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   they have adventures with Gan-chan, a rat that lives in the temple.   
   Belldandy sometimes gets in on the fun, too (although not as often,   
   because her original seiyuu was unavailable when the earliest episodes   
   were made).  While some of the episodes have educational content, most   
   are simply excuses to tell silly stories from the four-panel comic   
   strip (such as the "Let's Make a Band" storyline), or parodying   
   popular Japanese culture (such as the "Gan-chan becomes Godzilla"   
   stories).   
      There's little if any serious meaning to this series, but it's   
   ideal for the times when you're too tired or rushed to watch something   
   that takes itself too seriously.   
      Pioneer has released this series on DVD in North America.   
      (See also OH MY GODDESS! and AH MY GODDESS!)   
      [Entry by Rob Kelk]   
      
      AH! MY GODDESS:  Set later in the AH MEGAMI-SAMA storyline than the   
   OH MY GODDESS! OAV series, this movie tells the story of Belldandy's   
   mentor Celestin and his attempt to go against the will of Kami-sama   
   for the sake of love.  One of the side-effects of Celestin's actions   
   causes Belldandy to lose her memory, so the goddesses and Keiichi have   
   two problems to solve at the same time.   
      This is quite possibly the best animated AH MEGAMI-SAMA story yet.   
   All of the characters are shown as they are in Kosuke Fujishima's   
   manga, as opposed to the caricatures of Belldandy and Keiichi in the   
   OAV series, and the plotline is reminiscent of Fujishima's best work.   
   (The only real problem some people have with the movie is that Mara   
   once again doesn't make an appearance, but, given the subject matter,   
   there's really no logical way for her to have been in the story.)   
      This movie is available in North America on DVD from Pioneer, and   
   in Australia from Madman.   
      (See also OH MY GODDESS! and ADVENTURES OF THE MINI-GODDESSES.)   
      [Entry by Rob Kelk]   
      
      AH MEGAMI-SAMA:  see OH MY GODDESS!, AH MY GODDESS! and ADVENTURES   
   OF THE MINI-GODDESSES.   
      
      AIM FOR THE TOP!:  see GUNBUSTER   
      
      AKIRA:  This anime has held up remarkably over the years.  Despite   
   the fact that it was originally released in 1988, its animation looks   
   good even today.   
      Opening with the destruction of Tokyo by what appears to be an   
   atomic blast, what AKIRA is depends on how you look at it.  Is AKIRA a   
   cyberpunk movie about rival biker gangs?  Yes.  Is AKIRA a conspiracy   
   theory movie about the government experimenting with psychic powers?   
   Yes.  Is AKIRA a movie about rebellion against an oppressive   
   government?  Yes.  Is AKIRA a deep movie about the nature of the   
   universe?  Yes.   
      In addition to a compelling story, and astonishingly good   
   animation, AKIRA also features a truly excellent soundtrack composed   
   by one of Japan's premier musicians.   
      It is true that AKIRA has a convoluted plot.  There are at least   
   three major plot threads in the story, and several minor plot threads.   
   Partially this is due to the anime being condensed out of a 1300 page   
   manga.  Partially this is due to the plot being complex.  Some people   
   have found that Streamline's original dub tends to add to the   
   confusion.   
      AKIRA was originally released in the US by Streamline Pictures, but   
   its North American license has been purchased by Pioneer now.  AKIRA   
   is available on VHS tape in both subtitled and dubbed format.  It is   
   also available on DVD.  In Australia, AKIRA is available from Madman.   
      [Entry by Brad Jackson]   
      [Parental Advisory:  There is one short attempted rape scene in   
   this movie.  - Rob Kelk]   
      
      ALL PURPOSE CULTURAL CAT-GIRL NUKU-NUKU:  The Mishima Heavy   
   Industries corporation wants its prototype android back, to use as a   
   war machine.  Lady Akiko, head of Mishima, wants to take her son   
   Ryuunosuke from her ex-husband - preferably by force.  Ryuunosuke, on   
   the run with his brilliant and eccentric father, just wants the   
   friendly kitten he finds on Christmas Eve.  When it all comes   
   together, the result is "Nuku Nuku" Natsume - the brain of a cat, the   
   appearance of a lovely schoolgirl, and the raw power of a war machine,   
   living with Ryuunosuke and 'Papa-san' as Ryuunosuke's sister and the   
   family's protector.   
      The original six OAV series is nicely animated, delightful   
   action-comedy.  The TV series that followed kept most of the same   
   characters but changed the situations heavily, and is reported to have   
   suffered from a Monster-of-the-Week plot.  The later OAV series, "Nuku   
   Nuku Dash," not only changed the situations but changed Nuku Nuku's   
   character design and her personality from bubbly and upbeat to teary,   
   and is generally considered disappointing by fans.   
      [Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]   
      [The first OAV series is available from ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]   
      
      ANGEL LINKS:  The second show in Sunrise's "Toward Stars" universe,   
   but nowhere near as wide in scope as its sister series OUTLAW STAR,   
   ANGEL LINKS tells the story of Li Meifon, a teenager who is named heir   
   to a large interplanetary corporation on the condition that she operate   
   a pirate-hunting serivce for free.  This seems simple enough on the   
   surface, but why does Meifon already have a grave marker?   
      This is science-fantasy space opera, but not quite in the same vein   
   as its sister show - the scope is much smaller than what's shown in   
   OUTLAW STAR.  It's also half the length of the previous series, mainly   
   because the writers didn't have to explain everything to the audience.   
      ANGEL LINKS is available as a four-DVD box set from Bandai in North   
   America.   
      [Entry by Rob Kelk]   
      
      AOZORA SHOUJOTAI:  see 801 T.T.S. AIRBATS   
      
      ARJUNA:  see EARTH GIRL ARJUNA   
      
      ARMITAGE III:  In the future, mankind has terraformed and settled   
   Mars.  We've also developed a line of human-like androids with   
   designations of "first," "second" and "third".  Ross Sylabus, a police   
   detective from Earth with an antipathy for androids, has transferred   
   to Mars.  What he finds there is a political conspiracy that covers   
   two planets and involves his colleague, the child-like female   
   detective Armitage.  Well drawn and animated, with moments of both   
   levity and action.  Some violence.  Four episodes, or one movie which   
   is the episodes edited together with some omissions.  Subbed and   
   dubbed both availble.  From Pioneer in North America, and Madman in   
   Australia.   
      [Entry by Ben Cantrick]   
      [There is also a sequel movie ARMITAGE III - DUAL-MATRIX, which   
   contains spoilers for the original ARMITAGE III story.  A review of   
   this movie is being written.  - Rob Kelk]   
      
      ARSLAN SENKI (a.k.a. THE HEROIC LEGEND OF ARSLAN):  5 part OAV   
   running approximately 4 hours total.  Slow paced historical fiction.   
   The kingdom of Pars is overrun by a neighboring kingdom, with inside   
   help.  The king is imprisoned and it's up to the young prince and his   
   loyal retainers to win the kingdom back.  The story is more sword and   
   political intrigue than it is sword and sorcery, not much fighting, no   
   comedy, full of shoujo-esque character designs, and is unfinished, the   
   remainder of the story is available in novel or manga form.  Original   
   novels by the same author as LEGEND OF GALACTIC HEROES. DVD box set   
   includes all OAVs.  By U.S. Manga Corps.   
      [Entry by MimiE]   
      
      ASH WINGS ALLIANCE:  see HAIBANE RENMEI   
      
      ASTRO BOY (originally TETSUWAN ATOMU / MIGHTY ATOM):  The first real   
   Japanese anime TV series aired in 1963, Astro Boy was made by the   
   anime "God" Osamu Tezuka.  It is a story of a little robot boy, who   
   ages and becomes mature through the series.  It was the first anime   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)