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Space Dandy Season 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : September 20, 2015
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Space-Dandy-Season-2Title: Space Dandy Season 2

Director: Shinichiro Watanabe, Shingo Natsume

Studio: Bones

Producer: Square Enix

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: September 22, 2015

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Comedy, Absurdity

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Space Dandy is a dandy guy in space! This dreamy adventurer with a to-die-for pompadour travels across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Each new species he discovers earns him a hefty reward, but this dandy has to be quick on his feet because it’s first come first served! Accompanied by his sidekicks, a rundown robot named QT and Meow the cat-looking space alien, Dandy bravely explores unknown worlds inhabited by a variety aliens. Join the best dressed alien hunter in all of space and time as he embarks on an adventure that ends at the edge of the universe!

Commentary:

Space Dandy Season 2 upholds the insanity that started off on the first half of the series and takes you to another level of both stupidity and confusion. To say the least I found myself enjoying this group of episodes much better than the first group. Even with the story taking on so many strange turns and nonsensical events that I finally was able to connect with several of the strange group of characters and almost wanted to see two of them finally find the love they were searching for.

In this second group of 13 episodes I did discover a side of Dandy that didn’t turn me off and also made it easier to watch. The absurdity that follows in almost every episode kept me scratching my head and made me want to kept watching. I also enjoyed all of homage and parody to Anime and the silly Sci Fi world we all live in. It remixed me of some of the humor from Stein’s Gate but never really gave any focus to how the story wove together. Space Dandy is one of the shows that you can get everything you need from one or two episodes and even after watching all 26 episodes you may still never figure out what it was all about.

Overall Grade: B

I have to say that the last 13 episodes felt much more put together and polished, and at the same time had very little focus. I had many laughs and enough confusion with what was going on to leave me wondering and interested enough to stick with the show. It is truly a strange series with plenty to make you smile.

The true strength of the series is the animation. I saw plenty of work that reminded me of Red Line and also a short anime clip in the live action film A Taste of Tea. The fast movement and colorful blend of color does several things for the series, It keeps the action fresh and also makes everything very lively. There are several episodes that employ a flatter more muted color pallet but the artistic aesthetic keeps the anime fresh and very easy to watch. Over the history of anime there have been many series that employ several different art styles and some of them like Samurai Champloo have managed to he very successful. I’m not sure that Space Dandy will command the iconic status of a classic anime, but only time will tell.

 

Please Twins! The Complete Series (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : September 14, 2015
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Please-Twinsreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Please Twins! The Complete Series

Director: Yasunori Ide

Studio: Bandai Visual, Studio Orphee

Author: Yousuke Kuroda

U.S. Distributor: Nozomi Entertainment

U.S. Release Date: August 4, 2015

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes + 1 OVA / 325 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama, School, Sci-Fi, Harem

Industry Age Rating: 16 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Please Teacher!

Synopsis:

Maiku Kamishiro grew up in an orphanage with no history of his family or of his past. Left with only a childhood picture of himself and another person in front of a house, he believes that the other person in the picture is his long lost twin sister. Upon discovering his old home, two young girls, both carrying the same picture as Maiku, show up on his doorstep one day both claiming to be his long lost sister. Maiku’s life is about to be turned upside down and with two pretty girls living under the same roof as him, how will Maiku be able to keep his mind on school and work while trying to figure out which one of these girls is his sister and which one is the love of his life?

Commentary:

Please Twins!: The Complete Series takes place in the same place as Please Teacher and some of the characters are in both series. Please Twins picks up after the UFO TV special in Please Teacher, however we do not see that part as when the series actually begins Maiku is already living in the house from the picture. Somehow he was able to talk the orphanage into letting him live on his own for high school as long as he keeps a good job. I do not believe that he thought that through very well. The story line flows well throughout the episodes and the comedy is always spot on.

The characters are your basic love triangle/rom-com characters. They do not have much in the way of character development but the personalities make up for that. Maiku Kamishiro is the lead male character who is quiet and standoff-ish. All the girls in school are in love with him and think he is the shy and quiet type. However, he is more interested in working and being able to live on his own. Minna Miyafuji is a very outgoing and energetic girl and she is not shy about anything. Karen Onodera, on the other hand, is a shy and polite girl. She seems very delicate and if she gets overwhelmed she will say “nyu” and faint. She has far too much cute packed into her character. Ichigo Morino also makes her appearance known with her evil laughter. She brings some much needed life to the plot and adds some dark humor in places.

The OVA episode is a lot like the OVA for Please Teacher because all of the over-the-top fan-service is packed into one episode along with some possible incest between two minor characters. The rest of the episodes have some fan-service but most of it is in the OVA and it detracts from the story. The animation is colorful and bright and the characters are drawn well. The small town Japanese backgrounds were beautiful and well done. The music was enjoyable and I loved singing along with it.

Extras:

Please Twins!: The Complete Series includes clean opening and closing animations, image vocals, promotional clip, Japanese commercials, and Nozomi Entertainment trailers as special features. This series was released with both English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options.

Overall Grade: B

I really enjoyed watching Please Twins!: The Complete Series and you do not need to watch Please Teacher first but I recommend you do as the characters that cross-over have their development in it.

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : September 3, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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The-Comic-Artist-and-His-Assistantsreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection

Director: Takeshi Furuta

Studio: Showgate

Author: Aki Itami

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 15, 2015

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes + 6 OVA’s / 205 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: C

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Kill Me Baby!

The term NSFW was invented to describe this guy.

Synopsis:

Perversion, lechery, and a lack of respect for the feelings of others are all qualities that would normally look really bad on a resume, however for Yuki Aito they are the fundamentals of his art. His art is good enough that managing editor Mihari Otosuna will put up with a lot, including panicked panty runs, barrages of breast jokes, and other even lower-brow forms of self-amusement that Yuki wallows in.

However, when the continuing carnal crudity causes Yuki to fall behind schedule, Mihari is forced to bring in a team of assistants for him. But those assistants are of the young and attractive female type so that schedule will be going right out the window. Will Yuki’s assistants be able to fight him off and keep him on schedule? You will have to watch The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection and see.
Commentary:

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection is set up in a very interesting way as each of the twelve episodes are less than fourteen minutes long and the OVA episodes are less than eight minutes long. Each episode consists of three to four mini-stories that revolve around one of the assistants and their day with Yuki. There is a large amount of fan-service in each episode and Yuki also cross-dresses in a couple of episodes.

The assistants really made the show enjoyable. Sahoto Ashisu has a high tolerance for Yuki and is his main assistant. This means she takes the brunt of Yuki’s perverted actions. She aspires to be a manga artist herself and when she is not working for Yuki she attends art classes. Mihari Otosuna is Yuki’s editor and is also the tsundere of the series. She is very focused on her work as an editor and is also tolerant of Yuki’s perversions. Fuwa Rinna is Yuki’s fan-girl. She took the assistant job when she had no experience and basically agrees to go along with whatever Yuki wants her to do. She must really like him because he can come up with some crazy ideas. Finally we meet Kuroi Sena. She is somewhat sadistic and proud but she also has a soft spot for cute things. She is also known as “Super Assistant!” in the manga world. She is usually the one to put Yuki in his place and sometimes she has to us a whip to do so.

The animation was normal. Nothing really stood out as amazing but everything looked good. The voice actors were chosen well and added to the characters. Personally, I believe that this series was given the wrong age rating. I think it should be a rating of 16 and up with all of the ecchi scenes. But that is just my opinion.

Extras:

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations, Japanese promos, episode 12 closing karaoke version, and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with Japanese with English subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: C

The Comic Artist and His Assistants: The Complete Collection is interesting to say the least. However, that is not a good thing this time. If you enjoy the ecchi genre then you will probably like this series.

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection on Blu-ray (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : August 27, 2015
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My-Teen-Romantic-Comedy-SNAFUreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection

Director: Ai Yoshimura

Studio: Brian’s Base

Author: Shotaro Suga

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 1, 2015

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

Genre: Comedy, Romance, School

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Unpopular, Haganai, and Haganai: NEXT

Synopsis:

Caution! Opposites may attract, but putting them together may result in chemical burns, electric shocks, and explosions. Enter Hachiman Hikigaya, a pessimistic high school student with no friends and absolutely no interest in making any, and the firm belief that everyone else’s cherished high school experiences are either delusions or outright lies. Hachiman finds himself forcibly coerced by his well-meaning student advisor into joining the one member Service Club. There he encounters club founder Yukino Yukinoshita, a smart, attractive, walking superiority complex who looks down on the entire student body.

These two negative personalities are quick to attract Yui Yuigahama, who’s cute, bright, cheerful, and needs the Service Club’s help to… bake cookies as she should not be allowed in a kitchen by herself. Is this a recipe for romance or the precursor for a nuclear meltdown? Will there be cookies or a reason for everyone to play hooky? Get ready for rom-com gone totally wrong as the three members of the Service Club is unleashed on the unsuspecting student body!

Commentary:

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection is the opposite of a rom-com but at the same time it is one as well it just depends on the episode. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection gives you a fresh and exciting spin on anime stereotypes that will leave you bawling in laughter. The storyline is mostly episodic and character-driven. The last few episodes flow together but the rest of the episodes do not need to be watched in order after the first episode.

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection really gets its characters and empathizes with them, but it does not make excuses for them. The characters are wonderful and well thought-out. Hachiman Hikigaya, or Hiki, is your cynical and somewhat pessimistic lead male character and his dissections of everyday occurrences and his appreciation for the little things in life bring hilarity to the story. The way he thinks and acts changes drastically throughout the course of the show as he meets new people and learns more about how to be a friend. Yukino Yukinoshita is the incredibly cunning and calculative tsundere of the series. She and Hiki are in the same boat when referring to lack of friends because she lacks them due to her perceived perfection and elitist attitude; while Hiki lacks them for his mistrust of others and cynical behavior. It was amazing to watch them grow on each other in a way that is not very predictable, but extremely well done. Yiu Yiugahama is the air-headed and inexplicable nice member of the group and serves as the glue that sticks them together with her much needed comical outbreaks and genuine emotions.

The animators brought these characters to life and it was amazing to watch. The character designs were bright and the facial expressions added the realism to the series. The opening and closing songs were fun to listen to and were easy to sing-along with. The voice actors did a great job and helped bring the characters to life before your eyes.

Extras:

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection includes 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+

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU: The Complete Collection has made it onto my list of favorite series and I found it quite enjoyable. It is a refreshing and interesting take on the rom-com genre. I hope that there is a second season released soon so the story can be wrapped up.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : August 17, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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Love-Chunibyo-Heart-Throbreview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb The Complete Collection

Director: Tatsuya Ishihara

Studio: Kyoto Animation

Author: Jukki Hanada

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: August 25, 2015

Format and Length: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!

Synopsis:

Yuta Togashi thought he had problems dealing with one delusional girlfriend in the person of Rikka Takanashi, but now things are about to go totally insane as his former “one true soul mate” from when he was a chuni himself returns with a vengeance! How bad could Satone Shichimiya’s re-entry into Yuta’s chuni-verse likely to be? Let’s just say that she’s so epically off the deep end of the chuni-scale that she prefers to use the name Sophia Ring SP Saturn VII and that she’ll joyfully tear Yuta’s real world to pieces in order to get him back in her imaginary one!

Some girls just want to have fun and some want to break down the walls between their boyfriends and themselves. But when a girl’s idea of fun is breaking down the wall between their presumed boyfriend and reality, retreating into a fantasy world might just be Yuta’s best option. Especially since Satone knows where ALL the skeletons from his past are buried. Toss Rikka’s equally delusional friend Sanae into the mix and girl-crazy begins to take on a whole new meaning!

Commentary:

I really liked the first season and I was quite happy when Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb was released but now I wish I would not have been so excited because I believe I had too high expectations for this season. The storyline was not as deep nor complex as Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions but it was still cute and funny. I really wish they would have progressed the romance between Yuta and Rikka in Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb as I was looking forward to it after watching the first season. But instead, Yuta and Rikka are awkward and shy around each other even though they have been “dating” for six months. This is a slice-of-life series that is mainly episodic but some episodes to flow into the next one.

There was also a new character introduced, Satone Shichimiya. She is a childhood friend of Yuta and she takes chunibyo to a whole new level. She adds a large amount of drama between Yuta and Rikka that really was not necessary. Plus, she is kinda in love with Rikka and that makes Rikka jealous. But I think that would make anyone jealous. I really wish they would have given Nibutani some more attention but instead she was relegated to the background during the important scenes as a sort of cheerleader who pushes Yuta and Rikka forward because they are too childish to take that step themselves.

The animation was pretty and vivid. The colors jumped off the screen and the characters and backgrounds were well drawn. The music was catchy and enjoyable. I found myself humming along after a few episodes. The voice actors did a good job bringing the characters to life and made the series enjoyable.

Extras:

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with both English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options. Both are well done and enjoyable.

Overall Grade: B-

While Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb has some issues, it was still interesting to watch and it had some cute moments. I recommend this series if you have seen the first season and want to see what happens next.

Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : August 15, 2015
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Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete CollectionReview provided by Andrew and Katie

Title: Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection

Director: Keiichirou Kawaguchi

Studio: SynergySP

Author: Kenjiro Hata

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23 Films

U.S. Release Date: August 18, 2015

Format and Length: Blu-ray / 52 Episodes / 1300 Minutes

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Harem, Action, Parody

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: The Familiar of Zero and Student Council’s Discretion

Synopsis:

Could Hayate Ayasaki’s life get any unluckier? Because his unemployed parents are good-for-nothings who waste what money they have on gambling, Hayate had to start working at a young age to help out his family. Although such experience has made him inhumanly fast and tough and skilled at things boys aren’t normally skilled at, it has also left him in an awkward position, as his parents have racked up such a huge gambling debt that they have sold Hayate to the yakuza for the value of his organs. Desperate to pay off the 156,804,000 yen debt before he’s converted into black market organ parts, Hayate strikes on the idea of kidnapping oddball heiress Nagi Sanzenin. Unbelievably, however, even that goes wrong and not only does he end up not kidnapping her, he rescues her from other kidnappers. (Apparently this happens to her all the time.)

But maybe, just maybe, there might be a tiny, dim light at the end of the very dark tunnel of Hayate’s existence, and the skills that Hayate’s had to develop to stay alive will pay off. Because Nagi needs a butler/bodyguard and Hayate could just fit the bill. But he will have to survive the on-the-job training first. Fate can be a harsh mistress, but Hayate may have just signed up with an even harsher one!

Commentary:

Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection is a hilarious rom-com that is full of parodies from well-known shounen series. They also include many parodies Japanese television culture jokes along with references to famous idols and random television shows. Luckily, they give some background information at the top of the screen whenever this happens so you can fully understand the joke. The romance part of the rom-com is pretty one-sided for this season, but I believe it will eventually even out.

With Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection being mainly a comedy series, it does not have a strong storyline. However, the vibrant characters make up for it. Each character has their own interesting personality which gives equal balance between characters. There are a ton of different characters in this series, almost too many and they do not have much development happen. I almost wish they would have made fewer characters and had more development for them. But, that is why three other seasons have been released. Nagi has to be my most favorite and lease favorite character of the series. She is the tsundere character of the series and basically acts like a spoiled brat to get whatever she wants. However, she is adorable when thinking about Hayate. Nagi is also your basic shut-in teenager who would rather read manga, watch anime, and play games than go to school. Luckily for her, she is really smart so that does not affect her grades.

The animation was pretty and the colors were very vivid. The voice actors did a great job and you will probably recognize many of them from other series. There was not a lot of fan-service and when it appeared, it was well done and tasteful.

Extras:

Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection includes 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-

Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection is quite a long series, but the comedy makes it very easy to watch. Parts of it reminded me of Excel Saga and that made me laugh for a long time. If you enjoy comedies with a little bit of romance added in then I recommend Hayate the Combat Butler: Season One Complete Collection.

Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 27, 2015
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Is-the-Order-a-Rabbit

review provided by Andrew & Katie

Title: Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection

Director: Hiroyuki Hashimoto

Studio: White Fox

Author: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: July 14, 2015

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

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 13 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Kiniro Mosaic, K-On!, Place to Place, and Non Non Biyori

There is something bunny going on at The Rabbit House…

Synopsis:

Moving to a new town to start high school can be intimidating. That is especially true for Cocoa, who cannot find the place she is supposed to stay at when she arrives in town. So she decides to stop at a café to ask for directions, however they are not needed as she is at the correct spot. The Rabbit House is both a restaurant/café and a boarding house, and Cocoa will be working there along with the owner’s granddaughter, Chino, and the strangely military-obsessed Rize. It is a great place to work, business is hopping, and Cocoa fits right in with her new coworkers, as well as the girls from two other rival cafes.

Still, there is something that is just a little odd about the Rabbit House. Rize usually carries a gun and a knife hidden on her and there is also the mystery involving the shop’s pet rabbit, Tippy, to just name a few oddities.

Commentary:

Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection is simply a light-hearted story of a group of girls living their daily lives and joking around along the way. This series truly belongs in the slice-of-life genre as each episode stands alone and is usually about a day or two in their lives. The comedy is spot on and the voice actors did a wonderful job delivering the one-liners.

The characters really made this series standout because they were so cute that you could not help but fawn and giggle over them. The characters consist of Cocoa, the ditzy protagonist found in almost every slice-of-life series; Chino, an adorable and quiet girl that will melt your heart on more than a few occasions; Sharo, the timid worker of the rival café who also wears a maid uniform on occasion; Chiya, the sole source of reason throughout the story; and Rize, the most interesting girl this world has ever known. There is a bit of character development but not too much as Is the Order a Rabbit? is a slice-of-life series. The characters were drawn to look very similar; however each one still had her own distinct taste, personality, and interaction.

The animation was nothing special but it was well done. The music was beautiful and I really enjoyed it. I really believe that children would love this series if it was dubbed because it is so episodic that they could watch an episode whenever they wanted to and still understand they story. Plus there is not too much fan-service and what there is seems forced at times.

Extras:

Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection was released with Japanese with English subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: B

I would love to see this series dubbed as it is a wonderful anime for kids to watch and I believe they are missing the targeted audience by only having it subbed at the current time. Is the Order a Rabbit? : The Complete Collection is an enjoyable slice-of-life anime that will brighten up your day.

Haikyu!! Collection 2

Posted by :Patches On : July 18, 2015
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Haikyu!!-Collection-2Title: Haikyu!! collection 2

Director: Susumu Mitsunaka

Studio: Production I.G.

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Aug. 8th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 espisodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Sports, Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, High School

Age Rating: TV 14 (really it should be PG)

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

In the wake of the blistering practice match against the Nekoma High School team, the Karasuno High School volleyball squad digs in and vows to bring their game up another level. Prior to the arrival of the new freshmen, the general belief was that Karasuno’s day in the sun was over, but while the ongoing rivalry between Hinata and Kageyama has inspired everyone to push themselves even further, there’s still a lot of friction that’s ultimately slowing down their game.

It’s not until the announcement of the brackets for the Inter-School tourney are announced that the reality of what they are attempting to do finally takes hold. As talented as each of the team members may be individually, they have no chance of winning unless they can finally come together as a seamless unit. Can Hinata and Kageyama put their battle for dominance on hold long enough to take on the overwhelming brilliance of the Aoba Johsai squad?

Commentary:

Sports anime tend to make everything seem really hard and then pull out the magic at the end to prove everyone is a super hero. Haikyu!! takes a little different approach and just makes these wannabe champs and makes them something much more believable. They just become flawed heroes who try their best and long to stay on the court.

This passion to win is what makes the series worth while. Not all of the team members are superstars and those with natural abilities have issues. They learn the importance of trust and believing in themselves and come to understand what it means to be a part of something that on the surface may be meaningless to most, but ends up being important to them just because of each other.

Overall Grade: A-

Most anime fans don’t really line up for sports anime and to be honest Haikyu!! is a true sports anime. The thing that sets it apart is the fact that these players have are human and it is very easy to identify with because they are rather typical students who know they have to try harder to be better.

The series is full of feel good moments with an ending that speaks to more of us than those who are the superstars in life. The writing gets a tad preaching from time to time and maybe that is just the way it should be. I just think that some of the growth they have is a bit melodramtic with overall the development of the main characters is worth watching and rooting for.

Haikyu!! is a wonderful series that is a true feel-good story that takes on a hopeful ride and reminds us that even great stories don’t always end the way we might want them to.

Inari, KonKon Iroha (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 11, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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Inari-Kon-Kon-Complete-SeriesTitle: Inari, KonKon Iroha complete series 

Director: Toru Takahashi

Creator: Morohe Yoshida

Anime Writer: Toru Takahashi

Studio: Production IMS

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

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

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 10 episodes + 1 OVA / 250 Minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life

Age Rating: TV PG

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Inari is a sweet and shy middle school girl with a HUGE crush on Tanbabashi, one of the cutest guys in her grade. But she’s not smooth enough to tell him how she feels, and every time she tries things just keep getting worse! That is, until one day she saves an injured fox struggling on a riverbank. To Inari’s surprise, the fox turns out to be the familiar of Uka, a beautiful goddess. As thanks, Uka grants Inari the power to shape-shift, and Inari uses her newfound powers to attempt to win over Tanbabashi. Unfortunately, love isn’t as simple as changing forms, and to make matters worse, the spirit world is none too pleased about Inari’s divine powers!

With memorable characters and beautiful scenery, Inari Kon Kon is the perfect blend of comedy, romance, and divine magic!

Commentary:

The Japanese love of their mystical gods is something that we in the west have a hard time understanding especially when the god is a Fox spirit that’s watches over us and listens to our petty wishes. Of course there is the off chance that they will grant that wish or somehow enlighten us , but most of the time is it a very benign relationship.

This concept always gives me a sense that there is much of our existence that I just don’t understand, but would love to experience in the same way that those other cultures do.  Irani KonKon takes this complex ideal and makes is a simple and enjoyable story. There are plenty of examples of this archetype and some of them are great and some aren’t, but Inari, KonKon appeals to a younger audience and does a wonderful job of telling the story without making it to confusing or tossing a twist out at the end.

Overall Grade: A-

Because of the straight forward story line and  wonderfully warn nature I see Inari, KonKon Iroha as a great family series that all ages can enjoy. I also see it as something that a a younger set between 10 & 15 would find it as something they could relate to. The only setback is that fact that many potential fans will not take the time to watch it because it is only subtitled and not given an English dub. I also found myself really wanting to go and see this large shrine and experience the richness of the culture.

Inari, KonKon Iroha is a plus in my book and if you are looking for an easy series to watch that will leave you smiling then you should pick this one up.

No Game No Life (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : July 4, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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No-Game-No-LifeTitle: No Game No Life Complete Collection on Blu-ray

Director: Atsuko Ishizuka

Writer: Jukki Hanada

Studio: Madhouse

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: July 28th. 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 300 minutes/ 12 Episodes

Genre: Gaming, Harem, Comedy, Drama

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

On the internet, they’re legends: the tag-team duo known as BLANK, famed for their incredible game-playing skills. In the real world, however, the lives of 18 year old Sora and his 11 year old stepsister Shiro have been spiraling out of control. Now existing as shut-ins, they rarely leave their house and are unable to be separated without suffering panic attacks. Games, for them, are the safest retreat from reality. Until they win a chess match against a mysterious opponent known as Tet and find themselves pulled into a game bigger than any they could have ever imagined.

Now, in a world where the outcome of games determines the fates of both civilizations and species, they must defend Humanity in the ultimate challenge, vying against a host of otherworldly competitors for the right to rule them all! But if they fail, it means slavery or destruction for all mankind. No pressure, of course! Can two misfits who can barely handle their own lives somehow rise to the occasion and save the human race?

Commentary:

Oh no not another stuck in the game anime! Yep, that’s right it’s a mother story where the main characters get stuck in a game world. Can you say .hack, Sword Art Online and Log Horizon just to name a few already showing the way? I was already regretting watching No Game No Life before I hit play and the first episode left me feeling like I was right. I started off so self assured and pretentious that I really didn’t want to keep going. Well, to say the least I managed to stomach a few more episodes and found that my disillusionment was all mistaken. The series managed to do something I would have never expected, it ended up being good.

No Game No Life takes the stuck in the game concept and adds onto the smart player roll developed in Log Horizon and thorns it on its ear with Sora and Shiro. They seem to understand the game better than anyone else and things unfold in unexpected ways. This plot device helps save the show and take it to a level that both entertains and gives rise to questions about the series itself. I’m not trying to say that they intentionally write in gaps of understanding, but because of the way the series progresses it becomes clear that there were simple basics overlooked to make it all work.

Overall Grade: B-

No Game No Life is an interesting series that takes the genre to another level. It is just too bad that there are so many aspects of the series that slow it down or just derail it from time to time. The fact that the concepts are so strong should have lent it to not having to rely on fan service or moe, but these elements tend to stay rather close to the core of the series. There is also the artistic palate that disrupts the flow and visual aesthetics of the series. I found the overwhelming amount of blue and pink to be oppressive and distracting. In the first few episodes I found myself wanting to walk away because of the visual and conceptual aspects of the series. I have to say that the writing saved it from a rather gruesome death.

There is plenty to dislike about this little series, but in the end I found a fondness for it that I can only call baffling at best. For all you gamers out there who need some sex-appeal in your life then you just might find this series worth the time to watch 12 episodes. For all you fan service / moe fans you should be sold by the cover and I doubt if you will be disappointed. So, check it out and if you are not sure about the series you should wait until the 4 or 5th episode before you turn if off. I have a feeling that you will end up sticking around to find out how it ends. I know I am still wondering that myself.