▪	RELEASED BY:		ANCHOR BAY
		▪	ASPECT RATIO:		4:3 FULL SCREEN
		▪	AUDIO:		ENGLISH DD 2.0
		▪	RUNNING TIME:		66 MIN
		▪	RATING:		NR
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		09/18/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		09//17/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		SCOTT CAMPBELL

Kappa Mikey is an interesting little creation – especially since it is the only anime television series ever created and produced in The United States (New York City to be exact) and not in Japan. It is very much anime influenced in its design and in story elements – so it should be a hit with many fans of Japanese anime. Written with colourful characters, fast-paced action and satirical comedy, Kappa Mikey was an immediate hit when it premiered on Nicktoons Network in February of 2006. The show began airing on Nickelodeon in August of 2006, and now a year later it’s coming to DVD to be owned by all!

After winning a role on LilyMu, a hit anime show in Japan, Mikey Simon is catapulted to super-stardom in a country he knows nothing about. He and the rest of the cast must adjust to his new found fame – and all the crazy adventures along the way. Fame dos however come with a price, and when Mikey’s not being chased down by the paparazzi, he must also find time to get to know his co-stars, adjust to Japanese culture and learn to love life inside the fish bowl.

In the title episode, the cast is scheduled to perform at the birthday party of the son of a major LilyMu advertiser. Mikey decides he can get there on his own and proceeds to get lost in Tokyo. As the cast does all they can to stall for him, Mikey joins a Tokyo motorbike gang.

The second episode, “Easy Come, Easy Gonard,” finds Mikey going into debt due to his irresponsible spending habits. As a result, he goes into business with Gonard to bail himself out. When their lemonade stand business sours, the two find themselves in debtor’s prison. Suffice to say, things go from bad to worse at an alarming rate!

“The Man Who Would Be Mikey” is the DVD’s special bonus episode. While shooting on location in the park, Mikey pulls an ancient magical sword from a stone. Mikey argues with his friends when the want him to use his sword for their amusement, but ultimately, they must come to his rescue when a dragon captures him.

The music, animation, and the characters are all quirky to the max. The show is definitely a comedy, and good for a lot of visual gags and a well-developed sense of sarcastic humour. The animation itself is unique – it’s a mix of what looks like Flash animation and traditional hand drawn animation. It’s simplistic to a point, but remains colourful and crazy throughout. The story elements play a lot like how a North American Saturday morning cartoon would play, but Kappa Mikey is chock full with anime references and general wackiness. The audience will likely feel for Mikey as he tries to get his head around the very different culture he has now immersed himself in – and laugh as his understanding and intentions don’t always work out for the best! His co-workers on the LilyMu anime show are some of the best characters – they each play out like different “generic” anime characters like “The girl with attitude”, “The older bozo male”, and “the fantasy animal with a giant laser shooting jewel on its chest.” The people behind this show have obviously watched a lot of anime, and know just what an English speaking audience wants to see to make them laugh in relation to their anime fandom.

EXTRAS:
The screener disc received did not include any of the extras, but the real release should include a bonus episode, LilyMu Squares DVD-Rom Game, a music video, “How to Draw Mikey”, and computer wallpapers.

IN SUMMARY:
Kappa Mikey is the South Park of Anime. This show pokes fun at all the crazy little things that make anime the unique genre that it is – but always with fun and laughs in mind.