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The Perfect Insider (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 3, 2016
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Category: Reviews

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perfect-insiderTitle: The Perfect Insider

Directors: Mamaru Kanbe

Writer: Toshiya Ono

Music: Kenji Kawai

Studio: A-1 Pictures

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release date: October 25th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray/ 11 Episodes / 275 Minutes

Genre: Drama, Suspense, Murder Mystery

Age Rating: MA

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis: 

For most people, finding a dead body on their vacation would mean the vacation is over. However, for Souhei Saikawa, a professor of architecture, and his student Moe Nishinosono, a math prodigy, it’s a different kind of challenge.

Genius programmer Shiki Magata, one of Souhei’s idols, is inexplicably murdered inside the sealed research lab she disappeared to after being found innocent of her parents’ murder. As Souhei and Moe take the first steps into a deadly new world, they must untangle the complex web of events and clues leading up to the murder. With danger creeping up around them, this may be the last mystery this pair of human anomalies attempts to solve in THE PERFECT INSIDER!

Commentary:

It has been a while since I have enjoyed a murder mystery like The Perfect Insider. From the very first episode I was hooked. I had no idea what was going on but the characters were coming at me in a strange and intriguing direction. I found the plot development rather satisfying with plenty of open question that needed to be answered and most were covered as the series progressed.

The Perfect Insider is a great and refreshing anime after see the market flooded with magical power and fan service anime. I like most of the new series but there has become a series lack of great dramas coming over to the North America. This is where The Perfect Insider stands out. It doesn’t waist your time with frivolous fan service or make our characters magically powerful, it takes a group of people and places them in the middle of a rather confusing and disturbing situation.

Overall Grade: A-

The Perfect Insider does almost everything a great dramatic anime does. It provides a tense mystery with plenty of dark under pinnings. Some of those darker elements put me off a bit, but I understand why they were there.

The animation work perfectly with the story. It is slick enough to make it easy to concentrate on the story and tosses in some well done CG (computer graphics) to provide the eye candy when needed. It help a hard enough edge and color palette that helps keep the focus on the story and the characters. Often you will have anime blast you with bright colors and overly stylized environment to hide the fact that the story is week. The Perfect Insider manages to keep you focused on the story and the character. The only weakness I saw was that there was a lacking of emotion showing in some of the characters faces when important information was discovered.

If you are looking for a strong mature drama with a great ending then you really need to check out The Perfect Insider. One word of caution, this series is not for younger viewers it does contain some rather unpleasant imagery and plot topics that are not suitable for minors.

 

Chaika The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle; Season 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : September 20, 2016
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Category: Reviews

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chaika-the-coffin-princess-2Title: Chaika The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle (Season 2) Blu-Ray

Director: Soichi Masui

Creator: Ichiro Sakaki

Anime Writer: Touko Machida

Studio: Bones

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: September 27th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray/ 10 Episodes + 1 OVA/ 275 Minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Supernatural, Harem

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

The battle on the floating fortress is over, but the quest to recover the scattered remains of Emperor Gaz is too important to delay. As Chaika and her companions seek out the hero Claudia in order to obtain the heart, they race against Red Chaika, who seeks the hero, Guy, who possesses one of the arms.

Even as Chaika struggles to learn the new magical skills required to defeat Claudia, a startling new revelation comes to light which may change their mission entirely: not all of Gaz’s magic research was destroyed, and information regarding the creation of the Chaikas may have been taken to a mysterious island!

With the possibility of uncovering the secrets behind their mysterious origins dangled in front of them, the Chaikas must decide whether or not they want to find the hidden island and brave its unknown perils. Could the entire thing be a trap?

It’s highly likely, but how can they resist the bait as the spellbinding adventure continues in CHAIKA THE COFFIN PRINCESS – AVENGING BATTLE!

Commentary:

After almost 10 months Chaika returns to complete the series. Chaika the Coffin Princess Avenging Battle is more than the second season it manages to take the series to another level. There was much less concentration on the harem aspects and real focus on the plot and character development. The simple fact that all of the characters knew what they were after and set their sights on completing their mission was very helpful in drawing a clear line between them. As the mystery unfolded for both the viewer and the lead characters it became obvious that there had to be some soul searching as the final battle drew close.

Overall Grade: A-

Unlike the first season of Chaika the Coffin Princess, Chaika The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle is much faster and full of action. The plot develops at a lightening pace which is great if you are in a hurry to get to the end. I enjoyed it but felt like there could have been a little more story development to help explain everything that was going on. Even with the shortened length I still felt like there was plenty of information and  lots of excitement. I was even pleased with the ending.

It was refreshing to have the series focus on the end and also loose some of the emphasis on the Moe and Harem aspects to provide a solid series that has plenty of characters that anyone can connect with.

If you liked the first season of Chaika then you will love Chaika The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle. If you haven’t seen the first season and are interested in some fun and excitement then you should check out the series from the beginning. I think  you should be hooked and ready to see the rest.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : February 6, 2016
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Category: Reviews

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mobile-suit-zeta-gundam-Title: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Collection One on Blu-ray

Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Nozomi/ Right Stuf

U. S. Release Date: March 1st, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / 25 Episodes / 625 Minutes

Genre: Mecha, Sci Fi

Age Rating: TV14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

The Earth Federation stands victorious, but are they still on the right side?

In Zeta Gundam, we see the future world of the Universal Century through a dark mirror. Having defeated the Zeon menace, the Earth Federation has itself become cruel and oppressive. A new generation of Gundam mobile suits is created not to fight for peace, but to punish the enemies of the state, and yesterday’s villains must become today’s heroes in order to balance the scales of justice. When a young civilian named Kamille Bidan is caught up in the rebellion, he little suspects the price he will pay in the fight for freedom.

Commentary:

I really wanted to like Kamille and I wanted to root for him, but that didn’t last. Once he joined the A.E.U.G. he became even more obnoxious. In the beginning he was a thief and then he just became a whinny little Japanese main character. Other than the obnoxious main character I found the series rather enjoyable. To be honest I don’t find the older series rather tiresome, but Zeta Gundam has some interesting points of view that are well developed and explored in a very deliberate manor. The philosophical viewpoint from A.E.U.G. is rather forward thinking for a series that is almost 15 years old.

Overall Grade: B

When the name Gundam is mentioned I know that I am in for a long conversation with a fan who are immersed in a universe of contradictions and  fanciful flights of science fiction that tend to defy any real grounding in physics or understanding of the universe we live in. Zeta Gundam manages to find some reality but the strength of the series is in its viewpoints not the understanding of the physics that surround them.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is a fun series and I have a feeling that the second collection will round it out and bring it home with a bang. I know that Gundam fans will grab this one up, but if you are new to the series this is a good one to start with. The animation is reasonable for a TV series and the writing is better than several of the other series in the Gundam universe. So, if you want to dip your toe’s in the world of Mobile Suit Gundam then Zeta is a great place to start.

 

RE: Hamatora Season 2

Posted by :Patches On : January 10, 2016
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Category: Reviews

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RE: Hamatora Season 2Title: RE:Hamatora season 2

Directed by: Seiji Kishi & Hiroshi Kimura

Written by: Tōko Machida & Jun Kumagai

Music by: Makoto Yoshimori

Studio: NAZ

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: January 26th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / 12 episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Drama, Sci Fi, Mystery, Supernatural

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Having the incredible powers that come with being a Minimum Holder can be a huge advantage to a private detective firm like Hamatora, but how can anyone stop someone who can both come back from the dead AND steal your powers at the same time?

That’s the problem that now confronts Murasaki and Hajime, and it’s made even more vexing by the fact that the team’s founder, Nice, may be dead as well. But while it may or may not have been Nice, Art is definitely killing himself for more than just Art’s sake and his goal seems to be to gather as many stolen powers as he can in order to rival Nice’s ability.

However, the strength of a power isn’t all that matters, and a lesser ability can triumph over a greater one if used correctly. It’s Rock – Paper-Scissors but with super powers as Minimum Holder takes on Minimum Holder in RE: Hamatora!

Commentary: 

Season 2 of Hamatora does something that every anime should do, tell a great story and give the fans a thrilling plot and solid ending. Season 1 set the plot up and season knocked it down. I thought I understood the characters from their solid development in the first 12 episodes, but that was nothing compared to what was provided in season 2. Honestly it has been a long time since I have come across a series that does this. Mt first thought was Darker Than Black and the complexity of those characters. Although, Darker Than Black was better written and gave us some very memorable individuals. In Hamatora there are plenty of great characters, it isn’t until the end that they become something more than entertaining.

Just as season 1 was quick and dramatic season 2 of Hamatora is a little slower and much more intriguing. Much of the first 5 to 6 episodes I was trying to understand what was really going on and it wasn’t until I got to the last 3 that everything began to come into focus. That is ideal in a dramatic series like Hamatora, but there a few moments that I was ready to step away just be drawn back in. I didn’t get that momentary doubt in season one.

Overall Grade: A-

RE: Hamatora just might prove to be a long lasting series. I just hope anime fans get the opportunity to see it. I have discovered over the last few years that all to many solid series get lost in  the hype and flash of the other super star shows that blast onto the scene. I miss the days where series are discovered and become a small wild fire through the fandom. Now-a-days it seems as if the ones that get the most advertising and hype get the all too much attention. Where there are many great series that get left on the self. I get people asking me about great series and I through out some names and more often than not I get blank expressions then something like “what do you think about Attack On Titan?”. I just smile.

Hamatora has it all and then a little more. If it would not have lost focus early on in season 2 I think it would have been a home run. If you are looking for a true drama that ends up being kinder and gentler than you might expect then you really need to check this series out.

Chaika: The Coffin Princess

Posted by :Patches On : December 13, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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814131014986_anime-chaika-coffin-princess-blu-rayTitle: Chaika The Coffin Princess season 1

Director: Soichi Masui

Creator: Ichiro Sakaki

Anime Writer: Touko Machida

Studio: Bones

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

Format: Blu-ray/ 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Supernatural

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

The end of the war with the Gaz Empire only meant unemployment for former Saboteur Toru Acura. So when he collides with fate in the form of a young girl carrying a coffin through a forest, it doesn’t take much convincing for Toru and his similarly inclined step-sister Akari to join young wizard Chaika on her bizarre quest: to collect the scattered body parts of the former Emperor.

Unfortunately, the severed pieces were carried off by the Heroes who killed him, and some think that reassembling them could restart the war! On top of that, Chaika may not be who she claims to be, as there are others conducting similar missions all across the kingdoms. Is Chaika a dead man’s daughter, picking up the pieces for burial, or is there something far more sinister in the works? The winds of war are stirring and there are dragons waiting in the darkness ahead for Chaika The Coffin Princess!

Commentary:

Chaika The Coffin Princess is not what I expected. I was thoughtful and full of dark mystery. The series first came across as just another dark fantasy, but as it progressed I found the plot to be much thicker and well developed. You never really know who or what Chaika is but it does become easy to by into the little group because of the blind faith that Toru who is looking for a reason to live.

The other thing that makes it easy to like this series is the animation. Bones does a lot of different animation it doesn’t always work, but for Chaika the look and feel is spot on. The story fits the fanciful world they live in and helps keep things moving along. That being said I am getting a little tired of seeing the magical rings show up in every show to evidence some summons or spell being cast. It is over used I think it would have worked just fine without it.

Overall Grade: B+

Chaika the Coffin Princess is a strong fantasy that give you enough story and plot to make it worth while to get involved in.  As it worked toward the end of the first 12 episodes I was hoping for more information and maybe even a secret or two to be revealed, but I was left wanting more. Sometimes it is a terrible way to setup a series but when the story and plot are strong enough it is a wonderful way to move the series along. Chaika the Coffin Princess  voice acting was rather tight and caught the feeling exceptionally well. The only draw back was Crystal LaPort who played Fredrika. She came across whinny and took to the high pitch end all too much that it became annoying, much the way Monica Rail plays many of her characters. It is just too much.

Chaika the Coffin Princess is a great option for the fantasy lover. It should be easy to get past the tired Lolita crap laid out with Chaika and get into the story. For those of you looking for something different then this might be just what you are looking for. I found much of the drama and action that is found in Sword Art Online and some of the solid plot of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Check it out and enjoy.

Captain Earth Collection 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 13, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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Captain Earth Collection 1Title: Captain Earth Collection 1

Director: Takuya Igarashi

Writer: Yoji Enokido

Studio: Bones

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Film Works, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: June 16th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 325 Minutes / 13 Episodes

Genre: Mecha, Sci Fi, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

When Daichi Manatsu sees a mysterious rainbow appearing near the Tanegashima Space Center, he immediately recognizes it as being similar to an apparition that formed when his father was killed in a mysterious accident years earlier. Traveling to Tanegashima, Daichi quickly finds himself involved with the machinations of Globe, a secret agency created to defend mankind from extraterrestrial forces.

While it might seem like a big job for a mere teenager, it turns out that the skills Daichi has honed on video games combined with a special weapon called the Livlaster make Daichi ideally suited for operating the Earth Engine Impacter. A giant robot, the Earth Engine may be mankind’s best hope against aliens whose goal is to completely drain our world’s lifeforce energy. Fortunately, Daichi won’t be on his own. He’s quickly joined by a group of equally dedicated young people who all have their own skills and abilities to contribute to the battle.

Commentary:

There are a plethora of Mecha titles coming out recently and most of them follow a rather tried and true format and some follow a rather static formula. Captain Earth is no exception and in many ways it manages to mirror one of the more remarkable mecha series ever released. I know that the art world is known for building on the ideas of their predecessors and the commonalities that Captan Earth has to Eureka Seven is a classic example. With that said I don’t want to knock Captain Earth because I find it to be a very entertaining series and Yoji Enokido managed to bring in enough different elements that makes this series more of a next step in the evolution of the plot device rather than a blatant ripoff of the original Eureka Seven story.

The overall feel of the series was strong and moved with a solid pace so that it never felt like it was loosing focus. We are feed enough information and character development to keep us interested in these kids and also positively rooting for their cause. It takes several episodes to discover the real threat the Earth is under and the other unknowns are rolled out with a measured consistency.

The only real drawback to the series so far is the protagonist. In particular the super computer PAC. I found the fact that this computer managed to take on some all too human qualities that flat out contradict its logical superiority. Anyway, I found some of the darker elements of the story to have less than solid development.

Overall Grade: B+

The thing about Captain Earth that I enjoy is the fact that it continually give you a boost of positive reinforcement toward the main characters. And also gives a central player who needs all of the supporting cast to make their survial possible.

The overall animation of the series is typical Bones quality. The production values are high enough to make it easy to watch the series and yet some of the CG aspects are average at best. I realized while watching the series how important a lush sky is. I got a positive reaction every time I saw the deep cerulean  blue background with puffy white cotton ball clouds slowly passing and understood the importance in reminding the viewer how important saving humanity and the Earth is to the series.

I am looking forward to the second half of the series and truly hope that the story says on track. If you are looking for a solid Mecha that has similarities to Eureka Seven then you should get in line to check Captain Earth out, I know you will like it.

Animeggroll At St. Louis Comic Con April 2-4

Posted by :Patches On : March 29, 2014
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Category: Our Store, Stuff You Might Want To Know, What's Happening

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st-louis-comic-con-2014-wizard-world-convention-april-4-5-6-2014-fri-sat-sun-1That’s right, Animeggroll will be a dealer at this years St. Louis Comic Con (Wizard World). So, if you make it downtown to Americas Center be sure to come on by and visit our booth.

Here is a link to the convention. Check out all the guests.

http://www.wizardworld.com/home-stlouis.html

Phantom Thief Jeanne 1 Manga Review

Posted by :Joann On : March 17, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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Phantom Thief Jeanne 1Title: Phantom Thief Jeanne 1

Writer/Artist: Arina Tanemura

U.S. Distributor: Viz Media

U.S. Release Date: March 4th, 2014

Format: manga / paperback/258 pages

Genre: Magical Girl/Romance

Publisher Age Rating: T for Teen

Overall Personal Rating: B-

 

Synopsis:

Maron Kusakabe is a 16 year old high school student. She is part of the gymnastics club, lives by herself in apartment next-door to her friend Miyako, but most notable is that she secretly steals paintings under the name Phantom Thief  Jeanne. One day they meet a new neighbor, a guy named Chiaki Nagoya  who is transferring to their school. He is the kind of guy all the girls seem to fall for, Maron and Miyako are no different.

Maron as Jeanne, steals paintings that have been cursed and infect their owners. The demon lord wants to take over the world . He created the paintings and cast demons into them. Whoever’s heart is moved by the painting becomes possessed by the demon. Jeanne can capture the demons in the paintings because she is a reincarnation of Jeannne DArc. She is guided by a little angel named Finn, who gives her the assignments of what painting to find. During a mission, she encounters another phantom thief, Sinbad. Finn tells her that he is an enemy.

Chiaki keeps flirting with Maron and Miyako is quite jealous. But is he stringing her along? It seems that he has a commitment from his past. They take a trip to an amusement park. Once inside the hounded house, something goes wrong and there is a demon posing one of their classmates.  Suddenly the whole park goes dark…

During a gymnastic tournament, one of the competitors is acting strangely, Maron suspects she is possessed. But when she trying to capture the demon, she is injured, Sinbad comes to her aid.

 

Commentary

Phantom Thief Jeanne  is a magical girl genre of sorts, with the transformation and powers.  It was originally published in America under the name Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne.  This new edition will be released in 5 volumes instead of the original 7. It doesn’t appear that we loose content because this volume one is much thicker.

In this volume, things move pretty quickly. We jump directly into the story, Maron is already Jeanne and working with Finn.  Bits  of information will get revealed later. I didn’t find it as complex as Sakura Hime by the same author(which I can’t help compare it too as the main characters look so much alike). Phantom Thief Jeanne was originally written first, 10 years earlier. There has definitely been a progression of skill in both the story and artwork that is produced

I have a few minor complaints. It was totally easy to figure out who Sinbad is, why can’t Maron figure it out? I wish it hadst least been not so obvious to us, or rather Maron get her first inklings right away. His secrets are revealed by chapter 3 to us, although there is more to come I’m sure, like his motivation. Something I found odd and don’t understand why it is in the stories, is that Janne and Sinbad send out notices when they are going to take a painting. Polite maybe, but doesn’t that make it more difficult?

There are somethings I waiting for and expect to be revealed is how they are actually capturing the demons it isn’t exactlty clear. It goes rather quickly and it seems that they are sealed into chess pieces. Also, reading a little too much background online, somethings are going to be changing. I look forward to getting deeper into the mystery part of the series.

The artwork is the best part of the book, and that is what Arina Tanemura does best. It is this flowing, linear work, sort of like art deco, but not quite. The faces (and some of the figures) seem a bit dated with the pointy chins and way over the type giant eyes, but this is the artist’s style. I guess it was good that ribbons and hair give the chance to really create the beauty.

Overall Grade: B-

 

Arata: The Legend volume 16 Manga Review

Posted by :Joann On : March 16, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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Arata 16

Review written by CEVS

Title: Arata: The Legend volume 16
Author: Yuu Watase
Distributor: Viz Media/ Shone. Sunday
American release date: December 10th, 2013
Format: Traditional Manga
Genre: Action, Shonen
Publisher Age Rating: T ( for teen)
Review Rating: C
How do you fight something you cannot see?

Synopsis:
Arata and his companions are now ready to take on the six sho. His first opponent is Kikutsune. Before they can make him submit, Arata must defeat the five kagura, Kikutsune’s musicians. Since the Sho have taken power, all instruments have been banned. Only the karuga’s instruments, and the treasured “first” instruments exist.

As soon as Arata enters the town, they get a taste of the karuga’s music. A drum beat fills the air, taking the hearing of all who hear it. Arata was listening to his iPod, so he wasn’t effected, but the rest of his party was. When the drum beat stops, Arata hears another sound, a flute. He goes to the source to find a girl playing a homemade flute. She is able to restore the hearing of Arata’s friends. She then takes them to an old woman who tells them about the “first” instruments. They have been scattered, and are all hidden in their own “dungeon”. Arata and his friends have to collect the instruments before they can even think of challenging Kikutsune.

Commentary:
We’re down to the final stretch. And I mean stretch. We now have to wait for Arata to find five instruments and defeat the karuga before he can even think about the first sho. I was looking forward to the first sho battle, so I can see how strong Arata has really become, but this new mission just seems redundant. I get why Yuu Watase is doing it, but I think this is going a little too far. Luckily, this only lasts this one volume, and by the end of it we’re back on track.

I’ve always liked music, and I thought that fighting with music was kind of a cool concept. When it comes to manga however, I thought it was going to be a little too difficult to illustrate music in a way that wasn’t confusing or cluttered the page. That wasn’t the case here. Showing the characters holding or playing the instruments really helped get the point across that they were fighting with sound and not a physical weapon. I would’ve actually really enjoyed the battles if it wasn’t for the fact that most of the protagonists ended up losing most of their clothing by the end of the battle. It was very distracting and made the whole thing almost feel like a joke.

The thing that I found most interesting was at the very end of the volume there was a couple of pages of original concept art for the different personifications of the weapons.  You really could get a good look at them,  which was kind of cool.

Overall grade: C
The series is far enough along that it needs to get a little more serious. However, I did enjoy some of the new fighting concepts in this volume.