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"What I set out to do with Gon was to draw something that was more interesting than anything you could say in words. Manga still has great potential that does not exist in other media. I plan to continue developing the art of expression." - Masashi Tanaka

Gon follows the daily adventures of a little dinosaur with attitude (with the same name as the title), who was able to survive the catastrophic extinction that wiped out all of the other dinosaurs many years ago. This manga is one in a million, seeing as how it has absolutely no dialogue, no human characters, and is set entirely in the wild, millions of years ago. The story is told entirely through the art, which is possibly the greatest challenge for a manga artist, seeing as how they are unable to rely on dialogue to advance the story or to convey drama, emotions or character motivation. Masashi Tanaka succeeds in doing just this and more, however, which has earned him recognition as a storytelling genius.

The lack of words in Gon is made up entirely in the art. The amount of effort Masashi Tanaka puts into his art is clear at one glace. Every panel is extremely detailed, bursting with life and full of realism. Gon displays the very best art in any manga I have personally come across. Perhaps only rivaled by the likes of Takehiko Inoue and Kentarou Miura, Masashi Tanaka's art is unbeaten.

The only characters that appear in this manga are Gon and a wide variety of animals. Gon appears in every chapter, but most of the animals are not recurring characters. Given its setting, however, its best that this particular manga only has one main character. Gon is the last of his kind after all, which is brilliantly portrayed in the series. Gon himself is surprisingly well developed and he was also quite an iconic character back in the day, even appearing in Tekken 3.

Though it might not seem it at first glance - Gon is a masterpiece. It's heartwarming, silent, storytelling, greatly detailed art and surface simplicity that hides the true complexity of it's execution are all proof of this. Gon, once experienced, is definitely a series you won't forget in a long time. read more

Every now and then a highly praised manga is somehow adapted into an adequately mediocre series or film, and unfortunately King of Thorn is one of those adaptations.

The manga is a perfect length to adapt into a film, only six volumes. That should work out around the same length as a feature film script, which is 120 pages, each page representing one minute on screen. For the most part, the pacing is just right. King of Thorn doesn't start off too fast nor too slow, however nearer the end I do feel the pacing speeds up a little too drastically, and you'll have to catch on pretty fast or you'll be left behind. The film has a beginning, a middle and an end as most films usually do, but the story seems to degrade as it progresses. The first part of the film was very original and intriguing, but the next part is very typical of the survival horror genre, and I could anticipate what was around the corner. The last part of the film is nothing short of mind-boggling. The ending is understandable, but some scenes are a little confusing and will require your attention to work out. Fans of the manga will be disappointed to know that here and there parts have been changed. Zeus isn't in the film at all, and Marco's past and present has been altered among other things. The manga could have been adapted to the screen in its original form, so I have no idea why major details have been modified. The story is good, but thats all it is. The beginning showed great promise, but it was let down by what followed.

The animation is both good and bad, and sometimes both at the same time. The traditional animation is very rich and greatly detailed, but Kadokawa decided to make the monsters in the movie using computer generated animation. This does not blend well with the traditional animation at all, in fact it sticks out like a sore thumb. The monsters themselves look fairly detailed and realistic, but that is ruined when they also look like a seperate entity to everything else in the film, due to the difference in the animation. However, scenes without the monsters look fantastic. The attention to detail isn't always there, but when it is you notice it. Unfortunately though, much like in the story, the good parts are let down by the bad parts and so the animation is only good as a whole, when it could have been so much better.

The sounds and music are probably one of the best aspects of King of Thorn. The music is used appropriately and is all around fantastic, as is the many sounds of the monsters, moving vines, guns, surroundings et cetera. Everything sounds very realistic. Sometimes the use of none or little sound is also notable, as it builds great tension and really works well with the whole atmosphere of the location, which by the way is an overgrown, thorn infected castle in Scotland.

There are some great characters in King of Thorn, most notably Marco and Ron, and I wouldn't say there are any bad characters, just ones who aren't as good. Each character in the main seven is at least developed a little and has a place in the story, minus the old rich man. Which is good because in films like this there are sometimes characters who are just there and don't actually do anything. Thankfully that isn't really the case in King of Thorn. As mentioned Zeus isn't in the film and Marco's past and present have been altered amongst other things mostly relating to the characters, but that doesn't really work aganist the direction the film is taking. Unfortunately though, the direction the film is taking isn't actually very good. Also, Kasumi, the main character, does tend to get on your nerves a little throughout the film, but she is bearable.

King of Thorn was enjoyable to wach but that is mainly because the story was always moving. There wasn't really a dull point for the viewer to wish the movie got onto something different, until of course it comes to the end, which was very hit or miss. Another enjoyable factor in the movie was the fact that it was moderately scary. Quite a few people in the cinema jumped and squealed at certains parts, and it was fairly gory. The film does prove that anime can be a good medium for survival horror, but unfortunately other elements did let it down. Fans of the manga may be quite disappointed, but people who are unfamiliar with the manga and so cannot draw comparisons should able to respect the film a little. Go in with an open mind and you may be able to find some merit within the film, as it does have redeeming points. King of Thorn wasn't a bad movie, but comparison to the manga it was indeed mediocre. It wasn't huge lengths from being good, but there is room for improvement. read more

Every once in a while an anime movie comes along the redefines the word 'masterpiece'... Ghost in the Shell, Spirited Away, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and so on. Evangelion 2.0 is no exception. It's sets the bar even higher and presents you with one of the best movie experiences you will witness in a long time. If any anime movie were to approach the realm of perfection, it would be this one.

While the first Rebuild of Evangelion movie followed the series quite cloesly, events are drastically changed in 2.0. The plot is vagely the same as in episodes 8 to 19 of the series, but it's played out very differently and a lot of scenes are taken out, and a lot of new ones are added in. Evangelion 2.0 is planned out so well that you can't even tell it's derived from a series, it is basically an original movie. The pacing is superb, nothing seems rushed and nothing seems too slow. The plot is as mysterious as ever and there are new elements in the movie that you wouldn't even begin to imagine would ever be present in the series. One should never underestimate Hideaki Anno. He has managed to recreate Evangelion, make it as good as ever and with absolutely no flaws.

The phrase 'too good for words' is often used so much that people have forgotten what it really means. It doesn't just describe something that's good, it describes something that words simply cannot do justice. It's the most appropriate phrase to use when attempting to explain the visuals in Evangelion 2.0. One quick glace at the staff list on Anime News Network is enough to know that this movie was in good hands. Compare the amount of animation staff in Evangelion 2.0 to the amount of animation staff in any other anime movie. So far, I haven't come across anything that even comes close to beating Evangelion 2.0. But its about quality, not quantity, right? Well, in that case prepare to open your mouth wide in amazement. Takeshi Honda, Atsushi Nishikiori, Sachiko Okumura and Kumiko Terada are just a fraction of people among the huge list of names who worked on the animation. Between them they've worked on such titles as The Sky Crawlers, Millennium Actress, Spirited Away, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Howl's Moving Castle, FLCL, Diebuster, Ghost in the Shell and the original Evangelion series. With staff this great it was inevitable that the visuals in Evangelion 2.0 would be nothing less than breathtaking.

The soundtrack was composed by Shiro Sagisu, who also provided the music for the original series and The End of Evangelion. While the music in Evangelion 2.0 sounded a little different from what I remember in the original series, the charm is still there and it definitely fits Evangelion. The music in Evangelion 2.0 actually took me by surprise. I never remembered it sounding so good in the first Rebuild of Evangelion movie, but from the opening song to the ending credits by Utada Hikaru, I loved every piece of music in Evangelion 2.0. There is a nice range of music, and it all flows flawlessly with the visuals - the two were meant to be together. Yep, I even liked the two dramatic scenes with happy-ish background music. This is Evangelion, afterall.

Evangelion 1.0 lacked a bit in the character department as the charismatic Asuka wasn't there to drive the movie along, and we were reacquainting ourselves with the other characters who, at that moment, weren't doing anything new. We were already famailar with them from the original series, so the character development wasn't notably the most exciting part. The characters drastically change in Evangelion 2.0, however. Asuka has a similar, but notably different personality to her series counterpart. Her family name has even been changed to Shikinami to accompany this change in personality, and you'll find yourself noticing that her and Rei were acting in ways (in Evangelion 2.0) that you would have never imagined them acting in the series. This brings a fresh new element to the movie, which should be viewed as a good aspect and looked forward to as the change in certain characters personalities actually benefits the movie greatly. Another change to the characters in particular is the introduction of the new character, Mari. Very little is revealed about her in the movie, but you'll find yourself liking her fairly quickly as her scenes are entertaining as hell and she is just such an intriguing character that you immediately want to know more about.

I tried not to blink while watching Evangelion 2.0 because I didn't want to miss even a millisecond, but unfortunately my body defeated my will and I was forced to give in. My mouth was also open for at least the majorty of the duration of the film. No, I wasn't yawning. It was wide open in awe. My eyes actually turned square from focusing too much on the screen as well. Okay, maybe I'm exagerating a bit, but that's what it's like watching Evangelion 2.0. That's how enjoyable it is. It's not that you don't want to look away, you can't look away. Your eyes are drawn to the screen because you know something epic is coming up. Your ears are always alert because you want to hear every bit of the wonderful soundtrack, and your brain blocks out everything surrounding you and the screen to enable the best possible viewing experience. I envy everyone who got to see this movie in the cinema. What one hell of an experience that must have been. The simple fact is; Evangelion 2.0 is one of the most enjoyable movies in existence.

You can sleep soundly knowing not to worry about watching Evangelion 2.0 with too high expectations, because it's sure to exceed them and considerably more in addition. In my opinion, this movie could not have been any better. It blew me away like a moth in a hurricane. Bring on Evangelion 3.0 and 4.0! Looking at how the first two movies have covered two thirds of the entire series, and how Evangelion 2.0 has drastically changed the plot and introduced new elements, I can't even begin to sepculate what is going to happen in the next movie, let alone how the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy will end. I eagerly await the last two movies with anticipation like no other, and am so happy Anno and the rest of Gainax decided to create this wonderful reimagining of Evangelion. It really does not get any better than this. read more

Gainax have turned their series into movies before with Gunbuster vs Diebuster and more recently the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy, and the results have been good thus far. Now they've decided to give Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann the same treatment by squashing the series into two movies. In some ways it works and in others it doesn't... but at the end of the day this should still go down in anime history as the most epic series-turned-movie ever made, despite the story elements and character development it has lost along the way.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann's story in it's entirety, in my opinion, is fantastic. However, based on this movie alone, the story is quite weak. Gurren-hen is a re-telling of the series. It follows the series up until around episode 13 and then has it's own movie original climax that sets things up nicely for the second movie to follow. The climax is epic beyond comprehension, and the way it ended, I thought, was a nice touch. The story was enjoyable, but not at all complex, intriguing, or as interesting as in the series. Of course, the story also seemed rushed, but what do you expect when you squash 13 episodes into two hours. There are new scenes at both the beginning and end of the movie, but the middle is just as it is in the series. No new material there. Which to be honest is a little disappointing. The middle does drag on, especially after the stupid, but necessary montage about a third of the way in. The story will probably seem a lot better once Lagann-hen has been released and both movies can be looked at as one, but in Gurren-hen the story is adequate, and nothing more.

The animation is pretty flawless from my point of view. The new scenes have exactly the same style as the old ones - you can't tell them apart. It's very consistant and extremely appealing. Nothing bad to say about it, just words of praise. It also really shows that Gainax did indeed invest some money into the new climax scenes. The angles are fantastic, the action is as crazy as ever and it never stops moving! You never want to look away. If you enjoyed the animation in the series, then all I can say is you're in for one hell of a treat once you reach the end of the movie.

The Gurren Lagann soundtrack returns from heaven to supply us with it's wonders again in Gurren-hen. The amazing 'Rap is a Man's Soul! We Surpass the Impossible, and Kick Reason to the Curb! Open Your Ears Wide and Listen to the Great Team Gurren Theme!!!' (or just simply 'row row fight the power') is back and is as great as ever. I mentioned earlier that there is an extra scene at the beginning of the movie, well... it gets even better than that! 'Libera Me From Hell' kicks in and makes the scene one hundred times better, as if it wasn't awesome enough already! The soundtrack fits the movie just as it did the series - perfectly.

Every character from the series that matters appears once again in the movie. However this time around a lot of characters lack depth and development, mainly Rossiu and Kittan. This didn't matter much in the first movie, but I can see it becomming a bit of a problem in the second. Important characters with no depth is the last thing you want to see. Fans of Yoko are treated to a wonderful scene near the end of the movie, and Simon is pretty damn awesome in his new scenes, but the presence of Kamina steals your attention away from the other characters just as it did in the series, and reminds you exactly why you love the guy!

To say this movie is enjoyable is an understatement. Not only does the movie remind you how great Kamina is, it reminds you how great Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is in general! It starts awesome and it ends awesome. Although it's a shame the middle isn't as good. The new scenes are both longer and much better than I imagined they would be, and if you're a fan of a series you won't want to miss out. Gurren-hen is let down by an incomplete and fairly rushed story and lack of development for some of it's cast, but compared to all of the elements it excels at, the bad points are very little. One thing I missed from the series that wasn't included in the movie as much was the comedy. The comedy in Gurren Lagann is hilarious and although there was some pretty funny parts in the movie, I wish there were more. Not a bad point however, just my personal preference. So... did you enjoy the series? Yes? Well, the chances are you'll love the movie. Totally recommended. Oh, wait... you didn't like the series? If thats the case then steer clear of the movie - it won't be for you. read more

Connected is the music video for Ayumi Hamasaki's 2002 single of the same name. Connected was Ayu's first European debut single, and it's easy to see why. Her performance is amazing, and her appeal spreads worldwide for obvious reasons.

Connected follows the every day lives of various people living in a futuristic city as it literally evolves around them. We follow a girl travelling on the subway listening to music, a boy on his skateboard zooming down the street, a chick taking a nap upon a demolished bus, a motorcyclist on his way to pick up his date and many more eccentric characters up to numerous things. The story is fast paced and always moving, which allows it to combine extremely well with everything else presented to you, since every other aspect is also fast paced and always moving. The animation, the sound, the characters, you name it. It all flows together perfectly.

If I was asked to describe the animation in this music video in a single sentence, I'd say it's one of a kind. The art is one of many things that makes Connected a very unique production. It does indeed have that Studio 4°C feel and look about it, and the animation itself is very crisp and colourful and extremely well detailed. Quite simply, the animation and style complete the music video. It wouldn't work nearly half as well without them. It has that kind of magic only Studio 4°C can provide.

Since this is a music video, the sound is only comprised of a song and a few sound effects that can be heard in the background during various scenes. The song itself is very techno-electronic-ish, it's very addictive and blends with the animation with ease to create something quite spectacular. If you've never heard of Ayumi Hamasaki before, if you don't know who she is, then Connected will introduce you to one of the most wonderful Japanese music artists of all time. It's a perfect place to start.

The characters appear to be an odd and lively bunch. Each person seems quite unique and different from the next but the character design remains consistant. Every characters seems to be moving, or on the way to somewhere, which keeps up with the music videos overall fast pace. We don't get to know about the characters, but that works well with the feeling you get from watching Connected. You never really know whats going on unless you stop to think about it.

Never has a music video amazed me so much. It's a thrill ride from start to finish, and every second is eye candy. It doesn't allow you to look away, it really is that stunning. I'm a huge fan of Studio 4°C, and productions like this remind me why. read more

"Let's go have some fun by playing some music."

If you've never seen a music related anime before, then Nodame Cantabile is a perfect series to start with. You have your typical story right here - you're good at something so pratice at it to be the best. However, the story actually turns out to be on hell of a ride thanks to the actual focus of the series. What is the focus? Classical music. This is what makes Nodame Cantabile such an enjoyable and refreshing anime to watch. We know the basic plot, but we've never seen it done in this fashion. It makes a familiar but also original story, which is enjoyable beyond belief. The romance throughout the series is also great to follow and simply be a part of - it's very heartwarming but also very dramatic at times... and I can't even begin to explain how hilarious the comedy in Nodame Cantabile is! The story is presented to the audience perfectly, and in a mature, enjoyable manner.

To match the story, we are presented with rather soft animation. Deep down, the animation is like a much better developed Azumanga Daioh or School Rumble. The colours are very similar, as is the movement. The animation would be the only aspect of the series I would really cast a critical eye on, however. During many of the performances and concerts thoughout the series, there isn't much movement in the animation at all. An orchestra is usually very lively, the conductor is always filled with energy and there is endless movement throughout, but it is often the opposite in Nodame Cantabile. Instead of the movement we expect to see in an orchestra, we are given still frames with music plastered over the top. Which is quite a disappointment. Although at the real big, important, climatic performances in the series, that movement in the animation is at least half there. There are close-ups of each instrument while being played, there are effects than enhance the moment, there are panning shots of the audience in awe, just how you would imagine them to be and the animation manages to catch a bit of the passion of the conducter - although unfortunately it's still quite far off. There is much room for improvement. With that said however, the concerts really do drag you in and present you with a feeling as if you are actually part of the audience, watching and witnessing the performance at hand. It's as if you are actually there, and that's even with the half motionless animation. Perhaps the animation actually has quite a charm to it to have that effect - although it's probably down to the fact that it blends so well with the music, depsite however much motion it has. The performance scenes that do decide to move every now and then seem to be made using CG instead of traditional animation. It looks rather dodgy most of the time, but it's a lot better than having still frames constantly. They intertwine and mix up the CG and still framed scenes, so there is never a huge block of CG and then a huge block of still frames, they balance it well so there is a little differentiation between the cuts and scenes - which is good. Performances aside, the rest of the time the animation does it's job with ease, the style is very fitting to the series, it works well with the dialogue and characters and is simply very enjoyable to watch.

I don't think I can give the music in Nodame Cantabile enough praise as it deserves. The music in the series inspires you, it touches you, it reaches you... it makes you realise how wonderful some things are in life. It is simply breathtaking. You lose yourself in the preformances, you do not do anything but watch the screen and listen to the magic the whole time it's happening. It takes you to a different world. Classical music has that kind of power and feeling that just simply cannot be matched by anything else in the entire universe. If you are a fan of classical and orchestral music, then Nodame Cantabile is like heaven for you. Well, it certainly was for me. Now read that whole paragraph again in a really epic voice and emphasize on certain parts to understand the passion and respect I have for the music in Nodame Cantabile. I hope the praise I'm trying to give it comes across good there. Like the insert music, the background music is also comprised of different classical and orchestral themes that match the mood and moment presented. The opening and ending songs are also way above average, and mix well with the other music throughout the series. Quite simply, it's all beautiful. The music is enough to bring tears to your eyes - in a good way of course.

I remember thinking one thing after watching the first episode, and that was "Wow, this is pretty good so far, but it'll have to introduce a lot more characters to keep me interested" and that it did. If the two main characters aren't enough for you, there is a huge supporting cast that just keeps getting better and better as the series progresses. Each character brings a unique and intriguing element to the series, and they all add to the enjoyment as if it wasn't enjoyable enough already. The characters in Nodame Cantabile grow, mature and get better at their individual skills, and we get to follow their lives while all of this is happening. Which is a nice break from the characters in various other anime series who lack progression and all stay exactly the same throughout.

Nodame Cantabile is what I like to call a feel good anime series. It makes you smile... it makes you happy just by watching it. It's aparrent in a lot of different series, but there wasn't a single episode in Nodame Cantabile where I did not let out a huge grin because of how much fun I was having watching it. If following the characters and story isn't interesting enough for you, then maybe the comedy will keep you watching. The comedy in Nodame Cantabile was one of many aspects that took me by surprise. I started watching this anime only knowing that it involved classical music. I knew nothing else about the series, so I was literally blown away when the comedy suddenly kicked in and had me laughing out loud again and again. I'm actually surprised to say that Nodame Cantabile is possibly one of the funniest series I have ever seen. If you're not a comedy kind of person however, then maybe the drama is for you... or maybe the music will provide every bit of satisfaction and entertainment you need. Everything in this anime just adds to the enjoyment, and as soon as one episode has finished, straight away you want to watch the next one. Even months after finishing Nodame Cantabile, I'm still thinking about it. It's a series that stays with you and one that you won't forget in a long time. The feeling I got from watching this series is akin to nothing I've ever felt before. It's a beautiful feeling, yet also unique. I assume it's a feeling simply brought upon by the outstanding presentation of this series... a feeling you can only get by watching Nodame Cantabile.

Complete with a decent story, eccentric and interesting characters, mind-blowing music, enjoyment like no other and fantastic dialogue and presentation - Nodame Cantabile is one of the best anime series I have ever seen. read more

From parody to drama, to horror to comedy, to mystery to science fiction, to crime to adventure, and so on... Gintama combines as many elements as it can and throws them all together to create one absolutely fantastic series that's always on the top of it's game, and where disappointment is simply not an option.

Set during the 1800's in Japan, known as Edo at the time, aliens called Amanto have invaded and have ultimately taken over the world. They heavily influenced the day and age and implemented a sword ban on the 'samurai country' that leaves one carefree samurai in a dilemma. Gintama follows that certain samurai, Sakata Gintoki, as well as a huge cast of other characters in their daily lives and adventures.

Many of the episodes in Gintama are that of episodic nature, they do not connect, they are stand alone. You are presented with a story at the beginning of the episode, and it is resolved by the end. I believe this benefits Gintama greatly since it's probably the best way to go about creating an anime or manga with such a huge cast and eccentric setting. While most episodes do not connect, there are a few throughout the series that do however. Never have I come across an episode or an arc so far that hasn't had me in tears from laughter, my mouth wide open from amazement or my face glued to the screen due to the intense drama or action. Throughout the series you'll notice that Gintama borrows elements from everywhere, and these are mostly found in parodies. What does Gintama parody? Literally anything and everything. From Death Note to Ju-On, to Star Wars to Dragon Ball Z, to Rocky to Hajime no Ippo, to famous people to famous places to famous things and beyond. Gintama mixes these parodies into almost every episode which results in a presentation unlike any other. Also, encase you're wondering, the parodies do not distract from the story, they actually make sense and mix extremely well in a rather random series.

I know some critics will disagree with me giving the story a ten out of ten, but every episode is so imaginiative and captivating it's what it deserves and to be honest I can't see how you could give it any less. It's a given that the first twenty-ish episodes are mainly for character introduction, but once those episodes are over and we know the cast, Gintama releases it's full potential. Each story itself revovles around many different characters within the huge cast, so not one single character is under or over used, therefore they never get boring. Which is a must in such a long series. Gintama manages to interest you in each story within a few minutes or even seconds, while in another anime series it may take a few episodes. Basically, Gintama does in one episode what another anime might be building up to do throughout the entire series, and without it feeling rushed. This is much more aparant later on in the anime. Since there are so many different stories throughout the series, it makes you wonder just how much more Hideaki Sorachi (the creator) can think of. His mind must be extremely vast, because the stories do not get dull as the series progresses one bit, they get better, and better, and better, and better. More characters are introduced later on, more scenarios are presented to you, and different plot devices are used, as well a the occasional plot twist. A lot of critics seem give Gintama low ratings for it's story because it doesn't have a long or on-going one, which I find rather stupid because it's not suppost to. Each episode is suppost to have a different story, that's the way it's suppost to be, so why should it be rated down for something it never intended to have anyway? The fact in the matter is, even after over 150 episodes, each stand alone story is way, way, way above average and each arc is just as amazing as the other, which is what we've come to expect. It never, ever gets old and that's why I believe, without a doubt in my mind, that the story deserves a ten out of ten.

Gintama is animated by Sunrise, mostly known from Code Geass fame these days, but they've also produced such marvel's as Cowboy Bebop, Planetes, Yakitate!! Japan, Gundam, Outlaw Star and a ton more. You can safely say Gintama is in good hands... well actually... probably the best hands it could be in. The animation remains consistant throughout, and occasionally gets even better whenever it needs to. The character design is slick and smooth, the camera angles always get the job done to the highest of quality and are often quite imaginative and dynamic, and scenes are well presented on screen through the animation. The direction is at it's best and I don't think Sunrise could offer us anything better. They've done a fantastic job.

Up to episode 150, Gintama has had six different openings and twelve different endings. All themes have been above average and the background music is always brilliant and never lacks. Gintama has introduced me to many fantastic Japanese music artists, such as Tommy Heavenly6 and The Rodeo Carburettor, which I am eternally greatful for! The music could not blend better with the anime than it already does. It's like the music was made to be used in Gintama and in Gintama only - it really does blend that well. The voice acting is also top notch and very ranged. A ton of popular seiyu's are involved. Rie Kugimiya voices the main female character for example, and Tomokazu Sugita voices the main male character. Rie is especially known for her tsunderes roles, such as Louise, Shana and Taiga, and Tomokazu is know for voicing Kyon in the popular 'The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya'. Both do an outstanding job, and Rie Kugimiya has continued to impress me with her voice acting throughout the entire series.

The best part about Gintama is, without a doubt, the characters. There are so much words I could use to describe them, but I think I'll use this one - perfect. The characters simply could not get any better. Extremely appealing, very imaginative and filling all of your needs and wants, you'll no doubt have more than one favourite. Without the characters, Gintama would not be where it is today. Thank the creator, Hideaki "The Legend" Sorachi for creating such wonderful pieces of art! Most of the characters are also based on real people during the time Gintama is set, which will please us history nuts out there!

Gintama is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable form of entertainment ever created. The laughs never stop coming. Let me give you an example so you know what kind of comedy I'm on about. In one episode, four of the characters each happen to take a dump in seperate toilet cubicles next to each other. To their dismay, they then discover that there isn't a single roll of toilet paper in sight. One of the characters then happens to have four sheets of sandpaper with him. What emerges after that is a mind war between the characters to protect their pride and honor, but also to wipe their ass. Another scenario see's the Shinsengumi (the Japanese police force at the time) trying to come up with new idea's on how to make the other members of the team actually take care when they go to the toilet in the urinals, because they often splash their urine on the floor. The series sadist, Sougo, comes up the the idea the put a long plank of wood with holes in across the urinals so it will aim their urine in the right place. The Shinsengumi commander then shows up so they hide to see if Sougo's idea works, but not only does it work, the commander gets his 'thing' stuck in one of the holes! How can you not enjoy yourself when hilarious scenarios like this hapeen in almost every episode? Gintama is mainly a comedy anime, but there are episodes or arc's that throw away the comedy for a more serious approach. These episodes are just as enjoyable as the rest, but the whole time you're just sat there in amazement because you never even stopped to wonder if Gintama had this potential and it's suddenly hit you like a brick in the face. For you action whores out there, Gintama also has some damn amazing action sequences that will stick with you throughout time. Gintama could not rank higher in the enjoyment factor than it already does.

Overall - perfect, amazing, hilarious, breath taking, eye watering, simply fantastic. Gintama is the god of comedy and everything else for that matter. I hear rumours of it ending at episode 150, and I can safely say that I will be truly sad when it ends, if it actually does. Gintama is the only anime I wish would never end and would just go on forever and ever, but then I can't help but remember the thrill ride it's taken me through episode after episode. You won't help but feel extremely sad when it's all over, but you also won't help but feel extremely happy that you've witnessed it. In my opinion, the only anime to deserve full marks in every aspect. Gintama is among the best anime has to offer. read more

In my honest opinion, I believe that Kara no Kyoukai 2 exceeds the first movie in almost every aspect. There is depth to the characters that wasn't there before, the city and surroundings are introduced to us once again only on a much larger scale, we actually get to see and meet a few background characters and the story was much more interesting, mainly because we actually understand what's happening this time around.

While the first movie threw us into the middle of a story and introduced us to very little, Kara no Kyoukai 2 introduces us to two of the main characters, that being Shiki and Kokutou, by presenting us with part of their backstory. We get to see these two characters as they attend high school during their teenage years. We're shown how they met and why, and how their relationship together progressed after that. The story allows us to make more sense of the characters and actually understand who they are, which we had no clue of during the first movie. The story comes together extremely well to ultimately produce something worthy of praise. The mysterious feel that was present in the story of the first movie is present here as well, which works a treat. Kara no Kyoukai 2 also picks up on some of the small details we have on our mind, such as how Shiki obtained her infamous red jacket, which will satisfy some curiosity.

There were three main characters in the first movie, in this one it only focuses on two of them. So initially there are less characters than before, but the character direction and depth in this movie is much, much better than before, so it's only right that the characters recieve higher marks in this film. Much more background characters are shown and even introduced throughout Kara no Kyoukai 2 as well, which makes it seem a lot more active and alive than the first film does. As already mentioned, the character depth that was missing from the first movie is present in Kara no Kyoukai 2. Infact, then entire film focuses solely on the characters with no distractions at all which is exactly how it should have been handled. In this film, we're introduced to many different personalities of Shiki, from scary to fun, to evil to strange, to frightning to mysterious. Kokutou's involvement in this movie is also a huge amount more than in the first movie, but his performance did seem quite dull. As a character, so far it doesn't look like he has much to offer, but only time will tell.

The animation is just as fluent and fitting as before, but perhaps not as dynamic as it was in the first movie. There are huge amounts of dialogue compared to anthing else in the film, so you shouldn't really expect anything of dynamic nature from the animation anyway, but the it still does it's job and manages to keep you interested. The 'camera angles' used were perhaps not as imaginative as they could have been, but were still very good nevertheless - as were the general view shots. Very detailed and very crisp. I must also mention that Shiki's eyes are as beautiful as ever.

Unfortunately we aren't treated to an amazing insert song this time 'round, but instead we're treated to Kokutou humming 'Singing in the Rain'. This adds a nice hum-along element to the film if you're familiar with the song. Seriously, I'm not joking! The background music in this film was more aparrent than in the first. After watching the first movie I couldn't remember I single scene with background music, but not only do I remember what scenes had background music in the second film, but I also remember what background music was played. Kokutou's humming and the background music definitely make up for the lack of an insert song.

I can also safetly say that Kara no Kyoukai 2 definitely makes up for my dissapointment in the first movie. While I still believe it's no masterpeice, and that overall it still has a long way to go before it seems even half complete, I was pleasently surprised by pretty much the whole film. I suppose that's because the depth I wanted in the first movie was present right there in the second one, and not only did it have depth, but also a story that kept me interested. Suddenly I actually want to know what happens next. This movie is also far from as lonely as the first movie, which adds to a more pleasent viewing experience. Fans of the first film will like this one, people who didn't like the first film won't like this one. Simple. However, If you didn't like the first film and if you're like me and you thought it lacked, maybe try out Kara no Kyoukai 2 and you never know, it might also spark your interest. read more

This is the first of seven movies based on the light novel written by Kinoko Nasu and illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi. I have not read the novel, so I will be reviewing this film entirely from an anime perspective and without comparisons.

Firstly, the story. I started watching Kara no Kyoukai knowing nothing, I finished it still knowing nothing. You're thrown into the middle of the story, you don't get an introduction, and you don't get time to adjust to the setting or to figure out whatevers going on and who these people are. It seemed half complete from the start. The story itself didn't seem like anything brilliant either, another mystery involving suicides, ghosts and a girl with some kind of powers who can kill these ghosts. It was executed nicely though, I will give it that. I'm actually looking forward to what the other films have in store however, because deep down, although the story currently looks bland, it does seem to have great potential. It just hasn't been unleashed yet.

There are only three main characters in the entire film, and about... none supporting ones. So quite a weak cast, but a small cast fits into a dark and lonesome film such as Kara no Kyoukai. My first impressions of the female protagonist, Shiki, were good. She is the kind of character you want to explore and get to know. Her back story is another aspect of this anime that I'm really looking forward to finding out about. What really let the film down, however, was the extreme lack of depth to the characters. I'm hoping that will be picked up on later in the series.

The animation was very fluent, and very fitting. The action scene in the middle was outstanding. Thoughtout Kara no Kyoukai I noticed many general view shots of the city the film is set in, and of some other locations Shiki visit's. These general view shots are both very smooth, and very well detailed. The character design is quite traditional, but the fact that it isn't different is a good thing when it comes to anime. The designs of the characters are one of the things that sets anime apart from any other medium. I must also mention that Shiki's eyes are very beautifully done.

The music playing during the action scene mentioned earlier was fantastic, and really put the scene together. It wouldn't have been the same without it. However, that is the only music that seemed to stand out to me. The other background music just isn't very noticeable, but that may be because it blends so well with the anime... or maybe because there is none, or very few... who knows. It just works.

A lot of the film was just walking and talking, so there really isn't much excitement to be had from those moments. Also, if it wasn't for the amazing action scene in the middle, I would have said that the entire film was a tad on the boring side. I have to remember that this is the first of seven films though, so I assume it serves as an opening, and that it can only get better from this point on. As a stand alone film, Kara no Kyoukai is quite disappointing because so much seems incomplete and missing. There is still much to expand on, much to find out and much to pay attention to. That's why I'm glad that this is only the first in the series. It kind of leaves you wanting more, and there is more.

The first Kara no Kyoukai film may be disappointing as it is now, but I really do feel that when accompanied by all of the other films, it will be something quite spectacular. I am going to watch and hopefully enjoy the other three films that are currently out, and eagerly await the rest. read more

Innocent Venus is possibly one of the most underrated mini anime series of recent times. I truly believe it deserves a higher score than it currently has. Although it is only a mini-series, it does have a lot to offer.

The story starts off quite simple, you have your average shady duo accompanied by a young girl and an annoying kid on the run from a roster much bigger than themselves. However, as it progresses it manages to spark your interest quite easily, it presents you with questions you want answered, introduces new and exciting characters, defining plot twists, amazing action sequences and a lot more. It's amazing so much can happen in such a short amount of episodes, yet it all seems spaced out so nicely. None of it feels rushed. It does manage to seem quite cliche at times, however.

The OST didn't really catch my attention, and it probably won't yours. It's not very noticeable, it doesn't stand out. The opening song is nice, but that's about it. There is one certain piano song, however, that I just couldn't get enough of.

The animation is possibly one of the best things about Innocent Venus. The mecha-like robots featured in the anime have obviously had CG treatment, which may take a little while to get used to, but ultimately it works extremely well. The rest of the animation stays in the traditional format, but still manages to blend with the CG-like animation with ease.

A handful of characters are presented to you throughout the series, and most are quite interesting folk, which are all very different from each other. You have the legendary Urahara Kisuke-like feel of Shiba, the annoying troublesome kid-like character, Gora, and the extremely cool but silent type, Jo. The characters are actually a huge part of the series, and If it wasn't for some of them, I don't think I would have enjoyed Innocent Venus as much.

Quite simply, Innocent Venus manages to introduce to in such a short time, a captivating story, characters you actually care about, a feel and atmosphere like no other, and a satisfying end that makes you wish this series was longer. It's not the best mini-series ever made, but it's extremely far from being the worst. Underrated or not, in my opinion Innocent Venus deserves a watch. read more