Girls
und Panzer: Das Finale, Part One
(2017)/Magical Girl Site:
Complete Collection
(2018/both Sentai Blu-rays)
Picture:
B+/C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Main Programs: B+
And
now for a new of anime releases...
The
girls are back from Ooarai Academy on their mission to become the
best tank operators. However, they then learn their friend Momo is
endanger of failing a year, now their only way to save her is to find
another tank to join their ranks and for Momo to show off her skills
as tank commander in the next Caterpillar Tread Cup. But can the
girls find a mysterious tank, train and be ready for greatest battle
royale of tanks?
In
Girls
und Panzer: Das Finale, Part One
(2017),
the girls of Ooarai Academy and company are a group of misfit girls
with miss-match tanks and the underdogs of tank company schools. On
board a gigantic mega-city size ship, the girls from various school
battle one another for rank, prestige and glory. Every day, they
discover tanks within the belly of their ship and the girl's job are
to train and get their tanks back in shape. Through the classes,
battles, laughs they girls work together and learn what it is to be
'Tank Girl'.
This
is a fun little series about cute little loli's driving tanks and
have mock battle with live ammunition. While the girls are there to
train, they also have fun and make friends with friendly rivalry and
competition. Extras include clean opening and closing animations,
Japanese promo and trailers.
Aya
is bullied and beaten at school and at home she is beaten by her
sadistic brother. Aya's life is so horrible she wants to kill
herself to escape her living hell. But then suddenly, she finds a
Magical Girl Website and told that she is selected to become a
magical girl. Just when she is about to rape and killed, a magical
toy appears in her hands and she learns of magical girls, her powers
are real ...and she is not the only magical girl. However, not
everything is sugar and sweet, other magical girls are killing each
other for their 'wands'/magical powers and they are connected to
something called the 'Tempest' and the end of the world in Magical
Girl Site: Complete Collection
(2018).
Aya
is a shy, quiet and kind girl, but that's why others bully and abuse
her every day because they are not afraid of her speaking up about
her abuse. But because of this very reason, she became a magical
girl and given a 'wand' with magical powers and in her case, she is
able to teleport people. However, the price for using their magical
power, the more they use it, the more their lives are shortened. She
meets another magical girl Yatsumura who has the ability to freeze
time. Aya then learn the dark fate of magical girls, that there are
other magical girls who are willing to kill each other for each
other's magic wand. Then Aya and Yatsumura wonder and discover why
the 'Administrators' of Magical Girl Websites are manipulating them,
not for good but using them to collect the negative energy in the
world to bring about the end of the world and there is a countdown to
what they call the 'Tempest'. Aya, Yatsumura and a group of magical
girls' rebel against the Administrators and to stop their 'Tempest'.
This
series is full of dark tragedies and the complete opposite of what
people believe of 'Magical Girls', that magical girls are born of
misfortune and tragedy and by using more powers only creates more
tragedy and negative emotions. It is a dark story on the dark side
of human nature and there are no happy endings, only sacrifice.
Extras include Magical Girl music video, clean opening and closing
animations and trailers.
Episodes
include:
Magical
Girl Site - Aya is being abused at school and at home every day,
until she discovers the Magical Girl Site and she meet Yatsumura who
explains she is a magical girl now. The first time Aya uses her
power she saves herself from being raped and kill and Yatsumura tells
her the world is better off with those bullying her.
Tempest
- Aya learns from Yatsumura the 'rules' of being a magical girl and
there are other magical girls out there killing each other. But even
worst there is some secret countdown to the end of the world and they
are connected to it.
The
Princess and the Poison Apple - Aya and Yatsumura reach out to a
magical girl killer Rina to find out more information about the
'Tempest' and to gather more magical girls to their side. Aya's
brother finds out about the magical girls begins planning to abuse
the girls.
The
Replacement and the Transfer Student - Aya's bully Sarina is
turned into a Magical Girl. Aya learns of Yatsumura's tragedy.
Sarina plans to use her new found powers to get her revenge on Aya.
Revenge
and Resolve - Sarina attacks Aya and Yatsumura and the whole
building collapses, Aya saves Sarina. Nijimi discovers Aya and
Yatsumura has lied to her Rina.
Fake
- Aya's brother manipulates Nijimi to find out more information about
the magical girls. Aya and Yatsumura learns more about the Tempest
is about collection more of humanity's negative emotions to start the
Tempest and there is already a group of magical girls against the
Administrators.
A
United Strategy - The magical girls all call a truce to exchange
information about the Tempest, but the site Administrators plan to
kill all magical girls who know too much.
Last
Summer - The girls spend a day at the beach to create some good
memories. Aya's brother steal Nijimi's wand which is able to command
anyone with their voice.
The
Gods Won't Forsake Me - Aya's brother plans to turn all the
magical girls into his personal slaves and nearly gets away with it
until Nijimi finally realizes she has been used and seriously wounds
him, but not without sacrificing her life.
Breaking
- As the girls attend Nijimi's funeral, the Administrators attempt to
kill all the Magical Girls, but Aya secretly saves them and reveals
Sarina has come over to their side.
Girls
of the Rebellion - The girls manage to capture and kill one of
the Administrators, but Yatsumura sacrifices herself to protect the
other girls when Nana attacks. Then Yatsumura is turned into the new
'Administrator'.
and
We Are... - Aya is able to wake up Yatsumura from her trance
by reminding them of their friendship and her promise to become
stronger and together they defeat Nana. The Administrators learn
that they are not immortal and they have to rethink their plans, they
claim Aya and Yatsumura has not changed anything and good has not
beaten evil, they plans to punish them for their rebellion and they
did not really save the world ...yet.
As
for playback, the 1080p
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image on each release is different,
with Panzer
looking great and Magical
softer and less defined than expected, more of a disappointment than
expected. Panzer offers Japanese and lesser English DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 5.1 mixes that disappoint and are not very
convincing, while Magical
offers only a Japanese DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo lossless
mix, but it is on the weak side, so these are sonically far from the
best Sentai releases we've covered over many, many years.
-
Ricky Chiang
