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Red Garden
Anime DVD Review
An odd string of suicides surrounds a private institution on Roosevelt Island. On the night a classmate dies, Kate, Rachel, Rose and Claire wake with no memories of the evenings' events. The next night, the four girls are drawn together by mysterious red butterflies only they can see. Converging at Central Park, the girls are approached by a strange woman who tells them they are dead. Now, the four girls must work together to learn the secrets of their death and the means to return to their previous life.
From acclaimed studio Gonzo (Afro Samurai, Chrono Crusade) and director Kou Matsuo (Rozen Maiden) comes an urban horror masterpiece as stylish as it is disturbing. Set in modern day New York, Red Garden's unique character designs, haunting story, and realistic violence make it one of the most anticipated new series of the year.
Sounding much like GANTZ in terms of the basic premise, Red Garden has a uniquely American twist, with all the action taking place in and around New York City (which of course, for us native NY'ers, can make for some humorous moments).
Red Garden is anime with some interesting plot twists and turns, as well as killer character development. Despite being dead already, these are some girls you'll definitely root for. Each has to contend with the daily grind of life (and death) in the big city, while also fighting demons, often with improvised weapons and seat-of-your-pants team-strategy that will leave you biting your nails.
It's like a serious version of the sitcom "friends"... but they're dead. It's good drama, it's good action; its got something for everyone. Red Garden is an exciting new anime series that we're really getting into. And if you know what's good for you, you'll start watching! Badda-bing!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, October 2007
Below: Scenes from Red Garden.
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