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Michiko and Hatchin S.A.V.E. on Blu-ray (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 9, 2015
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Michiko & Hatchin SAVETitle: Michiko and Hatchin S.A.V.E. on Blu-ray edition

Director: Sayo Yamaoto

Studio: Manglob

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U. S. Re-Release Date: May 12th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 22 episodes / 550 Minutes

Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure, Slice of Life

Overall Personal Rating: B

 

Synopsis:

Michiko is a stunning escaped convict with lethal looks and a deadly disrespect for the lawmen trying to hunt her down. Hatchin is a hapless orphan pushed to the breaking point by the sadistic spawn of her fiendish foster parents. On their own, these chicas are nothing more than a Yin searching for its Yang, but when fate – in the form of a mysterious hombre from their past – brings them together, the world better watch out!

With the future dead-ahead and la policia hot on their heels, Michiko and Hatchin burn rubber through exotic locals where danger lurks around every corner. It’s two against the world in this sun-soaked, Latin-tinged tale of partners in crime who won’t stop running till they chase down a dream.

Every bend in the road hides an ambush as Michiko and Hatchin continue their mad dash to track down Hiroshi: a man from their past that could hold the key to their future. Hit men, kidnappers, and sadistic gangbangers fill their rearview mirror as these ladies on the lam burn rubber across the Latin landscape.

With the throttle wide open and their motorcycle pointed toward the ocean, Michiko and Hatchin defy fate by living freer than they’ve ever lived before. New friendships are forged, young love blooms, and the partners in crime inch ever closer to the man they seek. But just as the long-awaited reunion is about to become reality, the law closes in on them – leaving Michiko to face an agonizing decision that will change both of their lives forever.

Commentary:

This unique series brings something rather interesting into the realm of the slice of life. It brings in your face brutality and a harsh cruel world that all too many children know. Being placed in South American you get a distinct feeling that growing up poor is very tough and it breads hatred and violence in ways that define humanity in an ugly and despicable light. Throughout the entire series I wanted to root for Hatchin and at the same time I wanted to slap Michiko for who she was. As the series progresses you begin to get a feeling that Michiko is just a product of her environment and that she wants to find another path to follow. Hatchin is someone who knows the horrors of the world but doesn’t want to get trapped by the violence that surrounds her. This struggle defines the series and at the same time it brings it down to a level that makes it easy to concentrate on the easy way out. Too often the crazy people win and at the same time the momentary flashes of hope and light get extinguished.

The animation and soundtrack help keep this series grounded. The animation it lively and full of color. It accentuates the environment and brings forth a constant feeling that hope is just around the corner. The soundtrack reminds us of where we are and the raucous aspect of the series. It is lively and sharp at the same time. Both of these critical devices make a difference that you don’t always see or hear in an anime. Way to go Manglobe for the great animation and Alexandre Kassin for the lively soundtrack.

Overall Grade: B

Although I think very highly of the animation and soundtrack for Michiko and Hatchin, I just can’t get over the way it give in to the low brow need to take some of the violence over the top. I get that the world they live in full of violence and you have to be very tough just to survive, but at times it seemed that there was no hope for them and that they would just become poster women for the heartless world many people live in. The strange thing about the series is that I kept coming back to Bunny Drop and how the relationship between Michiko and Hatchin was devleoping. I understand that Bunny Drop is much more touching and heart felt but to watch to unrelated people gradually become family is always a good feeling.

Michiko and Hatchin is a series if for those who love to experience the harsher side of life and at the same time have a little warmth mixed in. It is also great that Funimation has brought it back in a single S.A.V.E. edition.

 

Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 9, 2015
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Darker Than Black season 2Title: Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor 
Director: Tensai Okamura
Studio: Bones
U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment
U. S. Re-Release Date: May 12th, 2015
Format: Blu-ray and DVD/ 400 Minutes / 12 episodes and 4 OVAs
Genre: Sci Fi, Action , Adventure, Drama
Age Rating: TV MA (due to violence)
Overall Personal Rating: A
It’s been 2 years and everything is all messed up. It looks like something big is about to happen and Hei and Yin appear to be at the heart of it, but why?

Synopsis:
Drunk and working for the CIA Hei is on the trail a boy Shion Pavlichenko who seems to be the key to the wakening of Izanami, a doll that is prophesied to be the destroyer or killer of contractors. Hei makes a move for Shion at the same time that the Syndicate also moves in along with the Russian authorities. Shion escapes and everyone thinks that his twin sister, Suou, is him. Hei ends up helping Suou escape but in the escape they are caught in a trap that ends up turning her into a contractor.
Hei takes her under his wing and trains her to become a killing machine. Because of the loss of Yin, Hei has become a drunk and a mean drunk at that. There is also Mao, who has come back and ended up in the body of a flying squirrel that is Suou’s pet. At one point the Doll, April, who was also working for MI6 and helping the CIA breaks ranks and joins forces with Hei, Suou and Mao. The four of them begin to make their way back to Japan in search of Suou’s mother and brother. Along the way the begin to discover the secrets about Suou’s brother and his connection to Izanami and also Yin’s connection to both. All of the character along with some new ones are back for this next chapter in the Darker Than Black Saga.
In this edition there are also the four OVA’s that should be watched first. They provide the gap between the first 25 episodes and this 12.

Commentary:
First off, be sure to watch the four OVA’s first. There is a good deal of information in those four that the opening of Gemini of the Meteor won’t be confusing. I watch as the series progressed and then sat down with the OVA’s and caught myself saying more than once ” Now I get it!”.
This series is true Darker Than Black. From the very opening you get sucked into some seemingly normal existence and watch it get turned upside down. You also get to see people go from being regular humans to becoming Contractors and lose their humanity and compassion. As you move through these episodes you will find yourself trying to make a connection with Suou to have those perceptions turned upside down later in the series.
The over all look of the series was great. From the animation to the blending of the soundtrack everything merged together and made a complete package. In many ways I would have enjoyed this being a little bit longer to maybe allow for more of the newer character to develop, but in the end I was happy with what I was given. I found the playing with Hei’s character to be most rewarding. Giving him even more humanity than before helped to express the impact he had on those around him. The one thing I also enjoyed was the way that April, the stoic doll, managed to become more than just a watcher, he managed to get some emotional evolvement.
Again I can’t stress enough how important it will be to watch the OVAs before you start the series. They provide some serious back fill that will help make the first few episodes even more meaningful. After watching the OVAs I went back and watched the first four episodes again and was blown away by how much more it all made sense to me.
Overall Grade: A
Being a true fan of this style of hard Sci Fi drama, Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor  has everything in it from the tormented hero to helpless girl who ends up being anything from helpless to the core of the opposing forces that have their own agenda. The intrigue is top notch, I just wish there would have been a little more.

Yakitate!! Japan Part 2

Posted by :Joann On : April 30, 2015
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1Title:Yakitate!! Japan Part 2

U. S. Distributor: Nozomi/Lucky Penny

U. S. Release Date: May 5, 2015

Format: DVD / 24 Episodes / 625 minutes

Genre:Shonen

Age Rating:13+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

The shonen anime that takes the fight scenes into the bakery, with the required bizarre characters in tow.

Synopsis:

Azuma is a young baker with a natural drive and instinct when it comes to creative bread baking. Through an intense competition, he gain a position at the prestigious Pantasia Bread Company and now works at the South Tokyo Branch.

After the Yakitate!!  part 1 Pantasia Baking competition finale, things have shuffled around a bit. Kawachi has been able to fulfill his (and his father’s) dream to begin working at the main Pantasia branch. Kanmuri, who was a competitor, has moved into his empty spot at the South Tokyo Branch. Although he had been working for rival Yukino who is trying to get the store closed, she turned on him, and now he vows to risk all to save the South Tokyo Branch.

A scheme is hatched to form a Japanese team to enter a world baking competition, the Monaco Cup, and to bet on the outcome. The team is created with Azuma, Kawachi and Suwabara (the samurai baker from season one).Traveling with them is the intense judge from the first competition.

Once in France, they study Western techniques and tastes. When the game starts, they meet an odd assortment of people. Most notable are the Kayser Brothers, and Pierrot, the judge who is trained as a world class clown. The Kayser brothers are basically three brothers who are mutated to move and function as one. Pierrot’s being raised in a circus and his search for his long lost parents are a secondary plot.

The competition takes bizarre rules and limitations to new heights with the judge’s reactions going even farther into the atmosphere. Simmering beneath the radar, the owner of Pantasia’s rival bakery along with Yukino, have hatched a series of schemes to destroy Azuma and the South Tokyo Branch.

 

Commentary:

If you have seen the first part, I can’t imaging that skipping the rest would be a good idea. The second part actually seems better because there are familiar situations to call up for jokes/puns. The running jokes, like Kawachi’s hair issues, were more humorous than funny (I hope that distinction means something to you). It all elaborates on the characters and where they came from. Last review, I used “this was a light and fun series” but part 2 seems more serious. It didn’t feel like a much comedy to me. The stakes for the store and competitors were higher and Pierrot’s life story leaned towards the tragic side of absurd.

A big thing in season 2 is the story within the story of Pierrot, the judge. His reactions to the bread tasting pull from his personal history and the story of his life, and it is all quite substantial and of course, weird. A large portion of the time was spent on this which left much less time for the bread baking/competitions. There is really only the one epic competition for this anime set.

Friendship and a driving purpose are still themes, one of the strong elements in Yakitate. The weakest part is the strange for the sake of strange. Now that is surely not the case for everyone, because this is geared toward a male audience much, much younger than me, and it seems this would fit their tastes better. Just wait until you see how bizarre the Kayser Brothers really are. I bet it is funnier than I think it is too.

This series has grown on me even though I’m not the target market. There isn’t anything too mature in here for most audience, but the strange factor probably would work best for 13+. It really feels like a shonen and the battles are there, but in the form of bread competitions. Sort of a mixture of Naruto, Toriko and Iron Chef.

 

 

D-Frag!: The Complete Series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 29, 2015
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D-Frag!Title: D-Frag!: The Complete Series

Director: Seiki Sugawara

Written By: Tomoya Haruno (Original Story), Makoto Ueze (Anime)

Studio: Brain’s Base

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

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

Format: DVD/Blu-ray/ 12 Episodes/ 300 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Harem, Seinen

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Kazama is a wannabe delinquent on a mission to rule the school, but a run-in with the cray cray cuties of the Game Creation Club derails his plan for power. Instead of conquering Fujou Academy with his fists, Kazama is plunged into a hilariously-twisted world where pain is the name of the game.

Ruled by the adorable underground boss Roka, the Game Creation Club is comprised of pretty psychopaths who enjoy snacking, setting things on fire, burying adversaries up to their necks, and tazing the ???? out of anyone who stands in their way! As Roka vies for ultimate control of the school club scene, Kazama scrambles to maintain his sanity and survive the whacked out games these girls play. There’s no escaping the Game Creation Club!

Commentary:

D-Frag! started off with a real dud for me. I was thinking how painful it will be to sit through 12 episodes of some rather base humor that looked to be going nowhere. It wasn’t funny, it was sad the way they introduced the characters and it felt like a bad derivative of some many other comedy anime that I just cringed. Although after the first few episodes I began to see the writing begin to come together and provide a few solid laughs and hit home on some rather quirky personalities that are always present in large group settings. Even if I do feel like they tended to go for the hyper caricature of a couple main personalities. Things did manage to come together and I thought the comedy is what saved the series.

Of course the plot was all over the place and tended to meander in the woods from time to time. I had a feeling that the writing was more concerned with the punchlines rather than have a plot that took us somewhere. I know that it is a honest genre option to stick with absurdity when it comes to following a plot line, but in the case of D-Frag! I don’t think it was intentional.

Overall Grade: B+

There is plenty to praise about D-Frag! and the animation itself was very nice. Brain’s Base proved why they are getting more and more work over the last 13 years. It is clear and clean with a color pallet to match the tone of the series. It would have been very easy to lean toward a fan service profile with the series but they didn’t. Of course there is the obligatory young lady who is well endowed, but it was the exception rather than the rule and because it wasn’t the focus to the story it help make some of the humor more viable.

D-Frag! gave me grave concern at the beginning thinking that it was another silly series that missed the boat when it could have been a very funny series, but instead it ended up making laugh out loud enough to praise it for the simplicity of where it takes us. I would have like to see the plot be a little bit tighter, but the laughs took me where I really needed to go.

If you are looking for a series that is all about the funny and doesn’t seem to need to turn to mean spirited pranks to make it funny, then I can say with certainty that you will enjoy D-Frag!

SoniAni: Super Sonico The Animation (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 26, 2015
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Soni Ani: Super SonicoTitle: Soni  Ani: Super Sonico The Animation Complete Collection

Director: Kenichi Kawamura

Studio: White Fox

Music: Go Sakabe

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: May 26th, 2015

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

Genre: Music, Game, Comedy, Slice of Life

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall rating: C

Synopsis:

Saying Sonico is an incredibly busy young woman is an understatement. She juggles a modeling career, part-time work at her grandmother’s bar, and performs lead vocals and guitar in an all-girl band all while attending college! Not to mention taking care of her five cats – or is that the other way around? When her workload gets a little too heavy, she can count on her fellow musicians Suzu and Furi and the rest of her friends for a stabilizing influence. Get ready for the bounciest adventure ever as this three girl band shakes, rattles, rolls and takes Tokyo by storm!

Commentary:

Ok I get it, this is a straight forward game that based anime that is all about the cheese cake. One thing that stood out tome was that we are beginning to see more and more of the Kim Kardashian body with abnormal sized breast, thin waist and large or should I say giant hips/butt. Super Sonico may not have the giant hips, but it is clear that the body style is trying to play off on the absurd pop culture that lives on TV.

Soni Ani: Super Sonico is a smile anime that spotlights the sexy girls and how often can you take this rather naive girl and put her in suggestive situations. Well, at least we know who the audience is and to put is simply I pity this group of the anime fandom.

Overall Grade: C

The strength of Soni Ani: Super Sonico The Animation is the animation. White Fox understood what they had to do and they did it. They bring forward a animation style that fit the series. The rest of the series has its funny moments and it stays true to the sole purpose of the series to even exists.

On the other side of the coin it really doesn’t have a lot to offer other that sexy girls and one who is nothing more than a object of obsession. There are plenty of series out there that provide this type of entertainment and I can’t say that it stands out as something that makes me want to go back of more.

If you are looking for bouncing boobs and plenty of suggestive situations that take a rather naive young lady and make her a object of sexual obsession. The you should run to your local anime store to see if you can pick this one up when it releases.

For the U. S. release I have to hand it to Sentai Filmworks because they hired a Cosplay super star, Jessica Nigri, to voice Super Sonico. If anyone would understand the concept of being on object of desire it would be her. I’m sure that plenty of the male fans see her as someone very special and will find the extras included with this release as something to own.

Ninja Scroll on Blu-ray (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 26, 2015
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Ninja ScrollTitle: Ninja Scroll: The Motion Picture

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Studio: Madhouse

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Re-release Date: May 19th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 94 minutes / Feature Film

Genre: Action, Adventure, Edo Period, Historical

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Jubei Kibagami has always been the master dealer of death, but in rescuing a ninja woman from a monster he sets loose a chain of events that puts death in his own veins and sends them on a nightmarish odyssey through a surreal and devil infested ancient Japan. How do demonic possessions, an annihilated village, and a man Jubei thought safely buried in his past all connect? If Jubei can’t piece the blood-soaked clues together, his only consolation will be that he won’t live to regret it for very long!

Commentary:

Some films and series keep finding their way back into the spotlight  and consistently are begin resurrected just to try and make some more money. In the case of Ninja Scroll saw it most recent reincarnation in December of 2012 when it was re-released on DVD and now Sentai Filmworks has moved it onto Blu-ray. I know that I’ve seen plenty of older series and movies reproduced on Blu-ray and I am constantly stumped as to what difference it makes. For Ninja Scroll I see a little improvement in color and brightness, but overall I can’t say it is a hit for me. I almost like it on the original Manga Entertainment VHS version just because a gritty look to the film adds to its mystic.

Overall Grade: B+

I know that Ninja Scroll is a anime classic and the one thing that stands out is the action and battles. The simplistic violence that is presented comments on how cruel that time period was. The only thing that really makes a difference for me is the blatant simplicity these films and stories were created and written in the 80’s and 90’s. They thought that they were presenting some deep commentary, but in fact were playing to the basic fan base of the single males audience and gave us plenty of violence and sex to keep the viewer interested. I have a feeling that if they were to make it any more complicated they would have lost their audience and it wasn’t until later in the decade that it was discovered that deeper reflection or complicated plot lines really do make a difference.

Ninja Scroll is wonderfully animated and the action scenes are phenomenal but the plot is simple and only slightly interesting. I’m not sure how this latest iteration of the film is going to go over. I suspect that it will only be a item for the collector who wants to own it on blu-ray. I can’t say that the high definition doesn’t really make the film any better.

The Pet Girl of Sakurasou (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 22, 2015
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The Pet Girl of SakurasouTitle:The Pet Girl of Sakurasou complete collection on Blu-ray

Director: Atsuko Ishizuka

Writer: Mari Okada

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: April 14, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 24 Episodes / 600 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Absurdity, Slice of Life, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Banished from normal housing for the crime of adopting stray cats, Sorata Kanda’s life has gone to the dogs and he’s been impounded in Sakura Hall, a notorious den of troublemakers, geniuses and weirdos. Since he has a penchant for taking in small, cute but sometimes not completely loveable creatures, he’s been tasked with keeping fellow resident Mashiro Shiina, an acclaimed but highly dysfunctional and unfocused artist, from forgetting to eat, brush her hair or wear clothes. Then there are the other residents of Sakura Hall, all of whom have their own unique quirks and challenging relationships.

Commentary:

The Pet Girl of Sakurasou has finally been put together as a sin leg set and I think it could have found a good  number of new fans if there was a english dub, but Sentai Filmworks is not there yet. Never-the-less this is still a delightful series that doesn’t demand too much of you and at the same time manages to bring on plenty of good feeling toward this strange, but lovable group of misfits. Sorata may be portrayed as the normal one of the bunch and in some ways he may fit into everyday society a little better, but I see him as possibly the strangest one of the bunch. The fact that he has a unbridled weakness for cat makes him a huge favorite and he also allows himself to be the center of the group without being a overbearing shining obstacle to all of their uniqueness.

The Pet Girl of Sakurasou is a delightful short series of 24 episodes that manages to give up plenty to smile about. The animation is perfect for the series. It is bright and cheery that helps keep the series in its element. I can’t say that it was powerful or moving like a studio ghibli movie, but it did go well with the story even if it was rather common for 2012/2013 standards.

Overall Personal Grade: B+

The Pet Girl of Sakurasou has a level of drama included that helps keep the story level and even. The trial and tribulations these young people are going through are similar to many of the struggle all of have gone through. Of course a couple of the demons are a little melodramatic but that too is fine because it gives everyone a reason to feel their sadness and also cheer when the rest of the world is being brought into their drama.

Again I feel like this is a great series and in many ways it put older classic slice of life series like Clannad to shame, but it doesn’t have a huge fan base in the states because there is no english dub. I know that there are the hard core fans that want the Japanese voices acting with the english subtitle. I think this is a little bit of a narrow view of things and a flash back to older dubs were they just simply sucked. Over the last few years I have only come across very few anime where the english dub ruins the series. Anyway, in the case of The Pet Girl of Sakurasou I am confident that a solid dub would propel it into the classic status it deserves.

Either way I have to tip my hat to the series and tell everyone that if they haven’t see The Pet Girl of Sakurasou yet then they need to get busy and check it out.

She, The Ultimate Weapon (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 15, 2015
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She, The Ultimate WeaponTitle: She, The Ultimate Weapon

Director: Mitsuko Kase

Studio: Gonzo

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: April 7th, 2015

Format: DVD / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Drama, Apocalyptic, Romance, Anti-War

Age Rating: 17+

Overall Personal  Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Not every soldier wants to fight. Not every weapon wants to be used. But when an unexpected force attacks their city, the hopes and dreams of students Shuji and Chise are shattered by the fires of war. Surviving the bombing after a mysterious defender decimates the attackers, Shuji discovers Chise in the ruins – but she is no longer the girl he has always known.

Changed and twisted by military experiments, Chise has been altered into something no longer completely human. Even worse, though they both fight to deny it, the things that made her the person she was are slowly beginning to fade away. Can a human soul exist inside a device that was created to kill? And can any heart continue to feel love for something that is only a shell of the person it once was?

Commentary:

She, The Ultimate Weapon  (a.k.a. Saikano) is a very different series that posses some very complicated questions to the viewer. It pushes you imagination and at the same time asked you to try and take a moral position while watching these high schoolers deal with a rather horrific situation. The writing of the series is by far the shinning aspect and because of it you see Chise and Shuji very human or at least in the beginning. Of course there is the constant struggle to maintain  their humanity and at times it is hard to know which one is being more human or loosing their humanity faster.

Even though Chise is forced to go through the transformation it becomes clear that Shuji has to deal with many of the same demons without the ability to blame it on a unwanted life altering modification. In many ways I really felt more sympathy to Shuji than I did for Chise.

Overall Grade: B+

At first I had to stop and check when the series was originally created and based on the art style I was sure it was the mid 1990s but to my surprise it was 2002. I think this throw back in art style made it hard to want to watch at first. Once I got several episodes into the series I began to appreciate it a little more, but never go to the point that I felt like it really fir the series that week. I reminded me a lot of the styling of  Serial Experiment Lain which is how I got the the 90s with the art style, but at least the plot and story is a little easier to follow. Al though there is plenty of  the series that will give you a reason to pause and give it some genuine thought. I found the question to much of the same ones raided in Gunslinger Girls, but in that series their transformation saved their lives.

It is very understandable that this series will find a fairly narrow fan base, but I think that you like to thing and are willing to give a solid drama a chance then you are going to be glad you check out She, The Ultimate Weapon.

 

DD Fist of the North Star: Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 14, 2015
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DD Fist of the North StarTitle: DD Fist of the North Star: Complete Collection

Director: Akitaro Daichi

Studio: Ajia-do Animation Works

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: April 14th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 26 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Comedy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: C-

Synopsis:

Highly trained in the secret martial art of Hokuto Shinken, Kenshiro has achieved such a high level of combat expertise that he can kill a man with his pinky finger. Though these skills may be useful for a wandering man trying to survive the deadly wastelands left behind by nuclear war, they’re all but useless in modern day Japan!

With an apocalypse that never happened and a less-than-desirable skill set, would-be hero Ken is stuck looking for a job just like every other unemployed schmuck in Japan. And frankly, he doesn’t interview well. Things start to look up when he stumbles across an opening at a convenience store, but unfortunately he’ll have to deal with two contentious contenders if he wants the job: his own brothers Toki and Raoh, who’re just as dimwitted and muscle-headed as the mighty Ken himself.

Commentary:

DD Fist of the NorthStar is, well how do I put this, not a very good series. I realize it is a parody of the original Fist of the North Star, but it takes on a series that is just too over the top that this comes across rather silly and a waist of talent.  Now not all of it is bad, some of the humor if funny and clearly saves this series from a failing grade.

I do understand that this series also taking on some rather poor western style animation that is typically seen on Cartoon Network of even some of the other toss away cable stations. I think that is where it lost me and gave me every reason to turn it off and walk away. If it weren’t for the strong comic writing I would have saved myself several hours of pain.

Overall Grade: C-

As I watch DD Fist of the North Star I continually looked at the clock thinking to myself that I will need to watch this in small parts which plays better with the 26 15 minute episodes. Even small doses didn’t help that much. If I had not been able to laugh, and I do mean laugh at the jokes not at how bad it is I am sure that the grade would have been one of the lowest I have ever given out.

Anime is a great subset of entertainment that offers so many option. It also has several genres and styles that just flat out fail the wonder art form. Now I can say that if the creators would not have followed the poor pseudo-western art style the writing could have saved it form this underwhelming review.

Now if you are looking for a silly show that is about the base stupidity of these characters then you are in for a treat.

Hayate The Combat Butler-Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 12, 2015
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Hayate The Combat Butler-Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Complete Collection season 3review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Hayate The Combat Butler-Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Complete Collection

Director: Masashi Kudo

Studio: T.V. Tokyo

Author: Kenjiro Hata

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: April 28, 2015

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

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Parody and Harem

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: C

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Amagami SS

“Don’t lump me, Sanzenin Nagi, with your typical otaku. Whether it’s a video game, anime or manga, I’ll only rate it after I’ve played, watched, or read the entire thing! Even though I might initially think, ‘Whoa, talk about a total letdown!’ ”

Synopsis:

Hayate Ayasaki’s life has never been easy, though after being sold to Yakuza who want to harvest your organs to pay off your parents’ debts it’s hard to imagine things sinking much lower. However, since becoming employed as the butler/bodyguard for the spoiled, cold hearted teenage heiress Nagi Sanzenin, Haytate’s misery has been primarily focused around Nagi’s insecurity, laziness and the frequent attempts by various parties to kidnap her (with the occasional scheme cooked up by her Grandfather on the side).

When a new and unexpected relative arrives without warning and issues concerning Nagi’s long dead father and his belongings rear their ugly head, Hayate finds himself thrust even further into the deep, dark, messy drama of the Sanzenin clan’s personal affairs. But that is only the beginning of his troubles, as somehow aliens, haunted swords, an untrustworthy kitten and even a cross-dressing curse are thrown into the mix as well. Will Hayate fight his way through these epic complications? Or will his undoing come at a substantial cost?

Commentary:

Hayate The Combat Butler-Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Complete Collection is the third season of the Hayate The Combat Butler franchise however, it is an original concept and is not directly based on the manga. The episodes are labeled as nights, such as first night, second night and so on. The first six episodes were filler episodes and the last six were where all the action and actual plot took place. They tried to give all of Nagi’s background in the first six episodes when they could have condensed it into three episodes so the actual plot and story line would not have seemed so rushed.

Nagi Sanzenin is a spoiled and lazy tsundere character, even more so than the first season. She makes unreasonable demands on Hayate and gets herself into trouble as always. She would rather watch the newest anime series and play the newest games instead of going to school. I really believe she would be happy to just do that every day and never leave the house, living a NEET lifestyle. Hayate, her butler, and Maria, her maid, try and make her understand that she must go to school but it mostly falls on deaf ears. Rui Tsugumi appears out of nowhere claiming to be Nagi’s little sister but in reality she is just looking for the Sanzenin family fortune, the Black Camellia. Rui is also a tsundere-type character and specializes in martial arts. She is also the comic relief character, and is picked on heavily for the entire series, which is understandable, she was a pretty bad character, whose only purpose seems to be to bring even more ‘moe loli tsundere’ to this series, which not only is unnecessary, but makes her a waste and very forgettable. Another issue was Maria, who seemed very dimwitted (see the vent scene) and was very dull and almost drone like. Most of the characters seemed that way towards the end.

Another thing was the art. I still have not gotten over that actually. In the original series, it was pretty decent, and full of color. In this one, it lacked the same. Hayate seems to have changed genders and looks more feminine than ever. Everyone else was designed with the same head with different hair colors and styles. It was even worse than the original. The backgrounds even seemed more dull and lifeless than ever. I guess in the end Nagi was right, “Whoa, talk about a total letdown!”

Extras:

Hayate The Combat Butler-Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with Japanese with English subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: C

All in all, Hayate The Combat Butler-Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Complete Collection is more of a standalone series instead of a third season. It is an interesting harem though, if you enjoy the harem genre.