Chrome Shelled Regios Anime

Directed by Itsuro Kawasaki

Written by Mamiko Ikeda

Studio Zexcs

Licensed by  Funimation Entertainment

Original run January 11, 2009 –June 20, 2009

Episodes 24

As we begin this series Layfon Wolfstein Alseif, our main man, gives the impression of being kind, innocent...even a bit goofy. And although he is all of those things, he is also....so very much more ;)

Some Background: 

Layfon lives in a post-apocalyptic polluted world filled with mutated monsters called Contaminoids.

Humans live in cities called Regios which are controlled by, and named after Electronic Spirits. Most regios travel around of their own volition avoiding the contaminoids.

 Humans skilled in the military arts learn to use weapons called DITE in conjunction with an inner power called Kei to defend themselves and their cities from the contaminoids. 

 

Layfon, Felli and Nina, to me, are the most important characters in the series, although arguably there are several other players in this game that the story-line simply would not work without. 

There is something terribly wrong with Zuellni, the Electronic Spirit that controls the academic regios they are living in. She is directing them towards the contaminoids and if they can't discover why, the city and all of it's inhabitants will be destroyed.

Zuellni

There are so many wonderful things to say about this series. I am seriously amazed that they were able to include soooo much character background in 24 episodes...and believe me...there are a lot of characters. 

It was done through the use of flashbacks and it was perfectly done through those flashbacks ;) 

Visually striking?...Yes, because I am all about the eye candy ;) 

The creators even managed to add a mini series within this series that also drew you in. How amazing is that?! 

I didn't want to offer any spoilers so I left out about fifty thousand things but trust me...there's a lot more to this.

The beautifully meshed use of emotional and physical darkness and light truly set this series apart.

The mystery...the timing...the comedy and camaraderie...it all makes for one of the best series I've ever had the pleasure to watch ;) 

Ga-Rei -Zero- Anime Series Review

R.I.P VI Challenge  (R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VI Challenge) Is hosted by Carl over at Stainless Steel Droppings

Peril on the Screen:

This Peril was added last year and proved to be popular, and so it returns. This is for those of us that like to watch suitably scary, eerie, mysterious gothic fare during this time of year. It may be something on the small screen or large. It might be a television show, like Dark Shadows, or your favorite film. If you are so inclined, please post links to any R.I.P.-related viewing you do on to the book review site as well.

Will you kill someone you love, because of love?

Ga-Rei-Zero

Studio: Funimation Prod Inc

Creator: Hajime Segawa

This anime series serves as a Prequel to the manga, Ga-Rei by Hajime Segawa. It depicts the life of Yomi before....well lets just say, before she had been attacked....and her strong sisterly bond to Kagura.

After the death of Kagura Tsuchimiyas' mother, she's sent to live, and train with Yomi and her adopted father. Kagura is destined to be a guardian protector, and will be part of an organization that  exists to protect Japan from the demons that wish to terrorize, posses, and destroy it's people. She most grow strong enough to inherit and control the most powerful of spirit beasts. 

Yomi Isayama, also a guardian, is a bit of a prodigy. Her adopted father has decided that she will one day be head of the family, and has prearranged an advantageous marriage for her, as well as bequeathed to her his most valued spirit beast. 

As they train, she and Kagura become like sisters who would do anything for one another.....that is.....until things go terribly wrong. 

The way I see it: This series gives me the same vibe as The Black Chalice (previous review). It has that very dark, twisted feel about it. Having not previously read Ga Rei, I was totally taken off guard by how the events unfurled.

The bad, the bad, and the ugly: Just a tiny bit of cheesiness...but certainly not enough to have a negative effect on the series.

Love it or Leave it: Oh so loved it. The characters were full of inner turmoil, It was visually feast worthy, and there's action to spare :) Ya just can't go wrong with that.

Death Note and Death Note Two

Title: Death Note....Death Note Two (The Last Name)

Release 2008

Directed by Shūsuke Kaneko

Produced by: Toyoharu Fukuda

Takahiro Kohashi

Takahiro Satō

Seiji Okuda (The Last Name) 

Music by: Kenji Kawai

Studio: NTV, Warner Bros

Cast:

Tatsuya Fujiwara as Light Yagami

Kenichi Matsuyama as L

Erika Toda as Misa Amane

Asaka Seto as Naomi Misora

Shidou Nakamura as Ryuk (voice)

Shinnosuke Ikehata as Rem (Voice in Death Note: The Last Name)

Shigeki Hosokawa as Raye Iwamatsu

Shunji Fujimura as Watari

Takeshi Kaga as Soichiro Yagami

Yuu Kashii as Shiori Akino

Hikari Mitsushima as Sayu Yagami

Shin Shimizu as Kanzo Mogi

When I spotted these movies in Coconuts I was so elated I got a bit teary...yes, I was really that excited. The anime version was one of my very most favorites and to be able to own the live action films was a dream come true.


This movie is about a college student, (genius really) named Light Yagami. He discovers a mysterious notebook, called the "Death Note", lying on the ground. Once he touches it, he's able to see a shinigami, (death spirit) named Ryuk, who reveals some of the books secrets, but by no means all. The notebook states that if you write someones name in it while picturing their face, the person will die. Although skeptical, after some experimentation....Light discovers that is indeed authentic. 

Ryuk

Having grown up with a police officer as a father, he realizes that justice isn't always swift, and that sometimes the guilty do not get the punishment they deserve. As a result, Light decides to take matters into his own hands and starts executing criminals.....a lot of criminals, under the persona known as Kira. All the while Lights' father Soichiro Yagami along with the mysterious L, has been leading the investigation to hunt down Kira. 

The Last Name:

The eccentric and childlike L is determined to uncover Kira, and being a genius himself, they are equally matched. Light always manages to stay a step ahead of him but L closes in little by little, despite the fact that Light has taken on an accomplice named Misa, who also has a Death Note. For certain reasons Misa sees Kira as her God...her hero. With her shinigami Rem, she is able to Look at someone and kill them....but will she be able to see L's face? In the end will light be willing to sacrifice his own father to achieve his goals...to be the god of his new world.

Rem

The way I see it: If I expressed to you all of the twists, turns and manipulation that actually existed in these movies this review would be full of spoilers...not something I would do ;) The deranged labyrinth that is lights mind was like a fun-house to me...such a good time :D The movies stayed, (for the most part) true to story. L, (who is my absolute favorite character) was flawless. Kenichi Matsuyama literally was L, he completely immersed himself in this role. Truly incredible. 

The bad, the bad, and the ugly: They changed the ending. In my opinion... Americanized it. It was still good, but I am a fan of the...somewhat brutal at times, Asian style of anime and movies. Also in the anime series Light was always obsessed with power, and vocalized it often. They really didn't emphasize this in the films.

Love it or Leave it: OMG loved it!!! It was sooo much fun and Light was sooo messed up...quite the sick puppy ;) The fact that it did stay basically true to the story was big for me. The shinigami looked great, (it was eerie in fact...lol) and came across with a lot of personality. Erika Toda as Misa, also did a phenomenal job with her role. 

Note: You probably would only be fond of these movies if you enjoy anime, or Japanese style films. I, being a fan of both....was in my glory :D