Gungrave, The Complete Series (Anime Classics) – Blu-ray Review

Review by: Clive Owen

Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment
MSRP: Blu-ray: $54.98 US; DVD: $49.98 US
Running Time: 650 minutes
Genre: Drama/Action/Sci-fi
Rating: 16+
Release Date: Available Now

In this mafia story it’s life, death and Beyond the Grave.

When you think of epic mobster stories, anime isn’t the first thing that pops into your mind but, then again, those who got to see Gungrave a long while back know that it adds its own take on the mafia theme while adding a splash of science fiction to make it stand out. As you can see from this release of The Complete Series of Gungrave, it was good enough to find itself as one of Funimation’s Anime Classics line and with very good reason. This is one series mobster fans should not miss.

Gungrave in its entirety takes up 26-episodes and begins in the most interesting of ways as it introduces us to a man we are told is dead but thanks to some unknown science he walks among the living on a quest for revenge. This dead man had a name once but now he is called Beyond the Grave and there’s a man in particular he wants to eliminate as he leads an old scientist and an attractive young girl against an army of mobsters and pale humanoid monsters. Armed with twin pistols and lugging around a coffin that is actually a weapon, Beyond the Grave begins to remember things about the events that lead to his death.

Rewind several years back, we meet two young men who turn to a life of crime in a poverty-stricken city filled with gangs and mobsters. Having come from the same orphanage, the pair has formed a bond that is unshakable. Harry MacDowel is the handsome go-getter while Brandon Heat is the tall, dark and silent type who rarely says anything even to Maria – the girl he obviously likes. Together with a few other friends, the two form a small gang but one day they cross a rival gang whose leader has a big name gangster for a brother.

When their friends are killed by the big shot named Mad Dog Ladd, both Brandon and Harry look for payback and they get it at a high price that leads to the death of Maria’s uncle. It is then that the lives of all three are changed by an old gentleman who turns out to be the head of the biggest crime organization in the city that is known by the criminal underworld as the Millennion group. Known in the crime circles as Big Daddy, the older man decides to take Maria into his home as a favor to her uncle who was a dear friend to him. Seeing an opportunity to join Millennion, Harry convinces Big Daddy that he and Brandon are capable guys that will do anything for the organization.

As official members of the Millennion mob, both Harry and Brandon slowly climb the organization’s ladder by becoming top earners and making a name for themselves. While Brandon becomes one of the best hitmen the family has ever seen, Harry becomes a brilliant mastermind in carrying out jobs that get him noticed by the organization’s top elite members. The two even manage to put an impressive crew together that includes a talented information broker named Bob Poundmax and a formidable gunman named Bunji Kugashira.

Meanwhile, Brandon finds himself straying away from Maria whose feelings for him are obvious and his reluctance to make her a part of his life leads Maria to turn to somebody else closer to her. The young quiet man decides to do anything in his power to help Harry get to the top and it doesn’t take the two men long to finally become members of the family’s top elite members.

However, a rival family that calls itself Lightning plans to topple Millennion with the help of a war-crazed thug named Blood War and his friend named Cannon Vulcan who has a secret weapon. You see, Vulcan has invested his time and money on an experimental procedure that can reanimate the dead. Unfortunately for Lighting, Harry discovers their plan and puts an end to Lightning with the help of his friend.

Of course, ambitious men like Harry want more and it doesn’t take him long before he sets his sights on Big Daddy’s position. This leads him to do the unthinkable and when Brandon finds it we see just how badly Harry wants to take over Millennion when he turns on his own friend. Harry becomes a vicious leader who earns the nickname “Bloody Harry” who wants all rivals out of his way and that includes anything connected to Big Daddy … like Maria and her daughter, Mika. Using the technology to bring the dead to life, he creates an army of superior undead beings to do his dirty work.

This, however, is not the end of Brandon Heat as the man Harry thought was dead is back and has made it his mission to wipe Harry off the map and cripple the organization the two had spent years of their lives serving. Along with the help of Maria’s daughter, Mika, and the scientist who helped push the necrolyzation procedure into motion, the three out on a path of revenge as Brandon takes on former friends to get to the man who was like a brother to him.

You just have to love a series that starts off like a great mafia story and ends up with a unique science fiction twist that sets the stage up for an exciting confrontation. Gungrave also takes its time setting up the story and the characters to the point that we understand these two men and what motivate them. When Harry realizes what he had done to Brandon, it’s breaks the man’s heart and we can feel it. Add great voice acting and good dialogue and you have a series with a lot to offer especially those who love mob stories.

The Complete Series of Gungrave has the feel of a true mobster classic with a Frankenstein-like twist and believe me when I say that you will love every minute of this unique revenge story. There’s something completely absorbing about this story of the rise and fall of these two men who start off as brothers and end up as enemies. Wonderfully animated and directed, Gungrave deserves to be among your collection if you enjoy a juicy slice of Mafioso good with just the right dash of sci-fi flavor.

BLU-RAY REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: A
Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowel come from the mean streets of a poverty-stricken city when an opportunity comes up to join the most notorious mafia syndicate known as the Millennion group. Just as quickly as they joined, Harry’s ambitious nature takes both men to the top of the organization’s ladder until Harry turns on Brandon. Thought dead, Brandon returns from the grave to exact revenge on Harry for the murder of the organization’s ex-boss and the woman Brandon loved.

VIDEO QUALITY: A+
The series looked good on DVD when it was first released but it does not light a candle to this crisp and clean Blu-ray version that looks amazing on an HD setup. Despite its dated look, this series has some striking visual moments and memorable scenes that go beyond the awesome action scenes.

AUDIO QUALITY: A
The English dub cast does a decent job with the performances but the original Japanese voices pull off some brilliant performances. However, it’s Tsuneo Imahori’s original and eclectic score that will stay with you to the very end and the closing theme song is really lovely as well.

EXTRAS: C+
The third disc comes with the original promo videos for the series as well as the textless opening and closing animation. There are no other extras to be found in this Anime Classics releases but, then again, the fact that it’s available on Blu-ray is a nice extra.

OVERALL: A
The perfect blend of Mafioso drama and science fiction, The Complete Series of Gungrave is a different kind of revenge story and one you will not forget anytime soon. A true mobster classic with an unusual spin that makes it all the more compelling, Gungrave is a Must Have and even more so for those who love an exceptional mafia tale.

Review copy provided by FUNimation Entertainment

Katanagatari, Volume 1 Premium Edition – DVD/Blu-ray Review

Review by: Sophie Stevens

Publisher: NIS America
MSRP: $69.99 US
Running Time: 316 minutes
Genre: Action/Romance
Rating: Teen
Release Date: Available Now

The legend of the living swords begins again.

NIS America certainly made things interesting last year when they released a number of quality anime releases that made fans realize that they can certainly compete with the big boys. This year is actually turning out to be a very interesting one as well as we can see from their recent releases that include a series about a human weapon and his beautiful companion on a quest to overthrow a war lord that rules Japan with an iron grip. The Premium Edition of Volume 1 of Katanagatari is another stellar release and trust me when I say that you’ll have a blast watching this one.

Set in Japan’s Sengoku period in an age of great turmoil, the Hidan Castle is in flames as a lone figure slaughters the samurai guards and reaches the top level where he encounters a shogun of such incredible talent that he uses his hands as though they were swords. Unfortunately, the great Mutsue Yasuri is defeated and exiled to the desolate Fusho Island with his family. Several years pass as an attractive girl with hair as white as snow makes her way towards the island looking for the savior that will help her carry out an important mission.

She is Togame, a Shogunate official with a rather long official title but she considers herself a “Stratagemist” who is gifted in coming up with various strategies for any given situation. Instead of finding the hero, she finds Yasuri’s two only offspring – the sickly Nanami and her brother Shichika who happens to take his father’s place as the 7th Kyoto Ryu. The mission is to obtain the 12 legendary katana created by a famous blacksmith named Shikizaki Kiki and the cute girl could only do that with Shichika as her personal guard … or human sword since the young man is trained in the same arts as his famous father.

Leaving his sister Nanami behind, Shichika decides to go on this dangerous mission simply because the girl offers herself as an incentive since he doesn’t seem to be interested in money or his right to take over as ruler of the land. Together they leave to seek out each katana that is scattered throughout the land but there’s a problem. You see, Togame had once made a deal with the Twelve Shadows of Maniwa Ninjun – a ninja clan that is composed of colorful costumed squads. Shichika even takes care of one of them who has come to the island.

Their first stop is to a castle hidden in the desert where it is said that a swordsman is residing and using one of the 12 katana. He’s a formidable fighter who, while staying within a single room, manages to slice a Maniwa ninja without the ninja even seeing his opponent move. When Shichika and Togame finally find the castle, Shichika shows that he’s actually smart enough to come up with a battle plan to take the swordsman down. As it turns out, Shichika is not the kind of man who hesitates when it comes to killing. He says he does it for love since Togame did tell him it was Ok for him to fall in love with her.

The next target is the beautiful abbot of a temple shrine and only Togame knows the truth about this woman but what she doesn’t know is why she has one of the katana. The shrine, we can see, is composed of women and the secret is out but – in the end – Shichika doesn’t seem to have an compassion either. After all, he was raised on an isolated island with only his father and sister to keep him company.

They find the next blade in the possession of an armored pirate captain named Azekura Kanara who is immediately smitten by Togame to the point that he makes them an offer that annoys Shichika. His wager is that if he should win the fight between him and Shichika in a battle arena that he will step in as Togame’s protector. If Shichika wins then they get the sword and safe passage to the next possessor of the 12 katana. In the final chapter, they head to the frozen tundra of an archipelago where a lone little girl happens to have the sword in her possession but has enough strength to protect it.

All of this is told in only six episodes that make up Volume 1 but I should note that each episode runs at around 50 or so minutes. While the series follows the repetitive pattern of moving from one katana owner to the next, it still manages to be entertaining, comical and interesting. This actually has a lot to do with both Shichika and Togame whose chemistry is genuinely amusing. Togame stands out the most and even more so thanks to her improper use of the word “Cheerio.” Their budding romance is actually cute.

The rest of the cast of characters is also interesting such as the ninja squad that wear theme costumes that fit their squad whether it’s the animal squad or the insect squad that comes to the island to kidnap Shichika’s sister – who surprises everyone when she reveals that she’s not a sickly weakling. On top of that, the animation is delightfully unique and fits the series perfectly and even more so on the Blu-ray discs that comes with this Premium Edition set.

Volume 1 of Katanagatari is an enchanting and beautifully told story that will hook you in thanks to the characters that keep things interesting and fun to watch. Sure, the episodes seem to follow the same pattern but it’s the stuff that happens in-between that makes it all worthwhile. We are so looking forward to the next volume so here’s hoping it will be released soon enough.

DVD REVIEW BREAKDOWN

MOVIE/EPISODES: A-
Long after a bloody rebellion changed Japan forever, a young stratagemist named Togame seeks out the son of the rebellion’s only true hero who lives in exile with his sister. Convincing him to help her locate a legendary blacksmith’s 12 katana and overthrow the Shogun who rules the land, both Togame and Shichika embark on a dangerous journey with deadly (yet colorful) ninjas in hot pursuit.

VIDEO QUALITY: A+
If you have a Blu-ray player I strongly recommend watching it in high definition since this series looks stunning. The animation is quite unique with the character design really standing out and the backgrounds are delightfully colorful. Even the action scenes flow nicely enough.

AUDIO QUALITY: A-
The voice acting is top notch with a great cast pulling off some really convincing performances such as Yukari Tamura who makes Togame a likeable character. Then there’s the music in the series that is another highlight with its traditional era-specific melodies. While the opening theme song isn’t a personal favorite, the closing theme songs more than make up for it.

EXTRAS: A
Each disc comes with the clean opening and closing theme songs for those who don’t want the gorgeous animation sequences to be cluttered by text. The real treat here comes in the form of the 32-page hardcover “Togame’s Travelogue” complete with an episode guide and beautiful artwork. Plus, you can watch it on Blu-ray or DVD.

OVERALL: A-
A beautifully sweeping and charming tale with just enough action and romance to keep things interesting, Volume 1 of Katanagatari might follow a familiar formula but there’s no denying that you will enjoy the journey of these two characters. If Volume 2 is anything like the first volume, we are definitely looking forward to it.

Review copy provided by NIS America

Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, Volume 1 – Volume One Flashback Review

Review by: Ai Kano

Publisher: VIZ Media
Author: Naoki Urasawa & Osamu Tezuka & Takashi Nagasaki
Genre: Graphic Novel (VIZ Signature)
MSRP: $12.99 US
Rating: T+ (Older Teen)
Release Date: Available Now

This is not your father’s Astro Boy.

It took one man to change the face of manga forever and that man is Osamu Tezuka and back in the day his Astro Boy series took an interesting turn in a story arc known as “The Greatest Robot on Earth.” It was not only a great Astro (or Atom, if you prefer our favorite robotic boy’s true Japanese name) tale but inspired many future manga authors like the great Naoki Urasawa. It is none other than Urasawa who proposed to take Tezuka’s revolutionary story arc and comes up with Volume 1 of Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka … a true manga masterpiece.

Then again it might not come as a surprise that this title is good enough to be considered a masterpiece thanks to Naoki Urasawa’s list of accomplishments that include brilliant titles like Monster as well as 20th Century Boys. Like most of his work, he can hook you into his story effortlessly and the same can be said about Pluto as it introduces familiar characters in new and impressive ways.

Urasawa paints an intriguing picture of a future where humans and robots coexist peacefully to the point that even the robots that don’t look like humans are accepted in society. As it turns out, one of the world’s most loved robots – named Mont Blanc – is beloved throughout Switzerland and all throughout the world. He’s also one of the most powerful robots created. So, during a fire in Switzerland’s forest, Mont Blanc’s dismantled body is discovered and it’s a shocking scene to be sure and even more so when they discover that the one responsible set the body up to look like the head had horns.

Europol sends investigator Gesicht to look into the matter and, at first glance, he seems to be the workaholic type who worries even his wife. As it turns out, and I’m not spoiling anything by revealing this (especially those who already know the character), Gesicht is a robot himself who just happens to look and respond like a human. Gesicht is quickly called to Dusseldorf on another murder that he’s told might be connected. Interestingly enough, the murder seems to be of a human whose body was adorned with makeshift horns just like Mont Blanc’s body. A connection is quickly made concerning this man’s identity as well as his interest in robots.

Suddenly, he the police report that a police officer and his robotic partner have been assaulted by a man wielding a pipe. Gesicht finds that the officer is alright but his robot partner has been smashed to pieces. He gives chase and confronts the assailant. Gesicht is the kind of robot who does his job well but has a human-like compassion as he notifies the robot officer’s wife of what happened. When he decides to take her husband’s memory chip to her to remember him by she inserts it into her memory and sees exactly what her husband saw before he was destroyed. Just before the officer’s demise, something caught his eye and it seemed to be leap from building to building. Is the murder of the human and Mont Blanc the same figure?

The mystery becomes more complicated since no normal human could just from building rooftops like that and the killer being a robot seems impossible seeing as robots follow a certain protocol that keeps them from harming a human. Gesicht turns for help from an unexpected source just to find out and that source is the only robot known on Earth to have killed a human. What it tells Gesicht is startling but makes a lot of sense. Somebody or something is targeting the most powerful robots on Earth and, of course, Mont Blanc was on that list and so was Gesicht.

In Scotland, a famous music composer for motion pictures is crankily awaiting the arrival of a new butler. It seems that Paul Duncan has fired just about every butler and, despite the fact that he is blind, he’s quick to judge people enough to notice their flaws. His newest butler is named North No. 2, a strange-looking robot who wears a robe. North knows his new employer’s work and seems to enjoy the melodies of his work but Duncan is so bitter that he makes it clear that he doesn’t care about the opinions of a robot that was designed for war.

Oddly enough, North loves music to the point that he plays with his employer’s piano in hopes to learn how to play it but Duncan is not the kind of encourages and becomes enraged by the fact that a machine wants to learn to play music. Despite the old man’s fits of rage, North falls in love with the man’s music and a song he sings at night in his sleep. At one point, Duncan fires North but the robot comes back with a bit of information that changes everything.

You see, Duncan felt abandoned by his mother at a young age when his mother – penniless – turned to a rich man and sent her only son to a boarding school. Duncan was hurt by this and became bitter as his illness took his eye sight permanently. This didn’t stop him from succeeding in the music business but he still held that grudge against his mother … until North tells him the truth. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking moment to say the least.

Just as things were changing for the better between Duncan and North, the robot notices a strange and dangerous presence coming their way. The robot takes to the skies just as it did many times when North was a soldier and the end result is tragic. It is Gesicht who learns what happened and quickly sees to the other possible candidates for the killer that includes a robot fighter called Brando who happens to look human. Brando, as it turns out, is a family man with adopted human children. He doesn’t seem worried when Gesicht tells him that he might be the killer’s next target.

Brando isn’t the only one Gesicht isn’t worried about as he finds the next candidate … a boy who cheerfully picks up a snail to inspect it then places it gently back on a leaf. Gesicht asks the boy a question.

“You’re Atom, aren‘t you?”

I don’t know about you, Astro Boy fans, but this is the moment that would make any geek smile.

Volume 1 of Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka is exactly what you might expect from a master like Urasawa and he will certainly not fail to blow you mind. This is the kind of work that you can come to expect from this author and a brilliant first volume that has it all to the point that you will be hooked by the very first chapter. You need to buy this manga right away.

MANGA REVIEW BREAKDOWN

STORY: A+
When the world’s most beloved and powerful robot is destroyed by an unknown force, Interpol sends a robot investigator named Gesicht to look into the matter. When the body of a human is discovered in the same fashion as the robot, Gesicht begins to suspect that anyone connected to powerful robots might be the killer’s next target and that includes a war machine, a famous robot fighter and a robotic boy.

ART: A+
Naoki Urasawa’s art has always been consistently gorgeous throughout his career whether it’s his character designs or lovely backgrounds. Besides that, he knows how to set a scene up beautifully to the point that he makes you feel the emotions of his character without even resorting to a word balloon.

OVERALL: A+
Another achievement in a list of monumental titles that can only come from a true master of his craft, Urasawa takes a beloved work of art and makes it even more compelling with Volume 1 of Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka. Everything you know about Astro Boy or “The Greatest Robot on Earth” is about to change with this series and change in the best way possible.

Review copy provided by VIZ Media