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Synopsis
Unbeknownst to the general population, an alien force opened an inter-dimensional gate in Antarctica over 30 years ago in an attempt to invade the Earth. The unified forces of Earth formed an elite military unit under command of the United Nations to combat the aliens and to push them back towards their own dimension. But the war still rages on.

Rei Fukai is an elite pilot of the Special Air Force (SAF) and designated pilot of the Yukikaze, an advanced fighter armed with a sentient computer control system. When fear of alien infiltration within the SAF spreads, the Yukikaze may be the only weapon humanity has to bring an end to this war.

Review
Think of any Macross series before Zero, juice up the animation and you will get Yukikaze. The title sounds cool, but does it actually live up to its’ name? When I watched this I was already bored out of my mind so it was only natural for me to throw anything in the DVD player… anything. The attractive point of this show is that it looks good. The DVD cover looks cool, the planes look cool and of course the fighting scenes look cool. Other than those listed criteria the show is not much attractive. The story is about aliens invading Earth, by creating a warp hole to directly send their troops to attack Earth. The humans on the other hand have to battle back the aliens and try to stop them from invading permanently.

Yukikaze is a title that draws the viewer in closely as they are watching. Even if the viewer does not know anything about it, the show makes it so that the viewer will want to know more about it and soon enough, you will find yourself craving for more and more. Titles that feature air planes usually do not live up to my expectations, maybe it is because I expect a lot, but nonetheless, Yukikaze just does not have that deep impact I was looking forward to experience. Not that I am drawing a comparison here, but those of you who have seen Macross Zero should know how it feels watching that show. There is this excitement, this feeling where you want to get in one of those planes and fly it kind of feeling. Yukikaze does not provide that, it gives you the story and you, the viewer will just have to follow through with it.

Certainly this show is very enjoyable, especially the air craft designs, the animation and the battle scenes. Turn on your subwoofer to max and you will feel the engines of the planes roaring down the runway. Think that is not enough? The missile explosions are all deafening, so do turn up those subs with caution. I do not know what happens later on as volume two is not released yet, but this show right now is good as is. There is not a stupid love relationship going on within the story to mess up things. Do not get me wrong, I like anime series that incorporate love relationships, but Yukikaze just does not flow right with one. The lead character, Rei Fukai is way too freaky to be in one :).

The Breakdown
It is unfair to compare two different titles, but I have to say that Yukikaze is inferior when compared to Macross Zero; another air planes title.

Synopsis
Episode 3:
Two victims thrash in agony, scarred by the war of nations. Once again, renegade doctor Black Jack is caught in the crossfire. With Death breathing down his neck, he braves bullets and deadly biohazards to save the afflicted. Will the detective doctor prevail once more? Or will he pay the ultimate price for his mercenary ways?

Episode 4:
An infamous actress is suddenly stricken gravely ill. While she’s visibly undernourished and weak, she doesn’t seem to be able to eat. He has run every conceivable test, yet nothing appears to be wrong with her. Unable to hold her food down, the young star has become desperate. Considering suicide to end her torment, she has found a special doctor to help her die. Black Jack must race against time to save her - his only lead: the girl’s past and a deadly secret from World War I. It is a perplexing question of faith when Black Jack is hired to keep her from dying.

Review
In this volume of Black Jack, we are the spectators of a war that for some odd reason resembles what is going on in Iraq. In the show the United States is referred to as Federal Unites and Iraq is the Ortega Republic. Anyways, politics is not my specialty and certainly is not the goal of this episode, so here we go, let us start the review.

The show starts off with a beautiful woman seeking medical help from Black Jack for another person. This person later on turns out to be her father and the ruler that the Federal Unites imprisoned (sound familiar?). The situation turns bad as the army of the Ortega Republic ambushes the prisoner transport and retrieves their leader back. It is a full proof plan until, his health catches up to him. I know Black Jack is not real, but it is real enough that he cannot cure everyone, of course this was displayed in the first volume already too. The episode soon turns into a battle field rather than settling for the emergency room atmosphere that we all expected. From needles and scalpers we go to guns and bullets. It no longer is about the health of a man, rather it becomes the strength of a dying person trying to deliver a last sense of morale for his citizens to build upon. This is some top notch stuff, I surely enjoyed it tremendously.

In the next episode, a lot of males might like it. It is about a female actress, who simply wanted to act. But when financial problems strikes her, she is forced to model for a porn magazine. Then it began… one porn movie after another. It was the only movies she was getting cast in. Until she becomes ill with an unknown sickness that causes her to throw up everything she eats. With a noticeable frail body, she requests our good doctor, Black Jack to help. I will stop here with the spoilers; it gets good throughout the show, so you might want to tune in yourself.

Black Jack is just great. It is not one dimensional. It is not solely about patching up people. There are small messages generated through it that if given the enough thought to it, it might latch on to you. Since minds are different, what I make out from what I saw, is sure to be different from yours so see what you come up with and make sense out of it. It is actually quite fun to put your mind to work after watching an anime, you not only understand better, but will like it better too.

The Breakdown
Addictive and fun! What more do you need?

Synopsis
The war between the clans reaches its climax as Shigure is kidnapped by the Kimon clan, leaving both the Hiruko and Jubei desperately chasing after them. As the powers of the Light Maiden grow stronger, friends and enemies become harder to tell apart and Shigure, pursued by legions of creatures, finds she can no longer deny her responsibilities as the Light Maiden. She is the key to finishing the war, and the drifter ninja Jubei has committed himself to seeing her to the end!

Episode 9 “A Dragon Within”
Until now, no one has fully understood the secrets of the Light Maiden. But they are revealed at last when the Hiruko warrior Zofu saves Shigure from a clan of assassins and forces her to face a place and purpose she did not choose.

Episode 10 “The Heart of the Hiruko”
Who is Rokai? When Shigure is threatened by Yamidoro and his clan, a protector appears in the form of a strange little man with amazing abilities. However, even he cannot prevent the Kimon from kidnapping Shigure. Someone must save the Light Maiden!

Episode 11 “Yagyu Renya”
The action moves to sea as Jubei’s party searches for Shigure, who is stranded on the water with the Kimon clan. Onboard Jubei’s ship is a mysterious samurai. Is he friend or foe? The group must find out as passengers on the ship start turning up dead.

Episode 12 “Dynasty Restoration” How far can you trust your senses? Jubei’s commitment to save Shigure pays off when he, Dakuan, and Tsubute execute a successful rescue mission. But something is wrong, and Shigure is acting strangely. The outcome of war may depend on Jubei finding out why!

Episode 13 “Farewell Jubei” The memories of the Light Maiden are awakening inside Shigure’s head. But her recovery comes too late—Jubei has fallen in battle, and this leaves only Shigure to unlock the powers of the Light Maiden that will decide the fate of them all. She must face a finale without Jubei and witness one final fight that will decide who comes out alive.

Review
Whatever is good must have an end. Sadly, Ninja Scroll the series is done in this third and final volume. This volume certainly did not disappoint. It is action packed, and the story also gets very interesting. There are various moments that might touch a fan emotionally, and overall the final experience of Ninja Scroll is just great. Just when you think it is over and you have predicted everything, it is not. Things become crazy towards the end, it is just unpredictable. The only thing you could have probably predicted was that Jubei was going to defeat everyone, but that is a given so it does not mean anything.

The flow of this last volume is very smooth. There are no story breaks; it is just a pure build up of the summit high climax. I certainly appreciated that. It made it fun to watch. When an anime does that, you no longer feel an obligation to pull yourself through; the show itself does those honors, so that you do not feel enforced to stay in front of the screen.

Call me crazy, but for an odd reason, Ninja Scroll the series to me, does not seem to have random senseless killings that other ninja genres out there have. By that I mean, the killings that exist only to boost the cool factor. Yeah, a few henchmen might die, but those killings leads to their boss during the episode, unlike some, where they just die and the show goes on to the next scene, never seeing the boss until further down the road.

This show was extremely enjoyable. I really do feel bad for the doubters of the show. They do not know what they are missing. I believe Jubei will be hanging up his sword after this for good… but who knows, there might be a come back somewhere along the way, way along the way hehe.

The Breakdown
Will Jubei make another come back? Hmm…

Synopsis
Thousands of fans have followed the adventures of the beautiful and powerful android Steel Angel Kurumi-from her awakening at the kiss of the young boy Nakahito to the climactic battle that toppled the floating fortress known as The Academy. Now find out what becomes of your favorite characters in the aftermath! Has shy Saki gone Hollywood? Can a secret admirer help Karinka forget about her crush on Nakahito? Is Kurumi capable of becoming a graceful and dignified woman?
It all wraps up with a hilarious competition between the dozens of Steel Angels who have tracked Nakahito down for a taste of his miracle kiss.

Review
Steel Angel Kurumi cannot just end with such a small amount of fan service! And even though this volume is all fan service it is still not enough for me. The adventure continues after most of everything was destroyed in the last battle. Kurumi, Saki and Karinka all return to their normal lives and in these last episodes of season one they make it a point that they are here to stay.

There is not a particular story here; it is just fan service, very enjoyable fan service I might add. No, there are no nudes, but there is comedy. Steel Angel Kurumi is such an addictive anime series. It is something you cannot get enough of. Thank god there is a season two. If the next season has the same atmosphere as the first, it will definitely be another fun filled work of art.

There is not much to review for this final volume of the first season, as there is no progress in the story. Nakahito is still with Kurumi and Saki and Karinka just spices things up. Saki gets an episode dedicated to her where she becomes an actress and Karinka receives a love letter from someone, who also asks her out on a date in the letter as he professes his love for her. The final episode is a good one. Nakahito finds himself the target of all the Steel Angels, as they receive information that if Nakahito kisses them they will become as powerful as Kurumi. How that turns out? You should find out for yourself.

The Breakdown
Time to move to season two. Whoo hoo!

Synopsis
Martian Successor Nadesico is the story of a spaceship and its somewhat unlikely crew that begins on a journey to Mars, which has been occupied by aliens. Their mission is to discover the fate of the humans that lived there before the invasion and to search for and rescue any possible survivors. Of course, that’s just basic background information. Really, Nadesico is about the crew themselves and their own personal journies and relationships. The main character, Akito, has the most to deal with and the longest to travel, dealing with a frightful past and an uncertain future.

Review
Nadesico is an anime with a lot of genres. It’s mech action, it’s drama, but more than anything else, it’s comedy. The way the characters behave and interact is very fun. Even in the most dramatic moments the comedy is there, which is a double-edged sword. You might say that the comedy cheapens the drama and spoils the serious moments. But on the other hand, the comedy is part of what draws you in towards the beginning of the series when things are more frequently light-hearted. Still, in an anime as funny as this one it is a bit shocking when things go wrong. Almost unbelievable even. A couple events occur that make you think, ‘Did that really happen?’ And then you’re left with this worry in the back of your mind that things aren’t as light-hearted as they seem. But then they are. So it’s a little confusing.

Putting all that aside, Nadesico has a lot of great characters. Akito is an interesting unlikely hero type that the rest of the cast grows attached to. Ruri is a child-prodigy with a mysterious past. Yurika is the Nadesico’s ditzy captain who constantly claims that Akito is in love with her. The list goes on to include the mech pilots and others who are all very interesting.

Then there’s Gekiganger 3, the anime within the anime that has way too much impact on the storyline. It plays an almost rediculous role, especially towards the end of the series. I’ll spare you the details though since I don’t want to spoil anything.

Beyond that is the presentation which is of high quality. Good artwork and animation is complimented by a talented voice cast and decent soundtrack.

When it’s all over, Nadesico doesn’t really follow the path expected of it, but it does manage to remain an entertaining adventure.

The Breakdown
Nadesico is a worthwhile comedy with fun characters and some interesting story elements.

Synopsis
Video Girl Ai is about a young and ‘dateless’ man named Youta who can’t seem to tell the girl of his dreams how he really feels. One day he starts watching a video and a girl (Ai) pops out of the TV into his bedroom! She makes it her mission to make sure that Youta and his dream girl end up together. But will she really be able to stay focused on that goal?

Review
Video Girl Ai is excellent. While it could have easily been just another girly romance anime, this one did it right.

The key here is character development. Every single character feels real and emotional, and as a result, they are easy to become attached to. I cared so much about the characters, and I was surprised to be at that point in such a short series. Consider it proof of what can be accomplished in a short anime.

The Breakdown
I am completely impressed by Video Girl Ai.

Synopsis
In a long forgotton walled town, humans coexist with the Haibane, angelic-like beings of unknoen origin. Rakka becomes the newest Haibane, after she awakens from a strange dream and finds herself hatching from a massive cocoon. With no memories of her previous life, Rakka struggles to adjust to her new surroundings, however burning questions remain in the back of her mind. What is Haibane and what is their purpose? What lies beyond the huge, forbidden town walls? Thus, Rakka begins her wistful journey of self-discovery and wonderment.

Review
Okay, I’ll say this right from the start. This is not an anime for someone who wants to see fights, explosions and characters superdeformating every thirty seconds and can’t be satisfied with an anime series unless something big is occurring every five minutes.

This is a very subtle series. The entire story is laid out little by little. You don’t learn everything about the characters all at once. You get to know the characters in ‘Haibane Renmei’ like we do our own co-workers and neighbors: one encounter at a time, day by day, each day a little more revealing than the last.

It is also not an anime that you can watch only once. After one viewing, I just wanted to watch it again, to catch the little things I missed. The original concept for this series was done by yoshitoshi ABe, and it shows. Haibane Renmei reminded me alot of ‘Serial Experiments: lain’ in the way that it starts out slow, but you just KNOW in the back of your head that something big will happen…and you want to keep watching to find out what it is.

Although slow moving, and very subtle, Haibane Renmei is very addicting. I can’t wait to get the second volume just to see how Rakka’s relationship with the new world she is thrust into (and the new people she has met) will develop.

The Breakdown
I really enjoyed watching this. Even if this sort of anime isn’t your cup of tea, I say give it a shot. You may just be pleasantly surprised.

Synopsis
Two worlds opposite one another, Inferia and Celestia, are slowly closing in on each other and will eventually collide in the near future. Four heroes, Rid, Farah, Keel, and Meredy, leave Inferia Castle on a quest to prevent a second war between the worlds and stop the Grand Fall by collecting the Crymels, summoning spirits. Their quest now brings them to the Island of Balcarnu, which is shrouded by many secrets…

Review
Tales of Eternia The Animation is based off of the Playstation 1 game called Tales of Destiny 2 (US). Tales of Destiny 2 is the third installment of the Tales of Phantasia series, released in March 11, 2000. The anime aired from January 1 to March 26, 2001. The game was developed by Wolf Team/Tri-Ace, the RPG subdivision of Namco. They later developed Valkyrie Profile and the Star Ocean series. The events in the anime do not take place in the video game. The Island of Balcarnu does not exist in the game. Rather it is a side quest that takes place in between obtaining Efreet and journeying to Mt. Farlos (My thanks to Cyllya at gamefaqs message boards for the information).

The Breakdown
Better than Sorcerer Hunters, but Tales of Eternia is not as groundbreaking as Slayers and Record of Lodoss War (as all the other anime review websites will tell you). It is not as funny as Rune Soldier but I enjoyed Eternia nevertheless.

Synopsis
Thinking that she can never see her boyfriend again, Moe Katsuragi’s despair summons a spunky soul collecting apprentice spirit of death naed Risky. Risky urges Moe to depart the mortal realm, leaving behind her precious sould until a glimmer of hope and a brief smile on Moe’s face cause Risky to tranform into Safety, a polite and proper apprentice angel who just happens to share a body with Risky. Accompanied by a feisty devil and delicate angel, Moe’s life suddenly becomes a humorous and touching trial of balancing her love life with protecting her schoolmates from Risky’s devilish clutches.

Review
I took a chance with this DVD, the first ever release from AN Entertainment. I usually don’t like cutsey shows, and I’d never heard of this one before, but my curiosity got the better of me. What a good choice it was! Risky Safety is a really charming little gem that anybody will love, regardless of whether you’re an anime fan or not. The characterizations are just so appealing, and the story is really well written.

Although at first glance Risky Safety appears to be a ‘kiddy’ anime, (and it does have some kiddy parts) for the most part it is a just a really wholesome, funny, and sweet show.

Moe is a an excellent character. She’s a normal schoogirl with normal problems. Well, other than the angel and devil fighting for control of her soul. Speaking of them, Risky and Safety are great too. They are equally goofy and inept at their respective jobs, which makes for great comedy.

Risky Safety is a just a good anime, plain and simple. At the end of this DVD (which just happens to end in the middle of a story arc) I wanted to rush back to the video store and get the next volume. I’m sure that if you give it a try, you’ll do the same.

The Breakdown
Risky Safety is a simple, old fashioned,just plain fun anime. Check it out.

Synopsis
In a world where witches abuse their supernatural powers, a special team is tasked with hunting this new threat to society. This organization is known as the STN and comprises of several highly skilled craft users and experts in covert operations. But their most powerful craft user is a young woman named Robin. Her mysterious gift to summon deadly flames will determine the fates of her colleagues and lead her into a dark world of mystique and witchcraft.

Review
It’s a refreshing spin on a detective story. Although it’s something I can see being done in a vampire story. Just replace the witches with vampires and there you go. But the term, ‘witches?in this show is used as a way to describe someone using their magic powers for evil. Not every person who practices magic is considered a witch.

The shows artistic style reminds me more of an American comic than your average anime. (It’s the eyes I tell ya!) The tension between Robin and Amon keeps the workplace interesting, as does the growing friendship of Robin and Michael. I can’t put my finger on it but WHR reminds me of Rahxephon. Perhaps it’s the pacing.

The Breakdown
Overall, there is room for improvement. But I see it getting better in the later volumes. If you’ve had your fill of zany comedies this year then do yourself a favor and check out Witch Hunter Robin.