DVD Review: Death Note and Death Note: the Last Name

Death Note and Death Note the Last Name

Death Note has carved out a nice little niche for itself within the manga industry. Thanks to its gothic flare and psychological intrigue, it has garnered much acclaim among fans. So then it had to be a no brainer that some form of adaption would follow. Thus we received the pair of live action films Death Note and its sequel Death Note: the Last Name.

As a rule, there has been very little success in translating manga/ anime into live action movies. Take Dragonball Evolution for example. Death Note however is less about the fantasy aspects of the genre and more about the psychological side. Perhaps this is why the movies work so well. They aren’t over the top, focusing more on the human drama than anything else.

Death Note follows the story of ace student Light Yagami, a prodigy in nearly everything he does. The only thing that rivals Light’s intellect is his tremendous sense of justice. Having grown bored with the world around him, Light is surprised to find on his way a home a note book that seemingly drops out of the sky. On the front cover it reads Death Note. Inside is a written list of rules that allow him to literally kill anyone he wants by simply writing down their name. They are as follows:

• The human whose name is written in this note shall die.
• This note will not take effect unless the writer has the subject's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected.
• If the cause of death is written within 40 seconds of writing the subject's name, it will happen.
• If the cause of death is not specified, the subject will simply die of a heart attack.

Despite having doubts about the note book, Light allows his curiosity to get the better of him. After testing the Death Note, Light discovers that he controls the ability to manipulate the lives of virtually around him. Soon, Light is visited by the Death God Ryuk who reveals that he was the Death Note’s original owner, having dropped it in the human realm out of sheer boredom. Recognizing the power he now controls, Light sets out to create a utopia in which crime is nonexistent. After several criminals begin dropping dead from heart attacks the public dubs the mystery killer Kira and begins worshipping him as a god.

With criminals around the world dropping like flies, the NPA( National Police Agency) is forced to search for the person responsible. This is only the beginning however, as the FBI interjects itself into the mix, actively hunting Kira. Even the world’s greatest detective, known simply as L, decides to get involved, eager to pit himself against Kira in a game of wits with the loser paying the ultimate price. With enemies on all sides, Light devises a plan that will allow him to rid himself of the FBI, as well as the NPA, ultimately bringing him face to face with L.The first film serves as a character introduction, displaying the level of Light’s genius as compared to L’s own formidable intellect.

Death Note the Last Name picks up right where the first left off. With L suspecting Light as Kira, he invites him to join him in the investigation as a way to bring himself closer to the truth. Light of course accepts, taking the opportunity to corner his elusive rival. The cat and mouse game between the two intensifies when a second Kira makes their presence felt, ultimately giving L the evidence he needs to bring down Light. Unfortunately for him, Light is prepared and implements a plan that will lead to one final duel between he and the master detective.

Both films manage to capture the spirit of the source material quite nicely despite moving at a faster pace. Special effects aren’t especially impressive considering the budget they had to work with. That said I applaud the film maker's decision to stick as close to Ryuk’s original design as they did, retaining his unique look.

Another enjoyable aspect was the arrival of Misa Amane, the second Kira. Despite the dark nature of the films, her wide eyed exuberance is a welcome change of pace that adds a new dimension to the story. The decision to contrast her gothic Lolita look with the behavior of a teen idol was inspired and the actress pulls it off quite well, bringing gravity to the role.

What I found most intriguing about the two films was the degeneration of Light’s sanity, as he slipped closer and closer to madness. He is so desperate to rid himself of L that he loses sight of his goals. Likewise, L’s final gambit was truly a defining moment of the films as he proves that he truly is prepared to risk everything to bring Kira to justice.

Both films are engaging as they allow the viewer to wonder what they would do if given the power of the Death Note. The movies are designed to illicit an emotional reaction within the audience, more than what most Hollywood blockbusters manage to do.

Death Note - B

Death Note: the Last Name - A

Manga Reviews: Quick Hits

D.N.Angel Volume 13

Daiduke Niwa is just an average middle school student until one day he discovers he has the unique ability to transform into the legendary phantom thief Dark Mousy. The only cure is for the girl he loves to return his feelings.

Volume 13 begins with a flashback revealing the history between Dark and his rival Krad and how their battle is still playing out in the present. Despite this, Daisuke has more pressing matters to worry about, such as rescuing his crush, Risa Harada, from the clutches of the mad child Argentine, who plans to restore his own love by using Risa as a sacrifice.

As one has come to expect from D.N.Angel, the artwork is fantastic. Characters designs are pleasant to look at with each one carrying a unique look. It’s clear from the amount of detail on each page, how enthusiastic the artist is about this series.

This volume answers many questions that have been building since the beginning of the series while introducing several more. With an engaging plot, action, and romance, D.N.Angel has something for everyone.

D.N.Angel Volume 13 – B+




















.Hack//Alcor
Acting as a standalone chapter in the .Hack Franchise, Alcor tells the story of Nanase as she enters the popular online game, The World. There she develops a close relationship with her guildmaster , Silabus. Unfortunately for her, everyone is too busy paying attention to the new arena champion Alkaid.

Throughout the story, Nanase is forced to come to grips with her emotions and journeys on a quest to prove herself. Aside from Nanase, everyone else is bland and one-sided. Silabus is your average handsome love interest and Alkaid is the strong female that everyone aspires to be.

Besides Nanase’s quest, the other building arc is Alkaid’s upcoming challenge with a rival who has the potential to dethrone her as champion. Sadly, only one of these plot points deliver as the Alkaid’s battle is never shown. Instead, we only see the aftermath.

All in all, even though this is a one-shot, it feels incomplete. Not enough time is devoted to other characters making them little more than plot devises. It carries with it a nice message to work toward making your own dreams come true but other stories have done it so much better. Fans of the .Hack franchise might want to give it a look but otherwise pass.

.Hack//Alcor – B-




















Maria Holic Volume 2

Maria Holic tells the story of Kanako as she enrolls herself into an all female student catholic school in the hopes of finding her “soul mate”. Instead she encounters Mariya, a foul mouthed cross-dresser who is also enrolled in the school as part of her Grandmother’s eccentric tests to determine her heir.

In case you couldn’t tell by the above description, this is an off the wall series. It breaks convention with both its story and its characters. Even stranger is the unexplained plot devices such as the creature in Kanako’s bag that appears and disappears without any notice.

Unfortunately, there are more than a few anti lesbian jokes scattered throughout the volume. Kanako is constantly made to look either perverted or like a fool. Mariya is almost always presented as abusive and Kanako usually takes it in stride because she can’t help but feel attracted to his girlish figure.

It’s hard to recommend this series, especially due to the sheer absurdity of its premise; that coupled with its disturbing humor will more than likely put off a majority of people. There almost seemed to be an open hostility toward Kanako for being lesbian though others may look at it as all in good fun. Either way, based on my own personal opinion I would say skip it, but I suggest everyone else form their own conclusions.

Maria Holic Volume 2 – C-

Mangaphile - Spreading the Word on Manga

Mangaphile – A person infatuated with manga
Manga - Japanese Comics

What is it about beautiful woman who wield dangerous weapons that continues to fascinate us? Black Lagoon may not have the answer but it sets out to remind the audience why we love them.

Black Lagoon follows the exploits of Rokuro Okajima, or “Rock” as he later comes to be known, as he becomes entangled in the dealings of foul mouthed outlaws and fearsome gangsters. When he is caught in the middle of his company’s industrial crisis, he is abandoned by his superiors, forcing him to make the fateful decision of beginning a new life as a member of the outlaw crew who reside on the Black Lagoon.

Each member of the group serves a purpose aboard the ship, carrying out specific duties best designed for them. Dutch serves as the calm calculating leader, Revy as the guntoting beauty, and Benny, the computer genius and engineer. As the book unfolds, the crew becomes involved with one crazy mission after another, all in the name of earning a quick buck.

The idea that a woman could be just as capable as a man when it comes to kicking butt and taking names is prominently featured throughout the book as some of the toughest characters are female. From the malicious mafia leader Balalaika to the rocket wielding maid Roberta, Black Lagoon provides a breath of fresh air in not just its knack for over the top characters but also its willingness to show women who are as respected as they are feared.

Being an action series, Black Lagoon shamelessly pumps out page after uber-violent page of blood inducing gore. Make no mistake, this is not a title for youngsters. Blood is prevalent and profanities are strewn across every other page. Fortunately, the series never tries to be something it isn’t. Part of what make Black Lagoon so fun is its acceptance of its own violent nature.

The main strength of the series would have to be its art, which is provided by Rei Hiroe, who serves as both its artist and writer. The artwork delivers in both the design and the action. Each page is layed out carefully, populated with cleverly unique characters and perfectly paced action choreography that looks to have come straight out of a movie.

Reading Black Lagoon almost feels like watching your favorite Quentin Tarantino film. The graphic non-stop violence and the foul mouthed personas that run rampant act as parts of a whole that when combined, form a brutal sexually charged thrill ride that will leave you wanting for more.

Bret Hart: Hitman – My Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling

Bret Hart once represented the best that wrestling had to offer. As a true athlete and a great worker, he strove to put on outstanding matches that are still to this day considered classics; all the while never seriously injuring a fellow wrestler. He is a multi-time champion having won numerous titles from several different organizations and regarded as one of the best in the history of the business. It is for these reasons that the darkness that has plagued his life in and out of the ring is that much more poignant.

Hart’s story is unlike any other, tracing his life as a youth growing up in the world of wrestling; being raised in the fabled Hart house under the parentage of the legendary Stu Hart. Bret details what it was like being so close to the business to the business with his family’s monetary woes being a central issue. Before long, he proves that wrestling runs deep within his veins as he joins his father’s territory, quickly rising through the ranks until ultimately being crowned champion.

With time, Bret is given the chance to shine on a grander stage in the form of the World Wrestling Federation. There he is paired with Jim Neidhart and Jimmy Hart to form the popular tag team, the Hart Foundation.

Of course, Bret’s exceptional skill guaranteed that he was destined for greatness as he embarked on a singles career that would earn him many accolades such as the intercontinental championship, the world championship, and the moniker “the excellence of execution”.
It seemed as though his future was secure until jealousy and betrayal reared their ugly heads resulting in the now infamous “Montreal screw job”.

What made the book such a fascinating read was Bret’s unrepentant honesty and eye for detail. Never once does he go out of his way to insult anyone to satisfy his own ego. While he does take shots at those who have wronged him, he gives credit where its due; to Vince McMahon for his genius despite orchestrating the screw job; to Shawn Michaels for his gifted athletic ability despite having the attitude of a spoiled child.

Unsurprisingly, the book goes into startling detail, giving insight into the bleaker side of pro wrestling; chiefly the much reported abuse of pain killers by wrestlers. It truly is shocking just how many legends have been brought down by their demons. Bret’s firsthand account only serves to remind us of the stigma that comes from being associated with wrestling and the heavy cost it carries.

It’s a grim reminder of the tragedy that has echoed throughout his life from the betrayal of his boss, to the catastrophic death of his brother, finally culminating in a career ending injury that still torments him to this day. Through it all Bret perseveres, taking solace in the fact that he will always be remembered by fans and his peers for all his accomplishments. His story transcends wrestling, showing that its impossible to kill the legacy of a man so long as someone remembers what he once symbolized.

Bret’s book proves he embodied everything wrestling had the potential to be and that despite everything, he will always be considered an honest man in a business filled with backstabbers.

Bret Hart: Hitman- My Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling – A+

Iron Man 2 Trailer

This looks like it is shaping up to be a worthy follow-up to its predecessor. Robert Downey was born to play Tony Stark.

Holiday Buyer's Guide

Look to Japan this holiday season because that’s where all the best gifts are. When it comes to shopping for that someone special for the holidays, consumers often find it difficult to select from the endless hoard of potential gifts. Knowing someone’s interests is a key factor in giving a gift that will be cherished rather than returned/exchanged. Japanese products have continued to gain popularity in America and offer several options in every media to appease even the pickiest of gift receivers. Here are just a few suggestions to go by:

For the Artist or Animation fan:

The Art of Ponyo makes for a great gift for anyone studying art and/or animation. This lavish oversized book houses hundreds of sketches, notes, and interviews that gives the reader greater insight into the amount of the detail that went into making the movie. From “the father of Japanese animation” Hayao Miyazaki, Ponyo is the latest masterpiece from the famed director to reach US shores, opening to critical acclaim. The book also features the complete movie script, making it the perfect companion for any fan.

For the Video Game Player:

For many parents, finding a game that packs a powerful punch without inducing frame after frame of gore can be one of the toughest tasks this holiday season. Luckily Nintendo has just the solution to your shopping woes. New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Mario: Bowser’s Inside Story for the Nintendo DS provide the perfect mix of graphics and story to satisfy even the most hardcore of gamers. Created back in 1981 by legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario has spawned a franchise that has pleased gamers of all ages. Nintendo is up to its usual standard of quality with both games sporting superb graphics and stories to match.

For the Comics Fan and the Reader of Books:

While characters like Superman, Batman, and Spider-man have been around for years dominating the American comic industry, their 40+ years of continuity can often intimidate fans rather than entice them. Japanese comics (or manga) present a wide variety of stories that features compelling characters and excellent artwork. For parents that have are looking for ways to get their child into reading, manga acts as the perfect gateway. Popular titles such as Naruto and D.Gray-Man are geared more towards young adults and have proven to be strong sellers among the demographic.

Naruto is the story of Uzumaki Naruto, a misfit Ninja who carries within him a powerful demon fox. Despite the fear and hatred displayed toward him by his fellow villagers, Naruto is determined to become the greatest ninja ever known and protect his friends from those who would threaten his village.

D.Gray-Man follows a similar formula as it features another outcast youth trying to find his place in the world. Allen Walker was cursed with a demonic eye when he tried to resurrect his friend. Now he travels the world confronting demons in an effort to prevent anyone from making his same mistake.

Even sports fans have a selection of titles to choose from like the football series Eyeshield 21 that is an action and adventure series starring meek Sena Kobayakawa whose daily routine usually consists of running errands for school bullies. After doing so for years, he develops an amazing level of speed that makes him the perfect match for the fledgling football team at Deimon High School.

For more mature readers, the done in one volume Go Go Monster promises a good read. Yuki Ichibana is a boy who can see and talk to monsters inhabiting his school. The other kids believe his ‘monsters’ to be nothing more than a figment of his imagination but Yuk knows the truth. A war between these creatures is coming and his school is at the center of it all.

For the Movie and Television Fan:

With the advent of new shows and movies cropping up every year, it can be difficult to choose which ones you believe will provide the most entertainment.

Monster is an award winning animated series that provides a mature psychological story of a doctor whose greatest act of kindness leads to his ultimate misfortune. When Dr Tenma saves a young boy named Johan from certain death, the boy grows up to become a serial murderer. With his career in ruin, Tenma’s only hope is to find Johan and bring him to justice. The first fifteen episodes of this enthralling series are available in the form of a box set.

For those looking for something with a more epic feel, 20th Century Boys: Beginning of the End provides a suspense-filled piece of sci-fi cinema. Based on Naoki Urasawa’s manga opus of the same name, 20^th Century Boys is the first of a trilogy of films to be released that deal with a boy’s comic and the apocalyptic future it prophesizes. It’s up to seven friends to stop a cult whose goal is to destroy the world. This first film is an adaption of the first five volumes in the series. The film packs quite a punch and leaves the viewer anticipating the continuation of the story.

20th Century Boys: Beginning of the End

In 1969 Kenji Endo spent his childhood days dreaming of changing the world through Rock and Roll. Jump to 1997 and his aspirations of becoming a rock star have all but faded. Instead, he has decided to take over his family’s work running a liquor store that is soon to be a franchise convenience store all the while looking after his niece who was left in his care by his sister before she vanished. Soon his world is rocked when the police drop by to question him about the disappearance of family and the suicide of a friend. During a class reunion, Kenji learns of a mysterious cult that appears to be behind the disappearances with a symbol that was created by Kenji and his friends when they were children. Even worse, a virus has broken out threatening to wipe out all of Japan. Everything appears to be linked to “the Book of Prophecy”, a story Kenji wrote when he was a child. So goes the story of 20th Century Boys, a sprawling epic about childhood dreams and the consequences that must be dealt with for having them.

Based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa, 20th Century Boys is the first of a trilogy of films to be released that deal with a boy’s comic and the apocalyptic future it prophesizes. This first film is an adaption of the first six volumes in the series, compressing around 1200 pages of story into roughly two and a half hours of screen time. Having read both the original comic and now seen the movie, I can confidently say that the film makers handled the transition admirably.

The trilogy on the whole is one of the biggest in Japanese history with a budget of 6 billion yen( roughly 55.68 million US dollars) and a cast of 300 actors. With a cast that large it’s impossible to get to know every character but the film makers do an impressive job of sneaking small bits into the film that return later to provide a massive payoff. There are a few actions scenes spread thinly throughout but when they do occur they are suspenseful and executed wonderfully though the special effects can be considered small potatoes when compared to American cinema.

For all its strengths, 20th Century Boys truly stands on the performance of the lead Toshiaki Karasawa as Kenji. His portrayal of a nice guy trying to do right by everyone brings a character that most of us can relate to. As the movie progresses so does his character’s growth, becoming more determined to discover the meaning behind the events transpiring around him.

It’s because of all these things that 20th Century Boys: Beginning of the End manages to provide an exciting on its own rather than falling into the trappings of page for page adaptations. From the very start of the movie, a sense of intrigue is introduced that lingers right until the end. If this first offering and the accompanying trailer at the end of the credits is any indication, this may be trilogy that may prove to rank amongst the best in cinema.

20th Century Boys: Beginning of the End - A