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Editorial Reviews
In the distant future, earthquakes and the effects of global warming have splintered Japanese society. Some struggle hand-to-mouth in the jungle-tangled ruins of civilization. Some live comfortably within the closed-off city of Atlas. Others lurk online, anonymously hacking the global economy. As nature grows more violent and the divide between classes expands, one spirited girl - Kuniko - must face her destiny and lead her people into the utopia of Atlas. The city's ruthless government isn't going to welcome them with open arms, but Kuniko won't give up until the gates of Atlas are kicked open for good - even if it means discovering that the promised land she dreamed of is built upon a foundation of twisted secrets and lies.
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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 star series, but what's so special about this limited edition???
August 21, 2012
I first watched this series for free on Crunchyroll (a free or premium for pay streaming anime site). They have since removed the series due to Funimation's picking up the license. Note: the LIMITED EDITION is the art box. That's it. It is a 12 episode, 2 disc set - that is the first 12 episodes of the 24 episode series. Perhaps LIMITED refers to the limited amount of special features! Also, the first half 'limited edition' sells for $10 more MSRP than the second half of the series. So $10 for a cardboard art box.
I had always wondered why a top class Gonzo series had not been picked up until this time. But now seeing the staggering $60 price point for 12 episodes borders on criminal. The series is a solid 5, but Funimation's decision to package a 2009 series for this price is unethical at best. I felt this would have better been the entire series for $60 instead of the first half. Shame on you Funimation. Perhaps in a year or two it will appear in their S.A.V.E. series?
The series is one that is set in the near future. Mankind has been cornered into small settlements due to overwhelming growth of aggressive plants. Any attempts to use fossil fuels typically winds up with mysterious attacks from afar on the populace.
The aspect I really enjoyed about this series was their characterization. I really like that one of the important characters is actually a transvestite! The other supporting characters are also quite enjoyable. I do prefer the Japanese audio with English subtitles, especially for Karin (the blue haired computer hacker girl) and Momoko (the tranny). Mikuni adds a little awe, horror, and strange compassion into the series as well. Don't want to spoil anything.
The 'villains' at Atlas corporation are only some of the diabolical fiends of this jungle world. Every person is unwittingly contributing to the grip the totalitarian rulers are exerting on the populace. Kuniko is a brave and fearless heroine, and she is a welcome addition to the recent outbreak of strong female anime leads recently.
It seems the late 2000s and early 2010s are giving the public many great, under appreciated anime series. This is surely one of the better Gonzo produced series I have seen recently, and a great addition to any anime fan library. I only wish the price wasn't so steep. I wonder if there were 'business' issues with the licensing fees preventing a lower release price?
The animation is fluid and wonderful to look at (only the scenes with Leviathan look like a PS1 video game segment). Voice acting is top notch, though I think the Japanese edges the English dub. But it is a good English dub. Subtitles seem to be pretty consistently translated. And the music, while not to the level of Fullmetal or Gundam, is still quite good.
By the end of the series you will be scratching your head wondering why they didn't go an extra few episodes. Episodes 21-24 seem a bit rushed. The series WAS based on a Japanese novel, so perhaps the producers didn't foresee the story arcs they would need tied up in the end. And since most new anime series are only running 12 - 24 episodes nowadays (except a few big franchise series), you can't just go to the studio and ask for more money to produce an extra 2 or 3 episodes.
Still, a five star series, a creative story, and just loads of fun to watch.
I had always wondered why a top class Gonzo series had not been picked up until this time. But now seeing the staggering $60 price point for 12 episodes borders on criminal. The series is a solid 5, but Funimation's decision to package a 2009 series for this price is unethical at best. I felt this would have better been the entire series for $60 instead of the first half. Shame on you Funimation. Perhaps in a year or two it will appear in their S.A.V.E. series?
The series is one that is set in the near future. Mankind has been cornered into small settlements due to overwhelming growth of aggressive plants. Any attempts to use fossil fuels typically winds up with mysterious attacks from afar on the populace.
The aspect I really enjoyed about this series was their characterization. I really like that one of the important characters is actually a transvestite! The other supporting characters are also quite enjoyable. I do prefer the Japanese audio with English subtitles, especially for Karin (the blue haired computer hacker girl) and Momoko (the tranny). Mikuni adds a little awe, horror, and strange compassion into the series as well. Don't want to spoil anything.
The 'villains' at Atlas corporation are only some of the diabolical fiends of this jungle world. Every person is unwittingly contributing to the grip the totalitarian rulers are exerting on the populace. Kuniko is a brave and fearless heroine, and she is a welcome addition to the recent outbreak of strong female anime leads recently.
It seems the late 2000s and early 2010s are giving the public many great, under appreciated anime series. This is surely one of the better Gonzo produced series I have seen recently, and a great addition to any anime fan library. I only wish the price wasn't so steep. I wonder if there were 'business' issues with the licensing fees preventing a lower release price?
The animation is fluid and wonderful to look at (only the scenes with Leviathan look like a PS1 video game segment). Voice acting is top notch, though I think the Japanese edges the English dub. But it is a good English dub. Subtitles seem to be pretty consistently translated. And the music, while not to the level of Fullmetal or Gundam, is still quite good.
By the end of the series you will be scratching your head wondering why they didn't go an extra few episodes. Episodes 21-24 seem a bit rushed. The series WAS based on a Japanese novel, so perhaps the producers didn't foresee the story arcs they would need tied up in the end. And since most new anime series are only running 12 - 24 episodes nowadays (except a few big franchise series), you can't just go to the studio and ask for more money to produce an extra 2 or 3 episodes.
Still, a five star series, a creative story, and just loads of fun to watch.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By KevinB
Amazon Verified Purchase
This anime looks awesome. It's the story of an 18 year old girl named Kuniko Hojo. She lives in a devastated world that is ruled by a ruthless government. The Atlas government makes sure there is a huge difference between the ruling class and the regular citizens. This makes rising against them difficult. They control the economy and make living a comfortable life nigh impossible. Kuniko and her friends are part of a resistance group that fights to give people a chance to live for themselves.
The animation is amazing, the voice acting and soundtrack are also top notch. The thing that kept me from getting engrossed by this show was the lack of character development. There are a few interesting characters. They have colorful attitudes and good dialogue, but they aren't developed in depth. This makes it hard to get into the story. This is only the 1st part of the story, so there is more time to rectify the issues I have with this anime. It's clear to see that the real action and drama have yet to be seen. I'll probably buy the 2nd part too, but as things stand now the story is 3 stars, the production quality is 5 stars, and I'll give it an average of 4 stars. It's not a strong series thus far, but I hope things will get better. It has massive potential.
UPDATE
Since I wrote this review, I've watched the 2nd part of this anime. All my issues with it were resolved and I loved the conclusion. This is definitely a 5 star series in my book!
The animation is amazing, the voice acting and soundtrack are also top notch. The thing that kept me from getting engrossed by this show was the lack of character development. There are a few interesting characters. They have colorful attitudes and good dialogue, but they aren't developed in depth. This makes it hard to get into the story. This is only the 1st part of the story, so there is more time to rectify the issues I have with this anime. It's clear to see that the real action and drama have yet to be seen. I'll probably buy the 2nd part too, but as things stand now the story is 3 stars, the production quality is 5 stars, and I'll give it an average of 4 stars. It's not a strong series thus far, but I hope things will get better. It has massive potential.
UPDATE
Since I wrote this review, I've watched the 2nd part of this anime. All my issues with it were resolved and I loved the conclusion. This is definitely a 5 star series in my book!
By Kai
Amazon Verified Purchase
I loved watching the subbed version of Shangri-La, definitely one of my favorite anime's. Since I like dubs more than subs, I had to get this. I am loving it, there are some voice differences that I think they could have chosen different people, but it's still great.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Part 1: Strong, Bold, and Lively
Much like our heroine, Kuniko, Part 1 of Shangri-La comes over as lively, strong and bold, and with sudden moments of tenderness and insight. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Andrew R. McLaren
1.0 out of 5 stars
They got me again !
Going by the reveiws I read I thought this was going to be a good Sci-Fi, post apocolyptic show. What I got was a world where 3 8 yr olds,w/ doctorate degrees, run the finacial... Read more
Published 7 months ago by John M Oakler
3.0 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray ?
it had been much better if it had been on blu-ray anybody have anny ideas if they have anny plan to make it on blu-ray ?
Published 7 months ago by Julimo
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Enjoyable Series With Some Standard Issues Of Todays World But Try...
Like with some other movies or series like Origin: Spirits of the Past the series tries to deal with some of today's issues on nature,the abuse of the environment and the overall... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Rich(Trolls Must Perish!)
1.0 out of 5 stars
if youve already seen it dont read this review.
Ok the only reason im writing this review is because I saw the other 5 stars and thought, gee, must be good. Well this isn't a review more than my opinion. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Kylerkeskitalo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shangri-La
If the politically-correct thugs have left this series reasonably intacked,this will show the true natures and rational' for the carbon credits,taxes and exchanges,the fraud behind... Read more
Published 9 months ago by D. Aiken
