Reviews

While I agree that quite a few of the shorts here were a little too over-the-top, I remember this series fondly because of the handful of great ones. The funniest, in my opinion was "Science Facts: Broccoli has an IQ of 10". I'd buy a DVD for the broccoli shorts alone. I also enjoyed "Ultracity 6060: Fast Driver", which poked fun at Speed Racer and other Americanized anime, as well as "The Champ in: Snapper Bob", which was based on a radio show, "Call Me Fishmael", "Telekinesis" (levitating cows!), "Killing Heinz" (great music), and, oh yeah, can't forget "Fishbar: Evil babies in Colorado"! Cartoon Sushi also spawned its own spin off series in "Celebrity Deathmatch". It's too bad there aren't more outlets for short animation. I miss Cartoon Sushi and Liquid TV!

I bought this on DVD for my roommate as a joke gift, but after watching it the joke was on me. If you are a fan of comic books, this flick deserves a look. The main characters are larger-than-life celebrity heroes and who eat, drink, and sleep with their wrestling masks on and have to fend off autograph-hounds when they go for smokes. The story is minimal (Zombie King wants to take over the world) but each of the heroes has a past with at least one of the antagonists, adding a feeling of depth to the story world. The fight scenes are fun, if you go along with the idea that pro-wrestling moves are the best way to subdue an opponent. The music, mostly surf music by the Tijuana Bibles, carries the action very well. All-in-all, surprisingly entertaining. Just goes to show that low-budget movies can work, if done right. Also props for a cameo by Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart of WWF fame as the butt-kicking local sheriff.

Richard Roundtree gives an emotional performance as a dedicated black firefighter who is a fish out of water in an all-white firehouse. His character does not beat around the bush when it comes to confronting his co-workers about the race issue. If you like Richard Roundtree, you will enjoy this film.

For many Americans, Akira was the first piece of anime they had experienced. Like any first time, of course it had magnified impact. However, most folks who have seen a variety of anime start to realize that anime is just like anything else, 90 percent of it is crap. Viewing Akira in this light, I would say that Akira is above average for anime, but not as revolutionary as some have suggested. Like many anime, it was based on a manga series, which had much more depth, and probably a more coherent story. As with any foreign film, you have to be aware that the origin of the film can color your judgement.