Anime

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 (PS2) Review

David HoganLeave a comment

Budokai 2 is where the Dragon Ball Z games finally clicked for me. The cel-shaded art style was great, the roster was bigger and more varied and there was a lot more to do. Hell back then I even really enjoyed the QTEs that happen frequently during matches, something I’ll admit to disliking now, beyond the odd beam clash or high-speed punching, anyway. The thing I most remember about Budokai 2 though is the story mode, which instead of anything resembling a traditional set up is a strange board game thing, plus this game has a bunch of “what if?” fusions which are a really fun feature that sadly never returned, even in the direct sequel. So, let’s take a look!

Continue reading →

Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest Review

David HoganLeave a comment

The second DBZ movie, titled “The World’s Strongest Guy” in Japan and just “The World’s Strongest” in English speaking markets (one of the least edited titles of the bunch!) sees Goku and co. take on Dr. Wheelo, a scientist who has put his large brain in an equally large mech and wishes to transplant it into the world’s strongest body… for some reason. I mean, if he’s a scientist rather than a fighter I don’t really get the appeal, but whatever! It gives us Goku, Piccolo, Gohan and Krillin at their Saiyan Arc levels of power and throws in some love for Master Roshi while it’s at it, so it can’t be all bad. Let’s take a look!

Continue reading →

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai (PS2) Review

David HoganLeave a comment

So kicking off the gaming side of the DBZ movie/game marathon-thingy is the game that feels like it kicked off Dragon Ball games, as it was the first released here in the west that was any good (for context: you can find my reviews of “Ultimate Battle 22” and “Final Bout” by clicking on them here…) Admittedly as with most things that are the start of a series with multiple sequels this game is quite lacking in polish and modes it still created a solid framework to build on, and has a few unique gameplay ideas that I hadn’t experienced before or really since beyond its sequels. Sadly it looks like crap (even at the time I thought it looked off) but hey-ho. Let’s take a look!

Continue reading →

Dragon Ball Z – Dead Zone Review

David HoganLeave a comment

Time to kick off the “reviewing films/specials alongside a game after reviewing a chunk of the Z series” thing with the first movie… of fifteen, by my count (even if that last two are more well known as DB Super story arcs at this point…) which sounds crazy until you remember the first thirteen run under an hour and were just shown at summer festivals in Japan, rather than an actual big cinematic thing. Still though, they often offer fun mini-stories with good animation and some fun villains, so I’ve enjoyed them as the side-dish that they are. “Return my Gohan!”, or “Dead Zone” as it’s known in English speaking markets, is a fun one to start with as the characters are set at a pre-Z but post-Original DB state, making this rather unique. Let’s take a look!

Continue reading →

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie – Infinity Castle Anime UK News Review

David HoganLeave a comment

Another one of those rare “cinema screener” reviews from myself (plus a review from a co-writer who actually went to a physical screening!) this time for the latest, insanely high-Japanese-box-office offering from the Demon Slayer franchise. It can be viewed by clicking HERE.

Basically, it’s more of the same, which given its the (first third of the) final arc makes sense!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes – Season 1 Review

David HoganLeave a comment

While everyone is gearing up for the big final season of My Hero Academia in the autumn Toei decided to drop a new series in the meantime with Vigilantes, which was a spin-off prequel manga than ran alongside the main manga for a lot of its run so it’s not something they pulled out of nowhere, more odd that they chose now to start adapting it right before the main show ends. I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, the humour was spot on as were some of the comic book caricatures / parodies, but a lot of its run time was very “of the week” which did affect the pace somewhat. Let’s take a closer look!

Continue reading →

Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX Review

David HoganLeave a comment

While I do plan on covering a Gundam series next in the older anime reviews bit (once I’m done with the first batch of DBZ Movies anyway) a new Gundam show has aired, so let’s quickly dip into that before anything else (Also: why has Seed Freedom still not arrived on UK shores?! I really am going to have to pirate / VPN it at this rate…) “GQuuuuuuX”, pronounced “Gee Qwucks”, is a Gundam show created by the Evangelion team that’s set in an alternate Universal Century Timeline where Zeon won the war, but about halfway through the series it takes an even weirder turn continuity-wise…

Continue reading →

Riding Bean Anime UK News Review

David HoganLeave a comment

Believe it or not, we actually got some review discs sent to us at Anime UK News, so I’ve dusted off the old AUKN template to tell you my review of the 80s OVA “Riding Bean” can be viewed by clicked HERE.

It’s a fun homage to cheesy 80s action films… well, given it was made in 89 I guess it was trying to cash-in on the current trend of cheesy action films… Either way, it’s good fun!