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Space Brothers collection 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 9, 2015
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Space Brother collection 2Title: Space Brothers collection 2 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: April 21st, 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:

As the competition to become an astronaut continues to heat up, the candidates are subjected to a grueling series of tests designed to test their physical and mental qualifications to the utmost. Trapped inside a sealed environment with his closest rivals, Mutta’s challenge is to force himself to think as a team player even as he jockeys for one of the two open seats to the stars. When things start to go wrong with the test mission, however, the tension really begins to build.

It’ll take the combined resources of the whole team to solve the life and death problems being thrown at them… but what are they supposed to do when it becomes apparent that one of the team members is intentionally sabotaging their assignments? Will any of Mutta’s team survive the ordeal and move up to the next phase of training? Or will they all wash out before they ever hit the launch pad?

Commentary:

Just as the first collection gave us reason to look forward the rest of the series, collection 2 of Space Brothers keeps it going and even furthers the case for why this is a solid series. With the focus of these 13 episodes is the third exam and how the want-to-be astronauts manage to deal with the stresses of the two week exam it becomes clear that Space Brothers is about relationships and how bonds are really formed.

As I watched this group of episodes I began to find a true fondness for several of the characters and a better understanding of why others are the way they are. The writing does another superb job of depicting a wide variety of personalities and how they would deal with the task at hand. They also made sure that there were some characters that were less than likable and also less sympathic than the greater group. I enjoyed how they made them move through the paces and how they managed to stay focused on the goal.

There are several fun parts and once we get back to Huston we get to meet an American who loves Japan and stands out as a genuine stupid American. I laughed because I meet these people all the time. They have a fondness for the Japanese that borders on obsessive but is funny anyway. I have always enjoyed it when these series toss it right back in our face.

Overall Grade: A-

As slice of life series go, Space Brothers is a bit of a cut above. There is not bitter sweet love story, but doesn’t mean you don’t get sucked in and begin to wish for the best for these characters. I could see being friends with both of the brothers and more importantly Mutta. He is a serious enough guy who has enough of a lack of self confidence that he both struggle with his own abilities and his success. He likable and at time simple for as complex a character as he is. I know things will work out because of the shear length of the series but I can’t tell what is really going to happen.

I’m hooked and want to see the rest. So, bring it on.

Nobunaga The Fool Collection 1(anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 2, 2015
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Nobunaga The Fool Collection 1Title: Nobunaga The Fool: Collection 1 on Blu-ray

Director: Eiichi Sato

Writer: Shoji Kawamori

Studio: Satelight

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

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

Format: Blu-ray / 13 episodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Mecha, Action, Drama, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Long ago, in an age when the cosmos was still known as Chaos, the world was split into two planets, forming the West and East Stars. After years of war and strife, the Western Star has finally become united under a single king, the legendary Arthur. But conflict still threatens to consume all until hope arises in a vision: a vision of a champion who could save the futures of both worlds.

Setting forth on a dangerous journey, Joan d’Arc must travel from the West world to the East, seeking the man she believes can use the devices of the great Leonardo Da Vinci and become their savior. But will Nobunaga Oda be the kind of man they are expecting? Will history’s greatest heroes find themselves choosing not a liberator, but a destroyer? Or is Nobunaga’s role that of the Fool from a deck of Tarot, the wild card whose purpose is to invoke change, no matter what the cost?

Commentary:

It is great to see the Mecha genre having a bit of a revival and maybe even a renaissance. Nobunaga The Fool takes this literally by introducing historical figures from both the far east and the western cultures divided by worlds not just simple geographical lines on a map. These cultures get to play out a rather interesting battle to see if there is a true Savior King who will save both worlds not just their own. Of course we have king Arthur on the western worlds guiding light and the young and inexperienced Nobunaga for the East to maintain a brash arrogance that represents some level of true grit.

I do like the touch of having these mechanical armor to wield, but so far it has not gotten to any viable explanation on how they power them other than the magical lay lines or dragon lines / earth forces. This aspect comes out a little weak in the story, but that is of no real significance to the series of its value as a solid anime. I guess that if I were to question the physics of anime then most of the great Sci Fi / Mecha series would fall apart rather quickly. It’s not like we question the force in Star Wars so why question the dragon lines in Nobunaga The Fool.

The real strength of the series is the way that these strong characters enter act and develop. For Nobunaga it is obvious from the very beginning that he is something of a adventurist and not concerned with the politics that exists in his fathers world. he is also very crude and undisciplined. In the Japanese voice over with english subtitled version he comes across a little more subdued than he does in the English dub. With that in mind I can easily say that I prefer the brash young man in the English dub. He doesn’t mix words and can even offend in a single word. This plan in your face approach is well suited to his character and in many ways helps save the series from its own heaviness.

Overall Grade: B+

I don’t always gravitate toward mecha series, but it seems that as of late many of them are of a higher quality and have given me a reason to watch out for them. Nobunaga The Fool proves to be one of these series that keeps the action going without a severe amount of repetition. There is also a slick approach to the story that keep the two groups at odds but at the same time interesting in their own right. I know that the story doesn’t compare to Full Metal Panic, but there is something about the series that I like and it reminds of my fondness to the way the characters became well like in the FMP classic.

I am very interested to see how this series ends up and I hope that they just take it higher from here. It can be very easy to screw this up and I have seen it happen all too many time. So, Nobunaga The Fool has a real chance at become something even better lets just hope that the writers don’t give up on the remainder of the story. If you like history or historical figures put in crazy stories you will really like Nobunaga The Fool, I know I do.

Looking Up At The Half-Moon (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : April 2, 2015
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Looking Up At The Half MoonTitle: Looking Up At The Half-Moon

Director: Yukihiro Matsushita

Studio: Group TAC

U. S. Distributor: Nozomi, Lucky Penny

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

Format: DVD / 6 Episodes / 150 minuts

Genre: Romance, Love Story, Coming of Age

Age rating: 13+

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Even though Yuuichi Ezaki is in the hospital recovering from an illness, he’s constantly sneaking out. One day he’s caught by the head nurse, who makes a deal with him: she’ll overlook his future excursions if he’s willing to befriend a new patient, Rika Akiba. Due to a serious heart condition, Rika has spent most of her life in the hospital, and doesn’t really have any friends. As Yuuichi and Rika spend time together and learn more about each other, their relationship soon blossoms into romance…

Commentary:

There is something about the Japanese mindset that lends itself to these bitter sweet stores of love and loss. We see it stand out and revered in classics like Clannad, Kannon and Air just to mention a few. Looking Up At The Half Moon is a perfect example of a slice of life that not only shows the strength of love but also show the tragedy of life and the fragility of the human condition. The story is straight forward you realize what is going to happen by the end of the second episode, but that still doesn’t ruin anything at all. In fact knowing what to expect makes it all the better as you get to move this sweet little series.

There is a lot about this series that draws you to it and with it being only 6 episodes long it provides for a great source of entertainment in an easy to watch period of time. The characters are exposed to us at a reasonable pace and as you warm up to them you see all of the dynamics start to change and bonds become stronger and frictions begin to light up. This progression shows how well written the series is and how it has stood the test of time now that it is almost 10 years old. Of course I expect that the story will remain strong for some time because it is about young hearts find something very special with a heavy burden hanging over the entire situation.

Overall Grade : A-

For all that is good about the series I have to say that the animation was not the best. It came across flat and some-what anemic from time to time. The color plate was too muster for its own good. I would have like to see a little more color and maybe even a brighter overall feel to the production level. I understand that there is a certain amount of melancholy to the story that might require a bit of a muted paler, I feel as thought it was take too far with the series as a whole.

The writing is superb and even though it is only 6 episodes the story managed to develop at a pace that seem well suited and even though I would have liked to see a few more episodes to maybe complete the story with a defined understanding how much time remained in their story together I didn’t really mind having it end there. The character development was ok and it gave enough depth to the main characters to support what need to be there, but again I think that there could have been more opportunity to give us more background if the series was longer.

Looking Up At The Half Moon is both a easy watch and a touching story that can easily make you cry for joy and sadness at the same time. There is nothing more heartwarming that the development of love at a time of great distress and also watching two young adults find their way through some of the most confusing moments of anyones life.

If you are looking for a good love story to warm you hear then look no further than Looking Up At The Half Moon.

 

Rose of Versailles: Part Two (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 29, 2015
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Rose of Versailles: Part Tworeview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Rose of Versailles: Part Two

Director: Osamu Dezaki

Studio: Tokyo Movie Shinsha

Author: Riyoko Ikeda

U.S. Distributor: Nozomi Entertainment, Lucky Penny

U.S. Release Date: April 7, 2015

Format and Length: DVD / 20 Episodes, 480 Minutes

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Historical, Romance

Industry Age Rating: 13 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Revolutionary Girl Utena and Le Chevalier D’Eon

Synopsis:

Rose of Versailles: Part Two begins where Part One left off. Oscar is beginning to feel out of place among the nobles, but does not know what to do about it. Looking to challenge herself further, Oscar leaves Marie Antoinette’s side and enlists with the French Guards. The French Guards are common soldiers who put their lives on the line every night as they patrol the streets and keep the peace. However, Oscar soon learns that an anti-noble sentiment resides everywhere, even amongst the guards that grudgingly follow her orders. Will Oscar eventually find herself torn between her loyalty to the crown and her loyalty to France itself?

Marie Antoinette’s indulgences are beginning to take their toll on the common citizens. While the nobles live in sheer decadence, the poor children are left to starve on the streets. Counts and countesses are attending masquerade balls while normal families are forced to bury their loved ones because they are unable to afford medicine. Pleas that were once for equality are now enraged demands for radical change, but what does the nobility have to say for themselves?
Commentary:

Rose of Versailles: Part Two is a wonderful conclusion to this historical anime. At first, I was not very interested in this anime, but after a few episodes, it drew me in. Rose of Versailles is an old anime that has been re-released and might be hard to watch, but give it a chance if you are able to see past the lack of action and the tragedies that fall upon the characters. Be prepared to get emotionally attached to certain characters though.

I really loved that Rose of Versailles: Part Two focused more on Oscar’s life than on Marie Antoinette. They did an amazing job in describing the drama that had become Oscar’s life. Oscar loved Fersen, but was sure that he loved Marie Antoinette. Fersen loved Oscar but decided to stay by Marie Antoinette’s side until the end. Andre’ loved Oscar but he kept it to himself until the end of their time together. That is a lot of drama for one girl to deal with. Finally, Oscar and Andre’ are able to tell each other that they love one another however; it was too late for a happy ending. But sometimes that happens when there is a Revolution going on.

The plot picked up pace in Rose of Versailles: Part Two. It still seemed like each book of manga equaled one episode of Rose of Versailles, however I got very caught up in the battle scenes and that seemed to make episodes fly by. Be careful though, you can easily marathon the entire series in a matter of a few days, which I did because it is just that good. Each disk has five episodes and they go by pretty quickly. The opening and closing music fits the mood of the anime very well. It is slightly bittersweet and the background music depicted the music of the 17th Century, although there were a few instances of “dramatic” piano playing, but that is par for the course for an anime of this age. The opening and closing music is catchy and I found myself singing along by the third disk; thankfully there are subtitles with the lyrics too. The animation does look dated but then again you have to remember the age of this anime. Some of the scenes will take your breath away and others will just make you laugh. The backgrounds are very detailed and look beautiful. Be careful of the sparkles though, they may blind you.

While Rose of Versailles: Part Two is not completely fact, if you enjoy history or love historical fiction then this anime is for you. This anime is a classic and deserves a special place in the history of anime in general.
Extras:

Rose of Versailles: Part Two has clean opening and closing animation and Nozomi trailers as special features. Each disk has two trailers and the fourth disk has an interview with the director, Osamu Dezaki.
Overall Grade: B+

Rose of Versailles: Part Two is a wonderful conclusion to the Rose of Versailles story. Despite its age, it is very enjoyable. If you are a fan of older animes or you are open minded with different genres of anime then you should enjoy Rose of Versailles: Part One and Part Two. As a complete series that I watched once again back-to-back without interruptions, I would give the entire series an overall grade of an A-. It is definitely worth a watch. I can recommend either Revolutionary Girl Utena or Le Chevalier D’Eon. Revolutionary Girl Utena also features a young woman blurring the gender lines with sword fights and Le Chevalier D’Eon revolves around the French Revolution. I also suggest watching Rose of Versailles: Part One, but that goes without saying.

Unlimited Psychic Squad complete collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 29, 2015
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Unlimited Pshychic SquadTitle: Unlimited Psychic Squad complete collection

Director: Shisho Igarash

Writer: Shinchi Inotsume

Studio: Manglob

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: April 21st, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Drama, Sci Fi

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: A-

Synopsis:

You don’t have to be psychic to know that Hyobu Kyosuke is trouble waiting to happen, but having psychic powers of your own may be your only chance if you want to stand against him. One of the most powerful espers on the planet, Hyobu’s incredible range of abilities extends as far as controlling his own aging process, and the potential strength of all his talents combined is so terrifying that he wears a device that limits their use except in cases of extreme emergency. The time is coming, however, when Hyobu will need to unleash everything he has.

Sometimes it takes a villain to do what heroes can’t, and as the leader of the secret organization P.A.N.D.R.A., Hyobu’s dedicated his life to fighting those who would entrap, enslave, or kill anyone with psychic powers. Now P.A.N.D.R.A. itself is in danger and, to combat that deadly threat, the gloves and limiter are coming off!

Commentary:

Unlimited Psychic Squad is a dramatic spinoff from the action comedy Psychic Squad. It does reference the girls featured in Psychic Squad and even has the main character Hyobu Kyosuke refer to the member of the girls as his queen and contends that he is following the path to create a world for her to sit as the monarch. Even though these references are in the series it is not the focus of this dramatic cousin the main story line.

The quality of Unlimited Psychic Squad has it very own life and carries a dramatic plot line that harkens many other series where the gifted are ostracized and looking for freedom. From X Men to Code Breakers the story is a common place occurrence, but it is an archetype that runs deed in human mythology and is often at the center of many revolts. Freedom to be a part of the greater world without feeling like a second class citizen. For Unlimited Psychic Squad it may not have stood out as the overt driving force, but it is still at its heart and it is what made this series a hit in my eyes.

Overall Grade: A-

The writing for Unlimited Psychic Squad ended up being a little on the melodramatic side of the genre and from time to time it was overbearing, but in the end the crafting of the story played out rather well. It was easy to get sucked into the story and the struggles of the characters. It is also easy to form sympathies toward each of the characters  as they manage to try and do the right thing.

The animation style is a little rough and could have been less digital, but it was effective and entraining. I also found the overall tone of the story to help bring into focus its true meaning. I had recently asked where the decent action dramas were and here is one that I was happy to come across. The only thing I would have enjoyed more would be a better understanding of the rest of the crew. They all seemed to have some wonderful talents and together were awesome, but knowing who they were would have take the series over the top.

If you are loping for a action filled story that doesn’t fill the spaces with unnecessary fan service or silly commentary then Unlimited Psychic Squad could be just the thing you are looking for.

 

Freezing: Vibration season 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 29, 2015
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Freezing VibrationTitle: Freezing: Vibration season 2

Director: Takashi Watanabe

Studio: A.C.G.T.

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: April 21st, 2015

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

Genre: Seinen, Drama, Supernatural, Sci Fi, Fan Service

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

Satellizer el Bridget and some of the most powerful – and desirable – Pandoras in the world are summoned to a secret base in the wilds of Alaska. These gorgeous warriors arrive primed for battle, but they soon discover the true purpose for their presence: to assist the clandestine Chevalier organization in forging a new breed of soldier – E-Pandoras!

Once normal girls, these eager beauties volunteered to have their bodies genetically enhanced in order to join the fight against the deadly alien invaders plaguing the planet. But there’s more to becoming a superhuman battle vixen than tattered uniforms and sultry slugfests. Rumors of heinous experimentation haunt the E-Pandora project, and only Satellizer and her loyal companion Kazuya can unravel the mystery before it’s too late!

Commentary:

There are long string of sexy girl battle anime and most of them fall apart pretty quick. The first season of Freezing may have help some promise for season 2 and amazing enough there is something here that manages to rise above the bouncing boobs, just barely. The great failure of these series is that they aim to entertain just one thin section of the anime fan base and many of those young men between 16 and 25 will be getting in line to pickup their copy of this wild series. Being a little older than that and liking my women to be 3d and flesh and flood would not make me one of the army of fans running to the nearest store to get this action packed series.

I thought the plot was stimulating enough to stand on its own and at the same time found the nude women rather distracting, plus every scene seemed to be more focused on boobies or panty shots. If there would have been less of this silliness it is very possible that Freezing Vibration could have become a classic along the lines of Claymore. I’m not here to discount the power of fan service, there can be opportune times to use sex or sexuality to give more power to the story and for some reason anime has a hard time understanding a solid balance.

Overall Garde: B-

If it weren’t for a solid story line I would have write Freezing off as just another bouncing booby show that is there to prove that the understanding of the human anatomy continues to elude all too many animators. I does continue to re-enforce the age old complaint about anime and manga and that is that it is created by too many men who use this medium as their idealized world.

If you prefer real bodies and a world that is more interested in the problems at hand then freezing is not for you. If you prefer your world to be full of buxom women who would rather not wear cloths then you need to rush out and get in line for the release of Freezing Vibration!

Student Council’s Discretion Season 1 Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 28, 2015
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Student Council’s Discretion season 1review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Student Council’s Discretion Blu-ray Season 1 Complete Collection

Director: Takuya Sato

Studio: Studio Deen

Author: Jukki Hanada

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: March 24, 2015

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

Genre: Comedy, Parody, School, Harem

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Other Titles to Check Out: Lucky Star, Ebiten, Haganai, Haganai Next, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

“Mukyu.”

Synopsis:

At Hekiyo Academy, the Student Council members are elected via the usual popularity contests, and since most teenagers think more with hormones than brains, those seats are filled by the school’s most beautiful girls. But one student is chosen based on academic scores. Besides being the council’s only male member, one of Ken Sugisaki’s main assignments is writing stories informing the student body what the student council actually does. To do that he’ll have to manipulate the truth just a bit, and given that Ken’s an obsessive fan of dating sims who fantasizes about his fellow council members as his “harem”, things tend to get even more out of hand. Plus, exactly who’s going to be the leading lady is up for debate, as immature Kurimu, tomboyish Minatsu, twisted Chizuru, and “boy’s love” obsessed Mafuyu are all trying to add their own particular spins to everything. If that’s not enough, the journalism club has it out for all of them.

Commentary:

Dragging the otaku culture, kicking and screaming the whole way, Student Council’s Discretion Blu-ray Season 1 Complete Collection, brings more anime memes and parodies than you can possible count. Just in the opening sequence of the first episode, they have over ten references before they show the opening. With some touching on the obscure, they can make things a bit difficult, so it does help to know what they are referencing for a lot of it to make any sense. This series will probably be more entertaining to those who are familiar with otaku culture.

Student Council’s Discretion Blu-ray Season 1 Complete Collection follows Ken Sugisaki and the rest of the student council (aka harem) on their daily activities of conducting the student government. That just sounds like some fun stuff doesn’t it? The catch is that they really don’t do anything meaningful, often each doing their own thing, as the meetings hardly go as planned, if even planned at all. The Student council president, Kurimu Sakurano, the resident loli, leads in the randomness with sheer determination and cuteness. Ken Sugisaki, Vice President, has one thing on his mind and being a teenage male, you can easily imagine what that is. So what is this series about? Nothing really. No, seriously. It’s episodic and random. It’s very Seinfeldish, if you will. No central plot, or conceptual story line, loveable characters that are a bit cliché, and random humor, that is sometimes a little misplaced. On a few occasions their jokes did fall flat, but that was mostly on the more obscure references they made. At those times, it felt like I was with a group of people that I had never met and they had a lot of inside jokes, that you had to of been for a while there to get.

The characters were developed a bit, but since they are all standard archetypes, everyone quickly fell into those clichés and not much development was done beyond that. At some point, they even made it a butt of some of the jokes. Another thing that seemed odd is in the first half of the series, you could count on one hand how many locations they interacted in. By the end you probably had to use both hands, so the scenery did not change often. Considering that humor was the main concept, background scenery was also not built up or changed often. The background was decently detailed, and the club room seemed to have a lot going on in it. They had to fill the space with something I suppose. The opening theme was a bit catchy, and the ending theme was ok. Background music was non-existent. The focus was mostly on the humor, and it did not detract from the series.

Extras:

Student Council’s Discretion included 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: B-

This series is not for those who are new to anime, or those who have to have a completely coherent story from beginning to end. It’s not there. I found it easiest to watch a couple at a time, as watching too many episodes at once got tiring and I would lose interest. Enjoy it for what it is. Overall it was a decent series, if you are watching it for the parody and humor.

Noir: The Complete Series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 26, 2015
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NoirTitle: Noir: The Complete Series Anime Classics on Blu-ray

Director: Koichi Mashimo

Studio: Bee Train

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: April 14th, 2015

Format: DVD /Blu-ray / 650 minutes / 26 episodes

Genre: Action,  Adventure, Girls with Guns

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Titles: Madlax, El Cazador de la Bruja, Gunslinger Girls

Can ones past ever be forgotten and is it possible to completely deny ones Fate? If love can kill the surely hatred can save!

Synopsis:

Noir is the story of three female assassins who are drawn together because of their unknown past and through their partnership they discover the truth to their existence. Mireille Bouquet is the first of these women we meet, she is a powerful assassin for hire and works outside the bounds of any organization. She receives a strange e-mail that leads her to the next of these women, Kirika Yuumura. Kirika is a teenage girl who has no recollection of her past but does possess something that has meaning to both Mireille and her past. Mireille notices it right away and takes Kirika under her wing with a simple vow, once they discover the truth she will kill Kirika.

In their quest to find the truth they discover who is behind everything, it is an ancient group know as Les Soldats (“The Soldiers”). This hidden group have their fingers into all walks of life and see Mireille and Kirika as targets and continue to have them killed. This become more and more difficult and finally these two come into contact with the third assassin, Chloe. Chloe turns out to be both a friend and a foe who has a critical part to play in the outcome of this journey of discovery.

Commentary:

Following the Girls with Guns genre set forth by classics like Bubble Gum Crisis and Dirty Pair, Noir provides something a little more involved. The psychological drama that plays out between these strong women is the real power of the series. This is also highlighted by the minimal graphic violence shown in the series. There is very little splattering blood and most to the time you only see a hole in a victims clothing to evidence that have been shot. The emotional bond built between these women is the point and even thought Kirika and Chloe have rather monotone personalities there are those underlying emotions that as they surface have the most impact.

Honestly it has been a real pleasure visiting this older series that laid the groundwork for some more recent series that are also sure to be classics such as Gunslinger Girls and Phantom: Requiem of a Phantom. In the case of Phantom it is very easy to see the connection that Koichi Mashimo brought to it based on what we see in Noir. The loss of soul or should I say the implied lack of emotion that the girls possess is at the center of these heavy dramas and Noir displays it in a much darker fashion.

The artistic stylings may be a bit dated but it was standard TV animation for 2001 and it does a splendid job of convening the essence of the series but it does also tend to lead to some rather flat moments, but overall it fits well with the story. The music and soundtrack is much better suited for the series and both the opening and closing songs frame the series well.

Overall Grade: B+

This series proves that it has all the making of the classic moniker that has been bestowed up on it and also provides a solid drama for all those fans of the darker side of life.

When Koichi Mashimo made Noir he had the trilogy planned out and it wasn’t until 2007 that he was able to complete it so you should check out both Madlax and El Cazador de la Bruja. But, if you really enjoy this style of story then you should also see Gunslinger Girls and Phantom; Requiem for a Phantom.

Place to Place (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 23, 2015
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Place to Place Blu-rayreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Place to Place: Blu-Ray Complete Collection

Director: Fumitoshi Oizaki

Studio: AIC

Author: Ishiki

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: March 24, 2015

Format and Length: Blu-Ray / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Romance, Comedy, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: TV-14 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A+

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Lucky Star, Hidamari Sketch, K-On!, Toradora!

What happens when you are more than just friends, but not quite in a relationship?

Synopsis:

We all had a circle of friends that we hung out with in high school, but within that group, there were smaller groups of friends. Place to Place is about that smaller group of friends, best friends, and even boyfriends and girlfriends. At times, relationships just develop when you least expect them and with the person you want the most. That is the little problem Tsukimi has when it comes to Io.

Io is as tall and laidback, while Tsukimi is short and tsundere. However, Io is completely clueless to Tsukimi’s feelings, yet he is too affectionate and that is just confusing and irritating. The rest of their friends are not much help at all, as it usually gives them another reason to tease Tsukimi. Are Tsukimi and Io just best friends or is it worth risking their friendship for what Tsukimi wants? You will have to watch Place to Place to find out.
Commentary:

Place to Place is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get when the episode begins. The comedy is new and fresh, and the romance is so adorable that you will possibly die from potential blood loss coming out of your nose. Place to Place is a true slice-of-life anime as there is really no plot. You are watching a story that revolves around a group of five high school friends participating in hilarious everyday activities and you also are watching Io’s and Tsukimi’s relationship grow with each episode. Each episode is broken into two parts, Part A and Part B. They may follow the same plot line or the second part could go into a completely different direction. You could watch this series completely out of order and not miss any important plot points. Nevertheless, I would recommend watching in order to get the most cuteness out of Tsukimi.

I must say that the characters are the strongest part of Place to Place. Tsukimi is a small, quiet catlike tsundere. However, she has that cool and collective attitude that the boys go crazy for and that makes her more than the average tsundere. Tsukimi can beat the boys at video games, yet has a feminine side. She actually sprouts cat ears when she was embarrassed or happy! She is in love with the unobservant Io, a boy who is quietly romantic. That makes all the girls crazy for him. The rest of their close group of friends includes Hime, Sakaki, and Mayoi. Hime is a clumsy, whimsical, and shy girl. Her shyness really comes out when she is interested in the opposite sex. Sakaki is the other boy in this group of friends. He usually speaks without thinking and that leads to some painful experiences for him. Mayoi is the final friend and her ideas usually cause trouble for the rest of the group.

The characters were drawn very well and have something special about them. Some of the characters looked really similar to those in Lucky Star. The backgrounds were well drawn and very creative, yet the overall theme of the animation is very simple. That was very refreshing. The arrow themed title cards are too cute and make a great transition between Part A and Part B of the episode. The opening song and closing song are both very fitting for this anime, slightly weird but still catchy.

I would recommend Place to Place if you are looking for a light-hearted anime to watch with a group of friends. I would even recommend this as a good introduction into the slice-of-life genre or even anime in general. Lucky Star, Hidamari Sketch, K-On!, Toradora! are all wonderful Slice of Life animes. I would recommend Place to Place if you have enjoyed any of these animes or if you are just looking to watch a cute anime.

Extras:

The special features for Place to Place include clean opening and closing animations and Sentai trailers.

Overall Grade: A+

I loved Place to Place. It reminds me of Lucky Star but with romance. I would recommend Place to Place to anyone and everyone because it is a light-hearted anime and it is just too fun to watch.

Tokyo Ravens season one part 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 21, 2015
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Category: Reviews

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tokyo RavensTitle: Tokyo Ravens season one part 1

Director: Takaomi Kansaki

Creator:  Kohei Azano (Light Novel)

Anime Writer: Hideyuki Kurata

Studio: 8-Bit

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

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

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

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Adventure, Romance, Harem

Age Rating: TV 14

Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Harutora may seem like an ordinary guy, but he’s actually a descendent of an ancient and powerful clan of onmyouji. Born without the family talent for magic, he’d always believed he was destined for a normal, boring existence. All that changed the day Natsume, a beautiful face from Harutora’s past, barged back into his life and forever altered the course of his future. When her sudden arrival leads to a violent and tragic encounter with a magical prodigy, Harutora agrees to fulfill a childhood vow by accompanying Natsume to the clandestine Onmyo Academy. Together, along with their incredible onmyouji classmates, they’ll attempt to survive life at a school where not even magic can get you out of your homework.

Commentary: 

Tokyo Ravens is being marketed as one of this years best kept secrets, but I wouldn’t go that far. Much of the series reminds me of other mainstream series that give us the struggling hero who wants nothing more to do than hang out. I see him as a Neet who is has a destiny. The real question is what his he really. I have a feeling that there is a big twist about him and a tiger as the series unfolds. I found Tokyo Ravens season 1 part 1 to be rather pedestrian in the overall feel and development of the story. It reminds me of the let down that Guilty Crow ended up being. I just hope that part two takes us to another level. The basics are there for something good and maybe svn great. I would like to see most of the comic relief to be set aside and let the real drama unfold.

The attention to the comedy was too prevalent and it gets in the way of the story that needs to be told. I can’t say that I like the introduction of Kon. Sure she is cute and silly, but the character is not much help and in face she gets in the way of the deeper story development. There are 2 extras where she explains some of the basics about the world of Tokyo Ravens and even though her voice and mannerisms are a tad silly the information is worth while.

Overall Grade: B

Tokyo Ravens is a standard shonen with a harem feel that plots the hapless hero who doesn’t seem to understand anything as potentially the key to it all. I do like the plot and where the story is headed, I am just worried that the silliness that overwhelmed the first 12 episodes will continue. I would have like to see a more dramatic slant to the series. What happened to the days where action series carried a serious dramatic flair like Darker Than Black or Black Lagoon. I’m not asking for over the top violence just a more serious approach to the characters and overall story.

I was not completely disappointed by Tokyo Ravens. There is plenty to enjoy. The animation and production is great and some of the english voice acting is really superb. I thought that several of the characters were given a depth and feel that makes them easy to support and connect with. There is also are clear development of a twist on the way. I just hope we get to see it.

If you liked Guilty Crown, C (Control) or even Unbreakable Machine Doll then you will enjoy Tokyo Ravens. I am looking forward to part 2 and really hope that it takes the series in a more dramatic direction.