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Nadia, Secret of Blue Water - The Adventure Begins (Vol. 1)

Nadia, Secret of Blue Water - The Adventure Begins (Vol. 1)

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

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A flawed, but very, very good anime series
Review: I love the Beatles White Album, but I only love about half the songs on it. Beatles manager George Martin always said he thought it should have been done as a single album, taking the best from both records, and it would be the best rock album ever. This is basically how I feel about "Nadia." Director Hideaki Anno chose to make the series 39 episodes long rather than the usual 26; I feel that if he condensed the series to 26 episodes long, he would have a killer show on his hands.

Nadia was Anno's first series, and essentially spins halfway between his work under anime legend Hiyao Miyazake (Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa) and his own landmark series Neon Genesis: Evangelion. The best elements of Nadia feature remnants of Miyazaki's spellbinding magical qualities, and Evangelion's scorching and unsettling vision of looming apocalypse. Our heroine Nadia finds herself exploring a vast and strange lost underwater kingdom, while coming to terms with her own tortured family life and the frightening proto-Nazi organization that her Atlantean kingdom has turned into. Anno doesn't fail to dazzle us with a glimpse at a haunting and magical world, but he pulls no punches either.

Tragically, both of these aspects are rather damaged by Anno's handling of comedy in the series. The mixing of comedy and serious material within Nadia is nothing extraordinary; the Japanese have a knack for handling this brilliantly (see Cowboy Bebop, Slayers: Try, and even the incredible Irresponsible Captain Tylor). Anno himself handles this masterfully - albeit with a vicious streak - in Evangelion, where he lures the viewers in with lighter-hearted fare before dumping unspeakable horror on them. But in Nadia, there is simply too much comic relief; the gag characters don't know when to shut up. When the Hitleresque Gargoyle is nearly destroying Nadia with a horrific battalion of organic spaceships, silly jokes are still being cracked. It just spoils the purity of the moment.

Likewise, the comic sequences stretch on too long at times. Nadia and Jean's stay on the island, for example, lasts at least six or seven episodes, with most of the plot taken up with Jean's comic swipes at Nadia's obsessive vegetarianism. By the time they get off, you nearly forget that the plot that landed them there.

This is not to say this a bad series by any means; it's simply a warning. Don't expect THE most incredible series ever; truth told, it is probably not as solid a show as Anno's Evangelion is. But it remains his close second, and one of the best anime series in recent memory. If you've seen Evangelion, Nadia has some of the same feel, but in much gentler way... Nadia takes you by the hand where Evangelion stomps on your face with a metal boot.

So definitely check out Nadia. You'll get the bonus of seeing where Disney stole their newest movie from, too...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disappointed Nadia fan
Review: I thought when AD Vision picked up Nadia it would be a good thing because I would finally get to see the entire series restored and remastered where Streamline Pictures left us hanging. The problem is, they REMOVED the original English dub to replace it with their own TERRIBLE voice acting script. It's totally unwatchable except in original Japanese language with English subtitles (how I watch my Anime anyway, but Streamline's voice actors actually fit the characters and did an excellent job!!). There are no extras added to the DVD either...C'mon ADV, do a good job!! It's a classic anime.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disappointed Nadia fan
Review: I thought when AD Vision picked up Nadia it would be a good thing because I would finally get to see the entire series restored and remastered where Streamline Pictures left us hanging. The problem is, they REMOVED the original English dub to replace it with their own TERRIBLE voice acting script. It's totally unwatchable except in original Japanese language with English subtitles (how I watch my Anime anyway, but Streamline's voice actors actually fit the characters and did an excellent job!!). There are no extras added to the DVD either...C'mon ADV, do a good job!! It's a classic anime.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: cool
Review: If you see disneys 'Atlantis' mumbo jumbo you will see everything was copied from this show.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Wonderous Beginning to an Adventure Series
Review: Just enjoy. Nadia is a great, rollicking adventure series that will keep you watching; it's one of the most fun and compelling anime series I've seen. It has a romance between two likeable characters, a motivated supporting cast, Jules Verne-inspired 19th century tech, and enough comic relief to remind you it's aimed at kids. Jean, an invention-minded orphan, and Nadia, an orphan sold to the circus as a girl, meet in Paris in 1889. The bad guys are after her family keepsake jewel, Jean helps thwart them, and the adventure is off and running.

Nadia is a highlight of late-80s anime. Like most Japanese-origin animation, it has mild sexual situations, and plenty of gag humor; it also has great mechanical designs, and clean, 80s-style characters. Sit back and leave the analysis machine off for these early episodes.

When you want to turn analysis back on, there are some pretty interesting comparisons. This series came out in 1990; Hiyao Miyazaki's classic movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky came out in 1986. There are just too many similarities to ignore, including the boy's personality and the not-so-criminal gang. Lots of anime boards have filled with complaints over the borrowings from Nadia in Disney's Atlantis; the complainers should remember how much this series took from Laputa, and all of them took from Jules Verne directly. It's also interesting to speculate whether the namesake gymnist character was named after Nadia Comenici, the Russian gymnist from the Montreal Olympics. And of course it's completely impossible to tell Captain Nemo from the Macross' Captain Gloval! (why design a new captain character when there's such a good design close to hand? ;-)

Gainax's more recent Evangelion is a much more significant achievement as a series. It takes many of the same biblical references as Nadia (the characters are surprisingly judeo-christian in both) and works them for a deeper and more disturbing story. Happily, I hear (haven't seen the end yet) that Nadia actually has a cogent ending; something Gainax didn't achieve with Evangelion.

If you've seen the shorthand version of this series put out by Streamline pictures as 8 episodes, I can particularly recommend coming back to watch the real deal. The storyline in this version of the series has been an unexpected joy to watch unfold.

The DVD treatment from AD Vision is competent but not outstanding. Language choices are well-handled (subtitles for me; I haven't tried the dubbed track yet). Previews are mostly of their other series, the first three volumes haven't included any worthwhile extras.

I haven't watched all the way through the series to see how it ends yet, but I'm enjoying it tremendously. I look forward to seeing the rest of it, and if you start watching this tremendously likeable series I bet you'll want to as well.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Wonderous Beginning to an Adventure Series
Review: Just enjoy. Nadia is a great, rollicking adventure series that will keep you watching; it's one of the most fun and compelling anime series I've seen. It has a romance between two likeable characters, a motivated supporting cast, Jules Verne-inspired 19th century tech, and enough comic relief to remind you it's aimed at kids. Jean, an invention-minded orphan, and Nadia, an orphan sold to the circus as a girl, meet in Paris in 1889. The bad guys are after her family keepsake jewel, Jean helps thwart them, and the adventure is off and running.

Nadia is a highlight of late-80s anime. Like most Japanese-origin animation, it has mild sexual situations, and plenty of gag humor; it also has great mechanical designs, and clean, 80s-style characters. Sit back and leave the analysis machine off for these early episodes.

When you want to turn analysis back on, there are some pretty interesting comparisons. This series came out in 1990; Hiyao Miyazaki's classic movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky came out in 1986. There are just too many similarities to ignore, including the boy's personality and the not-so-criminal gang. Lots of anime boards have filled with complaints over the borrowings from Nadia in Disney's Atlantis; the complainers should remember how much this series took from Laputa, and all of them took from Jules Verne directly. It's also interesting to speculate whether the namesake gymnist character was named after Nadia Comenici, the Russian gymnist from the Montreal Olympics. And of course it's completely impossible to tell Captain Nemo from the Macross' Captain Gloval! (why design a new captain character when there's such a good design close to hand? ;-)

Gainax's more recent Evangelion is a much more significant achievement as a series. It takes many of the same biblical references as Nadia (the characters are surprisingly judeo-christian in both) and works them for a deeper and more disturbing story. Happily, I hear (haven't seen the end yet) that Nadia actually has a cogent ending; something Gainax didn't achieve with Evangelion.

If you've seen the shorthand version of this series put out by Streamline pictures as 8 episodes, I can particularly recommend coming back to watch the real deal. The storyline in this version of the series has been an unexpected joy to watch unfold.

The DVD treatment from AD Vision is competent but not outstanding. Language choices are well-handled (subtitles for me; I haven't tried the dubbed track yet). Previews are mostly of their other series, the first three volumes haven't included any worthwhile extras.

I haven't watched all the way through the series to see how it ends yet, but I'm enjoying it tremendously. I look forward to seeing the rest of it, and if you start watching this tremendously likeable series I bet you'll want to as well.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nadia Kicks Butt
Review: Nadia, Secret Of the Blue Water is a classic anime dealing with an adventure in the 1800's which seems to be largely inspired by a famous Jules Verne novel. From the maker of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nadia is much more light hearted but nonetheless an extremely entertaining anime. If you like anime and adventure you can't go wrong with Nadia....

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Disney has ripped another Anime classic!!!
Review: Stay with the Original "Atlantis Story" Nadia, Secret of the Blue Water. Disney has stolen the idea of a good anime series and made it into a movie yet again. The new movie that was just released, Atlantis, has TOO MANY similarities it's unbelieveable. Firstly there's the Nadia rip-off and her blue water. The girl from Atlantis has dark skin and a glowing blue crystal around her neck as well. The male counterpart also has the same type of glasses that the young frech scientist has. The submarine, the intrigue, it all was stolen from the Nadia series and made into a Disney movie. Just like Kimba turned into the Lion King. Please stay with the originals. The so-called Disney "New" releases are but cheap copies of the Originals like Nadia and Kimba. It's a shame to see disney sink so low.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Industrial (and Anime) Revolution
Review: Studio Gainax's Hideaki Anno directed this NHK produced tv series which aired in the early nineties. This enigmatic and thoroughly entertaining series is the whimsical dexter to Evangelion's sinister. Ironically, both works feature biblical icons and cautionary moral tales. This story is loosely based on Jules Vernes 20,000 leagues under the sea, but features a cast of characters mirroring a greek tragedy. The first few episodes are action packed, and set this powerful story in motion. I believe that the properly subtitled complete version will place this work with Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, Honneamis and Evangelion. I hope to see a DVD collector's version.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Looking for the best TV anime series ? Buy that !
Review: The first time I saw this show I was really excited because it deals with adventure, love, and secret (as it is sais in the title). Let me tell ya, you've been looking for a great japanese anime you found it. Really better than everything Gainax has done, I mean, Eva, Fulikuli etc... Besides, everything is incredible in this anime : character design, music, characters'psychology... Thank you gainax. Buy it buy it ! WONDERFUL.


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