10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly one of the best anime release this year., August 2, 1999
This review is from: Battle Athletes Victory, Vol. 1: Training (DVD)
Even though the box art and the character design may lead you to believe that this may be one of those "cute girls being happy and giggly then its over" kind of anime that we have seen gazillion times. Well, it is. At least in first volume that is. But trust me, if you continue to watch the series and get to know the characters better, then this series will grow on you. In fact, between all those silly comedies, there are powerfully emontional scenes that may actually move the audience. I did, and I am not the type who normally get moved by anime, or any type of films. Character development has been seriously lacking in anime these days, but Battle Atheletes is one of few exceptions. Anyway, if you like anime series, by any means go check it out. It is my favorite since Revolutionary Girl Utena. P.S. I want to mention that this series contains lesbian subtext (it gets more deliberate by the fourth volume). Nothing explicit, but this might bother someone (or interest someone).
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful piece of "Anime" - Beware of Dubbing Inacuracies, September 28, 1999
This review is from: Battle Athletes Victory, Vol. 1: Training (DVD)
"Battle Athletes Victory", or Daiundokai, is truly an amazing series in disguise. Although the character lineup and artwork point to another "see it for the Half Naked Girls" type series, the story is actually quite deep and the character developement is one of the best I've seen. Laugh, cry, and cheer these very human stars as they develope their own personalities and traits. The characters are readily identifiable from each other, though the humor may be slightly a bit too politically incorrect. The only flaw with the English Dubbed version involves inadequate voice casting. The english dubbers miss cues, improvise, Over Americanize and even use profanity (there is none in the original script). If you want the best experience the script has to offer, watch the subtitles only, and leave the voices in Japanese, this makes it slightly inconvenient but a much better experience.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The start of a great, yet underrated show, June 30, 2001
This review is from: Battle Athletes Victory, Vol. 1: Training (DVD)
I picked up this DVD on a whim, remembering seeing an episode several years. And even though it didn't catch my attention when I first saw it, I decided I might as well watch the first volume. What I found was one of the most original and well-made anime series I had ever watched.
Set around three thousand years in the future, Battle Athletes Victory follows several athletes from earth training to become the coveted Cosmo Beauty, the greatest athlete in the universe. Quite a silly premise at first glance, but when you look deeper you will find much, much more: Excellent character development, a smile on your face (or a tear in your eye) at the end of each episode, and a strong plot of friendship and the will to succeed.
The main focus of Battle Athletes Victory is 15-year-old Akari Kanzaki, the daughter of the most famous Cosmo Beauty ever to hold the title, the late Tomoe Midoh. Akari longs to hold the same title her mother did, but unfortunately it doesn't look as if she inherited the skill from her. She's dead last in all the events, which causes her to be depressed whenever she's not competing, hiding in a cardboard box she marked "Akari House". Other main characters include Akari's best friend, Ichino; Tanya, a young girl from Africa who just wants to have a good time; Jessie Gurtland, a determined blond American who wants to follow in Tomoe Midoh's footsteps herself, and thinks that Akari doesn't deserve to; The tomboyish Russian, Ayla Veferascca who is in direct competition with Jessie; and Wong Ling-Pha, the crazy Chinese girl just thrown in for comic relief.
The first volume focuses more on introducing the secondary characters and developing their personalities rather than Akari's, which is a nice change in pace from most anime series where secondary characters are all but ignored. During all this, Akari pretty much stays depressed, which while keeps her quite one-dimensional for now, allows for some great interaction between her and other characters.
Once I bought this first DVD, I couldn't wait for the other volumes to arrive, and I'm sure you'll feel the same way about it if you just give it a chance.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
