Phillip PRETTEN

The Mike Toole Show - The Least Essential Anime
Mike dredges up some anime probably best left forgotten. Trouble Chocolate, anyone? 2011-09-11

Gia's List: The 8 Greatest Weapons Wielded by Women
Who needs Kamina's never-ending sword when you have Sawyer's chainsaw? Come celebrate the crazy weapons anime girls get— and check the results from last week's poll! 2011-09-10

Hey, Answerman! - Where Are They Now?
This time on Hey, Answerman! Brian gets into the thick of it with the murky waters of licensing DVDs versus streaming, where the heck Shinichiro Watanabe has disappeared to, and what the deal is with library donations! Plus we've got a special edition of Answerfans in Obscur-o-Vision! Check it! 2011-09-09

ANNCast - Mastering the Universe with Clarine and Matt
We sit down with Funimation's Director of DVD, Bluray and Video production Clarine Harp and the Manager of said production Matt O'Hara to chat about all things video! It gets a little techy, but don't be scared - if you've ever wondered what goes into producing an anime DVD, now's your chance. PLUS: comparison shots from the upcoming Dragon Ball Z bluray remaster! 2011-09-08

Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Initial D
Vroom! Jason learns to drive stick and drifts the NIGHT OF FIRE away with Initial D! 2011-09-08

Animal Land GN 1
Makoto Raiku says in the afterward that he is trying to tackle difficult issues not often seen in manga and that he is somewhat surprised to find himself writing an animal story. But branching out can often reap large rewards, and that is definitely the case here as Raiku sets out into uncharted territory.

Black Bird GN 8-10
Black Bird has never really aspired to be literature, but in at least two of these three volumes it also loses the right to call itself “good.” The disturbing aspects of Kyo and Misao's relationship far outweigh the romantic ones, making this an almost textbook example of what you don't want in your daughter's love life.

Mystic Archives of Dantalian Episodes 1-6 Streaming
A rich slice of atmosphere wrapped in a thin veil of sleuthing. Plenty tasty most of the time, but leaves you feeling kind of empty in the end.

20th Century Boys GN 16
Each new installment is declared "the most important one yet!" Volume 16, however, is one that actually lives up to the hype ... telling the villain's side of the story.

Higurashi: When They Cry GN 14
The final volume of the first of Higurashi: When They Cry's answer arcs is a heart-wrenching, gut-churning compilation of images that will remain burned into your eyes long after the final page is turned. Ryukishi07 does answer the central questions posed in the “Cotton Drifting Arc," but not the main mystery behind the entire series of Hinamizawa murders.

Higurashi When They Cry: Demon Exposing Arc GN
You do not have to be a follower of Higurashi to understand the story. For regular readers, some of the people and events will make more sense, but if you're curious about the series and don't know if you want to commit to it, this is a good way to find out.

Gantz Blu-Ray/DVD (live-action)
Hiroya Oku's dark, violent manga comes to life in a stripped down version which looks surprisingly good and packs solid action content but is also weakly acted and makes some unwelcome changes.

Tiger & Bunny Episodes 14-20 Streaming
While Kotetsu is grappling with his future, Barnaby is grappling with his past, and when the two collide, their lives upend themselves—along with the series.

Allison & Lillia Generation 2 Sub.DVD
The focus shifts to the next generation (but the originals are still involved) as the daughter and son of the first half's two main couples team up for a new round of adventures, humor, and romance. If you enjoyed the first half then you should enjoy this half, too.

Sacred Seven Episodes 1-7 Streaming
If you can make it to the point where it dawns on you that, hey, maybe that maid army at the beginning wasn't supposed to be taken seriously, then you've got some happy times ahead.

Honey Hunt GN 2
With noticeable acceleration of the story, coupled with the Miki Aihara's consistent draftsmanship skill, Honey Hunt is fast becoming the sort of shoujo manga that fans will want to hunt down for themselves.