Search - Kaleido Star New Wings, Vol. 6 on DVD

''Ladies and Gentlemen, a Kaleido Star is Born indeed...''

S. R. Parker | Hou., Tx USA | 11/16/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My past 2 reviews for Kaleido Star New Wings have basically been summaries of each episodes & rarely any opinion on the DVD as a whole, this last one deserves a honest critique since the 'Stage is now at a close.

First of all, the excitement of getting this last DVD was at an all time high seeing that this was Sora's Last & Ultimate Chance at proving that she could become the 'True Star' of Kaleido Stage.

Needless to say, this DVD was much better than the last one since DVD #5 was all about the training & settling old grievances, not much to get excited about but necessary for the storytelling.
*******smamrml*******

My Opinion:

In episode #49 or 23, maybe it was the jitters of FINALLY getting this DVD after a 2 month long wait, but seeing Sora complete her Angel's Maneuver training was satisfying because you FINALLY get to see what she accomplished [you don't get the full effect until the next episode]. Even though, it seemed she finished pretty quick this time compared to the last episode, it was still an uphill battle and watching Sora finally accomplish those difficult moves becomes a relief because you know she's now closer to getting what she wants.

In this episode, we finally get to hear what Layla's true motivation was for wanting to practice the Maneuver, but the real reason behind the truth is revealed in the next episode.

In episode #50 or 24, everything starts to get exciting as Sora & Layla get ready to compete for the lead role of Odette. Both are 'pumped' to see who is the BEST performer for the Kaleido Stage and I couldn't help but feel anticipation myself, because just seeing Layla go against Sora, it made me wonder for a second if Sora could pull this off with NO mistakes, regardless of whether or not you knew how it would end.

In the end, Layla graciously steps down with the sense of knowing she accomplished what she came to do and knowing that the Kaleido Stage has its star.

In this episode, I was glad Layla explained to Sora that competitions will never truly end, because there will always be those who will want to challenge a star, but how she meets those challenges is key.

In episode #51 or 25, the moment we've waited for...the performance of Swan Lake & the Angel's Maneuver, I was surprised by how long this performance was but the one thing I wished the creators had not done was have Mia talk/give dialogue during the scenes, I would have been satisfied if the performances would have played out on their own, so you can get the full effect of what it is that everyone has accomplished.

But I guess the creators felt it was necessary for people who didn't understand what they were seeing.

One other thing I felt got cheated were May & Rosetta's Eternal Illusion, I wish there was more to see because it went by SO quick, it looked like any other ordinary performance because of that and these girls worked hard in the last episode. Another thing about those two, I always felt they would make better partners for each other.

When we finally see Sora's Angel Maneuver, please don't expect what you saw in the last episode, since the creators condensed it. Shame on them...which is why I kinda wished there was less dialogue and more performance.

But all in all, Sora's ending of the Maneuver was truly magic and she definitely 'grew wings' and accomplished her dream of 'a stage with no competition' as the others who watched Sora's Maiden Flight joined in on the act. One thing that seemed far-fetched, but this IS anime, were the other performers who left the audience to join Sora & the K.S. cast on stage. Now as an audience member, I would have been thrown off by why we have other people walking onto the stage, but this was the creators way of showing Sora's vision.

Oh well, who am I to argue.

But, to close, Sora accomplished her dream, Leon made good on his promise to Sophie, Mia is on her way to become one hell of a stage director, Anna's dream of becoming a comedy act is bearing fruit, Marion is now heading towards becoming a performer, Yuri is showing promise in becoming a business partner, Layla has moved onto Broadway, May will be May and will continue to give Sora a run for her money, Ken will continue to do what he does and Rosetta...is next in line.
*******smamrml*******

In this DVD, we have an OVA that deals with Rosetta, it seems our 'little lamb' is on her way to become a 'future star' and for some reason that didn't sit well with me.

As cute as a button Rosetta is, I feel it was pretty immature to introduce another star SO quickly when Sora has yet to get her feet wet.

Sora went through SO much hardships, anguish and so much doubts that to introduce another person so soon didn't feel right. My take on that situation is this...I guess the creators felt they wouldn't have another shot of another season, so they introduced this storyline in an OVA.

Personally I feel if the creators have more stories to tell, then go ahead with a season 3, but don't put Sora completely in the background. After all, it's because of Sora, we were watching Kaleido Star in the first place.

BUT, despite all that, it was interesting to get a glimpse into Fool's past and see how he was connected to Rosetta. Also, I don't know what kind of star Rosetta will turn out to be, but with her type of determination I feel she'll give performances that will prove to be passionate & dynamic.

[side note: I liked the opening theme in this OVA, it's such a 'buddy-buddy' song. I have the whole song on a Kaleido Star CD, which is brilliantly put together by Ms. Mina Kubota & the Kaleido Stars...with a mature sound, nothing cutesy about it with the exception of one.]

On that note, I will be enjoying this DVD until I get tired of looking at it for awhile. :-) But I'm glad that I came across this series that started with a cute, young girl by the name of Sora. It's been a long year and a half for me, but the ride was a good one, with its comedy, drama, over-the-top situations, magnificent moves and new players. So, without further ado Kaleidorians...

*Enter stage right, exit stage left...

The end...for now.



*this refers to an audience's point of view, the reverse pertains to the performer's..."

ANGEL'S MANEUVER

Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 11/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sora is hurting. She's been complying with all the sadistic training that Leon has dished out to her without complaining. But with this volume and the one before, we find out that maybe Leon didn't just want to see Sora suffer. The Angel's Maneuver might just really be that hard, and only the toughest individuals can master, or even attempt it. All of the supporting cast has returned to being supporting cast and the show is better for it. Too many times unsympathetic or even pathetic characters like May stole the spotlight from Sora and made me almost lose interest in finishing this series. Even if she completes the training, Sora's idol, the beautiful Layla, has come out of semi-retirement to challenge Sora's right to be a Kaleido Star!

The first three episodes of this last volume were great and reminded me of everything I loved about the first season of this show. It's a shame that 4 volumes of New Wings dwelled on a depressed and pitiful Sora before she gained her confidence back and gave most of the screen time to awful and repellant characters like Leon and May. I will say that Leon redeems himself in the last two volumes, and once we learn his past, he becomes more likeable. May, on the other hand, was annoying and duplicitous to the end and you feel she's never going to be satisfied with being in Sora's shadow. The lead up to the Angel's Maneuver and the completion of it was just divine and gives you a great feeling. You're so glad to see Sora's hard work and suffering finally pay off in the end. The only thing that marred this volume was the inclusion of an OVA episode that centered on Rosetta's appointment by Fool as the next Kaleido Star. It just seemed like a useless add-on which took away from the brillant climax of the series. If you can make it through the first 4 volumes of New Wings, it pays off in the end."