There are a lot of pieces in “Zakuro” that fit together in a delicate balance that succeeds in creating one engaging show. There’s a bit of romance, a dash of humor, a hefty dose of the supernatural and just the right amount of action in this story of half-spirits and the military men who work … Continue Reading →
Clocking in at nearly two hours, “Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike” from Funimation is pretty hefty for a game spin-off. It’s also pretty stunning to watch, with some fantastic animation from Production I.G. But I’m getting ahead of myself. “Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike” is a prequel to the game, which has previously … Continue Reading →
Along with beloved series “Astro Boy” and “Kimba the White Lion,” Osamu Tezuka also gave manga and anime fans a cute little unicorn named “Unico.” And Discotek Media has finally released the two “Unico” movies originally available here in the 1980s on DVD after being long out of print on VHS. “The Fantastic Adventures of … Continue Reading →
Video games turned into movies don’t often fare well. And “Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker” won’t go down in the annals of great adaptations, but falls squarely in the middle. It’s not terrible, but it’s nothing special, especially for people who aren’t fans of the gaming franchise. Bioware’s “Dragon Age” games have been hits, … Continue Reading →
Disney has released “The Secret World of Arrietty” on DVD and Blu-ray this week, the latest from the renowned Studio Ghibli. I reviewed it when it came out in theaters, but it’s worth another plug, especially now that we get the original Japanese audio with a more accurate subtitle track. “Arrietty” is everything you’d expect … Continue Reading →
Here’s the second part of my interview with Nichelle Nichols of “Star Trek” fame. She’s appearing this weekend at Motor City Comic Con. In addition to her work on TV and in movies, she’s worked with NASA as a recruiter for minority astronauts. More recently, she’s lent her name and efforts to support President Barack … Continue Reading →
In case you haven’t heard, this weekend is Motor City Comic Con in Novi, the annual big geekfest at the Suburban Collection Showplace (formerly Rock Financial Showplace). With more than 100 comic guests, some of your favorites are sure to be there. Among mine (and why): Mike Grell (“Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes,” “Warlord”), … Continue Reading →
Anime is a genre that appeals to all ages, so teenagers have always been a powerful force in its popularity over the years. The best evidence of that comes this weekend with Anime-Park, a convention coming up this Saturday at Canton High School. Jeff Middleton, the convention chairman and a senior at Plymouth High School, … Continue Reading →
Volume 2 of NIS America’s charming “kimi no todoke — From Me to You” picks up right where the cliffhanger of January’s release left us. Beware a spoiler if you haven’t watched the first volume, which I reviewed a few months ago. Kurumi, the high school girl we all want to hate, has led Kazehaya … Continue Reading →
With a silly name like “The Legend of the Legendary Heroes,” you’d expect an all-out comedy, but you get something more dramatic in this new series from Funimation. Two dubbed sets are being released today, but the series has been available subtitled for streaming for a while now. This was my first chance to sit … Continue Reading →