Well, I’m back. The truth is, Starfi3ld wanted these posts of mine to have anime news, but I told him I didn’t really follow. Which is true. Still, I felt a little bad – so I found this article and copy pasted it for you.

Grapes of Wrath to be Fifty Episode Epic.Studio Gonzo has announced just this week their intentions to convert American classic ‘Grapes of Wrath’ into a fifty episode epic anime series. “We’re running out of good, solid novels on this side of the ocean,” the director to be, who asked to be un-named, told the news at the time. “They’ve almost all been done here, and the rest refuse to negotiate. Some of the attempts got fairly ugly, there were some very rude references to previous works and even a death threat or two from fans of the original pieces. So we decided to look elsewhere.”

Grapes of Wrath, in addition to having a long standing record as a Great Novel, has the added advantage of no longer falling under copyright laws (present legislature states a written works copyright expires at fifty years). This combination proved an irresistible lure to the anime companies material seekers, as economic downturns make not having to pay the exorbitant fees authors have been demanding as compensation of late a major factor. “It’s a very thick classic, but we can work with that,” the director stated confidently. When asked about the studio’s background and familiarity with the work, they confessed that, prior to it’s selection, there had been none, but that proper research has been done. “We tried to read the book, but we couldn’t do it. So we took the suggestion of two college interns we had at the time and got copies of the Cliff Notes for the whole staff. They have all been required to read it, and progress with the script is expected to go quickly.” The students refused to be named or interviewed.

Asked about planned directions, the director was happy to enlighten us. “I can confidently state that rolling waves of dust have never been so realistically rendered,” he enthused. “And action scenes -  you have to have action scenes. I don’t know how the book managed without them. We probably would have been able to read the original if there had been action scenes.”

A release date has not yet been determined.

Credit for this article goes to ANN – not. HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY! (yes, on the other side of the dateline where this site is hosted, that was yesterday – I’m american. So sue me.)

P.S. That bit about copyright laws and fifty years is actually true.

Summary:
Rokujou’s sole aim in life is simple: to be carefree, free of all cares, and in general, carefree. And he is very good at it. Anything that he is not interested in, does not want involving him, or he just likes better out of sight, he can ignore or avoid with uncanny ease. And then a world that specializes in the arts of stalking and avoiding takes over, and even he can’t run anymore. The world of Ninjas – of Nabari – has for centuries been obsessed with the existence of The Secret Art – an existence than contains all the wisdom of mankind, and that grants that knowledge to its holder, making anything and everything possible. And Rokujou Miharu has it. You cannot ignore, run, or hide from the ninja world – no one knows that art better than they. The only choice is to face them, and rise to the top. His teacher, a skilled ninja of the Banten village, tells him the name – Nabari no Ou – the King of Nabari. Nothing else will bring him peace. Which is no less complicated than it should be…

Studio:
J.C. Staff

Cast:
Saiga Mitsuki as Yoite
Kugimiya Rie as Miharu Rokujou
Fujimura Ayumi as Raimei Shimizu
Namikawa Daisuke as Durandal Tobari Kumohira
Nakata Jouji as Toujuurou Hattori
Okiayu Ryotaro as Kotarou Fuuma
Hino Satoshi as Kouichi Aizawa

Genre:
Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Drama

Episodes:
Twenty-six

Review:
Ninja style anime have taken a beating with the fall of Naruto, first glorified by it and then dragged down along with. And now, right at the point when nearly all the former fans have begun to agree that it won’t come back, a new ninja anime comes on the scene. No, this will not be an eternally running marathon series – twenty six episodes, over and done. And the style is not much like Naruto, though a few things bring it to mind – the opening song makes me think of it, and one or two plot elements did in the beginning – but that ended quickly. But we have the action, we have the techniques, and we have an independently excellent story. Scarred ex-Naruto watchers, give this one a try. It’s not much like it, and that’s the best part about it.

Which is not an insult to Naruto, of course, but the first bad sign in an anime is leaning too hard on unassociated successes in the genre, and Nabari no Ou avoids that well. Characters don’t bear much resemblance at all – in fact the entire art style is different, and takes some getting used to – a world of stick figures, it sometimes seems. Main character, Rokujou Miharu. A gentle looking kid who stares into space unless someone is talking to him – and sometimes then too. Some of the most humorous moments in the show are associated with his ability to tune out anything, to disappear at the most inappropriate times without a care, and his devious tendency to twist almost anyone around his finger. Raimei -”Miharu, you understand my feelings, right?” Miharu – (points at sky) “Ah, look, a vapor trail.” Right. Thobari, his teacher in school, is a ninja who does not like traditional ninja – apparently he was made a part of the Nabari world against his will by his grandfather. Now with too many ties to leave, he tries to practice a more gentle way of life than most shinobi would preach – however, it may well be too gentle, as he cannot even kill people who must be killed. Even for Miharu, who he has sworn to protect and teach to destroy the Secret Art for eternity. Also part of the original team is Aizawa, a white haired classmate who is also a skilled member of Nabari. He is with the village of Banten, unquestionably trustworthy, but also capable of the kind of ruthlessness that Thobari is not. If not for him, people who needed to die never would. Falling into place – literally – in episode two is Raimei, a Samurai, member of a family who has regulated Nabari from the sidelines for generations. Charged with maintaining order and the balance, and more recently with ensuring that no one abuses the power of Shinra Banshou, she has come to fulfill that ancient role. She’s an ally, all right, but her motivations and willpower are her own, at least at first. Energetic, enthusiastic, and with a tendency to talk to the wrong person when she gets excited, she is a very easy character to like. All fun, that girl. Strong too. Her katana is no ornament. For antagonists we have Kairoushu, a rival ninja village that wants the power of Shinra Banshou. However, here is where the depth of the story really begins to show. Because there is really no line dividing up ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides here. The total count of people you could actually hate as enemies and bad guys are…two. Among primary characters, anyway. And even they are pretty ambiguous at times. Despite what they do, it’s often hard to be sure they are ‘bad’, at least until pretty deep in. All the other members either clearly believe in what they are doing or are clearly not evil, or even both, though they are going along with orders for now. Because, unlike most anime containing a power that can rule the world, no one is actually planning to do it. There are, for a wonder, no megalomaniacs. The camps are those who believe it should be destroyed, and those who believe it’s power should be used to save the world, to make it better. The only way to make evil of anyone is by looking at how they would try to save it. Which lends a dark and twisting strength to the anime, as we find ourselves wondering who to cheer for. Who is right? Would using Shinra Banshou only bring misery regardless of what you intended, or is it indeed a power that can redeem all, one it would be a crime to destroy? Neither view has that redeeming flavor of ‘bad’, that tells us where to go. And so the plot develops…

And in the end, it all comes down to Rokujou. The Shinra Banshou is all powerful, and the one who holds it is he; no one can really control him. And so, throughout the various struggles as Banten and Kairoushu try to collect the five villages Secret Arts, the only things that can possibly give a clue how to control or destroy the Shinra Banshou, the one constant note is Rokujou’s struggles, mostly emotional, as he slowly stops being carefree and chooses just what it is he cares for most – and what he will do about it. The action is excellent, but in the end, it is the character plots that make this series great. The profoundness and strength that we are shown over and over throughout have few rivals indeed. Naruto might have had more punch sometimes, but never more depth. What drives the characters, what that means, and how it affects the outcome, all are superbly orchestrated, astounding me more than once. And in the end we have two separate climax – the action climax, where those who should die are finally labeled and finished, and the last mysteries revealed – and the characters climax, as Rokujou make his final decision, and life returns for all – and for most, in a better way. The ending was potent, satisfying, and a little sad – but in a good way, they did it well. Not the way some do (What is Important to Mages, Summer Sky, to name the most recent example I’ve encountered. Absolutely depressing).

Many good series achieve this level at the end, and rate a four. Nabari no Ou achieved this height several times throughout the series, making it a four point five. It was a pleasure to watch, and I hope you agree. Those of you who have become rather sarcastic when it comes to ninja anime, here is your anti-dote. Unlike most medicine, you will not need to hold your nose.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Facts such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia entries. All else is and always will be the original creation of the author.

]]> http://www.boontan.net/2009/03/12/nabari-no-ou/feed/ 3 http://www.boontan.net/2009/01/27/kenichi-historys-strongest-disciple/ http://www.boontan.net/2009/01/27/kenichi-historys-strongest-disciple/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:49:41 +0000 znsinger http://www.boontan.net/?p=1130

Summary:
Shirahama Kenichi is popular with the big shots – as a punching bag. Nicknamed ‘weak legs’ (a pun on his name in Japanese), he’s pretty much bottom of the barrel. And now he is entering high school – which from some perspectives more closely resembles a school of piranhas. Attempts to change his image in the school’s Karate Club are a disastrous failure…and then a new friend tells him a secret. There is a special dojo in town called Ryouzanpaku, and if he is willing to do what they say, he cannot fail to become stronger. The catch? ‘I can’t guarantee you’ll survive it.’ And thus begins a lesson in human nature – and the dividing line between talent and determination. Kenichi’s body may be weak, but he has depths of willpower that few would expect. And the dojo knows just what to do with it. They are history’s strongest masters. And if he lets them, they will make him history’s strongest disciple.

Studio:
TMS Entertainment

Cast:
Seki Tomokazu as Shirahama Kenichi
Kawakami Tomoko as Furinji Miu
Ishimaru Hiroya as Apachai Hophachai
Futamata Issei as Ma Kensei
Kosugi Juurouta as Koetsuji Akisame
Noto Mamiko as Kosaka Shigure
Ishizuka Unshou as Sakaki Shio
Arikawa Hiroshi as Furinji Hayato (The Elder)
Yamazaki Takumi as Haruo Niijima

Genre:
Action, Comedy, Romance.

Episodes:
Fifty. There is a strong possibility of a sequel when the manga is completed.

Review:
Ah, the fighting shounen series. Young boys will discover unsuspected extraordinary powers within themselves, be trained by the equally unsuspected neighbor, and go on to vanquish a sequence of opponents with unlikely signature moves more reminiscent of x-men powers. Well…not here. Firstly, Kenichi does not have superb untapped talent. He’s just stubborn. Secondly, he’s never heard of the guys who train him before, and would have run like the dickens if he had: there’s no mistaking these fellas for harmless garden hobbyists. And most of all, there are no ‘powers’ here. The level of strength does begin to stretch the definition of human, but not the type. This, combined with a few other things, such as a buxom lead female whose screen shots focus on the head, and comedic moments that manage not to undermine the characters serious sides, make this series a four, and I am very strongly hoping for that sequel.

Kenichi actually doesn’t fit any cookie cutter type. He’s kind and protective, and he isn’t inherently strong or fast. But he really isn’t anti-macho either. He’s someone who at first is inclined to run away – but suddenly finds that he can’t stand that anymore. He wants to be able to protect, and he wants to respect himself. In short, he wants to change, and Ryouzanpaku gives him a way – the hard way. Though it takes a while, he becomes someone you can really respect, as his training and experience change and mature him. The transformation is suitably satisfying. Miu is similar, in that she isn’t a type – she’s Furinji Miu, both one of the nicest, kindest, friendliest females you could hope to find, and one of the best martial artists you could have misfortune to encounter. As expected of the girl whose grandfather is both the founder and undisputed master of the Ryouzanpaku dojo. Her character as a desirable female is in wonderful good taste, something hard enough to find in and of itself. In lots of little way, using little things, the kind of things most series forget altogether, this anime quickly puts her above your average shonen action love interest, showing her as a kind and loyal friend, someone really worth knowing – and possibly loving. She’s also endearing and occasionally silly. Gotta love that girl, though for me it was more fondness than fawning. Third of the original trio: Nijima, who cannot seem to decide whether he is an alien or a demon but is either way definitely evil, and the world’s worst best friend. Originally one of Kenichi’s bullies, he quickly catches on to the change and attaches himself for the benefits his cunning, manipulative intellect can extract. The masters at the dojo make an interesting group. There are five masters, each with their own chosen field of specialty. There’s Apachai, the Muay Thai master. A simplistic giant who loves children, talks to birds, and doesn’t understand the meaning of the words ‘take it easy on him’. Shigure, the weapons master. A dark haired woman with a tendency to hang from the rafters and speak syllable by syllable, she hangs out quite a bit with Apachai. There’s a certain quaintness to the couple I liked, though ‘quaint’ might seem the wrong word when one can fell trees by kicking them and one could give you a shave and a haircut with a katana. Shio is the karate master. One of those big, gruff guys that seem a lot meaner than they actually are – though he’s good at fooling you sometimes. He actually isn’t interested in training anyone at first, but he can’t seem to resist hanging around while the other masters are teaching him. Hmmm. Ma Kensai, the Chinese martial artist, master of all it’s forms. Also know around the dojo as the master of H-type picture taking – though since all the females in Ryouzanpaku are martial artists, this could also be thought of as a kind of training. His skills are undeniable however, and he is actually one of the more patient and dependable of the masters. Finally, Akisame, the philosophical Judo master. His official teacher and primary instructor, though he also seems to have a suspicious affinity for sculpture and almost everything else culture. Oh, and he’s a doctor. Lucky for Kenichi. For villains, we have the local power gang: Ragnarok, whose strongest fighters are known as the Fists and, with a few exceptions, take their names from the Norse gods, whose mythos contains the origin of Ragnarok. We go through quite a sequence with them, as Kenichi works his way from the local thugs to the Fists and then through them, but suffice to say they are all as individual and interesting as their screen time demands, encompassing an interesting range of individual fighting styles, once again without ever slipping into ‘powers’ or, g-d help us, Abilities.

Plot is mostly guided by Kenichi’s progress. We are introduced to him and given a sense of his life and present status while he meets Miu. He’s introduced to the dojo and begins to train, at first with only one fight in mind…only to discover that the strong seek the strong, and now that he has ‘come out’, he can only continue to do so. His growth from pathetic weakling to formidable disciple is conveniently paced by the progressively stronger, higher ranked Ragnarok members that come after him. All of this is, in essence, typical, but it’s execution is not. I have never seen anime so reliably turn staple anime situations that normally make me wince into something worth seeing. All the usual types of scenes and behaviors are here – but they cannot be compared to other examples. They consistently change their approach just enough to make them enjoyable, or more honest, or just better. Every time I thought I was going to groan, they suddenly pulled some shift and proved me wrong. It was an enjoyable and refreshing experience. It takes a while for the comedy to really become second to the plot, but at least the comedy is funny and, most of all, does not undermine the characters in serious mode. You know how anime often seem to have this thing that if it happened while the animation went blocky then it doesn’t count? Not this one. There are limits, of course, but all in all I felt the comedy managed both to amuse and to be true to character. Kenichi’s growth in strength is also more real than many examples I could think of, by showing what he goes through to get it. To get faster results, you do more brutal training, and after seeing what his masters have him do, his power-ups make perfect sense. And that kind of training takes guts. Sure, he screams a lot at first – and at intervals throughout – but in the end, he never really quits, and he could have if he’d really wanted. Miu was even more refreshing than the plot handling. Somewhere in the making of this some director made an unprecedented and rejuvenating decision. Okay, he said, we’ve made a character with incredibly large ‘attributes’ and a cute face, so now we can just leave it to the audience to notice them by themselves, without tasteless close ups, boing boing scenes, pointed ogling, or panty flashes. Hormones will do it without our help. Thank you, whoever you are, you have made my watching experience. He was right of course; guys don’t need the help and I personally enjoyed her much more for the tactful handling. In fact, it may be the first time I have enjoyed watching an over endowed character. The only time the screen focuses on ‘them’ is through the eyes of girls ‘sizing up’ the competition. Even the training itself, when we are shown lessons, are real. They work; they can be done, if you practiced you could actually learn the lessons they teach him. Through and through, this anime manages to be both extreme and grounded in reality, if you’ll excuse what sounds like patent self-contradiction.

This particular anime, as far as strength of story went, took time to build. At first it was more funny than anything else, though you could see potential coming. I decided to continue watching because something about the delivery of the first few made me think that when they got serious, they’d do a damn good job, and I was right. It takes a while, but the strength of the anime could definitely be said to be a constant uphill slope. By twenty, I was really enjoying it (the serious parts, not the anime as a whole – you’re always entertained). By thirty, I was amazed, and the series had actually managed to pull a tear or two from me. I’m not that hard to make cry – I don’t have this macho thing against it – but I’m no fountain either. It has to be good. The ending is an ideal of the genre. Once again, they took something many anime of its type do and did it best. You see, Kenichi, like many other anime, was based on part of an ongoing manga. Timed right, this works well for the companies. If it doesn’t sell, well that’s always a risk anyway and they only invested in half. If it does though, then they can count on a turnout producing the rest of it eventually. But of course they need to end it right: it must both satisfy and entice. Once again I say, Kenichi pulled this perfectly, giving you closure with a strong taste of what could come, if more were to be made. I walked away satisfied…and remain fully prepared to walk eagerly back if and when they animate the rest. The anime covered about one hundred thirty chapters of the manga; it is now up to the hundred eighties or so. In other words, if they were going to make a sequel, it wouldn’t be yet. So, I hold out hope – but there’s no call to push seeing this part off. It really is perfectly gauged.

Kenichi rates a four for simply being an enjoyable, tasteful, and refreshing watch in a genre often none of the three. Hope you feel the same.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author

wagaya no Oinari-sama

Summary:
When Noboru and Tooru Takagami arrive at their grandmother’s shrine, they are under the impression they are coming to attend her deathbed. Instead they are introduced to a dizzying sequence of surprises. One: their grandmother, apparently, is just fine. Two: the deathbed bit was a ruse to get them to the shrine where they could be protected from a wood aligned specter that was after Tooru. Three: their family is from a long line of water priests, capable of strong water ki casting, and while a lack of females has meant an end of priestesses in this generation, the power in their blood is still quite attractive to those that feed on water-wood. Thus the danger. Finally, lack of priestesses or not, the present head of the family is Noboru, and some things cannot be done without him. Like releasing the seal on the family’s ancient guardian spirit, an astral fox, imprisoned for centuries for gross misconduct and abuse of her power. She doesn’t seem very reliable at first…but something about the name of their deceased mother seems to soften her. Defeating the wood sprite doesn’t take much effort on her part, but a debt is still owed: can they really simply seal her back for another several centuries? And if they don’t, then what? She’s gluttonous, fun loving, and fey, not to mention having little regard for finesse of gender; ‘she’ is a he as often as not. And yet, inhuman though she undoubtedly is, she does have a heart…and as she once loved their mother, she seems willing to love them as well. And woe betide the specter that wants their blood now…

Genre:
Fantasy, Supernatural, Comedy.

Studio:
ZEXCS

Episodes:
Twenty-four, plus three short short specials. It feels like there could be a sequel, but there are no guarantees.

Cast:
Yukana(female) and Nakamura Yuuichi(male) as Tenko Kuugen
Miyamoto Mitsuru as Haruki Takagami
Hayami Saori as Kou
Mizushima Takahiro as Takagami Noboru
Shimamura Yu as Takagami Tooru
Ono Daisuke as Ebisu

Review:
Fox spirits seems to be something of a fad of late in anime. Thing is, few of them are really presented as the traditional inhuman trickster. Standard approach to non-human animal spirit in the house is, give it a cute girl form, some inhuman abilities and powers, and start talking about human bias and ‘exploring’ whether they are really so inhuman, all the while fostering a romance. Which is a big part of why Wagaya no Oinari-sama impressed me. With the traditional Japanese mythos so faithfully revived in so many areas in the anime, in pure pre-Buddhism style, Tenko Kuugen the Astral Fox is no exception. A true depiction of the classic endearing trickster, she is sympathetic and humane – but never, ever human. With an opening depicting her fox form, her female form, and her male form in equal proportions, the series never strays from this precept, representing the kind of thinking that makes the whole thing work. A small but noticeable crop of fillers mixed among the excellent true arcs keeps this series from a four, but as a three, it is still worth watching. Bear in mind, however, that three is the average entire-certain significant chunks of it are definitely four level.

Characters first, as always. Leading male, though one could argue he shares that title with Tooru, is Noboru, the oldest in the family. What seems like the stereotype anti-macho lead is subtly altered and redeemed by the fact that, with their true mother dead, he’s basically been filling in for her, both in general household maintenance and where his little brother is concerned. The attitudes that make his type, put against the role he plays at home as the substitute mother, especially towards Tooru, and the fact that he is truly good at it (we see later he has an affinity for children in general), become proper parts of his own personality. His brother, Tooru, is a very endearing child of about eight or ten, young enough to be appealing, old enough to think. His sincerity is his strongest point, and while someone meaning harm to Noboru is still playing dice with a nasty death, it’s Tooru who seems to attract the good will of all he meets, human or not. Tenko Kuugen, or Kuu-chan as Tooru calls her, seems especially fond of him, though it could just seem that way since it’s he who gets into trouble the most. His older brother seems to take after his father more, but the water ki in Tooru’s blood is much stronger. So, Kuugen herself. Though himself is equally accurate about a third of the time. According to her explanation, ‘after a couple hundred years, you forget which gender you were born as, and it doesn’t really matter much to you anyway.’ This seems to be a feature of all spirits of her class, we meet at least one other who is the same. Despite all her time as a captive at the Miduchi clan’s hands, she doesn’t seem to bear a grudge, preferring to leave it all behind and live blissfully in the moment. A true trickster type, loving fun and a dash of trouble, she certainly causes enough-until something threatens the family. At which point she is liable to morph half fox right on her still human shoulders. Apparently if she gets excited or otherwise distracted, she loses control of the transformation to some degree. Anger does the most, but if something catches her interest suddenly enough her ears are liable to pop out (causing no small consternation). She is both fun and sympathetic, not to mention awe-inspiring when her blood is up. Kou, the Miduchi shrine’s present guardian maiden, is the quiet type, in tone and demeanor. Beautiful, determined, and roughly Noboru’s age, she is asked by their grandmother to accompany them, to keep an eye on Kuugen, whom she doesn’t seem to trust much. Her take on this requires some adjusting. Nearly as clueless as someone brought in from the previous century, she is not too sure how the fridge works, how to cook, or what is considered normal behavior in the city; but she is certain that her duty requires her to brave all of these uncertainties daily. Clumsy but well meaning, she responds to every request with ‘yes, even if it costs me my life’, a response that brings sweat to the brow as you realize that not only is she serious (however low the odds of death occurring) but that in the process she will probably accidentally break at least two household items. Quite a bit of fun, but like Kuugen, not to be underestimated. There are no villains in this anime; it’s ‘that’ sort.

There is no overall plot. We have the setting, and stuff happens inside it. The first seven are establishers mixed with one episode fills; we meet people and watch what the basics of life here are going to be like, complete with a few examples of Kuugen’s battle prowess and bond with her human family, both present and past. They are actually a fair bit of fun, sometimes even touching, and it isn’t until near the end of it that it starts to feel like fillers. Which is right about where it switches to an excellent three or four episode arc (hard to say just where it started) that takes a theme I’ve almost never seen done convincingly and, well, does it convincingly. It was quite wonderful, and encouraged me not to give up yet.  A good thing, because there’s another three like the first set before the next good arc starts. Again, the actual arc was excellent, it was getting there that sometimes got annoying. Once that arc ends (eighteen) we never see another like it; some of the fillers were enjoyable and there was one two episode arc that really didn’t compare with the others. Which left me with an interesting conflict of opinion. Most of the arcs and some of the fillers were excellent, but there’s just a little too many of the not-so-good fillers floating around. So in the end I’ve averaged it out to a three, saying that the series as a whole is worth the time to see. But some parts are more worthwhile than others.

Good characters, enjoyable interaction, and some very well told stories give this series plenty of appeal, but the overall watching experience averages out somewhat lower than the value of it’s better parts. But in the end, anything three and higher is a recommendation. I do believe it should be watched.

Final Rating: 3/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credit:
Information such as airtime and cast are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia entries: all else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Summary:
Tomoya is a delinquent. His class attendance is lackadaisical, and his approach to life in general is not much different; he gets most of his thrills from teasing everyone around him. However, he does have a kind side, and it turns out to be his lifeline, as he finds himself trying, ever more energetically, to encourage a lonely girl to make her dream of acting in the school drama club a reality before she graduates. One thing leads to another: whether he knows it or not, a new life has just begun.

Genre:
Drama, Romance, Supernatural, Comdey.

Episodes:
Clannad’s first season consisted of twenty-two episodes, plus two specials; a second season, Clannad After Story, has now partially aired (Dec 17, 2008).

Studio:
Kyoto Animation

Cast:
Nakahara Mai as Furukawa Nagisa
Nakamura Yuuichi as Okazaki Tomoya
Nonaka Ai as Ibuki Fuuko
Kuwashima Houko as Sakagami Tomoyo
Noto Mamiko as Ichinose Kotomi
Hirohashi Ryou as Kyoiu Fujibayashi
Kanda Akemi as Ryou Fujibayashi
Sakaguchi Daisuke as Youhei Sunohara

Review:
One man’s favorite novel is another man’s gag-fest…or something like that. I’ve been on the receiving end of a disapproving review of a favorite anime more than once. I’ve never forgotten what it felt like when I saw a seventy percent rating on Anime Library for Sola, my personal all time star…so I guess I feel just a little guilty about this one. Still, I can’t change my opinion-but I do know your pain, I really do. I am aware that Clannad is the darling of thousands of anime fans, all of whom were enthralled by it’s-well, truthfully, I have no notion what it is they found so enthralling. My overall reaction, as a watcher, is that it is an utterly-and sadly-unsuccessful attempt by the team that made Kanon 06 to ‘do it again’. Kanon was a masterpiece: this is not. Ranging from reasonably touching (the first arc) to absolute rock bottom (the second arc), Clannad rates, by my judgment, a one-barely. I will do my best to explain myself objectively, but no matter what, I can only judge an anime from one viewpoint, and that is my own. So if I am tearing apart an image that means a great deal to you, I am sorry…but only because I’ve been there. The series itself, I feel, does not deserve my pity.

As always, characters first – though in some cases, I could just refer to Kanon counterparts. Tomoya, the main character, is given many features directly opposite to his predecessor, Yuuichi, no doubt to prevent what happened anyway: he reminded me of Yuuichi. Despite all the technical differences, when watching him I just thought, ‘he reminds me of Yuuichi.’ And that only gets worse as time goes on and his kind side becomes more dominant. Nagisa, the female lead, does not have a close enough counterpart plot-wise to suffer the same fate. However, her design (appearance) is no more or less than a mature sized Ayu. Picture our uguu girl at the proper height for her age and properly developed all around, and you know what Nagisa looks like. She’s also easily the most bland of the cast, far and away outshined by just about everyone else, including her parents. Sweet, but flat, that’s her. Despite numerous attempts to make her something more like, well…Ayu? Tomoya’s best friend, Sunohara, is Kitagawa, Kaori’s best friend in Kanon. That’s it. Just a carbon copy with a couple situational differences. He even looks like him. Fuuko, a little girl who looks and acts elementary age but is actually high school age – another Kanon carryover – is actually a bright light in this litany: she is absolutely hysterical, and in a style utterly her own. Makes Ayu look like a lecture on agricultural statistics. Her arc is the only one of worth in this anime (more on that in it’s place), and I’d gladly have watched the full twenty-two episodes as focused on her just wandering about, and rated it high too. That doesn’t happen, of course, but if Clannad succeeded at anything it attempted, it was the comedy. I shall keep the first ten episodes for nothing more than the gut-busting fun, and begrudge not a megabyte of the space.  Then there’s Tomoyo, a long silver haired girl with a gentle manner and The Kick of Justice. Forget the long hand of the law – worry about her feet. She’s actually quite a good, interesting character, and my easy favorite. Unfortunately she doesn’t get nearly enough screen time, and her role for most of the series is to add bulk to the crowd of enamored girls who all want Tomoya (g-d knows why).  Actually, most of the girls serve this role more than anything else, because there are simply too many of them to give them proper arcs of their own. Even the ones that do get short ones, besides of course for Nagisa. There is something intrinsically wrong with the taste of any drama that tries to have more than three girls interested in a guy at one time. You just can’t give it proper weight, and the whole situation is incredulous, to say the least. Clannad gives him five. Right. Someone get me the name of his aftershave. Two more of the five are the twins, Kyou and Ryou Fujibayashi. Kyou is loud, long haired, and violent; Ryou is quiet, soft voiced, and short both in hair and self confidence. The usual Yin and Yang thing that producers seem to see as a shortcut to interesting. Not that it’s a tactic with no hope; Kyou is actually a lot of fun, and my second favorite character. Ryou fades out as your typical moe shoujo, but this is enlivened by the fact that anytime she is particularly overwhelmed, Kyou is sure to show up to give the perpetrator hell, something she excels at. These two never have their own arc but simply add their presence alongside all the others; truly purposeless but for flavor and to bring the number of ‘candidates’ to a gratuitous five. Last and possibly least, depending on the angle, is Ichinose Kotomi, the series’ monosyllabic, an introverted genius girl who somehow was once a friend of Tomoya’s and who he has now forgotten; all in all, she completes the list of characters who are factually nothing like Kanon characters, but remind me of them anyway. Kotomi-chan, while an excellent comedic character, reminded me of Mai somehow, and so does her arc, which is also quite short. In that she has one, she takes precedence to the twins; in how much her own affections are presented, she loses by such an extant I have no idea why they bothered at all. Amount of screen time in which her feelings (romantically speaking) are a factor? Total well under ten minutes, possibly even five. I thought she was just a friend till near the end. Or rather, hoped, since there were too many in that category already. I’ll end the character bashing here; disgust seems to have made me wordy(er).

Plot and delivery time. For the first eight or so episodes, Clannad actually did very well. I was honestly interested, and eight ended strongly. These plus nine made the first arc, Fuuko’s arc, minus the first two and a half or so which are general introduction, with the seeds of the arc to come dropped casually in the midst. The humor was great, the emotions of Fuuko’s dilemma were strong-and to be honest (aren’t I always?), that was the last time I thought favorably of the series. It is a little hard to describe what was wrong with the arc’s conclusion. Here’s my best attempt: while fan-service by default means ‘privileged angles’ (cough*panties*cough), it can actually refer to any element of an anime made for the watchers rather than for the story itself. Those who prowl fanfiction.net have probably seen more badly spelled examples of ‘fiction for fans’ (rather than by fans, a critical distinction) than they care to remember. This was by professionals, but it still felt like it was designed to fulfill the fantasies of the greatest number of watchers – just instead of hormonal fantasies, the ones they were fulfilling were plot based. It was made to tug the maximum number of heartstrings, not to best conclude the story they were telling, and this is always a turn for the worse. Though I didn’t have the words at the time, I knew that it had disappointed me. And it only went downhill from there. Kotomi’s arc starts out as a return to the top notch comedy (starfish FTW!), but after two or so episodes it starts to become serious; only, somehow, it failed entirely to get me serious. And then we got to the conclusion…okay, look. I have standards when I write. I believe strongly in making the story you tell as strong as possible. I also feel the truer the tale, the more it will touch. And I have never, ever, ever watched a worse conceived scene in all my experience in anime, and I pray never to again. It’s very hard to explain my absolute abhorrence without spoilers. I’ll try by saying that once again it tried to pull every single heartstring they could, pulling out revelation after revelation-except this time, not a single one had the slightest ounce of plausibility. I snorted in disgust at the first three, and then proceeded to skip my way through in hopes of some redeeming moment later on. That’s right, I skipped my way through most of the high point of the arc. And I never found that redeeming point either. I stopped watching cold for months. I have never stopped, without intention of continuing, so deep into an anime before (G Gundam was a fifty episode series, so it’s different). The only reason I kept it on my hard drive was because I have a friend who has trouble downloading, and he was interested in it. Eventually I decided that having gotten that far, I should finish, and review it. You may not be grateful, but too bad. I did.

There is a short arc on Tomoyo after that, which was nice but not nearly as in depth as I would have liked. She was an intriguing character, but after they were through she was not much more than part of the ‘Unrequited Lovers of Tomoya’ club. It takes three to form a club in their school; at five members, they honestly qualified. After that we go back to full time ‘revive the drama club’ mode, focusing on Nagisa and Tomoya. We have one or two fairly stupid ‘problems’, solved in equally stupid or implausible fashion, and then the kicker. The whole issue with his dad, instead of being dealt with (it deserved to be, it wasn’t bad at all as a premise), is used as a gimmick to put Tomoya in Nagisa’s house. That’s it. It’s the last time the series acknowledges it. It’s also rather hentai-esque, and I find it rather ironic that of the three, Clannad, Kanon, and Air, only Clannad was not adults only as a game, but only Clannad as an anime suggest hentai roots. There’s really not much more to say; this deep in, explaining things in detail is pretty much impossible, and none of it made much of an impression in any case. Right up till the much awaited confession. The series never managed to move me again. Flat, mundane failure. Some moments were enjoyable, but that was it.

I mentioned that the series seemed to suggest hentai roots, right? It’s a statement demanding a bit of explanation, I know. The scenes I’m referring to range from a questionable scene involving Tomoya locked in the gym storage shed with Kyou to various scene shots that emphasize girl’s ‘endowments’ a bit too deliberately to ignore. And one or two inbetween. Perhaps not, in itself, a flaw, but it is reminiscent of what is missing throughout Clannad: a lack of taste or sense of proportion. Even the traditional definition of fan-service makes some form of appearance.

What can I say? No matter what anyone else thought of it, only the comedy and the first eight episodes keep this at anything more than zero. I did warn you not to read this if you were already a fan. However, for the record, I’ve always been conscious of the lack of counter-opinions in the review selection here. I’m the only one for now, so it can’t be helped, but if you want to make a sort of ‘mini-review’ in response in the comments section below, that is more than fine: just make sure that it is detailed and specific. It should be able to help someone who is wondering whether they would agree with me or others more. Don’t say ‘I loved it’, say why. That’s all. But by my account, Clannad is a one.

Final Rating: 1/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Facts such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia entries. All else is and always will be the original creation of the author.

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Plot Summary:
Four years ago, Kazuma was the greatest failure of the Kannagi family. An ancient house of fire masters, the strongest in the world, he alone cannot manipulate it at all. In the end, unable to uphold the Kannagi name, he was shamefully evicted. But now he has come back, and things have changed. Having discovered an affinity for wind within himself, he is now stronger than everyone who once stood over him. It’s hard to tell what scars he bears and what grudges he holds, though both clearly must exist. What is clear is that power of his level cannot hold aloof. Now that he is back, he is a player, as the Kannagi’s have always been. There is always work for the strong.

Studio:
Gonzo

Cast:
Fujimura Ayumi as Kannagi Ayano
Ono Daisuke as Kazuma Yagami
Morinaga Rika as Kannagi Ren
Ohara Sayaka as Tachibana Kirika
Takahashi Chiaki as Katherine McDonald
Itou Shizuka as Kudou Nanase
Inokuchi Yuka as Shinomiya Yukari

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Comedy.

Airtime:
Kaze no Stigma aired from April 11, 2007 till September 20, 2007

Episodes:
Kaze no Stigma has twenty four episodes, and the ending suggests a sequel.

Review:
There are all kinds of taste in anime. Some people really don’t care what kind of action there is or about any suspenseful plot so long as the right boy and girl become a happy couple. Some practically couldn’t care less who’s on what side so long as there’s enough action. I’ve given two level ratings before for anime that others would probably rate much higher. My job is to make sure people can tell if they’ll like it, not to like it myself. However, you can pretty much always tell what an anime is trying to do-and Kaze no Stigma fails. Lacking impact in almost every way, Kaze no Stigma makes the dubious honor of being my first one rating by being not a case of missed taste, but of just plain missing.

First, characters: So much potential-what is actually done with them is almost painful. The male lead, Kazuma, at first seems to be a rightfully wronged member of the family come home to prove it. His attitude, his power, and his use of it, all suggest someone who isn’t quite immature enough to pound on the Kannagi gates and beat them up, but who is all too willing to do so the moment opportunity crosses his path. However, introspection into the shame he suffered in the past ends within four episodes, and what started out an intriguing and understandable figure becomes just an irritating, supercilious, high and mighty character that is wildly incompatible with the female lead, Ayano. Ayano started out equally promising. The thing was, I assumed character flaws presented in the beginning were there to be exorcised, not as their permanent description. To me, the signs were that the series would be about her maturing, growing, and learning about what the Kannagi family’s power really means, what it is for, and when their pride becomes their downfall. Instead, they threw her straight into the ‘insists she hates him while going nuts whenever he belittles her or pays attention to another girl’ stereotype, from episode five on, and that is where development ends. And they make multiple filler episodes focusing on it too. Ren, male side-kick, is both Ayano’s cousin and Kazuma’s younger brother. He hero-worships his brother, and clearly has a close relationship to him-he alone views Kazuma’s leaving only in terms of not having his brother for four years. He is also the only one to have any real character development; the only worthwhile arc in the series actually focuses on him. Oh well. A fiercely in denial love interest must come with ‘wiser’ friends to stand in the background and tease them about it. Ayano’s come in the form of two friends, Nanase and Yukari. Nanase is more tomboyish than Yukari, with short black hair to Yukari’s long blond. Yukari also has a disturbing lean towards being a nosy journalist; this ranges from knowing the oddest school gossip to getting in disguise to follow Ayano and Kazuma and take pictures of ‘the hundred faces of Ayano in love’. Until the climax, however, they are primarily there to giggle whenever Ayano and Kazuma are together, and make remarks about dates and love when he’s mentioned, so that Ayano will yell and freak and clue in any particularly wooden headed watchers. Last and unfortunately not least: Katherine McDonald, a truly horrible ‘rival’ for Ayano that appears in episode fourteen. A fire master from America, big breasted with long curly blond hair(Japanese apparently consider this the only proper representation of a foreigner), she comes to challenge the Kannagi title of strongest fire user family, and stays to make eyes at Kazuma and basically be a forthright Ayano. May I mention that she has this laugh like a third tier actress trying out for the Witch of the West? Thanks.

Okay, plot, general flow, handling, delivery-all royally flops. The series consists of two to four episode arcs sandwiched by somewhat amusing to just plain stupid fillers until seventeen, where the final arc kicks in. The first four are actually quite good, mostly because you assume they are hints of arcs and developments to come. Unfortunately, however, that is the one thing they are not. After that comes a two ep. arc, and then a mildly amusing filler that actually introduces a subject of the next four episode arc: a wind fairy who is by far the most amusing character of the series. Actually, that arc is the only truly good part of the whole anime. It actually brought tears to my eyes, and the comedic interaction between Kazuma and the little sprite is honestly, truly funny. Of course, the tear jerker part all focused on Ren and a character that does not appear again, and the fairy doesn’t appear either, so all the things that made it good stay there. It even managed to redeem the Kazuma x Ayano bit for a while…but once they took the spotlight again, that quickly wore off. It’s nonstop fillers, mostly groan worthy, until seventeen. The final climax, in concept, is actually quite interesting, as is the psychology involved, but that took a back seat to focusing on how it tied to Kazuma’s past, attempts at which came across as unbelievably banal. The facts of a scene are meaningless. You can portray increasingly impressive, dark, portent filled skies with glowing red moons and what all till the budget runs dry, but if you can’t tell the story right, it’s just a lot of colorful high rez pixels. That’s what happens here. Gonzo is known as the top dog of animated eye candy – but they are also known for lousy character, and this is a prime example. All their focus and time spent on it only emphasized that it had no punch. It’s actually pretty hard to produce the climax without a rise of some kind. In this case, I was almost not bored. And there were several almost touching scenes too. It was a step up. If the whole thing had been like that, it would have rated a two instead. As is, one four episode arc that was good can’t really be allowed to change things.

I have always said that neither animation nor voice actors really mattered. What really matters is the story you tell. Do it right, and the watchers will forget everything else. Do it wrong, and nothing can save you. The fact that even as I was watching this, I was enthusiastically enjoying a 640 rez low budget RPG rip-off just illustrates the point further. Gonzo should be ashamed to see it’s competition. Kaze no Stigma is a one. As always, the rest is your call.

P.S. There is actually a bit of what you might call fan service in this anime. Since the animation quality is very high, this might well be considered the best done part of the series. Level ranges from Ayano’s clothes getting torn a bit to seeing her in underwear choosing a dress. I don’t go for this, but like I always say, it’s your call.

Final Rating: 1/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Most info such as cast was taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. In this case, the airtime is courtesy of wikipedia. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

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Plot Summary:
In the Treisting school for magic, the name of Louise Francoise is famous – for failure. Without one successful attempt at magic to her name, everyone eagerly awaits what spectacular unwanted results will come of her attempt to summon a familiar. And as far as everyone can tell, she lives up to her reputation: instead of a creature of some magical nature, she summons Saito, a Japanese boy of her own age. A human, and therefore not bound to her will as a proper familiar, he is every way the failure anticipated, and she takes it out on him unmercifully. But the marks on his hand aren’t normal either, and some of the staff think they know what it is. If so, there are a lot of surprises ahead for Louise, Saito, and everyone who thinks they know them. Especially Louise. Summoning a human familiar is bad enough, but falling in love with him is just ridiculous…right?

Studio:
J.C. Staff

Cast:
Kuyimiya Rie as Louise Francoise Valliere
Hino Satoshi as Hiraga Saito
Inoue Nanako as Kirche
Sakurai Takahiro as Guiche
Horie Yui as Siesta
Inokuchi as Tabitha
Kawasumi Ayako as Henrietta de Tristain

Genre:
Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure

Airtime:
Zero no Tsukaima aired from July 02, 2006 till September 24, 2006

Episodes:
Zero no Tsukaima has thirteen episodes, plus two sequels. The second, at the time of this review, is in the midst of airing.

Review:
Ah – unexpected love. It comes without our realizing it, softly changing our lives – not. Unexpected it may be(to the characters), but it is neither soft nor subtle, heralded by hissy fits and bouts of beatings with a riding crop and orders of extra laundry duty. Frankly, I found the representation to be kind of tasteless. However, if you find blatantly oversized female accessories a plus rather than a gag, the constant presence of perverts and half-assed sexual passes amusing rather than wince-worthy, and you are okay with a lead male character that not only allows a petite pink haired little tyrant to beat him with a horse crop, but cringes and runs around the room when she tries, you might like it better. Personally, however, this series rates a two.

Okay, characters first. Female Lead: Louise Francoise. Long haired, short tempered, and very proud, her attitude is actually pretty sympathetic when you consider that she has had to spend a year already as the ‘Zero Louise.’ Mocked by everyone, befriended by no one, her pride has been all she had to stand on for some time. Male Lead: Saito. Tousle haired, taller in height but shorter in personality force when compared to his temperamental taskmaster, his attitude, and what he is and isn’t willing to put up with, seem to change depending on whether the producers want to be comic or serious. He has a way of switching between being your typical spineless harem male and being a guy with few options but still conscious of his human pride. Kirche – enter the fan service. Flame haired, a flame familiar, and a flaming approach to dating, she fall into steaming infatuation with Saito the first time he does something right, and tags along ever since. When she’s not trying to seduce him – and she is equipped for the role as only an anime character can be – she can actually be quite useful, and she certainly isn’t always a shallow, shameless competitor to spur on Louise. Tabitha – extreme quiet girl, and for some reason, best friends with Kirche. Go figure. A very powerful mage, her silence helps conceal the fact that she is probably the strongest student attending. And finally, Siesta – the real competition. A maid, so no airs, and pretty (aren’t they always?), whose very honest liking and admiration of Saito is something that attracts him all the more for the fact that his default status with the aristocrats and his mistress is something like a dog that can understand English – er, Japanese – and carry laundry. The rest you can meet in the show, if you watch it.

Plot flow, and general handling…oy vei. It takes till episode eight for any hints of an overall plot to show itself, which is the point where it actually intrudes, since of course there isn’t much time left at that point. That’s supposed to be where the climax starts, not the emergence. To compensate, the emergence and climax almost blend together. That itself isn’t necessarily a problem. After all, the series precept leaves plenty of room for some nice character development, as Louise and Saito pitch basic human dignity against the utter disappointment and humiliation he represents to her. You could have easily made seven very nice episodes dealing with all that – but Zero no Tsukaima opts for filling them, by and large, with episodes that have all the substance of cotton candy. The first two episodes are actually the best. The entirety of the first episode is taken to cover up till the summoning, actually a good thing, since you get a clear snapshot of Louise’s life and standing. Thanks to that, you have the basis to understand why she treats Saito the way she does. The second episode does a good job of establishing both Saito’s situation and allowing Saito to establish his human dignity. You need to be able to respect your main characters, and episode two deals with this well. Unfortunately, the rest of the series took such a shallow approach that not only does this not do any good, but it could even be considered a waste of airtime. All that those two episodes took such pains to establish went to pieces when put against the repeated use of the horse whip. It crosses a line of human dignity that simply cannot be passed off as comic. Someone willing to use a riding crop on a human so constantly for such petty reasons is someone I cannot sympathize with, and someone who not only allows it but cringes like a puppy, I don’t want as the hero.

Eventually, the plot kicks in and puts an end to the horrifying fillers(three through five, seven), but depth of any sort never quite makes it to Zero no Tsukaima. The handling as a whole was blatantly geared towards a sequence of sequels, and characters relationships advanced to the dance routine ‘one step forward, one step back.’ That is, every ‘resolution’ was almost immediately taken back so nothing would change. We’ve all seen this before: I hate it. And I certainly have better things to do than watch two sequels rehash the only worthwhile part of the story concept until even it loses all flavor.

Fan service, blatant sexual humor just within acceptance for the targeted audiences age, comedy based on being bossed and tossed around by every pretty girl in the area – does this series miss a trick? I am aware there are people for whom this is the description of a dream anime. To them I say: have a ball. But the rating in this review is a two.

Final Rating: 2/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime were taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

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Plot Summary:
When a red moon rises, Emulators, creatures from a world contained within our own, descend to prey on man. The source of all Earth’s legends of magical monsters, they are only combatable by magical means: that is, the Night Wizards. Shihou Elis knows nothing of this-yet. Then an old tree by her new school seems to call her, and in the middle of the night, everything changes. A treasure awakens to her voice, an Emulator arises to stop her, and she is rescued by two young up and coming Wizards: Akabane Kureha, an all too enthusiastic girl a year older than Elis, and Hiragi Renji, a skilled swordsman who battles Emulators daily at a frenetic pace in the vain hope of attending school and curbing his steadily rising absent rate. Both good friends and good wizards, she’ll need both, because she hasn’t just become involved-she has become a focal point. The rate of invasion by Emulators has been increasing steadily(just ask Hiragi), and Anzelotte, eternal leader of the wizards, has decided to take action. Which means getting the Seven Jewels of Virtue, which will only respond to Elis, which means she will definitely need strong companions. And true ones. A turning point in the fate of the world is coming, and aside from faith in friends, few things are certain.

Studio:
Hal Film Maker(Aria the Animation, Boys be, Saber Marionette J)

Cast:
Yanagi Naoki as Hiragi Renji
Kogure Ema as Akari Himuro and Anzelotte
Satou Rina as Akabane Kureha
Miyazaki Ui as Elis Shihou
Goto Yuko as Bell Zephyr

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Comedy.

Airtime:
Night Wizard aired from October 02, 2007 till December 25, 2007

DVD Availability:
None. You’ll have to use the donators section(heh)

Episodes:
Night Wizard is a thirteen episode series.

Review:
Some anime are comedies. Some are not. But every once in a while you get something special, a kind of transmutation, where the comedy of one episode brings tears to your eyes the next. I started watching Night Wizard for light relief from whatever heavier anime I was presently watching, but in the end I was treated to a pleasant surprise.

Characters aren’t especially dazzling, but they are very endearing and easy to like. Elis(Alice, possibly, in English) is your typical cute, short haired, timid, caring shoujo lead, but Night Wizard employs a special light touch to their characters that redeems the spark in every stereotype: without any real innovations, she will make you smile. Who wouldn’t want to protect her? Kureha’s your very bouncy, enthusiastic, energetic go getter. Long haired, long clothed(she dresses as a shrine maiden) and with a long history with Hiragi, she’s a large part of the anime’s comedy, and like everyone else, is very easy to like. Akari, who takes a little longer to show up, is your ‘balanced’ quiet girl-meaning, she doesn’t have a tragic past, or some other psychological issue. She doesn’t need a cure, she’s just monosyllabic. She actually talks a lot more than most of her type, and has a subtle but complete range of expression, lending her considerably more character. Rather than only say the minimum necessary, usually in response, she actually volunteers to speak, occasionally making low voiced observations or comments, and always speaks in full sentences, instead of the minimum necessary for comprehension. In any case, cast against Hiragi’s noisy nature and Kureha’s enthusiasm, she makes a good counter, as the final part of the core group. The villains are rendered with similar treatment; there’s a touch to their evil, which isn’t really innovative, which makes them enjoyable to watch. Maybe it’s that they don’t try to shoot the scene as if they actually are unique, tragic, or intense. They simply let them be. In any case, for the first eight episodes, thanks in no small part to this, a better light anime has never been.

Plot: ah, now here is where we get to the really good part. I usually mention flow, but Night Wizard did something a little special. Stories gain power by making you a part of them; they draw you in, make you part of the action, put you in the middle, and by doing this, make it meaningful. Most try to put you in the shoes of their characters, showing why the story matters to them, but there is another way: to make everything matter to you; to show you just what everything is, why it’s important and precious, so that when everything goes wrong, nothing matters more than that everything, in the end, be right. Utawarerumono did something similar. Because I wanted everyone to be okay, the plot itself only had to be adequate; I did the rest. For the first eight episodes, Night Wizard seems the model role for all light comedy action anime. Enjoyable with some slightly sweet moments, I was very satisfied. Then the transmutation occurred. Without my realizing it, a base had been laid, and the last five episodes became something else. It never felt like I had been suddenly dropped in another anime. Unlike Gurren Laggan, the essence itself didn’t feel changed. But…I was really, truly affected by it, and was much, much more involved I had expected. It was a pleasant surprise, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

And so in the end, Night Wizard gives us the best of both, in a way that seems natural, and the thoroughly sunny ending is the icing on the cake. As a series that I would heartily recommend, this series rates a four.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer
Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are courtesy of the ANN anime encyclopedia. All else is, and always will be, the origination of the author.

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Plot Summary:
In present day Tokyo, Kurenai Shinkurou, an orphan, works as a dispute mediator at the age of fifteen. Rough as the job is and as young as he is, Shinkurou is as yet not fully developed, and knows it. All the same, he wishes to achieve the strength necessary to be trusted with bigger jobs than the ones he gets now. He gets his wish, as often happens, in a form least expected: He is asked to be the bodyguard of Kuhoin Murasaki, a seven year old girl raised in complete isolation and luxury. Sensing something bigger than he is but unable to abandon her, Shinkurou finds unexpected fulfillment-and more expected exasperation-in fulfilling his job, as Murasaki becomes, like a family member, a treasured part of his life, as eagerly adopted by the other occupants of his apartment building as by Shinkurou himself. Murasaki, a good girl at heart, learns quickly, and life gains a new shine…but the Kuhoin family is a strong and mysterious force, and in time, Shinkurou must find out whether his early intuition that the job was too big for him was right…or not.

Studio:
Brains Base (Kamichu, Soul Eater)

Cast:
Aoi Yuki as Kuhoin Murasaki
Miyuki Sawashiro as Kurenai Shinkuro
Sawa Ishige as Juzawa Benika
Takaya Kuroda as Kuhoin Renjo
Ryoko Shintani as Yuuno Hozuki
Aiko Okubo as Inuzuka Yayoi

Genre:
Drama, Comedy, some Action

Airtime:
From April 3, 2008 till June 19, 2008

DVD Availability:
As of this review, series finished airing too recently to have been released.

Episodes:
Kurenai consists of twelve episodes. There’s no mention of a sequel, but it is based on a series of novels, and only covers the first. Fingers crossed!

Review:
Animation has grown. Lines are smoother, color is richer, and in general anime producers seem happy to bask in the glorious fulfillment of modern day animation. And in the midst of this, Kurenai, with muted colors and muted sound, dares to make an art of understatement. Well made and enjoyable, Kurenai nevertheless is startlingly quiet in execution. Even the previews are done with no sound and the upcoming title is announced in a leisurely, laconic baritone. But it is definitely a success.

Character could well be said to be one of its strongest points. A drama driven largely by the people in it, Kurenai successfully makes merely watching the members interact entertaining, even if the art takes getting used to. The faces seem downright ugly at first, but given time, they grow on you, and you get a feel for the way they show expression. Shinkurou clearly has the potential to be very strong, even as he is equally clearly not there yet(and remains so throughout the show-no power-ups, sorry). But once off the job, he becomes a soft spoken person all too easily put off balance by the other boarders in his apartment, his friend Yuuno, and sometimes Murasaki as well. Murasaki herself is as adorable as any seven year old lead could be asked to be, even as she learns what living in the real world means. Spoiled though she may be, she’s a good girl, and watching her grow and learn is a large part of the attraction of the early episodes(it’s a can, Murasaki, you need a can opener). Tamaki and Yamie, the other boarders, make some odd ducks: Tamaki is blond, happy-go-lucky, and something of a bimbo; though she hides a vulnerable side. Yamie dresses in black, wears a skull on a long cord, and seems the more normal of the two, until you realize she can’t tell the truth to more than five questions in a row. Both, in the end, are clearly good hearted, and come to look after Murasaki as well, in their own way(very own way. As an older brother seven times over, I didn’t find all of those scenes funny-but I’ve promised myself never to let a review become a rant, so that will be all on the subject.). What with their characters, the veracity with which Murasaki absorbs information whether it’s creditable or not, and Shinkurou’s constantly being blindsided by one, the other, or both, the first half the series makes a warm and entertaining experience, and the second, a personal one.

As for plot…well, it’s almost secondary. While it can’t quite be classed as one of the genre, Kurenai has a strong feel of a slice of life story. The series more depends on entertaining, endearing, and drawing you in, episode by episode. At some point, the hinted at turn that would force a showdown and close happens, and when it does, it is strong, but because of who Murasaki, Shinkurou, and the Kuhoin family members are, not because of startling twists and revelations, or betrayals, or tense action. There is some action, but Kurenai’s style means you can’t really say tense. There is no adrenaline rush or heady power surge that brings the almost impossible victory to hand. Characters stay at about the level they begin. But again, don’t think that means it wasn’t strong. It was strong for different reasons. Character reasons. And in the end, we have a very reasonably happy, and very touching, ending. It’s complete, though you can see where you might like things to be taken further someday. Kurenai is based a series of novels, but the anime only covered the first, so if this one was successful enough, a sequel isn’t all that unlikely. Lets hope.

Kurenai rates four out of five for a very enjoyable watch with a good, touching ending. A unique style, well worth watching for anyone who thinks they can do without vivid colors and a quickening of pace and pulse. It has its own beauty.

Final Rating: 4/5

This Review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime were taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. Everything else, a.k.a. everything in the summary and review body, are and always will be the origination of the author.

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Plot Summary:

Nearly a decade has passed since the fateful day that Japan was overtaken by the Britannia Empire. Japan, now a land that has suffered countless casualties, is stripped of its honor and renamed as Area 11. With the use of Knightmare Frames (big ass-kicking machines), the Britannia Empire continues to demoralize the “Elevens”. Every now and then, there are a few sparks of rebellion from the Elevens who have had enough. However, they are but only a tiny nuisance to the Britannia Empire. But…

One genius, Lelouch, stands up to this seemingly impossible task once he gains a power by making a contract with a certain woman. Will his intelligence, new found power, and extreme hatred for Britannia be enough to help him over throw this oppressive country?

Company:
Sunrise

Cast:
Jun Fukuyama as Lelouch Lamperouge
Takahiro Sakurai as Suzaku Kururugi
Yukana as C.C.
Ami Koshimizu as Kallen Stadtfeld

Genre:
Action, Drama, Mecha, Military, Science Fiction, Comedy

Air Time:
Code Geass (1^st season) aired from October 05, 2006 to July 28, 2007.

Episodes:
25 Episodes for Season 1. Season 2 is currently being produced. Season 2 is said to air early or late spring in 2008.

Review:
Story: 9/10

Code Geass is a well thought out anime that grabs the viewer’s interests with the very first episode. Unlike many other series, Code Geass goes at a very decent pace; where one can still catch on with what’s happening, and at the same time be entertained and enticed to watch more. The story develops around a young boy named Lelouch who uses a new found power he gains to fight for power and a so called “justice”. At times however, the “plot twists” tend to get a bit annoying. The producers seemed to have wanted everything to be too “perfect/cool” and have forgotten to make it a bit more “realistic” (then again, this is just an anime).

Lelouch is on the left, and the woman on the right is the one that gave him his power (you’ll know what it is after watching the first episode)

“I will give you power, if you grant my wish. You will be a human, but something more than a human at the same time…you will be a king”.

Art and Music: 10/10

The style of the art and animation is truly something to take into consideration. The smooth flow of the animation and the clear crisp colors are a little bonus that make this anime even more enjoyable than it already is. Unlike most other anime that contain mecha, Code Geass sticks with the fluid animation and even does an awe-inspiring job on the “Knightmare Frames”.

The OP, EP, and background music are unique and fit Code Geass extremely well. The background music does not get repetitive and has a strange charismatic power (I can’t get the tunes out of my head!!). Kudos to the composer J.

Character Development: 9.5/10

The producers did a fabulous job in giving the viewers a chance to look deep into each of the character’s pasts to get a better understanding in the motives behind their actions. What I find most interesting, is how the producers are able to make us feel either sympathy or hatred for each character. At times, I just want to completely tear Lelouch up…at others, I almost feel that he is just misunderstood and truly “just” (although the way he carries out certain plans are a bit maniacal). However, there are just a few characters that are so annoying and useless that they brought down this rating to a 9.5.

Overall: A spanking 9.5/10!!!

This is without doubt on my top 3 list of all time favorites. While being a “non-mecha fan”, this anime has really changed my views on the Mecha genre. Ultimately, the well thought out plot, fast paced story line, and the bits of comedy here and there form a memorable masterpiece that will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more.

With this godly power, I command you to watch this anime!

This review is brought to you by Miroku2192!

Credits:
Anime News Network

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Plot Summary:
Shinozaki Mikoto is a student who’s life is really routine. Going to school, going home, going to school, going home…nothing changes….until the day the girl he likes talks to him and introduces him to bicycling. His life now has a new meaning, and a bright path has shown itself to Shinozaki. Experiencing both failure and success throughout his training, he works hard to become the best cyclist in the world.

Company:
Xebec

Cast:
Kaori Nazuka as Yuki Fukazawa
Kenji Nojima as Kouichi Terao
Kishô Taniyama as Takeshi Yamato

Genre:
Comedy, Romance, Sports

Air Time:
Overdrive aired from April 03, 2007 – September 25, 2007

Episodes:
Overdrive is a 26 episode long series with a possible second season.

Review:

When I started watching Overdrive I wasn’t really too sure what to expect. I figured it would be a the Intial D but on bikes, what I got however was completely different.

Overdrive is a pretty average looking anime. The character design for the main characters is solid and the core characters all have their own individual and unique looks. The other characters, are somewhat bland looking and can be confused. Where Overdrive shines are the “fighting” sequences during races. The art style and animation really portray a strong sense of action and emotion.

Overdrive’s plot is fairly simple but in my opinion quite charming (but maybe a bit corny.) The plot is a typical underdog story, but it does it well due to likeable characters. Overdrive hasn’t been fully subbed into english at the time of this episode (damn you Toki-Fansubs), but it looks promising. The anime is split essentially into two sections, Shinozaki learning to ride and Shinozaki’s first race. While the first half is fairly slow, the second half’s drama definitely makes up for it. The race has so many twists and exciting moments that waiting for the next episode is almost impossible.

The characters of Overdrive are probably the highlights. A lot of time is spent in Overdrive with flashbacks of the different characters which makes them all more likeable. The characters are probably the best part of Overdrive. Each character has their own unique qualities and give you a reason to cheer them on.

The music in Overdrive is above average. The Opening and Ending themes are both good, and help create the energy in Overdrive. The sounds in Overdrive are another highlight. Specifically during the race the sound of the crowds, the riders and the weather make the experience seem real. The voice actors are all good, although Kenji Nojima can be a little annoying at times.

I personally enjoyed Overdrive and found it fresh and fun. The fact that it’s based on bicycle road racing, which is a fairly unused idea for an anime, helps keep the anime interesting. Overdrive delivers a unique glorified view of biking and makes it seem so much more exciting. After watching the some of the race episodes I actually borrowed a bike and went out riding. Overdrive is definitely a hit and miss anime, but if you can get past the corny moments you’ll find an exhilarating experience and a reason to break out your bike and go ride somewhere.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review was brought to you by Ondema!

Credits:

• Anime News Network (ANN)
• Wikipedia

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Plot Summary:
In their closed-off underground village, Kamina and Simon chafe at the limits imposed by the village elder. Yet all this will change, when Simon stumbles across a fantastic device – just as the village’s peace is broken by a violent intrusion.

Company:
GAINAX

Cast:
Katsuyuki Konishi as Kamina
Marina Inoue as Yoko
Tetsuya Kakihara as Simon

Genre:
Adventure, Comedy, Science-Fiction, Drama, Mecha

Air Time:
Gurren-Lagann aired from April 01, 2007 – September 30, 2007

Episodes:
Gurren Lagann is a 27 episode long series. There are also two “bonus” episodes, the uncensored version of episode 6 and episode 5.5.

Review:
The creators of the legendary Evangelion return again with a new mecha anime, Gurren Lagann. Does it make the cut?

Simply put, Gurren Lagann’s art is unique. The anime is full of explosions, gunfire and lasers which are spectacularly rendered and drawn. Gurren Lagann has a very crisp look to it which is enhanced by awesome use of simple colours.The characters and mecha are drawn simply, but effectively. Combined with breathtaking backgrounds and animation make Gurren Lagann a different and refreshing visual experience.

The Gurren Lagann story is one of my favourites. The anime consists of several arcs which are seperated by time lapses. The use of arcs within a 27 episode series is a fairly ambitious idea and it works perfectly in Gurren Lagann. The story stays fresh and the action is always exciting.

The characters in Gurren Lagann are all equally unforgettable and you will grow fond of each and everyone of the massive cast. Specifically though, Kamina is made one of the most badass characters ever seen in an anime. The characters also age and subtly change their personalities as the anime progresses, making them seem more human.

The music in Gurren Lagann is also unique with several hip-hop and rock songs being used. The characters sound amazing, and they deliver some of the greatest lines in anime history (most of them being said by Katsuyuki Konishi.) The music, sound effects and dialogue work together perfectly and create heart-pounding action scenes.

Gurren Lagann is hilarious and all the while managing to produce some of the craziest retro-mecha action I’ve ever scene. At times I have finished an episode and found myself out of breath. Don’t start watching Gurren Lagann expecting “Evangelion 2″, because it’s far from it. Gurren Lagann delivers an oldschool Super Robot action experience in a modern format (GATTAI!) The story and characters are fantastic and each episode leaves you needing more. Once again Gainax have made a mecha masterpiece, completely different from Evangelion, but just as amazing.

This was probably my favourite anime of 2007 and I strongly advise this to anyone looking for something fresh and fun.

Final Rating: 5/5

This review was brought to you by Ondema!

Credits:

• Anime News Network (ANN)
  
• Wikipedia