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Unlimited Psychic Squad complete collection (anime review)

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

Director: Shisho Igarash

Writer: Shinchi Inotsume

Studio: Manglob

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

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

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Drama, Sci Fi

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: A-

Synopsis:

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

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

Commentary:

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

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

Overall Grade: A-

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

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

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

 

Freezing: Vibration season 2 (anime review)

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

Director: Takashi Watanabe

Studio: A.C.G.T.

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

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

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

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

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

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

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

Commentary:

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

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

Overall Garde: B-

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

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

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

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

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

Director: Takuya Sato

Studio: Studio Deen

Author: Jukki Hanada

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: March 24, 2015

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

Genre: Comedy, Parody, School, Harem

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

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

“Mukyu.”

Synopsis:

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

Commentary:

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

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

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

Extras:

Student Council’s Discretion included clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with Japanese with English Subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: B-

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

Noir: The Complete Series (anime review)

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

Director: Koichi Mashimo

Studio: Bee Train

U.S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: April 14th, 2015

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

Genre: Action,  Adventure, Girls with Guns

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

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

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

Synopsis:

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

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

Commentary:

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

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

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

Overall Grade: B+

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

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

Place to Place (anime review)

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

Title: Place to Place: Blu-Ray Complete Collection

Director: Fumitoshi Oizaki

Studio: AIC

Author: Ishiki

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: March 24, 2015

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

Genre: Romance, Comedy, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: TV-14 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A+

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

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

Synopsis:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extras:

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

Overall Grade: A+

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

Tokyo Ravens season one part 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 21, 2015
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Tokyo RavensTitle: Tokyo Ravens season one part 1

Director: Takaomi Kansaki

Creator:  Kohei Azano (Light Novel)

Anime Writer: Hideyuki Kurata

Studio: 8-Bit

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

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

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

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Adventure, Romance, Harem

Age Rating: TV 14

Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

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

Commentary: 

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

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

Overall Grade: B

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

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

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

Devils and Realist The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 19, 2015
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Devils and RealistTitle: Devils and Realist The Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Chiaki Kon

Written By: Michiko Yokote

Creator: Madoka Takadono

Studio: Dogakobo

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: March 17th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 300 minutes / 12 Episodes

Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy, Comedy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

When William Twining breaks into his bankrupt family’s vaults seeking funds for his tuition, he has no idea what he’s about to pay for his higher education. Instead of cash, William discovers that he’s supposed to choose the (interim) ruler of Hell! That would be a bedeviling predicament under any circumstances, but when the bearer of said dread tidings is also hitting William up for the job… Well, it’s just not a good thing. Nor is it easy to put the would-be Devil behind you, as the impish Dantalion quickly roots himself into William’s school life while simultaneously jockeying with an unholy host of other Arch-Fiends-To-Be for the coveted position of Devil in Charge.

With a surprisingly large percentage of both students and faculty at William’s school turning out to be demonic in nature, he’ll need the Wisdom of Solomon to find a way to get all these devils off his heels – and fortunately for him, William apparently WAS Solomon in a former life! Will the hallowed halls of Stradford become host to the hordes of hell?

Commentary:

Devils and Realist set me back on my heals at first. I thought for sure it was going to end up as a yaoi series or at the very least a shonen ai. In many way I have to call it a shonen ai which pretends to be closer to a shojo comedy with the supernatural slant. It works for a while, but it becomes rather tedious after a while. The real disappointment comes in the story development. This use of an ancient soul of the wise Solomon and the control over the demons of hell could have been so much more interesting. It could have laid out a powerful interaction between the demons under covenant with Solomon and the powers that wanted him out of the pictures. It is not until the very end that I felt like it began to work.

The sexual tension between these fellas just seem silly and the character of William Twining / Solomon lacked any likable aspects. I know it was important to make William a cold calculating arrogant snob who didn’t believe in the occult, but he could have been a little more sympathetic and friendly. When it was important to have the other come to his aid and wish for him to make the right decision I’m not really sure why anyone cared.

Overall Grade: B-

Devils and Realist did have some solid points and most of the other characters were likable and well developed. The animation was above par and the products was superb. I just wish the story stood up along side the rest of the attributes.

I can see why it would have a fan base. There are plenty of pretty guys in this one and there is the demonic connection that attaches the demon to the human. I wonder where we heard that story before. Just in this case the demon doesn’t get to eat the soul of the contractee. It is also a slick production that doesn’t require much thought or effort. So, if you are looking for a light anime that focuses on pretty guys with a dark edge, Devils and Realist is for you.

Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the Gods (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 15, 2015
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Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the GodsTitle: Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the Gods on Blu-ray

Director: Shin Misawa

Anime Writer: Hiroshi Yamaguchi

Creator: Sayori Ochiai

Studio: Diomedea

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: March 31st, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Slice of Life, Comedy

Age Rating: PG (All Ages)

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

In Japan, it is said that if you pray to a deity with sincerity, you will surely feel the divine presence. However, as the successor of the Saeki Inari Shrine, Makoto Saeki can do more than that. She’s been seeing and speaking with spirits, kami and other messengers of the Gods since her mother’s funeral. It can be difficult, especially when her classmates can’t know about her latest “issues” with Gintarou, the irritable fox-like Herald who’s protected the Saeki shrine for hundreds of years. But at least Makoto’s father, who runs the shrine, knows that Gintarou is more than an imaginary friend.

Between them, the shrine maid and mystical Herald can usually manage to cooperate long enough to help those who need it. However, when a young man with a similar “gift” to Makoto’s arrives with his own shrine and Herald issues, it’s going to take more than just prayers to sort things out. After all, if there’s one thing that both human and supernatural can agree on it’s that the Gods often work in convoluted and mysterious ways. Just because you’re working for a higher power doesn’t mean you always agree with their intentions.

Commentary:

Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the Gods just hit my list of the top 10 releases for 2015. It is a simple yet heart warming coming of age story that brings people together and create new friendships and at the same time helps to save the hopes and dreams of a couple young people. I don’t want to put too much on the shoulders of this series because it is a easy and simple story that in its own special way says a lot about all of us. Makoto and Satoru have been gifted with the sight to see the Heralds (sprits) who reside at the shrines and watch over humanity. They are gifted with the sight a young ages and well before they knew what they wanted to do with their lives. In their struggle to understand the importance of who they are and what they should do the  journey they take manages to give them the help and clues that need.

Even though I am an old softy when it comes to these type of stories and end up shedding a tear as I watch it became very clear to me that this series says a great deal about all of us, not just these two and their friends. It clearly points out that our paths may never be as obvious as we think and that we need to keep our eyes and minds open to the possibilities in front of us.

Overall Grade: A

From the opening episode I was hooked and ended up going through Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the Gods in a very short period. I found myself want to see if they came to an end or even better if there is something that they learn that makes the difference. I’m not going to tell you but I can say that I wasn’t disappointed.

Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the Gods is a series for everyone. I think the younger viewers will enjoy the Fox Gods and the older you get it will the story itself that draws you in. The only negative I have for the series is that Sentai Filmworks did not dub the series. I think that all too many possible fans will stay away because it does not have a english voice over. I find sub titles easy to follow, but younger viewers can’t read that fast and miss a lot of the story, or even some can’t follow along at all. I hope that there is enough interest in the series that at some point the money is put into the series to give it a solid english dub. In the mean time I will be pushing this series on everyone I know.

In today’s anime market It is great to see a heart warming series brought over that isn’t full of bloody fights, over the top silliness or even loaded with fan service. Some of the most heralded creators coming out of Japan give us stories that touch our hearts without beating over the head. I’m sure you can think of a few like Studio Ghibli, Makoto Shinkai and Mamoru Hosoda. There are plenty of other great story tellers out there and I for one would love to see them make it over to our country and be given the same marketing push that something like Attack on Titan got or even Space Dandy.

Gingitsune; Messenger Fox of the Gods is a hit in my eyes and I bet if you gave t a try that you too will find it very special.

Chronicles of the Going Home Club (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 12, 2015
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hronicles of the Going Home ClubTitle: Chronicles of the Going Home Club Complete Series Premium Collection

Director: Hikari Sato

Witten By: Go Zappa

Music: Go Sakabe

Studio: Nomad

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Release Date: Mar. 3rd, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 288 minutes

Genre: Comedy, High School Slice of Life

Age Rating: T for Teen

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

It’s the beginning of a new year of high school, and school clubs are diligently recruiting members to take part in their activities. However, Natsuki Ando has decided to join the “Going Home Club,” a fictional club which students who have no club affiliation and simply go home right after school jokingly claim to be members of. But Natsuki and her new friend Karin soon discover that this particular school has a real, bona fide Going Home Club!

Teaming up with club members Claire, Botan, and Sakura, the official unofficial Going Home Club gets up to all kinds of kooky trouble and hilarious fun!

Commentary:

There has been several newer slice of life series released in the U. S. lately and Chronicles of the Going Home Club stretches the genre a bit but it does manage to keep the story simple enough to make some sense. The comedic aspects of the series also stretch humor a bit, but that tends to hit more than miss. The point of taking 5 cute girls and making them a strange bunch with one somewhat serious member sets the story up for plenty of opportunity to just be silly. And that is exactly what happens.

From the very opening thing get a little strange and silly and they just go from there. There is plenty of fun to be had and on several levels it is very funny. There is even the obligatory swimsuit vacation episode that places the girls in a potentially sexy fan service situation, but instead they go straight for the weird and graciously keep everything modest. I have to give them high marks for this. I’m sure the audience is not the standard 16 to 28 year old male, but rather the younger female audience. I appreciate that approach and thing that give real strength to the series.

Overall garde: B+

Out of the last three or four releases served up by NIS America I have to say that this one comes in second behind The Eccentric Family and just ahead of Genshiken Second Generation. The main reason for this is because I del like the subject matter was easy to watch and the humor was just plain silly. Chronicles of the Going Home Club was very honest with itself and stuck to its original premiss and played out the series unapologetically.

I found the character development somewhat anemic, but for this story all you needed to know was the oddity to each personality and then watch them interact. The animation fit well even if I never have been a fan of chibi art styling it was use well enough that it help further the comedic relief and proved to be enjoyable enough.

If you are loping for a series that is silly and doesn’t demand much of anything from the viewer except that they just sit back and try to envision these silly hoping women really existing. This believe is needed to help aid in the over all enjoyment. I for one remember a few girls in high school that were this strange and almost everyone liked them because they just manage to always make you smile. If you enjoyed Daily Lives of High School Boys you will fit right in with this odd little series.

Extras:

This premium edition contains episodes 1-12 packaged in an artbox and comes with a hardcover, 64-page art book filled with detailed character info, interviews with cast members and production staff, original letters from the voice actors, and full-color illustrations.
10t

You’re Being Summoned, Azazel DVD Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : March 10, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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Azazel, You're Being SummonedTitle: You’re Being Summoned, Azazel DVD Complete Collection

Director: Tsutomu Mizushima

Studio: Production I. G.

U. S. Distributor: Lucky Penny, Nozomi

U. S. Release date: Feb. 3rd, 2015

Format: DVD / 26 Episodes / 338 Minutes

Genre: Comedy

Age Rating: TV 17

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Have a stalker you just can’t shake? Fear your spouse is being unfaithful? You might consider hiring Akutabe, a detective who summons demons to do his dirty work. While his methods might seem unorthodox, he always gets results. However, as powerful as Akutabe is, manipulating demons is a delicate art. His new part-time employee Sakuma, a young college girl, doesn’t get to spend too much time exploring the finer points of controlling demons before Akutabe forces her into a demonic contract with Azazel. Azazel is lazy, lustful, and depraved… Everything you’d expect a demon to be. Sakuma needs to keep Azazel on a tight leash, but to do that, she may have to dabble in a little depravity herself.

Commentary:

There are plenty of shows out there that aim to push the boundaries of absurd and questionable. As for Azazel, You’re Being Summoned will be treated some of the best and worst of this style of comedy. After the first episode I thought it might stay somewhat straight forward, but with the introduction of  Beelzebub any chance for redemption goes straight down the toilet. Or rather it should go down the toilet. Any time you have a major character that feeds on feces you can be sure that things will only get stranger from there, and they do.

This comedy is fine and sometimes funny, but I began to find it rather tedious and unnerving. I did appreciate the way that Rinko developed and ended up becoming a little more edgy, but in the end she still retained some of her original humanity. Akutabe on the other hand is the kind of person that I typically detest and in this case he still ends up being nothing more than a jerk, but the fact that he doesn’t have any eyebrows is cool.

Now when it comes to the demons I almost would have preferred that they didn’t revert to their chibi form when they come to the human world, I could have gotten a better sense of what they really were. The story line was simple and stayed on tract which I think help make it easy to watch and maybe even saved it for some of the over the top things that happen.

Overall Grade: B

Azazel, You’re Being Summoned is not for the under 16/17 age group and at time was hard for this middle aged man to watch. There were plenty of other moments where I laughed out loud and found the humor to be spot on. It reminded me very much of an Austin Powers movie that was mashed up with something like She Devil or even a stranger Elfin Lied or even Archer. Much of the story made fun of the weakness in our own human nature and in a few rare occasions made a valid point about the dichotomy of humanity.

If you are looking for a comedy that pushes the boundaries of what humor is and will make you uncomfortable at the same time then you should pick this up. The base humor is in line with American sensibilities and may make you laugh and at the same time be a little sad that you are even watching it.