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Reviews
Rock & Rule (1983)
One of the finest works of the early 80's
Rock & Rule was this little gem from 1983 that you would call an underground masterpiece, combined with it's innovative animation techniques, use of early CG graphics (which STILL look good), and a brilliant soundtrack put together by some of the most legendary artists of that particular time period, it hit virtually every button necessary to become a classic.
And to think this was the only cool movie Nelvana ever produced. But it earns points for the fact that it was not only a great animated film, but also because it was very different from all the cute fluffy stuff that was dominating the airwaves and took most of the spotlight, giving the entire medium a very crude reputation.
Yes, it's such a shame the film didn't do that well at the box office when it first released in theaters, but in June 2005, it made a HUGE comeback, being released fully-remastered on DVD for the first time, proving that it stood the test of time much more steadily than it's fluffier counterparts.
I mean, did the Care Bears, My Little Pony, or Rainbow Brite ever get such treatment when they were released on DVD? Hell no they didn't, they've been given the kiddie treatment, and will soon be back in the bargaining bin, while R&R can finally take the spotlight it so readily deserves.
Shinchan (2006)
Ignore the Haters
Lately there have been some people taking some huge jabs at this show, Shin-Chan (mainly known as Crayon Shin-Chan in Japan and internationally). From what I've seen on Adult Swim, it was actually quite refreshing.
The amateurish designs of the characters (hence the original Japanese title) are a part of what got me into it, since a lot more than what you usually see in anime, and the writing for it is air-tight, mostly because a couple of people who worked on "Space Ghost: Coast to Coast" were involved.
The scripts may not be as close to the original as most people would have wanted, but since it's a comedy series, and usually involves jokes involving culture, most of the script had to be altered to match the similar jabs at our culture so it can be funny.
Let's hope that Shin-Chan will eventually become a regular running series on the Adult Swim line-up soon, and that it will be there for the long run.