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
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count2
- Helpfulness votes3
- First answerSeptember 10, 2014
- Last answerOctober 6, 2014
- Featured answers0
- Best answers1
This multimedia storage cabinet's 7 sectioned, fixed shelves let you store and display up to 609 CDs or 420 DVDs, making it easy to store a large media collection. The wide base and wall anchor kit provide reliable stability.
Customer Rating
5
Large and spacious storage
on September 26, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Just bought this unit the yesterday, 9/25/13, and so far I love it. I had 2 of the smaller Media Towers from Atlantic that could hold about 120ish DVDs/Blu-rays each, but my collection of anime has grown to the point where they didn't cut it anymore.
Pros:
Decently inexpensive. A good quality cabinet will cost a couple hundred dollars. High quality ones will run over $1000.
Easy to assemble. An electric drill is recommended although you could get away with a screwdriver if that's your only option. Took me about 30 minutes overall.
Looks great. Nice black finish, recessed shelves, and the interwoven design on the backing give it a very nice look.
Pros:
Decently inexpensive. A good quality cabinet will cost a couple hundred dollars. High quality ones will run over $1000.
Easy to assemble. An electric drill is recommended although you could get away with a screwdriver if that's your only option. Took me about 30 minutes overall.
Looks great. Nice black finish, recessed shelves, and the interwoven design on the backing give it a very nice look.
Cons:
Feels cheap during assembly. Once it's all put together, it's nice and stable, but I found myself worrying throughout the construction if it was going to break or fall apart. Worries unfounded!
Feels cheap during assembly. Once it's all put together, it's nice and stable, but I found myself worrying throughout the construction if it was going to break or fall apart. Worries unfounded!
If you need a lot of storage, this unit is the way to go. It doesn't jut out far from the wall, sits 5' tall, and is about 3' wide. Originally I was going to order a more expensive model from bestbuy.com, but it was unavailable. Glad that was the case because this one is looking great.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
Capacity
5
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Customer Rating
5
Rework of great mech anime
on September 26, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Drama
Length: 100 minutes
Length: 100 minutes
"Tokyo-3 still stands after most of civilization was decimated in the Second Impact. Now the city endures the ceaseless onslaught of the strange and deadly Angels, bizarre creatures bent on eradicating the human race. To combat this strange and ruthless enemy, the government agency NERV constructs a fleet of towering humanoid machines - the Evas - and Shinji Ikari is called into action, reluctantly taking his place at the controls of Eva Unit 01.
Living a life of loneliness and questioning his own existence, Shinji struggles to accept responsibility for mankind's battle for survival in this visually striking rebuild of one of the most important anime of all time. Shinji will fight the Angels alongside the only person who might understand his plight - Rei Ayanami, the elusive and frail pilot of Eva Unit 00. In this film experience not to be missed, Shinji and Rei will struggle to learn a simple truth: when carrying the burden of humanity's survival on your shoulders, you are not alone."
Is it odd that I loved the Evangelion rebuild movies so much that I repurchased the Blu-ray versions after I finally got a Blu-ray player? Not at all! Evangelion 1.11 is a masterpiece that helps to condense and revamp the original Neon Genesis series. My only complaint with this movie is that the original opening, Cruel Angel's Thesis, is not included at all! It's one of the most epic intro themes in anime, in my opinion.
If you've never seen any of Neon Genesis: Evangelion, then you're missing out on an amazing experience. The series is a roller-coaster of emotion as Shinji Ikari is an extremely emotionally-unstable 14 year old boy who has been tasked with saving the world. His mother is long dead and his father beckons him for the first time in 3 years only to tell him that he can pilot the giant Evangelion against the Angels or he can run away. The rebuild series doesn't quite pull the emotional strings near as much as the series itself did, but it still does a good job.
The revamp for this series, especially on Blu-ray, is amazing. The movie looks absolutely stunning and the addition of high-quality 3D CGI makes for a thrilling experience. Have to love the beautifully rich colors and super smooth animation. The inclusion of Dolby 6.1 TrueHD surround sound just adds to the fun. If you don't have a surround system, even just a 2.1 sound bar, you're missing out.
Evangelion 1.11 is a must-see for any anime fan. Own it, cherish it, love it! And don't forget to pick up 2.22 as well. 3.33 released in Japan earlier this year and I'm still waiting on Funimation to give a release date for it here in the States. May have to just import a copy as I want to see it so badly!
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
![Is This a Zombie?: Season Two [Limited Edition] [2 Discs] [DVD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
This funny and scary release from the second season of the horror-comedy anime series Is This a Zombie - subtitled Is This a Zombie?: Of the Dead -- includes all 10 episodes of the season, plus two OVAs, following the story of a boy named Ayumu Aikawa, who is murdered by a serial killer. Aikawa tries to make the best of his life as an undead zombie, but when he accidentally takes on the powers of a Magical Girl, a large portion of his new life begins to involve crossdressing.
Customer Rating
5
Cross-dressing, magical girl zombie
on September 25, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Comedy, Supernatural
Length: 11 episodes + OVA
Length: 11 episodes + OVA
"The world's most eligible zombie is back for another round of cross-dressing, decomposing, undead adventures in the only show where corpses get all the chicks! Season Two gets off to a shocking start as Ayumu breaks Haruna's magic chainsaw and accidentally exposes his fondness for petty pink dresses to the entire school! Next there's an incident with a dreadful dance that turns out to be a curse - and an embarrasing trip to a maid cafe where all the zombie's roommates work! But the shenanigans take a backseat to bigger problems when Ayumu's mysterious drinking buddy turns out to be the most powerful magical girl of them all! To save his friends and defeat this adorable new menace, zombie boy must do the unthinkable: throw a mixer for his own murderer! With a little help from his loyal harem of vampires, magical girls, and the world's cutest necromancer, Ayumu just might survive to rot another day!"
The description does pretty well here. If you're watching this show for the plot, look elsewhere as it's too off the walls to stay on any one true course. After watching season one, I thought it left off at a point where it might become more plot-based, but I was wrong! But, does it really matter? Not in the least. Is This a Zombie? Of the Dead is still a fantastic show to watch if you love some comedy, a little bit of action, and some bouncing jiggly jugs. The fanservice is back and it seems that Ayumu has even more deviants after his luscious rear than he knows!
The graphics could be a bit better. With the last few new releases from Funimation coming out on DVD instead of Blu-ray, you can definitely tell that the picture quality isn't as good. It still looks decent, but there's just a bit of graininess and the colors aren't near as vivid. It still looks good, but it could be better. Blame Kadokawa for not allowing Blu-ray licensing here in the States.
This time around, I actually listened to the English version instead of the original audio with subtitles. Found out from the commentaries that the guy who did Ayumu had his first VA role with season 1. I was definitely happier with this season. They actually redid the songs during the episodes in English as well and did a good job with them, too. Don't see that happen often at all anymore. At least not since Sailor Moon!
3 episode commentaries, trailers, and textless songs make up the extras here. The commentary for episode 1 was actually focused on showing 4 of the cast members in the studio. Don't get to see them on camera much so I enjoyed it a lot.
Great season 2 here. Definitely hoping for a 3rd season as this one didn't have anything near a conclusion to it. Just wish that it was actually in the stores instead of having to order it.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
This haunting release from the mysterious anime series Future Diary includes episodes 14-26 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
Shocking conclusion to season 1
on September 23, 2013
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Horror, Action, Drama, Romance
Length: Episodes 14-26
Length: Episodes 14-26
"Yuno's psychotic episodes are getting out of control -- but Yukiteru's already in too deep with every diary keeper raving to take him out. He'll have to trust her undying devotion to him if he wants to avoid the consequences. As the rules take a twist and new players enter the game, the bloodshed knows no boundaries. Manipulation leads to manslaughter, and what is real could actually be a product of chaos. With the world on the verge of collapse, there's no predicting who'll get the happy ending they're fighting for. Expect a spike in adrenaline as the race for ultimate godhood peaks to total insanity."
Just love this show so much! You honestly never know what's going to happen with so many players on the stage and even more behind the scenes. Even after having originally streaming it last year, I still found myself noticing new things this time around which just makes me want to watch it again. Funimation did an amazing job with the English dub. I still encourage everyone to watch some of the scenes with Yuno in Japanese, though. Try to find some with her in normal, loving, psycho, and enraged mode.
Part 2 concludes the Future Diary series with half of the diary holders already killed off. The surviving members consist of Yuki *1st* and Yuno *2nd* as well as 7th *pair of lovers*, 8th *orphanage matron*, 9th *Minene*, and 11th *the Mayor*. New players continue to enter the game as it's revealed that one of the diaries acts as a network server which can give diary powers to others as well. A tragic series of events turns Yuki from a cowering child into a merciless, cold-blooded killer as he declaries that he will be the winner.
I wasn't as huge of a fan of the opening and ending themes for season 2. It's hard for anything to live up to *Kuso Mesorogii* and *Blood Teller*, but *Dead End* and *Filament* are still pretty good.
I have to figure that any series that I can get my brother to sit down and watch, that isn't a comedy, is pretty darn good. He watches some, but not much and he's dead set on finishing this one with me. If you can get past the death and carnage, it's a great series that keeps you on your toes the entire time.
My Best Buy number: 905388050
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
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.
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
![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!
Share this review:
-2points
0of 2voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
![Hide and Seek [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/2066/20661297_sa.jpg)
Overall
4 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
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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.
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
20of 25voted 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.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
Dval's Questions
Dval has not submitted any questions.
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