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Hunter x Hunter 32 Manga Review

Posted by :Joann On : May 21, 2014
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Hunter X Hunter 32Title: Hunter X  Hunter 32

Author/Artist: Yoshihiro Togashi

Distributor: Viz Media

American Release Date: April 1, 2014

Format: Manga

Genre: Action and Adventure

Publisher Age Rating: T+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Warning: Spoilers may be ahead!

Basically a paid adventurer, Hunters are an elite group. They must past a test to get their license. Gon is a Hunter like his father.

Synopsis:

The election to decide the next Hunter Association Chairman drags on. Cheadle is up against 4 other opponents. The whole process is going rather crazy. No one can leave until a decision is made. Cheadle is trying to analyze the election politics and possible outcomes. Something odd is going on with the candidate Parison. What is really up?

Gon is still in the hospital, near death. Killua wants Nanika to heal him. As Nanika lives inside Alluka, he also wants to be able to free her from the take over of her body. But is preventing one of them from surfacing the right thing to do?

Was there ever going to be more to the relationship between Gon and his father Ging?

Someone claiming to be the former chairman’s son is challenging anyone who gets in his way. He is hired to reach the forbidden Dark Continent.

 

Commentary:

This is my first volume of Hunter X Hunter. I read the synopsis and character bios online. Jumping in at volume 32, I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to follow most of what was going on. Often wordy, there is a nice flow to the writing and conversations. The characters are easy to relate to and seemed to have nicely fleshed out personalities.

There were somethings that I thought were strange or at least different. I don’t know if these run though out the series. First was that some of the drawings get very simple, more of a pre-sketch or childish quality that didn’t seem to be intended to make a point or illustrate something. It felt more like they ran out of time. There is a wade range a art styles or abilities, more than I’ve seen in other series.  The second thing was that there was a chapter late in the book with almost no words. It was really interesting  how much could be conveyed through just pictures.

There is only one person I know who said this was a good series. Otherwise, no one seems to talk about it at all. From what I’ve read, I think if you like Arata or Toriko, this series might interest you.  Although Gon is the main character, it is the people around him and the adventures that make this all work. There is a nice balance between relationships and action, with enough intellect and comedy to round it out.

 

Written by the manga artist who also did Yu Yu Hakusho

Overall Grade: B+

Nyaruko, Crawling with Love Anime Review

Posted by :Joann On : May 17, 2014
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Nyaruko Crawling with LoveTitle: Nyaruko, Crawling with Love

Director: Tsuyoshi Nagasawa

Original Story Author: Manta Aisora

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Re-Release Date:

April 15,2014

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

Genre: comedy, romance, aliens

Age Rating: 16+

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

A normal high school boy, Mahiro, is walking along when he gets attacked by a monster. To save him, in swoops what appears to be a girl. Really she is the Cthulhu Deity of chaos, a member of the Planetary Defense Agency, sent to protect him.

Things happen as they do and this god being, Nyaruko, moves in with him. He isn’t too keen on it, but she quickly falls head over heels in love. Her over the board flirting and cuteness drives him crazy but she does have a away of solving super natural problems and saving the day.

Originally a foe, Kuko, another supernatural being, also ends up in the house. She is madly in love with Nyaruko. But that’s not all, Hasuta joins the group and has found the perfect partner. They all end up transferring in to school with Mahiro, settling into everyday life which includes video gaming, with only otherworldly threats interrupting on occasion.  It seems that Mahiro’s mom knows way too much about what is going on.

A threat seems to be growing, and the supernatural/alien world, romantic rivals must band together. Sometimes traveling to hidden worlds, sometimes the trouble finds them close to home.

 

Commentary:

Nyaruko is based on the novel by Manta Aisora, which is based on the Cthulhu mythos by H.P. Lovecraft.  It might be a bit entertaining to be able to identify somethings but prior knowledge of  Cthulhu is not necessary. I’ve not read or played anything about Cthulhu and was still able to follow the story and events.

This anime has an overall high cute level which makes the sexual advances go too far. I have issues with youthful cuteness mixed with an overt sexuality. It  would have been much better it leave it out, or just remove the childlike appearances or personalities. The anime could have stood well without throwing in the uncomfortable sexual play. This really limits who I can recommend the anime to. My personal opinion on this is what drop the grade to a B-, otherwise it would be an A-.

Now to what I do like. With only 12 episodes, I really appreciate the way so much is fitted into the anime. The characters, backgrounds, relationships, interactions and battle scenes are able to convey so much, that it seems like a longer series. There are many characters introduced in the series as it progresses, yet it all keeps straight and we get more than a one dimensional person (or deity).

Visually, this is really wonderful. The artwork is skillful and well done. The kids are cute. The details are very interesting. The colors are wonderfully saturated and attractive. When the supernatural encounters happen, the whole atmosphere and color palette changes, really concentrating the mood.

The story is kind of wide and spread out, but the alien infiltration of earth is well played. It is fun to know it is tucked in here and there to our world. The characters travel a bit to distant hidden places or pop up to space. This is all entertaining, yet is all works in a odd sort of sense.

Some of the characters were running typical, with the overbearing girl after the reluctant main guy.  Throw in the instant love, and you might feel like the story is familiar, but with the Cthulhu mythos, nearly anything can happen.

 

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 relying on what appears to be underage interest in sex is a short cut for nervous laughter or train wreck int rest. It took away from story and character development, dragging the whole anime down, and away from a wider audience.

Fusé: Memoirs of a Huntress (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 17, 2014
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Fuse: Memoirs of a HuntressTitle: Fusé: Memoirs of a Huntress premium edition

Director: Masayuki Miyaji

Studio: TMS Entertainment

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Release Date: May 6th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 110 minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Edo Period, Romance

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

 

Synopsis:

Hamaji, a young huntress from the mountains, stumbles into the middle of a shogun’s vendetta against a group of human and dog hybrids – the Fuse. Rumors of Fuse murdering innocent people in the bustling city of Edo have sparked a bounty for their heads. Hamaji joins the hunt for this dangerous quarry along with her brother, but after accidentally befriending one of them, Hamaji is torn between two worlds: her life as a self-reliant huntress, and the young woman her new friend has helped her to uncover.

Commentary:

Fusé: Memoirs of a Huntress is one of those films that you must give it some time to develop. The first 20 minutes are all about setting the plot up and after that it becomes very easy to sucked into this beautiful film. With the rich color and rather straight forward story the characters come alive and make you root for them and their progression through the film.

The animation is stunning. It is rich and full of vibrant color that keeps you interested and at the same time allows the love story to wash over you like a slow moving stream. This juxtaposition of imagry and story serves this film well. I makes the story become all the more important as the dramatic final scenes come to fruition.

Overall Grade: A-

Fusé: Memoirs of a Huntress is one of those films that just might fade into obscurity, but I certainly hope not. It is rich story that has plenty of emotion and is able to tell a rather pure love story in a way that is neither overbearing or sappy by nature. I believe that most ages would enjoy this film but would not recommend it for younger audiences due to some of the violence.

Extra:

This premium edition includes a hardcover, 32-page, full-color artbook, which contains character information, concept sketches, an interview with the director, and setting illustrations. I really feel that this artbook showcases the quality of the animation and the artistry that went into creating this fine film.

Godzilla on Monster Island!: Godzilla vs Gigan (movie review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 17, 2014
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Godzilla vs GiganTitle: Godzilla on Monster Island!: Godzilla vs Gigan on Blu-ray

Director: Jun Fukuda

Starring: Hiroshi Ishikawa, Yuriko Hisimi, Minoru Takashima and Tomoko Umeda

Studio: Toho

U. S. Distributor: Kraken Releasing / Section 23

U. S. Release Date: May 6th, 2014

Original Release Date: March 12th, 1972

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 89 minutes

Age Rating: TV PG

Genre: Kaiju, Sci Fi

Overall Personal Rating: A-

 

Synopsis:

When alien invaders, plans for a children’s theme park, and four giant monsters with six heads between them all collide, the result is the inevitable battle for the fate of the Earth. At least, that’s how it is for Godzilla, who teams up with his former spiky foe Anguirus for a tag team match against two of his greatest adversaries: the legendary three-headed King Ghidorah and Gigan, the cyborg hench-monster for insidious insect aliens whose plot to wipe out all human life is cleverly disguised as plans for the construction of a new children’s theme park.

Unfortunately for the bug’s diabolical designs, their secret monster control codes are accidentally discovered by comic book artist Gengo Kotaka, who broadcasts the master tape and brings Team Godzilla into play. It’s not going to be an easy fight, though, as the odds are four heads to two, and King Ghidorah’s one of Godzilla’s toughest opponents. With his cybernetic weaponry Gigan is equally ruthless, and his alien masters are as hard to kill as the cockroaches they resemble. Will Earth’s biggest defenders finally fall? Or will Godzilla – and insecticide – triumph over all?

Commentary:

This uniquely late 60’s early 70’s film shows off much more than the classic Godzilla films. It jump out as a true vision of our future world from the rather naive view point of the late 60’s. This “over the top” film starts off showing us a wonderful vision of what the mod culture looked like and a great reminder of how optimistic we all were during that time. It wasn’t a U. S. vision but a world wide look into how modern we can become and giving way to the imaginations of the futurist who believed we would become a utopia of plastic and vinyl. The bold geographic patterns and bright color show off the look and keep you eyes stuck to the screen.

As for the film itself, I found it to be wonderful and the classic campy way that Godzilla represents. Oh, the fun we can have with models. On particular scene stands out for me, it is a shot of two black haired dolls standing face to face in a room while the monsters outside reek havoc and finally stomp on the building. The thing that stood out for me was that there was no attempt to made these figures look real or give the impression of having any connection to what is going outside the building. Of course there is a quick cut to the exterior of a toy building that is stomped on and magically explodes as if it was full of explosives. This scene is classic to may of these films that bend the lines between reality and blatant foolery.

Noe more special thing about Godzilla vs Gigan is the way it not only has fun with itself it also plays with the existentialist  questions that were at the core our social conscience during those years. The deepest one of all is the self realization that humanity is not strong or smart enough to care for itself but in the end it is still better than some other potential ideal of how the planet should be cared for. I also found the film to be a reminder that even 44 years ago we knew we were destroying our planet. It is funny how never quite get it.

Overall Grade: A-

I really wasn’t sure if this film had aged well or not. To my surprise I found it to not only serve as a great reminder of what the Godzilla franchise is really about, but it also serves as a time capsule back to the modern vision of the late 60″s early 70’s. If you are looking to relive or pass on the Godzilla persona then Godzilla vs Gigan is a great point to jump back in. This film will also be a great choice as a counter balance to the new Godzilla film. For some reason the Western ideal for Godzilla is to make it a serious franchise that is all about the monster and nothing about the world that the original Godzilla lived in. So, on your way home from seeing the new Godzilla you should stop and pick this one up and sit back and enjoy the ride.

Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends NEXT-The Complete Series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 16, 2014
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Haganai I Don’t Have Many Friends NEXT-The Complete Seriesreview provided by Andrew and Katie

 

Title: Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends NEXT-The Complete Series

Director: Toru Kitahata

Studio: AIC Build

Author: Yomi Hirasaka

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: May 13, 2014

Format and Length: DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Romance, School, Harem

Industry Age Rating: 17 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Mayo Chiki!, Oreimo, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Toradora!, and Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends

 

Maybe I do not realize I have friends…

 

Synopsis:

Kodaka and the rest of the gang from the Neighbors Club are back and up to their same tricks again in Haganai: NEXT.  From friendship to romance, things get a little more serious in Haganai: NEXT. New feelings are shown and the relationship between Kodaka and Yozora, Sena, and Rika reaches another level. How will Kodaka deal with that because he has never been in a situation like this before? Will he be able to face these new feelings and say what he really thinks about the girl or will he just run away. You will have to watch Haganai: NEXT to find out.

 

Commentary:

Haganai: NEXT continues where the first season left off, as the Neighbors Club is up to its usual antics. But it’s a little different from the first season. Haganai: NEXT focuses more on character development more than anything else, putting the comedy part of this romantic comedy as more a second concern than a primary focus. The story line is kinda episodic at first, mainly revolving around the activities of the Neighbors Club, but does start to come together after a few episodes and is not as disjointed as the first season. It also focuses on the characters actually dealing with their feelings instead of making fun of each other with the massive use of innuendo, sexual jokes and sexual harassment. Haganai: NEXT is a bit more serious than its predecessor, but humor is still a highly prevalent theme of the series. Haganai: NEXT is a fun anime and you can get caught into it making it very easy to absorb.

 

Haganai: NEXT did a wonderful job with character development and those developed characters endear you to this series more than ever. Of all the characters in Haganai: NEXT, Rika is the one that grew the most. Throughout the entire first season Rika played the part of the science nerd and acted very perverted because as she says, she would be a boring person if people only thought of her as the genius girl. In Haganai: NEXT the changes to her character begin slowly. Her hairstyle is changed at first and it takes Kodaka a couple of episodes to notice and then she begins to cosplay different anime characters to see if he notices the changes in her. Eventually she confronts Kodaka because she notices that he was just playing ignorant to the feelings of herself, Yozora, and Sena. It is very clear that Rika is the only one in the club who knows the most about Kodaka’s feelings and fears. By the end of this season, she finally has a friend for the first time in her life. Rika seems to be coming into her own personality now instead of focusing on how people want her to be. I also really like Kobato’s character. Kobato is Kodaka’s younger sister that he takes care of while his father is away working. She attends the middle school that is attached to the high school, Saint Chronica’s, and was able to join the Neighbors Club. She has a penchant for darkness, vampires, and the macabre and usually dresses as her favorite character from the anime “Full Metal Necromancer” that exists in the series unless she is at school. She also seems to have a brother complex due to her jealous behavior and clingy ways whenever she feels slighted because her brother, or An-Chan as she calls Kodaka, is not giving her the attention she believes she deserves. However, she is so adorable that you cannot help but say aww.

 

Once again for this season the voice actors and actresses were amazing. They really bring the characters to life along with the awesome art. The eyes of the characters are so big that you feel they can see right into your soul and draw you into the series. I really hope that there is a third season or a four to six episode OVA to wrap up the series. The ending was left wide open and a conclusion would be nice.

Extras:

Haganai: NEXT includes commentaries for episodes 7, 11, and 12, “Black Dragon: The Cries of the Damned,” clean opening and closing animations, Blu-Ray and DVD spots, T.V. Spots, U.S. Trailer, and Funimation trailers as special features.

 

Overall Grade: B+

Haganai: NEXT is an enjoyable anime that shines light on the characters from the first season and adds a few new ones. After watching Haganai: NEXT I feel more connected to the characters than after watching the first season. There is not as much fan-service as the first season but there is some. I loved the romance element in this season as well as the comedy.

Space Battle Ship Yamato (live action movie review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 11, 2014
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Space Battleship Yamato MovieTitle: Space Battle Ship Yamato

Director: Takashi Yamazaki

Screenplay Writer: Shimako Sato

Actors: Kazuki Namioka, Meisa Kuroki, Takuya Kimura and Tsutomu Yamazaki

Studio: Tokyo Brodcasting System, Toho and may others

U. S. Distributor: Giant Ape

U. S. Release Date: April 29th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / DVD / Feature Film / 131 minuts

Genre: Sci Fi, Drama, Action, Adventure

Age Rating: Not Rate, but I rate as PG 13

Overall Personal Rating: B+

 

Synopsis:

A cult classic from the glory days of anime blazes to life on the big screen in this feature-length sci-fi epic starring Takuya Kimura (Redline, Howl’s Moving Castle)!
The year is 2199. Mankind teeters on the brink of extinction as the Gamilas, a heinous race of alien invaders, wage an endless war for the right to inhabit the Earth. The last hope for humanity lies on the distant planet of Iskander, and the only battleship capable of attempting the journey is the legendary Yamato. Armed with the devastatingly-powerful Wave Motion Cannon, grizzled Captain Okita and the Yamato’s crew venture boldly into the darkest depths of space. The Gamilas attack at every turn, but fallen hero Susumu Kodai and ace pilot Yuki Mori fight side-by-side for the future of their world. Together, these young lovers unlock the secrets of Iskander – only to face a harrowing voyage home that will change their world forever!

Commentary:

Space Battleship Yamato is one of those highly rated anime that finally made its way into a live action film. The complexity of the series clearly posed a genuine issue when trying to compress it into a two hour film. I have to hand it to Takashi Yamazaki and Shimako Sato for creating a faithful film with only a few minor changes, that could be argued, added to the overall appeal of the story. I found the film to be entertaining as a stand alone film even if I did get the feeling that some of the special effects may have been taken with a lower level of production quality. On a whole it managed to come togehter and tell the story within a very limited timeframe.

As a person who grew up watching film where actors follow the very western method acting approach I still find myself becoming a little annoyed with the over the top Kabuki style acting that comes across in many Japanese action films. I have a real tendency to find over the top acting as rather funny and distracting when the moment should rally be tense and dramatic. I guess it is all about each of our own perception and it is clear to me that this type of exuberant facial expression acting is something that is well received in Japan and much of the Asian world. I think will does pose a problem for american fandom to really wrap their approval around films like Space Battleship Yamato.

Overall Grade: B+

The fact that Space Battleship Yamato is a fun and action filled Sci Fi is almost enough for me to like it, but the way that they put this complex story together is far and away the strength behind the film. The acting fell apart for me a little. I would have loved to see it acted in a much more conservative style and for the American market I think it would find a much larger fan base.

If you are a fan of Star Blazers / Space Battleship Yamato then this film is a must. If you are just looking for a Sci Fi that provides a solid two hours of fun and entertainment I highly recommend this movie for you.

 

Eureka Seven part 1 & 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 10, 2014
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Category: Reviews

Eureka Seven part 2Title: Eureka Seven part 1 & 2

Director: Tomoki Kyoda

Author: Dai Sato

Studio: Bones

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Re-Release Date: April 22nd

Format: DVD or Blu-ray / 50 Episodes / 1200 minutes

Genre: Mecha, Sci Fi, Romance, Action, Adventure, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

For Renton, every day’s the same. Nothing happens, nothing changes. He goes to school, he goes home. The only thing that keeps him happy is lifting on his ref board. Then one day, a giant mecha called an LFO comes crashing down on him – literally. Inside is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen!

The thing is, the girl is on the run from the military with her stolen mecha, and she’s brought trouble with her. Renton will have to summon up all his courage to face his childhood hero; get the girl he’s hopelessly smitten with to like him; and – oh yeah – live up to the legacy of his father who saved the world. But hey, at least it’s not boring anymore.

Renton’s adventure continues as the burgeoning hero struggles to balance the rush of young love against an onslaught of riveting revelations. Eureka’s shocking origins come to light, the truth about Norb surfaces, and secrets emerge that force everyone to question their allegiances. As Eureka and Renton finally reach Earth, a mysterious facility hiding tragic experimentation is discovered. The fate of the world is at stake as Eureka beings her harrowing transformation. Only Renton has the power to save her, but at what cost?

Commentary:

Hurray for FUNimation for saving this great series from the depths of being out of print and rarely seen. Picking Eureka Seven up from Bandai was a stroke of genius. It is simply a great series that does more than just give us a Mecha / Romance. It provides plenty of food for thought. With Eureka Seven you get something for everyone and even more if you really get into it. I realize that at its core Eureka Seven is just another Mecha or rather a love story or maybe just a Action/Adventure Sci Fi. Well, really it is a romance that blends the future and Mechas together, but once you get into it the story is all about Renton and Eureka and their love for each other. I’ll be honest about that and say that, at times, I found it to get in the way of the rest of the story.

For a series that is almost 10 years old, the animation was rather good looking. The blu-ray version retained the TV format, but other than that it did impress me on the high quality of production that Bones provided. Of course that is to be expected from Bones. The story itself is one of the few that start with a anime based studio production that then branched into a manga series a few months after initial release. I do see some weakness in the development in Renton’s character that lent itself to the persona of a Shinji from Evangelion and there are more similarities to the earlier classic that are just too close to be ignored, but with the rest of the story and length and complexity of Eureka Seven it is easy to give them a pass this time. I just wish the Japanese would get over the whinny boy persona that emanates in all too many anti heroes in these series. The other big question is why would any woman or girl love such a person. I would think that would just want to slap him every time he began to cry.

Overall Grade: A-

I really enjoy this series and hope that with this new re-release a new generation of fans will discover it for what it is. If you can get past a whinny anti hero and get let the story wash over you for what it is then I believe you will end up agreeing with me about the overall strength of Eureka Seven.

Hal (special anime movie review)

Posted by :Patches On : May 10, 2014
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hal-movie-animeTitle: Hal

Director: Ryōtarō Makihara

Author: Izumi Kizara

Studio: Wit Studio

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

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

Format: DVD / Feature Film

Genre: Sci Fi, Romance, Drama

Age Rating: Not Rated at time of review

Overall Personal Rating: EVA & Andy: A-

 

The following review is a special conversational review by EAV and Andy. This anime is not scheduled to release until September and because of its unique aspects to the film we thought it would be interesting to provide two viewpoints in a back and forth conversational approach. We hope you find it helpful.

 

Synopsis:

Kurumi’s heart was broken by the sudden death of her boyfriend in a tragic airplane accident. Forced to carry on without her beloved Hal, she fell into a reclusive and joyless existence. Kurumi had given up on the world, but a brilliant scientist devised a plan to win her back. By melding futuristic technology with the binary equivalent of human emotion, they created an ultra-lifelike robotic surrogate to take Hal’s place – and lure Kurumi from her shroud of solitude. Resistant at first, this shattered beauty slowly yielded to her feelings of longing – and took comfort in the company of a robot. Though their unique bond grew stronger with each passing day, Kurumi and Hal would soon discover that nothing about their artificial love story was quite as it seemed.

Commentary:

E: Hal was definitely an interesting movie. It has the potential to do well. I did find that I really had to pay attention to the movie, because if I got busy doing something else for a bit, I didn’t know what was going on. I think it was the way they revealed the story and events.

Andy: I also found it to be a movie you had to pay attention to. It may not have been fast paced, but it was rich enough to make you follow along. The strongest aspect to the film that I found interesting was the way they portrayed both Hal and Kurumi. Both were fully developed and at the same time I found them to be shrouded in mystery.This in itself leads you back to being forced to pay close attention to it. I really think the writing was strong enough to carry this off and proves to be the real power to the film.

E: I watched it a second time, it was illuminating and still held up well. It was amazing how much detail and concepts were fit into such a short time. The writing/ story  really directed the viewer to believe certain things that were put into question later but the way the story was told was rather clever. I enjoyed the  comfortable mix of old and new woven throughout, the ultra modern wasn’t leave behind nature or tradition.

Andy: I agree and think that Izumi Kizara did a wonderful job of creating that world where these possibilities could come true. Even with the great advances that have taken place humanity still has not lost what makes us special. That bond between two people who truly love each other manages to transcend time and space and become clear even when one of the two has become an Artificial Intelligence. I don’t know if that world will ever come true, but it gives me hope to think that if we are able to create such a wonderful machine that we will be sure to give it those aspects of our nature that makes us wonderful and loving.

I too found the animation to be well done and I think it says a lot for a newer studio that has Hal and Attack of the Titans to stand on as their first two productions. For Hal they did a great job of including the emotion of the story into the look and to also give a warmth in the environment that lends itself to the touching story line. It sure did make it easy to have true empathy for both Hal and Kurumi.

E: Visually it was excellent. The outdoor scenes had a poetic reality and the indoor scenes were really full of details that expertly set up the story or the character’s lives. The room that Kurumi had isolated herself in is one example. All the things and pieces fill us into the person she was and her relationship to Hal.

Working at an anime store, I’m often asked for suggestions. Summer Wars or Girl Who Lept Through Time are two movies on my favorite list, now I’ll be adding Hal to this.

Andy: I can see why you like it so much, but I just didn’t get to the same place as you did. I did find the animation at the top of the spectrum and much of the writing was great, but all in all I guess that the complexity just made it a little off the mark. Hal does make it on my list of great films that should be seen and will also be a mainstay on the shelf at the store. I am looking forward to seeing what others think about it when it is released.

E: The more I thought about the movie, the better I liked it. My grade for it will be A-. It was well animated, sensitive, thought provoking and an interesting story told in a clever way. The strike against it was Hal’s background story, it was too saturated with tragedy without enough to really explain.

Another thing I want to bring up, was the robot, who was a lesson in humanity and made a great sacrifice. It is easy to forget about it as a separate character because it was personifying someone most of the time.

 

 

 

After School Charisma 9 Manga Review

Posted by :Joann On : May 9, 2014
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After School Charisma 9Title: After School Charisma 9

Author/Artist: Kumiko Suekane

Distributor: Viz Signature (Viz Sig)

American Release Date: April 8, 2014

Format: Manga

Genre: Science Fiction, Drama

Publisher Age Rating: T+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

 

The Earth needs those special people who made an impact on humanity. Should we save the genetics of those geniuses from around the world for the next generation?

 

Synopsis:

Clone Hitler is continuing to publicly wage a campaign against the school. His charismatic personality is causing trouble for St. Kleio Academy. Kuroe tells Kamiya more about the things that happened at the school in the past and how he came to be.

Kuroe went to live at the academy after his mother died. His father was Dr. X who was involved in the cloning. He wasn’t pleased that Kuroe was there. Dr. X  favored clones , especially of himself and kept telling Kuroe how worthless he was, yet they won’t let him leave because he has seen their secrets. The other students, who are all clones, dislike him because he is only a mere humane. Kamiya is his only friend.

Another non-clone, who appears to be a really rich kid, joins the school. He seems smarter than everyone else there. His parents paid well to leave him there. The student clones treat him badly. But there is more to him and some strange things happen.

Kamiya seems to be on the verge of either a break through, or cracking up. He is questioning whether all clones are equal, does it really matter if there is one less? He doesn’t even have the capacity to seek an individual identity.

 

Commentary:

This is a very interesting manga. There is a lot going on, in layers, plus what the reader brings to it depending on their point of view. It is easy to get drawn into what is going on. Volume 9 really delves into questioning what being a clone means as existing in the world. Are the clones different from the host whose cells they come from, do they share the same destinies, will the personalities be the same? Are they individuals?

Of course, the people doing the cloning see nothing wrong with what they are doing. Depending on who is cloned, there is a sense of obtaining power or control. Or even destiny. In the case of the students, there appears to be a desire to create pure talent. The great people who have been able to influence the world on a large scale now have the potential to fulfill their destinies or continue on their paths to change the world. That’s the idea, but, really,  can the clone think the same way. Are the thoughts determined by DNA? Abilities and aptitudes maybe. Now the student clones are raised and taught that they are superior and have destinies, this can guide their direction but only so far.

Other questions include, is a clone a more perfect being or a more perfect offspring? Are all clones equal and therefore replaceable? Does individuality matter?

Most of this volume is spent in the past, filling in some of the history, and how some of the characters are connected. This back story is just as compelling as what is happening now, but it ends before we see what Kamiya’s response to all of this. There is some pretty heavy stuff and really opens up the story.

After School Chrisma  has the quality that Viz Sig is known for. The materials, the art work and the story all really stand out. This was actually my first volume. I read the background then jumped straight in. I was quite happy how easy this was to do. Clarity in art and story are very important to me, and this series does both well.

Overall Grade: B+

 

Toriko 21 Manga Review

Posted by :Joann On : May 7, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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Toriko 21Title: Toriko 21

Author/Artist: Mitsotoshi Shimabukuro

Distributor: Viz Media

American Release Date: April 1, 2014

Format: Manga

Genre: Action, Shonen, comedy

Publisher Age Rating:

Overall Personal Rating: A-

An adventure in the hunt for ultimate food.

Synopsis:

Still on the trail of of the Bubble Fruit, Toriko and Komatsu meet Master Chin Chin-Chin, one of the four Gourmet Living Legends. Wow, he is odd. He takes them to Chowlin Temple where the Bubble Fruit grows.

The temple is a strange place where chefs and convicts study to understand and have gratitude for food and by extension, life. Shu is the assistant instructor who provides the training for Toriko and Komatsu. They must  endure many trials to honor food, and it is driving them crazy.

A monster threatens the temple and the Gourmet Corp. isn’t farm behind. As the battle rages on…continued in the next volume.

Commentary:

What makes Toriko different and is its strength is all the wonderfully weird food and animals (in essence food too).   This volume focuses on the spirituality of food, the connection to it and gratitude for it. A person who can truly find this in themselves, will find it serves their entire lives.

The people look goofy and cartoonish. Okay, I know it is a cartoon, but the backgrounds are more realistically drawn. The combination plays into the quirkiness of the series. All of this really bizarre food stuff is a normal reality for Toriko and the other characters. Another cool and odd thing was a set of butcher knife Numchucks. Kitchen utensils are weapons. Now, don’t think too hard about the battles, the cooking/cutlery techniques used on people is rather gruesome and would be psychotic in our world.

The characters are interesting and oddly enough, usually someone a person can relate to. And with the ultimate quest for food in an eat or be eaten world, this series is entertaining.

Another series with the quest for a perfect meal but without the battles and set in a Japan reality is Oishinbo A La Carte. If you want to learn about Japanese food for real, this is a fun way to do it.

Overall Grade:  A-

A unique manga and approach to food. This volume has all the story and elements that a Toriko fan is looking for. Maybe even a bit more as Toriko has reached his limit.