Aug 29 2007
At the Personality Plant, Professor Shimizu is in charge of implanting the robot named Suzu with the memories and personality of a deceased boy named Ogura Ryou, all so that his parents can have a replacement for their lost son. Ironically enough, however,
Jul 30 2007
OVA: Three more episodes of Nobue and co.
Post TV-series OVAs tend to come in two forms- either they pick up where their predecessor left off and fit quite naturally into the franchise, or they cover a new and generally quite uninspired storyline that makes you wish they’d just left well alone. Fortunately, the Ichigo Mashimaro falls into the former category, and indeed, if you didn’t know it was an OVA, you might just think what you were watching were episodes 13-15 of the TV series.
Jul 25 2007
The OVA: Confusing Yet Compelling
When a Venetian glass arrives at the antiques shop where he works, art student Eiri Kurahashi begins taking an almost abnormal interest in it- for when he stares inside, he can see the spirit of Cossette, a girl who was murdered over 250 years ago. By telling the tale of her life and death through a series of compelling visions, Cossette draws Eiri further into her world- but will he be able to make the ultimate sacrifice if it leads to her salvation?
Jul 12 2007
It is the Bakumatsu period, a time of conflict and chaos- both on the battlefield and in the hearts of men. Whilst the rest of the Choushu clan focuses on conflict, however, one man- Kusaka Touma- dreams of a prosperous future where Japan opens itself to foreign countries. Determined to see that future come to pass, Kusaka decides to study English by taking lessons from one Akizuki Keiichirou- a man who sparks feelings in Kusaka that run deeper than mere friendship. But Akidzuki is a member of the Tokugawa bakufu and thus an enemy to the Choushu clan; can the nascent love between these two men really bloom under these conditions, or is it merely doomed to tragedy?
Feb 08 2007
After my glowing review of the Lament of the Lamb manga, it should come as little surprise that in due course, I would turn my attention to the animated form of the franchise- a four episode OVA containing a compressed version of the story. Faced with the task of fitting a seven volume into a mere two hours of airtime, it was obvious that Hitsuji no Uta would not be quite the same as the manga that spawned it, but would it still be worthy viewing for a fan of the series? The answer, it turns out, is that it is something of a middle-of-the-road effort- not especially awful, but with nothing marking it out as particularly good either.
Feb 01 2007
Those who recall my Stratos 4 TV review will know that I was none too impressed by the series; aside from the presence of fat cat the Admiral, I had few positive things to say to it. Nonetheless, with the spectre of completion looming over me, I decided that I may as well try my luck at the continuation of the series- ten episodes released across three OVAs. These episodes promised more fanservice, more fat cats, and a continuation of the various weak story threads that Stratos 4 is forced to call a plot.
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Nov 13 2006
It’s been a while since Belldandy and her sisters came to live with Keiichi, and by and large, he’s settled into as normal a routine as you can have when three goddesses are sharing your home. Unfortunately, everything is about to be turned upside down by the arrival of Celestin- Belldandy’s former tutor and a man with whom she once shared a close bond. What Belldandy doesn’t remember is the circumstances which caused her to be parted from Celestin, circumstances which also branded him a criminal in the eyes of Heaven. Now unsealed from his prison, Celestin is ready to put his plans into motion- the first stage of which involves removing Belldandy’s memories of Keiichi! How can Belldandy cope with this new situation when she can’t even remember the person who is most important to her?
Nov 12 2006
Oguro Mikiko (aka ‘Kuromi’) has just started her new job at an animation studio and unfortunately, it’s not quite what she envisioned. With the man who was supposed to be her boss having been rushed off to hospital with a stomach ulcer, Mikiko has been left in charge of the production of the first episode of the ‘Time Journeys’ anime. With the key animators behind schedule, and the episode set to air in only a matter of days, Mikiko faces the near-impossible task of getting her understaffed and somewhat eccentric team to pick up the pace. Is there any hope for Mikiko, or is this a doomed enterprise from start to finish?
Oct 08 2006
In those far-off days when I was a newcomer to the world of anime (I don’t think that my childhood viewing of Samurai Pizza Cats really counts), one of the series that the limited offerings of UK TV brought to me was Tenchi Muyo. Often regarded as the grandfather of all harem series, the tale of a normal teenager living with a group of powerful alien girls may not have been a particularly sophisticated one, but for the most part, it was at least entertaining. Continue Reading »
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Sep 06 2006
Natsumi Tsujimoto and Miyuki Kobayakawa are partners at Bokuto Police Station’s Traffic Department. Between Miyuki’s technical expertise and Natsumi’s reckless street, there’s no better team to patrol the streets for wrongdoers- it may mean skirting the rules, but they’ll do whatever it takes to catch the criminals and utter that trademark phrase: “You’re under arrest!”. Continue Reading »
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