Only the Japanese could turn a best selling Manga about death and the afterlfe into a brash technicolour animated series full of wit and comedy. No wonder that Bleach is already a huge hit amongst the Anime crowd.

 

It tells the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a not-so-ordinary 15 year old schoolboy with the ability to see ghosts and 'invisible' monsters.

 

One fateful night he inherits the powers of a female 'Soul Reaper' called Rukia Kuchiki whose job is to help lost souls crossover to the hereafter, which in Bleach is an alternate dimension called the Soul Society. Nothing is ever straight forward in the world of Anime!

 

By popping pills from a Pez-like sweet dispenser, Ichigo is able to free his warrior spirit from him body, armed with an unfeasible large sword, and take on soul eating monsters called Hollows.

 

With me so far?

 

Part of the appeal of Bleach is its chaotic storyline and mish-mash of visual styles. 

 

Despite a preoccupation with kids who have died in road traffic accidents or have been abandonded, this is no Grave Of The Fireflies.  Bleach may look more garish than watching a Pokemon movie with a hangover, but it's definitely cool and has as many in-jokes as an episode of South Park - even if their humour is as often as innocent as its 15 certifcate might suggest.

 

The series has a complicated and unpredictable story arc with lots of attractive sub-characters. Most of whom develop supernatural powers of their own, such as the mighty Chad who it's safe to say is a man of few words but has comic timing as immense as his physical stature.

 

Bleach is as anarchic as it is irresistable. A box set of the 20 episode first series is out on DVD on May 5th.

 

 

One Americanised Japanese cartoon series that definitely is aimed at all kids of a certain age is 1984's Voltron: Defender Of The Universe which returns to DVD in a 3 disc embossed metallic box set on June 2nd.

 

Voltron is not held with the same nostalgic affection in the UK as Battle Of The Planets, Transformers or even for those of us old enough to remember, Marine Boy but in the States it was iconic.

 

Very much a precursor of the Power Rangers, Voltron was a giant galaxy defending robot made up of 5 lion-like vehicles operated by 5 teenagers who suspiciously resemble G-Force.

 

I wouldn't say I'm a fan but its hard not to be impressed by the restoration process that has made this dvd possible.

 

Not only has it been newly restored from fresh film transfers with new colour correction applied but it has been re-edited according to the original TV series. The result is the re-inclusion of many scenes lost in the 1980s US version but also it looks as crisp and clean as if it was made last week, let alone last century.

 

One for collectors for sure.

 

It's a shame Voltron doesn't have the original Japanese soundtrack but how I wish the same process could be applied to my childhood hero Marine Boy. 

 

He was probably banned because he ate chewing gum that allowed him to breath under-water, his best friend was a topless mermaid and he had a theme tune that sounded like it was sung by someone with their face in a bowl of water. Happy days!