Anime Review: Those Who Hunt Elves

Comedy is a tricky thing. People have different perspectives on what is funny, the genre itself is hard to judge or rate. You may find the dialogue of Monty Python funny, but the slapstick immature. You may even enjoy the immaturity and unscripted nature of Jackass, or find it to be unfunny and juvenile. Now, imagine the struggle with Comedy Anime. Not only is it a cultural separation, but it is also harder to catch the concept of humor. What is funny in Japan is not funny in America for the most part. Anime like Love Hina and Girl’s Bravo are just not funny in English, because it doesn’t translate well. Not to say Anime can’t be funny when they come into the States. Excel Saga, Dragon Ball, and even Pokemon had great moments in Comedy that are well remembered and people still laugh at them. Which brings us to what may be one of the funniest Anime I have seen, Those Who Hunt Elves. Last time, we went to 2007 for an anime, this time we are going back to 1997; 20 years ago. This came out at a time, we got so much anime, a bunch was overlooked. This is one of the overlooked anime, and it had 2 seasons.

If you are not familiar with this, the title may confuse you. Those Who Hunt Elves is not about people who kill Elves in a fantasy world; it is about people who strip the clothes off female elves. Let me explain. The story is, a group of three people from Japan get pulled into a Fantasy world and an elf tries to use a spell to send them back, something goes wrong and the spell leaves the book and implants itself as fragments onto different female elves around the world. So, they three characters, the elf that attempted the spell in the first place, and a tank that is later possessed by the spirit of a cat (you did not read that wrong) go out into the world in search of the spell fragments and get the title, Those Who Hunt Elves, from the citizens.

I actually found this anime as a young teenager. A friend of mine had episodes 5-8 on VHS tapes in the original Japanese audio, and we both laughed at it every time we watched it, without knowing everything that was going on. Fast forward to the present day and I find it not only on a reliable streaming source, but in the English Dub. So, after over ten years of wondering if it really was as funny as I remembered, I rewatched it and was not disappointed.

Pros- The characters are all unique; we have the Elf, the Muscle Head man, the actress, and the female weapons expert. With a small cast, it is do-able and their individual relationships are also done really well. The humor translates really well and even manages to be funny in both the Japanese Audio and the English Dub. I laughed during both of them. That is a pretty rare thing, so I can recommend both forms of audio. The episode specific characters are also interesting and there is still a level of investment even when we see them in one episode. With the concept, this could have easily been an R rated, fan service show, but it is actually very tame in comparison to others. We don’t see any full nudity and even when the elves are naked, we don’t see anything provocative or sleazy. It comes off as funny; the way it was intended to be. You would also think the main characters are also not likeable due to what they do, but actually the opposite happens. They not only make it clear that they don’t enjoy it, but they do good in areas of the world when they see a dilemma. They do the right thing before rushing to strip the clothes off of elves. Sometimes an elf does it voluntarily because of how they helped out. You want to see the characters succeed and get back to Japan with how they talk about it. The ending to the first season will make you laugh out loud. The humor is well set up and works in all languages. Physical humor is well done with the concept and it has some great laugh out loud moments.

Cons- The animation has not aged it. You can tell it was made on a budget, and while it’s not as bad as others, it definitely looks like a 90s anime. Same thing with the voice acting. Since it is a low budget anime, it was localizing was done in the early days of ADV, so we got no name voice actors and people who were new to voice acting at the time. It’s not incompetent nor is it as bad as other voice acting from the 90s, but it is another element that shows it's age. While Season 1 had a funny and well done ending, season 2 feels kind of abrupt and sudden. It isn’t as well set up and it left a little to be desired. As far as I know, we did not get a 3rd season, so this was the ending we got. It was still funny, but not as fulfilling as a series finale should have been. For anyone that is looking for a fun opening or closing, you are not going to find it in this anime. They are not interesting or grab your attention as well as other do, but it is just a nitpick. If you don’t care about that, then it won’t bother you.

Final Thoughts- If you find older anime to be a bit more your taste, compared to newer anime, this is one I recommend. It is funny in all the right areas, and it handles the concept in the best way, by being more funny and less sexy. This could have been bad, but it is fun to watch and a joy from start to finish. If you are picky about English Dubs, watch it with the Japanese Audio and the subtitles on. If not, you can find joy in watching either version.

Anime Review: Romeo X Juliet

Anime is tricky. Not only does the medium have a long history, but it's own variety of genres. With all that is available (and missing out on October for personal reasons) I have decided to turn the month of November into Otaku Month. I will be looking at anime from different decades and a movie before the month is over. Now to start with an anime from the year 2007, Romeo x Juliet.

This is an interesting anime, because it isn't from a Japanese story, but is an adaptation of Shakespeare's tragety, Romeo and Juliet. Unlike other adaptations that use all the dialogue from the famous play, this anime creates it's own world and takes an original approach to the story.

Pros- It borrows elements from other of Shakespeare's plays to create something not only unique, but also familiar. It creates a world with a great flow and elements that are helpful in making this version feel fresh and original. The action and animation is well done. It feels more western than a typical anime and even the opening song is a Japanese cover of "You Raise Me Up" made famous by Josh Groban. Believe it or not, it fits well and establishes the mood of the anime. Most of the characters are well written and even William Shakespeare has a character in the series and he is more than a fun Easter egg. He is a key character and plays a big role towards the end of the series. They do make Romeo and Juliet individual characters and even show more development as a couple, while also making them older than in the original play to add a level of believability to the world. Instead of it taking place in a typical European country, the creators instead go in a different direction and create Fantasy world with dragon horses and a structure that plays a large role by the end of it all. If you have seen or read the original play in one way or another, you know how it ends, but it is done in a way that is refreshing and you feel satisfied by it. Resolves are made and nothing is ignored. Funimation provides the localization and English Dub for the anime and they go in the poetic route to feel more like one of Shakespeare's plays. It is refreshing, because it is kind of a rare thing for an anime dub to be like that.

Cons- Romeo's father is the only character that is not well done in the localization. He is a villain with a rather weak motivation for his actions and by the end, he comes off as more of a bad joke when the real threat arrives at the end of it. While the Dub is beautiful at times, it can also feel awkward at times... Like a Shakespeare play (he wasn't perfect. Accept that). Also, not every character is well cast in the dub either. Some voices are odd with some of the minor characters in a couple episodes. It's not awful, but it can be distracting.

Final Verdict- Despite the flaws it has, I do recommend it for anyone new to Anime. It has enough Western elements to feel familiar and is a great overall story. I do recommend the dub, since it fits the world better, but you can really go either way. It is a good adaptation and it had my attention for all 24 episodes. Check it out if you are a fan of Shakespeare's work, or just want a good story to enjoy.

Movie Review: Ed Edd n' Eddy's Big Picture Show

One of the silliest arguments I have seen is animation versus live action. Both have pros and cons by themselves, but the way I see it, it all depends on genre. Both can be strong in storytelling and visuals, but Life Action can give a feeling of reality and Animation can throw reality out the window and make the visuals not only crazy, but also illogical. You will see someone running through a wall in a cartoon and find it funny, but it doesn't have the same effect in Live Action. All it does is raise eyebrows and question it. Physical humor can be more extreme in animation and can be even more dramatic and even more comical. That is where one of my favorite cartoons, Ed Edd n' Eddy, stands out the most. The physical humor not only is crazy and illogical (some of what these kids go through would be deadly in real life), but it also features fun characters and humor that is more than just physical, so it can be enjoyed for anyone looking for a laugh.

The show stayed around TV from 1999 to the movie that ended the series in 2009. A movie that aired on TV before it's DVD release, but it can be found on YouTube since the show is over and the creator doesn't seem to care too much. I decided to take some time to talk about the movie because after how serious my last movie was, I needed a good laugh.

Pros- The setup is simple and quickly explains what is going on early in the movie. The Eds try to scam the other children of the cul-de-sac again and it goes so wrong they end up running for their lives away from the cul-de-sac and seek out Eddy's brother for help while the other children go after them. It doesn't tell this to use, it actually starts by showing us the after effect of what happened. Starting it with enough tension to grab your attention, but not enough to break from the humor and make it feel like whiplash. The voice cast of the show is in the movie and all the major characters are present, so we get to see everyone and even see the character flaws and make them feel like people. That is pretty hard for some animated shows. We also finally get a pay off from what was the biggest build up of the show; we meet Eddy's Brother. The result is a pay off that ends on a high note; resolves are made, lessons are learned, and it ends with full acceptance. The animation is flawless for this movie. The characters move like they should and the slapstick is top notch. I find myself laughing at it every time someone runs into something or they get hit. Also, the dialogue is also funny. Ed has some of the funniest lines with what is going on. He is just as random and creative as he is in the show. Keep in mind, these are kids, not adults, and the movie makes sure you know this. Ed and Eddy have their immature fun while traveling and even roping Edd like in the show and the interactions are fun and they end up bonding even more so after the movie is over. References and even breaks in the forth wall are present throughout, but not enough to be distracting or annoying. It is well timed to make everything work and fit.

Cons- The only real issue with the film is how much of a coincidence everything feels in terms of story telling. They just run into things and get lucky. If they ever show them as adults in Vegas, they would drain the city dry with how lucky they are. That isn't the focus and it isn't a distraction upon first view, but later watches it is more obvious. If you don't like the show's humor and animation, this movie isn't for you. It doesn't offer a lot of differences from the show when it comes to humor, so it is hard to recommend to people to don't like the show.

Final Thoughts- If you love the show, you will love the movie. If you don't, this isn't for you. If you have never seen the show (where were you for 10 years?), I would say to watch some of the show to understand the characters, then watch the movie. I love it, but I also love the show. It aimed for it's audience and hit a bull's eye.

(photo taken from IMDB)

Movie Review: Death Note (2017)

Something people have been forgetting recently is that there is a difference between White Washing in movies, and Cultural Adaptation. White Washing is casting a white actor to play a character of another race (Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Last Airbender are the best example of that), while Cultural Adaptation is rewriting a story to aim at an audience and look at the source in the eyes of a culture that does is not in the source material. Magnificent Seven from 1960 is a Westernized remake of 1957's Seven Samurai, a Japanese movie, and Throne of Blood from 1957 is a Japanese adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, and it is my favorite version of the play.
Why do I explain this? Because when Netflix picked up the contract to make a Westernized Adaptation of Death Note, the anime community got their panties in a bunch and claimed White Washing and it isn't. Instead of taken place in Japan, like the manga/anime, this adaptation takes place in Seattle, Washington and they had to do some rewrites to both story and characters to fit the movie format. If they didn't, it would have been a rushed and poorly plotted mess, like the Japanese Death Note movie... YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT!!!

As a fan of the anime, I would be willing to nitpick and tear it apart for being so different from the source material, but I took some time to think about it and watch it a second time to put the bias aside and look at it for what it is.

Minor Spoiler Warning.

Warning: I'm breaking my "No rated R" rule to review this movie, because it needs to be talked about. The movie contains foul language and gore. Treat it like the source material and it is only for Mature Audience.

The Pros- It is actually well acted. I'm serious. The actors fit all the written characters for the movie and do the best they can with the script given to them. The best actors are Nat Wolff as Light Turner (not Light Yagami) and William Dafoe as Ryuk. Both of which steal the scenes they are in and when they interact, it is fantastic. I know one thing people will complain is the change in characters, I will argue that the way they are written fits this format and it works with what the movie is trying to do. It gives us a 'What If' scenerio. Light isn't someone sick of the world as an outsider, he's a victim of the world he lives in and wants to change it. Simple as that. Also, they cut out most of the characters in the manga/anime for a smaller cast and that is the best thing they could do with a movie format. It gives more focus to the characters we got. Director Adam Wingard's touch also helps in adding tension to the film. His camera work and the scenes he uses work well and it helps you feel what you need to in scenes. Ryuk's introduction is terrifying, and the realization of it all being real is also well fitting for the right emotion. That is how it's supposed to work. The character chemistry between Light and his Father is a focus of the movie and it does work out well. You see how the relationship works in the early scenes and the interactions between them are always good.

The Cons- This film's plot is not well paced. Not as bad as Batman V. Superman, but still at a point where it can be confusing. I'm going to go ahead and say that right now. Relationships are rushed for the sake of the tense sense. It becomes more clear in the second half of the movie and if you watch it, you will understand. Some moments of facts are ignored for the sake of the plot (Kira does not translate to Light in Russian or Celtic, I checked, movie!). The film also has too much tension. A good Horror/Thriller movie gives us pockets to breathe and relax a moment before the tense scenes happen. This movie is tense from start to finish. Do not watch this before going to bed, you will not sleep well (I speak from experience). When I first watched this movie, I felt almost out of breath. While the actors are all good, not all the written dialogue is. It's not laughably bad, like Dragonball Evolution, it's mostly just a 'huh' moment. The one character that suffered from westernizing is L. He is the same character we love in the first half, but the second half he falls apart and no longer feels like the genius detective. It does fit the story and what he ends up going through, but it feels kind of cheaply put in to just have a chase scene between Light and L.

Final Thoughts- Looking at it based on the source material (like the anime community) it's awful, but from the perspective of it being it's own movie, I kind of liked it. I have struggled between those two sides all weekend to come up with a clear thoughts towards the movie. It isn't something special or will last forever, but it is entertaining. If you are curious, go ahead and see it. If you have never seen the anime, you may find yourself enjoying it. If you are a fan of the anime, remember this is a Westernized Adaptation and they had to change A LOT to fit the format. At least, I liked it more than the Japanese Live Action movie... And I look forward to pissing off more of the anime community in the future.

Special Announcement!

So, remember how I was promising to go through all the Dragon Ball Z movies... I've decided to go a different direction. I've been unable to get the rest of the movies on a good source and tracking down physical copies is going to be a pain. So, I've decided to end my run of Dragon Ball Z movies for one other reason. There are other movies that are coming out the rest of the year either on DVD/ Blu-Ray or Netflix. With that in mind, I want to expand and do those too. My biggest fear as of recent is being known for only Dragon Ball Z and I don't want to do that. However, I will make one solid promise to all who read this blog. If I am able to get my hands on a physical copy of Dragonball Evolution, I will rewatch it and do a full, uncensored review of it. If you want me to destroy it, I will, but I need help. Let me know if you find a copy for cheap or would like to donate a copy. I will look forward to destroy what is perhaps one of the worse movies I have ever seen.

Movie Review: Dragon Ball Z: Tree Of Might (Spoiler Warning)

I know... I know... I'm a week late. Give me a break. I had a rough week.

Dragon Ball Z is complicated. There are some great moments that leave an impact and are well remembered and then their are moments that can be downright stupid. It is a usual with all long running anime. You remember when Cell made his first appearance because of the terror and build up, but the Garlic Jr. filler season is forgotten because of how ridiculous it was and treated itself. Seriously, Krillin's ex-girlfriend is the only memorable thing in that season. Why do I mention this with Tree Of Might? Because it also has both good and memorable moments, and moments that are downright stupid. It's not as bad as the Garlic Jr. filler season in the series, but it's not as good as the Cell season either.

Released in Japan in 1990, same year as World's Strongest, Tree of Might does a lot of good things with it's premise, but it also falters in many other areas too. Again, I am reviewing the Funimation dubbed version we got in 2006.

The Pros- Unlike the first two Dragon Ball Z movies, this one has all of the Z fighters that crossed over from Dragon Ball; Tien, Krillin, Chaozu, Piccolo, and everyone's favorite punching bag, Yamcha (seriously, he is always the first one down for the count). The action scenes are well down and we get to see what the fighters can do. The Tree of Might itself and the main villain Turles are both great in this movie and they do serve the purpose of being a great threat. You see the Tree of Might destroying the Earth from the inside and it gives a feeling of real terror that is taking place. Turles also makes short work of Piccolo before he even eats the fruit of the Tree of Might. Turles Being in this movie present something that even the later series and movies explore; the potential of more Saiyans in the universe. Dragon Ball Super (I'm not over that title!) explores this as well and so does future movies that I will get to. Turles was the first we see, since he doesn't seem to have ties to Frieza and he does not mentioned Vegeta (he's not in the movies, yet). It is something I'm glad was explored and I will share my thoughts on it more in the future.

The Cons- Outside of the designs of Turles' minions, they aren't memorable at all. They have no personality, no characteristic, and they don't present a threat (even after beating all the other Z Fighters). All five of them fight Goku by himself and he wipes the floor with them. You can always ask one question during the opening scene of the movie; Why don't they investigate what started the forest fighter at the beginning of the movie. Instead of investigating that and preventing the Tree of Might from happening, they instead collect Dragon Balls to restore the forest... Except the crater that the small drone created. Okay... Goku is the only one that does any kind of damage to the villains of the movie. The other characters should not be this weak. Unless all the villains are as strong as Nappa. Otherwise, it feels all these characters are wasted, especially Yamcha! He goes down first!Did Akira Toryama not like Yamcha after Dragon Ball? The ending feels like a total Deus Ex Machina. Goku focuses on the energy from the fruit of the Tree of Might and uses it to blast Turles and the tree out of existence. Was it a special type of Spirit Bomb or what was it?

Final Thoughts- I don't want to sound like I don't like this movie, because I like a lot of elements contained in this movie, but it has a lot that isn't remembered. It is good for the fans, but it isn't what I would show someone who is curious about the serious.

Movie Review: Dragon Ball Z: The Worlds Strongest (Spoilers)

There was one thing I left out of my review of Dead Zone, Garlic Jr. loved talking. He went into monologues about how evil he was and how he would cover the world with evil. I say this now because it helps see the difference between Dead Zone, and this weeks movie, The World's Strongest. Released in Japan in 1990, we got the Funimation uncut English release the same year as Dead Zone and next week's movie, Tree of Might. Out of the original trilogy of Dragon Ball Z movies, This one is my favorite because it highlights all the good things about the early days of Dragon Ball Z without being an official part of the TV series. I'm not the only one in that opinion either, Team Four Star (the guys behind Dragon Ball Z abridged) rated this as the second best movie in the entire series. I'll get to their number 1 later down the line and everyone is already predicting what that is, or they are looking it up right now. Spoiler Alert.

The Pros- Since it doesn't fall into any specific timeline in the series, it is able to be it's own story and it does really well with that. It is a complete story with little to no plot holes. Tension and Atmosphere is fantastic throughout the film. You feel the risk that the characters are facing and it is beautifully designed for an anime film released over 25 years ago. The villains are much better this time around. When Goku encounters them, the henchmen (called Bio-Warriors) have very little dialogue and their presence alone with Goku's reaction paint the picture of how strong they are. It is a welcome compared the last film where they just talked about how strong they were. Doctor Wheelo and Doctor Kochin also work well as villains too. Kochin serves as the main talker in the movie and none of the dialogue is wasted. He does explain how he and Wheelo were heads of Bio-Engineering and altering DNA to create Bio-Warriors and society shunned them for it 50 years ago for it and they returned for revenge. Even hearing their story about what they did to one of the universities that ridiculed them helps paint the picture of how much of a threat they are. This is also one of the only times we see Master Roshi fight seriously in Dragon Ball Z. While he had a bigger role in Dragon Ball, he is pushed back to being more of a minor character the longer Dragon Ball Z ran, so it is nice to see him fighting this time around. The fight animations are much better than they were in Dead Zone and it is more reminiscent of the action Dragon Ball fans know and love.

The Cons- I really only have one problem with the movie. None of the other characters who show up to help Goku do very little to help in the fights that take place in the series. Gohan provides the Power Poll and we get another hint at his hidden power, but it doesn't do much after it happens. This story focused more on Goku and while it isn't a bad thing, it makes Krillin and Piccolo feel less important and not needed in the movie, but they are fun to watch regardless.

Final Thoughts- This would be one of the movies I would recommend to anyone that is new to anime and not sure where to start. This was also the movie that got me into Dragon Ball Z. I seriously recommend this move more than any other film from the early days of the series. It is fun, exciting, tense, and overall a joy to see.