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Something to Watch: Discs

There doesn’t seem to be any science fiction or fantasy this week in either TV or Movies, but there is a show based on a science project; Manhattan: Season One. It uses the Manhattan Project as its backdrop, but doesn’t really use any of the historical figures, most of the characters in the show are fictional.

In Anime, .hack//Legend Of The Twilight: Complete Series brings another dozen episodes and a new story line from inside The World, the massive gaming system. Getting this weeks Longest Title award is Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion, continuing the battle of the magical girls to escape their fate. Durarara!! Complete Series puts all 26 stories about the headless motor cycle vigilante into a single box set for the first time in North America, but it is a bit pricey. I tend to recommend waiting until you can catch it on sale. One Piece: Season 6 Part 4 contains the final 11 episodes of the sixth year of the show, as Luffy continues his fight to become King of the Pirates.

Something to Watch: Discs

There are a lot of good choices this week, starting with The Imitation Game, the story of how Alan Turing was at the heart of defeating the Nazis during WWII by figuring out how to build a machine that could imitate the German Enigma Engine. Turing also invented the Turing Test which would help you recognize when a computing system became self aware, and the Universal Turing Machine which could simulate the computer a given program was to run on based on the program input. That last little 1936 invention was because of a function that became digital computer storage when they built it in the 1940s.

Also out in Films this week is Interstellar, part 1 of the movie version of the story of humanities escape to a new world, and I really hope they go ahead and build part 2. Outcast is the story of an Imperial fight for the throne in China and the part a couple of European Crusaders take in it, and why would I be surprised if Nick Cage goes a little over the top in a movie? Not to be confused with the Game of the Same Name.

In TV, we might get Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season, which I would find exciting. This series is funny and brutal and real, at least from my perspective.

In Anime, Gingitsune Complete Collection tells of Makoto, who sees and speaks with spirits and gods that others can not perceive. It is when they speak back that things often become interesting. Harlock: Space Pirate is the 2013 CGI animated feature film based on the multiple TV series the name of Space Pirate Captain Harlock. Sankarea: Undying Love comes out as an uncut complete series. This Zombie Romantic Comedy is a bit unusual, and quite entertaining. One Piece: Collection Treasure Chest Box Three brings episodes 206 (or possibly 209) through 299 or so in a single box set. Finally Magi: The Kingdom of Magic follows the continuing adventures of Aladdin, Alibaba, Morgiana, Scheherazade, and other Magi as they collect their power and prepare to protect their kingdoms. This contains the first 13 episodes of the new series.

Something to Watch: Discs

In movies this week we get The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which you can pick up as a stand alone or as the full trilogy, all three Hobbit movies in a single box set. The other fantasy worth watching again is Disney’s Into The Woods, the musical made into a wonderful movie.

If you need a dose of silly, there is also Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXXII, which I can never decide if I should be classifying it as a TV show or a collection of movies. If that is not silly enough for you, they are re-releasing Rowan Atkinson’s Mr Bean: The Whole Bean, which is definitely a TV show and completely silly.

There are a few new anime releases this week, but the only Genre titles coming out are re-releases. I count School Rumble – Season 1 + OVA and Season 2, both in S.A.V.E. editions among them, since it has flying saucers and wild dream sequences. But mostly it is just funny, and is never about anything that rumbles.

Something to Watch: Discs

In movies this week we have Vice (maybe), the Bruce Willis re-imagining of a Westworld-like place. I say maybe because it was originally set for release this week, but when I look up my pre-order it says both that it will be delivered on Tuesday and that it is not available. The critical response and box office were both so bad on this film that they may have decided to give the disc a pass after all. The beautifully animated Academy Award nominated Song of the Sea looks to be the winner among this weeks films, with the rather silly Penguins Of Madagascar also coming out.

In TV we have WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete Second Season, a show I couldn’t watch when it first came out because I was always asleep. I had to be awake and alert when I got to the radio station at 11PM to go on air at midnight in those days. A whole lot of folks told me about the show, and asked if I had gotten paid to let them model the character Doctor Johnny Fever on my life. Sadly enough I didn’t see a penny from the show, but they nailed what being on an AOR radio station was like in the late 70s, and it is a favorite of mine. I am looking forward to seeing this new group of episodes.

In Anime we have Devils and Realist Complete Collection, all 12 episodes about the guy who broke into his family vaults to steal his tuition money, only to discover he had to choose the new ruler of Hell. That link will let you stream it at Crunchyroll. Tokyo Ravens: Season 1 Part 1 brings the first 12 episodes of the magic battlefield that is school (OK, that description sucks, watch the show and come up with your own; it is streaming at Funimation). Finally Bleach: Season 24 Uncut Box Set brings episodes 330 through 342 of the Soul Reapers adventures home. We can expect the Disc releases to slow down now, since they have just about caught up with real-time; episode 366 is streaming live this week from Japan on the Viz web site.

Something to Watch: Discs

In movies, the only real choice this week is Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, the conclusion of this world-class trilogy. We lost Robin Williams shortly after this one, but everything else about this film is spot-on! There doesn’t seem to be anything in TV this time, at least not that I have found.

In Anime Familiar of Zero: Knight of the Twin Moons continues the adventures of the sorceress with very little control of her magic. Her control is so bad that when it came time for her to summon a familiar, she ended up with a human from our world rather than a magical creature. Now Louise the Zero and her familiar Hiraga Saito have to try to rescue the newly crowned Queen Henrietta from her kidnappers while the world plunges into war. In The World God Only Knows: Season Three – Goddesses the demons Keima must capture are hiding inside real goddesses, and even worse, those he has conquered before. How does he defeat them this time?

For those looking to continue a favorite, Fairy Tail: Part 15 brings us episodes 165->175 of some of the most deadly and hilarious magic duels ever recorded. To put that in perspective, the link I included to Hulu’s Fairy Tale collection tops out at 302 episodes at this point.

Something to Watch: Discs

In Movies we get The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, which continues to be an excellent translation into film of the books by Suzanne Collins. The third book was broken into two pieces, possibly because the story was too dense, or perhaps in hopes of getting one last payday out of their investment. The other feature film this time around is the Disney animated Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast

In TV Outlander: Season One, Volume One brings the book series by Diana Gabaldon to life. The stories merge time travel, romance, mystery, and war to tell a very interesting tale.

Anime has Unbreakable Machine-Doll, where Raishin is studying Machinart, a dangerous blend of magic and technology. There is a competition between the puppeteers that borders on open warfare, and some are not shy about using humans parts as doll components to defeat their opponents. In Outbreak Company Shinichi has been drafted by the government of Japan to be an Otaku Ambassador to a parallel world filled with Elves, Dwarves, Dragons, and other magical creatures who all love anime and gaming. Where exactly do I go to sign up for that job?