Resident Evil: Afterlife on Blu-ray Impression

Milla Jovovich keeps on rolling with Umbrella and the zombies in Afterlife

Movies based on video games. Gamers know the rules; take the beloved game, slice the plot, add in bad voice acting and soil the franchise. Bloodrayne, Doom and Prince of Persia are just a few titles which missed the mark but don’t let these titles deter from the enjoyment that is Resident Evil: Afterlife. The latest, fourth, Resident Evil movie has continued the unique approach of its predecessors began which is taking the basic formula but making it unique from the games. Let’s take a closer look.

The Story – The Earth has been decimated by the T-Virus with pockets of humans fighting for survival. Umbrella Corporation, having unleashed the virus, hide in their safe havens until Alice comes calling. As the battle at Umbrellas Tokyo complex kicks into high gear Alice confronts takes on Albert Wesker only to be stripped of her super human powers. On her own and very human Alice seeks out the safe haven of Arcadia, broadcast on open radio this is supposed to be a virus free locations but just where is it? Alice finds herself reunited with a memory loss Claire Redfield and on their way to Los Angeles and a building full of survivors. Can this new group, including Claire’s brother Chris, escape the zombie hordes to reach Arcadia?

Why is the film franchise for Resident Evil so different and why does it work? Alice folks, Alice. This character, a successful merger with the T-Virus enables the movies to go beyond the games, almost like a parallel world where that are core similarities but vast differences. The decimated earth is a perfect example. The core game characters are present but not in the manner of the games. This is a world where Umbrella essentially wins and its mega bad. The movies may have begun in the mansion in Raccoon City with Lickers and zombies galore but the action really changes direction in a manner which works for the movies. Full of action but not constrained to the games.

The Action and Acting – The appeal of Afterlife is it’s a turn-your-brain-off action movie with (now) very loose ties to the game whose name it bears. So how’s the action? Great with plenty of slow-mo sequences. Milla starts are a wrecking ball before being stripped of her power but she keeps up the great pace and is joined by Claire and Chris. The plot is inconsequential so the action keeps this one moving. Besides hordes of zombies there are really three other sets of baddies which is disappointment knowing the plethora of creatures in the franchise. Now Milla does a good turn as Alice, she’s great in these roles, but no nominations coming. On the flip side this is not b-movie acting as Milla, Ali Larter (Claire) and Wentworth Miller (Chris) all show their professionalism mixed in with said b-movie performances. Afterlife is about the action which is delivered in well enough but beware; the leather clad, sword swinging Alice seen in the trailers is more the exception than rule.

Why Gamers Should Care – It doesn’t suck, which really is saying a lot for the history of game based movies. The Resident Evil franchise and it’s alternate dimension take on the plotting of Umbrella makes it a fun distraction for fans that’s found a life of its own which is far from over (you’ll see). If this franchise was a failure as many before then it would have flamed out at 1-2 sequels that went straight to TV, not DVD but TV. That’s not the case as there is a box office audience and including a Blu-ray preview of Resident Evil: Damnation never hurts. This is a guilty pleasure that only takes a few hours of gamer time and rest the thumbs.

Overall Resident Evil: Afterlife is the latest guilty pleasure action entry in the unique film franchise which started with the games but has grown a unique, solid, life of its own. This mutation of Resident Evil works and does so in large part thanks to the character of Alice and the ability of a franchise to let the film do its own thing. Enjoyable and looks great in HD … now where is the game based on the movie based on the game? (Street Fighter anyone?)

Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes on Blu-ray Impression

What’s better, the anime or the video game for Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes?

With Sengoku Basara hitting gaming systems and as an anime it would be easy for gamers to think they are mirrors of each other but oh how wrong this is. While the game has been met with mixed reviews the anime stands very well on its own. The focus is on two of the heroes seen in the game but the viewer gains a deeper understanding of these two, a connection the game just does not create. So why should gamers, those who purchased the game care, let’s take a look …

The Story – The Devil King, Nobunaga Oda, is on the march and not even his allies are safe. The long standing, respected rivalry or Shingen Takeda and Kenshin takes a backseat to the advances of Oda and the danger he poses to the country. Shingen’s right hand, fiery fighter Yukimura Sanada encounters a new rival in the Azure Dragon Masamune Date. Their epic battles shift focus as they both witness atrocities at Oda’s hands and clash with the Devil King in an epic final battle.

The story takes a more narrowed approached, one that puts the focus on two of the four playable characters from the game and offers gamers and anime fans a taste of action, a depth that is totally unique from the game. Watching this anime first will skew gamers to pick a few specific in-game characters but that’s a testament to the storytelling the anime pulls off. While the story points above have been simplified the actual anime is anything but. The relationship between Yukimura and Shingen is hilarious and the rivalry/relationship formed by Yukimura and Masamune is what really drives the show. There are many, many more characters and generals which fans of the franchise will love to see but know the focus is on our red and blue colored friends.

The Design & Animation – The characters retain their gaming look but its sharper, better in the anime. The style overall is not typical anime, it’s more fluid like seen in the game. The action is great and the animation flows better than in the game, it’s a joy to watch and reflects the action of the game without the sore thumbs. There are some liberties taken with the setting of feudal Japan but it’s a very enjoyable looking, moving anime that is all the better in HD.

Why Gamers Should Care – Watching the entire series, hearing the excellent voicework and seeing the bonds formed is done in a manner the game cannot create. For gamers that did connect with the characters in-game this will be a true treat to really see those characters in another light. For those not thrilled with the game, the anime offers a chance to see just how awesome Sengoku Basara is.

Overall Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes on Blu-ray is fun, lots and lots of fun to watch with some funny and memorable characters that ramps up the action, mixes in the drama and keeps it all moving in a package that looks great in HD and is the standard on how anime based on games should be done. Don’t just repeat the entire story and characters, do it unique, focus on a core set of characters and make it memorable. This the anime does in droves.

Superman Batman Apocalypse Movie Impression

DC nails another feature this time detailing the arrival of Supergirl

Thank you DC for bringing back the voices that matter. The voices I’m referring to are Kevin Conroy as Batman and Tim Daly as Superman in the latest DC Comics animated feature Superman Batman: Apocalypse. While the animation may vary, having a stable and close to iconic group of voice actor’s helps fans identify and tie together these heroes whom we love. The banter, the way the actors work together, it’s just nice to see and it continues what has been an outstanding and somewhat surprising run of animated features from DC, ones that tie into various comic story treads. Past dandies include Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Green Lantern: First Flight which have been good but Apocalypse takes it to such a sweet level … let’s take a look at what I’m blathering about.

A crash landing in Gotham harbor triggers a series of events that will see Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman go head-to-head with Darkseid. The question is what crash landed to cause such a monumental battle? Her name is Kara and she’s another surviving Kryptonian and Kal-El’s cousin. Kara holds untapped power, power Batman does not trust, that Wonder Woman wants to train and that Superman wants to embrace and believe in. If having the holy trinity of heroes interested in you wasn’t enough Kara has also drawn the attention of a more sinister, purely evil player in Darkseid. As Darkseid puts his plans into motion its Kara who’s front and center as the battle begins on Apocalypse and continues on Earth. What’s a girl to do with so much power, a new life and all shades of good and evil wanting to control you … shopping anyone?

Ok so cheesy ending to the synopsis but not too far off once you watch. That’s the key, you will need to watch if you’re a DC Comics fan, fan of Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman or just love what’s a well created piece of comic animation. The character design is mostly great. The ladies have a very anime vibe to them with nice curves, clean figures and larger ‘anime’ type eyes. Superman and Darkseid retain their closer comic and animated Justice League look while Batman goes in a taller, darker model. Its bats that seems a bit off in certain scenes as he does not have the heroic look of Superman and Wonder Woman all the time … hard to describe but he misses in a few scenes in his looks. Now this is nit picking at its finest as this feature really comes close to the feelings, the epic battles felt in Justice League and the voice work really, really makes this feature shine. The story moves along at a nice pace and manages to touch on enough key points without glossing over too much. Days, weeks and months pass but there is not feeling of drag or missing pieces in the story. Knowledge of DC Comics will help but is not 100% needed to enjoy Apocalypse.

So where does that leave the overall package? Solid voice work, great character design, quality animation and a story that paces itself between plot and action without missing a beat, well it’s a can’t miss feature. No quirky trouble in parallel worlds here, this is a great animated feature and one that’s I highly recommend. Hell, it even made me like Superman a little, a little.

Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl Blu-ray Impression

Gory, over the top action that would make Tarantino proud

Twisted and a little sick. An endearing description of the action found in Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl on Blu-ray from FUNimation. While known for their anime release library, FUNimation has seen quite a few solid live action features put out on US shores, titles with a more historic setting, a serious tone … until now. The action and gore found in VG vs. FG is reminiscent of so many 80’s horror flicks. The special effects are cheesy at times while the acting is, well it’s acting but this is why we love this type of movie. While not for everyone there is most definitely an audience for this genre of gore and over the top action. Who are you and what do you like, let’s see.

Monami is just an average school girl nobody seems to take notice of even on Valentine ’s Day when all girls’ chocolates but hers are confiscated. She managers to deliver her chocolate to Mizushima with a bit of a secret. The filling is blood, her blood and Mizushima is about to be transformed into a vampire. Issue with this is his forced upon him girlfriend Keiko is not cool with this and tries to stir up trouble only to end up … well as Frankenstein girl. The action kicks into overdrive as a serial killing, psycho principal and his twisted nurse assistance reconstruct a few students and the fight is on. A grudge over a boy soon escalates into Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein girl and nobody is safe.

Ok so this is not an Academy Award winning plot. The story has many more funny and offensive points from the opening killing scenes to the African centric student group and the wrist cutting club. This feature does not worry about offending anyone but that’s just the beginning. The special effects are so ridiculous they are great and the action is very, very over the top. The actors ham it up from the very beginning and why not with this much blood spewing all over the screen and such a twisted group of individuals contained in one school.

Overall Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl is a guilty pleasure. It’s sick, gory, sadistic, bit perverted and just plain not right at times but it works for what it is. A film that knows it wants to be gross and over the top but at the same time fun and entertaining. Look at the cover, read the description, it is what it thought it is and so tasty to watch.

Death Note Collection on Blu-ray Impression

Looking for a Blu-ray double-feature with mystery, suspense and death gods? Look no further than Viz’s Death Note Collection on Blu-ray, a package that gives viewers both full length features Death Note and Death Note II. These movies are based on a very beautifully drawn, excellently told story and while it shrinks down the story the acting and plot points make it a worthy watch. What is a death note and why should gamers care, let’s take a look.

The Story – Ryuk is a Death God, a Shikigami who is bored. To sate his boredom Ryuk drops to Earth his ‘Death Note,’ a notebook with the power to kill. Writing a name in the notebook causes that person to die. There are many rules, rules which Light Yagami who finds the notebook learns and exploits. Light is brilliant, top of his class and looking to become a lawyer. He embraces the Death Note and strikes down criminals with its power. Assuming the alias Kira, Light should be hailed as a hero but is soon targeted by the police. Kira is a murderer no matter who he kills and the brilliant ‘L’ is brought in to help reveal who Kira is. A cat and mouse game begins where Light must work to outsmart ‘L’ and suspicions into his life as his father heads up the task force looking for Kira. Death Gods, death notes, brilliant investigators, more Death Gods and a Kira obsessed fan will make Lights life anything but boring.

The original manga story is longer, much more fleshed out and contains a different ending and characters but these movies do an excellent job of getting across what the death note is. Both movies are needed to appreciate and fulfill this edited down story so from that aspect the collection is perfect. The acting is well done as this is the cocky, smart and self assured Light known in the manga and the quirky ‘L.’ Ryuk looks perfect and blends in to a real world setting perfectly. A well done story faithful to the manga that can be enjoyed with no knowledge of said manga.

The Design & Art Direction – Characters look and act just as fans of the franchise would expect based on the manga. No major design changes or setting changes, it’s a real world, big screen translation of an excellent manga and story. Ryuk is a Shikigami but feels pretty real not full of cheesy effects. The star is the story and a star that really shines.

Why Gamers Should Care – Most Blu-ray, especially animated ones covered here are fairly easy to tie to a video game genre. Death Note Collection is a bit different as it’s got more in common with mystery games, the CSI, Trauma Center and detective stories out on consoles and handhelds. This is a chance to put down those particular games and see a mystery being solved when all the players and agendas are known. It’s also a well acted, executed film that is just enjoyable to watch. Don’t watch Death Note due to a game relationship but because it’s an enjoyable double-feature.

Overall the Death Note Collection on Blu-ray is a very solid manga based movie set that remains true to the manga while delivering a stand-alone ingestible entertainment experience. Fans of mystery and crime based video games that require thinking will enjoy this cat and mouse romp and just who is the mouse?

Casshern Sins Blu-ray Impression

Casshern Sins from FUNimation; a Blu-ray that gamers will have a bit of an interest in checking out and one which anime fans will dig. Beautiful and sharp animation drives a bleak story as mysteries unfold and a cybernetic assassin must face his fate. Sound appealing? Not so much? Let’s see what else Casshern has to offer …

The Story – The Ruin sweeps the land. A plague that reduces to rubble the robotic population, a plague which began with the death of Luna at the hands of the cybernetic assassin Casshern, a death he does not remember. Casshern wanders the land, his memory slowly coming back, attached by those with power as he’s the only one not susceptible to the Ruin. Some are after him for vengeance while others have personal scores to settle. Just who is he, why did he kill Luna, what was Braiking Boss role in his creation and Luna’s death? Lucky for Casshern he gains friends to walk with him in his journey which must end with the salvation of the world or its utter destruction.

Bleak? Yeah, just a bit. Casshern is a tragic figure and the land he wanders sad yet filled with pockets of hope from robots with optimistic outlooks, those who have accepted their fates and even a few remaining humans. The mystery, pieces revealed before each title sequence, keeps the story moving as parts of Casshern’s past catch up with him and he remembers more and more. It’s a journey with an end that viewers will want to sign-up for thanks to the great action and animation. Another nice nugget about the story and Blu-ray is it requires zero prior knowledge of the series or characters.

The Design & Animation – Casshern Sins has a look, a style pulled from earlier days of anime. It’s unique, simple yet sharp and engaging. The action is fluid, land desolate and despair of the Ruin comes off the screen in a most depressive manner. It’s a tasty visual treat that feels made for HD and Blu-ray rather than an upgraded DVD. The style is not average anime fare and it shares more in common with the excellent feature Metropolis than a Spirited Away.

Why Gamers Should Care – While this is a darker Casshern with a different name spelling he is the same core character as seen in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom for the Nintendo Wii. This is one group of gamers who may have more interest in seeing just who this fighter is in one of the best Wii fighters around. Never mind the action and story being dark and engaging, the action being sweet to watch and it looking fantastic on an HD TV, no, gamers should check out Casshern thanks to Capcom’s surprise of a release fighter (and it’s a good anime folks).

Overall, Casshern is a rock solid action anime that looks outstanding in HD on Blu-ray. Great voice work mixes with a style that’s unique even among the plethora of anime on the market. Give Casshern a look, he was one of the few characters in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom that many here in the States may not have been familiar with and while this version is darker it’s nice to have the option to learn more.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Blu-ray Part 1 Impression

A few years back Square Enix released two PlayStation 2 titles based on the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga. While the PS2 and its titles have seen their time come to an end the FMA franchise, the anime, is getting a reboot and fans of the games and Blu-ray owners need to jump on for the ride. FUNimation has released Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Blu-ray and DVD and in same manner in which they are re-launching Dragon Ball Z with Kai they are doing the same with the Elric brothers. What is so great about this alchemic adventure, why should fans and gamers care, let’s take a look …

The Story – Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric ignore the most basic rule, the one rule or alchemy and try to re-create a lost life only to suffer themselves. Ed loses an arm and leg while his brother’s spirit is confined to an empty suit of armor. As Ed becomes a State Alchemist he and his brother become entangled in government issues and conspiracies that will lead their search for the Philosophers Stone down dark paths.

This is the basic story as Ed becomes a dog of the military to take advantage of their resources but he is also asked to pay for their past mistakes and to faceoff with Homunculi as well as their father’s legacy. The story is excellent and in this new format it’s told at a much quicker clip in the same manner as DBZ Kai. There are adventure and stories left out of the Brotherhood format and they will only be missed by a few as the core content is here. Real emotion, great humor and conspiracies abound in a unique, beautiful and well paced story.

The Design & Animation – The look and feel is even more amazing than the original, really. The animation is crisp, polished, vivid and dark. The action is fast paced, detail abundant and nothing is lacking in the look and feel. For fans of the original series, they will be amazed at the improved look and feel which is quite a surprise and the only knock on DBZ Kai. Where Kai kept the original animation, FMA improved the look. Looking at Kai’s new opening it makes a fan dream of what could have been but is also a reason for FMA fans to rejoice. Brotherhood is not just a quicker telling of a great story but it’s also an improved visual telling.

Why Gamers Should Care – PlayStation 3 owners get another addition to their Blu-ray library with a gaming history to it. The PS2 games are well worth picking up on the cheap to learn more about Ed and Al. The story is what gamers should really dig as more and more titles from Mass Effect 2 to BioShock and Final Fantasy XIII put so much into the story that missing out on Brotherhood is a crime. The characters, settings, powers, use of alchemy … it’s all too much to pass on and a great distraction when needing a break from gaming.

Why Anime Fans Should Care – First Eva. Next Dragon Ball Z. Now Fullmetal Alchemist. Truly classic anime don’t come along every year and when one such as Fullmetal Alchemist gets such a revamping then it’s gotta be paid attention too.

Overall it’s an easy, easy choice. Gamers looking for a top quality anime that was made for Blu-ray need look no further than Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Beautiful animation and a quality story are just two reasons for gamers to jump in. For anime fans this is a chance to revisit a long and emotional journey which the Elric’s take us on. Reality does surpass memories a fact Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood takes all that fans loved and makes it better … it’s all just better.

Dragon Ball Z Kai Blu-ray vol. 1 Impression

Can three little letters make that big a difference to a legendary anime franchise? Can three little letters take an anime that’s not seen new material in years and make it relevant again? Can three little letters make fans who have purchased re-mastered, collected seasons and dragon box’s shell out more duckets for the same story again? Answer is a satisfying and surprising yes to all three counts as FUNimation has released on DVD and Blu-ray the first 13 episodes of the newly titled Dragon Ball Z Kai. The first change of course is to the title, adding those three magical letters, Kai, but is this just another release of the long running, outstanding franchise or something truly new and magical that both anime fans and blu-ray owners should check out? Let’s take a look …

The Story – Goku, Dragon Balls, tons of fighting. This volume gives a recap of who Goku is and the story is condensed down and goes from Raditz appearance to Goku facing off with Vegeta the first time. Yes this is the same story that fans have seen but what makes it unique this time is the editing, how FUNimation has pulled out all the fluff from episodes and gets to just the core story points. This is great for fans, for noobs and makes the purchase much easier on repeat buyers.

The Design & Animation – So it’s a mixed of new and old. The old is the animation that, while cleaned up, is still dated. Seeing the cast in their younger days if like looking through an old photo album, funny how they’ve changed. The older animation really shows when compared to the newly animated opening and closing as well as intermission images. These are top level quality only seen in the recent DBZ video game segments and will leave viewers dreaming of a DBZ feature with this quality of animation. Seeing the buff, high quality Goku and Vegeta faceoff in the opening makes viewers realize just how far this series has come. The design is classic Akira Toriyama and still unique to this day in anime. The audio tracks have been updated and the voice work is excellent, polished on a level the original dubs could never dream of.

Why Fans & Gamers Should Care – Kai is not a re-packaged of a great thing but rather a revamp of a classic. Fans should care as the adventure and action flows at a great pace and it looks outstanding on any HD television. Getting over the fact the filler content is omitted will be necessary for die-hard fans but it’s perfect, just perfect for noobs.

Gamers should care because Namco Bandai has revamped the franchise on consoles and there will be more titles showing up so brushing up on the source material and watching it in true HD is not just a treat, it’s a must for gamers taking a stroll with Goku and friends.

Overall, even non-fans should know the story and basics of Dragon Ball Z. It would have been too easy to just release the franchise on blu-ray with no major changes but the effort put into Kai makes it a tribute to fans and shows that FUNimation is not just out for a quick buck. Like Naruto, Dragon Ball Z is one of the most relevant anime to gamers and this new release needs to be paid attention too.

Samurai Champloo Blu-ray Impression

It’s this simple. If you dig Afro Samurai then you will absolutely love Samurai Champloo on Blu-ray from FUNimation. This three disc set contains the entire Samurai Champloo series with a ton special features and while it compares to Afro it stands so well on its own. The mixture of style and action has not been seen on this level since Cowboy Bebop (look it up, buy it) and while the PlayStation 2 Samurai Champloo outing was solid it cannot hold a flicker against the raging inferno that is Mugen, Jin and Fuu’s journey. What’s it all about …

The Story – Fuu is searching for the samurai who killed her father, the one who smells f sunflowers. Her search takes her to new locations where she takes odd jobs to support her search. One such job leads to a life changing encounter with wondering swordsman Mugen and silent ronin Jin. The two make a deal to stick with Fuu as she frees them from execution. The two agree to help as long as they get to finish their fight against one another. As the journey goes the past of all three comes to the surface and the action heats up.

This is just the beginning of the story as there is so much more, so many encounters, enemies, mysteries and fights to be had. The inclusion of hip-hop music and themes adds a layer of coolness that makes this more than a samurai anime. The story never gets boring or dull; it never slows down right until the end when you’ll be left wanting more. Action, action and more action is just the beginning of this stylish anime. It’s funny too, way too funny at times.

The Design & Animation – Totally the strength of this series is its unique design which brings in a funk, hip and hop that makes Samurai Champloo so unique and fun. The characters look great and the action is just superb. Settings are pulled from historic Japan while the character designs will sparks memories of Cowboy Bebop. The animation flows, fights feel like choreographed dances that sate the hunger of any action fan.

Why Gamers Should Care – PS2 adventure aside this series rocks. Afro Samurai saw great success (still does) in both anime and gaming and was right on time. Samurai Champloo was just a bit ahead of its time in its decent, not great, PS2 outing that got nowhere near the pub as Afro. The series on blu-ray should not be missed as it’s a great distraction from gamers time action gaming and will totally get them geeked to login and go crazy in their favorite game. Gamers should care because this is visual Red Bull, action over the top that will get the blood flowing.

Overall, Samurai Champloo is a great series and getting it all in one collection on blu-ray is a must even for fans who own the DVD collection (sell it on eBay). The bonus content includes concept art and opening music, trailers and a bumper gallery which shows off the style. That is just icing on one delicious, action filled cake.

Avatar Blu-ray Impression

Awards, records, praise from numerous media outlets. All this and more belongs to Avatar, James Cameron’s latest theatrical epic during its run in theatres, in 3D, but how does the home experience measure up? With so many amazing visual effects surely a blu-ray release would be packed with features, hours and hours of features on how Cameron’s team pulled off such an amazing visual feast … right? The answer is a mysterious, dollar driven, no. Does this mean blu-ray owners should take a pass? Let’s take a look. (If you are a die-hard Avatar fan no need to read, you already own the disc.)

To Buy – The blu-ray release features 2 disc. One of Avatar in HD, the second in SD. There are no special features, no making-of or interviews … not even a game trailer. Even an Earth Day related message would have been nice since the movie released on this date for a reason. That being said there are many viewers who will never watch 1 minute of a special feature no matter how many hours there are and it’s for these viewers that this disc is perfect. The tale of Pandora, the world is amazing in HD and even with a lack of 3D its well worth the purchase as it warrants multiple watches to appreciate the level of detail. If you are a viewer who cares little for special features and just about a great movie then this first blu-ray release is for you.

Or Not to Buy – Seen the movie, not impressed or happy with the first viewing in theatres, then don’t buy. Are you a movie collector that loves and lives for special features? Don’t buy this release. Making an Earth Day timeframe is nice but with the level of detail in these visuals there is bound to be a future blu-ray only, no DVD included, that contains the hours of features missing in this release. It’s that simple, if you are a movie watcher who wants special features this release is not for you.

The Wild Card – For those who own a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 doing a digital download, rental, is much cheaper and provides the movie experience as seen on blu-ray. Since there are zero special features the only item lacking is the disc and really how many times will you watch the flick?

Bottom line is the movie is amazing visually and while its story is predictable, in HD it amazes in ways few movies can. Knowing the amount of space on a blu-ray disc it’s a shame nothing made it into this release. The inclusion of a DVD with a blu-ray makes little sense unless you are going to let someone borrow the DVD. You have a blu-ray so why have a DVD too? If Avatar did not receive all the praise it has would its blu-ray release have been so light? Ponder this question if you are on the fence to buy Avatar and know there will be, there must be, another blu-ray packed with features … right?

Impression: Halo Legends Blu-ray

As game universes get bigger and more complex new media is needed to accomplish this. From books to card games and movies there are different media outlets to expand these universes and Halo is no exception. With a long running series of novels, comic adaptations, action figures and of course the games themselves it’s time for some animated action for Master Chief and his fellow soldiers and enemies. In Halo Legends, these seven stories unfold beautifully on blu-ray but what is each story about, let’s take a look …

• Origins I & Origins II – Who are the Forerunners, the Flood, the Covenant? How did the war begin, what is the history of Halo? These questions are answered in two tales of the past. The story is a recap of history while the animation is the most basic on the disc, almost like Ben 10 on Cartoon Network. It gets the job done but is nothing major to write home about. What these two stories accomplish is providing a rich back-story that shows there is more to Halo than the completed Human/Covenant war or Master Chief.
• The Duel – An internal power struggle, the quest for power and betrayal it brings. The Arbitor must take on a deadly foe. The story feels pulled from ancient Japan with its robe dress, honor and setting. The animation is like a water color painting come to life. A nice look into the life of an Elite but one that’s gorgeous to view.
• Homecoming – A female Spartan on a mission reliving the past as her present comes crashing down around her. Spartans may be super soldiers ripped from their families at an early age but they are still human with emotions and ties to the past. The animation is top quality, better than Babysitter and just below Prototype. The story is more insightful than touching even though it’s meant to be touching.
• Odd One Out – Whoops, seems a Spartan got left behind on planet and must faceoff against a new Covenant monster while dealing with a few odd kids, their pet dinosaur and two kung-fu orphans! The story is funny, it’s meant to be funny and delivers. Who said everything must be serious. The animation is quality but simple and over the top at times. Feelings of Dragon Ball spring to mind in the fight scenes and the overall mood is Halo meets over-the-top, funny traditional anime.
• Prototype – The story of a ‘ghost’, a solider with seemingly no emotion who makes the greatest sacrifice and goes missing in action while carrying out the Cole Protocol. The story is excellent, very deep and touching. The animation is outstanding, dark and some of the best seen on this Blu-ray. A look into the life of just another solider.
• Babysitter – A sniper mission to take out a prophet. The shooter, a Spartan, the support, a cocky team of ODST. One particular, young, ODST is not too happy about his sniping duties being removed and never gives the Spartan a chance but hey, that’s typical ODST MO. At the end of the mission opinions are changed. The story shows off just how powerful a lone Spartan can be and how human he is in his support of his ODST backup. The action is over the top, can you imagine a Halo fighting game? Just wait till the waterfall scene. The animation is a step below that seen in Prototype but still excellent. The coloring is well done, a very vivid episode showing more emotion than the others.
• The Package – A team of Spartans on a critical mission that cannot fail launched from a cloaked UNSC cruiser. The package must be recovered even at the cost of Spartans and for Master Chief a fateful encounter with an Elite who will help shape the Halo universe. The animation is computer generated; think Final Fantasy XIII cut scenes. The action is Star Wars meets Halo in the first portion with a few nods to the FPS view of the game in the second and back to Star Wars for a to brief duel. The story is simple, team of Spartans including Master Chief, must destroy a package and for the first time the sacrifice that Spartans made is revealed. Gamers, fans of the Halo universe can finally begin to appreciate the loss of Spartans in one simple mission, especially when the package is revealed.

Overall fans of the Halo universe will love this Blu-ray, this fan did. The novels offer expansion on the game universe but require a bit of time to read but with the Blu-ray gamers and fans get a snippet of each angle of the Halo galaxy, perfect compliment for the games and novels.

The bonus ‘Halo: The Story So Far’ is also a very nice treat as it captures the story, well so far and expands on those stories outlined above.

D. Gray-Man, Season 1 Part 1 Blu-ray Impression

Looking for a Blu-ray full of unique characters, great story with an animation and design style any animation fan, not just anime, will love? Get ready for D.Gray-Man, Season 1, Part 1 Blu-ray from FUNimation. The PlayStation 3 is more than a gaming machine. For many owners it’s their one and only Blu-ray player as well as a full online enabled machine with Netflix, Facebook and more. FUNimation has fully embraced this with a large lineup of Blu-ray titles as well as plenty of downloads in the PlayStation Store. It’s with these thoughts in mind that we bring you a look at some of the top level titles to hit Blu-ray from FUNimation and why gamers should take note, so legs get to it.

The Story – Allen Walker is an Exorcist, a human blessed/cursed with the power to control and use innocence. As a member of the Black Order its Allen’s and other exorcist job to hunt down and destroy Akuma, creatures created by the Millennium Earl, who prey on human pain. Those suffering as sought out and their pain is corrupted as they are turned into monsters to serve the Earl as he searches for the limited number of innocence in the world. To what ends the Earl hunts for these fragments is unknown but Allen is determined to stop him.

The Design & Animation – The characters are unique and very well designed, a design established in the manga and carried over to the anime. The settings are altered European and both dark and moody. The animation is fast paced and only slows to get into key story points. For those new to anime the quality of the characters and design is unique and not cookie-cutter. This is also the case for the animation style and quality. D.Gray-Man is a longer running series, over 30 episodes, yet it carries a quality of much shorter series where production cost is not as high.

Why Gamers Should Care – The story is deeper than explained above and laced with humor and a cast of characters well beyond just Allen. The cast is worthy of an RPG and gamers can just feel how perfect an RPG or fighting game these folks would make … even an adventure game. The design and animation is very unique even in the anime world and carries a dark moody style that gamers should just dig.

Overall, both anime and gaming fans will find a Blu-ray that delivers top quality animation, design and characters wrapped in a full body, deep, story that keeps the action coming. The voice work is also solid with some anime vets on board that gamers will recognize also. Fans of the manga need not worry, you will enjoy the series and with so many Blu-ray now to choose from D.Gray-Man is one series worth picking up in a very crowded field.