Kiwa WATANABE

Expires Soon: La Corda D'oro ~primo passo~ 1-26 (s)
Look out, this show expires on 8/13! (Two preview eps will stay up, but watch the rest now!) [discuss] 2011-08-05

Astro Toy - SH Figuarts Cure White and Cure Black
David gets all sparkly with the gals from Pretty Cure in SH Figuarts form. 2011-08-07

Gia's List: Anime and Manga's 8 Most Impoverished Teams
If the economy's got you down, this may cheer you up: eight of anime's most perpetually poverty-stricken groups! 2011-08-06

Hey, Answerman! - Haters Everywhere We Go
Brian returns from Otakon, impoverished and triumphant! This week, he tackles your questions about title changes, the ever-widening "fansub hate," and anime fan entitlement! Plus the proud return of Hey, Answerfans! Joyousness abounds! 2011-08-05

Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Special Guest Edition: Wish
Returning guest author Shaenon K. Garrity can't help but love the stuffing out of one of Clamp's fluffiest distractions, Wish. 2011-08-04

Skip Beat! GN 24
If you've been enjoying Skip Beat so far, you'll enjoy this volume. Nakamura's twisted tale of vengeance is still a funny, somewhat romantic romp that remains capable of making you laugh out loud. With quirky characters, nice visuals, and a plot that hasn't gotten stale yet, this entry into the series won't lose any fans.

Fullmetal Alchemist GN 25
As the series hustles along towards its end, it almost feels like it would be better to wait for Viz to put out volumes 26 and 27 before picking up this one. It hurries along at a rapid pace, but with so many plot threads to tie up, it might be more rewarding to just wait for the series to be over.

Cross Game GN 4
The series slides effortlessly between calm slices of life and fired-up baseball action ... everything about Cross Game proceeds in a smooth, flowing motion, and that's what keeps readers hooked.

Wandering Son GN 1
Wandering Son is a kind, gentle introduction to the story of two transgendered children beginning to understand themselves. Transgender is a subject that many people who are not members of the LBGTQ community struggle to comprehend, and Shimura uses a light touch to try and bring a greater understanding of it to her readers.

Spice & Wolf GN 4
Lawrence meets a pretty shepherdess and gets himself in a financial jam as this adaptation of the original novels continues. Though it has few major events, the ongoing byplay between the leads keeps the story entertaining.

TO Film: Elliptical Orbit & Symbiotic Planet DVD/Blu-Ray
Two all-CG tales of the spacefaring future are spun by the studio and director behind Vexille, with similar results: impressive visuals and animation saddled with cliché-ridden storytelling which mostly fails to impress.

Supernatural the Anime Series BLURAY
Transforms the WB live action drama into a slick anime series designed to provide something new and different to existing fans while hopefully reaching new fans as well.

A Certain Scientific Railgun GN 1
Overall this is a choppy, somewhat uncertain book. The main plot is good and could be worth reading if only Kamachi could stick to it and stop side-tracking into unimportant territory. In some ways reading this is like being told a story by someone who can't stay on topic – you know the plot's in there somewhere, if he could just get around to telling it.

Antique Bakery Sub.DVD
A nice place to hang out, made nicer by the universally nice guys who run it, and human enough that you don't really mind that the whole thing is one giant snort-worthy fantasy.

Itazura na Kiss GN 5
Despite the characters' development in this volume, Naoki is still a jerk and Kotoko is still a flake. Aspects of the tale feel overdone or hackneyed, but Tada's story is still a timeless and compelling one of boy-meets-girl that should not be missed by romance fans.

The Recipe for Gertrude GN 1
This could have been a fun, easy-going antidote to the poisonous angst-miasma that dominates the shoujo market but the confusing artwork sabatoges it at every turn.