Zone of the Enders: Idolo

Zone of the Enders: Idolo
Anime Review

Anime Type: OVA

Genre: Action

Based on the popular game of Zone of the Enders, this anime does well to add to the story. The storyline is set on 2010, that's 25 years before the first ZOE game. At the time Mars is under control of the brutal dictators of Earth. And the rebel group of Mars known as Barahm developed a new weapon to fight Earth, the first Orbital Frame (super strong robot). The story's main character is a LEV pilot who is chosen to fly the new Orbital Frame. Viola is also in the anime, as she is trying to stay close to the main character.

All goes well till the pilot starts acting strange from piloting the Orbital Frame and becomes very aggressive. As he starts losing his mind the story starts to develop and the people from Earth start their plan of attack against Barahm.

The anime's is well drawn when it comes to the people, but the fighting with the Orbital Frames and the Robots could have been improved. The terrain detail of Mars is very plain and at some times very confusing. You watch as the environment includes waterfalls rivers lakes and trees, while the people in Mars have to be locked up in the biospheres. It makes you think they should have paid more attention to what they were doing.

The story itself doesn't pick up momentum till the later half of the anime, they could have added more characters and more character development, but it's ok as it is. Since the later half of the story is very cool and you realize that's what the anime is all about.

The characters are all easy to relate to and the voice acting done on this job is superb in Japanese. I wouldn't know about the English version but I don't recommend anybody watching the anime in English. I always prefer to watch it in its original form with English subtitles.

I consider this anime to be pretty short but leaves you wanting more. You can always go to your PS2 and start playing ZOE the 2nd runner again, or watching the new series of Zone Of Enders.

ZOE is a refreshing anime, and serves well as a good break in-between watching long anime series'.

Total Score: 8.2 (out of ten)

Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal - OVA

Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal - OVA

Anime Review

Genre: Action / Drama

I guess who ever considers himself/herself an anime fan must have at some point watched the famous anime Samurai X (aka Kenshin).

I got a lot of e-mail suggestions to review different anime's but the highest on the list was for anything to do with Kenshin.

For those of you who don't know what the big fuss is all about, I recommend watching the Samurai X T.V. series. It is regarded in many people's opinion as the best anime to be released till now. So now at last we will have a full review for the OVA Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal.

The plot is set during the last years of the Shogun era, in which the Mejji government of Japan came to power. The anime itself is a Prequel to the T.V. series so you will get to see a lot more blood and fights, and an overall change in the theme from comedy/action to serious action/drama.

The anime quality is amazing, the fights and the scenery are unraveled. You will pick your jaw off the floor from the level of anime, but unfortunately as high as it goes it has it's lows. Since this is also a drama it will have many scenes of peace and a slow pace of story.

Those who watch the OVA before watching the T.V. series will miss out on some key plot points, and feel the anime is missing out on character development. But overall the anime is superb and is a must see for those who have seen the T.V. series.

Appearances of characters like Saito or Kenshin's master will have many people giddy if they are fans for the anime.

An overall summery for the anime is as follows:

Taken by slavers when he was a child, Himura Kenshin is rescued only when an encounter with bandits kills off everyone but him. He is found by a master of the Justice School of Swordmanship, a school so deadly that to train in it means death for either the master or student, as there can only be one master. Taken by the master, Kenshin is trained in this school, only to leave before finishing so that he may join the Meiji restoration and help prevent further tragedies like his own. Thus is born the Battousai, the greatest strength of the Ishin Patriots, a boy of 15 who kills for the sake of building a better world. One night, he comes across an older mysterious woman, Tomoe and he must hide when the revolution stumbles. They marry for appearances, but soon fall in love. Tomoe has another reason to be with Kenshin, one she regrets but cannot stop.

The Score: 9.5 out of 10