My reviews of the DVDs in The Works Anime boxset (blue)
I think some of these are going to be repackaged soon which might be why they are going so cheaply. They are all volume 1 of the series except for the ones title Movie or Complete OVAs.
Although there are a few stinkers, the set is worth it for the gems alone, it's even cheaper than a single volume of one of these from HMV. It meant I got to see anime I've heard about and wanted to see, plus I got to see many anime that I wouldn't have normally bothered with buying or renting at all. Review of the red boxset will follow when I have seen all of them.
All of these reviews are based purely on the content of the DVDs unless noted, not on other reviews or shows.
Bubblegum Crisis
Got the DVDs a while back so it is hard to comment on the one volume without thinking of the series. Women kick the hell out of robots. Seems cliched now, but it started quite a few of the cliches itself. Not as good as the 2040 remake (sort of remake anyway) but still very good.
Urasei Yatsura Movie 1 and 3
Movie 1 - It is nuts. Many over the top characters in crazy situations. I usually hate anime like this but it is great. Very funny in many parts. Subtitles only, which makes it hard to follow in some sections where they flash up so quick that even a fast reader like myself has trouble, plus you can't remove them. An older style of animation but still good. Why is there no Movie 2 available in the UK?
Movie 3 - Oh what a disappointment. Dull, even by normal standards, not just next to the craziness in the first movie. Almost nothing interesting happens until the end, where it picks up a bit by not enough. Just plain boring with odd bits. Poor.
Vampire Princess
Very interesting set up with a lot of potential which isn't realised in any of the episodes on this DVD. The only real flaw is the lack of much happening for most of each episode. I'm not sure if I will ever really like the main character though, she is completely heartless in these episodes. I was worried that it might turn into Monster Of The Week but it isn't quite as straight forward as that. Okay, but has promise.
Trigun
Pretty funny, crazy characters, and good plots. Even after all the episodes you're left wondering if the hero is actually any good or if it is all plain luck. Pretty good.
Love Hina
The main character should be in a hospital within the first 5 minutes of each episode from the number of violent beatings he receives. Teenage boy runs girls dorm. Cue the huge number of misunderstandings and no one ever explaining the real situation. Okay.
Ranma 1/2 Movie 1
I've seen the the first episode of the series which explains why half of the characters turn into animals when they get wet, and I'm sure it made me far less confused than I would have been. As with most "The Movie" titles, it seems to include every character ever in the manga/series even if they don't do anything more than stand in a crowd. Characters are all a bit crazy, but not convincing. Not particularly interesting to me really. Poor.
Oh My Goddess
OTT characters and actions. The situation might be interesting but the plot and dialogue isn't. The characters are either annoying or horribly weak and pathetic. Five months take place between the first and second episodes in which the boy never even holds hands with his goddess girlfriend despite them both being in love. Looks lovely, but nothing to draw me in at all. Rather poor.
You're Under Arrest Complete OVAs
From the makers of Oh My Goddess. Same style of animation, but it has decent plots and characters. The way the cars drive is fantastic. Great action sequences and each episode feels like a proper story rather than just a tiny bit of plot from the series stretched into 30 minutes. I'm not sure if I was going crazy but in several shots of the characters in the car they would switch places from left to right. It seems that there aren't more in this series which is a shame. Pretty good.
Ninja Scroll
By far my favourite. I liked the original film and this is pretty much more of the same but with a plot thread through many episodes and much less blood. Large numbers of warriors with very imaginatively bizarre abilities and supernatural powers, killing each other and trying to kill the hero. Very good, I'll definitely get more of these.
I think some of these are going to be repackaged soon which might be why they are going so cheaply. They are all volume 1 of the series except for the ones title Movie or Complete OVAs.
Although there are a few stinkers, the set is worth it for the gems alone, it's even cheaper than a single volume of one of these from HMV. It meant I got to see anime I've heard about and wanted to see, plus I got to see many anime that I wouldn't have normally bothered with buying or renting at all. Review of the red boxset will follow when I have seen all of them.
All of these reviews are based purely on the content of the DVDs unless noted, not on other reviews or shows.
Bubblegum Crisis
Got the DVDs a while back so it is hard to comment on the one volume without thinking of the series. Women kick the hell out of robots. Seems cliched now, but it started quite a few of the cliches itself. Not as good as the 2040 remake (sort of remake anyway) but still very good.
Urasei Yatsura Movie 1 and 3
Movie 1 - It is nuts. Many over the top characters in crazy situations. I usually hate anime like this but it is great. Very funny in many parts. Subtitles only, which makes it hard to follow in some sections where they flash up so quick that even a fast reader like myself has trouble, plus you can't remove them. An older style of animation but still good. Why is there no Movie 2 available in the UK?
Movie 3 - Oh what a disappointment. Dull, even by normal standards, not just next to the craziness in the first movie. Almost nothing interesting happens until the end, where it picks up a bit by not enough. Just plain boring with odd bits. Poor.
Vampire Princess
Very interesting set up with a lot of potential which isn't realised in any of the episodes on this DVD. The only real flaw is the lack of much happening for most of each episode. I'm not sure if I will ever really like the main character though, she is completely heartless in these episodes. I was worried that it might turn into Monster Of The Week but it isn't quite as straight forward as that. Okay, but has promise.
Trigun
Pretty funny, crazy characters, and good plots. Even after all the episodes you're left wondering if the hero is actually any good or if it is all plain luck. Pretty good.
Love Hina
The main character should be in a hospital within the first 5 minutes of each episode from the number of violent beatings he receives. Teenage boy runs girls dorm. Cue the huge number of misunderstandings and no one ever explaining the real situation. Okay.
Ranma 1/2 Movie 1
I've seen the the first episode of the series which explains why half of the characters turn into animals when they get wet, and I'm sure it made me far less confused than I would have been. As with most "The Movie" titles, it seems to include every character ever in the manga/series even if they don't do anything more than stand in a crowd. Characters are all a bit crazy, but not convincing. Not particularly interesting to me really. Poor.
Oh My Goddess
OTT characters and actions. The situation might be interesting but the plot and dialogue isn't. The characters are either annoying or horribly weak and pathetic. Five months take place between the first and second episodes in which the boy never even holds hands with his goddess girlfriend despite them both being in love. Looks lovely, but nothing to draw me in at all. Rather poor.
You're Under Arrest Complete OVAs
From the makers of Oh My Goddess. Same style of animation, but it has decent plots and characters. The way the cars drive is fantastic. Great action sequences and each episode feels like a proper story rather than just a tiny bit of plot from the series stretched into 30 minutes. I'm not sure if I was going crazy but in several shots of the characters in the car they would switch places from left to right. It seems that there aren't more in this series which is a shame. Pretty good.
Ninja Scroll
By far my favourite. I liked the original film and this is pretty much more of the same but with a plot thread through many episodes and much less blood. Large numbers of warriors with very imaginatively bizarre abilities and supernatural powers, killing each other and trying to kill the hero. Very good, I'll definitely get more of these.