Marina KÖHLER

Pile of Shame - Grandeek: The Alternative
An early digipaint OAV that has a lot of potential, but is so awkwardly made that the storytelling really suffers. 2013-09-17

Interview: Japan Expo USA First Impact CEO Sean Chiochankitmun
Japan Expo USA is over, but we had a few questions for SEFA Entertainment CEO Sean Chiochankitmun about this year's show and its future. 2013-09-17

Shelf Life - School of Rock
Shelf Life is back! This week, demons with gravity-defying body parts! Fish aliens! And all your memories from childhood come flooding back at once. 2013-09-16

Astro Toy - SH Figuarts Sailor Moon
After years of waiting, David finally gets his hands on a premium Sailor Moon figure. 2013-09-15

The List - 7 Dashing and Devoted Servants
One part good looks and two parts resourcefulness take these butlers from ordinary to swoon worthy. 2013-09-14

From Up On Poppy Hill BD+DVD
Sentimental filmmaking in the very best sense: moving and deeply nostalgic yet winningly underplayed.

07-Ghost GN 6
With this volume, 07-Ghost proves that the storyline can change gears and still come up with something compelling and meaningful.

Toriko GN 17
Although Toriko is still very much about eating, fighting, and exploring, it breaks new ground in Volume 17—a giant waterfall emerges as Toriko's next great foe.

Tiger & Bunny Comic Anthology GN 1
These bite-sized fragments of the Tiger & Bunny universe are no substitute for the real deal.

Dawn of the Arcana GN 10
This is one of the most interesting volumes of Dawn of the Arcana to date, with Nakaba showing serious growth and determination as she moves forward.

Pokémon Adventures: Heart Gold and Soul Silver GN 1
Fans of all things Pokemon should find this ninth title in the “Adventures” series an enjoyable romp. It has action, a little humor, and strategy, and if the opening chapters aren't the best hook, the book quickly improves.

Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossoms Pink GN
Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink can get a little too pretty at times in its artwork and is a bit broken up as far as the best and longest story is concerned, but it is still a book yuri fans or the yuri-curious should check out.

Sailor Moon GN 11 & 12
Sailor Moon's finale has its moments of corniness, but overall it is a strong finish to the manga that launched a thousand imitators.

Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3 Episodes 1-6 Streaming
There's an interesting vein of character growth running beneath Stella's adorable surface; a vein that starts to show worrisome teeth as the series proceeds.

Killer is Dead
Grasshopper's motto is "punk's not dead," but Killer is Dead forces the question "which parts are punk and which parts are pandering?"

The Wallflower GN 8
It can't exactly be called a return to form, but the eighth volume of Wallflower, with its greater focus on Sunako and some minor character-building, is definitely a step in the right direction.