Karas
 

So, this pretty much ranks among my favorite animes ever made at the moment. Which is not to say Berserk, Hellsing, GITS, and Karas all have things in common that make them my favorites. Different series for different reasons.

Karas is an action anime. Really, we can say that that is its main focus. What I love about it, though, is that the production team seemed to decide that the rest of the presentationw as just as important as character design and scene structure. The anime doesn't tell you much of anything right away, and I like that delayed expectation, even if it does cause some of my friends to go into conniptions because they just don't have the patience for it.

The story, by itself, is serviceable. Hellfire and damnation, power-mad betrayers to the cosmic good, and the coming-into-power story of the redeemer amidst all of this. But the story is enhanced by the attention to detail in every other aspect of the production. Without the excellent music, animation and design, and well-roundedness of the final product (like balancing out the ratio of investigation/explanation/combat), I'm sure I wouldn't like the plot or care about the people it affects.

Fortunately for us, everything comes together.

It might seem pretty goofy at first glance to see a main character who can transform into a car, a jet, has a grappling hook, can shoot purple exploding bolts, and has martial arts training out the yin-yang, but the anime allows you to segue into it with that brilliant intro sequence in the first episode. You learn quickly that the spectacular seems commonplace in the world of Karas. If you make it through the first episode, then it's highly likely you'll enjoy the other two.

The anime is heavy on crazy ass combat, so it might turn some people off who are looking for a less...flamboyant anime. Still, I like it for what it is, and because of what I mentioned above, I feel that it more than makes up for it in the story.

Can't wait for volume 2. Maybe if there are enough DVD sales, there might even be a full fledged series in store for Karas.

I've been keeping up with the very slow output of fansubs for KARAS. It was definitely an amazing way to open up the first episode with spectular CG sequence but still retains the traditional hand drawn method look. I'm up to about episode 3, but I've yet to find torrents for episode 4 and up.

I believe thats all that has been released so far in Japan. Its kind of on the whole Macross Zero deal (OVA thats released once every few months). If i remember correctly, there are gonna be 6 eps.

EDIT/Side Note: The R1 dvds are being released now by Manga Entertainment.

I saw 3 eps and I like it too much and I want to know date of release last 3 eps?

I just watched my Karas R1 DVD. Wow. That shit was awesome. I can't wait for the next volume.

Here, the DVD was 80 minutes straight. How long are the episodes in Japan?

The only thing that's added in the japanese episodes are the OP/EN sequences, and they really aren't great. They do more to break up the mood that's set in the series than anything.

Although if I had any complaints about the U.S. release, it'd have to be the quality of the subtitles. That's not to say they didn't translate it well, because it isn't really bad, but when you compare it to something like AniKraze's version, that has colorized and in-frame subtitles to explain the kanji and such, it just falls short a bit.

And the pixellated font they stick inside the frame on the Manga subs doesn't help, either. Makes me feel like I'm watching Lupin on VHS.

I'd like to know that, too.

It was quite a steal at Best Buy this week. Freakin' $12.99!

They're 30 minutes on the Japan episodes, but I did a comparison, and the only thing they're msising are the opening and ending sequences.

On a side note, it looks like Japan is seeing the episodes released 1 at a time, meaning one per disc! I don't know how much they are, but that seems kinda ridiculous to me.

Ah, so we got the first 3 episodes. I saw somewhere that the second disc is coming out in September.

Oh, believe me, Japan has to pay about a bazillion times more for their anime than we do (and we get dual languages and other special features).

Which is quite strange.

Right now anime's in its golden era in America. Check out the anime section at Best Buy. Tons of 26-episode series are only 30-40 bucks! It's insane.

I like how I don't get the opening and ending sequences. Why did Manga decide to combine the episodes like that? So useless. Anyhow, Jazz, you're making me want to check out the local Best Buy, although I doubt that it will have the amazing deals that yours has.

I believe all best buys have SOME series like that. Companies have recently got into this "ThinPak" frenzy where they release a whole series in a slim container (its pretty much just 7 or 8 discs in a platic fold out) for around 40 bucks.

All I know is that I got:

Wild Arms
Z.O.E. Dolores, I (and I Dolo)
Blue Seed
Steam Detectives
Eden's Bowy
Kino's Journey
World of Narue
Princess Nine
Steel Angel Kurumi
Pretear
Silent Mobius
Jing, King of Bandits
Magic Knights Rayearth Season 1

...over the past year, each for 20-40 bucks.

Nice. Does the DVD come with English subtitles?

Yeah, it has 6.1 surround for English and Japanese, too.

It's probably back up to $15 now, though, since the sale's over. Not that that's too much extra, heh.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....uct&id=1520931

Yeah I actually saw this at HMV on Friday selling for $16.99. It's around 80 minutes long so I'd imagine it covers the first 3 episodes. Not a bad price actually. But then from experience, most of Manga Entertainment's releases are pretty rushed. SEE: Patlabor movies, GITS, and Ninja Scroll.

Actually, it's an even better deal on Amazon.com: $9.97.
But then you have to pay shipping...unless there's other things you want to get. If you spend $25 you get free s&h, after all. That's probably what I'm going to do, since the US release of the series is only 2 DVDs in length, and it looks to be pretty damn beautiful.

Is it really that good? I recall this one being on the Japanese XBox Live, but I saw the trailer and the mecha (I think they were) looked really stiff in their CGI combat. Some may not like dubs, but if you're a fan of Crazy/Beautiful, well have I got news for you: Jay Hernandez is in the English dub!

EDIT: Oh, no way! Wing Commander fans, sorry, no, Freddy Prinze isn't in it, but Matthew Lillard is! Now I have no choice but to BUY BUY BUY.

One of the early trailers I watched on the DVD (just picked it up today) had some poor CG. It was pretty cool to see how far the team's come in finalizing the art direction, design, choreography, and overall feel of the show. Although I watched the first two episodes back when it was first fansubbed, seeing it again today reminded me of how awesome Karas is.

But what the fuck is with the sudden ending. Is this the end of the series? It's probably the most inappropriate cliffhanger ending if it is. I haven't heard anything about more episodes being produced, so I'm hoping somebody has.

This OAV series is 6 episodes long.

The first US DVD has the first 3 eps on it. I think the next DVD (which will end the series) is out in September or November or something like that (end of the year sometime).

Karas has got to be the only anime that I saw a gif of and from there embarked on a quest to see and dl the full length feature. The CG that I usually don't really care for along with the awesome hand drawn animation with that spawnish theme to it is fricken awesome.

Oh god, thanks for the awesome news Jazz. I'm pumped.

Although I'm not too clear on what all is going on in the show (I have to watch it again), this is already one of my favorite animated features of all time. The visuals are very well done. Like Cobra Commander, I'd usually object to CG being used in a cartoon, but it's done almost perfectly here.

Revive!

I just watched Karas, and managed to both fall in love with it and make wise-cracks regarding the Guyver all at once!

So the second R1 DVD, Karas the Revelation -- that has the remaining three episodes? The first dvd, the Prophecy, didn't have three separate episodes. It was just 1 hour and 15 minutes long. In any case, there's only one more DVD then coming out, correct?

Any new episodes? The last one I watched was episode 03, I guess...

I looked up when the next DVD was coming out, and it's not until March, along with a Special Edition which I can only assume is both DVDs in one box, since it's priced as such.

The action scenes to this anime are extremely confusing. I saw one of the episodes on Encore-Action channel and it's easy to get lost as to what's going on.....