Monday, December 15, 2008

Blade of the Phantom Master






Blade of the Phantom Master:
Shin Angyo Onshi

Anime video Review

Long ago, the legends say, there was a secret army. Unseen until needed, these warriors struck from the shadows, protecting justice and defending the Jushin Empire from both tyrants and thieves. They were called the Amen Osa, The Phantom Masters. But now Jushin has fallen, yet from the ashes of destruction, a hero has appeared to defend the people. His name is unknown, but there are clues. Is he the last of the Amen Osa?

Blade of the Phantom Master: The character Munsu.Shin Angyo Onshi is the story of Munsu, an angyo onshi — a government agent of the mythical country of Jushin who travels the country incognito and roots out corrupt officials and warlords to restore the peace and bring justice to the common people. He has access to a phantom army he can summon via a magical amulet, and his fighting prowess is second to none. However, as the story begins, Jushin has fallen, and Munsu wanders the ruined countryside cleaning up the shattered remains of the once glorious country.

This is an anime based on a Korean manga (Manhwa) serialized in Sunday GX, published by Shogakukan. It is a real first in that it is a Japanese anime with Korean producers, based on a Korean manga published in Japan that is heavily based on Korean folklore. This work is the brainchild of writer In-Wan Youn and artist Kyung-Il Yang, who grew up reading and enjoying manga despite not knowing much about Japanese culture. In the same way, they believed that Japanese readers would enjoy reading a work drawn from a Korean cultural background as long as it was interesting. In this fashion, they have seamlessly integrated an eclectic array of Korean culture and folklore into an amazingly woven tale.

The characters who drive the plot are also wonderfully developed. Munsu is as anti-hero as an anti-hero can possibly get. His stout stance in his principles and seeming lack of morality and kindness at times (much to the dismay of anyone within range of his guns) hide a darker past. Often, his amoral solution to any problem is just to kill everyone. Sando, his servant (and sometimes bodyguard) is totally opposite from him: innocent, naive, and sweet, she is often taken aback at Munsu's seemingly incoherent acts. Despite her prodigious fighting skill, she still has much to learn, but Munsu's poor communication skills (he doesn't clue her in on what he knows) obviously make him a difficult master to properly serve.

Blade of the Phantom Master: Shin Angyo Onshi You *really* need the manga to appreciate this film as the plot moves through a little too quickly, trying to shove a great deal of detail into a very small space. At least read the Wikipedia article before trying to digest the film. However, if you're a fan of action, and aren't too picky about trying to understand what's happening, then by all means, forge ahead. There's more than enough blades flashing, gunfire, and decapitations to keep anyone happy. The film covers only a small portion of the overall manga, so let's hope for a sequel!



Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon
Manga Review

After easily making our list of top-ten coolest animes we'd love to be stranded on a desert island with, the manga for this awesome series makes life worth living after all. It goes much more in-depth, as only a manga can (by not being limited to a 22-minute episode), with all the internal politics only hinted at within the series.

The manga also delves much deeper into the moral and philosophical quandaries that are expressed in the anime series. The manga exudes existentialism, essentially asking the reading to accept that values and morality are things we create in our own minds, and furthermore, objects that we assign value to are essentially meaningless, if viewed outside the context of "normal" society.

All this and more as well as a ton of exciting action as Revy blasts anything that moves (while wearing as little as possible), combined with the political struggle between the Russian, Italian, Columbian and Chinese Mafias, all of whom either want to hire the Black Lagoon team, or see them dead and buried.

And poor Rock is in the middle of it all, trying to sort out the insanity of the situation, while also trying to come to terms with many of the philosophical points made during the course of the manga, as he sorts out his own personal demons and learns more about Revy's dark past.
Black Lagoon
Anime video Review

Rokuro Okajima is a meek, mild-mannered, middle-manager nobody working a dead-end, life-draining, white-collar, meaningless job for a giant, faceless corporation. However; his business trip in South-East Asia turns from pleasure cruise to terror when modern-day pirates board the ship to take the corporate data he is transporting. Grabbed initially as a hostage, he finds that he is expendable (according to his boss), and so, he joins with Dutch, Revy and Benny, who make up the crew of the Black Lagoon, a 'privateer' operation run from a PT Boat that takes on any job offered to them.

This series pleasantly surprised me. It is much, much better than you would expect. None of the characters are exactly what they would seem from the start, and each evolves into something else along the way. Furthermore, the team ends up playing politics with the Russian, Italian, Columbian and Chinese Mafias, all the while trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities and various others that may want them dead.

The director is clearly having fun — each episode starts serenely, like a peaceful sunrise, and then quickly evolves into complete anarchy. The action sequences are astounding; MADHOUSE is doing a top-notch job on this anime series. Even the end titles are a shocker.

And while "Rock" is the central protagonist, it's obvious to any fanboy with a libido that psycho-bitch, gun-crazy Revy is going to be the favorite and the subject of many blogs. Her dark past is meant to be in stark contrast to Rock's mundane existence.

Black Lagoon combines the dark and cynical nature of Fight Club with the non-stop action of a John Woo film. It also manages to be insightful and thought-provoking without being preachy. All the intrigue and philosophy behind the series is communicated by the action and the staccato dialog. It also presses buttons on the viewer, because South Seas Piracy is a very real threat and it is interesting to see these killers to be human as well.

This anime series is rife with cigarette smoking, foul language and significant bloodshed. It is however, startlingly accurate in the portrayal of the life of a soldier of fortune immersed in the criminal underworld of the china seas. Amen. Hallelujah. Peanut Butter.

Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, July 2007

Below: Scenes from the Black Lagoon anime video.















Birdy the Mighty




Birdy the Mighty - Double Trouble

Super-Excellent-Action abounds in this OVA series that is done with a surprising amount of humor and taste. Birdy is an intergalactic cop who accidentally kills an innocent bystander — bumbling high-schooler Tsutomu, and she is forced to "merge" with him to save his life. Suddenly Tsutomu finds that there's another person living inside him — and it's a girl!

With fight scenes and costuming reminiscent of Gatchaman, the series has a lot going for it. Tsutomu's English voice actor does a superb job of making him really seem pathetic, and as such, he and Birdy become the perfect "Odd Couple". Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll, Bloodlust) never let's it get dull, the action is either comedy or brilliantly done fights. "Birdy" is an often overlooked jewel in the anime bin — don't let this get away from you.
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Sunday, December 14, 2008

The Big O

The Big O
Anime DVD Review

The Big O has been often described as 'What if you combined Batman and Giant Robo?' But it is way more than that. It is pure, hardcore, literary-quality science fiction wrapped in style and sophistication, referencing everything from Isaac Asimov to Kurt Vonnegut. Meet Roger Smith, a man who fights crime in a double breasted all black suit, and he's got a giant robot (but does he control it, or does it control him?). Roger's companion is a female android who is more like MTV's Daria than anything else. She's like nothing you've ever seen in anime before. Be in awe of Dorothy, her power, her magnificence, her improbable size to mass ratio, her sardonic monotone comments, and her hidden, but deeply felt emotion.

The Big O: Outstanding!Simply put, The Big O is everything that we admire about Anime. It has taken American pop culture references and made them its own. Then it augments satire with some brilliantly executed scripts that actually make you think. Combined with one of the most intense, dramatic and downright gothic soundtracks ever recorded, (and one of the most hysterical opening theme songs ever), The Big O is both parody, homage, and something unique all it's own. It may be one of the best anime series ever made, and at a mere 13 episodes, it ends with you screaming for more.

Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, Summer 2002

Big O Soundtrack
Buy from Amazon.com
Big O Soundtrack
Anime Soundtrack Review

Awesome, magnificent, powerful and earthshattering are some of the adjectives we could use to describe this soundtrack. But mere words are unable to express the sheer scale of this seminal work. Running the gamut from subtle to audacious, this is simply the greatest music made for any anime since Yamato.

Big O SoundtrackThanks to a full orchestra, the music actually sounds "big", and you feel the power in the notes. Track 4 "Name of God" will send a chill down your spine and leave you with goosebumps. Yes, it's that good. Included, of course, is R. Dorothy's "wake up Roger!" piano solo. Stick that in your alarm clock bucky. Big O rocks, and this soundtrack will rock your house.

Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, November 2003

Big O: Sound Score II for Second Season
Buy from Amazon.com
Big O: Sound Score II
for Second Season
Anime Soundtrack Review

We had already reviewed the first season, and its soundtrack, but when Cartoon Network co-produced an entirely new season of Big O, out come some more stunning music. This collection includes some re-ochestrated favorites from the first season as well as the new music from Season 2, PLUS, welcome bits that were heard in episodes from both, but never made it to the first album.
Our Dorothy!
Basically, it's great stuff overall. Gothic, jazzy, fun and somber, it's the music that really makes Big O the show that it is (that is, apart from a killer storyline, amazing art direction, and of course, everyone's favorite sardonic android...) Big O rulez.

Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2008






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Convention Coverage: Anime Festival Asia 2008
Over the weekend of November 22-23, the country of Singapore held one of its signature anime expositions. Anime-Source.com ASRT Staff Member Jsy3k attended the 2-day con with camera in-hand. Read on to see his coverage of the press preview-day and his impressions of the weekend overall.


Living in Japan: The Cost of Living
The latest installment in my series educating the anime/manga-fans out there about the realities of living in Japan. This month, we're talking about money and how far a couple hundred thousand yen will get you. Don't get too excited though... it may sound like a lot... until you realize that one yen is only equal to about one US penny.

What's New this Week: Even More Manga!
Do you come around Anime-Source every now and then? Well, we'd like to thank you. Like any work or production, we would love to hear feed back. What would you like to see more of? What don't you like? Is there a section you visit more than others?

The manga staff have kindly put together new manga for you to read. Four awesome titles to put on your list.
What's New this Week: Survey Results!
Hey folks. Our front news page has been swarming with activity and I'm sure you know why. One of our biggest events had recently ended. Now the results are complete! How did your picks do this year? Any surprises? If you missed out on voting this year, I guess you'll have to wait another year. But don't worry! We have vast ideas for surveys, so stick around and see what we bring up.

Releasing the survey results wasn't the only thing that happened. "Read More" to find out what other updates have occurred.


With the first 50 characters taken care of in
Wave 1, I'm sure everyone is now looking forward to the rest. Well, wait no more!

It's that wonderful time of year again when we announce the results of one of our biggest fan-surveys of the year!! In October, we opened the polls asking members and visitors to vote for their Favorite Characters of All-Time. This is the third year we've done this, and though the procedure has generally been the same each time, the results are always drastically different.

Did you vote? Did your characters place well? It's time to find out!!



Have you eagerly waited for the next set of results? Well, here you have it. So far, you have probably seen the top characters for ranks 100-25. Are we giving you the rest? NOT YET! "Read More" to find the link to the article for Wave 3.



Thursday, December 11, 2008

Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad

Beck OST
Anime Soundtrack Review

Not Beck the 90's hipster who's most famous for "I'm a loser baby", but Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad, the kick-ass drama that makes you want to pick up a guitar and have a life. Filled with the wonderful and inspirational music from the TV series, The Beck Soundtrack is just about everything you could hope for in an anime OST.

As others have pointed out, the only glaring omission is "Hit in the USA" is not on this album, but all the other great songs such as "Slip Out" and "I've Got a Feeling" are there and overall, it's a pretty good balance of the best of what the series has to offer.

If Beck has recently made your life a better place to be, then you'll need this soundtrack to complete your metamorphosis.


Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad
Anime DVD Review

Tanaka Yukio, better known by his nickname Koyuki is a 14 year old who feels disconnected from life in general. He leads a pretty normal, lousy teenager life until, through the act of saving a mismatched dog, he meets guitarist Minami Ryuusuke, and becomes involved in Ryuusuke's new band BECK. Koyuki's life starts to change as the band struggles towards fame. Even girls start to like him. Maybe life isn't so crummy after all.

Being released by Funimation in July 2007, we predict that Beck will skyrocket to the top pick for every teen/tween (emo or not!), and will very likely become a regular part of Adult Swim. The music rocks. The story speaks volumes and the characters hit just the right notes.

Beck doesn't rely on giant mecha battles, super-powered ninja showdowns, speed-line swordplay, or any of the other anime cliches to keep the audience interested. Instead, it uses something rarely seen in anime or manga -- real character development and characters that you are actually interested in to hook the audience and keep them watching episode after episode.

Soap opera formula? Yes. Does it work? Absolutely. Watching Koyuki's social life and musical talent develop are pretty compelling, and probably will act as a powerful metaphor for your own sad existence. Keep trying grasshopper, things do get better.

Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2007

Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad
Manga Review

Beck is a dog. We're not saying this as an insult. It's absolutely true. Beck is a big old dog that's been through one too many violent scraps. This has left one too many scars. So many that his body looks like a patchwork quilt. But he isn't the focus of this manga despite the title of this book.

Beck's owner is rock-and-roller Ryusuke Minami. He's sixteen years old but he's already got a reputation (both good and bad) in both the music business and with girls. He and his sister just returned to Japan, and might have gotten too strong an influence from their stay in America. But they aren't the focus of this manga.

Ryusuke has gotten chummy with Izumi Ishiguro. She's a fourteen year old with a smashing body. She's a big fan of the hot group, Dying Breed. She heard that Ryusuke used to be in a band with their guitarist, Eddie. As the two got to know each other better, they found they had similar tastes in music. But she isn't the focus of the manga.

Izumi used to be classmates with Yukio Tanaka. He's fourteen years old. He's not doing too well in school. He considers his life incredibly dull. He himself is incredibly dull. He has no interests to speak of. His tastes in music don't rise too far above anime theme songs. If this keeps up, Yukio fears he won't have anything worth writing about in his autobiography. (He doesn't even know if he can write an autobiography.)

Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad is a manga by Harold Sakushi. It is the story of Yukio Tanaka, the boring fourteen year old. One day, he found himself involved with these other characters. One day, he found himself captivated by music. One day, he found his life turned upside-down. Now, boring isn't that big a problem with him. And, he's wondering if music (a subject he was never really interested in) is his calling. He's also wondering if he has to get into all these scraps. Does getting a life really have to hurt?

Reviewed by Lawrence Sufrin, October 2006





Music video by Beck performing The New Pollution with Beck Hansen [Video Director], Bart Lipton [Video Producer], Eric Zumbrunnen [Video Editor] (C) 1996 Geffen Records
Beck - Gamma Ray
Music video by Beck performing Gamma Ray with Autumn de Wilde [Video Director], Sarah Gersbach [Video Producer], Meghan Gallagher [Video Producer], Danger Mouse [Producer], Beck [Producer] (C) 2008 DG
Beck Music video ⓒ 2005 Copyright: UMG All Rights Reserved,

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