Developed by the Tezuka Productions and MAPPA animation studios, Dororo (2019) is an adaptation of the 1969 Dororo anime, based on the manga of the same name by the prolific “father of Manga”, Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Black Jack). However, the series goes beyond simply adapting the original story and adding […]
First impressions: Shenmue the Animation
Shenmue the Animation was a surprise announcement last year, coming out of a co-production between Crunchy Roll, Adult Swim and Sega. With the first episode hitting streaming services on the 6th of February 2022, it is now an official part of the Shenmue pantheon, a series that contains some of the most ambitious technical achievements […]
Review: Lapis Re:Lights – The Complete Season (Blu-Ray)
Lapis Re:Lights is a distinctly Japanese flavour of anime – it’s part of a multimedia franchise, folds in bubblegum fantasy with idol music groups and uses the power of love and music to defeat armies of monsters. Lapis Re:Lights focuses on Princess Tiara who has gone against the wishes of her family to attend the […]
Review: Listeners – The Complete Season (Blu-Ray)
Listeners’ post-apocalyptic tale of the passion of youth in a world seemingly devoid of music has all the trappings of kitschy musical theatre, but viewed through the lens of a modern anime production creates a very interesting story. Set in an unusual dystopian future void of music, one day in the city of Liverchester a […]
Review: Golden Kamuy Complete Season 3 (Blu-Ray)
The Immortal Sugimoto return for another round of adventure in Golden Kamuy Season 3. Given an impressive outing to date, there’s a lot riding on this third season to see if it maintains its momentum. Taking place shortly after Golden Kamuy Season 2, this series of episodes sees the burgeoning party split into two as […]
Review: Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun – The Complete Series (Blu-Ray)
There are rumours of paranormal activity abound at Kamome Academy, and high school student Nene Yashiro comes across one firsthand when she seeks out a young boy named Hanako, a ghost that haunts the third-floor girls’ bathroom and is said to grant wishes. But Hanako’s wishes don’t come freely and when Nene messes with a […]
Review: Smile down the Runway – The Complete Season (Blu-Ray)
High school student Chiyuki Fujito dreams of becoming a runway model and representing her father’s company and modelling agency, Mille Neige, on the fashion runways of Paris. However, despite her beauty and professionalism, Chiyuki faces constant rejection in the world of fashion due to her short stature. Similarly, her classmate Ikuto Tsumura also dreams of […]
Review: Sakura Wars The Animation – The Complete Season (Blu-Ray)
Sakura Wars: The Animation has made it’s local debut following the cult success of the 2019 PlayStation 4 title’s surprise (and welcomed) English language release. With such a strong franchise pedigree and featuring a framework so heavily inspired by anime, this latest release has a lot to live up to. Set after the closure of […]
Review: Appare-Ranman! – The Complete Season (Blu-Ray)
In the late 19th century, genius misfit and inventor Appare Sorano and skilled samurai Kosame Ishikki find themselves stranded in the middle of the ocean when Appare attempts to flee Japan to avoid arrest for a series of inventions gone wrong. Rescued by a passing steamship, the two wind up in Los Angeles, with no […]
Review: Wave, Listen to Me! – The Complete Season (Blu-Ray)
While working her shift at the Voyager restaurant, Minare Koda hears a familiar voice on the local radio station – it’s her voice, and she’s giving a drunken rant about a recent break-up with her ex-boyfriend. Rushing to the radio station, she confronts the producer who she had vented to the previous night at a […]