DVD Review Archives | Otaku No Culture

It’s Not Just A Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo, But A Who’s Who of Where Are You?

The big thing to like about Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo are all those easter egg references!

Spoiler Alert

The big talk from last week about Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo is that Velma is a lesbian. The fuss is crazy! Most long-time fans saw the clues a mile away, and they’ve been laid down more than a decade ago. But the fact that this reveal is finally confirmed because of the action (nothing explicit) has the media abuzz.

Even when the 2002 live-action movies were in production, James Gunn knew the backstory. But the studio heads feared backlash over a cartoon that was developed from the 60s/70s. And each character represented a particular ethos.

What’s missing in all the coverage is in how well this latest entry honours the original toon that started it all. The supernatural encounters met in the past all connect. The gang discovers the miscreants bought their costume at the same place. And in Coolsville, the fact there’s a ring-leader suggests there’s much more afoot than what a trail of Scooby Snacks can lead to.

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Wild and Carefree. Pompo the Cinephile on Home Video!

Pompo the Cinephile is coming to home video this Tuesday, and it’s a wonderful film to add to any collection.

GKIDS & Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 12, 2022

Pompo the Cinephile is coming to home video this Tuesday, and it’s a wonderful film to add to any collection. I’ve reviewed this film when it debuted at Fantasia Film Festival, and what I’ll look at is the bonus material. There isn’t a lot of added footage save for the commentary, storyboards and a nice looking postcard.

Here, Takayuki Hirao talks about the Hollywood directors whom he really wanted to pay homage to. Also, He explains why he started this movie with a huge musical number.

This animated movie looks at what goes on behind the cameras. The added commentary discusses differences between the Japanese way of making films to Hollywood and gives some afterthoughts to why the team like certain scenes more than others. Here, second unit director, Kenji Imura and editor, Tsuyoshi Imai not only break down how a few scenes were layered but also discuss what drives a few characters, especially Gene. He’s the focus in this piece, and Pompo is along for the ride.

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Challenging Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis to the Unexpected. Decisions, Decisions….

At least the 3D CGI renders make Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis look respectable. It’s like following the North American adaptation of Astro-Boy.

Shout! Factory and Eleven Arts
Released July 5, 2022

Prince of Tennis’ new movie is all song and dance. Titled, Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis <Decide>, I wasn’t too sure about what to expect but when I’m a fan of musicals and West Side Story, it’s worth the watch. The drama examines the relationship between father and son, and dispenses with any sci-fi style elements to get to the chase.

To be honest, not many cinematic musicals about aiming for the top in some sport exist. While there’s many anime musicals set in different genres, to have an animated franchise annually releasing a work in this subgenre is much rarer. This 23-year-old franchise had regular stage shows, and this latest follows in that tradition.

This film continues the story of tennis prodigy Ryoma Echizen. He’s determined to take his game to the next level, but to do so means learning from the best. After he saves classmate Sakuno from some thugs (where two tennis balls collide like two atoms in a hadron collider), he’s magically transported to the past and meets his much younger parent. He knows that reveal himself is a bad idea, otherwise the timeline would unravel.

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Ip Man The Awakening. Refreshing the Franchise

Ip Man The Awakening is a soft reboot of sorts and it introduces a new actor, Miu Tse into the titular role.

Streaming on Hi-Yah Network and Amazon Prime
Coming to Home Video June 21st
Preorder on Amazon USA

Ip Man The Awakening is a soft reboot of sorts. This film introduces a new actor, Miu Tse into the titular role, and it’s his martial arts prowess that’s in the spotlight. Sadly, Donnie Yen is only getting older, and it’s easy to understand why he won’t be reprising any physically demanding roles. What this movie offers is a look into another part of this Wing Chun master’s life.

The films produced by Raymond Wong make up the big four. The last of which was aptly titled Finale, and while that marked the end for Yen, I’m sure the producers had new ideas in mind on how to continue the franchise. I never considered these movies to be accurate looks into Ip’s life. There’s a lot to cover since he had quite the adventure and thus, I enjoy these films as a look into moments which helped shape this man’s self worth.

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Meditating on “Nine Days,” Because It Must Lead to Something…

Will isn’t Buddha and nor is he Lord of the Underworld in any traditional mythological sense in Nine Days.

Sony Pictures Entertainment
Coming to VOD and Available to pre-order on Amazon USA

Will (Winston Duke) may well be figuratively dead inside in Nine Days. This character study by Japanese Brazilian director Edson Oda is his feature film debut, and he offers a look at how certain “individuals” are given second chances at life. It’s not just about whom this arbiter selects. He’s never seen the writing on the wall himself, and the mystery is in why he’s the judge, jury and executor driving part of this movie. He only has those number ot days to make the call if the ‘new souls’ are deemed worthy of life.

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When A Horse’s “Spirit” Goes from “Untamed” to Trained

But there’s something to be said about the lead–the horse, of course. It’s unclear if he’s the same throughout the different tales, but I’d venture to say they share the same DNA (is the son of) rather than being one and the same.

DreamWorks Entertainment
Available to Purchase on Amazon

DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit has a sequel, and viewers don’t need to know the Netflix series or past iterations to enjoy the latest release. The CGI animated update certainly reveals how this franchise has evolved with the times. It’s a different beast when compared to Stallion of the Cimarron (2002). They are all set in the Wild West–even though many years have passed between story to story. This latest focuses on the girl attempting to tame a horse, who conveniently shows his independence, and establishes a relationship with.

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