“Dreaming Of The Stars” – Gunbuster (anime) – 9/10 Snowballs

No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no one will ever look at the earth in the same way. Man had to free himself from earth to perceive both its diminutive place in a solar system and its inestimable value as a life -fostering planet. As earthmen, we may have taken another step into adulthood. We can see our planet earth with detachment, with tenderness, with some shame and pity, but at last also with love. ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Genre: Sci-fi/Action/Mecha/Shounen

Review Status: Complete (6 Episodes/6 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US.

Art/Animation: Both are excellent. The animation has stood up to the test of time, and this title was the pioneer in many animation techniques that are still widely-used today. The art, while slightly dated and showing its age in terms of clothing design and the technology on earth, is still very good. A lot of fuss will be made that during the last episode, it was done almost entirely in black and white because the budget had been used up. Even without color, the animation and art is just as good as the rest of the series, and I felt that it was used to good, dramatic effect, since it made everything feel off and made me anticipate the final battle even more.

Dub Vs. Sub: I only watched the dub, but couldn’t find any issues with it. All the characters and their voices fit terrifically.

Summary: In the very near future, a race of huge, insect like aliens is discovered traveling the galaxy. These aliens seem dedicated to the eradication of the human species as it takes its first steps away from the solar system, and they are getting closer and closer to Earth. Humanity has responded by developing spacegoing battleships and giant fighting robots. These robots are piloted by the best and brightest of Earth`s youth, picked from training schools around the world.

The story begins in the year 2023, not long after the first battles with the aliens, and centers on young Noriko Takaya. Although Noriko`s father was a famous Captain in the space fleet who was killed during one of the first battles of the war, her own talents as a pilot are questionable. Nonetheless, she has entered a training school. Through the series Noriko, joined by the beautiful and talented Kazumi Amano, will fight to overcome the trauma of war, the doubts of her peers, and her own lack of confidence. (AniDB)

Review: This is a landmark title for all the right reasons. This is a compelling story of a girl who needs to fight her own weaknesses in order to go into the military, like her father did, and by doing so discovers her own inner strength and determination. While this does have some of the anime clichés, such as calling out attack names, hidden ‘inner abilities’ that are only apparent to a mentor, etc, this still manages to use them in a way that really doesn’t detract from the story. It’s also one of the few anime to keep the realities of science in mind, using theories and facts that are still well-known and believed today in order to move the story in interesting directions.

Noriko is an oddity- a female lead in a shounen anime. She seems to be a more fleshed-out character for it, with an inner strength that you would normally find in shounen stories, while the writers also have her navigating the issues that come with being a girl. They manage to do this remarkably well! There was a scene in the baths where the girls were sitting around and talking, and it sounded just like other conversations my friends and I have had. I was both startled and pleased by how real it sounded- something that is usually lacking in this sort of thing. Her friends are as well-rounded and interesting as Noriko is, with ambitions and fears of their own. While their growth is shown in moderate doses, and not in the same amount or depth as Noriko’s, it really shows the passage of time and makes them characters you can sympathize with.

These great characters are given an equally great plot. Not much is known about the alien invaders, and various troops are being gathered around the world, undergoing specialized training and only the best of the best being taken into space. More about them is revealed as the story goes on, as various encounters and clues appear. Alongside this, there is the struggle Noriko has, trying to consolidate the feelings about her father with what’s happening now, and gathering the courage to fight like she needs to. While the death that sends her into a downward spiral feels like a contrived plot device, her emotional downfall and climb back out of it feel real and had me rooting for Noriko the whole time.

Set to a soundtrack that sounded a little like a Star Wars rip-off, the battles and choices Noriko makes are touching, moving, and exciting through and through. Once small measures are no longer enough against the enemy, she makes a decision that is bittersweet for everyone involved- her companions, her peers, her friends on earth. I couldn’t help but tear up slightly at the sacrifice that was made and the implications of the ending. It still managed to be hopeful, and that was the best part.

Overall, this is a classic and something every sci-fi fan should see.

Recommended: 16+. There’s pretty much no language, violence is kept to explosions and offscreen death. What will concern people is how much boobage is shown. This brought about mixed feelings, since actually showing breasts can be considered fanservice, but the scenes where it happened didn’t feel exploitive or dirty at all- they were scenes that for the most part happen in real life. The bathing scene, for instance, brought about memories of the high school locker room, changing during slumber parties, and discussions that my friends and I have had about our own bodies. Which is a good thing, since those scenes were never meant to be fanservice anyway.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Diebuster (anime-sequel to Gunbuster)
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (anime)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime)
Heroic Age (anime)

“Over 9000” – Excel Saga – 4/10 Pumpkin Pies

Humor is a reminder that no matter how high the throne one sits on, one sits on one's bottom. ~Taki

Genre: Action/Comedy/Sci-Fi/Parody

Review Status: Incomplete (3 Episodes/26 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Pretty good, still looks nice for when it was made.

Dub Vs. Sub: I only listened to the dub. I found Excel’s voice to be loud, annoying, and screechy 90% of the time. The rest of the V.A.s were pretty good and fit into their roles well.

Summary: Hyperactive Excel does anything and everything to try to please her lord, Ilpalazzo, who wants to take over the planet. Excel's misadventures take her and her partner, the ever-dying Hyatt, all over the world, meeting several strange people as they go. Everything is bizarre and goofy, as any kind of anime or entertainment genre gets mocked and spoofed. (ANN)

Review: Humor is a very subjective thing, so I really hope I’m not going to get hate mail over this. Excel Saga is a mile-a-minute joke, parody, and tale of a woman who merely wants to please her master in taking over the world. With all that coming at you every moment of the runtime, this will either overload you with laughter or give you a headache.

Unfortunately, for me, it’s the later. I did find some things funny (those darn aliens! And the whole creator-death thing), but overall I found this to be strange, obnoxious, and irritating. The one thing that brought this up a notch was one, single character- the dog. I found Menchi to be cute, tragically funny, and the ending’s parody of Animal Crossing (K.K. Slider, anyone?) really got me going! I could have watched that dog all day long. Alas, this had to focus on somebody I didn’t find at all amusing.

Overall, while this has its moments, I would avoid it hard.

Recommended: 18+. This has some suggestive scenes and dark comedy, along with a little language and violence (mostly offscreen, but Excel’s partner has “OMG They Killed Kenny!” syndrome, though not on an episode-long basis).

Other titles you might enjoy:
Arakawa Under the Bridge (anime and manga)
Saint Young Men (manga)
Slayers (anime)

“May God Protect You” – Kamichama Karin (manga) – 7/10 Pumpkin Pies

The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too. ~Teresa of Avila

Mangaka: Koge-Donbo

Genre: Action/Comedy/Romance/Supernatural/Mahou Shoujo/Shoujo

Review Status: Complete (7 Volumes/7 Volumes)

Licensed: No. It was formerly licensed by Tokyopop.

Art: This has a very distinct chibi-like style for everyone. They’re all amazingly adorable. It’s also great that all the characters are very distinct. It’s very shoujo with almost no backgrounds and lots of toning in the backgrounds.

Summary: Karin is an average girl… at best. She’s not good at sports and gets terrible grades. On top of all that, her parents are dead and her beloved cat Shi-chan just died, too. She is miserable… but everything is about to change. Little does Karin know that her mother’s ring has the power to make her a goddess! (back cover of 1st volume)

Review: Meet Karin, your typical shoujo protagonist. She’s clumsy, she’s rather dumb, and she discovers that she has powers that she never dreamed of. Then things get good. The group of friends she falls in with- and ends up living with and fighting against- are unique in their humor and personalities, from the somewhat sexist, afraid-of-bugs buy Kazune, to the sweet bug-loving Himeka, and the not-really-evil Kirika. The way they interact and the hijinks they get into feel fresh and interesting, so different from the humor you usually find in these series.

Of course, life is not all roses and one-liners. Karin and her friends are fighting against a group that wants nothing more than to destroy them and get at Himeka. Their powers are that of the Greek Gods, borrowed from the Divine so that they can protect those that they love. The fights are simple and don’t last long, though the effects linger into their normal lives. Things ramp up around volume 5, where the stakes are raised and secrets are revealed.

This would have been a fine series if it had followed their daily lives and the occasional fights, because those moments are always hilarious. There are an incredible number of lines that set me off laughing out loud, and situations that were just as funny. They made the series shine. It was when everything tried to tie up that it started to fall apart into some poorly-done clichés and other things that didn’t seem to fit. Characters were forgotten about, plot threads were left dangling, and the status quo was maintained for characters and romances.

The first half of the series was definitely worth reading. It’s one of the best Mahou Shoujo series I’ve read and seen in that regard, and I could not be more thrilled with it. The second half... not so much. Definitely read it if you’re a completist, otherwise just drop it.

Overall, this is a hilarious, adorable series that deserved a better ending than it got.

Recommended: 8+. There’s no language, the humor is spot-on and clean, there’s no fanservice (though at one point, Karin accidentally ends up in the guy’s bath- towels are on!), and there is some suggestive humor in one of the extra stories. Comedic violence, nothing you wouldn’t see in a Looney Tunes cartoon or in a Disney movie.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Sailor Moon (anime and manga)
Pita-Ten (anime and manga)
Card Captor Sakura (anime)
Shugo Chara (anime and manga)

“Is There A Doctor In The House?” – Black Jack (manga) – 9/10 Pumpkin Pies

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. ~Maria Robinson

Mangaka: Osamu Tezuka

Genre: Action/Drama/Medical/Shounen

Review Status: Incomplete (9 Volumes/17 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US.

Art: This is Tezuka- very cartoonish, with round faces and exaggerated expressions. He will throw in visual gags with the panels or in faces, or even in background items. It’s easy to read and follow. The actual medical art is fairly detailed and anatomically accurate.

Summary: Black Jack is an "unregistered" doctor with a clouded, mysterious past. He works with his little assistant Pinoko (who has a massive crush on the doctor), dealing with medical cases not very well known, which can be strange, dangerous, or not known at all. But he is a genius, and can save almost any of his patients' lives (as long as they have the money for it, that is), and is known to many around the world, especially to those of medicine and science. He's a man of science himself, and does not believe much until he has seen it, yet it is many times he is surprised by love and nature often overpowering the science he bases his life in. (ANN.com)

Review: Black Jack- a man both sunned and reviled for his apparent unrivaled greed and lack of a license, yet admired for his God-like prowess with surgical tools, saving lives like nobody’s business, holding to a moral compass that’s nigh inscrutable and dealing out justice where he deems fit. He is part cowboy and vigilante in his dealings. Yet even with his skills, he cannot save everyone, either because it simply is their time or his patients have no desire to keep going, or even unfortunate accidents that prevent his cases from surviving. Each loss hurts him deeply, and fuels his need to be the best and keep working and to keep people alive.

This manga is more of an anthology of Black Jack’s cases. There is no particular running storyline, with Pinoko, the young teratoma-cum-girl the only thing that gives it any sense of time. Each volume seems to have a theme to it, one containing stories that mostly deal with how Black Jack is shunned by society, another that has various stories dealing with the will to live, and the thematic elements give it something interesting since Tezuka manages to deal with them in so many different ways.

Not only are the stories wonderfully created, with Tezuka dealing with morality and even the occasional theological question in captivating stories, but the characters manage to pull it off well. I admit to having no fondness for Pinoko, the often-annoying comedic relief, but Black Jack himself a man with many sides to him. His greed is tempered by his kindness, often receiving his ‘payment’ in forms that allow his poorer patients to breathe a sigh of relief. Those who are corrupt or evil will often find themselves at the mercy of some trickery or deception that leaves them in unfortunate predicaments.

Even when the stories focus on those he treats, there is often something compelling to their stories and their desperation. It’s easy to see why they are acting the way they do, and how Black Jack comes off to them- why he has the heartless reputation he does.

The only thing that irks me the slightest bit is how Black Jack is supposedly an unknown doctor except to the richest and most desperate. In virtually every story, though, somebody knows who he is, which flies in the face of that.

Overall, this is a fascinating medical drama that manages to show all the nuances of life, even in the face of death.

Recommended: 13+. There’s about one d-word per volume, and in the nine volumes I read, only three instances of any other language. No f-bombs. Patients do die, from old men to children. This deals with death in all its forms, from execution to suicide to congenital defects and diseases. The manga also holds a lot of medical information and procedures. Surgery of all sorts is performed, but is no more gruesome than a medical textbook. There is violence occasionally, with people being shot, crushed underneath beams, bitten by animals… if it can hurt you, it will appear in here.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Ode to Kirihito (manga)
Team Medical Dragon (manga)
Monster (anime and manga)

“In A Kingdom Far Away” – Twelve Kingdoms (anime) – 9/10 Pumpkin Pies

I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be. ~Douglas Adams

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Review Status: Complete (45 Episodes/45 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US.

Art/Animation: The art seems a little dated, but considering the setting and the story it tells, fits really well. This isn’t a happy-go-lucky series, so the more mature character designs are very appreciated, with an incredible amount of unique and recognizable people that emphasize how expansive the world and the story is. The budget for the animation was a little lacking, and it does show in a few scenes, but overall is perfectly fine for the year it aired. The colors are a normal color palate and very vibrant, which helps bring this series to life.

Dub Vs. Sub: The dub starts out really weak, with some of the main’s voices sounding stilted and awkward, or just not fitting the character. I’m not sure Yoko’s ever really fits. I did not listen to the sub.

Summary: Nakajima Yoko is your average somewhat timid high school student. One day, a strange man named Keiki appears before her, swearing allegiance. Before she could properly register what was happening, demon-like creatures attack Yoko and her friends, after which they are pulled into a different world. A world unlike what she has ever known. Separated from Keiki, Yoko and her friends must do whatever they can if they wish to survive in this new world. (MAL.net)

Review: To be honest, the synopsis sounds like a really bad fanfiction. This might be why a lot of people would approach this with trepidation- who wants a bad fanfiction with Mary-Sues and over the top romances? Thankfully, this is nothing like what it sounds like. This is about a girl finding herself and coming to terms with her destiny… both the good and the bad.

This presents great takes on fantasy tropes. Yoko understands the language of the nation, but her friends do not. Her fate, which is thrust upon her, is constantly questioned by herself and others. She isn’t perfect, coming to terms with very real inner struggles and striving to be a better person… whoever that person may be. All the characters that are brought to the forefront of the storyline are fully realized people with desires, flaws, issues, and make this a story that is as much about the people as it is about the rulers and the events that happen within the kingdom.

This is a very deliberately paced. There will be bursts of action and flurries of exposition, each with its purpose in moving the story forward. Statecraft is taken into account, teaching both Yoko and the viewers about the nation and its customs as well as providing insight into what is happening and why. The stories of the nations are entwined, as much as politics in real life are. That doesn’t mean this is a snoozefest- there’s double-dealing, shifting alliances, rebellion and war that make up the meat of the story and provide fascinating stories.

It also deals with themes of racism, isolation, abandonment and betrayal, which are told in arcs that again manage to provide a look at the world Yoko has been brought into. I love that this doesn’t focus on one place or time. People and events from all places manage to be the foundations of this anime, some mentioned only briefly or seen in a moment’s scene, but brought back later so that the stories entwine and bring about a full picture of what’s happening. The world-building is superb, and I could get lost in this land of magic time and again.

My only issue was with the last five episodes. Those seemed to drag more than the others- while the story was quite good, it could have been told in fewer episodes, and the moral was a little more heavy-handed than usual. I still enjoyed the show on the whole, though.

Overall, this is a fantastic and vastly under-appreciated fantasy series.
Recommended: 14+. There is some death, most of it discreet or very brief. Very little language- I actually cannot remember any. The two girls are almost sold to a brothel. No nudity, no sexual situations.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Seirei no Moribito (anime)
Twelve Kingdoms (light novels)
Fushigi Yuugi: The Mysterious Play
Escaflowne (tv series, not movie)
The Story of Saiunkoku (anime)
Magic Knight Rayearth (anime and manga)

“The Taste Of A Soul” – Soul Eater (anime) – 9/10 Pumpkin Pies

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~Winston Churchill

Genre: Action/Comedy/Fantasy/Supernatural/Shounen

Review Status: Compelete (51 Episodes/51 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: This looks fantastic in all regards. The animation is beyond fluid, the character designs are great and easily recognized, and the colors are deep and vibrant, and often in the darker color palate which matches the mood and the world fabulously.

Dub Vs. Sub: The dub is fabulous. I love everyone in their roles, except I’m less fond of Soul’s VA. It’s a little too deep for his supposed age. I actually prefer the dub over the sub, because I feel the humor of several voices (most notable, Death’s) comes off better to American audiences… or to anyone who has English as their native language. I do prefer some voices in sub, such as Death The Kid’s, but the dub overall has won my heart.

Summary: Maka is a Meister and Soul is her Weapon. As students at the Grim Reaper’s Death Weapon Meister Academy, their study habits couldn’t be more different. But in battle against the supernatural forces of evil, they’re a freakin’ lethal team.
That’s when Soul transforms – literally – into a razor-sharp scythe, and every defeated wicked soul he sucks down makes him more deadly. That’s when Maka unleashes the merciless slayer within, wielding her partner and dropping monsters. Seriously. Monsters. Like the witches, werewolves, and zombies that lurk in the shadows and feed on the souls of the innocent. Every freakish ghoul Maka and Soul take out strengthens their bond, and fighting alongside their fellow Meister/Weapon classmates, Maka and Soul are the world’s last line of defense against evil.

Review: This is one of the top shounen anime for a reason. This has pretty much everything you could ask for- awesome opening and ending themes (my favorites have to be the first and last opening themes), great characters that don’t fall into stereotypes- the lead being a female, for once!- that have some of the more memorable traits that I’ve come across in characters, fantastic battle scenes… I cannot help but sing praise to this show. This avoids the pitfalls that would take so many other shows down.

The world itself will catch the attention of most viewers. From the people that have the ability to become meisters and weapons and witches, to the ever-expressive sun and bleeding-grin moon, the world is a treat to become engaged in. This doesn’t focus on the world all that much, though- it’s about the people in it.

This is where the show shines. The characters are fully-realized, with pasts and goals, people that you can easily get behind. You will recognize some stereotypes turned on their head, like BlackStar who is THE shounen protagonist, made a side character and not the one that eventually defeats the Big Bad. Maka, one of our mains, is the Chick. She would hit you for saying so, and it would leave a mark- there is nothing useless or weak about her. Her constant struggle with what it means to be a Meister drives much of the show, and the relationship between her and Soul is one of the best partnerships/friendships that can be seen in the medium.

This chooses to focus on a few of the students and teachers, but has tantalizing glimpses of the sheer amount of different weapons and abilities that are out there. The way these grow and change in the circumstances they are put under is astonishing. Chrona is the star of this, put into one of the most difficult positions possible. His mother, or his friends? Can he overcome his abuse and reach for a new future?

The opponents and situations are genuinely interesting, to boot. While Medusa’s schemes for why she wants the Big Bad out is still somewhat obscure, though her sister’s motivations seem to be pure insanity. The Big Bad himself is quite a character, and I highly enjoyed seeing how insane he could be. It seemed reminiscent of Johan, one of the best psychopaths that I have ever seen in any anime or manga, and that really excited me. While this is a typical save-the-world storyline, I still felt it was pulled off with enough panache and characterization that it is one of the most interesting shounen I have seen.

Something that does bother people that is worth a mention because it bothered me, too, is that one of the characters is ‘brought back’ in a way that seems fairly disproportionate to the terrible things that were going on. In short, it was far too easy. The ending also doesn’t live up to people’s expectations. I have to say that I’m not sure whether I liked it or not. It was somewhat typical but I felt that perhaps it had more to it than what other shounen do with similar moves. The jury is out, probably always will be on it, but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the rest of the series.

Overall, this was totally worth my time. Yes, even with that ending.

Recommended: 16+. This has Barbie-doll fanservice quite often in the first 6 or so eps, but cools down to nothing after that. There’s a good amount of blood, a fair amount for purely comical reasons. A few instances of the d-word, and one of the a-word, said very deliberately at a pretty appropriate time.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Shaman King (anime or manga)
Ao no Excorcist (anime or manga)
Pandora Hearts (manga)
Claymore (anime or manga)
Occult Academy (anime)

“Frozen In Time” – Frozen Essence (VN) – 8/10 Black Cats

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates. ~Thomas Szasz

Genre: Mystery/Romance/Fantasy/Action/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete

Licensed: It’s licensed and free for download at http://games.renpy.org/

Art/Animation: Not too shabby! The art is clean, vibrant, and nice to look at. There’s a large variety of character designs and nice backgrounds. It’s not as professional-looking as it could be, but there’s very little to complain about. This being a VN, there’s really no animation to speak of, but the transitions are very nice. My only issue was with the ‘slap’ effect- it was far too often and in some inappropriate places for the story. I was quite annoyed by it by the end.

Voice Acting: There are no voices in this, just the dialogue and background music.

Summary: You play a girl that has been trapped for 1000 years, but is suddenly released from her prison of ice. When she wakes, she has no memory of what happened or who she is. With three guardians and an oracle that make it their business to protect her, she tries to discover who she is and what happened so long ago…

Review: This is a full-on VN, with many endings and an interesting storyline. The thing is that when you have more than one path to follow, you not only need to make the beginning interesting (and it is), you need to make each and every potential path have something to draw you in. This VN has them. With 14 different endings, you need them! There are so many choices that affect what is going to happen to you. There are certain things you need to do to get certain paths, and the variety of choices and events that happen based on them and when you choose them is astonishing!

Each path involves you getting close to another character. Each path has unique things revealed about the story, and you will learn about the pasts of those around you as you get their paths. Getting the paths in the first place can be an… interesting experience. Some are far easier than others. Some require some smart thinking for your choices. Sometimes it’s impossible to tell which path your choice will lead to. But regardless of the path you choose, you will discover more about the circumstances surrounding your identity.

Each person you choose for your path is well-developed. Some are great guys. Some… not so much. You can’t tell who is and isn’t until you’ve pursued their paths. It fleshes them out in terrific ways, and they’re all quite different and unique to each other. Their paths are as varied as the characters. Some of the good ends are downright gloomy, while the bad ends can get dark. There are some good ends that I wasn’t entirely fond of, to be honest, because they seemed as dark as the bad ones in their own way. That’s okay, and the variety of paths means that I am okay with that. There’s always another one to check out.

Overall, despite some of the issues with transitions, and the occasional repetitiveness of gameplay at certain points, this is one of the best free VNs out there- definitely worth playing.

Recommended: 13+. There is some mentions of being grabbed inappropriately and some rude comments, there is also the risk of death/imprisonment/etc for you and for other characters.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (manga)
Hanasakeru Seishounen (anime)
Ouran Host Club (anime and manga)
Fuushigi Yugi (anime and manga)
Ayashi no Ceres (anime and manga)

“The Trials Of War “- Andromeda Stories (manga) – 5/10 Black Cats

On a large enough time line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. ~Chuck Palahniuk

Mangaka:Keiko Takemiya (art), Ryu Mitsuse (story)

Genre: Sci-fi/Action/Drama

Review Status: Complete (3 Volumes/3 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US

Art: The art and character designs are kind of girly (pretty boys and large, sparkly eyes), with lots of sparkles and flowing hair to be found. It’s not bad, though- all the characters are pretty distinct and easy to recognize. And this particular art is pretty distinctive to this mangaka.

Summary: Cosmoralia’s Prince Ithaca is about to wed Princess Lilia of Ayodoya and be crowned Astralta III. The apparently favorable celestial bearings mean he will be no mere monarch but holy king of a new ‘papacy’. Alas, the peaceful inhabitants of Planet Astria have no clue that they’re next in line for invasion by a ruthless machine force- a threat that seems to metaphorize the inherent perils of politics and desire in this multilayered saga. (back cover of V. 1)

Review: An overlooked omen turns out to not be an omen at all- it’s the actual ship of machines that spell doom for the world. Twins are born as the country is slowly taken over, that are separated and one sent away in hopes of keeping a fight over the inheritance of the throne from occurring between them. However, as they grow, darker forces bring them together again.

This has a solid start, building the love between the queen and king of Cosmoralia, and how grave it would be if there were twins vying for the throne. Characters that are important are introduced. The beginning of the end takes root in the kingdom. And one twin is discovered to be the bearer or a mark that could signal the fulfillment of a vague prophecy.

From the second volume onward, things get a little shaky. Some plot threads are forgotten about, such as the mark and prophecy of one of the twins, others are brought in (the computers that can resist the temptations of the program that’s ravaging the planet) which have nothing done with them. The general plot remains solid, with the machines that invaded taking over bit by bit. To put it simply, ‘resistance is futile’. For everything the rebels do, the machines follow close after, destroying quickly and relentlessly. Machines can be made on assembly lines- humans can’t.

All the while, we’re seeing how the people deal with the effects of the extermination and following the stories of those who have been told that they’re destined to save the world and lead the humans to victory. It’s hard not to like them. Affle, who’s had his true identity suppressed for his own safety, is distrustful of others and does not welcome his brother with open arms. Slowly but surely, bonds grow, and it turns to strong feelings. Jimsa is more open to the prospect of a long-lost sibling, and is intrigued by his brother from the beginning. Going out of his way to protect Affle, he’s even willing to sacrifice himself as his feelings of love grow. Both are tossed about by the desires and ambitions of others but manage to take a stand for themselves as doom encroaches on them.

So how to save the world? Well, that would be spoiling it. However, I’m not fond of how the story kind of jumped the shark at the end. It decides to take a route that could have worked in other circumstances, but given the plot threads that were dropped or ignored, feels more like a cop-out. It also doesn’t really make any sense, which is even more of a shame.

Overall, this was an interesting premise but a bit of a letdown in execution.

Recommended: 16+. There is virtually no gore outside of the occasional body and bloodspill. The only thing that might cause some to pause is the implication of sex, a panel glimpse of boobs (important to revealing something plot-wise), and there is incest.

Other titles you might enjoy:
To Terra… (manga and anime)
Bokurano (anime and manga)
Historie (manga)
Cesare (manga)

“Fight On” - Megaman NT Warrior – 7/10 Black Cats

Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee what thou art. ~Miguel de Cervantes

Mangaka: Ryo Takamisaki

Genre: Action/Mecha/Sci-fi/Shounen/Kids

Review Status: Complete (13 Volumes/13 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US

Art: If you’re familiar with the Megaman franchise, then these will look very familiar. If you’re not, then there isn’t a lot that’s going to stand out. I’m vaguely familiar with it, and still managed to mix up characters on occasion.

Summary: The year is 200X and everyone is now connected to the Cyber Network. People carry their own PET (Personal Terminal) and are paired up with an artificial intelligence program called a NetNavi (or NetNavigator). Computers have turned the world into a bright and shiny utopia but there's always trouble in paradise. While the invention of the PET and NetNavis has brought great benefits to the world, computer hacking, virus spreading and other high-tech crimes are becoming a major problem. A sinister organization by the name of World Three has appeared and they've vowed to destroy this technological wonderland. Enter our young hero, Lan Hikari, an intensely curious and cheerful fifth grader. Synchronized with his NetNavigator, MegaMan, he becomes a super-charged dynamo. In and out of the Net, Lan and MegaMan do their best to thwart World Three's never-ending quest to take over the world! (Amazon.com summary)

Review: First off, I want to clarify that the score on top is scoring it as a children’s manga, and how good it is for that age bracket. I would give it a seven because it’s a very typical story, with characters that could be ripped from any storyline from the same age bracket. Lan and Megaman are both upbeat and determined, who fight for their friends and refuse to fight against them. They’re always willing to risk themselves from others. His friends aren’t any better off, nor are his opponents, except for Blaze, who is the sole character that shows actual depth, though it’s not explored since this is an action manga.

The story also doesn’t stand out too much from others like Digimon or the like. He encounters low-level thugs, gets stronger, finds out there’s high-level thugs that he needs to defeat to save the cyberworld, gets stronger and defeats them, and finally saves the world. It would be more effective and moving if there was actual characterization, but for a kid’s story, it’s pretty solid and I can’t make many complaints- except for one.

The major drawback is that this is so shallow that the two girls (Roll and her NaviOp) that get more than one appearance suffer from ‘Daphne syndrome’. They exist only to be saved/protected/be a general burden and distraction. This ends up being both confusing and frustrating when Roll is brought to an ‘ultimate level’ alongside other super-strong Navi’s, must be saved, and then is completely forgotten about plot-wise.

As an adult reading this manga, I have to score it a 5/10, possibly lower. There were some genuinely funny moments, rare as they were, and the story is somewhat solid, but this has flaws out the wazoo. I would never want to live in this world since the security of the network is so poor that in the space of a few days (once a volume for about 5 volumes straight) the appliances in houses explode and start fires. Apparently, the terrorists have nothing better to do than burn down a small city. Fighting online is illegal without a license, but PETs are sold with the ability instead of the stuff to block it that they put in Lan’s PET at one point in the manga. And of course, the ability to synchronize NetNavis with NetOps without any sort of machinery or technological link to facilitate it- which comes off as realistic as me being able to synch with my Pokemon game while holding a Nintendo DS. It just isn’t going to happen.

To top it off was, of course, the ever-present ‘Daphne syndrome’, which was old by the second volume. Please note that none of the major players were female in this story. I found it to be sexist and discriminatory and definitely brought down my rating a notch or two.

Overall, while it’s an okay children’s manga, it has a few too many issues to really be enjoyed by an adult.

Recommended: 5+. This has no language, no fanservice of any kind, cartoon violence (except for one scene where they show the hand of someone who had been crushed). If your kid can handle that, then they're good to go.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Dennou Coil (anime)
½ Prince (manga)
Real Drive (anime)
.hack//Sign (anime)
Digimon Adventure: War Game (anime)
Summer Wars (anime)
Angelic Layer (anime)
Yureka (manga)

“On To Adventure!” – One Piece (manga) – 9/10 Black Cats

A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably. ~William Penn

Mangaka: Eiichiro Oda

Genre: Action/Adventure/Shounen

Review Status: Incomplete (20 Volumes/? Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US

Art: It’s definitely more along the lines of traditional cartoon art than many of its counterparts. However, this allows for far more unique character designs than most manga. If you’ve read or seen Osamu Tezuka, then you’ll have no problem with this series.

Summary: Leffy has always wanted to be a pirate- and when he’s old enough, he takes the first chance he gets! Starting out with a barrel and some luck, his adventures take him to a few places where he gains crewmates and a ship. When he finally reaches the Grand Line, a sea that’s legendary because only the toughest of the pirates can survive on it, he becomes embroiled in the wars between the pirate lords, is chased by the navy, and has to deal with all the crazy things that can happen both on the ocean and the islands!

Review: This is me, writing about a manga that I said I’d never read but got out from the library since they have every volume published to date, and saying that it’s not the disaster I thought it would be. Actually, this is a really good shounen, and there’s a reason it’s one of the top anime and manga. There’s a distinct dearth of good pirate-related anything outside of Pirates of the Carribean, and One Piece manages to be successful where so manga have failed.

Memorable characters are a dime a dozen, from Buggy the Clown to Jango the hypnotist, and Nami the thief to Coby the budding Marine. With their own ambitions and dreams, strange powers, and fun abilities, they all make a mark. The main characters get more development than a number of the sides, but they’re the main characters. Some of the stories are downright tragic, but make the characters stand out with believable motivations and flesh them out into people you can get behind.

The setting is also an incredible test of the imagination. There is nothing too wacky to make an appearance- and seem totally normal in the world that Oda has created! There’s an unending amount of abilities and powers, which makes this fun as you see what is going to come up next. The varied cultures of each of the islands also gives this a lot of variety that you won’t see in a lot of anime or manga.

Does it have some issues? Yes- there was one instance where I could tell a power had been written in since it would have come in handy earlier (thankfully it was an enemy that will never be seen again), but in the grand scheme of it all, it really seems pretty minor- the same issue is avoided hard both before and after that incident. Luffy is a typical happy-go-lucky protagonist, oddly different from his counterparts simply because he wanted to go on an adventure and followed his dreams instead of having a sad or tragic past motivating him. And then there’s the attack names that are called out during battle.

It is a shounen, though, so I can’t say that I’m surprised. And even with those little things, One Piece still manages to be fun and exciting. I can’t wait for the next adventure!

Overall, this is a fun, exciting series that I’m definitely going to be keeping up with.

Recommended: 11+. There’s rarely death, or if there is, it’s implied. There’s violence- kicking, punching, some stabbing occasionally. Nothing terribly gory or violent, but it’s there. Some of it is comedic violence that you’d find on Cartoon Network. Language-wise, ‘crap’ is said quite a number of times. I can’t remember anything else. One time a villain uses his abilities to transform into Nami and opens her shirt to show the boys what’s underneath. He attempts the same tactic a second time but doesn’t get very far. There is no nudity actually on the page. Other than that, there’s nothing that wouldn’t be out of place on the beach or even in some cartoons.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Fairy Tale (anime and manga)
Toriko (anime and manga)
Groove Adventure Rave (manga)
Jing: King of Bandits (manga)

“Seas Of Destruction” – Nausicaä Valley of the of the Wind (anime) - 10/10 Black Cats

Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man's survival. ~Carlos P. Romulo

Genre: Sci-fi/Action

Review Status: Complete (1 Movie/1 Movie)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: It's Ghibli. Soft faces, large eyes, pretty girls and guys with mustaches.

Dub Vs. Sub: Both are wonderful. There might be a wince-worthy moment or two in the dub, when Nausicaa says her own name (and fails to pronounce it correctly), but nothing that should really be a deterrent.

Summary: A thousand years after a global war, a seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of only a few areas still populated. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the valley are engaged in a constant struggle with powerful insects called Ohmu, who guard a poisonous jungle that is spreading across the Earth. Nausicaä and her brave companions, together with the people of the Valley, strive to restore the bond between humanity and the Earth. (back of DVD cover)

Review: Nausicaä is right up there in Ghibli’s darkest films, second only to Grave of the Fireflies. This is a land almost overtaken by desolation- one where breathing the air for too long will send you to an early grave, as is happening with Nausicaä’s father, one where the hardest struggle may not guarantee your survival.

Even in the face of this, Nausicaä remains optimistic- that perhaps she can cure her father’s disease, and that they can live in peace with the creatures of the forest if humans take the time to understand them instead of simply fighting against them. Her fairly peaceful world is shattered when a warship carrying an important prisoner crashes in her valley with a weapon of devastating power left from the war that destroyed the world.

Nausicaä is a powerful work of anti-war, pro-environmentalist themes that never is preachy or condescending or takes it to a level that would make people unconfortable. The story is strong enough that it feels as natural and obvious as anything- and not in a bad way. Even looking back, there are lessons that are true in it. Nausicaä brings the conflict home in her character- in a fit of rage, she ends up killing others, but hates herself for it and vows to never allow it to happen again. She also tries her hardest to protect others from death. Since she understands the motivations behind how the creatures of the forest act (and they are animals, acting on mostly natural instinct), Nausicaa teaches others how to respect them and shares her knowledge- they can live together on each other’s periphery if humans can learn to calm down.

There’s action, adventure, and the plot threads are tied together very nicely. It’s a wonderful film in its own right- no need to actually read the manga it’s based off of. (Side note: The manga and the anime are quite different. The movie is the adaptation of the first volume or so- the manga goes its own route after that).

Overall, this is one of the best of Ghibli’s films, and it shows.

Recommended: Yes! 13+, since the ideas of death are very prevalent. Nausicaä’s father is killed onscreen, a girl dies from injuries, there’s the implication of the Sea of Decay killing the inhabitants of a kingdom. The reminders that this is a deadly world are everywhere. No death is graphic or gory. No language is in the movie. There is a scene where Nausicaä unbuttons a girl’s shirt to see the extent of the injuries- you only see the shirt- the angle lets you see Nausicaä’s face before she buttons it back up.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Real Drive (anime)
+Anima (manga)
Princess Mononoke (anime)
Origin: Spirits of the Past (anime)
Erin (anime)
Earth Maiden Arjuna (anime)

“Trapped In Your Head” – Dragon Head (manga) – 10/10 Black Cats

All that is really necessary for survival of the fittest, it seems, is an interest in life, good, bad or peculiar. ~Grace Paley

Mangaka: Minetaro Mochizuki

Genre: Action/Mystery/Psychological/Drama/Horror

Review Status: Complete (10 Volumes/10 Volumes)

Licensed: No. It was formerly licensed by Tokyopop, but has not been relicensed.

Art: It’s a more realistic style than most, more like Satoshi Kon’s work than Studio Ghibli. In short- they look like people you could meet on the street.

Summary: In the horror of witnessing so many classmates perish before his eyes in a violent train wreck, Teru discovers two survivors in the tunnel: Ako and Nobuo. But salvation from this bloody carnage is far from their grasp. As they try to dig out from the wreck in order to come up with a plan to stay alive, the lack of light and food, combined with the stench of death and decay, will lead one member of the group down a dark and demented path. And with sudden, violent earthquakes shaking the tunnel, escaping to the outside world may lead them to an even greater danger... (Tokyopop)

Review: When a disaster happens, sometimes what matters more is actually surviving instead of finding out what happened. In the aftermath of the crash, that’s the priority of the three survivors. However, trapped in a tunnel for days on end, they aren’t left with much to do except speculate and worry.

The first part of Dragon Head delves into the psychosis that can occur in extreme isolation, when people must face conditions not much different than sensory deprivation. Their fears become paranoia, that perhaps there’s something in the dark, or someone that survived but isn’t showing themselves. A monster eventually takes form in their minds, and between it and sudden changes that could spell their doom if they don’t think on their feet, two escape into a world that’s desperately changed and may never be the same.

Hard philosophical questions are asked, and none of the answers are easy and clear-cut. When is it okay to take a life? At what point do you stop helping others and start looking out for yourself? When do you stop searching for answers and accept the world around you?

The biggest challenge they have to face is the world outside. A disaster of unimaginable proportions has occurred that has flattened towns, raised huge ash clouds, and sunk the coasts into the sea. The disasters they face grow worse as they travel onward towards Tokyo. People have become crazed by the events, creating both allies and enemies to the pair.

When you think things can’t get worse for them, they can. They do. As Ako and Teru continue their journey to Tokyo, they deal with all the things the disaster can throw at them. Earthquakes, food and water shortages, flooding, death, and have to deal with it all when they’re still suffering from the psychological effects of being trapped underground and not knowing what had happened for two weeks. The not knowing becomes their drive- they need to know what happened to their families and what’s happening to Japan and gives them one of their reasons to survive. The other is their own fears that haunt them.

Overall, this is a moving, engaging story of two people trying to survive in an apocalyptic world. It may not be pretty, but it is pretty good.

Recommended: 18+. There are two brief instances of partial nudity on Ako’s part, one where she’s unconscious and being groped, another where she’s in a bath. You only see her breasts briefly. There is also the implication of her having been dry-humped, and two instances of attempted rape. This is very violent, with people committing suicide and murder. There are people shot, stabbed, and beaten. You only see one corpse more than once, but the wounds aren’t gruesome. For the rest of the story they’re usually covered in ash or mud.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Drifting Classroom (manga)
Metro Survive (manga)
7Seeds (manga)
Akira (manga)
Jisatsu Circle (manga)
Doubt (manga)

“The Windy City” – Chicago (manga) – 4/10 Black Cats

Everything in the universe goes by indirection. There are no straight lines. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mangaka: Yumi Tamura

Genre: Action/Romance/Shoujo

Review Status: Complete (2 Volumes/2 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US

Art: This looks more like a rough sketch than a manga. Unfortunately, the messy artwork makes it hard to tell what’s going on, and in some places is downright unattractive. It also seems dated for when the manga ran.

Summary: Rescue workers Rei and her handsome partner Uozumi are looking for survivors after Tokyo’s worst earthquake of the 21st century. But their efforts uncover man-made violence- they are suddenly attacked and their entire squad murdered! Some secret plot is lurking in the ruins of Tokyo Bay District D, and to find it, Rei and Uozumi must join a privately funded hostage rescue organization run out of a Tokyo bar called Chicago. Now, Rei saves the lives of others while she searches for her own salvation. (back cover of 1st volume)

Review: I’d always wondered what a shoujo action title would be like. Now I know! It’s… not that impressive. Rei works in a recovery unit, to help find those who are injured or trapped in the aftermaths of disasters. The first thing she says about herself is that her hair is long because it helps her sense danger. This should give you a clue to the quality of the rest of the series.

Unrequited love, government cover-ups, and terrorist plots pervade these two volumes. Apparently rescue workers are common targets for mad killers, because Rei and Uozumi know how to handle their guns and can detect and dismantle bombs. Their escape from a massacre and the subsequent cover-up lead to their recruitment into a special agency that investigates these issues and deals with kidnappings and murders outside of the jurisdiction of the police.

Rei’s longing for the love of her partner comes to the forefront at the most inconvenient and annoying times. The ‘mysterious third partner’ that she starts being attracted to is the stereotypical tall, dark, and handsome that pervades these types of stories. He’s also flawless, able to assess a situation in a single glance, and find his partners with the barest of hints. The partner? Injured but trying.
The focus is all over the place, story-wise. Everything that occurs is connected in the story, but why they all have those connection is up in the air. Some of the plots bank on kidnappers being really dumb (not double-checking or triple-checking their victim’s identity, for instance, and only going off of one photograph). Apparently their methods of stalking are also incredibly lacking, as they don’t discover his identity over the days they watch him. Others bank on just being outright unbelievable, such as the utopia that was being built, and the people not leaving when the earthquake hit. To boot, they added in a super-dramatic past for Rei.

The end of this was abrupt and an utter letdown… even though the rest of the manga meant I wasn’t expecting much in that regard. There’s no resolution to the plot or the relationships between the characters. The only reason I’m not giving this a ‘3’ is because of one character that has perhaps two lines in the manga and an omake dedicated to him- the doctor. I found him to be utterly hilarious, though the omake will probably only appeal to those who have a darker sense of humor.

Overall, this barely works as an action title, and is barely a romance one. Go for something else.

Recommended: No. Well, if you’re into action and aren’t looking or care about a strong plot. 13+. There is some slight blood- people are shot, explosions happen- but almost no gore to speak of. One guy is outright killed on the page. No nudity, no language.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings (anime)
Flag (anime)
Zipang (anime)
Taiyo no Mokushiroku: A Spirit of the Sun (anime)

“Running Out Of Time” - Chrono Crusade (manga) – 9/10 Black Cats

Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life. ~William Faulkner

Mangaka: Daisuke Moriyama

Genre: Action/Adventure/Historical/Romance/Supernatural/Shounen

Review Status: Complete (8 Volumes/8 Volumes)

Art: Nice, sleek lines. It seems like a cross between shoujo and shounen, with more
shoujo-ish eyes (big and shiny and expressive), but more shounen styles for everything else. The backgrounds tend to be surprisingly detailed. The color pages are vivid and well-done.

Summary: America in the Roaring 20s. On the surface, it's a positive, peaceful time after the violence of the Great War. But lurking in the shadows is a dark element ready to snatch that peace away. Sister Rosette Christopher, an exorcist working as a part of the Magdala Order, has a duty to fight the demons which appear and cause destruction. But along with her companion Chrono, she usually ends up causing more destruction than the demons themselves! On one particular mission, they meet a young girl with a beautiful voice named Azmaria, who is being targeted by her own stepfather. As Rosette and Chrno work to save her, more is revealed about the relationship between them. There is more to these two than meets the eye. (ADV)

Review: Action, adventure, romance… This is a manga that has it all, and wraps it in a lovely coat of bittersweetness. The story seems pretty simple- a nun and her demon companion are fighting others that want to destroy the world. As you go along, the story becomes less straightforward. Her brother was overcome by evil long ago, and now seeks to destroy humanity. They must dredge up skeletons in the closet- hers, Chrono’s, and find the courage to defeat him before the world can end.

With great characters, this manga makes it all work. Rosette is almost impossible not to root for, with an indomitable spirit and loving heart. Chrono is far more level-headed, but fun and a genuinely nice guy that repents for what he’s done in the past. Their friends are awesome characters that you feel for when things happen. Things happen because they take charge and refuse to be defeated, though a fierce toll is taken in the battles they encounter.

There are a lot of elements that make this memorable, from Rosette’s slowly dwindling lifespan and the inevitability of her death, to the love between her and Chrono that seems impossible to be realized. The ending isn’t the joyful one that is expected in many of these stories. It is one that leaves you with mixed feelings, though- in the best way possible. Every ending should tug at the heartstrings like this one does.

Overall, this was a moving and memorable action manga, and definitely worth reading more than once.

Recommended: 14+. There is some fanservice here and there (less than I feared after I got through the first volume), no full-on nudity though. There is death, with some gore including bodies and parts of bodies. Nothing terribly graphic, but it is there. There are some mild curses throughout.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Black Cat (anime and manga)
Pandora Hearts (manga)
Seirei no Morinito (anime)

“Head in the Clouds” – Castle in the Sky (anime) – 8/10 Black Cats

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore. ~Andre Gide quotes

Genre: Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Review Status: Complete (1 Movie/1 Movie)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US.

Art/Animation: It’s Ghibli- always good. The character designs are typical for the

Dub Vs. Sub: The dub voices for the main leads are way too old for the characters. The characters are supposed to be about 10- the dub voices sound about 20. The sub is quite good.

Summary: This high-flying adventure begins when Pazu, an engineer's apprentice, finds a young girl, Sheeta, floating down from the sky wearing a glowing pendant. Together they discover both are searching for a legendary floating castle, Laputa, and vow to unravel the mystery of the luminous crystal around Sheeta's neck. Their quest won't be easy, however. There are greedy air pirates, secret government agents and astounding obstacles to keep them from the truth, and from each other. (Disney)

Review: For something that starts off with a rather fast-paced pirate attack, this anime is overall pretty slow-paced, with quick bursts of action throughout. From getting a look into Pazu’s life, to the walk through the mines, to being imprisoned within the army base, not much happens. Unfortunately, that means the story is also a bit hampered- the dialogue that occurs often adds nothing to the story, either in character relations or in the backstory of what’s going on.

That’s not to say that this is a poor film- it’s filled with humor and adventure, and some parts that can really warm your heart and get it pounding! While not my favorite Ghibli leads, Pazu and Sheeta are fascinating and fully realized characters. Their roles are turned around for this film, with Pazu being the energetic and sweet one while Sheeta is more serious and determined. Usually those descriptions are reversed for the guys and girls in the films. Sheeta remains a wonderful lead, having faced many hardships and having been tempered by them. There is still a spark of hope that things can get better that remains alive, protected by Pazu when all seems hopeless.

The side characters are as charming as ever, with the band of air pirates being loveable goofs that swoop in at the last minute to save things. Muska is perhaps the most identifiably evil villain that has ever come out of Ghibli. He’s thoroughly determined to take power for himself and is willing to do anything for it, including getting rid of Sheeta and Pazu-permanently.

When this story gets on its feet and really rolling, it’s brilliant. The action, the story, and the characters all come together to make this one heck of an adventure film! The danger seems palpable, while the world that’s built in Laputa truly seems magical. It may be a more typical children’s film in terms of plotline, but that doesn’t take away from how great it is.

Overall, this was a charming adventure that’s fit for the whole family.

Recommended: 5+. No language, no nudity, no blood, minimal violence (you do have the typical cartoon violence and some rather exciting arial battles, but except for a robot being destroyed there’s nothing objectionable there).

Other titles you might enjoy:
Spirited Away (anime)
Future Boy Conan (anime)
Howl’s Moving Castle (anime)
Escaflowne (anime)
Kiki’s Delivery Service (anime)

“It’s All In The Numbers” – No. 6 (anime) – 6/10 Notebooks

Perhaps the greatest utopia would be if we could all realize that no utopia is possible; no place to run, no place to hide, just take care of business here and now. ~Jack Carroll

Genre: Sci-fi/Shounen-ai/Action/Josei

Review Status: Complete (11 Episodes/11 Epsiodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed for streaming on Crunchyroll.com

Art/Animation: Overall average. The colors are nice and bright, the character designs decently memorable. The animation suffers a bit in the slice-of-life segments where nothing much happens. The action scenes, especially at the end of the series, have wonderfully fluid fights that are a great watch.

Dub Vs. Sub: There is no dub for this title.

Summary: Sion is a bright teenager living a comfortable and promising life inside No. 6, one of this six remaining city-states created by The Babylon Treaty after the last great war devastated the world. On the rainy evening of his twelfth birthday, he meets a savvy adolescent who calls himself "Nezumi" (Rat) and is desperately trying to runaway from the authorities. For helping a fugitive of the state, Sion is stripped of all his privileges. Four years later, they meet once again. For better or for worse, Sion is about to unravel the secrets guarded deep inside No. 6. (ANN decription)

Review: No. 6- a utopia for those who love their city and never question it. A place of exile and terror for those who dare speak a word against it. Created to be a haven after the wars destroyed most of the world, those in power grew too hungry for power, and try to harness the power of a forest to try and revive the world.

This anime has some good ideas, but suffers for its length and attempt to balance character development with plot development. There is great build-up for the first 4 or 5 episodes, with the meeting of Nezumi and Sion, the clues that not everything is as it seems in the city, the way Sion sees life for those around him outside the place and his determination to save the people in the city. Unfortunately, the relationship with Sion and Nezumi gets rushed because they have to move the plot along, and the plot suffers because they spent time on the relationship.

Nezumi, you come to understand, has a deep-seated grudge against the people of No. 6. His family killed off and captured to be experimented on, he wants nothing more than to see the city destroyed. Sion has lived a charmed life within the city… until he helps a boy who has escaped from it. His perceived betrayal of the city casts him into the lowest of jobs and responsibilities, and his questioning of the city when people start dying in suspicious ways. In the peripheral is Safu, a childhood friend of Sion’s, who has a deep crush on him and becomes a key player late in the series. Things that connect her and Sion clue them in that things are very wrong in the city. The first half is where you really get into their characters and their motivations, and they become genuinely likeable people.

The great build up in the beginning all goes to waste in the second half. Unanswered questions and plot holes about. It’s easy to tell that they had expected a second season, and ended up struggling to give a good ending to the season. That still leaves the questions of who or what Elyusia is (and a giant bee? Really?). How was it determined that nothing of Safu remained? After all, there seemed to be enough of her consciousness at the end. Why would anyone program all the computers to destroy themselves if the main computer was gone (by far the dumbest programming mistake ever)?

The finale delivered in terms of action, explosions, emotional punches, and destruction, which is why I'm still rating this over a 5. There are few things I’ve found more horrifying than what was inside the walls of the correction center. The action and fights were beautiful and fluid, and the emotional scenes during it didn’t feel out of place or forced. Unfortunately, it was marred by one of the most overdramatic, obvious, and downright stupid revival scenes I’ve ever seen. Even so, the ending brought back some of the goodwill that it lost during the second half.

Overall, the flaws in execution really bring my opinion down, but the good parts still manage to outweigh the bad- just barely.

Recommended: 16+. There is very little language, perhaps one or two swears but none stronger than the d-word or h-word. There are two kisses between Nezumi and Sion, neither of which last very long. Besides those scenes there really isn’t any sign that they’re more than friends, sometimes even behaving more like brothers. Safu, being a very direct character, admits that she likes Sion and asks him to have sex with her. It is very blunt, but not out of character, and never brought up again.

This does have some scenes that are horrifying- the town of No. 6 outcasts is razed by the military, and lots of people are killed. You do see bodies and blood spatter, though no gore per say. Later, they are dumped in a pit to die, that’s filled with the bodies of outcasts that were thrown there to be forgotten and die. Nezumi and Sion must climb to the top of the pile to escape. No gore, though the thought can be enough to turn some stomachs.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Ergo Proxy (anime)
King of Thorn (manga)
Wolf’s Rain (anime)
Tegami Bachi (manga)

“The Yellow Brick Road” – Dorothy of OZ (Manwha) – 8/10 Beach Balls

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware. ~Martin Buber

Genre: Comedy/Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Ecchi

Review Status: Incomplete (4 Volumes/5 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manwha is licensed in the US. However, Udon cancelled it at volume 4.

Art: Bold lines for everything- there is rarely a weak or non-existent line to be seen. This isn’t a bad thing- the art is bold, and it suits. The colored pages are brightly colored, and there is great contrast between the blacks and the whites.

Summary: When Mara Shin’s dog Toto gets lost one fateful day, she goes in search for him along some yellow brick road and ends up in the wonderful land of Oz! Everyone starts calling her Dorothy, but these aren’t the cowardly lion, scarecrow, and tin man adventures you remember! This fantasic fairy tale features familiar characters… but with a definitely action animated twist! (from back cover of the first volume)

Review: Mara has been to this land once before as a child. She no longer remembers it, though she has seen the Yellow Brick Road. As her dog Toto decides to go barking down the road she follows- and finds herself in a world that she could never have imagined. This is not the Oz that most people are familiar with- the Witches are actually advanced scientists, at war with each other. Each witch has their own forces and ways of trying to take over, from the clones from the South that have psychic powers (one of which is codenamed “Scarecrow”), to the androids from the North (one of which is codenamed “Tin Woodsman”), and the magic boots of the witch of the east, which age her body ten years but help her access her magic.

It’s a dark, funny, twisted take on the tale. OZ is being ripped apart from the inside and attacked from the outside. All the witches of the Four Points are at war with each other, using their armies, while a force from the outside is insidiously gathering power from others that want to rule. And the Wizard is the worst of them all- someone with real magic and the original owner of the glove that Mara brought back from OZ when she was a child.

It plays with things that we know from the story and other common anime tropes. For instance, Mara -nicknamed Dorothy early on due to a belief that she is the key to a prophesy that isn’t really explained- ends up with magic boots when the Witch of the East dies (and she definitely does not die from a house on her head!). Those magic boots give her a Magical Girl transformation, one that she is fully aware of, as are her enemies and friends. Mara’s friends are all bishies, which is played with since she seems to have a small crush on Abee (the shortened version of “Scarecrow” in Korean). Jokes and crazy situations abound. In the first volume, though, we get a glimpse of the darkness that is taking over OZ, and know that things won’t be pretty. People die left and right, some of them innocent, others not so much. Interesting and violent creatures abound, putting our hero’s lived in danger.

Through it all, they manage to keep a brave face on. I deeply regret that this manga was cancelled early in Korea, at 5 volumes, and wish that Udon would have printed that last volume.

Overall, this was a great twist on a familiar story.

Recommended: 16+. There is some rare language (no f-bombs). There is some perversion from side characters, and of course Mara is self-aware about the magical girl transformation. All the important bits are covered by strips of floating cloth or her hands, though you might see some bare bum. Other characters obviously see the change, though. Some of the outfits for women can be pretty stripperiffic. Tick-Tock ends up in the hands of dwarves, and she starts getting stripped due to the dwarves planning on melting her down for scrap metal. The violence is pretty solidly there, though. People are stabbed, shot, crushed with stones… most of it is off-page, but it’s obvious what happened. You do see dead bodies, but it’s never graphic- just them in their clothes with some blood around them.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Toto: The Wonderful Adventure (manga)
Yureka (manhwa)
½ Prince (manhua)

“Going Back Home” – To Terra… (manga) – 9/10 Beach Balls

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Genre: Sci-fi/Action/Drama

Review Status: Complete (3 Volumes/3 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US

Art: This looks like a cross between manga and comics from the 70’s. There are some things that could be considered rather shoujo-ish (lots of sparkles, big, expressive eyes), this still manages to stay very close to what we still consider future styles to be like and keeps a nice retro look to it.

Summary: The future. Having driven Terra to the brink of environmental collapse, humanity decides to reform itself by ushering in the age of Superior Domination (S.D.), a system of social control in which children are no longer the offspring of parents but the progeny of a universal computer. The new social order, however, results in an unexpected byproduct: the Mu, a mutant race with extrasensory powers who are forced into exile by The System.

The saga begins on educational planet Ataraxia, where Jomy Marcus Shin, a brash and unpredictable teenager, is nervously preparing to enter adult society. When his maturity check goes wrong, the Mu intervene in the great hope that Jomy, who possesses Mu telepathy and human physical strength, can lead them back home, to Terra… (from the back cover of the first volume)

Review: Humans have a tendency to dislike what they can’t understand. This holds true to other humans, other cultures, and in this future that is depicted, other species. They react to this in many ways, much of them violent and terrible. In this future, humans kill Mu as soon as they are discovered. Since Mu can be found at any age, this means children and adults alike are subject to brutal extermination. All the Mu want, though, is the chance to live life normally back on Earth- even if it’s not among the humans, then at least in peace.

Jomy, a boy who is subjected to many tests for psychic powers over his childhood, is finally captured by the Mu because their leader, Soldier Blue, realized Jomy is the perfect Mu… one born without a disability or weak body as most Mu are, and with strong psychic abilities. Jomy is named the future leader of the Mu- against much opposition and hatred from the rest. At the same time, Keith Anyan, an elite member of human society that has strong anti-psychic abilities, is being raised on a ship that readies humans for their trip back to Terra. He is favored by ‘mother’, the computer that controls the lives of everyone on board. No one knows why he is, but he displays excellent reflexes and very little emotion outside of a drive to get rid of the Mu.

Their stories are told side by side- those of the Mu that want peace and to live out their lives happily, and those of the humans that want nothing more than to get rid of them. There are certain questions that go throughout the story- why does the computer wish the Mu to be exterminated? Why can’t the computer get rid of the gene that creates the Mu? Can humans and Mu really live peacefully together? As the Mu destroy the computers on the ‘educational planets’, Mu children are taken in and cared for by the human caretakers. Efforts are stepped up on Terra to find and eliminate Mu and potential Mu, at any cost. Mu of any age are used in horrific experiments or outright killed. When the Mu finally arrive, there’s a battle of epic proportions- pitting the destinies of both against each other.

This presents issues of being different and change in an interesting light. Neither the Mu nor the humans are always right in their actions- Jomy remains the only character that attempts to treat others with kindness and understanding, though with the pressures and disappointments of command he is not always successful. Other Mu tend to have the same disdain towards humans that humans do for Mu, but never resort to outright murder or violence against them. Humans tend to be shortsighted and easily controlled, except for Keith, who has no past and comes to know he is merely a tool for the computers. How can both end up living together? Can there be peace for humans and Mu?

This answers the question in an interesting way. While the ending is happy in some ways, it is most tragic in others. But both do show that they can live together and help each other when the situation is dire, and that doesn’t change.

Overall, this was a moving story about people who wanted to be accepted.

Recommended: 13+. I can count the scenes with nudity in them on one hand. They are almost all Barbie-doll nudity, except one panel where Physis is in a glass case, and you see her breasts. There was one swear that I recall in the entire 3 volumes. This has unusually graphic death scenes. While there is no gore and the actual injuries are undetailed, people are burned alive, one man dies when he loses half his body to a weapon, another is shot through the heart, and others are crushed with falling rocks. What’s surprising is that as undetailed as the pictures are, it’s the injuries and deaths themselves that are quite brutal.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Toward the Terra (anime)
Time of Eve (anime)
Real Drive (anime)
Jyu-Oh-Sei (anime and manga)

“Chess is a Game for Masters” – MAR (manga) – 5/10 Beach Balls

I'm not a fighter, I'm a bleeder. ~Dylan Moran quotes

Genre: Action/Fantasy/Adventure/Shounen

Review Status: Complete (15 Volumes/15 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US.

Art: Very typical shounen- large, spiky hair. Clean, strong, straight lines. It reminds me of a better-drawn Naruto.

Summary: Ginta Toramizu is a 14-year-old kid who doesn't have a lot going for him: he's near-sighted, doesn't do well in school, sucks at sports, and to top it off--he's short! But Ginta is a dreamer and has had the same dream 102 times, always in the same fantasy world, where he is a hero blessed with all the abilities he lacks in real life.


Then one day a supernatural figure appears at Ginta's school and summons him to a mysterious and exciting new world! In this strange universe filled with magic and wonder, he is strong, tough, agile--and he can see without his glasses! Thus, Ginta begins a mystical quest in search of the magical items known as "ÄRMS," one of which may have the power to send him home. Joining him on this epic journey are his companion Jack and the valuable living, talking, mustachioed iron-ball weapon known as "Babbo," which everyone wants but, it seems, only Ginta can possess! (Source: Viz)

Review: One of my favorite anime starts off much like this one- out of nowhere, something mysterious appears, and the hapless protagonist is taken to another world, much to the bewilderment of their family and friends. However, this is where they diverge greatly. In MAR, the boy is left in the countryside with nothing- no idea of where he is, no way to really protect himself, and no way of getting home.

Of course, he gets caught up in finding ARMS, with his friend Jack, and the memories of a girl that he liked. This being a shounen action title, this takes the main premise behind most shounen titles and condenses it into 15 short volumes- he ends up fighting against the chess masters. The vast majority of the manga revolves around the fighting, and the last few volumes dispense with any pretense of being anything else- it’s repetitive level-grinding fighting, with no breaks in between.

This suffers from cookie-cutter characters and no character growth, to boot. They fail to distinguish themselves in any way! Well, except for Dorothy, a breath of fresh air in shounen. She takes on the guys and holds her own without being fanservice or dirty tricks. She’s just a good fighter. The repetitiveness of the fighting also takes the edge off of any drama or interest that anyone could have in this series. It’s one thing to have a fight where people grow and change. It’s another where fight after fight, back to back happen, that do nothing but show who’s the winner.

Overall, this was a disappointment and a waste of time.

Recommended: Borrow, don’t buy. 9+, as this is a typical shounen fighting manga. No one really dies. People do get beat up when fighting each other, so that means punches and kicks (nothing you wouldn’t see on Looney Tunes). Language is occasional but not very strong. I think the worst that occurred was an incident of the word for illegitimate child. The only thing that might be of particular concern is one incident near the end, where Dorothy’s dress is ripped and a breast exposed. This might be shown in one or two panels- she is covered for the rest.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Hunter x Hunter (manga)
Vision of Escaflowne (anime – series, not movie)
Zombie Powder (manga)
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (manga)

"Seeing is Believing" - The Animatrix (anime) - 8/10 Pools

I shall never believe that God plays dice with the world. ~Albert Einstein

Genre: Action/Sci-fi

Review Status: Complete (9 Episodes/9 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Different for each short due to them all having been created by different directors. I have detailed this in the reviews for each because of it.

Dub Vs. Sub: Both are perfectly watchable. The sub is very decent- a few voices might sound a little deep for the character, but nothing terrible. The dub has some very excellent acting, though the lines tend to be stilted in some due to trying to match lip flaps that were obviously created for Japanese words and sentences.

Summary: Detailed in the reviews for each.

Review: Each episode of the Animatrix is approximately 10 minutes long, and within those ten minutes, each director had to create a story that either built on the world that was presented in the Matrix movies, or stay true to the themes and ideas that are in it. This creates some very interesting scenarios.

The Final Flight of the Osiris
Just so you know, the title says it all in terms of what the story is about. This has some of the best CG I’ve seen in a while- in certain scenes, the people looked very real. The effects were very flashy, and it had some good pacing for most of it. Unfortunately, this segment was perhaps the weakest of them all. The opening would do nothing to dissuade someone that anime wasn’t all violence and sex- two characters are engaging in training, which involves a lot of swordplay that gradually is stripping them of their clothes. For something that’s about to be very tragic, it doesn’t set the mood very well. Neither does it add to the story. It takes far too much time, which could have been spent adding to the actual fight and destruction of the ship. The pacing also goes off near the end, with a conversation with an old woman throwing a wrench into the intense action scenes that it’s spliced with. It left me a little less than impressed, with some of the scenes that were supposed to touch me leaving me feeling cold.

The Second Renaissance Part 1 and 2
This title is used ironically- the Renaissance was a time of enlightenment, when people expanded their worldviews. Instead of doing that and embracing or engaging the robots that have gained souls and emotions, mankind rejects them and- out of fear- end up bringing about their own destruction and the rise of the machines. This falls into a more traditional 2D art style, with some CG thrown in. This is a very direct story. How did the machines rise in the first place? How did the earth become like it is in the movies? It’s a fairly typical sci-fi premise, and yet is pulled off with a few twists. There’s a lot of symbolism to the story, most of it aiding the flow and pacing, but also enriching it. And as people who have seen the trilogy know, this doesn’t have a happy ending for us. It’s a very good piece, one that really can draw the viewer in.

Kid’s Story
While this OVA was done in traditional animation, the art itself has a sketchy and surreal look to it. I’m indifferent for what it does to the plot. This ends up being perhaps the most uplifting piece of them all, which can be considered a surprise. This echoes the first movie’s premise, and will feel very familiar to those who’ve seen it. A young teen, dissatisfied with how he feels towards life, sends out a question- “Am I alone?” The answer is that he’s not. But to find out the truth, he must escape his school and the reality constructed for him. Because I have seen the movies, this felt a little too close to Neo’s own awakening to really stand out.

Program
In a scenario that blurs the line between CG and traditional stylized animation, a woman is put to the test: Will she follow the man she loves into the arms of forgetfulness and the machines as Zion is threatened? Or will she keep forging ahead to the future and the truth? Almost the entire ten minutes is made of the debate between them and the literal fight between them. How far would they go once the decision has been made? Again, this hearkens back to the first Matrix movie and a scene within it. Overall, I can’t say much about the ending- it was conclusive but rather unsatisfying as a whole.

World Record
In a style of animation that hearkens back to comic books or visual novels, this story has the most potential to be uplifting and heartbreaking- a man who is charged with drug use must fight to win his medals back… but through his running, might be able to break the slumber that keeps him from the truth of the Matrix. With dramatic shading and dark but vibrant colors, each step of his downfall to his rise again is documented, from training to the personal issues that he must surpass or fight against to be considered the best. All the while, the machines are keeping watch on him. What happens when he comes close to awakening? This was perhaps my personal favorite due to the unique style in how it approached the Matrix and how it leaves the viewer interpreting the ending as either hopeful or not.

Beyond
While searching for her cat, a girl discovers a place that the children of the neighborhood have known about- one where things are a bit stranger than normal. Defying gravity, strange weather patterns, all of it takes place in a house that the machines have marked out as having errors. The art is bright and colorful, closer to the traditional anime style that most are familiar with. As the computers realize that there’s an issue with the system and rush to fix it, she realizes that there’s something more out there, something strange about this world, and when it’s over, is only left with the memories of having glimpsed something more. This I would rank highly since it speaks to all who have had an experience that leaves them wondering- but have been unable to recapture it.

A Detective Story
Film noir is the order of the day in this black-and-white, incredibly realistic-looking OVA. A detective is hired to find the hacker ‘Trinity’, and delves into the Alice in Wonderland themes that brought Neo back to reality. He discovers that others that have followed the trail have been lead to horrible fates. However, one is still alive- and there he discovers the Red Queen, and makes a plan to meet her. Sometimes, being told the truth about your reality isn’t good for your health. It’s true that no one who has followed Trinity’s trail has had a good fate. Will his be any different? The anachronistic style of the detective’s POV with the technology and weaponry that is around him is well-known to the detective, and he makes a decision that changes his own world and the path of his life forever. I think that this is perhaps the best of them, as it is true to the style and tone of the Noir films that it is an homage to. It also manages to be an incredibly interesting story, even if the action seems to be lacking.

Matriculated
If you can't get them from without, get them from within. This is the policy taken by a group of rebels against the machines. They choose ones with above-average inteligence, capturing and hooking them into a program designed to show them that they could live together, that humanity is more than something to be detroyed. This follows one such machine as he is taken through stylized worlds designed to show him humanity. Too bad things aren't all sunshine and flowers- the place comes under attack. What will their fate be? This one is highly depressing, but very well-executed. Using great CG and stylized art, this shows that sometimes humans can't fight things they have aversions to... and being alone is a terrible thing for anyone. Definitely one of the better shorts in the series.

Overall, this was an interesting look into different perspectives on what’s happening within and outside of the Matrix.

Recommended: 18+. Some of the images presented here are very violent or disturbing, from people being gruesomely impaled to heads being crushed and exploding. Not every OVA has something violent happening, or has blood being spilled, but you can’t tell which ones will beforehand. Some have sexual undertones- in one, a woman walks around in little more than her undies, in another the couple are cutting off eachother’s clothes during training, turning it into forepay (he eventually is in nothing while she in nothing more than underwear, though you never see any genitals), and in a third, a couple are engaging in similar sexual teasing. In that same one, the characters are stylistically nude- that is, they are floating people-looking things made of different colored lights, and the nudity is like Barbie-dolls.

The nice thing is, you don’t necessarily have to have seen the movies to enjoy the ideas and concepts presented in most of them (though you would want to watch The Second Renaissance beforehand to get a background on what’s happening). However, I think that for maximum understanding of what’s happening would be for those who have, since there are various concepts that would only be understood by doing so (who Neo is, what the significance of putting a letter into a mailbox is when inside the Matrix).

Other titles you might enjoy:
Ghost in the Shell (movie, SAC, 2nd Gig, manga)
Dennou Coil (anime)
Serial Experiments Lain (anime)
Ergo Proxy (anime)