My choice is a bit different:

Best Anime
1. Ouran High School Host Club
2. Sainkoku Monogatari
3. Simoun

Best OVA - none

Best Female character - Haruhi Fujioka
Best Male character - Tamaki!!
Best Opening - Sakura Kiss (Ouran)
Best Ending - Shissou (Ouran)

This winter looks like a dry time for anime. T_T Oh well, I still have Code Geass and I'll probably watch Nodame anime as well.

Well, this time it'd be very hard for me to correctly make a choice, since I watched this year many series, and a good amount of it wasn't produced this year, or was reviewed by you last year, or hasn't been blogged in memento, like Parakiss, or Midori, or Shakugan no shana... but making an efford I think the awards this year are for:

Favourite finished Anime series: Honey&Clover, Welcome to the NHK, and Ouran High School Host Club

Hachikuro was the most moving, nearest to the reality and still a comedy show that can make us reflect about life, our wishes and the rarest feeling in life, letting a love go away for love itself. Simply I cannot but agree that the best moment of the series was the Clovers between the Honey and bread, it was a cry-making moment when everything has gotten sense, so undoubtedly this is the 1st place.

About NHK, well, the fact of bringing a social phenomenon like the Hikkikomori-sm is a very original idea. And since I also have experienced some similar fears explained in the show, -another reason why Rozen Maiden has a special place in me- it amused me really much watching this series, and the end of it was credible, still funny and really good, so, this one is my 2nd place.

The "Ouran" series was something exceptional that I hadn't seen before, such as the little announces over the characters or places, the mere fact of being a parody to Shounen-ai series and how the personalities of all of'em were also developed showing us that over the shallow appearence they have and they comerce with, it's not all, and their innerselves were in the end what let us have more fun as a more serious and sensible plot was showed the story and made the characters know better themselves or be more mature, but anyway, it was the best comedy I've ever seen.

About "anime" ovas or movies I only watched the Ouvertüre, or the Howl's Moving castle which can enter the competition others are from other year, or so...

Female characters:
1)Lin (Fate Stay/Night): What an outsanding personality. She was drawn with a perfect balance of intelligence, pragmatism, humanity and all were combined in a way that her Red and Black outfits described very well this girl's personality.
2) Suzumiya Haruhi; For being such an unusual girl, and at the end they tell you she's... God!, Oh my Go'...Haruhi...
3)Yuuko (xxxHolic) - I love her seductive, inteligent and pragmatic attitude-.

Male characters:
1)L.
Although my favourite character is Light, the role L has in the Death Note is music for my ears, the intelligence and bizarre personality he owns are unique, this guy deserves the gold for me.
2) SuouTamaki.
What a strong personality. After the sad background he has and the horrible old woman he lives with, he's still the kindest lovable idiot I could imagine of. In a word he is the best "Actor".
3)Kyon (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu)
This guy coldness and indiference for the things are enough to make of him a good mathematician...but there is that he is lazy and also Suzumiya-san is there and..., ahh, Mikuru's figure....
So, this provoques his intelect only focuses on what's in front of him and the sarcasm on his mind is his virtue to be in the 3rd place.

OP theme:

1)Rose (NANA)
This song is such a rock piece, I simply couldn't take it out of my mind and music device for months.
2)Fugainaiya (Honey and Clover II)
This song is as bittersweet as the first season OP, and though they are very similar, I think it's lyrics deserve it.
3)Innocent Sorrow(D.Gray-Man) This song it's perfectly combined with the animation, and the little touch of dramatism that the voice takes in some parts is what made me place them 3rd.

ED:
1)Alumina(Death Note)
This one is a master piece of rock combined with a sad/nostalgic tone, -this is possibly because of the piano now that I think of it-, intelligence that beffits Light's probable innerself and self thinking and the animation with the birds turned into crows are what make Nightmare become the best this year.
2)Odoru Aka chan Ningen (Welcome to the NHK)
This one also, is a so crazy song to be in an ED theme that deserves receive a price, the animation also is really bizarre, and the lyrics dig into what society in fact looks for, another great piece that still fights for the 1st place.
3)Shissou - LAST ALLIANCE (Ouran High school)
A very good mix of rock sounds, with lyrics than on the other hand tend to be nore sensible, and I don't know why but in some chapters the decided to cut the calmed guitar part which the song starts with, and in some not, but when listening it all it is really a good theme.

Movies Live Action:
1)Nip/Tuck
Once again this two plastic surgeons brought us more material to think about, more blood-stained skin recently operated to make our stomaches resist dinner, and more anxiety, greed for money and power to make everyone fly and succed and have fun without making the mistakes they did. Undoubelty 1st place
2)Death Note
Albeit I haven't seen the 2nd one, I loved this first movie, it was credible enough for a psychological movie, and at the same time it follows very well the original story.
3)Saw III
A murderer master piece with the genious common in this series of movies.

The End, ahhh tsukareta!!!..., how do you do to write always that much????

And yeah, this new year I also would like to learn more japanese and be able to understand the raws, -since I always have to deal with the delay of the sub's, and then obtain them, and...blabla- and Nodame cantabile is a good idea to watch this januar, I also look forward to the Rozen Maiden 3rd season, knowing that sunrise will make a good work like with the Ouvertüre, and what about xxxHolic 2nd season..., we all want know what's up with watanuki and all, but better animated
Anyway, Happy New Year Garten-san!, and everyone who comes here and shares his points of view, opinions, ideas, critics and make of this blog a great place to visit from time to time!!!
XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

I might as well chime in with my list, since it's not like I can think of anything else to do at this hour with all the coffee running through my system.
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[Favorite Anime Series:]

(1) Black Lagoon - I'm a sucker for beautiful action, morbid atmosphere, and engrossing interplay between characters; hence, my pick for BL, which embodies a perfect marriage of said attributes.

(2) The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi - I was pleased with the enormous fanbase it garnered seemingly overnight. When I first saw it, there was no hype surrounding the series at all, and I was afraid it'd go unnoticed to the public eye. The first episode was brilliant, IMO; but at the same time, I realized how it could be off-putting to viewers who may not have fully understood its intent. Everything about the anime exuded charming quirkiness, from the characters to the episode order, which is what made this series particularly endearing to me.

(3) Ouran High School Host Club - It had to have done something right, since, not only have I watched the entire series, I'd watch it all over again if I had the time. I'm not, by any means, a fan of the particular genre, and only checked it out since it was produced by BONES. I'm glad I'm a servant to my whims, as it was one of the most entertaining series I've ever seen.
______________________

[Favorite Female Characters:]

(1) Suzumiya Haruhi - I don't think I could add anything to what you've already eloquently stated.

(2) Revy - Despite her volatile nature and tendency to burst out in uncontrollable rage, she is surprisingly collected and understanding when the situation calls for it. Thankfully, she doesn't completely fall into the bi-polar 'tsundere' mold (I hope I'm using that term appropriately), and manages to act as a character that is uniquely 'Revy'.

(3) Fujioka Haruhi - Although I'll always consider her the "Other Haruhi", she's still an incredibly loveable character in her own right for reasons you've already mentioned.
_____________________

[Favorite Male Character:]

(1) Kyon - From the options most of us Haruhi-fans already heard for the English dubbing of SHnY, I cringe when I think about the possible VA for Kyon. Anyway, I know I'm becoming a bit redundant, but you've already captured much of what I could say about this selection.

(2) Rock - He's the great underdog character of 2006, IMO. As a Japanese business man, who has put up with brown nosing BS all his life, he finally takes a stand and tries to make his own destiny. He plays the perfect foil to Revy's irrational and sporadic nature.

(3) Light - I'm not exactly sure how he's going to be portrayed throughout the rest of the series; but if it follows the manga rather faithfully, Light definitely earns a spot in the top 3. He's an incredibly pragmatic, cold, calculating anti-hero who'd sacrifice anyone to attain his ideals. While this does not necessarily make him a nice guy, it sure makes him an interesting one.
___________________

Bleh, screw it. I'm getting too groggy to finish the rest of this. I know I'll wake up in the morning and realize I completely neglected a series or something, and thus regret hitting that submit button. Don't worry though...I'll find a way to move on. Cheers, and happy New Years.

best anime:
1) ouran kokou host club
2) mai otome (which also deserves first place)
3) aria the natural (also ties in with school rumble term 2)

best female:
1) fujioka haruhi (ouran)
2) akari (aria)
3) nina wong (mai otome)

best male:
1) tamaki (ouran)
2) kyouya (ouran)
3) allen walker (d.grayman)

best op song:
1) kiba op. 2 (no, i keep forgetting the title)
2) innocent sorrow (d.grayman)
3) colors (code geass)

best ed song:
1) last alliance (ouran)
2) true blue (law of ueki)
3) 2nd ed. song for sch rumble term 2

best live action:
1) death note
2) nana
3) goong

Hello! I was first introduced to anime blogs this year and this was the first blog I came upon one day when I was searching for Ouran stuff and I'm so glad I did. I really like your commentaries and reviews on anime this year. :] And I wanted to contribute a bit of my own thoughts.

Best Anime of 2006:
It was really a toss-up between your top 3 b/c I loved all three a lot. But if it were based on how badly I waited for the next episodes...
1. Ouran Koukou Host Club - Lovely work by BONES. This series kept a perfect balance of everything I love about anime and also told a good story.
2. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu - I've never seen such a beautiful series in my life. XD The animation blew me away and the characters were fun, while the storyline was even funner. I can't wait for season two! :D
3. Honey & Clover II - Great conclusion to one of the best shows of all time. It did everything to make the Honey & Clover story as wonderful at its ending as its beginning.

Anime/OVA movies:
Hm... I really didn't see any. I need to watch Rozen Maiden Ouverture. XD

Favorite Female Characters:
1. Yamada Ayumi - I loved Ayu in Hachikuro II. She's grown so much and I felt so proud of her in the conclusion. :]
2. Suzumiya Haruhi - She is one crazy girl! And that's why we all love her.
3. Fujioka Haruhi - I don't think I love her as much as everyone else seems to but she is just awesome in the last episode of Ouran.

Favorite Male Character:
1. Suou Tamaki - Oh who doesn't love Tama-chan? :D He sees so much, yet so little at the same time. He makes Ouran what it is.
2. "Kyon" - He made Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu what it was. His sarcasm and hilarious expressions entertain me like mad.
3. Takeuchi-kun - Bokura ga Ita was kinda underappreciated in my opinion, but Takeuchi is seriously the nicest guy in anime ever. If I didn't like him so much, I might call him a wuss. :p

Favorite Anime OP:
1. Sakura Kiss (Ouran) - I never skipped this OP before watching the ep. It is so energetic and totally sets the mood of the series.
2. Bouken deshou deshou? (SHnY) - Same for this. :D It is so beautiful and conveys everything about the show that makes it great.
3. Innocent Sorrow (D.Gray-man) - I didn't like it that much at first but I could never bring myself to skip it. The music and animation look really good together and I just enjoy it a lot.
- Just as a side note, I noticed that Bakumatsu's OP made it into the OP category but you don't blog it. What do you think of the show?

Favorite Anime ED:
1. Hare Hare Yukai (SHnY) - It's awesome. Period. XD
2. Winding Road (Ayakashi Ayashi) - The sensitive melody of the song coupled with the mellow animation of the ED make this a really beautiful experience.
3. Over Night (Chevalier) - Seriously pretty. From the 2nd ep on, the background shows paintings and mysterious anagrams which really add to the atmosphere of the show.

Favorite Japanese PV
1. Yuna Ito - Stuck on You
It's SO CUTE. XD I love the dancing with the umbrellas and the melody is catchy.
2. Mr. Children - Kurumi
Really nice story. Very inspirational. :]
3. Younha - Te wo tsunaide
Awesome rockish song. The video is pretty cool.

Favorite Live Action Series/Movie
1. Nodame Cantabile - Without a doubt, this show really took it. I wouldn't have watched it if I didn't see that this blog was following it. Memorable characters and wonderful acting.
2. 14 Sai no Haha - This is serious drama done right. The premise may seem somewhat cliche but dude, 14 is REALLY YOUNG.
3. None. I should watch real people more. >_>;

Happy New Year and here's to a great year of blogging! :D

The End, ahhh tsukareta!!!..., how do you do to write always that much????

Basically it took almost a full day to write the whole thing. I couldn't did it in a few hours since there will be times when I have no idea as to what to write.

(1) Kyon - From the options most of us Haruhi-fans already heard for the English dubbing of SHnY, I cringe when I think about the possible VA for Kyon.

I can't believe I miss his selection. I only chose the VA for Mikuru, Yuki, and Itsuki. Does anyone still have the URL or is it too late to choose?

Just as a side note, I noticed that Bakumatsu's OP made it into the OP category but you don't blog it. What do you think of the show?

I've only watched the first 2 episodes. I think the character/setting design is awesome as expected of Kozaki Yuuzuke. Unfortunately the story is a little bit heavy on the politic and I have a lot of difficulty keeping up with it. ^^;;

Anyway, if I don't have anymore chance to say it, "Happy New Year", everyone!

2006 was an interesting year as we saw some surprising animes. I’ll be talking about some categories that may or may not have been mentioned by fellow bloggers or active readers.

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Most Surprising Anime

1) The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi – This anime came nowhere in my radar of anime watching. I started watching this after I heard some hype about how awesome the first episode was. As usual, I decided to check it out. It turns out to be one of the most creative, entertaining and interesting anime I have seen in a very long time. Great Animation and seiyuu cast sky-rocketed this anime to the top. Due to this series, I give every anime a chance to for 3-4 weeks, which explains the dark horse below.

2) Asatte no Houkou – This anime became a dark horse when all the popular animes (Death Note, Code Geass, Ayakashi Ayashi, etc) were on the uprise. The animation and its story about ‘wishes becoming reality’ capture the gentle yet depressing mood carefully. J.C. Staff has done it again in terms of animation. The ending is very debatable as I decided to refrain to comment on it until I have read the manga to fully understand why the writers have decided to go with this odd original anime ending.

3) Red Garden – Gonzo still has what it takes in terms of the anime industry. It is a very eerie yet interesting anime as four heroines try to survive by killing these humans who became monsters. As the story progresses, it’s more than it seems as a supernatural concept explains why these girls are force to do such things. From the looks of it, Gonzo seems to have put in a lot of effort into this anime, which is good news since they should bounce back from the awful 2005 campaign they had (*cough*SoltyRei*cough*)

Honorable Mentions: Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori

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Best Anime OVA/Movie

1) Genshiken OVA – This is hands down the best OAV you can pick up and watch. The plot follows consistently at the end of volume 4 and the beginning of volume 5. The only objection I have to make about this OVA is the animation. However, with that being said, everything is perfect. A new opening (Seishun Toshite by manzo – the same band that did the Genshiken TV OP), returning cast and sticking to the manga plotline makes you forget about the sub-par animation.

2) Kyou no Go no Ni OVA – An eechi OVA involving 5th graders in their daily lives at school. It involves some hilarious eechi situations that are actually a misunderstanding. They have one of the most irresistible characters (take a look at Noto Mamiko’s character for this series :P).

3) Shakugan no Shana Tokubetsuhen: Koi to Onsen no Kougai Gakushuu! OVA – This OVA takes place in the middle of the series as the class goes on an hot springs trip, which means fanservice and even some yaoi imagination. I have absolutely no idea why they included the yaoi part. Anyway, it was a fun ep…nothing serious or mind-blowing. It is just something to kill time really.

Honorable Mentions: none

Note – For those who are Hellsing fans, I decided not included in the OVA just yet since I haven’t have time to watch it. As for Mai Otome, let’s just say that I was not a fan of how they ripped of a certain anime in terms of fighting sequences in the last couple of TV episodes.
(*cough*Scryed*cough*).

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Best Music/OST

Here is where it gets tricky. There were so many good BGMs this year that it’s really hard to choose. This one took awhile.

1) Ouran KouKou Host Club – This anime made me go back to my roots in terms of classical music. I am a music fan and I’ve played various instruments in my life at the age of 21 (Drums, clarinet, flute, piano and the saxophone). The music captured the standards of how high society must act. I can’t imagine any other type of music to be inputted for this anime than Classical music. One of my favorite episodes that used the BGM very well was episode 6 where Takaouji Shiro was trying to impress Kamashiro Hina by playing the piano with her in a duet. The music was well organized and fit the mood perfectly

2) NHK ni Youkoso! – Surprising, isn’t it? Believe it or not, It actually had decent tracks on both Dark side and Sunny side OSTs. My favorite one is the piano version of Modokashii Sekai no ue de, the 2nd ending of NHK ni Youkoso. It has a nice sad yet ‘must carry on’ feeling that helps you get through one of your toughest days.

3) Innocent Venus – a debut anime composer by the name of Tomohisa Ishikawa demonstrates exactly what can be created with a full-blown orchestra filled with violins, drums, flutes, piano, and even the use of DJ mixes. I was blown away of how the composer managed to use the orchestra to create a dark, saddening mood. The last time I heard anything like this was back when I heard Rurouni Kenshin Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuioku Hen OVA OST.

Honorable Mentions: Kin-iro no Corda ~primo passo~, Otogi-Jushi Akazukin, The Third –Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo-

Note – Honey and Clover II was not included due to insufficient new tracks.

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Scariest Anime

1) NHK ni Youkoso – Okay, let me explain why this anime beats out Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. The reason is simple. This anime can actually become your reality. Hikkomoris’ actually exists as thousands of people tend to isolate themselves from society. Satou’s story is a clear textbook example of a Hikkomori that occurs worldwide. People dropping out of colleges/high school, thinking irrationally (with conspiracies), spousal abuse, malnourishment, poverty, isolation...it is all real. There are people out there who aren’t strong enough to deal with the pain that occurs in their life. Personally, I find this anime as a eye opener because it will straighten up people who don’t take life seriously (especially for people who go overtime on MMORPGs).

Honorable Mentions: Higurashi no Naku Koro

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Will continue more as I get some sleep for now.

Talking about live action dramas based on mangas. Have you heard of "Hana Kimi" or "It Started With A Kiss"?

http://www.wiki.d-addicts.com/Hua_Yang_Shao_Nian_Shao_Nu
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/It_Started_With_A_Kiss

They're taiwanese versions, but I consider them the best live action dramas based on mangas of the year (Hana Kimi hasn't ended yet but started this year and ISWAK started last year but ended this year).

I recommend you 100% to watch them.

Happy New Year ^_^

For me, it is incredibly hard to choose favourites. I obviously don't keep watching a series that I didn't like to begin with. But usually for an anime series, there is just something I don't like about it.

But I can say that my favourite opening for 2006 would be Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto's opening. It is a incredibly beautiful and stylish opening and so far, a great series. Though, Colors of the Heart by UVERworld comes close. And I dunno about my favourite ending..

My favourite character would have to be Haruhi from Ouran Host Club. I guess it's because she's not annoying and I can kind of relate to the way she looks at things, particulary her sarcasm.

Favourite male character? I don't know honestly, there are likeable ones but none that appeal lots.

Favourite live action? I didn't watch many... they tend to be too long for me to be bothered to download and watch. Like I download it with excitement but by the time it ends I get bored and don't feel like watching it anymore.

Wow, ANOTHER Ayako Kawasumi-Seki Tomokazu pairing show? We got Yume Tsukai, Fate/Stay Night and Kanon this year.

For me, the Series of the Year award goes to Ouran Host Club. I hadn't expected much from it at first sight. In fact, I expected it to be a boring bishounen anime - later I realized that I've read some of the manga years ago, but it hadn't impressed me much, and while I warmed up to it, thanks to the anime, with its recent developments it has started to underwhelm me again. But the anime... it's just so clever and so fresh, so full of heart that by the end of the first episode, I was in love. In my opinion this is a rare case of the anime being much better than the manga source - Ouran the anime was much braver, more flexible and simply much more clever than the manga. (For this, a big THANK YOU goes out to the writer, Enokido Youji.)

Plus, finally someone made an anime that is, in a great part, for and about fangirls and fujoshi. :3 That alone puts Ouran at the top of my list. I always had problems relating to shows like Genshiken and others because they mainly featured male otaku, and the female characters weren't "my kind" of crazy. But Ouran went and showed a kind of crooked mirror in the face of its own audience (and it did this so much better than the manga). Easily one of my favorite shows ever, Ouran Host Club was just what I needed to satisfy pretty much all of my needs when it comes to anime.

OMG! Just watched Nodame Cantabile ep.1 of the live-action and I can't wait to see the rest. Needless to say, I'm hooked! Is the drama series coming out on DVD??? Please tell me it is! >_

::O My post was cut! Oh well, sorry for double posting Garten!

OMG! Just watched Nodame Cantabile ep.1 of the live-action and I can't wait to see the rest. Needless to say, I'm hooked! Is the drama series coming out on DVD??? Please tell me it is!

As for my votes this year, it's definitely Honey & Clover II for me above all others, I've even bought the series on DVD (waiting for vol.3 and 4 to arrive - do you by any chance know what the limited edition's specials are? Loved the strap from vol.1, LOLed at the funny stickers from vol.2. I have to find money to get the first season as well!!!)

Oh! The ED songs you picked Garten are the most memorable to me as well! I even tried to dance to Suzumiya Haruhi's! LOL! Plus, the ED to Ouran was a really good song. Well, all your choices are great! I totally agree!

P.S. The only thing which held me back from Nodame (don't laugh) was the drawing style in the manga. I don't know. I don't like it that much. At least what I've seen. I'm trying to find scans of pages to see if it's any closer to my liking. And to think I like classical music and never before thought about watching Nodame... Plus, the characters and story are great! No wonder it topped all lists these months on online stores!

Have a great 2007!!! Have fun tonight! As for 2006, otsukaresama deshita! ^_^ Hehe :)

Garten- Happy New Year!!!!
I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work this year! May this new year be a whole lot better than the last with lots of love, happiness and money (everyone needs that lol) and may you do lots and lots of blogging for us lol, because goodness knows that we would be totally lost without you. \^o^/ Happy New Yer to everyone too! I'm going to think on my list and post it later.

I did something like this in my LJ today, but here's my picks for your categories.

Favourite series
1) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu
2) Nana
3) Ouran High School Host Club

As for OVAs, I only watched Rozen Maiden Ouverture and Mai Otome Zwei, and I'd give it to Rozen Maiden, no question.

Favourite Female Characters
1) Nana 'Hachi' Komatsu
2) Suzumiya Haruhi
3) Amane Misa (even though she's only showed up twice, she's my favourite in the manga so it counts)

Favourite Male Characters
1) Kyon
2) Yagami Raito
3) Suou Tamaki

Favourite OP
1) "Wish" - Nana OP2
2) "Sakura Kiss" - Ouran OP
3) "Bouken Desho Desho" SHnY

Favourite ED
1) "Hare Hare Yukai" - SHnY - no ifs ands or buts. Best ED ever!
2) "Shissou" Ouran
3) "A Little Pain" - Nana ED1

Garten - it's not too late to choose Kyon's voice actor. Here's the link: http://asosbrigade.com/auditions/akyonvoice.php

Happy new year!

I've been wondering for a while, but, Garten, how do you convert videos into PSP suitable? Converting simply into mp4 doesn't seem to work, as your videos have to have those side files. I'm asking because I just recently got myself a PSP.

in terms of year-end review...ostukare-sama deshita! Hope for another year of goodness =D

Continuing where I left off…
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Worst Anime of the year

Every year, there is always an anime that everyone likes to forget that it existed. In 2006, there is actually a tie for this category

1) Tsuyokiss – Cool x Sweet and Lovedol ~Lovely Idol~ - Both of these anime was considered to be the flat out worst of the worst this year. The plot was inconsistent and shallow. The characters were uninteresting and boring. Lastly, it was very superficial and stereotypical. The opening and ending sequences were uninspiring. It really upsets me when I see talented seiyuus as Wakamoto Norio, Kawasumi Ayako, Mizuki Nana, Koyasu Takehito, Nakahara Mai, Kugimiya Rie and Shintani Ryoko are reduced to horrible roles. Sakai Kanako and Goto Yuko are rising stars who participated in this god-awful animes. Take my advice, just stay away from it.

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Most disappointing anime

There were many animes that had lots of potential that fell short when executed. Sadly, there were many animes that fell into this category. Once again, there is another tie for this category

1) Ah! Megami-sama Sorezore no Tsubasa and School Rumble Nigakki – I’ll start off with Megami. As a fan of the Ah! Megami-sama manga, I was very excited that a second season was picked up. The first season was fantastic as it covered a good portion of the manga with an important mini-plot in the last few episodes of the first season. However, the second season felt short in terms of plot selections. The writers could have chosen a more interesting plot that could have spanned to more than 4-5 episodes. I was very disappointed to see that they did not add the plot that involved Mishima Sayako (I will not say any further but fans who read the manga will know which plot I am talking about.). Everything was solid. The music, the returning seiyuus, was all there. However, the story just fell flat as they failed to include more interesting stories that was in the manga. Before anyone mentions this, I know what the 2 DVD-only episodes are going to be about. It is still not enough to save the series if you compare it to the first one. Has anyone noticed why Media Blaster passed on the 2nd season? They might have thought the same way as I did.
As for School Rumble Nigakki, I was very excited about it after watching the Ichigakki OVA. Sadly, this anime also fell short half way through. The first 13 episodes were fantastic. After 7 more episodes, it started to head towards a serious tone, which is something you don’t see a lot from this series. The last 6 was where the series just got messy. Rushed storyline, unsatisfying ending and same-old jokes got tiring. There were some good laugh here and there at times…but in the end, the series decided to take another direction after episode 13.

Honorable mentions: Hataraki Man

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Best Story/Concept

Story is an important medium when it comes to producing an anime. It can either break or make the anime. There were some interesting ones that appeared this year.

1) Binbou Shimai Monogatari – This one won me over by a hair. It is one of those animes that you want to see the heroines succeed through the hardship they are experiencing everyday. Sakamoto Maaya and Kaneda Tomoko did a spectacular job in terms of portraying the heroines, Kyou and Asu. The story makes you realize that you should be grateful for what you have, instead of always thinking of stuff that you want. I can say that by watching this anime made become more humble than before.

2) Honey and Clover II – Despite its spectacular ending, the reason why I gave this 2nd place is because it’s a continuation from the first season. We already know everything about the main characters, inside out. The one episode that really opened my eyes was the appearance of Hagumi’s monologue. You would think that she was a fragile girl who didn’t really think of something deep. Appearance can fool people easily. When I watched that episode, it made me realize that not everyone is capable of sharing their thoughts truly even though they want to. In that same episode, notice how Hagu actually restrained herself from telling Shuuji her feelings. The strong bond of brotherhood between Kaoru and Shinobu Morita demonstrated that family must come first, no matter what. At the same time, it also tells us how revenge is not so sweet when it is accomplished.

Honorable mentions: Code Geass, Asatte no Houkou

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Tsudzuku :P (to be continued).

Best anime.- Ouran koukou host club
Best male character.-Suoh Tamaki
Best female character.-Suzumiya Haruhi
Best op.-Bouken Desho Desho
Best end.-Shissou
Best oav.- Rozen Maiden Ouverture
Best live action.-Nodame Cantabile
Best Jpop PV.-None

Even when Suzumiya Haruhi was a big hit, i'll say that ouran was a biggest hit this year, not just talking about the VA and the animation, this series somehow challenged Furuba, with lots and lots of laughs, and many creative things like Haruhi's unimpressed attide(the opposite of Tohru) and Tamaki's hilarious personality, or the twins always speaking in unison; besides, other thing that i really liked from this anime was the chara design, this series had the particularity that the characters could be fixed up as men or as women and they actually looked well, for example, by looking at haruhi's father when he was younger, nobody would believe that he would look that good as a woman when he started to work at the okama bar.

Besides, i liked the way the series ended, it clearly showed that it was'nt the end yet, and that someday , even if it takes years, there will be a second season(which i'll be looking forward), i think BONES did a great work with these :)

Only 7 more categories left…these are the ones that many might be interested in.

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Best Female Seiyuu

1) Hirano Aya as Suzumiya Haruhi in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu – Her role as Haruhi was very impressive. Hirano Aya manages to balance the excitement and the melancholy tone carefully. Many would say this was her big break. I disagree. I knew she had potential ever since I saw her as Lumiere in Kiddy Grade. I’m just glad everyone started to realize how talented she is. In real life, she is really really energetic and polite.

2) Horie Yui as Tsukimiya Ayu in Kanon TV 2006 – One word sums up her character. UGUUUUU! There is absolutely no way that anyone can imitate that. Horie Yui made Tsukimiya Ayu an irresistible cute character with a catch phrase that goes up against AIR’s Kamio Misuzu’s GYAOO. In all retrospect, I really can’t imagine anyone playing Ayu besides Horie-san.

3) Nabatame Hitomi as Onimaru Miki in Muteki Kanban Musume – This one caught me by surprise. I never thought Nabatame-san was this talented. I know that she lended her voice in Shadow of Colossus, but I didn’t think she was that big until I saw this anime. I did start noticing her talent as Nobue in Ichigo Mashimaro but I never expected that she had other voices within her arsenal. Her role as Miki proves that she can play almost any role, whether it’s a soft spoken princess or a bad-ass fighter that beats up guys and girls alike.

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Best Male Seiyuu

This may sound odd…but Best Male Seiyuu was the most competitive one this year. It is so competitive that I can’t even announce a clear-cut winner for this one. In no particular order, these 4 seiyuus share the number one ranking this year.

Fukuyama Jun as Kimihiro Watanuki in XXXHolic TV – Watanuki’s voice is very hard to maintain. Somehow, Fukuyama-san nailed it perfectly. He brings out Watanuki’s anger toward Doumeki perfectly. His blissful happiness with Himawari-chan is also something not to overlook. This is one of the roles that actually launched him to work on bigger projects (Code Geass as Lelouche)

Seki Tomokazu as Shirahama Kenichi in Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi – Seki-san has played many roles over the years. However, he has never had a clear cut role that makes you realize why the series is so much fun to watch. I can’t really say that Full Metal Panic counts since the spotlight is shared with Yukino Satsuki as Kaname Chidori. His role as Kenichi makes it so much fun for you to just sit back and watch. Honestly, his talent alone is making the series worth while watching. I can’t imagine the series being successful without him as the hero.

Miyano Mamoru as Tamaki Suou in Ouran KouKou Host Club – Similar to Fukuyama-san, this role has landed him many other opportunities in the anime industry (i.e. Yagami Light in Death Note). After an average role in Wolf’s Rain as Kiba, Miyano-san bounced back with a new voice as Tamaki Suou. I was surprised that he created such an impact with this character. He definitely won me over as one of the rising seiyuus in the anime industry.

Yamaguchi Kappei as L in Death Note – This seiyuu is a true veteran. He knows how to make adjustments to characters he has never played before. Yamaguchi-san already has many big anime titles under his belt (Saotome Ranma in Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha in Inuyasha and Usopp in One Piece). I can’t really say that he surprised me with his role as L. Nevertheless, the role of L is a good reminder of how consistent he is with his roles, no matter what they are. I was very skeptical at first of how he would voice with L since he does have a funny voice (see Raimon Tarou in Eyeshield 21). He is a seiyuu that should be acknowledged for his present and past works.

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The categories gets harder as BEST male and female characters are next in the upcoming post :P

Tsudzuku =)

Now for the easy part…

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Best Female character

1) Suzumiya Haruhi in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu – This was a landslide victory. Her energy and determination makes her a lovable fun character. She is unpredictable and crazy at times, but at the end of the day, you can’t help but smile. She is one of those best friend type anime characters. I have never seen an energetic character as Haruhi before, which makes her the top choice of Best Female Character.

2) Fujioka Haruhi in Ouran KouKou Host Club – It’s odd that both first and second place belongs to females named Haruhi. Anyway, Fujioka Haruhi succeeded in fitting in since the beginning of the episode. Stepping into unknown territory, she didn’t know the ways of high-class society. Her morals were never adjusted as she fear nothing but lighting itself :P. Her admittance to Ouran Koukou and the Host Club has not phased her attitude or personality. She proves that it’s better to be yourself than acting fake. More importantly, she always expresses what is in her mind, which is something that I really admire.

Honorable mentions: Ichihara Yuuko in XXXholic TV, Tsukimiya Ayu in Kanon TV 2006

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Best Male Character

1) Ootori Kyouya in Ouran KouKou Host Club – Okay, I’m a little biased in this category since I got my nickname based off of him. Kyouya is the operator of the host club. I believe that Tamaki and Kyouya are the core of the host club. Although Tamaki gets all the attention, I really respect how Kyouya works behind the spotlight. It proves that he does not need all the glory or fame, even though he is rich. There are people out there who want both fame and fortune. He is one of those glue-guys that keeps things together. In episode 17, he proves that he rather have his friendship with Tamaki than anything in this world. In other words, he demonstrates that friendships are priceless.

2) Allen Walker in D.Gray-man – Here is a child who is trying to go up against the odds. Allen Walker does not let his morals be shaken by anybody…not even his comrades. No matter how helpless it may looks, Allen always believes that there is always a way. I think that’s an attitude that we should practice. I can really relate to Allen’s morals. I have faced odds that seemed impossible. I beat Death twice in my life, something you don’t hear often from a human being. I too have found ways to succeed no matter in situation that seems impossible. Allen knows that someone must stand to provide hope that people seek. This is what I admire about him so much.

3) Lelouche Lamperouge in Code Geass – There is a difference between Lelouche and Kira in Death Note. Lelouche actually does something, instead of hiding behind a notebook. Lelouche is not rebelling for selfish needs. He does not want to play God. He just wants what his best for his little sister and finding out the truth of his mother’s death. I don’t see him as an anti-villian. Anyone would want to fight back when their country is being invaded. I really can’t say this rebellion is evil when the empire is a bigger evil itself. Although it is early into the series, I fear that his motive might consume him and use his power for evil.

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I decided to add a new category in addition to the seven I mentioned.

Best Episode

I added this in because when I look at some of these series, it had some fantastic episodes that should be acknowledged.

1) XXXholic TV episode 17 “Jishou (Circumstances)” – This was a very deep episode that sends a hidden message about confidence. Yuuko explains that if you want something, go get it. It won’t be handed to you in a sliver platter. You have to work for it. Yes, there are consequences here and there, but you have to ask yourself…is it worth it? It ties into the responsibility you must complete in order to achieve your goal. Since my Japanese is rusty, I had to watch this episode a couple of times myself to get the full understanding of this episode. I highly recommend everyone check this episode out. In fact, you could skip the whole series and watch that episode alone.

2) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu episode 13/ episode 11 “Iteza no hi (Day of Sagittarius)” – Out of all the episodes I’ve watched for this series, I have to say this one was the most entertaining. It was animated brilliantly. The ships, the simulation of RTS, Haruhi’s silly leadership was very exciting. The best part however was how Yuki schooled the computer club with her fast hacking during the tournament. I just couldn’t stop laughing during that segment.

Honorable Mentions:
Ouran KouKou Host Club episode 17 “Kyouya no fuhoni na kyujitsu (Kyouya’s reluctant day off)”
Honey and Clover II episode 12 “Hachimitsu to Clover to.. (Honey and Clover and…)”

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The Big 3 will be up in my last post….Best OP. ED and Anime of the year.

Tsudzuku ;P

Yamaguchi Kappei is indeed the maestre of seiyuus. Wasn't he voted the best seiyuu 2 years back or so? He is just as entertaining and comedic in his anime role as well as off screen. I was fascinated by him when I 1st caught his role in Inuyasha and G Gundam (Sai Saishi). But his role Usopp in One Piece confirms him as my all-time favourite seiyuu. His chemistry with Mayumi Tanaka (Monkey D. Luffy) produce explosive comedic moments most of the time. But the best thing is his ability to adapt to different roles/characters seamlessly; be it a hero or villain, human or monster (hanyou?), comedic or serious/dark and lastly, portraying emotions to the viewers (hilarious/rage/sadness). Phew!......So much about him.

By the way Kyouya, do you have "Best CG Animation" in your list? Might want to add one if not....^_^

Before I continue, I was reading some of the posts in memento and realized that I missed out one important category that should be mentioned quickly.

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Best anime that no one is watching

1) Bokura ga Ita – I think the reason why no one is watching or talking about it as much is because it feels odd to watch high school students encountering problems with death, relationship, friendship and sex in an anime. There are already tons of TV dramas that deal with those (The O.C., Friday Night Lights, and some old classics like Beverly Hills 90210). I can understand why people would want to avoid it since it’s been overdone in TV dramas. I still think people should give it a chance to watch it. It has an ending that is both interesting and somewhat surprising. I compared the ending from the manga (which is finished) to the anime and I was somewhat shocked that they would conclude to this ending. Kudos to ARTLAND the whole production team. They mimicked Honey and Clover a bit in terms of using actual songs as background music. However, they created their own instead of licensing existing ones. Let’s not forget that the actual songs in background technique became popular when the comedy sitcom SCRUBS started using it.

Honorable mentions: Innocent Venus, Kin-iro Corda ~Prima Passo~

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When it comes to music, I hate it when I have to decide which one is the best because I like all types of music….and I really mean all types of music. I actually had a better judgment in the OP than ED. There were several ties in the OP

Best Anime Opening

1) Code Geass “Colors” by FLOW & Genshiken OVA “Seishun Toshite” by manzo – Genshiken OVA opening was released 10 days before the new year. Code Geass “Colors” is an appropriate OP that consist an up-tempo beat. The opening video really did help me like the song more, especially at the 2nd version of the OP where it flashed all the characters in a prison-like type photo. I wish they would have combined that part with the 1st version of OP. As for Genshiken, it’s a song that explains the days of youth, which I can understand. In the OVA, it shows how changes are occurring as the gang grows older and eventually graduates from their university (This is not a spoiler since Madarame already explained in the TV series of how he stepped down as Chairman to focus on his future). I also love how they have the Genshiken’s 1st chairman picture in the beginning of the opening video. This opening somehow sneaked into the pile of fantastic openings that arrived this year.

2) Innocent Venus “Noble Roar” by Yousei Teikoku & D.Gray-man “Innocent Sorrow” by Abingdon Boys School – The production team of Innocent Venus must love using the orchestra because it went as far as to apply it to the opening. The opening takes a good mix of pop and orchestra. The violin sounds excellent in fast pace. The opening video captures each character’s personality. T.M. Revolution must have done something right with his new group, Abingdon Boys School. The reason why I mention this is because I usually get tired of T.M.’s songs after 7-8 times listening to it (not consecutively of course). It is not that his songs are bad....but it was missing something that makes you want to listen to it over and over. D.Gray-man OP broke that streak with its impressive guitar composition.

3) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu “Bouken Desho Desho?” by Hirano Aya & NHK ni Youkoso! “Puzzle” by Nino feat. Round Table. – Since she is an energetic person, it does not surprised me that Hirano Aya sang this song. Her voice is appropriate and makes you get excited about the episode before it actually begins. Puzzle is another song that mixes well with the anime, NHK ni Youkoso! The songs talks about the missing piece that you must retrieve back. It is a metaphor explaining that you should go fill the void that makes you feel incomplete. Both versions, original and hot mix, are great. Personally, I prefer the original because it makes uses of other instruments (Trumpets mostly).

Honorable mentions: Fate Stay Night 1st OP

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The ending songs were actually the hardest to judge of all this year. In no particular order, these are my favorite ending songs of 2006.

Best Anime Ending

Ayakashi Ayashi ‘Winding Road’ by Porno Graffiti – What a calm, nostalgic ending. Making full use of the guitar, Porno Graffiti calms down the action-filled series with a song that can make you feel good and even put you to sleep. The songs lyric is unique as it tries to express love.

Asatte no Houkou “Home Sweet Home” by Yuumao – This song can make you homesick if you’re far from someone you love or place you know very well. The anime ending video for this song is fantastic. Karada’s innocent smile was something that was needed to be added with this song.

Bokura ga Ita “Merry go Round” by Sasaki Nozomi – This series had multiple ending songs (about 9 endings to be exact). Most of these endings are actually image songs. This one was my favorite out of the nine. The reason why this song stands out the most is because the lyrics consist of how sometimes relationships can’t work even when effort is put into it (and you have no idea why). I’m excited to hear the full version of this song when it is released at January 2007.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu “Hare Hare Yukai” by Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori, and Goto Yuko – There is no introduction needed for this ending. This ending is upbeat as its counterpart (opening). I always do wonder how the dance sequence would go for the full version. I also highly recommend people checking out the radio shibu single.

Black Blood Brothers “Shinkiro” by LoveHolic – Although this song is sung in Korean (a song from my native language :P), It talks about how betrayal is very excruciating. It is a good dark song. The piano sets the mood while the drums slowly blend in at the chorus.

NHK ni Youkoso! “Modokashii Sekai no Ue de” by Makino Yui – I must be a sucker for pianos because this is the 3rd ending song I included that involves piano. Anyways, this song is more of words of encouragement. The lyrics explain that no matter how cruel or tough the world may be, we should try to smile to make ourselves and others feel better. I am starting to like Makino Yui more as a seiyuu after hearing this song and her role as Misaki in the series.

Honey and Clover II “Split” by Suenohair – Another fantastic song that demonstrates how things will never stay the same as time passes. Everyone goes to their separate ways to pursue their dreams. I don’t know which one is better…the first ending of season 1 or the ending for season 2. It’s really hard because they make both good cases.

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Will continue with the final topic, Anime of the Year, when New Year’s officially hits my town (1 hour from now). I have no idea how Garten manages to do this everyday…lol. I’ve been typing this all day and it is very tiring.

Don't rememeber all the OP's and ED's anymore, so I'll leave those out.

Favourite series
1) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu
2) Kanon
3) Mushishi

Favorite OVA's
1) Dai Mahou Touge
2) Kyou no Go no Ni
3) *Blank, I haven't seen all that many OVA's this year*

Favourite Female Characters
1) Honoka (The Third)
2) Suzumiya Haruhi (SHnY)
3) Shuurei (Saiunkoku Monogatari)

Favourite Male Characters
1) Kyon (SHnY)
2) Yuuichi (Kanon)
3) Ginko (Mushishi)

Some underrated anime imo:
- Saiunkoku Monogatari
- Simoun
- Mushishi
- Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora
- Shinigami no Ballad
- Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings
- Gargoyle of the Yoshinaga's
- Gintama
- The Third: Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo
- Magipoka ( What? I liked it! )

Anairam: Talking about live action dramas based on mangas. Have you heard of "Hana Kimi" or "It Started With A Kiss"?

No, unfortunately I haven't. I want to but each drama usually comes around 768MB. That's a bit too much bandwidth to waste for me. I put up with Nodame because I really like the series but I have to be careful as to what drama I follow so I don't waste my bandwidth

KyoshiroM: OMG! Just watched Nodame Cantabile ep.1 of the live-action and I can't wait to see the rest. Needless to say, I'm hooked! Is the drama series coming out on DVD??? Please tell me it is!

I wish I know but I think it'll eventually come out on DVD. I mean other live-action drama has come out on DVD as well.

Yeah, the manga is a bit hard to accept after watching the live action series. ^^;; I hope the anime character design improves the manga. Ninomiya Tomoko's design actually improves in the later half of the series but the character design doesn't look good in the first half of the manga.

Carrie: Garten - it's not too late to choose Kyon's voice actor. Here's the link: http://asosbrigade.com/auditions/akyonvoice.php

Thank you so much. Although I don't hear one which is close to Sugita's voice.

Karasu: I've been wondering for a while, but, Garten, how do you convert videos into PSP suitable? Converting simply into mp4 doesn't seem to work, as your videos have to have those side files. I'm asking because I just recently got myself a PSP.

Karasu, in the past I've been using either PSP video 9 (I've heard it has spyware in it but I have no choice but to use it when I have to be overseas and uses PC/laptop). Lately I've also been using iPSP when I can use my Macintosh.

I have no idea how Garten manages to do this everyday…lol. I’ve been typing this all day and it is very tiring.

Kyouya, thank you for writing such an extensive list. But now you know how tiring this can be. :D

If I missed anyone's question, I'm sorry but please ask me again.

nrad, sumimasen (Sorry). I haven't watch enough anime that contains CG scenes. I do thank you for reading my post though. Now back to business...

After 6 hrs of writing and careful deliberation for each topic, It now comes to the final award, Anime of the Year.

In order to qualify, the animes that have aired this year must have concluded. This means no Kanon, Code Geass, Death Note or any other animes that aired without an ending. The nominees are…

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu – A girl by the name of Haruhi and her wacky ideas leads them to an interesting adventure that involves aliens, time travel and ESP.

Honey and Clover II – a continuation of the popular hit series, Honey and Clover

NHK ni Youkoso! – The Hikkimori life of Satou Tatsushiro and his participation in a experiment conducted by Nakahara Misaki

Asatte no Houkou – A summer story that involves a wish-granting stone between Iokawa Karada and Nogami Shouko.

Binbou Shimai Monogatari – Yamada Asu and Yamada Kyou are sisters who live on their own when their mother passed away and their father abandonded the family due to gambling debts. The girls are 12 and 15th years old.

Ouran KouKou Host Club – a poor scholarship student named Fujioka Haruhi enters Ouran KouKou and the Host club ran by Tamaki Suou and Ootori Kyouya.

XXXholic TV – Kimihiro Watanuki, born in April 1st, sees things that normal humans can’t see. He stumbles to a store one day where a woman by the name Ichihara Yuuko quotes that their meeting was not by fate, but by inevitability.

And the winner is….

Honey and Clover II

I am going to be honest here. This is not a landslide victory. Each nominee had a very good chance of being named Anime of the Year. The main reason why Honey and Clover II beat them all was for one reason and one reason only. It had a spectacular speechless ending. XXXholic TV, Binbou Shimai Monogatari and Ouran Koukou Host Club are animes that can be picked up and watched any time. Although Ouran follows somewhat of a plot, it does not really have an ending since the manga is ongoing. XXXholic TV took out the link that connects with Tsubasa Chronicles, which is kind of disappointing. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu was awesome….but…the announcement of a second season has made me refrain from making this series a strong contender. Nevertheless, it should still be acknowledged as a finalist. Asatte no Houkou was also splendid…but..there are some controversies and plot holes in the ending that made some fans question the depth of the series overall. Original anime endings are most likely not as strong as the manga ending, which brings me to NHK ni Youkoso! NHK had an exceptional ending but not a mind-blowing ending. I do however commend them for using NHK in another abbreviation. All of these animes discussed important themes, whether it deals with ambition, dreams, the meaning of family, self-respect, confidence, wishes, high society, or even love.

I’ve stated this before. A story is an important medium that either makes or breaks the anime. When I watched the end of Honey and Clover, I knew someday that a second season would be in production with a proper ending. I was right. It delivered an ending that was taken from the manga. There are some small loopholes that may be filled in future spin offs since it was announced that a spin off is in the works. The original story was wrapped up nicely. The main male character, Takemoto, knew that there are other types of love. He knows they can never be, but still cherishes the friendship he has with Hagu. When I saw those four leaf clovers in those sandwiches, the feelings that Hagu wanted to tell Takemoto were received.

Whew! Wow…to think I actually participated in writing something like this. I like to thank Garten for posting up his opinions and wish him well in this new year. As for everyone else who vi