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
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- First answerSeptember 10, 2014
- Last answerOctober 6, 2014
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Customer Rating
5
Hauntingly beautiful
on December 17, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Give Makoto Shinkai the budget that Disney gives Miyazaki, and films like this would skyrocket here in the States. Picked this title up on a monthly run down to the Brentwood, TN store since they carry a pretty large selection of anime. Didn't realize that I already had a movie, "Voices of a Distant Star" by him as well. Going to have to watch that one again.
"When she hears a strange song from a crystal radio, Asuna tunes into more than just a magical stream of music. Soon, she is transported to a mysterious world where mythical beasts roam and brave warriors fight for their lives. Agartha is a land of breathtaking beauty and unimaginable danger -- a place where, it is believed, even the dead can be brought back to life. But at what cost?"
"Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below" is an incredibly beautiful movie. The plot flows very quickly and smoothly. The only real "slow" period is at the very beginning where were exposed to the every day life of Asuna even as the seasons change and time goes by. Plenty of action, no cursing, and amazing visuals deliver a complete package that is very fulfilling.
Perhaps one of the best features of this film is the lack of CG usage. Shinkai, in a Q&A session in the extras, expresses his preference of great 2D visuals, especially with the backgrounds, to deliver the most impact. The artwork is beautifully rendered with the passage of time superbly represented as the sunlight rises of fades in each scene. The Japanese countryside is great enough, but Agartha is awe-inspiring.
Musical score is done extremely well, too. I really enjoyed the closing theme "Hello and Goodbye." Even the English dubbing was incredibly well done. Truthfully, I wasn't expecting a ton from Sentai Filmworks, but I was blown away by their performance. Will have to go back through to watch it with the original voices and subtitles later on.
Also, Sentai has a horrible track-record for any sort of Extras, but "CWCLVFDB" #long abbreviation# actually has a lot. Have some good trailers, even if they don't do any narration. 50 minutes of cast interviews. Director Q&A. Other films from Shinkai. Was great to watch them all.
Definitely, I'd recommend this title to everyone. It's fantastical in nature, but the ideals represented are firmly grounded and realistic. A great telling of finding love, losing those close to us, and overcoming loss.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
G-man at his finest
on December 14, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Didn't realize that they were remaking any of the Godzilla films in Blu-ray until this popped up in our store...so glad that it got put with new releases.../sarcasm.
That aside, Godzilla vs. Biolante has been one of my favorite Godzilla movies of all time. I've still got the VHS version as well. As the other reviewer stated, I would love to see Godzilla 1985 be rereleased as well as it was supremely awesome. No point in trying to do Godzilla: King of the Monsters with it being over 50 years old now.
Godzilla in this one has a much more menacing appearance compared to a lot of the releases which is as it should be. He's a 200-ton, 30 story tall behemoth that breathes concentrated nuclear radiation. Love the cold, steely glare that we receive when he's about to fire his lasers.
There's actually a 50 minute bonus making of documentary complete with unaired footage. I actually sat through and watched it all before watching the movie as it was extremely enjoyable to watch just how they did it all.
If you're a Gojira/kaiju fan, this one is a must have. Can tell that it wasn't made with a high FPS originally, but it still transfers to Blu-ray very well and looks so much better than the originals.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Shakugan no Shana: Season 1 [7 Discs] [Blu-ray/DVD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
This hard hitting release from the supernatural anime series Shakugan no Shana includes all 24 episodes of the show, following the story of a warrior named Shana, who devotes her life to battling demons, and vanquishes the souls of those slain - until she meets a very special ally named Yuji.
Customer Rating
4
Tsundere says it all
on December 12, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Drama, Comedy, Romance (to an extent)
Shakugan no Shana is centered around two characters; The Flame Haired, Burning Eyed Hunter Shana and Yuji Sakai. Shana is what is called a Flame Haze which is a being that has made a contract with a Lord of the Crimson Realm (...just think of them as demons in human form) in order to fight against Denizens and other Crimson Lords who would seek to disrupt the world by stealing everyone's power of existence.
Yuji is actuallly already dead...his existence having been taken away in the past by a Denizen. However, he has a special treasure inside of him that has caught the eyes of Flame Hazes and Crimson Lords who all want its power.
Yuji is actuallly already dead...his existence having been taken away in the past by a Denizen. However, he has a special treasure inside of him that has caught the eyes of Flame Hazes and Crimson Lords who all want its power.
Started hearing good stuff about this series about a year ago and was pleasantly surprised to see Funimation releasing it with English dubs here in the U.S. Season 1 is 24 episodes long and it actually took me a lot longer to watch through it all (about 2 months# than I had expected. Story has good action, visuals, music, and plot. But there have been a lot more anime movies and series coming out that caught my attention a lot more than this one.
Just a couple things I didn't like with this one. One, Yuji is too ignorant. And two...the English voice-overs. Had to turn the Japanese vocals on less than half way through the first episode. I appreciate the effort, but the voices just didn't fit the characters...especially Shana.
The extras were very refreshing. Loved Shanatan and the Q&A session with the Hunter and Marianne was great.
This series has two more 24 episode seasons remaining with the next one coming out on December 18th #may purchase). This set ends on a note that could easily be the end so I'm not as drawn into getting the next season although I probably will later on.
What's great about it: Shana
What's not so great: English voices
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
Bleach with more cleaning power!
on December 4, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Action, Shounen, Fantasy
Hell Verse is about a group of sinners from Hell that attempt to kidnap Ichigo's sisters in the hopes of luring Ichigo into Hell to break the chains that tie them to eternal damnation. Easiest one sentence synopsis I've ever given. Believe this is the 5th movie in the Bleach universe and it's set after the Aizen saga. It's not the best spot for someone to jump into the series at, but it's loads of action that keep you on the edge of your seat.
...what's there to say? It's Bleach! Got the good and the bad. The only bad in this one is that it follows the same formula as every other Bleach movie/series. New bad guy, power up, win. Also, it's all 1 on 1 battles. Everyone splits off to fight their own guy instead of teaming up.
That being said...Hell Verse is abso-freaking-lutely beautiful. Graphics on Blu-ray had me completely hooked. Everything was so smooth and fast-paced. Seems that they decided to use less blood here, though. Characters gush all over the place in the series, but it's a rarity even when stabbed in this one. Music, as always, is very good. Long running series like this commands hefty budgets for everything.
Extras with this are very lackluster. About 10 art sketches. Not even any previews except for Neon Alley. That's Viz for you, though.
Was a bit disappointed originally with Best Buy because I couldn't do a preorder and have it picked up in store, but my store ended up getting 4 copies of DVD and Blu-ray so that made my day. Definitely something BB should work on as I don't want to wait so long for delivery and/or pay $15 extra for quick shipping. Lost my preorder on Black Lagoon because of it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
A bloody mess!
on December 3, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genres: Action with an overdose of bloodshed and a little bit of nudity.
Will start by saying that Best Buy seriously has the best buy on this. Cheaper than Rightstuf and Amazon which is awesome to see. This is my first venture into the Berserk universe and now I'm going to have to check out the old TV series as well as read the manga because it was just that good.
"The Egg of the King" takes place in medieval times with kingdoms waging war on each other. Guts is a rogue mercenary that fights for whoever pays the most. After a successful sacking of a castle, he's ambushed by bandits. The bandits turn out to be part of a mercenary group whos leader has taken an interest in Guts and will do whatever it takes to make him his.
Berserk is some good old fashioned hack and slash. Swords, axes, and arrows blowing through someone's head. Bodies being torn apart and impaled by the cavalry. And a few flying limbs as well. Movie is rated M, but Best Buy decided to slap an NC-17 listing on the website for some stupid reason.
Voicing is top notch. Been a while since I watched a Viz program besides Bleach so the actors were fresh and very good. Didn't even imagine touching the subtitles and original audio. Visuals were awesome on Blu-ray with super smooth action #good TV helps, too# and loads of meticulous details. CG was used in a few areas where I wasn't sure why it was there. Blended well, but it was just odd and gave some parts a slight blocky movement.
Soundtrack was superb. These types always seem to have great musical scores to accentuate all the action.
Soundtrack was superb. These types always seem to have great musical scores to accentuate all the action.
Extras weren't really even there. There's a section with sketch drawings...but that's it. Not even any previews. It does call out Viz's new service called Neon Alley which is a paid subscription available on the PS3 for anime viewing. May check it out.
Only drawbacks were the short length of time at only 76 minutes and that horrible feeling of wanting more at the end. Can't wait for the next movie.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This action packed release from the science fiction anime series IS: Infinite Stratos includes all 12 episodes of the show, following the story of a futuristic world in which the invention of a powerful mecha suit called Infinite Stratos has revolutionized the galaxy - especially because only women can pilot them.
Customer Rating
4
CG mechs
on November 30, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genres: Mecha, Action, Harem, Comedy
Basis of this one is that a suit called the IS, Infinite Stratos, has been developed in the future and can only be operated by women. The protagonist, Ichika, stumbles across an IS testing site one day while searching for his classroom and it reacts to him, thus he becomes the first male in the world to operate an IS and is recruited into the academy. Once there, every girl in the academy has him in their sites.
The plot is decent and doesn't throw you for any loops. Pretty cookie-cutter in terms of character development and the ending was quite predictable. Still reading the manga which is about 2/3 of the way finished compared to the anime series. Would have enjoyed a lot more action instead of as much harem development as there was. Personal opinion...he should pick Houki.
The graphics are amazingly rendered. Combat is fast-paced and just looked stunning throughout. Regular animation blends very well with the CG mechs.
English voice actors were a little annoying. The accents for Cecilia, Laura, and Charlotte really made me want to gouge my ears out. Didn't mind Houki and Rin, though. Once I finished, I went back and turned on the original Japanese audio with subtitles. Much better.
Quite a bit of Extras as well. 3 episode commentaries, interviews, standard clean OP and ending themes, and had a pretty humorous "IS radio" skit from Japan.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This hard hitting release from the science fiction anime series .hack//Quantum includes episodes 1-3 of the OVA, following the story of three warriors whose adventure in The World becomes a life or death fight when they become lost in a virtual labyrinth, and have a strange meeting with an entity known only as Hermit.
Customer Rating
5
New blood for an old story
on November 27, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Just picked this one up last week after waiting for a long time. Been a huge .hack// fan since the olden days of Cartoon Network's run of the series on Saturday nights nearly 10 years ago. Definitely wasn't disappointed with this OVA series.
"The World" is just as beautiful, of not more, than in the beginning. Large cities, expansive plains, floating islands, and mysterious dungeons abound. And of course, the danger is still everywhere. Three new characters make up the main cast in this series and, surprisingly, they're all female. Seems to be more and more common for the main leads to all be female. One is a little absent-minded, another is smart and a computer wiz, and the last is level headed and keeps the others tied to reality.
Things begin to go awry when the trio goes treasure hunting and accidentally wipes out a guild during a boss fight. Things escalate quickly into events that could have lasting consequences in this world as well as in the real world. Old events come back to light as players begin to fall into comas once again.
Graphics are amazing in Blu-ray on this one. The smallest details are very well drawn and capture your attention. There are very few scenes used more than once even as backgrounds which just reinforces the time and effort spent here. The new production staff did an excellent job.
Enjoyed the English dubs as well. Actually liked them better than some of the original voices which is a huge rarity. Noticed several similar voices as it is a Funimation title and the staffing is called upon for many different titles.
The music was pretty good. Would say it was great, but it's hard to beat Yuki Kajiura's soundtracks from the original .hack//sign as well as Liminality.
Lots of extras here as well. No episode commentaries, but there are a few small bits about Quantum theory #which is actually quite interesting# as well as three cooking episodes. Very good to watch if you've ever wanted to make a bento/lunch box. And you've got the standard trailers and previews.
Enjoyed the English dubs as well. Actually liked them better than some of the original voices which is a huge rarity. Noticed several similar voices as it is a Funimation title and the staffing is called upon for many different titles.
The music was pretty good. Would say it was great, but it's hard to beat Yuki Kajiura's soundtracks from the original .hack//sign as well as Liminality.
Lots of extras here as well. No episode commentaries, but there are a few small bits about Quantum theory #which is actually quite interesting# as well as three cooking episodes. Very good to watch if you've ever wanted to make a bento/lunch box. And you've got the standard trailers and previews.
What's not so great: Want more
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This release from the anime OVA series Hellsing Ultimate includes episodes 5-8 of the series, telling the story of Integra Hellsing, who inherited the top position at the Hellsing Organization following her father's death, unlocking a chain of events that awakens the dormant Alucard.
Customer Rating
5
The bloodfest continues
on November 24, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Short and sweet version here: This series is awesome. Maybe not so much for the youngsters, but it's part of a select few series that can have you ROFLing and cringing at the same time. Over the top violence + off the wall comedy. Loved every second of it.
Also, forgot to put this in the review for the first part, but the Warsong Philharmonic Orchestra's ending themes were amazing. Wish they had continued that to this volume.
Volumes V-VIII continues where it last left off. The Last Batallion is about ot descend on London and unleash all hell. What should be a "good vs. evil" fight becomes a 3-way battle royale between the Hellsing organization, the Vatican's forces, and Millenium. No one is spared in this series as man, woman, and child are massacred.
The battle at the Hellsing manor, along with every other, is awesome. A woman with guns is always nice, but seeing Seras with two giant gatling guns complete with a backpack ammo pack triple her size was any man's dream come true. Watched this on a new Boston Acoustics sound system and the action was mind-numblingly intense. Musical scores along with every shot and explosion shaking the room was truely an experience.
This isn't the last of the volumes as this one ends with Alucard on the defensive side for once. So did not want it to end as I'm now suffering form withdrawals awaiting volums IX-XII.
Bookoo amounts of extras to go along with this one again. Episode Commentary, Dubbing Hellsing - The 10th year Anniversary Interviews, round table interviews with English cast, Anime Vegas 2010 Hellsing Panel, FAQs from fans, The Dawn: A Supplementary of Hellsing which is a prequel, Textless closings, U.S. Trailers, and other trailers. Sadly, no karaoke for the major in this one.
What's great about it: Everything
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This release from the anime OVA series Hellsing Ultimate includes all four episodes of the series, opening with a flashback to ten years earlier, when Integra Hellsing had first inherited the top position at the Hellsing Organization following her father's death. Her jealous uncle Richard turns deadly violent at this revelation, but in so doing, awakens the dormant Alucard. In present day, Alucard is the head of his own small chapter of Hellsing, in a small town being ravaged by a vampire priest, but when a D11 operator named Seras Victoria is mortally injured in the process, Alucard finds himself with a new immortal servant.
Customer Rating
5
Ultimate vampire story
on November 10, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genres: Horror, Supernatural, Action, Gore, Comedy
Ultimate is my first introduction to the series and after reading a couple reviews I hurred and snatched the last copy from a close Best Buy. If you faint easily at the sight of blood or can't stand cursing, this isn't the series for you. That being said, this series is good enough that I immediately pre-ordered the 2nd set after finishing this one.
Hellsing Ultimate is about the Hellsing family, the N.A.Z.I.S. (banned word for some reason#, and the Vatican's forces. Essentially, the Hellsing family of England employs Alucard, a seemingly invincible vampire, to destroy anything supernatural that pops up in the country. The Vatican reluctantly allows their operations while they have their own special forces to deal with threats that may arise. The last batallion from WWII is resurfacing after creating its own vampire army with the goal of starting the best war of all time.
Not having seen the original or read the manga, it's hard to compare Hellsing Ultimate to its predecessors. The bad guys in here are just as fun, if not more so, than the good guys. The Valentine Brothers and the Major are pure awesome. The Major gives a speech which actually has a karaoke version of it in the extras if you want to preach along with him about why he loves war.
Voice-acting is superb in this one. All of the original cast was apparently reunited to do this again. Crispin Freeman and Ralph Lister #Alucard and Walter the butler) get the most attention, but everyone performs superbly. Never even thought about turning on the original with subs.
A butt-load of extras in here, too. About 2 hours worth. You've got commentaries for every episode, a Hellsing Ultimate panel from AX in '07, original promos, trailers, TV ads, and the Major's karaoke. Hard to find something with lots of extras in anime.
Buy it, you won't regret it.
What's great about it: Everything
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Hellsing Ultimate, Volumes V-VIII [5 Discs] [Blu-ray/DVD]
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![The Manticore and Other Horrors [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/6814/6814403_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Great heavy metal
on November 3, 2012
Posted by: Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Never would have known about this album releasing except for Best Buy posting it on Facebook. Thanks BB. That out of the way, I wasn't sure what to expect from Cradle of Flith as it's been about 7 years since I last bought one of their CDs.
This CD is actually pretty good. Solid heavy metal from beginning to end. Lots of electric guitars along with a mix of symphonic instruments as well help to bring out a really enjoyable sound. There isn't a big difference between any of the songs as they pretty much all have the same sound. Nothing as catchy as "Nymphetamine" and nothing as crude as "Gilded C**t".
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.
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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...?
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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
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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