New Anime Releases 07/03/2011: Naruto Shippuden Series 1

Neferpitou

Stand User
New Anime Releases for Monday:

Naruto Shippuden: Complete Series 1 Box Set

(RRP: £59.99)

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(Re-Release) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
(RRP: £5.99)

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(Re-Release) Gravitation Complete Collection
(RRP: £29.99)

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(Re-Release) ROD TV Complete Collection
(RRP: £39.99)

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(Re-Release) Saiyuki Reload Complete Collection
(RRP: £39.99)

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(Re-Release) Slayers Try Complete Collection
(RRP: £29.99)

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(Re-Release) Speed Grapher Complete Collection
(RRP: £39.99)

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I'm mildly curious about ROD as well. I'd like to know if FF7 is the standard or extended version, as I already own the former but would happily pick up the latter at that price.

Saiyuki Reload is a show I know nothing about - anyone care to fill me in with the details?
 
don't bother it's not good. The characters are boring, there is no overarching plot that a show of this type needs to keep you going. The only good thing about it is it's brilliant theme song!
 
devilrules666 said:
don't bother it's not good. The characters are boring, there is no overarching plot that a show of this type needs to keep you going. The only good thing about it is it's brilliant theme song!

Ah, trouble is, I was told almost exactly the same thing about Samurai 7, which turned out to be one of the best shows I saw last year. Real top notch stuff, in fact (and I say that as somebody who knows a thing or two about writing and story construction . characterisation, etc.)

I need plot details! Yessum!
 
HdE: I wouldn't really recommend Saiyuki Reload, and this comes from someone who bought the entire series in singles as they came out.

For one thing, it's part two and comes after a lengthy series, so you'd want to start with the original Saiyuki first if possible. Secondly, the whole series is quite blatantly aimed at fangirls, and I probably wouldn't have been able to get through it if I wasn't such a big fangirl myself for some of the voice actors (Ishida Akira...). The basic premise is a retelling of the Journey to the West story only with four difficult to get along with, debatably attractive men. Although the setting is still in ancient times, modern conveniences such as guns, cigarettes and credit cards are often shown, and the road trip format of the show is made easier on the cast as they have a dragon to ride in. I say ride 'in', because the dragon can turn into a jeep. I don't really know why.

Each of the four main guys is based on one of the traditional heroes of the story, only with a twist to bring them up to date. They each have conflicting personalities and are probably each designed to appeal to particular types of female fan. They are all very powerful warriors, but the fight scenes tend to be still frames rather than the cool animated battles they could have been. The characters all come with a lot of emotional baggage which unravels through the series - however, by the time you get to Reload, most of this interesting exposition has happened and you're left with a formulaic series where they drive to a new town each episode, get involved in the local monster of the week problem then drive away at the end. There are some overarching plotlines but the basic formula never changes.

If you do decide to give it a try, I'd recommend collecting the original Saiyuki series first as Reload is a continuation. I'd also recommend stopping before collecting the third series, Reload Gunlock, as I found that almost unwatchable at parts (very sloppily animated and the pervasive feeling that nothing was happening was there in every episode). Reload is much better than Reload Gunlock, but truthfully unless you really like pouty pretty boys, often-ridiculous plots or cool voice actors you're probably better off with another show.

If what I have said has made you curious and you can take a series being embarrassingly dumb from time to time, by all means pick it up; it's certainly entertaining enough when it's at its best so long as you don't expect it to be the highest quality, most cerebral kind of show around. The first series has one of the coolest openings around too.

Samurai 7 was ace though :)

R

(There are a lot of male fans of the show, I know, but when I see people talking about it online they're overwhelmingly women and squeeing about Gojou x Hakkai and whatnot.)
 
I'm another who enjoyed Samurai 7, despite its detractors. I think perhaps many people who don't like it are comparing it with Seven Samurai, the Kurosawa movie. I've not seen that yet, but have it here beside me to watch in the coming days.


Is Speed Grapher worth a look?
 
JohnC said:
I'm another who enjoyed Samurai 7, despite its detractors. I think perhaps many people who don't like it are comparing it with Seven Samurai, the Kurosawa movie.

The show is its own beast - not without faults, by any means, but certainly not a bad show. Like I said, one of the best I saw last year.

JohnC said:
Is Speed Grapher worth a look?

I'm also curious about Speed Grapher. It seems like an interesting premise, but the trailers make it look a bit supernatural too. Seeing as I have a huge aversion to that stuff, I'd really like to know if it's all about teh demunz and satanz, or whether the stuff I saw in the trailer was just stylised visuals.
 
If anyone bought the Naruto box set, could you please post a picture of it to show how does it look inside etc. Thanks
 
HdE said:
JohnC said:
Is Speed Grapher worth a look?

I'm also curious about Speed Grapher. It seems like an interesting premise, but the trailers make it look a bit supernatural too. Seeing as I have a huge aversion to that stuff, I'd really like to know if it's all about teh demunz and satanz, or whether the stuff I saw in the trailer was just stylised visuals.

Speed Grapher is not super natural it is more pseudo-science with the crazy people being created when a virus / chemical warfare like thing reacts with someone with the right DNA or whatever. It is quite a decent chase type show with a revenge plot featuring the main bad guy (I won't say more it could spoil).
 
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