Anime Hajime Review: Charlotte

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Charlotte. Reader discretion is advised.

Series Synopsis

There are those with the ability to do amazing things. Yuu Otosaka (voiced by Koki Uchiyama) is one such person. He has the ability to possess another anyone. Even if it's only for five seconds.

Yuu has used his power to get everything he has ever wanted. This has thus made him cocky and rude. His world then turns upside down when he meets Nao Tomori (voiced by Ayane Sakura).

As the student council president of Hoshinoumi Academy, Noa has a huge responsibility. Her school is a safe haven for those with unique gifts. It is the job of the student council to locate these people before they fall into more devious hands.

Nao convinces Yuu to use his ability for the greater good. With this, the two begin a difficult journey to save as many people as possible. As well as confronting the hardships their circumstances bring.

Anime Hajime Review: Kaiba

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Kaiba. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

A boy (voiced by Houko Kuwashima) wakes up in the middle of what seems to be a battle. On top of that, he has lost all his memories, including his name. The only clue he has is a pendant containing a blurry picture of a girl.

Out of nowhere, the boy is attacked. While on the run from his pursuers, the intricacies of this world start to come together.

People can store their memories as digital files. This allows anyone to transfer their consciousness into whatever body they like. Except this process is quite expensive. Thus, only the very rich can afford to do so. Everyone else must live in a lawless wasteland of impoverishment.

The boy manages to escape his current planet and blasts off into an unknown universe. He takes the name Warp and begins a quest to recover his memories. As well as discover his connection to the girl in his pendant.

Anime Hajime Review: Pupa

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Pupa. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

This is the story of Utsutsu Hasegawa (voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki) and his younger sister Yume (voiced by Ibuki Kido). The siblings have lived a difficult life. One that has made them close. As such Utsutsu has vowed to protect his sister no matter what.

Then on one fateful day, his words are put to the test.

Yume transforms into a terrifying monster with a craving for human meat. Watching his sister go on a feeding spree, Utsutsu tries to reach out to her. Yume can hear her brother, but the monster has no part of it and attacks.

Hours later, Utsutsu wakes up in some kind of laboratory. Here he learns he and his sister are hosts for the Pupa virus. Poor Yume has succumbed to the full brunt of its monstrous effects. But Utsutsu has gained the ability of regeneration.

Yume is beyond saving. However, there is a way to satisfy her appetite. She must feed on the flesh of her own brother.

Anime Hajime Review: Hidamari Sketch

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Hidamari Sketch. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Yamabuki Arts is a top vocational academy for aspiring artist. And across the street is the small Hidamari Apartment building.

Yuno (voiced by Kana Asumi) has dreamed of attending the famous art school and she lives in room 201. Soft-spoken and compassionate, she soon befriends the other residents.

Miyako (voiced by Kaori Mizuhashi) is Yuno’s neighbor, classmate, and closest friend. She is a skilled artist and the polar opposite of the low key Yuno. Loud, bombastic, and spontaneous, she moves with little rhyme or reason.

Hiro (voiced by Yuko Goto) is a year older than Yuno and Miyako and lives on the floor below them. A source of moral support, she is the mother figure for the group.

Sae (voiced by Ryoko Shintani) is best friends with Hiro as well as her next-door neighbor. A published author, she attends Yamabuki so she can draw the illustrations for her novels.

These four spend their time bettering their art, living their lives, and always together.

Anime Hajime Review: Mayoi Neko Overrun

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Mayoi Neko Overrun. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Based in the small café, Stray Cats, a group of friends spend their high school days hanging out.

Takumi Tsuzuki (voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto) and Fumino Serizawa (voiced by Kanae Ito) have known each other for years. The two are close, but in the case of Fumino, feelings go much deeper

Fumino is unable to express her thoughts and has a habit of saying the opposite of what she means. This is a secret known by pretty much everybody. This includes Fumino's arch-rival, Chise Umenomori (voiced by Yuka Iguchi).

One day, Takumi’s adoptive older sister, Otome Tsuzuki (voiced by Satomi Sato), brings a girl by the name of Nozomi Kiriya (voiced by Ayana Taketatsu).

Nozomi is quiet, mysterious, and very cat-like. Yet she finds comfort in Takumi, Fumino, and Chise’s friendship.

The crew of Stray Cats goes about their lives, getting into many different adventures.

Anime Hajime Review: Non Non Biyori Repeat

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Non Non Biyori Repeat. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Welcome back to the small peaceful town of Asahigaoka. Here the sky is huge, the air is clean, and the school is small.

Renge Miyauchi (voiced by Kotori Koiwai) is your typical first grader. She is curious about the many oddities of life around her. She knows little and cares even less about the world outside her hometown.

Hotaru Ichijo (voiced by Rie Murakawa) is a transfer student from Tokyo. Though awed by the unfamiliar atmosphere, she grows accustomed to country life. Her soft-spoken demeanor envelops her in a mature light, despite only being in the fifth grade.

Sisters Natsumi (voiced by Ayane Sakura) and Komari Koshigaya (voiced by Kana Asumi) are in sixth and seventh grade. Natsumi's energetic, impulsive and a poor student. Komari is self-conscious about her short stature and does not do well with scary things.

These four continue to spend their time exploring their home, going to school, and having fun.

It's amazing how after an entire year so many things can change. All the while feeling as though nothing was ever that different, to begin with.

Anime Hajime Review: Ore Monogatari

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Ore Monogatari. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Do not judge Takeo Goda (voiced by Takuya Eguchi) on appearances. If you were to do, you would only see an intimidating specimen of a man. You would miss the kind and friendly person he is.

Takeo has had zero luck with ladies. Thanks in part to his towering presence. Though unfortunate, it doesn't stop him from smiling. If given the chance, people soon recognize him as the gentle giant he his. Such as his best friend, Makoto Sunakawa (voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki).

One day while on the subway, Takeo saves a girl from an obnoxious creep. After the rescue, Takeo's heart skips a beat when the beautiful young lady thanks him.

Takeo is later visited by the girl who introduces herself as Rinko Yamato (voiced by Megumi Han). In the wake of such bravery, she has fallen head over heels for Takeo. In a joyous union, the two begin a fairy tale romance.

Takeo and Rinko have since become inseparable. There is no one who can deny how much they love each other.

Anime Hajime Review: Grenadier

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Grenadier. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

The world has fallen victim to endless violence. There are many who seek to eliminate such strife. Most who do believe the only way to do that is through force.

Then there are those like Rushuna Tendou (voiced by Mikako Takahashi). She is a gunslinger who travels the land without killing her opponents. Instead, she uses kindness to remove their desire to fight.

Though nonviolent, Rushuna is more than capable of dominating any foe. A skilled sharpshooter, she that can disarm dozens of enemies with ease. She is a superb tactician and a seasoned warrior.

While on her journey, Rushuna meets a swordsman by the name of Yajiro Kojima (voiced by Kazuya Nakai). Accustom to the ways of conventional warfare, Yajiro finds Rushuna naïve. Upon witnessing her skills, he decides to give her teachings a try.

Rushuna’s quest turns complicated when she becomes the target of the capital city. Having done nothing wrong, she heads off to correct this gross misunderstanding.

Anime Hajime Review: Hanamonogatari

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Hanamonogatari and all previous installments to the Monogatari series. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Suruga Kanbaru (voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro) laments over losing her two beloved upperclassmen to graduation. Life has become lonelier and a little boring.

Still cursed by the monkey’s paw, Suruga has adjusted her life to accommodate its existence. She continues to live what many may consider a happy life. Even if it is a hollow one.

One day she hears rumor of devil that can solve any problem with no questions asked.

Out of curiosity, Suruga tracks down this so-called devil. Who she finds is another high schooler like herself. Except that isn’t quite true. This person was her arch nemesis from her basketball days, Roka Numachi (voiced by Kana Asumi).

An injury resigned Roka to a leg cast for the past three years. Thus destroying a promising career. The only solace she has found is removing the misery within other. Even if it means fostering her own selfish desires.

Suruga's involvement increases upon learning of Roka's second hobby. Along with misery, she has been collecting the parts of an actual devil. One Suruga knows well.