Though "Bio Hunter's" plot fails to merge with the science vs. mysticism themes with which it opens, director Yuzo Sato deftly wraps the anime in layers of style and personality.

More plot than time, scriptwriter Yoshiaki Kawajiri short changes the relatively interesting psuedo-science leaving Sato plenty of room to flesh out "Hunter" with action, grotesque demons and ill-timed romantic interludes. However, the ending packs quite a philosophical punch.

Style and charm; if only Koshigaya and Komada had more time together. The atypical buddy-cop pairing exposes the flaws of each quickly, allowing for dynamic changes despite the rushed story line. And Koshigaya evokes the lovable, underdog sophistication of the post-modern anti-hero while very much hewing to a "good" agenda.

Obvious conventions highlight the characters' static movement but some impressive panoramic shots and engaging beast designs pepper the profundity of the piece with a bit of visual poetry.

The subtitles reek of a clinical translation and, consequentially, they're rife with grammatical errors.

Approaching the same kind of stylistic attention as the anime itself, the English actors still sound like they're reading from a script. And when the spoken script does stray from the subtitle version, it never helps to illuminate idioms or help fluidity.

Boobs, blood, bullets and bulbous beasts.

Koshigaya probably hoped to be a private dick of Shaft's caliber. Instead he became the next best thing, a mousy, Japanese bio-chemist..

Oh, that's right, Komada hasn't formed a strong, meaningful relationship with someone because the forces of good and evil are in pitched battle for the prize of his soul. Of course, well once you got that whole possession thing down you can hit the bars again.

That's what you get Koshigaya for Christmas to keep his nappy-ass dew in check.

Love it? Hate it? Buy it.