Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The Disaster Service Agency, Harada, Kurokawa, and of course the beautiful and deadly Mikura are in the danger business, if the job is ridiculously risky and probably will be the death of all three of them they will do it, of course for a fee. The series starts off with a real bang as Mikura and company interupt a black market transaction between a man and the Black Scissors Gang which is all witnessed by the pint sized Asami. After blowing up much of the building they learn their landlord, the guy who owns the barbershop which their doubled decker bus sits on top of (how it got up there is a real mystery) was leading that transaction. Now they are in trouble but when their client shows up they manage to get put off that trouble for a day or two. They need to stop a Doctor that is out looking to kill a rival from 15 years ago who killed the doctor's true love, the only problem they have to find the guy before tomorrow or no money. The next episode involves a forelorn weather girl, who never gets the weather right, and a space alien, yes that is what I said, forelorn girl and space alien. They are up against an alien with super powers that not even a mini-fridge from five stories can stop. The third episode is about deadly bacteria in the hands of Mikura and Harada the two best and worst people to be handling it. Asami saves the day by giving Kurokawa the heads up so he can save day. The final two episodes are the best of the disc, one is Harada's story and the other is Mikura's story that intersect and twist and turn. Mikura's is much more sad but it does connect with the OVA Mezzo Forte. I really love how the two intertwined so well that it didn't spoil the surprises in the second episode.This series is great like that everything is so off the wall, including Mikura. The acrobatic combat of the series is one of the best things about it, the fights are so energetic and amazing. I love Mezzo in all its forms.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Mikura and company are in trouble once again. From virtual reality machines that turn into death traps, to haunted apartment buildings, to deadly toxins, to serial killing clowns danger is never far from the DSA. My favorite was the killer clown. There is just something funny about a clown that not only kills but tells you that he is going to kill you before hand. More Mezzo fun, you can't beat Mezzo fun.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

We finally learn who has been trying to kill Kurokawa and why, we get to see a pop princess' sex tape with a greasy old man, Mikura not only has to face off against the mysterious assassin who has been in her sights but two psycho cops to whom the term brutality never applies, and our little pint sized assassin Asami finally shows up those bully girls who have been giving her grief. I really, really wanted this series to be longer, I just love Mikura and the DSA gang, they could have done some much more, and gone so much weirder. I really did love the pop princess' sex tape, that was really funny and perfectly timed. The ending really drove me nuts because it teases so cruelly at more to come. I want more Mezzo DSA.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

How to explain this series, hmmm, this isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Basically this is a combination of the zany out of left field humor of Excel Saga, combined with the cop setting of You're Under Arrest. Yao Sakurakouji is a spoiled rich girl who wants to join the police force to enjoy car chases, gun battles, and all around destruction. She is partnered with the police chief's daughter, the soft spoke Lu Amano. Their first misadventure involves a bank robbery where the lone robber has taken a lone hostage. Insanity ensues when Yao decides she wants to be a hostage too. Explaining anymore really kills the comedy of what happens next. The next episode is by far my favorite of the disc because I have never seen anything like it before. It is a recap episode of episodes that never existed. We get a good introduction to all the characters, the chief, the three dimwit officers one who is a voodoo priest, the detective who has a bad habit of dying on the job, our cute scientist with the tranquilzer dart bow tie, and of course Yao, lots and lots of Yao. The third episode we get back to real episodes that really happen. There is an all girl's school that the evil Organization is using the school to train girls to be their next generation in killer commandos. So who do you think they send? Hmmm. The 4th and final episode of the disc is the famous Initial D homage episode that parodies everything about that series. The entire disc is full of jokes, so many jokes that they have five pages of liner notes for four episodes. My favorite has to be Yao's father and his very Evangelion-esque office. The series is a total hoot, the laughs keep coming from every direction. If you like Excel Saga, you'll love this series.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The insanity continues in the second volume of Miami Guns. First the girls travel out to to Wild West Miami (Trigun world) to track down a notorious gunslinger Maria Rose. There they meet Julio, the peacekeeper and his aligator pal, who is a total pervert. Yes pervert aligator. They team up to find Maria Rose as they pick off the citizens of the town, one by one. There is a hilarious twist thanks to the pervert aligator. The whole Trigun, Desperado, and spahgetti western style was a lot of fun. The next episode involves a mad bomber, masked wrestling, perfectly round watermelons, and the most creepy exact Bruce Willis doppleganger in the history of animation. The Bruce Willis character was a total hoot, his inability to be harmed was great. The final episode had some of the best anime references of the disc, in the episode after blowing up the police station Yao gets fired, her daddy (in his Evangelion office) cuts off her allowance. With no money she becomes a feral child who carries a dead shark around for half the episode and then invades the house of Nagisa, the girl from the private school in the last disc. After she is captured it is up to Lu to get through to her best friend. In a scene as touching as the Miracle Worker Lu finds Yao's humanity through the one thing that is most important to her, Money. Of course while being wild in her father's laboratory she is like a raging Eva, because we don't have enough Evangelion references in the show yet. This is a hilarious show, it is my favorite type of comedy, totally off the wall. The totally different personalities of Lu and Yao really are great but it is the supporting cast that really rounds it off, from the afro police chief, to Evangelion Daddy to the great guest stars like Bruce Willis' Doppleganger keeps me rolling on the floor laughing to death while watching.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

A mysterious haunted island is the next destination for Yao and Lu which starts off with a very Lupin style opening. The island is haunted by a masked axe weilding lunatic that the gals have come to investigate, of course after plenty of bikini shots and fan service from Yao and our trusty science officer Ms Kauken. There is tons of slasher movie jokes as well as a well placed Saturday Night Fever reference. To top the episode off we have the return of George and Anthony, our trusty commandos that really have a thing for each other (nudge-nudge wink-wink). This is my favorite episode of the entire series, the girls in bikinis, a masked slasher on the loose, and plenty of humor to be found everywhere. I love slasher movies and I love this series when you mix the pair together, add some carrots, potatos, and celery you get soup, soup fit for the gods. The episode has some great false alarms, including a great one involving George, Anthony, and some red wax. I love this episode, I can't say it enough, I love this series and this is the best episode of the lot. The other two episodes on the disc are good but they can't top the perfection of combining slasher movie and screw ball comedy. In the next episode Yao's sworn enemy, Nagisa, puts a 10 million dollar bounty on Yao's head, this of course brings every assassin out of the woodwork which allows for a lot of movie references, everything from Golgo 13 to From Russia With Love, but it ends up at as a showdown at a beauty pageant that involves a giant octopus with a fetish for swimsuits. If all beauty pageants were run like the one in this episode they wouldn't have to be shown on CMT, land mines, octopi, a James Brown/Elvis lookalike, and an army of assassins coming out of the woodwork. The final episode of the disc Yao's destructive ways saddles her with a 5 billion dollar debt and a new robot partner. So what does Yao do? Work harder, try to avoid blowing things up for awhile? Hell no she goes to the nearest casino she can find and puts the robot's mind to work to win her piles of cash. Of course the casino is more crooked than a three dollar bill and run by the Organization. Yao loses everything including the 10 billion dollar robot. It is up to Julio and Lu, who is undercover in the casino, to help Yao beat the stacked odds and win back the money she owes. I love this series, it really is the best screwball comedy in all of anime, pure and total. If you like anime, and you like to laugh you must watch this series, you won't be sorry.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This hilarious series comes to an end, it does get a little too serious in the second to last episode than I liked, this series' greatest strength is the out of left field humor, but episode 12 is rather heavy. The final episode is lots of goofy fun and makes up for the serious tone of the previous episode. I guess you have to have at least one serious episode in a series, Excel Saga had a couple towards the end but I still want them all to be as silly as possible. My favorite episode is Sea! Bikinis! Ghosts, from the third disc but this was a series that was packed with funny episodes, my favorite running gag was definitely Evangelion Dad who gets lots of air time in the final episode. This series screams for a sequel, there is just so much more goofiness that the series could exploit but it was made in 2000 and as I write this review it is 2006 so I doubt there will ever be a sequel. This series didn't have one disappointing episode in its 13 episode series, everyone was a gem, the jokes stayed fresh, there wasn't a single joke that got old. I really loved this series, it is one of the funniest series of all time and if you like to laugh you must watch this series.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Here it is the very beginning of the vast Gundam franchise. The entire giant robot genre was totally revolutionized with this series. The story begins as Earth and its breakaway colonies, the Republic of Zeon have reached a stalemate but on Site 7 Earth is working on a secret weapon, a mobile suit. As their newest warship White Base arrives to pick up the new weapons, Zeon stages a sneak attack. The attack destroys most of Site 7 and seriously damages White Base killing most the skilled crew and soldiers. A young boy takes command of the mobile suit Gundam, he is Amouro Ray, the son of the engineer who built the Gundam. He has a natural talent and turns into a natural pilot. The rest of the crew is filled with civilans that were on Site 7 when the Zeon attacked. They go face to face with Char, the skilled and wily commander of the Zeon. The rest of the disc involves the crew of White Base try to defeat Char and escape for Earth. I like this series, it is just something I like. I started watching this way, way, way back when it was on Toonami which was on in the afternoons. I had been looking for this on DVD for sometime and finally found it. The opening and ending themes are a little odd, and I'm a real big fan of them, they are sung by some big Japanese guy and it sounds like karoke. The Dub is good, there are several voices that you will recognize, like Inu Yasha, Spike Spiegel, and others. Solid beginning of a solid series that is the father of all giant robot series to follow.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The fight for survival continues as Amouro starts to question why he is forced to fight. Does every teenage combat prodigy always have to question why they must fight? It seems that is a rather constant feature in these series, it is understandable but wouldn't at least one just own up to the fact that it is their lot in life and just suck it up? We get introduced to the other group of Xeon baddies who hound the White Base, the Zabi family, first with Garma, the younger brother who teams up with Char to try and capture the White Base as it slugs through Xeon territory trying to break through to the ocean and safety. Each episode has a good battle between the Gundam and the Xeon guys, it must suck to a Xeon you never seem able to catch a break. Char also shows his true colours as he sets Garma up for a fall. He is a cunning little weasel and an excellent, although Darth Vadar inspired villain. I learned an interesting little tidbit about the show and why the uncut episodes are only in Enlgish. The uncut version of the series was uncut only in English and several years after the series aired and it was too hard to synch up the voices so it stayed English, usually it is the other way around but this is a singular series. I still like this series, it is a bit episodic but it sticks very well to general plot line.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

With the death of Garma Zabi, his financee Icelina goes out with some Xeon flunkies to avenge the death of her beloved it. Char comes in to make the fight complicated. White Base is damaged and goes down into a sandstorm. It is a plucky little ship, it seems able to take a world class ass kicking but keeps on ticking. Meanwhile the Zabi family, rulers of the Principality of Xeon are planning Garma's funeral and what to do with Char, who is a scheming little fella. Icelina is unable to get her revenge, one of the bigger messages of the series that seeking revenge never solves anything and just leads to more needless destruction. The next episode introduces Ramba Rahl who is going to be a torn in the side of the White Base for a few episodes. Amouro is very affected by the death of Icelina but he has no time because the Xeon attack. While on the run Amouro and the White Base return to Amouro's home on earth where he meets up with his mother but of course Xeon is there to ruin it, those guys have no sense of timing do they, In the final episode White Base gets some much needed supplies but they run up against a bunch of ambitious Xeon soldiers who think that taking out the Gundam. If you couldn't guess these guys really don't stand a snowball's chance in hell of defeating them. We also get some much needed romantic tension between Amouro who has the hots for Lieutenant Matilda the supply officer and Frau who has the hots for Amouro. Guys in anime seem utterly clueless when it comes to women, it really isn't that hard to figure out when a chick is into you. The Xeon guys ambush Lieutenant Matilda's supply ship and Amouro goes rushing out to beat the Xeon guys up. This is a good series if you like stuff blowing up and giant robots fighting each other, it isn't deep or thought provoking but it is fun to watch.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

IF you find fan service funny, or if you like lampooning spy movies then Najica Blitz Tatics is the perfect thing for you to watch. Our heroine, Najica, is an super good secret agent who poses the president of a perfume company. She is quickly paired with Lila, a Humanarite, who is a terribly cute human genetic experiment. The pair are extremely similar to Mirelle and Kirika from one of my personal favorites, Noir. But you quickly realize this isn't Noir, but it is still very good. There are other Humanarites out there that are causing trouble and Najica and Lila are sent on various missions to stop them. Some of the best scene involve fighting, it seems that every super villian they encounter as a bevy of hot girls in short skirts as his army of thugs and when they fight Najica the fan service flies fast and furious. To make sure you fully understand the tone in which the series is meant to be taken, they often have conversations where the scene focus is directly on the panties of one of the characters. Each episode is an individual mission with the relationship between Najica and Lila as the connection between them. Lila is cute and really has no idea how to function in the world. One of my favorite scenes involves them climbing on a super tanker and Lila's top had fallen off, and she acts like nothing has happened. I love the silliness of this series and the panty shots just add to its silliness. If you like a good laugh and some good spy stuff then watch this you won't be disappointed.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The hunt of Humaritts continues as Najica grows closer to Lila. The panty shots are everywhere, it is just hilarious when the camera pans down to a crotch shot during some important conversation. My favorite episode of this disc is the one where Najica and Lila go undercover in the arms dealer convention. Nothing better than when Lila comes out of the water with the top of her bikini all the way down and she doesn't bat an eyelash over it. Lila is just so great of a character, she is like Rei or Kirika, I must have a thing for girls that have no emotions and kick all tens kinds of ass. This isn't exactly Cowboy Bebop but it is a lampoon of all of these type of series. People that watch Anime have a really hard time understanding that this is an Anime spoof. This is the anime version of Airplane, but everyone thinks it is supposed to be all serious.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This short little series comes to an end. I won't say much because I will give it away but Najica and Lila go to confront Lila's creator in the flooded war ravaged city that many of the episodes where in and everything concludes. I think this series could have easily been 26 episodes without getting too boring, but they decided that 12 was enough, but it wasn't. You knew when you came the final episode because Najica gets wounded twice while battling an opponent. This was a good series that I would recommend to the seasoned Otaku, many of the initiates of anime may get a little put off by the ridiculous amounts of panty shots but if you have seen Labrynth of Flames and realize that that OVA wasn't making fun of fan service you understand this series a lot more. Excellent series with a great sense of humor you need to watch the first disc's commentary just because the two girls are just so drunk it is hilarious in its own right.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Deep within the Hidden Leaf Village, sharp and cunning Ninja carry amazing talents and powers, and Naruto Uzumaki carries an amazing secret. Twelve years ago, the fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to save the village by sealing the Nine-tailed Fox Spirit inside this orphaned newborn. Now Naruto is a teenager and a prankster and basically reviled by the entire town which makes him act out more. He can't pass a single class in Ninja school until a ninja teacher takes him under his wing. At the same time another teacher steals a scroll of forbidden juitsus, those are ninja special skills, and makes off it with. Naruto manages to get ahold of the scroll and learns a forbidden juitsu, the ability to make multiple copies of himself. With completing that juitsu he can graduate to the next level of the ninja academy and makes two new friends, both of which hate his guts, Sasuke and Sakura. They are assigned to a master ninja Kakashi who wears his ninja badge over one eye. He puts the three of them to the test and tells him to defeat him while he reads a manga. The trio are totally unable to even slow him down because they won't work together. This is a series that is either loved and hated by other anime fans. I can easily say that I fall into either category, it isn't made when taken in small doses. This really is the new DragonBall Z series, each fight can last several episodes, some can last many episodes. Naruto is a rather annoying character, way too much screaming, Sasuke does too much brooding. Sakura and Kakashi are the best two characters and unfortunately they get the least screen time. This isn't a great series but it isn't as bad as Saiyuki.

Story: B-/A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

I, here in my website, will give my opinion on the most controversial anime series possibly ever made. Neon Genesis Evangelion on the surface appears to be your standard giant robot fare, but it is so much more. David Lynch couldn't make anything is complex if we locked him in a room for ten years and forced him at gun point to write. I really like this for several reasons, the animation is very good, the characters are all very interesting, yes including Shinji. He might be a spineless little chicken shit of a coward but if we all think about everyone we know, we all can find that one person that fits Shinji. Shit I have to admit, if you drop my ass in an EVA and tell me to go kill some 200 foot tall alien badass-motherfucker I would chicken out the first time too. But what really makes this anime is its multi-layered story. Sometimes when I think about this I decide that it is a subpar story that wasn't full worked through. But then there are other times when I really think about it and am amazed by the writing. True it has one of the most down key endings in the history of telling stories. But that is to be explained later. But that is part of what makes this so interesting, the fact that they really go that seldom used route of ending it on a less than happy note (I'm sorry if I have given it all away). Name another anime that has done that. The villians are extremely mysterious, they make you really think about where they come from. Another interesting piece is that all the characters have serious backstory, Usually backstory is left for the main hero, and the main villian. All in all Evangelion is an exceptional series for being what it is. People may call it the greatest anime series of all time, others may call it worse than Dragonball Z, but this anime is truly unique, there is nothing like her. Personally I like it, sometimes more than others, but I really do like this series.

Story: B-/A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Things get more unusual, Shinji is less of a complete pussy, and the show introduces another main character, Asuka Langely Soryu. I personally really loved the introduction of Asuka. But I must confess my favorite character in the show is either Pen-Pen or Rei. Pen-Pen is a beer swilling, mutant penguin with claws, while Rei is currently an absolute mystery. She is so removed from everything she really is spooky. People complain about the series but the first 4/5 disks are very good. Plenty of action, intrigue, sexual tension, and even humor. Each Angel is a new challenge that has to be defeated and each episode adds a couple of pieces to a ten thousand piece jigsaw puzzle. The biggest problem with the series is the fact that by the end of the series you have about 5000 pieces and really no two people can agree on what the picture is suppost to look like. But that too is also a strength and unique feature. Evangelion is a series worth giving patience to, you will have a different view of the world after watching this series.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The wacky misadventures of misadventures of Shinobu ninja in training and her friend Kaede who gets sucked into this world on a chance encounter when Shinobu is trying to steal her panties as part of a ninja training excerise. This is exactly like the manga, the adventures are all the same in some places they are a little shortened like the one involving the crocodile as living body armour. In short if you really enjoyed the manga like I did you should watch these, it is really nice to watch what someone else's idea of what the character's sound like and sometimes it is more fun to watch anime than it is too read, reading is so 20th century. I love how catchy both opening and ending songs are, that is something you don't get in a manga, but should, they have those greeting cards that play songs when you open them, manga should have the same thing, when you open the front cover you get an opening song, when you reach the end, an ending song. But I am getting off track, lots of great fun, funny and always energetic. I like how each episode is two stories each, sometimes comedy anime has trouble keeping the jokes funny over 25 minutes but 12 and half works perfectly.

Story: A
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A 

Jubei is back, this time he gets swept up in a battle between two ninja clans for the titular Dragon Stone that is in the possession of a feisty girl who lived in complete isolation until the ninja clans descended on the village like a ton of bricks, quiet literally, one of them probably weights a ton. Jubei and the girl meet Dakuan, the little monk governement spy from the OVA and a theif who has designs on both the Dragon Stone and the girl. They go up against the Ninja Scroll trademark of really bizarre villains, a giant robot who has two wheels in his hands so he drives about crushing everything in his path, a one armed swordsman who has a crossbow in his arm, a spider chick who is her brother, and a chick who is a tree. But don't get too attached to any of these villains, except the tree chick, they all die shortly after they're inroduced. I like the series a little more than I liked the OVA, but it has the same flaw that they make so many interesting characters but they kill them off too quickly, there is no villain development and when there is no villain development and without good villains there is no good conflict and the story suffers. My favorite character is Dakuan, nothing more fun than crazy old government spy monks.

Story: B
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: B 

More Killing but we are really getting anywhere. Jubei and company sometimes travel together but are apart for the balance of the disc, and I'm not even sure where they are supposedly going anymore. We again get a rogues gallery of villains who live just long enough to pick a fight with Jubei and then he kills them, with the exception of the tree lady whose death seemed an afterthought. My favorite by far was the eyeball that tries to kill Jubei in the run down old inn. I liked him, he was a cool villain but like every other villain lasts just one episode. The story really takes a long time to get going and we've just know learned the Dragon Stone is the key to a lost treasure that these two sides want so they can take control of the government, doesn't it sound just like the plot for the Ninja Scroll OVA? The villains also have the problem where they start to run together, but that is probably because one character steals the limbs off several characters in one episode. The series has good fight scenes but it is lacking direction to make it really good.

Story: B
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: B- 

This rather directionless series comes to a big conclusion in a volcano. Jubei, Shigure, Dakaun, and the thief, who is a total load, and doesn't accomplish a thing, start the disc far apart as usual, you would think after all these killer ninjas attacks they'd stay close together but nope they're off on their own. The first two episodes are rather unremarkable until we meet our first Hiroku, a big fat guy with a freaky afro. Then Shigure gets captured, this is a rather common theme, but then again the only thing they gave her to defend herself was a steak knife and they always seem to leave her alone, what do they expect. The big electric budha character captures her and leds her to the big volcano where the hidden treasure of the lost Hiruko Dynasty Treasure is hidden. All the characters including the one eyed samurai and two attractive female ninjas. The story wasn't great, even the ending wasn't that great, the character of the thief was totally useless, he does absolutely nothing throughout the entire 13 episodes. Dakaun is great as the crazy old monk guy, Jubei, is still Jubei, and Shigure is pretty good as the heroine with a destiny. It should have been a lot better than it was. The entire series really felt like a fighting game like Samurai Showdown, lots of fighting with plot stringing the fighting scenes together.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This is one of the most visually appealing things I have ever seen. When you add the amazing soundtrack it makes Noir beyond amazing. This series rubs shoulders with Cowboy Bebop in the field of excellence. The story revolves around Mirelle Bonquet, a gorgeous Corsican (not French, Corsican, that is why she doesn't speak with a French Accent), and a Japanese girl with less emotions than Rei. In this disk they meet, and start killing. One of the best scenes is when Kirika uses popcorn on the floor as a way to kill some mob goons. It also sets up the shadowy Keyser Sozie Club or known as Les Soldats (The Soldiers in French-Foo). While some less than intelligent reviewers complain that the last two episodes are too slow, mainly because it develops plot, which I think are extremely good episodes. The other problem is that the series was too popular, when anything in a genre like this becomes rather popular, people have to vehemently complain about it to make them look cool and really hip. All of you can go kiss my big royal red Irish Ass.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The exploits of the hit team Noir continues. Their first adventure takes them to a snowy Russian city to settled an age old ethnic score but they find that their target is reformed, can good deeds today make up for sins of the past? From snow to sand, the girls go to a pleasent Middle Eastern republic where Kirika finally makes a mistake and gets wounded. Mirelle must make an important decision whether or not to kill Kirika so she can escape. Of course she doesn't kinda would put a damper on the series if she did but Kirika gets captured and Mirelle gets to bust her out. It leads to one of my favorite scenes in the series when she walks into the enemy control room with a big smile and says, 'Hi' in the most cheery tone before killing everybody. Winston Churchill said it best, 'When You Are Forced To Kill, It Costs Nothing To Be Polite'. The next two episodes involve Mirelle's rather tragic past and the quest for a document that could lead them to Noir. This leads them face to face to some rather equal adversaries, in the form of Silvana, not the TV Company but a ruthless Scilian Mafia Hit Woman who Mirelle knew as a child. I like how Mirelle's rather unnerving experience with Silvana in earlier life has coloured how she deals with her now. Kirika get to handle three capable Mafia hit men. It is nice to see them take a few lumps before getting the job done, it gives them a sense of mortality that could have been easily lost. It is that human side that makes this series so great.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Enter Chloe the True Noir. The first episode involves Chloe and Les Soldats laying a trap for Mirelle and Kirika that ends with a big shoot out in a library. The next Chloe meets with the pair and they have a nice tea party where they feel each other out. Then the final is a Chloe only episode where Chloe get to really strut her stuff. I like Chloe, from her blender hair cut to her green felt sheet sewed together to make a poncho. I like how she uses knives over guns and her voice, it is funny how this hardened killer has this little girl voice. I also like how we have an episode that is all about another character than the primary pair and also a key villain to boot. My only question about the disk is why Orange Peeko for Moonlight Tea Party? Didn't Mirelle have any good stuff in her apartment or was it they made a choice to serve the crappy tea to their enemy?

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Our gals are once again in the thick of intrigue and armies of armed thugs. In the first episode Kirika reveals she is quiet an artist and makes friends with another artist. But soon thugs get in the way of the pair who are gunning for Kirika. I like this episode because it shows that Kirika has other skills besides those of the arts of death. In the next episode we learn of Mirelle's tragic past and learns that her uncle, the one who saved her from Corisca, isn't what he seems to be forcing her face down her only living family member. Then it is off to Taiwan for another two parter where Soldats wants them to take out the Triad bosses in revenge for killing one of Soldats' allies. Here they team up with Chloe who has come to help them. They go face to face with Shaoli, a woman with poisoned nails. Kirika gets to show off why she is the best killer in all of anime when she guns down Triad thugs on a narrow staircase. I often wonder why you send your best assassin to stop other stellar assassins, you run the chance of lossing your best assassin and having the other asssassins come kill you anyways. But then again legions of thugs don't really have the skills to stop good assassins so it really is a lose, lose situation. This is another good disc, everything seems to fit so well together, the music, the beautiful animation, the writing, the really sexy pair of heroes. It is easy to watch and easy to enjoy.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Mirelle and Chloe's shady association with Les Soldats is revealed which creates division between the ass kicking pair. They both have to reconsider what they are fighting for or even why they are fighting at all. This is why this is a good series, this disc focuses on the emotions of the pair. Action movie never have any emotions, they're just weapons, but this one shows they are real people even if their job involves killing people. But don't worry there are plenty of guys in suits to be killed but the best death in this disc has to go to the hitman who dies by toy truck axel at the hands of Kirika. This is a solid plot building disc setting up the last 3rd of the series as Chloe starts to try and bring Kirika to the open arms of Soldats as they can become the True Noir, two perfect killing machines for Soldats. What will happen next to our hitwoman team? Watch the next disc and find out.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Shocking revelations tear Mirelle and Kirika apart and Kirika runs off to find herself. She stumbles into a village where everyone revears her. She learns they are Soldats, a bunch of rustic farmers, not exactly what you expect when you think of a super secret criminal empire. We learn that Soldats is in chaos because Kirika is going to fulfill a prophecy that will change Soldats forever and like all change there are those who embrace it and those who don't want to see change occur. Those who embrace change are the villagers who try to protect Kirika from the other Soldats. At the same time Mirelle is trying to move on after Kirika fled. She finds a letter from Kirika and becomes determined to save Kirika from the Soldats. With Kirika in the embrace, quiet literally, of Altena and Mirelle on route to meet them the end is near. I really like the rather big twist the series gives us, that is a real hit from deep left field that I was not expecting at all. My favorite episode is the last one in this disc, it is really nice to see how the pair have progressed since the first episode where Mirelle was more apt to kill Kirika and now she is willing to risk her own life to save Kirika. The fight in 3rd episode on the disc is a one of the better fights in the series, I love the sniper action and then Kirika when she loses the wide eyed innocence she'd carried through the series thus far.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The Noir Saga comes to an end. Kirika and Cloe prepare for the ritual that will bring the Grand Retoir which will being the Soldats to their roots, something Altena has dreamed for years while Mirelle tries to snap Kirika from the spell which Soldats has cast upon her. My favorite episode of the disc is when the pair show down, Kirika vs Mirelle, two skilled assassins going at it with all the tricks in their bag until Mirelle uses the trump card which reminds Kirika of who she has become. I like how the pair are fairly evenly matched, Kirika doesn't completely overpower Mirelle or Mirelle outsmarts Kirika. They both really let all the tricks out of the bag. Now with the spell broken Kirika and Mirelle have a showdown with Chloe. Once they dealt with Chloe it is time to take on Altena and her legion of Nunjas. In the end Kirika has to choose between her past and her future, Mirelle or Altena. This is a wonderful ending, everything is tied up nicely and it has a happy ending. I love happy endings in anime, the world is sad and depressing enough I don't want to watch anime that has unhappy endings. The ending doesn't leave any unresolved plot lines, everything ends nice and clean. This is one of my favorite series and is a great watch for even the most novice anime fan or the most grizzled veteren.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Monkey D Luffy has a simple dream, to become King of the Pirates. In order to accomplish this dream he has to recover the lost treasure of Gold Roger, whose legendary horde of treasure was all hidden in One Piece. For year Pirates have traveled to the Grand Line to search for this missing treasure. Luffy has only a couple of problems to solve before he can get to the Grand Line, he needs a crew, a map, and most importantly a boat because his was sunk in a massive whirlpool. He is taken aboard a vast luxury ocean liner in a barrel just as Alvina and her crew of pirates attack. Among the crew of pirates is young Coby, who was shanghaied two years ago and forced to become part of the crew. He helps Luffy get up to speed just in time for Alvina and the crew to attack. It is here Luffy unvails his secret weapon, he is a rubber man. He ate the cursed Gum-Gum Fruit and is now the pirate version of Mr Fantastic. With his rubbery limbs that can stretch to unbelievable lengths he defeats Alvina and her crew but not before a catching red haired pirate steals all of Alvina's treasure. She and Luffy escape in seperate ships but no before catching each other's eye. Now with a new ship Luffy sails to Fortress Island to enlist Zoro, the best pirate hunter on the high seas, to be part of his pirate crew. Luffy is nothing if not optimistic. But upon reaching Fortress Island they find that Zoro has been imprisoned by Captain 'Axe Hand' Morgan. When they reach the island they learn that the Marines are just as bad as the pirates. Captain Morgan and his son leave the entire town in mortal dread. Luffy takes on the captain and his son and they learn the truth behind Luffy's great power, the Devil Fruit. While Luffy enlists the help of Zolo, the pirate hunter, the mysterious girl has broken into the Marine fortress looking for a map. But when she finds the secret hiding place of the map, to his dismay it has already been stolen by Captain Buggy the Clown. Luffy and Zolo set sail, thankfully free of Colby who was the most annoying little runt. While sailing on the sea Luffy almsot loses his trademark straw hat. He tells Zolo the story behind the hat and how he came to eat the Devil Fruit. He knew a pirate named Shanks, who taught him how to be a pirate. As Luffy finishes the story he is taken away by a giant bird and gets dropped directly in front of the mysterious girl just after she had stolen the map from Captain Buggy. This is a funny series about pirates and I happen to like pirates so this series works very well for me.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This disc starts out with Luffy meeting Nami, the orange haired beauty, who just made off with the map of the Grand Line she stole from Buggy the Clown. Buggy the Clown is a pirate who like Luffy hate cursed Devil Fruit. Luffy and Nami have a meeting where Nami ties Luffy up and delivers him to Buggy. Buggy is so pleased he makes her a member of his crew but she has other plans. To steal all of Buggy's treasure and resteal the map. But in order to prove her loyalty Nami must blow Luffy up with a cannon. Zolo arrives just in time to save Nami from making the choice. Zolo hacks Captain Buggy up but they learn Buggy's powers he got from the Devil Fruit. Aside from being able to strangle people from long distances like Darth Vadar, you chop him into pieces and he keeps coming after you. Now that makes for a tricky opponent to defeat. Now with Zolo injured, Luffy in a cage, and Nami well playing an excellent Fujiko style role, it looks like trouble for our heroes. They retreat into the city where they find a pet shop guarded by a dog named Sho-Sho. The pet shop is Sho-Sho's treasure and when a giant lion beast and Manji the Beast Breaker arrive to break it up it is up to Sho-Sho to stop them. Luffy is freed of the cage and proves to Nami, who believes that all pirates are scum, that some pirates aren't all that bad. Luffy convinces the shapely Nami if not to join the crew at least to partner up to accomplish a common cause. Now with another addition to Luffy's crew, making the number now 3 they go off to face down Buggy and steal his map of the Grand Line. Zolo fights the acrobat swordsman Cabaji as Luffy and Buggy face off while Nami makes off with the map and Buggy's treasure. While fighting Buggy damages Luffy's hat and says he knows Captain Shanks. He tells Luffy the tale of how he became Captain Buggy and it is all Shanks's fault. Shanks really should stay away from Devil Fruit, he had a really bad tract record with it. Luffy defeats Buggy and now with Nami in tow they set sail for the Grand Line now that they have a map. I love Nami, she is the pirate version of Fujiko and the orange hair makes her really look great. I also like Captain Buggy, he is a good villain to Luffy's rubber skills.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Luffy, Zolo, and Nami are in need of a ship good enough to withstand the Grand Line and food, lots of food. They travel to a small sleepy island where Usopp, a trouble making trickster is stirring the town's ire with his constant crying of wolf... er I mean pirate. Usopp, son of a member of Shanks' crew who Luffy knew back in the day. Usopp maybe a lowdown trickster but he is the only friend of Kaya, the wealthiest girl on the island, who lost her mother and father recently and is under the thumb of the shifty Klahadore, a bulter who is basically a jerk with alterior motives who runs Luffy and crew off the estate. At the same time a strange man appears in town who is walking backwards who says he is a traveling hypnotist who does a good job of hyponotizing people, including himself. Luffy and Usopp see Klahadore talking to Jango, the hypotist plotting to kill Kaya and get her vast fortune. Klahadore is captain of a pirate crew who was a terror of the seven seas. It is up to Usopp to warn everyone. You see the problem here? Good, wannabe pirate who cried pirates. In the end it is upto Luffy and his crew to stand by Usopp and stop the pirate invansion at the beach before they can destroy the town. Luffy gets hypnotized, Nami gets injured, Zoro has his hands full with two fierce cat fighters and to make things worse, Klahadore is now on the scene. Can our intrepid crew save Kaya and the village? We'll have to find out. This is a good series, it really keeps the plot moving with many interesting characters. Variety keeps the series fresh and enjoyable.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The battle with Captain Khaladore and his crew of pirate kats comes to a conclusion with Luffy showing Khaladore what fore with a rather large rock. Remember kids, rock always beats scissors, or claws in this case. It is up to Usopp and Zolo to save Kaya from Jango and they manage to save the day and become heros of the town. Their reward is a ship befitting a real pirate, no more dingies for them. They now have a ship and enough crew to start their journey to the Grand Line. I am very happy this storyline has finished, I think it went a couple episodes too far, Usopp was always in my opinion the weakest of Luffy's motley crew, he really is a whimp that is good for getting smacked around like a Mike Tyson punching bag. I would have preferred if this storyline had been reduced to only 4 rather than 6 episodes. But now they have their ship and the adventure is just beginning.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Luffy and his crew set sail in their new ship heading for the Grand Line. First they need a flag which Usopp creates for them and second they need to explore the spooky island that is surrounded by angry storm clouds. There they find strange Dr Mureau style creatures. My absolute favorite was the panda-bat. They also encounter a man/shrub/treasure chest who tells them his tale of spending twenty years on the island. As Luffy and Usopp play with the ship's 1 cannon, we get a look back Zolo's early life and we see why Zolo is on his quest to be the greatest swordsman in the world. Luffy and company have a run in with a Navy Lieutenant who fires a cannon at them, mainly because he is a total prick. Luffy catches the cannon ball in true Luffy fashion but misses his target and instead hits the giant floating restaurant Baratie and injuring the head chef. Now Luffy has to do chores for an entire year or give up his right leg. At the same time the assistant chef, Sanji, angers the same Navy Lieutenant and Sanji gives him a beating.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Kei is your average 18 year old Japanese High School student, no way he is held back due to stupidity, this is Japan after all, no he was held back due to a rare medical disorder where he falls into a coma like state where he doesn't age, probably the same thing that happens to Dick Clark, when he isn't need for New Years Eve they just put in him the 'stillness' to keep him young and toss him in a ziplock storage bag to keep him crisp and fresh, then toss him into the middle drawer in the refrigerator, not the bottom, he'll get brown and soggy around the edges if you do. Wow that was a tangent. Well anyways Kei our average 18 year old sophomore is out by the lake in the small town he lives in, and he sees a cloaked ship touch down in the lake. He freaks out, the poor kid has about as much spine as a your average school yard bully, first sign of trouble he is running fast. Well he bumps into the alien visitor, who happens to be ravishingly beautiful with hot magenta hair. Well they end up on the ship, where Kei smacks around the ship's control program, a cute little yellow creature in a tire inner tube that flies. Well our ravishing alien babe, Mizuho Kazumi, thank god the Aliens all have Japanese names or they would have found her out immediately, not the strange hair or the fact that she just popped up one day. Well there is some teleporter fun, including the pair of them crash landing in Kei's uncle's bathtub. Well Mizuho is an Alien sent here to observe, Aliens seem to have only two options when visiting earth, either watching or conquering, can't they just come a tourists? Well they get stuck in the gym storage room and are caught. To avoid scandal they say they are married. Now begins the wackiness, as if it hadn't started already. Very funny, while it has the same stumbling point as all Anime romantic comedies have, the male lead is such a puss that it takes several episodes for him to realize that the chicks are fighting over him. But still the pocky eating gorgeous alien really helps shake things up, and of course the evil 10 year old Ichigo. I hope the next three discs manage to keep the show going because I really liked this one.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Kei and Mizuho get to go on a little vacation to some rather nice sunny sandy Japanese island to be alone as pseudo-husband and wife, well of course this being a Japanese Romantic Comedy, the whole gang goes down there and sexual highjinxs ensue. Then afterwards Mizuho's mother and sister come for a visit, ah nothing like a friendly visit from the alien in-laws. The little sister is great because she and Ichigo should get together and cause even worse trouble than they could apart. I guess Japan just manufactures 10 year old evil child geniuses, hey they make good for story telling. The mom is equally as hot as Mizuho, but she doesn't prance around in a pink nightie nearly as much. Of course we have some development in the second side of the relationship triangle, why Kei can't just tell her that he has the hots for the teacher and is in fact married to her is beyond me, but then again that doesn't make for good storytelling. This is a pretty good series for a romantic comedy which isn't exactly my favorite genre but this has enough rather interesting plot twists to keep it from being all to predictable, the main love interest is a alien and our main character has a bad habit of falling into a coma at a moments notice, think the Japanese projectile nose bleeds only his brain just overheats and he shuts down for a while.

Story: B
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: B+ 

Every romantic comedy anime has this disc, the disc where everything goes wrong. Love Triangles implode, misunderstandings abound, hearts are broken, and usually the disc ends with some dramatic cliffhanger. Now I know they have to have these types of discs to keep the story from completely becoming and they lived happily ever after without any problems, but it always seems to be the exact same things over and over and over and over. Usually the guy leads the left side of the triangle, the side that isn't going to get him, on too much and they are caught in a completely innoccent but easily mistaken situation where the right side of the triangle completely freaks out and then hates the guy. Then they everybody is upset and cries alot then a dramatic cliffhanger, something happens to one part of the triangle. This disc isn't as bad as my grades give it, but I am just so beat down with these cut and dry plot keys of romantic comedy that I can't give it anything higher. This is a good series but this disc is very very cliched.

Story: A-
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A- 

All things are patched up and everybody lives happily ever after. But of course then the in-laws have to show up, in this case crazy space alien in-laws that shanghai your husband and take him to a sex castle for some wild and crazy times. I really like the OAV all the characters keep bumping into each other at the worse possible moments, while it isn't as insane as the special episode of Excel Saga, it is sorta in the same vein. Everybody but Ichigo and the other guy have significant others and are very happy with themselves, and quiet frisky too, very frisky as a matter of fact, they all certainly like the sex castle/motel. I like Japan's concept of the sex motel, theirs are complete automated, there is no fat creepy serial killer watching scrambled porn on a little black and white TV with bad reception at the front desk to eyeball you when you and your Filipino Transvestite S&M Mistress go to rent a room for a couple of hours (not like I have any expirence with any of that), Japan's are totally automated, you hit a button, pay your money and the machine hacks out a key. Truly Japan is light years ahead of us in our sex motel technology. Excellent romantic comedy anime, if you like romancing aliens, busty hot luscious ravishing goddess like aliens that like pocky. This is for you. I enjoyed it, and romantic comedies aren't really my thing.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Often accused of being a Cowboy Bebop knock-off but only because it a ship in space and came out around the same time doesn't make it a Cowboy Bebop knock-off. In these first two discs introduce all the major characters, and the ship. The characters are one of my favorite features of this series. You have Gene Starwind, your basic cowboy in space, but then there is Suzuka, a woman with a wooden sword who can cut through trucks, Aisha, of the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire, she is basically a crazy catgirl, and they both have a beef with Gene but still work along with him for their own reasons. Then there is Fred Lau, now I'm not totally sure if this was meant to be or just happened, but this is the gay-est character in normal anime. Then there is the ship's AI, Gilliam, the creator of the show must have been a huge fan of the work of former Monty Python, Terry Gilliam. Not only this the AI named Gilliam, but their drive engines are called Munchausen Drive. I'm just waiting for the massive Monty Python Foot to descend and squash somebody. I really like this series and look forward to reviewing the next two discs.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This disc has one of the funniest episodes in the series. The episode is the Strongest Woman in the Universe, it starts off like many others, Gene and company are out of money once again and this time to get money they have to do a little job for Fred, our novelty gay weapons dealer millionaire. In the Strongest Woman in the Universe Contest, if the woman wins 5 times she get to marry Fred, and the woman in the lead has a pretty good face but a body that would make gorilla looked puny. So Gene has to enter as a woman, Jenny Starwind. Of course Aisha wants to enter, but the last time they let a Ctarl-Ctarl into the contest the civilian casaulties were too high to count. So Aisha takes another fighters persona and enters the fight. It is absolutely priceless, the laughs don't stop the entire episode. This is becoming my one of my favorite series. Sadly there is only two discs left, but then I can watch them all over again.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The story comes to a close with the funniest episodes of the series and one of the funniest of any series. Gene and the crew of the Outlaw Star are closing in on the Galatic Leyline, but first they need to get Gene some more caster shells. They travel to the planet where the caster shells are made and find out it is a resort planet, where everybody has to wear ridiculously tiny swimsuits, which is good because 3/5 of the crew are hot chicks. Well at the same time one of the assassins sent after Gene and company by the Tao Pirates is ready to strike. Only problem, this assassin is a complete yutz and ends up getting himself slammed into things everytime he tries to attack the group. Gene has to go climb a snow covered mountain, in a thong back, somehow it doesn't seem like exactly the best idea. Well to get to the place where the caster shells are made he has to cross through a field full of traps, which he keep tripping these massive avalanches of snowballs. Finally he reaches two of the three makers of caster shells, but in order to get these precious shells he has to sneak into the third's plush resort and get some dirty pictures of the very buxom lass. Of course this episode didn't make on Cartoon Network, and honestly, is worth the price of the entire box set. The series comes to a pleasing, complete and un-rushed ending. Now how the series ended has led to so much speculation of a up coming sequal to the series that if converted into feathers, would crush the entire island of Japan. As of October 2003 there is no plans to make a sequal, albeit not completely out of the realm of possibility, and in this reviewer's humble and reserved opinion I hope they do and it kicks as much ass as this one did.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The opening of this series tells you straight away that we are entering the Twilight Zone on Peyote, and what else should we expect from Satoshi Kon, maker of Perfect Blue. We should expect for our brains to be pureed in a blender and poured back into our ear with each episode, the series? Let's just say it purees your soul and pours it back in when finished. The story is incredibly hard to explain beyond just a couple of sentences. There is a kid on golden roller blades and carrying a golden bat who is attacking people in a neighborhood in Toyko. There is a group of people whose lives intertwine over these incidents, the main character, I think is Tsuki a toy designer who is hated at work. She is the first person attacked by the Lil' Slugger but survives. Two grim cops go to work trying to find this mysterious kid on skates. One of the best and worst characters in the news reporter who is the absolute picture of leacherous pervert. I mean holy sleeze balls Batman. The second episode introduces a kid whose entire school thinks he is Paranoia Agent because he has golden roller blades, I don't understand the need for golden skates, what are you a roller blading pimp, or maybe he is too small to have a golden Caddy. You quickly learn that everybody introduced in this series has some sort of psychological problem, but amplified about a thousand times to make a point. Episode 3 we have a woman leading two lives, and I mean two lives one academic, the other prositute. The last episode a cop on the edge manages to do something amazing catch Lil' Slugger and kick his ass. This is a very atypical anime, but it is Satoshi Kon so it really works well.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The mystery deepens as does the psychosis. Lil Slugger is cutting a swath through the people of Tokyo and our two deleagured cops are trying desperately to catch him before he smacks around anybody else. But when he is caught it goes from strange to stranger as our Lil Slugger creates a tale that is pure 100 percent World of Warcraft. He explains that he has been doing this as part of his mission to fight off evil, his baseball bat is his sword and he is fighting the evil with the help of his guide, the yoda like old man we've seen writing on the sidewalk. It seems all so fanciful but yet so possible until they locate a witness to the first attack who has a very interesting story to tell. But when they think they have finally nailed down the truth a twist hits them from deep left field, a twist so wonderfully great it would make M Night Shyamalan drool with envy. These episodes really highlight the truly unique Japanese style of buddy cop movie, the old school cop who is a grizled chain smoker who is more ready to smack the suspect around and the younger more fresh faced idealist who uses his wits rather than his fists to get the case solved. I also like the suspect's story it was wild and crazy yet in the context of the entire series made sense in a rather weird way. You are just about ready to believe it is true when the twist hits you and leaves you wondering how can the series go on.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This is my favorite disc of the series not because it has the best episodes but because the episodes are totally different than what you see in normal series. These episodes involve totally unknown characters as they discuss Lil Slugger and so his impact on society. These are also the funniest episodes, especially the story about the trio who travel about to commit suicide and in the end find a reason to live. The best part is when they encounter Lil Slugger and he runs away from them when they pursue him. This disc is unique much like the series, none of the main character, aside from Lil Slugger appear in any of the three episodes. What it is showing is Lil Slugger as a social phenomenon, how he becomes a 'meme' in society much like any other mysterious monster like Jack the Ripper or Michael Jackson. It is this difference with Paranoia Agent, it is more of a conscious anime series, it knows there is a world out there and this disc gives you a glimpse of it and all its absurdity. Great disc for a great series, puts a very human face on this series.

Story: A+
Animation: A+
DVD Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Paranoia Agent comes to an end with lots of talking Maromi's and a sea of black goo. This series could have become the most incoherant Evangelion-esque disaster since Boogie Pop Phantom but Satoshi Kon is an incredibly talented artist who crafted this story amazingly well. I was always worried that the final crescendo of this series would be rather unsatisfying or unspeakably incoherant basically pulling an Evangelion but it all worked, it all made sense and it was all very satisfying. I will give away a little something, it is a happy ending, if you are familiar with Satoshi Kon, he always gives you happy endings, there is no ending heavy with sorrow and hopelessness. From Perfect Blue to Paranoia Agent at least there is a happy ending at the rollercoaster ride of crazy. Maromi is incredibly cute and there are shades of Hello Kitty all over it, personally Maromi is much cuter than Hello Kitty, not nearly as psychotic. Paranoia Agent is a fabulous show, a little different but in the end satisfying, and fabulous, definitely left of center but it is Satoshi Kon and the man never fails to please in the weirdest way possible that doesn't involve farm animals.