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Locodol (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 24, 2016
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locodolTitle: Locodol

Director: Munenori Nawa

Author: Kotaro Kosugi

Anime Writer: Yuniko Ayana

Studio: Feel

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: January 19th, 201

Format: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Idol, Slice of Life

Age Rating: PG

Overall Grade: B+

Synopsis: 

Some cities spend millions to draw in tourists, but a small town like Nagarekawa doesn’t have those resources. What it DOES have is Nanako, whose dream of becoming an idol singer is suddenly given life when she and fellow classmate Yukari are recruited by her uncle (who serves on the city council) to become local idols. That means performing at the openings of swimming pools and appearing on the smaller local TV stations, so it’s not the glamorous lifestyle one sees in the movies. But it is a way to help her city and neighbors while doing something she cares about. And when Nanako and Yukari are joined by a third classmate, the petite but athletic Yui, who takes on the task of appearing in costume as the town mascot, everything really comes together.

They may not be on the road to fame and fortune, but there’s plenty of fun to be found ahead as they become Locodols!

Comemntary:

Locodol is a wonderful entry anime for the younger viewer. It is light and happy. The only drawback is that it is only released with sub-titles. For myself and many fans this is not an issue but for the hunger viewer they will loose interest very fast having to read and miss the action going on around the text. I know that many people will take exception to this comment, but those who do don’t understand that a 10 years old might want to get involved in reading and watching at the same time but they quickly come to realize that they are missing something. In 2015 there were several title release that fell into this category and I hope that 2016 doesn’t miss the opportunity to find some new fans by spending a little more and providing a English dub. Of course I am sure that plenty of copies will sell to the Idol fans that love cute girls in happy series that just give you a smile
when you watch.

Overall Grade: B+

For Locodol the animation is average and honestly it gave me very similar feelings that K-On! did when it first released. I am not sure what it is about naive school girl anime, but the simple pleaser of watching something that doesn’t leave you sad or complexly disturbed is in itself a wonderful thing. I for one would love to see more anime produced that gives a smile rather than a bloody mess.

Locodol provides more than enough smiles and gives a peek into the world of a teenage girls who want to be idols and yet are somehow able to maintain a small town ego. I recommend this for all younger viewers who are looking for a positive series. I do get very tired of the bloody messes that keep getting pumped out, but then are are many silly series getting tossed out there too. So, if you are looking for a simple series that will just make you feel good by watching it then Locodol is for you.

Space Brothers Collection 6 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 30, 2015
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space-brothers-collection-6Title: Space Brothers Collection 6

Director: Ayumu Watanabe

Music By: Toshiyuki Watanabe

Studio: A-1 Pictures

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: December 1st, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 11 episodes / 275 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Slice of Life, Action, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: A

Synopsis:

Taking a makeup exam after learning the test results of Sharon’s condition, Mutta stands on the verge of achieving the first major step on his journey to the stars: officially becoming an astronaut. But the written test is only a prelude to the most hazardous trials of all.

Strapped into the seat of a T38 jet, flying faster than the speed of sound, and learning to fly on instruments only, a single mistake on Mutta’s part can mean instant disaster. On the positive side, if he’s going Mach 1 when something does go wrong, Mutta probably won’t have to worry about it very long. It’s time to kick in the afterburners and aim for the stars in the sixth spectacular collection of Space Brothers!

Commentary:

Following much of what makes Space Brothers great collection 6 provides a great deal of remanicence and flashbacks to things in Mutta’s life that made a real difference. Simply put, these reminders of the things that make us all so very human is at the core of this series and what makes the series special. I can’t say that the series is classy or full of over the top drama. What it is is touching and inspirational. I love that fact that luck does fall there way sometimes, but both brothers must use their natural intellect to work though their issues. Mutta in particular, he comes across as someone who should be a desk jockey and in the end he proves himself over and over again.

Overall Grade: A

As Space Brothers progresses we really do begin to understand that booming an astronaut is just like becoming a musician or artist or doctor or even the top salesman. It take drive and a serious of mind that pushes everyone to become more than they think they are. Space Brother also does something that is very unique in the world of anime. It doesn’t preach. It presents the events as they unfold and lets the viewer get what they may from it.

Space Brothers is a series that will end up being overlooked in the U. S. because it doesn’t gush blood or class enormous boobs and panties at you. It gives you a set of characters that could easily be regular people with a very defined purpose in life. This series should be required viewing for every 10 year old boy and girl. Who knows maybe they will absorb something from it other than how cool it would be to go into space.

Space Brothers collection 6 makes it very easy to want to see collection 7. I would love to see this series packaged as one set and sold at a price everyone could afford. That way even more people would be willing to watch.

Space Brothers Collection 5 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : October 11, 2015
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Space-Brothers-5Title: Space Brothers Collection 5 

Director: Ayumu Watanabe

Music By: Toshiyuki Watanabe

Studio: A-1 Pictures

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: October 20th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 episodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Slice of Life, Action, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: A

Synopsis:

The brutal survival ordeal isn’t over yet, and the strain of non-stop training is taking its toll on Mutta’s health. Struck down by a fever, he has to summon all of his reserves just to keep walking. And that’s before the revelation of an unexpected new challenge: the competing teams must create a rover vehicle of their own design in just two weeks! With an assigned consultant who’s less than helpful, and who may have a conflict of interest centered around the systems being used for Hibito’s return to Earth, Mutta’s own experience with engineering may be the deciding factor.

And even if they make it past that obstacle, the even more dangerous flight training is about to begin back in Houston! Can Mutta power through the survival and rover competitions in order to take a seat in a T38 jet?

Commentary:

Space Brothers keeps on going with plenty of tension and fun. It is very easy to understand how this series has managed to last so long. In the U. S. this would have been a live action prime time series that millions of families would gather together to watch and many young viewers just might become inspired to become an astronaut. Now I’m not saying that it is awe inspiring, but it does bring a solid human level to the pursuit of dreams. There is also a touch of the wonder lust that comes with being young and having grand ideals.

Space Brother collection 5 fringe us even more drama without making it over the top. I think this delivery style is what makes this series so strong.

Overall Grade: A

October is a great month for releases and there is a full slate of great anime being released to DVD / Blu-ray. It does concern me a little when a solid quality series like Space Brothers ends up in a second tier position. It is sad that most of the anime community in North America is looking for the next adrenaline fix rather than looking for a series that provides a wonderful story and a much more realistic environment than the crazy magical and physically beautiful world that manages to get the front billing.

Space Brothers is a great series for what it is. It is simply a story of brotherly connections and youthful dreams that these brothers are not afraid to strive to make come true. L love watching this life drama unfold in front of me and really to believe that if it was given more attention it would become a genuine hit here in the U. S.

If you are looking for a true slice of life story that has to do with dreams and reality and the possibilities that come when you keep on going, then Space Brothers is for you. I know it is for me.

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : September 3, 2015
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The-Comic-Artist-and-His-Assistantsreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection

Director: Takeshi Furuta

Studio: Showgate

Author: Aki Itami

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 15, 2015

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 6 OVA’s / 205 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: C

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Kill Me Baby!

The term NSFW was invented to describe this guy.

Synopsis:

Perversion, lechery, and a lack of respect for the feelings of others are all qualities that would normally look really bad on a resume, however for Yuki Aito they are the fundamentals of his art. His art is good enough that managing editor Mihari Otosuna will put up with a lot, including panicked panty runs, barrages of breast jokes, and other even lower-brow forms of self-amusement that Yuki wallows in.

However, when the continuing carnal crudity causes Yuki to fall behind schedule, Mihari is forced to bring in a team of assistants for him. But those assistants are of the young and attractive female type so that schedule will be going right out the window. Will Yuki’s assistants be able to fight him off and keep him on schedule? You will have to watch The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection and see.
Commentary:

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection is set up in a very interesting way as each of the twelve episodes are less than fourteen minutes long and the OVA episodes are less than eight minutes long. Each episode consists of three to four mini-stories that revolve around one of the assistants and their day with Yuki. There is a large amount of fan-service in each episode and Yuki also cross-dresses in a couple of episodes.

The assistants really made the show enjoyable. Sahoto Ashisu has a high tolerance for Yuki and is his main assistant. This means she takes the brunt of Yuki’s perverted actions. She aspires to be a manga artist herself and when she is not working for Yuki she attends art classes. Mihari Otosuna is Yuki’s editor and is also the tsundere of the series. She is very focused on her work as an editor and is also tolerant of Yuki’s perversions. Fuwa Rinna is Yuki’s fan-girl. She took the assistant job when she had no experience and basically agrees to go along with whatever Yuki wants her to do. She must really like him because he can come up with some crazy ideas. Finally we meet Kuroi Sena. She is somewhat sadistic and proud but she also has a soft spot for cute things. She is also known as “Super Assistant!” in the manga world. She is usually the one to put Yuki in his place and sometimes she has to us a whip to do so.

The animation was normal. Nothing really stood out as amazing but everything looked good. The voice actors were chosen well and added to the characters. Personally, I believe that this series was given the wrong age rating. I think it should be a rating of 16 and up with all of the ecchi scenes. But that is just my opinion.

Extras:

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations, Japanese promos, episode 12 closing karaoke version, and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with Japanese with English subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: C

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection is interesting to say the least. However, that is not a good thing this time. If you enjoy the ecchi genre then you will probably like this series.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : August 17, 2015
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Love-Chunibyo-Heart-Throbreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb The Complete Collection

Director: Tatsuya Ishihara

Studio: Kyoto Animation

Author: Jukki Hanada

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: August 25, 2015

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!

Synopsis:

Yuta Togashi thought he had problems dealing with one delusional girlfriend in the person of Rikka Takanashi, but now things are about to go totally insane as his former “one true soul mate” from when he was a chuni himself returns with a vengeance! How bad could Satone Shichimiya’s re-entry into Yuta’s chuni-verse likely to be? Let’s just say that she’s so epically off the deep end of the chuni-scale that she prefers to use the name Sophia Ring SP Saturn VII and that she’ll joyfully tear Yuta’s real world to pieces in order to get him back in her imaginary one!

Some girls just want to have fun and some want to break down the walls between their boyfriends and themselves. But when a girl’s idea of fun is breaking down the wall between their presumed boyfriend and reality, retreating into a fantasy world might just be Yuta’s best option. Especially since Satone knows where ALL the skeletons from his past are buried. Toss Rikka’s equally delusional friend Sanae into the mix and girl-crazy begins to take on a whole new meaning!

Commentary:

I really liked the first season and I was quite happy when Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb was released but now I wish I would not have been so excited because I believe I had too high expectations for this season. The storyline was not as deep nor complex as Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions but it was still cute and funny. I really wish they would have progressed the romance between Yuta and Rikka in Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb as I was looking forward to it after watching the first season. But instead, Yuta and Rikka are awkward and shy around each other even though they have been “dating” for six months. This is a slice-of-life series that is mainly episodic but some episodes to flow into the next one.

There was also a new character introduced, Satone Shichimiya. She is a childhood friend of Yuta and she takes chunibyo to a whole new level. She adds a large amount of drama between Yuta and Rikka that really was not necessary. Plus, she is kinda in love with Rikka and that makes Rikka jealous. But I think that would make anyone jealous. I really wish they would have given Nibutani some more attention but instead she was relegated to the background during the important scenes as a sort of cheerleader who pushes Yuta and Rikka forward because they are too childish to take that step themselves.

The animation was pretty and vivid. The colors jumped off the screen and the characters and backgrounds were well drawn. The music was catchy and enjoyable. I found myself humming along after a few episodes. The voice actors did a good job bringing the characters to life and made the series enjoyable.

Extras:

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with both English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options. Both are well done and enjoyable.

Overall Grade: B-

While Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb has some issues, it was still interesting to watch and it had some cute moments. I recommend this series if you have seen the first season and want to see what happens next.

Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 27, 2015
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Is-the-Order-a-Rabbit

review provided by Andrew & Katie

Title: Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection

Director: Hiroyuki Hashimoto

Studio: White Fox

Author: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: July 14, 2015

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 13 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Kiniro Mosaic, K-On!, Place to Place, and Non Non Biyori

There is something bunny going on at The Rabbit House…

Synopsis:

Moving to a new town to start high school can be intimidating. That is especially true for Cocoa, who cannot find the place she is supposed to stay at when she arrives in town. So she decides to stop at a café to ask for directions, however they are not needed as she is at the correct spot. The Rabbit House is both a restaurant/café and a boarding house, and Cocoa will be working there along with the owner’s granddaughter, Chino, and the strangely military-obsessed Rize. It is a great place to work, business is hopping, and Cocoa fits right in with her new coworkers, as well as the girls from two other rival cafes.

Still, there is something that is just a little odd about the Rabbit House. Rize usually carries a gun and a knife hidden on her and there is also the mystery involving the shop’s pet rabbit, Tippy, to just name a few oddities.

Commentary:

Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection is simply a light-hearted story of a group of girls living their daily lives and joking around along the way. This series truly belongs in the slice-of-life genre as each episode stands alone and is usually about a day or two in their lives. The comedy is spot on and the voice actors did a wonderful job delivering the one-liners.

The characters really made this series standout because they were so cute that you could not help but fawn and giggle over them. The characters consist of Cocoa, the ditzy protagonist found in almost every slice-of-life series; Chino, an adorable and quiet girl that will melt your heart on more than a few occasions; Sharo, the timid worker of the rival café who also wears a maid uniform on occasion; Chiya, the sole source of reason throughout the story; and Rize, the most interesting girl this world has ever known. There is a bit of character development but not too much as Is the Order a Rabbit? is a slice-of-life series. The characters were drawn to look very similar; however each one still had her own distinct taste, personality, and interaction.

The animation was nothing special but it was well done. The music was beautiful and I really enjoyed it. I really believe that children would love this series if it was dubbed because it is so episodic that they could watch an episode whenever they wanted to and still understand they story. Plus there is not too much fan-service and what there is seems forced at times.

Extras:

Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection was released with Japanese with English subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: B

I would love to see this series dubbed as it is a wonderful anime for kids to watch and I believe they are missing the targeted audience by only having it subbed at the current time. Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection is an enjoyable slice-of-life anime that will brighten up your day.

Space Brother Collection 4 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 25, 2015
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Space-Brothers-Collection-4Title: Space Brothers Collection 4 on Blu-ray

Director: Ayumu Watanabe

Music By: Toshiyuki Watanabe

Studio: A-1 Pictures

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Aug. 4th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 episodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Slice of Life, Action, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: A

Synopsis:

In the unforgiving vacuum of space, the difference between life and death can boil down to a single bad decision or a millisecond of delay. And when the nearest help is as far away as another planet, the only one you can trust to save you is yourself. This lesson is driven home in the most brutal fashion possible as a series of accidents strand Mutta’s brother Hibito and another astronaut on the lunar surface. As Hibito fights to keep his injured companion alive, Mutta must join a team of scientists and fellow astronauts as they struggle to find a way to locate and save their friends before their critical oxygen reserves run out.

And if that wasn’t enough of a test, Mutta’s entry into JAXA training becomes its own ordeal when he and his fellow trainees are dropped into the survival test course on an accelerated schedule. Foraging for food and facing wild animals on one planet, and fighting for one’s last breath on its satellite, two brothers worlds apart find common ground in the fight to stay alive!

Commentary:

In my past reviews I have given high praise to this simple series and now I must heap even more love its way. Space Brothers is beginning to show me why it managed to become a solid and beloved series in Japan. It doesn’t have any dark, magical battling large breasted women going around causing mayhem nor is it a slow smoldering love story that bring agony and ecstasy to every episode. Space Brothers is a straight forward story of hope and success along with a view of family life that is all too often ignored just because it seems to be unreal.

Space Brothers may be set with a plot that is somewhat unrealistic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t giving us a view that is somewhat realistic. The real story is not about these two brother who are striving to be astronauts, but rather how life can be challenging and rewarding even if it throws some curveballs your way.

Overall Grade: A

Space Brothers Collection 4 gives us some drama that high tens the story and brings us out of a easy lull that we had fallen into. There is also some additional character development that is long over due. These new developments help make more of these new astronauts even more likable. There are also a few new characters introduced that add a slightly different flavor to the story, but I have a feeling that they will end up becoming much more important as things go on.

Space Brother is a real hit for me and if you are looking for something that is easy to watch and even easier to get sucked into then you need to check this series out. It may not be flashy or overly slick, but the real backbone to any anime is the writing and story line. Space Brothers is a winner in both categories and needs to recognized as a wonderful series for what it is.

Haikyu!! Collection 2

Posted by :Patches On : July 18, 2015
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Haikyu!!-Collection-2Title: Haikyu!! collection 2

Director: Susumu Mitsunaka

Studio: Production I.G.

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Aug. 8th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 espisodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Sports, Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, High School

Age Rating: TV 14 (really it should be PG)

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

In the wake of the blistering practice match against the Nekoma High School team, the Karasuno High School volleyball squad digs in and vows to bring their game up another level. Prior to the arrival of the new freshmen, the general belief was that Karasuno’s day in the sun was over, but while the ongoing rivalry between Hinata and Kageyama has inspired everyone to push themselves even further, there’s still a lot of friction that’s ultimately slowing down their game.

It’s not until the announcement of the brackets for the Inter-School tourney are announced that the reality of what they are attempting to do finally takes hold. As talented as each of the team members may be individually, they have no chance of winning unless they can finally come together as a seamless unit. Can Hinata and Kageyama put their battle for dominance on hold long enough to take on the overwhelming brilliance of the Aoba Johsai squad?

Commentary:

Sports anime tend to make everything seem really hard and then pull out the magic at the end to prove everyone is a super hero. Haikyu!! takes a little different approach and just makes these wannabe champs and makes them something much more believable. They just become flawed heroes who try their best and long to stay on the court.

This passion to win is what makes the series worth while. Not all of the team members are superstars and those with natural abilities have issues. They learn the importance of trust and believing in themselves and come to understand what it means to be a part of something that on the surface may be meaningless to most, but ends up being important to them just because of each other.

Overall Grade: A-

Most anime fans don’t really line up for sports anime and to be honest Haikyu!! is a true sports anime. The thing that sets it apart is the fact that these players have are human and it is very easy to identify with because they are rather typical students who know they have to try harder to be better.

The series is full of feel good moments with an ending that speaks to more of us than those who are the superstars in life. The writing gets a tad preaching from time to time and maybe that is just the way it should be. I just think that some of the growth they have is a bit melodramtic with overall the development of the main characters is worth watching and rooting for.

Haikyu!! is a wonderful series that is a true feel-good story that takes on a hopeful ride and reminds us that even great stories don’t always end the way we might want them to.

A Lull in the Sea (anime review) Nagi no Asukara

Posted by :Patches On : July 17, 2015
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A Lull in the Sea Premium EditionTitle: A Lull in the Sea

Director: Toshiya Shinohara

Creator: Project-118

Anime Adaptation: Mari Okada

Studio: P. A. Works

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Release Date: Premium Ed. 6/30/2015, Standard DVD Ed. 7/14/2015

Format: Blu-ray / DVD / 615 Minutes / 26 Episodes

Genre: Slice of Life, Fantasy

Age Rating: PG 13

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

Due to the closure of their middle school, four students from the sea, Manaka Mukaido, Hikari Sakishima, Chisaki Hiradaira, and Kaname Isaki must attend middle school on the land, despite the growing tension between the land and sea people. While getting used to their new lives, these four and their new friend from the land, Tsumugu Kihara, plan to put on an Ofunehiki, a festival traditionally organized by the land and the sea people, in an attempt to create peace between the two villages.

Five years have passed after the Ofunehiki and Shioshishio’s hibernation. Itaru and Akari now have a son, Akira. Sayu and Miuna, now 14, attend Mihama Middle School. All the while, Chisaki continues to worry about the whereabouts of Hikari and the others while living with Tsumugu and his grandfather. One day, an unexpected discovery leads everyone to revisit the events of the Ofunehiki and unlock the mysteries lying deep beneath the sea…

Synopsis:

For a great many fans anime is known for its Mecha (Big Robots) or Fan Service (Big Boobs) series that take up all the fresh air in the marketing and fan dome. For me there are the little Slice of Life series that really make the art form shine. A Lull in the Sea is a shinning example of the genre and along with other P. A. Works stand at the top to prove that bitter sweet love stories can stir even the coldest of people.

A Lull in the Sea takes a somewhat simple fantasy and idea and creates a rich love story that not only transcends time but also the line between reality and a world that only exists in dreams. The story allows the viewer to relive many of the same emotions that come with the simple coming of age that a 14 year old might experience and the twist in some reminds us that maybe we never out grow these emotions.

Because A Lull in the Sea is 26 episodes long it allows some rather detailed character development that both helps and hinders the pacing to the series. As I moved through the first 8 episodes I was beginning to wonder if maybe they had lost their focus and were going to just give us a pretty anime with a rather bland story line much the way a  series like Clannad played out. Although, once the plot really began to develop things to a much different path and the real richness of the story began to come out.

Overall Grade: A

The fact that A Lull in the Sea ends up making you feel very good about these people saves it from the fatal blow that many other anime have met. I don’t want to give anything away, but I was very please with how the series wrapped it all up. All too often the end of a series can feel hurried and allow way too many loose ends, but A Lull in the Sea does a great job of letting us walk way with a full belly and a warm smile on our face.

NIS did a interesting thing with the release of the series this time, They released the Premium Edition only 2 weeks before the released the standard DVD editions. Now you might find the price to be high, but if it were other distributors I have a feeling we might even see the retail price even higher.

If you are looking for a series that capture your imagination give you a few tears along the way and then allow you to walk away satisfied then A Lull in the Sea is something you really need to see. I did watch some of the series in English and Japanese and can say the English Dub is well done and stays true to the series. This one is winner the same way AnoHana, Tari Tari or Angel Beats! are.

 

Inari, KonKon Iroha (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 11, 2015
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Inari-Kon-Kon-Complete-SeriesTitle: Inari, KonKon Iroha complete series 

Director: Toru Takahashi

Creator: Morohe Yoshida

Anime Writer: Toru Takahashi

Studio: Production IMS

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: July 28th, 2015

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 10 episodes + 1 OVA / 250 Minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life

Age Rating: TV PG

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Inari is a sweet and shy middle school girl with a HUGE crush on Tanbabashi, one of the cutest guys in her grade. But she’s not smooth enough to tell him how she feels, and every time she tries things just keep getting worse! That is, until one day she saves an injured fox struggling on a riverbank. To Inari’s surprise, the fox turns out to be the familiar of Uka, a beautiful goddess. As thanks, Uka grants Inari the power to shape-shift, and Inari uses her newfound powers to attempt to win over Tanbabashi. Unfortunately, love isn’t as simple as changing forms, and to make matters worse, the spirit world is none too pleased about Inari’s divine powers!

With memorable characters and beautiful scenery, Inari Kon Kon is the perfect blend of comedy, romance, and divine magic!

Commentary:

The Japanese love of their mystical gods is something that we in the west have a hard time understanding especially when the god is a Fox spirit that’s watches over us and listens to our petty wishes. Of course there is the off chance that they will grant that wish or somehow enlighten us , but most of the time is it a very benign relationship.

This concept always gives me a sense that there is much of our existence that I just don’t understand, but would love to experience in the same way that those other cultures do.  Irani KonKon takes this complex ideal and makes is a simple and enjoyable story. There are plenty of examples of this archetype and some of them are great and some aren’t, but Inari, KonKon appeals to a younger audience and does a wonderful job of telling the story without making it to confusing or tossing a twist out at the end.

Overall Grade: A-

Because of the straight forward story line and  wonderfully warn nature I see Inari, KonKon Iroha as a great family series that all ages can enjoy. I also see it as something that a a younger set between 10 & 15 would find it as something they could relate to. The only setback is that fact that many potential fans will not take the time to watch it because it is only subtitled and not given an English dub. I also found myself really wanting to go and see this large shrine and experience the richness of the culture.

Inari, KonKon Iroha is a plus in my book and if you are looking for an easy series to watch that will leave you smiling then you should pick this one up.