Saiyuki Reload Gunlock (Animé/Volume One)

 

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

 

 

Saiyuki is turning out to be one of the most successful franchises in the Animé world to date, with several series that are slow improvements over the previous ones.  For the level it is working on, that does not say much, but this first volume of Saiyuki Reload Gunlock tries to look more like a Gangster genre show when it is as much Fantasy genre as its predecessors.

 

I was not a big fan of the original, though purists will probably love that one the most.  Though no version has been phenomenal, the combination of fantasy and realism is just mixed a little better than many Animés, but this 16+-age show is barely above a 16-year-old’s mentality.  Not that that is a bad thing, but it could go further if it wanted to, but the producers have a money machine going and will reel out what they have as slowly as possible.  Too bad, because someone is bound to come along and make these show look old quickly.  This DVD has four half-hour shows.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image color images are animated better than typical for TV Animé, but this is not as sharp or as clear as the best block style Animé DVDs, though it sometimes comes close.  The occasional whiting-out is annoying.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has Pro Logic surrounds like the original series but not the regular Saiyuki Reload and is here in English and Japanese.  Extras are not much, but include the usual three other Geneon trailers and two alternate versions of the opening of each show.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo