Azure Flame Reloaded

Dragons’ Den

(UK readers, a new series of the real Dragons’ Den begins next Monday at 9pm on BBC2.)

Welcome to our regular feature based on the TV program of the same name, in which anime characters try to market their great idea to five fat cats of anime! President Aria made his fortune in the gondola industry of Neo Venezia, and is now CEO of a well-known company. Mikoto started her business in the capital of Wind Bloom, and is now a trusted advisor to the queen, with business partners scattered across the world. The Admiral’s first business venture was to invest in a Chinese restaurant, but a meteor threat to Earth saw her buy shares in ground and space based defence technology, which she currently administers with her protégé “The General” (aka Shogun). Mr Tibbs started his career as a tea cat for the bank, but his sound grasp of finance saw him rise up the ranks until he became one of their most prominent managers. Finally, The Cardinal is the world’s most powerful fat cat, with a wide range of business interests that ensure that he has a paw in every pie (often literally, depending on his appetite). These five cats represent some heavyweight investment clout in every sense of the word, but is any deal attractive enough to get them to roll off their backsides and shake paws with a budding entrepreneur? Continue Reading »

In a coincidence that has been several weeks in the planning, Karura has managed to roll two events into one- for not only is the one thousandth post to appear on Azure Flame, but it also marks exactly two years since that fated day when Azure Flame came into being. Since that time, thousands of words of mockery, praise and criticism have been written, hundreds of hours of anime have been watched, many people have come by to comment, and despite flirting with burnout in the winter months, Karura recovered to blog once again. I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to keep it up once my PhD course starts in October, but I’ll try my utmost to make sure this place only dies when there’s nothing more to say.

Continue Reading »

Are you ready to take to the virtual kitchen? Pick up your pots and pans, assemble your ingredients and prepare to brave the world of Cooking Mama, where no recipe is too complex and no procedure too daring in the pursuit of that perfectly baked recipe? Can you prove yourself as skilled as Mama? Continue Reading »

There were times when we all felt that way about Busou Renkin.

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 12, Amatsuki 8-9, Amuri in Star Ocean 1, Antique Bakery 1, Aria DVD Special, Chi’s Sweet Home 47-52, Chocolate Underground 4, Hidamari Sketch x365 1, Itazura na Kiss 13, Kaiba 9, KgNE Next Season 3, Koihime Musou 1, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 10, Miyori no Mori, Nabari no Ou 13-14, Natsume Yuujinchou 1, Persona 12, Real Drive 11, Shion no Ou 22, Slayers Revolution 2, Someday’s Dreamers ~Summer Skies~ 1, Soul Eater 13-14, Telepathy Shoujo Ran 3, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 11, World Destruction 1

…and in manga: Tsubasa Chronicle 192 Continue Reading »

Episode 9

Jun gets worried when Shin reveals that he has a date with someone else.

Worse yet, Shin is out to try some secret BI. Continue Reading »

In a town where nothing happens, Renton Thurston dreams of taking to the skies and surfing the Trapar waves with his hero Holland and the rogue nation of Gekko State. And then one day his dream comes true, when a member of Gekko State quite literally crashes into his home, sparking off a chain of events that sees Renton join up with them and embark on an adventure that will affect the very future of the planet. Continue Reading »

In a world of spaceships, Galactic Guardians and Lost Technology, Millie Nocturne is a woman with one goal- to become number one in the universe at everything she tries. In the midst of her adventures, however, she runs into two other talented people; psi-blade wielding swordsman and mercenary Kane Blueriver, and Canal, the AI of his ship, the Swordbreaker. Between them, Kane, Millie and Canal make a surprisingly good- if hot-headed- team, but will the three of them be enough to take on the might of the criminal organisation known only as Nightmare? Continue Reading »

Allison and Lillia’s handbook for life

Do you have difficulty in social situations? Do you just not know what to do when put on the spot? Luckily, Allison and Wil have put together a convenient handbook that will sit snugly on your bookshelf right next to “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.

• When old men tell tall tales, don’t hesitate to believe them. Who knows, their wild stories of war-ending treasures might just be true, and if not, at least you got a nice cup of tea for your efforts.
• When suspicious old ladies offer you a cup of tea, drink it without reservation. Even if she locks you in her cellar, it shouldn’t be too hard to get out. Continue Reading »

Many generations ago, the spirits of Mana battled against the dark witch Anise and sealed her away, before the whole thing faded into legend. Now, however, the forces of good and evil are about to do battle again, thanks to the actions of a bored king and his ambitious general. It all begins one night when a Peddan soldier named Roget and the crew of the airship Nightswan are sent to scout behind enemy lines, but when they learn that their own superiors are plotting to start a war with all the nations of the world, Roget and his allies follow their hearts and resolve to use the power of Mana to combat the encroaching evil. Continue Reading »

Allison and Will follow the kidnapper’s aircraft.

Wil: Won’t they see us?

Allison: Don’t worry- main character power is rendering us invisible and inaudible.

They fly on and cross the border- only to get shot at.

Wil: Hey, what happened to main character power?

Allison: It’s okay, everything’s going to plan! I’m just pretending to spin out of control to throw them off our trail! Now I’m just pretending that we’re plummeting towards the ground! Now I’ll pretend to crash!

The plane crashes. Continue Reading »