Japanese Anime

Naruto TV Series In Indonesian

2009-11-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

Long Times not posting....
I've been came back to my normal life again....
Now i Wanna Review About Naruto film in Indonesian
Even TV series in Indonesia is'nt good but i never bore see naruto fight indeed i enjoyed watching Naruto in Global TV..........but when i watch a TV Series in Internet i feel Indonesian is out of money to buy an episode of Naruto????? Damn !!! Besides is a lot of Naruto fans in Indonesian, global TV should buy naruto tv series episodes or try to download them from Internet.....

its an episode i like

Ah My Goddess TV season 2

2009-02-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

Ah! My Goddess TV season 2

Synopsis

AKA: Ah! My Goddess: Flights of fancy, Aa Megami-sama: Sorezore no Tsubasa, ‚ ‚ ‚Á—_‚³‚Ü‚Á ‚»‚ê‚¼‚ê‚Ì—ƒ

Genre: Romantic comedy/drama

Length: Television series, 24 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Relicensed by FUNimation. (License rights earlier belonging to ADV.)

Content Rating: PG (Light violence and fanservice, some light adult themes.)

Life continues for Keiichi and the goddesses after the ruckus with the Lord of Terror, and things are starting to settle down again....

...for a little while. Of course, things are never easy in the Morisato household, and both Keiichi and Belldandy will learn that they still have some ways to go in their relationship.

Review

It's been quite some time (more than two years, in fact) since I professed my love for the first season of this show, which in itself is something I had waited a long time for by itself. After all, I had been waiting for something like this for a fairly long time, and the TV series certainly didn't let me down.

And so, Ah! My Goddess: Flights of fancy is here to pick up where the first show left off, which means more animated shenanigans based fairly accurately on the manga events (with a few cosmetic changes.) At the time of writing, two volumes of this show has been released on DVD (though I have long since completed it by way of fansub.) The reason I waited with the review until I got my hands on the DVDs are mainly because I was curious whether they'd keep the original voice cast, given that ADV picked up the license in lieu of Media Blasters. And, much to my relief, they did.

Most of that relief stems from the fact that, despite my initial concerns about the Ah/Oh! My Goddess continuum gaining another group of voice actors to represent the different characters, the cast in the TV series did an admirable job in playing their respective roles in the show. (On a curious note, it would seem Peorth's VA in this show once did Belldandy in the OAV.) In other words, while I didn't really get my wish (pun/reference not intended) in regard to the voice actors, I'm not the least bit disappointed by it.

The show easily keeps up the looks from the first season -- that is, the art and animation is decent -- even good -- for the most part, with some clever use of CG to keep things smooth and flowing. Ok, so the quality may vary a little, but it never really reaches the echelon of badness, and quite frankly, I prefer the character designs of the TV series as compared to the OAV.

But then, where my heart truly lies is in the show itself. At the risk of running the fanboy ratio a bit too close into the red, this show is still giving me exactly what I want to see; more manga stories. While one might argue that Belldandy and Keiichi's relationship doesn't seem to have progressed a whole lot, the two of them have certainly changed a lot individually. Even Urd and Skuld show great dynamic in how they interact both among themselves and towards the main couple. Ok, so yes, they still bicker and argue, and yes, they each push and pull at Keiichi and Belldandy in their own respective attempts at influencing their relationship. Still, if I may be allowed one tiny spoilerish hint, then I just have to say that I'm delighted that they chose to include the part from the manga where Skuld learns, grows and even experiences her first crush. That is... not counting the one in the last episode of the first season, of course, which was an anime only deal (albeit a very well thought out one.) Even so, Urd seems to have settled down a lot since her first appearance in the first season, and Skuld herself have calmed down and actually grown up to no small extent.

And character growth is basically where it's at. I said that the anime follows the manga pretty close, but after having seen two season's worth, I'll also have to make a note that the anime story order seems to have been shuffled quite a lot compared to the manga. Not that it's really hurting the anime any -- or the manga for that matter -- but I just thought you should know anyway. Of course, there was also a few manga story arcs I wanted to see that weren't included, but... oh well!

I guess if you were a fan of the first season, I probably don't need to tell you to go get this show -- or if you didn't like it, not to bother, then. Much like with Aria the Animation and Aria the Natural, this show is the natural follow-up to the first season of Ah! My Goddess TV. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.

source: www.themanime.org

Ah My Goddess TV season 1

2009-02-20T21:14:00.000-08:00

Ah! My Goddess TV season 1

Synopsis

AKA: ‚ ‚ ‚Á—_‚³‚Ü‚Á, Aa! Megami-sama!, Ah! My Goddess

Genre: Romantic comedy / drama

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from Media Blasters

Content Rating: 13+ (mild fan service, light violence)

After a long and tiresome day, Morisato Keiichi plops down in his student dorm, wanting nothing more than to relax with a nice takeout dinner. What he receives, however, is a goddess popping out of his mirror telling him he has been granted a wish. ANY wish.

So, what does Keiichi do when a gorgeous woman pops into his apartment? He wishes for her to stay with him forever, which is then approved, with all the benefits and problems that entails.

Review

My first encounter with the Ah! My Goddess universe actually happened when I purchased the European VHS releases of the OAV around eight years ago. I'm pretty sure most of you know that show as the rather excessively compressed version of a rather extensive manga that is, to my knowledge, even being worked on and released to this day. The OAV, while having its share of faults, was a welcome break for me at the time, since my anime diet consisted mostly of sci-fi shows or horror shows -- mainly the type of shows European distributors thought their audience wanted. And those faults aside, it's still an enjoyable show, lack of proper characterization notwithstanding.

Still, after reading large amounts of the simply magnificent manga, I knew what I wanted. I wanted a show that provided me with, if not all, then most of the stories, episodes and characterizations of the manga. And from the looks of it, Ah! My Goddess TV delivers just that. Sure, there are changes being made, but despite that, it's actually strangely close to the manga. The entire first episode is dedicated to presenting us with the character that makes up Morisato Keiichi. Unlike in the OAV, he's more cynical, more self-assured (though, compared to the OAV, that's not really saying much), and seems to deal with his companions' absurdities with a resignated "why me" expression plastered on his face. He's still a total gearhead, though, and he freaks out all the same when women start floating out of his mirror.

Belldandy, on her part, seems to be a lot more clueless about human behavior and traditions than in the OAV. While she is every bit as kind and benevolent as her OAV self, she puzzles rather easily over what anyone would think of as common sense, and it takes her quite a few episodes before she figures out that proclaiming herself to be a goddess to everyone might not be such a good idea. She's optimistic to a fault, though, and she deals with any supernatural elements crossing their paths quickly and efficiently. While she wasn't my favorite character in the OAV, I grew fond of her rather quickly in the manga, and this carries over quite well to the TV series. She grows and learns as a person in the duration of the show -- even just the twelve episodes I've watched -- and the budding relationship between her and Keiichi is therefore a lot more believable than its OAV counterpart, and certainly no less endearing.

Up to this point, Skuld has yet to make her appearance in the TV series. Urd, however, is every bit as hilarious as she was in the manga AND the OAV. So, between Keiichi and the goddesses, the show quickly settles into the rhythm of madness I had wanted to see ever since I read the manga. One tiny complaint would be that Urd seems a lot meaner than she was portrayed in the manga, though thankfully, that settles once her introductory episode was over. This IS a relief, because I was honestly worried that once Skuld made her entrance, the writers would make her brattier than normal just because.

The art from the TV series seems to follow the later chapters of the manga, which is great, except ... well, I feel the art quality falters when, for instance, characters are seen from a distance. Also, the animation quality seems to fluctuate a lot between great to passable. What's more, the CG used when the characters are out driving is rather noticeable and artificial-looking. On the other hand, when the art style is at its peak, it's GREAT. Plus, a lot of attention has been put on various vehicles, making them look not only good, but downright realistic. All right, so the racing episode looks a bit ... videogame-like, but it's a good example of computer graphics being put to good use. And when one of the characters in the show is a total gearhead, that's quite an important detail.

As for the music, it's quite an improvement from the downright tacky music in the OAV. The show opens with a soft-rock piece with rather obvious celtic folk elements which suits the show to a tee, despite it being about Japanese guys and Scandinavian women. The inshow music is no worse for wear. Not even the enka ballads, which are hilariously presented as Urd's very own brand of sleeping medicine. For the voice actors, it looks like most of the cast from the earlier animated shows have returned to do their respective roles ... which I'm pretty sure the fans are going to appreciate. As for the dub, I can only hope that Media Blasters elects to keep the actors from either the OAV or the movie. (Given the choice, I'd go with the movie cast, but that's just me.)

I've been wanting this show for a long, long time -- ever since I read the manga. I'm very grateful for its quick licensing and (hopefully impending) release. Like I noted above, I have no idea for how many episodes it'll last, but I certainly wish it a long life. There are many, many manga story arcs I want to see -- that I HOPE to see animated. And now I probably will.

source: http://themanime.org

Ah My Goddess The Movie

2009-02-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

Ah! My Goddess

Synopsis

AKA: ‚ ‚ ‚Á—_‚³‚Ü‚Á, Aa! Megami-sama!

Genre: Romantic fantasy

Length: Movie, 100 minutes

Distributor: R1 DVD from Pioneer / Geneon out of print.

Content Rating: PG (mild violence and adult themes, alcohol use)

It's been two and a half years since the events occurring in the OAV series. The three sister goddesses, Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld are still living with mortal Morisato Keiichi, and Keiichi continues to attend Nekomi Tech. Belldandy has decided to also attend Nekomi Tech, and participates in the Motor Club with Keiichi. Today is the day of the Club Fair, and while Keiichi reminisces about his own first experiences at Nekomi (and gets the unwanted attention of his drunken female underclassmen), Belldandy has a chance encounter with a fellow deity - one who she regards as a teacher and mentor. But he has his own agenda, as does the mysterious newcomer Morgan, and Belldandy is hit with amnesia, setting off a chain of events that may topple the very pillar of life itself: the great tree Yggdrasil.

Review

I'll try to keep the spoilers at a minimum. This movie certainly deserves that much.

Ah My Goddess The Movie is set quite a bit later than the OAV series, and though some of the characters (Chihiro, Peorth) have only appeared in manga since then and are assumed to be common knowledge, the movie is still able to stand alone without having read the manga, much like the first Tenchi Muyo movie.

That having been said, there is no longer any excuse for any TV or OAV series-based movie to suck. This movie has proven that, yes, you can do a series-based movie without it seeming like an overlong episode, or relying on the alternate universe deus ex machina. It's canon, and it's really, really good.

"How good?" For starters, the animation and music are absolutely beautiful. It's been joked that the OAV series was cut to five episodes because they couldn't afford to animate the goddesses' hair, but that's not really the truth. There wasn't enough budget to completely render the universe that Fujishima Kousuke has created, and now that CG has become a seamless part of anime, Fujishima decided it was time to make a feature that incorporated that, as well as having more of the backstory set in Heaven. It helps that the music chosen for the movie (performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic), while usually subtle, creates just the right background for each and every scene. Bonus points for Belldandy's song (easily one of the most soulrending beautiful pieces ever to grace an anime - each and every time).

The character designs are even truer to the Oh My Goddess manga than the original OAV series is. Though a slight (and perceptible) change for fans of the OAV series, it's not really an issue for fans of the manga (like myself).

However, it's the characterization and plot that really make this movie shine. The complaint I had with the OAV was that the characters were oversimplified and weak. Belldandy, in particular, comes off as a complete doormat in the OAV series. After watching the movie, you will never think of Belldandy as a doormat ever again. All the characters do a lot of soulsearching, and reveal aspects of themselves that hadn't been apparent before in the OAVs. And thankfully, no one's perfect. Better yet, Keiichi isn't just a lovable loser anymore, and he's a stronger character for it.

In fact, after watching the movie, I fell in love with this series all over again. While the OAV series was a wonderful rendition of the Fujishima art style, this movie is a perfect translation of his universe, and it's incredibly beautiful. And the plotline, while largely dependent on the fantasy-turned-technology Yggdrasil system and Keiichi's obsession with anything with a motor, is never dull or uninteresting, and that one hour and forty minutes delivers a lot of it. (And Peorth's pretty cool, too!) There are even some incredibly rendered action sequences involving the goddesses and their angels (yes, these finally show up in anime form!). Though the climax is slightly beyond the bounds of reality (as if the whole thing isn't!) it'll leave many fans breathless.

Oddly enough, this movie was originally planned to run an entire three hours. One wonders just how much more they could have packed into a movie like this. The movie never seemed clipped while I was watching it, and if it was, I was too interested in the plot to care.

source:http://www.themanime.org

Long Kiss Goodbye

2009-02-20T20:43:00.000-08:00

Long Kiss Goodbye (naruto Shippuuden) Original / Romaji Lyrics	English Translation
Kondo wa itsu aeru ka nante Sonna kao shite yoku ieru tte Omotteta yo nande darou Nanimo ki ni naranai furi shite Iiwake suru nara kiku wa asa made Tsunagattetai kara	"How long before we see each other again?" What made me think that You were saying it with a nice expression? I pretend that there's nothing bothering me I'll listen 'till morning as you make excuses Because I want us to be connected
Mou kao mo mitakunai meguro gawasoi Arienai tenkai odoru keetai Gubbai meeru naraba wasuretai "Hold me tight" but "dokka kietai" any time shaberi sugi no KY Chirari miseru tsuyogari na "I cry" Namida no kouka wa dore kurai?	I don't even want to see your face along the Meguro river anymore No development will come from this, my cell phone dances If It's goodbye mail, I want to forget about it "Hold me tight" but "I want to disappear to somewhere" Any time that you're talking too much you don't seem to notice* I let you see that "I cry" a little while pretending to be strong How well did those tears work on you?
Watashi nari ni "ai saretai" afureru no ni kimi ga mienai Nido to kimi ni aenai sonna ki ga surunda... Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba miataranai Watashi tabun uso demo ii no ni "ikanai de" mo ienai yo	Even though "I want to be loved" in my own way, it fills me, but I can't see you I just have the feeling that I'll never see you again... I want to tell you that, but I can't find the right words Maybe it's okay if I lie, but I can't even say "Don't go away"
Kushami suru to deru henna koe to Kushakusha ni warau busaiku na kao Tomaranai ase me wo kosuru kuse Dousetsu maranai aitsu no tokusei	The strange voice he has when he sneezes The screwed up face he has when he laughs His habit of rubbing his eyes when he can't stop sweating No matter how you look at, his personality is boring
Nite mo nitsu kenai futari no sutairu Muda ni Shy sensu wa yayanai Uso tsuku toki no fukumi warai uzai Tokku ni barebare mendokusai	Our styles aren't similar at all He's uselessly shy, a bit in bad taste The smirk he has when he lies is annoying I figured those out ages ago, it sucks
Tamatama kareshi ga inai taimingu de Hima tsubushi teido no koitte Tomodachi ni mo iiwake shitete Masaka watashi ga oikaketeru... nande?	I just didn't have a boyfriend at the time It was just a relationship for me to kill time with Those are the excuses I told my friends There's no way I was pursuing him...huh?
Tsumaranai jooku wa ittsumo kudoku Dokomademo tsudzuku akiaki na tooku Sono tabi rokku kondo wa watashi kara knock	He tries to win me over with boring jokes And I'm sick of his nonstop talking I've always locked him out, and now I'm knocking
Watashi nari ni "ai saretai" afureru no ni kimi ga mienai Nido to kimi ni aenai sonna ki ga surunda... Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba miataranai Watashi tabun uso demo ii no ni "ikanai de" mo ienai yo	Even though "I want to be loved" in my own way, it fills me, but I can't see you I just have the feeling that I'll never see you again... I want to tell you that, but I can't find the right words Maybe it's okay if I lie, but I can't even say "Don't go away"
Nigittetate ga hanaretara Kimi wa itsuka wasurechau no? Watashi no koto	When our hands come apart Will you forget someday? About me?
Watashi nari ni "ai saretai" afureru no ni kimi ga mienai Nido to kimi ni aenai sonna ki ga surunda... Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba miataranai Watashi tabun uso demo ii no ni "ikanai de" mo ienai yo	Even though "I want to be loved" in my own way, it fills me, but I can't see you I just have the feeling that I'll never see you again... I want to tell you that, but I can't find the right words Maybe it's okay if I lie, but I can't even say "Don't go away" source:http:///www.animelyrics.com/

Rosario + Vampire capu 2

2009-02-06T21:02:00.000-08:00

Rosario + Vampire capu 2

Synopsis

AKA: Rosario to Vampire Capu2, ロザリオとバンパイア Capu2 (Japanese)

Genre: Romantic comedy with monster elements

Length: Television series, 13 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America.

Content Rating: 15+ (Light violence, very frequent fanservice.)

It's another semester at Youkai high, and Aono Tsukune is excited to reunite with his friends, and even more so his current love interest, Ayashiya Moka.

However, the semester doesn't start well, as Moka starts getting death threats from a mysterious person.

Review

When I rounded off the first season of this show, I did promise to give the second season a go, hoping that it would settle a few questions I had. Truthfully, I didn't hold out much of a hope that this would actually happen, but I did at least believe that the creators of the anime wouldn't be able to screw it up any more.

Well, they DID! Rosario + Vampire capu2 adds absolutely nothing of value to the whole show. In fact, it kind of detracts from the few good points it had, except for one thing; the fanservice, which quite clearly surpasses the first season, at least if the bizarre method of censoring the show is any indication.

To make matters worse, last year I decided to give the manga a go. (Which was easy, since it has an official US release courtesy of Viz.) And while I wouldn't count the manga as any work of genius anytime soon, not only did it give me the answers I searched for, but it generally improved just about anything the anime ever did, EXCEPT the fanservice. (Which, while not absent, is still lessened quite a bit compared to the anime.)

But before I go into the show proper, let me give a nod of approval to the animation of the opening theme, because it's actually quite good. Aside from the fact that said animation basically is a huge J-pop concert of sorts, starring the girls that make up the main cast; namely Moka, Kurumu, Yukari, Mizore and Kokoa. If I didn't find the opening song to be so lame, maybe I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

I could have tolerated all that if they had just stuck with what worked instead of taking it all away. The things that made the first season tolerable -- maybe even fun at times -- was the whole setup with the school and the monsters who attended class there. There was also the underlying danger of Tsukune having his human side discovered, which would be disastrous, to say the least. But when we start this show off, he seems to have grown so comfortable with the school that it simply never becomes an issue. I guess my biggest pet peeve about the show is simply that it has turned into a Moka and Tsukune love fest, with the other girls trying to break it up for their own benefit. Sure, it's fine once in a while, but to have the entire season centered around this -- to the degree that Kurumu and Mizore's PARENTS get involved in the situation -- well, I'm sorry, but enough is enough. We get it, so please stop already.

And if you think the new character, Kokoa, will add anything, then prepare yourself for disappointment. The show spends the two first episodes of the season setting up her role as Moka's sister, only to reduce her to obnoxious comedy acts for the remainder of the show, if she's even there at all. And speaking of obnoxious characters, that bat is back as well, only now he's stuck as Kokoa's familiar or something. He even gets an episode to himself, sort of, which will most likely make you want to bludgeon your brain out of your cranium with something made of metal.

If I might say one positive thing about this season, then that would be that the art is still kind of neat. I've mostly enjoyed the character designs, short skirts notwithstanding, and their juxtapositions towards their monster forms. Granted, you don't really get to see many monsters in this season, but at least my complaints don't really encompass the visual aspect of the show. Animation's a little worse for wear, though, but not a whole lot. (Mostly in action scenes, which there are less of anyway, so it doesn't really matter a whole lot.)

Unlike the first season, however, Rosario + Vampire capu2 eventually adapted the annoying habit of just cueing in J-pop songs whenever something happens. While this is no bad thing in theory, the songs chosen are generally all bad, and in most cases, tends to completely destroy the mood of the scene in question. I'm not saying I am against insert songs, but whoever chose the songs in Capu2 need to go watch some Aria to see how to choose a good insert song that fits the mood they're trying to create.

As the final nail in the coffin (pun... well, sort of intended), the ending episodes simply failed to bring in any tension that might have salvaged this season. Part of this can probably be attributed to the flip-flopping attitude the show has towards the main pair, and especially Tsukune. The two episodes actually had the potential to bring in some well-needed crisis elements, and the dramatics leading up to the resolution of the show is downright laughable. Or it would have been if it wasn't cut so painfully short, leaving the rest of the episode purely to tell us that.... yep, Tsukune and Moka is where it's at.

My guesstimate is that the sole reason anyone can and will like this season is the cheesecake. There is, simply speaking, a RIDICULOUS amount of pantyshots in Rosario + Vampire capu2. So if that's what you came for, you're in for quite a treat. Anyone else should probably make do with the first season, or even better, try the manga. While the manga -- like I mentioned -- isn't exactly a masterpiece, it's clearly the better alternative between the anime and the manga.

I was sorely tempted to give this one a single star, but... well, let's just say I got another show lined up for a review in the future that makes even capu2 look like the work of a genius by comparison. So, in the interest of goodwill, I'm going to give this one a tentative two star, with the caveat that if you generally just enjoyed the first season for the action and the comedy, you will probably not find this one worth your time unless you like having comedy skits repeated ad nauseaum.

Oh, and one last thing before I end this review; Rosario + Vampire capu2 did introduce Moka's younger sister Kokoa, but we also learn that there are also two older sisters in the family. At the time of writing, there hasn't been any news of a third season, but I guess it doesn't matter. I'll be sticking to the manga from this point, so I guess I'll be introduced to Lahte and Capuchino there. (And I totally made up those names, so don't quote me anywhere, ok?)

source : themanime

Rosario + Vampire

2009-02-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

Rosario + Vampire

Synopsis

AKA: Rosario to Vampire, ƒƒUƒŠƒI‚Æƒoƒ“ƒpƒCƒA (Japanese)

Genre: Slightly perverted highschool comedy romance.

Length: Television series, 13 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America.

Content Rating: 16+ (Violence, fanservice.)

Due to various circumstances, including his failure at getting into a normal highschool coupled with his father's less than savory means of getting him into a lesser normal one, Tsukune Aono finds himself en route to Youkai Academy. As the name suggests, the school is an educational facility for monsters and other mythical beings, and, naturally, if the students were to find out that Aono is a mere human, he would find himself in a rather dire predicament, to put it mildly.

Thankfully for him, he catches the interest of Akashiya Moka, who, surprisingly enough, finds out that he's a human almost from the get-go. But, since she took a liking to his blood, she agreed to help him keep his secret.

Review

In other words, what we have here is basically some sort of odd mixup between Tokimeki Memorial and Groovie Goolies, sans the constant barrage of puns. In the right hands, this show could probably have turned into something quite worthwhile, even as an off-the-wall comedy. The live action movie I watched this summer, namely Yokai War, proved to me that Japan certainly has no shortage of various monsters and mythological beings to base this show on. To its credit, Rosario + Vampire does feature a large variety of beings very much non-human, both Japanese in origin and not.

But before we get more into the cast, let's play "What's wrong with this picture?"

Now, before you go "What are you? Gay?", I'd like to add one little tidbit of information. The girl in the picture above is Akashiya Moka. Unlike Aono, she's a student at Youkai Academy in the truest sense. In fact, she's a vampire.

Yep, she's a vampire who walks around in broad daylight. At the beach, even, soaking in the sun. She also wears a rosario all the time (hence the show's name), which is basically a necklace with a cross on it. And.... and none of you are seeing anything wrong with this? I mean... Christ, does she order her takeout with extra garlic and a gallon of holywater to go with it as well? Oh... so she's vulnerable to water. That is to say, fresh water. Riiiight. I can see how that could be inconvenient, even at Youkai Highschool, but.... WHAT DOES SHE DRINK, THEN?!

I... can't believe I even asked that.

Let's move on to someone else before this show starts to really make my head hurt. Let's move on to... our main male lead and Moka's romantic interest; Tsukune Aono. Through some odd coincidence, he actually looks and sounds a whole lot like Aoba Riku from tokimeki Memorial ~Only Love~, right down to the nasally whiny voice. I mean... just look at this!

Go on! Take a guess who's who. Is that Riku on the left and Aono on the right, or is that Aono on the left and Riku on the right? MOUHAHAHAHA! But he doesn't just look and sound like Riku, he also seems to have the unconscious knack at attracting most of the main female cast of the show. He catches Moka's interest straight from the get-go, but his harem definitely grows as the show progresses, and at the end of the show, he's got four ladies vying for his attention. In all fairness, he's not a total wimp, but considering the school he attends, that only means he has the courage to set himself up as someone's punching bag.

The one who elevates the love situation to a triangle drama is Kurono Kurumu. She's a succubus, and when she first arrive, she intend to put her considerable curves to use by making every single male on campus her personal slave, which isn't a completely dumb idea, come to think of it. Naturally, she didn't take too kindly to Moka's popularity, which just as naturally made Aono her next target. Not to worry, though; with the intervention of Moka's totally awesome alternate personality (more on that later) and some in-the-nick-of-time kindness from Aono, she was more than ready to turn over a new leaf and rub her boobs on Aono's back for love instead. (Much to Moka's dismay, of course.) But what is a harem show without some rival shenanigan komedy?

Later on, the triangle romance quickly escalates to full blown haremism with the inclusion of loli witch Sendo Yukari. Since witches are known for being half-human, she faces a lot of prejudice at school. But if you thought that would teach her to appreciate those who don't treat her like crap, I'm afraid you're in for a bit of a disappointment. In fact, the sole target for her affection is Moka at first, and it's only at the end of the episode that Aono gets the chance to once again show off his nice guy magic, and hey presto... another romantic rival.

And with Shirayuki Mizore, that makes four. If her name wasn't enough of a hint already, she's the resident snow woman. At first, she comes across as rather aloof and withdrawn, but she soon warms up to Aono. (Yeah, I went there. Sue me!) She's still somewhat psychotically possessive through most of her introduction episode, which isn't helped by some rather unflattering rumours about her manner of entry and a rather emo "noone understands me" point of view, so let's take a guess. Is Mizore... A) Insane, violent and possessive? Or... B) Just misunderstood.

And with that, we round off the harem. Now, far be it for me to leave anyone out, but this show has such a large cast of characters, which is naturally, given the location of the story, but most of them are limited to small parts anyway, save for a few. I guess Morioka Ginei -- mostly referred to as "Gin-sempai" -- should be mentioned. He's the good-looking, hunk-a-dory counter to Aono's wimpitude, and he would probably have been Aono's romantic rival if not for the fact that he's a colossal pervert. And since he's the president of the newspaper club, that means he's a colossal pervert with a camera, and you all know what that mean, right? There's also Nekonome sensei, and I really shouldn't have to tell you what kind of "monster" she is. But then, she's a teacher, and teachers aren't really all that important in high-school harem shows. Lastly, there's this really obnoxious bat, which shows up on occasion to provide random (and often useless) tidbits of information. (Again, more on this later.)

source: www.themanime.org

DNAngel

2009-01-31T22:00:00.000-08:00

DNAngel

Synopsis

AKA: D.N.Angel

Genre: Kaitou (magical thief) show

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Licensed by ADV Films

Content Rating: 10+ (mild violence, older girl in love with young boy)

Niwa Daisuke is a fourteen-year-old boy with a really weird family. Despite his family's, er, odd customs, he tries not to let that bring him down and on his fourteenth birthday he decides that he is going to change his fate. On his birthday, he confesses to his crush, Harada Risa, that he loves her. Unfortunately Risa rebukes him and says that she really wants somebody "tall, dark, and dangerous".

On the same day, his family reveals to him that he is, in fact, the reincarnation of a thief. Not just any thief, but the famous thief, Dark Mousy. When Daisuke feels romantic feelings towards a girl, he will instantly transform into Dark. And if he doesn't steal the object that he is assigned to steal, he will stay in that form forever.

Cue the hijinks.

Review

Yes folks, this IS a shoujo anime. Even though it has a guy as the main character, it's still a shoujo anime and it shows in the designs of the characters. The guys, especially Daisuke/Dark, have all the bishounen-y features of something from, oh, CLAMP. It helps that the art and animation are pretty decent for a TV series, and it's colorful, too.

But what about the anime itself? Well, the first few episodes are pretty fun. I enjoyed watching them. It helps that Dark Mousy is a very cool character (despite his stupid name). You want to find out more about him. Unfortunately, his other form, Daisuke, is rather ... bland. I don't know if "bland" can adequately describe him. Risa is also a tad annoying, and so is her twin sister Riku.

And then, once the anime hits the double digits, it turns into a harem anime, with two new characters, Towa-chan and Hio Mio, joining the cast. Both of them lust after Daisuke (gee, where have we seen this before?) and are generally doinky. On top of all that, although Mio is fourteen like Daisuke, Towa-chan is ... not. It's just plain sickening and doinky to me to see this young woman hitting on somebody obviously underage. And the anime gets less fun.

I'll still buy the DVDs of this anime, though, because as doinky as it gets in the later episodes, it never goes down to Mouse-level doinkiness. And hey, considering this anime is from the creator of Rizelmine and Pilot Candidate, it didn't stink as much as those anime did.

source: www.themanime.org

Emma: A Victorian Romance season 2

2009-01-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

Emma: A Victorian Romance season 2

Synopsis

AKA: Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma Daini Maku Second Act, 英國戀物語エマ第二幕 SECOND ACT (Japanese)

Genre: Romantic drama with historical elements.

Length: Television series, 12 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from Nozomi/Right Stuf International

Content Rating: 7+ (Mature situations, light violence and fanservice.)

Having left William Jones in London, Emma finds a new job at the Molders' estate, determined to make a new life for herself. Back in London, William tries to move on with his life and the family business under the prying eyes of his parents, his siblings and the gentry class.

But feelings are not so easily forgotten, and the intervention of chance might find the two with an opportunity to reforge that bond or cast it aside for good.

Review

When I look back at Emma: A Victorian Romance -- including the first season -- I realize that I just went through the textbook example of a tale of forbidden love, much like the ridiculous concepts you can see in the "housewife porn" sections of your local book stall. Furthermore, since it's taking place in victorian era London, it's basically stiffly-dressed, formal to a fault and so stuffy, it's almost more than one can choke to death on. And yes, one of these days I'm going to find out just why I ended up liking this show so damned much.

I've got to hand it to the show, though; it's definitely doing a fine job of portraying victorian era London, all the way down to the class divide on both ends of the fence. Excess and poverty go hand in hand to such a degree that the maids themselves can consider themselves lucky just for holding the position they do. Even the first season had people like Al, who seemed to do ok for himself despite the fact that his living area seemed borderline squalid.

Of course, you'll get to see more than your fill of the lifestyle of the rich and famous as well. When the Jones estate isn't filling your screen with rich tapestries and paintings adorning a humongous living area, balls, concerts, dinners and other events will be featured frequently, what with William being a member of the social elite and Emma working for another house of the same. But even in the face of social excess like this, it's nice to see that this show doesn't fall into the habit of labelling the gentry as nothing but snotty, judgemental assholes all around. Sure, there are people like that -- certainly, the gossip chain is a thing to fear -- but even among the well-off, there are sympathetic souls. Emma certainly found an eccentric border for herself, the Molders' being portrayed as an eccentric, but generally understanding and kind family. We also quickly learn that William's father -- regardless of his actions in most of the first season -- may know all too well what his son is setting himself up for with his desire to take Emma for a wife. It gives the show a lot of heart by avoiding shoehorning everyone into roles based on their social status seen from only one side of the border, the trappings of many an inferior show.

And, much like the first season, in this show, the maids are just that. Maids. They do what maids are expected to do; housekeeping for whoever supplies their paycheck. And furthermore, they never ever refer to anyone as "master". Again, Emma: A Victorian Romance is not a fetish show, unless you have a significant interest in the era itself. Basically, any piece of clothing, including swimsuits (and yes, you do get to see swimsuits in this show), are so modest, it's almost ridiculous. Hakim still has his attendants, though, so if you REALLY want to see some smokin' hot babes, there's your chance.

I'm sure those of you who've watched the first season and is eagerly wondering where the second act is going are dying to know how things work out for William and Emma. Since the show itself reaches a conclusion here, that's what you'll get, too. I won't say anything, of course, but as a warning to all fans who haven't gotten their hands on this box set yet; the cover of the fourth volume basically spoils the whole thing. Now, you might not find any of this to be a huge surprise, but I just thought I'd warn you all the same. That said, I'd also like to mention that the anime, while normally following the manga story to a tee for the most part, actually has a few significant changes, meaning some parts of the story have been taken out and others have been embellished some. I haven't had the chance to finish the manga yet (I'm two volumes short -- which I plan to amend sooner or later), so I can't really say how closely the anime follows the manga ending, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter too much unless you're a big stickler for authenticity. They're basically superficial changes, probably for the benefit of an animated medium.

Either way, watching both volumes of Emma was definitely time well spent. I'm not saying I'll be rushing off to the "housewife porn" section of our local bookstore or library anytime soon -- or ever -- but as a romantic piece, and a "forbidden" one at that, this show provided without stumbling over its own manners and formalities. It's a set piece for the ages.

source: www.themanime.org

Love Hina

2009-01-29T14:55:00.000-08:00

Love Hina

Synopsis

AKA: N/A

Genre: Romantic comedy

Length: Television series, 24 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently licensed by FUNimation.

Content Rating: 13+ (fan service, slapstick violence, adult themes and innuendo)

Urashima Keitarou is trying to his best to get into the prestigious Tokyo University ("Toudai"), but keeps failing. He refuses to give up, because he believes that if he gets into Toudai, he will meet the girl he made a promise to back when he was a child. What sort of promise, do you ask? There is an urban legend that those who promise to go to Tokyo University together will fall in love and be happy forever. Unfortunately, he's forgotten the name of the girl he promised to be with ... and worse, he's been kicked out of his parents' house for being an abject failure at college.

So he travels to his grandmother Hina's resort to better concentrate on his studies, for a better study environment so he can pass the tests. Unfortunately, it appears that his grandmother has skipped out on the resort, and never bothered to mention that it had been turned into a girl's dormitory. Something Keitarou finds out the hard way. And so now, Keitarou is surrounded by a gaggle of cute girls, including the high-spirited (and rather violent) Narusegawa Naru. Could she be the girl he made the promise to so long ago? And will he, in fact, ever be able to attend Tokyo University and find his true love?

Review

Boy, does Keitarou bring new meaning to the archetype of the "loser hero". When you first watch this series, you'll think it's going to be another Tenchi Clone(tm). And even the manga artist seemingly intended the series to be nothing but filler.

Somewhere along the line, Love Hina got really good, and therefore, the TV adaptation was made. And the series quickly establishes that it is most definitely NOT a regular "harem anime". In fact, not all the girls fall in love with the hapless, but persistent Keitarou. Instead, Love Hina plays like an updated version of Maison Ikkoku, with the ronin cramming to get into college so he can be worthy of being with his true love, a zany supporting cast that frequently serves as a distraction, and the beautiful, flawed, yet completely likable main heroine, Naru.

Granted, this series shows a lot more flesh than Maison Ikkoku would ever think of doing. Fan service is the name of the game here. What can you expect from a series based in a hot springs resort? Swimsuits, towels, panties, and, quite often, much less than that. Don't even get me started on the kotatsu scene. But despite the blatant camera angles and jiggling, I could still get into it. It's surprisingly clean and innocent, much more so than a show like this has any right to be. For all the "opportunities" Keitarou gets, especially with Naru, he doesn't get anywhere with any of the girls, and it emphasizes just how much of a loser the poor boy is, especially when he's getting punched into the stratosphere on a regular basis.

But it's not just situationally perverted comedy or slapstick that makes that series work. The characters are excellent, especially Narusegawa Naru. Characters like her are very difficult to pull off believably. It's too easy to want to make these girls too perfect (Belldandy in the Oh My Goddess OAVs) or too over-the-top (Ryouko AND Aeka in Tenchi Muyo). Naru is not so perfect that female viewers like myself feel alienated or intimidated by her - you know girls like her, you've probably gone to school with girls like her, you may even be related to her. She's sort of an EveryWoman. And so you end up rooting for her to hook up with Keitarou just as much as you root for Keitarou to hook up with her, because she in her own way is just as much of a loser as Keitarou. And if you don't see them as the Destined Couple of the Series, well, you just haven't seen enough anime.

Not that the rest of the cast is weak by any means. My personal favorites are Konno Mitsune ("Kitsune") and Kaolla Suu, respectively the nosy, meddling alcoholic and the strange, random, genki foreigner of the series. Both of them are there to make situations a little more interesting, using the forces of chaos to their full extent, just so the budding relationship between Keitarou and Naru doesn't happen quite so simply. Then there's Aoyama Motoko, the sword-wielding descendant of samurai who seems completely aloof to everything, and the super-cute (and super-shy) Maehara Shinobu, who harbors a not-so-secret (but totally innocent) crush on Keitarou, which might be more of a factor if she weren't so young. All of the cast is well-acted, and a whole lot of fun.

Animation-wise, the series is quite obviously computer-generated cel-style animation. Unlike Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, which often degrades in close-ups and action scenes, Love Hina never really falters in the technical department. Mind you, it's nowhere near OAV quality, but it's more than adequate for the story being told. The incidental music is a bit too brash for my tastes, and the opening song, an unusual industrial-sounding offering from Hayashibara Megumi (who plays Keitarou's aunt in the series), takes some getting used to. Don't leave it on loop and leave the room while it's playing, or your roommate will kill you. But overall, it's not bad, but better than the TV show's premise really deserves, and it grows on you.

I very, very much recommend Love Hina. While it's not the best anime ever made, it's cute, funny, and makes for a great date show. And take a hint from Naru. Next time your man acts like a complete idiot, kick him to the curb! Yeah! Now that's girl power.

source : www.themanime.org

Shinigami no Ballad

2009-01-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

Shinigami no Ballad

Synopsis

AKA: Shinigami no Ballad: momo the girl god of death, しにがみのバラッド。 (Japanese)

Genre: Slice-of-life drama with afterlife-ish elements.

Length: OAV series, 6 episodes, 25 minutes each

Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America.

Content Rating: PG (Some mature situations, including sickness and death.)

Momo is a shinigami, and together with her winged familiar, Daniel, she is responsible for bringing the recently deceased to their final resting place. This is the story of the lives she brings over and how it affects the people around them.

Review

Death is never an easy subject to create anything around, especially when you choose to do so around an animated medium that is, for a bigger part than strictly necessary, seen as a medium for the younger generation. Especially more so, seeing as the approach taken in this show better suits those who already carry the memories of those passed on. Shinigami no Ballad is, in short, not the kind of show you normally expect when you hear the word "shinigami".

This is particularly apparent when you see the main character in the show, Momo. She is perhaps the most disarming messenger of death you'd ever be likely to meet; a young girl, clad completely in white (except for a pair of bright red shoes) and with a long mane of white hair falling down her back. The only thing that really feels out of place would be the huge, black scythe she brings along with her when she works.

Curiously enough, the show is perhaps not as much about Momo, but more the people she influences in various ways. Being highly episodic, each episode brings along a new main character for the duration of its runtime, and the whole thing plays off in a casual manner despite its serious tone and material. Not that the show isn't completely without its more dramatically intense moments, mind you.

I guess you could call that the only "downside" to this show. It's six episodes long, so you could probably argue that you aren't really getting to know these people very well, unlike a longer-running show with the same cast all the way through. And while that is a valid point, I think it's important to realize that it's the stories themselves that are important, with whatever feeling they might convey. It's the situations that should be familiar to the viewers, not the characters.

This does, however, bring the show's real downside. It won't be accessible to most young people -- especially children -- simply because it's highly unlikely that they've experienced any of what is going on, and are more likely to become bored with it. Which is a shame, because the show itself is surprisingly down-to-earth about the whole thing, even if it's starring little girls wielding huge pieces of menacing-looking farming equipment. (And yes, I've seen "Children of the Corn.")

The main thread in Shinigami no Ballad is one of death, true, but even more so about life and the memories we carry from people we remember. It's also as much about how we view ourselves or how we think others are looking at us, especially in light of how much we value our memories and friendships. And, amazingly enough, the show itself is rather lighthearted, mostly because Momo herself is a bit of a busybody, involving herself in lives she won't be taking away anytime soon. Although in most of those cases, it's because of lives she HAS taken away, with souls who haven't been able to settle down until the ones left behind has come to terms with this.

I'm not really all that familiar with how the Japanese view the afterlife and the path there, but despite that, this show is easily accessible to anyone, regardless of social and national background. Not as much because of Momo and what she represents, but more because of how her presence and actions influence us and how we see each other. I originally said that each episode brings a new cast to the table, but in fact, some of the cast of the original episode does make an appearance in a later episode to show how time passes. It's a nice touch to a gentle show that, despite its subject material, can be seen by anyone at any time.

Inuyasha Movie 1: Love That Transcends Time

2009-01-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

Inuyasha Movie 1: Love That Transcends Time

Synopsis

AKA: 劇場版犬夜叉[時代を越える想い], Inuyasha the Movie: Toki o Koeru Omoi

Genre: Shounen

Length: Movie, 100 minutes

Distributor: Licensed by Viz

Content Rating: 13+ (violence, mature themes and situations)

The Shikon no Tama, a holy stone that grants great powers to demons (youkai) has been shattered. A demon named Menomaru finds a shard, and uses it to initiate revenge against the inu-youkai (dog demons) that imprisoned him. The heroes must fight Menomaru as well as their own powers and fears to conquer this latest menace to the search for the Shikon no Kakera (Shikon shards).

The movie takes the first ten minutes or so introducing the back-story as well as the main characters of the story.

Inuyasha is a rather involved story line. Fortunately there’s no need to have watched the fifty or so episodes that came out before the movie to understand what’s going on.

Review

I guess I should start by saying I’ve been a huge Takahashi Rumiko fan since watching Ranma ½. I found Inuyasha through a bout of insomnia and Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. I’ve been hopelessly hooked since then. With now three movies, well over one hundred fifty animated episodes and rapidly approaching four hundred manga chapters with no end in sight, this is rapidly shaping up to be one of the longest and most interesting series that I’ve found. Love That Transcends Time happens between the second and third seasons, just after all the main characters are introduced but before Naraku gets too involved (but that is a tale for another time).

First of, there's the characters, and there’s a lot of them! For the good guys: Inuyasha is the main protagonist. I can’t call him the hero, as he pisses off everyone else to often. He is a hanyou, or half demon, as his mother was a human princess, and his father was the great Inotaisho, Lord of the Western Lands. Kagome, the theoretical heroine, is a modern girl that fell through a time-bridging well and brought the Shikon jewel with her (unintentionally). She’s the only character that can track the shards and locate them. She’s also the reincarnation of Inuyasha’s dead girlfriend Kikyo (can we see why all the girls are addicted to this show?) Miroku, a Buddhist priest out to avenge his father and remove the Kazaana (air rip) curse from his hand before it kills him as well, is also a hentai out for all the ass he can grab. His favorite target is Sango, a taija or demon exterminator, whose family was killed by Naraku. Along with Sango comes Kirara, a cute neko youkai (cat demon) that turns into a flying, fiery sabertooth lion. Shippo is a fox demon cub that Kagome rescued, much to Inuyasha’s torment. Myoga is Inuyasha’s cowardly retainer, often supplying information about the enemy just before running off. Kaede is Kikyo’s younger sister and takes care of the village that the group calls home. That’s it for the good guys.

Inuyasha’s father trapped Menomaru, a Chinese moth demon, during a great war. Now that he has a shikon shard, he’s out to wreak havoc and revenge, and needs Inuyasha’s sword to release him from his prison. He has two flunkies, Ruri and Hari, which are pretty much interchangeable. These are the official bad guys of the flick. Antagonists are Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha’s full-demon brother, and Kikyo, his walking-corpse ex-girlfriend. Can we say issues, boys and girls?

The plot of the movie is the simple, straightforward one of most action movies: defeat the bad guy, don’t kill your friends, and save the girl. Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as is suggests, since both heroes are carrying enough emotional baggage to outfit all of India for a month. Kagome is still coming to terms with the fact that Inuyasha feels attachment to the walking pile of dirt and bones that was once the woman he loved, but he also is getting attached to Kagome, and is starting to realize that she is more than the simple reincarnation of Kikyo. Kagome must come to grips with both this and the fact that she also cares for him as well. Menomaru’s talent for mind control and confusion further complicates this.

I would go further into an explanation, but I don’t want to ruin any of the twists and turns in the movie for anyone out there. Be assured that this is at least a two hankie the first time through. I LOVE all the plot twists and character interaction during the movie. Oh, by the way, Kagome’s mom does what any mom would do: gives the right advice at the right time.

With the higher end budget of a movie, the artwork for Love That Transcends Time is of better quality than the series. Not to say that the artwork is bad for the series, or anything. I love it! (or I wouldn’t be selling my soul to find more of it ^_~) The backgrounds for the movie are beautiful, and there are some affects that are done late in the movie that a TV series simply cannot afford to do. The familiar styles of Takahashi Rumiko are very evident.

I also love the fact that although the story is serious, the time is taken to add a little humor to the tale (of course that isn’t hard with Inuyasha ... all he has to do is insult Kagome and it’s instant humor!) Shippo-chan also adds a lot to the light-hearted side of the story, being a +5 to the instant Cute Factor Meter. However it’s the one liners and sarcastic responses that really hit home for humor.

Just for it being Inuyasha and the brainchild of the goddess Takahashi Rumiko I have to start with three stars. The artwork and plot give it another star. The final star is given for the humor and the hankies. It isn’t often that an animated movie can cause a sob-fest, and this one did it! I guess I could be a little biased, since this is my favorite series of all time, and I’ve been waiting about two years to get my hands on the movie, but that’s beside the point. The movie is GOOD! The action is consistent; there aren’t any spots where you aren’t riveted to the screen, on top of the butt-kicking.

To Love-Ru

2009-01-15T02:55:00.000-08:00

To Love-Ru

Synopsis

AKA: Trouble!, To LOVEる -とらぶる-

Genre: Romantic comedy

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America.

Content Rating: 16+ (fan service, suggestive content, perverted hi-jinx)

Alien princess Lala Satalin Deviluke runs away from her marriage proposals and ends up on Earth, where she ends up staying with a high school boy named Yuuki Rito after literally dropping into his bathtub. Shortly after her arrival, they're assailed by two guys dressed in black, but Lala's invention saves the two of them from certain capture.

The next day, Rito tries to confess his feelings for his long-time crush Sairenji Haruna, but his words fall on Lala's ears instead! She accepts his feelings and tells him they're now engaged right in front of Haruna! And with this, Rito's life takes a very strange turn.

Review

Romantic comedies always seem to one of the most difficult genres of animation to write for. If you make the couples too nice, it's sappy and annoying. If you make them too mean-spirited, any romantic chemistry the characters may have feels forced and jarring. Even His and Her Circumstances tumbled in this respect, as it was quite the challenge to care whatsoever for its female lead, which also meant that everything bad that happened to her was justifiable comeuppance for being an utter bitch to people for the good part of a decade. And don't get me started on what XEBEC did to Love Hina, which was no walk in the park for our male lead in the first manga-centric place. And if you wondered whether XEBEC managed to redeem themselves with To-Love-Ru, we've both reached the consensus that you are in for one hell of a letdown.

The first problem with To-Love-Ru anime is the pacing. This is a series that really needed 11 minute episodes to tell a story. Why is this? Because the writing staff typically take a chapter from the manga, make it into an episode, and spend about half of the episode making up filler material to go with it. And it's not even good filler, either, usually used for the writers in creating material far creepier than the original manga to the plate (like Rito's friend wanting to be "dissected" by Lala, stripping himself of all but his underwear while pledging to do so!). I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this is how the episodes ended up being made:

Director: Hmm, this doesn't seem long enough.

Writer: Really? It's pretty much a word-by-word adaption of the manga.

Director: But it's not enough to pad out a whole episode. Add in 5 more minutes of filler here, and 3 or 4 minutes of pointless conversations there. Make up something. Anything! Like an anal probe scene. They're aliens, right? Aliens always have anal probes.

Writer: I hate you so much.

To put it into perspective, the opening animation consists of the series' staff credits being displayed on clothing strapped tightly over female bodyparts, which probably took far more effort to come up with than the writing of the grand majority of the first half of the series. The whole thing is set to a rather uninspired rock opener, which is somewhat at odds with the contents of the show, as one would expect this sort of thing from a show centered around fashion and trends, to which To Love-Ru could care less. In other words, I hope you like school uniforms.

Unfortunately, one thing XEBEC didn't change from the manga was its lackluster characterizations. Yuuki Rito is basically a mishmash between the common harem loser lead and Beauty from Bobobobo Bobobo: the former in that he's typically displayed as a wuss who faints at the sight of a bare breast, and the latter in that he typically spends most of the episodes being both confused and bewildered by daily events usually rapidly careening out of control, mostly through no fault of his own. In all fairness, he does have the courage to voice his irritations from time to time, which alone puts him above several male leads in similar shows, but he's usually roped in as the "nice guy" and "straight man" of the series, with whatever limitations that entail. Even his 11 year-old sister has more personality than him, playing it cool and being surprisingly supportive of both his feelings for Lala and his true crush, Haruna. She's also the only female character not continuously exploited for fan service or laughs, and she seldom raises her fists at Rito, much less slap him, which certainly plays no small part in turning her into a favorite with both of us. If all little sister archetypes were like Mikan, male abuse would lessen by a gigantic margin.

And then there's Lala. On one hand, it's refreshing to see a female lead in a romantic comedy so honest and open about her feelings for the guy she likes without being a clingy spaz who spends every single moment in his presence. (Like, oh... a certain fox-eared rapist in another show cut from the same cloth.) On the other hand, she's your stereotypical big-breasted ditz from space with a knack for inventions, which, while they usually work like they're supposed to, tend to create more chaos than strictly necessary. One of her creations is Piko, a robotic being whose role seems to be attaching itself to Lala and project whichever clothing she would like to wear and fulfilling the obligative mascot rule. Problem is, when he comes off, so does Lala's clothes. And does this happen often for the sake of fan service? Simon says: "Yes, very!" While there's nothing genuinely wrong with Lala's character, the writing of this series doesn't do her any favors whatsoever.

On the opposite end of the spectrum we have Sairenji Haruna, Rito's crush and the girl he has always wanted to confess his feelings to. She is our token "nice girl of the show", and never really strays far from that role. Her problem is basically that she isn't really any more interesting than the other somewhat anonymous girls in the show, despite playing a much larger part -- like, y' know, one of the MAIN CHARACTERS! I'm quite frankly surprised that she has yet to be revealed to be a robot in the manga. She's only there because Rito wants her and because every harem needs more girls attracted to our male lead for any reason, or, in this case, no particular reason.

As for the of the cast: they're all high school stereotypes you've seen before. The popular, rich girl and her flunkies; a boy who can change into a girl when he sneezes (and back again, often at very inopportune moments); the perverted, male best friend; the sexy, female school nurse; the perverted, scatterbrained principal and the klutzy ghost girl. There are also two girls in Haruna's class who do pretty much nothing but rub their hands on her and Lala's breasts for "comedy". Worst off compared to her manga self is the class rep., though. In the manga, she came across as a somewhat uptight stickler for rules and regulations. In the show, though, she started off turning the school into a facsimile of a fascist military compound, and then proceeds to endear herself to all male viewers by forcing Rito to walk around in public with a plaque reading "Girls are not allowed to speak with him."

And then lastly we have Golden Darkness, who's basically Eve from Black Cat, right down to her manner of speech, fashion sense and the ability to use her hair as a weapon -- any weapon -- mostly in Rito's direction, of course. Naturally, she also settles on earth and takes a liking to reading books, which is another trait she seemingly inherited from Eve. Curiously enough, she's perhaps the one character that is the most like her manga self, which means that in the anime, she's less... severe than her fellow cast members. Even the series' best secondary character, Zastin (Lala's bodyguard), is partially a clone of Ryoga from Ranma 1/2 right down to his terrible sense of direction and genetical ability to fall into random manholes. To say there's a lack of originality in To-Love-Ru would be the grossest understatement both of us have made in our 5 year tenure as an anime reviewers. There's literally nothing here you haven't seen on a better show. Nothing.

Much like the manga, To-Love-Ru is basically a stripped-down Urusei Yatsura with the character designs of Black Cat, only nowhere near as clever, likable or funny as the former. However, it does have its moments now and then. The art is good and the character designs are faithful to the manga, if nothing else. The animation isn't all that, though, and its more inspired moments only elevate it to merely average at best. Urusei Yatsura's art and music might be extremely dated, but one episode of that series is vastly more imaginative, entertaining, and most importantly, fun than all I've seen of To-Love-Ru to date. When the best that can be said about this series is that at least it isn't Rizelmine and that the girls actually look their age, you know we're scraping for compliments.

source: www.themanime.org

Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play

2009-01-13T02:16:00.000-08:00

Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play

Synopsis

Miaka Yuuki and her best friend Yui Hongo are studied for their high school entrance exams. One day when they go to the library to return some books, they accidentally discover an ancient text called "Universe of the Four Gods" (also called "The Four Gods Sky and Earth"). According to legend, the one who reads this book to its completion will be granted her fondest wish. So, naturally, they begin to read, and are instantly sucked into the world of the book. Neither of them realize at this time that their friendship, their courage, and their very lives will be put through a test far greater than they had ever expected to take.

Review

Fushigi Yugi is one of those series that just -knows- how to manipulate your emotions. You will run the full gauntlet of emotions while watching this series, as it is a good blend of slapstick comedy, heartbreaking romance, and fast-paced action. Some of the best characterization in anime is to be found in this series. And you would think by those last few sentences that we have the makings of a five-star classic.

I wish we did.

Don't get me wrong, I -love- this series. I relate to Miaka maybe a little too well... But sadly, there are a few flaws in this series, not all of them minor, which prevents it from being the anime classic it really should be. To begin with, the animation quality, which quite frankly, is the bottom of the barrel. A storyline like this deserves way better than flat flame rates, muddy coloring, and overall shoddy worksmanship. The truly exquisite box art looks far superior to the actual anime, which is a crying shame.

It also suffers in the characterization department. The characters they bother to develop are developed beautifully. For example, the relationship between Miaka and Yui. Their deep friendship is put to the test big time through a series of one misunderstanding after another, and even when one is ready to give up on the other, they somehow still manage to not fully give up on them. That at the end of the series they are closer than ever is a tribute to the power of their feelings for each other. They really did grow up after all.

The problem is, not everyone who -should- have been developed is. Specifically, Mitsukake and Chiriko, two of the seven Suzaku Seishi (though you would've assumed there were five had you not seem the manga). Aside from one story arc for Mitsukake and one -episode- for Chiriko, they hardly appear until they're ready to die. Chiriko's death sequence was longer than any other scene he had in the series...combined. So how are we supposed to care for these two? Apparently, not much, since the writers focused on the pretty-boys clamoring for Miaka's attention. (As if Hotohori is -really- that interesting; his personality seems to revolve around the phrase, "Oh, I am the beautiful emperor. Let me be humble for you.")

I could have forgiven these flaws and rated this series higher, but there is one utterly glaring problem in this series. The dialogue.

Miaka! Tamahome! Miaka! Yui-chan! Miaka! Tamahome! Miaka! Tamahome! NURIIIKOOOOOO!!!! Tamahome!! Nakago. Miaka! Tamahome! Dr. Scott! Janet! Brad! Rocky!-

Sorry, I got carried away there... But I believe the names Miaka and Tamahome are repeated ad nauseum at least 1000 times...every 10 episodes. Couldn't the scriptwriters catch a clue? Or had they chopped up so much of the manga, they realized, oops, it's too short, time for filler? And entire episodes are composed of nothing but flashback stock footage. Geez! Take out the repetitious dialogue and flashback sequences, and you'd have one season of Fushigi Yuugi, not two. Ouch. With such a fantastic manga to base itself off of, Fushigi Yugi truly deserved far better, and as is, it is still an enjoyable series, and I do recommend it, especially to fans of shoujo anime. But it can't be a classic, by a long shot. And that's a damn shame.

source : www.themanime.org

Naruto Shippuden OP04: Closer by Inoue Joe

2009-01-13T02:07:00.000-08:00

Naruto Shippuden OP04: Closer by Inoue Joe

Mijika ni arumono
Tsune ni ki wo tsuketeinai to
Amari ni chikasugite
Miushinatteshimaisou

Anata ga saikin taiken shita
Shiawase wa ittai nan desuka
Megumaresugiteite
Omoidasenai kamo

Ima koto ni iru koto
Iki wo shiteiru koto
Tada sore dake no koto ga
Kiseki da to kizuku

Mijika ni arumono
Tsune ni ki wo tsuketeinai to
Amari ni chikasugite
Miushinatteshimaisou

You know the closer you get to something
The tougher it is to see it
And I’ll never take it for granted
Let’s go

Hito dasuke wo gizen to
Yobu yatsura mo iru kedo
Shinjiru no mo utagau no mo
Hito sorezore dakara

Tatoe karini sore ga
Gizen deatta toshitemo
Dareka wo oshietanara
Sore mushiro nani yori mo riaru

Oitsuzuketekita yume
Akiramezuni susume yo nante
Kirei koto wo ieru hodo
Nani mo dekichainai kedo

Hitonigiri no yuuki wo mune ni
Ashita wo ikinuku tame ni
And I’ll never take it for granted
Let’s go

Mijika ni arumono
Tsune ni ki wo tsuketeinai to
Amari ni chikasugite
Miushinatteshimaisou

You know the closer you get to something
The tougher it is to see it
And I’ll never take it for granted

Oitsuzuketekita yume
Akiramezuni susume yo nante
Kirei koto wo ieru hodo
Nani mo dekichainai kedo

Hitonigiri no yuuki wo mune ni
Ashita wo ikinuku tame ni
And I’ll never take it for granted
Let’s go

Download MP3: [here]

Credits to gendou.com

Naruto Shippuden ED01: Nagareboshi Shooting Star by HOME MADE Kazoku

2009-01-13T02:03:00.000-08:00

Nagareboshi Shooting Star by HOME MADE Kazoku (naruto shipuden first ED)

Sora wo miagereba
Hoshitachi ga hora matataiteru
Kono hoshi no hitotachi mitai ni
Samazama na hikari wo hanatte
Sou sou dakara boku mo
Hitokiwa kagayaite itain da
Me wo tojite kokoro ni chikau
Nagareboshi ni yume wo takushite

Koko wa itsumo no kouen
Yakei ga mieru
Suberidai no ue
Mukashi kara boku no tokutouseki
Nayami ga areba koko ni kurun desu
Ano koro no mama yume no tochuu de
Ima de kanaerarezu ni irun desu
Moshikashite koko ga mou shuuten
Nante yowane wo haite shimaisou na hi mo aru
Demo sono tabi ni omoidasu
Nagareboshi wo sagashite ano hoshizora
Chiisana koro no negaigoto
Ima mukashi mo kawaranai mama

Yoru no kousha nakama to shinobikomi
Koe wo hisome kanaame yojinobori
Hiruma to chigau kao no guraundo wo se ni
Mezashita basho wo "puuru" to iu na no umi
Mizugi nante mon wa nai kara minna suppadaka
Dareka ga kisei wo hasshite tobikonda
Yoru no tobari ni hibiku mizushibuki
Ato ni tsuzuke to bakari ni minna, issai ni haitte
Sora miage pukapuka ukanda
Me no mae ni aru hoshi wo nagame ooku no yume katariatte
Sagashita ne ano nagareboshi

Miageta sora ni musuu no hoshii
Ima mo mukashi mo kawaranai shi
Yume wa hate shinaku kuruoshikute
Ano hoshi no you ni sugoku mabushii

Hey! Sonna ni utsumuite bakari icha
Mieru mono mo mienaku naru kara
Sora miagete keep your head up!!
Hey! "Miageta sora ni ima, nani wo omou?"
Itsuka kirameku ano hoshi no you ni…
I wanna shine

Download MP3: [here]

Credits to animelyrics.com and BeeMP3

Aria the Origination

2009-01-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

Aria the Origination

Synopsis

AKA: ƒAƒŠƒA ƒW�EƒIƒŠƒWƒl�[ƒVƒ‡ƒ“ (Japanese)

Genre: Slice of life drama.

Length: Television series, 13 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Licensed by Right Stuf International.

Content Rating: PG (Mild adult themes.)

It's been quite some time since Mizunashi Akari joined Aria Company, and she -- as well as her friends Aika and Alice -- starts to realize the day when they reach their goal to become Prima is getting ever closer.

Review

Much like our favorite undine girls, Aria has come a long way over the last couple of years since its beginning as an anime series at the end of 2005. To think that a small leap of faith on an almost ridiculously underappreciated manga released in a severe state of incompletion would lead to this.

Ok, sure, it's just a 13 episode season this time, but that doesn't change the fact that Aria -- OAV included -- ended up with an episode count of 53. That's fifty-three episodes of quiet, reflective gentleness, of friendship, discovery and introspection and most of all, a joyful love of a simple life and its mixture of modernism and nostalgia.

The show has probably never looked better either. A few animation nitpicks aside, the character designs seems to have settled at a midpoint between the slightly more mature designs of the first season and the more rounded, cuter look of the second. The line art is crisp and clear, and the animation is also nearly constantly top-notch for a TV show. Hell, the characters are even more expressionate than ever, especially as the show rounds the last turn to the finishing line. Whatever misgivings I had about the animation quality and the somewhat fluxuating art is now gone. And, again, some of the background works are just breathtaking, especially near the end of the show.

Even better, the music is still provided by Choro Club, rounding up enough new and excellent material for yet another soundtrack CD (which I naturally got), plus the return of the gentle voice of Makino Yui for yet another of her intro themes that suits the show so well somehow.

This season picks up almost immediately where it left off on Aria the Natural, introducing everyone of particular importance right off the bat. As it should be, they do a quick reflection of past events and our young apprentices once again reaffirms their resolve, with the episode setting the mood for things to come. It's one of the things I've always loved about Aria; the humble, yet unrelentingly optimistic approach, with a love for just about anything. And for the first half, that's the route we take. It's a character portrait, a city portrait and a mirror to the real-life Venice whom this futuristic-yet-not image has been based upon.

One of the greater boons about Aria has always been that its observations about itself are always full of wonder, but never really goes completely overboard with its romanticism. This has been true for the most part, but if I was asked to pick one flaw in this season, then that would be the third episode, where they kind of did. See, the review for Aria the Origination was originally meant to be a collaboration between me and Bradley Meek. In the end, though, we couldn't come to an agreement about it; he basically felt that said episode ruined a lot of the goodwill he had towards the show, and while I don't exactly agree with that, I think I can understand him a little. But then, I thought the show more than made up for it with the rest of the episodes anyway, by keeping up a steady -- not to mention impressive -- pace for the rest of its runtime.

Indeed, as the show passes the halfway mark, there is a certain sense of impending closure. It's actually the most serious Aria has ever been, and even though it's hardly jarring, it's certainly noticeable as Aria cranks up the emotional levels considerably. The threads from earlier episodes in the first seasons come together to weave themselves into the various episodes leading up to the finale, because this is where Aria comes to a complete end.

source: http://www.themanime.org

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

2009-01-11T03:34:00.000-08:00

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Synopsis

AKA: ƒCƒmƒZƒ“ƒX GHOST IN THE SHELL, Innocence: Ghost in the Shell

Genre: Philosophical sci-fi police cyberpunk mystery drama

Length: Movie, 99 minutes

Distributor: Currently licensed by Bandai Entertainment.

Content Rating: PG-13 (adult themes, language, violence)

In a future time when most human thought has been accelerated by artificial intelligence and external memory can be shared on a universal matrix, Batou, an agent of the elite Section 9 Security Force and a being so artificially modified as to be essentially cyborg, is assigned, along with his mostly human partner, Togusa, to investigate a series of gruesome murders.

Review

"Let me ask you this, do you consider yourself happy?"

In 1995 when the first movie came out, while Japanese audiences mostly ignored it, it wowed just about everyone else in the international scene mostly because of its jaw-dropping production values, atmospheric surrealism and a story most people at the time probably didn't get, myself included upon first viewing it on AXN when they aired it on cable TV. Here we are, about 10 years later and a sequel is set to come out. After waiting about an extra year to actually see the movie because I wasn't willing to get or watch the bootleg back in the Philippines, I'm happy to report that the wait was very well worth it.

To begin, I'd like to comment on how interesting the presentation of the dialogue is. While most might find it quite problematic and feel that it detracts from the movie, I think that the real problem here is that people might tend to put more importance in seeking where they come from, as opposed to what they actually mean in the context of the film. The author references are probably just a little extra for people who read a lot, but in the eyes of a person who doesn't even know who Milton is, such as myself, the dialogue works just fine. On a more technical level, the use of quotes is most likely to demonstrate the response speed of external memory since this is probably a commonplace for people that have computers inside their heads.

Then we have the overall message of the film. People seem to be all over the place with this one, from, "I don’t like it because it doesn't discuss what was discussed in the first movie as well," to, "I don’t like it because it doesn't add anything new to what was already discussed in the first movie." For the most part, both movies discuss almost completely different things. If the message of the first movie revolved around, "What is the meaning of being human?" this movie delves more into the matters of, "What is man's perception of life and recreating himself?" and if man can ever be truly happy about his current level of existence that of a creature endowed with a limited consciousness. Knowing this, it's completely baffling to me as to how most people came to those conclusions about the second movie.

The sequel doesn't exactly develop the characters too much since it's mainly primarily focused on deep insight through its characterization (sort of in the same way that the Cowboy Bebop movie is set up, much to the dissatisfaction of many of the fans). But for the most part, the characters do indeed have their own identities and it is made very apparent here. For example, there is a clear divide between Batou and Togusa, which is emphasized by how "human" each of them is. The secondary characters are also written quite well, and bring a lot to the table as far as exploring the message of the movie is concerned.

Which brings us to the animation production. I mean, it's pretty good, but I don't think that it doesn't have its own fair share of shortcomings. Sure the 3D is great, but the 2D animation (with the exception of the Oshii's holy basset hound of course) sort of fails to keep up to the point where I don't even see the characters anymore, just the very intricate backgrounds. That kind of presents a problem with me since the relatively good 3D just feels less impressive because of it. The lighting is very high-end though and I also enjoyed the parade through the city immensely. The final sequence in particular is the most brilliant use of 3D in the movie mainly because of its visual prowess and meticulous coordination. But when it comes down to it, visually, overall I was more impressed with the first movie as far as 2D animation goes.

Even with my somewhat critical comments about the actual animation, Oshii Mamoru's trademark direction and style, in which surrealism isn't necessarily tantamount to boredom, is a pleasure to watch. Had any other director done this, I’d probably find it very hard to stay interested, or awake for that matter, during this 99-minute excursion. This, to me, is his real talent as a director (as far as animation is concerned anyway, I'm not exactly the biggest Avalon fan). The music, by Kawai Kenji once again, is vastly improved over the original's soundtrack, mainly since everything here feels less depressing than the first movie. In fact, the overall tone of the movie is different. It feels much more passionate and dramatic than cold and desperate, yet at the same time retaining that surreal overtone. When the direction and music come together like this, it’s like a light that shines ever so brilliantly.

One might notice that this isn't exactly a movie that is aimed to a large set of people regardless of how much they tried to market it all over the place using the first film's hype. I guess with a twenty million dollar budget, you’d probably want to see a return on that too. But really, it's a movie for patient people that are interested in hearing insight about the world around us and how we, as humans, interact with it and constantly change our way of thinking because of it. It's very thought provoking, and utterly mesmerizing in its incredible beauty in direction and in message. The closing in particular was well beyond what was expected, even after reading the original story in the manga, mainly because of what Oshii added to it. It manages to elicit this great sense of profound realization with just a few lines of dialogue in the end. The only other movie I know that has done this for me is Kon Satoshi’s Millennium Actress.

So in conclusion, this is simply a brilliant film. So much better than its predecessor in almost all aspects, even more so since this feels more like an original Oshii creation. While it certainly isn’t a movie for all, it definitely does have a captivating amount of power over people that are willing to understand and enjoy it, enough that they experience it more than once as intended.

source:http:www.themanime.org

Card Captor Sakura the Movie

2009-01-11T03:18:00.000-08:00

Card Captor Sakura the Movie

Synopsis

AKA: N/A

Genre: Magical girl fantasy, with a dash of action and suspense

Length: Movie, 79 minutes

Distributor: R1 DVD from Pioneer / Geneon out of print.

Content Rating: G to mild PG (mild violence)

Sakura wins a trip to Hong Kong in a prize raffle, so she takes Tomoyo, Touya, and Yukito with her to have some fun. Of course, whom should she run into but her rival, Li Shaolan (naturally, because he's from there!) and his constant companion (and cousin) Meiling? She meets his family, including his four very girly teenage sisters, and his beautiful and perceptive mother. Of course, maybe that raffle win may not have been just chance after all…as the trip to Hong Kong turns out not to be all fun and games. Premonitions and encounters with two strange birds lead to an unexpected magical showdown with a mysterious figure who has been apparently lying in wait for the possessor of the Clow Cards…and how will Sakura fare against this sinister new challenge?

Review

Though not really a stand-alone movie, as it requires at least foreknowledge of the relationships between the various characters, Card Captor Sakura the Movie succeeds in taking the essence of the series, and putting it in wonderful fashion onto the big screen, without compromising anything in the bargain. The first time I was able to view this was as a recently released, unsubtitled Japanese tape - but I had no trouble at all tuning into this. All the wonder and charm of the television series is here, and interestingly enough (though not surprisingly for a CLAMP title), there is a sense of suspense and atmosphere that is really well done, and crescendos into a climax that proved resoundingly that throwing a high budget at CCS is actually quite a good idea.

Yet despite the obviously high amount of detail in the backgrounds and character animation, this is still recognizably Card Captor Sakura. It's like having an extended episode of the TV series with a movie budget, which is essentially the purpose of a film like this. Mind you, most of the time I would not consider that statement a compliment, but in this case, it is, as the TV series is excellent to begin with. Plus the whole Hong Kong setting is wonderful, and adds to the entire experience. (Apparently, the Japanese find it as exotic as we do, and they're practically next door!)

The character voices reprise themselves in this movie, with the notable addition of Inoue Kikuko as Shaolan's mother, Li Ieran, and the antagonist, voiced by Hayashibara Megumi. Those of you used to the American dub of the TV series may find the voices far higher pitched than you're used to, but then again, that's a dub I advise avoiding in the first place. Otherwise, you know what to expect as far as the characters - really cute, really charming, without being cloying or stupid. (And Li-kun's sisters are a riot!)

The best part of the whole deal is that behind the fine animation and cute characters is a well-written, serious plot that takes very little time to hook you in, and it takes you on quite an interesting and fun ride. Unlike some other CLAMP projects turned movies (cough cough, X, cough cough), the storyline is coherent, fast-paced, and eminently watchable. The slightly darker ambience of this film is what you'd expect from a full-length motion picture, and it generally makes everything just a little more suspenseful and exciting. The music complements the animation well without overwhelming it; and in turn, the animation never overwhelms the storyline, though there are some incredible action sequences that only a movie budget could give proper justice. (This after the TV series, whose action sequences already raise the bar quite high for a magical girl series.)

Mind you, if you're deathly allergic to shoujo, or magical girls, or "cute" in general, you won't be able to just sit there and watch the pretty pictures. (Go watch Spriggan.) This show is essentially (and always has been) about the trials and tribulations of Sakura herself, both as the Card Captor, sealer of the Clow Cards, and as a young girl not quite ready to be a woman. It's not just about flash and style (though it has plenty of it), but it's not so serious you won't enjoy it. And thank goodness they didn't dumb anything down (like, say, the Ranma movies).

Newbies would best be served watching the Card Captor Sakura TV series first (not that it's such a bad thing!) but those who know and love the characters of this show simply must see this movie। It is, quite simply, everything that a Card Captor Sakura movie should be - and more!

सोर्स:ह्त्त्प://व्व्व.ठेमनिमे.org

Grave of the Fireflies

2009-01-11T03:10:00.000-08:00

Grave of the Fireflies

synopsis

AKA: Hotaru no Haka, Tombstone of the Fireflies

Genre: Drama

Length: Movie, 88 minutes

Distributor: VHS and R1 DVD from Central Park Media

Content Rating: PG-13 (violence, emotional intensity)

(from box cover) It is post-war Japan, just weeks before American troops arrive for occupation. In city of Kobe, a boy lies dying in a train station. By his body lies a small metal candy container. A janitor, not sure what to make of its ashy contents, pitches it into the night. As fireflies float softly around it, the ghostly figures of the boy and his little sister emerge...

Flashback to a short time earlier. Orphaned and homeless from a fire-bomb attack on their city, 14-year-old Seita and his 4-year-old sister Setsuko set out to survive on their own in the face of a society no longer able to help them. Forced into living in an abandoned bomb shelter in the Japanese countryside, they slowly come to realize that they cannot escape the hardships of war or even find enough food on which to survive...

review

Grave of the Fireflies, I believe, is one of the most powerful movies that has ever been made: animated, live-action, or otherwise. This is an _extremely_ poignant story meticulously crafted to achieve maximum impact -- and what an impact it is. There are scenes that will undoubtedly burn themselves into your memory to haunt you for the next few days, weeks...maybe even years.

Every aspect of this film has been skillfully and artfully placed to help reach its level of universal power. The art and animation are simply gorgeous, capable of portraying sunny countryside and burned-down village alike in a style highly reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. You can almost taste the salt in the air at the seashore, smell the ash as the village burns down. Simple orchestral melodies sprinkled throughout enhance the viewing experience even further, resulting in an engrossing experience only rivaled by actually visiting these locales yourself.

Of course, there's more to Grave of the Fireflies than great cinematography -- much more। Grave features an all-too-believable story that will tear at anyone who calls him/herself human. Rather than resort to preaching to bring its anti-war message across, this film simply presents its evidence to you in all of its tragedy. Innocent Setsuko and intrepid Seita are two children that you'll swear you've met before, and watching them suffer through the aftermath of the fire-bombing will break your heart. Knowing their eventual fate beforehand does nothing to diminish the effectiveness of the story; in fact, it only intensifies the reality of each scene. The beginning unfolds evocatively, and the end closes by bringing the story full-circle, leaving viewers with more questions than answers as they wipe the tears from their eyes.

ह्त्त्प://व्व्व.ठेमनिमे.org

Chobits

2009-01-07T00:23:00.000-08:00

Chobits

Synopsis

AKA: ‚¿‚å‚Ñ‚Áƒc

Genre: Science fiction / romance

Length: Television series, 24 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from Pioneer / Geneon out of print.

Content Rating: 16+ (nudity, sexual innuendo and situations, some violence)

Motosuwa Hideki is a Hokkaido farm boy who fails his college entrance exams. He moves to the big city to attend cram school in the hopes of getting into the college of his choice. While there, he notices that everyone has a personal computer assistant, or Persocom … and Persocoms look, act, and are treated almost as people in their own right. Hideki seems to be the only man in Tokyo without one, and bemoans his fate, as Persocoms are very expensive, and Hideki is very broke. As chance would have it, Hideki finds a "broken" Persocom just lying in the trash. When he starts her up (and oh boy is it a her), all she is able to do is mimic Hideki's movements and say, "Chii." So that's what he calls her. Is Chii really broken? Or is she quite possibly the greatest Persocom ever made - a truly artificial intelligence known as a Chobit?

Review

First off, I will say that I'm a big fan of the manga. The Chobits storyline is probably one of the best that CLAMP has ever come up with.
Having said this, I think that Chobits the anime came out about a year too soon, for it doesn't do the manga any sort of justice at all.
On the surface, Chobits has the makings of an instant classic, and it is very popular among both Japanese and American fans. Hideki is a pure-hearted, bumbling, hilarious male lead, and makes for a great protagonist. He is unique in CLAMP series, because he's an adult male who is not a tragic hero, and not a precocious boy or angsty teen. And everyone else in the cast is believable, realistic, and likable.

There's only one character in the show that just doesn't have any personality at all. Unfortunately, she's the main female lead, and she's not supposed to have any personality, at least to start with. That's right, I'm talking about Chii.

Whereas the manga version of Chobits concentrates more on Hideki's point of view, with him finding out Chii's secrets, the anime is Chii, Chii, and nothing but Chii. Now, if it were more about Chii finding out facets of her personality, basically a retelling of the manga from her point of view rather than Hideki's, this would be fine. Instead, three-fourths of the series is devoted to watching Chii do cute little things. "Ooh lookie, watch Chii go buy underwear. Ooh lookie, watch Chii sell goodies at a bakeshop. Ooh lookie, watch Chii go to the beach. How cuuuuuute."

It's pointless, and they waste too much time on filler episodes like this. There wasn't filler in the manga - but they started the anime when the manga was barely three or four volumes in. Though the anime has already finished, the manga isn't even half way through, and therefore it's impossible for the anime to be faithful to the original concept. And that's a shame. Even worse, the pacing is painfully slow to accommodate the lack of actual content that the show has to provide. It's not until over half the series is over that the main plot comes back into play, and then it's rushed towards the end in a vain attempt to play catch-up. If anything, they probably should have either waited a year to start this (for more source material) or stretched it out a year to compensate. Instead, we get too little, too late.

I probably would've liked Chobits a lot better if I hadn't seen the previous year's Angelic Layer first. While the situation was similar (near simultaneous manga and anime release), the execution of the Angelic Layer anime was much better because they used the anime to flesh out the characters and to complement the manga. The Chobits anime actually detracts from the manga because it muddles the main storyline and feels more like a cutesy alternate universe, removing all the drama and tension that should be there.
Still, Chobits is not a bad anime. The animation is beautiful, lovingly rendered, and visually faithful to the CLAMP designs. The softness of the visuals is an interesting contrast to the content, which is state-of-the-art science fiction. For once, here is an SF series about computers, without harsh angles and chiaroscuro. The music is catchy and sets the mood well, but the background music might lull you to sleep with the slow pacing. (And one of the instrumental pieces reminded me of a Tab commercial.)

I pick up the manga and can't get enough of it. I watch the anime … and it's a chore to make it through one episode.

I know that no matter what I say, Chobits is on its way to being the Next Big Thing. This review isn't going to change that. To be honest, I don't want it to. This series has some genuine entertainment value. I don't regret watching it, and there are some characters I truly adore.
But I think I'm going to stick to the manga instead.

source : www.themanime.org

Memories

2009-01-07T00:13:00.000-08:00

Memories

Synopsis

Katsuhiro Otomo's Memories is divided into three segments. The first, Magnetic Rose, is about the legacy of an opera singer, and the terrible secret she leaves in space, as the crew of a salvage ship must try to find a way to survive entering her memories. Stink Bomb is about a hapless Japanese researcher fighting a simple cold, whose remedy is truly far worse than the original illness. Cannon Fodder revolves around the life of a boy who lives in a socialist city of cannons, where everyone's place and duty is set for life. Otomo himself is credited as director for the third segment, acting as supervisor for the first two.

Review

Though I'm not admittedly a rabid fan of Akira, I still admire the scope of the works of Katsuhiro Otomo. (Yes, I like Roujin Z about as much as Raph did, and I was also on a high dosage of caffeine that morning watching Sci-Fi.) When I heard one of my anime fan friends had a copy of Memories, I had to watch it, just to see what it was like.

I'm glad I did.

Memories is a truly impressive piece of art, even if only for the first segment alone. Magnetic Rose is technically stunning, artful, and definitely at least a little jarring, with the opera singer's final wish coming at a terrible price to those around her. Characterization is well-done in all segments, with very realistic acting in the first story, and intentionally caricaturish acting in the other two. The art and animation, however, are what you'd expect from a production with Katsuhiro Otomo's name on it. Magnetic Rose has what I would describe as the most realistic mecha designs I've seen in a while, the floating salvager Corona being functional, not impossibly aerodynamic or intricate. Everything has the right amount of -age- to it ... no matter how modern the equipment is compared to us, it LOOKS obsolete. And the opera singer herself is simply astounding. I don't quite think I'll hear "Madame Butterfly" in quite the same way after this, though.

The other two entries don't quite equal the sheer excellence of Magnetic Rose, but they succeed in their own right. Stink Bomb is a hilarious black comedy, in which the world's stupidest man comes across the world's worst biological weapon while in search of a cold medicine. Though at the very least implausible (I seriously doubt any pharmaceutical company would be this lax in their security), Stink Bomb comes as a relief from the suspenseful and jarring nature of Magnetic Rose, and rather than a letdown, it adds some action and humor that is badly needed, even if the humor is still decidedly black. (The ending to this one is hilarious, in a twisted way.) A lot of fun is poked at the Japanese Self Defense Force's absolu te ineptitude, in how a million bombs and missiles can't nuke a guy on a motor scooter. (Have we seen *this* before?) And the music to this segment is a lively jazz that, though at first at least a little disturbing, is actually incredibly appropriate.

The third sequence, Cannon Fodder, has a jarringly different art style from the other two, almost a cross between an MTV Liquid Television short and Terry Gilliam's Brazil, and altogether very well-done. The world is a Communist-seeming Dystopia (complete with pseudo-Cyrillic lettering), and the whole setting revolves around the impossibly big cannons, which rain down on the enemy's mobile city that is never once seen in the segment. It's all allegory, and it's a bit heavy-handed. Honestly, I was pretty lukewarm to this segment, but it's not inherently bad. The setting itself is simply neat to watch in its industrial glory, and the message it tries to convey seems to be an indictment on the extreme level of conformity inherent in socialism. Everyone is provided for ... but no one is truly happy, if the best thing one can aspire to be is the commander of a cannon.

Overall, this anthology is definitely a good watch, as they are very different and far more thought-provoking than a lot of the mind-candy anime we see here in the states. With great art and animation, a well-done soundtrack, and several uniquely interesting stories, it's really something else. Just hope America will get to see Memories soon ... until then, look out for the fansubbed version (which I hear is ultra-rare) or the unsubbed import from Japan. Good luck!

source : www.themanime.org

xxxHolic

2009-01-07T00:06:00.000-08:00

xxxHolic

Synopsis

AKA: XXX ƒzƒŠƒbƒN

Genre: Supernatural, drama

Length: Television series, 24 episodes, 25 minutes each

Distributor: Currently licensed by FUNimation.

Content Rating: PG-12 (Violence, mature themes)

Kimihiro Watanuki is more than a normal high school student. He possess the ability to see spirits. However, more often than not, he meets with malevolent ones that are likely to chase him and give him the time of his life. One day, he wonders into a shop own by a mysterious Yuuko who grants people's deepest wishes and desires. She can free him of his "ability". However, she demands a price in return - he must work for her. Thus, begin Watanuki's new job in a shop that is not quite what it seems...

Review

I had initial doubts about this anime, no thanks to Tsubasa Chronicle which contained cross-over characters from xxxHolic and I just happen to really, really dislike the former.

Having said that, I am pleased to announce that xxxHolic is nothing like Tsubasa and I thoroughly enjoy this super-natural drama with a slice-of-life thrown in. Now, I'm not normally a big fan of horror and super-natural anime, but I felt that xxxHolic has achieved something that most series in the horror genre does not have. xxxHolic's story is based on superstitious tales and folklore, rather than another dose of vampires that seem too common these days. And superstitious beliefs are something that is close to everyone's heart - we had all believed in it one time or another, especially when we were still young. Now that we are older and wiser, we tend to dismiss it all as hogwash.

xxxHolic gives me a feeling that it trying to bring back the tales, tradition and culture, in a world of anime where science-fiction rules and where stories is nearly always centered on angst or finding one's identity and individuality or WORLD PEACE. In this light, xxxHolic is very refreshing. It may be little preachy for me to say this but every episode have meaningful lesson behind it; the price to pay for lying, greed, murder just to name a few. And given that it deals with the super-natural, some episodes are downright creepy and watching it alone in the dark can seriously raise some serious creep-factor.

The most distinctive feature of this anime is the character design. It took me a while to get use to the long limbs of the characters and how extras are never given any features or colours beyond an outline. But I felt that this style has served to emphasize the main characters more because it makes them so prominent. xxxHolic is also produced by my favourite studio of all time - Production IG. The eye-candy will really take one's breath away, especially if you have seen the movie as well. I simply love the smoke bellowing about Yuuko and how the wind always seems to give Yuuko that mysterious aura. Yes, you can almost feel the wind.

Unlike Tsubasa, there are only a few main characters and they are all very well developed. There's our long suffering protaganist Kimihiro Watanuki. He may be bogged down by his unnatural ability but that does not stop him from living a more or less normal life of a high school student. I truly emphasize with him and really root for him, especially when he is up against Yuuko who always seems to give him the oddest chores to do. Then, there's the highly unpredictable and ever sarcastic Yuuko (my favourite character!) who is more than meets the eye and I suspect still have tons of tricks up her sleeve that she has yet to reveal. There's the stoic Doumeki who shares a deep bond with Watanuki and the cheerful Himawari, the object of Watanuki's infatuation.

A special mention must be given to Mokona, the creature in Tsubasa that I hated so much but have come to love in xxxHolic. As a mascot sort of character, Mokana actually managed to hold his own against the other characters through its personality. Secondary characters that appear every now and then are not carelessly tossed aside. They are given just the right amount of screen time such that it tease you and make you longed to know more about them.

xxxHolic not only excels in its plot and animation, but in the music sector as well. Created by S.E.N.S, who also gave us the music to Kurau Phantom Memory, the music truly generates the mood of this series, especially the warmer moments provided by the Vestal Sprite. Combined with a stellar cast that fits the characters like gloves, this anime is a winner.

source: www.themanime.org

Detective Conan

2009-01-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

Detective Conan

Synopsis

AKA: Meitantei Conan, Case Closed

Genre: Mystery / action / comedy

Length: Television series, 314+ episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Licensed by FUNimation

Content Rating: 13+ (murder cases, mild violence with blood, mild language)

Kudou Shinichi is an extremely popular 11th-grader who dreams of being the world's next Sherlock Holmes. The son of a famous mystery novelist and lovely actress, Shinichi has made a name for himself as a brilliant detective, always helping the police solve baffling mysteries much like his idol Holmes.

This obsession with crime-solving tends to grate on his pseudo-girlfriend Mouri Ran's nerves, though. She can't help but feel a bit threatened by Shinichi's dangerous lifestyle...and by the popularity it brings. So she jumps at the chance to get Shinichi alone on a "date" to an amusement park where, much to her dismay, a murder occurs that Shinichi *naturally* solves.

However, when Ran and Shinichi split up for just a short time, Shinichi witnesses a suspicious negotiation between two mysterious men in black. He is caught eavesdropping, and is poisoned by the two men and left to die. However, rather than killing Shinichi, the poison reverts him back into an elementary-school boy!

Bent on finding the mysterious men in black again, and discover a cure to the poison, Shinichi takes on the name Edogawa Conan and lives a double life as "Shinichi's cousin," in order to keep his survival a secret from those that poisoned him. He is taken under the care of Ran and her father, Kougoro, a burnt-out, divorced detective who is past his prime. On the road to finding those mysterious men in black, Conan and his friends solve case after case, all while keeping his true identity a secret.

Review

My purpose in this review is not only to give you a good idea of what this series is essentially like ... but honestly, I'm going to try to convince you with all of my being that this is one series that is worth watching every. Damned. Episode.

Yes. All three-freakin'-hundred-something of them. And the movies. All--what, seven of them? Eight?

Let me first tell you how I stumbled across this series. It was actually because I bought one of the soundtracks with the theme song collections on it. Detective Conan has the best theme songs of any anime series out there, and the animation to go with them (especially around season 10 or so) is breath-taking and downright AWESOME. Just watching the theme song for this show makes my blood pump! The adrenaline rush from this show is unbelieveable!

I'm totally getting ahead of myself here. Seldom does an anime series remain engaging after two seasons. I can only think of ... oh, one series that did that for me other than this one, and that's Rurouni Kenshin. But that quickly died after the Kyoto arc.

Here we've got a series that's been going since 1996, and still has a strong, solid following. Its fanbase hasn't died out; it's only grown larger, and internationally widespread. During these past few years of college, I've lived as the only white girl around a ton of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean international students. Something they all had in common: they've all watched Detective Conan. It was something we could use to bond with each other, something we could all enjoy and agree on.

Detective Conan's plot is the same for every episode, but the difference with it is, like the long-running hit prime-time series Law & Order, it stays fresh each go-'round. Think of it like Encyclopedia Brown, but with murders or kidnappings. But that doesn't do it justice.

Some might be turned off initially by the character designs. Frankly, the untrained anime viewing eye would not consider Ran to be a cute girl, or Shinichi to be a cutie. The designs are nearly identical to the manga, with strange "not-quite-there" noses, huge, ungleamy round eyes, and what I've heard as "jug ears." The character designs are far from typical, but they're so distinctive, you can't picture the story told any other way. This series' writing and plotline is so strong, it doesn't need to rely on eye-candy as a vehicle.

The characters are lovable. Simply. There's not really any obvious angst in the episodes...the writers are really good at leaving it up for viewer speculation, because oh, is the potential there! However, the writers are indulgent enough to give us a glimpse of the struggle Shinichi and Ran are going through during their prolonged separation. There's no hiding it, the two are totally sweet on each other, and the viewer wants nothing more than to root for Shinichi to get cured so he can finally look Ran in the face again and ease her anxieties. (But at the same time, we don't want the series to end! It must go on FOREVER! Waaah!)

Sadly, I haven't even gotten to the episodes where one of the most popular characters, Haibara Ai (played by Hayashibara Megumi) joins the cast. I've been told this is one of her most popular roles, and seldom do I see a Newtype magazine without both her and Conan on the list of most popular anime characters. All I really know about Ai is that she is somehow involved with the poison that turned Shinichi into a little boy.

The animation is average towards the beginning of the series. I mean, come on, it's the mid 1990s! It's actually quite good, considering. I have seen later episodes (specifically, episode 314 and an hour special titled "11 Million Hostages.") and the animation is stellar. Even just the theme songs! The THEME SONGS!

source : www.themanime.org

Spice and Wolf

2009-01-04T02:37:00.000-08:00

Spice and Wolf

Synopsis

AKA: Okami to Koshinryo, ˜T‚Æh—¿ (Japanese)

Genre: Economics and trading adventure drama

Length: Television series, 13 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America.

Content Rating: 13+ (Violence, nudity, mature situations.)

In the town of Pasroe, the annual pagan ceremony of harvest is performed, made to honor the god of harvest who is the caretaker of the huge wheat field alongside the city. As Craft Lawrence, a trader in training, passes through, he encounters Kenrou Horo, a wolf girl who just happens to be the god of harvest for the town of Pasroe.

Through the long years, she feels that the town has abandoned her, so she makes a deal with Craft, leaving the village behind and travelling with him as she sets her sights for her home; in the mountains far to the north.

Review

I've been partial to quite a few new shows over the last few years, but there haven't been many that have truly taken me by surprise. Spice and Wolf is one of those "once in a blue moon" kind of shows that has you wondering whether something that panders to the nekomimi (or in this case, inumimi... or maybe okamimimi? Try saying THAT ten times fast. Ow!) can actually be anything worthwile, and then actually proving to be so much more.

True fact: when I first laid eyes on a promo image of this, I actually mistook it for Kanokon, a show I just know will hurt me deeply when I eventually get to it later this year. It's an honest mistake; it wasn't a very large image, and both shows pretty much has a cast members with fox/wolf ears. However, Spice and wolf takes the old animal-ears-on-cute-girl fetish and turns it completely around.

It also certainly helps that the art is downright lovely. When I actually sat down and watched this, the (mainly female) character designs reminded me a little bit of the MariMite OAV. Don't ask me why, though. I have no idea. Anyway, the art is quite nice and the animation is also quite good, keeping in mind that the show isn't very heavy on action. Also worth noting is the show's opening and ending theme. The opener is a sweet, yet melancholic theme about travelling and searching, which suits the show like a glove. The ending theme, however, is a rather Yellow-Submarinesque bizarre affair about apples and other random things. In fact, if you can get through the ending animation without thinking about the Yellow Submarine movie, then you haven't seen the Yellow Submarine movie.

Unlike a lot of the other shows I've fallen in love with, Spice and Wolf isn't really all that character driven. Lawrence and Horo aside, there aren't a lot of characters that get all that much airtime, being mostly relegated to being business partners in passing. The show is mainly about travelling, trading and about Lawrence and Horo's growing relationship, which, as of yet, is still undecided.

Let me warn any potential viewers right now, though. While Spice and Wolf takes place in a fantasy world, the workings of said world is very much like middle-age Europe, when the Church used to be an actual superpower in itself. It dabbles heavily into trade and economics, which is the only part where the whole deal get somewhat uninteresting for me, partially because, like I mentioned, it's based on places that do not actually exist. So I'm basically asked to remember a lot of names that has no real life references, which makes the whole trade/bartering setup a rather loose affair, especially since we do not really learn a whole lot about this world, not even enough to make parallells with actual historical events. In other words, while I enjoyed this show a great lot, I did wish for less business talk at several occasions.

What makes the show such a joy to watch, though, rests almost purely between the characters of Lawrence and Horo. Watching the two -- the businessman in training and the wolf god -- interact pretty much makes the show. There has been an upswing in male leads like Lawrence these latest years; crafty and full of personality. And while he does have a bit of a problem keeping his defenses up around cute girls, his verbal spars with Horo are always a delight to behold. He's also 25 years old, which makes him positively ancient compared to most anime leads.

Horo, on the other hand, is maybe the most interesting female lead I've ever seen in any shows bar none. That's really saying a lot, since females in anime generally tend to be portrayed in a far more diverse fashion, barring your arcetypical high-school love romances. She's sassy and smart-mouthed, yet clever and wise (as she often takes delight in reminding Lawrence, both directly and through various trade encounters.) She's got several hundred years' worth of life experience underneath her furry ears, which the show actually manages to portray in a believable manner. You actually do get the feeling she's not a human through the way she acts around Lawrence -- the only person to know her secret in the beginning -- and yet, the first time you behold her transformation to a full-sized wolf god is none the less an eye opener. On top of that, for all her posturing and grandiose claims -- certainly not unfounded ones, mind you -- underneath her form rests a character as vulnerable, flawed and human as anyone else in any show worth its salt. She fears solitude and loneliness as much as anyone else and finding exasperations with the ones she cares about as much as anyone else as well. Furthermore, I've never seen anyone who loves apples as much as she does.

And it's because of this that Lawrence respects her and listens to her, even despite the fact that he takes great enjoyment in teasing her whenever he can. The two share a strong bond, the kind of which hasn't been settled yet, but this is the kind of bonds between characters that, to me, makes a show worth watching. There has been quite a few hints that they might grow to love each other, which certainly won't be unproblematic for a variety of reasons, but if any show can pull it off, then this one definitely will.

It was much too short, over much too quickly. Despite being quite informative -- sometimes TOO informative -- this Spice and Wolf TV series is merely the beginning, and I can only hope that more seasons will follow. Again, the one drawback for me in this show is its tendency to resort to business talks far too often for my liking. In lieu of rattling off long conversations about economy and trading, I would have liked hearing more about this fantasy country, its agriculture, traditions and superstitions, especially since Lawrence is actually travelling with a personification of the very superstition in question.

Source: www.themanime.org

Akira

2009-01-04T02:28:00.000-08:00

Akira

Synopsis

AKA: ƒAƒLƒ‰

Genre: Post-apocalyptic sci-fi

Length: Movie, 120 minutes

Distributor: R1 DVD from Bandai Visual.

Content Rating: R (violence, brief nudity, adult themes and situations) Don't see it if you've got a weak stomach. :-P

About 31 years after World-War III, even after slowly crawling from the ashes of the fallen capital of Tokyo, people have now begun to live in hedonism and there looms a growing social recession. Between the student protestors and anti-government aggravators, the religious fanatics and the politicians that are either lining their own pockets or thinking only of their future careers, there really seems to be nothing else to do but watch civilization fold over itself. But in the darkness that is societal atrophy shines a brilliant light, the light known as Akira. Does Akira hold the key to the restoration of Japan to its former greatness? Or is it simply the destroyer in the dusk that need not be let out from Pandora's box?

Review

What is probably the most hyped anime film of all time, has actually been pretty much an on-going mystery for a decade to many people that can only speak the English language primarily because of the incoherent nature of the earlier release. Now here we are, years later with a brand spanking new release and an accurate dub and translation.

My how this movie makes so much sense now.

I'm amazed that it stayed hyped long enough for this DVD re-release to actually happen. But thankfully, it did, because this is a great movie, and now I actually know specifically why.

The story of the movie focuses on the excerpts of the leader of some biker gang named Kaneda and how him and his apprehensive friend, Tetsuo, get dragged into the seedy world of secret underground political scientific experimental movements™. Soon after though, we find out that Tetsuo is actually endowed with incredible abilities and that he can be used to figure out how to harness such power for practical application, which in itself may very well solve the mystery behind Akira. Of course, being someone who has been bullied around almost his entire life, it's logical to assume that he wouldn't say yes to experimentation and testing that will only benefit other people on the foundation of his suffering and effort. So naturally, what does an oppressed teenager with the divine powers of the universe do? He goes around blowing stuff up of course.

Having finally understood the story, this is actually a really funny movie. I mean the vast majority of people found in here are complete dolts. The movie as a whole is a very contemptuous look at society in a future where people are holding protests or inciting riots for no real apparent reason either than to invoke dispute. At one point, they probably did it because of the corrupt government, but the way it’s portrayed here is as if people in the long run have this sort of pack mentality in which they must have absolutely nothing better to do and have lost all coherency of what they were actually trying to do. Even the religious cult followers that supposedly serve a Lord Akira probably don't even know what the hell it really is to begin with. It is simply all a long set of baseless fanaticism or ideals that serve little to no purpose. But THAT is specifically what makes this all so very entertaining. And the politicians that govern these people for that matter are very negatively (yet hilariously) portrayed also.

At this point though, the saying "All good things in moderation" comes into play. For very sensible reasons of decent story-telling, a movie, to some extent, cannot be completely soaked in the idiocy of its own populace. Most of the immediate cast members actually have their heads screwed on correctly. Sure Kaneda is a biker punk and he gets into fights with rival gangs, but for the most part, he isn't really involved with the more massive (and more violent) baseless fanaticism. In fact, he initially gets involved in the thing simply to chase a girl. And the Colonel, with his ironclad soldier morals, is quite admirable throughout the movie and is the centerpiece badass character. He willingly bears the responsibility of the mistakes that were committed by the idiot politicians that preceded his time.

On the production side of things, the animation quite frankly hasn't really aged. The movie still looks quite nice even by today's standards. Much entertainment can be derived from the meticulous detail of the destruction of various objects. The general character animation is smooth, even getting some nifty gestures in here and there. The lip sync in fact was specifically animated for the pre-recorded dialogue, as opposed to how most anime is produced in Japan. Even while watching the dub, this gives the animation that extra little flair. The only thing people may not enjoy too much is the very down-to-earth character designs, but then, they do indeed look like Asian people when you think about it.

While it can be said that the animation, atmosphere and shock-factor derived from its gratuitous violence is probably what maintained its "baseless fanaticism" (Sorry, I can’t help myself, the irony just seems too great) over the years, I can safely say that the actual movie is a great piece of work that isn’t really all that confusing like I initially thought it was. It was never meant to be a mind-numbingly deep foray into the human collective consciousness (or whatever the hell everyone initially thought it was), it was simply a commentary and satirical portrayal of society, politics, religion and so on that was relatively entertaining to watch since there was enough laughs, pwnage and explosions to go around.

In conclusion, this has apparently always been an excellent movie. But the fact is that up until seeing Geneon's re-release, I had absolutely no idea why it was and was living in almost complete ignorance. While I do feel the shame of being in the dark for this long, much enlightenment comes with the knowledge for the better; I still need to read the manga though.

If you haven't seen the movie since Streamline/Orion’s older releases, do yourself a favor and see this movie again in its new and improved form. The experience is THAT different.

Blood: The Last Vampire

2009-01-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

Blood: The Last Vampire

Synopsis

AKA: N/A

Genre: Horror action

Length: Movie, 45 minutes

Distributor: R1 DVD from Manga Entertainment

Content Rating: R (violence, brief nudity, adult themes)

Set just before the Vietnam War, an American agency working out of a military installation in Japan is hunting strange abnormal creatures that feed off of human blood. At the head of the hunt is a mysterious young woman named Saya, who even her American supporters seem to fear. Using only a sword, Saya, with the help of a pair of US secret agents, tracks down and attempts to kill the last few of the monsters before they can escape or go into hiding once again. But what is her connection to the beasts she hunts?

Review

Along the lines of US action films like Blade and From Dusk Till Dawn, this is Japan's animated contribution to the vampire-action-flick genre that has been popular in recent years. And it is a fine contribution to say the least. Smooth animation, well-planned and executed (no pun intended) action scenes, expertly rendered CG effects (you barely notice them!), and tons of dark brooding atmosphere make Blood an instant action hit.

From the very beginning, the production quality of the film is top notch. The sound quality and musical score alone set it apart from the pack. As with a lot of the more recent anime, the inking and shading has been done with computers, and many of the backgrounds and environments the characters move through and interact with are actually CG models that have been flawlessly composited into the animation. The small TV I was forced to watch this on, even with its stereo speakers simply did not do this film justice.

Although short for a full-length film at only an hour and a half, the pacing and plot are guided smoothly from scene to scene in a way that makes sense and keeps you interested even though many of the main players are never fully described. It's an action movie, in concept and pacing, pure and simple, and thankfully doesn't suffer from "Akira Compression Syndrome" where 800+ pages of manga get smashed into an incomprehensible two and a half hours.

The most prominent character, of course, is Saya, the "vampire" hunter. Attractive in a grim, gothic kind of way, Saya is the perfect portrayal of a cold-blooded single-minded mercenary. What her actual aims and goals are are never really revealed by the film, but once again, this doesn't matter all that much since the primary focus of the story is on the hunt for the creatures themselves. The other characters are mostly marginalized in favor of Saya, but are done very well, nonetheless, especially the hapless school nurse who gets inadvertently wrapped up in the hunt while Saya pursues a pair of her students who are vampires in disguise.

Voice acting ... this is a sore spot with me for most anime because, except for a few titles, I find English dubs to be totally sub par in both inflection and personality compared to the Japanese dialogue the characters were created for. So when I first tried to set up my DVD for Japanese with subtitles, I was dismayed to find only two English tracks available (One Dolby surround, and one 5 channel digital surround). I even considered returning the DVD without watching it, but after fifteen minutes into the film realized something astonishing, the American characters were being voiced (In English!) by both Japanese and western voice actors (the seiyuu for both Saya and the nurse are bilingual in fact). The voice tones and characterization for some of the gaijin characters was rather slow and lame-sounding sometimes, but really no worse than we do ourselves, and all of the Japanese characters speak Japanese and are normally subtitled. It's a credit to the creators of this film that the dialogue was done this way and that it actually worked (anyone remember the American thugs in the Kimagure Orange Road OAVs?). Hats off to the excellent voice directors!

Another interesting point is that even though the cover of the DVD states that the creators of Ghost In The Shell were responsible for this film, Production IG and Oshii Mamoru actually only oversaw the production. The scripts, animation and even most of the directing was done by new emerging anime directors and screenwriters, supported by a new program sponsored by Production IG to educate them in the industry. If this is their first "student" work as it were, I can't wait to see what they will deliver to us in the future!

Finally, Blood, being an action film about vampires is understandably very violent and messy, so people who are grossed out by the sight of large amounts of animated gore are better off watching something a little more on the lighter side.

Blood is an outstanding achievement in animation and action-movie story-telling and is a must see for those who like their anime fast paced and action packed, or anyone else for that matter who enjoys superb animation for its own sake. Highly recommended.

GTO

2009-01-02T19:53:00.001-08:00

Great Teacher Onizuka

Synopsis

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka

Genre: Teacher comedy / drama with life lessons

Length: Television series, 43 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from TokyoPop

Content Rating: 13+ (profanity, adult themes, violence)

Meet Onizuka Eikichi, a 22-year-old virgin ex-biker-gang leader and college Karate champ. He's crude, foul-mouthed, and has a hair-trigger temper. His goal: to be the Greatest High-School Teacher in the World!

Review

And boy does he!

Finishing this series was the most bittersweet moment in my anime-viewing history, bar none. Pure and simple, I love this series, and from what I hear on boards and anime sites, I am not alone. Now why, you may ask? Well, let me tell you why: sheer character depth and development. Other series may have a few main and supporting characters develop, making that particular series a "good" series (such as Vandread). In no other anime, though, have I ever seen an entire ensemble cast of supporting characters (I think I counted at least ten) go through so much development in a single series, like Murai, attitude extraordinaire, the psychotic Kanzaki, and the uber-wimp Yoshikawa (just to name a few). So many characters to choose from, and with all of them individually focused on and developing right before our eyes, everyone's favorite gets their fair share of the limelight.

Plotwise, this anime is fairly straightforward: Become the Greatest Teacher Ever! (Oh yeah, and don't get fired.) A simple enough track that actually keeps going incredibly well thoughout the whole series. Simply put: this is the longest series that I have ever seen with almost no filler whatsoever. It's only noticeable through part is the first volume (four episodes) where the only character you're introduced to is Onizuka (read: 22-year-old virgin, rebel, LETCH). Even then though, he is a fairly likable character, he just really does not come into his prime until the rest of his supporting cast is introduced.

As for the artwork? Well ... My resounding recommendation is especially puzzling (for me) because this anime's artwork, while being high in quality, does have a unique style all its own. Needing to be seen to be truly experienced, all I can really say is that it only feels ugly in certain instances, and that those instances actually are part of the comedy. They just take some getting used to.

Seeing as how music is usually a non-factor for me in how I like the title, this title again presented a unique situation: actually inspiring me to go out and buy the CD of the soundtrack. Unfortunately though, I will still have to search for another soundtrack with the opening and ending themes, four songs that I have absolutely grown to love in the last couple of years.

A point for the English dub too, I like it much better than the sub (cue fanboy horror). No really though, David Lucas (Onizuka, also Spike in Cowboy Bebop, and Kusanagi Shizuma in Real Bout High School) does a beautiful job with his role. The voice director really knew what he was doing as well, keeping the dub precise and clean (with funny outtake extras to boot).

Cowboy Bebop

2009-01-01T15:55:00.003-08:00

Cowboy Bebop

Synopsis

AKA: N/A

Genre: Sci-fi noir / space Western drama

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: VHS or R1 DVD from Bandai

Content Rating: R (adult themes and subject matter, sometimes graphic violence, language)

Spike Spiegel is a bounty hunter with a dark, violent past. Nowadays, he roams between the seedier colonies of space along with his partner Jet Black and their spaceship Bebop as they try to catch a bounty or two, barely making a living at it. Some of their bounties, like the mysterious Faye Valentine and the intelligent 'data dog', Ein, end up as fellow partners. Is Spike trying to justify prior misdeeds by working for the right side of the law? What will happen when his past catches up to him? And what of the pasts of his fellow shipmates? Will any of them survive long enough to find out?

Review

Cowboy Bebop has been often referred to as the new anime noir, a title that does fit, but doesn't even begin to fully describe it. Equal parts film noir, spaghetti western, and 70's cop show; Cowboy Bebop is both retro and fresh at the same time. A very stylish, beautifully crafted series that deserves much more attention than it gets. If ever there was a series more deserving to be a sleeper hit, Bebop is it.

Cowboy Bebop is well suited to TV. Each episode manages to stand alone, but at the same time link together an overall larger story. Even if you only see two or three episodes, not exactly in order, one wouldn't be lost, and would find enjoyment in them. In order to truly appreciate it, though, one must see it through.

Cowboy Bebop also presents a realistic view of the future. Spike and Jet travel in what to us would be a highly sophisticated craft, but to them is the modern day equivalent of a 1976 El Camino. The places they visit are far from what one would expect. Instead of Neo-Tokyo with its shiny, impossibly tall skyscrapers that never end, we have Neo-Tijuana, with its dusty dirt roads, run down shacks and migrant workers. Space is ethnic, but not in the Star Trek sanitized for the sake of politically correctness way. Each colony reflects a melting pot more akin to Los Angeles or New York City than any Blade Runner wannabe ever could.

This striving for realism also is reflected in the character designs. Spike is lanky and handsome in his own way, but by no means is he a slender pretty boy. Faye is sexy and curvy, but she's no large breasted bimbo. Jet is burly, not fat, and has traits that would make one think he is of Russian descent. Ein can easily be recognized as a Welsh corgi, and not just another undistinguishable mutt. The only one who looks remotely like a 'cartoony' character is Ed, and even then no one would ever mistake her as anything -but- a scrawny preteen tomboy. (And to see her name and appearance, you'd think she just got off the boat from the Philippines.)

The animation is beyond superb. Its quality excels over most current releases. Cowboy Bebop uses computer graphics, but does so in such a fluid, breathtaking manner. There are practically no scenes that feel 'artificial', like what's going on in the foreground is totally separate from the background. Many computer-generated anime can't seem to shake the look that the characters are just floating in front of the background stills. Everything in Cowboy Bebop seems to breathe with life and motion, even in otherwise stoic scenes, and it's a rarity and a marvel to behold.

Another bonus Cowboy Bebop has going for it is the soundtrack. Yoko Kanno scores (literally) again with her work for this series. The opening theme alone is already one of *the* best intro pieces I have ever heard. The blend of jazz and blues is absolutely perfect in setting the mood of the series. I ask you, has this woman ever -done- any bad music? (Of course not!)

Then there's the storyline. Even though each episode stands quite well on its own, with poignant moments interspersed with exciting action, the underlying theme of Spike Spiegel and his motivations for what he does is absolutely intriguing. With each flashback, you get one more piece of the puzzle, from Spike's shady origins to the loves that influenced the way he is. Maybe his bounty hunting is really a search for identity as much as a way of life he has chosen. The plot and characterization in Cowboy Bebop have a sophistication and subtlety that is practically one-of-a-kind. It's hard to find movies this involving, much less animated television series. Cowboy Bebop simply puts most anime...and Hollywood, to shame.

On the surface, it's easy to dismiss as '70s retro fluff. "Hey, there's Vega$ all over again!" And yes, many a Japanese and American movie star or feature is lampooned in one form or another during each episode. Cases in point: Spike Spiegel is a postmodern Lupin III. And in the first episode alone, Asimov Sorenson and Katarina.... can we say Desperado, kids? (Heck, even Quentin Tarantino seems to have a cameo!) But beneath that noir veneer is a very human drama that has just enough humor and clever dialogue to be realistic, yet highly entertaining. This is a must-have for any serious collector of Japanese animation.
Simply put, this anime is one of the best.

Hunter X Hunter

2008-12-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hunter X Hunter

Synopsis

Gon Freecs, a young boy living with his aunt on Whale Island, thought his father to be dead. That is until a chance meeting with the Hunter Kaito. It is through Kaito that Gon learns of the rich legacy of Hunters, people whom explore the unknown aspects of the world in all its facets. Gon also learns that his father, Jin Freecs, is not only alive but is in fact the greatest Hunter in the world. It is with this knowledge that Gon ventures out into the world with the goal of becoming a Hunter and finding the whereabouts of his father, all the while making several friends and having many adventures of his own.

Review

The lack of fandom surrounding Hunter X Hunter is somewhat enigmatic to me. It is a title that, by all rights, should have a huge buzz behind it. Not only is Hunter X Hunter the work of Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of Yu Yu Hakusho, but it is also far superior to other currently running big-hype titles, the most prominent of which is Naruto. It manages to be enormously entertaining through its unique concoction of animation, characterization, and plot, without resorting to the cliches that have all too often ruined a seemingly novel show of a similar vein. And yet Hunter X Hunter remains little known. With any luck this review will have a hand in lifting the veil of obscurity that currently surrounds this magnificent title.

To begin with, the story of Hunter X Hunter is vibrant and imaginative, though not at all difficult. Right from the start the aim of this series is made clear, the eventual reunion of Gon with his father. However, the path that is taken to achieve this end is full of twists and turns that continuously succeed in keeping this tale fresh. The viewer is ceaselessly wisked between offbeat situations as varied as the dangerous wilderness to a battle-stage tower with over two hundred floors of increasingly difficult fighting tournaments. It is through these atypical situations that we come to understand the motivations of our lead and become endeared to his cause. A superb level of attention in plotting is also dedicated to the other prominent cast members, including Gon’s companions Killua, Leorio, and Kurapica. Though the centerpiece here is Gon, none of the supporting roles go underdeveloped. In fact the only problem with plotting is that the story takes a few episodes to really get churning. If you can make it to about episode six or seven though, you will be fully strapped in for one hell of a fun ride.

A rather unexpected facet of this title is how lightly the plot focuses on fighting, especially given that Togashi’s most famous work, Yu Yu Hakusho, was often little more than a continuous battle-fest. To be certain, fighting does take place and at some points in the series it becomes quite prominent, but it never manages to wrestle the spotlight away from the fleshier portions of the narrative. Despite this, the action leaves very little to be desired. The fight-action sets here are more complex than the typical ki-blasting, as fast-as-light-movement farce that has become the industry standard for fighting anime. Instead we are treated to a truly creative power-leveling system and a diversity of combat styles that make each fight more than simply diversionary but instead truly engaging. It is as if the battle scenes have actually added to the tension and excitement of the plotline rather than flattened it, a rare occurrence indeed.

Leaving just a bit more to be desired of Hunter X Hunter, however, are the peripherals. Musically, while not bad, HXH just does not manage to live up to its more palatial qualities. Still, the music is good enough and has continuously improved throughout the series. I have personally enjoyed the opening and closing music more and more with each successive theme change that occurs. Additionally the animation is mostly quite nice. It certainly isn’t spectacular by any stretch of the imagination, but it is visually appealing. There is also a definite change for the better in terms of animation the further one progresses through the show. The set pieces have strong appeal as well, and are reasonably effective at immersing us in this strange and phenomenal world.

The most remarkable aspect of Hunter X Hunter, however, lies within its remarkable characters. Most of the cast here is not at all generic or formulaic, a welcome retreat from the chiefly derivative characters so prominent in similar shows. Gon, the show’s lead, is a charismatic young boy whose optimism and innocence is always invigorating without being imposing. An odd tidbit, Gon is virtually never the strongest character on the screen, by a long shot. A partial reason for this is that his goal isn’t necessarily to be the strongest being in existence but primarily to better himself. This is another big plus in the personality department that sets Gon apart from your conventional “Shonen Jump Hero Archtype”. Gon’s optimism is offset well by the darker, more brooding persona of Killua, a young boy that Gon befriends early in the show. Together they make for perhaps the most interesting pair of best friends in all of anime. Their companions, Leorio and Kurapica, also make for complex and interesting characters. Leorio is a man who, haunted by his past, is motivated to the performance of benevolent acts to the benefit of humanity. Kurapica, conversely, is motivated by revenge, though revenge is an ideal that is out of character for him. Consequently, Kurapica always seems to be a man at odds with himself. Equally compelling are the more contemptible figures of this tale such as Hisoka, Kuroro, and the rest of the Genei Ryodan. The interplay of these vastly different personalities is the bread and butter of Hunter X Hunter.

.hack//SIGN

2008-12-25T16:40:00.000-08:00

.hack//SIGN

Synopsis

AKA: N/A

Genre: Science-fiction suspense / fantasy adventure

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 25 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from Bandai

Content Rating: PG

Related Series: .hack//LIMINALITY, .hack//Legend of the Twilight

The World is about to change. In the present day, real-world people are spending their time playing a role-playing game in which their personas travel and interact within a fantasy world. But one of the characters, a cipher named Tsukasa, is suddenly locked within the game, and those around him aren't sure why ... or how. While any player should be able to just disconnect or shut off the computer he or she is on, Tsukasa doesn't even see a computer. He is IN The World. And a mysterious cat-like character hovers around the fringes, bending the programming - indeed the very "existence" of The World to his will. And a group of player characters must figure out the truth behind Tsukasa ... while a rash of mysterious game-related incidents in the real world begins to draw the attention of even the most powerful players within the game.

Review

Ever since watching Lain, we at THEM wondered when the next series would come that tackled the virtual world. And though several series have touched upon cyberspace, they have been mostly children's series like Digimon and Mega Man NT, which, while interesting and entertaining, aren't always the most serious of titles. Even Perfect Blue only touched on the effects of the Internet for the briefest of moments, and it seemed that anime in general was destined to be only as Internet-savvy as the average middle-aged salaryman.

And then .hack//SIGN came along. The game world concept is hardly original to those heavily involved in video games. Like EverQuest and Phantasy Star Online, "dot-Hack" is seemingly set as a massive multi-player online role-playing game, where literally thousands of people congregate on servers to play a game. However, unlike EQ and PSO, "dot-Hack" is really an ambitious multimedia project, with the simultaneous release of the video game, manga, and television and video anime. Not only that, but the reality of "The World" itself is literally a game-within-a-game - in "dot-Hack" the game, the console player must solve the mystery of "The World", much like the player characters in the TV series, while still building the strength of the virtual reality role-playing character to move forward. Very complex and intriguing - though for our purposes here, we will only be discussing this first anime incarnation of this new universe.

With excellent art, a sumptuously rich soundtrack, an intriguing plot, and a concept that is half Lain, half Dungeon Master, this series is a feast for the eyes and ears that skillfully melds fantasy and science fiction. In a world where no one is who they seem to be, mysteries abound just beyond the realm of sight. Real-life wallflowers, party-girls, and middle-aged professionals become shifty rogues, wise sorcerers, or brave warriors. And the show sometimes ponders where the line lies between reality and fantasy, and indeed between diversion and obsession.

The one thing about the early part of this series that may put off potential viewers is its pace. dot-Hack takes its time introducing characters and setting up the backdrop that is The World. And much of the perspective comes from the point of view of Tsukasa, a perpetually confused and bewildered spell-casting teenager who seems to be Yet Another Shinji (tm), vaguely nihilistic and aimless. At times, Tsukasa is frustrating and annoying to watch, as a lot of the action seems to merely happen around him (or is it a her?). But as the story goes on and he learns more about his amnesiac self and the world around him, Tsukasa does reveal more of his murky past and his (or her) real-life personality.

Many audience members, especially veterans of games like this, are more likely to relate to the other main characters, including the rather brash and somewhat scatter-brained (if perfectionist) young swordswoman, Mimiru, and the grizzled, pensive veteran warrior, Bear (a favorite of several THEMers). These characters act like anyone you'd actually meet on a game like this. Even the sinister player-killer, Sora, has his own motivations and interests, as do the actual players themselves.

As stated before, the animation is simply gorgeous, with a well-realized, fanciful world of arched cities and floating islands, magical portals and whimsical creatures. If I was let loose in a virtual reality role-playing world like this, I'd probably spend more time there than actually writing anime reviews! And with character designs by Sadamoto Yoshiyuki (Neon Genesis Evangelion), it's safe to say you'd be in good-looking company, too. But the real surprise here is the music. From the intriguing techno opening (with its esoteric trance sound and its almost unrecognizable English) to the sweeping orchestral motifs throughout the episode, the audio is simply incredible. It does cry out, "I am a cool soundtrack!", but without ever being obtrusive or out-of-place.

But after completing the full run of this series, I can confirm a few things for our loyal readers. .hack//SIGN is a very competent series indeed, but while the mystery of Tsukasa is finally revealed, there are still a few nagging problems here and there that keep this from garnering that final star ... and even knock it down a bit.

One of the biggest problems that this series faces is that it's a "talking head" anime -- there's a lot of dialogue, and not much action to speak of. This would suit it fine if it were a more fully-fleshed mystery series, but many of the middle episodes pack a surprising amount of filler. It really shouldn't take fifteen episodes for the plot to finally get going, but that's the way it goes - many viewers will get bored very quickly. It also seems that this is done largely as an animation shortcut, something that which seems to plague virtually every Bee Train production.

The ending is extremely ambiguous and anticlimactic as well. Essentially, to get the true ending of the anime, one must play through the games, which damages this series immensely as a stand-alone project. Also, the English dub fails to be expressive in all the wrong places -- people who only see this series off Cartoon Network will be sorely disappointed, and so far, Bandai's track record on English dialogue has tended towards the horrible. Since this series is so dialogue-driven, a substandard dub (or the constant barrage of amateurish translation work in the prerelease fansubs) serve as a killing blow for any potential audience. If ever there were a solid argument for waiting for the licensed work to be released before reviewing, .hack//SIGN is it.

For those familiar with online gaming (or the now released .hack//INFECTION game and its successors), this series will definitely ring true with the depictions of the characters, from Tsukasa right on down to the guest newbie A-20. The World itself continues to be well realized, though near the end there are distinct "blank spots" that you're supposed to fill in with knowledge from the game. However, if you could care less about online gaming, or find yourself being too nitpicky about the details of that genre, you just may want to give this character piece a skip, and let me hog the PS2 some more.

.hack//SIGN works best as advertised - not as a standalone, but as a complement to the rest of the multimedia project. Even so, this ambitious and interesting experiment in media is a qualified success, and I look forward to reviewing the other series in the franchise. (At least the OAVs, anyway.)

Anime Gallery

2008-12-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

A picture below is my choiced picture

Fruits Basket

2008-12-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

Fruits Basket

Synopsis

AKA: FruBa (fan nickname)

Genre: Comedy / drama

Length: Television series, 26 episodes, 24 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from FUNimation

Content Rating: 13+ (mild violence, intensity)

Life has been hard for Honda Tooru. Her beloved mother has just passed away in an accident and due to some family issues she's living in a tent in the woods. Not even her best friends know about this as she has vowed to support herself through school life.

One day she stumbles upon a house nearby. As things turn out, it's occupied by Souma Yuki, the school heartthrob (and her classmate), his cousin Shigure (a novelist) and another Souma by the name of Kyou who is constantly fighting with Yuki.

A series of mishaps reveals a surprise about the Soumas. When hugged by members of the opposite sex, they change into animals of the Chinese zodiac! Normally people who find out would have their memory erased, but Tooru is given the chance to keep the secret and continue living with the Souma family.

Review

While the concept of characters changing when touched by something isn't new, Fruits Basket uses something different - the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, plus the cat (as will be explained in the anime). The main characters take after their respective animals: Yuki, the mouse, is quiet and scheming at times. Kyou, the cat, is always at war with Yuki, while Shigure, the dog, is fun and rather carefree. Quite surprisingly, the characters are hardly paired with the animals that you would expect them to be.

The most interesting aspect of this anime is the way the characters are portrayed. Most of the scenes with more than *one* person around will be enough to wrestle you to the floor laughing or play with your emotions like a diabolical programmer on late night shift. Tooru is a little like the typical anime schoolgirl - sweet, not very bright, but always cheery and is a big help around the house. Much of the focus of the story is how she slowly changes the lives of those around her, especially the Souma family. You see, it's not all fun and games being an animal. The Soumas are unable to have relationships with "outsiders" because of their secret and as a result are withdrawn from society. Many episodes deal with the internal struggles that each one of them has - not being accepted by others because of their appearances or actions. Yet, each of them finds hope in Tooru, who is ready to accept them and helps them to change themselves for the better.

One good thing is that the anime rarely relies on the "transformations" and resulting chaos to carry the comedy parts. Instead, it is the character interactions and personality mixes that make it funny. Yuki and Kyou are always fighting, but you'd probably end up smiling instead. Shigure is like a fun-loving kid stuck in a compliant adult body. And the other Soumas introduced later are far from stereotypical and are equally fun to watch. There are even strong bonds between certain characters and the chaos gets even better when they are together. If you were an anime character, you'd have sweatdrops appearing a *lot*. Wait, no. Make sure the drainage systems around you can handle large volumes of water spewing from your head.

Trust me: You'll never look at white snakes the same *ever* again.

While having more than 10 characters may seem like a lot, it's actually quite simple. Rarely is a character introduced "just to fill in the other animals". Each one has a deeper story that is revealed as the plot goes along and you can start to get attached to them as you begin to find out why they act like they do, and what really troubles them. And the good thing is, the whole cast *doesn't* fall in love with Tooru. Yes, they like her a lot but nothing of the romantic sort.

There are many things to be learned from this anime too. Tooru's two best friends, while rather strange, are examples of what friendship really should be like. They always look out for her, especially since they knew her mother, and are her support when she needs them. Tooru also has many flashbacks of her good relationship with her mother and in turn she is good to others.

The art is colorful but rather simple, and so is the animation. Add liberal SD scenes and plenty of sweatdrops and that's Fruits Basket. While more detail would have been nice, but in view of the story and the mood of the show, it fits just fine. Just be ready for characters with some of the biggest eyes in anime, and for bishie guys (beautiful men, I call them ^_^). In fact, some of the characters regularly make jokes about Yuki's "attractiveness" if he were a girl.

Comedy anime really doesn't get any better than this. A great series for anyone looking for good clean fun.

Tenjou Tenge

2008-12-22T19:49:00.001-08:00

Tenjou Tenge

AKA: Tenjho Tenge (note that this is the preferred title by the creator)

Genre: Fighting show / drama

Length: Television series, 24 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: R1 DVD from Geneon out of print.

Content Rating: 18+ (fan service, gore, strong violence)

Related Series: N/A

Synopsis

Nagi Souichirou and Bob Makihara arrive at Juudou high seeking a brawl, and face little challenge until they meet up with Natsume Maya, who proceeds to hand them both their asses in a matter of seconds. The force of the blow sends Souichiro out the window, falling on top of a naked and showering Aya (Maya's younger sister), who -- since he saw her naked -- proclaims herself as his wife. (Or was it fiancee. It's been a while since I watched that part.)

Impressed with the level of challenge, they join Maya's school to start training in an effort to get stronger, which brings them under the scrutiny of the Enforcers. Naturally, trouble follows.

Review

Well, Tenjou Tenge is, if nothing else, quite an interesting show.

Starting off with perhaps one of the dumbest opening songs I have ever had the privilege of hearing (complete with poppish boy-band-style dancing by the main characters of the show) you are thrown into what can't be designated as anything but a testosterone-laden brawlfest with a large side order of boobs. And I do mean large.

In this very beginning, we find ourselves in the company of Souichiro and Bob, two loudmouth idiots who raid a school in seek of a brawl, and find themselves on the receiving end of Maya's can of whoop-ass. At this point, you would probably be forgiven for thinking that Tenjou Tenge is nothing but a no-brainer, a double helping of male wish fulfillment.

And you would be... oh, about 30% right. But then, Tenjou Tenge is actually a bit more than its own first impression.

For a good six or seven episodes (it's been a while since I watched the first 15 or 16 episodes, so bear with me), we are basically taken on a huge rumble and introduced to the main antagonists of the show, the Enforcers. It's through them that we learn more about the various characters. For instance Maya's dead brother, killed by the head of the Enforcers, Takayanagi Mitsuomi.

It's this subplot that leads us into the first problem Tenjou Tenge has. The story about the main cast's past is quite extensive, but practically turns the last 2/3rds of the series into one gigantic flashback (with a short smoke-break in the middle). This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but the problem is that the beginning of the show has already informed us of the outcome. The first part of the flashback is mostly about Maya's dead brother Shin, and how he slowly goes crazy. Again, it would have made for good drama, had it not lasted for SIX FULL EPISODES. It is, in fact, the meandering pace of the first flashback arch that eventually turned me away from the series for a long, long time.

However, over the last couple of days, I finally gathered up the remaining interest I had for this show and watched the rest (save for the last two episodes, which were unviewable for me.) After a return to the present, storywise, where nothing of importance really happened, the story once again returned to the past. (Though thankfully in a far more interesting manner this time, not to mention indepth.)

So, to sum things up, Tenjou Tenge is approximately 40% relentless and brutal violence and 60% rather dark and dreary drama with conspiracies thrown in to spice things up. True, both Souichiro and Bob are a couple of idiots that know nothing but starting trouble. (They even say so themselves in one of the later episodes.) Also, Aya is, to put it bluntly, a ditz. Thankfully, the rest of the cast actually make most of the show work, especially Bunshichi, who actually IS quite more than meets the eye. Apart for being dramatical at times, Tenjou Tenge has a bad habit of making grand expositions at times, maybe too grand for its genre. Later on, it also gets fairly unsettling. It's not a nice show by any stretch of the imagination. It's no Violence Jack, but some of the things going on in there will make you wince.

In the end, Tenjou Tenge is a decent title. It might take a little endurance to make it through the first flashback the first time you see it, but the action and the suspense will make up for that. The art is decent enough, though somewhat exaggerated in regard to the girls and their attributes. The animation is actually quite good, especially when it captures the various styles of fighting, like Bob's capoeira or Takayanagi Masataka's lightly Jeet-kune-do inspired style. If you're just looking for violence, Tenjou Tenge will deliver. (Will it ever...) If you're looking for a good story to go with it, Tenjou Tenge ALSO delivers, actually. It's not high-class stuff, but it gets the job done without making the whole show feel like some low-brow action B-flick.

By the way, do note that Tenjou Tenge doesn't exactly END after its 24 episode run. It's followed by a two episode OAV, which doesn't provide the show with an ending either. Does this mean that Tenjou Tenge will continue in the future? Who knows?

Full Metal Panic

2008-12-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

Overview

Full Metal Panic! written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Douji Shiki, serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Dragon Magazine since 1998.

The main story develops its characters carefully, and is the shadow or "unusual" events of the protagonist's life. These stories feature the mercenary group Mithril, their mobile base/submarine, called the TDD-1 Tuatha De Danaan, giant humanoid powered suits called Arm Slaves, and the various missions to which Sousuke Sagara is assigned. A highlight of the series is a serious and semi-realistic view of humanoid robotic weapons on the battlefield. The Arm Slave has significant consideration in its portrayal, with explanations given for its power source, operations, maintenance and pilot user interface. The existence of such advanced weaponry and equipment is explained through Black Technology.

The comedic segments are the contrasting "normal life" portrayal of a high school student in Tokyo. These segments are in stark contrast to the more serious main story; explosions are symbolic and humorous, and no death results from these visual gags, while in the main story characters are heavily injured and/or perish when hit by a bullet.

This has led to two discrete series of books within the narrative: the collected short stories, and the full novels. As of April 2007, there have been nine novels and ten short story collections published. There is also a significant number of short stories that have not yet been published in a collection, making the stories difficult to find outside back issues of the magazine. The main storyline is still continuing, with the latest novel, Approaching Nick of Time, released on February 2008. Shoji Gatoh has recently stated in his blog that the next novel will be the "climax" of the series, meaning it could possibly be the final novel of the series. However, there is no specific details, release date or name for the moment. It will probably begin production next year.

The author's handling and balance between the serious character-driven plot of the full plot arcs, contrasted with the caricature portrayal of the same characters in the comedy arcs, is one of the most lauded aspects of the series.[citation needed]

Dragon Ball

2008-12-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

Plot

See also : List of Dragon Ball characters

A monkey-tailed boy named Goku is found by an old martial arts expert who raises him as his grandson. One day Goku meets a girl named Bulma and together they go on a quest to retrieve the seven Dragon Balls, mythical objects that can summon a dragon who will grant any wish. Along the way, they meet and befriend a plethora of martial artists. They also undergo rigorous training regimes and educational programs in order to fight in the World Martial Arts Tournament, a tournament in which the most powerful fighters in the world compete. Outside the tournaments, Goku faces diverse villains such as Emperor Pilaf, the Red Ribbon Army, a demon known as Piccolo Daimao and his offspring.

As a young adult, Goku meets his older brother, Raditz, who tells him that they come from a fictional race of extraterrestrials called Saiyans. The Saiyans had sent Goku to Earth to destroy it, but his ship crashes upon arrival. Goku fell into a deep ravine and lost all memory of his mission. Goku refuses to help Raditz continue the mission, after which he begins to encounter others who want to battle him, such as the Saiyan prince Vegeta. He also encounters Frieza, who is considered to be one of the strongest beings in the universe, after which Goku begins training his first child, Son Gohan, to be his successor. Years later, a group of soldiers from the Red Ribbon army known as androids appear to kill Goku. Another android, Cell, absorbs Androids #17 and #18 from the Red Ribbon army to increase his power, then fights Goku and Gohan, resulting in the former's death. Goku is capable of returning to life, but decides to stay dead for seven years to train in the Other World. When he returns, he is drawn into a battle for the universe against an extraterrestrial named Majin Buu. Joined by Vegeta and Gohan, Buu is destroyed. Ten years later at a martial arts tournament, Goku meets Buu's human reincarnation, Uub. At the end of the manga, Goku takes Uub away on a journey to train him as another successor.

Anime sequel

In the anime Dragon Ball GT, which is not directly based on the manga, Goku is turned back into a child by the Black-Star Dragon Balls and is forced to travel across the universe to retrieve them. While in space, he encounters the evil artificial Tuffle, Baby, who wants to destroy the Saiyan race. Goku fights him, but is defeated. After forcefully regrowing his tail to awaken new powers, Goku achieves the level of Super Saiyan 4 and destroys Baby, propelling him into the sun with a Kamehameha. After Baby's defeat, Dr. Myuu, a combination of machine and human, creates a replica of Android 17, fuses it with the original Android 17, creating Super 17. Super 17 seems impervious to Goku's attacks, but when Android 18 attacks him for killing Krillin, Goku is able to take advantage of the distraction to find a way to penetrate Super 17 and destroy it.

Due to overuse of the Dragon Balls, seven Evil Dragons were created. All but the most powerful, Syn Shenron, are defeated. When Shenron appears to be losing, he absorbs the Dragon Balls and gains enough power to become Omega Shenron, overwhelming Goku. Eventually, using the energy of every living being in the universe, Goku makes a Spirit Bomb powerful enough to destroy Omega Shenron.

Guitar Chord

2008-12-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

Full Metal Alchemist

2008-12-21T07:39:00.000-08:00

Plot

Edward and Alphonse Elric are two alchemists brothers who search for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, a powerful object which would allow them to recover their bodies (which were lost in an attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy). Being born in the village of Resembool from the country of Amestris (アメストリス, Amesutorisu?), the two brothers lived there with their parents. Their father, Hohenheim, left home for unknown reasons and years later, their mother, Trisha Elric, died of a terminal illness leaving the Elric brothers alone. After their mother’s death, Edward becomes determined to bring her back through the use of alchemy, an advanced science in which objects can be created from raw materials. They researched Human Transmutation, a forbidden art in which one attempts to create or modify a human being. However, this attempt failed, ultimately resulting in the loss of Edward’s left leg and Alphonse’s entire body. In a desperate effort to save his brother, Edward sacrificed his right arm to affix his brother’s soul to a suit of armor. Some days later, an alchemist named Roy Mustang visits the Elric brothers, and he tells Edward to become a member of the State Military of the country to find a way to recover their bodies. After that, Edward’s left leg and right arm are fitted with two sets of automail, a type of advanced prosthetic limb, created for him by his close family friends Winry Rockbell and her grandmother Pinako.

Edward sets out to become a State Alchemist (国家錬金術師, Kokka Renkinjutsushi?), an alchemist employed by the State Military of Amestris. Becoming a State Alchemist enables Edward to use the extensive resources available, but it also turns him into a dog of the military, which infamously annihilated much of the neighboring country of Ishbal’s population in the past decade. The brothers learn of the Philosopher’s Stone, and set off in search of it as a means to restore their bodies. Throughout their journey, they meet many antagonists, including those who are willing to do anything to obtain the Philosopher’s Stone, Scar, one of the few surviving Ishbalans, who seeks vengeance on the State Alchemists for the destruction of his race, and the homunculi, a group of human-like creatures who carry pieces of the Philosopher’s Stone inside themselves, and from it derive the ability to survive almost any harm.

As the story progresses, Edward and Alphonse discover the vast expansion of Amestris was the result of the homunculi, who created and secretly control the State Military. The homunculi and much of the high-ranking military officers are commanded from behind the curtains by the creator of the homunculi, a man simply known as Father, who gained immortality by using Hohenheim as his new body centuries before the series’ timeline. He plans to use Amestris as a gigantic transmutation circle and turn the entire country into a Philosopher’s Stone. When Edward and Alphonse discover Father’s plans, they set out to defeat him along with other members of the State Military.

SHAMAN kING - Northen Lights

2008-12-20T01:56:00.001-08:00

SHAMAN kING - Northen Lights

kimi ni todoke Northern lights...

hikisakareta futatsu no kokoro
yukiba no nai omoi ga mune o shimetsuke
naze kono toki ni deatta no ka to
toikakeru sube wa
saeta kage ni chiru

yuragu koto nai
tsuyosa na do naku
susunda saki ni
motomeru kotae ga aru

ai mo tsumi mo yume mo yami mo
ima subete mini matotte
kimi no chikara boku no kokoro
kasanariatta shunkan
nani ga umareru...
Do you believe in destiny?

usu midori-iro no maboroshi ga
kono hoshi no kanashimi o yasashiku tsutsumu
onaji unmei o tadoru ka to
haru ga kanata kara
uta koe ga hibiku

akirameru ni wa
mada hayasugiru
ori kasanatta
hikari ni kibou no sete

soshite itsuka todoku yume o
ima shizuka ni kanji you
kimi no ketsui boku no mayoi
meguriai ga sashishimesu
michi o shinjite
I live with facing my destiny.

soshite itsuka todoku yume o
ima shizuka ni kanji you
kimi no ketsui boku no mayoi
meguriai ga sashishimesu

ai mo tsumi mo yume mo yami mo
ima subete mini matotte
kimi no chikara boku no kokoro
kasanariatta shunkan
nani ga umareru...
Do you believe in destiny?

Give a Reason ( Slayer NEXT )

2008-12-20T01:44:00.000-08:00

Give a Reason ( Slayer NEXT )
Slayers Next Op.
Sung by: Hayashibara Megumi

memagurushii jikan no mure ga
hashiri nukeru machi wa SABANNA
kawaru ga waru SYU-RU na NYU-SU
asu ni nareba daremo wasurete'ru
ikite-iru, ima ikite-iru
sonna naka de nanika wo motome
mogaku you ni nukedasu you ni
kono chikara wo tameshite mitakute
kitto dokoka ni "kotae" aru
umarete-kita kotae ga
hito wa minna, sore wo motome
yarusenai nogasenai yume ni mukau no
kizutsuku koto wa kowakunai
dakedo kesshite tsuyokunai
tada, nanimo shinai mama de
kuyandari wa shitakunai
Here we go! go! hashiri-tsudzukeru
dare ni mo tomerare wa shinai
mirai no jibun e to
Give a reason for life todoketai
hakari shirenai ooki na yami ga
oto wo tatete mukatte kite mo
asa ga kireba dareka ga ireba
kokoro ni aru zetsubou wa keseru
motto tsuyoku IME-JI shite
hohoende'ru jibun wo
shinjite'ru omoi, sore ga
nani yori mo dare yori mo yume ni chikadzuku
GO-RU ni motaretari shinai
tatoe, tadoritsuitatte
atarashii yume ga kitto
watashi no senaka osu kara
Here we go! go! hashiri-tsudzukeru
dare ni mo tomerare wa shinai
mirai no jibun e to
Give a reason for life todoketai
kitto dokoka ni "kotae" aru
umarete-kita kotae ga
hito wa minna, sore wo motome
yarusenai nogasenai yume ni mukau no
kizutsuku koto wa kowakunai
dakedo kesshite tsuyokunai
tada, nanimo shinai mama de
kuyandari wa shitakunai
Here we go! go! hashiri-tsudzukeru
dare ni mo tomerare wa shinai
mirai no jibun e to
Give a reason for life todoketai

Doraemon Theme Song

2008-12-20T01:42:00.000-08:00

Doraemon Theme Song

konna koto ii na
dekitara ii na
anna yume konna yume ippai aru kedo
minna minna minna
kanaete kureru
fushigina POKKE de kanaete kureru
sora wo jiyuu ni tobitai na
(hai! takekoputaa!)
AN AN AN
tottemo daisuki
DORAEMON
shukudai touban shiken ni otsukai
anna koto konna koto taihen dakedo
minna minna minna
tasukete kureru
benrina dougu de tasukete kureru
omocha no heitai da
(sore! tototsugeki!)
AN AN AN
tottemo daisuki
DORAEMON
anna toko ii na
iketara ii na
kono kuni ano shima takusan aru kedo
minna minna minna
ikasete kureru
mirai no kikai de kanaete kureru
sekai ryokou ni ikitai na
(ufufufu... doko demo DOA!)
AN AN AN
tottemo daisuki
DORAEMON
AN AN AN
tottemo daisuki
DORAEMON

Macross ( Macross )

2008-12-20T01:31:00.000-08:00

Macross ( Macross )
Opening Song
sung by Makoto Fujihara
MAKURO no sora o tsuranuite
Chikyuu o utta ikazuchi wa
Warera osanai jinrui ni
Mezamete kure to hanatareta

MAKUROSU MAKUROSU
Ooshiku tatta wakamono wa
Ai suru hito o kabaitsutsu
Tabidatsu hibi o tatakai hiraku
Will you love me tomorrow
Yami o kirisaki tobi yuku saki wa
Tooku kagayaku aoi hoshi
MAKUROSU MAKUROSU
MAKUROSU

Uchuu no ko ra o hikitsurete
Hoshi no kanata no yami no naka
Banko ni tsuzuku tatakai o
Mezashite tonda sadame no ya

MAKUROSU MAKUROSU
Awai hizashi to komoriuta
Akako no nemuri haha no mune
Ai suru hibi o tatakai mamoru
Will you love me tomorrow
Yami o kirisaki nobi yuku hikari
Kagayaki michiru hi wa itsuka
MAKUROSU MAKUROSU
MAKUROSU

The Way I Live ( B’t X )

2008-12-20T01:27:00.000-08:00

Boku no Ikikata;
The Way I Live ( B’t X )
Ending Song
Konna fuu ni sora wo miageta koto nakatta
Dare mo inai sougen
Tsukareta me wo tojite dai no ji ni nesoberu
Ooki na ki no shita de
Kaze ga utau utau boku no sugu yoko de
Hayaku tate to senaka osu you ni
Kitto nani ka wasurete 'ru
Hashiru Sakebu
Tameiki nanka tsuiterarenai
Tamerawanai boku no ikikata
Tojita mabuta no ura kimi ga ukande kuru
Soshite mata kiete 'ku
Kimi wo tsuyoku tsuyoku dakishimeraretara
Boku ga itsu ka yasashiku naretara
Kitto nani ka miete kuru
Hikaru Mawaru
Azayaka ni tobu tori ni naritai
Tama ni sukoshi yorimichi shite mo
Tonde yukou
Kono sora zenbu ate mo nai mama
Tamerawanai boku no ikikata
Hashiru Sakebu
Tameiki nanka tsuiterarenai
Tama ni sukoshi yorimichi shite mo
Ryoute hiroge
Kono sora zenbu ate mo nai mama
Tamerawanai boku no ikikata

ROCKS ( Naruto )

2008-12-20T01:25:00.001-08:00

ROCKS ( Naruto )

Opening Song
Artist: Hound Dog

Come on!

owareru youni isoi de iru
kawai ta mune ga kari tateru no sa
hito kiwa tsuyoku kagayaku hoshi wa
ima mo tooku ni aru
ushinatte yuku motome nagara
ubawa rete yuku atae nagara
dare no tame de naku dare no mono de naku
ore tachi no ima ga

*omoi kasane yume o kasane hibi o kasane
ase ni mamire namida korae chi o tagi rase

tatakau koto mo aishi au koto mo
haruka hikari no On the way
ura kitte kita shin ji nagara
kitsuke te kita inori nagara
dare no koto de naku dare no sei de naku
ore tachi no ima wo
itami hodoki kokoro hodoki kage o hodoki
iki o tsunete hashiri nukero yami o saite
kana shimu koto mo yume o miru koto mo
owari wa shinai On the way

Repeat *

I wanna ROCKS mune ni ROCKS

Good Morning ( Hunter X Hunter )

2008-12-20T01:22:00.000-08:00

Ohayou;
Good Morning ( Hunter X Hunter )
Opening Song
by Keno
tanomi mo shinai no ni asa wa yatte kuru mado o
akete chotto fukaku shinkokyuu
fukuretTSURA no kimi omoi dashite warau
KENKA shita yokujitsu wa rusuden ni shippanashi daro
waraiau KOTO nanigenai kaiwa
mainichi no kurashi no naka de dou datte ii koto
nani mo kangaezuni ukande kuru kotoba "FU" to shita
shunkan ga taisetsu datte
kimi ni "ohayou" tte itte MESSEEJI o nokoshite
boku no ichinichi hajime ni dekakenakya marude nani
mo nakatta mitai ni
denwa shite kuru kimi no koe ga suki nanda

bukiyou ni natte ita nani ga jama shite
atarimae na koto ga futoumei ni natte
boku yori mo boku no KOTO o umaku aiseru no wa
kimi shika inain datte wakatte kuyashikattan dake do
sennyuukan tte jibun ni mo aru ne douse DAME sa nante
jibaku mo sezuni
furidashi ni tatte tohou ni kurete mo hajime no ippo
sukuwarete miru

* kimi to kata o kunde kimi to te o tsunaide
koibito dattari tomodachi de itai kara
"ohayou" tte itte mata yume o misete
shizen na sono ikikata de ii kara sa

minarete ita kimi no hen na ji mo daiji na KOTOBA
kaku to shinsen ni mieru
sunao ni narenai sunao sa nanka ja kimi ni nanni mo
tsutawaranai
mata "ohayou" tte itte mata yume o misete
kyou mo genki de sugosetara II yo ne
konna ni tanjun de atarimae na koto ga hontou wa
ichiban miushinaigachi dakara ne

me o aketa mama miru yume shiranai ashita e hakobu
Merry-go-round goes

Repeat *

Midninght Blue ( Patlabor )

2008-12-20T01:20:00.000-08:00

Midninght Blue ( Patlabor )

*Dakishimete Midnight Blue
kon’ya rei-ji no basu ni nottara Midnight Blue
Ichido-kiri nara dekiru hazu da kara yume ni
Hikizurare ore wa asne mamire no Lonely
Hanashi-aite no TV suitchi hipparu

Ashita inchinichi wa akogareta machi no gomi no naka
Hayaku mein sutoriito ni sawaritai no sa
Manazashi dake wa itsu demo ue wo miute’ru tsumori
Tatta hitotsu no michi da kara

Back to *

Nemurenai yoru wa itsu mosusuketa shashin dake
Nigirishimete jibun ni iikikasu no sa
Tooku ni kasunde’ku tornadotte’ta koro no ore sae
Ima wa sono hou ga mada mashi datta kamo
Ame ni utarete iru kedo ue wo muite’ru tsumori
Kitto itsu ka wa hareru kara

Back to *

Anata Dake Mitsumete’ru ( Slam Dunk )

2008-12-20T01:19:00.000-08:00

Anata Dake Mitsumete’ru ( Slam Dunk )

*Anata Dake Mitsumete’ru
Deatta hikara ima demo zutto
Anata sae soba ni ireba hoka ni nanni mo iranai
Yume no High Tension

Negaigoto kanatta no
Yawaraka na fuyu no hi
Utsumuki hazukashi sou no Special Driving Date
Anata ga sou yorokobu kara
Kensho mo mazu yameta wa
Doko ni ite mo tsukamaru you ni Pokeberu motto wa
Kuruma mo kuwashikunatta shi
Sakka-sae mo suki ni natta wa
Moyotta-iru kedo
Kono hitoni isshou tsuite yukou to kimeta

Back to *

Anata ga sou nozomu kara
Massugu kaeru you ni hatta
Zatsu datta kotobudzukai tei nei ni natta
Anata ga sou utsumuku kara
Nagadenwa mo yumeta wa
Benri datta otoko-no-ko-tachi katazuketa
Kami mo fuku medatanaku
o-ryouni mo ganberu kara
Party ni wa ikitai na...
Anata dake mitsumete’ru
Mukashi mitai i warawanaku natta
Nigate datta Spicy Your mama
Ima de wa ocha shite’ru
YABAI High Tension
Anata dake mitsumete’ru
Soshite haka ni daremo imakunatta
Jimi ni ikite-yuku no
Anata gonami no onna
Mezase! Love Power Wow Wow Wow Wow
Anata dake mitsumete’ru
Hitori de matsu futari dake no he ya
Anata no hohoemi wa bara-iro no kusari
Yuke! Yume miru yume nashi onna!!
Oh,Wow Wow Wow

Dame! Stop! ( Samurai X )

2008-12-20T01:17:00.000-08:00

Dame! Stop! ( Samurai X )

Machi chuu doko demo uso bakari hyaku nen mae kara shouchi da yo
Ima sara aki kankeru kurai dare demo dekiru

Ai wa nagu same no dou gu nanka ja nai n da shi

Dame Dame Dame de dae na hito ne ittai nani o yatteru no?
Un ja nai Tsuki ja nai motto jitsu ryoku misete
Dame Dame Dame no Onna wa mou sonna Otoko ja kanji nai
Itsu datte Kura Kura toki sou na hodo Otoko ni natte choudai

Socchi no katte de yobidashite sakki kara tameiki bakari ja ne
Zenzen tanoshime nai ja nai nasake nai kao

Usui ai jou de manzoku shite cha owari da shi

Dara Dara Dara to dara shi nai ne Atashi sonna ni hima ja nai
Bakkiri to ieba sou yume no nao Yatsu sai tei
Giri Giri Giri no Giri Giri made ji bun no koto o shinjite yo
Sono kokoro kazari ja na katta ra ne Otoko o misete shou dai

Hjito wa dare demo kizutsuite Ookiku naru mono de shou?
Taore temo mata haia ga ru sore demo dame nara sono toki
Atashi ga dakishimete ageru kara ii ja nai no yyo

Dame Dame Dame de dame na hito ne Itai nani o yatteru no?
Kono tsugi wa tsuyoi toko motto kicchiri misete
Dame Dame Dame ne Onna wa mou sonna Otoko ja ho re nai yo
Itsu datte kura kura toki sou no hodo otoko ni natte choudai

Moonlight Denetsu - ost sailor moon

2008-12-20T01:09:00.000-08:00

moonlight densetsu - ost sailor moon

Gomen ne sunao janakute
Yume no naka nara ieru
Shikou kairo ha shooto sunzen
Ima sugu aitai yo
Nakitaku naru you na moonlight
Denwa mo dekinai midnight
Datte junjou doushiyou
Haato ha mangekyou
Tsuki no hikari ni michibikare
Nando mo meguriau
Seiza no matataki kazoe uranau koi no yukue
Onaji kuni ni umareta no
Mirakuru romansu

Moichido futari de weekend
Kamisama kanaete happy-end
Genzai kako mirai mo
Anata ni kubittake
Deatta toki no natsukashii
Manazashi wasurenai
Ikusenman no hoshi kara anata wo mitsukerareru
Guuzen mo chansu ni kaeru ikikata ga suki yo

Fushigi na kiseki kurosu shite
Nando mo meguriau
Seiza no matataki kazoe uranau koi no yukue
Onaji kuni ni umareta no
Mirakuru romansu
Shinjite iru no mirakuru romansu

List of Dragon Balll Character

2008-12-20T00:57:00.000-08:00

==Main characters==
===Goku===
{{main|Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|l1=Son Goku}}

===Gohan===
{{main|Son Gohan}}

===Vegeta===
{{main|Vegeta}}

===Piccolo===
{{main|Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|l1=Piccolo}}

===Krillin===
{{main|Krillin}}

===Bulma===
{{main|Bulma}}

===Trunks===
{{main|Trunks (Dragon Ball)|l1=Trunks}}

===Yamcha===
{{main|Yamcha}}

===Tien Shinhan===
{{nihongo|Tien Shinhan|天津飯|Tenshinhan|[[nickname]]d Ten}}, known as Shinto in the [[Harmony Gold USA|Harmony Gold]] dub, is first introduced in chapter 113 of the manga series.”Dragon Ball” manga, volume 10, chapter 113 Initially an enemy of [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Son Goku]] who was trained by [[Master Roshi]]’s rival [[List of Earthlings in Dragon Ball#Crane Hermit|Crane Hermit]], Tien soon makes peace with Goku and becomes a Z Fighter. Accompanied by his friend [[#Chiaotzu|Chiaotzu]], Tien enters the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament”Dragon Ball” manga, Volume 10 — ISBN 1-56931-848-4 and faces Goku, who proves to be a more than a worthy opponent. Eventually, after Goku survives any attack thrown at him, Tien destroys the arena with his ”Kikohou”, but Goku jumps into the air and uses his ”Kamehameha” to slam himself into Tien. Both fighters fall down to the ground, but Goku is hit by a passing car, causing him to land on the ground first, which makes Tien the winner. Afterwards, Tien and Chiaotzu decide to become Roshi’s new students and allies of Goku. He participated in the battle against the Saiyans in ”Dragon Ball Z”, in which he is killed by [[#Nappa|Nappa]], along with Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Piccolo. The four of them are trained by [[#King Kai|King Kai]] and later revived by [[#Shenron|Shenron]]. Tien also participated in the battles against [[#Cell|Cell]] and [[Majin Buu]].

Tien is bald and has three eyes, the third placed on his forehead. The third eye is from becoming enlightened.{{cite book |title=The Best of DragonBall Z |last=Brewer |first=Mark |authorlink=Mark Brewer |coauthors= Doug Kale |year= 2002|publisher= Claire B. Amano |location=Beverly Hills , California |isbn= |pages=2-6 }} When Toriyama began creating the ”Dragon Ball” series, he used [[Wu Cheng'en]]’s ”[[Journey to the West]]” as a prototype for his own work.{{cite web|url=http://www.unrivaled.info/anime/dragonball/toriyama/index.htm|title=All about Akira Toriyama|accessdate=2008-06-15}} Tien’s three eyed physical characteristic resembles the story character [[Erlang Shen]], and both are warriors who were originally adversaries of the main character.{{citeweb|url=http://www.dbzsc.com/?dbzsc=xiyouji|title=Saiyan Chronicles on Journey to the West|accessdate=2008-06-15}} His outfits change consistently as the series goes on, and he usually doesn’t wear a shirt when fighting.

===Goten===
{{nihongo|Goten|孫悟天|Son Goten}} is the second and final child of [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Son Goku]], the series’ [[protagonist]]. First introduced in the 230 chapter of the manga,”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 20, chapter 230 Goten resembles his father in appearance, with the same hair-style and similar clothing. In chapter 324, Toriyama changes his appearance to avoid confusion with Goku to include a shirt bearing his name, and a longer, shaggier hairstyle.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 26, chapter 324 Goten is trained by his older brother [[Son Gohan]] in preparation for the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament, which their father would be attending. During the training, Gohan discovered Goten could become a [[Super Saiyan]].”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 20, chapter 233 He also possesses the ”Kamehameha”, a technique that concentrates ”[[Qi|chi]]” energy and is released into a powerful beam.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 21, chapter 240

In order to save the world from the villain [[Majin Buu]], Goku and Piccolo teach Goten and Trunks the “Fusion” technique, which allows them to transform into a single powerful warrior, [[List of Saiyans in Dragon Ball#Gotenks|Gotenks]]. Gotenks battles Buu multiple times but even when he transforms into a [[Super Saiyan#Super Saiyan 3|Super Saiyan 3]] he is unable to defeat Buu. Buu temporarily absorbs Gotenks, increasing his own power, but [[Vegeta]] and Goku are able to retrieve them from Buu. When Buu destroys the Earth in the 312 chapter, Goten and Trunks are killed.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 26, chapters 312 and 314 The [[Dragon Ball (artifact)|Dragon Balls]] later bring Goten back to life along with the rest of the Earth in order to give energy to Goku’s Super Spirit Bomb attack, which defeats Buu.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 26, chapters 320 and 322 Goten then returns to a normal life on Earth. In ”[[Dragon Ball GT]]”, Goten participates in battles against other fictional [[supervillain]]s such as the space parasite [[Baby (Dragon Ball)|Baby]], the android [[No. 17|Super 17]] and the evil dragon, [[#Evil Dragons|Omega Shenron]].

===Frieza===
{{main|Frieza}}

===Cell===
[[Image:Potential-cell.jpg|thumb|200px|Early concept art of Cell]]
{{nihongo|Cell|セル|Seru}} is the ultimate creation of [[List of Earthlings in Dragon Ball#Dr. Gero|Dr. Gero]]. He is an [[Synthetic life|artificial life form]] created using the [[Cell (biology)|cells]] of several characters from the series, including Goku, [[Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|Piccolo]] and [[Frieza]]. As a result, Cell is able to perform techniques such as the ”Kamehameha”, a powerful energy blast which he gains from the cells of Goku.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 15, chapter 169 In creating the character of Cell, Toriyama tried many different designs before finally settling on the one used in the series. Cell evolves several times throughout his appearances. He originally evolves from a cocoon-like form into his first “Imperfect Form”, which is [[insect]]-like in appearance. Both his first form and his second “Semi-Perfect Form” have a tail that ends in a stinger-like appendage and allows it to absorb other organisms.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 14, chapter 167 The tail recedes under his wings in his final “Perfect Form”, and he can use it to spawn {{nihongo|Cell Jr.|セルジュニア|Seru Junia}}, which are minuscule child-like versions of himself.

Requiring androids #17 and #18 to evolve, he finds out that they are already dead in his time line, so he defeats the Trunks of his time line and uses Trunks’ time machine to travel back in time. He eventually absorbs both after many battles and ascends to his final form.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 15, chapter 178”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 16, chapters 186 and 187 He decides to hold the “Cell Games”, a tournament in which he fights against the Earth’s fighters until there are none left, resulting in Earth’s destruction.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 17, chapter 195 Cell manages to defeat Goku, but he is eventually killed by a [[Super Saiyan 2]] Gohan.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 19, chapter 222 Cell appears in [[Hell]] in ”Dragon Ball Z”, and makes a few appearances in ”Dragon Ball GT”. [[Norio Wakamoto]] [[seiyū|voices]] him in the original Japanese anime adaptation, [[Dameon Clarke]] in the [[Funimation Entertainment|Funimation]] English dub and [[Dale Wilson]] in the Canadian English dub.

===Majin Buu===
{{Main|Majin Buu}}

==Secondary characters==
=== Android #17 ===
{{Redirect|No. 17|the [[natural number]]|17 (number)}}
{{nihongo|Android #17|人造人間17号|Jinzōningen Jū Nana Gō|Artificial Human #17}} is a human forcefully turned into a [[cyborg]] by Gero along with his sister, #18. The two are released by Gero as a last resort, but they turn on their creator and quickly kill him instead. They begin to travel in order to find and kill Goku, coming into contact with the Z Fighters several times. In [[Future Trunks]]’ timeline, he is a mass murderer who is later killed by Trunks. #17 returns one last time in ”Dragon Ball GT”, when he fuses with a new #17 created by Doctors [[#Dr. Gero|Gero]] and [[#Dr. Myu|Myu]] in order to become the Super Android #17, who is finally defeated by Goku and #18. He is voiced by [[Shigeru Nakahara]] in Japan, [[Chuck Huber]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Ted Cole]] in the [[The Ocean Group|Ocean Group]] dub.

===Android #18===
{{Redirect|No. 18|the [[natural number]]|18 (number)}}
{{nihongo|Android #18|人造人間18号|Jinzōningen Jū Hachi Gō|Artificial Human #18}} is a human forcefully turned into a [[cyborg]] along with her brother, #17.Stated by #17 (”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 14, chapter 157, pages 31-32) — ISBN 1-59116-180-0) After being released by Gero, she travels with #16 and #17 in order to kill Goku, though they are interrupted by [[Cell (Dragon Ball)|Cell]] and the Z Fighters several times. She and #17 are eventually absorbed by Cell, but later during the Cell Games, a hard blow from Gohan causes Cell to regurgitate her. Though Krillin is unable to wish for her to be turned into a human, he is able to have her self destruct device removed. Shen Long states that their power is “too great and strange” to be affected (”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 19, chapter 224, page 138 — ISBN 1-59116-751-5) Krillin later pursues #18 and, at some point, they marry and have a daughter named {{nihongo|Marron|マーロン|Māron}}.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, vol. 21-26, page 4 respectively In Future Trunks’ timeline, she is a mass murderer who is later killed by Trunks. She is voiced by [[Miki Itō]] in Japan, [[Meredith McCoy]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Enuka Okuma]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Babidi===
{{nihongo|Babidi|バビディ|Babidi}} is the son of Bibidi, the creator of [[Majin Buu]]. After Buu is sealed and his father is killed, he sets out to resurrect Buu to help him conquer the universe. Babidi manages to take over the minds of many strong warriors in order to help him achieve his goal, including demon king Dabura, alien warrior Pui Pui, light-devouring monster named Yakon, and two muscle-bound humans, Yamu and Spopovitch. Babidi uses them to collect energy for Buu’s revival, and later enlists Vegeta to help him, though Vegeta is able to ignore his orders. After Buu is revived, Babidi manages to control him with the threat of resealing him, though after being manipulated by Goku, Buu decides to kill him and then in ”Dragon Ball GT” he appears briefly when various villains escape from Hell. He is voiced [[Jōji Yanami]] in Japan, [[Duncan Brannan]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Terry Klassen]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Baby===
{{nihongo|Baby|ベビー|Bebī}} is a parasitic [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] [[supervillain]] that first appears in the 22nd episode of ”Dragon Ball GT”. Baby was created by combining the DNA of the king of the Tuffles, a race destroyed by the Saiyans, with a cybernetic body. The last known survivor of the race, Baby desires to destroy all of the Saiyans to avenge his people. Baby is first reactivated from a sleep state by his creator, [[#Dr. Myu|Dr. Myu]]. He attempts to fight Son Goku, Trunks, and Pan, but is easily defeated. To boost his power, Baby infects various people with his DNA and begins gathering energy from them. After a second defeat at the hands of the three Saiyans, Baby infects Trunks and then goes to Earth. On Earth he battles Son Goten and Son Gohan, infects them both, and is able to infect Vegeta and make him his primary host. Goku, Trunks, and Pan return to Earth to find the entire population is now under Baby’s control. Baby is able to defeat Goku, then he begins using the Black Star Dragon Balls to restore the Planet Plant and transport the Earth population to it. During this time, Baby evolves into an even more powerful form and defeats Goku again. This causes Goku to transform into a [[Super Saiyan 4]]. In this new form, Goku is able to defeat Baby-Vegeta. He has Bulma, also under his control, fire a radiation beam at him from her Blutz Wave Generator which enables him to transform into a Golden Oozaru. After a lengthy battle, Baby separates from Vegeta and attempts to escape in a spaceship, vowing to return to destroy the Saiyans. Goku blasts the spaceship with a ”10x Kamehameha” attack, sending it into the sun. The ship is destroyed and Baby is obliterated.

His ”[[seiyū]]” is [[Yusuke Numata]] and he is [[Voice acting|voiced]] by [[Mike McFarland]] in the English dub by Funimation.

===Chiaotzu===
{{nihongo|Chiaotzu|餃子|Chaozu}} is a small human that resembles a doll with white skin, red cheeks, and one hair under his hat. Though he is not physically strong, he is skilled with [[psychokinesis]] and [[telepathy]]. He first studies under the Crane Hermit with his close friend, [[#Tien Shinhan|Tien Shinhan]]. After Tien realizes that the Crane Hermit’s teachings are wrong, the two leave him and join with Goku and his companions. He continues to support Tien throughout the series, even going as far as self-destructing on [[#Nappa|Nappa]] in order to attempt to save him. After the battle with the Saiyans, Chiaotzu doesn’t involve himself in any more battles at Tien’s request. He is voiced by [[Hiroko Emori]] in Japan, [[Cathy Weseluck]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Monika Antonelli]] in the Funimation dub.

===Chi Chi===
{{nihongo|Chi Chi|チチ}}, known as Chi-Chi in the [[Viz Media|Viz]] manga, Chichi in Japanese versions, and Milk in Latin-American TV, is the wife of Goku and the mother of Gohan and [[Son Goten]]. She is very protective over the well being of her family, and wishes to remove them from Goku’s lifestyle of fighting and constant conflict. She attempts to have Gohan focus on studying during his childhood, but this is interrupted by the constant threats to Earth. She later relaxes with Goten, even training him herself. As the daughter of the Ox-King, she is very strong in her own right, having easily made it to the quarter-finals of the 23rd ”Tenkaichi Budokai”. She and Goku first meet as children, and Goku promises to marry her, thinking marriage is a kind of food. She later confronts him to have him fulfill the promise, despite the misunderstanding. She is voiced by [[Mayumi Shō]] and [[Naoko Watanabe]] in Japan, and [[Laura Bailey (voice actress)|Laura Bailey]] and [[Cynthia Cranz]] in the Funimation dub. She will be played by [[Jamie Chung]] in the upcoming live-action film ”[[Dragonball (film)|Dragonball]]”.

===Dende===
{{nihongo|Dende|デンデ|Dende}} is a [[Namekian]] child saved from Dodoria by [[Son Gohan]] and [[Krillin]].”Dragon Ball Z” manga, Volume 6, chapter 61 He later gains the power to heal after having his power unlocked, which he uses to aid the warriors fighting Frieza until he is killed by the tyrant. After being revived, he lives on New Namek until he is asked by Goku to replace [[#Kami|Kami]] as Earth’s guardian and revive the [[Dragon Ball (artifact)|Dragon Balls]]. He accepts and continues to serve as the guardian throughout the rest of the series. He is very close to Piccolo, who fused with his friend Nail on Namek. He is voiced by [[Tomiko Suzuki]] in Japan and [[Ceyli Delgadillo]], [[Laura Bailey (actress)|Laura Bailey]] and [[Justin Cook]] in the Funimation dub.

===Hercule===

Hercule, known as {{nihongo|Mr. Satan|ミスター・サタン|Misutā Satan}} in Japanese versions and other adaptations, is a flamboyant martial artist that becomes a world renowned hero after the Cell Games. After Goku and his companions stop attending the World Tournaments, Hercule starts winning them and becomes the reigning champion for many years. During the Cell Games, he attempts to fight Cell, but even after being swatted away, he is given credit for Cell’s death by the media. He is soon called a world hero, gaining great wealth and a city named after him. Though Goku and his companions find his inflated ego and arrogance very annoying, he becomes close to them after befriending the good Majin Buu, helping defeat Kid Buu by using his appeal to get energy for the Spirit Bomb, and his daughter, Videl, marries Gohan. He is voiced by [[Daisuke Gouri]] Japan, [[Chris Rager]] in the Funimation dub, [[Don Brown]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Kami===
{{nihongo|Kami|神様|Kami Sama}} is the guardian residing over the Earth for much of the series. He is the good half of an unnamed Namekian that had to split himself in order to become guardian. The evil half, [[#Piccolo Daimao|Piccolo Daimao]] was later sealed away by humans. After Piccolo Daimao is unleashed and killed by Goku, he spawns a much stronger reincarnation, [[Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|Piccolo]]. Seeing a threat, Kami decides to attempt to seal away the new Piccolo in the World Martial Arts Tournament, possessing a human named ”’Shen”’ (dubbed ”’Hero”’ in the English anime) as a guise, but the plan backfires on him. After Goku defeats Piccolo, he eventually reforms, and much later during the Cell saga, Kami agrees to merge and rejoin Piccolo to stand a chance against Cell and the Androids. He is voiced by [[Takeshi Aono]] in Japan, [[Michael Dobson]] and [[Dale Wilson]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Chris Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

===King Kai===
King Kai, also known as {{nihongo|North Kai|北の界王|Kita no Kaiō}}, is the Kai of the northern quadrant of the galaxy. His companion is a pet monkey named Bubbles and in the anime he also has a flying grasshopper companion named Gregory. King Kai trains fighters allowed to keep their bodies if they manage to reach his small planet at the end of Snake Way. Before training any students, he forces them to appeal to his strange sense of humor, catch Bubbles, and hit Gregory with a mallet.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, Volume 2, chapter 16 He provides Goku with martial arts training and two of his own techniques, the ”Genki Dama” and the ”Kaio-ken”, which King Kai was never able to master. He continues to help Goku and his friends throughout the series, lending his planet locating and telecommunicating abilites for their use. When Goku brings a self-destructing Cell to his planet, the explosion kills King Kai and destroys his planet. As he is already in the Other World, he only gains a halo and in the anime he appears to settle down on Grand Kai’s planet. He is voiced by [[Joji Yanami]] in Japan, [[Don Brown]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Sean Schemmel]] in the Funimation dub.

===Master Roshi===
{{main|Master Roshi}}

===Oolong===
{{nihongo|Oolong|ウーロン|Ūron}} is a [[shapeshifting]] [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] pig that uses his abilities for his own greedy desires. He was expelled from shapeshifting training for stealing the teacher’s underwear, so he lacks the ability to change his form for more than five minutes at a time without a break. He joins with Goku to search for the Dragon Balls and eventually steal them, but he abandons his plans. In ”Dragon Ball Z”, he is often in the company of Roshi. He is voiced by [[Naoki Tatsuta]] in Japan, [[Doug Parker]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Mark Britten]] and [[Bradford Jackson]] in the Funimation dub.

===Pan===
{{nihongo|Pan|パン}} the granddaughter of [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Son Goku]]. Pan’s ancestry comes from both humans, and the extraterrestrials called the [[Saiyan]]s, which becomes the primary race throughout the ”Dragon Ball” galaxies. Pan is the daughter of the first Saiyan Human hybrid to appear in the series, [[Son Gohan|Gohan]], and his full human wife named [[List of Earthlings in Dragon Ball#Videl|Videl]]. In the original Japanese anime, she was voiced by [[Yuko Minaguchi]]. In the English versions of ”DBZ”, she is voiced by [[Kate Bristol]] in the Funimation dub and [[Brenna O'Brien]] in the Ocean Group dub. In the English versions of ”Dragon Ball GT”, she is voiced by [[Elise Baughman]] in the Funimation dub and [[Caitlynne Medrek]] in the Blue Water dub.

===Piccolo Daimao===
{{nihongo|Piccolo Daimao|ピッコロ大魔王|Pikkoro Daimaō}}, known as King Piccolo in the English dubs and Demon King Piccolo in the Viz manga, is the the evil half of the Namekian that removed his evil in order to become the guardian of the Earth; this negative energy took on a physical form, becoming a cast-off being. He and the good half, [[#Kami|Kami]], are linked, so if one dies, the other also will die. After being formed, he designates himself as the Great Demon King and begins to terrorize the world. He is eventually imprisoned by Mutaito, the master of Roshi, in a rice cooker for centuries by the suicidal Evil Containment Wave. After being released by [[List of Earthlings in Dragon Ball#Pilaf|Pilaf]], he attempts to kill anyone that could possibly seal him again, uses the Dragon Balls to restore his youth, and takes over the Earth before being killed by Goku. Before dying, he regurgitates the egg containing his reincarnation, [[Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|Piccolo Jr.]], in order to pursue his revenge. He is voiced by [[Takeshi Aono]] in Japan, [[Christopher Sabat]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Scott McNeil]] in the Ocean Group dub. He will be played by [[James Marsters]] in the upcoming live-action film ”Dragonball”.

Besides Piccolo Jr., Piccolo Daimao creates several offspring in order to help him with his plans. His first offspring, Piano, helps Piccolo formulate his plan until his death. He also creates Tambourine to hunt down the contenders of the World Martial Arts Tournament to keep the sealing technique from resurfacing. Tambourine kills Krillin and beats a weakened Goku, but eventually Goku’s ”Kamehameha” vaporizes him. The third, Cymbal, is created to find Dragon Balls, but he is killed and eaten by Yajirobe. The fourth, Drum, is created to battle Tien, who he easily defeats until Goku appears and kills him in one blow. Tambourine is voiced by [[Ryūsei Nakao]] in Japan and [[Dameon Clarke]] in the English dub.

===Puar===
{{nihongo|Puar|プーアル|Pūaru}}, known as Pu’ar in the Viz manga and Pu-erh in Japanese versions, is a soft-spoken [[shapeshifting]] blue creature and the constant companion of [[Yamcha]]. The name is revealed to be a pun on [[Pu-erh tea]].”Dragon Ball” manga, Volume 2, Akira Toriyama’s “Ask Me Anything!” Corner, page 194 — ISBN 1-56931-921-9 He was designed to slightly resemble a cat.”Dragon Ball” manga, Volume 2, Akira Toriyama’s “Ask Me Anything!” Corner, page 196 — ISBN 1-56931-921-9 He uses his abilities to shapshift into anything to help Yamcha rob passersby in the desert. Afterwards, he travels with Yamcha and Goku during Dragon Ball, and continues to live with Yamcha afterwards. He is voiced by [[Naoko Watanabe]] in Japan, [[Cathy Weseluck]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Monika Antonelli]] in the Funimation dub.

===Shenron===
{{Redirect|Shen Long|other uses|Shenlong (disambiguation)}}
{{nihongo|Shenron|神龍||lit. “Divine Dragon”}}, also known as the Eternal Dragon in the Ocean Group and Funimation dubs, Shenlong in the Viz manga, Shen Long in Japanese versions, and the Dragon God in the Harmony Gold dub,http://templeotrunks.com/media/lost_dub/index.html is the wish granting dragon summoned when all of Earth’s Dragon Balls are gathered. Shenron can bestow any wish as long as it does not exceed the power of his creator, who must be still alive. Shenron cannot bring back a person from the dead more than once. Shenron can originally only grant one wish, but after being revived by Dende, he is able to grant two at a time. Shenron often threatens to kill the summoner if they do not quickly make their wish, but never follows through with it. He is voiced by [[Kenji Utsumi]] and [[Masaharu Satō]] in Japan, [[Don Brown]] in the Ocean Group dub and [[Christopher R. Sabat]] in the Funimation dub and upcoming live action film ”Dragonball”.

”[[Dragon Ball GT]]” introduces the Black Star Shenron, a much larger red Shenron made by [[#Kami|Kami]] when he and [[#Piccolo Daimao|Piccolo Daimao]] were still one entity. He is summoned when the Black Star Dragon Balls are gathered, and can grant any single wish, regardless of any restrictions placed on the other dragons. He is voiced by [[Daisuke Gori]] in Japanese versions, and Chris Sabat in the English dub.

===Supreme Kai===
The Supreme Kai are the top-tier gods of the ”Dragon Ball” universe. Like the lower-level [[#Kai|Kai]], there are five Supreme Kai. However, rather than each overseeing one quadrant of the main galaxy, the Supreme Kai each administer one quadrant of the entire universe. The fifth Supreme Kai is the Grand Supreme Kai, who supervises the whole universe.

Shin, the {{nihongo|Supreme Kai|東の界王神|Higashi no Kaiōshin}}, also known as the Eastern Supreme Kai, is the supreme ruler of the Eastern Quadrant of the Universe along with his comrades, the North, West, and South Supreme Kai, and their leader the Grand Supreme Kai. After Buu’s assault on the four Supreme Kai five million years before the events of ”[[Dragon Ball Z]]”, he is the only survivor, and continues to watch over the universe. He is always found with his bodyguard, Kibito, who has the ability to heal any injury. He attempts to stop Buu from reviving with the help of Goku and his companions, but ends up failing. He is later permanently fused with Kibito, Kibitoshin. He is voiced by [[Yūji Mitsuya]] in Japan and [[Kent Williams]] in the Funimation dub.

===Uub===
{{Redirect|Oob|other uses|OOB (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Ūbu|other uses|Ubu (disambiguation)}}
{{nihongo|Uub|ウーブ|Ūbu}}, known as Oob in the Viz manga and Ubu in Japanese versions, is the reincarnation of the evil [[Majin Buu]]. After Buu is destroyed, Goku asks him to be reincarnated as a good person, so they may battle again. King Yemma overhears the request and complies with it. Goku eventually senses Uub’s hidden power, and seeks him out when Uub attends the tournament to gain money for his village. Goku ends up deciding to train him to be Earth’s new guardian and as an opponent that he can battle. In ”Dragon Ball GT”, Buu merges with Uub to become “Majuub”, to face threats such as Baby, Super #17, and the Shadow Dragons. He is voiced by [[Megumi Urawa]] in Japan and [[Sean Teague]] in the Funimation dub.

===Videl===
{{nihongo|Videl|ビーデル|Bīderu}} is the daughter of Hercule. Like her father, she trains in martial arts, even surpassing him in strength.”Dragon Ball Z” manga, volume 20, page 130 She uses her abilities to fight crime in the city, and after Gohan appears as the Great Saiyaman, she quickly figures out his identity. She uses that to blackmail him into showing her how to fly. After Buu is fully defeated, the two form a relationship, eventually become married, and have a child named Pan. When the two fight crime together afterwards, she takes on the role of the “Great Saiyaman 2 or Great Saiyawoman”. She is voiced by [[Yuko Minaguchi]] in Japan, [[Kara Edwards]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Moneca Stori]] in the Ocean dub. Her name is an anagram of Devil, a play on words with her father’s Japanese name (Mr. Satan).

===Yajirobe===
{{nihongo|Yajirobe|ヤジロベー|Yajirobē}} is an overweight [[samurai]] that Goku meets in Dragon Ball. He is often considered to be rude, unmannered, timid, lazy, and cowardly. He helps Goku prepare for the battle against Piccolo Daimao, and continues to support Goku and his companions, though often from the sidelines. He trains under Kami with the others in order to prepare for the Saiyans, and helps in their victory by cutting off Vegeta’s tail. During Dragon Ball, he is a wanderer that lives off the land, but after meeting Korin and discovering the Senzu Beans, which provide the nutrients of ten days worth of meals, restores energy and heals wounds, he decides to live with Korin. He begins growing the beans with him, and often delivers them to Goku and his companions. He is voiced by [[Mayumi Tanaka]] in Japan, [[Brian Drummond]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Mike McFarland]] in the Funimation dub.

==Minor characters==
===Akkuman===
Akkuman, known as The Blue Demon, Spike the Devil Man (Spike), or the Devilman in other English adaptations, is Uranai Baba’s strongest fighter, though [[List of Earthlings in Dragon Ball#Grandpa Gohan|Grandpa Gohan]] later bumps him down a rank. He appears along with Dracula Man, the kickboxing vampire, Suke, the invisible man, and Mirra, a large mummy. If all five are defeated, Baba provides a prophecy for free rather than the ten million zeni it usually costs. Along with having won the ”Tenkaichi Budokai” twice in the past, Akkuman has the ability to launch his “Devilmite Beam”, which expands any evil within a person, causing them to explode. He fights [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Son Goku]], but he is defeated after Goku’s pure heart is immune to his technique. He is voiced [[Michihiro Ikemizu]] in Japan, [[Justin Cook]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Adam Henderson]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Android #8===
{{nihongo|Android #8|人造人間8号|Jinzōningen Hachi Gō|Artificial Human #8}} is the first android seen in the series, and the eighth in the series of androids built by [[#Dr. Gero|Dr. Gero]]. He is originally used as a last resort by the Red Ribbon Army’s Muscle Tower, but when he is ordered to fight Goku, he refuses and states that he hates violence. Goku quickly befriends him, nicknaming him “Eighter”, and the two repel the army from Jingle Village. He later takes up residence with a young girl named {{nihongo|Snow|スノ|Suno}}, who Goku had saved from the army earlier. He is voiced by [[Shozo Iizuka]] in Japan and [[Mike McFarland]] in the Funimation dub.

===Android #16===
{{nihongo|Android #16|人造人間16号|Jinzōningen Jū Roku Gō|Artificial Human #16}} is a large [[android]] developed by Gero. He is deemed a failure because of his gentle nature, and sealed up by Gero. He is later released, and determined to complete his mission of hunting down Goku. While failing to protect [[#Android #17|#17]] and [[#Android #18|#18]] from Cell, he is greatly damaged, though [[Bulma]] and her father repair him. Afterwards, he gives up his old orders and helps in the fight against Cell. He is later destroyed by Cell, which pushes [[Son Gohan]] over the edge to [[Super Saiyan#Super Saiyan 2|Super Saiyan 2]]. He is voiced [[Hikaru Midorikawa]] in Japan, [[Jeremy Inman]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Scott McNeil]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Android #19===
{{nihongo|Android #19|人造人間19号|Jinzōningen Jū Kyū Gō}} is a rather fat android created by Dr. Gero. With pale skin and a mechanized voice, he is the most loyal of Gero’s creations and even helped the doctor become an android himself. He is an energy absorbing model, equipped with the ability to drain the life force from his enemies. After successfully draining Goku of his energy, 19 is brutally executed by Vegeta.

===Announcer===
The {{nihongo|Announcer|アナウンサー|Anaunsā}} is active for every ”Tenkaichi Budokai” from the beginning of ”[[Dragon Ball (franchise)|Dragon Ball]]” to ”[[Dragon Ball GT]]”. He announces the fights, decisions by the judges, and provides commentary. He eventually becomes acquainted with [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Son Goku]] and his companions, witnessing [[Krillin]]’s death, personally watching the fight between Goku and [[Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|Piccolo]], and knowing the truth of the events of the Cell Games. Though he knows that [[#Hercule|Hercule]] is not a true hero, he still praises him anyway to provide happiness to the crowds. He is voiced by [[Kenji Utsumi]] in Japan, [[Eric Vale]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Michael Dobson (actor)|Michael Dobson]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Bardock===
{{nihongo|Bardock|バーダック|Bādakku}} is first introduced in the animated [[television special]], ”[[Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku|Bardock - The Father of Goku]]”. It was only after its airing in Japan that Bardock was later shown in two panels of the ”Dragon Ball” manga by Toriyama, who helped design the character for Toei Doga’s television production.[http://www.daizex.com/general/tidbits/bardock.shtml Bardock and his crew's character designs] at http://www.daizex.com/ While the Viz manga and Funimation’s Japanese-language English-subtitled anime both use “Burdock”, Funimation’s English anime dubs use “Bardock”, and some Japanese merchandise even use “Barduck”.

The biological father of [[#Raditz|Raditz]] and [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Goku]], Bardock is a Saiyan who is given the gift of [[precognition]] during one of his battles. In several of his recurring visions, he witnesses the destruction of his home planet by the hand of Frieza. After escaping certain death from [[#Dodoria|Dodoria]], he tries desperately to change his planet’s grim future by attempting to combat Frieza and his legion of men head on. Bardock ultimately fails on ceasing Frieza’s attack on the planet and is killed in the process. Moments before his death, he receives a vision of his son facing Frieza. In the special, Bardock was estimated a power level of 10,000 by observant doctors while recovering from his last mission. He is voiced by [[Masako Nozawa]] in the Japanese version and [[Sonny Strait]] in the Funimation dub.

===Broly===
{{nihongo|Broly|ブロリー|Burorī}}, is the featured [[supervillain]] in the [[Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan|eighth]], [[Dragon Ball Z: Broly Second Coming|tenth]], and [[Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly|eleventh]] [[List of Dragon Ball films|movies]] of the series. He is born with a level of power greater than most elite [[Saiyan]] warriors, and he is mentally unsettled as an adult, partially due to the crying of the infant Goku in the incubator next to him. He eventually becomes the “Legendary Super Saiyan” and his destructive tendencies are quelled by a special control device created by scientists for his father, Paragus. After Paragus lures Vegeta, Goku, and their companions to another planet, Broly recalls Goku and goes into a rage. He is eventually defeated, and manages to make his way into an escape pod. He later lands on Earth and goes into a frozen state until the crying of Goku’s son, Goten, awakens him. He is killed by Goku, Gohan and Goten, though blood samples make their way into the hands of a industrialist who creates cloned warriors. The clone eventually awakes and becomes mixed with bio-liquid, transforming him into Bio-Broly. He is killed by Goten, Trunks, and Krillin after seawater solidifies his body. He was voiced by [[Vic Mignogna]] in the Funimation dub.

===Bulla===
Bulla, known as {{nihongo|Bra|ブラ|Bura}} in Japanese versions, is the daughter of [[Bulma]] and Vegeta. She avoids the fighting lifestyle of her father and brother, though she does know how to fly. She is close to both of her parents, and Vegeta is very protective of her. She is voiced by [[Hiromi Tsuru]] in Japan, [[Parisa Fakhri]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Brina Palencia]] in ”[[Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi (series)#Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2|Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2]]”.

===Cooler===
[[Image:Double Coola Mugshots.png|thumb|150px|Cooler in his final form (above) and Meta-Cooler (below)]]
{{nihongo|Cooler|クウラ|Kuura}} is the [[Supervillain|main villain]] in the fifth and sixth [[List of Dragon Ball films|Dragon Ball Z films]]. He is the brother of [[Frieza]] who travels to Earth in [[Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge|''Cooler's Revenge'']] to seek revenge on [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)| Goku]], who had ruined Cooler’s family honor by killing Frieza. Despite transforming into his final form, he is defeated by [[Super Saiyan]] Goku. He returns in ”[[Dragon Ball Z: Return of Cooler|Return of Cooler]]”, his remains having combined with the Big Gete Star, a sentient planet-sized machine. This gives him the ability to create an indefinite amount of Meta-Coolers, which have the ability to constantly repair and improve upon themselves. He tries to consume the planet New Namek, but he is eventually destroyed by the efforts of Goku and Vegeta. He is voiced by [[Ryūsei Nakao]] in the Japanese films and [[Andrew Chandler]] in the English versions. The character was designed by [[Akira Toriyama]], the original manga author, for [[Toei Animation|Toei Doga]]’s theatrical productions.{{Fact|date=September 2008}}

===Crane Hermit===
The {{nihongo|Crane Hermit|鶴仙人|Tsuru Sennin}} is the master of the Crane School. Having trained under Mutaito with [[Master Roshi]], the two are rivals, though the death of Mutaito drastically changed his personality. He trains Tien and Chiaotzu and teaches them techniques such as flight and the Dodonpa. He wishes for the two to become ruthless killers, though they eventually learn the errors of his teachings and leave him. He later attempts to take revenge along with his cyborg brother, Tao, but Tien manages to defeat him and demand that they leave him forever. He is voiced by [[Ichirō Nagai]] in Japan, and [[Chuck Huber]] in the Funimation dub.

===Cui===
{{nihongo|Cui|キュイ|Kyui}}, known as Kiwi in the Viz manga, is a high-ranking henchman of Frieza. He is the rival of Vegeta, and bears much ill-will towards him. After learning of Vegeta’s plans to obtain the Dragonballs, Cui sets out to kill him. Initially, it appears as if Cui is much stronger than his rival, but it soon becomes apparent that Vegeta was hiding his true power (a skill that he obtained during his time on Earth). Despite Cui’s efforts, Vegeta easily dispatches of him. He is voiced by [[Kōji Totani]] in Japan, [[Jason Gray-Stanford]] in the Ocean Group dub and Bill Townsley in the Funimation dub.

===Dabura===
{{nihongo|Dabura|ダーブラ|Dābura}}, known as Dabra in the English manga, is the king of the Demon Realm, being placed under Babidi’s control by a spell. Dabura has the special power of turning his enemies to stone, simply by spitting on them. He fights Gohan to a standstill inside Babidi’s ship, but retreats after noticing that Vegeta still has traces of evil within his heart. After Majin Buu is released, Dabura mocks him due to his childish behavior and non-threatening appearance, which eventually leads to Dabura’s death after being turned into a cookie and devoured by Buu. Upon his death, King Yemma decides that Dabura would enjoy Hell, so he sends him to the most peaceful region of Heaven. In the anime, Dabura is later shown as a “good-spirited” soul consumed with love. He is voiced by [[Ryūzaburō Ōtomo]] in Japan, Rick Robertson in the Funimation dub, and [[Scott McNeil]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Dodoria===
{{nihongo|Dodoria|ドドリア|Dodoria}} is one of Frieza’s top two henchmen. He is a large, pink alien with short spikes on his head and forearms. He travels with Frieza and Zarbon to planet Namek in search of the Dragon Balls. While interrogating villagers, they are interrupted as [[Krillin]] and [[Son Gohan|Gohan]] save [[Dende]] from being killed. Dodoria pursues them, but he soon encounters Vegeta. After being outmatched, he tells the truth about the destruction of Planet Vegeta, hoping it would aid in sparing his life, but he is still killed by Vegeta. He is voiced by [[Yukitoshi Hori]] in Japan, [[Ward Perry]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Chris Forbis]] in the Funimation dub.

===Dr. Briefs===
{{nihongo|Dr. Briefs|ブリーフ博士|Burīfu-hakase}} is an eccentric engineer and founder of the Capsule Corporation. He is the creator of the Dynocaps, which allow any object to be shrunken into a small capsule. Along with his daughter, [[Bulma]], and his wife, Mrs. Briefs, they live in a large building full of a variety of animals that they keep as pets. They refuse to leave their animals even in the face of death. His favorite pet is Scratch, known as Tama in the Japanese versions of anime filler, a small black cat that sits on his shoulder. Dr. Briefs aids Goku, Bulma, and their companions several times throughout the series by building a spaceship allowing Goku to reach Namek, restoring [[#Android #16|Android #16]] with Bulma, and creating a gravity room for Vegeta. He is voiced by [[Jōji Yanami]] in Japan, [[Mark Hildreth]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Chris Forbis]] in the Funimation dub.

===Dr. Gero===
{{nihongo|Dr. Gero|ドクター・ゲロ|Dokutā Gero}} is the former chief scientist of the [[Red Ribbon Army]]. After the destruction of the organization, he begins using his development of androids to aid in destroying Goku for revenge. While creating a series of androids, he eventually implants his own brain into an exact replica of his body, becoming Android #20. Both he and Android #19, a round, pale android, are able to absorb the energy of others using small devices on their hands. The two eventually attack Goku and his friends. #19 manages to defeat Goku while he is being affected by his heart virus, but he is easily killed by Vegeta afterwards. Gero flees, attempting to release #17 and #18 as a last resort, though #17 quickly kills him. Gero appears once more in ”Dragon Ball GT”, planning to return to Earth along with Dr. Myu by creating another Android #17. They succeed, though Myu betrays Gero and has the newly formed Super 17 kill him once again. He is voiced by [[Koji Yada]] in Japan, [[Kent Williams (actor)|Kent Williams]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Brian Dobson]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Dr. Myu===
{{nihongo|Dr. Myu|ミュー|Dr. Myū}}, is a scientist who desires nothing more than total control of the galaxy. He was programmed by Baby in order to recreate himself as the ultimate machine mutant. He creates various mutants on M2, his base of operations, including [[#General Rilldo|General Rilldo]], and attempts to obtain the [[Dragon Ball (artifact)#Black Star Dragon Balls|Black Star Dragon Balls]] to complete Baby. His plans are eventually foiled by [[Son Goku (Dragon Ball)|Goku]] and his companions, so Myu escapes, only to be killed when Baby emerges from his body. He later joins forces with Dr. Gero in Hell to create another [[Artificial Human 17|#17]] using Myu’s machine mutant technology. After they escape to Earth, the two #17s fuse into Super 17. Myu has Super 17 kill Gero, and eventually Super 17 decides to kill him as well. He is voiced by [[Kazuyuki Sogabe]] in Japan and [[Duncan Brannan]] in the Funimation dub.

===Elder Kai===
The {{nihongo|Elder Kai|老界王神|Rō Kaiōshin}}, also known as the Old Kai is a Supreme Kai sealed in the Z Sword for many generations. He resembles the East Supreme Kai, but with an older, wrinkled face, and a small mustache. He was originally youthful, but he accidentally became fused with a witch that stole one of his Potara Fusion Earrings. This granted him the ability to unleash a being’s full potential through a long and tedious ceremony. He uses this to make Gohan stronger after Gohan releases him from the Z Sword. He later sacrifices his life to revive Goku, though as he is already in the afterlife, he only gains a halo. His life is later restored by the Namekian Dragon Balls. During ”[[Dragon Ball GT]]”, he helps Goku become much stronger by helping him regrow his tail. He is voiced by [[Reizô Nomoto]] in Japan, [[Kent Williams]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Scott McNeil]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Emperor Pilaf===
{{nihongo|Emperor Pilaf|ピラフ|Pirafu}} is a small, impish man who dreams of ruling the world. Though he proclaims himself an emperor, he actually only has a crown and a castle. Along with his two minions, {{nihongo|Mai|マイ|Mai}}, a woman that wears a trench coat, and {{nihongo|Shu|シュウ|Shū}}, a humanoid dog in a ninja outfit, he seeks out the Dragon Balls to wish for world domination. After obtaining the Dragon Balls once, he is foiled by Goku and his companions after another wish is granted just before he can speak his fully. He continues to antagonize Goku throughout the rest of ”Dragon Ball”, and while attempting to obtain the Dragon Balls, releases Piccolo Daimao from his confinement. They appear again in ”Dragon Ball GT”, where they obtain the Black Star Dragon Balls and accidentally wish Goku to be a child again. Pilaf is voiced by [[Shigeru Chiba]] in Japan and [[Chuck Huber]] in English dub. Shu is voiced by [[Tesshō Genda]] in Japan and [[Chris Cason]] in the English dub. Mai is voiced by [[Eiko Yamada]] in Japan and [[Julie Franklin]] in the Funimation dub. She will be played by [[Eriko Tamura]] in the upcoming film ”Dragonball”.[http://blogs.ign.com/McKlyde/ Live-Action DBZ info.], ”McKlde’s Live-Action DBZ movie blog”, December 14, 2007.

===Evil Dragons===
The Evil Dragons, known as the Shadow Dragons in the English versions, are a group of evil beings born from the evil energy caused by overuse of the [[Dragon Ball (artifact)|Dragon Balls]]. When attempting to repair the damage caused by [[Super 17|Super Android 17]], the cigar-smoking Evil Shenron is summoned from the Dragon Balls instead of the regular Shenron. He splits into seven dragons, each containing a Dragon Ball. They are known as the One-Star through Seven-Star Dragons in Japan, and Syn Shenron, Haze Shenron, Eis Shenron, Nuova Shenron, Rage Shenron, Oceanus Shenron, and Naturon Shenron in the English versions.

Goku and Pan kill all of the dragons besides the One-Star, Four-Star, and Three-Star Dragons, and collect their Dragon Balls. Goku soon fights the Four-Star Dragon, voiced by [[Ken Yamaguchi]] in Japan and [[John Burgmeier]] in the English dub, who is fire-based and much more honorable than his siblings. The fight is soon interrupted by the Three-Star Dragon, who blinds Goku in an attempt to kill him. Goku eventually manages to kill the dragon, and when the Four-Star Dragon attempts to help Goku with his eyes, he is killed by One-Star Dragon, voiced by [[Hidekatsu Shibata]] in Japan and [[Bob Carter]] and [[Christopher R. Sabat]] in the English dub. The dragon absorbs the Dragon Balls, transforming into Omega Shenron. After a long battle, he is killed by Goku’s Super Genki Dama, and the Dragon Balls are purified.

===Fortuneteller Baba===
{{nihongo|Fortuneteller Baba|占いババ|Uranai Baba}} is an old witch that has been [[fortune-telling]] for more than 500 years. She is Roshi’s older sister, whom he often bickers with. With her unique [[Clairvoyance|clairvoyant]] capabilities, she is able to [[Precognition|see into the future]] and view any location using her [[crystal ball]]. She is more than happy to tell anyone what their future holds for them, although, the price is very costly at a payment of ”’{{Unicode|Ƶ}}”’10,000,000,000 [[zeni]]. However, the alternative way of gaining one’s fortune is to defeat her five “other-worldly” martial arts experts. She can also travel to the “Other World” and back, allowing her to transport the dead. She is voiced by [[Junpei Takiguchi]] and [[Mayumi Tanaka]] in Japan, [[Ellen Kennedy]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Linda Young]] in the Funimation dub.

===Garlic Jr.===
{{nihongo|Garlic Jr.|ガーリック・ジュニア|Gārikku Junia}} is a Makyoan that appears in ”[[Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone]]” and the [[List of Dragon Ball Z episodes#Garlic Junior Saga|Garlic Jr. Saga]] of the anime. His father was imprisoned by Kami in the realm of darkness, leaving Garlic Jr. with a deep feeling of resentment and desire for revenge. In the Dead Zone, he manages to obtain the seven Dragon Balls, wish for immortality, and begin his quest for revenge. He is defeated when faced with an angry Gohan, who pushes Garlic Jr. into the Dead Zone, an alternate dimension he can freely open. He later breaks free using his power source, the Makyo world, in the Garlic Jr. saga. After attempting to brainwash the world with the Black Water Mist, he is once again trapped in the Dead Zone after the destruction of the Makyo World. In the original Japanese version, Garlic Jr. is voiced by [[Akira Kamiya]] in ”[[Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone]]” and [[Shigeru Chiba]] in the anime. He is voiced by [[Don Brown]] in the Ocean Group dub of the film and [[Dave Ward]] in the Ocean Group dub of the anime. [[Chuck Huber]] voices Garlic Jr. in the Funimation dub of the film and anime.

===Gotenks===
{{nihongo|Gotenks|ゴテンクス|Gotenkusu}} is the result of the Fusion Dance when performed by [[Son Goten]] and [[Trunks (Dragon Ball)|Trunks]]. Expanding on the negative aspects of the two characters he’s comprised of, Gotenks is arrogant and easily distracted. At the start of his appearance, Gotenks is rebellious, however, he later learns to follow the advice of his mentor Piccolo. During his training, he reveals the ability to transform into a Super Saiyan 3, where he nearly defeats the villain [[Majin Buu]]. The immense ”chi” required for Super Saiyan 3 limits the time that Gotenks can stay fused, and he is later absorbed by Buu.

===General Rilldo===
{{nihongo|General Rilldo|リルド|Rirudo}}, is a machine mutant created by [[#Dr. Myu|Dr. Myu]] in charge of security on his planet. He has the ability to transmute any object into metal, which he uses to capture intruders on the planet. He manages to capture Trunks when Goku’s group first arrives, and he eventually fights Goku. After being overwhelmed by Goku’s Super Saiyan powers, he fuses with the Sigma Force, becoming Meta Rilldo, and after that fails, he becomes Hyper Meta Rilldo, allowing him to merge with any metal on the planet. After being defeated, he is possessed and killed by Baby. He is voiced by [[Kiyoyuki Yanada]] in the Japan and [[Andrew Chandler]] in the Funimation dub.

===Ginyu Force===
[[Image:Ginyu Group.jpg|thumb|200px|The Ginyu Force. Left to right: Recoome (top left), Guldo, Jeice, Burter (top right), and Captain Ginyu]]
The {{nihongo|Ginyu Force|ギニュー特戦隊|Ginyū Tokusentai}} is a team of five mercenaries who are hired by Frieza. Though physically some of the strongest individuals in the universe, the Ginyu Force’s members delight in coming up with strange poses, betting candy on fights, and playing [[Janken]]. They are led by {{nihongo|Captain Ginyu|ギニュー隊長|Ginyū Taichō}}, who has a unique technique that allows him to switch bodies with his opponents. {{nihongo|Jeice|ジース|Jīsu}}, a flamboyant and showy mutant, and {{nihongo|Burter|バータ|Bāta}}, the self proclaimed fastest being in the universe, are two beings nicknamed the “Red Magma” and “Blue Hurricane” that utilise various combination attacks in battle. {{nihongo|Recoome|リクーム|Rikūmu}} is a large humanoid that likes to toy with his opponents. {{nihongo|Guldo|グルド|Gurudo}}, although physically the weakest, has various psychic abilities, including being able to freeze time when he holds his breath.

They are called upon by Frieza to assist in the defeat of Vegeta and help obtain the Dragon Balls on Planet Namek. After many continuous battles, all of the members besides Ginyu are killed by Vegeta, though Recoome and Burter are defeated by Goku first before Vegeta finishes them off. Ginyu manages to steal Goku’s body, but he is unable to utilise its full power. He decides to steal Vegeta’s body after Goku’s can no longer be used, but he inadvertently switches bodies with a frog instead. He is allowed to flee, and ends up on Earth after Namek explodes.

In the anime, they appear at King Kai’s planet in the afterlife and battle Tien, Yamcha and Chiaotzu, who defeat and banish them to Hell. Tien defeats Jeice and Burter, Yamcha defeats Recoome, and Chiaotzu defeats Guldo.

===Giru===
{{nihongo|Giru|ギル|Giru}} is a machine mutant that accompanies Goku, Pan, and Trunks on their quest to find the Black Star Dragon Balls in ”Dragon Ball GT”. He meets the group in a desert planet in a near death state. He integrates their Dragon Radar in order to survive, so they utilize him instead. Once they reach his home planet, he and Trunks form a plan to have Gear to pretend betray the group in order to uncover Dr. Myu’s plans. He continues to travel with the group and eventually helps track the Shadow Dragons. He is voiced by [[Shinobu Satouchi]] in Japan and [[Sonny Strait]] in the Funimation dub.

=== Grandpa Gohan ===
{{nihongo|Grandpa Gohan|孫悟飯じいさん|Son Gohan jiisan}} is the adoptive grandfather of Goku, who he found in a crashed spaceship. He teaches Goku martial arts, having originally studied under Roshi, and he even knows Roshi’s ”Kamehameha”.”Dragon Ball” manga, vol. 9, chapter 106, page 146. ISBN 1-56931-928-6. He is killed by Goku as a rampaging Oozaru on a night with a full moon, though Goku does not realize it for many years. He is allowed to return to life for one day by Baba in order to fight Goku and anticipate his growth, and he later appears as an assistant to Annin, the ruler of the “magical furnace”. He is only shown in flashbacks afterwards. He is voiced by [[Osamu Saka]] in Japan, and [[Christopher Sabat]] in the Funimation dub. He will be portrayed by [[Randall Duk Kim]] in the upcoming film ”Dragonball”.

===Guru===
{{nihongo|Guru|最長老|Saichōrō}} is the oldest and wisest remaining Namek in existence. He has at least 108 children, and all current Nameks alive on the planet are descended from him. He is in control of the Dragon Balls on Namek. He has the ability to unleash hidden power within individuals, which he does with Gohan, Krillin, and Dende. He is close to death, but the chaos on Namek leads to him dying of depression, but he is eventually revived with the Dragon Balls and transported to Earth. Before his natural death, he passes on his title and the responsibility of the Dragon Balls to Muri. He is voiced by [[Junpei Takiguchi]] and [[Masaharu Satō]] in Japan, [[Lee Tockar]] in the Ocean Group dub and [[Chris Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

===Kai===
[[Image:Kais.jpg|thumb|The Kai (Clockwise from left: [[#King Kai|North Kai]], South Kai, East Kai, and West Kai)]]
The {{nihongo|Kai|界王|Kaiō}} are upper-level gods of the ”[[Dragon Ball (franchise)|Dragon Ball]]” universe. There are five at a time that rule over the main galaxy of the universe, with one presiding over each of the four quadrants in a galaxy, and the last overseeing them all. The Kai are responsible for the lower-level gods, who rule over individual planets. The Kai reside in the heavens, with each having their own small planet. There is a sense of competition among the Kai over whose quadrant has the best fighters. [[#King Kai|King Kai]], the Northern Kai, trains Goku after his self-sacrifice to defeat [[#Raditz|Raditz]].

The Grand Kai rules over the [[#King Kai|North]], South, East, and West Kai. He is portrayed as an aged hipster, wearing jeans and a denim jacket and constantly listening to rock music on his boom box. His characterization in the anime was suggested to the production staff by Toriyama himself.http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4088735463

These Kai are less powerful than the [[#Supreme Kai|Supreme Kai]], who each oversee a quadrant of the entire universe, and are ruled by the Grand Supreme Kai.

===King Cold===
{{nihongo|King Cold|コルド大王|Korudo Daiō}} is the father of Frieza and Cooler, appearing briefly at the start of the Trunks Saga along with his now cyber-organic son. After saving Frieza from death, the two travel to Earth in order to eliminate the threat of the Super Saiyan. After Frieza is killed by Trunks, Cold realizes he is highly outclassed and offers Trunks the opportunity to take Freiza’s place to rule the galaxy. Trunks refuses and quickly kills him. He is voiced by [[Daisuke Gōri]] in Japan and [[Bradford Jackson]] in the Funimation dub.

===King Yemma===
{{nihongo|King Yemma|閻魔大王|Enma Daiō}} is a giant red [[Oni (folklore)|oni]] who judges whether the dead go to [[Heaven]] or Hell. He also has the authority to allow worthy beings to keep their bodies, as he does with Goku. Until Goku arrives, he is the only being to have successfully trained under King Kai. He is voiced by [[Daisuke Gōri]] in Japan and [[Chris Rager]] in the Funimation dub.

===Korin===
{{nihongo|Korin|カリン|Karin}}, known as Whiskers the Wonder Cat in the Harmony Gold dub, is an immortal cat that lives at the top of Korin Tower below Kami’s Lookout. He is the being that trained Roshi, and later trains Goku after his defeat to Mercenary Tao. He continues to help Goku and his friends throughout the series by growing Senzu beans, which heal injuries and fatigue. He is later joined by Yajirobe who is initially lured by the beans. He is voiced by [[Ichirō Nagai]] and [[Naoki Tatsuta]] in Japan, [[Doug Parker]] and [[Ted Cole]] in the Ocean dub, and [[Mark Britten]] and [[Chris Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

===Launch===
{{nihongo|Launch|ランチ|Ranchi}}, known as Marilynn in the Harmony Gold dub and Lunch in the Viz manga and Japanese versions, is Roshi’s house maid retrieved by Goku and Krillin in order to receive martial arts training from him. She has a [[dissociative identity disorder]]; whenever she gets her sensitive nose tickled to the point of sneezing, she switches between a sweet, innocent girl with [[indigo]] hair to a blonde woman who commits crimes for fun. Their memories are not shared, though both sides are aware of each other. She attempts to form a relationship with Tien, but his constant training makes it fail. She makes very few appearances after Dragon Ball. She is voiced by [[Mami Koyama]] in Japan, and [[Monika Antonelli]], as the good girl side, and [[Meredith McCoy]], as the bad girl side in the Funimation dub.

===Mercenary Tao===
{{nihongo|Mercenary Tao|桃白白|Tao Pai Pai}} is a highly skilled [[Contract killing|assassin-for-hire]]. He is hired by the [[#Red Ribbon Army|Red Ribbon Army]] in order to retrieve several Dragon Balls from Goku and kill him. He easily defeats Goku and leaves him for dead after firing a Dodonpa at his heart, but the four-star Dragon Ball protects him. He returns afterwards to collect the last Dragon Ball, but Goku, having received training from Korin, easily defeats Tao. In desperation, Tao attempts to use a grenade on Goku, but Goku deflects it back at Tao, seemingly killing him. He later arrives at the 23rd ”Tenkaichi Budokai” with much of his body replaced with cybernetic implants and attempts to take his revenge with his brother, the Crane Hermit, but he is defeated by Tien.
Much later in the series, he reappears during the Cell Saga as a bodyguard for a man trying to protect himself against Cell. After Gohan arrives and tells Tao that he is the son of Goku, Tao flees. He later attempts to outsmart Goku using puzzle rings and tricking him out of several Dragon Balls. However, Goku manages to untangle the puzzle rings, and reclaims the balls.
He is voiced by [[Chikao Ōtsuka]] in Japan, [[Kent Williams (actor)|Kent Williams]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Scott McNeil]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Mr. Popo===
{{nihongo|Mr. Popo|ミスター・ポポ|Misutā Popo}} is a [[Genie|djinn]] who lives with [[#Kami|Kami]] in Kami’s Lookout. He acts as the caretaker, paying special attention to the gardens. He has served every other guardian of the Earth since the beginning of time. He was trained by Kami himself and later trains Goku to prepare for the battle against [[Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|Piccolo]]. After Kami fuses with Piccolo, he is initially very depressed, but he eventually forms a new friendship with the new guardian, [[Dende]]. He is voiced by [[Toku Nishio]] in Japan, [[French Tickner]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Chris Cason]] and [[Chris Sabat|Christopher R. Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

===Muri===
{{nihongo|Muri|ムーリ|Mūri}} is the elder of a Namekian village that is the home of Dende. While being interrogated by Frieza’s group, he manages to destroy all of Frieza’s scouters, which causes Frieza’s collection of the Dragon Balls to be delayed. He is killed soon afterwards. After being revived by Dragon Balls, he is named the new grand elder, giving him the ability to return the Dragon Balls to life. After traveling to the New Namek, he powers up the Dragon Balls, giving Porunga the ability to bring multiple people back to life with one wish. He is voiced by [[Kinpei Azusa]] in Japan, [[Robert O. Smith]] in the Ocean Group dub and [[Mark Britten]] and [[Chris Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

===Mutaito===
Mutaito is the teacher of Roshi and the Crane Hermit. Many years before the series, he and his students face [[List of supernatural beings in Dragon Ball#Piccolo Daimao|Piccolo Daimao]] in battle. Many of his students are slaughtered and he is greatly injured, so he soon develops a technique to seal Piccolo away instead of facing him in combat. He then uses the new ”Evil Containment Wave” to seal Piccolo at the cost of his own life. He appears in the anime after Goku uses a time traveling room to visit the time period. He will be played by [[Ernie Hudson]] in the upcoming film ”Dragonball”.

===Nail===
{{nihongo|Nail|ネイル|Neiru}} is a Namekian warrior who looks exactly like [[Piccolo (Dragon Ball)|Piccolo]], apart from the attire. He is described as the last fighter-class Namekian left. He is the personal bodyguard to Saichoro (Guru), and was the strongest Namekian left on the planet, being many times stronger than the rest of the fighting Namekians. Nail manages to stall Frieza to prevent him from using the Dragon Balls, though he is left near death. After Piccolo is revived on Namek, he comes across Nail, who requests to fuse with Piccolo. This increases Piccolo’s strength dramatically, gives him Nail’s memories and some personality traits, and allows him to fight Frieza’s second form on even ground. Nail is voiced by [[Katsuji Mori]] in Japan, [[Michael Dobson]] in the Ocean Group dub and [[Sean Schemmel]] in the Funimation dub.

===Nappa===
{{nihongo|Nappa|ナッパ}} is an elite Saiyan warrior that accompanied Vegeta to Earth in search of the Dragon Balls. He has a somewhat violent nature. He survived the attacks of Tien and Chiaotzu which drained their lives. He put Piccolo to death with his incredible might, but fell powerless to Son Goku who had returned to Earth with new training from North Kaio. Vegeta ordered Nappa to stop fighting due to Goku’s clear dominance over him. He was then executed by Vegeta when defeated by Goku. He returned briefly as one of the escapees from Hell in ”Dragon Ball GT”, only to be killed by Vegeta once more.

===Ox King===
{{nihongo|Ox King|牛魔王|Gyūmaō}}, known as Gyū-Maō the Ox King in the Viz manga and Gyumao in Japanese versions, is a former pupil of Roshi. There are various violent legends about him, though they are false. He is very wealthy, owning multiple large castles, among other riches. He supports his daughter Chi Chi constantly, and teaches her to fight as a child. After she marries Goku, he often visits her and supplies them with income. He is voiced by [[Daisuke Gōri]] in Japan, [[Dave Ward]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Mark Britten]] and [[Kyle Hebert]] in the Funimation dub.

===Pikkon===
{{nihongo|Pikkon|パイクーハン|Paikūhan}} is a deceased inhabitant of the West Galaxy and is the [[List of Deities in Dragon Ball#West Kaiō|West Kai's]] best student. Pikkon meets Goku in the afterlife and defeats Cell, Frieza and King Cold during an uprising in Hell with relative ease. He fights Goku in the final match of the Other World Tournament, and upon having the match result in a draw, strikes up a friendship with Goku. He appears again in the ”[[Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn]]” helping Goku defeat [[Janemba]], eventually holding off Janemba by himself to give Goku and [[Vegeta]] time to become [[List of Saiyans in Dragon Ball#Gogeta|Gogeta]]. He is voiced by [[Hikaru Midorikawa]] in Japan, [[Kyle Hebert]] in the Funimation dub and [[Brian Drummond]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Porunga===
{{nihongo|Porunga|ポルンガ}} is the wish granting dragon summoned when all of Namek’s Dragon Balls are gathered. Unlike [[#Shenron|Shenron]], he has a large, muscular upper body and various Namekian traits. He can grant three wishes, so long as they don’t exceed his creator’s power, his creator is still alive, and each request is delivered in the Namekian dialect. Initially, Porunga had the ability to bring only one person back to life at a time, but could bring that same person back multiple times if requested. This as compared to Shenron, who can bring back an unspecified number of people as long as they died under similar circumstances, but could only bring each specific individual back once, and as long as their deaths weren’t of natural causes. Later, Porunga’s power is strengthened to bring back as many lives as needed. He is voiced by [[Junpei Takiguchi]] and [[Daisuke Gōri]] in Japan, [[Christopher Sabat]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Don Brown]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Raditz===
{{nihongo|Raditz|ラディッツ|Radittsu}} is the biological brother of Son Goku and the eldest son of Bardock. Raditz went to Earth to help in the planet’s invasion, and to persuade his younger brother Goku to join the Saiyans in their conquest. However, disappointed to discover that Goku had lost his memories and adjusted to life on Earth, Raditz kidnapped Gohan and tried to force Goku to become an ally. During his battle with Goku and Piccolo, Gohan seeing his father in danger explodes with rage and delivers a massive amount of damage to Raditz in a single blow. Taking advantage of the situation, Goku puts Raditz in a full nelson and demands Piccolo to kill them both with the special beam canon. Just before his death, he sneered that two more powerful Saiyans, Vegeta and Nappa, would be coming to Earth in one year’s time. He is voiced by [[Shigeru Chiba]] in Japan, [[Jason Gray-Stanford]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Justin Cook]] in the Funimation dub

===Red Ribbon Army===
The {{nihongo|Red Ribbon Army|レッドリボン軍|Reddo Ribon Gun}} is a military organization bent on total world domination. Originally a technological cooperation, they lost out to the Capsule Corporation, and focused their technology on military weapons. They plan on obtaining the Dragon Balls to help with their goal, using any means necessary including raiding towns, hiring the mercenary, [[#Mercenary Tao|Mercenary Tao]] to attack Goku, among others. Despite this, Goku is able to wipe out the entire army. The quest for world domination turns out to be ruse by their leader Commander Red. He is a short man, who really plans on using them to become taller, even if the whole army has to be sacrificed. The second in command is {{nihongo|Adjutant Black|ブラック参謀}}, who loyally obeys Red until hearing of his plan, at which point, he kills Red and attempts to take over, only to be killed by Goku.

General Blue is a high-ranking official of the army. He comes into contact with Goku and his companions multiple times, often using a special psionic ability that allows him to paralyze other individuals. He manages to steal the Dragon Radar during their final encounter, but after returning, he is set to be executed for not obtaining any of the Dragon Balls after multiple failures. He is allowed to fight Tao to redeem himself, though Tao easily kills Blue only using his tongue. Blue is voiced by [[Toshio Furukawa]] in Japan and [[Sonny Strait]] in the Funimation dub.

===Saibamen===
{{nihongo|Saibamen|栽培マン|Saibai-man}}, known as Cultivars in the Viz manga, are small humanoid plant-beings used by the [[Saiyan]]s for the purpose of training. They are grown from seeds, have the unique ability to shoot a stream of acid from the top of their heads, and if forced, can self-destruct as a last resort. They are used by Nappa and Vegeta to test the group of fighters during the Saiyan Saga. One manages to kill Yamcha with its self-destruction, and the rest are killed by Krillin. According to Nappa and Vegeta, their power levels are 1200, equivalent to Raditzs’. Their voice effects were done by [[Terry Klassen]] and [[Don Brown]] in the Ocean Group dub and by [[Chris Cason]], [[Mike McFarland]], and [[John Burgmeier]] in the Funimation re-dub.

===Spopovich===
{{nihongo|Spopovich|スポポビッチ|Supopobicchi}} is a human, made into [[Babidi]]’s minion to obtain energy for Buu’s resurrection. He and his partner, Yamu, enter the 25th World Martials Arts Tournament to find people with high energy. Having been humiliated by Hercule in past tournaments, Spopovich nearly beats his daughter, Videl, to death before being stopped by Yamu, and the two later collect energy from Gohan. After delivering the energy, the two are killed because Babidi no longer requires them. Spopovich is voiced by [[Hisao Egawa]] in Japan, [[Andrew Chandler]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Michael Dobson]] in the Ocean dub. Yamu is voiced by [[Naoki Tatsuta]] in Japan, [[John Burgmeier]] in the Funimation dub, and [[Brian Drummond]] in the Ocean Group dub.

===Turtle===
{{nihongo|Turtle|海亀|Umigame|lit. “sea turtle”}} is Roshi’s friend and long-time companion, the good-natured lovable turtle lives in the Kame House with the elderly hermit. He constantly berates Roshi’s lecherous and self-interested actions. He is voiced by [[Daisuke Gōri]] in Japan, [[Scott McNeil]] in the Ocean Group dub, and [[Christopher Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

===Zarbon===
[[Image:ZarbonForms.jpg|thumb|150px|Zarbon (above) and Zarbon transformed (below)]]
{{nihongo|Zarbon|ザーボン|Zābon}} is [[Frieza]]’s most powerful henchman. He has the ability to transform into a powerful reptilian beast, but only does so when it is absolutely necessary. Zarbon travels to Namek alongside Frieza and Dodoria to help collect the Dragon Balls. He helps search for the Dragon Balls, and eventually comes into contact with Vegeta, whom Zarbon manages to easily defeat and capture after transforming. After Vegeta escapes, Zarbon sets out to find him once again, but Vegeta, having become stronger after healing, kills Zarbon. Zarbon also appears in ”Bardock - The Father of Goku”, where he advises Frieza to destroy the Saiyan planet and briefly appears in ”Dragon Ball GT” when he escapes from Hell with other villains. [[Sho Hayami]] voices Zarbon in Japan, [[Paul Dobson]] voices him in the Ocean Group dub and [[Christopher Sabat]] in the Funimation dub.

Just Communication - ost gundam

2008-12-20T00:54:00.000-08:00

just comunication - ost gundam

Just Wild Beat Communication
Ame ni utanegara
Iro-asenai atsui omoi
Karada-juu de tsutaetai yo Tonight!
Nureta sono kata o atatameru youni daita
Furueteru yubi-saki wa nani o metomesama you no?
Togire togire demo tsutaete hishii itami o
Samete furi suru koto de otona ni nante narenai
Anata no manazashi mamoritai
Kanashimi tsuyosa ni kaeru ai o shinjite

Just Wild Beat Communication
Nani mo osorenai de
Kanji aeru kushika na ima
Dare ni mo ubaenaikara
Just Wild Beat Communication
Ame ni utarenagara
Iro-asenai atsui omoi
Karada-juu de tsutaeai yo Tonight!

Tooi yoake made yori sotte sugoshitai yo
Nanimo kamo naku shitemo yasashisa dake naku sazu ni
Kotoba nori Kiss de tagai no kodou kanjite
Jounetsu o hiki yoseru isshun dakedo eien
Setsunaku hageshiku mitsumetai
Nakitai kurai ni anata dake ga itoshii
Just Wild Beat Communication
Nani mo yuzuranaide
Wakariaeru hito ga ireba
Tatakau koto dekiru kara
Just Wild Beat Communication
Ai o hanasanaide
Afuredashita atsui sukao
Motsureta mune toki hanatte Tonight!

Just Wild Beat Communication
Nani mo osorenai de
Kanji aeru kushika na ima
Dare ni mo ubaenaikara
Just Wild Beat Communication
Ame ni utarenagara
Iro-asenai atsui omoi
Karada-juu de tsutaeai yo Tonight!

List of Shaman King Character

2008-12-20T00:51:00.000-08:00

Characters

Humans

Note: “Humans” here is used for both characters that are average humans (not able to see ghosts) and those that are shamans (able to see ghosts). The series sometimes makes a distinction between the two..

Yoh Asakura (麻倉葉 Asakura Yō)
- Seiyū: Yuko Sato, Voice Actor: Sebastian Arcelus

The main character of the story. He is easy-going, laid back, and carefree, which causes him to have an open mind and makes him relax in extreme situations. “No one knows what will happen in the future. There is no sense in worrying in something you do not and cannot control, so why bother?” This famous line of his is his philosophy in life, which always shines through in his personality. Yoh’s only goal is to live an easy life, and he believes that when he becomes Shaman King, he will achieve that goal. According to Anna, his fiancée, his free-thinking and laid-back nature makes him think “outside the box” which makes him a perfect candidate for Shaman King. His guardian ghost is a powerful samurai by the name of Amidamaru. Yoh came into existence when the soul of Hao Asakura split into two in his second reincarnation. Yoh is part of the Team Funbari Onsen, together with Ryo and Faust. (Team Asakura in the English anime). Yoh was an immensely powerful shaman in his past life, Asakura Hao. Part of Hao’s soul was reincarnated as Yoh, while the other half as the present-day Hao.

Hao Asakura (麻倉葉王 Asakura Hao, ハオ Zeke)
- Seiyū: Minami Takayama, Voice Actor: Sebastian Arcelus

Both Yoh’s ancestor and twin, Hao closely resembles Yoh but desires to destroy humanity. In his first life, he was the greatest shaman of the Asakura clan. But after mastering the five elements to become the ultimate shaman, he came to believe that every single non-shaman must be killed, since ‘ordinary humans’ were “out of touch” with nature and were destroying it. He intended to eliminate humans from the earth, but he was assassinated by his clansmen. However, because he mastered the five elements, Hao defied death and was reincarnated as a member of Silva’s tribe five centuries later. Hao stole the Patch Tribe’s Spirit of Fire and attempted to become Shaman King, only to be killed again by his descendant and former spirit, Asakura Yohken (麻倉葉賢 Asakura Yōken) and Matamune (マタムネ Matamune). Now, 500 years later, Hao is in his second reincarnation. However, when he was reincarnated this time, his soul somehow split, forming twins, and one part became Yoh, therefore, making both of them the reincarnations of the original Asakura Hao. Hao controls a host of shamans who either are loyal to him because they share his views on humanity or out of personal gain. His followers call him ‘Hao-sama’. His group of three, Hao, Opacho, and Luchist, in the Fight is called the ‘Hoshigumi’.

Anna Kyōyama (恐山アンナ Kyōyama Anna) / Anna)
- Seiyū: Megumi Hayashibara, Voice Actor: Tara Sands

Friend and fiancée of Yoh Asakura and an itako, a traditional shaman from Aomori, Japan (she is called a “spirit medium” in the English anime). Anna is Yoh’s personal trainer (in Yoh’s opinion, his slavedriver, due to the intense training) and will stop at nothing to become a part of the glory when Yoh becomes Shaman King of the Shaman World, although she does indeed hold great affection for Yoh. She later obtains the necklace of 1,080 beads and mastery over Hao’s Shikigami, Zenki and Kouki. Anna also appears in two of Takei’s other works, Butsu Zone and the one-shot Itako no Anna. Anna is also said to be the reincarnation of the original Asakura Hao’s mother from 1,000 years ago. At a certain time, Asakura Hao held some interest on her, but it did not last long.

Manta Oyamada (小山田まん太 Oyamada Manta / Morty)
- Seiyū: Inuko Inuyama, Voice Actor: Pete Zarustica

An intelligent but worrisome teen who always carries a “dictionary/encyclopedia/compendium of all human knowledge”, and has a sixth sense, meaning he can see supernatural beings, even though he is not a Shaman. He is very expressive and a bit panicky. His rather abnormal height has gotten him into trouble numerous times, once having been mistaken for one of the shy nature spirits, and being cut open and used as a hostage of sorts during Yoh Asakura’s match with Faust VIII. In the anime, during the exorcism of Amidamaru, he actually becomes a Shaman and is able to merge with a spirit. His weapon is a hammer and his unofficial guardian ghost is Mosuke, the best friend of Amidamaru who forged his sword, the Harusame. After that episode in the anime, Manta is able to junction spirits to his laptop. He narrates the story in the manga and anime, allowing readers and watchers to understand the plot more efficiently. He is referred to as “Morty” (short for Mortimer) in the English anime. (Hiroyuki Takei mentioned Manta’s character was modelled after Japanese pop singer T.M.Revolution in an interview published in the March 2004 English language issue of Shonen Jump.).

Spirits

Amidamaru (阿弥陀丸)
- Seiyū: Katsuyuki Konishi, Mitsuki Saiga (young), Voice Actor: Sean Schemmel

Samurai that died during the Muromachi period 600 years ago - now is Yoh’s ghost companion. He is very powerful and wise but quite taciturn and extremely devoted to “Lord Yoh” (”Yō-dono” in Japanese). He was greatly known around the town of Funbari, where he had died 600 years prior after killing several hundred other samurai soldiers during a battle. He is the original handler of the legendary sword named “Harusame”, meaning “Spring Rain”, a sword forged by his best friend, Mosuke, who also appeared in the anime/manga as a spirit. This very same sword was reproduced as a “spirit sword” and used by Asakura Yoh during the Shaman Fight. The original was kept in a museum. His name is based on the Buddha Amitabha, the principal figure in the Pure Land Buddhist sect.

Spirit of Fire (スピリット・オブ・ファイア)

Hao’s spirit guardian, formerly was the sacred symbol of the Patch Tribe until Patch Hao took it for his own 500 years ago. The spirit’s flames served as Hao’s way of killing off shamans who failed him or those who refused to rally for his cause. The Spirit of Fire can increase its own power by eating spiritually-enhanced humans and other spirits. As seen in the anime, it can change its form to any one element according to the 5 elements found in the unity star.

source: http://www.wikipedia.org

Shaman King

2008-12-20T00:41:00.000-08:00

Plot(manga)

Manta Oyamada, a studious yet shrimpy middle-school student from Tokyo, attempted a shortcut one night through the graveyard to get home after a late night of cram school. While traveling through it, he encounters Yoh Asakura and his “companions”: a graveyard filled with ghosts. Yoh reveals himself to be a shaman, a medium between the worlds of the living and the dead. As a shaman, Yoh also demonstrates his ability to possess himself with ghosts to assist him where needed, particularly becoming fond of a former samurai known as Amidamaru. Over the first few chapters, Yoh and Manta become best friends while Yoh uses his shamanic abilities to help them out through various normal tasks.

Yoh soon encounters Tao Ren, a Chinese shaman who uses his own ghost on a quest to destroy humanity as well as prepare for an upcoming Shaman Tournament to be held in Tokyo. Anna Kyoyama, Yoh’s fiancée, soon enters the picture and prescribes a brutal training regimen, in order to prepare Yoh for the tournament. The tournament is held once every 500 years and is a battle between competing shaman to choose a winner, who will be known as the Shaman King. This winner will gain the ability to reshape the world as he or she chooses, to make his or her dream come true. Thus begins the plot that will lead Yoh on a journey that will lead him to many friends and adventures.

Through a series of events and also through participation in the Shaman Tournament, Yoh meets and befriends numerous characters and changes their lives through friendship and authentic concern, which seems to be a pervasive theme throughout the series. He also must face his ultimate destiny, connected to one of the most powerful participants in the Shaman Fight who desires to win the tournament and use his prize to annihilate all of humanity for destroying the world, leaving only a world of shamans such as himself.

Ending

The story of Shaman King originally ends in a controversial, incomplete manner: in the midst of a gauntlet fighting against the guardians of Shaman Fight winner Hao Asakura, Yoh and his squad are forced to stop what they were doing and instead “take a break”, allowing them to sleep to prepare for the final battle with Hao. The original final page is viewed as Manta’s dream, which features Hao as a princess with Yoh and his friends on their way to rescue “her”. The reason for that is because Anna was speaking to Manta as if Hao was the person in need of rescue. The page contains the words “Owari” (”The End”) and next to that, in front of Horohoro’s sword, is a mandarin orange, also called “mikan” which can also mean “incomplete” in Japanese. This is followed up by another chapter which advances the plot slightly, but still does not complete the story.

Flame Of Love ( Flame Of Recca )

2008-12-20T00:39:00.000-08:00

Flame Of Love ( Flame Of Recca )

Kawari-tsuzukeru tokai no kensou ni
Ashi wo torarete mata hitotsu akirameta
Sumizuraku shita no wa jibun-tachi no sekinin
Midori ga ikizuku yuiitsu no hoshi nano ni

* Kaze ga soyogu basho ni bakura wa umarete
Kanashimi sae fukitobaseru yo aio sora tataku
Yasashii kumo itsumo-doori no keshiki ni deaeta nara
Oide koko made SUPIIDO agete ai wo sagasou yo

Umareta mema de homerareru kurai nara
Nayami nanka nai wa BARA iro ne jinsei wa
Atama ga mawari-sugite tsui kuchi wa tozashichau
Konna kurai kao wa jimetsu suru dake ne

Jisho ni wa nai shiawase no imi erabeba
Asu wa kitto nagare ga kawaru egao ni modoreru
Mukiau koto hon no sukoshi yuuki dasereba koou suru
Itsuka horobi yuku hi ga kite mo jitaba shinai

Kono daichi ni tateba shigaramu kokoro wo zenbu kakikesu
Amari ni mo yasashiku tsutsumu kara

* repeat

I won’t forget your sweetness really so
Just like I say I would be...
Hakanai sekai wo tsutsumu tsuyosa ga hoshikute
Setsunaku dakishimeta
Flame of love
I’ll find out heaven there on this earth
Kodoku na yume demo chiisaku kagayaku
Flame of love

Suteki Da Ne ( Final Fantasy X )

2008-12-20T00:34:00.000-08:00

Suteki Da Ne ( Final Fantasy X )

Kaze ga yoseta kotoba ni
Oyoida kokoro
Kumo ga hakobu ashita ni
Hazunda koe

Tsuki ga yureru kagami ni
Furueta kokoro
Hoshi ga nagare, koboreta
Yawarakai namida

Suteki da ne
Futari te o tori aruketa nara
Ikitai yo
Kimi no machi, ie, ude no naka

Sono mune
Karada azuke
Yoi ni magire
Yume miru

Kaze wa tomari; kotoba wa
Yasashii maboroshi
Kumo wa yabure; ashita wa
Tooku no koe

Tsuki ga nijimu kagami o
Nagareta kokoro
Hoshi ga yurete, koboreta
Kakusenai namida

Suteki da ne
Futari te o tori aruketa nara
Ikitai yo
Kimi no machi, ie, ude no naka

Sono kao
Sotto furete
Asa ni tokeru
Yume miru

Heart of Sword - ost rurouni kenshin

2008-12-20T00:30:00.000-08:00

heart of sword - ost rurouni kenshin

Hitori de wa, tooi ashita wo
Yoake no mama de, koesou de
Butsukatteikya kokeru omoi yo
Konya mo mata, sure chigai

Sanzan sugite doryoku no ato mo
Naku naru kekka, only no tsuna watari
Yaru dake son suru yona, mainichi wa
Sha ni kamaeteta hou koso, raku ni naru

Atsukute, tsurai
Jibun wo kakushite,
Mijikai toki wo ikiteru

Hitori de wa, tooi ashita wo
Yoake no mama de, koesou de
Hottokeba, hashiru omoi yo
Yume mo mata, sure chigai

Kanpeki to chau, jinsei no shuushi
Puramai zero da nanteba honto ka na?
Shinu made ni tsukaikiru, un no kazu
Semete, jibun de dashiire wo sasete

Wakacchainai,
Kimi nara dou ni demo,
Rikutsu wo kaete ii noni

Nando kimi ni, ketsu mazuitemo
Modottekichau, aijou ni
Shinjikaneru, utaretsuyosa yo
Konya mo, soutou nemurenai

Hitori de wa, tooi ashita wo
Yoake no mama de koeteyuku
Aishou yori mo, fukai futari wa
Sure chigatte kamawanai

Mune Ga Doko Doki - ost conan (opening)

2008-12-20T00:28:00.000-08:00

mune ga doki doki - ost conan (opening)

Hyakunen buri no seikimatsu
Nake to iwarete boku wa waratta
Hisakata buri no sekimatsu
Hiroi sekai e tobi dashite yuku

Kodomo no koro ni wakari kaketeta koto ga
Otona ni natte wakaranai mama

Eraku mo nai shi
Rippa demo nai
Wakatteru no wa mune no dokidoki
Kotae demo nai hontou demo nai
Shinjiteru no wa mune no dokidoki
Mune no dokidoki dake

Kakkoii ka wa wakaranai kedo
Osae kirenai yume wo mitanda
Sakusen tatete jitto matsu yori
Kodomo no mama de butsukatte yuku

Uchuu no hate ni hata wo tateta to shite mo
Uchuu no nazo wa
Wakaranai mama

Eraku mo nai shi
Rippa demo nai
Wakatteru no wa mune no dokidoki
Kotae demo nai hontou demo nai
Shinjiteru no wa mune no dokidoki

Eraku mo nai shi
Rippa demo nai
Wakatteru no wa mune no dokidoki
Kotae demo nai hontou demo nai
Shinjiteru no wa mune no dokidoki
Mune no dokidoki dake

Catch you catch me - ost card captor sakura

2008-12-19T23:57:00.001-08:00

catch you catch me - ost card captor sakura

Aitai na Aenai na setsunai na kono kimochi
Ienai no Iitai no chansu nogashite bakari

Datte datte tsubasa hiroge futari de
Sora wo marason yume wo yunizon shitai

Hora Catch You Catch You Catch Me Catch Me matte
Kochi wo muite suki da to itte
Sou Nice To Meet You Good To See You kitto
Atashi no omoi anata no haato ni tonde yuke
Mayowanai

Tama ni ne nakunatchau karada no baterii
Anata no egao de itsu mo juuden mantan pawaa bakuhatsu shichae

O-negai O-negai mazu wa o-tomodachi kara
Waratte mitsumete tanoshii mainichi ni shitai

Hora Catch You Catch You Catch Me Catch Me Zettai
Unmei datte O-nai datte
Sou Nice To Meet You Good To See You kitta
Dare ni mo makenai anata ni sekai de ichiban ichiban ichiban ichiban
Koi shite'ru - ost card captor sakura

Aitai na Aenai na setsunai na kono kimochi
Ienai no Iitai no chansu nogashite bakari

Datte datte tsubasa hiroge futari de
Sora wo marason yume wo yunizon shitai

Hora Catch You Catch You Catch Me Catch Me matte
Kochi wo muite suki da to itte
Sou Nice To Meet You Good To See You kitto
Atashi no omoi anata no haato ni tonde yuke
Mayowanai

Tama ni ne nakunatchau karada no baterii
Anata no egao de itsu mo juuden mantan pawaa bakuhatsu shichae

O-negai O-negai mazu wa o-tomodachi kara
Waratte mitsumete tanoshii mainichi ni shitai

Hora Catch You Catch You Catch Me Catch Me Zettai
Unmei datte O-nai datte
Sou Nice To Meet You Good To See You kitta
Dare ni mo makenai anata ni sekai de ichiban ichiban ichiban ichiban
Koi shite'ru

Stay Away - L'arc-En-Ciel

2008-12-19T23:55:00.000-08:00

Stay Away by L'arc-En-Ciel
album: Real (2000),
Clicked Singles Best 13 (2001),
The Best Of L'arc-En-Ciel 1998-2000 (2003)

Nuke dashita daichi de
te ni ireta no wa jiyuu
maybe lucky maybe lucky
I dare say I'm lucky

reeru no ue ni sotte
doko made yukeru kana
maybe lucky maybe lucky
I dare say I'm lucky

yakimashi no sekai ni wa hikarenai kara
kimi no mirai wa acchi
saa trying trying in yourself

causes stain stay away
causes stain stay away

massara na taiyou wa
dare ni mo furi sosogu
maybe happy maybe happy
I dare say I'm happy

urusaku iwanaide ne
shizunde shimau kara
maybe happy maybe happy
I dare say I'm happy

karamitsuku sekai ni wa unzari nano sa
kagefumi shitenaide
saa trying trying in yourself

causes stain stay away
causes stain stay away
causes stain stay away
right away on! BOTHER ME

umarenagara boku wa muhou jyoutai sa
ishi koro korogashi
saa trying trying in myself

causes stain stay away
causes stain stay away
causes stain stay away
right away ...

ukabu kumo no you ni dare mo boku o tsukamenai
nani mo kamo o kowashi jiyuu no moto ni umareta

Fukai Mori (Ost Inuyasha) lyrics

2008-12-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

Artist/band: Do As Infinity
Album:
Genre: Pop

Fukai fukai mori no oku ni ima mo kitto
Okizari ni shita kokoro kakushite'ru yo

Sagasu hodo no chikara mo naku tsukarehateta
Hitobito wa eien no yami ni kieru

Chisai mama nara kitto ima demo mieta ka na

Boku-tachi wa ikiru hodo ni
Nakushite'ku sukoshi zutsu
Itsuwari ya uso wo matoi
Tachisukumu koe mo naku

Aoi aoi sora no iro mo kidzukanai mama
Sugite yuku mainichi ga kawatte yuku

Tsukurareta wakugumi wo koe ima wo ikite
Sabitsuita kokoro mata ugokidasu yo

Toki no RIZUMU wo shirebamo ichido toberu darou

Boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara
Ikite yuku doko made mo
Shinjite'ru hikari motome
Arukidasu kimi to ima

Boku-tachi wa ikiru hodo ni
Nakushite'ku sukoshi zutsu
Itsuwari ya uso wo matoi
Tachisukumu koe mo naku

Boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara
Ikite yuku doko made mo
Furikaeru
Michi wo tozashi
Aruite'ku eien ni

Tachisukumu koe mo naku
Ikite yuku eien ni

The Do As Infinity lyrics are the property and copyright of Do As Infinity lyrics respective authors, artists, labels and music studio. Do As Infinity lyrics provided for educational purposes only. And if you like Do As Infinity song lyrics, please support it by purchasing original Do As Infinity music CD / Casette.

No More Words (Inuyasha Theme) lyrics

2008-12-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

Artist/band: Ayumi Hamasaki

Album:
Genre: Pop

Kitto kitto bokutachi wa,
Ikiru hodo ni shitteiku,
Soshite soshite bokutachi wa,
Ikiru hodo ni wasureteku...

Hajimari ga aru mono ni wa,
Itsu no hi ka owari mo aru koto,
Iki to shi ikeru mono nara,
Sono subete ni...

Moshimo kono sekai ga shousha to haisha to no,
Futatsu kiri ni wakareru nara,
Aa boku wa haisha de ii,
Itsu datte haisha de itai n da...

Kitto kitto bokutachi wa,
Kanashii hodo ni utsukushiku,
Yue ni yue ni bokutachi wa,
Kanashii hodo ni kegareteku...

Mamoru beki mono no tame ni,
Kyou mo mata nanika o gisei ni,
Ikitoshi ikeru mono tachi,
Sono subete ga...

Moshi mo kono sekai ga shousha to haisha to no,
Futatsu kiri ni wakareru nara,
Aa boku wa haisha de ii,
Itsu datte haisha de itai n da...

Boku wa kimi ni nani o tsutaerareru darou,
Konna chippoke de chiisana boku de shika nai,
Ima wa kore ijou hanasu no wa yametoku yo,
Kotoba wa sou amari ni mo,
Toki ni muryoku dakara

The Ayumi Hamasaki lyrics are the property and copyright of Ayumi Hamasaki lyrics respective authors, artists, labels and music studio. Ayumi Hamasaki lyrics provided for educational purposes only. And if you like Ayumi Hamasaki song lyrics, please support it by purchasing original Ayumi Hamasaki music CD / Casette.

Gundam Ms IGLOO: The Hidden One Year war

2008-12-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

Gundam Ms IGLOO: The Hidden One Year war

Plot Summary:

The year is Universial Century 0079. Oliver May is a technical officer in the Zeon 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit , in charge of testing new military technology. Stationed in the Jotunheim, a civilian transport ship that was converted into military use, Oliver must head into battle and experience the One Year War, only this time from the perspective of a weapon tester who struggles to make an impact on an evolving war during changing times.

Genre: Mecha, Military, Science-Fiction

Age Rating: Teenage and above (may contain bloody violence / bad language / nudity)

No. of Episodes: 3 OVA

Story

Instead of stories about Gundams, this OVA had our focus on ZEON’s Technical Evaluation Unit. The story is told from the protagonist, Oliver May’s point of view. Each episode are about different prototype/test weapons and new pilots for the test units.

The show has very nice plots. I’m actually being dragged into the story in no time. They focus a lot on emotional parts in this OVA. For the first time, I’m saying this Gundam series is very touching..

Animation

Studio: Sunrise

Year: 2004

Type: OVA

CGI animations, the details are unbelievably precise, for the first time. I could see a character’s eyelash. However, the CGI is not 100% perfect, because there are some scenes look unnatural. But Still GREAT!!!

Audio

Opening Theme(s):

“Sora no Tamoto” by TAJA

Ending Theme(s):

Insert Theme(s):

I think the sound is the weakest part for this OVA, compared with the story and animation. The soundtracks just decent enough for me. While the opening doesn’t get much of my attention.

source:http:///johndiew0107.wordpress.com

Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto (Someday’s Dreamers)

2008-12-13T17:46:00.000-08:00

Plot Summary:

Kikuchi Yume, a girl who can use magic, goes to Tokyo to be an apprentice mage to the Oyamada Masami (a professional mage). In Tokyo, Yume learns about magic, helping people, and various other things on her way to being a mage. But she soon also finds out that even just magic alone isn’t enough to make someone truly happy…

Genre: Drama, Magical, Slice of Life

Age Rating: Everyone

No. of Episodes: 12 episodes

Story

Before I start to write my review on this anime, I want to make clear of a thing. Well, I’m talking about this issue because it may affect my ratings… Personally, I don’t really like anime with magical genre. Maybe bacause of most of magical genred anime I watched gave me bad impressions, especially this… (personal thoughts… may change as time passes )

The title, “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto” should be translated as “Something that is important for a mage”, but they give it “Someday’s Dreamers” as it official english title instead.

This anime have a kinda weak plot. About our protagonist in her training become a mage. Her encounters with other people and experiences new matters…

Most of the episodes are pretty boring, and I always have to force myself to fit into the story, force myself to understand it… HOWEVER, i still can’t accept the story… because some parts of the story doesn’t make any sense at all…

I’ve seen a few slice-of-life genred anime, and I enjoyed them, such as ARIA. Their story are interesting, easy understanding, and meaningful…

It was tormenting for me to finish this series. I think this is mainly because of its odd theme and lack of humanism… Moreover, it has lots of weakness in the background of the story. In this anime, everyone seems to be good person and there are no bad guys… If magical power are so strong, why there aren’t any people use their power to do crimes. No discrimination between normal humans and humans with magical power?… this sounds too unreal for me.

Animation

Studio: J.C.STAFF

Year: 2003

Type: Series

Word best describes this anime production company - inconsistent.

I’ve watched quite a lot anime that under their production and I always think there’s something isn’t right with it…

There’s nothing wrong with their artwork. I’m very satisfied with their background and character illustrations. The elegancy of this series is great for 2003’s.

The problem is that there are many unnatural animated scenes and lack of details. Sometimes, it just looks like the animation crew got lazy…

Audio

Opening Theme(s):

“Kaze no Hana” by HANA HANA

Ending Theme(s):

“Under the Blue Sky” by The Indigo

Insert Theme(s):

Soothing opening song and ending song. The opening song is a very nice song. It is a simple but calming song. I enjoyed listening to the opening song, even more that the show… While the ending song has slightly fast paced, but still calming.

Soundtrack of this anime is pretty weak… They messed up a few situation and song selection… The soundtracks doesn’t appeal to me either…

Inuyasha

2008-12-13T16:26:00.000-08:00

Synopsis

The story begins in Feudal Japan, when InuYasha, a half-demon (han’yō), steals the Jewel of Four Souls from a village. The Jewel of Four Souls is an item that can increase one’s powers enormously and can also turn InuYasha full demon. InuYasha does not get far before Kikyo, the young miko of the village, shoots him with a sacred arrow that indefinitely seals him onto Goshinboku, a sacred tree in the nearby forest. After being mortally wounded, Kikyo tells her younger sister, Kaede, to burn the jewel with her body to prevent it from falling into the hands of evil.

In modern Tokyo, a junior high school girl named Kagome Higurashi is on her way to school. She stops in the well house of her family’s Shinto shrine to retrieve her cat, Buyo, when a centipede demon emerges from the well and pulls her into the Sengoku period of Japan.

Not knowing where she is, Kagome wanders around a forest near the well. She spots Goshinboku off in the distance and proceeds towards it. On the tree, she finds InuYasha, who is still sealed in an enchanted sleep. Villagers seize her and take her to the old priestess, Kaede. Recognizing that Kagome is the reincarnation of her sister Kikyo, Kaede tells her the story of Kikyo and InuYasha.

The centipede attacks again, and Kagome is forced to release InuYasha from his enchantment so he can kill it. After defeating the centipede, InuYasha tries to take the Jewel of Four Souls from Kagome. In order to thwart InuYasha and to save Kagome’s life, Kaede places magical prayer beads around InuYasha’s neck so that Kagome can subdue him.

The Jewel of Four Souls attracts more demons, and in a battle against a carrion crow demon, the jewel is shattered into numerous shards that spread across Japan.

Kagome and InuYasha set out to collect the shards and restore the Jewel of Four Souls. Along the way, they befriend Shippo, a fox demon; Miroku, a cursed monk; and Sango, a demon-slayer whose brother was possessed and forced to slaughter their father and the other demon slayers. The group encounters many friends and foes during the adventure, including InuYasha’s older half-brother Sesshomaru; Kikyo, who died 50 years ago but, was resurrected with part of Kagome’s soul; Naraku, who tricked Kikyo and InuYasha into turning against each other; and a wolf demon named Koga, who is in love with Kagome and whenever he and InuYasha meet they constantly bicker.

Characters

Main article: List of InuYasha characters

Kagome Higurashi (日暮かごめ, Higurashi Kagome?) Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (Japanese), Moneca Stori (English)
Kagome is a fifteen-year-old ninth grade student. She is the reincarnation of Kikyo, a miko (priestess) who died fifty years before the time Kagome first emerged from the Bone Eater’s Well in the Sengoku period. Because of this, Kagome has powerful spiritual powers and can sense the shards of the Shikon Jewel, an item that is said to balance the forces of good and evil, and resembles Kikyo. Later in the series, she admits that she loves InuYasha, which is also shown when she stays with him at the end of the series.

InuYasha (犬夜叉, InuYasha?) Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese), Richard Ian Cox (English)
InuYasha is a hanyō (half-demon), the product of an inu-yōkai (犬妖怪, inu-yōkai? dog demon) and a human. He wields Tetsusaiga, a supernatural sword made from one of his deceased father’s fangs. When properly wielded, the sword can destroy one hundred demons with a single swing. InuYasha can quickly recover from injuries that would be fatal to a human, largely due to his demonic blood. During the first night of each lunar month (new moon), InuYasha changes into a normal human with black hair and black eyes and loses his demonic powers. InuYasha was bound to Goshinboku by Kikyo’s arrow for fifty years until Kagome freed him. InuYasha wears a special bead necklace that forces him to respond to Kagome’s command “Osuwari!”, which translates to “Sit!” in English. In the English-dubbed version, “InuYasha, sit!” or “Sit, boy!” are sometimes used instead. Following the command, InuYasha is thrown to the ground. Kaede had placed the necklace upon InuYasha because he had threatened to kill Kagome if she refused to give the Jewel of Four Souls to him.[2] As the series goes on, he begins to like Kagome more and more, shown when he will leave a battle to save her from being hurt.

Miroku (弥勒, Miroku?) Voiced by: Kōji Tsujitani (Japanese), Kirby Morrow (English)
Miroku is a Buddhist “hōshi” (low-ranking, itinerant monk) who travels the countryside performing services such as exorcisms and yōkai exterminations to earn his living. He suffers from a hereditary curse originally inflicted upon his grandfather Miyatsu (also a Buddhist monk) by Naraku. The curse created a hole in his hand that became a kazaana (風洞, kazaana? air void or “wind tunnel”) that sucks in anything that is not nailed down, regardless of its mass. However, absorbing poisons or sharp objects harms him and can decrease his total life-span, a fact Naraku takes advantage of by creating highly poisonous insects whose presence prevents Miroku from using his kazāna on Naraku or his allies. Miroku uses the kazāna as a powerful weapon against yōkai, but if the curse is not broken (by defeating Naraku), it will grow too large to control and will consume Miroku himself. Miroku is a talented con artist who does not hesitate to invent fictitious supernatural menaces, which he can then offer to combat in return for food and shelter. He has a distinct weakness for single women. He makes a point of asking every attractive woman he meets if she will bear his child, and he habitually strokes the buttocks of attractive women. Miroku eventually proposes to Sango, though this does little to curb his flirtations with other women. At the end of the series, they are married with three children.

Sango (珊瑚, Sango?) Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese), Kelly Sheridan (English)
Sango is a serious “yōkai taijiya” (demon slayer) who hails from a village of professional demon slayers. Sango wields the Hiraikotsu, a massive boomerang made of yōkai bones, and uses a broad repertoire of tools and tricks to battle yōkai. Sango seeks revenge against Naraku for the death of her family and her entire village. In addition, Sango seeks to rescue her brother Kohaku from Naraku’s influence and somehow save his life, even though Kohaku’s life is tied to the jewel shard embedded in his back. She eventually develops romantic feelings for Miroku. Despite the fact that everyone, even InuYasha, notices her interest, she refuses to admit it exists. The manifestation of her interest often takes the form of hitting Miroku when he flirts with other single women. Miroku eventually returns her feelings and proposes to her. At the end of the series, they are married with three children.

Shippo (七宝, Shippō?) Voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe (Japanese), Jillian Michaels (English)
Shippo is a young orphan kitsune (fox demon) whose father was killed by the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten, and the first character in the story to join InuYasha and Kagome in their travels. Shippo can shape shift, but his forms are temporary and often incomplete and ineffective, such that he is usually given away by his tail. His other noteworthy abilities are using illusionary tricks with toys like his giant spinning top attack, using his race’s notable foxfire magic, and duplicating things, such as leaves or his own body. He tends to be naively observant and often makes pointed and cheeky comments directed towards InuYasha, earning him a retaliatory rap on the head for his unsolicited “advice”.

Kirara (雲母, Kirara?) Voiced by: Tarako
Kirara is Sango’s faithful nekomata. She has cream-colored fur, black ears, two black stripes on each of her two bushy tails near the tip, and black-tipped paws. Kirara can change between two forms: a ferocious lion-sized yōkai with the ability to fly, and a cute kitten. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo often use Kirara’s flying ability as transportation in order to keep up with InuYasha. (In the English dub, her name is pronounced “Kee-Lah-Lah”, because the Japanese language treats “r” and “l” as one phoneme.)

Sesshomaru (殺生丸, Sesshōmaru?) Voiced by: Ken Narita (Japanese), David Kaye (English)
Sesshomaru is the yōkai son of the powerful Inu no Taishou and InuYasha’s half-brother. Sesshomaru believes that struggle is the only way to survive, and throughout most of the series, he shows his contempt for InuYasha. Although Sesshomaru inherited his father’s Tenseiga, which can bring a hundred people back to life with a single swing, he originally coveted InuYasha’s inheritance, a powerful sword. However, a spell was cast on the sword so that a full yōkai cannot touch it without burning his flesh. Despite knowing that he cannot touch the sword, Sesshomaru still desires to take it from InuYasha. Throughout the series, Sesshomaru’s compassion gradually grows as his rivalry with InuYasha decreases.

Naraku (奈落, Naraku?)Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
The main antagonist, Naraku (literally means “underworld”, or “hell”) is responsible for nearly every character’s suffering throughout the series. He is a hanyō that originated from a bandit named Onigumo (”Demon Spider”). Unlike InuYasha, he can choose the time of the month when he becomes his weak human form. Like InuYasha, Naraku’s main goal is to collect all of the shards of the Shikon no Tama in order to become a full yōkai. He had feelings for Kikyo because of Onigumo’s love for her while he was alive. Later, he expels his human heart and with it his feelings for Kikyo and his human half, making him a full demon.

Cute Girl in Anime

2008-12-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

Download it Free!

Back-on_Hikari Sasuhou (Murder Princess)

2008-12-13T02:49:00.001-08:00

Hikari Sasuhou
by Back-on OP for Murder Princess OVA

Lyrics:

tsuyoku te wo nigirishime ta
ano hi ka nani ra mo kawari hashinai sa
tsukame sou de todo ka nai hikari wo
kono me de nuritsubusu made wa

[Rap]
ude ni maki tsuku mic code de hanatsu flow douda furikireru hari Redzone
uh ichi ka hachi ka no kake ni deteru ore wa naze? ima wakaru ze
Life is short dakara koso tsukami tore shinin’
sword kagayaku seiken YEAH
If you’re ready for this say yeah! go kan to gisu mashi
de ike yo you know what I’m sayin’?

[Chorus]
owaranai sutoorii
kowarenai you ni hibike
hikari sasu hou ni kono koe ga todokanakute mo
itsu datte kimi wa oku soko de sagashite iru

[Chorus Rap]
Rock the beat nerau pin pointo! hikari no sasu hou he That’s where we go!
Pow!! x 3 migi te no microphone de tsu flow comin’ through ya headphone

[Verse 2]
same ta kao shi te i ta tsute hajime kara boku ha wakatsu te i ta kedo
kotoba to ha urahara ni ibi tsun de i ta
kono omoi o keshi te kure yo

[Rap 2]
Glow in the dark but still in the dark, can you see the light in the rhythm
It’s like an illusion, you create the vision, you prove with action,
never think of rejection
Nobody knows I gotta know where do I go for the answers I don’t know
I’m lookin’ for the answer (to) continue the saga so blast out the speaker!

[Chorus]
owaranai sutoorii
kowarenai you ni hibike
hikari sasu hou ni kono koe ga todokanakute mo
itsu datte kimi wa oku soko de sagashite iru

[Chorus Rap]
Rock the beat nerau pin pointo! hikari no sasu hou he That’s where we go!
Pow!! x 3 migi te no microphone de tsu flow comin’ through ya headphone

YELLOW MOON (NARUTO 13Th ENDING)

2008-12-13T02:41:00.000-08:00

FULL VERSION SONG

Kinou wa Call sign, zenbu, keitai de
Norenai Fuzz guitar henna kouen de

Muchuu de Motor bike, kaze wo oikoshite
Mikadzuki wa hisuterii, boku no ue de
Chikyuu wa gooru rain, inu mo raion mo
Kasei ni Moving on nanka mendou de

Yellow moon ima mo, mittsu, kazoete, me wo akete
Shadow moon mada yume wo miteru

Me wo mite, me wo mite, se wo mukeai nagara
Me wo mite, Tell me yes or no?

EveryDay EveryNight omoi tsuku kotoba de
kimi e no omoi wo ima sugu tsutaetai
EveryDay EveryNight arifureta aizu de
Chirakatta mama no kimochi wo tsutaetai

Kibun wa kaisei, kondo, issho ni
Karada wo dakishimete, kinno kyoukai de

Yellow moon kaketa yozora de wa tsuki wa kyou mo
Shizuka na kao de hikaru no sa

Me wo mite, me wo mite, se wo mukeai nagara
Me wo mite, Tell me yes or no?

EveryDay EveryNight omoi tsuku kotoba de
EveryDay EveryNight kimi e no omoi wo tsutae you
EveryDay

Yellow moon ima mo, mittsu, kazoete, me wo akete
Shadow moon mada yume wo miteru

Me wo mite, me wo mite, se wo mukeai nagara
Me wo mite, itsu aeru?

EveryDay EveryNight omoi tsuku kotoba de
kimi e no omoi wo ima sugu tsutaetai
EveryDay EveryNight arifureta aizu de
Chirakatta mama no kimochi wo, ima sugu

Mahou no koodo chienji, nemurenai machi
Higawari na Jazz guitar sotto mainaa de

Brave Heart (Let's & Go )

2008-12-13T02:36:00.000-08:00

Brave Heart
MAX Opening Song

woh... hateshinai yume oikakete
LET'S GO!!

ichido hi a tsuita nara kattonde yuku dake sa
daremo tomerarenaize LET'S GO!! LET'S GO!! LET'S GO!!
COME ON! COME ON!
sou sa ore tachi no tabi wa Ah...
na-mi-da to mi-chi-zu-re

BRAVE HEART! akirameruna omae no yume wo
NEVER GIVE UP! hashirinukero ashita wo shi-n-ji-te
BRAVE HEART! toku no yuuki kachi toru koto ga
GOORU to wakarujazu sa sono hi made
We just keep on running! Keep on running!

nido to nai CHANSU nara batto moeteku dake sa
kaze wo kitte sakebou LET'S GO! LET'S GO! LET'S GO!
COME ON! COME ON!
mune ni moetatsu honou wa Ah...
dareni mo kisenai

BRAVE HEART! hitomi ageru yume wo seiotte
NEVER GIVE UP! habataku no sa nando mo WE CAN! WE CAN!
BRAVE HEART! donna toki mo yume wo seiotte
saigo no saigo made hashiru dake sa
We just keep on running! Keep on running!

COME ON! COME ON!
wasureruna yo ore tachi wa Ah...
hitori ja nai no sa

BRAVE HEART! akirameruna omae no yume wo
NEVER GIVE UP! hashirinukero ashita wo shi-n-ji-te
BRAVE HEART! toku no yuuki kachi toru koto ga
GOORU to wakarujazu sa sono hi made
We just keep on running! Keep on running!

Woh! Brave Heart! Brave Heart! Brave Heart!
We just keep on running! Keep on running!

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