Anime Hajime Review: New Game Season 2

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for New Game season two. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

A year has passed since Aoba Suzukaze (voiced by Yuki Takada) joined the game developer, Eagle Jump. There have been plenty of difficult moments during that time. The stresses of adulthood and working life are not something to make light of. Yet if given the chance to do it again, Aoba would not change a thing.

Despite being its newest member, Aoba is now a fully-fledged employee of the company. People recognize her talents and respect her never-give-up nature. No one more so than Aoba’s own idol Ko Yagami (voiced by Yoko Hikasa).

Though the work may be hard, Aoba is having the time of her life. With each passing day, she becomes even more confident she chose the right path. Along with meeting a never-ending stream of new people, things couldn’t be better.

Yet the world of game creating is demanding. There never seems to be a lull in the workload. If anything, things will become even busier in the days ahead. For Aoba, that’s just fine.

Anime Hajime Review: Centaur's Worries

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Centaur's Worries. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

It’s best to tackle life one day at a time. That’s true for both humans and centaurs alike. Although, centaurs do have their own set of problems to worry about.

Himeno Kimihara (voiced by Seria Fukagawa), young centaur, has built a reputation of kindness and is well liked amongst her classmates. While enjoying herself, she must deal with the kind of things any teenager would go through. School, tests, relationships, things we’ve all have to face.

Along the way, Himeno meets and befriends many different kinds of people. Each trying to make the most out of their world. To help make sense of everything, Himeno relies on the support of her two dearest friends. Nozomi Gokuraku (voiced by Yuki Kuwahara), a demon girl, and Kyouko Naraku (voiced by Haruka Shiraishi), a half Satyr.

Together these three do the best anyone can. Things get tough. Things get difficult. But nothing’s ever too much. If you can go to bed with a smile on your face, it means you doing fine.

Anime Hajime Review: Aho-Girl

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Aho-Girl. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

The word “idiot” is subjective. Those things or people we deem as daft, dense, and asinine is our opinion. To use those terms, as a matter of fact, is childish. Stupid, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Or at least that’s true 99.9% of the time.

For Yoshiko Hanabatake (voiced by Aoi Yuki) idiot is the only correct way to describe her. There is no one alive outside who can comprehend what's going on in her mind. To make matters worse, what Yoshiko lacks in brain powers she more than makes up for in energy. Once she starts, there's nothing that can stop her. Aside from occasional shiny object.

For most people, five minutes with Yoshiko would be an endurance test. Akuru Akutsu (voiced by Tomakazu Sugita) has been putting up with her for years. As her childhood friend, Akuru's patience died long ago. 

Now in high school, Yoshiko’s classmates do not know the whirlwind coming their way. There are some who will try to stand their ground. Yet there is no one who can face the embodiment of idiocy.

Anime Hajime Review: Hajimete no Gal

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Hajimete no Gal. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Junichi Hashiba (voiced by Shintaro Asanuma) is what you might call, a loser. All around him, his classmates are pairing up and forming couples. While he’s left stuck with his group of perverted friends.

Fed up with their situation, Junichi’s pals devise a bold plan. They want nothing more than to lose their virginity, so they decide to go for their best shot. In their class is a beautiful “gal” girl named Yukana Yame (voiced by Yuki Nagaku).

Gal girls, to them, have a reputation of being quite loose. Though confident in their assumption, none of them have the balls to go through with it. Thus, Junichi’s group tricks Junichi into meeting with Yukana.

Dumbfounded to be in this predicament, Junichi is at a loss when Yukana does show up for the meeting. Throwing caution to the wind, Junichi goes for it. However, Yukana sees right through him. After a thorough bout of teasing, Junichi believes his school life to be over.

Then Yukana does something no one would’ve expected. She agrees to be Junichi’s girlfriend.

Anime Hajime Review: Akiba's Trip - The Animation

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Akiba’s Trip – The Animation. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

For fans of anime, video games, and everything nerdy, there’s one place where a person can find it all. The otaku capital of the world, Akihabara.

Tamotsu Denkigai (voiced by Haruki Ishiya) is an Akihabara regular. He knows this town like the back of his hand. Then one day, he stumbles across a secret war that has been waging for years. A war that will determine the fate of the city.

Looking to control humanity are dangerous beings known as Bugged Ones. With the ability to turn people into mindless servants, there is almost nothing that can stop them. Except for one person. Matome Mayonaka (voiced by Rie Takahashi) is herself a Bugged One who seeks to protect Akihabara.

During one fight, Matome gets overwhelmed. Without thinking, Tamotsu saves her life at the cost of his own. To spare him, Matome turns Tamotsu into a Bugged One. Though this gives him superhuman strength, it comes at a cost.

One, Tamotsu can no longer leave the city limits. Two, he must face a never-ending wave of enemies. Enemies whose only weakness is stripping them of their clothes. Since they are Bugged Ones themselves, should Tamotsu or Matome ever get naked, they will die.

Anime Hajime Review: Hinako Note

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

Series Synopsis

Hinako Sakuragi (voiced by Mao Ichimichi) has struggled with speaking to people for as long as she can remember. She's quick to panic whenever someone tries talking to her. This results in her stiffening up much like a scarecrow. Despite her shy nature, she has always love one thing. The theater.

Upon entering high school, Hinako leaves her countryside home for Tokyo. There she hopes to get into acting and learn how not to be afraid of others. She manages to find an apartment at the small Hitotose Manor. Her journey to find her confidence beings as soon as she steps through the front door.

Hinako grows accustomed to her new life thanks to her new housemates and friends.

Kuina Natsukawa (voiced by Miyu Tomita) has a huge appetite and an affinity for the taste of books. You didn’t misread that.

Mayuki Hiiragi (voiced by Yui Ogura) is often mistaken for a grade schooler due to her small stature. Never mind the fact she is a year older than Hinako.

Anime Hajime Review: Boku Dake ga Inai Machi

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Boku Dake ga Inai Machi. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

The year is 2006. Satoru Fujinuma (voiced by Shinnosuke Mitsushima) has a unique ability. Whenever a life-threatening event is about to occur, he can go back in time to prevent it. Although, he’s only ever been given five minutes at the most. He calls the phenomenon "Revival".

Although using his abilities as best he can, Satoru carries a lot of guilt. He wonders who he could’ve saved if only he had acted. One such instance occurred during his childhood. Three of his former classmates were murdered. Particularly the death of Kayo Hinazuki (voiced by Aoi Yuki) has sat the worst with him.

Despite a conviction, Satoru believes the true killer is still out there. In fact, that person may be much closer than he realizes.

Satoru’s mother, a former journalist, notices an odd event. An event similar to what happened two decades ago. Unfortunately, she is killed before she can talk. The perpetrator then tries pinning the crime on Satoru.

Unsure how Satoru can clear his name, an unprecedented Revival occurs. Instead of going back a few moments, he returns to the year 1988. Right before the murders took place. Now ten-year-old Satoru (voiced by Tao Tsuchiya) has a chance to save his friends. And in the process, stop the elusive killer.

Anime Hajime Review: Metal Fighter Miku

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Metal Fighter Miku. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

The year is 2061. The sport of Neo Pro-Wrestling is taking Japan and the world by storm. Contestants suited in high tech armor fight it out to see which team is the strongest. Most do it for the glory. Miku (voiced by Konami Yoshida), on the other hand, does it for the love of the game.

As the newest member of the up and coming team, the Pretty Four, Miku is looking to fulfill her dream. At last, she is a professional wrestler. Along with her teammates, Ginko, Nana, and Sayaka (voiced by Ai Orikasa, Mariko Onodera, and Michiko Neya), the Pretty Four are the fastest growing group in the league.

And now they have the chance to prove themselves.

Teams from around the country face off for a chance to become the Neo-Pro Wrestling Champions. Though their ambitions are high, the Pretty Four’s skills could use some work. To do so, they decide to hire a new coach, Eiichi Suo (voiced by Kiyoyuki Yanada).

Miku underestimates how hard this journey will be. However, this doesn’t stop her from giving it everything she has. Her raw talent holds unimaginable potential. But to get to her goal, Miku must face Japan’s very best.

Anime Hajime Review: Mononoke

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

Series Synopsis

Spirits exist in their own plane. That is where they belong. And that is where they should stay.

Yet these entities seek to attach themselves to our world. When they do they become the beings known as the Mononoke. Filled with anguish, these creatures can cause great harm and need to be destroyed.

Thus, enters the Medicine Seller (voiced by Takahiro Sakurai).

A drifter, the Medicine Seller hunts the Mononoke. In his possession is a mysterious sword that can exorcise these demons. Although the sword's power can only be unleashed after meeting three criteria.

In order to defeat a Mononoke, the Medicine Seller must learn the form the spirit takes. The truth behind its existence. Plus, the reason why it lingers.

This is a task easier said than done. Though the Mononoke are dangerous, they are born from the evil that resides in the hearts of men. The darker the secret, the tighter a person holds on to it. And some people hold some very dark secrets.