Ghost Stories

Synopsis:

After moving back to her hometown, Satsuki Miyanoshita's first day at school doesn't go as planned when her younger brother Keiichirou decides to bring along the family cat, Kaya, to school with him. After Kaya is discovered hitching a ride in Keiichirou's backpack he decides to run off ahead but ends up going into an old school building which is said to be haunted. After teaming up with her annoying neighbor Hajime Aoyama and the schools self appointed paranormal researcher Leo Kakinoki along with Satsuki's friend Momoko, they all enter the abandoned school to search for the cat but end up encountering a troublesome little demon named Amanojaku. Although the ghost hunting youngsters manage to banish Amanojaku from the building with the help of Satsuki's deceased mothers book of spirits, something went wrong and Amanojaku ends up possessing her cat Kaya instead. Now due to local urbanization taking place, more and more spirits are re-awakening but with the help of her friends and one back talking cat with a bad attitude they decide to continue the use Satsuki's book of spirits and put the vengeful entities back in their resting place.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 20


Review:

Four kids and a talking animal confronting a new ghost or monster in every episode. This sounds sort of familiar but I just can't seem to put my finger on it... Anyway, Ghost Stories can be summed up in two words, horror light. It's the type of show can create a tense an creepy atmosphere and still deliver somewhat of a scare without using any intense horror elements at all. There's no blood and no body count, even the ghosts themselves aren't very frightening in appearance but each of them does have a rather interesting story to tell as to why they still roam the world of the living. However, no matter how hopeless things look, our band of pre-pubescent paranormal sleuths always manage to find a way banish the spirit so that it never returns to our mortal world. This makes the show predictable but still enjoyable at the same time but before this anime received it's DVD release, ADV decided to do something a little different to make the show stand out in it's own way by making the English dubbed track more of a comedy routine in which it has the characters breaking the fourth wall, making American pop culture references, and just flat out ad-libbing random lines that in no way match the original script. Of course, you can see the original dialog through the subtitles but ADV's attempt to take a mediocre anime series and add a little something extra in the way of gutter humor is definitely one of a kind. As for me, I just stuck with the subtitles. Hey, if I want to laugh at raw comedy as it was intended in an animated series... I'll go watch an episode of South Park.

Even though the animation is a little dated, the self-contained ghost stories in each episode are somewhat interesting but Ghost Stories doesn't try to be overly frightening nor does it want to be. This show seems to be targeted at a younger audience... as long as you stay away from the dubbed track. Because that one little audio switch changes this series into a tongue and cheek comedy that should be kept away from a youngsters ears at all costs.

Ghost Stories (opening)

Recommendation: |Average|

Media Type: DVD
From: Section23/ADV
Languages: English;Japanese
Subtitles: English

Kiss X Sis

Synopsis:

Keita Suminoe has the good life, a roof over his head and his own room, a loving family, three meals a day, things just couldn't get any better. Or could they? When Keita's dad remarried he gained himself twin step-sisters who also love Keita very much... actually, they are *IN* love with Keita. Not only that, but his own father and step-mother both encourage him to make a choice and eventually get married to one of his own step-sisters! Although Keita thinks this whole scenario is completely wrong, he finds that maybe he does have some affection towards the step-sisters that make his life more complicated than it needs to be.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 3 (Sorry folks, that's all there is)


Review:

Now you gotta admit, the story of two step-sisters that are in love with their own step brother piques your interest just a little bit eh? Or should I say... a hell of a lot! Kiss X Sis is a no-holds-barred attack on a taboo subject that goes about it in such a way that you'll be laughing and getting turned on at the same time. There really isn't much of a story but the comedy routine that the show uses to present Ako and Riko's constant battle for Keita's affections beyond that of a family member is what keeps you coming back for more. And no matter how much Keita resists his sisters aggressiveness there is the occasional time he lets his guard down and things can get quite steamy. And to make this uncomfortable situation even worse for Keita is that his own parents encourage him to fool around with his own sisters which not only has you laughing but also almost finding hard to believe what you're seeing. This is what makes Kiss X Sis so great, taking something that would be shunned in the real world but as you watch the events unfold you find yourself encouraging the girls and also leaves you wanting much more than a mere 3 episodes.

It's sexy, it's hilarious, it's just good ol' plain sleazy fun, and the cock-tease soft core hentai presentation fits this uber short series perfectly and I can't recommend it enough. This *is* wincest!

(Sorry, no teaser video available)

Recommendation: |Very High|

*Note - Due to the OVAs popularity this anime has been granted a full series for the future. Life, now has meaning...

*Note 2 - All 3 videos can be streamed at www.wildsidecinema.com in the Complex 69 forum. Drop on in, register, click, and watch!

Canaan

Synopsis:

With biological terrorism on the rise, reporter Minoru Minorikawa is sent to Shanghai to an upcoming Anti-Terrorism Conference and is accompanied by fellow reporter Maria Osawa. During a local festival Maria witnesses a man in the audience fall victim to a strange death by writhing in pain and spurting blood before collapsing. Even though he is unnoticed by the public as he just seems part of the rowdy crowd, when Maria goes to examine the now non-moving body she is also unaware that two men donning costumes have drawn their guns with Maria as the target. Before she meets her demise, a woman runs up to Maria and grabs her hand to help her escape by rushing them both into the populous and also avoid a bullet that was meant for her. Maria then realizes her savior is Canaan, an expert in combat training, a skilled markswoman that can utilize the ability of synesthesia, and also... Maria's best friend. Even though Canaan has no time to explain the situation, Maria has just become the unwilling participant in a bio-terrorist plot to destroy the worlds leaders.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 13


Review:

Using mindless violence, unexplained deaths, blood, and an emotionally devoid female lead, Canaan wastes no time gaining your attention and manages to keep it for the entire series. Even though Canaan is an anime that uses the typical indestructible heroine, she's part of a much bigger story that has enough mystery and interwoven history that is all comes together as a well thought out story. But Canaan herself will remain indifferent to the audience as she and everyone else that becomes involved with her are not the main driving force behind the anime as it will rely more on it's somewhat complex story rather than trying to use characterization to divert the audiences attention. Another interesting aspect as you're watching the show is that you'll find yourself hating to admit it, but the enemy starts to become more interesting than the shows protagonists as they almost seem to have a valid point to their driving force to their path of destruction. With this the anime tends to balance everything out quite well and when put with nicely choreographed action scenes, it's got enough tenacity to push you through all 13 episodes without so much as taking a break.

Great animation, a plot that never falters, fluid action scenes, and enough female gunplay to make any man with a pulse happy, Canaan is one anime that is worth your time. Just don't be expecting to really connect with any of the shows characters as that's not the point here but more or less just to tell one hell of a tale.

Canaan (opening)

Recommendation: |Above Average|

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Synopsis:

Set in some unknown future, most of human civilization has been destroyed by a environmental catastrophe called the Seven Days of Fire that not only almost destroys humanity, but also the Earth's original ecosystem. Rebuilding itself, the Earth develops the Sea of Decay which is literally a growing jungle of giant plants, insects, and fungi. But the new natural self preservation, including the air within the Sea of Decay is lethally toxic. Among the scattered surviving human settlements is the Valley of the Wind and one of it's leaders Princess Nausicaa that seeks to bring peace between the warring human settlements and the insects. But when a plane crash lands nearby and the cargo is discovered to be carrying an embryo of one of the God Warriors from the Seven Days of Fire is found and Nausicaa realizes that things are about to go from bad, to worse.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 1 (it's a movie)


Review:

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is yet another story about what could happen if the Earth's own natural habitat is destroyed by the humans that live there but at least Nausicaa does this in a sci-fi setting that manages to keep things interesting with it's own unique vision of the future. When you think about the age of the film (1984), it's depiction of the barren wasteland that humanity struggles to survive in is very well portrayed in a way that has never really been presented before. Not only does this movie entertain you but also shows you that even after we've destroyed our own planet that humans are still fighting amongst each other for who gains control of nothing, which not only makes you think but is also showing you how pathetically sad humans can be. What makes it worse is when the story makes you realize that Mother Earth is trying to rebuild her environment for humans through "tough love" by using a lethal atmosphere and and deadly creatures to keep us away while she is at work, but humanity still seeks to destroy her opposition and each other through our own stupidity instead of leaving nature to take it's course. Princess Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind inhabitants do realize this and attempt to make everyone understand but there are those who feel her message is all for naught and think that what the human race doesn't understand... should be destroyed. A movie and bonds with it's audience through a presentation of disparity and a warning of what life could be in things to come, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind may end on a positive note but also manages to implant it's haunting vision of the future into the back of your mind.

The only real downside though is that the cast of characters that are devoid of any individuality making them completely uninteresting, but, luckily enough the plot tells a tale that is enough to keep your attention through the entire show even with it's environmentalist theme. The animation is a little on the dated side and the plot sounds like it would only appeal to hippies, once you watch Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind you realize just how far this anime movie was ahead of it's time. Worth a one time viewing. But y'know, with all those giant insects roaming around I couldn't help but keep thinking that I wanted a giant boot to come down and squash everything.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (trailer)

Recommendation: |Above Average|

Media type: DVD
From: Buena Vista Home Entertainment/Walt Disney
Spoken languages: English;Japanese
Subtitles: English

Outlanders

Synopsis:

While in the midst of an alien invasion, photojournalist Tetsuya Wakatsuki uses it to his advantage to take pictures of the horrors of war. But Tetsuya puts himself too far into the midst of the battle field and ends baring witness to a few up close murders and it's executioner... a scantily-clad green-haired woman with a big sword. She takes notice of Tetsuya's inquisitiveness as he's rappidly snapping pictures of her in action and turns and faces Tetsuya pointing her sword at him as if to claim him as her next victim. She charges towards him and raises her sword to bring his life to an end but Tetsuya dodges the attack and his alien attacker only manages to accidentally set off his camera and at close range, the flash stuns her. Tetsuya seizes the opportunity and grabs ahold of her pushing her against a wall and as the two are locked in a power struggle to even move Tetsuya takes notice that he's fighting a metallic bikini-clad woman and the alien girl stops resisting his feeble attacks at the same time. Tetsuya backs away not knowing what to think but she quickly walks towards him and plants a kiss on his lips and introduces herself a Kahm. Before Tetsuya can comprehend the situation, Kahm knocks him unconscious and takes him aboard her spacecraft as she claims him as her husband for the worlds first intergalactic marriage.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 1 (Yeah, that's it, one 46 minute OVA)


Review:

Originally from 1986, this short film took almost 10 years to hit the U.S. and this little gem has all the story elements you could want packed within it's short 46 minute life span. You get action, thrills, science-fiction, and romance, in a neat little package that will be leaving you wanting for so much more. The thing is, even with it's truncated presentation it still manages to tell a fantastic tale. From the moment Princess Kham hits the screen you almost feel a slight hatred towards her until she realizes what she is doing is inherently wrong and she changes her status about the attack on Earth and it's amazing how this anime does this... in a matter of minutes! Your view will instantly change and you really start to like this bull-headed girl and her claim to Tetsuya as her husband. Not only that, but you also understand how Tetsuya is trying to comprehend all that is going on with everything being thrown at him at once and how he deals with it without being indecisive or overly shy. Also, this anime starts bringing in more and more side characters but the thing is they only need a moment of screen time to determine your feelings towards them as your outlook towards them will never change throughout the course of the show and this is what I really enjoyed about Outlanders. An amazing cast, a short but compelling story, a wonderfully orchestrated soundtrack, and one of the finest forms of quick but appropriate tsundere romances to ever hit the anime scene... Outlanders should NOT be passed up as the animation still stands out even after being over 20 years old.

(Sorry, no teaser video available)

Recommendation: |Very High|

Media Type: DVD
From: Central Park Media
Languages: Japanese;English
Subtitles: English

*Note - Central Park Media is now defunct and this DVD is out of print. If any of you big conglomerate anime companies are reading this, please, do the anime community a favor and pick this up and re-release it!! *AND*... and put the original Dark Horse Comics dub with it as it was fantastic... and I *hate* dubs! Can't find it? Contact me as I have two, count them "t-w-o", copies of the original VHS tape that Dark Horse released and I'd gladly lend one to anyone wanting to do another DVD release with both the Central Park Media and Dark Horse dub on a DVD... along with subtitles of course. I'm not joking about this... anybody? Hello?

Speed Grapher

Synopsis:

After receiving a tip about an underground club that caters to ones most bizarre and perverted desires for the right amount of cash, Tatsumi Saiga, a freelance photographer, decides to investigate. Saiga's lead proves to be true and after sneaking into the secretive establishment he also realizes that most of Japan's most powerful people are satisfying their lust for the strange in hiding from the public. As Saiga witnesses a bizarre ritual taking place at the center of the club he decides to try and get a closer look and notices a young girl (15 year old Kagura Tennozu) being lowered from the ceiling towards a a short pudgy looking customer in the center of the establishment. Saiga is in complete awe of the girl and decides to take a picture while the moment is right, however, he is immediately discovered and attacked by security and also the clubs patrons. As the young girl decends to the ground during all this commotion she kisses Saiga and awakens something within him, a bizarre desire and with the next picture Siaga takes... causes an explosion. Not one to question his new found power, Siaga escapes from the underground pit of hell taking the now confused girl with him to discover the truth behind whats happening to him.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 24


Review:

Take a picture and shit explodes, wow... talk about a lame superpower. Anyways, Speed Grapher did initially have my attention with it's gritty depiction of an underground club that caters to corrupted politicians and government officials by exploiting their hidden desires all for money. But once Siaga snapped a picture and it caused an explosion I found myself asking... "This? Are you kidding me?" I instantly lost almost all interest in the show as it not only had a ridiculous protagonist but it turned into a cat-and-mouse type of show of the Tennozu family taking Kagura back from Saiga and then Saiga turns and rescues Kagura again putting them both on the run from the Tennozu family once more. As this goes on for the remainder of the series it only barely touches upon it's gritty feeling the introductory episodes presented making it a rough ride to even to see the series through to the end.

Now even though Speed Grapher isn't all that great, I gotta admit that the character presentation is actually very well portrayed and manages to answer any nagging questions you may have. You learn the truth behind everyone, where they came from, where they are going and why they are the way they are... including the antagonists. But, this anime tries to put Saiga's enemies in a positive light towards the end of the series which seems out of place because at this point you already have a hatred towards these characters and the attempts at viewer sympathy towards the enemy are unwarranted leaving you wondering how long until they just die and get off your screen.

Speed Grapher is one anime that manages to shoot itself in the foot early on making the remainder of the series a lackluster experience that I myself was even tempted to hit the 'stop' button on my DVD remote. The only things that kept me moving on through all the episodes was to see if Saiga gives in and admits to being a lolicon and Ginza, the smokin' hot detective that abuses her power of authority to try and claim Saiga for herself, no matter what it takes. But, in the end as with all Gonzo shows, everything tries to end on a positive note which in this case makes almost no sense as it could have benefited more had the series stayed true to it's original roots.

Speed Grapher (opening)

Recommendation: |Low|

Media type: DVD
From: FUNimation Entertainment
Spoken languages: Japanese;English
Subtitles: English

*Note - The opening here is the original opening from the series that is done to Duran Duran's Girls on Film but FUNimation failed to obtain the rights to use the song and the opening for the DVD version was replaced by some cheesy synth music that's just plain crappy.

Aoi Hana

Synopsis:

After moving back into the town where she grew up in, Fumi Manjome becomes reacquainted with her childhood friend, Akira Okudaira, that had disappeared from her life over ten years ago... and she doesn't even realize it at first. As both girls start reminiscing about memories past they come to realize that even after ten years of separation that nothing has changed between them. Even though the girls go to separate schools it has no affect on their friendship but when one of the ladies at Fumi's school, Yasuko Sugimoto, takes a liking to her and even asks her out. Although Akira supports her friends decision to date anyone she chooses, Akira can't deny the hint of jealousy that goes with it. Fumi and Akira are the best of friends but both girls also realize that there is alot more to thier friendship then they care to admit.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 11


Review:

ZZZzzzzz... hm? Oh, my bad, I just dozed off after watching an episode of Aoi Hana. Aoi Hana, it's a good show, really... it is. The problem here is that it moves so incredibly slow that it's almost impossible to watch more than one episode within 24 hours as it would probably bore the viewer into a negative outlook on the show. But, when watched in single episode viewings over a long period of time, Aoi Hana is actually quite the compelling story of yuri (lesbian) romance amongst high school girls. The only thing is that the plot doesn't quite move in the direction that you were hoping for. What do I mean by that? Well, if I told you that would be spoiling things just a little bit now wouldn't it? Even with Aoi Hana's concrete shoe wearing progression, it does a wonderful job of holding your attention through character relations with each other. As the story may be at a stand still at times, the anime never let's go of your attention while you're watching as you'll be seeing how each one of the characters relate to each other on some level whether it be by sharing similar interests in school activities or on a romantic level of some sort. This is where Aoi Hana shines by managing to show you something that will keep your interest in some way despite the shows lack of progression. Another thing that tends to stand out is the animation. When you look at the background you'll notice how the lack of detail is actually tastefully done on purpose. This not only gives the anime it's own look and feel but also helps you focus your attention to any character on screen no matter how small the part may be, the person speaking just seems to stand out in their own way.

Yeah, I might as well tell you right up front, Aoi Hana is a boring show. But, the thing is... once this anime snags you, you'll be like a fish on a hook and you almost can't stop watching as this shows fabulous character interaction and banter is what carries the non-existent plot along till any real progression is made. Recommended? Yes, but only as a show that's not top priority to finish and this will make for a more enjoyable viewing experience that emits an aura of calm once the show has finished making you glad you saw the whole series from beginning to end. Just make sure you take it in slowly, like an episode a week or so, and you'll find that you enjoyed this anime more than you thought you would.

Aoi Hana (opening)

Recommendation: |Above Average|

Media type: Crunchyroll free internet streaming
From: Crunchyroll
Spoken languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English

Watch the entire series here: Aoi Hana

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