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Psychic Academy was one of the first anime to take the step towards the internet. Being a pioneer in internet-only broadcasting, it made me wonder why it decided to take such a route. Curse you, curiosity, for getting the best of me yet again.

Though there are 24 episodes in the series, each episode is about eleven minutes long, and two of those minutes are used for the opening theme. With the remaining nine minutes, a story is hastily attempted to be woven. Unfortunately, focus on the plot is lost, and the show quickly falls to the lowest common denominator: shameless fan service. I lost count at the number of panty shots and "accidental" groping situations. It's a shame, really. If more time were spent on the whole "Aura" concept, then Psychic Academy could have become a decent series.

At the same time, not everything was horrible. There were a few decent moments of comedy sprinkled here and there, and some moments between Orina and Ai were genuinely nice. Beyond that, much of what went on between the characters was rather forgettable. Being aired solely on the internet, the budget constraints were obvious. The animation was poor at best throughout the series' run. Going along with that was the horribly out of place CGI effects. I use CGI lightly; the special effects looked more like something out of a Flash program.

While there are certainly worse anime out there with a short run time *cough*Legend of Duo*cough*, Psychic Academy is not much better. Though you won't waste too much time if you do decide to watch anyway, it is still time better spent on better anime. read more

Vampires in anime are, surprisingly for me, few and far between, with the biggest standout being Hellsing. So when I discovered Legend of Duo had vampires, I figured I could at least give it a try. After all, what's the worst that could happen? I found out how bad it could truly get in just one hour.

Where do I begin? For starters, the animation is pretty pathetic. Every single trick in the book is used, and none of them prove to be useful. Still shots and long sweeping pans? Check. Camera shaking? Check. Large supplies of reused stock character images with only the mouths moving? Check yet again. Every visual cue screams low budget. I will, however, give this anime one thing. The static art, which is frequently seen throughout the series, is rather nice and detailed. It's a shame that it has to be paired with such attrocious animation.

Other low budget anime, such as Violinist of Hamlin, are at least able to make up for the lack of animation with a moving and engaging storyline. LoD, however, cannot accomplish the same, though one can say that this is because each episode is only five minutes long. Too much story is crammed into too little time, making the series feel downright rushed and sloppy in execution. I found myself struggling to care about what was happening to the characters on the screen, not to mention their names afterwords. The music used in LoD did nothing to help, with what seemed like only two tracks being played in each episode: one for intensity and one for drama.

To put it simply, Legend of Duo is nothing short of awful. Never before in an anime did five minutes seem like an eternity. Perhaps this is the reason why vampires don't make more appearances in anime. read more

Picking up where Dragonball Z left off, Dragonball GT is considered by many as a poor final chapter to the Dragonball franchise. In some cases, they are right, as this is the only series not based off of Toriyama's manga and said manga-ka also had little to do with the series. However, judging it solely on that is unfair, so I'll try to do my best at giving GT a proper review.

The one major thing that Dragonball GT suffers from is an identity crisis. It starts off as a primarily comedy anime with action as a secondary, something that worked very well for Dragonball and occasionally worked here as well. Unfortunately, the series received poor ratings, mainly because everyone wanted more action and less goofing off. At about Episode 17, the focus shifted from comedy to action, and that's also when the plot started to suffer. It's difficult to be original when one uses plot devices that have been seen in so many other anime, not to mention done better. And as well all know, with a lack of originality comes boredom. At least this series is "only" 64 episodes in length, so it's not as much of a chore to sit through as, say, Dragonball Z.

On an more positive note, the art and animation received a nice upgrade. Some of the character designs are a bit iffy, but it's still passable. The music is also rather good, especially the opening, DAN DAN Kokoro Hikareteku, and all four endings. I can safely say that I enjoy listening to all five songs on a regular basis. The fights are enjoyable more often than not, though once again, I've seen better...much better.

It may be far from perfect, but Dragonball GT at least makes an attempt to be entertaining. If you still want to watch, then by all means, go for it. Just don't expect too much, and enjoy the opening and endings as they come. read more

Ah, Dragonball. The beginning of one of the longest and arguably most popular anime franchise on both sides of the pacific. Unfortunately, this anime seems to be shunned by a few based on its affiliation with its sequels. That's a shame, really.

One huge reason why this anime holds its own is that the entire franchise is in its infancy. There are no Super Saiya-jin stages to worry about, and the fights aren’t stretched out to their barely tolerable limits. The various quests that the young Z-Senshi embark on are just that: quests. There are no interstellar enemies to fight (early on), and the majority of the time spent is on the team simply trying to find the dragonballs. The comedic element in Dragonball shines just as brightly and flows smoothly with the story. The characters have such a genuinely portrayed chemisty between each other. Dragonball never seems to take itself too seriously, allowing the viewer to sit back and enjoy the ride.

For a twenty-year-old series, Dragonball looks the part. Time has taken its toll, as the art and animation haven’t aged very well, though by 1980's standards, it's pretty good. On the other hand, the fights are better planned out, particularly during the Tenkaichi Budokai. Instead of the “beat-down-to-the-brink-of-death-only-to-tap-in-to-a-hidden-power-and-win-at-the-last-second” routine, combatants actually have flaws and human weaknesses, including Goku. Some are actually enjoyable with comedic moments placed within them. As the series begins its final arc, however, we begin to sees shades of the future for this franchise. Fights begin to grow longer and longer and the comedy slowly begins to wane.

Like I said earlier, it’s a real shame that this series gets such a bad reputation because of its successors. Sure, it eventually parts into its lackluster sequels, but as the saying goes, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’ Dragonball is a fun series that should be worth anyone’s time, be you a newcomer or a seasoned veteran. read more

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you mixed the frenetic pace and animation stylings of His and Her Circumstances with the subliminal messages and symbolism of Evangelion together in a 6 episode OVA? Well, my friends, here is your answer.

Right from OVA 1, I knew that this anime was something special. The art and animation varies from smooth and polished to crazy and gnarled in a heartbeat, yet it still keeps a certain level of artistic genius. Scenes are rendered in bright, vivid colors that draw the viewer right into the action. I also can’t say enough how much I love the soundtrack. The Pillows’ rocking tunes mixes and blends perfectly with every moment that appears on the screen. The ending theme, “Ride on Shooting Star”, is most certainly one of my all time favorite songs.

FLCL boasts one of the fastest moving stories around, and keeping up with it can be an issue at time. Just like Evangelion, this series is chock full of symbolism and underlying themes and will most likely leave viewers asking themselves, ‘What the hell just happened?’. If you can keep up, though, then you’re in for a treat. Gainax pulls no punches when parodying Japanese or American pop culture, be it Lupin III or our very own South Park. The seiyuu fit perfectly with their respective characters. I even have to say that this is one of the few anime out there that also has a great English dub as well, a feat that I thought only Cowboy Bebop could accomplish.

If you’ve seen the series already, watch it again and see what else you can find the second time around. If you haven’t, pick it up and join the fun. FLCL stands in a league of its own as an anime that has no bounds to what it can deliver to its viewers. read more

Having watched the original Record of Lodoss War, I went into this title with a little bit of apprehension. Sequels have a notorious reputation for being sub par in comparison to their predecessors. Luckily, Chronicles of the Heroic Knight breaks that stereotype in a fairly big and entertaining way.

For some reason, I could not get into the original Lodoss, try as I may. However, Chronicles had me hooked from episode one, despite the fact that the first batch of episodes are basically a rehashed version of the OVA storyline. Fair warning though; don’t get used to seeing Parn and Deedlit in every episode. After the introduction, it’s as if the original Lodoss story never happened. A new cast, and a large one at that, is introduced with new enemies and new motives. While it was great to see that the producers took the time to make sure that no one was just another nameless warrior, keeping track of a cast this size proved to be a daunting task. The story to go along with this new group was equally complex, but very intriguing and captivating. That is, until the end of the episode, when super-deformed versions of the characters make a parody of the story just displayed. It was funny at first, but then became just plain annoying and took away from the real storyline.

Probably the brightest star of this series is, arguably, the music. Yoko Kanno, already famous for her work in such titles as Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone Complex and Vision of Escaflowne, whips up a fantastic orchestral score to fit every scene on the screen, making this series pleasing on the ears. The opening and ending themes, Kiseki no Umi and Hikari no Suashi, are a joy to listen to every time they play and are definitely two of my favorite anime themes. The animation sequences to go along with them were stunning. It’s a bit of a shame that the series couldn’t have the same luster in its animation. By no means am I saying that the animation is bad. I was just a little disappointed at the dip from the opening and ending sequences to the series.

If you liked the original Lodoss, then by all mean, pick up Chronicles of the Heroic Knight. It’s just about everything that the OVA was and better. Just skip the last three minutes of each episode and enjoy the ending theme instead. read more

There comes a time in every anime watcher’s life that he or she must stare pure horror in the face and, as much as one may not want to, watch an anime that makes their skin crawl. My friends, this was my time.

I can honestly say that this anime did have a decent introduction. The narration, read over stills of maps and old pictures, paints a picture of a potentially decent story. The instant the real animation starts, however, all of the hype is lost in a sea of dismembered corpses. When I say sea, I mean it. The amount of blood and gore in these 2 OVA alone is more than enough to almost give Berserk and Elfen Lied a run for their money; even two children are slaughtered and their decapitated heads are shown to the viewer. If you think that these action scenes are well animated, think again. For a 1998 OVA, the animation is horrific, using stills to simulate the ninja “dashing” by and killing guards along the way. Let’s also not forget the gratuitous sex scenes that do absolutely nothing for the main story line and are equally difficult, if not more so, to stomach. Though the gloomy style of art fits well enough, it is no where near enough to bring this title out of mediocrity.

To make matters worse, Ninja Resurrection is historically based. If the producers would have stuck to the time period in question, this series may have gone down a bit easier. Instead, they decide that Jubei’s crew should have a little help in their battles. The ninjas somehow come across the wonders of 20th century technology in their fight against Shiro and his followers; one ninja even sports a rocket launcher (Yes, you read correctly) and another flies overhead with the aid of a jet pack. Keep in mind, folks, that this anime is taking place in the Japan of the 1600’s.

I really can’t say anything more without repeating myself. If you want a good series based off of real Japanese history, pick up something like Rurouni Kenshin instead. However, if you’re a masochist, then by all mean, pick up Ninja Resurrection at your own risk. Fair warning though, this might even be too painful for a masochist to watch. read more

Released along side the Super S movie, Ami-Chan’s First Love is a fun little romp through the Sailor Moon story. Clocking in at about fifteen minutes, including the new ending theme, which is rather catchy and fun to listen to, it is pretty much a little deviation from the main story. This turns out to help and harm this anime at the same time.

Whereas the TV series focuses mainly around Usagi, it is Ami that is at the center of attention this time around. She even starts off the movie by telling about what she likes and dislikes, as well as her hobbies and home life. As everything progresses, more of Ami’s personality is shown; everything from her serious scholarly attitude to her comical and light-hearted side is shown in this short amount of time. It’s nice to see that at least one of the other senshi has a deeper personality than what is shown otherwise. That’s not to say that the others are left in the complete background. Everyone does their part to make this anime a nice little treat. The way the others try to help Ami is just as any friend would try to do, and it never fails to put a smile on my face and make me chuckle when I watch them. Though the plot may seem to be a little bit on the simpler side of the spectrum, it doesn’t need to be complex at all. There’s something in this anime for just about anyone: A nice story about friends, a little love thrown in, and plenty of light-hearted comedy.

At the same time, however, there just isn’t enough time to make much anything else happen with the given amount of time. In essence, this is a mini episode of Sailor Moon, complete with transformation and attack, though none of this comes from Usagi at all. With that in mind, fans of the show and/or Sailor Mercury will get the most enjoyment out of this one, though just about anyone should be able to get some kind of enjoyment out of this anime. On the technical side, Ami-Chan is no slouch at all. The art and animation receives a nice boost, as colors are much brighter here than in the TV series, and though the music is the same from the TV series, it does its job just fine.

If you’re a fan of the series or just in need of a fifteen minute deviation from life, give Ami-Chan’s First Love a go. Who knows, maybe you’ll remember how you reacted to your first love too. read more

I consider myself relatively new to the mecha anime genre, with my main exposure to it being in the form of Evangelion, Gundam, and a little bit of Macross. So when I heard about Nadesico and its parodies, I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve laughed more throughout any other series.

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or new to mecha anime, Nadesico doesn’t fail in its quest to poke fun at its ancestry and let you know about it. It’s rather fun to watch the show and point out the parody moments in each episode. It even contains a parody within a parody in the form of Gekigangar 3, a spoof of the mecha anime of the late 70s and 80s. Don’t think that parodies are the only things that will make you laugh. There are many points where the crew takes over and keeps the laughs coming with their daily interactions.

Speaking of which, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the crew of the Nadesico. Each crew member is unique and memorable in his or her own way. The entire spectrum is there: the otaku, the diva, the quiet one, the pervert, etc. It’s almost impossible to not find one character that you can relate to in one form or another. The seiyuu do an equally great job at fleshing out their respective characters. Houkou Kuwashima (InuYasha’s Sango, Azumanga Daioh!’s Kagura) does a wonderful job as Yurika, switching from heartfelt to hyper with ease.

As the series cruises along the half-way mark, the focus changes. The rampant parodies are taken back a bit, and a solid plot emerges. There are several psycho-analytic moments that blatantly poke fun at Evangelion, but I just didn’t find myself laughing as often as before. As everything hit the fan and the end began to come in sight, I was waiting for the epic conclusion that I had planned out in my mind. What I saw was nothing close to my hopes. Rather, Nadesico simply ended.

The ending left me with mixed feelings, and it will most likely be seen as a love it or hate it ending among others. On one side, there are numerous plot holes that are left wide open, and several events are left unexplained. To put it simply, under most circumstances, I would see such an ending as a failure. However, I found it to be fitting finale for such a quirky series. There didn't need to be a perfect ending. I was able to leave the Nadesico with a smile on my face and a satisfied feeling, and that’s what matters.

Whether you’re a fan of mecha anime or not, I still highly recommend this anime as an enjoyable comedy. Sometimes, you just have to take some time to laugh at yourself, and Nadesico does just that. read more

After finishing the first Higurashi series, I was actually looking forward to seeing what Kai had in store for me. Despite my dislike of the horror genre, I was more than willing to give this one a chance too, since I was proven wrong by the former. I was proven wrong, all right, but it was not for the right reasons.

Where the first Higurashi was centered on shocking the viewer at every turn, Kai went for a slower, more suspenseful approach. Because of this decision, this approach turned out to be exceedingly slow. With only two major arcs present and twenty-four episodes to use, many events were stretched out beyond their limits. There were several occasions where the story virtually stalled for two episodes at a time with almost nothing being accomplished. Perhaps because of this, the twists that were thrown in became more surprising. There were just enough of these to help me see this series to its unexpected end.

Luckily, thanks to this pacing change, I did see some good come out of Kai. With several major questions raised at the end of the first Higurashi, the series took each one and explained the reasoning behind everything clearly. I can safely say that I had no further questions about any past events when the final credits rolled. There was one other good thing about this slower approach; something that I didn’t expect. The amount of back story given was a rather nice treat. Most of this was focused around Takano, someone that barely received any time in the first season, but proved to hold much more that what I saw previously. Her story was more compelling and memorable than the actual plot ever was at any given point.

Throughout the entire run of Kai, there seemed to be something missing. The sense of paranoia that was so prevalent in the first season was absent. Granted, this had to do with the focus shift, but there still could have been a way to keep it in the plot. Without the constant fear that someone or something may be lurking around the corner, this series felt rather dull outside of Takano's story. At least the beginning and ending of each episode is enjoyable with the new opening and ending themes.

When all was said and done, I could do nothing but sigh. The ending may have been satisfying, but I still wanted more. Despite my distaste for graphic violence and horror, I actually wished that it were there from the beginning. That, my friends, is saying something. read more