Blog Archives

A.D. Police (1999)

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Posted on December 16, 2008 by Deni

Before I even opened the case, I was wondering if an extensive – or even basic – knowledge of Bubblegum Crisis was an important prerequisite for this series. A good spin off, as any decent TV addict should know, is something that needs to carry all the elements of the show its referencing, without relying on pre-existing viewer knowledge.

As it turns out, I needn’t have worried. A.D. Police is driven enough by it’s drama and the interpersonal relationships between … (read more)

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Brave Story (2006)

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Posted on December 16, 2008 by Samson

Based on a novel by writer Miyuki Miyabe, the Brave Story movie is produced by the animation house Studio Gonzo, a major force in the anime industry today. It is essentially a fantasy adventure. Giant monsters, wizards with magical powers, and young characters who become heroes all feature in the film.

The story begins when young Wataru, the main character of the movie, accidentally sees a mysterious young child disappearing through a floating door. It turns out that the mysterious … (read more)

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Appleseed Ex Machina (2007)

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Posted on November 23, 2008 by Samson

The original Appleseed was a fantastic movie that featured stunning visuals, good action and interesting concepts. I was therefore rather excited to be able to go on another adventure with Deunan and Briareos in Appleseed Ex Machina. So was it a worthwhile journey, and how does the sequel compare with the original? Here are my thoughts.

Besides Deunan and Briareos both returning for more action, this time the film also introduces us to a new and key character, Tereus, … (read more)

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New Cutie Honey (1994)

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Posted on November 17, 2008 by Tom

This is the second time I’ve reviewed a remake/re-imagining of Go Nagai’s work after New Getter Robo and I’m beginning to think that old Go is an anime industry equivalent of American horror director John Carpenter. Both their early works were influential and inspirational to the generations that would follow but attempts to remake these early works in the modern age often fall flat.

Cosplay City is besieged by violence crime and chaos with even low level street gangs sporting … (read more)

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Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)

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Posted on October 20, 2008 by Deni

It’s no accident the cowboy and the masterless samurai are cinematic characters practically interchangeable in their native landscapes. The settling of the Americas and the breakdown of the Japanese feudal society were both frontiers, delineations into the brutal unknown where the individual ruled with right of might and lived by wits alone. The cowboy and the ronin both are forbidding, potentially dangerous and almost unreservedly tragic icons of independence in their respective worlds.

It is astride both these worlds that … (read more)

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Wicked Woman (1958)

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Posted on September 7, 2008 by Christian

It appears that writings of the early Meiji era (around 1870s) of Japan were littered with popularised tales of dokufu or “poison women”; women who were violent criminals, thieves and murderers. A lot of the tales were based on real people and then the tales were mainly exaggerated through popular fiction, kabuki theatre and much later in films.

One of the most famous was Takahashi Oden who, in real life, was known to have poisoned her leprosy-riddled husband and stabbed … (read more)

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MPD Psycho (2000)

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Posted on September 7, 2008 by Alison

Psst, hey! Yeah, you. No, don’t turn around. I know what you’re looking for. You don’t want that mindless action, or no romcom. That’s kid stuff. Tame. You want something different. Something that’ll do your head in. You’re a connnoisseur. I can spot ’em a mile away. Come with me, nice and easy like, and I’ll satisfy your craving. I got the goods, me. Just you trust me, sunshine, and I’ll give you what you want.

MPD Psycho is another … (read more)

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New Getter Robo (2004)

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Posted on September 7, 2008 by Tom

New Getter Robo comes from a time long gone. It is an echo of a time before even Gundam was on the scene. Back then the soon-to-be-genre of mecha anime was only really just beginning to get off the ground. There had been a couple of shows about robots and the like but it was really the work of Go Nagai that established the stereotypes and clichés that fans have come to expect of giant robot shows. One such example … (read more)

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