A new review for Lupin III – Alcatraz Connection ‘s is up on ANN!

“Lupin the Third, both the character and the media franchise revolving around him, is a cornerstone of Japanese popular culture who hardly requires an introduction. Most anime fans have had some interaction with the snarky thief, be it through films like Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro, Adult Swim reruns of the second anime series, or more modern interpretations of the character like Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. I’ve always been fond of the adventures of this ragtag group, so I was excited to dig into this Lupin TV special, produced over a decade ago but available for the first time in English this month. While Lupin’s stateside adventure is certainly a fun one, it’s still enough of a mixed bag that I can’t recommend it without some reservations.”

To see the rest, check out the link below!

ANN Shelf Life – Lupin III: Alcatraz Connection

A new review for Wake Up Girls! The Movie ‘s is up on ANN!

“On paper, I should love this show. It has everything I look for in these kinds of setups: The in-over-their-head band manager, the cast of wacky misfits who can barely get through four bars of music before collapsing into shenanigans, it’s all there. My reaction to the finished product, though, left a lot to be desired.”

To see the rest, check out the link below!

ANN Shelf Life – Wake Up Girls! The Movie

My review of the Turn A Gundam films is up on ANN!

“Few franchises in anime have as storied and significant a history as Gundam, and Turn A Gundam is a series that seems to be pretty universally recognized as one of the top tier shows that the brand has to offer. When I popped in the first disc of the two-film Turn A Gundam set, however, I admit I was more than a little hesitant. These two movies, Earth Light and Moon Butterfly, are compilation films, one of the most inconsistent genres in anime when it comes to quality. While there have been some that I’ve enjoyed, such as those produced for Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, most series compilation movies have left me rather ambivalent; carving twenty to fifty episodes of material into a couple of two-hour-long films is no easy feat, after all. WithTurn A Gundam running fifty episodes, could I expect the quality of the series to be represented when condensed into only 260 minutes?”

To read the rest, follow the link below: 
ANN Shelf Life – Turn A Gundam: The Movies