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Fate / kaleid liner Prisma * Illya

Posted by :Patches On : September 28, 2014
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Fate / Kaleid LinerTitle: Fate / kaleid liner Prisma * Illya on Blu-ray

Directors: Shin Onuma, Takashi Sakamoto and Miki Minato

Studio: Sliver Link

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: September 2nd, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 11 Episodes / 275 minutes

Genre: Magical Girl, Comedy, Action

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Synopsis:

llyasviel von Einzbern’s normal life is suddenly halted by the Kaleidostick Ruby, a magical wand on the run from her former master who instantly decides that little Illya has all the right stuff to become the next great magical girl. However, Ruby’s previous owner Rin Tohsaka isn’t exactly thrilled to be de-wanded, especially since she’s just accepted an assignment to collect the seven legendary Class Cards. It seems the only solution is for Illya to take up the task and learn the ropes under Rin’s supervision.

Meanwhile, a girl named Miyu has been chosen by the Kaleidostick Sapphire as HER new master, much to the irritation of Sapphire’s previous master, Rin’s arch rival Luviagelita Edelfelt! Exactly what kind of plan are the wands conjuring up? Find out as the Fate/stay night universe “kaleids” with a healthy dose of magical girl mayhem!

Commentary:

The Fate franchise is a being fan favorite and most of the fans will be happy to enjoy the fun that comes with Fate / Kaleid Liner. Of course I went straight to the connection with the past and began to see this as a modern day version of Cardcaptor Sakura. With Fate / Kaleid Liner being much shorter and much less diverse leaves it lacking in impact and entertainment. Fate / kaleid liner is fun and funny along with having plenty of action but it ends up leaving me a little flat.  The real reason for this lack of impact is clearly linked to the limited development of the main characters.  Both Illya and Miyu have great potential and their characters are left on the floor with only limited understanding of who they are. In fact there is so much about these two that is suggested that it is disappointing that we just don’t find out who and what they really are.

If you can set the week character development aside the rest of the story was solid but once again rather single layered. There is a lot that happens and plenty of action along with a solid growth in the girls abilities, but there end up being more questions than answers at the end of it all. I guess that the second season of the series will explain most of these dark secrets.

Anyway, I can say that the series is good looking and I understand why it is released on Blu-ray. The production is slick and everything looks very good. With the action happening at night it is easy to make this look rather dark, but the overall artist style of the series saved it from being too dark. There is also the look of the heroins, they all come off looking great. The silly magical girl look for Illya and Miyu sets a goofy tone and at the same time pokes fun at the entire genre.

Overall Grade: C+

As I am sure that the Fate fans will enjoy this I have a feeling that other might find it lacking depth and context. Without a solid understanding of Rin & Luvia’s background it might be hard to get into the series. Their obvious tension and loathing for each other and yet ability to fight with some very special unity is a little confusion from time to time and most notably in the opening episode. The things that make this series worth watching art the fights and the overall good look and artistic styling to the series.

I am very interested to see how these characters are played out in the next part to this story which just wrapped in Japan on Sept. 10th, 2014.

Tamako Market

Posted by :Joann On : September 24, 2014
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1Title: Tamako Market

Publisher: Sentai Filmworks

U.S. Release Date: September 9, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Comedy

Industry Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating: A-

 

Synopsis:

Tamoko’s family runs a mochi shop in the Tamaya shopping arcaded. They live behind the shop. The other shop keepers and their families have become a close knit community. Tomoko’s best friends from school are Kanna and Midori, another good friend is Mochizo, the boy who lives across the street where his family also runs a mochi shop.

On a plain old, average day, Tamoko finds a strange bird at the flower shop. She takes him home until he is back to normal, everyone is only mildly surprised to find out that he can talk. Tamoko being ever kind and optimistic, goes with the flow and befriends the bird, who suavely informs everyone his name is Dera. Thoroughly enjoying their home and friendship, as well as plenty of fresh mochi, Dera forgets the mission that was the reason for his journey and provides ample quantities of comedy.

Everyday life, school and family are the center focus. The anime spans a year, marking its progress through the seasons with the holidays and events well known to any anime watcher; New Year, festivals, Halloween, Christmas (no beach episode though). We get to know the cast through each activity, and especially how they interact and depend on each other. Even we can see the crush Mochizo has on Tamoko when she can’t.

Dera’s past comes forward and he occasionally “projects” messages from his home land. When the communications go poorly, someone from his island comes to check up on him, she too finds friendship within Tamoko’s family and community. Still, she aims to fulfill the reason for Dera’s trip.

Commentary:

Tamoko’s Market was fun and a joy to watch. This anime is really about friendship, family and community. It was was like visiting friends each time. If only everyone could face life in the way Tamoko does and be able to enjoy it the same. It sure would be wonderful to experience a bit of her life for real.

Some of the people who joined me for an episode or two as I watched Tamoko’s Market had laugh aloud moments. Dera was a focal point for the comedy. He starts off strutting around, and in a haughty voice, talking way too much.The response he gets from the people are fun to as any surprise is delightfully mild.  I wished they hadn’t toned down Dera’s original attitude. It was the funniest thing in the whole anime. The anime seemed to replace much of his original attitude with jokes and comments about how round he had gotten eating so much mochi.

The animation was well done. The characters are proportional and interesting, yet still believable. Each character has an appearance that describes who they are, even Downy to Tamoko’s mochi-like hair ties. the settings and backgrounds are very supportive to the scenes and delightful to look at. A second viewing will really give a chance to see all that is going on. I personally enjoy detailed backgrounds, and appreciate all the extra work and communication. This detail of everyday life is also woven into the scenes

I don’t know who exactly this is intended for, but I find it is suitable for almost anyone. There is plenty of cuteness to go around, but there really is so much more. there is plenty of comedy for adults, male or female. If it wasn’t for the odd addition of Dera the bird, I would label this as slice of life anime, and it still is but only in a weird and unrealistic way. However, once the premise is set, it settles into a wonderful flow of life and all of its special days. This could continue easily into another season if they want. Even though Tamoko is the ever optimistic school girl, she had such a pleasant charm that I find her more endearing than most of the cliche characters usually do.

 

Overall Grade: A-   A wonderful way to spend a weekend among friends.

 

Kampfer: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Posted by :Patches On : September 23, 2014
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Kampfer: The Complete CollectionReview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Kampfer: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Yasuhiro Kuroda

Studio: Nomad

Author: Toshihiko Tsukiji

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 23, 2014

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 2 OVA’s / 350 Minutes

Genre: Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, School, Super Power

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Ikki tousen, IS: Infinite Stratos, and Sekirei

Synopsis:

Waking up transformed into a beautiful girl might be the stuff of some guys’ fantasies, but when the suddenly effeminized Natsuru is informed by a stuffed tiger that he is now a Kampfer, a mystical fighter who has to fight other Kampfers in female form, his life becomes a living nightmare. Putting aside the obvious issues of turning into a girl, Natsuru’s best childhood friend turns out to swing the other way and she has a crush on his new female body. But that is not complex enough for Natsuru as his school has separate sections for boys and girls, so he and she are now double enrolled. The rumor-mill is running wild saying that he is dating herself. Then there are those other crazy Kampfers who want to take her out. But does that mean on a date or permanently?

Things get even trickier when Natsuru becomes convinced that it would be a good idea to move in with his three Kampfer friends for their “mutual defense.” Natsuru must become a full-fledged wonder woman or die trying in this full-contact, no-holds-barred, Amazon action-fest that is Kampfer: The Complete Collection.
Commentary:

Let me start by saying I am somewhat separating this review. Kampfer: The Complete Collection is true to its name as it included both the TV series and the OVAs on this Blu-ray edition. I am extremely happy to see that they grouped them together instead of separating them, not making you have to buy an additional set to finish it off. Good work Sentai Filmworks!

Kampfer: The Complete Collection is a series that packs a lot in. Want action? Fighting? There’s some of that. Romance? Yep, got it. Echhi fan service? Why not. Comedy and humor? Boy you want a lot don’t ya, but it’s in there. A poor high school boy that wakes up one day to find that ‘its’ not there anymore, replaced by the parts of the other sex, and a disemboweled stuffed animal tiger with an eye patch, is talking to him, telling him he is now a Kampfer? Yep, just what you wanted, right? You ask for a lot. But that’s not a problem. You can have all this, and without the need for a shrink afterwards. Awesome! Kampfer: The Complete Collection is that series.

Kampfer: The Complete Collection manages to combine all those attributes and does it successfully. Not overpowering any one aspect, it covers all you could ever want from a series like this, except for being a bit more unique. It does share many of the same themes as other series, with a few exceptions. The male lead is forced to become a female to fight. That’s a bit different. Another thing is that though action is considered a main theme, there was some, but never was it a main theme. No crazy multi-episode bouts, with heavy destruction and the elimination of a character. Just kinda fun little skirmishes meant to keep things lively. The other thing that sets it way apart is character development. Most of the time character development will be non-existent in series with similar themes. Kampfer took the time to develop the characters, and give each their own personalities.

Kampfer: The Complete Collection is a very funny anime series to say the least. The humor, though not necessarily blatant, is clouded in heavy innuendo and sexual jokes. They don’t say what they mean outright, but anyone with any intelligence will know what they are going for. Not quite over the top but close. Kampfer does primarily focus on echhi and romance, and has a shounen fighting feel to it at times, but that does not last too long, and neither is overpowering one or the other. Though it seems every girl in that school ‘prefers the company of other girls’, it hardly stops whatever romance they can come up with. There was fan service for those who like it, again not too overpowering or dominating everything else out of the equation.

The two OVA episodes are the continuation of season one of Kampfer and explain what really happened after the final battle of the series. They also added an additional special episode just for the laughs. If you liked the original Kampfer, you will also like this one. There are more girl on girl battles, more guy trying to figure out how to be girl while trying to handle a love, multi pointed two-dimensional object crazier than any triangle, and more all female harems. That and fan-service; must not forget the fan-service. There was a ton of comedy in the two OVA episodes but there was also a ton of fan-service, much more in these two episodes than in the entire TV series in my opinion.

The animation was pretty good and the opening and closing themes were catchy. The voice actors did an amazing job and really brought the characters to life. I really wish that Kampfer: The Complete Collection had wrapped up the series because I hate that I do not know what will happen in the end. The story line was actually interesting and they could have made additional episodes or a movie to wrap everything up. They really had a good concept with the Kampfer’s fighting battles on earth that decided the future of far away planets. They could have done so much more but I am hopeful that eventually they wrap up everything and release either more episodes or a movie.

Extras:

Kampfer: The Complete Collection includes the short animation “Amazing Bowel Familiars”, clean opening and closing animations, and Sentai Filmworks trailers. This release is only available in Japanese language with English subtitles.

Overall Grade: B

Kampfer: The Complete Collection is a really interesting anime and I recommend it for anyone who is into the fighting ecchi genre of anime.

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : September 23, 2014
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Stella Women’s Academy High School Review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection

Director: Masayoshi Kawajiri

Studio: Gainax

Author: Getsumin Ikoma

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 2, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Action, Comedy, School, Sports, Military, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating:C

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Girls und Panzer and Upotte!!

Synopsis:

Yura Yamato has just arrived at Stella Women’s Academy. She transferred in wanting to avoid people from her old school, seeking a “new life” because her shy nature has made her a social outcast at her middle school. On her first day she remains shy, but is overwhelmed with requests to join a club called C³, who are lacking members. After finding out her roommate Sonora was also part of the club, she was again extended an invitation to join. It quickly becomes clear that the girls of Stella Women’s Academy are VERY different. She joins C³ (which stands for Command, Control and Communications) whose main afterschool activity is playing survival games! It’s not a typical teenage girl pastime, but Sonora and her trigger-happy friends are seriously into it. The question that puts Yura in the crosshairs of a dilemma is if she has what it takes to join up, stand up, and deliver in the face of friendly fire.

Commentary:

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection on its face looked to be another notch in the belt of the “cute girls doing cute things” slice of life genre, a genre that has had a few successful entries in the last two years. Right off the bat, it wastes no time starting out as a “cute girls doing cute things” series. Cute girls playing war games with airsoft guns. What’s not to like? The main story line revolves around Yura, the quiet newbie that everyone continuously tries to get to come out of her shell. It continues on its way the way all the others did. It looked like it was gonna be a cliché addition to all the rest. At this point you are looking for something to differentiate one series from another. Then out of nowhere it changes. Suddenly it adds a supernatural link. A deity from feudal Japan suddenly joins the story line, to teach someone that they have some special power. The artistry in this portion is quite good. At first it seemed it would be quite an intriguing addition. You are suddenly drawn back in wondering where they may take this. You think of how this could make the series very unique. They focus on it quite strongly… For one episode… Then it returned back to the slice of life it was beforehand completely forgetting that a feudal deity ever even appeared. Then out of nowhere it changes once again. Then it becomes a motivational story line. How with hard work, you can do anything. That lasted for maybe one and a half episodes. After that it quickly becomes completely serious, a lesson teacher. Suddenly morals come into play. It’s now a story about how a character loses sight of what’s really important while chasing a dream and how she works to gain it back. This at least sticks around for a few episodes. Then once again, all is forgotten and returns back to being cute. This discombobulated mess tends to leave you scratching your head. Don’t get me wrong. Individually, they are all good ideas to go with this type of series, to help further expand the normally weak story line. But the problem is that they cannot seem to choose a direction of which they want to go. And this odd range of choices does not go well together, since they can’t seem to pick which one they really want to go with. And they change the idea as quickly as a quack experimental anime. I wish they would have choose one and stuck with it.
The character development was pretty decent. Even at the end you tend to see everyone is likeable, and that each have individual, and maybe a little cliché, but developed personalities. You even tend to like the person you least expected to like. The art was standard. Not anything special, except the details of the supernatural scene, and the weapons. None actually look like airsoft unless you see them loading and charging them. With no differentiating characteristics from the real thing, you would probably be arrested for having one in Japan. The battle background music caught my ear quickly, being a nice higher tempo modern jazz piece. The opening and ending were nothing special either. Overall I had high hopes for this one and they made sure to quash them at every turn.
Extras:

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with only Japanese language with English subtitles.

Overall Grade: C

While I enjoyed watching Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection, it fell short of what it could have been.

K-ON! Season 1

Posted by :Patches On : September 21, 2014
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K-On! season 1Title: K-ON! season one

Director: Naoko Yamasa

Writer: Reiko Yoshida

Music: Hajime Hyakoku

Studio: Kyoto Animation

U. S. Distributor: Semtai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Re-Release Date: Sept. 23rd, 2014

Format: DVD / 12 Episodes + 2 OVAs / 350 minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy

Overall Personal Grade: A-

Synopsis:

Rock ‘n’ roll may never die, but the Sakuragoaka Girl’s High School Light Music Club might not be here to stay unless would-be drummer Ritsu Tainaka can find three more members to replace the graduated seniors. Determined to see that the beat goes on, Ritsu can get a little help from her friend Mio Akiyama on bass, and together they might be able to convince choir-inclined Tsumugi Kotobuki to join on the keyboards. But even then, they’ll still need a hero, preferably of the juke-box variety with stars in her eyes.

Instead, they find Yui Hirasawa, who’s looking for a club to join and who’s never held a guitar in her life. But when Yui does pick up a beat-up six-string, it feels good in her hands, and it doesn’t take long to understand that maybe she’s finally found a place where she belongs. Because you can’t stop the music when four girls share a dream, even if it’s something as crazy as someday playing at the famous Budokan. It’s going to be a long and winding road, but if they find their passion and follow their muse, they could go anywhere!

Commentary:

The girls are back. As I stand and applaud Sentai Filmworks for not letting this wonderful series fair into obscurity with the closing of Bandai anime in North America I begin to remember how much I really enjoy the simple structure of K-On! If you have not had a chase to see this series and find yourself looking for a nice story that is about nothing more than a group of girls just having fun being friends and getting through high school.

Beyond the story line there is also the music that keep this series rolling forward. I can’t say that it is hard hitting rock or thoughtful full blooded roll, but it is happy music that will leave you with a smile. That smile is what is at the core for K-On! and keeping you smiling is the thing that this series does, I love the way that the story is developed. There is no heavy handed or over the top comic relief. It is all about watching these girls blend their personalities to make a group that anyone would want to be a part of.

Overall Grade: A-

As much as I like K-On! I still see how it could bother some who are looking for a show that gives you a solid slice of life and a coming of age story. With K-On! sticking to the simplicity of the story it does tend to drag at times. There really aren’t any heavy dramatic or crazy comedic moments that make you sit up and say yes this is what I cam for. K-On! just washes over you like a warm mild spring wind that gives you hope and a smile that reminds you of your youth or makes those high school years look like they a just plain simple fun.  If there was ever a series that makes you feel good with out any pain or heavy belly laughs K-On! is it and it does it so sublimely that you just might have to watch it twice to understand what makes it not just good, but something worth remembering.

Thank you Sentai Filmworks and Section 23 for not letting this wonderful series slipping into that world of obscurity.

A Certain Scientific Railgun S—Season 2 Part 2

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

review provided by Katie and Andrew

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

Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai

Studio: J.C. Staff

Author: Seishi Minakami

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: August 19, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Fantasy, Super Power

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B+

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

Synopsis:

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

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

Commentary:

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

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

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

Overall Grade: B+

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

Majestic Prince Collection 2

Posted by :Patches On : September 14, 2014
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Majestic Prince collection 2Title: Majestic Prince Collection 2 on Blu-ray

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Studio: Dogakobo, Orange

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: July 15th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Mecha, Sci Fi, Comedy, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

For the members of Team Rabbits and Team Doberman, each new sortie becomes increasingly dangerous. As the fight against the Wulgaru continues, it’s harder to determine what the real objectives of Team Rabbits are, and the arrival of a new addition to team’s lineup only further confuses things. The unwritten rules of mecha combat teams seem to require that there’s always at least one mysterious loner in the group, but the enigmas and conundrums surrounding Ange Kuroki are so extreme that even the new pilot’s gender is a riddle!

As the pieces of the puzzle come together and the layers of the riddle slowly peel back, it becomes apparent that everything Izuru, Asagi, Kei, Tamaki and Suruga have encountered are interconnected to a greater extent than they ever imagined. Deadly reversals and shocking revelations await!

Commentary:

I knew it was going to tough to wrap this series up, but to my delight it wrapped up very nicely. The utter silliness of the first half of the season has settled down and a relative seriousness of the story line takes over. This change of pace makes difference in how these young hero’s come across and it is for the best. Of course not all of the comic relief is removed and there are still some rather funny moments, but there is nowhere near the focus on this approach in the final 12 episodes. There are a few hidden secrets discovered that help solidify the plot line and at the same time clear up some mysteries about our mecha pilots.

The animation stylings still tips it’s hat to the great series of the past and manages to prove that it can have some fun with the past and at the same time show respect to what set the stage for today’s mecha stories. It is in this animation production styling that some of the strength and weakness to the series come out. There are moments in the series that I felt like they relied on the past a little too much and made the imagery look 20 to 25 years old. As much as I appreciate what they are doing I also found it distracting and somewhat disappointing.  At least this did not ruin the series for me.

Overall Grade: B

With everything that is happening with the series and how they build toward the final battle it was nice to see how they dealt with the mix in cultures and how the outcome was not totally devastating. I also felt like much of the portrayal of the Wulgaru in mays takes stab at our own species and our obsession with hunting and superiority. I found it to be a nice touch of commentary.

In the world of good and great mecha anime, Majestic Prince falls solidly between just good and great. It is very possible that with a little time, there might be a following for this somewhat quirky series. I found it to be rather entertaining and easy to watch. I also found myself comparing it to some of the more beloved mecha series that have graced our screens in the past. At time this comparison was fun and other times I found it rather distracting, but all in all I must express my appreciation for the effort that was given to reminding us all that without the past we would have a hard time enjoying the present.

All you mecha fans, Majestic Prince is a series you should check out if for no other reason than to see how many older series does it pay homage too. In doing so, you just might find it to be a positive and enjoyable show.

Fairy Tail Part 11 Anime Review

Posted by :Joann On : September 10, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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1Title: Fairy Tail Part 11
U.S. Distributor: Funimation
U. S. Re-Release Date: July 15 2014
Format: DVD / Blu-ray combo pack
Genre: magical adventure
Age Rating: 14+
Overall Personal Rating: B+
Synopsis:
When a mighty dragon attacks, Fairy Tail’s most powerful members go missing for seven years. Once they finally return, they find that much about the Fiore Kingdom – and their guildmates – has changed. With the guild’s headquarters and reputation in shambles, it’s up to Natsu and the others to get Fairy Tail back to its former glory by accepting any jobs that come their way – like being dancing guards at a fancy magic ball and taking on the infamous Butt Jiggle Gang.
Meanwhile, a mysterious girl appears with a strange item from Lucy’s father – a relic that a secret order of wizards will stop at nothing to obtain. Will this artifact ultimately prove to be Fairy Tail’s undoing?
Commentary:
Fairy Tail Part 11 falls on an interesting transitional point for the series, and has a unique array of episodes. This set ends the last story arc, has some weird comedic episodes, and begins the next story arc, which in and of itself isn’t different but there are a few notable aspects of how the story progresses.
The first few episodes of Fairy Tail Part 11 are about the end of the S class trials, followed by a seven year time skip. Both of those events are very impactful and hyper important plot points, and as a result there is a string of relatively sad episodes. While Fairy Tail has had emotional episodes before, these were some of the more melancholy, and I think that it is amazing that even though Fairy Tail is a high action fighting anime, it still has a more complex range of emotional content.
Despite there being some of the more touching moments of the series in Part 11, the episodes that stood out the most to me is as far from touching as could possibly be. This episode is burned in to my memory, for it is about a group of criminals known as the Butt Jiggle Gang. Just their name is cringe inducing, and the characters themselves are so much worse. After watching that episode I was quite dumbfounded, for I am not sure if that was the most disturbing episodes, or the most comedic due to the sheer absurdity of it.
Overall Personal Rating: B+
Fairy Tail Part 11 is a crazy roller coaster of emotions ranging from truly sad, to very intense, to I don’t even know what.

Toriko Collection 1

Posted by :Patches On : September 7, 2014
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Toriko Collection 1Title: Toriko Collection 1

Director: Akifumi Zako

Writer: Isao Murayama

Original Story Created By: Mitsutoshi Shimabukuri

Studio: Toei Animation

U. S. Distributor: Funimation

U. S. Release Date: Aug. 26th, 2014

Format: DVD / 26 Episodes / 650 Minutes

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Food Fantasy, Absurdity

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Age: A-

Synopsis:

Welcome to the Gourmet Age, a time when the world is full of deliciously-deadly ingredients that the wealthiest appetites in existence can’t wait to devour. But only a mighty masticating mercenary like Toriko can track down the rarest animals on the planet and put them on a plate! This gluttonous gourmet hunter is one of the four Legendary Kings, superhuman warriors born to battle the likes of Troll Kongs, Gararagators, Devil Pythons, and the ferocious Regal Mammoth! Accompanied by his loyal Battle Wolf and the promising young chef Komatsu, Toriko will circle the globe in search of the mouth-wateringly lethal ingredients that will one day make up his Full Course Menu of Life!

But there’s more than just tasty beasts on the prowl. Toriko faces stiff competition in the form of a GT Robot. This seemingly-indestructible mechanized menace is controlled by an unseen evil, and it wants all the delectable delicacies for itself. To save his friends and quench his heroic appetite, Toriko must level up his punching power and turn the bad guy into a bucket of bolts!

Commentary:

Ok, there are plenty of strange anime out there and plenty that have a crazy plot line. Toriko has to stand out as one of the most unique series that has maintained a loyal following in Japan, but not as strong a following in the U. S..I find this as a real shame because Toriko is a genuine standout as a series and one of more solid comedies out there. In Japan there are 147 episodes and the manga is on volume 30 and still going. This alone should tell us that Toriko has something to offer. Honestly I place it at a level of strangeness in par with One Piece. For me the big difference is that I find One Piece a little silly and lacking in solid humor, whereas Toriko takes a much more direct and solid approach to its comedy and a somewhat over-the-top story line. This combination creates a mixture that both intrigues and satisfies at the same time.

Because of the length of the series there is plenty of story to tell and setting the basic plot in motion at the beginning is rather direct even if it ends up being sidetracked as things go on. This is indicative of the writing style for these types of series where the story is so crazy that it almost doesn’t make any sense. In this case this insanity works well and keeps working throughout.

Overall Grade: A-

Part of the quality of this series is the animation. The high quality and bold approach makes a Toriko stand out and easy to watch. The other strength to Toriko is the absolute stedfast storyline that takes our own effect ion to food and turns it into a battle story with a unusual approach to the characters.

I find Toriko easy to watch and also enjoy the strange quality to the story. All of the characters are rich and fully developed. Once all of these characteristics to are brought together we end up with a series that has a lot to offer. If there is a drawback to Toriko is has to be the strangeness of the story. In its strength is the one thing that can make it hard to follow and connect with. This effect is found in these series that push the boundaries and through reality out the window. Toriko does manage to make itself assessable and enjoyable. So, if you are looking for something that is over-the-top in strangeness but plan out fun to watch you should give this series a try.

WataMote-No Matter How I look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!: Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : August 28, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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Watamotereview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: WataMote-No Matter How I look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!: Complete Collection

Director: Shin Onuma

Studio: Silver Link

Author: Takao Yoshioka

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U.S. Release Date: August 26, 2014

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

Genre: Comedy, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 17 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Welcome to the NHK

Synopsis:

Tomoko Kuroki has already dated many boys and she is easily the most popular girl around at the young age of 15, however the only problem is that none of that has actually happened! Tomoko’s perfect little world only exists in dating games and romance shows on T.V. The sad truth is that she is unable to actually talk to people and she only had one actual friend in middle school. This makes Tomoko’s first year of high school miserable. She wants to be popular but she ends up trying too hard and learns that things so not play out the same in reality as they do in her “otome” games. She is in for a lot of pain and blames a new person every time she fails. Will Tomoko ever make a friend at school or is she doomed to be lonely for ever? You will have to watch WataMote and find out.

Commentary:

WataMote is a true slice-of-life anime as each episode gives us a daily view into the life of Tomoko. We see her at school, at home annoying her brother, and on summer break. Her days are filled with fantasying, video games, television, and her continual thoughts on why she is a ‘mojyo’(the anime provides a definition in the first and last scenes, but basically it’s an unpopular, dateless, unwanted, untouched female). In a nutshell, WataMote is the painful story of a painfully anti-social girl’s painful life. Some will relate to Tomoko and others will just shake their heads. She cannot interact with anyone, except maybe her own family, or people much younger than her. Every time someone speaks to her, they are greeted with stuttering, mumbling, and a constant view of her hair, as she stares at the ground, unable to even fake eye contact. There are not many characters because the entire story is about the life of Tomoko and without friends or the ability to interact with people, there is few people in her life. This first person perspective limited you to her views, ideas, and criticisms of the other characters. And she does have a lot of criticism for all who have ignored her, usually laced with dirty jokes and profanity. The plot progression is very lifelike, as in nonexistent. If you are able to relate to Tomoko then the progression will be very close to how life actually is. However, if you are on the other side you will not understand why the word ‘hello’ is so hard to say.

WataMote is a series that you will either enjoy or hate. This series dares to be different and wastes no time on romanticizing high school life. Instead it portrays it for what many of us really saw it for, a sad place that you are forced to endure for eight hours a day. Few anime series have had the courage to do this. That being said, I found that some of the episodes seemed to go on forever and some of the episodes seemed to be very similar to other episodes. The ending also upset me because it abruptly ended and gave no closure to Tomoko’s problem and the main plot line in the series. She at times would contradict herself, always wanting to be extremely popular, yet in the next sentence complain about how she cannot lead the life of a neet. In the end she gained nothing and was unchanged. I think they did this in hopes of a second season, or maybe so that you would check out the manga. Or in all truth, maybe she never changes and this will be her life. Either way there is no conclusion. She continually fails to understand that life is nothing like dating sims, or video games. The opening animation was definitely fitting for the mood of the series. Not often does a screaming heavy metal rage piece fit, but here it fit so perfectly, with the transitions of Tomoko screaming into the opening worked and set the tone for what to expect. The ending was a pretty normal j-poppy song with Tomoko singing over it at certain parts like bad karaoke, cute, but not really special. Overall, if you are another Tomoko, or have any ability to relate in any way, you will enjoy WataMote.

Extras:

WataMote includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai trailers as special features. This series includes both English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options. Both are good options, it just depends on your viewing preference.

Overall Grade: B

I found WataMote to be an interesting series. However, just remember that this series is a little strange and has many dirty jokes and rough language running through it. As long as you are prepared for those things I think many people may enjoy this interesting, off the wall anime.