Entertainment
The 90s Crime Anime That Makes R-Rated Look Like Disney
By Douglas Helm
| Published
Mad Bull 34 is a bonkers 90s OVA anime series based on the manga series of the same name written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Noriyoshi Inoue. While you would be hard-pressed to find a streaming service that lets you easily watch this hyper-violent series, you can check out a rip of it on Archive.org. If you like the buddy-cop genre, a ton of violence, and crass humor in your anime, then this might fit what you’re looking for.
This Cop Doesn’t Play By The Rules
Mad Bull 34 ran from 1985 to 1991 in Shueisha’s Young Jump before eventually getting a four-part original video animation that was released from 1990 to 1992. The series follows the toughest and most imposing cop in the 34th precinct of the NYPD, “Sleepy” John Estes, aka “Mad Bull,” and his partners Daizaburo “Eddie” Ban and Perrine Valley. Mad Bull is basically the definition of a loose-cannon cop, killing criminals without hesitation, and causing a ton of collateral damage while hunting them down.
Problematic Is An Understatement
Mad Bull 34 can be accurately described as problematic in a lot of ways, but if you like the craziness of 90s OVAs then this series is well-animated, full of creatively violent scenes, and zany characters. The series even has an ending theme song that was composed and performed by none other than James Brown, which is a crazy fact on its own.
The first English DVD release of the series came out from Discotek Media in 2013, and outside of DVD rips online, that’s pretty much the only way you’ll be able to watch it at home.
Hard To Find Today
Diskotek Media ended up losing the license of Mad Bull 34 in 2020, so it’s unlikely that there will ever be a full-on Blu-ray or HD re-release of the show; the version available online is at 720p. You can also choose between watching the dubbed version of the original subbed version, though some fans say the dub for the series is pretty good, which isn’t always the case for older anime. One fan on My Anime List even said the voice-acting is “stupendous” and that the dub is the way to go since the “accents are unbelievably well done.”
Not Good, But Not Boring
Mad Bull 34 is set in New York, so the dubbed version would likely lend some authenticity to the series. Of course, the series is also full of profanity at every turn, which probably just doesn’t have the same impact if you’re not hearing it in your native language. Some fans on My Anime List also mention that the series is “so bad it’s good” because it’s so over the top, with one reviewer explaining, “above all else, it is NOT boring.”
A Throwback To A Different Era
Of course, it’s also worth mentioning again that Mad Bull 34 was created by Kazuo Koike, who is best known for the iconic Lone Wolf and Cub. This series is miles away from Koike’s most legendary work, but it’s still interesting to think this series came from the same mind. In any case, you can access the series through the Internet Archive if you want to rewind back to the 90s’ OVA days.
Entertainment
Missed out on Prime Day streaming deals? Heres your second chance to get MGM+ for cheap.
SAVE $8: Through July 1, you can sign up for MGM+ as a Prime Video add-on subscription for only $3.99 per month for two months. That’s $4 off the usual $7.99 per month, for a grand total of $8 in savings.
$3.99/month for 2 months (save $4/month)
Amazon Prime Day showcased some pretty awesome streaming deals, with popular and niche streaming services offering 99-cent subscriptions. Unfortunately, those deals have evaporated, as to be expected. If you’re kicking yourself for missing your opportunity to save on your summer streaming slate, Amazon’s giving you a second chance.
Through July 1, you can sign up for MGM+ as a Prime Video add-on subscription for only $3.99 per month for two months. Usually $7.99 per month, that’s about $8 total in savings. Sure, it’s not as impressive as the 99-cent deal, but beggars can’t be choosers.
The catch is that you have to subscribe through Prime Video, which requires a Prime membership. The MGM+ streaming library will then live inside of your Prime Video app as a premium add-on channel and you’ll be billed directly through Amazon for convenience.
Wondering if MGM+ is worth it? Well, as Amazon’s niche streaming service, it’s surprisingly robust with TV and movie options. As of now, it’s the only place you can stream Project Hail Mary (which will expand to Prime Video on July 3), one of the biggest movies of the year. It’s also where you’ll find The Martian (another Andy Weir novel adaptation), the small town mystery MGM+ Original Series From, Nickel Boys (one of our favorite movies of 2024), and most likely Is God Is when it makes its streaming debut later this summer.
Mashable Deals
If you’re looking to expand your streaming horizons this summer, this is one of the cheapest ways you can do so. It certainly beats rewatching the same shows over and over again on Netflix.
Entertainment
Save $80 on the DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Drill and Impact Driver duo and get more done
SAVE $80: As of July 1, get the DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Drill and Impact Driver for $169 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $249. That’s a discount of 32%.
$169
at Amazon
$249
Save $80
If you’ve got a list in your head of important home DIY projects to finish, you’re going to need the right tools for the job. With Fourth of July weekend right around the corner, now’s the perfect time to get it all done, too.
As of July 1, get the DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Drill and Impact Driver for $169 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $249. That’s a discount of 32%.
Mashable Trend Report
This combo kit comes with the perfect selection of tools to get everything you’re interested in fixing or building done: two batteries, a charger, and a special DeWalt-branded bag to keep it all organized. The DDC771 has a two-speed transmission and 300 unit watts of power, so it’s ready to tackle any job, whether you need its 0.5-inch single-sleeve ratcheting chuck or its ergonomic handle to save your hands a bit of pain.
The other tool, the DCF885, is compact and lightweight, with a three-LED light ring and a 20-second delay to illuminate even the darkest rooms so you can see exactly what you’re doing. That way, if you’re having to work in low-light conditions or when light isn’t optimal (possibly later in the day), you’re covered — and you can get things finished even faster.
This combo kit is a great pick for anyone who’s handy at home, or even for brand-new homeowners who might need a nudge in the right direction when it comes to the tools they need for new home projects. Be sure to grab it while it’s still discounted.
Entertainment
Sci-Fi Adventure On Amazon Prime Is Your Dad's New Favorite Movie
By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated
Show of hands, who cheated while playing Battleship? If your hand is down, you’re lying. Cheating your friends playing Battleship is a rite of passage which is why, somehow, Hasbro thought it would be the perfect property to cash in on the rise of Transformers back in 2012. 14 years later and it’s one of the top streaming movies on Amazon Prime, finally achieving its destiny: guilty pleasure Dad movie.
Top Gun By Sea
You can tell Battleship is from the early 2010’s because it stars Taylor Kitsch back when Hollywood was trying to make him the next big action star. If John Carter received the support it needed, it could have worked, but instead he starred in one box office bomb after another through no fault of his own. As Naval Officer Alex Hopper, Kitsch does a great job channeling Tom Cruise’s Maverick in Battleship, right down to trying to impress the Admiral’s daughter.
Where Battleship gets weird is when the alien spaceships land and isolate Hawaii from the rest of the world under an impenetrable force field. That and the alien weapons look a lot like the pegs from the game Battleship. Outgunned, outmanned, and with no one coming to save them, it’s up to Alex to lead the survivors of the American and Japanese Pacific Fleets against the alien invasion. And by now you’re wondering how this corny sounding sci-fi movie is a massive streaming hit, well, it’s because of what comes next.
The Greatest Final Act In Movie History
For the entire first two-thirds of Battleship it’s an incredibly corny movie where everyone, from Liam Neeson as the Admiral to Jesse Plemons and Rami Malek as sailors, understood the assignment and is chewing up every bit of scenery. Then, with no ship left, Alex says “we have a battleship,” and the camera pans to the U.S.S. Missouri docked at Pearl Harbor. In case you’re wondering what makes this a modern classic Dad movie, it’s this scene. Get your parents, get your grandparents, have them watch the movie, and wait until they reach the Missouri.
Onboard the ship-turned-historical museum, the survivors have no idea how to run an analog, old-school ship. That’s when the veterans appear, one by one. Played by the real veterans of the Missouri and other ships of the era (there’s a U.S.S. Carolina cap in there too!), the veterans get to work teaching the kids how the ship works, all set to the sounds of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” This is catnip for boomers, and if you know any old seaman who haven’t watched this, you owe it to them to share it.
Battleship Is A Streaming Success Wherever It Sails
Battleship may be one of the biggest box office flops in history, losing both Hasbro and Universal roughly $150 million each after earning only $300 million at the box office, which after theatrical cuts and marketing, wasn’t enough for anything resembling a profit. It’s also one of the greatest streaming success stories in history. Every time Battleship arrives on a streaming service, it’s in the top 10 for weeks. No one wants to admit they love this movie, but it’s okay, you can admit that once “Thunderstruck” hits you are locked in.
When the final battle hits, if you aren’t having the time of your life with Battleship, you don’t love movies. Find a boomer, sit down, stream it on Amazon Prime, and remember how much fun you can have when a movie doesn’t take itself seriously.
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