Summary:
In a village surrounded by high walls that the residents are forbidden to touch or pass, a girl is born from a cocoon after a dream of falling from the sky. Named for her dream, as all born such are, Rakka soon finds herself sprouting wings and sporting a halo as the other members of the Old Home. None of them remember anything but smidgens of a past, but all know they had one. Such are the Haibane, for whose sake the town isolates itself from the outside world. Here they live, working their jobs, accepting no pay and using only things that have been used before. It all seems so peaceful – but no thing in this world is without purpose. There is a reason they became Haibane, and something every Haibane must someday do. And finding what that is – both for her sake and her friends – is soon the most important thing of all.

Cast:
Noda Junko as Reki
Hirohashi Ryou as Rakka
Yajima Akiko as Kuu
Miyajima Eri as Kana
Orikasa Fumiko as Hikari
Murai Kazusa as Nemu

Genre:
Fantasy, Drama, Psychological, Mystery,

Episodes:
Thirteen. There is no sequel of any sort.

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Review:
There are some experiences that are beyond comparison or explanation. You want to try, because something like that begs to be shared, but in the end all you can say is ‘you had to have been there’, or ‘you just have to see it for yourself’. Watching Haibane Renmei, for me, was such an experience: Enchanting, mesmerizing, spell binding, haunting, beautiful beyond words…and none of those are really enough. As a reviewer, I am bound to try and explain the unexplainable, and so I will try to describe the experience of watching this anime. But in the end, you’ll just have to watch it for yourself. It is simply something else.

From the beginning, Haibane Renmei snares the mind with an understated sense of pure magic. Its characters work the same: a soft air of sweetness belies the underlying trials of the heart that are the core of this story. Rakka, the lead, is simply a pleasant, honest, gentle young girl of fifteen or so: somewhat uncertain at first, she spends the first several episodes following the lead of the others as she comes to understand the life expected of her – something that only sounds boring because you have not experienced what simple conversation is like in Haibane Renmei. Life itself, from moment to moment, fascinates and entrances, with gentle beauty that makes you smile and, when the time comes, makes you feel their pain with exquisite directness. The leader of the group is Rekki – tall, black haired, and a smoker, she gives an impression that somehow seamlessly blends biker mom and gentle, nurturing older sister into someone who casually supports almost everything and everyone, especially Rakka, as the newest and least secure member. I suppose the next most noticeable one is Kuu, the youngest. Cute and endearing, with that constant enthusiastic delight in life that characterizes so many children of that age, she shares a special place in the hearts of all who live in Old Home – and before long, an especially close place in Rakka’s. Hikari is blond, blue eyed, and sweet – with a rather rascally curious and irrepressible side that saves her from unholy moe-hood and elevates her to the level of a Haibane character. Kana is black haired, black eyed, and spunky, a tomboyish sort with a cheerful attitude and a quick friendly-cocky grin. Mechanically inclined and gung-ho about it, her complaints about hard work are generally a facade. Last, and oddly suited to it, is Nemu. She is actually the oldest resident of Old Home – Rekki is second. But her quiet, unemphatic nature means that Rekki is the one who takes the lead. Slow, plump, and inclined to sleepiness, she works in the library, where everything is quiet, and she can read and steal naps. Haibane Renmei does not have villains – it is the sort of story where all the enemies are internal. A few outside characters do bear mention though – The Communicator, an old man who wears a mask and communicates with the outside world, is in a way the one who polices the Haibane, but the wellbeing of the Haibane is clearly of real personal importance to him. Old Home is only one of the places in town where Haibane Renmei live – the inhabitants of the Abandoned Factory are a bit rowdier than those of Old Home, a bit street like and tough with a sprinkling of boys in their ranks. Still they’re good hearted, and some have a personal link to Reki – one that plays an important role as time goes on.

The first episodes are pure slice of life – or they would be, if the world we have been plunged into did not softly scream of mystery. Even as we walk, dreamlike, through this new world, seen through Rakka’s eyes, guided by kind, engaging, supportive friends, the fact that something essential remains to be understood about the town and its winged inhabitants – something not quite sinister, but something that, once known, cannot help but bring change – is very clear. And the most important changes in our lives are often, initially, painful. The Haibane are born with no notion of what came before, but they all know that there was something – that they all had once lived lives beyond the wall. The wall that cannot – not should not – be crossed. The truth about the Haibane Renmei – what they are, where they come from, and what they have come for – is the question that drives this story, and there are several layers to the answer. Answers that are both bittersweet and beautiful – and meant to be found. The stories revealed within the story, the truths upon truths, and the redemption hidden within sin, paint in time a world so painfully beautiful as to forever mark the soul. This is the kind of story that leaves a mark on those who see it – you do not forget. And for all that there were tears, you hope that it is real.

Wondrous, fascinating, heartfelt, and sometimes sorrowful – I’m afraid this is one anime for which I am unable to maintain my usual level of distance when reviewing. For a perfectly told story that carves its name in your soul, I can only give it that rare perfect score of five out of five. If you are allergic to slow paces or character focused plots, stay away. Otherwise, see this before you die, or regret it all your remaining days.

Final Rating: 5/5

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

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are taken from the ANN encyclopedia. Everything else is and always will be the creation of the author.

Summary:
It has been six months since Takamachi Nanoha fought to seal the Jewels and freed Fate to be herself. Now she continues with her old life while continuing to train her new skills – and to keep up a lively long distance relationship with her new friend by mail. The trail is nearly over, and soon Fate will be officially cleared and return…but their reunion is cruelly twisted by the arrival of new enemies, and a new threat: the Book of Darkness. A tome of old magic gone awry, it seeks to eat the power of mages until it reaches a certain point: then it causes terrible destruction, and disappears to repeat the process elsewhere. Now they find themselves fighting four people – including their familiar – of formidable strength, strong enough collectively to overpower even Fate and Nanoha together. They are sure that these people are no more evil that Fate was – but the cause they endorse is irredeemable, and in order to make things clear, they are going to have to fight – both these soldiers, and their unknown master: the Master of the Book of Darkness. In the end, whoever it is will decide all…

Genre:
Magical girl, fantasy, drama.

Studio:
Seven Arcs

Cast:
Ueda Kana as Yagami Hayate
Mizuki Nana as Fate Testarossa
Tamura Yukari as Takamachi Nanoha
Sanada Asami as Vita
Mizuhashi Kaori as Yuuno Scrya
Shimizu Kaori as Signum
Ichijou Kazuya as Zafira
Kuwatani Natsuko as Arf
Yuzuki Ryoka as Shamal

Episodes:
Thirteen. There is one more anime sequel after this, Nanoha Strikers. Plus two manga series after that.

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Review:
One of the most common wishes at the end of a really good anything is: I wish it wasn’t over. So there is always a huge call for a sequel to any well loved book, movie, or anime. However, in the anime and movie world at least, sequels are dangerous things with a regrettable tendency to backfire, throwing mud over the image of its predecessor instead of continuing what it began. Which is why Nanoha A’s is truly a rare pleasure: a successful sequel is special in and of itself. A sequel that actually exceeds the first is truly special, and I take a great deal of pleasure in putting down in my own review what many others have said before me: Nanoha A’s is everything that made the first great, but one better. Or two. Or three. It’s that good.

When writing a review on a sequel, I generally assume that if you are reading this then you have either watched the first already or read some review, whether mine or someone else’s, on it. So I will describe the old characters only in comparison to their first appearance. At six months, neither Nanoha nor Fate have changed very distinctly, though there is overall a slight dimming of the ‘cutesy-ness’ that I mentioned in the first. This actually an improvement, and one of those ‘but one better’ bits. There are still plenty of those charming moments, but they are turned down just so – neatly ducking below the threshold they toed so closely in the first. Many males, myself included, were surprised to be so enthused of a show like Nanoha. One such friend described it as having ‘enough sugar to give a dentist a heart attack’. Nanoha A’s tunes those down just enough to make the whole experience that much easier to appreciate. Getting back on subject, this is basically the formula for all the old characters: slightly and subtly older (to varying degrees of slight), but otherwise the same. Possibly Arf is an exception. Getting to the ‘villains’. Those watchers of Nanoha have already seen the pattern, but believe me when I say this sequel takes it to the next level. The three Velka Knights are extremely sympathetic, diverse, and powerful in well conceived ways. Signum, their leader, is tall, long haired, and has a quiet but powerful aura: of them all, she is most truly a Knight. Disciplined but well aware of her feelings, her relationship with her subordinates is very close, reinforced by long years of cooperation. Shamal is their backup and healer: nearly as tall as Signum with short blond hair, gentle and caring, she spends the most time with their master Hayate, and covers for them the most when they are out. Vita, the last of them, appears even younger than Nanoha, thought it’s clear she’s been around as long as the others. Spirited and volatile, but in the end quite sincere and honest, she wields quite a heavy hit: If Signum, with her sword shaped device, is the skill on the team, then she’s the brute force, a fact highlighted by her own device, which takes the form of a two handed war hammer. The fact that none of them fall into the warrior women stereotype of being in denial of themselves is a key point, one that drives their utterly sincere love for, and perhaps misguided actions for the sake of, their newest master, the owner of the Book of Darkness: Yagami Hayate. The same age as Fate and Nanoha, and confined to a wheelchair for most of her life, she acquired the book unwittingly, and despite her conformity, is not tempted by what it has to offer. To her, the Book is happiness because it brought her the Knights – she who had lived alone for so long, now had family. Her love is now shared by the Knights, and the resulting tangles of wants, hopes, wishes, and actions drive the emotional plot of the story.

Right. The story. I kept digressing into it up there. At this point you already know the plot. All that’s left is to discuss its handling. Which is: wonderful. Nanoha was simple but true. Nanoha A’s is much less simple, but equally true, and proportionally more powerful. All the plot and character devices of the previous series are brought to whole new levels in a truly mind boggling way. At a certain point, every battle is an exercise in pained empathy – knowing both sides, you could almost cry for the Knights as they fight, even as you pray that Nanoha and the others can win, because nothing else will save them. The pace and style of revelation is much like the first, except much tighter – the first fight begins in episode one. So it’s all more intense as it goes. Like Nanoha, by episode six you know far more about the antagonists than the protagonists. Which, like Nanoha, lends far richer levels of empathy to what follows. Except that these revelations have so many more layers, are so much deeper, more powerful and painful, that to compare them does not seem entirely correct. Rather than a copy of what made the first series work, it is an evolution of it, a new, superior form. If you enjoyed the first one at all, you will enjoy this one, even more. I can give a sequel no higher praise than that.

Nanoha A’s surpassed all expectations raised by its predecessor, telling a tale with such effect I am deeply tempted to give it a five. In the end, I don’t think I can quite give it that…but it unquestionably passes the limits of mere fourdom. For its admirably bid for greatness, I give this series a four point five out of five. It is well worth seeing.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

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

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

R.O.D. Cast

Summary:
In a small apartment in Hong Kong, there lives about three thousand books stuffed into and onto every available space. And, somewhere amongst the literary mass, three highly unusual sisters: Michelle Chuen, Maggie Miu, and Anita King. So different in both nature and appearance it’s laughable, close in such strange ways you could cry, there’s one other thing that makes them different: they are all three paper users. Born with the ability to manipulate paper to almost any purpose, they hire out as detectives, and somehow, despite themselves, do well at it. But when they successfully save the life of Japanese author Nenene Sumiregawa, things take a different turn. Sumiregawa’s books are renowned, but for years now she hasn’t successfully written a word, and her editor thinks the three sisters can help. So he hires them to ‘watch’ her. And so they arrive in Tokyo – hungry, poor, and book mad. And, eventually, just mad. Because there is a serious threat to Sumiregawa after all – and much more besides. They’re the most mismatched trio of heroes ever assembled – but it’s the bonds that matter. And no one knows that better than they do.

Studio:
J.C. Staff/Studio DEEN

Cast:
Saito Chiwa as Anita King
Hirata Hiromi as Maggie Miu
Yukino Satsuki as Nenene Sumiregawa
Kikuchi Shoko as Michelle Cheung
Goda Hozumi as Joe “Joker” Carpenter
Iwasaki Masami as Drake Anderson
Neya Michiko as Makuhari Nancy
Miura Rieko as Yomiko ‘The Paper’ Readman
Saiga Mitsuki as Junior

Genre:
Action, Drama, Unusual Abilities.

Airtime:
Roughly 2003. Further details appear confusing, but really, does it matter?

Available on DVD:
Yes – in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese. I’m not the only one who approved.

Episodes:
Twenty six. Strongly connected to the OVA, also excellent, highly recommended for it’s own sake.

Review:
One might say that there is a certain amount of self-destructiveness in an anime that hypes bibliomaniacs. I mean, it’s a multimedia, but all the main characters love books and one’s an author and they are always talking about the heart that makes books. I can’t complain though, since I was a reader long before I stumbled onto a bleach episode on Youtube. And I doubly can’t complain, because this series came this close to being a five. The characters are wonderful, and the story they tell is heartfelt. If you’re the sort, like me, who is willing forgive some stretching of credulity in the name of excellent delivery and emotion, then you will have as little to complain about as I do. R.O.D. – Read or Die – rates a four, for being powerful and enjoyable, but just a bit too flat on the end. Oh well.

When I say the sisters are mismatched, I mean it. Michelle – the oldest – is twenty-four, blond, and a bit of an airhead, as in the Empire State building is a bit tall. Clueless, cheerful and open-hearted, she nonetheless pulls some impressive weight when it comes time for action. Lot’s of comic fun on screen as well. Maggie, second sister, is abnormally tall (six and half feet at least), has short cut dark hair, and hardly talks. When she does, it’s very quiet. She’s also awkward, and likes to make little dark places to sleep. She’s also possibly the strongest of them(though power levels aren’t so easy to calibrate here). Finally, Anita, pink haired, short tempered, aged ten or so. Claims to hate books, constantly sniping, but in reality deeply attached to her sisters. She’s not as strong, but she’s much more aggressive and athletic. Told you they were mismatched. Stuck somewhere in the center of the inevitable confusion they generate is Nenene Sumiregawa, a beloved author despite having had four years of consecutive writers block. Having the sisters descend on her peaceful apartment, where she had been spending her days staring at her computer and trying to will some words onto it, drives her to distraction, and she in turns drives them quite a bit in the beginning. She has a strong personality and a strong temper, but she also has a strong need for something to turn things around, and her editor believes that the Paper Users can wake her up. Well, they make enough chaos. Junior is a young silver haired boy, quiet, socially disinclined, and an all around enigma – but an exquisitely sympathetic one. Naming the villains here is a bad idea, but I can say that their portrayal is superb. They certainly aren’t typical – despite the evil of their actions, the show convincingly shows their belief in their actions. Despite that, you know what the ending must be.

The plot comes slowly, but the entertainment stays all the way. The first episode presents quite a mix of touching, comic, and action. Second and third are mostly comic, but also sympathetic, and we learn to love the unbelievable oddness of the paper users, as their presence and their basic relationships are established. After that, the story runs partly on missions the papers take in addition to their Nenene sitting duties (which sometimes more resembled their being sitted), and partly on character development, as the papers make friends, grow closer to Nenene, and reveal more of themselves. We also have a bit of intrigue as Anita makes friends with a reclusive boy she meets about the school who also, unbeknownst to her, is playing a role in their missions – against them. Yet he seems somehow starved for human company…all of this is done well, with the powerful character handling and telling that makes R.O.D the excellent anime it is. But eventually of course, we get the first climax, and start to learn just what is wrong with the picture. As it turns out, quite a lot, some of it rather far fetched. And yet, unless you make a point to think about it, the story somehow manages, through raw storytelling power, to push such considerations completely out of your mind. I’ll tell you this – if the series has consisted only of the first half, it would have been a five. Flat out. After climax one there is a short ‘break’, where there isn’t so much action but a great deal of psychological suspense, as Nenene and the Paper Sisters act on the revelations their previous encounter had brought them. This slowly, steadily, builds into a mountain of plot pressure. At this point, I must re-emphasize that while you can get away with skipping the OVA, this series will have far more impact throughout if you do see it. It’s quite excellent all of its own…though I have to resent, both in the OVA and the TV series, their portrayal of whichever president it is supposed to be as an incontinent – and incompetent – idiot. With a Pavlovian response cycle linking danger, his bladder, and the nearest nuclear warheads. Very insulting. But I digress. The cycle of emotions, plot, and danger is built with astounding, solid weight, which ironically contributes to the series’ one and only major flaw – the ending was, not wrong, but flat. Strictly in comparison. The build up of tension was so powerful, so residual, but the fact that all was well only sank in slowly. With so much on top, you needed a cleansing emotional explosion to relieve it – and there isn’t one. It is resolved without any single, strong, intense moment of right to counter the immense build-up of wrong, and this made what was otherwise a satisfying ending fall flat. Also it felt like at least three hints, character threads or plots got left by the wayside by necessity. Which is annoying. But for all of that, I cannot give this any less than a four. It simply can’t be done.

It bears mentioning that the series contains no small amount of very cool action. Yet another reason why it should have earned a perfect score. In the end, quite a few do that. Casshern Sins would have been a five if it had elaborated on the final scene for just two or three more minutes. The higher they rise, the harder they fall – at that level, a critical misstep is perilously easy. But that should NOT stop you from watching this one. R.O.D is a four, for powerful, superb storytelling with a regrettably inadequate close. Relatively.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review is 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

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/2009/03/12/devil-may-cry/ http://www.boontan.net/2009/03/12/devil-may-cry/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:01:04 +0000 znsinger http://www.boontan.net/?p=1234

Summary:
He’s faster, stronger, and deadlier than any devil he’s ever met. He’s laconic, laid back and confident, with good reason: he’s never lost. Oh, and he loves strawberry sundaes. Meet Dante, the entirety of the devil extermination company Devil May Cry. There’s no may about it. He’s the best, and not just because he’s the best at it. There’s some might say his love of strawberry sundaes is a truer sign of his character than his twin guns or his skull carved sword. Do you kill things because you hate them…or because you understand their true nature? He is powerful, deadly, and a romantic. He is Devil May Cry, and there is no may about it. Not least because he himself still remembers how.

Studio:
Madhouse

Cast:
Toshiyuki Morikawa as Dante
Akio Ohtsuka as Morrison
Atsuko Tanaka as Trish
Fumiko Orikasa as Lady
Misato Fukuen as Patty

Genre:
Action, Drama, Supernatural

Episodes:
Twelve total, no extras to my knowledge.

Review:
To me, strong action means strong character motives behind it. And to be perfectly frank, I can stand a lot of idiocy in the battle if they’ve got the motivation right. Perhaps that’s why I disagree so emphatically with all of the people who have such a low opinion of this series. I can only guess; to me, it was fantastic, very nearly an ideal. With very strong, cool action headed by a wonderfully charismatic figure, I enjoyed this series to the fullest as a series of excellent one shots that combined the action of Claymore with a contemplative edge reminiscent of Kino no Tabi. It’s detractors are welcome to their opinion, but mine is that Devil May Cry rates four point five, for a series that reaches beyond ordinary four-dom though not quite ranking a five. This one is a must for all character watchers who appreciate strong, dark action.

As a one shot type series, there are not a lot of constant characters to describe. Even among the ones that are constant, most don’t rate an in depth character probe. Dante’s charisma makes up for this. There is something about a tall, white haired, seriously cool guy walking into a dark and dingy bar, sitting down…and ordering a strawberry sundae. He does this every time. He knows those kind of places won’t have it, but he tries anyway. He is laconic, laid back, and incredibly strong, and yet under it all, he’s a romantic. When he’s told to guard a child, he says no…but when Morrison makes it a bet on a coin toss, he doesn’t argue, even though he never, ever wins at games of chance. When it comes to debating semantics, he talks hard bitten – but in the end, he’s anything but. The girl he protects in episode one is a character throughout, and worth mentioning, as she just radiates personality. Devil May Cry would just not be the anime it is without Patty Rowell, a ten year old (roughly) blonde without a dumb bone or a hint of pushover in her body. Whether it’s beating him at cards with ice cream and new clothes as the stakes, badgering him to stop eating pizza and clean up, or just being there in the background, she makes every moment she’s on screen worth seeing. Aside from them, there are two or three other constant characters, but they are good in a 2D way – not meant to rivet or lead, which is appropriate to their roles and screen time. Devil May Cry is an episodic type, and in that, it excels.

Which is why the plot paragraph is the telling one (though my brother, enchanted with ‘metal’ macho, has now declared Dante his ideal, possibly minus the strawberry sundaes). Devil May Cry epitomizes the philosophical fighting series, giving you ten – well, nine really – shots of great one episode stories containing both fantastic action and great character plot, though the proportions of the mix varies. Episode one manages to give a taste of all the best elements to show up throughout the series, though each one is represented better in at least one other episode. However, it makes a great intro in that it tells you all the series is capable of. We then get one that is mostly action but has some good, serious characters, and like even the worst of the Devil May Cry shots, ends with a nice, thoughtful revelation or statement. Number three is just fantastic. Then we get four, the one and only dud. Don’t let it put you off, and don’t worry about skipping through it. Five is much better though mostly amusing – still we have that nice ending sentiment. And that’s the end of the downhill – it’s just one great one after another. Rock Queen, Wishes Come True, Death Poker, the Last Promise – it’s nothing but top of the line stories. Dante himself is a great character who lends flavor to it all, but every single one appearance character is excellent in their own way, carrying their parts with ease. Think Kino no Tabi. It’s not really that kind of introspective, of course, but the resemblance remains. A demon with a human’s heart, a singer who wanted to enchant her audience so badly a demon uses it to infiltrate her soul, a demon that offers three wishes but grants only death, even a demon of poker, who takes the lives of the losers – there is an undeniable philosophical edge to this anime, something that offsets the action in a perfect blend that is rarely achieved anywhere. When the climax does occur, it’s the character aspects that come off best – the action is sort of anti-climatic.  If you are the sort to demand a proper, pounding cool showdown, then it may disappoint. But if you can be happy with just character, than all the right things happen and are said, and are said and done well, superbly well. In my anime collection there is a ‘hall of fame’ folder, where the fives and four point fives go. And this one is now there. There is no such thing as being able to say ‘I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed’…but if you love strong character combined with dark action and introspection, the odds of you being disappointed are, I feel, very, very low.

One more paragraph to emphasize what is,  increasingly clearly, an important point. The thing about Devil May Cry is, it looks like a raw adrenaline pumper – blood and guts and action (and more blood) – but it’s not. Or rather, those elements are there but people who are focused on that are pretty much guaranteed to be disappointed. Few people who gravitate to a guy with a huge sword and two monstrous handguns are going to appreciate the atmosphere of the episode Death Poker, the fascinatingly dark character plays as the players go down one by one. Most people who want to watch someone decapitate and dismember monsters are not interested in the character complexes of two demon swordsmen brothers trained by the same master – Dante’s father. Devil May Cry looks like an action guru, but is in fact more suited to intellectual introspectives, and this deception has cost it dearly. It looks like it’s for people who watch Berserker and Elfen Lied, but is actually for  people who watch Kino no Tabi or Noir or other character focused stuff. It’s a point that cannot be emphasized too heavily, so be sure to take it into account (and if you’d take it into account before you commented, I’d appreciate it – if I’ve already allowed for your likely point of view, it’s tiresome to get piles of comments saying it).

The anime world is made of every sort of series and opinion. Despite what many others, and most notably ANN (who also put down Utawarerumono, if this gives you any perspective), I give this anime the highest rating but one. I hope this review leads to more people, put off by other opinions, to give what I consider a most note-worthy series a try. Devil May Cry is four point five. Go find it.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

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

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia listings. 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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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. Over the course of a few recent travels, they acquire a few new friends, and meet some old ones. And learn of disturbing things. The land is changing. Some shadow grows over it. Dead friends reappear, same in face, horribly changed in soul. And in time it becomes clear that there is a grand journey to be made, the adventure to trump all adventures to be had, the monster of all monsters to stop. Neither Roan nor Yuufa can be allowed to cling to their childishness anymore. Both must grow, and discover strength of the body and mind-and heart. The Dark Lord is pulling strings again, and any darkness, any weakness within, can become an enemy.

Studio:
G&G Entertainment

Cast:
Sakaguchi Daisuke as Roan
Mizuki Nana as Yuufa
Hisakawa Aya as Takius
Momoi Halko as Maya
Nakai Kazuya as Illuga
Arakawa Minako as Judia
Koyasu Takehito as Keough

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Drama

Airtime:
Ragnarok aired from April 06, 2004 till September 28, 2004

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Episodes:
Ragnarok has twenty-six episodes. A sequel is unlikely.

Review:
Everyone has their own opinions on what makes an anime good. Action, romance, fan-service, strong characters-there are as many opinions as there are people. I’ve always preferred to answer from a more general angle. I say nothing matters more than the story. Tell the right one, tell it well, and everything else-voice acting, color, animation, etc-will cease to be important. Tell it wrong, and a multi-billion dollar budget won’t change anything. I recently had two anime stage an allegory of this on my computer. One was Kaze no Stigma, a slick 2007 production from Gonzo. The other was Ragnarok, a low budget, antiquely animated, square screened blatant RPG rip-off. Ragnarok kicked Kaze no Stigma’s rear all the way to the end, falling only just short of that rarest of accolades, a five out of five. I take great pleasure in telling you why.

Lead male, Roan: a swordsman whose love for his childhood friend is still immature, just like he is. Good hearted, talented, protective, and yet slightly pathetic, he is the seed of a great warrior-but only a seed. For now. Lead female: Yuufa. Light hearted, cheerful, and even more childish than Roan, the only thing that seems to bring a true shadow to her face is the memory of her dead brother. Seemingly oblivious to Roan’s devotion, she blissfully follows behind eating bananas, when someone doesn’t need her healing abilities. It’s a luxury with a time limit. Sidekick one, Maya the Merchant. A manipulative little thing with a bouncy pink teardrop for a pet, at first she’s only along for the ride, and to collect profitable items she herself isn’t strong enough to reach. However, she isn’t as selfish as she might seem, and establishes herself as a dependable member of the party in time. Takius, the mage. A woman of power, her senses are sharp enough to allow her to navigate the world blindfolded, as she literally does, for reasons known only to her. She is dedicated to the ideal of truth and eradication of evil, as well as her teacher, Zephel-sensei. Later to join are Illuga and Judia. Illuga is an assassin, though he rarely seems it; he is tall, silent, and superbly skilled. Fighting with two blades worn over the backs of his hand, he was once part of a party that included Roan, Yuufa, and Yuufa’s older brother. Playing the part of the imperturbable, he is apparently impossible to affect or move unless he decides to care, a valuable trait when dealing with his partner, Judia. A Hunter(thanks BW) who fights with her falcon and a bow, she’s energetic, direct, has a healthy appetite, and lives largely and blissfully in the moment. She makes strong backup though. On the opposing side are three figures who are somehow connected to the dark force emerging. A demon who’s bitter hate of humankind knows no reason, a mage whose losses have driven him to a mad search of a truth that will save the world, which the dark lord has promised him. And finally, a man everyone in the party knows, but who no longer resembles him; his antipathy is his driving force, believing in hate and cleansing the world of humans, from whom all troubles come. Seemingly invincible, he comes and goes, leaving chaos in his wake, despite the best efforts of the heroes. Until all comes to a head…

Ragnarok’s strength takes a while to see. Until about episode seven or eight, there’s only sporadic hints of the story’s potential, as the group is assembled and some background provided. This is the sole reason for the four point five, instead of a five; I can’t really give a masterpiece mark to an anime who’s first seven or eight are so not, however strong it becomes. Besides for a glimpse of the tip of the plot, it’s mostly so so, and sometimes trying. Hints of the quality they might be capable of are a little more common. Then episode nine happens, then ten, then eleven, and by then, everything has turned around. Plot, whether involving the nemesis or the characters, kicks in like a rocket booster, and everything is level five from there on out. All the most frustrating aspects of the characters become demons to exorcise as the stakes expand and engulf them, leaving no room for immaturity, for weakness, for being coddled, for being selfish, for being blind. Every minute of the ‘trying’ moments I mentioned become fuel for the fire as those faults are faced, made real by all the time we spent wincing through them. Watching growth is most satisfying when you first learn to care about them as they used to be, and the old ‘trial by facing weaknesses in an inner world’ has rarely rung so true. One by one, every character is brought face to face with their mistakes, weaknesses, pasts, and cleansed in fire. Action settles in to stay, as characters learn greater strengths, only in time to match the increased efforts of the enemy. And when the climax comes, it is everything a character strong action climax should be, as everyone’s efforts converge on victory, and even one or two that you never expected to be significant somehow manage, by complete accident, to help save the world. The rising triumph, the screamed refusal to bow to the odds, the final efforts of everyone they’ve fought beside so long, all come together with all the impact you could wish for. One of the most powerful feelings a story like this can tap is the fierce pride in the indomitable spirit of humankind, and Ragnarok does: magnificently. And in the end, though there have been losses, the closing is definitely upbeat-the sun is out. Life continues. And the party moves on.

I was completely taken by surprise by this anime, I could have sworn that kind of power wasn’t there, but at some point it suddenly managed to grip me and never let go. This is the sort of anime where reviews are most useful: where without someone who finished it to tell you, you might not realize its worth. I’m glad to be here to tell you otherwise. Don’t judge this one until ten or eleven, or you could miss something fantastic. Don’t let the blatant RPG elements fool you(character power-ups come in the form of class changes, you don’t get any more obvious than that). Once you get used to them enough to ignore them, this thing is incredible. Remember, this was almost a five.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

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

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

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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. Nanoha hears him. All in rush, she is the possessor of a magical computer orb called Raging Heart, she is attacked by a fierce creature that becomes a small gem when sealed, and she has been introduced to Yuuno, the shape-shifting ferret. An honest, empathetic girl, she quickly adopts the cause, determined to seal them all before they cause more trouble…and the entrance of Fate only encourages her. A powerful mage, long haired and beautiful, and Nanoha’s own age, despite fighting her again and again, Nanoha can’t help but notice the girls eyes: the most beautifully sad, tragic eyes she has ever seen. She isn’t just doing it for the town anymore. There’s a story behind those eyes, and Nanoha wants to know it-and comfort the one she knows, whatever she might say, is suffering.

Studio:
Seven Arcs

Cast:
Tamura Yukari as Takamachi Nanoha
Mizuki Nana as Fate Testarossa
Mizuhashi Kaori as Yuuno Scrya
Kuwatani Natsuko as Arf
Donna Burke as Raging Heart
Kevin J. England as Bardiche

Genre:
Magical Girl, Fantasy, Action, Sci-fi, Drama

Airtime:
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha aired from October 01, 2004 till December 29, 2004

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Episodes:
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha has thirteen episodes, with two sequels to date.

Review:
Magical girl type animes, mostly thanks to Sailor Moon, have a reputation for over-cutesifying, improbable attacks, and earnestly shouted simplistic ideals that are just constantly recycled truisms. I’m glad to say I’m reviewing no such anime: that would indicate I’d watched one. Nanoha actually does come close to OD-ing me in terms of cutesy-ness(ironically, when describing too much cute, you invent words a lot by adding suffixes, which is also associated with too-cute children). BUT-it really does tell a true and sweet story, even a deep one, and the characters are very enjoyable. Without ever being heavy, the plot line is strong and touching, and even though the first time I watched it was in my early years of anime watching, when I re-watched it recently, I found my opinion had only slightly changed. I, a twenty-one year old male, do recommend this series, recommend the sequel, Nanoha A’s, even higher, and rate it a four, my ‘very good’ number.

Nanoha, the lead, is not what I’d call unique-but she is endearing. So very normal, and so very determined. Adoring and adored by her family, she still feels some distance, which makes her all the more determined to reach Fate. Her way of being a ‘do your best’ sort works well-it’s made by showing, not shouting. By and large, the series succeeds by simplifying. The emotions, of her and most of the other characters, are true and uncluttered by complicated inter-relationships or sub-plots, and so they come across well no matter who it is. Fate is your quiet-through tragedy type, and shares a deep bond with her familiar, Arf. You can tell from the beginning that she herself isn’t evil, and it isn’t hard to feel as Nanoha does-especially since the show doesn’t restrict you to what she knows. We do see her life, and get a clear sight of who she is, who her familiar is, and why. It doesn’t take much from there to praying for her to find release. Arf, her familiar, is very protective of Fate, and will do anything for her, gladly. Someone who is clearly inclined to be ‘dog happy’, as her familiar form makes appropriate, seeing her pain on Fate’s behalf becomes no slight presence in the story. Chrono, a talented mage on board the patrol ship Asura, is conscious of his dignity, or tries to be, but his mother, the captain, and Amy, the navigator(I think, hard to tell what her official role is) make this very difficult for him. The captain, Lindy Harlaown, seems a bit of a lightweight, but she knows her duty and she knows command. Amy is similar, but younger and more energetic. As for the antagonists-yes, it’s very good. Evil and pitiable at the same time, you pray for her redemption almost as much as you pray for her demise. I’m not telling which it is. Just watch it.

Plot flow is slow, subtle, but always enjoyable. While the nature of the search means that at first each episode is a stand alone, it becomes one piece as the characters are built though them, and we come to see the bigger picture, and how much more is really at stake. The climax is meant to be a climax of emotion, and climax it is: perhaps not the ideal ending, but a good one all the same. Fate does find peace, I’ll promise you that. That’s not spoiling, that’s assuring against a nasty surprise. Oh, and it’s not just emotions that shine: the magical battles are excellent. The attacks, defense, and how they’re done, all of them are great. Proper spell casting battles are very cool, and Nanoha does it well-there is some very serious paranormal pounding here too.

An anime that dodges all the worst things attributed to ‘mahou shoujo’ titles, the only thing that could have made this better was a series of equally good sequels-which we have. Good strong characters, equally strong plot lines involving them, and quite excellent magical action make this a success that bears continuing-here’s to the Lyrical Nanoha family: this is just the first one. Thumbs up!

Final Rating: 4/5

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

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

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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. There to see, not to judge, but to see as much as possible, together they observe all the shades of man, from wonder to selfish to blind to evil. Man is as varied as life, and the strangeness, the horror, and the beauty are as unlimited and varied as they are deceptive. But in the end, they are simply the colors that make life, and life is beautiful.

Studio:
Studio Wombat

Cast:
Maeda Ai as Kino
Aigase Ryuji as Hermes

Genre:
Philosophy, Drama, Psychology.

Airtime:
Kino no Tabi aired from April 08, 2003 till July 07, 2003

Episodes:
Kino no Tabi runs thirteen episodes, plus a special.

Review:
I once read somewhere that a popular complaint about Gundam Wing is that there was too much philosophy being discussed in mid-battle. In other words, they wanted action, not why the action was happening. There are plenty of adrenaline rushers for action lovers out there, and some that mix action and introspection. But introspection is usually playing second fiddle. Kino no Tabi is a fascinating exception. Imagine a very real, gritty set of Aesop’s Tales made not to teach a lesson, but introduce a question. The true purpose of Kino no Tabi is to present a series of what ifs. What if a country found a way to make everyone be able to sense each others feelings as their own? What if a country advanced so far that no one actually had to work to get things done? What if a country that felt a deep historical attachment to their land learned a precise date when it would be obliterated? The parade of sociological and psychological conundrums produced are deeply, deeply fascinating. No other anime has had the nerve to serve no other purpose than for you to think about it, and they do it well. I’ve given Kino no Tabi a five for well honed uniqueness, more than anything else. Oh, and because I love to think about things like these.

Sigh…my usual format doesn’t work very well here. Kino and Hermes are literally the only constant characters. For any other to appear in more than one episode is truly rare, with the only exception of the members of the Coliseum arc, the only one to take more than one episode. Kino is a young girl, soft spoken, who seems to enjoy teasing Hermes. Coming as a sightseer, she consistently refuses to take part, interfere, or judge what she sees. Hermes has a high, nasal voice something like a child, and sometimes seems to feel as if he helplessly lives at Kino’s whim. The relationship is trusting, though. Kino observes, and Hermes comments and asks questions. Lot’s of questions, most common of them being ‘why did you do that?’

There is no plot to speak of; the series is episodic. Sometimes one episode will cover several unrelated situations. However…if you are a thinker, someone who tries to see into the psychology of the characters you see, someone who really gets into the debates of ideologies that sometimes occur in them, or wish you could get into them but find them kind of simple minded, and besides you’ve hear them before…you will love this anime. The anime is famous for the phrase ‘The world is not beautiful. Therefore, it is.’ If that sentence intrigues you, watch it. If it made you go ‘huh? Is this some kind of zen thing?’ then go watch Naruto or Bleach or something.

There really isn’t that much more I can say without going into details of episodes. It’s an anime dependent on an inclination of though. I’ve done my best to deliver the feel, and the goal. All else I can say is that I am such a thinker, and as such, I give this anime a five.

Final Rating: 5/5

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

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

]]> http://www.boontan.net/2008/08/06/kino-no-tabikinos-journey-the-beautiful-world/feed/ 2 http://www.boontan.net/2008/08/01/air/ http://www.boontan.net/2008/08/01/air/#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:03:51 +0000 znsinger http://www.boontan.net/?p=436

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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…but one thing leads to another, and he soon finds that not only does he not want to leave, but that leaving may be the worse choice he could make.

Studio:
AniVillage, Kiyoto Animation

Cast:
Ono Daisuke as Kunisaki Yukito
Kawakami Tomoko as Kamio Misuzu
Hisakawa Aya as Kamio Haruko
Tamura Yukari as Michiru
Yuzuki Ryoka as Tohno Minagi

Genre:
Drama, Fantasy

Airtime:
AIR aired(hehe) from January 6, 2005 till March 31, 2005

Episodes:
AIR is a twelve episode series, with a thirteenth summary episode, and two specials.

Review:
AIR is a powerful drama with strong characters and a very touching, personal plot. In every way exemplary, it’s only fault is to fail to finish the story. For those of you who find the act of witnessing a bittersweet, last minute desperate love(parental, in this case) and death fulfilling in and of itself, instead of the dark before the dawn(i.e. the climax and turnaround, emotionally if not plotwise) then this could well be the best you’ve ever watched. If you prefer a more upbeat ending, however, look elsewhere.

The characters are very strong and endearing. Yokito seems gruff at first, but soon shows himself a compassionate man with a sardonic sense of humor. Misuzu is an excellent rendering of a childlike middle school girl-good natured, clumsy, and cute. She makes both an excellent comic and serious role, each element wrapping naturally around her as she smiles, trips, gets up, and smiles again. Misuzu’s mother, a semi-bimbo who loves Misuzu more than anything, even as she tries not to, quickly shows what place she should have in her heart – though getting there will take time. Kano, though she doesn’t take center role for long, is as endearing as the rest, in her own way, and makes a good job of those episodes that focus on her. As for Minagi and her sister, Michiru, their arc is strong enough to justify a series all by itself: Minagi, speaking in tones that never rise, with her own unique approach to conversation, and Michiru, unable to curb her enthusiasm enough to blow a soap bubble without breaking it, make an endearing duo, and their story is a strong one. All round, an excellent cast of characters.

Plot flow is typical of such series types: a series of mini-arcs of increasing intensity, increasingly closer to the elements that will make the final arc, the ones involving the lead characters. As a twelve episode series – the thirteenth is a summary, however that’s supposed to make sense – there are two initial arcs, then the final. As usual, the mini-arcs serve the dual purposes of building the main characters themselves in preparation for their spotlight hour, and building an understanding of the plot itself to follow. The characters are indeed built well, but understanding, in this case of the fantastic element that drives the series, is ever vague. Done right, the wonder and mystery is enough; understanding is secondary. In this case, however, understanding does indeed take second place, but only because it turns out the ending you expect is never shown. It could be said that AIR simply never finished: imagine if Full Metal Alchemist had ended right after showing that Ed was alive on the other side of the gate. All the pieces are in place, you know some victory is supposed to happen, and you’ve been given enough clues that you might guess how – but unless that situation itself somehow gratifies you, you wouldn’t be too happy, even if you did know what would probably happen. If the series doesn’t acknowledge that it happened, or will happen, then it’s no good. By the time things get really bittersweet in AIR, you’ve been given enough clues to know what’s going on, and why, that something is different, and that it’s important. But…the series suddenly seems to forget about all that and just plunge headlong into the tearful sunset-tinged misery of it all. Wallowing in the grief and cheated opportunity, its purpose seems to become nothing less. Despite having been given every reason to believe that there was a purpose to what you were seeing, and that something, something long cheated, was going to come of it, AIR chooses the path of tragic drama, and the resolution is left as an in-passing mentioned eventuality.

So, while powerful in the extreme, AIR is definitely not for people who want happy endings, or even just some sort of purpose for the sacrifices that occur. We all know that the death of a beloved character can be the catalyst for an immensely powerful climax – sometimes the greatest good can only be gained through the greatest loss, and it’s the price of things that make them valuable. However, watchers should be warned that this is not what AIR is: it’s purpose, in the end, is the death. I am here so that you can decide whether or not you personally would want to watch this anime, and I have done my best; however, as a reviewer, I have one personal privilege. And so – By the power vested in me, as a Reviewer of Boontan, I do declare said anime, AIR: A two(that felt good). You, of course, should make what you will of it.

Final Rating: 2/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer
Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are taken from the ANN encyclopedia listing. 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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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, and a dying pilot with a seven star mission changes everything. Alvis is a young girl not much more than five, but somehow she is important enough that all the most powerful people and organizations in the world seemed involved in her welfare, whether to protect it or endanger it. The most powerful single ship in the world, the Silvana, has taken personal responsibility for her safety, but this isn’t nearly enough to satisfy Claus. Whatever she is to the world, to him she’s a child he’s quickly learned a wish to protect, and he intends to do just that, whether it means being a member of the Silvana, flying a fighting vanship, or changing the course of the world itself….

Studio:
Gonzo

Chiwa Saito as Lavie Head
Mayumi Asano as Claus Valca
Anna Shiraki as Alvis E. Hamilton
Junko Noda as Dio Eracles
Michiko Neya as Delphine Eracles(the Maestro)
Eri Kitamura as Tatiana Wisla

Genre:
Alternate world, Sci-fi, Adventure, Drama.

Airtime:
Last Exile aired from April 7, 2003 until September 29, 2003

Episodes:
Last Exile is a twenty-six episode series. I am not aware of any specials or OVA’s.

DVD availability:
Yes, in full, with nice extras, by Geneon.

Review:
A reviewer is a critical being. However much I may enjoy a show while I’m watching, ask me to evaluate it afterward, and I will usually find and mention some flaw, often recommending and criticizing in the same breath. Thanks to this, my family often refuses to allow me to give an opinion(oh, if only they knew I was actually publishing reviews here, hehe). So when I tell you that Last Exile is, in my opinion, as perfect a product as humanely possible, and that I’m reluctant to bring up what few things might be considered faults, this should tell you something. An unreserved five out of five is something you will rarely see from any objective reviewer, certainly me, but Last Exile makes it. Easily.

The main characters grow on you quickly. Claus is quite, kind, and seems a bit of a wimp, but his absolute competence in the air trumps all. When he is pushed, he usually gives the lie to his demeanor, without ever breaking it. Lavie is the spunk sort of female lead, but far from a stereotype: the ease with which she goes from depressed to banzai will quickly win smiles and no small bit of fondness. Alvis(Alue, when Japanese say it) is quiet at first, but blooms into a very endearing and true to life child of five. Few things are cuter than when a child of that age is done really right, and Last Exile does it right. I speak with authority: I have five younger brothers and two younger sisters. Of course, they do just about everything right, but all in their time. Dio-sama is a queer card, and it takes a while to realize what type he really is, not to mention whose side he’s on. But he, too, finds his place with the watcher, well in time for his role in the finale. The crew of the Silvana are all without question individuals, some more interestingly than others, and a few the focus of some very nice human subplots to the epic scale of the action. As for the arch-villain: ah, perfection. Sane and yet utterly twisted, a better antagonist for everyone to hate has never been found. Equal, maybe, but better, never. No matter what aspect you discuss, the word that comes to your head most to describe this series is masterpiece. I am a reviewer. I do not say ‘masterpiece’ lightly.

The ride is smooth and steady, though where it is all going comes in pieces. Who Alvis is, why she’s important, why the people who are involved are; the pieces come together slowly. People who are blood-and-adrenaline type watchers may well find the pace a bit frustrating. But whether they know why or not, action is present in plenty, as the Guild makes multiple attempts to get Alvis, and Captain Alex, on occasion, pulls operations of his own that are also somehow involved. The people are developed as smoothly; revelations, discussions, and climaxes occur naturally within lulls, even as real people, trying to find time to be human, would. Never does either the human stories or the action seem stifled or unnatural: they interweave around each other with a ease that is astonishing. It’s this kind of masterful presentation and delivery that make Last Exile such an extraordinary anime.

Action is more on a broad scale than in detailed one on one duels. Flotillas of ships, squadrons of vanships, flocks of the Guild’s starfish, this is the type of action that makes up most of Last Exile. Claus does occasionally have a dogfight, and once, seemingly outnumbered, we see exactly why the Silvana is known as the ‘kill ‘em all Silvana’, but in the end this not the kind of thing that makes the victory. Don’t underestimate them though. If you want pulse pounding against the odds fighting, tension and then the thrill of victory, you will find it here. In time. And there is, near the end, one astounding one on one fight whose execution was so intense, flawless, and innovative my jaw almost drops just remembering. It’s not very long, but with the job they did, it bears mentioning. Things do bog down a bit in the middle of the teens, but only for about two episodes, and most of what’s happening is still significant. In fact, whether ‘bogged down’ is the right term is debatable. I made the mistake of thinking Claus and Lavie were brother and sister until episode twelve or thirteen, and this left me kind of skewed for a while when it came to the character subplots involving them. In any case, it’s the calm before the storm; that part, even as things clear and everyone finds their way, leads straight into the climax, and climax it is. I will give no spoilers, of course, but I want to say this: Many anime try to make you feel, at some point, that you are seeing something wonderful. Last Exile, when the time comes, makes you feel as if you are watching a miracle.

Last Exile rates that rarest of ratings, a full five out of five, for being simply the greatest masterpiece of animated storytelling I have ever seen, standing eye to eye with anything Miyazaki has ever done. And I do know what I just said.

Final Rating: 5/5

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

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime taken from ANN. All else is and always will be my origination.

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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: A glowing greens circle in the air, that opens before him and closes after, leaving his pursuit behind. Zed has entered a new realm, with different rules: gone the technology of Calm (essentially ours), this world, and the three realms adjacent, are both connected and governed by the power of Shard. Faced with a new world and a new source of strength, Zed struggles to find his place and purpose in the place he has always sought. And he needs to hurry. Because every world knows conflict, and in a realm where the greatest powers originate within people themselves, those people must inevitably stand in the eye of the storm, and it is they who determine the tides of fate and war.

Studio:
Madhouse Studio

Genre:
Action, Fantasy, Drama

Airtime:
Kiba aired from April 5, 2006 till March 24, 2007.

DVD availability:
ADV Films acquired rights in march of this year, so it’ll be a wait. It’s in the donors section here at boontan, however, in the meantime.

Episodes:
Kiba is a fifty one episode series, with no extras, movies, OVA’s, or sequels to date.

Review:
I have a very clear idea of what number ratings for what. Five for rare beauties, four for excellent watches, three for decent, etc. Decimals are for ones that don’t quite make the next level, but undeniably stretch beyond the first. Kiba, however, is an enigma. In concept, it’s brilliant, all the way through. Whether it’s plot, character development, or character design, everything is top notch and innovative. The problem is that, somehow, in the production all of this brilliance became somewhat inaccessible. Browsing through watcher comments on anime-eden, the most common sentiment seems to be ‘I have no idea what happened, but wow, what a great series!’ Tragically(in my opinion) this does basically sum the experience of watching Kiba. An enjoyable series as is, it should have been twice as much.

In terms of character and character development, Kiba is very satisfactory, and occasionally awe inspiring. Zed himself makes a very good heroic main character. The way he combines the prerequisite values of a heroic main character-a sense of justice, a wish to protect, you know, the really indispensable ones-with being a gruff, insular person makes for a refreshing lead role that, equally refreshingly, manages to never make you wince. He makes mistakes, of course, but you don’t wince. At least not once the ‘training stage’ is over, which doesn’t take nearly as long as some do. Heck, Naruto’s still pretty stupid. Roiya, the love interest, is an enjoyable spunky female lead, and very cute, in a way that I actually believe I have not seen before. Yes, it’s an actual original design. Endearing, cheerful, and quite a strong Shard Caster herself, she, like most of her types, insists on being with Kiba, but unlike them, is strong enough to excuse it. Not that she never gets beaten or captured, but anyone can be overpowered. It’s the difference between being outdone and just asking for it. Jiko-sama, the ‘old wise mentor’, who raised Roiya, is about four feet tall, with big round cherub eyes, a penchant for fishing, a tendency to be fishing when he should be doing something else, and a hiccoughing hohoho laugh that generally means he has just been a very naughty old man. He can also pawnz anyone who doesn’t have a Key Spirit(no, watch and find out). The villains(sounds bad, I know, but ‘bad guys’ is worse) are equally interesting. The lead antagonist’s type is pretty well known-speaks quietly, unhurriedly, is cunning and constantly planning and manipulating, utterly ruthless, not to mention skilled. But I’ve never believed there was actually anything wrong with stereotypes. They become that because they have power. If the story is its own, the character will follow. There are quite a few other supporting roles, good and bad, but at least on the antagonist’s side, the cast doesn’t show it’s complexity until too far in the series: describing it here would give away the plot. It’s enough to know they do a good job.

Plot flow is good. That antagonist fellow is everywhere, constantly stirring things up and making use of events that should have been unrelated in pursuit of whatever his goal is. He’s sly about it too. Every time one clash is over, everyone goes home, Zed grits his and vows to make the next one count, but submits to the fact that for political reasons, he can’t just head over to Jimoto and cut his head off. Then something else comes up, but where there is trouble, there is this particular arch-villain. Often things start out as helping someone else, but trouble of that scale always seems to trace itself to whatever grand plan the antagonist team have in mind. It never feels like fillers, and that’s the important part. There are two fillers, spaced out, but one at a time twice shouldn’t put anyone’s hackles up.

There’s plenty of action, and its very good. Come to think of it, if there was anyplace this series’ Achilles Heel would have the least effect, it would be there. Zed’s growth in strength is both believable and satisfying, even exhilarating. He is not constantly being rescued(one common sore point), but he isn’t all powerful. This is mostly because shard power isn’t like magic;it’s constant. Your Spirit’s power depends on your potential, but aside from that, the swords, the balls of elemental power, are the same from person to person. In other words, power is still skill, and done right, few things are more impressive than a display of true battle prowess. This series, in that area, shines multiple times. The female lead, Roiya, also strong, is successfully shown as good but not in Zed’s league. She pulls her weight, somehow managing to need occasional rescuing without you beginning to wonder if maybe she shouldn’t be waiting behind with a handkerchief? All round good stuff.

So, everything sounds perfect, doesn’t it? That’s why I say the series is tragic. With this kind of material, the series should’ve been an easy four, maybe even a rare five. But…somehow, the delivery of all this brilliance got muddied. The nuances of Roya’s relationship with Zed, and its shifts, are good; if you discount that they are often barely detectable. There are several points where the series ignores the classic solution or twist in favor of a more innovative one, but despite coming up with good-no, excellent-substitutes, the scenes still lack the power they ought, by right, to have. The part involving Noa, his friend from Calm, is, psychologically speaking, perhaps the best part of the whole thing…but first you have to understand what it is, and unfortunately, this is where inaccessibility really bites. Character motivation and general psychology are the subtlest part of any anime, and when they are as muted as they are here, you have to be really good to get it. I am that good(or so I tell myself), but it still always took about ten episodes of seeing the results and musing. Noa’s part is one of the most universally not understood in the series, despite being one of the best conceived.

In the end, Kiba is a masterpiece crippled by inadequate presentation and execution. Despite that, it definitely rates three points, and a little more, making for three and a half. If you don’t mind what I mentioned before, then it’s probably a four. Even if you do, well, I still enjoyed watching it, and I don’t regret the time I spent. So if you think it might work for you, or aren’t sure, then it’s worth your while to find out. One way or the other, it’s an enjoyable watch. Just be prepared to re-watch the final episode a couple times in order to understand what happened.

Final Rating: 3.5/5

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

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is 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:
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:

• Anime News Network (ANN)
• Wikipedia