7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
When a young boy on a peaceful island becomes the victim of a terrorist attack, he transforms into Xam'd, a powerful mecha capable of extreme power. Now he must discover the depth of his power, and the role he plays in a world where metal and rock meet flesh, desire, and destiny.
Starring: Atsushi Abe, Yûko Sanpei, Fumiko Orikasa, Kenji Hamada, Katsuyuki KonishiAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 94% |
Action | 27% |
Fantasy | 18% |
Sci-Fi | 18% |
Romance | 13% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
At what point does sincere imitation tip over into outright plagiarism? It’s sometimes a fine line, as scores of hip-hop artists have found out when they’ve been sued by artists whose original work they’ve sampled, evidently at least occasionally without the requisite permission. The world of anime is similarly full of stylistic, content and character similarities that often make one project blend into another. Usually rising above this fray has been the iconic achievements of Studio Ghibli, specifically the beautiful, lyrical and often haunting work of Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki’s work is so distinctive, odd even, that outright copying would seem to be a fool’s errand. But anyone who has seen even one or two Miyazaki efforts is most likely going to have a certain sense of déjà vu as they make their way through the admittedly spectacularly beautiful Xam’d, an interesting if flawed anime that bears the distinction of being the first anime premiered on the PlayStation network in 2008. A little Nausicaä there, a smattering of Howl’s Moving Castle there, a dash of Ponyo, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away sprinkled in just for good measure, and Xam’d may not exactly win points for originality, but it is undoubtedly one of the most visually arresting animes in recent memory (at least within the confines of the Miyazaki style), if its plot is often too complex and especially unexplained for its own good.
Xam'd: Lost Memories debuts on Blu-ray with a sparkling VC-1 encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This is one of the most elegant looking anime series in recent memory, with brilliantly sharp line detail, a wonderfully varied palette, and a slew of interesting character designs. On both the human and "alien" (for wont of a better word) side of things, Xam'd presents a really compelling design aesthetic and this series exhibits none of the dashed off quality that hampers so many anime series that have to churn out a bunch of episodes in quick succession. The postal ship design is a nice combination of techno and retro, and the humanform villains are certainly as imaginative as anything in the Miyazaki canon. While Nakiami owes more than a little to Nausicaä, the rest of the characters, while on the whole just as redolent of Miyazaki's work, exhibit a bit more ingenuity and innovation, and Xam'd in particular is a nice, if weird, combination of mecha and birdlike creature that is very distinctive. This Blu-ray presentation offers it all with abundant clarity and sharpness, making this easily one of the best looking anime Blu-rays of the past year.
Two excellent audio options are offered on Xam'd: Lost Memories courtesy of DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mixes, one in the original Japanese and the other a very good English dub. While I once again detected an odd, if very minor, limitation on the low end of the Japanese track which wasn't evident on the English, otherwise these two tracks are identical in terms of score and effects. The voice work on both tracks is very effective, and for once the English dub has carefully chosen English language counterparts to the Japanese originals that ably catch the intentions and nuances of the original version. Surround activity is really rather surprisingly consistent, considering this is "only" a television series, and there are a number of excellent effects catapulting around the soundfield in any given episode. While the action sequences are obviously a standout, there's a lot of attention to detail with even very minor foley effects receiving some great sonic treatment. The mix here is very well done, with an artful balance between voices, effects and score.
Without (yet) getting to the denouement of Xam'd: Lost Memories, it's hard to definitively state whether this series will be something akin to a home run, or simply a solid double or triple. As it stands, halfway through the series' episodes, Xam'd: Lost Memories is one of the most elegant looking animes ever, and that certainly is worth something right there. While the story elements are often derivative, and the pacing is beyond slow at times, the overall dreamlike quality of the series is in its own way unforgettable. This may just be an intriguing misfire—the second half will probably tell the tale—but it is so intriguing, and just so incredibly gorgeous to watch, that any qualms about its plot and buckets full of characters fade into the background. Recommended.
2008-2009
Bōnen no Xam'd
2008-2009
(Still not reliable for this title)
Kôkyô shihen Eureka Sebun: Poketto ga niji de ippai
2009
2005
2009
S.A.V.E. Edition
2005
2012
Gekijouban Bureiku bureido Dainishou: Ketsubetsu no michi
2010
Gekijouban Bureiku bureido Daigoshou: Shisen no hate
2011
Hoshi o Ou Kodomo / 星を追う子ども
2011
Anime Classics / フルメタル·パニック!
2002
レドライン
2009
2009
2006-2008
2009-2010
Essentials / Higashi no Eden
2009
Evangerion shin gekijôban: Jo
2007
2011-2012
Evangerion shin gekijôban: Ha
2009
2003-2004
サマーウォーズ / Samâ wôzu
2009
S.A.V.E. | Tokyo Revelations / Spring Thunder
2007-2009