Anime Hajime Review: Boogiepop Phantom

Series Synopsis

I don’t know how I’m going to do this.

A bright pillar of light beamed into the night sky. As quick as it appeared, it was gone. Now the effects of this phenomenon begin to affect the residents of an unnamed town.

Those who possess a weak will, easily become susceptible to manipulation. People become the carries of strange and in many cases dangerous forces that inhabit the world. Some try to run while others embrace their fate; or that's what they keep telling themselves.

This town is no stranger to unexplained events. Five years ago there were a string of violent murders. Many unnerving and terrifying rumors began to spread; including, but not limited to supernatural beings and secret organizations. However there was one that rose above all others; the urban legend known as Boogiepop (voiced by Kaori Shimizu).

The shadow has built a reputation of being an Angle of Death. Whenever Boogiepop is close, you can hear an eerie whistle to signal the time has come. Although the talks of Boogiepop have died down over the years, the presence of this spirit continues to linger.

Anime Hajime Review: Girls und Panzer

Series Synopsis

Miho Nishizumi (voiced by Mai Fuchigami) has transferred to Oarai Prefectural Girls High School, hoping to get away from her family's line of work. She quickly befriends Saori Takebe (voiced by Ai Kayano) and Hana Isuzu (voiced by Mami Ozaki) just as the school clubs start recruiting for new members. It's all very exciting until the student council pressures Miho into signing up for one the institutions oldest, and until recently defunct, clubs; sensha-do (Way of the Tank).

The world of Oarai Girls High is not like our own. Historic and famed World War II era battle tanks have been proudly maintained and are used for one of the most celebrated sporting events on Earth. Miho’s family is among one of the sport’s most prestigious competitors, but a traumatic experience in a past match caused her to give it up.

Oarai High’s new tank squad is as ragtag as they come. Almost nothing remains of the previous sensha-do program, aside from a few clunkers. How this green group of cadets hopes to make a name for themselves is anyone’s guess.

Yet the team rallies. Through her experience, Miho's tank team, made up of radio operator Saori, gunner Hana, loader and uber-tank enthusiast Yukari Akiyama (voiced by Ikumi Nakagami), and driver as well as hypersomniac Mako Reizei (voiced by Yuka Iguchi), quickly establish Oarai High as a formidable opponent.

Anime Hajime Review: Fantasista Doll

Series Synopsis

When she was younger, Uzume Uno (voiced by Ayaka Ohashi) was a champion card game player. Over the years though, she has moved on from the hobby she once loved and is now in high school. Timid and shy, she has difficulties standing up to people and saying no. Although sometimes inconvenient, she has come to accept this as part of her daily life.

That changes when Uzume discovers that someone has given her a strange cell phone. Not sure of what to make of it, she's given no time to investigate as she is suddenly attacked by an underclassman named Kagami Todori (voiced by Sachika Misawa). Kagami is in command of a powerful female warrior and quickly corners Uzume.

Trapped, everything appears hopeless until Uzume hears a person calling out to her. The voice offers to help if Uzume agrees to a contract. With little choice, she accepts.

The phone Uzume was given lights up and manifests a yellow haired girl named Sasara (voiced by Minami Tsuda) who defeats Kagami. Sasara explains she is one of a many artificial dolls who can be summoned through special cards in battle and Uzume is her new master. The rest of the team includes Kaita (voiced by Sora Tokui), Shimeji (voiced by Chinatsu Akasaki), Akari (voiced by Akiko Hasegawa), and Madeleine (voiced by Sayaka Ohara).

Anime Hajime Review: Owarimonogatari

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Owarimonogatari and all previous entries in the Monogatari series. The following may contain spoilers from the previous entries.***

Series Synopsis

Only a few short months have passed since that fateful spring which briefly turned Koyomi Araragi (voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya) into a vampire. He has since saved many from devastating and potential fatal encounters with the shadowy entities known as oddities. Yet the details of his own past have largely remained a mystery.

Weather out of preference or happenstance, Koyomi has not faced the demons of his younger years. That changes the day Ogi Oshino (voiced by Kaori Mizuhashi) came into his life.

Ogi is a strange, eccentric girl who claims to be the niece of Koyomi’s old mentor, Meme Oshino. Nothing ever seems to bother her and she knows a lot of details concerning Koyomi’s past exploits. Possessing a keen detective sense, she can fully ascertain almost any situation nearly instantaneously. Always with a plan and always with a smile, Ogi is never without an ace up her sleeve.

This is only the beginning for Koyomi must finally address his relationship with the powerful vampire, Shinobu Oshino (voiced by Maaya Sakamoto). The hardships of many, many centuries are about to boil over and everything is on the line.

Anime Hajime Review: Mermaid Forest

Series Synopsis

There’s a legend going around. Should a person eat the flesh of a mermaid, they will be granted immortality and eternal youth. Many have sought out these mythical creatures hoping to receive this gift. Unfortunately, few realize the great risk one must take upon consumption.

To the vast majority of people, mermaid flesh is exceedingly poisonous; with death being almost instantaneous. And if you’re lucky, that's the merciful fate you will get. Another equally possible and horrific side effect involves the person turning into a carnivorous monster with no ounce of humanity left. Only on the absolute rarest of occasions will someone survive and obtain immortality.

One such person is Yuta (voiced by Koichi Yamadera) who has now live for 500 years; alone. Over the centuries, Yuta has been on a journey to find another mermaid. He heard that a mermaid is the only thing that can give him what he desires most, a chance to grow old and die a natural death.

On his travels, Yuta saves a young girl named Mana (voiced Minami Takayama) from a pack of mermaids who wished to devour her in order to regain their youth. Like Yuta, Mana was also able to survive consuming mermaid flesh and has been given immortality. However, Mana has been kept isolated from the outside world, so she decides to join Yuta on his quest.

Out and About: The Exhibition of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

The Exhibition of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

Believe it or not, I actually do get out into the real world. One of the benefits of living in Tokyo, when it comes to anime and manga, I get to very easily see awesome stuff like this.

The Exhibition of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon featured a large collection showcasing the past two decades of the Sailor Moon franchise. Ranging from the manga, to the television series, to merchandise, this was a wall to wall gallery located at Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills.

Without any hint of exaggeration, this was a paradise for any Sailor Moon fan, both young and old, and I am incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to see it for myself.

So I’m here to give you my experience at this one of a kind exhibit.

Anime Eiga Review: K-On The Movie

Film Synopsis

Now in their final year of high school, the Light Music Club is preparing for their next great challenge; college.

The founding members of After School Tea Time, lead guitarist Yui (voiced by Aki Toyosaki), bass player Mio (voiced by Yoko Hikasa), drummer Ritsu (voiced by Satomi Sato), and keyboardist Mugi (voiced by Minako Kotobuki), suddenly realize that although the four of them will be graduating, their rhythm guitarist, Azusa (voiced by Ayana Taketatsu), still has another year to go. The four older members of the band decide that they must do something for their precious underclassman.

Coming up with the perfect gift is hard, but it gets even harder when the girls hear that other clubs will be going abroad for their graduation trips. The Light Music Club quickly decides that they too should do something. After some deliberation, they decide to head off to one the greatest musical hot spots out there, London. What started as a whim quickly became a reality and Sakuragaoka High’s Light Club Band found themselves at the center of one of musical capitals of the world.

While on their trip, the girls try to get the full London experience; albeit having to constantly cross the language barrier. But for the older members of the band, they must come up with Azusa’s surprise without letting her know what they are planning.

Anime Ichiban: Top Ten Ending Songs

Criteria

If there’s something easier to skip than a show’s opening song, it would be its ending song.

With cliffhangers, enthrallment, and general curiosity plaguing most audiences, who can sit through the entire ending credits before playing the next episode? It’s perhaps why series are not often associated with their ending themes.

A common trait I see with opening themes is they often do little to set the mood and sometimes fail to portray what exactly is going to happen. Ending themes do this too, but are usually much worse. I can’t even begin to tell you how times an episode has ended on a dark, serious note, where many people have dead, the s@#$ has hit the fan, and then suddenly a light hearted, happy go lucky song that could be found in some random children’s show starts playing; like yeah, that’s not tension killing what so ever.

However, there are occasions where one comes along that stops you dead in your tracks. Whether it’s the tone, atmosphere, or sheer epicness, sometimes an ending song takes you completely off guard.

An ending theme has never swayed my opinion of a show, either positively or negatively. But when a good one does come along, its always appreciated.