Ryo SAKAI

Now Streaming: Heat Guy J 1-4 (d)
Geneon thought it would be the next big thing, but despite a short run on MTV, Heat Guy J fell on its face. And that's too bad, because it's quite a fun little noir action show (plus it's by the Escaflowne guy). Now Funimation's giving it a new lease on life, and we have the first four episodes dubbed. Come see what you were missing! [discuss] 2009-09-22

ANN Needs New Hardware
Help ANN set-up another goddess 2009-09-24

ANNCast - Toole Runnings
It's an all-new ANNCast with Anime Jump founder and overlord of the land of obscure dubs, Mike Toole! Also on this show: Cencoroll, bargain manga, and the hilarious Sony Pictures Samurai X dub. 2009-09-24

Anime News Nina! - 09-23-09
The mysterious world of Paola is revealed. 2009-09-23

The X Button - Diabolical Machinations
This week: the Soul Eater games we just might see over here, plus the next Kingdom Hearts, Valkyria Chronicles 2, a new English trailer for Sakura Wars, and this week's Disgaea-related announcements. 2009-09-23

Chicks On Anime - Shoujo in Academia
We talk shoujo with MCAD professor Frenchy Lunning, editor in chief for Mechademia, and co-founder of the annual Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits workshop. 2009-09-22

Shelf Life - Nabari no Go
We're going back to the basics this week with original Dragonball. Plus, ninjas and crybabies!
- Big Windup s1 pt2
- Dragon Ball s1
- Nabari s1 pt1
2009-09-21

D.Grayman Season 1 Prize Pack Give Away
Season 1 Part 1 DVD, Messenger Bag, T-Shirt, Coffee Mug, Buttons, and more... 2009-09-21

Big Windup! Part 2 DVD
The problems with this second half are not enough to derail the show, but the experience is way less satisfying than it should be. Such is the power of its characters that I still can't help but love the whole package.

.hack//G.U. Trilogy Sub.DVD
A big sloppy mess with some snazzy imagery, a few cutting shards of romance, and some excellent acting by a top-flight cast.

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo GN 3
The manga version puts the focus back on the most interesting character: the Count himself. As a result, the plot reaches full steam in a very powerful way—but sadly gets derailed in the later chapters.

Cencoroll
It's a film that defies any and all expectations of both medium and genre, that makes us marvel and has really little time to do much else.

Blade of the Immortal GN 20-21
Is everything one could ask for in a climax: violent, smart and brimming with gory schadenfruede.

Berserk GN 28
The clues it contains about the future direction of Guts' journey—and the relentless monster action—ultimately save it, but unless the series regains its bearings soon this will begin to qualify as a genuine slump.

Darker Than Black DVDs 4-6
The appearance of a new antagonist organization on the scene give the series its long-absent overarching story arc and introduces a great new character as the series races towards an ultimately rushed climax. A brilliantly off-the-cuff bonus episode rounds out one of the year's better series.

Tsubasa, RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE GN 22
It's a beauty to look at, but a pain to follow. But we continue following anyway, because the path of destiny still holds many more surprises.

Destiny of the Shrine Maiden Complete Collection
A love triangle forms between two reincarnated priestesses and a boy who represents part of their nihilistic foe in a series laden with fan service and mecha action but ultimately more focused on the development of the central characters' obsessive love. Not great, but not as trashy as it initially appears to be, either.

Hunter x Hunter DVD Set 3
Despite its new-found fondness for super-powered shonen tropes, it's as thoroughly enjoyable and mature as ever, though with the unmistakable scent of a series waiting for better things to come.

Nerima Daikon Brothers DVD 3
The Daikon Brothers end it here, sadly enough. There's some marginally more serious content here at the end, but it never forgets that it is, at heart, a no-holds-barred comedy. At which it succeeds beautifully.