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Talk about a surprise. Rocket Girls is a textbook example of how treating CHARACTER & STORY with respect allows you to do just about anything in the realm of fiction. Everything about Rocket Girls "appears" to be superficial, light and inconsequential. The premise of the story seems absurd: a teenage girl looking for her father joins the Solomon Islands Space Program and goes into space? But the science is real, the drama is real and the characters' emotions are real. This is a fun, enjoyable show - especially if you love space.

It's currently 8/22/2022 and in one week ... NASA will launch Artemis I to the moon, so that made it even more enjoyable. Maybe by the time you read this there will be even more footprints on our lunar surface.

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH ALL THE HATERS?

Most of the negative reviews say that the story of a teenage boy who remembers how to make antibiotics, batteries and cell phones from memory is "unrealistic".

No kidding. But I have only one question:

Are these the same people who watch "Seven Deadly Sins," "Sword Art Online" and "I Used To Be A Virgin Loser But Now I Have A 10" D*@K And Score Round The Clock In Fantasyland" without airing a single complaint about the accurate depiction of reality?

Why is it that when the 'unrealistic' feats are intellectual and academic instead of physical ... and sexual does it somehow become unrealistic? Anime heroes are often exceptional people. At least Senku's exceptional abilities are earned and deserved, not spontaneously granted because he bought a video game.

SOME of what you have already heard about "Fena: Pirate Princess" is true. It's a fun show with great visuals, music and historic references but the unconventional ending tends to put off some viewers looking for a pure action-oriented finale. I almost didn't watch the show after reading the reviews claiming the ending was "pointless" and I'm glad I ignored them.

The opening episode is a blast and is a wonderful way to introduce our heroine at the start of her journey. Throughout the series, Fena shows a strong (and realistic) transformation as a character. She starts off meek and timid but ... ends up having the fate of the entire world placed on her shoulder. She makes an incredibly difficult decision, all while maintaining her grace and vulnerability.

BEGIN DIATRIBE:
Some refer to Fena as a damsel in distress who can't take care of herself. But this is utter nonsense. What 18-year-old girl could fend off armed British soldiers, Ninjas and cutthroat pirates with no martial training whatsoever? Nowadays if a female character - after her perfunctory 30-second training montage - doesn't instantly display the same strength, skill, aggression and bravado of her male counterparts, she isn't considered a true hero.

If you actually think about it, the "modern woman" as portrayed in film, TV and anime is nothing but a traditional male hero in disguise. That leads some to believe that the less a female character resembles a male character, the less of a true "modern woman" she is. Talk about ass backwards. Men and women are not interchangeable and respond differently to things. Fena maintains her kindness, purity and innocence - unable to commit a violent act against another person - which is vital to the conclusion of the story.
END DIATRIBE

The treasure hunt is captivating with an excellent use of world mythology, combining both Eastern & Western legends. The ultimate reveal of the vast treasure cave is great - and is a wonderful test for those blinded by gold - for the real treasure lies further within.

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD.
Read on if you would like an explanation of the whole Joan of Arc/Eden/Pucelle thing.

The overall legend behind the story is a bit convoluted and the Joan of Arc storyline appears to have been misinterpreted by the Japanese writers. (It would be as if an American author tried to tell the Musashi legend without truly understanding Japanese history). In the anime, we learn that all female descendants of Joan of Arc, for some reason, are required to give birth to the Pucelle (Maiden) upon whose should rests the fate of all mankind. That requires a royal bloodline. So Fena's mother, Helen, has to seduce the King of England in order to conceive her. As a result Helen can never be with the boy who truly loves her - Abel Bluefeld - the antagonist of the story. After giving birth to Fena, Helen is burned at the stake but her soul mystically travels to a place called "Eden," where only the chosen can go. Abel vows to find Helen and reuinte with her no matter what. This puts Abel on a lifelong quest to find Fena so that she can guide him back to Eden.

Young Fena ends up being raised by pirates and her adoptive father, Franz (who guided Helen to complete her duty as Pucelle). Fena is taught the secrets of Eden in song, dance and stories. The story begins with this pirate ship being attacked by an adult Abel, desperately searching for Fena. Almost everyone is killed in the fight but Fena is set adrift by the boy who will be her love interest throughout the story - young Yukimaru.

So just as Abel and Helen were separated as children, so to are Yukimaru and Fena. Fena washes ashore on the island of Shangri-La where ten years later she will be rescued before being auctioned off to the highest bidder. This sets her on a collission course with her fate - running into Yukimaru, with Abel Bluefled hot on her tail. It is this parallel that drives the story and gives true depth to the characters. I have to admit that the ultimate decision that Fena has to make is rather confusiing. There is no explanation given why the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders and why the Pucelle has that kind of power in the first place.

Episode 9 is absolutely wonderful. It shows the tragic childhood of young Helen and Abel. It recasts the villain in a completely different light. He seeks not wealth or riches, but the one true love he lost so long ago.

If you go into the series expecting a certain outcome, you might be disappointed. But like any true adventure, you must go where the wind takes you. With a free spirit and open mind I truly believe you will enjoy "Fena: Pirate Princess" and come away with more than you expected.

DO NOT DROP THIS SHOW AFTER THE FIRST 5-6 EPISODES!
You must reach episodes 7 and 8 for the story to kick in. It will be worth it.

I saw the very high review and started watching Charlotte with great expectations, but by the 3rd or 4th episode, I was almost Hate-Watching it, wondering what lunacy has plagued the minds of MAL reviwers. Although the characters were fine, there was absolutely nothing to warrant such a high rating. It seemed even silly as the ensemble cast of Pop Idol, Groupie Boy and Invisible Girl began to fill out.

But the true depth of ... the story comes out in the second half and doesn't let up until the end. It tells the satisfying story of a selfish boy with special powers who grows into a thoughtful young man - not by exploiting his powers for good or evil - but by learning to care for and value those around him. No small feat, indeed. His journey is unexpected and the side-trips and detours make "Charlotte" such a unique and special anime.

The biggest flaw of Charlotte is that it wastes so much time in the first half. The first and second half feel like totally different animes - as opposed to a single anime with a slow build-up.

"Charlotte" is effectively a totally different interpretation of X-Men. Please note, it is an interpretation that you may not like. Imagine if all the children with special abilities in X-Men were considered to be diseased - even by those trying to protect them. Also, once children reach adulthood, their powers disappear making them have limited value. On top of that, the organization run by Professor X is designed solely to shield children with abilities from government agencies trying to exploit them. But the "school" ultimate purpose is to forbid kids from using their abilities until they outgrow them.

A story analyst might say that the writers basically defeated the purpose of their own fantasy. "Let's give kids superpowers" and then have the entire story follow a small group of "heroes" who try and stop everyone else in Japan from ever using those powers because only bad things happen to the kids who use them.

Although the above analysis is true, the purpose of Charlotte is not to indulge in that kind of wish-fulfillment. It is to demonstrate the astonishing restraint one must have if given special abilities in real life - and the dangerous consequences of a world where such an imbalance of power exists. In that way, it is much more like the movie, "Push" with Chris Evans, than X-Men.

Despite its structural flaws, "Charlotte" is a very satisfying emotional journey.

This show definitely deserves a higher rating than it currently has. It has gorgeous, fluid animation, fun characters (who evolve beyond their stereotypes), great music and the last two episodes are better than most higher rated shows that just peter out with no definite conclusion.

If you have started watching and feel you're about to drop the show, just jump to Episodes 12 & 13. It may inspire you to watch them all from the beginning.

The show has a rather unique concept. It's not a monster or ghost show. The idea is that after an industrial accident, the line between ... fantasy and reality have blurred - allowing the psychological manifistations of humans - in the form of Phantoms - to come alive. It could be people, animals, inanimate objects as well as fairy tales, legends and myths. The accident gave some humans the ability to capture and seal away rogue Phantoms and so the story focuses on a group of school kids who work together to keep their world safe from chaos.

It's a wonderful concept because we don't just have bizarre aliens/monsters/creatures popping up each episode that just need to be defeated wtih made up spells. Many times, the team has to figure out the origin of the phantom which means they have to delve within themselves to work out their own traumas and issues in order to seal the phantoms away. That allows each encounter to reveal something new about the characters.

Finally, Ruru is pretty adorable.

If Episode 1 of Plastic Memories were a 23 minute short, it would earn a Perfect 10 rating. Sadly, after Episode 1, you will find yourself chasing the dragon for the entire series, hoping to recapture the same emotional high that will ultimately elude you until the final credits.

Episode 1 is a wonderful and painfully realistic example of how A.I. will change the future of humanity. All you have to do is put cute eyes on a machine and most of us will treat it as an equal. So what happens when the A.I. is in the body of a child or ... lover or best friend? The final scenes of the first episoide are the gutwrenching and sublime answers to such a question.

However, after this brilliant introduction into the world of Plastic Memories, the story becomes an office romance with the occasional work-related episode. Although this romance is done exceptionally well, I kept waiting for them to return to the more pressing and deeper concepts explored in Episode 1. However, this was not to be.

If you are a true sci-fi, futuristic A.I. fan, I think you will be somewhat disappointed by Plastic Memories. But if you like office romance and slice of life anime, you will be pleasantly surprised.

** UPDATE ** I finished the final episode and this truly is an exceptional romance anime. Tugging at the heartstrings. Both sad and beautiful to watch.

QUICK REVIEW: Last Exile is a wonderful example of hybrid animation. The CG and cell animation are distinct, keeping CG for mechanical devices and cell for living beings. The two work very well together.

You will grow to root for Klaus and Lavie which really keep the story moving forward. The story, the world and the characters will keep most anime lovers engaged.

The biggest drawback of the series is "The Mystery". It is not until the final episode that we learn what the true purpose of Exile and the Grand Stream are and how the two countries of Dissith and Anatoray ... relate to each other. It's not particularly satisfying and the fact that you must wait 26 episodes means that for 97% of the show you are left in the dark. If you have to wait that long, the payoff should really be amazing and it really wasn't. Also, the fact that you are confused for 25/26 episodes means that this feeling pervades the overall enjoyment of the entire series.

This is why you may read reviews saying that they found Last Exile confusing or difficult to follow. It's not hard to understand. It's just that they hid the reveal so far into the series. This is why the reviews are positive overall, but few people will say Last Exile is a classic.

MILD VAGUE SPOILER AHEAD: It turns out that the shape of the planet they are on plays a large roll in the mystery which seems so needlessly random and confusing that the 26 episode build-up ends up being a let down. If you envision the identical story between two neighboring continents on a normal, spherical world - divided by an uncrossable barrier (a sea or wind current), you would end up with the same outcome. However, I must admit that the ultimate mystery is what kept me going - so without that I may have gradually lost interest.

First of all, I love old school harem anime and would rate El Hazard, made by the same company (AIC Pioneer) at around the same time, an 8/10. I had heard of Tenchi Muyou! for decades and finally decided to watch the first two seasons.

What a disappointment. It was just bad...on so many levels. The only reason I can think of to explain the very high reviews is nostalgia. But if you're watching this for the first time, be forewarned. The story fails on the most fundamental levels. The harem aspects are poorly crafted and most of ... the screen time is devoted to the girls fighting amongst themselves.

It is as if the writers did not understand the basic importance of conflict at the heart of all great stories. Tenchi is forbidden from entering the family temple by his grandfather but he steals the keys and inadvertently releases a 700 year old demon. Despite this, he faces no repercussions from his grandfather - not even a lecture.

The horrific demon turns into a beautiful woman named Ryouko and begins living in the same house with Tenchi and his grandfather for no reason. Think of every manga, anime, movie or TV show you ever loved and imagine the protagonist and antagonist living together in the same house. This destroys any sense of conflict between them.

When the other women show up they add little to the drama or the harem. Space Princess Aeka, is a prudish, overly-formal woman who would make any guy uncomfortable in her presence. Her little sister, Sasami, is way too young for any appropriate relationship. Plus, they're both related to Tenchi! Then there's Mihoshi, the Space Police Officer who is utterly brainless and Washuu who is even older than the 700 year old Ryouko. Worst of all, there are very few scenes when they compete for Tenchi's affections.

The 6 OVA episodes were very tough to get through. I highly recommend "El Hazard: The Wanderers" or "To LOVE-Ru" (2008) instead. Each is 26 episodes of fantasy adventure with beautiful girls, smart and decent boys plus a whole lot of laughs.

Gungrave, aka "The Godfather with Undead Monsters" is a remarkable feat of storytelling and animation that, despite itself, manages to keep its limbs from falling apart like a bullet-ridden Orgman.

That said, in a post-John Wick world, the the supernatural elements are wholly unnecessary and (if you're over 19 years old) detract from the deep, smoldering brutality of a lifelong friendship torn apart by betrayal and greed.

The John Wick movies fuse the revenge drama with some pretty over-the-top bullet battles that conveniently manage to miss the titular hero, however the lack of sci-fi elements keeps the story grounded. Gungrave could have toned ... down the excess and cemented itself as one of the greatest pure anime dramas of all time.

Episode 1 starts amidst the monster-filled chaos before flashing back to the past. Episodes 2-16 are simply a masterpiece of storytelling, featuring the friendship of Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowell. Their relationship is reminiscent of Guts and Griffith in Berzerk. Episodes 17-22 rev up the monster elements and I could feel myself slipping away but whenever the pace slowed down and focused on real emotions and character drama I could feel myself pulled back in. In the final four episodes, as Brandon/Grave inexorably makes his way back to Harry the story has its final crescendo that does not disappoint. It's interesting to note that there are no Orgmen in the final two episodes. It's just Brandon and Harry - one on one - in one of the most thoughtful, realistic emotional portrayals of humanity I have ever witnessed on screen.

Gungrave is a classic for a reason. Some people love it as-is. Others take issue with the inclusion of the monster element. But there is no doubt this show deserves the accolades it has received and will most likely keep you engaged until final credit rolls.

Suisei no Gargantia has a very unique concept with unusual pacing that may not meet everyone's expectations. For maximum enjoyment, just let go and follow the story where it leads you. Episode 1 starts off with a huge sci-fi space battle but the rest of the story takes place on a Waterworld Earth with primitive technology.

If I were in my 20's, thirsting for non-stop action, I might not have enjoyed the series as much. But the idea of a man bred for war being thrust into a tropical paradise with no war to fight and searching for a purpose is very intriguing. ... The first half of the series is "slice of life" but then the plot takes a turn halfway through with far more conflict. It can be jarring if you enjoyed the slice of life - or a welcome acceleration if you like more action.

The girls are beautifully drawn and they have an innocence about them that makes the story quite inviting. No ecchi, (which I don't mind at all) but still lovely. Surprisingly, one of the best relationships is the one between Ledo, the MC, and the AI Mech he pilots, called Chamber. Ledo is baffled by the laid back society on Gargantia and seeing him analyze and try to understand humanity with Chamber is quite entertaining.

There is a famous military saying, "To a hammer, everything looks like a nail." In other words, soldiers trained for conflict will always find conflict when left to their own devices. Suisei no Gargantia really explores this with the MC. He is literally bred for war and initially sees the beautiful world of Gargantia as "Threat - No Threat". It takes a lot of effort and teaching for him to change. This exploration is well done. That said, the MC is a monotone, (literally), and never lightens up. He definitely learns and grows, but he's flat the whole way through.

The overall reveal of the story is a bit convoluted and hard to believe. I won't give anything away but it involves the relationship between the humans and the alien race they are fighting. If you get hung up on details, this will likely frustrate your enjoyment of the series.

Although it's not a perfect anime, Production I.G. deserves credit for making such a unique anime.