Geneon Signature Series

Akira (Geneon Signature Series)

Artist-writer Katsuhiro Ôtomo began telling the story of Akira as a comic book series in 1982 but took a break from 1986 to 1988 to write, direct, supervise, and design this animated film version. Set in 2019, the film richly imagines the new metropolis of Neo-Tokyo, which is designed from huge buildings down to the smallest details of passing vehicles or police uniforms. Two disaffected orphan teenagers--slight, resentful Tetsuo and confident, breezy Kaneda--run with a biker gang, but trouble grows when Tetsuo start to resent the way Kaneda always has to rescue him. Meanwhile, a group of scientists, military men, and politicians wonder what to do with a collection of withered children who possess enormous psychic powers, especially the mysterious, rarely seen Akira, whose awakening might well have caused the end of the old world. Tetsuo is visited by the children, who trigger the growth of psychic and physical powers that might make him a superman or a supermonster. As befits a distillation of 1,318 pages of the story so far, Akira is overstuffed with character, incident, and detail. However, it piles up astonishing set pieces: the chases and shootouts (amazingly kinetic, amazingly bloody) benefit from minute cartoon detail that extends to the surprised or shocked faces of the tiniest extra; the Tetsuo monster alternately looks like a billion-gallon scrotal sac or a Tex Avery mutation of the monster from The Quatermass Experiment; and the finale--which combines flashbacks to more innocent days with a destruction of Neo City and the creation of a new universe--is one of the most mind-bending in all sci-fi cinema. --Kim Newman

Serial Experiments Lain - Navi (Layers 1-4) (Geneon Signature Series)

In serial experiments lain, things get very weird very quickly, and they stay that way. A schoolgirl commits suicide, but several days later her classmates receive e-mail from the dead girl. One--an introverted 13-year-old called Lain--replies, and her correspondent claims not to be dead, but to have passed into the "wired world." Eventually, Lain must join her. What follows is a story that combines virtual-reality, nanotechnology, a host of other science fiction concepts, and a healthy dose of postmodern paranoia. It would be unfair to reveal much more about the plot, but the phrase "nothing is what it seems" applies to just about everything in this compelling anime.

The beauty of serial experiments lain is the deliberate pace at which the story unfolds. Director Ryutaro Nakamura eschews the hyperkinetic style of many anime, allowing the plot to develop in slow motion and making every single image count. The first episode (a total of four are included) is a masterpiece of shifting moods and slowly building tension. Every detail--from the strange blotchy shadows to the ever-present hum of power lines to the slow tracking shots across the dazed face of Lain herself--helps create an atmosphere of unease, and as the truth is gradually revealed, that unease is amply justified. The art direction is superb, mixing computer graphics with traditional animation and making frequent use of high-contrast images that set deep shadows against a blinding white sky. The first four episodes of serial experiments lain combine the millennial dread of Neon Genesis Evangelion with the subtle menace of The X-Files to create a uniquely disturbing beginning to an imaginative and intelligent story. Stay tuned. --Simon Leake

Sailor Moon R - The Movie (Geneon Signature Series)

This Japanese import featuring five teenagers with superhero powers may turn out to be for older girls what Pokémon is for the pee-wee set. The fantasy-action story lines of Sailor Moon (named for the leader) is typical anime fare--which means it's far more creative than anything you'll see on Saturday morning. And far more complex--the stories are intricate and flashback sequences feature wordless narrative. Then again, what high-spirited girl wouldn't love the magical makeup that transforms hip schoolgirls into butt-kicking heroines? In this one-hour feature, we meet a new foe, a mysterious childhood friend of Sailor Moon's boyfriend who returns--from deep space! His evil plan to rid the Earth of life includes flowers with awesome powers, vine-covered foes, and telekinetics. Quite the challenge for Sailors Moon, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter. Despite the action, the series certainly has a different feel and color scheme than most male-driven anime. The Japanese have two terms: shonen (for boys) and shojo (for girls), and if girls haven't had a chance to see the shojo anime, this is the starting point. This subtitled version is uncut from the original Japanese cartoon, and the reading crowd above 7 is the appropriate audience for the video's occasional spooky imagery. This unedited version was soaked up by kids in Japan, but the cultural differences might be questionable for American parents. There's a brief, nondescriptive conversation about homosexuality and ghostly naked figures (think Barbie doll) that are illustrated, although it's not nudity as much as the female form. The dubbed version has minor edits in action and dialogue, targeting a slightly younger crowd. --Doug Thomas

Sailor Moon S TV Series - Heart Collection 1 (Geneon Signature Series)

High school entrance exams are approaching, and Serena and her friends Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina (Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako in Japanese) need to study--especially Serena, whose grades have never been good. But Serena is easily distracted. When Haruka appears on the scene, she and the other Scouts immediately fall for him--only to discover "he" is a girl who often dresses as a boy. Haruka is almost always seen with Michiru, but there's nothing to the relationship. Serena is also busy leading the Sailor Scouts into the battle. The evil Professor Tomoe and his assistant Kaorinite keep unleashing shape-shifting daimons to steal the crystalline hearts of the pure, which will enable them to rule the world. The Scouts and Tuxedo Moon need the help of Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus to defeat the evil doers. These powerful, aloof warriors are searching the world for three mysterious and potent talismans. The combined power of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Moon produces the redoubtable weapon, the "Spiral Heart Moon Rod." Many fans rank the Sailor Moon "S" season (the third), which comprises episodes 90 to 127, as the best in the series. More cynical viewers may notice that reused footage makes up about one-third of each episode. Edited versions of these episodes played on the Cartoon Network (and are available on VHS). These uncut episodes are rated 13 and older for violence and brief nudity. --Charles Solomon

Sailor Moon S - The Movie (Geneon Signature Series)

A wicked ice princess sets out to freeze and capture Earth for her planetary collection. But Sailor Moon and her tight-knit group of gal pals will have nothing of the sort. Paced more for the love story fan, this episode focuses on a handsome young astronomer, Kakeru, who discovers a mysterious crystal needed by Princess Snow Kaguya to carry out her plan. Soon after finding the crystal, Kakeru develops a deep friendship with Luna (Sailor Moon's cat), a friendship that eventually leads to the Sailors' discovery of the Earth's predicament and to each character's discovery of the tremendous powers of love and justice--all in about an hour.

Despite its slower pace, this feature incorporates all the positive qualities other Sailor Moon episodes share: sharp, eye-catching artwork; humorous but heartfelt communication among the girls; an understandable plot line; and plenty of flashy transforming. Further enhancements include an intelligent soundtrack (a nice balance of kooky sci-fi and seriously beautiful tunes) and the introduction of the "Outer Senshi." This slightly older, more mature group of young women--Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto--join our regular band of bubble-spraying, crescent-beaming skirt tossers to melt the ice princess once and for all. The dubbed movie (tagged with the new title of Hearts in Ice) is an edited version of the subtitled film. Some language and violence (a few frames) have been altered. Due to the inclusion of mild nudity (imagine a spinning, naked Barbie), parents may want to think twice before offering this movie to fans younger than 6. The DVD is of the uncut version but also has the English language dialogue. --Liane Thomas

lain - Reset (Vol. 4) (Geneon Signature Series)

"I'll delete myself and reset everyone's memory." Who am I? The question is asked over and over again throughout the noise. Lain destroys her own creator and loses her best friend, now Lain must decide what to do - should she delete herself from everyone's memory! If she does, the real world should remain exactly the same, but if no one remembers her, did Lain ever really exist? layer 11: INFORNOGRAPHY layer 12: LANDSCAPE layer 13: EGO

Tenchi Muyo OVA - (Vol. 1) (Geneon Signature Series)

Trigun - The 60 Billion Dollar Man (Vol. 1) (Geneon Signature Series)

Japanese anime--animated movies--have a reputation for being ultraviolent and ultracool. And there's a lot of cool to be found in Trigun: The $$60,000,000,000 Man (those two dollar signs aren't a typo--money, in the Trigun world, is counted in double dollars). If you liked the way Nicolas Cage's coat flapped in the wind in Face/Off, you'll get plenty of that as Vash the Stampede, notorious ace gunman, walks through the desert landscape of an alien planet with two suns. Vash is so feared and famous that there's a $$60 billion price on his head. He's destroyed entire cities, yet no one has ever been killed in his rampages--though rumors paint him as a ruthless murderer. However, in truth, Vash is a goofy buffoon who can step out of the way of bullets (which may have inspired The Matrix) but who never actually shoots anyone--in fact, on several occasions, he pointedly chooses not to. The whole sensibility of Trigun is surprisingly innocent; it's like a wildly hip Saturday morning cartoon. There's a fair amount of over-the-top violence, but it's pretty harmless, more silly than extreme. Most of the stories--for this isn't a single movie, but a collection of four episodes from an ongoing series--all have earnest morals, most of which are about peace, equality, and being humane. Besides, how can you not like a cartoon in which two main characters are Meryl Styfe and Milly Thompson, disaster investigators for the Bernardelli Insurance Society? Dubbed in English, Trigun is frivolous and very entertaining. --Bret Fetzer

Sailor Moon SuperS - The Movie (Geneon Signature Series)

A wicked ice princess sets out to freeze and capture Earth for her planetary collection. But Sailor Moon and her tight-knit group of gal pals will have nothing of the sort. Paced more for the love story fan, this episode focuses on a handsome young astronomer, Kakeru, who discovers a mysterious crystal needed by Princess Snow Kaguya to carry out her plan. Soon after finding the crystal, Kakeru develops a deep friendship with Luna (Sailor Moon's cat), a friendship that eventually leads to the Sailors' discovery of the Earth's predicament and to each character's discovery of the tremendous powers of love and justice--all in about an hour.

Despite its slower pace, this feature incorporates all the positive qualities other Sailor Moon episodes share: sharp, eye-catching artwork; humorous but heartfelt communication among the girls; an understandable plot line; and plenty of flashy transforming. Further enhancements include an intelligent soundtrack (a nice balance of kooky sci-fi and seriously beautiful tunes) and the introduction of the "Outer Senshi." This slightly older, more mature group of young women--Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto--join our regular band of bubble-spraying, crescent-beaming skirt tossers to melt the ice princess once and for all. The dubbed movie (tagged with the new title of Hearts in Ice) is an edited version of the subtitled film. Some language and violence (a few frames) have been altered. Due to the inclusion of mild nudity (imagine a spinning, naked Barbie), parents may want to think twice before offering this movie to fans younger than 6. The DVD is of the uncut version but also has the English language dialogue. --Liane Thomas

Sailor Moon S TV Series (Vol. 4) (Geneon Signature Series)

In the battles with Eugeal over the heart crystals, the Sailor Soldiers all learn of each other's true identities. However, instead of bringing them together to save the world, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and the new arrival Sailor Pluto, insist that Sailor Moon and her friends only get in the way! Sailor Moon gains even more power when they uncover the secrets of the Holy Grail, but even though she defeats Eugeal, more powerful foes replace her! Meanwhile, Chibi-Usa has made a new friend, Hotaru. Will they learn that her father is the evil Professor Tomoe before it's too late?