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Embrace the endless fighting, killing, and the hatred and sorrow that come with it. Basilisk brings the viewers into a cycle of war between two powerful ninja clans. Throughout centuries, the Iga clan and the Kouga clan have known none other than animosity and vengeance towards each other. Amidst this purgatory, the head of Iga and the head of Kouga love each other and decided to end the centuries of conflict through the act of marriage.

The story might sound familiar and you might have already predicted their vetoed aspiration to marry might not go smoothly, but Basilisk will still entertain you, not via its compelling ... story, but the journey through its death valley and the flesh enriching characters walking on it.

The highlight of the series is its character designs. The distinct physical appearances that match their unique fighting styles are visually pleasing. On the inside, their individual personalities and the way each character thinks and behaves are unexampled and unmistakably their own. People die mercilessly in Basilisk but none were discarded carelessly. It is clear, with much effort put into defining each of these characters; their deaths are as delineating as they were alive.

“These are not samurais, they are ninjas, and they do not know honour.” A very harsh world is portrayed here. Behind the post of a ninja and their duties to their respective clans, their humanity and emotions surface between battles and through flashbacks. Each character is not just a chess piece to be manipulated at will. They fall in love; are fuelled by personal desires and self-esteem, the characters might not work under their clan jurisdiction in total faith. A lack of oversight from clan leaders might give rise to a costly mistake, for each individual will choose which choice to take themselves.

The animation is great. The fighting is fluid but each move is profound and every contact is crisp both in visual and sound. The ninjas don’t wear bright orange jackets or have fancy haircuts that give them away like eyesore in the darkness. The art pallet in Basilisk is dark, gloomy and stays true to the hellish period with endless bloodshed when peace is an unobtainable luxury. The supernatural element added to the show makes attacks exciting and unpredictable. Many scenes are gory from decapitation to blood rivers and some rape scenes are present which need a pair of headphones if watching with other ears around. At times, it was irritating to not see clearly such fine animated choreography under a deservedly brighter spotlight.

I watched this in English dubbed. It was pleasing to hear honourifics being spoken out loud comfortably. The voice actresses didn’t waver or fear screaming of pleasure in those sex scenes, and the males were never afraid to pronounce bizarre exclaims. However, the girls were too quiet in certain dialogue, but this is usual in English dubbed anime. Sound effects were good. Shout out to its latter ending soundtrack.

Basilisk doesn’t cram fanservice but Gonzo certainly knows how to draw the female body parts, from lips to legs, in an erotic manner. The nudity is far between, but when on screen it doesn’t inflate to eclipse the action.

A strong contender for the historical, adventure genre, Basilisk is Gonzo at their best.

Oda Nobuna was set in the Shogun period. This alone doesn't make a series good. What does is how the series used this period. The main characters are generals, leaders, people of importance. They are not citizens who kneel down to a figurehead that is never shown, nor do they need to obey any rules set by another man. The viewers follow the main characters' attempt to conquer and unite Japan. A huge dream shared by many. There are those who want to achieve it together, and those who want to achieve it alone. There are hindrances, eureka moments, betrayals, doubts, trickery and surprises, interesting ... allies and enemies. Heroes are born and villains arise. The goal is a grand one but the scheme is a simple one. To conquer quickly and coercively through ruthless decisions, or conquer by sharing, love and unite the people; driven by vengeance or friendship?

We see the generals lead the armies in both bird-eye and close-up views. The viewers are given seats in strategy meetings. We see the map, the route armies take and the obstacles they might face. We also see individual deaths and small victories here and there in front row seats.

None of the generals are invincible. They fall into traps, they make wrong tactical advances and they let their men die. They regret, they fear for the worst and they sometimes think negatively.

This time period wasn't chosen randomly out of a hat. The age sits between old Japan and the beginning of Westernisation. Should Japan learn about the rest of the world? Should Japan shield themselves from the West? Or should the generals set out to sea with a pirate flag and conquer shinsekai?

The premise alone sounds plenty interesting. What makes this series more different is majority of these generals are women and lolis. There are good fanservice but few excessive ones. The women fight like men. They lay their honour on the battlefield and they aren't afraid of death. The action is solid. Supernatural elements and magic, check, but they don't overpower the good old fashioned cavalry with swords, bow men or rifle men.

Our protagonist is from the future. He doesn't bring the internet with him nor anything fancy that would faze every other character in the show. No one is particularly impressed by his arrival and none feel threatened. He didn't make his impact through technology or his pair of trainers. He made his impact through people management and making good use of history lessons. He doesn't follow what was already written in the history books from his time, he allows discretion and take into consideration of people's feelings, what's the right thing to do at the right time. He doesn't dictate, nor throw solutions around in strategy meetings, and his predictions sometimes go wrong.

In terms of personality, he is a determined lad. He is also a pervert. This is a harem show, and this guy gets boners. He has fantasies of his colleagues he works with and he falls in love, unlike school based series where the protagonist has no clue what's going on or doesn't have a penis. Our MC has desires and attempts to fulfil them.

This series is nothing short of entertaining. The animation quality is Madhouse stunning. The women are sexual and the seiyuu super. It's one of the rare few anime that makes me guilty for awarding a low score. So guilty that I later changed it. Although, the setting and animation is fantastic, there are lots of typical moments in this series. Any said I would personally consider as spoilers. In addition, there are plot holes. First episode is confusing, one of the worst start to any series. But ignore it. To enjoy Oda Nobuna, you must not try to tick boxes or review it episode by episode. Do not emphasise on this time travelling, world transferring protagonist to overshadow the other characters and what the series is truly good at. The fact he is from a different time isn't the highlight of the series at all and the director made sure he isn't overpowered. It is sometimes best to forget he's from the future altogether.

Oda Nobuna isn't a mindless, shut down your brain and watch series. It has emotions and you can get lost in the many names of people, castles, territories that do not come with much references. Although most characters have appeared in many other anime personality-wise, to have them in this age period and not act like scared little brats needing samurai to protect them 24/7 is a breath of fresh air. To really enjoy this series, you should aim to marathon it in 2 days. Any slower with underscore its plot holes. Don't watch it to punish the director or yourself, watch it in a forgiving attitude and you'll have a whale of a time!

A friendship driven sport series executed superbly, and a great setting to match. The supernatural element makes Kuroko no Basket exciting, intense, and loads of fun. What sets this series apart from the other basketball series is the focus on five extraordinary individuals in their respective teams.

Sport genres tend to have very strong characters developments. The wide range of personalities in this series is both inspiring and entertaining. Character developments are good, underdogs working hard and doing their best to achieve a dream hits everyone’s soft spot.

Kagami is your “everything is possible” hero. He carries the series and the viewers’ hopes. The partnership of Kagami ... and Kuroko grows throughout, but with obstacles in between; you will see happy times as well as sad times. Personality-wise, Kuroko doesn’t shine. Yet, when he is on screen, the viewers are made to expect something unusual to happen in a comical manner, or if on the basketball court, some sort of impressive display. Kagami and Kuroko bring out the best of each other both on and off the basketball court; if they were lone characters in separate series, both would have been incomplete. The biggest character developments lie in the “miracle generation” members. We see different sides to their personalities. Their skills develop and their behaviours change; viewers will love them, hate them, and possibly love them again. The support players in the top teams are great supports. They don’t steal the show, but are entertaining enough on their own; everyone has their own goals and pride. Character interactions are realistically captured, often humorous. Every player from the “Miracle Generation” has an exclusive past, and a strong will. They all want to be the best, work hard to achieve what they think they rightfully deserve. It is a battle of kings. There are good uses of flashbacks revealing some past of “The Miracle Generation”, to thrill the viewers.

Exaggerated facial expressions and narrow eyes make many characters look very similar but in different coloured wigs. Some of Kagami’s behaviours remind me much of Sakuragi from Slam Dunk. Basketball movements are fluid. Like all other basketball series, the camera angles show us different perspectives, but also like the others, lots of screen time has characters standing still, listening to their thoughts/dialogues, and camera focusing on the bench, away from the actual game. Also, slow motions galore. Recycled basketball moves and situations were never nice to look at, and some humour was a bit dry. The art might feel slightly outdated on first sight, but it works and does grow on you.

Sound effects are great. The basketball nettings, dribbles, and feet frictions against the polished floors are well done. Background soundtracks are varied, lots of techno during games to get viewers high. Seiyuu have no problem to convey different moods of the characters in the appropriate situations.

The main strengths of this show are its action scenes on the court, the suspense and thrill of each basket, and the risk of losing. But the other main themes certainly don’t lag behind, that is the team bonding, friendship, and trust. The players from the “Generation of Miracles” are ridiculously strong, they can do inhuman actions on a basketball court, making each and every one of them feared and sought after by every college team in the country. Not all the players of “Generation of Miracles” were shown at the same time. Each character was fed to the viewer gradually, each individual is a new obstacle to conquer, and knowing there are stronger opponents after each wall helps build up the excitement and wonderment.

The action will light a fire in your heart; it doesn’t wait for you, they are blink and miss. This is the pace you can expect from the series. Some sequences will make you want to rewind and watch again, not necessarily because you missed them the first time, but because they were awesome and needs to be re-watched to believe.

As a feel good sport series, some results might be predictable. But if who wins is perceivable, might as well make the way it approaches that prominent final score as extravagant as possible.

Watch this if you like Slam Dunk.

“I don’t really want power; I just want to teach you to enjoy the game instead of taking it all so seriously.”

From the producer of Tiger & Bunny, arrives another brilliant blend of CGI armour suits. It is colourful, engaging, and entertaining. Accel World has a futuristic setting where The Sixth Sense is commonly used in society; people can dive into networks with their avatar to socialise and more. In a game called Burst Link, known only to a few, characters duel each other to earn points. These points allow the users to accelerate their thought process in real-life, obtain advantages in anything and everything.

What ... makes this virtual world captivating is the Lord of the Flies, no adult, no rule, canvas. 15 year-olds or below have formed policies and have taken territories in the Accel World. Split into 6 factions, each led by a level 9 King, players fight to complete the game by becoming level 10. Plan and implement strategies, set traps and backstabs make some great turn of events. Fights include 1-on-1, tag duel, faction war, and free-4-all. Each faction sought to recruit players with special or rare abilities.

Referred by his classmates as “that round thing”, our protagonist is a coward. Haru’s only escape is “Direct Link” to this virtual world. The protagonist is the biggest threat to the viewers’ enjoyment of this series. He can be as hateable as Shinji from NGE and he has the looks of Morty from Shaman King. The fear of being looked down upon by others prevents him to bring out the best of his abilities, who easily allows his spirit to perish. One exception to this is that Haru is willing to give everything to protect and fight for his King, the girl he falls in love with.

The characters might appear shallow at first, but each one would reveal more about themselves as the series progress. The characters are stereotypical, and their character development might be labelled as predictable. However, the execution was well done and although the characters can be extremely irritating at times, with the sudden turns of events both on and off the battlefield, their actions can make you change your opinion of them very quickly. New characters are introduced often to spice things up, creating problems as well solving problems.

The art is colourful and bright, animation is smooth and fluid. Sparks and other lighting particles are a bonus. The opening song is rejuvenating, and the soundtracks change to set the mood, blood-boiling techno in fight scenes which varies in relation to the stages the characters fight on; bright or dark tunes can be heard for their respective scenes. Fanservice include panty shots, shower scenes and grabbing breasts, not too excessive. A negative is that characters sound more mature than their supposed age.

The characters’ virtual Avatars are not as detailed as they could have been, considering the use of CGI. It would have been better to have the designs less rigid, less android, but more erratic and free-flowing. It would have been rewarding to rid of such restrictive metallic armouring that many Avatars have in keeping to the mecha feel, having said that, we do see some better designs that are more freestyle, which give the artists more room for creativity and fun.

The fight scenes are reasonably well done. Lots of fights are long ranged; those that are in close quarters tend to be a bit rushed or are animated in black flashes. The build-ups to battles give a sense of anticipation. When characters tell a story, it feels like I am going to learn something new and very interesting. The suit-upgrades, new power-ups, and new attack moves make me eagerly wait for the next act.

Themes include trust, betrayal, romance, and jealousy. Although, the series is set in a school environment, majority of scenes take place out of it. This makes the school affairs interesting when they do happen, and the change of surroundings makes the world more believable. Accel World has a fantastic concept. It could have made itself more unique by expanding the concept of territorial wars, in both the virtual world and real-life (which it tries). Behind the avatars and their elevated fights in this virtual game, laying all your honour to fight without regret is the essence of what Accel World conveys. If you want to see a colourful and entertaining shounen in a sci-fi setting with hints of fanservice, this is a great series to go for.

Are you “ready to lose gloriously?”

Kaoru and Sentarou become best friends, meet girls, fall in love, and play music, portrayed as a turbulent ride in the 60’s.

Kids on a Slope is character driven, the MC’s friendship grows, diminishes, and relit repeatedly like a rollercoaster ride. The MC’s are in middle school. They fall in love innocently but are new to the concept. Viewers will feel sympathetic to their naivety and will be irritated by their lack of confidence. The drama lies in complicated romance triangles, betrayals, jealousy and doubts, but most heavily on friendship. These aspects reveal different sides to the characters' personalities.

Kaoru is physically vulnerable but is academically intelligent, ... a weak hearted and self-centred protagonist; he runs away instead of apologising after hurting others in order to protect himself. Sentarou does the best for those around him. He is tall, scar-faced and is feared by his school mates. He, unselfishly, places others’ well-beings above his own, and does what he wants.

The supporting characters are vital to prevent stagnation to the plot. They are not there to provide comic-relief; they are multi-dimensional persons with their own lives and strong roles in the series.

The art is refreshing, toned to fit its environment. The animation is crisp but fluid, with movements well matched to the beats and dialogue. VA’s are excellent in expressing a mix of emotions. The soundtracks are pleasing to the ears. Its opening song is happy with hints of angst, which reflects the series very well.

It doesn’t take much effort to dive into the series’ setting because it’s very atmospheric. The music, the art style, the characters’ clothes and behaviours make this feel like the 1960s. Do not expect hearing jazz in every scene as this is not a musical; the music is mixed in to incite and compliment the drama, having said that, whenever the characters do play music, they give off plenty of energy and passion. Their distinctive actions match the beats, the camera angles give us different perspectives, and the licensed pieces themselves are dynamic, easily making these moments the highlights of the series.

Although, Sakamichi no Apollon has some predictable twists and foreshadow, they are very well executed. The tears and laughs don't feel forced. The pace might appear slow at the start and fast towards the end, but it is creditable to the director for setting up the characters and plots sufficiently to allow the viewers to keep up with the follow-throughs that approach the finale.

Kids on the Slope will leave you wanting more but satisfied without the need for more. At time of writing, it is available to stream legally on Crunchyroll.

An adventurous and abstract anime about a middle-school girl with extreme split personalities who can make or break the world is portrayed in the style of postmodernism and avant-garde.

Released in 1998, directed by Nakamura Ryutaro, the person who brought us Kino’s Journey, Serial Experiments Lain is labelled as dementia, in the same category as "Agitated Screams of Maggots". This series has a unique philosophical take on communication’s impact in the modern era, as well as one's self-awareness. Its biggest selling point is delivering mysteries episode after episode and submitting subtle hints enough to puzzle together the whole picture for the keened eyed in a ... rewarding fashion, but not so much that you can gain such delight by watching it half-asked.

A middle-school girl isn’t the most exciting choice for a protagonist; but when this girl has a similar power to Suzumiya Haruhi, the setting suddenly turns into one of a surreal reality. Lain’s world is very similar to our own but with a superior virtual communication network known as The Wired, developed by Tachibana Labs. A group of hackers known as The Knights, very much like the infamous Anonymous made the system its playground, causing chaos and conspiracy across the globe. Some even worshipped them but nobody knows of their true identities, or their goals. It is up to Suzumiya Lain to stop them and restore peace. Or, would she make matters worse by adopting Haruhi’s personality?

If the series was not directed by someone who enjoys testing the waters and rape minds, Serial Experiments Lain might have been a landmark in its genre. Unfortunately, despite Nakamura’s claim of him not being influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion, his work left just as many question marks, leaving many viewers confused and frustrated.

Lain is bizarre. She has three personalities: the shy and timid that we see most of the time, the bold and more mature version in The Wired, and the evil Lain who harms not only her reputation but also her friends’ well-beings. Our protagonist found her life changed in the most dramatic way possible after a voice mail from the dead hinted her very own existence and that of the world she lived in were expendable. She was unrealistically calm and was even entertained by the idea of this parallel world in “The Wired” and its prospects. Throughout the 13 episodes, she fights against her other personalities to realise what is real and what is right. Not much character interaction is in display because the series consists of heavy monologue and the protagonist talking to a computer or an imaginary friend. Her family is mostly indifferent and never gets to do things together on screen. But her character’s transformation from the beginning to the end is big enough to warrant a phenomenal development. Lain’s best friend, Alice is also given an interesting character progression, thanks to her curiosity. However, it was the 11 year-old Taro, a supporting character, whom appeared to be the most normal individual in this show that I wanted to see more of.

Little animation exhibition because there are many still pictures and the art is not detailed enough for elaborate movements, but the dark and moody atmosphere is well portrayed and draws you in. There is a punk soundtrack on the lines of Cyberpunk but most of the time we hear only static background noise or silence. The opening song is in English; it’s quite soothing and is written by a British indie band called Boa. The English voice actors did a fine job but the “antagonist” sounds like an onii-chan in the Japanese dub.

Serial Experiments Lain could be improved with a faster pace for it didn’t do much deciphering but more on showing us the protagonist staring at our face through a screen. The concept was fascinating but could have been better executed. Serial Experiments Lain is for those who enjoy a complicated plotline that focuses more on atmosphere than the story. Call it philosophical, thought-provoking, or creepy; “The Wired” is a more convincing playground than The Matrix.

If you like this, you might like Ergo Proxy.


(Thanks to Vis4Vanity for recommending this series)

As a kid, I often searched for inspirations through celebrity pop stars, acclaimed sportsmen, and even fictional characters wearing underpants outside of their trousers. Whilst all that time, the tall figure holding my right hand was, and still is, the biggest hero of my life.

Kanta Kamei gained lots of fans in 2011. Prior to that, he was involved in some other works, too, but this was his biggest and most successful role. As the director of Usagi Drop, he boosted confidence in 16 and 17 year olds into thinking doing “it” without protection might not be that bad.

Daikichi attended his grandfather’s funeral and brought back ... with him his 6 year-old aunt, Rin. Detested by his relatives for disowning her, Daikichi couldn’t forgo his sense of duty and adopted Rin on impulse. This might make Daikichi sounds irresponsible, he isn’t. Our protagonist quickly became aware of the needs to change his lifestyle and adapt. He accepts this wholeheartedly. You will see how the rapport between the duet flourishes into a father-daughter affinity.

The relationship between Rin and Daikichi grew episode per episode. From what was an escape route becomes much more to Rin, her trust to Daikichi becomes that of a pure and innocent dependency. Throughout the 11 episodes, every little aspect, from planting Rin’s birth tree to doing Rin’s hair, add to strengthen their sense of comfort around each other. Without a mother in the house, Rin, somewhat, takes on the role and tries her best to fill the shoes. As mature as Rin might appear, she is and does act like a 6 year-old. Rin’s eyebrows curl when she’s irritated and her eyes portray a genuine surprise and excitement when she catches a glimpse of something new. You will see, but might not notice until it has happened for an extended amount of time, how Rin shifts from the sluggish girl who lost hope of being loved, to the spirited, big sister that is top of her class. Even Daikichi’s mother, who wanted to feed Rin to the wolves, begins to take a liking to Rin and labels herself as Rin’s grandma. This is, actually, a realistic character development.

At times, Daikichi’s clumsiness will make you laugh at him and his abashment behaviour would make you pity him. But it’s the times when he shows his sense of duty, which would enact you to look up to him, carving a much stronger image of his character.

The support cast carry weights as well. Daikichi’s two sisters provide insights from different angles into marriage, the conflicts that Usagi Drop didn’t make Daikichi and Rin go through, you can catch a sniff of from the supporting characters. After becoming a parent himself, Daikichi meets new people he would not have had otherwise. For example, Yujiari Nitani (voiced by the same seiyuu that voiced Lelouch from Code Geass…) gives this series an additional dimension; romance between Yukari and Daikichi is subtle but distinct. More significantly, Yukari can be seen as a mentor, for she is a more experienced and dependable single parent.

Animation is well done, Daikichi moves like a giant when he walks whilst Rin skips next to him like a child would. Art is generally, crayon and childish looking, but by no means under-detailed. The manga has lots of frames for simple and short passages and its drawings are extremely clear, but the manga didn’t hint how an anime adaptation should look. This left Production I.G to make that decision themselves; the colour pallet they chose is very fitting of what the series projects and I am happy with their interpretation.

The seiyuu for Rin did excellently for her infantile role. In fact, Rin is voiced by Matsuura Ayu, a 10 year-old girl, who later voiced for a supporting role in Eureka Seven AO. Daikichi was voiced by Tsuchida Hiroshi, whose other roles were of mostly in shounen series, from evil scientist to Wolverine. It is nice to see Hiroshi attempting such a caring and mature role with a softer voice and doses of slapstick humour. Soundtracks are gentle, the opening and ending theme songs are very nursery.

Heart-warming and comical moments help balance the serious topic of “how much one is willing to sacrifice for another’s child?” The comic-relief present here would not work in all series, it works here because Rin is just so cute. The V-shaped grin and button eyes are adorable; I too, would quit drinking and smoking for her sake and centre her as my priority. Never do I want to see those soulless eyes on her face again. The pace is slightly slow because nothing really dramatic happens in the series, but its charm accumulates through their daily activities and interaction with society.

Usagi Drop does a good job in making you think raising a child can be a very rewarding tenure, an extra pair of hands around the house, cook the breakfast and water the garden. But what it pulls off even better is aspiring how being a parent, beyond its sacrifices and uncertainties, is the sudden realisation and transformation into a knight-in-shiny-armour to an innocent and naïve little sprout that would bloom into whatever form, shaped by the guardian’s influence. The growth of this intertwining and indivisible bond is to be forever cherished. Usagi Drop allowed me to discover all this alongside Kawachi Daikichi.


(Thanks to Vis4Vanity for recommending this series.)

An insight into University life the parents knew to be true but is afraid to admit it is how their children might end up. The Tatami Galaxy introduces these horrors directly to their well-groomed kids in the form of an educational, animated series. It is informative, illuminative and it is to be laughed at.

Released two years after Kaiba, directed by the same man; no anime had my eyes roll faster in reading subtitles. Even Shaft productions required assistance in the form of wall scribbles.

The Tatami Galaxy is an unusual storytelling of an unnamed, 20 year-old student, participating in club activities to find true love. We ... saw the most important and life defining moments over his two years at University from different propositions. Each time, I laughed at his miserable attempts to see rainbows and roses only to ultimately steer into the same hole, drenched, forever alone. We know him only as “Watashi”, a pessimist, with the power to turn back time and re-run his life. Throughout the 11 episodes, the MC continues to do so until he reaches a point of satisfaction. For a series based around a student and campus life, the protagonist was hardly seen attending lectures and there were little University specific relations. Like watching the life of a true college dropout, which to be fair, he was. A stereotypical good-for-nothing, unexpectedly, meets up for the “very first time”, but on multiple occasions, with Ozu, his compatriot, who is very sly and is a great talker. He is also an ogre. Instead of being the MC’s right-hand man to help him hit on girls he so desperately desires, Ozu only brings “Watashi” bad luck and misery. Each time our protagonist presses the reset button, Ozu always, somehow, tracks him down as if they were connected by a “black thread of fate”.

The life of “Watashi” is so depressing it makes most viewers feel lucky. Betrayed by friends and had his brand new bike stolen in front of his eyes, he wasn’t able to enjoy the simple things many of us take for granted. The only roads for a character such as him to head to are pretty obvious, even for a 13-year old. While this might explain why the series is rated PG-13, “Watashi’s” and Ozu’s characters should not be mistaken as plain or transparent. For these two characters reveal different sides of their personalities more towards the ends of the series and might surprise some. The supporting characters pop up whenever necessary for repeated performances or otherwise, but were mainly there to provide us with humour and create new playgrounds for the director to plant foreshadow and clever linkages. Their relationships with the main character were never allowed to build upon because the restart button was applied episodically. Having said that, the director had to allow some elements from the previous dealings to seep through in order for him to produce a complete conclusion; the result is our characters act as if they have some sort of partial amnesia.

Akashi might not be a tsundere but she certainly is one of the coldest girls out there. She is not the best looking but then again, the art style is not the right instrument to make her so. The only other living creature with her face shown was Ryouko Hanuki, who has really long eye lashes and a decent fashion sense. She is older than Akashi and is more mature. Her face matches proudly to her figure and is without a doubt, the hottest character in the series. As a PG-13, The Tatami Galaxy has some arousing scenes and mature scripting that are probably not appropriate.

Simple and jagged drawings standing in front of real-life imageries could be considered abstract art to some, keeping in tune with Yuasa Masaaki's other works, it is an acquired taste. If it was committing to the same art style as the original creator, then fair enough. But The Tatami Galaxy is based on a novel so the art gets no sympathy from me. It was nowhere near as fluid as Kaiba. Many scenes are in black & white; especially when the protagonist is alone. Other scenes are sepia or unusually coloured like different roses as if everything on screen is dyed into the same colour. Sound-wise is very average, the sound director didn't need to work very hard as all he needed to do was play the lone voice of “Watashi” half the time.
The opening and ending theme songs are played behind tatami multiplying like bacteria and Yakushimaru's cute voice for the ending theme song was always looked forward to.


The Tatami Galaxy has some great scripting, often genius and amusing. But such long winded conversations and monologues require obligatory scenes to fit the screen time. The fast monologue in a different language is annoying. I like Japanese rap songs but this, without some beats, is mere noise. By around seven's episode it started to hurt my ears. If it was fast dialogue between two or more people, it might have been acceptable.

There should be an Art/Cultural genre defining series such as these which often teaches its viewers meanings of life and remind us of what is out there in life. There are two ways of looking at this series; call it intelligently written for episodes are connected with reused scenes and situations, or label it as making-up new acts to reach the same rundown. The second one looks more reasonable for many episodes have too many plot holes in their attempts to link and filling gaps are never smooth. But realistically, it's a combination of both.

The final episode has many questions answered but the Time Lord element was there for viewers to accept without challenge. A surprise end to the series which changed my preferences of certain characters and my attachments to some, felt like a run-and-hit and even a little done by. But thinking back, I realised it was a sagacious piece of work that deserved some praise.

A very monologue and dialogue heavy series that doesn’t have enough action to play out, protagonist talks to its viewers on-air and asks questions we ask ourselves. What felt like a taunting task to watch was quite rewarding at curtain call. Not a bad anime for a small cast with cheap production, but it made me work hard with few immediate rewards in between.

If you liked this, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is a good bet.


(Thanks to Vis4Vanity for recommending this series)

A Japanese take on Western superheroes’ daily routines in the format of Big Brother. Earn points to ascend a league table by keeping peace, outdo other heroes to top the chart and be crowned The King of Heroes; or get left behind, lose sponsorship and retire early. All captured on live TV. I found it funny, engaging and nostalgic.

When you have two well-known shounen seiyuu in Ichigo from Bleach and Sanji from One Piece, you would expect a good deal of action sequences for them to roar. Tiger & Bunny does not disappoint. From the director who brought us The Big O and the studio ... that produced Accel World, Tiger & Bunny, a 2011 release, had MCs in the form of the perfect in-between of mecha and remote controlled robots, men in power suits, Iron Man style.

Story
In a city with multiple Statue of Liberty lookalikes, some humans were mutated to have supernatural abilities and became known as NEXT. While some use their powers to rob banks and sneak into the VIP section of live concerts, others got themselves a job as superheroes working for their respective companies. Superheroes are used as billboards to promote their sponsors, their activities are directed by the boss and their morals are tested on the job. Would you catch a criminal on escape to earn 200 points or would you save the victim but earn 100 points? Would you team up with another hero and share the glory or would you sabotage them to move above them in the points system?
A protagonist without a school uniform, a man we could all look up to and sympathise with. Kotetsu is an irresponsible single parent who enjoys dressing up and running around the city to entertain the cameras. He is a hero but his daughter doesn’t know it. As someone who has been in the business for too long, instead of leading the line and setting a positive example, Kotetsu, Aka Wild Tiger, often messes-up his criminal chases and embarrasses himself in front of millions of viewers, live. A goof, who genuinely believed keeping peace could make a living, is the most enthusiastic hero. Refuses to be wavered or side-tracked by the higher-ups of the brands he advertises all over his suit, is on a mission to get his daughter to call him cool. Degraded to near bottom of the league ranking, he is presented a chance to make a comeback by teaming up with Barnaby, a much younger and more attractive individual who appeared to be much more mature and intelligent.

Character Development
Most heroes have decent character backstories and progression throughout the 25 episodes. Everyone have their own reasons to participate in HeroTV and their ideals sometimes clash. The main duo’s partnership was particularly shaky at the start, where neither liked his partner and constantly bad-mouthing each other; but as the episodes count grew so did their relationship. Working together to catch criminals and climbing up the league table, they began to trust one another, become a real team and even formed link-up special moves.
Some characters had single episodes dedicated to them revealing the reasons for why they fight. To help the viewer feel attached to them, even their private lives were on exhibition, from their part time jobs to how often they walk their dogs.
The character interactions are often amusing due to the mixture of personalities around the room. But when in action, there are serious tests of friendship, beliefs and doubts. Expect many cheesy scenarios and scripts because of some stereotypical character designs, making their character developments and their reactions anticipatable.

Women
Blue Rose is a sexy teenage superhero and she knows it; she wears high heels and reads books like "100 ways to make a single father fall for you”. As for a mature woman, HeroTV’s boss lady is smart and spicy.

Aesthetics
The cityscape looks stunning. The lights are in tens of thousands; combined with the structures living in it, from bridges to statues, make the city look like a very lively place. The art in other areas are also first class; backgrounds are fitting of the Western style and are smooth around the edges. Drawings on costumes and their designs are very vibrantly coloured and appear to shine. Haters of CGI might not like the visuals of some heroes because Fire Emblem and Rock Bison, to name a few, are CGI when in suits. Despite some flaws in frame rate distortion, the CGI are just so detailed they will be your eye-candy; the costumes wrinkle with many lines and the shadows move like water.
When the occasion rises, a hair-lifter soundtrack plays. There are two opening and ending themes; personally, I preferred OP 2.


Tiger & Bunny is PG-13, so don’t expect blood drips. Even in the direst of situations, our heroes will have plenty of time to pose together, sometimes back-to-back. Tiger can at times move fast enough to dodge bullets like in The Matrix, but at times cannot out-run a normal human. Foreshadow are carefully stationed in each episode; you could argue they are too well done and had become overly clear, but I think the conventional characters are mostly to blame. The series has a slow start but picks up its pace quite fast and continues to accelerate. With the rapid increase in storytelling, many questions arose and some were left answered. Tiger & Bunny would have gained more fans if it answered those questions and gave insight to the characters it didn’t.

No one can say the setting was easy to direct. Like most anime taking on the Western style, if Tiger & Bunny is average or below, it would be regarded as shambolic; to go straight into anime as an original story without pre-made manga was brave. The concept of having Heroes to participate in a reality TV show was done in SpiderMan. But the formulae the director has copied were winning recipes that couldn't go wrong in a series about superheroes; they are mostly well built-up and executed to provide much entertainment; the Dragon Ball Z style tournament was a great example. To have real-life companies sponsoring the anime was intelligent in both increasing the series budget but also helped us immerse with its world.
Tiger & Bunny ended like a true superhero series. Crimes never cease and heroes never rest, I wouldn’t mind a sequel. Each hero had their own past and secrets to motivate what they do but it never overshadows their roles. Unlike The Dark Knight, the superheroes here, especially, our protagonist, exhibited everything good about superheroes. Watching this anime was very nostalgic, it reminded me of my childhood, spending my weekends with Totally Spies and Power Rangers, and the reason why I equipped myself with capes and plastic swords. Not turned into war weapons, sought after by every country, Tiger & Bunny made me believe in heroes again.
The director looks up to superheroes, too, and I can relate to that. These 25 episodes made me feel good and warmed my heart. Forget all the other superhero series and movies; I want my kids to watch Tiger & Bunny.


(Thanks to Vis4Vanity for recommending this series)

An original take on life after death in an unfamiliar realm, it has girls, it has uniforms, and it has old men under masks, with poles.

Inspired by "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World”, Yoshitoshi Abe, with the help of Yasayuki, who grabbed my left leg, dragged me through Serial Experiments Pain, came back in year 2002 with Haibane Renmei.
Afterlife and Next Worlds in anime and manga is getting more popular. One year earlier, there was “Gate of Grudges” in Skyhigh. Eight years later, Angel Beats! gave us a school filled with NPCs. I can honestly say that Haibane Renmei had the most interesting ... idea for a limbo I have heard so far.

Story
The story begins with Rakka’s birth into a town surrounded by protective walls. The walls inflict a disease so severe; it could kill those who touch it or those walk near it. Humans coexist with boys and girls with wings called Haibanes, given Halos looking angelic and cute. The Haibanes aren’t pure hearted angels; some of them smoke, some lie and steal, some are stalkers, and the rest hate carrots. They also have “crappy handwriting” (thanks Kana). Only way to escape from these walls is to wait until each Haibane is called upon by a pillar of light, but nobody know where to. This story is a slightly symbolic illustration of sin and salvation.
Rakka behaves pretty much like anyone would if woken up in bed one day, to be told she died once and was reborn into a different world. And in a couple of days, a pair of small wings will tear apart your skin, inducing so much pain, you will faint. Essentially, she accepts every gifts, clothes, food and drink in hope they would help her get by the next winter. Her immediate friends consist of two tomboys (Kana and Kuu), a girl who’s good at baking beagles (Hikari), a female librarian who often sleeps on the job (Nemu), and Reki, the older girl, presented as Rakka’s caretaker. This series cries out for a harem, but thankfully, didn’t become one.

Character Development
Everyone named above had a tough time making an impact, except for two. Throughout the Rakka’s tour of the town, her interactions with humans, Haibanes, and a mysterious governing body, Rakka questions the world and everyone in it. She has the genuine curiosity of a girl born into an unknown land; impatiently or otherwise, she would ask for answers to the mysteries this series brings to its viewers. Unfortunately, those who would speak know nothing and those who know everything don’t speak, frustrating both Rakka and I.
The most interesting character is Reki; she knows the answers to some of these mysteries and moves the story forward. As the series progresses, we get her character revelations at a young age, the things she went through and what caused her to become the Reki that she is.

Women
Rakka and Kana were pretty cute, but both look too young to hold hands. However, Reki is for the taking. The series has small hints of romance between two characters, but thumb up to Abe for not polluting it with fanservice.

Aesthetics
Environments are detailed, from the deteriorations in the walls to the crumbles lying on the grounds. The trees, grass, utility poles and power lines are precisely placed, clearly defining their perspectives. Pause anywhere with a good scenery, you’ll get an instant watercolour painting. The clothes’ shadows are very clear and dark, but single toned all over. The rough edges of what the characters are wearing are an eyesore and that is particularly noticeable when everything else was to be admired. For such artistic backgrounds, it is a shame the characters are so undetailed.
Animation is bad; movements are stingy and some are neglected altogether.
If you listen to the English dub with your eyes closed, at times it sounds like a porno. Otherwise, the VA’s did fine.
Effects sounds are inconsistent. Weather and echoes are well done but footsteps sometime turnoff without valid reasons. The dubbed version’s toning down might be partially to blame. Soundtracks cover a good range of emotions, from sunny, happy scenes to rainy, depressing ones. The opening song is like a historical European melody without vocals; the ending song does have vocals and is quite beautiful.


The walls aren’t just made of cemented bricks; they are detailed objects, symbolically referred to by the characters. It is a shame we don’t learn its reasons of existence or originality. I still don’t know how Haibanes become Haibanes or their purpose. In fact, the series hasn’t told me what a Haibane is. However, the lack of explanation came as a relief, for the director didn’t treat me like a 10-year old child by dishing out a pardonable rendition. If it was between that or nothing, leaving my imagination run wild was preferred.
The series has a slow pace, but it’s intentional. The cosy and peaceful feeling Haibane Renmei gives off is the series’ strong point. It relaxes the audience and pulls them into its world through mundane arcs and conversations that begins with “Are you awake, yet?” and “How are you, today?” Many episodes ended without moving the story forward. Mid-way through, I had no clue where the show was going, I had my guesses but they turned out wrong. Truth is that the series didn’t go anywhere, everything needed to conclude the story stayed at the starting line all along.
A large cast for 13 episodes, I can’t help but feel this large cast didn’t give their best to make full use of its fascinating premise. Haibane Renmei doesn’t go deeply philosophical like Serial Experiments Lain did, but its ending was more powerful and memorable. Rumour has it “only two episodes were prepared when the show was ready to be produced with no real plot in mind” (animeworld.com), I am impressed by how the series was able demonstrate, successfully, this challenging theme that is redemption.

You might want to check out Kino’s Journey.


(Thanks to Zylixae and Vis4Vanity for recommending this series)