Anime Absurdity: High School DxD

Just when you thought it was safe to read this blog from sure ridiculousness...Day 4 of Anime Absurdity is on. Shockingly enough this particular review will revolve around a horny teenage boy and bodacious demon girls and how to snare them all. Yup, screw morality, decency and anything wholesome. The key to this series is how much demon booty one can sample. This is High School DxD.

Tee hee...boobies

Our story centers on Issei Hyoudou, a young lad with more hormones than brain cells from Kuoh Academy who is...murdered on his first date? Okay review over! I can go! Wha? Oh crap, there's more to it, isn't there? Le sigh. He is resurrected as a devil by his fallen angel date Rias Gremory so he may serve her and her whole devil family.

He is clearly not maintaining eye contact.

Issei finds out that an all-out war has been happening for centuries against the angels, fallen angels and devils. This constant source of battling seems to almost have died down as of late and many of the three factions have either died or ceased to be. They've expired to meet their maker!! I am pretty sure I had more Monty Python references but I cannot be bothered.

After his untimely demise and reincarnation, Issei joins the Occult Research Club to ascend up the devil ranks so he may fulfill his dreams of building his own harem and becoming a Harem King. Yeah I did just actually write that. I'm not happy about it either.

So let's recap. Creator Ichiei Ishibumi established this universe for pent-up 14 year-old boys' mentality of how to interact with young women and what is to be expected of his/her prowess...oh yeah and demons, angels and fallen angels are squabbling amongst each other. With copious amounts of jiggling, nonsensical violence and grotesque creatures of Hell, Issei and his collective of cuties need to keep up their strength through large quantities of sex. Such a surprise. With a fair amount of nudity, suggested sexual situations and comical amounts of poorly dubbed dialogue it almost makes me want to watch it in Japanese language with English subtitles. Oh who the hell am I kidding? I want to get away from this level of stupid ASAP.

So if you are a sexually repressed 17 year-old boy with more than laughable viewpoint on how to interact with the opposite sex, then have at this series. If you happen to possess more brain cells than the average horn dog you will find this slaphappy horsecrap to be painful to sit through.

Issei? why aren't you staring at my breasts?

Anime Absurdity: Sekirei

And welcome back everyone for another helping of Anime Absurdity. This particular show was bizarre, ever so jiggly and made me wonder if anime can survive without breast jiggling and and exorbitant panty shots. No joke, there is alot of these in this series so yippie I guess. With the literal translation into English as Wagtail, it is a tad difficult to take it seriously so I am not even gonna bother to try. This is Sekirei.

MANGA SMOOOoOoOoOCH!!!

It the far away future of 2020, (4 whole years!!!) 19 year old Minato Sahashi a brilliant but easily conflicted youth has failed his college entry exams twice. A few days later, Minato meets a girl that fell from the sky known as Musubi. She claims to be a Sekirei (superpowered creatures with a different genetic code from that of humans and usually in the form of buxom young girls or extremely handsome young men) who has chosen Minato as her Ashikabi (humans with a specific genetic code that allows the Sekirei to be empowered through fluid contact via kissing or sexual intercourse) to whom she will serve and commence ridiculous anime over-to-top combat with fellow Sekirei as the the plan, the "Sekirei Plan" organized by the chairman and CEO Professor Hiroto Minakaof the MBI Corporation. He has abilities like randomly appearing on people's Tvs and commenting to them directly via telecommunications link. It's a two-way link so who knows when he is peeping in. Note to self, don't have TV in bathroom or bedroom.

Yup folks, you are in for a few doozies. So a spaceship crashed in 1999, and was discovered by two students walking in the woods in Kamikura Island, Hiroto Minaka and Takami Sahashi. The two naturally go aboard the wrecked ship to Scooby Doo it out and discover embryos and 108 creatures of life. Mostly baby birds.

Men just tossing themselves after this girl.

MBI Corporation has bought up Toyko as a sort of ground zero combatant zone allowing the 108 lifeforms to duke it out and prove their genetic worth. A complete media shutdown does not allow the Sekirei to leave Toyko so they must do battle within the confines of the game zone. The Sekirei must seek and find 8 artifacts of mysterious origin but they will be drawn to them giving them the power of the Jinki (God Instrument) . If all the Chaos Emeralds,er um I mean Infinity Stones...no wait. I mean the Seven Seals. Yeah skipping on, it will allow that Sekirei wielder to eliminate all other Sekirei. Minato is rescued by Musubi and must prepare for the three stages.

Stage 1, the Sekirei are prepped and released into the wild if you will. They are required to find Ashikabi for their power boost and will develop...wings? I am guessing for better coverage of panty shots. Stage 2, Neither Sekirei nor Ashikabi may be allowed to leave Tokyo until defeating at least one Sekirei.

Stage 3, is a serie of battle royale matches between various Ashikabi for right to harness the one of the Jinki. For some reason only the Ashikabi are allowed to weild these until the end of the stage and advance further. The final round allows the remaining Ashikabi to take their Sekirei back to Kamikura Island and fight for the final prize. Yeah so the few that remain, will battle to the last giving them the right to ascend to Heavenly Palace and title of ultimate winner. Who knows, Highlander? Who knows.

The overall story line is fascinating to watch as both Sekirei and Ashikabi interact in combat, duels and in general life itself. There is no direct set of rules they must follow and there are more than enough upskirt shots to amuse the most basic of pervs and the flexing man beasts roaming about seem to have a bit of an impact as well. So yeah not exactly certain who this show is for other than NOT FOR KIDS.

Eyes up here.  Pervs.

Anime Absurdity: Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen's Gravestone

Howdy folks, so Tuesday was evil brain issues, yesterday I had to grab a nerve block shot and host my first visited podcast for Rotten Ramblin' On. That is getting processed right now so hopefully the director Dustin Ferguson and his friends, family and co-workers have a good time with it. That being said, back to the anime. Today's flick we follow the legendary thief Lupin the third, with Jigen getting into typical mischief as they are out for treasure, the Little Comet. This is Lupin the 3^rd: Jigen's Gravestone.

Those pesky Mormons will follow you anywhere.

Partnered up for the latest gig, Lupin and Jigen are catching up after Fujiko Mine, Jigen has just left a bodyguard engagement where the queen of fictional land of West Doroa, was killed by a sniper that has a gravestone issued for each of his victims before he kills them. Lupin and Jigen give chase for this assassin they discovered is Yael Okuzaki has left a headstone for Jigen. The clock is tickling, our assassin is hot on their trail taking his time and playing with his opponent for the simple fact he really gets a challenge let alone a fellow professional to combat with. He also lets fate decide how many bullets he will use rolling a six-sided die to determine how many shots will be needed.

This film has kind of a different from the typical heist film, we have some great shootouts, an excellent car chase and well a sort of slip and slide and downright filthy dance and BDSM number with Fujiko with some sort of bot, lubricants and metallic tentacles. Yeah folks, this is definitely NOT for the kiddies. Pops or Inspector Zenigata does not get a huge part in the particular film and that irked me so.

Fujiko remembers she is wearing more clothes than her contract allows.

Shockingly enough Fujiko is at the very castle after Little Comet and the dirt on East Doroa's effects in social, political and economic offering info in kick backs, pay offs and all sorts of incrimination but...Fujiko gets abducted several men in elaborate masks that drop her in with said robot for whatever warped hentai scenario was on the rise. Now why Goemon is not around for this outing is being me. Guess the swordmaster had other things to do this time.

Can Lupin save his friends, get the try and find out who hired Okuzaki thus putting a stop to him? It's a pretty tall order but hey, it's Lupin.

The story's overall vibe follows the Monkey Punch traits of perversion on Lupin's behalf, some light comedy interspersed with drama, some action and good times to be had.

As a fan of the franchise, I took away that this was more geared towards adults and really allows for future takes and continuation. It's got a decent story, the action is packed and a good steady pace for the film. Our Japanese and English voice cast know what they're doing giving each signature character the nearest equivalent of that of the series has been. Not a bad flick so dig up Jigen's Gravestone when you have the chance.

Seems quiet enough.

Marvel's Iron Man: The Animated Series

Howdydoodleedoo!!! And for those of you that got that reference, yer aces, baby. With that in mind, hello and welcome back to Rotten Reelz Reviews. I am plucking series, movies and even games at random this week so it should be fun for all to read... but it is less than what you were hoping for, again rottenreelzreviews@gmail.com and of course I can be reached at the Facebook page as well at https://www.facebook.com/RottenReelzReviews/ so please reach out, make a suggestion or even a comment on the general flow of the reviews. Well this time around we are back to the land of the rising sun for another Marvel anime. Yup when you get contracted to make Marvel characters look awesome, you better bring your "A" game and that is exactly what Madhouse Productions (Hunter x Hunter, Death Paradise, "My Love Story", Overlord and Prince of Stride) brought and did. So how do you represent an egotistical billionaire playboy with about a million dollars of tech in his battle armor? With style of course. This is Iron Man: Anime.

Oh Stark, beside yourself again?

No stranger to acting or voice acting, Adrian Pasdar (Judging Amy, Desperate Housewives, Heroes, The Lying Game, Burn Notice, Avengers Assemble and Agents of SHIELD) has been tasked to put a voice to the brilliant yet reckless avenger Iron Man as he is in Japan bringing an arc reactor to power the nation. The concept to world peace it to provide clean and efficient energy without relying heavily on fossil fuels. Guess he better get started on arc reactors in cars, trucks and bikes as well. Well demonstrating his latest armor for Japan, Tony announces he will be stepping down as Iron Man and devoting his time to research...so no more Avengers picnics? Say it ain't so, Tony!

Damn import jobs never hold up.

But the demonstration goes a bit wonky which Tony took as a glitch in the new suit so off to run diagnostics and find out what all the hubbub is bub, when the armor with pilot takes off on its own, blasting any obstacle in its way. Stark must don his armor once more and find out what is going on. A young reporter Nanami (Eden Riegel of Prince of Egypt, American Pie, Young and the Restless and All My Children) has to chase Stark down for an interview and doesn't really think much of him. As she has adventures and near misses with death around him, she sees there is actually depth to Stark and his agendas. Circulated rumors about Stark bringing weapons construction follow adamantly and Stark attempts to defuse this with charm and grace... well as graceful as Stark can be. Is someone out to smear his company's name? Are there really WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) being smuggled into Japan?

As I mentioned in the Blade Anime review, this process was a 12 episode story arc with some fair and clever conclusion. It's actual sad that there was not a renewal of contract because the art work is very impressive, the CG spliced with the hand drawn looks natural together and both Japanese and English voice cast bust their collective humps to bring life into the characters. It makes total sense to use existing storylines from the source material as Stark did set up a branch in Japan in the comics.

Award-winning graphic novelist Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, Fell, Minstry of Space, RED and Planetary) wrote outlines for each of the 12 episodes and given his mind, you already know it to be odd, clever and entertaining. Hey if you saw the flick RED, you are in good hands here.

Yeah, I know Thor.  Man why does everyone ask me that?

Blood+

Back again kiddies! Yes I have actually been watching anime, a concept I thought not possible in this modern era of CGI overlapping, countless reboots and more inept rewrites than the mind can handle. With that in mind, today's anime is not a reboot, re-imagining or any such nonsense but a continuation from the film. Will it cut the mustard or will it be dry and less than appetizing?

This is Blood+

But, but I signed up for debate!

After the success of the 45 minute movie in 2001, it was contracted to for a 52 episode series offering more background to the series and addition characters expanding upon the original 6 part episode plan allowing the main story, subplots and secondary stories to unfold more naturally.

So forging ahead from last we saw Saya was 1966 in Yokota Air Base near Fussa, Tokyo, Japan during the Vietnam War. The Chiropterans (bat-like humanoids, demons or vampires) managed to infiltrate the air base with no one the wiser until Saya dispatched with ease until attending to their higher ups which took a toll on her mentally and physically. We cut to 2005 in Koza, Okinawa Island near the US Kadena Air Base, our otherwise moody and methodical killer schoolgirl is... attending classes, living with a family and worried about her high jump for championship matches?? Huh?  Saya has been living with an adopted family and seems to be suffering from anemia and amnesia at the same time. Having no knowledge of her skill set, fighting style or even her past, her adopted family treats her as they would their own daughter and sister.

You just know the fan fic makes us gay in this scene, right?

All seems well in Saya's life when she seems a mysterious cellist Haji, who she seems drawn to and yet could not explain why. No sooner than plot device of "Left my track shoes and clothes at the school," is unleashed the Chiropterans make an appearance, slaughtering the innocent and looking to do away with Saya.  Haji brings Saya's blade and her old instincts kick in, take over and kick serious ass in the process. Haji refers himself to Saya as her chevalier (Knight) who will selflessly deliver assistance to her in her battles against the Chiropterans and stay on helping her recover her lost memories.

Of course the black ops link to the CIA is still there, allowing her passage around the planet and the ability to operate with impunity of the laws of the land. How long has she been without memory? The seemingly innocent looking 17 year old as we know it was 17 in 1966 and 1892 so...has she been off the radar since the Vietnam War for 39 years, going from "family" to "family"? Has combined intelligence operations been searching for Saya this whole time? Who has hidden her in plain sight?

The Chiropterans have a standard manga/anime monster feel as they are hulking monstrosities with bulging eyes, enormous fangs and the cackling process of tormenting the protagonists. With the creators of Ghost in the Shell on the job, the stories blending with CGI almost seamlessly added to the hand drawn work it is amazing. This series will be on your shelf next to Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Naruto and Ruroni Kenshin. I hope you enjoy this series as much I am doing now.

Turn the other cheek, perhaps?

Anime Picks Week: Goldenboy

Welcome back for Day 4 of Anime Picks Week. Sorry for yesterday as there has been some trouble acquiring the job I want but enough of that! Let's get back to the anime of the day and this is no exception at all. The subgenre falls under erotic comedy so yes this series is indeed not for the kiddies. We find our main protagonist is a undersexed, easily distracted and somewhat ridiculous perv. The lad's world is filled with landmines of the female persuasion, tempting him at every turn... according to him at least. This is Goldenboy.

Derp!

Our show hails from the same named manga by mathematician and writer Egawa Tatsuya (Be Free, Dead Man, ONE ZERO NINE, The Last Man, Golden Boy and Happy Boy) who found the ability to combine story arcs with humor, adult language and adult situations in manga form. His stories were so bizarre and goofy it is no wonder this was turned into a six-part series. Meet Kintaro Oe, age 24: left his studies at Tokyo University without graduating in spite of having met all his requirements for his law degree, he deems himself a free spirit and constant student of life. Kintaro takes on various jobs within each new town he bicycles himself to.

Oh yes young man, they are real.  How sweet of you to notice.

Our young adventurer seems to always land a job around or nearby exotic, strong-willed women that he either lusts after profusely or their personalities dare him to strive to their expectations. His typical first impression from the girls is he is a loathsome pervert trying to sneak peeks and make lewd comments. He is in fact young and inexperienced in the matters of polite society and tends to speak what is on his mind before he thinks it through. He is good natured and considerate but must battle with his inner demons of gawking at this provocative women that surround him and his work-site. As a student of life, he keeps a constant update on his finding with his prized possession, his notebook. At the end of the day, he is a hyperactive geek that is awkward at times and sweet at others. Always aiming to learn, help where he can and see bewbs, Kinatro is a beacon of goodness that just happens to be tarnished by being headstrong and hormone ridden.

Just a few points on the show now. Most of the humor surrounding this series is incidental, happenstance and the lad simply has the worst luck when dealing with the opposite sex. He endeavors to be smoother, wiser and more of a capable man. The typical other dimensional Dragon Ball Z effects occur in the form of speed lines, lighting and booming voices when he needs to get a point across or someone is flogging him for his hedonistic ways. My real complaint about this almost hentai series is the women are only two types. Strong, independent and quick to judge or meek and subservient. The portrayals of either doesn't exactly paint girls and women well.

That being said, this series is goofy, fun in an adult theme and makes most guys realize that this could be them if they don't straighten up. The nudity as a whole is light and there is sexual situations but nothing graphic or detailed. Subtle as a brick but tame enough to not offend in a horrible light.   

YOU CAN'T JUST OGLE MY GIRL IN FRONT OF ME!!!

Anime Picks Week: Lupin the 3rd

Hello folks and greetings for Day 3 of Anime Picks Week. Scatterbrained me almost did an extensive blog on the ins and outs of City Hunter forgetting... I have already done that. Thankfully my brilliant and lovely girlfriend pointed that out along with me and I decided the best course of action is to find an anime that combines humor with a fair degree of action, heist and police evasion. I speak none other than the thief extraordinaire, the convincing conman, the rascally rogue. This is Lupin the 3^rd.

Damn, that girl on the elliptical is really going to it.

Based on the Manga of Kazuhiko Kato (a.k.a. Monkey Punch) this series follows the insane heists and general shenanigans of one master thief Arsene Lupin the third, grandson of fictional character Arsene Lupin the gentleman thief and detective of the Maurice Leblanc novels. That character was sort of a doppelganger of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's own Sherlock Holmes. Complicated, ain't it?

With that in mind, let us discuss the man of the hour and his gang of misfit professionals. With his announcements to rub it in the authorities via calling card to the owners of said gorgeous treasures Lupin knows when to ask for the aid of his trusted accomplices. His closest partner and fellow schemer, Daisuke Jigen, an marksman of unparalleled standing, normally these two pull a fair amount of jobs as a two-man crew but every so often then find need for a few more boots on the ground. Enter Goemon Ishikawa the 13^th, a swords-master whose blade can literally cut through anything and his precision is second to none and last but certainly not least, the full-figured femme fatale Fujiko Mine, whose eagerness to help, coupled by her stunning looks tends to blind Lupin as she may scoop up the score for herself.

Femme Fatale?  Moi?

With his patented red jacket, white slacks, black shirt and yellow tie, Lupin strikes a pose of a carefree fellow looking to make his next pinch through his own unique planning and execution. Imagine crossing the Saint with James Bond and adding a level of Peter Cooke for humor and you get the general idea. Guess that would make Fujiko the Bond Girl. Hmm.

Aside from their fun and games of plundering, destruction of private property and mass insanity, one man is assigned to bring our curious quartet in, Inspector Zenigata of INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) who time and time again has been bluffed, thwarted, bamboozled and more or less baffled at the crime in progress let alone how Lupin plans to escape his capture. Seriously though, Zenigata must have a huge ulcer or acid reflux from all the paperwork and stress Lupin creates. He eats food on the go, constantly screaming at fellow authority figures and overall has a bit of an attitude problem towards his superiors.

And now a few facts of the existence of this series. Back in 1967, the Lupin III manga was created in Weekly Manga Action creating a franchise that scored four different anime TV series, at least two live-action movies, CD soundtracks, multiple video games and even a musical. Suck it, Spiderman!

That being said, our franchise bounced from over 10 different companies arguing over the rights to both the original Japanese release and the English dubbed series. Tokyopop acquired the rights to the original Manga and later a second series as well. Funimation Entertainment bought up the rights for several of the TV specials and the films while yet another company Geneon got their mitts on the dubbed 79 episodes and worked a broadcast contract with Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. And last of all, Discotek Media fully licensed the entire first TV series and the first live-action movie giving them access to several of the other Lupin titles including some previously released for VHS, DVD and now Blu-Ray. Bet Kazuhiko Kato never saw this playing out the way it did.

Still more popular than Pokemon! BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Anime Picks Week : Captain Harlock

Hello again readers and welcome back for Day 2 of Anime Picks Week. This next write-up was at the suggestion of my dad and I have to concur this particular piece of anime covers so much in it. A dystopian timeline with humanity being nothing more than couch potatoes, minds fully at ease that their governments are tending to their every woe that all they do is recreation. No opinions are voiced, no movements are made and no one speaks up. Utopia in some minds, but for others it is viewed as a lethargic, easy target from above. Not everyone on the planet or around it are going to stand for alien invasion. This is Captain Harlock.

Snake Plisken... I hear you were dead.

Based on the manga known as Space Pirate Captain Harlock by artist Leiji Matsumoto (Submarine Super 99, The Galaxy Railways, Gun Frontier, Cosmo Warrior Zero, Queen Emeraldas and Arcadia of My Youth) comes a future of the year 2977, with vast star travel and ferrying but the planet as a whole seems to be falling into a slow but steady sense of despair. The general mood is apathy and none can be bothered to reach beyond their four walls let alone the depths of space. One man and his crew of brigands fight the governments and the alien oppressors known as the Mazone, a species of plant female humanoids that claim to have a link to Earth itself and demand it back. With the only way to be a hero to his planet is to be an outlaw, Harlock hoists the skull and crossbones as they cripple vessels, end blockades and thwart the world's new alien masters.

Harlock is not alone in his battles. The crew of the Arcadia has Daiba Tadashi, a 14 year old lad that joined the Arcadia after the death of his father by the Mazone. Chief Navigator Kayla Kerry, a young woman that scheduled for hard labor for striking the military officer that made light of her father's passing. La Mime , an alien woman who is the last of her kind, saved by Harlock she has psychic abilities and holds one of the closest bonds with the captain. Caliban, first mate to the Arcadia who is kind of the comic relief when he is not building model ship kits and blowing everyone away with his mathematical genius. Maji. The ships chief engineer managing to keep that ship in the sky. Doctor Zero, chief medical officer that is constantly bandaging the crew and snapping at the ship's cook that he points out does not offer enough vegetables and lastly Miss Masu, the curmudgeon cook who holds Doctor Zero and his cat Mi-kun in content due to their unorthodox visits to the kitchen.

Sweetie, bangs are out this season.

Earth Defense Navy and Infantry are constantly attacking the Arcadia or any of their scout ships, convinced that Harlock is the greatest threat the planet has ever known. Continuously exposing the schemes and plots of the Mazone, Earth Defense is of the belief that Harlock is merely throwing them off the scent and he is more than responsible for piracy, treasonous behavior, moral conduct and murder. Will the Mazone ever be defeated? Will Earth ever truly be free? Will Miss Masu and Doctor Zero just bump uglies on the prep table?

Quick few bits of info on this series now. The 1978 series gave you about 13 episodes that the Mazone made their way to Earth in a large sphere and appeared as ancient Mayan gods to those that saw them. While the Arcadia of My Youth shows Harlock's choices and beginnings on being a pirate and acquiring the Arcadia. This series has produced multiple manga and anime based on Harlock or his ancestors to show his family has always rocked the boat of society. Gun Frontier is an amusing series of Franklin Harlock, a gun fighter that searches for a lost clan or tribe of Japanese foreigners and even a spin-off female counterpart called Queen Emeraldas whose manga has a huge following that she also got a series and a few films as well. A computer animated film in 2013, Space Pirate Captain Harlock was released and apparently dropped 30 million into the project. Hell I am stoked to go watch it now!

Damn space floozies attacking me in my sleep.

Anime Picks Week: Phantom Quest Corp

A bit hearty welcome to Day 1 of Anime Picks Week! A quick bit of background on today's choice. Our story revolves around our heroine Ayaka Kisaragi, a talented woman descended from an ancestral line of Japanese exorcists... but given she is sick of their ways and traditions, she decides to open a business to exploit those talents for a fee. This is Yugen Kaisha a.k.a. Phantom Quest Corp.

That ginger could poke your eye out!

Created by writer Mami Watanabe (Heavy Metal L-Gaim, The Record of the Lodoss War, X and Araiso Private High School Student Council Executive Committee) this offbeat horror/comedy is a good hybrid claiming ancient monsters in the modern world.

Ayaka's headquarters operates from her family home wedged among the various buildings in Shinjuku, Tokyo. With her traditional methods of exorcism of demon banishment, mantra, water collected from holy rivers and circles of protection, Ayaka is also adept with martial arts, a laser sword which manifests from her lipstick and her earrings that seem to possess a spiritual charge of explosive proportions. With at least 5 to 6 people in her employ along with working with the U Division 's Detective Karino's case load, you'd think she would be a renown philanthropist by now.

Mystic marvels at money!

Alas between mad shopping sprees, karaoke and what I can only estimate as GALLONS of Sake the business is often in the red. Her boy genius, Mukyo who balances the books, sets appointments, takes cases and client information and in general has to boot Ayaka out of bed due to her binge drinking late sleeps it is a wonder he has not gone completely crackers. Karino of U Division operates from the logic/science base of supernatural happenings and relies heavily on Phantom Quest Corp's traditional exorcism, magic, occult and witchcraft practices to save the day.

With occasional aid by seer Madame Suimei, staff Buddhist exorcist Rokkon and a pyrokinetic (able to project and control flame)14 year old Namai things may get hairy but there is enough diversity in the staff to combat most of what creeps in the dark. Horror content with humorous subtext makes this a fun show with incidental humor worthy of Marx Brothers but enough sexual innuendo to make it mildly lewd. Right away you get the vibe that Karino is head over heels for Ayaka in spite of her horrific drunken singing and carousing as she does. Is there chemistry between them? Will Phantom Quest Corp ever get out of the red? Will Mukyo cook the books, fund a nest egg and disappear to an island?

Now a few facts of the show. Due to some similarities to a previously existing series called Ghost Sweeper Mikami, the only thing this series got was four episodes and then that was that. While the animation, comedy and action sequences were praised by the critics there was too much backlash from the Ghost Sweeper Mikami fans. Also many felt there was not enough plot depth or character development like, how does a 12 year old boy balance all the accounts, appointments and finances for a business? Aside from that, two soundtrack albums were released along with a Japanese novella or light novel and one issue for an English manga.

With a combination of Ghostbusters, X-Files, a hint of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, this series was taken before its time.

Hey! That's not Batman!

Anime Picks Week

Hey folks. Sorry if I went AWOL last week but I am ATTEMPTING to find more gainful employment and that isn't working to the greatest extent it could. With that in mind we last left off with Joan Crawford Week and I thought this time around we have not done any cartoons or anime so clearly it is time to fix that. For those of you that have been living under a rock, stream or gully for the last 50 years, Anime is a term describing Japanese animated product, whether it be penciled, inked and colored or computer animation, this particular style of animation seems to focus in the very same genres as any other TV or movie series.

Stoopid bike!

For your viewing pleasure, it can be original Japanese voice acting with English subtitles or the English dub with American and/or English voice actors. Unlike Disney based animation which primarily focuses on movement of the characters, background and foreground, anime translates from a pose to pose basis allowing the cel or plate animation to have more of an artistic look to it but still give it story arc... unless it is Card Captors. I haven't met a Card Captors fan.

Given the copious amounts of genre I shall do my level best to provide as many examples of as possible throughout the week. This is Anime Picks Week.

Haha! Your ship is pink, Ralph!