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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ruined at the last minute........, 18 July 2009
This review is from: Black Blood Brothers Complete Series [eps 1-12] [DVD] [2006] (DVD)
I wont waste your time by going over what has already been said in the other review of this series.
I would also like to make it clear that I agree with everything that has been said in the other review- this is a very fun, action packed and good value for your money series that you will no doubt watch again and again for many years to come.......
however, there is one rather large problem with this series that the other reviewer failed to mention- it doesnt offer anything in terms of closure, it just sort of... ends. Almost none of the many issues raised in previous episodes are settled or solved by the end of the final episode.
It is clear that they had originally intended to make a second season of BBB but as of yet it doesnt look as though they are actually producing more episodes!..... so this could be all there is.....
in my opinion, the final verdict is-
If you dont mind an ending that really DOESNT END ANYTHING then by all means buy this set, its great value for money (all 12 eps!) and what there is of it is great fun to watch!
I leave the decision to you. thanks for reading.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
An inventive take on the Vampire Legend, 20 Jun 2010
This review is from: Black Blood Brothers Complete Series [eps 1-12] [DVD] [2006] (DVD)
As an avid anime fan I personally really enjoyed watching "Black Blood Brothers" and think some of the other reviews have been rather harsh. I think it is a fresh take on the vampire genre as opposed to other shows like Hellsing, which is excellent but the anime does'nt allow you to fully get to know the characters where as this one does.
The plot is engaging and has many twists along the way to keep you on the edge of your seat and the main protagonist; Jiro is a memorable and likeable character who has to care for his younger brother Kotaro.
There are some great animation and the action scenes are entertaining, also the English dub was one of the best I've heard.
If your a fan of vampires or anime I encourage you to buy this, you won't be disappointed.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Black bloody, 24 Mar 2010
This review is from: Black Blood Brothers Complete Series [eps 1-12] [DVD] [2006] (DVD)
There's really not a lot of original, un-cliched vampire television and/or movies out there. Your best bet is anime. One good example of this is "Black Blood Brothers," an all-too-short anime that spins up several kinds of vampires -- good, bad, and creepy ones. Gorgeous art, a likable lead vampire, and a very unique mythology -- and while the first couple episodes are decent but not outstanding, the story starts to really bloom when the bad-guy vampires enter the scene.
Two vampires -- powerful Jiro and his little brother Kotaro -- are stowing away on a Chinese ship on their way to Japan. Their destination: the Safe Zone, where vampires and humans are allowed to coexist.
But then a firefight breaks out on board between some immigrant vampires and an anti-vampire military squad, and Jiro has no choice but to get involved. Afterwards they are helped by a Company worker named Mimiko -- but things get nasty when the military shows up again. And then Jiro learns that his little brother and Mimiko are with the immigrant vampires -- and one of them is a Kowloon Child, the most lethal and contagious form of vampire. And it's headed for the Safe Zone.
Unfortunately this battle isn't the last one Jiro must face. More vampires are attacking them, and some old acquaintances of Jiro's are involved -- including the malignant Cassa, a former companion of his who betrayed him and his long-dead lover. As more Kowloon Children rise in the city, Mimiko starts doing research on something called the "eleventh yard," which is somehow key to the future of the Kowloon Children (and in turn, to everybody else as well).
"Black Blood Brothers" spends a minimum of time setting up its mythology -- you get to see what's going on through brief flashbacks and references to the past, such as Jiro's grief-filled battle with Cassa in the previous war. But it's an interesting one -- lots of different breeds of vampires, with different powers, weaknesses, and histories. Definitely different from the usual Dracula copies or bad White Wolf ripoffs, and a lot of thought has clearly been put into it.
And "Black Blood Brothers" is a great blend of mild horror and solid action. There are some mild horror scenes -- like Jiro staggering out of the water with all his flesh dissolved -- but most of it is bullet-dodging, some vampiric duels, and misty flashbacks to Jiro's past. And in the second half of the series, the action and horror start amping up in a slow build to the clima, including the clever twist of having Kowloon blood causing mass infection.
But it has some softer edges too -- there are flashbacks to Jiro's tender relationship to the dead Alice, as well as a cute budding relationship with Mimiko (including some rather erotic feeding scenes. And there's some distinctly tongue-in-cheek comedy as well, such as the "virgin's blood" scene, Kotaro being punished via being flung around the ship, and Jiro's distinctly upbeat, cheerful attitude. Not very vampire-like.
It's also worth noting that the artwork is simply stunning. If you can get past Jiro's big red Pilgrim hat, then the noir atmosphere and sharp, colourful, detailed artwork are astounding. And they do a pretty amazing job with the vampire battles -- the opening scene, a flashback to Jiro fighting an old friend-turned-enemy, is absolutely stunning.
Jiro is a likable vampire protagonist -- despite being deadly and rather tragic at times, and occasionally whomping his brother on the head, he can also be funny, goofy or affectionate. Despite his tragic past, he doesn't go all emo on us, and he has outbursts of all-too-human emotion ("You're DEAD!" he yells at an ally who messed up their travel plans) that make him very likable.
Kotaro isn't quite as endearing, primarily because he's a spunky little kid. It's almost impossible not to make them annoying, but he does have some endearing moments. And though she seems rather irritable at first, Mimiko makes an excellent potential love interest for Jiro. Cassa is a deliciously nasty piece of work, and many of the supporting vampires -- the enigmatic child-king Sei, the delightfully sociopathic Clock, and the traumatized Kelly -- are wonderfully detailed.
The biggest problem with the series? Well, while the immediate threat is dealt with, several plot threads are still sort of hanging at the end. It felt like there was a second season planned, but which was never made.
Despite its lack of a "real" ending, the "Black Blood Brothers" series is a solid anime series -- it has a delightful balance of blood, vampires, laughs and plenty of action. Definitely worth checking out.
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