:anime: Free/Low-Cost Anime Pick of the Month:: HardDoor At The Movies! (Part 1)

Okay, this is actually being posted on June 19, but was originally aimed for the end of May. Due to the last couple of months (especially the last one) being absolutely stuffed with work, I've barely had the time or energy to work on the blog or get this posted on time. But, for the sake of keeping with the conventions of this particular two-parter, this is being published as a "May" post, so Part 2 can be published this month and still make this all feel "special" for spanning over two months (it was mostly done last month, so in a way, it still kind of counts…). Hope that makes some sense, sooooo, without further ado…

For whatever reason, for the past few months, a number of anime distributors have been posting full-length anime movies onto Hulu. The vast majority of anime titles on the site are television series and up till now, there were barely any movies to speak of. Since early this year, however, that amount has risen precipitously, and while the selection is still a relative handful, the line-up is no slouch. It's an impressive mix of hot new titles and classics, so HardDoor is marking the occasion with a special two-part Pick!

The Hulu Mulitplex is now open, so let's take a look at some the films they are offering!

:anime: Nice Box, Pt. 2…:: Madoka Magica LE 2 Pics!

I originally received the second pretty box set of Puella Magi Madoka Magica last month, but thanks to a few very busy weeks, I am just now managing to get around to posting the pictures I took of it now (which is actually a second round of shots, since the first batch was marred by a setting sun). Aniplex USA, once again, did a stand-out job with box set and its content. Same items of postcards, a booklet, and posters (two this time around), but the quality of it all is high, as is the presentation that went into the discs and cases. I could certainly question having Mami on the front side of the box as opposed to Sayaka--who is the real star of these batch of episodes, but is regated to the opposite side of the box--but, it does not subtract from the overall impressiveness of the set.

The show's quality shines on both the BD and DVD and the accompanying soundtrack is quite pleasing to ears.  The English dub makes a few, somewhat questionable script choices--one, for example, sort of spells out a subtle, yet big, reveal and another punches up a conversation between two jerks into an overly "street" one that sounded more like it was coming from two stereotypical black thugs than two casually-speaking, callous guys. I got the intent and purpose of conveying them in a "hoodlum"-kind of light, but it was hard not to squirm while hearing them talk. That aside, the dub is a very good and strong one, with the largely inexperienced cast bringing their A-game and the script holding its own and staying accurate and true to the spirit of the great original. And as much as I don't want to single out any one VA, Sarah Williams was simply perfect as Sayaka.

Just one more set to go, and I'm expecting more of the same (which is a good thing, in this case).