areaseven

Just awhile ago, I was talking to my co-worker about some bad movies. One of them was that horrible live-action adaptation of The Phantom starring Billy Zane. In the middle of the discussion, I suddenly remembered the animated series Phantom 2040. Though not as groundbreaking as Batman: The Animated Series, Phantom 2040 had a decent story and some pretty good visuals. And it even had a decent voice cast - Scott Valentine (Dark Aegis in Iron Man) as Kit Walker/Phantom XXIV, Margot Kidder (Lois Lane in Superman I/II/IV) as Rebecca, J.D. Hall (Blade in the Spider-Man animated series) as Guran, Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Vincent in Beauty and the Beast) as Graft, Dustin Nguyen (Vinh in 21 Jump Street) as Tran, Deborah Harry (of the band Blondie) as Vain, Leah Remini (Carrie in The King of Queens) as Sagan, and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker in the first Star Wars Trilogy, Joker in Batman: The Animated Series) as Dr. Jak.

So anyway, has anyone here seen this series?

I think it's because the animators were using the Japanese style of placing characters on vehicles. If you look at most Japanese vehicles (i.e. police cars, utility trucks), the characters (usually Katakana, Hiragana or Kanji) on the right side are read backwards (right to left). Back before WWII, when the Japanese were reading or writing horizontally, it was from right to left. Then, during WWII, the educational board reversed the style so that alphanumeric characters could blend in with the Japanese characters. The Japanese, however, didn't start writing from left to right until after WWII when newspapers started using this standard.

As mentioned above, most vehicles have the characters posted in reverse - not because the owners have to, but they want to keep with an old tradition. One exception to the right-left rule is Takumi's AE86 in Initial D, which, for some reason, is read normally from left to right.

It's still kind of strange the way they reversed the numbers on Hikaru's Valk, though.

That's funny. I don't remember Spawn being made into an anime. I only know of the Spawn cartoon series by HBO.

What is 'Read or Dream'? Was that the manga that this show is based on? I see you state that it's based on Shin Read or Dream, then is Read or Dream a different Manga in the same series? I know it followed the Paper sisters.

I've been wondering a lot about this lately.

I read in some sources that Read Or Dream is the alternate title of Shin Read Or Die, but I can't confirm that.

R.O.D -The TV-

J.C. Staff/Aniplex/Fuji TV/Sony Music Entertainment, 2003

Pioneer Geneon Entertainment (Projected Release Date: Mid-2004)

Directed by Koji Masunari (Read Or Die, Omishi Magical Theater Risky Safety).

Rated 16-Up for graphic violence, nudity, mature situations and strong language.

Based on the manga Shin Read Or Die by Hideyuki Kurata (Battle Athletes Victory, Brigadoon) and Ran Ayanaga. Japanese author Nenene Sumiregawa arrives in Hong Kong to promote her best-selling novel when an unknown attacker destroys her hotel room for no apparent reason. She's then offered to stay with three sisters - Michelle, Maggie and Anita - who run a small detective agency. The next day, Nenene is in the middle of an autograph session when the attacker shows himself and threatens her with a bomb. The sisters use their quick reflexes and abilities to subdue the attacker and save Nenene. What surprises Nenene is that these sisters are capable of controlling paper at their own will - an ability used by her longtime friend Yomiko "The Paper" Readman.

Story: B+

Initially, I thought this series would bomb without Yomiko, but I was dead wrong. The series grows on you not only because Nenene looks a lot like Yomiko, but you get loads of non-stop action and more fun with paper. And I'm just talking about the first episode.

Animation: A+

Is it any different from the OAV? Perhaps, since it's animated by J.C. Staff (Azumanga Daioh, Slayers) (Studio DEEN did the OAV) - but the quality is just about the same level. The artwork is clean and the 2D/3D animation is just as outstanding as the original. Taraku Uon (Please Teacher!, Onegai Twins) and Masashi Ishihama (Tenamonya Voyagers) return as character designers.

Soundtrack: A+

If you enjoyed Taku Iwasaki's (Witch Hunter Robin) soundtrack in the OAV, you'll be delighted to know that he's back to deliver more jazz music to the TV series. Just as before, the soundtrack has shades of John Barry (Dr. No and 11 other James Bond films) and Lalo Schiffrin (Mission: Impossible, Enter the Dragon). There's nothing like the Read Or Die theme playing in your stereo system. You'll also be banging your heads on YKZ's jazzy opening theme "R.O.D."

Sub vs. Dub

R.O.D The TV features Satsuki Yukino (Kaname in Full Metal Panic!, Kagome in Inu-Yasha) as Nenene, Chiwa Saito (Lavie in Last Exile, Ayame in Wandaba Style) as Anita, Shoko Kikuchi (Yumiko in Babel II: Beyond Infinity, Hikari in Hand Maid May) as Michelle, Hiromi Hirata as Maggie, Mitsuki Saiga (King of Bandit Jing, Tsukasa in .hack//SIGN) as Junior, Shinichiro Miki (Allen in Escaflowne, Kurz in Full Metal Panic!) as Lee, and Yukari Tamura (Ichigo in Please Teacher!, Ranpha in Galaxy Angel) as Haruhi and Natsumi. Reprising their roles from the OAV are Masami Iwasaki as Drake, Mika Sakenobe as Wendy, and Hozumi Goda (Chirico in Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Hayami in Blue Submarine No. 6) as Joker. And yes, Rieko Miura and Michiko Neya (Melissa in Full Metal Panic!, Rally in Gunsmith Cats) make their return as Yomiko and Nancy, respectively.

No word on which company Pioneer Geneon will commission for the English dub. Hopefully, they'll use either ZRO Limit/Animaze (AKIRA, Trigun) or Bang Zoom! Entertainment (Heat Guy J, Vandread). However, I suspect they'll use New Generation pictures (Hellsing, Haibane Renmei), since their team has the same voice actors used in the OAV.

The Bottom Line

R.O.D The TV starts slow at first, but the action picks up with much gusto. Definitely a title to add on your list for next year.

Links

Sony Music's Official R.O.D The TV Homepage (Japanese)

Fuji TV's Official R.O.D The TV Homepage (Japanese)

Reference

Anime News Network

how are you reviewing epsideo 1-4 wehn that only had episode 1?

I have the HK bootleg of Mazinkaiser in my collection.

Soreyuke! Uchuu Senkan Yamamoto Yohko ( それゆけ！宇宙戦艦ヤマモト・ヨーコ )

J.C. Staff/Kadokawa Shoten/King Records, 1996-1997

The Right Stuf International, 2001, 2003

Rated 15+ for some violence, nudity, mature situations and strong language.

"Get ready! GO!" - Yohko Yamamoto

In the distant future, the forces of Terra and Ness engage in friendly battles for domination of space territories. Both sides use starships with remarkable performance and unsurpassed firepower at their disposal. A Terran engineer named Curtis Lawson has developed TA-29 - the most advanced of all the attack starships. But no one has stood to the challenge of tapping the ship's full potential - until now.

Meet Yohko Yamamoto - a cat-eyed, 15-year-old girl in the late 20th century with a love for videogames and Japanese snacks. Because of her exceptional talent with arcade shooters, she's been recruited by Lawson to travel a thousand years into the future to pilot the TA-29. Together with Ayano Elizabeth Hakuhoin, Madoka Midoh and Momiji Kagariya, Yohko leads the Terran team against Rouge and Ness' infamous Red Snappers in this epic space adventure.

Story: B

Wow. I haven't had this much fun with a female-oriented sci-fi anime since Gunbuster. Yamamoto Yohko is filled with intense space action and non-stop comedy. It may not be as good as the TV series remake, but the OAV is still good clean fun.

Animation: A-

The character designs are great and the artwork rocks. Animation is sweet, but the second OAV is marred by some CG that doesn't match with the cel art. Nevertheless, it's very impressive.

Soundtrack: B+

Yamamoto Yohko has a very catch BGM and some cool theme songs like "Shake It", the first series ending theme.

Sub vs. Dub

Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko features TWO-MIX's Minami Takayama (Detective Conan, Nabiki in Ranma 1/2) as Yohko, Megumi Hayashibara (Come on! Don't tell me you don't know who she is.) as Madoka, Yuko Miyamura (Asuka in Neon Genesis Evangelion) as Ayano, Shiho Niiyama (Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, Rie in Battle Skipper) as Momiji, Masako Katsuki (Deunan in Appleseed, Sailor Neptune in Sailor Moon) as Admiral Rion, Yasunori Matsumoto (Gourry in Slayers, Kamihito in Steel Angel Kurumi) as Lawson, Sakiko Tamagawa (Natsumi in You're Under Arrest, Tachikoma in Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex) as Rouge, and Yukana Nogami (Teletha in Full Metal Panic!, Mirai in Moldiver) as Lubrum.

As for the English dub, it doesn't compare to the Japanese dialogue at all.

DVD Extras: C-

The DVD contains an image gallery and English voice acting bloopers. Nothing else other than a cheap-looking DVD menu.

The Bottom Line

Despite a rather short story, Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko is a fun and entertaining title. Now if only The Right Stuf International would release the TV series...

Reference

Anime News Network

Thanks for the heads-up, JELEINEN-nyo.

And here's the EVA parody Abombz!! is talking about. El Gigante from Burn Up W.

So what? Anyone here seen Burn up W? There was a robot in that series that was a clear rip off from EVA01... and I didn't see any one complain about it.

Another example is Hanaukyo Maids. In episode 2, Ikuyo, the inventor maid (clumsy girls wearing glasses is such an anime stereotype), mentions that she's an anime fan and talks about a giant robot battling evil "Angels" (complete with a silhouette of EVA-01 in the background).

Actually, I said a Fully Transformable Genesic GaoGaiGar toy is coming. It will be released by CM's corporation (who have gotten the Goagaigar License lately).

A transformable GaoFighGar toy was released by Yujin eariler this year. It needs to have parts removed to achieve Final Fusion, but it was a pretty decent toy over all. I come across it on ebay sometimes.

Are pics of this Genesic GaoGaiGar available online? I'd like to check the toy out before re-evaluating my funds.

Also, any word on whether or not GaoGaiGar FINAL will be fansubbed? I'd buy the HK bootleg DVDs, but I've been warned about the English subtitles.

Does anyone besides me ever feel sorry for those kinds of people? It's bad enough they have to die once, but to do it over and over and over again...

If memory serves me right, Musashi's deaths in the previous Getter Robo installments were instrumental to the storylines. In Shin Getter Robo, however, his death practically had no meaning. It's as if he was the series' version of South Park's Kenny.

How many episodes are out so far? Has the story gotten serious at any point or is it just Sousuke destorying things from either going overboard or mistaking things? I really hope that isn't all the comedy is based on.

So far, five episodes are available (four mini-episodes running at 12 mins. each and one full episode). As far as I know, Fumoffu won't get serious any time now.

Here's a recap of the first five episodes (WARNING: Minor Spoilers Ahead!):

Episode 1

Sousuke blows up the entire locker room when he detects something suspicious inside his shoe locker. Little does he know that someone in the school admires him and is sending him love letters.

Episode 2

Sousuke borrows Kaname's notes to finish a school assignment. Unfortunately, he forgets it, and they have only one hour to submit their homework.

Episode 3

The whole gang goes to the beach to party. Then things go awry when a rich kid invites Kaname to his hilltop mansion and Sousuke suspects that she's been kidnapped.

Episode 4

Sousuke volunteers as a model for the class' outdoor art project. Unfortunately, he gets the wrong idea of blending with the environment as advised by his art teacher.

Episode 5

Growing tired of Sousuke's antics, Kaname seeks time away from him. On her way to school, she meets up with a former senpai, who later on takes her out on a date to Fumo-Fumo Land.

GAINAX should sue.

How bad is that episode animated? Is it like watching an Anime Friend episode of Macross?

The plot went out the window somewhere in ep-1 or something and it was all bad-ass old-fashioned ass-kicking action from the Getters. The death of Benkei still kinda makes me wonder why it was necessary to do so, tho. The ending was a little too corny, tho, imho.

Actually, it was Musashi that got killed. Again.*

(*Musashi was killed at least once in the original series and on nearly every Getter Robo theatrical feature.)

Change!! Shin Getter Robo - Sekai Saishuu no Hi ( 真（チェンジ!!）ゲッターロボ　世界最後の日 )

Dynamic Planning/Marubeni/Bandai Visual, 1998-1999

ADV Films, 2001-2002

Directed by Yutaka Sato, Yasuhiro Geshi and Jun Kawagoe (eX-Driver, Shin Getter Robo vs. Neo Getter Robo).

Rated 15+ for extreme violence and gore, nudity, mature situations and strong language.

Based on the popular Getter Robo manga and anime series by Go Nagai (Mazinger Z, Devilman) and Ken Ishikawa. Years after the Getter Team defeated the alien Invaders, humanity lives in peace. But the Invaders make an unexpected return to Earth and begin to wreak havoc on the planet once again.

Sent to jail after being accused of murdering Getter Robo creator Dr. Saotome, Ryoma Nagare must once again team up with his former comrades and pilot Getter Robo when Saotome returns from the dead and poses a threat to humanity by unleashing his greatest creation - the Shin Dragon. Their efforts, however, are in vain as they fail to stop a nuclear warhead from hitting Shin Dragon, resulting in a mass contamination of the atmosphere by Getter Rays that wipes out 99% of the planet's population.

Thirteen years after this great catastrophe, mankind continues to fight for survival against the Invaders. Out of the remains of the nuclear blast comes Shin Getter Robo, piloted by the artificial human Go. With remnants of the Japanese military by his side, Go - along with co-pilots Kei and Gai - must use Shin Getter to exterminate the Invaders once and for all.

Story: D+

The first three episodes of the series caught my attention as it brought back memories of the original Getter Robo series. Unfortunately, everything went downhill starting with episode four due to the confusing storyline and the countless plot holes. Character development also went down the drain once the series uncovered Kei's real identity. The ending didn't help at all, either, as it made no sense.

Animation: B

The first half of the series looks decent, but the quality slightly degrades before the end. Kenji Hayama's (Mazinkaiser, The SoulTaker) character designs are decent while Tatsuo Yamada's (Mazinkaiser) mecha designs are a mixed bag. Shin Getter looks cool and all, but Shin Dragon's final form looks like crap. I'd probably go all the way to saying it makes Kunio Okawara's (Mobile Suit Gundam, GaoGaiGar) mecha designs look like Shoji Kawamori's (Macross/Macross Plus/Macross 7/Macross Zero) works*.

(*Not that I hate Okawara or anything. He does make good designs, but there are a lot of anime fans that don't like him at all.)

Soundtrack: B+

Ichiro Mizuki (the Sinatra of anime music) returns to his Super Robot roots with the distinctively Japanese-style first opening "Ima ga Sono Toki da," followed by a more modern approach with Hironobu Kageyama's (Mazinkaiser, Heat Guy J) "Heats," the series' second opening. Eveything else is just sub-par and forgettable.

Sub vs. Dub

Shin Getter Robo features Hideo Ishikawa (Akira in Weiß Kreuz) as Ryoma, Naoya Uchida (Edajima in Please Teacher!) as Hayato, Shozo Iizuka (Ryu Jose in Mobile Suit Gundam) as Benkei, Tomokazu Seki (Van in Escaflowne, Sagara in Full Metal Panic!) as Go, Narumi Hidaka (Allenby in Mobile Fighter G-Gundam) as Kei, Yasunori Matsumoto (Gourry in Slayers, Seta in Love Hina) as Gai, Daisuke Gouri (Basque Ohm in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083/Zeta Gundam, E. Honda in Street Fighter II: The Movie) as Cohen, Masashi Hirose (Ranba Ral in Mobile Suit Gundam, ) as Stinger, Shinpachi Tsuji (Big Ear in The Big O) as Musashi, and Mugihito (Keel Lorentz in Neon Genesis Evangelion) as Professor Saotome.

The English dub from ADV is pretty tasteless. The only good thing about it is the next episode narration.

DVD Extras: B-

Aside from the clean opening & ending sequences, the DVDs have concept art, additional notes from the production team, and behind-the-scene footage of the English dub.

The Bottom Line

Strictly for Go Nagai fans only. Other viewers may not tolerate the shallow plot and countless loopholes. You're better off with Mazinkaiser.

Links

Bandai Visual's Official Shin Getter Robo Homepage (Japanese)

ADV Films' Official Getter Robo Armageddon Homepage

Reference

Anime News Network

For those wondering what Fumoffu means, check out eps. 4-5, which are now available for download at Scarywater. I won't give any spoilers here, but I will say this...

Bonta-kun kicks ass!

I'm guilty of owning Samurai Showdown and Street Fighter Alpha. Both were only tolerable in my opinion, but i reckon SF Alpha was just freaky.

Ehhh...you thought Samurai Shodown was tolerable?

I've been looking EVERYWHERE for the uncut version that was only released outside of the United States. Someone posted a link to the DVD but the price was pretty damn high. Do you guys know where I can find the Japanese SF2 Movie (with subtitles)?

So far, for the past four years, I've been looking for a subtitled version on DVD, but to no avail. I still have my VHS copy of the raw, untranslated version. MMX did mention not too long ago that he has the Japanese version on LD. Perhaps we could pitch in and do our own fansub.

I got lucky at one of the flea markets and managed to bag myself Fatal Fury 1 & 2 and the Movie. Quite frankly 1 & 2 sucked, and the movie was barely tolerable. Was there ever any other series that were released anywhere of Fatal Fury? I managed to get a quick snippet off Kazaa which cut off and was never seen again.The quality was a lot better and action scene was quite good.

Fatal Fury 1-2 weren't that bad. Sure, they had lots of loopholes, but they were still fun to watch. The third one was nothing short of awesome. Even the English dub was good (much better than Sony/Manga's attempt at dubbing Street Fighter II).

If you want to see bad watch Samurai Showdown or Street Fighter Alpha(Zero)

No, dude. They can't compare to Art of Farting.

Instead of creating new "What's this anime?" posts, we should just use the Anime Q&A Thread.

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...t=ST&f=26&t=465

The greatest anime movie EVER is Golgo 13, The Professional.

See it!

The story is okay, but I can't get into the cheesy CG they used for the helicopter scenes. (Yeah, I know this movie was done in 1983, but they shouldn't have attempted to use CG in the first place.)

And don't get me started with Golgo 13: Queen Bee. The artwork is no better than the first.