Slam Dunk

Writer: Takehiko Inoue
Director: Nobutaka Nishizawa
Production House: Toei Animation
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Comedy, Sports
Vintage: October 1993-March 1996
Episodes: 101


Synopsis

Slam Dunk is a tale that revolves around our protagonist Sakuragi Hanamichi, who starts out as a high school delinquent and a social outcast, who is also the leader of his own gang of punks. Sakuragi is extremely unpopular with the girls, even holding the record of being rejected 50 times in a row, and this is probably due to his unnatural size and height for a normal Japanese high-schooler and his equally unnatural red hair. He then meets Akagi Haruko, whom he decides is the girl of his dreams, and probably the only girl not afraid of him.

Haruko then instantly notices Sakuragi's advantage in size and height, and introduces him to the Shohoku (name of his high school) basketball team. Sakuragi was initially uninterested to join, given his own opinion of basketball being played by losers (and also due to the 50th girl rejecting him for a basketball player), and also because he had absolutely no background in any sports. Despite Sakuragi's belligerent temper and immaturity, proved himself to be a natural athlete and full of potential, subsequently joining the team in the hopes of winning Haruko's heart. One person stood in his way however, a player named Rukawa Kaede, whom Sakuragi instantly recognizes as his bitter rival both on and off the court (due to Haruko's gigantic crush on him), who is a star rookie and heart throb that joined the team at the same time as Sakuragi. Soon after they are also joined by point guard Ryota Miyagi (whom Sakuragi quickly gains an affinity with due to both of them being constantly rejected by girls), a short and fast player, and Hisashi Mitsui, who was an ex-junior high school MVP but stopped after running with a bad crowd. Together the four of them make up the Shohoku starting team along with their captain Akagi Takenori, and sets off on completing Akagi's (who is also Haruko's elder brother) dream of winning the inter-high school championships. Together the five of them gain more publicity and exposure as they got better, and the once unknown Shohoku basketball team gradually gains notoriety to become an all-start contender in Japan.


Chibi's Slam Dunking Comments

Ah, Slam Dunk. The mere mention of the anime brings a smile to my face and brings back so many fond memories of the series as well. This was perhaps THE standard to all aspiring sports animes out there, and before it the title was probably held by the horrendously horrible Captain Tsubasa (the most illogically corny sports anime I've ever seen), which makes Slam Dunk in a whole different league when comparing the two.

What can I say about this series? I had seen the posters and a few of the merchandise that spawned during and after the anime's run (though I'm still hoping for them to make action figures of the Shohoku team) when it first came out way back in '96, but it was during my long break from anime and I never really paid any attention to it. Fast forward about 8 years on and I managed to catch a few episodes that was showing on AXN's anime slot back then (this was before we were blessed by the arrival of Animax) and it piqued my interest a little. So I decided to check it out.


What had seemed like an interesting way to pass the time rapidly became an obsession, and the series quickly turned into one of the most enjoyable and entertaining animes I've had the privilege to watch. Humor, basketball skills, fighting, character development, an engaging plot, Slam Dunk delivers in all departments with brilliant execution. I might even dare say that Slam Dunk in a sense is way more entertaining than the NBA seasons of late (take that basketball fans!). Much like most other anime classics in the past, Slam Dunk will leave a lasting impression on you, and this is probably due to the fact that this anime doesn't really take itself too seriously, and the fun factor as a result just shoots through the roof (it still is one of the most hilarious animes I had ever seen, comparable to Gintama).

Slam Dunk combines humor, gang fights and basketball, which is a pretty odd combination, but somehow pulling it off very well. The magic of the series is that whatever it sets out to do, it achieves its goal in spades. When the time calls for some humor, you are almost certainly guaranteed to be rolling around in laughter. When it's time for some really serious moments, things can get pretty ugly and you'd be at the edge of your seat just waiting in anticipation. But when it comes to basketball that Slam Dunk is really in a class of its own. The games that the Shohoku team play on their way to the nationals are extremely nail-biting stuff, with special attention given to detail that makes each game so unique and real. Normally from sports anime it's almost a given that moves are over-exaggerated and highly unlikely to happen even once, yet it happens consistently, but fortunately Slam Dunk went the totally opposite way. There are some fancy moves being made, but the difficulty to execute it are so incredibly difficult that very rarely you'll see it happening, much like how it is in a real basketball game. There's also a lot of variety, which is pretty surprising since the series is only 101 episodes long. Each game poses different levels of difficulty and obstacles unique to the team Shohoku is facing, and we get to see which player will provide the key to overcoming them (hence, teamwork, and not heavily reliant on Sakuragi to pull them through, unlike Tsubasa).


Now I once asked myself, how much plot can an anime about basketball actually have? Well, quite a lot actually. As with other shounen fare, there's always a back-story leading up to it's pivotal event, and Slam Dunk follows this principle in the sense that before each game in the series has a story behind it as well. Regardless of whether the back-story involves an individual player, the team, or even the team's coach, each game is different from the other. Some of the back-stories of the characters are genuinely tragic (hard to believe but it's pretty similar to real life as well don't you think), and would most certainly tug at your heartstrings. Slam Dunk is a series with some interesting twists, with the real downside perhaps is the fact that the manga continues a little longer after the anime's end, but one thing that is certain that you'll enjoy the ride every step of the way.

In conclusion, Slam Dunk probably goes into the category of some animes like Gurenn Lagann, G Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Hajime No Ippo, Heroic Age etc. It's one of those really good anime that sticks in your mind, and many months or perhaps even years (it's been 5 for me) would find you reflecting back on it and still think that it's one of the best animes you've ever seen. This is one of the really rare anime that makes viewers like the entire cast (very rare for me as there's at least one guy I'd hate), and coupled with a really likable supporting cast, makes the experience enthralling. The music and atmosphere are also very great and welcoming, in the sense that it slowly reels you in and not really shoving what it has to offer down your throat consistently (Gundam Seed Destiny anyone?). Unfortunately, too many will probably dismiss it as a sports anime, but in my opinion this is the definition of what a sports anime should be like. One of the best anime and also one of the least known out there, do give this one a shot.




Chibi's Review


Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Fullmetal Alchemist

Writer: Shou Aikawa
Director: Seiji Mizushima
Production House: Bones
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Adventure, Science Fantasy, Steampunk
Vintage: October 2003-October 2004
Episodes: 51

'You can't gain something without sacrificing something else of the equal value. This is the principle of the equivalent trade.'


Synopsis

Our story centers around two Elric brothers, Alphonse and Edward, both alchemists who are searching for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, a magical stone thought to restore their bodies which Alphonse had totally lost during an attempt to bring their mother back through alchemy, and left Edward using mechanized parts for his arm and leg. Hailing from the village of Resembool situated in the country of Amestris, where the brother's live with their parents. A few years later, their father Hohenheim leaves home for unknown reasons, and a few years after that, their mother Trisha passed due to a terminal illness, leaving the two brothers alone. Following Trisha's death, Edward becomes obsessed in bringing her back via alchemy, an advance science where objects can be conjured from raw materials. They then researched Human Transmutation, which is a forbidden art where one attempts to create or resurrect a human being. The attempt failed, resulting in the loss of Edward's Left leg and Alphonse's entire body, and in a desperate attempt to rescue his brother, Edward sacrificed his right arm in order to infuse Alphonse's soul onto a suit of armor. Roy Mustang, an alchemist who works for the government, visited the brothers a few days after the incident, and urges Edward to become a member of the State Military to find a way to recover their bodies. After Edward agrees, his arm and leg are replaced with a form of prosthetic limbs known as automail, which was made for him by his close family friends Winry Rockbell and her grandma Pinako.


Edward then sets out to become the State Alchemist for Amestris, which essentially is an alchemist employed by the Military of said country, that also infamously annihilated much of their neighbors Ishbal's population over the past decade. Being the State Alchemist, Edward was branded as the 'dog of the military', but fortunately it also gives him power to use the extensive resources available to alchemists of his position. Edward maintains his good relationship with Roy Mustang, whom is also the officer he reports to, and thus gaining the freedom to search for the Philosopher's Stone as part of his research, as one of the expectations of each State Alchemist is to research any new techniques independently which may be of use to the State of Amestris, and thus setting off in the search for the stone as a means to regain their bodies. Edward and Alphonse encounter many antagonists throughout their journey, including some who are willing to do anything in order to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. A few of them are Scar, one of the few remaining Ishbalans seeking vengeance on the State Alchemists responsible for the destruction of his race, and the Homunculi, who are a group of human-like creatures carrying a piece of the Philosopher's Stone within their bodies, gaining supernatural powers as a result.

Edward and Alphonse soon uncovers the vast expansion of Amestris was the result of the Homunculi, who actually created and secretly controls the State Military. However, both the Homunculi and the State Government are secretly controlled by the Homunculi's creator, a man simply known as 'Father', who gained immortality by using a copy of the brothers' father Hohenheim as his new host body centuries before the series began. 'Father' hatched a plan to transmute the entire country of Amestris into the Philosopher's Stone, using the said country as a huge transmutation circle. Upon hearing this, the Elric brothers along with other members of the State Military sets out to confront and defeat 'Father' before his plans could come to fruition.


Chibi's Fullmetal Comments

Fullmetal Alchemist had become the biggest merchandising franchise when it came out six years ago, and was the biggest since .hack blew up about two years prior to its release. With big names like Square Enix (video game), Sony (soundtrack), Shounen Gangan (manga serialization), Bandai (action figures) and Bones (anime), the series merchandising covers almost anything imaginable from bath towels to toys and DVDs. Normally when we see so many big names behind one anime it's usually a Gundam series or a movie, and sometimes all this hype just diverts your attention from the glaring truth that the products marketed is better than the anime itself, but fortunately Fullmetal Alchemist lives up to all the unnatural hype surrounding it.

Fullmetal Alchemist ushered in a new age of anime in my opinion. It is very rare that an anime series could entertain from the very first episode and keep the audience glued to the seat from the start to its bittersweet conclusion. This 51 episode anime delivers be it from fast paced action sequences to extremely solemn moments, and if that is not enough (it usually isn't) the plot itself is more than enough to salivate over.


The setting for Fullmetal Alchemist seems to be in early 20th century Germany, in its industrialist era. In this era, a particularly fascinating science known as Alchemy exists, and largely is the root of the series' backstory. Alchemy quite simply is somewhat a form of chemistry where the subject's molecular arrangement is reshuffled or restructured, consequently changing the subject into something else. This process, called Transmutation, comes with several basic rules, which are:

1. To guide the flow of energy that will re-arrange the mass, a transmutation circle must be drawn.

2. Transmutation can only be executed between something of equal mass, withholding the same energy level even after the process is completed.

3. Almost anything could be transmuted, with the notable exception of human transmutation, with the reason only revealed towards the end of the series.

4. Even though human transmutations are deemed impossible, some alchemists would still attempt it, and when they fail, a being with the same human attributes is born, known as a Homunculus, and usually are devoid of a soul.


What drives the entire plot of the series are essentially rules numbers 3 and 4, due to the instance when an alchemist becomes so skilled and powerful, to the point where he is able to transmute the elements of nature itself (fire, earth, wind, water etc), he becomes curious in the extent of his abilities, and thus starts delving into the process of human transmutation. However, whenever human transmutation is involved, even when one follows the very context of the law of conservation to the letter, the results are always devastating, and more taboos and questions are raised as the issue becomes more and more complex with each passing episode.

The only loophole to the law of conservation is the Philosopher's stone, which is a gem when used with alchemy, allows the alchemist to execute transmutations outside the laws of conservation, including human transmutations.

The human side of the plot intensifies the complexity of the story further, so much so that the storyline is extremely unpredictable, which in anime is a godsend. Every character introduced in the series is an extremely complex individual, especially among the alchemists and the Homunculi, which together are in the hunt for the Philosopher's Stone.

The quest for the Philosopher's Stone had begun long before the leads in the series joined in the pursuit, and after they did, the quest takes them all around the continent, meeting all sorts of harmless and equally dangerous individuals, and are as equally complex and varied as the ones we meet in our daily routines. From friendly dog lovers obsessed with technology (the charming Winry) to evil alchemists who are centuries old that holds the secret behind the mystery of human transmutation (Dante, who also only appears in the anime, which I'll elaborate later).


Even though the main premise of the anime in question is essentially alchemy, what rubs me off the most is the tale of the unbreakable bond between brothers, and the love that they share. The protagonists Edward and Alphonse are inseparable throughout the series, and the brotherhood and friendship between the two is unchallenged, regardless of the trials and dangers that they both face. The series begins with the implied theme on the bond between brothers, and also ending on the same inseparability of their family ties, albeit on a rather sad and bittersweet note (curious?watch it for yourselves). The end of the series is in somewhat of a cliffhanger note, and there is the movie titled Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala that seemingly will tie up all the loose ends that remain.

Now a lot of people would argue and scrutinize the anime for the story changing midway through the series, inconsistent with the manga. Honestly guys, exactly what IS the big deal? Fine, Dante is a fictional character created solely for the anime (which is a huge no-no in the anime world), and the ending kind of frustrated some of the audience looking for a clear-cut conclusion to the story, but I beg to differ. Almost ALL other anime have had such similar setbacks, and almost all of them have failed miserably. But after sitting through all 51 episodes of this epic story, I can honestly say that I never had the pleasure of enjoying such a wonderful story of recent anime, given the oversaturated premise of anime nowadays. Even bona fide 'Classics' such as Dragonball Z and Naruto and even Bleach have had characters that do not exist in their respective mangas turn up on their anime, with admirably disastrous effects. Which makes this anime even more viable in that sense, coupled with a story and plot that has more twists and turns than 5 contortionists playing a game of Twister. With a story that has a lot of extremely exciting and addictive elements, in my opinion not many anime in history has a plot that could match Fullmetal Alchemist.


With the release of a sophomore series, named Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, many are quick to dismiss this as the 'fake' Fullmetal Alchemist, and are quick to recommend the new series instead. Even though production cost is higher and much more crisp due to the technological advancements since the first series, the overall story in my opinion is still suspect (the series has not yet ended at this time of writing), and has it's work cut out in terms of topping its predecessor.

In conclusion, do give this one a shot since it has the credentials to call itself a classic. With one of the most original storyline I have ever seen, Fullmetal Alchemist is not about robots, machines or even monsters. It is also not about Samurai mythologies or Ninjas from hidden villages, or incredibly powerful humanoid looking super aliens with strength capable of destroying entire planets. Fullmetal Alchemist is also not about intergalactic menaces or space cowboys, nor a front for ecchi and bishounen overtones, or some sexual fantasy between students and other aliens. It is not even about a cyborg or cybernetic entity trying to find their true identity, and not even about dragons and elves or monsters and goblins. I was hard pressed to actually find a story similar to this series, and in this day and age, that is a true testament to the creators' talents. Fullmetal Alchemist's story is the first of its kind and that's what made it so enjoyable for me. I'm confident it'll do the same for you.



Chibi's Review



Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Gungrave

Writer: Yasuhiro Nightow (Yousuke Kuroda for the anime)
Director: Toshiyuki Tsuru
Production House: Madhouse
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Crime, Science Fiction
Vintage: October 2003-March 2004
Episodes: 26


Synopsis

Our story revolves around Brandon Heat and his best friend Harry MacDowell, who were a part of the biggest multinational corporation in the world, aptly named the Millenion, who is in control of practically everything in their giant skyscraper. One day while on the way up the massive elevator to the skyscraper, Harry had hatched a plan to murder Millenion's boss and take over the corporation. Harry then informed Brandon about his plan and even offered Brandon custody of the boss' wife, whom Brandon was in love with, and adored from afar. Brandon was sick to the stomach upon hearing Harry's evil scheme, and the two ended up coming to blows, with Brandon ending up shot and falling from the extremely tall skyscraper. Harry then proceeded with his plan and managed to take over Millenion, sub subsequently starting the Necrolization project, which is essentially Harry's plan for world domination, bringing people back from the dead as super human zombies to do his bidding. Harry even had the heinous idea of resurrecting Brandon in order to use him as part of his undead army. Brandon was then exhumed and resurrected, but without memories or emotions, hence becoming a true undead killing machine. Harry even renamed him Byond the Grave or Grave for short. Brandon then slowly started to experience some flashbacks and a few hints to his past, gradually re-learning all that had happen prior to and after his death. Now Grave, armed with twin guns dubbed Cerberus and his coffin that doubles as a missile launcher and machine gun, takes on a mission to hunt down and kill Harry, for all the troubles he had inflicted upon the world, and will not stop until he finds Harry and finishes him off for good.


Chibi's Grave Comments
Well first thing I'd have to say is do not, under any circumstances, judge this anime by it's cover. When I first saw the series, I honestly had a very different impression on it, going into it thinking this would be another violence-friendly kill-fest, with Brandon killing all the other undead all the way to the end. I was wrong and kind of disappointed at first, but come the third episode onwards, I was hopelessly caught in the marvelous web that Gungrave had weaved.

The series takes place in an unknown town that kind of reminds me like one of the cities in Europe. The newspapers and dates strewn about in the series kind of gives you the hint that it is sometime in the late 1930s, although the buildings, cars and scenery looks a lot more modern than that.

The main focal point of the plot centers around Millenion, a prominent syndicate in the city, which basically implies that a majority of the episodes are based on illegal activities and murder, a few of the normal gangsterism traits that go hand in hand with the syndicate. Although the mafia thing has been done over and over again in movies, Gungrave manages to still be interesting and kept me glued to the seat all the way to the end. Although the first half of the series deals heavily with the Millenion's activities, the second half beautifully merges supernatural and sci-fi elements. It might seem odd but the combination works perfectly.


Stripped bare, Gungrave is essentially a buddy series. It's basically an epic journey two friends embark upon, entering a dangerous new profession and finding out the amount of mettle needed to get to the top. Character development is in abundance in this series, taking all shapes and forms, centering a lot on Brandon and Harry. A great deal of writing is taken into account in the plot, but the writers purposefully revolving all plot lines around the two protagonists and the toll it takes on their friendship. We slowly watch both characters grow from two teenaged hopefuls and their changes over time, transforming their personalities even further, all building up to an amazing climax that we know is assured. What makes Gungrave so interesting is the anticipation of it all, where although you get the idea of where the plot's heading, you'll make all sorts of guesses on when, how, and why that event will occur. The story is flawless in my opinion, and few animes have the way of engraving itself in your mind, but Gungrave is one of those rare ones that stick in your head for a long time.

The music and animation is anything short of superb in this anime. The realistic feel and look of the characters, coupled with music that captures the emotion of the moment so perfectly, is another factor to what makes Gungrave such a joy to watch. The artwork on each character is so intricately detailed that every single emotion on their faces are instantly noticeable whether it's anger, frustration, joy, or even anxiety. In terms of music, all sorts of instruments come into play to properly enhance the mood, from soft saxophone interludes, to piano and orchestra pieces, to even an electric guitar and Jamaican drums wailing in the background, it is truly reminiscent of Cowboy Bebop in terms of the time and care taken into the soundtrack.


The strength of the series in my opinion is definitely the character development. Again the spotlight is on our two protagonists Harry and Brandon, who grow up, struggle, and eventually rising to the top together. With their friendship being so extremely deep and loyal, you get the feel that they can survive and accomplish virtually anything so long as they remain friends. Some supporting characters also grow and change just like Harry and Brandon, and you'll find yourself empathizing with a few. With some of the characters changing for the better and worse, the changes are what tugs at your heartstrings, further amplified with so much death and violence happening around them.

In conclusion, I must say that Gungrave is one of the better animes to have come out in recent years. The story is compelling and engaging, and is shown in a way that not only spreads out character development and actual story, but also makes you feel badly for the characters. Apart from being a drama, the series' many aspects are the worst case scenario and tragedy, which pretty much takes you on an emotional roller-coaster, from happy, to sad, to angry at some of the pivotal points in the plot.The animation also deserves a mention with some camera angles and choices of imagery contributing to the overall excitement of the story. I was also hard pressed to find anything negative to this series apart from the misleading cover and first episode, and upon finishing it made me happy and somber at the same time, even after watching the amazing climax at the end, due to the story being so moving I couldn't stop myself from thinking about it afterwards. Few animes ever caught my attention as completely as Gungrave did, and I sincerely think that it will do the same for you.



Chibi's Review



Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Akira

Writer: Katsuhiro Otomo, Izo Hashimoto
Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Production House: Tokyo Movie Shinsha (distributed in Japan by Toho)
Review Type: Anime Movie
Status: Completed
Genre: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction, Seinen
Vintage: 1988 (Japan), 1991 (US)




*Neo Tokyo is about to Explode*


Synopsis

The time is in the middle of the 21st century, and the place is Neo Tokyo. Due to an unknown force of explosion, Tokyo was destroyed a few years ago, sparking World War III, and subsequently gave birht to the construction of Neo Tokyo. Infested and pillaged by mostly aimless youths and bike gangs, Neo Tokyo is a harsh place, with the presence of cults and revolution coupled with political intigue. Somewhere in the underbelly of the city, a young bike punk named Tetsuo runs into a strange boy. The boy turns out to be a part of a military experiment that includes psychics, and a mysterious project named AKIRA. Tetsuo later begins to manifest his own psychic abilities, and was experiencing bizarre hallucinations, consequently becoming the target of a secret government organization that dedicated itself into stopping a repeat of the incident that destroyed the city once, by any means necessary.


Chibi's Neo Comments

AKIRA. What can I say? The one movie single handedly responsible for the influx of anime in the international market, and also the one responsible for revolutionizing the innovative layered, modernist animation technique. The one movie that brought the anime medium to the public consciousness, and still the only Japanese anime that could be seen, standing proud, at DVD shops that don't even stock anime in the first place. The one anime that converted millions of people into otakus (myself included, though I was a casual watcher of anime even before this), and also the one movie responsible for the wave upon wave of cyberpunk themed animes that followed in its wake. The one movie that till this day is the most widely available form of anime outside of Japan, and is the introductory material for noobs everywhere. Truly a classic then as it still is now, a re-watch of it still confirms my confidence in it.

I first came across the movie during my secondary school days, way back in 1992, as it was shown in our boarding house by a friend back then. Recalling the time, I was so taken by Akira that I bought a video (yes back then we were still VHS friendly), and proceeded to watch it at least 15 times since. Due to the complex plot and my attention problems in my youth, it was only until the third sitting that I was able to grasp the plot entirely, and upon reading the manga soon after, I was finally well versed in all things Akira.


While the story might leave you a little confused at first, it is quite well written provided enough focus is given. The gist of it is basically WWIII has destroyed Tokyo, and 3 decades later a new city, dubbed Neo Tokyo has been built on top of the ruins of the old. The new city is anything but a pleasant metropolis, with corrupted government officials in office and bike gangs creating havoc on the streets, and somehow one of the gangs has gotten itself involved in some secret military project involving a mysterious entity known as 'Akira', subsequently heating things up and eventually all hell breaks loose. This is not your typical cyberpunk fare, with a good mix of fast-paced action and slower intriguing plot points, balancing each other out well. The whole mystery to Akira is well played, drawing you in as the events unfold, and its un-traditional ending might leave some viewers confused or disappointed, but it made me ponder the possibilities.

The moods of the characters vary, and sometimes makes it hard to tell who's side each is on. We have our somewhat protagonist Kaneda, who in my opinion is one of the most memorable and instantly identifiable characters in anime ever. One look at this guy and people would almost always go 'Isn't that the dude from Akira?', and along with his equally awesome bike (I'm still very fond of it after all these years) makes him one of the most popular anime icons on the planet. Then we have Tetsuo, a member of Kaneda's bike gang, and to me is the real protagonist in this movie. After the military discovered Tetsuo's psychic abilities, he was then captured and turned into an unwilling experiment. This is where Tetsuo gets really interesting, and we would be treated to pretty disturbing scenes when his power finally manifests itself, and it really captured my imagination witnessing them. On the military side we have the Colonel, who at times seems like a decent enough guy, and it's kind of hard to tell which side he is exactly on as he seems to be sympathetic to both in the conflict. In a way, that is sort of the clincher for me, where there is no textbook good guy in the movie, everyone is flawed, making the characters even more believable.


As for the animation and art quality, Akira does not show its age, with production being so well done the animation is considered smoother than a lot of more recent animes. Some cool visuals such as the light trails from the bikes to the brilliant scenery of Neo Tokyo, this movie looks and probably is a labor of love, as the details in it are just a joy to watch.

I actually watched this on dub and never saw the subtitled version, but I can honestly say that after watching various horrendous voice acting on animax (Hayate the Combat Butler comes to mind), Akira even excels in that department. Although some of the supporting cast do have really eardrum grating voices, the leads are quite excellent in portraying their characters' emotions.


In conclusion, Akira is one of the most well written anime movies in history, and I would be hard-pressed to find any other anime film just as good, save Ghost in the Shell. With Otomo-sensei taking roughly 10 years to complete the manga, and using what was then the biggest budget in anime history in terms of the movie's production, Akira is one of the most painstakingly complex animes ever made, and also the most well documented. Chances are if you were already watching anime during it's release, or even just started 3-4 years after, you would have already seen Akira, and probably would be as opinionated as I am on the subject. If you have not, I would advise you to do so, as this is one of the true classics of the medium, and you would only truly gain otaku status after watching it.



Chibi's Review



Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

Ghost in the Shell

*sorry guys I couldn't find the Japanese trailer for this one :P


Writer: Masamune Shirow (Kazunori Ito for the film)
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Production House: Production I.G
Review Type: Anime Movie
Status: Completed
Genre: Seinen, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk
Vintage: 1995


Synopsis

A few decades from now, nations have been replaced by city-states and mega-corporations, and the world has been tied together by a vast computer network (fancy that). In the Japan of this new world, Section 9, a covert division of the Japanese police, investigate cybercrime and crimes committed by runaway robots.

Ghost in the Shell (GITS) follows the exploits of the cyborg Motoko Kusanagi, a decorated member of a covert operations division of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission Section 9, specializing in technology related crimes. As all the Section 9 members are supposedly equals in rank, Motoko is the leader elect of the team, addressed as 'the Major' in reference to her old rank in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Being a cyborg, Motoko is capable of superhuman feats, as her body is almost all robot, save her brain and spinal cord, making her bionically specialized for her job.

Our story follows Motoko and her partner Bateau in their investigation on what appears to be a hacker going by the nick Puppet Master, who implants people with false memories and manipulating them to do his bidding. It is later revealed that the Puppet Master is actually an AI program, with the codename Project 2501, who had become sentient and now seeks asylum in Section 9. The government agency that created Project 2501, however, is not about to let it get away, and the mystery still remains in its seeking of Motoko in the first place, or it's motives with her.


Chibi's Ghost in the Comments

How do I start with this one indeed. Maybe second only to Akira, GITS has a strong case in being the most influential anime ever. While Akira was the first anime to break through markets outside of Japan, GITS took it a step further, opening doors for many other series to break through internationally, and eventually contributing to the incredible pace of anime seen today. GITS gave viewers a whole slew of thoughts and visualizations that are still to this day borrowed and expanded in almost all of the cyberpunk themed animes that followed. In addition to such a complex plot, we get suspense riddled and realistic action, done with some revolutionary animation techniques that are truly ahead of its time.

GITS portrays a very convincing look of the near future set in 2029. In 2029, people have the ability to replace certain parts of their bodies with cybernetic ones, and in some cases, almost all parts of their bodies are replaced leaving only their brains encased in a cyborg shell, and even then the brain is augmented with hyper intelligent access to knowledge and communication packages. Despite being cybernetically augmented, a person still has a ghost, or soul, separating them from being a total machine, and even though some may have their bodies fully augmented, the person will retain their memories and personality. Basically, a person's ghost is his or her humanity in the series.


In GITS, a cyborg shell is not like a normal robot's in the sense that the limbs and body still communicates with the brain in a digital operation much like a human's nervous system, and apparently even the cyborg's sexual anatomy are fully functional. This however makes the cyborg susceptible to ghosthacking, which means the taking over of someone's perceptual control, or worse, augmenting their artificially enhanced memory.

Detail is the key word to this anime. The art is so vividly striking you are instantly immersed in the world GITS shows you, giving off the feeling that it might just be an accurate glimpse to the future. The battle scenes are also very real, with each passing gunshot having a devastating effect upon impact, regardless of hitting or missing its intended target. The character designs are also awesome, especially with Motoko. I felt that while she looks human, her cyborg attributes are shown very accurately in the things she's physically able to accomplish.

In my opinion, GITS still provides the best examination of humanity in anime history. Humanity is the main issue throughout the movie and the following installments. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be alive? Is Motoko human? The questions just keep coming and coming. Motoko herself doesn't even know if she is human or not anymore, and wonders herself if she even actually have a ghost (how do you tell a fake ghost from yours?). This makes Motoko one of the most conflicted characters we've seen in years, and I truly felt for the dilemma she's facing.

In conclusion, GITS gives us a truly compelling look into the future. We see the amazingly real landscapes of cities inthe future, form its technological wonders to some really dodgy looking areas filled with the most impressive technological horrors. Is the thought of augmenting our bodies with technology that far fetched? On top of that, is it even possible to have our brains augmented? And over time, wouldn't the line between humanity and robots disappear? GITS handles these questions in a way so believable that it actually changed my overall thoughts on the issue altogether. Truly a milestone in the genre, avoid this at your own risk.

Chibi's Review

Storyline: 5/5

Character Development: 5/5

Art: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Blood+

author: Asuka Katsura
director: Junichi Fujisaku
composer: Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina
review type: anime
status: completed
genre: Action, Supernatural, Shoujo
studio: Production I.G, Aniplex
original run: October 8, 2005 - September 23, 2006
episodes: 50
similiar to: Witch Hunter Robin, Blood the Last Vampire, Hellsing


Synopsis

Saya Otonashi lives a perfectly normal life. She had been adopted by a Vietnam war veteran; George Miyagusuku, and has two adopted brothers; Kai and Riku whom she loves dearly. However, there are noticable traits that are peculiar to Saya; she is an amnesiac and anemic. But her fate changed on the day she met a chiropteran; bat like creatures that live by feeding on human blood.

As she is caugh in a pinch, a mysterious man by the name of Hagi appears to defend her. He tries to ward off the chiropteran with all he has. It's during this tense moment that Hagi tells Saya of what she truly is and awakens her to what she truly is. The chiropteran is defeated. Hagi's real identity takes shape as he is her chevalier; her knight and guardian. She doesn't remember who Hagi is due to her problem with amnesia and begins to learn that her blood has the ability to destroy chiropterans.

Soon after, a man named David approaches Saya. He is a lead agent with a secret task force called the Red Shield; an organization dedicated to killing chiropterans around the world. He beckons Saya to join them in their fight against the chiropterans since she is the only one who could defeat them. Saya at first is reluctant to join them on their crusade. But soon agrees as she begins to embrace her identity. Since Hagi and David would also not cooperate with her in revealing who or what she really is, she begins a quest to find out exactly her true identity. Joining Red Shield would have more than just battling a few monsters for her as after each of her dealings with them, she becomes more aware of her dark past.

As Saya joins the Red Shield with Hagi, she discovers that there is a bigger picture to the plot. She begins to learn of a certain Diva; her evil twin and the world of the chiropterans. Realizing that her painful destiny would not only to destroy the chiropterans but Diva as well.



Rempit's Vrooming Comment

I hate to begin negatively, but I am compelled to do so for this. The first handicap to a series like this would be it's theme. It is so cliche. Vampires and monster slaying has been on our screens for decades. And you'd never want another Bram Stoker remake because there's too many out there, you'd just wish that if only vampires could be a real bad ass. But Blood+ survives the cliche and does a pretty good job in reeling you in. So that's a positive one over there.

The story and the plots at first would capture you. Each episode leaves you hanging. And with it's uncanny reputation of unpredictability, you'd just love it. Or at first love it. I began to realize that the deeper this series went, the more tragic, dark and grim it got. Which was totally OK. This is a show about the supernatural and it is fine dining to have a very grim and twisted plot. Some might even consider this a non-robotic version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. But sooner or later you'd might be thinking, alright so now whose going to die? And when a lot of people keep dying, it will wear off on you. And it will be no big deal.

The sad part of this anime would be that it portrayed Saya in a messianic complex. That ultimately her victories are painful and that she would not sit on a pile of gold and laugh at the spoils of an ultimate victory over a very tough opponent. Many people around her will be murdered and she is encouraged by the living few to continue. As she continues she puts on a savior of the world attitude which I do think is a little too much. Because at the end of the day you can just turn off your pc or tv and say well she'll survive and win it.

Another thing about the deaths. I mean it's awesome to be realistic. But it gets ridiculous when reality is exaggerated. As much as it is a dark episode and there has to be the case of people getting murdered brutally, again I'd think if you want tons of people to die than why not just develop Saya and forget about her contemporaries?

Character development is pretty good. She and her contemporaries were portrayed quite well. Each character being developed slowly, steadily in an unpredictable manner. The art is not bad as well, fight scenes were surprisingly good and at least Saya is much cooler than that annoying Shana from Shakugan no Shana ( I can't imagine they even had a second season for this). But she isn't as composed as Robin from Witch Hunter Robin.

So if you'd like vampires and twisted plots, than this would be the one for you. I thought it was on a mediocre scale overall and the ending really disappointed me. It was watching another rerun of Full Metal Alchemist (not the current Brotherhood installation).



Rempit Rates:

Storyline: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Witch Hunter Robin

director: Shukou Murase
review type: anime
status: completed
genre: Action, Supernatural
studio: Sunrise
original run: July 2, 2002 - December 24, 2002
episodes: 26
similiar to: Blood+

Synopsis

There exists in the shadows a secret organization called SOLOMON or STN. And their main purpose is simply to eradicate witchcraft. They are high skilled in dealing with those who would utilize witchcraft by possessing a database of witches, those who have the ability through genetic engineering, or even those who would carry the powerful gene called "seeds". Why? STN's main prerogative is simply to kill them before they "awaken."

Witchcraft, is understood to be a genetic trait only dormant to a minority of people groups. Those who possess them are called "seeds". And once these "seeds" activate their powers, they become "awakened." They may possess an array of powers. Some may range from telekinesis to to even mind control. It's STN's duty then to deal with them by employing witch hunters or craft-users; people who are not witches but have special abilities, to monitor those who are "seeds" and to eradicate those who have been awakened. They are those that keep the order among those with the witchcraft trait.

The story revolves around the axis of Robin Sena; a young girl born in Japan but raised by the Roman Catholic Church in Italy. She is a "craft-user" with psychokinetic abilities. She arrives in Japan on a reconnaissance mission, to gather data for the SOLOMON headquarters on a mythical item called the "secrets of the craft" while leading a double life as a witch hunter for the Japanese branch STN-J.

However, Robin notices something fishy regarding STN and their dealings with captured witches at a placed called the "Factory." As she unravels the truth, Robin has now become a subject of conspiracy; she is now labeled a witch. The path Robin chose would ultimately lead her to who she is as a "craft-user" and about certain witches she knew while opening the lid on the real purposes of STN.




Rempit's Vrooming Comment

Finally, I have been waiting for a supernatural anime with a twist. and Witch Hunter Robin gave me that. Conspiracy theories and investigative themes are a rarity in most supernatural animes and for something brand new? This would definitely be rated FRESH!

The whole concept of witches and witch hunting at first may seem cliche. But why not? With Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, I was also very skeptical on this sort of storyline. But after knowing how science was incorporated into it (genes), you can say that this would be a supernatural version of Ghost in the Shell. So again hat's off to the concepts.

Robin by far is one of the best female lead characters that I have come across with. Her abilities and the extra trait she carries with her depicts her as a non-conformist. She is the embodiment of a real investigator searching for the truth and at the same time bearing the pangs of standing up for it. Robin is not spared from any form of blast but instead realistically sustains damage. She is a constant reminder that the truth hurts.

She is also the anti-thesis of some other typical shonen female leads like Lenalee from D.Gray-Man or even Shana from that annoying Shakugan no Shana. Her demeanor and her soft-spoken-ness reminds you of something a little less different from most of the loud mouthed leads.

But besides Robin, there isn't much character development on the whole. The whole story only conforms to a real and original plot midway of the series. Her contemporaries do possess some awesome traits about them and it is interesting to them featured in it. Her partner Amon is one such guy; a witch hunter with the "witch" gene in him. And he becomes the unofficial guardian to Robin. This again somewhat reminds of you of a Buffy-Angel fling, but it is not so don't worry about that either. For now atleast.

The art and action is superb. And the dark and grim setting this finds its feet in will definitely keep you off your chair and you'd be wanting more of Witch Hunter Robin. So a full on recommendation here.


Rempit Rates:

Storyline: 5/5
Character Development: 3/5
Art: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Trigun

Writer: Yasuhiro Nightow
Director: Satoshi Nishimura
Production House: Madhouse
Review Type: Anime
Status: Completed
Genre: Adventure, Action, Western, Sci-Fi
Vintage: April-September 1998
Episodes: 26


Synopsis

Trigun follows the adventures of Vash the Stampede, and the two Bernadelli Insurance Society employees who follow him, in hopes of minimizing the damages inevitably caused by his appearance. The damage is not intentionally inflictied by Vash though, and most of the damage attributed is caused by bounty hunters in pursuit of the 60,000,000,000$ (sixty billion 'double dollars') bounty on Vash's head, seemingly out due to his destruction of the city of July. Vash however is experiencing amnesia at this point, and could not recall the incident clearly due to this. Vash is an advocate of non-violence, and tries to save lives without using force (his gun is even loaded with four bullets to further emphasize this point). Throughout his adventures, he is occasionally accompanied by Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a priest who like Vash is a skillful gunfighter with a mysterious past.

We gradually learn more about Vash's past as the series progresses, and also the history of human civilization on Gunsmoke (the planet where the story is set). The series is mostly light-hearted in the beginning, but the plot shifts to a more dramatic and darker situations toward its conclusion, involving moral conflict in regards of killing other living beings, even when justified (self defense or defending others). Despite all this, Vash soldiers on in pursuit of his goal, which remains shrouded in mystery until it is revealed towards the end of the series.


Chibi's Stampeding Comments

I actually came across a few of the Trigun merchandise before actually watching the anime, buying a Vash the Stampede action figure way back in 1998 (it's still standing proud in my bedroom), and upon doing some research on it a few years later (eight to be exact), I decided to give it a shot.

To my surprise, Trigun is totally the opposite of what I expected. It's an interesting series, and although you would not realize it in the first half of the series, its a deep one as well. Although the hype it generated was for different reasons, it was thoroughly deserved. The story begins like your average run-of-the-mill comedy series with its silliness, and although the characters manage to maintain the sense of humor throughout all but the most serious parts of the series, it has a definite path to where the story is going, building up to an impressive climax. The generic episode progression is merely a distraction to where the plot is heading to, and much like its characters it takes its time to get there.


Trigun is not exactly a quality series, in the sense that it has a compelling back-story and sticks to it from beginning to the end. Some of the episodes are made of unconnected incidents and are absolute no brainers, the overarching plot is not strung along with any precise writing and the drama is not heavy-handed, and it does not really seem to care. Despite this setbacks, Trigun manages to be a lot of fun, and even tackling the true meaning of pacifism in a surprisingly deep and effective manner, partly because of the feeling of the series' honesty in it's less polished production, the earnest emotional storytelling and also that of its characters, and also its apparent refusal to let things work out cleanly in its conclusion. This is what makes Trigun so memorable; it's unpretentious yet brave enough to tackle the really hard questions.

Trigun is essentially more like three series in one with very different stances on each aspect. The first half of the series rubs you off as a more classic comedy anime, with loads of likable characters, with enough depth and funny hi-jinks to keep you glued to your seat. With a feel of the Wild West coupled with an appropriate weird back-story, this series is a reasonably creative one with tons of gun-slinging action. The most appealing aspect in my opinion is the earnest examination of the love of life, forgiveness and redemption.


Trigun does an excellent job of combining the three aspects of comedy, action and moral drama surprisingly well. After a relatively light-hearted first half, it declares a change of mood with it's recap episode (all anime series has at least one to bring the viewer up to speed), reminding the viewer of it's important bits of the main plot scattered throughout the series, and even so, it paces itself slowly enough to make the transition as painless as possible. The end result is pretty enthralling, and provokes deep thought on some issues.

The selling point for me is the unusually interesting array of characters in the series. The two Bernadelli employees Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson, for example, are not your usual anime babe stereotypes, with both being over 20, and a pretty refreshing change of pace. Their target, who is also a target for a whole bunch of bounty hunters, and also the center of the entire mess, is the protagonist Vash himself. In spite of being the ultimate gunslinger, Vash is also incredibly lucky and also a complete dumb-ass. This just scratches the surface on who he really is, and despite all the skill and emotional burden that plagues him, he is really a goofy kid at heart, which I really enjoyed watching.


Vash alone is more than enough to make this a quality comedy anime; with his ability to take a serious situation and turn it into an idiotic mess right before the situation gets sappier is horrendously funny to watch, and thus saves the series from taking itself too seriously. The other aspect which got my vote for Vash being one of the best leads in an anime is his unswerving and stubborn refusal to kill anyone, insisting that anybody could be forgiven for their past. This seems a little illogical at first, but it makes for some enthralling moral drama towards the end of the series.

As a contrasting character to Vash is the travelling priest Nicholas D. Wolfwood, who despite the trappings of holiness, is more merciless in his treatment of life than Vash, and the arguments between them coupled with Wolfwood's struggles with redemption, makes him a really interesting character in his own right.


The series, through Vash, emphasizes on a simple precept of 'thou shalt not kill'. A concept largely ignored, rationalized and dismissed throughout history, Trigun addresses this issue head on, and even though it does provide clear answers to the issue, a variety of differing opinions are raised by certain characters and situations, and the series is hiding plenty of gray areas behind it's obvious philosophies.

The backdrop for all this is the Western world with a sci-fi twist that doesn't come into play until the later episodes. Although the setting doesn't come off as too creative at first with its 30 feet tall mutants walking about, it is later explained how things came to be on planet Gunsmoke, and it was certainly not what I had expected.

Whilst the art and animation isn't wildly creative or spectacular, there are some nice touches in the character designs, and production quality is always good enough to keep you interested. The strong point however, is in the music of the series. From the shred-worthy guitar work in the opening (it blew me away) to a few very mellow Western tunes and a beautiful song that is a factor to the main plot, this anime has a lot of stuff to listen to.


In conclusion, Trigun is first and foremost a comedy series, and a hilarious one, added with real substance in the latter half. There's enough gunfights and goofiness to keep anyone happy with a deep engaging story that is more on a serious note, coupled with a gripping conclusion laden with serious, powerful, and thought-provoking subject matter. Best of all, the themes are comfortably compartmentalized, so it all fits together into a thoroughly enjoyable series with a message that sticks with you after it's over. Definitely worth a look.



Chibi's Review



Storyline: 4/5
Character Development: 5/5
Art: 3/5
Originality: 5/5

Samurai 7

original author: Akira Kurosawa
director: Toshifumi Takizawa
review type: anime
status: completed
genre: Shonen, Chanbara, Action,
studio: Gonzo
original run: July 12, 2004- December 25, 2004
episodes: 26
similiar to: Samurai Champloo, Peacemaker Kurogane


Synopsis

It began with a small rice village, Kanna. Every year during the harvest, a group of bandits would forceful steal their produce. To add salt to their wounds, the bandits have began to rob them off their woman and children. It is a curse they deal with yearly and have finally decided to put it an end to it.


The village Elder has decided that as the safety of the village has been jeopardized, the only way they could attain that freedom is to hire samurai to fight against these marauders. Sadly, the village cannot afford to pay them, but in trade for their services they would pay them with a supply of rice. They send three people to the city. One of them is Kirara; a village priestess of Kanna. Her willingness to search for samurai was substantiated with the fact that she wanted desperately to see the outside world; that which is beyond Kanna.

As the convey reaches the city, they run into trouble. But was rescued by Okamoto Katsushiro; a young and inexperienced samurai. They then bump into Shimada Kambei; the lead protagonist and a war veteran with an awful distaste to war and anything violent. He was reluctant at first, but decides to help out after being persuaded. Together with Katsushiro and Kambei, they search diligently for others who could and would help out the dilemma Kanna is facing. They are successful and five others join Katsushiro and Kambei to form the seven samurai that would aid Kanna in their liberty from the bandits.

But what awaits the fate of the seven is just not the issue of Kanna alone. There would be a bigger and dangerous picture that the seven would need to deal with. The anime details the journey of these "band of brothers"; warriors who were wounded by the tides of war and are searching for a redemptive moment.



Rempit's Vrooming Comment

Well, this is definitely the anime version of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 hit movie Seven Samurai; the predecessor of the American 1960 Magnificent Seven. The anime however differs from the original by having a steampunk atmosphere and environment to it. Which I think is absolutely cool. Having a healthy dosage of ancient and modern concepts gave the anime the boost it needed.

Frustratingly, there is not much character development. Just that the young Katsushiro would soon discover the life of the battlefield. Which is not an easy one; though many might fancy it. I like the role played by Kambei. Here he not only acts as a mentor to Katsushiro but also we note a more matured lead even though some may argue that Katsushiro is the lead character. He is somewhere in the line of Okita Soji from Peacemaker Kurogane and also Hatake Kakashi from Naruto in terms of mentoring, leading and planning.

Now the other interesting part of this anime is that those who are part of the seven do get their fair share of airtime. Not many would focus on each specific character and their contributions much. Most secondary characters would either be doing something only when it demands them too and would basically be filling up the behind the scenes actions; the gaps and transitions from one episode to another. But here, all seven which is still a big group, are somewhat the lead cast of the show and I think that's a fairly strong concept of the anime; teamwork.

But what marks this anime from the rest is the x factor to why I liked watching it. They stuck to the original plot when some of them had to die in battle. Which of course is familiar to us, but what's the difference? The usual pattern for an anime would be that they would die one at a time, having an epic battle and then die. It is customized for them. But here the for the first time, we have three of them dying at the same time; during the final battle. It is a threshold event. First of it's kind. And I'd have to say that it is definitely a brave move to do that.

There are moments of exaggeration in it, but I guess the good part is that despite things being overdone (like a normal katana slicing through a 10 storey robot in half), it still has its sense of realism. Battle scars, battle wounds, and finally martyrdom; for some of them of course. The art is not bad, typical for any Gonzo production. So you'd have the designs somewhat familiar to some other titles; if you'd notice the similarities of anything Gonzo. I guess it's their trademark.

Well there is one con in the show I totally forgot to highlight. It's their dialogue lines. Some of them are just hilarious. So if you are a fan of the Seven Samurai or would like something modern meets ancient and fast paced, then check this out.



Rempit Rates:

Storyline: 4/5
Character Development: 3/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 4/5