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Synopsis
The country of Gazth-Sonika has been engaged in a civil war for more than a decade, struggling to stay afloat amidst attacks from the anti-government faction known as Garza. With lies and corruption seeping into the political food chain, a mysterious book in one young girl’s possession may be the only key to uncovering the truth and bringing an end to the war. This book, however, is sought by many. And when the invincible agent Madlax is hired to protect those in search of its truth, Gazth-Sonika dispatches a ruthless soldier to make sure that truth stays in the darkness!

Review
What are all these things I am hearing pertaining to Madlax? From the title I imagined that it was another one of those macho gory anime series, but after viewing the screener, there is nothing gory or bloody with this anime. As a matter of fact, it is actually quite entertaining with as much as I have seen. So Madlax, a female mercenary or an “invincible agent” according to the synopsis is another hot anime babe ready to pull the trigger at any give moment. First Noir, then Najica and now Madlax. ADV Films seem to dig these gun toting ladies.

My first impression of this new series is how it all flows so nicely. The action blends with the animation and the music blends just as well as with the action. Because of this astonishing achievement by Bee Train, Madlax never tends to bored out the viewer with lame scenes. As a matter of fact, in these two episodes that I have watched, I was so addicted to it that it became apparent that this will be on my “to-get” list in the near future.

The story so far is quite mysterious; not much is exposed for both main characters. The first two episodes just bring you into their world and let you have a feel for it before they go into story development in the upcoming volumes. The potential lies within this show. It is quicker paced than Noir and I will have to say, I prefer Madlax over Noir. The reason behind that? Right from the beginning, it grasps you with Lady Madlax (^_^), her stunning looks and her lethal abilities as a secret agent. The story is also starting out great, I cannot wait to see the finished version of volume one, so that I can add more to this review!

The Breakdown
Madlax has enough fire power to blow the roof off the house. Its’ action, pace and plot is really an art form to be reckoned with. Be on the look out.

Synopsis
A band of terrorists claims to have possession of a girl who was kidnapped some years ago, but when the Major and company are called in to resolve the situation, they realize that something is very wrong-the girl appears to be the same age she was when she was kidnapped! Things get even tougher as the team is assigned to guard a very wealthy and reclusive businessman who is a target for assassination by an international crime syndicate. As machines learn to evolve and human emotions cloud judgment, Section 9 will come face to face with a brave new digital world.

Review
Keep in note that I am beginning this series on volume four, so please bear with me if I am missing or if I am mistaking anything in the prior volumes. From the standpoint of the volume itself, Production I.G. is one amazing bunch. It brings a whole new ideal with futuristic themed anime. The animation speaks for itself, so I do not even need to describe it. What I will get into is the interest factor that Stand Alone Complex has. I have to admit, I am not a big fan of the original Ghost in the Shell, but this series right here sheds a different ray of light. I really enjoyed a lot of the things that happened on screen. The Tachikoma-kuns was a good fun touch added. Maybe it was just the less serious factor that makes Stand Alone Complex so much better than the original movie.

Let us move onto the music score. Although I do not understand the language the opening song was sung in (maybe Russian), I did like the beat a lot, it blends very well with the show. It puts you right into the flow of things. It pumps you up and by the time you know it, you are dumped directly into the show; primed, set and ready for action. The character designs and details are some of the finest that I have ever seen. The fact that it is DVD quality also helps a lot in bringing out the clarity. Major is still the top ass kicking female in anime today, and probably forever heh :).

In this volume of Stand Alone Complex, you should expect to see a test sample going bad, Batou going undercover, and the Tachikoma-kuns’ rally for survival. The entertainment value is superb and from what I have seen so far, I derive that the Second season can only get better whenever that should be released here in the States.

The Breakdown
HOLY COW! I need to catch up in this series :P.

Synopsis
Idle Hands are the Devil’s Plaything. Nyu is a babe in the woods. Washed up on the shore, unable to communicate, she’s discovered by a pair of college students-Kohta and Yuka-and counts on them for everything. Lucy is a vicious killer. Equipped with a battery of deadly psychic arms, she dismembers her enemies before they have time to scream. The two personalities couldn’t be more different-if only they didn’t have to share the same body! In Elfen Lied, Volume one, innocence and evil collide in some very dark places. As the rooms in Kohta’s rented house fill with runaways and killer mutants-danger mounts outside. Whether it’s from a renegade solder or a mutant assassin-one wrong move could mean the difference between life and death!

Review
If you are worried that ADV Films might be shy with the blood and gore of this series, rest assured, because it is all here. With a rating of mature, Elfen Lied will please any fan who is interested in a drama with a very nice plot and action that will not only give you goose bumps, but also an adrenaline rush that commands you to just beg for more and more. In the three episodes that I have viewed, I just cannot get enough of this series. I did not want it to stop! Elfen Lied’s addictive meter is off the barometer. I do not know what to do with this itch that I am getting as a result of watching such an awesome anime.

The first thing you may hear about Elfen Lied is that Lucy/Nyu is naked quite often. Hey I do not mind, and it does add to the entertainment factor… so umm yeah, let us get off that subject. The second thing you probably will hear is the blood and gore that surrounds this piece. The last anime that I can remember watching that could be compared to the violence level of Elfen Lied is none other than Gantz. And Gantz is Gantz, so let us not compare apples with oranges.

Elfen Lied commences with Lucy breaking loose from her captivity. This, this and this happens (hehe, spoilers skipped, because you sure as hell will be amazed by all the things that go on) and she is suddenly discovered by Kohta and Yuka on a shore as Nyu. Okay, are there any cat girl lovers over here? Because that is who Nyu is; a cat girl, at least to me, she portrays one. Everything is fun until episode two rolls on, which is just hardcore violence taken to the extreme. I somehow wonder if it can get any worse. How many more ways are there to decapitate people? Torturing? How about just killing in general? Whatever happens happens, but I want to be impressed when any characters’ life gets taken, even if he or she played no particular role in the show. That way, Elfen Lied has to keep topping itself over and over, which I believe it can and will happily accept the challenge.

The Breakdown
Elfen Lied is incredible, the action along with the story is astounding. It grips you with so much force that you just have no other choice, but to love it and love it with everything you have got baby!

Synopsis
In a world caught in the grip of information overload, where artificial intelligence is more than the real thing and cyborg cops spend their lives surfing on an electronic sea of living data, only the Ghost - the indefinable element of human consciousness - exists to determine who is alive and who is purely a creation of the net.

Major Motoko Kusanagi is an elite officer in the Section 9 security force: a cybernetic agent so heavily modified that little more than her Ghost remains. Along with fellow cyborg Batou and the mostly human Togusa, Kusanagi is set on the trail of a computer-criminal known as the Puppet Master, a data thief skilled enough to hack into the very minds of his victims. His human marionettes live out existences that are nothing more than computer generated fantasy, unwittingly committing their master’s crimes while the Ghost-hacker hides in the darkness.

But as Kusanagi digs deeper into the walls of secrecy surrounding the case, it appears that the Puppet Master has a special interest in her alone. And when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the shadowy Section 6, enter the scene, Kusanagi becomes tangled in a web of plot and counterplot, and realizes that the true identity of her invisible assailant lies at the center of a vast and lethal political conspiracy…

Review
Ah, Ghost in the Shell. It brings back good memories. For me anyway. I think by now anyone who knows anything about anime has at least heard of this movie. Considered the ’90’s Akira’ because of its similar style and the fact that it further brought anime into the American mainstream consciousness (much like Akira before it), Ghost in the Shell has gotten a reputation as being either the most deep, philosophically profound anime film of its time, or as those who hate it say, a very superficial, plodding, dull and boring film with little substance and a lot of ego. I’m of the first group who believes this film rocks on many levels.

It’s hard to actually decribe Ghost in the Shell on paper. It was originally a manga done by Shirow Masamune (Appleseed, Black Magic, Dominion Tank Police) which was then taken and adapted into this anime film by Mamoru Oshii, who should ring a bell with everyone. He was the mastermind behind films such as Jin-Roh, Angel’s Egg, and the first two Patlabor films, as well as series such as the Patlabor OVA and Urusei Yatsura. I’m a big fan of Jin-Roh, and I absolutely love his directing style, even if it tends to be a bit obtuse, verbose, and over-done in the psychological-philosophical department. While he’s very talented technically, Oshii has yet to learn how to show more than tell. But, unlike it’s sequel, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, where Oshii goes overboard on the quoting and philosophizing, this film doesn’t do too much talking, and is instead all about the visuals.

And what visuals they are. Even though it was made all the way back in 1995, the film still looks astounding, even today. And now with the special edition DVD out, it couldn’t look much better. The mesh between 2D cel animation and up-and-coming CG is very convincing, and the beautiful panning shots Oshii does of the city and skyline are breathtaking. It has aged a bit, but not nearly as much as a movie from 1995 should have.

What also bears mentioning is the great, if sparsely used, music. Kenji Kawai (Patlabor, Ranma 1/2, Gunparade March) uses a lot of Noh and choral chanting and ethereal instrumentals as ambiance (a lot like Akira, actually, except not as loud and bombastic). It works along with the somber, indifferent tone and mood the film establishes, rather than calling attention to itself. It’s extremely well-done and very solid, but, like I said, it’s used sparingly, unfortunately.

As for the actual story and plot? My synopsis (long in and of itself) at the top of the page will have to do. Beyond not wanting to ruin anything, it’s just very hard to explain the politics-heavy, thematically deep story that Ghost in the Shell is. I’d only confuse you more by trying to explain it to you. So trust me when I say it’ll probably take you more than one viewing to understand everything that’s going on.

The Breakdown
For those who are fans of this genre, this is a must buy. There are reasons why The Matrix films borrowed so much from this movie. There are reasons why it’s quality and underlying story are so hotly debated. There’s a reason people simply love it or hate it. I recommend everyone watch this film, if not outright buy it. Everyone should have this film in their collection.

Synopsis
Mugen, Jin, and Fuu continue their journey across Japan searching for the man who ’smells of sunflowers.’ Unfortunately, they travel broke and hungry, and continue to try and solve these two problems at every turn. If they aren’t trying to earn money and get food, it’s being stolen off of them.

Review
As you can tell by my synopsis, not much actually happens in Champloo Vol. 2. But, if you need a recommendation on whether to see this show or not, go read my Vol. 1 review. For those who were on the fence after seeing Vol. 1, continue reading. Vol. 2 continues Vol. 1’s style over substance, which I’m still enjoying quite a bit. If things keep going like this into the middle of Vol. 4 though, I’m going to become quite annoyed.

It’s not that Champloo’s episodes aren’t enjoyable, because they are. My review of Vol. 1 is a testament to that. But these filler episodes (with the same premise each time) is getting boring, despite very cool inventiveness and references in each episode. I can’t keep going on just like this for more than 3.5 volumes (like in any show that doesn’t change), or I’m going to get tired of it. The music and animation are of consistent quality, so if you liked that stuff in Vol. 1, you’ll like it here.

What makes these such enjoyable episodes are the hilarious inside jokes that go on in each. For example, episode 5’s joke is that an Ukiyo-e painter gets one of his paintings into the background of a Van Gogh. Episode 6’s is that a foreign man and his platoon are from Holland. Funny thing is, he’s a big  homosexual man and his platoon wear pots on their heads (potheads, because they are from Holland, get it?) and wear clogs for shoes (ahhh…stereotypes). And episode 8 has a funky beatboxer. It’s freakin’ awesome.

Another plus are the character interactions. Seeing Jin, Fuu, and Mugen obtain food and money through their own methods are great, and seeing them try and work together always creates a good laugh. I just know though I’m going to get bored if this keeps up.

The Breakdown
The show is starting to slow down, and I’m still enjoying it, let’s just hope everything picks up by the end of Vol. 3.

Synopsis
The first game is over, but will the horrors committed be forever burned into the souls of those who remain? As new shocking developments rip the survivors’ ‘real’ worlds to shreds, the sins of the flesh grow and spread like cancer, festering until the line between good and evil ceases to exist. In a world where the laws of life and death have been overturned, what other forbidden passions remain?

Review
And the award for the most perverted anime character of the year goes to… Kei Kurono. With the quick paced plot brewing we pause to learn something rather interesting. In the world of Gantz, that is, when you ‘die,’ you are sent to the apartment. Yeah, we all know that already, right? But what happens when you are not quite dead? What happens when your original just happens to be saved from the light, while a copy of you continues on living within the Gantz? That is the case in volume three. Kei Kishimoto discovers that her original is alive and kicking, which then brings us to the unlucky and lucky day of Kei Kurono.

His day commenced with some drama; bullies demanding ‘protection’ money from him. During the process, you can see just how much of a coward he really is, not to mention, pervert as well. In the process of getting his ass kicked, all his mind focused on what how stacked Kei Kishimoto is. As he was in his day dream his tight suit harden and gave him the power to take care of the bully. Now, the lucky part starts. Who do you think he finds sitting in front of his apartment door? That is right, the adorable, Kei Kishimoto. (Man, I am just going to address her as Ms. Melons from now on :P). The confused Ms. Melons asked to be Kurono’s ‘pet,’ and heheh, dig your mond out of the gutter. Although a bunch of interesting sequences occur, us Ms. Melon fans get what we want! (No, nothing hentai rated, so do not get your hopes up).

Okay let us keep off the ecchi for a moment, and focus on the story development of this volume, which is not much really. This volume is more like everything you would expect before Gantz. The characters went on with their regular lifestyles, except Ms. Melons, who has a little twist, as mentioned before. The next volume will be where the action is. I cannot wait for it. Although volume three was good, it is a step back from volume one and two. Hopefully, volume four will pick it back up to where Gantz should be.

The Breakdown
In volume three, we learn a bit more about the three main characters. All three of them have their own problems to deal with and by bringing the issue to the viewer’s attention, allows us to connect to them a little more than we usually would. Overall, volume three is quite good. You will enjoy it, I can guarantee it.

Synopsis
Salaryman Kintaro Part 1 deals with former biker gang leader, Kintaro joining the Yamato Construction Corporation and introduces the characters as well as looking back to his days of leaving a biker gang. It also shows him beginning to be accepted as a gang leader within the corporation despite his unorthodox methods and takes time to suggest romantic involvements.

Review
Salaryman Kintaro has a feel of Great Teacher Onizuka. It is laid out so well. I liked the continuous growth that this show contains. Yajima Kintaro, a biker gang leader decides to go clean after he marries his wife. But things were not all that bright when she dies after giving birth you their son, Ryuta. Kintaro, whom is a righteous person, keeps his promise to his wife and at the same time lives up to his dream to be a white collar salaryman. Right off the bat, we get to see what Kintaro is all about; assisting others while not caring for what happens to himself.

The GTO comparison draws near as you watch Salaryman Kintaro. It is a hyping experience. Kind of like how Ray Lewis gets his team all ready to play on Sundays. I mean, this series gets you to a point where you wish you were as cool as Kintaro. The comedy in this show is great. The atmosphere is very clear. The moment you watch it you know you are in for some good anime.

The thing about Salaryman Kintaro is that it is a smooth transition from your eyes to your mind. It is like one of those things that you get familiar with as soon as you come in contact with it. The story is very attractive. If you are a fan of GTO, then this is as close to that genre as it gets. Ex-biker gang leader, goes straight and tries to make a difference around his surroundings. Man, I am impressed with this anime and will continue to look forward to it. You should definitely too!

The Breakdown
Most fans who see this title would probably just continue to look on. But that is the biggest mistake anyone can commit. Salaryman Kintaro is very entertaining. Two thumbs up!

Synopsis
Enter the world of Gilgamesh. Where the sky has been turned into a psychedelic mirror and civilization is only a shadow of its former self. Where beautiful assassins transform into terrifying winged creatures. Where children are born with amazing powers. And where a brother and sister are hunted by organizations with dark agendas. Gorgeous animation, breakthrough character designs, and stunning visuals make this suspenseful, addictive tale of mystery, magic, and espionage the first gothic anime masterpiece of the new millennium.

Review
Gilgamesh. This title here resembles both X and Hellsing. The character designs are definitely like Hellsing, whereas the story is more like X. The show for the first two episodes moves extremely slow. I could not stand it heh. What I got out of the episodes that I have view is that after a terrorist attack, the Earth no longer has a sky; it is replaced by a constant mirror like barrier. Also as a result of the attack, computers died like what was anticipated to happen with “Y2K.” With the various issues that were developed by the attack the world took a significant change towards to exactly what the subtitle of this volume suggests; Apocalypse.

Gilgamesh did not impress me, there was not a scene or a string of scenes that make me say, “Wow,” or “This is going to be something special.” As I was watching it, I was more towards saying, “Hurry up,” or “When is it going to be over?” :). The synopsis suggests that Gilgamesh is a gothic anime and that is as advertised people. This dark theme anime with Gackt wannabe characters has some potential, but I would not recommend it, unless you are a fan of titles that feature vampire like monsters, a constant night background. That is right; I do not think I saw one scene with any sunlight… maybe at the beginning before the terrorist attack.

The plot revolves around a pair of siblings. Whose purpose has yet to be revealed. Although I can assume that they will somehow give this show many twists. After I finished watching Gilgamesh, I began to read the introduction to the series included with the screener and after that, I understood the anime much more. But still, with only two episodes seen so far, I cannot make a full assessment of this show. As it lies now, I believe it is a disappointment.

The Breakdown
Gilgamesh is an anime that makes you choose sides as you go. You might side with one group now, but another group later. That sounds like X, but X started out better. Gilgamesh did not make an impact on me, and that is just too bad :(.

Synopsis
Poisoned by toxic waste, a young woman begins to deform… or transform. Black Jack operates and discovers that she might be evolving fishlike properties. Is his patient transforming into a mermaid?

Review
Short and sweet, that is what Black Jack has been through out. The synopsis of the DVD just shows exactly what this title is; No essay long bullcrap, just watch and appreciate. And appreciate I will. In this volume, a city is infected with a disease due to the pollution of the water by greedy corporations that only care about the money and not of the safety of the public. Black Jack comes in to help a group of doctors after being asked to join in the discussions and become a member of the group with a focus of finding an end to the disease that has aroused due to the pollution of the water.

In this city, haunted by a love story between a mermaid and a human, comes a mysterious girl whom has no parents, relatives and worst of all, no recollection of her past. So how does Black Jack continue to help her? Her inability to obtain a medical card to treat her disease was because she cannot provide the people with the information required to get one. And so, out of kindness, Black Jack treats the girl even though he is not going to get paid for it.

In this volume of Black Jack, the ending seems kind of awkward in that it feels like the door is left wide open. There really is not a closing to the chapter and it just ended like there was nothing more to it. Strange, but still enjoyable as Black Jack continues to lure viewers into his mysterious medical world!

The Breakdown
I am running out of things to say about Black Jack in a hurry laugh out loud ahahaha.

Synopsis
Among the five star systems known as the Joker Systems, there are many kingdoms, each under the protection of valiant knights that control massive robots called Headliners. Bound to the knights are fatimas. Human in appearance and mind, the fatimas possess expanded physical capabilities and make it possible to control a Headliner. The  Five Star Stories follows the ascension of two such fatimas - Clotho and Lachesis, the latest and greatest creations of famous fatima designer, Dr. Ballache - each on the verge of their ceremonial unveiling to the world of the God of Light, Amaterasu, and his Mirage Knights.

Review
Well, this is an interesting little nugget of a film. An anime adaptation of a very very long running manga series by Mamoru Nagano (currently unavailable in the US), The Five Star Stories is a 70 minute long adaption of the first volume (or volumes, I’m not sure how much has been covered in these 70 minutes, though I’m told it adapts the manga to a tee, so I imagine they didn’t animate too much of the manga). What’s presented here is a small tidbit of what one could expect from a much larger story. It’s a very cohesive tale, but doesn’t go anywhere. When it wraps up, the board has been set for, say, a long TV series or something similar. But instead, it just ends, and there’s no animated sequel of any kind. Think of this as a pilot to a television series, or a long commercial to goad us into buying the manga (it worked, I want it). Unfortunately, this was made back in 1989, so I think it’s doubtful to expect some sort of continuation of the story.

Which is a real shame, since what’s presented here is really interesting. It introduces us into this whole new world (the Joker Galaxy), which has it’s own rules, solar systems, machines, politics, etc etc. They properly and slowly introduce all of this, and I liked what I saw. The only problem is, it ends too quickly, as I said earlier. This could have been really great, and it’s no wonder the manga is so popular.

There’s not much more I can elaborate on. The story (even in this short OVA), is very detailed, and to try and explain it would only confuse you. I do recommend people check it out, only if to see a nice, old-school anime done right, at the peak of the 80’s anime industry before the anime bubble burst.

The Breakdown
I’m really glad I was able to see this after all the controversy of it having been lost from existence. I had heard the premise of the manga story and ever since couldn’t wait to see the short anime adaptation (since the manga isn’t available here). I was lucky enough that ADV did license and release it, and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t dissapointed. I only wish someone would license the manga and bring that over to the US as well, because I want to know where this story heads. I hope people give this a shot, more of this needs to come over here and be licensed, but that’ll only happen if releases such as this sell well.