Anime thrives as action flicks falter
Geneon Entertainment offers technology-driven alternatives to big budget pictures

Courtesy Geneon Entertainment

By Matthew Jaster
A&E Editor

With the recent release of The Matrix: Revolutions on DVD, science fiction fans are reminded once again how a lackluster script and plot can ruin a franchise. Instead of shelling out $15 to give the series a second chance, you may want to consider some of the DVDs from Geneon Entertainment that debuted in the United States on April 6.

“Texhnolyze: Volume 1 Inhumane and Beautiful” is a futuristic adventure that takes place in a city where humans are being reworked with cybernetics. While the population fights for survival, a vast trade organization picks people off the streets to use as lab rats for their robotic experiments.

Producer Yasuyuki Ueda and screenwriter Chiaki J. Konaka, responsible for the highly successful “Serial Experiments Lain” television series, continue to push the anime envelope with intricate character development and a suspenseful plot that revolves around a world where cyber technology has gone wrong.

Getting into the plot is the only thing holding the series back from being truly remarkable, as the first volume features the usual anime collage of sex, violence and philosophy without really moving the story forward.

The patient viewer will finally be treated to some of the highlights of the series by the second volume when the plot and characters start to make sense. Although the series teeters between pretentious and profound, it’s visually stunning and worth investing some time in.

For the science-fiction/pirate enthusiast, the popular series “Captain Herlock: Tendrils of Fear” Volume 2 returns to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original television series. Leiji Matsumoto, the creator of the series, is back to offer his talents to the show along with an A-list of directors and character designers from the anime industry including Taro Rin and Nobuteru Yuuki.

The three episodes tell the tale of a research ship that contains a supernatural force known as the Noo. When a fleet attacks the research ship, the Noo turn the crew against each other. Captain Herlock is the only one who can stop this strange force from escaping.

One part swashbuckling, two parts scence fiction, “Captain Herlock: Tendrils of Fear” Volume 2 is basically action adventure eye candy. The series gets right into the story,steering clear of some of the anime traps that typically slow the genre down. While some of these programs tend to take themselves too seriously, this series has a firm grasp on its audience and what it takes to make a satisfying action adventure.

The best release in April from Geneon Entertainment comes from the third volume in the “Last Exile” series. The same creative team responsible for The Animatrix created an animated world with bright vivid colors and scenes that have the look and feel of a comic book.

“Last Exile” premiered in primetime on TechTv’s “Anime Unleashed” program in March. The third volume in the series features a story about an eight-hour endurance race with small vanships. While the look and feel of this is very reminiscent of the pod race in Stars Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace, the lack of Jar Jar Binks and that annoying Skywalker kid makes this race a little easier to swallow.

Combining several different animation techniques, “Last Exile” features an incredibly unique storyline and a satisfying plot that highlights an ensemble cast of characters. The music and the visual design of the series is some of the best work in anime.

Though the Matrix films tried to capture the elements of the industry and create the equivalent of a live-action anime film, the execution just wasn’t there. Thankfully, there are still plenty of television shows on DVD that offer the real thing.

For more information on these titles or other titles in the Geneon Entertainment catalogue check out their website at www.pioneer-ent.com.