Category: TV Anime (Page 8 of 9)

Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete First Season

July 15, 2008 /

Cillian Murphy is the last guy that most people would ever imagine popping up in a romantic comedy, but he pulls it off Back in 2002, the Anime Invasion was in full swing thanks to the immense popularity of shows like “Dragon Ball Z,” but as FUNimation and Cartoon Network desperately attempted to fulfill demand by finding (and then dubbing) new series to import, the fad was already beginning to wear off. The introduction of “Yu Yu Hakusho” certainly helped to reinvigorate the movement, and though it was never a favorite of mine during its time on the air, it did give “DBZ” fans something to chew on while they patiently awaited new episodes. The show follows the adventures of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent with a knack for skipping school and getting into fights. When he’s killed one day while saving the life of a little boy, however, Yusuke is given a second chance by working as a Spirit Detective and protecting humanity from the demon world. Awarded the power to channel his spirit energy in a gun-like blast, Yusuke teams up with others like him to do battle against the evil forces of the Spirit World.

It’s been five years since I last saw an episode of the show, but my opinion of “Yu Yu Hakusho” hasn’t changed. Though the series starts off incredibly weak with four or five episodes containing almost no action, it eventually evolves into a format not unlike “Dragon Ball Z” or “One Piece.” By the time the show has reached the conclusion of its first season, however, it has ditched almost every remnant of story or character development and become a never-ending battle royale. That might be a good thing if all you care about are cool fights and eccentric villains, but “Yu Yu Hakusho,” oddly enough, lacks a soul. To make matters worse, FUNimation has once again compiled the strangest collection of episodes for a first season box set by also including the beginning of season two. I’m not sure if it’s a ploy to get you to buy future seasons, or if they just think they’re being fair by splitting up the episodes equally, but it’s definitely something that needs to be addressed.

Click to buy “Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files – The Complete First Season”

External TV, TV, TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

xxxHOLiC: Third Collection

June 22, 2008 /

In this third installment of the popular anime series licensed in the US by Funimation, episodes 9 through 12 are compiled. To make a long story short, this series revolves around Kimihiro Watanuki, a student who attracts spirits. Only Watanuki can see the spirits. After finding his way to a store that grants wishes and is run by a witch named Yuko Ichihara, Watanuki wishes for the spirits to go away. Yuko agrees, but only if Watanuki becomes an employee at the store. Of course, many dramatic shenanigans ensue and a lesson is learned in most episodes. “xxxHOLiC” is a good, if not always great anime that definitely has its share of hardcore devotees. More power to ‘em. This set includes the episodes “Pinky Promise,” “Lamplight,” “Confession,” and “Summer Shade.” Extras include a standard image gallery, “clean” opening and closings, and trailers for other groovy Funimation DVDs.

Click to buy “xxxHOLiC: Third Collection”

TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes

Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers: The Collection, Vol. 1

June 6, 2008 /

Color me impressed. By the time the animated sci-fi Western, “Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers” made its debut in America’s syndicated markets in 1986, yours truly was a senior in high school who only allowed himself one specific cartoon vice: shows based on Marvel and DC properties. As such, this series totally and utterly passed me by during its initial run, and it stayed off my radar for the subsequent 22 years. Now that Koch Vision has taken it upon themselves to begin a DVD reissue of the show, I’ve been given the opportunity to investigate that which I missed the first time around, and…wow. With a Japanimation style immediately reminiscent of other classic ’80s series like “Battle of the Planets” and “Star Blazers” (to use my own personal frames of reference), “Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers” features the late, great Jerry Orbach as the voice of Zachary Foxx, captain of the so-called “series 5 Rangers,” leading a team on behalf of the Bureau for Extra-Terrestrial Affairs as they defend humanity’s new space outposts from the less savory aliens of the galaxy. This is not one of those cheap, “design the toy first, figure out the cartoon later” shows; it’s a full-fledged sci-fi epic, with gorgeous designs and intricate story arcs, presented here in the order that they were intended. In other words, it’s not designed for stupid kids (although, granted, there’s some silly stuff), but it will prove fascinating to those who enjoy both quality sci-fi and quality animation. There are a bunch of special features, including the original pilot / demo reel, interviews and commentary with creator Robert Mandell, and more. The best part, though? This is only Volume 1. (Vol. 2 is due out in August.)

Click to buy “Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers: The Collection, Vol. 1”

External TV, Reviews, TV, TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs, TV Sci-Fi

Dragon Ball Z: Season Five

May 19, 2008 /

For many, the events leading up to the fifth season of “Dragon Ball Z” was all just a big tease. With the introduction of Cell (a seemingly indestructible android from the future), it looked like Goku and the rest of the Z Fighters had finally met their match. Not only was Dr. Gero’s new weapon born from the DNA of the greatest warriors to ever walk the Earth, but Cell could also duplicate all of their most powerful attacks. That doesn’t stop Goku and Co. from trying, however, and when they discover that Cell’s primary mission is to track down the Androids and absorb their power, the feuding sides team up to battle their latest threat. Collecting the complete Imperfect and Perfect Cell Sagas, the six-disc set contains remarkably fewer episodes than in past releases, but it’s still a major step up from season four. As usual, it takes two to three times as long to tell an episode’s worth of story, but considering that these episodes also act as the launching pad to one of the series’ greatest story arcs – the Cell Games – it’s well worth the wait.

Click to buy “Dragon Ball Z: Season Five”

TV, TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone / The World’s Strongest

May 18, 2008 /

With both TV specials now available on DVD, the next logical step for Funimation in their ongoing plan to remaster everything “Dragon Ball Z” was to begin releasing the series’ other 13 films in conjunction with the remaining season sets. This two-disc double feature collects the first two, “Dead Zone” and “The World’s Strongest,” and though neither one is considered required viewing for the casual fan, they’re still part of the official canon. “Dead Zone” takes place just before the first episode of “DBZ” – when Goku and Piccolo were still mortal enemies and Gohan was as annoying as ever – and finds the evil Garlic Jr. fulfilling his wish for immortality. “The World’s Strongest,” meanwhile, takes place just after the Saiyan Saga and follows the famous Dr. Wheelo (now in brain form after his body decomposed in an icy prison) as he attempts to harvest the world’s strongest warrior for his new body. Both movies have two things in common: they use Gohan’s hidden potential as the catalyst for eventual victory (like Bruce Banner, you don’t want to make Gohan angry), and they exhibit several similarities to future story arcs (Dr. Wheelo is essentially a poor man’s Dr. Gero, right down to the robot warrior lackeys). Neither one is especially memorable, but diehard fans wanting to update their collection will be rewarded with the best-looking versions of these movies yet.

Click to buy “Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone / The World’s Strongest”

TV, TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

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