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Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (The Pilot's Love Song) is a story that primarily focuses on the growth of the main character Kal-el, the adventure that he goes on, and his love story. Set in a fantasy-esque setting, the show tries to produce images like the "holy spring" or the "end of the sky". The story starts out with a day-to-day pilot school setting but later shifts to a battlefront setting.

Almost immediately, the show attempts to dive into the romantic zone. It tries to go for the classic "love at first sight" complete with romantic scenery and music instead of a gradual development between the ... two main love interests. If you're into romanticized scenes such as a "couple moment" where the girl is "flying" through the air with her arms spread wide from the backseat of a bike in a titanic-like image, then the beginning of this story may be a good watch for you. However, be warned that there will never be full conclusion where the two ride into the romantic sunset hand in hand and live happily ever after. Anyhow, the characters Kal-el and Claire quickly become infatuated with each other. Kal-el gets obsessive whenever he thinks about her. Conveniently enough throughout the story, they become stranded alone with each other in various scenarios for dramatic effect. As for the other students in their class, most of them come in convenient parings, though not all these love stories will end happily, or the way that most people would want them to.

The pasts of the main characters in the story are revealed through long flashbacks instead of current events. I rather liked the background stories for the four main characters. Each of their back-stories are fairly well developed and it becomes evident why each of them behaves the way that they do. Unfortunately, none of these characters ever get a chance to fully understand one another.

The main character, Kal-el Albus, is the former crown prince of the Ballesteros Empire; his family was removed from power during a time of revolution. A major theme in the story revolves around Kal-el's hate for the public figure called Nina Viento. Even though he was taken in and loved by a warm and welcoming new family, he still desires revenge on the girl that took everything away from him. A point that the show tries to get across is the importance of forgiveness. People seem to be pretty forgiving here in the face of love.

As mentioned before, the story goes from happy training/school days scenes to a full blown "war" against the fabled sky clan. There is an immediate change in pace and the remainder of the story comes out a bit rushed. The aerial fights weren't bad to observe, however, some flying angles got a little dizzy to look at. If you have a slight motion sickness like I do, you might feel a bit of a headache going through some of those scenes. Still, it certainly is a treat for those who have a love for airplanes and/or the Air Force. During the "war", the story tries really hard to bring out the feels. The amount of emotion that you feel during those scenes depends on how easily you get emotional over the deaths of minor characters. But for some of the deaths, the death flags were raised high up in the air and waved around in circles. I imagine it'd be a pretty terrifying experience watching your friends and classmates dying all around you. Just picture the raw fear that the characters would experience. Whether or not some of the deaths were "uncalled" for, we get a good glimpse at the devastating reality of war. There is an emphasis on "guts" and the "courage" to sacrifice yourself for other people's sake. In the end, the ones who experience the most pain are the ones who are left behind. In this story the military also gives out purple heart-like badges to the families of the deceased. It's all the military can really do for the families out of gratitude, but no gesture can truly express the emotions felt on both sides.

It's a bit of a head-scratcher how they were so willing to send students off into actual battle in that condition. The least they can do is supply them with actual planes instead of the training planes they had to use. Those planes didn't even have covers, so casualties became almost inevitable. Why did they venture into enemy territory with so many students in the first place?

It can be noted that in this world, there is a literal end to the sky. The whole reason behind all the sacrifices was to complete their expedition to the end of the sky, watch their floating island get destroyed.... have an adventure... take some pictures... maybe eat a snack after... Their motives for the entire trip becomes pretty questionable given the high casualty rate.

In the end there are still many questions that are left unanswered. The "legendary sky clan is still shrouded in mystery even though we get to sneak a glance at their technologically advanced city. The Holy Levamme Empire is only portrayed as "mysterious allies" with an ambiguous reference to a silver fox plane. There is a possibility that it is directly tied with the novelist's other pilot novel. We are also never told the reason behind Nina Viento's temporary loss of power, whether it was because she was emotionally unstable or that it was only for the sake of drama.

Many of the events came off feeling predictable. Some of the characters seem to just disappear. For example, what happened to Wolfgang's partner who always called him "aniki"? What happened to rest of the course 1 students besides Fausto? Either they all mysteriously died after the fighting, I missed something important, or they are apparently so insignificant they don't even get mentioned in the slightest. There were scenes where characters die off so quickly it leaves you mentally unprepared. Instead of crying or feeling sorrow, you would just think "Wait a second, did that person really just die? Rip...." The main characters in contrary are shrouded in plot armor and conveniently escape and live. The different situations where Kal-el could have died were above and beyond. There were many other things that just went by unexplained such as a one-time mention of a notion to overthrow the revolutionary government towards the end. Oh well, it's up to you to imagine what that will lead to I guess..?

The soundtrack throughout the show was good. Right of the bat, some "grand" themed ost plays as the characters leave for the floating island of Isla. I rather liked the Op song. It was nice to listen to. The art was decent but the animation wasn't always consistent. As a side note, I can't say that I'm a fan of the computer art designed plane base.

The ending felt okay for me. There is a lack of a conclusive ending, but as with a lot of the rest of the story, that is up to your own interpretation. The plot for most part is pretty straightforward, and while the show was enjoyable at times, there were other times where I would tilt my head and wonder if the show couldn't have used its potential a little better.

My Score: 6/10 Decent

While the second installment of the Railgun series picks up almost directly after the conclusion of the first series, A Certain Scientific Railgun S goes for a different kind of approach thematically and in terms of emotional appeal. Overall, there is a larger focus on the troubles of Misaka Mikoto herself. S1 gave a pretty even amount of screen time to all four of our main characters, so she was not put entirely into the spotlight before, but now she leads this show head on following the events that take place during the sisters arc.

The first episode is what one would expect from watching the ... pilot episode of a returning show. We're given a broad overview of the events that took place before, and a warm up to the characters that were previously introduced. An interesting event that took place was the introduction of the psychic level 5 Misaki, called the Queen of Tokiwadai. She seems like quite the interesting character with enough power to control an entire library full of students. She leaves Misaka with an open-ended threat, hinting at a possibility of a later confrontation. Just from this one episode, we are able to immediately note the positive change in production values. The sky fall scene in the later part of the episode was a pleasure to see given how good the visuals were.

Compared to S1, the art and animation has gotten even more captivating. The shots, angles, and overall direction were things worth marveling at. At times, especially during the sisters arc, the quality of the episodes resembled that of a well directed movie. The background art is always intricate and detailed. The great ost choices also amps up the general intensity and mood of the show.

"What would you do if you suddenly met your clone?" The question is thrown at Misaka, but it is something that is hard to answer truthfully until you actually come face to face with the situation.

The Atmosphere in the sister's arc feels completely different from any of the previous arcs. There is less of the day to day scenario type of feel you get from the first series. There is a lot more buildup and momentum, and the episodes follow in more logical, developed arcs. The transition from episode to episode flows more smoothly and the series is divided primary into two arcs.

Misaka's power is shown to be even more powerful than it appeared to be in the first series. She is able to hack into and control anything electronic which is a pretty op power given the different possibilities you can achieve with that level of utility. In the sister's arc, Misaka distances herself from the other girls and tries to become self-reliant. Now that the background is all set, we are introduced to some of the deeper, more pressing issues of Academy city. The fifth episode of the show deserves my utmost praise because of how well it was adapted. It was one of the most gripping episodes I've seen in the series, and the end sent a chill straight up my spine. I was not entirely expecting the drastic change in tone but it was a pretty pleasant surprise. Accelerator is as intriguing of a character as ever and his voice acting is superb. The entire episode felt like a standalone movie complete with its own unique ending theme. It honestly made me feel an urge to tip my hat to the producers for their excellent work.

Naturally, while a very mentally stressed Misaka is out running around and trying to save the sisters, her friends become very concerned. The ost does bring out some tingling emotions at times. Kuroko's feelings do eventually reach Misaka, but she is still unwilling to drag anyone else into "her mess".

The action scenes throughout the show are seriously well played with smooth, eye opening animation. I rather liked the appearance of tomboy/ponytail Misaka during her raids on the different labs. This is the first time we get to see more of a full out battle between two level 5's of similar skill level, and overall, the battle ended up feeling really solid in production. While the meltdowner does not have some of the utilities that Misaka's power has, her beams are powerful enough to disintegrate most objects on contact. From the battle we can see that esper powers do in fact, have a limit. After using her powers and getting beat around so much, Misaka feels weak in the knees as an aftereffect and is extremely exhausted. I've always wondered why Kuroko didn't teleport around all the time for everything(she complained about running around all day for judgment work), but it makes sense if an overuse of her powers would result in a physical toll. While most espers seem to be lacking in terms of hand-to-hand combat, they do seem to have good reflexes and manage to dodge most things that come their way. ITEM seems like an interesting group of characters to keep around, and I hope to see more of them in the future.

The meeting between Misaka and a memory-less Touma works as a nice change of pace. Misaka's clone has such a cute personality and creates some comedic scenes. As more time passes though, Misaka gets more and more emotional as she accumulates pent up anger. Her breaking down in front of Touma is done with even stronger feelings than in Index given all the buildup. The final battle's action sequences were great as usual and accelerator's personality is as refreshing as ever(those epic screams are pretty nostalgic). Touma's ability feels more mysterious here given the lack of explanation. Just imagine them adapting Index with the same great quality.

While most of the show focuses on the sisters arc, the last 8 episodes focuses on the "silent party" arc. Immediately, there is a return to a more "cute" feel, but it was nice to see the four of them all together again. I don't particularly dislike Haruue, but I was glad to hear that she was moving out because she always felt a little extra in my opinion. There is a 4's a group, 5's a crowd feeling. Kuroko's personality is as strange as ever, and Ruiko's personality is also as interesting as ever. It was pretty amusing when she tried to inquire about the recipient of Misaka's cookies. Academy city seems like such a great place to live. There seems to be just the right amount of danger, security, and excitement.

With the new arc, Misaka finally decides to consult with her friends about the new issues. It is a bit sudden, but it's tied in with the plot I guess, especially since it was impossible for her to do so during the sisters arc. In a nutshell, this arc is about the group trying to save Febri, a tiny artifical loli girl who sustains her life off lollipops. Apparently esper compatibility is mostly determined from birth(the case with little Misaka proves this), and they are able to tell very early on whether or not you can be a powerful esper. There seem to be a lot of bonker scientists in academy city who are affiliated with the "underground of academy city". As usual, they are portrayed as skill-outs who crave power. The issue here is pretty coincidental but understandable given that it is an anime original arc. I had mixed thoughts watching this arc but it wasn't too bad of a watch.

While it was interesting to see so much of academy city united(people and resources) for the final arc, the fight is dragged out for a pretty long time. The mass fight wasn't bad but it had substantially less intensity compared to previous fights. Similar to S1, it seems that the producers have a habit of continuously playing the opening themes throughout the final battles. My final thought on this arc would be that it was not nearly as "dark" as they had tried to make it sound with phrases like "I ask you once again, are you sure you want to face the darkness of this city?"

The show ends with some pretty nice closing scenes complete with all of the characters introduced throughout. Overall, the show is fairly action-packed complete with stunning visuals. There's never a dull moment in this city after all.

My score: very good 8/10

When it comes to anime in general, more than often is there a tendency to get turned off by the words "spin-off". This is especially true when it involves taking an intense, action packed parent story and drawing from it a spin-off that is mostly about a group of cute girls doing cute things. After completing Index two years ago, I was all pumped and ready to get into Railgun, but I never really did that until now. I for one, was really attached to the characters of the parent story at that point, and it bothered me that we would not get to see ... as much of them here. Mikasa Mikoto struck me as a very interesting character from the very start, but not interesting enough to follow for an entire series on her own. I watched the first episode of Railgun and thought to myself "Nope, not today I don't." It seemed interesting enough given the setting, but I was completely turned off by the drastic change in tone when compared to Index. Now that I have come back to the starting line and pulled my way through A Certain Scientific Railgun, my thoughts about the show were completely changed. After completing it, I can say that watching the show was quite an enjoyable experience.

The show centers around four girls (Misaka Mikoto, Shirai Kuroko, Uiharu Kazari and Saten Ruiko) who come together in Academy city and end up becoming the best of friends. For me, the setting here was as interesting as ever. I was never a big fan off the magic side of the world of Index because of the direction that it veered off to, but the science side was always really interesting to find out more about. Inside academy city, we are introduced to a broad variety of characters as they go about in their daily lives in the city. In academy city, it seems that the amount of respect you receive by other people in general is heavily paralleled by the amount of power that you possess. Those that possess amazing power are highly praised (for example: other people's reception of Misaka in many cases) and those that lack it are often driven to lead their lives into more undesirable directions. There is a lot going on at all times in this lively city, and the city would often be plagued by various spontaneous occurrences. Those that keep order are divided into two groups: Judgment (those who aid in keeping daily order) and anti-skill who work more like a combination of the police and the military. We are introduced to quite a few characters throughout the show, and many of them were actually pretty interesting. But more importantly, the development of these minor/major characters has really done an amazing job of bringing the setting to life.

There isn't a whole lot to interpret about the relationship of our four main characters. Because of their bright and enthusiastic personalities, they easily get along with each other ever since their first meeting. However the ridge that really divides our characters is once again, a difference in skill level. Standing at the top is Misaka Mikoto, a level 5 esper who is the 3rd strongest in all of academy city. Her roommate Kuroko is also a strong level 4 teleporter (I just love this ability) and a game-changing member of judgment. As nature would have it, Uiharu and Ruiko (levels 1 and 0 respectively) do feel a certain degree of helplessness when it comes invert desire to become stronger. While they would continue trying their hardest to improve their abilities, this difference in power is what would eventually prompt Ruiko to use the level upper as a shortcut to becoming stronger. As a result, her friends are able to finally understand a bit of what she is going through as someone who completely lacks power.

There is of course, a degree of fanservice in many forms in the series as well. One of the more obvious cases lies in Shirai Kuroko's perverted nature and the obsession that certain characters other have with the type of underwear that other girls wear. Episodes like the one where they become swim models are mostly geared towards fanservice but they do end up being decently enjoyable one way or another. On the other hand, we are occasionally offered a glimpse of our main characters from Index, leading fans of index around with a carrot in hand. It was pretty nice to see Touma and Index again, but they are not really involved in the plot at this point.

The overarching plot that develops throughout the series revolves around Kiyama Harumi as she desperately tries to save the lives of the child-errors she was once forced to teach and later abandon to an experiment she had no prior knowledge of. As someone who is willing to go to the ends of the earth to save these children, she certainly takes many drastic measures. I really felt bad for her when Misaka looked into her past though, because who wouldn't experience agony after going through what she did.

The antagonist in the last arch, Threstina, really made me roll my eyes a bit though, because it honestly would have been better in my opinion to make her "betrayal" come as more of a shock. Instead, they have her with a menacing grin in the background since the very beginning, so there was no surprise there. Though I guess it would be hard to disguise that level of insanity.

The battles play out pretty nicely throughout the story. The esper powers are really interesting to observe given the wide variety of powers that are introduced. My favorite is Kuroko's teleporting power. It seems so useful on a daily basis while also being a lethal weapon in battle. Being a level 5, Misaka's power does stand out quite a bit. Her control over electricity is supreme to an extreme point. I must say, I raised my eyebrow the first time she used her electricity to stick herself to the wall. The final battle came in a series of intense sequences. The power play shown was interesting, and we get a glimpse of Kongo Mitsuko's level 4 ability as well (which is a pretty nice ability as well).

Production value-wise, the animation was really solid throughout, and the art was really nice and pleasant to look at. This is something that I think has really improved since Index. Overall, A Certain Scientific Railgun was an enjoyable anime to watch, and we see lot of development of a world that I have indeed become quite invested in.

My score: 7/10 Good~

I really look forward to anything else that the author has in store for the future.

Full Moon wo Sagashite: Searching for a full moon

I guess most people who are anime fans just constantly look for those anime that really leave a deep impact on you, lift you up, and help you gain a further appreciation for anime. Sometimes we wonder if that special one will ever come, that one that is so special to us on a personal level that we will forever remember it as long as we continue to watch anime or even think about it. This time for me, I think I found one of those in full moon wo sagashite.

On the surface full moon wo sagashite ... is a very (very) cute story of a young twelve year old girl(Kouyama Mitsuki) who develops a cancerous tumor in her throat despite the fact that she desires to sing(with all of her heart) in order to keep a promise with a childhood friend and lover. She then encounters two shinigami(death gods-Takuto and Meroko) who tell her that she only has one year left to live and they help her fulfill her last wish to become a singer by transforming her into a sixteen year old girl and allowing her to successfully go to an audition. The story then tells of Mitsuki's adventures in the idol industry(There are some pretty hilarious events and cliffhangers that will keep you upright in your seat) and her battle against the fate that was predetermined from the very beginning. There is a huge emphasis on Mitsuki's strength of character and her ability to change people's attitudes for the better with her energy and enthusiasm.

All in all I think that this is such a heartwarming story. Mitsuki's voice and her songs really do speak to people. I for one was really amazed and awed by the powerful and beautiful songs that were featured in the anime, and her songs are so great to listen to that I would love to continue listening to them in the future. At the start of the story when Mitsuki goes to the audition, her voice immediately astounds all the judges with it's power and beauty. I swear I was sitting right alongside with them with my jaw wide open. What's even more is all the emotion she stacks on top of her voice with each and every song. Just by listening, one can tell that Mitsuki truly does enjoy singing and that she wants her songs to reach the hearts of all those who listen to them.

Despite the very lighthearted and happy beginning, some stronger, more emotional themes do come up later in the anime. Some of these themes include: the broken thoughts of those who attempt to take their own lives, the concept of predetermined fate, the despair of losing a loved one, and the struggles of those who are unable to do the very things they love to do the most.

A major theme that comes up is the importance of living life to its fullest. There is infinite joy one can obtain by just living to see another day and we should enjoy life while we still can.

Returning to the theme of music, there really is a certain beauty to music, the messages it can carry, and the impact it can have on people. Mitsuki's voice is surely strong, beautiful and powerful enough to reach the heavens, to the people who now watch over her from above.

*discrete spoilers*

Endings are often the toughest part to create when writing a story, yet here we get a beautifully and masterfully written ending that manages to make the audience smile even as the tears form in their eyes. The longing feelings of being separated from companions that you have so long taken for granted is a feeling that is really hard to understand fully unless you have experienced something similar. But even if you haven't, it's hard not to feel anything as you take a look at this powerful, tear-jerking ending. Viewers experinece sheer joy and sadness at the same time as we see a happy reunion along with the farewell of a very close friend (who has grown so incredibly beautiful and more mature looking :')

Full Moon wo Sagashite really is a timeless tale that people of all ages are able to enjoy
My rating: Very good 8/10

I know that for me personally, the story of full moon wo sagashite will always remain in my heart because it was just so beautifully and masterfully written. In the end, I think that it really did end up being something special.

There's nothing wrong with living each day like it's the last~!