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It has been widely agreed that Hayao Miyazaki is a master at his craft when it comes to combining rich animation with thoughtful storylines and similarly imaginative characters. His movies, from Nausicaa, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and Princess Mononoke to the recent Howl's Moving Castle are all not only gorgeously rendered in terms of art, but in terms of moviemaking as well. Can this man do no wrong? Not really, but it is impossible to expect everyone of his movies to always be five star marvels. His newest film, Ponyo, an unashamedly family-friendly tale of a "goldfish out of water", is as lushly animated and alive with interesting characters as you would expect... and yet this is the first film of his which treads into "lesser" territory. Don't get me wrong, Ponyo is not a bad movie by any means. As mentioned, it is a sight for the eyes and is as charming and adorable as Totoro and Kiki. The problem is that the story doesn't stay afloat to satisfy anyone eager for another engrossing, in-depth plot.

It starts out on a moonlit night underwater, in which we see one Fujimoto, a mysterious (and somewhat neurotic) magician on the prow of his submarine, metamorphosizing plankton into live-size jellyfish. During this, a cute little goldfish (with the head of a human) swims out of his craft and takes a forbidden voyage to the "human world". Before you know it, she finds herself in the arms of Sosuke, a little boy (who bears a strange resemblance to Kanta from Totoro but is more like Pazu from Castle; interestingly, the director created him after his own son) who finds himself quite taken with her. What begins is a variation of the "boy gets goldfish-struggles to hide goldfish-loses goldfish" scenario. This is the best part of the entire movie, in which it showcases Miyazaki's fascination with childlike discovery and the struggles of keeping a new friend a secret. It should be interesting to note that he never butts heads with his mother about this.

At this point I am going to take a break and talk about who is my favorite character in the movie--Lisa, the mother of Sosuke. She's caring, kind, and very supportive of her son, but also has a bit of an aggravated temper, particularly when she gets annoyed with her seafaring husband, Koichi, for continually staying out at sea instead of keeping his promise to return home. In one memorable and hilarious scene, where Sosuke is sending a flash signal from the front porch of his house, an incensed Lisa makes no secret showing her disdain for her husband staying away from his family (Sosuke, naturally, softens the whole thing by sending a friendlier message after seeing a light show from his father's ship). She is also a VERY reckless driver, as witnessed in the scenes where she narrowly zooms her car across a dock where a ship is about to pull in. It helps, too, that I happen to have a parent named Lisa, who is pretty much the same person (save for the driving part).

Anyway, Fujimoto takes the goldfish (whom Sosuke has named Ponyo) back to his underwater farm and tries to talk her into staying away from humans. Ponyo, however, who has taken a liking to Sosuke's hand sandwich (and tasted his human blood from a cut on his finger) insists on becoming human. So, of course, she breaks into her father's secret chamber and drinks his magic elixir. Before you know it, Ponyo becomes a hyperactive four-year old with short crimson hair (the spitting image of Mei from Totoro) with magic powers; she rides on an oversized tsunami of fish across the ocean in search of Sosuke, sending a hurricane all over the entire town. (This sequence, in which gargantuan ocean waves threaten to swallow Sosuke and Lisa's car as they blaze toward their home on a cliff, is the most exciting in the entire movie.) The storm ends when Ponyo finally finds Sosuke and is subsequently taken in by Lisa.

It is after this moment, unfortunately, when Ponyo starts to run out of momentum. Although the scenes where Ponyo and Sosuke share a dinner of ham and noodles are cute and funny, many of the subsequent sequences slide into somewhat sluggish territory. The focal point of the plot is when environmentalist Fujimoto and his wife, a diaphanous sea-goddess named Gran Mamare (with the ability to shift from a titanic giant into a human sized woman) decide to test both Ponyo and Sosuke to see if the youngsters' love can save the entire planet, which, at this point, is in danger of becoming totally enveloped by water (the moon having grown to enormous size and satellites drifting into the ocean). Using a toy boat (oversized by Ponyo's magic), the two youngsters set out across their world, now transformed into an underwater aquarium, complete with gargantuan fish in search of Sosuke's mother. These scenes are still a lot of fun, especially when they are stopped by a fleet of friendly passengers, including a mother with her sickly baby.

Naturally, one would expect a finale of tension and real trauma to cap off such a story, and that is where Ponyo finally takes on water; the actual ending is both anti-climactic and undermines the joy and imagination that came before. It really is a shame, too, because for the opening hour and fifteen or so minutes, Ponyo is the embodiment of a child's watery fantasy captured on film. In fact, the entire aura of Ponyo feels like a fairy tale for children, and the movie plays out as such, and it is disappointing to discover that it doesn't finish as strongly as it starts.

On a technical level, Ponyo cannot be faulted. The animation is absolutely gorgeous to look at, produced entirely without a single shot of computer-generated-imagery, and naturally Joe Hisaishi provides us with yet another breathtaking musical score; the best moments being the rousing sequences underwater, accompanied by a chorus and a soprano voice. And the backgrounds are lovingly painted and detailed as any other Ghibli movies.

Having proved themselves worthy on translating and dubbing Ghibli's previous movies into English with top-quality results, Disney Studios and Pixar once again provide an English translation (courtesy of E.T.'s Melissa Mathison) and a mostly capable cast of actors. Compared to most of their other dubs, though, I do have some issues, although in all fairness, not enough to discourage anyone from giving it a view. Frankie Jonas (youngest member of the Jonas Brothers) is surprisingly good as Sosuke, sounding very natural and believable throughout. Noah Cyrus (younger sister of Miley Cyrus of Hannah Montana) as Ponyo, on the other hand, sometimes goes overboard in shouting her lines before eventually settling down toward the end. Leads aside, the rest of the cast includes Liam Neeson as the overprotective Fujimoto (who manages himself unsurprisingly well in the character), Cate Blanchett as Gran Mamare (in a reverberated voice and omnipresent tone which is not much different from her Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings), Matt Damon as Sosuke's father Koichi (who is good but nothing to write home about), and Tina Fey as Lisa. Of them, Fey is the best voice in the entire cast, imbuing the character with just the right amount of spirit and personality. Her scenes with Sosuke show real chemistry. On the other hand, Cloris Leachman, who was spectacular as Dola in Castle in the Sky, is disappointingly wasted as one of three handicapped elderly women (she barely has any lines!), who are also voiced by Betty White and Lily Tomlin. Of them, only Tomlin's character, a cantankerous woman named Toki, shows any real personality, but if I were casting the movie, I'd switch Tomlin with Leachman. The script adaptation flows well for the most part, although the inclusion of Japanese honorifics, like "sensei" and "san" feel somewhat out of place for a dub that's supposed to be targeted toward a wider audience. Probably the only really jarring drawback of the dub is a blasty techno-remix of the film's catchy (but ridiculously repetitive) title song, which thankfully doesn't occur until midway through the closing credits. Considering that the rest of the movie features a lovely score and a soprano-belted opera number at the beginning, it's a very curious, unfortunate marketing ploy. Compared to Disney's other dubs for Ghibli, this one is less seamless, but it still does its job well for the most part.

On the whole, Ponyo is a good film; a fine piece of animated work which is perfect for youngsters and family audiences. Due to the loss of momentum toward the end, though, it falls far short of classic status. Since Miyazaki at his least is still better than a majority of other animated films, though, I'll be generous and give Ponyo a full star recommendation, because any feature of his is still very much worth watching, particularly on the big screen. (Be sure to catch it in the theaters while you can.) read more

Fans who remember Isao Takahata best for his relentless tearjerker, "Grave of the Fireflies", could very well react with surprise and shock upon viewing "Pom Poko". This lavishly animated tale about raccoons battling for their homeland (which was the biggest hit of 1994 in Japan) isn't so much a heartwrenching tragedy as it is an interesting amalgam of humor, drama, and action--all delivered in a way that is daringly original for animation. At times, the viewer gets treated to scenes which recall the one-two-three emotional punch of "Grave of the Fireflies", but even though the tone of the movie is somber, a handful of lighthearted moments elevate the overall production out of depression.

As this is a Studio Ghibli film, production values are spectacular. Backgrounds are painted with a tasteful mixture of simplicity and art, and the raccoons are as cuddlesome as you would expect--especially when they shape-shift from "ordinary" animals to Saturday-morning-cartoon style critters in the style of shows such as "Care Bears". (If you're scratching your head while reading this, don't be alarmed--according to Japanese folklore, raccoons have the power to transform into anything--including human beings!) The actual animation is as colorful and imaginative as you might expect from a Ghibli movie--and there is one scene where we are treated to cameo appearances by Porco Rosso, Kiki, and Totoro.

While "Pom Poko" has a story to tell and a meaningful message for one to think about, its character and plot aspects may come across as a bit off-putting to viewers expecting a typical animated feature. Indeed, while some raccoons identify themselves with distinguishable names and/or personalities (for example, Gonta is a burly, rough-and-ready raccoon who is always looking for a fight, while Oroku is the "wise woman" of the tribe), the story offers little in the way of character development. In fact, most of the action in the story is narrated (by Maurice LaMarche in English, Kokondei Shinchou in Japanese), which elevates the overall effect of the movie to that of a semi-documentary. For the most part, this approach works to a very interesting degree and is a refreshing change of pace. However, there were some scenes in the movie where I wished the narration could have been reduced a little bit, as it sometimes gets in the way of appreciating the beauty of the visuals onscreen.

Aside from this, the biggest controversy about "Pom Poko" seems to be centered on several scenes where the raccoons can inflate and/or transform their testicles(!) for multiple purposes. One particular scene involves a raccoon flattening his testicles against a truck, causing its driver to crash. Such moments may be alarming to children, but it is important to remember that while we see the testicles at times, the movie is, after all, animated. Even still, while a Japanese audience may take such scenes naturally, squeamish viewers in America could react differently. In fact, as a solution to handling this kind of translation issue, the English language version (produced once again by Disney) refers to the testicles as "pouches". That's a somewhat awkward decision, but it sure beats digitally removing the testicles from the scenes they're in.

"Pom Poko" was obviously a nightmare for English dub writers Cindy and Donald Hewitt to translate (especially since much of the movie is rooted in Japanese culture), but I really have to commend them for their efforts. There is some Americanizing here and there, but there was little, if any, that I could find missing in their script. In fact, I was most impressed at how they handled the songs; while at least two of them come across as a little contrived and/or corny, others flow so naturally that you never would have sworn that these were originally Japanese folksongs.

Another interesting aspect of the dub is the voice acting. With the exception of Jonathan Taylor Thomas (star of TV's "Home Improvement"), the cast consists of veteran performers who are known for cartoon voice work; Tress MacNeille, John DiMaggio, Russi Taylor, Andre Stojka, and Clancy Brown, to name a few. Whether this was done to cut down on costs for big-name stars or for avoiding aural distraction is unclear, but when listening to the spirit and energy that the aforementioned voice artists give their characters, it really doesn't matter.

"Pom Poko" may be an unusual entry from Isao Takahata, and its foreign aspects may not appeal to everyone, but if given a chance, the film offers a colorful display of imagination and pathos as well as an experience unlike many that one will find from ordinary cartoons. read more

Of all the movies Studio Ghibli has produced, "My Neighbers the Yamadas" could probably be the most unconventional of them all. This family comedy feels like a very jarring change of pace for director Isao Takahata, the man who gave us a heartbreaker in "Grave of the Fireflies" and a docudrama fantasy oddity called "Pom Poko"

For one thing, the feature is not--I repeat, IS NOT--plot-oriented. It comes across as a series of individual skits involving the titular family in their day-to-day life. The lack of a narrative may put off people beforehand, but doing so could very well deprive you of a most delightful--and refreshingly original--viewing experience. Watching how the Yamadas interact and go about life is every bit as poignant, funny, and off-the-walls as real family life can be; not only are we treated to disputes on who gets to watch TV, but we get to see stories such as the youngest sister, Nonoko, getting accidentally left behind at a shopping mall and all the trouble her parents go to in order to find her. The movie also relishes in silliness and surrealism--especially in the sequences where Mr. Yamada imagines himself as a superhero rescuing his wife and mother-in-law from crooks and the showclosing "Que Sara Sara", where the family floats through the sky on balloons. All these random events unfold at a roller coaster pace.

What I enjoyed most about the movie was the way it looks and sounds. For "Yamadas", the animation is produced in a newspaper comic strip style, which, given that this is what the movie was based on, is an ingenious match for its nature. Simplistic scribblings straight out of a serial fill the screen with a charm that is utterly irresistible. The catchy, tuneful score adds to the essence of the whimsical atmosphere. Employing bits of famous classical pieces on the soundtrack (such as Mahler's First Symphony, Mendelssohn's Wedding March, and Leopold Mozart's Toy Symphony) is a very inspiring touch.

There was only one thing about the movie that I found very confusing: at the end of most of the "segments" present in the film, we see what appears to be a quote taken from various poets. I was also unclear about the "pachinko" references, and the scene where Mr. Yamada is throwing cards down for his family left me puzzled. This is obviously a film steeped in Japanese culture--and one that is more likely to be understood by a Japanese speaking audience.

Which brings me to the biggest problem I have with the Disney dub: while English script writers Eric Garcia and Leo Chu earn points for attempting to remain as faithful to the original material as possible, they do so in exchange for making any effort in presenting this story to a wider audience who would be otherwise unfamiliar with the heavy references to Japanese culture. That alone makes "My Neighbors the Yamadas" the weakest of the Disney-Ghibli dubs I have heard thus far.

This is not to say that the dub isn't worth watching, however--on the contrary. While the script lacks coherency in places--although the writing is very amusing and very entertaining overall--I have no problems with Disney's selection of actors to record the voices. The incomparable James Belushi takes on the role of Mr. Yamada with exuberance and enthusiasm, and Molly Shannon voices his wife, Mrs. Yamada, with just the right mixture of sweetness and no-nonsense demeanor; the scene where Mr. and Mrs. Yamada argue over who gets to watch the TV is delivered with dead-on comic timing and believability--making this moment one of the dub's best moments. Young child performers Daryl Sabara and Liliana Mumy play the Yamada siblings, Noboru and Nonoko, whose interactions are so natural that you'll swear that they recorded their lines together--which, as a matter of fact, they did!... well, for the cookie scene, anyway. Tress MacNeille, a multi-talented voice actress best known for roles in shows such as "Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Animaniacs", has been cast in many of the Studio Ghibli English productions, and it is a treat to hear her another--she nails the crotchety old Grandma Shige to a T and beyond. David Ogden Stiers makes a brief appearance in the movie as well, narrating the titles of the various "segments" in addition to the verses displayed at the end of each episode.

Steeped in heavy references to Japanese culture and atypical of animated features mainstream viewers are used to, "My Neighbors the Yamadas" may have a hard time finding its audience; the film was not a great success in Japan, and at this point it is hard to tell whether it will suffer the same fate in America. However, it is highly unlikely that folks seeking creativity and something different from the norm will go wrong by discovering this delightfully inventive and charming film. read more

Yoshifumi Kondo's first and only film for Studio Ghibli (he died a few years after it was completed), "Whisper of the Heart", is an absolute delight. Gentle but not syrupy, this modern-day story about a girl and boy discovering that they have a lot in common is beautifully animated, compellingly characterized, and full of heart (pun intended).

Based on a graphic-novel by Aoi Hiragi with a script by Hayao Miyazaki, the movie centers on Shizuku Tsukishima, a spacey yet sympathetic young High School student who would rather read books from the library rather than study for her school tests. Shizuku discovers that a certain Seiji Amasawa checks out the same books that she does, as detailed on the library checkout cards. When Shizuku first meets Seiji in person, she thinks he's a "stupid jerk" (he makes a somewhat snide remark about her supposedly "corny" writing abilities), but she soon discovers that he is a strangely gentle fellow who longs to become a violinist yet feels that his playing isn't as good as others say it is. Shizuku can relate to this, given that she doubts her talents as a writer. The story takes a dramatic turn when Shizuku discovers that Seiji will be temporarily leaving for Italy to train as a violinist. This inspires Shizuku to pursue her own talent, and she proceeds to write her first story.

At the surface, this would sound like a rather simple love story, but that's not all "Whisper of the Heart" has going for it. Miyazaki's screenplay ingeniously allows the viewers to identify with Shizuku as she expresses the following emotions: frustration, disappointment, fear, joy, and vulnerability. This is displayed not only in her growing relationship with Seiji, but with her daily interactions with her friends, family, and her inner thoughts. We even see Shizuku deal with humiliation (and even guilt) when a boy reveals he had a crush on her all along, yet she only considered him a friend. Sometimes certain movies can delve a little too much on these angst-ridden elements, but in "Whisper of the Heart", this is handled in a way that is not so overbearing (or frustrating even) to the viewer.

The film also works in a subplot involving a captivating antique shop containing all kinds of sparkling treasures, including a charming statuette of a cat known as "Baron". The kindly owner, Mr. Nishi, is warm and supportive of Shizuku, especially when she decides to write her story based on the aforementioned "Baron" statue. He reminded me of Uncle Pom from "Castle in the Sky", a similarly gentle old man who sadly only showed up for one scene; having this kind of character play an even bigger role in "Whisper" is a delight.

Speaking of which, the scenes where Shizuku imagines her story are among the movie's most imaginatively animated moments. The film's artwork, typical of Ghibli, is top notch, but this sequence (one of the studio's first experiments with computer animation) is especially stunning. Here we see the Baron come alive and escort a fair young maiden (who strangely resembles Shizuku) across a graceful sky of floating islets. The character of the Baron is quite charismatic and one of the more memorable characters in the film; the only other notable feline we see is a pudgy furball known as Moon (aka Muta), who appears quite grumpy whenever Shizuku tries to talk to him.

Incidentally, both of these felines appeared in another Studio Ghibli production, "The Cat Returns", a pleasant but merely forgettable family flick considered by many (myself included) as an inferior spin-off. Not that Hiroyuki Morita's film doesn't have any charm, but "Whisper" has something that "The Cat Returns" didn't have, hence why it holds up better.

Interestingly, John Denver's immortal "Take Me Home, Country Roads" plays a crucial part in the story: the first half of the movie deals with Shizuku trying to translate the song into Japanese. This part of the story obviously gave Disney a lot of problems in terms of translation, hence why it was delayed from its English release for quite some time. Fortunately, their dub handles it in a way that remains true to the original intent, yet at the same time makes it easier for American audiences to connect with. Here Shizuku tries to write her own lyrics for the song, with each attempt improving as she learns to write from the heart. This approach works rather well, as I could sense little, if any, lost in the translation.

As much as I've heard people criticize Disney for the actors they've chosen to voice the characters in their dubs for Ghibli's works, I have practically enjoyed every one of their voice casts--and, in the case of "Whisper of the Heart", I think cynics are going to be very hard-pressed to find any real fault with the performers assembled here. As the insecure Shizuku, Brittany Snow speaks in a very expressive, believable way without being saccharine, and has an equally lovely singing voice. David Gallagher--no stranger to voice acting, given his work in the famous videogame series "Kingdom Hearts"--provides an excellent contrast to Snow through his understated yet effective turn as Seiji. Cary Elwes reprises his role as the debonair Baron from "The Cat Returns"; his part is considerably smaller in this film, but he is nonetheless a delight all the same. The person who takes the prize for best acting in the dub, though, is Harold Gould, who brings just the right amount of warmth, poignancy, and compassion to the kindly Mr. Nishi.

I had heard so many wonderful things about "Whisper of the Heart", but I never expected to like it as much as I did. And now that it is available as yet another top-notch dub from Disney (although their DVD extras are a little bit sparse here; good thing the movie looks fantastic though), it pleases me that this film will hopefully discover an even wider audience. All in all, "Whisper of the Heart" is a real winner as both a Studio Ghibli film and a Disney revamp, and I highly recommend it. read more

Gainax's staggeringly ambitious, 26-episode series Neon Genesis Evangelion is declared as one of the most compelling Anime productions of all time. It also happens to be one of most controversial. On one side of the coin are a bunch of loyal, unbending followers that idolize the show. On the other are a group of naysayers who say otherwise. As far as my views of Evangelion are concerned, I fall somewhere in the middle. In many ways, the show is indeed brilliant and thought provoking--something rarely seen in any animated production, American or Japanese. At the same time, however, there are elements of Evangelion that rub me the wrong way.

The show, set in post-apocalyptic Tokyo-3, involves alien-like monsters known as "Angels" that continually threaten the metropolis. Only psychologically messed up teenagers -- who include introverted Shinji Ikari, enigmatic Rei Ayanami, and mean-spirited Asuka Langley Sohryu -- stand a chance against them. They do this by piloting their Evangelions -- giant, superpowerful, robot-like fighters. In charge of the whole thing is Misato Katsuragi, a tough, no-nonsense woman who cares for the children while dealing with her own issues. Also calling the shots is Shinji's cold, unsympathetic father, Gendo Ikari, who seems to have an agenda of his own, although we're not entirely clear about what it is. And then there is the matter over whether the real threat in Tokyo-3 is in the presence of the Angels or an even more ominous organization, known as SEELE, which is occasionally seen as a group of tabloids with numbers.

As mentioned, there are many aspects of Evangelion that are good and bad. The technical aspects of this show are impressive -- particularly the dramatic and emotionally charged battles between the EVAs and the grotesquely designed angels; a sense of mystery and intrigue exudes from its complex storyline. As a matter of fact, the show is at its best when it focuses on the conflict between the Angels and the human race. Furthermore, even though a majority of the characters are basically unlikable (save perhaps, for Misato), director Anno does dedicate some episodes delving into their tormented pasts. This is often done in surreal, bizarre, "dream" like sequences involving kaleidoscopic imagery and inner thoughts. Also interesting (and sometimes disorienting) is the use of classical music for several episodes toward the end, notably Handel's "Messiah" and Beethoven's "Choral" Symphony. (Speaking of which, Shiro Sagisu's moody and haunting score is very complimentary to this show, although it times it does delve into blandness.)

It has been widely touted that the characters of Evangelion are some of the most complex, socially washed out beings ever committed to Anime. On one level, it provides for some intriguing interactions, from Shinji's estranged relationships with both his father and the bitchy Asuka to Misato's own fractured love affair with her off again on again beau, Kaji. The character development becomes gradually less intriguing, however, as each episode exorcises the same angst-ridden issues over and over again, with little to no resolution. In the surprisingly grim and violent latter half of the series, the characters all head into a downward spiral. At the same time, Evangelion starts to become less intriguing (if sometimes confusing) and turns messy, almost to the point of being totally incomprehensible. Questions that viewers are likely to have about the plot are never answered, and some later episodes have scenes in which absolutely nothing happens that last too long.

Another problem with Evangelion is its ending or rather, lack thereof. While Gainax's previous TV show, Nadia, took a wrong turn at the midpoint, it did get recover for its last episodes and delivered a strong, if too short conclusion. Here, however, the story simply falls apart. The final two episodes, which are very much played out like extensive therapy sessions, eschew both action and coherency in favor of deconstructing the protagonists' minds. In doing so, it makes the mistake of underwhelming the audience. There are some interesting artistic styles, like Shinji being drawn as a sketch in deep space, but even this potentially experimental approach is compromised by the lack of a structure for a compelling conclusion.

In spite of its faults, Neon Genesis Evangelion is still worth watching for many reasons. Its impressively directed action sequences, intriguing mysteries, and in-depth character studies have been seldom matched in others of its kind. read more

For lovers of full-blooded sci-fi fantasy drama, Escaflowne is a must-see. Produced in 1996, this 26-episode series begins in modern-day Japan where we are introduced to Hitomi Kanzaki, an insecure, lovestruck student who has a special gift for telling fortunes using cards. She has eyes for the handsome captain of the boy's track team, but before she can confess her feelings, Hitomi finds herself magically whisked away to a far-off planet known as Gaea. This strange new place is filled with luscious forests and kingdoms that look as though they could have been drawn from 18th Century France, and are inhabited not only by humans, but by talking humanoid animal creatures as well! Two young men--Van, a brash, hot-headed young prince, and Allen, a charismatically charming knight--vie for Hitomi's affections while their girlfriends, sassy cat-girl Merle and lovely Princess Millerna, become jealous of her. As if this isn't troublesome enough, the entire world of Gaea is at war with the Zaibach Empire, led by the brooding Chief Strategos Folken, sadistically bloodthirsty commander Dilandau, and the shadowy Emperor Dornkirk. What follows is an epic drama that unfolds gradually as Hitomi deals with her feelings for both Van and Allen and the kingdoms of Gaea band together to defeat the opposing Zaibachs.

It's no wonder that this ambitious Japanese Anime series has been highly acclaimed by both reviewers and fans. For a television-made serial, production values are spectacular. The colors are rich and vibrant with imagination, and there are even some impressive, but subtle use of computer generated effects in various episodes.

What makes Escaflowne compelling as a series, though, is its labyrinthine storyline. Every episode built my interests, inspiring me to keep on watching, even when it sometimes slows down to concentrate on character development. Speaking of which, the folks who inhabit this tale are psychologically complex, showcasing positive traits as well as inner demons. Hitomi is a very confused, sometimes fickle young woman who is attracted to many people yet cannot seem to decide who she truly loves. Van is a socially washed-up young man who has suffered traumatic experiences in childhood and as such maintains an aggressive exterior. Allen, meanwhile, is handsome, dashing, and instantly wins the hearts of every women around (although it turns out that he too has an unfortunate past involving his father). While Van and Allen seem to respect each other at the forefront, their feelings for Hitomi threatens to cause tragic tension. Equally interesting are the scenes involving Folken and Dilandau. The former is calm and placid, while the latter is ever-ready to display aggressiveness.

The action sequences are skillfully choreographed, namely the ones where the titular mechanical giant--Escaflowne--an impressively customized suit of armor, squares off against similar mechas. Also worthy of note is Yoko Kanno's music, an ingeniously rich mixture of John Williams, classical music, and ethnic choral chanting. If anything, it was this soundtrack that captured my interests just as much as the characters and artistry. Kanno truly is a talented musician, and her works can easily hold their own against Joe Hisaishi's scores for Miyazaki's features.

All this, plus a whole lot more, makes Escaflowne an intriguing, creative series not only ideal for teenagers, but for a more mature audience as well. (Plus, it doesn't delve too much into excessive violence or mindnumbingly misplaced filler dreck, either.)

Escaflowne was first brought to the U.S. by the Fox Kids Network, and unfortunately it suffered from a series of cuts and drastic changes--notably the replacement of Kanno's masterful score with techno(!). Thankfully, the DVD release by BANDAI (which, by the way, has some interesting extras--namely the interviews with the Japanese staff) offers the entire series uncut and unaltered, and the Fox-produced changes have NOT been ported over to the DVD's English language track, so no problems there.

That said, some folks have issues with the dub, produced by Canada-based Ocean Studios; while it has its share of problems, notably occasional scripting mistakes in the TV series (Folken calling Van "brother" at a time when he's not supposed to, for one), and Andrew Francis' jarring portrayal of Dilandau (he plays him more like a spoiled brat rather than a maniac), this English track does benefit from some generally good voices. In particular, Kirby Morrow and Brian Drummond are superb as Van and Allen, Paul Dobson does an excellent job as Folken, but Jocelyn Loewyn takes the cake for the best performance overall as Merle; mainly because she reminded me of Angora Deb's delightfully sassy Leaf in the Lodoss War TV series (and I like these kind of voices, too). Kelly Sheridan, meanwhile, makes a decent Hitomi, although there are some times when she doesn't emote as strongly as she should. But even after hearing bits and pieces of the (higher-caliber) Japanese language track, I don't consider this dub to be too unaffordable for folks who can't stand subtitles.

Either way, chances are that you will find yourself absorbed in the dramatic power, twisting plot, and imaginative sceneries of Escaflowne from the moment you first lay your eyes on the dazzling opening sequences. read more

As a 26-episode fantasy comedy Anime series, Gokudo is outrageously wacky, offbeat, and howlingly hilarious, crammed to the bone with more laughs than one would expect. If there were any title to rival Slayers for its humor and zaniness, Gokudo would be a worthy candidate, in that it refuses to take itself seriously while moving along at a zippy, roller coaster pace.

The title character of this tale is the most unlikely kind of hero anyone would ever want to meet--he's selfish, greedy, obnoxious, and has only two goals on his mind: money and hot babes! Gokudo is unabashedly an anti-hero, all right, and so one gets the impression that we're not supposed to identify with him. And yet, in spite of his disreputable qualities, there is actually something about Gokudo who is very likeable--perhaps because his personality is so over-the-top that one cannot help but laugh at him. The most comparable character to Gokudo is Lina Inverse, but unlike our favorite flat-chested sorceress, Gokudo has almost no redeeming qualities whatsoever--and yet he is all the more amusing for it. (He also tends to break wind in more than one location--particularly dealing with major baddies.)

His motley crew is an equally interesting bunch--there's Rubette, a tomboyish princess who shares Gokudo's temper and feistiness (somehow I know that these two are destined for each other), Niari, a lovesick womanizer of a prince who falls for every woman around, a gender-changing genie, a pregnant male panda(!), a pair of Chinese witches... and especially an annoying little midget from Hell, Ikkyu. With the exception of the genie, they are all some of the most self-serving, argumentative group of heroes you'll ever see--and yet the continuous laughs they provide throughout are precious.

The misadventures that Gokudo and his "friends" continually get into literally bounce off the walls with non-stop silliness and unpredictable plot twists. The story is divided into five "parts": In the first, Gokudo is sent to rescue a damsel from a castle with the promises of a rich reward and the life of a king as the prize. Then he decides to get involved in a desert trek that builds to a showdown with a mechanical giant. After that, we visit the kingdom of the Buddhas and Gods, where they manage to pick up a pint-sized brat of a goddess as an unexpected ally. The fourth arc, which is arguably the LOOOOOOOONGEST of the show, involves Gokudo and his friends switching bodies and exploring the underworld. In addition to being slowgoing, this arc makes the grievous mistake of recycling a sequence that may have been entertaining in one moment (the pop-idol quartet musical number) but now tedious in the next. The last arc involves a trip to some kind of native paradise where they face off with a pair of powerful gods and, of course, the final confrontation with the most unlikely antagonist imaginable--a manipulative old hag. Although the unexpected twists of the plot hamper the entertainment value at times (and the animation and music being little more than cheesy, low-grade quality), Gokudo is nonetheless a showstoppingly funny fantasy farce which should be a hit with comedy-fantasy-adventuregoers.

While people are bound to be, well, opinionated about dubbing in general (an argument not uncommon with Anime series and movies), I have to say that this particular English language track produced by New York-based Headline Sound is loads of fun. Daniel Kevin Harrison simply *is* Gokudo, the loud-mouthed, crude, impulsively selfish anti-hero of the piece. He sinks his teeth into the role with demonic, zany glee, and one of the primary reasons why the dub works is because of his performance.

He shares terrific chemistry with Angora Deb, another one of my favorite NY actresses, who plays Rubette. I have heard Deb in various other roles for dubs, my favorite of which is Leaf from Lodoss TV, but this is the first time I got a chance to experience her playing a lead, and she does so with glorious hamminess. One of her best moments is the episode where Rubette sings "red, red, red"; I was in complete stitches. Ed Paul also does a great job with Prince Niari; he sounded very suave and sexy while very courageous and daring at the same time.

The rest of the cast includes Greg "Ghim" Wolfe (credited here as Chunky Mon) as the Male genie, Jessica "Excel" Cavello as her female counterpart, Georgette Reilly as Ikkyu, J. David Brimmer as two basso-voiced heavies, Pete "Wagnard, Hiroyuki Miyazawa" Zarustica as the Panda, and various incidental roles performed by Rachel "Martina" Lillis, Billy "Parn" Regan, Lisa "Deedlit, Lina, Azalyn, etc." Ortiz, Megan Hollingshead, Meg "Pirotess" Frances, Liam "Hideaki Asaba" O'Brien, and others from the New Yawk dubbing crew. Add to this an equally entertaining adaptation provided by director Bill Timoney and, for a few episodes anyway, Rachel Lillis (which occasionally "Americanizes" Japanese jokes and strays from the original subtitle script, but not by much), and you have one heck of a dub to check out.

While Gokudo may probably wallow in the shadow of other shows of its kind (namely, of course, Slayers), those who give it a try will find it to be deliciously silly, zany, laugh-out loud fun. read more

If you found Grave of the Fireflies depressing, just wait till you see Now and Then, Here and There. A shocking entry for Akitarou Daichi, the man responsible for the delightfully funny Animation Runner Kuromi, this thirteen-episode mini-series is often disturbing with nary a lighthearted moment; at the same time, though, it is very intriguing and interesting to watch.

The series begins on a deceptively cheerful note when young Shuzo Matsutani--who refers to himself as Shu, so that's what I'll call him from now on--is making his way home from a kendo practice match when he sees -- wouldn't you know -- a mysterious, quiet girl sitting alone on a water tower. The girl, who goes by the name of Lala-Ru, catches Shu's eye and he somehow manages to strike up a conversation with her. Suddenly, out of nowhere these giant snake-like machines appear and kidnap the girl. In trying to rescue her, Shu finds himself transported away from his cheery hometown of Japan into a dreary, desolate futuristic world adorned with the very fitting name of Hellywood. And this new place is sheer hell indeed; Shu finds himself prisoner on a dominating fortress where children from other parts of the world are being whipped into war soldiers. It turns out that Lala-Ru has a pendant that can bring water and life back to this desolate world, and the insane, maniacal despot who commands the fortress, Hamdo, wants it at any cost. Of course, Lala Ru does not have it; Shu took it from her in a vain rescue attempt only to lose it again when he is taken prisoner himself. Subjected to physical torture and abuse, Shu is forced to become a soldier and observe one horrifying atrocity of war after another.

As with Grave of the Fireflies, Now and Then, Here and There deals with the consequences of war as well as the plights of lonely individuals struggling to survive. Here, however, the trauma is turned up by a huge notch. The children forced into war are a rather surly, sometimes confrontational bunch forced to commit terrible crimes against their will, making this a potentially sadder and bleaker story. There are plenty of scenes of brutal violence, including backlashing, murder, genocide, and others that leave little to the imagination. But all these seem like nothing compared to one particularly mean-spirited subplot, in which a young American girl, Sara, is raped by one of Hamdo's soldiers. (We later discover that she is pregnant from this encounter.) There are also several moments where Hamdo makes somewhat sexual advances toward Lala-Ru, much to the chagrin of his lady lieutenant Abelia. Such sequences make Now and Then, Here and There a very difficult and sometimes painful series to sit through, although the show does end on a positive note (albeit somewhat awkwardly). Needless to say, this is not a series for either children or the faint at heart.

It also deals with some very compelling character studies, particularly in the cases of the children held prisoner at Hellywood. One of them, Tabool, is nasty and cruel, secretly scheming to overthrow the dictator Hamdo and conquer the fortress. His childhood friend, the emotionally wartorn and borderline dangerous Nabuca, hides a noble heart but often gives in to his darker side. (Of the characters, he is the most interesting.)

Technically, Now and Then, Here and There is not the most impressive show; the color palette is appropriately dark and imaginative, but the animation itself is more like traditional television quality, not up to the polish of shows like, say, Fullmetal Alchemist. Simultaneously, however, this style gives the series even more of an edge. The melancholy musical score is very fitting, although not necessarily one that will be remembered long after the show's over.

Also worth mentioning is the dub, provided by Central Park Media. The company's track record of dubbing has been shaky, although their dubs for Lodoss OVA, Slayers, Kuromi, and World of Narue are among some of their better ones. So, too, is this one. Although the ADR script stays a little TOO slavishly close to the subtitles, the dialogue flows fairly well for the most part. The vocal cast includes veteran dub performers such as Dan Green, Crispin Freeman, Rachael Lillis, Scottie Ray, and Lisa Ortiz. All do excellent jobs, but it's really Jack Taylor that steals the show as the psychotically evil Hamdo. His bravura role makes up for the some of the other weaknesses of the dub--one of which is that the children sound too mature. Ed Paul's Shu, although emotionally sound, takes some getting used to as well. All in all, though, it works pretty well for this kind of show.

With its dark, dreary nature and often painful sequences, Now and Then, Here and There is not an easy series to recommend; however if it's emotionally powerful Anime you're looking for, then this series may be worth a look. read more

Japanese Anime is interesting in that while there are commercially driven movies and series made simply to sell toys and merchandise, amid the glut of such mainstream productions exist more daring, ambitious experiments which can nonetheless be considered great works of art. Satoshi Kon's directorial debut, Perfect Blue, is one such Anime. It is very rare to see an adult-driven, psychologically frightening suspense-drama that we would mostly get from directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, and the creator of The Sixth Sense and Signs, but Satoshi Kon proves that, if given the proper treatment, animation can be used to not only entertain, but to strike emotional chords and leave a lasting impact on even the most jaded of viewers.

First and foremost, Perfect Blue is ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. This is an extremely dark and occasionally bloody thriller that will probably leave young viewers traumatized for weeks. It's about a Japanese pop idol, Mima, who decides to abandon her longtime J-Pop status with her performing group, CHAM, and become an actress. This doesn't sit well with her fans, particularly one deranged, creepy looking schmuck who stalks her from the shadows for a large marjority of the film. Matters take a turn for the worse when Mima takes part in a sexually-charged psycho-thriller series (which requires our heroine to shoot a disturbing rape sequence). A fan-made website details Mima's activities... even her most intimate ones! (She even starts to get hate mail from her fans.) Things get even more out of hand when her "virtual identical twin" (or something along those lines, who still wears the pop idol dress and has a deceivingly cheerful smile on her face) emerges from the website and taunts the young ex-pop idol about her "tarnished reputation." In addition, her friends and associates become the targets of a mysterious imposter posing as Mima.

If there's anything going against Perfect Blue, it may be the second half. While the first half is carefully cultivated and plotted, the latter part of the film becomes a little difficult and confusing to follow, as director Kon switches erratically between reality and surrealism, leaving viewers struggling to figure out what's REALLY happening and what isn't. Suffice to say, this isn't a film for everyone, but what ultimately makes Perfect Blue is how engrossed we are with the film, even when it starts to get more complicated (not in a mind-numbingly incoherent way like, say, Neon Genesis Evangelion), risque (in addition to the aforementioned rape scene--which, although obviously artificial, is quite disturbing to watch--we see shots of Mima posing nude for a perverted photographer as well as a classic scene involving Mima kneeling in her bathtub, clutching her knees, screaming her frustration over participating in such stuff), and violent (there are quite a bit of bloody scenes at points--including one person stabbed repeatedly to death in the eye, hands, back, etc., and occasional shots of brutally wounded suspects via letters containing bombs). I normally cannot stomach these kind of films, but this one is an exception. Primarily because Kon makes us FEEL Mima's plight and compels us to root for her in order to avoid being killed herself. Of course, I was very puzzled at points in the film, but perhaps that is the point Kon is trying to make--some scenes give us the information we are asking for, but with others, we are simply required to interpret them ourselves.

This certainly seems to be the case with the (absolutely unexpected) surprise ending. I won't give it away, but it WILL take one a lot of viewings to truly comprehend the meaning of the last scene.

Technically, the animation falls somewhat short in comparison to some of Kon's later works, notably Paprika. Frankly, though, it's still quite good and complimentary to the tone of Perfect Blue. As far as the sound goes, the music is a mixture of cheesy (but infectious) J-pop techno and a moaning, eerie women's choir vocalizing wordlessly (this succeeds in making the film all the more frightening). The voice acting is top notch on the English version courtesy of AniMaze, inc., with Ruby Marlowe (Mima) and Wendee Lee (Rumi) turning in particularly compelling performances. The vocal tracks in the film are translated well, too, although the somewhat British-accented singing is hard to distinguish at times.

Perfect Blue is disturbing and violent, yes, but as an animated horror/thriller tale for grown-ups, its kinetic direction and dramatic staging is unparalleled. read more

No, it's not a sequel, but rather a retelling of the events that follow episode eight of the original OVA. Actually, the Lodoss OVA are a somewhat streamlined telling of the novels they were based on. This longer, more drawn-out 27-episode television series hews closer to its source material, but in doing so causes for inconsistencies between the two programs. This has caused a lot of confusion for many viewers, although the booklet contained with the series (and the DVD-ROM bonus extras) do help to explain them. There have been a lot of mixed reactions to Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, with many who dismissed it as a cheap, inferior spin-off of the (arguably superior) OVA. Once you get accustomed to its oddities, however, this series isn't as inferior as it has been made out to be. In fact, it can be best appreciated as an interesting, if more sluggishly paced, "alternate route" for the final five episodes.

That said, Chronicles of the Heroic Knight starts out less than promisingly. The first eight episodes (the weakest of the show) concentrate on the struggle with the ruthless (and yet strangely not so evil) Black Knight Ashram for the Scepter of Domination which initially comprised episodes 9-10 of the OVA. While it's nice to see Parn, Deedlit, Slayn, and King Kashue again, their roles are actually less significant this time around. The only characters to receive any development are two supporting characters from the original, the headstrong mercenary Shiris and her quietly reserved (but easily enraged) Berserker partner, Orson. (In what may be an example of one of the many inconsistencies in the show, both characters are reintroduced to Parn and company as if they never crossed paths in episode 8 of the OVA.) There are several new characters, too, including a prissy mage apprentice, an easily deceived priest, a mischevious elfish grass-runner sprite named Maar, but all three are hardly memorable. The slow pace of the episodes are what really work against them, however; there's less action and more talky moments; even the climactic showdown at Fire Dragon Mountain between Ashram and the vicious red dragon Shooting Star is longer and more drawn out than one might expect. There is a surprisingly heartfelt sacrifice in episode 7, but the overall arc doesn't have the same energy or roller-coaster action of its predecessor.

It is only at episode 9 and onward that Chronicles finally comes to life. The story jumps ten years after the Fire Dragon Mountain events, where the focus shifts to the evil wizard Wagnard's desire to awaken the Goddess of Destruction, Kardis. Again, Parn and company's roles are reduced to supporting ones, and consequently, come across as the least interesting in the show. The hero here is Spark, a blue-haired knight wanna-be who, at the surface, comes initially across as a more pale incarnation of Parn, but his troop of companions do provide the kind of banter and chemistry one would expect for any fantasy adventure. The smart-aleck mercenary Garrack is a well-realized character, as is his sassy half-elf partner, Leaf, who steals every scene she's in with glee. Just as interesting are the loyal thief Ryna and the dwarfish priest Greevus. This ragtag team of misfits are joined by a mysterious girl named Little Neese (daughter of Slayn and Leylia), who turns out to be one of the key ingredients Wagnard needs to revive Kardis. During all this, Ashram returns in a last attempt to unite Lodoss (to fulfill his late master, Emperor Beld's dream) while the shifty Grey Witch, Karla, also lurks in the shadows. It is the chemistry between Spark's comrades and the more lively pace that really bring much needed energy to this major story, which, many would argue, is just a recycling of the last story thread from the OVA, but this telling is more complex, introducing some twists that are alternatingly surprising and insightful. And even though the grand finale is less exciting than the OVA, it still wraps up the show on a pleasing note. (Although Wagnard's drawn-out rituals and Little Neese's continuous screams of pain get tiresome after a while.)

Probably the only jarring thing about Chronicles of the Heroic Knight are the short three-minute Welcome to Lodoss Island segments at the end of each episode. These are super-deformed versions of the characters in goofy, cartoonish sequences, each of which clock in at around 2-3 minutes each. These wildly bizarre skits (which parody the world of Lodoss) will either amuse or drive you batty; I personally choose to give them a pass because they just don't click with me, but chances are your mileage may vary. (Interestingly, it's worth checking out these interludes with the English version to see how the Japanese puns--which make up a majority of the dialogue in these skits--are adapted into English, namely "I'm King Kashue, and this is my CASHEW! I'm really quite a nut!" as opposed to the more literal "I'm King Kashue, isn't my KATCHU (armor) nice)?"

The character development and overall entertainment value of Chronicles provides for a pleasant enough way to pass the time for fantasy fans, which isn't to say that it is the most aesthetically or aurally pleasing show to watch. On the contrary. The Lodoss OVAs had some beautifully detailed, if sometimes limited, animation, but Chronicles' production values are another matter. Aside from a breathtaking opening sequence (underscored by a beautiful theme song composed by Yoko Kanno), the animation fluctuates throughout the series, with some episodes looking downright painful on the eyes. There are several episodes which do get a boost in overall quality, artwork wise, particularly the last ones, but all in all, the artistry is not one of Chronicles' strongest points.

The audio portions fare signifigantly better, thanks in large part to the epic musical score contributed by Kaoru Wada. Fully orchestrated, with soaring, epic marches one moment and pounding, percussive action cues the next, this soundtrack arguably carries the whole show from start to finish. As mentioned, the opening theme is remarkable and impeccably delivered by Ma-aya Sakamoto, although the ending theme is a bit on the kitschy side. The sound effects are also very good.

As far as the voice acting goes, the dub of Lodoss has received a mixture of praise and disgust from many fans, but I happen to be one of its biggest fans. The Chronicles dub, on the other hand, is a mixed bag. It does have its assets: Crispin Freeman does a surprisingly fantastic job as Spark (making this potentially monodimensional character more interesting than he is) and Angora Deb is similarly good as Leaf. (I might argue that both make this dub worth watching.) It also reprises much of the cast from the OVA dub; even though their acting standards are lower than that of the OVA (Parn's more mature-sounding voice in particular takes several episodes to find his stride), it's still nice to have continuity. Working against them, however, are the uneven performances by the lesser supporting characters -- several of which border into intolerable territory (Ashram's minions, Governor Rabido, and Prince Reona, in particular, are dreadful), and vocal inconsistencies (some characters receive new voice actors either temporarily -- Lisa Ortiz's Deedlit is annoyingly replaced for at least two episodes by a far duller A.J. Parks -- or permanently -- Garrack's Michael Gerard drops out after five episodes, Crispin Freeman plays him for the remainder of the show). That, in addition to the sometimes awkward-sounding dialogue and hit-and-miss synchronization, rank the overall dub a notch below its superior predecessor. It's by no means the worst around, however, and patient dub fans may find it to have some merit.

In all fairness, the Japanese voice acting isn't all that stellar either. The entire Japanese voice cast from the OVA are replaced; while some voices are less grating than their English equivalents, others are actually sub-par in comparison to some of the better voices on the dub, particularly the seiyuu playing Deedlit, who is nowhere nearly as good as Yumi Tohma or Lisa Ortiz. There are also some parts of the Japanese language track which come across as cheesy, particularly the scenes involving the talking dragons (these scenes come across as very laughable in the English version, and the Japanese track sounds every bit as fake in this part). The common attitude I hear from dub detractors is that the Japanese language track is preferable, regardless of whether it has any weaknesses of its own, but in the case of Chronicles, I have to say that both audio tracks tie in quality. They have their strong points and are, at best, tolerable, but not particularly flawless.

All in all, Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight isn't without its drawbacks and doesn't always live up to its predecessor, but it's still a fine series that holds its own ground decently. For every weak point, there is always an asset to counter it, making this one moderately enjoyable fantasy Anime series. read more