Rating: 
Summary: Puzzling Begining..... I want to know more!
Review: I had no idea what to expect going into this series. Combine the mystery of "Evangelion" with some of the surreality of "Utena" (Things happening for no apparent reason, such as shattering stained glass windows or colors of the glass changing with the beat of main character, Kyosuke's heart) and you'll get the idea of what you're in for. Not a whole lot is revealed here, which makes me want to see more of this series. The opening sequence is one of the more energetic i've seen for awhile. It makes the viewer get excited about what's coming next. Episode one is a reality trip. everything runs in and out of reality and characters are introduced so fast, one needs a scorecard to keep track of them, fortunately, the DVD I bought ame with a booklet that explained the characters and terms of the series that helped me understand it more.
episode 2 is a continuation of the first episode, but it feels more together. Soultaker, Kyosuke's mutated form, battle's a giant robot in an attempt to save Maya, the Flicker who dug him out of the ground. (This episode is sad, the giant robot is a little boring, but the characters start to make sense in this episode)
Episode 3 deals with the discovery of another Flicker and the battle for her freedom. More surreality (Talking apples hanging from holographic trees in the Vice President's office)
More action, stereotypical confrontation between Kyosuke and his other form, a la Shinji and Eva 1. A good point about this episode is Kyosuke stops asking why. He figures it out for himself an embraces the other side of him to protect those he loves. Good!
Next episode looks exciting! Can't wait to see it!
Soultaker the monster I like because he is not a mindless animal. He is Kyosuke, just in monster form. I wish they'd show him without the face covering, maybe they will.
The toy of this guy is great. It's by Mcfarlane Toys and is so much fun to play with! He looks really cool. He has the most articulation I've seen in a Mcfarlane figure. He's super detailed (His feet have insteps!!!!!!! His face can be seen through the clear plastic of the faceplate!!) Check that out too!
Rating: 
Summary: beautiful styling
Review: i have never collected an anime series in such a short amount of time. i think i bought the whole series in less than month. this anime is very misterious. it is so stylish in some parts you will wonder what you are looking at. it has a little "hell boy" and "go nagai" in it, which makes it very cool. i really like the character designs, especially maya and the bunny girl. i just wish there were more dvd's than just the 4. the end song and visuals are sweet. what got me hooked on this series was seeing the cover to "truth" (soultaker vol. 4). i just had to know what it was about and i was not disipointed. if you are looking for an anime series that has a little depth check out soultaker.
Rating:
Summary: beautiful styling
Review: i have never collected an anime series in such a short amount of time. i think i bought the whole series in less than month. this anime is very misterious. it is so stylish in some parts you will wonder what you are looking at. it has a little "hell boy" and "go nagai" in it, which makes it very cool. i really like the character designs, especially maya and the bunny girl. i just wish there were more dvd's than just the 4. the end song and visuals are sweet. what got me hooked on this series was seeing the cover to "truth" (soultaker vol. 4). i just had to know what it was about and i was not disipointed. if you are looking for an anime series that has a little depth check out soultaker.
Rating:
Summary: Pioneer's Next Sleeper Hit?
Review: I remember picking up Trigun, another of Pioneer's animes, two years ago. It was awesome but obscure in the anime scene. Now, it's become more mainstream than anyone could have imagined it would be two years ago.The Soultaker, I believe, will follow suit. The story starts out fairly simple. Kyosuke, a seemingly normal teenager, is stabbed and fatally wounded by his mother. Buried, a woman named Maya digs up Kyosuke's body, having a feeling he is not yet dead. And indeed, for some reason, Kyosuke lives. That's when the story gets complicated and calls upon you to pay close attention to the story. Why would his mother do such a thing? And how in the world is he still living? Before any questions can be answered, Maya is kidnapped by a mysterious organization and with the help of a mysterious stranger, Shiro, sets out to rescue her, revealing secrets to Kyosuke's past and pertaining to Maya. The story is absolutely gripping. This is one of those anime's in which you have to really watch it to enjoy. It leaves you hanging almost every time wanting more. The sheer mystery of the plot draws you in. The characters themselves have a very human feel to them, especially Kyosuke, whose dedication to save Maya at all costs is very genuine. The music is awesome especially the Opening theme "Soultaker" and the ending theme "Memory." But the music is really just icing on the cake... The drawing style is what will either draw in fans or garner criticism from people. MOST of the scenes consist of only a couple colors and are not very detailed, adding style to this anime. However, this very lack of unnecessary detail is what turns away most people from this supreb anime. To each his own. To be honest I was quite uncomfortable with it during the first episode, but it really grows on you. Most creative style I've seen in a while. Go support the Soultaker Revolution! Buy the DVD and find out what we anime fans are raving about!
Rating:
Summary: AN INTOXICATING BLIZZARD OF STYLE....
Review: i was absolutely stunned to read the negative reviews here, so i thought it my duty to write up something godd about it.
just as a frame reference my current fav' animes are the following...
akira, jin-roh, lain, bloodlust, niea, tenchi, oh my goddess, perfect blue, princess mononoke, porco rosso, etc.etc. anyway...i came into this anime (as with so many other) not knowing what to expect. i was hopeing for a fairly stylish, entertaining slice of typical horror anime. but nothing could of prepared me.
this anime, no matter what anyone says aobut it, has the most exsquisite and sumptuous animation, with a blisteringly fresh and beautiful style that i can safely say makes it look braver and more modern (or futuristic) than any anime out there. ever. FACT!
the story is a wonderfully mysterious one. unlike most anime, they're not afraid to make you have to sit up and take attention to understand all that's going on. and although some of the dialogue is corny, the dub is generally superb,and how any normal anime fan can complain about a generic storyline is beyond me as nearly all anime are about as by the books as you can get! it's the stunning attention to detail, and consistant stream of visual ideas that dazzles here.
to pin down the story..i guess it's kind of how we hoped the guyver would of been treated. and although the soultaker monster isn't quite as well designed as the guyver costume, it's harsh adult take on the age old 'boy turns into mutant' story shows up every other alike title out there for there inability to inject something brave and exciting into the genre. fantastic stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: Give Yourself Three Episodes
Review: I was completely confused during the first episode. I too felt that scenes were random, weapons were too strange (Hospital's needles), and any reason for watching was not given. But I stuck through the first DVD and it all came together in the third episode. If you give yourself at least three episodes then you should be hooked into the plot; a plot that is sure to take you strange but interesting places.
Rating:
Summary: Give Yourself Three Episodes
Review: I was completely confused during the first episode. I too felt that scenes were random, weapons were too strange (Hospital's needles), and any reason for watching was not given. But I stuck through the first DVD and it all came together in the third episode. If you give yourself at least three episodes then you should be hooked into the plot; a plot that is sure to take you strange but interesting places.
Rating: 
Summary: woulda been a good manga
Review: I would have to agree with some of the other reviewers here that the detail is amazing, but that does not make up for this title's shortcommings. The bigest problem I have is that the scenes don't really connect. It's almost like watching a manga. The characters movements didn't really seem smooth either. Not what I'd expect from a modern anime. Another problem for me was the colors. There wasn't much use of natural colors. Each scene had aporx 6 colors to it (almost like they didn't have enough $$ to make the film). Each scene also had different colors than the previous. That added to the disconnected feeling. Overall it gave me a headache. The plot was very average. If you are a liberal arts major you might like how abstract it is, but it's pretty bad in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Pardon Me, But There's a Knife In My Back
Review: Kyosuke Date is not a happy camper. Frankly he's justified in his rage. When we first meet him he's being stabbed in the back by his mother, who then dies. The second time we see him he's being dug out of his grave in which he's been buried alive. No, it hasn't been a good weekend for Kyosuke. To complicate matters he finds that he has a long lost sister somewhere that evil companies are trying to find and he can now suddenly turn into a mutant demon thing that can kick major butt. Not that Kyosuke's thrilled about the transforming into a hideous demon thing, but compared to the rest of his weekend, that's a fairly good point.
The Monster Within doesn't show it's hand very much when it comes to the major plot of the series. All three episodes are mainly concerned with Kyosuke trying to figure out who his sister is and random characters of the sinister variety keep popping up and looking threatening. There's also Shiro, a helpfully homicidal mystery man who looks slightly like a mime who's joined up with Kyosuke.
At it's heart, Soultaker is a gothic horror piece inflected with a good bit of angst and bullets. Kyosuke didn't ask to be put in the position he's in, but he's going to have to live with that now and make the best of it. While it's a little confusing since the audience knows no more than the main character, The Soultaker still deserves a place in anime libraries.
Rating:
Summary: Some Things...
Review: Some things you just don't question. This anime happens to be one of them. But, to warn you ahead of time, an average person will go through one of these three reactions: You will watch it and love it; you will pound your head against the TV and try to make sense of it; or you will stare blankly at the TV and think to yourself: "WHY did I buy this?!"
Me? I belong in the first reaction. I bought the DVD because the cover looked cool. But, I've learned that covers aren't everything. I loved this series from the opening animation to the ending credits. It IS a bit obscure (as several other reviewers mentioned...), but that's the appeal of it. There are lots of anime out there that leaves the watcher wanting to delve deeper into the ultimate question: Why?
I think that this anime series acheives this better than any others that I have previously watched. The lack of detail in the animation and the use of darker colors add a depth to the plot and animation that I love. Some people WILL be turning up their noses at this anime. I say that it's their loss.
The confusion of the main character is tangible---you wish that you could fall into the plot and just help him; make sure that everything will be alright. The main character is plunged into situations that he doesn't understand and has an innocence...a naiviety...that is so hard to find in anime or real life. It will either attract you or repel you. I DO recommend this anime series. I love it. There are lots of anime series that I LIKE, but very few that I LOVE. It is completely worth the ...+ you'll be forking over. Just watch it and find out.
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