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.

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.