vision1's Anime
take a look at vision1's MangaMy reviews of anime TV, Movies and OAV. They are meant to be read by anyone! (If you disagree strongly with my opinion, let me know. I love to talk/argue/rant about a series)
| Seen all▲▼ | Rating▲▼ | Comment▲▼ |
| Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (TV) | Masterpiece | I first saw this series actually in 2004, when it was first aired on Adult Swim (when that was part of CN). I must have come in at ep 18 or 19 and recently acquired the full box set for just $43 factory sealed from eBay (!) for this review; as it turns out it's the opening that struck me the most and was instantly familiar. I didn't know this was related to the Movie from 95, because the original name is downplayed in the title. This show definitely left an impression, but it's not without its problems. Some eps are very heavy on the dialogue, which again, kind of goes in nonsensical circles like in the movie... especially when Chief is talking. But that doesn't detract from the overall experience, or lessen the quality of this masterpiece of anime. I can't think of any reason why anyone wouldnt like it. This is meant for an older audience, I would say 18+. There is no nudity to speak of, but the concepts, the violence, some of the themes are more readily understood by the older crowd. Again, as the dialogue complaint I had suggests, this is not mere eyecandy, it's more cerebral and probably would bore the kids. I almost think the 1 minute Tachikoma skits are put at the end more as comical relief rather than any attempt to dumb it down for youngsters. There are two episodes that are particularly harsh- one of them sadistically so- and they involve Batou, who has easily become my favorite character in the series- despite the hot looks of Kusanagi. Batou is very intense, emotional, and has an iron code of honor that really is stupifying at times. Credit an excellent English voice-over cast, still amazing artwork (a bit heavy with the cg though) and you have a truly spectacular anime. Watch it in a serious, mellowed, thoughtful mood and let it absorb you. You'll feel exhausted after a few episodes, but will definitely respect it for all it's worth. |
| Good Morning Althea (OAV) | Decent | A US release does not exist- I watched a fansub download. The transfer may have been part of the cause of overcontrasted and blotchy coloring, or it may have been this bad originally. The character designs are fairly standard for the time, especially main character Garoly. He's cute, but looks like every other Japanese young man of the time with poofy hair, thick brows, and white shirt+ dark pants. Our story involves a space ship which is being attacked suddenly- lots of explosions and people get blown away, pretty brutal. The attack came from a nearby and mysterious abandoned vessel. Garoly and his commander, the only 2 survivors of the attack, board it to awake the powerful fighter Althea- and try to disable a cyogenic weapon deep in it's core. The basic plot is that humans have been at war with a foe (the Crest) for hundreds of years, which is ending at the beginning of this 50 minute video, and a new foe has appeared- will the two former enemies be able to work together... is this not a canned sci-fi space war plot that we've all seen before? The only standouts of this anime are the first shots of Althea, who is naked and covered in tattoos, and fights Galory nude until she realizes he's a friend. The voice actors did a decent job all around. Sometimes they scream too loud actually. The music was mostly blah, with the exception of the lullaby song. Animation was dark, bland, sloppy in places so that I couldnt make out what was happening. Clearly done on a low budget- and it was a one shot. I feel fortunate to be able to see this ultra-rare OAV, and did enjoy it somewhat. About as much as I enjoyed... Shadow Chronicles, which was exactly the same story, just better looking. |
| Gravitation (TV) | Very good | When this series finally surfaced about a gay love story with at least one cute character, I was apprehensive but decided to give it a try, something different. I actually saw this before it was officially released in the US, bought a fan-sub on a CD-R from someone in 04 or 05. It was almost, but not quite, a totally awesome show. The problem I have is that it gets way too cutesy (Suichi turns into a chibi or some other blob, too many times) he is way to whiny, his rival Riuichi ? is also a wierd chibi many times... in the series' most pivotal moment, Suichi appears in an unexplained BEAR COSTUME. It just falls flat on its face. But the first few episodes are good, especially because of the surprise of it- here is gay anime that is not some back-room bottom of the box bootleg in a porno shop- it's right here, on TV, and two guys kissing. It's sort of ground breaking in that way, and it's nice to have a gay anime for a mainstream audience. If you like cutesy anime, male or female, I urge you to watch it- the music is fun, the characters are well thought out, though a bit exaggerated at times. Yuki's voice is too dark, etc. But it is cute at least, the OAV is not as good story-wise, it's done by a different animator, but is less over-the-top. |
| Gravitation: Lyrics of Love (OAV) | Very good | I still have a old vhs fansub of this sitting around, have not watched it in years. It looks older than the TV series, and is not a sequel as the site describes? I fear they haven't watched it? Anyway, it's basically a couple episodes about Suuichi whining "Yuki" way too many times because he's ignoring him. This is just as funny and maybe even a little more lighthearted than the TV series. I like Suuichi's design better here, he looks more real with smaller eyes, he wears some cute cute shorts and his voice is also better. Watch all the credits! Then after the credits end, theres a last scene with Suuichi snuggled up with Yuki, which is precious. Great for Gravitation fans... most everyone else will think it's dumb |
| INTERSTELLA 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (movie) | Masterpiece | I didn't even know this was an 'anime' movie! Found this encyclopedia listing, and remembered seeing this somewhere- either on tv or at a friend's house... and had to read the review here on ANN to recall some of the scenes. My only issue is the female singer who looks a little too much like that lady from Galaxy 999 or whatever it was called... but in action, it's even cuter than you'd think. I don't know about buying it- I imagine it could be on tv again, you could probably download it somewhere for not too much. Everything the ANN reviewer says is right on, I can't say much more. Every fan of anime has to have seen this at least once.. it's inevitable, but essential! |
| My Sexual Harassment (OAV) | Worst ever | I can't believe I actually saw this. It was at a convention, a few years ago when I was curious about yaoi. Don't ask. And don't watch this. It's fucking horrible. |
| Negima!? Spring OVA | Worst ever | Holy SHIT. This represents the very bottom of the toilet where anime is heading, as far as I'm concerned. Like a damn fool, I was lured by the pretty advertisement here on the site. I almost couldn't believe myself, when it started I figured it couldn't possibly be as horrible as it sounded. But it was. Every minute of it. I guess this 'harem' category is now an accepted theme of anime? Well it should not be. Whoever made this crap is not only an idiot, but a pedophile and absolutely out of their mind. Each and every squeeeeeky Japanese female voice that sounded like a synthesizer- remember the Chipmunks? You thought that was annoying? This is far, far worse. Even the lone boy in it (I could barely tell he was a boy, only by the fact that 'he' is the only one not in a bikini revealing as much as possible, and had not tits) has one of these ultra-cutesy squealing voices. There's supposed to be a plot in this? Where? I utterly can't believe the ratings it's got. Look kids, if Japan were like this, every country in the world would be lining up to bomb the place to hell just to make the horrible noise stop. This is just big eyes, and ridiculously lame backgrounds (at one point, a bird is represented by a yellow CIRCLE with black dots for eyes) This is NOT good anime, and not good anything. It's worse than garbage, it's a waste, and men are not attracted to it. I'm a man. And I'm telling you this is gross. Worst thing I ever saw, ever. |
| New Cutey Honey (OAV) | Not really good | From ADV, mid-90s revival of the imfamous early 70s TV show (by Go Nagai). There are 8 episodes; each of them pits "Honey" in a different ecchi costume vs a criminal "freak", monster villain. There are good things about it... the original intro song is faithfully reperformed with a more modern rock sound.. but still sounds old and washed out. Cutey Honey is great looking, especially when fully transformed into her red-head ultimate form. But she takes so many forms that it gets confusing, and makes me think the only reason the show was made was to create all these sexy vixens. The supporting characters look like Saturday morning cartoon fare, the worst has to be the grandfather- which is one of the ugliest characters Ive ever seen. The ADV dub is horrible- but the lame script couldn't have been easy to work with. This whole show goes over like a very bad adult version of Sailor Moon. But it fails even as erotica, because the monsters she fights are so lame, though most of them have these big round breasts with prominent nipples and other grotesque nudity, and Honey's shouted transformation and shouted attacks are so stupid it's groan inducing. The actors then throw in this cussing like "fucking bitch!" and "I think I'm gonna cum!" almost to try and make it racier- but it just sounds stupid. I would say this should be considered hentai... it's way too trashy for the kids. The first 4 episodes have some of the worst backgrounds, it looks like lumpy Doctor Seus type anthill buildings, and any character that doesn't have lines to speak is just stills of a badly drawn crowd. The backgrounds improve dramatically in the second 4 episodes, even the cars look good and it's kind of a shock. But unfortunately it can't redeem the show. New Cutey Honey is a bad anime... only the hardest (uhh) of hardcore CH fans would want to suffer through it. There are two other series' to follow it- Cutey Honey Flash and Re:Cutey Honey- both of them I think I'll miss. I'm not wasting any more of my money... |
| Now and Then, Here and There (TV) | Masterpiece | The character designs have been unfairly critisized, as has the English voice-over cast, which I believe did a phenomenal job, especially the voice of Shuzo, and Hamdo- simply AMAZING. The scenery, both in Shu's Present Day world, and in the desert world of the distant future (or parallel universe) where he goes, are striking and unforgettable. It is one of the most dark, brutal, emotionally wrenching series I have ever seen in animation. Ranks up there with the best anime ever, and among one of the best war films. Please see this series and share it with your friends, they will be amazed. |
| Outlaw Star (TV) | Masterpiece | Outlaw Star, probably my favorite anime from college days! I saw this show when it first aired in the US on Toonami, back in 2001, it was a surprise, and a lot of fun. You know the year and a lot of stuff happened after that, and in my own life, that I forgot all about Outlaw star for 8 years. Being on this website, I stumbled over it again, and then decided to invest the $34 for the full series from Anime Legends. No fancy artwork on the box, no inserts, no frills but 26 episodes of fun entertainment. I am being really kind and sort of a fanboy with my rating- I'm definitely one of the first 'fanboys' this show earned, and all my memories of watching this in college are fond ones, though they are a bit blurry. Now, 8 years later and much more mature, I revisit it with a little disappointment. Details about it that I didn't notice when it was on TV suddenly are glaringly obvious. The good? Outlaw Star has a fun concept- a guy and his kid friend run a business on a distant planet, offer protection to a mysterious lady who turns out to be a biker babe type bounty hunter, or "outlaw". They end up with the galaxy's fastest space ship and set out for adventure, and pick up some friends along the way. One of those friends is my alltime favorite cat-girl of anime, Aisha. Her appearance, fiery attitude are just part of her appeal- it's really taken home by her voice actor who really makes her a convincingly hotheaded cat girl who is totally adorable in every way. Even if you forget the whole show and never watch it again, I guarantee you'll remember Aisha. But then there are the weak points of the show... some of the villains are straight out of the 1985 Playbook, especially the 'Hazanko' overlord, there are some talking dinosours (ugh), really silly Superfriends type dialogue in some episodes, and a feeling of randomness- as if some episodes were written by different writers and, give the impression they were sort of thrown together. My least favorite character being Suzuka, who I see as one of the most pointless characters in anime. Her gravity defying hair style aside- Suzuka made a great appearance and was convincing when she tried, and failed to assassinate our hero Gene. But I have no idea why she reappears and tags along with the cast throughout the show, and apparently, neither did the writers. She randomly appears, and then leaves with the statement "Oh I have to go now", which left me splitting with laughter. She is seen in nearly every episode doing nothing more than sipping tea, in fact in one episode her entire dialogue consists of the phrase "This tea is delicious". Her fighting style, after her original appearance, is taken down to a two-dimensional move. Some of the mysteries the cast pursue, such as the treasure of the Galactic Layline- the ultimate goal of the show- come out of nowhere far into the series- with little explanation. I could go on and on. I think the moral of the story is that this anime, unlike that other space-bounty hunter series from 1998 ^_~ was meant for a younger audience, and watching teen anime as an adult really sucks. It's hard to enjoy it as much as I did 8 years ago. But don't let my complaints change your mind- go ahead and give this series a try. It definitely has its moments. And it has Aisha. It has really good intro and outro music. It is fun, adventurous, amusing, and harmless. Have a good time... just don't pay too much! |
| Plastic Little (OAV) | Awful | This is one of the most pointless shows ever. Fan service, story is cack, villain is lame, watched once just for the boobs. I have it on VHS. Want it? |
| RG Veda (OAV) | Good | A relatively unknown adaptation of the manga from CLAMP. I do enjoy fantasy anime, but this one isn't very good. It almost felt like a pilot of a possible tv series, which clearly did not materialize. Visually, it's great work- gorgeous main characters (supporting chars not so much) and a decent story. If telling a good story is key, it need not be a complex one. Or original. But there are a lot of problems with this little OAV that dissapointed me- the entire beginning is just moving stills, with no dialogue. Our central character Yasha, is not only dull and almost totally silent- we get to know nothing about him. Not much happens in the first part, except for an encounter with a demon girl with too much hair. One of my favorite things about the characters are their clothes, and that they're all barefoot, but that isn't even played to full effect. I've yet to see the Japanese draw feet correctly, and in this, they just look like lumps or socks- and when they are walking, running, even fighting, what do you hear but shoe clonking sound effects!!! Shouldn't it be pattering sounds that feet make? Our villain Taishakten is basically a chest, with a V for a face with eyes that are drawn into his hair. Then there is a vision Ashura has of her father, and his head is almost perfectly square- flat top and sides. The powerful men all have girlishly long hair- and it just seems silly, but wouldn't be so bad if they had more realistic faces. Finally there's the music- which is ultimately what ruins the show. Mostly post-80s synth stuff, at one point where a woman is dancing it sounds like some kid messing around with an $89 keyboard at Wal Mart. Despite all my complaints, I did actually like the show. Ashura and her friend Riyu are fun and cute, and there is some sneaking around, some fighting, and some magic in part 2. And that's where it ends- the next part was not even made, it's an unfinished story. This seems to be the biggest complaint from fans. A younger audience would probably enjoy this more and be less critical than me. It's suitable for most, nothing really objectionable. Too bad it was not continued. Good luck finding it. Used DVDs are available, rarely below $10, and I've seen factory sealed boxes for as high as $90. DO NOT pay that much! |
| Riding Bean (OAV) | Very good | Awesome American cars drawn with incredible accuracy, even Bean's "Buffalo" custom is convincing and awesome looking. The only downside is the cop cars, which aren't quite Dodge Diplomat enough... The description was wrong, this show is just 41 minutes by the time the credits roll, and that's wayyy too short for my money. The characters by Sonoda once again are cute and diverse, the hinted sexual perversion of the female villain towards a teenage girl accomplice was definitely unnecessary, but I think it was meant to make her more 'evil' and drive the point home that she was cruel. The music of the English version, and dubbing by Southwynde studios is not very good. Bean's voice is okay, but he sounds bored most of the time and doesn't yell or have much emotion, which really detracts from the excitement. The standout is Inspector Percy, who is done by the same guy who did the chief in Bubblegum Crisis and he's really over the top. The car chases are pretty great stuff, but the whole thing was just too short, I felt like it was over before it started. A shame. It loses a rating just because of that. |
| Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (U.S. OAV) | Decent | Just watched minutes ago as I type this. I'm not much for sitting at my computer for hours watching anime, so I picked something that could be finished in one shot. Like the original Robotech, this is not a Japanese production anime, it's American/Canadian made and animated by South Korean studio DR Movie. This is one of those movies that's either loved or hated. I am actually not in the love category, it didn't really impress me with its thin plot, cheezy battle scenes, two-dimensional characters and extremely cheezy, cliche dialogue. You have to know about the old Robotech to even be on board, but then half way through, it doesn't matter any more. It's pretty much a "big exciting space battle in 3D computer animation in one hour!" type of thing. It features the voice of Mark Hammil, and that isn't the only Star Wars reference. The style of the ships, the mecha, and especially the music was totally apeing Star Wars. At one point, the music (which plays CONTINUALLY throughout and is really annoying!) actually was mimmicking the music at the end of Empire Strikes back. For such a rushed, and not altogether great animation movie like this, it only made me angry. This movie thinks it is as awesome as Empire??? Uhm, NO. On the plus side, the character designs look very sharp. A little too sharp, sometimes flat and again predictable. The women are (once again, like all anime these days) more pink and purple haired dolls of extreme femmeninity. And big, round, unmistakeable B00Bs! Which are accentuated as crisply as possible. Again, it just kind of annoyed me. Though the characters are pretty, the story is just lame, so this goes down as a dud with me. I don't think the fans of original Robotech took the bait either. But hooray for an American funded anime, and a nod to a classic at that. Why not indeed. |
| Roots Search (OAV) | Awful | Roots Search... I bought this old vhs tape for $2. It really is awful. Could they make the characters any more ugly? Or the music more horrible? The animation is a joke. The running legs had me laughing, and then there's the naked-running-through-a field with no explanation scene- and the baby. Even the BABY was hideous and horribly drawn. Was this some kind of joke? The monster looked like a silvery still drawing that was pasted into the picture. Yeah, it was a freaky horror film, but it was so dumb and sloppy that I was just disappointed. What a mess. Not recommended. |
| Ruin Explorers - Fam & Ihrie (OAV) | Masterpiece | A 4 part Fantasy Anime that appears to have been intended only as an OAV and no further episodes. This adorable series is one of the forgotten gems of the 90s. I found everything about it absolutely charming. From the moment this enters your dvd player, the lovely symphony music is spirited and upbeat, and instantly sets the stage of the theme which is a fictional medieval world of kingdoms, swordsmen, sorcerers, magic, and oxcarts. No guns or mecha here. It begins with Fam and Ihrie as the main characters, but eventually adds other characters and loses its focus on them after the second episode- instead we are drawn into a battle against an ultimate evil overlord named Roguderall, and everyone joins together in the adventure and final battle. This anime has weak points in how the story was constructed, in the very first moments they mention seeking the Ultimate Power, though for something with an auspicious name like that, it should not have been brought up so casually- it should have been revealed more slowly and mysteriously, and that way become an objective for them to seek. But that small complaint aside, I was really surprised by the sense of fun and adventure in the two characters Fam and Ihrie. And would find Fam to be possibly the cutest cat-girl in anime ever, even though she's actually called a "wiggan" and is part squirrel, not cat. That doesn't change the fact that she is adorable, and sweetness to the bone, which factors into her character (the sword spirit grants her a wish because he senses her pure heart) and her English voice actor really brings this across convincingly. Even though this is rated for 'teenagers', I would say it's acceptable for 12 and up, it is a mostly harmless story with gentle characters and wonderful music. The ending song is a bit silly "Deee-arr Myserf!". The opening "Magical Beat" is delightful and fun, like the whole anime. This is the kind of show to watch when home from work or school sick and feeling blue. It's a masterpiece at cheering you up, if nothing else, even if it isn't on anime fandom's radar screen anymore. |
| Ryokunohara Labyrinth - Sparkling Phantom (OAV) | Not really good | This anime is the subgenre Shonen-Ai. I forgot all about seeing it after 5 years (still have yet to find my lost bootleg CD) but remembered when I found it in the encyclopedia. REALLY hard to find because the hinted gay relationship between the two boys is probably considered offensive. Most 40 minute OAVs are not good. This is no exception. It is basically an excuse to animate two young men in a bed together. The rest of it is nonsense that will either confuse or bore you to death. Surprisingly, it is not a sexual story, not even a little. It's about the jealousy of the female spirit.. who clearly wants a manservant and tries to kill one of the two. I can't believe I remember all this after 5 yrs. Do not count the rating- as wierd and poorly made as this is, it's still better than most of the crap on the top 50 list. The relationship between the two characters is cute, and there's no blood or sex. You will have to either download a torrent, buy a bootleg, or have really good connections to someone in Japan- there's no other way to watch this movie. It ain't worth it anyhow. I just described the entire plot. And one picture gives you all there is to see. |
| Wanna-Be's (OAV) | So-so | A fun time-waster... but really dumb concept. It seems like someone just wanted to make an OAV about wrestling, for kids who like WWF (it was a big thing in '86!) There is an actual plot, and the Wanna Be's Eri and Miki are cute designs by my fave Kenichi Sonoda. The fight scenes weren't too bad, and some of the action- like running and breaking things, were actually decent animation. But it all degenerates into a climactic fight with... a purple monster. Geez. I was laughing, sure, this is a comedy, but what crap! Check it out if you like women's wrestling and a very liberal sense of humor. They are cute. And it didn't get really gross, or perverted. Subtitled only. |
| Whisper of the Heart (movie) | Excellent | I paid $22 for this years ago, watched it once, and was disappointed. To be fair, it is a sweet story and the artwork is gorgeous (even after several years I still remember how beautiful it looked). The problem is with the story, which doesn't really go anywhere- in the beginning you get a sense that something is going to happen, and it starts to build- then nothing. I enjoyed watching it, but it was a waste of money. Great as a rental or borrow from a friend. |