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The war torn land is mottled with strange occurrences attributed to the rise of yoma or demons, feeding off blood and misery. A skilled ninja, Hikage, is ordered to silence his best friend and finds his friend holds a dark secret.

I have tried on 3 separate occasions to watch Blood Reign. The animation looks similar to Ninja Scroll and I really enjoy Japanese folklore, but I can’t get through the piece. The main character has no personality beyond persistence. The soundtracks has some really cheesy 80′s keyboard music but also some beautiful period sounding pieces. The story is hard to follow and the character design ... makes it hard to tell individuals apart.

Give this one a try and form your own opinion because this viewer is truly undecided.

This OVA features demons and 80′s melting body-type gore. It is meant for mature audiences.

A young man aims to do something more exciting than farming. His homeland is destroyed by an evil Galactic enemy and he is given super-human powers by which to save the galaxy. His comrades are a sarcastic, hairy alien and a beautiful female in white with a braided bun on the side of her head. Do you recognize any similarities here to an American pop culture icon?

This mid 80′s film has aged pretty well, excepting the CGI which was laughable (though not as laughable as Golgo 13.) I had fun just watching and picking up stolen Star Wars references with a Japanese twist (tentacles!) If ... you aren’t a Star Wars fan, enjoy a decent sci-fi story and the miners’ disco.

Demons, ninja clan demon hunters, reincarnation and a naked loli

I studied Buddhism in college and there were a lot of references to Gods and demons in this OVA that I didn’t understand. They also referred to one demon as Satan, which is a Western religious reference. In my opinion, this anime needs to remain locked in the vault of bad 90′s anime.

"The Garden of Words" is another work by Makoto Shinkai, who brought us "5 Centimeters Per Second." Prepare for his signature stunning visuals and a bittersweet romance with some serious flaws.

Takao is a 15 year old high school student with aspiration of becoming a shoemaker. He skips school on rainy days to sketch shoes in a traditional- style Japanese garden. On one such rainy day, he meets Yukino, an older woman, who appears to be seeking shelter from the world in the garden. Every rainy day thereafter, the two find themselves in each others' company in the garden.

This movie was seriously appalling to ... me. I searched out reviews to see if others had had the same reaction--and I think I'm alone. I will try to explain some of my reasoning.

Takao is enthralled by this women because she represents "the mystery of adulthood and the working world." Huh? Yukino is skipping work almost daily and drinking beer in a park. She is clearly struggling with personal demons and is just plain miserable. Is this Takao's vision of adulthood? or was this Shinkai's way of demonstrating Takao's immaturity?

Without revealing spoilers, Yukino has modelled with Takao the event that brought her grief in the first place. Does no one see the irony in that situation?

What the film does accomplish is Shinkai's distinctive awe inspiring visuals and score. The voice acting is impeccable, especially in the climax. The conversation and inner dialogue is poetic at times, but mostly very realistic. There is a lot of symbolism in the rain, the garden and the shoes which is thought provoking.

While having flawless execution this story falls short in the underlying premise. It is a pretty package for a cheap gift.

Super model Jun has the ability to transform into a Devilman powerful beast. Scouted by a secret government agency, Jun uses her power to fight others of her own kind. Jun battles her own personal demons as she copes with her transformation and being used as weapon.

The characters are given depth and adequate backstory to understand their motivations. The viewer is acutely aware of Jun’s internal struggles as it effects her blooming relationship with Kazumi. Did I mention yuri? There are also other ambiguous sexual tensions in the series.

The animation and soundtrack are dated. Jun’s face is well animated as a model, but her body ... is sometimes boxy and movements like walking are stiff and unnatural.

This anime mired with manipulation, deceit, conspiracy and monsters is better than expected for a 90′s anime.

In Jushin, there once lived secret government agents called Angyo Onshi who traveled the countryside in disguise. They were charged by the king with finding and punishing corrupt government officials and bringing justice. Munsu is an Angyo Onshi who possesses the power to summon a ghost army. He happens upon a young man, Mon-ryon, who aspires to be an Angyo Onshi in order to save his girlfriend from the clutches of an evil Lord. Mon-ryon meets his demise and Junshin has fallen but Munsu still travels to continue the king's quest for justice. Munsu releases the people and Mon-ryon's, Chun Hyang from the ... Lord's tyrannical rule. Chun Hyang is revealed to be an accomplished fighter and pledges herself to be Munsu's "Sando" or bodyguard in honor of her lost love.

Pay attention to the above summary (pieced together through 2 anime sources, a manga entry and my own inference), because that is the most explanation you will get about this movie. The viewer is dropped into the middle of an ongoing story and expected to understand the past and present. This formula may work with a well written script, but unfortunately this is not one of them.

This movie severely suffers character development. Munsu is unlikable, sardonic and apathetic. There is absolutely no back story given to explain his behavior or motivations. I believe Chun Hyang's only purpose in the anime is to act as fanservice in her leather fetish strap costume. She is timid and rarely speaks except to apologize for her actions. She is more like a puppet than an actual character.

The music features some orchestral pieces that are reminiscent of the samisen and lute of feudal Japan. This same piece was played twice, both when examining sweeping backdrops of scenery, and was honestly the best part of the movie. The animation used both hand drawn cells and CGI. The CGI was pretty obvious and didn't blend well.

The movie features some action scenes and plenty of head shots, but fails to give the viewer a story.

The movie begins with a flashback of young Afro watching his father slayed for his No. 1 headband. He who dons the No. 1 headband is the ultimate warrior and can only be challenged by the owner of the No. 2 headband. Anyone and everyone will challenge No. 2 for his coveted headband. The movie follows Afro in a futuristic feudal Japan as he defends his No. 2 headband against many able foes, including his childhood friend who is also hell-bent on revenge.

It took me many, many tries to actually sit and watch this movie because of the art style. The chiseled faces and ... almost comic book style characters are incredibly unappealing to me. The action scenes were well animated and flowed well, offering interesting viewing angles. The majority of the movie is in either grey or sepia tones, which make the crimson blood more prominent. The color scheme complimented the dark mood of the movie.

The soundtrack was produced by RZA of the Wu Tang Clan and is primarily R&B and hip-hop. I am personally not a fan of those genres, but the music did portray the mood and gave the movie a more futurist vibe. Samuel L. Jackson gave voice to Afro. Unfortunately throughout the movie Afro only muttered a handful of lines. I was surprised to read he also dubbed Ninja Ninja. Jackson's legendary bravado is truly lost on that character.

Afro is a very flat, monosyllabic character. You only learn about his personal motivations through his flashbacks and interaction with Ninja Ninja. Ninja Ninja serves as his conscience, often pleading with him not to fight. As shallow as the character development is, the script has a lot of unexpected depth. Through the flashbacks and chance encounters, the viewer really gets a feel for the burden Afro is carrying by following the path of revenge. The quote by the antagonist "Do you think it is coincidence you don't have a father, friend or master?" summed up the movie in my eyes.

This movie has a lot to offer a broad audience. It will appease those looking for a trendy score and flashy action, but it also has unforeseen complexity.

Steamboy is one of the most expensive Japanese animated movies made to date and was in production for nearly ten years. Sadly, they should have put more effort into perfecting the script for this ambitious anime.

The attention to detail sets this anime apart from all others. Each cog and gear are intricately animated in the many inventions in the movie. The architecture of Victorian London is duplicated perfectly. The CGI used was so seamless, I didn't notice. The sound track is grand and befitting of the time period.

The anime has no clear message and is clouded by characters whose purpose is ambiguous. The ... protagonist is faced with a situation where he must side with either the word of his father or grandfather. No evidence is presented to the viewer as to which character is more credible besides the father looking more diabolical as he was disfigured in an accident. Next enters Miss Scarlet, a young, spoiled heiress. Is her character supposed to be comic relief or an analogy about society being blissfully ignorant to scientific advancement used to further war as long as profits are made? Finally, during the second half of the movie, massive destruction of property occurs, and you would assume loss of life. The movie takes the "no one ever dies in a children's movie" philosophy. I feel that if there had been consequences in the movie, the message of the anime might have shown through instead of being buried in the interpersonal struggles.

While Steamboy offers breathtaking animation and the voice acting of Patrick Stewart, the story telling definitely runs out of steam.

Sometime in the future, the Earth is ravaged by the effects of Global Warming. The flora fights back, violently overtaking civilization. In Japan, a perfect utopian society, Atlas, is built and shelters the chosen few, while the rest of society fend for themselves in the ruins of civilization. The global economy is based on carbon. The CO2 producing nations of the world owe large tax levies. Businessmen, hackers and terrorists alike battle for control of the global market and power.

The story revolves around a spirited young girl, Kuniko, who is heiress to a "terrorist" organization called Metal Age. Metal Age opposes the exclusionist principles of ... the Japanese government and wishes to protect all people by gaining access to the safety of Atlas. We follow Kuniko as she battles her personal demons and inspires her people to action. With strength and resolve beyond her years, her decisions change the world.

Shangri-la succeeds in creating unique characters. The most memorable characters in my mind are the three codgerly otaku, who deal in underground goods, and Momoko, a transsexual who acts as Kuniko's foster mother and confidant. They provide much needed comic relief to the anime. There are a myraid of supporting characters. Each character is adequately fleshed out with back story that explains their personal motivation.

Shangri-la is visually appealing. There are drastic color palette differences between the sterile Atlas, the encroaching jungle and the ruins of society. These differences really serve to accentuate the segregation of these three equally important pieces of the plot. The character design and wardrobe (a sailor type school uniform) for Kuniko emphasize her young age. Transsexual Momoko's wardrobe changed frequently and was as unique as her personality.

The audio for Shangri-la was uninspiring. The voice actors, although competent, are relatively unknowns. The OP by May'n called "Kimo Shinitamo Koto Nakare" really didn't create a mood for me. The audio wasn't bad, it just wasn't noteworthy.

With its tangled plots, Shangri-la misses the mark in making a comprehendible story line. Rouge computer programs; governmental power struggles; environmental issues; and personal and interpersonal struggles are all very interesting themes, but together they become a mess of overflowing ideas. What the author seeks to accomplish might have been fulfilled in a 50+ episode anime, but I really think simple is better in this scenario. Pick a plot and a subplot and weave your story.

The story is told through Yuzuru Otonashi who wakes up with amnesia mid-battle in a high school setting. Yuri Nakamura, while lying on the ground with a sniper rifle, quickly tries to recruit him to their Battlefront organization. Otanashi learns through trial and error that he has entered a state of purgatory between life and the afterlife where the Battlefront members can't die. Their only enemy is "Angel" or Kanade Tachibana, the Class President. Angel's role in this purgatory is to make all the Battlefront members confirm to school rules. Episode 1 cleanly states all the rules and players of purgatory. Episode 2 quickly explains ... how a group of high schoolers have an arsenal of weapons. The rest of the anime chronicles the Battlefront's "assualts" on Angel and other dangers.

There are a gaggle of Battlefront members. Each character seems to have a regret in life that has kept them from entering the afterlife. If you are unfamiliar with the term purgatory, especially of the Catholic faith, it is somewhat like a waiting room before Heaven. Those not pure enough to enter Heaven and those not sinful enough to enter Hell, enter Purgatory. There they repent their sins and become purified for Heaven. The Battlefront members come to terms with their personal tragedies in this purgatory. For me, the most moving story was the aspiring musician who was left completely paralyzed by a head injury in life. This second chance at life in purgatory gave her a chance to express herself through music.

While the idea of purgatory and regrets may sound like the setting for a very solemn anime, Angel Beats! is full of comedy. From the character T.K. who never speaks but just sings appropriate song lyrics to the hacker who urges everyone to call him "Christ," there is more than enough comedic relief to keep the viewer entertained and the series light.

Central to the anime is the leader of the Battlefront. She assumed leadership as she was the first of the undead in purgatory to challenge Angel. Yuri uses physical and psychological tactics to try to defeat Angel. She is a strong leader who is well respected by her peers. As a leader, she is a carbon copy of Haruhi--from the authoritarian smirk to the hair ribbon. Fortunately, she becomes more unique toward the latter part of the anime when she deals with her personal demons.

Yuzuru Otanashi moves through the story, at first, as an indistinguished character. Without his memory, he is simply a team player. Slowly we see his ability to help people develop, which ironically has to do with his regret.

Angel appears to be a character void of emotion. The enforcer of rules and enemy of the Battlefront has very different intents than originally thought. Her moe voice and design help the viewer to not dislike the character.

Music plays an important part of Angel Beats! The Battlefront's diversionary tactics usually involve staging an unapproved concert. I appreciate that the band was an all girl's rock band instead of the stereotypical girl pop idols you encounter so often in anime. The concert scenes are beautifully choreographed with light effects that have an almost cinematic quality. The rest of the anime visual pales to the quality of the concert scenes.

The anime also has a beautiful opening sequence which starts with Angel playing the piano and moves into lyrics with piano accompaniment. To see the robotic Angel play such a passionate piece, hints to the personality you will see later in the anime. The closing piece is a solo vocal number that is sweet and simple, yet very moving. The song is guaranteed to make you weep after the last episode.

I watched both the sub and dub of this anime and prefer the dub, which is a huge compliment to the voice actors. Each captures the essence of the character without overacting. The comedic timing is as expertly executed as the emotionally charged scenes.

Angel Beats! is an anime that appeals to action enthusiasts, music aficionados and intellectuals alike. Whether you question your own purpose for living or just watch for the drama, I'm sure you'll enjoy this anime until the biter end...

"I know my way now." --Ayato Naoi