REVIEW: DVD Release: Nabari No Ou – The Complete Series: Part One

Series: Nabari No Ou – The Complete Series: Part One
UK Release date: 20th June 2011
Distributor: Manga
Certificate: 15
Running time: 322 mins
Director: Kunihisa Sugishima
Genre: Anime
Format: DVD
Country of Production: Japan
Language: Japanese

Review by: Alex Jones

When people think of Square Enix, their thoughts initially take them to the vast back catalogue of successful video games, most notably the Final Fantasy series. But less people know that they also had a hand in a fair few number of successful anime series, including Pandora Hearts, Soul Eater and (more recently) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Based on the manga series also from Square Enix, Nabari No Ou is a 26 episode series of action, comedy and ninjas. This set is comprised of the first 13 episodes of the series.

Miharu Rokujo is an ordinary high school student, completely apathetic to the world around him. However, his life is turned upside down when he finds out he has a hidden ninja technique locked inside of him. This technique, known as the Shinra Banshou, is extremely powerful and sought out by many ninja clans – who each believe that the one who possesses it will become the ruler of the ninja world.

Without a way to remove this hidden art from his body, Miharu is soon thrust into a world he has absolutely no interest in – the world of the ninjas. He soon founds out his teacher and fellow classmate, Koichi Aizawa, are secretly ninjas, and they vow to protect him from the oncoming attacks of rival ninja clans. They are soon joined by Raimei Shimizu, a samurai girl from the Fuuma Village – the clan responsible for the hidden technique…


From the synopsis, it sounds like there’s plenty to get excited about with Nabari No Ou. However, in the end, Nabari No Ou is yet another generic show in what is already a horrifically generic sub-genre. The characters are so one-dimensional the plot development is over shadowed by how boring they are, and characters like Miharu and Yoite are so full of angst that their constant exchanges become painful to watch. This isn’t say that they are completely unlikable, because Miharu’s disinterest at a world he doesn’t want to be part of is a refreshing take, and it’s hard not to feel some sympathy for Yoite, who is evidently paying dearly for the skills he has. Other characters, such as Raimei, are driven by vengeance in backstories that are horrifically cliché. The comedy often feels forced – and the visual elements included in them, particularly Miharu growing devil wings and a tail when doing/saying something particularly devious, feel completely out of place.

While it does have some moments of brilliance, such as the far-more-complicated- than-it-looks relationship between Raimei and her brother, Raikō, and, in turn, his relationship with his partner, Gau, but even then the exchanges between these characters are over before they even begin (although, there is the possibility these could be followed up in the latter half of the series). The episodes, despite quite obviously being full of story, trudge along slowly, but the set ends on a rather satisfying cliff-hanger – which may suggest good things for the second half of it.

The art style of the series is of particular interest. While the character designs, despite being detailed and well animated, are rather generic and fail to stand out against the typical anime fare, the backgrounds and scenery are quite different. Rather than animated, highly detailed backdrops, Nabari No Ou makes use of sketched backgrounds, lightly coloured - resembling paintings more than actual set pieces. While this artistic choice is certainly a very striking one (possibly the most striking thing of the series as a whole), it is, unfortunately, a double edged sword – while sometimes it helps bring the characters to the forefront, so that the action focuses solely on them (this is particularly key during the fight sequences), the rest of the time, it makes the scenes look very lacking and empty - even rushed.

With a horrifically catchy opening theme, Nabari No Ou has its fair share of great musical moments. The angst of certain characters (particularly Yoite) is reinforced by the choice of background music and episode 10’s main fight sequence juxtaposed with grand orchestral music serves to be one of the series’ biggest highlights.


While there are elements of a complex story present in Nabari No Ou, uninteresting and clichéd characters make this series drag on at a snail’s pace. The action is weak and the dialogue clunky, the story only moving towards particularly interesting events at the tail end of the set. Ninja and/or Square Enix enthusiasts will probably get a kick out of this series, but others should be aware that in the already flooded sub-genre of ninja anime, there are far better choices out there. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Casshern Sins – Part One

Series: Casshern Sins – Part One
UK Release date: 9th May 2011
Distributor: Manga
Certificate: 15
Running time: 288 mins
Director: Shigeyasu Yamauchi
Genre: Anime
Format: DVD
Country of Production: Japan
Language: Japanese

Review by: Alex Jones

Casshern Sins is the 2008 reboot of Tatsunoko’s classic Casshern: Neo Human anime series – which told the story of an android hunting down robots who took over the world. While Casshern Sins shares some similarities with its predecessor (such as characters) it completely disregards any continuity, opting instead to create an all-new story.
Casshern Sins is set in a world where humanity has almost become extinct, the majority of the population being robots. But now both humans and robots alike are facing an apocalyptic catastrophe known as the Ruin. The world is at its end and the man responsible for it is Casshern.

Casshern has completely lost his memories prior to the beginning of the end, and is now being hunted by human and robot alike. His hunters have heard rumours that if they devour Casshern they will attain eternal life and will also be able to put a stop to the Ruin. In the many encounters he has against those who wish to harm him, Casshern learns that he put the Ruin into motion by killing a girl named Luna, the “sun named moon.” Luna was dubbed the source of life and without her the world is doomed.

As Casshern travels the world to learn more about his past and come to terms with his actions, he meets many people, each dealing with the threat of the Ruin in very different ways. Soon he is joined by Friender, a robotic dog, and encounters people that not only know about him and his past, but bear a striking resemblance to him…


This set encompasses the first half of Casshern Sins (12 episodes out of a 24 episode series) and, for the most part, the episodes are fairly standalone. Casshern, all alone, will meet someone affected by the Ruin. Each character has their own story to tell which ties in how they deal with the Ruin, whether it be a romantic story or their beliefs for the future of the world. Casshern learns something about the value of life, but then, at the same time, the majority of stories end in tragedy. It’s an excellent method of character development for Casshern, who is essentially a blank slate for the majority of the episodes. That being said, the fact that it is difficult to determine whether Casshern is responsible for the Ruin makes the series all the more interesting – while for the most part he seems innocent and naïve to the world around him, the times he shows his destructive side (usually when provoked) are genuinely frightening. The storytelling may be somewhat formulaic, but each episode takes a very different approach to it than the last. So even if you think you know what’ll happen next, Casshern Sins keeps you guessing. The dialogue is deep and meaningful, without sounding too pretentious

One part of Casshern Sins that deserves particular praise is the sheer diversity of character designs. The series show a huge variety of robot designs, from those looking like normal humans (such as Casshern and Ringo, a young robot girl who takes a shine to Casshern) to the legion of more traditionally designed robots hunting Casshern that wouldn’t have looked out of place in series such as Mazinger Z and Tetsujin 28. Not only that, but it includes everything in between – including some rather creepy Pinocchio style robot children.

The art style is incredibly unique, capturing the perfect mix between retro character design and modern flavour. The bleak colours of the ruined world work perfectly against the main characters, whose vibrant palettes make them stand out like a glimmer of hope in a world that’s run out of it. The music also helps convey the mood of the show, and is worked to particular advantage in the episode ‘The Praise Of Hope’, which tells the story of singer who wishes to dedicate her final song to the refugees of the Ruin.

The only real downside to this volume of Casshern Sins is the lack of plot advancement. The antagonists Dio and Lyuze are introduced midway in, but their appearances are scarce, aside from cameos and then one excellent episode dedicated to just them. Casshern’s back-story is merely told through word of mouth and some very short clips at the beginning of each episode, each depicting different parts of his encounter with Luna. Some may consider this a plus, as it gives ample time to fleshing out the characters before thrusting them into the main story, but others might not appreciate 12 episodes of standalone stories that merely hint at a larger arc.


Volume one of Casshern Sins is an extremely promising first half to the series. A bleak look into a future, where it seems not even robots can escape an inevitable apocalypse. It is an excellent series that shows the different ways people deal with disaster while, at the same time, keeping enough mystery in the overall plot to carry over into the second volume. Highly recommended. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Eureka Seven: The Movie

Film: Eureka Seven: The Movie
Release date: 18th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 111 mins
Director: Tomoki Kyoda
Starring: N/a
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Japan

From Bones, the anime studio that brought the world Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater and Ouran High School Host Club comes Eureka Seven. While this film’s story is unconnected to the fifty episode series of the same name that preceded it, it uses the cast from the series in a fresh story to create an all-new adventure!

For over half a century, mankind has been at war with an alien race known as the Image. Young Renton Thurston lives in Warsaw happily with his teacher Dominic, a small creature named Nirvash, and Eureka, a mysterious young girl unable to come into contact with the sunlight. As Dominic disappears and Eureka is kidnapped by the government for testing, Renton is left scared and alone.

Several years later, an older Renton has now joined the military in the battle against the Image – and partnered with a fully grown (pilotable mecha) Nirvash is determined to find Eureka. In one crucial battle, he is reunited with his childhood friend, but they’re far from a happy ending.

When Renton’s superiors turn on him, believing Eureka to be the key in unlocking ‘Neverland’, Eureka’s mysterious origins are revealed and the pair are thrust into a series of events where the only people they can rely on are each other…


Unlike many anime movies, which are either sequels of their accompanying series or shortened retellings, Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers is an all new story using the same characters. That isn’t to say you need to have seen the series to understand the roles of each character, though, because even fans will be as equally in the dark when the film begins. Villains become heroes, heroes become villains, and some major characters from the series are reduced to mere cameo roles. The only constant that remains is the relationship between Renton and Eureka.

With a lot less time to develop their eventual romance, Eureka feels a lot more human to her series counterpart and their friendship is already established when the film begins. Despite the speedy progression, the film pulls of the idea of two childhood friends reuniting nicely, and this dynamic gradually evolves into one of young love and romance. The downside is that awkward dialogue makes the reveal of what exactly Eureka is abrupt and off-putting, which isn’t helped by the fact the subject was given one line of explanation with very little detail to begin with.

What perhaps makes the plot truly interesting is that there are no real bad guys present in the story. When the crew of the Gekko, Renton and Eureka’s kidnappers reveal their past to them, it’s shown that they have been wronged much in the way that they are about to wrong Renton and Eureka. What they do, they do out of desperation, and while some of their actions are misguided, it’s not hard to feel sorry for them. It’s this multi-layering that proves Eureka Seven has as much strength in its cast as it does in its unique mecha designs and action sequences. Also, what the Image are is never truly revealed in the film – on the surface they appear to merely be an alien race attacking the populace of planet Earth, but the narrative never really takes it any further than that. A simple alien threat or is there perhaps more to it? Plenty is left up for speculation without causing unnecessary plot holes.

The story has enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing, with several references to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan to enforce the antagonists’ goal of ascertaining Neverland. Its only downfall is the ending – on the one hand, it’s a sweet ending that nicely draws the story to a satisfying conclusion; on the other, the logistics behind it are barely explained over the course of the film, coming out of nowhere and making little sense to the viewer even after repeated viewings.

As engaging as this all is, Eureka Seven still manages to have its moments of comedy. Unlike the series, which merely hinted towards the idea of it having true sentience, the Nirvash mecha is most certainly alive, and able to revert into a smaller ‘chibi’ (super-deformed) alien-like creature. Even when the film is beginning to reach its emotional climax, a fight breaking out between chibi Nirvash and similar creature theEND is enough to provoke a smile, without jarring the effect the full narrative is creating.

The animation certainly lives up to the high standard Bones have set themselves. Despite many of the sequences actually being footage from the original series, several make the use of new backgrounds and have been repurposed in such a way that they feel like they were animated just for this film. As far as the new footage goes, the film truly excels during its fight sequences, particularly the climatic clash between the Nirvash and opposing mecha the Devilfish. Fast paced visuals, colourful explosions and intense action make the film a delight for the eyes as well as the ears and mind.


While it doesn’t quite recapture the magic that the series had, Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers is a solid film that is both accessible to fans and newcomers alike. With engaging characters and flashy mecha-action sequences, coupled with a gripping adventure/romance plot, this is a film that really does have something for everyone. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Bleach - Series 06: Part 01

Series: Bleach - Series 06: Part 01
Release date: 11th April 2011
Certificate: 12
Running time: 250 mins
Director: Noriyuki Abe
Starring: Fumiko Orikasa, Masakazu Morita, Hiroki Yasumoto, Kentarou Itou, Noriaki Sugiyama
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Series 06: Part 01 of the highly successful Bleach anime arrives on DVD. Among the collection of hugely popular Shonen Jump magazine anime adaptations (which also includes Dragon Ball, Naruto, Death Note and One Piece), this set of Bleach episodes (110 through to 120) continues the story of Ichigo Kurosaki and his role as a Soul Reaper.

Beginning the Arrancar story arc, Ichigo and his friends have returned to a relatively normal life. But when the mysterious Shinji Hirako enrols at Ichigo’s school, Ichigo is offered to join a group known as the Visoreds, who can produce Hollow masks willingly like Ichigo has done in the past.

Ichigo declines, but this isn’t the only problem he has to face. The Arrancars – a group with the powers of both Soul Reapers and Hollows - have set their sights on Ichigo. Reunited with his friend and fellow Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki, along with a whole team of Soul Reapers, Ichigo begins his fight against the Arrancars and their leader – the former Soul Society captain Sōsuke Aizen...


For an anime that’s so popular, it’s incredibly difficult to determine just exactly what Bleach is – one minute it’s attempting to be a semi-series supernatural fighting anime, the next it’s a school-life comedy. It’s like two completely different sides to the same coin, and the two just don’t seem to integrate at all, making it seem like two completely different things spliced together into one incoherent mess. The change between them is so sudden that’s it’s impossible to fully appreciate either, and worse still the comedy side of Bleach always returns to spoil the more serious aspect of the series. Initially, it doesn’t seem like there are any sombre moments, where at least one character isn’t providing some sort of comedy relief, and this is very distracting from any build up that these episodes are trying to achieve.

As the Arrancars are properly introduced and the reapers from the Soul Society are brought back into the story, the plot does improve, but even then it is still riddled with faults. Towards the end of the set, when reaper Ikkaku Madarame enters a climatic face off against Arrancar Edorad, the season has its first epic fight sequence, and for the first time it’s clear why Bleach has achieved the popularity it has. The weapons and power ups are outlandish, the dialogue loud, and the fight itself well and imaginatively done. Despite these elements being a staple in a lot of similar anime series’, Bleach still manages to keep its own unique spin on these things. But as episode 118 draws to a close, after a highly satisfying beginning to the fight and leaving the audience with a cliff hanger that’ll certainly leave you wanting more, the following episode chooses to ignore the conclusion almost entirely. Instead, we’re treated to Ikkaku’s back-story, which at any other time may have been interesting, but at this stage in the story only serves to ruin any tension the previous episode built up. When the fight is finally concluded, it is given a mere five minutes focus – just to make sure that not only have you lost interest in it by that stage, but it’s also anticlimactic.

The dialogue is equally as difficult to get to grips with – chock-full of confusing terms and complicated attack names (which are shouted out in the traditional anime style). There are many times where the exposition that precedes the following episode makes more sense than the episodes themselves. Despite this, there are a few notable performances, particularly from popular seiyū Nobuyuki Hiyama (Gurren Lagann, The King Of Braves GaoGaiGar) in his role as Soul Society reaper Ikkaku Madarame and Daisuke Namikawa as antagonist and Arrancar Ulquiorra Schiffer.

The music is one of Bleach’s saving graces. The opening track – ‘Rolling Star’ by J-pop singer/songwriter Yui (who is also responsible for the first opening theme to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) - is an excellent song, which is followed by many strong pieces of background music (particularly in episodes 114 and 116). Its closing theme – ‘Cherry Blossom Weather’ by Mai Hoshimura - is a more sombre piece, which, on many occasions, unintentionally fits the disappointing aura of the episode that has preceded it.


Already at over 300 episodes in Japan, Series 06: Part 01 only serves to show that Bleach passed its sell by date long ago. Bland, generic and ultimately boring, this set will only appease the biggest of Bleach fans and entice them into buying the following set – which may or may not deliver the action that this one failed to deliver. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Master Of Martial Hearts

Series: Master Of Martial Hearts
Release date: 4th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 150 mins
Director: Yoshitaka Fujimoto
Starring: Kaori Nazuka, Ai Nonaka, Akemi Kanda, Ami Koshimizu
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Master Of Martial Hearts sounds like every man’s dream – a five episode OVA series revolving around a girl-on-girl fighting tournament that doesn’t skimp on the fan service. From short skirts and panty shots to clothes ripping and fully exposed breasts, Master Of Martial Hearts doesn’t do anything in moderation.

Seemingly normal schoolgirl Aya Iseshima one day witnesses a brutal fight between a shrine maiden and an air hostess. After stepping in and saving the life of maiden Miko Kazuki, she learns of a girl-on-girl fighting tournament, in which the victor will have any wish granted by a mysterious jewel known as the Platonic Heart. Aya and Miko, along with Aya’s school friend Natsume, soon become friends.

Suddenly, Aya is sent a mysterious text message inviting her to the tournament following Miko’s drop out, and when Aya goes to question Miko about it, she finds her home in ruins, with Miko nowhere to be seen and people denying her existence.

In order to find out what has happened to Miko and save her, Aya must enter the brutal tournament and win. Along the way she fights a whole hoard of colourful fighters to save her friend and discover the truth behind the Platonic Heart…


With a plot that sounds like some strange hybrid of an all-woman Fight Club and Mortal Kombat, it’s hard to believe Master Of Martial Hearts is going to win any prizes for its narrative already. While the early episodes remain relatively light hearted (despite the rather brutal fighting going on), the last two are far darker in tone, where the story seems to go off in a completely opposite direction. As all the plot threads seem to come together and the reality behind the Platonic Heart is revealed, revelations come out of absolutely nowhere as a vast amount of plot twists suddenly occur. While this serves to give the series far more depth, many of them just happen with no foreshadowing and do not fit with the rest of the series. It also proves to be too little too late, as the conclusion of Master Of Martial Hearts proves to be horribly unsatisfying.

Of course, there’s the fan service, which is the most likely the reason anyone would buy Master Of Martial Hearts in the first place. Within five minutes of episode one, there is already one fighter completely topless. While Master Of Martial Hearts includes some of the more clichéd forms of fan service, such as a lengthy shower scene and the obligatory beach/pool episode, every single one of its fight sequences end with at least one opponent almost completely naked – their clothes physically shattering with every blow landed. At first, it’s a little distracting, but it happens so often that it quickly becomes second nature to the series. It even manages to poke fun at itself, at some points, with a group of otaku complaining about how they don’t want to see Aya’s breasts during a fight because they aren’t rooting for her.

Master Of Martial Heart’s main strength is that right from the beginning it feels like a fighting game brought to life. While the various opponents Aya fights throughout the five episodes have about as much character depth as a piece of paper, they still manage to be among the most memorable in the series. Each opponent has their own theme, and play upon that during their fight sequences. Amongst the challengers is an air hostess, a mechanic wielding spanners as weapons, a Japanese pop idol using a bladed ‘magical girl’ baton as a weapon and even a school chemistry teacher. Their dialogue is littered with puns, and many of their moves derive from their apparent profession - the chemistry teacher fights using ‘chemical combo’ attacks, with various chemical symbols appearing onscreen with every blow made (think the 1960s Adam West Batman series, but more educational). These characters are the true stars of the series, and their frankly ridiculous nature is what keeps the show engaging.

The art style is great. Many of the early fight sequences have a very nice comic book style to them with flashy one-colour backgrounds so that the viewer can focus on each punch as it comes. Sadly, this is used far less as the series goes on, but with plenty of colourful backgrounds there’s still a lot to appreciate. The same cannot be said for the music, with a score that doesn’t stand out and is therefore largely forgettable, and opening/closing themes that will undoubtedly be skipped through on most viewings.


Amongst the fan service and gravity defying breasts there is something oddly compelling about Master Of Martial Hearts, which, at heart, is a solid and reasonably enjoyable fighting anime. And while the story’s conclusion comes completely out of nowhere and proves ultimately unsatisfying, once you start the series, it’s something you’ll want to finish. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Elfen Lied – Complete Collection

Series: Elfen Lied – Complete Collection
Release date: 6th August 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 460 mins
Director: Mamoru Kanbe
Starring: Sanae Kobayashi, Chihiro Suzuki, Mamiko Noto, Emiko Hagiwara, Yuki Matsuoka
Genre: Anime
Studio: ADV
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Based on the manga series by Lynn Okamoto, Elfen Lied is a 13 episode series that is as beautiful as it is violent. With one of the most graphic opening sequences in anime history, it is no wonder that ADV consider this one of their best selling and most notorious releases.

Lucy is a Diclonius, a new evolution similar to human beings but with short horn like protrusions, and the ability to use invisible arms known as ‘vectors’. Initially held captive in a government facility, she escapes those who wish to harness her power; however, she is shot in the head during the escape.

Lucy is then found washed up at the beach by Kohta, a student who has moved to Kamakura to study at university, and his cousin Yuka. Losing her memory due to her wounds, Lucy regresses into a childlike personality, incapable of both speech and the ability to do anything by herself. Naming her ‘Nyu’ after the one word she can speak, Kohta and Yuka take her into their care.

But as the government begin to use to both highly trained soldiers and other Diclonius in order to capture Lucy, with Lucy’s true identity resurfacing at frequent intervals, the pair become embroiled in a series of events that they in fact became first involved with eight years ago…


From just the opening scene alone, it’s easy to assume that this series is purely for fan service. The ten minute opening of a naked Lucy escaping from a government facility, mercilessly slaughtering any soldiers that get in her way, is not one for the light-hearted. With minimal music to make the sound effects all that chilling, and limbs flying everywhere, it’s no wonder it’s become one of the most graphic and memorable openings in anime. But as the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is far more to Elfen Lied than the blood and nudity.

Each character has their own demons and issues that they must face as the series progresses. Kohta’s lost memories of his murdered sister and father offer a shocking realisation. Yuka’s romantic feelings for her cousin place her in a far more compromising position, being aware of his family’s murder. While the gore and nudity from the series remains, it becomes enwoven into a gripping storyline that is more about the dark side of humanity rather than the dangers of the Diclonius, a race with the instinct to kill any humans they lay their eyes on. The flashback episodes toward the end of the series are significant and especially powerful, as we see a young Lucy (before her violent instincts took control) suffer torment from even orphan children for being different. For someone who killed so many people in the opening, it is Lucy who perhaps deserves the most sympathy. With a powerful supporting cast, too, most with their own tragic story to tell, there isn’t a character in Elfen Lied short on depth.

Elfen Lied has strong family themes, as Mayu, a young homeless girl and victim of child abuse points out as the series reaches its climax. Elfen Lied is, above all, a story of friendship, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption.

If Elfen Lied were to have one problem, it would be its length. At a mere 13 episodes, it sometimes feels like the story ends before it even begun. There are a few plot threads that remain unresolved by the series’ conclusion, and Elfen Lied also ends on a strong cliff-hanger. In fact, the anime follows less than half on the manga it is based on. However it can be argued that the cliff-hanger ending in fact strengthens the series, leaving it up for speculation, and letting the viewing decide the meaning of the final scene.

Lilium, the series opening, is equally as powerful as the series’ contents. A powerful orchestral theme with Latin vocals, coupled with stained glass window imagery of the characters, Lilium is very different from the usual J-rock/pop offerings of similar anime. It is also one of the rare instances where the opening theme plays an important part within the series itself. Several versions of Lilium is played as background music through the series (including instrumental and choir versions) and, most importantly, the song itself is one of the main bonds between Kohta and Lucy. The rest of the series’ score, composed by Yukio Kondo, is equally magnificent, with a range of pieces to suit both the horror and the light-hearted comedy moments. The only weak link in the soundtrack is the series ending theme – ‘Be Your Girl’ - a J-pop piece that is in stark contrast to themes of Elfen Lied.


Elfen Lied is not only brutally violent, but a provoking reminder of how humanity is often the real monster. Gripping, thoroughly entertaining and incredibly thought-provoking, Elfen Lied is one of the finest adult animes Japan has to offer. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Summer Wars

Film: Summer Wars
Release date: 28th March 2011
Certificate: 12
Running time: 109 mins
Director: Mamoru Hosada
Starring: Sumiko Fuji, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Ayumu Saitô
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD/Blu-ray
Country: Japan

From Madhouse, the studio behind The Girl Who Leapt Through Time comes Summer Wars, a story of love, family and a computer simulated world like no other. The film has already won several awards in Japan, including 2010 Japan Academy Prize for Animation Of The Year and the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival's Animation Division Grand Prize. Summer Wars also has its fair share of accolades on the Western shore, having been an (unsuccessful) submission for this year’s academy awards.

Kenji Koiso is a young high school student with an exceptional gift in mathematics, who works as a part-time moderator for the massive computer simulated world known as OZ. When fellow classmate and crush Natsuki Shinohara offers him the chance to participate in the 90th birthday of her great-grandmother, Sakae Jinnouchi, he quickly accepts. What he doesn’t expect is for Natsuki to introduce him to her entire extended family as her fiancé.

While the celebrations are going on, Kenji receives a mysterious e-mail made up of mathematical code. After cracking the code, an artificial intelligence known as Love Machine uses Kenji’s OZ account and avatar to hack the mainframe, causing widespread damage. With the help of Natsuki’s cousin Kazuma, Kenji attempts to battle Love Machine. Failing, Love Machine continues to steal accounts and cause chaos across Japan.

Seeing the situation as war, the Jinnouchi family pull together to battle Love Machine both in the internet and the real world. With a satellite on a collision course to a Nuclear Power plant, it all comes down to a game of Hanafuda (a Japanese card game). But who will be the victor, Love Machine or Kenji and the Jinnouchi family?


From the very beginning, it is clear just how much imagination has gone into creating the virtual world of OZ. Opening with a virtual tour that displays how unique Hosoda’s creation is, we are presented a bright white world filled with a huge range of avatars – ranging from whales and pixelated faces to chipmunks and streetwise rabbits. These avatars are not only visually pleasing, but they also help define the characters and illustrate how different people can be between real and virtual worlds. While Kazuma comes across as quiet and withdrawn in reality, in OZ, he is the fighting superstar King Kazuma. With so many multi-player online games such as World Of Warcraft around, this is something that many people can probably relate to.

The distinctly bright colours of OZ contrast perfectly with the more subdued reality of the Jinnouchi estate, making the differences between the two worlds even more apparent. Nevertheless, the two worlds are undoubtedly connected, with the hacking of OZ taking effect in reality, and in turn the only way to tackle it is to defeat the Love Machine head on in OZ. While the way Summer Wars goes about it is distinctly in anime style, it still provokes a startling commentary on this world that has become so dependent on the internet. The film is also rife with product placement, with iPhones, laptops and even Nintendo DS’ appearing, just to make that connection even more hard hitting.

But for some Summer Wars won’t be a completely new experience, but more a cultivation of Hosoda’s work over his many years as a director. Anime fans might recognise the many similarities between Summer Wars and some of Hosoda’s earlier works, Digimon Adventure: Our War Game (released in the UK as part of Digimon: The Movie) and two short films he collaborated with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami on for French fashion house Louis Vuitton. Given the number of similarities and parallels between them, it isn’t a stretch to say that in many ways Summer Wars is very much an extended remake of Our War Game, but with the Digimon element removed yet fondly remembered in the form of the OZ’s avatars. With more time to weave a story and a larger budget, and a new technology to illustrate it, Hosoda’s dream of a virtual world has never looked more complete.

Despite this, Summer Wars still remains very much its own film, and what really makes that so is the characters. With a huge extended family, the variety of character traits in Summer Wars is staggering. Not only do the Jinnouchi family have to deal with the world going to hell, but also the kind of problems a family deal with in everyday life. When Love Machine creator and family black sheep Wabisuke turns up at the reunion, the family turn against him and treat him as an outcast. While Wabisuke is a horribly cynical person, his love for his Sakae is very real, as she loved and accepted him despite the circumstances behind his birth. And at the very end, a moment of tragedy within a crisis is what really solidifies them and brings them together.


With unparalleled imagination, visuals that are almost second to none and a powerful and heart-warming story, Summer Wars is a spectacle that truly has to be seen to be believed. With the potential to rival even Studio Ghibli’s masterworks, it is surely to be a film that will go down as one of anime’s modern greats. AJ

SPECIAL FEATURE: DVD Review: Gamera The Giant Monster

Film: Gamera The Giant Monster
Running time: 78 mins
Director: Noriaki Yuasa
Starring: Eiji Funakoshi, Harumi Kiritachi, Junichirô Yamashiko, Yoshiro Uchida, Michiko Sugata
Genre: Sci-Fi
Country: Japan

Region 1 release.

After the success of Toho studios’ Gojira in 1954, there was a boom in the kaiju eiga (or monster movie) and a rise of many contenders to the King of Monster’s throne. Arguably only one monster from a rival studio has stood the test of time, and that is the rocket powered, giant fire breathing turtle that is Gamera.

During the height of the Cold War, tensions between the two sides lead to a nuclear disaster when a Soviet Bomber is shot down over US airspace in the Arctic. The resulting explosion and atomic radiation awakens a long forgotten legend from the lost continent of Atlantis – the gargantuan Gamera!

Awakened from his icy tomb, Gamera begins a rampage across the globe, feeding on fire and petrol to fuel its combustion engine-like organs. Attempts at stopping the creature with man-made weapons only seem to make it stronger.

As do all giant monsters, Gamera soon heads toward Japan, and it is up to the scientists of the world – led by zoologist Dr Hidaka (Funakoshi) - to stop it before the world is left in ruins…


While Gojira’s narrative had other motives besides rampaging monster violence, Gamera The Giant Monster advertises the destruction as its primary focus – and because of this, the pace of the film initially is alarmingly quick. Five minutes into the film and the disaster that causes Gamera’s awakening has already happened, and the titular turtle has already appeared on screen – and this is before the opening credits have even run. While this is not necessarily a bad tactic for a monster movie to take, Gamera doesn’t benefit from the fast pace because the carnage is low. Gamera’s rampages are in fact few in number and evenly spaced throughout, with the rest of the time in between spent on various sub-plots. As these range from a small boy and his love for turtles, the appearance of UFOs around the world, and (a wafer thin) love story, it can’t be said that the film wasn’t at least trying for some variety. Less can sometimes mean more, but Gamera lacks the narrative impact for the phrase to carry in this instance.

As Gamera doesn’t really include any of the more chilling messages about nuclear war that can be found in other kaiju eiga of the time, it instead includes other ideas - such as the notion that the monster isn’t actually all that bad. Gamera merely feeds on fires and destruction because it has to, and in the movie’s main side story, Gamera saves a small child from falling from a lighthouse during one of his ‘rampages’. In addition to this, the scientists attempting to stop Gamera look into and use humane methods to calm the creature, rather than killing it outright. Not once is Gamera seen as a punishment from God or a result of man’s actions, but instead a legendary creature that simply can’t belong in the modern world. Interestingly, this is the only film in the Gamera series where the title monster would be perceived as a problem, and would go on to become the defender of Earth (much like Godzilla in his later titles), loved by children across Japan.

Given a man in a rubber suit destroying model landscapes and buildings is never going to work to the most convincing effect, watching this film requires a good amount of suspension of belief in order for the idea of a giant turtle destroying cities to work. That being said, even then, Gamera The Giant Monster looks surprisingly good. While some of the sets haven’t stood the test of time (particularly the Arctic settlement seen at the beginning of the film), the monster suit itself has aged gracefully. Close-ups of the suit may not seem like much, but wider shots really show off the level of detail it has, and how it didn’t stop the actor inside from moving - well, as you’d think a giant turtle would. The only problem lies in the use of Gamera’s flame breath, as nothing spoils the illusion quite like seeing visibly, a flamethrower nozzle in the monster’s mouth during these scenes.

Using all new subtitles, and sourced from a high definition print of the film, Gamera The Giant Monster has never looked better. DVD extras include an audio commentary by author and noted Tokusatsu (Japanese live action sci-fi/fantasy) historian August Ragone, a retrospective look at the Gamera franchise, trailers and a publicity gallery.


While a solid and recommendable entry in a long line of monster movies, much of Gamera The Giant Monster’s charm will be lost on those new to the genre and expecting more than a bit of B-movie fun. For those looking for better Gamera titles, they should look towards to the 1995 reboot of the franchise - where Gamera finally matched, perhaps even outdid, the subsequent offerings from his long-time rival Godzilla. AJ

SPECIAL FEATURE: Manga - The Interview

Manga Entertainment is the leading distributor of anime in the UK. With titles such as AKIRA, Ghost In The Shell and Afro Samurai under its belt, it’s not hard to understand why either. But Manga hasn’t only done a great service in bringing anime to the masses; they’ve also released a range of Japanese cinema here in Britain – including Tokyo Gore School, Kitaro and Tajomaru: Avenging Blade.

We asked Manga representative Jerome Mazandari about what we can expect in 2011 (events such as the London MCM expo), and some of the difficulties distributors might face in releasing anime on DVD and Blu-ray…

Arguably one of the biggest titles under your belt at the moment is the Rebuild Of Evangelion series. Can we expect Evangelion 2.22 on Blu-ray and DVD this year?
Yes you can. We are releasing Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance on single disc Blu-ray and DVD on 30th May 2011. We are also hoping to launch a retailer exclusive DVD/Blu-ray collector’s edition with bonus booklet and slip cover packaging. Stay tuned for details on that.

What are some of Manga UK's personal favourite titles?
My personal favourite anime film of all time is AKIRA. I just hosted a screening of it again on Friday night at the SFX Weekender, and before I knew it I was sucked into the story again for what must be close to the fiftieth time. I also love Ghost In The Shell - the original - and the Stand Alone Complex series. It’s a high watermark for anime television. I have a very soft spot for Ghost In The Shell Innocence because it was my first big movie campaign for Manga UK and my first, and only big hit! I personally love Robotech, as it brings back a lot of good memories to me watching it as a child on Channel 9 Saturday morning slot in Perth, Western Australia. I also love other anime from the era, including Ulysses 31, The Mysterious Cities Of Gold, Astro Boy, Kimba The White Lion, Speed Racer and Battle Of The Planets (aka Gatchaman).
   I think the best anime film since Spirited Away is The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Summer Wars is an excellent second film for Hosada-san and Redline simply blew me away. It is a celebration of animation, pure and simple - it just carves its own unique path.

Are there any titles that Manga have missed out on the license/distribution rights for and/or wish they had the rights to?
Obviously, I’m gutted the old Manga management turned down the Studio Ghibli catalogue. We would have loved to get the UK rights for Paprika and Tekkon Kikreet. I do believe we could have gained much bigger audiences for these films. The problem with studios is that the anime audience is too niche and too small for them to really push their anime releases unless they are game-based tie-ins like Resident Evil Degeneration, Advent Children or Halo Legends.

Following its cancellation on Blu-ray due to poor sales, is there any chance we could see the rest of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood released on this format in the future?
I am hoping we can cut costs by condensing the remaining episodes onto fewer Blu-ray discs for the eventual complete series box set. There are two solutions to the problem we experienced with FMA Brotherhood Part 1 and 2. We either start charging a lot more for the Blu-rays, or UK fans stop importing the US editions and maybe have a little more patience when it comes to the Japan to US to UK window.

The release date for the Eureka Seven movie (Goodnight, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers) has been pushed back several months now. Are there any problems with the release? Do you think it’s acceptable to push back the release of a DVD so many times?
I don’t think it’s acceptable, but its par for the course with anime. It is definitely coming out on DVD and Blu-ray on 18th April. The problem we had was that firstly the contract took ages to sign. Secondly, the Blu-ray authoring costs came in much higher than I anticipated, so we seeked out authoring partners to split the cost with. That caused more delays.

What do you think has attributed to the growth in popularity of anime over the last few years?
The internet, better distribution of manga books, and better distribution of our DVDs. The internet is both a blessing and a curse. As you know, none of our releases enjoy any kind of UK TV platform, so the way fans find out about new shows is predominantly via illegal streaming and downloading. But we must also give credit to YouTube and CrunchyRoll for flying the flag of the anime cause as well.
   Fortunately for Manga, many of our customers seem to prefer enjoying their favourite shows and movies as they should be experienced, with excellent picture quality and audio, and better subtitles than some of the fansubbers provide. It’s also important to note that having a good English dub significantly increases the perceived value of our anime releases. The dub is very important, and a premium component of the overall finished packaged goods market.

How do you feel about the mark-up many high street stores have on anime DVDs? How badly has this affected sales in the past, and now with many online retailers selling volumes much cheaper?
Mark-ups are how specialist retailers make their living. A chain like Forbidden Planet or HMV have fixed, immoveable costs of running their business that they cannot escape. Think about it. Wages, rent, utilities, tax, etc. The consumer needs to have a reality check, and think about what it costs to bring them cheap goods and services. I suggest pre-ordering your anime purchases or buy them off shelf in the first month of release, so that you can enjoy the aggressively low price points retailers use to compete against each other. As a rule, a £24.99 SRP Naruto Shippuden DVD will retail under £17.99 on most sites and in-store, but sometimes even get below £14.99. For 12-13 episodes in dual language, that’s a little over £1 per episode. That is amazing value for money. My tip to fans is make sure you buy your new releases nice and early or pre-order them online. We often point the fans in the direction of the best online deal via our @MangaUK twitter account, so make sure you follow us.

On that subject, how badly do you think fan-subbing and downloading affects the market?
As with anything there are both advantages and disadvantages. I think the most important possible advantage to fan-subbing is that in a territory like the UK where we have no TV broadcasters willing to show anime apart from the big kid’s brands like Pokemon, our shows could be getting awareness that they otherwise would not enjoy. I can’t quantify it, but anecdotally, when fans speak to me at the Cons and MCM Expo, they usually say they heard about ‘show A’ by watching it online. However, I have two very good reasons why fan-subbing is a major problem for Manga and pretty much every other anime distributor, licensor, studio and broadcaster.
   First, as the recent Funimation ‘Fractale’ fracas shows, fan-subbing removes control of the content by those entrusted with it (i.e. the licensee or distributor). When someone decides he’s going to score points with his pals online by being the first to illegally release a fan-sub file, he is doing irreparable damage to the licensor/licensee relationship in that territory. The Japanese licensor doesn’t know that the leak had nothing to do with Funimation! Digital distribution is worth maybe 5% of any anime company’s overall revenue at best currently. Maybe in North America this percentage is as high as 10-15%. Anime is fundamentally a TV broadcasting, finished packaged goods and character licensing business. The Japanese production committees of these shows are not fans of digital distribution, so those irresponsible ‘fans’ are really just killing the goose that lays the golden egg. In all seriousness, if you invested tens of thousands of dollars to produce the next 25 minutes episode of Naruto Shippuden (that’s a guestimate by the way), would you be pleased to see it given away free with no recourse for you to make your investment back?
   Secondly, I feel fans have a very naïve view of what fan-subbing does to the anime industry as a whole. They think the people that create and distribute the fan-subs via streaming and downloads are generous and caring fans who want to share their passion with other like-minded people. In most cases, some fans are so passionate about anime and manga that they simply cannot wait for a legitimate localized licensed version to be released. We all know it can take months, if not years to get these shows out in the UK and North America. However, most of the portal sites I have visited are running paid advertising in the form of expandable leaderboards, skyscrapers, MPUs and even embedded pre-rolls! Someone, somewhere is making money by illegally distributing this content. That money is not going back to the distributor, it is not going back to the licensor, and it is not going back to the studios or creators. I am not saying fan-subbers profit from what they do, but surely they must be aware that their files are fuelling portal sites who generate cash flow via paid advertising. It kills any legitimate distribution business.
   I simply don’t understand why someone out there decided to illegally distribute the latest Fractale episode in North America when they knew that Funimation was about to stream it legally only a few days later! This addresses the one major issue we all face in the industry with regards to digital distribution, which is that once you are used to getting something for free, you are very unlikely to start paying for it. We have CrunchyRoll UK offering subscription and free to view streaming. YouTube hosts the Manga and Funimation channels, to name a few, and these channels offer free ad supported streaming. I know that not enough fans are using either of these legitimate outlets for various reasons, including choice and video quality.
   I would like to add that these are my personal views and not necessarily those of Manga or our license partners. However, I feel that it is a reasonable argument to pose to those consumers who vehemently argue against copyright protection on all media and across all platforms.

You're a key sponsor of both the London MCM expo and the Sci-Fi London anime all-nighter. How important do you think these events have been in bringing anime to wider audience?
These events have been extremely important in helping us build an audience for anime, cosplay and manga in the UK. The next MCM Expo is on 27th-29th May at ExCel, London and it will likely attract over 50,000 people. What’s amazing about MCM Expo, in particular, is that I attended my first Expo in May 2005 and we had 15,000 visitors! The amazing growth of the event has primarily been fuelled by anime and manga over the past several years, and now we are seeing videogames, comics and studio films start to build up the attendance figures even more. It’s very exciting, and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.
   Why do I think Expos and Cons are essential to the growth of our market? Our research shows us that the key demographic for anime in the UK is 15-25 year olds. 55% are male and 45% are female. Over half of all UK anime purchases are made in and around London and the South East, but we also enjoy large pockets of consumer activity regionally especially in Wales, Scotland, the Midlands, Yorkshire and Northern England. 80% of all of Manga’s sales are to the 15-25-year-old category. This group is incredibly hard to reach via traditional media. The average British male aged 15-25 spends less than 30 minutes on any particular TV channel, but on average spends up to 70 minutes a day online. This means that they do they spend a lot of their social time online, using sites like Twitter and Facebook. The online community is where anime and manga fans in the UK congregate and communicate with one another, so it makes sense that events like the MCM Expos have become a physical manifestation of this amazing community. And that is why it is so important to Manga to really support these events.

Tell us about what releases Manga has planned for 2011…
Manga is pretty much responsible for all new release DVDs and Blu-rays in the UK market. I hope that we are delivering British fans the best, new, must-see TV programmes and movies. We have Eureka Seven The Movie out on DVD and BR on 18th April; 5 Centimetres Per Second on DVD on 14th March; Summer Wars on DVD, Blu-ray and the Girl Who Leapt Through Time Double Pack on 28th March; The Time Traveller - The Girl Who Leapt Through Time live-action sequel - out on DVD on 2nd May; Casshern Sins Part 1 on DVD 9th May; Eden of The East Movie #1: The King Of Eden on DVD and Blu-ray on 6th June; High School Of The Dead on two-disc DVD and Blu-ray on 29th August; Redline on DVD and Blu-ray for 18th July; The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzimiya Season 2 - plus the Haruhi-chan paradoy episodes – out in June; The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzimiya movie on DVD and Blu-ray on 25th July; Fumihiko Sori’s To (aka 2001 Nights) on Blu-ray and DVD on 1st August; Production IG’s Musashi on 4th July on DVD and Blu-ray. We are also finally releasing AKIRA on Blu-ray and re-mastered DVD on 27th June. We are hoping to have a steel book and maybe a deluxe box set, too! We’ll also have Season 6 and 7 of Bleach out before the end of the year, starting on 11th April with Bleach Series 6 Part 1. The second Naruto Shippuden movie, too, and the third Bleach movie at some point. AJ

Eureka Seven: The Movie is finally on its way

REVIEW: DVD Release: Black

Film: Black
Release date: 14th February 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 115 mins
Director: Pierre Laffargue
Starring: MC Jean Gab'1, Carole Karemera, François Levantal, Anton Yakovlev, Christophe Aquillon
Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller
Studio: Anchor Bay
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: France

The debut film from director Pierre Laffargue and starring District 13: Ultimatum star/rapper MC Jean Gab'1, Black is a heist film with a sprinkle of comedy and mysticism. After screenings at a variety of film festivals throughout Europe and North America, Anchor Bay Home Entertainment now bring the 2008 heist film with a difference to UK DVD.

Black (Gab’1) is down on his luck. A Senegalese bank robber born and raised in France, his latest heist proved a complete failure, with him being the only survivor. Black thinks of going straight until he gets a call from his cousin in Dakar, who tells him that a briefcase full of contraband diamonds has just been placed in the vault at the bank where he works.

Believing this will be an easy heist; Black puts together a new team and quickly heads out to Africa. What he didn’t count on, however, was that they aren’t the only people interested in the diamonds.

If Black and his team are going to get out alive and with the goods, they’ll have to go through a corrupt bank manager, a crazed arms dealer, a gang of mercenaries and an sexy female Interpol agent. So much it for it being an easy job…


From a wide city shot of Paris opening, Black immediately thrusts the viewer into the action with a rather low key robbery. While initially it doesn’t feel all that different to the kind of heists you see pulled on American cop dramas and Blaxploitation films, the European twist on the genre becomes immediately obvious when Black’s cohorts get gunned down left right and centre. Such a high death count so early into the film is the perfect attention-grabber, and nicely sets the scenario for what’s to come.

After such a violent introduction, the plot development becomes key to the film rather than the action sequences that follow. Yet the film manages to stray away from being too plot heavy, as narrative details fly by and remain seemingly secondary to the action. Most importantly, the visuals remain true to the age the film is homaging, with freeze frame character introductions (complete with names appearing superimposed on the screen), multiple-split screens and, more aesthetically, the rich grain and colour the film has makes it look like it’s from another age. But despite paying his respects to the past, Laffargue has clearly rooted his tale in the modern day – making his style choices all that more interesting to watch.

Looks can be deceiving, as Gab’1 plays Black to be as equally charismatic as he is threatening. Black is a man disgusted by the poverty of his roots and the simplicity of the African people, but as the film develops, he realises that perhaps the country he’s turned his back on until now isn’t quite as dumb as he first believed. Gab’1 is an actor with real star potential, and one to watch. The rest of the cast is equally as colourful, from Black’s naïve heist team to crazed Russian Viktor Ouliakov (Yakovlev), who manages to steal almost every scene he appears in.

But just as the last half hour begins to roll, Black starts to become an entirely different beast – beast being the key word. The animal imagery that pops up every now again throughout the film suddenly comes to a head, and elements of African mysticism and animal instincts suddenly dominate the film. The full extent of it comes as a surprise, and it certainly drags the film out of the ordinary. The only problem is that it happens far too late into the film, and is such a U-turn that it almost feels like Black doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. The climax of the film also makes use of very dark footage coupled with deep blues, which from an artistic point of view looks excellent – but unfortunately makes the sequence rather difficult to follow.

The soundtrack is an excellent blend of the sounds of modern Africa and those reminiscent of ‘70s American cop shows and Blaxploitation films such as Shaft. The best part about Black’s soundtrack is that music is only used where it’s needed, which means many of the scenes where the dialogue is the main focus is not drowned out by unnecessary background music. Instead it’s kept in all its glory for the city-scape scene transitions, explosive action sequences, and gloriously retro split-screen moments.


While a quirky heist film full of retro charm, Black’s change in direction comes a little too late in making the film truly standout. Still, despite being a film with a rather formulaic plot, its unique spin on events will keep the audience guessing. AJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror Of Shamballa

Film: Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror Of Shamballa
Release date: 17th September 2007
Certificate: 12
Running time: 105 mins
Director: Seiji Mizushima
Starring: Romi Pak, Rie Kugimiya, Shun Oguri, Kazuko Katô, Masane Tsukayama
Genre: Anime
Studio: Revelation
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Not to be confused with the 2009-2010 series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror Of Shamballa is the finale to the original 2003-2004 series, which told a very different story to its accompanying manga.

Following on a few years later from the conclusion of the series, alchemist Edward Elric has been dragged through the gate of Alchemy from his home world to our own. It is the year 1923, and in a world fundamentally governed by the laws of a science rather than alchemy, a powerless Edward researches rocketry in Germany alongside Alfons Heiderich (this world’s equivalent of his brother Alphonse) with the hope of one day returning home.

But Edward isn’t the only one with plans to pass through the gate – The Thule Society, led by Karl Haushofer and Dietlinde Eckhart believe Ed’s world to be the legendary utopia Shamballa, and tests to send humans through the gate to this world have already proven successful. Using weaponry and technology from the other side, the Thule Society plan to aid Adolf Hitler in starting a revolution.

With the society’s plan to conquer Shamballa coming to fruition, Ed must reunite with his brother Alphonse - now reunited with his body - to defend both sides of the gate from the threat of destruction…


Before analysing Conqueror Of Shamballa in more detail, it is worth noting that as a conclusion to the Fullmetal Alchemist series, it is extremely difficult to follow having not watch said series, and therefore isn’t recommended as a stand-alone piece.

One of the film’s main themes is the age old science fiction convention of parallel universes. Used by countless films and series over the years, the concept of parallel universes is that for every world there are a countless number of parallel worlds, each with a significant difference that sets it apart from the rest. Using such a contrived convention of a series as original as Fullmetal Alchemist may seem like an odd move, but a proper science versus alchemy debate is one thing the original series truly lacked. Their more fantastical version of alchemy comes across more like magic in the real world, so connecting it to the occult in this scenario feels right.

By making this parallel world 1920s Germany, Fullmetal Alchemist takes the leap from a fantasy/action series into a somewhat historically relevant tale that has to rely far more on the development and interactions of its characters. While the original series had engaging characters and development in spades, the new characters range from one-dimensional to stereotypical, making this for the most part a very difficult aim to achieve.

It is implied that every character from the Fullmetal Alchemist universe has a ‘real-world’ counterpart, several of which have a role in the film. Who these are in comparison to their anime counterparts is actually the strongest part of the parallel universe idea, given that most of them are almost polar opposites of the originals. The appearance of Austrian-American film director/producer and legend Fritz Lang is an excellent example of this, and remains one of the film’s highlights.

Back on the Fullmetal Alchemist universe side of things, the film does do a good job of explaining many of the questions the series left unanswered. The film’s star is undoubtedly younger Elric brother Alphonse, now freed from the suit of armour he possessed for the entirety of the series. Despite having no memories of the adventures he shared with his older brother throughout the series, how Alphonse’s path to bringing his brother back has led him to growing up into a young man almost identical to Edward shows how powerful the bond between the two brothers really is. Roy Mustang is another character receiving a fair amount of development, now a recluse in a remote outpost, and baring visible scars of the battle from the series’ finale. Unfortunately, due to the sheer amount of time the film spends on our Earth rather than theirs, most of the series’ other beloved characters are reduced to merely cameo status. And since the new characters are so thin, this makes the film really suffer.

In reality, Conqueror Of Shamballa could have benefitted more from being a sequel series, rather than a 105 minute movie. Little time is spent actually explaining the plot, and characters often appear out of nowhere in order to further the story. Most confusing, however, is that in a society where guns, rockets and bombs have already been invented, the Thule Society soldiers still walk around and fight in medieval suits of armour. While an obvious link to the series this may be, logically it doesn’t make a lick of sense. Perhaps most unsatisfying about Conqueror Of Shamballa, though, is that rather than fill the plot holes left by the series and wrap up Fullmetal Alchemist neatly, its ending only presents further plot holes – and despite knowing what the characters are heading towards, the viewer will undoubtedly be left with unanswered questions.


While a film that contains many interesting ideas, their execution feels incredibly rushed and so in turn none of them really feel like they belong in Fullmetal Alchemist. Couple that with a disappointing finale, and your left with what feels like a hollow ending to what is considered one of best anime series of all time. AJ