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"So much UGH with this"

Usual complaints about the harem genre are understandable. Add a dozen other genres, add one guy with no personality, add a bunch of sexy girls, and make a love triangle with the two top gals duking it out (With a clear winner on some occasions). Sometimes this formula becomes ether fun, or a little frustrating. Nisekoi is nether....... Nisekoi is actually BEYOND frustration. It dives too much into torture territory. And here's why.......

It all starts beautifully enough. Vivid colors, and crisp animation. The characters have really funny facial expressions during some episodes. Everybody is having fun. Everything is lollipops, ... and gumdrops. And then....the nightmare begins. It goes crashing head first into some filler, then into more filler, and then finally half asses everything right into a cliffhanger. The plot gets tossed away immediately in this show (During the middle), and it does not coming back. Usually a show would have filler, however a show would go back to its original story after going through the evolution (Or dozens of panty shots) of its characters. Not Nisekoi though. It literally tosses the point right out the window. That is the huge problem that just will not leave. And it is the reason over how Nisekoi is frustrating.

And it keeps adding more girls, and romance pointlessly. One episode it is a love triangle, then another it is a love square. Then eventually it turns into a love pentagon, and then yes..... they will add another girl during season two! So it will be a freaking love hexagon! Even the added unique quirks get forgotten. The show explains that the families of the two main characters are actually mobsters. And yet that added seasoning to make this a unique anime gets barely used, and then tossed away later on. What is the point of even explaining who their families are? They are only around for one purpose ("These two better get married, or throats will get slashed!"). And where are the drug deals? And the hookers?....... A mob life can't be about sipping tea, and fapping to hentai at home while the kids are away at school.

More annoyances appear in Nisekoi. The characters give out model-esc poses/looks. They always wonder "why" for no reason. "Why am I in love?", "Why did she say that?", "Why did this person breathe?!?!", etc. And the *big* praised treasure trove of funny facial expressions eventually runs out, and the show sticks with the same spit takes (And the same animation of heads of the characters being bouncing around in bubble form with a single color background) as the main source for comedy. There are tiny fragments of ecchi elements. And sadly those fragments are not memorable at all.

With the ax being put away after grinding, and before the metaphorical chopping off of the head. There are a few good things about Nisekoi that have to be praised. The girls are charming, and they each have their own personality. This show is fantastic through out the beginning. And music in this show is always ever changing, but really sweet to hear. Comedy during the finale is fantastic. The final moments do not exactly make it worth while, there is a cliffhanger as mentioned once before in this review, however it at least ends with a pretty funny big bang.

On a personal note: This show is a complete massive waste of time. If you want to watch this show. Then ether watch the first 8-10 episodes, skip everything between 10-19, then watch the last one, and call it a day. Or wait a few dozen years when this show ends, and then marathon everything in a week. Or watch this show, and don't follow the plot at all during the whole twenty episodes. Or read the entire manga series instead, because from what I hear you can actually get a chance to know how it will all end. Sorry for being complicated, Im just giving out good game plans here. I was disappointed with the mafia aspect not being used. That was the main reason why I bothered to tune in. It would have been fun seeing that aspect being used more, since it could have been a far more interesting story. There are OVA's you say? Well, then.....those are a bunch of middle fingers in the a**hole as well. I would have given this show a higher score. I just could not, because it is not the type of show that is re-watchable. The animation, the comedy, the designs, and the music. They are all good. It is just that if there was some follow through with the plot. Then I would have at least bumped it up 2 points. I mean even really terrible nonsensical anime shows would try to go back to its main purpose, and finish. Nisekoi just loves dangling treats in front of your face, until you accidentally trip, and slam into a wall. I might give the manga a shot one day. As for this show, I rather forget about it. Believe me. There are fun times to be had here, but if you are going to assume that it's all about the story. You will be frustrated. And if you have your theories ready to be answered, then get ready to toss everything away in the trash.

Otherwise, it won't be a fun time.

1,2 3, let's jam?

Cowboy Bebop is one of the most groundbreaking franchises out there. With a wonderful mixture of action, comedy, and good music. Bebop has traversed through many of fans hearts, online arguments, and "Best of all time" lists. Since there is only an anime, and a full feature movie. Some fans are undoubtedly wanting a little bit more of the Bebop goodness. So does the Cowboy Bebop style translate better in manga format? Shooting Star sort of does.....

Shooting Star is mostly a reboot. All of the characters get re-introduced to each other, however this time around things are different. In terms of art, ... and writing that is. The art style is pretty good. Spike looks like Spike. Jet looks like Jet. And Faye looks...... older for some reason. Well the artist did say that she usually draws men more often than women. That could be why Faye looks like a Cruella Deville cosplaying milf in this. It's not a problem over how she looks, it's just strange seeing her differently. The backgrounds are also pretty good. Sometimes the panels seem confusing, and jarring. However that is not what usually goes on through out.

Edward gets a little bit too overused in this manga series. That's sort of fine because she was only a supporting character in the Bebop series, and she didn't have much to do. However this manga goes a little overboard with the Edward boat. Even making her the main focus of the plot while Spike, and the others get shoved into supporting roles. This wouldn't be much of a pain if this was for only one chapter. However that is not the case. It is known why Edward is the main cheese this time around. Mostly because of the fan surveys that were made during its release in Japan (The fans were obviously nuts, so it's somehow their fault).

Characteristics of all of the characters have been tweaked in Shooting Stars. Spike is annoyed at everything more than ever, while Faye is way more sneaky. There is also a new character introduced in Shooting Stars by the name of Scorpion. Scorpion isn't exactly the greatest villain of all time, but his facial expressions are truly menacing. Unfortunately for Shooting Stars, the series ends abruptly. Even before the big finale, it all comes crashing down due to not being that popular in the first place.

On A Personal Note: Shooting Stars was okay. It was not as memorable as Bebop the anime, but it did have its moments. I do not hate Edward at all. It is just that there was a bit too much of her in this manga. She isn't even her goofy self in Shooting Stars. I guess that could be why I wasn't that into this manga. Would I recommend this to any new fans out there? Hell no. If you're new to the series, and you somehow stumbled upon my review. I highly recommend that you watch the entire series, AND the feature film. Then think about reading Shooting Stars. Trust me. It is a midnight snack for fans, and nothing else. It's something to chew on after you have finished Bebop as a whole.

At your own discretion, you can give this a try. But if you didn't ever watch the original anime, then you have really missed out.

Pillow fight! (Not really)

Yuri is a really misunderstood genre. Usually it is paired up with hentai because of its occasional sexual nature (Lesbianism). However that is not usually the case when reading actual good yuri that is not a one shot. Girlfriends is a prime example of that.

At first this series doesn't feel that much like Yuri. Even with some elements of ecchi being thrown into the mix. It takes a while for Mari, and Ako to go from point A, to point B. And that is why this manga series is a delectable buffet. The writing is just superb. It's as if the ... author poured her very soul into this, and it really shows. Yes, there is some girl on girl action going on after a few chapters (Errrrrmagerd! Boobies!). However that is not the absolute reason for Girlfriends being good. There is also some humor, and a pretty big tangled web of misunderstanding between the characters that becomes untangled piece by piece very delicately.

The problem with Girlfriends (Depending on which volume was bought first) there are some typos in the grammar (Which were resolved in later re-prints of the manga). Sometimes the facial expressions are stretched pretty thin (Especially during the beginning). Later on that gets fixed, and the art gets even better. Plus reading "EH!?!" all the time becomes funny at first, but later on it feels pretty dumb. Background characters get their own voice through this story as well. Plus one of Mari, and Ako's friends gets a chapter devoted to them. Those who don't still find their own niche, and stick by it. The ending is abrupt. However at least it didn't end with a cliffhanger. It is still satisfying none the less. A lot of loose ends get tied for sure.

On A Personal Note: I got to admit this. When I found this series online, I was expecting wall to wall porn (I was looking for that in the first place, Im sorry). During the first time when I read the first chapters, I kept thinking "Alright...... they're talking, this is funny...... but get on with the lesbian stuff already!!!". I wanted to stop a few times because I wasn't getting the *ahem* hentai that I was looking for. However..... then I ended being sucked into the story soon enough. And......I felt pretty stupid waiting for porn. Then I enjoyed reading this......I found myself rooting for Mari, and Ako to be together a lot. The last few sentences of the ending made me cry really hard too. Later on I bought this series at a Barnes And Noble. I re-read this series three more times afterwords throughout a course of a year. And I plan to re-read it yet again in a few months. The last time I read this, my heart felt pretty good going during every sentence. Im not the type that reads romance novels, and I gag every time I see make out scenes in movies (Unbelievably that's coming from someone who was looking for lesbian porn). Yet every word, and scene felt like magic to me. It changed my mind on a lot of things. At times it felt rather painfully slow when reading this, but it was worth it. Now when I see a lesbian couple from now on. I don't think "AWW! YEAHHH! That's hawt! WOOOOO! Strap on!!!!", but now Im like "AW YEAHHH! I hope that they get married, and adopt because they look like two wonderful human beings who love each other very much!". Girlfriends evolves into something more than what the genre dishes out. A romantic manga that will touch the heart, and change the minds of those who read it. Thankfully, I am glad that I was wrong the first time when I stumbled upon Girlfriends. The writing actually changed my life (At least a little......still looking for lesbo action online).

Girlfriends is indeed, an adventure for the soul.

"ZOUNDS!"

Harem is a typical genre being overused in Japan since the start. To ether cater to the male, and sometimes female demographic. All of the shows/manga that has been produced as a harem have always been a huge hit, or a massive failing miss. Monster Musume is somewhere in between, but it tilts towards the good side more. Here's why.

This series is straight up bizarre. There is a bevy of sexy women who are half animals. And their cup sizes range from A, all the way to P, and beyond (Whoa, lots of bazonkers!). So any ecchi fan will be satisfied while ... reading this manga. A really strange thing about this manga series is that it actually can teach about how animals use their bodies. Like at some point a factoid gets weirdly shot out like "Male seahorses are usually the ones to give birth", etc. If this ever gets to be a dubbed anime, then National Geographic should consider showing it on their cable channel for more *research*.

Thorns are spread out on the road for this manga series (Literally, and figuratively). One thorn that really takes a chunk out of it is that sometimes the author seems to be forgetting what kind of dialogue should Cerea have. Sometimes she sounds like a normal woman, then other times she sounds like a complete Norse mythology Goddess. Shouting "HALT!", "THY!", and for comedy reasons "Zounds!". "Zounds!" sort of makes her look really cute. Speaking of "Zounds". There are also puns, A LOT OF puns (Dirty jokes too). That isn't much of a hassle. But it can get really ridiculous sometimes. One of the books even has "Fifty shades of neigh" written in the back. Another thorn to be found is that it sometimes feels repetitive. How? Well there's always breast feeding, accidental nip slips, funny dates, and the occasional softcore hentai.

However eventually that repetition gets more interesting because the author starts adding some new things to the mix. Like a monster brawl, and a newer batch of monster girls. There is also some action like a hostage situation being disarmed by a SWAT team of monster girls. The characters are super cute, and the monster girls each have their own really unique design. The anatomy is superb on each of them. It all works, and there is variety. The only thing that is bothersome is that the main character (Kurusu Kimihito) barely has any facial expressions at all. All he does is look shocked/scared, and that's it. Oh, and the boobs look really wonderful too (Yes, can't forget about that detail... that's really important). The coloring is neatly done. And the backgrounds are structurally sound (It's not important as the big luscious milky honkers, or the round plump booties, but still). This series has almost everything. Sometimes it does have a main story, but usually that story gets canned to the curb.

On A Personal Note: I really enjoyed reading this series, and I will continue to do so. This is one of those rare ecchi treats that actually have more things to show other than cleavage. I did like the ecchi that is has though, and I was pretty depressed when it started to get toned down (Puts away the lotions, and tissues)......but then the ecchi came back again, and I was celebrating (Brings back lotions, and tissues)! Monster Musume also has these really cool bios of all of the girls in the end of each book. That is one of the reasons why I am not going to return these books to the store, I'll keep them in my library for many years to come. At first I was daunted when I started reading this. I mean I saw a centaur girl? And all I thought was "Okay. She looks good. Her boobs are gorgeous..... and huge.......how are the mechanics going to work on banging her though?". But.......then I resolved that issue......eventually, after a few rounds of fa- actually something tells me that this series could turn people into furries. I am not one, of course..........until I see Cheetara from the ThunderCats, the 2011 version that is. I am really glad that there is more comedy ecchi, than serious ecchi out there these days. Because ecchi can't be a serious genre no matter what. I mean when boobs flying for no reason are the main point, then why would I be interested in the lackluster writing, and dialogue? Monster Musume does not have terrible writing, just dumb jokes (Which is a really good thing). And the dialogue is not bad at all. It's solid. Thank goodness.

If you're looking for something different in terms of ecchi. Give this a go. It's quite the ride (Cerea is too).

"ZOUUUUUUUUUNDS!!!!"

"Fighting evil by moonlight"

For decades now. Sailor Moon has been the legendary all mighty queen of anime, who has launched a million girls (And lots of boys, and hentai artists) fantasies. Sailor Moon finally returns to her awaited throne with the release of Sailor Moon Crystal. However.....question is. Will she fall off her rightful throne? Let's get to it then........

Basically Sailor Moon goes through the same story it has been going through since its own first release during the 1990's. This time around it follows the story from the manga as close as possible. The best thing about Crystal is that. Crystal finally opens ... that much wanted window into some of the characters souls (The main villains) that the 90's anime almost closed off completely. Crystal finally shows that much needed side to Queen Beryl, and her cohorts that was illustrated in the original manga. This new reincarnation also answers many questions that many fans have faced ever since they heard that there will be a new Sailor Moon anime. Is this show funny like the 90's anime? Well.....there are light hearted moments to be had in Crystal, however things are completely different in that department along with many other areas. Is Chibiusa in Crystal? Not yet, but unfortunately she will arrive soon...........

There is a huge problem with this anime, and it feels like a lingering tumor that just won't go away. The problem is the animation/production. The facial expressions are almost beyond horrid at times. Sailor Moon, and her bevy of sexy power rangers all look very beautiful. However they sometimes look like blank dolls who are deeply yearning to escape their new prison of CGI, and internet fan boy fantasies. Sure. The animation in this show looks really wonderful at times, and stunning (Especially during the opening credits). It's just that sometimes it feels like that the animators have no clue what they are doing here. One moment everything is superbly gorgeous. The next moment everybody in the show seems like they have bells palsy. Eventually this problem gets solved...... and then it comes back yet again. Unfortunately Crystal does not cut it when it tries to give its characters the much needed body language, and emotion that the manga fully expressed flawlessly. Awkward poses, and a limited range of facial emotion really set this show way back.

There are some upsides. The story eventually becomes gripping, and emotional (During at least two episodes that is). It strikes the much needed heartfelt cord that Sailor Moon is well known for. And there's Tuxedo Kamen..... being Tuxedo Kamen from the manga version, and not the jerk from the old anime (That's not really a thing, but it's something). The background sounds, and the music is all done greatly. The main theme feels more like a really good heavy metal song. While the ending theme is soothing, and enjoyable to watch. Many fans do not have to wait 5,000 episodes this time around for Jupiter, and Venus to finally show up. Every sailor scout gets introduced during the first few episodes. Plus Sailor Moon evolves/matures just like she does in the manga throughout.

On A Personal Note: Listen, this show has to be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, it is Sailor Moon. However that does not automatically label this relaunch "Amazing". Hardcore moonies (Including myself) will surely get a big mixed bag of emotions. Some will feel like wanting to like it, but hating it at the same time. Others will just force liking it because they want another season that involves the outer sailor scouts. A lot of fans will be pleased though, because this show follows the context of the manga. While some will just feel like that the wait wasn't worth it. I have read the entire manga series, and watched the old Sailor Moon show. I felt pretty crushed a little when I started watching Crystal. When the opening animation sequence started for the first time in my room, I was extremely excited. I was gushing with joy because the sailor scouts look really awesome fighting the forces of evil. Then later on when I saw episodes where Sailor Moon, and then Sailor Mars having the weirdest anime eyes that I have ever seen in my whole life........I then lost hope. The animation is fluid during only fight scenes, but not throughout everything else like the old 90's anime was. Even the manga had more facial expressions than this show does, honestly. This show will truly succeed if it can somehow manage to make it to the end of the series. Where Sailor Moon, the character becomes truly amazing. For now this is my review for Crystal, maybe I will change my mind when the next season comes on. Crystal is basically going to be two parts. The first couple of episodes will cover the Dark Kingdom arc (Which is now complete, and which I have now reviewed), and next up will be the Black Moon arc. Hopefully things will turn around during the Black Moon arc, since I really like Sailor Pluto (Come on, don't make fun of her.....Pluto will always be a planet in my heart).

The only ones who will truly enjoy this anime, are the ones who are new to the Sailor Moon franchise.

Snips, snails, and puppy dog tails

There are many anime shows out there. Some are serious, some are goofy, and some are both. Other shows enjoy dishing out ecchi, and then taking it away because it was all a trap to begin with (God, there's a lot of those). However eventually there is a show that is just really different. Bizarre. Plain weird. And just absurd. That show is Dog & Scissors.

It starts off simple enough as any other anime. It has a plot, and a reason. However those two get resolved pretty quickly, and then the show goes into Simpson-esc sitcom mode. Mostly because this ... show creates a mini universe type of feel. From a scarf wearing steroid user who loves to talk about muscles while jogging, all the way to an OCD pop model who loves to say "SHINNY!" every 2 seconds. There are a lot of weirdos to gawk at, at almost every corner here. The characters are mostly strange. Natsuno Kirihime is the most well rounded one here since she conveys more emotion than everybody else (Happy, sad, being evil, being crazy, being drunk, etc.). She does torture her dog (Kazuhito), however it is not brutal torture where she grabs her scissors, and digs into the dog (A sigh of relief for PETA right there). She just cuts his hair into weird shapes, occasionally threatens him, and calls him names. She has a good reason though. He's literally asking for it since Kazuhito resorts to making fun of her body all the time.

Music in this show is pretty generic, but it gets the job done. The opening theme is pretty fun to watch. And so is the ending theme. The singing is not bad. However the instrumental part is the reason why it does not sound so special.

The designs of the show are not bad at all. The eyes of all of the characters (Mostly the female ones) actually have a unique look to their irises, and eyelashes. Colors are spread around in the show giving off a nice palette. The backgrounds are standard anime protocol (Schools, cities, parks). However, back to the character design. A whole lot of them have a bit of a twist to the usual anime stereotypes (Mostly Maxi does, the "SHINNY!" pop idol mentioned earlier). And the animation is decent enough for an anime.

On A Personal Note: This show is pretty unpopular. I understand why. I mean pretend that someone went into a restaurant, read off the menu about a chocolate cake with garlic in it being sold (With the ingredient "garlic" written everywhere). Then that someone ate the whole cake, and then acts shocked, and then shouts "Why does this have garlic in it!?" at everybody. Then another guy is there at the same place, at the same time, and that person ate the same cake. And then that other guy loved it because it had garlic like promised. That is how I feel about this show. Im the guy that loved the garlic chocolate cake. Before I even started watching this show (And Im not being all high, and mighty here), but I knew from the get go because of the description what I was going to get. And that's what I got. And I liked it. The show is not bad. Give it a chance. Expect it to be absurd.

It's not like the show is promising the moon. It's promising a crazy girl who has scissors, and a talking dog going off on weird adventures. And it delivers.