Aniplex USA to Ship All of Read or Die on BD

All video, TV episodes in Winter box set with Japanese, English dubs

The anime distributor Aniplex of America has announced that it will release the R.O.D -The Complete- Blu-ray box set this winter. The five-disc set will include the original three Read or Die video anime episodes as well as the 26 episodes in the R.O.D -The TV- anime sequel. The set will have Japanese and English language soundtracks.

Manga Entertainment once released the 2001-2002 Read or Die video anime series in North America, and 2003-2004 Geneon Entertainment (then known as Pioneer) released the television series sequel.

Review : Afterschool Charisma GN 1

Synopsis:
Shiro Kamiya is the odd man out amongst his classmates in the prestigious St. Kleio's Academy where talent and intelligence comes second-string to the school's primary requirement – to be a clone of an impacting historical figure. Surrounded by the likes of Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth and Mozart, he finds himself alienated by many while still embraced as a friend by others. But it isn't all bullies, grades and girls for Shiro and his genetically generated peers as more is stirring in the walls of this school than mere day-to-day life as each student finds themselves haunted by the ghosts of their past-selves and an administrations' plans for their future.


 
Review :
While the science of genetics remains forefront in Afterschool Charisma, there's also an inkling of an almost supernatural-vibe that trickles its way in. Ever-present in the minds of many is the idea of a clone's destiny – specifically, if they're doomed to meet the fate of their original via universal karma. These notions take precedence among the students of this unique school after a delivered speech by a ‘newly’ appointed president. Eventually this leads the story's focal lead, Shiro Kamiya, to discover a group in his school who takes the fear very seriously, and for good reason. But that's far from being the bulk of this story as Afterschool Charisma takes on the psychological effects of teenage-clones while teasing at the political and ethical ramifications of their existence.

This first volume trips up a few times when it comes to character introduction, notably because there are so many of them. While the near-immediate reveal of most character's ‘identities’ allows for readers to leap quickly into the historical-play, it feels like the creator could've afforded to give things up a little less easily. The expositional delivery also feels too forced coming from the characters as it does (“…well they are such-and-such-a-person after all.”) and it takes away some of the potential fun of trying to figure out the who's who first. On that same note, part of the series' appeal may be lost to readers who aren't as up to speed on their historical personalities. It's fun comparing and contrasting the cast with what familiarity we have going in about their ‘originals’ and the story toys with the notion of being tied to their predecessor's fate which makes for even more intriguing possibilities.

Despite any issues with context going in however, the characters are all vibrantly distinct and should offer plenty of compelling content to keep readers of any pre-existing knowledge captivated. While most maintain a certain air of dignity in light of the pressures upon them to succeed, many still act refreshingly natural as the teenagers they are. There are groups of friends, cliques, the popular kids, the unpopular kids and some expected gossip, academic stress and hormones tossed in for good relatable measure. The way they interact and respond to each other is unique to each one and the author has obviously taken care to make use of the value of pre-existing personality elements while also giving each one a new-life twist – a really good historically-based fan fiction, you could say. Notable students include a dangerously prideful Mozart and the sly but observant Freud.

While this first volume feels most intent on establishing the cast, there's already a satisfying plot brewing amidst them. The true purpose behind the school isn't as clear as is first believed and those pulling the strings of the establishment already find themselves well at odds with opposing forces who're willing to shed blood for their beliefs, a level of conviction that doesn't seem lost on the faculty of St. Kleio Academy either. This introductory volume also opens right in the thick of a clone's own personal dilemmas, setting a sinister underlying tone for the subsequent chapters after a student challenges what's expected of her and is swiftly expunged.

It quickly proves worth a ponder why the decision was made to not only clone the most brilliant of deceased notables but also some of the most destructive as well. Mozart, Joan of Arc, Freud… Hitler? If there's a desire to house the brilliance of past dictators for the presumable forces of good, you can't help but wonder in how many ways it could all go wrong. Our human beings really determined by nature or nurture? One also has to wonder if there isn't more than meets the eye with Shiro, especially when both he and readers are practically beaten over the head that he's the only non-clone in the institute. While there isn't much to base this suspicious off past his creepy obviously-up-to-something Father (a professor at the school), and the willingness to think against the facts the story wants you to believe, it's still one of the story's elements that proves good food for thought.

Should you want to take a breather from the occasionally terse nature of the story however, look no further than the art, which is a real treat for the eyes. Skilfully rendered with thinly inked lines and atmospheric screen tones, the whole book has a traditional gothic feel to it while also exuding a plot-complimenting militant feel with the student uniforms and intentionally dry but detailed backgrounds. The characters are really expressive, the art bringing them to life with a vast array of emotion whether intended for comedy, drama or seeming indifference. Everything is showcased using a variety of angles and perspectives that really carry the plot along and keep the pages feeling unique from one another, even if the same can't be said for some of the character facial structures which can be distractingly overused. Readers may also recognize Kumiko Suekane's style from her series previously released in English – the one-shot, Once Upon a Glashma and multi-volume, Blood+.

Afterschool Charisma has so far proven itself a fantastic treat for the mind and the eyes of indulging readers. The plot seems potentially over-simplified so far but this first volume's focus on a sundry cast of dynamic individuals makes it an engaging read with the promise of much more to come. Tackling a dynamic sci-fi concept with class and intrigue, this is a first volume not to be missed by the considering or curious.

Grade :
Overall : A-
Story : B+
Art : A 

+ Rich characters and an intriguing plot that balances science, politics and fate; solid, atmospheric artwork with a traditionally-gothic nuance that can appeal to manga readers across genres
− A little too much time spent reiterating the same things over and over; occasionally relies too strongly on pre-conceptions of characters

Review : Detroit Metal City GN 5

Synopsis:  
Aspiring pop songwriter Soichi Negishi can't believe his success in the music industry—mostly because his success comes from his loathsome alter ego, death metal guitarist Johannes Krauser II. But even as the dark emperor of metal, there is no rest for Krauser: he has to deal with his manager's demands, troublemaking fans, and fellow performers who also want their due. Mild-mannered Negishi, meanwhile, has issues of his own as he tries to break into the indie-pop scene: his aesthetic sense is suspect, fellow artists don't acknowledge him, and his own family doesn't respect his musical aspirations. However, such problems are miniscule compared to the arrival of a dark force who dares to challenge Krauser's throne ...

Review:
With each passing volume, Detroit Metal City seems to become ever more unglued, still searching for a solid storyline. Is it about Krauser having to perform increasingly perverted acts to maintain his reputation? Is it about Negishi and his continued failings as a wannabe hipster? Is it even about—as one chapter suggests—the struggles of one of Krauser's musical rivals? And as the subject matter grows more disconnected, it also grows more desperate, sometimes reaching to the furthest edges of the DMC universe in hopes that there may be some jokes left. For a series that once started out with such a clear, hilarious premise, it seems to have lost its way—and is trying anything to get back on track.

The stand-alone chapters in this volume are symptomatic of the mess that DMC has become, ping-ponging between bizarre Krauser incidents and bizarre Negishi incidents—and falling flat either way. In no particular order, we have: a retelling of Aesop's fable about the wind and the sun, Negishi proving his incompetence as a photographer, the Capitalist Pig from DMC's stage act having a crisis of identity, Negishi desperately clamoring for the attention of a female singer-songwriter, and an entire chapter that isn't even about Krauser or the band

Luckily, this volume has a couple of glimmers of hope: the first is the two-part tale of Negishi's sister's wedding, which gets back to the roots of the series' humor. It's not just about Krauser being a sicko, or Negishi being a loser, but about the uproarious way in which those two worlds collide—and how polite society reacts to the collision. Negishi's metal-obsessed brother, as well as the unsuspecting bridegroom, make a great supporting cast as witnesses to this chaos. The last two chapters show promise as well, with rival bands from the Satanic Emperor festival making a comeback appearance and hints of a mysterious individual from the record label's "dark past." If this turns out to be an extended story arc that pushes Krauser and his shock-rock to its limits, then it might just be the kick in the pants that the story needs.

As usual, the awkward and sloppy artwork could use a kick in the pants as well—but it still has its moments, usually in depictions of grotesquerie. The Capitalist Pig chapter, for example, reaches a strange sort of beauty towards the end as it grows ever more shocking. And no one can deny that Krauser's many faces of terror and hatred are a gallery unto themselves. However, the clumsy linework and poor command of anatomy keep the artwork from reaching its full potential; sometimes it looks as if the characters have just figured out how to hold a guitar for the first time. It is only in gross exaggeration that the art succeeds—because it's incapable of subtlety. The overall page layouts lack finesse as well, often looking like a chaotic collage of images rather than visuals moving in a particular direction. Then again, that seems to match the situation that the story is in at this point.

A lack of subtlety is also the guiding principle for the dialogue; the script holds nothing back when it comes to off-color language and sexual content. Things get even wilder with the variety of fonts used to emphasize the characters' lines, but don't expect anything profound here—it's mostly the shock value and inappropriate subject matter that make the dialogue entertaining. Meanwhile, the sound effects reach their own levels of outrageousness: this translation replaces all Japanese characters with English text, resulting in gems like "SHLO-LO-LONG" when one of the characters reveals his goods. There aren't many cultural notes to be found in this volume, but then again, the madness of popular music culture speaks for itself.

At this point in the series, Detroit Metal City seems to have turned into one of those albums that one comes to dislike after having listened to it for too long. There are still some tracks that withstand repeated listening, but the amount of filler has become too much to bear—often resulting in the urge to skip. Volume 5 is just too full of chapters that go nowhere, jokes that stopped being funny two volumes ago, or jokes that don't come off as jokes as all. Factor in the often sloppy artwork, and it's hard to imagine sticking with this series for the humor (which keeps falling flat) or for the visuals (unless one enjoys checking out overdressed rockers and tubby middle-aged men). Yet there are still signs of hope, signs that Kiminori Wakasugi has some crazy ideas up his sleeve that will remind us why we fell in love with Detroit Metal City in the first place. If Johannes Krauser II ever needed a comeback, it's now.
Grade:
Overall : C-
Story : D
Art : C- 

+ Last couple of chapters suggest a great story arc just around the corner.
− Suffers from too many chapters of aimless storytelling, non-joke jokes, and poorly drawn visuals.

Review : Golgo 13 Collection 1 DVD

Synopsis:
Amongst the world of criminals and law enforcement, there is one name which almost universally commands fear and respect: Golgo 13. He is Duke Togo, a Japanese national who is regarded by those “in the know” as the world's premier assassin, a man who can pull off even seemingly impossible shots, draw as fast as any man alive, and execute his assignments with unshakable professionalism, in the process never leaving enough evidence to get himself caught. If you have three million dollars then he could be your man – just don't ever stand behind him if you value your life!

In this set, missions he undertakes include knocking off various organized crime figures, breaking a death row inmate out of prison (with ulterior motives, of course), taking out a star athlete in the middle of a game, shooting a politician in the middle of a rally, doing some dirty work for branches of the U.S. government, and sabotaging a violin player in the middle of the performance. Along the way he must contend with wary mafia enforcers, a rival assassin, and a legendary paparazzi intent on making a shot of Golgo 13 “in the act” his retirement masterpiece.

Review:
Back during his pre-Governator days, Arnold Schwarzenegger once explained to a late-night talk show host the simple, iconic appeal of his Terminator character: “at some point, everyone wants to be a Terminator,” with the power to coldly and unstoppably mow down any opposition and obstructions in one's path. This goes a long way towards explaining how a character so utterly devoid of personality as Duke Togo (really, the only difference between him and the Terminator is that Togo occasionally gets laid) has stood as the star of a franchise that has kept pumping out material since 1968, especially when you consider that the intended primary audience is older men. What could have more appeal to a salaryman who has to put up with crap at his business every day than a hero who is the consummate professional, one who never wavers in his commitment, has unbeatable skill, adeptly avoids ever getting caught, takes no crap from anyone, and even sometimes has the ladies falling over him, too?

Those who do not connect to that kind of appeal are likely to tire of this series fairly quickly, as the first thirteen episodes are entirely episodic and depend heavily on such appreciation for their entertainment value; there is zero sense of a bigger picture or ongoing plot here and so far only one character beyond Togo has even appeared in more than one episode. Although execution may vary, the formula for the episodes stays fairly consistent: Golgo 13

What saves the series from morbid mundanity – at least so far – are the details involved in carrying out each hit. The meticulous planning which goes into Golgo's jobs can be fascinating, especially the thoroughness with which Golgo sets up distractions and clever ways to prevent authorities from pinning anything on him even though they know he did it; think about this series as the anti-CSI. (And yes, there even is a straight-up CSI-flavored episode in this set, too.) That is ultimately even more impressive than Golgo's formidable 0.17 second draw-and-fire time or his uncanny accuracy. The series also wisely focuses many of the episodes more on the central guest characters than Golgo, since bare concrete block walls have more personality than him.

The caliber of the missions varies greatly. The best one in this set, the one involving shooting out the G string of a violin virtuoso while he's playing in a concert, succeeds despite the fact that it is also the only episode where no one gets killed, and for reasons that the viewer might not initially expect. The worst is probably the CSI episode, which is also the episode about the football star getting whacked in the midst of making a play; while a neat concept, too many elements in that story are too oversimplified to be credible. In a few other places logic breaks down if pushed a bit, such as one episode where Duke Togo is allegedly quarantined on suspicion of exposure to cholera and yet seems able to regularly have visitors despite the “quarantine,” but those instances are generally not fatal. Don't expect any episodes where women get any kind of favorable depiction, either.

Animation for the series is provided by The Answer Studio Co., Ltd., whose other lead production credits of major note are co-productions on Flag and the recent U.S. Transformers cartoon. It depicts nearly all of its male characters as beefy (whether chubby or athletic), square-jawed, and thuggish-looking, with the effort to design a star football player actually coming out looking more like a caricature. The few women that appear are sexpots, but they are almost never on the screen for long. Duke Togo is given exactly one expression, which never changes except for a slight squint, though guest stars and supporting characters can be much more demonstrative. The animation in general is nothing special, and in fact looks awkward when it tries to do anything elaborate, such as the football scene or the scenes of violin playing (although in the latter case the animation does not actually make a serious effort). The emphasis on split-second shots rather than sustained action saves the series from wasting some pretty good background visuals and respectable character renderings. Though not as in-your-face as in recent gorefests, the graphic violence content is fairly high, with a bit of nudity and sexual content also creeping in to help support the TV-MA rating.

“Take the Wave” by naifu is a solid and fitting rock number for opening each episode, while the slower, sexier “Glass Highway” by doa closes out each episode. The soundtrack in between is adequate without being obtrusive or in any other way attention-worthy.

Unlike nearly all other Sentai Filmworks first-run releases to date, this one actually has an English dub, and it is one that even sub fans might find satisfying. The English script stays reasonably close except for juicing it up with a bit more swearing, but the performances are what sell this one. The Stephen Foster-directed effort makes a concerted effort to give various bad guys and investigators attitudes, accents, and speech affectations that are quite appropriate for English interpretations of such characters without straying into caricature. (Well, except for one or two occasions – the Irish styling on the one prison guard was a bit much.) The one legitimate complaint that might be made is that voice actors doing the guest roles get recycled too frequently, but the dub does enough else well that such a minor flaw can be overlooked.

Sentai has not expanded on their typical Extras with this release, as all that is present are the clean opener and the closer with both versions of the visuals used in this set. The subtitles are devoid of errors, however.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the series so far is its avoidance of the Steven Segal Syndrome, which comes into play when heroes are so invincible that they never seem genuinely threatened and thus have a difficult time generating any real tension. Although Golgo gets close to that in some episodes, there is usually at least some tension over how he is going to avoid getting caught in a seemingly impossible situation or fascination over the technical details of the situation. That will not be enough to keep those seeking something that actually has an ongoing plot enthralled, but this is not a series well-suited to marathon viewing sessions anyway. As a once-a-week affair, this series would fare better.
 
Grade:
Overall (dub) : B-
Overall (sub) : B-
Story : C+
Animation : B-
Art : B
Music : B 

+ Good variety of scenarios, solid English dub.
− No ongoing plot, some scenarios are dependent on improbable breakdowns of logic.

Review : Maoh Juvenile Remix GN 1

Synopsis: 

For as long as he can remember, Ando has had a strange gift. By focusing on something in his mind, he is able to make another individual speak out loud the things he thinks. Fearful of being found out as an oddity, something already difficult enough for any teenager, Ando continues his efforts to stay out of people's business and draw no attention. This all changes when Ando and Junya, his young brother whom Ando lives alone with after their parents' death, become targets for a group of hooligans. To their rescue comes a group growing in popularity in their city – a team of vigilantes called Grasshopper. At their helm is Inukai – a man who takes a baseball bat to the head and returns the blow with a smile. “It is my dream to make this city beautiful.” With his words he inspires individuals into action, including the introverted Ando, while in the shadows he dispatches his own brand of justice.

Review:
For reasons Ando doesn't understand he is able to make others speak out loud the thoughts in his head – a seemingly silly power that none the less has plagued him for years. In this introductory volume Ando struggles with accepting the truth of his power's existence and the effects he could have on those around him by utilizing them. The do-or-do-not power-debate parallels to Ando's own personal questioning as a whole – how much effect can a person's words have and what is someone's personal responsibility to stop being a bystander to injustice?

It's just another day for Ando before he bears witness to a confrontation between a local group of thugs and the recently formed vigilante team called Grasshopper. This is where he firsts sees the man destined (or doomed) to change his life – the enigmatic, Inukai. Reminiscent of Griffith from Kentaro Miura's Berserk, Inukai is a distractingly beautiful man with big dreams and grey-area morals to support them. With a stare that could crack stone and an eerily calm disposition, Inukai has banded together an ever-growing entourage of individuals who work under him to dispense their own self-proclaimed justice on those ‘plaguing’ the city. To the public, Grasshopper's goals are that of a peaceful tomorrow and a violence-free method in getting there. To those on the wrong side of Inukai's vision however - or wrong-place, wrong-time spectators such as Ando - it becomes evident very quickly that pretty words are but a very small part of Inukai's repertoire. When the public's eyes are gone, the gloves come off and it isn't pretty.

The opposite can be said for the art that tells the tale however, pretty perhaps not being the best word to describe it but functional and appealing definitely come to mind. The layout of the panels are easy to follow, sticking to predominantly boxed in panels while utilizing some great full-page spreads for those extra-dramatic moments. Scenes like these really make an impact, bolstered by the occasional standout character design – most notably Inukai's. Though perhaps a little too feminine in appearance for some, his ambiguity offers another level of intrigue to the character. Other designs stand out less positively however, such as some needlessly busty girls near the book's back that just feel entirely out of place in an otherwise fairly reality-grounded book.

This first volume of Maoh has already taken the plot in some interesting different directions. On one hand you have Ando whose own personal struggle with his own odd ability offers both supernatural-power foreshadowing and your classically emphatic scenes of him just trying to fit in at school. Then you have Inukai who initially comes off like a potential protagonist and someone who Ando finds himself in awe of. This first impression is then swiftly thrashed by subsequent events that leave a bloody mess of bodies behind him and his masked associates. Ando's own internal debates take a backseat to his mounting mistrust of Inukai and what once began as admiration quickly turns to disbelief.

But what does an enterprising vigilante have to do with Ando? While directly not much so far, indirectly Ando has come across Inukai in more than a few situations and has connected the dots in each following, such as the untimely demise of a certain official. Things take a more at-home turn when a student in Ando's class, one constantly at the mercy of a gang of bullies, takes it upon himself to exact revenge after being inspired by a well-timed meeting with Inukai. He's just one of the many in the book who are spellbound by Inukai to an extent that emphasizes the cult-like nature of Grasshopper and the true power of a charismatic leader. Whether it really is just a commanding presence or something else remains to be seen but suffice to say Inukai is a force to be reckoned with. With so many ignorant to his methods, Ando is finding himself more and more inclined to do something about it himself. What that is however, and whether it stems from morality or morbid curiousity, is anyone's guess at this point.

The story is interesting to follow from Ando's outside-looking-in perspective while his own ability implies he'll have more to offer than the role of whistle-blower. At times it feels like the book dwells too much on Ando feeling sorry for himself but his conscious efforts to keep it to himself and deal with it is both sympatheziable and a relief, saving the story from becoming a fest of woe-is-me moments. It then proves extra enjoyable seeing Ando having some fun with his powers eventually, a promising end-note that implies he won't be angsting about it forever.

Secondary characters of apparent relevance in the story include Ando's optimistic slang-heavy brother, Junya, and Junya's spacey girlfriend who apparently has issues dressing herself in the morning. The two go between being obnoxious in one panel to entertaining in another, predominantly proving comic relief or momentary springboards into action, such as when Junya tries to step in to help a young girl being groped on a subway car while he and Ando look on. Later in the volume there is some foreshadowing of strange abilities Junya himself may possess but their true significance remains forth coming.

Published under Viz Media's Shonen Sunday line-up – a collection of series that are shonen in nature but with a plot-centric edge that lifts them up from the more genre-standard series such as Bleach and Naruto - Maoh fits well into the intent of the imprint. It's a fairly streamlined plot with varying levels of complexity that are engaging while never straying into hard to follow territory. It also sports an art style that should appeal to a fairly wide manga-audience, keeping fans of any genre looking at least past first glance. The character of Inukai has already proven himself a character worth fearing and Ando is the underdog protagonist whose good intentions, fly or fail, will be worth sticking around to watch develop. While it's direction remains up the air, Maoh: Juvenile Remix opens with a compelling first volume full of questions worth trying to answer.

Grade:
Overall : B
Story : B
Art : B- 

+ A believably unnerving modern-day villain; glimpses of strange abilities an interesting added quirk to a story that remains grounded in thought-provoking questions of an individual's responsibilities to themselves and others
− The ability to make people say what you're thinking is a little hard to take seriously as a drama-point; brief fan-service moments stand out too much and Inukai's ambiguity may be a turn-off to some readers

One Piece Gallery 3

Click on The Thumbnail to see full SIZE