XAvenger's stats
- Review count169
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- First reviewSeptember 6, 2007
- Last reviewDecember 27, 2013
- Featured reviews2
- Average rating5
- Review comment count3
- Helpfulness votes2
- First review commentSeptember 24, 2011
- Last review commentOctober 12, 2011
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Posted by: XAvenger
This is widely considered one of the best anime series ever made, and rightly so! Cowboy Bebop is a strong contender for the title of 'coolest anime ever made'.
The series follows Spike Spigel and his crew of bounty hunters, Jet, Faye, Ed and Ein the dog, as they wander about the solar system. Most of the series is pretty episodic, there is a story arc in the last two or three episodes, but most episodes are pretty self-contained. Some episodes are packed with action, other episodes are more comedic, others are deadly serious. All are consistently outstanding. Brilliantly written and superbly animated.
There's lots of chase scenes and some great martial arts duels in the action episodes, even some nice space combat. The comic episodes are all hilarious, one has a great parody of 2001: A Space Oddessy and the dramatic episodes will keep you glued to your seat.
This is truly one of the best anime series you will ever see, and no anime collection can be complete without it. If you are curious about anime, this is a great series to start with. It's also the perfect anime to show your friends who aren't familiar with anime.
There is no downside to the original production, the only fault lies with the English dub. The English voice actors do a passable job in thier respective roles, but none are of the same calibur as the Original Japanese cast. Koichi Yamadera is perfect as Spike and Megumi Hayashibara is extraordinary as Faye. Watch it in Japanese with the subtitles, it's not at all hard to watch the subtitled version (trust me on this) and you will be treated to the Original performances, rather than a performance tailored to lip-synching.
For anime at it's best, look no further than Cowboy Bebop.
See you later, Space Cowboy.
What's great about it: Top quality production all around
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie [DVD] [2001]
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This release from the dramatic anime series Kanon includes all 24 episodes of the show on four discs, telling the story of a young man named Yuuchi, who returns to his childhood town for high school after years abroad, only to find that his relationships with the girls in his neighborhood have become extremely complicated. Extras with the release include textless songs and trailers.
Customer Rating
5
An emotional roller-coaster
on June 19, 2010
Posted by: XAvenger
Here is a truly fantastic anime. Kanon starts off as a slice of life series but as the series progresses supernatural elements come into play.
The series protagonist, Yuichi, moves in with his aunt and cousin who live in Japan's snow country. Yuichi remembers something happening the last time he visited his family there, but does not remember what. Slowly, he begins to piece together his memory. Along the way, we encounter the supernatural in the form of shape-shifters, mysterious spirits and psychic powers. All of which feel real in the context of the series.
The main focus is of course on the characters themselves. Each of Kanon's diverse players is very well developed and you feel like you have a real emotional bond with them. From likeable guys like Yuichi, to energetic girls like Ayu and Makoto, to quiet types like Mai and Shiori. Each character gets time in the spotlight and adds to the overall drama of Kanon. There are a few action scenes, but most of the suspense is emotional. There are some truly shocking moments in Kanon, moments that will leave you breatless! All serves to draw you in to this brilliantly realized world that could be just a few doors away.
The animation from start to finish is astounding. Some of the best 2D cel animation I have ever seen, even more astounding when you consider this was a weekly TV series. The movements are smooth and fluid and all charaters and backgrounds are expertly drawn. The direction is masterful as well, even when nothing major is happening, you still can't take your eyes off it.
The Japanese cast does a superb job. All are very well cast and do a tremendous job. As emotionally powerful as Kanon is, you really need to hear the Original voice cast. The Japanese cast helped to create Kanon and the story was structured around a Japanese spaeaking cast. The English cast is not at the same level as the Japanese cast and, because Japanese has a different grammatical structure than English, emphasis can come at inappropriate times in the English version. The English dub loses a great deal of the Original Japanese version's impact. It's well worth it to watch this with English subtitles. And reading subtitles is not even half as hard as you might think. In fact, after a while (and you'll be surprised at just how short a while) watching the anime and reading the subtitles becomes second nature.
No giant robots and no grand space battles, just quality anime.
What's great about it: Great story and breathtaking animation
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Posted by: XAvenger
Grenadier follows a beautiful warrior named Rushuna as she searches for her past. along the way, she strives to make the world a better place.
The world of Grenadie is based on feudal Japan, but Rushusna herself is a Wild-west style gunslinger. This may sound strnage, but the combination of Eastern and western elements works very-well in this series.
There is action aplenty in Grenadier, from samurai style sword deuls to Rushuna's amazing skill with pistols. there's also some cool mecha action thrown in for good measure. All of the action scenes are very well animated and are surprisingly non-violent.
Rushuna is a great character, an expert with guns who is also a very warm and caring person. She's the type who captures the viewer's heart. She is also one of the most stunning beauties in anime, Rushuna has an absolute kncokout figure! And she's none too shy about giving the viewer a healthy dose of fan-service in each episode(nothing 'R' rated, but it's still not for kids). Rushuna has a lovely physique, and we get so many opportunities to appreciate her well-animated form. Even if the series were not as well-written as it is, it would still be worth it just to see the beautiful Rushuna in action.
Watch the series in Japanese. The Original Japanese cast is much better than the English dub cast.
Grenadier is East-meets-West action and comes fully loaded with some oh-so-nice fan-service from the gorgeous Rushuna!
What's great about it: Nice action anime with tons of fan-service!
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Your dreams of reality TV stardom and racetrack domination are within your grasp. In this intensely competitive reality television show, each race is more than just a chance to push your car to its limits: It's also your opportunity to strive for the fame you've always dreamed of. If you truly want to claim victory as the season champion, you'll have to ruthlessly take out your opponents ~ and remain ever vigilant on the track to ensure you don't get taken out yourself.In Split/Second, you are a racer taking part in a hypercompetitive reality television show, keenly aware that your every turn is being viewed by a vigilant TV audience. Roar toward the finish line through a made-for-TV city designed for destruction. Ram your car into competitors' vehicles to attempt to knock them off the track, and do your best to trigger explosives that have the potential to alter the entire course of the race. Navigate the track's ever-changing dynamics, derailing your opponents with pinpoint timing and blazing entirely new routes to help you capture the championship.
Customer Rating
5
When you wish upon a car
on June 17, 2010
Posted by: XAvenger
This is one of the best racing games I've ever played.
The action is fast and the racing physics feel real, but the kicker is in the power plays. Split Second is the name of a ficticious racing TV series and all races take place on a set rigged to blow.
Explosions go off and large boulders or steel girders drop from the sky all around you to create a true white knuckle race. The tracks can even change from one lap to the next. You need to stay on your toes the whole time. You can set off explosions and route changers, but so can your opponents.
The graphics are outstanding. Not quite up to Gran Turismo level, but they still look great. The cars and tracks all look pretty realistic.
The controls work very well. Gamplay is among the best I've seen in any racing game.
The only change I would have made is to add a customize option. A shop where you could buy parts to customize a cars performance or its appearance would have made Split Second perfect.
What's great about it: Intense racing action
What's not so great: Can't really customize your cars
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Classic 2D Street Fighter action returns in this follow-up to the critically acclaimed Street Fighter IV. Continuing to redefine the fighting game genre, Super Street Fighter IV delivers new and returning characters, more advanced online gameplay, amazing hard-hitting ultra combos and much more. Deliver punches, roundhouse kicks and special moves to fight your way to the title.Super Street Fighter IV is a follow-up to the award-winning Street Fighter IV. Featuring classic 2D animations and graphics that are synonymous with the Street Fighter franchise as well as the authentic fast-paced fighting action, Super Street Fighter IV includes the full roster of 25 fighters from Street Fighter IV like Ryu, Ken, Crimson, Viper and Rufus, as well as adding eight new characters to the universe. Use all-new ultra combos to attack your opponent and rack up points. Go online to challenge friends and people around the world with the enhanced online gameplay or use the state-of-the-art online matchmaking to fight anyone. Deliver hard-hitting combos today and fight your way to the championship.
Posted by: XAvenger
Street Fighter IV was the best Street Fighter yet, and this game makes it even better!
The look, feel and gameplay is much the same as SF IV, but with a number of improvements.
For one, each character now has 2 Ultra Combos, which adds more flexibility to the game (I really like Chun-Li's 'Kikosho', much easier to execute than her other Ultra). The bonus stages are back, you can crush a car and bust barrels.
The best improvement for me is the expanded cast. Charatcers from the Street Fighter Alpha series return for more action and some of the cooler characters from SF III get into the action too. I liked some of the characters from SF III but was never able to get into the game itself, so it's great to see these characters in such an outstanding game. There are also two new characters, I'm not too fond of Juri, but Hakan is a great character. His style is unique and lots of fun to watch. The only thing I would have added is Karin Kanzuki from SF Alpha or some of the SF EX characters.
The controls work great and the difficulty is adjustable so players at any level can enjoy Super Street Fighter IV.
The only down-side is the English language version. The original Japanese cast feautres some top-flight voice cast from anime, the English dub cast just does not measure up. It's great that you can choose the original Japanese dialogue, no one is forcing you to play this game with the English voices.
Super Street Fighter IV is more of what made Street Fighter IV such a great game. Superb graphics, fast-paced action and brilliant gameplay. This is worth the price even is you do have Street Fighter IV. If you don't already have Street Fighter IV, this is the one to get!
What's great about it: Great graphics, fast action and great fun
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Posted by: XAvenger
Ponyo tells the simple tale of a mermaid named Ponyo who befriends a five year old boy named Sosuke. Ponyo and Sosuke go on a magical adventure together as Ponyo tries to become Human. The plot is pretty simple, but it so brilliantly executed.
The direction, by Hayao Miyazaki, is fantastic as always. The animation is fluid and colorful, some of the best 2D cel animation made in recent years. The music, by Joe Hisaishi, is great and suits the movie perfectly. The voice-acting, in the Original Japanese version, is superb. All voice-actors are well-cast and do a great job as thier respective characters.
In the extras, there are features on the making of Ponyo, including a segment from a documentary about real-world locations that inspired Studio Ghibli films. I want to see the rest of that documentary. There's also input from Miyazaki himself. In the interactive portion, you can find out which Ponyo character you are most like or uncover video clips and animations in the Kiki, Totoro and Castle in the Sky sections.
The only downside is the English dub. None of the English voice-actors fit thier roles and many sound age inappropriate. The Japanese cast is infinetly better.
Ponyo is magical fun for the entire family. It's a great movie for children and adults can enjoy it as well. See it for yourself and you'll know why Hayao Miyazaki is considered one of the best directors in animation.
What's great about it: Great story and animation
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Posted by: XAvenger
Castle in the Sky is a great action movie for the whole family and shows that you can have action without violence.
The story starts off with a young girl on the run from sky pirates. The girl, Sheeta, meets a boy named Pazu who lives in a quite mining village. What follows is a swashbuckling adventure movie that takes to the skies in a quest for a mythic city in the sky called Laputa.
The animation is superb, as is always the case with Studio Ghibli films. All of the characters are well drawn and distinctive. The design of the mecha and the backgrounds is very heavily influenced by the works of Jules Verne, I loved the robots in Laputa itself. The music is great and fits the action nicely.
The story is well told and very well thought out. Hayao Miyazaki shows once again that he is one of the world's premiere directors of animation. Castle in the Sky is at turns exciting and touching. A very well told coming of age story.
The extras include background on the making of Castle in the Sky and an interactive portion. In one part of the 'World of Ghibli', you can find out which Castle in the Sky character you are most like. In the others, you can play a Where's waldo style game with Kiki, Totoro or Ponyo and uncover video segments and some cute animations.
Do not watch the English dub! Not only are the voices ill-cast in the English version (Pazu sounds awful) the English voice actors can't even pronounce the names properly! Laputa is pronounced 'La-pu-ta', just like it's written out, not 'La-peew-ta' like the English voice actor for Pazu mangles it. And that's just one of many problems with the dub version. There are a few problems with the subtitle timing in a few isolated scenes (which does not happen in Kiki, Totoro or Ponyo) but I still recommend the Japanese version.
For High-flying fun the whole family can enjoy, check out Castle in the Sky!
What's great about it: Great action movie
What's not so great: English dub mainly
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
One of Studio Ghibli's finest
on March 15, 2010
Posted by: XAvenger
This is one of my all-time favorite movies!
'My Neighbor Totoro' tells the story of two young girls, Satsuki and her younger sister Mei, and thier mysterious friend named Totoro. Totoro is, of course a large, furry forest spirit that only children can see. Totoro shows Satsuki and Mei glimpses of his world and shows them how there is magic everwhere.
What follows is a brilliantly made film. The writing and directing, both by Hayao Miyazaki, are of the highest caliber. Totoro has a simple story, telling a slice-of-life tale, but it keeps your attention very well and leaves you feeling very glad you decided to take this trip with Totoro and his friends. The music, by Joe Hisaishi, is great and features a great etherial theme for Totoro himself. The animation is well-drawn and fluid, some of the best 2D cel animation you'll ever see!
The extras have some nice insights on the making of 'Totoro'. Both Hayao Miyazaki and producer Isao Takahata give their insights on the making of this one-of-a-kind film. There's also a segment from "Scenery of Ghibli', a documentary about locations that inspired Studio Ghibli films (there really is a place called 'Totoro's Forest'!!!). There's also an interactive protion where you can find out which of 'Totoro's' characters you are most like as well as some 'Where's Waldo' like games for 'Kiki's Delivery Service', Castle in the Sky' and 'Ponyo'.
When you watch this movie, watch it in the ORIGINAL JAPANESE and not the English dub. The English voice actors for Satsuki and Mei not only do not fit their characters but neither sound age appropriate. That's just one of many problems with the dub version.
This is perfect for the whole family. Children and adult alike can enjoy a trip through Totoro's world.
What's great about it: One of the best animated features ever made
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Posted by: XAvenger
If you are interested in Kinki's Delivery Service, this is the DVD edition to get! The re-release has the same movie, but the second DVD has much better extras.
Kiki's Delivery Service is a coming of age story about a young witch trying to make her way in the world. The only magic she ever mastered was flying on her broom so she starts her own flying delivery service (hence the title). Along the way, she makes new friends and learns how to make her own magic.
Kiki is a great character. She may be a witch, but she behaves much like any other girl her age and it is a pleasure to see her character develop as the movie progresses. Jiji, Kiki's long suffering black cat, is another great character. He serves mainly as comic relief and his misadventures are very funny.
This is my favorite Studio Ghibli movie. Writing, directing and animation are all top-notch and there is not a flaw to be found anywhere (at least in the Original Japanese language version). It's a great movie for children but adults can enjoy it as well, perfect family entertainment.
The second DVD has some nice extras. There's an interactive portion which features worlds from Kiki and other Studio Ghibli films. The worlds of the other films have a 'Where's Waldo' style game that uncovers video clips and some funny animations. The Kiki portion is a 'Which character in Kiki are you most like?' game where you find out which of the movie's characters you are most similar too by answering a few questions.
There's also a 'Behind the scenes' portion with background information on the movie. This part includes input from director Hayao Miyazaki and composer Joe Hisaishi. There's alos a segment from a documentary on real world locations that inspired Kiki. The Totoro and Ponyo DVD's also have segments from this documentary, but I'd like to see the whole documentary!
The Japanese language version is much better than the English dub! The Japanese cast all fit their characters perfectly, but the English cast does not. Kiki sounds like a none-to-bright valley girl in the English version rather than the bright young girl that she is in the Original version. Jiji sounds especially terrible in the English dub, and I was not overly fond of the English voice for Osono.
If you already have the earlier release of Kiki, the decision to buy this one is entirely up to you. If you do not have the earlier release, get this one!
For magical fun for the whole family, Kiki's Delivery Service can't be beat!
What's great about it: Excellent Studio Ghibli movie
What's not so great: English dub
I would recommend this to a friend!
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All 22 episodes from the debut season of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which attempts to bridge the gap time-wise between the original cinematic trilogy and the three prequels, are collected on this set.
Customer Rating
5
The Force is strong in this one. Very strong!!!
on March 13, 2010
Posted by: XAvenger
This is easily the best sci-fi series on TV right now! The Clone Wars Season One starts off strong and just gets better.
This series tells the story of the Clone Wars, the war between the Republic and the Seperatist Allaince. There are many exciting space battles, ground battles and some cool lightsaber duels. The series is action packed and has the feel of a Flash Gordon serial, very exciting!
One thing I love about the TV series is that many characters who were only on the periphery of the movies get a spotlight here. General Grevious is developed very well in the TV series.
Clone Wars starts off as a superior TV series and each episode improves on the series in terms of both storytelling and quality of animation. The first half of the TV series was very good, the second half was gold! The 'Ryloth' story arc was truly outstanding! A good portrayal of combat that gives the intensity of being in the midst of battle without being too violent.
My only complaint is that Jar Jar Binks makes a few appearances, but this is not enough to ruin it for me.
Well-written, very well-animated and action packed! Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an awesome addition to the Star Wars saga!
May the Force be with you!
What's great about it: Top notch sci-fi adventure
What's not so great: Jar Jar makes a few appearances
I would recommend this to a friend!
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XAvenger's Review Comments
Relive the unforgettable moments and experience the spectacular adventure of STAR WARS the Complete Saga in a way only Blu-ray can deliver. This incredible collection unites all six Episodes together for the first time in stunning high definition with the purest digital sound in the galaxy. With over 40 hours of thrilling special features, including all-new content created exclusively for this , you can journey deeper into the Star Wars universe and discover more than ever before. Feel the Force of STAR WARS the Complete Saga on Blu-ray!
Overall
3 out of 5
3 out of 5Bad disc - TWICE
By QuoteMe
from Los Angeles, CA
About an hour into Episode II, the disc freezes a bit and seems to skip. Returned to store for a hassle free exchange. The same problem with the new disc at the exact same spot!!!! Haven't had a chance to view all the other discs but what a disappiontment. Question is do I exchange again or simply ask for a refund???? Anyone else have similar problem?
XAvenger
I've had no problems
September 24, 2011
You might want to try sending the discs to 20th Century Fox for a replacement.
I've had no problems whatsoever with any of the movies. Of course, I've plyed them on my PS3.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5Good Movie If You Don't Have A Sony or Samsung
By Enchanter
from Trenton, MI
Lots of talk with the First Class movie not working with Sony. It would not work with my Sony BDP S350. Which is NOT 3D. I had to disable the internet connection "Do not allow disc to access internet" or some such. Then I had to delete the data file the Xmen movie had already installed when I tried to watch it the first time. This isn't easy either as it normally doesn't display the stored data in the setup menu. I had to do this by inserting an invalid disc. In this case the digital copy. Then I got the menu to delete the First Class data file. What a pain, I'm watching this now and it BETTER be good, lol. If your not up to this then get the DVD. Hope this helps someone.
XAvenger
October 12, 2011
I have had no problems with watching the Blu-Ray on my PS3 (a Sony player). You may want to update your firmware
+2points
2of 2voted this comment as helpful.
Relive the unforgettable moments and experience the spectacular adventure of STAR WARS the Complete Saga in a way only Blu-ray can deliver. This incredible collection unites all six Episodes together for the first time in stunning high definition with the purest digital sound in the galaxy. With over 40 hours of thrilling special features, including all-new content created exclusively for this , you can journey deeper into the Star Wars universe and discover more than ever before. Feel the Force of STAR WARS the Complete Saga on Blu-ray!
Overall
4 out of 5
4 out of 5Good value for the money. One BRD issue.
By burrisd
from Fredericksburg, VA
As a Star Wars fan I find this a good value for the money. I have a problem with the blu-ray discs, which is in no way a fault of Best Buy. Every single disc seems to enter a pause mode during the movie and then speeds up without audio. I have to stop playing the disc and restart it again. This happens regardless of which blu-ray player I use. Other than that, I would recommend this product.
XAvenger
October 12, 2011
I've had no problems with any of the Blu-Ray discs. I've been playing them on my PS3.
Your firmware may need to be updated.
-1point
0of 1voted this comment as helpful.
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