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Its an anime with late 90s aesthetics. While it may not appeal to a lot of people (because the last 20 minutes of this anime are consumed with an exposition dump and an ending which leaves a lot of head scratching - even though it makes sense, but its more short term sense rather than long term), the overall art style, english dub quality, and general competent direction is acceptable. I think its a decent work, even though I wouldn't see it a second time.

With that said, it is under 50 minutes, so that works in its favor. You can watch the OVA without prior ... knowledge about the villains. That's why the ending - although you expect it because of the modus operandi of the villains - isn't lame, but it isn't mind blowing either. Overall, its a competent enough story, with characters that may be forgettable to dedicated anime fans, but for casuals its alright.

I saw this for the first time, and quite frankly, I fail to see how this anime - based on the 009 Cyborg series, apparently - is given so much slam and so much rage against it. Personally speaking, I actually loved this anime. I actually find it to be a really well thought out movie which introduced a new viewer to the series itself.

Story

The thing which made this anime standout, for me, was how the anime itself addressed the question of "His Voice", and actually carried itself not just that as a plot device, but also the in-anime presentation to proceed with the anime ... itself. The perspective given by "His Voice"; as explained in the movie, was not only sufficient (for me as a first time viewer) to appreciate the story as well as give an interesting philosophical perspective on its origins. Yes, there is a cliffhanger ending in terms of HOW the characters - Gilmour, Joe, GB, Palma, Henrick, Jumani, Francoise, 001 and Jeb - wound up in the ending, but for me it certainly provided room for perspective and ascertainment of what could be the possible causes of it. If anything else, the story was handled well and used its characters, art, and sound well.

Art

Personally, I found this anime to be gorgeous. The use of CGI may be slammed in general by anime fans - but then again, anime fans love Naruto which is a shitty anime. It was realistic enough in its textures and detailing of the characters, as well as their environment. Addition to this was the subtlety that was imbued through the anime to portray the emotions and general feelings and thoughts going through the minds of the characters - supporting, main, and NPCs alike. What's more, it gave the action more depth and involvement and frankly, I couldn't fault it in any form or way and find it surprising that people would slam it. The subtlety in each scene is integral and adds to the viewing pleasure of this anime movie.

Sound

The best way to experience this movie, is through the English dub. The acting in the dub represents all the characters well and all of the standout. Granted, there could be raised the concern regarding the soundtrack, but personally I overlooked it because it matched the mood which was needed in each and every scene. Furthermore, the anime in its quiet moments added to the feel and the character arcs of each of the cast, which makes it as good as it can get for 2012. Kudos for a good job.

Character

Perhaps the single biggest facet for me to watch this anime was the characters - I really do feel like investing myself in the 009 anime series to know the characters and their back stories. Even if I didn't know that, I found the characters were likeable, and I could relate with their struggles as a viewer. Everyone did a good job and fulfilled their roles well, even providing a realistic representation of how they would act if put in such a situation which is unfolded in the story.

Overall, I found this anime to be a significantly better and more satisfying and entertaining sit than the crappy Sengoku Basara, and makes me feel satisfied enough to want to know the series more. I personally recommend it, even if other people don't.

Sengoku Basara is the Game of Thrones of anime - you either like it, or you abhor it for ill-organization, fan service, and a pointless 12 episode run which serves nothing more than faulted padding with no purpose or reason whatsoever. Sengoku Basara is frankly, a waste of time and does not handle itself well in any form or way.

Story

Bare boned and basic - bad guy wants to take over Japan, but there's "clan grudges" which prevent them from uniting and fighting them. These grudges are pointless and needlessly indicate the audience into falsely believing that there's a core plot development which in actuality is ... never addressed directly. In essence, it overdoes with the "fight till armageddon" against THE VILLAIN WHOSE NAME IS "DEMON KING OF THE SIXTH HEAVEN". And what makes it even worse is that the story makes it clear that he's some "demon child" but never bothers to address it as anything other than "it makes the villain look badass". Most of the story revolves around a roundabout way of getting to the plot and resolving it.

The worst part of this story is that it tries to show its historical perspective, but it rips it apart with character development that serves forced plot progression (betrayal, deaths, and needless drama and "planning" and "tactical strategy formation"). In all aspects, the story treats its villain like HE is the most sane person in the anime while the only two generals who know that he's the villain are powerless because they - almost as if they're breaking the fourth wall - understand that they won't die and will have to proceed with the needless drama that is ingrained into this waste of 325 minutes.

Art

Mecha warrior, fan service cleavage ninja, fan service wife of the villain and mundane battle sequences followed by 70% of sequences just of the younger cast showing off their "skills". All aspects concerning the story - visually - is padding and extent the running time to a lot more than is needed.

Sound

Its decent. I can only say that the actors are doing their best, and that the sound of the overall product made it bearable and certainly is fairly well handled. Even with the obvious shit of a story and art style used to merely please fans, the sound is decent enough to capture the intended purpose of this anime, and for that, I find only that it could have been improved through some adjustments in the story itself. Another reason why this anime's sound is decent is because of the occasional English portions in the subbed version - again, credit where credit is due, the actors did their best in making do with what they were made to work with.

Characters

Few characters made me bother watching this anime - the axe wielding red general, and the "Battle God" blue female general because they're the only two characters who are well developed and handle their roles with a certain degree of maturity, knowing that they're stuck in an obvious ruckus of a story. Another character is Sasuke - even though his name is linked with the crappiest and most abhorring character ever to condemn anime (Sasuke from the Naturo franchise), he's likeable because he doesn't actually give a shit about the plot, shows that he has an appreciable acceptance of the story and makes it progress as best as he can, and brings boob showing lady to her senses.

What else? We have dual spear wielding dumbo whose sucking up to axe wielding red general every time he can get, and is actually a staple construct for (worthless) padding; the two other characters, one eyed Harlock wannabe and his right hand man, both of whom are only concerned with "fighting" and serve purely to drive the action of the anime (and make it boring and artless); boob lady who exposes her cleavage shamelessly and has a thing for the "Battle God", her retainer (who, incidentally, is her big crush that she fantasizes about - and this anime does not resist showing her in lurid poses doing exactly that. Also she blushes when her retainer shows signs of concern for her in her development which I gather to be sarcasm, and she blushes in embarrassment. What a paperboard sexist construct); and a panel of numerous blank slate characters solely meant to die in every episode: they are all paperboard cutouts and are, quite frankly, the epitome of every anime with a "dramatic" twist out there. All of them, serve nothing to the plot, are merely running around catching their tails, and are so weak and worthless in their progression that honestly, there are only the three main protagonists here who I mentioned.

As for the villain, he does nothing but pimp in his "evil lair", drinking from skulls, and lets his minions do his dirty work. He offers no surprise, and is a cardboard cutout anime cliche villain. In fact, only Sephiroth hair offers some form of action and movement to his plans of "taking over Japan muhahaha". His wife serves nothing more than kissing his arse, and is purely fanservice.

Bottom line, if you want an anime which actually has a good premise, uses fantasy elements, and has characters who are actually three dimensional, and lastly has a good plot which is progressed through the actions of the characters themselves, then go watch Basilisk - its certainly a better anime than this crap. The plot is roundabout and doesn't actually and genuinely get going until episode 10, the characters (save for Sasuke, Axe General, and Battle God general) are caricature cardboard anime tropes with zero personalities, the padding because of the "intellectual strategy interaction" in which only the three main generals know the goal and main end point and are doing their best to achieve it, and the artwork fails to make this anime likeable - in fact, the moment they introduced MECHA SAMURAI, they killed the whole premise. Its a hopeless and disappointing 325 minutes, and isn't worth mentioning or appreciating in any way.

Muramasa is, in my opinion, an anime which is underrated and certainly requires reexamination. While it might not have stood out for some reason or the other, to me (a person who finds himself appreciating and has recommended this anime alongside Shigurui) it certainly holds strong and for some interesting reasons.

As a story, its actually bare boned - the synopsis itself is a bit of a spoiler on its own, hence watch it without actually reading what the anime's story is (or blackout as soon as you start seeing it). In itself, the story was in my opinion, something which could be considered straight from ... Japanese folklore and certainly from the samurai age. It has all the aspects covered in that respect.

What makes this anime standout is its use of art, sound and character. Even if the art is very low-budget and lacks the fluidity expected of anime from the eighties (Akira, for instance), this anime delivers on the grounds that the characters - without having a single dialogue - represent their emotions and moods through well drawn features. Interestingly, there is no blood which is actually shown in this anime - and the way it handles the reason for why it doesn't show blood is unique and actually made sense to me. Combining the art with a slow, brooding, Japanese centric sound that is haunting, stirring and worthy of a cringe on the back, both the art and the sound bring out the character's dilemma as the story progresses. In fact, without one dialogue, we have all aspects of the tale - the beginning, the protagonist's struggle, the climax, and the conclusion - all covered, in record time, and with a conclusive resonance that lasts even after the anime has ended. And the art and sound give this a high rewatch value, for the reason that its art is quite good, if not well animated.

Muramasa is an 80s classic short film which is underrated - especially to those who have a liking for Shigurui, this is certainly a phenomenal short film which carries itself really well.

I'm surprised that nobody bothered to review this 60 second anime. I get that it is essentially an add for Murphy's Stout (which essentially explains the absolute lack of story and character), but I do believe that something should be emphasized on why this anime has a certain appeal to it.

For a start, I actually liked the art style - for a 60 second anime made in 1997, it actually is really well thought out and certainly stands strong even after the 19 years since its first release. The same goes for sound - the way each samurai enters the bar and the overall ambience ... they make just to get a stout (combined with the retro cyborg feel that these samurai were aiming for) makes this a unique ad as well as anime, to say the least.

In hindsight, its an ad, but one which makes me want to have stout. Its nostalgic, well drawn, and the sound makes it hold strong even now.

I'll be genuinely honest when I say, I have been a hyped up fan of this series until I actually finished it, and frankly, I think that it has some points which require working but overall as an anime - and something which I find myself putting in the Shonen category because of its main character (referred from this point onwards by its Deadman Wonderland alias, Woodpecker).

Sound

I won't like, I love the theme song of Deadman Wonderland - its fluid, it captures the insanity and horrendous brutality of the landscape which the anime tries to establish (and does to a significant extent maintain) holds onto ... as it progresses in its 12 episode run. Actually, this anime has - in my opinion - a really good soundtrack overall. My personal favourite sounds though, were the theme song and the Corpse Carnival (or Carnival Corpse, as it would be announced in the subbed version) song (which incidentally reminded me of Cannibal Corpse - a nod to it perhaps).

As for story and art and characters, I'll only say that they were involving in the 12 episode run. They could be better, because it being Shonen it is understandable that Woodpecker is the weak link in this anime and only in the 11th and 12th episode does his potential start showing (to marvelous effect, in my opinion). Wretched Egg is an interesting character who they held back on for a future second season which (alas) will never happen. So far as the place itself is concerned, the art style captures the... brutal, gorish, sickening perspective that was the aim and intention of this anime. It has a few faults here and there though (episode 4 for instance, has a scene in which Woodpecker's face injury was omitted even though the remaining scenes maintain it again), but so far as the use of "horror closeups", and character development is concerned, it captured the mood. There are moments when it tends to have a witty angle, although I think that these moments were unnecessary as a result of which they distracted me from a good anime overall.

Credit where credit is due, I actually enjoyed this 12 episode anime for its unsettling atmosphere - but I'd watch it only as a fan whose psyched by the theme song and the Carnival Corpse events. Its mostly for fans who'd hold onto it if they like it - but not all would find it appreciable if they have seen say... Hyakumonogatari/Requiem from the Darkness, or Cat Soup or Shigurui. Certainly not a timeless classic, but a good anime nevertheless.

If there was ever an anime which put "kwai!" to perfection and graced it with a significant degree of adorable charm, this one does. While I would go on and proceed about all aspects of this masterpiece, I find it would be a lacklustre review and would undermine the wonderful experience of watching this lovely anime. Nevertheless, some pointers are always best to mention.

While there are some really nice aspects to this anime, the best thing which makes it sell and makes it viewable is that it isn't 50 FULL episodes, but 100 HALF Episodes (2 story events occurring per episode). Amongst the best aspects ... of this anime are:

The Characters: Panda, Polar Bear and Penguin, and Mr. Honda as well as Miss Sasako are at the helm in terms of screen time, yet everyone else (Anteater, Llama, Apacha, the other Penguins who become THE SOUTH POLE SQUAD, the boy band Yama Arashi, the Penkos, Panda's family, Full-Time Panda, Rin Rin, Grizzly, Sloth, Tortoise amongst them) delivers just as well. Personally, I think the highlight of the show is Polar Bear and his performance is - if not stellar - hilarious and really well thought out. And everyone compliment that performance with a grace that is adorable, and yet balanced out with an acute sincerity. Its hard NOT to like these characters, because they NEVER go out of character - in fact, you root for them and watch all 50 episodes just because the characters make the show what it is: adorable.

The Art: The puns are the identifying hallmark of this show. Combined with the cheese in the later episodes of The South Pole Squad (SOUTH POLE SQUAD! PENGUINGER!!), the tension which is exhibited by the character arc of Penguin, as well as the character emotions when corresponding with each other, the art sells perfectly in this work and makes it worthwhile. Nothing less than well thought out, balanced with good humor, and really fun presentations of the episodes as they progress.

The Sound: All the characters sounded exactly as they should, followed by the really fun soundtrack (mellow and sweet in episodes in which the characters accept each other, as is the case with Grizzly and Panda; brooding and yet laughable when Penguin interacts with the Penkos; cheesy and roaring awesome when introducing THE SOUTH POLE SQUAD! PENGUINGER!! - and as you can imagine, my personal favourite moment in this anime; and even sad when some of the characters have doubts over their minds - episode 45's first story, without adding any spoilers to it, is the emotional equivalent of being stabbed in the heart upfront and then bashed by a spade followed by having your legs chopped off, such is the sadness felt in it. Yet, it doesn't seem forced, but comes off naturally in this anime. Which is always a good thing and works to its benefit.

In essence, this is the perfect "feel good" anime to watch when life gets you down. Panda is mischievous and evil, yet so adorable you squee inside (and feel crippled when he's sad. Period); Penguin is awesome - especially his interaction with Polar Bear which makes him a comedic riot; and of course, Polar Bear, whose puns are perfect, his observations are sharp and clever, and his wit makes the whole show standout and make everyone sweet, adorable, enjoyable, and amusing by association.

The perfect light hearted 50 episode anime. And it does everything right.

Story:

As a story, it is an enigma: it is simple, but it is equally complex. There are elements which guide you right from the beginning, but as the story progresses, you keep those elements in mind purely as markers of reference. Put another way... its like being lost in a maze and making your way through it, only to realize, there was nothing achieved once you are free from the maze. And frankly, there wasn't much else to say for the story other than it used the art for progression.

The same perspective applies to Character, frankly speaking. Although they seem developed, they are heavily reliant ... on the art and sound in order to portray their own arcs. Of all the anime that I have seen, this one has the most... subtle and mysterious characters I have ever seen. Very bizarre presentation to say the least. But the fascinating bizarre that grips you and pushes you forward.

Art and Sound:

I have absolutely no way of stating it other than: the most intriguing use of modern "abstract" art-style anime I have come across, with a succinct, atmospheric, and engrossing score. This anime's characters - with extremely limited dialogues - do not have a single voice actor saying anything. It is reliant almost purely on visuals - a clever trick to enhance the experience of this anime. However, both the sound and the art work side by side to present the themes that this anime discusses. And those themes range from the story's barebone plot, through to very visual critiques of a philosophical and sociological nature.

In a way, the art reminded me of Monty Python (but far less "humorous") and even some very obscure, and very lesser known anime like Tenshi no Tamago ("Angel Egg", 1986), and some even lesser known short films (Eastern European ones, mostly). It certainly is something worth watching once, and particularly when the ending is reached... leaving a haunting, empty feeling in its wake.

This is a rarity in anime, for me. An independent film which comes off far worse than Ark.

This anime really doesn't have anything other than cunnilingus, phallic imagery, lots of dicks, and only once - and I repeat, ONLY ONCE - does it show anything remotely resembling "Fetish" (a woman who is tied up, one of the gagging role plays in a Master-Slave fetish setting). There is no point being made other than being "visually stimulating" (which it isn't to be frank), or "thought provoking perspectives being provided" (which it doesn't), or "a strong statement about our society which is objectifying women" (which is hardly ... ever presented or elaborated other than just stating it like an object - intended irony? I don't think so).

If people are into such snowflake attempts at being "adult" or "involving" its pretty much going to be a disappointment. Skip this unless your willing to give your curiosity a moment to digest this LSD type trip. It isn't a "fetish doll" movie, which makes it grossly disappointing to say the least. Either way, a waste of time.

I'll be frank about something here, before I get started. This anime short film does not have a story, or a character - hence, I gave it a 1 to indicate that you shouldn't really expect much in that department in any form or way. It is purely an avant-garde modernistic art and sound presentation using an 8 second loop. Whether there was any intent of "deeper criticism" or "subtle critique" is in my opinion, hard to find if at all. With that said, credit where credit is due, the art and the sound was immersive - its not a glorious short film, by any ... means, but as a modern anime it certainly is a visual experience.

The use of a rough modern Picasso influenced perspective makes it entertaining, but would require you to actually watch the whole anime from beginning to end without any breaks. I won't say I can recommend this anime, but I will say that it is a unique specimen which should be seen at least once to get an idea of experimentation. It certainly may have an obvious representation of the psychological state of the artist and the team who took part in it, but whether that is the case or not is speculation and is left open ended.

As a viewer, I give credit to the sound and art and overall presentation, but the lack of a story or character (absence, rather) makes this a tough one to swallow. Pure visual representation, nothing more.