plot summary

Tokyo has been plagued of late by disappearances and strange, unsolved murders. People have gone missing only to show up days later as corpses which have been sucked dry. At times, the corpses have become reanimated and walked amongst the living to prey on former loved ones.

This crisis has affected many Tokyo citizens, including students at Magami High School. There, five high schoolers find themselves in the thick of these strange occurrences. When the captain of the high school wrestling club, Yuuya Daigo, challenges new transfer student, Tatsuma Hiyuu, to a fight, they unwittingly open the door for a malevolent spirit.

Hiyuu has just transfered to Magami High and has already dueled with the school’s head delinquent, Kyouichi Horaiji. After the two battled fiercely, they become good friends. Now Yuuya steps up to fight the newcomer, and has issued his challenge to Hiyuu to be fought in an abandoned house.

Just as the two get started, Student Council President, Aoi Misato bursts in to break up the fight. But as she and best friend, Komaki Sakura, cross the threshold of the room, a strange power is released and the five teens must fight for their lives against it.

Because of this encounter, the group find themselves endowed with powerful, supernatural abilities and have the strength to fight the demons causing the random deaths in Tokyo. Now they strive to find the underlying cause of the supernatural occurrences which have simultaneously blessed the five and cursed the city.

review

The first episode of Tokyo Majin comes out full throttle and never stops. It starts out with non-stop, supernatural action and keeps on going. No explanations are given, no time is taken to slow the pace down and wait for viewers to catch their breath, and no excuses are handed out. This is usually one of those anime I scoff at and toss aside after five minutes of viewing. The story for Tokyo Majin is almost cliche in the anime world, yet it still works since it has a lot of style and interesting characters who I can connect with- which is why I kept watching.

Too often, far-fetched anime- and Tokyo Majin is far-fetched- ruin themselves by breaking the rules of the world they’ve created. These anime do this by switching gears, completely, from what they initially intended to be, into another beast all together or by explaining away every incredible detail. They also manage to sink their own ship by having zero plot and/or poorly developed characters; but that’s damnation for any anime.

As to adhering to its own rules, Tokyo Majin, TM for short, has created a world where: Characters don’t act like “normal” high schoolers but they react like them. Some of the action is absolutely unbelievable, but I bought it because the other characters did. The character designs are outlandish and almost laughable in some instances, however, they’re interesting and a fresh change of pace from standard anime fare. Through all this unbelievability and “out-there” designs, runs unifying factors of the characters, their development and plot consistency (so far). Without these, the anime would have fallen flat on its face and been dead before it even began.

Character Development

While further character development is needed to better flesh out the series, I already feel sympathetic to Tatsuma and Aoi. Tatsuma is sympathetic because he’s more than he appears to be and has good intentions along with his delinquent attributes. He’s profoundly affected by the deaths of the random victims, while his friend, Kyouichi, doesn’t seem touched by them.

Aoi is also sympathetic since she too is just as empathetic as Kyouichi, if not more so. However, Aoi is just a teensy bit annoying as she has this slightly superior, commanding attitude. Her demeanor is probably a side-effect of being a rich child who’s shamelessly doted upon, and who’s also mega-popular.

Even though Kyouichi isn’t someone I connect to on an emotional level, the guy is still super bad-ass and a guilty pleasure to watch as he brings the pain. The other two of the five, Yuuya and Komaki, aren’t really “there” as characters yet. Later in the series, they’ll be given additional depth, but for now, they’re about as interesting as bookends.

Character Design

Some of the students in the anime are designed in a pretty far-out manner: one guy has a scar from an injury which looks like it should have the left guy cleaved in two. The wrestling team is also a bit extreme as they all look like luchadors instead of Japanese teenagers. The bad guys for TM are absolutely bizarre; just the way I like them. Tendo Kozunu looks like he stepped off stage after performing with a visual kei rock band and his lolita side kick, Marie Claire, looks like his groupie- superb! The demons are highly inventive in appearance and I applaud the studio for not holding back in the baddies’ designs.

Animation

Anime International Company, AIC for short, did a great job with the animation. Overall, the animation was smooth and of high quality. The fight scenes were well choreographed and I wasn’t distracted by any kinks in the flow of the anime.

Music

0:00 a.m., by Acid, the OP is a slightly heavy J-rock tune, and while it’s a very good choice as an opener to Tokyo Majin, I would never listen to it as a piece of music. One other comment on the opening; the title screen for individual episodes looks cheap. The opening itself looks high-quality-super-fantastic, but for some odd reason, the episode title screens look not-so-good. Prayer, also by Acid, isn’t as heavy as 0:00 a.m., but sounds almost exactly like it. The vocals for Prayer, though, are better than in the OP, and are rather catchy.

Voice Acting

The Japanese voice cast is better than the English one, but the English isn’t as god-awful as in some anime. We still opted for Japanese in the audio for Tokyo Majin.

Tokyo Majin, Volume One has a lot of intense action, an interesting story, and engaging characters. Though Tokyo Majin looks similar to other anime in its genre it’s got style and is utterly unapologetic in the way it sets itself apart. Gotta love an anime that makes its own rules and so far, I’m luv’n Tokyo Majin.

Rating

Tokyo Majin, Volume One gets 3.5 Hammies outta 4!

On November, 26, a new online service was launched called BOST TV. The service is owned and operated by Tokyo based BOST Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. What is the goal of BOST TV? BOST Digital Enterainment’s President, Aaron Lai, commented about this on the BOST TV’s About Page:

“We want to bring you anime more quickly than before and titles that see little chance of a DVD release.

We are all anime fans here at BOST and we have all lived overseas. We know how hard it is to get anime outside Japan. We know there’s a lot of cool stuff here and we want to bring a piece of the action as best we can – Direct from the Source.”

BOST TV has signed licensing agreements with Pony Canyon and Milky Cartoon. They will offer titles for rent and for free. These shows will be subbed (English only). There are no plans to offer dubbed versions. Currently, they have three titles (synopses from BOST TV):

• Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (Looking Up at the Half-Moon):

Yuuichi is unexpectedly hospitalised for hepatitis at Wakaba Hospital in the winter of his junior year in high school. As he recovers, Yuuichi constantly escapes from his hospital room and is scolded daily by Nurse Akiko. Then one day, Yuuichi meets Rika, a girl his age, who is hospitalised in the adjoining wing. He is instantly attracted to the beautiful Rika, but discovers she is insufferably spoiled.

Yuuichi is confused by her unreasonable behaviour, but is drawn to her nevertheless. But when Rika confides in Yuuichi about her illness, he understands the reason for her wilful behaviour. Rika doesn’t have long to live.

• Ballad of a Shinigami: momo the girl god of death:

Momo, a girl dressed in white. In her hand is a scythe, glowing dimly. By her side is Daniel, a winged black cat.

She is a “shinigami” — a god of death — who carries the souls of humans to the other side.

Every time a human heart is touched by the white shinigami, the world is filled with kindness, and sadness…

• Keitai Shoujo:

Hiro Aida is a second-year high school student. Christmas is approaching, and he is uneasy since he cannot seem to get a girlfriend. Out of boredom, he visits a web site on his cell phone called “Gal☆Mode” and downloads a wallpaper for his phone.

The instant the download is finished, his phone emits a bright light, and transforms into a little girl the size of his palm.

“My name is Rin. What’s yours?”
“The fact that you were able to download me must mean that you don’t have a girlfriend… Am I right?”
“It’ll be a bit of a problem for me if you don’t become happy by Christmas. To put it simply…”

…If Hiro does not get a girlfriend by Christmas, Rin — and Hiro’s phone — will vanish, and Rin will be unable to return to her world.

The first two have been available for rent since Nov. 26 and the third was made available for free (through Feb. 26, 2008) on Dec. 3.

The only major caveat is that due to licensing issues, there are geographical limitations for the availablility of the titles. Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora and Ballad of a Shinigami are currently available to Australia and New Zealand, while Keitai Shoujo is available to North America, Oceania, and the United Kingdom.

The recommended requirements for viewing include Windows (2000 or newer), Mac OS X (10.3 or newer), Linux (only Fedora distribution tested), Flash Player 8, modern browser (e.g., Firefox 2 or Safari 3), Fast internet connection (500 kb/s or faster), and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768.

Anime Anime Article (via Katana Xtreme translation):
BOST TV launches for direct on-line anime delivery from Japan to abroad

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RightStuf! will be streaming (via IGN.com), for a limited time, the first episode of Ninja Nonsense, which will allow fans a chance to sample the series. The Ninja Nonsense Complete DVD Collection – Limited Edition will be released on December 4. Here is a synopsis from RightStuf!:

“Take one totally cute (and naive) ninja-girl trainee, add a ninja horde under the tutelage of a perverse headmaster – a strange, yellow, spherical, pudgy… creature… named Onsokumaru – and you get the kind of ’super-explosive ninja insanity’ that can only be found in what’s been called ‘the runaway nuclear reactor’ of anime comedies!”

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A.D. Vision’s 24-hour anime channel, The Anime Network, has started streaming episodes from 12 different series. There are advertisements which appear before, during, and after each episode, but the player will allow you to jump around within the episode. There are 3 episodes for each series that are currently being shown. New episodes will be added every Thursday and each episode will be available for 28 days. The current crop of titles:

• Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy
• Air Gear
• BASToF Syndrome
• Chance Pop Session
• Comic Party: Revolution
• Gilgamesh
• Jinki:Extend
• Kurau: Phantom Memory
• Magical Play
• Pani Poni Dash!
• Saiyuki
• Utawarerumono

Requirements are a fast internet connection and Adobe Flash 9. The only major caveat is that this is a regional service. It is good only for the US and Canada.

ANN Story:
The Anime Network Streams Episodes Online for Free

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This next piece is not a freebie or a sale. It does involve A.D. Vision again. ADV Films has just announced that they are dropping the prices on their video downloads. The standard downloads (with a resolution of 320 x 240) are priced at $1.99/episode. You can also get the episodes in premium resolution (632 x 480) for $3.99/episode. Their original service offered episodes at $4.99 each and feature length works at $19.99 each.

Two caveats…downloads are limited to US residents and they require Windows (2000 or XP) with Windows Media Player 10 or higher.

ANN Story:
ADVFilms.com Lowers Prices on Episode Downloads

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AnimeOnDVD is sponsoring two contests. First, they have a daily contest called the 44 Days of Christmas. They will be giving away a prize a day for 44 days. Since the prizes are different each day and a new prize is announced as the old one has been won, I cannot give you a list of what is available. You will just have to visit their contest page and see. The first 3 days featured Hellsing Ultimate, Vol. 2, Zegapain Vol. #1 w/box, and Tekkaman Blade Collection 3.

Second, AnimeOnDVD is partnering with ADV Films on a contest called Magic, Mayhem and Pretty Boys from ADV Films. The winner will receive Vol. 1 of three series…Magikano, Tokyo Majin, and The Wallflower. This contest runs until 8am, Monday, December 24.

Both contests are random drawings. Check their site for rules and details.

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Publisher Dark Horse has a contest. The prize is the complete trade set of Blade of the Immortal (Vol. 1 – 17). This contest will be more of a challenge than the one above. It is an essay contest. From their contest page:

We’ve drummed up a great essay contest with some sweet prizes–all you have to do is tell us how the popular manga series Blade of the Immortal has affected YOU. Tell us your story. Who’s your favorite character and why? How has studying Hiroaki Samura’s techniques changed your own work? In short: tell us how Blade of the Immortal has made an impression on you in 400 words or less. The top four selected essay winners will receive our grand prize–complete trade sets of Blade of the Immortal (Vol. 1 – 17). So read the fine print, put on your thinking caps, and have fun writing. Good luck!

Submissions must be made by midnight (PST) on Dec. 20, 2007. Go to their contest page for the full rules.

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Now on to the sales:

Rightstuf! has a new sale called 12 Days of Anime. From December 3rd through December 25th, RightStuf will be posting a list of holdiay bargains…adding one item to the list each day. This will actually be 12+ days of savings on DVDs, box sets, and bundles.

The first day features an Eureka Seven DVD bundle. You can get Volumes 1 – 10 for $89.99 which is 63% off the retail price of $249.80. Here is a synopsis from RightStuf!:

“Eureka Seven tells the story of a young boy named Renton, whose life just plain sucks. That is, until a giant robot crashes into his house. Piloted by a girl named Eureka, this encounter will lead Renton to be pursued by the military and pulled into a web of drama, intrigue, and non-stop action. Renton’s time to daydream is over.”

They have made things even easier this time. There are no coupon codes needed for this sale. Sale ends December 25, 2007 at 11:59pm CST.

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AnimeNation is no longer running their Holiday Studio Sales. But, they do have a new sale called the Red Hot Holiday Overstock Sale.

For a limited time, you can save up to 60% off a select list of items.

Plus, AnimeNation is offering a couple of coupons as added incentive:

• Get free economy shipping on orders over $49. The coupon code is SHIPPING49.
• Get 10% off any order over %99. The coupon code is ANHOLIDAYS.

Also, AnimeNation will be having a Holiday Giveaway:

All through the holidays, when you take advantage of the great deals and specials at AnimeNation, and place an order on our website, you’ll be automatically entered in a contest to win 1 of 5 complete AN Entertainment collections! That’s 16 discs in all, a $369.00 value! Get Risky Safety, Miami Guns, and of course the Hare+Guu TV and OVA series!

Winners will be selected on December 30th.

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Robert’s Anime Corner Store has a Holiday Specials List which offers up to 50% off the MSRP on select DVDs and figures. You may also be able to get additional discounts if there are any sale coupon offers running…the Holiday Madness Sale is an example (though it ends Dec. 4).

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Finally, here are a couple of coupon offers:

Barnes & Noble.com has one coupon. You can take 25% off any 1 item. The coupon code is T4N3B6W and it expires on December 10.

Target.com is offering one coupon. You can get 10% off any purchase (no minimum). The coupon code is TCTARGETWELC. It expires on December 31.