
BPS:
Battle Programmer Shirase
(2003 - 2004)/Devils' Line
(2018)/Love Stage!! + OVA
(2014/all Sentai Complete
Collection
Blu-rays)/POKEMON
Detective Pikachu 4K
(2019/Warner 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B Picture: C+/B/A-/B- Sound: B+/C+/B+/B
Extras: C/C*/B/C Main Programs: B+/B+/A-/C-
Here
are the latest anime releases and a new feature film that hijacks
elements thereof...
Akira
Shirase is the legendary computer programmer known only as BPS, when
the world government's computers are in danger from hackers and
viruses they call Akira. Shirase might be genius when it comes to
all computer related things, but when it comes to real life he's just
an ordinary guy in BPS: Battle
Programmer Shirase (2003
- 2004).
Shirase
is a super computer programmer, he can hack the world's computers
with a cell phone. He works freelance and is often the last go to guy
when all other security programs has failed. On the outside he looks
like your average guy, however admired by his 'great niece' Misao who
prefers to calls him her 'onii-chan' (big brother) and cooks and
cleans for him everyday. Shirase's main headache comes from a hacker
alias known as 'King of America' who sees Shirase as his computer
rival.
This
a very short five-episode anime making fun of computer hackers with
moe characters. The recurring joke of the series is how the 'hero'
is always being caught in compromising positions with females (and
misunderstood), but for the sake of national security it is
overlooked. Extras include clean opening and closing animations and
trailers.
Those
episodes are...
01:
Enter BPS! - Shirase first job is to stop a hacker from blowing
up a global company via cell phone.
02:
Tropical BPS! - Shirase must find a lost tanker at sea that was
hijacked via computer by hackers, just so happens Misao is at the
same beach.
03:
BPS Under Threat! - Yoriko is a genuis girl who works for the US
Navy, but is she here to recruit Shirase ...or seduce him?
04:
BPS Married Off? - Shirase attends a marriage arrangement, but
can Misao allow her beloved 'big brother' be married off?
05:
Infatuated BPS! - Shirase find himself being honeytrapped, can
his computer skills help him get out of this situation?
Vampires
exist. They can walk in sunlight, crosses, stakes and holy water
don't work on them, they can be your friend, coworker, or even the
person next door. However their blood lust is only triggered when
they see or smell blood. Grad student Tsukasa Taira is suddenly
thrown into the vampire world when she is saved by Anzai-san, a human
vampire half breed who is part of a secret task force policing the
vampires of Tokyo. But when mysterious forces threaten to start the
vampire revolution. Can Tsukasa and Anzai-san find a way for humans
and vampires to co-exist or will it be vampire armageddon?
In
The Devils' Line
(2018), Tsukasa meets Anzai-san for the first time when he
saves her from a vampire attack. Then she learns vampires exist, but
not all vampires are evil but have certain needs and conditions in
which trigger transformation and blood lust. Tsukasa and Anzai-san
fall in love, but more a vampire loves someone the more they want
their blood. Anzai-san can fight vampires but can he save Tsukasa
from himself? But there are worst things, the humans who know
vampires exists and they believe vampires should be exterminated.
Tsukasa and Anzai-san discover a conspiracy when someone in the
government wants the world to know the vampires exist but in doing so
would cause panic, strife and bloodshed.
This
is another vampire series in where humans and humans co-exist, but
vampires are a secret. It is the fearful revelation that humankind
can never accept those who are different than them, specially if it
means human will be lower the food chain. The government hides their
existence ...but for how long? Extras include clean opening and
closing animations and trailers, but a Limited Edition includes a
music compact disc and an alternate case.
Episodes
include...
Dark
Side - Tsukasa learns her childhood friend is a vampire and is
saved by Anzai-san.
Safe
House - Tsukasa learns more about the vampire world from
Anzai-san and there are far worst things than vampires, humans.
Anzai-san saves Tsukasa when her professor tries to rape her.
Paradox
- Anzai-san continues to visit Tsukasa and they start a relationship.
Tsukasa is not afraid of him and still treats him as human and fall
for each other.
Monster
- Anzai-san is shot by a sniper a human female known as Zero Seven
are part of an anti-vampire group who are hunting and murdering
innocent vampires.
Plan
B - An anti-vampire group known as CCC wants the world to know
vampires exist, they frame and broadcast a vampire attacks on live TV
wanting humans to fear and hate vampires.
Dogmatic
- Tsukasa learns it is possible for vampires learn blood lust
tolerance and control themselves. Zero Seven realized she's been
used her former comrades try to assassinate her and take the fall for
all vampire murders.
Chaser
- Tsukasa is kidnapped by Zero Seven, but then she causes her to
doubt when she tells them they can co-exist like her and Anzai-san.
The CCC tries to 'silence' her but Anzai-san comes to her rescue.
Offline
- Tsukasa and Division 5 learns the CCC has spies on the vampire task
force and their bosses are among them.
Command
- Anzai-san begins to learns to control his vampire abilities and he
begins to believe he and Tsukasa can have a real future together.
Ego
Defense - The CCC uses vampire lynch mobs to flush out vampires
in hiding and forcing vampires to fight to capture on video and
increasing negative vampire social media.
Ouroboros
- Division 5 learns that their own government are behind CCC's
funding and tries to get the list of all those connected with CCC,
but instead discover they were set up with a trap to discredit
Division 5.
DEVIL'S
LINE - Anzai-san is fatally wounded, Tsukasa save him by giving
him her blood. But then she saved by another vampire and the act was
caught on social media. The heroic act of a vampire saving a human
causes the anti-vampire groups to loose credit and others to realize
that not all vampires are bad.
Line
X: Anytime, Anywhere - Anzai-san learns of his origins and how he
was born from a human and vampire in a government experiment to study
vampire abilities.
Izumi
comes from a family of actors and entertainers but he himself has
only been in one commercial 'Happy Wedding' when he was a child
actor. Now ten years later they want him to return for a reprized
commercial with the original actors and the now famous actor Ryoma
Ichijo ...only thing is his past role was playing a girl and nobody
knew. Ryoma confesses to Izumi he loves 'her' as a girl ...but what
will happen when he finds out he's really a boy?
In
Love Stage!! + OVA
(2014), Izumi mother is an actress, his father is a composer
and his brother is a famous rock star, but he want nothing to do with
acting and become a manga artist. That is until he is called to play
his role as a girl from a commercial he did 10 years ago. However
his co-star from 10 years ago Ryoma had no idea he was really a boy.
After finding out Izumi is really a male, Ryoma at first is disgusted
and repulsed with Izumi, but discovers he is unable to deny he is
still attracted to Izumi. Meanwhile, Izumi is still unsure about his
sexuality, but he must be tricked and bribed into acting by his
family manager Rei and his doting older brother Shogo who has a major
brother complex. Can Izumi and Ryoma transcend the rules of society
and gender?
This
is another anime series with gender bending and homosexuality. It is
the story about how 2 characters come out and discover their
sexuality. The entire story is about a comic romance with 2 pretty
boys with brief intimate scenes. Extras include commentaries with
English voice actors, director and staff, clean opening and closing
animations and trailers.
Episodes
include:
The
Door to My Dreams - Izumi was your normal pretty boy otaku who
wanted to be a manga artist until his called to play in a commercial
...as a girl.
Because
I Was Able to Meet You - Izumi crossdresses to play his role but
is shocked when his former co-star Ryoma steals his first kiss and
confesses to him. But when Ryoma finds out, he get angry.
If
Only It Had All Been a Dream - Izumi is conflicted with his
emotions. Ryoma can't get Izumi out of his mind and later forces
himself on top of Izumi and almost rapes him, until his brother Shogo
shows up.
But
I Do Like You - Ryoma makes up with Izumi and becomes text
friends. But they are tailed by the paparazzi.
Just
a Little - Ryoma visits Izumi at his school and discovers Izumi
dream to become a manga artists. Izumi enters a contest and
collapses after finishing the manga. Ryoma kisses Izumi while he
sleeps.
What
Kind of Test is That? - Ryoma and Izumi is caught on picture by
the paparazzi and the only way to divert attention is to have Izumi
announce his debut as an actor. However, Izumi is only willing to
debut if his manga fails.
Could
This Be... - After failing his manga Izumi gives in and
lets Ryoma have his way with him, but Ryoma realizes and stops, Izumi
is not a consolation prize to him. Ryoma tries to help get Izumi's
manga approved by going to Izumi's favorite manga artist directly.
Love
Stage - Men's Style - Izumi decides to debut and announces
his real gender to the media.
Which
Way is Right? - Ryoma is worried about all the all the attention
Izumi is getting, positive and negative. Izumi wonders what sex is
like for 2 guys.
Love
Isn't Enough - Izumi is almost raped again by 3 stalkers/muggers
but gets away. He learns of Ryoma has been trying to help his dream
and decides to accept Ryoma's feelings and they have sex.
OVA
- It Wasn't Just a "Little" - Ryoma is excited for a
weekend date with Izumi, but then ends up going to the amusement park
with Izumi's brother and his manager. But later, Izumi learns Ryoma
has been learning on how to have sex with men and have sex
afterwards.
Last
and least is Rob Letterman's POKEMON
Detective Pikachu 4K
(2019) is sold as a potentially fun film with Ryan Reynolds voicing
Pikachu as a semi-noir detective in a (necessarily?) silly story that
tries to be serious.. sort of, at times where Pikachu had a partner
who is lost and Justice Smith plays a young man caught in the middle.
Reynolds can be amusing, but this nearly two hour commercial for the
franchise does little with him or anything resembling a screenplay.
There
is more money on the screen by default, especially versus anything
issued as a movie in the past concerning these characters, but this
is ultimately awful early on, never recovers and the ironic result is
that Reynolds returned to Warner Bros. and actually made a feature
film worse than Green Lantern!
Our
best advice, DON'T catch them all and don't catch this 'film'.
Extras
include Detective Mode, an Alternate Opening, My Pokemon Adventure,
Creating the World of Detective Pikachu: Welcome to Ryme City,
Creating the World of Detective Pikachu: Uncovering the Magic,
Creating the World of Detective Pikachu: Action, Creating the World
of Detective Pikachu: Colorful Characters, Creating the World of
Detective Pikachu: Bringing Pokemon to Life, Mr. Mime's Audio
Commentary, Ryan Reynolds - Outside the Actor's Studio and "Carry
On" by Rita Ora and Kygo (Music Video).
Now
for playback performance. Pikachu was shot on 35mm film, bu7t
plastered with a ton of CGI, so the 2160p HEVC/H.265, 2.35 X 1 HDR
(10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image can look
good, but is not great much and is barely the best performer here, so
the 1080p regular Blu-ray version actually looks a bit pale by
comparison with poorer color range, brightness and Video Black.
The
1080i 1.33 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on BPS
can show the age of the materials used in this upscale, so it is the
poorest performer here, but will do for what it is. Whether it is
because film masters were lost or this was finished in low definition
upon release is unknown.
The
1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers on both Line
and Love play the most naturally with the best flow, even if
Love can be a bit soft, maybe part of that due to style.
Color is fine in both cases otherwise and they are just fine overall.
Whether 4K versions would look better is unknown.
As
for sound, both Pikachu
discs offer lossless Dolby Atmos 11.1 (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 for older
systems) that has its moments, but this is often joke/dialogue-based,
so only expect so much from the mix. All three animes offer Japanese
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo lossless mixes (all but BPS also
offer lesser English dub DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo lossless
mixes as well) with Pro Logic-like surrounds, but Line
is on the weak side. Otherwise, these all sound good.
-
Nicholas Sheffo (4K) and Ricky Chiang