In my pocket review that I wrote for Akira nearly eight years ago now, I called it “the ultimate cyberpunk anime.” What is ultimately astounding is that the title is still very worthy even today. Certainly, there have been many entries since–from Ghost in the Shell, which I found essentially toothless in comparison, to Lain, [...]
Is rollerblading really an interesting enough sport to make a story out of? Apparently, manga creator Oh Great! thinks so, as his manga of Air Gear has been going on for at least thirteen volumes or so with more to come. Of course, Air Gear isn’t about just plain old roller skating but Air Treks, decked [...]
There are plenty of legendary people who create anime, but there are really only two animation studios that stand out in most fans’ minds as the best of the best: Ghibli and Gainax. Ghibli, the studio that has created masterpieces like My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaa, and Princess Mononoke, is driven primarily by its renowned founder [...]
Akira is a film by which virtually all science-fiction anime (and, for that matter, any anime) is judged. It’s certainly a beautiful movie, and arguably one of the most entertaining. However, you’ve probably never heard of Ai City. That’s a shame, too, because people who like the psionic elements of Akira will be truly impressed [...]
Until the recent DVD release by AnimEigo, I was unaware of how wonderful a show Oh My Goddess really was. The five episode OVA series was an unexpected joy, and although there were minor issues from the condensation of the long-running manga into two and a half hours, I was enraptured with the romantic comedy. [...]
I think I’ve fallen in love.
Oh My Goddess! is one of the most enjoyable OVA series I’ve seen in a great long while. It’s not unique, but it is incredibly likable from start to finish. Besides having Belldandy, possibly the sweetest anime character ever to grace a television screen, this show never hits a sour [...]
Agent Aika is one of those shows that makes this reviewer despair for the hope of anime. Now don’t misunderstand me–if you read reviews of Agent Aika on a variety of sites, you will find some who love this series of 7 OVAs following the adventures of one Aika and her sidekick Rion. I’m not [...]
Samuel L. Jackson is the definition of cool. Or is he? With Pulp Fiction over a decade gone, he still has plenty of mojo working for him, but not all of his decisions have been great. Snakes on a Plane, the internet phenomenon and box-office mediocrity, made it look like Jackson might have jumped the [...]
It is unlikely one would be a fan of anime for very long without hearing of the seminal title Bubblegum Crisis. Its original incarnation set a base standard for all cyberpunk stories to follow, and though it wasn’t perfect (and sometimes was downright boring), it quickly became a fan favorite with a cult following. Its [...]
Unnecessary sequels seem to be a necessary evil…at least for the companies trying to drain their properties dry. One could argue that the recent Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith was a good sequel that redeemed the previous couple of attempts; however, in most situations, the longer film series go, the worse they get. Some [...]
