Dval's stats
- Review count272
- Helpfulness votes432
- First reviewDecember 3, 2011
- Last reviewSeptember 24, 2016
- Featured reviews1
- Average rating4.5
- Review comment count7
- Helpfulness votes8
- First review commentMarch 9, 2012
- Last review commentMarch 17, 2015
- Featured review comments0
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Customer Rating
1
Random short clips
on September 23, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Adult
Length: 60 minutes
Length: 60 minutes
Sadly, there's nothing that I can about this to justify others watching it. Here's a list of specifics:
Cons;
Only English vocals.
No Subtitles
No story
Clips range from 3-10 minutes in length.
Low quality artwork
Only English vocals.
No Subtitles
No story
Clips range from 3-10 minutes in length.
Low quality artwork
Pros;
Uncensored
Uncensored
The title and description on the back don't even have anything to do with the content. Was a bit misleading. Probably the worst I've ever seen.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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This haunting release from the mysterious anime series Future Diary includes the first 26 episodes of the show, following the story of a boy named Yukiteru, who finds a discarded cell phone containing a diary that throws him into a life-or-death game of survival.
Customer Rating
5
Awesome, graphic horror series
on September 19, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Horror, Action, Romance, Drama
Length: 13 episodes
Length: 13 episodes
Correction for Best Buy: This is the Limited Edition for anyone looking for it. I pre-ordered the other which listed as the LE and got the regular. Luckily the store in town had the LE for me to exchange for!
"Reality quickly unravels for antisocial Yukiteru when Deus Ex Machina calls him into a death match to determine the new god of space and time. Each mentally scarred player possesses a prophetic device tuned to his or her personality disorder, giving them control over their future, and the fate of their opponents. It's their strongest weapon -- and their greatest weakness.
Within hours of abusing his digital diary's predictions, Yukiteru is cornered by a crazed classmate, Yuno -- who is obsessively stalking him with her own psychic cell phone -- is cute, sharp, and great with an ax. Still, her psychosis hides a vile secret. As a serial killer, a cult priestess, and a volatile escape artist take a stab at eliminating the teens, Yuki can cheat death under Yuno's maniacal protection or--- dead end."
Future Diary, AKA Mirai Nikki, has been one of my favorite series ever since I streamed it on Crunchyroll in early 2012. Yukiteru is kind of your typical no-backbone male lead character although he does come through when it's needed. And Yuno is is a yandere, a female character that swaps from super-loving to super-obsessive/psychotic at the drop of a dime. They'll make the best couple ever if the other ten diary holders don't kill them off first.
Plot: The story is quite original in some aspects. The use of yandere characters is pretty rare with the notable others being from Higurashi and School Days. Yuno doesn't just try to kill the other diary holders who are after Yuki; she's also ready and willing to kill anyone who even tries to get friendly with her man. While the battle royale element isn't new, the role of the diaries each member uses definitely is. Yuki's diary can tell the future. Yuno's diary tells her everything that is going to happen to Yuki. 9th's diary is an escape diary. Each is unique in what it can do and ties into their personality.
Graphics: I really wish that they had released a Blu-ray version. Sadly, Kodansha is a pain in the rear and won't allow Blu-ray versions anytime soon due to the fear of reverse-importation back to Japan. Still, the graphics are done very well. It's still HD and I can't find fault with anything. I suppose that having richer-colored blood splatter could be nice...
Acting: The Japanese vocals are amazing and so are the English. You can't go wrong no matter what you choose. I do have to give an edge to the Japanese audio for Yuno, though. Don't know if I've ever heard a part played so perfectly.
The music for season 1 is amazing, too. The opening theme, Kuusou Mesorogiwi, and the ending theme, Blood Teller, are huge personal favorites of mine. Very strong starts to the songs with lots of bass and a good rock feeling. Should be receiving the CDs for both in a couple weeks from Japan.
The music for season 1 is amazing, too. The opening theme, Kuusou Mesorogiwi, and the ending theme, Blood Teller, are huge personal favorites of mine. Very strong starts to the songs with lots of bass and a good rock feeling. Should be receiving the CDs for both in a couple weeks from Japan.
Extras: Pretty standard. You've got a couple episode commentaries, trailers, clean opening and ending themes, and original Japanes ads. There's also an alternate for episode 5...although I didn't notice a difference after watching it. Must have just been subtle dialogue changes.
Future Diary is a must-own in my book. Amazing series that I have no problem watching more than once. Even got my brother to watch it with me, too. Time to crack open part 2!
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
1920s mecha action and drama
on September 15, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Mecha
Length: 25 episodes
Length: 25 episodes
"Young Sakura arrives in Capital City to fight for the Imperial Floral Capital Defense Force, but all she finds is a weird opera company preparing for a big performance. What's worse is that the ladies in the company won't let Sakura join in any of their Rheingold games. Can she win them over by unleashing her Spirit Energy? Based on the video game that took the world by storm, Sakura Wars TV brings you even more of the beautiful warriors made popular in the original Sakura Wars. Follow Sakura as she joins the fight of her life. Will she ever be accepted? Does the world have a chance against the evil Wakaji and the mysterious Crimson Lady? Can everyone learn their lines before opening night?!!"
XAvenger hit right on the mark with his review. Sakura Wars has several things going for it with a just a couple going against. I'll start with what it does great. To begin with, the series does a great job at showing the character relationships between all of the cast and how their interactions impact the group as a whole and even their fights. They're all human and a fight between them can carry over to their fights with the forces of evil.
The action is done quite well, too. The series is quite dated, so it can't compare to something like Fate/Zero or some other modern series, but it still holds its own. The limitations of the Koubu #their mechas# are quite apparent and, except for at the end, they're grounded in physics as much as is possible. I'm not a huge fan of the design of the Koubu, but their shape fits for their size. They just look bulky and the colors just make me want to laugh.
The music is pretty awesome as well. *Geki Teikoku Kagekidan* is a great intro song that I loved from the moment I heard it. It wasn't until I heard this song being played in the Project X-Zone game that I took an interest in Sakura Wars. Went ahead and ordered one of the soundtracks for the series as well since I loved the music so much.
The bad is mostly limited to the English dub. Don't watch it. No matter how much you don't like reading subtitles, stay away from the English rendition. It's just that horrid.
Pick this series up if you haven't. It's pretty awesome. I had my doubts at first, but once I started watching, I couldn't stop.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence [CD] [PA]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8966/8966131_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
3
Good and bad CD
on September 14, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Perhaps I just haven't listened to as much from MSI as the other two before me, but this album is nowhere near my favorite from them. Bought this CD at random after deciding I needed something to listen to on my road trip and because I liked their earlier works. There really weren't any songs that were catchy or had a good rhythm (in my opinion). It seemed like the beats were quite randomized which goes with the lyrics.
Some of the songs were enjoyable, but I don't see myself listening to this CD again. I might just take the Ice Cream song with me, though. Was the best song, I think.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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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.
Customer Rating
5
Unforgettable horror series
on September 8, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Horror, Romance, Action
Length: 12 episodes + OVA
Length: 12 episodes + OVA
"A strange girl washes up on shore -- naked, unable to communicate, scared and alone. Another, a powerful mutant, uses her inhuman telekinetic powers to escape from her prison and leaves a trail of death and destruction behind her. These two couldn't be more opposite... except for the fact that they are both the same person. When two cousins give the strange girl shelter, will they come to realize the deadly secret that lies inside the mind of this horrible monster?"
Elfen Lied...it has to be considered one of the classic horror anime series of the past decade. I purchased each volume individually as it came out on DVD when it first released years ago. This series just has so much going for it which makes it a must-see show for any anime fan. As soon as I heard that a Blu-ray version was being released, I preordered. Not many that I'll preorder 3 months in advance.
If you have never seen or heard of Elfen Lied; be forewarned! This is not a series for kids. It's incredibly graphic and is considered one of the most controversial series to be released because of the sheer amount of death in just 12 episodes. Most of the death scenes are just moments of horror filled with exploding bodies and beheadings, but there are several which are much more emotional. It does a great job of pulling you in emotionally and leaving you on the verge of tears. You come to realize that humanity is a bigger monster than practically any mutant could be. There's also a large deal of nudity as well.
There are just a couple drawbacks from this release. Mainly, while the graphics are definitely better, it doesn't benefit as much from 1080p compared to some of the newer series. It's definitely smoother, but it doesn't have as rich colors. Also, you might find yourself swapping to the Japanese audio. I kept it on English, but the voice actors for Kohta and Yuka left a lot to be desired. However, the rest of the cast, Lucy in particular, are very well done.
If you have a aound system, you're in luck here. They added DTS-HD Master Audio to the release for an exceptionally immersive experience. The opening theme song, Lilium, is probably my favorite song of all time. Absolutely love how hauntingly beautiful it is. The ending theme, Be Your Girl, is pretty catchy as well and adds a much more upbeat tone.
There aren't any trailers attached to this release, but there are some very extended character and design sketches. About 33 minutes worth which is quite extensive. Most extras only include about 2-3 minutes worth of sketches. You've also got clean opening and ending themes.
If you're not afraid of tons of blood and a bit of mental trauma, definitely pick this series up. One of my favorite series to date.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
Amazingly realistic Ghibli film
on September 4, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Slice of Life, Romance
Length: 91 minutes
Length: 91 minutes
"Yokohama, 1963, Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the Olympics. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi (Sarah Bolger) and Shun (Anton Yelchin)- but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart."
Umi and her two siblings live with their grandmother in Yokohama up on Poppy Hill. Her mother is in America pursuing her career and her father, a naval captain, has been missing ever since his supply vesel was sunk by a mine in the Korean War. Every morning, Umi raises symbol flags at the top of the hill to try to help guide her father home. Set in 1963, From Up On Poppy Hill tells the story of Umi's every day life and how a chance meeting with a daredevil boy named Shun will pull her into a brand new world.
If you're familiar with other Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli films, then one thing becomes apparent right from the start with From up on Poppy Hill. This film is nothing like the others as it is heavily grounded in reality and not a fantasy movie. It's incredibly well-scripted and animated which leads to being very emotional at times. When the secret between Umi and Shun is revealed, I instantly felt my heart sink. Almost managed to pull some tears out, but not quite enough. Haven't done that since Clannad.
As is the usual, there are tons of extras included here. Approximately twice the length of the movie at 3 hours worth! I watched the vast majority of them. I had to cut some short as I didn't want to spend 4.5 hours to watch everything. You should definitely watch the celebrity cast recording and the Yokohama featurette. The amount of professional actors brought on for the voice acting is amazing. Everyone did a fantastic job! And I always love to see what other places in the world are like, so being able to see Yokohama in the past and present was truely fun. There's also a small booklet from the original script that gives an overall plot for the director. You also learn that the original title was "A Hill with a Harbor View."
An amazing movie in my books. I missed the local screenings of it in Nashville back in May and had been kicking myself since. Everyone should have it in their collection.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This super sexy release from the fantasy adventure anime series High School DxD includes the entire series, following the story of a horny guy named Issei, who becomes entangled in a war for the future of human kind when he's recruited by a very scantily clad demon girl into a club full of big-boobed fantastical fighters known as the Occult Research Club.
Customer Rating
5
Hormonal highschool boy turned devil
on August 30, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Drama, Action
Length: 12 episodes
Length: 12 episodes
Going to assume that the summary on the back ot the box is too risque for Best Buy as my review has been declined twice aleady, so just going to wing it!
What happens when you mix an overly hormonal highschool boy with devilish powers? He dreams of his own harem! At least that's what Issei is thinking. It's never a good thing when you get impaled by your first girlfriend on your very first date. Luckily for Issei, the hottest girl in school just happens to be a devil and wants him for herself. She brings him back to life in exchange for his servitude. The raging power he feels isn't just inside his pants, it's also an incredible power that can destroy the gods! That is if all the girls don't kill him first!
First things first: This edition is the double-wide boxset with a separate case for the DVD and Blu-ray versions rather than the single-wide unit with the Blu-ray + DVD logo across the top header. This is also known as the limited edition version as it's only for the first release. I'm always a big fan of the limited editions so wanted to make sure I got this one instead of the other.
Now, Highschool DxD! It's definitely not a series for everyone. Tons of fanservice with not a lot of clothing and the English version is pretty vulgar, too. If you don't mind some naughty parts, you'll love it. Tons of comedy, some decent action, and a pretty decent plot to it as well. Issei isn't a total wimp like most male lead characters and neither are any of his companions. With all of the character classifications out there, it's hard to say that they're not generic but it didn't feel like a rehash of series that I had seen before.
This is just season 1 and we won't see season 2 in the states for a while. It's currently airing in Japan so don't expect it for at least a year or so.
I'm a huge fan of the music in this series as well. *Trip ~Innocent of D* and *StudyxStudy* are both really catchy and I've made them part of my music library!
Tired of the reviews not going through, so I won't waste an hour writing this one. Buy it! You won't be disappointed.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This high strung release from the comedy anime series Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends includes all 13 episodes of the show, following the story of Yazora, a loud, brash high school girl who befriends a boy named Kodaka, who has a similarly bad reputation - though his is completely undeserved, and hers absolutely is.
Customer Rating
4
Making friends the wrong way!
on August 21, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy
Length: 13 episodes (12 + OVA)
Length: 13 episodes (12 + OVA)
"Yozora's an abrasive loudmouth whose only friend at school is imaginary... She knows she's difficult -- which makes her better off than Kodaka, a new transfer student who picked up an undeserved bad reputation the second he stepped on campus. Inspired by their shared status as social catastrophies, the two loners unite and start the Neighbors Club, an organization dedicated to finding other misfits and making friends. In no time, a third member joins their ranks: Sena, a pretty, popular rich girl who annoys Yozora to no end. With Kodaka in the middle of the chaos, the brash brunette and the blonde boy-magnet go round and round, even as the Neighbors Club begins to grow. Hopefully, the girls can get past their rivalry. Because sometimes the friendship you're looking for is right in front of you. And sometimes the best friends are the friends you never even wanted."
Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends, AKA Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, is a series that I avoided for a pretty long time. All I knew was that it was a show about people that don't have any friends and its covergirl was a big-boobed blonde girl. Just wasn't up my alley on shows that I had to watch. A 2nd season is currently airing in Japan and it's getting even more popular. I probably would have skipped over it completely except that my store got a couple copies in and I decided to purchase it.
All-in-all, the show is about a group of social outcasts that form a club together and embark on silly and stupid everyday adventures from playing games in the clubroom to going to the water park. What it lacks in action, it makes up with comedy and perversion. Sena and Yozora practically have a S&M relationship although they hate each other's guts. Kodaka is smart and a good cook but is pretty dense when it comes to people. Yukimura is a dreaded "Trap"...a guy who you would swear up and down is a girl. And Rika ia the most perverted scientist you'll ever meet. And then you have Kodaka's little sister and their 10-year old club advisor. It's a pretty diverse group of characters.
I enjoyed watching the series and would like to see how it pans out, so I plan on watching the 2nd season soon. I don't foresee it as a series that I'll go back and watch over and over, but parts of it definitely had me ROFLing. As much as I love a little T&A, they focused on the jigglign for Sena a bit too much. Detracted from the series in my opinion. Opening and closing themes were decent but not my favorites. Extras were pretty much clean songs, 2 commentaries, and lots of trailers and promos.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
A bitter-sweet tale
on August 16, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Slice of Life, Drama (very hard to label it as any particular genre)
Length: 46 minutes with about 75 minutes of extras
Length: 46 minutes with about 75 minutes of extras
"A Chance Encounter... Becomes So Much More.
When Takao, a young high school student who dreams of becoming a shoe designer, decides to skip school one day in favor of sketching in a rainy garden, he has no idea how much his life will change when he encounters Yukino. Older, but perhaps not as much wiser, she seems adrift in the world, and despite the difference in their ages, they strike up an unusual relationship that unexpectedly continues and evolves, without planning, with random meetings that always occur in the same garden on each rainy day. But the rainy season is coming to a close, and there are so many things still left unsaid and undone between them. Will there be time left for Takao to put his feelings into actions and words? Between the raindrops, between the calms in the storm, what will blossom in THE GARDEN OF WORDS?"
Short and bitter-sweet is the best way to describe "The Garden of Words". At just 46 minutes long, it leaves a little bit to be desired, but everything that happens is incredibly impactful and if the ending wasn't quite so bitter-sweet, it would actually be quite fulfilling. I keep reading that it's all about the maturity of Takao at the age of 15 and Yukino's immaturity at 27, but both have the opposite as well. Takao skips classes on rainy days. It's hard to say anything about Yukino without giving away spoilers as we don't even find out her name until later in the movie.
If you've seen any of Makoto Shinkai's works in the past, then you have an idea of what to expect out of The Garden of Words. Aside from the script itself, the artwork and musical score carries tremendous weight and really delivers the big emotional feeling to each and every scene. Almost the entire movie takes place in a single spot in the park but you never see the same scene repeated twice. The detail and effort to make it all unique is tremendous and just adds to the beauty. The music is a little bit of a paradox as the happier tones are played during the rain while it's more somber during the sunny days. The ending theme "Rain" is great as well and kicks in at the most dramatic portion of the movie.
The script itself is very powerful and manage to evoke incredible feelings in the viewer. I truely think that you could watch the entire movie without hearing any of the words and still get a moving experience. However, the way in which Yukino and Takao interact with not just each other, but themselves as well, causes you to be attached at the hip to them both. The final scene is a very dramatic confrontation that practically had me on the verge of tears along with them. I even watched it in both English and Japanese to get the full effect and to see which delivered a heavier punch.
Aside from being on the shorter side, The Garden of Words is a masterpiece that exceeds more than just a tale of love. Even for non-anime fans, I would recommend this movie. Rent it if you want, but I think this is a title that deserves to be in every person's collection! I'll definitely watch it again and again!
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The fight for the future of mankind begins in this release featuring the final 25 episodes of Blood +: Part Two.
Customer Rating
5
Classic anime
on August 11, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action, Romance, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Length: 25 episodes; 608 minutes
Length: 25 episodes; 608 minutes
"Twin sisters battle over mankind's future in BLOOD+: PART TWO, the explosive conclusion to the greatest vampire anime ever made. As the chiropteran menace threatens to engulf the planet, Saya and her companions fight their way across Europe and the United States in a last-ditch effort to prevent the complete destruction of the human race. Featuring the groundbreaking series' final 25 episodes, BLOOD+: PART TWO is cutting-edge anime action and adventure at its best, a mind-blasting mix of eye-popping visuals and astonishing storylines no fan of the fantastic should miss!"
I wasn't a huge fan of this series for the first 10 episodes, but after that I was hooked for the last 40! Part Two contains volumes 6-10 which covers a TON of ground as the plot thickens and the body count continues to rise. We're introduced to the Schiff which are man-made Chiropteran orchestrated by Amshel for his own ambitions. A group of them have rebelled and now seek to kill Saya as they have limited life spans and believe that consuming her blood will cure them of this.
Over the course of these episodes, there are several major scenes that drive the rest of the series. Just what is the promise that Saya gave to Hagi? What plans do the Chevalier have for humanity? Will Mao finally be able to track down Kai? The last one isn't really important, but I've been supporting her...she might be overly aggressive, but Kai was a bit of a douche with how he just left her in Okinawa without saying a word. The fate of Riku is a huge turning point in the series that I wasn't expecting. Loved every minute of all these episodes.
Have to give props to the music here as well. Being produced by Sony Entertainment, Blood+ had access to a lot of talent and they didn't waste it. Aside from the opening and ending themes, the entire musical score was composed by Hans Zimmer. He's produced some of the best musical scores known to man and he didn't disappoint here. We finally get some Bonus features on the last disc, too. There's about 1.5 hours worth of cast interviews and about 5 previews.
After being forced to watch episodes 21-25 on Netflix, I came to like the English dubs and didn't go back to the Japanese vocals. Got to focus on all the action a lot more instead of reading.
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.
+1point
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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 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.
0points
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Overall3 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
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
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.
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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