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Apr 4, 2009
I first read the manga and found it to be good. I looked forward to Asu no Yoichi! the anime, and after all 12 episodes, it met my expectations.
Asu no Yoichi! is a comedy, harem about a teen samurai who has lived his entire life in the mountains with his father. He goes off to live in the city and stays at the Ikaruga house, ran by four sisters. With this setup, hilarity ensues, which is the main form of entertainment in Asu no Yoichi!.
The story consists of episodic events involving Yoichi, the Ikaruga sisters, and masked figures who apparently wants Yoichi dead, sending assassin
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after another to finish him off. These attacks are part of the main story, which is really quite unimportant, and the writers only use it to end the anime with a satisfactory conclusion. The lov.. eer, "crush" circles in Asu no Yoichi! is also very funny, leading often into hilarious misunderstandings and situations.
The art is quite average, and I don't see much to comment about. There are "Washizu visions" and "Tsubasa visions" in the anime, where the respective characters daydream about their crush in favorable situations. Here, the artist deploys hilarious art styles in drawing people in the vision to show the character's mental attitude toward such people. It'll definitely bring about some laughter the first time around :)
Each character has his or her part in Asu no Yoichi!, and interacted with each other to create funny scenes that were enjoyable to watch. There is little development within the characters, but as a comedy, that's not quite important. Needless to say, the characters were pretty well done.
Asu no Yoichi! was pretty enjoyable. It doesn't have any exception aspect that makes it stand out. Overall, it's quite average, but its something that's worth your while to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 28, 2009
Inukami! is a slapstick comedy following the adventures of Keita and Youko as they face enemies and spirits that must be vanquished. After 26 episodes, I must admit I was a bit bored with the episodic, repetitive style Inukami! follows, but the comedy throughout each episode was worth watching.
There's very little character development, even among the main characters. Inukami! is meant as a pure comedy anime, and as such, things such as story and characters are definitely not strengths here. The reason for watching is to enjoy and laugh at the hilarious situations that come up.
The art is well done. There is very little CG
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effects; heck, even the explosions are drawn. What's really different is how the characters are drawn. Most anime have skinny characters, but Inukami! has very chubby (and I might add, a little on the short side!) characters. It looks a bit ugly at the start, but you'll get used to the style after a few episodes.
The sound is fair. Nothing that stands out as fantastic or terrible.
Overall, I enjoyed the pure hilarity in Inukami!, although due to its lack of story and engaging characters, it shouldn't have been 26 episodes. The only thing that's worth watching for is the comedy, and with 26 episodes, after the initial humor dies out, there isn't much of a show to watch. The ending wasn't too bad, although it was EXTREMELY cliched and predictable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 28, 2009
Nabari no Ou is not a ninja anime. Yes, the synopsis would disagree with me, but after watching all 26 episodes, the ninja aspect of Nabari no Ou is pretty much unimportant to the central story.
Nabari no Ou is more about the relationship between Yoite and Miharu. They meet each other as enemies, but as the story progresses, they slowly become friends. Yoite wishes Miharu to end his existence using the power Shiranbanshou, while Miharu tries to master this technique to fulfill his wish.
The story, is at best, mediocre. From the synopsis, I was lead to believe this series would be action-packed. But it really
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isn't. There is little to none ninja/fighting scenes, and most of the story is told through the characters' interactions and dialogues. Nabari no Ou isn't quite episodic, but I actually wish it was. After 26 episodes, there isn't really much content. Many of the events that occur in the middle of the story really has nothing to do with the main plot. If you had missed half of the episodes in the middle, you'd be perfectly fine. Nabari no Ou's story was rather dull for 26 episodes; it would've been much better had it been 12 or 13 episodes. However, the progressing bond between Miharu and Yoite was done very well, and the end, although not exciting at all, was very satisfactory and conclusive.
The characters were quite weak for the most part. Nabari no Ou had a serious problem with transition in terms of character reactions and personality. For example, near the end of one episode, a certain character laments over a dreadful event and grieves. The next episode, right after the event passes, and the next arc comes along, that character acts as if nothing bad had happened. This happens many times to many characters throughout the episodes. It seriously kills any affection for Nabari no Ou's characters, and watchers really can't identify with such characters that seem obviously fictitious.
The art is unarguably one of the better aspects of Nabari no Ou. Characters are quite skinny, but then again, that's perfectly normal in anime. What I really enjoyed is the background scenery. Edges and lines are not sharp, and the coloring reminds me of pastels and crayons. The backgrounds provide a really peaceful and tranquil atmosphere for Nabari no Ou.
The sound consists mostly of serene background music, and during scenes of action, music filled with anticipation kicks in. Overall, the background music wasn't spectacular, but there wasn't wrong with it either.
Overall, I feel Nabari no Ou could have been so much better if it was only 12 or 13 episodes long. The plot is quite simple and straightforward, and having 24 episodes with such a short plot creates repetition and dullness in Nabari no Ou. If you decide to watch Nabari no Ou, I highly recommend skipping scenes or fast forwards parts. You won't miss anything important.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 27, 2009
When you think of a romance, comedy, school life/slice of life, you think about an anime with two (or more) lovers as they go through thick and thin together. That certainly does not fit the description of Toradora!. In fact, I don't think anything is able to describe just how funny, touching, deep, and serious Toradora! is.
I started watching Toradora! after reading the first few chapters of the manga. At first, I thought it was one of those series focusing purely on romance and comedy. I thought it was a carefree series that will bring watchers some laughs with some moments of romance. The
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first few episodes did seem to be leaning toward this direction. However, as the story develops, I was blown away. The story and characters were so complex, fascinating, and unique that the description of a "carefree comedy romance anime" just can't fit Toradora!. Not at all.
The story, at its introduction, is simple. Takasu Ryuuji and Aisaka Taiga both have crushes on the other's friend. They decide to help each other. Really simple, and predictable right? Nope. As the story propels forward, so many wild and heartwarming events occur make the relationships between the friends not so clear. The story moves along a very smooth pace as well. Like other comedy/romance anime, Toradora! develops the story w/ episodic events. Unlike the others however, it blends the main plot and each event very well, so that you'll never see just an event (such as a house party or summer trip) that's just there for enjoyment. In Toradora!, the events drive the story, not the other way around.
What makes the story so much exciting, unpredictable, and anticipated are the wonderful characters of Toradora!. At the onset, the characters are introduced, and each have an obvious trait/personality that you have no problem identifying. Takasu is mean-looking and scares people, but he really is the ideal guy: nice, reliable, friendly. Kushieda Minori is the cheerful girl and Aisaka's best friend who is always energized and lighting up the mood. However, there is so much more than just that. As the story progresses, the characters do as well. Each character faces trials and obstacles in the story. As a result, they develop, change, and gradually become different. In addition, each character has inner feelings and pasts that influence their way of dealing with things.
As you watch each episode, the main cast is so well created that you'll forget they're just figures of fiction. You will treat them as real beings, sympathizing with one and perhaps disapproving another. Your own feelings will change as the characters change. All of this leads to a wonderful experience that is Toradora!.
The art is well drawn. Backgrounds are clear, colorful, and sharp. Character movement is smooth. The sound is rendered and timed perfectly. Each background song/sound fits with the scene, and adds strength to it. The opening and ending songs are also very well chosen, perfectly fitting with the general theme of Toradora!.
I have greatly enjoyed Toradora!. I had average expectations and saw some potential in Toradora! when I started watching it in Oct. 08, when the Fall 2008 season came out. Unlike so many other anime that start with great beginning but only to degenerate, Toradora! shot through the roof of mediocrity with its great characters and story. It satisfied many viewers and went on to become even better as each week passed. Now that I've seen all 25 episodes, I must say, it was an incredible series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 24, 2009
To Aru Majutsu no Index is an action, comedy set in a modern (or perhaps slightly futuristic) city called Academy City. The entire city is basically composed of several schools that teach the usage of Esper; a scientific kind of magic.
The story revolves around the protagonist Kamijou Touma, as he is caught between tensions and events involving conflicts between Magic and Esper (science). While the first few episodes were quite promising, hinting at a huge power struggle between two sides, with Touma being in the center of attention, the rest was quite the letdown. There wasn't any deep story. The main plot simply gets
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shoved into the background and To Aru Majutsu no Index becomes a somewhat repetitive, episodic 2/3 episode-per-plot anime. Despite the great entrance leading to an episodic series, however, I admit it was still enjoyable to watch. The plots are simple, but watching Kamijou Touma go through each challenge in his way was entertaining.
The art and sound are definitely the strongest points of To Aru Majutsu no Index. The art is simply amazing. Movements and actions flow smoothly, showing just how many panels the creators drew to create each episode. CG effects are wonderfully done; with the sun shining brightly and casting beams of light on Academy City. The opening songs fit the action theme of To Aru Majutsu no Index very well, and the relaxing ending songs tone down viewers' excitement after watching the episodes.
Characters were great and unique in terms of personality, but development was stagnant. Each character had a unique personality that you can identify and tag them with. Touma is a carefree, friendly guy who's always there to help out his friends, while Index is mischievous and spoiled on the outside, deep down she cares much about everyone around her. However, without much character development, they pretty much stay the same throughout the 24 episodes of To Aru Majutsu no Index. But overall, I think this can be overlooked, as once you become attached to them, development won't degrade the characters' uniqueness.
Overall, I enjoyed watching To Aru Majutsu no Index on a weekly basis. It was a good anime overall, despite the lack of a concrete central plot. Just watching how Touma deals with situations and interact with those around him is purely enjoyable. Definitely give To Aru Majutsu no Index a try!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 21, 2009
Deep Love - Ayu no Monogatari is definitely not your typical girl-finds-guy and falls in love type of romance manga. I started reading with that mindset, and after 8 chapters, I was blown away. Deep Love - Ayu no Monogatari was not only atypical, but delivers such deep themes and story to readers that will fill you with either sympathy, happiness, or anguish by the time you finish.
The story is quite simple and straightforward. Ayu is a teenage girl who finds life meaningless, and thus sells her body in a society she sees as decadent and immoral. However, an encounter with a granny changes her
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views, and, after listening to the granny's story of her long lost lover, Ayu becomes determined to change for the better. This is actually quite a bright summary, but the actual story isn't such a clean pavement. Many things happen along the way that will make you both love and detest Deep Love - Ayu no Monogatari.
The art is quite clean and beautiful. The mangaka pays very little attention to detail, and as such, I was browsing through each page quite quickly. This is not bad however, as it offers very clean pages and very simple, but appealing backgrounds in each panel, which keeps your focus more on the story and its characters, which are the strong points of this manga.
Despite how short this manga was, character development, that is, Ayu's development, is fantastic. I really sympathized with her as she struggled through the chapters. Ayu truly came alive in Deep Love - Ayu no Monogatari.
Overall, Deep Love - Ayu no Monogatari was very enjoyable. Its story, characters, and the themes on morality and suffering, all of it was just remarkable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 19, 2009
7th Period is a Secret is a short story consisting of three chapters. The last two chapters are one shots and are not related to main chapters.
I started reading this with some expectations for it, but I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong though; for such a short manga, 7th Period is a Secret was actually quite good. The story is about a high school girl who was an outcast at her previous school. She transfers to a new school, determined to be popular, while hiding her true personality within her. She deceives all but her teacher, who shows
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her that living in such a state is degenerative, and thus teaches her to live as herself. The story was short and sweet, and for three chapters, 7th Period is a Secret was enjoyable.
The two one shots focused on developing relationships between two different couples despite apparent difficulties.
The characters, however, were the weak point of this manga. The mangaka relies on extremely typical personalities, personalities that are not only predictable, but are seen almost in any other boy-girl romance manga. In the two one shots, the boys and girls could've been secretly programmed machines designed to simulate a romantic relationship, and I wouldn't have noticed the difference. Their every action was extremely predictable and calculated, they didn't seem like real teens struggling through thick and thin to find love. The characters in the main chapters were better, but this was probably due to a more different setting of the story.
Overall, the characters were dull. Unlike in other manga where one grows attach to the characters' unique personalities, characters of 7th Period is a Secret were predictable and did not show any signs of personal traits or characteristics.
The art style was quite good. The background of various high school scenery and cityscape allowed pages to be very pleasing to look at. The mangaka went along with the sharp, clear drawing style, as opposed to blending and smearing to create lighting effects that are typically seen in Bleach or Claymore. As a result, every panel looks clean and neat. Perfect for a high school romance manga. :)
Overall, 7th Period is a Secret is not unique at all, but was surprisingly enjoyable. It doesn't take long at all to read through its 5 chapters, so give it a go.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 25, 2009
Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~ is a prequel OVA of the Mai-Otome series. It is not connected to the main series plot-wise, but rather tells a story about Lena Sayers (Arikia Yumemiya's mother) as she saves Sifr, a young girl, from destructive forces.
Despite being only 3 episodes only, Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~ has a satisfying story with a beginning that gradually develops as the plot thickens and ends with a conclusive note. The story is balanced with both deep and comedic moments, and is filled with action-packed scenes.
Like the other Mai-Otome series, the art is the same. There is little CG effects. Despite this, everything is still sharp and
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clear. The movements of characters (especially in battles) are quite smooth. CG effects are used in battle scenes, and are quite effective. From the glowing beam from a gigantic rifle to Lena Sayers' duplication attack, the added effects bring up the level of excitement.
Background music could have been better. There were scenes that had pure silence in the background. The background music for other scenes didn't really add any extra effects. I found the music for battle scenes to be dull. The ED song, however, went great with the credits and pictures.
Character development was pretty impressive, considering this was a three-episode OVA. Both Lena Sayers and Sifr Fran were quite different at the end when compared to what they were like in the beginning. Both learned and adapted throughout the story. The minor characters were a bit boring, but their roles helped with the story.
Overall, Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~ was a great OVA that greatly complemented the main series. I recommend watching this before the main series, since Lena Sayers... yeah.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 25, 2009
First of all, I have not read the manga, but I am told that this is a prequel to it. Makes sense, since it is titled Ga-Rei "-Zero-."
Ga-Rei -Zero- is a series with many surprises. The first two episodes misled me into thinking that this was an action-packed anime with little drama or deep themes. But the entire series as a whole was deeply touching, focusing more on the friendship and love between two protagonists, Tsuchimiya Kagura and Isayama Yomi, as they go through thick and thin down a path that eventually splits into two.
I was deeply impressed with the presentation of Ga-Rei -Zero-. The
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first two episodes are almost unrelated to the entire story, but helps viewers to get a better understanding of the situation. Afterward, Ga-Rei -Zero- focuses on the central plot of the story with little to no episodic plots. There are some comedic parts to lighten the mood here and there.
Characters were skillfully designed and came alive in Ga-Rei -Zero-. Through various interactions, each character, even minor ones, developed and changed throughout the story.
The art and sound were good. Many of the fast-pace battle scenes were very smooth and exciting to watch as the characters and their surroundings changed constantly and smoothly. The many different background music fitted many scenes, whether they were comedic or serious.
Overall, Ga-Rei -Zero- was very impressive, and I suggest those who enjoy well thought out anime should definitely watch it. However, it is a bit melancholic and serious, so for those who enjoy a lighthearted anime, look elsewhere.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 19, 2009
Kanojo to Natsu to Boku is an eight-paged one shot in full color about a boy's first date at the beach.
The story and characters cannot be properly rated, as this is a one shot, but it's suffice to say that the characters are simple and straightforward. The likewise simple story presented in Kanojo to Natsu to Boku could have developed into a manga with great potential if it was continued.
The art is in full color, and the excellent color contrasts ups the visual quality of the one shot greatly.
Overall, Kanojo to Natsu to Boku features an incredibly short but enjoyable scene. It only took me
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about a minute to read it, but it was worth the minute.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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