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Chrono Crusade is one of those stories that you'll end up easily missing from the large library of anime that is available to you. I only just remembered its existence only recently because of the main theme song "Tsubasa wa Pleasure Line" being a favorite of mine.

What had me discover this little gem was way back in the day when the "Sci-Fi Network" had an actual anime block called, "Ani-Mondays". This was long before Crunchyroll was really a well known service so most of the shows I'd ever watch would be on television. The block itself consisted of other titles like "Gundam ... 00", "Gurren Lagann", and even "Rave Master". Thinking back, putting the words "Sci-Fi Network" and "Anime" together was truly a weird thing to behold.

What had me so attached to this particular show on the block was one specific reason: the writing holds no fear. Trying to even remotely compare the beginning to the end will have you absolutely stunned at how the script progresses into a bitter sweet web of reality. It has a weird similarity to that of "Cowboy Bebop" where you have so many fun loving plot threads within that makes you completely forget about how serious the story actually is.

And let me tell you..Chrono Crusade works great in such a format. It broke my heart to see the main leads "Chrono" and "Rosette" specifically go from such a wacky goofy duo to devoted partners with an honest acceptance of what may be in their world. They both do something that can be a rarity sometimes in current anime: grow up psychologically together. I never felt like either one of them was left behind for the sake of making the opposite protagonist look better. By the end, all I had was endless tears with a nod of acceptance on what the Author was aiming for. I got the message right before the last heart warming scene played.

Do keep in mind, the manga and anime share completely different endings as they drift apart after roughly volume 4. However.. both have an interesting reflection from one another that is worth checking out.

Overall: Chrono Crusade will forever rest in my heart as a show that gave me a better understanding on why life can be so difficult. Its a series that really stands a heavy message on facing the worst that reality can offer but still finding a stepping stone through it. It gives an excellent perspective that nothing can be perfect but it doesn't mean we can't try to find something at least close to it.

Note: This is a SPOILER FREE review! Feel free to read without worries : ).

Most bless Hiromu Arakawa for her work on Fullmetal Alchemist yet never really jump too often near "Silver Spoon".Arakawa was actually raised on a dairy farm so seeing what she often experienced through the lens of fiction had me very excited to check this series out.

No, this isn't the story about two brothers trying to regain their bodies back in a country facing disaster. Instead, welcome to a tale that spans through various seasons which plays a beautiful tone about the world of agriculture.

Silver Spoon centers on Yuugo Hachiken..who doesn't really ... know what to do with his future. He has a dad that doesn't see eye to eye with him too much and he's pretty hard on himself when it comes to reaching success! So, he transfers himself up to a farm life school to find answers.

Arakawa never ceases to amaze me with how she can make not only the characters so likeable but also managing to transfer the learning curve about farm life into something translatable. You get a sense of understanding about what it takes to make it in that type of workforce from the good days to the bad.

There are a few little minor cons with Silver Spoon from some slow pacing to a few romantic teases that will make you yell, "KISS ALREADY". However, let me promise you that this story definitely doesn't let you down if you keep trucking on afterwards with the manga. This is coming from somebody who is not a heavy fan of manga: Its worth reading! Even then, the anime is so good! Its a series I'm probably going to come back to numerous times because it brings that much joy to my life.

You could probably nitpick too that there a few stories that feel a bit "redundant" like how the main characters will love to make various foods constantly. But, there is always a taste of "new" from how the story is being told.

Overall: Silver Spoon lives up to being a great series! There is a sense of fresh air from its atmosphere that can really attract those who want something new out of anime.

Note: This is a SPOILER FREE review! Feel free to read without worries : ).

One Piece: Heart of Gold is a prequel to the "Film Gold" movie.

There is no denying my approval of the recent swashbuckling specials for providing better screentime among characters and presenting more adventure in between the much longer story arcs(I’m looking at you Dressrosa). This brings me back to the classic One Piece episodes that I love.

The plot itself goes into following the Strawhats meeting a mysterious girl named Olga who managed to escape from a metal production island called “Alchemi’. She is now being pursued by not ... only Marines but also the infamous Gildo Tesoro.

It’s been a while since we’ve really had one of these movie stories since movie 12: "Film Z" received a prequel that was a mini filler arc(episodes 575-578) which took place before the Punk Hazard story(episodes 579-627). This time, we receive a two hour special that I found much more exciting and a whole lot better in execution. I’ll put it this way: I want to see Film Gold now because of this. The plotline structure felt refreshing. Seeing more of Sanji, Nami, Chopper, and Brooke here as well made me personally happy because there hasn’t been much of them as of recent in the anime.

Animation wise, it was pretty good! You're not going to have much problems liking this visually either.

Overall: One Piece: Heart of Gold is an entertaining story that really hypes up Film Gold in a splendid way. There are a few moments that drag on a bit too much but the adventure itself was an absolute joy to watch as a One Piece fan.