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Masamune-kun's Revenge GN 1
The bullied kid returns to school as Mr. Hot and Popular with one goal: to get revenge on the girl who crushed his soul.
― Few things are as painful as being picked on in school. As an elementary school student, Masamune, who then went by the family name Hayase, was the perfect victim: he came from a prestigious, wealthy family and he was, shall we say, rotund. He muddled through, however, until one ...
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation Sub.DVD
It's Zeta Gundam! In movie form! Now with awkwardly re-animated sequences that clash with the original 1980s footage! Lauren takes a strange trip through three very unique Gundam flicks.
― The story of Zeta Gundam is more than three decades old, and the Zeta Gundam compilation movies won't let you forget it. Watching 2005's Heirs to the Stars and Lovers and 2006's Love is the Pulse of the Stars is li...
Gakkyu Hotei: School Judgment GN 2 & 3
School Judgment never quite gets itself off the ground, though it sure does try. The third and final volume is by far the strongest, even as it is plagued by some recurring issues.
― Some series need a bit longer than others to get off the ground. Gakkyu Hotei: School Judgment turns out to have been one of those, and while it never really “takes off,” so to speak, it does by its third and final volum...
UQ Holder! GN 6
UQ Holder finally adds some intimate human drama to its reliably epic battles in its sixth volume.
― The Academy City arc comes to an end in this volume, as Santa squares off against his long-time friend Sayoko in a battle with the fate of the world at stake. UQ Holder certainly doesn't hold back in illustrating the desperate terms of this battle; with Kirie's power to rewind truly unacceptable carna...
Overlord Novel 1
The skull-faced hero from 2015's popular fantasy series Overlord is back in the first volume of the light novel series the anime was based on. Theron Martin sees how it stacks up to the adaptation.
― The 13 episode Overlord anime series aired during the summer 2015 TV season, but first came this novel (the first of 10 to date) by author Kugane Maruyama. It was originally published online in 2010 and ...
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ Blu-Ray
It's a direct sequel to Zeta Gundam, and it's hilarious! Lauren Orsini discovers the hidden pleasures of this otherwise somewhat confounding entry in the Gundam franchise.
― The first two Gundam shows were serious business. In Mobile Suit Gundam and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, director Yoshiyuki Tomino wasn't afraid to kill off even beloved main characters to prove a point. So it must have been a major ...
Your Lie in April Vol. 2 Blu-Ray
The tragic conclusion of Your Lie in April is out on bluray now - Theron Martin takes the long view on a show that generated plenty of controversy as it aired.
― Let's cut to the chase: the second half of Your Lie in April is, at least in part, a tragedy, somewhat in the spirit (though definitely not the style) of major “tragic girl” tales like Air and Kanon. Enough hints were dropped about this dire...
Yamibo DVD
This 13-episode mind-bending series based on an adult visual novel is a true oddity in more than one way.
― This 13-episode series is a true oddity in more than one way. It originally aired in 2003 but then languished for 9½ years before finally being picked up by Media Blasters in 2013. They originally solicited the title for a late 2013 release, but the title then languished again with unspecified ...
Gakuen Alice DVD
Nozomi's re-release of this deceptively cute series from 2004-05 proves that Gakuen Alice is still a show worth watching.
― Outwardly adorable, Gakuen Alice, based on the manga of the same name by Tachibana Higuchi, is actually one of the darker children's anime to be released in English, even though the anime is a bit lighter than the original manga. The story is set in a special school, Alice Acade...
orange: The Complete Collection 2 GN 2
Orange's final volume brings things to a bittersweet but satisfying conclusion, but comes with a big trigger warning for suicide. Also included is an aggressively adorable five-chapter romance, Haruiro Astronaut.
― Manga, and fiction in general, is not always the best portrait of real life. It often hits upon truths, but ultimately people read fiction to escape, to live a fantasy for a while. Ichigo ...
Baccano! Novel 1
Years after the Baccano! anime found success with fans and critics alike, the first volume of the original novels has finally been published in English. Gabriella Ekens takes a look at how it holds up after all this time.
― The Baccano! series is already fairly well known amongst Western anime fans for its anime adaptation. Released in 2007, it led to a brief Ryohgo Narita fandom that followed into D...
After War Gundam X Sub.DVD
Gundam X has never been highly regarded, and yet it features a sentient dolphin. Lauren Orsini discovers what's holding this show back from true greatness.
― A full twenty years after its release in Japan, After War Gundam X has finally made it to English speaking audiences. This show came out in 1996, just a year after Gundam Wing, and has continued to live in its shadow. Gundam Wing was not only su...
Requiem of the Rose King (GN 4)
Aya Kanno's take on Richard III continues with more conflict for Richard as he struggles to decide whether it is better to have emotions or to simple strike them down as Warwick continues to take his role as "kingmaker" a little too seriously.
― There's always a question when reading historical fiction and something that says that it's “based on” previous well-known works: how close will the author s...
Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace Blu-Ray
This 2014 follow-up to the 2012 TV series retains the series' storytelling feel and features strong technical merits, but those expecting a continuation of established plot lines may be disappointed.
― Abyss of Hyperspace is the 2014 movie follow-up to the 2012 TV series, at least in the sense that it continues the timeline of the animated part of the franchise; its events are set during a break befo...
blanc et noir: Takeshi Obata Illustrations Artbook
Takeshi Obata's illustrations from 2001-2006 get the deluxe treatment in this gorgeous artbook.
― Even if you aren't a fan of the series he has illustrated, it is hard to deny that his artwork is impressive. Showing a firmer grasp of human anatomy than many other mainstream mangaka along with beautiful composition skills, Obata's artwork isn't just good manga art, it's good art. While I recognize tha...
A Silent Voice GN 6
A Silent Voice’s sixth volume is a structurally self-conscious expression of its greatest strength, the generous insights it provides into all of its characters’ secret lives.
― It's always an interesting experience when a new volume of A Silent Voice comes out. On the one hand, I immediately want to rush through it - the story is a masterpiece, after all. It has an intimacy of characterization that'...
The Birth of Kitaro GN
Drawn & Quarterly has curated previously unpublished stories from Shigeru Mizuki's Kitaro manga for its original audience: kids. It's largely successful in this thrillingly gross and creepy volume.
― Before Natsume had his Book of Friends or Nate put on his Yokai Watch, there was Kitaro. Shigeru Mizuki's tales of the yokai boy have been popular since their publication in 1960, and technically even be...
The Heiress and the Chauffeur GN 1
This cute Taisho-set romance blends historical social expectations with a sweet romance devoid of creepy shoujo tropes.
― Despite a title that sounds like a Barbara Cartland novel, The Heiress and the Chauffeur's first volume is a cute Taisho-set tale of fairly basic shoujo proportions. The story follows seventeen-year-old Sayaka Yoshimura and her slightly older chauffeur, Shinobu Narutaki, as they n...
UQ Holder! GN 5
UQ Holder seems to be establishing a solid rhythm in its fifth volume, and finally coming into its own as reliable entertainment.
― It's been a rough ride, but it seems like UQ Holder is finally developing some consistency. With Fate having just barely fallen into Kirie's trap at the end of volume four, this volume opens with a climactic chapter of Fate and Evangeline throwing everything they have at...
Review: Rage of Bahamut: Genesis BD+DVD
One of the most critically acclaimed videogame adaptations ever, Rage of Bahamut: Genesis is out on bluray now. Theron Martin swashbuckles his way through the set.
― Now this is how you make a game adaptation! Specifically, Genesis is a companion piece to the app-based card battle game Rage of Bahamut, which at the height of its popularity had a worldwide English language user base in excess of three...
Review: Akame ga Kill Collection Two Blu-Ray
Akame ga Kill's second half winds up being kind of a letdown thanks to some mishandled story elements and a misbegotten romance - Rebecca Silverman takes a look.
― Akame ga Kill may have a bit too high an opinion of its ability to be symbolic. While it is true that the first half managed to slip in some philosophy about killing being bad no matter what its purpose and to juxtapose the happy family li...
The Seven Deadly Sins GN 14
Liones may be saved, but things are far from over as life starts to take a much darker turn for Meliodas and his merry band. If the Seven Deadly Sins are good guys, then what are the Ten Commandments likely to be...?
― Technically speaking, this volume of Nakaba Suzuki's semi-concealed Arthurian fantasy picks up where the first season of the anime ends – Hendrikson is defeated and life is starting to...
The Rising of the Shield Hero Novel 4
The fantasy novel series' first story arc comes to an end in the best-edited volume of the series yet. It answers a lot of questions while setting the story up for an interesting continuation.
― This volume essentially brings part one of The Rising of the Shield Hero novel series to a close, wrapping up the problems that have been plaguing Naofumi, the eponymous Shield Hero, since he was first summon...
I am a Hero [Omnibus] GN 1
A gross and fascinating look at what would happen if a zombie apocalypse hit a world where no one knew their zombie lore and was too wrapped up in the everyday to realize what was coming.
― What sets I am a Hero apart from all the other zombie manga and novels out there? I would say that it is the realism of it. Not realism as in the cause of the outbreak is particularly convincing or that the story ...
Mysterious Girlfriend X GN 1
Mysterious Girlfriend X is a surprisingly thoughtful reflection on teenage romance, using its weird premise as a clever metaphor for the perils of intimacy.
― I wouldn't blame anyone for being put off by the premise of Mysterious Girlfriend X. The idea almost invites revulsion - a boy and girl united by a spit-bond, where instead of kissing normally, the boy just slurps drool off her finger. When you...
Kamisama Kiss: Season 2 DVD
Kamisama Kiss' second season is just as delightful as the first, taking Nanami to meet the other gods in Izumo and delving deeper into both her past and Tomoe's.
― There is something delightful about Kamisama Kiss, no matter what form it takes. For fans of Julietta Suzuki's original manga, the anime is less like watching a new adaptation of the story and more like simply seeing the manga move and spe...
Review: My Hero Academia Vol. 4
My Hero Academia is in its element in a volume that mixes dramatic battles and strong character writing to stand at the peak of its genre.
― My Hero Academia's third volume was a bit of a lesser volume, focusing mostly on the cooldown period between two larger arcs. It was fun, but it was the manga leaning on its fundamental assets, and not truly demonstrating what it could really do. But that volume...
Maken-Ki! Two BD+DVD
The second series for this fan service fest is a slight improvement over the first, but that isn't saying much.
― Heavy fan service shows may have gotten more sophisticated in their characterizations and storytelling over the past few years, but that is only on the average. The classic big, dumb booby show still pops up on a regular basis because they still sell well enough on both sides of the Pacif...
The Other Side of Secret GN 1
Blending fanservice with an interesting plot, The Other Side of Secret's first volume shows some potential even as it spends most of its time setting up.
― Don't let the boobs on the cover turn you off – underneath the fanservice element (which will be an added appeal for some readers) is an interesting story about mysterious doors and dark otherworlds. While I wouldn't call this a tame book (althoug...
Sword Art Online Novel 7
Theron's favorite part of Sword Art Online shows up in its original light novel form, and he finds the experience a little diminished from its anime adaptation.
― The seventh novel in the core SAO storyline corresponds to episodes 18-24 of Sword Art Online II, which in my evaluation is the best SAO story arc released in the U.S. to date. I expounded on the merits of its storytelling in great detail i...
Review: Harmony
After the flawed but entertaining Empire of Corpses, the second film in the Project Itoh series is a pretty serious letdown. Nick Creamer does the postmortem.
― The first film in the Project Itoh series, The Empire of Corpses, was a fairly well-composed adventure romp. Its attempts to use zombies to speak to the nature of the human soul were somewhat half-baked, but those issues couldn't prevent it f...
Spice & Wolf Novel 17
One of the most unusual and mature fantasy franchises to come out of Japan comes to a conclusion with this epilogue and accompanying short stories. Theron reminisces.
― For those who might be contemplating skipping ahead to this novel to see how the story ends, much of what happens in “Conclusion,” the main part of this novel, will not make a whole lot of sense unless you have, at the least, read bot...
Review: Garo The Animation BD+DVD
Garo the Animation is an archetypal but thrilling and often beautiful adventure.
― Garo: The Animation is an interesting property in a variety of ways. For one, it's an “adaptation” of a very established tokusatsu series - but instead of mirroring the modern format of its parent series, it's actually a period drama riffing on a fantasy version of the Spanish Inquisition. Its head writer Yasuko Kobaya...
Earl and Fairy Sub.DVD
Discotek's release of this 2008 shoujo series has an appealing blend of historical romance and British folklore, plus it covers different material from the original light novels than the previously released manga. It looks a little dated, but the story definitely holds up.
― Based on the light novels of the same name by Mizue Tani, Earl and Fairy is a combination of cute, romantic, and dangerous. Set...
Fairy Tail GN 53
The Alvarez Arc officially begins as Fairy Tail learns the secrets of its past. There may be more set up than action, but this is still a compulsively readable volume as Mashima plays with some old folkloric ideas.
― Spoiler Warning for Fairy Tail Zero True Love: for thousands of years of folklore, it has been upheld as the ultimate power, and even in today's fiction it occupies a mythic place in ter...
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Novel 5
Danmachi's fifth volume takes us deeper into the Dungeon than ever before as Bell finds himself out of his depth and Hestia breaks a major rule to find him.
― What is it that keeps Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon's Bell Cranell from being an obnoxiously overpowered hero? He certainly has many of the traits of those Gary Stu like figures from other series: insane luck, amazing abiliti...
Monster Musume: I ♥ Monster Girls GN 1
It's a licensed collection of doujinshi about Okayado's Monster Musume! It's an odd release, but for fans of the original, there are definitely stories to enjoy.
― I'll admit that it's a bit of an oddity – Okayado's harem comedy Monster Musume is already rife with fanservice and largely functions as a slice-of-life story about everyman Kimihito's forced coexistence with a variety of hot monster girl ...
Review: Doukyusei -Classmates-
This ethereal boys-love film, appearing in a limited theatrical engagement beginning May 6th, dives right into the love confessions and intimacy and never turns back.
― When I first heard Aniplex was going to start screening a critically and financially successful boys' love movie produced by A-1 Pictures in theaters, I was pretty puzzled. Boys' love, shonen-ai, yaoi, however you want to slice it, is...
Fairy Tail BD+DVD Part 19
The Eclipse Spirits arc remains lackluster in its finale, but the rest of the filler episodes on these discs are pretty funny as Fairy Tail indulges in some lighter fare before things get serious next set.
― It's the little moments that make this set of episodes, which finishes up the Eclipse Spirits storyline and then embarks on a series of one-off episodes (plus a two episode mini-arc), none of whi...
Date A Live II BD+DVD
Despite some frustrating aspects, this second series is, overall, a slight improvement on the first.
― With nine months in between its first and second parts, Date A Live II is more a second series than a second season. Either way you look at it, it is still a direct continuation, one which assumes intimate familiarity with earlier material and provides recap only in bits and pieces. Hence I do recom...
The Gods Lie GN
The Gods Lie is a bittersweet coming-of-age story about two children finding solace in each other told in a quiet, understated style that tugs gently at your heartstrings without going overboard.
― There are many different kinds of lies: small ones, harmful ones, and, most insidious, the ones you desperately want to believe. There comes a point during growing up when you begin to understand that last...
Idol Dreams GN 2
The second volume of Arina Tanemura's magical woman story brings us into the past and mind of the series' de-facto mascot character, Tokita, as she continues to play with the magical girl genre.
― Why is Tokita helping Chikage to relive her adolescence? Volume one of Arina Tanemura's magical woman story implies that it's just because she was his first love back in the 9th grade, but is that really en...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2 GN 3
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is just as insane as ever with its overpowered fights and insane anatomy. This volume adds some emotional heft to the story as well, forcing Jojo himself to do some growing up.
― Are you excited for more Jojo after the cliffhanger of volume two?! Hirohiko Araki sure is! He wants you to know that every sentence is important, too, or that nearly every word spoken in Battle Tend...
Review: Love Live! School Idol Project Season 2 Blu-Ray
Love Live returns for a second season marked by the same plentiful strengths and frustrating weaknesses as the first.
― Love Live! is back! Having saved their school and stopped Kotori from traveling overseas last season, things have finally settled down for Honoka and the others. But of course, it wouldn't be a school idol show without dramatic conflict, so the team is swiftly thrust into preparatio...
Durarara!! Novels 1-3
The first three light novels in the Durarara!! saga are out in English, so Gabriella Ekens plunges in to see just how the novels stack up to the anime thus far.
― If you've been an anime fan for any amount of time, you're most likely already familiar with Durarara!!. First airing in 2009, it's about supernatural (and just plain weird) events going down in Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo's busiest districts. ...
No-Rin BD+DVD
Though it doesn't quite amount to much more than a fleeting good time, there's plenty of fanservice and a few decent jokes in this raunchy comedy.
― The basic premise – a city-bred idol retires to the country, where she gets indoctrinated into the ways of agriculture – seems ripe for all manner of “fish out of water” situations, and to an extent this 12 episode series from 2014 does use that approach...
Gundam Evolve
This collection of shorts from across the Gundam Universe features the return of Heero Yuy (for a few moments, anyway), but struggles to be anything more than a curiosity. Lauren Orsini straps in.
― Right now, Gundam is booming overseas and parent company Sunrise has taken note. In the second half of 2015, the company partnered with anime retailer Right Stuf to re-release six series from the classic ...
Real Account GN 1
Don't write this one off just because you're sick of "trapped in a game" stories - Real Account has some tricks up its sleeve that make it worth checking out.
― There comes a point in a genre when many consumers say “enough.” For the trapped-in-a-game genre, which is relatively young as these things go, that moment has been creeping up for many people, which may discourage them from picking up Okusho...
UQ Holder! GN 4
UQ Holder finally finds its feet in this volume, demonstrating far more drama, fun, and creativity than ever before.
― I knew this manga was worth believing in. In spite of its lackluster early volumes, I knew Akamatsu had it in him to make a truly satisfying shounen manga, one that demonstrated all the passion and creativity that occasionally glimmered through in Negima. It's taken a while, but UQ H...
ALDNOAH.ZERO Blu-Ray 4
ALDNOAH.ZERO tries just a little too hard to wrap everything up in a bow in these last six episodes, and while it works, it lacks any major impact.
― I very rarely say this, but in the case of Aldnoah.Zero, I firmly believe it: the show should have ended after episode twelve. While it would have been a depressing ending, it also would have made a point and kept its characters fairly interesting and r...
C³ BD+DVD
C3 is a surprisingly entertaining take on some well-worn action-fanservice territory.
― Released five years ago now, C³ was one of Silver Link's earliest productions, before they were renowned for… well, making a whole lot of shows exactly like C³. The show falls in the timeless “action-fanservice adaptation themed around torture/bondage gear” subgenre, which has more recently featured the legitimate...
Review: The Empire of Corpses
In select theaters now, The Empire of Corpses succeeds as a rip-roaring adventure story, even if its philosophical pretensions aren’t quite up to snuff.
― The easy, almost foolproof way of testing your appetite for The Empire of Corpses would be to ask: are you a fan of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman (the comics, not the film)? Does that kind of turn of the century steampunk aesthetic entice y...
Tokyo Ghoul Volumes 5 & 6
Tokyo Ghoul may not be subtle with its "monster vs. man" themes, but it does know how to keep you reading as we start to learn more about why Kaneki exists and what levels the police will stoop to in order to stop the ghouls.
― One thing you can say for Tokyo Ghoul – once it seizes on a theme, it doesn't look back. As the story has developed, it has continued to play with the notion of the monster ve...
REVIEW: Ajin
Based on the twisted and challenging hit manga, this fully-CG anime series considers the dark side of humanity. Theron Martin reports back from his binge-watch.
― One thing should be made clear up front about this 13 episode “Netflix Original” production: it was produced by Polygon Pictures, the same studio which produced Knights of Sidonia, and uses the same kind of CG animation style. Hence if you ...
Review: Dark Souls III
Dark Souls III is a splendid rendition of the form, but familiarity often breeds contempt. Though it's a great refinement of everything that's come before, this new iteration adds little to the formula.
― It's tough to describe Dark Souls 3 without becoming mired in references, it leans so hard into what's come before that its own character feels somewhat slight. Here's the poison swamp, here's the c...
Magic User's Club! TV + OVA DVD
Theron takes in the entire Magic User's Club franchise and tries to determine if this once-somewhat-popular romantic comedy still has any magic left in it after all these years.
― Though it has both light novel and manga adaptations, Magic User's Club! started out in 1996 as a six episode anime-original OVA series. (Some sources out on the Web claim that the OVA is an adaptation of the franchise's sh...
When They Cry Blu-Ray
This 2006 horror series holds up very well in terms of story; even if you've already seen, read, or played it, it's fun to go back and see how much these early arcs actually reveal once you know the answers.
― When mid-twentieth century radio host Reverend Vernon McGee said “God made the cities, and the devil made small towns,” he wasn't talking about When They Cry, but he very well could have been. ...
Forget Me Not GN 1
Based on a Taiwanese novel, Forget Me Not's first volume struggles with female characters who are more tropes than people even as it spins a fascinating story.
― Forget Me Not puts readers in a difficult position. Protagonist Yusuke Serizawa isn't really a bad guy per se, but he has hurt plenty of girls and women (and presumably males; they just aren't central to the story), and even if it was due mo...
Library Wars: Love & War GN 15
In its final volume, Library Wars: Love & War finally achieves a balance between romance and action, making this a happy ending all around.
― As the fluffier, more romantic cousin of the Library War TV anime, Library Wars: Love & War has tried to balance the budding romance between protagonist Iku and her gruff commanding officer Dojo with the anti-censorship action of a military story. It hasn't alw...
Psycho-Pass 2 BD+DVD
Nick Creamer details the many, many, many ways that this grim 'n gritty cyberpunk action sequel let down fans of the smash hit original series.
― The original Psycho-Pass was a real hit back when it premiered in 2012, one of the first hits in a long time for the once-renowned noitaminA anime block. The show was composed and partially written by Gen Urobuchi, a man who'd gained significant fame both i...
Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju is one of the finest anime in years, though its personal drama may leave you a little cold.
― We don't often get shows like Rakugo Shinju. The show is a period drama inside a period drama, introducing us to Yotaro, a hopeful student of rakugo in the 1970s, before cutting back to tell the story of his master Yakumo, when he was a mere student known as Kikuhiko. It's a drama...
Evergreen GN 4
Evergreen falters in its final volume in its handling of the "twist" that may have been one of the most poorly hidden secrets in recent manga.
― I'm fairly sure most of us saw this coming, whether we wanted to or not. The truth about Niki and Hotaka's relationship feels like it might have been the worst kept secret in the history of manga, though in truth that may simply be because it wasn't as well ...
She and Her Cat -Everything Flows-
An adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's acclaimed short, She and Her Cat is a gentle but affecting story told with great visual grace.
― She and Her Cat -Everything Flows- is a fairly unusual production. It's ostensibly an adaptation of one of Makoto Shinkai's very early films, but frankly, the Shinkai version doesn't offer much to adapt - it's five minutes of altered-photography backgrounds and minimalist...
Kingdom DVD
By all rights Kingdom should be a grand epic, but it falters in its storytelling by over-narrating and failing to find a balance between action and character development.
― Note: I use the Romanization provided by Funimation in the subtitles, but from the pronunciation it isn't entirely clear if pinyin or Wade-Giles is being used. Refer here for pronunciation differences. In some ways Kingdom is to C...
Princess Jellyfish [Omnibus] GN 1
Princess Jellyfish is finally available in English, and it is definitely worth the wait. Akiko Higashimura's story is touching, funny, and just all around a good read.
― If you have ever felt weird, alone, or socially anxious, Princess Jellyfish is a manga you ought to read. One of the most honest, and funniest, stories about not quite fitting in, Akiko Higashimura's tale of a group of self-proclaime...
Your Lie in April Vol. 1 Blu-Ray
Music shapes and defines the life of Kosei Arima in this acclaimed drama, out on bluray now from Aniplex of America. Theron Martin dives in.
― This release from Aniplex of America covers the first 11 episodes of the adaptation of Naoshi Arakawa's award-winning manga, which constitutes the first of the series' two seasons. Ostensibly it is a series about classical music, and indeed, that is featured r...
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
Grimgar presents a unique and compelling take on a well-worn premise, offering a more meditative style of fantasy adventure.
― Grimgar's premise is probably one you've heard before: “boy from our world finds himself waking up in a strange, medieval fantasy world. In this world, players must choose classes and then fight monsters, acquiring gold and new skills over time. And so the boy gathers togethe...
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend Vol. 1 Blu-Ray
Saekano tries to be a metafictional commentary on otakudom and game creation, but it gets a little too bogged down by that ambition and forgets to advance its plot. It has its fun moments, but not quite enough.
― In some ways it would have been better had Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend, adapted from the light novels of the same name by Fumiaki Maruto, saved episode zero for the end of the ...
Utawarerumono OAV Blu-Ray 1
These full-length OVA episodes from 2009 function as side stories to the original TV series. While the storytelling works, the artistry suffers.
― The original Utawarerumono releases came with a few OVA shorts, but these three episodes are actually a separate set of full-length episodes released in Japan in 2009, a set complete with its own distinct opener and closer. This release from Sentai Filmwor...
Mahō Shōjo Nante Mō Ii Desu Kara. Streaming
This sweet and silly little magical girl parody series hits a lot of the right notes even if it never really goes anywhere. It's fun, but not much else.
― Mahō Shōjo Nante Mō Ii Desu Kara. translates to I've had Enough of Being a Magical Girl, and you can certainly see why. Yuzuka, the eponymous magical girl, found herself saddled with the designation while walking home from school one day. A strange...
Bokurano
Bokurano tells a gripping and inspiring story of human conviction in spite of its messy animation problems.
― I'd been meaning to watch Bokurano for a while before it fortuitously popped up on Crunchyroll. The show falls in what I consider a “low-key classic” area of fan reputation - shows like Dennou Coil or Haibane Renmei, that have absolutely stellar reputations, but not the most visibility. It's ...
A Girl on the Shore GN
Inio Asano's sexually explicit tale of two depressed middle schoolers seeking solace in each other is haunting in its depiction of teenage depression and what its protagonists do to try and cope with it.
― Here's your warning before we discuss the book: this is a very sexually explicit manga, so if that makes you uncomfortable, A Girl on the Shore is not going to be the book for you. Given that Inio ...
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun BD+DVD
One of the most popular and beloved comedies of the last few years is out on bluray from Sentai Filmworks, and Theron Martin's ready for a revisit.
― With most anime comedies, the discussions are about whether or not they are funny enough consistently enough for them to be considered among the season's (or even year's) funniest titles. With this 12 episode offering from 2014, the discussion is instea...
Review: Parasyte -the maxim- Blu-Ray Vol. 1
The first half of Adult Swim's smash hit horror/thriller Parasyte is out on bluray from Sentai Filmworks. Nick Creamer revisits the phenomenon for a fresh look at all that gore and splatter.
― Initially published throughout the late 80s and early 90s, you'd think the Parasyte manga would be an odd choice for adaptation - until you learned it was accompanying a new live-action film release. Given that...
Indian Summer DVD
This three episode OVA series from 2007-2008 is an eminently forgettable fan service fest which is best forgotten about.
― This three episode OVA series, which adapts a manga of the same name, was originally released in Japan over 2007 and 2008. ADV Films gave the anime version its first American release in the first quarter of 2009, but it is now being rereleased by Sentai Filmworks under its Sentai...
Shuriken and Pleats GN 1
Matsuri Hino's new series is here, and this time it features a girl ninja instead of vampires. It's fun, but hampered by the fact that Hino doesn't seem quite sure what kind of story she wants to write.
― In the middle of writing her previous series, Vampire Knight, Matsuri Hino reports thinking to herself that she wouldn't write another manga series. Instead (and luckily for her fans), she wrote Shu...
KonoSuba – God's blessing on this wonderful world!!
Konosuba is inconsistently funny and certainly rough around the edges, but still finds charm in its group of ragtag non-heroes.
― That's right, they made another “trapped in a videogame-style world” show. The leveling, the acquiring of skills, the evil demon lord, all of it. Of course, Konosuba is a little different from Sword Art Online or Log Horizon. Imitation inevitably follows success, but so do...
Digimon Adventure tri. Episodes 5-8 Streaming
The second Digimon Adventure tri film is finally here! Does it build on the promise of the first installment? Our resident Digimon expert Jacob Hope Chapman finds out.
― Wow, the Adventure cast sure has grown up! In fact, they've grown up way more than I think anyone was expecting. If the first movie made it clear that Digimon Tri has set its sights on nostalgic children-at-heart instead of trying to...
Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter GN 1
Keiichi Hikami and Shin Yamamoto's take on the Monster Hunter world is much more faithful than Hiro Mashima's, and it's off to a decent start - even if it still may be more fun to actually play the game.
― Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter marks the second adaptation of the popular Monster Hunter game franchise to make it into English translation, the first being Kodansha's release of Hiro Mashima's Monst...
Deadman Wonderland GN 13
Deadman Wonderland's conclusion rushes to the finale a little too fast, but it largely proves a satisfying ending to the series.
― Ever since his classmates were killed and he was framed for their murders and sent to Deadman Wonderland, Ganta Igarashi's life has been a nightmare. Forced to fight for his life in twisted gladiatorial matches and later against the forces that put him in the prison in th...
[email protected] Cinderella Girls Season 2
Cinderella Girls’ second season rises high above the first, finding new strengths and firmly establishing itself as a worthy idol series.
― When I reviewed the first season of Cinderella Girls, I mentioned how the show seemed to have serious trouble getting out from under the shadow of its predecessor. The animation was a clear step down, and though occasional episodes were very well-directed, the sh...
School-Live! GN 2
As Kurumi, Yuri, and Yuki venture out to the mall on a field trip, more details about what happened emerge. Hope, as it turns out, can really be a double-edged sword.
― Even if you've seen the anime, it's worth reading the School-Live manga, because this volume shows just how much was changed or left out in the adaptation. The storyline for the second book in the series covers the “field trip” storyl...
Nichijou GN 1
Nichijou's first volume finally hits shelves as it combines comedy with slice-of-life to good effect, showing just why so many companies have been willing to take a chance on it.
― Nichijou, also known as My Ordinary Life, has had a long road to continuous publication in English. First licensed by Bandai, then briefly released digitally by JManga, it now at last has found a reliable home at Vertical,...
[email protected] Cinderella Girls
In spite of inviting unflattering comparisons to the original series, Cinderella Girls still has enough merit to stand on its own feet.
― It's hard not to compare Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls to the original Idolmaster. While Cinderella Girls isn't a direct sequel, it's an adaptation from the same broader media empire, takes place in the same universe, and even following roughly the same structure. A...
Legend of the Galactic Heroes Novel 1
Legend of the Galactic Heroes’ clumsy writing only somewhat detracts from its sharp commentary and engaging storytelling.
― Western fans have been waiting a long time for Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Created over the course of twelve years, the series' lengthy anime adaptation has never received a western release, in spite of garnering consistent praise from fans. It's not hard to guess why; the co...
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam - Part 2 (Blu-Ray)
The second half of Zeta Gundam suffers from a little tonal whiplash and struggles in places - is it still worth taking the dive on bluray? Lauren Orsini is ready to find out.
― It's nothing new to say that Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is a coming-of-age story. However, it becomes more apparent in the second half of the series that it's also a coming-of-age story for the Gundam franchise itself. The first ...
Lord Marksman and Vanadis BD+DVD
For all that this blending of epic high fantasy and fan service-y harem antics is a mess, an engaging cast plays a key role in making it tough to dislike.
― Tactical fantasy warfare meets fan service-laced harem antics in this Fall 2014 TV series. Though based on light novels, Lord Marksman actually feels more like a game adaptation, as it boasts distinct RPG flavoring and an emphasis on combat overv...
Wicked City DVD
If graphic, sexually-charged supernatural action series appeal to you then this remastered rerelease of a 1987 OVA from the director of Ninja Scroll should fit the bill quite nicely.
― Despite clocking in at 82 minutes, this 1987 production is actually technically an OVA, as it was originally released straight-to-video. It is based on novels written by Hideyuki Kikuchi, the prolific writer most famou...
Hour of the Zombie GN 1
Seven Seas' latest zombie title has some interesting twists that make it stand out in a crowded genre - and it's not just that the zombies are fast.
― Zombie stories have rapidly filled the supernatural niche previously reserved for hot vampires, and every day it feels like a new one pops up. Loosely based on Voodoo beliefs, academics have hypothesized that the popularity of the zombie horror story h...
Review: Free! Eternal Summer BD+DVD
The pressure is on as Haruka, Makoto, and Rin enter into their third year of high school and have to face the idea of the future...once they're done swimming, of course.
― There is no faster way to make something enjoyable into a chore than to add a little pressure to the mix. While Free! Eternal Summer is still at its heart a show about beautiful young men in tight, skimpy swimwear, that idea forms ...
Review: Terror in Resonance BD+DVD
Terror in Resonance stumbles as a thriller, but is lifted to near brilliance by its execution and compelling ideas.
― Shinichiro Watanabe is a name that carries a lot of weight in the anime community. Cowboy Bebop is one of the most acclaimed anime of all time, particularly overseas, where its scifi-western appeal and polished, inspired execution have made it a gateway anime for close to two decades....
Skip Beat! GN 36
Kyoko learns that her original nemesis is set to make a return while Ren tries not to be jealous of himself in another volume that proves that Skip Beat's still got it.
― Yoshiki Nakamura's Skip Beat may appear to strictly be about the tangled potential loves of heroine Kyoko Mogami as she struggles to crush her softer feelings, but if you trace it back to its roots, you'll see that her unhealthy rel...
Etotama Collector's Edition Blu-Ray Vol. 2-3
Although it requires muddling through several more episodes of brain-numbing antics, the dramatic payoff for the series' paper-thin storyline is surprisingly strong.
― In anime, it is not at all unusual for comedy series which are not purely episodic to turn serious (or at least mostly serious) in their final few episodes in order to resolve whatever semblance of plot is guiding them. Often this does...
Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Collector's Edition Blu-Ray Vol. 2
Rokka switches genres and settles into a very entertaining mystery rhythm in its middle set of episodes.
― Things have changed in Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers. The show's first collection set up a compelling fantasy world, but didn't do much more than that; ultimately, those four episodes ended up feeling like a prologue to the actual story, with the show's slow pacing and poor character writing ...
The Rising of the Shield Hero Novel 3
The third volume of this fantasy series really picks up the slack as it gives us more information about the world and political system Naofumi has landed in. Suddenly, things are making a lot more sense.
― Sometimes a series needs a few volumes to hit its stride. Aneko Yusagi's The Rising of the Shield Hero is clearly one of them. While volume one did a reasonable job of introducing the premise – fou...
Umineko When They Cry Episode 5: End of the Golden Witch Volume 3 GN 12
The series gets back on track with this volume, although it still relies a bit heavily on a discussion of mystery as a genre rather than the mystery itself.
― Ryukishi07 has established an authorial habit in this fifth arc of his Umineko: When They Cry mystery series that has the unfortunate side effect of taking away from his own story's efficacy and enjoyability: trolling the reader. This really ca...
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