tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128250648664949452024-02-06T21:20:56.548-08:00A.I.'s Anime Ratings and ReviewsAlyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-25929361435687922862010-11-27T14:08:00.000-08:002010-11-27T14:08:08.141-08:00Spirited Away Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Spirited Away (aka Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi)</div>
Animation Studio: Studio Ghibli<br />
Original Run: 1 movie<br />
English Licensor: Walt Disney Pictures<br />
Adaptation of: N/A<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x2r5b_c6LcGaaoCMD8nBNDdhiof-E5kc38jKsImWzZwDIZdcLN9f9RNeHUI2cCgEzTOZc29Q6Qf0Ubu16s-qCMorHN6C-bxemvpHLaxDmTxZO83Iunk4f-wM0jOuPjNxDzIWi_WAf39L/s1600/spirited-away-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x2r5b_c6LcGaaoCMD8nBNDdhiof-E5kc38jKsImWzZwDIZdcLN9f9RNeHUI2cCgEzTOZc29Q6Qf0Ubu16s-qCMorHN6C-bxemvpHLaxDmTxZO83Iunk4f-wM0jOuPjNxDzIWi_WAf39L/s1600/spirited-away-06.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>If the word "genius" could be transformed into an anime movie, it would probably come out to be a Miyazaki film. "Spirited Away" if one of the films directed by this god-like Japanese animated film director and one that definitely deserves some praise. The story follows young girl, Chihiro, as she grows from a whiny, selfish, and lazy girl to a mature, thoughtful, and hardworking young woman. The story begins as she and her family are moving to a new town and Chihiro couldn't be more pessimistic about it. As her parents and her drive up the house, they get a bit lost and end up at the mouth of an old tunnel with a strange statue in front of it. Her parents decide to explore what is on the other side, despite Chihiro's objections. She ends up trailing after them and they find a huge meadow. Beyond that, there is a small town with nothing but food shops and an old bath house. But the strange thing is, there doesn't appear to be any one running the shops. </div>
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Chihiro's parents decide to have lunch, and start taking things off a food counter and pigging out. Chihiro stubbornly disapproves and wants to go back but they ignore her pleas. So as her mother and father eat like hogs, she decides to check the rest of the place out and comes across the large ornate bathhouse. As the sun begins to go down, a mysterious boy appears before her and orders her to go back to where she came from. She listens to him and goes back to her parents only to find two huge pigs. Confused and scared Chihiro makes her way back to the meadow only to find a huge lake in its place. From here, the story begins.</div>
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Chihiro is stuck in the spirit realm and has no one to depend on. But as the story goes on she gains new friends. She later figures out that that mysterious boy's name is Haku, and tries to figure out why she seems to know him from somewhere. Chihiro gets work at the spirits' bath house, at the cost of loosing her name and becoming, "Sen". Chihiro almost looses herself, but luckily Haku reminds her that her name is Chihiro. He goes on to say that, that is how the witch, Yubaba, is able to control people that work at her bath house. Haku informs her that he can't even remember his own name, but for some reason he can remember Chihiro's. Chihiro then, goes through brutal tasks that require physical and mental work. But never looses sight of her goal to get her parents returned to normal and to go home.</div>
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The story is filled with wonder, and brilliant art direction. Chihiro's growth also can be seen throughout the film and it has a little bit of everything for the whole family. "Spirited Away" is a masterpiece and if you haven't seen it yet, go rent it from someone!</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 10/10</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5nx0SOTOtcMNT0BnBoL0SDamEdkT0Fzi8M9lNKk4HvnDjiIlCT_eSViebxSW4bIxrymhSp7iO8jm6c3oWq3yZd0-JK0VYPe5wHwMr5EDM7rLbEUjLoS8nZUdXxMJWGitlRU7mRLKV72Z/s1600/spirited_away_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5nx0SOTOtcMNT0BnBoL0SDamEdkT0Fzi8M9lNKk4HvnDjiIlCT_eSViebxSW4bIxrymhSp7iO8jm6c3oWq3yZd0-JK0VYPe5wHwMr5EDM7rLbEUjLoS8nZUdXxMJWGitlRU7mRLKV72Z/s1600/spirited_away_05.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>For this post I decided to do a Miyazaki film, considering that his films are legendary. "Spirited Away" is an Oscar winning film, so that should get some mention right? Out of all of Miyazaki's I'd have to say this one is my favorite. Don't get me wrong, "My Neighbor Totoro" is a classic, but "Spirited Away" is the one I enjoyed the most. I would have posted a complete story summary like I did with "Summer Wars" but this film has way to much detail and story that I'd have to split the post in two. The film's art gets and automatic 10 since the animation and attention to the little details (like how Chihiro puts on her shoes) is amazing. The story gets a 10 due to the fact that it is original and it teaches a lesson of character (hint: don't be lazy, don't be pessimistic, etc.). The music was composed by Joe Hisashi, who did the score for all of Miyazaki's films. And is is hands down gorgeous (that means a 10 for score). Characters also get a 10 as even the side characters are strong but they don't over dominate the main cast. </div>
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If I had to say what my favorite aspect of this film was, excluding the art and story, I'd say it was Chihiro and Haku's relationship. I found it cute to how protective Haku was of Chihiro, and the saying of "guardian angel" comes to mind (well in this case its more like "guardian spirit"). Yes, in a way, they do fall in love, but it's only a small detail and isn't the main point of the story. Like all the other Miyazaki films, the main focus of "Spirited Away" is the female character and their development. And like all his other films, the development was well paced and visible. A spoiler for the film is, Chihiro does return home with her parents, but I will say that the ending of this film is bitter-sweet. All in all, it's a wonderful film and I highly recommend it. If you aren't interested in the story, at least watch it for the art and the music.</div>
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-88811699870357410362010-11-25T17:39:00.000-08:002010-11-25T17:39:12.629-08:00Durarara!! Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Durarara!!<br />
Animation Studio: Brain's Base<br />
Original Run: 24 Episodes + 2 OVAs<br />
English Licensor: Aniplex of America<br />
Adaptation of: Ryohgo Narita's light novel series "Durarara!!"<br />
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<strong>Summary: </strong>Every city around the world has a story to tell. Urban legends, infamous happenings, and their very own celebrities that everyone seems to know about. In the heart of Tokyo lies the district of Ikebukuro. The people are unique and they are secrets hiding behind every corner. This small and lively city is filled with "foreigners" each bustling and moving to their own beat. Mikado Ryuugamine, is one such "foreigner". Mikado came to Ikebukuro to go to high school with his energetic childhood friend, Masaomi Kida. Yet there lies another reason...Mikado left his old life in search for an escape from the "everyday" and boy, did he find it. Ikebukuro is filled with tons of action. Including the "headless rider"/"Black Bike", who can be seen zipping around town on a pitch black bike, all the way to the strongest man in Ikebukuro "Shizuo Heiwajima" who will toss you (along with a couple of vending machines, cars, people, street signs, etc.) if you get him mad enough. Yet, like every other city in the world, Ikebukuro does have its dark sides; with rumors of human experimenting, mafia involvement, increase in gangs, slasher incidents, and a curious new color gang calling themselves "Dollars".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZ2BPaTwO97x3uRH6Wuf-UjtxeWofyjBdxLLAtNCrcekIoZjdhl0SnWx01kIf_APkwJWRhgzdu54YtCa8kp9trcPUB8rgz_vqLlxUasJrW0YglaSMstcjLXr592FGoowB9hEnmTspqXck/s1600/14%255D.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZ2BPaTwO97x3uRH6Wuf-UjtxeWofyjBdxLLAtNCrcekIoZjdhl0SnWx01kIf_APkwJWRhgzdu54YtCa8kp9trcPUB8rgz_vqLlxUasJrW0YglaSMstcjLXr592FGoowB9hEnmTspqXck/s1600/14%255D.png" /></a>In this wonderful city that never sleeps, there is a certain individual that people try not to get too involved with--Izaya Orihara. Most of the terrible and troublesome incidents that occur in the city trace back to this information dealer. Yet he has his own twisted agenda to attend to. With a heart full of love for the human race but a mind of a evil mastermind, he enjoys seeing humans squirm and his ultimate goal is to start a war all for the sake of a questionable reason. But alas, how does this all trace back to Mikado? Well, Mikado has a secret of his own that involves the mysterious "Dollars" group. But he's not the only one. Masaomi also has a past with the gang life, and their quiet and timid classmate, Anri Sonohara, also has a dark secret involving the slashers. </div>
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But we cannot forget about the elusive "Black Bike". Does this mysterious individual have a secret life? Sure! For one, this biker is a she (named Celty Sturluson) and two, she really is headless. Thus, it is a given that she is not human, as a matter of fact, she's something out of Celtic legend--a Dullahan. But one might wonder what an Irish fairy is doing in Japan. The answer is, she lost her head, and knows that it is somewhere in Ikebukuro. Everyday, she passes by onlookers but in reality, she's only looking for where it could have gone. As frustrating as it is, she has her emotional support, Shinra Kishitani--who is an underground doctor with a pretty happy disposition. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaexSf4dbSIJWyq_fiTGG7QzvtQVK0dE13J3lY-bON8jCiZD22Ni_0FpR2GsIA0MSsSfRy9yQGkN2arxdE3Qo8wdnCttysYjQ7gxeSyJ9KhJ-ljsS5KjCJpeTtExyehVDWf_HxMpzZEbI1/s1600/durarara140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaexSf4dbSIJWyq_fiTGG7QzvtQVK0dE13J3lY-bON8jCiZD22Ni_0FpR2GsIA0MSsSfRy9yQGkN2arxdE3Qo8wdnCttysYjQ7gxeSyJ9KhJ-ljsS5KjCJpeTtExyehVDWf_HxMpzZEbI1/s1600/durarara140.jpg" /></a>The series may seem to have quite a bit going on, with a huge cast of characters, but what puts it all together is how each one of them are connected. This series is not your typical story with one main plot. In fact, there are multiple stories going on at once, that somehow overlap. It is a strange story, but it is one that actually makes sense. If you like an out of the ordinary tale with touches of modern life (gangs, cell phones, etc.), and you want to escape the everyday; take Durarara!! for a spin. You won't be disappointed.</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 10/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review:</strong> If I had to say what my absolute favorite anime is, I would say it is this one. I am truly thankful for this series. I can't say one bad thing about this title. The story is phenomenal, the characters are memorable (even the side characters), the art is fabulous, the music tells the story, and everything about it is genius. At first, I had no interest in this series as the synopsis I had read really didn't spark my interest but on a pure whim, I tried the first episode. And from then on, I became obsessed with this series. There is so much packed into "Durarara!!" that it is impossible for any amount of writing to do its justice. One just has to watch it to understand. <br />
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Like I had stated, this series has a monster cast, that some people might find to be intimidating. However, because their stories all tie together, their names and identities unconsciously stick. My all time favorite character is also in this series, and surprisingly, it is the antagonist, Izaya. Each of the characters are uniquely constructed with their own quirks, which make them so lovable. There are some amazing scenes in this series and they are not fight scenes. I can't say what genres this series would fit under as there are so many stuffed in. I am happy that this series is coming to the U.S. in 2011 and I hope people will give it a shot. I included Aniplex of America's Durarara!! site below along with the two opening animations, and the first ending animation. If you do give this anime a chance, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.<br />
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<a href="http://www.durararausa.com/">http://www.durararausa.com/</a><br />
Opening 1: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nlDUZ5BkFk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nlDUZ5BkFk</a><br />
Opening 2: <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4873208/durarara_opening_2_complication/">http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4873208/durarara_opening_2_complication/</a><br />
Ending 1: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOZvHpT8ORY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOZvHpT8ORY</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdxCOfpjyvMz3IpHsGw8C1kUG1WNYWb5F94c2SeBP53eexdhXZ1BKNz38TQg7UNHq6oRBCkKwLRiHHukP0olvC8Xv4wU674k6IoBQYocGaxlzvOcdm6doE2m3je8hEG9ruCZi9g0KaMRJ/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdxCOfpjyvMz3IpHsGw8C1kUG1WNYWb5F94c2SeBP53eexdhXZ1BKNz38TQg7UNHq6oRBCkKwLRiHHukP0olvC8Xv4wU674k6IoBQYocGaxlzvOcdm6doE2m3je8hEG9ruCZi9g0KaMRJ/s1600/08.jpg" /></a></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-25603789273824606282010-11-19T20:02:00.000-08:002010-11-19T20:02:57.809-08:00Katanagatari Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Katanagatari</div>
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Animation Studio: White Fox</div>
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Original Run: 12 Episodes</div>
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English Licensor: N/A</div>
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Adaptation of: Nisio Isin's light novel series: "Katanagatari"</div>
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<strong>Summary: </strong>"Katanagatari" is another play on words title as, "katana" can be translated out to be "sword" and "gatari" is a shortened version of "story". So if you put one and one together you get "Sword Story". And as such this anime focuses on swords, or more so an adventure of gathering swords. The two main protagonists in this series are a self-proclaimed strategian, Togame, and the current head of the Kyotouryuu clan, Shichika Yasuri. The story begins with Togame arriving on Shichika and his sister's, Nanami's, island to ask Shichika a favor. She requests that he joins her on her mission to gather the 12 deviant swords forged by the legendary swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki. She informs him that she can't do it alone as there are many other dangerous enemies after them. At first, Shichika questions Togame to why she chose him, seeing how his family's bloodline literally makes them incapable wielding a sword. She tells him that it his unique abilities of fighting a sword wielder with his bare hands and still being able to come on top, makes him immune to the poisonous psychological effects of holding a deviant sword. Togame also tells Shichika that, he should fall in love with her as she sees that if one fights for love, they will never betray that person. She gives Shichika some time to think about it, and she hangs around the island for his answer. But it isn't soon after that, that an enemy arrives on the island.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjb_DmoRUxs2WkSW9HROSttf4UsNC4kOOpmD9VwwN2Ke8e1AQIFIUL3HDAh7d37AUhtZMY_Tx-PxFFuUI10BobeUVDhn0Mjj4ixNiAf855INmhakC-WvmNbqW3LX4UHu8HRuxkPVSUs0Z/s1600/v01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjb_DmoRUxs2WkSW9HROSttf4UsNC4kOOpmD9VwwN2Ke8e1AQIFIUL3HDAh7d37AUhtZMY_Tx-PxFFuUI10BobeUVDhn0Mjj4ixNiAf855INmhakC-WvmNbqW3LX4UHu8HRuxkPVSUs0Z/s1600/v01.jpg" /></a>The individual is a member of a group of ninjas, known as the Maniwa Ninja Corps., and this individual happens to be in the possession of one of the deviant swords. After a fight and Shichika manages to defeat him with some stellar martial arts moves, he decides to join Togame, and states that he has fallen for her. The duo soon leave after that leaving Nanami to watch over the island by herself. However, seeing how Shichika had never communicated with anyone other than his sister and his father (who he killed after a fight), he doesn't understand everyday culture and, in a way, he is very much "soul-less" like a sword. Along this journey, they not only collect swords but Shichika grows a personality, and a social life. Togame also carries her own weight in the duo as she has a mind full of schemes to obtaining each sword, as well as her stubborn and bold attitude. Shichika does whatever Togame tells him to, even if the task is trivial or troublesome. The only reasons being are: He is her sword and he loves her.</div>
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Each episode covers one sword and one episode is released each month of the 2010 year. As the anime goes on, more maniwa ninja are introduced, along with the possessors of the swords, and a very conniving princess. All the characters are unique and odd in thier own ways, and the mysteries surrounding the Kyotouryuu's, Togame's, and the 12 deviant swords' pasts. This anime is great for those who love action, comedy, and some very different art. <br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>10/10</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>"Katanagatari" was created by the same person that originally created "Bakemonogatari" and the stories couldn't be more different. This was one series that I was aware of before it came out and one that I was really interested in. I wasn't holding a lot of expectations for this series but I found myself surprised that I actually liked it. The art is what really caught my attention as it isn't what one would think of when someone mentions the word "anime". The colors are probably the most vibrant I've seen in an anime and the animation is so crisp. I also enjoyed the character designs as well as the settings. The art is so simple yet has a sense of complexity, that makes it unique. The story itself is pretty stereotypical but the characters are what turn it into something different. I enjoyed the interactions between Togame and Shichika and their far from normal "relationship". </div>
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Since each episode is pretty long and the animation is stellar, I can see why the animators need at least a month to get one done. The voice actors are great and the background music is fantastic. I really don't have one complaint for this series as every quirky aspect to the series builds off of another. The development of the story is smooth and the evolution of Shichika from being a soul-less sword to a human being is gradual but noticeable. I highly recommend this series to all and if I had to choose between "Bakemonogatari" and "Katanagatari" I would choose "Katanagatari" in a heartbeat. Many would disagree with me but I felt that this series has more to it than meets the eye. This series has one of my all time favorite opening sequences so I included it below so check it out! I'll put up two more reviews next week, including my all time favorite series~! So tune in next time!</div>
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<br /></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-30482830986421834482010-11-17T10:03:00.000-08:002010-11-17T10:03:22.073-08:00Bakemonogatari Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Bakemonogatari</div>
Animation Studio: Shaft<br />
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Original Run: 12 Episodes + 3 ONAs (Original Net Animation)</div>
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English Licensor: N/A</div>
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Adaptation of: Nisio Isin's light novel series: "Bakemonogatari"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUim5E_hYkshztLePgjcScTljVqAp_RwfFV5TiwIzfeyUhCMyV8z_10gji-FWNe_JvwWTxLNPYOV0HunJ9SQsYJZSQPxbjTltD9guaWiNjR9MtVY29oHajSHXJUhJHOBV5y8-CjMhfzGTw/s1600/bakemonogatari_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUim5E_hYkshztLePgjcScTljVqAp_RwfFV5TiwIzfeyUhCMyV8z_10gji-FWNe_JvwWTxLNPYOV0HunJ9SQsYJZSQPxbjTltD9guaWiNjR9MtVY29oHajSHXJUhJHOBV5y8-CjMhfzGTw/s1600/bakemonogatari_1.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>The title of this series is a play on words as "bakemono" translates out to "ghost/monster", and "monogatari" is translated to "story". So if one were to translate the title into English it would be "ghostory". Judging by the title, I'm sure people can get a vague idea of what the series is about. The story revolves around Koyomi Araragi, a high school boy who just recovered from vampirism (but still has some lingering effects like quick recovery and the ability to see in the dark). The story goes through his interactions of helping the people around him with their own supernatural issues. The story begins with a quick flash back to the vampire attack and then moves to present time where he sees a girl falling in mid-air through the stair well. He manages to catch her but is surprised at the fact that she weighs nothing. The student turns out to be Hitagi Senjogahara, a girl in his class that doesn't talk to anybody. He is later confronted by her in the hallway and is threatened to stay away from her. He agrees due to her shoving a stapler and an exacto knife in his mouth with her threat. However, she doesn't let him go Scott-free as she staples the inside of his mouth and walks away. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIH8Dt2VPb6uLLRO8A7EW-oFH_yX-9X8u7tGrHmd9lV3h-g-WU_wBwjgxEKBYBTT4HtYkqh9CJGEJmJEfOC7XriZZe3Lfw7Zkvf7TJ-h3rt-29YpD6b7va4GEm7A2358KwmmqCkBjCpY-R/s1600/snapshot20090710180636-504x284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIH8Dt2VPb6uLLRO8A7EW-oFH_yX-9X8u7tGrHmd9lV3h-g-WU_wBwjgxEKBYBTT4HtYkqh9CJGEJmJEfOC7XriZZe3Lfw7Zkvf7TJ-h3rt-29YpD6b7va4GEm7A2358KwmmqCkBjCpY-R/s1600/snapshot20090710180636-504x284.jpg" /></a>Koyomi is in pain for a bit but quickly pulls the staple out and the wound heals. Seeing how Hitagi seemed to be pained and troubled by this "problem" with her weight, he figures he can help her. He comes across her again and offers to take her to the guy that helped him with his issue. She reluctantly agrees and follows him to an abandoned building to meet Meme Oshino. Oshino is a odd fellow fellow who is quite knowledgeable about apparitions and odd phenomena. Hitagi explains that this oddity occurred when she met a crab. Oshino explains how she can fix it, but only with the right compensation. After a spirtual intervention and some soul searching on Hitagi's part, she regains her weight. Oshino explains that the crab was a sort of god and it stole Hitagi's feelings, which thus stole her weight. (In Japanese, the word "omoi" can translate out to "feelings" and "heaviness"--it's another play on words). From here Hitagi reverts back to a "normal" temperament, as opposed to her silent and standoff-ish nature. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlzgllaKub4NxlT3ue4s3_HuJvjAUGbpCPNOuz5Vwlj7P33F7tPCWshcS7fICCIljZKP3exrO0U23AK4P4LYoGttlICVYus_FMper5VIa3dYQwKBvZkWdFVWYMCvDZvHcwkW1sBMiPgTH/s1600/bakemonogatari-01-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlzgllaKub4NxlT3ue4s3_HuJvjAUGbpCPNOuz5Vwlj7P33F7tPCWshcS7fICCIljZKP3exrO0U23AK4P4LYoGttlICVYus_FMper5VIa3dYQwKBvZkWdFVWYMCvDZvHcwkW1sBMiPgTH/s1600/bakemonogatari-01-16.jpg" /></a>From here, Hitagi and Koyomi spend more time with one another and Koyomi ends up with more phenomena on his lap. A few other girls show up in front of him with other supernatural issues of: a lost and wandering spirit, a Rainy Devil, a cruelly placed snake like curse, and a stress induced transformation into a cat monster. Koyomi takes on all the challenges with the advice given to him by Oshino, as well as the support he receives from Hitagi.</div>
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This anime is really a clever one full of word plays and a touch of the supernatural. It has is comedic times, as well as its tense and serious moments. Girls may also enjoy the touch of awkward romance it has and the guys may enjoy the violent confrontation scenes of each arc. But it may be the other way around, who knows, but either way, it is a fun anime that I highly recommend.</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong> 9.9/10</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6l_xm80IKsFtbHGJB0Ym6LndwEn14ZK8RdioG19eO1Z4hyO1Pl2ieXcyqlxgjjPrtQviKPlVPfswvhawGqB_6WMhKi4586p-0K4-zbKDw_5BCxMKGLcv_of6R_cyyYjiUiH2F3ezgDDYT/s1600/Bakemonogatari-09-Nadeko-Snake-01-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6l_xm80IKsFtbHGJB0Ym6LndwEn14ZK8RdioG19eO1Z4hyO1Pl2ieXcyqlxgjjPrtQviKPlVPfswvhawGqB_6WMhKi4586p-0K4-zbKDw_5BCxMKGLcv_of6R_cyyYjiUiH2F3ezgDDYT/s1600/Bakemonogatari-09-Nadeko-Snake-01-1.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>"Bakemonogatari" is one of the better animes done recently. It was based off of a short novel series and the anime did a great job adapting it. The story is good and characters are each memorable due to their various arcs. However, putting story aside, what I felt really made this series pop for me was the art, character designs, and backgrounds. It has a crisp feel to it but the studio incorporated some real life photos and such to the series. It was different how the animation was laid out and it posed a surreal~abstract feel to it. What also made this series pretty "top-notch" was the voice talent they recruited. Everyone that voiced a main character is a veteran in the Japanese voice acting world, so it really acted as the cherry that went on top. My only complaints to the series is that some things were skimmed over like Koyomi's vampire attack, and there are times the story got confusing due to all the clever word plays and phenomena explanations.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8FoVKeHfrwSL2NpX5q5h-s25qKTqwbEOZ5TnfJjEr6RNdLILaPOuiuQex8V4bxYbafPPJTVylJlbx79sAdcdhU8u3KCrRnTgVWLZFI9AP8lt8GUc9f5bkz12IdT1wpI_RxC_DKUqqTwi/s1600/bakemonogatari-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8FoVKeHfrwSL2NpX5q5h-s25qKTqwbEOZ5TnfJjEr6RNdLILaPOuiuQex8V4bxYbafPPJTVylJlbx79sAdcdhU8u3KCrRnTgVWLZFI9AP8lt8GUc9f5bkz12IdT1wpI_RxC_DKUqqTwi/s1600/bakemonogatari-14.jpg" /></a>This series isn't one of my absolute faves but I do give it props for being interesting and entertaining. I liked the fact that each arc had it's own unique opening song and animation, and the ending song is one of my favorite songs out there. My personal favorite opening was the "Nadeko Snake" arc, and it is actually the most popular one out there. Many fans have created cross overs with other series to this adorable opening. I included it below but note that there are three more. So if you are interested in this series, and don't understand Japanese, watch it with subtitles. And as fair warning, there is some mild nudity, and fan-service, along with some pretty violent scenes. So enjoy and see you next time~!</div>
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<br /></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-28104743986362285152010-11-12T21:49:00.000-08:002010-11-12T21:50:03.898-08:00Lucky☆Star Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Lucky☆Star<br />
Animation Studio: Kyoto Animation<br />
Original Run: 24 Episodes + 1 OVA<br />
English Licensor: Kadokawa Pictures/Bandai Entertainment<br />
Adaptation of: Kagami Yoshimizu's manga "Lucky☆Star"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjXFNxzhwuNyeht2_5bC61pxjXl7J89HDC0s36ydsPfqM1Vqq8ilejpExPi1642Jao8u-U6Rt1mLuV1sG1cb2cYkSVlg2C6KBIphzIS_v_JmQntLY213hO7SX_ULXfNQfRnv72Hqv-9jh/s1600/anime-lucky-star-sweet-31000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjXFNxzhwuNyeht2_5bC61pxjXl7J89HDC0s36ydsPfqM1Vqq8ilejpExPi1642Jao8u-U6Rt1mLuV1sG1cb2cYkSVlg2C6KBIphzIS_v_JmQntLY213hO7SX_ULXfNQfRnv72Hqv-9jh/s1600/anime-lucky-star-sweet-31000.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>We all know that friends are great and hanging out with them is a blast. Sure, most of us have friends that have similar tastes while others have friends who are the complete opposite of them. "Lucky Star" focuses on a group of four friends going through high school, and they are all different in their own unique way. The main character of the group is young Konata Izumi, a major anime/game fan (otaku) who moves at her own pace. Opposite of her is Kagami Hiiragi, who often yells and objects to Konata's crazy ideas and comments. Next to Kagami is her younger twin sister, Tsukasa, who isn't anything like her older sister. She's quite the shy, and clumsy airhead. And finally rounding off the group is the smart, gentle and ladylike, Miyuki Takara.</div>
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The story follows the girls as they go through high school in the everyday life. They address questions that people may often find themselves wondering about like, "If we were animals, what would we be?" But the series does cover a lot in the stereotypical life of a "otaku". Konata is referred to as an "otaku" which is a label used for people who are obsessed with anime/manga/games. Thus, many fans may recognize several popular anime/manga/short novel references scattered throughout the series. The series actually moves forward mostly because of this hobby of hers as the rest of her friends are swept up into her pace. As the series goes on, more characters are added to the scene like fellow classmates and relatives.<br />
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This series is pretty interesting, as it contains a wide range of puns and references to other series. And at the end of each episode, a segment known as "Lucky Channel" would come out and add to the laughs. However, because of all the references and cultural jokes, I would not recommend "Lucky Star" to a first time anime watcher. It is funny and pretty clever, so check it out after taking a peek at several other series.<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating</strong>: 8.9/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review:</strong> This was a series that I decided to watch due to its popularity. I took it for a spin and it turned out to be very witty and unique. The anime and game references always had me saying, "Hey I recognize that." The story itself was random as it is just everyday life but what really made this series was Konata. This girl reminded me of so many of my friends I couldn't help but to chuckle at her slacking off from homework to play a RPG (role-playing game). Konata's other three friends were also strong characters as they each had their own unique personalities that mixed well with Konata's. I lowered the score only because of the fact that I felt bored at times with the series, but many would disagree with me. <br />
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This series has fans all over the world and many "otaku" find Konata easy to relate to. I consider myself to be an otaku but I'm not really into games nor am I constantly seeing the world as an anime or a game. But, on another note, this series is a memorable one. The small side episodes of "Lucky Channel" made me crack up as the host, Akira, is a bipolar TV personality. But overall I would only recommend this series to someone whose watched many popular animes (ie. "Code Geass", "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya", "Full Metal Panic!", etc.). That's it for this week and I'll post 2 more animes next time.<br />
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-81430248219154799202010-11-10T22:33:00.000-08:002010-11-10T22:33:37.849-08:00Hatenkou Yuugi Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXExMB4AHrehGVz7gowe7yWst2N8s5Ws6WzRqoG0w28ueNDyMm6t_Qibycv82ubKRhZVAP5jbQpNjtKDgXGq33H4PODUuIOk_1Yb_0wURdTlv8F_YXNtmUVEkx-KfNGYyecl02XWJMtoC/s1600/1709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXExMB4AHrehGVz7gowe7yWst2N8s5Ws6WzRqoG0w28ueNDyMm6t_Qibycv82ubKRhZVAP5jbQpNjtKDgXGq33H4PODUuIOk_1Yb_0wURdTlv8F_YXNtmUVEkx-KfNGYyecl02XWJMtoC/s1600/1709.jpg" /></a></div>
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Series: Hatenkou Yuugi</div>
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Animation Studio: Studio Deen</div>
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Original Run: 10 episodes</div>
English Licensor: N/A<br />
Adaptation of: Minari Endoh's manga "Hatenkou Yuugi" (aka "Dazzle")<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEyGAZ20iIbWEkNOjaqn1am-pPfqmGCwuqS_UfrHAC9nb2FtNYlK7CsOSUcM6yw9sfNGJ8GvyUPOvzOKBwC6wgPnR-Xx6Rt_GR_7a2A_XrGeNCzTTEB69siu0mj0AsHQ_jt85NCQ3GuXM/s1600/hatenkoyugi01_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEyGAZ20iIbWEkNOjaqn1am-pPfqmGCwuqS_UfrHAC9nb2FtNYlK7CsOSUcM6yw9sfNGJ8GvyUPOvzOKBwC6wgPnR-Xx6Rt_GR_7a2A_XrGeNCzTTEB69siu0mj0AsHQ_jt85NCQ3GuXM/s1600/hatenkoyugi01_01.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>At some point in time, children must leave the nest of their parents and make it on their own. For Rahzel, that day came when she was 14 years old. Within a matter of minutes, her father pushed her out of the house and told her to go on a journey. Being the headstrong girl she is, Rahzel decides to go through with it and go on an adventure of her own. As she walks along, she comes across a fairly good looking albino named Alzeid. She approaches him based off of his looks but soon realizes he is mugging someone. His target gets away when his attention breaks away to the sudden appearance of the teenage youth. After Alzeid points the gun at Rahzel she notices the bored look in his eyes, she declares that she'll take him along on her journey and make his bored life into something worth smiling about.</div>
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The albino joins her and simply states that he's only traveling with her so he can kill the woman that murdered his father. The two are also joined by the womanizing Baroqueheat, who was a military friend/acquaintence of Alzeid in the military. Unlike Alzeid's stubborn/cold/semi-cool demeanor, Baroqueheat's the exact opposite. Rahzel puts up with the two guys and their conflicting characters as they begin to form a very tight bond with one another. But it is a given that this odd trio is not your average group of travelers. You have the vengeful albino, who wields a gun and can cast spells, the flirtatious goof-ball, who can transform his hand into a sword, and last but not least, you have Rahzel, the energetic 14 year old magic wielder.<br />
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The group simply travels around together, each focusing on different goals, but nether the less, they are together. The towns and stops they make do have their dark sides to them, and some are just downright creepy. One example being the circus where the ringmaster kidnaps and kills children to use their body parts to make her own "perfect" child. Yeah, disturbing. But the series has a bunch of twisted adventures like this one. The series is a pretty fast watch, as it is shorter than most. It isn't the greatest anime out there but it does have its pinch of psychological, horror, romance, comedy, action, and adventure aspects. So if you want a tiny sample of some popular anime genres, take this series for a spin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvLJRRHhlzhHk0KgoUK_KmPvqb_FM8uvbmxZZLXRJQ5vOEvALKPyal5Zu0u_a51xhkRZR4vSouFugHNk93vQcRCN2kr_r6gW1IIQPVpF2sgCij5hCa4uVEGwhCpr7j7yCYZeCslFGNLTN/s1600/Hatenkou_Yuugi_-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvLJRRHhlzhHk0KgoUK_KmPvqb_FM8uvbmxZZLXRJQ5vOEvALKPyal5Zu0u_a51xhkRZR4vSouFugHNk93vQcRCN2kr_r6gW1IIQPVpF2sgCij5hCa4uVEGwhCpr7j7yCYZeCslFGNLTN/s1600/Hatenkou_Yuugi_-2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyDV46fMrCHDwxHAsR2rzVoTtTE_bqPqr_g8KWBN-LTzP5XeTgZDFcDD0-hNFQ2h8q-2vj8p1r68BXIuJ685hiC266xSdJYOQ8L7N_RLyyiMCDke-3eZpnigQ90SKvYqFyvmAYXBU24x6/s1600/ahy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyDV46fMrCHDwxHAsR2rzVoTtTE_bqPqr_g8KWBN-LTzP5XeTgZDFcDD0-hNFQ2h8q-2vj8p1r68BXIuJ685hiC266xSdJYOQ8L7N_RLyyiMCDke-3eZpnigQ90SKvYqFyvmAYXBU24x6/s1600/ahy.JPG" /></a></div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 7/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>"Hatenkou Yuugi"/"Dazzle" is one of my absolute favorite manga series of all time, but I honestly wasn't "razzle-dazzled" with the anime adaptation. The animation was not the greatest and the anime had scrambled up the manga's original story line so much, that I felt a bit lost. Like I had posted before, I am not a major fan of Studio Deen, and this is one series that underlines that fact. The original manga has a lot more dark undertones and contains more blood and gore, so I understand toning those aspects down. But the studio got rid of all the blood and such which really makes this series unique from all the other "magic" animes. Thus the one reason why I was shocked when Umineko came out was, that series was PACKED with blood and gore WHEN it included magic involvement. So I was a bit upset at this studio for cutting "Dazzle" short.</div>
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But in defense for the series, I will say that some viewers that don't care too much for the manga and saw the anime first, typically enjoyed the series. Also, I will add that the "adventures" the group goes on--that were based off of the manga's events--came out nicely. The voice actors were great, and I felt they really matched their characters. The characters were fun, and I loved how they all contradicted one another and stood on their own. I adore the opening song and its animation, as it really captured the overall feel of the series. "Hatenkou Yuugi" is not a typical adventure story with a group going around to save the world. But rather a group simply traveling and going where fate takes them. I included the opening animation below and check the series out if you want, but it isn't one I'm totally Gun-ho on. <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foRfdtujl_g">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foRfdtujl_g</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6k7QI_Qp-qkdTSfCDS7FGxOhN1rmEYBAqNla-w26wSsm5KrYmGOGifvCpmdpOrJ8fCWUtwKSR1uuKCLmfjFnJ2SqWBzontLNSlAINAqsXX1ihztklXKjeHDUZjxLL70dcOLEdJd0ho1l/s1600/hatenkou_yuugi-300x170.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6k7QI_Qp-qkdTSfCDS7FGxOhN1rmEYBAqNla-w26wSsm5KrYmGOGifvCpmdpOrJ8fCWUtwKSR1uuKCLmfjFnJ2SqWBzontLNSlAINAqsXX1ihztklXKjeHDUZjxLL70dcOLEdJd0ho1l/s1600/hatenkou_yuugi-300x170.png" /></a></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-52857535996239689632010-11-05T20:57:00.000-07:002010-11-05T20:57:11.321-07:00Toradora! Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Toradora!</div>
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Animation Studio: J.C.Staff</div>
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Original Run: 25 episodes</div>
English Licensor: NIS America<br />
Adaptation of: Yuyuko Takemiya's light novel series"Toradora!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cCd3_mfGyJFY4GHVQJ9cTqJIleE6jSW3RsTHrW2NxTQeZhUO9xstfJCyGGdJMFaygIjtAwXuCnSj9TiN3Y_SDQykclW5jdw1aLjxt9ZYcM7mmNUYRIApxhE0eOoGe8vN7apA4hCrEfv3/s1600/toradora1_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cCd3_mfGyJFY4GHVQJ9cTqJIleE6jSW3RsTHrW2NxTQeZhUO9xstfJCyGGdJMFaygIjtAwXuCnSj9TiN3Y_SDQykclW5jdw1aLjxt9ZYcM7mmNUYRIApxhE0eOoGe8vN7apA4hCrEfv3/s1600/toradora1_01.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>This series does not posses magic, or mayhem, it is simply a school life series. The main character, Ryuuji Takatsu, is a misunderstood high schooler. Because his eyes have an evil gleam to them, people around him see him as a delinquent and thus avoid him. In reality though, he is a kind person, living alone with his ditzy mother, and managing the housechores. The story starts off when Ryuuji is beginning his second year of high school and is ecstatic when he finds out he is going to be in the same class as his best friend, Yuusaku Kitamura, but also that he is going to be in the same class as his long time crush, Minori Kushieda. </div>
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The year seems to look bright but that changes when Ryuuji bumps into the school's "palmtop-tiger", Taiga Aisaka. The two get off on the wrong foot and Taiga has a complex about her nickname, and she ends up slugging Ryuuji in the face right then and there. Her nickname derives from her small size and her huge ferocity. From here, Ryuuji gets another surprise as he discovers that Taiga is good friends with Minori. The third twist is that, Taiga lives in the apartment complex next to his small and raggedy home. What tops this all of is that, Taiga manages to figure out Ryuuji's crush on Minori, but at the same time, Ryuuji discovers Taiga harbors a crush on Yuusaku. Ryuuji suggests that they help each other out in their battle of love. Taiga agrees after she states that Ryuuji is the type of desperate person who would do anything to get Minori. But she makes him into her personal maid to help with cleanign her apartment and making food for her. Ryuuji agrees and the two's partnership begins.<br />
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As Ryuuji spends more time with the "Palmtop Tiger," he begins to widen her view of the world, as she came from a very rich family and does not get along well with her father. The two spend a lot of time together trying to achieve their goals and even try and improve how their classmates see them. However, this closeness becomes a double-edged sword, as people start to wonder about the two's relationship and even rumors of them being a couple arise. At first the two deny the claims but as time goes on, they start wondering how they actually feel about one another. The series continues and other minor characters come about, including the ever arrogant and beautiful Ami Kawashima. As the series moves on, things get complicated and the drama builds.<br />
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This series has comedy, romance, and school life drama in it. It may seem to be a girl's story line but many guys tend to like it. It's not overly fluffy romance like in shoujo (young girl) series, as it has a "real life" touch to it. It's a sweet series that'll have you a bit emotional in one scene, and laughing in another. <br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 9.8/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>This is a series that I came across mid-season. I had been following it on another person's blog but I didn't know whether or not to watch it. When I did decide to give it a try, I was hooked. The series is animated by "J.C.Staff," and they have some amazing series behind them. The art in this series is pretty good as it fits the overall tone to the series and the voice actors did a great job. The only reason why I lowered the score a tiny bit is because I found the ending to be a bit predictable. Not that this is a bad thing but I felt that what lead up to it was a bit sudden. Other than that, I had no problems with the series. <br />
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It is an everyday sort of story and there are many "sweet" moments to it. But there were moments i had to chuckle at. The name of the series, "Toradora" derives from Taiga's and Ryuuji's names (Ryuuji's name literally translates out to "son of the dragon"). Thus "Tora" in Japanese means tiger (<em>taiga</em>), and the "dora" comes from dragon (<em>doragon</em>). I suggest this series for those that want a taste of a simple anime with no magic or action in it. I liked it so hopefully you will too if you take a peek at it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfupBkv0TxwAkEaSAotx5GaP0t7Ds9_jh7Z0M839mIbYKFn-B02VpyuDLztEjOiNR3EqkSW_nYqOift1e7TTUNP0qL3UPyOUHhmzQ5SK1rsjFk2WBI60LnJWYYfWa61o_x2D2eyloK7jx/s1600/toradora-25-01-590x331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfupBkv0TxwAkEaSAotx5GaP0t7Ds9_jh7Z0M839mIbYKFn-B02VpyuDLztEjOiNR3EqkSW_nYqOift1e7TTUNP0qL3UPyOUHhmzQ5SK1rsjFk2WBI60LnJWYYfWa61o_x2D2eyloK7jx/s1600/toradora-25-01-590x331.jpg" /></a></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-57857834811328318402010-11-03T21:20:00.000-07:002010-11-03T21:20:53.178-07:00Umineko no Naku Koro ni Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Umineko no Naku Koro ni<br />
Animation Studio: Studio Deen<br />
Original Run: 26 episodes<br />
English Licensor: N/A<br />
Adaptation of: 07th Expansion's visual novel game series"Umineko no Naku Koro ni"<br />
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<strong>Summary: </strong>The title of this series literally translates out to "When the Seagulls Cry," and really, it has nothing to do with seagulls besides the series' setting being on a private island called Rokkenjima. The main story revolves around the mystery and legend of the "Golden Witch" who lives on this family owned island. The story begins as the Ushiromiya family is going to the island for an annual family conference, but this particular meeting concerns how the wealth of the family's current head will be divided amongst the four offspring and their families. The siblings do not get along with one another due to selfish desires and childhood issues, but their children get along fine with one another. In total there are 18 people on the island including the four Ushiromiya children, their spouses, their four children, five servants, and the current dying head. But when the 8 family members arrive, a typhoon traps them on the island and people start dying left and right. One of the grandchildren, Battler Ushiromiya, is the main character of this series. He is a very passionate and stubborn young man, but he does care about his family. When the murders start happening, he is convinced that it is someone on the island but is hesitant to suspect his family members. It turns out that the "Golden Witch," Beatrice, is responsible but Battler refuses to believe a mystical and magical creature committed the crime. In the end he ends up dying without ever getting an explanation to what happened, but this is where the main plot begins.</div>
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In purgatory, he refuses to believe that a witch was responsible for the murders and ends up coming face to face with the witch, herself. Beatrice then challenges Battler to a game to prove his statement that the murders were committed by a human not a witch. Beatrice will win if Battler gives up and admits that witches and magic exist, and Battler would win if he makes the witch give up. The rest of the series focuses on these games as they replay different murder scenarios on the island. It gets confusing as there are "two" Battlers now, the one playing and watching the "games" unfold and the one in the scenarios. Yet in each round Battler learns something new about the mystery of the island and his own family. But most of all, he begins to learn more about Beatrice and her history. In this rounds, various murders take place, and new characters in Purgatory are introduced, including other witches and "magical" beings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_nsCkPicEd-j-GybQK6FNbd9jD1lRn6RdUrlBSPFHBQPwW7du-7_EpTVBBnIHc8NpU_Rnnh2htDPQnkp_q_CVq0207V_T1myf_hDicF8I1l7Qr2BbBP5nIIblsd5NZ5L5YvTQx9W05Ib/s1600/having-fun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_nsCkPicEd-j-GybQK6FNbd9jD1lRn6RdUrlBSPFHBQPwW7du-7_EpTVBBnIHc8NpU_Rnnh2htDPQnkp_q_CVq0207V_T1myf_hDicF8I1l7Qr2BbBP5nIIblsd5NZ5L5YvTQx9W05Ib/s1600/having-fun.jpg" /></a>But as the games go on, things get harder and harder for Battler to object as Beatrice begins to use "Red Truth" to state a FACT in the murder, meaning if she says, "There are only 18 people on the island," its fact and thus, Battler is forced to suspect his family and friends. Later on, Battler is allowed to use "Blue Truth" to counter Beatrice's "a-witch-is-the-culprit" theory and state his hypothesis of the various murders. For the most part the game continues in this way, with lots of drama, suspense, and thrill. But as a fair warning, the murders do get gruesome to the point that the studio had to censor them out when they aired. So if you like a series that keeps you on your toes and you enjoy thinking along with the characters, this might be a series for you.</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 9/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>Interesting story but it did get confusing, at times. The cast of characters is HUGE so don't worry if you get lost. Now moving on...I am not a huge fan of Studio Deen's work, but this series' art was better than most of their other series. But even so, I felt that since this series had been getting a lot of negative feedback on the art, I lowed the score down to 9. But putting aside the artwork, I was more interested in the story. It really hooked me and I was guessing till the end of each game to what Battler's final "Blue Truth" of the crime would be. But I will admit that it did take a while for me to get used to the gore, blood, and psychotic nature of this series, but I eventually got used to it. <br />
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If you have never played the games before and walk into this anime, you probably won't have a problem with it. Most of the viewers that watched this series, had played the game before and thus spat on the anime adaptation. But in defense for the anime, without comparing it to its original game, I found this to be a very entertaining series. The game, goes into more detail with each of the "games," and the anime did miss some of these details. However, like most animes that are adapted from a game, LOTS of details are missed as series are usually limited on episodes so not everything can be addressed. Thus I feel that for the most part, the series did a good job. As for the fans that enjoyed the anime, the game series is still ongoing so many fans are hoping for a season 2 of the series. However, nothing has been announced. I'll wrap this post up here, and I included the 4th opening to the series. Please note that each "game" had a unique opening animation to it but the theme song remained the same. I posed the 4th opening as I thought it was the most interesting one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSKXThy8Rew">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSKXThy8Rew</a> <br />
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-392878267866923192010-10-29T20:52:00.000-07:002010-10-29T20:52:42.187-07:00xXxHoLic Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: xXxHoLic<br />
Animation Studio: Production I.G<br />
Original Run: 41 Episodes (24 eps in first season + 13 eps in second season + 4 OVA eps)<br />
English Licensor: Funimation Entertainment<br />
Adaptation of: CLAMP's manga "xXxHoLic"<br />
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<strong>Summary: </strong>Wouldn't life be great if you could just walk into a store to have your wishes granted? Of course it wouldn't! Well maybe it would, but not in Kimihiro Watanuki's case. Watanuki is your average everyday high school student who just happens to have been born with the burden of attracting spirits and the paranormal. He is constantly bombarded by spirits and can't seem to get a break, that is until he came across a mysterious wishing shop. The shop literally dragged Watanuki onto the premises and before he knew it, he found himself before the elusive shopkeeper, Yuko Ichihara. With her cryptic language and spiritual powers, she asks him if he wants her to make his spirit attraction to disappear. He hesitantly agrees and an agreement is formed, but as a price he has to work for her. He objects and grumbles at first but goes through with it as she does not take refunds.<br />
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From here the main plot begins. Yuko simply has Watanuki cook, clean, and perform certain tasks she is asked from various clients that come to her shop. One would think that a wishing shop would be all the rage but it doesn't work that way. Most of the customers that come to her shop feel drawn to it and later it is revealed that only those that really need something resolved will be able to see the shop. Her clients don't have petty problems like, "I want a puppy," but rather have problems/habits that have consumed them. In other words, they can be called "holics". Watanuki deals with the majority of physical labor and Yuko usually jumps in with the paranormal and mystical aspects of the job. The requests range from disturbing to just plain weird, and with Watanuki's sensitivity to spirits, the jobs are usually not pleasant.<br />
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But not to worry, he has a companion, Shizuka Doumeki. Doumeki is Watanuki's stoic and emotionless classmate, who simply loves to eat Watanuki's home cooking. Yuko usually has the two team up as Doumeki has a strong purifying energy that repels spirits and thus Watanuki's problem can be controlled to an extent. Not to mention, he can shoot both normal and purifying arrows (as he is part of the archery club and lives on temple grounds). The only problem is Watanuki can't stand Doumeki, but he tolerates him when his crush, Himawari Kunogi, cheerfully comments on how well the two seem to get along. Also, along with Doumeki, Watanuki has another "partner" named, Mokona. Mokona is a sarcastic bunny like creature with odd spiritual powers, that can talk, and enjoys drinking alcohol with Yuko. Watanuki is constantly teased and annoyed by Yuko, Doumeki, and Mokona, but he does form a very strong bond with each of them. <br />
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The series has lots of comedic elements to it but it also has some pretty chilling stories to it as well. "xXxHoLic" is a great series and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in Japanese folklore, or is simply looking for a surreal and interesting series.<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>9.5/10</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>This really is one of the better series I've watched. The horror aspects of the series are more "creepy" as opposed to "nightmare inducing". What makes it so different is that it did not solely focus on spirits and the supernatural, but it also attacked human nature and the ticking insanity inside the human mind. I felt that it was one of those series that made you think and somewhat makes you question some bad habits you have. Some examples would be lying, cheating, and relying on lucky charms and voodoo. Also,unlike most "horror" genre series, this one has a lot of comedy to it as well. Watanuki is pretty animated and hilarious throughout the majority of the series (his "happy-go-lucky" character changes in the OVAs), and added great comic relief, especially when he was paired with his calm counterpart, Doumeki. Yuko on the other hand, was a very wise, mysterious, elusive character but she did have a childish side to her. </div>
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I gave this series a high score because of how clever the series is, but I marked down points since it did get confusing at times and the art sometimes got awkward. Many consider the art of the series to be terrible as the people are so long, and stringy. But in its defense, I thought that the art matched the overall atmosphere of the anime as it added to that "peculiar" aspect of it. It is a wonderful series originally created by the brilliant minds of CLAMP and I applaud both the creators and the production studio for doing a great job. Production I.G usually comes out with stellar work so I wasn't surprised at the quality of the series. So I hope you take a jab at this one and have a Happy Halloween! </div>
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<br /></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-47500966942062857522010-10-27T10:14:00.000-07:002010-10-27T10:17:40.183-07:00High School of the Dead Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: High School of the Dead</div>
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Animation Studio: Madhouse</div>
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Original Run: 12 Episodes</div>
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English Licensor: Sentai Filmworks</div>
Adaptation of: Daisuke <span style="color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Satō and</span> </span><span style="color: white;">Shōji Satō's manga "High School of the Dead: Gakuen Mokushiroku"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmZ9SWC7-YJ_GUn8qdcneyAiA1T8PGzoZGBovGup8wXREBeWVRGJOJGfiPB6ZbWHhTwzMWya_pCyk0hgw7KWmF9Gh5kdKNvy6xe6x9OKRTwNrfiMjSp2TKjhBlSvlgHpEmUvK5KqxtPhm/s1600/HS1-e1278363074140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmZ9SWC7-YJ_GUn8qdcneyAiA1T8PGzoZGBovGup8wXREBeWVRGJOJGfiPB6ZbWHhTwzMWya_pCyk0hgw7KWmF9Gh5kdKNvy6xe6x9OKRTwNrfiMjSp2TKjhBlSvlgHpEmUvK5KqxtPhm/s1600/HS1-e1278363074140.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>Everyone loves excitement in life, well most people do. Well, in a typical city of Japan, everything starts to take a turn for the worst. Takashi Komuro was your average high school student going through his worries, like any other kid. He had a crush on a childhood friend, Rei, but since she had thought he didn't care for her, she ended up becoming his best friend's girlfriend. Upsetting, yes, but other than that, life was peaceful. That was then. The beginning of the end was sudden and he couldn't believe his eyes when he witnessed it. Like any other day, he was sitting on the stairs of the school when he happened to see some strange figure in the distance bumping into the the front gate. It was odd, but people usually are, or so he thought. Some teachers also noticed this man and approached him but, that was the worst possible thing to do in this situation. This odd individual suddenly grabbed a teacher and bit him causing massive bleeding which led to his death. Horrified, Komuro couldn't look away and witnessed the corpse of his teacher bite another and from there, Takashi had to warn Rei. Of course, she didn't believe him and simply got mad at him, but when the school's PA system came on, the horrifying truth was revealed as a horrid scream was heard on the other side. This sends the student and teacher body into a frenzy and everyone begins to act nuts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FD7afifJDCnbBDEPj-A0acTmTF6DOmWFd7JI-CRjZQbBCnIwlz0gLaNrf1YFiuLPxuSXDzlbs9D8PRNs_xipZBSyareMjTUWfpqdezTpo6m8T8VC3cjYjQcA4Gn1VpoUPP3O9x9wBdSk/s1600/highschool_of_the_dead_01_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FD7afifJDCnbBDEPj-A0acTmTF6DOmWFd7JI-CRjZQbBCnIwlz0gLaNrf1YFiuLPxuSXDzlbs9D8PRNs_xipZBSyareMjTUWfpqdezTpo6m8T8VC3cjYjQcA4Gn1VpoUPP3O9x9wBdSk/s1600/highschool_of_the_dead_01_02.jpg" /></a>Takashi, Rei, and his best friend, Hisashi, try and escape the school, but in doing so, Hisashi is bitten by an infected teacher but holds out for a while. The trio escapes to the rooftop and managed to find some "weapons" laying about (ex. baseball bat, a spear from a school activities club, etc.). They also barricade themselves by creating a makeshift wall, as the zombies can't climb over it. Unfortunately, since Hisashi was infected, be begs Takashi to kill him as a human so he doesn't become one of "Them". With Rei's cries of refusal, and Hisashi's dying breaths (and vomiting of blood), Takashi falters and Hisashi becomes one. Rei begs him to to kill him but in order to protect her from being bitten by her dead-boyfriend, he smacks his undead best friend's skull in. This causes some friction between Rei and Takashi but the two make up and focus on getting out of the school. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg_svdu1SkktKJKq8XsmD1GdY120B07vpLRsAi4HMws3UatktS7R7tK5HgSiijzzBCtOrmW_eAPryPVCm939IVYRde6oIEIjDtQQ9ZM7fi09J2rBHUZnavjOaOwUTMJwcWjFvoXezQVZk/s1600/41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg_svdu1SkktKJKq8XsmD1GdY120B07vpLRsAi4HMws3UatktS7R7tK5HgSiijzzBCtOrmW_eAPryPVCm939IVYRde6oIEIjDtQQ9ZM7fi09J2rBHUZnavjOaOwUTMJwcWjFvoXezQVZk/s1600/41.jpg" /></a>Meanwhile, across the school other students are struggling to stay "alive" and another pair is managing pretty well. Saya Takagi, and Kota Hirano, and unlikely pair are also on the move to escape. Saya is a brilliant rich girl who may not have much fighting experience but she has the mind of a genius as she tries to figure out what "They" respond to and what is going on exactly. Kota is a game nerd that no one really paid any attention to but his experience as a gamer only helps him in their current situation as he manages to make a decent and lethal gun out of some wood and a staple gun. The two eventually meet up with Takashi and Rei, along with an upperclassman who is the kendo (Japanese sword-fighting) club's president, and the ditzy school nurse. Note that they are all pretty much strangers to one another besides Takashi, Rei, and Saya (she's Takashi's childhood friend). After some pretty intense action, Saya informs them of her observations that the zombies don't react to touch and they don't appear to be able to see, but they do react to sound. They use this to their advantage and lure the zombies away as they try and head to the school's bus to get out of there. They also come across a few more students that have managed to survive and they also run with them. As the group hops into the buss, a very sleazy teacher, Koichi Shido, follows them into the bus, and Rei states that it is a mistake to bring him as he is the worst kind of person. The bus manages to get off of school grounds, after running over a few "un-dead" students, and they think the worst is over but they soon realize that it's happening all across the world. Because of tensions between Takashi's group and Mr. Shido's group (as he starts to form a cult with the deranged students that take to his poetic words of hope and a new world), the two separate. </div>
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Takashi's group's primary goal throughout the entire series is to get to their families' homes and pray that they are still alive. They do meet up with other characters and pick up one more member of the group, Alice, a young girl whose father was killed in cold blood by scared household members that wouldn't allow them shelter in their home. Unfortunately, it is a false hope that all (most) of them carry as they need something to believe in, in this horrible time. The series shows the characters' morality decay as they begin to kill the once human individuals (including children), along with the fall of society in such a disaster. So if you love horror, action, and don't mind a bit of fan-service with some psychological elements to a series, this might be one to take a look at.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tM195CQIcOFTjbFD0zQLHGnYCK0n4NE5CpXUU1BO6SAUNf-D6sYa1-YNG8_V6hb3jGMpSc00LzKfcUsKvy1sUAuFDf3KrZgzIJDHVtBQdMXsCCxlkCcTHY28xjsg5WuWwehFZWZHHKmS/s1600/8-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tM195CQIcOFTjbFD0zQLHGnYCK0n4NE5CpXUU1BO6SAUNf-D6sYa1-YNG8_V6hb3jGMpSc00LzKfcUsKvy1sUAuFDf3KrZgzIJDHVtBQdMXsCCxlkCcTHY28xjsg5WuWwehFZWZHHKmS/s1600/8-12.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbRV4fCc3uUHUHzzNyj7YTopuxJwhqHB9V71mBvXgxJRJwSs30SrNfcqn_HEI9FuyP_a15k1GontQ84Bmf2Fj53DJ50WZyRgyd3U5hvMR_gXcDRt4i6NEgBQjhrh3aMHd-X3zQVA4CJhT/s1600/HS11-e1281390492293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbRV4fCc3uUHUHzzNyj7YTopuxJwhqHB9V71mBvXgxJRJwSs30SrNfcqn_HEI9FuyP_a15k1GontQ84Bmf2Fj53DJ50WZyRgyd3U5hvMR_gXcDRt4i6NEgBQjhrh3aMHd-X3zQVA4CJhT/s1600/HS11-e1281390492293.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>9/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>This is actually a recent series that aired this year, and it was one of the better horror series I've watched. Given, I could have done without the fan-service, but the series did do a good job in making the un-dead really pop. I watched this series out on a whim and I guess I watched it for the action and development of the story and the characters. The first two episodes are probably the most interesting ones (or so I think), as they have that punch of "That is just freaky." Now was this series "scary?" well, I thought it was more suspense than anything, as I didn't get nightmares from it or anything and the zombies are your stereotypical walking dead that slowly teeter and totter about. The only reason I lowered the score was because of the unnecessary fan-service as I felt it took away from the series' main point. There are some comedic elements to it but it always goes back to the issue of society and the collapse of one's own morality code. I thought Takashi's commentaries of how he knows he is changing into someone that will never be able to go back to being "normal", were great as it really showed the effects of this "end-of-the-world" scenario. Mr. Shido's group definitely became corrupt and fell to the animal desires of man. The story reminded me a bit of "Resident Evil" with this random "sickness" that is spread throughout the world and is transferred through bite. But in this series, they have no idea where this virus came from and who made it. <br />
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The ending is open-ended as the original manga series is still ongoing but they are going to have a couple of specials on the DVDs when they are released. I can't say what they are going to be about, as they could continue to story or simply be another installment of fan-service. Well, in any case, "High School of the Dead" is a fairly good series and pretty entertaining for the most part. I included the trailer for the series below, and please note there is fan-service, blood, gore, and other things that might not be suitable for certain individuals. But other than that, enjoy!<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl6cNSBg3Wg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl6cNSBg3Wg</a><br />
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-49920997849386046482010-10-22T21:42:00.000-07:002010-10-25T15:10:28.906-07:00Zombie-Loan Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Zombie-Loan</div>
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Animation Studio: Xebec M2</div>
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Original Run: 13 Episodes (11 eps + 2 OVA eps)</div>
English Licensor: N/A<br />
Adaptation of: PEACH-PIT's manga "Zombie-Loan"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjou4e1V8B4jUWVN93DvNRmeCwblb-nb86llUzo6TwF8mJOudmXSgOvl9-5mbk4ywLKjXa_euPOgzTIs9JVuh19R_5ta-HReXG1pm1xV9UAYR2k_WTqWRqqMz-XT1GP4uL738nMqTCE0PgC/s1600/lrg-296-zombieloan_kita_michiru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjou4e1V8B4jUWVN93DvNRmeCwblb-nb86llUzo6TwF8mJOudmXSgOvl9-5mbk4ywLKjXa_euPOgzTIs9JVuh19R_5ta-HReXG1pm1xV9UAYR2k_WTqWRqqMz-XT1GP4uL738nMqTCE0PgC/s1600/lrg-296-zombieloan_kita_michiru.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>Life's great isn't it? You get into debt sometimes but then you pay it off, yup, that's the life. And here's a bonus, if you die, and you weren't ready to, you can always strike a deal with the Zombie Loan Office! Meet, Michiru Kita, a very detached high school girl with the special ability to see how far a person is from death. Sure it may sound pretty cool at first but, it is pretty disturbing for the poor girl. How does she do it? Simple, she is able to see a ring around a person's neck and as the gray ring gets darker the nearer the person is to death. So if it turns black the person dies. Well, imagine you have this ability and you are minding your own business when you trip over a human hand that is lying in the middle of a school corridor. Yup, creepy. Well from here, Michiru discovers the secret of two perfectly normal looking boys named, Chika and Shito. Their secret: They're both dead; and the hand she tripped over is Chika's. Michiru has a normal reaction of being shocked and the two gentlemen consider killing her, but once they see that she has this special ability, they decide to let her live to assist them with their job; killing and hunting down zombies. </div>
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Well, she does end up "dying" in helping the two un-dead boys with their job, but in her dying breaths she states she wants to live and thus the two guys add her debt to their accounts. However, this also means that Michiru has to work for the office as well. Now, how does this whole loan thing work? It really is a simple process, the Zombie Loan Office people will ensure you will be brought back to life so long as you pay off your debt by doing work for them. Thus, Chika and Shito made such a deal, and are partners to pay off their debt. The two boys are bound by a spirit chain which is formed by their right hands and each one "wears" the other's hand until they have to fight and bring out their weapons. Unfortunately they can't hold onto their own hand for very long and they can't travel too far from one another or the hands end up rotting. Michiru does question the office at first but as she meets her new co-workers she begins to bond with them and begins to have a better outlook on life. So, the series mostly consists of Michiru using her "Shinigami Eyes" ability to help Chika and Shito search for zombies and put them to rest. As Michiru continues her work, she begins to see the troubles that her two partners carry within them, as she too, struggles to find her appreciation for life again.<br />
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Action, supernatural, a pinch of romance, and a touch of comedy. There really is not much to say about this series, and it is a quick watch, so try it out if you're interested in this kind story.<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>7/10</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>Well, it is getting around towards Halloween so I'll probably be doing a couple of "un-dead" series. "Zombie-Loan" is not one of my favorite series, but the artists of the original series are one of my favorite manga artist teams. I gave this series a lower score as I felt that the series jumped all over the place and many things were left unresolved by the end of it. The art was unique and the comedy was okay, but nothing was really memorable about it. The only thing that I found to be a interesting aspect of the series was the voice actors of Chika and Shito (since they are two of my many favorite voice actors). The character development was weak and at times the story got confusing. Michiru wasn't very useful and the two boys really didn't do much. Yet I will say that the character designs were pretty good and some aspects of the series I found to be "cute," ex. like the death god. The series itself isn't bad as the idea is pretty original but I can't look over the fact that there are episodes and arcs that I found to be boring. I can't say whether or not one should watch it as it depends on person to person but I didn't care too much for this series. </div>
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Next time I'll probably do another anime that I found to be a bit more geared toward the stereotypical zombie fling we all know and love.<br />
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-88777464234134026492010-10-20T00:26:00.000-07:002010-10-22T21:54:09.482-07:00La Corda D'Oro ~primo passo~ Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: La Corda D'Oro ~primo passo~</div>
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Animation Studio: Yumeta Company</div>
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Original Run: 28 Episodes (25 eps in first season + 1 special + 2 OVA eps)</div>
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English Licensor: Sentai Filmworks</div>
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Adaptation of: Koei's game "Kin'iro no Corda" and Yuki Kure's manga "La Corda D'Oro"</div>
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<strong>Summary: </strong>Let's face it, high school was a a bit dull and stressful at times. But I'm sure if one's school had a music school fused in, school life would have been a bit calmer, especially when music students could be heard playing Mozart, Beethoven, and other memorable composers. In the fictional school of Seiso Academy, music literally fills the halls of the school. Well, sort of...it depends on where one is in the school. Seiso is divided into two departments: the ever prestigious and competitive music department, and the general department which houses students that don't play an instrument and want to simply live out a "normal" high school career. The main heroine of this story is Kahoko Hino, a student in the general education branch and otherwise really had no interest in classical music. That is until the school wide four part annual music competition came around and she found herself participating in it due to a spunky music fairy named Lili. Yet because Kahoko has no idea how to play any instrument, Lili grants her a magical violin which makes it possible for anyone to play, so long as the holder has the tune clearly in their mind. She is a bit overwhelmed at first but she eventually learns to accept it.</div>
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When she enters the competition she meets her fellow competitors who are all a part of the music department, and are musically talented. This group consists of two 3rd years; Yunoki Azuma (flute), and Kazuki Hihara (trumpet), two 1st years; Shouko Fuyuumi (clarinet), and Keiichi Shimizu (cello), and one 2nd year, Len Tsukimori (violin). Yunoki has a very "gentleman" like charm to him, which makes all the girls swoon, however behind his smile he holds a very dark personality. Opposite of him is his cheery and energetic best friend, Kazuki. Shouko is a quiet girl who is fairly timid and shy and Keiichi...simply goes at his own pace while he looses himself in his music. Len is a prodigy violinist, who was born into a family of musicians, and thus is always striving to perfect his playing. Unfortunately his cold and warped personality is a turn off for most, one such individual being Kahoko's friendly and supportive fellow general ed.-mate, Ryotaro Tsuchiura. Ryotaro is a member of the soccer team, but also holds a secret of being a very skilled pianist. He eventually becomes the 7th participant in the competition after he shows his amazing talent in the first round, when he played as Kahoko's accompaniment. But because Len and Ryotaro have such conflicting personalities they often clash with one another, causing some tension between them. But aside from the participants there is Hiroto Kanazawa, who is a music teacher at the school, acting as the competition's coordinator, and his "off-and-on" helper, Shinobu Ousaki, who is a graduate from the school and actually won the competition when he was a student. </div>
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As the competition goes on, Kahoko begins forming unforgettable bonds with each of the participants. Without even trying, she begins to change and touch the hearts of each of the competitors and thus their music is also altered (but in a good way). Most of the boys begin to fall for her where as she slowly begins to fall in love with the violin. Yet, the further she moves along with the competition, the guilt of standing on the same stage as her fellow musicians starts to grind on her. </div>
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If you love classical music and enjoy a calm and happy story, this may be a series you might want to check out. "La Corda D'Oro ~primo passo~" is packed with music, romance, and drama; and once it ends, you can still catch a couple of more specials that follow it. And just when you thought there couldn't be anymore guys in this reverse harem, three more are introduced. So if you like pretty <strike>guys</strike> art, and music, give this series a shot.</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 8.5/10</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Review:</strong> If it wasn't obvious, this game was based off of a Japanese dating sim game, which was then made into a manga, which then resulted in an anime. I have never played this game but, I have seen scenes and screenshots of it. However, I do read the manga and from what I can tell, there are differences between all three. The anime series took me a while to get used to when I watched it the first time around. One reason is because I found Kahoko to be pretty annoying half-way through the series when she started to get really emotional about lying to everyone about her talent. But she eventually resolves her troubles and she was likable again. Another reason was because the series moved slowly at times that I found myself having some difficulties of wanting to move to the next episode. But once I got over those couple of bumps I found the series pretty good and I actually found the series to be more enjoyable the second time I watched it.</div>
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The art is extremely clear and definitely has vibrant colors. The characters are great as they all have their own unique personalities, and the character development was pretty good considering the studio only had time for one 25 episode season. But the one thing that this series takes home is the music. If it didn't, I'd be pretty worried, but the old classical pieces in this series are beautifully played. After watching this series, I recall listening to some classical music (including my favorite piece, "Canon in D major" composed by Pachelbel, which Kahoko played in her second round). </div>
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I also checked out the special and OVAs that followed the original anime and they were so-so. I felt the OVAs were unnecessary as two of the three characters that were introduced barely got any screen time, and I felt as if the whole OVA duo focused on was the new character Aoi Kaji his interactions with Kahoko. What felt so wrong about it was, the original Corda guys barely got any attention (poor guys), and the ending of it was pretty dull. But if I were to put aside the OVAs, I would say the original series and the special were well done as everything flowed nicely as I saw Kahoko's and the other characters' interactions with one another to be charming. Yet I felt the series didn't focus mainly on love, but rather the love and appreciation of music, and I found that to be a memorable aspect of the series. Yet if someone were to come up to me and ask if I had a favorite pairing in this series I would say yes. Despite there being a large amount of guys in this anime going after one girl, I thought one boy stood out amongst the rest. I won't name him but he is one of the music students. <br />
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I included the opening as it is one of my favorite anime openings.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUqNuWvDgMA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUqNuWvDgMA</a></div>
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So I hope you enjoyed and tune in next time for another rating and review~!</div>
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-61489592358022188932010-10-16T01:32:00.000-07:002010-10-16T01:32:42.205-07:00Skip Beat! Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Skip Beat!</div>
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Animation Studio: Hal Film Maker</div>
Original Run: 25 Episodes<br />
English Licensor: N/A<br />
Adaptation of: Yoshiki Nakamura's manga "Skip Beat!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODKo3VIVjDJSr7Nc0Bmye2WIwDdneOUKLiljZZPJnJgQAqEZ2R6smeNI_SV5ggY50zEXMsZ6-3sxn_44ZKfwqGGRMLOQQFd9NUfAEJFsjjhUjjv7UgGZmW_PI9h-hkZ0f7m5Rel7p67pX/s1600/screenshots00771qn5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODKo3VIVjDJSr7Nc0Bmye2WIwDdneOUKLiljZZPJnJgQAqEZ2R6smeNI_SV5ggY50zEXMsZ6-3sxn_44ZKfwqGGRMLOQQFd9NUfAEJFsjjhUjjv7UgGZmW_PI9h-hkZ0f7m5Rel7p67pX/s1600/screenshots00771qn5.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>The entertainment business certainly does its job well, doesn't it? It has actors, musicians, and other talents, that simply enjoy their jobs and the public does too! Yet, even if we see their faces everywhere and we could recognize them a mile away, we don't really know them...well that is unless you're a childhood friend of one! Meet the heroine of "Skip Beat!", Kyoko Mogami. A spunky teen who is head over heels in love with her childhood friend, and followed him to Tokyo when he asked her to. Her dear friend is, Shotarou Fuwa (aka Sho Fuwa), who is a rising star in the Japan music industry, and like most stereotypical stars, has a huge ego. In the beginning, Kyoko blindly follows and does things for Sho, like a happy slave, and is content with being near him. That is, until she found out the reason why he asked her to come with him. The answer: He brought her to be his personal maid/slave and was eventually going to drop her.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGp6tQS2Z056Wx6L3u_ZgWK-ZofxXsv9j9knS6XaFs4XBU12YwGbAXg1-xZ1nacPpagCFpaDMhxHxQVAU0fvBGij9sXePUwOKWNdcvW2YBlZvbRak8hsAfgs6Xi65x2YXlkq8D-ISoe4s/s1600/pink+duo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGp6tQS2Z056Wx6L3u_ZgWK-ZofxXsv9j9knS6XaFs4XBU12YwGbAXg1-xZ1nacPpagCFpaDMhxHxQVAU0fvBGij9sXePUwOKWNdcvW2YBlZvbRak8hsAfgs6Xi65x2YXlkq8D-ISoe4s/s1600/pink+duo.jpg" /></a>This causes a huge change in Kyoko as the darkness in her "Pandora's box", is opened and as her inner demons are released, she swears revenge on Sho, stating that she will enter sho-biz and become a bigger star than him. She changes her entire image (dying and cutting her black hair) and personality, but unfortuneately, getting into the entertainment business isn't a simple feat. She auditions at the LME agency but fails as she has lost her emotion of "love," and now is nothing more than a ball of anger and revenge. Yet since she has potential she is invited to join a new special department known as the "Love Me" Section, which offers tasks and jobs to help rebuild a missing vital component in an actresses. When Kyoko starts out, she is given grunt work like cleaning the halls or carrying other senior actors' stuff, and it doesn't help that she sticks out like a sore thumb with a bright pink jumpsuit. Luckily she isn't alone as she is later joined by another actress named Kanae Kotonami, and the two develop an interesting friendship.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvsoh4H3rNNHp5wk6sJSa5WWhoZ9IHIcO00__YZaZqJV18BKZ-QZ83KKcGtuvfI2MxG2zDVtfRLMc-v7mPEJ6Sbbo4nuleFaI0lVDLfY7JHVvt6F89PuCeYvO66PI_mSdikRVCgoIWte_/s1600/challenge1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvsoh4H3rNNHp5wk6sJSa5WWhoZ9IHIcO00__YZaZqJV18BKZ-QZ83KKcGtuvfI2MxG2zDVtfRLMc-v7mPEJ6Sbbo4nuleFaI0lVDLfY7JHVvt6F89PuCeYvO66PI_mSdikRVCgoIWte_/s1600/challenge1.JPG" /></a>As Kyoko continues her work for the "Love Me" Section, she receives more offers for actual jobs like helping be a mascot in a variety show, appearing in a commercial, and even debuting in an actual drama. As Kyoko starts out with her career in the entertainment world, she meets Japan's top actor and number one celebrity, Ren Tsuruga, who is also under LME. Initially, Kyoko hated Ren just because Sho despised the guy out of jealousy for being the top male celebrity of Japan, where as Ren didn't even acknowledge Sho's existence. At first the Kyoko and Ren's relationship is bumpy as her vengeful reasons for joining the entertainment business slip out of her mouth leaving Ren disappointed in her to which he begins to constantly annoy and tease her. However, as Kyoko spends time with Ren, she realizes that he is a respectable actor and soon aims to be a wonderful actor like him. Ren's disappointment also fades as Kyoko's skills as an actress evolves into something more than an assault of revenge towards Sho. As so, he begins to help and support Kyoko as she begins to blossom into a true actress. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iAxCYCqthHhv51vhGOZW4b9jhhxI29HCp_-8413AnBnT_8_NVeSjZjTnFgFJRkLu3FHJ7IBqUYEULt-7C-lLX_9Rc-PBeL9Pwtx3Nb_myEdih_yfmL8XETBx3mhQr0nzavIHeT67Edta/s1600/skipbeat-episode12-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iAxCYCqthHhv51vhGOZW4b9jhhxI29HCp_-8413AnBnT_8_NVeSjZjTnFgFJRkLu3FHJ7IBqUYEULt-7C-lLX_9Rc-PBeL9Pwtx3Nb_myEdih_yfmL8XETBx3mhQr0nzavIHeT67Edta/s1600/skipbeat-episode12-11.jpg" /></a></div>
As the series goes on Ren begins to develop feelings for Kyoko, but Kyoko remains oblivious due to her lack of "love". But every now and then, Kyoko shows signs that she also has some feelings for the Casanova, but always somehow reverts back to her twisted mind-set. But she isn't the only one with a painful past, as Ren also holds some dark and unpleasant memories. Despite Kyoko being incapable of love, she still holds a loving and cherished memory of her childhood; "Corn". No, not corn as in "corn on the cob", but her treasure, a stone she named after the fairy prince that gave it to her when she was crying one day. Yes, she still has some fluff left, as she loves fairy tales and yes, she believes in fairies. Of course, Corn wasn't really a fairy but a boy, and his name wasn't really Corn (Kyoko just couldn't pronounce his name properly when she was little so the habit carried on). The stone is like a good luck charm to her that helps her calm down and takes her worries away. Yet unknowing to her, Corn is actually Ren who also treasures that memory. But he refrains from telling her as he thinks she is better off not knowing and leaves her to her fantasies of what became of this "fairy prince".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Lc9mWe8w7AYNxU6896D9fGUBsoo8RrhRhdmIBnJrWF_w-da1y2W2blcgcklhg3789UgxhlmQVHWc24ECnOxNa0OK1huDaDPMh80ha7FpeMhbj7T2wq8N0gycQhBsrR9Hk_-DbeDuIX5/s1600/kyoko+and+sho3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Lc9mWe8w7AYNxU6896D9fGUBsoo8RrhRhdmIBnJrWF_w-da1y2W2blcgcklhg3789UgxhlmQVHWc24ECnOxNa0OK1huDaDPMh80ha7FpeMhbj7T2wq8N0gycQhBsrR9Hk_-DbeDuIX5/s1600/kyoko+and+sho3.jpg" /></a>Kyoko does eventually meet Sho again and the two begin their battle with one another. However, Ren also gets involved in the mix as he begins to hate Sho for his previous treatment and relationship with Kyoko. "Skip Beat!" focuses mainly on Kyoko's development as an actress and her climb towards becoming an idol. Yet it also throws drops of romance as the boys' and hers relationships grow. This is a series geared more towards girls with lots of romantic comedy aspects, but it is a good watch for those that like stories involving the entertainment business without the heavy dose of "<insert here="" name=""> cheated on <insert here="" name="">". The story may be based in the entertainment world but it displays the actual aspects of acting as opposed to scandalous paparazzi drama.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIImKxgqB-m-rKIRePMP5KXuouu7H7eK82PD-bbfGFM1mSow4lXpFwsTTwAJnBwRM4hlgedgzKRyj2Ogefyq5HJtwZwpjsxN8okwURMOxcPUtkIjJP_AAcD3xyqEzr9S6ZjgPASTqUnJg-/s1600/sho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIImKxgqB-m-rKIRePMP5KXuouu7H7eK82PD-bbfGFM1mSow4lXpFwsTTwAJnBwRM4hlgedgzKRyj2Ogefyq5HJtwZwpjsxN8okwURMOxcPUtkIjJP_AAcD3xyqEzr9S6ZjgPASTqUnJg-/s1600/sho1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmVNZ2JLieoyIesRKniJEeLnSKhwZQjgOlmYIBsKZ7p1uu4Eo9dYAoNuhhSlWWVbK8fZaADfuMRZT5sJEW01RCNb2qmv0MVqhEGgvB1Ihmr92qAkX7qWEH5FYMcSlGSPH1mhWx-Ksh-gN/s1600/sb02-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmVNZ2JLieoyIesRKniJEeLnSKhwZQjgOlmYIBsKZ7p1uu4Eo9dYAoNuhhSlWWVbK8fZaADfuMRZT5sJEW01RCNb2qmv0MVqhEGgvB1Ihmr92qAkX7qWEH5FYMcSlGSPH1mhWx-Ksh-gN/s1600/sb02-00.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>8/10<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>Oh, "Skip Beat!" you are a clever series. I enjoyed watching this anime since I found that the storyline stayed true to the original manga and the characters were brilliant. Kyoko's inner demons add to the comedy aspect and it makes the subject of her cruel heartbreak a easier to digest. There are scenes in this series that I found to be incredible as Kyoko's natural acting skills just made her seem astounding. Also, the comedy aspects were well done too. I give my praise to the studio on those notes. However, I have to say that I was disappointed as the series ended on a cliffhanger (it ended in the middle of a story arc), and there has been no said plans for a second season. I can't say that the art is the best I've ever seen but I will say that the background music was pretty good for the series. But I will say up front that I find the manga to be much better but only because the anime ended in such an awkward way. Although, for those that go into this series without reading the original manga with no expectations, I don't see there being a problem there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZTvEvfQWIvVqmSkBdn9ZmGaMNEowEm9gQ0Acw9dCjOsCQkXS2iaIIPjEZ8A_PqnczTrLfZqZdBMZJPq1FkqITTvOfXzNJLPggzGZb9uPWZioenADMGwdLd9tIoU0hJJ36wlEc8pN1L-v/s1600/skipbeat-episode25-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZTvEvfQWIvVqmSkBdn9ZmGaMNEowEm9gQ0Acw9dCjOsCQkXS2iaIIPjEZ8A_PqnczTrLfZqZdBMZJPq1FkqITTvOfXzNJLPggzGZb9uPWZioenADMGwdLd9tIoU0hJJ36wlEc8pN1L-v/s1600/skipbeat-episode25-7.jpg" /></a></div>
Overall, the series is okay. It's not as funny as Ouran but it is just as creative and original. I think the most memorable thing with this series is Kyoko's unpredictable acting. Really, she does some pretty ingenious things, that even impresses Ren and those around her. The romance aspect is iffy as, again, not much is developed as the series ends mid-story. But there are moments, so it isn't like this series was sucked completely dry of romance. So, if you're interested in a series that talks about entertainment, check "Skip Beat!" ! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTldLI8hb1Tdd4jsKe4IaaPA2lKrq1Il2renF934v7GkXkT9UdFNSaiEARVOzi4mNCjUGKGB_od3Hb-nkVyKAAlbfH39NFju6GpJSNdndE3n3lxntqZU2_GNO7PNzTOulhbZhdrJXfUPCF/s1600/kyoko+and+ren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTldLI8hb1Tdd4jsKe4IaaPA2lKrq1Il2renF934v7GkXkT9UdFNSaiEARVOzi4mNCjUGKGB_od3Hb-nkVyKAAlbfH39NFju6GpJSNdndE3n3lxntqZU2_GNO7PNzTOulhbZhdrJXfUPCF/s1600/kyoko+and+ren.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-66606450525648576972010-10-12T22:21:00.000-07:002010-10-12T22:21:19.442-07:00Summer Wars Rating and Review<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5rthwuRvlJdwDp5ieiWM582J_MdzAeTVdaeC1sWC0Pis5Lv9IhX9AhkjmCS68mxUku6_WAfRySIV3vb5IgXD9D_GAewjwfHKD4L7lPadfbZUKrYE8us2wn79KGRavfbkiCRzijSeXPJv/s1600/summer_wars_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5rthwuRvlJdwDp5ieiWM582J_MdzAeTVdaeC1sWC0Pis5Lv9IhX9AhkjmCS68mxUku6_WAfRySIV3vb5IgXD9D_GAewjwfHKD4L7lPadfbZUKrYE8us2wn79KGRavfbkiCRzijSeXPJv/s1600/summer_wars_poster.jpg" /></a></div>
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Series: Summer Wars</div>
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Animation Studio: Madhouse</div>
Original Run: 1 movie<br />
English Licensor: Funimation Entertaiment<br />
Adaptation of: N/A<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LUeOshIEUxo-yqCzxztG8KgsJv5TDLjINmN5v0kfkJXZQM1t5dh5fY1BQuZe6dVEPoaolXgKiMAGT1yztAt2vLUkjrptQdbXYwTNf_4MjGt3h5p8MscHzfZE8WkBuuhP5tYWJLf91PIT/s1600/summerwars-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LUeOshIEUxo-yqCzxztG8KgsJv5TDLjINmN5v0kfkJXZQM1t5dh5fY1BQuZe6dVEPoaolXgKiMAGT1yztAt2vLUkjrptQdbXYwTNf_4MjGt3h5p8MscHzfZE8WkBuuhP5tYWJLf91PIT/s1600/summerwars-06.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>The Internet is the key to the world. Well, that may depend on person to person but never the less, it has had a major impact on today's society. In the movie "Summer Wars", there is a system (or more so a virtual reality world) known as Oz, and it is connected to many aspects of the real world like navigation systems, and most computer systems. The story focuses on Kenji Koiso, a high school student who is gifted in mathematics and works as a low grade moderator to Oz. The story takes place during summer when Kenji's crush and upperclassman, Natsuki Shinohara, offers him a "job" to come with her to her family's place to help celebrate her grandmother's birthday. He agrees, but she has other things planned besides this. When they arrive, Natsuki introduces Kenji to her grandmother stating that he is her boyfriend. Kenji is utterly confused but goes along with it. She tells him that it's only temporary and she'll make up a break-up story later on. Kenji eventually meets the rest of her crazy family and discovers they have quite the history. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJel321cpR7HWHdYgpLL16xiUF7Wa81jsWRjcMFF9JnwPnI_zAVgTnIeg5Cm0U55SeYECoPC8zKJ_293H_-drn2QPARqxdGY2xPjXK6cvsiMjCsDajadexn_rZrMHJjU9PMYIWnsgdzAV/s1600/jh34ok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJel321cpR7HWHdYgpLL16xiUF7Wa81jsWRjcMFF9JnwPnI_zAVgTnIeg5Cm0U55SeYECoPC8zKJ_293H_-drn2QPARqxdGY2xPjXK6cvsiMjCsDajadexn_rZrMHJjU9PMYIWnsgdzAV/s1600/jh34ok.jpg" /></a>One night, after a lot of family drama and with quite a bit to think about, he gets a message on his phone that contains a very cryptic mathematic problem. Being a whiz at math, he solves it and types in an answer which he in return gets an oddly disturbing response. The next day things are getting chaotic in the world of Oz as something has hacked Kenji's account is is causing major problems in both the virtual and real world. As a result, Kenji is now a prime suspect is the developing case. The actual hacker isn't human but rather an A.I. known as "Love Machine", which was surprisingly created by Satsuki's computer expert uncle, who is the illegitimate son of her grandfather. With things going wrong across the country, everyone is in a panic but Natsuki's grandmother keeps a level head and decides to call up acquaintances that are high up in the Japanese society, as well as family members who serve in emergency services, to cheer them on, telling them to do their best. This helps calm down some of the chaos but in the meantime, Love Machine has stolen several million accounts, and takes notice to the Grandmother's deeds. It cuts off her heart monitoring system as she sleeps, by hacking into the account behind it. </div>
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Enraged with this, the Shinohara family, Kenji, along with his fellow moderator friend (Takashi), and Natsuki's cousin Kazuma Ikezawa, attempt to take Love Machine down in order to prevent any similar cases from happening. Doing so, Kenji discovers that Kazuma is actually a legendary fighting user on Oz known as "King Kazuma" (and looks like a rabbit). After a failed attempt to trapping/defeating Love Machine in an online fight, it sets a course of a satellite to fall to Earth on a nuclear power plant which would probably cause life on Earth cease to exist due to the after effects alone. King Kazuma attempts to fight Love Machine, which now has over 400 million accounts, again but fails and is absorbed into it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_8yZGLdFLK2a7LrZ90NQgPRwbdxqbaN9opgczDOAog4lsL311jlMinYi8VDsebV3a5fHFLCwDej6WsmPYZeszP6pBPsW9tCIW1rKuhx-maui818pRImSFBIUexT7V-fdz1AdzMnmgP6X/s1600/summerwars-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_8yZGLdFLK2a7LrZ90NQgPRwbdxqbaN9opgczDOAog4lsL311jlMinYi8VDsebV3a5fHFLCwDej6WsmPYZeszP6pBPsW9tCIW1rKuhx-maui818pRImSFBIUexT7V-fdz1AdzMnmgP6X/s1600/summerwars-3.jpg" /></a>Kenji observes that Love Machine sees everything as a type of game, and Natsuki challenges it to a Japanese card game called "koi-koi". She wagers her family's and other users' accounts, and ends up winning thus ceasing Love Machine's reign of terror over most of the accounts. However, as revenge, Love Machine sets the course of the satellite for the Shinohara home. Luckily, they have Kenji on their side, as he is a moderator and the mathematician. After racking his brain several times in attempt to hack into the satellite's system, he finally breaks through and changes the course to fall away from the house. In this time, the freed King Kazuma defeats Love Machine, thus deleting it. The family celebrates this great victory in honor of their grandmother and they suggest that Kenji and Natsuki get married in the future. The two are embarassed and attempt to kiss but the movie ends with Natsuki kissing Kenji on the cheek due to his nosebleed.</div>
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Great movie for both kids and adults, girls and guys, and so on. It is definitely a family movie and is expected to be released in the U.S. sometime this December in theaters (or so rumors go). <br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 10/10</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>I just recently saw this movie this past summer and I must say I was impressed. Usually, anime movies don't catch my eye or interest (besides the Miyazaki movies), but this one was definitely a good watch. The animation was gorgeous and the story was wonderful. I actually was entertained throughout the whole movie. The family's bond with each other was a driving force in the film and also its source of tension as Love Machine was created by an "illegitimate" family member. The Shinohara family reminded me of my mother's side as that's pretty much how it is big, and we're loud when we get together. </div>
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What really impressed me though was the art. The design for the world of Oz and the avatars in it, impressed me to no end. Everything was so detailed and creative I literally said, "This would be awesome if the Internet looked like this." I also felt that the film provided several lessons. One being the importance of family and accepting everyone in it, even those relatives you can't stand. The other lesson I felt was taught was the all famous lesson on what could happen if humans rely on technology too much. I have to say I'm on the side that says, "Yeah, technology is great but don't rely on it too much." I mean, look what could happen when everything in the real world is connected to the virtual world of the Internet. </div>
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"Summer Wars" has also been nominated for several film awards and won the 2010 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. I was also predicting that because of all the praise it was getting from around the globe, that it would be picked up by some English company, which I was right on, as it was announced at this year's Otakon that Funimation Entertainment got it. I'll probably go see it and be amazed again just by watching the scenes unfold on the big silver screen as opposed to my computer monitor. In all honesty, my summary doesn't even do the film its justice. In order to really get the story, you have to watch it as so many other details happen in it. I included a link to the movie's trailer on youtube with English subtitles below.</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD5QiLi2krk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD5QiLi2krk</a></div>
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So I hope you guys will keep an eye out for this film and check it out if/when it comes to theatres. And I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did~! I'll see you guys next time! <br />
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-8466107886200459992010-10-09T01:30:00.000-07:002010-10-12T22:21:59.658-07:00Ouran High School Host Club Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Ouran High School Host Club</div>
Animation Studio: Bones<br />
Original Run: 26 Episodes<br />
English Licensor: Funimation Entertaiment<br />
Adaptation of: Bisco Hatori's manga "Ouran Koukou Hosuto Kurabu"<br />
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<strong>Summary: </strong>High school, the place where young adults go to study, make friends, and prepare for their future. Well, that goes for Ouran too, but just add a couple of twists. Students do prepare for their future, but it is to inherit their wealthy families' companies; and study? Sure, if you enjoy the library where no one is quiet and would rather talk about what they did on their latest trip to the Alps. And of course, making friends is always important, especially if you are trying to get a foot in the door for your family to climb up that social ladder. But, if one is a female and bored with such a school life, take a step into the Third Music Room and be pampered by a group of male students who also have quite a bit of time on their hands. This is the host club. </div>
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Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student, and your everyday "commoner". She can't see eye to eye with all the other students as all they seem to do is fool around, while she would much rather study and take a couple steps towards becoming a lawyer like her late mother. Yet her world came crashing down when she accidentally stepped into the Third Music Room. Due to her outer appearance, the Host Club mistakes her for being a guy at first sight and treat her, well, not as kindly they would a lady. Well, their first meeting ends in disaster as Haruhi breaks a very expensive vase (around 8 million yen), and is forced to become the host club's "dog". Yet when the guys realize that this "boy" isn't really that bad looking (if you take away the dorky glasses, the shaggy hair cut, and the frumpy clothes), they decide to make "him" into a host. Throughout the first episode, each member figures out this very down to earth commoner is a female, with the president of the club being last and, as a result, being utterly embarrassed. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8q4pqpZpFiK8KC8Ct6hxepKJMy_81lCxNs6-8lYBy1-EQit-SJ56AN1ZNspUH6k_AgUfbVMMOcU8C4jWK14f0Jlt21YqDca1L5g156ErPllV6G0vg1XxepIshh6jJ2El7Rp9nQ7vbr2t/s1600/ouran-high-school-host-club-episode-11---onii-chama-is-a-prince-p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8q4pqpZpFiK8KC8Ct6hxepKJMy_81lCxNs6-8lYBy1-EQit-SJ56AN1ZNspUH6k_AgUfbVMMOcU8C4jWK14f0Jlt21YqDca1L5g156ErPllV6G0vg1XxepIshh6jJ2El7Rp9nQ7vbr2t/s1600/ouran-high-school-host-club-episode-11---onii-chama-is-a-prince-p1.jpg" /></a>The president of the club, or "King of the Host Club", is Tamaki Suoh, a second year in high school and quite the "prince-like" character that makes the girls swoon. Yet his real character is that of a complete moron who is constantly being shot down by Haruhi, whom he has an obvious crush on, but is too stupid to realize it. The first to realize Haruhi was female is the cool and collected Kyouya Ootori, who is in the same class as Tamaki and is the Vice President of the club (more so the "Shadow King" of the Club). Despite his calm demeanor when serving the girls, he's true character pretty darn horrible, but it is because he is so calculating and manipulative that the club's funds stay balanced. The other members include the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, who entertain the customers with their "brotherly-love" and displays of forbidden incest. But not to worry, it's just for show, they actually pretty spoiled and devious and enjoy mocking Tamaki by sticking close to Haruhi, as they are in the same class as her. The last two members of the club are Mitsukuni Haninozuka (aka Honey-senpai) and Takashi Morinozuka (aka Mori-senpai). The two are 3rd year students, and are cousins. Honey has a little boy like appeal to him and loves his sweets while Mori is the strong silent type who really doesn't say much. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHNktxSkdDHlhM6H0rLvTRZV3GITLBO9AKQQUFPfAs94o5rF6ipGl-1ghe3HRN_O9a_pxo9uprCxIyYMUXaxEiiZ3w7eustPUfoHKjRU8CYSi8ZzbPfYH2V7bNup8l9Dt0a9zmQh1raij/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHNktxSkdDHlhM6H0rLvTRZV3GITLBO9AKQQUFPfAs94o5rF6ipGl-1ghe3HRN_O9a_pxo9uprCxIyYMUXaxEiiZ3w7eustPUfoHKjRU8CYSi8ZzbPfYH2V7bNup8l9Dt0a9zmQh1raij/s1600/0.jpg" /></a>With this crazy new bunch of friends, Haruhi begins to work as a host to pay off her debt, without letting any of the customers or her classmates know of her true gender (And surprisingly, she is a natural at being a host). The series revolves around the Host Club's internal relationships and activites along with Haruhi's new experiences with this rich and over-the-top-glamourous lifestyle of her classmates. Another important aspect of the series is her interactions with the members as well as the family-like bond the Club shares. At first Haruhi thinks that everything about the Club is ridiculous and as she gets to know them, she still thinks they're ridiculous but learns to respect them. </div>
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The series is a romantic school comedy, and the whole thing just mocks the romantic and wealthy cliche stereotypes to no end. The characters break through the fourth wall every now and then, giving the series some pretty hilarious moments. Yet it does have its serious moments and the characters do have some depth to them, so it isn't just a pointless comedy routine. It's a great story and if you want to watch it, prepare to laugh.</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 9/10 </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZOamfjnHnWtHbk7gLutfSLM-7NyWrlKiYFgk9GFIZSgGFiSXuCvbPGQCeUvOXxWmBa9EBrzq42gfj-lf7aCfsLgKgKZyq3neMnKPBkBDGAqahXUZpJp3Ft0HxrzwhAVkG2wSMzObjWXZ/s1600/ouran17ep03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZOamfjnHnWtHbk7gLutfSLM-7NyWrlKiYFgk9GFIZSgGFiSXuCvbPGQCeUvOXxWmBa9EBrzq42gfj-lf7aCfsLgKgKZyq3neMnKPBkBDGAqahXUZpJp3Ft0HxrzwhAVkG2wSMzObjWXZ/s1600/ouran17ep03.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong> "Ouran High School Host Club," is one of those series that one never forgets. I stumbled across this series without any expectations, and I was rolling on the floor laughing after episode 1. Okay, I wasn't rolling on the floor laughing but I was pounding my fist on the desk thoughout episode 1, laughing. The series has a lot of humor in it, as well as a fair dose of romance and drama. Yet what this series is known for is definitely the comedy, and that is what I got hooked on. What keeps it funny is the characters' characters. Haruhi's blunt and realist views collide with Tamaki's fluffy and romanticist character which leads to some pretty funny moments especially when he is caught doing something stupid by her. The stereotypes are hilarious especially when the rich boys of the Host Club are exposed to "commoner" things, like instant coffee, department stores, and supermarkets. </div>
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I gave this series a 9 because the voice actors did great in portraying their characters (I liked the Japanese dub more but the English dub is good too), the story line is wonderful, the comedy is stellar, and the characters are loveable. I lowered the rating by one since there are some things left unresolved by the end of the series and in some episodes the artwork looked awkward. Other than that, I can't say much else other than I wish the series was longer. The manga the anime was based off of is also equally hilarious and I laughed several times while I read it (Interested individuals can read the series online or go to a local bookstore and buy the manga series). </div>
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Ouran definitely has a huge fan base now, with both girls and guys. I would highly recommend this series to those that want a good laugh. So, tune in next week for two more series! </div>
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<br /></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-81491938886885376382010-10-06T17:10:00.000-07:002010-10-07T19:47:13.289-07:00Code Geass Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion</div>
Animation Studio: Sunrise<br />
Original Run: 50 Episodes (Total for two seasons)<br />
English Licensor: Bandai Entertaiment<br />
Adaptation of: N/A<br />
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<strong>Summary:</strong> The story takes place in Japan after the Holy Empire of Britannia has taken over with the help of superior military weaponry known as "Knightmare Frames", and with that Japan is no longer known by its name but rather it is a numbered area; "Area 11". The Japanese are stripped of their name and title (to become known as "Elevens"), but there is a small handful of people who are willing to fight to regain their honor.</div>
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Our protagonist of "Code Geass" is Lelouch Lamperouge, a brilliant Britannian student who has the intellect of a strategist and the heart of an avenger. Despite his seemingly laid back character, with ditching class to beat nobles in chess, he holds a very dark secret. He is actually a son of the Emperor of Britannia who was cast aside, along with his blind and crippled little sister Nunnally, when his mother was killed. Lelouch despises the Empire and the Emperor for everything that they did, including the take over of Japan, crippling Nunnally. Lelouch wishes to take his revenge but he doesn't have the resouces nor the power to do so. Or so he thought.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLdoI5y3d7T9DMfyGDXvGAMTczKLnrpFd49Sthq6DWRjCtCH_YQZmxIzn-OkHFlMWvKaKjc1OnvGA2Y9_VVLJ2rQ0eP-kPZ56SdNVXLGf10bcT2xdi9oq5HOysX1LHfiUz-S3y5DpCao7/s1600/geass1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLdoI5y3d7T9DMfyGDXvGAMTczKLnrpFd49Sthq6DWRjCtCH_YQZmxIzn-OkHFlMWvKaKjc1OnvGA2Y9_VVLJ2rQ0eP-kPZ56SdNVXLGf10bcT2xdi9oq5HOysX1LHfiUz-S3y5DpCao7/s1600/geass1.jpg" /></a>After Lelouch unintentionally gets involved with a rebel (Japanese) hijacking, and finds himself in the middle of a huge massacre of Japanese citizens, he discovers that the container the rebels took was not a poisonous gas weapon but a strange girl named C.C. (pronounced C Two). It is after he releases C.C. that he is reunited with his childhood friend, a Japanese boy named Suzaku Kururugi. Unfortunetely it is not under good terms, as Suzaku has become a soldier for Britannia, and Lelouch is mistaken to be a radical. Suzaku refuses to shoot Lelouch by command, making him recieve a bullet from his superior officer. Yet this gives Lelouch and C.C. a chance to escape. The two are later cornered and just as Lelouch is about to get a bullet to the head, C.C. jumps in front of him and takes it right to the forehead. He is in utter horror but alas, C.C. isn't dead. She grabs is wrist and gives him the power of kings "geass" in exchange that he would grant her wish; to die. In Lelouch's case, the geass evolved into a power to allow him to order anyone to do anything he wants them to. So, to try out his new power, he makes the soldiers before him shoot themselves, but not before he can say his true name, "Lelouch vi Britannia". He is a bit shocked at first that it actually worked but he soon realizes that he can finally obtain his revenge with this ability. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_p5APdkrkYzPzeKBWtUIDGaMpFnUFej4DCyJIFpacz3g-5iKpBoRKHpjCyHNJELzrJTGRsnsaTQiTAr7kJZb7alnH_VxzM580LRNZYeldy_y1neewKwJa-cSrayuFqHOXG-8RadLYBTF4/s1600/vlcsnap-107652.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_p5APdkrkYzPzeKBWtUIDGaMpFnUFej4DCyJIFpacz3g-5iKpBoRKHpjCyHNJELzrJTGRsnsaTQiTAr7kJZb7alnH_VxzM580LRNZYeldy_y1neewKwJa-cSrayuFqHOXG-8RadLYBTF4/s1600/vlcsnap-107652.png" /></a>From here the story takes off and he eventually adopts a masked alter-ego, called "Zero" and creates a team of Rebel Japanese to free Japan and defeat the Empire. They become known as "The Black Knights". Lots of drama ensues from here as his best friend becomes his enemy, and C.C. becomes a passive support for him. He manages to keep his Zero ego under wraps from his friends at school but things start to get complicated when the Empire gets wind of "Zero" and The Black Knights. The Empire begins to send in other daughters and sons of the emperor, most with military experience, to attempt to kill the rebellion. Also, other rumors arise concering the geass and thus the question of its origin and the nature of it arises.</div>
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The series has lots of points to it and a lot more details but if I were to type them all, I'm afraid this post would go on for far too long. So if you enjoy, drama, action, some psychological aspects, a tiny touch of romance, robots, and war, "Code Geass" is something you should try.<br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 8/10</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjPuUPjQNdBBo8HnIf0f8MDfKGYi1NbvpkMUQ_KcBCGs0It01nCKHB6Ciw6AhjaX2EfiTu1clvDVzn7WN8kWdryvn5BjeWaNQuNZh5NXNEgiUJyY_RkYPHI-HHZtmUdKHsBgK7nK7JT8n/s1600/cg2-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjPuUPjQNdBBo8HnIf0f8MDfKGYi1NbvpkMUQ_KcBCGs0It01nCKHB6Ciw6AhjaX2EfiTu1clvDVzn7WN8kWdryvn5BjeWaNQuNZh5NXNEgiUJyY_RkYPHI-HHZtmUdKHsBgK7nK7JT8n/s1600/cg2-01.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong> "Code Geass" is definitely a series that has gained major popularity in both Japanese and English audiences. I actually had no interest in the series but because it was so popular I checked it out and watched the whole thing through. The story was fairly interesting and one thing pretty much lead into the next. But I felt that revenge was the primary mover in the series. Lelouch, obviously, wanted revenge, and later Suzaku wants to kill Lelouch/Zero for killing his lover (Sorry, that was a spoiler and Lelouch didn't want to pull the trigger but had to). So yeah, just one big series full of hate and war, but then again this is a series about a rebellion. </div>
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Of course what kept me interested was what C.C.'s deal was and what exactly the "geass" was. But they don't reveal that until season 2. The ending of the series was pretty predictable, and left a bitter-sweet feeling(watch and you'll understand). I docked a couple of points from the score just because I felt that some things were dragged on for too long, I felt the character designs could have been better (they're pretty stringy looking; sorry CLAMP), there were moments that I was like, "Are you serious?" or "<insert character="" here="" name=""> is stupid", and at times I felt that the series rushed things that shouldn't be. On the plus note, the score for the series is wonderful, the voice actors were amazing in both Japanese and English dub, the animation is okay,the backgrounds, and the Knightmare designs are stellar, and the complexity of the main characters' characters were pretty well thought out (especially Lelouch's). There are some rumors about a third season for this series but I find that the series is fine as it is. Also, it wouldn't be the same for a crucial reason (no I'm not spoiling anything anymore). </div>
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So if you want to give this series a shot please do. And for those that don't, then I don't blame you. If you are on the sidelines, here is a short clip of Lelouch gaining and using the geass for the first time. So enjoy, and I'll see you next time.</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fot-PBRFebg&feature=fvw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fot-PBRFebg&feature=fvw</a><br />
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-45055545209873125642010-09-30T20:51:00.000-07:002010-10-01T22:01:21.205-07:00Black Lagoon Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Black Lagoon</div>
Animation Studio: Madhouse<br />
Original Run: 24 Episodes (Total for two seasons) + 5 Original Video Animations<br />
English Licensor: Funimation Entertainment<br />
Adaptation of: Rei Hiroe's manga "Black Lagoon"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA8hODRXueUTXtqUvCtdBz7BE9hhbS6EXjOULet4SZn3TGfIO0wCCTVQDcTjEPYLGpmCquZQ9-gpupxRNU7lsmkwIDD-iy-L5y0UIXd0OkmGweYs61GKnS6pGyIDM87-U4xsvCjt_aokx/s1600/200784404_0321244a28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA8hODRXueUTXtqUvCtdBz7BE9hhbS6EXjOULet4SZn3TGfIO0wCCTVQDcTjEPYLGpmCquZQ9-gpupxRNU7lsmkwIDD-iy-L5y0UIXd0OkmGweYs61GKnS6pGyIDM87-U4xsvCjt_aokx/s1600/200784404_0321244a28.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>Ever wonder what the other side of justice is like? Imagine a place where crime runs amok and and almost every person, including the church, police, and government are corrupt. If you have an image in your mind, then multiply it by two and you have Roanapur, a fictional city located somewhere along the coast of Thailand, and is the main setting of "Black Lagoon". This action packed story revolves around the main protangonist, Rokuro Okajima, who is just a regular Japanese salary man floating around in the world, completely trapped in the working class society. That is, until he finds himself taken hostage by the Lagoon Company, and is completely abandoned by his company in order to cover up a smuggling case in which Rokuro had been swept up in unknowingly. This makes his boring world suddenly take a complete 180 degree turn, and after some pretty intense excitement he experiences with the Lagoon Company, he decides to throw away his old life in exchange for becoming a part of the Company. In doing so, he tosses out his old name and simply becomes known as "Rock".</div>
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The Lagoon Company's work mostly comprises of smuggling goods, pirating, as well as acting as mercenaries if the price is right. The Company's leader is the African-American named Dutch who is an ex-Marine who fought in the Vietnam War, and pilots the Company's boat called "The Black Lagoon". Along with the calm and collected leader, there is the mechanic/computer specialist/reseacher, Benny, who had managed to get into some trouble with the FBI and the mafia in the past, and would have been killed if the Company hadn't saved him. Finally, we have the primary fighter of the group, Revy. Not much is known about her past besides the fact that she had a pretty messed up childhood. Revy is a meciless killer and is known for her far above average shooting skills. Personality wise, she is the exact opposite from Rock causing major tension between the two of them in the beginning of the series but eventually she accepts him. <br />
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If you really want alot of action, and I mean ALOT. You might want to check this out. But be warned. VIOLENCE is heavy in this and if you have a problem with blood, quite a bit of cursing, and a whole lot of shooting, I HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS FOR YOU. Seriously, everyone in this series is warped in some way, and practically everyone in Roanapur has a gun of some sort. But hey, the crime world has no rules.</div>
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating:</strong> 8.5/10</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYqFdlluyq9JyrKTCE-UagO2-_L4tMpGsf5Ah3uCtZln-zihKIbVvkRoZItDcKxJqyX5vGyn7IvziGqqEX8_2X0NZAA6U5MKPe5yet_5mPjqxSIpyhIGtWLIFxYFtZb92B68pPARH9kSY/s1600/screenshot_5_4771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYqFdlluyq9JyrKTCE-UagO2-_L4tMpGsf5Ah3uCtZln-zihKIbVvkRoZItDcKxJqyX5vGyn7IvziGqqEX8_2X0NZAA6U5MKPe5yet_5mPjqxSIpyhIGtWLIFxYFtZb92B68pPARH9kSY/s1600/screenshot_5_4771.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review:</strong> Like I said, this one is for the guys. If I had to descibe this series in one short phrase I would say, "bad-ass". Why? Simple. The action scenes are totally over the top and the characters are totally the opposite of what "good citizens" should be. Revy is definitely a unique character and I must say, the first time I watched this I was pretty disturbed by her sadistic, and violent character. She doesn't flich when she pulls the trigger, in fact, she enjoys it. Disturbing. But I also deem it "bad-ass" because of the whole intesity of the series and its setting. Bottom line, the crime world is a dark place and the way it is portrayed just somehow gives off that air of ,"bite me, I dare you". However, since the story's main protangonist is Rock, the audience is able to place themselves in this world. Rock was a normal person yet he abandoned the surface world and entered the dangerous and vile underground world. Thus we can easily think and relate to how he feels and reacts to the hanus acts he is exposed to. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4c-qgQzZa7-dYhTfC-7Izy-anIdp-QfaxtMciOuPc2-h2fWXdzeve2qX_iwpgFmKDR2IPqiPLqUMCaFoB7RHdNCHVhr19umxOjRtgro7JPQsQn_K_PLR26_t3M8cCy2sFVIjcUn48Hvn/s1600/bl09-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4c-qgQzZa7-dYhTfC-7Izy-anIdp-QfaxtMciOuPc2-h2fWXdzeve2qX_iwpgFmKDR2IPqiPLqUMCaFoB7RHdNCHVhr19umxOjRtgro7JPQsQn_K_PLR26_t3M8cCy2sFVIjcUn48Hvn/s1600/bl09-01.jpg" /></a>The animation is pretty amazing in itself with the details that are put into every gun, weapon, and background. I feel the characters are pretty solid and a viewer may be able to imagine such people existing in real life. Not to mention they are all insane one way or another as many are numb to the killing people. Both main and side characters contribute a piece of the story, and each of them have detailed pasts, thus it is easy to say that the majority of the characters are complex. However, I downed the score simply because I felt that at times, the series got a little "too" busy and some of the action scenes may have been "over kill".</div>
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But in defense of the series, I think I understand why. I feel as if a goal for the series is to have that special "edge". And to show that edge, I included the opening for the original video animation (aka OVA) as I think it shows what this series is all about. The song is also pretty kick-ass and defines the series. And as a fair warning, yes, maids are also killers in this series, and nuns have guns (Yeah, I said it).</div>
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So if you are interested in the series, be my guest and watch it. Next time, I'll probably R&R a series that is pretty popular, so look forward to that.</div>
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-8576013293407711182010-09-28T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-29T00:08:12.535-07:00Kobato Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Series: Kobato.</div>
Animation Studio: Madhouse<br />
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Original Run: 24 Episodes</div>
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Adaptation of: CLAMP's manga "Kobato."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyArynBWS9mi42nd066UK82u3iOnePdlA4RBl_qHQP0R41_IIfQ7PYr9JpPIUtqPJO0K0mz1CQjpNOAlvzc7ZsBtDxVkuAopH4SDiekwlGX3IQpD42HZBIEczwhQiB8pfOoh-IYmtGv2IS/s1600/kobato-23-large-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyArynBWS9mi42nd066UK82u3iOnePdlA4RBl_qHQP0R41_IIfQ7PYr9JpPIUtqPJO0K0mz1CQjpNOAlvzc7ZsBtDxVkuAopH4SDiekwlGX3IQpD42HZBIEczwhQiB8pfOoh-IYmtGv2IS/s1600/kobato-23-large-25.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary: </strong>Meet Kobato Hanato, a very chipper and sweet girl who is out on a mission to collect the scarred hearts of people. The story begins as we are introduced to a mysterious girl who just seems to fall right out of the sky and is determined to have a wish fulfilled. In order to have this wish granted, she must heal and collect the pained hearts of people she encounters, until she fills her magic glass bottle. This girl is Kobato. Now this might not seem to be a very hard task but, she isn't exactly "street-smart" as she has an innocent and naive character. Luckily she isn't on this mission alone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMNbbWheCnVStx340fTa1HxzKDbd-j-z7Zy99sUSMzwy2TwHWF0rxlzxcmPuokm3NvrvmJXMZRLUCbw-3YvqNHnaNVLa3JxOVZALNSqenFXt9P2XAbfxN6gb-_ne1qj1F4DIMQaqgXTYj/s1600/kobato1doggielrg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMNbbWheCnVStx340fTa1HxzKDbd-j-z7Zy99sUSMzwy2TwHWF0rxlzxcmPuokm3NvrvmJXMZRLUCbw-3YvqNHnaNVLa3JxOVZALNSqenFXt9P2XAbfxN6gb-_ne1qj1F4DIMQaqgXTYj/s1600/kobato1doggielrg.jpg" /></a>Accomponing her is a powerful spirit, who is in the form of a cute little plush dog. His name is Ioryogi, and despite his cute form, he actually has quite a nasty temper and is constantly breathing fire at Kobato whenever she does or says something "air-headed". But in defense of the homicidal plush, he has a good reason for his "abuse" and his ridiculous form. Ioryogi is serving under punishment for some trouble he and his friends had caused and in order to lift this punishment, he must ensure that Kobato completes her mission of filling the bottle and gets her wish. So with that in mind, he keeps Kobato focused and guides her. Unfortuneatly for him, Kobato is a little too "fluffy" thus making her very simple minded, making his job all the more difficult.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmx3h56H0fYuKNVNBeP4s_ng-0GZn2BzWvxt7GYvPOJoUoFKphFXHJloo8xZ14sBTioqAjsHEQOjAdEc64joyAtqRa5SZnmtWhj69R29VV-DKsK8ebrPJXxqscrpk3tM23ukGX__LZ8UP/s1600/kobato01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmx3h56H0fYuKNVNBeP4s_ng-0GZn2BzWvxt7GYvPOJoUoFKphFXHJloo8xZ14sBTioqAjsHEQOjAdEc64joyAtqRa5SZnmtWhj69R29VV-DKsK8ebrPJXxqscrpk3tM23ukGX__LZ8UP/s1600/kobato01.jpg" /></a>After a rough start in Japan, Kobato manages to find a place to work and board thanks to the kindness of strangers. Kobato begins to work at a local kindergarden hoping to help heal the prinicpal's heart-ache, along with healing the hearts of those around town. Sadly, the principal's (aka Sayaka's) problems aren't as simple as prior people, leaving Kobato troubled and having the need to do everything she can to help. The school is facing major debts and is constantly being harassed by shady debt collectors, which isn't helping Sayaka's condition at all. However, Koabto isn't supporting Sayaka alone. Kiyokazu Fujimoto, is her co-worker but he isn't exactly the warmest person on earth. Fujimoto is a college student trying to get a degree in law and become a lawyer to help Sayaka, but due to the debts he's been taking on several part-time jobs and holding off on his college education. Despite his deep concern for Sayaka, he is rather cold and blunt to Kobato in the beginning. The two constantly butt heads with each other and that doesn't help when they live next door to each other. Yet, as the series progesses, he slowly warms up to her and starts to become protective of her.</div>
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But Kobato is faced with trouble when she also realizes that Fujimoto is also holding some pain in his heart. Why is this a problem, you ask? Answer is, Kobato has certain rules she must abide by when she is collecting and healing hearts. She must fill her bottle ASAP but in doing so, she absolutely cannot fall in love with anyone whose heart she heals, and the problem of it all is she begins to fall for Fujimoto.</div>
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<strong></strong> <strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>9.8/10</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNagvgVk5gn2MxkIYUFm-2HJMCKSlZn887KQatq0Pp-Ubg8yMatEsuqT50wezgOvTs5EEgLhX1XKie-r1Z8EffsbKShFySlUjNCWdZOpuqF-LyNw9gsNj0kgaR1KLqvInJqxzAdjOKeTb_/s1600/ES_Kobato__08_1b2a6414_mkv_snapshot_16_31_2009_12_12_23_12_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNagvgVk5gn2MxkIYUFm-2HJMCKSlZn887KQatq0Pp-Ubg8yMatEsuqT50wezgOvTs5EEgLhX1XKie-r1Z8EffsbKShFySlUjNCWdZOpuqF-LyNw9gsNj0kgaR1KLqvInJqxzAdjOKeTb_/s1600/ES_Kobato__08_1b2a6414_mkv_snapshot_16_31_2009_12_12_23_12_15.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review: </strong>Alright, for the boys, I apologize as this series probably won't be of any interest to you but fear not, my other post for this week will be a "guy" series. "Kobato." is obvioulsy a series that is geared more towards the female population with the romance, and the pretty art. But the series does have comedic parts and I found the series to be absolutely adorable. "Kobato." is a series that is from the brilliant minds of CLAMP which also helped in advertising this anime. CLAMP is known for thier titles like, "Cardcaptor Sakura" aka "Cardcaptors", "Chobits", "Wish", "Tsubasa", "xXxHoLic", etc. And fans of CLAMP will be pleasantly surprised when several characters from thier other series make cameo appearances in "Kobato.". (This was one small detail I enjoyed.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY57gGdLpVLI7JEYhCi6s4lFi5duxfkwsA_fE0s0I1DEE1Wc88d1DspiCFvXEcGolT07WfzCFB4P_CUkofnYrzxzVH7xpR9MIoOamu6I63fdwXhOEvayX9IwQRMfl_QK81jqFb1paOB592/s1600/99996101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY57gGdLpVLI7JEYhCi6s4lFi5duxfkwsA_fE0s0I1DEE1Wc88d1DspiCFvXEcGolT07WfzCFB4P_CUkofnYrzxzVH7xpR9MIoOamu6I63fdwXhOEvayX9IwQRMfl_QK81jqFb1paOB592/s1600/99996101.jpg" /></a>"Kobato."'s story itself isn't like most "shojo" (aka young girl series) animes as it isn't completely about romance and drama. I say that because I feel as if the story acts as a reminder to the little happinesses in life and as a result, leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of one's heart. I felt, at times, the show was telling me, "We're only human, and it is better to have someone to help us through our pain rather than to go at it alone." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ7v7uHTY6b_7jbbKxX7HQNIf9B1N1KUSVrebVdVGY579IfH4aBCGClUt1OVt8-ypspre3CBB8bnaytfwlDnH0pFUnVWjPSYlNUgjJFps2XkVvtbMp5MRFjlnTqVU02jpchB4O_RkpSzM/s1600/kobato11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ7v7uHTY6b_7jbbKxX7HQNIf9B1N1KUSVrebVdVGY579IfH4aBCGClUt1OVt8-ypspre3CBB8bnaytfwlDnH0pFUnVWjPSYlNUgjJFps2XkVvtbMp5MRFjlnTqVU02jpchB4O_RkpSzM/s1600/kobato11.jpg" /></a>I gave this series a pretty high score based off of story, and art. I cut some points off because of those few "filler episodes" and the pace is a bit "slow" for some people, but other than that, the series is beautiful. The screenshots really don't do the show its justice as the animation is amazing. Below is a clip of a scene from the first episode where Kobato sings to a baby in a park and several passer by-ers, including Fujimoto, overhear. (NOTE: There is a reference to an angel named "Kohaku" in this clip) </div>
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<br />I could probably rave about this series to no end but I will stop myself~! Check it out if you have the time! See you next time~</div>
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</div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-59846569262065391052010-09-22T21:03:00.000-07:002010-09-27T15:02:05.920-07:00Inuyasha Rating and Review<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsFwtlqYcm_4_x4Jv4Q70ob_-ARl5dZUkx8TXa1izfJ2sR4Bl7EEyFJRaJ3GUs-dyJLQe2MKuYKO4XbwFeBic19x5YRRYpwTIWmHomJX3k0h0kjU6XIC0o-6mC2I-BCBE2v2FA6Hi23zd/s1600/158540164_5b83c430d5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsFwtlqYcm_4_x4Jv4Q70ob_-ARl5dZUkx8TXa1izfJ2sR4Bl7EEyFJRaJ3GUs-dyJLQe2MKuYKO4XbwFeBic19x5YRRYpwTIWmHomJX3k0h0kjU6XIC0o-6mC2I-BCBE2v2FA6Hi23zd/s400/158540164_5b83c430d5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Series: Inuyasha<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Animation Studio: Sunrise</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Original Run: 167 Episodes (193 including the second series) + 4 movies</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">English Licensor: VIZ MEDIA</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Adaptation of: Rumiko Takahashi's manga "Sengoku Otogizōshi InuYasha"</div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5TSrYX7vYRY5NloGvddFp-AH9BA560mbNPfSyMhzRXXf-DDdGlT0a-I5qrdRQn9Zj2zqaTfn8ef_hXXHSiGClOF9QFzIDks9PpeCyvk04_QHz50QSu2xpWIpsmSLFuYJtnstj85-KhiY/s1600/bscap0657nx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5TSrYX7vYRY5NloGvddFp-AH9BA560mbNPfSyMhzRXXf-DDdGlT0a-I5qrdRQn9Zj2zqaTfn8ef_hXXHSiGClOF9QFzIDks9PpeCyvk04_QHz50QSu2xpWIpsmSLFuYJtnstj85-KhiY/s320/bscap0657nx.jpg" /></a><strong>Summary:</strong> "Inuyasha" is a fairytale adventure that takes place in feudal Japan. The story unfolds as young modern-day Kagome Higurashi is dragged down an old well on her family's shrine by a demon, and finds herself back in feudal Japan. However, in this Japan, demons, and monsters from folklore exist. Kagome ends up meeting Inuyasha, a half-demon who had been sealed to a sacred tree by her prior reincarnated self; who happened to be a powerful priestess. After unsealing Inuyasha from the tree, the heart of the story is introduced; the Shikon Jewel. The Jewel possesses great spritual powers, meaning it attracts a lot of demons who want to use that power for their own benefit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejMVdbdLph6ufo239tQWpi2D41U3n0nY4ETd9-zVgT7rBR9naqn4Z-3IeuZwD7cOY7_wuucy9OcC2QQGfGndn4v9Bv_vnFUt5ungVH055Pn-eBZzV6tuKszqKaoAfFQXN42KBrMwabYlE/s1600/103143_512x288_generated__tJ5NJwSoRUmoowRel+AVgQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejMVdbdLph6ufo239tQWpi2D41U3n0nY4ETd9-zVgT7rBR9naqn4Z-3IeuZwD7cOY7_wuucy9OcC2QQGfGndn4v9Bv_vnFUt5ungVH055Pn-eBZzV6tuKszqKaoAfFQXN42KBrMwabYlE/s320/103143_512x288_generated__tJ5NJwSoRUmoowRel+AVgQ.jpg" /></a>The gang treks across the country searching for the shards. Yet they are not the only ones collecting them. A dangerous half-demon known as Naraku, is also scavengering around for the shards for an agenda of his own, and is also the one responsible for most of the group's problems. (Ex. Miroku's curse, Sango's family's death, and tricking and mortally wounding Kikyo which eventually lead her to sealing Inuyasha, etc.) I'm sure you can guess that he's the series' main antagonist.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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The entire story is packed full of action, drama, comedy, romance, and plenty of fantasy for all to enjoy!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94voFP_trDKkYApy_KEtodo-_fhXAR1vzBJzoO6UPHfLVZdNetLX0m1JVqhLMKeHDOLLJT6aCV9kJmIbmU4dsA3DUDQmCMz-mDSMt7Jkcv62D70SbhEN59aGk7pyUCAfrd4LJ9mIaUOeE/s1600/inuyasha-and-kagome-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94voFP_trDKkYApy_KEtodo-_fhXAR1vzBJzoO6UPHfLVZdNetLX0m1JVqhLMKeHDOLLJT6aCV9kJmIbmU4dsA3DUDQmCMz-mDSMt7Jkcv62D70SbhEN59aGk7pyUCAfrd4LJ9mIaUOeE/s200/inuyasha-and-kagome-7.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-mYysrUgO0c6L-nHj2FboFzqq9ttFpiQTgqzm2YsTxbqP3bxSzNDT9BamRkph0yPV-DKTT-7skcyFCqy2qt3jFU99Kst0B2Ico-5jU_wSjbD9PErp7fcNJwKRnhjnw_-2zmXEwSyBJUE/s1600/bscap0003mv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-mYysrUgO0c6L-nHj2FboFzqq9ttFpiQTgqzm2YsTxbqP3bxSzNDT9BamRkph0yPV-DKTT-7skcyFCqy2qt3jFU99Kst0B2Ico-5jU_wSjbD9PErp7fcNJwKRnhjnw_-2zmXEwSyBJUE/s320/bscap0003mv.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<strong>A.I.'s Rating: </strong>9/10</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhog_9N16k4qYG55zuK0JhqouZhhPWgLejen1ksuLbPKfL4irKd7wVPU09gPuptRrkKulROQQOcWiH_tDoVzPBb-kORTNwkXWnMh7BEKkaU15InnqEtjKdNU-zrIv7ltogwGCkraTZFbiQ5/s1600/inu806qx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhog_9N16k4qYG55zuK0JhqouZhhPWgLejen1ksuLbPKfL4irKd7wVPU09gPuptRrkKulROQQOcWiH_tDoVzPBb-kORTNwkXWnMh7BEKkaU15InnqEtjKdNU-zrIv7ltogwGCkraTZFbiQ5/s320/inu806qx.jpg" /></a><strong>A.I.'s Review:</strong> "Inuyasha", in my opinion is a classic; which is why I chose to review/rate it first. I grew up with this series so I'm pretty fond of it. Story wise, it is a very typical adventure plot but what sets it apart from every other "scavenger story" is the setting and characters. I love how the story incorporates a "fantasy-like" feudal Japan. To me, the setting is really what makes the story move forward. The characters are all memorable and the relationships they have with one another are too. Yet, like most "quest" stories, the ending is pretty predictable (but I'm not giving away any spoilers to readers that are interested). This is not necessarily a bad thing, in this case. Rather, it closed the story nicely. The background music is wonderful and unlike most animes I've watched, I enjoyed the ending songs more so than I did with the opening songs (but that's just my opinion). The art and animation are beautiful and I praise Sunrise for doing such a stellar job on it.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtCLQC9yPVrsvQt2KfuNyWYgyUugvp9ubJx81cVb0YBkCdnBvVHlJ58cM8Qe1Ox_VI8C0_-ZiTNdQH5vDt3hUl4RHfSWO69Fg4UoTloOv4dXyp0K1LIve1wd1HggpPiND3Ul8YWrGG78b/s1600/Kagome%2520hug%2520Inuyasha.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtCLQC9yPVrsvQt2KfuNyWYgyUugvp9ubJx81cVb0YBkCdnBvVHlJ58cM8Qe1Ox_VI8C0_-ZiTNdQH5vDt3hUl4RHfSWO69Fg4UoTloOv4dXyp0K1LIve1wd1HggpPiND3Ul8YWrGG78b/s320/Kagome%2520hug%2520Inuyasha.bmp" /></a>While this series is categorized as "shonen" (aka for young boys) the series also appeals to girls. Why? Simple. The romance. Yes, romance is also an important aspect of this series, believe it or not, and it does not take away from the fighting and action. Thus, I don't think guys should have a problem with that. The only thing I see as a potential "issue" is the length of the series. This one is definitely one of the longer ones, as most series span between 12~26 episodes in length. The anime is filled with "filler" episodes, meaning there are some episodes that just don't seem to move the plot forward or they simply move it along MUCH slower. But if you suck it up and plow through those episodes and take in the series as a whole, it really is wonderful. Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys next time!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWumtfU08e3FuT1yzWNiI7MFdai_osCI9k_2NypWN0Oi4O8CFnNeB_Qu0gZm0MLx7fbsybkZ78k3MMHeaCq7iDNBSvQPVQclTfVnEQICACfhw46dwSoSuZapH611pdooHIqTY4y8GpIYT/s1600/screenshot-from-inuyasha11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWumtfU08e3FuT1yzWNiI7MFdai_osCI9k_2NypWN0Oi4O8CFnNeB_Qu0gZm0MLx7fbsybkZ78k3MMHeaCq7iDNBSvQPVQclTfVnEQICACfhw46dwSoSuZapH611pdooHIqTY4y8GpIYT/s320/screenshot-from-inuyasha11.jpg" /></a></div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-212825064866494945.post-90918056128910953962010-09-20T22:14:00.000-07:002010-09-22T21:07:46.016-07:00Introduction~!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0nCThy4DC_maLCaeLJ0yWIxnMNcRVEO59SrJGS5Uo_dNVkHpadAH5FQ6Gi4LiE12MZwyWkQS1IwICoQ31q7n3mXElimuEGif9xkIyyNugJ-iFBCBglpZqoCcuKH-CHdD29dds61mnSOJ/s1600/n02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0nCThy4DC_maLCaeLJ0yWIxnMNcRVEO59SrJGS5Uo_dNVkHpadAH5FQ6Gi4LiE12MZwyWkQS1IwICoQ31q7n3mXElimuEGif9xkIyyNugJ-iFBCBglpZqoCcuKH-CHdD29dds61mnSOJ/s640/n02.jpg" width="440" /></a></div></div><a name='more'></a><div align="left">Thanks Kida...</div><div align="left">Hey, guys! A.I. here, and welcome to my anime ratings/reviews~!</div><div align="left">Anime is definitely growing in popularity across the globe and many people are asking, "What is anime?!"</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Here is my answer, In a nutshell, anime is "Japanese animation". However, anime is a bit different from "Looney Tunes" and "SpongeBob". If anything, anime can be given its own section in a movie store and within it, have all sorts of different genre dividers. Why?</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Here's the reason: Most anime series have a story line that builds up like that of a popular live action TV show. Thus, not all anime is geared towards children. Like any TV show, the plots range from horror, romance, comedy, drama, mystery, etc. Yet, like a few American cartoons, anime is greatly influenced by comic books (a.k.a. manga). In America, "Superman" and other heroes were made into children shows, while in Japan, Dragonball's manga was being turned into an anime. </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">For this blog, I'll try to touch on a wide diversity of genres. Like Kida said, I'll be going over both "popular" and "lesser-known" series. Why? Because a lot of the "less-than-popular" series, are the ones that have a higher chance in spiking an interest in people. Don't get me wrong, "Pokemon", "Dragonball", "Beyblade", "Bakugan", and "Yu-gi-oh!", attract attention, but they appeal to mostly younger boys (and girls). </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">((*NOTE: I'll most likely not go over these series.)) </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">However, before I get started on blogging, I have to first go over some terms and how this whole thing is going to work out.</div><div align="left">Here are a couple of terms (some I'll use more than others):</div><ul><li><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Anime- Japanese animations</div></li>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Manga- Comic books</div></li>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Dubbed- Spoken language (Ex. English dub/Japanese dub)</div></li>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Subbed- Subtitled </div></li>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Dating Sim game- "Dating simulation" game</div></li>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Light novels- just as the name implies, "short novel". Usually they make up a series and they have illustration pages throughout the novel (Visual references). </div></li>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Fanservice- A term <strong>usually</strong> applied to pleasing the "sensory interests" of the male audience, but there are times that it is applied to the female audience. (No, not R or X-rated stuff. That is a whole different story that I'm not getting into) </div></li>
</ul><div align="left">Pretty much how all my posts will work is simple:</div><div align="left">I'll have a cover picture, the title of the series, a couple of screenshots on the post, the animation studio, if the show has been licensed for English release, what the series is an adaptation of (if was), a summary of the series, my rating (ex. 8.5/10), and my thoughts on it.</div><div style="text-align: left;">So with all that said, I hope you enjoy the blog!</div><div style="text-align: center;">今日からどうぞよろしくおねがいします!</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Starting today, I'll be in your humble care!) </div>Alyssa_Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013515173214986177noreply@blogger.com0