znsinger
Summary:
In the Rune-Midgard Kingdom, Roan, a young swordsman, travels with Yuufa, a childhood friend and an Acolyte. Adventuring together after some tragedy befell their old party, they search about for adventures and monsters. Continue reading »
znsinger
Summary:
Takamachi Nanoha, a third grader, is just a little girl with two close friends…until Yuuno arrives. A boy from another world with a heavy responsibility, he doesn’t like to get anyone else involved in what he sees as a problem he has to solve himself. But his magical skills are relatively slight, and when he is wounded, he has no choice but to send a call to whomever in the vicinity has the magical power to hear him. Continue reading »
znsinger
Plot Summary:
Kino, a young girl, travels the world on and with an intelligent motorrad named Hermes. Determined to see as much of the world as possible, she goes from town to town, and stays three days in each, no more. Continue reading »
znsinger
Plot Summary:
Yokito, a white haired near twenty teen, travels from town to town making money with a doll and telekinetic abilities. For generations his family has searched for a girl with wings, who flies endlessly through the sky in a haze of tearful dreams. He stops in a town, thinking it would only be for a little… Continue reading »
znsinger
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. Continue reading »
znsinger
Summary:
Claus and Lavie are teenagers well used to looking after themselves. Both their parents long dead, they rely on themselves, each other, and their fathers old vanship(airplane equivalent) to succeed as pilot and navigator as their fathers had. Earning enough money to buy a booster to let their old ship win the upcoming race is their present biggest concern. But the race is interrupted, Continue reading »
znsinger
Summary:
In a dark, dreary, smoky city called Calm where there is never any wind, Zed, a teenager, is a belligerently independent enigma. More than anything else he wants to be free to do as he likes. Unfortunately, he also has a strange obsession: Whenever he sees a door, he destroys it. All he can explain is that he feels there’s someplace else that should be there, on the other side. While he gets some leeway for his mother, a mobile vegetable in the local hospital, his constant vandalism means neither the school he is supposed to attend nor the police are willing to allow him the freedom he craves. And then one day, all hell breaks loose, and somewhere in the midst of it, Zed, running, finds his door: Continue reading »
miroku2192
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 (1st 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”.
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
ondema
Plot Summary:
In Tokyo, an impenetrable field known as “Hell’s Gate” appeared ten years ago. At the same time, psychics who wield paranormal powers at the cost of their conscience also emerged. Hei is one of the most powerful of these psychic agents, and along with his blind associate, Yin, works for one of the many rival agencies vying to unlock the mysteries of Hell’s Gate.
Company:
BONES
Cast:
Hidenobu Kiuchi as Hei
Ikuya Sawaki as Mao
Masaru Ikeda as Huang
Misato Fukuen as Yin
Genre:
Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, Supernatural
Air Time:
Darker Than BLACK aired from April 05, 2007 - September 27, 2007
Episodes:
Darker Than BLACK is a 25 episode long series. There is also an OVA which has yet to be released at the time of this review.
Review:
I started watching Darker Than BLACK with high hopes, coming from BONES who has made some amazing anime in the past (Full Metal Alchemist!) I found Darker Than Black to be an enjoyable experience but it didn’t live up to my high expectations.
Darker Than BLACK boasts crisp, detailed visuals. The backgrounds are are dark and grungy and they give character to Tokyo, where the anime takes place. The character designs are simple but effective, everyone is distinguishable and has their own unique characteristics and physique. The action scenes between Contractors are animated excellently and are extremely fluid. Overall, I would say that Darker than BLACK is probably one of the best looking animes this year.
The story of Darker Than BLACK starts off fairly slow. Most of the anime is made up of “missions” which are usually 1-3 episodes long. These missions help build characters and explain the backstory behind the world of Darker Than BLACK and the beings known as contractors. Eventually an actual plot develops but it feels somewhat confused. Darker Than BLACK skips a lot of details and doesn’t explain stuff as well as it could have, which is unfortunate. The world of Darker Than BLACK is an amazing one, and it feels like it has a lot to offer. The ending is also very vague, but hopefully it will be cleared up with the upcoming OVA.
The music in Darker Than BLACK is above average. On the whole though, the anime is fairly quiet. The action scenes sound great considering all the explosions and powers flying across the screen. The characters are all well cast and their voice actors do a good job.
Darker Than BLACK was an interesting anime for me. I had high hopes at the start and I felt that it kind of went downhill during the middle episodes, but made up for it at the end. The action in Darker Than BLACK is probably the main reason for watching it, the Contractors all have pretty unique powers which allow for super-epic fight scenes.
Ultimately, I enjoyed Darker Than BLACK for the great production quality and the unique action. I had hoped for the story to be a little better, but it’s still good. If you’re looking for something with action that’s new and a little different definitely give Darker Than BLACK a try.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
This review was brought to you by Ondema!
Credits:
ondema
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!
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