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My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.

Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (301)

the finest family movie to ever come out of Japan
Master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has created a delightful work of sheer beauty in My Neighbor Totoro. The story centers around two girls who move into the countryside with their father. Their mother is in the hospital, and when she seems to be getting better, she has a relapse. An urgent telegram is sent to the house, where it is read by Satsuki (the older sister). Neither child knows how to react to this; Mei runs away, and it is up to Satsuki and the Totoro of the forest to find her.

I first saw this movie when the original Fox VHS came out (I was about 5 at that point, and got it as a Christmas present), and continue to be enchanted by it today. As soon as I heard that it was being released on DVD, I ordered a copy, but alas, I should have waited.

To those of you who have the VHS and are considering the DVD, and even to those who have the Fox DVD, I strongly reccomend ordering a copy of the Disney/Studio Ghibly version. It is true that dubbing a movie can do tremendious injustice to a foreign film, and the Japanese language track is a feature that should have been included on the Fox release. Also note that the second disk will be packed with features, including storyboard drawings, cast interviews, and a myriad of other interesting morsels.

Fantastic Animation -- Unforgivable Treatment
My Neighbor Totoro is one of the greatest animated films ever produced (for children or otherwise). It is a film that devoted fans such as myself love sharing with children and friends (I even teach it in my Children's Literature class.)
----The delicacy of Hayao Miyazaki's tale of two young girls who must cope with the stresses of moving to a new house, neighborhood and school--while their mother is kept in a hospital for a problem they do not understand!--is extraordinarily well-told through delightful and surprising events and beautiful animation. That the girls need the friendship and support of their father, the neighbors and the Totoros (friendly nature spirits) is subtly presented and then heroically answered through Miyazaki's unforgettable imagery.
---But you'll have to trust me on that because a good portion of that imagery has been butchered away through the pan-and-scan process. Not only have the producers of this DVD version cut away much of the visuals but they have also left off the Japanese language track and given us a rather pale transfer.
----English speaking kids deserve to see this better-than-Disney film. They deserve to view the widescreen version and they deserve the option of hearing the dubbed version (if they cannot yet read) OR hearing it in it's original language while reading subtitles. A quality production would offer these things and more.
----This DVD offers a Masterpiece, but a badly Mistreated one----

Marvellous film, but beware this Fox release
Charm, wisdom and beauty - Miyazaki style. "Totoro" is a real winner for all the family, but I would advise prospective buyers to wait for the Disney/Buena Vista release later this year. This Fox version is full-screen, cutting down the viewing area, and is only available with English dubbed voices (the original Japanese with subtitles offers much more subtle performances for parental viewing!)

Blown Away By the Mighty Voice of Totoro!
I have spent the past day wondering what has gone wrong with children's entertainment, particularly American kids fare. This movie is, quite simply, awesome. Granted, there's that one iffy bath scene early in the movie, but I'm willing to overlook it because the rest of the movie is mind blowing beauty. This is the antidote to the usual American kid show, in my opinion. It is subtle, beautiful, simple, and yet complex. It is charming, wholesome, real, and superb. This is the breakthrough film for Miyazaki in America and I can see why.

Enchanting!
"My Neighbor Totoro" is a beautiful film, comprised of lovable characters, decadent animation, and a plot choc-full of magical fun. It is simply marvelous!

I was first introduced to Totoro in about the fourth grade, when we watched this movie at Japanese School. I remember wishing that I could live at the house that Mei and Satsuki live in so that I could see real dust bunnies and follow acorn trails to little Totoros. Some years later, I am still enchanted by Totoro's huge smile, the flying cat bus, and the amazing trees in the girls' backyard.

Although there are some dramatic moments in "Totoro" (i.e. visiting Mother in the hospital, Mei running away, etc.), it is still a movie that you will want to watch time and time again. This is family entertainment at its very best!

If you're looking for more great Japanese animated movies, try "Castle in the Sky" by Hayao Miyazaki. :) ... Read more

Description

Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD), Minnie Driver (GOOD WILL HUNTING), and Billy Bob Thornton (ARMAGEDDON, SLING BLADE) head a cast of hot Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated, overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup -- WITHOUT LIMITS) sets out for the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi (Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest's animal gods, who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves! Also starring Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Jada Pinkett Smith (SCREAM 2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture! ... Read more

Reviews (687)

Mononoke a must for Fantasy Fans
This is an amazing anime feature reminding me a little of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Except that was Chinese Folklore). It has simplistic yet very professional and detailed animation by Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring a beautiful instrumental score rendered by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. This movie is set in isolationist Japan, and is filled with eastern/Japanese cultural elements for us westerners to attempt to understand. Along with a decent fantasy helping of personified animals and Gods. Be careful watching it if you can constitute a western audience member. This isn't a tree hugger movie like Fern Gully (me shudders). If you think this movie has contemporary western political motives then you are thinking too hard! I had to stop myself and just enjoy it. The story really has no antagonist because both sides in the story are equally guilty of one emotion (try and find the best line in the movie that sums up what I just said)...plus it smacks of Eastern values and mythology. And that's all I'm going to say about the story. If a devout conservative can love this movie...anyone can. Leave the soap box at home. Incidentally the english dub features the voices of American Hollywood stars such as Gillian Anderson (The X-Files)and Billy Bob Thorton (Armageddon, Pushing Tin, etc...)...But don't tell the real Anime buffs that I watched it dubbed...lol...I know only real anime fans watch subbed anime.

Excellent Display of how our world is!
I have experienced some of the things that Miyazaki has put in "Princess Mononoke". For example, i've had to step into fights and then get rejected by both sides. We ourselves are demons in a certain view. We hurt others when they're in the way of our dreams or whatever. For example, if I wanted to rule the world and my friend opposed me, I would hurt him. Miyazaki is clearly showing this and that's why I give "Princess Mononoke" a 5-stars rating.

Be literal, "artistic" metaphors are stupid!!
Don't listen to rhogen, he's not smart. So what if all the characters have human actions, this movie is full of dizzying contradictions and superstitious crap!! Those who think in a literal way are much smarter than those who don't. I'm not an Evangelist Christian from Mississippi who thinks Princess Mononoke is full of paganism, I'm a Soviet Marxist who thinks Princess Mononoke is full of anti-human new-age supersition and metaphors that are silly and nonsensical. Miyazaki screwed up and should keep his enviromental anti-human commentary in Japan, like killing people will help trees grow. Watch Akira (Streamline version), Ninja Scroll, and Ghost In The Shell. All of those anime have adult and provacative content, but don't have anti-human new-age spiritual crap, "artistic" metaphores, and they don't make you puke out your lunch.

Don't be so literal, this is artistic metaphor at its best
I have to respond to those who freak out about the "superstitions" of this film. Being a totally non-magical thinker myself I can understand the first-order reaction. But frankly, you need to see the metaphors. When the spirit gods express anger at "humans", this is metaphorically our own conscience questioning and evaluating what we are doing. It's that simple. If you can do that, you will be able to LOVE this film. SEMI-SPOILER: The first great thing about it is that there are no mustache-twirling villains. Everyone's motivations are human, they're doing what they think is best. That's just the appetizer. Great stuff!

VISUALLY SPECTACULAR, HOT-BUTTON MESSAGES, BUT..
The reviews for this typical Miyazaki blockbuster are so rabidly of the WOW mentality that you may expect something mind-blowing. 'Manage your expectations and enjoy the bloody ride' is my advice.

In terms of sheer execution this is one of the best anime capers you'll see, replete with beasts of mythic proportions, lush forests, sparkling waterfalls, and some mind-numbing inter-galactic slaughter. I could wager in a blink that this is what inspired Tarantino to do that little anime insert in Kill Bill Vol 1.

Plus, the film has some swank credentials under its belt: the Japanese voices are dubbed, not just subtitled, by big *American* stars -- Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver, Claire Danes, Bill Crudup, etc -- who lend their laryx to a host of universally relevant issues such as the plight of indigenous people and nature in the face of unchecked business interests, the death of spirituality in the name of social progress, misogyny in its many variations, etc.

But I have my gripes. The film is violent. Very violent. Sometimes senselessly violent. I had to frequently turn my volume knob to the left. There are gigantic guns, and blood and guts splatter the landscape every minute. Most of this soon seems overdrawn (and the film is looooong) with all this supposedly cool action amounting to precious little in terms of any clear message about good versus evil. The underlying purpose is summed up brilliantly by a roadside beggar when he says something like the world is cursed, but we still find a reason to live.

I also found something lacking in the animation itself. While exquisitely vivid it seems to lag in its flair for capturing natural motion. Disney or Pixar movies pore over a sense of suppleness when an eye is raised or a muscle is twitched by a character. Miyazaki's animators on the other hand haven't penetrated beyond the skin, the moving creatures feel inarticulate and jerky, particularly when played against the very 2D painted backgrounds.

But that still doesn't stop me from recommending this powerful cult flick, a must if you're an anime acolyte. If not, then be prepared for a Tarantino x 100 and you'll do fine. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

They fought and never look back
Fatal Fury the movie is one of a kind anime mix with a video game. Street Fighter is still the other anime that I like because bringing the favor into the character is wonderful. Terry is the calm, street fighter, Andy is stressed out because of Mai, Joe acts like a bonehead and Mai is a bit pighead sucking up to Andy to protect her. When one of the pieces of "Armor of Mars" was founded by "Laocorn" he plans to use all six pieces to become a god. Not only that his twin sister Sulia asked Terry to help her brother to be free of the cruse. Terry and his team went on to find the armor to prevent Laocorn to be controled by the armor. Fatal Fury action, drama,and some comedy to impress the fans. Special apperances by Kim Kapwhan, Duck King, Billy Kane and others from FF2. What makes also makes this movie special is the song "Oh Angel" at the credits. sounds romatic.

If you like Anime, But this Movie!
After Fatal Fury 1: Legend of the Hungry Wolf, and Fatal Fury 2 this third installment was a welcome addition to the series. Picking up where the second left off it takes our heroes into the hardest fight they have encountered yet; an new emerging mad man equipped with the armor of Mars.

Despite dragging a little bit in the middle this movie has high paced action mixed in with great directing calls by Masami Obari. With a plot worthy of a Greek Tragedy, Terry Bogard yet again struggles with both the finding of a new love and the struggling question of why he fights. Is it because he knows no other life or because he protects those around him? Subtle innuendos like that run through the movie and help to make it what it is. A story of four incredible fighters in a quest to help a complete stranger save her brothers' life and quite possibly his soul.

High paced figths, well thought plot, and well designed characters both good guy and bad guy alike, this is well worth adding to your video collection.

Do You REally Want Anime? Buy This!!!!!!
For those old that remeber animes like Robotech or maybe relative new animes like Evangelion or Magick Knight Rayearth, well they are great But this Fatal Fury Anime is The God Of The Animes, Mixes all Adventure,Action,Martial Arts,SciFi Power Battles, and a Great Story, Indiana Jones wold be Jealousy if he saw at this anime and the adventure story in it, and the personality of the characters is very well made comparated to the game story, if u are a fan or not of Fatal Fury Games u will Love this DVD, last to add is that if u are smart and wannna keep a great video Anime in your DVD colection u will buy this for sure

IF only Hollywood could be this good
It is pretty much a solid fact that most Video Game movies tend to suck. Even in the Anime world there are some that are at best Mediocre, however despite some criticism this is truely one of the better action Anime videos available, as well as Video Game inspired.

The story is that Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, and Mai get recruited by this frightend girl Sulia to stop her Brother Lalcorn from gathering the armor of Goddamous, and ancient God back in the Days of Alexander the Great. Throughout the movie they search for clues as other Warriors get taken out in the meantime. Eventually the four of the Square off against Lalcorn and his Henchmen in an action packed finally.

This movie did what hollywood could not, capture the essence of the video game inside the movie and create an incredible story around it. To date from my personal viewing the only other Anime series to date that has done this task was Street Fighter 2V. If you are just getting into Anime, or an Action Anime fan than this is a title to check into.

Awsome anime
When I first got this movie I had thought I was some kind of sequel to Street Fighter but I was wrong. Fatal Fury was 1 of the best I've seen. This is my second best anime next to the Street FighterII series. Kids who can't really watch a PG-13 movie or R I suggest you shouldn't watch this because there are some blood and gore scenes and a hott shower scene. I hope this was helpful. ... ... Read more

Reviews (162)

The Best Tenchi Movie! No Questions Asked
Out of all the Tenchi movies, this one is the best. It takes place when the criminal known as Kain escapes from the Galaxy Police and travels back in time to kill Achika, Tenchi's mother, in the year 1970. This leads the gang back to that era. All the characters from Tenchi Universe are here in this one. The animation remains some of the best in any Tenchi movie with vibrant colors and full motion animation. One thing you may find strange about the title is that its called Tenchi Muyo in Love and there is almost no romantic quarels between Aeka and Ryoko in the film. Oh well, it doesn't bother me. I actually loved the movie. The DVD does justice as well. The overall best part is the 4 TV spots\theatrical trailers. The first one is a theatrical trailer thats about 30 seconds. The second one is a special report on the film that was shown in Japan right after the last episode of Tenchi Universe. The third trailer is a TV spot which is exactly like the theatrical trailer. The last one is a quick 15 second TV spots. Pretty sweet. Even more is the interview with the music composer, Chris Franke, speaking English with Japanese subtitles. There is also some interesting text to read on the director, music compuser and singers. Even a section on Tenchi Universe. The Audio is great with Japanese and English in brilliant THX Dolby 5.1. Subtitles include English and Japanese which are both white outlined in blue. And the price! Oh, the price! All this and you haven't bought it yet? Get it! Its a steal at this price. Trust me. You won't regret it.

KAAAIIINNNN!!!!
A ruthless, merciless, super-criminal has escaped from sub-space, where he was being held. He had been put there by the combined forces of the Galaxy Police and the Jurai Royal Family. Now to get back at them he will travel back in time, to 1970, to kill Tenchi's mother! Does that make sense? No? Well, don't worry about it, because this is TENCHI: The Movie, also known as Tenchi Muyo In Love.
Tenchi and the gang, including Kiyone, go back to stop Kain from killing his mom and erasing him from history forever. This seems to be a normal Tenchi adventure, with a tad more blood than normal. And I'm not sure who Tench is in love with, but lets not go there. Just enjoy the time travel and the combat.
Kain, on the other hand, could of used more help as a character. That's why it has only four stars.

A snore
I have to disagree with most, I found this movie very boring. The plot, at first interesting, became flat rather quickly. I thought this movie had a lot of potential in the first few moments. The problem is the conflict in this movie just takes way too long to resolve. It's not a particularly long movie, but when the space between conflict creation and resolving is filled mostly with dull, flat moments, it just feels so tedious. I was truly bored watching this movie.

Great animation and artwork, there the movie definitely does not disappoint. If you're a hardcore Tenchi fan then obviously this review will fail to convince you. For the Tenchi casuals, I say look elsewhere, as Tenchi in general is actually pretty cool stuff.

OH wow!
What an epic movie! It was incredible! If you're a tenchi fan... heck, if you're NOT a Tenchi fan, watch this, it's just fantastic.

One of my top 10 favorite movies
Usally, I'm the guy that watches the Godfather, Scarface, Hard Boiled, and New Jack City style movies, but after watching the Tenchi series on Toonami, and enjoyed them(Except for Tenchi in Tokyo).

I brought the movie, and see what it was all about. Just like the Series(except for Tenchi in Tokyo) it didn't dissapoint, and the storyline is just genius. The story is very moving, and it also has comedy in it, as always; and it kept my eyes glued to the TV to screene until the end.

I havent seene the last 2 movies, but I'm sure I'll see them real soon. So if you love the Tenchi series, you should have this by now. If you love anime, and don't have this, go check this out, and the 3 Series.

peace ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Are you ready for the Final Round?!
Even though I'm no longer going to subscribe to Nintendo Power anymore (since my subscription is gone for eternity), I totally love this movie just like all of you Pokemon fans out there. However, this movie can be shocking at first, but once you try it enough times, it shouldn't be that shocking. Anyway, this movie contains the following:

"Pikachu and Pichu", a mini movie that takes place in the big city where the Pichu bros. try their best to guide Pikachu back home before Ash Ketchum notices his Pokemon are missing. It's very funny to see those Pokemon fight against 1 obstacle after another. Ha! Ha! Ha!

"Spell of the Unown", a major movie that takes place in the hilariously bizzare wasteland of Greenfield where everything turns to crystal. Sounds creepy does it? But not only that, you get to meet Entei, a legendary Fire-type Pokemon with the best Pokemon voice, unlike Mewtwo and Lugia which are just plain wimps. That's because those other 2 Pokemon that first existed in Pokemon 1 and 2 tend to have bad voices, but this one has a good voice.

What I do like about this movie:

"Pikachu and Pichu" has really huge laughs, unlike "Pikachu's Vacation" and "Pikachu's Rescue Adventure", plus it has more G/S Pokemon, which is superior.

"Spell of the Unown" has really good animation, good laughs, and good voices, unlike "Mewtwo Strikes Back" and "The Power of One", plus it has 3 soundtracks that has you moving and grooving to the beat, along with 2 excellent looking Pokemon (Unown and Entei) and 3 forms of the final boss, Molly.

What I don't like about this movie:

"Pikachu and Pichu" may tend to get annoying and loud at times during the film.

"Spell of the Unown" is a movie that could be too creepy for little kids, plus it's way too loud! Ahhh!

I'm sure this review will help all of you, but I'll see ya in the Special movie, Mewtwo Returns on December 4, 2001. Good luck! You'll need it!

Da best Pokemon movie to date!
Simply put, this movie is beautiful! The short film, "Pikachu and Pichu", is much better than the previous shorts, basically 'cause Togepi DOESN'T get lost! The main feature, "Spell of the Unown" (or "Lord of the Unknown Tower", however you want to put it) kills both "Mewtwo Strikes Back" and "Pokemon 2000: The Power of One"! Beautifully animated and equipped with a moving plot, "Pokemon 3" is, hands down, the best Pokemon movie to date. Unlike "PK 2000", the characters in "PK 3" actually bend in with the computer-generated graphics. The plot is not as predictable as "PK 1", and it also gives a little background info on Molly and her family, so the audience actually knows what the hell is going on. Not to mention that one of the coolest Pokemon of all appears in this movie.... ENTEI! ^_^ There's only one problem with this movie. Team Rocket is in it for a grand total of five minutes! Team Twerp is way overrated! >_< Hopefully, TR will have a bigger part in "PK 4", but 4Kids may not even bother to put it in theaters, unfortunately. It just might be one of those straight-to-video films.... *sigh* All in all, "PK 3" gets two paws up, and more if I could. Even those who aren't Pokemon fans won't be dissapointed. Show your support to keep Pokemon's flame burning brightly! Ii Kanji!

Pokemon Three - Entei Rules
This is the best Pokemon movie out of the five I've seen, in my opinion. The music is absolutely amazing: if they could make a REAL soundtrack with the ACUTAL music, I'd buy it immediately. You've all heard summaries of it from the other raters, so I'm not going to give one to you here. The voices of the characters match with their personalities, the plot takes a step away from Ash-Please-We-Need-Your-Help-Only-You-Can-Do-It and the 'save the world' junk. Yes, for once, Ashy-boy DIDN'T ride on a mythological being, and he DIDN'T stopped one 'undefeatable I-Am-The-Strongest-Alive' 'Mon from destroying humanity, or whatever. The characters can relate to every-day, real people as well - some are strong, like Entei, some are along a lot, like Molly, and some are so determined it's scary, like Ash...and some are just place ditzy, like James of Team Rocket. This is worth every .5 of a cent, in my view, and I would get the DVD if I could. The character also change in the movie depending on the experiences they went through, much like actual people, instead of shrugging, and saying 'okay, that's over' like a few movies had done.

An okay pokemon movie
I saw this a while ago. It was ok but not the greatest movie ive seen. Ive seen the 1st 2nd and 3rd movie. I want to see the 4th and 5th movie. I kinda out grown pokemon but its ok. I like Chobits, Super Gals, Sailor Moon, And Sakura Wars there all good.

Outstanding!
This movie was Awesome! I saw all the Movies in theatre but this one was my favorite. This movie, as with the other movies had a great message. This one says you're not alone no matter how lonely you feel and that people do care about you. It also says that if you believe in yourself then you will make it through the rough times. It shows tons of new Pokemon and the animation and script were incredible. This movie Rocks You just gotta' see it! ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Disappointing
In this review I will discuss this movie's good and bad points. First, some of the new characters like Sakura, Rose, and Birdie were in the movie briefly but in a meaningful way. Secondly, the dubbing was very good. The scenes with Sakura in them were very cute and humorous, even Ryu's alleged brother Shun had some adorable moments.

Now on to the bad points, the back of the movie box claims that this movie is a sequel to the Street Fighter II V series, however this is not the case. In fact Chun-Li is reintroduced to Ryu and Ken (yawn).

This movie has character designs by Yoshihiko Umakoshi the result is that the characters look the way that they do in the Street Fighter Alpha games which in my opinion isn't nearly as good as the character designs in the Street Fighter II movie or the SF II V series. The fact that this is a Street Fighter movie I expected the fight scenes to be equal to or better than the fight scenes in the previous SF movie or television series, but unfortunately the fight scenes aren't that great. Also, I was a little upset that some of the Alpha characters that were in the movie like Guy, Sodom, Rolento, Adon, Vega, Dhalism, and Dan, had roles that were short-lived and corny. The story wasn't fully realized by the writer's in my opinion, because it had the potential for being so much more than a story fit for a Saturday morning cartoon show. The characters were also in many cases repeating the same tired lines over and over again which was very annoying.

Good dvd, BAD movie
Very dissapointed with how this movie turned out. I don't where the script writers came out with younger brother angle , but it doesn't work. Rule One : Don't rewrite histories of established , tried-and-true ,bread -and-butter characters , geez! Some scenes are very reminiscient of Akira and Dragonball Z , only very hacknyed and lame. Too much groaning and powering for SF in my opinion. The whole movie kinda floats around with barely any screentime for all those new Alpha fighters. The movie SHOULD have been based around a tournament , with nice, lengthy fights..only nauseating or incredibly short fights here.
And the character designs are ugly and very strange..I loved the art in Street Fighter II V...how can they drop the ball on a feature film?!
On to the DVD, video and sound quality are excellent , and I was pleased by the extras (interviews with the REAL cast for once). And the requisite trailers..if you are SF fanatic or completist , then go ahead pick it up. Otherwise , look elsewhere.

The Way It Should Be!
First and foremost, I love the Street Fighter series, ever since Street Fighter II: World Warrior was made available on Nintendo, ahhh memories.
The thing that set Street Fighter apart from anything else were the strength of the characters, diverse yet loveable over time. All had very interesting histories that had led them to this point, (hence the creation of the current Udon comics).
I have to say i love this movie. This film is the way it should be. I'm such a sucker for films which combine an element of destiny and spiritual self discovery.
I think i'm definitely a minority when i say that this animation is better than the animated effort before it, Street Fighter - The Animated Movie. That film had good combat sequences but failed miserably in delivering a story, i mean come on it was so cheesy, it hurt. And the voice acting... OH MY GOD, that was sooo bad!
Anyway, that is in the past and now we have Street Fighter Alpha, it's just soo perfect, adopting a very compelling story, although i do believe it loses its way towards the end.
The writers have done great job with the script, whereby the characters convey themselves the way should be, along with the voice acting which is also perfect. It really is, the script and voice acting make the characters likeable (i particularly like the way Ken was intepreted), we can really understand their positions. Unlike the previous film which made the characters appear arrogant and stupid, it made me hate the characters more than anything.
Also the animation is very nice, with very "arty" moments such as Ryu's blood washing away in the rain, these moments really add to the film as whole.
Sorry i know i'm long winded, but the ending is also worth noting, i don't think many people like it, but i always like an ending with some question attached and climax.

All in all, a great film
This coming from a loyal and huge Street Fighter fan.

A STORY BEYOND THE AVERAGE STREET FIGHTER STORY LINE
PERHAPS ONE OF THE BEST STREET FIGHTER STORYS OF ALL TIME. THE MOVIE DOESN'T ONLY SHOW YOUR FAVORITE ALPHA FIGHTERS, BUT ALSO TAKES A DEEPER LOOK IN THE STREET FIGHTER WORLD. AS RYU TRIES TO OVERCOME THE DARKNESS WITHIN HIM, HE MUST ALSO FIND OUT WHO HE REALLY IS AS WELL AS FINDING THE TRUTH BEHIND A "LONG LOST BROTHER". IT'S REALLY EMOTIONAL AND HAS A SOILD STORY TO GO WITH IT. IF YOU LIKE THE STREET FIGHTER MOVIES AND INTO DEEP STORY LINES, THEN DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GET THIS UNBELIEVABLE STREET FIGHTER MOIVE.

great Anime
This anime has some very nice backgrounds and such - the water training scene in particular has a zen peacefullness to it. The animation during the fight sequences is generally done very well and there are a few moments that are awesome. The drawing style is unique and I really liked it. The story is pretty weak - typical street fighter "with great power comes great responsibility" I guess. Some of the fight scenes are really spectacular - though I found myself waiting a bit too long for them sometimes. I understand that the whole movie cant be fighting, but when you name a movie Street Fighter I just wanted a little more. All in all I would say this is easily as good as every other street fighter movie made and I appreciate the inclusion of Akuma, though it would be nice to see Guile and Dhalsim play larger roles. Down, Down-Forward, Forward+Punch.
As far as the extra features go, I dont know, I never watch that crap. If you are really looking for an awesome anime, this is definately one of them, but if you havent seen Ninja Scroll or Vampire Hunter Bloodlust then I would say get those first. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thanks to a greedy Pok&eacute;mon collector, Earth's weather patterns are askew and its population doomed unless Pok&eacute;mon trainer Ash can return three glass balls to their proper place in this second Pok&eacute;mon feature. Unlike the television show, the movie features little violence and no Pok&eacute;mon battles in the classic sense. Instead, the focus is an environmental one: what happens when humans interfere with the harmony of Earth's elements--in this case fire, ice, and lightning. Even Team Rocket have a (temporary, to be sure) change of heart, joining Ash and Misty in their effort to free the three imprisoned birdlike Pok&eacute;mon who regulate those elements. The good intentions of this 76-minute film, however, don't make it any less dull for grownups (even though this feature is better than the first). Even more mind-numbing than the feature is the lead-in short, "Pikachu's Rescue Adventure," in which Pikachu and Pok&eacute;mon friends follow Team Rocket's feline down a hole into a Munchkinland-type place. Without the humans for dialogue, viewers must endure a full 20 minutes of nothing but the squawks and squeaks of pocket monsters. As the movie's title song says, "We all live in a Pok&eacute;mon world." (Ages 3 and older.) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Disappointed with the 1st one? This is a 100% improvement!
Pokemon: the 1st movie didn't go over too well with critics or viewers(I thought it was pretty good, but it was NOTHING compared to the second one.) Firstly, there are no mistakes in this one. Secondly, it makes a lot more sense-meaning adults will like it-and it's more exciting. Even the mini-movie in the beginning is better. (Pikachu and its pals follow Togepi to a magical garden, and many Pokemon, old and new, work togther during a storm there.) Anyway, the plot for this movie is very imaginative: In an attempt to capture all 3 legendary birds for his collection, this crazy collector guy starts a huge weather problem that will soon destroy the world(because the birds control the weather)if Ash doesn't bring together the three treasures from each island-Articuno's, Zapdos's, and Moltres's. Once he does that, Lugia is summoned from the ocean, and he puts an end to the problem. It's all very fast-paced and fun, and I just can't wait to watch it again(and again and again...) Ash, Misty, and Tracy are all in it, and if you look closely at one part you can see Brock running around with kids in the back of a TV screen. But that's it for him, and even though I hate him anyway, sorry to Brock fans! Still, Poke-people will ADORE this movie. Especially if you happen to agree with me that Team Rocket is the best part of everything Pokemon. They are very important to this move, seeing as how Ash NEEDS them to save the world(watch it, you'll find out how!) At one point they actually agree to give their lives to "potect the world from devestation", and I was fretting for the rest of the film until I found out they were OK! But this is a very funny, very, VERY worthwhile movie for Pokemon fans, so don't be turned away from it because the first wasn't as hot. They've done better!

Much better than the First Movie
Many people criticized "Mewtwo Strikes Back" when the first Pokemon movie was released in the US, because in comparison with the excellent Japanese version it was a mess, missing out important things that explained about the characters (such as The Birth Of Mewtwo), and it had sloppy characterization.

However, I'm pleased to say that this film is generally much better than the first Pokemon movie. The plot involves a Pokemon collector called Laurence III who wants to capture the three Legendary birds Articuno. Zapdos and Moltres - or the Gods of Ice, Lightning and Fire as they're called here. Unfortunately, this creates a huge problem with Earth's weather patterns, causing violent storms and snow, and it is left up to Ash to get them back, and return things to normal.

There are some little hints to the possibility of an Ash/Misty romance in this film - when Ash arrives on the island at the beginning of the movie, a girl called Melody kisses Ash on the cheek which makes Misty really jealous, as well as some other cute moments.

Sadly, in spite of an improved plot I believe that, as before, the choice of music stands out as the film`s downfall and the producers haven`t learnt from the mistakes they made in the first film. Apart from a few exceptions ("The Legend Comes To Life" is a wonderful track), this movie replicates the same pop-styled rubbish used in the First Movie. The remix of the TV theme song ("Pokemon World" performed by Youngstown & Nobody's Angel) is absolutely horrible, with a scratchy beat and synthesized vocals. The campaign to ban vocoders starts here...

Next time round, I would like to see a better choice of music which is less pop-orientated, but I`m not holding my breath...

Overall though, in spite of the terrible soundtrack, this is a major improvement on the First Movie which I think any Pokemon fan should add to their collection.

My little sis liked it, but in my opinon ITS STUPID!
Yeah whatever, Ash has to be the stupid main character and acts like a childish kid who never goes to school, who always hangs out with his stupid pokemon and trys to earn badges and stuff like that. People who like pokemon, yeah I dont mind but for the trained eye, HE ALWAYS HAS TO SAVE THE WORLD! Ash has to get three treasures and placing them into a stupid stone and this one girl plays a ocarina.

Pros: NONE

Cons:
POKEMON ALWAYS SAY THEIR NAMES
THEIR VOICE ACTING IS HORRIBLE
BROCK IS SO FRICKEN ANOYING AROUND GIRLS
TEAM ROCKET HELPS ASH AND THEM OUT (STUPID! THEIR THE EVIL PEOPLE, NOT THE NICE ONES)
MUSIC IS DULL
ETC!

Good movie but a bit of an embarrasment
This movie is great and it has my favorite Pokemon: Lugia. But the creators of this movie made Lugia an embarrasment. Anything happens to it and it falls into the sea. And I wish Lugia could actully beat up all three birds at once. But introducing Lugia`s Aeroblast to destroy Lawrance`s ship was hot. This movie also shows another of my favorite Pokemon: Articuno. This was a great movie but the Pokemon were an embarrasment

This Movies Wicked!
I love this Movie!
It wasn't quite as good as the first but I still thought it was wicked. The storyline is great. It says if you try hard and believe in youself there is nothing you can't do. I think pokemon has encouraged people of all ages from around the world that they are special and have the power to make change in the world. Get this movie you won't regret it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A peak achievement of Japanese anime, Ninja Scroll is a propulsive mix of samurai action adventure and supernatural fantasy from writer-director Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Supernatural Best City). This is defiantly animation for grown-ups, complete with fountains of blood, plenty of naked flesh, and (in both the subtitled and dubbed versions) some decidedly strong language. (Students of Japanese language could pick up some useful expressions.) The plot sounds like a 16th century variation on the X-Files: An entire village has been wiped out by a mysterious plague and an anti-government conspiracy of invulnerable demons seems to be responsible. A wandering ninja, Jubei, and his female counterpart, Kagero, team up to defeat the plotters. Jubei is a classic reluctant hero, agreeing to participate in the mission only after being fed a slow-acting poison; the antidote will be supplied after he cooperates. And Kagero, a looker whose embrace is lethal, is a femme fatale with a difference that seems distinctively Japanese: sexual contact itself is poisonous, especially for a warrior with a pure soul. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (373)

Pure enjoyment for the open minded...
This review is directed to those who, like myself, are not avid anime fans. I own three anime DVDs: Ghost in the Shell, Akira, and Ninja Scroll, and I enjoy all three. However, Ninja Scroll is far the most enjoyable to watch. But this review is not a comparison of the three.

I would like to praise the writer/director of Ninja Scroll for creating such an exciting and artistic work while at the same time retelling the ancient tale of the reluctant hero. The plot was sufficient enough to withstand the weight of the amazing action sequences and fun sexual content. The character development was superb. Jubei (the hero) is not portrayed an all-powerful superhero. Instead, we just see a gifted fighter with an immense will to survive.

The action scenes are among the best I have ever seen, with battle choreography that is comparable to that of the best filmakers. The villians are imaginitive and original, not to mention devious. The plot is extremely imaginitive, touching on topics that are not common to the "super robots and cute little girls" world of Japanese Anime: love triangles, rape, greed, self esteem, and homosexuality. This film was enjoyable from beginning to end, and if you are searching to expand your collection into something new, pick up this DVD. Its pure enjoyment.

Breaking the Samurai Code
One tradition of Japanese manga and anime is based on the legends of Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, who was a very real swordsman serving the Tokugawa Shogunate at the beginning of the 17th century. Jubei was known for wandering Japan, sometimes as a spy for the Shogun, and righting injustices with displays of his extraordinary swordsmanship. Kind of a Japanese Knight of the Roundtable.

In 'Ninja Scroll', this part is played by Jubei Kibagami, an itinerant ninja. He is drawn into clan politics when he comes to the aid of Kagero, a female ninja in service to the Yamashiro clan. To save Kagero, Jubei must successfully challenge Tessai, an evil ninja (one of the Eight Devils of Kimon) with the ability to turn his skin into stone, and the strength to chop walls down. Jubei succeeds, but Tessai swears vengeance, leaving Jubei deeply entangled in a struggle with the Shogun of the Dark.

The third player in this contest is Dakuan, the Shoguns spy. He is a deadly old man who recruits Jubei by giving him a poison that will kill him in a day and a night. Dakuan informs Jubei that Himuro Gemma, an old enemy that Jubei was sure was dead, was still alive, and, in the company of the Devils, was at the center of the plotting. Jubei, Dakuan, and Kagero must defeat the evil ninjas and discover the purpose behind the killing of an entire village.

Kagero is a poison taster, and, as a result, is permeated with deadly toxins. She can never take a lover, because even her kiss would kill. At this point in Japanese history such a woman was an outcaste, having little value in the eyes of her society. Jubei shatters her world when he insists on treating her as an honorable human being, creating a strong emotional tension that plays against the simple samurai action of the main plot.

Production qualities of the film are beautiful, echoing traditional Japanese art forms with a fine sensibility. Line and color are strong. Violence, of course, is present, but is tightly controlled, not dwelt upon. This is one of the best and most representative films of the more conservative Japanese traditions of anime. Worth seeing for its historical status as well as for its outstanding artistic values.

Even good with overdubs
The thing that bothers me the most with Anime from Asia is the sometimes horrible overdubs in English that sound flat and unimaginative. Ninja Scroll (and Princess Mononoke) is an exception.

The drawings are as always superb and the story line is as well. This story is about Ninjas in 16th century Japan, but with supernatural powers. REally interesting.

It is very graphic and the language is sometimes very coarse, does make it more 'real' in some strange way or another.

Really good movie, watch it twice, once in Japanese, once in English and be surprised

One of my favorite Anime flicks
Ninja Scroll is about a masterless ninja named Jubei who basically wanders around Japan looking to work for anyone worthy of his service. he eventually gets caught up in a change of events that force him to fight the Seven Devils of Kimoen who are trying to take over Japan and rule it by force. this movie contains a number of cool characters and very innovative villians with unic powers. there is lots of sex and voilence in this movie so i would recommend waiting until your at least 13 before veiwing this. i(being the Anime obsessed Otaku that i am) enjoyed every bit of this and i recommend that any fan of Anime should check this out.

10/10

Mehh....
I don't want to piss the NS fans out there but I don't see how good this is? I mean I have to agree with one reviewer, this is one of the coolest animes but I didn't think it was a masterpiece.
The story was alright but not big!
The animation was great but not excellent.
The action was great.
Over all it was an alright Ninja flick. Though I think this film is a little overhyped.

Also I have a problem of people saying "OH THERES A RAPE SCENE! OH!
Gimmi a freaking break its not like you see what going on! Even though you have the sence of whats going on it's still stupid how people make a big deal that you see like a 2 minute rape scene which you barley see anything but a nipple shot. Jeez.

Now I must say the violence is over the top. Especially when one guy gets both his arms ripped right off. EEWWWW thats gotta hurt.

Over all I thought this was an alright flick I guess.
Check it out for yourself and give your opinion on it. ... Read more

Description

The Magical Dream Vortex! Sailor Soldiers, please save the children's dreams! The wicked Badiyanu has come to capture all the children to gain enough power to absorb the earth into her Black Dream Hole. The Black Dream Hole is located in the center of Badiyanu's castle and absorbs all the dream energy from the children. The more children Badiyanu kidnaps, the larger the dream hole gets. Once it reaches a certain size it will be large enough to swallow the planet, sentencing all the people to eternal sleep in evil dream boxes! When Badiyanu finds out Mini Moon has an enormous power that will greatly assis her in her quest, she kidnaps Mini Moon along with the other children. Will Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts reach Mini Moon and the Children in time? Or will Bdiyanu prevail in drawing the earth into the eternal Dream vortex? ... Read more

Reviews (279)

Bad Script??
This movie is about Chibi-Usa Being Hypnotized along with all the other children in the world to be taken to magical place, full of candy and they sing the (Very Noisy) Japanese 3'o clock Fairy song, while being hypnotized (hense the "pied piper" comparison). Well the Fairies that are taking them to this land have been tricked by the evil queen, who's true intent is not making children happy! NO!! she Wants to enslave the children in enternal slumber and harvest their Pure Dream Energy to conquer earth, and soon the whole universe will be enslaved, HA HA HA!!
Well she's no Golden Queen Galaxia, and doesn't seem anywhere near as nefarious as Nehelania. She is the Very Weakest of originality and evilness in the entire SM universe (in my opinion). Even this Features VERY AWESOME ANIMATION cannot save this title from its blandness, (and no i did not watch the Dub, i watched the japanese Audio track, this DVD has both, woot!=) i don't really know why this one didn't excite me as anything else sailor moon. Really its just a bad Script and plot. but the animation is sweet, and its very enjoyable to sit through, just don't Expect anything groundBreaking. BTW the DVD Features ARE very nice:

High Resolution Stills(30 i think), A Bio on all the Senshi (that appear in the movie that is, about 13) Each Bio Contains the Clips of their attacks and Transformations(as shown in the movie)... you can watch the bios in English or Japanese...

If you are a True SailorMoon Fan (like myself) this will go perfect with your collection, but if you only bother with the best of each Series, you should opt for R or S

Great for Sailor Moon fans, especially the younger Ones
In the American version, Rini *really* would drive me nuts, no matter how cute she looked. She was just a brat. In this movie, however, you see a LOT of her sweetness and redeeming features. Especially how much she actually loves Serena, even though she tries to hide it a lot. Anyway...with Rini being the central character here this movie is more for little kids, especially since I felt that there were some plot gaps which Sailor Moon R and S didn't make - they were much more smooth. I also felt that you needed to know more of the original anime in order to understand this movie. Otherwise, when Neptune, Pluto and Uranus show up with their scanty parts (I wish they had gotten more screen time and lines) you have NO CLUE who they are. Possibly the worst movie for people in America to get, since we haven't gotten Cartoon Network to air the rest of the Sailor Moon series as of yet, so we've never gotten to know Neptune, Pluto and Uranus.

A good movie.
The sailor scouts are on the job again and this time there protecting children. They discover that people with magical pips can control children while there sleeping. Rini gets caught up in the act as well. Queen Valdiana is trying to put all of the world into dream state by using dream energy. In this movie we meet a new character. His name is Peruru. You get to see all the sailor scouts. Moon, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Mini Moon. They must save the world before Queen Valdiana has a chance to pursue her dreams.

Ouch..Pink Sugar Heart Attack
Take normal Sailor Moon, smack it with a box of artificial sweetener, and you get this movie. The plot is basic: Fairies lure small children onto their sugar ships with promises of sweets, only to use them for their childhood dreams. Luckily, Sailor Moon and her precocious daughter Chibi-Moon are here to save the day, with a little help from an errant fairy named Peruru.

Yeah, yeah, it's silly and candy-kicked enough to rot your jaw, but I love this movie. Sometimes I need a little cute in my belly, and between the scene of the kiddy scouts and the cutesy crush Chibi-Usa has on Peruru I get more than my fill. At the very least it offers a nice reprieve before you jump into the darkness of the Stars series.

Greatest
I love this movie. It's about Serena when she has to go against a villan from space that wants all people in a dream cage forever. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

A rare gem of an anime.
available.

Anyone who has read the manga will immediately notice a few things. First of all, there are several different titles. The Japanese manga is titled Gunnm, while the American version is called Battle Angel Alita. This anime is simply entitled Battle Angel. This two-part series is based on the first two volumes of the manga, however there are several changes. In the manga, the main character is called Alita, but she has been renamed "Gally" in the anime. Also, the mysterious floating city has changed from Tiphares to Zalem. Outside of this, it follows the stories from the manga, but has been altered to fit into two half-hour episodes.

At its core, Battle Angel is a story of love, hope, and heartbreak. The story blends lightning-paced action, emotional drama, and compelling mystery. What struck me was that it pulls it off so seamlessly. The flow is nearly perfect, and not once did my suspension of disbelief wane in the slightest.

The character are simply excellent. No one seems "fake", for they all have realistic traits and flaws. This heightens their believability and makes it easier to become attached to them. One thing I noted is that Gally is not your typical anime android. While from the neck up she looks human, the rest of her body is very mechanical. This is a welcome break from the traditional prosthetic ani-babes which plague many other titles.

The art is very good, capturing the grittiness of the scrap yard perfectly. The animation is also pretty decent, especially during the action sequences.

If there is anything to complain about it's that this series is far too short. The manga version is very extensive, and this series could easily have been a couple dozen episodes in length. The short length also leaves little room for all the answers to the questions posed. Fans will have to turn to the manga for a complete revelation of all the secrets behind Gally.

Overall, this is a rare gem of an anime. A dark, depressing sci-fi world with superb characters and an excellent storyline. I recommend this to any fan of science fiction

Battle Angel rocks my socks!
Battle Angel is my all-time favorite anime. It is the story of a beautiful young cyborg girl. A cybernetics doctor named Ido rescued her from a scrap heap and rebuilt her with an amazingly powerful berzerker body. She has no memory, except for her panzer kunst fighting technique, which is the most powerful cyborg martial art ever known.

The movie is a combination of the first two graphic novels in the Gunnm or Battle Angel Alita series by Yukito Kishiro. It is set in the scrapyard, which is a city built in and from the garbage tossed down to earth from a floating city called zalem, or tiphares in the novels. In the story, Galley finds out that her savior, Ido, is a bounty hunting Hunter-Warrior and she miraculously rescues him from a bounty that almost kills him. The thrill of the fight and of the kill appeals to her so much that she becomes a hunter-warrior herself, against Ido's wishes. She ends up having to fight a huge and nasty brain eating junkie named Grewicica who was made by Chiren, Ido's ex-partner from when they lived up in zalem. Chiren didn't exist in the novels, but she was necessary for a more interesting movie. Galley also falls in love with a boy named Yugo, who is so maniacally obsessed with his dream of getting to zalem that he goes into the business of spine theft to pay for a nonexistent pass to get there. It is all a scam created by the factory's owner (he's the main authority figure), Mr. Vector.

This is an amazing story of love, life, and loss. The art and character design are incredible. Galley's cybernetic body is obviously mechanical, but very beautiful nonetheless. The animation is amazing, and the fight sequences are unforgettable. Once you see the movie, you can't help but get into the nine-part graphic novel series, which is incredible. Honestly, as amazing as the movie is, the graphic novels make it look pathetic. Take my advice and get into it! Yukito Kishiro is a genius!

The universe manifests
Unique, beautiful, and well story-lined.
This is number one in my anime collection. Just about every bad review gotten for this movie was because of people who read the manga and therefor had major bias since a movie will just about never be the way you pictured it would be from reading it.

Joy, love and peace.

Its only 2 episodes long?
this anime was good from begining to end , sad at times but action packed at parts also tender scenes but none the less this DVD is worth adding to your collection

Dark future
Battle Angel is one of my favorite animes. It's unfortunate that this is all there is, because there is so much more that happens afterwards, like the motorball days or the tuned experience.

Adv does a great job is voice actor choices, all except for gally. When she yells, it is so annoying. Thank heaven there is the japanese version on the DVD.

Good stuff, but I wish the series would have been longer. ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Overall: Great
I have seen many anime's (and own a lot as well) and I must say that this one definately suprised me. I thought it had great animation (definately theater quality) As for the dubbing, you got some big names doing the voices. I feel that kiefer sutherland did great at doing his part. As for elizabeth berkley, it took me a while to get use to it, but while the story unfold's, you realize how great her voice fits the role as well. Not to mention, this movie has great re-viewing properties, I was more than happy to watch this movie twice in a row (which I did!) Not to mention, it can get a little confusing, but the plot by the end is easy to understand, and the movie stays in your mind. It's hard to compare, but it's easy to prove that's it's good. You should for sure buy this if you are a anime fan. If your trying out the genre, this is a great start to your collection along with akira and ghost in the shell. Also, there definately is violence, but when the rating says "brief nudity" they mean it, there really wasn't much nudity at all, maybe 1 or 2 scenes that I can remember, which lasted for a few seconds. Not to many extra feature's, but the menu screen is put together very well. This movie is all around good, I don't know if the best, but definately on the top row of my collection!

Sophisticated Bladerunner type movie
I recently saw the uncut Bladerunner after 10+ years. It triggered a desire in me to rewatch Armitage III after a couple of years. A3 was one of my first anime, when I caught it on television. I thought it was good then, but didn't watch more anime because of it's lack of availability and my lack of further exposure.

Vivid animation. Great action. Strong emotions. Famous, good voice actors (may be easier convince non-anime friends to watch). [Side note, I really liked Keifer Sutetherland in "Dark City"]

After seeing it again, I must say there are strong resembelences to Bladerunner's vision of the future. Human-like, thinking and feeling androids are being systemically persecuted and assasinated. A human cop who's partner had been killed by an android is assigned to investigate, with his new partner, Armitage. She is very strong willed and emotional, but is also revealed to be an android. I really felt for Armitage, who is a good person, when she suffers an emotional breakdown because she thinks she is a worthless because she is an artifical life.

The story moves at a much faster pace than Bladerunner. I enjoyed it the second time as much as the first, since you then understand the fairly complex story from the beginning.

If you like Bladerunner, you'll love A3.

Armitage III IS THE BEST ONE OUT THERE!
I've been hooked on Naomi Armitage ever since I saw Poly-Matrix on Sci-Fi a few years ago. I quickly went out and bought the movie. The story is excellent, including the best anime soundtrack ever created. It is very easy to become attached to Armitage as you watch the movie, and you begin to feel for her. Kudos to Hyroyuki Ochi on this film. If you like anime, or even if you don't know much about it, see this movie, I guarantee you will love it! With the realease of the sequel, Armitage: Dual Matrix, I went nuts. Of course I didn't buy the double set, but I grabbed the Lunchbox set instead, since I have the original version of the McFarlane figure. Let me not that Poly-Matrix started as a 4-part series, and was broken down to make the movie. I recommend buying the 4 part series as well, that way you'll get the hour missing from Poly-Matrix. I fell in love with Armitage III, and you will too!

Skip This -- Get The OAV
There are tons of great reviews for this movie. That's understandable if none of them have seen the original OAV series this came from. See, back in 1994-1995, a 4-part OAV series called "Armitage III" came out in Japan. "Poly-Matrix" takes that 140-minute series and hacks it down to ~90-minutes. Thus this 1997 dub-title is born. So a lot of the story gets cut and things aren't nearly as good as the original. If you've seen the original, you'll be annoyed at all of the cuts and poor edit choices.

As to the dub cast (there is no Japanese cast on a dub-title as they simply re-edit an original Japanese product for American consumption), having big stars lend their voices makes it a better dub than a lot of anime titles/series. But it doesn't make up for the complete and utter hack job the series was given to form this movie.

Bottom line: If you thought this was good, the OAV is tons better. If you haven't seen this, get the OAV instead.

Thought provoking
Armitage III - Poly Matrix is in a class all its own. Almost as if it were an anime version of Bladerunner, Ross and Armitage hunt down and destroy thirds. Similar in theme to Metropolis (2001), the characters are fixers in a world of technology gone awry. It is gritty, sassy and a bit graphic and is not for the weak of heart. Much has been said about the graphics but little is mentioned about the implications of the story of a sentient robot out to destroy her own. Unlike Ghost in the Shell, which focuses on the issue of cyborgs -- this one is steeped with robot lore. As part of the big four (Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Princess Mononoke, and the Armitage series) is a necessary element to appreciating this ever changing and very dynamic genre. Hyroyuki Ochi, although creating something short of a classic, has created a thought provoking saga.

Miguel Llora ... Read more

Reviews (331)

Mediocre at Best
Maybe I anticipated the release of Bloodlust too much or maybe I've just watched too many really good animations recently, which detracted from this movie. Most likely, it just wasn't that good. I was a big fan of the first VHD, but for a new movie that has had this much attention and praise I was quite disappointed. I'm not going to just give it a good score simply because of high hopes and respect for its predecessor. D didn't deliver the sword battles that can be found in Samurai X. The artwork wasn't sinister or gothic compared with Blood - The Last Vampire. The characters weren't nearly as well developed as those found in Ninja Scroll. After the dust settles and the hype moves on to a new movie, Bloodlust will be far removed from the status of "an anime classic" reserved for the likes of Akira and Ghost in the Shell. This move could've been much better than what's playing in movie theaters right now, but that's just my opinion.

The Original Classic's Sequel
Bloodlust is a great combination of action and beautiful animation. Those of you who have seen the first film and were not impressed should look no other place than Bloodlust. Unlike the first film this is much more of an action packed violent movie. The voice acting of D is again done very well. Unlike in the first film all of the side characters are done just perfect. The animation in this film is the best you will ever see. The sound and picture quality is also very good. But no anime can be perfect as shown in this film. The D's hand which was awsome in the first film comes of as annoying in this one. The Scene in which the shuttle lifts of may make you gag put it isn't too horrible. Even with these flaws it is still a far superior film than the original. Those of you who have not seen the original should probably see it after you see Bloodlust.

So this is my review of Bloodlust

Story 7/10- The story thats there is good there just isn't that much of it.

Sound 8/10- The voice acting is done well and the quality is good.

Visuals 10/10- Great.

Extras 7/10- Nothing special.

Rating 15 and Up- Its not as violent as people say it is.

Movie 10/10- With a great lead character, tons of acton, decent story, and great animation Bloodlust is a must see.

The End

Um..Studio Madhouse..Kawajiri....Amano.....could there be...
..........a more incredible team to bring the latest Vampire Hunter D story to life?

Our wandering vampire hunting bad*** has been hired very reluctantly by a local aristocatic family to rescue a woman kidnapped by an ancient vampire named Meier Link. But D has some competition in this particular mission. The Markus Brothers, a team of vampire hunters with advanced technology hope to beat D to the prize. But after a brief encounter with Meier Link, D begins to suspect that the realtionship between Link and his abductee might not be what everyone assumes. Very dramatic with an outstanding orchestrated soundtrack, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a worthy follow-up to the 80's classic. And believe me, fans of the original were the most difficult to please.

Some people have complained that this DVD doesn't contain the Japanese track. It should be noted that there is no Japanese track. Since the film takes place in Europe, the film was originally dubbed in English using some of the top American talent. Which is why the dubbing is far superior than most other Englich-dubbed anime.

"I know I'm a parasite, but I've always been a helpful parasite haven't I, D?"......HA

better than it deserves to be
first off i want to stay that i HATE vampire hunter d. the original that is. i saw it once a few years back and thought it was the most worthless piece of trash i'd seen this side of dragonball z. i still do. so going into this i already had some preconcieved notions about how assy this would be.
the opening scenes just floored me. the animation is second only to akira, and its a close second. the characters, even the secondary characters like the marcus brothers, are spectacularly designed and have great personality. the plot, while on the surface may seem very standard fare, is done delicately and with enough pinache to absorb a casual viewer.
the action scenes are top-notch. the music is awesome.
the ONLY downer to the movie is the main character, who through most of the movie just sorta sits there. as boring and mannequin-ish as he is they did a pretty noble job of giving him some personality. if you dont believe me just watch the closing scene.

One of the best 10 movies I have seen. Period.
I cannot say why. It is, after all, animated. There are few animated full-length films on my best-100 list. Nevertheless, Vampire Hunter D is on my of-all-movies, top-10 list.

I am not knowledgeable enough to rate the animation. Maybe the most important thing is it is not evident after the first few viewing minutes; the movie just becomes an engrossing story. Animation only comes to mind afterwards; when something is obviously better done through animation than special effects (somewhat as black and white goes away after a few minutes of Young Frankenstein or Casablanca and comes to mind only when you think back on the film and realize color would not have been an asset).

Bloodlust has fabulous characters and a story complex enough and good enough to draw you in completely. It is much better than the first film. ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Both Sub and Dub Are Awesome: a Must for Tenchi Lovers
I saw both the subtitled and dubbed version of this movie, and they were both VERY good. The story is about a girl, Mayuka, who comes from the future claiming to be Tenchi's daughter. Of course the whole household is upset by this, Ryoko especially. The main villian was Yuzuha, a demon from Grandfather's past on Jurrai. If you enjoy Tenchi, you have to get this. The animation is top quality. The dubbing is good, although a few voices were recast. And the subtitled version gives you the original feeling of the movie, with easy reading. (And only one mistake through the whole hour!) This was a truly great movie, and a must for anime lovers! Also, if you've seen the movie and enjoyed it, you might be interested in getting the soundtrack for it, which is also available and is very good too.

Tenchi Muyo the movie 2: Daughter of Darkness
This tenchi movie is probably as good as the first movie. There is a lot of comic relief in the beginning and more serious issues toward the end. The music and effects are very good, though i think that the first movie had more fighting and action than this does.The movie takes place at Tenchi's house and it is beautiful summer day. As tenchi and the rest of the gang rest peacefully in the sun, a mysterious person (you really couldn't consider her a person) watches over them. This woman of darkness creates a girl a little younger than tenchi by a strand of her hair and a strand of tenchi's hair. As tenchi is talking a walk, she appears before his eyes. Washew is very suspicious the way she appeared and royko is VERY suspicious of her. For some odd reason, she calls tenchi daddy which makes everyone sort of crazy. If your a royoko fan, you'll like this movie. In many parts, many of the issues deal with royoko both in good ways and bad ways. Anyway this movie is excellent and I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars maybe because of personal interest of more battling between vilians and good guys and the length. It should have been longer like the first movie, this was too short for me especially at the very ending Other than that, it is a great movie

A girl walks out of the forest...
and claims to be Tenchi's daughter. Mayuka not only looks kind of like him, but she can even call up Jurai power in the form of a Light Hawk Wing, just like Tenchi! As Ryoko and Ayeka become jealous and see the young girl as a new rival, will Washu and the others find out what's going on?
In the end it turns out of be a grudge over 700 years old! And it happens to be against Yosho!
How will Tenchi save his friends against the Demon of Darkness and will he also feel the need to save Mayuka, daughter or not?
Talking toys, adult scenes and a mature plot makes this movie something the kids might NOT wish to watch.

A cool movie.
It was true to the original TV series, Tenchi universe, and was fun to watch.

Yay!
This movie is amazing! I love the animation. The storyline does move a little fast, but thats ok! I really love it and would watch it anytime. ... Read more

Reviews (136)

A viewer From RI
I still remember that the first episode I watch about Tenchi is Zero Ryoko of OVA series from Cartoon network -- after that I am hooked. The Tenchi Universe rocks. But I do not like Tenchi in Tokyo, the animation is really different (or, really bad), the whole storyline is not enjoyable (for example, what the hell is the story about beating a celluar phone spirit? some joke?) Even the episode "Ryoko's big date" (Yeah, I am a big Ryoko fan) which I had anxiously anticipated was not that good (mainly due to the bad animation, maybe).

Now that I have seen all 3 movies, Tenchi in Love, Daughter of Darkness, and Tenchi forever, I have to say I like Tenchi forever most. Even though its animation is a bit different (I wish it could have lived up to standard of Tenchi in Love), the storyline is more serious, the music is superb, the dubbing is quite excellent. The parts I like most is the last ten minutes of the movie, and the scene where Ayeka woke from a dream and then had a talk with Ryoko, who really showed her strong heart.

Action and humor, which I can live without since I have seen enough from the series, does not take much place in the movie. This really does not matter to me.

Great movie, depending on what your looking for.
If somehow you managed not to ruin the plot for yourself by reading the previous reviews, I'll try to avoid doing so for you.

Though this movie was developed as a conclusion to the Tenchi Universe series, and is considered by many to be the end of the Tenchi Muyo series. However, it does leave things "hanging" enough that the series can nonetheless continue. There are also some relatively confirmed rumors that a third OVA series is being developed, although that may not be related on the same timeline as this movie.

I really liked this movie. It had all the trapping of a good and involving story, and made use of the personalities of all of the characters of Tenchi's unusual family. It's important to note here that this movie explores the real ramificaitons of the relationship between Ryoko, Aeka, and Tenchi and so most of the character development you will see is there. By the end of your movie you will know who Tenchi is most in love with, perhaps even better than Tenchi himself.

For those interested in the technical aspects, the musical score, animation, and english voice dubbling left nothing wanting, they all were quite excellent. I will note here for those interested in anime movie music that the musical score lar