DVD Review: Xavier: Renegade Angel
Adult Swim has had a history of weird shows. Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Squidbilies, and Tim and Eric Show: Great Job! to name a few. But none compare to the weirdness of Xavier: Renegade Angel. This show makes little to no sense at times, and even ends with no conclusion. It’s an exercise in confusion for the most part. It seems that watching them back to back helps to make sense of the episodes. Xavier: Renegade Angel is basically about the wanderings of a deformed person trying to enlighten and save the world.
Manga Review: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure vol 13: D’Arby the Player
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure stars Jotaro Kujo or “JoJo”, a young man who comes from a line of heroes. The Joestar family has been fighting the evil vampire Dio Brando for some time, and Jotaro has to fight the reborn villain. “Stands”, spirits or beings that give strange powers have been awakened in himself and his mother as a result, but his mother’s is killing her. Along with companions he’s picked up along the way (including one weird looking dog), Jotaro must try and end the threat of Dio for good. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is aptly named; the dense artwork is full of peculiar images, and the journey is frequently surreal and filled with unexpected challenges.
Manga Review: One Piece: Volume 23, Vivi’s Adventure
Alabasta is in danger. With the Kingdom in a bitter war against the rebels, there is no one in the way to prevent Sir Crocodile Baroque Works from accomplishing their evil plans. As the battle against the soldiers and the rebels rage, Crocodile’s men, Mr. 7 and Ms. Father’s Day, are planning to launch a bomb into the middle of the fighting. That bomb might stop the fighting but it would kill every one, even civilians. The only thing that the Straw Hat Crew can do is stop the bomb, but with the bomb at the top of the clocktower and less than one minute until it goes off, there is almost no hope.
Top 5 Anime Licenses of 2009
The year 2009 has given otaku many reasons to be happy, and a lot of them have to do with all the recent licenses that companies like Funimation have been releasing at conventions all year. It was really hard cherry-picking the best, but without further delay here's the top five anime licenses of 2009. May 2010 be just as delicious and exciting.
1. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
It's the first in the series of movies re-hashing the popular Evangelion series, and Funimation is bringing it to our shores. Even better, most of the original English dub cast came back to do the new dub track! (What can I say? Spike Spencer will always be Shinji Ikari to me.)
Manga Review: Monkey High Volume 8
High School. A boy (Masaru). A Girl (Haruna). And everyone trying to get in their way. This love story comes to an end. With university exams, the high school festival and all the other stresses that come with being in love and about to head out into the world, these two must find their way to each other.
Highlights
Monkey High is the story of two who have been together through all of their high school years. The final chapters are full of love and strife. The opening chapter is the physical love that is discovered at this age. The awkwardness is revealed along with the sentimentality that often follows.
Manga Review: Baby & Me Volume 17
Takuya, being just a fifth grader, has an enormous task thrust upon him. His mother dies in a car accident and he moves into his father's home with his baby brother, Minoru. Takuya's father is often busy with work or out drinking after work and this puts the burden of taking care of his 2 year old brother squarely on Takuya. The series of events that follow them around are often funny and rather disturbing, but still provide for an active relationship full of action and humor.
Highlights
Manga Review: Mixed Vegetables Volume 6
What do you get when you mix two high school cooking students, pastry, sushi and a love triangle? Mixed Vegetables Volume 6 is what you get. Hanayu Ashitaba is the daughter of a well known pastry chef and all she really wants to do is be a Sushi Chef. Hayato Hyuga is the son of a prestigious Sushi restaurant owner and all he wants to be is a pastry chef. They both become very close and find that there is something deeper between them. Hanayu, gets a job working at Sushidokoro Hyuga to learn the trade. She and Hayato also attend the same cooking high school. There is one small twist, one of her father's employees, Maezawa, is also after Hanayu's affection.
Manga Review: Rasetsu Volume 3
Rasetsu is a Shojo manga. The story centers around Rasetsu, an 18 year old psychic who works for Hiichiro Amakawa, also a physic, who runs an agency dedicated to helping people who are having trouble with spirits. The real heart of the story is what goes on in between all the characters at the agency, influenced heavily by their own pasts. Yako Hoshino is the newest member of the team, a psychic who uses water to express his abilities. There is a complex connection between Rasetsu and Yako. The Agency also has Kuryu Iwatsuki, another psychic, and Aoi Kugi, the only non-psychic but eager helper.
Manga Review: Vagabond, Volume 30
Miyamoto Musashi is a legendary Samurai who was believed to be one of the greatest that ever lived. Vagabond is the ongoing fictionalized saga of this famed swordsman. Volume 30 has Musashi injured and pondering his own existence and the direction of his path. Will he turn to love or will he turn back to the sword? Has he found the enlightenment he sought or is his understanding just a fleeting dream?
Highlight
Movie Review: Ninja Assassin
Happy Thanksgiving all! In honor of Warner Bros. new release Ninja Assassin, we should cut the turkey tomorrow with a katana. Coming out at an unexpected time among the family holiday movies, Ninja Assassin is a blood soaked marriage of martial arts action and computer generated imagery that is sure to please fans of the genre.