In the new film, the central character is still Goku. Fans of the original Dragon Ball series will be familiar with the story of how Goku and Bulma met, how they met Yamcha the Desert Bandit and many more characters that make their appearances in the later Dragonball Z series. The film will stay relatively faithful to the series however a more "grown-up" approach will be taken to make sure that it is reasonably believable.

Cast

Goku - Justin Chatwin
Chi Chi - Jamie Chung
Yamcha - Joon Park
Bulma - Emmy Rossum
Piccolo - James Marsters
Roshi/Turtle Hermit - Chow Yun-Fat
Gohan (senior) - Randall Duk Kim
Mai - Eriko Tamura

Plot Summary

In the original story, Goku was a child who lived with his grandfather (Gohan) in the middle of nowhere. In the movie it seems that Goku is a high school student (18 years old) and although he does live with his grandfather, the similarities end from there on. After his grandfather's death at the hands of Piccolo, Goku sets off on a trail to find the Legendary Dragonballs to help him stop Piccolo. Now the Piccolo we see in the movie is not the same Piccolo as the one in Dragonball Z it is in fact his father. The Piccolo in Dragonball Z is actually the spawn of Lord Piccolo, an evil ruler in the original manga.

Along the way, Goku meets many acquaintances including Bulma, Yamcha and eventually Master Roshi (also known as the Turtle Hermit). No further information has been released as to the remainder of the plot but we have been told through interviews that it will include a world martial arts scene, plenty of flying and the legendary 'kamehameha wave'.

Speculation

In a recent interview Emmy Rossum, who plays Bulma, revealed that a large monster that appears in the Animé would also feature in the film. She goes on to explain that it is actually an 8ft humanoid shaped monster. One of the Androids? Perhaps Cell? Some even believe Raditz or Ozaruu, which would mean the end of the movie spilling over into Dragonball Z. If this happens you can be sure there will be a sequel.

All in all, people have mixed views on what the movie will be like. Many hardcore fans of the original (now primarily in their late 20's early 30's) will be worried that it messes up the story much in the same way Madonna covered up Don Mclean's American Pie. Kids now say "American Pie? Yeah that Madonna song it's great". Of course there is a young target audience for the movie which means that a lot of the original action, gore and especially humour will be cut out.

I personally was a big fan of Dragonball Z and didn't really get in to Dragon Ball until much later on but I still have my reservations about the film. On the other hand it could be a hit but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. See you in the Cinemas!

Image Source

But first off, some generic Anime terms that are important or useful to understand.
Anime: While in Japan, it refers to animation in general, in other countries it refers specifically to the animation style of Japan. The topics, genre, and aim of the series are highly variable. The age category of the viewers is likewise designed to range from children to young adults and hitting everywhere in between.

AMV: Anime Music Video. These are fan videos which take either one or several anime and place the animation to music. They are considered by many to be an artform to themselves. See animemusicvideo.org for more info.

Bishonen/Bishoujo: Beautiful boy/girl resp. These are specifically characters who are designed to be attractive. Bishonen characters are normally drawn with feminine frames, while bishoujo characters are normally physically attractive characters who are young in age.

Doujinshi: This is a fan based work that is normally put into a manga format. However, the actual range is anything from manga to video games.

Eroge: A game in Japan which features sexual content, usually as anime. This is found very often in the Visual Novel format, hence the association.

Fanfiction: Fiction written using characters from the intellectual property of an established plot and universe. The authors do not claim rights to the characters, but use the story as a means of expression or as a means to manipulate series as they wish it to happen.

Fansubs: These are fan based creations in which an individual or group will take an anime in an unedited Japanese recording (called a RAW) and will translate the dialogue and place subtitles with a video editor. While they are often considered a ‘gray area' of legality, websites which distribute these will cease if they receive a request from official distributers.

Harem Anime: Despite the sound, it is normally not a single character having sexual relations with numerous others. It is instead normally a single character (normally male, but not always) who is being romantically pursued by numerous members of the opposite gender. It is usually within the realm of reason (4-5) but some can get utterly ridiculous in number (see Maho Sensei Negima).

Hentai/H/Ecchi: Hentai is Japanese for Pervert. These are all different terms for sexual content which features anime style characters. They normally have different associations. Hentai is normally ‘hardcore' in nature, while H content is normally found in games. Ecchi is mostly associated with softcore, sometimes non nude, content. Also, all of these are the reason to put on safe search whenever you are using Google for anime images -_-.

Magic Girl: A character who is a normal girl, often a student, who will transform into an alternate persona in order to fight whatever happens to be the villain of the series.

Manga: Manga is a Japanese type of comic or graphic novel. They are almost all in black and white inked drawings, and a good deal of anime is based off of these (or the other way around).

Mecha: Giant piloted humanoid robots. Many anime focus upon these mecha and their pilots.

Otaku: Japanese for Nerd. The implications in America is someone who really likes anime or other Japanese media forms. It has a much more negative connotation in Japan.

Scanlations: The same process as fansubs, but with manga instead.

Seiyu: Japanese word for voice actor or actress.

Shonen/Shoujo: These refer specifically to anime which is aimed at boys and girls, respectively. They often feature an underdog type character of the respective gender who nevertheless rises to become equal to or surpassing their superior rivals.

Subs: Subtitles. A good number of anime connoisseurs will only watch anime in the original Japanese with subtitles. The reasons are varied, the most often heard reason is the superiority of the voice actors in Japan.

Visual Novel: This is a form of video game in Japan. They are very much akin to a choose your own adventure story such as those found in books in the USA. They normally feature a background picture with characters in the foreground whose expressions change as their mood does. Text is usually displayed in a box at the bottom of the screen with choices to make at intervals. They are associated normally with Eroge games (see above), but are not necessarily all erotic in nature.

Yaoi/Yuri: Homosexual relationships, male and female respectively. May or may not be sexualized.

These are basic terms, and will often crop up in forums. I find knowing the ‘naughty' terms helps for purposes of avoidance tactics (though I purposefully avoid telling some individuals ^_^).

 

This is a compilation of some of the anime that I have really enjoyed over the years. I have been watching anime now for over half my life. The first I ever saw was Tekkaman, followed by My Neighbor Totoro. While most of these are easily findable and hardly rare, they are great for those looking to get into the anime experience (or parents who have absolutely no idea what their kids are talking about).

10 Anime That You Absolutely Must See:

1. The Films of Hayao Miyazaki
   
   
   

   These are my main arguments for the concept of anime as art. My Neighbor Totoro was one of the first anime I had ever seen. The tape kicked the bucket long since, but I still fervently follow Miyazaki. He is a truly phenomenal artist. The two that I recommend above all others are Spirited Away and Totoro. Howl's Moving Castle is significant as well, and is especially fun when you realize Christian Bale is the voice actor of the main hero. As for Totoro...well, look at him! How can you not love the giant raccoon/squirrel/panda hybrid?

2. The Films of Makoto Shinkai
   
   
   

   This man is a genius. He has been hailed by many as the next Miyazaki, and I fully agree with them. His first breakthrough, Voices of a Distant Star, is a sentimental, heart tugging piece. It becomes more impressive upon the discovery that he did the entire piece on his Macintosh home computer, with only himself and his fiancée as the voice actors and his friend composing the music. I especially recommend 5 Centimeters per Second. It is a down to earth, brilliant story of love, friendship, and separation. It also has the dubious honor of being one of the few anime that I have written a fan fiction for.

3. Mobile Suit Gundam
   
   
   

   Gundam has become almost eponymous with the concept of a large human robot with large guns and a beam sword. The original work, Mobile Suit Gundam, is a decided classic of the anime world. It has since seen several sequels and spinoffs. The first set I watched was New Mobile Report: Gundam Wing, which I still feel is one of the better of the spinoff titles. The only other spinoff that I have had much fun with was Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. I, along with many fans, site this as possibly the best spin off of the series. Gundam SEED is the other anime with a dubious honor of being good enough, yet incomplete enough that I wrote a fan fiction for it. The most recent title is Gundam 00, which, aside from sounding a little too James Bond, is one of the more favorably received, with a second season currently in the works. I recommend beginning with Mobile Suit Gundam, unless you find the animation too old fashioned, in which case I cannot recommend Gundam SEED highly enough.
   

4. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
   
   
   

   This series is often one of the first recommended on internet forums, and for good reason. The anime is a good example of a series that does it right. The humor is witty, the story is compelling and quirky, and the characters are all wonderfully unique. It is not serious in any real way, though it can fool you at times. This is another anime that experimented, in this case with the Light Novel, a short novel with pictures added in for effect. This is an amazing series and I agree with people who say to watch this when hunting for a new anime.

5. Last Exile
   
   
   

   I'm not sure how popular this is on the net, but it was one of my personal favorites. The setting is unique, something that most anime don't strive for, in a steampunk world of airships and a war that has continued for too long. The characters are interesting, the plot is compelling, and the animation and the way CG and hand drawing works together in this series is well worth the purchase.

6. Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X
   
   
   

   I class these as one set because they are all really just one long series. Trust and Betrayal are the initial story, then Rurouni Kenshin, and finally Reflections. This is the series if you want sword action. But it's more than that. It is a real look at the quality of the human condition and how far one man would go to seek redemption. It is a beautifully told story, with the action complementing the story rather than being the focus.

7. Gankutsuou:The Count of Monte Cristo

   
   
   This is a series which I picked up on a whim and fell in love with. The story of the Count is retold in a space opera setting. Before you think "what the hell," pick up at watch the first episode. The series has a few hallmarks, including a unique animating style, a decently accurate retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, and despite the fact that you can likely see the plot twists coming, they will still throw most people for a loop.

8. Ghost in the Shell
   
   
   

   This is one of those anime that takes a while to get your brain around. Quite aside from being complex, it is a real revolutionary piece. One of the classical dystopian stories of control, human advancement, and the relation of humanity and technology. Note that the movie does have spattered periodic nudity as the main heroine's cloak doesn't work through clothes... Other works by Masamune Shirow are likewise quite good. Appleseed is another one that I would recommend if this movie fails to confuse you.

9. Fate/Stay Night
   
   
   

   This is a wonderful anime based off of a visual novel. The story is compelling and complex, with characters that I absolutely fell in love with. It has a great blend of humor, action, romance, and drama. It is something of a cult hit (the cult being anime lovers.). Absolutely brilliant.

10. Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children
    
    

    Where do I begin? This is the sequel to the game Final Fantasy 7 for the Playstation. It is a completely original work and it took years to develop it. It has the best CG animation this side of Pixar and the characters are amazing. The fight scenes are also spectacular.

 

Honorable Mention: Full Metal Panic

It's hard for me not to love on this series. It has a lot of humor, a lot of action, cutting edge animation, and a story that strikes me as either the most brilliant or the most stereotypical I have ever seen. I highly recommend watching it, but only if you like action.

Series not yet completed That I Still Recommend:

These series have not finished yet, but I still enjoy them immensely and I think other's might as well.

Bleach: This is a fun series, with enough twists and turns to leave me dizzy. I might recommend the manga over the actual anime, as the added scenarios in the anime (fillers) can get exhausting and confusing. However, the plot itself is compelling, with the normal shonen cast of characters that bounce between funny and serious depending on the situation at hand. The characters are varied, but most are not especially deep.

D. Gray Man: This is a funny little anime I picked up in manga form first. This anime so far has been amazing. The characters are well thought out, the action is top notch, and the plot twists keep me on a roller coaster through the whole thing.

Hellsing OVA: This is complex. There is a completed Hellsing anime that finished some time ago. However, there is a new series called Hellsing Ultimate with updated graphics, more manga-accurate storyline, and featuring a bit more in terms of character development.

Anime I have not seen but come highly recommended:

• Chrono Crusade
  
• Code Geass
  
• Fullmetal Alchemist
  
• Galaxy Angel
  
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
  
• Ranma ½
  
• Robotech

Anime for Fun: This section is dedicated to anime that, while not particularly deep or motivational, I still found immensely fun.

Vandread: Two planets locked in a war, one composed entirely of men, the other entirely of women. And this is the plot launcher. While it sounds like the setting for a hentai show, hold that inner critic. Yes, the show uses crude humor a lot, but the general ignorance of the characters involved just makes it that much more hilarious. Lots of action, lots of boys being boys, and girls having fun. Again, not deep, not something I would recommend to critics, but a lot of laughs.

Mahou Sensei Negima!: Allow me to say that this is a cute anime, though it can be classified nicely as a bit immature, and at worst as downright crude at times. Ignoring the fact that there is a middle school class full of girls who are a bit too eager to remove their clothes for their ten year old teacher, the series is a lot of laughs. Thirty students with quirky and funny personalities, and Negi, the titular character following in his father's footsteps makes for one fun anime.

Lucky Star: This is a cute little anime. Very funny, but I recommend watching other series first to better understand the humor that goes into it.

Azumanga Dioh!: This is a hilarious anime following the lives of a group of girls. To say the least, they are a unique bunch, keeping the teachers out of it even. The show is really quite pointless, with very episodic scenarios. It is amazingly funny and I still point people here for when they need a good laugh.

School Rumble!: This series actually rates rather high on my list, though it is really just a barrel of laughs. It is mainly a parody of...well, most everything, actually. The issue with me saying I don't like parts of it is that they may overemphasize parts that most people don't like. Amazingly good, comedic from start to finish.
Caramelldansen: Just go to youtube, enter the title, and enjoy the frames of animation these provide.

Anime to Understand Anime:

Dragonball: This is not actually high on my list of good anime, but it's hard to argue against the overall importance that the anime has had on North American audiences especially. For a quick summary, Son Goku is an alien called a Saiyen living on earth. The series follows his various fights, adventures, and more fights. If you ever wonder why some characters have glowing yellow hair, it's very likely due to this series.

Naruto: Naruto is quickly becoming the new shonen series to follow. I followed the anime up until they decided to take a year or two off from the manga's story and create their own subset. This is the inspiration for ninja-esque anime. I still continue to read the manga, though even that has begun to gradually lose appeal.

One Piece: Oh yes...the pirate anime. I find the animation a little annoying, and the fact that the cast is extensive to the point of idiocy, not helped at all by the fact that all the characters stay alive. I find it tiring to continue watching (or reading) this particular story. Still, it has mass popularity, and if you like quirky, this is it.

Inuyasha: This one I actually rather enjoy and it's educational. Everyone wins! The series will give a lot of the stereotypes for animes that continue to crop up, in particular character archtypes.

Games to Understand Anime:

There are a select few video games that are really helpful in knowing if you will enjoy anime. Not only that, if you like anime, you'll probably like these.
Metal Gear Solid: This series has spanned every platform except the X-Box and recently released its final installment for the Playstation 3. It features one of the most in depth cast of characters of any media I have ever seen. The cutscenes are lengthy, and the story is told mostly through them. Solid Snake and his merry band have attained status among gamers that is legendary. Try it out. There are worse ways to spend your time.

The Tales Series (Tales of Symphonia, etc): These feature characters which are very anime-esque. The style, story and everything all feel like anime to me. I particularly enjoyed Tales of Symphonia, which, ironically enough, has its own anime series that is currently going on. Play these if you find yourself enjoying the anime.

JRPGs:

Japanese RPGs. Simply put, any RPG to come from Japan. I would hit up Final Fantasy at least in order to understand the hype a little better (or put it into perspective).

Manga vs. Anime:

A question I get asked a lot is do I like manga or anime more. To be honest, I often side with manga over anime, but then I'm a student of literature and like to read. Generally speaking, manga has a tendency to be the storyteller's intended story without addition or reduction. Anime, on the other hand, has a soundtrack and is easier to watch for long periods of time (both of which I consider positives). Generally speaking, manga is released before the anime, though this is becoming reversed in some cases, and may continue after the anime ends, Inuyasha being a good example.

There are also some differences in which the series completely differs based on which media one is indulging in. The best example I know of is Full Metal Alchemist, in which the manga and anime go in completely different directions.

In the end, I feel that each has its own benefits. But there is no manga form of 5 Centimeters Per Second, so I will always have a reason to see anime.

In conclusion:

Anime is without a doubt one of the single greatest influences on me as a person. Some basic lessons like never give up and respect yourself for who you are can be found in them, while also being genuinely entertaining and occasionally seeking at even deeper meanings. I hope this list can help you out.

Note: I take no credit for the pictures. I found them through Google.

Things kick off in Episode 5, where Hikari joins Takeru and company at their school (with a little help from Jennifer to get the transfer to go through). Initially excited at doing something new, the ever-cheerful Hikari soon learns that school isn't quite what it's cracked up to be. Then, the group kicks off the start of summer break to go camping in the mountains, with a “test of courage” that has Takeru trying to figure out what to do with Hikari. It's off to the beach next, where the girls get decked out in swimwear and more struggling with affections on the part of Takeru and Mari (this is also where the second monster fight of the whole series takes place!). Finally, we get a “slice-of-life” episode where the gang gets ready for the Bon Festival, Hikari makes a new friend in a bell cricket, life lessons are learned and new secrets and mysteries are revealed.

The series has been great to watch from the start, but now things are starting to get interesting with this new batch of episodes. It mainly has to do with the fact that more about Hikari is being revealed, in particular a “dark side” of her, which may or may not be her “true” self, that was first glimpsed in Episode 1 and now makes regular appearances throughout the episodes on this volume. We also get a new character in the form of Ioneos, a mysterious robot with a strange attitude and connection to Hikari, calling her “Mistress” and reacting to her praise and admonishment. Oh, and he seems to be Jennifer's new drinking partner, Gainax once again brining new twists to anime standards with a robot that gets drunk (never mind the fact that he's a robot, which shouldn't get drunk, or that he doesn't have a visible mouth). I can't say much about some of the other mysteries and revelations that pop up without spoiling anything, but needless to say it finally does tie into the “extinction” theme first hinted at when the first episode started and what Hikari's real role is and what part Takeru, who has sworn with his life to protect Hikari, really plays in the whole scheme. Just from learning what's revealed, you KNOW things are going to go bad for our characters just as they start to get good, which can be typical of any kind of show.

Now back to the lighter side of things, which pretty much takes up the whole series (probably why this show is only twelve episodes, there are only so many ways this could get stretched out before it gets both repetitive and boring). As mentioned before, a lot of the romantic-comedy stuff seems pretty standard, right down to the “episode types” used, but it's still fun to watch it all go down. Takeru may act like the usual idiot who struggles with how to approach his feelings, but you get the idea that he doesn't want to screw it up (something a lot of us can probably relate to) at the same time you tell him “Just go for it, you weenie!” It's also fun to watch Mari struggle with her own feelings, especially with the fact that Hikari isn't your typical romantic rival and doesn't play the “game” according to the “rules”. Throw in Sakurako and Amika playing both sides in the little love triangle (giving advice to Takeru in how to deal with Hikari and to Mari in how to snag Takeru), little Kimi's dealing with Ryo and Akari's antics and the various bits of fan service floating around (especially in Episode 6, heh heh...), and this just continues to be a fun show to watch.

But probably the best part of series, in particular these episodes, is Hikari as a character. Watching her just go about enjoying life, even the simplest things it has to offer like the feel of the wind or the smell of the ocean, you can't help but like her. She even enjoys doing what most people might find boring, like work or school. And even when she overdoes it when she tries to help Takeru (like in Episode 7 when she tries to help out), it just seems so sweet because she wants to be with Takeru. It probably helps when Hikari's darker side comes out (noticable not only by a change in attitude but in hair color, no, really), who is the complete opposite of the “regular” Hikari, that she seems more lovable as a character. Given how creepy she acts when like this, that's not a hard idea to suggest.

The English dub on the disc works the same way as the previous volume, being on par with the Japanese track except in one way. The voice of Ioneos in English actually sounds more like a robot, all hollow and metallic like you'd expect a robot to sound like. Whereas in the Japanese version, he just sounds like a normal person. Sure, there's some technical stuff behind it, but I'm of the opinion that a robot should be made to sound like a robot. At least Hikari's two sides come off well in both versions, cute and sweet for the “normal” version and creepy and mysterious for the “dark” version. And yeah, the actors are still using the same goofy aliases in place of their real names (save for Monica Rial, who voices a shy classmate in Episode 5), but it still makes for a good dub on ADV's part.

Nothing much to say about the bonus material on the disc. Much of it is the same as the previous volume, the clean opening and closing animation, the ADV trailers, and the “Translator's Notes” that explain the various cultural bits that pop up in the series. There are a couple of extra goodies to be had, though. We get a music video for “Metamorphose”, the show's opening song, performed by Yoko Takahashi. It's a nice little piece, but it's about as long as the actual opener, making you wonder if that's the way the song was written and composed in the first place. There's also a Japanese promotional video, which is basically a glorified music video of clips from the show set to the opening song, only this is the “extended” version you would've thought the music video would've been. While nothing to really brag about, you still have something to watch and enjoy when the DVD is done.

If you've been waiting for things to start moving in this series, then Volume 2 of “This Ugly Yet Beautiful World” provides nicely. The final scene, especially, will definitely make you want to watch the rest of the series to find out how it all turns out, proving it gets better as it goes.

Released by: ADV Films

Rating: Age 16+

Running time: 4 Episodes, 100 minutes

Score: 8 out of 10

The player at the center of this series, based on the manga created by Oh!Great, is Ikki Minami, your usual tough, streetwise kid who tends to be all talk whose mouth and attitude get him into trouble, whether it be with local gangs like the Skull Saders or with the Noyamanos, the four beautiful sisters he lives with (he does have the usual “heart of gold” characters of this type have, with a sense of honor that comes into play throughout the series). Following a humiliating fight with the Skull Saders, Ikki sneaks a peek into an “off-limits” room at the Noyamano house and discovers a surprising (to him, at least) secret: the sisters are Storm Riders themselves. “Borrowing” (okay, stealing) a pair of ATs, Ikki takes up the sport himself and discovers a world he never expected as he forms his own team and learns how to kick butt and take names.

Admittedly, there's really not a whole lot that's new about “Air Gear” that most folks haven't seen before. For the sports-based part of the series, you got the rookie player who learns the sport as he goes (thus helping the audience learn at the same time, which admittedly is a necessary element), the other more experienced players of various personalities from goofy to downright mean, and the dream to aim for the top, meeting all challenges along the way. Many of the teams in the series seem more like street gangs, terrorizing students and neighborhoods when they're not challenging each other. Perhaps in a unique anime twist, the teams that have shown up so far have members that all wear masks of some type, making them seem like the “faceless minions” you might see on a “Power Ranger”-type show, with only the leaders showing their faces. Kind of goofy in a sense, since I'm not sure if even real life Japanese gangs are like this, but it sort of works for this show.

There's also some romantic comedy elements thrown into the mix, mostly with Ikki and his situation with the Noyamano sisters. He clashes repeatedly with their varying personalities, whether its short-tempered tomboy Mikan's disciplinary actions or youngest sister Shiraume's creation of creepy, ghoul-like dolls. He also has the traditional “relationship” with second-youngest sister Ringo, where she obviously has feelings for him but still gets irked by his antics and reacting in the usual manner (in other words, beats him up). Naturally, she also becomes jealous of Ikki's interest in the beautiful Storm Rider Simca, who seems to have her own interest in our hero, and denies any suggestion of feelings with her actions saying otherwise. Nothing a whole lot most of us haven't seen before, but still funny as hell, though it does make you wonder why Ikki stays with these girls if they treat him like crap.

Thankfully, the Air Treck stunts and battles are what help make this series entertaining to watch. Anyone who's into skateboarding or rollerblading will be interested in this aspect of the show, and because “Air Gear” is an animated show the characters can pull off stunts and tricks that would be next to impossible in real life (without CGI, of course). And all this thanks to the little engine that powers the skates, which the Storm Rider still needs to learn how to control, which Ikki learns the hard way. There even seems to be a sort of spiritual aspect to using ATs; during his first challenge, Ikki somehow envisions a “road” that allows him to perform some amazing stunts for his first time riding ATs, which end rather predictably since he is a rookie. It's another common element among sports-themed anime, and helps make “Air Gear” interesting to watch.

The fights themselves are a sort of combination of racing and street fights, where two competitors race to a certain point along a certain path, doing tricks along the way. This is where having a team comes in, since your opponent's teammates can and will try and stop you from winning the race, usually by any means necessary. This is also where the comparison to street gangs comes into play for a lot of teams, the best example being the Skull Saders who really seem to fight dirty, though there are some decent and honorable teams like the Rez-Boa-Dogs who try and balance it out. There are also plenty of rules and regulations to the fights, but that'd take too long to fully explain here and you pretty much have to watch the show to really get the gist of it.

ADV manages to provide a good dub track for the series, with some very appropriate voices for each character, such as Chris Patton for Ikki and Luci Christian for Ringo. The disc also boasts an impressive 5.1 surround sound track for the dub, which REALLY comes out during the show's opening sequence and the main bass line. When that comes on and you have the volume up, you WILL feel it, trust me. What the disc lacks is a decent list of bonus material, just the standard clean opening and closing animations and some ADV previews. You'd think ADV could provide something to help spice things up, like some character designs or even some “documentaries” about how the ATs work, but I guess not.

Cliches and lack of bonus material aside, “Air Gear” is still quite an entertaining piece to watch, particularly if you enjoy sports-themed shows. It's definitely worth checking out, at least, though adding it to your collection is up to you and your personal tastes.

Released by: ADV Films

Rating: 16+

Running time: 4 episodes, 100 minutes

Score: 7 out of 10

The story's main character is Takeru, a slacker high school student who figures the world isn't going to change because of anything he does, much to the irritation of his classmates Sakurako and Amika and cousin Mari, whose family he lives with. While on a delivery for his uncle, Takeru and his best friend Ryo follow a mysterious streak of light into the woods where they find a beautiful girl calling herself Hikari, who seems to have no memory of who she is or where she came from. They are then attacked by a strange, alien monster, and during the fight Takeru finds himself transforming into a armored creature himself to save Hikari.

Things don't get easier from there, but not because Takeru has to fight more monsters to protect Hikari. First off, he has to explain Hikari to his friends and family after bringing her home with him, with Hikari showing some very open affection for the flustered Takeru. Then Jennifer Portman, a sexy blonde American scientist with a habit for heavy drinking and walking around barely dressed, moves in as a border and takes an interest in Hikari. Then Ryo finds another girl in the woods, Akari, who seems to have some kind of connection to Hikari and can't seem to remember anything about herself, either. And, of course, he takes her home with him, much to the irritation of his level-headed younger sister, Kimi.

Some folks might expect from the first episode that this show would be your usual “transforming-hero-fights-the-monster-of-the-week”, with Hikari being some kind of princess on the run with monsters after her. Well, thankfully, this isn't that kind of show, since the first episode's the only one with any fighting in it. The rest of the episodes on this disc focus a bit more on the romantic comedy angle of the series, complete with all the usual elements. From Hikari's open affection and devotion to Takeru, to the jealous reactions of this two idiot friends, to the jealousy of Mari who realizes her own feelings for Takeru, to Takeru's reactions to Hikari's affections and his friends' opinions on the matter, it sounds like a typical romantic comedy done many times before. Thankfully, Gainax does a bit more serious take on the whole idea. For one thing, Takeru isn't pushing Hikari away simply because he's a clueless idiot for comedy's sake, but because he has some personal issues to deal with. That sort of seriousness is something you rarely find in shows like this, making it a bit more true to life than others.

Speaking of seriousness, there are quite a few of those moments in each episode. Every now and then, characters sit down to have serious talks about various topics, whether it's Takeru thinking he should be doing more with his life or Kimi talking to Akari about the family situation she has with her brother. There's also some talk about Hikari and Akari and where they might have come from. Rather than simply accept that aliens look like cute human girls, Jennifer shows her brains in coming up with plausible theories about how they would travel through space and look human on Earth. I have to say it's one of the most realistic and serious ideas about aliens that I've seen in a sci-fi show, especially an anime one, which makes a bit of a rare treat. It's this type of serious stuff that makes “This Ugly Yet Beautiful World” a show that makes you think while watching. Luckily, it also makes you laugh, as there are plenty of other comedic moments throughout the story, like Kimi's freaking out when Ryo brings Akari home or Akari's companion Kuon, a little ghost-like being that floats, makes a slapstick-style getaway after getting caught stealing watermelons, so it makes for a nice balancing act.

There are some who might think that the show's a bit slow-going, after kicking off with a talk about extinction then going into some type of monsters and alien girls show. Especially since there's only twelve episodes to be had in the whole series. This, however, I think is a good thing, since it shows that the show is taking the time to properly set things up, rather than cram certain things into a couple of episodes just to get the story going, or throw monster attacks in for the heck of it. You don't get that kind of storytelling in anime a lot, so here's another thing that makes this series seem fresh.

Probably the only gripe I have about the show is Takeru in his transformed state. The good news is that it's not your typical armored transformation, with it literally growing out his body and looking like a part of it. But for some reason or other, he looks a bit more cartoony in design while in this state, almost like he was drawn by a different artist than the rest of the cast. I suppose it was a way to make his form seem more alien or whatnot, but I still think he could've been drawn to match the design and look of the show.

The show has a pretty decent dub track, with the English voices being good matches for the Japanese ones in terms of tone and dialogue. Though, for some reason, a lot of the dub cast are using pseudonyms rather than their real names, even though a lot of the voices are recognizable. And a lot the names just seem like real bad puns. For example, Luci Christian is easy to spot voicing Hikari, but in the credits she's listed as “Tabitha Hickey”. There's no reason as to why this was done, but it doesn't change the fact that ADV managed to do a good recording job.

Since there some Japanese jokes and terms that are hard to translate properly, one of the bonus features on the disc is a handy list of translator notes which explain a few things. For example, “Ryo-sama” (which is what the girls at school call him) is translated in the subtitles as “Ryo darling”, so the notes explain the meaning behind it for those less in the know. They may be hard to read because the small text doesn't appear well on a TV screen, but the notes remain handy little pieces of information. It's certainly the best piece of bonus material on the disc, since the rest is standard stuff like clean opening and closing animation, some Japanese TV ads for the CD soundtrack and DVD releases, some trailers for other ADV releases and a preview for the next volume in the series. Nothing major, but worth checking out.

Slow going or not, “This Ugly Yet Beautiful World” is still a series worth checking out, whether it be the sweet but somewhat deep story or the “old school” elements that many remember from they first started watching anime. Definitely quite enjoyable.

Released by: ADV Films

Rating: Age 16+

Running Time: 4 Episodes, 100 minutes

Score: 7 out of 10

“Search for Vengeance” follows main character Colin MacLeod (the latest Immortal to come from that particular group, and we find out he wasn't even originally a part of it at the beginning) and his quest for, you guessed it, vengeance against the evil Immortal Marcus Octavius. Colin has been chasing after his foe since the 2nd century, when Marcus led the Romans in invading Colin's homeland and killed his wife, Moya. After 2,000 years, his quest brings him to New York in a post-apocalyptic 22nd century, where Marcus rules over the city state that now exists there. To get to Marcus, Colin reluctantly agrees to help the local resistance, which is led by the beautiful Dahlia, who reminds Colin of his late wife. But there are bigger stakes involved, as they learn that Marcus plans to unleash a deadly virus that will wipe out those outside his city so he can bring back the glory and perfection that was Rome.

As a “Highlander” fan, I enjoyed this flick, especially given the people behind it. I enjoyed the fights, I enjoyed the drama, and I enjoyed the story by writer David Abramowitz (who wrote for the TV series), particularly the history between Colin and Marcus using the flashback scenes “Highlander” is famous for. Through them, we learn not only how Colin became Immortal and how Moya was killed, but also how he was adopted into the Clan MacLeod in 11th century (making him the oldest MacLeod Immortal, pre-dating movie hero Connor) and how he got his own katana (another mainstay of the franchise, though Colin's has a standard hilt rather than an ivory, dragon-carved one fans are more familiar with). Kawajiri and Madhouse put a lot of effort into making this flick, working well with Panzer-Davis Productions to give us a satisfying product.

The character aspect and relationship between Colin and Marcus is of an interesting note, especially given how the two seem to be mirror images of each other. Compared to Connor and TV series hero Duncan, Colin is quite the loner, wanting little to do with anything or anyone save finding Marcus. As a villain, Marcus is more in tune with some of the later TV villains, the suave and sophisticated type rather than a psychotic in biker gear like the Kurgan. It probably explains why their feud has gone on for so long, not just because of interfering circumstances (like suddenly ending up on Holy Ground), but because Marcus looks down on Colin and doesn't really take him seriously. The whole thing helps to further drive the story and make you root for Colin, no matter how much of a jerk he acts like.

Another interesting aspect to the film is Colin's mentor, Amergan. Rather than an older Immortal who teaches Colin the ropes then parts ways with him (usually by dying), ala Ramirez from the first film, Amergan is the ghost of a Druid priest who sticks with Colin over the centuries, popping up either as himself or by possessing animals or objects, identified by glowing green eyes. And Colin can't get rid of him, making for an interesting relationship as Amergan also serves as Colin's conscience, trying to make him see how his relentless and obsessive pursuit of Marcus is getting him nowhere. One interesting thing I picked up is that it never, to me, seems to clarify whether Amergan is really a ghost or simply a figment of Colin's imagination, since obviously only Colin can see or hear the guy. It doesn't explain how Colin would've learned how his Immortality worked, but it does make for an interesting debate.

Probably my only gripe about the film is that there's little to connect it to previous “Highlander” works, other than the concept of Immortals and the main character being named MacLeod. There are no references to the previous films or the TV series, so we have no idea how “Search for Vengeance” relates to them and fits into the continuity of the franchise. On the one hand, anime fans who have never seen “Highlander” can still watch and enjoy this movie, since some of the concepts are explained, like what Immortals are, that they can die if they lose their heads and that they can't fight on Holy Ground. What isn't explained, however, is the fact that the Immortals must battle until one remains, hence the catchphrase “There can be only one” (which is said several times), causing both the “Highlander” and anime fans to scratch their heads and wonder further. It doesn't hurt the film, but a reference or two, like maybe a cameo appearance by previous “Highlander” characters or use of the music of Queen, who provided songs to the original movie, would have been nice.

Another downside of the DVD, at least for the die-hard anime fans, is that there's no Japanese language track. Not surprising considering this was mostly made for American and European audiences (the main source of the “Highlander” franchise's fanbase), but it would've been interesting to hear what some of these characters would've sounded like with Japanese voice actors. The sound quality on the DVD is pretty impressive, especially in 5.1 surround sound, which really brings out the musical score and sound effects if you crank up the volume. And the voice cast sports some familiars to anime fans, such as Janyse Jaud as Kyala, Marcus' sexy femme fatale companion and the film's resident female Immortal, and Kathleen Barr as Moya. There's even a couple “Highlander” alumni amongst the cast. Veteran voice actor Scott McNeil, who voices Amergan, MacLeod Clan leader Gregor and Marcus' chief scientist, had a couple of guest appearances on the TV series, as a street punk in Season 1 and as Duncan MacLeod's cousin Robert in Season 4. But the best is Jim Byrnes, who played Watcher Joe Dawson in the TV series, and returns here to voice a couple characters: resistance members Rudy, who runs a bar (Joe ran a bar in the TV series) and the Doc. Not quite the references and connections some fans were hoping for, but close enough.

Now you can't have a DVD without bonus material. “Search for Vengeance” doesn't have much, but what it does have is rather interesting. “East Meets West: Filmmakers Crossing Borders” is a short interview with the crew of the film (including writer David Abramowitz, producers Peter Davis and William Panzer, and director Kawajiri) discussing how the project came about and the difficulties in adapting a Western franchise into an anime. “A Talk With Kawajiri” is just that, a short interview with the director regarding his desire to make a good movie and do his own thing with this project while staying true to the franchise. An interesting thing about this is that, while Kawajiri is speaking in Japanese, rather than subtitles, an English translator talks over the director's words. The English is louder so you can focus on it, but one has to wonder why not use subtitles? “Stills, Drawings and Studies” is gallery of design and production art, as well as photos of the animation studio and crew, stills from the anime movie and also stills from the original “Highlander” film. After that we get the original teaser trailer that made the rounds when the project was first announced, the official trailer that premiered prior to the DVD's release, and some trailers for other Manga Entertainment releases. Like I said, not much, but enough to satisfy those who like some extras with their DVDs.

All in all, “Highlander: The Search for Vengeance” is a must have for both anime fans who want some killer sword-swinging action and the “Highlander” fans who want a great movie from this franchise. Since it may be awhile before we get another half-decent “Highlander” film, this is sure to wet a lot of whistles.

• Released by: Manga Entertainment
• Rating: None
• Length: 80 Minutes
• Score: 8 out of 10

But while there are plenty of anime-based properties on the way to sate fans' curiosities, there are plenty more anime titles out there that could get the live action treatment, provided a proper script is written and the right director chosen. So here's a list of some of those titles that deserve an adaptation, along with how they should be done and who should do them. Hollywood, take notes so you can do your jobs.

TRIGUN

The Anime:

Far into the future, on the distant planet of Gunsmoke where a “Wild West”-style civilization has risen up, the most wanted and dangerous man alive is Vash the Stampede, a gunslinger so dangerous that he has a 60,000,000,000 double-dollar bounty on his head for destroying the entire city of July. But in reality, Vash is peace-loving goofball who refuses to kill, no matter how dangerous things get. With bounty hunters after him and insurance agents Meryl and Millie and gun-toting priest Nicolas D. Wolfwood at his side, Vash travels the land looking for Knives, a man with a mysterious connection with him, while Knives sends his own agents, the Gung-Ho Guns, to either kill Vash or make him do the one thing he doesn't want to: kill.

The Movie

Making a “Trigun” movie would be rather easy, providing the story takes its primary basis from the anime, which told a more straight-forward story as compared to Yashiro Nightow's original manga. The movie itself would actually be a trilogy of films, which many sci-fi, fantasy and westerns are done best as. Each film would focus on a different act of the story. Film 1 would, of course, introduce Vash and the rest of the cast as he tries to survive a bounty hunter's plot to take him down. Film 2 would start to get into the main part of the story, introducing the Gung-ho Guns as they attack Vash and endanger those around him. The third and final film would reveal Vash's origin and his connection to Knives, leading up to their final confrontation.

As for directing this project, who better and more qualified than Robert Rodriguez? He's done western-style films with his “Mexican” trilogy, which also sported tricked out and hidden weapons, which “Trigun” has aplenty, such as Wolfwood's giant cross that contains a small arsenal of guns and later converts into a massive machine gun. He's done sci-fi comedy with the “Spy Kids” films, and he's done comic book adaptations with “Sin City”. He could even film the “Trigun” movies the same way, with the actors on a green-screen soundstage and the backgrounds added in later with CGI. Given some of the odd visuals of the original story, this might be a necessity.

GUNSMITH CATS/RIDING BEAN

The Anime:

This is actually two different anime, but both feature similar characters and were created by Kenichi Sonoda. “Gunsmith Cats” focuses on the adventures of bounty hunter Rally Vincent, as she hunts down dangerous criminals with her almost-unmatched skill with a gun and her bomb-toting partner, “Minnie” May Hopkins. “Riding Bean”, a one-shot OAV Sonoda created earlier, featured wheelman-for-hire Bean Bandit using his tricked out muscle car, the Road Buster, to outrun police and clear his name out of a kidnapping plot. It also featured an early version of Rally, who was Bean's partner in the OAV, while the “Gunsmith Cats” manga has Bean as a recurring supporting character who Rally and May frequently butted heads with. While its not sure how the two are connected (especially since Rally in the “Bean” OAV is blond and white while in “Gunsmith Cats” she has dark hair and skin), both are enjoyed by fans.

The Movie:

It wouldn't be too hard to adapt this one for American audiences, considering both stories are already set in America, Chicago, to be precise! Hollywood's best bet would be to first make a “Gunsmith Cats” movie, perhaps adapting the first volume of Sonoda's original manga with Rally and May chasing dangerous brother and sister gunrunners Bonnie and Clyde and Bean Bandit involved as the hired wheelman, but playing a bigger role than he did in the original manga. And while sequels for “Cats” would be a must depending on the first film's success, there could also be a “Riding Bean” spin-off, with Bean on his own solo adventure, either doing an original story or even adapting and expanding the original OAV. And to direct a film that has lots of guns and plenty of fast cars (Rally drives a tricked out Shelby GT Cobra), there's no better man qualified than Rob Cohen, director of “The Fast and the Furious”. And before anyone suggest Vin Diesel or Jason Stratham to possibly play ultra-cool badass Bean (a role both men are qualified for), bear in mind Bean has hair, and both actors look their best bald, not to mention there's Stratham's rather heavy British accent.

BUBBLEGUM CRISIS

The Anime:

In the year 2032, ten years after a devastating earthquake, the city of MegaTokyo is all but run by the powerful Genom Corporation with its humanoid robots known as “Boomers”. But sometimes Boomers go bad, rampaging through the streets, and no one, not even the AD Police, can really stop them. No one, that is, except the Knight Sabers, a group of four women in advanced hi-tech armor. Led by Sylia Stingray, daughter of the murdered creator of the Boomers, the Knight Sabers -- consisting of tough biker-rocker Priss, athletic Linna and cute computer hacker Nene -- fight to take down Genom and its leader, Quincy, while doing the occasional mercenary jobs and fighting other enemies who threaten MegaTokyo. A hit OAV series that helped launch the anime invasion, it was recently followed up with a TV series remake, “Bubblegum Crisis 2040", which sported new character designs and a few new mysteries.

The Movie:

Dystopian, high tech future societies are a common theme in Hollywood, and the “BGC” anime takes a lot of cues from one of the best, “Blade Runner”. Naturally, Ridley Scott would be considered the best choice to direct the movie version, as would maybe James Cameron. But Scott may not want to rehash what he already did with “Blade Runner”, and fans may want Cameron to finish up his adaptation of “Battle Angel” first. So that leaves perhaps another good choice in Alex Proyas, director of “The Crow” and the recent “I, Robot”, the latter of which also took place in a future society where robots are commonplace. For effects, there's only one man to do it, and that's Stan Winston, who did the effects for both the “Terminator” movies and the upcoming “Iron Man” and can tackle humanoid robots and powered armor in one movie. The story itself would mainly take its cues from the original OAV, satisfying a lot of the purist fans, but still mix in some stuff from the “2040" TV series. Perhaps the first in a series of films, it would focus on the Knight Sabers being assembled and their first missions, with their clashing personalities threatening to drive the team apart at the worst possible time. Casting would be a bit difficult, especially for the part of Priss, as we'd need an actress who do tough and also sing. Though as long as they don't get Lindsay Lohan, it'd be good.

COWBOY BEBOP

The Anime:

In the not-so-distant future, man has spread out across the solar system, terraforming and colonizing the other planets and using hyperspace gates to travel about in ships both commercial and private. One such ship is the Bebop, whose crew work as bounty hunters, hunting down criminals and collecting the rewards. The jobs are hard enough, and the interactions of this bunch -- ex-mobster Spike, gruff ex-cop Jet, sneaky and greedy Faye and quirky computer hacker Ed -- don't make them any easier. Especially since Spike would like nothing more than to find his missing love Julia and settle an old score with his former friend, Vicious. Sporting a jazzy soundtrack and lots of intrigue and gunplay, the series was a hit in both Japan and America and is still considering by many to perhaps be the best anime of all time.

The Movie:

A live-action movie seems like a no-brainer for this title, especially if John Woo were to be involved as either the director or even as a producer to help guide the action. Given the episodic nature of the series, it would be tough to adapt any particular story, but rather instead to more or less do an original tale that focuses on a job started by Spike and Jet that also gets Faye and Ed involved and the group forced to work together. Since there's only so much you can get into a couple of hours, the subplot involving Julia and Vicious would not be a focus, but could be hinted at and/or even referred to in flashbacks to set up for sequels. Effects, of course, would be done by Industrial Light and Magic, who made their niche doing sci-fi effects involving space ships and the battles that follow. Casting for this one would also be a tough one, save of course for Ein, the Welsh Corgi that serves as the show's mascot.

DEATH NOTE

The Anime:

Bored genius Light Yagami finds a Death Note, a tool of the shinigami (“death gods”) that can end the life of whoever's name is written in it. Quickly discovering its power, Light goes to work killing off the criminals of the world, but soon attracts the attention of the police and the mysterious detective known only as L, who is determined to prove that Light is the killer. What follows is a twisted game of cat-and-mouse as Light and L try to outsmart one another, and it soon becomes clear that there are others who have Death Notes of their own. A huge hit in both manga and anime form, currently enjoying a successful run on the late night Adult Swim line-up.

The Movie:

“Death Note” has already been made into not one, but TWO hit live action movies in Japan, both of which will be released in America by VIZ Media. So it wouldn't be a surprise if Hollywood were to do an Americanized remake, given its recent habit of doing such. There is, of course, too much of the original story to cram into one movie, so perhaps a short series of films would work, chronicling different acts of the story from Light's discovery of the Death Note and L's involvement and so forth. Main characters Light and L would most likely be cast by unknowns, a trick that more than often works, while the shinigami, in particularly Light's guide Ryuk, would be done using motion capture CGI in the same vein as Gollum or the Silver Surfer. As for a director, a Japanese one would work, but perhaps one who is experienced in doing suspenseful, psychological cat-and-mouse thrillers would be best, such as David Finch of “Seven” fame.

GUYVER

The Anime:

While walking through the woods one day, teenager Sho Fukamachi discovers the Guyver unit, an alien bio-booster armor that bonds with him and grants him extraordinary weapons and abilities. Now Sho must use those powers to protect himself and his friends from the Chronos Corporation, who will stop at nothing to get the Guyver back and use it in their plans to take over the world using their genetic creations, the Zoanoids. The original twelve-part OAV series helped launch the anime invasion, and it recently got new life by being made into a new TV series.

The Movie:

“The Guyver” was made into a live-action, direct-to-video film back in the "90s that most anime purists avoid but still has a cult following, enough to get a sequel that sported improved special effects and action. And given Hollywood"s knack for rebooting franchises that desperately needed it, it wouldn't be a stretch to start fresh with “Guyver” and create a film that stayed closer to the original story. Both CGI and old-fashioned prosthetics would help bring both the Guyver and the Zoanoids (which would resemble more their anime counterparts rather than the goofy-looking anime hybrids of the previous films) to life in a way that would both amaze and frighten audiences. Special effects whiz Rick Baker would be the best choice for this, having proved his talents in such films as “The Thing” and “Men in Black”. For the director, who better than Guillermo del Toro, who fought long and hard to make sure “Hellboy” stayed true to the original comic and would do the same for “Guyver”, and has a knack for films that feature freaky and fantastic monsters?

READ OR DIE

The Anime:

Substitute teacher and book fanatic Yomiko Readman is more than she appears. She's also an agent for the Special Operations Division of the British Library, whose job it is to protect literacy and to make sure certain books don't fall into the wrong hands. Codenamed the Paper, Yomiko uses her ability to manipulate paper into any shape she wants to battle terrorists alongside Nancy Makuhari, aka “Miss Deep” for her ability to move through solid objects, and tough-as-nails commando Drake Anderson. The group fought against clones of famous historical figures such as Beethoven and Matta Hari in the original OAV, while a spin-off TV series featured the Paper Sisters, a group of girls with powers similar to Yoriko.

The Movie:

It would be “James Bond meets the X-Men” in a live action version of this popular title. The plot would be rather simple, more or less adapting the OAV in the plot of using a rare book that has plans to conquer/destroy the world, but maybe leaving out the ideas of historical clones. The movies could also adapt the original light novels written by Hideyuki Kurata, perhaps even Yomiko's first mission when she's recruited by the British Library Special Ops Division. Naturally, CGI would be used for Yomiko's paper manipulating abilities, from either simple flocks of birds to paper airplanes the size of an F-18. With such crazy action and effects, this sounds like something the Wachowski Brothers could do following “Speed Racer”. Casting would be tricky (especially for the part of Yomiko, as we'd need an actress who's both cute and kinda mousy), but the part of Drake could be done by Dolph Lundgren, who has more than enough experience playing bad-ass soldier types and could get his career a jumpstart with the role.

BLACK LAGOON

The Anime:

When average joe salaryman Rokuro Okajima heads to the city of Roanapur in Thailand to deliver a disk for his company, he ends up kidnapped by members of the mercenary group known as Lagoon Company, who are after the disk as part of a job. When his boss abandons him to cover up the company's criminal activities, Rokuro (nicknamed “Rock”) joins Lagoon Company, proving himself as a translator and negotiator. Of course, he's still a bit overwhelmed by the fights the group gets into all the time and the methods used by Revy, the sexy but deadly muscle of Lagoon Company. A recent hit from Studio Madhouse (“Hellsing Ultimate”) with plenty of action and gunplay that made it a fan favorite in America.

The Movie:

Tons of military-style action and gunfights? Yep, a “Black Lagoon” movie, directed by maybe Michael Davis of “Shoot "Em Up” fame would be perfect for a live action, U.S. version. The plot would be easy to do; focus it on Rock"s (who could still be Japanese rather than American) arrival in Roanapur and his assignment, his kidnapping by Lagoon Company and the need to find out what's really on the disc that so many people want to kill for it. Naturally, you couldn't cram all the other mercenary groups, such as the Church of Violence or the Aryan Socialist Union, into one movie, so some could be saved for sequels.

As for the cast, that part might actually be easy. Megan Fox, who we already know looks good in a tank top and super-short cut-offs, would be great to play Revy, and would also give her a chance to kick ass with a pair of Beretta handguns. In contrast, her “Transformers” co-star Shia LeBeouf could play Rock, allowing the two to switch off the sidekick role this time around. Carl Weathers or Ving Rhames could come on to play Dutch, Lagoon Company's seasoned leader, while Owen Wilson could play Benny, the group's resident mechanic and computer guy. For the role of Balalaika, Natasha Henstridge could pull off playing the sexy yet scarred Russian Mafia boss.

HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES

The Anime:

At school, Yukino Miyazawa is the prettiest and smartest girl in her class, but at home she's a slob who studies rather than spend time with her sisters. When new student Soichiro Arima appears to challenge her position, Yukino fights to destroy and keep her spot. Eventually, the two manage to see past each other's faults and fall in love, and have to struggle to keep their relationship against those who want to break them up, such as friends, family, rivals and even their own school, who fear a decline in the grades of their top students.

The Movie:

Yeah, its more a dramatic comedy and doesn't have any guns or explosions, but this could be something different for Hollywood to do and appeal to the “chick flick” crowd. They'd end up changing a lot in terms of locale and names to Americanize it, but a “His and Her Circumstances” movie would fit right up there with all the other high school romance comedies that are all the rage. It wouldn't be too hard to work the plot into a 90-minute movie, which would chronicle the two main characters meeting, competing, falling in love and dealing with those who want to break them up. This, perhaps, could be something Kevin Smith could do, as it is a comic-based project and he has experience with romantic comedies with “Chasing Amy”. The cast, of course, would mainly consist of relative unknowns, probably plucked from TV shows like “The O.C.” or “One Tree Hill”.

MAGIC KNIGHT RAYEARTH

The Anime:

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu are three girls from different schools and backgrounds, but are all suddenly transported to the magical world of Cephiro, where they must become the legendary Magic Knights and save Princess Emeraude, who has been captured by High Priest Zagato. But as they gather powers and weapons, gain allies and battle enemies, the girls learn not all is what it seems in terms of the situation and who the villains really are. Created by CLAMP, the girls behind “Card Captor Sakura”, this “Lord of the Rings”-style fantasy tale is one of their better-known titles.

The Movie:

Fantasy's big in America, so a “Rayearth” (they'll probably simply call it that and leave out the “Magic Knight” part) film could be easy to do. The story itself was done in a pair of three-volume stories, so a pair (maybe a trilogy?) of films could be done, the first focusing on the girls becoming the Magic Knights and their original quest, while the sequel would focus on their return to Cephiro to help rectify their actions. Peter Jackson, who's used to doing big-scale epics such as “Lord of the Rings”, would be a good choice to direct, with WETA, the effects guys for “Rings” and the upcoming “Evangelion” movie, to handle the creature and machine effects for the movie. Casting for the girls would be done by unknowns, while better-known actors could handle characters such as Zagato (Viggo Mortensen, maybe?)

And there you have it. Ten potential title Hollywood could do, right off the bat. Success of the already established and upcoming films, as well as getting the film rights, could determine their potential, but that's still plenty to work with. All fans can do is sit and wait with their fingers crossed.

It's easy to see where the interest would come from. For one thing, anime has a strong fan base here in America, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that a film studio, major or otherwise, would have an interest in making a live-adaptation of a popular title. Heck, there have already been some American-made films based on anime titles such as “Guyver” and “Fist of the North Star” even before anime became such a phenomenon. Not that a lot of anime fans would be proud to admit it, since the films were low budget, direct-to-video nightmares that many would like to forget.

But things have been changing in the last few years. Thanks to the success of American comic-based films such as “X-Men”, “Spider-Man”, and “Batman Begins”, the addition of CGI special effects and even the success of adaptations of Japanese horror films such as “The Ring” and “The Grudge”, major studios have taken an interest in making live action adaptations of popular anime titles. In the last several years, announcements of such adaptations for several titles have been made, often with big name studios and directors behind them.

Fans became excited when a live-action version of “Battle Angel” was going to be directed by “Terminator” creator James Cameron, as the title was right up the director's alley with its post-apocalyptic setting and cyborg main character. Much interest has been generated by the proposed “Neon Genesis Evangelion” live-action film, produced by anime distributor ADV Films with special effects studio WETA (the guys who did “Lord of the Rings”) handling the visuals, thanks in part to released production art. And then there's “Speed Racer”, “Voltron”, “Astro Boy”, “Lupin the 3rd”, “Blood: The Last Vampire”, “Akira”, “Dragonball Z”, “Afro Samurai”... The list goes on and on. So the excitement is really no surprise.

And it's starting to show. For the past several years, numerous anime titles have been announced to be in production, some of them by big name studios and with big name talent behind them. The Wachowski brothers, the boys behind the Matrix trilogy, are at work for a Speed Racer film. Terminator creator James Cameron announced his plans to direct a live action version of Battle Angel, a similar tale of cyborgs in a post-apocalyptic future with the main character being done with motion capture and CGI.

CGI versions of longtime favorites Gatchaman (“Battle of the Planets” to most folks) and Astro Boy are in the works. Anime distributor ADV Films has joined with the special effects studio WETA (the guys who did Lord of the Rings) to produce a Neon Genesis EvangelionLupin the 3rd, Voltron, Blood: The Last Vampire, Akira, Dragonball Z, Afro Samurai (starring Samuel L. Jackson!)... The list goes on and on. film. And then there's

Yeah, a lot of titles, and a lot of potential riding on them. But just because a movie has been announced doesn't mean instant results. After all, how long were “Spider-Man” and “X-Men” in the much-dreaded “development hell” before we finally saw results? It's the same thing regarding anime-based projects. “Speed Racer” was first announced fifteen years ago and was bumped around until finally landing in the hands of the Wachowski brothers, the boys behind the “Matrix” trilogy.

Now it seems to be making the most progress, with a plot, a cast that includes Christina Ricci as girlfriend Trixie and John Goodman as Pops Racer, and even a release date of May 9, 2008 announced. “Astro Boy” went through similar development hell since its announcement in 1997. It's now in the hands of Imagi Studios, who did the recent CGI film “TMNT” featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, though no details beyond a 2009 release date, the hiring of Colin Brady as director and a few promotional images have been released.

Some films, thankfully, have developed quicker than others. “Voltron” was first announced in 2005 with Mark Gordon and Pharrell Williams as producers, with a script completed by Justin Marks in 2006. The recent success of “Transformers” and its CGI-generated robots has helped pushed the project into high gear, though no release date has been set. “Dragonball” began filming last month after much hype and speculation since its 2002 announcement, with Justin Catwin as the hero Goku and James Marsters as the villain Piccolo.

Its set to be released on August 15, 2008, with James Wong directing and Stephen Chow producing. “Lupin the 3rd” was picked up in 2003 by WhiteLight Entertainment, though not much information has been released beyond a 2009 projected release date. “Gatchaman” has managed to make some quick progress since its 2006 announcement. It, too, will be a CGI film produced by Imagi Studios to be released by Warner Bros. in 2008. The same can be said for “Blood: The Last Vampire”, also announced in 2006 with Ronny Yu (“Freddy vs Jason”) as producer, Chris Nahon as director and Korean actress Ji-Hyun Jun as main character Saya. Filming is said to begin this month in locales such as Argentina and China.

But for all the projects that are on the way, there are still the ones that remain on the shelf, still in the design stages or just plain stalled. Much hype was put towards James Cameron's version of “Battle Angel”, with plans to use stop-motion CGI for main character Alita (much in the same vein as Gollum from “Lord of the Rings”). But Cameron has put the film on hold while he works on another project, “Avatar”, leaving many to wonder if production will even start by the announced 2009 release date. The “Evangelion” film has been stalled after similar hype, as ADV Films is still trying to raise funds for the project.

“Akira” had been making steam at one point, with a script in the works and Stephen Norrington having signed on to director. Norrington dropped out of the project in 2003, and things now seem to be permanently on hold. A live action version of “Afro Samurai”, with Samuel L. Jackson as the title character, was announced before the anime was even released, but production hasn't even been started on it thanks to focus being placed more on an upcoming video game for the Xbox 360.

So with all this hype and speculation and switching back and forth on production, one has to wonder if any of these films will be worth it. If Hollywood knows what it's doing and sinks good money into some quality films, then yes. But fans may not see it that way and may even be turned off by the long delays, providing they aren't the die-hard types who won't accept anything other than what meets their standards. As with any movie, it'll fall down to final products and ticket sales, and whether they'll match what fans want to see.