Iria

By Roman Martel     February 14, 2002
Release Date: August 26, 1998



The Review!
-Synopsis-
In another galaxy, in another world, the name of Zeiram inspires terror.

He is said to be unstoppable: the ultimate killing machine. Now due to human greed and foolishness Zeiram is on the rampage and no one is safe from his onslaught. After a disastrous battle with the creature, apprentice bounty hunter Iria has a score to settle with Zeiram. Yet the creature has a secret of its own and it might be enough to break Iria.

-Artistic Ratings-
Animation: 5
Sound: 5
Plot: 3
Acting: Japanese: 4
English: 3
Music: 4
Overall: 4

-Disc Ratings-
Sound: 4
Picture: 5
Menu: 3
Presentation: 4
Goodies: 2
Overall: 4

-Review-
I first saw Iria almost two months before I bought the DVD. A friend of mine lent it to my girlfriend and I because he knew we liked Gunsmith Cats (they're both about female bounty hunters with attitudes). After all the hype I had seen about it over the net and even on this site I think I was expecting something a little more than what I got. I bought the DVD mostly because I liked the style and the art design of the world that Iria is set in. But when I watched it the second time I found myself enjoying it more. I just think I was expecting more than what I got the first time.

The animation is smooth and sharp looking. What got me, even in that first viewing, was the thought and imagination that went into Iria's world. Everything is very different for a sci-fi flick. It's not super futuristic like 2001, nor is it super dark like Blade Runner. It's kinda got that used universe feel like Star Wars, but it also has a style all its own. This is very refreshing. The sound effects fit the world quite nicely. I especially liked the vehicle sound effects. Although sometimes the music was a little too brash for some scenes, I liked it over all. The Japanese acting was well done and fit the characters. The English voice actors . . Well, they start off pretty bad (another reason I didn't like it too much the first time) but it seems like the actors got into the story around episode 3, and it does get better. That's the only reason they got a 3. A warning about the subtitles in the movie, they move by fast. I suggest if you've never seen it before, watch it in English (no matter how painful it is) and then again in Japanese. You might miss some critical information if you're trying to watch it subbed for the first time. Now, the plot is a little cut and dried. It doesn't have too many twists and the ones it does have you can see coming. It felt to me like the writers were figuring out the story as they went along and didn't have a clear idea on how they wanted it to end. This definitely feels like the case in the final episode. When the climax comes, you might be expecting something a bit more deep, but what you get will suffice, barely. I just think they could have done more with the plot than what they did. The visuals will keep you entertained, however.

As to the disc itself, this has been the subject of many debates. On my Pioneer A110 and on the DVD Rom on my Dell, the picture was fine. I couldn't see the artifacts or distortions others have mentioned on this disc. The sound was fine. I would have preferred a remastered 5.1 but the stereo was pretty clear on my sound system. The menu is plain and functional. It lacks the sparkle of other discs. The overall presentation is also O.K. Nothing too flashy about the cover or the disc. It is in a snapper case and I prefer the keepcase, but I won't complain about that either. I did get an insert explaining DVD audio information that was interesting. This disc has no real goodies. It has a menu and you can listen to the film in English or Japanese and that's it. I guess the focus is the movie, but I would have liked to see a trailer or two for the movie not to mention some concept art or storyboards. All the vehicles and gadgets in the film looked very interesting and it would have been neat to see some of them close up.

Is this disc worth it? Yes. It's got a great look to it even if the story is a bit cliché. The pacing is good and except for the ending I wasn't disappointed in the overall plot. You get a complete story (almost 2 hours and forty minutes of it) for a great price. I wouldn't pass it up. And even if you are picky with your anime, I think you'll find yourself watching this movie again.

Review Equipment
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