Anime & Manga

Speed Racer - Episodes 1-11

The world's favorite high-octane animated hero is back!Roaring into action aboard his trusty Mach-5 it's the intrepid young race car driver who sparked an international cult phenomenon: the one-and-only Speed Racer!Now for the first time ever the first eleven episodes of this classic hugely popular "Japanimation" series are brought together in this special limited edition DVD. Turbo-charged with all of Speed Racer's trademark animated thrills offbeat humor unforgettable characters and cliff-hanger action these collectible specially rematsered episodes are the stuff of every fan's dreams.So fasten your seatbelts-and join Speed girlfriend Trixie Speed's two brothers one mischievous monkey and an outrageous assortment of villains for one fast-lane no-brakes nonstop adventure after another! Ready...Set...Go Speed Racer Go!Includes: The Great Plan Part 1 The Great Plan Part 2Challenge of theiMasked Racer Part 1Challenge of theiMasked Racer Part 2The Secret Engine Part 1The Secret Engine Part 2The Race Against theiMammoth Car Part 1The Race Against theiMammoth Car Part 2The Most Dangerous Race Part 1The Most Dangerous Race Part 2The Most Dangerous Race Part 3System Requirements:Running Time: 120 Minutes. Copyright 2003 Artisan Entertainment.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 012236116509 Manufacturer No: 14591

One of the first "Japanimation" series to air in the U.S., Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go) debuted in syndication in September 1967. Eighteen-year-old Speed Racer wants to become a race car driver, but his father, automotive engineer "Pops" Racer, "blows a gasket" at the idea. Pops, who designed the amazing Mach 5, relents when Speed demonstrates his extraordinary driving skills. He embarks on a series of fantastic adventures that pit him and his friends against Skull Duggery, Snake Oiler, Mr. Wiley, and the Alpha Gang. With their wide chins, large mouths, and small eyes, the Speed Racer characters reflect the influence of contemporary Hanna-Barbara series, rather than the indigenous style the Japanese animation industry would later develop. Members of Gen-X who grew up watching the original show will enjoy this "collector's edition" that offers the first 11 episodes, a theme song sing-along, a villains' gallery, and an interactive demonstration of controls of the Mach 5. (Unrated: suitable for ages 6 and older: mild cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon

Speed Racer - Episodes 12-23

In this second set of adventures, Speed and his friends race against a madman's robot-controlled car in "Race for Revenge." Trixie gets jealous when Speed pays too much attention to the pretty title character in "The Girl Daredevil." In "The Desperate Desert Race," the gang is taken prisoner by rebel army leader Ali ben Schemer, a character who may offend Arab-American viewers.

When Mach Go Go Go debuted in syndication in the U.S. as Speed Racer in 1967, the series had been extensively re-edited to excise much of the violence. These edits cause some continuity problems: in "Girl Daredevil," new tires appear on the Mach-5 between two scenes, and a villain steals the car, although it was out of gas minutes earlier. As the exploits of Speed, Trixie, Sparks, Spritle, and Chim Chim remain a touchstone for fans who grew up watching them, members of Gen-Y are unlikely to be troubled by these awkward moments. (Unrated, suitable for ages 6 and older: cartoon violence, tobacco use, minor ethnic stereotypes) --Charles Solomon

Naruto Uncut Box Set, Volume 8

Naruto and Jiraiya's journey climaxes in all-out war with Orochimaru and his skilled right-hand man, Kabuto. Naruto must perfect the Rasengan in time to save the future Hokage, but when Naruto himself needs saving, Tsunade must overcome her fear and join Jiraiya in beating down Orochimaru. The legendary Sannin engage in the ultimate Summoning battle, with their lives and the Leaf Village's future on the line. Will Naruto succeed in bringing back the Fifth Hokage and her supreme medical skill to heal the Village Hidden in the Leaves?

Special Features Include:
3 DVD box set with 14 episodes. Featuring original and uncut episodes.
Includes original audio tracks and original series soundtrack.
English dubbed / Japanese (with optional English subtitles).
Collectible Naruto storyboards booklet.
Volume 9 Sneak Preview.

Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 7

As the runaway hit fantasy Naruto nears its midpoint, the tone continues to darken and the stakes grow higher. The Fourth Hokage sacrifices his life to save the Hidden Leaf Village fromOrochimaru, and removes the evil ninja's ability to employ jutsu. But even those measures don't completely eliminate the danger he poses, and a new, more dire threat appears: Sasuke's rebel brother Itachi and his follower Kisame covet the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon imprisoned within Naruto's body. The sinister pair is already strong enough to defeat Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke. To protect Naruto, Jiraiya takes him on a training journey to find the designated next Hokage: the formidable Lady Tsunade. But Orochimaru is also seeking Tsunade, as she alone can remove the seal that limits his powers. Naruto remains as irrepressibly rambunctious as ever, devouring ramen and addressing Jiraiya as "Pervy Sage" (a title he richly deserves). But the young ninja is being to grow up. To master a powerful new jutsu, he has to learn to concentrate his latent powers and develop some discipline. Naruto is willing to apply himself so he can grow strong enough to protect his friends and the Hidden Leaf Village, something he is destined to do. The potential is there: Believe it! The Special Edition comes with a "limited edition collectible" of another summoning creature, Gamakichi the Toad.(Rated T+ Older Teen; suitable for ages 12 and older: violence, toilet humor, risqué humor, grotesque imagery, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

The destruction of the Village Hidden in the Leaves has been averted, but at great cost. While the village mourns, a new menace arrives in the form of Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's mysterious elder brother and sworn foe, but it's not Sasuke he's interested in! Meanwhile Jiraiya lures Naruto away on a training journey by promising to teach him the Fourth Hokage's own original jutsu. While Naruto practices, Jiraiya searches for the Fifth Hokage candidate Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin. But another of the Sannin is looking for Tsunade as well, for a much more sinister purpose--Orochimaru!

Special Features Include:
3 DVD box set with 14 episodes. Featuring original and uncut episodes.
Includes original audio tracks and original series soundtrack.
English dubbed / Japanese (with optional English subtitles).
Collectible Naruto storyboards booklet.
Volume 8 Sneak Preview.

Howl's Moving Castle

Like a dream, Howl's Moving Castle carries audiences to vistas beyond their imaginations where they experience excitement, adventure, terror, humor, and romance. With domestic box office receipts of over $210 million, Howl passed Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke to become the #3 film in Japanese history, behind his Spirited Away and James Cameron's Titanic. Based on a juvenile novel by Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle marks the first time Miyazaki has adapted another writer's work since Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). Sophie, a 19-year-old girl who believes she is plain, has resigned herself to a drab life in her family's hat shop--until the Witch of the Waste transforms her into a 90-year-old woman. In her aged guise, Sophie searches for a way to break the Witch's spell and finds unexpected adventures. Like Chihiro, the heroine of Spirited Away, Sophie discovers her hidden potential in a magical environment--the castle of the title. Using CG, Miyazaki creates a ramshackle structure that looks like it might disintegrate at any moment. Sophie's honesty and determination win her some valuable new friends: Markl, Howl's young apprentice; a jaunty scarecrow; Calcifer, a temperamental fire demon; and Heen, a hilarious, wheezing dog. She wins the heart of the dashing, irresponsible wizard Howl, and brings an end an unnecessary and destructive war. The film overflows with eclipsing visuals that range from frightening aerial battles to serene landscapes, and few recent features--animated or live action--offer as much magic as Howl's Moving Castle. --Charles Solomon

The Many Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki

The works of Miyazaki

The Book

The Art of Howls' Moving Castle (book)

Stills from Howl's Moving Castle (click for larger image)

In Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated masterpiece, journey beyond imagination and enter a "breathtaking fantasy world" (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) filled with adventure, humor and heart. Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a spell on Sophie. In a life-changing adventure, Sophie climbs aboard Howl's magnificent flying castle and enters a magical world on a quest to break the spell. Featuring the voice talents of Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, and Billy Crystal, Miyazaki's artistry comes to life on DVD with inventive characters, unique storytelling and richly detailed animation. (c) 2004 Nibariki • GNDDDT

Spirited Away

The highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history (more than $234 million), Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen To Chihiro Kamikakushi) is a dazzling film that reasserts the power of drawn animation to create fantasy worlds. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll's Alice, Chihiro (voice by Daveigh Chase--Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch) plunges into an alternate reality. On the way to their new home, the petulant adolescent and her parents find what they think is a deserted amusement park. Her parents stuff themselves until they turn into pigs, and Chihiro discovers they're trapped in a resort for traditional Japanese gods and spirits. An oddly familiar boy named Haku (Jason Marsden) instructs Chihiro to request a job from Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), the greedy witch who rules the spa. As she works, Chihiro's untapped qualities keep her from being corrupted by the greed that pervades Yubaba's mini-empire. In a series of fantastic adventures, she purges a river god suffering from human pollution, rescues the mysterious No-Face, and befriends Yubaba's kindly twin, Zeniba (Pleshette again). The resolve, bravery, and love Chihiro discovers within herself enable her to aid Haku and save her parents. The result is a moving and magical journey, told with consummate skill by one of the masters of contemporary animation. MPAA Rated: PG ("Some scary moments") --Charles Solomon

From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema comes the most acclaimed film of 2002. Hayao Miyazaki's latest triumph, filled with astonishing animation and epic adventure, is a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. It's a "wonderfully welcoming work of art that's as funny and entertaining as it is brilliant, beautiful, and deep" (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal). SPIRITED AWAY is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. An unforgettable story brimming with creativity, SPIRITED AWAY will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. "To enter the world of Hayao Miyazaki is to experience a kind of lighthearted enchantment that is unique to the world of animation" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). It's a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again.

My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.

Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon

Critically acclaimed as one of the most delightful and charming family films ever, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a stunning animated treat full of magical adventure from Hayao Miyazaki. Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight, they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro, who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters -- including a cat that doubles as a bus! -- and takes them on an incredible journey. Full of wonder and heart, this spectacular 2-disc set features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a magical experience for the whole family! © 1988 Nibariki • G

Dragon Ball Z - Season Four (Garlic Jr., Trunks, and Android Sagas)

Goku is still missing in action after the destruction of the planet Namek, as the fourth season of Dragon Ball Z opens. With Goku unavailable, Gohan and the other Z-fighters must defeat Garlic Jr., who has reemerged from the Dead Zone with his accomplices, the Spice Boys. Gohan saves the Earth by ramping up his powers and destroying the planet Makyo, the source of Garlic's strength. Before the dust can settle a new menace arrives: A largely robotic version of Frieza and his more powerful father, King Cold. These villains are easily dispatched by a new Super Saiyan: Trunks, the illegitimate son of Vegeta and Bulma. Trunks has come from the future to save Goku from what would have been a fatal heart virus. Goku must live to prevent the Artificial Humans created by Dr. Gero from ravaging the Earth. (Gero was one of the leaders of the Red Ribbon Army, which Goku destroyed in Dragon Ball.) But Trunks' mission may have altered the future in ways he didn't intend: Instead of two Androids, there are three, all programmed to kill Goku. The season ends on a cliffhanger, with the fate of the Z-Fighters--and the Earth--hanging in the balance. Trunks' visit creates a number of paradoxes, including the problem of his existing as an adult and an infant in the same space-time. However, these questions are unlikely to trouble Dragon Ball fans, who will be too busy watching Vegeta training at 450 gravities, Gohan mastering his latent powers, Goku's new combat move, and any number of battles, not to mention the comic relief of Krillin's courtship of Maron and Master Roshi's continued lechery. Some of these epsiodes were recut into the feature The History of Trunks. (Rated TV PG. suitable for ages 8 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use, ethnic stereotypes) --Charles Solomon

The Definitive Collection Continues!!

Season Four contains the complete Garlic Jr., Trunks and Android sagas on 6 discs.

Having returned victorious from their battle with Frieza, the Z-fighters can at last breathe a collective sigh of relief… But they won't have long to rest. A new host of villains has appeared, ready to wreak havoc on the Earth—and Goku, the Z-Fighters' greatest hero is still missing!

In the face of these new dangers, a mysterious youth with Super Saiyan powers has come bearing a bleak prediction for the future: in just three years' time, an evil greater than any the Z-Fighters have ever faced will emerge to cast a shadow of destruction and despair over the Earth. And if the young Saiyan's prediction is correct, the Z-Fighters will have to train like they have never trained before in order to have any hope against these seemingly unstoppable foes—the Androids!

Princess Mononoke

This epic, animated 1997 fantasy has already made history as the top-grossing domestic feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes, mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and anime fans, Princess Mononoke represents an auspicious next step for its revered creator, Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service), an acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here.

Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.

Miyazaki's convoluted fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor is the often graphic violence depicted during the battles that ensue. If some younger viewers (or less attentive older ones) will wish for a diagram to sort out the players, Miyazaki's atmospheric world and its lush visual design are reasons enough to watch. For the English-language version, Miramax assembled an impressive vocal cast including Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. They bring added nuance to a very different kind of magic kingdom. Recommended for ages 12 and older. --Sam Sutherland

Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD), Minnie Driver (GOOD WILL HUNTING), and Billy Bob Thornton (ARMAGEDDON, SLING BLADE) head a cast of hot Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated, overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup -- WITHOUT LIMITS) sets out for the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi (Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest's animal gods, who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves! Also starring Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Jada Pinkett Smith (SCREAM 2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture!

Appleseed Ex Machina (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

The next installment in the Appleseed franchise Appleseed: Ex Machinaavailable on DVD! Produced by John Woo and Directed by Shinji Aramakiand featuring next generation CG technology Appleseed: Ex Machina isback bigger and badder!Based on the manga from reknown creator Shirow Masamune in this movieDeunan and Briareos are both partners and lovers. As members of ESWATthe elite forces serving Olympus they are deployed everywhere troublestrikes. The two fighters find their partnership tested in a new way bythe arrival of Tereus who uncannily resembles Briareos before thewartime injuries that led to his becoming a cyborg. At the same timeOlympus finds itself under a stealth attack . Cyborg terrorism deadlynanotech zealots and rioting citizens are just some of the threats thatDeunan must contend with as she fights to save Olympus.System Requirements:Running Time: 104 minutesFormat: DVD HD Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY/FANTASY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 085391200659 Manufacturer No: 120065

Produced by John Woo and directed by Shinji Aramaki, Appleseed Ex Machina (2007) ranks as the most elaborate, stylish, and violent of the three adaptations of Masamune Shirow's manga. When it was released in 1988, the original Appleseed felt like a summary of anime's past, while Akira pointed the way to the future. The second Appleseed (2004), also directed by Aramaki, was an unimpressive motion-capture CG feature that borrowed elements from other sci-fi anime. In this latest incarnation, Deunan, Briareos, and Tereus of the E.S.W.A.T. team are charged with preserving the peace of the city-state of Olympus, a hi-tech paradise on a largely ruined Earth. Screenwriters Kiyoto Takeuchi and Todd W. Russell have given the story a contemporary twist, adding attacks by "cyborg terrorists" and an effort by the ruler of Olympus to control a world-wide satellite surveillance system. When cyborgs and human launch coordinated attacks on the government headquarters in Olympus, Deunan, Briareos, and Tereus swing into action against a mysterious enemy. The plot has little in common with the earlier films: the Appleseed technology that was at the core of the story isn't even mentioned. The look, tone, and characters in Ex Machina recall Shirow's Ghost in the Shell, rather than the original Appleseed. Not surprisingly, the elaborately choreographed fight scenes reflect Woo's signature style, with slo-mo martial-arts combat, close-ups of falling shells, dynamic camerawork, and all-out gun battles. But the weightless movements of the motion-capture characters and the limited rendering of the skin textures gives Appleseed Ex Machina the feel of an extremely elaborate computer game. Despite the limits of the mo-cap technology, Appleseed Ex Machina is a fast-past, take-no-prisoners cinematic adventure that will delight action-movie fans as well as anime lovers. (Rated PG-13: violence, violence against women, profanity, grotesque imagery, potentially offensive religious imagery.) --Charles Solomon