13 Assassins
Director: Eiichi Kudo
Writer: Kaneo Ikegami
Staring: Chezo Kataoka, Ko Nishimura and Ryohei Uchida
Origianl Release: Dec. 7th, 1963
U. S. Re-Release Date: June 5th, 2012
U. S. Distributor: AnimEigo
Format: DVD / 126 minutes
Genre: Period Piece, Historical Drama, Samurai
Age Rating: Not Rated (suggested PG 13 due to violence)
Overall Personal Rating: B+
Similar Titles: Sword of Desperation, Revenge, The Loyal 47 Ronin
Synopsis:
20th Century Boys 1: The Beginning of the End on DVD
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi / Studio: Viz Pictures, Inc. ? Author: Naoki Urasawa
Distributor: Viz Pictures, Inc.
American Release Date: Dec. 15th, 2009
Format: DVD / Genre: Drama / 142 minutes
Industry Rating: Not Rated (PG 13 suggested)
Overall Personal Rating: A
Similar Titles: Death Note parts 1 & 2 and Death Note: L Change the World.
20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope on DVD
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi / Studio: Viz Pictures, Inc. ? Author: Naoki Urasawa
Distributor: Viz Pictures, Inc.
American Release Date: Feb. 16th, 2010
Format: DVD / Genre: Drama / 140 minutes
Industry Rating: Not Rated (PG 13 suggested)
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Similar Titles: Death Note parts 1 & 2 and Death Note: L Change the World.
So you want to becoming a maniacal world leader of a deadly cult and are looking for the “How To” handbook then spend a few hours of your time becoming familiar with 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope.
20th Century Boys 3: Redemption
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi / Studio: Viz Pictures, Inc. / Author: Naoki Urasawa
Distributor: Viz Pictures, Inc.
American Release Date: June 1st, 2010
Format: DVD / Genre: Drama, Sci – Fi, Fantasy and Mystery / 155 minutes
Industry Rating: Not Rated (PG 13 suggested)
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Similar Titles: Death Note parts 1 & 2 , Death Note: L Change the World and 20th Century Boys 1 & 2.
Ashura
Director: Yojiro Takita / Production: Shochiku
U. S. Distributor: AnimEigo
U. S. release date: June 12, 2007
Format: DVD / 119 minutes + Extras
Genre: Fantasy, Samurai, Thriller, Action / Adventure
Age Rating: +13
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Similar Titles: Big Man Japan, Fighting Tiger Hidden Dragon, Bleach and Naruto
The time of Ashura is almost upon the world. It will be the time when the Demons will rule. For many centuries, Demons have walked among us and now a former Demon Slayer has fallen in love with a beautiful young woman, who has some very special ties to his past. But, what are they and what does this have to do with Ashura?
Title: Battle League HORUMO
Director: Katsuhide Motoki
Distributor: Viz Pictures
American Release Date: July 6, 2010
Format: DVD Movie (Eng. Subtitles)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Live Action
Length: 113 min. / 1 Hour, 57 min.
Publisher Age Rating: Not Rated (Parental guidance suggested, contains mild nudity)
Personal Review Rating: B+
Akira Abe, a college student, a man who loves beautiful noses, and a team member for the Azure Dragon. The Azure Dragon is a normal club that does things that you can find at any club at any college, or do they?
Big Man Japan
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto / Producer: Akihiro Okamoto
US distributor: Magnolia Entertainment and Six Gun Films
US release date: May 15, 2009
Format: DVD/Genre: Sci Fiction, Mockumentary /100 minutes
Age Rating: PG-13
Overall Personal Rating: A
Similar Titles: Ultraman, Johnny Socko and his Flying Robot any of the older Godzilla movies.
What do folding Umbrellas and Dehydrated Seaweed have in common? They only expand when you want them to. This may be one of the more poignant topics expressed in this astounding Mockumentary by Hitoshi Matsumoto.
Synopsis:
City Under Siege Blu-ray & DVD Combo pack
Director: Benny Chan
Writers: Benny Chan & Tsang Kan-cheung
Actors: Aaron Kwok, Shu Qi, Collin Chou, Wu Jing and Zang Jingchu
U. S. Distributor: FUNimation
U. S. Release Date: Dec. 27th, 2011
Format: Blu-ray / DVD / 111 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action / Adventure
Age Rating: TV 14
Overall Personal Rating: B+
I wonder what the Hulk would do if he was in Malaysia and ran into some very odd and nasty mutants? Well, I bet he would have to become a martial arts expert and knife thrower to boot.
Confucius: The Movie
Directed By: Hu Mei
Written By: Chan Khan, He Yanjiang, Jiang Qitao, Hu Mei
Staring: Chow Yun-fat, Zhou Xun, Chen Jianbin, Ren Quan
Studio: Dadi Century (Beijing), China Film Group
U. S. Distributor: FUNimation
U. S. Release Date: March 27th, 2012
Format: Blu-ray / DVD/ 125 minutes
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Rating: TV MA
Overall Personal Rating: B
Similar Titles: IP Man series
Death Note: Collection on Blu-ray
Director: Shusuke Kaneko / Studio: NTV, Warner Bros. / Author: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Licensor / Distributor : Viz Pictures
American Release: Date: Aug. 24th, 2010
Format: DVD / 260 minutes
Genre: Shonen, Psychological Thriller, Fantasy, Drama and Supernatural
Age Rating: 13+
Overall Personal Grade: A
Similar Titles: Death Note 2: L the last Name. Death Note Movie L: Change the World and the 20th Century Boys trilogy.
Synopsis:
Death Note: The Movie Part 1
Director: Shusuke Kaneko / Studio: NTV, Warner Bros. / Author: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Licensor / Distributor : Viz Pictures
American Release Date: Sept. 16th, 2008
Format: DVD / 120 minutes
Genre: Shonen, Psychological Thriller, Fantasy, Drama and Supernatural
Age Rating: 13+
Overall Personal Grade: A-
Similar Titles: Death Note 2: L the last Name. Death Note Movie L: Change the World and the 20th Century Boys trilogy.
Death Note: L change the World
Director: Hideo Nakata
Distributor: Viz Pictures
U.S. Release Date: Sept. 16th, 2009
Format: DVD / 129 minutes
Age Rating: 13+
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Similar Titles: Death Note 1 & 2
The Death Note franchise takes on the question of what L did with his last 23 days. Of course this storyline is unique to the live action series, not the manga or anime series. Death Note: L change the World is fun, fantastic, full of action and lots and lots of L being L.
Detroit Metal City the Movie
Director: Toshio Lee
Producer: Gemki Kawamura
Actor: Kenichi Matsuyama, Gene Simmons
Distributor: Viz Pictures (now New People)
U. S. Release Date: Nov. 9th, 2010
Format: DVD / 104 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
Age Rating: Not Rated (Parental Guidance Suggested for language)
Overall Personal Rating: B+
Can Sir Krauser rule from the depths of the Underworld or will the Cheese Tart become the symbol of Love? Soichi Negishi is the only one who can answer that question.
Synopsis:
Title : Documentary of AKB48: to be Continued
Director: Yuri Kanchiku
Distributor: NEW PEOPLE Entertainment
American Release Date: Already Released
Format: DVD / 120 min
Genre: Documentary
Industry Rating: Not Ratted
Overall Personal Rating: B+
ABK48 is a J-pop Idol group, although their songs may be upbeat, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows back stage. Discover the story of twelve of the members of AKB48, and follow their dreams, hopes, and passions. Also see the struggles, and challenges to achieve those dreams and the difficulties of saying goodbye.
Title: Drop
Director: Hiroshi Shinagawa
American Publisher: FUNimation
American Release Date: June 21, 2011
Format and length: DVD movie
Genres: Autobiography, Comedy, Drama
Overall Personal Rating: B+
In the Radius: Black Lagoon
Almost everyone – especially teenagers – has the urge to rebel against someone or something at one point. Some people actually do successfully rebel against the thing they feel chained by. Few though, have the gumption to make it their mission to become a delinquent or pariah on society.
“The Radius”:
Title: eatrip
Director: Yuri Nomura
Distributor: Viz Pictures (New People Cinema)
American release date: 5-24-11
Format and length: DVD, 80 minutes
Web page: http://www.eatripfilm.com/
Overall Personal Rating: See comment section
Similar series or titles to check out: Manga Series Oshinbo
An exploration of the meaning and value of food in people’s lives. Not a typical American TV approach, eatrip will take you somewhere else.
Synopsis:
Funky Forest: The First Contact
Directors and Authors: Katsuhhito Ishi, Shinichiro Miki and ANIKI
U. S. Distributor: Viz Pictures
U.S. Release Date: March 18th, 2008
Format: DVD / 150 minutes
Age Rating: Not Rated but due to language it should be M for Mature audiences
Overall Personal Rating: B
Similar Titles: The Taste of Tea and Party 7
Funky Forest: The First Contact is one of the more bizarre compilations of shorts that loosely fit together. They weave a strange story of brothers that need a woman, to a couple that are dating but not dating, and the crazy dreams they have.
Gantz II: Perfect Answer
Director: Shinsuke Sato
Writer: Hiroya Oku (manga)
U.S. Distributor: NEW PEOPLE Entertainment Films
Release Date: Jan. 14th, 2012
Genre: Sci Fi, Action, Psychological Thriller
Age Rating: R
Overall Personal Rating: A
Similar Series: Gantz 1, Death Note and 20th Century Boys
How does a true hero solve a no win situation?
Synopsis:
Gantz, The Movie part 1 (DVD)
Director: Shinsuke Sato
Writer: Hiroya Oku (manga)
U.S. Distributor: Viz Pictures /New People Cinema
Release Date: Aug. 30th, 2011
Genre: Sci Fi, Action, Psychological Thriller
Age Rating: R
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Similar Series: Death Note and 20th Century Boys
You just died and now you find yourself in a room full of other people and a large black ball. Suddenly the ball starts playing a morning exercise song and then distributes funny tight jump suits and strange weapons. You are then magically transported out in the world looking to kill aliens. What happened to just going to heaven?
