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"Not all things are what they appear to be"

Note: The following review will talk about not only the recap special, but also the episodes it covers.

Bakemonogatari - recap special, shows the past events that circle around episodes 1 -5.

The tale revolves around Koyomi Araragi, who has just recently survived a vampire attack, and under certain circumstances gets involved with many things regarding the supernatural (ghosts, spirits and the like). A mysterious girl falls from the sky one day, and his life is never the same afterward. Now if you have never watched the series up until this point then you’re probably thinking there isn’t a whole lot of reason to check this version out, as it only recaps the first five episodes. However, I feel that it could in fact serve a good purpose to both fans of the series, and those who may still be debating on picking it up or not. These recap episodes don’t really contain too much in the way of spoilers, at least not any that are very relevant to the overall plot as of yet. People who have never seen it might be thinking to themselves that a story revolving around ghosts, vampires and other supernatural things, has been run into the ground too much to be of interest. However, every couple of years a company finds a way of doing it differently. And I am happy to say that "Bakemonogatari" is one of these anime titles. Being that the story does revolve around the supernatural, you might think things up to this point were all about action. But no, you would be wrong. The episodes are VERY dialog heavy, and wouldn’t be something you would want to watch without subs (unless you understand Japanese that is). In many of the episodes it all comes down to character discussions. They range from relationship talk, to spirits and creatures, to even talking about one’s personal situation and grief. Most of the inner turmoil and problems that the cast have, have some kind of relation to spiritual creatures, who represent said character's problem. When a form is actually located, it comes down more to a mentality at stopping it, and not with actual brute force. The script writing in this series is very well done, but that isn’t exactly what makes "Bakemonogatari" so special--as it’s not what the story is about, so much as how they present it. Both the plot and dialog are very artistic, even when it comes down to the characters simply talking about things that don’t really have a solid purpose to the storyline. If you have ever seen the "ef" series, then you will feel right at home with this title. Which is fitting, since both are made by the same producers (SHAFT). Even so, it does have it’s faults too, some of the conversations between the characters can feel bloated at times, without a solid purpose in mind. And because of it’s somewhat trippy style in telling a tale, some might also find it to be a bit too drawn out and weird at times. Still, if you are looking for a story that adds a unique twist on how it tells it, then you will enjoy these episodes.

The art in this is really something special, the main focus of the animation is not with the overall picture, as it is so much with the characters themselves. Many times the backgrounds will be quite plain, and many times they won’t stand out much at all. As mentioned before this is a very "artsy" anime, and it tends to not stay on one animation scene for very long. This might annoy some viewers, as it does tend to change its scenery a lot. Many of the scene changes will only show a colored screen with a word or symbol on it, or will have a still image representing what the characters are talking about, or events taking place. It's a "mind over matter" art style.

Soundtrack to this title is really good, it’s the same music that derives from the series. Most of them come in the form of creepy style bleeps and bloops, and really do great at setting the tone for the atmosphere. The opening and closing themes are more on the brighter side than the actual background music. The music in this series does good at complimenting the mood that the company wanted you to feel. Even so though, I wouldn’t really consider it to be a memorable soundtrack, and once you’re done with this recap (and the series), you’ll most likely forget about it. The voice acting is top notch, and all characters match well with their voice actors.

I would say that the characters are pretty deep in their personalities, you really are able to get into their head as the episodes progress. Many of them are not who you think they would be right off the bat. With the exception of Mayoi, most of the main characters talk very seriously in their tone, even when a joke is being played out. Some might find them a bit too calm (or even sleepy) at times, but once again, it fits with the eerie style of the show.

Even for a recap special, I really enjoyed this. It marked all the key points to the story so far, and will keep you entertained. If you are thinking about picking up the series still, this special is a nice taste of how the anime works, without spoiling too much for the viewer. And if you have already seen the episodes up to this point, it’s still a nice refresher course, and could point out something you may have missed before. read more

Gurren Lagann, some people love it, some people hate it. If you are in the first category, then these OVAs should satisfy you if you are looking for a bit more Gurren fun.

Story: 7/10
Well since these two episodes take place during the series, it just won’t have the charm from the actual anime, nor do they really fill any kind of gap in the story. They are simply meant to be fun little stories for the Gurren fans.

The first OVA (episode 5.5) shows a few extra things that happened to Kamina and the gang while they were crossing the wilderness. The key point here is that two new faces are lurking in the shadows, who's true motives are unknown to the gang. "Are they friend or foe?" Now don’t expect this episode to have any extreme action in it, in fact it actually plays more along the lines of an actual comedy episode, all done with the same Gurren charm. Though you do get some fun action in it as well. The only real bummer I had with this episode, is that it’s only about 12 minutes in length, it would have been much nicer to have a full episode length. It’s fun, and will put a smile on your face afterward, but it’s a bit too short.

The second OVA (episode 6 - Director’s cut) takes us back to the infamous spa episode, which most fans probably remember from the series. If you were dissapointed at the fact that the original episode contained mostly flashbacks, then you will be happy to learn that this Director’s cut version, is all 100% episode, with all the flashbacks removed. It even has many "uncensored" parts to it. So if you are looking for some fan service, this should satisfy. There are a few niches though. The first one being the obvious--this isn’t exactly a new episode, it’s basically a more fuller version of episode 6. And secondly--considering that it’s suppose to be "uncensored", it doesn’t really go that extreme distance like you would expect. In fact only the male characters actually appear nude in this episode. With the females in somewhat more exotic style scenes, but no nudity from them. So if you were expecting some steamy Yoko scenes, you might be dissapointed. But there are a lot of laughs to be had here too, and I feel that it makes up for it quite nicely with that. Despite these episodes having some small problems, they should still end up leaving you with a smile.

Animation: 9/10
Not really much to say regarding this, it’s the same stylized animation from the series. Characters are colorful and well proportioned, yet they have their own exaggerated features to them. And you also get the trademark goofiness in the art when the comedy is playing key role (ie the characters have huge facial and body movements). If you have never seen the show before, then the art really will stand out for you. It looks like a traditional anime, but has a style all it’s own.

Sound: 8/10
You get the same opening theme from the first part of the anime, with a few extra scenes thrown in from the OVAs. The ending is exactly the same though. Character voices are well matched, and seem to hit the right key notes at the right time. Some of it does come off as a bit "too acted out" in some scenes, but it’s not all that noticeable.

Characters: 8/10
They are still funny, still charming and very fun to watch. Kamina plays more of a comical role in these two OVAs than he probably did in the actual series, and tends to steal the show from the other characters. The supporting cast are all present, but don’t play much of a role in these. Basically they keep all their trademark antics from the anime. If you loved them before, then you will love them again now, and visa-versa of course. It is also interesting to note that two new characters are introduced in this episode. However, there is little to no back story on them, and they never show up again afterwards.

Overall: 8/10
When it comes right down to it, they are enjoyable OVA titles, and still manage to capture the charm from the show. Due to the fact that episode one is short, and episode 2 is simply and expansion, not all fans will be pleased. Still, if you liked the series, you owe it to yourself to check these out. While they may not blow you away with anything, they certainly aren’t a waste of time either. read more

"A wedding". What’s the first thing you think of when you hear these words? Most people would probably say "it’s the most happiest day for couples, maybe even an exciting new start on life." Or how about...fighting against the forces of evil in an attempt to save mankind? Enter "Wedding Peach", an anime series that takes the fundamental themes of marriage, and uses them to explain a different kind of story.

Story: 6/10
If you are no stranger to the "magical girl" genre, then the start up to "Wedding Peach" shouldn’t be anything unfamiliar to you. We start off with a young 15 year old girl named Momoko, who is chosen to fight the forces of evil between the angel world and the devil world, as one of the Love Angels. She is not alone in this however, as she will be joined by devoted allies, trusted friends, and maybe even some she never thought would help. Wedding Peach has quite a lot going for it with it’s plot (despite the fact that it borrows heavily from Sailor Moon). The main heroines, always seem to be caught up in different situations in their day to day lives, most of which end up getting foiled by the forces of evil. This comes in the form of the devil world possessing human beings, or sending out evil monsters to do their bidding. Now the villains in this story aren’t sent just for the sake of causing havoc, they are looking for something called the "Saint Something Four". These four magical marriage items are extremely powerful, and whoever can get their hands on all the pieces will be given great amounts of power. However, they are hidden in different locations throughout the land. So as long as the Love Angels can stop them from obtaining these pieces, the world won’t be taken over. The plot works well enough for a magical girl title, as new information on the overall storyline is revealed at a steady but good pace. Most episodes don’t really lead into the next, unless a key plot point has been reached in the series. And in this, is where I feel Wedding Peach’s greatest weakness in the story lies. Whenever a certain key plot point is reached in the show, it seems to happen more at random than leading into any kind of build up. Without saying any spoilers, I can best describe it as this: picture you’re watching your favorite anime series. After many many episodes of waiting for your favorite hero to obtain something he or she needs, it is finally obtained and celebration follows. But, let’s pretend that instead of obtaining this item by defeating a foe, or doing it in a more stylized way, they instead have the main hero find simply by accident, or just have said item appear out of nowhere. In that mediphore, is the best way I can describe how some of the plots in Wedding Peach come into play. There is little to any build up, or even clues for the viewer, since some seem to happen at random (not all though). Fight scenes usually end up with the girls struggling against a foe, then using the same magic moves each time against an enemy, which can make the fight scenes get repetitive. To Wedding Peach’s credit though, there are good romance elements going on between many of the characters. These can lead into bitter rivalries, heart breaking misunderstandings, and deep romance twists. The Wedding theme doesn't play as big a part as some might think, but in fact "love" plays more of a role. As the villains can sense what is called "love waves" from any human that shows any kind of remote affection. There are episodes that feature couples getting married and what not, but they don't happen that often. The storyline takes many curves in it’s plot, and many of them are quite unexpected, and actually do play a big part in the story later on. The ending to this was quite good, as all loose ends are tied. So you don’t have to worry about going through the series only to be dissapointed in the end. Overall, Wedding Peach has it’s ups and downs, and most viewers fill find that their disappointment will walk hand in hand with their enjoyment. Not all episodes are winners, but they defiantly have their good points.

As far as possible offensive material goes, Wedding Peach has little to none. Some adult jokes appear every blue moon or so, but rarely ever. All the character relationships are kept clean, and there is no blood in this series. Some of the monsters could scare the little ones, but this anime is nothing past a PG rating.

Animation: 8/10
Wedding Peach first aired in the mid 90’s, and despite the colors coming off as a bit washed out by today’s standards, the series itself was just beautiful for it’s time. Character animations run smoothly, magical attacks are quite nice to look at, and you overall get a nice array of color schemes in this. Cast members have good distinctions from one another too, and have some pretty good facial expressions. The only thing I didn’t like in the animation, was the actual monster design. They were garbage! The main henchmen that appear through out the series work well enough, but the subordinate monsters just come off as silly, and most times unimaginative. Such examples include a door with a face, and a small clown with a little hat. Most aren't even human size. The battle outfits are created with nice colorful detail and flare, but they also have different styles of Wedding Dresses that they wear before hand in order to heal the monsters. Not a whole lot of detail is put into the latter, but they still look nice.

Sound: 7/10
You get a nice mix of high beat magical girl sounds in this series. The opening and closing themes change twice through both seasons. The first two opening and closing titles really match well with the wedding theme, and you of course get the traditional wedding instrumental played everytime the preview for the next episode starts. Background music isn’t really much in the way of special, but you do get some nice lite hearted tracks throughout. When deciding which version to watch (sub or dub), I would defiantly go with the sub version. They feel more natural and easier to listen to, because the English actors can get on the corny side. Especially when the dub version has some of the cast featured in *shudders* accents!

Characters: 8/10
This was probably my favorite thing about Wedding Peach. The main cast interact well with one another, and get off some pretty funny lines. Friendship plays key role in this series, and the Love Angels certainly have big hearts in this department. Always willing to help get one another out of a jam. We have Momoko, who typically is a bit on the clumsy side, to Yuri, the well mannered of the bunch. Expect to see quite a bit of romance in this series, most of it starts out as baby crushes between the cast members, but later on in the anime develop into something beautiful. The only negative things are--there weren’t many staple supporting characters, and some of the cast didn’t get enough back story to them. Even still though, they were quite a lovable cast.

Overall: 7/10
If you are a magical girl fan, then I think Wedding Peach should be given a chance at. Its ups and downs in the storyline might turn off some viewers, which doesn’t make it a series for everyone. But if given the chance, I feel many people will get caught up in it’s character development and romance themes. So while Wedding Peach might not be the big bash of all weddings, it never the less still remains a fun one. read more

Picture a day in your life, where you are happily going to school, and then one day the most popular girl in school seems to want you. Aside from that being every teenage boys dream, it also the starting point of the anime title "Magikano".

Story: 6/10
The plot begins with Haruo, a seemingly ordinary guy at school, nothing special about him at all, just pretty much your average student. One day he happens to see a beautiful girl on his way to class, who turns out to be the newest transfer student of the school, named Ayumi. Because of her beauty she quickly becomes the most popular girl in school. So...why in the world would she want Haruo??!! Well, it turns out that is exactly who she wants, but, not for the motives one would expect, she definitely has a hidden agenda. And as it turns out, she is not the only one who wants him (all of the main female cast members have some sort of magical power). So as you can tell from this little summary, what this anime is, is in fact a harem title. Now don't let that frighten you away from at least giving this one a try, because even though this anime follows the harem formula to a "T", it also has one great redeeming factor, and that is comedy! There are a good number of adult themed jokes in this, a long with slap stick humor, which during a lot of scenes can get pretty "tongue and cheek." For example, there is an episode where Ayumi puts on these cursed style panties. That can only be taken off by Haruo. Oh and did I mention that this particular pair of underwear can talk? Yep, it goes there. The other supporting cast (most of which are female) also help in the humor. Most of them see each other as rivals of course, and this is where the "tongue and cheek" humor plays a role in, so be prepared to hear them call each other some pretty nasty things. So the main point of the story is for Ayumi to get Haruo to fall in love with her, as she needs him to solve her own problem, which rumor has it, only he can do. As the story progress, and the fact that this anime deals heavily in magic, you will see other unworldly creatures come into play, such as ghosts and other wandering spirits. But again, it is not done in a kind of serious manner, with the exception of the last few episodes. And on that note, despite the fact that this is a harem title, the ending to it is actually quite satisfying, and done with a unique twist that most probably won't see coming. The humor aside, Magikano does suffer from being your standard paint by numbers harem title, so don't be expecting to see anything different if you are a fan of this genre, as it is very strait forward in it's harem way. However, that still doesn't change the fact that this series has it where it counts...humor! If you are just looking for a series with a good sense of humor, then I think you will find the story quite charming in that right.

As far as possible offensive material goes. Magikano does have adult themed humor in it, both with the dialog and visuals. There are a few scenes that imply about sex and other adult related humor. This also comes in the form of the female cast members dressed in tight revealing clothes on some occasions. It's nothing past a PG-13 rating though.

Art: 7/10
The spell effects in the animation is really quite an eye candy, as various characters have different style of powers. The visuals are quite clean, pretty well detailed and sharp. The character design is a little disappointing though, as the cast looks pretty lack luster when compared to other anime titles. And many characters look like they were copy and pasted from one another--Characters do move with good fluidity though. Quite a colorful series, it just lacks a little in the character design, and needs more distinction. Facial expressions play key role with many of the characters, which is nicely animated and quite silly/funny to look at.

Sound: 8/10
The opening and closing theme are pretty darn catchy. The intro has a nice magical girl style feel to it, and the ending has a nice "get up and party" beat to it. Both keep the same lyrics the whole way through, but the animation on them changes as new cast members are introduced. The Japanese and English voice cast are pretty well done, though the ADV dub does have a few parts where the actresses get a bit on the exaggerated side with their lines, making it sound a but corny on some parts. Still, they did match the characters well in each of their roles.

Characters: 7/10
Personalities play key role in any good anime title, regardless of what it's theme is. The Magikano cast has some hit and misses in this department, as they can sometimes come off as a bit exaggerated at times. They enjoy getting these angry looks to them and screaming at one another quite a bit. The character's likes come in a variety of ways-- We have Chiaki, a girl with an unhealthy addiction to dieting (yet she eats like a horse), to Fuyuno, a little girl with an even unhealthier love for money, to Maika, a girl with a brother complex towards Haruo (I am sure you know where that's going). I have to say that I liked the cast they had overall, even if some of them felt like their theme was only there to mask the fact that there really wasn't much to some of them.

Overall: 7/10
Magikano, I feel, is a good title to watch when you are simply looking for some good humor, and you will be laughing on many occations. Hardcore harem fans may be dissapointed that this title does little to anything new or deep with it's theme, which doesn't make it a series for everyone. Even still, it's quite an entertaining little comedy title. And sometimes in life, all you need...is a good laugh! read more

What do you get if you take elements from "Pro Wrestling, Power Rangers and Angelic Layer", mix them in a blender and crank it up to high? Well aside from having a broken blender on your hands, the combination would most likely make "Metal Fighter Miku".

Story: 7/10
Taking place in the near future, wrestling is not what it use to be. Gone are the days where two opponents would get in the ring, and fight each other hand to hand until the other was pinned. In this era fighters have now dawned metal suits, which strengthens their moves ten times over, thus calling it "Neo Wrestling!" Going into this anime, I was kind of expecting the whole "wrestling idea" to play more of a side story, thus making the anime feel gimmicky. But no, in truth it actually concentrates on the wrestling theme quite a bit...maybe even too much! So what you see is what you get, the anime follows this formula to a T. In center stage we have little Miku, star of the all female fighting team called the Pretty Four. The main bulk of the story follows the girls as they take on opponents (which usually happens at the end of most episodes) until they can make it to the top, all along meeting new friends and fierce rivals. What makes the anime fun is it’s mix of funny bits, drama and action. It doesn’t surpass anything while it does this, but is there none the less. Determination and team work plays key into each fight, as matches take place in a "four on four" tag match. Now because of the metal suits involved, don’t expect to see much in the way of authentic looking wrestling moves. Most of them are exaggerated, what with super jumps, power punches and the like (if you have ever seen Angelic Layer, then they look something like that). There are a few plot twists that take place near the end that can be quite unexpected too. Most opponents don’t play fair in the very least, and you will see quite a bit of cheating and underhanded deals going though. The main characters transform into their metal suits much like you would see in your tradition magical girl anime. While the story does remain very strait forward with it’’s idea, it also doesn’t do it in a repetitive manner either. As each episode spotlights a new problem for the team to over come, whether it be stopping the underhanded deeds done by their enemies, to simply encouraging one another to stay strong. There is little to no romance in this, and the ones that are present are handled very lightly. One of the problems I had with this anime, is with it’s actual ending. Which takes place in a "1 on 1" match, which I found to be odd since the overall anime is centered on teamwork. As a whole, some viewers might find it’s linear wrestling plot to be too strict to the source to enjoy, but I think fans of action anime may want to check this out, as many of the fights are fun to watch.

Metal Fighter Miku shouldn’t contain anything that viewers would find offensive. There is no blood in this, nor is there any fan service. Of course there is violence as far as wrestling goes, but it’s only done in a mildly over the top manner.

Art: 8/10
Taking into consideration that this anime was made almost 19 years ago, it goes without saying that it doesn’t live up to anything by today’s standards. However for it’s time it really is a well detailed and colorful series. Fights are animated smoothly, with hardly any kind of re-hashed scenes used over and over again (battle suit transformations aside). Backgrounds are the only thing that don’t live up to the rest of the art, they can look quite simplistic and dull at times. If you have ever seen a series called "Cat Girl Nuku Nuku" then you will notice many resemblances between the two.

Sound: 8/10
Nice tracks play throughout the series, they feel quite dated, but still have catchy beats to them. The opening and ending tracks don’t feel quite as old however, both are pretty high up beat tunes that match well with the girls personalities. Both are sung by the same vocalist too. As far as the background tracks go there really isn’t much to say. They do their jobs for what is going on in the anime, but lack any kind of really memorable tunes, with the exception of the main track that plays when the girls are about to enter the ring. Good voice overs through out the series, though the dub version does leave a little to be desired.

Characters: 7/10
They are a mixed baggage. Most of them are well thought out and do have a "wrestler’s attitude" about them (a good thing). The character that ended up intrigued me the most was the coach--Eiichi. He was quite the hard individual to figure out at first, they don’t actually try to hide his past from the viewers, but they do hide enough of it to make most people tilt their head in interest when they see him. Miku has everything you would want in a leader. She doesn’t show boat, works hard at what she does, and always gives it here all. As the story progress you will find out that she does have her weakness that must be overcome, which is nice as far as character development goes. The other girls were a little more disappointing, they never really molded past their whole "teamwork" idea, and some such as Sayaka, you never get any really knowledge of at all. The rivals and enemies can suffer from the same thing, with the exception of a few of them, who actually do show their true selves to the audience later on. The characters who were important to the story were great, it's just a shame that some never got the attention they deserved.

Overall: 7/10
Despite it's strait forward plot, "Metal Fighter Miku" serves up just the right amount of action that should keep most viewers satisfied. Fun characters, interesting battles and a nice mix of wrestling and dialog are all part of this package. Because of it's linear storyline though, not all will be able to stay interested, and while it may be not pin any of the competition out there, it does put up a very good fight in the ring. read more

"Can you change a destiny that has already been written for you?"

Enter "Kurokami", a series that shows the struggle of two individuals, as they attempt to change their own path that others say can not be changed.

Story: 7/10
The center of the plot revolves around "the Dopleliner System". What this means is there exists three versions of the same person (2 subs and 1 root). Should any one of these three come in plain sight of the other, they will perish, and only the root will live, and thus will consume the energy force of them known as tera. Our main heroes are Kuro (a Tera Guardian trying to stop the Doppleliner system and defeat her brother) and Keita (an ordinary boy who unwillingly ends up becoming her partner). What interested me the most about the anime, is the way that the actual battles take place. It almost feels like you are watching a more mature version of Pokemon at times. Each Tera Guardian can form a pack with a human, and thus use their power in conjunction with their own. So fights take place with the two helping each other--ie: the Tera Guardian fights, and the humans remain on the sidelines channeling their powers to their partner. The fighting scenes are also quite good, because despite the characters featuring "power/energy" moves, the fighting scenes themselves feel very street brawling oriented, and stylized. It overall does a good job of mixing the super powers with more authentic looking moves. Now regarding the way the actual storyline progresses, here is where I feel Kurokami tends to miss the mark. There are enough plot threads going on, and many of them do evolve throughout the series. However, they end up happening few and far between. A lot of episodes play the role of fillers, and some fight scenes that take place seem unnecessary. This can make the plot a bit tedious to follow, as it can sometimes take many episodes for something simple to be made clear. Still, making your way through the anime just to see the last few episodes really makes things worth while, as the final episodes are exciting and fast paced, though I did find it a bit odd that episode 23 ends up being a re-cap of all the others, but through a slightly different perspective. Where this anime really shines through is with its actual ending. Everything concludes nicely, and feels very satisfying at the end. And some events even end up being a bit unexpected. As a whole the story is good, there is plenty of action and plot twists to keep things exciting. But due to the storyline tending to drag on, does hinder it as a whole, but nothing too drastic.

As far as offensive material goes, Kurokami does have a few scenes which contain gory elements where blood spurts and/or is smeared on the ground. These scenes don't happen very frequently, in fact only the first few episodes really have them, with it only happening occasionally after that. Some battles even end with little to no blood spilled at all.

Art: 8/10
The arts style to this is dark and moody, but not really in a creepy kind of way. The backgrounds come off pretty well detailed, with nice looking city designs and foliage areas. Even so, the overall color schemes tend to make the series look a bit washed out. The character design is good, all of them are well proportioned and have a good sense of style to each one of the cast. The super moves (also known as "Exceeds") are flashy and colorful, with each character’s move set differing from one another. The fight scenes are by far the best part in the animation. Character moves are animated smoothly, with every punch and kick shown off with just the right amount of impact.

Sound: 6/10
For me this was the weakest point in the series. The voice acting in both the English and Japanese version is very well done, I still feel the Japanese audio is better by far in the long run. However, a majority of the soundtrack seems to favor one style of genre in music...rock! The opening and ending themes change twice through out the series. The opening animations both play rock style music tracks, while the ending theme (surprisingly) plays soft lite hearted melodies sung by Yousei Teikoku. The background music it plays also consists of rock music. I can see where they are going with this, and while I don’t care for heavy rock music, I can at least appreciate it for this anime. If you like this type of genre in music then you will love the soundtrack, but if you’re like me and don’t care for it, then you will most likely turn the volume down during some of the scenes.

Characters: 7/10
The characters are hit and miss. I will go on record of saying that Kuro is one of the coolest female heroines to come along in an anime as of late. She has a sweet and funny personality, yet holds back a lot of sorrow in here life--she is quite the layered individual. Of all the characters in the series, Keita is probably going to be the one that is hardest to tolerate...especially during the beginning. He tends to complain a lot, and is unwilling to help anyone towards the beginning, and will most likely annoy many viewers. To his credit though, he does end up changing as the story progresses, and at least becomes more tolerable in the end. The supporting cast is also the same, some characters such as Excel, Reishin and Daichi do a good job off adding to the storyline. However, there are a number of supporting characters that just don’t make the cut. Many of them don’t really seem to have much impact on what is going on, and thus make some feel unnecessary to the storyline. They’re not a bad cast by any means, some of them just don’t seem to have a staple purpose in the anime. As a whole though, the main characters themselves do end up doing their parts well for the stories’ purpose, and in that regards it is done right.

Overall: 7/10
Despite some of its flaws, Kurokami is a good anime. If you can make it through some of the fillers, and don’t mind the story dragging on somewhat, then I think you will find this a deep enough series to check out. There is enough action and plot in this to keep both the Seinen fans and casual viewers satisfied. And as it stands, it’s a series I think anime fans should give a try. read more

The "Kannagi DVD Special" is basically the 14th episode to the Kannagi series, despite it only being one episode in length, it still captures the charm and humor of the series.

Story: 7/10
Taking into account that a majority of viewers will be watching this after finishing the actual TV version, I will touch base on one thing first: "it doesn’t pick up directly where the series left off", at least not in the way you would think. Most fans will remember that the actual anime ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger, with a few plot points never being answered (for the sake of spoilers, I won’t mention them). However, I will say that this particular episode pretty much goes back to its "slice of life" roots, you could easily place this any time after "Nagi, Zange, Tsugumi and Jin" all became acquaintances, and it wouldn’t make much difference at all. Now that’s not to say just because this episode doesn’t follow the last events from the series that it’s bad...because it’s not. In fact for only being around 23 minutes long, there is quite a bit going on. The episode starts out with the gang making a film of sorts (if you have ever seen "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya epsiode 0", then this will look pretty familiar, they even have Tsugumi pay tribute to the "Mikuru beam".) After that the gang spends some time indoors, then take on an adventure style mission while trying to return a borrowed DVD disk. I was honestly never bored once with this episode, what with so much going on during it. Now of course not all viewers will like this fact, some might even find its constantly changing direction in storyline to be a bit inconsistent and annoying. Still, all the humor and character interactions remain staple here, my favorite scene is where Jin and the others are playing an old Nintendo Famicom system from the 80’s.

Art: 8/10
Not really much I can say about the art style, other than it remains exactly the same as before. Character design is pretty distinct, with colorful environments and landscapes. Even if it is pretty appealing to the eyes, it's not really anything technically superb either, backgrounds range from detailed, to average. But overall, it is still pretty darn good.

Characters: 8/10
What made me love the Kannagi series in the first place, was with it’s cast of characters. I wouldn’t go as far to say that they were very deep, but they interacted with each other quite well, and were funny to watch. All of them keep their distinct personalities, from Daitetsu’s quiet demeanor, to Zange’s flirty ways. They mange to keep their persona’s down to earth, yet never feel like a cliche’. And speaking of characters, yes there is some "fan service" in this, which is all done in the usually Kannagi manner, but of course never over the top. Some may even find it a bit tame from the norm.

Sound: 8/10
I was really glad to see that they kept the same opening and closing scenes from the TV series, which made it feel like no time had past since we last left the gang. All the voice cast members have once again returned to fill their roles. Though I still find the background music to be pretty lackluster and boring.

Overall: 8/10
Well there isn’t really much more I can say regarding this. If you loved the TV series, then you will most likely love this. Some may still find it disappointing that this episode doesn’t shed any light on the events from the end of the series. Never the less I still found it to be just as good as the episodes from the actual anime, and I think many will feel the same way after viewing it. read more

"Comic Party Revolution" is the second season in the Comic Party anime. If you’re a fan of the first season, then you will enjoy this one as well. The whole premise of the anime shows life in the Otaku world, which revolves around one thing...Doujin!

Story: 7/10
The story in the second season is much more random based when compared to the first. One of the most stand out features that viewers of the first season will notice, is the age of all the characters. When we last left the gang, they were around the age of high school kids, now they seem to be of College age. Kazuki is still creating mangas as he usually does of course, and if you have seen other series revolving around "Doujin, " then this will feel very familiar to you. The story doesn’t really follow too much of a strong premise. The whole general idea is suppose to revolve around Kazuki and his Doujins. However this one steers more clear of that general idea, and pretty much only shows the gang running into random predicaments and gags (at least for a big chunk of the series anyway). Even so I still found quite a bit of enjoyment from the humor in this, such as when the gang gets lost in the woods, and can only get directions from a group of army members that want to challenge them to a stealth contest. Despite the series not going too over the top with it’s gags, you can also see that it doesn’t take itself very seriously either. One of the cast members even has the ability to literally transform into her favorite anime character. One thing that made the series quite enjoyable, is all the neat cosplay you get to see from time to time, many of which are quite recognizable from other series. Of course due to copyright law I guess, they never actually said the series name, and only made up a title that sounded like it. (ie: "Cardmaster Peach" is really "Cardcaptor Sakura and Wedding Peach") They also use a lot of Otaku dialog, and enjoy many jokes revolving around the whole "moe" factor. My biggest complaint with the story though, was the actual ending! It made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and felt quite uninspired. Still, it isn’t a series that is really trying to involve the viewer with its overall plot, and focuses more on randomness and character humor. All in all, it has good concepts. It may not suck you in with any of its actual storyline, but it will indeed put a smile on your face afterward. Plus I think that viewers who have seen more realistic "Doujin" titles, and thus may have found some of them to be a tad too realistic and boring, might find this one more enjoyable to digest.

Art: 8/10
I really dug the art style to this. The animators did a great job at making the characters look older, yet at the same time very familiar. The whole series is quite bright, with a nice selection of rich colors and art. Most of the characters outfits have been tweaked from their standard default ones of before, and all have great style and appeal to them. Backgrounds were okay, but sometimes looked quite faded and dull. They just couldn’t compare to the actual character art.

Sound: 7/10
The opening and closing tracks are quite catchy and memorable, so chances are you will still have them in your head long after the series is done. I actually watched this anime in both English and Japanese, and have to say that each one is just as good as the other. As with the art style though, the background music is pretty bland, they do strike the right keys for most situations, it’s just a shame that there isn’t really anything that jumps out at you.

Characters: 8/10
The heart of "Comic Party Revolution, " is not found in any kind of deep emotional story, but with its characters! Each one has his or her own likes and dislikes. You get a nice variety of personalities with this. From the down to earth Aya, to the brash and outspoken Taishi (who enjoys calling everyone his "brother and sister" in the Otaku world). They don’t have a whole great deal of depth to them, granted that there are just too many characters in this series to do so. Still, viewers will get to know them well enough to where they can understand what most are all about.

Overall: 7/10
"Comic Party Revolution" may not blow you away with its content, but it is still quite an enjoyable little series. If you're a fan of such series as "Doujin Work," or are looking for an anime that deals heavily in this life style, then you may find this one to be a bit too far fetched from the whole Doujin source. Still, if you're just looking for a short and humorous anime, then "Comic Party Revolution" is a fun read...err...watch. read more

"In a world filled with chaos and death, one kid finds the determination to move forward."

Enter the world of "Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel." To put it pretty straight forward, it shows the end results of Final Fantasy VII, but this time we view it from the perspective of an ordinary kid named Denzel, who was caught up in it.

Story:8/10
The whole premise of the storyline takes place in flashback sequences, as told by Denzel, who not only explains just how he got where he is at present, but he also wants to join the WRO. Now don’t get turned off by the fact that this OVA ends up being a spin-off, because even though the story does not follow the characters you have grown to know and love, it still manages to capture what really counts in the series...Final Fantasy VII’s heart! Denzel is defiantly not a kid who had it easy, as he continues his tale of love and lose, you will get that deep emotion that the series has been so good at making its audience feel, and thus will truly make you feel like you are viewing the Final Fantasy world through the eyes of this kid. Such emotions like anger, sadness, excitement, and maybe even a little bit of laughs are all present here. Which was nice considering that the whole OVA in its entirety was in fact quite serious. The cast from the original video game is few and far between, but you do get some nice cameo appearances from staple characters towards the end, which was nice at bringing the whole FF feel together. That being said of course, if you are unfamiliar with the Final Fantasy VII universe, then this title can be best described as having lite military themes, and all about showing the reality of war and rebuilding. If you’re not into this style of anime, then I doubt this one will make you change your mind on it, plus some fans of the series may in fact be dissapointed that it doesn’t have familiar faces. All in all though, the heart of the series is indeed in tacked, and contains everything that has made the Final Fantasy games so enjoyable with their story. If you’re a fan that doesn’t mind seeing new faces introduced to the story, then you will enjoy this.

Art: 8/10
The animation is sharp and well detailed, and many fans will recognize environments from the game and movie. Even though I am not the biggest Final Fantasy fan around, and thus don’t keep up with every sort of version that is made, I still found it quite nice to see some of my favorite places now in animated form. I wouldn’t go on par of saying that it’s the most well animated OVA out there, but they did animate it just like you would have pictured it in your head, and for that reason I really enjoyed it.

Sound: 7/10
Now it could be the fact that I haven’t played the game in some time, but I honestly remember the series sounding much better than this did. The whole time nothing really jumped out at me, with the exception of the ending theme. Background music was appropriate, but nothing really special that will be remembered after viewing it. Voice acting was good, and I think they got the right actors for each role. But they also sounded pretty ordinary, particularly with many of the adult male characters. I feel like I heard their sort of deep voices in many anime before. Still, the sound isn’t shabby by any means, it just doesn’t really have much charm to it overall.

Characters: 7/10
A good cast considering that most are new to the franchise. Since the story revolves around Denzel for most of the time, he is the one that is most important when it comes to this category. He did a good job at making you belive he wanted to help others, and his caring nature was impressive. However, there were certain parts where I felt the emotion he was trying to bring, either felt a little forced, or was missing in general. Even though the supporting cast was not the most varied, they still acted very human and quite believable. The personalities of the cameo appearances done by the original cast were also quite good, I felt not a moment had past since I had seen them last, even if it was only for a brief moment.

Overall: 8/10
Despite the fact that the appearance of the original cast is very brief, it ended up being surprisingly very true to the Final Fantasy universe, and I felt all of the emotion that Denzel felt. That, along with the familiar environments, will really involve the viewer. If you’re not a fan of the series, or don’t care for more serious and/or emotional storylines, then this won’t make you change your mind. Plus some fans may also find this OVA a bit too far fetched. Still, for me this was a nice change of pace from what we are use to seeing in this series. And I feel that if given the chance, this one will end up surprising most viewers as well. read more

"Misunderstandings, " they happen to the best of us, yet more often then not, they seem to find a way of resolving themselves. Enter "Cherry no Manma, " an OVA that shows us one example of this...

Story: 6/10
I have to say that when I read the details on this series, I was expecting maybe a short story regarding love and emotion, this was pretty far from it though, despite the main characters (a girl and two guys) living under the same roof. When I mentioned "misunderstandings, " that pretty much sums up this title. The anime revolves around a character named Yuki, who seems to have a bit of a pervy side to him, and is accused of stealing his roommate’s (Kanoko) underwear. Since this OVA is only 10 minutes long, what you read is what you get, and because it is so short, there is really nothing more I can mention about the storyline without ruining it for you. Now that is not to say this title is boring or bad, because it really isn’t. There will be some points where you are going to think that the main storyline will in fact be echhi, but again, it really isn’t. The main point revolves around Kanoko’s underwear, but you only see them as they lay about on the cloths line, or in her dresser, not once will you see any up skirt shots or anything like that. Now for me this was a nice touch, as it made the overall story seem very simple and easy to watch. I was worried that this OVA was going to be nothing more than fan service, but no, watching the characters get ruffled from this situation was pretty cute and funny. Kind of like watching your next door neighbors get into a disagreement--you know you shouldn't watch, but can't help to anyway. Of course it goes without saying that if you’re a fan of echhi-ness, then you will be dissapointed by this. Still, what the storyline does offer in it’s short time is sweet and to the point.

Art: 7/10
The art looks pretty good considering this was made in the late 80's, the backgrounds reminded me of the same style you would see in Sailor Moon, a bit washed out at times, but overall a nice looking scenery. Character design is the strongest feature here, they look quite well thought out and appealing. The only real bummer about the art style, is that the animation can be a bit on the stiff side at times. This becomes apparent when the cast try to do anything particularly athletic, ie: run, fight etc.

Sound: 7/10
My favorite part was with the actual voice acting, though not the best you would here in a series, the actors do bring the characters to life pretty good, and are well received. There is no opening theme, but the closing is pretty cute. Plus the background tracks are quite lighthearted and appropriate (they range from soft instrumental elevator style music, to what sounds like a life on a farm theme). It set the tone pretty good!

Characters: 6/10
Now I have to go on par of saying that I have never read any of the manga versions to this, and thus just wasn't able to really connect with any of the characters in this short run. They acted okay, but nothing really special. Yuki is a slight perv, Kanoko is quick to jump to conclusions, and Yuzuru seems to be the mature voice of reason between the two. I enjoyed them, it's just a shame there wasn't anything out of the ordinary with their personalities.

Overall: 6/10
"Cherry no Manma" is a decent little slice of life title, even though it suffers from not being anything particularly new, it makes up for it by getting strait to the point with its story. If you have never read any of the mangas like me, then this OVA won't have much of a lasting affect on you. However, none the less I am now interested about this series, and plan to read the actual mangas, and I think most viewers will feel the same way after viewing this. read more