Anime Review Roundup

It was MVM titles exclusively last week, with a couple of penultimates, one ultimate, and one collection. I began with the penultimate volume of The Slayers, volume 3, which continues in its merry way with the comic RPG antics of sarcastic, sassy sorceress Lina Inverse, and handsome but dim warrior Gourry Gabriev. For this third volume, spunky little magic trainee Amelia joins them as they flee from a couple of bounty hunters. It's retro anime that has taken a good long while in finally coming to the UK. See if it's past its sell by date by linking the click.

















Then it was the turn of Daphne In The Brilliant Blue: Volume 5. It's a show that's gone straight for the young teen male hormones, with its quintet of scantily clad heroines regularly disrobing to save the world. I may have started off having more fun screen-capping the show than watching it, but that has changed of late as the story has come to the forefront. Find out in my review how the show suddenly got interesting.


















Stuart McLean got his hands on the Elemental Gelade boxset this week, and has had one of the more enviable pleasures, being able to watch an anime without the lengthy waits for each subsequent volume. Matthew Smart originally reviewed the singles for the site, but Stuart got to take in the colourful RPG adventure at his own pace, immersed in a world of Edel Raids and Sky Pirates, following a hero's search for the legendary Edel Garden. Find out what all that means when you read his review.

















Finally, I got to look at Shana: Volume 6. Shana is one of those shows that went to a second season in Japan, along with a movie and an OVA episode. But Geneon in the US only licensed the first season, which means we in the UK only get the first season, until someone licenses and dubs the second. It will be a long wait, so this concluding volume needs to deliver an ending that will satisfy us sufficiently that we can lick our lips at the prospect of more, but still be happy with just these six discs if no more Shana ever comes. It's like asking for the moon. See if Shana delivers by reading my review.
















The Elemental Gelade Complete Series Collection was released by MVM a few weeks ago, while Shana: Volume 6, The Slayers: Volume 3, and Daphne In The Brilliant Blue: Volume 5 are all released by MVM today.