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ファイト／ステイナイト 
As usual this is just a preview albeit a rather exciting one. The connection between Mai-HiME and Mai Otome is more or less confirmed by these two episodes. Having said that, I must say that just like in HiME, do not expect any detailed explanation about them. If I have to assess the series as a whole, I think this has been a fun but rather shallow series. There were some missed opportunities which I think should have been explored a bit more. I also think the resolution to the series was a bit rushed but thankfully the action scenes pretty much make up for it. And I really hope the OVA will reveal more background story about this universe and its possible connection to Mai-HiME universe.
Usui's creepy eyes!! That was brilliant. I couldn't stop laughing for a while after I saw that scene. I'm glad the animators realise that the guy's eyes are unusually weird and strange. I guess Boogie-kun wasn't off the mark when he was making fun of Kenta's eyes a few episodes ago. Anyway, these two episodes mark the return to the comedic material. As a result, the previous episode's serious tone has mostly disappeared from both episodes. There are traces of it every now and then but in general, these episodes are too light-hearted to be taken seriously. I can't remember now if this is supposed to be a 24 or 26 episode series but either way, I think it's a good idea for the series to start a major arc now while there are still 6-8 episodes left. I really hope they won't leave the main arc until 2-3 episodes before the end of the series.
This is a fantastic episode that explains a lot about Ai and Sentarou's background. It's a rather tragic story which I think was inevitable due to the close relationship that Ai and Sentarou had with one another. The story in the episode unfolds in a similar manner to those Japanese horror movies like Ringu. The director had also done a great in framing the shots of the characters. As a result, some of the scenes featuring Ai in this episode look effectively creepy. It's unfortunate that the writers spent at least half of the series focusing on revenge of the week stories. I think instead of doing this, they could have fleshed out the background story of Ai's associatess. Oh well, maybe this will be addressed in the final episode which will be aired next week.
This is actually a re-make of the original version that was aired 3-4 years ago. Despite this, I'm probably one of the few people who don't know anything about this series. I still haven't seen the original version and I have no idea about the storyline. I supposed that is a blessing in disguise because if I do end up watching this, then I won't compare it with the old version. The brief promo available on the official site, however, suggests that this will at least be a good-looking series like Air. I guess this means I have to start watching Air since I actually never watched more than the first two episodes of that series. At the very least I'll know what kind of story I can expect from this one.
First of all thanks to those who emailed/left comments about Honey and Clover 2nd season. It's really appreciated. Well, I'm both excited and worried about the news. Just like any other fan of this series, I've been hoping for a second season of this awesome series. Having said that, I'm a bit worried about it since the projected airtime is sometime this year, possibly starting in summer. If this had been announced as a spring 2007 project, I'll be completely happy because there would have been enough manga material for the second season. As it is now, however, there wouldn't be enough chapters to cover a 24 episode series so I'm a bit concerned. But then again, parts of Chapter F contains some original story and that was actually quite funny so maybe I'm all worried for nothing. Anyway, either way I'm excited about this and can't wait to see the 2nd series. Moving on to other Hachikuro-related thread, here are some scans of the 6th DVD volume.
Slipcase Box with attachment
DVD cover, Back side
Part of Hagu cardboard puppet
How to make puppet Hagu
Hagu Paper Part 1 - New
Hagu Paper Part 2 - New
It never ceases to amaze me as to how interesting and re-watchable every episode in this series has been so far. I think this is because the basic idea of the Mushi world is rich and can be explored in many different ways. This time around, the focus is not so much on delivering thinly veiled sociological message but more on showcasing the way Mushishi communicates with other people while they are on the road. This seemingly simple idea is then mixed with a paranormal storyline that resembles an X-Files episode. The result is a rather terrifying folklore that focuses on the concept of 'thread'. This concept ends up appearing in every single element within the episode from the thread that comes out of the cocoon to the invisible emotional bond that exists between two twin sisters.
Morning Musume - Sexy Boy: Soyokaze ni Yorisotte (43.1MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
This week's Oricon Top 20 list shows the re-appearance of Morning Musume in this weekly chart of popular Japanese pop. Morning Musume used to be a nation-wide sensation in Japan but recently their profile seems to be on the decline. Many blame this on the ever-changing nature of its members, which have now escalated to a very high number of 10+ girls. Others blame it on the decreasing quality of the songs and direction of the girls. It's hard not to agree with the later sentiment especially when the lyric to their latest song mostly consists of "Sexy, ue, ue". Because of this, I see no point of providing lyric since I'm sure most people interested in the PV are not in it to sing along. But if you're curious, this page contains the lyric to the song as well as the name of the girls who sing it. Anyway, the PV itself is quite fun to watch, thanks to its mixture of light sex appeal and silly dance sequence. Last but not least, here is the full list of the Oricon ranking:
| 01 | News - Sayaendou/Hadashi no Cinderella Boy | 11 | Sukima Switch - Boku Note | |
| 02 | Hikawa Kiyoshi - Ikken | 12 | Every Little Thing - Azure Moon | |
| 03 | Shonan no Kaze - Sumire Uta | 13 | Yaida Hitomi - Go my way | |
| 04 | Morning Musume - Sexy Boy: Soyokaze ni Yorisotte | 14 | Ayaka - I believe | |
| 05 | Hamasaki Ayumi - Startin'/Born to Be | 15 | Hakase Tarou - Symphonic Poem "Hope" | |
| 06 | Angela Aki - Kiss Me Good-Bye | 16 | Jyukai - Anata ga Ita Mori | |
| 07 | Remio Romen - Taiyou no Shita | 17 | Remio Romen - Konayuki | |
| 08 | Nakama Yukie with Download - Koi no Download | 18 | Kobukuro - Sakura | |
| 09 | Monkey Majik - Around the World | 19 | Shimatani Hitomi - Haru Machibito/Camellia | |
| 10 | Sunset Swish - My Pace | 20 | Utada Hikaru - Keep Tryin' |
The first half of this episode is rather boring and I hope I can skip it but the second half is exciting and full of fights. Now that the series has reach a half point towards its completion, I really hope that the writers will speed up the pace a little bit. Come to think of it, I wonder why they didn't speed up the pace a bit earlier. As some people pointed out in the comment area, there are many stories that are not yet explored in the series. I think if the animators had cut down those 'Shirou is saved by his foster father' scene, which I think have been on repeat for at least 5 or more times now, they could have speed up the pace a little bit. At first I didn't really notice the repetition but now I realise that they've been using that scene to stall the other storylines in an episode.
I find it amusing that lately I can skip a couple of chapter of Fruits Basket and still able follow it quite well. I supposed it's a bit worrying as well because it means the plot develops at a snail pace. Having said that, there are some chapters that are still worth taking a look at and this one is one of them. I just think that this chapter is quite unusual to the point that it must be seen to be believed. It's also quite hard to digest at first because the concept that is introduced here is quite new. Each character in this series has been assigned a particular role right from the start. As a result, it's always hard to accept the character in an entirely new role. This is especially true of Akito, who's been positioned as the main antagonist of the series ever since the beginning. The change in her character feels quite jarring here. It's hard to believe that this is the same character who has caused so much pain to others before.
I never thought that I could be repelled by an image presented in a mainstream anime series but I was obviously wrong. As a whole, this episode is actually quite good. There were some parts of the stories which I thought was truly moving. But in the end, I can't help but thinking about how repulsive the scene in question was and that just completely brought down my enjoyment of this episode and the entire series in general. I'm mostly annoyed by the writers' decision to make the characters in this series act as if they lack brain and logical, sensible thoughts. There is no precedent in which the scene in question should take place. From what I've seen, the situation could have easily gone to other direction.
This particular episode offers a very low key story which is an exact opposite this week's Mai Otome. In general, this episode works in a similar manner to the episode that comes before it but unfortunately without a similar charm. I find the story to be a bit dry and uninspiring even if there is one emotional scene just like in last week's episode. It also doesn't help that the animation and background design are a bit plain this time around. They mostly involve interior shot of a house due to the nature of the story. I actually wonder if the animators will fix some of the animation and background in the DVD version of the series. I know there is a current trend of adding value to the DVD version by fixing some animated series lately. But since this is a relatively obscure title, I am not sure if the producer will even give the idea a consideration.
You know, this episode made me feel like I'm sure several ambitious parents do in the world. There's a time when you realize that your offspring will not make it to the elite university you once hoped it could reach. And in doing so, lowering your expectations, you appreciate your kid's performance more because you feel more relaxed. This is exactly my reaction to Otome23.
This was supposed to be the "explanation-and-setup" episode, bringing light into the mysteries and putting the puzzle pieces together. Unfortunately, in this aspect it failed. On the plus side, we get treated to alot of funny scenes, old friends returning, and decent character development. The dream of becoming a great anime is over, but it can still become a good one. We'll see.
Episode Rating: +
I realised that it's been a while since I reviewed this series and I'm sorry that I've neglected it. It's always been on the back of my mind but due to the amount of new series that have arrived, sometimes it's hard to go back and finish off old series like this one. I am trying to do my best though because I know that my backlogs will just grow exponentially if I don't do something about it as soon as possible. I have tried and failed in the past to complete this series before a new season arrived. That has mostly to do with the fact that I only reviewed the episodes 2-3 episodes at a time. So right now I'm trying to up the episode numbers that I reviewed in one time in the hope that it'll get me closer to the completion. If I remember correctly, this is supposed to be 74 episodes series so that means I'm not too far from the end of the series.
A very impressive episode although I have to admit that I'm slightly disappointed at the turn that the series takes. I also think that Hajime should be awarded 'Father of the Year' award just based on this episode and possibly next week's preview. I am always a sucker when it comes to good father figure sacrificing everything for the sake of their children. It's probably why I like Silent Hill series so much. I also think that the revelation in this episode is similar to Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly storyline. I kind of suspected this when the series keep zooming in on the twin butterfly ornament that Tsugumi owns. Well, with only 2 more episodes to go, I can't wait to see the resolution to this series.
This month's Animage comes with a CD containing a few promotional trailers for the upcoming Spring anime series. Unfortunately the trailers are mostly for series that I'm not too familiar with so I'm not that excited with most of them. My brief impression of Utawarerumono is pretty good though. The show looks clean and nicely animated. Zegapain's trailer makes me sad because I was hoping for a good mecha this year and this one has too many bad CG in it. Demonbane looks kind of cheestastic that I am tempted to see it. Aa, Megami-sama looks the same as always. If you like the first season, then I supposed you'll like this one as well. There are other trailers included as well so if there is any that you want to see, please let me know. The complete list is included on the full page. Anyway, enjoy the trailers and tell me what you think about them.
Utawarerumono (20.9MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Zegapain (5.4MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Demonbane (4.4MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Aa, Megami-sama (6.3MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Shoujo Changumu no Yume (50.5MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Yoshinaga-san no Gargoyle (15.2MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Simoun (17.2MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Joshi Kousei (7.7MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Do not redistribute these files
One of Mushishi's strength is its ability as a series to present a one-off story and characters that are easy to identify. Despite all of the paranormal trappings that the series used, at its core the problem that the characters face, usually is similar to what normal people face on a daily basis. Part of the series' charm also relies on Ginko and his limited ability to solve a particular case. This gives the series a slightly 'realistic' feel to the series, in the sense that not everything in this universe will fall neatly into place. Just like real life, problems sometimes persist despite what the characters do to overcome the odds. As a result, the series often ends on a bittersweet note, which makes it far more interesting to analyse than if it just ends on a happy or a sad note. As a side note, I just encoded the opening theme into a PSP format. So if you're interested in it, feel free to grab it while it's still up on the server.
Mushishi OP Theme - The Sore Feet Song (11.1MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
This is a fantastic episode that is full of battles and light on talk. I'm also quite impressed with Shinji's VA, who is capable of bringing various kinds of emotion, into his character. It's amazing to think that this is the same VA who voices Takemoto on Honey and Clover. Anyone who has seen that series will know that Takemoto is an all around good guy and his voice couldn't be more different from that of Shinji's. I am also very interested in the soundtrack now after hearing some of the scores that have been used within the series. The one that appeared during a major battle in this episode is one of my favourite. I think the same score was used during Archer vs. Lancer fight back in the second episode. Another favourite score was the one used when Saber appeared for the first time from her magic sphere. I think that particular score has this wistful note that matches well with Saber's personality and background story.
This episode made me realise that despite its title, Shinigami no Ballad seems to focus more on love rather than death. The type of love in question differs from one episode to another. But in general, the death in this series is simply used to highlight the love that a character has for another character. And much to my surprise, this episode is also quite different from the first two, so I doubt that anyone will find this one repetitive in comparison to the other two. I also find the dialogue in this episode to be touching and easy to relate to. I especially like the fact that this episode didn't go into a melodramatic mode. While some of the scenes are touching and romantic, in general, the mood of the episode has this bittersweet feel attached to it. With only 3 more episodes to go, I hope that the writers will be able to maintain this quality right to the end.
Well, the avalanche of spring anime series will arrive in about 3 weeks. So I figure I better start deciding what I want to watch. I have to admit that the original list was kind of daunting but after going through every single link on Moonphase, I realise that there are only a few I intend to follow. And after seeing some of the trailers, some of the things that was on my top list such as Zegapain suddenly goes down in the list. Besides, I already have a long list as it is now: School Rumble S2, Nana, Himawari!, xxxHolic, and Gintama. And that's not even the final list since I'll try a few other series as they are released. Plus, there will be a few more coming around May. Because of this, I decided not to cover all 56 or so series here. But if there is something that I didn't mention, please feel free to mention it. Also, check out Bluwacky's site for a more complete list. Last but not least, I'd like to know which series you'll most likely follow this spring.
Source: Moon Phase
Jukai has just released the PV of their latest single, Anata ga Ita Mori. Anyone who's been watching Fate/stay night will know that this is the ending theme for that series. I think I mentioned before how much I love this song. The melody and the lyric feel soothing. And I have to admit that the female singer, Watanabe Manami, is quite easy on the eyes, bad hair day and all. :) Unfortunately the PV is not that outstanding. It simply shows Manami singing the song inside a painting of a forest while the male guitarist, Yoshiaki Dewa, sits inside the house that features said painting. They then switch place as the song winds down to the end. Anyway, if you're interested in the PV, Tokyo Toshokan has it.
This is a really good episode that reveals a bit more about the inner working of Jigoku Tsuushin as well as showing a bit of Ai's past. I recommend it even to those who already gave up on this series a long time ago. I was also amused to see Hajime looking as if he has a crush on a girl for once. It's probably just an act to aid his investigation but I think at one point he was kind of enjoying the girl's attention. I also has to praise the direction that this episode took. The director did a good job of setting up scenes and situations to the point that when the end is revealed, everything connects and makes a lot of sense. With 3 more episodes to go, I am glad to see the series taking some great initiative to tie up all of the loose ends, especially the one involving Ai's past. Anyway, as a side note, it appears that someone has gone a bit obsessed with Ai to the point that the person actually made a bento in the shape of Ai. Now, who's brave enough to eat that?
These two episodes turned out to be pleasant surprise. Well, episode 15 is actually not that special but it was necessary to facilitate the greatness that is episode 16. It's been a while since I felt any kind of emotion while watching this series but episode 16 brings a really good, tragic drama to this series. Moreover, it forces the viewers to question the relationship between Karin and Kenta. I really hope that these two episodes are signs that the series is going to switch into high gear as it gets closer to the end. From what I've seen so far, when the writers want to, they can actually craft a really good drama. It's unfortunate that most of the time this aspect of the storyline is not visited as often as I'd like it to. I understand that Karin is probably first and foremost a comedy series. However, I think the series' real strength is actually the drama that accompanies the comedy.
Type-Moon has announced the winners of the 2nd character popularity poll. First of all, Yay! for Rin and Archer, both of whom received the 2nd and 3rd position. Actually I was hoping that the result for this second round will be kind of similar to the 1st character popularity poll, at least for the top three and I wasn't disappointed. I feel sorry for Shirou though. He was actually sitting in number 7 in the first poll but now he drops down to number 11. Oh well, he's still in the top 10 in spirit, if you know what I mean. Anyway, below is the list of the top 10 winners. But if you're the one who vote for the characters, which ones will you place in the top 10 ranking? I have my own preference after the cut. Let me know about yours.
1. Saber
2. Tohsaka Rin
3. Archer
4. Rider
5. Matou Sakura
6. Lancer
7. Karen Ortensia (Hollow/Ataraxia)
8. Illyasviel von Einzbern
9. Bazette Fraga Makremitz (Hollow/Ataraxia)
10. Caster
I first saw the PV for this song while I was in Japan around January. Back then, I thought one of the two singers was actually Tatsuya Fujiwara from Battle Royale. As it turns out, the person wasn't Tatsuya Fujiwara and the PV wasn't actually from any kind of Japanese drama despite how it may look on a glance. WaT itself is comprised of two members: Wentz Eiji and Teppei Koike. Unlike some other singer groups in Japan, however, theirs wasn't created by particular music company. These two have actually been doing their own small gigs for a few years before they released a single. Anyway, I think the song is quite nice and this particular live performance is quite interesting thanks to the small disaster that happened halfway through the singers' performance. Despite this, the two admirably continue their performance as if nothing had happened. And in a way, the incident shows that these two really sing the song live instead of lip-synching to the CD.
WaT - Boku no Kimochi (Live at 56th NHK Kouhaku) (15.8MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
I love this series!! I remember this chapter quite clearly from the manga due to its highly striking Winter vs. Spring contrast of the snow and the live vegetation. Back then, however, I never thought the anime could replicate the watercolour look of the manga. Suffice to say, I was wrong because when I saw the first few frame from this episode, I can't help but thinking how the background painting reminds me a lot of Ukiyo-e. The background painting for this series is probably one of the most beautiful I've seen in anime series. I also like the fact that just like Honey and Clover, this series has some of the best super deformed faces for its characters. Miharu's facial expression when he said "I don't remember" is a good example for this. I just love the fact that he looks like he's just awake from a sleep and is grumpy because of it. The same thing can be said for Ginko and his angry reaction.
Okay, I'm starting to worry about this show. This episode is funny but I can't help but hoping to see some action scenes here. Admittedly this episode is not a complete lost because in exchange of action and plot development, the episode brings out character development and interaction. I really appreaciate this because as much as I enjoy the comedic side of the series, I think after 10 episodes, the series need to develop its story as soon as possible. As a warning, there is some fanservice included in this episode. The scene in question, however, is far from offensive and unless one intentionally downloads a collage of the character's entire body, the scene will appear to be a simple titilation.
Alright, this was really really good stuff. And it underlines that all the little conveniences, plotholes and a lackluster angst arc of the presumed main character notwithstanding, Otome can change gears and revert to greatness in no time, because the overall foundation of the story is still quite sound. This was a very exciting ride, and backed with the power of some new Yuki Kajiura pieces, I felt treated to 30 most enjoyable minutes. Here's the reward:
Episode Rating: ++
Woot! This is a pleasant surprise. Two episodes in and already the series take on an entirely different approach to the story. I personally am quite relieved to see this and believe that this show won't end up like the early episodes of Jigoku Shoujo, where each episode is similar to the ones that come before it. Having said that, I suspect some people will dislike the protagonist of this episode and his mindset. It is hard to understand why anyone will think like this but the truth is, there are many people in this world who suffers from the same problem as the protagonist. I personally feel sorry for him because I think it's not easy living with that kind of outlook on life. Anyway, as a side note I thought the VA for Fujishima is actually Takahashi Mikako but as it turned out, she's actually Kana Ueda, the voice of Rin from Fate/stay night.
Since I'm going to include the upcoming Nana anime into my watching list next season, I figure I should check out the movie adaptation first just to compare and contrast it with the anime later on. I have to admit that I was rather apprehensive about this movie because the majority of manga to live action conversion usually don't end up well. Thankfully this turns out to be an exception. Most of these can be attributed to Nakashima Mika and Miyazaki Aoi's performance as Nana and Hachi. Both of them manage to convey the friendship between the two characters quite well. Having said that, this does't mean that this is a perfect adaptation. I personally disagree with some of the casting choices. But this is just a minor point and in general the movie gives me hope that the anime adaptation will turn out well.
Yes, there was actually a promotional video for FFXII that featured this song released not too long ago. However, this is the actual PV featuring the singer of the song, Angela Aki. I personally like this song a lot and think that it's not a bad theme for a Final Fantasy game. The PV itself, however, is nothing special. It simply features Angela Aki performing the song alternating with several Final Fantasy XII scenes. In addition to this, this version of the song is actually in Japanese while the version used on the FFXII Promo Video was English. I have to admit it was rather weird to hear this in Japanese when I first heard it in English. If you want to see the English lyric, check the other entry.
Angela Aki - Kiss Me Good-Bye | Mirror (25.2MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
This is an okay episode I supposed. I am not thrilled with the revenge of the week case but the little revelation about Hajime's past is quite interesting to know. This episode basically points out that revenge can come in any type or form and even if Jigoku Tsuushin does not exist, human can still hurt other humans through other means. It's also nice to see another side of Hajime, one that explains his desire to prevent others from wishing revenge on the person that they hate. The most enjoyable part of the episode, however, is seeing Ai acting out of character and slightly childish at the start of the episode. Anyway, with only 4 episodes left, I hope the writers can wrap up the story in a satisfying manner. All I want is for the writers to reveal the identity behind Enma Ai and her connection to Hajime and Tsugumi. It'll be nice if we learn more about Grandma spider and Ai's associates but I am afraid the writers won't actually tell their story.
