Aquarion – Volume 3
Label: MVM.
Certificate: 15
Discs: 1. (7 episodes)
Running time: 150 mins approx
Video: 16.9
Sound: English 5.1, Japanese 2.0
Subtitles: English.
Release date: 1st February 2010
RRP: £15.99 – Amazon – Play
Brief synopsis:
The Shadow Angels continue their relentless attack upon humanity while the remaining humans continue to retaliate. Each side is prepared fight to their last breath and neither will back down as to do so would mean the eradication of their species. But now the Shadow Angels have new tactics to use against their Earth bound foes as it would seem that some of the best methods to crush your enemy are not physical, but those of a mental, psychological or even spiritual nature. How can you defend against your enemy when you can’t even trust your own mind?
Comments:
With this volume, this show has gone so far beyond over-the-top bravado that it’s shot past gung-ho, done a loop-the-loop around ridiculous and headed straight back into “pretty damn good” territory. Everything about it has been taken up a notch from the previous two volumes; the “guts and glory” dub track, the philosophical psycho-bollocks, the “hey, it’s the power up music, it’s time for some good, ol’ fashioned ass-whooping”, and not forgetting it’s all done through the power of teamwork and friendship. Even though in many other series this could all be signalling the kiss of death, in this show it actually works and remains fun to watch. There’s very few series can pull off something like this. FLCL managed it in small – and rather confusing – doses, The Tower of Druaga managed it perfectly in it’s first episode – but ran out of steam too quickly -and about the only other show I can think of off the top of my head that managed to sustain it for any length of time was Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Also, it would seem that the scriptwriters realised about half way thought the series that they’d have a lot more screentime to play with than they knew what to do with. So, for a number of episodes they just let their imaginations run riot and in the process came up with some of the most entertaining episodes of the whole show. Never before have I seen an episode which at first glance seems to be suffering from the dreaded sudden drop-off of the animation quality demonstrate so well that it’s not only a deliberate choice by the director, but it’s also an important plot point.
Extras:
Commentary for episode 15, a “Creation and development” featurette and a recording of a 2005 stage drama based on an episode of the show.
Aquarion – Volume 3 will be available from most high street and online retailers from 1st February 2010. A previous SFL review of this series can be found here.
X: Volume 4
Label: MVM.
Certificate: 15
Discs: 1. (4 episodes)
Running time: 100 mins approx
Video: 4:3
Sound: English 5.1, Japanese 2.0
Subtitles: English.
Release date: 1st February 2010
RRP: £15.99 – Amazon – Play
Brief synopsis:
The die is cast as the Dragons go to war. Kamui has finally made his choice as to which side he will align himself with but as is the case with such choices, there are major consequences to be dealt with and a heavy price to be paid. Previous SFL reviews of this series can be found here and here.
X: Volume 4 will be available from most high streets and online retailers from 1st February 2010.
Anime box-sets for 2010: Part Two (and a half)
Blue Dragon – Complete Series 1 Box Set
Label: Manga Entertainment.
Release date: 1st February 2010
Certificate: 12
Discs: 6. (24 episodes)
Running time: 600 mins approx
Video: 16.9 anamorphic
Sound: English 2.0, Japanese 2.0
Subtitles: English.
RRP: £39.99 – Amazon – Play
Brief synopsis:
Long ago the forces of Light waged war against the forces of Darkness with the forces of Light finally emerging victorious. The forces of Darkness were vanquished and the power of Shadow was sealed away for what should have been an eternity. But now the ruler of the Grankingdom plans to use the power of the Shadow, combined with that of machines, to conquer the world. Now it’s up to a group of young villagers and their new-found friends to put a stop to his plans and restore peace to their lands. Based on an Xbox 360 RPG and with character designs by the creator Dragonball Z, Manga Entertainment bring the first 24 episodes of this series exclusively to the UK – Uncut, Unedited and presented just as it’s creators intended. Previous SFL reviews of this series can be found here, here and here.
Extras:
Trailers, trailers and then more trailers… and that’s it.
Blue Dragon – Complete Series 1 Box Set will be available on DVD from most high streets as well as online retailers such as Amazon and Play from 1st February 2010.