A whole bunch more reviews for you – this time, all anime I’ve watched in the last 4 days. This blog is almost turning into a movie review site (if it isn’t one already) – which shows it’s about time I started going out more again hehe..

Afro Samurai (2007)

Not really a film – this 5 part mini series (20 mins each) is just way cooooll.. I mean, how can a samurai flick about a swordmaster with an afro-do, and Samuel L Jackson as his voice lead, can’t be cool? Then add in the fact that each episode costs nearly a million bucks to produce – gorgeous fluid cel art animation & direction.. Call it a crazy collaboration between the Japanese and hip-hop American cultures. It’s got guns and katanas, rap and kimonos, androids and mutants, sex and violence. Oh did I say violence? VIOLENCE doesn’t let up at all throughout the entire series, as our Afro-Hero (see.. I’m even starting to rhyme now) slices and dices through crowds, limbs and heads (and parts of heads) aflying, as your screen literally floods with blood .. You almost don’t really mind the shallow character development – its just an excuse for Mr. Afro Sam to be the badass motherf**ker he is.

Angel’s Egg (1985)

A collaboration between Mamoru Oshii (Ghost In The Shell, Avalon) and Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy). I won’t even try to explain what this film is about. It’s plot is one based on existentialism, abstract concepts and disjointed realities. It’s got no action whatsoever, 2 main characters and only about 10 lines of dialogue. It’s got a surreal dreamlike atmosphere, bleak loneliness, spiritual and sci-fi overtones. Haunting music, Gothic desolate structures, creepy shadows, rain and darkness permeates the film. It is a masterpiece of profound art – the sort with a message that you struggle to grasp. It is philosophical, confusing and open ended. And you’ll leave having more questions unanswered then when you started with.. If I had to describe this in one word – I’d call it sublime. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’d still recommend it nonetheless because there is NOTHING else like it around..

Ringing Bell (1978)

One of the forgotten classics from Sanrio – back when they specialized in animation (Sanrio owns the Hello Kitty label, Badtz-Maru, Keroppi, Cinnamoroll and loads of other brands). It’s a cute little story about a little lamb named Chirin who witnesses the death of his mother at the hands of the Wolf King. Distraught at the unfairness of the world, he goes out into the world to try and live like a wolf. Don’t let the innocent looking cover fool you – this piece of animation is dark. morbid and tragic. I don’t see how little kids can watch it without ending up with a semi-traumatic experience.

Also on the DVD are two shorter ‘forgotten’ animes by Sanrio:

Joe & The Rose (1977)

I absolutely loved this piece! Joe, a little dog, falls in love with a rose and he goes against all obstacles – a nasty raven, wind and rain to keep the rose from coming to harm. The animation is fluid but simplistic compared to the other 2 animes on the disc. It’s a story about going against all odds, and making sacrifices for the sake of true love. Joe is so freaking adorable and lovable, that when tragedy strikes – it becomes almost too painful to watch. Sigh, the combination of grim melodrama and cute cartoons should be banned – its simply too heartbreaking…

and

Little Jumbo (1977)

This is one colourful, completely out of this world, musical piece about a boy, his playful pet elephant Jumbo, and their companions on a little paradise island. When war strikes between two larger nations, their little home gets caught in the middle, and chaos ensues. Like the earlier 2 animes, this also has strong hidden messages – but one about war, friendship, and peace. It’s wacky, fun and adorable (with trees that grows all manners of snacks, and roses that dance..) The disc didn’t come with English subtitles though, so I couldn’t understand the lyrics – but the overall tone and atmosphere of the animation more than makes up for it.

Eternal Family (1997)

This anime is completely out of whack! Imagine 53 episodes.. each episode no longer than 1 minute. Total runtime? 28 minutes. Single crazy clips about a family of misfits. All outcasts of society, brainwashed into thinking they are a family, and thrown together in an experimental home, and their antics broadcast life to the public. It’s crazy fun all the way, as the director takes you into their twisted insane frantic realm.

An incredibly original and looney production from Studio 4°c and directed by Koji Morimoto (Animatrix, Akira, Macross Plus etc). This is one DVD that will make you stand up completely bedazzled, confused, and in a little awe at what you’ve just seen.

Robot Taekwon V (1976)

This is a Korean anime – and one of the biggest hits when it was released in Korea 30 years ago. It’s SUPER corny as hell, and I had plenty of laughs during the whole show (plus I had NO idea if I was laughing at the appropriate moments). I had an overdose of ‘glinty eyes’ and ‘electric bolts’. The animation is kinda jumpy, jerky and repetitive – a FAR cry from what South Korea is capable of now.

But I have one thing to say though, is that if there is ever a truly patriotic anime – this is it. RTV fights using Taekwondo as his main fighting ability (as if you couldn’t guess), AND he never loses. Taekwondo defeats a fencing robot and a wrestling robot without breaking a sweat. Villains are all foreigners – enemy base is in an Egyptian pyramid in the middle of a desert. When American troops arrive to help they cheer “Yay, the Allied forces have arrived, there are so many!” but the Allies don’t do a single thing except shoot missiles at an empty spot of land. Don’t get me wrong though – this is one fun anime to watch in a really retro way. I could go on and on – but I think you might find its Wikipidea background and history entry a more interesting read instead..