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What OtakuAnthony bought this week September 23rd
K-ON! BD 3
Plot Synopsis: “Azusa has just joined the Light Music Club and she is shocked that all they do is drink tea and eat snacks instead of practicing. The rest of the band reassures her that they will practice hard at their training camp, but despite Azusa’s objections the girls end up playing all day at the beach.
Azusa soon learns that reason why the band plays so well is because they have so much fun together. With the school festival right around the corner, the girls still have some hurdles to clear, like filling out the stage use application, doing maintenance on Yui’s guitar, and coming up with a band name!”
I like K-on! both the manga and the little bit of the anime that I have seen. Decided to get the next BD in the show.
K-ON! BD 3 is available from RightStuf
The DVD version is also available from RightStuf
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Needless Collection 1 and 2 BD
Plot Synopsis (from Collection 1): “They’re called Needless – mutants who wield amazing powers such as super speed, the ability to change form, and some, like Blade, the power to “learn” other opponent’s powers. It’s Blade’s greatest ability, but is it powerful enough to overcome his weakness for cute young girls in revealing little skirts?”
I watched the first episode of the series a few days ago and I really enjoyed it a lot. Overstock.com had the first set on sale for cheaper than Amazon or RightStuf. The second set I found for a cheaper price than RightStuf on Amazon.com
Needless Collection 1 BD is available from RightStuf
Collection 2 BD is available from Right Stuf
The DVD collection 1 is also available from RightStuf
The DVD collection 2 is also available from RightStuf
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MM! Complete Collection DVD
Plot Synopsis: “There are twisted tales and twisted tales, but few are as twisted as poor Sado’s, who’s just realized that he actually likes being made miserable. Of course, knowing that only makes him more miserable, which in turn… well, you get the idea. Desperate to break the circle, Sado volunteers for a special club where he hopes he can work through his issues only to discover that the other members have equally… complex… issues to deal with.
For example, the hyper-aggressive club president Isurugi not only has a violent fear of cats, but also believes herself to be a god! Then there’s Yuno, who’s terrified of men; the Nurse, who forces other people to perform cosplay; and Hayama, Sado’s best friend and a compulsive cross-dresser, who’s also the girl that Sado is infatuated with.”
I watched a few episodes of this show as it was airing in Japan and coming out via fansubs, but I had a lot on plate at that time and decided to put the series on hold. Someone on Amazon marketplace had MM! on sale for new cheaper than RightStuf.
MM! Complete Collection DVD is available from RightStuf
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Soul Eater GN 2-6
Plot Synopsis (from GN 2) : “The remedial assignment continues as Soul and Maka confront Dr. Franken Stein, the man behind Sid-sensei’s unfortunate transformation and the strongest meister ever to graduate from Death Weapon Meister Academy. Even without a weapon, his massive soul dwarfs them all – even big shot Black*Star! Can Maka rally her strength to face Stein in battle, or will despair be her downfall?”
I liked the first volume of Soul Eater and the few episodes that I have seen of the anime. Decided to get a few more volumes for my collection at this time.
What OtakuAnthony bought this week August 17th
Spice and Wolf II DVD/BD Complete Set Limited Edition:
Plot Synopsis:” The journey through the wild countryside continues for the merchant Lawrence and his traveling companion, Holo the untamed harvest goddess. As their winding path takes them from village to village, Lawrence and Holo reap the bounty of an ever-strengthening bond, depending on his street smarts and her animal instincts to lead them to the feisty deity’s northern home.”
If you remember I did a review of the first season of Spice and Wolf a few months ago and when I got a chance I decided to pre-order this set a few months ago and it shipped out nice and early.
Spice and Wolf II DVD/BD Complete Set LE is available from RightStuf
A normal set is also available from RightStuf
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Soul Eater BD Part 3 + 4:
Plot Synopsis: “As students of the Grim Reaper at Death Weapon Meister Academy, Maka is a Meister and Soul is her Weapon – literally. When they take on the supernatural forces of evil, Soul transforms into a razor-sharp scythe and Maka wields him in battle. He gets deadlier with every defeated soul he consumes and each victory strengthens their bond… but Maka, Soul, and their classmates might not be ready to face the darkness headed their way.
After 800 years, the witch Arachne has returned to spin a web of wickedness, leading an army of ghoulish minions in a war against Death Weapon Meister Academy. As demons from the past rise amid betrayal and madness, Maka and Soul are definitely in for the fight of their lives. Luckily for the fate of the world, they’re a freakin’ lethal team!”
Having enjoyed what little I have seen of Part 1 of Soul Eater I decided that I needed to have the rest of series in my collection.
Soul Eater BD Part 3 + Part 4 is available from Right Stuf
The DVD set of this series is also available from Right Stuf
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Honey and Clover DVD Set 3:
Plot Synopsis: “Yuta returns from his journey of self-discovery only to find everyone around him deep in their own struggles to shape their futures. Ayumi finds herself increasingly included in projects involving Takumi and Rika, and the strain is breaking her. Far away in America, Shinobu and his brother’s endless quest for money finally helps them achieve their ultimate goal, while back home Hagumi must face the devastating consequences of an accident that could change her life forever. Can the pursuit of happiness and the pursuit of art ever be one and the same?”
Right Stuf had this set on sale as part of their Daily Deals yesterday and I decided to go ahead and order it.
Honey and Clover DVD Set 3 is available from Right Stuf
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Cardcaptor Sakura GN Omnibus 2:
Plot Synopsis: “The beautiful new teacher in Sakura’s class, Kaho Mizuki, soon reveals that she’s a shrine maiden with magic powers of her own. But as always, the struggle to capture the Clow cards is woven together with the mysterious – and complicated – threads of love and affection between Sakura and all the people in her life. Will her heart be strong enough as she faces the one who will judge her worthiness to master the cards at last?”
Pre-ordered this back in April during the last Dark Horse sale at Right Stuf and it shipped this week.
Cardcaptor Sakura GN Omnibus 2 is available from Right Stuf
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A Certain Scientific Railgun GN 1:
Plot Synopsis: “Welcome to a world where mysticism and science collide and supernatural powers are derived from either science or religion. At the heart of this world is Academy City, an advanced metropolis whose population is comprised mostly of students. The majority of students are enrolled in the city’s “Power Curriculum Program,” where they must learn to master their latent psychic powers. Out of several million students, only seven are deemed powerful enough to have Level 5 status.
Meet Mikoto Misaka, the third-most powerful Level 5 esper in Academy City. Together with her best friend Kuroko Shirai and the other members of Judgment, a student-run law enforcement agency, Mikoto delves deep into the dark heart of the scientific sprawl she calls home, and uncovers secrets she wishes she hadn’t!”
I have never read the manga or watched the anime of this series. Decided to get the first volume just to see if I would be interested in reading more of the manga and watch the anime when it gets released.
A Certain Scientific Railgun GN 1 is available from Right Stuf
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Dance in the Vampire Bund Gaiden: Dive GN
Plot Synopsis: “The Vampire Bund, a peaceful island nation of vampires off the coast of Tokyo and ruled by Princess Mina Tepes, has seen its share of conflict and turmoil. Yet there are times of relative tranquility when the Bund is a popular tourist destination.
When two teenage tourists visit the Bund and are unexpectedly turned into vampires, they appeal to Mina and her loyal lycanthrope bodyguard, Akira, for help. Their only hope is to find a cure to reverse their vampirism within forty-eight hours, or they will be stuck as vampires forever. Unfortunately for them, their race against time turns into a game of cat and mouse that takes them across the entire Bund in pursuit of the one person who holds the key to their salvation.”
Since I am a fan of the manga series and a fan of the anime I decided to get the Gaiden GN for my collection.
Dance in the Vampire Bund Gaiden: Dive GN is available from Right Stuf
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Gunslinger Girl GN Omnibus Collection 2:
Plot Synopsis: “The Social Welfare Agency: a secret counter-terrorism unit for the Italian government that rescues troubled young girls and turns them into cybernetically enhanced, ruthless killers who do the government’s dirty work. Yet the child assassins are not as heartless as they were programmed to be. Henrietta struggles with her conflicted feelings towards her handler Jose, while fellow agent Triela combats her own inner demons as she strives to remember the girl she once was.
Meanwhile, the clash between the Social Welfare Agency and the covert radical group known as the Five Republics continues. As the Five Republics targets one of the Agency’s handlers, the Agency plans its own counter-strike that will pit Triela against the professional assassin and martial arts master known as Pinocchio in a rematch to the death.”
I enjoy both season of the Gunslinger Girl anime series, but I have not read most of the manga. Decided to add this to my collection which I ordered from a previous order.
Gunslinger Girl GN Omnibus Collection 2 is available from Right Stuf
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Hayate X Blade GN 6:
Plot Synopsis: “With the Tenchi Academy School Festival in full swing and the orphans from the Dandelion Garden in attendance, Ayana and Hayate have decided to sit out this week’s Hoshitori match and kick back with old friends. Trouble finds them when the Mikado Akira Fan Club takes one of the orphans hostage and demands that Hayate leave Tenchi Academy forever! This ignites one of Hayate X Blade’s most whacked-out battles – a massive melee of eighty fangirls with wooden swords vs. eight Sword Bearers with… ladles?!
Meanwhile, Ayana’s original partner Yukari has troubles of her own when she and her sister-in-arms, Maki, must deal with two psycho Sword Bearers out for blood!”
Part of previous order that shipped out yesterday from the last Seven Seas sale at Right Stuf.
Hayate X Blade GN 6 is available from Right Stuf
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Catherine (PS3)
Plot Synopsis: “Vincent is trapped in a nightmare, facing a choice of marrying his longtime girlfriend Katherine or moving on to the incredible blonde he just woke up next to – named Catherine! The worst part is, if he makes the wrong choice, he could end up dead.”
I had pre-ordered this game some time ago, however because of real life things (bills) I had to cancel my order so I could pay my car insurance. However I was able to get the copy used for a decent price.
What OtakuAnthony bought this week June 10th
Initial D Stage 3 Movie:
Plot Synopsis: “Anyone can drive fast. Only one driver can be the fastest. It takes nerve, skill, and the right car – and Takumi’s got all three. His rep as a dominating downhill racer is growing, but when he’s invited to drive for an all-star team that could change the face of local racing, Takumi’s got to beat his stiffest competition before he’ll join their ranks: himself.
With graduation approaching, his classmates drift toward uncertain futures. For Takumi, looking ahead means putting as many challengers in his rearview mirror as he can. If he can prove to himself that he’s ready, the next stage is waiting, and it’s all downhill from there.”
I am a fan of the Initial D series and I felt I needed to continue to complete my collection of the Initial D DVD. I do hope to do a series of reviews for the Initial D series in the future.
Initial D Stage 3 Movie is available from RightStuf
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Soul Eater The Meister Collection Blu-Ray
Plot Synopsis: “Maka is a Meister and Soul is her Weapon. As students at the Grim Reaper’s Death Weapon Meister Academy, their study habits couldn’t be more different. But in battle against the supernatural forces of evil, they’re a freakin’ lethal team.
That’s when Soul transforms – literally – into a razor-sharp scythe, and every defeated wicked soul he sucks down makes him more deadly. That’s when Maka unleashes the merciless slayer within, wielding her partner and dropping monsters. Seriously. Monsters. Like the witches, werewolves, and zombies that lurk in the shadows and feed on the souls of the innocent.
Every freakish ghoul Maka and Soul take out strengthens their bond, and fighting alongside their fellow Meister/Weapon classmates, Maka and Soul are the world’s last line of defense against evil.”
When I rented Soul Eater last year I knew I had to add it to my collection. However I wanted to wait until a cheaper set came out before I added it to my collection and after reading some reviews on the Blu-Ray I decided I had to add this to my collection.
Soul Eater The Meister Collection Blu Ray is available from Right Stuf
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Maid Sama DVD Collection 1
Plot Synopsis: “Getting sent to Seika High School is scary enough if you’re a guy, but now that the notorious former boys’ school has gone coed, the unfortunate girls who’ve been enrolled there have only one goal: getting through each day as it comes. But into this untamed and testosterone-filled wilderness comes a girl on a mission, a girl who’s not afraid of any male and is willing to take them on in that most deadly of all arenas: the Student Council!
As Seika’s first-ever female president, Misaki Ayuzawa talks the talk and walks the walk, but after school hours she morphs into something rather different… a waitress at a maid cafe! So when cool, aloof and handsome Usui Takumi discovers Misaki’s secret, things are going to get VERY interesting, very quickly!”
I watched the first few episodes last year when they were airing, but due to some external factors I never got around to finishing the series. When I learned it was coming out on DVD I decided to buy it since I enjoy the manga.
Maid Sama DVD Collection 1 is available from Right Stuf
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Rosario+Vampire GN 1
Plot Synopsis: “All-around average teenager Tsukune can’t get accepted to any high school save one… but on his first day he finds the rest of the student body doesn’t appear average at all. Best of all, the cutest girl on campus can’t wait to fling he arms around his neck! Wait a sec – are those her teeth around his neck too…?
Tuskune’s going to have one heck of a hickey when he gets home from Monster High! But does he have a chance in H-E-double hockey sticks of raising his grades at a school where the turf war isn’t between the jock and the nerds but the vampires and the werewolves?”
I am not sure why I decided to buy this. I am harem genre fan so maybe that is why. I guess I am just trying to find other shows for me to enjoy.
Rosario+Vampire GN 1 is available from Right Stuf
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Our
an High School Host Club GN 10
Plot Synopsis: “Ever since the day he helped her up after a nasty tumble, Black Magic Club member Reiko Kanazuki has been obsessed with Hunny. She is devoting all her knowledge of the dark arts to curse him and steal his soul. Will the sweetest member of the Host Club fall victim to her spells?”
I am a fan of the Ouran High School Host Club manga and anime. I’ve watched all of the anime but I have yet to read all of the manga.
Ouran High School Host Club GN 10 is available from Right Stuf
Anime Review: Soul Eater The Meister Collection (Eps 1-26) Blu-Ray
Back in the distant past of February 2010, Funimation released the first set of Soul Eater, which I bought. For some reason after watching it I felt like writing a review, and then posting it on the Internet. That was when I got into this whole anime blogging thing. That review is long forgotten and will likely never be shown to anyone, but now I have an opportunity to talk about the show again. It’s interesting to give a second look to a show you’ve (partially) reviewed already, even more so when it’s the first one you reviewed.
The Death Weapon Meister Academy is a school dedicated to educating and training students to hunt down kishin, humans who have started devouring others’ souls to gain more power. The students at this academy are divided into two types: weapons and meisters. Weapons are people with the ability to transform into different kinds of weapons, while meisters are the people trained to use these weapons in combat. If a weapon and meister pair collects 99 kishin souls and one witch’s soul the weapon can become a Death Scythe and gain tremendous power. Maka and her weapon Soul are close to this goal until a mistake results in them having to start all over again. While the two go about hunting down kishin, a more sinister plot is lurking in the shadows.
Right off the bat Soul Eater has one thing going for it that is a very important aspect of any shonen fighting series, the fights are amazing. This is clear from the first fight in the first episode of the series, where Maka and Soul take on a monstrous looking Jack the Ripper. The fight is intense, the choreography is fast paced and fluid, and the fight is actually animated instead of relying on camera tricks and quick cuts. These elements are present in every fight, and they make for great entertainment. This isn’t to say the fights aren’t without their problems though. The problem present with most of them is that they’re too short. The aforementioned fight against Jack the Ripper only lasts about a minute. The fights are amazing and entertaining, but they certainly don’t make up most of the content of the show.
Stuff I Bought This Week – May 27th
Baccano Limited Edition Blu-Ray
Plot Synopsis: “Hot off the “Roaring Twenties” and headfirst into the uncertain volatility of the “Dirty Thirties,” criminal syndicates stormed into power by bootlegging alcohol during the Prohibition Era – but the most notorious “liquor” of all time is about to set off a violent chain reaction within the mafia underworld!
Each story involves several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral further and further out of control. Immortal alchemists, mafia-operated speakeasies, and many other elements of pulp fiction are mashed together for a world straight out of the movies.”
I love Baccano. It’s pretty much one of the best series to come out in the last few years. So when Aniplex USA said they’d be releasing the BD set here, with allegedly limited quantities, I couldn’t really pass up a chance to buy the series a second time. Only thing I don’t like about this set is it doesn’t come in a nice chipboard box like the Japanese release did. Other than that it’s great though. It looks great, and includes Funimation’s amazing dub, so I’m content with it.
Purchase the Baccano BD set at RightStuf before they run out
Le Chevalier D’Eon Volumes 1 – 5 w/ Artbox
Plot Synopsis: “Paris, 1742. A coffin floats in the shimmering Seine. On the lid, a word written in blood: Psalms. Inside, the body of a beautiful woman: Lia de Beaumont. Now her brother, D’Eon, seeks the reason for her mysterious murder, and uncovers an evil that shadows both the palaces of kings and the dark alleys of Europe.
A power wielded by spell-casting poets, and manipulated by royalty. A force so powerful it brings Lia’s soul back from beyond to seize the only weapon she can possess to avenge her death: her own brother.”
I was browsing the bargain bin at RightStuf when I stumbled upon this. Each volume was $4, except for the volume with artbox which was $5. It was a blind buy which I only went after because it’s cheap, and I happen to like artboxes. RightStuf didn’t have the sixth volume, so I’ll have to hunt a copy of that down on eBay or something.
Purchase Le Chevalier D’Eon at RightStuf
One Piece Season Three – Second Voyage
Plot Synopsis: “The Straw Hats traveled to Skypiea in search of adventure, but they may have gotten more than they bargained for. It took less than a day for Luffy to earn the title of public enemy number one, and now his crew is subject to the harsh judgment of an angry god and the four lethal priests of Upper Yard!
Zoro, Nami, Chopper, and Robin are trapped aboard the Going Merry when it’s commandeered by a crustacean and marooned on a sacrificial alter. Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp are quick to mount a rescue mission, but they’ve got a problem of their own: a dancing dango of madman with an endless supply of agonizing ways to die! It’ll take more than a miracle for this crew to be reunited – especially all in one piece!”
I like One Piece, so I continue to purchase One Piece DVDs. I almost have everything Funimation has put out at this point. Then I have to wait for season four. I hope it gets announced soon.
Purchase One Piece Season Three Second Voyage at RightStuf
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Plot Synopsis: “Universal Century 0079. When the Principality of Zeon learns of a new Gundam being built, the veteran spec-ops Cyclops Team is dispatched to the civilian colony of Libot to investigate. Their newest member, Bernie Wiseman, gets shot down in action and meets young Al, who dreams of mobile suits and space battles. Al thinks of Bernie as a friend, and even goes to great lengths to track him down while on his mission. He doesn’t realize the potential danger he’s in.
Meanwhile, Al’s nextdoor neighbor Christina returns home with a new “government job.” She’s really the test pilot of the top-secret Gundam Alex – the objective of Bernie’s mission! As the story unfolds, three lives will be changed forever by this one small part of the war.”
After watching some of the original Gundam series sometime last year, I became interested in the franchise. I’m mostly in the older stuff, because most of what I’ve seen of the newer stuff doesn’t really seem so great. I’ve watched the first season of Gundam 00, which had some good parts but was kinda mediocre overall. Haven’t bothered to check out the second season yet, though I’ve never heard a single person say a good thing about it so maybe that’s for the best. On the other hand, I watched 08th MS Team and thought it was pretty great, so I figured I’d focus on the older stuff instead.
Purchase Gundam 0080 War in the Pocket at RightStuf
Claymore – Anime Classics
Plot Synopsis: “A brutal scourge stalks the land. Yoma, monsters driven by a hunger satisfied by only one quarry: Humanity. The dark breed knows but a singular foe: Claymore. Human-Yoma hybrids of extraordinary strength and cunning, the Claymores roam from skirmish to skirmish delivering salvation by the edge of a blade.
Thus begins the twisting tale of Clare, one such sister of the sword driven by pain in both victory and defeat. A child silent and suffering hidden in her past, Clare’s march toward vengeance unfolds along a path marked by violence, solitude and scorn. In a land where even the predator is prey, the haunted hearts of hunter and hunted alike wear the scars of the age.”
I had been meaning to pick up Claymore for a while but kept putting it off. Since it was recently re-released in Funimation’s Anime Classics line I figured I might as well get it now. It’s got everything I love. It’s fantasy, there are demons, women with swords killing them, violence, bloodshed. I have no idea why I put off buying it for so long.
Purchase Claymore at RightStuf
Soul Eater The Meister Collection (Blu-Ray)
Plot Synopsis: “Maka is a Meister and Soul is her Weapon. As students at the Grim Reaper’s Death Weapon Meister Academy, their study habits couldn’t be more different. But in battle against the supernatural forces of evil, they’re a freakin’ lethal team.
That’s when Soul transforms – literally – into a razor-sharp scythe, and every defeated wicked soul he sucks down makes him more deadly. That’s when Maka unleashes the merciless slayer within, wielding her partner and dropping monsters. Seriously. Monsters. Like the witches, werewolves, and zombies that lurk in the shadows and feed on the souls of the innocent.
Every freakish ghoul Maka and Soul take out strengthens their bond, and fighting alongside their fellow Meister/Weapon classmates, Maka and Soul are the world’s last line of defense against evil.”
Soul Eater is actually the first DVD I ever reviewed. Back in the distant past of February 2011, when Funimation released the first DVD set. Don’t remember why I decided to review it, but because of it I ended up getting into this whole anime blog thing. Despite the fact that I really liked what I saw of the series, I never watched past episode 13. I was going to watch and review the rest as it came out but never got around to it. Since it’s being released on BD now, I’m going to actually watch and review it.
