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Hidamari Sketch x SP

Posted by :Joann On : December 13, 2014
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fgf   1Title: Hidamari Sketch x SP

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks

American Release Date: Dec 16, 2014

Format / Length:Blu-ray / 2 episodes, 50 min.

Genre: Comedy

Age Rating: 13+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis: 

Some of the student at an art school live at the Hidamari Apartments. They are classmates and friends.  This short anime (2 episodes) is about what they do when they have a time away from school and home. Fittingly for art students, they head out on a day trip to the art museum. Another trip takes them to the local pool, even though not all of them can swim. But you got to start somewhere and they have fun teaching each other. Heading to a buffet with their landlord, they have a memorable game of sushi roulette.

Back at the apartments, even washing the curtains become fun when they decide to use the wading pool. Think bubbles. They also make time for a pajama party.

 

Commentary:

Hidamari Sketch x SP is a sweet anime with plenty of giggles for the characters. The art students are peppy and optimistic, having fun just  spending time together and experiencing regular life. Even though this is only two episodes and related to a series or two, you  do not need to have seen the other series to enjoy it.

I found the look to be inventive and varied in the use of animation styles and techniques. Often crisp and simplistic, but specialized in other areas. Visually, my favorite was the way they portrayed the water.

I think this anime is geared toward a younger audience and predominately female.With no enemies, dangers or troubles, this is a light and enjoyable show, a great way to relax with some friends that appreciate life and especially their relationships.

 

Overall Grade: A-    Very cute, all about cute from the cute upbeat peppy opening to the voices th the art style to the characters themselves.

 

Cowboy Bebop (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 11, 2014
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Cowboy BebopTitle: Cowboy Bebop

Director: Shinichiro Watanabe

Written by: Keiko Nobumoto

Music By: Yoko Kanno

Studio: Sunrise

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

Re-release Date: Dec. 9th, 2014

Format: DVD or Blu-ray / 26 episodes

Genre: Space Western, Sci Fi, Noir

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis: 

The Bebop crew is just trying to make a buck. This motley lot of intergalactic loners teams up to track down fugitives and turn them in for cold hard cash. Spike is a hero whose cool facade hides a dark and deadly past. The pilot Jet is a bruiser of a brute who can’t wait to collect the next bounty. Faye Valentine is a femme fatale prone to breaking hearts and separating fools from their money. Along for the ride are the brilliant-but-weird hacker Ed and a super-genius Welsh Corgi named Ein. On their own, any one of them would be likely to get lost in the sprawl of space, but together, they’re the most entertaining gang of bounty hunters in the year 2071.

Commentary:

Well, the wait is over. Funimation stepped up and took over the U. S. licensee for this iconic series. Of course it was just a matter of time and it really was never gone, because it is an annual mainstay for Toonami. I can honestly say that I am glad to see it get a renewed interest and opportunity to be discovered by a new group of soon to be fans.

The story itself feels like a very episodic series but in the end it all ties up together and makes even more sense. Trigun is much the same way and is also born the same year. 1998 was a very special year and most studios were very busy. To think that the same studio that gave us Gundam we also got one of the most complicated spec westerns ever made is some what puzzling, but wonderful no matter how you look at it.

Cowboy Bebop provides some of the richest and complex characters that turn into a very special show that no matter how old it gets it will continue to stand out for what it is. The animation isn’t all that special, for 1998 it was very good, but it is not about the animation it is all about the writing.

Overall Grade: A

Ok, it is clear that I believe that Cowboy Bebop is one of the top anime ever made, but there are still some things about it I may never get over. I think that the attention to the main characters was so important that some of the secondary characters were left drifting in the wind. Im not saying that they needed to change much, I just believe that they could have woven a few side stories into the main plot that could have given us a better understanding of the rest of this wild world they lived in. I also felt like they took some things for ganged and expected the fan base to give them a pass on some of the total denial of physics and how life in space was viewed even in 1998. Some things just say take us serious and other things said “hey, we really don’t care if it is believable”.

Cowboy Bebop is a lot of things, but the one thing that makes it really stands out as a great anime is that it set the bar very high for well written and acted anime to come. There is a reason we don’t see a lot of space westerns anymore, and the high standard that Cowboy Bebop and some of the other anime made in the late 1990’s set for the future.

If for some reason you haven’t seen this series, I can only say that you need to spend some time and give it a try. I believe you will walk away from it with a better understanding of how a great series should be made and also how music can play a big role in the overall feel of a story. Also, if you like Cowboy Bebop you really need to see Kids on the Slope, you will be pleased in what you discover.

Thanks Funimation for keeping this iconic series alive and well!

Cat’s Eye: Season Two (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 8, 2014
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Cat's Eye Season 2

review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Cat’s Eye: Season Two

Director: Kanetsugu Kodama

Studio: Tokyo Movie Shinsha

Author: Tsukasa Hojo

U.S. Distributor: Lucky Penny,  Nozomi Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: November 4, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 37 Episodes / 925 Minutes

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mystery, Romance

Industry Age Rating: 16 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Lupin III and Cat’s Eye: Season One

Synopsis:

Hitomi, Rui, and Ai are back in Cat’s Eye: Season Two! Toshio is also in tow and has yet to figure out that Hitomi is a member of Cat’s Eye. As you know, they are the greatest art thieves Japan has ever known. However, they do not steal for money or fame; they do it in the hopes of finding their father, a great painter who went missing after World War II.

A new female thief claiming to be Cat’s Eye starts wreaking havoc in Tokyo while they are off searching for their father in Europe. She steals anything and everything she can get her hands on and her brutal methods are putting the lives of the police, including Toshio, at risk. It is finally time for the real Cat’s Eye to head back to Japan and bring her reign of terror to an end! Will the true Cat’s Eye make it back in time? Will they finally find their father? You will have to watch Cat’s Eye: Season Two to find out.

Commentary:

You really have to love anime series from the 1980’s. Do not allow the age of this series to put you off because Cat’s Eye: Season Two will deliver a truly satisfying experience from the first episode to the ending credits. Cat’s Eye: Season Two is an episodic series so you are able to watch a few episodes at a time in between other series and still know what is going on. Some episodes are better than others but I did not find that any of them really disappointed me.

This season really focuses on the relationship between Hitomi and Toshio and the hilarity that ensues as Hitomi hides her true identity from Toshio. Or in many cases, knocks him out so she is able to make her great escape. Toshio is a very naïve, dense person who cannot figure out that his fiancé is a member of the infamous Cat’s Eye gang. But he really does care for her and maybe love is truly blind. Rui and Ai are interesting characters to say the least. Ai is the tech girl and loves tinkering with stuff as she invents things to use during their robberies. She seems to be a tomboyish high school or college student and loves to cause trouble when she can. Rui is the eldest Kisugi sister and is also the classiest of the three. She is the one who plans all of their robberies.

The animation and audio were re-mastered for this release and the subtitles were updated as well. Even though these series was re-mastered it is still the typical style of animation for the early 1980’s. The fight scenes and anything with fast movement is depicted in stills leaving it up to your imagination as the technology at the time could not handle those scenes. The opening and closing animations are completely 1980’s as they include the characters in unitards dancing around to the workout music of that time.
Extras:

Cat’s Eye: Season Two includes clean opening and closing animations and two Nozomi Entertainment/Lucky Penny trailers per disk as special features. Japanese with English subtitles is the only language option available for this series.

Overall Grade: B

If you have read my previous reviews, you are aware of my love for the old animes I grew up with. It continues to bring me great joy that someone is releasing the true classics. Cat’s Eye: Season Two continues the retro anime being made available to the new generation.

One Piece Season Six Voyage Two (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 7, 2014
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One Piece Season Six Voyage TwoTitle: One Piece Season Six Voyage Two

Director: Hiroaki Miyamoto

Original Creator: Eiichiro Oda

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Dates: Nov. 18th, 2014

Format: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Action,  Adventure, Shonen

Age Rating: TV14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Luffy’s impulsive attack on Gecko Moria ends up costing the rubber-man something he can’t live without – his shadow! When Zoro and Sanji find themselves in the same boat, the three fierce fighters must find a way to recapture what was lost, or face the possibility of death by sunlight. Luckily, their skeleton friend, Brook, knows the trick to defeating Moria’s zombie army, and he’ll gladly share the secret in exchange for a little help defeating a sinister zombie samurai!

Meanwhile, Nami is kidnapped by an undead scoundrel who wants to make her his wife, and Usopp must rely on his natural state of negativity if he hopes to survive his encounter with a gothic Lolita and her ghostly minions. Hair-raising thrills are the story of the hour as the Straw Hats attempt to escape Thriller Bark with their shadows – and souls – intact!

Commentary:

Hey everyone here’s Brook! For a series as long as One Piece there is rarely introductions of recurring characters and this one little grouping provides maybe the best thing that has happened in the series in a long time and that is Brook. He is a funny strange character that provides even more humor to this silly show.

As with the rest of the One Piece series I can’t say that this is a standout or anything special. The story feels like an endless string of filler arcs that really don’t go anywhere. The humor is still the main focus of the series and with the introduction of Brook there is a brief improvement of the quality of comedic relief, but all in all it is a silly series that just keeps going.

Overall Grade: B

One Piece is one of the longest running series and it has a simple formula and sticks to it. The artistry of the series doesn’t stand out. The depth of the subject matter doesn’t even exists. The warmth and loving personas of the characters has never developed. There really isn’t much that this iconic series has to offer other than it is just silly. So, if looking at Season 6 voyage 2 I have to say that it does a decent job of providing humor and even a little stranger and sillier than usual. My only real question is how long can it go? Personally I would like to see it go the way of Dragon Ball Z and just focus on the movies because I find them much more entertaining.

Fairy Tail parts 12 & 13 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 6, 2014
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Fairy Tail part 13Title: Fairy Tail Parts 12 & 13 Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Director: Shinji Ishihara

Studio: A-1 Pictures, Satelight

Distributor: FUNimation

American Release Date: Oct. 28th, 2014

Genre: Supernatural,  Adventure, Comedy

Format: DVD/Blu-ray Combo, 600 minutes, 24 episodes

Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Using a book from the Heartfilia library as a guide, the members of Fairy Tail split up to track down pieces of the Infinity Clock – a legendary enchanted item that could have the power to bring ruin to the entire world. Standing in their way is a secret order of wizards known as the Legion Platoon, who don’t trust the magic time bomb in the hands of the notoriously destructive guild. As the clock ticks closer to doomsday, an old enemy – Oracion Seis – is reborn in a terrifyingly powerful new form. This dark guild has its own plans for the magical timepiece, and if Fairy Tail and the Legion Platoon can’t stop them from using the catastrophic clock, time could be up for the Fiore Kingdom.

Oracion Seis has kidnapped Lucy and is using her to power a clock capable of spreading catastrophic magic cross the world. If Fairy Tail doesn’t stop the dark guild, the entire Fiore Kingdom will fall into a waking nightmare and their teammate will merge with the enchanted timepiece forever. But Oracion Seis isn’t the only group of wizards standing in their way: the Legion Platoon has decided that to save the world, they’ll destroy the magic clock – and Lucy.

While Fairy Tail fights with all their power to rescue their teammate, the truth about Michelle comes to light and a devastating deception is exposed. When the clock begins to chime reality descends into chaos, and in the end Natsu and his fellow wizards might be too late.

Commentary:

Fairy Tail clearly understands what it take to be a long lasting series that can keep the fans interested, but it also falls into the trap that seems to take the fandom for granted. In these twenty four episodes there is a classic trap of relying on the basic aspects of the series to carry it through. This particular arc is something of a rehash of the original Oracion Seis arc and I’m not real sure why they were made the focus of the antagonist. Why not come up with another set of dark guild? I guess it was easy to revive some old foes to fight. The funny thing is that there really wasn’t much of a fight.

Just because I was not entertained by the plot doesn’t mean that these episodes aren’t fun to watch. In fact I found this group to be very funny and entertaining. The writing was slightly above par for the series and some of the gags really stood out for me. For a series like Fairy Tail this is key and is a testament to its longevity.

Overall Grade: B

I think that if there had been a new foe this arc would have stood out as one of the best yet. Bringing back the Oracion Seis really fail the franchise and almost ruined this arc. Overall though, it is clear that the writing is still at the top of it’s game. As the episodes flow they hit at the right moments and keep the laughs coming. There is also a wonder lack of expanded battles. Most of them end up being less frustrating than what is typically found. Unlike One Piece and even Naruto, Fairy Tail takes what is best of those two world and manages to pull it together at one time. Were One Piece is totally meaning less, Fairy Tail provides enough story to keep it going. Naruto ends up taking itself way to serially and Fairy Tail knows that being self deprecating can be a true asset and manages to play along nicely.

I think this group of episodes will prove to be a hit with the fans and continue the strength of the franchise. I just wish the series wasn’t rolled out in 12 episode installments.

Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 6, 2014
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space pirate mitoreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Space Pirate Mito: The Complete Collection

Director: Takashi Watanabe

Studio: Triangle Staff

Author: Fumihiko Shimo

U.S. Distributor: Nozomi, Lucky Penny

U.S. Release Date: November 4, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction, Adventure

Industry Age Rating: 13 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

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

“Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!”

Synopsis:

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

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

Commentary:

Commentary:

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

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

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

Extras:

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

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

A Certain Magical Index II part 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 5, 2014
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A Certain Magical Index II part 1Title: A Certain Magical Index II part 1

Director: Hiroshi Nishikori

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: Funmation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 28th, 2014

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

Genre: Fantasy, Harem, Comedy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

The Book of the Law – an encoded grimoire containing catastrophic magic – has been stolen, so naturally Kamijo, Index, and a few familiar faces join in the crusade to protect the one nun who can decipher the powerful text. But as the group battles church sects and holy assassins, they realize that discovering who their true enemy is may be more difficult than saving the sister. Meanwhile, an organization known as the Science Society resurrects an esper-producing program, a school festival brings out the competition – and drama – in the student population, and a mysterious figure negotiates the purchase of a sacred relic that could threaten the future of Academy City.

Commentary:

Magical Index season 2 takes up right where season one left off. We jump right into the next drama for Index and Kamijo, but this time it looks like there is something rotten going on between the churches. Of course I really like the dramatic edge, but the one thing that makes me rather sad about this series is the Moe. The fact that Index looks like a 12 year old is ok, but when they bring in nuns that look 12 and dress like street walkers with very sexy habits on it is just disturbing. There is also the obligatory fall that becomes a face plant in front of a panty shot. Now I thought that took it too far.

Anyway, the series is staying strong and the characters begin to develop more. It is possible that Railgun will end up being the better series, but for now I still prefer Index. I think the premiss that is being setup is smart enough to take the series to a great ending. I just hope that the right questions are answered to finish it out. If they leave too much open then it will just be another failed series.

Overall Grade: B+

I thought these next 12 episodes did a lot to further the series, but lost me a little with the sexy 12 year old nuns. I think it would have been better to make them seem angelic and then give them a sinister layer beneath the robes. I guess there needs to be more secrets and some betrayal of the belief systems for the series to work, but I’m still not sold on what is being rolled out at this stage. I am looking forward to the completion of the series and feel as though people will be pleased with part 1 os season 2 of A Certain Magical Index.

 

 

Toriko Collection 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 3, 2014
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Toriko Collection 2Title: Toriko Collection 2

Director: Akifumi Zako

Writer: Isao Murayama

Studio: Toei Animation

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

Release Date: Nov. 4th, 2014

Format: DVD / 24 Episodes / 600 Minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Absurdity, Comedy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Toriko, Komatsu, and a host of hopeful heroes bundle up and begin the treacherous trek into the chilling confines of Ice Hell! The prize that awaits them, Century Soup, is among the rarest of gourmet treasures – and the most divine delicacy ever to grace a bowl and spoon. Toriko and his super-chef sidekick are determined to slurp up the sweet rewards of their adventure, but something evil stands in their way: Tommyrod, a Gourmet Corps henchman with insects on the inside!

Should they survive this bugged-out battle for the ages, their next target will be the elusive Ozone Grass. Flying Sea Lions and Air Gorillas plague their journey, and in order to savor the sweet taste of success, our heroes will have to take their teamwork to the next level – forever cementing their status as lifelong partners in the pursuit of culinary bliss!

Commentary:

The insanity that is Toriko continues in this second collection and things only get weirder. This is the saving graces for the show because other than that it is just another typical shonen that just moves from one battle to the next. Of course the strange world and that fact that they fight over rare food makes the show not only special but funny too. There are plenty of series that live and die on their humor like Fairy Tail and One Piece, but Toriko makes the humor so bizarre that it does’t have to make you laugh to make it entertaining.

Toriko also take on a style of violence that leaves the opponents alive at the end and only allow for some to people to die. It also takes on death in a very reverent way that also makes a point that you only kill it if you plan on eating it. There is very little waist to life. Many other series have a much more cavalier view of life and the meaning of battle. I really do like that approach and must tip my hat to the series for the respect it show even in the face of utter absurdity.

Overall Grade: B

Toriko collection 2 takes us in a new direction and introduces some very powerful foes. It also does a great job of setting up the series for the underlying plot line. The one area that it doesn’t stand up is in some of the early battle over the Century Soup. I felt like there was just too much back and forth and in the end it was something very unexpected that brought on the final solution. I guess that the downplaying of Toriko’s power is a very typical way of depicting these types of arcs, but after having so many other series set this pattern in place it almost felt like a let down. In fairness Toriko is a Shonen series that follows the standard stereotype for one of these series so I guess this development is to be expected.

All in all, collection 2 is fun and does provide for some great entertainment. Now just bring on the rest.

Nyaruko, Crawling with Love Season 2 Anime Review

Posted by :Joann On : November 26, 2014
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Title: Nyaruko, Crawling with Love Season 2

1Director: Tsuyoshi Nagasawa

Original Story Author: Manta Aisora

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Re-Release Date:

November 4 ,2014

Format:  2 Blu-ray disc / 12 Episodes / 288 minutes

Genre: comedy, romance, aliens

Age Rating: 16+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Mahiro, the average high school boy, just happens to live with 3 aliens; Nyanko, Kuko and Hatsuta (that look like regular Japanese students). The aliens are here to protect him and the earth, but they also spend plenty of time falling in love. Season 2 starts out with everyone settled into regular student life, as best as they can. You see, Nyanko is passionately in love with Mahiro to the point of annoying inappropriateness.

When Nyanko has to turn in a overdue library book at the very impressive interstellar library, the group gets involved in an altercation which leads them to battle a concocted beast. In a surprising turn, Hatsuta reveals another form as he and the girls team up like when they went to school together.

Nyanko continues her enthusiastic and perpetual quest to partner up with Mahiro, trying loads of overbearing techniques.  Hatsuta is also still after Mahiro, and Kuko still is after Nyanko although she seems to have a little extra interest which she directs Mahiro’s way. Even Shanta, the hippo/bat, seems to have a crush on someone.  Love potions anyone? Or is it even necessary with this group.

Things go topsey-turvey when Kuko’s very jealous cousin shows up to make good on Kuko’s promise as a little girl to marry her. Kuko doesn’t want to leave earth, her friends and Nyanko. So, a little deception is what they all use to stop the union.

Since they all attend school together, we can expect not everything will be normal. And our expectations are met as they have to battle creatures in the halls and find the being that controls them. Threats to Earth aren’t done yet as an alien intends to use the resources for its own gain.

As members of the Planetary Defense Agency,  Nyanko, Kuko and Hatsuta are really here on Earth to do a job. but not all jobs last forever. It soon maybe time to leave and how will Mahiro feel about that.

 

Commentary:

Nyanko stayed true to itself and got weird right away. Which is a good thing for this series, because that is what makes it funny (not the overly sexualized type of fanservice). Another fun thing about season 2 was the references to other media and pop culture, from obscure to obvious and many I surely missed. In the very beginning, the opening parodied  Bewitched, an American TV comedy from the 60’s which really surprised me. (With a little internet digging, the main actress was in Japanese commercials for Lotte Brand).

Full of comedy, from slap stick, to pop cultural and especially over the top “love” or “lust”.  Especially this season, that is why I see this mostly as a comedy, and it did seem the action was dialed way down. And the funniest shtick was the cyclone vacuum cleaner. The look and age of the characters, especially Hatsuta, make their sexual innuendos basically inappropriate, but maybe this is supposed to make it funny. You know, like when a little kid wiggles their hip like Elivs Presley, it so cute that it is funny.

The characters, especially the high school aged girls, are cute and sassy the whole time, perhaps not as cute when they are in battle mode. There is plenty of character development, comedy and possible scenarios for more seasons. Or there is manga and a game.

The look (I almost said “and feel” but that would totally play into Nyanko’s grab for Mahiro) of this anime is well defined and crafted. True, it is a style I like, but there is more. There is a good balance between the characters and the backgrounds. The artwork is consistent, colorful and utilizes plenty of techniques that are very expressive for comedy. This is one of those things that live action can’t compete with. I also think they did a nice job with the musical support, it really adds to the comic and dramatic scenes.

Who do I recommend this for? Ages 17 and up, male or female, who are looking for a quirky comedy with a little action to spice it up.

Extras: The premium box set has the accompanying book and it is an excellent addition. It is beautifully colored and has character sketches and bio information. Each episode has a synopsis and still shots.

Overall Grade: B There is a lot of awesome things going for Nyaruko,  but  its biggest mistake is relying too much on sexual-slapstick comedy, some of it got old really quick.

Jewel Bem Hunter Lime: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 24, 2014
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Jewel Bem Hunter Limereview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Jewel Bem Hunter Lime: The Complete Collection

Director: Tetsuro Amino

Studio: Ashi Production

Author: Kenichiro Nakamura

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks , Section 23

U.S. Release Date: November 4, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 3 Episodes / 90 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Inu Yasha, Those Who Hunt Elves, Disgaea, Hyperdoll

Synopsis:

Imagine if a demon managed to scatter six magic spheres through the gate between the World of Magic and the planet Earth. These magic spheres are incredibly dangerous and powerful magical artifacts, capable of absorbing negative emotions and transforming everyday objects into monstrous bug eyed monsters (BEMs.) So of course, someone must get them back before the transformation begins. That job falls to master of disguise Lime, the sometimes monstrous and generally lecherous monster hunter Bass, and their ooey-gooey shape-shifting slime companion Poogie. However, they are probably not the best choices for a task of such monumental importance and urgency. On the other hand, this entire situation is sort of their fault to begin with so they should be the ones to deal with it. But their choice in how to get the BEMs back is a little strange and oddly timed. Will this motley band of would be BEM hunters be up to the task of finding and dealing with the BEMs and save the planet? You will have to watch Jewel Bem Hunter Lime: The Complete Collection and find out.

Commentary:

Jewel Bem Hunter Lime: The Complete Collection is the three episode OVA series based off the 1993 Japanese PC game of the same name. It was originally released in the U.S. in 2000. Personally, I love the fact that these older titles are being re-released and I hope that this trend continues, so these out of production titles can be seen by the next generation of anime viewers. With Jewel Bem Hunter Lime: The Complete Collection what you see is what you get, a bit of simple nostalgia without the weight of a larger series (since nothing else was ever released, even in Japan) or something that is considered more well known and important in a way. The simple three episode series is very much a comedy, and is light and never very serious. The premise of the story is very obvious from the beginning, and they do fill you in as they go. It’s hard to build a good story in such a short time, but they do manage to get the basic idea out. The same issue persists with character development, but the cliché character archetypes make it pretty easy to figure it out. The art work and the music are very similar to many animes of the early 90’s era, and may seem cliché today. One disappointment is of course they never finish the story, but that is not uncommon with several previous series based on games, as they were usually an attempt to get you to pick up the game itself. Overall I enjoyed it very much, and as someone who started in anime in the mid 90s, I found the nostalgia factor also very much appealing. Overall, it’s worth checking out.

Extras:

This release includes both English and Japanese with English Subtitles as language options.

Overall Grade: B