Usagi Drop

Charming is about the best word i can come up to with to describe this sweet anime series, which i finished last night.

Usagi Drop is way off field for the usual anime i watch or practically all anime i watch, no mecha, no sci-fi, no action just a lovey slice of life story. if you want some short, sweet and genereally nice with a whole load of morality tales thrown in than this could be it.

Only 11 episodes, very short for an anime, so i hope that another season will be produced in the future.

Even like the girlie intro song which i downloaded to my phone, now share the same playlist as Iron Maiden  and The Clash.

Prefectural Earth Defense Force

Totally random but very funny parody anime i just watched, how and when i got this is a mystery. Just takes the stab at every anime/manga during the 80's and surprisingly with this sort of comedy anime the animation is top notch, great intro sci-fi space battle and some sweet action during the entire show.

Bascially it about the evil Telephone Pole Company? wanting to take over the world but they reckon they have more intelligence than your run of the mill evil organisation.  So after seeing so many bad guys fail in anime who go directly to the capital Tokyo these this lot dicide to start with the outlying Prefectures, in response the anime cliche teenage heroes are recruited from the nearest school to oppose them. Sounds silly, is, but was seriously funny to someone who's watched so much 80's anime.

Pink hair girl is a total cutie Baradagi, whose only evil during the Telephone Pole Company working hours, after that shes a normal cutie with a real out of place hair cut.

Ian

Venus Wars

One of the animes ive wanted to watch since the early 90's, not actually knowing what is was until i watched it. Back during the 90's when i was a wee lad anime was released but Manga Entertainment (yep anime company releasing anime but called after the comics?) and all the old VHS tapes would come with awesome intros previewing cool new anime. Which every anime fan would watch over and over again because of how awesome they were, corrupting the tapes by pausing and rewinding.

Love this video below, my favorite which has Venus Wars included also Fist f the Northern Star, Akira, A-ko, Tank Police and not sure but think the other is Odin? Back then i thought anime from Japan was only sci-fi and extreme violence (had to watch this stuff at my friends house who parents worked late, my mother would never let me watch this stuff)



Anyway Venus Wars is OK, nothing special really, has cool tanks, sweet one wheeled motorbikes and OK action with a story is is meh. Watch it if you want a sci-fi anime fix without having to think.

Ian

Space Battleship Yamato - Season 2

Just finished what was a awesome anime. Watched the video above to see what is all about expect with 70's animation not super modern CG, this cm for a pachinko game and is why i wanted to watch Space Battleship Yamato. Its awesome!

First Yamato season was about th ship pn on a super long voyage to save the Earth, but season 2 is about is the White Comet Empire invading the entire Milky Way Galaxy heading straight for Erath as it the most beautiful planet with only the Earth Defense Force and  there beuatiful battleship able to fight the good fight.

Some of the best looking spaceships or space battleship ive ever seen, so sleek and sexy in reall great set peice battles. I want some! especially the Andromeda, which looks so damn good. Check out the Earth Fleet below, that is what season 2 is about.

Next are some movies, season 3 and then final yamto., wonder how this can be outdone?
Ian

Space Battleship Yamato - Season 1

Just finished what has to be one of the greatest anime ive watched, Uchū Senkan Yamato, gotta be in my top 5 at least.

Its a 26 episode epic which reminds me of the new Battlestar Galactica, lots of cool action with great story telling with surprisingly for the age of the anime quite adult themes.

I think i watched this in record time, both because of the damn rubbish weather we got here and i really wanted to see what happened next.

The Yamato is one freaking cool looking ship, ive always liked it from when ever i first laid eyes on the beauty, i never realised that this Yamato is actually the resurrected Yamato from World War 2, always thought it was a namesake. The fluid line, sci-fi antennas and two tone red and grey hull just look perfect!

Know as Star Blazers in the west and quite cheap to buy here unlike most anime ive got. Going straight onto Yamato 2 which has the also looking Spaceship Andromeda, another beauty.
Ian

Windaria: Legend of Fabulous Battle

Windaria, not so much a fabulous battle more a Shakespearean Greek Tragedy. Contiuing on from how much i enjoyed Fantastic Adventure Of Yohko: Leda

I did some research and found this from the same Director Kunihiko Yuyama, same beautiful character designer Mutsumi Inomata and same short lived but prolific animation studio Kaname Productions.

Really is a Greek Tragedy, i mean no one has a happy ending and i can't go into much detail otherwise i would spoil this movie but i think its the first anime ive watched were no one really wins. No idea why in the title it was Fabulous Battle when war is hell, quite unusual.

Has a fantastic concept in this where a Ghost Ship flys round this planet collecting the souls of the deceased, which looks good and it used to great effect, something i thought was quite unique.

After a few fantasy genre anime i need to get back to my favorite genre Sci-fi, bring on some Mecha!
Ian

Fantastic Adventure Of Yohko: Leda

 Genmu Senki Leda in the original Japanese, great little OVA about a high school student Yohko who travel to another world because of the music she created for a boy shes in love with who doesn't know it. Her music is a gateway between these two worlds where shes has a fantastic adventure and ends up saving both worlds while wearing the anime standard female armor (less is more protective).

Found the anime quite charming myself and really surprised that i would enjoy a sword and sorcery genre anime, defiantly a sci-fi mecha fanboy myself and yeah, cute Yohko was a pleasure to watch with her sideways ponytail. Great chracter design by Inomata Mutsumi, who i was surprised to find out was a lady, was expecting a bloke to created such a character.

Ian

Starship Operators

Quite a good watch i just finished, short at only 13 episodes but good that it leaves you wanting more. Basic plot is about a bunch of military cadets (mostly gals) who decide to operate there starships and fight an a empire whose taken control of the home planet that surrendered instead of fight.

One of the real themes of the show is that to fund there resistances they get a TV show broadcast showing them waging war, sometimes live which give the enemy great intel or so they think. Copying what on British television at the moment which i endless reality TV, which i can't stand but at least there Doctor Who.

Would say the animation could have been better, made in 2005 when alot of anime had gone digital. Unlike now where it looks good, when it was first started happening in the early 2000's i felt that the anime had lost something which attracted me to it in the first place. CG mecha and starships instead of beautifully drawn ink and paint like Macross Plus.

Ian

The Freedom Project - Freedom

Rather unique anime i recently completed from Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo, where from what i can tell have all be animated in the computer instead of traditional draw and ink.

Cool story about colonist living on the moon who think that the Earth has been rendered uninhabitable by giant squid. Kids find out its a lie and adventure follows.

Quality design through out with that distinctive Otomo character design and futuristic yet real world hardware.

One thing that makes you laugh is the blatant sponsors, Pot Noodle. Every episode the cast rally enjoy a pot. Cheesy but it got this made so that can't be bad, just like the Russian movie Night-Watch, lots of Nescafe.

Ian

Crusher Joe

Crusher Joe, an anime movie and 2 OVA's which i think is just THE perfect space opera (on a par with the original Star Wars Trilogy) . I watched these with absolute joy, i just couldn't believe how damn good they where.

It has everything i enjoy about anime and sci-fi in general, One of the best looking spaceships ive seen the Minerva, a great cast of lovable rogues, lot of action and comedy, pirates, big fleet battle ships with always a personal favorite awesome military designs, robots, a cute girl and again always constants action, no let up perfect space opera.

Oh! i wish there was more than what there is but at least what there is, is now a personal favorite.

Mighty Space Miners

Something i watched last night which i really enjoyed but sadly never got an ending. Ends on a cliffhanger because of bad sales when it was released i think, only 2 episodes when there should have been 3 or more maybe.

Really like the concept, in the future a company in Earths orbit captures meteors and then mines them and ships the resources back to Earth. Really liked the designs in the show, all seemed very plausible. My favorite design is this massive flying aircraft carrier which space shuttles are sent out to space from Earth, no need for massive rocket if your so high up in the sky for shuttle launches.

Main story about this kid who wants to pass hi astronaut tests amongst a big disaster while the company trys and captures some Hailey's comet. A very funny show as well, shame it left on a cliffhanger, i thought it was quality,guess with the many OVA's released during the 80's this on just got missed.

Ian

Gundress

Character and mecha designs by manga god Masamune Shirow and an cool sounding title, Gundress. Thought i was about to watch one awesome anime, turned out to possibly be one of the worst anime ive ever watched and my tallys around the 200 mark.

The animation and story where just bad, after i watched this movie i had to do a little research to find out what happened and discovered it was released in 1999, looked more like 79. Twenty years ahead of Mobile Suit Gundam and it totally owned it.

Found this interesting article which show how cool the character and mecha suit or Landmates looked designed by Masumune and how it turned out so bad is very sad.

I always liked a bad anime, most have something charming about them but this was quite the disappointment, about 10 minutes in i was the it would end soon.

"No matter how bad you think something is, there is someone, somewhere who favorite it is"

I'll leave it at that.
Ian

The Five Star Stroies - The Movie

  A small OVA based on the epic manga Five Star Stories which after watching this i intend to read. At only an hour long it left me wanting more, really very interesting, reminds me of Dune with it politics, names and detailed history. 

Some real unique mecha in this which ive seen kits in 1/144 available, once i find my favorite Mortar Headds i might have a look at building one. Betting the cool gold one costs alot and then ive heard painting gold is a pain.

Really think this would be great as a series, complex as it is, i would really like to see more.

Ian

Black ★ Rock Shooter

One very stylish anime, which ive been looking forward since i first heard about.

Decided i would avoid any article and trailers  i could so that i knew nothing about this anime until i watched it, which worked cause i had no clue what i was going to watch.

Such a amazing looking anime, not going to go too much into whats it about so i dont' spoil it for others.

Great animation, cool fights, nice story, going to get a second viewing.

Black Rock Shooter looks to me like some evil Hatsune Miku doppelganger, which i guess is what a doppelganger is.

Ian

BAOH the Visitor

An very gory and violate old skool OVA just watched, which i remember seeing a trailer of back in the day but could never remember what it was. Until i watched this and saw the scene that was previewed, another one of the list of anime ive wanted to watched but have no idea what it called.

Reminds me very much of the Bio Booster Armor Guyver, kid gets some sort of alien life form attached to his body, which a secret organization had and wants back and ends up with a whole load of gore and extreme blood loss.

Think this is the kind of anime that when first released in the west during the 80's, 90's gave anime (called back then Japanimation) a bad reputation as overlay violate and somewhat weird sort of cartoon, took Pokemon to change viewer opinion i think.

Animation was lovely, really flowed perfectly. sometimes looked like the Baoh was actually dancing instead of fighting, would recommend f you like 80's horror of action film.

Ian

Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01

Quality little OVA this anime. Known simply as Madox 01 here in the UK and can be found in any anime bargain bin being only 45 minutes long. I think the awesome poster above explain it all, mecha + military = action. Anime don't seem to have these fantastic painted artworks anymore,

Very simple but effective plot, private contractor building this "Metal Skin" for the US military in Japan, little accident happen where student finds prototype skin, wears skin but there is unable to get out of it and has a little adventure as he tries to meet up with his girlfriend who waiting for him.

Action filled and funny with some quality animation, the late 80's, early 90's cel painted works are my favorite and its always good to find a new one to watch.

MADOX-01 payload, nothing like overkill with the weapons.

Ian

Rebuild of Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance

 Watched last night and damn it was good! So many jaw dropping moments, going to watch again. 

 

The first Rebuild of Evangelion was pretty much a redo of the first few episode of the TV series with a few updated scenes and better looking angels but this took the next batch of episode and totally changed what happened and added redesigned angels, a new character and blow my fragile little mind. If only all anime could be as awesome as this.

Got to love all the military hardware in this, i don't think NERV has ever heard of overkill.

Very important scene after the credits, gotta watch that.

Ian

Big Wars

"Grand Scale Space Opera" It may well be but with a total lack of story. The animation in the anime OVA is really very good, the old cell painted animation from the 80's and early 90's which is my favorite with some very nice mecha design.

The big problem with this is the total lack of story, its like the move starts over half way though what it should be, there no beginning. There is this massive opening Star Wars style crawl try to explain a plot about the Greek gods fighting a war against humans on Mars and not being very good at it?. Basically theres this big battle cruiser which is impossible for the humans to destroy, which then this team goes on suicide mission and destroys quite easily, then goes home, its crazy.

Still if you want a quick fix of sci-fi anime watch this and try not to think about what the heck it going on.

Where the heck where the awesome looking Greek Gods, not a sign of super men anywhere, just a few cherubs.

Ian

Summer Wars

Serious recommendation to watch this awesome movie! One of the best anime ive watched for some time. I'll let wikipedia do the explain the plot because there is no way i can do it justice.

All the character all designed by the fantastic Yoshiuki Sadamoto and there are alot of them yet you know who they all are which i amazing. Animation is beautiful which i lucky got to watch in HD, damn that's sharp.

Mobile Suit Gundam - Char's Counterattack

Quality movie with lots of sweet mecha action, which i's like. This was what i though was meant to be the last Universal Century stories but just discovered Victory Gundam which i going to leave for some time, think ive gundam overloaded (except Unicorn, got to watch that asap)

Defiantly would have been better as a TV series, though of course then the animation would not have been so good. I think it would have been better because before all of Tomino's gundam series have been around the 50 episode mark which give alot of time to discover the characters and plot line which i think there seemed to be quite a few plot holes in this. Unlike the movie which introduces new one which only appear for a relatively short period of time, What happened to Amuro's fear of space from Zeta Gundam, shame we never got to see him over coming that on screen.

Will be modelling Char's Sazabi, that is one beautiful looking mobile suit and its huge!  

All the UC ive watched since summer last year -

Mobile Suit Gundam 0079
MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War
MS IGLOO: Apocalypse 0079
MS IGLOO 2: The Gravity Front
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam: F91

Ive been trying to get an anime mete series done each year, so far 2007 everything Dragonball, 2008 everything Macross, 2009 everything UC gundam and for 2010 i going for Votoms.

Ian