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Anime DVD Reviews
Texhnolyze - Volume 1 - Inhumane & Beautiful
Texhnolyze - Volume 1 - Inhumane & Beautiful
You are looking at the future of anime. A gritty, futuristic dystopia on the level only previously imagined in the novels of William Gibson, this series is a shocker in its brutality and ground-breaking creativity. Bringing together the talents of Yoshitoshi ABe, Yasuyuki Ueda and Chiaki Konaka, this cyberpunk tour-de-force is a must-have, and will certainly influence filmmaking on both sides of the planet.

The blending of animation techniques is particularly impressive and we appreciate the effort that went into the design of this series. Every dollar spent is on the screen. Take notice and don't blink, it's a lesson on how to do this genre correctly with every frame. Not since Ghost in the Shell has something this impressive exited the studios of Japan. The kick-ass techno soundtrack makes us want to buy the BGM when it's available!

Cyborg 009 Complete and Uncut
Cyborg 009 Complete and Uncut
WooHoo! One of the greatest kick-ass series of all time, and one of the most durable franchises in anime, ever, comes to DVD courtesy of Sony/Tristar. For us 'old skool' anime fanatics, Cyborg is simply "da-bomb" because, aside from Captain Harlock, this was pretty much the first "hardcore" anime we were exposed to. This is the third TV incarnation based on Shotaro Ishinomori's trend-setting 1964 manga, and the animation is slick-looking and fluid (although the original had a lot of character!)

As they battle, we learn about each character's past and how each suffers to find his or her own humanity, while trapped inside a cyborg body. Take up this series and discover this ancestor to everything you know about anime today. There's so much buried in the story, it's little wonder that so much evolved from it.

Black Jack – Seizure
Black Jack – Seizure
Straight out of the brilliantly influential and most-loved manga from the universe of Manganokamisama - the legendary Dr. Osamu Tezuka! A brilliant renegade surgeon known only as Black Jack operates outside the law, performing medical miracles and often setting things right in a world where the divide between the "haves" and "have-nots" is too great.

This celebrated anti-hero, who made facial scars cool, has a series of DVDs out by Central Park Media - SEIZURE, INFECTION, and .... Watch them in any order as many of the episodes are self-contained stories and very little background info is needed to figure out what's going on.

Arcade Gamer Fubuki
Arcade Gamer Fubuki
And now for something completely different. From the screenwriter of Cowboy Bebop and Escaflowne: The Movie and the animation director of RahXephon comes this little bit of weirdness. Fubuki is a girl whose only goal in life is to be the best at arcade games. In normal life, she's a total spaz, but when it comes to arcades, Fubuki's a whiz with special super-powers. When an evil organization steals her special abilities, she and her friends must battle the wackiest bunch of video game villains in order to halt a conspiracy for world domination!

It's light and fun faire for everyone. Not unlike Animation Runner Kuromi, this DVD has appeal just from being fresh and inventive and not depending on a long, drawn out storyline. Everything you need to know is laid out in the first few minutes and the rest of the film is watching the fun unfold.

Jem - The Complete 1st & 2nd Seasons
Jem - The Complete 1st & 2nd Seasons
It's not just a TV show, it's a lifestyle! The truly outrageous adventures of the mysterious pop-star brings us back to the glory days of the 80's, when style was everything and substance was a far second-place. The very crude-looking first season is upstaged by the much slicker second season (when the show moved from a 10-minute format to a full half-hour), but all the songs are still awesome.

The DVD has a wonderful feature allowing to you to just play all the song segments, and yes, we definitely prefer the Misfits (their music is much more edgy), and while Jerrica/Jem always took the spotlight, Kimber was much cuter! Either way, this multi-disk set containing seasons 1 & 2 is an absolute "must-have" for those of us who know that Music is Magic. Rhino has done an excellent job with this package. It's showtime Synergy!



Our Favorite Toys, Models and Gizmos
Transformers for Playstation2
Transformers for Playstation2
You will believe Transformers are REAL when you look at this game. The graphics are so AWESOME that you'll want to have someone else play just so you can concentrate on just looking at the screen! Like the best-seller HALO, this game has wide-open levels where you can essentially do anything. It's a live-action looking cartoon where you're in complete control of what happens on screen. Make your own episodes of transformers by connecting a VCR and dubbing in some dialog!

With astoundingly open-ended gameplay and intuitive control, the game is way more fun that you'd expect. Blow stuff up and transform into your vehicle and run 'em over for good measure. It's like having the best elements of Halo, Gundam and Grand Theft Auto all in one.


 Anime.com Recommended Books:
Tezuka School of Animation Vol 1
Tezuka School of Animation Vol 1
If you are going to buy a book on how to do animation, why not get one from the man who practically invented anime, Osamu Tezuka! Dr. T's series of books use familiar characters such as Astroboy to guide you, step-by-step through the process of how things move and how to accurately represent that in animation drawings.

Much like the old large-format Preston Blair books of the heyday, these are books you'll referr to again and again as the basic techniques shown here apply to all types of animation, not just "anime". Make these a part of your bookshelf.

You Are Here
You Are Here
Statement of bias: We think Kyle Baker is the one of the top talents in the world, his humor is cutting-edge, his art is brilliant, and his writing is concise, clear and very, very ironic. All that said, 'You Are Here' is even more fan-tab-ulous than even we were expecting. Only a very twisted mind could conjure up such a cynical and convoluted plot for an imaginary movie that's fresher and more thrilling than anything Hollywood's done in decades.

The Japanese should take note. Only Satoshi Kon is doing adult-level dramas that don't have to have an annoying toy tie-in or involve Giant Robots or Psyonics in some way. Something on the level of 'You Are Here' actually produced as a film would be a welcome change.

How to Draw Manga: Costume Encyclopedia
How to Draw Manga: Costume Encyclopedia
Although it is part of the "How to Draw Manga" series of books, this is no regular 'how to' book. Instead it is an encylopedic reference guide to hundreds of different fashions and pieces of clothing as seen in manga and anime. Anyone who draws should have this book. Within it's packed pages are all the little details that will help make your art more accurate and alive. Every sleeve, skirt, coat, workboot and high-heel pump is cataloged, diagrammed and described for easy reference.

Aspiring manga artists, animators, fashion students, illustrators, and casual doodlers alike will all benefit from the plethora of material found in this amazing and diverse reference resource.

Music and Soundtrack Selections:
Big O: Sound Score II for Second Season
Big O: Sound Score II for Second Season
We had already reviewed the first season, and its soundtrack, but when Cartoon Network co-produced an entirely new season of Big O, out come some more stunning music. This collection includes some re-ochestrated favorites from the first season as well as the new music from Season 2, PLUS, welcome bits that were heard in episodes from both, but never made it to the first album.

Basically, it's great stuff overall. Gothic, jazzy, fun and somber, it's the music that really makes Big O the show that it is (that is, apart from a killer storyline, amazing art direction, and of course, everyone's favorite sardonic android...) Big O rulez.



Upcoming Events and Cool Links:

The Attack of the Giant Red Octopus
Very cute online anime styled animation! Warning: "slightly adult" material - nothing that you wouldn't see in an R rated movie but I thought we would mention it...

Mostly Japanese Videos
A silly assortment of commercials from Japan.

Cyborg 009
The official Japanese website for Cyborg 009 (in Japanese of course).

Drum Machine
Anime inspired flash movie of cartoon characters hitting their heads against drums - strange but fun.




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