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.

3 comments about Akira [UMD for PSP].

1. I have a small collection of movies in UMD format, and I try to collect any anime releases that come out in that format. Some of the releases are disappointing. For example, Ghost in the Shell and Ninja Scroll (both Manga releases) have no extra features - no choice of audio track, no subtitles, rudimentary menus, and and overall "soft" image quality. Ninja Scroll is also presented in the controversial "wide screen" version even though the original film was in a 4:3 aspect ratio. All in all, Manga has given short shrift to the UMD format, bringing out barely adequate releases.
   
   Geneon, on the other hand, has produced superior products in their UMD releases. Akira and Appleseed (both Geneon releases) act and feel like their big brother DVDs. Interesting menus, audio tracks in both the original Japanese and English, and English subtitles. Picture quality is razor sharp, the way it should be for the PSP's superior screen.
   
   The Akira UMD has very good stereo imaging, and a crisp image. If you are a fan of this landmark anime you will be pleased by the excellent presentation that Geneon has given it in the UMD format.



2. Although the umd format seems to be going the way of the beta max, I'm a fan of videos on the psp. I'm a gamer and a cinephile so the psp is perfect for me. While one can transfer tivo recordings to a memory stick and watch video on the psp that way, owning a classic like Akira on umd was a must for me. It's just one those films that can be watched over and over. On the few occasions the pay cable movie channels do show Akira, it is often dubbed in english ruining the essence of the experience. You must be able to hear the original japanese voice actors shout "Kanada!". This version does offer english dubbing, so you have it if you want it; but, I think it should heard in japanese with english subtitles.
   I think anime is particularlly well suited for viewing on the smaller psp screen, so if you're just wanting to buy a movie you haven't seen before to watch on the go, anime is a great choice and Akira, (a dramatic and explosive thinking woman/man's scifi action adventure), is the best.



3. one of the best titles of all time, akira is a tale of a gang of kids that get into trouble in a variety of ways and when tetsuo gets experimented on by the military, it seems he has developed some telepathic powers like the ability to move things with one's mind *telekenesis* Now they will need Akira to beat this menacing friend.
   can they beat tetsuo? will the military's laser satellite be able to kill him? find out by buy ing this spectacular film!
   5 Stars all the way!
   beautifully animated and excellent sound there are a variety of versions of this film and the umd version is excellent as well I would recommend the Special Edition (I have em both) for all the extras you could want. a superb film in every way.
   
   buy Akira Here! (UMD for PSP)
   Akira [UMD for PSP]
   
   and buy it on DVD here!
   Akira (Special Edition)

5 comments about Tetsuo - The Iron Man (Special Edition).

1. I graduated from an art school. Every year we had our film festival, where students and professors from across the country could show their work. There were three types of movies you usually saw there: 1) the normal kind, with a narrative and characters as you would see in any other film; 2) the artistic kind, which explores film method while providing the audience with thought-provoking visuals; 3) the obnoxiously artistic kind, which goes overboard, and after the film ends the audience will be dead silent for five seconds before finally clapping. This movie, an independant Japanese film from the late 1980's, reminded me of the latter.
   
   It's really hard to say what "Tetsuo the Iron Man" is about, because I wasn't even entirely sure myself. It opens with a man cutting open his leg and sticking a metal wirehose into it. (all in graphic detail) He freaks out when he sees maggots and darts away, getting hit by the car. The driver (I think) suffers later, finding parts of his body turning into metal and having weird hallucinations of metallic sex. (I think)
   
   This is definitely not a movie for everyone. Aside from the violence, the extremely erratic filmmaking will either inspire or aggravating the viewer. The narrative goes from one bizarre scene to the next. First the main character is being chased by a weird zombie metal woman in the subway station, then he's being raped by a woman with a metal wiretube strap-on. (no I did not make that up) All these scenes go on for a good while, never showing any sign of when they were going to end, which got on my nerves quite frankly. That and the soundtrack. Besides the freaky music accompanying the film, you constantly hear the main character's gutteral noises. You know that goofy choking sound the voice actors make in "Dragonball Z" whenever they get punched hard or see something scary? Imagine listening to that for over 60 minutes. I got tired of it after about 20 minutes. Actually, I just got tired of the whole thing because I realized it had been only 20 minutes and thought it had already been an hour.
   
   I tried reading the critique of the film in the DVD special features to get some insight, but that didn't help much. All I read was, "Wow, this film was a lot like David Cronenberg's stuff!" Well whoop-dee-doo, the guy who made "Battlefield Earth" was inspired by Akira Kurosawa, that doesn't make the film good! I've read about all these themes of suppressed homosexuality, psychosexual tension, and Japanese culture, but all I got from the film was a guy staring at cheap metallic make-up going "O-o-o-o-o-oh!" over and over again.
   
   If you're into extravagent films that require drugs to be enjoyed, then this is right up your alley. Or if you're in love with an art student and want to make it with them, go ahead and invite them over to your apartment for a viewing. Just might work, you never know.



2. This was a very difficult film for me to watch, and I would not recommend it for the faint of heart or those that are not able to objectify films with intense amoral visual imagery. I believe that the film is saying something important, but I've never been able to say precisely what. The film maker has a real talent for letting us stroll through some of his deeper inner states. Andre Tarkovsky is the only other film maker that I've ever seen do a better job of this, and its hard to compare the two because their styles are very different. I first saw this film on VHS from a rental store in Lincoln, NE about ten years ago. About three years ago as I was trying to describe it to a film-afficiando friend of mine, I got curous about seeing it again, hopefully now on DVD. Fortunately I was able to find it and the exprience was vastly improved seeing it from a good transfer to DVD. For film buffs with an eye toward unique visual artistry, I would recommend this very gritty art-film without hesitation.



3. This movie is just cool to watch - and hear! Heavy, industrial music and sound effects, black and white, guaranteed to put you 'in a metal mood'. After you've seen it, you won't be able to get certain images out of your head. Don't spend too much time trying to figure out the "plot" (or lack of it..), just allow yourself to be amazed, freaked out and sucked in by this trippy, crazy, horrific little gem.



4. I bought this DVD on heavy recommendations... and must now go beat my friends unmercifully. This film illuminates a classic truth: "Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD do something". The director goes crazy with the stop-motion and wire effects... and ends up with a boring compilation of one mess after another. I do mean "mess". If this achieved "cult" status, then all I can say is that would-be cultists are scraping by on some lean fare!
   
   I'm sure the director is trying to say something here... and perhaps the subtitles didn't help any... but this was simply his love affair with (SUPREMELY dated) special effects work. Nothing more. I swear, I don't even think this was very good EFX work for the time period in which it was made. I remember amatuer stop motion work from the 70s on public access channels that looked more interesting than this stuff.
   
   Oh, and I don't think I've ever seen a Japanese man's mouth open wide in a rictus of shock/horror/fear so often in a movie before. This was the actor trying to emote, obviously, but ended up looking nothing more than ridiculous.
   
   After all the urgings I received to get this movie, I thought it might well become a gem of my library. Instead it goes to the bottom of the barrel.
   
   Yes, I "got it" alright. I simply didn't think "it" was worth much at all.



5. This film is absolutely brilliant. Tsukamoto's genius shines through this gritty and rusted masterpiece. His way of filming is unique and beautiful to say the least. There is also some really impressive stop motion animation to be seen in this film, though its fairly brief. The sound track is also a masterpiece, if you can find it on cd, i highly recommend it.
   Over all Tetsuo: The Iron Man is one of the most beautiful films to have been made, it is pure and it is rust.

5 comments about Serial Experiments Lain - Boxed Set.

1. I'll go 100% with what Simon Leake says in the Editorial Review. That is exactly what it is.
   Not to my taste tho. I wouldn't say I hated it but I didn't get drawn into it either.



2. I highly recommend this series. Most enjoyable were the references to DQN, Anonymous, &c. Those English English speakers curious about Japanese-style Anonymous forum/chat systems similar to (although not nearly as radically cool as) parts of Lain would do well to visit the Channel4 BBS (4-ch, not 4chan >.< ).



3. Fascinating and surreal. Dream intersecting with Reality, flowing into one another with a matrix overlay, until you're left not knowing exactly what's going on... which is exactly how Lain feels.



4. Lain is one of the most well-developed anime series ever made. What's particularly cool about it is enmeshing a number of fundamental questions (e.g., what is god? what am I? What is real?)and creating a powerful storyline that, unlike some other series, remains consistent and enchanting till the last shot. Great choice of soundtrack, well-chosen characters and lack of redundant episodes with little relevance to the main theme are other points of strength. Highly recommended.



5. If this series didn't make you sit down and think about your own perceptions of reality then you definitely didn't get this series. I spent a large portion of this series thinking it was highly influenced by the Matrix... until I looked at the date and found that "Serial Experiments Lain" was out well before the Matrix. Now I wonder if the Matrix was influenced by this. Part of me says it must have been! Ah well, that's what I get for watching things so long after they came out. Either way I did quite enjoy this series' philosophical concepts quite a bit.
   
   The animation and story sequence is very surreal on both fronts. To be honest, I wasn't very into the way it was "filmed". It was very disruptive and always made you question what you were watching. I realize this is pretty much the whole point, but they almost did TOO good of a job blurring the scenes of reality and the virtual, which is basically the whole series concept. Just part of me wishes the lines were a little more well defined, so I wouldn't have to constantly be assaulted with "is this real?" However, it forces you to really think about what you're watching, so my preferences aside this is insanely well thought out! "Serial Experiments Lain" is about questioning the perceptions of reality and how you define yourself as a real person or as a virtual person. I assume this was influenced by the explosion of the internet and how people represent themselves as they'd like to see themselves, not how they are in the real world. So "Serial Experiments Lain" asks the question of it's viewers about how they see their real selves, and which one is, in fact, more real?
   
   The story circles around a girl named Lain and you never quite know if she's a person in the real world, or if she's a construct in the virtual world. But how different is the real world versus the virtual world? I'm not going to claim that I understood every little detail of this series, but it appears to be quite well researched because it references scientists that worked on these concepts, and even the concept of a global conscious network (basically our current connection without the computer hardware). Bizarre occurrences happen when Lain is interacting with the real world, people either go mad, or they die, sometimes both. I imagine this is due to the fact that blurring the two lines that much forces people to wonder who they are and their brains just snap on the pressure. Lain is a real consciousness, of course, but her concept of "self", as it is proposed is just software. An executable file, as the show states. This also brings us to the question of deity, as in who programmed this executable file? God? One thing I loved was that the series proposes that the consciousness of mankind could overcome whatever humanity perceives as deity, because it asks the question of "who made you God?" By what right do you rule our species and world? And also presents the concept that God is only God if that deity has worshippers, even if there is just one. Something very close to a theory I have quite often pondered upon. So what happens if there are no more worshippers? Is that deity still God? If not then what is God? As you can see "Serial Experiments Lain" is definitely designed for those who really want to think about the world around them and their role in it. Lain frequently asks "am I me?" Always trying to define herself, always asking where she belongs.
   
   This review may seem fairly disjointed, but it certainly fits the spirit of the series in my opinion. I imagine that many will be really intrigued by this and this should definitely screw with your mind a little after watching it. It really makes you ponder where you are in life and is that where you belong... is it really you? While some of the filming concepts are kind of annoying I see their point, except for "Infornography", most of that episode annoyed me. Other than that they were all well done, even if a little hard to follow at times. I think some people will outright hate this due to its very bizarre feel and they won't be able to move beyond that. However, I think this is kind of geared towards the techno savvy generation, especially those into hacking and other concepts of free information. If any of these concepts seem appealing to you, then I would definitely recommend you check out this series!

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell [UMD for PSP].

1. Excellent anime for anyone getting into the genre, or for those Shirow fans who have to have everything! A classic, but a classic with one major flaw.
   
   That flaw being that they didn't add the original Japanese audio along with the English subtitles for this UMD! Sorry, but that is just unforgiveable, and don't get me wrong I still love it and the English audio isn't bad it's just I'd rather listen to the original voices.
   
   Shame on Sony and Manga Video for not including thats why I'm only giving 3 stars.



2. i had nothing worg with my umd ghost in the shell inc. it's to cool dont pass this up. there is no extra content but give em time jezz anyway i loved it and i hope you all anime ppls out there do to. love hellboy45



3. I was looking forward to enjoying GitS in all its widescreen glory on my PSP. What I got was a letterbox view inside a 4:3 box, using I'd estimate 60% of the screen display. No extras, not even the japanese language (original) soundtrack.
   
   I will be taking this back to the shop tomorrow and demanding a refund. Considering this disk only plays on a PSP its a travesty that they didn't use the whole screen.
   
   Most disappointed and the copyright owners have once again let me down. For background info, the original Region 2 DVD of this film had a 1 second audio delay which rendered it pretty much unwatchable.
   
   Its such a shame to see such beautiful work being mangled like this by people who clearly couldn't care less about the consumers who want to enjoy it.
   
   The film itself gets 5/5. This implementation gets 1/5 and that's only because there is no 0/5 rating. If you want GitS on PSP I recommend you buy the DVD and rip it yourself. Its the only way you will be able to enjoy it in full-screen on your PSP and in its original language.



4. Ghost in the Shell has always been one of my favorite animated movies, and since I just got a new PSP 2000 (PSP Lite) recently, I figured this would be a good choice for my 1st UMD.
   I have to say that I'm very satisfied with it. Sure, there are no special features and no option to switch the audio track to the original Japanese language, but it's a great movie either way and a nice addition to anyone's UMD library.
   The aspect ratio of this UMD appears to be 16:9 widescreen, but it's hard to tell since the PSP's display is widescreen itself... Although I have heard other people saying that their version is letterboxed or full frame.
   
   Overall: This is a great movie to own on UMD. It may not contain any special features or the original Japanese audio track, but UMDs are mostly meant for viewing on the go.
   If you're looking for a good addition to your collection of movies on the PSP, you can't go wrong with the UMD of this classic anime!
   If the lack of special features and original audio track are a big deal to you or you just want to watch Ghost in the Shell, buy it on DVD instead...



5. I bought this UMD for a road trip so I did not really mind the lack of extras. I didn't get to see Ghost In the Shell until the second season so this was a great way to catch up. And if you are a long time fan I would definitely pick up the UMD or the DVD of this.
   The sound isn't that great with movies on the PSP, especially if there is road noise. But the graphics come across just as well as I remember in the tv series. I love this genre because it's a little scary and it makes you think. I did notice the Major is a little less acclimated to her situation in this one. I missed her strong "I can handle anything" attitude.
   Overall a great story and a great UMD to add to your collection.

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 01 (Episodes 1-4).

1. I've never read the Ghost in the Shell comic series, but I love this show. Everything about it is top-notch, and at times you'll forget that you're not watching a major motion picture! The animation here is the most beautiful I've seen in a Japanese TV show (or any animated show, for that matter), and it's even better looking than many popular Anime movies! It's a genuinely sucsessful marraige of technology and good-old-fashioned human talent, which is poetic justice considering the show's premise.
   
   The show very wisely follows a "mini-movie" episodic format with story-arch episodes scattered in between, which helps make it fairly accessable without loosing depth. You've probably already read the premise by now, so I won't bother re-capping. While some episodes did leave me scratching my head at times, it's still not too advanced if even just a casual Anime viewer like myself can sit down and enjoy it. It's a pretty good balance between depth and accessability, but it definately leans more towards depth. The important characters all get a good share of developement as well, which will certainly keep faithful viewers happy, and interested in more than just the next plot twist.
   
   One piece of advice though: if you are interested in this show, stay AWAY from the 1996 Ghost in the Shell movie. I rented it after seeing dozens of over-bloated praises for it, and so I'll say this right here: whatever good you can find in the movie, the show does 10x better, and the rest is just headache-inducing crap. Plus the movie and show are not connected, so don't bother if you're thinking it will enhance your viewing expirience. I know I will get some hate for saying this, but it must be said.
   
   My only true gripe with this show is that there is not an affordable or convinient way to own it. I would most certainly love to add it to my collection, but for a tally of roughly $150 per season, I am stuck living without. Hopefully we'll get a more reasonable deal later down the road, and maybe even a Blu-Ray disc set from the original high-definition master copies. For now though, my only option is watching it on Cartoon Network every week.



2. Mr. Bloom: The CD is not missing any songs nor is it mislabeled. Lithium Flower and Velveteen are combined on one track and Fish - Silent Cruise is split over two tracks. In order to get this fixed all you have to do is got to Bandai Ent.'s contact page: http://www.bandai-ent.com/contact/cs.cfm and tell them the problem with the CD. They'll have you send in your CD and they'll send back a fixed CD. All you have to do is pay shipping. It isn't hard.



3. I'm amazed at how many people actually think the movie is better than the series. This is by far the best representation of Ghost In The Shell. Its feel and content match then go deeper into the characters and plotlines in the TRUEST form of the original manga.
   
   Anyone who thinks that the move is the best version never read the manga. The movie is a personal take on things from its director instead of following the style and characterisations from the manga , which in a way was a shame but it creates its own style. This always happens when something is adapted from its original form to andother, except in S.A.C. where they actually captured the feel of the manga, much to my surprise.
   
   Read the manga, watch GITS SAC and 2nd Gig and ignore the movie and yu'll have a better experience with Ghost In The Shell than the movie alone can provide. Real GITS pureists have read the manga and will make th conection the the new material matches Shirow's vision.
   
   KMF



4. 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.



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!

4 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man.

1. If you think you might be interested in Ghost in the Shell SAC this would be a great introduction to the series beyond the film, however, I could not give it a 5 star rating because the english voice cast is not the established voices from the SAC series. I would rather recomend the 26 episode box set or individual disks from the SAC series first because while the Laughing Man story arc is great, the additional stand alone stories from the 26 episode series are equally entertaining. In summary I would not recomend this disk to established fans of the series but, I would to anyone who is interested to a great story outside of the movie and has a mild curiosity about Ghost in the Shell SAC.



2. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is one of the highest quality anime series of the past few years, and to an extent "The Laughing Man" lives up to this quality. This DVD isn't really a must buy, as all of the material (except for one Tachikoma Days short and one interview) is taken directly from the first season. Thus the animation quality is just as good as the television series, and as such is a joy to watch. The laughing man story arc of the first season is well modified to fit into feature length movie structure, with segments of some of the stand-alone episodes still present to provide introduction and characterization. Although the plot is harder to follow in this format then it was as a television series, it is still rich and complex.
   
   So far, so good. The place where it doesn't live up to my expectations is the voice acting. I went in expecting the tried-and-true cast from the television series, but instead it sounds like a bunch of cheap knockoffs. Most of them aren't bad, per se, but they all leave a lot to be desired. The Major's voice actor doesn't have the intensity that the television series voice actor had, and the movie suffers for it. The Movie voice actor for Batou is also a factor that detracted from my enjoyment, as the television series voice actor was made for that role. Any substitute can't live up.
   
   Overall a good addition to the Stand Alone Complex series, but if only the voice actors from the television series had returned this film could have been a great deal more enjoyable for me.



3. If you are a fan of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and you already own some of the DVDs from the series, DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!
   
   I bought The Laughing Man and as I was watching it, I kept thinking, "I've seen this before. I've seen this before too. Wait a second. I've seen ALL of this before!"
   
   If you own any of the DVDs from this series, you already own The Laughing Man because this "new" DVD is nothing but a compilation of all of the previously released Stand Alone Complex programs. All they did was blend them together into a feature-length DVD. You do get a few changes in dialog and a totally new (and not nearly as good) voice-over crew, but otherwise you get nothing new here. The only good thing about this special version is the DTS sound. A step up from the other DVDs.
   
   If you have never seen the series before, this would be a great introduction to the series. Otherwise, save your money.



4. To paraphrase another movie, this is not the DVD you are looking for.
   
   The series was edited and basically slaughtered to make the Laughing Man "movie." The editing leaves out too much of the original Laughing Man episodes, and makes the story very choppy. The voice actors are not from the original cast, and their performance and dub-in is not good.
   
   I bought this 2 DVD set because I thought that it would be neat to see the whole Laughing Man story arc as one complete movie. Unfortunately, the editing leaves out too much of the story line, and the voice acting is not good. I couldn't watch it at all with the English soundtrack, and I had to switch to the Japanese and subtitles.

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 02 (Episodes 5-8).

1. This is definitely thinking people's anime. GitS masterfully incorporates rich animation with a fast paced and deeply interwoven plot line. Watching the episodes as presented on the DVD helps to pull the storyline together and is well suited for those who wish to become acquainted with the series.
   
   I really enjoy this particular animation style and the dialogue goes a long way to keep watchers hooked. I would recommend this to people who are looking for a show with diverse characters and a topical story line. You'll be through this episodes quickly enough to want to continue the rest of the volumes.



2. The agents of Section 9 are desperately tracking down the cyber-terrorist "Laughing Man" before he can carry out his plans to kill the Police Superintendent-General. The problem is, does the Laughing Man even exist? Is it one person or a more wide-spread conspiracy? And what is the truth that they want to be revealed?
   In the third Episode on this DVD, Section 9 investigates a foreign revolutionary who seems to have nine lives and more. The last episode hits a more personal note with the Major after a friend informs her of suspicious organ traffic which saved a little girl from being forced to have a prosthetic body. The girl happens to be around the same age as the Major when she became a cyborg.
   
   I have to say that this second volume of SAC is probably one of best anime videos I have ever seen. It has it all. Complex plots, finely choreographed fight scenes, brillantly edited sequences, and great acting! It has more heart than 99% of the shows you see on television. The character interactions are superb and the continuing mystery of the Laughing Man becomes more and more interesting. And let's not forget the masterful soundtrack by Yoko Kanno, the greatest composer working in the world. This disk even includes an interview with her, along with the Japanese voice actor that plays Aramaki. Also features the Tachikoma comedic shorts at the end of each episode.
   
   Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen and 5.1 English and Japanese.
   Masterpiece!!



3. 
   I'll admit to you that I love to watch Adult Swim, and I'll also admit that I like certain types of anime. No, I'm not one of those nerdy card-trading Poke'mon lovers, I'm a young adult who likes to use my imagination in my down time. I like anime that's made for adults like: Big O!, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Outlaw Star, Tenchi and Ghost in the shell.
   
   I was watching either watching Family Guy or Aqua Teen Hunger Force when I saw previews for this show start to air on Adult Swim, I thought thought it looked cool, it featured what looked to me like a cool futuristic take on robots and the humans that are seamlessly integrated with cybornetics to make them almost immortal, But I didn't know the half of it.
   
   What I got was a cyber-punk version of the old black-and-white film noir mysteries. The series receives its subtitle from a theoretical mental complex attributed to the adaptation of cybernetics into the mass public. In the story, 'stand alone complex' is said to describe copies with no original and is portrayed by copycat crimes with no original criminal, or in other words, an imaginary criminal. It also refers to the structure of each episode: Each episode can be viewed independently of each other, and there is little catch-up (if at all) given in each episode to keep the viewer up to date.
   
   Taking place in a fictional city of Japan called "Niihama-shi" (New Port City) in the year 2030, Stand Alone Complex tells the story of a special operations task-force called Public Security Section 9, or simply "Section 9". The series follows the exploits of Section 9's agents who range from ex-military to ex-police as they address each case and how it affects them on a personal level, eventually leading to the mysterious figure dubbed by the media as "The Laughing Man".
   
   Public Security Section 9 is an elite domestic anti-crime unit tasked with the charge of preemptive prevention of technology-related acts of terrorism and crime. Their duties include response to serious cyber crimes (i.e. Cyberbrain hacking, cyber-terrorism), investigation of unlawful acts of those in public office and of high profile murder cases. From time-to-time they also serve as protection to foreign VIPs.
   
   If you have seen the movie then you know that the TV series differs from the cinema adaptation in its focus upon issues created by the advance of technology. Instead of the intensely focused and personal examination of technology, presented is a look at society and technology as a larger whole. The series of 26 half-hour TV episodes has a larger budget of time to explore the concepts and ideas found in the original manga. In comparison to the film version, the series is considered by many to be easier to understand. Also, in comparison, the series can be found to be closer to the manga; due to the presence of some humor, the usage of the Tachikomas (Fuchikomas in the manga, and referred to simply as "tanks" in the one scene a derivant version makes an appearance in), the design of the characters, and also, the usage of the characters Paz, Bouma and Saito. Stand Alone Complex exhibits the accumulated experience and expertise of Production I.G. in their application of computer generated imagery. This is evident in their digital color grading, environmental effects, and cell-shaded computer models. Their work has been highly praised for its subtle contribution to a scene, which adds greatly to the atmosphere.
   
   I think a lot of people will try to compare this to Cowboy Bebop as with so many other anime and mangas, but that's foolish. Stand Alone Complex is no better or worse than Cowboy Bebop, it's just a different story, different style, different sets of charactors and there places.
   
   if you like anime or manga you'll definitely like this show. It's complex, has views on modern terrorism and how to deal with it, and not to mention the technology! Even if you don't watch anime just give a chance and take it for what it is.



4. The show is great and DVD sound and picture are great. But, I noticed my DVD has no Extras (the interviews with Aramaki's voice actor andthe composer) even though the box says it is supposed to. Also, the DVD does not have 5.1 sound even though the box claims it does. Did I just get an old DVD in a new box? Maybe it was sitting int the warehouse for a long time? Series is worth having on DVD if you can afford it
   
   ****Did anyone else experience the NO EXTRAS problem?****
   Thanks



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 (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) [HD DVD].

1. Blade Runner (Four-Disc Collector's Edition) is definitely, and definitely, in my top five list.
   
   Excellent Ridley Scott directed sci-fi based on the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, in my opinion one of the best sci-fi writers of all time.
   
   Pour yourself a cold one and sit back and relax for a mind bending film noir exploration of computer evolution...as only Ridley Scott can do.
   
   Can man actually create a sentient silicon-based lifeform in his own image? And, if he actually succeeds, what do we do with these "units" when they go bad?
   
   Watch Harrison Ford, Edward James Olmos,Sean Young, Rutgar Hauer, Daryl Hanna, and M. Emmet Walsh combine for a gripping tour of life on earth, in Scott's version of the future, as they explore just exactly what it means to be human.



2. I want to respect the people mentioning this movie is a masterpice..
   .I never see something so boring. it is CRAZY DARK all the time, sunshine don't exist anymore and worst the rain is falling like hell during all the movie no one second is spared. ...nothing at all to get excited.
   this thing is old fashioned and maybe was "something" special at the time of release in the prévious century...
   So if your tastes are the star wars/X Men/ etc....you have big chances to be dissapointed.



3. This is a great example of value for dollar in the Blu-Ray camp. Picture quality is tremendous and the supplemental material (and multiple VERSIONS OF THE FILM) make this a must-have for any Blade Runner fan and answers virtually any question you might have had about the production, and then some you wouldn't have thought to ask. Very interesting segment on how they did some enhancements to fix certain things about the original film (worthwhile and justified fixes). If you really want to show off the improvement in picture quality, just pop in your old DVD and you'll see a HUGE difference. Highly recommended.



4. Well, after having purchased Blade Runner in several of it's previous formats (VHS, DVD, DVD Directors Cut) I never thought I would buy it again. However, when this special became available, I knew that I would have to see this visionary masterpiece playing on my PS3. I have not been disappointed. The digital quality is amazing, and it's interesting to watch the movie in it's various versions. You can actually decide which you prefer, as deleted scenes and voice overs do change the tone significantly. Also, the question "Is Deckard a Replicant?" is unequivocally answered by uber director Ridley Scott.



5. It was for me absolutely fantastic to see again this classic with the visual enhancements of Blu-ray. The 5 disc edition really gives a definitive dimension of this mark in cinema history. The futuristic dark environment of this great movie with the superb Vangelis music and the quality of a 1080p image give the fans no chance but to buy this edition.
   
   Pedro Maia

5 comments about Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 - Perfect Collection.

1. Back in the mid/late 80s, an OAV anime by title of "Bubblegum Crisis" (which I think is a military slang term for when technical equipment goes haywire) made its debut on video, taking inspiration from "Blade Runner", "The Terminator" and maybe even "Robocop", with a little dash of Batman/Bruce Wayne - Iron Man/Tony Stark and Charlie's Angel's girl power thrown in for good measure. 8 episodes long, the overall story was that in 21st century Tokyo, Japan, year 2032-2033, living machines called Boomers were doing manual labor and sometimes cause problems. A special, SWAT like branch of law enforcers, the Advanced Police (AD Police for short) were formed to handle the boomers, but were mostly ineffective, prompting millionaire scientist Sylia Stingray, the daughter of the scientist who made the boomers, to create four powered combat armor (hard suits) to be worn by women to fight the boomers and fight the evil corporation that produced the boomers, GENOM. That group becomes known as the Knight Sabers, and in addition to ring leader Sylia, her rag-tag band of rebel women included Priss Asagiri, a struggling rock and roll gal with a passion for motorcycles and a disdain for cops, Linna Yamazaki, an aerobics instructor with an eye for money and a tendency to blow through boyfriends, and Nene Romanova, a young officer of the ADP and expert computer hacker (the first in a long line). GENOM, meanwhile, is represented by Quincy, a tall, gaunt old guy who happens to own the company, his younger assistant Brian J. Mason (killed in episode 3) and an annoying boomer man named Largo. Other characters included Leon McNichol and Daley Wong, two AD Police detectives (Leon appeared in a spin-off/prequel anime, "AD Police Files" which I heard was very dark), their balding, overweight boss Chief Todo, Sylia's younger brother Mackey, and a funny little mechanic known as Dr. Raven, who apparently helps Sylia with maintaining the suits. Aside from the overall Knight Sabers & AD Police VS GENOM storyline, there was also another storyline involving a friend of Linna's who was apparently a daughter in a big crime family, the annoying Largo trying to usurp GENOM, and various Priss-wants-revenge-for-a-minor-character story. Oh and did I mention that there were hints that Sylia herself might have been a boomer?
   
   Well, it was a great watch, full of chaos and mayhem and even some very nice pop songs, but it was not without its flaws, some of which, unfortunately, were due to the fact that the series was discontinued after episode 8 when it was originally planned for 13 episodes in all. So some of the storylines, like Largo's scheme (or schemes), the family of Linna's ill-fated friend, and Sylia's origins, were never resolved. Another problem with the series was that at the time Priss was the most popular character, so a good portion of the series focused on her, and unfortunately, most of the Priss oriented episodes basically focused on Priss self-righteously seeking justice/revenge for some secondary character who had never appeared before but happened to be a friend of hers, yet she rarely went out of her way for her the Knight Sabers, who were always bailing her out of trouble and for some reason cared a great deal about her well-being (just to be fair though, she did go to rescue Linna in episode 7, and her boyfriend got killed by a boomer and the ADP acted wrongly in the investigation). This meant we didn't really get to focus on the more interesting back story of Sylia, or even the day-to-day antics of Nene and Linna. Linna had two episodes oriented around her, which pertained to her friend with the mafia family, while Nene managed to snag the last episode for herself, which showed her eternal good cheer was genuinely good spirits and not ditziness. Nene also got to put her computer skills to good use quite a bit, or she sometimes just acted like a lovable goof, which put her screen time and character development a few notches above poor Linna, who was often thrust into the background with only her greed and her tendency to eat up boyfriends to get her any attention. Don't get me wrong, I like it and I love the overall concept of it all, but it did irk me a little bit. Also this is one of those runner-ups for "worst English voice dubbing of all time" features, meaning you'd better stick to the Japanese. Some of the voices were okay (some really did match their characters personas) but others were just flat and passionless or, in the case of Priss, really overacted.
   
   Well, Tokyo 2040 comes along and pretty much tosses all that out the window. Set a few years ahead, the story here is that after earthquakes shattered Tokyo, GENOM's boomers rebuilt the city into a big old paradise, except the boomers still have a tendency to fly off the handle, which prompts the AD Police to be formed followed by the Knight Sabers being formed. So the overall story is the same, but the backstories of the characters and the look and attitudes of the characters have changed a lot.
   
   1) Originally Sylia had short purplish black hair and brown eyes, was usually dressed like a stern, proper business woman and was distant from others. 2040 Sylia has more of a super-model look to her, dressing more provocatively and possessing white hair and blue eyes that seem to change color depending on the light (runs the gamut from blue to purple to silver and eyes occasionally looking purple or gray), and also 2040 Sylia is more of an emotionally unstable woman who flies off the handle when she's not in public, and possibly keeps even more secrets than before. Sylia also doesn't take as much risk on the battlefield, as she is more of a stay-in-the-mobile-pit type here, but she does do battle when she has to.
   
   2) Originally Priss was a short woman with an Afro and a really bad temper, always picking fights with people who offended her, always biting off more than she could chew, etc. 2040 Priss, however, has gone the way of the Clint Eastwood loner - very cold, very stoic and emotionally distant (more like the original Sylia you might say), so she's not really attached to anyone. Also her hair is more stingry and cat-like (a big improvement) and she is clad in leather like Trinity from "The Matrix" (although much less annoying than before, unfortunately, the writers screw her in the end when revealing her reasons for hating the ADP).
   
   3) Originally Linna had this big black hair going for her, but now her hair is shorter, browner, and, well, more 90s like. 2040 Linna is also an office lady who has bad luck with being sexually harrassed. As if to apologize for the way she was treated by the OAV writers, the 2040 writers actually dedicated the first 6 episodes to Linna, writing her as a country girl new to the city but determined to meet the Knight Sabers and win a spot with them, which she eventually does.
   
   4) Originally a short red haired girl who was often the victim of ridicule and ate a lot of candy, Nene is now a short blonde haired girl who likes to tease and take pot shots at ADP detective Leon McNichol (revenge for him toying with her in the OAV?) and other characters, even her surrogate big sister Linna and Mackey, Sylia's "brother", whom she becomes infatuated with. Cockey and arrogant, she still eats a lot of candy and is a master hacker, but she is eventually deflated and grows beyond her comic relief status.
   
   5) Nigel Kirkland is a new character, a tall, stoic, ruggedly handsome man with long black hair (he looks like Adrian Paul from TV's Highlander), he replaces Dr. Raven from the old series and now serves as the man who gives maitenance to Sylia's hard suits. Nigel is also Sylia's lover, but you wouldn't know it by his demeanor. He's kind of the father/big brother/mentor figure to Mackey.
   
   6) Leon and Daley are back, but of course differently. The original Leon was a tall pretty boy built like a baseball player with slicked back brown hair, blue eyes, a black leather jacket, tight blue jeans, and always carrying a revolver that could magically pack more whallop than a howitzer if necessary; while he wasn't really a bad guy deep down, he was kind of a jerk, but he served mostly as comic relief, as he tried to pursue Priss romantically (exactly what he saw in her is a mystery) but occasionally he and Daley served as information guides to important plot points. Also the original Daley was a fairly muscular red head who dressed in pink/purple suits as he was a flamboyantly homosexual character who was always hitting on Leon when not providing important information. In 2040, Leon is no longer a pretty boy but more your typical rugged tough guy type, with spiked black hair, brown eyes, tall and sporting big muscles, a brown leather jacket and blue dockers (he actually looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger a little bit, or maybe a pumped up Colin Farrell, or Hugh Jackman), and he still carries a revolver, a BIG one, but it's not as powerful as before. Although 2040 Leon still has a bit of an attitude probelm (especially in approaching Priss), he's not nearly as much of a jerk as he was in the old series, but he does have a bad temper and he is easily annoyed by Nene and Daley (also he drinks way too much coffee). Oh, and Leon is still after Priss, but he has a lot more luck this time around. Daley, meanwhile, is now a taller (but not as tall as Leon) more pretty boyish looking guy with red rimmed glasses, a white suit, green eyes, and light brown hair, and he carries a big machine gun (he actually looks like James Marsden from the X-Men films); Daley is a lot smarter and more assertive in 2040 than the OAV and, although it's not completely clear, his homosexual tendencies have been almost totally disappeared, save a moment of what appears to be jealousy when he hears about Leon inquiring about Priss's e-mail.
   
   7) Brian J. Mason (what does that "J" stand for?) is back, and so is Quincy, but Mason is much more the main villain here, with Quincy as co-villain, as he is no longer a towering figure of terror but a vegetable with a bunch of batteries and wires plugged into him. Mason now sports slicked back brown hair instead of black hair as he did in the OAV (he actually looks like OAV Leon in a suit) and he is very much from the Alan Rickman school of villains.
   
   8) Though a pervert in the first series, Mackey is no longer a pervert in 2040. Of course, there are lots of things different about Mackey in 2040, but they won't be revealed here.
   
   9) Sylia now has a companion, an Alfred-the-butler type named Henderson, who worries about her and the gang.
   
   10) In the original series, boomers were like the Replicants in "Blade Runner", armed with their own thoughts and feelings and ambitions, but in 2040, they're more of the dumb-monsters-on-the-rampage type. Most of the time they're just big robots who do whatever they're programmed to do (heavy labor, combat, clean up, etc) and they have this tendency to "go rogue", which means try to evolve and become a monster in the process.
   
   What does stay the same is the theme of humanity VS technology (do machines have souls?). Sadly, this series, though well animated and well written, only runs 26 episodes, so it moves by faster than one might like, especially those of us who are used to more than one season of our most beloved characters, and unfortunately it still ends on a cliff hanger with unresolved storyline bits (which I will not discuss here. What saves this show and makes it what it is, however, is the characters, a colorful cast of screwballs they are, ranging from stoic loners, psycho women, genocidal mad men, rough neck cops, sardonic intellectuals, wise old sages, and loveable innocents, much more diverse than before and with a lot more to play off of, they're enough to make you wish this show had gone longer.
   
   It's not great, but it's a good watch. Also the English dub (by ADV) is quite good, though not without a few flat spots, but certainly better than the dub on the original.



2. If you've already seen the excellent OVAs and follow-up "Bubblegum Crash Series" & are expecting much of the same with Bubblegum Crisis 2040, then you are in for a big disappointment. With many changes from its 2 predecessors, BGC 2040 is an inferior re-make in every way. The wise and elder Sylia Stingray is now 24-years old with long hair. She is less prudent than her original counterpart, and suffers from vioelnt mood swings. Nene now dons short, blonde hair, and is mostly stuck at AD Police HQ where she still works. Linna has been relegated to a coffee-serving secretary office worker who has her hands full trying to ward off the unwelcome advances of her boss. Priss is essentially the only one unchanged from the original. She, along with Linna, are always out fighting GENOM and the Boomers. Nene usually gives them reconnaissance support from her station at AD Police. Sylia, for her part, directs the Sabers' actions from homebase. Also gone are the humorous banter and cameraderie that would always unite are beloved heroines in Battle. In its place are 4 individuals with streaks as dark as their cynicism for life, and who are more than interested in fighting for their own personal gains than a common goal.The animation is very lackluster. It may be cleaner than the original as 2040 supporters will claim, but is also less consistent. The world of BGC 2040 is a sterile one. There are hardly any movements other than those by the principal characters; they seem to makeup the entire populace of Tokyo 2040(where have all the crowds from the original BGC Crisis & BGC Crash gone?). Any other background movement consists mostly of the camera panning back and forth over still images. People and Boomers might seem detailed one moment, and cartoonish the next. In contrast, the original's animation was more lively with people and objects moving, lights flashing in the background. The original also had a better plot and great soundtrack, which were noticible missing from 2040. AnimEigo, the U.S. distributor of the original BGC and BG Crash, was actually given first crack at BGC 2040, but passed when they found it was below their standards. I find it very annoying that whenever AnimEigo releases a classic animated series, ADV follows up by acquiring then horrible re-makes. Such is the case with the wonderful "You're Under Arrest", resurrected as insipid, 5-minute "mini-specials" that ended up making ADVs catalog. ADV should stop relying on the past glory of products, and get back to the basics that made it a well-repsected importer of Anime during the early 1990s. That was a time when it introduced us to such memorable fare as "Devil Hunter Yokho", "Battle Angel", and the endearing "All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku"! Unless you are willing to slog through 11 boring hours of bland and uninspiring TV, I can't find any other good reason to recommend this watered-down dreck. 1 out of 5 stars.



3. Somethings should not be remade. Remakes and sequels almost always suck and this remake only furthers that opinion. 2040 is just not a good series altogether. First and most importantly. If you saw and loved the original BGC to include Total Crash then don't come into this expecting the same thing. You will leave disappointed and most likely you'll hate this.
   
   To those who are not familiar with Bubble Gum Crisis. The story is in future Tokyo. Mankind co exist with androids called Boomers. The Boomers are meant to serve man and are created by a company called Genom. Some of the Boomers happen to go rogue and begin attacking people. The ones who battle against the Boomers are the Knight Sabers. The Knight Sabers is a group of young women outfitted in cyborg suits with advanced weapons. The AD Police combat the Boomers as well. They also want to capture the Knight Sabers because they work outside the law. The original BGC utilizes this story very well. With excellent episodes consisting of great characters, lots of action, very good stories, good animation, and an awesome soundtrack. BGC 2040 doesn't do this well at all.
   
   This version doesn't even begin to capture the greatness of the originals. The characters; all of the original cast have lost their original personalities. Priss for the most part is still the same. Except she's a bit colder now and has her own agenda. Nene especially is by far the most annoying in the whole series. The others Linna and Sylia are very bland to me. Linna does start to come around a little bit but overall I just didn't care for her either.
   
   The soundtrack. My god, to me its just awful. Some lousy like techno that is constantly replayed with some of the worst loops. The only good song is the opening theme. The animation was not very consistent. Some episodes looked better than the others.
   
   The action scenes and the stories are lackluster. The story doesn't really begin to come around until the 14th episode. This is when Sylia's origin is being revealed and something from her past that is capable of changing the world is about to be unleashed again. The story really did have potential. But thanks to several filler episodes and bad writing this entire arc turned into an oversize bore to me. The main villian and their purpose just didn't grab my interest in the slightest. To include the ending was very weak to me.
   
   I really don't want to continue further. This final installment to the BGC series didn't do it any just at all. As far as I'm concerned it almost killed the entire franchise. Even without comparing this to the original it still doesn't hold up as a good series. There is far better titles in the sci-fi and action genres. This is something that should be watched last or not at all. I recommend renting a couple of the DVD's before taking the plunge or buy it if you already saw it and liked it.



4. Just a quick comment, having watched Bubble Gum Crisis 2040 first and then the original second, I think there is a directional issue at play. I think your experience of this anime is different if you watch the original and then 2040 or watch 2040 then the original. Though some would disagree with me, I think 2040 is great standalone and does a good job of explaining the characters under a (semi) coherent plot line. I loved it, whether or not it was the first one I saw. Then a year later, I finally found the original and went in with high hopes. Never disappointed me, it had elements 2040 did not. Also, great series.



5. There are people who don't like this show simply because it is not the original Bubblegum Crisis. They should call up the people who hate Battlestar Galactica because it isn't the original and have a party. As for me, I'll stay home and watch me some good sci-fi!
   
   When it comes to cyberpunk, there are only a couple of classics that really nail what it's all about. In the west and the live action department, we have Blade Runner and the Matrix. In the East we Ghost in the Shell (the movie, and the excellent first season of the tv show in particular), and this awesome show that just screams classic in every way if you love sci-fi action with cyberpunk overtones. I started to watch the first Bubblegum Crisis and got bored. I started to watch this show and got hooked. It tells a story of a Tokyo of the future that's crawling with humanoid robots called Voomers (boomers?). Everything would be great except...every once in a while the robots go bezerk and try to kill people. And that's where the heroes come in.
   
   The Knight Sabers are a group of girl vigilantes who destroy Voomers gone awry. In the first episode a country girl moves into town wanting to know about the Knight Sabers, manages to track them down, and joins up! And so she joins a techie nerd girl who works for the A.D. Police (police who take care of Voomer problems), a rather butch rock-singer biker chick named Priss, and their rich-girl employer in their night-time cyber-crime fighting. All that would make for a great show alone, but this show just exceeds expectations in every way.
   
   Every character has a deep personality, a complex backstory, and great voice-acting (especially in the incredible English version which is easily up to par with Battle Athletes Victory and Princess Nine for top ranking in greatest dubs ever) to go along with some really snappy dialog. The first time through you'll enjoy the characters and the story (which is much deeper than you'd expect and has some great plot twists), but each time I watch this show I like it more. The relattionships between the characters, the great action sequences, the high-budget animation (easily OVA quality), and awesome music (yes, I do own the awesome soundtrack cd with all the Japanese songs and printed out the BIO for the singer), just get better and better with each viewing. And speaking of audio, if you really like this show, the defnitive version is the Essential Anime version, which features audio commentary with the voice actors and director (the best commentary in any anime I've ever heard), and a great 5.1 surround remix of the English audio. And at something like 9 episodes each, it's also a great value.
   
   If this show has a flaw, it's the unevenness of the show. It starts out an edgy comedy-action/light-drama with light horror elements (the core of the Voomer that they have to destroy looks an awful lot like a heart, and the first time the protagonist Leena tries to fight in a simulator she's terrified) , turns into a pretty much straight-action show, and then becomes horror again (armies of Voomers that look like zombies assaulting a police station) with heavy-introspection (mind-linking with the mother of all Voomers who is hacking the Knight Saber's minds while they fight in the vaccuum of space). If you aren't ready for it it might be enough to derail it for you. If you can hang on for the wild ride you'll find one of the most deeply satifying of anime with strong female protagonists, great action, wonderful storytelling, fantastic Japanese Rock music, and top notch writing and direction (the anime was produced with cooperation between East and West).
   This is one of the few shows where you'll watch one episode and end up watching the whole disc in one sitting (one episode flows directly into another like it's one long movie). One of the best anime every produced, and definitely one of Pioneer's best. If you loved Battle Athletes Victory, or especialy Generator Gawl, and enjoy cyberpunk, you owe it to yourself to watch this show. It's awesome.