Castle
in the Sky Our favorite Miyazaki masterpiece
comes out on DVD. Of all the films the master is
famous for, this one really gives you that feeling
of flight, along with a tight storyline, astounding
animation and of course, the most
beautiful score ever written.
This
film is absolutely, positively guaranteed to bring tears to your
eyes -- it's just that good. No anime collection is complete without
it. This is the Citizen
Kane of anime, a film that can be appreciated by children and
adults alike, and for many who have seen it, a life-altering experience.
Patlabor
WXIII - The Movie The Patlabor
films are a standout in their breadth of scope. Although
you'd swear this was just another mecha series, the films astonish
the viewer by actually being social-political
thrillers that often have little or nothing to do with giant
robots. The latest, WXIII, challenges the viewer even further
by keeping the usual cast in the periphery.
Director
Fumihiko Takayama allows us a look in a different direction within
the same universe, and gives the film a distinct look that is different
from the previous films (directed by Mamoru
Oshii). Those looking for heavy-metal
action should look elsewhere. This is a detective
story and you need to keep your brain turned on. The deliberate
pacing builds the suspense, and you may need to watch it several
times to really appreciate all that's happening, particularly in
the first 1/2 hour, where the seemingly unconnected events don't
mesh yet. The animation is, of course, stunning, and the DVD itself
is well crafted, we particularly enjoyed the bio-hazard motif throughout.
BubbleGum
Crisis has spawned numerous
spinoffs and sequels, but the original series was the best,
armed with art-direction and pizazz that few others have matched,
even to this day.
Mahoromatic
- Automatic Maiden
- Combat Maid (Vol. 1) Ever wonder what would
have happened if Aeon Flux had lived through at least one episode
of her TV series? Could she have, say, retired and gotten a job
as a maid for a young man with an inferiority complex? This is
pretty much the plot of Mahoromatic Automatic Maiden, although
the Aeon Flux here is an perky android named Mahoro who's spending
her declining days wearing an apron instead of battle
armor.
She
just doesn't quite know how to act in front of her charge, Suguru.
He's a healthy young man who finds her attractive, however, he
doesn't yet realize that she only has a year left on her warranty.
On the surface it's a innuendo-laden romantic comedy in the tradition
of Urusei
Yatsura. Deep down it examines an avenue few anime series have
even considered. Does Mahoro have a place in the world she championed?
Chinese
Ghost Story (1987) One of the most influential
films ever made, this popular and beloved film, produced by Tsui
Hark and directed by Ching
Siu Tung, is a standout in the Hong Kong supernatural-action genre
and spawned many sequels
and copycats. A Chinese Ghost Story has been widely praised
for infusing the genre with humor, action, romance, and inventive
special effects. Memorable images include an attacking mile-long
tongue and a cloak opening to dozens of ghastly decapitated heads.
The
final battle in hell is said to have inspired scenes in Sam Raimi's Army
of Darkness. And the film has its share of homage: A group
of crusty zombies are reminiscent of the skeletons in special-effects
guru Ray Harryhausen's 7th
Voyage of Sinbad -- and they are eliminated by Tsei-Shen in
comedic slapstick fashion, not unlike the style of Charlie
Chaplin. A must-see for Hong-Kong action fans, this is *the*
film that legitimized HK flicks onto an art form.
Yumi
Japanese Speaking Doll
Okay, this is perhaps a little silly, but it's a great way to introduce
yourself (or perhaps introduce your children) to speaking and understanding
the spoken
Japanese language. "Yumi" is an appealing bilingual
doll who can introduce herself in both English and Japanese,
as well as list her favorite classes and musical
instruments.
When her hand is pressed, she says each sentence or phrase first
in English and then in Japanese, in a sweet, feminine voice. She
can also say "I love you" in English and Japanese when
a heart on her knee is pressed. Umi requires three AA batteries (included).
She's cute and great fun!
Japanese
for Dummies with AUDIO+CD
We consider all the 'for
Dummies' books to be the best in their genre. Well written
and un-intimidating, the series' ability to "hand-hold" the
reader through the daunting task of learning
something new has not been matched by another other. Japanese
for Dummies is no different in that is makes learning the language
both fun, and easier than you would expect.
The layout of the book is perfect for the language newbie with
chapters that focus on a variety of things (like going shopping)
each with new vocabulary, useful verbs (and their basic conjugations),
set phrases and a practice dialogue. We can't recommend it
enough!
Nobu:
The Cookbook
Does your mouth water at the mere mention of Sushi?
Are you an Iron
Chef fanatic? If so, then you've obviously heard of Nobu,
the pre-eminent Japanese
restaurant. In NYC you need to make your reservations 3
months in advance just to get in! But now you can bring the
style, elegance, and best of all, the flavor of Nobu creations
into your own home with this gloriously detailed and handsomely
crafted cookbook filled with lush photography.
This book provides a strong foundation in both ingredients
and techniques but even more impressively it provides a fantastic
tutorial on the principles of combining color, texture, and
flavor. Just flipping through the pages made us hungry. Teriyaki-Boy this
most certainly is NOT!
Final
Fantasy IX: Original Soundtrack
Excellent, amazing and astounding are some words we could use
to describe this music. But if you've played the game, you
know that mere words fail to do justice to the melodies you'll
carry in your heart forever. There's just no way to express
the raw emotion and power contained in these tracks. FF9, was
to us, one of the greatest games ever made, and the incredible
music is one of the prime reasons the game meant so much to
those who have experienced it.
You'll find so many styles represented here, you'll be hard
pressed to believe it is from the work of a single composer,
so be prepared -- not only will you find tracks that appeal
to your style, you'll discover pieces that will melt your soul
and change your life. If you can't dig deep to afford the entire
soundtrack, there's a "Best
Selection" soundtrack as well that picks some of the
more popular tracks.
AnimeResearch.com
AnimeResearch.com is your starting point for academic research
about anime, manga and other aspects of Japanese popular
culture.
Outpost
Daria
The coolest site about the coolest "non-anime" animated
teen show.... ever!