With all the high-minded, exquisitely animated anime series out there, sometimes it’s nice to turn your brain off and watch something that’s just plain fun. “Toriko,” out this week from Funimation, is one of those series. It’s from Toei, home to the likes of “Dragon Ball Z” and “One Piece,” so don’t expect high art. … Continue Reading →
The good news is that Funimation’s “A Certain Magical Index” starts out strong. The bad news is, six episodes in, it brings in a tired cliche that kills all my interest in the show. Of course, I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll just say I rolled my eyes and had no problem turning … Continue Reading →
I’ll be honest: I went into Funimation’s new “Steins;Gate” with some skepticism after reading the description. It was one of those “um, OK” moments. I almost gave up after the first episode, but I decided to watch the second, then the third, then the fourth, then the fifth — and then I had to come … Continue Reading →
I know they’re out there, but U.S. anime distributors don’t tend to pick up a lot of titles for kids if they’re not fighting series, so Funimation’s “Oblivion Island: Haurka and the Magic Mirror” is a real treat. Brightly colored and sweetly told, “Oblivion Island” is a story about memories of childhood and how important … Continue Reading →
“Fractale” starts out quirky, and I like quirky, so I knew I was in for a good show. Funimation’s latest this week opens with a human boy talking to his parents, two alien-looking creatures who, it turns out, are doppels, virtual doppelgangers of his actual parents, who live somewhere else. Clain lives in a world … 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 →
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 →
After reading Mekeisha Madden Toby’s summer show guide, which included only one show with geek appeal, “True Blood,” a co-worker said I should write up the geek response. So for those of us who couldn’t care less about another dance show or incognito millionaires, here are more shows to keep you on the couch and, … 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 →
To be honest, I haven’t visited the “.hack” universe since the original, “.hack://SIGN” almost 10 years ago (wow, 10 years). I found that series just shy of brilliant, with great animation and an incredible music score. I remember that. I also remember the sequel c0uldn’t keep my attention, and I let it fade from view. … Continue Reading →