Customer Reviews

Saber Marionette J - Collection 1

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Saber Marionette J was originally transmitted in 1996 in Japan. In the Saber Marionette "universe" there are the original series Saber Marionette J (25 episodes), Saber Marionette J Again (1997, 6-episode direct-to-video release) and Saber Marionette J to X (1998, 26 episodes).

This first DVD contains the first 9 episodes... the beginning of it all. This is by far the best anime series I've had the pleasure of watching. All my family has already watched all of Saber Marionette (all the way up to J to X), even my 45-year-old mom, my brother and my sister, and have enjoyed it greatly. It has no nudity and very little violence. (And violence is not an integral part of the story, anyway.)

The DVD has the original Japanese language, plus English and Spanish audio tracks. I've watched the episodes in Japanese (English subtitled), English AND Spanish. If you understand Spanish you are in for a great surprise, as the Spanish dub is one of the best dubs I've ever heard. It's totally cool.

As an extra, you get a musical video of one of the main characters in Saber Marionette. I've watched it more than 20 times already. First watch all 9 episodes, then go have a look at the musical video. (Highly recommended: turn on the subtitles for the video, you'll know what the opening song says, and you'll see that it fits the video perfectly.) The more episodes of Saber Marionette you get to watch, the more you'll enjoy the video.

The image quality is very good. The second DVD may present a problem with some players, where you will not be able to enter the Setup screen to change language/subtitles. The default is English audio... anyway, you can use the DVD remote or controls to change it manually while the disc plays. (My DVD player had no problems at all, but one of my friend's did.)

To sum it all up: Highly recommended. And if you like J, you still have J Again and J to X to look forward to, all highly recommended also.

This series is definitely a keeper.. Even with it's extravagant comedy scenes and wacky characters, this series also manages to add a sweet story of love, compassion, and the human heart.

Although for the most part this series is full of side stories and nonsense humor (mainly involving a man loving side character named Hanagata) the episodes always ontain a moral involving the human heart. Starting off right away, the main character Otaru accidently discovers a hidden marionette named Lime. Marionettes are machines created to replace the human girl on the planet Terra II, but the strange thing about Lime is that she somehow has the same emotions and personality as a real human... And she has falen for Otaru, her new master!

This series is not for one on a feminist kick or for even one who is compelled to cry at any highly emotional scene, for it contains men using marionettes as emotionless servants and also has scenes so compacting they will even leave the hard-hearted in tears. At times the animation is a little so-so, but overall it is a very rewarding piece of work.

This is one series that is under-rated but really should not be missed...

Saber Marionette J. I heard it had Megumi in it. I heard it was popular. I heard it had comedy in it. So I purchased it. I expected it to be about a 3 or 4 star series but I was surprised.

When I inserted the DVD I quickly started the first episode not expecting much. As I suspected the first half of the first ep. was bad and boring (99% of Anime starts this way). Then it picked up. And god did it ever pick up. Midway through the third episode I knew what had happened. Time had been distorted, I had remained in one position for an uncomfortably long period of time and I was laughing quite a lot. All of the indications of a good series. Just how good? Well...I will say that for the first time in a long while I have finally met a series with all the wit, comedy, and plot of Slayers. The big question was it equal to or has it surpassed Slayers? I'm not sure of the answer yet...but after I see the next DVD and the rest of the eps. I will have the answer. Right now I beleive that it can and may quite easily surpass Slayers for my all-time favorite series.

I already seen the whole series on video tape.And I watched so much that I had to get it on DVD, because the tapes were getting worn. When I first saw it, it grabbed my attention as to how adorable Lime was. And as the other marionettes Cherry and Bloodberry showed up the story got only more interesting and fun. I am in my twenties I must admit and since I was a kid I watched alot of the old animes, but when I saw this one I was thrust back into the whole anime scene. It is one of those stories that hasn't been told like any other, it has comedy and heart-break and alot of suspense, with twists of emotion with the characters, that make you feel like you were right there with them, and wish that you could be a part of it. Not many stories I see where I feel sorry for the villians as much as the heroes, but as the story goes on you come to like all the characters, even the very one minded and irreversibly annoying Mitsurugi Hanagata. if you are a anime fan and have not seen this let alone heard of it you must give this one a shot, I still remember the first time I saw it and I always smile when I watch it since. This has to be one of the best and most unique stories ever told, please don't hesitate to get it. The only thing that I was worried about was that the next set of stories wouldn't match up to the first season. But I was wrong, but that is another review for another time. I really hope that this helped you, and I apologize that I didn't go into more detail but when you get it ( yes I am confident with that ) you will be glad that I didn't, and didn't ruin all the suspense for you. This is definately one for the ages.

Everyone else is talking about the story so I'll talk about the DVD. My DVD had problems due to a scratch on the disc but rubbing alcohol fixed it ^^ (Which is great since I bought it at an Anime Con and have no way of returning it). Moving on... This DVD is run the way all DVDs should be ran! There are two subtitles: one for the talking and one for the Japanese writing. Every DVD should have the option of turning all subs off for anyone wanting it in raw japanese form. The DVD has a slightly different script from the VHS and the video is of the japanese version that aired in Japan. This two disk DVD collection is a great buy and a must for any anime collector's collection!

This is a great anime for those who are fans of romantic comedies like Fushigi Yuugi and Oh! My Goddess. Although the anime is appealling to a younger set, the plotline is complex enough to satisfy older audiences and wonderfully thorough in tying up loose ends. The characters are easy to get into and grow attached to. Again, I would highly recommend this to any fan of light hearted, comedic anime. It's one that you can watch over and over again.

This was one of the first and, frankly, still one of the best. Tenchi Muyo, Hellsing, Trigun, Love Hina and the rest are good. But Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry was my first love among the anime series. The extras with the music videos, hidden easter egg with the interviews, the humor and sometimes touching scenes made the episodes in this set of discs and the other two collections PERFECT. The interaction between the characters and the complex plot, with the stand alone episodes, make it worth the price and open the door to the other series of the Saber Marionette universe. While the other stories set in the same setting are fun, this is the superior of them all. And I happen to be a fan of Tiger! Hubba-hubba!

This is probably one of the best animes I have ever had the pleasure of watching. The characters are very well developed, and there is plenty of action, and comedy. Not to mention surprises. If you are a big fan of shows like Tenchi Muyo, then you will LOVE this series.

This is a story about a world with only men. The only thing they have even close to a female is a robot-doll, called a marionette. The unlucky boy, Otaru, who does not have the financial values to own one, stumbles upon his own marionettes, Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry.

This series has it's comedy and drammatical effects. While Lime, the childish marionette is cute running around making us laugh, there is still the moments where the story comes into play and causes a major effect dramatically.

I'd recommend getting this whole series, it was one of my favorite so far.

All my previous attempts at watching anime were a failure, but one of my friends persuaded me to take just a brief glance at the first episode of Saber Marionette J. Since then, I have been completely enthralled. The series is a pleasant mixture of romance and grave events going on in the background - to be unleashed upon the whole of Terra II in the end. But the thing that distinguishes the series from the average is the catching self-irony, which protects the anime from becoming kitsch. This hilarious humour is much more evident in the first episodes - as the great, complex events slowly unfold, the story gets darker and ever more melodramatic. In fact, it is arguable whether it was a good decision to give it a completely happy ending, after the things that happen (well, at least this way it was possible to continue the series with Saber Marionette J to X). The Japanese voice-actors are great (it is interesting that the main male character Mamiya Otaru is being dubbed by an actress), as well as the animation. The whole series is full with mild erotic content - rather to add to the humorous side of the story than to be serious. The characters are complex and filled-out, though after a while they inevitably start to become increasingly predictable. And that leads to the only attribute of the series I didn't approve of: as the plot progresses, some scenes get soaked up with melodrama, almost to the point of distastefulness. Nevertheless, this is not very bothering, because the unfolding plot and the morale that shines through compensate for it. I would recommend Saber Marionette J to anyone craving for some romance, humour and action, arranged in an enjoyable and consistent way. All in all, the whole series is just very touching. A must-have for old anime-fans, too, though they have probably seen it.