[Anime Reviews]

Clomid For Sale

Posted by Martin  [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!, One Outs]

Clomid For Sale, And so I finally get to the end of my Autumn 2008 to-watch list. Clomid samples, I must admit that I'm following a lot more new shows than I was during the summer (as in, three times as more), buy Clomid from mexico, Clomid from canadian pharmacy, which is a bit daunting to be honest. On the plus side I have two whole weeks off work to keep up with things and many of the currently airing series are only twelve or thirteen eps long anyway, low dose Clomid. Cheap Clomid no rx, To balance out the feminine frilly skirts and black lace trimmings of my last preview post, the final batch have a badass gar slant, discount Clomid. My Clomid experience, So here they are: Casshern Sins, Michiko to Hatchin and One Outs, what is Clomid. And to my Stateside readers, this week of Epic Election Win has earned you guys an enormous shout of congratulations, Clomid For Sale. Clomid dose, Nice Vote indeed.

Casshern Sins

I reviewed the Casshan the Robot Hunter OAV a while back but the complete lack of replies suggests to me that it's not exactly a well-known fan favourite in these parts, online Clomid without a prescription, Clomid duration, despite the franchise dating back all the way to the 1970s. The more recent live-action film garnered gasps of awe and sniggers of derision in equal measure from viewers for its visual awesomess (and Shiro Sagisu soundtrack) and muddled plot, get Clomid, Buy no prescription Clomid online, and I had mixed feelings about it too. Japan seems to love its angsty robot hunter though and as a result the OAV, buy Clomid without a prescription, Clomid overnight, movie and now this TV series play the nostalgia card very strongly indeed.

Casshern is the bad guy?! Clomid For Sale, I'm sure you're aware that I like post-apocalyptic sci-fi, especially if it includes plenty of philosophical stuff and an affectionately old-school feel. And robots fighting, Clomid maximum dosage. Clomid mg, Casshern Sins certainly has plenty of all this, and even gives the old franchise a kick up the backside with a variation on the premise: Luna is dead, Clomid over the counter, Clomid class, everyone else is about to die and it's all Casshern's fault. Oops, kjøpe Clomid på nett, köpa Clomid online. Generic Clomid, Interestingly Casshern can't actually remember what he did or even why, so presumably this series will see our robot hunter as an anti-hero trying to redeem himself, Clomid photos.

I found the relationship between these two to be really moving by the way

The visuals ably convey the bleakness of the worldview: there are lots of greys and browns, there's little sign of life and everything, from the landscape to the robots themselves, is decaying and crumbling away, Clomid For Sale. Clomid no rx, Hell, even Braiking Boss is reduced to living in a humble cave instead of a secret lair with plenty of minions to order about, online buying Clomid hcl. Cheap Clomid, Unfortunately bleakness isn't really what I'm looking for in the grey, dark and miserable beginning of winter and Casshern himself is a very dull central character; I guess his angst is beginning to wear on me, purchase Clomid online no prescription. Clomid trusted pharmacy reviews, Even more surprisingly I'm not too keen on the character designs either, but perhaps when the days are brighter and there's more viewing time available I'll give this one a second chance, Clomid used for. Fast shipping Clomid, Status: On Hold

Michiko to Hatchin

This was one title that I really wanted to like. Clomid For Sale, It has a marvellous sense of cool and a great no-holds-barred attitude, the colours are vibrant and the exotic setting is refreshing. You can really feel the hot, Clomid pictures, No prescription Clomid online, dusty and dangerous nature of its environment, complete with the textures on the worn-looking buildings and the sense of abandon in the corrupt characters who don't think twice about getting their own way with a tough stare and a punch to their opponent's face, Clomid description. Comprar en línea Clomid, comprar Clomid baratos, It's slick, it's exotic and it has an impressive pedigree, Clomid price, coupon. Buy Clomid online no prescription,

The setup of Hana living with a bunch of selfish, hypocritical Christian stereotypes was unpleasant to watch, and made me want to put my fist through the screen until she finally stood up to them (although her effort there was a bit futile), which I suppose was intentional. It introduces the toughness and ufairness of the worldview, smashed to smithereens by the dramatic entrance of the runaway Michiko, who is presumably the girl's biological mother or someone who works for her. Even so, there's an overall impression that it talks the talk but when crunch time comes, the storytelling seems to show restraint - when restraint is decidedly not required - and doesn't deliver on the balls-to-the-wall badass-ness that it promises, Clomid For Sale. The voice acting sounds a bit flat too, which is odd when the archetypes on show here seem to be the sort who need a course in anger management.

Ultimately my decision as to whether to follow this any further wasn't sealed by the fact that it looks like a style over substance piece that sells itself on its Westernised vibe: my laptop can't handle high-res .H264 files these days without sending the audio and video out of synch with infuriating regularity. Since I'd have to track down alternative torrents, the effort required hardly seems worth it with so much else to watch. I'm not so much disappointed by the nature of the show itself, as I am annoyed by the shittiness of my PC and the lack of finances to replace it actually.

Status: dropped

One Outs

With no sign of a second season of Kaiji Clomid For Sale, on the horizon as yet, I'm beginning to keenly feel the lack of gambling, psychology and straight-faced manliness in my viewing schedule. Fortunately the creative team behind this and Akagi have given us an adaptation of Shinobu Kaitani's baseball manga, One Outs. Once again it's a tense and decidedly gar portrayal of sports and gambling, and is as far away from moe or fanservice as is humanly possible. Great.

Come on if you think you're hard enough

The first two episodes end on wonderfully suspenseful cliffhangers, concentrating on the challenge set by pro player Kojima Hiromichi, aimed at gambler and gifted yet amateur pitcher Toua Tokuchi. There's a fair bit of specialist jargon which went over my head thanks to my nonexistent knowledge of the game, but it's the display of pride, self-belief and tactical thought that makes it so gripping, Clomid For Sale. That and the fact that Kojima and Toua have put everything on the line in their confrontation.

Baseball: sport of choice for Real Men™. Huerrgh!

My interest in sports, or any competitive activity for that matter, amounts to precisely squat. But the great thing here is that this isn't *just* about baseball: it's about shrewd characters using gut feeling and psychology when pitting their skills and wits against each other, which is what makes it so entertaining. The aesthetic too is, like Kaiji, gritty and straightforward, and the rock-orietentated soundtrack fits the vibe of the subject matter and approach to its storytelling. This isn't quite the first sports anime I've found to be enjoyable (more on that point later this week) but I'm pleasantly surprised at how hooked I am on it.

Status: keeper.

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[10 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Antabuse For Sale

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Detroit Metal City, Huerrgh!]

I can't believe this is directed by the same guy who did Mushishi Antabuse For Sale, . Taking Antabuse, Sasa told me that I had to see Detroit Metal City. It's yet another occasion where I ask myself "How exactly did this slip underneath my radar?" because this sort of thing could be made specifically for my twisted sense of humour; whether the joke will wear thin to leave nothing but shock value afterward remains to be seen, buy cheap Antabuse, Antabuse over the counter, but for the first few episodes I was in stitches.

Imagine Beck remade in the style of Spïnal Tap while the studio staff are raped by Cradle of Filth, purchase Antabuse online no prescription. Buy Antabuse online no prescription, With a tambourine. Dressed as Kiss, Antabuse For Sale. This rock 'n' roll violation of the senses is served up by the pirennially underrated Studio 4°C, Antabuse no rx, What is Antabuse, who never fail to create something out of the ordinary. Whether the source material, real brand Antabuse online, Antabuse canada, mexico, india, from Berserk publisher Young Animal, is extreme as this, buy Antabuse online cod, Antabuse no prescription, I don't know; the art style is I suspect mostly down to the studio, and it fits like a glove, buy Antabuse from mexico. Purchase Antabuse for sale, A leather, studded glove with an Air Guitar glued to it, Antabuse schedule. Buy Antabuse without a prescription, I'm not sure if the profanity-laden, shock value humour will lose its impact with subsequent episodes but the premise has to have an interesting story behind it: I can't wait to find out exactly how such a genial guy could fall into a situation like this, Antabuse trusted pharmacy reviews. Antabuse For Sale, Detroit Metal City, the most extreme and notorious metal band in Japan, is fronted by Krauser II, a terrifying face-painted figure who likes nothing more than thrashing his guitar and singing about violence, rape and how he killed his own parents. Antabuse maximum dosage, The truth behind Krauser II is that off-stage he is Souichi Negishi, a placid fan of trendy J-pop who loves his (living) parents very much and hates his on-stage alter-ego, about Antabuse. Cheap Antabuse no rx, Although everyone except his band mates and manager are unaware of Souichi's double identity, Krauser II's personality is beginning to invade his life at the most inconvenient and embarrassing moments, Antabuse maximum dosage. Antabuse natural, One of the best comedic devices is juxtaposition, and the character of Souichi/Krauser is a prime example, Antabuse photos. Order Antabuse online overnight delivery no prescription, The scene in the record shop highlights the contrast between what career path he wants to take (e.g. the music his college sweetheart Aikawa wants him to play, hopefully getting the poor guy out of the Friend Zone in the process) and what his insane band manager wants the band to do, Antabuse For Sale. The point where Aikawa sings Souichi's own song while the other song he wrote, Antabuse canada, mexico, india, Antabuse no prescription, DMC's tune, roars on in the background for instance is pure comic gold, buy Antabuse online cod. Antabuse pics,

I guess Ozzy Osborne is a possible inspiration for this series: over the decades he's gone from being the Scary Man of Rock to Television's Coolest Dad, and there's a lot of deliberate jibes aimed at the likes of Alice Cooper, taking Antabuse, Antabuse long term, death metallers like Dimmu Borgir and Japan's own visual kei scene. I don't think the choice of Swedish pop is an accident either, Antabuse trusted pharmacy reviews, Is Antabuse safe, since this particularly quiet corner of Europe that gave us Abba also has produced Messhuggah...

DMC are after all the epitome of the ridiculous, Antabuse without a prescription, Generic Antabuse, as all shock-rock acts are. Antabuse For Sale, Behind the bombast, stage make-up and ugly rumours there isn't a great deal of substance - the lyrics don't make a whole lot of sense and they are better at making the authorities nervous than actually creating music of any artistic merit. It's all about image - an image Souichi despises - and offers nothing of value at all, Antabuse interactions. Cheap Antabuse, Except being absolutely hilarious.

The Spïnal Tap comparison is apt I think - the famed parody of the quintessential metal band is a good couple of decades old now, and plenty of laughable acts have popped up since then; Detroit Metal City feels like the anime industry's answer to the question of what ST would be like if the outrageous theatrics of Slipknot, Marilyn Manson and Lordi's Eurovision win were taken into account. The over-the-top stupidity of DMC and their fans' reactions had me creased up, from the Krauser's mystique to the violently obsessive air-guitar playing fans, the politically incorrect and crude lyrics (the main reason I think that it's an OAV), not to mention the music itself. The songs by the way aren't actually half bad at capturing the vibe of the genre: you have to give the soundtrack writers credit for making it sound authentic, Antabuse For Sale.

That is, I've listened a fair few metal bands in my time and DMC are everything that's wrong with the bad ones: the pretentiousness, the clichés, the desperation to be controversial that only makes it more ridiculous; it's all captured with a sharp satirical eye. I'd also like to point out that although I love this series for pointing out everything that's wrong with heavy metal and the music industry in general, I try to appreciate as wide a range of music as possible, no matter how heavy it is. Quite a few of the heavier bands are very skilled musicians: metal drumming is hard work; playing guitar with your teeth is a bit of a gimmick but it's pretty hard to do, as is extended periods of fast thrashing that can still sound (more or less) melodic.

One of the reasons why I'm looking forward to hearing Dir en Grey's next record is that they are one of the few heavy rock acts that still appeal to me, and their two latest singles promise a continued evolution of their sound. They went through something of a nu-metal phase with their Western-sounding Marrow of a Bone; while I can understand why they wanted to turn their backs on the image-driven flamboyant theatrics of visual kei and make harder-edged no-nonsense songs that speak for themselves, it seemed as though they were trying be make themselves more appealing to overseas fans and losing their individuality in the process. And of course part of me regrets missing out on their makeup-and-kimonos early years...

As Kaoru mentioned in a recent interview, they want the likes of Dozing Green and (in my view, especially) Glass Skin to be more melodic and as such they have more subtlety and sophistication - it's not only less abrasive and brutal, but carries more mature emotion than their Marrow of a Bone and Withering to Death era material (the softer moments of which were my favourites actually).

I do believe the Angry Men of Osaka may be mellowing out in their old age; which I welcome with open arms because the refrain of "I'll rape your daughter ON YOUR GRAAAAVE!" in Agitated Screams of Maggots makes Kyo sound too much like Krauser II for comfort.

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[8 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Buy Tindamax Without Prescription

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Black Lagoon, Huerrgh!]

Amidst all the furore surrounding Geneon's uncertain future there were several new titles that I feared would never make it to UK shelves; one of those was Black Lagoon Buy Tindamax Without Prescription, . It's fair to say BL's reputation preceded it: I'd heard a lot about this action-packed tale of kidnappings, fast shipping Tindamax, Effects of Tindamax, gun-fights and double crosses on the high seas so it was a pleasant surprise to see the show in my review pile. Fortunately I wasn't disappointed by what I saw either, after Tindamax. Where to buy Tindamax, I'll admit that there are plenty of bounty hunter-style shows around with similar setups involving a Joe Average thrown in amongst an assorted bunch of hard-up criminals who do cool things to eke out a living, but Black Lagoon somehow manages to make one hell of an impression, japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal. Is Tindamax safe, For one thing it has Studio Madhouse in charge of the production (a reason for me to love it right there); secondly it has Attitude. The capitalisation was wholly intentional, by the way, Buy Tindamax Without Prescription. Black Lagoon has a whole boatload of Attitude and then some, purchase Tindamax online no prescription. Order Tindamax no prescription, The fish-out-of-water Joe Average in this case is a hapless fellow named Rokuro Okajima. His life in the humdrum white-collar rat race ends when he is kidnapped by a bunch of mercenaries who are given the task of seizing a data disc that Rokuro had the misfortune to be carrying while on an overseas business trip, where can i order Tindamax without prescription. Online buy Tindamax without a prescription, The mercenaries may have a well-armed boat and a taste for rum but that's where the resemblance to old-fashioned pirates ends: left high and dry by his unscrupulous employers while captured at gunpoint and held for ransom, Rokuro's captors become new-found ‘friends’ as they find themselves up to their necks in industrial espionage, where can i buy Tindamax online, Ordering Tindamax online, Russian mafia types and all manner of other low-lifes.

When the action scenes are exhilarating to the point of the outrageous (the finale to a boat chase in particular wouldn't look out of place in a John Woo or Die Hard Buy Tindamax Without Prescription, movie), it takes a colourful cast to make it more than just a forgettable adrenaline rush. They're an interesting bunch actually, purchase Tindamax online, Tindamax forum, having the token shady pasts and devil-may-care attitudes but offering plenty of entertainment value with the way their personalities bounce off one another. Dutch is your laconic muscle-bound team leader who negotiates jobs and keeps the others in check; Benny is a technical whiz with a penchant for loud shirts; and Revy is an especially bad-ass take on the feisty gun-toting female (imagine Cowboy Bebop's Faye Valentine crossed with Full Metal Panic!'s Melissa Mao after spending a few months hanging out with the A team), taking Tindamax. Australia, uk, us, usa, Throwing poor old Rokuro (who soon gets nicknamed Rock by Revy and co) into this mismatched group of hardened bounty-hunters is a predictably amusing culture shock, as he gradually grows used to their seat-of-your-pants lifestyle: I'm looking forward to seeing him gradually toughen up as he comes to terms with the fact that his yuppie days are over, about Tindamax. Online buying Tindamax hcl, Perhaps understandably he finds the danger of his position terrifying and unfair, but he soon makes at least some effort to adjust and make the best of things, buy Tindamax online cod, Tindamax coupon, which is a bonus.

Not your ordinary business trip

What I think what makes the crew so interesting inside their tough-as-nails archetypes is that they have a camaraderie going on but conversely don't thing twice about taking enemies' lives while shooting first and asking questions afterwards, Buy Tindamax Without Prescription. The bottom line is that Revy, buy Tindamax from canada, Tindamax use, Dutch and Benny are essentially cold-blooded killers; a point hammered home repeatedly by frequent and quite brutal bloodshed that is quite ‘grown up’ and not very cartoonish by anime standards. Nevertheless, Tindamax photos, Tindamax alternatives, moments of friendship and humanity shine through every now and then to keep the viewer on their side and looking forward to another gun-toting confrontation.

As you'd expect from Madhouse, Tindamax steet value, Tindamax without a prescription, Black Lagoon certainly delivers as an actioner: the firearms and other equipment for instance are drawn with impressive authenticity so look solid and convincing. The frequent bursts of gunfire and explosions are accompanied by a hard-edged rock soundtrack that keeps the pace and accentuates the show's aforementioned Attitude - the metal-tinged op theme should prepare the unwary for the grittiness that follows, Tindamax trusted pharmacy reviews. Buy Tindamax Without Prescription, This attention to detail is impressive, which ought to make this show appealing to viewers who appreciate more than just fan service and comedy - not something we see very often, which makes this all the more recommendable. Buy generic Tindamax, With a shipload of neo-nazis as their adversaries next up on the horizon, I can't wait, Tindamax dangers. Buying Tindamax online over the counter,

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Summary

You only have to look to the likes of Cowboy Bebop and the series it inspired to see how effective and well-used the likeable outlaws idea is but Black Lagoon brings a slick delivery and a vicious edge to keep things interesting and exciting. It isn't original, Tindamax pictures, Tindamax recreational, deep or meaningful, nor does it intend to be; this is no-nonsense, buy Tindamax from mexico, Online Tindamax without a prescription, in-your-face action with a memorable cast and impressive presentation. At this stage in the game there emphasis is on introducing the characters and grabbing your attention rather than telling a complex story; in that sense Black Lagoon succeeds admirably, Tindamax used for, and in great style too.

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[6 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Buy Inderal Without Prescription

Posted by Martin  [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!, Kaiji]

Buy Inderal Without Prescription, Not much has wowed me this season. What is Inderal, Granted, Gundam 00 started well, Inderal australia, uk, us, usa, Purchase Inderal online no prescription, ef and Blue Drop intrigued me and even Clannad promises good things but there wasn't the equivalent of, say, online buy Inderal without a prescription, Online buying Inderal hcl, Gurren Lagann or Dennou Coil to make me feverishly check daily for torrents for the latest episode. It's all going to take second place to DVDs and other activities (such as the essay deadline that I've only just discovered is NEXT SODDING WEDNESDAY, online buying Inderal, Inderal long term, dammit), or so I thought, my Inderal experience. Inderal natural, Enter Ultimate Survivor Kaiji.

Everyone's favourite low-life

A grandiose title such as this suggests that the show has Huerrgh, buy Inderal online no prescription. running through it like a stick of rock; indeed, it's a darkly comical, gritty and hard-boiled affair that mainstream fandom will probably ignore, Buy Inderal Without Prescription. Inderal class, If my viewing schedule were a cocktail party, Gundam 00 would be everyone's favourite brand label beer, buy no prescription Inderal online, Inderal recreational, the likes of Clannad and ef would be the sickly sweet lemonade mixer but Kaiji would be the dubious-looking moonshine brewed in my mate's shed (presumably, Mokke is the soothing cup of sencha to nurse the raging hangover that follows), Inderal dangers. Inderal description, Y'see, it's everything the rest of the autumn/fall season isn't: it's not pretty, discount Inderal, Inderal pharmacy, it's certainly not cute and there's not a sakura tree or bishoujo in sight. In other words it's a sweaty, Inderal steet value, Buy generic Inderal, cigarette smoke-laden breath of fresh air.

Pointy nose + mullet==win Buy Inderal Without Prescription, Kaiji is a gambler, a jobless bum and a petty criminal. Is Inderal safe, Series that place a down-and-out anti-hero whose pastimes include playing cards and slashing tyres are rare to say the least, but the point where Kaiji wins out is when it presents a character who's at rock bottom and makes us feel sorry for him, Inderal price, coupon. Inderal trusted pharmacy reviews, Thanks to an unscrupulous former work colleague who's done a runner, our Kaiji has been lumbered with a debt and the loan shark in question has given him an ultimatum in paying it back, Inderal treatment. Inderal pictures,

He's about to make an offer he can't refuse...

The story feels like something right out of a Tarantino movie with other scenes reminiscent of Brian de Palma and Martin Scorsese flicks: Kaiji is one of a group who have been given a chance to clear their debts by one big, desparate attempt at the hands of some shady corporate types, Inderal interactions. Purchase Inderal online, The objective. A game of Restricted Rock Paper Scissors, Buy Inderal Without Prescription. Hardcore, Inderal no rx. Inderal dose, It's already sowing the seeds of a twisting storyline that surprisingly doesn't necessarily need a detailed knowledge of gangsters and gambling to appreciate though, which is a bonus, Inderal street price. Where to buy Inderal,

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Kaiji is also really, buy Inderal without prescription, Inderal without a prescription, really, striking visually. The 'hard-boiled' vibe is carried over by the bold lines and rough, angular character designs that wouldn't look out of place in an American pulp comic. In terms of soundtrack the op theme is a suitably rocky number and even the atmospheric sound effects literally hover in the background with gleeful abandon (cheers to Guff and Orion for explaining the latter point). Kaiji himself is an artistic masterstroke: he's dirty, scruffy and has an 80s hairdo and an outrageously pointy nose, Buy Inderal Without Prescription. Genius.

The moment of truth

The opening episode is only setting up our hero's predicament but I have to say I'm hooked already. This is just what I was looking for: mature, solidly written yet entertaining with a wicked sense of humour - another Studio Madhouse triumph in my book. After all, it has gangsters, pointy noses, gambling and mullets...what more could you possibly ask for.

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[4 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Berserk 1-5

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Berserk, Huerrgh!]
The idea of kicking off a series by showing a messed-up, badass antihero laying waste to his enemies in an all-out action fest isn't a new one. It's a bit misleading though when the episodes that follow offer so much more in getting into the troubled mind of the central character: Gungrave is a good example of this but an earlier show that took a similar route was Berserk. The hero of Berserk, if you can call him that, is the appropriately named Guts. He's indeed messed-up, badass and not particularly endearing: a fearsome reputation precedes him as he dishes out his cold-hearted revenge on those who, for whatever reason, have wronged him. He's armed with a bad attitude, a semi-automatic crossbow and a sword that would make Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife look under-equipped in comparison...and he's nigh-on unstoppable. In the first few minutes he succeeds in disposing of a group of good-for-nothing soldiers and a snakelike demon, before demanding to know the whereabouts of someone named Griffith.

Guts of Berserk: huerrgh! As opening episodes go, this is swords-and-sorcery fantasy at its most brutal and bloodthirsty; had I not seen past the first episode I would have judged Berserk very differently. After this however, the story takes a jump back in time to a more reserved and less irate Guts, who is a wandering soldier-for-hire who falls in with a band of fellow mercenaries. We soon learn that the charismatic leader is a dashing young warrior named Griffith: it doesn't take much guesswork to realise that this new comrade is the man who will later be Guts' nemesis. The rest of the volume explores the orphaned Guts' tragic childhood, his first encounter with Griffith and his Band of the Hawk, and how the bond between the two men results in Guts becoming Griffith's right hand man. Make no mistake, Berserk is a violent show that doesn't pull its punches. Instead of being violent for violence's sake though, it is merely painting a realistic picture of an era akin to Europe in the Middle Ages: the land is ruled over by rival kings and their armies so life for ordinary people is hard, painful and depressingly short. For sure, the sight of demons and a central character who possesses superhuman strength and stamina requires suspension of disbelief at times. As fantasy epics go though, it's pretty realistic: the battles are suitably brutal for the setting, the weaponry and attire look authentic and the politics are convincing too.

Beware of white-haired bishies, especially when armed with a deadly weapon For all the blood and gore on show initially, it's surprising perhaps that the characters are brought to the fore from there on in: the Band of the Hawk for instance is comprised of memorable individuals, each with their own motives and personalities. Griffith is ambitious, charming, ruthless and equally comfortable using his sword or his brain to achieve his aims; Caska, the tough gal of the piece, is initially mistrustful of Guts and clearly jealous of how Griffith values his skills but her loyalty to Griffith is beyond question; Guts himself is the straightforward sort who drifts aimlessly, seeking meaning in the harsh realities of the world in which he lives. It's made even more compelling because before we see their friendships forged we already know that things will eventually go horribly wrong for them all. For an eight year old show that was made on a limited budget, Berserk isn't the prettiest on offer but then, the worldview is harsh and rough to begin with. There's not much in the way of repeated footage but still frames, in the form of paintings used in a way similar to Dezaki's Blackjack OAV, add something of an historical feel to the proceedings. The soundtrack is nevertheless a highlight: penned by Susumu Hirasawa (of Paranoia Agent and Detonator Orgun fame), it adds much to the energetic and distinctive feel of the show. Synthesised music often ages badly but fortunately Berserk's score does not suffer from this too much; my only complaint being the over-use of the same repertoire of tunes. The opening and ending themes are also noteworthy, starting the episodes with an upbeat rock number but ending on a sombre and brooding piece drenched in droning strings and gloomy atmospherics.

In Summary If you look past the mindless brutality of the opening episode, Berserk soon proves to be an uncompromising yet gripping tale of broken loyalties, colliding fates and destructive ambitions. Its distinctly Western-looking character designs and medieval worldview are a refreshing change but so is the shift in focus from bloodthirsty action to characterisation: for those who can stomach its more disturbing moments, Berserk promises to be an outstanding series of remarkable depth and power.

[4 Comments]

[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]

Ninja Scroll

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Huerrgh!, Strictly Old-School]
Remember those straight-to-video gorefests that gave anime a bad name all those years ago? One name that is lumped with those titles is that of Ninja Scroll; while it is pretty far removed from the trashy 'tits and tentacles' hentai fare, it still has a reputation for being unashamedly violent. This reputation is not wholly undeserved but you know what? Sometimes, unashamed violence is a good thing. For all its shortcomings, Ninja Scroll is a cracking action movie. Granted, the storyline is somewhat unimportant but surprisingly enough it does have one: Jubei Kibagami (based on a real-life Japanese folk hero, no less) is a wandering ninja-for-hire, caught up in a gang dispute after being administered a slow-acting poison and saving a ninja girl from the claws of a demon. Initially fighting to find the poison's antidote, Jubei finds himself up against a man he thought he had killed years ago...

Jubei, badess hero and possessor of the Huerrgh! factor That's the premise anyway. It is of course merely an excuse to deliver a succession of blistering action scenes featuring swords, ninja stars and black magic; as with his later efforts on Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and Highlander: Search for Vengeance, director Yoshiaki Kawajiri pits a taciturn hero against an impressive array of bad guys, each with their own characteristic features and ways of fighting. For a film that is over a decade old already, Ninja Scroll's animation still looks smooth and detailed; character development is nonexistent and the plot speeds ahead in predictable directions but this is all to prevent the action getting bogged down with unecessary details.

Hooray for mindless violence! That is to say, we learn just enough about the characters to understand who's who and what's going on but nothing more; Jubei is a great badass hero being cool, quiet yet honourable enough for you to root for him and he always stands a fighting chance of winning his battles in spectacular style. The point is, that's all many viewers need to appreciate the film: it does what it says on the tin and that's it. Of course, some will be put off by the gore, the occasional gratuitous sexual content and lack of any other substance and I can't say I blame them. Mindless violence has its place, but not on everyone's DVD shelf. Ninja Scroll is exactly the sort of thing that was lumped with ultra-violent video games as a 'bad influence' on 90s youth: the subject of scaremongering surrounding stories of 'sick filth' from Japan that corrupted children's minds. Be mindful, then, that while it is by no means twisted pornography Ninja Scroll is definitely not for kids!

The female of the species is more deadly than the male... Summary Ninja Scroll is a blood-spattered, action packed romp down memory lane from a time when, for many, anime equalled ninja swords and gallons of blood splashing everywhere. Its simple aims may be a bit dated now but its no-nonsense approach to a straightforward action flick means that it is mindless but well-executed entertainment. Huerrgh!

Packed with sword-weilding ninja goodness

[6 Comments]

[Editorials]

The huerrgh! factor: excessive manliness in anime

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Huerrgh!]
After the mecha-fest of the new Transformers live action movie and this short discussion the other day I started to wonder about the appeal of the copious quantities of testosterone that pervade certain anime series. Before you ask, 'Huerrgh!' is allegedly a slang term, also pronounced "Hooah!", among manly military types, to denote an affirmative or general show of, um, manliness. "Jump the fence, marine!" "Yessir, jumping fence, Huerrgh!" According to a former housemate of mine who served in the T.A., anyway. The division between 'shounen' and 'shoujo' is a blurry one these days and could warrant an editorial on its own but I was specifically interested in how both male and female audiences are swayed by the overwhelming exhibitions of gung-ho manliness on offer in the likes of Gurren Lagann and Moonlight Mile. Moonlight Mile: In space, no-one can hear you say "Huerrgh!"

Moonlight Mile: mountaineering is a very manly thing to do. I only got one episode into Moonlight Mile; firstly, it's licenced now. Secondly, I couldn't really be arsed with it. Thirdly, the manliness reached unprecedented and nigh-on unwatchable levels. It's good to see two friends in what I'm guessing is the lead-up to an adventure in space, but sadly the manliness was cranked up to the point where even I felt put off - and I'm a twenty-something male who drinks beer and eats steak. Huerrgh! The problem with this show is that the protagonists were so laddish that they pushed the audience away - when a character's emotions are hidden behind a facade of bravado and gratuitous scenes of sex and drunkenness, it's impossible to engage with them at any but the shallowest of levels. They're fearless, adventurous and want to go into space but that's it. Their deeper motives may have been explained in later episodes but as first impressions go, Moonlight Mile tried to impress the viewer with its adventurous manliness but from a distance, and failed. Gurren Lagann: when manliness works Gainax's Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann exudes similar levels of bare-chested, fist-clenched manliness but is the exact opposite: the over-the-top masculinity of its hero Kamina endears him to the viewer and is an absolute blast to watch.

"is that drill compensating for something?" Freud could have a field day with this... The crucial difference with this show seems to be that excessive manliness can offer entertainment value if it doesn't take itself altogether seriously. Kamina wears shades and a grimace of fearless self-confidence and no shirt - but he couldn't care less about what other people thought of him. Although it proved to be his undoing in the end, his self-assured manliness made him The Man in every sense but also made for great entertainment: the mecha genre (in itself a very manly category, featuring as it does boys and big toys) is a crowded place and leaves itself open for shameless parodying and lampooning, of which Gainax are long-standing specialists.

Kamina shows us what it takes to be a man however, writing off mecha as a manly genre isn't entirely accurate when you consider the likes of Gainax's earlier giant robot shows, Evanelion and Top o Nirae!. Sure, they have the giant robots, giant explosions and a 'hard work and guts' mantra but the majority of the central characters are female: only one out of the three Eva pilots is male (and a very un-manly one at that); Top o Nirae!'s Noriko wants to go into space and fight like her late father but her other role model is Kazumi Amano, an elite (and decidely female) mecha pilot. In both cases, the premise of humans fighting in giant shounen-friendly mecha doesn't require much manliness at all. Is your 'Huerrgh!' really necessary? For comic effect, the manliness of Gurren Lagann makes it pure 100% win but sometimes it can be too much for even male audiences if it's taken to an extreme. Really manly characters, by their very nature, only let you see sides of their personalities that they want you to see: manliness involves hiding your emotions away because a man is judged by his actions. Unfortunately this doesn't lend itself to very insightful characterisation: breaking down in an Shinji Ikari-esque show of unmanly emo-ness is more dramatic, and the outward gestures of sisterly companionship highlight what it takes to fight with hard work and guts when you're piloting a Buster Machine. Although anime has a reputation among some for its portrayal of female characters being little more than eye candy, it also has its fair share of gutsy female protagonists who almost make the Manly Hero redundant. Mireille and Kirika from Noir, the Knight Sabers of bubblegum Crisis (how many times does Priss get one over on Leon?), any one of Miyazaki's movies...they all make the issue of gender relating to strength of character pretty irrelevant. So, when the likes of Moonlight Mile try to win over viewers with the 'Huerrgh!' factor, I ask myself "why bother?"

[12 Comments]

[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]

Riding Bean

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Huerrgh!, Strictly Old-School]
In what I hope will become a regular fixture here, I'm taking a trip into 'retro radness' territory to dig up an old classic for the Strictly Old School category. The only criteria are that 1). the show has to be more than a decade old and 2). it has to be awesome for its time. First up is the old Riding Bean OAV. Enjoy... Before Kenichi Sonoda made his name with Gunsmith Cats, Yasuo Hasegawa directed the first episode of his story of a tough-as-nails Chicago courier named Bean Bandit. Sadly the series was never to be and all that saw the light of day was this, the single part OAV of Riding Bean. Underworld deliveryman-for-hire Bean Bandit and his sidekick Rally Vincent are given the task of rescuing a girl from kidnappers and transporting her to safety in Bean's notorious car the Road Buster. Unfortunately Bean and Vincent have been double-crossed by their would-be clients so run the risk of not only losing the cash but falling foul of the highway police and the kidnappers themselves.

Fast cars == win

If you're looking for deep philosophy or heart-rending drama you might as well stop reading now. Riding Bean is an up-front action adventure and makes no pretence of being otherwise: it is chock-full of sharp dialogue and exhilarating car chases with little room for anything else but quite frankly that is all you need. The creators clearly had a love for the US and Chicago in particular with special attention given to the cityscapes and the cars themselves; it oozes a Hollywood cool that even many American shows fail to capture.

Here come the fuzz...

Bean Bandit is a surprisingly complex character who works on whatever side of the law pays most but lives strictly to his own moral code and is so over-the-top in the toughness stakes you can't help but like him. Like Lupin the Third and Zenigata, Inspector Percy is the perfect foil to his streetwise adversary with his equally hammed-up obsession with taking the Road Buster down. Sadly the performances of the supporting cast are laughably wooden (it's dub only, don't forget), but the VAs for Bean and Vincent do a great job of capturing the nuances of their characters. Needless to say, the gunplay and the car chases are the main event here and I'm pleased to report that the action scenes are brilliantly animated. It's astounding to see the gear changes and corners shown with such style and panache; in a late 80s OAV no less! These scenes are gleefully overdone with the pile-ups of incompetent highway cops being strewn across the asphalt after their quarry leaves them quite literally in the dust.

Bean Bandit: badass

The biggest downfall to Riding Bean is that there really isn't enough of it: with a story as fast-paced as this the forty-five minutes pass in a flash. Being one of MVM's earliest UK releases there isn't much in the way of DVD extras either so the overall package feels a little thin. If however you're out for some no-frills action with automotive mayhem that does the finale of the Blues Brothers proud, Riding Bean fits the bill perfectly. In Summary A short blast of high-speed thrills from the glory days of the OAV, Riding Bean is a simple-but effective tale of one cool guy in a seriously cool car. The running time and lack of original language dialogue may put off some but this is one feature that has aged well and can still deliver shallow but exciting entertainment.

[1 Comment]

[Anime Reviews]

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann 8

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Huerrgh!, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]
This is worth a double-post. After episode #7 I didn't think this show's recovery in quality could continue. This one however was even better: it portrays a very unexpected and significant event in the story, and in great style too. If you haven't watched this far yet, go see it before reading any further - SERIOUSLY. I really don't want to ruin it for you.

Even without the shocking ending, it was a decidedly above-average offering that gives plenty of character interaction and action: the battle with the Beastmen picks up where the last one left off with entire armies of ganmen clashing. There's drama, explosions, tension and, ultimately, tragedy.

Simon's moment of self-doubt, brought on by the events in the episode's first half, threaten to scupper the operation entirely. While it's easy to criticise him as not 'acting like a man' or whatever, remember that he's still learning what it takes to be a man: he's been denied any sort of role model until his adventures on the surface but the final assault that Kamina and Simon make together is downright EPIC. Pulling victory from the jaws of defeat is no small thing, and it's on a suitably grand scale here: an uber-macho Gunbuster almost.

You have to admit though, writing a major character out of a series when it's only a third of the way through is about as unexpected as it gets (see why I warned you now?). Utterly, utterly, shocking! I was surprised at myself for being surprised though - the warnings were filtered down last time that Kamina makes a habit of dicing with death; it would appear that even I became convinced of his apparent invincibility. He's Kamina: the shirtless, shades-wearing Master of All that is Cool and Awesome! He can't die! Alas, being the ultimate in manliness, he was just a man.

For all this, it's somehow fitting that he went out this way: grinning, fearless, regretting nothing - his final thoughts were for those of his friends as he made his exit is characteristically grand style. How the series will go now, I won't even hazard a guess: it's proved to be way too unpredictable. Can Simon and Yoko carry on without such a determined powerhouse of energy? Who will now take the place as the beating heart of the Gurren Lagann? The way in which these questions are addressed will decide whether this series winds up as Gainax's greatest triumph since FLCL, or a spectacular disaster. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how it pans out from here on in because I don't know how they can follow this episode without things feeling like a let-down or just plain odd. May he rest in peace, the man who lived as a fool but died as a hero.

[No Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Moonlight Mile: First Impressions

Posted by Martin  [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!]
Here's a show that seems to have slipped under the radar. Drawn in by a rocking end theme from the Pillows (okay, I admit that was my main reason) and the unusual premise, I made a start on Moonligh Mile: an unusual tale of discovering a new source of energy on the Moon. The opening ep doesn't explain much but goes to great lengths to set things up and introduce the main characters.

The first scene shows an astronaut stranded on the Moon's surface and paying the ultimate price for doing something she shouldn't. Cut to...a pair of mountaineers who rescue a hapless climber and eventually decide, after taking on Everest, to set their sights on the only point that is higher. It's all a bit muddled and doesn't seem to know what it wants to be just yet - the episode throws in news reports about the new Helium-3 energy source, as well as the lives of who I'm guessing are our two heroes. Gorou and Lostman are far from perfect - as their laddish antics show on several occasions - but they are tough and determined, and are not afraid to show acts of kindness in the face of adversity. After their adventure on Everest one becomes a jet pilot and the other a construction worker; I can already see how their exploits will take them away from planet earth.

Moonlight Mile is clearly intended for mature audiences, which is a relief to a guy like me who has a strong loli aversion! The opening scene gives a chillingly realistic view of life in space, as does the hard-hitting portrayal of Himalayan mountaineering, and the trials and tribulations of our twenty-something protagonists that will strike a chord with more mature viewers. A short (and quite frankly unecessary) sex scene supports this impression, as do the character designs and true-to-life art style. So far so good in that department.

I'm always on the lookout for the unusual, especially something that takes an over-used them (in this case, space travel) and puts a new spin on it. I suppose I was hoping for a spiritual descendent of Planetes (which is sadly still on my 'to watch' list) or Wings of Honneamise (ditto) but for all its attempts at being intelligent, believable sci-fi, I'll still have to watch another instalment of Moonlight Mile to get a proper impression as to whether I'll enjoy it or not. Either way, at least I have the forthcoming Planetes DVD box sets to look forward to! :)

[2 Comments]