Pilgrim at Rush Valley: 2010

Gunslinger Girl

Begin with big guns and end with big dissapointment. For those of you who thought I may never dislike an anime, here you are wrong. I hardly find this show worth watching and am sad to have lost the valuable time I did watching this hoping for eventual atonement. I hoped for something deeper within this anime, yet there isn't much beyond the little (mentally and physicallly) manipulated girls toting gigantic weapons and their male companions. You could say that this treats the theme of the eternally corruptible human soul, but it fails miserably because there is very little character development. It is praised in many other places and I may have been dissapointed to a greater degree because of my high expectations. Worth watching if you are snowed into an alpine cabin and must choose between a super-drama anime like Marriage or this. Check it out, but you have been warned http://www.amazon.com/Gunslinger-Girl-Box-Set-Collection/dp/B000WE5I24/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1272218806&sr=1-3

Whatever you do, don't expect an adequate ending from the OVA.

Sword of the Stranger

Wow. I want to be the stranger. Another rendition of the loveable red-haired samurai. Do not be mistaken, he is loveable because he is so tragic, and not in the goofy Ruroni Kenshin light. Awesome figthing and plenty of super awesome technique. If you rent nothing else this weekend, rent this; you will want to watch it twice. Chinese assasins, shogun betrayal, samurai turned avowed anti-swordsman, throw a loveable dog and boy into the mix and you have anime awesomeness. Haunting blue eyeys and shiny swords covered in blood mesmerize you within the first five minutes and don't let up until the final cut. Worth owning and also in Blu-ray check it out http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Stranger-Blu-ray-Yohei-Miyahara/dp/B001W79MB8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1272218110&sr=1-1

Basilisk

Shakespeare's got nothing on Masaki Segawa. You may think you've seen the typical ninja scroll drama play out, you have not my friend. I was completely moved by this original rendition of Romeo and Juliet. Far from being contrived I really have a hard time expressing how much I thoroughly enjoyed this blood bath. Make no mistake this is not a child friendly show, there are plently of the seven deadly sins present within the show. Feudal Era Japan reveals just how horrendously the human sould can be twisted. Worth, in the very least, the rental Basilisk is also available in Blu-ray; which I have no doubt would be stunning. Check it out http://www.amazon.com/Basilisk-Complete-Viridian-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B002KYIAK6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1272216275&sr=1-3

Just so ya know, I bawled until my eyes were sore.

Trigun

Old west reborn with Sci-fi treatment. Trigun's anti-hero is Vash the Stampete with a 60 billion double dollar reward for his head. Charismatically, Vash tends to leave chaos in his wake; hence the reward which is offered by the Bernardelli insurance company. The company employs Millie and Meryl who are charged with finding, then accompanying, Vash in order to minimize the claims that arise from his antics. Thematically this anime covers the eternal human flaw of self destruction, and dualistically the way this also manifests within relationships. Obviously there are copious amounts of bullets and weapons, in keeping with a western tradition. For those mecha hungry anime-niacs there may be just enough mecha present to sooth the craving because there is a reason Vash is also known as the Humanoid Typhoon. Well worth the rental as a classic anime from pre-CGI. Unfortunately you are probably only likely to get it as a rental because it is no longer produced and available only on amazon from sellers. Check it out and read the other reviews. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005OW09/ref=s9_wishf_gw_t?ie=UTF8&coliid=I5QI4QOXZGPSC&colid=1QGMJ89RAL0GV&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-3&pf_rd_r=1C1PVK19HVQYBY9ZNTXM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=481918071&pf_rd_i=507846