Akira AKATSUKI

List of 2011 Fall Season TV Anime in Japan
Our Spotlight shows are up, but there's much more anime coming out this season. Here's the big list, with the important points on each. 2011-09-21

Anime Spotlight: Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere
Our first Anime Spotlight comes to an end with a profile of the fantasy action show set in the future world of the middle ages. 2011-09-21

ANNCast - Warriors of Plasm
Zac chats it up with Gia Manry, Brian Hanson and Hope Chapman about what they've been watching lately, including No. 6, Casshern Sins, Guin Saga, One Piece and Legend of the Millennium Dragon! And then it's Twitter time! But first: Stephanie Sheh has a We Heart Japan event this weekend, AND you can win two tickets to New York Comic-Con! HOW CAN YOU LOSE?! 2011-09-30

Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Oishinbo
Jason sinks his teeth into the foodie-bait manga Oishinbo, and its surprisingly "controversial" release. 2011-09-29

The X Button - Strike Through
This week, Radiant Silvergun and Street Fighter III: Third Strike are under scrutiny. Plus Grand Knights History, Professor Layton, Ys Celceta, and witchery. 2011-09-28

RIGHT TURN ONLY!! - New Moon Rising
What, you thought this column wouldn't do a Sailor Moon review? We've got that, plus the end of Eyeshield 21, The Book of Human Insects, and more! 2011-09-27

Eden of the East: Paradise Lost Blu-Ray + DVD
Eden of the East: Paradise Lost brings the entire saga to a close in a flash of brilliance, with a few occasional flaws. If the execution is less than perfect, the ideas behind it are more than big enough to compensate.

Amagami SS Sub.DVD 1
A high school boy explores love with three different girls in three alternate-timeline arcs in this dating sim adaptation. Its humor, drama, and fan service elements are not pronounced enough to hold the interest of those not enthralled by its romantic developments.

Steins;Gate Episodes 1-24 Streaming
This is a story all its own, with likable characters that can't be found anywhere else and a number of wild, mind-bending twists that will leave viewers hooked.

Usagi Drop Episodes 1-11 Streaming
Lesser dramas are strawberry-flavored candies; Usagi Drop is the strawberry itself.

Itazura na Kiss GN 6
Itazura na Kiss' sixth volume is one of the best to date. It is funny, touching, and romantic. More than anything, this volume shows why the series has such enduring popularity across Asia, and hopefully will continue to grow its fanbase here in the western world.

Baka and Test Blu-Ray + DVD
This comedy about a class of low achievers using battles of summoned avatars to improve their class's conditions is not among the year's best anime titles, but it is certainly one of the year's funniest and most fun series.

Sailor Moon GN 1
This rerelease of Takeuchi's best-loved work is one that many fans have been waiting for. Apart from a few technical glitches in the translation, it fulfills those dreams. Whether you're a new fan, an old one, or just someone who wants to know why on earth all those old(er!) people are so excited about this book, it is well worth reading.

Noir DVD
One of the preeminent “girls with guns” series is back in circulation in Funimation's rerelease of this strong, stylish 2001 series about a pair of female assassins searching for answers to the mysteries that bind them. Unfortunately it lacks some of the original Extras.

MM! Sub.DVD
Can a series about a group of rowdy perverts be sensitive and intelligent? Maybe, but you wouldn't know it from MM!.

Spice and Wolf II Blu-Ray + DVD
Combines a honed narrative sense with a greater focus on Holo and Lawrence's relationship to create a sophisticated cinematic confection the quality of which is quite simply beyond denial.

Shuten Doji DVD 1-2
It won't satisfy anyone seeking historical perspective or further insight into the legends surrounding the historical Shuten Doji, but if a dark, bloody, and fan service-laden piece of escapism is all you seek then this title might fit the bill.