“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)

“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)

“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)

“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)

“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)

“Wellspring Of Knowledge” – GOSICK (anime) – 8/10 Notebooks

"Without mysteries, life would be very dull indeed. What would be left to strive for if everything were known?" ~Charles de Lint

Genre: Mystery/ Romance/ Historical/ Shounen

Review Status: Complete (26 Episodes/26 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US. You can watch it free, legally, on Crunchyroll.com.

Art/Animation: The art is pretty standard for anime, but it looks nice regardless. The colors are bright and vibrant. The animation is also standard, nothing really stand-out. The notable exception to both the art and animation is the opening, which looks like a stained-glass picture come to life. The art and animation for that is simply exquisite.

Summary: The year is 1924, the place, Sauville, a small European country neatly tucked beside the Alps...

Kazuya Kujo has been studying abroad at the prestigious Saint Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. Most Kazuya ignores but the story of the Queen Berry, a mysterious ghost ship, really gets to him. Of course, his brainy friend Victorique is much more intrigued by true stories, and she uses her unrivaled logic to solve mysteries even the town's famous detective can't. Ironically, it is Victorique's inquisitive nature that leads the duo to board a ship that matches the Queen Berry's description to a tee, a ship that might just hold the key to solving a sinister mystery... (Source: Tokyopop)

Review: This anime was quite a surprise- one part mystery anime, one part character drama, one part romance, GOSICK manages to blend all its elements surprisingly well. None of these elements overpowers the others, and all are important to the overarching storyline. From the beginning you’re drawn into the mysteries that are presented. They all are given facades of the supernatural, from the ghost ship where children were massacred in an evening, to an undead alchemist. However, in the face of Victorique’s logic and ability to unravel a mystery (with the help of her trusty sidekick Kujo!), none of the mysteries remain unsolved. What can be frustrating is that since it isn’t a straight mystery anime, the viewer isn’t presented with all the clues that could help solve the case. This relies on some Dues-Ex-Machina on the part of Victorique.

However, it would be wrong to say that this weakens the story. The mysteries often tie together and reveal something about Victorique and her circumstances, such as her relationship with her brother and why she is stuck in the school. The mysteries aren’t the main part, they just help supplement the main storyline.

The main story is actually Victorique herself- her past, her parent’s past, her future. There are strange things going on in the country of Sauville, and she is at the heart of it. From the third arc onwards, the mysteries reveal the history of the nation, the ongoing war between the factions within it, and why Victorique herself is both reviled and needed by her father.

None of this would work well if the characters weren’t likeable or understandable. It’s hard not to like a tsundere in a Victorian dress, apparently. Victorique is far more likeable than many of her counterparts- she is logical and practical (for the most part), not flying into rages at the blink of an eye. Yet she still has her moments where she’s flustered and frustrated, not liking to ask people for help. And when she has her warm, caring moments, they might embarrass her, but they are still genuine. Kujo is a little less memorable. As an all-around nice guy, he’s often confused by Victorique’s pouts and moods. However, the relationship between the two is firm and strong. He’s willing to get right in the middle of family issues, calling out her brother when he’s wrong and doing small, thoughtful things for Victorique. The way his and Victorique’s feelings grow and change for one another is quite believable and makes you root for them at the end. While the rest of the characters get very little development except for Victorique’s brother, they do play important parts in moving the story along.

This anime held true to the light novels that it was based off of, telling the stories well and having good pacing and characterization. However, when the mystery arcs ended towards the end and went straight to a drama of two lovers torn apart, the story suffered. The war was highly condensed, and this made for some scenes that were glassed over in a way that made no sense- for instance, there was one where Kujo’s legs had disappeared and he was in a sea of sand. How did he lose his legs? Were they really lost? Where was he? And in the next scene he’s getting off a boat in Japan and meeting Victorique. While that was nice to see, it didn’t stop the previous scene from making no sense whatsoever and being completely unexplained.

Even with these issues, on the whole the story was strong, and was a good adaptation of the source material. I think I will be picking up the light novels if they’re ever translated to get the story behind some of the scenes in the epilogue, though.

Overall, this was a good show with a rushed ending, but still very enjoyable.

Recommended: Sure! 13+, as some of the deaths and dead bodies are shown but not in graphic detail. Some could be slightly disturbing (one man is burned alive, for instance). Others have the situations surrounding them be even more disturbing, as apparently one deals with children that were made paranoid enough to kill each other. One man apparently can be possessed by the ghosts of ancestors to tell the future. This is only relevant to one story arc, and is not pertinent to the storyline… only a relationship within the story. Some people are drugged. There are also a few other scenes that are violent- a beheading is done offscreen, you see a head roll onto the floor, some people are stabbed onscreen (this is not prolonged, the actual stabbing is offscreen or with the figure in shadows), and there is a burial on the seas.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Detective Conan (manga and anime)
Rozen Maiden (anime and manga)
Occult Academy (anime)
Denpateki na Kanojo (anime)
Detective Academy Q (anime)
Spiral: Bonds of Reasoning (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)

“The Game of Love” –The World God Only Knows, Season 1 (anime) – 7/10 Candy Canes

Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate! ~Sandra J. Dykes

Genre: Comedy/Romance/Shounen/Harem/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete (12 Episodes/12 Episodes)

Licensed: This anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Decent. The characters seem pretty individual and are drawn nicely, and the colors are nice and bright. Though, you may notice a definite visual similarity between Elsie and a certain girl from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Summary: Keima Katsuragi, a second-year high school student, is an avid dating sim gamer. He is known on the Internet as "The Capturing God" for his legendary skills to be able to "capture" any 2D girl in games. However, in his actual school life, Keima is known as otamegane, a derogatory portmanteau of the two words otaku (オタク) and megane (メガネ-"glasses").

At the start of the series, Keima receives an e-mail offering him a contract to "capture" girls. He accepts what is thought to be a challenge, and a demon from Hell nicknamed Elsie appears. She asks for his cooperation to help her in catching the runaway spirits. These spirits hide themselves inside the girl's heart, and Elsie suggests that the only method to force the spirits out is by "capturing" their hearts—making them fall in love. Appalled by the idea, Keima refuses after clarifying to Elsie that he is only interested in "capturing" 2D girls and that he detests reality. Nevertheless, with the contract already accepted, Keima would have to help Elsie no matter what; if they fail, both Elsie and Keima would lose their heads. (Source: Wikipedia)

Review: I saw the MAL page for this about half a year before it started airing- at that time it started generating a buzz. Some went out and started reading the manga. I was one of the ones who waited for the anime. I have to say, this proved a pleasant surprise- this turned out to be a decently funny, relatively ecchi-less harem title!

The first thing that drew me in was the opening sequence. The music was catchy and rather impressive, and the scenes itself were rather interesting. And then it got into the story. One of the draws to this show was how amusing it was to see this guy who had no interest in 3D girls have to get them to like him. It was pretty funny to listen to him describe the differences in 2D and 3D relationships, why 2D was superior, and to see him attempt to apply the ‘romance skills’ he learned from games to real life. And perhaps the biggest laugh I got was seeing them fail, and then slowly start to win the girls over.

I definitely see how outrageous they seemed- showing up at the girl’s track meet every day, with giant banners and headbands proclaiming love and victory. But at the same time, those are still very sweet gestures. It was easy to see how the exaggerated antics could win the girls over eventually.

Keima and a few of the girls that he met were definitely stars of the show- they all had definite obstacles to overcome, they all reacted in different ways, and his romancing of them were all individual. It was interesting (but also slightly disappointing) to see how these girls fell into his gaming stereotypes.

I enjoyed the first few arcs, but the library arc is where this fell through. That girl was a bit too much of a stereotype, and I just couldn’t get excited or as into Keima’s wooing of her as I had the others. Especially when there was just so little of his wooing- it was mostly her, thinking things over and through as she encountered him once or twice an episode. It may have been more reasonable/realistic, but it just wasn’t half as interesting as the other arcs. Elsie also fell a little flat. She really offers very little in terms of comic relief- she’s a cookie-cutter of all the other comic-relief airhead characters out there. It is a bit of a relief when she’s relegated to the background of a show, though occasionally she does come in useful to the plot.

The episodes were overall well-paced, giving a good amount of time to each girl and her plight, and how Keima was winning them over. Unfortunately, this didn’t hold true to all of the episodes- the library arc seemed a little drawn out, and if I didn’t know that there was a second season, I would have been very disappointed by that last episode. Not only did it not feel like a proper closing episode, but the ending song was just terrible! I don’t think my eardrums will recover from that horrid singing for a while.

Overall, this was overall a fun series, and I will definitely be watching the second season.

Recommended: 13+. Elsie claims that she’s the illegitimate child of Keima’s father, which causes a lot of marital discord (Keima’s father is kicked out and never heard from for the rest of the season). There is a little bit of fanservice when Keima and Elsie end up in the bathroom together. The viewer doesn’t see anything, and the scene quickly passes. There is also a decent amount of skin showing when Keima's mother is in the shower. This does last about a minute or so, but is about as much skin as a bikini.

Other titles you might enjoy: The World God Only Knows (manga)
The World God Only Knows Season 2 (anime)
Tatami Galaxy (anime)
Welcome to the NHK! (anime and manga and light novel)
Sugar Sugar Rune (anime and manga)
Kanon (2006) (anime)

"To Change The Future..." - Future Diary (manga) - 9/10 Pumpkins

When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened. ~John M. Richardson, Jr.

Genre: Horror/Psychological/Action/Supernatural/Shounen

Review Status: Partial (6 Volumes/? Volumes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art: Good, solid. It may not be anything special, but it isn’t bad by far!

Summary: Middle school 2nd year, Amano Yukiteru, is a boy who has problem making friends. He thinks of himself as a bystander and will always write down everything he sees in a cell phone diary.

Tormented by solitude, Yukiteru began to imagine things like a friend called Deus Ex Machina who is apparently the Lord of Time & Space. Seeing Yukiteru's miserable state, Deus gives him a new ability. His diary will now record events that will happen in the near future. Yukiteru is then forced to participate in a game which the winner will become Deus's successor. (Mangaupdates)

Review: This manga came out to little fanfare a while ago. I picked it up, not quite knowing what I was going to find. It turned out to be a Death Note-esque blend of plots, action, and sheer excitement.

The characters are all very different, with understandable (and sometimes despicable) motivations for participating in the game to become Deus’ successor. Yukiteru, our protagonist, doesn’t want to participate, but soon realizes that unless he wants his existence wiped from the face of the earth he must. Along his way he picks up a motley crew of other players and friends. They help and support him in his battle to keep the others from winning, because if he doesn’t then his family and friends are at risk. Explosions and gunfights abound here as they try to kill eachother of- some in fairly simple ways, others in ways that are pretty out-there but fantastic to watch!

The story develops wonderfully, and quickly. He encounters his first rival within the first volume, discovering that truly anyone could be a fellow player. The players are willing to do anything to win, including threatening those he cares about. There are certain restrictions to the usage of the Future Dairies. Each one has its own restrictions and limitations. There’s a lot of interesting ways to see how different ones work together, and how the loopholes can be exploited.

The only thing I have against this is that around volume six-heck, in volume three there's a big one!- definite moral ambiguities comes into play. Some people would probably put this down to certain moral lines being crossed, though others would likely understand or still want our protagonist to win, hoping that when he does he will set things right as the new Deus. I will continue the story myself to see how it all works out.

Overall, this is a solid psychological series that will leave you at the edge of your seat!

Recommended: Yes. It does have a lot of disturbing deaths and some gore, there is some sexually suggestive stuff (including rape), some partial nudity, so 16+, please!

Other titles you might enjoy: When They Cry (anime and manga),
MPD Psycho (manga),
Elfen Lied (anime and manga),
Perfect Blue (anime),
Doubt (manga),
Deadman Wonderland (manga and anime),
Liar Game (manga),
Future Diary spin-offs (Future Diary: Mosaic, and Future Diary: Paradox)(manga)

"To Move On, A Deliverance" - Mail (manga) - 7/10 Sugar Cubes

Death can sneak up on you like a silent kitten, surprising you with it's touch and you have a right to act surprised. Other times death stomps in the front door, unwanted and unannounced, and makes it's noisy way to your seat on the sofa. ~Hugh Elliott

Genre: Horror/ Supernatural/ Drama

Review Status: Full (3 Volumes/ 3 Volumes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art: It doesn't look a whole like your traditional manga. Bodies are drawn in proportion (no chibis at any time), no extra-large eyes, no wild hair colors... it looks like an American comic, in fact, in terms of how everything is drawn. And it also looks really nice, with clean lines and uncluttered background (though those backgrounds exist- they just aren't uuber-fancy)

Summary: An episodic horror manga in which the enigmatic Reiji Akiba combines being a private detective with being an exorcist - at the behest of his clients, Akiba traces the origins of troublesome ghosts before dispatching them to the afterlife with his sanctified spiritual gun. (from ANN.com)

Review: I'm a big fan of the mangaka's other work, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, so I decided to check out an earlier work he's done. It's an interesting anthology of horror shorts, focusing on the different stories of the dead (how they came to wander). It's an interesting setup, vaguely reminicent of the "Twilight Zone" opening, where you have a what-if question followed by a scenario. In this case the questions/observations are set up by the main character, and the story follows.

Each is a look into the cases of this excorcist/detective. What he has to do to track down these spirits, how he has to find where they're hiding, etc. But the even bigger focus is on the dead themselves and how their spirits came to be the vengeful beings that they are. How they terrorize the living is just as important as how they come to be.

Thankfully, we even get a look into this man's past- how he came to see these spirits and become an excorcist, which is just as fascinating as the rest of the stories.

There isn't much more to say about it- it has a somewhat abrupt end, but that's okay. These stories were rather episodic anyway. The flow is good, and the narration very tight.

Overall, it's a nice, short manga series. Not for the younger set, but if your older and into horror, give it a try!

Recommended: Sure. It would be good for an evening where you're in the mood to be creeped out. Teens and up, though, due to some nudity and somewhat graphic violence (murdered baby by poisoned milk, suicide picture, severed heads, etc.) So teens and up, please!

Other series you might like:
Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (manga),
Kieli (manga or light novels)
Natsume's Book of Friends (manga and anime)
Ghost Hunt (anime)
Shiki anime and manga)

“I’m Gonna Be A… Wait for it…..” - Yu Yu Hakusho (Manga) – 4/10 Sugar Cubes

I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter. ~ Sir Winston Churchill

Genre: Supernatural/ Action/ Shounen

Review Status: Pretty Close to Full (Chapters 1-45, then 80 –end)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art: Dated. Decent for when it was made, but this is one series that needs a serious makeover. Also, sometimes the panels have flow problems that can be distracting/ confusing as to what’s going on.

Summary: One day, 14 year old Yusuke Urameshi suddenly finds himself dead, having died pushing a child out of the way of oncoming traffic. Since he has such a bad personality, even the Spirit World was caught by surprise that he would sacrifice himself. Yusuke soon finds out he wasn't supposed to die and has a chance for resurrection and bringing his body back to life. After being resurrected, Yusuke becomes a Spirit Detective, along with his comrades, and one adventure after another happens, whether it be an investigation or a fighting tournament. (From ANN.com)

Review: Man, oh man. This has to be one of the biggest letdowns I’ve ever read in my life. The story idea? Original, good. The first couple of arcs? Decent, good. And about a quarter of the way through the series comes the biggest mindfuck I have ever read- instead of this being a story about a boy’s salvation, it becomes a DBZ-style intergalactic fighting tournament.

I can assure you, the moment that it was brought into the storyline, I had a big WTF? over my head.

No longer was I reading about a boy growing and learning as a person, I was instead watching him battle creatures from other planets. Every chapter there would be perhaps two pages of characters talking/ walking around, and no character development whatsoever. Everything that had happened before pretty much goes right out the window, leaving you with the remnants of all the hopes that you had pinned to this series bleeding out in your hands.

To top it all off, even after the tournament is over, it’s as if the first part of the series NEVER HAPPENED! There is no ‘grand conclusion’, no ‘figuring everything out’, no NOTHING! And that is why I hate it with all my soul.

Recommended: Only the first 30 or so chapters- then put it down and let your imagine fill in the rest. Trust me, it’s better that way.

Other Series You Might Enjoy Instead: Soul Eater (manga)
School Rumble (anime)
Full Metal Alchemist (manga and anime, both original and FMA: Brotherhood)
Black Cat (manga)

“It’s Alive!... Well, Sorta….” - Zombie Powder (Manga)- 6/10 Sugar Cubes

Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatsoever to do with it. ~ W. Somerset Maugham

Genre: Action/ Supernatural/ Comedy/ Teen

Review Status: Full (27 Chapters/ 27 Chapters or 4 Volumes/ 4 Volumes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art: Up-to-date, very clear and pleasant to look at. Good flow between the panels. Character designs are fairly standard.

Summary: Somewhere in the desert lies the world's greatest treasure: the 12 Rings of the Dead, the only source of the mysterious substance Zombie Powder, which can raise the dead and grant eternal life. Into this world stalks Gamma Akutabi, a man with a metal arm and a six-foot chainsaw, cybernetically enhanced master of the legendary martial arts. But it takes more than one man to find the ultimate prize. You need a team: super-gunman C.T. Smith, knife-slinging teenager Elwood, and brilliant (and impossibly big-breasted) journalist Wolfgangina. Against an army of crooks and killers, against runaway trains and superpowered madmen, they'll need all their skills... but the most dangerous thing in the west might be the Rings themselves... (Source: Viz)

Review: I have a friend with a very special skill- picking out manga that have been cut short by their authors in order to work on others that have become immensely popular. In this case, the author went on to write one of the most famous mangas on earth: Bleach. Because this series wasn’t nearly as popular, it was cut short. However, what I did read was pretty good, and could have been a really good manga if given half a chance.

The characters, unfortunately, all seem to be one-note. Gamma is laid-back, at first acting like he doesn’t care but really does (which is how he gains his followers), and really good at fighting. Not much background to him- hinted at, since he’s searching for the Zombie Powder, but nothing’s ever confirmed. Wolfgangia (and what a name that is!) is a large-boobed gal who’s determined to get her scoop. She’s rather annoying, as she’ll follow her leads straight into the jaws of danger- unfortunately, she seems rather stupid oblivious to the danger. But she does have a good heart, since she’s doing it to help out her fellow townspeople. Elwood is the star of the series, since you not only get his story right away, but you can sympathize with him and watch as he grows as a character.

The story itself is your typical action story- they travel around, fight bad guys, try to get the Rings of Power… I mean, Rings of the Dead. Since the story is so short, there really isn’t much else to it, unfortunately. But what is there is fairly exciting. Of course, I’m pleased by anything that doesn’t resort to ki-blast after ki-blast, so I might not be the best person to judge that.

I’m sorry that this manga didn’t get a chance to go on. Even though I didn’t find it the most thrilling out there, I think it could have grown on me given the chance.

Recommended: Why not? As long as you don’t mind the story being cut short when it’s just getting to the good part. Teens and up due to violence and blood.

Other series you might like: Fullmetal Alchemist (manga and anime, both the original and FMA: Brotherhood),
Black Cat (manga),
Soul eater (manga)
Trigun (manga)
Baccano! (anime)
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (anime)