Reviews Written By: A1ELM0GEXEAM79provided by Amazon.com |
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 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds | |
 | "Why do people say the first game was better? This one is way better!" | 2006-04-24 |
| Personally, I feel the first game was hands down one of the worst video games ever made. Yes, it had a good story that fit in with the series, and decent graphics, but the gameplay of it was horrible. The original had many gripes that eventually made me scream so much that I was hoarse for a week, and left me with a broken XBOX controller. Elixers barely existed in any levels, and defeated enemies rarely dropped health for you to slightly heal. Enemies always blocked your attacks. Stakes could get easily knocked out of your hand, which left your enemies ready to throw cheap combos at you as you tried to pick it back up, and if you knocked them down to pick the stake up, they'd always immediately get back up as you did. It also had a poor hit detection system--- one time I staked a face down vamp about six times, AND HE STILL DIDN'T DIE. I returned the game about a day later after buying it. The second game thankfully fixes many of these problems. Health packs are now slightly easier to find, and when you kill enemies, they will regenerate health more often. Enemies also block far less, stakes don't get knocked out of your hand, and there's a nice button that lets you quickly pull out a stake to kill a vamp or demon, unlike the original where you had to take the time to equip it, which meant that an enemy would get a chance to recover before you could even kill them. When you stake a face down vamp, it actually kills them. Also, about the inventory. People complain that you can only hold 5 healing items, while in the original you could hold up to 9. I think that they're forgetting that if you did, this meant you could not have any support weapons--- in other words, no hellfire or holy water. In this, you can max out your medpaks while still carrying plenty of hellfire and holy water(for a total of 15). Also nice is the ability to use multiple melee combat weapons, since in the original, you could only use one at a time. Character wise, Buffy and Faith have their usual Slayer skills. Willow uses magic. Xander, although you will also have him in combat, relies mainly on weapons. Spike's main aspect is his strength, and Sid's small size makes him hard to hit. One cool thing is that sometimes another character may fight with you--- for example, in the first level Buffy and Willow team up to battle a group of vampires, or in the second features Buffy and Spike fighting it out with zombies. Bosses also feature some actual puzzles to get to their weak spots this time around, which thankfully aren't incredibly frustrating and easy to figure, as opposed to the first game's bosses which were just more fighting, which mostly had each one of them relying on this incredibly cheap tackle attack that always knocked you down. Yes, there's still a cheap camera, and you do have to search through inventory midgame, but overall, Vivendi Universal has created a much better Buffy game than EA did(now here's hoping that there will be an Angel game with Angel, Spike, Illyria, Gunn, and Wesley). I suggest if you have a choice between Buffy 1 and Buffy 2, get Chaos Bleeds and pretend the shoddy original never existed. | ||
 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds Xbox | |
| "Why do people say the first game was better? This one is way better!" | 2006-04-23 |
| Personally, I feel the first game was hands down one of the worst video games ever made. Yes, it had a good story that fit in with the series, and decent graphics, but the gameplay of it was horrible. The original had many gripes that eventually made me scream so much that I was hoarse for a week, and left me with a broken XBOX controller. Elixers barely existed in any levels, and defeated enemies rarely dropped health for you to slightly heal. Enemies always blocked your attacks. Stakes could get easily knocked out of your hand, which left your enemies ready to throw cheap combos at you as you tried to pick it back up, and if you knocked them down to pick the stake up, they'd always immediately get back up as you did. It also had a poor hit detection system--- one time I staked a face down vamp about six times, AND HE STILL DIDN'T DIE. I returned the game about a day later after buying it. The second game thankfully fixes many of these problems. Health packs are now slightly easier to find, and when you kill enemies, they will regenerate health more often. Enemies also block far less, stakes don't get knocked out of your hand, and there's a nice button that lets you quickly pull out a stake to kill a vamp or demon, unlike the original where you had to take the time to equip it, which meant that an enemy would get a chance to recover before you could even kill them. When you stake a face down vamp, it actually kills them. Also, about the inventory. People complain that you can only hold 5 healing items, while in the original you could hold up to 9. I think that they're forgetting that if you did, this meant you could not have any support weapons--- in other words, no hellfire or holy water. In this, you can max out your medpaks while still carrying plenty of hellfire and holy water(for a total of 15). Also nice is the ability to use multiple melee combat weapons, since in the original, you could only use one at a time. Character wise, Buffy and Faith have their usual Slayer skills. Willow uses magic. Xander, although you will also have him in combat, relies mainly on weapons. Spike's main aspect is his strength, and Sid's small size makes him hard to hit. One cool thing is that sometimes another character may fight with you--- for example, in the first level Buffy and Willow team up to battle a group of vampires, or in the second features Buffy and Spike fighting it out with zombies. Bosses also feature some actual puzzles to get to their weak spots this time around, which thankfully aren't incredibly frustrating and easy to figure, as opposed to the first game's bosses which were just more fighting, which mostly had each one of them relying on this incredibly cheap tackle attack that always knocked you down. Yes, there's still a cheap camera, and you do have to search through inventory midgame, but overall, Vivendi Universal has created a much better Buffy game than EA did(now here's hoping that there will be an Angel game with Angel, Spike, Illyria, Gunn, and Wesley). I suggest if you have a choice between Buffy 1 and Buffy 2, get Chaos Bleeds and pretend the shoddy original never existed. | ||
 | Dragon Ball - Tien Shinhan Saga Set | |
 | "The best DB set" | 2005-06-19 |
| Arguably the best saga in the original Dragonball anime, we find that Goku, Kuririn, Yamcha, and Master Roshi/Jackie Chun are once again participating in the Tenkaichi Budokai. However, Tenshinhan and Chaozu, the two warriors Goku encountered at the end of the Fortuneteller Baba set, have also entered, and soon what starts out as a fun-filled time turns into a fight for life! You see, Tenshinhan and Chaozu's master is the evil Crane Hermit, and he just happens to be Master Roshi's rival! Not only that, but Tao, the assassin Goku defeated, happened to be his younger brother! When the Crane Hermit learns what happened to his baby bro, he's determined to make sure that Goku and Kuririn die no matter what! Complicating matters are the mysterious Manwolf, who seems to have it in for Jackie Chun, and the fighter Panputto, who's sleazy agent is determined to make sure he wins the Budokai. Not only that, but despite Tenshinhan's claims that he wants to become an assassin, Master Roshi realizes that there is some good in him. Will he be able to get Tenshinhan to change his ways? Of course, this saga is a tournament, and with that you can expect tons of fighting, correct? Well, of course! With 18 episodes total, there are a ton of brawls throughout, but the highlight for me has to be the final five. These form a whopping 5-episode battle between Goku and Tenshinhan, which are some of the greatest parts of the entire Dragonball storyline ever. The ending also ends on quite a cliffhanger, leading into the next set(King Piccolo, part 1), but even though I don't own that one yet, but, I'm more than happy with this one, which is easily worth the $40 price. | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z Cell Games:Surrender | |
| "Goku's back in action, just when things go to Cell!" | 2005-04-19 |
| If you want me to be honest, I really didn't care for the Cell saga overall. However, that is not to say I didn't enjoy some parts, and this is definitely one of them, namely the much anticipated and long-awaited fight between Son Goku and Cell himself! Last volume featured the warm-up, but now things get serious as Goku battles the deadly android that not only has all of his powers, but also his friends' and foes'! But things really get insane when Cell decides to throw the rules of his own tournament out the window, forcing Goku to go to the extreme in an attempt to defeat him! Can he win? The DVD features some of the best fighting I've seen in the series, and best of all costs much less than the usual volumes, thus making it more affordable. Another good volume, one that I definitely suggest adding to your collection! | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - The History of Trunks | |
| "Exciting, fun, and very emotional." | 2005-04-19 |
| The second DBZ TV special shows Trunks' past, what led up to his first appearance, and how screwed up his life is. The story, which is based on a short story that appeared in the DBZ manga right before Goku vs. Cell, takes said story and deepens it, big time. I kid you not, the main death scene in this(I'm not spoiling it, but most people probably know who I'm talking about) is quite depressing, and the scene at the end when the androids torture Trunks and chase him around the area really gets to you, as his fear, pain, angst, and anguish wind up becoming the viewer's. The music and voice acting(both Takeshi Kusao and Eric Vale do great as Trunks in their respective versions) are both good, and despite the fact that the TV film is only about an hour long, it will still haunt you quite a bit even after it ends. Definitely a must have for a DBZ fan. | ||
 | Dragonball Z - The History of Trunks | |
| "Exciting, fun, and very emotional." | 2005-04-19 |
| The second DBZ TV special shows Trunks' past, what led up to his first appearance, and how screwed up his life is. The story, which is based on a short story that appeared in the DBZ manga right before Goku vs. Cell, takes said story and deepens it, big time. I kid you not, the main death scene in this(I'm not spoiling it, but most people probably know who I'm talking about) is quite depressing, and the scene at the end when the androids torture Trunks and chase him around the area really gets to you, as his fear, pain, angst, and anguish wind up becoming the viewer's. The music and voice acting(both Takeshi Kusao and Eric Vale do great as Trunks in their respective versions) are both good, and despite the fact that the TV film is only about an hour long, it will still haunt you quite a bit even after it ends. Definitely a must have for a DBZ fan. | ||
 | Trigun Volume 1 (Trigun) | |
| "The beginning of a masterpiece." | 2005-03-04 |
| There are tons of manga on that I regularly collect. Dragonball/Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Ranma 1/2, Case Closed(Detective Conan), Yu-Gi-Oh/Duelist/Millenium World, and others.... but there are a rare few that grab me, that are are real gems that contend for the greatest manga in existence, such as Akira, Nausicaa... and Trigun(and Trigun Maximum). Most people are probably familiar with Yasuhiro Nightow's series through the 26 episode anime series that was released in the US by Pioneer(now Geneon) and has aired on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, and let me tell you, as good as it can be, does not do this manga total justice. Covering only about 1/3 of both Trigun and Trigun Maximumn, the anime was forced to not only cut the overall plot short, but also cut out the development of many characters. Vash, the tortured wanderer throughout the planet Gunsmoke, who endlessly searches for his sinister brother, Knives, has a slightly deeper history, as does his eventual traveling companion, the priest/gunman Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Millions Knives, Vash's bro, is far more vicious and cruel, as is his subordinate, Legato Bluesummers. Bernadeli insurance girls Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson are pretty much the same, although personally I found Meryl far more likeable in the manga. Most of the Gung-Ho Guns are also far more sadistic, screwed up, and crazy than the manga(particularly Zazie, although I won't spoil anything), shocking anyone who's used to their anime personas. Nightow's artwork is a true sight to behold, something people will just have to see to fully understand its beauty. The grimy, dusty, and decayed design of Gunsmoke truly is a marvel to look at, and I often spend minutes just staring at the art before proceeding on with the story. The fast-paced action sequences have a fantastic rush, although often they also cause things to become intensely confusing, wondering who's shooting at who and what's getting blown apart, and it does take some time getting used to Nightow's style during these action-packed parts, but once it does, you are in for one crazy yet entertaining ride. The first volume is episodic for the most part, other than introducing Vash, Meryl, and Milly, the real plot doesn't really begin until volume 2(and continues on into Trigun Maximum), but the stories are a nice read and help us get to know our three main characters, thus setting up the main Knives/Gung-Ho Guns storyline. Overall, this makes one heck of a great read. Welcome to Gunsmoke, and enjoy your trip. | ||
 | Teen Titans, Volume 2 - Switched (DC Comics Kids Collection) | |
| "The second half of season 1, with some of the best episodes." | 2005-02-21 |
| Vol 2, Switched features the second half of the original season, and most of the episodes on this disk are classic.
Raven fans will want to check out Switched, in which Raven and Starfire switch bodies, while the other members have their minds trapped inside puppets. The girls must work together to save the boys despite being stuck in each other's form. Although both get equal screen time, Raven noticeably has a bit more importance in the episode. Props to both Hynden Walch and Tara Strong for delivering a great performance as Starfire and Raven, respectively. Car Trouble has the return of annoying pest in Gizmo. In it, Cyborg builds a hi-tech car, but it winds up getting stolen by some thieves... then Gizmo steals it from them. Cyborg(with help from Raven) attempts to take it back. Raven also shows a slightly lighter and friendlier side in this episode. A cute show, especially if you're a fan of either character(me being a fan of both, I enjoyed it quite a bit). Mad Mod has the Titans get captured by... Mad Mod. They wind up having to deal with his psycadelic "school" of death. The episode is pretty much an excuse to be crazy, and you'll either love or hate this one. Deep Six has the Titans facing a new foe called trident. Due to his underwater abilities Beast Boy has to face him alone, but luckily, there's also underwater ally Aqualad to help. Shame I didn't care for this one. Beast Boy was just too much of a jerk, and Aqualad was boring. The other 3 episodes, Masks, and Apprentice, pts. 1 and 2, deal with the main plotline of season 1: Robin vs. Slade. Masks sets the events of Apprentice up, as Robin must battle Slade(brilliantly voiced by Ron Perlman, who was also Clayface in both Batman: TAS and Justice League) as well as his own inner demons, especially when Slade reveals just what he wants. These episodes are fantastic, and give the series some nice depth and even a bit of darkness, which may surprise a regular viewer who expects this just to be a regular "kiddy" show. Sadly, I don't know of any special features confirmed yet. The first disk had an excellent look behind the creation of the original 1980's comic, so I wonder if there will be anything along those lines for the second volume. I wouldn't mind if there was an interview with the voice actors of the show. However, in typical with the "DC comics kids" releases I won't be surprised if there is another "interactive" game for the kids. Overall, these are some classic episodes from the series, and fans will likely enjoy this DVD. | ||
 | Ranma 1/2 (Ranma 1/2) | |
| "One of the best volumes yet..." | 2005-01-18 |
| This volume is excellent! Akari makes her first ever appearance in this volume! Watch what happens when Ranma tries to help set Ryoga up with her, with hilarious results! Ranma's mom also comes back, and Ranma just happens to have a burning fever, that leaves him unable to change into a girl, because all water around him will become warm. Of course, a certian pain in the butt dad and evil martial arts master may just ruin his chances of meeting her. There's also a few silly short stories involing Hinako, Genma, Kuno, and a cursed spatula(this one is really funny). | ||
 | True Crime - Streets of LA: The Soundtrack | |
 | "Crap" | 2005-01-16 |
| I think True Crime is an excellent action game. However, I feel the soundtrack is extremely lackluster. Most of the songs sound the same, and aren't really that interesting. Even worse, my favorite songs from the game(such as the one that plays during the spa shootout or the music from the battle with Kim) aren't even on the CD. Personally, I think only extremely hardcore fans of the game should check it out, the rest should stay away. | ||
 | Yu Yu Hakusho Chapter Black Saga V 26 | |
| "Things are going to end with a bang, again(literally)" | 2004-11-27 |
| An excellent conclusion to the excellent "Chapter Black" series. Not only do we get to see one the biggest beatdowns in anime history, but we once again have some great character development. Sensui may have been the "villain" of the storyarc, but I still found his demise to be really sad(maybe the fact that the EXCELLENT music is always able to fit and enhance every scene for me has something to do with that). Sadly, one small complaint is the way that although many of the loose ends are tied up, we are also left with quite a few others, the biggest one being the shock of who one of Yusuke's ancestors is. Although the series did wrap up all these loose ends during the next and final storyarc, the Makai Tournament, that sadly just happened to be when the series started to decline. Still good, but just not as entertaining as say the Dark Tournament or Chapter Black. Aside from the fact that we still have some unresolved plotlines, the end of the storyarc is incredible, and I feel this one is a must-buy for YYH fans. | ||
 | From Russia With Love | |
| "This series deserved better." | 2004-07-04 |
| It is hard to imagine that only the 2nd 007 flick would be one of the worst, but this one is just so horrible! The romance plot is laughable and badly acted, Connery and Bianchi don't even have any chemistry. A ton of scenes in the film don't make any sense either--- the gypsy camp sequence for instance. It has NOTHING to do with the plot, yet a good deal of the film is spent here. It's almost as if the filmakers had 2 scripts, couldn't decide between the two, and just used them both, resulting in one huge convoluted mess. Perhaps this was because they were trying to get the movie out in only a year after Dr. No came out. A shame--- had they given FRWL more time and not rushed it, it could have been something really good. | ||
 | Yu Yu Hakusho, Vol. 3 | |
| "The real story begins." | 2004-05-26 |
| Okay, Yusuke has spent 2 volumes trying to come back to life. Now that he's finally done so, we must ask ourselves: Okay, he's done that, so now what? Koenma comes in with the answer. It seems he's seen potential in our newly reborn Jr. High School student, and as a result, is now the official underworld detective, solving problems associated with the other world. His first assignment? Finding 3 stolen artifacts that could spell doom for mankind in 1 week, before Koenma's dad gets returns and raises heck! Continuing the trend of the previous volumes, the 3rd book's primary goal is introduce us to the major players in the storyline, something I consider it does so well. Here, the 3 major new characters introduced are pretty boy kitsune in disguise, Shuichi Minamino, or Kurama as he's truly known, 3-eyed swordsman Hiei, and the aging yet powerful psychic Genkai. Thankfully the series takes time bringing them all in and not rushing their welcome. Although it's the same excellent storyline the anime follows, there are a few differences, for example we go a bit deeper into Kurama's decision to stay by his human mother's side. And also, the artwork continues to excel. I actually prefer the "cutesy" design of the characters as opposed to the more serious designs used for the anime(although those are pretty cool too.). In the end we have another excellent volume of Yu Yu Hakusho, and I definitely suggest fans of the anime check it out. | ||
 | Dragon Ball - Piccolo Jr. Saga Set Part 1 | |
 | "Worth checking out for the tie-in with DBZ but not worth 40$" | 2004-05-04 |
| The episodes that you will want to check out are the first four and the last four of the collection. They feature the first appearances of Kami, Mr. Popo, Ma Jr.(Piccolo of DBZ), Cyborg Tao-Pi-Pi and even Goku's proposal to Chi Chi. They also feature the 23rd World Tournament, which features the long awaited Goku vs. Piccolo fight. However, the other half of the two-disc set is filled with pointless filler episodes(something the original Dragonball is notorious for) that do not add at any all to the experience of the important ones. Also, the quality does not seem nearly as good as Funimation's other DVDs, which can also detract from the experience. Overall, while a devoted DBZ fan will want to check this out, I recommend finding it at a discount place or borrowing these from a friend, but don't go wasting $40. | ||
 | Dragon Ball GT - Generations (Vol. 15) | |
| "All Good Things..." | 2004-04-07 |
| The end is here.... It's the final battle for the Z Senshi arrives in this volume. Super Goku 4 and Super Vegeta 4 are now facing the final enemy, who the power of the Dragonballs... but things go from bad to hopeless, when the two drain the rest of their energy, and their last ally is absorbed by the final foe! Now, the rest of the fighters have prepared to fight a suicide battle, but Goku still has one final ace up his sleeve. Can he pull it off? Who will live and die in the series finale? Well, that's my recap of the episodes that are coming up. The end fight is pretty good, although not for everyone. Some people possibly could be disappointed, but not me. Also, the final episode is just EXCELLENT, as it's the farewell to everyone, and even shows the best moments from all 3 series. It's a wonderful ending, especially compared to the lackluster finishings of DB and DBZ. I truly recommend this one, just for the finish, if nothing else. | ||
 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Original Series (Vol. 1) | |
| "AT LAST" | 2004-03-19 |
| I have been waiting for this for nearly eight years, and finally the moment I've waited for has come. The classic cartoon from the 80s and 90s finally goes on Digital Video Disk, and I couldn't be happier. Being a loyal fan of the series, I would constantly watch over my old videos and recordings of this, wishing I had a season collection to see the few episodes I actually missed, and get the ones I had lost after all this time. And now, the moment has finally come. No offense, but as the good as the new show is, it just doesn't have the certain charm this show did. Plus, we can't forget the catchy theme song, something, "1, 2, 3, 4, Turtles!," fails to live up to. It's going to take forever until April..... | ||
 | Ranma 1/2 (Ranma 1/2) | |
| "Funny book, even aside from Ukyo" | 2004-03-08 |
| Volume 8(originally vol. 9-10 in Japan) introduces Ukyo Kuonji, an old friend from Ranma's past. As our story progresses, we learn of her engagement to Ranma, and it's soon renewed afterwards, thus leading to Ranma gaining his "cute" fiancee as she's called. Now, if you want me to be honest, I do not like Ukyo. In fact, you could go as far as to say that I hate her. Which is probably why the scene where Ranma pours the hot water over her is my favorite in this. But that's just me. After the her introduction, we go to a few other stories, including her setting up a date between Ryoga and Akane, which is the funniest one(particuarly Ranma and Ryoga's battle at the beginning, it's hilarious), Happosai getting ahold of some love pills that will make anyone who swallows them fall in love with the first person of the opposite gender they see, and the second best in the group, Mousse's return in the series, and as of now he's cursed to turn into a duck when he gets splashed into cold water. That alone has some funny moments, escpecially Mousse's "fight," with a monkey that he mistakes for Ranma. So all in all, another solid volume of Ranma 1/2. | ||
 | Ranma 1/2 - The Movie 1, Big Trouble in Nekonron China | |
| "Funny movie, with typical Ranma humor" | 2004-02-28 |
| This was a funny film, Ranma and co. have to head to China when, true to series form, Akane is kidnapped, and once more by a guy named Kirin who wants to(what else?) marry her, so it's up to the usual gang(and thankfully, Ukyo's not with them, she only makes a brief appearance), along with their reluctant ally Laichi, who is ticked off at Happosai, because Kirin was supposed to marry her, but he mistook her for Akane, as well as her elephant, Jasmine, and save Akane from him! There's a bit more humor than action in this one, and the fight scenes in the 2nd film are a bit better, but it's still worth at least checking out. It also has one of the rare times Soun uses his infamous, "Demon Head," form in the anime, plus also features a HUGE chase scene at the beginning with nearly every character to ever appear in the series, including Mikado, Asusa, Ryoga's dog, the Dojo Destroyer, Gosunkugi, Dr. Tofu, the Gambling King, the little pork and bean bun-headed guys that wanted the Dragon Whisker, the Ghost Cat Maomolin, and more! I also think the end theme, "It's Love," by Rabbit, is also pretty catchy! Although people not familiar with the series may not know what's going on, if you're a Ranma fan, I recommend you check it out! | ||
 | Lupin the 3rd - Family Jewels (TV Series, Vol. 3) | |
| "Funny still, but AVOID THE ENGLISH DUB AT ALL COSTS" | 2004-01-22 |
| The episode's in the 3rd volume are some classics: Lupin worrying he's a schizo(with some great moments, especially the end), the gang encountering someone pretending to be Lawrence of Araiba the 3rd, Lupin tries to destroy something which winds up stuck in Zenigata's teeth, have to save Fujiko from a curse that involves ZOMBIES!, and, arguably the best one, since it's very different from the typical episodes, attempts to steal a jewel, but is doing so while in disguise as one of three famous detectives! The episodes are great fun, and the animation's even gotten better. This is a great buy. Still, there's still something wrong with this series..... THE ENGLISH DUBBING!!!!! It's horrible. Pure awful. The voices simply ruin the entire English version. Why was Tony Oliver cast as Lupin? He gives the master thief an awful, hi-pitched voice, and makes him sound like a complete idiot. Richard Epcar, who did a great Goemon in Cagliostro, butchers Jigen. He sounds like he's trying to imitate Chris Sabat's version of him. The same goes for Goemon's voice actor(I forget his name), who sounds like he's imitating Mike McFarland. And the awful, dumbed down lines. "Oh, yes, I had a case like that before, I kept a violin in it!" Ugh. I think it's odd, if the series is supposed to be aimed for adults, why is it dubbed as if it were for three-year olds!? Overall, the English dub is to be avoided. Don't listen to this hunk of garbage! The Japanese voices are MUCH better! The DVD's great, but the bad English-voice nearly ruins it. | ||
 | Ranma 1/2 Random Rhapsody (V.3) Watermelon Beach | |
| "HILARIOUS" | 2003-12-27 |
| It's episodes like these that made season 6 one of my favorites. The first episode has the cast up to their usual antics, as what was going to be a date between Dr. Tofu(yep, he's still in the anime) and Kasumi goes into chaos when the rest of the gang heads along with them to the amusement park. Seems as if Tofu has far from improved from his, er, "Kasumi Condition," since we last saw him. In the English dub, this was Ian Corlett's final episode as Dr. Tofu. In future episodes he was voiced by Kirby Morrow(X-Men Evolution, Escaflowne) The second episode has Ranma once again matching wits(if that's what you can call them) with the witless Hikaru Gosunkugi. Hikaru has yet another incompetent plan to destroy Ranma, or at least his credibility. Will he ever learn? I doubt it. The third episode takes the cake though, as Kuno gets amnesia, and seems stronger than ever. But he's STILL chasing after Ranma's female side. You'd have to see it for yourself! I strongly recommend this volume! | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - Fusion: Internal Struggle | |
| "This DVD would be great..... if I had a non-defective copy!" | 2003-11-30 |
| I personally would love to own this volume, as it has Goku and Vegeta having a little mis-adventure inside Majinn Buu's body, as well as a brief final appearance from Vegito, but I have one problem... every volume I've bought of this has been defective! It can't play the Japanese subtitles from the start without shutting off, and it usually screws up near the end of the second episode! Does anyone else have problems like this, or did the store I bought this from just have nothing but defective copies? I would love to know! | ||
 | Ranma 1/2 - Hard Battle - The Complete Third Season Boxed Set | |
| "Farewell to Sarah Strange" | 2003-11-07 |
| Well, a major change happens in this season. We're introduced to Ukyo Kuonji, okonomiyaki master and yet another fiancee to Ranma. Personally, I can't stand her, but oh well. It does seem that Kelly Sheridan does a pretty good starting job for the anime, but then again, she did have some extra time to get Ukyo's voice right(she previously did her voice in a few Ranma OVAs and movies). Still, I do like Hitomi Tsuru a bit better(who's also Meryl in Trigun and Bulma in the Dragonball series) This also happens to be the only season that doesn't have any mutli-part episodes. Not one. The English cast finally seems to be mastering the voices, even Sarah Strange, which is a bit upsetting, since this was also the final season in which she did Ranma's English voice, as Richard Cox(Inu-Yasha, X-Men Evolution, Mobile Suit Gundam, Zoids) did the voice afterwards. I think this is the best season of Ranma yet, although season 6 is my personal favorite. It's definitely worth watching, but like other people said, watch out for the defective disk 5, which has English-dubbing only for the 22nd and 23rd episodes! | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - The Return of Cooler (Uncut Feature) | |
| "Too bad movie 7 came after this one." | 2003-11-05 |
| Now this was a primary example of how to make a good hour-long fight scene, unlike DBZ movie 7, which came after this one, and has to be the worst DBZ movie to date. But let's talke about this one. Yes, like Frieza, Cooler becomes a cyborg, luckily, it's done in an imaginitive way that keeps it from becoming a rehash of what happened to Cooler's dear brother. The best part of this film is that Goku and Vegeta actually have to put aside their differences and WORK TOGETHER, something which they pretty much haven't done before. That, and we get to see them both in SSJ form double-teaming Meta-Cooler, and even then they still can't defeat him! Kuririn, Muten Roshi, Oolong, and Yajirobe are pretty much comic relief in this one, as all of them and Gohan are captured by Cooler's androids, and it's up to Piccolo to save them. Of course, we don't care about that, we want to see Goku and Vegeta double-teaming an evil robot with the mind of an alien, and have to go all-out to defeat it. So there. | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z:Fusion - Hope Returns | |
| "The REAL star of DBZ returns." | 2003-11-05 |
| This is it! Goku is finally brought back to life, and rightfully resumes his place as the main hero of DBZ! Yep, no Goten, no Trunks, no Vegeta, and no Gohan! Goku's finally taking center stage again, and that means big trouble for Majinn Buu, especially when that pink freak absorbs Gohan! Can Goku defeat Buu, and save his family, his friends, and the universe? Maybe with a little help from Vegeta... and not only that, but the coolest character in DBZ shows up for the first time! I have only one thing to say for DBZ fans... VEGITO! So hurry up and get this volume! | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - Majin Buu - Defiance | |
| "Gohan failed. Vegeta failed. Can Goku beat Buu?" | 2003-11-05 |
| Well, Gohan was nearly killed, and Vegeta was killed trying to stop Majinn Buu. Now, it's Goku's turn in the ring, and with everyone in the world watching, Goku, having powered up to Super Saiyajin 3, battles it out with the fat pink blob. The fight scene is AWESOME, and beyond words, as the two pummel each other, refusing to yield in battle. It's not as good as Goku and Majinn Vegeta's fight in "Rivals," and "The Hatching," but it's definitely up there in the top five. If you're a Goku fan(like me), you owe it to yourself to buy this volume immediately. If you're a just plain DBZ fan, well, you still owe it to yourself to buy this one! | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - Fusion: The Last Saiyan | |
| "Vegito! Vegito! Vegito! Ve.. okay, I'll review already!" | 2003-11-05 |
| HE'S HERE! One of the coolest Dragonball Z characters arrives, and is about to kick some major pink monster @$$!! Goku and Vegeta have fused, and now Vegito is born! I only have one thing to say, Buu's in deep saiyajin doo-doo! Of course, the battle hardly ends here, and the ending takes a shocking turn for the worse.... let's just say that the tide seems to turn in Buu's favor! Oh, and the last episode is hilarious! Vegito gets turned into a piece of candy! But he still keeps on fighting Majinn Buu! I have one thing to say, Mr. Toriyama has a weird sense of humor! Weird, but good! So, all DBZ fans really need to check this volume out, because Goku and Vegeta's other fusion, Gogeta, won't show up until about 2005(in DBZ that is, he'll show up in DBGT probably soon)! | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - Majin Buu - Hatching | |
| "Goku vs. Vegeta, pt. 2. Oh, and some blob named Buu too." | 2003-11-05 |
| Majinn Buu finally debuts in this DBZ DVD, and Gohan has the unlucky task of fighting him. Can the appearance of Goten and Trunks turn the tide? I doubt it. Meanwhile, Goku and Majinn Vegeta continue to duke it out in their futile battle. Can Goku convince Vegeta to let his rage go so they can stop the pink blob? Well.... yes and no. You'll have to find out yourself. | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - Babidi - Rivals | |
| "I'm speechless." | 2003-11-05 |
| This is one of the single greatest DBZ DVDs. Not only do we get to see the fight between Goku and Majinn Vegeta begin, but we get quite possibly some of the best character interaction between the two. When Vegeta screams why he hates Goku so much, and why he wants to take up his old ways, it's just impossible to not feel sorry for him. And Goku, well, the scene between him and Kaioshin has to be seen. It will leave you speechless. Never have I seen Goku that angry, and I doubt I ever will again. It is so easy to see that the battle between Goku and Vegeta can never actually have a winner, as the two battle it out to the death(or at least as dead as Goku can get), and who knows? Maybe they both realize that their struggle against each other is ultimately futile and neither one of them can win, but just don't care. All I know is, a DVD title has never been more appropriate. | ||
 | Dragon Ball Z - Majin Buu - A Hero's Farewell | |
| "Weak after last volume's mayhem, but check it out." | 2003-11-05 |
| Well, Goku says goodbye in this volume, as due to fighting Majinn Buu in his SSJ3 form during the previous one, his time on Earth has been spent. Although these episodes feel a bit slow-pace after "Defiance," they're still worth checking out, since the scene with Goku's goodbye is done pretty well. Also, the previous volume features Buu encountering a blind kid(voiced by Hayashibara Megumi!) and winds up helping the kid up when his attempt to make the kid fear him backfires. A little WAFFy, but nice, although I would like it to get on with the main story as soon as possible. Although this one isn't must-buy like some of the other DVDs in the Buu saga, fans should check it out if they have the time. | ||
 | Yu Yu Hakusho Ghostfiles : The Rising Storm | |
| "One of the best fights I've seen in the series" | 2003-11-04 |
| Yusuke battles Jin, the Windmaster, who can fly and punch with the force of a tornado! It's up to Yusuke to figure out a way to take out this guy! To be honest, this is one of the coolest fights I've seen in the series, one of the best yet, and only the recent Toguro Team fights have rivaled it. It's awesome! In order to win, Yusuke has to use a new attack... can he do it? I'm not spoiling who wins, but in the end, it's going to be up to Kuwabara to take down the final member of Team Masho, and since he's already nearly crippled after his injuries from his previous fight, he's definitely going to have a hard time! Heck, maybe he'll have to sacrifice his life! I'm not spoiling that battle either, but the Yusuke vs. Jin is one of the best in the Ankoku Bujutskai. Enjoy! | ||
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