Masaaki ISHIKAWA

RIGHT TURN ONLY!! - A Field of Flowers
Nothing is quite as it seems in the latest manga releases: Flowers of Evil, Itsuwaribito, Olympos, and more. Check it out in this week's RTO!! 2012-08-14

Shangri-La Poster Give-Away
Win a limited edition Shangri-La posted signed by famous character designer Range Murata. 2012-08-14

Shelf Life - Student Bodies
Erin checks out a movie based on a video game franchise, and another based on a whole genre.
- Medaka Box ep. 1-8
- Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
- The World God Only Knows
2012-08-13

The Mike Toole Show - Getting It Wrong
Mike examines the long history of goofs and flubs that have found their way on to anime DVDs. 2012-08-12

Moyashimon Returns Episodes 1-6 Streaming
At its best this sequel to 2007's comedy about a college student who can see microbes is exactly the laconically funny joy it was five years ago. At its worst it's a rather uneven mixture of education and entertainment.

This Boy Can Fight Aliens! Blu-Ray
This near-solo creation by an up-and-coming young female animator has a feel similar to Makoto Shinkai's works but a much more radical and distinctive visual style. Though not on the same level as Shinkai's works, it is a respectable effort.

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse 1-6 Streaming
When it is being serious, showing the consequences of war and the prejudices that result, Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse is a surprisingly good show.

La storia della Arcana Famiglia Episodes 1-6 Streaming
Good for those who like to admire pretty boys dressed in snappy suits and ties (while learning about their tortured pasts), but those expecting an actual plot may be left wondering where it went.

Boogiepop Phantom DVD
An achronological chain of blisteringly negative character studies that interlock to tell the tale of a town where unknowable forces meet with the very worst and, very occasionally, the very best that the human animal has to offer.

Kimi ni Todoke Blu-Ray + DVD Box Set 3
Kimi ni Todoke started out as one of the finest of recent romances, and it finishes that way too.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
Writing off Kingdom Hearts based on its most absurd, most pandering elements ignores that this is one of the best Action RPGs in recent memory.

Dawn of the Arcana GN 4
Dawn of the Arcana seems to have finally gotten on track with its fourth volume, bringing us a hero we can like, a heroine who grows stronger every time we meet her, and an intriguing world for them to work in. While it still has its issues, Rei Touma's fantasy epic seems to at last be building on the potential it evinced at its beginning.

Bakuman. GN 11
Bakuman isn't just a specialized, semi-fictional documentary—it's got something universal to say. The in-depth discussions, the thrill of competition, and skilled artwork make it a story still worth getting into.

Jiu Jiu GN 1
Jiu Jiu's first volume clocks in at something very much like “underwhelming.” With its confused plot and tone, unlikeable heroine, and sometimes difficult to follow art, Tobina's book presents us with an intriguing concept poorly carried out.

Deadman Wonderland GN 3
It may not be entirely coherent who's doing what for who and why but you'd be hard-pressed to find a current series more compellingly able to pull you through without really caring to stop for all those little details.