Desert Punk Volume One - The Memorable TV DVD Review

Distributor: Madman Entertainment - The AV Channel
Region 4 | PAL | M | 100 minutes
Available to buy
Release Date: 21 June 2006
Reviewer: Alan R
Extras: Yes

ANYONE IN IT WE KNOW?

Japanese anime

WHAT’S IT ABOUT THEN?

Set in the Great Kanto desert amid the ruins of a forgotten civilisation whose rock like edifices still dominate the landscape. Their descendants still live in this wilderness and are organised into many clan factions.

One individual stands against the various criminal clan leaders - the diminutive mercenary called Sunabouza or Desert Punk who has various special powers but underneath his mask and cape disguise is secretly a young teenage boy called Mizumo Kanta.

A recurring character is Asagirl Junko who has notably large breasts (and they don't let you forget it) whom Desert Punk has a crush on although she is a rival mercenary.

The adventures on volume 1 are about Desert Punk overthrowing some nefarious plots of various clan leaders sometimes with help from Asagirl.

Is It Any Good? I don't know how it compares with other anime titles whether this is a well-regarded one or not. But it didn't seem to have any huge potential - just the standard hero fights villains type of tales without much in the way of interesting back-story - but the plot seems to develop over the episodes with events from earlier episodes referenced so maybe it gets more interesting. The animation style is mixed - it veers from lazy static figures who don't move much to showy well-animated set-pieces - the actual drawings are 3D rendered and quite appealing in a comic-book sort of way.

It's probably not aimed at young kids though as there are continual references and lingering close-ups on Asagirl's swelling attributes within her tight blouse or jumpsuit and Desert Punk refers to her by various nicknames that are all to do with her breast size. While I could see this obsession might be quite entertaining if it was a live action show with a real actress it's a bit bemusing about the nature of the appeal given that she's just a drawing. There was also some male nudity although this was pixellated - whether it was always made like that or edited here for a lower release certificate I don't know.

The soundtrack is selectable in either Japanese or English - and subtitles are available in English for all dialogue or just for written signs. Confusingly though if you listen in English AND have full English subtitles turned on they don't always say the same thing!

Episodes on this disk are:- 1) Ghost and Boobies 2) Sand and Rain 3) Tank and Machine Gun 4) Sniping and Footsteps

ANY SPECIAL FEATURES?