artist-retired's Blog

Back to artist-retired's Blog

Actually I wanted to start this blog last week, but I was pretty swamped and stuff so it was a no go, but I'll just do this as a week 0 blog post, talking about the stuff I got last week which was quite a lot actually (spulgeing is a horrible thing to do with your wallet).

ANIME:Three titles from last week's purchases from Funimation, Sentai, and Bandai.

Up first is the fun and very entertaining series by Key, Angel Beats Complete Collection on DVD, released by Sentai Flimworks.



Among one of my favorite series from last year, I was surprised to see Sentai pick this one up for a dub release (The dub is acceptable), and from my perspective, is doing very well as the copies from my local video store are flying off the selves, with mine being one of the very last copies, though there were a lot of blu ray copies lying around.
The item itself is pretty cheap looking, but inside is a weird part that holds two of the discs in a transparent white disc holder, having one disc on each side. The episodes are spread onto three discs with some good artwork of Yuri, Yui, and Angel on the discs, extras include: the ova stairway to heaven, textless opening and ending themes and a few trailers, I'm disappointed by Sentai for not including the extra epilogue in this release.
Do I recommend it? I want to recommend every Angel Beats fan to go out and pick up this immediately, but the $39.99 pricing for a meh dvd casing, is questionable, and is not a complete set, but with a decent dub, and at least the ova included, It's worth it (Also Sentai needs money).
_____________________________________________________________
Next up is the money grubbing re-re-re-release of Dragonball Z, Dragonball Z Kai Part Six, released by Funimation.


Pow! Right in the back of the kisser!

But joking aside, this is a nice package from Funimation, the designs would made any dbz fan happy. And it's not a dvd case, but one of their nicer looking dvd thin packs (Yet the two thin dvd cases inside are recycled however), covering up the first half of the Cell saga, which I'm happy to say that Dameon Clark returns for the role of Cell.
And one thing to make clear, I believe Funimation is not entirely milking dbz, especially since this dvd set is only $16.99 online and $19.99 in stores (But I got a five dollar discount for it being a new release at hastings) for 13 episodes, and a brand spanking new english dub, far superior to any previous dub of dbz.
Extras include: textless songs and trailers, pretty bare bones there.
Do I recommend it? Definitely, dbz fans, go buy this set, everyone else, start from the beginning kai set.
______________________________________________________________
And last, but definitely not least, the only gundam anime that I actually give a shit about, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Part 1, released by Bandai,



This is, what I would like to call, the "Save your goddamn money, and buy this intend of the insanely priced blu ray versions" release because Bandai usually wants your money. Of all of the R1 companies, Bandai has a habit of overpricing stuff, ($35,99 for four episodes of Code Geass? F that!) specifically the Unicorn blu ray singles, $59.99, for one hour long episode of Gundam, sorry to hardcore fans of gundam but, that's not going to fly with me, and I was seriously going to give up on this gundam (Like so many others), but, apparently someone at bandai realized, american anime fans are not made of money, and now we have a cheaper, like unbelievably more affordable means of obtaining Unicorn, in a dvd single for only $19.99.
You're probably thinking I'm a cheapo, but the kicker is, it's the first two episodes.
Compared to buying the first two blu rays to this, you save $100.00, the downside? It's not in blu ray.
The dvd case isn't recycled, and it even has a cover on the other side, if you're more a "full frontal" kind of person.
Extras include: A shit ton of stuff involving the production of episode 1, and some trailers.
Do I recommend it? If you want to save your money, absolutely, it's content filled, but if you really want to watch it in the highest quality, you'll have to break your wallet.
_________________________________________________________
Manga:Four titles from last week.

First up, Maho Sensei Negima volume 26, released by Del Rey.



The item itself is made very well (As expected from Del Rey) that includes a lot of extras.
Overall, another quality product for negima fans to enjoy for $10.99.
__________________________________________________________
Next, we have the moe-tastic manga series, you know what I'm talking about, K-ON! volume 3, released by Yen Press.



Unlike Yen Presses other releases, K-ON is very well made, probably second to the quality of their Haruhi novels and Twilight graphic novels. Plenty of color pages, amusing extras, and larger than the ordinary manga size, that justifies the $11.99 pricing.
A fan or not, you can not deny Yen's gracious treatment with the production, K-ON fans must be thrilled.
___________________________________________________________
Number tres is something special to me, Eureka Seven volume 6, final volume, released by Bandai.



By special, I mean that Eureka is one of the very first manga I have ever read, and since 2006, I have neglected to finish it for some unknown reasons, but I saw it used at my local book store, and thought, "If I don't get it now, I will never get it."
So I got it, it's in fine condition, and for $3.00 I would have been insane not to get it.
The manga is well made, and even has color pages, It's a fine product.
_____________________________________________________________
And finally, something new, a series I've been curious about for some time, Mardock Scramble volume 1, released by Kodansha Comics.



Here is one of the many new series Kodansha is bringing over to america, Mardock Scramble, a dystopian sci fi manga series, that is pretty unique and strange, in a good way.
The manga itself is different from other Del Rey/Kodansha titles, the cover feels similar to the Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei manga volumes, which is nice.
Sadly there are no extras other than a preview of volume 2, but $10.99 is a decent price to buy this.

Overall: While I marvel at Funimation's and Yen Presses craftsmanship of their products, I'm happy with bandai's decision to not made us break the bank for episode of gundam, ending a series I have attachments to, and checking out Kodansha's new stuff. However, I am displeased by Sentai's cheap set (Though it's justifiable).

Solid B+ this week

Here is this weeks log, Week 1: http://myanimelist.net/blog.php?eid=151973