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Kino's Journey Complete Collection (ThinPak)
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Every so often, a series comes along that really doesn't fit in with
other anime. For example, you could say that a series like
Maburaho has some ties to Love Hina, Fafner has
elements that make it quite a bit like RahXephon, or that
Excel Saga just picks and chooses from everything under the sun.
Then there are those rarities that immediately become fan favorites
simply because they are different. Kino's Journey is very
unlike any other series simply because it is so surreal, and now
Kino is back with a all-new ThinPak Collection.
The world of Kino's Journey is often times strange, but some
of the ideas that the story presents are thought provoking and have
some symbolism that can be found in our world. Kino is simply a
traveler who is learning more about the world by going from place to
place. However, she only stays in each of them for three days to
learn about the people and the culture in the different lands and
then moves on. Her loyal friend Hermes who also happens to be a
talking motorcycle also accompanies her, and the two encounter
people they would call friends as well as those who are without a
doubt foes.
What is interesting about Kino's Journey is that if you've
ever wanted to see something that has a moralistic tale, almost
every episode is presented in such a fashion. You'll see what the
outcome is of things that would be considered innocent, what can
happen when something is taken completely out of context, and the
dark underbelly of society. The series is also filled with beautiful
imagery and interesting technology that make this a journey to
remember.
The box for this collection somewhat mirrors the imagery that the
series presents. On one of the faces you will find Kino looking
slyly over her shoulder, her guns drawn and ready for any trouble
that may come her way. The image stands out boldly against the white
background that it is placed on. The opposite side again faces Kino
with her weapons drawn, but this time captures some of the action
from the series. As you follow Kino on her adventures with Hermes,
she will find her way into a brutal arena battle that concludes with
a bitter fight against a skilled swordsman. He is displayed here as
well as his fateful dog Riku, and even Hermes is present. The spine
simply features Kino atop a cloudy background of grays and blues;
the same background is used for the top with the Kino's Journey
logo used to accent it just a bit more.
Although the bonus features are missing due to the fact the series
has been compressed into three volumes (one less that it's original
four) this is forgivable. The original DVD's simply has clean
opening and closing animations, and for most, this shouldn't be
missed. The original version of the collector's box also came with a
special premium, a license plate with "HERMES" written on it, but
again this isn't necessarily a must have item. For those looking for
save a little space in their DVD collections that do have one of
these, it can easily be put into the ThinPak cases with no fear of
damaging the disc.
It is interesting that while the series concluded its original
release people are just starting to discover Kino's Journey,
but in many cases the DVD's have been hard to come by. This
collection will change all of that, and if you're just not finding
out about the series or have had your interests perked by what
others are saying, I'd advise that you're next journey is to find
yourself a copy and get ready for one of the most unique anime to
come along in quite some time.
- mike -
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