“The Okiura animated classic of an alternate Japan caught in chaotic turmoil with a modern twist of the ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ storyline is not only enjoyable but even more visually stunning and gratifying on Blu-ray! Includes a 500+ page storyboard booklet, a 20-page booklet…  You can’t go wrong with this awesome release!”

TITLE: JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade

DURATION: 102 minutes + 2 minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 16:9 (1080p Hi-Def), Japanese Liner PCM 5.1ch or Linear PCM (Dolby Surround), English Dolby Digital 5.1 ch, Japanese and English Subtitles

CATALOG #: BUXH0140

COMPANY: Bandai Visual/Honneamise

RATED: Suggested 16 & Up

Directed by Hiroyuki Okiura

Originally created by Mamoru Oshii

Original Character Designs by Hiroyuki Okiura

ADR Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi

Screenplay by Mamoru Oshii

Character Design: Tetsuya Nishio

Art Director: Hiromasa Ogura

Storyboards: Hiroyuki Okiura

Music: Masayoshi Furukawa, Tsuneo Imahori, Yoko Kanno, Mario Klemens, Hajime Mizoguchi, Yoichi Okabe, Keishi Urata, Hitoshi Watanabe

Sumi Mutoh as Kei Amemiya

Yoshikatsu Fujiki as Kazuki Fuse

Hiroyuki Kinoshita as Atsuhi Henmi

Yoshisada Sakaguchi as Hachiroh Tohbe

Eri Sendai as Nanami Agawa

Kenji Nakagawa as Isao Aniya

Kousei Hirota as Bunmei Muroto

Ryuichi Horibe as Shiroh Tatsumi

Tamio Ohki as CAPO Officer

Yoshisada Sakaguchi as Narrator

Yukihiro Yoshida as Hajime Handa

Yukio Hiroda as Bunmei Muroto

A modern adaption of “Red Riding Hood” featuring stunning visuals during a wartime setting of an alternate Japan and a tragic story with a twist.

When the film came out in 2000, many viewers were just in awe of the animated film that was created with a traditional cel animation, with it’s care in detail to the backgrounds, the architectural landscapes and most of all, the brooding images of the Panzer cop.  The story is based on Oshii’s Kerberos saga manga “Ken-Roh Densetsu” written back in 1988 through 2000 but where the manga and live action films are set in an alternate Japan in 2000, “JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade” takes place in the 1950’s and a different timeline in which Japan is not defeated by the Americans but instead defeated by the Germans.

The backdrop of the this storyline is a time in Japan where government is corrupt and guerrilla organizations against the government is growing.  As for the government, the Metropolitan Police aka CAPO was created to fight these organizations, while the regular police aka “Self-Police” has their own division and somehow these two divisions are entwined in political corruption.

In the film, we see the Guerrilla group known as “The Sect” in operation as a protest is taking place between people against the government while the self-police stand watch with their shields.  Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police aka stands guard with their tanks and will assist the “Self-Police” if they need assistance.    “The Sect” prepare their weaponry against the self-police and a young teenage girl (known as “Red Riding Hoods”) delivering a bag to a guy.  The guy throws the bag towards the police and blast kills and injures many and thus chaos ensues as the police and the protestor’s clash.

Meanwhile underground, some of “The Sect” members armed with grenade launchers and weapons start maneuvering through the sewers but is caught by the 1st Patrol Unit of the Panzer Corp (unlike regular CAPO, these wear German-like, menacing armory with a mask and red penetrating lights as eyes) and the Panzer Corp. literally kills them all.  As for the “Red Riding Hood”, she is caught by one of the patrol units but instead of shooting her, he asks her “Why?”, while he receives orders to shoot her.  But seeing her cringing in fear and unarmed, he hesitates until the girl pulls a string and her bag and she detonates herself.

Because the one soldier, named Kazuki Fuse didn’t fire, due to the the politics surrounding the government, the CAPO and Self-Police, the CAPO embarrased that their own soldier disobeyed orders, an inquiry is done to find out why he didn’t shoot and thus he is put back in retraining.  What is puzzling to government and even members of the CAPO is why Fuse didn’t shoot the girl.  Fuse doesn’t even know why he didn’t shoot.

Fuse feeling some guilt because of her death, starts doing some research on her and to get to know her name.  Fuse tries to find out more information about the girl that detonated herself and his friend from the academy, Atsuhi Henmi (who works with the CAPO’s rival, the Public Security) meets Fuse secretly and is there to help him and give him the information he needs.

Fuse then goes to the area of where her ashes are and sees another girl that looks like her.  This grieving girl is standing and mourning and eventually the two strike a conversation and the girl claims to be the dead girl’s older sister, Kei.

Ultimately, Fuse and Kei enjoy their company together and Kei gives Fuse a book titled “”Rotkäppchen” (Little Red Riding Hood).  This story is much more darker as the young girl who has never seen her mother for several years decides to visit her.  As she goes to visit her home, she is asked by the wolf, do you take the path full of pins or the path full of needles.  The young girl takes the path of pins and thus the wolf takes the other path and kills her mother.  When Little Red Riding Hood arrives home, the wolf disguised as her mother, tells her to come in.  Little Red Riding Hood is hungry and the Wolf tells her to eat the meat in the fridge.  A cat warns her to not eat the meat because that is the flesh of her mother.  The Wolf says it’s not true and to throw a wooden shoe at the cat.  So, she eats the meat.  Red Riding Hood is thirsty and the wolf tells her to drink the wine.  A bird warns her telling her that is blood of her mother.  Red Riding Hood asks her mother (the wolf) and the Wolf tells her to drink it and throw her robe at the bird.  Thus she drinks it.  Red Riding Hood joins her mother at the bed and saying, “What big eyes you have”, “What big teeth you have” and “what big claws you have”…

Eventually, Fuse and Kei becoming closer and closer and start having feelings for each other.  But somehow, Fuse gets these dark images in his head.  Somehow the “Red Riding Hood” story has some affect on him and he has these nightmares of Kei being killed by gunfire and another which has him and pack of wolves following Kei and the wolves start to devour her.

Meanwhile, we see the government ala Public Security (the rival of the CAPO/Panzer Corp.) led by Fuse’s friend Henmi meeting with the Self-Police.  You learn that Kei lied to Fuse and that she is working with the Public Security as a trap against the CAPO.  But while they are secretly meeting, they keep asking each other about a secret counter-intelligence division called the Wolf Brigade.  A possible fact or rumor that there is a secret group that watches over these organizations but no one knows if its true.

Meanwhile, Fuse sees someone comes out of his room and intrigue of what they were doing in his room, he searches and spots and envelope containing photos of Henmi and Kei in the back of his car.  He immediately gets a call from Kei saying that men are after her but it’s all part of a trap by the Public Security and Self-Police to discredit the CAPO.  But Fuse manages to get Kei out of the building and the two are on the run.  You realized that the two have fond feelings for each other.

Without spoiling the many twists and turns of the film, you watch and learn that the “Little Red Riding Hood” story that Kei reads to Fuse, is probably closer to life.  Who among them is the wolf and who is Red Riding Hood.  Who is being betrayed?

“JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade” is definitely one of those films that keeps your attention as you keep up with who is telling the truth, who is lying and thus twists and turns are set along the way.  Not until the final 15-minutes do you find out the truth and you realize that this film is indeed a modern spin on the “Little Red Riding Hood” storyline.

VIDEO:

The video for this anime film is presented in 16:9 1080p Hi-Def. One must remember that this film was created in 1999, because it was in development for three years, it was created via traditional cel animation and not via digital that many people are familiar with these days.

But for anime fans, you look at what the art director and their staff had to pull of to make this story come alive.   That involves creating an alternate Japan, awesome visuals that when you see the backdrops and just the amount of detail in each painting, it’s quite stunning to look at.  Also, because this film’s setting takes place in the 1950’s, you get a little aged look and thus you don’t get eye popping colors, there is a slight haze to the film.

On Blu-ray and at 1080p, the Blu-ray manages to keep that beauty intact for a film of its age but for those not familiar with older anime films, especialy if one views the eye popping, vibrant colors of animated films today, some may have trouble with it.  This film is artistically beautiful when it comes to the details but not vibrant with sharp and bright colors coming at you.

In an interview with the director/animator Hiroyuki Okiura, Okiura says that filters were used during the photography to create a certain sense of space.  He also goes on to say that the HD version of the film is closer to the original film than the DVD ever was and even had requests for the engineers to make happen on the Blu-ray version.  Details that were hard to see during the dark in the DVD can now be seen in the Blu-ray version.

AUDIO:

I watched the film both in Japanese and English.  The Japanese is featured in Linear PCM 5.1ch and Linear PCM Dolby Surround.  The English track is in Dolby Digital 5.1ch.  During the action segments especially the machine gun rattling, your surround system really comes alive.  In fact, I kept repeating the gun shots just to hear it over and enjoy the clarity of that sound.  Both are well-acted in Japanese and English dub.

In the interview with the director Okiura (in a booklet that comes with the Blu-ray box set), Okiura talks about how they wanted to use the 5.1ch surround to showcase certain sounds like leaves rustling when one steps on them.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

As for special features on disc, you can choose from subtitled or non-subtitled trailers (four total).  So, really, there aren’t any major special features but in this box set, there is something that will be of satisfaction to “JIN-ROH” fans.

Included in this Blu-ray box set is a 524-page storyboard booklet.  This has the complete storyboards and of the many anime I do own, outside of the recent Studio 4C “Amazing Nuts” DVD special edition which came with an awesome booklet, “JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade” was simply a great addition for the fans of the film.

And that’s not it, you also get a 20-page booklet which includes a writeup on “JIN-ROH”, a booklet featuring a comparison of storyboards and the actual animation but also an interview with the director Hiroyuki Okiura.  In the writeup, Chikashi Saito actually makes some clarifications as many call “JIN-ROH” the final analog film.  But we learn that although the film was constructed via analog there are a few scenes that do employ some CG work and the digital editing system Avid was used for post-production work.

But the best part of the booklet is the interview with Okiura who talks about the actual colors of the film, the use of sound and also why he made some changes from Oishii’s screenplay on his animated version and more.  Overall, a pretty cool interview to read.

I have to admit that I really enjoyed watching “JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade” on Blu-ray.  One thing that I have noticed in animations is that with Blu-ray, things that are in the dark, you are able to see much more detail in the darkness and even the director noted that in his interview.

Also, I have to give Bandai Entertainment/Bandai Visual credit for bringing quite a number of their older films on Blu-ray and “JIN-ROH: The Wolf’s Brigade” is definitely a classic that received awesome treatement in this release.

It’s one thing to have the release (in Japanese and English) and watch it in 1080p but with “JIN-ROH”, like “ROYAL SPACE FORCE”, there is so much detail in the overall artwork that just simply looks stunning on Blu-ray.  Granted, this is not a film that spotlights vibrant colors but it’s a film that looked beautiful then and it look beautiful now.  The artistic detail in this film is spectacular and in balance with a film with a unique storyline, you can only hope that there is another animated film that takes place in Oishii’s “Kerberos Saga” and you can only think what upcoming film will be coming from director Okiura next.

I do wish there were more special features included on the Blu-ray disc but Bandai made up for that with the inclusion of the thick storyboard booklet and the addition of the 20-page booklet with an interview with Okiura.

If you enjoyed this film, are a fan of the “Kerberos Saga” manga series or fans of Okiura or Oishii’s work, this Blu-ray release of “JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade” would make awesome addition to your anime Blu-ray collection.

“What a beautiful film this one is! S.O.S! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT is definitely setting a new standard for the future of 3D anime! If you thought the DVD looked beautiful, the Blu-ray version is even more eye popping and looks and sounds awesome!”

TITLE:  SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT

DURATION: 40 Minutes + 27 minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 16:9LB and 4:3 (for special feature segment), Japanese Language, Dolby Digital TrueHD 4.1 Ch, Linear PCM Stereo

CATALOG #: BUDHO142

COMPANY: Bandai Visual/Honneamise

RATED: Suggest 7 Up

DIRECTOR: Takagi Shinji

NOTES: Based on an original story and original character designs by Otomo Katsuhiro

Screenplay by Sadayuki Murai

Character Design and Animation Director: Hidekazu Ohara

Special Effects Animation Director: Takashi Hashimoto

Art Director: Junichi Taniguchi

CGI Director: Masashi Koubo

Chief Animator: Tomonari Nakajima

Sound Director: Kei Momose

Music: Yoshihiro Ike

Animation Created by Sunrise Emotion Studio

Produced by Bandai Visual  & Sunrise

Sanae Kobayashi (Ryuhei Ozaki)

Akiko Yajima (Sasuke Ozaki)

Sayaka Aida (Shun Sakuragi)

Kikumi Umeda (Yoshio Okido

Yuu Asakawa (Momoyo Takiyama)

Kouzou Shioya (Matakichi)

Bin Shimada (Sojiro Yamashita)

Search for the “treasure” that rests in the Tokyo underground!

A group of children unlock the entrance to the unknown. A new standard for the future of 3D anime!

Fifth-grade student, Ryuhei, discovers a notebook containing the “Tokyo Exploring Records,” a text written by his father. Together with his friends, he forms an exploration team, heading into a manhole to find a world that goes beyond imagination. With a thorough knowledge of the Otomo world, the staff of Steamboy took Katsuhiro Otomo’s short manga and fully demonstrated their ability to make it into a 3D anime.  Otomo even praised the anime saying, “It made me feel lucky to be the original author.”

One of the most beautiful anime that I have seen in a long time!  That’s what I wrote when I initially reviewed the “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS NEXT” DVD but this time around, it’s time to review the Blu-ray Disc version.

“SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT” is based on an original short manga titled “SOS DAITOKYOTANKENTAI” by Otomo Katsuhiro published back in 1980 for now-defunct Manga Shonen.

As the team were preparing to work on “Steamboy 2″, a film that would feature a hybrid visual style that brings together hand-drawn 2D graphics and 3D characters. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, plans for the second film was put on hold.

Thus the team of Sunrise Emotion Studio began working on “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT”.

When I first watched “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT”, I was just blown away by the actual art used by the film and the technology used to create this anime.  So, my instinct was that if it looked that awesome on DVD, I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would look on 1080P Hi-Def and also hearing it in Dolby TrueHD.

The opening scenes of Japan, the paintings were whimsical but yet almost realistic. I was just in awe that I found myself pausing during each scene just to appreciate it.

Upon watching this film, I can’t help but grin and smile.

[Please note: From this point on, there may be a few spoilers. Reader be warned]

The storyline revolves around fifth-grade student Ryuhei who discovers his fathers notebook which contains information of the “Tokyo Exploring Records” which leads him, his little brother and a few friends embarked on a journey ala Tokyo underground to search for some treasure.

The story features the children going underground and discovering a new world.

Sure, this may read a bit farfetched but it’s not for children to do something like this but it’s not.

I actually have done something similar with a group of friends when I was younger. Going through a manhole in an old area of town and we were in eighth grade at the time and relying on hearsay and rumors of what exists down there.

And similar to the world that Ryuhei and friends have discovered in the Tokyo Underground, it’s similar to what we discovered but in a more surreal (and dirty and messy) sense as many homeless were seen living underground.

The situation is no different for this film but the world of those living in the Tokyo Underground is something that is innocent and that makes it a very entertaining children’s story that adults will love (especially if they have/had a similar adventurous side).

_

VIDEO:

The video for this anime film is presented in 16:9 1080P Hi-Def.  The colors are much more vibrant and I was impressed by how much sharper the colors were and even in the blacks, you can actually see additional detail of the buildings even when dark.  I saw no artifacts in the blacks which is also another plus.

In a way, child adventures have done quite well in capturing that fantasy that a lot of us have felt when we were younger and like a Hollywood adventure classic like “The Goonies”, “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT” manages to capture that feeling of adventure, discovery and the excitement that one feels when you are much younger.

Also, for sheer enjoyment, there were just subtle things that caught my attention and also made me smile. From the children using Apple, Dell and Vaio computers to Ryuhei’s father working figurines and Gundam and My-Hime figures in the background. To one of the guys singing “Tomo yo”, a 1960’s Japanese song by Okabayashi Nobuyasu and everyone all singing “When the Saints Go Marching In” in English and much more.

And going back to that visual enjoyment of watching the beautiful scenery and conceptual art backgrounds, I found the images (done through scenery scouting for the film) of the overpass looking down Odakyu Line, to the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line and how things were just detailed just was breathtaking.

Even on the human perspective as Ryuhei tends to get bothered by his little brother Sasuke and knocks him in the head and Sasuke cries. Sakuragai Shun, the child who wears the glasses and keeps adjusting them. Capturing those moments to give a sense of realism to the animated film is something that I truly enjoy.

The animation is presented in 16:9 LB. The animation is vibrant, colorful and what Sunrise Emotion Studio was able to accomplish through toon shading and finding a way to capture hand-drawn animation via 3D. What an awesome attempt that I can see them refining in future animations. Bravo!

AUDIO:

The audio is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Ch, Linear PCM Stereo (for the extras). Bandai Visual/Honneamise releases have always been known for their attention to quality and this Blu-ray doesn’t disappoint.

Definitely some scenes when the action comes alive, that the sound is well done. The acting is well done and the subtitles were nice, crisp and easy to read. There is no English dub for the Blu-ray or the DVD release.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

As for special features, this is where Bandai Visual/Honneamise always rocks!  The extras are presented in Linear PCM Stereo but the video is also 1080P Hi-Def.

The special features on this Blu-ray comes with a “Making Of” that really goes into the behind-the-scenes of creating this anime and interviewing people on staff (not just the director and screenplay writer but actual members of the staff involved in the creation of the anime) was a great addition!

Special features included creator interviews, the trailer and even commentary (which is English subtitled) with Director Takagi Shinji, CGI Director Kokubo Masashi and Chief Animator, Nakajima Tomonari. This addition of a subtitled commentary from the Japanese staff is just awesome!

And similar to the “Gunbuster” releases from Bandai Visual, “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS” also includes a detailed and informative 12-page booklet with an introduction, the transition from manga to anime, character information, “Did You Know?” section that goes into the scenes that I enjoyed watching over and over and featuring some notes on those scenes.

Also featured is “The Making of SOS! The Next” and with an interview with Takagi, Ohara and Otomo.

As I felt, when I first reviewed the original DVD version and even when I am reviewing this Blu-ray version, you can’t help but be wowed by the eye popping, vibrant visuals.  This film is just visually impressive. It’s not an action or mecha film, it’s a film about children going on an adventure to look for treasure underground.

For me, I can’t help but appreciate this film in many levels, mainly because the kids going out and going underground is an experience that I also had done as a child.

But what I found more touching is how the original manga by Otomo and the current animated film, finally are bridged together to know how the new relates to the old and I found it extremely touching.

Again, Bandai Visual manages to give the anime fan so much more with its inclusion of in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes look at how the animation was created. And the inclusion of the informative booklet for this film, again, a nice touch!

For those who are wondering if it’s worth upgrading from the original DVD to the Blu-ray version, that’s primarily your call.  Both literally come with the same content but of course, where the Blu-ray shines is that it’s 1080P Hi-Def and features TrueHD sound.  Also, just to note that compared to the other Blu-ray releases from Bandai, this release does come in a blue Blu-ray case and not a boxed or digibook package.

All in all, “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT” is a film that will appeal to animation fans who appreciate great art, great storytelling and the awesome effort by the Sunrise Emotion Studio in creating this beautiful animated film.

Overall, this Blu-ray Disc is a winner!

“An anime series that is just absolutely gorgeous on Blu-ray with an ambitious storyline, great acting on both languages and much more!  Excellent!”

DVD TITLE:  FREEDOM: Blu-ray Disc BOX Limited Edition

DURATION: 203 minutes (24 minutes for first six episodes, 48 minutes for episode 7)  +113 minutes (special features)

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby TrueHD (5.1ch), Partly Linear PCM (Stereo) / BD50G x 4 discs AVC / 16:9 (1080p High Definition / Main Features)

COMPANY: Bandai Visual

Released on November 11, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Planning + Original Story: Satoshi Takamatsu

SERIES PLANNERS: Dai Sato, Katsuhiko Chiba

ORIGINAL CHARACTER + MECHANICAL DESIGNER: Katsuhiro Otomo

CHARACTER DESIGNERS: Daisuke Sajiki, Atsushi Irie

MECHANICAL DESIGNER: Yasumitsu Suetake

ART SETTING: Takashi Watabe, Yoshihiro Sono, Tomoyuki Aoki

EFFECT ANIMATOR: Takashi Hashimoto

CGI DIRECTOR: Kodai Sato

ART DIRECTOR: Takashi Ichikura

COLOR DESIGNER: Nagisa Abe

COLOR SETTING SUPERVISOR: Akiyo Yamaura

SOUND DIRECTOR: Kei Momoise

MUSIC COMPOSER: Yoshihiro Ike

DIRECTOR: Shuhei Morita

CAST:

Takeru: Daisuke Namikawa

BIS: Kappei Yamaguchi

KAZUMA: Showtaro Morikubo

AO: Sanae Kobayashi

TAIRA: Takuya Kirimoto

ALAN: Seizou Kato

Freedom unleashes a revolution in next generation animation, seamlessly combining 2D and 3D graphics to weave an epic tale of repression? and revolt. Directed by rising superstar Shuhei Morita (Kakurenbo), Freedom was an award-winner at the 2007 Tokyo International Anime Fair and the featured on Blu-ray for the first time are all seven volumes.

In the 23rd century, mankind has fled earth and emigrated to the moon. The last outpost of civilization is the Lunar Republic of Eden, where the omnipresent Citizens Administration Council grants residents everything they need… except their freedom. His mandatory education complete, 15-year-old Takeru is in a six-month period of freedom while the Council determines his social status. Uneasy about the future, Takeru and friends decide to race their customized Lunar Terrain Vehicle in the ultimate tube race!  But while working on the surface of the moon, Takeru discovers several photos featuring people from Earth with a message on the back of the photo.  But how is this possible, especially when everyone on Eden have been told that there are no survivors on the Planet Earth and the Earth was literally destroyed.

With the 35th anniversary of Nissin Cup of Noodles, Nissin went on a promotional campaign to create a seven episode OAV series.  And to start off with a bang, the company commissioned AKIRA creator Katsuhiro Otomo as the character and mechanical designer and then brought in Shuhei Morita, who created the award winning short “Kakurenbo” to direct the series.  Producing and animating the series would be SUNRISE (Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Vision of Escaflowne and many popular titles).   And to sing the theme song “This is Love” would be Japan pop star Hikaru Utada.

With so many top-tier talent involved in this project, the expectations were indeed high.

And from start to finish, I found myself enjoying the series thanks to its unique storyline, beautiful visuals and animation and on both the Japanese and English voicework were well done.

The storyline of “FREEDOM” takes place in the Republic of Eden.  A man-made area on the side of the moon where millions of people live due to the Planet Earth being destroyed by a shift in the climate.

The series takes place 160 years later since Earth’s destruction and focuses on is three friends.  Takeru, Kazuma and Bismarck (Bis), teenagers who live on the city of Eden.  Takeru has turned 15-years old and has completed his compulsory education and thus will be integrated to society but for a short time, he has a little freedom.  So, he and his friends take part in races.  Takeru being the hot headed racer who wants to be the popular racer who gets the girls like his rival Taira.   With the help from his friend Kazuma and the gifted mechanic, Bis, with spare parts, the three manage to build a vehicle.

As the race begins, a mishap gets Takeru in trouble and so, he has to do 15 hours of volunteer work.  While walking through the lunar landscape, Takeru discovers an area which has a bunch of rubble but a photograph of a girl and for Takeru, it’s love at first sight.

With the help of their friend Allan, an older person who is knowledgeable about Earth (or overly a big fan of Earth’s classic space programs) peaks Takeru’s interest in the girl and the Planet Earth.  Thus with Allan’s help, Takeru and Kazuma get themselves involved in an illegal search through the landscape to uncover more photos but while looking, they see the Planet Earth.  And a message from the photo that the residents are doing well.

Both Allan and Kazuma are shocked because the citizens of Eden have been told that the Planet Earth has been destroyed and that there were no survivors, thus the guys hatch a plan to go to the Planet Earth to learn the truth about the planet and also to find the girl in the photo.  The only problem, the Republic of Eden will do what they can to make sure their secret of the planet Earth is kept.

The seven episodes in the OAV series was just so enjoyable that there are key parts in the storyline that happen, that for me to even describe each episode can easily spoil the series for people, so I refuse to do that.  Instead, all I can say is that the storyline, the animation and the acting is top notch.   You’ll no doubt enjoy the series from beginning to end and most of all, “FREEDOM” looks spectacular on Blu-ray.  And don’t be surprised if you find yourself craving for Nissin Cup Noodle (thanks to the not-so-discreet promotion of the group loving to eat the food a lot and its product placement).

VIDEO & AUDIO:

I have not watched the series on DVD or HD-DVD, so I can’t really compare the quality differences but I can say that the series utilizes the 3D cel-shading work that anime viewers enjoyed from films such as “Appleseed: Ex Machina” and “SOS Metropolitan Explorers”.  But not only do you get the sci-fi technological look courtesy of the Republic of Eden, you get the lush and beautiful colors from the planet Earth.  Well, done.  Beautiful animation and lush, painted backgrounds.  There is a lot of detail featured in some of the artwork and was very impressed.

As for the audio, you get Dolby TrueHD and the various sounds of the vehicles from the screeching of the tires, the metal and the sparks and various sound effects from each speaker was done quite well and sounds awesome on my home theater.

But my surprise was to find an English and French dub track.  So, I was quite pleased to know the Blu-ray disc would feature three audio tracks and for both the English and Japanese tracks are well-acted (note: I didn’t listen to the French audio track).

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There are quite a bit of special features included in this box set.  Included are:

• DISC 1: The first disc includes the introduction trailer, Freedom 1 and Freedom 2 digest, another vehicle race, talking about FREEDOM Session 1 and the Nissin Cup Noodle TV commercial digest.

The first session which is 17 minutes long features a round table discussion with Director Shuhei Morita, Series Planner Dai Sato and Scenario Support Gich Ohtsuka.  Interesting discussions feature Morita talking about how the original plan was to create an anime-based commercial and how it evolved into an OAV series.  Sato talks about making the episodes on a very tight deadline and working with a variety of screenwriters.  Especially the experience working with Katsuhiko Chiba (Gundam and Outlaw Star) for the first three episodes and Yuichi Nomura (Eureka) for his knowledge on romantic scenes.  The digests are pretty much a two minute condensed moments of an episode.

The prologue is included also on disc 1.

• Disc 2: On disc 2, you get the digest versions of episodes 3 and 4.  Also, the second part of the “Talking About Freedom - Session 2″ featuring Director Shuhei Morita, Series Planner Dai Sato and Scenario Support Gich Ohtsuka.  This featurette is about 18 minutes long.  The group talks about the buildup of the storylines and having to create episode 1 short handed but eventually getting more staff (especially those who came from “Steamboy”) to come in and help keep things organized.  Then they talk about their favorite moments of episodes 3 and 4.

• DISC 3: The third disc features the digest versions of episodes 5 and 6.  Also “Freedom in the USA” Part 1 and 2.   Part 1 features Director Shuhei Morita and Series Planner Dai Sato at the Long Beach Convention Center for Anime Expo 2007, promoting the first anime HD-DVD and interviewing anime attendees who just watched the first episode. This first part is about twelve minutes long.  Also, you learn how happy they were of meeting fans who just come up to them and not afraid to talk.  You can tell the two were so happy to interact with the American fans.  Afterwards, the duo go to visit Santa Monica and travel on Route 66 which plays a part in the episodes of “FREEDOM”.   Part 2 is about 13-minutes long and features the duo going to Washington, D.C. to visit the Smithsonian since it was depicted in the anime series and checkout the National Air and Space Museum and later, the two went to the Annex and talked about how they used a lot of the older space technology on FREEDOM and also to see their excitement to see things closeup.

• Disc 4 - Disc  features the episode 7 digest, “Freedom: The Hope”, next episode trailers, “FLY ME TO THE MOON: The Apollo Journey”, “FLY ME TO THE MOON: From the Apollo to Freedom” and messages from the characters.  “The Hope” is a short near two minute race featuring Takeru, Kazuma, Biz and Ao in their vehicles racing and somewhat of an epilogue.

The “FLY ME TO THE MOON” featurettes are about ten minutes long and pretty much showcases footage from the 1960’s with JFK, the space race between the US and Russia and who would get to the moon first.  A cool featurette because it’s old NASA footage but the video was more or less Allan trying to get the guys know about the history of flight and the first people to get to the moon and showing actual history via phoos and video footage.    The second part is continuing the featurette and is about 13-minutes long.  Actually the featurette is a good primer for those not familiar with the space race and the challenges the US had to face including the tragedy.  Actual video footage from the past and how it ties into the people at Eden.

The last part “messages from characters” features the main animated characters saying thank you to everyone for watching and their support.

And included with the limited edition box set is a manga featuring Takeru.  Before the events of episode 1 and the storyline seems to be more deep and teenage angst than the anime series.  But nevertheless, another cool inclusion to a box set already packed with special features.

Again, Bandai Visual has hit another home run with their Blu-ray releases.  It’s one thing to get quality DVD’s and I’ve praised Bandai Visual’s higher encoding of their DVD audio but having the opportunity to finally watch “FREEDOM” on Blu-ray was just an incredible experience.

The anime was just crisp and colors extremely vibrant, I was very pleased.  But to release a Blu-ray box set that not only features the complete series but also provides us with a lot of special features and also a manga booklet.

But as for the storyline of “FREEDOM”, it was so refreshing to have a sci-fi storyline to be so different, unique but at the same time lighthearted.  Overall, it was just one of those exciting moments when you watch a very well done anime series and you just find yourself just amazed of what you just watched and how well it was carried out from the episode 1 all the way to episode 7.

If anything, I wouldn’t watch the trailers or the special features on each disc until you finish the series because some of the trailers may contain spoilers.

All in all, the “FREEDOM” Blu-ray Disc BOX Limited Edition certainly delivered.  From the all-out quality of the anime production, the well-written script, the inclusion of voice acting in Japanese, English and French, inclusion of the manga and plenty of special features, fans of the series should be pleased with this box set.    Again, Bandai Visual continues their dedication to quality with their releases and I’m really impressd with their Blu-ray releases thus far.   Highly recommended!

“My review for the two films in terms of its condensed storyline from the OAV’s transition to film remains the same.  But the Blu-ray transfer just screams gorgeous visuals and the addition of the third Blu-ray disc featuring lengthy interviews and footage from the movie premieres just makes this Blu-ray box set a must have for any Gunbuster/Diebuster fan!”

ANIME TITLE:  GUNBUSTER vs. DIEBUSTER - Aim for the Top! The GATTAI!! MOVIE (Blu-ray Box Set)

COMPANY: Bandai Entertainment, Bandai Visual, Honneamise

DVD INFORMATION: BD50Gx3 discs / AVC / COLOR (partly B&W) / 190 minutes + 90 minutes / BD-J menu Profile 1.0.  Region 2, with English and French Subtitles

• GUNBUSTER the Movie - 4:3 (1080p High Definition), partly 16:9 (1080p High Definition)
• DIEBUSTER the Movie - 16:9 (1080p High Definition)
• Bonus Disc - 16:9 (1080i High Definition), Partly 4:3 (1080i High Definition)

AUDIO: Japanese Audio

• Dolby TrueHD (5.1ch Surround)
• Linear PCM (2.0ch Stereo)
• Commentary: Linear PCM (2.0ch Stereo)

RATED: Suggested 13 and Up

The GATTAI!!! Movie brings two milestones from acclaimed anime studio GAINAX.  Hideaki Anno’s GUNBUSTER and Kazuya Tsurumaki’s DIEBUSTER (aka GUNBUSTER 2) are presented in their theatrical release formats in Full HD, together with a special disc containing 90 minutes of bonus materials.

I’m such a big fan of the “Gunbuster” and “Diebuster” OAV series.  The original 1988 OAV series is among my personal favorites and the newer 2003 series was pretty cool and nicely tied with the first OAV series and both featured cool storylines and a lot of action.

In 2006, GAINAX went to create two film versions, which are more or less a condensed to 2-hour film from the episodes of the OAV series.  And to celebrate the 20th Year Anniversary of “GUNBUSTER” in 2008, Bandai Visual/Honneamise released the “GUNBUSTER vs. DIEBUSTER - Aim for the Top! The GATTAI! MOVIE” DVD Box set which I reviewed back in August.

But when it was announced that a Blu-ray version of the box set was being released in Japan which would feature interviews, footage from the movie premieres and interviews galore, Gunbuster fans were salivating over this release.

And now it is released in the US and how does it stack up against the original DVD box set?  The only word I can think of, after I watched the Blu-ray Limited Edition box set was “beautiful”.

First, there is no difference in terms of the storyline of the films from the DVD box set and the Blu-ray box set BUT the quality differences is tremendous.  Also, you get more for your money as the Blu-ray box set comes with special features, while the previous version came with nothing.  But you did get postcards, booklets and a certification exam.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

The first thing I noticed when watching “GUNBUSTER the Movie” is that for a digitally remastered film, the high-definition version looked clean and the colors are much more vibrant.  I was literally in awe that this film created in the 1980s, looked so beautiful today in Blu-ray.  The video is featured in 1080p High Definition and the majority of the film is in 4:3 but once you get to the final segment of the film (when it goes black and white), the film is presented in 16:9.    But the video just looked phenomenal.

As for audio, you get Dolby TrueHD (5.1 ch surround) and if you thought Bandai Visual didn’t skimp on audio on their DVD releases, the same goes with the Blu-ray version.

It also helps that many of the original cast members returned back to re-record their lines and thus GAINAX and rework the audio for modern times.  But all in all, “GUNBUSTER the Movie” looks and sounds incredible in this Blu-ray Box Set.

As for “DIEBUSTER the Movie”, since this film is only five years old, it’s a newer, digital film as opposed to the handdrawn original.  But again, the colors are vibrant and everything looks quite beautiful in the Blu-ray release and the video is presented in 16:9 (1080p High Definition) and also the audio is featured in Dolby TrueHD (5.1ch Surround).

Also, I found the clarity of the special features on the bonus disc to be very cool.  I mean, you can see the skin pores and makeup so much clearly on the Blu-ray disc.  The majority of the bonus features are featured in 16:9 (1080i High Definition).  Audio is presented in Linear PCM (2.0ch Stereo).

SPECIAL FEATURES:

This is where the Blu-ray blows out the original DVD box set.  The special features include:

• The GATTAI!!! Movie - Stage Appearance by Cast and Staff.  This is a 31-minute portion where the staff of both films meet with the lucky fans who got to see the movie and the staff.  This was pretty fun to watch as you learn how both staff admire each other especially DIEBUSTER actress Yukari Fukui (Nono) of Noriko Hidaka (Noriko), especially when it came to the Lightning Kick scenes.
• GUNBUSTER: Interview on Re-recording session - This 26 min. featurette was very cool as the seiyuu had the chance to talk about re-recording their lines or preparing for the role.    It was cool to see the actual footage during the recording of the original “GUNBUSTER” film.
• From DIEBUSTER to THE GATTAI! Movie - This 30 min. featurette featured the DIEBUSTER staff talking about how they decided to make the DIEBUSTER OAV series to the movie and what they hoped to accomplish.  Also, some insight to the characters and how Nono was based off of Yukari Fukui.
• The GATTAI!! Movie Trailer - A 2-minute trailer of both films
• WEB MESSAGE CAMPAIGN - This section is only available if you select the Japanese menu on the beginning of the disc.  This allows you to hear A LOT of audio clips, in almost like a radio drama (short audio segments) featuring the characters of the film.

Also, included are the booklets of the two films and a fold-out informative print piece that is like a primer.

Of course, I’m very biased towards the OAV series because there was more time to focus on the character development.  But with the series as a film and having to condense and pretty much eliminating certain episodes, you do miss a lot of the emotional storylines and watching how these heroines got from point A to to point B in becoming talented pilots.

But the overall goal of the film is accomplished by showcasing two cool storylines and fans of the original to the new fans of the anime series can definitely enjoy.  As mentioned in my review for the films on the DVD box set, I saw this as an additional compliment to the OAV series.

But focusing on the Blu-ray Limited Edition of “The GATTAI!! Movie”, this literally blows away the regular DVD box set.  Not only is the quality and audio much better but for fans that wanted interviews and any footage of the talent from the movie premieres or interviews with the staff, this box set has all that!

For me, just to see the original 80s staff was just remarkable and to hear and see Noriko Hidaka again was just awesome!  So, for me, this is truly an awesome 20th Anniversary box set.  Seeing the past and present on stage together was a sight to behold for fans of GUNBUSTER and DIEBUSTER but to see how lengthy the footage for each featurette was, this box set is pretty awesome!  You definitely feel you get your money’s worth.

If you are a GUNBUSTER or DIEBUSTER fan, this limited edition Blu-ray disc box set is worth it!  Highly recommended!

“The definitive ‘Honnemaise no Tsubasa’ release yet. The Blu-ray enhances this highly praised 1987 film which showcases the beautiful animation but with a special booklet that goes even further of how special this film truly is. This latest release ranks in the top 3 of must-own releases for the anime DVD or Blu-Ray collector.”

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honnemaise

DURATION: Approx. 120 minutes + 5 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Two discs included. Blu-ray disc and DVD.

CATALOG #: BUXH0124

COMPANY: Banda Visual/Honneamise

RATING: Suggested 13 and Up

STAFF INFORMATION:

ORIGINAL PLANNING, SCREENPLAY & DIRECTOR: Yamaga Hiroyuki

CHARACTER DESIGN & ANIMATION DIRECTOR: Sadamoto Yoshiyuki

ANIMATION DIRECTORS: Anno Hideaki, Iida Fumio, Moriyama Yuji and Sadamoto Yoshiyuki

DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EFFECTS: Anno Hideaki

MUSIC DIRECTOR: Sakamoto Ryuichi

ANIME PRODUCTION: GAINAX

PRODUCTION: BANDAI

CAST INFORMATION:

Shirotsugh: Morimoto Reo

Riqunni: Yayoi Mitsuki

Manna: Murata Aya

Matti: Sogabe Kazuyuki

Soldier: Uchida Minoru

Announcer: Tokumitsu Kazuo

“I will not give up. I will realize my dream…even if it means death!”

Acclaimed by anime fans all over the world, Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honneamise” comes back to life 20 years after its original release! The stirring odyssey created by nascent anime masters of GAINAX is still unsurpassed for its meticulous artistry and heartfelt drama of a young man’s coming of age in a turbulent world!”

My first viewing of “The Wings of Honneamise” was back in the early 90’s and to tell you the truth, because it was in straight Japanese, I had no idea what the storyline was about. But of course throughout the next decade, there would be several releases such as a dub version by L.A. Hero, then came the Manga entertainment release which a dubbed and subtitled version were release and had to buy both and then a DVD release by Manga Entertainment (which was overcompressed) was released.

But 20 years later, Bandai Visual/Honneamise released a “Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honneamise” via a combo pack for those who preferred to own it via the DVD+HD/DVD or DVD+Blu-ray Disc.

Because this film has been reviewed so many times throughout the past decade online, I’m going to review this release a bit differently.

It’s one thing for us, that have been around for a long time viewing anime to simply claim that this film is one of the best releases out there especially if you have knowledge of GAINAX and the history behind this film.

But for today’s modern anime fan, after reading reviews online of “Why?” or “what is the significance of this film?”, let alone hearing comments that this film is appreciated for mainly older anime fans, I figured I best explain the significance of this animated film and possibly reach out to newer anime fans who may not be familiar with this film.

Back in the 70’s and 80’s, the majority of anime films were typically edited compilations from popular television shows. One of the most popular examples of this are the “Mobile Suit Gundam” trilogy films which more or less compiled and edited 50 TV episodes. And many films were created by live-action directors and the main sponsors of these films were national sponsors and toy manufacturers (this is explained in detail by an accompanying booklet included with the box set written by Hikawa Ryusuke).

But in the 80’s, a group of young amateurs known as DAICON FILM which were a group of college students that created anime shorts via 8mm film were given a chance to create a 35mm theatrical movie.

This was very rare in the industry especially since these young students haven’t had any actual achievements with the exception of Sakamoto Ryuichi (music director of the film) who was known for his music at that time.

These students had to prove that they were up to the task and the group which would be known as GAINAX would make their mark by this one film alone with its intricate animation and storyline by creating a new world, a world with its own language, a world with its own vehicles, style of buildings, the clothing down to the vases and jugs used by citizens of the country of Honneamise.

Every scene was well planned, from the dog fights of the airplane battles of how missiles flew through gravity, how crashing vehicles and its shards of metal and glass are flying around to the way an explosion was animated and how a fireball was truly done.

To create animation in the 80’s and to attempt to attain some sort of realism, “Honneamise no Tsubasa” (Wings of Honnemaise) was a complex film that these young creators put everything on the line and were able to create a film that was critically acclaimed and would lead to more wonderful anime such as “Gunbuster”, “Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water”, “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and many more wonderful titles in the next two decades.

So, for those who rented the older DVD and asked themselves “Why is this so popular?”, you have to think in the context of when it was released, what was accomplished in the overall creation of this complex film.

This is not just a film to just sit for two hours and wait for some hardcore action, this is a film that you watch, you immerse yourself in the world created by Yamaga Hiroyuki, enjoy the character designs of Sadamoto Yoshiyuki and just be amazed of how meticulous the special effects animation was by Anno Hideaki and various animation by directors Iida Fumio, Moriyama Yuji and also Sadamoto Yoshiyuki.

OK, I’M SOLD…BUT WHY BUY THIS VERSION OF THE DVD, WHEN I CAN BUY THE OLDER VERSION ON eBAY or Amazon?

As mentioned earlier, there was a 2000 release by Manga Entertainment. It’s pretty much the VHS release that we watched back in the mid-90’s with director’s commentary. DVD-wise, the Manga Entertainment was just horribly compressed and it was unfortunate. If there was one reason to own that older version of the DVD, it was simply because it had the director’s commentary by Yamaga Hiroyuki and assistant director Akai Takami.

The version I am reviewing, Bandai Visual/Honneamise’s release is just light years ahead of the 2000 DVD release.

In fact, part of the reason why it took me a while to review this DVD is that I had to test the video and audio at friend’s home theater setups along with mine because the Blu-ray disc was phenomenal.  I just had to find out if the video and audio is just as beautiful and awesome on a variety of setups.  This DVD+Blu-ray disc  combo set release is the definitive “Wings of Honneamise” release yet.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray Disc feaetures 16:9 (1080 p Hi-Def) video with a selection of Japanese: Dolby TrueHD (5.1ch), Japanese: Linear PCM (Dolby Surround) or English: Dolby Digital (Dolby Surround).

The DVD version is featured in 16:9 anamorphic (480i standard definition) and Japanese: Dolby Digital (5.1 chn) and English: Dolby Digital (Dolby Surround).

Presented in the aspect ration of 1.66:1, everything about the anime is clear. I mean crystal clear. The colors are vibrant, the explosions are just amazing to look at and the backgrounds is just beautiful. And I just want to emphasize that this animated film was created in the mid-80’s.

AUDIO:

On regular DVD, both Japanese and English audio sounds very good considering it’s a Bandai Visual release and the company known for it’s quality treatment for audio and video.  The Japanese version is in 5.1 while the English is Dolby Digital.  But the audio on Blu-ray… My oh my!  I had to test this Blu-Ray disc in several friend’s home theater setup outside of my own and I’m literally amazed of Dolby TrueHD sound and how it can enhance a film.  With already a spectacular presentation in the video department, we were just in awe of how much alive the audio was.  For those who remember every crowd or bar scene, imagine those conversations coming clear.  The explosions and action scenes are phenomenal.  The music sounds spectacular.

Once you view and hear anime in Blu-ray, especially done as well as the quality Bandai Visual puts into their products, you can’t just help but be amazed.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Both the Blu-Ray and the DVD feature a theatrical trailer and a pilot film that you can watch with or without English subtitles.  Unfortunately, the director’s commentary on the 2000 Manga Entertainment release is not included.

And similar to other Bandai Visual releases is the informative booklet and this 20-page booklet is just very informative.  Covering the history, the director’s perspective, the music and the animation, especially detailing Anno Hideaki’s special effects and showing frame-by-frame several scenes and the information behind it, it was total anime fan service to have this included in the booklet.

So, for the new modern anime fan or newbie who have read the reviews and saw many of us put “Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honneamise on top for must-own DVD releases, I ask you to not watch this film like you would watch a animated television show you would watch quickly.

Just immerse yourself into the complex world that GAINAX has created for you.  Look at things visually and just imagine of how this was all created back in the 80’s and how much detail and what was accomplished at that time.

Almost like the world George Lucas has created for the “Star Wars” series and how fans find that special connection with a planet or land and its inhabitants, “Honneamise” is such a world where you can see how much was put into the creation of this world, the people living in that world and the language they speak.

How much was put into creating the world through its beautiful backgrounds and animation.  Even the small things that involve a few frames, just the detail behind it is just simply amazing.

So, if you can immerse yourself into this world, embrace “Honneamise” for its complexity and its beauty and you will discover why many of us, old school anime fans, regard this film so highly.

+ The definitive “Wings of Honneamise” release yet!

+ The fact that you get both the Blu-Ray and DVD is amazing but the Blu-ray version is just incredible!

+ The informative 20-page booklet is informative and awesome!

+ And for those wanting an English dub, there is an English dub included in this release.

- No director’s commentary on this release