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For quite some time, I’ve been putting off watching this anime. Usually, I stay away from romance themes. Like this far. *points to the distance* But one day, I was waiting at the bus interchange and decided to watch it because I was bored. I settled down on a tiled, grimey seat, and got ready for a sweet, candy-pink 60 minutes.

I didn’t get my sweet pink candy alright.

This film was enjoyable, but it was strange.

Ok, art first. It is amazing. The landscapes are such a treat. It was the backbone of this anime, it brought together the plot, the narration, the atmosphere.

On top of ... that, the music and sounds imbued the right mood and this real-life feel to all the scenes. I feel like the people doing the animations and sound effects were so aware of what they were doing and exactly what kind moods they wanted to create; they managed to bring out a lovely ambience with the work they did. The anime only showcased ordinary places and routine activities, but there was a wistful, gentle edge injected in them. Each scene seemed significant.

*** HIGHLY 'IMO' OPINION ALERT***

But now, I’m going to comment on a specific part of the animation. This is where I’m going to start talking about why I coined this film as ‘strange’. To be honest, the following is going to be very opinionated, all based solely on my personal interpretation.

At some parts, the characters’ faces really creeped me out. It is hard to explain why exactly they made me uncomfortable. They just seemed plastic and their eyes were like glass. However, let me stress that this was not the case for ALL the scenes; just a few. More so in the beginning.

I also found the scene in chapter one, where they kissed under the tree to have an especially eerie aura. This I have a pressing urge to explain in detail. In my initial review, I explained it with pictures as I used Wordpress. I can't here so I'll try my best to explain.

Even though this was supposed to be one of the most romantic moments in the entire film (they kissed under a cherry blossom tree, come on), it did not leave me feeling warm inside. (Ok, maybe everyone is going to disagree with me and think I’m crazy but I don’t care, I’m saying what I want, this is my damn review)

Why this scene creeped me out:


#1 The boy's expression when he was confessing his love

Look at his face. It’s freaking creeping me out. If a guy looked at me like that, with those blank eyes, while confessing to me in the dead of the night, I would lose my shit.

#2 Two of them kissing under the tree

Their faces are completely blank here. It keeps bugging me for some reason, like it’s supposed to have some hidden meaning.

#3 While they're still kissing under the tree

They kiss rather mechanically and with arms rigid at their sides. The cherry blossom tree is dried and lifeless and looms ominously above them, like a sign hinting at the troubles ahead. The tree, in its former glory with beautiful blossoming flowers and falling petals was where the sweet memories of their childhood together were made. And now, it has lost those flowers and color. It’s like symbolising a new beginning for them, as if saying it was not going to be rosy like in the past. I might be reading too much into this but that is how I feel. Suck it.

***END OF HIGHLY OPINIONATED OPINION***


Now, we transition into the plot. It was a tragic love story for me, which I’m not going to describe in further detail. I do write spoilers, but I won’t for this one because I think you should step into this movie with your own expectations. All I am willing to say is that this anime illustrates the more destructive side of love.

Just a note though, for those who have seen it (but not enough of a big spoiler for those who haven’t), the passing train scene in chapter one, and then the similar one in chapter three, it was a smart way of firmly establishing the fate of their relationship and of how things were to end.

This anime, despite its gentle art and music, had a dark and pensive undertone, and that is why I described it as ‘strange’.


SUMMARY

Animation: 10/10

Music: 9/10

Characters: 7/10 (not intriguing enough as individuals, but carried out the moods and story perfectly)

Story: 8/10

Overall: 8/10 (Very good)

Bottom line: Animation is top-notch, story seems simple on the surface but it encourages deeper thoughts and reflection. Slow pacing, so some might find it hard to sit through. But I think all should give it a try and decide for yourself if the hype about this anime is really true.

I plough through a lot of bl manga. I google ‘Best Shounen Ai Manga’, scour the forum lists and sift through the piles of recommendations in a never-ending quest to find the gems of this genre. This manga, written and illustrated by Hidaka Shoko, is one of those.

Mini summary:

There is a ‘boarding house’, where Youichi, a college student lives with his cousins, Shouta and Take, as well as a caretaker. His deceased father was a well-respected, very popular and well-liked artist of great talent. Basically, when he died, Youichi was brought up surrounded by immense pressure to conform to his father’s identity. He was a ... child when this happened. I’ll leave you to grasp how this affected Youichi and his emotional well-being.

And there is a workaholic named Sakurai, a bachelor in his late 30′s. On the contrary though, he’s addicted to his work not because it’s enjoyable, but because its something to pass the time with, something to distract himself from the passionless, monotone life he leads now.

What happens when Youichi’s and Sakurai’s paths cross?

Let’s talk about the characters first. Sakurai is a very well-developed character in my opinion. Kudos to Hidaka-sensei for fleshing out his emotions and growth with her skillful storytelling. Initially, he seems like an arrogant, self-assured person, with his uncanny calmness and maturity. He also speaks bluntly, in the sense he does not entertain small talk, and approaches conversations in a rather dry manner, devoid of emotion. He’s not very friendly either. Sounds familiar? Probably, because a lot of manga, not just bl, employ such personalities: the classic lone wolf. (These people are usually good-looking.)

Gradually, at a lovely, natural pace, this shell is peeled back to reveal a far more complex personality. You see his insecure sides, his thoughtful sides, his endearing sides. You start to understand him.

And of course, Sakurai is no less important and intriguing. I find him a rather charming man, who is capable and has a quiet strength about him. This quality is probably conceived from his age and experience. His reactions are loud and he cannot restrain his emotions. Such a contrast from Youichi. Yet interestingly, in some ways, they are so similar.

The fact that they have a huge age gap results in some complexities. I always enjoy reading age gap bl manga (the good ones of course) because its so interesting. Especially when one is schooling and the other is well settled in his career. Different priorities, different experiences, different expectations. That last one is especially important and apparent, and it always results in tension. It is this tension that helps elevate a bl manga from average to amazing. You got to have that rawness in emotion to stab the reader’s heart. Wait, no, that’s not the right phrase. To tug at the reader’s heartstrings. Ah.

Once you find yourself rooting for the characters, when you are so absorbed into their story that you forget they are fiction, ah ha. That’s when you know you have found something special.


"You're friendly to everybody but the truth is, you're not interested in anybody."
- Youichi: philosopher painter mode.

This is a also a manga that you need to take your time with. Partly because the beauty is in its details: letting the words slowly seep in, finding the hidden feelings found in the characters' subtle expressions, and appreciating the emotions they convey, and partly because THIS MANGA TAKES SO GODDAMN LONG TO UPDATE. Ahem, excuse me. On a related note, I feel that this manga has very good re-reading value; I must have read it more than 8 times so far.

Moving on, let’s talk about the art. Ok, I love love love it when characters in bl manga are drawn like this. Good proportions, boyish faces with little exaggeration in the features. Also the naturalness of their movements and posture. You know how some characters looks so stiff and mannequin like? Yeah, none of that here. Art like this looks deceptively simple but it is in fact, so hard to draw and conceptualise.

The scenes at the boarding house develop a very serene atmosphere, that complements the slice-of-life nature of this plot to a T.

Bottom line: To some, story’s pacing is slow, to me it is natural. Because of its pace and details, the relationship feels genuinely believable and heartwarming. In this story, the relationship develops from not liking each other, to slow friends, to attraction. Great story and writing, a must read for all dedicated bl fans. But if you’re just looking for a quick sex romp, you can just skip this coz you ain’t finding it here.

I'm compelled to say that this manga's saving grace is its art, but that makes it seem like the story is the pits when that's not really the case. Plot-wise, it is not a total yawn fest, but it's not anything spectacular. It seems to encapsulate a sort of slice-of-life feel, where the main characters go on mystery-solving adventures and meet a hodgepodge of different characters, each with their own story. And it is distinctively shoujo.

What elevates this manga is its beautiful, beautiful art. This is one of those mangas worth reading JUST for the art.

Ok I think I have repeated that point enough ... to have some weight.

Shiro is the star of this story. Please google 'shiro adekan' and just marvel at that goddamn heavenly form. (while ignoring all those cosplayers like sheesh you CANNOT emulate Shiro ok, his beauty is like on a whole different level from us lowly humans)

The mangaka has amazing talent; she draws him superbly. (and of course, everything else in the manga) Everything he does is fluid and graceful, always having this hint of sensuality. Sometimes he’s playfully flirty and others he’s downright shamelessly sexy. AND THOSE HIPS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. How can a guy have such hips.

I’m so enamoured by Shiro that I named my family’s hamster Shiro. I’m telling you, this is that kind of guy that guys would jump, he’s that pretty. But don’t think he’s as soft as he looks, because this guy can fight and he can whoop your ass with hardly any effort at all.


In a nutshell, read this if:

You like asian historical settings.
You want to see some elegant, very pretty art.
Looking for an interesting story, with a bit of action and sensuality, but nothing heavy.

Gantz is a manga that is almost impossible to knock off from my Top 5 list. Some reviews capitalise on its gore and sex like its some mindless blood and nudity fest. Which is a real shame, because here I am to tell you that Gantz is so much more than that. I’m pretty sure some of these reviewers (not on this website, but if you've seen some of the more general online ones..) don’t even READ the manga and just regurgitate online summaries, judging from their superficial descriptions.

The art is one of the best I have ever seen. There are two kinds of art ... I find that gets the most hype: the strikingly realistic combined with superb shading and detail, or the unique. (By unique I mean the drawing style is instantly recognizable, one look and you think ‘oh, so-and-so drew that’. A good example is Nakamura Asumiko, or Nihei Tsutomu) Gantz falls in the first category.

Gantz also incorporates some thought provoking issues into its story. They are always up for debate though, its never a clean cut right-or-wrong; you are left to decide your opinion by your own devices and morals. Which makes Gantz that much more respectable in my eyes, as it does not preach.

The initial story of Gantz revolves around a big black, suspiciously man-made ball situated in an apartment room. When people die, mainly in accidents, they are revived and transported to that room where they are then sent out to kill unidentifiable creatures. Later on, we find out they are aliens. (duh) When you kill aliens, you get points. When you get 100 points, something happens. And when you die while fighting the alien, you die for good.

Pretty simple and basic right? But that’s just the beginning. Lots of things happen after that and the plot becomes more complex and more heavy. The character development of Kei Kurono also deserves special mention. In the beginning I thought he was an absolute dickhead, well in fact he WAS an absolute dickhead, but he slowly transformed into someone worthy of being called a man, he became admirable, considerate of others' feelings and I found myself rooting for him.

Gantz has elements of tragedy, suspense, romance and otherworldliness, woven together beautifully by the constant reminder of the power of humans and their strength to survive, for themselves and for the ones they love. The pain of sacrifice, of losing after even trying so hard, of helplessness in the face of an undying enemy, and all things disgusting and terrifying; all these are illustrated in its unabashed reality. It makes for a tumultuous read, but also a truly unforgettable one.


Bottom line: Impossible to put down (at least for me) and has insanely good art. A balance of characters with unsavory qualities, and characters who are noble and admirable, as well as those with a mix of good and bad. Graphic violence and nudity (look at all that tit service) but if you don’t mind either, or even like it, then please, this is one amazing manga you can't miss out on.

To me, Nichijou is a stellar animation, because it accomplished whatever it wanted to be and in all the right ways. Sure, it might not have the deepest of plots, but it’s a winner in my eyes.

Let’s talk about the story first. Nichijou is a slice-of-life plus comedy anime, and like all others, it is meant to be light-hearted, fun and entertaining to watch. It was ironic that each animation section was titled “My Ordinary Life Part __” when honestly, their daily life is anything BUT ordinary. You have a genius kid scientist who loves shark chocolate, a talking cat, a robot who goes to ... school with a screw on her back AND NO ONE QUESTIONS HER ABOUT IT at least not outwardly, school girls running in between trains, and a boy who has a mohawk against his will because, poor thing, his hair only grows like that. And that’s just the people. Their daily situations and mishaps are even more bizarre. One of the things that makes the show so entertaining to watch is the way ordinary situations escalate into totally crazy and hilarious events.

Another thing I absolutely love about this anime is the many, many slices of animation in each episode. There are random shorts slipped in between scene changes and they are always adorable. The ‘short thoughts’ section is like reading a sentence or two from a diary, very simple and short narrations, but they are pensive, a little bit wistful and a refreshing break from the sometimes ultra fast-paced action scenes.

The sense of humour might be an acquired taste to some, it’s a sort of slapstick mix with ‘this-is-funny-cos-its-so-damn-weird’ mix with overt exaggeration and dramatization. But I think most people would find it funny. There were times when I burst out laughing and had to run to my sister’s room with my laptop and force her to watch it, and start laughing all over again. However, there were also times when the jokes flew right over my head and I just sat there stone-faced. I have a feeling some of these jokes are related to the Japanese language itself, and even culture, of which I am not aware of and probably only Japanese people would understand.

Now, about the animation. I have nothing bad to say about the animation, it was PERFECT. So super good, and a treat to watch and some scenes were done in different styles which was so fun to watch. The main style is very well-done too, with its clean colors and very clean drawing. The music complemented the scenes and movements perfectly too so no complaints there either. The second opening scene is amazing; it’s a non-stop rollercoaster ride of animation and lively music that harmonize and fit together soooo well.

And to end off, a quote from the show itself:

“Our everyday lives may in fact, be a series of miracles.”
- Nichijou


Bottom line: Your go-to if you’re in the mood for some energetic and light-hearted slice-of-life anime. This is probably one of the very best of the genre.

There's a reason why the summary is so vague. And how it explicitly does not state it's a manga about zombies; what makes this manga exceptionally creepy is how it portrays a zombie outbreak. There's no big TV announcement that goes "MAN-EATING ZOMBIES ON THE LOOSE STAY HOME AND LOCK ALL YOUR DOORS" by some frantic news reporter. There are just little hints here and there, and in the beginning it wouldn't even cross your mind this is gonna be a manga about zombies. The true horror starts when this realisation suddenly hits you.

But oh well, since everybody is just dropping the zombie bomb in ... their reviews.. HELL YEAH IT'S A MOTHERF***ING ZOMBIE OUTBREAK MANGA.

Ok now moving on ~

Read it if you're into:

A dystopian setting in an urban era/envrironment.
Realistic and detailed art.
Zombie or horror in general.

What I find distinctive about this manga's horror style is its "silence"

Let me try explaining this. Usually in horror manga, the scary visuals make you imagine some sort of noise to accompany it. Seeing a smiling ghost can create a creepy laughter in your head, or a man walking down the alleyway and being followed can create the sound of footsteps and heavy breathing.

In I Am A Hero, there's no sound to the visuals. (especially so in the beginning chapters) This is partly because of its abruptness of the scary scenes, there's usually no build-up to the creepiness, and that makes it even scarier.

Some of these drawings are serious nightmare material. I kid you not, do not even think of showing this to children or your 5 year old brother because this shit will ruin his childhood. And the fact that the plot is made even more believable because of its realism just creeps into your brain and makes you very uncomfortable: it COULD happen to you.

The title couldn't be more perfect as well. On the surface it is a zombie manga, but perhaps the title signifies it's truly Hideo Suzuki's (main character) story. The story of an ordinary guy suddenly pushed into a nightmare and forced to be a hero. Even amidst the incomprehensible terror, the helplessness, and the feeling of loneliness in a very scary world, you can still find the willpower and the bravery to say,

"I am a hero".

What makes Let Dai an absolute masterpiece is its superb storytelling and heart-rending emotion. It's a gem of a manhwa and one of the very best of the bl genre.

This is not a happy manhwa. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster, it will make you cry, it will make your heart ache. The relationship between Dai and Jaehee is one of the most beautiful and intense love stories you will ever come across, and reading this, you will feel all the pain, longing, and twisted and complex emotions that they are feeling.

Let Dai is also not afraid of tackling painful ... issues in all its cruel reality. More than just a story about the love between two boys, it takes on issues of loss, death, morality and the harshness and unpredictability of life.

I loved the relationship between Dai and Jaehee, and how the author masterfully portrayed it through the art and the story. The writing is quite poetic at times, and it does wonders to the story.

Even if you're not a particular fan of the bl genre, I highly recommend you to give this a try. And if you are a lover of yaoi/shounen ai, even more so, you definitely have to read this.