The Last Airbender movie was none of that. At times I felt the characters were dangled by strings, instead of actual bending (using their abilities to manipulate: fire, water, air or earth), they were actually doing a bunch of yoga poses. If you’re looking of a bad cinematographic adaptation this movie is all you need. The current Tomatometer keeps it below 10%. I yawned, I turned left and right not believe how everything felt stitched together and rushed. It was an accurate re-telling of the events of the first season, but I no way did I feel attached to ANYONE, and understood how any of the characters had any emotions towards each other. The special effects might of been cool, I’ve my theater had the options to see it in 2D, how the movie was originally developed. I curse, figuratively, studios that spin a movie in 3D just to jump on the bandwagon, if it’s not made for 3D don’t bother showing it in 3D.

I’m getting ahead of myself, my point is that you should avoid this movie for as long as possible. You may allow yourself to catch of glimpse of it if it ever airs of TV. The value of the production seriously felt like a direct to TV movie.

The anti-hero is the most refreshing character type I’ve come to love, Kratos and Dexter are a few and Yagami Light can join their pantheon. This hard working student stumbles upon a small notebook called the Death Note, in it are directions explaining that any name written inside this notebook is sentenced to die within 40 seconds of their name being written. Further more the cause of death can even be specified in the most twisted way possible.

Yagami Light tests the power of the notebook by killing a man that took hostages in a school. The name and the face of whom you want to kill must be known by the writer in order for the death to occur. He then decides to become the hammer of justice and exterminate all the criminals that scourge this world. Not too long is necessary for the authorities to realize all those heart attacks cannot be coincidental. A famous detective named “L” sets to capture this Dark Defender known as Kira.

Despite the many twits and turns the series has it’s fondly a detective story where the investigation trails on multiple episodes. Each side is determined to win, and both display incredible genius to discover the identity of their pursuer. The supernatural aspect cannot be taken out, as the death god, owner of the Death Note makes multiple appearances and interacts with the owner of the note. You have to know that any great power comes at great price, and that “Shinigami” will be there to collect the first chance he has.

It’s dark and destructive, I suggest you give it a watch.

Image source: Anime Corporation

I was lucky to see episode number five on YTV, thanks to it I’ve decided I had to follow the show and I can say that for a series that has 220 episodes I had very few deceptions. The anime is derived from the manga of the same name and despite the use of many filler episodes the story line remained steady and focused on the development of many characters.

The story’s main character is called Naruto Uzumaki, he is a child coming of age and training to become a Ninja (Shinobi), he’s really the type you would consider hyper-active, never listening in class and very hard headed. Thanks to his perseverence and determination he manages to pass all the challenges to come between him and become the next Hokage (chief of the village). As an infant the spirit of a demon (Nine Tails Fox) was sealed into his body in order to save the village. However, while growing up many people resented him because he had this evil within him. He never let it get to him, he made friends and became a full fledge Ninja. What I like about most anime is the fantasy aspect of it. Ninjas have special abilities that involve spiritual energy called Chackras. The episode progression can be slow at times, but battling against the odds and coming on top is always a gratifying experience. The show was so successful that it sprung three movies and a second series called Naruto Shippuden was started to pursue the adventures of Naruto as he becomes a teenager.

If you get the chance to see the show don’t miss out on it. They sure made me a fan.

You can view the trailer in standard and hi-definition over at apple.com/trailers or by clicking right HERE. The movie is rated R (audience over 17 years old) and the synopsis can be read as it follows:

In 2054, Paris is a labyrinth where all movement is monitored and recorded. Casting a shadow over everything is the city’s largest company, Avalon, which insinuates itself into every aspect of contemporary life to sell its primary export – youth and beauty. In this world of stark contrasts and rigid laws the populace is kept in line and accounted for.

The Vision of Escaflowne is all about a young woman/girl that is swapped to an other world by a beam of light. The new world she discovers is medieval like. A strange world where royalty, chevalry and dragons live. However theres a clear supernatural element to the story line. Hitomi seems to have the power to see the future through visions and Taro cards. She meets with Prince Van who’s people is being annihilated by a terrible foe. Like all great anime you need “mechas”, huge body armor like fighting machines were the hero or the bad guys get to control to take a fight to the extreme. Escaflowne is the name of the legendary “Guymelefs” that to be Van Fanel controls. Over the course of the 26 episodes powers of both lead characters are revealed to fight the evil Zaibach Empire who wished to control the world as well as it’s destiny.

If we consider the previous animes I’ve reviewed you need to consider that this one is the oldest, in the sense the drawing quality is not as sharp as what you can see in Shaman King or RahXephon. There is an other anime I started watching but never got further than a three or four episode is called Saikano. Pretty crazy story and if I get the chance to watch it all I’ll give my 2¢ on it. I’ll be on to watch more cartoons like Reboot or Digimon!

Previous posts:

• Anime Love (Part 1)
• Anime Love (Part 2)

Special Disc Features:

• Last Order OVA
• Advent Children: Special Edition
• Making of Advent Children
• Deleted Scenes
• Advent Children Trailers
  • Tokyo Game Show 2003 – Day 1, 2 & 3
  • Jump Festa 2003
  • E3 2004
  • Tokyo Game Show 2004
  • Jump Festa 2004
  • E3 2005 [full trailer]

It’s a 100 minute movie, but you’ll enjoy every single of those minutes! It will also include director’s commentary. You may also visit their official website for more info on the movie.
I’m actually considering buying that DVD since their franchise is one I’ve been willing to support (buying all the games, and planning for Final Fantasy XII). Might I add that FFVII was the first game I bought for my Playstation and that it tainted the way I see games today. I believe it was the first mile stone leading to a rich story design that many movies can’t reach nowadays. Drama, action, suspense and love made a great mix back then and the sequel movie was made in the same aspirations.

RahXephon: It’s the story of a 17 year old boy named Ayato Kamina. He lives in a near future Tokyo. After his city is attacked he mysteriously finds himself in control  of a giant God-like bio-mechanical war machine. At first he merges unwillingly with the “RahXephon” to protect his friends and family. But he quickly learns that something is not right in the world he lives in. He discovers that  the world he was raised in is similar to what we’ve seen in the Truman Show. His parents and friends all have blue blood!  Ultimatley he encounters a women who proposes to show him the truth about the world he lives in.

This anime involve themes like love, war and purpose in live. At some point  in the 26 running episodes you’re introduced with new characters that make the plot even more confusing. But that’s ok! IT’s alright to mix futuristic machines and super-natural events such as alternate dimensions or mind control. Music was really important throughout this anime and it’s one reason why it’s opening theme is now my all time favorite song.

Vision of Escaflowne: (You’ll have to wait for part 3 ??)

I’ll put my cards on the table right away, from what I remember, I used to watch Sailor Moon and Dragonball Z all the time and really liked anime over other animation, still I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mummies Alive! and X-Men. High school and college is pretty much a big black-out from anime culture, I still had my roots with my all time favorite character Piccolo.

Shaman King: The story is about a young boy named Yoh Asakura who wishes to become a great shaman. The shaman merges with his gardian ghost who then enables him to use the ghost powers in the physical realm. Yoh teams up with the ghost of Amidamaru, an ancient samurai and throught their fusion they must battle ennemies and enter the Shaman Fight. The winner of the tournament will be crowned Shaman King and will receive the Great Spirit. By accomplishing this the Great Spirit grants his owner all the knowdledge of any spirit of Earth, thus gaining all-knowingness. The plot eventually thickens as the opponents become more powerful and the techniques required to fight them off more elaborate (Oversould, Giant Spirit). None the less the story eventually an evil twin brother who wants to destroy the world and reshape it to his own twisted vision. In the end the objectives change and Yoh and his friends have to go against an unbelievable new foe that is to put it simply overwhelming.

It’s a 64 episodes show of about 24 minutes each. Very fun to watch, oriented towards friendship and how to live with one an other and that you have to stick with your friends to the end. Even if there are ghosts all over the place the theme of death is crushing you since you have multiple parties with weird visions of what human life is worth competing to be shaman king.

Just like many other anime you sometimes get the impression the show got cancelled towards the end and they had to wrap up the show so towards the end you get crazy gear shifts, those actually add to the excitement of a great show. I have a short video sample from a previous post you can see what kind of content you can have in Shaman King.

You can read more on Shaman King on Wikipedia. Part two of Anime Love will present RahXephon and Vision of Escaflowne. Stay tuned with RSS feeds!

We get the feel of the action, we are amazed by the moves and those are the kind of animation we would of like to see in the original game.

To understand the story you really must have played the game, or else you won’t understand much. But to summarize we’re two years after Sephiroth has been defeated. The other clones still want to organize the Reunion with mother Jenova.

Fine, you haven’t played the game? Doesn’t matter then it’s a MUST see. FFVII:AC brings fantasy to pure extasy.