5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16).

1. Production I.G. does it again in Vol.4 this series continues to get better with every volume and every episode. For those of you who have not seen this series I suggest you do so ASAP. Way to go Production I.G.!



2. After watching this DVD I must say I am still very impressed with there work. however another reviewer said something that I believe needs to be corrected. the first and most obviouse error is the American Flag Patches. If you look at any american service man, or woman, you will find there flag is the same way. this is actually the correct way for it to look.
   
   While I agree that "make up" has its flaws in that place, it just wouldnt have been the same exciting ending if it was otherwise.
   
   The tachikomas and a philosophical element to a, for the most part, otherwise psychological anime.
   
   This DVD is deep, and gives you some more back stories to the lesser known characters and I highley recomend it to any fan.



3. As a Journalist in the U.S., I am pleasantly surprised at how close 2nd gig is following real world situations, especially in the area of illegal immigration the U.S. I feel 2nd gig is providing us with a glimpse of the future and what "might" happen if President Bush gets his "immigrant worker status" approved. As far as Anti-Americanism is concerned, more people need to watch the first season and this current season (2nd gig) to understand how nations around the world perceive us. This is a wonderful mature series that needs to be placed along side some of the best movies and television shows that have received critical acclaim.



4. After the Individual Eleven committed ritual suicide on a skyscraper roof last volume, Section 9 is left with the only one of the members that did not submit to the killing directive. He's the same guy that tried to kill the Prime Minister and his name is Kuze. He has a custom made cyborg body that makes him almost invulnerable to weapons or injury. He also has a very distinctive face, one so distinct that there's only one person in the country that could make it, but he's been killed by....Paz??!! This is just the beginning of Volume 4's focus on the supporting cast, allowing background characters to receive the main focus. Episode 14 is about Saito's first encounter with the Major many years ago when they were on opposite sides of a war. Episode 15 concerns the Tachikoma's creator as he decides to flee to another country, taking his technological expertise with him. It's up to Section 9 to capture him before that happens, but along the way, the Tachikomas begin to question their own individuality and their own feelings(?) about their dad. The last episode brings Kuze's past to light as we get a glimpse of the man behind the mask...literally.
   
   Volume 4, while a great anime, was a bit of a letdown in a way to me. While I liked the focus on some of the minor characters, their stories seemed a little tacked on to me. To me it felt like the creators said something like "Let's write an episode about Saito" without really fitting or adding to the larger story. The writing didn't seem as strong either. How many times have we heard the "Let me tell you about the time...." cliche during Saito's episode? They should have just played the episode with a "10 years ago" subtitle at the bottom instead of making it a flashback. I enjoyed the Tachikoma episode the most because sometimes those robots seem the most human of the entire cast, if that makes any sense. While it was subpar for this series, this volume still blows away most anime out there.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Blade Runner (Limited Edition Collector's Set).

1. Blade Runner, in either the original theatrical release OR the director's cut, is one of the best SciFi movies ever made. And yes, the quality of the DVD is DREADFUL. BUT, INHD is showing an incredible print of the director's cut in Hi Def with a real 5.1 surround soundtrack this month. If you have an HD Recorder, here's where it earns its keep! Until the definitive version comes out on DVD, if that ever happens, grab it in Hi Def off the air.



2. I saw the original theatrical release of Blade Runner and was dismayed years later to learn that the director's cut omits Harrison Fords narrative. Why was the narrative removed? I don't get it.... I want to buy a new, high quality DVD based on the original Blade Runner release where Harrison Ford narrates.... To me, the movie just isn't the same without the narrative sound track.



3. I've had this set since it came out, and in anticipation of a newer release, I'm writing in about it.
   This set is one of my more valued dvds. I absolutely adore Blade Runner, and this set had everything to go along for the ride.
   If your a collector and Blade Runner is in at least your top 30-50, buy this!
   i understand it's out of print, but it's worth the extra.



4. The Ridley Scott true blade runner release is suppose to be released sometime this year. It's the only blade runner version to date that has everything in it that was deleted because of different legal issues. Wait for it in coming months.



5. VERY DISPOINTING SET HAS THE SAME DVD AVAILABLE ALL READY WITH JUST ONE VERISON, THERE WAS VHS VERSION THAT HAD THE NARRATION AND MORE GRAPHIC SCENES THAT WERE DELETED IN THE THEATRICAL VERSION FOR BEING TO GRAPHIC WHY CANT WE GET THIS VERSION ON DVD WHATS UP!

3 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 06 (Special Edition).

1. I was kind of annoyed this box set only included episodes 21, 22, and 23. Then I found out, Volume 07 will include the last 4 episodes of this series. So we are getting pretty close to the end, which is unfortunate for fans of the series.
   
   Regardless, with the limited edition version, you get the usual 2 Disc DVDs (Disc 1-DD audio, Disc 2-DTS audio) and this time around we get the following 2 figurines; Tachikoma (Vulcan Type) & President and Maid (Secret).
   
   I haven't viewed the 3 episodes yet, which include 21-'Embarrasment', 22-'Reversal', 23-'Martial Law'. I'm still waiting for a new widescreen HDTV display to view it on. However, based on the rest of the series which I've thoroughly enjoyed, I am counting on more of the same top notch production values with the usual solid storyline.
   
   There are already rumors of a 3rd GIG series coming out in Japan this winter...keep your fingers crossed.
   
   Meanwhile, in the here and now, this is easily the best anime drama series out there. If you still haven't watched this series, I strongly urge you to give it a try. Nothing comes close to the maturity found in this adult storyline/plot. You have to go back to the original Ghost in the Shell movie or even AKIRA for this kind of production value in an anime.



2. I really enjoy the series. But who's idea was it to put the second series special editions in tins?! They are virtually impossible to get the DVD out. The potential for some to crack the disk is too great. And the tins take up twice the space as a normal clam shell dvd box. The makers may think it is cool as a collectable, but I think it is really annoying. Keep with the clam shell covers!



3. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

3 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 05 (Special Edition).

1. Just got this out of the cellophane! Two days is amazingly quick service. This does have the collectable toys in it. This time it is Togusa, completing the Laughing Man logo base with Batou and Motoko. There is also a black Tachikoma. It is two disks. Two more releases and this series will be complete!



2. You have to see the whole series to understand, however I can safely say that you are a sophisticated type of person, this will interest you anime or not!



3. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 01 (Special Edition).

1. Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell- in all of its incarnations- is an exceptionally literate and stimulating franchise. But the best of these incarnations is the second season of Stand Alone Complex, directed by Mamoru Oshii. Even at the most superficial level, the visual and sound design of the series are pathbreaking. But Shirow's vision for the manga was deeply informed by artificial intelligence theory and philosophy of mind. This series continues to explore these themes, even as Oshii has added on layers of international politics, speculative history, diplomacy, systems theory, law, bureacratic infighting, Japanese culture. The final product is even richer intellectual and dramatic material than its closest rival, the new Battlestar Galactica. Unlike the Matrix, this series gets better with each installment, with a bit more of the puzzle revealed in each installment. This is because - also unlike the Matrix- there is a POINT. This is not an endless symposium on the dualing natures of technology and humanity, it is thesis-driven and these questions are ultimately RESOLVED. The stories are so complex and the pace of the series is so quick that many viewers complain that it is impossible to follow. But this is merely an invitation to multiple viewings, and they repay the effort with interest.



2. As a fan of the Matrix, Stargate, and other Sci-Fi type films, I was given as vol. 5 of 2nd Gig, as a gift by a well intentioned, but uniformed family member. I think the person thought it was the entire season, so did I when I opened it, but as you know, or learn, there are 3 episodes per volume.
   
   Review of the story, the concept is not new, but very inventive in the twist on the Bionic Man (6 million dollar man) story from the US series in the 70's, staring Lee Majors. Additionally, with the fame of secret service, government intelligence drama, (Tom Clancy's CIA, Broccoli's 007, the many KGB stories, Israeli Mossad, Japan has entered the mix with its own fictional (or is it) "Section 9" of the Public Safety Ministry. Like their Anglo counter parts, this supper secret agency answer only to the Japanese Prime minister, has lots of high tech gadgetry, even more heavy duty fire power, and more importantly, a very keen nose for high level government corruption and conspiracy.
   One of the more notable plot devices used by the author is the "tochcoma" which is not a fancy car, not an invisible submarine, nor a super plane or helicopter, though Section 9 does possess all those things, what a tochcoma is, only the Japanese could think this up, a "think tank," in the literal since of the phrase. It is a tank, which can think, talk, solve problems, follow you around like a 20 ton puppy, and of course, save the day with a 88mm howitzer when everything else in your bag seems to fail. The tochcoma does provide both a sub plot of its own, and at the same time, becomes a vehicle to move the main along with the story begins to drag. The author, similar to Tom Clancy, likes to have lots of elaborate complex dialog essentially to explain, "why are we here?" The author does take a serious look a possible future of the world and technology in the same vein Blade Runner. If you like Blade Runner, you will probably enjoy this too. The only criticism I can offer is, the author, in an effort to explore the plight of the refugees, does not explain in more detail, the plight of the refugees. The refugee protagonist, is not in fact a refugee, but a mysterious enigma of nobility who was part of the original research in prosthetics, same as the Major, the female good guy protagonist. There are some other minor plot flaws that we could discuss, but not necessarily debilitating to the story. Besides, it is the flaws in literature, that makes it worth discussion. Overall, this is an excellent piece of work for television, home theater that is worth watching, often more than once. Take note of the opening theme, which the lyrics are in Latin, English and Russian, with subtitles, this is novel, and quite interesting.



3. 2nd gig picks up storywise where the last left off. Section 9 is given the opportunity to get another mission. However it has to be executed perfect, because the public hasn't forgot the scandal they were behind at the end of the last series. All the characters from the first season has returned. So far the stories is pretty interesting. I enjoyed all of them even though its not guns blazin every episode. The soundtrack is alot better to me this time. Especially the end theme. I can hear it over and over. The dvd has 4 episodes with some extras. I haven't seen the later episodes yet because this time I'm waiting for the boxset to drop. Usually if I really get into a series I wont wait for the collection. But right now I'm checking out a few different shows that to me are far better than this. If your already a fan, and you enjoyed the last season plus the movie. Then your most likely going to enjoy this one.



4. I own both the Ghost in the Shell movies, and both complete series. They are very intelligent and very well scripted stories. The first movie, especially, is a masterpiece. If you are into linear, simple action ANIME, you may not like these, because (especially in the two GIGs) the story is very complicated.
   
   I purchased the 2nd GIG from eBay, where I ordered a very inexpensive box which included the complete series. I am writing this review mostly to warn you against doing this, or at least so that you know what you are likely to purchase if you do as I did. The box is, I believe, a copyrighted original, which is much cheaper than the products sold by Amazon because the box is an Asian import. The video quality is good, as well as the sound. There is no dubbing, so all the dialogues are in Japanese, but I don't care about this, and actually I think the Japanese versions are much better than the English versions anyway, because the Japanase actors involved in this sort of production are much better professional than the 2nd or 3rd rate folks who dub the US versions.
   
   So, where is the problem? The SUBTITLES... In the cheap complete box I purchased the subtitles of many (fortunately not all) episodes are so bad that you often literally CANNOT understand what the characters are talking about. Sometimes you can clearly infer that the characters are saying the OPPOSITE of what the subtitle suggests. Grammar and syntax are all over the place, and there are sometimes words which are just made up. It is clear that the translation was done by a Japanese with a VERY poor knowledge of the English language, and no one English-speaking professional was consulted. I was surprised by this, because I purchased an equally cheap complete box of the first GIG, and in that case the translation was spotless. But you truly have to consider that if you buy a cheap box for the 2nd GIG chances are you will end up with a hardly comprehensible series, and given the complexity of the storyline, this will seriously affect your ability to enjoy your purchase.
   
   This said, AS FAR AS I COULD UNDERSTAND, the 2nd GIG is excellent, even if I have the feeling that the first had better artwork. Anyway, it's still a very stimulating ANIME story, but just make sure you know what you are buying if you decide to go ahead with the purchase.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 05 (Special Edition).

1. Mixing business with pleasure, in a break from Section 9 business in London, the normally dour Chief Aramaki pays a visit to an old flame whose company has become involved with organized crime. He declines her request for help but the situation is decided for him when two thugs break in on him and his girl and the cop in charge of the rescue doesn't want any survivors! In an unusual move, the second episode on this dvd also puts Aramaki front and center as the son of one of his old friends is suspected of planning the assassination of a Chinese Foreign Minister. Episode 19, "Captivated" involves the abduction of a government official's daughter by a kidnapping ring that sells body parts and organs. The last episode goes back to the subplot of the Laughing Man which has become a little long in the tooth because it has been diluted by so many intervening episodes. Togusa takes it upon himself to follow a lead from a past episode in which he went undercover in a cyberbrain mental institute.
   
   These episodes suffered a little from talking head syndrome, but nothing bad enough to bring them down to mediocrity. SAC is still one of the finest anime series out there. The animation flows and the characters are deep. It's cool that the background characters have a past as well, just like humans. Everyone we talk to in daily life has a lifetime of experiences that we don't know about. The best anime, like SAC, mirror real people, living human beings. The action sequences, when they happen, are equal to anything in live-action film. Great show.



2. This may be obvious for many anime watchers but the wordiness of dialog may be a bit much if you're trying to read the subtitles when watching with the original Japanese audio track.
   One of the Aramaki stand alone episodes drove me to laughing out loud, at the situation the robbers get themselves into and how they are following Aramaki's orders. It definitely showcases his leadership skills to complete strangers. The baddies in the last episode and other episodes not mentioned left me with feeling that the creators were going for. You not only feel for the victims but also the perps(in some cases).It just strengthens the riveting nature of this series. The whole watching experience was a joy and had me wanting more. On to DVD #6...



3. I would rate the show as 5 stars, this is a review of the extras and features of the Special Edition issue.
   I recently bought all the Special Edition releases of "Stand Alone Complex" after trying to research what I was going to get as extras not included in the regular edition. I found the listings on Amazon's product details to be a little confusing and incomplete on some of the volumes so I decided to write this guide for others trying to decide. I'm not going to review the "Ghost in the Shell" episodes or the series in general because there are so many excellent reviews already on this site, and most of you probably know about this great anime TV series already. There are various other reviews that say that some of the DVD's and CD's have errors on them and Bandai will replace them with corrected discs if you send them in for exchange. I have not ran into problems yet, although I haven't gone through the whole series either. And I will also state that I love the TV series as well as both movies, but I would recommend the Imported Region 2 version of GITS2:Innocence if you have a region free DVD player. Dreamworks really messed up that release omiting the English dub and putting Hard of Hearing subtitles instead of regular ones on the early issues of that movie. Most people find them very distracting and annoying.
   
   First off the discs themselves, you get two DVD discs in each volume with the same episodes on both discs. Volumes 1-5 have 4 episodes each, 6 and 7 have 3 episodes each making 26 episodes total in the series. Both discs are Anamorphic wide screen encoded directly from the High-Definition Masters. Both Discs also have English subtitles. Each set also has two interviews with voice cast or someone associated with the production of the anime, and a printed DVD insert pamphlet or booklet with different interviews and such for each volume. All discs are Region 1.
   
   Disc one has Dolby Digital 5.1 in Japanese and English, and Dolby Digital 2.0 in English and Japanese.
   
   Disc two has DTS 5.1 in English and Japanese and a Dolby Digital 2.0 English track.
   
   Volumes 1 and 2 include soundtrack CD's of the music of Yoko Kanno, the most excellent and versatile composer of the music in the TV series. Anime lovers know her work from the many fine soundtracks that she's done for countless other anime movies and TV series.
   
   Volume 3 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Major Kusanagi graphic on the back. Nice shirt!
   
   Volumes 4 and 5 have a collectable I.D. cards for a section 9 member.
   
   Volume 6 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Batou graphic on the back, and another I.D. card. Nice shirt again!
   
   Volume 7 has another Tee-Shirt! This time it's a White XL with the section 9 logo on the front, and the Laughing Man logo on the back! Once again nice shirt! It also comes with a tin box that's supposed to hold all 7 volumes of the DVD set. I was excited about getting the box but when it arrived I was disappointed with the design. It's kind of like the rectangular lunch box that you used to take to school as a kid, without the handle and latch. Its also of a thinner metal that dents easily. It has marketing type of printing on the backside that pertains to vol. 7 only, and the DVD cases stack inside one on top of the other. The spines of the cases are not visible when you open the box, only the front of the last case you put in. So you have to take all the cases out of the tin to get to a specific volume. There's also not room for the cardboard sleves that the DVD's were in when you got the individual volumes, and no room for the soundtrack CD's either. All said, I was disappointed with the box. Because of it's odd dimensions it doesn't stack in well with my DVD library. I would have much preferred the normal five sided box that usually comes with DVD sets.
   
   Overall I'd say it's worth it to buy volumes 3, 6 and 7 new to get the shirts if they interest you and pick up the others used if you can to save some money on the series. That is if you're interested in the DTS soundtrack options. I much prefer the DTS mixes to Dolby Digital and wanted the soundtrack CD's as well. Also the cardboard boxes that come with volumes 3 and 6 are better than the tin box to store your set in when you complete the series, if you stack them on shelves one row of DVD's on top of another row, and you can fit the movies into those boxes as well to fill them the rest of the way.



4. I got the special edition but to my unpleasant suprise the ID card was missing. At least the show is so good that I could overlook it.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Ergo Proxy, Volume 1: Awakening (Limited Edition).

1. Ergo Proxy is very stylish, very well drawn, and features a wonderful soundtrack and beautiful voices. This anime continues the growing trend of hiring English dub actors who can actually act, and the result is a dub easily on par with Ghost in the Shell or Fullmetal Alchemist. Character design and general production design is drop-dead gorgeous, with a wonderful use of color and just enough stylizing to be distinct, but not garish. It's just refreshing to see an anime that does not follow the trend towards bland homogeneity in character design (as seen in Scrapped Princess, Mai-HIME, and so on) these days, so right there it has an edge over most of the other anime being released Stateside these days.
   
   So where does it go wrong? What keeps it out of the pantheon of Great Anime, where it would stand beside the likes of Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion?
   
   Mainly, the problem is with the characters and their ability to support the story. I'm only 4 episodes in, which isn't enough time to start making firm judgments about either, but it the show certainly gets off to a rough start as far as writing is concerned.
   
   The main character, Re-I Mayer, is not badly written, she just seems flat. Her dialog is strong, and she shows some refreshing vulnerability under stress, but so far almost nothing has been revealed about what her personal life was like before the events of the series begins turning it upside down. Who are her friends? Did she join the Intelligence Bureau because she wanted to, or because of family pressure? Her grandfather is the Regent of the city (which is sort of like being mayor, but a lot creepier), but we don't know anything about her parents. Because she only interacts with other humans in a professional capacity, we have not yet seen her in an unguarded moment. She is shown to be bored and dissatisfied with her life before she stumbles across the Proxy case, but why this drives her so strongly to investigate the Proxy, even to the determent of her career, isn't made clear. We can see that she has a very strong motivation, but it is difficult to understand what it is.
   
   The other primary character so far is an immigrant to the city named Vincent Law who is struggling to get accepted as a citizen. His motivation is much easier to grasp, but a lack of screen time in the first volume means his backstory hasn't made much of an appearance yet. Towards the end of the volume he displays some intriguing promise to develop further as the series goes on with a flash of unexpected aggression. Hopefully the story will slow down enough for him to show some emotional state other than professionally repressed, cringing in terror, or confused and delirious.
   
   The weakness of the characters is not unforgivable- certainly they are no worse than Ghost in the Shell, and there is plenty of time for them to grow and gain depth- but right out of the gate they just don't grab me as strongly as some other series I've seen. The main reason this problem sticks out is because the story- so far- is interesting, but not anything special or unique. It's a dystopian future with plenty of economic inequity and hints of a grand government/corporate conspiracy, complete with a military research project gone horribly wrong. Stories with robots gaining self-awareness, corporate police states, and ecological catastrophes have all been done before. This story doesn't break any new ground, but it does go over already-known territory very, very well.
   
   Again, I stress that with only Volume 1 out at this time, final judgments about the series cannot be made. I certainly enjoyed the episodes I've seen, and I'll pick up Volume 2 as soon as it comes out. It is generally a high quality show, and lacks a lot of distinctive anime weirdness, making it one of the most accessible series to mainstream audiences to be released in years.
   
   Bottom line: Volume 1 was quite good, but Ergo Proxy isn't a classic yet.



2. "Ergo Proxy" is one of the most beautiful anime ever made. It's also very complex, filled with allusions mysterious and even more mysterious, obscure, opaque, a story about the search for self and meaning in a bleak post-apocalyptic world of domed cities, androids ("autoraves"), warfare, and death. The heroine, Real Mayar (also Re-l Mayer), is stunningly beautiful as she undertakes to unravel the mysteries of a killer freak as she befriends an oddly lonely immigrant named Vincent Law.
   
   But, a warning: if you want cartoons that spell out all the details a la "Hamtaro" or "Cinderella", you will be bored witless and irritated by "Ergo Proxy." The premise is that the *viewer* also participates in Ergo Proxy's search for self and meaning. It is distinctly intellectual, in the sense of thoughtful: the viewer is *expected* to ponder over meaning, especially the meanings of identity and memory. Entire scenes exist solely to create analogies between what Real and Vincent do and the viewer's consensus (although false) beliefs about reality. "Ergo Proxy" operates in the interstices of such realities, in sepia, gray, and icy blue images of radical incompleteness.
   
   Visually, Ergo Proxy has only rarely been equaled in animation. It has a hard-to-describe kind of lyrical bleakness offset by Real's beauty - which is just one of the contradictions that suffuse the story. If you want everything telegraphed by the middle of episode 1, watch something else. But for a depiction of what used to be called "existential" search, "Ergo Proxy" is superb - vivid, gorgeous, lots of action scenes, all in a world that we recognize as our own.



3. I broke down and bought the first three volumes of Ergo Proxy (the first volume was in the box-set that has the Bonus Volume), even though I swore to myself I was going to wait until I finished completing Tokko and then got Heat Guy J and The Last Exile in my collection.
   
   I knew I was going to love ergo Proxy, and I was right, From the very beginning I was stunned by the artwork and animation - and the computer animation surrounding is absolutely gorgeous. I actually started Episode One over and watched it in Japanese without the subtitles just so I could look at the animation and not let the story get in the way - this didn't spoil much because the first episode is basically set-up anyway.
   
   I rewatched the first episode two more times - once in Japanese with the subtitles and then in English. Though the English voicework is capable, it should be noted that Re-L's personality is a lot different in Japanese than in English. If you watch the scene where her auto-reiv Iggy is driving her to work near the beginning of episode one in both languages, you'll see. In English, when Iggy tells Re-l that her grandfather thinks of her as his 'little princess' (or something akin to that), she agrees with her andro-chauffeur; In Japanese however, Re-l responds by giving Iggy a small warning by saying his name in a chastising tone... she knows that Iggy is just a machine and treats him as such. "I can't take it anymore!" she cries, growing quickly tired of the upgrade that auto-reiv's have that makes them chit-chat about recent events, weather, etc. Installed to make them seem more human, Re-l doesn't seem too thrilled with the component so tells Iggy to disable the program for the rest of their ride.
   
   Though I generally only watch anime in the language it was born with, I always watch my DVD's in English too (if I pay for something I want to get all that I can out of it!) and sometimes the voicework is on par to the original (like Azumanga Daioh, Fulmetal Alchemist, and even Eureka Seven) but in Ergo Proxy, the Japanese version is far superior, because Re-l simply has a darker, more pessimistic tone to her voice. This fits in with the amazingly bleak world this anime is - it's as if a Dickensian ironworks factory went and swallowed up modern-day Los Angeles. But having said that, the English voice actress Megan Hollingshead is still very good (and light years better than the English voice actress in Ghost In The Shell, who makes me want to jam kabob sticks in my ears), as are most of the others in the cast (at least so far -I just finished episode three).
   
   The big flaw of the DVD though is that the subtitles are sometimes up for like 1/4 of a second and you need to go back and pause the episode in order to read what was being said. That's just inexcusable and a rookie mistake - hopefully they get that fixed in future volumes.
   
   All I can say now is that if you've been waiting for another dark and dreary - yet comfortable and fascinating - universe to immerse yourself into, then this is it. It's just amazing to look at, and Re-l makes for one hell of a guide. She's beautiful, mysterious - and tough as hell while still being feminine.. and unlike the Major in Ghost/Shell, she doesn't need to dress like a porn star. Re-l has an innate femininity that shines through without being obvious. And a big plus is that the episodes can be seen several times without boring you - Seeing the first few episodes two or three times, I discovered things that I had missed, learned more from parts of the dialogue I hadn't understood the first time through, and also quickly became more comfortable and familiar within the world of Romdo. Even though I'm still early on in the strange story that makes Ergo Proxy, I dread the moment that it comes to an end. Worth every penny - and worth getting a few months before I planned to!



4. (This review refers to the series as a whole and contains no spoilers)
   
   First, this is the last complete series produced by the sinking Geneon aniimation studio. Due to internal issues, they have cancelled their current projects indefinately. That aside...
   
   The series begins in Romdo, a Utopian society that borrows heavily from the ideals of Shangri-La and Shamballa that have been wildy popular of late. Humans live side by side with machines (Auto-Reivs). Everything seems perfect, but of course it isn't. Within three episodes you will be gasping in horrific awe as the beautifully gothic artwork sends chills down your spine.
   
   The characters are well portrayed, especially Pino (which is borrowed from both Piano and Pinocchio) the Cogito infected Auto-Reiv (seriously need to watch the show to get all that). The other characters are also marvelously melodramatic and complex. Re-L, Vincent Law, Daedelus, and Raul Creed are all masterfully portrayed by both the Japanese and the English actors.
   
   Music and artwork are both masterfully produced. The music fits in with the various moods, themes, and elements. The artwork, like the music, is also in line with the various moods.
   
   This chief writer was Dai Sato, and if anyone wants to see some great anime, then check out his works (Eureka Seven, Cowboy Beebop, Ghost in the Shell SAC and SAC 2nd GIG, Wolf's Rain, and Samurai Shamploo).
   
   Pros: Artwork, music, characters, story, theme, voice acting.
   Cons: Not much to complain about, a few episodes have less stellar animation (obviously sent to cheaper Korean studios for those few episodes), the series was rushed to completion before Geneon cancelled everything (its only 23 episodes not 26).



5. Ergo Proxy is a fairly dark, slow paced and moody anime with a very cryptic storytelling style. It takes place in a post apocalyptic future in which the main characters seem to be caught up in a plot involving virus infected robots who gain self awareness and the unknown force that seems to be behind it. It sounds simple, but trust me, it's not. It's just a bit hard to explain.
   
   What this title does best is atmosphere. You have a cinematic style that somewhat resembles that of the Mothman Prophecies and a world and music and look that is very similar to an MMO by the name of Neocron. This creates a very rich and dark atmosphere to the anime that mirrors its shadowed plot.
   
   This particular release will leave you with many questions however, the stage is set and a lot of events take place but at this point very little of it is actually explained. We know basically what the characters know and nothing more, a storytelling style that I actually love but might be something to watch out for if it's not a style that interests you. The english voice acting is also quite good as is the sub so both schools should be pleased. The title and ending also have very good tracks, the title(starting on ep.3) is an english song by the band Kiri and the ending is a song by the band Radiohead.
   
   This anime has so much going for it, it's not thick with action and is fairly slow paced but it seems to really be setting up a great story and the cinematic style and atmosphere to it is almost unmatched in the anime world. If the subject matter appeals to you then I highly recommend giving this series a shot.

5 comments about Patlabor - The Movie (Limited Edition).

1. this is a smart mecha tronic movie
   i like azuma shinohara and noah izumi
   this is a brilliant movie,even though i did not see the series
   they say the 'd' word a few times but this movie is so cool!



2. I need to start by saying I have not watched anything but the Patlabor Movies so I have no clue what the series is all about. I also need to say that I bought this film on the heels of watching Macross Plus, my favorite anime EVER, and was expecting an action mech film. Boy was I suprised.
   
   The first time I watched this, I literally fast forwarded through most of it to get the the action. Imagine my dismay when I got there and there seemed to be NONE! I threw down the movie in disgust and left.
   
   Weeks later my friend who got me into Anime saw it and asked to watch it. I told him I thought it was crap but why not. This time...I actually watched the movie and I was blown away with its deep story, amazing imagination and palpable theme of discovery and mystery. For plot line and story, look at the other reviews, I'm just here to give opinion.
   
   Patlabor uses Labors, or mecha, not as show stealing engines of destruction but as obvious evolutions of police enforcement. As such, there is no flashy gundam style energy exchange or more deliberate destruction of the mechwarrior fame. But what you do get is a deep plot of industrial espionage, mysterious dissapearences and a suprisingly realistic look at what future law enforcement would actually look like, detective work too.
   
   In the end, I realized that all anime need not be about amazing action. Patlabor has a pretty good action scene towards the end but that is not why I suggest this movie. I say watch this because it shows what anime can also bring to our DVD players. A well written, well studied movie that would probably crash at the box office because everyone expects it to shoot stuff.



3. I have a small collection of anime which is growing exponentially now, thanks in part to my renewed interest in the genre after viewing this film. What seperates this from many anime is it unique use of the Mecha of "Labors" in its plot, instead of just the same robot battle fair that we've all seen. The movie does not centure around action but around the actual story and the characters as they work together (and sometimes against each other) to solve the big mystery in time to stop the terrible threat to Tokyo and possibly the entire world.



4. This is the way "Patlabor 1" _should_ have been treated in an English-language release. This film is the foundation of Mamoru Oshii's signature style, which would be perfected in "Patlabor 2" and then reach international attention with the later "Ghost in the Shell" and "Innocence" features.
   
   The new translation of the dialogue offers far more detail than the old version from the late '90s by Manga Entertainment, Bandai Visual USA seems to have really wanted to make a mark with this first release for the new company, and they achieved this.
   
   The film itself is a classic Oshii blend of philosophy and action, based upon the characters he helped introduce with the "Patlabor: The Original Series" OVA, but turning the focus of the show from the adventures of the Patlabor cast to an introspective look at where Tokyo (and humanity in general) was heading. Many elements were far ahead of their time; today threats of killer computer viruses are common; all of us deal with them in our email accounts, but in 1989 the internet was in its early public infancy, and the idea of someone creating a virus to spread death and destruction was a fantastic concept. The fact that humanity's inventions could so easily be taken from their pure helpful purposes and turned to nefarious ends was a relatively new idea, one which challenged the prevailing viewpoint that humanity would only be helped and assisted by its new technological creations.
   
   This release sets a new standard for how high-profile titles should be released, and I hope that it is a precedent that will be followed commonly. The documentaries on the extra disc were a little underwhelming compared to the standards set by Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" or even the well-conceived and excuted making-of documenatries that came with Pioneer/Geneon's "WXIII: Patlabor 3" special edition release.
   
   But the 184-page Patlabor Archives book is a treasure for those interested in how and why "Patlabor 1" turned out the way it did, detailing much of the history of the film, why it is so different in tone from the Patlabor OVAs and TV series, and the innovative ways that Oshii used to turn the city of Tokyo itself into one of the central characters of the film. I read the entire booklet before watching the new version of the film, and it changed the way I viewed the movie, made me far more conscious of the social commentary that is in fact one of the film's central themes.
   
   The storyboard is another gem for those who are interested in the process of how an idea for a film is translated into a finished work, and even glancing through it made me more conscious of some of the finer details in the film, things which are so subtle that they may escape detection even after multiple viewings, but because they were specifically laid out in the storyboards were deliberately placed to enhance some aspects of the film.
   
   Is this Limted Edition of the film necessary to enjoy the picture? No, it's not. Get the new version of the basic movie if all you're interested in is a great thinking-man's movie with a few heart-pounding action sequences thrown in for variety's sake (it _is_ a mecha anime on the surface, after all). The basic film of this Bandai Visual USA version is far superior to the old Manga Entertainment one; if you already own that, you might consider picking up this one, anyway, because this translation mentions an awful lot of details that were left out of Manga's version. But the Limited Edition's special features will probably only be of interest to the devoted anime and Patlabor fans, for its illumination of how the anime industry and Mamoru Oshii actually work.
   
   The downside of this, for those who have been following Patlabor for a long time, is that this is the fourth complete English-language cast for the Patlabor characters, a result of four different companies having been responsible for releasing this over time (Manga Entertainment doing the original versions of the first two movies, US Manga Corps doing the OVAs and TV Series, and Pioneer/Geneon doing WXIII: Patlabor 3).



5. Pros: The only Patlabor movie worth keeping, more action, Kanuka Klancy makes an appearance, the robots, and the storyline.
   
   Cons: The finale and Shinobu.
   
   Final Verdict: It's worth it, but don't waste your time on the sequels.

5 comments about Akira (DTS).

1. When I first saw this in the early '90s, I thought, "What a load of over-rated technotrash." I thought the underlying plot about a government conspiracy of psychics, a dystopian future, and some kid getting messed up on pills before turning into a giant tentacle machine was retarded.
   
   And I was right. I rented the movie again, about a decade later, wondering if perspective would change my mind. Nope. It's still a bad film. Sure, it's pretty and all, what with the awesome motorcycle and... Uh... Damn, that and the giant psychoturd at the end are really the only two visuals to come out of the film, aren't they?
   
   Man, this thing's horrible. Just don't even bother with this hot mess. Instead, here are some useful things you could do with your money: go buy some Uniball 207 medium point gel pens and draw your own hentai; pick up the first two volumes of "100 Bullets" and get hooked; "Sea Monsters" for the Wii; light some cigars with some Lincolns.
   
   One star. But only because I can't give it fewer.



2. In the years since Akira was first unleashed, a lot has changed in anime - and movies in general, animated or not. Animation has become more sophisticated, voice acting has gotten much better and I think Akira is a big reason why (along with the likes of Ghost In The Shell and Armitage III).
   
   I picked this up a couple years ago, and was mostly happy with my purchase. It sill looks as good as I remember, and the option to translate some of the grafitti and signs is nice for gaijin like me. However, I'm not as fond of the new English dub. While I don't remember the original dialogue line for line, this isn't the same. Some of the voices sound *off* and I'm pretty sure some of the dialogue was changed.
   
   I consider myself a fan of anime, not a fanatic. I'm not familiar hundreds of titles, I don't know everyone's name and I don't worship everything that comes out of Japan. I guess that's part of why I prefer dubs over subs. Even with the best translations, you don't get the full meaning unless you're familiar with the original language, in which case you don't need to be using the subtitles anyway. With the right voice actors and the proper way of translation and localizing the dialogue (and other things, if needed), you can convey the exact same thing, even if it's not a 100% accurate, word for word translation. Subtitles can't do much beyond tell you what the person is saying; they can't tell you how they're saying it, what they're stressing, stuff like that. Some things don't translate very well, and changing them to something that makes sense in the subtitles doesn't always work; you need something more, which English voice acting has a much better chance of doing.
   
   But that's just a matter of personal opinion. The English dub is the only thing I find flawed with this release. Of course, the movie itself has issues of its own - namely the rushed feeling that the end that seems as though the Akira Committee started to run out of steam. Some may point out that this doesn't tell the whole story that the manga version does or remain faithful to every detail in it, but that shouldn't stop you from seeing this movie.
   
   20 years later, Akira is still a must see if you're into anime that's not of the non-sensical sort. And even if you're not into anime, it should still be worth a watch or two. Just go into this with an open mind and be prepared to see or hear something new each time.
   
   Sure, it may not be the best anime ever, but it's still up there as one of the best around. Top 10 material, even.



3. An amazing trend setting Animated film; intense, believable characters, deep story line, incredible animation, sound, and music. A pivotal, groundbreaking work that has inspired animators and film makers since.



4. Akira in many ways put Anime on the map, at least in the US, but is deserves to be recognized as more than a gateway film into the world of Anime. It is the classic post-apocalyptic setting, a story about what happens when science and teenage hormones run amuck. The film tells the story of a teenage motorcycle gang, and their troubled, latent psychic and second in command Tetsuo. It is an examination of diverse psychology, The Will To Power, corruption in various forms, and ultimately, sacrifice. The artistry of the animation is still amazing almost twenty years later, and the story is just as compelling now as it was then.



5. It really is unbelievable just how many animes derived and used something from this movie. Obvious origins can be compared to Dragon Ball and Elfen Lied, but so many ideas were first featured in this film that later translated into full-length anime series. Aside from setting the groundwork for future animes, this film was also one of the greatest, if not the greatest, anime film ever made (though my favorite is still Spirited Away).
   The best aspect of this film, in my opinion, is the character development of Kaneda and Tetsuo, best friends in the film. While Kaneda evolves into a more empathatic person, Tetsuo makes the most dramatic changes, from a jealous and weak individual, to an insane, angry, blood thirsty villian, to a frightened child who clearly realizes his mistakes. Tetsuo has to be my personal favorite villian from any film, purely due to how well he is developed and the absolute human, kind-natured side to him that is apparent throughout the film.
   Besides that, the movie is the orgin of anime for most anime fans, and is an absolute must-see film for anyone in my opinion, even for those who don't usually like anime. I mean, who doesn't like an awesome story line, great character developemnt, big explosions with high intensity sequences, and a great ending in my opinion. One of the greatest anime films ever made, and the film that really started it all for anime's popularity.

1 comments about Max Headroom: The Original Story.

1. What a groundbreaking series and i love this movie , the series that followed is what the future was going to be, we could only imagine in the 80's. it was just great i can't wait until the powers that be release this movie and the series out on DVD Matt Frewer is just awsome as the wisecracking reporter in the future Edison Carter who breaks the stories with help from his friends at the network including max headroom his cyber buddy. the gadgets i just love some of them and few have already come to pass . Anyway Please Release this Movie And Series On DVD Whoever Owns the Rights Please. If you ever do release it, Release It with all the Max Pepsi /Coke Ads Etc. Parrrrty Onnn Ok !