The Law Of Ueki – The Battle Commencement (Animé/V. 1)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Episodes: C

 

 

The Law Of Ueki is another Action/Comedy show where the comedy is the overriding factor, but I was particularly surprised that this show approved for 13-years-old and up audiences had some of the obscenity it did.  Particularly about excrement, which is not appropriate for that age group.  The show is about how the title character gets an almost supernatural power typical of these cartoons and what he does with it.

 

This time, it has to do with making natural objects like tree out of thin air, but he is not the only one who can do this and a competition eventually looms.  Odder still, the box omits the title of the first episode, Kosuke Ueki’s Law Of Righteousness.  Why the political correctness?   Does The Religious Right in this country and other own the word “righteousness” to some crazy extent?  It is not like the show is trying to be religious, though the very idea of any such empowerment screams “anti-Christ” to such extremists, but Geneon DVDS usually have so much detail that the lack of title listing is troubling.

 

The show is not as troubling, but just not that good.  It lands up racking up every cliché around and the “organic” references just seem like pure desperation.  Geneon usually offers better and only diehard Animé fans should apply.

The 1.33 X 1 image has a mix of colorful and overly white images, the later of which is so clichéd that it ceases to be interesting on arrival.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 English and Japanese Stereo has no Pro Logic surrounds, but are clear enough to hear the sometimes awkward dialogue.  Extras include the usual three Geneon DVD trailers and add a textless version of the opening of each show.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo