Home :: DVD :: Anime & Manga  

Action & Adventure
African American Cinema
Animation
Anime & Manga

Art House & International
Boxed Sets
Christian DVD
Classics
Comedy
Cult Movies
Documentary
Drama
Educational
Fitness & Yoga
Gay & Lesbian
Hong Kong Action
Horror
Independently Distributed
Kids & Family
Military & War
Music Video & Concerts
Musicals & Performing Arts
Mystery & Suspense
Romantic Comedies
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Special Interests
Sports
Television
Westerns
Witch Hunter Robin - Arrival (Vol. 1)

Witch Hunter Robin - Arrival (Vol. 1)

List Price: $29.98
Your Price: $26.98
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 >>

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Witch Hunter Robin-Where it all Began...
Review: This series is a very well done series that chronicles the exploits of Robin Sena, a 15 year old Witch Hunter who happens to be a Witch. The premise is a typical one in cinema-the hunter becoming the hunted but in this DVD it is more about getting to know the main characters and watching Robin grow within her powers. The first DVD features the first 5 episodes and the following can be said of these episodes-well done. The art is tremendous and the stories equally so. The whole backdrop is Modern Salem Witch Hunts in Japan, so all the episodes are fairly dark in scope with good voice acting both in English and Japanese. The stories initially focus on how Robin integrates with the STNJ-a Japanese government agency that specializes in hunting down witches-and her partner Amon. If you enjoy supernatural anime then this is right up your alley. It is well crafted both in story and presentation and is easily enjoyed with just enough plot twists to make you think. The special features on the DVD are also a nice touch as they include character profiles and an overview of some of the "magic" elements used in the first 5 episodes. The whole package is a great start to a good series. I recommend this DVD and the series as a whole-enjoy!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Everyone should buy this!
Review: Very cool DVD! As for Witch Hunter Robin fans who are not allowed to watch the show,(like myself) you have to buy this DVD. I would rate this 10 stars, but since we're only using 5, I'll just rate it as 5. All of you fans of Witch Hunter Robin out there, this is a have to buy!

(And for the person who wrote the summary of the DVD, Robin Sena is 15!!!!!!!! Not 16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the finer anime's around
Review: What initially drew me to this series was the name Witch Hunter Robin, but then when I learned that it came from the same brilliant creators that brought us Cowboy Bebop I knew this was something I had to check out without quite knowing what I was getting myself into. Watching 'Arrival' through for the first time left me feeling a bit disappointed as the look and feel were completely different from Cowboy Bebop but now I greatly appreciate that. In the beginning I felt that the characters had no emotion and that the episodes were all so redundant and predictable but after viewing them a few more times I've come to think otherwise. Indeed, the storylines are not that complex and they do move a little slow but, rest assured, they become more interesting as the series moves on. The premise of vol. 1 is basically introducing all the characters and how they interact with one another. There's the aloof Amon (the team's most experienced member); Michael Lee (the chief hacker); Dojima (the spoiled daughter of a rich family who's always fashionably late); Haruto and Karasuma (a rookie and a physic by touch); and of course Robin Sena who is a young 15-year-old craft user sent in as a replacement six months after losing one of their own. They are all part of the STNJ: a secret organization who hunt and capture witches without killing them. They are then sent off to the factory once hit with special bullets that cause the witches to lose the strength of their powers. And what happens to them there is later revealed...

On vol. 1 we deal with a witch who reportedly cursed his victim to death without ever laying a finger on him...A witch who absorbs the life energy of other witches, or descendants of witches, to remain eternally young...An artist who kills those who get between them and what they happen to be painting at the time...And a witch that seeps into people's minds, implementing them with terror and bringing those feelings to a boil so they become more susceptible to their powers.

This is a great show with wonderful animation, a simple yet intricate plot (meaning you do need to remain attentive to follow along but it doesn't require too much thinking), and a supernatural flair to it all. However, don't expect to be scared out of your wits here. It's more in the vein of X-Files, as many have compared this to before, and understandably so. It's actually a suspenseful drama that relies on some spooky atmosphere, and its subtle approach works very well. Also, the English voices are dead on which only adds to the enjoyment. You may even recognize some voices, such as Karasuma (Faye from Cowboy Bebop) and Amon (Alucard from Hellsing), but as I sit here listening to them talk I don't invision them as their prior characters because their voices fit in with the personalities here on WHR perfectly. Another aspect to this show I really like is how Robin, who has the ability to start fires, is not without flaws. Her eyesight, for instance, is slightly off and she needs glasses so she can hit her targets with more precision ^_^.

It's far more expensive but I recommend buying this limited edition box of collectables if you can. Included with this DVD is the soundtrack, which is $45 alone, along with a T-Shirt, shot glass, and pictures.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Arrival of a True Witch
Review: When I first saw an ad for the DVD, I was spectical. I Got it as a gift and watched it the next day. The young girl has no family and was mostly raised in Italy, but returns to her roots in Japan. With no one that she knows, she slowly gains confidence in her new life and job as a Witch Hunter, but not only is she a "Craft User" but she hunts her own kind.
It has Drama among other things. Great for People over 13 for those ANIME Freaks that you know and love.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Alternative Anime
Review: Witch Hunter Robin (it's so cute the way the Japanese voice actress pronounces 'Robin'). For some reason, I can't get out of my head the French pronunciation, Ro-BAHN. This character, however her name is pronounced, is such a refreshing change from the typical fifteen year-old heroine of Japanese anime. Robin Sena has left a nunnery in Rome to join with STN-J, a secret Japanese police agency that fights witches. She has been brought to replace someone who was killed - we do not find out on this volume who they were or how they died.

Robin is very natural and believable. No huge bishoujo eyes, short skirts, and long hair; Robin has a somber, Puritan-like black dress and a quirky hairstyle. There are hints she will probably develop a romantic interest in a fellow officer: hey, it's anime - this nun thing can't be carried for too long! But you hope she will stay the special person she is and will not change too much.

In volume one, Robin arrives but is ostracized by Amon, the unofficial leader of the STN-J agents. She quietly and determinedly seeks to prove herself. A place of refuge for Robin is Harry's, a lovely restaurant run by the sympathetic yet mysterious Harry. No other customers ever seem to be in Harry's. Who is Harry?

In Volume One, the agents fight four witches - all male except for one. This is interesting, as "witch" connotes a woman. There are four episodes: 1. Replacement, 2. Addicted to Power, 3. Dancing in Darkness, and 4. Stubborn Aesthetics.

The music on the intro is fantastic. The animation is exceptional, one of the best I've seen in anime. Interestingly, the Sci-Fi Channel, which brought us the series Stargate, is producing a live action version of Witch Hunter Robin. It will air sometime in 2004 or 2005.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: FINALLY! Witch Hunter Robin on DVD!
Review: Witch Hunter Robin is an excellent anime about witch hunters. The series begins with STN-J--a group of witch hunters, that capture witches--instead of killing them. (A more humane way of dealing with them.) The witches are then sent to the Factory. Where they are studied.

A few months ago, one of the hunters was killed during a hunt, and they are in need of a replacement. In comes a young Robin Sena, a craft user. She has the ability to control fire, which really causes some discomfort from her co-workers. :-\

The series starts out with the Villian of the Week scenario, but by the 11th episode---Whoa. The REAL story kicks in. And when it kicks, it leaves one hell of a dent.

Don't pass this anime up. It leaves you wanting MORE.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An Excellent Anime!
Review: Witch Hunter Robin is one of my favorite anime's because it combines to different types of genres. Sci-fi and mystery. This is such an excellent anime I had to go buy the box because ya know the box (not only does it it look great) but it had the original soundtracl, a shirt, a shot glass, and two mini cells of Robin Sena! I mean god! This box has a lot of stuff and it's really worth it especially cause you get the soundtrack for the show and the music is beautiful. Anyways anyone who likes sci-fi with a bit of mystery added in should go to the store and buy witch hunter robin!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Different Yet Good Quality Anime
Review: Witch Hunter Robin is probably one of the best Anime I've seen yet. I'm usually a tradition oldschool Anime kind of guy. I'm also a picky b*stard. I was always a Bubblegum Crisis, Dangaioh, Megazone 23 kind of guy. It was probably the great music in them. Even though the music in Anime today isn't as rememberable as some oldschool Anime, the story lines are way great. Well there are exceptions, and Witch Hunter Robin had some great music. Remember guys, Witch Hunter Robin was by the makers of Cowboy Bebop, and you probably will be expecting a lot out of it. Don't expect too much, because Cowboy Bebop was the best (1998). But still, even when my expectations were high, Witch Hunter Robin was still great and overall quality, and it deserves five stars. The dialogue and everything is detailed. Beautiful animation, Well it was made in 2002 :) If you're the type that likes to discover new Anime and like taking risks to buy Anime that you've never seen and hope to love, this is the right one. Telling you this kind of defeats the purpose of taking risks. :P Well yeah, it's awesome, again music is awesome, and characters are cool. This release is l33t!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very, very stylish, but too much is left unsaid
Review: Witch Hunter Robin is probably one of the most fascinating anime I've watched in a while. The storyline is unique, very mysterious, and overall highly confusing and complicated. Such a plot, though ultimately becomes this series' flaw. The main character Robin I like very much, but the rest of the cast I'm not so fond of. Many of the characters stay very much undeveloped, and at the end of the series, you'll feel as if more mysteries had been presented than solved. The dialogue in many of the episodes don't reveal much, and often the development of the plot is obscured.


<< 1 2 3 4 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates