Vampire's, dark moody atmosphere, complex story and comedy??? Believe it or not, Moon Phase captures all of those elements and does it successfully. I believe sometimes it's best to throw, metaphorically speaking, darts at a dart board when picking out an anime to watch.
Over the last couple of year Funimation has released a variety of boxes in complete collection form. Some are truly unique designs never to be replicated. Moon Phase is one of those experiments. It's a Thinpak sized box, very sturdy design with the interior filled with individual digi-paks. There are three of them, each hold two discs each. Digi-paks have a spotty track record but the functionality of these is very well done. Also, the guidebooks included with the singles release are inside it's own slip case. Moon Phase complete box set has beautiful artwork and a real design to the release. It's unique and beautiful. If only this same effort could go into every complete series release by Funi.
For you audio fans out there I will say that Moon Phase has interesting music within it. The score is very well done, creating a vibrant and beautifully dark world. However, the choice of the OP and it's subsequent placement within the series can and does get very annoying. I understand the attempt to make the series not so dark and dreary but putting in something of a lighter tone. I just flat out skipped the OP every single episode. The audio as it is, sounds really good in 5.1 on both language tracks especially when the sub-woofer kicked in. As for dub choice, this is a Funimation series so you'll be hearing some familiar voices from Carrie Savage to Sonny Strait. I enjoyed their performances I'm sure you dub fans will too. However, I'm going against the grain and choice the original Japanese language track with subtitles. It felt a little more fresh hearing voices I'm not terribly familiar with and the performances were amazing.
The video quality is not too shabby, but it's nothing remarkable either. Some of the reds and blues seemed washed out a bit. I'm not if it's a product of the year it was created in or one of Funi's video problems it's known for. Did I mention how much I love widescreen anime? Yup, wider is better! I do like the designs and overall gothic style featured in the series. Characteristically, I liked the variety provided from Elfriede to my personal favorite in Artemis (aka Arte).
Now, I normally will not post much about the premise and story. I do feel the need to voice my disappointment with the OVA after episode 25 (the final episode of the story arc). It almost killed my enjoyment of the series on an overall level. It would have been better if I avoided it. It did nothing for the characters, world and story I came to love. I loved how deliciously dark the series became at points, never forgetting the tormenting nature of vampires and those who surround them. From the humor to the unforgettable chemistry to the gothic world created, Moon Phase is a real treat. I give Moon Phase, 5 out of 5 Hazuki kisses!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Melody of Oblivion Box Set
I randomly picked out a title from my backlog of anime to watch recently. It was a good opportunity to try something out. Especially since I needed to break up my play through of Bio-shock which was frustrating me. This time around Melody of Oblivion took center stage; I was not disappointed.
In true Geneon fashion, the artbox afforded by Geneon is high quality. Wonderful artwork, featuring the Melos warriors and Sayoko, adorns the sides of the box. I find the dark red (almost maroon) colored background to be very elegant. The best feature comes in the from the wire framing and border details around the box. It gives a very sophisticated look. I'm a fan of these kinds of details. The cover art for the individual volumes is nothing short of spectacular and the reversible covers ensure you have alternate options to chose from. The one drawback to this release was the use of Scanavo hubs, this was however a problem across many releases. Just be aware and careful when removing your discs. I switched my cases with M-lock's to prevent any issues.
If you like the scores in anime, not just the OP and ED music, you won't be disappointed with Melody of Oblivion. I found the scoring to be top notch, very subdued and serene creating a terrific atmosphere for this series. It's more than just something to fill the background that most series do, it's part of the charm and character. If only the audio could have been 5.1 would it have been even better. Most anime is 2.0 so we just have to make due and take what was provided. Now comes the english dub versus japanese point. In all due true, both are remarkable for this series. Each had a couple casting choices I didn't like, nothing terribly annoying, regardless you'll be happy whatever your preference for anime is.
The video quality of Melody of Oblivion is also a top notch effort. Keep in mind that this series was not created in widescreen, so full frame is what you'll be getting here. J.C. Staff is definitely one of the very best in designs and animation and Melody of Oblivion is no exception. From Bocca to my personal favorite in Tone, the designs are not conventional and not what you would expect their personalities to look like in other anime. Bocca is far from what you would expect a hero to look like. One mild complaint I have is the re-use of particular fight sequences of firing the arrows. I would like to have seen more variations and approaches to this.
Only in the depths of an otaku's backlog can someone find a true gem. Melody of Oblivion went largely unnoticed when it was first released by Geneon. It didn't sell the best, not many even spoke about it let alone knew anything about it. The story aspect takes a little time to really shine through, but once the series gets moving you understand all the time devoted to character development was important. It's also the best element of series giving Melody of Oblivion a series with heart. You can see the love and pride that was put into it. Produced by J.C. Staff, this is one series that deserves to be in your collection. I give Melody of Oblivion 4.5 arrows out of 5, for my Melos!
In true Geneon fashion, the artbox afforded by Geneon is high quality. Wonderful artwork, featuring the Melos warriors and Sayoko, adorns the sides of the box. I find the dark red (almost maroon) colored background to be very elegant. The best feature comes in the from the wire framing and border details around the box. It gives a very sophisticated look. I'm a fan of these kinds of details. The cover art for the individual volumes is nothing short of spectacular and the reversible covers ensure you have alternate options to chose from. The one drawback to this release was the use of Scanavo hubs, this was however a problem across many releases. Just be aware and careful when removing your discs. I switched my cases with M-lock's to prevent any issues.
If you like the scores in anime, not just the OP and ED music, you won't be disappointed with Melody of Oblivion. I found the scoring to be top notch, very subdued and serene creating a terrific atmosphere for this series. It's more than just something to fill the background that most series do, it's part of the charm and character. If only the audio could have been 5.1 would it have been even better. Most anime is 2.0 so we just have to make due and take what was provided. Now comes the english dub versus japanese point. In all due true, both are remarkable for this series. Each had a couple casting choices I didn't like, nothing terribly annoying, regardless you'll be happy whatever your preference for anime is.
The video quality of Melody of Oblivion is also a top notch effort. Keep in mind that this series was not created in widescreen, so full frame is what you'll be getting here. J.C. Staff is definitely one of the very best in designs and animation and Melody of Oblivion is no exception. From Bocca to my personal favorite in Tone, the designs are not conventional and not what you would expect their personalities to look like in other anime. Bocca is far from what you would expect a hero to look like. One mild complaint I have is the re-use of particular fight sequences of firing the arrows. I would like to have seen more variations and approaches to this.
Only in the depths of an otaku's backlog can someone find a true gem. Melody of Oblivion went largely unnoticed when it was first released by Geneon. It didn't sell the best, not many even spoke about it let alone knew anything about it. The story aspect takes a little time to really shine through, but once the series gets moving you understand all the time devoted to character development was important. It's also the best element of series giving Melody of Oblivion a series with heart. You can see the love and pride that was put into it. Produced by J.C. Staff, this is one series that deserves to be in your collection. I give Melody of Oblivion 4.5 arrows out of 5, for my Melos!
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