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Mar 22, 2013
So anyway, New Hurricane Polymar OVA: Holy Blood has actually been released in the US - more than once, even - interesting given that the original hasn't been released here in any capacity (though, it sure is popular in Italy - go figure - which is where I'd first seen the original).
To any extent, Hurricane Polymar OVA is VERY indiciative of it's era in Anime - nearly fossilized even. At a quick glance one can tell exactly when it's from - both to it's credit and detriment.
First of all, if you're not familiar with it, the original is ridiculous - it's action-jammed and
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fluid and surprisingly viseral, especially for not being too graphic. In this way the original reflect IT'S era of Anime. I suppose, then, it's appropriate that the remake reflects it's era as well.
The action in the remake is rammed up accordingly - it does try to capture the feel of the original - though one can tell the budget had to be considered at times. There is, of course, blood and nudity factored in now where there wasn't in the original - as one might expect.
Secondly, the art is a bit "extreme" and there certainly are some questionable choices - what is with all the cats? And what in the world is Detective Joe wearing? Further, there is a clear inclination that they are trying to punch up the art style, to make it grittier - the point that even the tears are exaggerated.
Finally, the tone is a little weird - that is, EXTREME action and then ODDBALL comedy for long stretches; the show seems a bit confused about the tone that it's really aiming for - I imagine this a product of both misguided direction and an attempt to pad out the whole VHS. The whole mess comes out a bit over-the-top, as it were.
It's not a bad OVA by any means - it's fun and very watchable - quite action-y for your thirty minutes. However, it also feels very much a relic of an "extreme" time gone by.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 25, 2010
While being somewhat typical of Satoshi Kon's oeuvre and style, and feeling slightly overlong, Paprika is still a masterpiece of art and imagination. The story is an excuse to explore a deep visual dreamscape that often blurs the distinction between the real and the non. Overall, the story is great, only seeming slightly overlong. Partly, the playfulness of the movie misleads us a little bit and, quite masterfully, Satoshi Kon turns out the story's true message. To any extent, the story plays out well. In part, this is due to the strength of the art.
The art is sharp and fluid and, indeed, quite masterful -
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especially in its interplay between light and shadow. As well, there is great depth, detail, and ingenuity in its depiction of dreamscapes, which truly allow the strength of the art to show through. In turn, this supports the story well and keeps it engaging. The art is, in short, outstanding. Another exceptional area of the film that deserves highlighting is the music.
The music, like the art, is one of the strongest areas of Paprika and certainly shines throughout. Playful, imaginative, strange - and yet quite catchy - musical themes abound showcasing the unusual events of the movie.
Overall, Paprika is outstanding and has only very minor faults. Indeed, it is an excellent example of Satoshi Kon's strength at bending reality and stands apart as a modern masterpiece.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 13, 2009
"Always My Santa!" is an odd duck of an Anime if there ever was one, thats for sure. Starting with the story then. In some respects, its a standard romance and is handled well by Akamatsu-sensei, as usual. There are some odd elements to the story as well though, the magic and Santa Claus and how that all works together. In that respect, it feels like the audience is only witnessing a small piece of a larger story. That being said, however, it doesn't complete mar the experience, one just feels as though these are just two episodes of a larger series - and they
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are not. Further enhancing this sensation is the shear speed at which the plot seems to move - seems like the whole mess is on fast-forward. Overall, it feels like these two OVA episodes are a condensation of a long manga or somesuch. There are some comedic touches at play here, typical for Akamatsu-sensei, and mostly the comedy works well, for what there is. However, the primary showcase here is the romance drama - and there is it. Because of the show's frantic pacing, or perhaps despite it, there is a great deal of monologue-ing going on. While this does heighten the tensity of the drama, I do feel that it detracts from the feature in way. That is, long sequences of a character chattering to herself are not exactly exciting. I can't help but think that if the OVA was a little longer, the characters could gab to themselves less and the feature whould be enlivened somehow. The magic and transformation sequences, while the source of comedy and nudity, seem a little out of place at times. In the large part, this OVA shades on the more dramatic and serious side so the magic and, especially, the transformation sequence seem to not really match the whole (admitted entertainment value notwithstanding). The art is standard Akamatsu fare here, and looks good for all that - clean and nice. The characters look good, if not familiar in some respects. I think the art style here is closer to Negima than Love Hina, if I may say so. The music is an interesting element in this OVA, as well. Nice, if slightly bland, pop tunes and light instrumental themes that work well but don't quite function in the OVA itself. One gets the impression that the soundtrack whould be nice to own and listen to in isolation from the OVA, but it doesn't quite work in the animation. It always seems like the music is being talked over or otherwise not meshing properly. So while the music itself is pretty good, putting it in the OVA how it was is a small misstep. The characters are very standard, in large part - nothing too unusual or unexpected, actually. This is both good and bad. As an admitted fan of Akamatsu-sensei, the character designs are enjoyable to me, others may find them to be a retread though (as they are to some extent). Thankfully, no characters stand out as particularly irritating. This is an enjoyable OVA in spite of its flaws. Its unfortunate that there isn't more of it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 14, 2008
Naruto movie 3 honestly surprised me. While I wasn't expecting anything more than an extended length episode, instead Naruto movie 3 stands on its own as a genuine movie. The story seems to be pretty standard fare, on paper anyway, but is handled well for all that. The story contains the depth and pathos that the show aims to have, elevating it. As always, the content of the story is not quite as important as the execution of the story and this movie succeeds in that respect. Story aside, standing largest of the movie's strengths is actually its art. The new character designs cooked up
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for the film look good and the art is crisp and nice-looking. Further, the action sequences are fast, brutal, and possessed of an unusual fluidity. There are moments were the art direction takes strongly artistic bends, as well as taking more experimental shifts (particularly in some of the fight scenes) and this all works very well. Occasionally, the art in the comedic moments may seem discongruous to the art in the action sequences but it all works together surprisingly well and looks nice doing it. The music is good, seems lifted directly from the series (whether it really is or not) - though thats not a bad thing, per se. Music aside, there are many moments of well-placed silence to highlight the emotional gravity or drama in various scenes. Rock Lee nearly seems like a non-item particularly next to Naruto, who seems bent on carrying the entire movie. This is especially interesting in light of that while Rock Lee has probably the fewest lines of dialogue of any of the leads, he has some of the most involved and intense action scenes. It whould seem that Lee is tacked onto to this adventure simply for the sake of said action scenes (not that I'm complaining). Naruto is, naturally, possessed still of grating personality and largest importance to the movie, but he is not, overall, especially irritating. Overall though, the characters work well together and won't displease most folks. Overall, Naruto movie 3 stands apart as a good movie, not just a good Naruto yarn, due in large part to its high production values.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 28, 2008
Shinkai is up to his old tricks with 5 Centimeters per Second, a 'movie' that, while staying within the topics and tricks that he's used to playing with, still transcend much of his earlier work. The story in 5 Centimeters per Second takes place over three connected, but still separated, story features. The story takes place over a passage of time, and deals with romance over a distance of both time and physical. This is one of Shinkai's hallmarks, it seems, and its pulled off expertly here. Over the development of the story, the characters emotions can be felt very palpably - Shinkai taps into
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emotions that are very close to us as human beings. And to this end, it works very well. The characters are believable, as is the distances between them - distances so vivid that they hurt us as well as they hurt them. The art, for its part, holds up the story VERY well. There are several moments that look remarkable real. The movie seems nearly to have cinematography, the way real-world things are captured so accurately and vividly, framed and displayed. Shinkai here displays that he has the expert touch of a master filmmaker. You'd swear, as I did, that it's a live-action movie and not drawn, based on the way the shots are framed. Artistically, both the art itself and the movie's cinematography, as it is for lack of an appropriate word, convey the plot action well and superbly enhance the emotional gravity of the whole picture. 5 Centimeters per Second is one of those films that everyone needs to own. Its a rare film that deals so expertly, so artistically, and so humanly with the emotions that are such a integral part of the human condition. Oh yeah, and there is some space stuff too. Shinkai seems to like that a lot as well ^-^
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 28, 2008
Ashita no Joe is a show about becoming a better person. Through the mastery of the sport of boxing, Joe rises up from his humble, dirty, ragged, violent beginnings to become more than he is and something truly great. This is the kind of show that is about being better than who you are and transcending where you're from and all hardship in the way. Ashita no Joe is a heartrenching, inspiring story that everyone simply must see. The story holds up very well, and is both tightly and carefully paced. Joe begins as a character you don't even want to like, but you
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can see somewhere just past all that anger and attitude that he's a good person. Joe is the kind of character that you really want to believe in, even when he proves you wrong. You never want to give up on him because some part of him never gives up either. The art, though old, is quite beautiful and there are many moments were it freeze-frames that display simple fantastic old-fashioned cel art. As Joe delivers punches, it seems as though its a painting, a work that functions for artistic value as well. The characters are all fun, enhanced by the art, of course. Not only do they look superb, they are interesting characters - characters that you want to believe in, that seem like real people that you want to see succeed. Also, the OP is amazing and fits the heartbreaking tone of the show. Ashita no Joe is worth every second as its masterful storytelling and beautiful art combine to tell the inspiring story of a total jerk of a street urchin becoming something bigger and better. In the end, Ashita no Joe is not only a show that you must watch, but Joe is the kind of person we should all strive to be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 22, 2008
Amatsuki is an interesting show. It has all the elements that should make it great - interesting show mythology, intriguing moral dilemmas, some interesting and cool characters, an interesting and unique setting, and some supernatural stuff at play. The first couple episodes really draw you in a promise a good story. What the show gives falls somewhat short of that. Throughout the show, all manner of hints are teased out about what the large plot of the story is and where it is going, who the characters are and why they are important and all that manner of thing. However, while the show builds up
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all the main plot, it actually focuses on a much smaller plot, a single story piece. While this enjoyable, and does occasionally illuminate the larger scope of the show, it merely only hints at what could be truly great. In the end, the show does resolve its story properly but leaves you wondering about the larger, overarching plot and really feels like the first part of an epic continuous story. While I did appreciate how the smaller plot was handled, over several episodes - so it didn't feel like useless filler, the larger plot elements were not elaborated on enough and the show really left you wanting much more. To that end, a continuation is hopefully in the works because the story just seems to getting started (The Manga itself is still ongoing). I, for one, was very interested in the plot and enjoyed all the supernatural elements. This is definitely a series I'd be watching the second part of. The art is exceptional, very nice to look at and there are some very interesting and skillful artistic effects. Otherwise, it serves its purpose well as it deals with ghostly entities and monsters. The character designs are interesting. Some of them are very unique and interesting to see. The most interesting looking characters are also the most interesting in terms of plot and are actually characters worth watching. Heihachi is one that surprised me in the end. His character, for an ordinary person in such a strange world, plays out very well. The music is also particularly appealing. The opening theme is wonderful but all the internal music is appropriate and compelling as well. Overall, I'd say this is a wonderful show that has much story to deal with yet, hopefully in a sequel series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 25, 2008
Gurren Lagann is a mecha show by (the revered) GAINAX. By now, you've either stopped reading my review in disgust or you've stopped reading my review because you know already that you'll like the show and my review will do you no good at all. However, I shall press on for those that remain. To any extent, the show is a much greater endevor - and a largely successful one at that - than simply calling it "GAINAX's new mecha show" would suggest. First, and perhaps most importantly, the story is different and diverting. What begins, in many ways, as an ordinary mecha show quickly
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takes various surprising and unforseen turns that serve to keep you into the show and interested wholly. The largest strength of the show is, indeed, in the writing. The show turns what could be an average mecha show by all accounts and morphs the plot, takes it in directions that you didn't expect. Its full of surprises, to put it in short. The action is swift, frentic, and fun - like a manic homage to the era of mecha shows gone by - and yet, the show doesn't disolve into pure homage at any given point either. Nor does it rely entirely on its action sequences, for that matter. The characters are the real stars here, as they interact with each other in various human and emotionally powerful ways. Fair warning, there is a good deal of angst in this - angst that feels both appropriate and ripped off from an older and possibly better Gundam series. That being said, it doesn't detract from the show besides. The art serves this purpose well. Granted, the beautiful and the cheap do mingle pretty freely here - in true GAINAX fashion - but the scenes of stock footage (its a combining mecha show, folks) or otherwise cheapies do not detract from the show enough that you'll probably notice or care. This is especially the case when the money saved on some scenes seems to be put to use creating other very beautiful ones. It all balances out somewhere, I imagine. And the art is indeed stellar. Its shiney and crisp, when appropriate, but it is also deep and professional when necessary. The show is able to carry the aforementioned pathos very well in this way. There is a good bit of fanservice - mostly at the less than serious moments so its not too galling. And uhm...well, the art is really good and the fanservice looks really nice so I can't fault it too much. In comparison to other GAINAX shows, this is also not as fanservice-heavy besides. Again, the story and its characters take center stage here. The music deserves a small nod as well. Seemingly taking a cue from American movies, the mecha fights are lined with rock music. It actually works rather well, and I can safely applaud the series for it. Another success feather in its cap. It certainly isn't the deepest show to come around the block, but it is certainly one of the best put together as it marries all the important elements an action mecha show could have and creates something shiney and wonderful, even unique, with it. The pieces of this quilt may appear ordinary but they're actually made from quality material and its all stitched together so well you'll be on the edge of your seat begging for more the entire time. Almost good enough to forgive GAINAX for their past misteps.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 20, 2008
Barefoot Gen 2 is a film you probably should not see without having seen the first one. That being said, Barefoot Gen 2 is not nearly as good as the first one besides. The art, here as in the first one, is still one of the key strengths of the movie. While the character designs are a little different - the story takes place three years later, after all - the art is near the level of the first movie, though still not quite as stellar overall. The advantage this movie has over the original partially lies in its story. In the first Barefoot Gen,
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you knew the bomb was coming - the movie even told you that it was, as if you were somehow unaware. However, Barefoot Gen 2 takes place three years after all that and uses that to its advantage to tell a fresh story of survivors, full of new characters who weren't in the first title. In this way too, the movie is more upbeat than the first. While there is still the desolation and people struggling to survive, the plucky kids are happy and hopeful, living for each new sunrise. This helps make the movie much less sad than its elder. That is not to say that it isn't sad, however. The movie is still dealing with the harsh reality of trying to survive in post-bomb Hiroshima and to that extent very sad - though somewhat predictable - events do occur. It seems here that the movie is more in love with its hopeful tone though, and is not interested in bumming you out. Rather, the movie is serving its important purpose - to encourage and promote a 'never give up' attitude. While the first movie did clearly expouse this, the second is much more hopeful and less dour as well. In this way, Barefoot Gen 2 is a rather different movie from the first. That being said, Barefoot Gen 2 isn't nearly as enjoyable. The story, while fresh, is still predictable in spots and simply is not as interesting or engaging as the original. Without the horribly depressing events of the first movie, the second seems significantly more upbeat and hopeful. Its not a bad thing by any means, but the movie suffers by contrast to the original. The sequel simply seems to lack the emotional power the original was able to conjur in its moments of sadness. Barefoot Gen 2 is a sensible sequel - but is not as good as the original by any token.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 20, 2008
Barefoot Gen is one of the rare Anime films that everyone must see, at least once. If you've read the Manga then you might be a little disappointed by this movie, initially. This movie, in comparison to the Manga, lacks some of the Manga's emotional depth due to the movie cutting out most of the characters' establishing story. In this way, the feeling for the characters by the audience is diminished. Instead, the movie moves quickly to the day of the actual bombing of Hiroshima. In doing so, the movie forgoes much of the interpersonal violence that takes place in the Manga and replaces it
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with a much wider sweeping and graphic violence. The events during and following the bomb are depicted rather grusomely. The advantage of Anime as a medium is used to full effect here as the bomb's blast is depicted with such grotesque brutality that it is hard to watch. Indeed, the art is one of the big strengths of the film. There are scenes, pre-explosion, that are simply beautiful, beautiful animation and art. There are scenes during the explosion that depict events vividly that could scarcely be imagined by one who wasn't there. As well, after there are many well-animated scenes as well. The art is strong, and the direction, on the whole is largely good. The story, to some extent, bares that strength of direction out. There are many sad moments in the film as many, many people die and Gen is forced to find a way to survive in this new harsh world after the bomb. The emotional level of this movie can easily, and fairly, be compared to Grave of the Fireflies. However, where this movie (Barefoot Gen) is different from Grave of the Fireflies is in its tone. While Barefoot Gen is an immensely sad film for two-thirds of its length, overall it takes a more hopeful and encourageing 'never give up' look at life and events. While the art and the story are strong, the sound is not as wonderful. The theme music is fun, and otherwise ok, but nothing spectacular. Otherwise, the music is nothing to write home about, unfortunately. While it certainly has a highly developed and wonderful artistic style and strength, the music is not up to that same level. Overall, Barefoot Gen is the kind of movie that is very important - it tells an important story and it tells it well. It is not perfect - sometimes even too graphic to watch - but its an important film, beautiful artistically and otherwise, that teaches an important lesson through the eyes of someone who has seen the absolute worst.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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