Even in this slimmer version, "Blue Submarine" sounds strong thematic chords while it serves as a vehicle for Gonzo to flex its CG muscle. The snippers at Cartoon Network maintained the tension and heavy tones laid by director Mahiro Maeda.

Though fast-paced, the film still manages to follow Hayami's complex character arc. Kino, on the other hand, never lives up to her role as Hayami's ideological counter, her character contrived to loathe Zorndyke until the very end.

A bold blend of CG and cel animation mixed with a muted, earth-tone color scheme sets the right mood for this dark epic about man vs. nature. However, the elements often clash, held together primarily by Maeda's deft direction.

ZRO Limit Productions puts out a great dub, hindered only by the occasional tendency to wax melodramatic.

Much of the violence is more ideological than physical, though there is a lot of blood shed as well. A genetically engineered whale-like creature that befriends Hayami sacrifices himself for the benefit of Hayami's message and gushes enough blood to stain the ocean crimson.

DVD. Slim pickins' on the features. And there's no option to listen to the Japanese track.

Among the more obvious edits, Mutio's nipples vanish in this Toonami version.

Surprising, the hatchet men over at Cartoon Network retained a lot of the pregnant silences that keep the tension so high throughout the series.

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