“A Message From Beyond” - Shigofumi (anime) – 7/10 Sugar Cubes

God pours life into death and death into life without a drop being spilled. ~Author Unknown

Genre: Supernatural/ Drama/ Fantasy/ Psychological

Review Status: Full (12 Episodes/12 Episodes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Summary: When someone dies, what should their final words be? Words that couldn't be said while still alive - of love, hate, hope, regret or perhaps words without any importance. These words are sent through letters called "shigofumi" from the recently deceased to the living. Mikawa Fumika is a mail carrier of these shigofumi, delivering them alongside staff and her partner Kanaka. However, there must be something more behind Fumika's silent exterior; shigofumi mail carriers are deceased humans with the same appearance they had just before death. Despite this, Fumika is still aging... (MAL.net)

Review: I had little idea of what to expect when I picked up this anime. I figured it would be a story about a girl who delivered letters to the dead. It turns out that it’s a story about a group of people who are connected to Mikawa, a shigofumi, and Mikawa, a girl in a coma.

Every episode introduces you to another person that is important and has a tie with another, either through the Shigofumi Mikawa or through the coma Mikawa, often through both.

The pacing of this anime is a little off- things quickly reach an emotional pinnacle during episode 8, which makes episode 9 seem even more like filler than it would usually be. They could easily have clipped the end of 9 onto 8, skipped 9 entirely and gone onto 10, and missed nothing.

The music is typical- nothing too stand-out, though fans of Rozen Maiden will notice the OP is by the same band that did the Ops for that show, and it works very well. The art and animation are also decent. The colors are a tad dull, though clear, while the animation is on-par for a show of that year.

The story itself can be divided into two parts. You have before episode 8, and after. Before is like a slow unwinding of a mystery, with each episode a deliberate introduction to the story and new piece to the puzzle. After, you have a trip into the minds of a shigofumi and a girl, both of who have different views of the world and must come to terms with it. This has two climaxes, and it’s a very interesting trip for both.

Overall, this is an interesting, dramatic anime. Minor issues aside, it’s definitely worth a look.

Recommended: Sure. However, for themes of abuse, I’d say for ages 14 and over. She is shown to have been physcially abused by her father (though this never gets too graphic), and there is some partial nudity.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Paprika (anime),
Millennium Actress (anime)
Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (manga)
Kieli (manga and light novels)
Paranoia Agent (anime)
Hell Girl (anime)
Mail (manga)

"A Sunflower By Any Other Name..." - Samurai Champloo (anime) - 9/10 Sugar Cubes

A true friend is one who thinks you are a good egg even if you are half-cracked. ~Author Unknown

Genre: Adventure/ Comedy/ Action/ Historical (sorta- not the most accurate!)

Review Status: Full (26 Episodes/ 26 Episodes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Samurai Champloo has fantastic art and fluid animation, is filled with bright, vibrant colors and very well-choreographed fight scenes.

Summary: Mugen's a buck wild warrior - violent, thoughtless and womanizing. Jin is a vagrant ronin - mysterious, traditional, well-mannered and very strong as well. These two fiercely independent warriors can`t be any more different from one another, yet their paths cross when Fuu, a ditzy waitress, saves them from being executed when they are arrested after a violent swordfight. Fuu convinces the two vagrant young men to help her find a mysterious samurai "who smells of sunflowers." And their journey begins. This is a story about love, friendship and courage... NOT! (Source: AniDB)

Review: If you know anime, then chances are you’ve heard of this title. It’s very popular- for good reason! This is a great samurai action title loaded with historical anachronisms, amazing fight scenes, and a great story. This was really the breakout title for Manglobe Studios, which has produced amazing anime titles such as Ergo Proxy and House of Five Leaves.

Samurai Champloo has fantastic art and fluid animation, is filled with bright, vibrant colors and very well-choreographed fight scenes. Most of it is set to various hop-hop and funk music, with many being incredibly catchy, such as the opening song “Battlecry” and the closing song “San Francisco”. All the songs fit very well with the anime, capturing the scene and mood that’s being set. Not only is the soundtrack great, but the story is also a lot of fun, with pop-culture references and anachronisms that make this look as cool as anything (16th century designer sunglasses, anyone?). The only thing that could be a downside is that, while there is a constant reminder almost every episode that they have to find ‘the samurai that smells of sunflowers’, the plot is pretty episodic. There’s a lot of travel, but they don’t get anywhere fast. Not that the pacing is slow, by any means! Every episode, though fairly self-contained, has great stories and adventures, like the counterfeiters and the gay Dutchman that came to experience Japanese culture. And eventually, the series does come down to the reason they were travelling in the first place, with a somewhat surprising end to it all which might leave some wanting. Though it also seems fitting- I don’t think it could all have ended any other way for these three!

Of course, the characters can make or break a series, no matter the plot and animation- and that’s where this series seems to shine. From the innocent and sometimes obnoxious Fuu, to the arrogant and wild Mugen, and the stoic, honorable Jin, all the characters are well-developed. They all have their own motivations and personalities, and the bonds that form between them are as strong as any. Thankfully, the voice acting is strong enough to carry these characters well. I was lucky enough to hear it in both Japanese and English. While the English acting is fairly good, the Japanese is definitely the way to go if you can follow subtitles.

Overall, while the violence and sexual themes in this anime might put some off, for anyone who wants to see the ‘classics’ of anime, or just a really cool samurai action title, this isn’t to be missed!

Recommended: YES! Older teens and up, due to heavy violence, sexual themes, and language.

Other titles you might like: Cowboy Bebop (anime),
Sword of the Stranger (anime),
Baccano! (anime)
Seirei no Moribito (anime)

“To Have And To Hold” – Tail of the Moon (manga) - 3/10 Sugar Cubes

Love, and a cough, cannot be hid. ~George Herbert

Genre: Shoujo/ Romance/ Comedy / Drama/ Action

Review Status: Full (15 Volumes/ 15 Volumes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art: Typical shoujo- all of the bishies look alike except for their hair. All the girls are gorgeous and chesty (except for the main, because we can’t have a busty main, now can we?). It looks like every other ancient-Japan-shoujo manga out there.

Summary: Usagi is the granddaughter of the leader of a presitgious ninja village, but she's such a klutz that she's never made it out of the kiddie class. Frustrated with Usagi's lack of progress, her grandfather sends her to marry Lord Hanzo and have lots of ninja babies. But the lord has no interest in her or her childbearing potential! (Source: Viz Media)

Review: This is a story about Usa, a girl that washes out of being a ninja at the age of 15 due to laziness and is immediately sent to the local lord to marry him and have his kids. In the first chapter. After that, it goes downhill.

So! She proclaims to not go back until she’s successful, and starts on a mission to improve her ninjutsu and become a worthy bride. There’s the obligatory rivals, the embarrassing situations, drama out the wazzoo, and a whole lot of values dissonance- the story clearly states that this takes place in the 1500’s, so there’s a lot of talk about getting pregnant at ages that would be considered totally unacceptable today, and some co-ed bathing (and these aren’t kids we’re talking about, here) and almost-rape.

Now, some of those things can be used well in a manga. Except the characters’ terminal stupidity means that these don’t work well- at all! Even though Usagi is a lazy idiot (Mary Sue, I should say- she only has one redeeming plot device skill), she’s sent on very important, very dangerous missions…. Where she consistently messes up due to her stupidity, such as leaving a message on the floor with important information. Just leaving it there, with no thought to the danger it would put her and her partner in if it were discovered! And, being the main character, all the men want her. Badly. All of them.

This does have a happy end- after a brief, non-inspired, non-inspiring speech about revenge and how it’s not good. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t impressed.

Overall, this sends incredibly mixed messages about what this manga is. The content says it’s for older teens, the execution says it’s for pre-teens. It’s just not that good.

Recommended: No. Not for anyone, unless they’re into sappy, sexual-tension-filled, poorly-executed romances. Probably 15+ due to somewhat graphic instances of sex and constant references to it. There's also some violence and blood.

Other titles you might like:
Paradise Kiss (manga),
NANA (manga and anime),
5 Centimeters per Second (anime),
Red River (manga),
Kanon (anime),
Seirei no Moribito (anime)
Romeo x Juliet (anime)
Castle in the Sky (anime_=)

“Life Is In The Eye Of The Beholder” - Aoi Bungaku (anime) – 9/10 Sugar Cubes

All say, "How hard it is that we have to die" - a strange complaint to come from the mouths of people who have had to live. ~Mark Twain

Genre: Psychological/ Horror/ Historical/ Seinen

Review Status: Full (12 Episodes/ 12 Episodes)

Licensed: Unlicensed in the US

Art/ Animation: Wow. For the most part, this remains in the ‘breathtaking’ mode, with bright colors, excellent shading, and animation that is fluid and wonderful.

Summary: The series consists of adaptations of six modern classics of Japanese literature: Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) & Run, Melos! (Hashire, Melos!), Natsume Soseki’s Kokoro, Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) & The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito), and Ango Sakaguchi's In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita).

No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) - A high school student becomes lost and alienated. Despondent and aimless, he falls into a cycle of self abuse, depression and drugs that taints his life for years. Told in three chapters, each chapter deals with a different point in his life and the final chapter leaves him standing alone - an empty and hollow charicature of his former self.

In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom(Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) - A love story between a 12th-century woman and a mountain bandit who abducts her.

Kokoro - A 1914 tale of a young man's life journey during the Meiji era. The work deals with the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era, by exploring the friendship between a young man and an older man he calls "Sensei". It continues the theme of isolation developed in Soseki's previous works, here in the context of interwoven strands of egoism and guilt, as opposed to shame

Run, Melos! (Hashire, Melos!) - An updated retelling of a classic Greek tale of the story of Damon and Pythias. The most prominent theme of "Run, Melos!" is unwavering friendship. Despite facing hardships, the protagonist Melos does his best to save his friend's life, and in the end his efforts are rewarded.

The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) - The Buddha Shakyamuni chances to notice a cold-hearted criminal suffering in Hell. But this criminal did perform one single act of kindness in not stepping on a spider in a forest. Moved by this selfless act, Shakyamuni takes the silvery thread of a spider in Paradise and lowers it down into Hell, but it falls upon the criminal to seize the opportunity and pull himself out - if he can.

Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) - A famous artist is commissioned by a great lord to create a series of paintings depicting scenes of the 'Buddhist Hell'. The artist is unable to paint scenes that he has not seen himself, prompting him to torture and torment the Lord's staff to create his imagined images of hell. His creative efforts taint the household, as the story descends into madness and destruction.(MAL.net)

Review: As these arcs are essentially six different stories, they each deserve a paragraph to themselves. Overall, though, this is a fantastic adaptation of literature. While I can’t attest to how accurate they are, I was nonetheless intrigued, horrified, and touched by this anime. It has everything- stories that draw you in, art and animation that’s above par, and music that only adds to the experience.

No Longer Human was an interesting experience. I take that back- it was mind-bending. The worst scars to heal are the ones that you can’t see, and this man had ones that never did. As both a study of a man, and almost an autobiography of the author, it reveals depths of insanity fostered by someone who had a traumatic past and was never able to overcome it. It is the longest of the arcs, and perhaps the most horrifying as a psychological study.

In The Forest was just outright horror, with an interesting execution (ha, ha, ha). What happens when love goes very, very wrong? This happens. A man is willing to give everything, the lives of his wives, the heads of local nobles, etc, to get a woman to love him- and the sad part is, he was just caught up in her madness and vanity. Trust me, just because you’re cutting the heads off of people doesn’t make you instantly insane. And this was also a surreal experience due to how the animators and writers decided to stylize the violence as a Noh drama, with screens and popping red flags to indicate death. And the opening for the entire arc? Completely misleading. This…. Is not a happy story.

Kokoro was fascinating because the writers decided to add a part of the story that wasn’t originally in the book. Since it was told from first-person, and they decide to show the story from both POV’s, the person watching gets to decide who the unreliable narrator is- or decide that neither one is trustworthy. IS it the story of a man who sees his friend intimidate a woman into intimacy, and marries her to save her from it? Or is it the story of a man’s friend who falls in love with a woman, but sees the man steal her away out of jealousy?

Run, Melos! came the closest to a ‘happy story’ out of all these- a story of best friends and a betrayal that nearly broke one of them. How can one write about friendship when he no longer believes in it himself? When writing a play, he finds himself seeing the story from both sides, but not believing that the other side is sincere. Interesting as the writers/animators decided to insert the characters into the play that was being written, and thereby showing how closely they paralleled.

The Spider’s Thread- As this was written for children, it is perhaps the easiest of themes and ideas to understand. A man, a killer with no remorse or regrets is put to death, but is so consumed by his anger and narcissism that he is unable to escape hell when salvation is offered by a lone creature that he spared. The hell scenes are trippy, but very effective, and overall is an interesting story.

Hell Screen: while in real life the story is unrelated to Spider’s Thread, the anime keeps a character from the previous by choice of the writers and animators. It was also chosen to be portrayed in the same story universe that Spider’s Thread had. As a story, it’s also an interesting look at people- how much suffering and despair do you see before you go mad? Before you start to subvert those in power that are causing it? An artist is ordered by his tyrannical king to paint the city as it is on the walls of his mausoleum, and the artist does…. With a different interpretation of ‘as it is’. Unfortunately, you see the depths that the madness has driven him to, so that he no longer cares about showing the King how wrong he is, but you also see the madness that the King possesses.

Overall, this has a lot to offer someone looking for insights into characters and people. Or people who just want mind-bending stuff that could easily be considered nightmare fuel. Either way, this will satisfy!

Recommended: Sure, for those 17 and over. 16 if mature enough to handle the subject matter. With at least one semi-graphic sex scene (a few implied), somewhat grpahic murder, suicide, and death.

Other titles you might like:
Higurashi no Naku koro ni (anime and manga),
Monster (anime and manga),
Bizenghast (manga),
Franken Fran (manga),
Shinigami no Ballad (anime and manga),
Hell Girl (anime),
Denpateki na Kanojo (anime)

"Just An Ordinary Day" - Aria (anime) - 10/10 Sugar Cubes

*Note- This is a review for all three seasons
I know what things are good: friendship and work and conversation. These I shall have. ~Rupert Brooke

Genre: Slice-of-life/ Sci-fi/ Fantasy

Review Status: Full (52 Episodes/ 52 Episodes) *The first season is Aria the
Animation, the second Aria the Natural, the last Aria the Origination

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art/Animation: While some of the art isn't terrific (obviously CG, such as the ocean in some shots), the colors are very nice, the animation is fairly consistent, and some bits are absolutely beautful.

Summary: “Drift peacefully into Neo Venezia, a city on the planet Aqua (formerly known as Mars). By the 24th century, humans have found a way to colonize the previously uninhabitable planet. As futuristic as that sounds, Neo Venezia is still teeming with rustic beauty; gondolas on wide canals and waterways are the main mode of transportation. The city itself is a faithful replication of Manhome’s (the planet formerly known as Earth) Venice.

To make sure that residents and tourists alike get the most from Neo Venezia’s many wonders, companies offering guided tours via gondola were formed, one of which is named Aria Company.

This is the workplace of Akari Mizunashi, a free spirited teenager from Manhome who is now a novice Undine (the title given to tour guides). Join Akari as she becomes intimately acquainted with other Undine, tourists, Neo Venezia’s residents, and even the city itself, learning many valuable life lessons along the way, such as the wonderful truth that there are such things as manmade miracles.” (from MAL.net)

Review: This is an anime in which, at first glance, you can’t be sure about what you’re going to get. The cover for the first season might imply a bunch of fanservice, the summary might imply slapstick comedy, while the description of the content might imply that it takes place in a complete fantasy world or is totally inappropriate for anyone under the age of 16.

In reality, this is none of that. This is a story where nothing happens. And I mean that in the most wonderful way. There are no giant monsters attacking the city, there are no intense space battles, there is nothing that could possibly be considered offensive to…. anyone, really!

The story revolves around Akari and her friends learning to be gondoliers and learning about eachother and the wonderful city they live in. You watch as they make new friends and experience life in Neo-Venezia and the wonderful things it offers. They truly take joy in life’s little things- from the baked potato offered along one of the banks, to the celebrations that take place, to the people that they interacts with every day, there is always something magnificent that waits to be found.

As this is a story about these girls wanting to be gondoliers, you also follow them on their journey of mastering their skills. There’s talk about how to give a proper tour of the city (in fact, one episode is entirely about Akari giving a tour of the city- it’s one of the most heartwarming and breathtaking episodes). You follow as they share training experiences, sometimes making mistakes, often succeeding. You see that rowing a gondola isn’t as easy as it may appear at first- one of the reasons Akari is still in training is due to her learning how to row one the wrong way while she was still on Manhome (Earth).

These things fill the first two seasons. The third takes a decidedly different tone as the girls start to truly master their craft (there is an interlude OVA between the second and third seasons, called Aria ~Arietta~, which is packaged with the third season and has a separate review, which is the first sign of the change in tone). This is where themes of change and time begin to take on more importance. While the beauty of Neo-Venezia remains, the gondoliers who share it’s beauty change, and it’s marked by a bittersweet moving on by a beloved member of the cast. This is where I recommend watching to the very end of the last episode of the third season- which shows that, even as things change and time moves on, there’s certain things that will always live on.

As an aside, because it’s confusing to most people who start watching the anime, yes, that funny-looking white creature with the weird eyes in the beginning of the first episode is a cat-. It’s a Mars cat, which looks different from those that were brought from Earth more recently. And he is considered the “President” of the company in name only- it’s an honorary title given to the cat mascot of a gondolier company, for good luck.

Overall, this is one of the sweetest, most heartwarming anime out there.

Recommended: For watching after a bad day- guaranteed to give a mood lift! Appropriate for all ages.

Other titles you might like: Aria and Aqua (manga)
Yotsuba& (manga),
Hidamari Sketch (anime),
Ah! My Goddess (anime and manga)
Natume's Book of Friends (anime and manga)

"Time And Again" - The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (anime) - 9/10 Sugar Cubes

Sometimes I feel that life is passing me by, not slowly either, but with ropes of steam and spark-spattered wheels and a hoarse roar of power or terror. It's passing, yet I'm the one who's doing all the moving. ~Martin Amis

Genre: Romance/ Sci-fi/ Drama

Review Status: Full (1 movie/ 1 movie)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art/animation: The visuals are stunning- the colors are vibrant, the characters clearly distinguishable (and look good), and the backgrounds are incredibly detailed.

Summary: When 17-year-old Makoto Konno gains the ability to, quite literally, "leap" backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. However, she soon realizes that changing the past isn't as simple as it seems, and eventually, will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future of herself and her friends. (From ANN.com).

Review: This is a story about much more than this, though. It's a story about a girl who's realizing that her childhood is slowly slipping away, that she and her friends are changing, and that the days she has with them are as precious as gold. When she gains the ability to time-travel, she also gains the ability to relive her most precious times as she wished she could before. The ability comes with a price, though. If you've ever wondered how your life would be if you'd just done something else, well.... she finds out. And often, it's not what she wanted to happen.

Often, each consequent option has worse consequences than the one before, and it spirals into a horrific unending sequence of trying to fix the mistake, but making things worse- and they do get worse before they get better. But through it all, she realizes that sometimes, life is good as it is, that you should cherish your time with your friends, and that choices shouldn't be made lightly, since you only live once. This is a great movie. The music is incredibly good, and incredibly fitting for each scene. The characters could be people you meet on the street- very realistic, very sweet, very much able to worm their way into your heart.

Overall, this is definitely a must-see anime. After all, time waits for no one!

Recommended: Yes. This is something that you can watch with all but the youngest, who probably will be bored with the lack of action and wouldn’t understand the themes of time passing one by. 13+ for two brief references to masturbation and some light violence.

Other titles you might like:
Lovely Complex (anime and manga)
5 Centimeters Per Second (anime)
Voices of a Distant Star (anime)
Summer Wars (anime

"A Forever Kind Of Love" - Romeo x Juliet (anime) - 10/10 Sugar Cubes

Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end. ~Author Unknown

Genre: Romance/ Fantasy/ Drama/ Action

Review Status: Full (24 Episodes/ 24 Episodes)

Licensed: Licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Fantastic! The character designs may take some time to get used to (they’re a tad on the long and lanky side), but the detail in the clothes, the backgrounds, the swordfights…. Yeah. Totally worth it.

Summary: “In the floating continent of Neo Verona, the Montague family seized control and murdered every member of the Capulet family with the exception of Capulet's daughter, Juliet Fiammata Asto Capulet. 14 years later, Juliet and the remnants of Capulet's retainers live hidden from the iron fist of the Montague family. Juliet has long forgotten the murder of her family or her identity, and cross dresses as Odin and the town's hero of justice, "Red Whirlwind". A sudden escape in her daily escapades leads her to meet Romeo Candorebanto Montague, the kind son of the tyrannical Montague. Destiny has been set as these two individuals soon to be "star-crossed lovers" are cruelly toyed with by fate in the midst of war. Loosely based on the play by William Shakespeare.” (MAL.net)

Review: When they say it’s loosely based on the traditional Romeo and Juliet, it’s pretty loosely based. From the Capulets becoming overthrown nobility, to being on a floating island, to various other things in the anime, this is not the Romeo and Juliet that you’re familiar with. Even so, this stands on its own merits. It’s truly a Romeo and Juliet love story- love at first sight, defiance of their families, and, well, the end…

The characters are wonderfully reimagined, with Juliet becoming not just someone who wants to avoid a marriage to someone she doesn’t love, but someone who must hide everything about her identitfy for fear of her life but willing to risk capture to ensure that justice is carried out against the corrupt officials. Romeo is now a prince who wants nothing more than the happiness of his people, and is watching his father descend into greed and politics, becoming nothing more than a tyrant, and even so is willing to defy his father for the woman he loves. Everyone else are characters, to say the least.

The anime itself has many things going for it, from beautiful animation, to lovely music. It has a number of shout-outs to the Bard himself, which gets a laugh from those familiar with his works, but even so some of them will be pretty obvious, and may bring a smile to the viewer’s face. There are themes of love, friendship, sacrifice, and standing up for those who can’t protect themselves, presented in a way that isn’t too obvious. This may not be the traditional story of Romeo and Juliet, but it’s a wonderful watch for those who are looking for some action and romance.

Overall, if you love a good love story, pick this one! It’s not one to regret!

Recommended: 13 and over. There’s sacrifice and death, sometimes fairly graphic and bloody, and one or two brief glimpses of dead bodies. One man throw himself onto a fire.

Other titles you might like:
5 Centimeters Per Second (anime),
Ef - A Tale of Memories and Ef- A Tale of Melodies (anime),
Air (movie and anime),
Kanon (anime),
Clannad and Clannad Afterstory (anime),
Wolf’s Rain (anime)
Spice and Wolf (anime)
Millenium Actress (anime)
Emma: A Victorian Romance (manga and anime)
The Place Promised In Our Early Days (anime)