I have to say right off the bat, I loved this movie! It’s has a lot of different elements that combine to make this a decent movie. The Art work and Bumping Music are two of the factors that made this movie fun. That and the crazy characters, it was like a combination of the old HOT ROD Racers meet Jet Set Radio Future with M-Project Suzumoto doing the soundtrack.
The relationship you see between JP and Sonoshee grow throughout the movie/pilot, and how JP’s partner seeks redemption and a number of smaller intertwining substories. The soundtrack by James Shimoji just blows away the house, it’s got a techno jazz feel all its own and all you want to do is hop in your car and just go cruising with it blaring from your speakers.
I’d love to go more into this but if I do I’d be guilty of spoliers and who wants that type of guilt right? Overall a great movie, regardless of what some others might think of the plot. I for one saw the smaller possibilities for tie-ins and lead-offs.
I’ll leave you with the URL for The site as well so you grab some of the goods from the site. Redline brought you By Tohokushinsha Film & Studio MADHOUSE, Distribution by Manga Entertainment on the US and UK. Running time 102 Mins. Comments are always welcome, but please keep it clean.
The A.D. Police saga is one of the fan loved series spin-offs from the BGC anime franchise. As the cyber crime ratio rises in MegaTokyo escalates, political pressure mounts towards the A.D. Police to stop the increasing numbers of mutating cyborgs known as VOOMERS. During this surge of outbreaks, the friendships between members of the AD Police’s Elite team are stretched out a bit to one degree or another.
Small Background history
The year is 2020, and after a devastating earthquake, MegaTokyo also known as Genom City, was being rebuilt at the hands of the cyborg VOOMERS—Voodoo Organic Metal Extension Resources—built by Genom Corp, whose office tower now dominates the skyline. The machines, known as Voomers, have become an integral part of life now, doing heavy construction and maintenance, in addition to more mundane and menial chores. A number of these nits have been known to go rogue for one reason or another, and their destructive rampages can be fatal. To counter this increasing menace, the Advanced Police were formed as an elite police division, focused on Voomer crimes.
Setting is 19 years later after the Quake and the ongoing rebuild of MegaTokyo – Circa 2039
ADP Officer Kenji Sasaki has to come to grips when accepting Hans Kleif as his new partner. He has his own personal demons to deal with, if he is to deal with what faces him and faces the A.D. Police as well all the while investigating the Cyber-espionage and keep the VOOMERS from wreaking havoc on MegaTokyo into a Techno-Warzone. He tends to be the lone point man in his own regards, he takes risks, he also has attitude adjustments that reflect on being someone who is not really that much of a “team player”, but he is good at what he does, and that is what it takes when dealing with machines that have the capacity to take down a building with a few well places blows to the infrastructure, and where lives are at risk.
Unfortunately, the free spirit does not work well with social skills, Kenji’s first meeting with his new partner Hans Kleif, who transferred in from the NP (Normal Police) of Germany, is well let’s be honest, it was less than friendly. Kleif is the good looking Action Hero/Officer type, being shot in the line of duty and losing part of his long term memory and with a possible love interest with the doctor, who is supposedly help him out in trying to regain those memories makes him one the characters the viewer will somehow relate with and stay engaged with the story.
Let’s introduce the rest of the team! We have Jose Collins, who is also the team leader and the demolitions expert. Next the rather tall and blonde explosives expert, Karen Jordon who hails from New York City USA. Then there is also her partner and bud at the bar Ms. Mary Malone who hails from California USA, the resident firebee and aerial combat vehicle pilot. Then comes the part of who they report to, El Jefe Ms. Nancy Wilson also from New York USA as well, who is over the operations of this ADP Squad. Being involved over a city with a growing Voomer threat, crimes are high, as well as something new developing in MegaTokyo.
The Voomer market has expanded worldwide, creating opportunities to insert a criminal element involving mafia/yakauza organizations one especially known is The Backers syndicate, exporting Voomers of questionable background to other companies in need of said merchandise. One of the more notorious of these crime syndicates leaders is Mr. Liam Fletcher, who becomes a major suspect for the A.D. Police, since a series of incidents start to end connecting and centering around the Backer syndicates operations.
Now I love the BGC Franchise as a whole, I have watched all the OVAs, The TV Series, The Manga and Magazine articles over the years. The Three part OVA Set from 1989 comapred to this 1999 pre-quel, you can’t really compare the two series. I liked the OVA as well as The TV series they are both engaging but the TV series has a more intertwinging and plotline which was what got a hold of me and kept my interest. Now with the OVA series it was more due to the individual stories and how they intertwined and yet didn’t as well.
It did have a equal gritty feel to it but a different sense on a social scale, there is a better interaction with cast development and intrigue, and there is a definite sense of “Action Hero” involved in it as well. Back to the TV series, as I went through I got a sense of familiarity growing within the team structure and how Hans and Kenji started to work more as a dynamic duo (No pun there huh?), but at the same time also building a better working force as well as you’ll see as you watch it yourselves. Lots of great involvement on character interacting and some plot catching scenes to keep the viewer engaged and wanting to watch to the end of the series.
The story development has some weak points like any other story, but the character design was well thought out, however the uniforms were a bit inconsistent as far as uniformity was concerned. This world here shows a more realistic environment of a Japan that has been hit by an earthquake and is still recovering from said disaster even after being 19 years later. The story has a gritty but enjoyable feel to it for those of us out there that enjoy a cool cyberpunk type environment, RPG games, graphic novels and the ilk.
ADV has this out on the Market as a 2 DVD Boxed set, in my opinion its well worth getting and the pricing is more than reasonable. Some of you may not be a big fan by reviews, but I have seen and read what’s out there regarding the BGC/ADP Franchise that’s been translated in English and I am impressed and own a copy of this box set myself. The Artwork and the fact that it also has a decent opening and closing textless video theme sequence was also an added bonus as well.
Gameboy cases repurposed to fit themed lifestyles. That’s right you heard it. I was cruising around looking for some Gameboy parts, and I came across a steampunk Gameboy. The work was not just cosmetic, the case and been customized to accommodate a higher class audio jack, and a cartridge that gave the Gameboy a backlit area as well, and in Arctic Blue no less (Nice touch 😉 ) . He went into some engineering on the case as to include some bumpers for when being held as not cramp up fingers and such. Here is a video clip of the Gameboy in action.
Here is the gentleman’s Blog, he’s even got a tron based Gameboy and a few others as well. But The Steampunk and Tron Gameboys are the ones that caught my eyes.
Ok, so I had a falling out with Lestat last night, he’s decided to go his way and I with mine. Why did this happen let’s just say that my choices in life differ than his? He wants to do things his way; he’s almost never wrong, (Which is wrong in itself.) others are to blame for some of his own short comings he created for himself. He could have been married with kids by now had he not fucked himself out a great relationship he had with someone we both knew mutually on good terms, but he fucked his relationship with her by overanalyzing almost everything she did that didn’t include him.
She couldn’t have male friends because he thought she might be cheating on him. He was overprotective, to the point of overbearing. His behavior was/is worse than my own at times (That’s saying a lot). I try to show him what path he should attempt to take for recovery and I was spat at in the face of our friendship. It’s just like with Phant, but with him it was trust issues and leaking our private conversations about a certain person to that very person. Tell me am I supposed to trust THAT person as well? I don’t think so…..
And another thing that pisses me off, when you try to talk to someone and they blatantly ignore you, not that they even give you a reason. No, this person just flat out refuses to talk. That’s rude straight out. At least I will give a person a reason of why I am ignoring them, and the reasons thereof. Point of example one “Phantomgrift” name withheld because I can be respectful enough to refrain from using a person’s real name lest it be able to be googled and used against said person in any type of instance. He’s basically burnt his bridge awhile back, his trust with me was busted when he gave out a private conversation about someone he knew I didn’t like and considered as an Internet troll, but that didn’t stop him from sharing that information with said troll and even twisting it around about on top of it.
All that for a laugh and a giggle. Part of the reason I removed him from my facebook, was the fact he removed posts that he thought his wife, one who doesn’t like much anyways and wondered why her husband was giving me the time of day anyway? Would find offensive after finding out thru a 3rd part fellow Facebook member and friend circle that his orders were cut and they had gone to Japan 2 months after the big incident that happened, and with things the way they were (Which I will not go into details with LEST I accused of STALKING them again) over there, I had stated simply that maybe it was in the best interest that maybe he and his wife hold back due to the event that were already in place for fear of her health and wellbeing.
He removed them several times and I got tired of it and removed him from my FB where as he promptly ran to the community we both “used” to freq at one point and time and decided to profusely mention me by name and belittle and ridicule me with no way as to defend myself either since I had been banned for whatever reason the administration at the time had concocted to justify it. As per usual of said community they had a good time ripping on me and my good name, ergo another notch on the way I do ignore Phant and his replies and such upon anywhere I go and see him attempting to get me to talk to him in some manner. And well to Coin a phrase Mordecai used recently with a twist, “Sure Jason I trust you, “OH” but wait, now I’m taking back that trust I told you could have and just throwing it away”.
He’s kept coming to the blog for a bit and I’m just ignoring him for the sake I just don’t care for his antics anymore and I find it rather odd and slightly annoying that he says he “googled” me because he was bored at work. He googles for people while he’s on Deck duty? He’s so bored that he can’t just Facebook or MySpace the time? I could find TONS of other stuff while I was on CQ Duty – The basic equivalent of Deck duty, rather than googling peeps I know. But seems my bud lestat, and Phant have taken a liking to each other, even against my advice to Lestat was not to feed a troll. I replied to lestat and I’ll even try to keep his leash tightened, but at times he draws trolls nearby, that’s when the leash gets tightened. I even banned phant from coming there after he registered but after the move and the re-establishment of the database his account was unbanned as well as a few others I placed on lock down, but I allowed his to remain unbanned in case he wishes to try to troll there or pull some type of internet shenanigans.
OH But lets not forget our other personality either don’t want her left out now do we? Isn’t that right A/V ? I’d rather spend time with the kids to playing TF2 or STALKER or hell even trying out a few MMO’s together again. This brings me to another point of order that burns my ass cheeks. Fair weather friends and Gamers, what type of lame ass excuse is “I don’t want to re-download steam and use my account to re-download my games because there are people I don’t want to talk to anymore. Hell if that was the case I’d have lost a lot of friends by leaving a community and just blocking everyone and anyone from said place.
But this is someone who has games DLM games that just need to be re downloaded is all. But because they have people on their steam list they no longer want anything to do with, they don’t want to play anymore. That just plain pisses me off because one, “I” liked playing with said person, it was fun to run thru the map and flame the hell out of the crew whilst Ms. Mimiiru mows them down with the mini-gun. Has several games thru steam and only reason Ms. Mimiiru doesn’t re install and take the plunge is because there is ass-hattery upon Ms. Mimiiru’s friend list, ergo makes me wonder why doesn’t Ms. Mimiiru just edit said list and NOT have said ass-hattery upon yon friend list?
I think it’s just Ms. Mimiiru way of saying piss off dude; I’m tired of gaming AND with you in general w/o having to say it out right. Which to me is a cope out and one the worst things you could pull on me. I really lose faith in humans when they pull crap stunts like that. It shows how distrustful we are as a species. Ms. Mimiiru is one of those examples of being wishy washy, and un-decisive about what Ms. Mimiiru wants to do with their life.
Shown specific sites Ms. Mimiiru has registered with and doesn’t want to be bothered with wanting to update them even though it might generate traffic for said web comic they and their flat mate do as a team. Let’s not forget the YUKU page they created back in 2003 that is still untouched since the days of old. I guess I’m just not friend fun enough to game with or to engage in conversation with anymore is my guess. If that’s the case, fine I can accept that and go on. It’s was one of the more reasons not to bother keeping the LJ anymore as well as others too. Also I took that extra step and extend the hand out to join my forum as well.
Nay, I did and it was “politely” slapped away and Ms. Mimiiru Left to go be abused, more verbally as well as emotionally, because believe it or not every time you intentionally go out of your way to insult, ridicule and outright belittle someone you are in fact emotionally bitch slapping them regardless of how whether its verbal or if you had walked up and slugged them in the head with a 2×4. It’s just as hurtful and just as much an injury just on a different level. Nowadays she’s not on anywhere, her DA? Dead, LJ probably hasn’t had an entry in over a few months, CB don’t know, don’t care. Tried to talk to her to resolve this shitfest and was ignored, YOU WANT BE A HIKIOMORI!?! (ひきこもり 引き籠もり, FINE! It’s your life if you want to be some social outcast? BE ONE YOU’RE SO GOOD AT IT! *RAGE*. I’m through with my rant for now….
Oh, I bet the Skrull are just laughing it up over this? Seems yesterday someone leaked the following video out the internet to see what we would be missing out on next year’s Movie tie-in video game. But some questions now arise with this tie-in. Does this mean this takes place during the recent skrull insertion of our marvel heroes’ population? I see quite a number of super skrull in here and one I though was Cyclops from the X-men. This came from THQ Australia and I got to say I’m pretty impressed with this game but if they honestly and truly cancelled it? They just shot themselves in the fucking foot.
I don’t know about you, but my opinion is, THQ is doing this on purpose, as a ploy to lull the public into thinking it’s really cancelled, then when E3 comes around and the avengers movie is released “BAM! NEW AVENGERS ASSEMBLE” Video Game is announced at E3 and the crowd goes wild everyone is shocked but pleased that THQ in fact did use the time to work and iron and polish the game at the end point of release. But that’s my opinion and view on it.
What can I say about 9/11 and it being a decade already? The hurt and the pain is still there, it was 1st grade for my oldest and we were at the school in the classroom and saw it happen and thought “Gee if thats for the new spiderman movie those effects are great” it took a few moments that it wasn’t a promotional clip for a movie. Someone had just crashed a jetliner into the world trade center. It’s hard to even keep typing on this because of the pain and feelings of grief that just well back up after like it happened just 5 minutes ago. Now we have to stay more vigilant than ever and have been since that day.
Well we went to the healing fields in sandy utah where we spent our afternoon yesterday. I was also able to get a snapshot of the Firemen Memorial at City Hall just before we left. Anyways stay strong, stay healthy and in that state of mind you need to be on this day, I’s still faltering at it myself.
This is an odd week indeed. 2nd week of the kids being back to school, finally had time to get some yard work done without feeling like I should take a sandblast rather than a shower to get cleaned up. The Cruiser is already acting up thank god for warranties, seems to chug at startup and there is a strange chrip from the back area. Not sure where that is at though.
Reading and Watching Bakuman, so far pretty good to do both with. There is a definite difference between the Anime and the Manga. But I am enjoying both sides and comparing the differences.
My oldest, she wants to cosplay again this year at Anime Banzi again, as Yuffie from FF. She could pull it off well too. If she had longer hair she could “totally” do the Tifa Cosplay. Well, we went the local thrift store to find some garments to got with the transformation, and we found the items she needed.
But, at the same time while we were there “I” discovered and grabbed both a copy of Fallout Tactics and Starcraft Brood wars for 2 bucks each, and not only that but a really decent copy of the “Shadowrun” 2nd Edition rule book the only decent rulebook since the RPG came out the others pale in comparison for a dollar. Score for me! 5 bucks spent on about 40$ worth of swag! YAR!
Anyways, it’s labor day weekend and I’m going to go relax! Hope ya all have a good holiday!
Madarame's Blog of musings 