Customer Reviews

The World of Magic Knight Rayearth: TV Series Season One and Two

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I picked this up at my local Best Buy's for $40, considering that this box set contains both full seasons of Magic Knight Rayearth. In total, there are 13 discs with this set, Season 1 has 6 Discs (1 disc is full of Special Features). Season 2 has 7 discs in it, all seven discs are of the show (No Special Features disc). Ok, onto the synopsis of the show itself.

The country of Cephiro is in grave danger and according to an ancient legend, in times of crisis such as these three girls from another world come to Cephiro and become the Legendary Magic Knights and save the world from destruction.

Season 1 is the origin of the Magic Knights. Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuzaki, Fuu Hououji are visiting Tokyo Tower when suddenly, the three of them hear a strange voice and see a strange bright light in the sky. The three are instantly transported to the world of Cephiro where they quickly meet Master Mage Clef who informs them of their reason for being in Cephiro. It seems that High Priest Segato has kidnapped and imprisoned the Pillar of Cephiro, Princess Emeraude, whose sole duty is to pray for the world of Cephiro in order to keep it safe. However, the meeting is cut short when the group is attacked by Alcione (am unsure of the correct spelling) and High Priest Zagato manage to transform Master Mage Clef into stone. Now, the three girls must fulfill their destiny by becoming the Legendary Magic Knights and saving the world of Cephiro from being destroyed.

Season 2 picks up right after the events of Season 1. The girls return are pulled back to the world of Cephiro, charged with saving it once again from an even stronger and powerful foes than in the first season. The girls must once again, don the armor, the swords, and the magic that so served them in their battles in the first season.

This show has it all, magic, swords, monsters, and even Mecha machines. The battles are intense, there's even comedy, some romance, and great graphics. The whole series is awesome, especially since you get almost 19 worth of televison for $40. I've seen 12 and 13 episode animes that cost more.

A couple of notes that I want to make. First, I would've done this review a lot sooner, however, I had to return my first copy as I received a duplicate copy of the "Learn" disc in Season 2, when I returned it, all was well. Second, I don't know if it's my DVD player, some interference or what, but sometimes while watching Season 2, it seemed like there was in fact interference on my DVD player, when I rewound my DVD to before the "problem" they weren't there after it played back through. And Third, it seems that there's a strange echo in Season 2, Disc 6, Episode 3, not sure if it's just my copy or not.

With that all out of the way, I must recommend this show, the characters are loveable, the battles are awesome, and you get a lot of episodes for a mere $40 (at least if you get it from Best Buy). I'd definetly recommend this to all of my anime friends.

***Edit. There is one negative to the show. Every episode starts off with a brief recap of what the show is pretty much about which tends to get rather annoying.

This box constains the full seasons 1 and 2. This series is wonderful. The soundtrack is amazing. Made me cry at some parts, laugh at others. Actually, just listening to the music is enough to give you a pang (you either feel like crying, or smiling). I've seen this anime when I was a teenager and now I decided to buy it and add it to my collection.

This work begins very whimsically... the pace starts off light hearted and playful, and over the course of the anime builds to a meaningful, and exciting climax!

The production quality feels dated but the content of this work is so valuable it could have been done as cave paintings made from berry pigments and it would still stand the test of time today... this is simply magnificent work!

It explores the building of friendships and the power of love, and hits both targets with the accuracy of a seasoned marksman.

I wouldn't have expected any less from this works original story writers CLAMP (Chobits, Angelic Layer, and many others).

With unbelievably rich story telling and a dramatic plot twist you simply MUST OWN this work if you want to be moved to laughter, experience what someone will do for love, and feel the building of solid friendships.

When this is all said and done you feel like you have many new friends and are sad to see the story come to an end.

Meaningful story!

FANTASTIC Anime!

A Must own!

Without a doubt, Magic Knight Rayearth is my favorite all-time anime. It's exciting, funny, scary, sad, and epic all at once. The storyline is intense and builds to a crescendo that will leave you with your jaw-dropped. As for the art, there are times when I actually have to hit pause on my DVD to admire the beautiful artwork.

The characters in Magic Knight Rayearth are as unforgettable as the story. The brief cutesie illustrations that sneak into the episodes don't bother me so much as the flagrant nudity and sexual references in what is a show that appears to be geared for young children. Most of the episodes in season 1 avoid this problem. But season 2 is another matter altogether. I've watched Rayearth with my young niece and nephew, but I always have to be wary of exactly which episodes I play for them. I haven't heard any of the other reviewers make an issue of it, but I'm always concerned about entertainment that tries to sneak inappropriate material in a product meant for children. Once upon a time, Rayearth was going to be localized for American television, but I guess a few people working in television had the same reservations I did and chose not to air the show. What a pity, because Rayearth had all the elements to be a huge success in the states (it would probably have wiped the floor with Sailor Moon during its heyday).

In spite of my rant on the inappropriateness of some of Rayearth's subject matter and artwork, it is an anime of the highest possible quality. In conclusion, Magic Knight Rayearth is an amazing anime and is a must have for any true fans of the genre.

This is the reason I love anime, it takes you to a place where anything magical can happen to anyone with the rigth heart. I love this anime so much. A firend introduced me to this anime, I was hooked on it like glue... Love everything about it. Season one fouces on the princess and the magic knights arrival, but there is an ironic twist in the end of season one, I have to say I did cry...Season two is my favorite season with the arrvial of Nova and her sercet orgin that left my mouth on the floor. I love this anime becasue it shows how a person's well and heart can make a real difference. I do highly recommend this anime for all anime fans to buy and have in your collection. Also get the ova, it pretty good, a different alternative to what you already now about MKR.

I bought this box-set to replace my sub vhs of the first volume. I am glad that I did so. Onto the show itself. Yes, it is problubly a vhs-rip, but I personaly cannot difenat between vhs and dvd. You get both sesons each in a seperate dvd box. The packing is in a stack-pack, but I can live with it for the price.

An anime everyone should have at home. Silly in the beginning, but extremely dramatic and grown up on it's second season!

As other reviews about the series itself were already written I decided to write this review on the packaging of the series and its quality. First and foremost I must declare that this series is amazing and you should buy it...but you might not want to buy this edition.

When I received mine and opened it I found out that the box set for the second season had a big crack right on top of the place where you open the box. Unsurprisingly more plastic fell off as I opened the case. Also the 2 box sets (the first and second season comes in separate boxes) are placed inside a thin paper box, so thin that if you put a DVD box ontop of it it will bend. Another thing worth mentioning is that the DVD's are placed inside a plastic holder. They are not inserted into any kind of sleeve or paper packaging and in case your box has a crack (like mine did) they will be exposed to air.
One must also address the image quality. It is very bad. Now, I know this series aired in 1994, and I didn't have high expectations. But the quality is so bad that I highly tend to believe they used VHS as the source of these DVD. If I buy a DVD I expect close to DVD quality, and although the series aired on 1994 this US release is from 2006! Someone obviously took an old copy of this show and just slapped it on some DVDs.

To conclude: you should buy the series, but not from this company, and not in this format. Maybe in a couple of years a better version befitting this great series will be produced.

*The first section of the review is the contents of the box. The section section will be the story overview.

-----------------The Box Review------------------------------------------

-The Artwork-

Just as the picture shows although the box itself is thin and flimsy as a poster. This can easily be bent or squashed out of proportion if stored carelessly.

-Inside the Cases-

There are only two cases for the entire series. Series 1 case (containing the first season) and Series 2 case (contains the second). The artwork on the cases is the same as purchasing them separately.

However as a slight disappointment all the CD's are contained inside one case for their respective season. This would have been convenient had it not been for the slight mechanical problem. The CD's must be put back in a certain way that they are overlapping the other CD's. If not they have a tendency to slide out of their respective places. Also the CD's are not numbered. Each CD for the first season has artwork on the cover. The Second Season is labeled by words.

-Goodies and Extras-
As for the last season 1 disc it contains two interviews concerning Magic Knight Rayearth. We learn that Nova was a character based on Iczer 1 by the director of the television series. The CD's contain special features as spell index, bloopers, and omake endings.

*All the extra features claimed on the back of the box are on the Season 2 discs.

Language:
Japanese, English. Subtitles available.

-------------The Story---------------------------------------------
"Watashi wa, Emeroudo Hime"
-Princess Emeraude

-Season 1-

Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are the three main heroines in this series. Unknownigly as the girls are in Tokyo tower a mysterious glowing beauty that pleads for their help. Immediately the girls are whisked off into a strange land and caught by a giant flying fish before falling to their dooms. Master Mage Clef greets the girls after a quick introduction of power-showing. There it is explained that the High-Priest Zagato has stolen Emeraude Hime, who is the pillar of Cephiro. By her clean thoughts and constant prayer she is able to Cephiro a land of peace by the sheer power of her strong will. However Cephiro is becoming a place where monsters roam freely and the people are trapped in fear.

As the 3 premature Magic-Knights are whisked away on a eagle to avoid Zagato's minion, Acylone from destroying them they are left the task to become Magic Knights and save Cephiro from destruction. This is the beginning of their adventures, trials, tears, and triumph in the land called Cephiro.

Magic Knight Rayearth is a funny, serious, yet quick-pace action series with a surprise ending that centers around the three girls and how Cephiro may not be as it is seen to be. Allies and Friends are made along the way. Some depart for good, and even the villains have their reasons for being the way they are, whether it is deemed good or evil. If you are a fan of Christian Hans Anderson's "Little Mermaid" and like Sailormoon, then this series may prove interesting to you.

Everything in Cephiro is controlled by will. However it is only those who have a strong-will that are the true earth-shakers, which can be anyone who possess that determination, even the villains. Each episode is filled with some interesting monster battles, so you'll never be bored by "idle-talk" unlike the Dragonball Z series. The monsters can be unique, ranging from cute-little forest creatures who are truly beast themselves, to a wall of light that is attracted to blood. As said before, Cephiro is not as it truly appears to be.

As the Knights evolve as well as their armor and magic they are at last faced with a grueling task. Complete their mission, or allow sorrow to destroy their only hope of going back home?

--------Season 2---------------------

Season 2 picks up where Season 1 ends. Cephiro is without a pillar and is endanger from extinction. But that isn't the only problem. Now that the invisible wall that Emeraude made is gone invading countries have their eyes set upon the power of the pillar system. And now a new villian appears, much stronger than the last. This villian is of Cephiro yet it is not of Cephiro. A villian which was purely "wished" upon by the people, created by their insecurities, their fears, their hatred and their anguish. Even Hikaru herself, Nova. Unlike the first season however, this time the Knights aren't simply taking forced-orders. This time, they want to fight with their own wills.

Season 2 provides some very interesting background concerning Cephiro and the pillar system. Old allies and friends and reunited, as well as old and new enemies. Nova is Hikaru's fears and doubts and she knows it. At times Nova seems to be compassionate, but by a quick and abrupt insane personality switch she becomes a spastic dysfunctional being that screams "I You Hikaru!" while attempting to tear her and her allies apart. As the first season the action-pace stays true but this time the Knights can choose what they want to do with Cephiro.

If you never heard of this wonderful classic series "Magic Knight Rayearth" or are simply interested in picking up a more 'action-filled' magical girl set, MKRE is for you.

This item arrived in perfect condition. This anime is full of heart. Three young girls are transported to the magical world of Cephiro, their only hope of return is to save this strange and beautiful world from the evil Lord Zagato. The road is challenging and perilous, but they make many new friends along the way. But can they defeat Zagato, and save Cephiro's beloved Princess Emeraude? The truth lies in a heartbreaking secret. This was one of CLAMP's first anime's but that does not make it dull in any way. If you love anime, and especially fantasy anime, then you will truly fall in love with this series. This particular set comes with seasons 1 and 2, so you get the entire saga. Hope you enjoy it as much as me and my children have!