Dval's stats
- Review count279
- Helpfulness votes474
- First reviewDecember 3, 2011
- Last reviewSeptember 24, 2016
- Featured reviews1
- Average rating4.5
- Review comment count9
- Helpfulness votes28
- First review commentMarch 9, 2012
- Last review commentMarch 17, 2015
- Featured review comments0
Questions
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- Answer count2
- Helpfulness votes3
- First answerSeptember 10, 2014
- Last answerOctober 6, 2014
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- Best answers1
![Soul Eater [6 Discs] [Blu-ray]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
This release from the surreal anime series Soul Eater includes all 51 episodes of the series, telling the story Maka and Soul, two students at the Death Weapon Meister Academy - taught by the Grim Reaper himself. Outwardly, the two have nothing in common, but when it comes to fighting evil, they're the perfect team.
Customer Rating
5
Goofy action series
on December 27, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Comedy, Action, Fantasy
Length: 51 episodes
Length: 51 episodes
"Maka is a Meister and Soul is her Weapon.
As students at the Grim Reapers' 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 one of those shows that you just REALLY love once you get past the first few episodes. The beginning is a big character build up with episodes dedicated to different Meister/Weapon pairings. And after that you're introduced to Excalibur! Yes, the invincible sword in the stone that is unmatched in strength. I won't spoil it for those that haven't seen it...but Excalibur made me want to smash my face through the TV. Same for Black Star. There's only so much arrogance that a person can have!
Soul Eater is for the most part a comedy series. There is a lot of action, bits of drama, and a small dose of fanservice. Every character has something that just makes them funny. Maka and Soul are extremely strong-willed and get into the stupidest of fights. Kid's fixation on symmetry is beyond compare and Liz and Patty are just hysterical in their own rights. Death and Stein are great as well. Fights are abundant in pretty much every episode and while the graphics are slightly childish, there's no lack of blood and death to pass around. The fanservice is due in large part to the lovely witches Blair and Arachnae along with Tsubaki.
The voices for the English dub are spot on and done very well. Loved them all from beginning to end. Not a huge fan of the opening and ending themes except for the final ending song. My only complaint has to be that the case came severely damaged on the inside. It's not made well. Once one piece breaks off, the rest just collapsed. The clips don't work and the entire middle section has collapsed. It's not pretty.
Great series for most ages here. Had Soul Eater for over a year before I finally watched it. Took me a couple months to go through the first 2 discs. However, I watched disc 3 last week and then spent the entire afternoon knocking off the last 24-27 episodes. The last half of the series is extremely good. Watch it. You won't be disappointed.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Gain a tactical edge while playing your favorite games with this Razer Naga Expert mouse, which features 19 MMO-optimized programmable buttons and a 12-button thumb grid for fast access to functions and commands.
Customer Rating
5
Great gaming mouse
on December 25, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Bought this mouse earlier this year for use with WoW and other MMOs. Overall, it works out very nicely. Having 12 button presets allows for lots of quick and easy custom setups. Being able to have practically any command available on the mouse is very convenient and can definitely help anyone to play better; especially if you're having issues with using the keyboard. You've also got interchangeable side pieces to help out with comfort. If you want, you can leave it as is with a narrow design or widen it to seem more full.
My only complaint with the mouse is that it can be hard to tell that you actually hit one of the buttons on the side because they are pretty close together and the noise/feeling it makes isn't very prominent.
Don't just hook it up and decide that you're going to master it right away if you haven't used something similar already. Give yourself a while to get adjusted.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
Design
4
Ease of Use
4
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It is 1715. Pirates rule the Caribbean and have established a lawless pirate republic. Among these outlaws is a fearsome young captain named Edward Kenway. His exploits earn the respect of pirate legends like Blackbeard, but draw him into an ancient war that may destroy everything the pirates have built.
Customer Rating
5
The REAL pirates of the Caribbean!
on December 22, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
The first game that I've fully beat for the PS4! It's also the first Assassin's Creed game that I've ever played. The ones in the past all looked really appealing, but I just never got the urge to buy or play them. Sadly...the free mini-football with the preorder along with the $10 RZ certificates pushed me over the line with this one!
From the beginning, I loved just how the game looked and felt. It must be using the same game engine that Dead Island Riptide used as they look and move almost exactly the same. I say the same, but the graphics for Black Flag are exceedingly amazing. By far the best action/adventure game I've ever played in the graphics department (not going to count PC gaming). Everything from sitting atop a sync point to jumping across rooftops to sailing on the high seas is just stunning to look at.
Not only did it look great, but it's incredibly fun to play. The funnest part of the game has to be the naval battles. You realize how puny your ship is to start, but as soon as you start putting some upgrades on it, you'll destroy nearly everything. I remember coming across my first Man of War and getting demolished with just 1-2 mortar barrages. Once my ship was nearly fully upgraded, I was able to utterly annihlate them with a couple mortars and a broadside cannon barrage. Have to be careful of the corners of the map where the Legendary ships are, though. Even fully upgraded, they will kick your butt if you aren't careful and learn what is effective against each ship.
Going on foot is just as fun. My brother watched me play a lot of the game and he was always commenting on how silly the computer AI was. The ability to kill several guards in succession without any of them noticing anything was always hilarious. Berserk darts have to be the most overpowered things in the game as well. Just let them kill each other! I'm a huge fan of the double assassination as well. Also, you can do sword combos that finish with a gun shot. Managed to get one where he actually stuck the gun into the enemies mouth and pulled the trigger. Only got it to work once while boarding a boat but so wanted it to happen again!
Amazing game that I have to recommend to everyone. It can be brutally violent so it's definltely not for all ages. Best game I've played since Skyrim.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Recharged [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/2359/2359152_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
2nd remix album
on December 22, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Like some of the others have said, this is the 2nd remix album from Linkin Park with the original being Reanimation. Once something has been done so successfully, it's extremely hard to follow up with the same quality or exceeding the original. I honestly can't say that this one lived up to what Reanimation gave us.
One of the detractors for me on this album is that I'm not a huge fan of all the songs to begin with here. Hybrid Theory was one of, if not, the best albums to ever come out in my opinion. The original songs are all favorites. With Recharged, I'd have to say that less than half the songs on here are songs that I really enjoy.
Enough of the comparing, though. Linkin Park still knows how to make a good album even if I don't love all the music. Their ability to work with other artists and transform their songs is still amazing. Would have been great if they had remade a couple of the songs off of Meteora and/or Minutes to Midnight.
Not the best album they've put out, but any Linkin Park fan should still own it.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This super sexy release from the anime series Divergence Eve includes all 26 episodes of the show, following the story of a future in which monsters from other worlds have become a side effect of inter-dimensional travel, and special fighters are enlisted to fight them - many of whom are very attractive girls.
Customer Rating
4
End of Humanity?
on December 22, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: SciFi, Action
Length: 26 episodes
Length: 26 episodes
"In the early 21st century, the discovery of the first wormhole made faster than light travel possible. However, what promised to be a gateway to the stars also proved to be a Pandora's Box, and the process of jumping through space via parallel universes unleashed terrifying consequences. Now, a quarter millennia later, the deep space outpost Watcher's Nest must stand on guard, defending the vanguard of humanity against attacks by the monstrous Ghoul, who emerge from alternate time streams and turn their victims into the living undead horrors known as Necromancers. For newly arriving cadets Misaki, Luxandra, Susanna, and Kiri, it's going to be an assignment in Hell as they train to become members of the elite Seraphim Squadron. Because this is a war mankind has been losing, and a new top secret plan to take the fight back to the Ghoul may end up costing them their minds, lives and even their humanity. At the edge of known space, fighting an enemy from beyond time, the battle to keep the final frontier from becoming mankind's final resting place has begun in DIVERGENCE EVE!"
Fourth review...hoping it goes through!
The cover art does the series some disservice. While the ladies are all overly endowed, the series doesn't use it as a selling point much after the first few episodes. The series does feature a few topless shots, but it's not much. Although I will say that there's no real reason for a solo shower scene that doesn't even have the ladies saying anything. Pure fanservice there. There's really only one gore-ish scene at episode 10. It's extended out a bit too long which was a little unsettling.
Divergence Eve isn't the greatest series contrived. It's decent at best with plenty of flaws, but also a good amount of positives as well. The series starts off pretty slow as the first episode should really be episode 11 or 12. We see a bit of action/story, but then it reverts back and tells us what lead up to this point. And then season 2 throws you for plenty of plot twists that keep it fun and interesting to watch. I have to admit that it was a bit hard to get through the first 4-5 episodes as they just weren't that interesting to me. The characters lacked a lot of depth and just felt like something to feast the eyes with.
Being a 10+ year old series, the graphics are nowhere near great. Especially the CG animation. It did feel that the artwork got a bit better after a few episodes, but that might also be that I started to like the series more. There are some extras on each disc, although they aren't much. Songs, a few trailers, a couple commentaries, and some sketches.
I doubt I'll watch through this one again, but it was enjoyable. I remembered seeing some of the episodes on the old G4 or whatever the cable channel used to be called back when they showed anime like Betterman, Soul Taker, and some others.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Wolf Children [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/2215/22154861_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Beautiful album
on December 19, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
This CD is the soundtrack to the Wolf Children movie which just released here in November. If you haven't seen the movie yet, then you need to order it now!
The soundtrack is just like the movie in the emotions that they express. You could almost say that it keeps its emotions restrained from going out of control. The tones never get to a fast and fevered pitch. At the same time, they never drop to a slow, mournful expression, either. That's not to say that the emotion isn't felt strongly...you can certainly feel the joy and happiness in a lot of the songs as well as the sorrow in others. However, there's a certain atmosphere about the music that keeps you smiling and enjoying every minute of it.
Like with most anime soundtracks, the majority of the tracks are purely orchestral. However, there are a couple with vocals. Mother's Song is the definitive track for the movie. It's an extremely slow paced song which isn't the greatest ever, but it's quite easy to sing along to.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
4
Anime Classic
on December 15, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Comedy, Action, Drama, Harem, Fantasy
If you grew up with the Toonami block on Cartoon Network, then most likely you saw Tenchi Muyo! at some point. Had been over a decade since I last saw this one. Stuff looked great back then, but you realize just how dated it is nowadays. The OVA series is essentially the first 13 episodes of the main storyline. Hoping that at some point we'll see the rest released in Blu-ray as well.
Tenchi Muyo! is about a young buy named Tenchi who is a country boy living with his dad and also trains with his grandfather. After being repeatedly warned by Gramps not to go into a sealed shrine that supposedly contains a demon, Tenchi manages to steal the keys and breaks inside. Unwittingly, he frees the demon who then sets out to get her revenge on those who imprisoned her. After Tenchi subdues the demon, she begins to live in his home and soon enough all sorts of space heroines descend on his home.
Really, the series is about lots of space chicks after Tenchi's love...and body. By today's standards, Tenchi Muyo would be your average run-of-the-mill show. However, it was one of the first "harem" series and pretty much set the tone for how the future would handle it. While comedy is a huge part of the series, there's also a lot of drama and action that really keep you drawn to it.
The graphics are definitely a ton better than the old 480i or less of the original series with it being redone in Blu-ray quality. Loved the crispness and detail. Can really see the difference when paying attention to the scenery and backgrounds. However, the series is still in a 4:3 format. Quality was increased, but I'm not a big fan of watching a tube TV picture on an HDTV.
Still all of the original voicing from the original series...which I realize isn't the best by any stretch of the imagination. English voices are great for those like me who saw it before, but if you're new to the series, I might recommend watching it with subtitles.
The extras were pretty much non-existent. Have one omake trailer and about 8 previews. Although I did enjoy the omake theater.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This hard hitting release from the action-fantasy anime series Inu Yasha includes episodes 13-26 of the show, following the story of a schoolgirl whose destiny is linked to a hot-tempered half-demon named Inu Yasha, who she must help recover the shards of a shattered mystical jewel - if he doesn't drive her crazy first.
Customer Rating
5
The end of InuYasha
on December 14, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Drama
Length: 13 episodes
Length: 13 episodes
"In their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha and Kagome face their ultimate enemy, the demon mastermind Naraku. With the Jewel nearly complete and in enemy hands, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies, and an epic battle is brewing on the horizon!
Kagome finds herself pulled between two worlds as she struggles to fight alongside Inuyasha in the Feudal Era and study for her high school entrance exams in the present. As the battle enters its final stage, Inuyasha and his friends have their strength, loyalties and will to live pushed to the limit. The final key to Naraku's and the Jewel's destruction may lie in nothing more -- and nothing less -- than the trust between a half demon and a girl from the future."
Aaaaand, it's over! This volume is the finale to InuYasha. It's one of the few series that actually gives a definitive ending which makes it nice because there's a sense of closure, but it also pretty much axes any hopes of more as well. And it only took 193 episodes, 4 movies, and 5-6 OVAs to accomplish!
Volume 1 took care of killing off all of the characters and pushing all of the side-characters out of the picture. Both InuYasha and Sesshomaru must learn to fully master their swords and put aside their pride to defeat Naraku. We also learn why Kagome's powers have been sealed since she came to the feudal era. Sesshomaru also gets his own brand new sword! It doesn't look anything special, but it's attack and effects are probably the coolest yet.
Non-stop action, a little bit of comedy, and the final battle#s# make this a great finale. I remember why I loved this series so much nearly a decade ago after watching The Final Act. Watched the last 13 episodes in one sitting and enjoyed every minute of it! InuYasha is definitely one of the older series out there that I think everyone should be introduced to. Don't expect everyone to watch the entire thing as it is really friggin' long, but it's pretty addicting.
Final note: I didn't notice much of a difference from the Blu-ray and DVD versions. Some of the scenes had more vibrant colors, but 4' away on a 55" screen didn't seem to yield any noticable change in resolution. Might just be my eyes since I'm dead tired :/ Also, the extras aren't any good. Don't even bother unless you want to see a few art scans.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This hard hitting release from the action-fantasy anime series Inu Yasha includes episodes 1-12 of the show, following the story of a schoolgirl whose destiny is linked to a hot-tempered half-demon named Inu Yasha, who she must help recover the shards of a shattered mystical jewel - if he doesn't drive her crazy first.
Customer Rating
5
Beginning of the end
on December 13, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Drama
Length: 13 episodes
Length: 13 episodes
"Kagome is an ordinary schoolgirl who finds her destiny linked to the half demon Inuyasha and the powerful Shikon Jewel. In their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha and Kagome face their ultimate enemy, the demon mastermind Naraku.
Meanwhile, Sesshomaru learns the truth behind his sword Tenseiga, and Kikyo discovers a secret that could defeat Naraku! With the jewel nearly complete and in enemy hands, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies, and an epic battle is brewing on the horizon!"
Can't believe it took me so long to finally watch this one. Bought it nearly a year ago on its release date! For those that aren't familiar, InuYasha was an incredibly popular anime series that was shown on Cartoon Network's Toonami block late at night some 6-10 years ago. Still have a couple of the figures as well as the imported DVDs of the different movies from back then, too. However, the series was never finished. Rumiko Takahashi, its creator, needed a break from the series and so left it unfinished after several seasons and 167 episodes. After 5 years on hiatus, the series started back up and concluded it with this volume and volume 2 of InuYasha: The Final Act.
From the get-go, you can tell that the series is no longer dragging things out and continuing to build characters or relationships. Several of the characters that you may have loved or hated start biting the dust in these first 13 episodes. Even though I hadn't seen any of the episodes in years, I still found the deaths to be pretty emotionally powerful. They did it very well! And if you hadn't figured out from the original 167 episodes, Naraku is one cruel dude. Definitely no love left for him after this!
Some of the episodes did feel like filler, but none of them were. Each one was designed to emphasize the emotional impact of something that had just happened or was about to happen. I honestly expected to watch this over 2-4 nights, but I loved it so much that I watched all 13 episodes back to back! Don't bother with the special features, though. In typical Viz fashion, they're exceedingly lacking.
If you've seen ANY of the original series and enjoyed it, then you owe it to yourself to catch all of the Final Act. Can't speak for the last 13 episodes, but this volume is certainly pushing the end here fast. Won't be enough characters left alive to last for much longer!
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This exciting release from the anime series Girls Und Panzer includes all 12 episodes of the show, following the story of a group of girls attending the Orai Acaedmy to learn the art of Gun-Fu.
Customer Rating
5
Panzer vor!
on December 12, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action
Length: 12 episodes
Length: 12 episodes
"You may have heard of kung fu, but the girls at Oarai Academy practice gun-fu - really BIG gun-fu, in fact. It's called Tankery, and it's the martial art of operating armored tanks! And even though the Tankery program at Oarai has been defunct for years, the student council has taken a sudden interest in the art and no one they set their sights on is safe. Which is how Miho Nishizumi, who transferred to Oarai specifically to stay out of tanks, gets drafted to join the newly revived Tankery division. Buts it's not all bad, because joining her in Team Anglerfish are her new found friends Saori, the highly receptive radio operator; Hana, a flower arranger turned gunner; Mako, their brilliant, but chronically sleepy driver; and combustible tank fangirl and loader Yukari. They may not be on the half-track to fame and fortune, and maybe some of them would rather shop for tank tops than become tops in tanks, but once their focus is locked and loaded, they're absolutely driven. It's mad, it's metal and mayhem is guaranteed! It's GIRLS und PANZER!"
Girls + tanks, what could be better!? Girls + Gundams! Or something like that. Girls und/& Panzer is one of the few titles that I waited for an English release before watching any of. Could have streamed it on Crunchyroll, but it just didn't jump out at me with the first episode. I watched it and just felt that it was too cutesy. It also felt like Miho didn't really have a backbone early on. Once I got past episode 3, I was hooked on the series, though!
If you're a tank buff, you'll love this show regardless as G&P is set on making sure that it gives factual information on its tank models, what they're capable of, and even how they operate. I like tanks, but I'm not an expert on them. One of my coworkers was ecstatic over the series' portrayal of them and was the main reason that I ended up getting this one. I really hate to call a series about a bunch of cute highschool girls "action", but aside from a bit of comedy, it's hard to give it any other designation. With tanks pounding away at each other in almost every episode, the action title definitely fits.
The one thing I hated the most here is with how the discs were encoded. You can't change from Japanese to English audio or vice versa outside of the main menu. If you want to change the audio, you have to start over. Also, it won't let you rewind back through previous chapters. Very poor job by Sentai, in my opinion. Also, I couldn't stand the English vocals. They weren't horrible, but they just didn't have the right sound for the age. I had to stick with the original audio for every episode.
Lastly, if you don't want to watch all the episodes, then just watch the extras on disc 2. You can get a quick breakdown of the series in under 50 minutes with the Introductions 1 & 2 specials. I blew through the last 9 episodes tonight and enjoyed every minute of it. Girls Und Panzer isn't the best series to come out, but it felt very fresh. No blood, very little fanservice, and just a touch of swearing. Appropriate for almost everyone!
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Dval's Review Comments
Eliminate your unwieldy collection of remotes and start using one device. A Geek Squad Agent will program your new learning remote control (such as a Logitech Harmony remote) for easy operation of your TV and home theater components. Perform commands like Watch a DVD or Listen to Music with the push of a single button.* This service takes about an hour to complete. After completing your order, you will receive a confirmation e-mail that contains a redemption code. You can then schedule your appointment by calling 1-800-GEEK SQUAD (1-800-433-5778) and following the prompts for Home Theater and Installation.** Please print your Geek Squad confirmation e-mail and be ready when the Agent arrives at your chosen location.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5its work for reciver by wifi bettween 2flooer
By saadcitystar
from nashville
its work for reciver by wifi bettween 2 flooer my reciver in 2 flooer and my tv is doween stires,so its work doween stirs in tv samsung by wifi
Dval
Clarksville, TN
Interpreting
March 9, 2012
I try not to be a grammar-junkie, but I think "saadcitystar" is trying to say that he/she's happy with their remote programming. It sounds like he/she purchased a Harmony remote with RF (radio frequency) instead of IR (infrared) that is capable of sending signals over about a 50' range and can even go through walls, cabinets, etc...
If purchasing a remote programming by itself, the service is $99.99, but if you're having other services done as well (audio setup, wall-mounting, calibration, or networking), the service actually drops down to $59.99.
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![Hide and Seek [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/2066/20661297_sa.jpg)
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Throwback album
By Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Album came out back on Tuesday and it arrived on Wednesday. Love the quick shipping here.
Hide and Seek isn't quite the same as previous albums from The Birthday Massacre. Couple of the songs have a little bit darker feeling to them, but the overall sounds took me back to music from the 80's and early 90's. Really loving it.
Wouldn't really say that there's any songs that just jump out at you, but it actually works out good for this CD. Really enjoying every single song so I can just keep the entire thing going on repeat. Would be nice to have a killer hit like "Blue" or "Red Stars" thrown in, but the whole thing more than makes up for it.
There's also a Vinyl version available as well, but you'll have to order that through other means if you want it. Definitely recommend this one to any fans.
Dval
Clarksville, TN
Update
December 4, 2012
Have to update this as I've had this CD going for the past month in my car. Truely great CD. Very little pops out because all of the songs are so good. Should have given this one 5 stars.
0points
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This haunting release from the psychological sci-fi anime series Elfen Lied includes all 13 episodes of the show, following the story of a telekinetic girl named Lucy, who breaks free from the torment and torture of a government research facility and is taken in by two kindly strangers - who have no idea that the sweet girl they've discovered harbors a split personality brought on by years of abuse, along with unfathomable powers toa ct on her rage.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Gore and horror at its best
By Dval
from Clarksville, TN
A deadly disease has somehow formed in the human genes resulting in humans with horns called diclonius (sp? Been a while since I saw it). In addition to the horns, these mutants also have supernatural powers in the form of invisible arms called vectors. What's to stop these mutants? Locking them up in a government test facility; testing, torturing, and mutilating them, right...?
Elfen Lied starts out with one of the diclonius, Lucy, escaping from her heavily fortified prison by slicing and dicing her way through waves of armed guards who are powerless against her vectors which can also deflect bullets (from a certain range#. A sniper's bullet to the head doesn't manage to kill her, but it is enough to create a 2nd personality in the form of Nyu who washes up on the nearest beach. There, she's discovered by Kohta and Yuka who had met Lucy many years before but are unaware of her identity.
The series then progresses through gallons of blood, truckloads of body parts, and the battle to stop the spread of the diclonius. Gore, horror, supernatural, and action are the main genre of this anime. You run into a bit of romance (Could refer to Lucy as a tsundere and Yuka is close enough to a yandere) with nothing really ever developing.
Not much in terms of extras besides a few trailers. However, I love the textless opening and closing themes. The opening, "Lilium" is one of my all time favorite songs with its haunting and beautiful melody. Greatly enjoy the closing theme "Be Your Girl" as well.
Despite only being 13 episodes, Elfen Lied has managed to be quite a controversial series. The amount of killing and nudity in the first episode rubbed some people the wrong way. This is one of my favorite series even if it was a bit gorier than I'm used to. Recommend it to anyone who wants a good horror anime.
Elfen Lied starts out with one of the diclonius, Lucy, escaping from her heavily fortified prison by slicing and dicing her way through waves of armed guards who are powerless against her vectors which can also deflect bullets (from a certain range#. A sniper's bullet to the head doesn't manage to kill her, but it is enough to create a 2nd personality in the form of Nyu who washes up on the nearest beach. There, she's discovered by Kohta and Yuka who had met Lucy many years before but are unaware of her identity.
The series then progresses through gallons of blood, truckloads of body parts, and the battle to stop the spread of the diclonius. Gore, horror, supernatural, and action are the main genre of this anime. You run into a bit of romance (Could refer to Lucy as a tsundere and Yuka is close enough to a yandere) with nothing really ever developing.
Not much in terms of extras besides a few trailers. However, I love the textless opening and closing themes. The opening, "Lilium" is one of my all time favorite songs with its haunting and beautiful melody. Greatly enjoy the closing theme "Be Your Girl" as well.
Despite only being 13 episodes, Elfen Lied has managed to be quite a controversial series. The amount of killing and nudity in the first episode rubbed some people the wrong way. This is one of my favorite series even if it was a bit gorier than I'm used to. Recommend it to anyone who wants a good horror anime.
Dval
Clarksville, TN
January 3, 2013
It is in English. Can choose from Japanese w/ English subtitles or English audio.
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This release from the chilling anime series Gunslinger Girl includes all 13 episodes of the show's first season, following the girls of the Social Welfare Agency, who appear from the outside to be orphaned schoolgirls, but are actually trained to be cold blooded killers. Extras with the release include voice director commentary, textless songs, and more.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Killer girls from...
By Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action
"Officially, the social Welfare Agency is a government sponsored corporation that's in the business of saving lives. At least, that's the ruse. In reality, it's an agency on the fringe of technology. They give terminal patients another shot at life using cybernetic implants. This conditioning process then shapes the patient into an effiecient machine for handling all of the goverment's dirty work. They've been given a second change at life, but at what cost?"
Basic plot: Little girls that were about to die have been given a second shot at life, but in return they're basically assassins for the government. The first season here doesn't really do much more than give us a character intro for 6 different girls. The story takes place in Italy which is a huge change of pace for most anime. Plot only got an average score because of the lack of one thus far.
Cinematography: The graphics are very visually appealing. Seeing everything out in the Mediteranean is a good change from the streets of Japan. The character designs themselves aren't very well done, though. They're really kind of normal. However, there's a ton of detail put into the outfits, guns, and scenery. Found it kind of odd, but the Blu-ray version is definitely nice and crisp. No jagged edges around the faces like on DVD versions.
Acting: Loved the English voice-acting and didn't touch the original Japanese. Kind of want to just to hear they're versions of each girl.
Extras: Non-existent. Not a single trailer, commentary, or even a textless opening or ending. Bare bones.
As the first reviewer posted, the story is a little disturbing. If you can get around little girls being used as military dolls, then the action is quite nice and I really enjoyed it. Just not the best series out there. Should definitely pick it up if you like anime, though.
Dval
Clarksville, TN
Part 2
January 3, 2013
Completely forgot about the extras on disc 2. There are actually quite a few. The voice-actor commentaries about their own characters are really enjoyable. Would bump the Extras up to 4 stars, but it wouldn't change the overall rating.
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Overall
3 out of 5
3 out of 5meh...
By lobb152
I just didnt like this movie as much as the other two.
Dval
Clarksville, TN
February 13, 2013
Any particular reasons why? Story, cast, etc...?
+1point
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This mind-bending release from the psych-horror anime series Deadman Wonderland includes all 12 episodes of the show, following the story of a high school boy who is unjustly jailed for the murder of his class in a prison system that fits him with a collar constantly injecting him with poison. The poison can be neutralized if he can take regular doses of the antidote often enough, though these can only be obtained through prison work.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Supernatural prison
By Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Supernatural, Action, Drama
Length: 12 episodes + OVA
Length: 12 episodes + OVA
"Ganta is the only survivor after a mysterious man in red slaughters a classroom full of teenagers. He's framed for the carnage, sentenced to die, and locked away in the most twisted prison ever built: Deadman Wonderland. And then it gets worse.
At Deadman Wonderland, convicts are forced into brutal deathmatches for the amusement of the masses, the cheers of the crowd drowning out the screams of the dismembered. Even when Ganta befriends Shiro, an unusual female inmate, his dark fate crushes all hope – until he discovers the strange ability to wield his spilled blood as a weapon. Ganta learns his new skill might be related to the murderous man in red and uncovers disturbing secrets that could expose those who stole his freedom. He's determined to see justice served – but first he'll have to fight for his life in a prison that holds a million ways to die."
Deadman Wonderland is a decent series that gained attention in America after Cartoon Network aired it on the Toonami animation block when it was reincarnated back in 2012. I caught the first 2 episodes, but never got around to watching the rest. The series is filled to the brim with blood, gore, and action. The English dialogue is pretty racy as well. It does an excellent job with the shock factor. You just know someone is about to die, but it can be a little hard to predict how it's going to happen. Sadly, the series is quite rushed and a ton of knowledge is never made known. There also isn't really a true ending. Red Man remains a mystery, sort of. What relation does Shiro and Ganta have? Don't want to spoil any of the ending, but it pops up just as many questions and doesn't really answer anything. It leave tons of room for a 2nd season, but I haven't seen anything in the works, yet.
I enjoyed the series overall even with the rushed ending and lingering questions. My brother was also a fan and admitted that he was a little confused with the entire thing. This is a great value on a pretty good series. Pick it up!
Dval
Clarksville, TN
Reply
August 7, 2014
That's correct. First two black discs are the DVD version while the last 2 light blue discs contain the BD versions.
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
Sony XBR-55X850B 4K Ultra HD TV: This TV ushers in the future of high-definition with 4K — 4x the resolution of Full HD. Catch every stunning detail of the big game, and enjoy your favorite movies and shows with outstanding clarity. Plus, take advantage of Smart TV features like Web browsing, streaming video and social network integration.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Good entry level 4K TV
By Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Bought this TV in late June after having originally gotten the 65W950B model instead. There are a few things that could be improved upon, but it's excellent for its price range. Here's the round up:
Pros:
Great picture quality. 4K resolution is truely amazing when you have 4K content playing on it.
4K Xreality Pro: Upscaling works out quite well. I only have basic cable set up and it honestly made the picture look like it was HD quality. Sure, it didn't look like 4K, but you can't expect to make a 480p image look close to 4K resolution.
TriLuminous display: This is the big point for me when picking the Sony over the Samsung models. Sony gives better colors than Samsung which tries to focus too much on aesthetics and brightness.
Smart features: Easy to use and navigate. Had it connected to the internet in under 5 minutes after setting up and was streaming 4K videos off of YouTube and Netflix.
Great picture quality. 4K resolution is truely amazing when you have 4K content playing on it.
4K Xreality Pro: Upscaling works out quite well. I only have basic cable set up and it honestly made the picture look like it was HD quality. Sure, it didn't look like 4K, but you can't expect to make a 480p image look close to 4K resolution.
TriLuminous display: This is the big point for me when picking the Sony over the Samsung models. Sony gives better colors than Samsung which tries to focus too much on aesthetics and brightness.
Smart features: Easy to use and navigate. Had it connected to the internet in under 5 minutes after setting up and was streaming 4K videos off of YouTube and Netflix.
Cons:
Audio: Sadly, this model doesn't feature any improved sound qualities. If you want better sound, then you need a separate sound system or you'll want to step up to the X900B series which starts off at 65".
Search feature: Using the search feature within the TV is a pain in the butt. Type something in and it's likely to pull up a few million hits off of YouTube rather than searching for what you wanted on the TV. Had to go to the very end of all the apps just to find the web browser option.
Audio: Sadly, this model doesn't feature any improved sound qualities. If you want better sound, then you need a separate sound system or you'll want to step up to the X900B series which starts off at 65".
Search feature: Using the search feature within the TV is a pain in the butt. Type something in and it's likely to pull up a few million hits off of YouTube rather than searching for what you wanted on the TV. Had to go to the very end of all the apps just to find the web browser option.
While I count audio as a con here, if you're spending this much on a TV, then you shouldn't be in a stretch just to add some form of external speakers. Decent soundbars run as cheap as about $200 while the better quality ones range from $350-$600. If you want some great audio, then you save $300 off of the Sony ST7 soundbar with the purchase of this TV. Usually $1300 for it as it's a premium soundbar option.
I really wanted the X950B model, but alas, $8k is a bit outside of the realm I want to spend on a TV. Aside from the lower quality audio and lower contrast range, this model is a great alternative for almost 1/4 of the cost. Definitely can't go wrong with it!
Dval
Clarksville, TN
August 7, 2014
In regards to the W950B, I have to place it as the best-looking non-UHD TV on the market (not counting the Samsung F8500 plasma). I prefer the picture quality, color, and contrast that it provided instead of the X850B series. The speakers are pretty good and the built-in subwoofer actually rumbles nicely, too. The sheer amount of calibration settings is insane compared to any other TV I've gone into as well. Aside from the 4K display capability, the W950B beats it out in pretty much every department in my opinion. In the end, I was looking for a 4K TV, and the 65W950B was a bit too large for my space, so that's why I settled on the X850B instead.
+15points
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Keep your air clean and healthy with this Therapure 90TP50RM01 mini air purifier that is designed for areas up to 5 sq. ft. Stainless-steel collection blades allow easy cleaning and ultraviolet light destroys airborne viruses.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Not what I was looking for, much better
By kakky
from Houston
Came in looking for a new portable radio. Salesman guided me to a blue-tooth speaker to connect to my phone instead. Can also use this with my MP3. Works much better than the radio would have and great sound. Helpful salesman did a bit of technology training to help me get it set up.
Dval
Clarksville, TN
Wrong item?
August 18, 2014
Hey there. I think you may have gotten the wrong item for your review. Sounds like you purchased a bluetooth speaker instead of an air purifier.
+5points
5of 5voted this comment as helpful.
This set serves up every episode of the anime series Coppelion.
Overall3 out of 5
3 out of 5Great anime!
By ACEACE
from CORONA
Picture and cgi excellent. Story excellent. But I gave it 3 stars because the sound is pcm only. That means stereo not 5.1 dolby digital much less DTS. Why they don't spend the money on the sound affect on Bluray is completely troubling.
Dval
Clarksville, TN
sound in anime
March 17, 2015
It'd be great to have more titles with full 5.1 or 7.1 dolby digital sound, but it's pretty rare outside of the big movies. Really long answer so I'll just paste the response from the animenewsnetwork for you.
Audio is important, and many fans are becoming more and more concerned with making sure that they're getting the best quality audio possible when they fork over the money for a shiny disc of their favorite show. But with so many different formats, which one is best? Which ones should you be asking for? Sometimes the difference is negligible or non-existant, other times it makes a huge difference.
Let's start with the easy one: why some shows have 5.1 mixes for the dub, but not for the original Japanese. I've answered previously on this column that most TV anime doesn't bother with anything more than a stereo (2.0) mix because the Japanese broadcast standard doesn't really support 5.1 audio, and given how big home theater systems aren't as common in Japan for a number of reasons, they generally don't bother remixing for 5.1 when it comes time to release the discs on home video. However, when making the dub, an American publisher might think 5.1 is worth the extra work. If they're already set up to do 5.1, the audio has to be remixed anyway, so it is an opportunity to have a nice added feature for dub fans.
5.1 mixes require special equipment, take a lot more time, and are harder to check for errors (and requires a lot more office space to do so), so it's often not practical to do 5.1 mixes for everything. They can also cost more money. The decision to make a 5.1 mix is made on a show-by-show basis, based on whether the Japanese is 5.1 (usually just movies and some high-end OAVs) and how much the show is predicted to sell.
As for what format in which they're stored on a disc, these days you generally see 4 different kinds of audio tracks:
• Linear PCM (Completely uncompressed, basically just a WAV file. Takes up a lot of space, especially in 5.1.)
• Dolby Digital (AC3) (Lower quality, like an MP3, but takes up a lot less space. Supported by DVD and Blu-ray.)
• Dolby TrueHD (Blu-ray only. The full quality of the WAV file, but compressed to a more manageable size. Still much bigger than AC3, however.)
• DTS Master Audio (Blu-ray only. For the end user, pretty much identical to Dolby TrueHD.)
• Linear PCM (Completely uncompressed, basically just a WAV file. Takes up a lot of space, especially in 5.1.)
• Dolby Digital (AC3) (Lower quality, like an MP3, but takes up a lot less space. Supported by DVD and Blu-ray.)
• Dolby TrueHD (Blu-ray only. The full quality of the WAV file, but compressed to a more manageable size. Still much bigger than AC3, however.)
• DTS Master Audio (Blu-ray only. For the end user, pretty much identical to Dolby TrueHD.)
When you make a DVD or Blu-ray, you are tasked with squeezing a lot of data onto a finite amount of space, so compression can be very important. Wasting too much bandwidth on audio means you might have to sacrifice video quality. The above compression formats are essential ways to get the most quality out of an audio track without having an unwieldy amount of data to contend with.
Audio quality obsessives swear that Dolby Digital AC3 audio has a lot of distortion and they can DEFINITELY tell a difference. I am skeptical. I've definitely heard bad AC3 encodes that definitely affected audio quality, particularly in very early DVDs, but there has never been a double-blind study that shows even audio experts can tell a difference at higher bitrates (and quite a few proving that nobody can tell at all). At any event, the presence of "lossless" audio (in either LPCM, DTS-MA or Dolby TrueHD) has become an important marketing bullet point for Blu-ray discs, so whether people can REALLY tell the difference or it's all a placebo effect, who am I to argue.
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Dval's Questions
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Dval's Answers
Sony XBR-55X850B 4K Ultra HD TV: This TV ushers in the future of high-definition with 4K — 4x the resolution of Full HD. Catch every stunning detail of the big game, and enjoy your favorite movies and shows with outstanding clarity. Plus, take advantage of Smart TV features like Web browsing, streaming video and social network integration.
Transmitter
I wanted to know if i still need to hook up a 3d transmitter to the tv to get glasses to work with the 3d view? The transmitter that came with the glasses does not have the rite connection to hook up to the back of this tv. this is what the transmitter looks like http://images.highspeedbackbone.net/SKUimages/gallery/large/S190-0101-call04-mm.jpg
That's odd. I didn't get any piece like that in mine and never saw one like it when opening displays in the store either. However, you won't need that to enjoy 3D viewing. You can choose to do the 2D-3D conversion on the television or just make sure you have a 3D Blu-ray player (or PS3/PS4) and 3D content. WIth the TVs being Passive 3D instead of Active, there's no need to sync them with the TVs anymore either.
10 years ago
by
Dval
Clarksville, TN
Sony XBR-55X850B 4K Ultra HD TV: This TV ushers in the future of high-definition with 4K — 4x the resolution of Full HD. Catch every stunning detail of the big game, and enjoy your favorite movies and shows with outstanding clarity. Plus, take advantage of Smart TV features like Web browsing, streaming video and social network integration.
Are the television remotes compatible with my time warner cable box (Cisco 8742 HDC)?
The TV remotes will not be compatible with your cable box as they're not designed to be universal remotes. However, your Time Warner remote should be able to program to the Sony TV.
10 years, 1 month ago
by
Dval
Clarksville, TN