Sentai Snags: Eyeshield 21, Samurai Harem, Hellgirl, Appleseed Blu Ray

Oh Section 23, its like you have a tin can connected to my heart. Time again for a round up of their recently released acquisitions, all of which are tabled for May.
 

Eyeshield 21:

  Run Time: 325 min. (13 episodes)
Street Date: 5/18/2010 
SRP: $49.98 
 

Eyeshield 21 is a comedy football shonen. Really all you "need" to know, but more information is as follows. New kid on campus, Sena Kobayakawa, is convinced to join the Deimon High School Football team(as in American Football, not everywhere else Football.) For reasons too conventional and fun to bother explaining, Sena is forced to hide his identity, and dons a tinted "Eyeshield" over the jersey marked "21." Volia! The secret weapon/team ace Eyeshield 21 is ready to take the team all the way to the Christmas Bowl

 
I mean, what were you expecting... its a shonen football series. You know you love it already. Though previously unlicensed, Eyeshield 21 is currently streaming on Crunchy Roll. It'll be interesting to see Crunchy Roll will be able to maintain the title in the light of Section 23's sub only release.
 

Hell Girl: The Two Mirrors

Run Time: 325 min. (13 episodes, Half of Season 2)
Street Date: 5/25/2010 
SRP: $49.98 

When you say your job is hellish, its probably just a figure of speech. However, that's part of the contract in Enma Ai's job. "Hell Girl" is an episodic look at society, guided from the eyes of an infernal little girl. Following a formula, each episode follows characters who find such grief and woe that they log onto a mysterious website at night, and sign a contract with Enma to drag someone down to hell. A loan shark, school rival, woman about to marry your true love... people find many reasons to damn those around them, but its at the cost of damning themselves.
 
Season 2 picks up shortly after the first, and weaves a new set of stories, including the appearance of a second Hell Girl.

Even though I may have just typed it, I'll reinforce... this show is methodical. High style, high presentation, but can be a little daunting at times. The Neo-Brectian approach taken to distance the viewer from the cast works, though occasionally too well.
 
Astute shoppers are probably aware that season 1 was released by FUNimation, though it seems the reception didn't initially warrant a look at the 2nd or 3rd seasons.
 

 

Samurai Harem

Run Time: 300 min. (12 episodes, Complete Series)
Street Date: 5/11/2010 
SRP: $49.98  

More commonly known as Asu no yoichi, Samurai Harem is the yet another look at the highly talented, yet socially inept youth. Focused on 17 year old Yoichi Karasuma, he's a brilliant swordsman, though his remote mountain training couldn't prepare him for the modern world... oh, and boobs.

You can fill in the rest.

Appleseed

Run Time: 105 min. 
Street Date: 5/18/2010 
SRP: $39.98 
Format: Blu-Ray 
 

After the end of World War 3, the world is a very different place. Mercenary Deunan Knute has been so far removed she continued fighting, oblivious to the wars end. Eventually she is brought to Olympus, the Utopian pride of the post-war civilization. Inhabited mostly by half human, half clone people called Bioroids, Utopia isn't quite as perfect at first thought. Its up to Denuan and her former love, now-cyborg Briareos to find out what lies right underneath the surface of paradise.

Technically not a "new" release either, I think I even own Appleseed on UMD. Though, this marks three things...
 
A) Appleseed's first Blu-Ray release
B) Sentai Filmwork's First Blu-Ray
C) Sentai Filmworks First English Dubbed Release
  
Despite ownership, I could never bring myself to watch movies on my psp, and thus I never got around to checking it out. Though, its creator is Shirow Masamune, of Ghost in the Shell fame, so I could definitely get behind the vibe.