Blog Archives

Air Gear (2006)

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Posted on January 27, 2008 by Tom

More out of boredom than anything else I put my name down to review this, the first disc in the series called Air Gear. Based on a manga by Oh! Great (I’m not kidding; that’s what he calls himself) that has also been turned into a stage musical (why am I suddenly thinking of Starlight Express in Japanese?). Air Gear is a sports anime mixed with a bit of teen angst and other by-the-numbers clichés, including the standard girl … (read more)

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Bleach (2004)

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Posted on January 27, 2008 by Deni

Last week, a manga buddy recently indoctrinated into the joys of anime asked me: “Hey, is Bleach any good? I’m thinking of buying it.”

Oh, I immediately enthused, it’s frigging awesome. Definitely don’t get it.

It’s the little ways in which we try to help our friends, isn’t it?

Because Bleach is awesome, and approaching one hundred and thirty or so episodes in Japan without any sign of stopping, it’s almost too watchable. Sure, that’s not so much in … (read more)

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School Rumble (2004)

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Posted on January 27, 2008 by Tom

Never again will I watch something on the title alone. When I put my hand up to review this title I was thinking “oh joy another beat ’em up show that will slowly atrophy my brain with each punch and round house kick”. I wish it had been a beat ’em up show; instead I got lumped with this ‘romantic comedy’. I now long for what in comparison is the cerebral brilliance that is Baki The Grappler. However I … (read more)

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Fate/stay Night (2005)

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Posted on January 27, 2008 by Deni

I feel I’m going to be unfairly harsh in my opinion of Fate/stay Night; or, more to the point, I want to be harsh, and it may or may not be fair of me. This series appears to be another of those formula fight shows, where the main character discovers — after an episode or two spent showing us how much of a nice guy/pushover he is — that he is actually destined for bigger and better things. Cue … (read more)

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Burst City (1982)

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Posted on January 26, 2008 by Greg

Burst City, to me, is not only the name of a film, but also a fairly accurate description of my mind after being confronted by two hours of Ishii Sogo punk rock mayhem. After all, what can synapses do, when faced with such an assault on the senses, but explode? It’s the sensible thing to do.

This is a film that has a reputation for being an important stepping stone in the development of Japanese cinema. It is widely … (read more)

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Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad (2004)

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Posted on January 14, 2008 by Andy

Beck begins the compelling story of a boy who discovers who he is through music. A teenage boy meets an amazing guitar player and together they form the band Beck. Follow the band’s ever-challenging road to fame, as told through the eyes of the impressionable boy.

As much as I am prepared to dive off the nearest stage in appreciation of Madman releasing the single finest anime of the year, that above synopsis must have been written by a … (read more)

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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society (2006)

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Posted on December 16, 2007 by Justin

I’m not really an anime fanatic, certainly not when compared to some of the Heroic team — I’ve seen a fair few of the major feature releases over the years, and the occasional series, but none of the series has ever really grabbed and held my attention. That is, until I saw Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I watched both series, enthalled, in three or four sittings. Then I watched them again. It’s superb work, tailor-made for … (read more)

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Excel Saga (2003)

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Posted on December 2, 2007 by Deni

There is a certain pointless charm in self-referential entertainment. On a good day, it can be almost painfully clever, but on the other hand there is only so much tongue/cheek action one can handle in one session and self-absorption can get a little old after a while. One might even wonder, in this case at least, exactly how much of an increase in pointless charm certain genres of anime can actually take before critical mass is exceeded and they collapse … (read more)

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