The Lone Wolf and Cub Collection

Also sometimes referred to as the 'Baby Cart' series, the Lone Wolf and Cub films tell the story of a skilled rōnin (sword for hire) named Ogami Ittō (Tomisaburo Wakayama). They're characterised by extreme acts of violence, minimal dialogue and highly stylised framing that closely resembles the manga it's based on. When not dishing out vicious and bloody samurai action to the people that deserve it, Ogami wheels his young son Daigoro (Tomikawa Akihiro) from place to place in an iconic wooden baby cart.

The journey of the pair in the original six films was cut short before it could end naturally, but please don't let that put you off from watching. There's more than enough bloodshed and vengeance to satisfy fans of the genre. If you do need closure, then Kazuo Koike's original manga can provide it.

The original six films on In a Nutshell:

01. Sword of Vengeance (1972)
02. Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)
03. Baby Cart to Hades (1972)
04. Baby Cart in Peril (1972)
05. Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)
06. White Heaven in Hell (1974)

Other LW+C films on In a Nutshell:
07. Shogun Assassin (1980) (US cut and dub)
08. Lone Wolf and Child: Assassin on the Road to Hell (1989)
09. Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict (1992)

Manga on our sister site, Nut Ink:
01. Lone Wolf and Cub Manga - Omnibus Editions (Vols 1-5 only)

The Viable Options Collection

Here on the Nut Blogs, we’ve covered plenty of Remakes, Reboots, and Reenvisionings. We’ve even tackled our fair share of adaptations (1, 2, 3, 4). As rare as it is for any of those to actually improve on their original works, it could be argued that the chances of them being equally worthwhile are even more astronomical. While these pairs (or, in a few cases, trios) may not share the exact same scores, they are considered to be comparable in quality and veritas by at least one of our authors. They are the narratives and experiences for which multiple incarnations deservedly stand side-by-side on our shelves.

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Mickey's Christmas Carol

Scrooged

The Muppet Christmas Carol
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Brimstone and Treacle (1976)

Brimstone and Treacle (1982)
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Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

Worlds of Power: Castlevania II — Simon's Quest

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Constantine (film)

Constantine (game)

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Dune (film)

Frank Herbert's Dune (TV Mini-Series)

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The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)

The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)

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Fist of Fury

Fist of Legend

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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

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La Jetée

12 Monkeys

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The Last Man on Earth

The Omega Man

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

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The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

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Mega Man X

Maverick Hunter X

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Piranha (1978)

Piranha (2010)

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Seven Samurai

The Magnificent Seven

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The Shining (novel)

The Shining (film)

Stephen King's The Shining (TV Mini-Series)

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Silent Hill — Harry Mason

Silent Hill — Rose Da Silva

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

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True Grit (1969)

True Grit (2010)

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Yojimbo

A Fistful of Dollars

The Final Fantasy VII Collection

Admittedly, VII, and the universe that grew out of it, exists exalted in the minds of fanboys and those for whom nostalgia is not only king, but verily, everything. While I do have nostalgia for the game itself, I am not actually one of either of those numbers. I have experienced the below items—that I’ve personally reviewed—multiple times over the intervening years. In fact, I engaged with them, and their myriad faults, immediately prior to the time of this writing. As a critical fan, I see not only their shortcomings, but also the strengths buried therein. I am able to continually find inspiration, joy, and emotional resonance in this world’s characters, without having to turn a blind-eye to the problems the individual releases have as interactive and non-interactive pieces of media.

The track is far from the smoothest, but for me,

"There ain’t no gettin’ offa this train"~

Source:
Final Fantasy VII
Official Final Fantasy VII Strategy Guide

Sequel Film:
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete

Prequel Anime:
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII

Spin-Off Game:
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Copyright-Skirting Costume Accessory:
Spirit Deluxe Wide Blade Sword

The Planet of the Apes Collection

Using metaphors to highlight human folly is a reliable and standard practice in sci-fi, but for some reason using apes helped the message hit closer to home. Perhaps because we know how similar to us they are genetically, and if evolution had taken a slight detour a few millennia ago...?
If ever you get the opportunity, stare into an ape's eyes and note what you find. There's a level of intelligence that you don't often see in 'lesser' animals.
With regards the films, parallels in how societies develop over time is an obvious thing for me to call attention to, but I know firsthand that something being obvious doesn't mean it's never overlooked, so I'm mentioning it.

Note: Links will take you to the relevant posts on the other Nut blogs (opens in new tab each time).

The Novel:
01. Planet of the Apes (1963) (aka Monkey Planet)

Original Films:
01. Planet of the Apes (1968)
02. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
03. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
04. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
05. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

Television Series:
01. Planet of the Apes (1974)
02. Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975)

Remake Film:
01. Planet of the Apes (2001)

Reboot Films:
01. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
02. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
03. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The Assassin's Creed Collection

I'm of the opinion that it’s because of Ubisoft’s aggressive marketing that the Ass Creed games sell as well as they do, because, if truth be told, for the most part they really don’t deserve to. The stories are often a jumbled mess, spending more time attempting to set up contrivances than they do delivering any kind of cohesive pay-off. The games are sometimes broken, necessitating post-release patches to get them into a playable state. Some are even sold incomplete, requiring additional but 'optional' paid-for DLC to fill in blanks.
I can say all of that with some degree of certainty because I've played most of the main series. I'm consoled by the fact that I've put very little money into Ubisoft’s pockets. Because of the yearly release schedule, if you wait long enough (about twelve months) you can get them new for less than £10.00. The enjoyment I get from side-missions is certainly worth that much.

Video Games on Nut Load.
01. Ass Creed Series

Books and Comics on Nut Ink.
01. Ass Creed Series

Short films on In a Nutshell.
01. Assassin's Creed: Lineage (2009)
02. Assassin's Creed: Ascendance (2010)
03. Assassin's Creed: Embers (2011)

The Babylon 5 Collection

It had more than its fair share of production problems over the five years it ran for, and there's some real tripe in Seasons One and Five, but if you stick with it for long enough then you'll feel the love that series creator and producer J. Michael Straczynski put into the Babylon 5 TV Series. When something that priceless is present, even failings can be accepted.
Unlike most long-running shows, the creator(s) didn't set the train in motion and then disappear, leaving it in 'capable hands'. JMS stayed for the duration, writing 92 of the 110 episodes that make up one amazing journey.

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. S1: Signs and Portents (1994)
02. S2: The Coming of Shadows (1995)
03. S3: Point of No Return (1996)
04. S4: No Surrender, No Retreat (1997)
05. S5: The Wheel of Fire (1998)
06. Crusade (1999)

TV Movies on In a Nutshell:
01. The Gathering (1993)
02. In the Beginning (1998)
03. Thirdspace (1998)
04. The River of Souls (1998)
05. A Call to Arms (1999)
06. The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight (2002)
07. The Lost Tales (2007)

Books on Nut Ink:
01. To Dream in the City of Sorrows (1997)

The Alan Moore Collection

Alan Moore is a writer, magician, amateur historian, and proprietor of a beard that some say once covered the fishy genitalia of the mighty Cthulhu. He rose to prominence working for 2000 AD, and afterwards climbed steadily toward the enviable position he holds now: an opinionated, difficult author who does what he likes and takes as long he likes to do it. More power to him.
Hollywood has tried to capitalise on his success, but to date every film that’s been based on or adapted from Moore’s work has more often than not upset fans of his books. The bottom line is they simply weren't meant to be films, so they either had to change much to succeed or lose something crucial during the transition from one medium to another.

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Alan Moore Books and Comics.

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. From Hell (2001)
02. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
03. Constantine (2005)
04. V for Vendetta (2005)
05. The Mindscape of Alan Moore (2005)
06. Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut (2009)
07. Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

Video Games on Nut Load:
03. Constantine (2005)

Music on Nut Suite:
01. Alan Moore audio.

The Wonder Woman Collection

We don’t currently have enough Wonder Woman material to warrant this post, but seeing as how Batman and Superman both got one it seems only fair that the lady from Themyscira gets one too, and all things being equal I'm allowed to draw attention to her lame disguise: a pair of glasses. She and Clark must've attended the same course on subterfuge. Both got an F.

Comics and annuals on Nut Ink:

01. Wonder Woman.

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Wonder Woman (1974)
02. Wonder Woman (2009)
03. Wonder Woman (2017)

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Justice League (2001-04)

The Superman Collection

Think of him however you want, as the man of steel or as the alien who wears underpants over his pants, but Superman is a force to be reckoned with in more ways than one. Initially, he seems overpowered, you know he’s always going to win with his super strength and game-changing ability to fly, but in the hands of a good writer the hero can be brought to his knees by emotion, which is something that even Kryptonian skin can’t protect against.

Comic books and annuals on Nut Ink:
01. Superman.

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. He's so super that he has his own label. Includes both live action and DC animated movies. Click HERE.

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Justice League (2001-04)

The Batman Collection

Batman's my favourite hero for the same reason he's many other people's favourite: he has no super powers, so he has no unfair advantage, unless you consider inherited wealth to be one. His filmic adventures over the years have been pretty varied. He's been comical, camp, serious, and more recently moody and broody. Personally, I think the best of the animated adventures trounce the best of the live action films. You may disagree. Luckily, there are enough variations on a theme to keep almost everyone happy.

Comic books and annuals on Nut Ink:
01. Batman.

Films on In a Nutshell (inc animated):
01. Batman.

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Batman Beyond: Complete Series (1999-2001)
02. Justice League (2001-04)

Video Games on Nut Load:
01. Batman: Arkham City (2011)

The Doctor Who Collection

It's bigger on the inside.

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. The Sarah Jane Adventures
02. Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest (2007)
03. Doctor Who: Dreamland (2009)

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Doctor Who Books

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Doctor Who and the Daleks (1965)
02. Doctor Who: Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. (1966)
03. K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend (1981)
04. Doctor Who (1996)
05. Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death (1999)
06. An Adventure in Space and Time (2013)

The Star Trek Collection

"Space, the final frontier..." and what it signifies is meaningful to people the world over regardless of race, gender, age or class. The message at the heart of Trek breaks through societal barriers and speaks to the individual. It connects them to other individuals and the unity that Roddenberry envisioned exists for a short time. Besides that, the show gave us some classic science fiction reworked and some new ideas as food for thought. It wasn’t always great, in fact there were times it was just plain awful, but over the years it’s become so multifaceted that you can pick and choose what works for you.

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Star Trek: The Original Series
01. Star Trek: The Next Generation
01. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
01. Star Trek: Voyager
01. Star Trek: Enterprise

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. All the official films to date can be found HERE

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Star Trek Novels and Comic Books

The Matrix Collection

Blending sci-fi and action better than most films that came before it (and after) The Matrix managed to sate fans of both camps. It’s a cerebral and oft-times emotional journey that works on a number of levels. Not all of the paths are worth taking, but like a great poet once taught: the difference can sometimes be difficult to discern. Click links below for individual posts:

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. The Matrix (1999)
02. The Matrix Revisited (2001)
03. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
04. The Animatrix (2003)
03. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Books on Nut Ink:
01. The Matrix Comics

Music on Nut Suite:
01. The Matrix Music

Video Games on Nut Load:
01. Enter the Matrix (2003)
02. The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005)

The Kaijū Collection

Kaijū eiga (often shortened to kaijū in the West) is a Japanese term for what are essentially giant monster movies. More often than not it’s an actor in a rubber suit laying waste to amazingly detailed scale model towns, but the best have an important subtext that explores deeper concerns.
The most famous is Toho’s Gojira/Godzilla, affectionately called King of the Monsters, but there’s more than just Godzilla in the pantheon, so if you're interested in the merits of the genre don't stop there:

Genre Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Godzilla (1954—)
02. Rodan (1956—)
03. Mothra ((1961—)
04. Gamera (1965—)
05. Daimajin I, Daimajin II, Daimajin III (1966)
06. The X from Outer Space (1967)
07. Daigoro vs. Goliath (1971)
08. Attack of the Super Monsters (1982)

Films influenced by the genre on In a Nutshell:
01. The Host (2006)
02. Cloverfield (2008)
03. Pacific Rim (2013)

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Daimajin Kanon (2010)

Comics on Nut Ink:
01. Godzilla

The Ray Bradbury Collection

Bradbury’s books and short stories are magical things. They’re nourishment for the hearts and souls of millions of readers the world over. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about many of the film adaptations of those same works. There are many reasons why that is, but I don’t have space to go into them. I can provide a list of the reviews that are currently on the Nuts, though:

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Ray Bradbury Books and Comics

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. It Came from Outer Space (1953)
02. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
03. Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
04. The Illustrated Man (1969)
05. The Electric Grandmother (1982)
06. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
07. The Halloween Tree (1993)
08. The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998)
09. A Sound of Thunder (2005)

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. The Martian Chronicles (1980)

Video Games on Nut Load:
01. Fahrenheit 451 (1984)

The Ghost in the Shell Collection

Public Security Section 9 are a counter-terrorist unit that risk life and cyberized-limb in their daily dealings with specialised cyber-crime and data theft in a futuristic Japan. Each of the different versions is subtly different from the one that preceded it or came after, but they’re all 100% recognisable as GitS. The stories can sometimes be difficult to grasp, but they’re never wholly impenetrable. You can approach them from an action-orientated perspective, or you can delve deeper and engage with the philosophical questionings of self that underpin many of the situations. Either way, the team dynamic is ever-present, functioning as a stable point of reference.

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Ghost in the Shell Manga and Novels

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
02. Ghost in the Shell: Innocence (2004)
03. SAC: Solid State Society (2006)
04. SAC: The Laughing Man (2007)
05. Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2008)
06. Arise - Border 1: Ghost Pain (2013)
07. Arise - Border 2: Ghost Whisper (2013)
08. Arise - Border 3: Ghost Tears (2014)
09. Arise - Border 4: Ghost Stands Alone (2014)

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Ghost in the Shell: SAC (2003)

Music on Nut Suite:
01. Ghost in the Shell OSTs.

The Judge Dredd Collection

Judge Dredd made his début in issue two of Britain's weekly 2000AD comic, back in 1977. Since then he's become synonymous with the title and it's impossible to think of one existing without the other.

The character has been used in the likes of RPG tabletop gaming, video games, novels and even audio dramas, but to date there's only been two films made and of those two there's only really one that managed to capture some of what made the character popular in the first place. You'll find them both below, with links to relevant posts on our other Nut sites.

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Judge Dredd Comics and Books
02. Judge Anderson Comics and Books

Films on In a Nutshell:

01. Judge Dredd (1995)

02. Dredd (2012)

03. Future Shock! The Story of 2000 AD (2014)

Music on Nut Suite:
01. Dredd OST by Paul Leonard-Morgan.

The Dune Collection

'Proper teaching is recognized with ease. You can know it without fail because it awakens within you that sensation which tells you this is something you have always known.' 

― Frank Herbert, Dune

Books on Nut Ink:
01. Dune (1965)
02. Dune Messiah (1969)
03. Children of Dune (1976)
04. God Emperor of Dune (1981)
05. Heretics of Dune (1984)
06. Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Dune (1984)
02. Dune: Special TV Edition (1988)
03. Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)

TV Miniseries on Nut Box:
01. Frank Herbert's Dune (2000)
02. Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (2003)

Video Games on Nut Load:
01. Dune 2000 (1998)

Music on Nut Suite:
01. Dune OST (1984) by Toto.

The .hack//Collection

The .hack// stories can be layered and engaging multi-part adventures or simplistic one-shots as plot-driven as a colouring book. That’s one of the potential consequences of spreading something over many different mediums. But if you’re a fan then you’re a fan and nothing anyone says will change your mind. I know that first-hand. All the Nuts have to offer about the World is linked below:

Video Games on Nut Load:
01. .hack//Infection//Mutation//Outbreak//Quarantine (2002-03)

Films and Shorts on In a Nutshell:
01. .hack//GIFT (2003)
02. .hack//G.U. Returner (2007)
03. .hack//G.U. Trilogy (2008)
04. .hack//Beyond the World (2012)

TV Series and OVAs on Nut Box.
01. .hack//Liminality (2003) (OVA)
02. .hack//Legend of the Twilight (2003) (TV Series)
03. .hack//Quantum (2012) (OVA)

Books on Nut Ink:
01. .hack//Manga and Light Novels

The Legend of Zelda Collection

Only in gaming culture could a silent protagonist who enters your house uninvited, smashes your clay pots and steals your oversized currency become a well-respected and adored legend. Link is that figure. He’s defined solely by his actions, all of which are the result of you, the player.
We don't have every title reviewed, but there's a moderate selection across a number of Nintendo platforms. Some titles even make more than one appearance on our Favourites List. My own personal favourite LoZ moment is also one of my most treasured gaming moments ever.

Games on Nut Load:
01. The Legend of Zelda

Books on Nut Ink:
01. TLoZ Manga by Akira Himekawa
02. Hyrule Historia (2013)

Music on Nut Suite:
01. Ocarina of Time Original Soundtrack (1998)
02. Majora's Mask Original Soundtrack (2000)
03. 25th Anniversary Symphony Soundtrack (2011)