UPDATE – 07/22/10:
NIS America has announced they will be remastering volume 1 of both Toradora and Persona to address transfer issues with both sets. For details, go here.

Persona -Trinity Soul- TV series is supposed to take place ten years after the events detailed in the Persona 3 videogame.  I say “supposed to” because after watching the first thirteen episodes of the Trinity Soul series, I’ve concluded that there’s very little connective tissue between the two stories.  Folks who played the game will notice nods to the source material in the first episode of the TV series, such as when Shin meets the ever-mysterious Igor in a dream.  Other than a few nods here and there though, the TV series is nothing like the game, which I guess is good for newcomers to the series, but can be off putting for fans attempting to mentally align the events of the game with those in the TV series.

It doesn’t help that Trinity Souls plot moves at a snail’s pace and only grudgingly doles out information when absolutely necessary.  Despite its dark atmosphere, the best parts of the show so far have been the filler episodes. These episodes due little to advance the story, but provide some much needed levity from the show’s dreary, overly drawn out story while simultaneously fleshing out characters that would have little depth otherwise.  I’m sure there is a good story buried somewhere inside the tangled plot the writers have woven so far, but too often the show is just pointlessly opaque rather than mysterious.  I will admit, though, that I’ve become steadily more engrossed in the show as it has progressed, I just cannot stop wishing aloud that the plot for the series would follow a more linear path rather then that constantly stumbling off on weird tangents all the time.

All grumblings about the plot aside, I will admit that I am VERY pleased with NISA’s packaging of the show. Similar to the Toradora set I reviewed last week, this premium edition of Persona -Trinity Soul- is absolutely beautiful.  In fact, I will go so far to say that the packaging and the art book included with it are superior to the packaging used for the Toradora release.  Especially so when it comes to the hardback book that comes packaged with the series.  Not only is it laid out in a much more visually pleasing and coherent manner, but it also includes the complete version of the children’s book A Whale’s Feather that is featured throughout series.  I loved the book’s layout and I really wish that more of the book had been dedicated to showing larger scale images of the characters and their personas.  The intricate nature of the various persona designs really doesn’t come through with the small thumbnail images used in conjunction with each character’s bio.

On the AV side of things, I had many of the same issues I had with my Toradora review.  The video transfer seems especially soft and I was constantly fiddling with my settings trying to sharpen up the image.  The biggest problem I had though related to interlacing issue through both disc.  I’ve included an example of what I’m talking about below, but I want to stress that this is just a sample and is not representative of a whole.  In terms of normal viewing, most folks won’t notice the interlacing issue at all while other’s may see it just seem like a skipped frame when characters are in motion.  The only time I really noticed it was during scenes with a lot of action and to be honest, this could quite possibly be a problem with the original masters from Japan and not an encoding issue on NISA’s part.  Still, as with my Toradora review, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it during this review.

Bottom Line:

As a fan of the Persona videogame series, I was really looking forward to the Trinity Soul TV series.  Unfortunately, the show is needlessly slow (even for a drama or a mystery) and only clues the viewer in on what’s going on only when it’s absolutely necessary.  I enjoy a good drama sometimes, but the point of the Persona series has always been about summoning powerful spirits to beat the crap out of other supernatural baddies (like possessed toilets).  I’m not saying I want to see Shin and the gang fight a demonic toilet, but I would like to feel like the show is going to get somewhere in the near future instead of constantly just hinting stuff is going to happen at some point. 

Ultimately, I recommend giving volume one of Persona -Trinity Soul- a try, but don’t expect it to knock your socks off.  It’s an average series that’s aiming for greatness, and if we’re lucky, all of that effort will pay off when the series concludes in August.

Final Score: 3 out 5 stars

Reviewed By: Laughncat 1

Description: Persona -Trinity Soul- Volume 1 Premium Edition of DVD ( 13 TV episodes on two DVDs. Japanese language only with English subtitles.)

Purchasing:

• Persona – Trinity Soul- Volume 1 Premium Edition
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (PS2)

UPDATE – 07/22/10:
NIS America has announced they will be remastering volume 1 of both Toradora and Persona to address transfer issues with both sets. For details, go here. 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I sat down to watch Toradora!  I’d heard a lot of positive buzz around the internet when the show was originally on the air in Japan last year, but I’ve learned over the years that fan hype should never be taken at face value as a sign of quality.  Thankfully, from the very first episode, any fears I had about the series were quickly put to rest as I became completely engrossed in this engaging and delightfully rambunctious anime series.

The plot for Toradora! is fairly simple and doesn’t break any new ground as far as romantic comedy series, but what it lacks in originality is makes up for in sheer energy and savviness.   Every episode was an unadulterated delight filled with heartfelt laughter and surprisingly moving moments of tenderness.  Main characters, Taiga and Ryuji, play off each other perfectly throughout the first thirteen episodes as the diabolical duo of romance.  Watching the two of them scheme and plot to win the hearts of their fellow classmates, Minori and Kitamura, never gets old.   As the series progresses and the two move closer to actually forming real relationships with the objects of their affection, it also becomes increasingly clear that Ryuji and Taiga have yet to recognize how deeply they have come to care for each other along the way.   By the end of the first thirteen episodes, it’s obvious that the something is going to have to give soon.  In fact, almost all of the characters make comments to that effect at some point during the series, but despite the promise of heartache and tears, the release of the second half of the series in August just can’t come soon enough for me. 

In addition to being a wonderful anime series in its own right, I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to talk about the fantastic packaging that NIS America has put together for the series.  Yes, they did ask me to make sure to comment on it when they sent me my review copy, but I would have had to do so anyway.  This premium edition box set absolutely floored me when I saw it in person for the first time.   The box for the two slimcase DVDs and hardcover art book is HUGE!  The heavy-duty materials used in the construction of this DVD box along with the all the goodies inside make the whole package surprisingly heavy.  Measuring in at a whopping 11 x 8 inches, this premium edition DVD set looks like it would be more at home on a bookshelf next to some classy anime art books then on your average DVD shelf.  Everything about it is bright and bubbly, from the cover art used on the two DVD cases to the 30-page hardcover series guide / art book that it comes packaged with it.  To say I’m extremely pleased with NISA’s efforts to put the premium back in “premium edition” would be a huge understatement.

With all of that said, no DVD release is without fault and although my complaints are minor when compared to my overall satisfaction with the release, I still feel I should mention them.  In this era of high definition TVs and video players, just doing an average encoding job on a DVD just doesn’t cut it anymore.  Even with upscaling turned on and several other setting tweaked on my PS3, the animation for Toradora! felt a bit washed out with some of the colors becoming almost indistinct during some sequences.  Granted, this might be a problem with the original animation, but it becomes a lot more noticeable when you take a DVD encoded at 480p and display it on TV designed to display video in 1080p. 

Other video related problems I noticed include some minor line noise around character’s eyes in several scenes throughout the series and the timing on the subtitles for the opening theme being a bit off at the beginning of the song. I also had trouble reading the episode titles sometimes if the background was particularly bright due to the hard subtitles used during these scenes been too light with very little shadowing to provide contrast and legibility.  Lastly, I was a bit annoyed that some of the dialogue translations have been heavily localized to the point of being far too slangy at times.  Whether it was someone talking about Taiga “rocking” a particular hairstyle or someone in the crowd shouting “Daaayum” during a beauty pageant, some of the more slang-ridden subtitles really rubbed my nerd fur the wrong way at times. 

Now, with all of that said, I want to stress again, that all of these complaints are minor in nature and that none of them really affected my overall enjoyment of the series one bit.  This first effort from NIS America is surprisingly good and, despite a few minor quirks here and there, is well worth the investment. 

Bottom Line:

I went into this series a bit dubious of the hype, but came out thirteen episodes later as a true believer in the power of the Palm-Top Tiger.  Filled with heart and charm, the Toradora! Volume 1 Premium Edition box set is an uproarious delight that will make an excellent addition to every anime fan’s collection.  (The release of the second box set in August cannot come soon enough! =^_^;;=)

Final Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed By: Laughncat 1

Description:  Toradora! Volume 1 Premium Edition box set (includes 13 TV episodes over two DVDS and comes with a hardback series guidebook.)

Available At:  The Right Stuf

According to a recent press release, the second and concluding volumes of Toradora and Persona -Trinity Soul- will be released in late August of this year.  Both releases will contain the last thirteen episodes of each series and will come packaged as part of premium boxset complete with hardcover art books. Preorders for both volumes are already available at select retailers on the internet.

More Info:

• Toradora wiki
• Persona -Trinity Soul- wiki
• Toradora volume 2 premium boxset (Right Stuf, NISA)
• Persona -Trinity Soul- volume 2 premium boxset (Right Stuf, NISA)

In what seems to be a natural progression of BioWare’s efforts to take over every known form of media in the world, FUNimation and BioWare announced yesterday that they had started production on an new anime OAV based on BioWare’s 2009 RPG, Dragon Age: Origins.  The anime will be the first release from FUNimation’s Original Entertainment division and is currently scheduled for a direct to video release in 2011. 

No other details have been made available at this time, but hopes are high that it will be better than previous video game based animated films.  Although I stil haven’t seen the new Halo: Legends anime anthology, I can tell you that BioWare’s parent company has helped produce some of the most awful animated outings I’ve had the misfortune to watch in the form of the Dead Space: Downfall and Dante’s Inferno movies.   In light of BioWare’s positive track record in other forms of media such as comic books, novels, and an ongoing original machinima series, hopefully the Dragon Age anime will turn out to be the higher quality product then some of the ilk it’ll be sharing shelf space with next year. =^_^;;=

More Info:

• Joystiq (original article)
• Funimation blog (official press release)
• Dragon Age website
• Dragon Age videogame (Amazon)
• Aimo Studio (anime style Morrigan)

In light of my upcoming (and long overdue) Dragon Age: Origins review, I thought I should take a moment to highlight the five-part original mini-series currently airing on Machinima’s home page and YouTube. The new series, titled Warden’s Fall, bridges the gap between the end of the first Dragon Age game and the recently released Awakenings expansion pack. Starring an original cast of characters, the new series delves into the chaos that ensues after the defeat of the Archdemon at Denerim as Darkspawn hordes continue to rampage across the countryside despite the loss of their master.

Produced using the Dragon Age Toolset for the PC and is directed Jason Choi, Warden’s Fall uses the single camera setup approach to filming to give the series a more visceral, realistic feeling. Artfully directed and sporting fantastically upgraded graphics (at least in comparison to the console versions), Jason Choi and his team have taken the both the Dragon Age game engine and machinima films to new levels with the release of Warden’s Fall.

Episode 2 is available after the jump and Episode 3 should be available on Machinima’s home page and YouTube this coming Saturday.

More Info:

• Machinima webpage
• Bioware webpage
• Dragon Age: Origins wiki
• Dragon Age: Origins/Awakenings (Amazon)

Been a so-so week for videogame sales.  Not much new other than the $10 videogame credit promotion from GameStop that covers the same games as Amazon’s current sale.  I haven’t received any info on when either the GameStop promotion of the Amazon one will end, so if you’re on the fence about taking advantage of one of them, time may be of the essence. 

On the anime side of things, I’ve included the FUNimation 40% off sale from Right Stuf as well as a huge Amazon sale on anime Blu-ray titles with items discounted as much 58% off retail.  It appears that ALL anime blu-ray titles have received some sort of price reduction with the average amount of the discount being at least 30% off MSRP.

Amazon Anime Blu-ray Sale (Up To 58% Off!)

As with most Amazon promotions, I don’t know how long this anime one will last.  Since it appears to cover all the anime titles either currently available on Blu-ray or available of pre-order.  It’s also worth remembering that any purchases made totalling more than $25 dollars are eligible for Amazon’s free shipping promotion as well.

• Amazon 25%- 58% 0ff Anime Blu-ray Sale

GameStop 15% Off Coupon And $10 Game Credit Promotion (Online Only)

Gamestop is offering a coupon code to its online shoppers.  Pick up any two games costing $19.99 or more, and get 15% off your order with code: 15OFF2. It’s not the greatest deal in the world, but it also doesn’t list any limits either.  Might be useful if you want to reserve some pre-orders online :P

The second new promotion from Gamestop seeks to duplicate Amazon’s current videogame promotion by offering $10 game credits on a several titles throughout their store.  These specific titles have also been discounted between 10% t0 30% as well. 

• Gamestop $10 game credit promotion

Right Stuf 40% Off FUNimation Sale

Right Stuf’s 40% off sale on all FUNimation titles is still in effect, so if your looking to pick up some cheap anime, now’s a good time to do it. This sale includes all Blu-ray and DVD titles as well as other related collectibles (like lithographs, t-shirts, etc.) from FUNimation, including  pre-orders, special orders and backordered items.  The FUNImation sale runs through June 3rd and To receive the discount, use the coupon code: alchemist during checkout.  The code is reusable and you’ll also receive free shipping on all orders totalling $50 or more =^_^= 

• FUNimation 40% Off Sale

Massive Amazon Videogame Promotion

Amazon updated the list of games that are included in their current videogame promotion this past week by adding some new titles and removing some old ones as well as changing the amount of the discount on some titles to reflect a recent drop in MRSP (a la Mass Effect 2).  Discounts still range from $10 to $20 off MSRP in addition to including a $10 to $20 game credit that’s good toward to the purchase of another game in the future. The amount of the discount and the inclusion of game credits various from title to title, with some titles only having one or the other.  I’ve updated the list as best I could to reflect these changes, but if you spot something that I might have missed, just let me know.  Lastly, I still haven’t heard when this current batch of promotions will end, so if you see something you like, you may want to go ahead and place an order.

Here’s a short list of some of the more noteworthy titles that are currently a part of this promotion:

• Super Street Fighter IV – $10 off MSRP + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3)
• Halo Reach – $20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360)
• Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood – $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops – $20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Mass Effect 2 - $20 of MSRP + $10 game credit (Xbox 360, PC)
• Singularity -$20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit + free graphic novel (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• God of War III – $15 off MSRP + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (PS3)
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction – $18 off MSRP + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Super Mario Galaxy 2 – $20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Wii)
• Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars – $5 off + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Wii)
• Alan Wake – $10 off MSRP + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360)

You can also check out a complete listing of of all the products that are currently a part of this promotion here or by scrolling through this spiffy widget I made below :P (Please note that I’ve included all the titles I know about, but feel free to let me know in the comments section if I missed anything important.)

NIS America’s press department sent out an email last week containing a bunch of info relating to their upcoming release of the Toradora! and Persona – Trinity Soul- anime series in July.   To be more specific, they sent out a bunch of photos showing off the spiffy premium edition packaging that they’re putting together for both of these releases.  Although I’m personally more interested in reviewing volume 1 of Toradora! than I am in Persona – Trinity Soul-, I can’t deny that the packaging and art for Persona looks mighty fine. 

Hit the jump to see all the pics and various other details I gleaned from NIS America’s recent press release.

I’m really diggin the spiffy design of the Toradora! DVD box art.  It’s not quite as distinct as the Persona cover art farther down, but it’s still pretty darn nice.

The premium package release for Toradora! will include the first 13 episodes of the romantic comedy on two DVD discs.  Packed in with the discs is a 32 page full color episode guide with plenty of nice pics of all the characters from the series.

Another pic of the DVD premium box art, DVD case covers and hardback episode guide.

The episode guide is 32 glorious pages of unadultered Toradora! goodness =^_-=

 Wow, I love the cover art that NIS America chose for the Persona -Trinity Soul- premium package.  It’s very dark and stylish.

Like the Toradora! set, volume 1 of this series contains 13 episodes spread over two DVDs as well as a 40 page artbook.

The art book will contain sketches, interviews and character designs from the series.

In addition to all the nifty art and behind the scenes interviews, the artbook will also contain the complete illustrated version of the “A Whale’s Feather” short story that’s discussed in show.

MSRP for both Toradora! and Persona -Trinity Soul- is $59.99, but The Right Stuf is currently offering both series for $47.99 each which equals out to 20% off in savings.  If you prefer, you can also order directly from NIS America’s webstore, Rosenqueen.com, for the same price.

• Persona -Trinity Soul- (The Right Stuf)
• Toradora! (The Right Stuf)

In what I hope will become a weekly article, I’m posting my first installment of “Sunday Sales.” These articles will highlight particularly good deals that I hear about throughout the week and that I hope will be of use to the folks who read this website. I not going to deny that buying items through these will help me out financially, but that’s not the main reason I’m doing it. I’m doing it because I love bargain hunting and getting the most for my money. Even more importantly, these are companies that have treated me very well in the past and I trust them to provide me with quality service as a customer.

In the coming weeks and months, I hope you find something useful to you and that you’re able to share the savings with your friends.  In fact, if you should happen to hear about a good deal, I encourage you to share it with me so that I can pass it along to others!

Okay, enough rambling out of me.  On to this week’s deals!

Right Stuf 40% Off FUNimation Sale

Right Stuff is currently running a 40% off sale on all FUNimation titles. This sale includes all Blu-ray and DVD titles as well as other related collectibles (like lithographs, t-shirts, etc.) This means that pre-orders, special orders and backordered items are covered under this sale. The FUNImation sale runs through June 3rd and can be activated by using the coupon code: alchemist during checkout. The code is reusable, so don’t sweat it if you forget to add something when you order. It’s also worth nothing that shipping is free on orders totalling $50 or more =^_^=

• FUNimation 40% Off Sale 

Massive Amazon Videogame Promotion

Amazon is currently offering a bunch of newly released titles for $10 to $15 off MSRP in addition to including a $10 to $20 game credit that’s good toward to the purchase of another game in the future. The amount of the discount and the inclusion of game credits various from title to title, with some titles only having one or the other. Many of the titles also include a $5 download credit, but again this is not a universal offer. Lastly, I also found some unadvertised discounts that only show up when you put them in your cart. At this time, I have not heard when these promotions will end.

Here’s a short list of some of the more noteworthy titles that are currently a part of this promotion:

• Super Street Fighter IV – $10 off MSRP + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3)
• Halo Reach – $20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360)
• Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood – $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops – $20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Mass Effect 2 – $15 off MSRP + $10 game credit (Xbox 360, PC)
• Singularity -$20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit + free graphic novel (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• God of War III – $15 off MSRP + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (PS3)
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction – $15 off MSRP + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
• Super Mario Galaxy 2 – $20 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Wii)
• Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars – $5 off + $10 game credit + $5 MP3 download credit (Wii)
• Red Dead Redemption – $10 off MSRP + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360, PS3)
• Alan Wake – $10 off MSRP + $5 MP3 download credit (Xbox 360)

You can also check out a complete listing of of all the products that are currently a part of this promotion here or by scrolling through this spiffy widget I made below :P  (Please note that I’ve included all the titles I know about, but feel free to let me know in the comments section if I missed anything important.)

Adult Swim fans, rejoice!  The new series from F/X,  Archer, embraces all that’s great about Cartoon Network’s late night series of cult animation shows while simultaneously expanding upon proven formulas for riotous results.  Sporting a delightful array of hilariously dysfunctional characters and brimming over with deliciously crass dialogue that’s as politically incorrect as it is funny; Archer artfully skewers the spy genre for uproarious results.    

Starring H. Jon Benjamin as the titular secret agent, the series revolves around the day-to-day operations of one of the world’s worst spy agencies.  In a world where spy agencies are practically a dime-dozen, Archer maybe a secret agent in the employ of I.S.I.S, but he’s also a total dick with mommy issues.  It doesn’t help that the folks aiding him in operations aren’t much better at their jobs.  Whether it’s a problem with the slightly crazed secretary with the asphyxiation fetish blackmailing her coworkers or the agencies’ top tech guy creating another sex robot in his lab again instead of useful spy gadgets, it’s obvious that the folks who work at I.S.I.S. are their own worst enemy. 

Directed and written by Adam Reed, the gentleman behind shows like Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo, Archer is one of the best new animated comedies to be released in the past year.   Despite animation that is obviously low budget, the show is so hilarious; you’ll hardly notice the somewhat dubious quality of some episodes (or care for that matter).  Thankfully, F/X has chosen to renew this great series for another season, but the new episodes won’t be appearing until sometime in 2011. 

Bottom Line:

Archer is a funny show that excels at lampooning the spy genre through its ridiculously flawed characters and witty dialogue.  The animation is a little on the budget side with frequantly reused character models and sets, but you’ll be laughing so hard you won’t care.  I highly recommend this series to anyone who’s a fan of Adult Swim style shows and humor. 

Final Score: 5 out 5 stars

Reviewed By: LC1

Description: Archer: Season 1 available on Hulu and Netflix.  DVD/Blu-ray not available at this time.

Some of you may have seen this video by now, but for those you who haven’t, let me just say that it’s a wonderful homage to the games of yesteryear. With the release of 3D Dot Game Heroes this past Tuesday, I felt it was finally time to run this short film about the impending Dotpocalypse. I’m sure some of the Futurama fans out there are going to cry foul, but seriously, doesn’t this look a heck of a lot cooler? :P

“Pixels” is director Patrick Jean’s second short film and, according to his website, was inspired by the games he used to play growing up. His debut film, “Theo,” was produced several years ago is a lower budget production, but shares many of the same themes as “Pixels.” Patrick currently works as a 2D and 3d artist the visual arts company, One More Production, who were instrumental in bringing his vision for “Pixels” to life.

More Info:
Patrick Jean’s website
Motiongrapher interview