Here are some brief reviews and thoughts on some of the various anime that I've seen. All reviews are of the subtitled editions, except where noted. Be sure to check out the Oh! My Goddess Gallery and the Tenchi Image Gallery! As always, all stories, characters, and whatnot are the property of their respective owners and are presented here for personal use only.
: This one's gonna make you howl for more!
Don't miss it.
:
Sit up and take notice. Definitely worth your time.
: Entertaining,
but not award winning.
: Good for playing in the background...
: There's worse, but not much.
: Designates a series considered
a "classic" among the anime community, for whatever reason.
Something of a prequel to Bubblegum Crisis, this series centers on the whipping boys of BGC, the AD Police. More a collection of stories than an actual series, it nontheless provides decent entertainment. Plus, you get to see Leon McNichols as a rookie...that alone makes the series worth watching.
Also known by a variety of other names (Super Cat Girl Nuku Nuku, etc.) since the title's a little hard to translate into English. Fun, silly, more than a little weird, this six ep. series is about a boy, his android guardian (Nuku Nuku) and one major custody battle between his maniacal CEO mother and wacked-out inventor father. Has cool music, I think. A TV series is now airing in Japan...hopefully, it will come to the U.S.
Somewhat disappointing when compared to the manga, concentrating on action and battles more than character development, but still somewhat entertaining. It was awhile ago that I saw it, so I can't really remember much beyond general impressions.
A popular fansub, now distributed by Pioneer, Bastard!! chronicles the adventures of the evil wizard Dark Schneider and his attempts to stop his former compatriots from summoning the God of Destruction (who seems to be based on the atomic bomb) and taking over the world. Why would an evil wizard do such a thing? Because that's his job, damn it, and no one is going to usurp it! Fun, but I'm not as impressed as others.
More cyberpunk than Bubblegum Crisis, in my opinion. The touching story of Gally, a cybernetic bounty hunter who's more human than the flesh and blood criminals she hunts down. Only a few eps, but worth watching.
Teenager Momiji is the latest in a line of sacrificial princesses known as the Kushinata. In the past, the death of a Kushinata kept the monstrous Aragami in check, but now the cycle has broken. With the help of the TAC, an organization dedicated to fighting the Aragami, and Kusanagi, her inhuman protector, Momiji struggles to find a way to lift the curse from her bloodline and destroy the Aragami once and for all. A fascinating series that combines horror, comedy, and romance with great animation...even the dubs are pretty good.
Commonly called the classic cyberpunk anime (tho I don't know why, myself), this excellent eight ep. series (plus some specials and a sequel series, Bubblegum Crash) is about the female mercenary Knight Sabers and their fight against the techno-giant Genom Corporation. Babes with mecha and guns, and a great story line...what more could you ask for? (NEWS!: The BGC TV series, BGC 2040, is coming to the U.S. in the Spring! Watch for it!)
(dubbed)An elite corps of busty female cops trashes bad guys, wreaks havoc, and administers justice all while trying to stay under budget. I will admit the characters are quite attractive, and the story line is pretty decent. Two stars, despite the fact that I saw the dubbed version.
Anthropomorphic anime about the struggle to save a planet from invasion. Taku, the only human in the series, must try and prevent the invasion of the planet Capricorn by an unscrupulous warlord. He is aided by an odd mix of characters, including a half-dragon that bears a passing resemblance to Mink from Dragon Half.
A fun series starring a demon slaying teenage girl, the latest in a proud line of such women. There are five episodes plus a music video special, with the first being the best. It gets a little silly in the later episodes, but they're all pretty funny and entertaining.
(dubbed)This one loses a star for being dubbed. The story of a policewoman and her homemade tank, fighting crime and gender bias. The story's not bad, but the dubbed voices are not pretty. Gotta love the Puma Sisters, though. I haven't seen the New Dominion Tank Police, so I won't pass any judgement on that one.
Really, really bizarre series (only two eps that I know of) about the half dragon/half human girl Mink and her pursuit of a concert ticket to see her idol, megastar singer (and dragonslayer!) Dick Saucer. A mix of standard anime and humerous cut scenes starring super deformed versions of the characters. If you want a departure from the norm, check this one out.
From the creators of Tenchi Muyo! comes this wonderful, seven ep. series. This is the story of how high school student (and all around nice guy) Makoto travels across time and space to end up on El Hazard, where he gets thrust into a very, er, "interesting," role in an attempt to save the kingdom of Rostaria from the Bugrom hordes. Humor, action, romance...this series has it all. Even better, the dubbed version is as good as (and, actually, funnier than) the subs. The spinoff TV series looks terrible, however, from what I've heard so far. There is a second OVA series playing in Japan right now, but it won't reach us until '99.
The "un-shojo" shojo (girls') anime about a young girl transported to ancient China to fulfill her part in a mystic legend. I'm quite impressed with the art, storyline, and humor of this popular series, although Yui-chan is so gullible it hurts. Why the label "un-shojo?" All my friends agree that this series is so unlike any shojo we've ever seen that it needs its own category.
Gall Force is actually divided up into several chapters. The first, Eternal Story, concerns the crew of the starship Star Leaf and their attempts to make sense of a genocidal war. The second chapter involves the creation of a new race (us), while the third takes strongly after the Terminator movies, with humans fighting against machines. A fourth chapter, New Era, involves the return of a deadly computer virus. (If you get the chance, watch 10 Little Gall Force, a weird special akin to the old cartoon Wacky Racers, and starring several other anime characters.)
Fairly typical series about an orphan who seeks revenge on his guardian's murderer. What seperates Gaiarth from others is the creative setting and intriguing backstory. I have only watched the first few episodes, but what I've seen is decent..
A highly anticipated movie from one of anime's greats, Ghost in the Shell asks the question what it really means to be human. I found the movie to be quite good, although it seemed to me they could have done a more thourough job adapting the original manga into video form. Still, try not to miss it.
Silly little oneshot anime about Malon, the Knight Sentry of the magical land of Phantasia, and her search for a compassionate human. Believing she's found one in the form of Akihiro, lustful high school student, she emerges from a magic tapestry and proceeds to make his life hell. Pretty run of the mill stuff.
One chapter of one of anime's epic sci-fi stories, Gundam 0083 is 11 episodes of action, drama, heartbreak, and bittersweet victory. An excellent series, I only regret that I haven't been able to see any of the previous stuff. The follow up movie, Char's Counterattck, was a bit too dark for my tastes.
Action packed, funny, and unusual, this short series continues the adventures of bounty hunters Rally and May (introduced in the original manga.) It's one of the few earthbound anime that takes place not in Japan, but in the U.S...Chicago, to be exact. Only three episodes long, however, so not as fulfilling as it could be.
(dubbed)Rather confusing and violent anime about seven individuals, all accomplished swordsmen, who are born with a mystic marble inside their bodies. Through the course of the series, these seven "dog warriors" (explained in the first episode) meet and slowly realize their destinies lie with each other. One of the best Samurai animes, although the plethora of historic Japanese place-names can be very hard to follow.
Ultra-bizarre series about a most unusual love triangle and a peculiar high school. As the advertisements say, "Between madness and reality lies Greenwood..." The episodes just get more and more bizarre, with a few nods to other anime thown in. Truly worth your time.
Wonderful series about love, life, loss, and continuing on. Iria is a bounty hunter who lost her brother while trying to rescue the crew of a doomed starship. Now, with the help of her partner/boss Bob (what a name!), Iria hunts for the savage alien life form known as Zeiram that killed her brother. Good animation, gripping storyline, and quality dubs, to boot! (Although Bob does sound like KITT from "Knight Rider...")
Meet Justy Tylor, the most suave, lucky, and carefree man in the galaxy. Tylor, in his quest to find an easy life, enrolls in the military and somehow becomes the captain of the destroyer Soyukaze. Now, his crew wants him gone, the brass wants him dead, and the empress of the invading alien race...well, she just wants him. Weird and wacky, this anime isjust now being released commercially in the U.S.
(dubbed)Key! Key! Robot Key! Key must find 30,000 friends to become human, thus fulfilling her dead grandfather's final wish. To do so, she travels to Tokyo, where "there must be 30,000 people who would be Key's friend." Also many who would do her harm. Very unusual anime, with good animation and a rather engrossing (if hard to follow) plot. This one's been hyped quite a bit by Viz Video, the distributor.
A one shot fantasy anime about the Silver Champion Lemnear and her quest to defeat evil and rescue the Bronze Champion. I was not very impressed with the story line...very typical fantasy, with no real variations, right down to the courtesy breasts. It does, however, have beautiful and stunning animation.
Stunning animation, a gripping storyline, and a rocking soundtrack all combine into one hell of a series. Based on the original Macross series (Robotech, to us U.S. fans,) this outstanding anime portrays the lives of three ex-friends and what happens when they're suddenly thrown back together. I just wish it was longer than four episodes...
(dubbed)A pathetic excuse for a sequel to the original, Macross II takes place sometime in the future after the Super Dimentional Fortress Macross "landed" back on earth. Bad voices, an unplausible story line, and other ridiculousness doom this movie from the start. Avoid it unless you're a die hard Macross fan (for whom the one star is for.)
Typical "magical girl" anime about three junior high school girls who are transported to the world of Cephiro. There they must learn to become Magic Knights and free the world from the oppressive yolk of an evil (yet handsome) sorceror. Great artwork and humor can't completely overcome the overly cuteness of the series, although I'll admit it's oddly compelling.
Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Ranma, has another winner with this love story. No martial arts, no super powers, just simple human relationships. This is the story of Godai and Kyoko, and all the weird characters who interfere with their lives. A classic that runs for 96 episodes, but well worth the time.
In the not-too-distant future, one of the main forms of entertainment is watching sweet young things dress up in power suits (known creatively as metal suits) and wrestle, a la WWF. Miku and her team, the Pretty 4, want to be not only the best metal fighters, but also famous idol singers. Behind the rather lackluster plot is a rather touching story of determination and redemption. Not bad, but not amazing.
What if the word "angel" didn't describe a beautiful, holy being, but rather a destructive, alien mecha? That's the situation in this sci-fi series, where a young boy is recuited by his father and the government to pilot an experimental mecha (the EV series) and battle these nearly indestructable alien menaces. Good animation, great action, and more than a few humorous interludes.
The anime adaptation of a popular romantic comedy manga, Oh! My Goddess explores the possibility than man and goddess can live together (if it weren't for some meddling sister goddesses!) Funny and touching, lighter than the manga, this series has a huge following and is worth watching.
Having seen 12 episodes, Patlabor has really impressed me. Heavy on character development, with action taking a back seat (but not too far back!) Patlabor is about a special police force that uses mecha (labors) to combat crime. A wide variety of storylines, from dramatic to scary to funny to downright weird.
(dubbed)Another entertaining series from Pioneer about a "shadow" corporation that specializes in ghostbusting. Memorable characters and atypical monsters (an anemic, tea drinking vampire, for example) make this series worth watching. Even the dubbed voices aren't too bad, although the dialogue is grating enough to warrant a penalty.
Very funny series about the rivalry between A-Ko and B-Ko over C-Ko. A-Ko is a normal, albeit extraordinarily strong, female high school student with the ditsy C-Ko as her best friend. B-Ko, however, wants C-Ko all to herself and sees A-Ko as a mortal enemy. Throw in an approaching alien spacecraft, and you've got one weird series that loves to parody almost anything. I can even look beyond the dubbing.
The story of a martial artist with a very unusual curse, Ranma 1/2 is probably the most popular anime in existence. This one has comedy, romance, lots of martial arts, and an astounding array of weird and colorful characters. Although the TV series has ended, movies and OAVs are still being produced to satiate the appetites of millions of fans around the globe, me included.
The archetype of fantasy anime, Record of Lodoss War is commonly copied but never equalled. Anyone who's ever played D&D will recognize the elements of the story, but you have to watch carefully to fully understand everything that's going on. Complex and beautifully done, this is a series not to be missed.
(dubbed)Actually an amalgamation of three completely seperate anime series, the massive American TV series known collectively as Robotech was many a fan's first exposure to anime. Strikingly different from standard TV fare of the time (i.e., Smurfs), Robotech had violence, drama, comedy, romance, and some of the coolest mecha ever devised (can we say, "merchandising?") While some fans bemoan the butchering that the three source series underwent to make the combination, I feel the creators did an excellent job integrating three seperate plots whose only common factors were giant transforming robot vehicles and alien invasions.
A highly entertaining TV series about an unusual planet. Terra 2 is populated exclusively by males, cloned descendants from six survivors of a doomed colony ship. Females are non-existent...feminine emotionless androids, known as marionnettes, are the only links to a bygone sex. All this changes, however, when protagonist Otaru stumbles across a peculiar marionnette...the flouncy, giddy Lime. Soon two more emotional (and lovestruck!) androids join his household, just as war threatens to tear the planet apart. Very funny with just the right amount of the surreal.
/ Depending on who you talk to, this is either the greatest TV series to ever come out of Japan, or the worst anime ever created. It certainly has a large and vocal fanship, and was even on U.S. TV for awhile. I'm of the second camp, myself. Couldn't even get through one episode. 'Nuff said.
(dubbed)Adult anime movie following the career paths of two high school friends. One wants to reach the top in politics, while the other took a darker route as he battles his way up the Yakuza ladder. Realistic animation with a good plot, but definitely not for kids, as there is much graphic sex and violence.
An entertaining fantasy series about the adventures of the sorceress Lina and her not-so-bright warrior companion, Gourry. Very funny, with witty dialogue, good animation, and subtle jabs at the entire fantasy genre. (The second half is not nearly as good, incidently, which is why I've downgraded it, for those astute observers.)
In my opinion, Tenchi is one of the best series ever done, the exact opposite of Sailor Moon. In fact, the two specials parody the darling princess. Anyway, TM! is about a boy, Tenchi, and the problems he faces when he accidently releases a demon from the family shrine. This snowballs as the series continues, and you learn that not everything is what it seems to be. Humor galore, adventure, romance, drama...it has it all. 13 regular episodes, plus four specials, two TV series (also good,) a spin-off series (Pretty Sammy) and two movies encompass the Tenchi universe. Don't miss it!
Nutty anime about three modern humans and a tank trapped in a fantasy world, and their attempts to get home. To do so, they need to find the five pieces of the return spell that scattered to the four winds upon a botched casting. Unfortunately, the pieces are now imprinted on the bodies of five random elves. In their zealous drive to get home, the trio have taken to disrobing any appropriate looking elf, with or without their consent! No, it's not hentai, it's something completely else and twice as bizarre. A great series if you can find it.
(dubbed)If you can get passed Pai's voice (Minmay from Robotech) then this series is worth watching. This is the story of the last Sanjian, Pai, and her quest to become human by using an ancient relic of her race. However, others want to use the statue to bring about their own goals, namely the summoning of a nasty demon god. This one's mainly horror, with a little humor here and there.
Utterly absurd anime about a strict teacher who tries to bring a rebellious high school (and the student body's unoffical leader) to its knees. How absurd is it? Wait until you find out what the teacher really is...
/ Violent, vile, and disgusting, this is the story of how the human world and the demon world will combine. I actually made it through the first series/movie, but fear I am scarred for life. Some people like naughty tentacles, so for them, I give it a 3. We sane people would do best staying away, however.
Rumiko Takahashi's first major TV work, Urusei Yatsura is the story of what happens when lecherous Ataru meets Lum, the busty Oni princess. An utter phenomenon in Japan, this highly popular series of love, comedy, slapstick, and fate runs for 192 episodes, plus numerous specials and six movies. Almost 20 years old, UY exploded onto Japanese TV back in 1981. While no longer in production, UY remains one of the most popular anime series of all time, continually finding new fans and pleasing old ones. A classic that no anime fan should miss.
Ushio may come from a line of warrior monks, but he doesn't believe his father's tale of a horrible battle between a monster and an ancestor armed with the Beast Spear...until he stumbles across said monster, pinned to a rock by the spear down in the basement. Only seen four eps, but it's quite entertaining, and Tora's (the monster) reactions to the modern world are classic.
Sometimes we don't recognize love until it's taken away. This is what happens in this romantic series, a short adaptation of a much longer manga, when a video girl (don't ask), brought to life, falls in love with her charge. He, in turn, loves another, who loves his best friend. Touching and funny, but the ending isn't as fulfilling as it could have been.
The story of one girl's journey of discovery and adventure on the mysterious planet of Gaia, located between Earth and Mars. As a native of the "Visionary Moon" (Earth,) Hitomi is blessed with precognitition and farsight. Will they be enough to help the young king Van Fanel and his allies stop the plans of a madman? Beautiful artwork, a compelling storyline, and inventive characters make this recent anime series one to watch.
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