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Feature Presentation:
Special thanks to ADV Films for sending a copy for a review for this site. Here is another strange, but cute series. It's a mix of Pokemon along with a sort of a Power Ranger theme going on, with mud like minions to even strange transformation! It's a strange combonation. It's the first day in junior high school for Hibari Hanakoganei & for some reason, everything seem to have a little toy called a Pata-Pi, a little cute electronic pet that can talk & learn new things. It's the latest trend in Akihabara is a little toy called a Pata-Pi, a little cute toy pet that every girl seem to have one, except Hibari Hanakoganei. She tried to find one for her own, but with no luck. One day, a strange White Price appears & gave her one. Excited, she called it Densuke! However, her Pata-Pi is very special. After getting Densuke, a Black Prince seeks out to find her & take her Pata-Pi. In an attack, trying to save Densuke from their hand, Densuke, with a bright light, transform to a full battle female, a Diva, that looks like her, in a grown up form. Densuke battles on & save the day. The next day, she tries to talk to her bets friend Suzume about it, but no one believes that Pata-Pi have that kind of power. Hibari went on her way, but fall into a trap. However, Suzume saw what's Hibari's Pata-Pi can do & feeling jealousy, she ask her Pata-Pi, Franny, to do the same. Another Diva appears & help saved Hibari & Densuke. Last, Hibari made a new friend, Tsugumi, who's parents are really strange. The highly competive Suzume get really upset that she isn't getting any attention from Hibari & fellow them everywhere they go, but she got into another trap. However, yet another Diva appears, belonging to Tsugumi! Now, all three of them are best of friends & they must work together to fight off the ones who will take their special Pata-Pi!
Video:
ADV Films did a very great job. I'm not sure why, but the images isn't that high quality of the recent Anime releases. If you look closely, there are some statics. There is some watermarks done for the introduction & ending credits (they are translated in English). Each episodes are separated into 6 parts: the prologue, the introduction, part A, part B, ending & the preview for the next episode! The episodes are on a different track, so there will be a small loading time when you move on to the next episode. I do note that you can skip all those warnings & logos when you first load the DVD by just pressing the "Menu" button on your remote control.
Dubbing: English:
The dubbing is alright. I find the Japanese voices is better then the one in the dubbed version. ADV Films even dubbed when Tsugumi sings her favorite song, which just sounds awful. It's about 80% of the original Japanese.
Audio 01: English 5.1:
Unable to test it, since I don't have a 5.1 surround system, I can't really say much.
Audio XX: English 2.0:
Just letting you know, there isn't an English 2.0 audio track on this DVD. This is artificially made from the 5.1 audio track, that's why I noted it as "XX". I found no problem with the audio, but I bet it would be alot more interesting with the 5.1.
Audio 02: Japanese 2.0:
No problem found.
Subtitle:
ADV Films have selected a great font, very easy to read. They use yellow for the introduction, ending themes & the Japanese dialogue & white for Japanese signs & text. The unique thing about this series, the title for each episode is actually part of the subtitling. There are two tracks of subtitling. One track is for the sign subtitling & the other one is for the Japanese dialogue. I might note that every odd numbered episodes, the intro & ending subtitles are in English, while the even numbered episodes are in Japanese on this volume.
Menu Option:
The menu is pretty simple. You get to see Hibari's Pata-Pi Densuke, on a pile of books, along with a blue version of of him in the background. There isn't a "Play All" feature, nor a "Screen Access", just a selection of one of the 5 episodes, "Set Up" & "Extras". I got no idea there isn't a "Screen Access", which is pretty common on most Anime releases. The background music all the sections of the menu are various background music during the series.
DVD Extras:
There isn't much extras on it, just a non-credit opening & ending, as well a production sketches that is related to the episodes in this volume.
Packaging:
The packaging is also simple. On the cover, you see Hibari & her Pata-Pi, Densuke. In the back, you get bolded screenshots, along with Densuke cheering on!. The insert only hold a list on what's on the DVD, along with promotional for other Anime releases, no mini-posters thought. On the DVD disc itself, it's the same picture along with the background, but with only Hibari. The DVD case is white & it's match with the rest of the design.
PC Viewing:
Watching it on the PC is the same as watching it on the TV. Very clean, no problem at all, very little pixel (little squares popping in & out), both normal mode & full screen mode. Again, you might noticed some static. The sound is just great. Since the episodes are on different tracks, it will take time to load when you move on to the next episode. Like on your regular DVD player, you can skip the warnings & logos when you load the disc, just use the "menu" option to go to the menu screen.
Overall DVD Rating:
Honestly, I find it a little giggling mood when I see it. It's not that bad, it's only the beginning. Here you get to meet the characters & get to know the enemies a little. The battle scenes aren't that great. However, there is also the Japanese traditional inputs, such as old man looking up girls' skirts to big bouncy boobies!
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