Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody is Bleach at its best.

Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody
2008. Director: Noriyuki Abe. 90 minutes. DVD, $29.98. Distributor: Viz Media.

Story arcs of both the manga and television series set aside, Bleach the Movie places Ichigo Kurosaki back home in Karakura, where, alongside Rukia, his shinigami duties have resumed. The job of conveying souls into the next world, however, is suddenly interrupted by a disturbing phenomenon. An unknown form of lost soul appears in the world of the living, along with a mysterious new soul reaper: the very delectable Senna. Within one afternoon Ichigo and Rukia learn that both the Soul Society and the world of living are in jeopardy. Thus a new adventure begin.

Well, what can I say? This is Bleach at its best. Although the story is an utterly tangential concoction -- which may or may not settle well with hardcore fans, it's clear, fast paced, and full of the usual dramatic action and comedy. Better still, the death looming over both worlds demands the zanpaktu and bankai (i.e., the special skills) of all our favorite soul reapers. Even cool Byakyu shows a little brotherly affection for Rukia. Simply put, this movie is nothing more than a celebration of the Bleach family. I'll bet a hundred in Vegas that, after watching, Bleach fans will be even more desperate for a zanpaktu of their own.

After you past the vague backdrop and initial, disconnected storylines in Darker Than Black, Volume 1, there is something here.

Darker Than Black Vol. 1
2008 TV Series (five episodes). Director: Tensai Okamura. 120 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $29.98. Distributor: Funimation.

A relatively new series produced by Tensai Okamura and Bones, Darker Than Black is set in a Tokyo plagued by international and supernatural intrigue. Approximately 10 years ago, an abnormal space, afterward dubbed Hell's Gate, suddenly manifested in Tokyo. The landscape and sky was immediately altered, most notably, by the emergence of "false stars." With each new star, a person with supernatural abilities correspondingly appeared. Called Contractors, these cold and calculated beings are used as assassins and spies by a variety of international organizations. Enter the Black Reaper, a.k.a BK-201-- each contractor is named after his or her star. Disguised as a Chinese student named Li Shengshun, he works for an outfit known as the Syndicate.

Essentially framed within the genres of sci-fi and espionage, Darker Than Black seems to take its cues from anime like Ghost in the Shell and Ergo Proxy. The espionage angle elicits a type crime drama, as a high-tech police task force struggles to hunt down these paranormal criminals and their handlers. Yet, these supernatural powers combined with the enigmatic Hell's Gate suggest that something otherworldly is driving the story. For better or worse, the initial five episodes of volume one do not provide a lot of answers. Rather, we are only introduced to the Black Reaper, his desire to find his sister, and his roughish Syndicate team. The action is good. But the story seems a little scattered at times, since it simultaneously introduces numerous plot points. Nevertheless, in a very Lost fashion, there is something here. You just have to get past the vague backdrop and initial, disconnected storylines. Let's hope the larger story arc is concisely executed, so as to properly to sink that hook into us!

"Bullets, Blades, Bombs, Beauty, Boobs." That is the pitch for the Coyote Ragtime Show. As such, it surely delivers!

Coyote Ragtime Show: The Complete Box Set
2008 TV Series (twelve episodes). Director: Takuya Nonaka. 300 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $49.98. Distributor: Funimation.

Five days. That's how much time planet Graceland has left. After that, boom! It'll no longer exist. But there's just one problem. Billions in stolen loot remain hidden somewhere on the planet, left by the now deceased Pirate King Bruce. So, the race is on. The rogue pirate known only as Mister, along with his unsavory band -- called coyotes -- and Bruce's daughter is on the hunt for the biggest payday of his life. Time, however, is not the only obstacle. Mister has not only to elude a curvaceous police inspector, but also a murderous troop of cybernetic Lolitas. Hey, it's good to be a pirate.

"Bullets, Blades, Bombs, Beauty, Boobs." That is the pitch for the Coyote Ragtime Show. As such, it surely delivers! This series ever so gently strokes the male sensibility. In one corner, we have investigator Angelica Burns and the murderously sensual Lolita squad, each of whom wears a weapon as deadly as her skirt. On the other, is Mister; a pony-tailed, cigar smoking, scruffy-chinned, rogue, who's always packing a big gun. Do I really have to say more? Or should I bring Freudian psychoanalysis into this? As you might guess, action meets cliché in this masculine romp. Nevertheless, it's still a good ride. Grab a few boys and check this out!