Product Details

• Directors: Yasuomi Umetsu
• Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English, Japanese
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Adv Films
• DVD Release Date: October 19, 2004
• Run Time: 125 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002S649G
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,653 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

MEZZO:SHELL ONE - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute girl with guns, October 5, 2004

By 

Zack Davisson "japanreviewed" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mezzo - Shell One + Series Box (DVD)

"Mezzo" is the latest entry in a rapidly growing genre, that of the cute and cutesy schoolgirl-types wielding an amazing arsenal of guns as well as some super-human action abilities. In this case, the cute young lady is Shaolin expert and Bruce Lee fan Suzuki Mikura, resplendent in her skin-tight orange jumpsuit and Colt GM.

Coming from the film "Mezzo Forte," creator Yasuomi Umetsu brings back the DSA (Danger Service Agency), an action-force for hire, supplying their services to anyone willing to pay, consisting of punk-haired techno-geek Harada Tomohisa, ageing ex-cop and leader Kurokawa Kenichi, and the aforementioned "girl with gun" Suzuki Mikura. A possible long-term new member of the cast is found in Elementary school student Asami, a shy girl who is being bullied by her classmates, but winds up in the middle of some DSA action.

"Mezzo" is long on action, and short on plot. This is clearly an action series, with dynamic fighting scenes, slow motion and reality-defying leaps and bullet dodging. Mikura has no problem throwing the hapless Asami out of the window of a five story building, sliding down the elevator shaft and then catching Asami back outside. All in a days work! This first series shows the team being hired by vengeance-seeking ghost and a sexy weather girl in basic one-shot adventures, but these are really just McGuffin cases, like transporting a stereotypical suitcase full of "something everyone wants" that serve little purpose other than to get the team in action.

The TV series "Mezzo" is much more toned down than the film "Mezzo Forte." There is no sex or nudity, very little fan service, and the violence is relatively non-graphic. Yasuomi Umetsu must have found these elements distracting and unnecessary. It is a bit of a surprise to see such a "clean" series after "Kite" and "Mezzo Forte."

Good for fans of stunning action, great character design and familiar simple plots. I liked it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute girl with guns, January 18, 2005

By 

Zack Davisson "japanreviewed" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mezzo - Shell One (DVD)

"Mezzo" is the latest entry in a rapidly growing genre, that of the cute and cutesy schoolgirl-types wielding an amazing arsenal of guns as well as some super-human action abilities. In this case, the cute young lady is Shaolin expert and Bruce Lee fan Suzuki Mikura, resplendent in her skin-tight orange jumpsuit and Colt GM.

Coming from the film "Mezzo Forte," creator Yasuomi Umetsu brings back the DSA (Danger Service Agency), an action-force for hire, supplying their services to anyone willing to pay, consisting of punk-haired techno-geek Harada Tomohisa, ageing ex-cop and leader Kurokawa Kenichi, and the aforementioned "girl with gun" Suzuki Mikura. A possible long-term new member of the cast is found in Elementary school student Asami, a shy girl who is being bullied by her classmates, but winds up in the middle of some DSA action.

"Mezzo" is long on action, and short on plot. This is clearly an action series, with dynamic fighting scenes, slow motion and reality-defying leaps and bullet dodging. Mikura has no problem throwing the hapless Asami out of the window of a five story building, sliding down the elevator shaft and then catching Asami back outside. All in a days work! This first series shows the team being hired by vengeance-seeking ghost and a sexy weather girl in basic one-shot adventures, but these are really just McGuffin cases, like transporting a stereotypical suitcase full of "something everyone wants" that serve little purpose other than to get the team in action.

The TV series "Mezzo" is much more toned down than the film "Mezzo Forte." There is no sex or nudity, very little fan service, and the violence is relatively non-graphic. Yasuomi Umetsu must have found these elements distracting and unnecessary. It is a bit of a surprise to see such a "clean" series after "Kite" and "Mezzo Forte."

Good for fans of stunning action, great character design and familiar simple plots. I liked it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you liked Kite, you will probably like Mezzo.., January 13, 2005

By 

H. A Huffman "haumf" (Mt. Prospect, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mezzo - Shell One (DVD)

Mezzo is the TV version of the OVA - "Mezzo Forte". Its not as bloody as Mezzo Forte, telling the story of the 3-person private security team called the Dangerous Service Agency, but I found myself laughing at the funny parts and the animation is well above average.