Reviews and Summaries P-R As stated, this is the section that contains the titles we have reviewed and or summarized starting with P all the way down to R. (Amazing isn't it? Even I wonder at the genius of such a system!) Please note that all descriptions that are in yellow come from the box or other materials that come with the movie/OVA/series, green comes from me, and purple comes from Karmie-chan. P Q R Panzer Dragoon Legends of the ancient empire speak of a Dark Tower and a genetically created race of dragons that await the command to arise and wreak havoc upon the land. Kyle believes the legends are only stories to frighten children; that is until his lady, Alita, is stolen by the Black Dragon. Kyle forms an uneasy alliance with Blau, a blue dragon, in order to rescue Alita before she becomes the catalyst for the Dark Tower's final program: the complete destruction of the world. (Adventure/Fantasy) Good gawd, NO! Don't even look at the cover for this one! It's horrible! Normally, I like fantasy stories with dragons and wizards in them, but this is just plain bad. Based on a Sega game of the same name, the only thing it has going for it is that it shares that same name and is made to just make money by piggy backing on that name. No character development, lousy plot, bad story telling - it's half an hour of IQ lowering bonanza. Patlabor Movie 1 In the year 1999, Tokyo's Mobile Police have a new weapon in the war on crime - advanced robots called 'Labors' that are used to combat criminals who use new technologies for illegal means. The suicide of a mysterious man on the massive Babylon Project construction site sets off a cascade of events that may signal the destruction of Tokyo. What is the connection between the suicide, the new Mobile Police AV-XO, and a berserker prototype tank? While Patlabor cops Noah Izumi and Azuma Shinohara investigate an unexplained wave of rogue Labors rampaging in the city, they uncover a sinister plot to infect Tokyo's eight thousand Labor robots with the deadly BABEL virus. With the future of the city hanging in the balance and a typhoon poised to trigger the devastation, Noah, Azuma and their teammates must destroy the source of the virus - the giant Babylon Project Tower in Tokyo Bay. (Drama) Patlabor Movie 2 The date is 2002, three years after the events of PATLABOR 1-Mobile Police. The destruction of a United Nations Labor team in South East Asia begins the build-up to a deadly terrorist plan that threatens to send shockwaves throughout Japan's military. With evidence of an impending military takeover, the scattered members of the original SVD (Special Vehicle Division) must gather to defend the city against danger. To make matters worse, the mastermind behind the operation is none other than Nagumo's former teacher and ex-lover Tsuge. Can Nagumo stay true to her oath to uphold the law in the face of Tsuge's destructive plan for revenge? The countdown to armed revolution and panic on the streets of Tokyo begins now... (Drama) Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII Veteran police detective Kusumi and his young partner Hata search for the cause of several deadly labor accidents in and around Tokyo Bay. Each detective applies their own style of investigation and they soon uncover a labyrinth of deceit with connections to the Japanese and American militaries! As they continue their investigation, Kusumi begins to suspect Hata's new girlfriend, Saeko, a genetic research scientist may be involved. However, neither is prepared for their encounter with the ravenous biological weapon, WXIII: Wasted Thirteen. While the detectives are the only survivors of the encounter, the government covers up the incident, and they must work with the military to lure the monster into a brutal showdown with the Patlabors of Special Vehicle Unit 2! (Drama) Petopeto-san In a town of little sisters where the second child always ends up a girl for some reason, monsters have come to make it their home and lives side by side with humans in harmony. This is the tale of Fujimura Hatoko, known to her classmates as Petoko, a Petopeto monster that has the power to stick to people like her classmates and Shingo, her best friend and the one she likes the most. (Comedy) A very cute series, but not sickly cute. Just the right amount of cuteness so that you don't end up puking your guts out. I liked it. It is a welcome change of pace from the stock of action, harem comedy, morbid tales that I normally watch. If you like cute, lighthearted series that shows more of a slice of life than a serious story, then this show is for you. Good Morning-san: In the town of little sister where almost every household will have a little sister, yokai (monsters) goes to school and studies along side humans. One of those is Fujimura Hatoko who is known to her classmates as Petoko. She is a peto-peto monster, a race of monster that sticks to humans and can only unstuck if they both fall asleep. When Shingo grabs her hand to keep her from falling into the pool, not only do they both fall into the pool, their hands get stuck together. Sent home to (hopefully) get unstuck as quickly as possible, they spend the day with Petoko's mom in their poor house. From trying to change out of their bathing suits with their hands stuck to trying to go to sleep the way that they are, they don't seem to have much luck. They decide to go out for a walk and hopefully, be able to sleep afterwards. Walking by the river, they hear the splashing of water and discover Sahara Kuguru, one of their classmates who is a kappa. A slight accident causes her to get stuck to Petoko as well and the next day, unable to skip school they all pass out from exhaustion and finally came unstuck. Specified Race: It is another day in middle school as more of the other "specified races" (the politically correct term for monster or yokai). In Shingo class, there is Petoko and Kuguru. There is also a luck child (though no one has ever seen him), a samurai zombie, a wall monster, and faceless monster, and then there is the class rep. After school, Shingo walks Petoko over to her new work place when they sensed a stalker following them. It turned out to be Konuri following them. Konuri is Nuri's younger sister and a wall monster as well, but unlike Nuri whose body is hard, Konuri's is still soft and she gets stuck on Petoko's cheeks. Later that night, Shingo goes to the convenience store to get some snacks, when the class rep walks in. Upon seeing his teeth after he ate some takoyaki, she walks up to him and gives him a French kiss. Mint or Lavender: Shingo finds out that the Kiyome class rep is a part of the rerorero classified race, a type of monster that is obsessed with cleanliness. This causes his little sister who hates monsters to get mad at him and it would seem to be the cause why Petoko got fired from her job, even though they say that it's because they stopped hiring middle school students. Being poor, they just ran out of food even though her mother is not even eating food. At school, Shingo notices that she is getting lighter and when asked about it, he realizes that she isn't eating much. Afraid that she might dissappear, he decides to buy her things to eat and with Kuguru and Nurie, picks up all the change on the road to give to her. Talking with his dad at night about the upcoming little sister contest where youkai are allowed to join for the first time, Shingo decides that she could try to win the 100,000 yen prize. When his friends comes to cheer him on in the ping pong tournament, he gets beaten badly when he is distracted by Petoko and Kuguru. Afterwards, they go to his house where Shingo makes them all ramen. Family Matters: Looking for Petoko in their house, she doesn;t seem to be there. Hearing some chimes, Shingo decdies to follow where it is and finds Kuguru swimming in the river again where she mistakes his reason for being there as sneaking photos of her. Clrearimg the misunderstanding, the two of them head to their teacher's house where they find Petoko and their mother helping out. The tree imps have come for a visit and they are having a feast to celebrate and since Petoko and their mother are very poor, Asuka-sensei decided to get them over. After the feast, Kuguru leaves and Shingo decides to accompany her feaaring what might happen to the sneak photagrapher that she meets along the way. Walking together, they are attacked by a group of other kappas and Kuguru is injured. Taking her back to their teacher's house, she is put to rest when her little sister, Chochomaru, shows up to claim her life and secure her position as the head of the Suguru clan/business empire. After she gets forced to leave, they discuss her situation and finds out that Waga, the student that doesn't seem to show up for class at all, was actually there listening in on them. He is a Zashiki Warashi, an invisible ghost that occupies a room in a house and brings good luck. Unfortunately, he's the worst Zashiki Warashi there is and by tomorrow, with him knowing what he knows, everyone else will too. Little Sister Town: Petoko goes to Chochomaru's office to have a talk to her and gives her a spanking for her bad behavior, then invited her to come to Little Sister Town if she is ever lonely. On the day of the contest, Chochomaru shows up to compete as well. During the competition, Chochomaru begins to cause a ruckus and demands that Kuguru shows up or else. While Kuguru is headed for the competition grounds, the rest of the duke it out with Chochomaru and her guards. In the middle of the confusion, Petoko keeps on vanishing. Trying to keep her from disappearing for good, her mother tells Shingo to remember her fondly and love will keep her from fading away. Shingo remembers the time when they all ate some fo the ramen that he made and how he promised to teach her how to make it. Holding on the the clothes that have remained when she vanished, Shingo tells how to make his ramen. Big Sister and Little Sister: When Petoko vanishes, Chochomaru gets mad at how berieved Shingo is and attacks when Petoko reappears once more and keeps Chochomaru from harming Shingo. When Kuguru appears, the duel between sisters commences and the time goes back to before Kuguru left the Sasahara clan to wander the world on her own - when Kuguru was trying to teach Chochomaru how to swim. Stopping the duel, Kuguru renounces her ties to the Sasahara clan in public and hacks of her hair as proof of her sincerity. When Chochomaru refuses to accept the hair and Kuguru's resignation from the clan, Shingo realizes that she is just lonely and doesn't want to be abandoned. The problem resolved, everyone invites her over for the summer so that she won't be lonely and the contest resumes. Later on, with the end of the semester and the beginning of summer, Shingo and Chie finds out that Chochomaru and Shingo will be staying over because the Miss Little Sister has to be living in Little Sister Town. At the same time, Petoko and her mother drops by to stay with them at their father's insistance since they are forced to leave their home. Ding-Ling Ding-Ling: Petoko, her mom, Kuguru, and Chochomaru lives in Shingo's household now. Petoko and Shingo goes off to work delivering milk and newspaper in the morning just before Petoko leaves for Tokyo. Later that day, Petoko and the other representatives of the Little Sister competition goes of to Tokyo to promote their town by selling various items that are found in their town and doing promotions. While this is happening, Shingo is stuck back in town with the preparation for their summer camp. After a successful day, the represenatatives returns home and sees the summer camp nearly ready for their summer vacation. Summer Camp: The Little Sister Town reps are coming home from promotion working in Tokyo to take part of the summer camp. It will be Petoko and Kuguru's first summer camp and a hyper active Kuguru knocks Petoko into Kato and they get stuck in several places. While Shingo gets a bit jealous at Petoko sticking to Kato, Kuguru tries to get closer to Shingo. When Chie get a little car sick from the long drive, Shingo has to take her home. Kuguru decides to go with him and carry Chie while Petoko's mom talks to Shingoo and reassures him that Petoko sticking to Kato is not a big thing. It's not like she can only stick to people she like. Sometimes, it's a reaction from shock or a cry for help. Once she finds someone that she likes, she will eventually stop sticking as easily to other people. Police Chief for a Day: On the way home to their house, Shingo, Kuguru and Petoko's mom encounter some thugs demanding a man named Tonio to come out. The thugs turns out to be lower members of Kuguru's yakuza-esqe clan and Tonio turns out to be Petoko's dad. The next day, everyone goes off to their own duties around town. Petoko and Chochomaru becomes police shief for a day, Shingo (still worried about the incident during summer camp) is a newspaper photographer. When Kanna runs off from home to go to Tokyo and meet her brother who has run away from home because his family refused to accept his girlfriend who is a monster, Petoko gets an actual case to work on. While in Tokyo, Kanna is helped by a strange man who accompanies her to her brother's place where she finds out that he really is happily living his life with his girlfriend. After learning that and finding out that they are both out on vacation, she decides to go back home. Spotted by the cops, Petoko and Chochomaru's escort runs off to rescue Kanna and catch her abductor. The man turned out to be Fujimura Tonio - Petoko's dad. Scout: With Kanna safely back in town, all that is left is to resolve things with her father. To help things along, Waga shows up again and nudges things along when they begin to hesitate putting everything out in th eopen. With things properly cleared up and Kanna having realized that her brother really loves his yokai girlfriend and not just under a spell of some sort. Kanna can now try to get along with other monsters like she used to. At the same time, Petoko manages to clear things up her dad and takes her back to Shingo's house. While Shingo halucinates of weightlessnes, Chochomaru treats them to an exquisite sushi platter and everyone finds out that Petoko has never eaten real sushi before. The thing that she thought is sushi is actually nothing more than a riceball. Over dinner, Chochomaru reveals her plan to create a little sister themed park and offers a job to Petoko as a representative. "Imo-ten" Test Trial Version: With the family reunited again, they decide to go back to their sensei's place, but when they get there, Akazawa was there cleaning up the infestation of bakedani bugs. They are more like spirits than anything else and their bite will release memories. For people with painful memories, those memories are the ones that are forced back into the surface. Left with no choice, they go back to Shingo's place. In the bath with Chochomaru, Petoko decides to go with her and accept her proposition, but is still uncertain about Shingo. She still wants to know if he really likes her or was just smitten with her because she accidentally cast a spell over him being an ero-ero monster and all. Later on, Chochomaru builds a test version of her proposed Imo-ten in the school and gathers everyone to help things out. The main theme is the little sister for a day. There, they choose a little sister through darts and they are accompanied by a little sister. The next day, Chochomaru reveals her transport system to get to the park. It uses a whirlwind to transport people through the air. Riding it, Petoko finally tells Shingo that she has accepted Chochomaru's offer and will be leaving to which Shingo tells her good luck and that he will support her. Daybreak Project: The day that Petoko leaves for Hataka has been set and it will be the last day of summer. A party is being planned as her farewell to the town and as a celebration for her debut to the world. At the same time, Petoko is trying to get everyone to help her in a project to get Kuguru and Shingo closer together and make thema couple. In the bath with Kuguru, Petoko uges her to make moves on Shingo while she is gone. That way, neither of them will be lonely. She also thinks that this is for the best since the type of monster that she isn't compatible with anything. She thinks that they are nothing more than an empty spirit with a shadow and an image. Later on, the people that Petoko has gotten on her little project begins their secret meetings to plot out how they can get Shingo and Kuguru together without making it obvious or leak out that it is coming from Petoko. Goodbye Petopeto-san: Petoko is close to leaving town to begin her new career with Chochomaru's help and Shingo doesn't want her to leave, but just can't say express it. Meanwhile, with more and more people catching wind of Petoko and Chochomaru's plan to set Shingo up with Kuguru, the plan itself begins to fall apart. The final blow comes when Kuguru sabotages it herself and uses the imoten rule to get Shingo to do her summer homework instead of going out with her on a date like everyone is planning on getting the two of them to do. Arguing with Kuguru about ruining the plan, Petoko inadvertently summons the bakedani bugs to school with her overflowing feelings. When the bugs begin to bite her, it forces all of Petoko's worst memories to return abd Shingo, diving in after her, sees a memory of her being experimented on. When she vanishes, Shingo gets the bugs to bite him as well. after reliving some of his memories, he finds his way to where Petoko has been taken. With the memories that they have of the time they spent together, they are able to make it back and not vanish like it would have normally happened. Returning to where everyone is, Petoko bids goodbye to the bugs as they leave town and everyone begins the farewell party as Shingo acknowledges that a farewell party is not really a time for tears. Later on, Petoko sends the class a postcard while keeping correspondence with Shingo Plastic Little: The Adventures of Captain Tita Narrowly escaping the clutches of Lord Guizel and his band of professional killers, Elysse Mordish is on the run and in possession of a vital computer code needed by the military to reactivate a high-powered secret weapon. Enter Tita, intergalactic pet shop hunter and captain of the Cha Cha Maru. Through shear dumb luck she finds herself rescuing Elysse from military hunters thus putting the lives of both herself and her crew in mortal peril! It's a dangerous game of cat and mouse on a planet-wide scale with one crucial difference... mice don't shoot back, but Tita does! (Action/Ecchi/Sci-fi) This anime has a special place in my heart because it was another one I ran into early on in my anime watching career. There's a reason the box says the suggested viewing age is 17+. The outfits are probably all made out of spandex and there are a few times when the girls forget about personal space bubbles ^_-. Not a great deal of nudity during the movie so as long as you know when to cover your little sibling's eyes, you'll be fine letting him/her watch along as lots of ships and buildings blow up. A fast paced, enjoyable anime that's great light-hearted entertainment (except for the few times you might get misty-eyed). Definitely rent it and, if you liked it as much as I did, a great anime to buy! Please Save My Earth Alice is a Japanese schoolgirl who has never thought much about the past…that is, until her classmates, Jinpachi and Issei, tell her that they’ve been sharing the same vivid dreams ever since they were in junior high school. In the dream, Jinpachi (called “Gyokuran” in the dreams) and Issei (a woman names “Enju”), plus five other scientists, are on some sort of base or research station on the moon. The seven of them are involved in some kind of work observing the Earth, collecting data. Alice doesn’t think anything of it…until she has the same dream. (Drama/Mystery/Sci-fi) Awakening: Meeting: Memories: Feelings: E. S. P.: Reincarnation: Please Teacher (Onegai Teacher) Kei, a boy afflicted with an illness that drives him into a coma accidentally learns that his teacher, Mizuho-sensei, is actually an alien who has come to Earth to observe it. This knowledge ties them both in a mutual bond that places them in a series of awkward circumstances that eventually gets them both in trouble with the school. In order for her not to blow her cover as a teacher by getting fired, and him not getting kicked out of school, they have to pretend that they are actually married (conveniently, Kei has been in a coma for three years so he is actually 18) in front of the principal while making sure that no one else in school finds out that they are married. More awkward situations ensue and as they spent their time together as a married couple, love eventually blossoms between them. (Comedy/Drama/Romance) I don't know why, but Please Teacher just sounds so wrong to me. For that reason, I will always (probably) refer to it as Onegai Teacher. Weird series, but actually pretty good. I rather liked it. Bandai's DVD release is pretty good (although I've yet to hear the dubbed voices). Strange most of the time, but always amusing. Yes, go get it. Teach Me Teacher: Kei is a boy who lived in a small town where nothing special ever happens. He is also a boy with a peculiar condition. Whenever he feels down, his body goes through a comatose state. Hanging out by the lake one night, he sees a glowing alien that chases him. The next day, he gets a homeroom teacher named Mizuho Kazumi. When he gets home, he finds out that his new homeroom teacher is moving in nextdoor to where he lives. When Kei helps her move her stuff in, he is confonted with the fact that she is that glowing alien from the night before. When he tried to run away from her, she teleports him to her ship to talk to him. Kei freaks out and runs through the ship, causing the control to go berserk and reveal the ship. Further more, he gets himself transported to a dimension where the landscape is getting destroyed. Mizuho comes to his rescue and teleports themselves out, but screws up the coordinates and lands themselves in the bathroom of Kei's house where his uncle and aunt discover the two of them in a compromising situation. Already, The Forbidden Son-in-Law: In the sleepy little town where nothing happens, the news of the UFO sighting becomes big news. It seemed as if everyone except Hyosuke, Kei's classmate is the only who didn't see it. Going out to get a lunch, Kei is teleported to the gym storage where they get themselves locked up. When they try to teleport out, Marie, the control system of Mizuho's spaceship teleports in and breaks down instead of teleporting out. With all that time, they get to know more about each other. Later that night, they finally manage to get out when Kei's uncle looks for them. Unfortunately, they now have to explain why the two of them were in the storage room together. Kei's Uncle, even more convinced that the two of them are going out, tells the principal that the two of them are actually married. It is possible since Kei is 18 - 3 years older than his classmates due to his peculiar condition. With his uncle's suggestion out in the open, everyone else plays along the lie and Kei and Mizuho are now a couple. Maybe We Shouldn't, Teacher: With the two of them officially a married couple, at least in paper, Kei's uncle decides that he should live with Mizuho in case the principal drops by to check on them. After school, the two of them held a private ceremony of sorts where Kei puts the ring on Mizuho with his uncle and aunt as witnesses. Of course, while they are doing this, Hyosuke, Matagu, Herikawa, Ichigo, and Kaede decides to drop by his place. When they decide to wait until they leave, Hyosuke and the others decide to go into Mizuho's place to check it out and finds out that it's just next door. With them just there, Kei has to get out without getting seen by his classmates and Mizuho has to hide traces of him having moved in with her. After his classmates leaves Mizuho's place, Mizuho treats the wounds that Kei got. Later that night, as they share the same futon in a moment of ackwardness, the tenseness of the moment is broken when Marie malfunctions again and teleports them to the spaceship. With Marie screwing up, the two of them have to make sure that the spaceship doesn't reveeal itself again. The next day, on their way to school, after talking to his uncle, Kei realizes that he hasn't been having symptoms of his condition. Indeed, instead of being stagnant, he is moving forward along with everyone else. I Might Love You After All: With the two of them married and living under the same house, Kei begins to notice things about Mizuho that he couldn't see before - some for the best, some for the worst. With his grades so bad, he also gets a nagging from her to stufy during class and at home. When Mizuho stays behind for a teacher's conference, Kei goes to his uncle's house nextdoor to eat and gets a call from Herikawa to go to the movies the next day with everyone else. Kei decides to ditch studying with Mizuho to go see the movie with them. Of course, part of his decision is probably based on Mizuho actimg more of an adult and treating him more s a child. The next day, Ichigo makes sure that everyone else drops out leaving only Kei and Herikawa on a date. Curious and a bit jealous as to why only Herikawa is there, Mizuho follows them through their date. When Kei and Herikawa bumps into Mizuho, he gets pissed that she has been following him around. With Kei trying to ignore her, Mizuho confonts Kei again and he relapses into his comatose state while arguing with her. He wakes up later that night and finds that Mizuho has been watching over him ever since he went comatose. It was then that he realizes that she does genuinely care about him. For Such a Teacher, I Will: Kei and Mizuho are in a southern island for their honeymoon courtesy of Kei's uncle, Minoru. Unfortunately, their southern paradise getaway isn't much of a getaway when they run into Yamada-sensei who brought along Hyosuke, Matagu, Herikawa, Ichigo and Kaede. Now they have to hide the fact that they are together from them as well as the fact that they are here for their honeymoon. That is something made harder when it turns out that they are all staying in the same hotel. When they are separated, Mizuho gives Kei the keys to the room while she prepares herself and Kei hangs out with his friends. As the night winds down, Herikawa drags Kei away from their card game to go buy stuff with her. While they are gone, Kaede goes back to her room. A little later on, Hyosuke is about to leave when Ichigo hands him his keys and tells him that he won't be able to get in if he forgets his keys in her room. Matagu also decides to turn in and accidentally picks up Kei's key. When they go to their respective rooms, Hyosuke and Mizuho both gets the surprise of their evenings. Hearing Mizuho's scream, Kei leaves Herikawa behind and runs to where Mizuho is. Meeting in the hallway where Mizuho ran off to when Matagu climbed into bed asleep, the two of them came into a deeper understanding of their relationship as they spend the rest of their honeymoon almost relatively uninterupted. Let's Begin After It Begins: When Haruho and Maho, Mizuho's mother and younger sister, shows up it causes a storm in the household. Maho, who adores her sister, is against the idea that she has amrried a wimp like Kei and refuses to accept that she now has a brother-in-law. At the same time, there is astrange uneasiness going on with Hyosuke and Kei gets himself talked into talking to him and resolving matters. Dropping in on his house, Kei finds out that Hyosuke's troubles stems right after their Okinawan vacation where he and Kaede had sex. Now he is confused at what he feels and what he should do when he sees her again. Consulting with Mizuho, they form a plan to get the two of them together again. As Kei drags Hyosuke to where Kaede is at, Maho is secretly following Kei. When Kei and Mizuho finally get Kaede and Hyosuke together, they finally manage to resolve things between them and resolve to become a happy couple. Kei, alone with Mizuho, deepens the resolve in their relationship as well when Maho pops out of nowhere. Ruining the mood, she claims that Kei is no good since he likes guys and saw him hugging Hyosuke to which Mizuho replies, it can't be - Kei is a little more perverted than the normal boy. Don't Cry Teacher: A Long Night: Let's End It Now: But...: Teacher: One More Time Teacher: Because she has broken the rule and interfered with the lives of the subject that she was supposed to watch, Mizuho has been exiled from earth and everyone that she came into contact with and everyone that knew of her has had their memories erased and all traces of her existance romoved. Back on earth, life continues on as if she was never there. On that hot summer day, they are watching Yamada-sensei's entry into a glider competition. After that, Hyosuke and Kaede take up shelter from the rain and there, they talk about their future together. By the lake, Kei and Ichigo talks about Ichigo finally meeting her parents and of Kei feeling as if he had lost something important. That night, Herikawa delivers take out to Yamada-sensei and he gives her his glider trophy for all the support that she has given him. The next day, there is a big news of a new teacher. It is Mizuko once more, as if the day she first came there was repeating again. She has returned to earth despite the fact that Kei will have no memories of her just to be close to him. Later that day, Kei helps her move in once more. When she starts crying he reveals that he remembers her and they decide to get married once more. Secret Couple: One fine day, Hatsuho. Mizuho's mom drops by unexpectedly. What starts out with Kei mistaking her mom for her in the futon soon escalates to one giant misunderstanding when he decides to avoid Mizuho getting the inquisition from her mom. Outside, he gets blackmailed into being a practice date by Maho. Walking together, they are spotted by Motosuwa and he tries to convince him that she is just his little cousin. In the middle of convincing him, he is teleported away to the gym storage and Kei is taken away by Hatsuho who decides to wander around town with Kei while having their signal blocked to prevent Marie from tracking them. Headed towards the castle shaped love hotel, they are spotted by Ichigo and Herikawa and meets Hyosuke and Kaede getting out of a room inside. Meanwhile, Mizuho and Maho meets Ichigo and Herikawa and asks them if they have seen Kei. Having tracked where they are, Mizuho teleports in to discover Kei all tied up in the bed. Outside, Hatsuho and Maho walks off to give Kei and Mizuho their privacy as they get it on. Afterwards, they are caught walking home hand in hand. Thankfully, Hatsuho and Maho provide a distraction when their spaceship take off. Please Twins (Onegai Twins) ~in the works~ (Comedy/Drama) The Twins are Three People: We may be Blood Relatives: We may be Strangers: Be Nice to You: Do You Like Girls?: Love Alliance: Making Memories: Love Should be Honest: Don't Get in our Way!: We'd Like to Run Away: We Want to Tell You We Like You: Three People Twins: Summer has not Ended: Popotan : A boy named Daichi sneaks in to a strange mansion hoping to take pictures of ghost, but instead runs into it's inhabitants Ai, Mai, Mii - three sisters and their made, Mare. Explaining to them that he wnts to take ghostly pictures for the sake of a girl in his class named Akane who believes inghost and is ridiculed by their classmates for it. With their help, Daichi takes a picture of a "decapitated head" by having Mare wrapped in black while she is hung to make the picture. The next day, everyone is impressed by the pictures and Akane seems happy to know that ghosts are real. Daichi decides to go back and take more pictures. He finds the sisters swimming in the stream and they agree to help him again if he leads them to a place with lots of dandelions. There, Ai begins to talk to the dandelions. She places her hand over them and her hand begins to glow. While she is doing this, Mai and Mii are having fun riding the cows. The next day, Akane is even happier at seeing the picturse that he has taken, but their classmates reveals the pictures to be a fraud when they reveal the failed gjost pictures he had. At the same time, Mare sees a strange formation in the clouds. After his school, Daichi, depressed, goes to see the sisters once more. Even though the house is about to disappear, Ai lets him in and comforts him in the bath. She helps him realize that even though you can't see or hear them, there are things that exists despite that. Such is the feeling that he had when he took those pictures for Akane's sake. Having fallen asleep, he wakes up outside just as the house begins to glow and vanish. There, he meets Akane. She wnted to believe that ghosts are real because she believes that her mother visited her as a ghost on her birthday, but it doesn't really matter to her anymore if others don't believe her. Friends: It is the start of another normal seeming day as Mai wakes up her sisters. She takes her little sister Mii to her school before she heads to school hersel. There, a girl named Konami is trying to be friendly with her, but she just acts distantly. After school, she is on the beach with Ai and they talk about what the flowers has to say before she jumps up from the beach to the road and get berated by her sister for using her power without looking if there are people first. She is surprised to see Konami there, but is releaved when she doesn't seem to have witness her jump. Later on, Konami visits them in their house and her sisters immediately likes her and starts showing her around the house while Mai is trying to get rid of her. Soon after, they start getting close togther, but as soon as friendship begins to form, Mare, their maid tells them that she felt the presence once more and they will soon have to leave again. When she starts acting distantly towards Konami once more, she gets worried and goes to her house telling her that it is silly to not make friends because she knows that they'll part soon. If they are friends, then they'll still be friends after they part ways. She also gives her the sketch she made of her for class, telling her that it was the best expression that she has. The next day, Konami drops by to pick her up for school and sees that the entire house is just gone. Where it once was is only an empty field...and a sketchbook with a picture of her and a thank you from Mai. In their new place, Mai's drawer has pictures of her and Konami and the sketch that Konami made of her. Magic: Watching Lilo-chan, Mii decides that she wants to become a magical girl as well. Ai firgures that the first step should to at leat look the part. They go to the department store to get her a costume. After getting the costume, she runs of to do a some good deeds in town with her magical powers. Having gotten away from them. Ai and Mai search for her. Back in their house, Mare stuffs herself with 3 orders of the highest quality sushi, 3 orders of a variety of ramen and 3 orders of a variety of large pizzas. Meanwhile, wandering around town, Mii meets a depressed looking man who takes her to a hospital. There, she meets the man's daughter. Her name is Miyuki and she loves Lilo-chan as well. Mii convinces her to dress up in the Lilo-chan pajamas that she has and the two of them go off to have a magical adventure around the hospital. Near the end of the day, they go outside to rest up. While Miyuki is trying to teach Mii to make a flower ring, Ai, Mai, and Miyuki's father watches them from a distance. Miyuki has always been a sickly girl and she has never had any real friends, so her father is glad to see her playing around. When Miyuki trips and injures herself, Mii uses her "magical" abilities to heal her wounds. Ai and Mai adds to her power and heals her completely. Later, the doctor is mystified as to how Miyuki is suddenly completely healthy. At home, Mii is still hung up on being a magical girl and hasn't realized that her only power is to heal. All Alone: One day, while Mare is attending the store by herself, a strange girl appears and mistakes their Christmas store for a toy store and asks her to fix her doll. When Mare acts her normal cold self to her, she gets saddened and asks her is she is all alone too. When Ai, Mai and Mii came back, the girl just vanishes, leaving her torn doll behind. Mare asks about the village the little girl told her she is from and Ai tells her that it is an abandoned village. That night, Mare fixes up her doll. The next day, Ai and Mai heads out while they leave Unagi, the pet ferret, to wake up Mii and have her follow them. While Mii is being waken up, a strange light appears in her window. That afternoon, Ai and Mai returns home to find Mii gone. Mai believes her to be hiding and goes out to look for her when she is confronted by that same light that Mii saw earlier. While Mare is outside hanging up clothes to dry when that strange little girl shows up again and asks for her doll. When she asks her where she is really from, she just points to that same abandoned village and vanishes again when she looks away for after hearing Ai call for her. Now Mai is gone as well and the two of them head for the abandoned village to look for them and Ai vanishes as well. Looking for them, Mare meets the little girl again and she shows them where they are. They are asleep dreaming a dream that she has given them. That way, Mare can be with her now. When she refuses, she tries to get her to sleep by giving her a dream of what she wants most. When it doesn't work on her, the girl vanishes and Mare realizes that she has been talking to a ghost. Visiting her grave, Mare fizes up her doll once more and places fresh flowers on her grave. Hotsprings: Wandering through the town that they ended up in, Ai finds a dandelion that might have the information that they are looking for. The next day, they go out with Mare to look for the place. While on their journey, they get entered into a beauty contest where Mii gets the first place, Ai second, Mare third and Mai the last. The dandelion also gets them to sample every hotsprings that they come across with. In everyone, Ai just sits there talking to the dandelion, Mii plays around, and Mare samples a taste of each one. The dandelion also gets them to have a ping pong match in which Mai beats both Ai and Mai. The last hotsprings they sample is one that claims to increase a woman's curves, but Mai is unable to enter it before Ai and Mii decides to leave. Reaching the top of the mountain that the dandelion spoke of, they find a field of dandelions. When Ai asks them, they all see a vision of a pale woman dancing in the field of dandelions during a full moon. After seeing, this, they are contented by finally knowing what the person they are looking for looks like. After seeing the vision, they head back home. Wondering where Mai and Mare is at, the two of them stopped at the hotsprings that claims to be able to increase a woman's curves and they stay there hoping to see some visible sign of bust size increase. Finally getting home after getting overheated from staying in the hot water for too long, they are shocked to see the strange formation above the house and suddenly whisk the house away without so much as a warning, leaving Mai and Mare behind. We're Home: Ai and Mii have been separated from Mai and Mare. When they land, they are relieved to see a sign from their window that indicates they are still in the same place. Going outside, they are surprised to see that everything is different. Looking at a newspaper, they have traveled five years through time. They start searching for Mai and Mare, but after five years have passed, it proves to be difficult. Coming back home empty handed, they are surprised to see Mai waiting for them there. Her hair is longer now and she is a college student. She has been living with Mare and in the five years that she has been staying in the same place, she has started thinking that she doesn't want to travel anymore. In the five years that she's been gone, she has noticed the advantage of staying in the same place - of growing up with the same friends without having to keep saying goodbye, of experiencing many things with them against having to keep saying goodbye and never having a root in one place. Wondering why she doesn't want to stay with them, Mii follows her to campus and in misunderstanding, pulls Mai's hair to reveal that she is wearing a wig. In the five years that she has been gone, she has not grown at all, not even her hair. Ai explains to her that outside the house, their time stops and they stop growing. With her secret revealed to her friends, she decides to go back to their mansion and travel once more. When they knock out the rent-a-cop, they get in just in time for the next jump. The rent-a-cop wakes up, he wakes up just in time to see the remnants of the house vanish into thin air. Things Left Unsaid: A father and daughter are sitting in their living room when the father notices something strange in the picture that his daughter has shown him of where she went that day. Looking closely, he sees a familiar mansion on the beach. In the beach, Mai and Mii are walking around selling ice cream. In front of the mansion, the same man shows up again with a camera and reminisces about how it looks just like the one in his memory until Ai comes out. He is certain that it IS the same mansion with the SAME people living in it. Quite certain that the person he is looking at is Ai, he calls out to her and tells her that he is Daichi - the same Daichi whom they helped create ghost pictures. Unsure of what to say, a strange man intervenes calling Ai Aya and leads her inside. There, he apologizes for intruding and introduces himself as Kieth. Turned back, Daichi is certain he is looking at the same place and people from his memories and looks at the map of the area from a year ago to find that the mansion wasn't there before. The next day, Ai goes out to look for dandelions with Keith. Starting to have a growing attraction to him, Ai apologizes that she has to leave soon and she cannot tell him anything about it. When Daichi sneaks in the mansion once again to confirm his suspicion, Keith confronts him and tries to kill him. He also shows a strange aura and power and beats up Mai and Mare when they try to help Daichi. When Ai stops him, he tells her that they cannot leave a trace or they cannot continue their journey. Everything that he shared with her was a lie and he knew all along about them. When Ai tells him that she doesn't want to see him again, he walks off to a dandelion patch and vanishes. When Mii heals Daichi, she and Ai finally have a private moment together and Daichi tells her that he'll wait for the time when they can tell her all about themselves. Someday, they'll meet agaiin - for certain they will. Christmas: When they land in next to a Shinto shrine, the old man that runs the shrine is a triffle miffed that they would dare desecrate the place by putting not just a house next to the shrine, but a store with Christmas items being sold in it. Althought the old man hates Christmas stuff, Nono, the grand daughter loves it. She used to read her favorite book and imagine herself celebrating Christmas with a warm and happy family. Her grandfather forbade her to go near the house again, but when he left, the girls decide to help her feel what Christmas is by decorating the shrine. When the old man returned, he is extremely angry and tosses her out. When Mii takes her in to sleep with her in her room, she decides to really have an all out Christmas in their house to have Nono know what it is like. Although they are going to celebrate Christmas, Nono just doesn't seem happy. Although it is just like in her book, she wants to celebrate it with her grandfather. Her grandfather is also getting lonely without her and checks up on the house as well. Mii gets an idea. When they start to celebrate, they lead her out the house and into her grandfather's place. They give her a cake to celebrate with. Seeing her back, he feigns that it would be a waste to throw food away and the two of them celebrate Christmas by eating the cake together and in exchange, he gives her a Christmas gift he bought for her years ago. As Nono finally gets the happy Christmas she has always dreamt of, the house begins to vanish once more. Once More: Ending up in a place they seem to recognize, Mai is surprised to see Konami once more only to find out that she is actually Mia, Konami's daughter. Transfering to the school where she is at, Mai tries to make friends with her, but her heart seems frozen and reminds Mai of the way that she was when she and Konami first met. Trying to return the favor that Konami did for her, Mai kept on trying to get close to Mai who is Konami's daughter even though she kept on pushing her away. Chasing her one day, Keith shows up again and tells her of her folly and why she shouldn't make promises to friends she just made. When Konami's daughter looses her sketchbook, Mai looks for it. When Konami's daughter sees Mai searching for her sketchbook in the trash, she realizes the folly of her actions and apologizes to Mai and becomes friendlier. Taking a bath in her home, Mai is shocked to learn from Konami's daughter that she is dead. Konami died two years ago and even then, she was waiting for her to return so that they could meet again. For forty years, she has never stopped thinking of her. Even to her dying breath, she was still thinking of her. Upon realizing the meaning of Keith's words, Mai comes home crying at the pain that she casually inflicted Konami and now her daughter. Back in the Mai that is Konami's daughter's house, she goes to her mother's room to talk about Mai and is shocked to see the portrait that her mother drew a long time ago. It looks exactly like Mai! Wondering why there is a portrait of Mai in there, she goes through her mother's photo books and is even more shocked to see Mai in there just as she looks now. She then remembers that her mother told her she is named after her best friend. Just as she realized that the Mai who wanted to be her friend and the Mai that was her mother's best friend are one and the same, she gets a call from Mai. She apologizes for all the pain the she has caused Konami and now her without even intending or realizing it. Running to where she is so that she can ask many things, Mai finds the place where the mansions was nothing more than an empty field now. Gift: Mai is still distraught over the experiences and revelations she had from their last leap. Going to town, Mare is remembers her past and the previous inhabitants of the house that she took care of. There, she meets Keith once more. He is the guide where she is the guard for the inhabitants. He tells her that the next leap will take them to meet her. They will be made to make a decision. Mare disagrees with him and tells her that they are not ready. Ignoring her, Keith tells her that it is "her" intentions to put an end to this. Going to her room and looking at the doll of her that the previous inhabitants made and gave her, she remembers them and how they are similar to Ai, Mai and Mii. They too found the despair in associating with other people beyond their time and how they had pinned their hope of finding an answer once they meet "her." When they didn't get their answers, they fell into an even deeper despair and burned the house down. Vowing not to let that happen again, she resolves to go against Keith even if he is stronger than she is. Fighting him, Keith has the upper hand the entire time, until she manages to tie his hands and knock him out just in time to see the image in the sky fade. When the sisters look outside to see what is going on, Mare gets distracted allowing Keith to sneak up behind her and incapacitate her. While she is incapacitated, Keith takes them to their next location. Farewell: : Pretty Sammy OVA spin-off from Tenchi Muyo. Pretty Sammy features Sasami as the main heroine with some of the cast of Tenchi Muyo in unusual roles along with new characters. (Comedy) The Magical Girl: Sasami Kawai is a 4th grader, a cheerful girl full of energy. One day, she is sent on an errand to an old mansion and meets a strange lady there. The lady identifies herself as Tsunami and claims she comes from a magical kingdom called Juraihelm. She asks Sasami to help make the Earth a better place by using the magical powers she can endow upon Sasami. Sasami’s career as a magical girl thus begins. Her mysterious rival- another magical girl called Pixy Misa, as well as Ryoko and Ayeka who always fight against each other over Sasami’s brother Tenchi, her mother who has her head completely in the clouds all the time… these wacky bunch of people only help to make an already wacky situation go worse, making Sammy’s job even more difficult! Revenge Of The Imperial Electronic Brain: Pretty Sammy is back! This time, a new enemy appears by the name of Biff Standard, president of STANDARD, a software company. By using his software, Biff wants to standardize the world. Ramia, Tsunami’s rival for the next queen of Jurai helm, uses Biff to defeat Sammy! Super Kiss: As Pretty Sammy (Sasami) was losing a battle against Pixy Misa in outer space, the sudden arrival of a giant meteor saved her. The meteor continued on to crash at a resort beach in Japan- the same beach Sasami and her friends are supposed to go to on their vacation. There, a mysterious man appears on the beach. Is he Sammy’s enemy or friend? Sammy faces the greatest danger ever! Princess Arete Princess Arete has been locked away at her castle waiting for the man who will be her husband and ruler of her kingdom. He shall be the man who can bring the best magical artifact of a civilization and people now gone for over a thousand years. Princess Arete yearns not for those things though, she only wishes to experience life like her subjects and experience the common joys and sorrows of the people. When a sorcerer arrives at the castle claiming that she is cursed and that he is the only one who can cure her of her affliction, they easily give in to her demand. He demands her hand in if he is to free her from her curse and turn her into a proper princess, one who does not dream of a world beyond her castle walls. Robbed of her will, taken away from her lands, and placed in a dungeon by the sorcerer who feared a prophecy that a princess named Arete will shorten his eternal life, Arete soon begins to act out the role of a typical princess. Waiting for her knight in shinning armor to rescue her, the sorcerer's servant girl frees her from her spell by telling her to create a fairy tale of her own to free herself from the boredom. Setting off to escape the grasp of the sorcerer, she inadvertently fulfills the prophecy as she wanders off living the normal life of the normal people she could only dream of before. (Drama/Fantasy) It's a wonderful little story about the boundless spirit and imagination of a human spirit. The pacing is a little slow for my tastes though. Rent this one kiddies. Princess Mononoke (Also Mononke-Hime or Spirit Princess) Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka sets out to the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi and a proud clan of humans against the forest’s animal gods…who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke, a young woman raised by wolves. (Action/Adventure/Fantasy) Princess Nine At Kisaragi Girl's School, the chairwoman decides to create a girl's baseball team that will compete in the high school league. Unfortunately, the league doesn't allow girls to play baseball which is what the chairwoman plans to change. To fulfill their dreams, The chairwoman, the coach, and the girls of the Kisaragi Girl's School baseball team must overcome insurmountable odds and the system against they very idea of a girl's baseball team. (Drama/Sports) An excellent series! When I first saw the trailers for it, I thought "ugh, not another sports anime!" but truth be told, this is a pretty enjoyable series, so thank you mi amigo for forcing me to watch the first few episodes. Yes, go buy this now! Hayakawa Ryo, Age 15: A Baseball Team at a Prestigious Girl's School: In My Father's Footstep: Welcome Seira: Wave Motion Swing: Catch This!: We Need You Izumi: The Future on the Line: Winners And Losers: The Kisaragi Nine: Aim for Koshien!: One Hundred Pitches: The Girl Stratagem: The Lightning Ball: Scandal: Exile: Visions: The Gift: Hearts and Diamonds: Back in Training: I Hate You, Takasugi: You're Not Alone Yuki: Beauties VS The Beasts: The Kiss: Field of Broken Dreams: Shine, Princess Nine: Princess Tutu Once upon a time, a man was writing a story, but before he could finish it, he died. The evil raven from the story decided to go out in the real world and the prince follows it to stop its evil. The two of them fought and the prince unable to kill the raven, only manages to seal it away. The process was costly however and the prince, in order to seal the raven away, lost his heart as it shattered into countless pieces. This is the story of Ahiru, a duck who became human and has the ability to transform into Princess Tutu. As Princess Tutu, she is the only one who gather up the pieces of the prince's heart and give it back to him. (Comedy/Drama/Fantasy) VERY enjoyable. Okay, so I have only seen the first few episodes and will probably revise this later on, but from what I have seen so far, it is quite enjoyable. I loved it almost as immediately as I did Azumanga Daioh. Although I do love Ahiru's character, I love Neko-sensei even more! This series is definitely one of my top 5 all time favorites. Comedy, suspense, drama, action, fantasy, adventure... this has it ALL. And Neko-sensei is da bomb! Act 1 (Ahiru and the Prince) ~The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers: We are introduced to Ahiru, a ballerina in a university for ballet. She is somewhat love struck and shy, cheerful and energetic, a somewhat perceptive girl. She spends her days trying to be a good ballerina and pining away at her secret crush- Mute, a boy who doesn't seem to show any emotion at all. Trying to apologize to him, she keeps on getting turned away by Fakia, Mute’s best friend and another incredible dancer at the school. When she sees him in his room, he is staring at the chicks trying to fly for the first time. When a raven attacks them and one of them begins to fall, he tries to save a chick from falling from the roof and falls himself. Suddenly, a warmth fills Ahiru's heart and she transforms into Princess Tutu and saves Mute in time. Unfortunately, instead of turning back into human, she turns into a duck! Act 2 (Pieces of the Heart) ~Swan Lake - Final Scene: Ahiru is still a duck in the pond and is wondering if she dreamt that she was a human admiring Mute from afar or if she is just dreaming that she is a duck. The old story-teller tells appears before her and informs her that she is both! Ahiru is actually a duck who has been given human form, but when she quacks like a duck, she is turned back into a duck. Immersing herself in a pool of water changes her back into human form. Now that she knows this, she has to deal with an anteater classmate who wants Mute for herself in order to hurt Rue, Mute's girlfriend. Ahiru notices something odd about her and follows her. She realizes that a piece of Mute's heart has bonded itself with her and Ahiru as Princess Tutu must reclaim that piece of the Prince's heart! Act 3 (The Princess’ Oath) ~Sleeping Beauty: Panorama: Ahiru has gotten herself thrown back into the beginner's class and her friends are making her spend all of her time practicing so that she can get back into the same class as the are. Ahiru gets sick and tired of this and decides to sneak out and have a little break. While strolling in the park, she comes across Mute and Rue having a picnic. Trying to sneak away, she accidentally runs into Mute who happens to be looking for some water for Rue. Ahiru decides to accompany Mute in his search for some water and ends up in a restaurant in the middle of nowhere with an obsessed cook who doesn't want them to leave and just keeps on trying to feed them. Ahiru notices something wrong with her and transforms into Princess Tutu. She identifies the piece of the Prince’s heart that has merged itself with the cook as "loneliness," takes it back and returns the emotion of loneliness back to Mute. Act 4 (Giselle) ~Giselle: Ahiru and her friends are watching Rue practice dancing when Ahiru sees Rue's toes start to bend. When she yells out a warning, she is punished by Neko-sensei by giving her more practice hours. Her friends help practice and Neko-sensei sees how hard she is working and rewards her by taking her out of the apprentice class. While relaxing, she sees Mute acting weird and follows him when she bumps into Rue. Together they search for him and see him in a funeral procession. They find out about the story of the girl who died for her love, but was betrayed and lured another man to die with her. The story is starting to become true and Rue and Ahiru must save Mute from being taken as the replacement. Rue tries to out-dance the ghost but her toes give out again and now it's up to Princess Tutu to save the day. After she defeats the ghosts she liberates it from the piece of Mutes heart that merged itself to the ghost and returns to Mute the emotion called "sadness." Act 5 (On the Eve of the Fire Festival) ~Pictures at an Exhibition - The Catacombs: Rue is starting to show more and more interest in the story of the Prince and the Raven after finding out that it really is true that Mute is the prince in the story. Fakia on the other hand, is growing more desperate to keep Mute under his control. At the same time that this is happening, Ahiru is daydreaming in class and wondering about the fire festival, where couples come dressed in old fashioned formal wear and the pair who wins the dance contest are given a golden apple. Rumor has it that the couple who receives the golden apple are bound together forever. Because of her daydreaming, Neko-sensei punishes Ahiru by making her clean up the special class’s room. In there, she meets Mute who is waiting for Rue so that the can practice for the festival. When Fakia arrives, he gets enraged in learning that Mute has truly begun regaining the pieces of his heart and has started to think for himself. He locks Mute away in a room in the library as “punishment.” Ahiru tries to break him out and learns that he found a secret way under the room. There she follows the voice that has been giving her riddles all the way. When she catches up with the voice, she learns that it is the spirit of a lamp who has been discarded away and a piece of the Prince’s heart has stuck itself to it. Ahiru changes into Princess Tutu once more in an effort to convince the lamp to let Mute go and that she should shine her light on everyone, not just one person. When the lamp finally gives in, Princess Tutu recovers the piece of the Prince’s heart that has the feelings of affection in it and returns it to Mute. Act 6 (Aurora Dreaming) ~Sleeping Beauty Prologue: The entire ballet class led taught by Neko-sensei goes of to see an actual ballet troupe, the Eleki Troupe, as they prepare for their performance of Sleeping Beauty. The lead ballerina, Paulomoni- a beautiful and talented dancer, welcomes them and allows them to watch as she practices. Although graceful, her dancing seems to be sad and lacking something. Later on that night, she and her husband, another member of the troupe, are out in the open talking about their dreams and how she always watched Sleeping Beauty and always hoped to be just like the Aurora of legends- to be as beautiful and graceful and dream as she does. In the background, without her realization, another of the Prince’s heart is following her. The following day, instead of showing her practice, she asks one of the student, Ahiru, to dance for her so that she may see what it is that she is lacking. Watching her dance, she realizes that although Ahiru may not be graceful nor her dance beautiful, it is still a wonderful dance imbued with her self. upon finishing the dance, Ahiru senses the piece of the prince’s heart that was following Paulomoni and chases after it. Cornering it in the roof of the theater, she manages to force it to return to Mute, but at a cost. Act 7 (Raven Princess) ~On the Beautiful Blue Danube: After hearing how frightened of Princess Tutu Mute has become, Ahiru begins to agonize over what she overheard from Mute and Fakia. She begins questioning if what she is doing is the right thing. A week has already passed since Mute and Fakia stopped going to school and their disappearance has caused Ahiru to become even more distracted than usual. From Pike and Ririe, she learns of a bridge with a ghostly presence that helps you out with your problems. On this bridge, Ahiru decided never to transform into Princess Tutu ever again and decided to throw away her pendant when Drosselmeyer stepped in to try to convince her not to and that tragedy is actually very good for characters. Unconvinced, Ahiru throws away the pendant and returns to being a normal duck when Edel comes by with her uniform and pendant. Running away from Edel, she discovers Mute talking to the voice of the bridge and sees him fall into the water where the voice drags him to the bottom of the river. Ahiru, now merely a duck tries to swim after Mute but cannot catch up and wishes that she never threw away her pendant. At that moment, Edel throws the pendant into the river and it lands on Ahiru allowing her to become Princess Tutu once again. After saving Mute, the voice reveals itself to be Mute’s curiosity. Mute apologizes to Princess Tutu and asks her to find the rest of his heart. Before she could, the piece of heart is stolen and another character enters the stage- Princess Claire, the Raven Princess. Before Princess Tutu can recover the piece of heart from Princess Claire, she vanishes along with Mute. Act 8 (The Fountain of Warriors) ~The Fantasy Overture of Romeo and Juliet Rue wakes up in her room without memories of transforming into Princess Claire, but the curiosity piece of Mute's heart lets her know about being Princess Claire. At the same time, Mute wants to know more about Princess Tutu and Ahiru decides that perhaps it is time to tell him about her being Princess Tutu. Sending a letter to Mute, Ahiru asks to meet him at a specific place after school. When Fakia can't order him to not go, he decides to take out the sword of the prince that broke the prince's heart and defeated the monster raven. Where Ahiru and Mute are meeting, Rue sees them and overhears Mute's yearning to know more and meet Princess Tutu. Overwhelmed by jealousy, she transforms into Princess Claire once more. Facing off with Princess Tutu, a Fakia appears wearing a mask and wielding the prince's sword. Wounding Princess Claire a bit, Rue snaps out of her trance and drops the curiosity piece of Mute's heart. Fakia tells her not to bother since he is going to break it apart anyway. Responding to Fakia, Mute prepares to break his own heart apart once more. Fortunately, he stops upon hearing Princess Tutu's pleas as Fakia walks away saying out loud as a reminder that this is his own choice. Act 9 (Black Shoes) ~Pictures at an Exhibition - The Ancient Castle: After the incident with Princess Claire, Fakia decides to research the story of the Prince and the Monster Raven once more. There, he learns also of his own fate within the story as a prince's knight discarded like a rag toy by the power of the raven. At the same time, Rue feels more and more separated from Mute and slowly begins to accept the Princess Claire part of herself. Elsewhere, Ahiru notices a girl who seems to be following Rue around and follows her into the art building where she has been drawing pictures of nothing but Rue. There, Ahiru notices that she is possessed by the obsession piece of Mute'e heart. Changing into Princess Tutu, she tries to collect that piece of Mute's heart. At the same time, Rue finally accepts herself as Princess Claire and transforms. Before Princess tutu can collect the obsession piece of Mute's heart, Princess Claire shows up to steal it. When Mute shows up looking for Princess Tutu, he inadvertently breaks Princess Claire's concentration and Princess Tutu manages to return the piece back to Mute. Starting to get confused about her identity once more, she regains her resolve to her Princess Claire identity when Fakia shows up and looks at her with contempt, calling her a monster raven. Act 10 (Cinderella) ~Aschenbrodel - Waltz Coda: The confrontation between Fakia and Princess Claire becomes a confrontation between him and Princess Tutu when Princess Claire makes her exit. Fakia thrusts a piece of glass towards Princess Tutu and misses, but nicks her necklace. After running away, Fakia chases after her and notices that she has dropped her pendant which Fakia picks up. Ahiru, after she stops running, realizes that she has transformed into a duck once more and has lost the pendant - without which, she can't transform into a girl or Princess Tutu. The next day, after searching all night, Ahiru discovers that Fakia has her pendant and follows him all day for a chance to retrieve it and learns more about him as well as the role he plays in the story of The Prince and the Monster Raven. Coming to him as he has left his house and Charon, his guardian, after the argument, Fakia gives Ahiru the pendant without realizing that Ahiru the duck, Ahiru the girl and Princess Tutu are the same person. Retrieving the regret piece of Mute's heart from Charon, she makes her way to Mute only for them to be captured by Princess Claire. Returning to his house, Charon and Fakia makes up now that the regret piece of Mute's heart isn't there to interfere. Receiving the sword from Charon, Fakia rides off and rescues Mute and Princess Tutu from Princess Claire. Having left first, Ahiru gets spotted by Fakia outside the hallway where they were held captive by Princess Claire and notices the pendant that she is wearing. Act 11 (La Sylphide) ~La Sylphide On a foggy day on top of a bridge, Edel receives a jewel named Love. Elsewhere, Fakia contemplates the implication that Ahiru might actually be Princess Tutu while Ahiru is worried sick that Fakia might have figured out her other identity. In school, Mute asks them about giving presents to make someone happy to which Lily and Pike replies that it doesn't matter as long as it is filled with love. Afterwards, Fakia finally confronts Ahiru about her being Princess Tutu while Mute is out with Rue when he receives the jewel called Love from Edel. Taking the jewel, Rue immediately borrows it telling him that she can make shine more. However, when she returns it, it seems to be giving off an ominous, but more beautiful glow. Finding out from Edel that Mute is out searching for Princess Tutu to give his present to, Ahiru searches for Mute and meets him by a ruin in the forest. There she leaves him behind to transform into Princess Tutu. Taking the jewel from him, the feeling of love reveals itself to them, but as she gives that piece back to Mute, they find out that Rue has tainted it with the Raven's powers and Princess Claire shows up. When Fakia shows up to protect Mute, he is injured and Princess Claire rips out the feelings of love from Mute's chest as the two of them disappears. Act 12 (Banquet of Darkness) ~Sheherazade Injured, Princess Tutu carries Fakia to his room in the boy's dorm and treats his wounds while Princess Claire is trying to get Mute to forget everything, love only her and turn against Princess Tutu and Fakia. When Fakia is well enough to get around, he and Ahiru begin their search for Mute. After interrupting Neko-sensei's practice session, they find Mute, although he doesn't seem to be himself. It turns out that he is just a doppelganger as Rue reveals to them that she is actually Princess Claire and challenges Ahiru as Princess Tutu to a match to determine possession of Mute. Running into Edel immediately afterwards, she leads them to where the entrance to Princess Claire's lair is and reveals to them that she is nothing more than a doll sent to help the story continue along. After a lot of trials and hardship though the caverns leading to Princess Claire's lair, they find the place they are searching for. Fakia also learns of Ahiru's secret and that she is actually the duck that saw him crying before. Finding Princess Claire and Mute, Princess gets issued a challenge - whoever Mute's feeling of love chooses becomes the winner. In order to do that though, Princess Tutu might be forced to reveal her feelings for Mute and then vanish immediately in a flash of light. Act 13 (Swan Lake) ~Schwanensee: Ahiru and Fakia finally manage to make it to the Swan Lake where Princess Claire is keeping Mute. Fakia attacks Princess Claire trying to save Mute from whatever fate she has planned for him and is overwhelmed by the demon Raven’s powers. With the last of his strength, Fakia breaks the sword that can break apart the piece of Mute’s heart in order to prevent Claire from destroying it. With Fakia out of the way, Princess Claire gives Princess Tutu a choice, either speak her love for the Prince and vanish forever or watch the Prince suffer a worse fate that Claire has planned for him. Princes Tutu then decides the express her love without words by dancing and Princes Claire begins to dance as well accepting the challenge with the winner as the one that the piece of Mute’s heart decides to go with. With Princess Tutu distracted, the piece chooses Princess Claire at first, but due to Princess Tutu’s perseverance, the emotionless Mute begins to feel emotions again and chooses Princess Tutu instead. When Princess Claire accepts defeat, the illusion of the Swan Lake begins to fade and Princess tutu and Mute run to safety guided by the light of a fire. Reaching outside, they find that Edel had saved Fakia and burned herself to keep him alive and light the way for Princess Tutu and Mute. Edel then tells Princes Tutu that she did because she wanted to know what having a human heart was like and requests that before her consciousness vanishes, she would like to see her and Mute dance the Pax De Duex. Act 14 (Monster Raven) ~Blumenwalzer: Waltz of the Flowers *Note that from here on in, the episodes are divided into half episodes with each "episode" being about 12 minutes long and two "episodes" making up one full episode. This lasts from episode 14.0 to 25.5* Everything seems to be all right now that Mute's feeling of love has been returned to him and things seems to be going back to normal once again. Unfortunately, things are never that simply. Mute still wants to know more about Princess Tutu and who she really is, but respects that it might not be for the best to know at that moment. Fakia is also a lot more friendlier towards Ahiru than he ever used to. Trouble starts brewing again, however when Ahiru notices a strange look in Mute's eyes. That ominous feeling is made reality when someone cut up Neko-sensei's precious keepsake - the shoes worn by the great Nyajinsky that Nyajinsky himself gave him. In Mute and Fakia's room, Mute confesses to have destroyed to beloved shoes and throws himself out the window making it seem as if he was pushed out by Fakia. Ahiru sees what really happened from the girl's dorm's roof top and transforms into Princess Tutu just in time to save Mute. Act 15 (Copellia) ~Copellia Called into Neko-sensei's office for the incident in which Fakia "pushed" Mute out of the window, It has been decided that the two of them cannot be roommates anymore. As Mute leaves Neko-sensei's office, Ahiru, in duck form, follows him around and sees him being approached by Pike. Ahiru can't put her finger on it, but she feels as if there is just something wrong in that encounter. At the same time, Ririe is also eavesdropping on Pike and Mute. Things are complicated further when Fakia spots Rue walking around and confronts her. Later on, Rue as Princess Claire, comes to her father, the Monster Raven in the story, and recounts how grateful she is that she followed his command and filled the piece of Mute's heart that is love with her father's blood, which is causing him to change horribly. Meanwhile, Ririe is enjoying the idea of a confrontation between Pike and Ahiru over Mute. Later that night, Ahiru notices Pike wandering off somewhere and follows her. She meets up with Mute who tries to take away her heart as a sacrifice for the Monster Raven. Ahiru transforms into Princess Tutu to save her and in doing so, reveals that Mute is still not completely within the influence of the Monster Raven. Act 16 (Prayers of a Maiden) ~Gebel einer Dungfrau: Coming to school seemingly injured, Neko-sensei that the winner of the upcoming ballet contest will be Mute's partner in the ballet exhibition in place of Rue. Alone, Ahiru overhears Claire and Mute talking and how pretending to be injured is her plot to get a heart for Mute to sacrifice to her father. Later on, Ahiru meets a girl named Freya who loves flower. She is the one who ends up being targeted by Mute. She also meets a strange girl drummer girl named Uzura who shows an interest in her and seems to know about her secret. Going to Fakia who has been suspended, she learns that Uzura is made from the embers of Edel who burned herself to save them. Learning from Ahiru about what is going on with Mute, they run off to school to save Freya. In the contest, Freya easily wins because everyone else is too stressed concentrating on winning that they can't even smile. Arriving just in time, Princess Tutu manages to save Freya from being sacrificed to the Monster Raven. Picking up Mute, Princess Claire reveals to Princess Tutu that it is partially her fault that Mute has been changed and vanishes with Mute. Acts 17 (Crime and Punishment)~Carmen Aragonaise: Deep in thought about what is happening to Mute, Femio, a strange kid in the apprentice class, begins showering his attention on Ahiru while claiming to be a true prince. He claims to love all people and all people will eventually love him and for that reason, he is the one true prince. Of course, it is all far-fetched and the fact that he seems like a moron doesn't help at all. Overhearing Claire and Mute's conversation, Ahiru tries to convince Claire to return to being Rue and return Mute to normal. They are interrupted by the appearance of Femio. In class, his appearance causes Mute to collapse. With her father growing more and more restless without a fresh heart to dine upon, Claire is left alone to find a heart by herself. She decides to use Femio as a sacrifice. Unfortunately, Femio's vanity and inability to decide to love just one person and one person alone frees him from the grasp of the raven's power. After that incident, Ahiru meets Fakia and shares with him the hope that just before collapsing, the real Mute seemed to have come out. Acts 18 (Wandering Knight)~Egmont Overture: Fakia has been dreaming of an encounter with a ghostly knight lately. At the same time, people have been seeing the vision of a ghostly knight. Talking about Fakia's return to school, Ahiru, Pike and Ririe encounter a group of people who asks Ahiru to ask Fakia for them if he would like to play the part of the night in their story. Mute is still as strongly enthralled in the power of the monster raven and outwardly welcomes Fakia back, but a inside lurks a sinister presence. Talking to the group of student performing the play of the Knight, Fakia is surprised to learn that it is the same as in his dream and that the ghostly knight first started appearing when the manuscript was first discovered. Performing a practice for the play, Fakia seemed perfect for it when he seemed to sense the presence of the ghostly knight. Running to where it was, he finds Ahiru there and that she had already encountered him. Transforming into Princess Tutu, she interrupts the battle between the ghostly knight and Fakia and convinces him to stop fighting. Upon doing that, she discovers that the ghostly knight had been carrying the feeling of pride with him and is able to return that piece back to Mute. Act 19 (A Midsummer Night's Dream) ~Ein Sommernachtstraum: Waking up from sustaining all of her injuries during her encounter with the ghostly knight, Ahiru once again encounters Drosselmeier who tells her that the all the pieces that was trapped within people have now been restored to Mute, but they are not all the pieces that there is. Sighing about it, Pike and Ririe jumps to the conclusion that she is sighing her love for Fakia and gives her a love letter to give to Bottom the Donkey who delivers love letter. Encountering her, Ahiru learns that Bottom is actually Hermia, someone on a higher grade than her. Delivering letter is a way that she has been using to cope with her lack of courage to tell her own love and Mute, suffering, tries to steal her heart away. Having been rescued by Princess Tutu just in time, Hermia resolves to find the courage to confess her feelings to Lysander, the one that she loves. Knocking on his door she confesses and finds a statue of her being built by him as he confesses that he feels the same way as well. Act 20 (A Forgotten Story)~ The Bartered Bride - Die Verkaufte Braut: Rachel has returned to see Fakia and Charon once more. She is someone who helped raise Fakia and seems more like an older sister or a mother to him. She is also someone who knows Mute as well. From her, Ahiru learns of the mysterious power that Fakia once possessed - the ability to write stories and have pieces of them come true. Learning that, Ahiru rushes to Fakia and asks him to write a story about Mute in which he is saved easily, but Fakia vehemently refuses to do such thing. Rachel, having met up with Mute, lets out that she is soon to be married, but still have doubts about her true feelings. She is confused whom she loves more, Hans the man who is to become her husband or Charon who recognizes her affection for him but refuses to acknowledge her as anything more than the child she once was. Meeting up again, Rachel tells Ahiru why Fakia refuses to write. His story has once partially come true and caused a tragedy resulting in his parents’ death. Mute, needing hearts as a sacrifice, attempts to steal Rachel's heart, but Princess Tutu arrives once more to save her. Having come out of her encounter relatively unscathed, she has finally made a resolve. She will forget about Charon and bid him farewell and marry Hans. Act 21 (The Spinners) ~Songs Without Words - Lieder Ohne Worte: Lately, Ahiru have been dreaming of Mute being back to normal dancing with Rue and Fakia on the lake and her being nothing more than a duck once more. At the same time, Fakia receives a letter from Aotoa. It seems as if he had checked out the same books that he has been researching as well and he is the one that is always in the library telling Ahiru to be quiet. From him, Fakia decides to receive his training to hone his ability to make stories come to life. Worried about him, Ahiru follows along as well. At the same time, Mute is becoming more and more unstable. He is even lashing out at Rue. That night, Aotoa, Fakia and Ahiru goes to the sight where the oak tree used in the ceremony of story spinners come to test out their powers to give life to stories and is sucked into a trance by the remains of the tree. Turning into an oak himself, Ahiru as Princess Tutu tries desperately to bring him back to reality. Hearing her voice at last, Fakia is able to regain his senses and comes out of the trance. Act 22 (Crown of Stone) ~The Great Gate of Kiev - Das Grobe To Van Kiew: Late on her way to school after seeing how Fakia is doing in his training, Ahiru notices Rue sulking on the roof of the school. Talking to her about it, Rue's personality seems to be shifting back and forth once more. When Uzura talked to Rue, she seems confused as well. Elsewhere, Aotoa talks to the caretaker of antique books about the town being controlled by the power of Drosselmeier's story. After he leaves, several figures in the background begins talking to the caretaker. Fearing that the power of Drosselmeier is about to be used once more, they have decided to take action. Searching throughout the town, Ahiru has noticed something strange about the five gates of the town and how each seem to hold a piece of Mute's heart. Elsewhere, while Fakia is confronted by those who would take away the ending of stories, Rue is with Aotoa and is about to take his heart as a sacrifice to her father when she had a change of heart once more and tells him to go home. Changing to Princess Tutu, she tries to get outside of the town by jumping over the wall only to find an even higher wall outside the wall of the town. Coming into contact with the wall, she is thrown back inside of the town and she notices people in cloaks trying to chop off Fakia's hands and rescues him. But when she reveals herself to the people who takes away the ending of stories, Drosselmeier takes her away into the realm where he is watching the story unfold. Sucked into the heart of the story, Uzura jumps in with her. Out side, realizing that the story has already began spinning once more, the men in cloaks decides to leave Fakia alone and allow him to see if his power can contradict Drosselmeier's grasp of the town. Act 23 (Marionettes) ~Ruslan and Ludmilla: Stuck in the heart of the story, all the gears have stopped with Princess Tutu out of the story itself and she finds herself turned into nothing more than a marionette herself. Outside, Fakia attempts to write a story to free Ahiru from Drosselmeier's grasp. At the same time, the monster raven is angry with Rue for failing him once more. Returning to Mute once more, she is shocked to learn that Mute's fate after she had bathed his heart in the blood of her father is to sacrifice his heart to him, not to love her. When Uzuru finds a gear and starts messing with it, she unknowingly turns the gears backwards and the story goes in reverse. There, we see Rue as a little girl once more and how she first met Mute and has been playing with him behind Fakia's back since then. Suddenly, although he can't write a story to alter Droselmeier's own, he finds out that he can write Princess Tutu's story. As Uzura is unable to turn the gears backwards anymore, Edel appears before her and tells her that she and her are the same and that she should return to Ahiru. Having escaped the heart of the story, Rue's story is still going backwards and she learns of the very beginning. She is not actually a Raven, but a human girl that the monster raven stole from her parents and fed with his own blood to give her the power of the raven. Act 24 (The Prince and the Raven ~Dance Macabre: Recovering in Fakia's house after her encounter with Drosselmeier, she tells him about the five pieces of heart that are in the gate and Fakia theorizes that those are the pieces that are holding the raven in its prison. On her way back from Fakia's house, she spots Rue going into a decrepit house and is shocked to see how much Mute has changed. Now, he even looks like a raven and has started acting like one as well. Rue remembers her time with Mute from the very first - from how she would sneak Mute out to play with her to how they first met again in the ballet academy and how being with him has made her so happy that she sealed away her memories of being a raven. When Mute runs out and Rue and Ahiru chases after him, Ahiru mentions about the five gates and how they should return those pieces as quickly as possible. Rue tells her not to. To do so would force Mute to give his heart to the monster raven. Depressed about it, she changes back into a duck. Meeting Uzura, Uzura starts talking about Ahiru being gone. When Uzura hugged her, she starts hearing the music that Edel always play instead of a heartbeat and she is able to talk to Edel once more who warns her that her pendant is the last piece of heart. With her conversation with Edel, Ahiru gets some of her resolve back and changes into Princess Tutu. She then frees the pieces of heart in the gates and returns them to Mute. Doing so, however releases the monster raven and as Mute is about to give his heart to the monster raven, Rue painfully speaks of her love for him and Mute is transformed back to normal. Angry at what she had done, the monster raven takes Rue away and seals her inside of him. Act 25 (The Dying Swan) ~Romeo and Juliet: Drosselmeier, watching from within the story, is surprised to see that the words of love that Princess Tutu should have spoken to the Prince was spoken by Rue instead and in doing so, sacrificed herself for him. The Prince, about to face the monster raven to rescue Rue, asks Princess Tutu for the final piece of his heart. Attempting to give it back to him, the pendant won't let go of her neck. Imprisoning the Prince, he gives Princess Tutu until morning to give the final piece up or he would tear the Prince's heart to shreds. Running away, she transforms back into Ahiru and finds herself at the shores of the lake of despair. At Aotoa's place, while trying to figure out what to write and how to write it, Drosselmeier appears and forces him to write about Ahiru learning that the final piece won't let go because she doesn't want to become nothing more than a mere duck again and forces her to drown herself in the lake of despair. Managing to stop himself from writing the story that Drosselmeier wants, Fakia rushes off to where Ahiru is at to save her. Finding her there, Fakia manages to give her comfort in assuring her that no one truly wants to see the conclusion of the story and finally gets the pendant to let go. Having done that, Drosselmeier drops them even deeper in the lake where they see Rue at the very bottom. They manage to get out, however when the sound of Uzura's drumming led them to safety. Vowing to combine their strength once more by having Fakia write about her, Princess Tutu returns the pendant to Mute and he transforms back into the prince he once was while Ahiru becomes nothing more than a mere duck once again. Surprised that such a small and fragile thing could hold so much courage, the Prince prepares to face the monster raven one last time. Act 26 (Finale) ~The Nutcracker: Having returned all of the pieces of his heart back to him, the Prince begins his final battle with the monster raven. Ahiru, now nothing more than a mere duck, cannot help in his battle at all. The monster raven begins using the people that have been turned into ravens to attack the Prince and get his heart. Fakia, writing the story, cannot force the ravens to stop attacking Ahiru. At the same time, the last survivor of the cloaked men who have sealed away the endings of the stories has gone mad and is trying to chop of Fakia's hands. The Prince, fearing that there is no other choice left to him, tries to break his heart to seal the monster raven once more, but Ahiru manages to stop him. She then began to dance as best she could. Although her own dance was not as beautiful as that of Princess Tutu's it was a dance full of her own self that warmed the hearts of those who saw it and gave them reassurance. Having broken through the door, Aotoa, Uzura and the cloaked man struggles with each other to allow Fakia to give a conclusion to the story. Ahiru, getting some more strength from Fakia's writing, began to dance much more earnestly and manages to change everyone back to normal and give a happy ending to the story that everyone wanted. With hope overflowing from Ahiru, the Prince manages to break the hold of the monster raven over Rue, rescues her from the depths of despair, and together, destroys the monster raven forever. Afterwards, with Uzura leading them, they destroy the device that was writing the stories after Drosselmeier's death as Mute and Rue leaves together to find their happy conclusion while Ahiru stays with Fakia as he continues to write stories. Special 1: This special takes place after the 13th episode of the series. A new year's special, it has various things in it from all the anthropomorphic characters to the descriptions of some of the finer points of ballet that has been used throughout the series so far. Special 2: This special recounts all of the episodes from 1 all the way to 13 (basically, the first season) of Princess Tutu. Special 3: This special recounts all of the episodes from 14 all the way to 26 (basically, the second season) of Princess Tutu. Project A-Ko Earth in the not-too-distant future… A city is miraculously reborn just sixteen years after being completely destroyed by a giant meteor. Our story begins in the prestigious Graviton High School for Girls, nestled in the suburbs of the blooming metropolis, as the English teacher, Miss Ayumi, introduces two new students- A-Ko and her ditzy side kick, C-Ko. This is the story of a triangular relationship between A-Ko (Eiko), B-Ko (Biko), and C-Ko (Shiko), an all girls' school, and the damage that the three of them inflict in their town as the bicker and fight their way through school! (Comedy) The flagship series of US Manga Corps, Project A-Ko is a parody of a lot of things and shouldn't be taken seriously (even the director says that). The first one is supposed to be just an OVA but evolved into a movie while the rest are just OVA episodes. A pretty interesting series. This is one of those that you have to watch at least once. 1: A-Ko is a lively seventeen-year-old, no different from any other… except for the fact that within her diminutive frame lies a strength that can only be described as superhuman. The trouble begins when B-Ko, the spoiled, but brilliant daughter of a business tycoon, decides she wants C-Ko for herself. And once B-Ko decides she wants something, heaven help anyone who stands in her way. Unless that someone is A-Ko. B-Ko becomes the irresistible force and A-Ko the immovable object as the action explodes across the unsuspecting city. B-Ko goes up against the invincible A-Ko with her arsenal of powered robots-suits, including the most powerful of all, “Akagiyama 23.” Meanwhile, a monstrous alien spaceship plows its way towards Earth in search of…? What is the connection between the girls and the alien ship? Who is the mysterious “D”? What is the secret behind A-Ko’s power? What dark past fuels B-Ko’s rage? Why is C-Ko such a space case? Project A-Ko is Japanese animation as you’ve never seen before! Plot Of The Daitokuji Financial Group: Summer vacation comes to Graviton High School, and the girls can’t wait to get out of school! They each have big plans for vacation. A-Ko, a high school student with incredible superpowers, vows to lose a few inches off her waistline. The wealthy and beautiful B-Ko will not rest until she can get A-Ko out of the way, and have the adorable C-Ko all to herself. And C-Ko happily makes a list of all the cool things that she’ll buy during vacation. B-Ko starts working on her summer plans right away by designing a giant anti A-Ko robot. But her father, head of the powerful Daitokuji Financial Group, has other plans for his daughter’s designs. By programming the robot to attack the alien spacecraft that has landed in Graviton City, he hopes to gain control of the ship’s advanced technological secrets for his company. Meanwhile, the aliens have asked A-Ko and C-Ko to help them get back to their planet. C-Ko appeals to B-Ko, who, eager to please C-Ko, agrees to help them repair the ship. However, B-Ko’s father has already sent a group of soldiers to attack the spaceship, and in the lead is his new weapon- the Daitokuji Intercept Special Reserve Golden Cherry Blossom Mark-III, or Marilyn for short- a monstrous robot programmed for destruction! Cinderella Rhapsody: Boys! Boys! Boys! That’s all the girls can think about. A-Ko is lost in her dreams of the perfect man as she tries on the most outrageously expensive dress. Meanwhile, C-Ko gets so bored with A-Ko that she throws a tantrum and rushes out of the shop. Dashing blindly across the street, she barely misses getting run over by K, an extremely handsome motorcyclist. A-Ko takes a part-time job at the local fast food restaurant so that she can afford to buy the dress. Working behind the counter, she comes face-to-face with K who she immediately recognizes as the motorcyclist from the day before. It’s love at first sight! Her dreams are shattered when B-Ko threatens to expose her job to the school officials and at the same time becomes infatuated with K. When A-Ko’s handsome suitor invites her to a fancy party, she knows exactly what to wear…or does she? Final: During an archeological dig on Earth, a mysterious hexagram symbol found engraved on a wall causes the scientists’ guide to flee in panic. Meanwhile, out in space, the same symbol is evident on the flagship of a huge fleet of spaceships heading straight towards Earth! Back in Graviton City, Mr. Daitokuji has offered to introduce Miss Ayumi to prospective husbands. While Miss Ayumi is away, C-Ko, angered by A-Ko, storms out of the class and stumbles upon her teacher holding a mysterious pendant and reciting a strange prayer. Just as Miss Ayumi’s meeting with a possible suitor is about to begin, they are spotted by A-Ko and C-Ko. A-Ko, extremely distraught, barges in on the meeting because the suitor is none other than K! While Miss Ayumi admonishes her behavior, she announces her plan to marry K the very next day. But why has Miss Ayumi been seen reciting strange prayers while holding a hexagram-marked pendant? Project A-Ko: Versus Battle This is a different take on Project A-Ko. In this world, A-Ko and B-Ko are partners in a monster-hunting venture. C-Ko is just about to celebrate her tenth birthday and is just as weird as before, if not weirder. A-Ko and B-Ko will still go at it with each other with a C-Ko caught in between, but other than that, everything else is different. To save the world, A-Ko and B-Ko must first find enough time to stop arguing and work together! (Comedy) The original director of the series had nothing to do with this. It is quite the hideous crap if you compare it to the original series, rent it if you want, but I don't really recommend buying this. On the other hand, the second story does have clips at the very beginning of what happens to the characters of the original series after they graduate high school (although it was only 2 minutes, tops). Gray Side: C-Ko’s birthday celebration is interrupted when she is kidnapped by two space pirates from her father’s spaceship during the festivities. En route to the rendezvous with her kidnappers’ boss, their spaceship breaks apart in mid-air and C-Ko plummets to the planet below. Fortunately, she lands right on top of a huge pack of equipment carried by A-Ko, one of the planet’s monster-hunters. A-Ko arrives at the home she shares with her partner B-Ko and, famished, quickly changes for dinner. But before she gets to the table, C-Ko has devoured everything in sight. A-Ko is incensed but is somewhat appeased when B-Ko points out the reward that they could collect for returning C-Ko. When C-Ko is re-kidnapped, A-Ko and B-Ko take off in pursuit. Their rescue attempt is foiled by the pirates’ boss, Gail, who strikes B-Ko down with a single blow. Left to mourn her colleague, A-Ko doesn’t know what to do. Is all hope lost or will Maruten, a six-inch-high member of the Space Patrol, have the answer? Blue Side: In pursuit of the 3-headed dragon, A-Ko, B-Ko, and Maruten board the enemy’s base and are pounced on by the pirates. While battling Liza, B-Ko encounters Gail and instead of destroying him, is overcome by her attraction to him and lands up joining forces with him. Just as the base is about to be blown up, Gail, B-Ko, and C-Ko escape but find the military forces of the Kotobuki fleet hot on their trail. C-Ko, now possessed by the spirit of master Xena, summons the dragon to destroy the fleet. A-Ko and Maruten, having somehow survived, are in pursuit of Gail when they learn that C-Ko was adopted and may be from the same race as Xena and Gail. They manage to sneak aboard Gail’s ship and a battle between A-Ko and Gail ensues. Just as he is about to fire off that one deadly shot, B-Ko arrives. Whose side will she take? Meanwhile, the dragon is out of control and destroying every planet in its path… can it be stopped before it’s too late? Puppet Princess A ninja with a bloody past and a princess with a bloody future.... It is the age of civil war, a time of warlords and violence. Yasaburo is a ninja without a purpose, and the only survivor of his clan. He meets Rangiku, a young girl of noble descent whose family was murdered by the henchmen of General Karimata. Now she fights using her father's strange puppets, the very creations Karimata was out to capture. Together with Yasaburo, she fights through 16th century Japan, and soaks the dusty streets in blood. When the Puppet Princess makes her puppets dance, bodies will fly like broken toys. (Action) It is a tale of self redemption hidden by a veneer of vengeance. It's nothing really spectacular. Rent this one if you want. Queen Emeraldas In a far distant future, a would-be master race seeks to dominate the galaxy. Against these merciless Afressians, mankind has just one hope: the mysterious female warrior known as Emeraldas. Driven by the tortured memory of her lost love, Emeraldas sails the Sea of Stars like a privateer of old, blasting the forces of tyranny into atoms with an amazing array of futuristic weapons. But when the devious Commander Eldomain kidnaps a group of innocent civilians, Emeraldas is drawn into a deadly trap from which even she may not escape! ( Adventure) It's Leiji Matsumoto's work. all you need to know is that they are all connected to each other. If you don't like his other series, don't get this one. If you liked them, get this. If you've never seen his other works before, at least rent this one. Rail of the Stars Chitose, Chiko to her friends, is unaware of the meaning of war but as a young girl growing up in Japanese occupied Korea during World War II, she is soon to learn that soldiers on the battlefields are not the only casualties of armed conflict. From the first small inconveniences to the increasing scarcity of such vital supplies as clothes and medicine, Chiko finds that, as the Empire of Japan reaps the increasingly bitter harvest of a failing war effort, its children must suffer as well. Initially part of the wealthy ruling class, Chiko's small family is rocked by tragedy after tragedy, losing friends and loved ones and sinking slowly into poverty as the unrelenting ravages of the Great War continue. And, yet it is peace that brings the greatest danger of all, for Japan has lost the war. Chiko's family now finds itself completely abandoned, an unwelcome band of strangers at the mercy of a land full of angry vengeful victors with little compassion for their former conquerors. To make matters worse, Korea has been divided between the Allied victors at the 38th parallel and Chiko's family is in the northern half, where the Russian Army has already begun a ruthless search for former Japanese veterans. With their lives at stake, Chiko and her surviving family must embark upon an epic journey across a war ravaged land, joining with other survivors in a desperate quest for the perceived freedom of the U.S. Occupied Zone below the 38th parallel! Based upon a true story, this is the tale of war unlike any animated film ever seen. A child and her family must endure the unendurable in their bid to reach the promised land of South Korea by rail, by foot, guided by the light of a star. Rail of the Star is an unforgettable tale of courage, tragedy, and the triumph of the human spirit. (Drama) Raimuiro Senkitan (Adventure/comedy/echi) The Girls' Academy on the Battleship Umakia Shintaro, a former diplomat to Russia has come to a far off school for girls to be a teacher. There he meets clumsy Sanada Momen, reserved Kuroda Rinzu, eccentric Honda Sarasa, tomboyish Kato Asa, and childish and superstitious Fukushima Kinu. Wondering why the school is in an old battleship, he soon finds out as the ship is attacked by Russian magical puppets called Raimus and the girls reveals themselves to be part of the Japanese Raimu unit, a group with the ability to summon the same kind of magical puppets. Working under the command of Lieutenant Commander Date, the five girls fends off the enemy Raimu attack as the ship departs the port. Amanohara Weigh Anchor After the battle, Shintaro begins teaching his students but still can't get what he has seen out of his mind. He assigns them their first assignments as Rinzu gives her report about her impression of him to the captain. Shintaro is also meets Ichijouji Sumi, the ship's doctor. While having class, the Russian Raimus attacks once again and Shintaro, left behind, is asked by the three children to awaken Kuki, the one who controls the ship, with a kiss. Still not fully awakened yet, Shintaro had to "give" her some of his power for her to be able to completely manipulate the ship. As they successfully drive of the enemy Raimus, one of them grabs Sarasa and Lieutenant Commander Date, the Raimu commander, gets killed saving her. As a Soldier and as a Teacher With Lieutenant Commander Date dead, the captain has decided to give command of the Raimu unit to Shintaro since he is already their direct superior just by being their teacher. Asa, still unable to accept the death of Lieutenant Commander Date, someone whom she grew up knowing, refuses to accept Shintaro as her superior unless he is stronger than she is. To do that, she has taken to training him at night with Kendo which people have mistaken his nightly visit for something much naughtier. As rumors spread without Shintaro's knowledge through out the ship, more misunderstandings happen after another and everything spirals out of control. In the midst of battle with another enemy Raimu attack, Shintaro manages to clear things up as Kinu and Asa's Raimu abilities increases and their Raimu becomes stronger and changes shape. Detective Sarasa After having been discovered, the Amanohara has taken a longer route to their destination, giving Shintaro and the girls more time for class. As always, Sarasa is still loud, Momen is still a klutz and Rinzu is still quite and reserved. When Sarasa's expensive "foreign" made pocket watch goes missing, she plays detective in search of it and in the process, Searching through Rinzu's room, Sarasa breaks her treasured mirror and Shintaro realizes that Rinzu has difficulty dealing and trusting in people. Her only friend is the reflection she sees in her precious mirror. Feeling guilty, Sarasa gives her another mirror and runs off to the deck. There she notices the light of a Raimu on the shore and checks it by herself. When the other girls discover her missing, they think that she has run away. Shintaro searches for her and when he has found her, they both realize that they have fallen in a trap. The other girls, led by Rinzu, arrive in time though to save them both. As Sarasa and Rinzu's trust in each other grows a bit, so does their ability to control their Raimu and their Raimus becomes stronger and changes shape. The Other Homeland Momen, whose Raimu hasn't gotten stronger yet, is knocked out in battle and dreams of her old life. Shintaro, having noticed Momen's depression about her lack of power, decides to let her lead the class on a mountain hike when they land near the place where she used to live. When the other girls, lacking Momen's physical stamina, start complaining to Shintaro, Momen overhears them and runs off believing that she is useless. Shintaro runs after her and as he tires to convince her to return, they are attacked by enemy Raimus. When the others rescues her, Momen realizes that she isn't unwanted and her Raimu becomes stronger and changes shape as well. The Peaceful Day Off After having come to far south, the girls with Shintaro and Sumi enjoys a day off. The play in the beach and spend time in town. At the Russian fortress where the enemy Raimus are stationed, they are also having a day of ceasefire and Rasputin, the enemy Raimu commander, gives a day off for his subordinates. As Veludo runs off to ask him or a favor, the remaining two members thinks back to the time before they met Rasputin. In the inn, they eat to their hearts content and afterwards enjoy the hot springs. Shintaro, is unable to get out when the girls all step in. There, he hears them reminisce about how important he has become to them. Having overheated from staying to long in the hot springs, Shintaro is discovered and invited by the girls to bathe with them. As they are together, Shintaro remembers Sophia, the girl he left behind in Russia. A Thousand Paper Cranes The Amanohara picks up a castaway and it turns out to be Sophia, the woman that Shintaro left behind in Russia. For some reason, she has reverted back to being a child. The girls, finding out that she is an acquaintance of Shintaro decides to do something for her. At the same time, Sarasa starts acting strangely at the mention of Sophia and Kuki has her triplets keeping an eye on Sophia to make sure that she is not a spy. When an enemy attack occurs, Sarasa, confesses to Shintaro that she is in love with him and is quite jealous of Sophia. That is the reason why she has been acting strangely as of late. She tells him that no matter what, she will always love him as they run off to defend the ship. After the battle, Kuki still can't be certain if Sophia really is a spy as Sophia tears apart the paper cranes that Sarasa has made for her. I'm Not Afraid of Bad Luck The rest of the girls are tired of being creeped out by Kinu's strange ability to talk to ghost who tells her strange things about others. Shintaro get the brilliant idea of getting Kinu to ask the spirits to help cure Sophia. She does so hesitantly when Asa tells her to do so as well. Doing this causes her to collapse. Shintaro, apologizes to her and learns more about her and how Asa is the only friend that she has ever had since she was little. When the ship is attacked again by enemy Raimu, they sortie out, but Kinu's power, running out of control, gives her a vision of death as result of the battle and she uses her powers to bind everyone and take on the enemy by herself to keep everyone safe. Her Raimu goes berserk and mutates and she is about to be beaten when the others gets free and helps her out, allowing her to beat the main Raimu. Immediately after the battle, Kinu collapses and Kuki tells Shintaro that her power is raging out of control and that he has to lend her his powers for her to survive. Little Step When Asa walks in on Shintaro and Kuki in a compromising situation, she is disturbed by it. Shortly afterwards, as an indirect cause of that, Kuki disappears and Sarasa suggests that they throw a ball to get her to come back. Preparing for the ball, Asa disapproves of this as well. While others are happily preparing for the ball, Asa still can't help but think of Lieutenant Commander Date and her mixed feelings for Shintaro. At the ball, Shintaro spots Asa wandering outside enviously observing them in her dress. Shintaro runs out to her and the building is blasted by a surprise attack by the enemy Raimus led by Satin. Having jumped to save Asa, Shintaro is knocked out and Asa fears of for Shintaro as she sorts out her feelings. At the most opportune moment, Kuki returns to the Amanohara and the others gets out of the rubble in time to help beat Satin up. Back at the Amanohara, they learn that Kuki went of to a hot springs to refresh her energy since, Shintaro stopped giving her his powers prematurely and everyone continues the ball that was disrupted. The Closed Heart When Rinzu was surrounded by fire during an enemy attack, she collapses. Afterwards, she begins acting strangely. Shintaro learns from various people about Rinzu and her past. He learns that both her mother and elder sister died in a fire when she was still very young and her father pretty much kept her like a bird in a cage fearing to lose her as well. A few years later, he too died in a fire that people believe he caused. Rinzu, thinking about these things again and remembering that she was never loved and abandoned, suddenly is unable to summon her Raimu. When they are attacked again, they are being overwhelmed without Rinzu. Shintaro runs off to Rinzu when her room is hit and finds her trying to commit suicide amidst the flames in her room. Shintaro keeps her from doing that and hands her the poem that he found in the keepsake of her father. She then realizes the truth that she had repressed. She was never abandoned. She was the one that caused the fire that killed her father and he died saving her. With this, she regains her ability to use her Raimu and helps push the enemy back. Afterwards, she throws away the keepsake of her father's, saying that she is already outside the cage. Big Brother's Day Lately, Shintaro has been feeling pain and uncontrollable urges. It might be due to the evil presence that Kuki feels in the ship. In any case, his students have noticed that he seems tired and decided to make a day just for him. Kinu puts a doll show for him, Asa gives him a massage, Sarasa plays around with a violin, Rinzu performs a traditional dance for him and as he is relaxing, Momen takes care of Sophia. When Shintaro feels another of those attacks, Momen offers herself up to him, but he resists the urge. When the Russian Raimus attack once again, the girls decide to handle it themselves. After the battle, the girls visit Shintaro again who has already recuperated from his attack and in the shadows, Sophia watches them and swears that he will soon just notice her and no one else. The Last Class Sophia has dropped her act and placed Shintaro under a spell. Shintaro, possessed by Sophia goes berserk and tries to kill the girls as soldiers try to stop him. The girls confront their teacher as Sophia reveals herself to everyone as the perpetrator and source of the evil presence. When Shintaro manages to break free, Rasputin shows up to retrieve Sophia who has revealed herself to be Veludo of the Russian Raimu unit. As the Amanohara approaches Lashun, Rasputin's fortress, Shintaro gives the girls their final class. Victory Bell, Echo to the Future In order to penetrate Lashun's defenses, the Amanohara rams through the fortress to get the girls inside. There, Asa knocks Shintaro out to keep him safe as they assault the fortress. Shintaro dreams of Lieutenant Commander Date and the promise he made to keep the girls safe. When he awakens, he is confronted by Sophia who still loves him and is still trying to kill him so that he will be hers alone and no one else's. Momen shows up as well to defend Shintaro. When the ceiling of the cavern begins to fall, Momen and her Raimu kept Shintaro safe while the falling rocks manages to gravely injure Sophia. As the other girls easily defeats the other members of the Russian Raimu unit, Rasputin shows up to deal with Shintaro himself. Momen is too exhausted to face against Rasputin's extremely powerful raimu. As Shintaro and Momen were about to be killed by Rasputin's raimu, Sophia blocks it with her raimu and she dies. The other girls finally manages to get there and together, they defeat Rasputin’s raimu and escapes the collapsing fortress. The impregnable Fort Lushun has fallen, but the war is not over yet and the world will never know the importance played by five young girls and the young man who supported them. Raimuiro Senkitan: Southern Island Story After the long battle against the Russian Raimu unit and the death of Rasputin, the girls of the Raimu have fulfilled their mission. They are now free to try and deal with a longer term goal as Umakai Shintaro attempts to give them a future that they deserve to have. (Comedy/Echi/Romance) If you liked the TV series of Raimuiro Senkitan, yes go get this. It brings a closure to the girls’ links it to the next TV series by introducing the first of the new Raimu girls. Lots of echi stuff and hijinx going on in here as the girls try to monopolize Shintaro all for themselves. Love Festival and Confession After the fall of Lushun, the Amanohara docks in for repairs as Shintaro and the girls goes to town where they find a festival taking place. In a southern paradise islands, the girls begin imagining what life would be like married to Shintaro. Shintaro, on the other hand, observes that what the girls need right now is a normal life away from all the fighting and risking of their lives. When Sumi plants an old legend that states if two lovers meets at the gates of the temple at night and each professes their love for each other, they will be blessed with a long and prosperous union. With this, each of the girls plot to get Shintaro there at night so that they can profess their love. Of course, things don't go the way they intend to when the triplets forgets what the message that each of the girls secretly entrusted them to give to Shintaro. Farewell Raimu. New Protector As the girls enjoy their vacation, a Russian ship's crew is seen ominously slain. At the same time, Shintaro notices a monk with he captain. The same monk also happens to be traveling with a young girl. As the girls enjoy the beach, the two remaining members of Rasputin's raimu unit remembers their time with Rasputin. Taking them out for some sun, Shintaro is attacked by another Russian raimu and ___ realizes that this new raimu is using an artifact that Rasputin had. The girls arrive to late as Shintaro is badly injured by the artifact. In order to save him, the girls decide to give up their raimu powers. While they are doing this, Satin and ___, enraged that the memory of Rasputin is being trampled upon by another raimu using his artifacts, helps defend the ship along with the girl who was traveling with the monk. In the end, without the girls anymore, Shintaro is sent faraway. Coming to the new school he is going to be teaching in, he is pleasantly surprised to learn that the students he will be teaching in the new school are his old ones! Ranma 1/2 Movie 1: Big Trouble in Nekonron China It’s just another day at the Tendo Anything-Goes Martial Arts Training Hall- that is, until a strange girl named Lychee and her giant elephant Jasmine arrive to settle a score with lecherous martial arts master Happosai. Apparently, a very long time ago, Happosai gave Lychee’s great-grandmother half of a legendary scroll guaranteed to bring happiness to whoever was holding it. The women of Lychee’s family have been waiting for three generations now, and the prince still hasn’t come- but of course, the moment Lychee lets the scroll out of her hands, the prince finally appears. Only now it’s Ranma’s reluctant fiancée Akane that’s holding the scroll, and the long-awaited prince is only too ready to sweep his lucky bride off her feet. Now Ranma and Co. have no choice but to follow Prince Kirin’s majestic flying barge all the way to Nekonron, China, where they find themselves in a showdown with the Seven Lucky Gods of martial arts! (Action/Comedy/Romance) It's an alright movie. For Ranma fans, it is sure to entertain. For non-Ranma fans (a.k.a. those who have never seen Ranma) it is sure to entertain. Also, lookie, lookie! They finally gave Akane a pair of breasts! Ranma 1/2 Movie 2: Nihao My Concubine When poetry spouting swordsman Tatewaki Kuno invites Ranma and co. for a jaunt on his new luxury yacht, the last thing the group expects is a sudden storm to shipwreck them all on a deserted island. However, fixing the boat to get home becomes the least of their worries, as all the young girls in the group begin to disappear. As it turns out, they’ve been bride-napped by the Prince Toma, the youthful ruler of the floating island, Togenkyo. Because of a magical spring, which turns anything it touches instantly male, would-be bridegrooms have to kidnap girls… and in this case, Ranma’s reluctant fiancée Akane is one of them! Now, in order to rescue the girls (and get his hands on that magical water, which could cure his own shape changing “problem”), Ranma must enter an anything-goes martial arts bride off which includes events such as “survival flower-arranging” and “obstacle-course cooking." Can Ranma (now “in disguise” as a girl) beat scores of other kidnapped concubines, win the contest, rescue Akane, and get the magical Togenkyo water… all while wearing a push up bra and three-inch heels? (Action/Comedy/Romance) I found this one much more entertaining than the first movie. If the first movie is a must rent, then this one is a definite must buy. On a side note, I wonder how much Akane had to pay to get that boob job she sports in here... Ranma 1/2 (OVA) It's not easy being a teenaged martial artist named Ranma Saotome, but it's even worse when your martial artist father named Genma takes you from home at an early age to go on a decade-long training mission. He doesn't speak a word of Chinese, and yet he insists on bringing you to the cursed training ground known as JUSENKYO, where falling into one of many springs instantly turns you into whoever - or whatever - drowned there last. And then, the two of you have this little ACCIDENT.... From now on, a splash of cold water will turn your father into a giant panda, while you...well, you turn into a red-haired (and incredibly well-built) female version of yourself. Hot water will reverse the effect, but only until the next time. What's a half-guy, half-girl to do? (Action/Comedy) The OVA's are quite interesting. They appear to take place after the movies and yes, Akane retains her boob job. Poor Akane, I guess she couldn't take a guy having a nicer pair than hers (J/K- mostly). Curse of the Contrary Jewel: Shampoo loves Ranma, but she also hates him. Confused? Not if you noticed that Shampoo has accidentally worn the Contrary Jewel, a family heirloom belonging to Cologne. The jewel, when worn, causes the person’s feelings to reverse. Tendo Family Christmas Scramble: Kasumi receives a dream about Santa Clause and decides to invite everyone for a Christmas party. With Shampoo, Akane, Ukyo, and Kodachi all trying to get Ranma’s attention and Ryoga and Kuno trying to get closer to Akane, the party is going to be nothing less than memorable! Akane vs Ranma! I'll Be the One to Inherit Mother's Recipes!: It is fortunate for the Tendo household that Akane has discovered the whereabouts of her mothers recipe/lesson guide (or is it?) because Kasumi is out sick. Even more fortunate for them, Mrs. Saotome shows up just in time to cook for them. Unfortunately, if she finds out about Ranma and Genma’s peculiar abilities, they might as well kiss this world good-bye! Stormy Weather Comes to School! Growing Up with Miss Hinako: The new teacher is a ten-year-old kid, or so it seems. She is actually an Anything Goes Martial Arts Master. Her particular specialty is the ability to render other fighters powerless by stealing their energy and uses the energy she steals to transform into her adult form (gives a whole new meaning to the expression "My, how you have grown!"). She even defeats Happosai in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately for Ranma, she is now gunning for him. The One to Carry On, Part 1: Two of Akane’s long lost sisters have returned after spending years training to perfect their skills in the Anything Goes style of martial arts. They are now ready to challenge Ranma and Akane for the right to inherit the Anything Goes Tendo Dojo. The One to Carry On, Part 2: After having been beaten, Akane runs away from home and decides to go on training with a little help from Ryoga. Ranma is also kicked out of the house and must also do some intensive training so that he can reclaim his birthright. Reawakening Memories, Part 1: A random location seen from a news report triggers a long forgotten memory. Akane decides to travel to that place in an attempt to remember more. Reawakening Memories, Part 2: The memory that Akane has been chasing leads her to a forest full of gigantic creatures. One of these creatures is the Orochi, a monster with eight heads. With Ranma and Ryoga along for the ride, will this be their last ride? Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix: Who ever possesses the Phoenix’s egg shall become invincible, or so the legend claims. Kuno finds one of these legendary eggs and decides to use it against Ranma. What he didn’t count on was the thing hatching! Oh Cursed Tunnel of Lost Love! Let My Love Be Forever: It is said that any couple who goes through these tunnels is doomed to break up. Knowing this, Ukyo and Shampoo hatch a plan to get Ranma and Akane to go through the tunnel hand in hand so that their relationship becomes doomed. Hell Hath No Fury Like Kasumi Scorned!: An escaped Oni has been trapped in the Tendo Dojo and has begun possessing people to build up its strength. Ranma and the others have found a way to get it to let go of the person it has possessed. All you have to do is to beat it out of that person. Unfortunately, it has come to possess Kasumi! Who among them could actually take the heart and help Kasumi by beating her up and can they take much more of the Oni's mischievous pranks that it forces Kasumi to play on them? The Two Akane's, "Ranma, Look At Me!: The Tendos and Saotomes decide to go to a hot springs. When Genma and Ranma's usual squabble offends a cursed doll, it decides to seek revenge on Ranma by possessing Akane. Of course, Ranma is clueless as usual and doesn't even notice it until it's almost too late. Rayearth TV See Magic Knight Rayearth Rayearth (OVA) In a dark and broken magic kingdom, monstrous beings of god-like power battle for the final fate of their world. But when three junior high schoolgirls unwittingly make a fateful wish beneath an enchanted cherry tree, they get far more than they bargained for. Granting their hearts’ desire, a mischievous fairy appoints them Earth’s sole defenders in an extra-dimensional war that will put their friendship to the ultimate test. Endowed with awesome mystical energies, the three Magic Knights find themselves thrust into a final, desperate battle for the survival of their planet against the assembled forces of an encroaching sister-world, Cephiro! (Action/Drama) I actually preferred these OVA's of Magic Knight Rayearth so much more than the TV series itself. This is much more darker than the TV series and has no comedy whatsoever. Here the girls are forced to grow up much faster and the threat is much more immediate. These I believe make for a more interesting story with. That combined with the story telling makes me like these so much more. Buy this, folks! 1: Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi are just three Junior High School girls who are about to graduate and move away from each other. They worry about their separation and what future lies ahead of them until, Hikaru sees Makona, a strange fairy. Everything seems normal until everyone just disappeared leaving the entire city, perhaps the entire world devoid of people except for the three girls. Hikaru is also granted an ovum giving her the ability to communicate with Lexus, the deity of fire. Then a strange woman named Alcyone and her cat appears before them claiming to have come from another world here for this world's destruction. Clef, a priest who came to save the girls, is totally outmatched when Alcyone and her cat merged together to form a giant deity. All hope seems lost until Hikaru Merges with Lexus and becomes a giant deity herself! 2: Fuu and Umi are busy trying to mourn Hikaru's death while Hikaru recovers from her injuries and is wandering the forest maze that Lantis sent her too to test the strength of her magic and will to save her world. While she is wandering in the maze unable to summon Lexus, Fuu has gained access to her ovum and has heard the voice of Windam, deity of the sky and has begun searching for where his body is hidden. On the way, she is attacked by Ferio and Umi, is left alone as Clef stays behind to hold back Ascot's attacks. In her despair and desiring not to die alone, she finally hears the voice of Ceres, deity of the sea. It's now a double tag team action as Umi and Fuu in Ceres and Windham takes on Ascot and Ferio. 3: Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi are finally reunited and must now work together to save their world from the destruction that eagle yearns for. To do that, they must wake up Princess Emeraude from her never ending dream and put to rest the deity of Zagato whose death triggered all of the events. Even with the help of Lantis, Clef, and Ferio, it will still be an extremely difficult battle. The three girls must fight as one and unite their hearts to be able to save their world. Record of Lodoss War (OVA) Lodoss, the accursed island, has seen wars ravage its kingdoms for thousands of years. Now, an evil beyond any it has ever faced before is awakening, and a party of six are drawn together in battle. Among them: Parn, a young fighter who lacks experience but who is destined to become a legendary hero; Deedlit, a beautiful but deceptively deadly elf; Ghim, a grizzled dwarf warrior Etoh, a young priest; Slayn, a wizard; and Woodchuck, a good-natured thief. For years, Emperor Beld has eyed Lodoss with hungry eyes from his fortress on the dark island of Marmo. Now, poised to strike with an army of monster and evil dragons, his only obstacle is the Kingdom of Valis and the wise, but venerable King Fahn -once his closest friend! However, Beld is not alone in his dreams of conquest. His advisor, the dark wizard Wagnard, has plans of his own-the resurrection of Kardis the Destroyer! But first, Wagnard will have to wrest the Scepter of Domination from the ancient dragon, Shooting Star. Behind the scenes, Karla, the mysterious Grey Witch watches and manipulates the heroes like pawns on a chessboard-hoping to prevent any one man from controlling all of Lodoss. Man against wizard. Dragon against dragon. Light against darkness. Six who barely know each other but who are destined to become heroes as they encounter enemies and allies beyond their wildest imaginations. The war for the future of Lodoss has begun! (Action/Adventure/Fantasy) I just love my Record of Lodoss War anime (and any other Swords and Sorcery type fantasy that I have)! It's just like watching Dungeons and Dragons...on TV! I believe that the OVA version is sooo much more superior to the TV series (and the later OVA series that came from the TV series). You've got all of your typical swords and sorcery crew in the party here. There's Parn the knight, Ghim the dwarf, Slayn the wizard, Etoh the cleric, Deedlit the elf (hmmm...elves, hot sexy elves!), Wood the thief, Shiris the mercenary, and Orson the Berserker. By the way, did I mention how much I just love swords and sorcery fantasy? Prologue to the Legend: The rain falls down hard upon the earth as six warriors enter an ancient dwarven tunnel. Evil forces have begun to move against them and to survive, they must prove that they can work together for their common cause. Fail and the reward shall be an eternity spent in the belly of a dragon. Blazing Departure: The beginning of legend is told. Parn, the son of fallen knight, seeks to prove his worth to the world. He is reunited with his old friend Etoh, who is now a cleric of Falaris. He also encounters Deedlit the elf and gains powerful allies in the form of Ghim, the dwarven warrior and Slayn, a skilled sorcerer. The Black Knight: Parn and his party enjoys the hospitality of Fortress Myce where he meets the cynical, but good natured thief Woodchuck. Their moment of peace doesn’t last however, as Fortress Myce is attacked by the Black Knight Ashram. The Grey Witch: The fall of Myce has dragged Parn and his friends into the midst of the invasion of Lodoss, and now they race against time to warn the remaining free kingdoms of the impending peril. As they attempt a dangerous short-cut through the Forrest of No Return, the King of Valis sends his daughter to confer with the King of Alania. But fate once again intervenes, and the party must do battle with Karla, the mysterious Grey Witch, as she attempts to kidnap Princess Fianna. The Dessert King: Having rescued Fianna, the six heroes are honored guests at a lavish court party where Parn meets a powerful new ally: Kashue, the warrior king of the desert kingdom of Flaim. But Karla’s mysterious plans continue to touch everyone in King Fahn’s palace, as Kashue is targeted for assassination. As Emperor Beld’s dark forces approach Valis, Parn and his friends seek out the sage Wort to learn about Karla’s origins and her real intentions. Racing against time, a desperate attempt to stem Beld’s invasion begins to take shape. The Sword of the Dark Emperor: After learning all they can from Wort, the heroes return to Valis to report their findings to King Fahn. But the tide of the invasion is turning steadily against them, as Beld’s forces sweep across the island. Finally reaching Valis, they advice the King that Karla is the last descendant of an ancient kingdom of sorcery who has appeared throughout Lodoss’ troubled history to shape it according to her whims. The War of Heroes: Pleased with Parn’s success, King Fahn invites him to serve in his army of Holy Knights, and offer which the young fighter quickly accepts. Meanwhile, Ghim leaves his friends behind to pursue his own personal quest. Once on the blazing battlefield, Parn confronts the Black Knight, Ashram; the man upon whom he swore vengeance at the fall of Myce. And two kings, once friends, face each other in a duel to the death. But sometimes, even kings are pawns when a witch controls the chessboard! Requiem for Warriors: The War of Heroes has left Lodoss in turmoil, and it is clear that Karla must be stopped at any cost. Pursuing Ghim to Karla’s castle at Lake Stillness, the heroes encounter the mercenary fighter, Shiris, and her berserker partner, Orson. Though they met at the point of each other’s sword, they are soon valuable allies. At Karla’s stronghold, Ghim faces the witch in a duel of wills in an attempt to free Leylia. As his friends come to his aid, the shocking reasons for Karla’s treachery are disclosed. The Scepter of Domination: Meanwhile, the forces of Marmo are in disarray as Ashram prepares to take up the struggle where Beld left off. Urged on by the dark wizard Wagnard, he sets off for Fire Dragon Mountain to obtain the Scepter of Domination. But Wagnard has plans of his own, as he dispatches the dark elf Pirotess to kidnap Deedlit. Ambushed in the forest, Deedlit is soon fighting for her life. But new allies can show up when least expected! The Demon Dragon of Fire Dragon Mountain: The journey to Fire Dragon Mountain becomes a race between Kashue and Ashram, with the Scepter of Domination being the prize. But the scepter is guarded by a formidable obstacle: Shooting Star, one of the last of the ancient dragons of Lodoss. This foul beast has terrorized the surrounding villages for years, and now he must be killed if the scepter is to be recovered. As both sides clash, Shooting Star awakens to protect his holy relic. The Wizard's Ambition: The evil of Kardis the Destroyer stirs beneath the dark island of Marmo, and Wagnard take the final steps towards her resurrection. As he plots for his chance at godhood, Kashue and the others prepare for one last assault on Marmo. Since no one is prepared for the powers Wagnard has already gained from Kardis, he succeeds in kidnapping Deedlit. But not even Wagnard can know that Karla is still plotting to prevent any one man from controlling all of Lodoss. The final armies are assembled as the war for Lodoss’ future builds to a climax. Final Battle! Marmo, the Dark Island: As Kashue and the remaining armies of Lodoss cross the southern straits enroute to the dark island to stop the resurrection of Kardis, Parn and his friends arrive just ahead of them. With Deedlit’s eternal life about to be sacrificed to Kardis by the now power-mad Wagnard, they have no time to lose! But the island of Marmo holds a frightening trump card: the evil dragon Narse. This remnant of the ancient dragons stands ready to fight the forces of light while Wagnard proceeds with his dark ceremony far beneath the Earth’s surface. Lodoss, the Burning Continent: As Parn and the others rush to stop this dark rite underground, Kashue and his army face the demonic forces of Kardis on the surface. With Karla and Wort standing by to watch humanity fight for its destiny, there are surprises in store for all sides. Man against wizard. Dragon against dragon. Light against darkness. This last chapter in the record of the war for Lodoss can now be written! Red Hawk Terror and chaos reign in the land of Chungwon. Camellia Blossoms, the most powerful of the warring gangs, use this time of unrest to wrestle control of the country from the ailing people's government, while producing counterfeit gold coins to cripple the struggling economy. Within the Camellia Blossoms gang, a group known as "Five Dragons" is being trained to kill in martial arts. Two brothers, Danlyong and Muklyong belong to the group, but Danlyong, with the aid of his elder brother, escapes. In retaliation, the group punishes Muklyong by taking control of his mind and body. He will be their weapon of death. Three years on, the innocent town people are too afraid to move against the evil Camellia Blossoms. The government has now been overthrown by the most powerful of the gang's martial arts expert, Lord Seobong, and there is no one left to oppose him. In the countryside, smaller gangs continue to flourish, causing death and mayhem in the villages. Honglyung, seeking revenge for her father's murder, sets out with her friends to find the only person who can save the country - Red Hawk. But to be victorious, Red Hawk must face Camellia Blossom's most powerful weapon. Red Hawk must kill his own brother! (Action) I really can't recommend this one. It starts out okay enough, then it turns to crap. It starts of looking more like an animated Hong Kong kung-fu flick that I like, then it turns into a video game halfway through - not the good fighting game either. I'd say avoid this one. Refrain Blue Seven years ago, Matsunaga was abandoned by the woman he loved. now he is back in the beach that they last spent their time together still chasing her shadow. Nao is a girl who is staying at the inn he works for. She too has experienced a painful loss that she cannot let go. Together, with the help of the sea and the beach girl, a mysterious little girl given form by the thoughts of people, they might be able to rid each other of their painful past and find new loves. (Drama) Refrain Blue is the story of love, loss, and redemption. I rather liked it. If you are the type who likes human drama and the tragedy thereof, yeah, go ahead and get this one. Scarlet Remembrance: On a moonlit night by the ocean, a beam of light shoots up from the waters and a little girl seemingly walks in from the sea. In the summer, a class spends their day having fun by the sea. Matsunaga is a tour guide for the group. Later on that night, he spends some free time watching the sea, reminiscing the time seven years ago when he first came there after his dreams had been dashed and met Mikage when that same little girl appears before him. She seems mysterious and a bit older than what she appears to be. Returning to the inn, he meets Nao, the girl who was her partner at beach volleyball earlier, going out. As Matsunaga is having dinner with a girl named Chinatsu who seems to cling to him and her friend, Nao is by the sea playing a painfully sad melody on her flute. Remembering a painful memory with tears in her eyes, she is about to throw her flute into the sea when that same mysterious girl appears before her and she believes that she is the beach girl. Returning to the inn, she and Matsunaga runs into each other and she tells him about the beach girl. Later that night, Matsunaga sees that same little girl again and goes out to talk to her. Bidding him goodbye, she calls him by his first name even though he never told him what his name is. The next day, while hiking with Chinatsu and her friend, they run into Nao as a frantic teacher asks their help finding Shizuko, a girl who is missing after having an argument with a friend. Searching together, Matsunaga sees a girl at the spot where he used to find Mikage all the time and calls out her name only to realize that it was actually Shizuko. Shizuka goes back and Nao realizes the pain of loss that Matsunaga carries with him. Believing it to be the same with her, she somewhat pours out her heart to him Beneath the Moon: Under the moonlight, that mysterious little is playing in the ocean. The next day, as everyone is having fun playing in the beach, Matsunaga, looking at them, is approached by Shizuko to apologize for yesterday's events. She runs off as Chinatsu and her friend runs towards Matsunaga. Nao, playing with her friends, chases after the beach ball when Itou, a sempai who has a thing for her, tries to pressure her into becoming the basketball club's manager again. She refuses and her friends thinks that they are having lover's conversation which they confirm when she looks back. What they don't realize, however, is that she is actually looking at Matsunaga talking to Chinatsu and her friend, not Itou leaving the beach. Later, at the inn, the camera girl gives him a picture of him and Nao. He gives it to Nao when he runs into her. As he leaves Nao, Itou shows up again and tries to pressure Nao to be with him and asks her to be his partner for the night's test of courage. When she refuses and tells him that Matsunaga will be her partner, he gets mad, tears up the picture of her and Matsunaga and reminds her again of her previous boyfriend. Taking a bath with Yuori, the one of the caretakers of the inn and the one that Matsunaga talks to all the time, she realizes that Nao is starting to fall for him and believes that he has the same pain that she has. She asks Matsunaga to go to the test of courage and just tells him that someone will be waiting for him. Later that night, Nao meets him at the old inn that is about to be torn down and as they go through there, memories flood back to Matsunaga. Outside, under the pale moonlight, Matsunaga remembers the past. Nao, tells him that it isn't good to be trapped by the past - that he must put them aside to move to the future. She then kisses him, which the camera girl captures on film and accidentally tells Itou. Later that night, Itou drops a picture for Nao to find and she freaks out and runs off. Fearing that she might do something crazy, Matsunaga chases after her. As Matsunaga frantically looks for her, Nao begins to walk towards the sea. Eternal Blue Waves: Matsunaga, searching for Nao before she does something regrettable, finds her trying to drown herself in the sea with a little help from that mysterious little girl. He takes her back to the inn. When he tries to leave her to get Yuori so that she can dry her off, she holds on to him and begs him not to leave her all alone. There in the locker, Matsunaga comforts her as Yuori overhears them and leaves a Yukata behind for Nao to wear. The next day, Matsunaga is with Shizuko taking care of the seagull that broke its wing. Although healed, it doesn't seem to want to leave its cage and fly. Shizuko talks about herself as that bird when Nao shows up and tells them that no matter what, it must eventually leave the cage and fly to which Shizuko agrees. Nao takes off with Matsunaga and she reveals to him her sad painful past and the loved one she lost. Thanks to Matsunaga though, she has found the courage to live on and in him, she has found a new love. Later that night, while playing with fireworks, Chinatsu mentions that tomorrow is the surprise Tanabata when tow lovers forced apart may meet. Matsunaga then remembers the words of the little beach girl and goes back to the abandoned inn. There, just as she said, the Gekkibijin, His and Mikage's special flower, is in full bloom. Going back to the room they spent their last summer together, his suppressed memories returns to him. Mikage didn't abandon him and run off, she died that summer. Refusing to deal with such pain, his mind made a scenario where she is still alive somewhere. Now he can face that pain. Nao shows up as well and helps him confront that sadness. In that old abandoned room, by the light of the moon, they make love as they drown away each other's pain. The next day, Nao is finally able to fully let go of the past. Matsunaga, with Shizuko, release the seagull again and, this time, it is able to fly off. afterwards, he encounters the little beach girl again who turned out to be Mikage's spirit trying to get him to forget about her and live on. Finally able to bid a proper farewell to her, he finally lets go of her memory. Seven years later, Matsunaga is there at the beach once more, this time with his wife and daughter... Rei Rei Meet Kaguya, a strangely powerful being with the ability to manipulate the fabric of reality, an extremely perverse sense of humor, and a propensity for baring her breasts. A living manifestation of the Hand (or some bodily portion) of Fate, those who fall under Kaguya’s twisted spell will never be the same again as she delights in giving people their heart’s desire and letting them suffer the consequence! Together with her stumpy manservant Pipi, Kaguya stages her human puppet show with the flair of a master show-woman; foiling perfect murders, turning young men into the women of their dreams, and generally causing mass chaos and disaster. This much fun shouldn’t be legal...but not even the laws of nature apply to Kaguya. (Comedy/Hentai) This one of the earlier hentais that were available in America and quite an interesting thing at that. Not much in the way of all out sex in this title, but the stories are quite interesting. Rent this one. 1: Kaguya has come down to Earth to help a hapless mortal attain the affection of the girl he desires. In the process of helping him out, she foils a perfect murder and turns him into the girl of his dreams! 2: Kaguya is back on Earth. This time, she has decided to help a geeky mortal become a real man by freeing him of his attachments to the past and releasing his inhibitions. Revolutionary Girl Utena Revolutionary Girl Utena is a story about a girl named Utena who lost her parents when she was very little. Having lost the will to live, she hid herself away in a coffin until a dashing prince opened up her coffin and gave her a reason to live. Before leaving her, he gave her a rose ring. The ring, he said, would connect her to him and lead her back to him some day. Utena wasn’t sure if the ring was an engagement ring or not, but she was certain of one thing- she was so impressed by him that she has decided to become a prince herself. Years pass and Utena’s search for the prince leads her to Ohtori Academy where the life of a duelist dueling for eternity awaits her. (Action) The story of Utena is mostly a story about growing up and the transition from childhood to adulthood (see my explanations on this subject in my essay). It’s a pretty good series if you are all into that metaphysical stuff but otherwise, just rent this one. The Rose Bride: Utena Tenjou is a student at Ohtori Academy. Her goal in life was to become a prince. As a matter of fact, that is one of the main reason she came to Ohtori Academy. It all changes when Saonji, the vice president of the Student council, humiliates her best friend Wakaba by displaying her love letter to him in the bulletin board. Enraged, Utena challenges Saonji to a duel without realizing what the consequence would be and becomes the champion engaged to the rose bride. For Whom the Rose Smiles: On the Night of the Ball: Nanami is pissed off that Anthy seems to be taking all the attention for herself, she decides to set her up for the ultimate humiliation. She befriends Anthy by first rescuing her from a bunch of people bullying her who are actually her posse and then inviting her to a ball and getting her to wear a fabric that melts away when doused with water. Fortunately for Anthy, Utena is there watching out for her. The Sunlit Garden Prelude: The Sunlit Garden Finale: Take Care, Miss Nanami!: Unfulfilled Jury: Curried High Trip: Another malicious prank from Nanami is the cause of Anthy and Utena's bane. Switching their curry to ultra hot curry that only appears once in a lifetime, doesn't just give Anthy and Utena the hot tongue, it actually forces them to switch bodies. When Touga finds out about the prank gone wrong, Nanami and her peons are forced to go to India on a misadventure of a lifetime in hopes of finding more of the legendary curry and switching Anthy and Utena back to the right bodies. Castle Where Eternity Dwells: Nanami's Precious Thing: Gracefully Cruel: The One Who Picks That Flower: For Friendship, Perhaps: Tracing a Path: Whispers in the Dark: The World Seen From Kozue: The Cowbell of Happiness: Nanami throws a party to show off her new jewelry when Juri walks in wearing Jewels that are more impressive. When asked why she threw the party, she is saved in the nick of time by a delivery of a box containing the seal of a famous brand that caters to royalties. What is inside though is a cowbell. Of course, no one would actually wear a cowbell, unless they are Nanami who doesn't realize what a cowbell is. Of course, her obsession to the cowbell being a famous brand name is slowly turning her into a cow! Thorns of Death: Mitsuru's Impatience: A Song for a Kingdom Now Lost: Wakaba has always been Utena's best friend. In all actuality, she is Utena's only normal friend. When Utena has noticed that Wakaba has started acting strange recently, she believes that the cause lies in a fellow student who has made a reappearance in Wakaba's life. He is a childhood friend of Wakaba who used to defend her from the insults of her classmates directed towards her huge forehead and onion shaped head. In a different time, the two might even have become a couple... Wakaba Flourishing: It turns out that the reason for Wakaba's strange behavior is not what Utena believed it to be. Wakaba has actually been secretly harboring Saonji in her room and she's been playing the role of newly married wife with him. Saonji, of course, still has his heart set for Anthy and sees Wakaba as nothing more than just a friend. When he is given a chance to come out of hiding and reclaim his former role in the university, he of course jumps at the chance leaving Wakaba behind and in a confused and betrayed state... Vermin: Nemuro Memorial Hall: The Terms of the Duelist: The Secret Nanami Diary: Their Eternal Apocalypse: Miki's Next Box: The Sunlit Garden: Nanami's Egg: Another Nanami is stoopid episode (which I luv btw). One day, Nanami wakes up with an egg in her bed after having a dream about eggs. True to the Nanami way of thinking, she starts thinking that she laid the egg. So, she pretty much spends the day trying to figure out if she's abnormal for laying eggs or if other girls also lay eggs! Whispers in the Dark: Azure Paler Than the Sky: The Barefoot Girl: Her Tragedy: Romance of the Dancing Girl: The Prince Who Runs Through the Night: The Rose Crest: The Love That Blossomed in Winter: And the Doors of Night Open: The One Who Will Revolutionize the World: The End of the World: Someday Shine Together: Robotech: The Sentinels Set on Earth, and on a moon of the distant planet Fantoma, the story as it unfolds in THE SENTINELS, fills in many of the gaps from the original series and continues the special style of science fiction storytelling found in the original ROBOTECH. The plot follows the crew of the SDF-3 as they prepare to take of from Earth on a voyage to a distant star system, while a hostile alien race, bent on revenge, annihilates the population of the home world of the Robotech Masters. (Adventure/Sci-fi) It's a specially made episode just for the American viewers that sorta ties the 3 different series together. R.O.D (Read or Die) A sinister plot is afoot and only one schoolteacher, a special agent with an affinity for literature, can stop it. She is Yomiko Readman-better known to her colleagues in Section A of Library Special Operations as "Agent Paper." Someone is bent upon procuring a rare lost Beethoven manuscript and has enlisted a few of history's most extraordinary personalities, through stolen DNA, to aid in the endeavor. Readman and her fellow super-powered operatives must tangle with the likes of Tokugawa-era scientist Gennai Hiraga, Aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal, and 19th century entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre in a desperate race to find the books and save the world! (Action) I love this series! It is just like a Bond film with super powers...and boobs! An awesome series to add to anyone's collection, my recommendation is to go ahead and buy this now! 1: When the Congress Library in Washington is attacked and a certain book is stolen, Britain’s secret library forces are mobilized and Yomiko Readman, The Paper, is called in to retrieve the book as well as protect the second book, which just so happened to belong to Yomiko. With Drake, her usual partner as well as another agent named Miss Deep who has the ability to phase through matter, they head on to Washington for some clues only to run into Lilienthal in a high speed aerial chase through out the capital as well as explosive display of powers. 2: Receiving a clue glimpsed from a spy satellite, Yomiko as well as the rest of the library special forces agents head on over to India for some more clues about the I-jin. Arriving at the bookstore to speak to a book dealer, Yomiko and Nancy AKA Miss Deep are ambushed by Genjo Saizo, the most powerful I-jin yet. Completely outclassed, Yomiko and Nancy retreats to their submarine where Genjo follows them and immobilizes their transport forcing Nancy and Yomiko to face the powerful clone of the ancient monk. During the battle, Yomiko's book is stolen and Nancy is seriously injured. Worse yet, one of them is revealed to be a double agent sent in by the I-jin! 3: Having fully mobilized the full might of the world against the I-jin, the fate of the world still ultimately rests on Yomiko and Drake as they try to stop the I-jin and the suicide symphony they managed to extract from Beethoven's diaries. Nancy reappears again on Yomiko's side as she faces of against her clone and Yomiko chases after Hiraga. With minutes away from the broadcast of the suicide symphony, Nancy pulls of one final deception and saves Yomiko. As she saves Yomiko, her final wish was for her to take care of her little sister/clone. Some time later, Yomiko is on her way to a clinic talking to Mr. Joker. Nancy clone, due to what the original did to her in battle, has lost all of her memories and is being kept in a clinic. There, Yomiko visits her and tells her of her older sister, a brave woman who saved the world! R.O.D the TV It has been five years since Yomiko Readman, AKA The Paper, has disappeared and her best friend, author Nenene Sumiregawara has been searching for her all this time. When her new film is about to debut in Hong Kong, three sisters are assigned to protect her. Much to her surprise, all three of them are paper magic users just like Yomiko Readman! (Action/Comedy) The Paper Falls: Nenene Sumiregawa, almost a forgotten author goes to China where her last book is being made into a movie to promote it. There she is targeted by a crazed author that has been ignored by the general public. Protecting her are three private detective sisters-the two eldest seem to have penchant for reading lots and lots of books with the youngest completely hating that habit of her sisters. When the terrorist attacks her book signing, the three sisters reveals themselves to be paper masters like the missing Yomiko Readman. Following, the trail of the second terrorist, the sisters finds themselves landing in Japan with Nenene's plane. Hopeless People Unite: Now that they are in Japan, Lee has decided to hire the sister to keep n protecting Nenene since she seems to have regained some of that writing spark. Of course, the two eldest, Michelle and Maggie almost immediately blow all the money on books. In order to do they're job and stay in Japan, they have decided to crash Nenene's place-much to Nenene's dismay. Of course, things will turn up alright in the end, right? Let’s Meet at Jinbouchou: Nenene has decided to give them her parent's room and the four of them clean house. When Nenene leaves to go to Jinbouchou, the largest book district in Japan, Michelle and Maggie decides that they have to follow Nenene since they are her bodyguards. wondering around in Jinbouchou like a child in a candy/toy store, Michelle and Maggie quickly loose themselves, while Anita manages to catch up to Nenene. Together, they visit Yomiko's place and Nenene reveals a little about herself and her friend. Later that night, Nenene and Anita discovers the chaos that Michelle and Maggie has caused wandering around Jinbouchou by themselves. First Year Middle School: Nenene has decided to enroll Anita in middle school to keep people from gossiping about her and an abused child. In school, Anita tries to adapt to her school life and befriends a girl named Hisami Hishishi. Michelle, "worried" about Anita, decides to sneak into the school and "watch" over her. When Anita visits the library where Hisami is a member of the library club, a man from the British Special Library forces, disguised as an English book seller, is attacked by an unknown assailant after a special book that the man is carrying. With Michelle backing up Anita, they are able to drive of the assailant, but what was he really after? They’re Making Noise: Write Stuff: Inside the Thicket: Confused by the Night: Junior's frequent sojourn into the library in search of that special book has some people believing that there are poltergeists in the library. When Hisami is asked to watch it for the night in hopes of catching the ghost, it becomes a class party. There, amongst the jubilant kids, hearts are revealed and Anita gets to know a little more about Junior as well. Heart of Darkness: With Nenene gone, the three sisters decide to take on another job from Dokusensha. They are in search of an English archeologist with an obsession for hot springs protected by a man named Drake Anderson, who is intimately familiar with the limitations of a paper master's abilities. Having discovered her whereabouts, Dokusensha decides to send an extra insurance to help the sisters out. Of course, they didn't realize how cold, calculating and blood thirsty Wong could be. Neither did he realize just how powerful a paper master he is. When the key item that they have been sent to retrieve has been stolen by a boy who could phase through solid object, Drake wonders what is going on as he avenges and follows his employer last wish. Christmas Carol: Attending the writer's Christmas Awards Celebration where Nenene won the first award, Michelle and Maggie are awestruck by the sheer number of authors in attendance as Anita demolishes the buffet table. After a minor confrontation with another author, Nenene gives a speech on the importance of that award and what it has meant for her as a person and as an author. Later that night, the sisters invite Nenene for a private celebration. Today is the day that they became sisters and they recount the day four years ago when Michelle and Maggie found themselves paired together on a mission and met a starving abandoned child. Having decided to adopt each others, the three of them have been sisters ever since then. Farewell Japan: Lee, convinced that the danger to Nenene is over and with the near completion of her newest manuscript, decides that the sister are no longer needed to protect her. They decide to make preparation to return to Hong Kong. Anita is hit hardest by this sudden circumstance as she bids a fond farewell to all of her classmates and Hisami most of all. As the rest of the class decides to throw her a party, Hisami is nowhere to be found. Having searched for her, the two of them promises that though they won't be together anymore, they will always be friends. Twilight of the Paper: Nenene leaves for Hong Kong with the paper sister and decides to stay at their place instead of a hotel. Arriving there, all the books are gone and Nenene realizes that they destroyed their books in order to catch up to her when the plane she was on got hijacked when they first met. Before they can even catch their breath though, they are attacked by soldiers and caught off guard. Lee reveals himself to be the one in charge, takes Nenene away for Dokusensha and gives the sisters a bag full of cash for their services in getting Nenene to start writing again. As Dokusensha tries to infuse Nenene with the enhanced intellect so that she can write the greatest book there ever will be, the three sisters makes their decision on what to do next. Ignoring the money, they decide to go off and rescue Nenene and heads off to Dokusensha's main branch building. Twilight of the Paper Continued: Assaulting the main branch building, the regular soldiers and automated defence seems to be no match for the three of them combined. When Wong shows up to stop them, they split up. Maggie confronts Wong while Michelle and Anita searches for Nenene. When the two of them figure out where she is, Nichelle decides to make a stand against their pursuers and sends Anita to find and rescue her. At the same time, Joker and Wendy decides to make their move, steals the 6 books of Gentlemen from Dokusensha and flees while leaving Junior to take care of the rest. After Anita manages to get to Nenene, Lee turns on his employers and allows Nenene to escape as the building self destructs, taking much of Hong Kong with it. The Forest of Paper Leaves: The entire history of Read or Die is laid out to link the TV series and the OVAs. The Gentleman, founder of the British empire, has been a man behind the scenes of the nation for the most part, but as time went on, he has shown some signs of degradation. Several plans were implemented to counter his degradation, which all failed. Instead, they tried to transfer his knowledge into another vessel, but no normal person could hold the amount of knowledge he had, so efforts to collect the DNA of histories greatest men and women were put into effect, which resulted in disaster when they were stolen and the rest destroyed. Finally, it has been decided that for the time being, his knowledge is to be stored in 7 special books until such time that it can be transferred to a living host once more. The Dim Place at the Bottom: Returning home to Japan after the fiasco in Hong Kong, Nenene and the Paper sisters disguise themselves, but are quickly spotted when they return to Nenene's home. Running away again, they soon discover that Lee's lighter had a mission directive in it - to find another of the books that they have been retrieving for Dokusensha and the owner is The Paper! Searching for Yomiko through Jinbouchou, her trail ends in the largest library in Japan (and really, where else can you hide a book...or a bibliophile?). Yomiko and Nenene's reunion is cut short, however, when Joker shows up to claim the book that Yomiko is protecting. Fahrenheit 451: Having escaped from Joker, they head on to Jinbouchou to Yomiko's building. There, while retrieving the book marker with the original Nancy's request to Yomiko to take care of her "little sister," or her clone, the Nancy that she is with now, they encounter Junior who tried to steal the book from them. Everywhere else, British Library forces have raided all the bookstores in Jinbouchou to gather all the books. Back at Yomiko's place, Junior retreats when he realizes that he can't escape from Nancy' grasp. Leaving the building, they soon discover what is happening in Jinbouchou. Wendy, after having arrived on site, orders the burning of all the books. With all the books in flames, Yomiko confronts Wendy.... Sweet Home: Escaping the British Library forces with Drake's help, they all flee with the aid of the Jinbochou store owners. They leave to go to Yomiko's parent's house out in the middle of nowhere. There, they try to get their bearings back in order to assess their situation and what to do next. In there, they are attacked by Junior once more as he attempts to steal the book once more. When Nancy stops him again and he can't escape her grasp once more, he tries to shoot her. At that point, Yomilo tries to interevene and reveals that Nancy is his mother.... Confession: After revealing that Junior is actually Nanacy long lost son that Joker has taken away, Yomiko locks herself up. Coming out of her room, she finally confesses the events that lead to her fleeing the British Library years ago and set into motion the events that they now find themselves in. Revealing the All Seeing Eyes book that she took with her as she fled the British Library with Nancy years ago, Junior touches it and reveals a scret that connects Junior and the books as they find themselves in a hologram of what has happened on that fateful day. Family Game: Seeing the hologram of the events of that day, Anita realizes that Yomiko is that woman that she keeps seeing in her nightmare. She is the one that she keeps on seeing engulfed in flames as the hologram not only reveals what Yomiko did that day, but that Anita was there as a child as well. Trying to close the rift caused when Junior touched the book of All Seeing Eyes, things go on as if nothing ever happened. As things looks normal, Maggie and Michelle comforts Anita while Yomiko has Nenene, Nancy, and Drake by her side. Outside, they are being watched by the British Library as Mr. Joker orders Mirror Man, another special operative to go contact Junior, retrieve the All Seeing Eye book and capture them all alive if possible. Hello Sorrow: Yomiko and Anita takes on the Mirror Man and a squad of Library soldiers as they try to catch up to Junior and the rest. In order to catch up to them quickly, Yomiko must fly a huge paper airplane and asks for Anita's help in maintaining it while in flight. Anita, who has never done anything like it, needed to be taught by Yomiko, but quickly learns. When they manage to catch up to the helicopter though, it suddenly explodes before their eyes. Going through the flaming wreckage, Anita lashes out in anger at Yomiko whom she blames for the whole thing and the two splits up. D.O.D. Dream or Die: Taking Back: Lies and Silence: You Know Me: It's Not a Problem: From There On: Romance is in the Flash of the Sword II (Fantasy/Hentai) Whaaat?! The Demon Returns?!: The story begins with a meeting between the adventurer Keith (an honorable thief and a descendant of Shadow Blade) and Lady Elfarcia, who thinks Keith is an angel and believes he will make her wish come true. Vanessa, Rycure the guide, Janette the mercenary No Way, The God of Darkness!!: Rena Carmine the warrior priestess Oh No, Cursed Song!?: Lyon the lute player Unicorn...Oh, Hurry Up!?: Misty the childhood friend For the Sake of Ellis!?: Spika the barmaid, Ellis the ghost, Oh No...Is This the Very Last !?: Roots Search On the satellite based Tolmeckius Research Institute, scientists are abuxx over the tremendous powers of Moira, an otherwise normal - though quite attractive - female specimen. Only moments aftrer a particularly horrific vision, Moira and the rest of their crew find their ship in alert mode. Exploring a passing ship whose close proximity is thought to be the couse of this disturbance, Moira beholds an all too familiar slaughter. She knows at once, that the force they are up against is far more powerful, and certainly more treacherous than just a runaway spaceship. In fact, an alien has invaded this ship and is slithering into the minds of the remaining crew one by one. There, this alien imparts a deluge of painful remembrance upon its victims before effecting a devastating and fatal blow as an end to the nightmare. The mood of the survivors crosses unknown bounderies of terror as the realize the alien continues to accumulate victims despite the crew having ejected their attacker into deep space! Now, only Moira, with her keen psychic ability, is capable of coping with the merciless psionic powers of this alien intruder. In a final desperate quest to cease the systematic elimination of those aruond her, she learns something that cannot be possibly true. Could it be that this seemingly vulgar and ruthless being is acting in the name of God? And if it is, then what is the fate of Moira and the wounded crew member with whom she has fallen in love with? (Supernatura;/Thriller) Rent only. It's a thriller, but it could be longer to make the build up more suspenceful. It is also lacking some explanations on how it's doing things. There are also some plot holes that doesn't make sense in my opinion. Yeah, rent this only when you're bored and there is nothing else interesting. Roujin Z An elderly invalid, Takazawa, is volunteered for a bizarre experiment that may revolutionize care for the elderly-despite the protest of his young nurse, Haruko. The Z-001 is supposed to be the ultimate surrogate nurse-it can monitor, bathe, feed, exercise and provide entertain by linking with the patient’s brainwaves. However, the capabilities of the mechanical caregiver grow beyond the designer’s original plans when it attempts to satisfy Takazawa’s every need. Responding to his whim, the Z-001 transform into a bizarre, unstoppable robot-which smashes out of the hospital and battles it’s way through police barricades en route to the beach! However, one of the designers has a hidden agenda and unveils a secret military prototype of the Z-001-Codename: Alpha. The only person who can rescue Takazawa from the over-protecting grip of the Z-001, and Alpha, is the person who knows him best-Haruko. (Comedy/Drama) Ruin Explorers Fam and Ihrie are willing to do almost anything to make a buck. So when these two debt driven damsels discover the potential profits to be had in recovering a particularly dangerous mystical object, it means mortal peril for an entire civilization. There's no guarantee that they'll live long enough to squander the fabulous wealth they've been promised, and danger lurks around every turn as they cross dark seas in pursuit of legendary evil. Haunted by an unspeakable curse, plagued by doomsday prophecies, plotted against by untrustworthy traveling companions and locked in a desperate race to gain the Ultimate Power. Fam and Ihrie are the Ruin Explorers! (Adventure/Comedy) A wonderful little sword and sorcery fantasy, and if anyone knows anything about me, it's that I love this kind of genre. That being said, I would naturally recommend this one. Even without me being a Sword and Sorcery freak, I still say it's worth buying! As I Command Thee: Fam and Ihrie discover the location of the first of the three items needed to summon the legendary ultimate power. Relying on a map sold to them by Galuf, an unscrupulous salesman, they soon discover that they were used. Galuf and his partners, Rajah the sorceress and Miguel the master swordsman just followed them as they disarmed the traps and then snatches the Proof of Royalty at the last moment. When Galuf betrays Rajah and Miguel though, it gives Fam and Ihrie a chance to recover the item from the fleeing salesman. Oh/ Spirit That Reside in the Air: Fam runs off and meets Prince Lyle while Ihrie ends up working as a waitress at a local restaurant. Going with Prince Lyle, Ihrie goes of in search of the second item, the Sword of Sargus, in an underground city that has long been destroyed. Ihrie, using Galuf as a guide at sword point is also headed the same place as Rajah and Miguel follows them. There, they are attacked by mystical puppets as all three groups of adventurers end up fighting together. Upon reaching the Sword of Sargus, They find Rugodoroll, the mage who conquered an entire continent with his magic alone, waiting for Prince Lyle. He leaves the sword to them as he mocks Lyle and vanishes. Let The Light Of Admonishment Shine Upon The Fools: On the way to recovering the third and final piece needed to summon the legendary ultimate power, Fam, Ihrie, Prince Lyle, Galuf, Migel, and Rajah are attacked in the high seas by Rugudoroll. When all hope seems lost, Ihrie summons forth a power within her that turns the tide momentarily in their favor. As Rugudoroll retreats with the three magical artifacts, he invites them to his castle. The Skies, The Sea, And The Woods: The final episode. Fam, Ihrie, Prince Lyle, Migel, Rajah, and Galuf arrive at the now destroyed nation of Reybard and visit the church that Rugudoroll once presided over. There, they discover the pledge stone and learn of Rugudoroll's motivation and what drove him to madness. Finally, Lyle confronts his past and learns to accept it as they face Rugudoroll for the last time. Back  Next  Reviews Page  Main