DVD Review: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood part 1

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood part 1

(Funimation, 325 minutes)

http://www.fullmetalalchemist.com/

If you’re an anime fan, chances are you’ve already seen, read, or at the very least heard of Fullmetal Alchemist. Originally published as a manga written and drawn by Hiromu Arakawa, Fullmetal Alchemist tells the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two young alchemists who lost everything the night they decided to commit the greatest taboo in alchemy, bringing someone back to life. The series was adapted into back in 2003 and met with critical success for its deeply moving character drama and overly dark story. The only problem was that it strayed away from the original manga’s story, developing a new one in its place leaving purists calling foul.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is Studio Bones answer to those wanting to see an anime that more closely reflected the source material. Not to be mistaken for a sequel, Brotherhood instead retells the series from the beginning, adhering to much tighter story that leaves little room for divergence from what Arakawa originally intended.

Unfortunately, this means that the early episodes of the first series were bound to get reanimated. To some this will probably feel like an unnecessary rehash. Others, i.e. those who are new to the franchise won’t mind considering everything is new to them.

Set during an earlier time period in a world similar to our own, Alchemy is the leading form of science, allowing the military to win wars and create new inventions to further the progress of the state. Edward and Alphonse are two gifted young alchemists who committed the ultimate forbidden act in alchemic practice when they attempted to bring their mother back from the dead. Because alchemy was founded on the principle that everything is based on equivalent exchange, Ed lost is arm and leg while Al was stripped of his body, binding his soul to a suit of armor.

Flash forward a few years later and the two now work for the military, with Edward as a state alchemist and Alphonse following him around central. Due to Ed’s young age, he is looked at as something of a prodigy, gaining him the respect of other state alchemists. Together the two use the resources granted to them by the state to hunt for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, the key to restoring their bodies. As the show carries on, the two encounter a host of villains wanting to use the stone and the alchemists hunting it for their own purposes, namely the Homunculi.

Knowing the importance and anticipation behind this series, Funimation really stepped up to the plate to make this a worthwhile release. Rather than releasing the series in single disc format like the company did with the 2003 original, fans are treated to 13 episodes housed on two discs. In comparison to the previous release, that’s three times the amount of episodes. In addition, two audio commentaries featuring various members of the English voice cast can be found, one on each disc. Both are lively and somewhat informative as those new to the cast explain their takes on the role that was previously acted by someone else. Also included is the standard textless opening and closing as well as trailers for upcoming releases.

From top to bottom, the presentation of the show is superb. Studio Bones really went out of their way to make sure this was the definitive take on Fullmetal Alchemist. Not only does the animation show signs of improvement, the series received a stunning widescreen transfer that also helps put it a notch above it’s predecessor.

If there is one flaw to this set, it’s that it is basically a repeat of what has come before. While its almost guaranteed that the rest of the series will be different, those who have seen the original will come out of this with a sense of déjà vu. It also doesn’t help that because the animators knew they would have to animate the same story again, they opted to move through it as quickly as possible, creating pacing issues, though as stated before, new comers will be hard pressed to notice.

Fullmetal Alchemist is a gem of a series and truth be told, Brotherhood is as well. While there are minor gripes to be found, the quality of the set more than makes up for them. Regardless of whether you enjoyed the previous series or are a staunch supporter of the source material, this is the definitive Fullmetal Alchemist that everyone has been waiting for.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood part 1 - A-

Fruits Basket Banquet

Fruits Basket: Banquet

Story and Art:Natsuki Takaya

Rating: Teen

Created by Natsuki Takaya, Fruits Basket has since gone on to become one of the most popular manga titles in the world, running for 23 volumes before making the transition to anime. In America alone, the series has enjoyed success as the #1 selling shojo title. For fans who are unfamiliar with the series seeking to find out the reasons behind its popularity, Banquet provides an excellent primer.

Fruits Baskets is the story of Tohru Honda, a recently orphaned high school student who lives with the Sohma family in exchange cooking, cleaning, and general housekeeping. Over time she develops a friendship with her landlords and discovers that they are not what they appear. As it turns out, the Sohmas are possessed by the animal spirits of the zodiac, cursed to transform into said animal when hugged by a member of the opposite sex.

Fruits Basket: Banquet is akin to a supplemental book, featuring extra content that no fan would want to be without. Included are full color illustrations, interviews, commentaries, and games. There is much more content to be found between the covers that is sure to please fans though to detail it all would be exhaustive.

Casual fans will probably find minimal value in Banquet, diehards on the other hand, who can’t get enough of Takaya’s unique world and are still hungry for more are sure to find themselves attracted to this release.

Fruits Basket Banquet - B

DVD Review: Dragon Ball Season 4

Dragon Ball Season 4

(Funimation, 720 minutes)

http://www.funimation.com/dragonball/

When people think of anime, three series usually come to mind; Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and Dragon Ball, the latter of which being considered the most iconic. The series has achieved an unparalleled level of popularity that it has become standard viewing for anime fans, casual and hardcore alike. The series has certainly left its imprint on the US with countless releases that span from the original Dragon Ball to its predecessor Dragon Ball Z to the controversial and ill liked Dragon Ball GT. Twenty years later and the show about a little alien boy named Goku, originally sent to conquer the Earth only to become its greatest protector, is only now being released in complete season sets.

The previous box set gave us a the final moments of Goku’s struggle against the “Red Ribbon Army”, a militaristic organization bent on global conquest, as well as his battles against numerous supernatural foes as per the challenge of a fortune teller named Baba. From there, Goku and company once again entered into the “World Martial Arts Tournament” where they discovered new and powerful foes waiting to challenge them. Season 4 picks up in the middle of the tournament as Goku is forced to confront his toughest opponent yet, the three-eyed Tien shinhan.

When the two finally meet in the center of the stage, an explosive battle erupts that over shadows everything that has come before, as both combatants try out new techniques and out maneuver one another to gain the advantage. While one of the fighters comes up short, the tournament leads directly into the next arc where the story really starts to get going.

When the others discover Krillin murdered, they are shocked to find out that it was at the hands of King Piccolo, a demon king that ravaged the Earth several years prior, having now been freed once more. His goal is to collect the Dragon Balls in order to regain his youth, sending his demon minions after the strongest martial artists who might one day challenge him. Of course this puts him in direct conflict with Goku, setting the stage for several battles with his followers.

From a quality standpoint, the fourth season is far and away the superior grouping of episodes. From the story to the action, everything screams epic. It also helps that Funimation has gone back and digitally restored the series, supplying fans with a pleasing transfer.

Extras are once again minimal, sporting a marathon play feature that allows the viewer to watch the entire series as a whole, eliminating opening and closing credits. There is also a nifty booklet that gives us character bios and episode summaries.

If you’re already a fan of Dragon Ball then you know this set is essential viewing. At over thirty episodes a set, Funimation is really giving the fans a bargain, making it easier than ever to discover the magic of Akira Toriyama’s classic series.

Dragon Ball Season 4 - A

DVD Review: Invictus

Invictus

(Warner Home Video, 133 minutes)

http://invictusmovie.warnerbros.com/dvd/index.html

A number of sports films have suggested that a sport can unite various people from differing backgrounds through their common appreciation of the game. While that may be the basic selling point to Invictus, there’s so much more to this movie detailing the 1995 Rugby Cup match between New Zealand and South Africa. In fact, Invictus takes place at a crossroads between sports and politics with the unity of a nation at stake.

Chronicling the rise of Nelson Mandela as he takes his place as the leader of South Africa, Clint Eastwood’s latest venture takes us back to the turbulent years of the nation’s struggle for racial harmony among the people. After serving 27 years in prison, Mandela is prepared to bridge the racial divide in his country, using the unconventional means of doing so through sports. To do this he sets his sights on the less than spectacular rugby team captained by Francois Pienaar.

Due to the team’s ethnicity being mostly white, many of Mandela’s own supporters despised them, proposing that the team be dismantled under the pretense that they were a symbol black oppression. Rather than doing so, Mandela instead decides to challenge them to turn their losses around in order to inspire hope for their country.

From there, it’s pretty easy to guess where the film is headed, with all the dissenters coming together and joining as one to celebrate the triumph of their team and Mandela as a true champion for peace. Of course therein lies the flaw of Invictus. Taking the naïve belief that a sport can heal a fractured nation may sound good on paper but when applying it to real life, especially in the case of Africa, where Rugby is still considered a “white man’s” game, has to be considered a misstep for Eastwood.

Fortunately, the cast makes up for this with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon turning in their usual superb performances. Freeman is the obvious choice to play Mandela, from his noticeable similarity in appearance to his reserved charm. Damon’s accent is also convincing though a bit distracting for those who have heard his actual voice.

While Invictus isn’t likely to win Eastwood any awards, it still thrives as a portrait of Mandela and his struggle for peace. The story is questionable, even if there is some truth to it, the film still manages to come off as very natural and realistic, attributed to the fact that it was shot on location in South Africa.

As things are, it would be best to leave the cheers to the onscreen fans.

Invictus - B

DVD Review: One Piece season 2, seventh voyage

One Piece Season two, Seventh Voyage

(Funimation, 320 minutes)

http://www.onepieceofficial.com/

Picking up where the last set left off, the Straw Hat Pirates adventures in Alabasta have come to an end and it’s time for some much needed relaxation.

To do us all a favor, I’m going to withhold going over the basic plot as there are already several reviews up that already detail that information. Instead, lets just jump into what’s here.
After saving the kingdom of Alabasta from Baroque Works, Luffy and his crew once again resume their journey of the Grand Line in his quest to be king of the pirates. The first group of episodes delves into the back stories of Zoro and Chopper, giving further insight into what shaped them into the people they are today.

From there, we get a three episode mini arc about an old man named Zenny whose sole wish is to be a pirate. Unfortunately, he has a weak heart that is killing him. This is really nothing more than a fun diversion as most of the episodes on the set are.

Afterward, the set wraps up with a five episode story titled the Rainbow Mist arc, providing another fun diversion but nothing more. The Straw Hats bump into a scientist named Henzo and discovers the strange phenomenon known as the Rainbow Mists. Of course this arc has all the ingredients that make One Piece great including battles, treasure, and people trying to accomplish their dreams.

Bonus features are nowhere to be found her with the exception of a marathon play feature that plays the episodes back to back, eliminating the intro. Aside from that, there are a listing of trailers for Funimation’s latest releases.

If you’ve already collected the series up till now, chances are you will probably pick this set up. The show is epic, managing to draw the audience in every time. That said, these episodes are mainly “filler” and have no bearing on the future of the series. They’re not bad but they aren’t at the same level as other episode from the series past.

All in all, while this set is enjoyable, as previously stated, the episodes provide merely pleasant diversions until the story picks up again. Unlike past sets, this one isn’t required viewing.

One Piece season 2, seventh voyage - B