December 2008 Archives

Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater Vol 2

Snake Girl / The Wish

[Umezu Kazuo Kyoufu Gekijou: Madara no Shoujou / Negai ]

Genre: Pre-Pubescent Horror Tales

review in one breath

This is the second volume of the Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater collection and contains episodes three and four of the six-episode whole. Unlike the tales of the first and third volumes, these two tales focus on the (mis)adventures of two elementary school-aged children. In the first, a young girls learns the hard way about the transformational power of hatred. In the second, a young boy discovers to his horror that sometimes wishes come true.

Ashura [The Eyes of Ashura Castle]

Ashura Jo no Hitomi

Genre: Edo-Era Supernatural Sword-Flailing

review in one breath

The sudden rise in demonic activity can only mean one thing: the emergence of Ashura, Queen of the Underworld under whose reign the terrors of Hell will dominate the world of mortals. Although an elite squadron of priest-like warriors have been prepared in anticipation of the Ashura prophecies, their formidable skills prove no match for the demonic hordes once Ashura's rebirth begins. But also buried deep within the prophecy is the possibility that Ashura may perchance be overpowered by a mortal man, thereby saving the world as we know it.