The eagerly anticipatedOh! Edo Rocket(2007) is the first work by director Seiji Mizushima since he concluded theFullmetal Alchemistbroadcast series and theatrical feature. In contrast to the dramatic, emotionally intense adventures of the Elric Brothers,Edo Rocketis a knockabout farce set in the Tokugawa era. Lord Mizuno has imposed strict sumptuary laws on Edo, forbidding pretty much everything people enjoy, from puppet shows to fireworks--which means rambunctious young pyrotechnician Seikichi can't find a legitimate outlet for his talents. Everything changes when he meets Sora, a mysterious young woman who asks him to build a skyrocket that can fly to the moon. Smitten with Sora and delighted with the challenge, Seikichi sets to work. He's assisted by his younger brother Shunbei, a mathematical wizard; Ginjiro, a charming locksmith with a curious past; and the other oddball inhabitants of the rundown Furai row house. The original story is credited to Kazuki Nakashima, one of the key artists onGurren Lagann, who fills the screen with improbable characters, from nasty government enforcer Akai to the farcical corps known as The Men in Black. The humor includes slapstick explosions, anachronistic jokes (the cast sometimes catches up on the story by watching TV) , and self-reflexive gags that reveal the characters know they're in a cartoon. When a rocket blows up the workshop, a carpenter frets, "They need it in the next episode"; Seikichi reassures him, "Yeah, but they can always draw another one." Some elements don't quite mesh with the main story ofOh! Edo Rocket, especially the subplot involving a murderous beast from outer space. But they don't really detract from the fun of the main characters and story line. (Rated TVMA: cartoon violence, violence against women, brief nudity, risqué and toilet humor, alcohol and tobacco use)--Charles Solomon(1. Bright Red Fireworks Bloom in the Great City of Edo, 2. The Man Was Waiting, 3. A Silver Fox Bound by Fate, 4. No Need to Get Excited, 5. The Argument, 6. Duel to the First Love, 7. That Crazy Girl Just Flew! 8. Love, Murder… He Does It All, 9. Betting on Love, 10. Madhouse Cat Incarnations, 11. Poppycock! 12. If You Don't Like Worrying… 13. Whaddaya Think of These Guys)