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Busou Shinki-Armored War Goddess: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 14, 2017
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Category: Reviews

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review provided by Andrew & Katie

Title: Busou Shinki-Armored War Goddess: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Yasuhito Kikuchi

Studio: eight bit

Author: Masahiro Yokotani

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks/Section 23

U.S. Release Date: February 14th, 2017

Format and Length: DVD / 13 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Angelic Layer, Rozen Maiden, and Chobits

Juggling four girls at once is never easy, even when they are small enough to actually juggle!

Synopsis:

Some guys wait their entire life, and then some, to meet the girl of their dreams, but high school freshman Rihito is already living with four of them. Plus, they are almost always ready and willing to help him with whatever difficult task their “Master” needs to be handled. So, how did Rihito get to be so darn lucky? Well, while Hina, Ann, Ines and Rene may not be exactly high maintenance, Rihito does have to make sure they are lubricated regularly and recharge their batteries as needed. He does this because they are Shinki—tiny, six-inch tall, customizable androids (Now would be a good time to get your mind out of the gutter.) But do not let their tiny size fool you because these little ladies have more than full-size intelligence and emotions, there is also friction because each one would prefer to be Rihito’s favorite. Make way for the sparks that are going to fly as these battery powered princesses take charge of Rihito’s world.

Commentary:

Busou Shinki-Armored War Goddess: The Complete Collection is an anime series that was produced as an advertisement for the Shinki action figures and as such it is an original storyline written for said figures. With that being said, I thought Busou Shinki-Armored War Goddess: The Complete Collection was an average Slice-of-Life anime. The story follows the four Shinki as they perform their daily chores and the trouble that they always find themselves in. You can watch any episode after the first one and it will make almost perfect sense. Being as this was an advertisement there was not much character development but you do get to see an example of each Shinki by the end of the series. Rihito basically treats his Shinki as if they were human and the Shinki take really good care of him. Basically the Shinki are depicted as cute, tiny androids living in an apartment in the middle of Tokyo.

As for character development, there is none. Rihito is basically seen as a generic avatar that the target audience can relate to. Ann is the caring character who is pure of heart, Rene is the clumsy big sister, Ines is the tsundere character who is mean but cares deep down inside and Hina is the cool loner girl who cannot relate to the rest of the cast. I basically saw every overly done character type in one anime. I did enjoy the Christmas episode though because it showed how much the Shinki care about Rihito and at the same time it showed how much Rihito loves his Shinki.

Extras:
Busou Shinki-Armored War Goddess: The Complete Collection includes Japanese promos, clean opening and closing animations, and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series is available in Japanese language with English subtitles.

Overall Grade: B-

Busou Shinki-Armored War Goddess: The Complete Collection was produced as an marketing tool for the Shinki figures and I have been noticing this has been the case for a few series created around this time. When I began watching the first episode I was expecting this series to be pretty good as it reminded me of Angelic Layer and I really enjoyed that series. Within a few episodes I realized that while this series has potential it was never expanded on and really leaves something to be desired.

Please Teacher! (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 8, 2015
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Please Teacher!review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Please Teacher!

Director: Yasunori Ide

Studio: Daume

Author: Yosuke Kuroda

U.S. Distributor: Nozomi Entertainment , Lucky Penny

U.S. Release Date: June 2, 2015

Format and Length: DVD / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Comedy, Romance

Industry Age Rating: 16 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Waiting in the Summer, Please Twins and To-LOVE- Ru

“This is a priority one.”

Synopsis:

Kei Kusanagi isn’t your typical 15-year-old high school student. He is actually an 18-year-old with a rare disorder that puts him into what he calls, a “standstill”! When he was younger, this disorder left him in a deep coma which stunted his growth for three years. So he must make up the time that he lost to his “standstill”. Mizuho Kazami isn’t your typical teacher, either. She’s actually an alien sent by the Galaxy Federation to observe the Earth! As the sole human being with knowledge of Ms. Kazumi’s secret, Kei must marry her?! Between homework, dating, and a gorgeous wife – going to school has never been quite this fun! Will Kei have more “standstills”? Will Kei and Mizuho’s marriage last? You will have to watch Please Teacher! and find out.

Commentary:

Please Teacher! has to be one of the best rom-coms I have seen. Yes, the premise if the story is one of the silliest I have seen in a while; however, what develops out of this turns into a very touching romance as Kei and Mizuho both develop their love and feelings for one another. It was also refreshing to see that all the female characters were not in love with the same guy. Plus, the supporting characters also have romances of their own and those create interest in the plot line. The plot was also well done and did not seem rushed or slow. Twelve episodes plus the OVA is the perfect length for this series. Also, the alien aspect of the series and the real reason for Mizuho being on earth is just a small sub-plot so do not let that keep you from watching Please Teacher!.

Speaking of the characters, there was some amazing character development in Please Teacher! Almost each and every character in the series changed and grew in some way. Kei eventually learns that he must move forward instead of coming to a “standstill”. I really believe that without his marriage to Mizuho he never would have learned that lesson. After his three year “standstill”, Kei moves in with his aunt, Konoha, and his uncle, Minoru. Minoru is the town’s doctor and also faces the wrath of Konoha whenever he acts like a dirty old man. Those moments had me laughing.

Kei also had a few friends at school. They were Koishi Herikawa, Hyosuke Magumo, Kaede Misumi, Ichigo Morino, and Matagu Shidou. Hyosuke and Kaede were especially cute together and they could really have their own series. Koishi Herikawa loves Kei but eventually accepts that he loves someone else and moves on. If Mizuho was not in the picture, I believe they would have made a cute couple. However, I believe that Masami Yamada was introduced for a reason but nothing is ever said or done. Ichigo Morino has her own secret in the series and when it is made known it will probably surprise you. Matagu is the typical perverted teenage male character and sadly they do not really expand past that.

I also really loved Maho, Mizuho’s little sister. Maho is very close to her big sister and initially refuses to accept the fact that Kei is married to her. She follows Kei around town and tries to catch him cheating or doing something stupid. Eventually, Maho accepts the relationship between Kei and Mizuho and becomes one of their biggest cheerleaders. Then there is Hatsuho Kazami, Mizuho’s mother. She is a real piece of work as she is a very sensual, self-assured, and bold but subtly assertive woman. She makes Kei and Mizuho’s lives interesting to say the least. As you can tell, there are some amazing characters in Please Teacher! and it is difficult to choose a favorite.

As for the OVA, that is where all the fan-service for the entire series lives. It also gives you the conclusion you were wondering about after the last episode. Hatsuho interferes once again with Kei and Mizuho’s relationship, however this time it might actually be helpful. Needless to say, that is where the fan-service is and you will either have you use your imagination or watch the OVA.

The animation looked great for the age of the series, but I wish it had been in widescreen format instead of 4×3. However, I am ecstatic that Nozomi/Lucky Penny is picking up these older series and I cannot wait to see what they are releasing next. The voice actors were good and I really enjoyed the Japanese voice actors the most. The opening and closing songs were catchy and reminded me of other series that came out at the same time.

Extras:

Please Teacher! includes clean opening and closing animations, Marie Love Theater, Promotional videos, Music Clips, Commercials, Episode 13 preview, and Nozomi/Lucky Penny previews as special features. Please Teacher! has English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options.

Overall Grade: A-

Please Teacher! is a well done rom-com. I was pleased that it had a conclusion and it was also a sweet series. I recommend watching Please Teacher! if you enjoy the rom-com genre as it is the best of both worlds.

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 6, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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space pirate mitoreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection

Director: Takashi Watanabe

Studio: Triangle Staff

Author: Fumihiko Shimo

U.S. Distributor: Nozomi, Lucky Penny

U.S. Release Date: November 4, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction, Adventure

Industry Age Rating: 13 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Project A-ko

“Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!”

Synopsis:

Most teenage boys have enough trouble just dealing with the pressures of school and dating, but 15-year-old Aoi Mitsukuni’s life becomes exponentially more complicated when his mom returns from a long “business trip.” He discovers that not only is his beautiful mother actually an alien, but she’s the notorious Space Pirate Mito to boot! She’s known as the galaxy’s most dangerous pirate, a wanted criminal who destroys a dozen police space cruisers every day before breakfast. But all she really wants is to be called “Mom.” To make matters worse, Mitsuki the girl Aoi likes at school is actually a secret Galactic Patrol agent attempting to find and arrest his mother. However, the three of them end up saving the Universe! No one ever said being a teenager in love was easy!

Now a malevolent entity calling herself the true Queen of the Universe appears with enough power to destroy entire planets. Aoi must defend her new throne, but she needs Mutsuki’s help. Mutsuki must come to terms with her own feelings for Aoi so they can defend Earth together and become the galaxy’s first royal pair of queens. Will the Universe survive this epic fight? You will have to watch Space Pirate Mito and find out.

Commentary:

Commentary:

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection is an odd series but is still enjoyable with its colorful art style and strange cast of characters. Just do not try to make too much sense of the plotline as you will severely hurt your brain. I liked the first season the best because it was not as crazy as the second season and it seemed that Aoi just had some issues with his mother. The second season seemed really out there because of the introduction of the First Queen, Hikari. She takes strange to a whole new level and her reign as queen can be described as an age of fear.

There was a good amount of character development between the two seasons. Aoi really grew as a character and it was interesting to watch how bizarre his alien biology was. Let’s just say that it will be an eye-opener when you watch the series. Mito is an absurdly youthful mother but only in appearance because she looks like an elementary school student if she takes off her Mail Suit; plus she is a space pirate. She also wears a giant waist ribbon that is so large that its tails have little bows on them.

Mito’s crew on her pirate ship is mostly animal’s that have human bodies and are able to function as humans. I lost it during the first episode because it was so funny but it also made me realize that this series would be better suited to a younger crowd. The story line is not hard to follow but it keeps your interest. The music was fun to listen it and the opening and closing animations were cute. I did feel that the space ships looked very “CG” but they did look awesome. The voice actors did a great job of bringing characters alive and jumping off the screen.

Extras:

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations, TV commercials, promotional videos, a special bonus episode, and Lucky Penny trailers as special features. This series was released with English as a language option for the first 13 episodes and Japanese with English subtitles for the entire series.

Overall Grade: B-
I would have no problem showing this anime to my children once they reach third grade or so. I really feel this series is geared to children and I think they would enjoy it.

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2

Posted by :Patches On : September 15, 2014
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A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2

review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2

Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai

Studio: J.C. Staff

Author: Seishi Minakami

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: August 19, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Fantasy, Super Power

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: A Certain Scientific Railgun, A Certain Magical Index

Synopsis:

The Sister’s Arc continues in A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2. Since Misaka knows the entire truth about the organization that is making the sister clones, she will stop at nothing to bring it down. However, that means facing Accelerator in a fight that only one of them will walk away from.

Elsewhere in Academy City, an adorable girl named Febrie is introduced to Misaka’s circle of friends. As the girls begin to learn more about Febrie’s past, they discover that she is a victim of scientific forces in the city as well. Of course, that is something that Misaka and the girls of Judgment simply will not stand for. Will Misaka and her friends be able to help Febrie? Will Misaka be able to stop the organization that is making the sister clones? You will have to watch A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2 and find out.

Commentary:

In A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2, the Sister’s Arc finally comes to an interesting conclusion. The Sister’s Arc gives us thrilling action, emotional and powerful revelations, and portrays the story in an exciting, multi-perspective fashion. Misaka’s character development was amazing and was awesome to watch. Touma makes appearances once again and adds an interesting plot twist. I absolutely loved the Sister’s Arc because you really begin to understand Misaka more. However, I thought that the conclusion to this Arc was a little rushed and I really wish they would have taken a little more time on it.

Now for the Silent Party Arc. I like to think of the Silent Party Arc as the red-headed step-child of the Sister’s Arc. The Silent Party Arc had a very weak plot that was filled with inconsistencies and characters who acted completely out of character. Basically Misaka and her friends meet the most adorable little girl ever, Febrie, and try to find her a place to live since she does not have parents. They end up learning that she is not really human but a genetically manufactured being that is going to be used to destroy Academy City. I believe that if they would have taken more time to make the plot flow better and actually make sense that this story arc would have been interesting. I wish that the characters did not act so out of character because Misaka went through some amazing development in the Sister’s Arc but reverted back to her original character for the Silent Party Arc. That really took away from the story and also made it very hard to watch. All that being said, if you watch the Silent Party Arc with low expectations it is a cute, light arc to watch and it is only eight episodes long.

J.C. Staff did an amazing job with the animation. The scenes burst to life off the screen and drag you into the story and do not let go until the end of the disc. The voice actors did an amazing job and brought the characters to life. The opening and closing songs were okay. I did not see anything special about them but they were decent for what they were.

Overall Grade: B+

I really enjoyed A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2 and I recommend it to anyone. I really loved the Sister’s Arc and could take or leave the Silent Party Arc. Either way, this entire series has found a way into my heart and I am okay with that.

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 28, 2014
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A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1

Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai

Studio: J.C. Staff

Author: Seishi Minakami

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: July 1, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Fantasy, Super Power

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: A Certain Scientific Railgun, A Certain Magical Index

Synopsis:

Something sinister is growing in Academy City. The shadows are filled with whispers of a project to clone one of the super-powered students known as espers. High-ranking master of electricity Mikoto Misaka, or Railgun as she is known to other espers, laughs off these stories until she comes in contact with a copy of herself. The duplicates are real and are being mass-produced from Misaka’s own DNA, making each one of them a little piece of her. The Sisters, these clones, are being systematically murdered in a series of experiments designed to turn a sadistic killer into the strongest esper in history. Misaka vows to save her copies and destroy the project. However, this might be one fight she cannot win alone but she hates to ask for help. Be on the lookout for high-energy battles and intense action in this continuation of the A Certain Scientific Railgun series. Will Misaka be able to turn to her friends for help or will she be forced to fight the good fight on her own? You will have to watch A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 and find out.

Commentary:

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 still takes place in academy city with the four usual characters Misaka, Kuroko, Uiharu, and Saten. However, this season focuses more on Misaka’s background story and outlines her more as a character. We are also introduced the fourth level five esper and the first level five esper making for some well animated fighting scenes. In these first twelve episodes some of the characters from the first season were not featured as much as they could have been. I am hoping that will change in Part Two.

The Sister’s story arc really caught my interest. I remember some of it from A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 just expands on it and fills in any blanks that A Certain Magical Index left. You also see a different side of Misaka in this season. She became slightly darker, at least to me, and that added depth to her character. She really grew into her character this season and she also learns some very important life lessons. It also ties you emotionally to her and the fights that she has in A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1. Touma from A Certain Magical Index also makes an appearance in the last few episodes and I am hoping that he will be there in Part 2 because he adds that certain something to the plot. Academy City seems like a Stepford city. Rules for the general public must be followed and images for the general public must be believed. So long as the general public accepts those rules then everything will be great, however there are issues because every city has its issues. It will be interesting to see how Academy City fairs in Part 2.

J.C. Staff did an amazing job with the animation. The scenes burst to life off the screen and drag you into the story and do not let go until the end of the disc. The voice actors did an amazing job and brought the characters to life. The opening and closing songs were okay. I did not see anything special about them but they were decent for what they were. I cannot wait to see the rest of the series and I will be sitting on the edge of my seat while watching it.
Extras:

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 includes episode commentary, clean opening and closing animations, and Funimation trailers.

Overall Grade: A-

I really enjoyed A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 1 and I cannot wait to see Part Two. I personally enjoyed this season more than the first but I recommend the entire A Certain Magical Index series and spin-offs as the storylines keep you interested. Just a word of advice for those who are reading this, do not offer up your DNA to some doctor unless you are ready for the consequences.

Date A Live Complete Series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : June 11, 2014
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Date A Live Complete Series

review provided by Luther

Title: Date A Live Complete Series

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Writer: Hideki Shirane

U. S. Distributor: FUNIMATION

U. S. Release Date: June 10th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 1 OVA / 311 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction, Harem

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

In a world devastated by mysterious Spatial Quakes, Shidoh isn’t what you’d expect in a hero. He’s an average Joe who gets bossed around by his adorable little sister and mocked by the popular girls at his school. You’d definitely pick him last for dodge ball, but when it comes to saving the planet from imminent destruction, Shidoh’s got one thing going for him: intergalactic hotties can’t keep their hands off him!

When the secret to stopping the Spatial Quakes turns out to be romancing the extraterrestrial Spirits responsible for all the chaos, Shidoh the loveable loser becomes the hero of all humanity. For every Spirit he makes out with, mankind breathes a little bit easier. Kiss the girls – save the world. That name of the game is driving the space babes crazy, and nobody does it better than Shidoh!

Commentary:

At its core Date A Live is a harem anime, in which an unsuspecting dull male protagonist spontaneously attracts a horde of eccentric women. In many ways Date A Live is just a standard harem, for even the heroines are common character types. So the show does have a somewhat generic feel to it, however that does work to its advantage in some ways. With the show being as short as it is, having characters that are very distinguishable and easy to connect with, I was able to get a relatively good understanding of who the characters are with the limited episodes available.

One thing that Date A Live does have that sets it apart from other harem anime is that the protagonist, Shidoh, goes on actual dates with all the girls. While this may not be a revolutionary concept, it’s definitely not something I’ve seen in a lot of harem anime. There is also a lot of action in this series, for these dates will explode in to fantastical fights between super powerful girls. Though the change in action can be sudden and drastic, the transitions are well done and work well with the setting of the story.

Overall Personal Grade: B

Although Date A Live isn’t anything outstanding, it has bold characters in a memorable story and a good mix of action and romance. If you are a fan of harem anime, this series should not be missed.