <i>Ferngully</i>, but this happens in a version of Earth that was decimated by outside forces, so it's more similar to <i>Nausicaa</i>. The series was first released in English by Pioneer Entertainment, and then later rescued by Sentai Filmworks, even getting a full-length presentation on Syfy.<br /><br />An alien race of sentient pillars known as the Rodo plunders the Earth of its resources leaving only a straggling number to carry on the remnants of the human race. The survivors reside in areas called Holy Green that the Rodo controls and allow people to live in outside the dusty wastelands. The Holy Greens are run by a cult of devoted believers in their cause referred to as Rodoists as they are in charge of the water supply. An organization called Hazzard rises to oppose the Rodoist rule, of which the rebellious boy Ran joins as he gains feelings for their young member Aira. The silver-haired girl is taken by the Hazzard higher-ups who need her for dealing with the Rodoists, and their commander might be the man who killed Ran's mother years ago. Ran chases after Aira and runs across a merchant named Jeke who offers to help him on his quest.<br /><br /><i>Green Legend Ran</i> is obviously inspired by sci-fi classics like <i>Future Boy Conan</i> and <i>Mad Max</i> in a savage world with only those who endure to overcome the collapse of society, and you know society has collapsed because the kids get away with smoking cigarettes. Some American advertisements tried to pitch this as a children's anime, which is hard considering all the bullets and bloodshed. The animation is enticing to first timers, even though it's nothing that can't be found elsewhere.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-14233573199579425922024-01-27T23:20:00.000-08:002024-02-15T00:07:35.100-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Birdy The Mighty<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNigwV9VavFwiAmfwt6TTHMIFJVpQy9u07onmKDTKbeaUAABQGs8-Y2y1REdZ1rj2Ajl6gGzZKQpIhv-8dL-N5wnDNJz5eKuLNCvLBJDcze_Q7m0pfF1DwkUOIXZQnordDdhjzy15LlVVsMc3_hcgBQBvdo8sHwH_Mp6f0B2mtzSkmnjcitC5D7_ZvUw/s1600/obscure.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNigwV9VavFwiAmfwt6TTHMIFJVpQy9u07onmKDTKbeaUAABQGs8-Y2y1REdZ1rj2Ajl6gGzZKQpIhv-8dL-N5wnDNJz5eKuLNCvLBJDcze_Q7m0pfF1DwkUOIXZQnordDdhjzy15LlVVsMc3_hcgBQBvdo8sHwH_Mp6f0B2mtzSkmnjcitC5D7_ZvUw/s1600/obscure.png" /></a></div>Masami Yuki first wrote his manga of <i>Birdy The Mighty</i> in the mid-80s that was later remade in the 2000s. The original interpretation was adapted into a 4-episode OVA series in 1996 directed by none other than Yoshiaki Kawajiri who created <i>Ninja Scroll</i>, and splendidly animated by Madhouse studio just before they did the <i>Darkstalkers</i> anime. The manga also had the feather in its cap of beating out <i>Ranma 1/2</i> for the random gender-swapping concept by at least a year, even though its anime didn't premiere until years after the <i>Ranma 1/2</i> TV series had already ended. The OVA wasn't the only conversion into anime as the remake got its own TV series a while ago that also garnered success with the superhero and tokusatsu audience. U.S. Manga Corps released the OVA in two separate VHS and DVD volumes with an uninspiring dub that brings on nothing but cringe.<br /><br />Tsutomu is a struggling teen trying to pass his entrance exams into high school when out of nowhere he gets killed. Turns out that he wandered into the middle of fight between a poliosis-haired female space spy named Birdy who was chasing down an alien outlaw. To make amends for having his body damaged, the space patrol fused Tsutomu's body with Birdy, so now both consciousnesses are active in the same vessel which Birdy can change on and off when the need calls for it. The fact that Birdy's form is a curvy cutie in a very revealing uniform with the added bonus of super-strength comes in handy when they need to bust alien menaces. Birdy's investigation on Earth leads to a conspiracy between intergalactic terrorists and a typical mad scientist that fuses human DNA with that of other space races. Adding to the frustration that Tsumotu's life is now under constant danger as his body had been roped into an astronomical affair, he has to worry about Birdy trying to set him up on a date with the only other person who knows his new secret. All this, and there is an outside party watching the whole thing play out with designs of their own for the fate of the Earth.<br /><br />The gender-bending genre owes much to <i>Birdy The Mighty</i> for pioneering this path that unfortunately for creator Masami Yuki has been attributed to later manga-ka. The OVA adaptation is like a teenage comedy take on <i>Ultraman</i> where a common Earthling has to timeshare his body with an outer space superhero, although here it is a bouncy anime girl with extraordinary powers instead of a giant metal man. Kawajiri's direction operates efficiently with spirited action scenes that are up to par to theatrical animation. The OVA concludes with room for more adventures in store for Birdy and her human partner despite the fact that it didn't continue, but the TV series has more room to round out the story further.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-16927550446303568172024-01-27T15:37:00.000-08:002024-01-27T15:37:40.221-08:00Remember...only you can prevent forest fires.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3X6YgXxo6SKq3B8aa72OBiMRYY15ZWsdLnoWLd5HRHOJmd3tbJuYJ54769yoXvS-Ya_4FJ4ta1QvdZCDOKv-IiEQ9eLtl-Qi5gBgG-1sPvXvk968WXwqlMkSog8fTMKBxBDhfLGEdpiAgSbfPPgv2UXGtPVbz0qX89_5drcjs0aItjhQdOBF7NqQqUCg/s1600/godzilla.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="888" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3X6YgXxo6SKq3B8aa72OBiMRYY15ZWsdLnoWLd5HRHOJmd3tbJuYJ54769yoXvS-Ya_4FJ4ta1QvdZCDOKv-IiEQ9eLtl-Qi5gBgG-1sPvXvk968WXwqlMkSog8fTMKBxBDhfLGEdpiAgSbfPPgv2UXGtPVbz0qX89_5drcjs0aItjhQdOBF7NqQqUCg/w400-h225/godzilla.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-80168292189046725492024-01-26T14:54:00.000-08:002024-02-15T00:05:11.407-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Ellcia<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisg2UHZdXpR1wC8rtWMdXUyBgqbE2Wn353iWYDWNGbuD_pVw5dxqrQa5u9W99_iucdyp4LFrWsyg16xy4QiNiZmQk24Pc4Q0LGhoYZckO8fQnpuC8RV86z_Po0_kuw37DZak7QST7v0sW8WyOBCGSJYECoHJDy8W5nLnK0oafkS9I5R4oScr7JrU4XPmc/s1600/obscure.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisg2UHZdXpR1wC8rtWMdXUyBgqbE2Wn353iWYDWNGbuD_pVw5dxqrQa5u9W99_iucdyp4LFrWsyg16xy4QiNiZmQk24Pc4Q0LGhoYZckO8fQnpuC8RV86z_Po0_kuw37DZak7QST7v0sW8WyOBCGSJYECoHJDy8W5nLnK0oafkS9I5R4oScr7JrU4XPmc/s1600/obscure.png" /></a></div>The 4-episode OVA series <i>Ellcia</i> is arguably the prototype pirate anime, at least of the seaworthy variety. Premiering in 1992, this was an original production by J.C. Staff, written and directed by animator Yoriyasu Kogawa, and featured character designs by Yasuomi Umetsu of <i>Kite</i> and <i>Mezzo</i> fame. There is a janky style to the characters and incompatible fashion sense even for the patchwork finesse of pirates. The story rolls along like a role-playing campaign with more annoying cast members and plot snags that doesn't create a beneficial experience for any onlookers.<br /><br />Proceeding in the world known as Ellcia, the kingdom of Megaronia had taken over the island nation of Eija, but the greedy Princess Crystal learns of a mythical ship capable of conquering any enemy. An ancient book of Eija gives her the clue on this ultimate weapon, so pesky princess sets out to the Eija territory to find this ship and brings along with the imprisoned heir to Eija to use as collateral. A motley crew of pirates from Eija lead by the swashbuckling Captain Eira are out to try and rescue the kidnapped prince while learning the true hidden power of the Eija elders and its strange race of psychics.<br /><br /><i>Ellcia</i> wasn't much of a success in either Japan or America perhaps due to the fact that C<i>utthroat Island</i> still left a bad taste in people's mouths ruining any interest in the pirate category. Where titles like <i>One Piece</i> have managed to literally keep the oceanic adventures genre afloat, <i>Ellcia</i> has an outstanding lack of direction or anything worth getting investing in. ADV Films first released this as a quartet of individual VHS tapes and then finally a collected DVD but did little to make this interesting for American otaku with their minimal amount of advertising.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865017372838739039.post-67147420276151497042024-01-25T23:42:00.000-08:002024-01-26T00:33:26.524-08:00OBSCURE O.V.A.S, *Rayearth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN0KGgBhJIPb5sLqNhyB1PI4QMef_pMEK-SYSb-fhWU9lBsk7ctaux42HZmoWPX-0HSattNaHq4fQeyz_6H1bVVoDMDpdCDa4RhJjrWR2G3oLQSOdMylvInwUFg3IHV-I07a8_JtrvPRxky3zSAEkOOHW5Kg6ejiAp_K7hb7XVxIxaOFMNnRVMbTvK9Y/s500/obscure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN0KGgBhJIPb5sLqNhyB1PI4QMef_pMEK-SYSb-fhWU9lBsk7ctaux42HZmoWPX-0HSattNaHq4fQeyz_6H1bVVoDMDpdCDa4RhJjrWR2G3oLQSOdMylvInwUFg3IHV-I07a8_JtrvPRxky3zSAEkOOHW5Kg6ejiAp_K7hb7XVxIxaOFMNnRVMbTvK9Y/s16000/obscure.png" /></a></div><i>Magic Knight Rayearth</i> was CLAMP's beginning blockbuster as a manga and a 2-season anime TV series. It was also one of the original isekai titles taking people from the real world to something out of an RPG. In 1997, a 3-episode OVA series remake came out titled just <i>Rayearth</i> which altered the original story where instead of people going to another world, the other world comes to Earth and tries to take it over. CLAMP had little to do with this version of their creation that was made public in English by Manga Entertainment and featured a completely different dubbing crew than what Media Blasters did for the TV show. The quality of the animation is evidently better as TMS Entertainment took over total manufacturing of this project.<br /><br />This rendition of <i>Rayearth</i> has older versions of Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi all about to graduate from the same high school and go their separate ways. A strange bunny-like marshmallow creature shows up to indicate that things have gotten weird as people from the magical world of Cephiro begin to slowly creep into downtown Tokyo merging their world with ours. The three girls each get their own deity to counter the invading sorcerers and they have to learn how to use their newfound bonds and all the fabulous secret powers they unlock. In this remake, Eagle Vision is Princess Emerude's brother and leading the charge on this interdimensional incursion, also Lantis is introduced earlier into the story. The OVA fold out in a way reflective of CLAMP's other hit title <i>X/1999</i>, except this time it's the Magic Knights versus the Cephiro warriors instead of different factions of psychics fighting for the fate of the world, although they still work in a giant robot battle in the end.<br /><br /><i>Rayearth</i> was one of the first of a chain of productions like <i>Utena</i> and <i>Escaflowne</i> that instead of continuing the previous TV series it was completely reworked for a new audience. In this case, the new interpretation just uproots the original characters and puts them in a downright contrasting scenario. It's like looking at the <i>Kingdom Hearts</i> take on <i>Final Fantasy</i> characters and seeing how they might fit into a Disney movie, for all the good that doesn't do as it jettisons the charm and humor of the TV show and makes it just an extra superhero wannabe clone.Jer Alfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09182042885957100933noreply@blogger.com0