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My Hime, someone's tired...

Beez have catapulted themselves into the UK anime big league in 2006 with great releases and fan friendly policies.  We're hoping for more in 2007, and considering the continuing series that are coming our way should end early in the year, there will no doubt be a lot more on the way.  Beez have strengthened and they will continue to do so.

They Say:  'Personally, I would say Eureka Seven – it’s got a refreshing soundtrack mixed with some awesome visuals and a new way of thinking of mecha!'

We Say:  'It's a bit awkward as no new titles have been announced yet, but keep your eyes open for more of the awesome 'Honneamise' Limited Collectors Edition releases'

Unfortunately there's not a lot of new stuff to cover, so we've provided overviews for some of the more recent series and one possible release...
 


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Eureka Seven

It's another giant robot show!  Or is it?  Eureka Seven has become very popular with many fans for it's new take on the genre, and its great animation.  The story follows the 14 year old Renton, a mechanic's son on an alien world who dreams of joining the rebel force battling the oppressive government.  His reason is not political though, it is because of a sport called 'reffing', where people surf on particle beams in the atmosphere.  Renton idolises the leader of the rebels, a former reffing champion called Holland who now uses transforming robot cars called LFOs to fight the government.  Renton's hopes of joining up are slim until the rebel fighter Eureka crashes her LFO and takes it Renton's garage for repairs.  Before long government troops arrive and destroy the garage, throwing Renton into the rebel ranks, but he is unprepared for the harsh realities of the rebellion.  Eureka Seven is an interesting take on a overused genre and seems to have an element of originality that could set it apart from its peers.
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Fantastic Children

Fantastic Children may be a recent title but it doesn't always feel like it, in fact it has more in common with the fantasy action series of the '70's and '80's.  The basic premise is that there are special children around the world who are immortal, going through a never ending cycle of reincarnation that gives them magical powers and great knowledge, along with platinum blonde hair.  No-one knows how they live so long and why the have the powers they do, but they have been searching for a special girl for centuries, and it looks like they may have found her.  Two orphans, Helga and Chito are searching for a special artefact that may help them to recover their fading memories, but Helga may just be what the strange children are looking for.  Despite being reminiscent of the old English film The Midwich Cuckoos, Fantastic Children tries to be a good old fashioned adventure story.  With impressive retro-styled animation and a traditional orphan boy and girl duo as heroes, Fantastic Children generally succeeds too.
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Gunbuster

Gunbuster was Neon Genesis Evengelion director Hideaki Anno's debut anime, and a massive hit for the fledgling Gainax studio.  The story follows a young pilot called Noriko who battles through a tough training regime for the chance to go to space and fight the alien menace that killed her father.  Partnered by an older pilot called Kazumi Amano, and being helped by the handsome Smith Toren, Noriko struggles with her new role in space and also the huge time lags between her and Earth.  Despite only months passing for her, years pass on Earth and every time she returns she finds her friends have become far older than her.  Trapped out of time and facing an overwhelming enemy, Noriko must try to come to terms with her life if she has any chance of survival.  Gunbuster has been available in the UK for a fair while in a bare-bones DVD release from Kiseki, but an extras-laden release is just what the doctor ordered for a great title that counts anime pundit Jonathan Clements amongst its devotees.
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IGPX

A clear sign of the popularity of anime in the US, IGPX was conceived as a do-production between Production I.G. (the studio behind Ghost in the Shell) and America's Cartoon Network TV station.  IGPX is short for Immortal Grand Prix, a sport conceived for the series that sees teams race in giant robots round a massive 60 mile track.  During the race they are allowed to to attack their rivals to disable them, and this combat element has made the sport the most popular on Earth.  Into this arena steps Team Satomi, a crew of amateur pilots who's success in the sport's second tier has thrown them into the big time.  Struggling with limited funds and experience, Team Satomi have a seemingly impossible task ahead of them if they are to overcome the best teams in the world and lift the IGPX trophy.  Combining giant robots and racing is a great idea, and the rookies-trying-to-do-the-impossible plot is familiar and accessible.  The series looks gorgeous too, and this has helped make it a big hit in the US.
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Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny

Beez wasted no time in putting out the Gundam Seed Destiny, with volume 1 hitting the shelves just over six months after Gundam Seed ended.  This second series of the alternative 'Cosmic Era' Gundam Seed is set two years after the first series and finds the rival forces of the Earth Alliance and ZAFT enjoying an uneasy peace.  However, tensions reach breaking point when an Earth Alliance special ops team attack a ZAFT facility and steals three new Mobile Suits.  ZAFT pursue the perpetrators but they are powerless to prevent the shattering of the truce and the declaration of another war.  Fans of the previous Gundam releases will know what to expect from Gundam Seed Destiny - action, intrigue and some great sci-fi!  The Gundam Seed incarnation of the massive Gundam franchise is without doubt the most visually accomplished of the lot, and the gorgeous animation is used to great effect in the stunning space battles.  However, as you expect from Gundam, there is a great story on show too.
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My-Hime

You can't go far in anime without your very own super-powered schoolgirl show, and this is Beez's My-Hime focuses on Mai and her brother Takumi, two teens who have received a scholarship to the prestigious Fuuka Academy.  However, if they were expecting a normal place of learning they are very much mistaken.  On the way to the school the pair witness a battle between two girls who manifest awesome powers.  They are Hime - Highly-advanced Materialising Equipment - girls that can materialise solid objects from light particles, and Mai is shocked to learn that she also has this ability.  From then on she is forced to learn fast as she not only comes to terms with her ability but must use it to protect herself and Takumi from the attacks of mysterious monsters known as Orphans.  My-Hime has proved pretty popular with fans in both the US and UK, and with half the series still to be released there are plenty more plot twists and drama in store!

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