Geek of Oz

I was prepared to dislike Blassreiter, the 2008 release from famed studio GONZO. Previously I've been uncomfortable with their use of 3D even though their stories are always great fun. Thankfully Blassreiter surprised me in more ways than one, supplying a rich and deep story which was a feast for the eyes. "Somewhere in Germany in the not-too-distant future all hell is breaking loose... Giant, biomechanical creatures of origins unknown are terrorizing the city. Labelled as Demoniacs, the creatures appear rabid and unpredictable, killing and maiming anything in their path. The town’s citizens are terrified, the media demands answers. In response the government employs a special–forces team to investigate. Known as the Xenogenesis Assault Team (XAT), its members quickly realize the creature is capable of infecting anyone it comes in contact with; no one is safe. Directed by Ichiro Itano (Fist of the North Star), Blassreiter follows the rise and rise of a maniacal force be...

Freshly released by our pals at Madman is Strike Witches Season 1, the story of a rag tag group of magic wielding young ladies with fighter planes for legs and an apparent dislike of pants. These super moe girls fly around and shoot up alien bad guys with big guns… and no pants… In all honesty, that is the most basic explanation for the series. Based purely upon that outline it would be very simple to skip Strike Witches and pick up just about any other series, thankfully however, there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye. This anime series is based on a strong foundation that was laid by its light novel and manga predecessors to deliver a fan service filled action/adventure series with a nice, and unexpected, dose of heart.

Madman has released Kaze No Stigma (Stigma of the Wind) in one complete collection on DVD. Kazuma Kannagi, heir to the throne of the fire magic wielding Kannagi Clan is cast out when it is revealed that he struggles to use fire magic at all. The nail in the coffin is when Kazuma is defeated in a battle for succession to his second cousin, Ayane. Kazuma disappears for 4 years but upon his return the fire-magic users find that although he was unskilled with fire, he has quickly become an incredibly powerful wind magic user. Kazuma quickly comes to blow with Ayane who is now no match for Kazuma strength, even though she now wields the Enreiha a magical flame sword. The paths of both characters intertwine and begrudgingly become partners in a quest to find the murderer of a number of fire users.