DVD Review: Anime: 3 - Series Collection - Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

Every Saturday morning during the late 1980s and early 1990s, I would wake up early, get a bowl of sugary cereal, sit in front of the television set, and watch mindless animated bliss. Well, that was back when network TV actually aired cartoons.

While there are still cartoons being aired on cable channels, as an adult, I have no interest in watching any of them.

Why the change of heart?

I just don't care very much for today's animation styles and many of the new cartoons are way too silly for me.

This morning I found myself watching a few episodes on the Anime: 3-Series Collection DVD (NOT RATED; 13 hours 52 minutes; $24.98), which was released earlier this year by Mill Creek Entertainment. The 3-disc set includes Ultra Violet: Code 044, Kurozuka, and Viper's Creed.

Ultraviolet: Code 044 is based on the 2006 dystopian science fiction film Ultraviolet starring Milla Jovovich. Created by Madhouse animation studio, the series is centered around 044, a nineteen-year-old female super-solider who was genetically manipulated by a virus which gives her superhuman abilities. The only downside is that her life expectancy is reduced significantly. During the series 12-epsiode run, 044 goes on a mission to destroy the outlaw group Phage.

Based on the Japanese novel of the same name by Baku Yumemakura, Kurozuka is a 12-part series centering around a swordsman named Kuro who falls in love with Kurozuka, a vampire. After being attacked by the Red Imperial Army, Kurozuka attempts to turn an injured Kuro into an immortal. However, things don't go as planned. Kuro awakens to find himself in a future post-nuclear Japan that is controlled by the Red Army.

Viper's Creed is a a mecha action anime series that aired for a few episodes in 2009 (or was it 2008?) before being pulled from the air due to low ratings. Only 12 episodes were produced. The series is set in a post WWIII world where an environmental catastrophe has caused the world's cities to flood. To help rebuild civilization, the governments hired PMCs (Private Military Corporations) to enforce the law. One of the PMC units is called Argon Global Security Corporation, which uses an elite military unit, Viper, to stop terrorism and other violent crimes in Fort Daiva City.

Final Thoughts

My knowledge of anime is very limited, so I wasn't aware that Ultraviolet: Code 044, Kurozuka, and Viper's Creed even existed until I heard about the 3-disc Anime: 3-Series Collection DVD set.

The weakest out of three is Ultraviolet: Code 44, which is based on the godawful 2006 film. It's a slow moving tale that just feels a bit off due to the weird animation style. Kurozuka is a very violent series with great animation. While I did enjoy it, my favorite series from the DVD set is Viper's Creed, which features some really cool mecha action scenes.

The picture quality is pretty decent for a DVD release. There are no special features or extras.

Overall, the Anime: 3 - Series Collection is a well put together DVD set. It would a great gift for any adult anime fan.