- Last OnlineDec 19, 2025 3:44 PM
- GenderMale
- BirthdayOct 1981
- LocationBirmingham, UK
- JoinedNov 4, 2009
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Nov 4, 2009
Well animated and there is a good story (albeit a complex one) at the heart of it but it's so slow and the characters seem so unemotional it's hard to care about what's happening on the screen by the time it reaches its fascinating if rather depressing climax. There is a good film in here somewhere but it's just presented in such a dull and uninvolving way that it seems like a wasted opportunity.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 4, 2009
It's amazing how you can have pre-conceived notions of what something is going to be like only to have them completely ripped apart by actually checking it out for yourself. It looked like a boneheaded, action series with little to offer besides extended & noisy gunfights on the admittedly stylish surface but underneath there was real substance and heart (to go with the comedy, action and gunplay on top!)
There's a fair amount of filler episodes that don't really seem to lead anywhere and the real meat on the plot doesn't really start to surface until around the 12th episode but it remains funny & entertaining
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throughout. The characters are all fleshed out and likeable, the villains are proper characters with depth (in most cases) and towards the end the tone changes to a more tragic, dark, and philosophical shade without ever really losing it's light touch. Perhaps most suprisingly it also manages to be profoundly human at times too.
The main protagonist, Vash, lives strictly as a pacifist but his idealism is constantly tested and questioned. How is it possible to live this way in such a violent world? What happens when you're faced with having to kill an "enemy" to save someone you love? Is it possible to save absolutely everybody? As one of his less idealistic companions comments, "we're nothing like God. Not only do we have limited powers, but sometimes we're driven to become the devil himself". Is sometimes the best choice we have on offer the lesser of two evils? Of course a definitive answer is never given but such questions are dealt with in a mature manner and it's made clear throughout that not only are we able to make our own choices but we must also live with the consequences. The excuse of being forced into abandoning idealism because of circumstance is often a hollow one. At its heart this is what Trigun is all about. The decisions we make and how we cope with the fallout. More often than not there is always another route we can take and our hand is rarely forced.
Trigun is definitely a strange show and one that turns words into ashes in your mouth when attempting to describe it to someone with no prior knowledge of the series. It's definitely not meant to be an accurate depiction of reality yet you can't help but get sucked into it's crazy universe and once you do there's some great storytelling underneath it all. Plus having an ultimate gun toting badass with a catchphrase "love & peace" is always a winner!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 4, 2009
This reminded me a little of Sharpe in the form of a medieval myth with swords and sorcery! Lots of action, plenty of battles, a lot of gory violence, larger than life war heroes and villains, comedy, tragedy, fellowship, political intrigue, weasely Machiavellian aristocrats plotting behind the scenes, friendship, betrayal, murder, conspiracy, a bit of romance, morals and ethics, supernatural forces of fate...it's all good and it's all in here besides a lot more!
Brilliant TV series. Much better than I was expecting though it takes a few episodes for it to sink its hooks in. The series begins with the ending and from the second
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episode the story is told in the form of a flashback. It takes a few episodes before you get a grasp on exactly what it is that's happening as it slowly sets the scene and puts the players in place.
There's a lot of aspects that make this series go great. Its got well developed and believable characters who all have complex personalities and realistic motivations for their behaviour and actions coupled with a nice mix of horror and fantasy but grounded in a sense of reality so it's never too hard to suspend your disbelief. Most of the time the horror/fantasy aspect is kept to the background so the emphasis is on the relationships between the characters and the main story of a band of mercenaries who rise to great power under the leadership of their charismatic and extremely ambitious captain Griffith. It's not perfect as the animation is clearly low budget and the ending doesn't really come to a conclusion which means ultimately if you want to find out what happens next you'll need to buy the manga (which are still ongoing). These are minor flaws though and the story and characters are so good that they more than make up for any shortcomings.
If you don't mind lots of bloodshed, violence, and some dark and grotesque images, then there's no reason you won't find this highly entertaining and engaging viewing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 4, 2009
This title comes from the Production I.G studio (Ghost in the Shell) so guess what? It looks and sounds great. It is probably worth checking out if you get the chance just for the lush visuals. It doesn't really seem like a real feature film though. It's only 40 odd mins long. There's no real plot, there's no attempt at developing any characters with any real depth, and there's absolutely no human emotion to be found anywhere. It hints at some kind of religious and political subtext but it never attempts to really explore those avenues. There is obviously a wider story going on underneath
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but you won't find it in the film. Apparently there's both a manga and anime series so maybe those ideas are explored within those. They certainly aren't here. It's literally 40mins of someone running around chopping up demons with a sword (and at one point a spade). Let's be honest. A bit of mindless eye candy can be a lot of fun. Oh yeah, some of the English language voice acting in places is terrible too.
As a proper film this probably deserves 5/10 just about. If you want 40mins of straightforward gorgeous looking action as distraction this will fit the bill. If you're an animation enthusiast or a student of cinema then technically there's a lot to be admired here and it really is worth checking out just for the 5 star animation and visual style. I believe a certain Quentin Tarantino visited the Production I.G. Studio to learn about the techniques used in this film. He was obviously impressed as he personally asked them to do the anime segments in Kill Bill. You can see why.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 4, 2009
You can't buy this film in this country and I'm not even sure you can get it on import in the USA but I managed to track it down on youtube and I'm very glad I did. This is a retro golden oldie that condenses the main plot of the TV series (which was 113 episodes long) into an easy to digest feature film. It's one of those rare films that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age or sex. The dated visuals and music might put some off but I think it actually added to the retro charm and a low budget production
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like this was never meant to be a feast for the senses anyway. A film like this hardly needs eye melting spectacle or to bombast you with incredible sound when it's filled with so much imagination and heart.
It's no masterpiece but then it was never meant to be. What it is is a fun, engaging coming of age adventure in a sci-fi setting (though it's actually very light on any actual science in a Star Wars kinda sense) that will make you smile from start to finish and able to ignore any of its technical flaws, which again I think actually add to the charm and appeal most of the time anyway. In an age where most family entertainment is disposable, interchangeable, unoriginal, technically superb but ultimately boring it might sound cliche to say it but they really don't make family films quite like this anymore.
As always it's better to watch with the original Japanese dialogue with subtitles.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 4, 2009
A what initially seems strange collaboration between Daft Punk and their childhood hero manga/anime artist Leiji Matsumoto. The retro sci-fi visuals of Matsumoto are actually a perfect match to the funky retro styled house music of Daft Punk. It's no suprise given the people responsible for its creation that it both looks and sounds spectacular but what is suprising is that, for what's more or less an extended music video for Daft Punk's "Discovery" album with no dialogue whatsoever, it holds up as an enjoyable feature film in its own right.
The plot, conceived by Daft Punk, concerns an alien pop band who are kidnapped and
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brought to Earth where they are brainwashed to become pop megastar puppets for an evil record company mogul. It's not the deepest thing you'll ever see but it's suprising how engaging it is at times!
If you're a fan of Daft Punk (which I'm not especially) or japanese animation (which I am) then you should definitely check this film out. I've definitely got more appreciation for Daft Punk's music after seeing this film than I had before but even if you have little interest in either it's still interesting, fun and funky enough to be worth checking out. You may even find you start developing a taste for anime and french house music!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 4, 2009
Hiyao Miyazaki's first feature film and completely unlike any of his later works. This is a great action romp with wonderful characters, an engaging story, and lots of heart. Brilliant entertainment that anyone should be able to enjoy. I've seen this film millions of times and it never gets boring. A classic for all ages.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 4, 2009
Yes yes yes. I know Spirited Away is probably a technically better film than this and is probably rightly regarded as Miyazaki's masterpiece but for me Porco Rosso is a personal favourite. It's a lot shorter than a lot of Ghibli films clocking in at a tidy 90 mins or so but for every one of those minutes it's a completely magical, wonderous, and fantastical experience. The lead character may be an anthropomorphic pig but he's more human than a lot of real life characters in most other films. Also it's not much of a secret that Porco is (allegedly) a self portrait of Miyazaki
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himself.
A story about a flying pig in the 1920's Adriatic may not seem too appealing but give it a try and you'll be suprised what you find under the surface....
DO NOT WATCH THE ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION IT WILL ALMOST COMPLETELY DESTORY THE FILM. JAPANESE/FRENCH AUDIO WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES ONLY!!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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