Wings of Honneamise – Blu-ray movie review

At the time of its release, Gainax's debut feature WINGS OF HONNEAMISE was the most expensive animated feature from Japan, with a budget of eight million yen. Yet while the movie earned critical raves it was a stunning commercial disaster. It was not until approximately seven years later that WINGS OF HONNEAMISE finally turned a profit. Today it is hailed among Anime fans as one of the all-time masterpieces of the genre.

Scripted and directed by 23-year-old Hiroyuki Yamaga, WINGS OF HONNEAMISE, is set in a bizarre Japanese/American hybrid world with futuristic technology but where the concept of space travel seems laughable. The protagonist is Shirotsugh Lhadatt, an unmotivated cadet of the often-ridiculed (and constantly threatened) Royal Space Force. When he starts a relationship with a religious woman named Riquinni, Shiro becomes inspired, and, before long, volunteers to be the first man into space.

The depth and realism of this movie is astounding. During one scene where there's an explosion and water flies everyway, you can notice a rainbow in the background, which fades as the water scatters. The world is highly detailed and even the physics is correct (I always suspend belief when watching SF movies, but this one does a good job of getting the science right, as opposed to almost every other movie).

I recommend this anime to those who like cartoons and scifi, and look for a well developed story line. I like the original universe created that suits the anti-hero. It's a good movie, far from kungfu fighting or robot-toting mainstream japanese animation. This is a sensible, funny movie about peace.

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Vexille – Blu-ray movie review

Over the past few years I've grown fond of Japanese anime action films. My favorites are "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children", "Appleseed", "Karas: The Prophecy and Revelation", and "Ghost In the Shell." Yeah, I also like a lot of the artsy stuff like "5 Centimeters Per Second", "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time", and the most of the Studio Ghibli portfolio, but nothing wets my palette like a great anime action movie. And my goodness did "Vexille" wet my palette!

Set in the middle of the 21st century, the world has become like that in Isaac Asimov novels, with robots having the intelligence finally to assist mankind in various tasks, which doesn't discount the fact that they'll be used in warfare too, with creations resembling those seen in Clone Wars. Coming from the largest factory in the world, Japan, for their technological genius, the world soon frowns upon their quest to fuse robots and humans (much like the brouhaha on potential abuse of stem cell technology), and Japan decides to shut itself off from the rest of the world.

Naturally, US foreign policy dictates that they are curious as to what's going on behind the iron curtain, so they send their crack paramilitary unit called SWORD to infiltrate Japan. They are afraid of the potential threat the robots give to humankind, and more so are suspicious of the largest conglomerate and robot producer Daiwa Heavy Industries, who are dabbling into questionable robotic research. Led by Leon (voiced by Shosuke Tanihara), it goes without saying that titular character Vexille (Meisa Kuroki) will get to save the day (hey, it's her name on the billboard). Interestingly enough though, this movie has its weight put on the strength of its female characters, Vexille, and rebel fighter Maria (Yasuko Matsuyuki)

With a story so central to people and events of the past, I feel Vexille falls short in its delivery of everything it set up -- including the back story. Because of time constraints -- probably both in production and running time -- most of the story's revelations and plot points happen quite close together, which means the viewer's attention is often pulled away from one revelation to a new facet of the story, which does tend to dull the experience in the more dramatic scenes, and leaves little time to savour the experience.

In all honesty, I think a more expanded Vexille story could have easily filled another film, with a little bit still taken out. Of course, this is a natural part of cinema and story-telling, but it doesn't make it any less disappointing.

The fast past action slows down in the middle to engage you in the characters. Its great, like the main character Vixelle, she wakes up in a town, and is lost. You are lost. In no time, the plot is dropped and personally left speech less. Cannot recommend this enough. Well that and Death Note.

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Robotech: Shadow Chronicles – Blu-ray movie review

I really loved the movie and how it was written. It was scripted specifically for fans of the series who needed that empty void filled. I know many of you probably waited almost 20 years for this. As for myself I just finished the series in the summer and fell in loved with the series and cried at the ending or lack of.

Visually, the movie is a blend of 3D and 2D animation, with the 2D looking better than the 3D, but that may be down to the "Shadow Technology" effect on the REF ships that gave them a glossy sheen when a flat color would have looked a bit better (Scott's Alpha doesn't suffer from the glossy look, but it is only shown briefly). Glossy looks aside, its a visual delight to see Alpha fighters and Invid dogfighting in the space above Earth, with missile contrails and tracer rounds lighting up the screen. Robotech mecha battles haven't lost any of their visual appeal.

The characters look slightly more American-styled than Anime-styled, but given that Robotech was cobbled together out of 3 different TV series with 3 different styles of animation, fans should be used to that by now. And at any rate, they are more pleasing to the eye than would be expected, with the female characters' eyes being particularly expressive.

Returning characters are instantly recognizable, despite the copyright-induced makeover they have all received, with the exception of Rick Hunter, who is only recognizable (and only briefly shown) if you've seen The Sentinels. Admittedly, the breasts on Marlene/Ariel and Janice are rather larger than they should have been, but a buxom Maia is perfectly allowable in a character we have never seen before.

It somewhat ignores events that happen in the novel The End of the Circle, which I wasn't real happy about since I'm a big fan of the novels. I know in Star Trek and Star Wars novels aren't considered official cannon, but with Robotech there is only 1 series of novels, and it directly follows the animated series, where as the Star Wars and Trek novels are all over the place.

I like all that's new about the movie. The Haydonite seems like a worthwhile adversary for the new Robotech defenders. They're one alien race that does not desire Protoculture in some way, but despises the use of it by anyone else. That is an interesting twist. And although we did not see any new transforming mechas (yet), the new capital ships like SDF-3, Icarus, and ArcAngel all look way cool. But they still retain the same basic architecture of the SDF-1. And the front of the ships split open to fire the Synchro-Cannons, that's another "tip of hat" to the Macross generation as well.

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Tekkon Kinkreet – Japanese Animation Blu-ray movie review

Eye-watering Japanimation might not have all the spit-shined polish afforded a Miyazaki production, though any excuse offered from the same studio that provided many eclectic animated thrills with the Animatrix compilation could only be explained by admiring their unabashed passion for detail. Nearly every frame of this marvelous, Manga-adapted feature is littered with an unprecedented level of specific illustrations that really aims to set the bar for sheer artistic commitment. It is the city itself that rules the film, and these passionate animators do not disappoint when it comes to delivering scene after scene showcasing an unfathomable detail rendered in these massive, severely inspired cityscapes.

Tekkon Kinkreet is the most stunning visual anime that I seen since Akira. Director Arias, use of colors and directing style is nothing short of genius. The best part of this movie is its heart felt story between the two brothers Black and White. Black is the older more responsible brother, who is tough and violent, while White is the younger, off beat, childish brother. Black and White watch over the city they live in called Treasure City, in a gang called the cats. But it's the duality of the orphaned brothers that makes this story so touching. The tough older brother, Black, needs his young brother White to remind him of his humanity and White needs his brother to help protect him.

As the two brothers protect Treasure City, the evil developer Snake moves in to take over. As he vows to kill Black and White, the brothers bonds are tested. Black is faced with his dark inner demons of hatred and violence and White must bring him back.

The characters are very real. I watched the film with the English dub (I know boo hiss) and the choices of actors was wonderful. The voices of the kids were kids and seemed to perfectly match their personalities. The same goes for the other characters as well. What I liked was that the kids were kids. They seemed to be real kids behaving in the situations presented. Granted the film is wildly fantastical but the personalities and behaviors outside of the running and jumping and beating people up was real.

All in all it's a film I appreciated more once I watched the documentary, as there is so much to take in visually. All of the themes and ideas escaped me a bit, admittedly, but I gained a new sense of appreciation for what it's trying to convey by hearing and seeing the director and his teams thoughts on it as they worked to bring it to the screen. So it's a film I feel that will reward with further viewings. A great introduction to animé for this viewer and a film people of all ages can take something away from.

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Paprika – Japanese Anime Blu-ray movie review

There have been other movies which explored the subject of dreams to varying degrees...Akira Kurosawa's "Yume" (Dreams),"Dreamscape", "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Wizard of OZ" come to mind, but none have quite did it in such a surreal, fascinating and inventive way as Satoshi Kon's recent anime feature "Paprika".

I was really looking forward to seeing this film and was absolutely astonished by the cleverness of it and the absolute feeling of awe that the film left me with. It was strange in some parts and in fact spooky in others. I didn't find a whole lot to complain about with this film other than the fact that it was a bit unnerving at times. Some of the atmosphere really creeped me out and kind of left an imprint on me for a while. The art of this movie was the development of a dreamlike fantasy scene that you are either watching in complete admiration or are stuck watching it in horror and fright.

Based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel, "Paprika" is part mystery/detective story and part "Alice In Wonderland" with a bit of a sci-fi element thrown in for good measure.

The title character of Paprika is a "dream detective" who is able to enter peoples' dreams to correct or resolve psychological/personal trauma by directly interacting with the dream. She is the alter-ego of Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a brilliant psychologist/scientist who helped create the "DC Mini", a device that is able to control, manipulate and record an individual's dream. Chiba has secretly appropriated the technology to aid her in her secret dream adventures as Paprika.

The storyline moves fast, often leaving to you to figure out what just happened, but never straying so far as to make you lose track. It's a good mix of conventional and "thinking man's movie".

Paprika ultimately is about how the media has flipped reality upside-down. What makes the film so disturbing is that it's not about the future, but the present; and most likely, whoever is reading this review is just like Kogawa. They think they're a good person but have no clue what's really happening; they would cheer the death of Christ if he came again, thinking that he was trying to spoil their fun, or that he wasn't concerned about the earth. Paprika is a film about a mass delusion taking place from within a mass delusion. We have become cartoons.

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Afro Samurai – Anime Blu-ray movie review

The pseudo-Anime' "Afro Samurai" is set in a futuristic feudal Japan, in which all the swordsmen in the world are in a murderous pursuit of the #1 Headband, which once obtained, would allow its wearer to call himself a god and master of all that he surveys. So when #1 is killed in a battle with gun-totting madman and #2 Headband Justice (Ron Perlman), #1's son Afro (Samuel L. Jackson) swears an oath of vengeance against now-#1 Justice. Undergoing conventional samurai training by a renowned master, young Afro grows up, receives the #2 Headband, sets out on his mission of revenge and attempts to obtain the #1 Headband, cutting down every single man who challenges him. Bearing witness to it all is Afro's loyal sidekick and only friend, Ninja Ninja (also voiced by Jackson), who provides much of the show's comic relief.

Afro Samurai is incredibly simple, but i say that in the most endearing way possible. being convoluted is not a prerequisite of having substance or being artistic. Samurai Jack, a long running and long praised show has proved this time and again. great stories like the Hellboy series of comics or the popular Battlestar Galactica show, are great because they manage to turn schlocky cheese into high art, by giving it a modern overhaul. Afro Samurai takes it one step further, to the point where the schlock IS the art. Anime is very much like our version of the Exploitation genre of yesteryear, it's very underground, but still holds popularity and knowledge in the mainstream, it's filled with shitty crap, but the good stuff is worth watching, and it has it's own very unique style that has influenced generations of artists who've been exposed to it.

The main appeal here is the visual aspect. Being a fan of 60's and 70's chambaras and jidai-gekis I find the swordfights a tad too hyperkinetic for my taste, but that's anime for you I guess. However everything has a smoother, more westernized approach perhaps to the rapid, eyesore that often is the genre which I took to with pleasant surprise and relief. The graphics and design tend to be great (especially Afro Samurai's) although they can settle for just good or serviceable at times. The blood geysers and slashing, taking their cue from stuff like Lone Wolf and Cub and Lady Snowblood (copious amounts of glorious arterial sprayings) will please every fan of the red stuff although it's not particularly gruesome. Good, clean, family fun.

Overall then, not for everyone's tastes but in targeting its audience it is as ruthlessly efficient as Afro Samurai himself. Stylish, bloody, brooding and with an overall air of effortless cool, it is a fine series that I enjoyed. Put it this way, if you like the sound of it then you will almost certainly like it – it is that good at what it does.

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Final Fantasy – The Spirits Within Blu-ray movie review

There seems to be some hope of decent video game to movie translation. While not a direct translation of the Final Fantasy video game franchise, it is written by the series creator, whose name I cannot remember. On top of that, his video game company branched off into a film company (Square Pictures) just to go and make this movie. At least one can't complain about the handling of the material.

The use of realistic CG characters by this movie is good, most of the movement of the animated people was very good except for a bit of problems with speaking and expressions, you can also tell that the animators learned how to make the characters walk as they made the movie, the walk during the first 20 minutes (especially at the beginning) is noticeably stiff. It gets better as the movie wears on though. The detail level of vehicles and scenery is superb, you can even see dust falling as the light streams in a window, this gives you an idea of how detailed it can be.

A meteor has struck the earth, carrying with it phantoms who strip away the life energy of whomever they contact. Dr. Aki Ross and her mentor Dr. Ced are locked in a stand-off against the earth's military forces, whose solution to this invasion may be worse than the invasion itself, and the mysterious phantoms who seem to have no specific purpose and can not be fought using conventional means. Following up on a quasi-mystical theory of Dr. Ced, they set out to collect 8 living spirits which must be used to harness the life force of earth itself in defense of the planet.

The voice cast are pretty good and they do well to add a bit of a human touch to characters that, for all the money spent on them, still look and movie like computer game characters in an expensive cut-scene between levels. Ming-Na hardly has that distinctive a voice and she is rather bland at times but she does OK. Baldwin is a strong voice and suits his character well. Sutherland is always welcome despite his small role and typical roles are filled by the likes of Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Keith David and a typically untrustworthy performance from James Woods.

I recommend the movie to anyone who are fans of 3D animation, open-minded sci/fi and fantasy fans which are ready to feel contempt with 'Love is the solution for everything and is able to save the earth (literaly)' theme.

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Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina Blu-ray movie review

On the surface, the Appleseed Ex Machina may appear to be a glitzy, shoot'em-up anime mecha action show. And on that, it is fabulously rendered. But there is more, much more in the offerings for those who are willing to appreciate them. For those with open mind and are willing to peer into the multi-thread story lines, they are in for visual delights that are woven with thought-provoking ideas about: the pursuit of utopia leading to dystopia, introspection and what makes us human and authentic, coping with the past and really facing yourself to find a path forward, the self-actuation process of a clone, and (corny as it may sound)­ unwavering love that transcends the human-machine line.

I enjoyed the 80's version of Appleseed when I was a teenager and when I learned of the 2004 reboot I immediately went out and got myself a copy of the DVD. It was pretty damn good and figured that it was a one-off. But now we have this sequel which proves that there is actually loads of potential and imagination in the Appleseed universe and certainly enough to warrant further sequels.

Denaun Knute and her mostly robotic, rabbit-eared boyfriend Briareos are still working for ESWAT in the Utopian future city of Olympus when a new personal device, a sort cross between a cell phone and a holographic visor, goes haywire and turns the population into a bunch of techno-zombies. Briareos suffers seizures of his own too and a duplicate of his old human form has been recruited to work with them and save the city from this mysterious evil.

When it was done I didn't have any questions of morality or images of mortality left in my head as I did with the previous two Appleseed movies. It was just over with nothing left. This movie definitely suffered from a bad screenplay. Someone was hoping for a quick dollar, but didn't make a big splash. It is truly a shame that this movie was made and didn't live up to the standards of film-making set by the other Appleseed movies.

Japanese Anime' continues to be a rapidly evolving genre of film-making that shows no signs of going away any time soon. It is clear that more groundbreaking Anime' does need to come out if the genre plans to make a big splash in the West.

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