Samurai Champloo V. 03 (Animé TV)
Picture: B-
Sound: B Extras: C Episodes: B-
Samurai Champloo’s darker-than-usual Animé world
that involves sexploitation traps, older Yakuza, entanglements with the police
and other screwy goings on that involve art and photography continues with this
third volume. One of Geneon’s most
formidable TV Animé releases to date, each 22 minutes-long show offers more of
its kind of action storytelling. The
shows this time are:
9) Beatbox Bandits
10) Lethal Lunacy
11) Gamblers & Gallantry
12) The Disorder Diaries
To repeat, Animatrix and Cowboy Bebop
director Shinchiro Watanabe goes for several styles, though not too far apart,
still more diverse than you usually get for a show like this. The portrayal of women is not exactly as
progressive as Bubblegum Crisis, but it is not as childish or regressive
as we have been seeing lately. It also
looks like a bit more time and money is being put into the show. A new generation of HD-aimed series are
slowly finding their way to TV and DVD and that means upping the ante. Samurai Champloo is a semi-comic show
that could mean new life for the already lively and highly profitable Animé
market.
The anamorphically enhanced 16 X 9/1.78 X 1 image is more
diversely stylized than usual, so lack of clarity in spots is on purpose, more
obvious when compared to the best shots in each show. It is a nice approach, with a good if somewhat muted color
scale. The sound that is here includes
an oddly dubbed Dolby Digital 5.1 English mix, while you get a Dolby 2.0
Japanese mix and a really pleasant DTS Japanese 5.1 mix that is only equaled
lately by the Gungrave series.
Geneon has had few DTS titles, but the increase in such releases are
welcome because they have been the best on the market for sound in most
cases. Skip ex-Driver – The Movie,
though, reviewed elsewhere on this site and know that is not necessarily the
best version of
ex-Driver to begin with.
Again earning its 16 years and up rating for themes, sex,
language (esp. in lame English) and some bloody violence, this disc is also
lacking extra, which amounts to a few trailers and a colorful pullout in the
DVD case with some text and pictures.
For such an ambitious show, you would think Geneon would include even
more.
- Nicholas Sheffo
