4 Year Thank You

***Please note: This will be the final post to the Blogger site. To continue reading LofZOdyssey Anime Reviews, follow on my WordPress site by clicking HERE.***

To all my readers – old, new, and everyone in-between – THANK YOU for being here.

Sincerely and truly, with every ounce of my heart: THANK YOU so very much.

Looking back on the last year, I can’t help marvel at what has changed; not just with this site, but within my own personal life. And when I recall where I was four years ago when LofZOdyssey Anime Reviews started, it’s almost as if I’m thinking of a completely different person.

But I believe that is a good thing. Although I am fond of both where I have been and the journey it took me to get where I am now, I have no intention of backpedaling.

I am pleased with the direction the site is going in, and 2019 promises to be the biggest and best year yet. I may not know what the future holds, but I plan on doing my damnedest to see that that happens.

However, before I take steps to ensure LofZOdyssey Anime Reviews continues to grow, allow me a moment to reflect on the past 365 days.

First, LofZOdyssey Anime Reviews underwent – or, at least, at the time of this posting – has been undergoing a massive move from Blogger to WordPress. Transferring my entire catalog of reviews, Top Tens, and other posts (and doing it right) is taking much longer than I initially expected. Luckily, since doing this means a more polished and a more user-friendly site, I have no regrets.

With confidence, I can say that by the time my 5th Anniversary rolls around, everything should be done (fingers crossed).

Second, 2018 saw the revitalization of the Out and About series with the introduction of Out and About: Eigakan. I hope these kinds of posts have been to everyone’s liking because I have really enjoyed putting them together.

Plus, there is a high chance 2019 may include a handful of Out and About posts under the series’ original intention. Due to circumstances, I will have much readier access to a certain world-famous Japanese theme park (and no, not the one with the Mouse).

Third – and this has easily been the best thing to ever happen to this site – let’s all give a big virtual round of applause to my amazingly brilliant and invaluable editor, Onions. With Onion’s assistance, reviews and other posts have reached heights of quality I never could have dreamed of when starting out.

So to you specifically Onions: THANK YOU.

Finally, 2018 taught me the importance of getting to the point. Thus, I will do precisely that.

Once again, THANK YOU for reading. THANK YOU for following. THANK YOU for liking, commenting, and sharing. THANK YOU for just taking the time out of your day to give my small corner of the internet a peak.

As always, I’m LofZOdyssey

AND THANK YOU FOR FOUR WONDERFUL YEARS!

Here’s to another four and more. I will see you next time.

Continue reading LofZOdyssey Anime Reviews by clicking HERE.

The Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - 2018 (Day 5): The Top Anime of 2018 (10 - 1)

***To see the full rundown of the rules for the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights, please click HERE.***

Introduction

So it has come to this. The absolute best.

If you want to catch yourself up on which series earned the first ten positions, please click HERE.

If you are ready to go, though, let’s not waste any more time.

The year has ended, and these are the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - Top Anime of 2018 (10 to 1):

The Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - 2018 (Day 4): The Top Anime of 2018 (20 - 11)

***To see the full rundown of the rules for the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights, please click HERE.***

Introduction

I had to make this a top twenty. Even after coming to that conclusion, I still debated and toiled over which series were going to make the cut. I hate to imagine what it would have been like had I just limited myself to only ten.

Nevertheless, here we are – Part One.

Out of the many series from 2018, which were the cream of the crop? Which were always meant to make this list, and which turned out to be huge surprises?

Comedy, drama, adventure, fantasy, horror, there were so many stories from so many genres over the last year. These shows couldn’t have been more different. But, there is one crucial factor which links each of the following entries:

They were all fantastic.

These are the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights – Top Anime of 2018 (20 to 11):

The Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - 2018 (Day 3): The Top Ten Best Characters

***To see the full rundown of the rules for the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights, please click HERE.***

Introduction

With any show, it is safe to assume there will be a full cast of characters to get to know.

The same is then true with the next series. Then the next one. And then the one after that. And then so on and so on until your stuck compiling a list of the top ten characters of a given year and you must sift through hundreds of possible contenders.

If you think that sounds daunting, don’t. You would be surprised by how manageable such a task is.

When you have encountered as many characters as I have, only the truly best stand out. Now don’t get me wrong, there were a lot more than ten exceptional characters from 2018, and cuts had to be made.

Thus, my guiding rule was: The closer a character came to absolute excellence, the higher their rank ended up (a flawless system, I know).

Representing the year’s most interesting, engaging, and solid, this is the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - Top Ten Characters of 2018:

The Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - 2018 (Day 2): The Top Ten Best Animation

***To see the full rundown of the rules for the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights, please click HERE.***

Introduction

I have said this on multiple occasions in the past: Animation is NOT what makes an anime good. Stories and characters do that.

However, gorgeous visuals have never hurt anything. Besides, how can we expect to have an anime highlights week without showcasing the medium’s own namesake?

It goes without saying that every category during these highlights is based off one person’s opinion – mine. Nowhere is this more the case than when it comes to ranking art styles. What I might see as gold, you may see as trash.

And if you think that about any of the entries, so be it.

All I can offer is my criteria.

Along with general beauty, I tried taking into account a series’ uniqueness. Did a show stand-alone or did it look like something I have already seen hundreds of times before?

Also, since certain styles – a.k.a., CGI – are becoming more and more prevalent, execution and implementation needed to be considered.

Mix all those factors together, and BOOM, you have the list for the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - Top Ten Animation of 2018:

The Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights - 2018 (Day 1): The Top Ten Best Opening Songs

***To see the full rundown of the rules for the Inaugural LofZOdyssey Highlights, please click HERE.***

Introduction

As a reviewer – and more to the point – as a marathon viewer, I usually must set aside up to SIX HOURS to watch a single series. Then there are the twenty-plus-episode shows that require at least half a day to complete. Therefore, any place where I can chip away at some of that time, I will.

Often the first to go is a series’ opening song.

Not only have I seen shows’ openings completely misrepresent what their stories were about, but they have actually spoiled specific details about the narrative. For example, have you ever wondered about a mysterious character seen in an opening who has yet to make an appearance despite being on episode eight of a twelve-episode show?

Yes, I don’t mind skipping an opening song in favor of just continuing with a story.

HOWEVER, every now and then, an opening will catch my attention. A song plays that fully encapsulates the heart of its series, and most importantly of all, gets you excited to watch.

And for the record, I didn’t realize until I was making this list how many of those types of openings were in 2018. It was far more difficult to pick out the top ten than I expected.

Anime Hajime Review: FLCL Alternative

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for FLCL Alternative. Reader discretion is advised. The following series was watched with the English dubbing.***

Series Synopsis

Kana Koumoto (voiced in Japanese by Karen Miyama and voiced in English by Megan Harvey) isn’t particularly extraordinary. She just lives her life one day at a time. While that could turn boring and lonesome, Kana knows she can always go to her friends if she needs to.

And Kana thinks the best way to return her gratitude is to always be there for her friends as well. Even if that means being a bit pushy.

Then one day, Kana crosses paths with Haruko Haruhara (voiced in Japanese by Mayumi Shintani and voiced in English by Kari Wahlgren), and her once peaceful, no-thrills existence ends.

All around Kana, the world appears to be crumbling. People are leaving in droves, and Kana believes her friends are maturing at a much faster rate than her. It’s almost as if everything is ending. And either not helping in the slightest or helping immensely – it’s hard to tell which – the spirited Haruko ensures that nothing will ever turn boring.

Anime Hajime Review: Boarding School Juliet

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Boarding School Juliet. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Dahlia Academy Boarding School is a prestigious institution which houses students from the rivaling countries The Nation of Touwa and The Principality of West, and it would seem the bad blood is alive and well within these walls of learning.

The Touwa pupils reside within the Black Dog Dormitory and the Westerners in the White Cat Dormitory. The tension between the two sides has persisted for years. Nowhere is the hatred greater than between the leaders of the Black Dog’s and the White Cat’s first-year high school classes, Romio Inuzuka and Juliet Persia (voiced by Yuki Ono and Ai Kayano).

Or so it would appear.

For as long as he can remember, Romio has loved Juliet. In his eyes, Juliet is the definition of strength, grace, and determination. One day, Romio risks everything and finally confesses his feelings. Although taken aback, Juliet has also seen Romio as her most formidable rival and equal, and thus, albeit tentatively, accepts his confession.

Anime Hajime Review: FLCL Progressive

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

Series Synopsis

Hidomi Hibajiri (voiced by Inori Minase) has chosen to close herself off from the world. However, in her dreams, Hidomi sees visions of horrific death and destruction. When she wakes, Hidomi thinks nothing of her restless nights. Still, a part of her mind tells her she can’t go anywhere without her beloved pair of headphones for protection.

What Hidomi doesn’t know is what her headphones are protecting her from. Mainly: Herself.

Should her thoughts turn drastic, Hidomi will fall into a state known as overflow; the properties of which are shrouded in mystery. One day, Hidomi discovers her classmate, Ko Ide (voiced by Jun Fukuyama), can also activate overflow. Therefore, how many more can do so as well?

Although hoping to block out the madness residing in her head, Hidomi has attracted the attention of many questionable people. Among the most unusual – and probably the most dangerous – is an energetic woman who rides a yellow vesper: Haruko Haruhara (voiced by Mayumi Shintani).

Anime Hajime Review: Xuan Yuan Sword Luminary

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Xuan Yuan Sword Luminary. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Out in the frontier, there was once a small village that was the home of three close friends, Fu Yin, Fu Ning, and Pu Zhao (voiced respectively by Nana Mizuki, Rie Kugimiya, and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka). Their lives were happy and peaceful. Then one day, a dark shadow arrived, and with it was the terrifying Taibai Empire as it burned everything the trio had ever loved to ash.

The friends were separated. The Fu sisters escaped to the wilderness and Pu was placed into bondage. Many years passed, but the nightmares have remained.

In the capital of the Taibai Empire, Pu distinguishes himself as a gifted engineer. His skills are so great, the Empire gives Pu a chance to rise through their ranks.

Out on the road, Yin and Ning survive as street performers. Their means are simple, but at least they are together. Then, Yin comes across an ancient scroll which bestows onto her the power that can rival the full might of the Taibai military.

However, destiny, it seems, intends to have the three meet again. Unfortunately, their reunion will take place on opposite sides of the battlefield. Old feelings are to be put to the ultimate test.

Anime Hajime Review: Merc Storia - The Apathetic Boy and the Girl in a Bottle

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Merc Storia: The Apathetic Boy and the Girl in a Bottle. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

In a world where humans and monsters co-exist, Healers are needed to maintain tranquility. In short, a Healer is someone who can calm the rage of a monster, and these exceptional individuals are instrumental in preventing unnecessary violence. One such Healer is a young boy named Yuu (voiced by Mutsumi Tamura).

One day, Yuu’s father, another Healer, went on a journey and never came back. But before leaving, Yuu’s father left his son a special gift – a glass jar filled with a mysterious blue liquid.

To Yuu’s surprise, the liquid turns out to be a small, fairy-like girl who calls herself Merc (voiced by Inori Minase). Unfortunately, Merc has no memories of who she is or where she is from. Nevertheless, Yuu and Merc form an instant and inseparable bond.

Hoping to discover Merc’s origins, the pair decides to follow in Yuu’s father’s footsteps and head off on an adventure. Where they will go and who they might meet is anyone’s guess. If nothing else, though, Yuu and Merc know they can face anything as long as they are facing it together.

Anime Hajime Review: Yagate Kimi ni Naru

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Yagate Kimi ni Naru. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Yuu Koito (voiced by Yuki Takada) has entered high school. In her group of friends, ideas like romance and dating are discussed on a daily basis. However, Yuu thinks she is missing something since she has never once felt the sensation of love. She isn’t even sure if she can feel it.

One day, Yuu believes she has found someone who can finally relate to her, and it is none other than her school’s beloved student council president Touko Nanami (voiced by Minako Kotobuki). Like Yuu, Touko had never met anyone who had moved her heart in a significant way. Or, at least, that was the case until she met Yuu.

Something about her younger schoolmate lights a spark within Touko, and almost instantly, she falls for Yuu. Understandably, Yuu is taken aback by Touko’s sudden deep affection. What is even more mysterious, though, Yuu doesn’t necessarily hate Touko’s feelings towards her.

As these two girls grow closer, their full personalities begin to come out. It would seem they each have a side to themselves they will only show to someone special. And perhaps, they may have just met that person.

Anime Hajime Review: Beelzebub-jou no Okinimesu Mama

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Beelzebub-jou no Okinimesu Mama. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Within the depths of Hell, there is Pandemonium – the home of the demons. Now, don’t go jumping the gun quite yet. Pandemonium is not a realm of tortured souls and satanic evil. Instead, it is a pleasant little town with a handful of quaint shops, cafés, and other creature comforts. In the purest sense of the word, this place is downright lovely.

And ruling it all is the demon of legend, Beelzebub (voiced by Saori Onishi).

To the public, Beelzebub is their stoic, intelligent leader who governs with the fairest logic and reason. While that may actually be the case, it's not the full story. When out of the spotlight, Beelzebub is a bit of a ditz who loves everything cute.

Although she is excellent at her job, to Beelzebub, it’s just that, a job. She will do what she must to fulfill her responsibilities, but if she can weasel her way into five more minutes of sleep, why not? In fact, Beelzebub’s almost childlike personality is a constant headache for her loyal personal assistant Mullin (voiced by Rikuya Yasuda).

Leading people is a full-time position. However, taking care of the leader who leads the people is an even fuller-time role. Nevertheless, Beelzebub and Mullin’s close relationship makes them the most efficient duo around.