Gantz

Anime: Gantz

View Status: Complete

Number of Episodes: 26

Main Character: Kei Kurono

The Story: Kei Kurono, how to describe him before anything happens. He doesn’t much care for other people, even though, as a kid, he used to, and he didn’t fear anything. So one day he is standing in a subway station minding his own business when someone from his past appears next to him. When a homeless man falls onto the tracks of the subway, his old friend decides to try and save him. So it is no surprise when Masaru sees Kei standing on the platform, that he asks him to help him. Reluctantly Kei jumps down to help his childhood friend and the homeless man. As soon as they heave the man out of danger the train is seen emerging from the tunnel. Running for their lives they both get hit by the train. It gets pretty gruesome, from here on in. Suddenly reappearing in a room with several other people that all think they are dead. Everyone is sitting or standing around a black sphere. If this is not crazy enough for you the sphere begins to sing and weapon compartments open. After this lettering appears on the sphere that tells the people to hunt the alien whose picture is displayed on screen. Kill them or send them to the skies above, those are the choices one has.

The Review: This was one violent show. Every time someone dies my head was screaming ‘what the f***?!’. Gruesome is probably the best description of what happens. Even with all of the violence and death this anime is quite ‘deep’. The characters all carry an inner conflict, this conflict involves either death, violence or intimacy, and they try to overcome it. Early on this anime brings up some very good points on how we see other people’s lives, and their values. If you do not like blood and guts in your animes then this is not an anime for you. That is the main reason for the fact that the highest rating I can give this anime is Watch if you like the Genre. For the type of anime it was it was quite well made. If I was the one writing this anime I would have altered the story somewhat and explained more about what is going on and why. The sound track of the show was quite nice to listen to, and I am currently trying to find the opening and ending themes as I listened to them every time.

On a somewhat more personal note, I must express that I did not like this anime. I am fine with blood in animes, I am fine with nudity( Yes there is nudity. Uncensored nudity.), but what I am not fin with is people’s heads flying off or them being ripped apart, and I don’t like seeing their guts. I think it is only fair that I warn you that all of these are contained in this anime. So if you do watch it. You have been warned.

Side Note: Remember this. Put on the suit.

Lex Out

Samurai Champloo

Anime: Samurai Champloo

View Status: Complete

Number of Episodes: 26

Main Character: Fuu, Mugen, Jin

The Story: The first episode begins rather strangely, an execution is underway and right before the swords make contact, we see modern day Japan, then time is rewound to the Edo era. This Is where the story truly begins, in a Teahouse, where Fuu is working as a waitress. The other main characters are presented to us right after this and placed in different situations that allow them to show their skills. We are switched back and forth between Mugen and Fuu, and Jin. No, the other episodes are not like this they remain constant most of the time. Jin finishes his fight and comes to the Teahouse were Mugen is waiting for some skilled samurai to arrive. A fight between Mugen and Jin erupts because Mugen want to face someone skilled. While they are busy fighting a man burns down the Teahouse with Mugen and Jin still inside. They are consequently captured. In light of her place of employment burning down Fuu decides to find “The samurai that smells of sunflowers,” but she cannot do this alone and her flying squirrel Momo wouldn’t be of much use either. So in exchange for her helping free Mugen and Jin, they will help her find the samurai that smells of sunflowers. This is the deal. During their travels they are confronted with both Mugen’s and Jin’s past. There are also a few crazy episodes which contain no relevance to the main story but are quite amusing.

The Review: Yes I know this anime is from a while back, so I would like you to know that this is not the first time I watch this. I saw this a few years back, while I was still new to anime, or at least watching it in Japanese. Now the review.

I have yet to find an anime that was as well executed as Samurai Champloo. This anime is different to others, the drawings fit perfectly to the story, as does the music. The only negative thing I can say about Samurai Champloo is that occasionally it all gets a bit too random. Seriously, people zombies are overkill in the random department when it comes to a samurai anime. The personalities of Jin and Mugen Balance each other out so perfectly throughout the anime. Fuu keeps everyone focused on their one true goal, because until then, Mugen and Jin are not allowed to see which of them is stronger. The story is told in separate segments but with each episode it seems they come a little closer to finding the Fuu’s samurai. The fights are amazing and the exchanges between Mugen and Jin a nothing less than hilarious. Their styles although completely different sync up perfectly when fighting a common enemy. All in all this anime can be given only one rating, as it is the closest thing to perfect I have seen, and for this Higher Plane is the least I can give.

Side Note: M:“What’s going on here?” J:”Don’t you remember?”

M:”Wasn’t that a dream? All of a sudden, the place started burning, and…”

J:”No it wasn’t.” M:”Oh yeah, you were in a tub butt-naked.”

J:”That was a dream”

Lex Out