Shelf Life

Out with the Old

Another year crossed off the list of time... Another year's events marked down in history for posterity to read in their textbooks years from now. And my, what a year it was. From the tiny personal details that everyone faced, to stark global events, 2003 was certainly a year that, like all years, will go down in people's memories as a year worth ing. No matter who you are, there are events that transpired that you will likely never forget, even if some of them will forever be marked with bitterness or frustration, anger or tragedy, or perhaps excitement and elation.

Maybe it was a new love in your life, the birth of a new family member, or the death of a loved one. Maybe you got a new job, or maybe you got laid off, or maybe you're the infamous workplace prankster who emptied out every cabinet and desk drawer in your boss' office and filled them with water and goldfish for his birthday. Perhaps it was that harsh, cruel, almost surreal feeling of disbelief you felt while you watched game seven of the American League playoff finals as that one last homerun sailed cleanly over the fence and ruined it for the SOX. Or the feeling of joy... or bitter defeat, as you watched game seven of the Stanley Cup finals as the Devils trapped their way to a victory against the team that surged their way through the Western Conference. Maybe it was that one party you went to where you woke up the next morning puking in a toilet, realizing that you may or may not have slept with someone you may or may not have met before. Or all the political and international events that took place that would only be unfairly and inadvertently trivialized by any and all attempts to summarize them and all the implications that accompanied them. Perhaps you got the highest grade in the class on one of your mid—or maybe you were the kid that got massively shanked with an F... curved. Or your prize heifer got a blue ribbon at the county fair. Or—

Shoot, the bottom line is, 2003 probably had some great moments for all of us, and parts of them probably just really sucked. Here's hoping for a better 2004. Welcome to Shelf Life.

Shelf Worthy Viz, LLC. 100 min. 3/? $24.98 01/06/2004 The teen angst continues in the third volume of shoujo series that is sure to please a lot of fans, and snag a few hearts, too. Surely, it's one for your shelf.

ADV Films 75 min. 6/7 $29.98 01/06/2004 Mm... chicks in a tub, high powered Full Metal Panic. As the characters near the final mission, some downtime is taken to delve into the Sousuke's past, as well as the growing tussle between two of the ladies vying for his attention. This added character development is a welcome diversion before the series launches into the final mission. Bringing exciting combat to the forefront while making the time for some comedic asides, this is definitely a show that will entertain both fans of military action and lighthearted comedy. If you were like me and were hesitant on checking out this series, wait no more. If an awesome show decked with fun characters and a solid storyline doesn't do it for you, maybe the bath scene will. Go buy it.

Rental Shelf Pretear Vol. #2 ADV Films 75 min. 2/4 $29.98 01/06/2004 If you try to read the back of the box description for Fushigi Yuugi) to give herself Prétear abilities. In this latest installment, things get tossed around when she suffers through a bit of a heartbreak and loses her abilities to transform into a superhero. But wait!! LOVE SAVES THE DAY and all is well... but is it really?! See, I bet 75% of you are already laughing your lungs out. But despite how atrociously cheesy the story sounds, the way that it's executed is so unique and wonderful that it's hard to stop watching. With lovable characters and a rich atmosphere of friendship and determination and a gallery of sinister baddies to choose from, it gives the tired genre a new kick in the pants. Unless you're a diehard porn or mecha fanatic, there's probably something in this series that will intrigue you. Still skeptic? Give this thing a rental. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll decide this series is too fluffy for you, and you'll lose a few bucks.

Pokémon feeling (except with wannabe Clow cards beating each other up). The other side of it is that if these shows bore you to tears, then any amount of CLAMPing won't do much for you. If anything, this is definitely worth a rental and if you decide later that you can't live without this series, you can always buy it later.

Saiyuki Vol. #07 (also w/box) ADV Films 100 min. 7/13 $29.98/39 01/06/2004 With the second season taking over the helm, the series takes a sudden turn into a much more interesting realm. Ringing in the new era with a fangirl-pleasing aura, the opening theme is drenched to the bone with ancient Chinese pretty boys modeling the latest New York fashions and their bare skins. What's especially notable is that the show veers from its original plot and manages to improve by quite a few shades. All of the random traveling and goofing around are still there, but a new threat is unveiled that teases at an even bigger story arc looming in the horizon. With the introduction of a set of powerful gods with their own secretive agendas, the story fleshes out even more when more light is shed on our group of bishonen and who they actually are. After such a drastic turn in the story, it's hard not to take a new interest in the series. If you've been avoiding this series so far, maybe a quick rental will spice things up for you again.

Slayers Great ADV Films 60 min. 1/1 $19.98 01/06/2004 Fans of Lina and her buddies will be pleased that Slayers fans should definitely put this on their list of things to see. While it's not one of the best movies, it's still a fun romp into the world of Lina et al. If you haven't seen the TV series yet though, I highly recommend starting there. As enjoyable as this little shindig might be, unless you're already a fan of the series, it probably won't be as half as enjoyable to you.

Anyway, that's it for this week. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to come back next week!