Loot Crate - Dream Crate!

A week or so ago, the fine people over at Loot Crate asked me to write about my "Dream Crate!" Basically, about things I would want to receive in my own Loot Crate box. For those of you who don’t already know, Loot Crate is a monthly mail subscription service who deliver a mystery box containing a variety of geek and gamer related items pop culture items. Which is awesome!

For my "Dream Crate," the theme would be "Space Adventure!" So any space related franchise is welcome to squeeze in.

Alien Franchise T-Shirt

Every Loot Crate needs an awesome t-shirt, right? For my Dream Crate, an exclusive t-shirt from the Alien franchise would be amazing! It could feature a unique artistic design of the Xenomorphs or just about anything else from the films; it’s all awesome. You just do not see enough Alien shirts, so that would be a unique addition.

A Star Wars Comic Book

Marvel has been releasing some very well received Star Wars comics lately. Including any one of the issues from the new Marvel's Star Wars comic book selection would be a great way to get me and others hooked on an enjoyable new story.

Firefly Poster

Everyone needs more Firefly merchandise, am I right!? And I'd love to have a "shiny" new Firefly poster on my wall. It could be a more artistic, minimalist poster, or something more traditional; any type of Firefly poster would do, honestly.

Guardians of the Galaxy Figure

Even though the figure does not have to be a Funko POP, like in the picture, any type of figure from the film would be a great addition to my Dream Crate. Who doesn't want a little Groot or Rocket Raccoon figure to show off on their desk or shelf?

"See you Space Cowboy..." Decal

"See you Space Cowboy..." is a phrase you'll see at the end of an episode of the critically acclaimed Cowboy Bebop. A decal of the famous quote is a small yet great addition to the Dream Crate. I could think of a dozen places I could put it! 

Gundam Mystery Figure

Mobile Suit Gundam is one of my latest obsessions, and those mecha robot suits in the franchise look so impressive. Receiving something like a mystery bag/box with a random Mobile Suit from any of the various series would be exciting since you never know which one you'll get!

Free-For-All: Assorted Keychain,  Lanyards, ect. from Star Trek, Halo, or other space franchises 

As with most Loot Crates, there’s an assortment of various smaller items, such as a keychain, lanyards, or other things. A few examples might be a Star Trek keychain, a Halo lanyard, or even a Tom Baker Doctor Who scarf! Half the fun of Loot Crate is the surprise of just not knowing what you’ll find inside, so I want to leave an element of surprise in mine! Especially since Loot Crate does a great job including trinkets and items that you never really think to buy but are cool to have when you get them. 

That concludes my Dream Crate rundown! What do you think? What would be in yours; what’s your preferred theme? Let me know in the comments below and if you want to know more about Loot Crate, be sure to check out their website by clicking here.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

One-Punch Man Review

Are you tired of overpowered superheroes that always win? Do you want to see a superhero that is a brilliant satire of the genre, while still offering a strong story of its own? Well, look no further than One-Punch Man, possibly the most fun and entertaining TV series of 2015!

One-Punch Man is a 12 episodes television series about an average guy named Saitama turned superhero with the ability to win any battle with One-Punch. Instead of the clichéd origin story of learning how to use his powers or overcoming struggles, Saitama, aka One-Punch Man, already wins every battle with a single punch, but as he complains, what's the challenge? He is completely bored with winning every battle and thus he seeks out stronger opponents to battle, while saving the City Z.

As the series continues, we are introduced to many new and inventive heroes that provide both insane action thrills and hysterical comedy. Even though Saitama's battles end in one punch, the other heroes of the Heroes Association create insane action set-pieces. Each of the heroes is unique and highly varied, even for someone like myself who has seen thousands of superheroes across various mediums. The overall plot of the series essentially follows Saitama, and his sidekick, Genos, as they climb their way up the ranks of the Heroes Association. In each episode, they encounter new threats to the city and explore various tropes, such as the overpowered protagonist, the public's view of superheroes, and the massive destruction and casualties caused even after a victory by the heroes. All of this is executed with an excellent comedic tone that fits the series perfectly.

Characterization: 9.5/10- Saitama is a brilliant parody on overpowered characters like Superman or Goku from Dragon Ball Z. But unlike Superman, Saitama doesn't care if he kills the monsters that try to destroy the city. He literally just punches them once and boom, they’re dead, but not before either an epic build up or a hysterical punch-line. As a character, he is used to explore the various tropes of overpowered heroes, as well as creating hysterical situations.

Genos is a cyborg, who is introduced in episode 2, and after seeing Saitama's incredible strength, he begs Saitama to serve as his master and teach him how to be strong. However, Saitama only accepts after a Genos agrees to pay part of Saitama's rent, in a very comical scene. Genos provides many of the best action sequences early in the series, and sets up an interesting plot thread for future seasons.

One-Punch Man's villains are a constant revolving door of monsters and various creatures that threaten the cities. Many of the villains are either absolutely hysterical or extremely badass and inventive!

The supporting cast of heroes is another brilliant set of characters. Whether it is the inspirational Mumen Rider or the highly offensive Puri Puri Prison, you are not likely to forget the slew of insanely fun characters.

Direction: 10/10- Holy crap! One-Punch Man is the most insanely hyped up anime ever. Each battle gets my blood pumping like nothing else! Instead of the Dragon Ball Z type screaming matches and still frames that some of grew up watching, One-Punch Man actually animates the action sequences in high detail. Every episode's battle is a mastery of action animation, and if you like superhero action, you should definitely check out the battles.

Acting: 9.5/10- Unfortunately, there is no English dub as of now. However, Viz Media is known for some solid dubs, so expect this insanely popular anime to receive one in the near future. As for the Japanese cast, Makoto Furukawa as Saitama pulls off the deadpan delivery to absolute perfection! And Kaito Ishikawa as Genos provides the perfect type of over seriousness to make the humor hit even harder.

Animation: 10/10- Studio Madhouse blew everyone away in the first few episodes with animation quality on a level well above what you come to expect. While the action sequences are amazing, later in the series, you can clearly see that a few corners had to be cut during the comedic scenes with very occasional off model moments and a lack of key frames during some of the less action heavy parts. However, these few missteps are a minor blemish on one of the most visually impressive spectacles of animation you will have the pleasure of viewing.

Soundtrack: 9.0/10- Makoto Miyazaki's score is the perfect type of heroic music that makes every battle extremely hyped up! When you hear the hero theme, you know that something awesome is about to go down, and the series never disappoints!

Humor: 9.5/10- Ultimately, One-Punch Man is a satirical comedy, and if you are familiar with either superhero or shounen action tropes, this series is bound to make you laugh. Many of the jokes come from simple things like Saitama going to the convenience store to buy groceries and running into a random monster. And the comedic timing of the series is spot on!

Opening and Ending: 9.2/10- "THE HERO!!" by JAM Project is the perfect hyped up song for such a hyped up series. It is fast paced and gets me pumped up for each and every episode.

Non-Otaku Appeal: If you like superheroes and don't mind some funny weirdness, like a giant crab-man, then give One-Punch Man a shot. If you have any nostalgia for superhero cartoons as a kid or something like Dragon Ball Z, then you should definitely give this series a chance, because it is just fun.

Entertainment Value: 10/10- Honestly, no other anime, heck, no other TV show was as entertaining as One-Punch Man was last year. Each episode got me pumped up, made me laugh, and then got me excited to see the next one! It was the highlight of every week.

Overall: 9.7/10- One-Punch Man is fun, exciting, and full of wit and charm. If you want a visual extravaganza on par with any Hollywood superhero flick, as well as hilarious humor that will leave you in stitches, watch One-Punch Man you won't regret it, and at 12 episodes, it won't take long to watch.

Closing comments: There is a reason One-Punch Man is #2 overall on IMDB's top TV shows, and that's because it is a dang good show! To start watching this insane series, click here to watch it on Hulu or watch it on Hulu in the video below.

Recommended for: Superhero fans, Animation fans,

Note: One-Punch Man contains animated violence and occasional suggestive themes.

To read more of my anime reviews, you can click here.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in Shell

The first image of Scarlett Johansson as the Major in the upcoming Ghost in Shell has been released. Ghost in the Shell has begun filming in New Zealand and will release on March 31, 2017. In addition to Johansson, the cast includes Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale), who plays the Major's boss Daisuke Aramaki, Pilou Asbæk (Lucy), and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire).

Ghost in Shell is based on a Japanese sci-fi cyberpunk manga (aka comic book) series. However, it is most well known in the west by the 1995 and the anime TV series, which aired from 2002 to 2005. After Akira, Ghost in the Shell introduced many audiences outside of Japan to anime in the 90s, although the film did take a more philosophical approach to the original source material, which blended philosophy, action, mystery, and a bit of humor. Regardless of which direction the film takes, hopefully Rupert Sanders will craft a film worthy of the Ghost in the Shell. And oh yeah, my stance on the whitewashing of the cast is a little negative, but the business reasons are valid enough and ScarJo is a capable actress most of the time, so I will stay optimistic. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know! 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Movie Music and More #42: Berserk

Hello all, it me Jamie! I generally blog over at "Jamie Talks Anime" but I'm here to discuss a very unique, airy yet earthy, memorable anime soundtrack. After a thousand repeated recommendations from James The Reviewer, I plunged through the 1997 anime Berserk a couple weeks ago! It was definitely as good as he'd said, and I’m determined to read the source material this year!

However, one of my favorite things about Berserk was, hands down, its soundtrack. It added SO. MUCH. DEPTH. to each and every scene that it was used in. It created such a stunning, atmospheric sound that brought that entire, medieval world to life. Somehow it tugged on my heartstrings too, and now I can’t stop listening to it!

Track 08: Earth. It starts off very airy, with harps, a couple voices, and a bagpipe, just filling the air with atmosphere for the first two minutes. Then, as the rhythm picks up, the pipes go much faster, driving in rhythm of ambition and the taste of ancient times. I get lost almost immediately in the male and female vocals and the sound just swallows me whole by the four minute run time is over. I’d like to note that the synthesizer is used many times in this OST and it’s one of the key elements to gave Berserk such a wonderful sound.

Track 01: Behelit. The first track of Berserk’s OST begins with the urgent movements of the harp and an uneasy wind instrument. The tension grows and remains high through the track’s entirety before softly ending. This melody is definitely a fantastic tone setter for the more mysterious moments of Berserk as it dances around the supernatural wonder of character Griffith and simply the world of Berserk its self.

Track 04: Guts. “Earth” and this track “Guts” are the two I’ve listened to most the past few weeks. This piece has several layers of emotion, just like character Guts himself. Firstly kinda eeiry and mysterious. Then full of rich longing with hope and wonder. This track in particular also executes the electronic sound very well! You can especially hear it in this piece, as reverbs become a intricate part of the musical sound. Somehow it works perfectly with the medivial setting in the anime!

Track 05: Murder. This soundtrack incredibly long with a 9 minute running total! This has got to have one the most ominous, deep, dark sounds I’ve ever heard in an anime soundtrack though, so I'm sharing it anyway. It starts off quiet, and strings and electronic reverbs slowly begin to grow as utter darkness swallows the air for the first two minutes. Then the pace begins to quicken followed by pounding percussion at the 3 minute mark. At about the 5 minute mark, vocals take charge for a bit, soft but haunting and rather disturbing, rejoined later by the percussion. A truly captivating piece of haunting darkness if ever I heard one!

Forces. Ok, I can’t end without talking about this song. It plays during the final bit of each episode during “Next Time” and it’s fantastic! It’s loud, it’s brash, it pounding like horses on a battlefield, and yet it’s also triumphant and full of longing and glee. The voice work is incredibly strong, especially during the chorus. There’s just a driving fire in this piece; it’s wild and fierce and electric; it captures the spirit of Berserk incredibly well!

Have you seen Berserk? What did you think of its soundtrack? Have you heard any more of the great composer Susumu Hirasawa’s music (if not, go listen to this immediately!) Let me know which track is your favorite!

Jamie writes on her personally chaotic blog "Through Two Blue Eyes" about her life as a maturing fangirl in the center of Arizona. She also enjoys anime enough to write about it, and often times its music, on a second blog "Jamie Talks Anime." Drop by anytime! ;)

Movie Music and More #38: "Kara no Kyoukai"

Haunting and epic the best way to describe today's music! Hello everyone, it's Jamie from Through Two Blue Eyes and today I get to share one of my all-time favorite soundtracks with you guys! While I've sadly not seen the Kara No Kyokai movies, I’d love to one day just because its music is epic. Simply epic. I’m incredibly excited to get to share these with you guys today because I'm still not tired of listening to them!

薄れる – Fade: I was floored by this track. Just floored. It’s tone is airy with a touch of peril and techno, followed up by the angelic female vocals. Then a driving beat come in to round it all out. It’s beautiful, deadly, alluring, and determined all at the same time. Mid-way through it softens back out without loosing any of its drive and we get a soft airiness to carry us to the song’s end.

Mirai Fukuin: Wow. The reverb. The darkness. The power; this pieces emanates such power! Again, the airy dark techno, the female vocals; they work so well to create a chilling approach of shadows. I wish this track wasn’t so short because I could write pages of fiction to it. Just wow. I really must give a round of applause to the composer Yuki Kajiura for her talent in creating such chilling musical soundscapes.

Ryogi Shiki – A bone no a lily: Now this piece is very different to listen to. It opens with a powerful chorus that reminds me of a 16th century church chorus, mixed with bits of chaos–and then it cuts to very powerful, gentle notes on the piano. Airy wafts of sound flutter in and the two build to the finale of orchestral strings and bass. A very beautiful piece in its own way!

Jamie enjoys Sherlock Holmes, Marvel movies, and anime among many different things. She loves blogging about anime soundtracks and more at her blog Jamie Talks Anime and everything else under the sun at her blog Through Two Blue Eyes. Thank you for having me again, James!

Death Note Movie Casts Nat Wolff as Light Yagami

Nat Wolff is officially cast as the lead in Death Note, the upcoming supernatural thriller. Death Note follows a young man that finds a "Death Note," a notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written within it, providing the user knows his or her name and face. The protagonist soon discovers its power and uses it to cleanse the country of criminals. A detective named "L" attempts to track the protagonist down and beginning one of the most thrilling games of cat-and-mouse since Sherlock vs. Moriarty. Director of "The Guest" and various horror films, Adam Wingard, will helm the project.

Death Note is one of my personal favorite stories in all of fiction, and I am extremely excited that it is finally receiving a feature film adaptation. Certain elements of the story will be difficult to pull off, and creating the correct amount of tension and drama will require a skillful director. However, from what is said of Wingard's work, he has done some great things, although I have yet to see any of them. If you want to see Death Note in its best form right now, go watch the series on Netflix; it is one of the best crime thrillers of the century. Are you interest in this new film? Please let me know in the comments below!

Source: IGN.com

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The Castle of Cagliostro Review

To kickoff the Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki Retrospective, let’s take a look at Miyazaki’s feature film directorial debut, Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, or simply, The Castle of Cagliostro.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Genre: Action Adventure, Heist, Anime, Animation,

Release Date: December 15, 1979

Running Time: 100 minutes

MMPA rating: PG (maybe PG-13)

The Good: Fun action and adventure throughout, Likable characters, Perfect pacing, Effective introduction to the franchise, 

The Bad: Tonally inconsistent,

Plot: 8.1/10- The film’s plot is simple yet effective. While the movie uses the "save the princess in the castle" cliché, it never hinders the film nor feels clichéd. One of the film's strong aspects is the pacing. Never is there a dull or boring moment throughout the film as it goes about its classic thief caper story. 

My main issue problem with the entire movie is the tonal inconsistency. During multiple points, the tone goes from semi-serious action adventure to a kid's movie. The more serious parts are more effective, but the more lighthearted moments still have their place. With that said, the English dub does lean towards the more family friendly vibe than the Japanese. 

Characterization: 8.0/10- Despite being my first experience with the cast of characters, after the brief ten minute introductions, the viewer knows everything that they need to know about the characters and their dynamics. Each one is distinct and memorable, even if the screen time for Jigen and Goemon was limited. Being the star, Lupin III is obviously the most entertaining and most well realized of the character, although he is portrayed as a more heroic character than other adaptations. Lady Clarisse falls into the "damsel in distress" trope, but she is still likable and served as an important plot point well.

Direction: 8.8/10- Even as one of Miyazaki’s earliest works, The Castle of Cagliostro contains his trademarked high flying adventure. It lends being overly cartoony at times, but overall, the action set pieces are a blast to watch.

Acting: 8.0/10- Regardless of whether you watch the film in the original Japanese or in the 2000 Manga Entertainment English dub, the film holds up well. However, as previously stated, the English dub creates a more lighthearted tone than the Japanese dub since the villain sounds more threatening and less like a cartoon character in Japanese. With that said, David Hayter, of Metal Gear Solid fame, does a great job as Lupin. Currently, the dubbed version is available to watch for free on Hulu.

Art Style: 7.9/10- For late 70s animation, TMS Entertainment’s animation holds up well under Miyazaki’s direction with it featuring elements of his now iconic art style, particularly the female character designs. Otherwise, the fluidity and background art is top notch for the era.

Soundtrack: 7.8/10- Yuji Ohno’s score is upbeat and fitting of the old school caper tone.

Humor: 8.2/10- While some humor falls flat, for the most part, the action comedy elements of the film work rather well.

Overall: 8.1/10- With its mix of adventure, comedy, and good old fashioned fun, Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro combines old school thief capers with the spectacle that animation affords, and the results are a blast! For a debut film, Hayao Miyazaki could not have been much better!

Recommended for: Action Adventure fans, Animation fans, Anime fans, Miyazaki fans, Studio Ghibli fans,

For another opinion of the film, you can read Ian's review over on Banon's Roar! by clicking here. I would like to thank him since his review convinced me to watch the movie.

If you want to watch the entire movie in dub, you can watch below on Hulu.



If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki Retrospective

Studio Ghibli is one of the only foreign animation studios to reach relative mainstream success in North America and Europe. Chances are you might have already seen one of Studio Ghibli's films or have at least heard of them, even if you did not realize it, thanks to Disney's brilliant marketing. A few of the studio's most recognizable works include Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle, although their work spans more than 20 feature films.

Pixar producer and director, John Lasseter, often cites Studio Ghibli founder, Hayao Miyazaki, as an inspiration for his work, and he has worked personally with Miyazaki as the director of Disney's English dubs of Ghibli films. There is even a Totoro plushie in Toy Story 3.

In short, regardless of your opinion of Japanese animation, if you consider yourself a film fan, especially of animation, you need to at least watch the studio's most critically acclaimed works. Fans of Pixar, Disney, or family films should also check out the studio's work.

My inspiration for this Studio Ghibli retrospective comes a request from reader, Matthew Birkhofer, who requested "You should make a list of the best Pixar & Studio Ghibli movies, in one list to see where movies add up!" during the "Ask Me Anything" post, which I will answer soon. Since ranking Studio Ghibli and Pixar would result in the bottom half being mostly Pixar and the top half mostly Ghibli, it felt redundant. So, instead, I plan to review every single Studio Ghibli film over the course of this year, including the early work of Hayao Miyazaki before he started Studio Ghibli. The retrospective begins tomorrow with a review of Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. Please give me some feedback on your opinion this idea in the comment, and whether or not you are interesting.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies: Part 4

After taking a quick detour to the Wild West, we are ready to go "Back to the Future!" with more of the best Sci-Fi films!

13: Edge of Tomorrow: Live Die Repeat

Oddly retitled Live Die Repeat, Edge of Tomorrow is a film that takes the basic concept of Groundhog Day and utilizes it in a fashion that makes the film unlike any other. Edge of Tomorrow is based on a Japanese light novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, titled “All You Need Is Kill,” which was adapted into a manga (comic book) in 2014, and then into the film.

Tom Cruise plays a character that departs from his usual cool, calm, and collected protagonist with Major William Cage, who knows very little of actual combat, thus he progresses in both skill and character as the loop repeats continually. However, the film does falter towards end with the final Act being lackluster in comparison. What puzzles me is why has this concept not already been used before!? It is ingenious for a sci-fi action flick! 

12: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

In many ways Cowboy Bebop is the original Firefly/Serenity, as it contains certain story elements that Whedon uses in Firefly. The series is an animated television series, which had a spinoff film produced. Since the movie takes place within the series continuity and not afterwards, it can serve as an entertaining introduction to the Cowboy Bebop universe for newcomers, although watching the series first is preferable.

The film retains the style and memorable characters of the Cowboy Bebop series except with a movie scale plot, improved animation, and even better action sequences than the series. If you want to watch some stylized action and well developed characters, Cowboy Bebop is most definitely worth checking out.

11: Interstellar

Interstellar exemplifies one of my favorite aspects of science fiction: the exploration of scientific concepts in ambitious and thought-provoking ways. Christopher Nolan explores the outer reaches of space by utilizing real scientific hypotheses about time relativity, wormholes, and a variety of other ideas and concepts. Nolan's use of practical effects provided the film with a sense of realism reminiscent of the classics such as Star Wars and Alien that is often lost in contemporary science fiction in favor of CGI. Unfortunately, Nolan failed to execute characters and script writing nearly as well. Despite this, Interstellar's ambition is what makes it among the best of science fiction in my mind. If you want to know more about Interstellar, click here to read my full review.

I apologist for this extra short section of the Top 25 list, but I wanted to dedicate two posts to the Top 10 Sci-Fi films, which you can read about more soon! So, what do you think of these three picks? Please comment below and let me know!

Previous Parts:

• Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies: Part 3
• Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies: Part 2
• Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies: Part 1

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Marvel Comic Covers by Foreign Artists

A couple of weeks ago, you might remember that I posted alternate covers for Marvel comics by famous Japanese artists, and now the second wave of them is here! The new covers feature characters like Deadpool, Iron Man, Gambit, and more! Which ones are your favorites? Mine are Deadpool, X-Men '92, and Civil War #3. Please let me know in the comics, and if you missed the first set of covers, click here.

Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars #4 has art by Yūsuke Kozaki (Fire Emblem Fates, No More Heroes, Donyatsu)

Civil War #3 has art by Kia Asamiya  (Martian Successor Nadesico, Silent Möbius)

Squadron Sinister #3 by Takeshi Miyazawa (Mary Jane, Runaways)

X-Men ’92 #3 has art by Sana Takeda  (X-23,X-Men: Fairy Tales) 

Inhumans: Attlilan Rising #4 is by Shigeto Koyama animator and designer on Evangelion, Kill la Kill

Ms. Marvel #16 by Full Metal Panic! Illustrator Retsu Tateo

Source: Crunchyroll.com

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6 Unconventional Westerns

Westerns do not have to be set in the mid-to-late 1800s America. Sometimes, a story set in the distant future or other lands can still contain elements of a classic western. Those are the type of movies and TV shows that I highlight today. Also, this is not a list, but rather a collection of fiction that portrays a different take on the western genre.

Firefly / Serenity

Firefly and Serenity are an obvious pick for an unconventional western. Taking place in the distant future where humanity has spread across the stars, space is like a wild frontier with outlaws and smugglers. Everyone knows Firefly as the TV show that ended well before its time. While its short run is unfortunate, we will always have Joss Whedon and company's brilliant first season of television and the feature film, Serenity.

Back to the Future Part III

The third and final part of the madcap time-travel classic, Back to the Future Part III is a fun adventure through the old west with Doc Brown and Marty McFly. It might not be a stellar film by any stretch of the imagination, but it is full of classic western references and witty humor.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird

A South Korean film set in 1800s Korea, The Good, the Bad, the Weird is inspired by Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Much like the original film, it features a memorable cast of cool and zany characters, with Song Kang-ho as the "Weird" being the standout. This South Korean take adds an eastern action flare with lengthy action sequences with practical stunts and superb direction. If you enjoy westerns, foreign films, or entertaining action comedy, give this one a watch!

Trigun

Yes, I know what you are thinking: "An anime? Who would watch that weird Japanese stuff?" But hear me out. Trigun is a sci-fi action comedy set on a new plant that humanity colonizes, and it is a barren wasteland, just like the Wild West. The series follows Vash the Stampede, a man with a 60 billion "double dollar" bounty on his head. What makes Trigun unique is that it starts out as an action comedy with wacky characters and fun action, and then shifts gears to a serious series with complex themes of heroism. Interestingly, the writer of the original comic (manga) that the anime was based on is a Christian, which is evident by the themes expressed. It explores the consequences of a hero that refuses to kill, like Batman, and how that can lead to even more deaths of innocents.

Cowboy Bebop

Another anime, Cowboy Bebop, a classic that everyone should have at least heard of by now, is set in the future where humanity is spread across the stars where bounty hunters, referred to as "Cowboys," roam the galaxy in search of their targets. That's the premise of Cowboy Bebop, but that is only the beginning. The series is heavily influenced by American filmmakers, and the soundtrack varies from smooth jazz to classic rock with each episode being titled after a style of music. Once you get past the slow start, Cowboy Bebop is an unforgettable classic that should be watched by all; I even own the Blu-Ray set! If you are not sold on it after episode 1, skip to Episode 5; that should sell the show to you.

Rango

An animated film starring Johnny Depp, Rango is one of the funniest animated films of the last few years. The plot is a fun twist on classic western stories with animals and shockingly detailed 3D animation.

What are some of your favorite Unconventional Westerns? Have you seen any of the films on this list? Please let me know in the comments, and do not forget to check out my Top 10 Westerns list in the following links: Part 1 & Part 2.

Unless I think of one final post tomorrow for Emma, Plain and Tall's Legends of Western Cinema week on A Lantern in Her Hand & Meanwhile, in the River...., this is the end of my western posts. Thanks everyone for reading, and I hope you have found a few new westerns to watch. My Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies list continues next week, so be sure to check back for that!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.