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Cobra is a show that is very much out of place in today's world. It is a pulp sci-fi action comedy that is ripped directly from the 1980s, and is a fantastic throwback to the days when anime was fun, over-the-top and testosterone-fueled. Gun arms, impossibly proportioned women, and comedic one-liners.

If you sat down to Cobra for the story, you would be sadly disappointed. As with most shows that could be described as pulpy, the plot is more a way to give Cobra things to do to be a badass. It does that well, and that is really all the show asks. There are a ... few story arcs, the longest lasting four episodes, and several one-shots. They're entertaining enough, but hardly memorable.

The animation is fairly good. There's no glaring animation errors, and the entire production has a low-budget, old school feel to it that lends a lot of flavor to the show. The CG is (intentionally?) fairly poor, but is perfectly suited to the throwback style that the show is trying to cultivate.

All in all, Cobra will a bit of a hard sell to most anime fans, looking for the next androgynous pretty-boy protagonist. However, if you yearn for the days where men were men, women were "dames," and arms were guns, against a backdrop of cool jazz... well, I think I have a show for you.

Trapeze is a show that comes along once in a blue moon. There is no moe to be found here. There is no fanservice (apart from Mayumi's injections). There are no lolis. The art style is odd, and there is no bloodshed.

So, why should you watch it, you ask? Trapeze is a story that dares to be drastically different, with amazing writing and strong characters, while supporting a unique and engaging art style. The voice acting is top notch, and the stories are great.

Taking place mid-to-late December, the show is mostly episodic, covering the same time frame. Characters appear in episodes other than their ... own, lacing the entire show together and creating a living, breathing world. The stories are all very human, and most are rather touching. Every episode is strong, focusing on a patient and following him around their everyday life, and how their mental illness debilitates them.

The real showstealer is Dr. Irabu, though. His three appearances, representing the Ego, Superego, and Id, give a variety of viewpoints, and Fukuicchi gives real medical advice (kind of).

Trapeze is a show that will never be as popular as it deserves to be, because it is so incredibly different than the norm. It will never be seen for the example of what a great show is. And that is the tragedy of this comedy.

Please note: This review will be the review of an anime-only reviewer. I will not be comparing/lamenting the adaption quality.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni is a fantastic story. Taking elements of both Eastern and Western mythologies, we are thrust into a battle between witches. A battle of fantasy vs reality, where we can trust nothing we see, and are forced to reason our way out of a labyrinth of lies.

The music is strong, if not particularly noteworthy. It supports the scenes well, but one will not be humming the themes walking down the street. The OP/ED are excellent, though. By now, we know that DEEN ... is not a fantastic animation studio. It would come as no surprise that occasionally, there are some art problems.

A very large part of the appeal of Umineko though, are the characters. By the end of the show, you know each character and love most of them. Each member of the family receives a time to shine. This is also supported by one of the most complicated, and interesting antagonists I've seen in anime, the Golden Witch, Beatrice.

The other main draw is the story. The issue with this, is that one cannot discuss it without giving away large plot points. Suffice it to say, that there are layers upon layers of plans, lies, and rules, both written and unwritten.

Umineko is going to be a tough sell to later viewers, as a large part of the charm of the series is wildly speculating the questions of who and how. Ryukishi07 is a gifted writer, and anything by him will be an interesting journey, if nothing else. Do yourself a favor and don't rush through Umineko. Umineko isn't for everyone, but those who "get" it, will love it.

When I first started Hokuto no Ken, I did not know a thing about Fist of the North Star. I had heard the name before, and I knew it was a popular franchise with bloody exploding heads. When I started watching the series, it looked so incredibly 80s.

In fact, the Shin arc made me stop watching it for a while. The endless mooks in poorly drawn 80s style really turned me off. A few weeks later, I decided to try it again. I am so absolutely glad I did. Hokuto no Ken is a post-apocolyptic epic, and I don't use that term lightly.

The story is ... fairly simple. Shin (Kenshiro's rival) steals Yuria (Kenshiro's love), and Ken goes to rescue her. However, in the background, darker, more dangerous forces are moving. The story is cunning in its simplicity, and quite well executed.

The art is of course, very old, and often shows its age. It is the biggest downfall the series has. The series is backed up by strong, memorable music, and one of the most comically catchy OPs (YOU WA SHOCK!) I've heard.

One of the things that Hokuto no Ken does interestingly is the characters. 90% of the major characters are large, stoic men, with pecs of iron and manly logic. The two children, Bat and Lin, are there to cheer Ken on, and be terrified/annoying, respectively. The men Ken meets are almost all evil beyond redemption. However, in the legions of mooks and generic evil, are some interesting, legitimately cool characters, such as Rei, Juza, Toki and Raoh.

To today's viewer, it would seem like you've seen all the elements of this before in other things. The reason for this is that Hokuto no Ken has inspired every single action show to come from Japan, especially the long-running shounen of today, in some form or another.

I cannot give this series a 10, between the early filler (which is just about completely gone after the Shin arc), and the recap episodes. I will, however give this a 9. What I thought would be a hilariously corny 80s romp through a field of exploding heads turned out to be a amazing, epic journey though a post-apocalyptic wasteland, starring, the manliest man to ever be placed on paper. With exploding heads.

Tentai Senshi Sunred. Superhero of the ages. This is the story of the battle between good and evil that takes place within Kawasaki.

Let me just explain to you where I'm coming from before I start. I hate Japanese humor. I don't think it is funny, at all. But what surprised me is that I liked Sunred. The episodes are filled with good, clever writing, and humorous ideas, that while it rarely made me laugh out loud, gave me a nice smirk and a chuckle now and then. And that really surpassed all my expectations for the series.

This is more a slice of life about a ... the bum superhero Sunred, and his competently sweet, yet naive archnemesis General Vamp. While the story is basically nonexistant, with very little continuity, this is more a slice of life of the characters, who are all brilliantly written.

The art is low budget, but it lends itself to the atmosphere of the show beautifully. The music is not terribly memorable, except for the ending theme, but supports the show well.

Overall, I enjoyed Sunred much more than I expected to, in no small part due to the writing and the characters. This is a clever show, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys superheroes, clever writing, and has the patience to get through the Japanese attempts at humor.

Shin Mazinger Shougeki Z Hen is not the average super robot show of this generation. First and foremost, it is a tribute to the bygone days of robots. It is a high quality hot-blooded, testosterone-loaded robot slugfest which will leave you begging for more.

True Mazinger combines a number of the Mazinger universe into one brand new reboot, giving some minor characters spotlighted roles, and reducing the less interesting ones, and is loaded to the brim with tributes and references to the old series. Or so I have been told. Truth be told, this was my first entry into the Mazinger universe, and it was well ... worth the trip.

The story is a bit of an interesting beast, managing to be convoluted, while not requiring a lot of thought. Imagawa writes by season, not by episode. The threads all come together at the end, and do so with incredible flair, however this means that not everything will be resolved in an episode.

The art is a tribute to the old style, with thick outlines and strong solid colors. The character/robot designs are hardly changed from the original 70s style. This absolutely looks like a 70s anime with today's production qualities, in a good way. While I was not a big fan to begin with, the style really grew on me, so do not let this be a deterrent to watching the show.

The music is absolutely fabulous as well. Kanjite Knight is one of the best OPs of recent memory, and is used to great effect throughout the show. The background music is strong throughout as well.

True Mazinger Impact! Z Chapter is one of the most fun shows I have ever had the pleasure of watching. However, I believe it will be one of those shows which you'll either love or hate, due both to the writing and art styles. For me, this was a marvelous trip to the classic style, while remaining in today's world of shiny animation.

SIDE NOTE: In an attempt to push the streaming Bandai channel, several minutes of scenes were cut out of each of the first 15 episodes of the TV broadcasts. I recommend Gattai subs, as they have added these scenes in.