Shadow Star Narutaru / Narutaru ~Mukuro naru Hoshi·Tama taru Ko~

Other Anime
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[size=16]Shadow Star Narutaru / Narutaru ~Mukuro naru Hoshi·Tama taru Ko~[/size]

[quote]Genres: adventure, drama, horror, supernatural
Objectionable Content: Significant
**Plot Summary:**During her summer holiday at her grandparents house Tamai Shiina, a young and cheerful schoolgirl, meets a strange looking creature. They befriend each other and Shiina names it “Hoshimaru - The Round Star”. When Shiina returns home after the summer to go back to school she starts meeting other kids that also have befriended a strange creature like Hoshimaru. But she soon finds out that not all these creatures and their masters are as friendly as Hoshimaru.
Number of Episodes: 13
Vintage: 2003-07-07 to 2003-09-29[/quote]
ANN Info Page

I saw an episode or two of this many, many years ago, when it was first on Anime Selects. I really liked it, although it seemed pretty childish at the time, so I didn’t keep up with it. But last year I decided to buy it, because I heard it was one of the darkest, most screwed up anime series ever made. And they were right! What starts out as a childish, almost Pokemon/Hamtaro kinda show, turns into the most disturbing, gruesome, and gross show I’ve ever seen. From it’s misleading opening, that later feels creepy, to it’s childish first and second episode, nothing seems like it would really appeal to a mature viewer here. But it’s a very mature show, something children should never see. Well worth a watch, but be warned you will never be the same again. It’s that messed up and stomach turning.

Be warned the anime was planned to have a sequel that never happened, so it’s left unfinished. Also the budget was really poor (bad animation and artwork, but amazing music), because really who would want to put their money on a show that is as dark and screwed up as this. Terrible things happen to children, and the worst is done by other children…

I am currently reading the manga by Mohiro Kitoh (recently bought all that Dark Horse released) and I am also reading Bokurano on Viz Media’s site legally (plan to buy them when they come out). I’m not the biggest fan of manga, usually I prefer to just watch anime, but I do read manga once in awhile, and these are some series I really like. Mohiro Kitoh is a real genius.

So anyone see this show? I own the box set, and the DVD’s have a great set of extras by CPM. Director’s commentary on the last few episodes is a much watch for fans IMO.

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It’s an intentionally bizarre series. Some aspects were very thoughtful, no question about that. Definitely not a show for people who are looking for fun, fluff. :wink:

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What did you think of the dub Dragoon if you remember?

spoiler

Personally I find it outright terrible at times, but with a moment or two of great effort. Feels like the director wasn’t even there most of the time, but when he showed up it really picks up. (No joke I feel like they are directing themselves, and some can do it better then others (Dan Green and Ray do a good job, but others sometimes don’t) . The Japanese track sadly is not much better either. I hate to badmouth any dub production, but some lines are read to far away from the mic, and you even hear noise like people moving around and such. Also some lines are read with awkward pauses in them :frowning: . Very unprofessional, and stands out in my mind as a dub that everything that could go wrong did :frowning: . Not unbearable, but I don’t like it at all. It gives NYC a bad name. It was very well cast, however. Kelly Ray may be the best person on the planet to play Shiina, and half the time she sounds really great (but the other half…oh god), and Renee Gloger fit Akira like a glove. Renee Goldstein IS Satomi, and Dan Green owns as Hiroko’s father. Flora Stanberg felt a little miscast as Hiroko, but she was ok. Josh Mosby gives the best performance IMO as Shiina’s father and fit the role very well. However the director must have fell asleep on this one, and the acting is all around bad at times. So many times I’m thinking to myself “that line should have been re-recorded” “That line is awkward”, “That line is out of place”, “she’s too far from the mic”, “WTF background noise?”

But don’t let my opinion of the dub stop you from watching this amazing series. I mean I can at least watch the dub, so it’s not that bad. But for me to hate on the dub, you know something is up, as I’m a huge dub fan. But ANN gave it a good review for the dub, which makes me question what they are listening to sometimes.

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[quote=Prede]
What did you think of the dub Dragoon if you remember?

spoiler

Personally I find it outright terrible at times, but with a moment or two of great effort. Feels like the director wasn’t even there most of the time, but when he showed up it really picks up. (No joke I feel like they are directing themselves, and some can do it better then others (Dan Green and Ray do a good job, but others sometimes don’t) . The Japanese track sadly is not much better either. I hate to badmouth any dub production, but some lines are read to far away from the mic, and you even hear noise like people moving around and such. Also some lines are read with awkward pauses in them :frowning: . Very unprofessional, and stands out in my mind as a dub that everything that could go wrong did :frowning: . Not unbearable, but I don’t like it at all. It gives NYC a bad name. It was very well cast, however. Kelly Ray may be the best person on the planet to play Shiina, and half the time she sounds really great (but the other half…oh god), and Renee Gloger fit Akira like a glove. Renee Goldstein IS Satomi, and Dan Green owns as Hiroko’s father. Flora Stanberg felt a little miscast as Hiroko, but she was ok. Josh Mosby gives the best performance IMO as Shiina’s father and fit the role very well. However the director must have fell asleep on this one, and the acting is all around bad at times. So many times I’m thinking to myself “that line should have been re-recorded” “That line is awkward”, “That line is out of place”, “she’s too far from the mic”, “WTF background noise?”

But don’t let my opinion of the dub stop you from watching this amazing series. I mean I can at least watch the dub, so it’s not that bad. But for me to hate on the dub, you know something is up, as I’m a huge dub fan. But ANN gave it a good review for the dub, which makes me question what they are listening to sometimes.[/quote]

I agree 100%.

spoiler

There were times where this was an incredibly annoying dub, of nearly Odex quality. But there were also times where it seemed like the VA’s were really giving it some, but just fell a little short. The VA’s did generally fit their characters well, but it seemed a lot of the problems could have been solved with better direction.

I actually have yet to finish this show. I only got as far as the second disc and then gave up. I believe the last discs are still in my Rent Anime queue though.

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Since it’s been like 4 something years since I finished it, I can’t really comment on specifics about it. Based on memory, after all this time the only thing I can think of is based on generalities – I thought it was uneven, just like you pointed out a few good performances while others were disappointing or forgettable. I don’t remember having any extreme feelings for the dub, hate or love, so I guess I thought it was decent enough or passable? What I can say though is, I never felt the dub was a detraction for me while I was watching it.

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Dragonrider Cody: I highly suggest getting the rest of the series. The best arch is the last one, and it is also the most disturbing and messed up. Sadly the anime gives no answers, but it does end sort of. If you haven’t seen the entire thing, then you’ve seen nothing at all…

Dragoon: I think the dub actually does detract me from the show at times. Other times it feels like they are really trying and giving it their all. And the worst sin is some of the best deliverd lines, ** are givven to far away from the mic and don’t come in clear! ** . What a shame.

But the show is excellent. Very glad a few people have seen it here at least. Planetzot has only me talking about it really, although 2 others have seen it, they don’t talk much about it.

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Sorry to Necrolize this thread, I just watched Shadow Star, really did not want to start a new thread on it.

I picked it up from the bargain bin to fill one of my orders.
Also read Shadow Star manga in “Super Manga Blast!”. I am not sure if the story ended before dark horse cancelled that magazine. I can’t remember the ending. Going through my comic collection is slightly harder than going through my Anime Collection. I am pretty sure the last issue is somewhere in there; found issue 47 of “Super Mang Blast!”.

Here are my thoughts:

spoiler

It was disturbing. First half of series was watched on DVD and the drop outs and noise were noticeable. Occasional goofs than constancy annoyance. I had problem with last episode on disk two; where it started to skip. Put it on my PS3 not only did the sound seem to improve the video did as well and skipping problem went away. Really need to buy a second PS3 (too bad a spent all my money on Anime). The story in issue 47 does match up to where the anime ends; in the magazine, it was the start of a new story arc. In end the anime was not very satisfying, especially since it left a lot of things open. Does make me wonder if Shina took Hiroko soul and does not explain what happen with Akira with the short hair, maybe she took her soul as well.

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Darkhorse dropped the series at around the halfway mark, but they ran a little more in their magazine, then what they put out in printed volumes. My DVDs work find, perhaps you got a defected disk? I’ve played them on a DVD player and a ps3. Nothing ever skipped for more of anything.

Anyway the anime only covers the first half of the manga, at the exact point Darkhorse droped the series actually. But like I said…they printed a few more chapters in the magazine.

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It’s most likely my PS2 is dying. This is not the only Amine that I had this issue on. The problem could have been the PS2 was getting over heated, since I watch most of the Anime in a 3 hour stretch.

This seems to be a good Anime/Manga. It too bad that it was cut short.
Did this happen in Japan or was it editted in America?

I thought issue 50 was the last issue.

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This was released by Central Park Media. They never edit anything. They released it how they got it. When the studio was adapting this into an anime, they tried to avoid the worst of the worst from the manga. Sadly they got a poor budget and that hurt it a bit too. The main problem however is that the director was expecting a sequel…that not happened. Listen to the commentaries he give son the last few episodes if you want more insight. I found them very interesting.

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[quote=Prede]
This was released by Central Park Media. They never edit anything. They released it how they got it. When the studio was adapting this into an anime, they tried to avoid the worst of the worst from the manga. Sadly they got a poor budget and that hurt it a bit too. The main problem however is that the director was expecting a sequel…that not happened. Listen to the commentaries he give son the last few episodes if you want more insight. I found them very interesting.[/quote]

You’re absolutely correct. There are elements of Shadow Star that are very very taboo and dark.

I’m sorry to have to remind you of that lesbian gang rape/test tube scene

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I have been busy not able to see the director cuts, I will try to watch them sometime this weekend, before I go onto to other anime.

This should not be a spoiler, What I like about this show is that it show what would happen if real kid got a digimon/pokimon, slightly demented kids find a group where there is not a couple of these. It is possible the Dragon Children were seeking out kids like these. The main character has significant judgemental problem and is a bit prone to violence.

Dark and Taboo

Yes, the psudo incest scene was not much better, it was cut short by something slight more horricfic, if nothing because they don’t show what happened.

Edit: I did notice the CPM and US Manga Corps. For anyone else that has been intriged by this thread, CPM is out business, This anime is in limit supply. I did get it pretty cheap on Right Stuff! Not sure how many they have left.
Edit: I don’t care if anyone buy this anime. It’s not for everyone being disturbing.

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This show definately needs a rescue.

Along with Requiem from the Darkness, another vengeance anime like Hell Girl. They can show them back to back.

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[quote=Tonka]
Requiem from the Darkness[/quote]

Going to be on SYFY starting next month. It’s temp replacing Monster.

As for the show this thread is about.
What a horrible show.

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[quote=psychopuppet]
What a horrible show.[/quote]

Pretty much sums up my opinion of the show. Seriously, we watched this for a MST3K night at my college anime club - episode with a damn rape monster. Seriously, what the f**k?

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Maybe this is an Anime that need to read the manga to be able to watch.
Even then, I agree it leaves somethng to be desired.
Still think the critizism is a bit harsh.

Rape Monster, did watch the episode before this one?

This is an anime were need to pay attention to what is being said and to some extent remember it. It helpedreading the manga, since I could fill in some of the gaps.

There were alot of ideas that were being built upon, in the end everything got cut short leaving the watcher an unsatisfied feeling.

I don’t have an issue saying something is unwatchable garbadge.
I guess one person’s garbadge is another person’s home.