Battle Athletes Victory #2: Doubt and Conflict

Rating:
Summary: Hits you like an angry prizefighter
Review: After the fairly lightweight fluff of the first volume, this one blindsided me. Suddenly the writers have decided to get honest with the characters, and some wrenchingly powerful scenes result. Smart writing and a new depth of characterization rescue this series from becoming just another goofy humor anime (which is not to say that the humor has been excised from this volume, but the balance is definitely more toward the serious). A note of warning--the ending of volume 2 may leave you itchy to see volume 3 (also recommended) right away....

Rating:
Summary: Hits you like an angry prizefighter
Review: After the fairly lightweight fluff of the first volume, this one blindsided me. Suddenly the writers have decided to get honest with the characters, and some wrenchingly powerful scenes result. Smart writing and a new depth of characterization rescue this series from becoming just another goofy humor anime (which is not to say that the humor has been excised from this volume, but the balance is definitely more toward the serious). A note of warning--the ending of volume 2 may leave you itchy to see volume 3 (also recommended) right away....

Rating:
Summary: Good movie for sissies
Review: It's good for a younger audience but don't let the cover fool you, it's not for hardcore anime fans like ghost in the shell, or ninja scroll. It is better than sailer moon.

Rating:
Summary: Blindsided as Well
Review: The writing in the three episodes of this disc was excellent and totally turns this series into something special. I didn't really think this series was great until I watched this disc. After watching it I totally gained respect for Battle Athletes Victory. The writers really added a level of complexity to the characters while maintaining the fast pace and humor of the first disc.

This series is so underrated.

Rating:
Summary: Blindsided as Well
Review: The writing in the three episodes of this disc was excellent and totally turns this series into something special. I didn't really think this series was great until I watched this disc. After watching it I totally gained respect for Battle Athletes Victory. The writers really added a level of complexity to the characters while maintaining the fast pace and humor of the first disc.

This series is so underrated.

Rating:
Summary: A touchy story
Review: This case is what Battle Athletes Victory is about. It shows what friendship is really about.

Rating:
Summary: A touchy story
Review: This case is what Battle Athletes Victory is about. It shows what friendship is really about.

Rating:
Summary: Some of the best drama in any show EVER.
Review: When I rented the first Battle Athletes Victory DVD, I was entertained by some of the over-the-top action, but found the wacky off-the-wall humor a little strange. I was seriously questioning whether or not I would check out the rest of the series. Then I saw the second DVD...

Oh my. What started out a mildly amusing series quickly turns into a a drama that's second to none. The heroine of our series, the cute but shy and clumsy Akari, gets challenged to footrace by one of the star great athletes of the series. And what happens after that race will literally take your breath away. The series is just getting started, and now our main character is totally beat to the ground. When she recovers (thanks to her best friend and more brilliant drama) the results once again strike an emotional chord.

The first three DVDs in this series are a complete story arc unto themselves. I personally feel that after this section, the series goes downhill a little bit. Not that the series doesn't have its moments later on, but it never quite seems to meet the high note that it struck with the second and third dvds. The end of the footrace between Akari and Jessie in the second disc, and the end of the triathalon in the third, are quite simply two of the best scenes I have ever seen. Not just in anime. In ANYTHING.

If you are a fan of anime drama, you should definitely check out the first three discs of Battle Athletes Victory. But by that time, you'll pobably want to watch the whole thing. :)