Archive for the English Anime Category


Yuri Anime: El Cazador de la Bruja, Volume 2 Disk 4 (English)

January 29th, 2010

El Cazador de la Bruja, Volume 1El Cazador de la Bruja is magic.

In the final few episodes, we learn the significance behind the name and the agenda of Project Leviathan, come to understand and perhaps sympathize with LA more than we could have expected. We learn to like “Blue Eyes” and feel affection for Ricardo and his foster daughter, Lirio.

We watch Ellis change and watch her change Nadie.

Above all things, we watch them come to understand that they are far more than traveling companions to one another.

The climax of the show is ridiculously trite and overdone and sappy, and we don’t care. Why don’t we care? “When you have that sparkle in your eyes, that’s the Nadie I love.”

Ellis FTW.(I mean that in the old-school biker usage, not the new fan usage.)

El Cazador de la Bruja FTW. (This time I mean it in the fan way.)

What a great series. Now I finally have all three of Bee Train’s “Girls with guns on the run” series. Time for a mega-marathon. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 8
Service – 2

Overall – 9

One more time with feeling – thanks to Okazu Superhero Amanda M. for sponsoring today’s review!





Yuri Anime: El Cazador de la Bruja, Volume 2 Disk 3 (English)

January 15th, 2010

El Cazador de la Bruja, Volume 1Disk 3 of El Cazador de la Bruja is when it all happens. Everything that was building up to a climax is shifted around and everything we thought was important is set aside.

Disk 3 of El Cazador de la Bruja is when the things we never noticed become the things we stare fixedly at, and the things we thought we noticed stare back at us, challenging us to deny their existence.

Disk 3 of El Cazador de la Bruja is about one conspiracy becoming less important than we thought and another, even more obscure conspiracy, stepping in to take it’s place.

Disk 3 of El Cazador de la Bruja is about love. Tough hitman Ricardo loves his little adopted daughter Lirio, who clearly loves him back. We learn that Ellis loved the professor who ran tests on her, and that LA, as far as he’s capable in his cracked and broken way, loves Ellis. We learn that even Rosenberg, as selfish and miserable a man as he is, is capable of inspiring love. And above all, we can see that Nadie loves Ellis, even if she can’t quite see it herself – and Ellis loves Nadie enough for the whole world to see.

Disk 3 of El Cazador de la Bruja is about myths come to life and fantasy and scifi stories that are real.

Above all things, Disk 3 is when we realize that we will be singing the Amigo Tacos jingle for weeks on end and will never get it out of our heads.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 5
Service – 3

Overall – 8

And again, our sincere appreciation goes to to Okazu Superhero Amanda M. for sponsoring today’s review!





Yawara, a Fashionable Judo Girl Anime, Volumes 3 & 4

January 9th, 2010

Okay, so, we’ve established that the *number one* most important thing for a sports hero is a rival who pushes them to their limits and beyond. In Volume 1 and Volume 2, we established that Sayaka is meant to be that rival for Yawara.

However, in Volumes 3 and 4, we learn that Sayaka is nowhere near Yawara’s level and the comparison isn’t even a fair one. But! (There’s always a “But!”) a new rival arrives – and this one is definitely exactly what Yawara needs to light the fire of competition in her heart. Jody Rockwell, a large, friendly, energetic Judoka from Canada arrives, plants herself in Yawara’s yard and challenges her to a fight. Yawara resists, but Jody’s good nature and genuine enthusiasm – and a little subterfuge, courtesy of Yawara’s grandfather – finally break through Yawara’s resistance. For the first time, she has fun doing Judo.

When Jody leaves, Yawara decides to compete in Judo to be able to once again have a match with her but, oh no! Jody’s career is derailed by the evil Russian who stands in Yawara’s way. Stay tuned for revenge.

There is no Yuri, really, but Yawara opens her heart to Jody in a very touching way. Sayaka’s rivalry with Yawara moves to the field of love, as they battle for Kazamatsuri but, while Sayaka is always watching Yawara, to be honest, Yawara still barely notices she’s there.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Characters – 6, now that Yawara’s into Judo, she’s more interesting
Story – 8
Yuri – 1
Service – 5

Overall – 8

Once more (and not for the last time,) my sincere thanks to Ana M.! Thanks for sponsoring today’s review and several hours of fun anime viewing!





Yuri Anime: El Cazador, Volume 1 Part 1 (English)

December 19th, 2009

I wouldn’t call myself an obsessive collector. I don’t usually need the entire series of whatever toys. But gosh, I’m happy I have all three of Mashimo’s and Bee Train’s “Girls With Guns on the Run” series on my shelves now. There’s just something so satisfying about watching cute girls kill unnamed, faceless mooks by the bushelful. Ahhhh. ;-)

And here we are, able to relax at last, as the final installment of the trilogy is laid to rest near its older sister series, Madlax and Noir. Where Noir is serious and business-like, as many older sisters are, and Madlax is creative, but a little weird, as are so many middle sisters, El Cazador is flightly, breezy and a little bit spoiled. :-)

In Volume 1, we are introduced to this series’ pair of girls on the run; bounty hunter Nadie and bounty Ellis, both of whom have a somewhat shady past. We are also introduced to the conspiracy du jour, Project Leviathan, and it’s loathsome leader. And we meet the ambiguous, intriguing and expository Jody “Blue Eyes” Hayward.

In my original review of the series, I stated that I liked the series bunches and that has not changed at all. I’m enjoying the journey South and paying attention to little details I missed the first time around.

So when Ellis took Nadie’s hand in episode 7, I was pleased. Yes, she’s a flakeball and I’m still not sure how much of it is general loopiness from not being human and how much she puts on to be cute, but I really don’t care.

Funimation did a fine job with the subtitles. (I haven’t tried the dubs yet.) If I was required to bitch about something it’s that Funi makes us sit through their ads at the beginning. But why would I complain? Now I can take some time during the week between Christmas and New Year and have the three-series marathon I’ve always wanted. Noir, Madlax and finally, happily, El Cazador. Yay!

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 9
Yuri – For Volume 1, let’s call it a 2
Service – 2

Overall – 8

My sincere gratitude today to Okazu Superhero Amanda M. for sponsoring today’s review. Amanda, thank you truly for all your kindness and generosity, thank you from the bottom of my heart. ^_^





Yawara, A Fashionable Judo Girl, Volume 2 (English)

December 7th, 2009

There is a fine line between “She doth protest too much” and “Standing one’s ground.” When it comes to a woman not buckling under the pressure of the wishes of everyone around her, I’m usually right behind her, rooting for her to make her own decisions.

In Volume 2 of Yawara, A Fashionable Judo Girl, Yawara doth protest too much.

Her Mom has already pointed out that girls who do Judo are still feminine. Everyone in her school looks up to her for guidance and leadership and even her friends think she ought to step up and shine a little more.

But no, Yawara has a dream of being a nobody, of embodying the passive ideal of wife and mother and passing through life with nary an influence. Okay, fine, that’s her choice, I got it. I don’t agree with it, but it’s hers, so I respect that.

But, when the judo club implores her to become their coach so they can man up and defend their reputation, and Kazamatsuri begs her to compete, telling Yawara that she shines brightest when she’s playing Judo, Yawara hardens her heart against them and says that *they* are being selfish.

“No,” I found myself lecturing this 2-dimensional, fictitious character on the screen, “you’re the one being selfish.” Even, as Every Sports Writer Matsuda points out, Haute Couture, Rich-Girl Sayaka is running along a beach dragging a *tire,* all because of Yawara.

It takes an unfunny stalker to piss Yawara off enough to bring about the change of heart needed to make this series move forward. Watching the formerly pathetic Judo team kick his ass helped.

I did not ever do Judo, but I was a martial artist for two decades and have a few years of Aikido in there. Let me tell you something about throwing and being thrown. Throwing is easy. Being thrown is hard. Taking ukemi, as they say, is the essence of any martial art that includes throws. Here’s what I want to point out – there’s a lot you can do to change the direction of a throw. And when Yawara throws the punk stalker, she throws him straight down. In a way that I can guarantee hurt. A lot. It was satisfying.

In fact, watching Yawara practicing her rolls really made me want to break out the mat and do a little practice myself. Which is the hallmark of a really good sports story for me. I want to get up and do the thing myself.

In any case, Sayaka has eyes only for Yawara, unfortunately not in any way that can remotely be described as desire, but we’re getting there. Yawara and Sayaka are about to have their first match and will be rivals for the love of Kazamatsuri. It doesn’t sound promising, but remember Ayaka and Ryoko from Tenchi? They pretended to fight over Tenchi all the time, but even Sasami saw through that. ;-)

Ratings:

Art – 7
Characters – 5, because unfunny stalkers are unfunny
Story – 8
Yuri – 1
Service – 5

Overall – 8

Again, my sincere thanks and probably my next set of bruises as I practice my ukemi are dedicated to Ana M.! Thanks for sponsoring this trip down not just one, but two memory lanes for me. ^_^