Animanga Nation

Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files, The Complete Fourth Season – Blu-ray Review January 31, 2012

Review by: Eduardo Zacarias

Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment
MSRP: $44.98 US (Blu-ray)
Running Time: 620 minutes
Genre: Action
Rating: TV PG
Release Date: Available Now

Now this is how you do the ending of a great anime series.

Without a doubt, Yu Yu Hakusho has every right to be called a true timeless classic of epic proportions. We’re talking about an anime series that hooked you in almost immediately and kept you invested in its story up until the final satisfying moments of the very last episode. The Complete Fourth Season of Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files is the perfect way to end a series that never really ceases to surprise or keep you wanting more. Thrust me when I say that this is Yu Yu Hakusho’s finest moments.

Since his death and rebirth as a Spirit Detective, Yusuke Urameshi has seen his share of battles including participation in one of the biggest fighting tournaments. Now, he and his friends are fighting to save the world from its destruction by the hands of an ex-Spirit Detective whose emotional breakdown during the job has made him empathize with the demons. Having kidnapped Kuwabara in an effort to help him open the tunnel to the Demon Realm, Shinobu Sensui and his remaining followers try to keep Yusuke and the others from interfering with the ritual.

As Kurama, Hiei and Kuwabara are swallowed by a Dark Soul that is being controlled by Sensui’s most loyal follower, Itsuki the Yaminade. Meanwhile, Yusuke takes on Sensui in a one-on-one fight that turns ugly when Yusuke discovers a startling secret about Sensui that turns him into an even deadlier foe. In fact, Sensui manages to do more than just give Yusuke the beating of his life. Let’s just say, that when Yusuke does recover from said beating that everything for the young Spirit Detective will change in a big way.

The change in Yusuke does manage to turn things around as the battle goes from riveting to powerfully poignant. It is Koenma who tries desperately to get Sensui to put an end to his plan by dying alongside Sensui because the young prince feels he failed the ex-Spirit Detective. However, it is Yusuke who finally puts a stop to Sensui but – in the end – has put himself and Koenma on King Yama’s hit list and even sends the Special Defense Squad to kill Yusuke and arrest Koenma. Of course, the Special Defense Squad doesn’t carry out the order for fear of Yusuke’s new power and respect for Koenma, but the pair end up fugitives.

With the threat of the Demon Realm letting loose hungry demons on the living world now over, life somewhat returns to normal for all of them including Sensui’s remaining followers who find themselves still alive and willing to make positive changes in their lives. Even Kuwabara decides to take school seriously and study. Unfortunately for Yusuke, he doesn’t feel that his life will ever be back to normal. He wants to understand his true blood lineage that was responsible for the change within him during the battle with Sensui and he seems lost.

It takes advice from Master Genkai and a recommendation that he go see a woman named Kuroko that closely mirrors Yusuke in an interesting way. Just as he is getting enlightenment from their conversation, three mysterious visitors from the Demon Realm confront Yusuke. One of them tell them of three demon lords who have ruled for centuries but are now locked in an internal struggle to be ruler after they discover that one of them – the demon lord Raizen – is dying because he refuses to devour human flesh.

Oh yeah, Raizen also happens to be connected to Yusuke in a very intriguing way that makes the boy face the mystery of who his parents really are and why he has the power of a demon. Yusuke accepts an invitation to travel to the Demon Realm – his second trip seeing as he visited it during the battle with Sensui. Unfortunately, his stay would take him away from his friends and Keiko (who in this season, reveals what she really feels for Yusuke) for approximately 3 years.

Yusuke travels to the Demon Realm and has an audience with the demon Raizen who tells him of their familial roots and what is at stake if either the demon Yomi or Mukuro are to take power. Meanwhile, Yomi manages to recruit Kurama and the mysterious Mukuro recruits Hiei. Just as things are starting to look like a civil war is about to break out forcing Yusuke to face off against his friends Kurama and Hiei, the demon king Raizen meets his fate.

Suddenly, Yusuke is thrust into the role of leader and as he takes Raizen’s followers into a meeting with Yomi who Yusuke discovers is not only blind but overwhelmingly powerful. Instead of taking the Demon Realm into a civil war, Yusuke proposes a fighting tournament where the winner will – no questions asked – become ruler of this world. Yomi accepts as does Mukuro as Yusuke realizes that he might find himself in a position where he will get to fight his friends, Kurama and Hiei.

We learn more about Mukuro and Yomi before and during the fighting tournament, which makes them seem less as villains and more like tragic figures that are each motivated by different things other than just power. Interestingly enough, there’s even a surprising reason why Yomi picked Kurama to be his second-in-command or why Mukuro wanted Hiei on her team. Even the tournament itself has a number of highlights especially since some familiar characters from the Dark Tournament show up.

The outcome of the tournament is one of the biggest surprises, especially the much-anticipated brawl between Yusuke and Yomi in the finals. Of course, things don’t end the way we expect them to but – in the final episode – we get just the right closure. Really, you couldn’t ask for a better ending to a series filled with action and surprises. In fact, I would even go as far as saying that Season Four is one of the best seasons of this series.

On top of the great episodes and a satisfying ending, this fourth season set comes with a number of extra material that makes up for the lack of them in the previous Blu-ray season sets.

The Complete Fourth Season of Yu Yu Hakusho is the spectacular finale that few anime series manage to pull off and thus makes this the show’s finest moments. A lot happens in this collection of episodes that even if you’ve seen it before it still manages to get the same reaction again and, believe me, you will find yourself remembering why you fell in love with this series in the first place. This is definitely a Must Have for any anime fan.

BLU-RAY REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: A+
Yusuke and his companions finally reach Sensui who is minutes from opening the tunnel to the Demon Realm as they not only battle against the ex-Spirit Detective but also learn a startling secret about him. The brutal battle ends the threat to the world of the living but marks the beginning of new problems for Yusuke who discovers the truth about himself and his bloodline. Now, Yusuke finds himself in the ultimate competition of his life as the fate of another world rests in his hands.

VIDEO QUALITY: A+
Without a doubt, these Blu-ray editions of Yu Yu Hakusho are the best way to enjoy this classic so if you have a Blu-ray player you should really not be without this set among your library.

AUDIO QUALITY: A
In my opinion, this fourth season is where Justin Cook and Robert McCollum truly shine as Yusuke and Sensui as their performance is nothing short of brilliant. The rest of the cast is also at the top of their game in both the original Japanese and English dub. On top of that, the new closing theme song is a nice change of pace.

EXTRAS: A+
This final edition gets all the extras that go beyond just a few FUNimation trailers or the clean opening and closing theme songs. The second disc includes audio commentary track for Episode 99 with Justin Cook (Director and voice of Yusuke) and Mixing Engineer Andrew Tipps discussing this 2011 audio remix. The third disc comes with a look at the Yu Yu Hakusho Trading Card Game with Justin Cook himself (which explains “The Dark One” playing card included in this release as well as how to play the game) and an outtakes featurette for Episode 111 and 6 different audio commentary tracks.

The commentary tracks cover Episodes 108, 110, 111 and 112 with the Episode 108 commentary track reuniting Jerry Jewell (voice of Jin), Peter Weber (voice of Shigure) and Justin Cook. The rest are 2003 commentary tracks with the leading cast, supporting cast, the show’s writer as well as a “Memoirs of Yu Yu Hakusho” commentary for Episode 112 with Justin Cook who takes us through his memories of doing the last episode.

OVERALL: A+
One of the strongest entries and not to mention the best finale to a show this epic, The Complete Fourth Season of Yu Yu Hakusho delivers quite punch that you will feel long after the final episode. Exciting, emotional and absolutely thrilling, you cannot ask for a better finish to a show that never ceases to be exhilarating even if this is the third time watching it.

Review copy provided by FUNimation Entertainment

The World God Only Knows, Season One – DVD Review January 25, 2012

Review by: Felicia Day

Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
MSRP: $59.98 US
Running Time: 300 minutes
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: TV 14
Release Date: Available Now

It will take a God to help these girls even if it’s a God of gaming.

It is utter chaos in Hell.

Somewhere in the world of the living, there are souls running loose and jumping into the bodies of several young girls and it will take some kind of miracle to gets things back to the way they were according to none other than Chief Dokuro. Oh, but there’s a small ray of hope for Hell that comes in the form of “the guy who can control women’s hearts” or, as he is better known, the God of Conquest who has the power to win any girl’s heart. As it turns out, this “God” is not what you might think he is in Season One of The World God Only Knows.

Spanning 12-epsiodes, Season One of this romance/comedy introduces us to Keima Katsuragi, a young High school student who is known in the gaming circles as The God of Conquest because he could conquer any girl in any dating sim game. He’s such a hardcore gamer that you will often find him playing on his PFP (obvious version of Sony’s handheld, the PSP) even during class. Sure, he could win any girl’s heart provided that said girl is digital but in the real world he is seen as a dweeb. Well, not that he cares because he’s more interested in the world created by the game rather than the real one.

One day, he accepts a challenge from what he thought was another gamer and – instead – accepts a hellish contract involving the super cute demon, Elcea de Rux Ima (or Elsie, for short) who tells him that together they will find and collect these Loose Souls. Unfortunately, the Loose Souls have inhabited the bodies of young girls Keima’s age and the only way to extract the wayward soul is for Keima to romance each girl to the point that they kiss!

Keima is reluctant to help, of course, but since the contract also included a collar that will behead him and Elsie, they have to complete the mission. The first Loose Soul they encounter has jumped into the body of Keima’s fellow classmate, Ayumi Takahara, who is truing her best to join the school’s track team. So, using all the knowledge he gained from playing hundreds of dating sims, Keima puts his experience with digital girls to use on a real girl until it begins to work.

Convincing Keima’s mother that she’s her husband’s illegitimate daughter and Keima’s little sister, Elsie comes to live and go to school with the God of Conquest. She comically calls him her “Divine Brother” or “Divine One” even in front of classmates and pair goes on a search for other Loose Souls. Think of them as a cuter version of Bleach’s Ichigo and Rukia and you get the picture.

They find another Loose Soul, this one in the body of a lovely blonde named Mio Aoyama who is known throughout the school as the richest girl in the city since the Aoyama clan is a powerful one. Elsie sees it as a challenge to win this little ice queen’s heart since Mio is not only unapproachable but also sees everyone else as commoners. As it turns out, however, Mio has a secret that surprises Elsie and Keima. So, little by little, Keima slips into Mio’s life until his presence has a positive effect on the girl.

Next, Elsie discovers that a Loose Soul is hiding in the body of her favorite new young pop idol by the name of Kanon Nakagawa who also happens to go to their school. Kanon has a huge fear that one day all her fame will just go away and she will, once again, become invisible to the world. This might make her seem like a shallow person but there’s more to Kanon that meets the eye and Keima recognizes this immediately. Interestingly enough, Keima uses a different approach to reach Kanon’s heart and that is to come off as uninterested in anything the cute girl does. As a result, the girl will stop at nothing to get him to notice her.

It’s not an easy feat to get the Loose Soul out of Kanon especially since the girl is not only afraid of losing her fame but is also riddled with guilt over playing a venue that she knows her former band wanted to play together as a group. This story arc is actually a bit longer and, as a result, makes the payoff in the end a satisfying one and more so if you like cute J-pop tunes that you will hear plenty of throughout the story arc including a mini-concert.

Finally, there’s another Loose Soul and this one happens to inhabit an introverted girl named Shiori Shiomiya who also happens to be the school’s young librarian. Elsie believes that Keima has finally met his match with this one as the girl has trouble communicating her feeling to the library council as well as Keima who does his best to press her buttons especially when it comes to books … something she adores. In fact, both Shiori and Keima share similarities. One becomes absorbed in the world of video games and the other prefers the world of books. This is certainly not going to be an easy one and just like the Kanon story arc, this one requires more than just one episode.

The World God Only Knows also has a charming sense of humor as the series concentrates on the funny and endearing relationship between Keima and Elsie. While Keima finds Elsie’s presence in his life rather annoying, he can’t help but recognize that Elsie is now a part of his life. Meanwhile, Elsie tries hard to receive praise from her Divine Brother whether it’s making him weird lunches or attempting to bake him a cake using dragon eggs. She even helps him when Keima attempts to conquer a game with a glitch that doesn’t let him reach the end. Elsie is also the only one he lets into his gaming lair.

As far as the performances are concerned, I love the Japanese voice cast and enjoy the high-energy performances from the likes of Kanae Ito and Hiro Shimono but – then again – Luci Christian always adds the right amount of cuteness to character like Elsie and Chris Patton is always stellar.

What we have in Season One of The World God Only Knows is an anime series that is delightfully funny and even endearing enough to make it enjoyable enough that you will actually be looking for a second season. Elsie and Keima are a likeable pair and watching Keima come up with different tactics to woo each girl is one of the show’s highlights. There’s more than one season of this series in Japan so here’s hoping Sentai Filmworks will bring it to us.

DVD REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: B+
When Hell finds out that Loose Souls have found their way into young girls in the living world, they send a cute demon named to join a human boy named Keima who is a master of dating sim video games. Together they try to get the Loose Souls from out of a number of girls by having Keima romance them. It’s not going to be easy to romance a shy librarian, an icy cold rich girl or a popular pop idol.

VIDEO QUALITY: A-
The DVD version is not bad on the eyes at all and even more so thanks to the colorful and lovely animation. Sure, the character models are nothing to write home about but they’re still pretty cute … especially Elsie and her grotesque lunches.

AUDIO QUALITY: A-
As far as the score and opening and closing theme songs are concerned, they’re handled well and the theme songs are actually very catchy. The voice acting in the series is top notch as well no matter your preference but – for my money – the English dub cast is nothing short of stellar and more so thanks to Luci Christian, Brittany Karbowski, Chris Patton, Hilary Haag and Shelley Calene-Black just to name a few of the talents.

EXTRAS: C+
There are a few extras in this collection that includes Sentai Filmworks trailers, the clean opening and closing theme songs and a the Kanon songs like “All 4 You” in a music video format that is actually quite awesome since there are a few long versions of songs heared throughout the Kanon story arc.

OVERALL: B+
A genuinely funny and likeable series that doesn’t do anything completely different, Season One of The World Only God Knows is still amusing enough that you will find yourself enjoying it from start to finish. Both Keima and Elsie make a cute team and they’re a blast to watch. If anything, I’m certainly looking forward to another season of this series and that’s saying a lot right there.

Review copy provided by Sentai Filmworks

Fairy Tail, Part 2 – Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack Review January 20, 2012

Review by: Eduardo Zacarias

Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment
MSRP: $54.98 US (Blu-ray + DVD)
Running Time: 300 minutes
Genre: Action
Rating: TV 14
Release Date: Available Now

The past always comes back to bite us in the rear, doesn’t it?

Some anime series really knows how to show their viewers a good time and even more so if the material it is adapted from goes for the One Piece-styled craziness and action. The first part of the series introduced us to the colorful cast of characters that make up this world filled with magic so what we get in Part 2 of Fairy Tail is more of the high-energy antics of a wizard guild you will not forget anytime soon. Trust me when I say that if you’re not already a fan of this series you will be after this second part.

When we last left Natsu, Lucy, Happy and Gray in Part 1, they not only snuck off carry out a difficult S-class mission but they defied the Fairy Tail guild rules in the process the very second they stepped foot on Galuna Island to aid a cursed village. As it turned out, however, Gray’s past comes to haunt him as he comes face-to-face with a young wizard named Lyon and a powerful demon that was encased in ice by their beautiful Master. Now, Lyon and his followers wish to resurrect the demon known as Deliora in order for Lyon to vanquish it once and for and all thus proving that he has surpassed his Master Ur.

Of course, this has the Fairy Tail wizards going up against Lyon and his trio who are determined to help Lyon carry out this insane plan. At one point, Natsu takes on the dog-like Toby and the wizard called Yuka by himself in a comical battle as Lucy goes up against Sherry and her giant demon rat named Angelica using her celestial spirits Taurus and Aquarius.

It is Gray and Lyon’s conflict that makes Part 2 compelling as we find out the truth about these two young men and the past that connects them to this current situation. It is in these episodes that we come to realize just how complex Gray really is as well as why he has the tendency to strip down to his boxer all the time. We meet Master Ur who was not only their teacher in the art of magic but also a mother-figure whose maternal instincts cause her to make the ultimate sacrifice that eventually leads up to the demon Deliora become encased in ice. It’s a tragic story and a highlight of this second part.

As the situation reaches a critical moment filled with surprising twists you will not see coming, Erza shows up to punish the foursome for having taken this quest from S-class wizards. Her presence also makes an impact on the cursed villagers as she helps solve the mystery surrounding the curse. Sure, they all helped complete the quest but that won’t stop Erza or Master Makarov from dishing up a plate full of punishment once they get back him.

When they do get home, however, Lucy shows them a simple enough quest that turns out to be even more complicated when Natsu unleashes a powerful spell that has him and a few of the other Fairy Tail Wizards switch bodies. Normally, I’d roll my eyes at this gimmick but Fairy Tail actually makes the body switching episode entertaining and the ending is certainly unexpected. However, the series switches gears again as the next story arc takes a more serious turn.

Natsu and Lucy are joined by their comrades Erza and Gray on a mission but when they come back they find that the Fairy Tail guild has been attacked and was nearly destroyed. The only prime suspect is a rival guild known as Phantom so you better believe that Natsu and some of the others are fired up and looking for payback. Surprisingly, Master Makarov does not want revenge and asks everyone to overlook this crime. However, when a Phantom wizard known as Black Steel Gajeel viciously attacks three members of Fairy Tail (one of them being a wizard named Levy who has become Lucy’s best friend), Master Makarov finally declares war on Phantom and its guild’s leader, Master Jose.

Fairy Tail’s attack on the Phantom guild is intense and exciting as the Fairy Tail wizards battle against an entire guild in their home turf with Master Makarov leading the attack. However, the tables are quickly turned when the pint-sized Fairy Tail wizard master is taken out by a dangerous magic-sapping spell. Lucy is suddenly attacked by two Phantom wizards, one of which named Jovia who controls water. The plan, you see, is to capture Lucy whose big secret is finally revealed.

Natsu manages to help rescue Lucy who realizes that she is responsible for Master Makarov’s magical injuries as well as the near destruction of the Fairy Tail guild. However, the others do not see it that way and will fight to keep one of their own even when Phantom comes back in a powerful moving fortress complete with deadly cannon that Natsu decides to destroy before it wipes out everyone and what remains of the guild itself. Things are definitely going to get interesting in Part 3.

Maintaining the same exciting pace and action-packed moments of the first part of the series, there’s no shortage of memorable of funny moments. It’s also great that the series takes a deeper look at characters such as Gray as well as Natsu and Happy. We discover how Natsu came to be close to Happy as well as a girl that became his childhood friend. We also get a closer peek at the beautiful Mirajane and her early childhood in the Fairy Tail guild.

Never losing a beat while remaining refreshingly colorful and fun, Part 2 of Fairy Tail is still a guaranteed good time for any anime fan looking for an action series that succeeds in having a blast. We learn more about the characters in this second part and that makes for even more intriguing episodes in a series that plays up the action, comedy and craziness just right. Even if you’re not familiar with the manga you will find that the anime version has more than enough to make you a Fairy Tail fan.

BLU-RAY REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: B+
Things start to really heat up in Galuna Island as a group of wizards are closer to freeing a powerful demon from his icy prison and – on top of that – their leader will force Fairy Tail’s own Gray into settling this in a most personal manner. Back home, Fairy Tail wizards fall victim to a body-switching spell and later the guild is attacked by another guild called Phantom. Why are they attacking and what they’re after will certainly surprise.

VIDEO QUALITY: A
Once again, the best choice is obviously the Blu-ray version seeing as this is a colorful anime series that certainly deserves the HD treatment Even if you don’t own an Blu-ray player, the DVD version is not bad on the eyes either.

AUDIO QUALITY: A
The original Japanese voice cast continues to do a great job with their characters and I have to say that the English dub cast closely matches those great performances especially Colleen Clinkenbeard who is simply awesome as Erza. The opening and closing theme songs are delightful to listen to in Part 2.

EXTRAS: B+
You won’t find a lot of extras but you’ll find the clean opening and closing as well as a few FUNimation trailers. The best extras come in the form of two audio commentary tracks, one for Episode 15 and the other for Episode 19. Episode 15’s commentary has ADR Director Tyler Walker and Newton Pittman (voice of Gray) not only chatting but also singing an original song about the series). Then there’s the commentary track for Episode 19 that has Tyler Walker talking to Tia Ballard (Happy), Monica Rial (voice of Mirajane and the show‘s lead writer) and Colleen Clinkenbeard (Erza).

OVERALL: B+
Continuing its streak of over-the-top fun and action-packed thrills, Part 2 of Fairy Tail will not disappoint in providing fans a heavy dose of what makes this genre so darn entertaining to watch. There are some sincerely memorable and oftentimes compelling scenes in this second part but, make no mistake, Fairy Tail is about having a blast and that’s exactly what it delivers.

Review copy provided by FUNimation Entertainment

Blue Exorcist, Volume 2 – DVD Review January 13, 2012

Review by: Felicia Day

Publisher: Aniplex of America
MSRP: $37.48 US
Running Time: 175 minutes
Genre: Action/Supernatural
Rating: 13+
Release Date: January 24, 2011

The power of good storytelling compels you!

Don’t you love it when a good series that started off good enough just keeps getting better and better until you find yourself not only loving the story but coming to have favorites among the interesting cast of characters? We found ourselves enjoying the first volume of a series about Satan’s son but Volume 2 of Blue Exorcist is where the series really takes off in the best way possible. Trust me when I say that if you were a fan with Volume 1 you will be with this second helping.

Rin Okumura might be the legitimate son of Satan himself but, having been raised by Father Fujimoto, he doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps. In fact, after the man who raised him was killed, Rin swears to kill Satan. Of course, first he must learn to control the power within him as well as learn how to wield the Koma Sword. So he joins his brother, Yukio, to the True Cross Academy where he will learn to become an exorcist along with other young people his age.

When we last left Rin, he and his classmates were sent away to a pre-summer boot camp before they return to class to take the ExWire Authorization Exam that will advance them to the next level of ExWire. However, the boot camp turns into a struggle for survival for the tiny-browed Izumo Kamiki and her only friend, Paku, because they are both attacked in the ladies’ room. Izumo is haunted by her inability to do something to avoid Paku from getting hurt and starts beating herself up over her failure as a potential Tamer (the ability to call up animal spirits called Familiars).

As it turns out, the demon makes its return only this time the others are prepared and take it on together as a team. Even after the demon splits in two, the others fight off the one half while Rin goes off to fight the other half. It is here that the shy girl Shiemi shows her stuff and even Izumo snaps out of her funk to lend a hand. Meanwhile, Rin discovers who summoned the demon and the identity is no surprise considering the fact he was hanging around not far from them.

Another surprising twist comes up and that is that the Academy’s director, Mephisto, reveals that the boot camp is actually a cover for the actual ExWire Authorization Exam. As a result, the students find themselves graduating from novice to ExWire where they will train in their specialty. Rin, thanks to his sword, falls under the Knight category. We also find out the talents of Rin’s fellow classmates like Suguro and Konekomaru who excel in incantations thus putting them in the Aria category. As for Izumo and Shiemi have the obvious talents of a Tamer.

Unfortunately for Rin, somebody is indeed targeting him as Yukio discovers that his brother is in danger by the very man responsible for summoning the demon during boot camp. We meet Mr. Noihaus, a man with an obvious grudge that he reveals during an assassination attempt on Rin’s life. Yukio confronts the man in a major battle that ends with Noihaus making a declaration that surprises both Yukio and Rin who came to aid his brother.

With that intriguing and dramatic turn of events out of the way, the series takes on a fun and often comical turn as Mephisto has his newly appointed ExWires take on missions geared towards training their talents as future exorcists. It’s a scorching summer day when a cute Cat Sidhe named Kuro overhears from the gate guards that his master is dead. In an instant, the cat turns monstrously huge and becomes way too aggressive that they must send Yukio to put it down for good. However, Rin tags along and overhears the Familiar’s thoughts and learns the truth behind the identity of Kuro’s master who happens to be connected to both brothers.

In another episode, Rin is joined by Izumo and the laid-back Shima out in the beach when Izumo is saved by a little boy named Yohei whose father was lost at sea after confronting a demon squid known as the Kraken. When the Kraken shows up near the shores of the beach, it is Rin and his two classmates work together to combat it … and make a surprising discovery about the demon. In the meantime, Mephisto is visited by his young brother, Amaimon, who happens to be a lot more quirky than Mephisto.

In a mission that will change everything for Rin, the students are taken to Mepphyland – an amusement park dedicated to Mephisto – in search of a mischievous ghost pulling pranks on the park’s guests. While Shiemi spends the day with the ghost (and revealing that’s she’s surprisingly busty), Rin runs into Amaimon, who steals the Kuro Sword and gives Rin quite a beating. Help comes in an unexpected way as a student they thought was a boy named Yamada turns out to be a busty sword-wielding exorcist named Shura Kirigakure who is a cross between Gurren Lagann’s Yoko and Bleach’s Rangiku.

It is Shura who grabs Rin and drags him into an “interrogation room” where they not only battle it out and pushing Rin’s powers to its limits but she also intends on training him in the art of the sword as requested by the only Paladin exorcist she ever trusted … Father Fujimoto. From what went down between Rin and Amaimon, it’s clear that Rin needs the training.

This second volume has no shortage of great fights and plenty of the humor (Izumo discovering the real reason why the boy found her cute is hilarious) that keeps the series fun. It’s also good to see the secondary characters not only getting more exposure but also actually playing a bigger role in Rin’s life. Shiemi’s relationship with Yukio is further explored and so is a key incident in Rin’s childhood. I even loved the touching moment when Rin managed to reach Kuro as the cat becomes his Familiar.

Volume 2 of Blue Exorcist is where the series truly takes off and ventures into a highly-energetic and thoroughly entertaining territory that makes this series even more fun to watch than the first seven episodes. With more emphasis on characterization as far as the secondary cast is concerned plus more insight on Rin, Blue Exorcist is quickly becoming a genuine fan favorite with more than enough to offer those who love this genre. We are so looking forward to Volume 3 if the series continues on this path.

DVD REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: A-
During the boot camp excursion, Rin and his classmates are attacked by the same demon once again only this time the students pool their resources together as a team. As a result of their performance, the class moves up to the next level as they see to interesting missions that involve a demon cat, a giant squid and a haunted amusement park. Meanwhile, Rin discovers that he is being targeted for assassination.

VIDEO QUALITY: A-
The series is still visually stunning with gorgeous backgrounds and a cast of colorful characters that you can come to expect from an Aniplex production. The visual effects still don’t fail to surprise in this series.

AUDIO QUALITY: B+
As far as the music is concerned, the score is just delightfully cinematic and you just have to love the new opening theme song, “In My World” by RookiEz is PUNK’D. Our heart still belongs to the awesome closing theme song by 2PM rather than the Ok “Wired Life” tune, though. The voice acting is still consistently decent.

EXTRAS: B+
Once again we find the Backstage Short Movies extra, or Ura-Ex, that has funny shorts such as Mephisto playing video games with Amaimon and a look into Suguro’s morning routine. You’ll also find the textless opening and closing theme song as well as a few Aniplex trailers. There’s even the Web Version Previews of each episode.

The best extra, however, comes in the unaired Special Episode called “Kuro Runs Away From Home” where Kuro runs off after Rin doesn’t give him any meat and Yukio tries to train him like an actual cat, which is so humiliating. Out in the streets, Kuro runs into Rin’s classmates as well as Shura and he even visits Father Fujimoto’s grave for a touching reunion of sorts.

OVERALL: A-
With a more established cast of characters and a more interesting threat introduced, Volume 2 of Blue Exorcist is quickly becoming one of those addictively fun shonen anime series you will find hard not to fall in love with enough to become a big fan. Here’s hoping the Volume 3 is just as good as this volume and that it comes soon.

Review copy provided by Aniplex of America

Glass Maiden, Complete Collection – DVD Review January 9, 2012

Review by: Brenda Gregson

Publisher: Maiden Japan
MSRP: $49.98 US
Running Time: 300 minutes
Genre: Action/Mystery
Rating: TV 14
Release Date: Available Now

Something is definitely not right in Rags Town.

Some mysteries unravel slowly as the tension increases just enough to keep you in suspense until the very end. Then there are mysteries like the Complete Collection of Glass Maiden that peels off the layers of its mystery in a high-adrenalin, take-no-prisoners fashion that might not make it a unique or different kind of mystery but this 12-episode series isn’t short on excitement or a good story.

Welcome to Rags Town, a place that isn’t exactly the perfect place to retire or to even call home. It’s a place where runaways litter the alleyways and a muscular tranny watches over the streets like an unusual guardian. Unfortunately, Rags Town will also be known for something a lot more sinister seeing as runaway girls go missing and reappear only to turn into glass and then die. Nobody really has seen these “glass maidens,” that is until tonight.

You see, a homeless man is a witness to a girl being attacked and suddenly go up in flames. Then, just as suddenly, she becomes a living glass statue and finally dies as she crumbles away into dust. Meanwhile, not too far away, the guardian tranny that goes by the name of Poriyln gives the S&A Detective Agency a call. She wants to hire private investigator and ultimate ladies man, Shu, but instead gets his two young receptionists … one of which takes it upon herself to look into the dangerous matter herself. You see, Manami always wanted to be a PI and enjoys working for Shu but she wants a challenge and this assignment looks intriguing.

Manami drags the quiet Ayaka along on an assignment that turns out to be an exchange gone wrong as bullets fly and men start dying. Shu shows up to save the girls and, as it turns out, the exchange was for a beautiful young woman. However, a redheaded woman who with armed female hit squad is also after the mysterious young woman but Shu isn’t about to let his client down and manages to escape with the girl.

Oh, but this is just the beginning of the problems that Shu, his staff that also includes his brother and his friends (a pervy old doctor and his sexy young nurse) will face. The mystery girl has a secret and that is that she can turn to glass like the other “glass maidens” with the only difference being that whatever infected her is killing her slower than the other victims. Who is behind this experimental virus and what is its purpose? This is what makes up the mystery behind the “glass maidens.”

Meanwhile, we learn a little more about the people pursuing the mystery girl that Manami and Ayaka simply call Sara (since the girl doesn‘t even know her own name). You see, the redhead named Kyrie is working for a scientist named Kito who will stop at nothing to get his hands on Sara who holds the key to his research. He commands a little girl who happens to be Kito’s most valuable secret weapon in this secret mystery project. In order to complete his work he needs Sara for reasons I will not get into because half the fun of this mystery is in the why.

As Shu and his friends vow to protect Sara, they must also unravel the mystery of the “glass maidens” and the one who really gets the ball rolling is an attractive journalist named Sophie who Shu is, well, let’s just say their relationship is a very physical one. Sophie manages to dig up enough information that eventually leads her to a seemingly abandoned radioactive waste facility where she finds something that puts her life and that of the young Detective JJ in danger.

Meanwhile, Shu and his friends come face-to-face with Kito and Kyrie as a SWAT team is called in to not only find Sara but also find out what’s going on in the abandoned radioactive waste facility. Things get ugly when Manami and Ayaka are taken prisoner by Kyrie and her henchwomen as Shu stages a rescue that leads to a thrilling and action-packed finale.

There are gunfights aplenty in this series and humorous moments thanks to Manami whose insistence in playing a bigger role around the office and the fact that she drags around poor Ayaka in dangerous situations make up part of the comical moments in the series. The rest of the laughs come from the perverted doctor who enjoys dressing up his nurse in sexy costumes and includes Shu’s younger brother into his pervy photography.

Unfortunately, you will not come to love Shu who – as far as lead characters are concerned – is very unlikable. In fact, I would even go as far as saying I didn’t much care if anything happened to him. I like his mistreatment of Sara even less. Interestingly enough, though, their relationship makes for some interesting scenes. On top of that, the mystery behind the “glass maidens” is a good one that makes the fast-paced story work. Even the side-story where Manami looks into the disappearance of her Senpai is interesting.

While not quite perfect, Glass Maiden does not fail to be entertaining enough to keep you interested in its story and characters. In fact, despite the lack of a likeable male lead, you will find yourself absorbed by the mystery behind the “glass maidens” as well as come to like the fast-paced storytelling style that does a great job making you want to watch it all the way to the finale. The Complete Collection of Glass Maiden is one you will want to check out if you like an exciting mystery.

DVD REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: B
A private investigator and his office of young assistants take on a most unusual case as they are hired to protect a beautiful young woman who just so happens to be turning into a woman made of glass. With Rags Town girls disappearing or dying in a strange fashion, the PI and his friends must unlock the mystery behind the girl they call Sara and a group that will stop at nothing to get their hands on her.

VIDEO QUALITY: A
The animation in this series is actually quite gorgeous and the action scenes flow perfectly enough to the point that you’ll wish they released it on Blu-ray. Even the character design looks good.

AUDIO QUALITY: A-
You won’t find an English dub in this series but you can’t complain with a great Japanese voice cast like Yu Kobayashi or Shin-ichiro Miki that make Sara and Shu sound good. On top of that, the score by Ryo Sakai is superb. Closing theme song, “Que Sera Sera” is beautiful but we have become fans of the opening theme song, “Never Look Back” by Rie.

EXTRAS: C
There isn’t much in terms of extras but you will find the clean opening and closing animation as well as a few trailers from Maiden Japan.

OVERALL: B
While the Complete Collection of Glass Maiden might not push the genre to new heights, it still manages to craft a worthwhile story that is certainly not short on surprises or excitement. Sure, the series doesn’t have a very likeable hero but it more than makes up for it with the mystery and action that work well for this series. Glass Maiden is certainly a series you should not miss either way.

Review copy provided by Maiden Japan

Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files, Season Three – Blu-ray Review January 4, 2012

Review by: Eduardo Zacarias

Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment
MSRP: $44.98 US (Blu-ray)
Running Time: 620 minutes
Genre: Action
Rating: TV PG
Release Date: Available Now

The fighting tournament may be over but the real fight is just beginning.

Yu Yu Hakusho is one of those anime classics that not only still hold up well over the years but always seems to get better each time you see it. Even if you’re watching it for the first time you can’t help but feel that the series just gets better with each season and, as we can see from Season Three of Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files, this is definitely one of the strongest entries in this series.

The Dark Tournament has taken a lot out of Yusuke Urameshi and his friends as they received a number of blows and setback as well as the loss of a valuable teammate. As it turned out, Yusuke’s mentor, Genkai, was the mystery teammate who died in Yusuke’s arms after she confronted Toguro outside the stadium. Now, as Team Urameshi faces off against Team Toguro with the death of Genkai weighing heavily on their minds, the final battle in the tournament will be the toughest yet.

Kurama stepped up to the challenge during the first battle with Team Toguro and risks his own life in order to defeat the deadly Karasu. Unfortunately, despite sacrificing a lot in the fight, the judges don’t consider Kurama’s victory a win since he technically went down during the 10 second count. The next battle has Hiei step up to the challenge of the armored foe, Bui, who does not hold back his true power in order to fight Hiei. One of the more impressive battles, Hiei uses his true power as well.

Kuwabara is up next and his battle becomes an emotional one when he finds out what happened to Genkai seeing as the others didn’t disclose her death to him. His fight with the Elder Toguro is one of the highlights of the Dark Tournament but what happens after will not fail to shock and surprise as Toguro steps up to the plate and does the unthinkable to his own flesh and blood. A deadly bet is also placed for the final battle between Yusuke and Toguro as Sakyo and Koenma take the bet.

Yusuke’s fight with Toguro is what you would expect from the series as the two trade blows in an unforgettable brawl that nearly levels the entire stadium. In the end, however, Yusuke pushes himself to his very limits when the lives of his friends are in danger and the result is a victory that doesn’t come easy. What should be a moment of celebration turns into panic as Sakyo sets into motion his plans as he also makes good on his bet.

Oh, there’s also a big surprise as Yusuke and his friends – having escaped what went down in the stadium – decide to finally head back home. A certain somebody makes a return after Koenma pulled some strings on his end that leads to said person’s final goodbye to a foe heading straight for the gates of hell. Cheerfully, they all return home to their old lives hoping to enjoy some peace but we know that a Spirit Detective’s work is never peaceful.

A challenge from three young students with special powers has Yusuke and his friends coming together once again only to find out that the three – Yu, Kido and Mitsunari – are actually testing and preparing them for something coming their way. As Koenma tells them that Sakyo’s original plan involving a portal that connects the Demon Realm with the Living Realm is about to be open in Mushiyori City by a mysterious group of powered humans ready to carry out Sakyo’s plan. Once again, Yusuke and his friends must band together to stop them all. The problem is that not all of them are on board to take on such a huge task.

Once in Mushiyori City with their three new super powered comrades, they come across a young man with the ability to read minds. It is this mind-reader who tells them that there are seven deadly humans with powers who have their own reasons for wanting to see all humans wiped off the face of the Earth. Led by a mystery man codenamed Black Angel, the group targets Yusuke and his friends immediately. Starting with the one codenamed Doctor, they find out just how deadly the enemy really is and how determined they are to kill Yusuke and his group that now includes Keiko and Kuwabara’s older sister, Shizuru.

After a very close encounter with the one called Doctor, Kuwabara is attacked by another member called Seaman who uses water-based attacks. Unlike Doctor, the aftermath of the battle with Seaman leads to a surprising development that ends up being a big help to Yusuke. For starters, they discover the identity of the one called Black Angel and they even get an idea of where they might be able to find him an the portal they are trying to open. Their foe is Shinobu Sensui, a man whose hatred for humanity has inspired a group of likeminded individuals who have troubled pasts.

In the meantime, the one called Sniper takes on Yusuke and his friends as the remaining members of Sensui’s team kidnap Kuwabara for one major reason. The fight with Sniper leads Yusuke into one of the most exciting chases and fights this series has produced and believe me when I say that you will be on the edge of your seat. As they advance closer to Sensui’s hideout, they encounter another member of the group that has them playing a live version of one of Yusuke’s favorite video games.

The third season ends with quite a bang as they finally confront Sensui and the remaining members of his team. Believe me when I say that this is but the beginning of an intense confrontation that will make you look forward to Season Four.

Season Three of Yu Yu Hakusho is still just as exciting and just as epic as the first two seasons of this flawless classic and since it’s now on Blu-ray you definitely should own this one right away. With the Dark Tournament behind them, Yusuke and his friends find themselves facing a new problem that makes said tournament look like a beauty pageant. In other words, this third season will keep you on the edge of your seat and you’ll love every second of it.

BLU-RAY REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: A+
In the final rounds of the Dark Tournament, Team Urameshi takes on the Toguro brothers with some surprising results that leads up to a shocking final battle. After escaping the aftermath of the tournament, Yusuke and his friends return home only to find themselves facing a new enemy that threats to wipe out all humanity. Once again, Yusuke and his friends step up to save the world from seven powerful enemies.

VIDEO QUALITY: A+
There’s nothing quite like watching a remastered classic on Blu-ray and FUNimation manages to make this Anime Classics edition a very impressive release. I still get a kick out of the fighting scenes in this series.

AUDIO QUALITY: A
Speaking of impressive, the voice cast is still great whether you loved the original Japanese voice actors or the English dub cast. Even the music in the series is great and the two new closing theme songs still decent after all these years.

EXTRAS: C-
There’s no audio commentary track to be found, which would have totally rocked, but you will find the clean opening and closing theme songs as well as a few FUNimation trailers. It’s hard to complain, though, when we’re watching this on Blu-ray.

OVERALL: A+
Despite the fact that the excitement of the Dark Tournament ends here, Season Three of Yu Yu Hakusho does not slow down one bit to give us yet another riveting season that is definitive proof that some classics really are timeless masterpieces. You just can’t call yourself an anime fan without having Yu Yu Hakusho among your collection.

Review copy provided by FUNimation Entertainment

Dirty Pair, OVA Series – DVD Review January 2, 2012

Review by: Sophie Stevens

Publisher: RightStuf!/Nozomi Entertainment
MSRP: $34.99 US
Running Time: 250 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Rating: 13+
Release Date: January 3, 2012

Here’s hoping insurance still exists in the future with these Trouble Consultants around.

There are a few anime series out there that become a truly timeless classic that no matter how long ago it was first introduced it still manages to be just as entertaining and surprising now. Let’s face it, when these types of classics come along we appreciate them enough that most of us don’t mind buying the newly remastered editions. This definitely goes for the Dirty Pair series and now the OVA Series of Dirty Pair so throw away your ancient VCR copy and that old export copy because this is one collection that does not disappoint.

The Dirty Pair are back and this time RightStuf!/Nozomi Entertainment brings us the three DVD collection of the newly remastered 12-episode OVA series that was just recently re-released in Japan. Once again, the series reunites us with the sexy 3WA Trouble Consultants, Kei and Yuri, who complete missions in their own destructive style that have earned these Lovely Angels their real nickname … Dirty Pair. Once again, the galaxy is safe and, well, not so safe at the same time.

In the opening episode, a group of convicts of the Karosu prison station for lifers-only carry out their escape plan that has the prison population overtaking the warden and his guards. Once again, Chief Gooley of the 3WA sends Kei and Yuri out on a mission as the pair sets out to save the warden and what’s left of the prison guards. Of course, this won’t be easy seeing as they will have to complete the mission before the Marines show up and – on top of that – they must deal with a warden hell-bent on exacting his bloody revenge on the prisoners.

Then, in another episode, four different teams of costumed criminals prepare for their own ultimate heists on Halloween night. As it turns out, though, the Dirty Pair botched a simple arrest as a Tactical Robot Weapon (that bares a striking resemblance to the skeletal Terminators) is set loose and is about to target the city. With the bands of costumed criminals ready to strike and a dangerous weapon about to be unleashed on an unsuspecting city, the Lovely Angels find themselves in quite a predicament. In another episode they even go up against a being that is considered a deity by a group of colonists.

In a surprising episode, Yuri and Kei investigate a counterfeit ring on a resort island that pushes Yuri into the arms of the son of the island’s main crime boss. In fact, the romance that blossoms between them leads to a very unexpected scene. Meanwhile, on a military base, a group of armed children manage to take control of the base and thus causing a standoff between them and highly trained soldiers. The girls are sent in to stop things from turning into a bloodbath, which is not going to be easy since the kids actually manage to become a real threat.

Kei shows off her ability to fight in one episode that has her participating in a fighting tournament while investigating the use of an illegal performance enhancing steroid called Hustle. In a surprising twist, Kei’s opponent, Sandra Guts, was once a top student at the 3WA training center who was hard on Kei and Yuri during their early years. Since Sandra is all muscle, the pair comes to the conclusion that she might not only be using Hustle but she might also be a part of the Syndicate that is manufacturing the drug.

Speaking of ex-3WA members, the girls go undercover in a casino to get a 3WA Trouble Consultant codenamed Kung Fu off his gambling addiction. In order to do this, the girls must prove that the Shangri-La Casino’s meteor game is rigged in order to snap Kung Fu out of his gambling obsession.

The girls also become involved in an old case when the Dirty Pair come across an escape pod that holds a little girl named Tia who – twenty years ago – was but one of two survivors of a terrorist attack that killed 800 people including her scientist father. As news of Tia’s existence becomes known to the other survivor, an attempt on the little girl’s life has the girls not only trying to protect her but also unraveling the mystery behind the terrorist attack.

In the final episode, the girls find themselves tossed into a civil war that has lasted years but, as things have finally started too cool off between both factions, peace talks have been derailed by five mercenaries who will stop at nothing to see that both sides continue fighting. Kei and Yuri are sent in to stop the five men as well as discover the reason behind their motives.

Fans of the Dirty Pair will find that all 12 of the episodes are just as exciting and as fun to watch as the best episodes from the main TV series. In fact, I’d go even as far as saying that they stand out even more seeing as there are certainly no shortage of action-packed moments tossed in with the girls’ brand of humor and sexiness. As I mentioned in the beginning, this is a timeless classic and it shows since – despite its original release date was years ago – you will still have a blast watching these episodes.

Without a doubt, the OVA Series of Dirty Pair is proof that great anime is still just as refreshingly fun to watch as it was the first or second time around. This collection is made up of memorable episodes that should not only appeal to returning Dirty Pair fans but also a new generation that will come to appreciate all the things these Lovely Angels have to offer. Anime fans should definitely not be without this one.

DVD REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: A+
Kei and Yuri of the 3WA find themselves causing more mayhem and destruction as they see to a number of assignments that have the Dirty Pair babysitting a little girl who survived a terrorist attack more than twenty years ago as well as take to a cage fighting ring against a former 3WA rival. In other missions, the girls are sent to put a stop to a prison riot, capture a dangerous weapon on the loose and put an end to a siege involving armed kids.

VIDEO QUALITY: A
Once again, RightStuf!/Nozomi Entertainment does not disappoint in the very least when it comes to their remastered versions of classics. The Dirty Pair TV Series releases looked great on DVD and the same could be said about this OVA collection.

AUDIO QUALITY: A
Personally speaking, the Japanese voice cast of Noriko Tomimiya and Saeko Shimazu make the original language track the best way to watch this OVA collection although those who fancy hearing it in English will find the dub to be adequate. The soundtrack will bring you back to the 1980s but that’s not a bad thing in this case.

EXTRAS: B+
Just the idea of having the Dirty Pair OVAs in one collection is a plus and more so if you’re a fan of the series. On top of the newly remastered video and sound, you’ll find the always handy Liner Notes as well as the ability to watch the opening and closing animation sans credits. You’ll also find the U.S. Trailer as well as a few RightStuf!/Nozomi trailers on each of the three DVDs.

OVERALL: A+
The OVA Series of Dirty Pair is not only a collection of stellar episodes well worth watching but it’s also the way an OVA collection should be released. If you’re not already a fan of the Dirty Pair you will find yourself quickly becoming one after one episode of this remastered release. This is definitely one classic anyone who calls themselves an anime fan should not be without.

Review copy provided by RightStuf!/Nozomi Entertainment