[US DVD] Moeyo Ken TV Complete Collection

[Chris Beveridge]

http://cdn-www.mania.com/content_pics/000004/44/49/6c8ec874838895a3_thumb.jpgReview by Chris Beveridge (http://www.mania.com/moeyo-ken-tv-series-complete-collection_article_114157.html)

Mania Grade: C-
* Audio Rating: B+
* Video Rating: B+
* Packaging Rating: B
* Menus Rating: B
* Extras Rating: B-
* Age Rating: 14 and Up
* Region: 1 - North America
* Released By: FUNimation Entertainment, Ltd.
* MSRP: 29.98
* Running time: 312
* Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
* Disc Resolution: 480i/p
* Disc Encoding: MPEG-2
* Series: Moeyo Ken



In Summary:
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that tastes can certainly change, both for the better and for the worse. When the OVA first came out, it left me feeling cold. When the TV series came out, seeing it in single disc form was an exercise in torture. So after some time, I was curious as to whether it would play out better in a collection taken in over a day or two. Unfortunately, it feels even worse as the repetitive nature and lack of anything more to it shines through all the more. Moeyo Ken is an ideal show for someone new to anime, someone who hasn’t been exposed to all of it before. Done before and done better at that. It has a great look to it as I love Takahashi’s character designs and the lighter nature of it all, but the stories are just dull as watching paint dry and longer than most other shows are by a couple of minutes at that.

[Betenoire]

Moeyo Ken is an ideal show for someone new to anime, someone who hasn’t been exposed to all of it before. Done before and done better at that.

Or just skip them ahead to one of those better shows as the only things to recommend about these shows are Takahashi’s designs and that it's created by Ouji Hiroi of Sakura Wars fame. Both have better works available in R1, so just show them one of those instead.

Moeyo Ken felt to me like some bizarre mixture of a bunch of ideas from other shows, manga or whatever collective gestalt ideas come out of that were thrown into a mixing bowel in the hopes some how that would give something for everyone. And I don't feel the show has something in it that is so horrible I can point it out for train wreck value. It is just so bland that nothing caught my interest in a love or hate way. Instead, I had apathy when watching it and afterwords I pretty close to resent the time I spent watching it as I could have been doing something else far more entertaining with my time.

[Suwako Moriya]

I remember randomly trying out the first episode of this. It essentially convinced me to watch something else. Ie something that was actually good... In general, it came off as annoying more than anything else.

[Damius]

For some reasons despite of the reviews I was still curious about this. I rent the first volume and decide that I agree with the reviews...

[E Nice]

I kinda like the show. There were parts that were a chore and such but other shows that seem to be held to higher esteem were the same to me. But it was a simple show and I took it for what it was worth. I liked the character interaction among the trio and supporting cast. They're were some nice parts, liked the story of Hijikata's mother/robot twin (shame they neglected her in the last few episodes), the twist of Kaoru being half-human and how people would perceive her, and rather enjoyed the two-part finale episode dealing with Count Montague. The main flaws in my view was they were no longer the competant warriors they were in the OVA series and downplayed the monster action for monster comedy.

[Hayate Kurogane]

Mania Grade: C-

Wooow. Someone's in a good and generous mood. What'd you do, Chris? Get a new pair of shoes? See an old friend for the first time in ten years? Find a penny heads-up? :P

Note to fandom at large: there are other things to buy and watch. There's a reason why this full TV series is only $30 on its first collection release!

*gently steers folks away*

[Daimao Raki]

So it's safe to say that ADV and even Funimation wasted money on this show?

[Hayate Kurogane]

So it's safe to say that ADV and even Funimation wasted money on this show?

Wellll...it's not a waste for people who enjoy it, or for fans who might end up enjoying it who'd passed on it initially but were able to jump now thanks to the price. But I would not be at all surprised to learn that this is a title whose current FUNimation form is being entirely subsidized by other FUNimation releases, so in that sense...they could've probably saved some cash. :sweat:

[Chris Beveridge]

Mania Grade: C-

Wooow. Someone's in a good and generous mood. What'd you do, Chris? Get a new pair of shoes? See an old friend for the first time in ten years? Find a penny heads-up? :P

Note to fandom at large: there are other things to buy and watch. There's a reason why this full TV series is only $30 on its first collection release!

*gently steers folks away*

Technically, this is the second release of it. ADV got a collection out of it and FUNimation as well.