Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 4-5, Amatsuki 4, Chi’s Sweet Home 14-20, Itazura na Kiss 4-5, Kaiba 3-4, Kurenai 5, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 3, Nabari no Ou 1-5, Real Drive 3, Toshokan Sensou 1-3, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 13

…and in manga: Bokurano 48-52

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (1) – the end of the series has left me in despair! <-complete!
2. Chi’s Sweet Home (2)- Chi
3. Kurenai (3) – Murasaki
4. Kaiba (4) – memory chip
5. xxxHOLiC Kei (5) – wow, it’s actually good
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) –fox trap
7. Nabari no Ou (-) –ninjas are cool again <-new!
8. Real Drive (7) –Meta-Real
9. Himitsu (8) – President Reed is dead
10. Soul Eater (10) Bones does shounen
11. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (9) – family frenzy
12. Persona Trinity Soul (11)- I really should catch up with this
13. Toshokan Sensou (-) –library wars <-new!
14. Itazura na Kiss (14) – everything at or below this line is generic
15. Amatsuki (15) – the new Shounen Onmyouji
16. Allison and Lillia (13) – dogfight

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Shion no Ou (-) – demoted to slow
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (1)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (2)- kaleidoscope
4. Himawari!! (3) – needs less plot
5. Love GetChu! (4)- light entertainment
6. Shounen Onmyouji (5)- end in sight?

Allison and Lillia 4-5: What with all the emphasis the first three episodes put on finding a treasure that could end a war that’s been raging for generations, I think we could all be forgiven for thinking that that was going to be the main plot for the Allison part of the series. As it turns out, however, everything is done and dusted by the end of episode four, which starts with a dogfight that, while not spectacular, was quite nice simply as a change from the generic ground-bound scenes (although like Hanners I was bemused as to how the enemies that were shot down somehow recovered all their HP for a second attack). Unfortunately, the second half was so poor that I can’t even call it laughable, as our heroes find a mural that magically ends the war in the space of about 2.5 seconds, whilst a set of random villains also looking for the treasure are crushed in a convenient rockfall.

Anyway, episode five brings us onto a new arc as Wil and Allison meet up again in the frozen north, only to get lost in a snowstorm and end up staying with a suspicious old lady. Unfortunately, despite Wil’s alleged smartness and Allison’s military training, neither of them notice that their ‘herbal tea’ is actually drugged, whilst Allison’s attempts to ask Wil to move in with her are painful in their clichéd nature. I must continue watching the series for the sake of completion and also in the hope that the Lillia arc will be an improvement on this half of the series.

Amatsuki 4: Our heroes have finally reached the Princess’ shrine, but it’s time for an unnecessarily long and involved stand-off when the resident shrine maidens decide that they must be ayakashi. Cue the emergence of bishie tengu Bonten, the inugami that dwells within Kuchiha, Toki’s “geass” powers and a princess living inside a puppet; enough to ensure you won’t get bored, but too much to make a structured and focused episode out of. At this pace, are we really going to get anywhere before the series ends?

Chi’s Sweet Home 14-20: It’s playtime for Chi, but whilst she loves to experiments with everything from plastic bags to Dad’s work tools, when she gets toys of her own, she isn’t quite sure what to do with them. And then when Mum shouts at her for knocking over a vase, Chi decides that the great outdoors is a better place to employ her talents- at least until evening comes and she realises that she’s all alone. Is it wrong to want to reach into the computer, bring out Chi and hug her? How can this series be so cute without ever being saccharine? Could this actually be the series that will bring anime to the masses? Answers on a postcard, please.

And this week on The Making of Azure Flame, we reveal how we publish posts.

Itazura na Kiss 4-5: I don’t know why, but somewhere deep in my soul I’ve come to despise beach, pool and swimsuit episodes, so it’s unfortunate that episode four sees Kotoko and friends take off to the pool to enjoy their summer vacation (naturally, Irie ‘just happens’ to be there too). Fortunately, after this rather lacklustre instalment, episode five is at least slightly more entertaining, as looming finals force all of Class F to knuckle down and start studying- with some help from genius Irie. It’s still generic stuff, but even though I don’t much like either Kotoko or Irie, I’m quite interested to see how their relationship progresses.

Kaiba 3-4: Three episodes in, and Kaiba is becoming ever more compelling; this time around, Kaiba (still in the inflatable hippo) lands on a planet and ends up befriending a girl named Chroniko. Poor Chroniko is about to sell her body in order to finance her family, but in a predictable fashion, she gets doubled crossed by said family, losing her memories and self in the process. It’s a story that’s plainly visible a mile away, but Kaiba still manages to execute it well, whilst adding extra layers to a world where bodies and memories are just commodities to be traded, no matter how precious they are to their owners.

Meanwhile, in episode four, Vanilla’s interest in Chroniko becomes so overbearing that on their next planetfall Kaiba switches back to the hippo, only to get involved in the lives of a lighthouse keeper and her two grandchildren. Again, the lesson is that life is as cheap as it is precious, and that one person’s junk is another’s treasure.

Kurenai 5: This week it’s time for Murasaki and Shinkurou to take a trip over to Yuuko’s place, but while Shinkurou and Yuuko do a little sparring, Murasaki plays with Yuuko’s sister- and promptly succeeds in breaking both her doll and her DS. Even though it isn’t perfect, there’s just something about this series that makes me love it, but we’re reaching the point where a series either continues in excellence or makes a sudden fall from grace (fingers crossed for the former). On another note, I’m impressed as to how Murasaki has learned so much from cooking shows- even though I watch them, I don’t retain most of the recipes.

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 3: When Yuuka’s sister continues her hate campaign, the rest of the family decided to pitch in with their own frenzy- and even though Yuuka wants to solve her own problems, no one says no to Kyouka-sama. I must admit that this series isn’t turning out to be quite as good as I once hoped, but in the realms of light entertainment it performs admirably.

*NEW* Nabari no Ou 1-5: After Naruto made it all about orange pyjamas and never-ending filler arcs, was there anything that could make ninjas cool and respected again? Well, it was touch and go for a while, but finally Nabari no Ou has come along, and everything is okay again. Featuring an apathetic lead who contains the ultimate wisdom within his body and those who variously try to protect and pursue him, Nabari no Ou isn’t without its faults (namely the inherent flaws of the battle royale format and a tendency to switch too quickly from drama to comedy), but nonetheless it’s made a strong start with some slick action scenes and memorable characters. It doesn’t hurt that there’s plenty of parody potential there as well- not to mention the fact that our lead is rather reminiscent of Ritsuka from Loveless.

Real Drive 3: Things start to make that teensiest bit more sense in this episode, in which Haru is approached to become an official Metal diver- the only problem is, he keeps failing the test simulation. In true anime fashion, however, Minamo telling him that he needs to be safe and relaxed is all he needs to succeed on a dangerous real mission to rescue a brain-downed diver, securing his position for the rest of the series. Meanwhile, it seems the main plot is not too dissimilar from the Cursed Wave of .hack, but all I want to know is who thought that making a virtual reality like a deep, dangerous sea was a good idea.

*NEW* Toshokan Sensou 1-3: In a future that might just come to pass, censorship has gone mad- and the only people who can oppose the seizure and destruction of precious books are the Library Forces. Enter one young girl whose enthusiasm far outweighs her competence, and the stage is set for a fairly standard adventure with the same library gimmick that always makes us come back for more.

*COMPLETE* Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 13: Zetsubou shita! The ending of this series has left me in despair! Anyway, this time around we cover unwanted strays, the origin of Meru’s silence (and an attempt to rectify it with real-time dubbing of her voice) and the dangers of assumptions. It’s good stuff, and it serves to highlight just how much a third season is needed- but until it comes along, Tuesday Rumble will be keeping the spirit of despair alive with a brand new feature, hopefully to be unveiled next week.

MANGA

Bokurano 48-52: It’s the long-awaited next release of Bokurano, covering the arc of the person no one thought was contracted- Kana. Although these chapters reveal that some of the things I thought were anime-only (Tanaka being Jun’s mother, Machi not being from this earth) actually came from the manga, even the bitter taste of the anime cannot reduce the addictiveness of this manga.

Twenty-two year old Itou Kaiji is a bit of a loser- an unemployed bum, he amuses himself by slashing tyres and stealing the emblems from cars. All that changes, however, when his friend defaults on a loan and the yakuza come to collect from the guarantor- namely Kaiji himself. With no other way of paying back a three million yen debt, Kaiji signs up to a night of gambling that could earn him the money he needs, little realising that it is just the beginning of a dangerous series of high stakes games where to lose is to risk not only your money, but also your very life.

Having enjoyed the GAR MANLINESS of Akagi, a Studio Madhouse of the mangaka’s earlier work Kaiji seemed just the ticket for 2007-8, a series that would combine all sorts of unlikely elements to make a compelling whole. And indeed, whilst it didn’t quite score as highly as its brother series, Kaiji was to prove itself one of the standouts of its season, offering a welcome outing for Akagi fans whilst retaining its own identity.

The main difference arises, unsurprisingly, from the attitude and personality of our heroes. Akagi was the cold embodiment of GAR, a man to whom life held so little to interest and challenge him that he was able to risk everything in a game of mahjongg. Even when he appeared to be losing, it was usually because he was seeing a different game to everyone else, picking up on connections that no one else would notice- and besides, if the worst came to the worst, he had the balls to cheat his opponent, yakuza or not.

Kaiji, however, was a man cut from a different cloth; lacking in Akagi’s instinct and lust to push himself to the brink, Kaiji’s fighting spirit arises from his strong desire to live, yet at the same time he starts off as something of a weak person. Despite his discontent with his lot, Kaiji prefers to languish in his situation, blaming others and only really beginning to take responsibility for himself over the course of the series. In the first arc, we see how easily Kaiji is repeatedly conned because he puts his faith in others to help fight his battles, but even though he becomes warier and less naïve as the series progresses, his connection with others is also a powerful force in shaping both his conduct and his strategies.

***SPOILER SECTION***

The Espoir, a Nice Gambling Boat of Hope

As we see right from the start, the games played in Kaiji aren’t particularly complex, because the focus is always primarily on the psychology. Still, when you aren’t prepared for it, it can come as something of a shock to realise that the entire first arc will effectively be dedicated to a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, albeit one where millions of yen are at stake. The idea of the game is to use up all one’s cards (representing rock, paper and scissors) in matches before four hours is up- but with the added proviso that one must walk away with at least three of the ‘star chips’ that are wagered on each game.

Being the beginner that he is, Kaiji manages get conned within the space of minutes, leaving him in the traditional hero’s position of having to claw his way back from a major disadvantage. From then on, it is a game of strategies and counter-strategies, where allies can be both a vital strength and a great weakness. Ultimately, of course, our hero prevails, but it isn’t an easy road, with adversaries, betrayals and a disturbing stint in a Room of Naked Men. Unlike Akagi, Kaiji isn’t playing the game from a higher perspective, but when pushed into a corner he discards his apathy and becomes a schemer and a fighter who is driven to struggle until the bitter end.

The Human Derby, where balance is important

Unfortunately, hot-headed as he is, Kaiji isn’t one to plan for the future, instead throwing away much of his excess cash and even using his brief wealth to buy the freedom of another man, Ishida. The upshot of all this is that both Kaiji and Ishida survive the game but retain massive debts, forcing them to participate in the next night of gambling- the Human Derby.

In the Human Derby, the object of the game is to make one’s way across an increasingly narrow metal bar suspended above a drop- simple enough, until you learn that touching the bar with your hands means you forfeit the game. There are multiple bars to choose from, but if you end up on the same bar as someone else there’s no overtaking- to get ahead and win the elusive prize money, you have to push off anyone who is in front of you. It’s a game designed to titillate the rich and jaded, but even this is only the prologue for the main event.

For those who make it through part one of the Human Derby, a rather displeasing revelation awaits- instead of getting a cash prize straightaway, they are given a ticket that must be redeemed that night, in a room that can only be reached by walking across a thin metal pole suspended twenty-two stories above the ground. Yes, it’s the Human Derby on a grander scale, with electrification for anyone who touches the pole and certain death for all who fall. And yet, for all that it is the same game, putting your life one the line makes it that much harder to achieve success.

Nonetheless, Kaiji tries to rally himself, Ishida, co-worker Sahara and various other generics to attempt the crossing, but with his own confidence wavering, it isn’t easy to inspire others once they reach the point of no return. Whilst the extremely rich, decadent and jaded watch and laugh, man after man falls to his doom, their balance and confidence destroyed. Eventually, only named characters remain, but for Ishida, the end is near. Realising that he lacks the strength to go on, he entrusts his ticket to Kaiji, hoping that the money will at least get his wife out of debt. Then, in complete contrast to the seeming weakness of his character, he drops without a word, so that it is only when Kaiji looks back that he realises Ishida has gone. What a powerful moment, turning back to see that eerily empty pole where Ishida was standing seconds before- “ISHIDAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” indeed.

By this point, only Sahara and Kaiji are left, but when Sahara reaches the end of the pole and opens the window to let himself in, he is blown back by the pressure difference. Fortunately for out hero, however, in the depths of despair he spots another route- an almost invisible glass pathway that he can use to reach his goal. But on the other side, he learns that all the anguish and sacrifice has been for nothing, for the match was declared forfeit when Kaiji previously asked for the electrification to be turned off.

E-card, because card games are still in

Even so, after all he had been through, the sadistic chairman in charge of the games decided to give him one more chance- a free game of E-card, the latest gaming sensation to take hold of kids across the nation. Much like Rock-Paper-Scissors, E-card has a circular hierarchy, but with a difference- a full hand consists of four Citizens, but just one of either Emperor or Slave (Emperor beats Citizen, Citizen beats Slave, Slave beats Emperor). Despite the presence of various other rules to regulate play, it’s another straightforward game, but one in which everything hangs on reading the psychology of your opponent. What’s more, to win big, you must wager either your eye or ear- nice.

The interesting thing about this arc is that while the overall story follows narrative convention almost to the letter (Kaiji wins a few rounds, opponent starts crushing him, opponent is discovered to be cheating, Kaiji makes a triumphant comeback), the pacing is slow enough to ensure that you have time to start doubting the outcome. The tension and suspense simply build up so much that you begin to question everything; did Kaiji really pick the right card? Of course, ultimately he does, claiming victory against opponent Tonegawa, but for our hero, this is not enough. If there’s one thing Kaiji and Akagi share, it’s an inability to walk away while they still have something to wager, and so it is that Kaiji hatches a plan for one last gamble.

Tissue box raffle, and how not to cheat

After an arc which featured copious amounts of blood, a ripped off ear and an episode in which poor Tonegawa had to kneel face down on a hotplate, Kaiji was ready for one more gamble in the simplest game of all- pulling a marked lot out of a tissue box filled with blank lots. As a game of chance, it might not seem too exciting even by Rock-Paper-Scissors standards, but obviously there was going to be more to it than that- Kaiji was going to cheat.

Unfortunately, even though watching Kaiji plan out how not to get caught was rather interesting, the idea of him walking away with an easy victory through cheating was a little anti-climactic- where was the suspense, the uncertainty? For several episodes, it seemed as if it was all going to be too easy; after all, the hero never loses in the last arc- or does he? For in fact, the series had one more ace up its sleeve, abandoning the easy ending for one in which Kaiji is outplayed by the chairman and loses not only all the money he won, but also a rather grisly four fingers from one hand. Could the fingers be reattached? Would Kaiji ever get a chance for revenge and a rematch? Perhaps the manga could tell us, but for the anime, episode 26 had been reached, and it was time to disembark.

***END SPOILERIFIC RAMBLINGS***

Audiovisual

Visually, Kaiji follows the same aesthetic as Kaiji- the thick lines and pointy foreheads aren’t exactly aesthetically pleasing, but they are GAR, MANLY and dripping with testosterone- and unsurprisingly for a Studio Madhouse produced series, the animation is technically competent. Music is limited and used sparingly- the OP and ED are the typical MANLY ballads, whilst the most important sound effect is the tension-setting “zawa”, a staple of the series.

Final Thoughts

Even I don’t know quite why I had to write so much about Kaiji, but perhaps that’s just another effect of this compelling series. The slow pacing and overflowing testosterone may be a little too much for some, but as with Akagi, it’s well worth giving it a chance for the sake of the absorbing tension and suspense that each arc brings. Here’s hoping for a second season.

Tier: Gold-

Still missing Busou Renkin? On the off-chance that you actually are, why not imagine a world where the series has its own RPG? In the style of Star Ocean, all battles are fought in real-time, with trigger buttons used to unleash special attacks from a player’s Busou Renkin. Whether you fancy stabbing the enemy with Sunlight Heart or ripping them apart with the Valkyrie Skirt, this is the game for you.

Playable characters: Kazuki, Tokiko, Bravo, Ouka, Shusui, Papillon, Gouta

Shion no Ou 19

“He was the only man I cared about.”

Satoru gets desperate for some phone sex.

“This will help me get in the mood for my later customers.”

“You know those kinky photos we took last time? I really need copies.”

“I don’t need Pleasure today, Ayumi.”

“Hani-meijin is mine now!”

“She taught us how to use these hands for Hyper Self Pleasure!”

Dragons’ Den

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?

The latest entrepreneur to brave the Den is Taro, a generic male with a rather interesting proposal- the sale of personal harems for men and women.

Taro: Hello everyone, I’m Taro, and I’m here to show you how you can revolutionise your life with your own personal harem! Lonely men can spice up their lives with our starter pack of Lead Girl, Tsundere, Meganekko and Maid, whilst add-on such as Sports Girl, Android, Iinchou and many more are available for purchase from our website. We also cater for the female market with specialised reverse harems of bishounen.

Admiral: This is all very interesting, but we’re cats- we aren’t really interested in human mating rituals. I’m out.

Cardinal: Actually, I am interested if I can make money from it. I can foresee this being a nice little earner.

Taro’s proposal has already caused controversy in the Den, but can he rely on the Cardinal’s interest in the product to land an offer?

Aria: Punyu? [Do you cater for people looking to land a specific partner?]

Taro: Well, we’ve really chosen to specialise in harems at the moment.

Aria: Punyu. [That’s a shame- if it can’t help me get President Hime, I’m out.]

Mikoto: To be honest, I’ve spent some time in the company of generic characters, and the idea of flooding the market with more of them frightens me. I’m out.

Three Dragons are out already, but will either the Cardinal or Mr Tibbs throw Taro a lifeline?

Cardinal: I don’t know what the others are on about- not only can we make a killing from lonely otaku with this, but we can then make generic anime series about their lives and sell related merchandise. I’d like to make you an offer.

It’s success for Taro, but will this cause the anime market to collapse from harem overload? We can only wait and see.

This Week in Anime

“In the old days, Grandpa and I would have tomato carrying races.”

Magatama make a long-awaited return.

Jaco Daniels, not to be confused with Jack Daniels.

“Oh god, I’m losing the baby!”

The true purpose of the pyramids is finally revealed- they were meant to house giant apples.

“Could this be the fabled Strawberry Mountain I’ve heard so much about?”

“Melons! Get your watermelons, parsnips and nondescript round things here!”

“Could this be- fruit?”

“One day I will live in luxury, consuming whatever fruit I wish!”

“You didn’t mean to drink the invisibility potion?”

Little did we know how important apples were to become in Spice and Wolf.

“Am I too late for the tomato carrying race?”

Sweet juicy apples…

…you can never have enough.

Maybe that’s why shinigami like them so much.

Just for DS, we now track dango!

That basket of oranges has been in so many series.

How can I order from this Zamahzon place?

Neapolitan dango.

*NEW* Classic PC Games: Traffic Department 2192

As part of a new feature, we go back in time to investigate the PC games that shaped Karura’s formative years, starting with the surprisingly influential Traffic Department 2192. Set in the future on the distant planet of Seche, TD 2192 deposits you right in the middle of the war between the native Traffic Department and the invading Vulture army; you’ll play as Lieutenant Marta Velasquez, a pilot with a sharp tongue and a chip on her shoulder, through twenty missions in the shareware version, and a further forty in the full version.

Actual game play is rather simple- in either a hoversled or helicopter, you fly around the city accomplishing the objective of either wiping out the enemy or protecting your ally. Gunning down everything in sight is usually the way forward, and since the number of maps you use is rather limited, you won’t have to worry about finding your way around. Nonetheless, it’s good fun- but what really makes the game stand out is what happens between missions, namely, the dialogue. With a somewhat crude yet surprisingly funny set of exchanges and one-liners, TD 2192 was the kind of game you couldn’t play when your parents were in the room, although admittedly by the second and third episodes both the humour and the plot had worn a little thin.

Visually, TD 2192 uses ray trace graphics for scrolling, arcade style gameplay, whilst the music is oddly catchy- especially the three tracks used in missions. It may have not been played by many, but those who try it will always remember TD 2192 with a degree of fondness.

Mini-editorial: Should the future of DVD releases lie in boxsets alone?

In the days when I was young and reckless, I would purchase single DVDs as they came out- hungrily devouring the three to five episodes on an average disc over the course of an evening or two. It was all very exciting to be at the cutting edge of the UK and sometimes US market (which admittedly wasn’t all that cutting edge compared to the latest releases from Japan), but by the time I had amassed several hundred DVDs, it occurred to me that I had perhaps spent rather a lot of money on this pursuit.

From then on, my desire for single DVDs seemed to peter out, especially when the patient were almost always rewarded with cheap boxsets that were a relief for both the bank account and the heaving shelves. Being able to marathon a whole series without long two month gaps that ensured you’d pretty much forgotten what had happened at the beginning by the time you reached the end was something of a revelation, not to mention the series where you weren’t in any rush because you’d already seen it on fansub.

With all this in mind, it seems no wonder that the market for single DVDs has declined, to the point where some series have even been pulled due to poor sales. And with 13-26 episode sets becoming increasingly popular, wouldn’t it be better to make the switch completely and save the printing and production costs of the single DVDs? Or do they still have a role as more expensive ‘comparison products’ that actually help the boxsets to sell better?

Harem of the week: Juliet (Romeo X Juliet)

Her one true love was meant to be Romeo, but she somehow amassed many more admirers in her quest to find a plot.

Harem

Romeo: Her true love, with whom she would share an angst-filled relationship.

Tybalt: Dark brooding bishounen who always appeared during Juliet’s hours of need.

Curio: Stoic Kurogane type who secretly loves Juliet but never reveals his feelings.

Francisco: Blonde playboy who hides deep feelings for Juliet.

Antonio: Obligatory shota.

Rivals

Hermione: Romeo’s fiancée- gives up on him when the plot turns against her.

Cielo: Romeo’s HORSE, and his first lover.

Reviewed this week: Amatsuki 1-2, Chi’s Sweet Home 13, Himitsu 2, Kaiba 2, Kurenai 4, Real Drive 2, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 3, xxxHOLiC Kei 4, Zoku SZS 12

..and in manga: HxH 275-8, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 13-20

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (3) – the state of modern society has left me in despair!
2. Chi’s Sweet Home (4)- Chi
3. Kurenai (5) – Murasaki
4. Kaiba (1) – memory chip
5. xxxHOLiC Kei (8) – wow, it’s actually good
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) –fox trap
7. Real Drive (7) –Meta-Real
8. Himitsu (9) – President Reed is dead
9. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (10) – family frenzy
10. Soul Eater (12) Bones does shounen
11. Persona Trinity Soul (13)- I really should catch up with this
12. Shion no Ou (14) – Hani Meijin
13. Allison and Lillia (15) – a bit disappointing
14. Itazura na Kiss (16) generic so far
15. Amatsuki (11) – the new Shounen Onmyouji

Amatsuki 2-3: Two more episodes down, and Amatsuki has gone from generic historical/supernatural series to, well, even more generic historical/supernatural series. In episode two, Toki learns that Kuchiha is possessed by a dog spirit before proceeding to play a trick on a couple of samurai who harassed her, whilst episode three sees him asked to pay for his transgression with a spot of babysitting- although after two hours of walking, all he manages to find is trouble. I have little doubt that the series has set a standard of mediocrity that it will stick to throughout, but it’s beginning to feel increasingly wrong to ever drop anything.

Chi’s Sweet Home 13: Another short and sweet (pun intended) segment of Chi’s life, this time seeing Chi get excited when Youhei drops some bouncy super balls. I’ve already read this story in the manga, but as always it’s fun to see it in animated form.

Himitsu 2: Having broken us in with a one-off story, Himitsu tries us out with a longer arc starting in this episode. Our team of HARD GAY investigators and generic hangers-on are called on to help the FBI after the legendary US president Reed is assassinated, but as they probe into his memories, a conundrum involving a photograph is revealed. What exactly is the truth behind the murder of the president, and what secret could be so important that he took it with him to his grave? Find out next week, if you can look past the generic characters, that is.

Kaiba 2: The deceptively childish-looking adventure continues in episode two, which sees Warp/Kaiba’s body used for grotesque extremes of Pleasure, whilst his memories remain stuck in a rather clunky body. Along the way we meet a memory smuggler with multiple girlfriends, and learn how cheaply the authorities treat bodies now that most people have converted to storing their consciousness on chips. Confusing, perhaps, but definitely interesting.

Kurenai 4: Four episodes in, and Kurenai continues to prove worthy, with this instalment seeing Murasaki intrude on one of Shinkurou’s mediation jobs, forcing him to turn to his martial arts and embedded arm blade to protect her. I’m becoming particularly impressed by the slick animation and excellent placement of background music, but the series seems so rich in detail and potential that I almost want it to go on forever. This is what Seirei no Moribito should have been.

Real Drive 2: I still don’t have much of a clue what this series is driving at, but after showing us the meeting with Haru from helper girl’s perspective (along with her background), Haru gets to turn young again as he dives into the Meta-Real network to repair the island’s power grid and save all the old people there. That’s fair enough in an episodic sense, but even though the animation of the Meta-Real and the grandiose orchestral soundtrack elevate this series somewhat, I really need some kind of plot to get my teeth into. What is this island with old people? How does the Meta-Real work? What’s the point of anything that anyone is doing?

Wagaya no Oinari-sama 3: A slightly weaker episode this week as the brothers go back to school, leaving Kuu-chan and Kou to first flounder at home before taking a visit to school themselves. It’s a fairly predictable romp, but I’m willing to forgive the series these weak interludes if they’re not too frequent.

I hear floral designs and statement jewellery are in this summer.

xxxHOLiC Kei 4: I was afraid that Kei would take a downturn after the first arc, but happily it managed to deliver a solid enough one-off episode this time around, adapting the manga chapter in which Yuuko and Watanuki visit a dream merchant. Never before has the need to catch up with the manga been so pressing.

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou 12: Zetsubou shita! The fact that there is only one episode to go has left me in despair! This time around, we learn of the dangers of not winding down properly, how easy it is to get caught up in other people’s dramas and the whole counter-current phenomenon of getting interested in something via its spin-offs, adaptations and merchandise. This is the kind of great episode that I watch the series for; for this I can forgive some of the less entertaining earlier segments.

MANGA

Hunter X Hunter 275-8: I semi-intentionally forgot to read any HxH for a few weeks, but even taking in a batch of chapters at once can’t really make it seem any better. In this quartet of instalments, we see Gon release a bit of his pent-up rage, before switching to various other battles, none of which are particularly interesting. Oh well, we’ll be back on hiatus in another couple of chapters.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 13-20: Volume two has been devoured in its entirety, and even though most of what was featured has been in the anime, it doesn’t matter- because here I can pick up everything I missed when it flashed past at lightning speed. My appetite for despair has never been greater.

In its first season, Minami-ke could pretty much do no wrong for me; it may have seemed like just another anime about schoolgirls and their everyday lives, but it hit all the right notes in terms of delivery. With that in mind, I was looking forward to thirteen more episodes of the same- except that what I was going to get was going to be to the first season what the Popstation is to the PSP.

Despite airing directly after the first thirteen episodes, Okawari was handed over to a brand new studio and production team, resulting in a tone and presentation that was very different to what we had become used to. On the plus side, the character designs were now closer to the original manga, but that was about the only benefit of the change- for what had once been an amusing and thoroughly entertaining series had now become something far more mediocre.

Where once the jokes had been built into ongoing threads to keep them fresh and entertaining, this time around they were merely run into the ground; for example, the whole “Mako-chan” cross-dressing episode became ever more stale and tiresome as Kana refused to let him out himself. In the old days, even simple cooking scenes had been amusing, but now everything was just dull and predictable; oh look, Chiaki left her dessert unguarded- I wonder if Kana might eat it now? Oh no, Kana got away with pretending to be ill and now she really is sick but can’t admit it! It just all gets to the point where it’s almost painful waiting for a blatantly obvious punch line to come along.

In the same vein, the characters that we had come to know and love during season one seemed far more disappointing this time around. Whilst many supporting characters were shoved into the background to become annoying one-trick personalities, even the sisters themselves suffered- with Kana in particular going from a likable troublemaker to the kind of Miu-esque stirrer who you just want to administer a good slap to. Perhaps the worst decision the series made, however, was to introduce a completely original character in the form of neighbour Fuyuki, a bland do-gooder who got far more than his fair share of screen time- to the point where viewers must surely have been cheering when he finally moved away again.

Visually, although Okawari is arguably slicker and smoother than the first season, somewhere along the way the individuality of the series’ look has been turned into something more generic, with even the delightful drop-shaped mouths appearing less. One particular annoyance this season is the way all background characters have been given blacked out faces- a rather creepy and surely unnecessary look given that they could have just been given generic peach-coloured faces. Meanwhile, although a new OP and ED have been introduced, background music remains largely unchanged.

Final Thoughts

Although the first season of Minami-ke left me eager for a second helping, when said follow-up came along, it proved to have swapped almost all of the humour for a big fat slice of mediocrity and disappointment. Fans of the first series will probably end up watching it anyway for the sake of completion, but it can hardly be said to be worth it- if you need more entertainment from the Minami sisters, just turn to the manga instead.

Tier: White

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 3, Chi’s Sweet Home 9-12, Himitsu 1, Itazura na Kiss 2-3, Kaiba 1, Kaiji 26, Kurenai 3, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 2, Mnemosyne 3, Real Drive 1, Shion no Ou 19, Soul Eater 1-2, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 2, xxxHOLiC Kei 2-3, Zoku SZS 11

…and in manga: Chi’s Sweet Home 2-41, Roman Club 1-2, Tsubasa Chronicle 188

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Kaiba (-) – memory chip <-new!
2. Kaiji (1) – ざわ, ざわ… <-complete!
3. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (2) – the state of modern society has left me in despair!
4. Chi’s Sweet Home (3)- Chi
5. Kurenai (4) – Murasaki
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (5) –fox trap
7. Real Drive (-) –Meta-Real <-new!
8. xxxHOLiC Kei (6) – wow, it’s actually good
9. Himitsu (-) – a trifle problem? <-new!
10. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (7) – family frenzy
11. Amatsuki (8) – the new Tactics/Shounen Onmyouji
12. Soul Eater (-) Bones does shounen <- new!
13. Persona Trinity Soul (9)- I really should catch up with this
14. Shion no Ou (10) – Hani Meijin
15. Allison and Lillia (11) – a bit disappointing
16. Itazura na Kiss (12) generic so far
17. Tower of Druaga (13) – don’t lose the humour! <- no time for this

Allison and Lillia 3: Even though it’s still a middling series at best, I’m slightly warming to Allison and Lillia, with this week seeing Allison and Wil breaking into the enemy stronghold to rescue the old man- all in pursuit of a generic ‘treasure’ I don’t really care much about. It doesn’t seem that this series can raise itself much beyond light entertainment, but for now it’s solid enough (and yes, I’ve said that about many series right before dropping them, so it’s still touch and go).

Chi’s Sweet Home 9-12: The week is made all the better for Chi’s cute antics, with these four episodes proving that the anime is staying largely faithful to the manga whilst adding just enough spice to make it worth following both (not that I don’t love Chi enough to do so anyway). In these four segments, we see Chi finally get the hang of the litter tray (although I feel sad that she’s lost her ‘playbox’ now), before the family try to re-home her- only to realise that fate, destiny and the power of the story want her to stay with them.

*NEW* Himitsu- the Revelation 1: The first of many new series to be covered this week, Himitsu takes us to a world where technology enables named characters to dive into the brains of the deceased- a rather invasive process, to be sure, but one that enables them to solve murders. Our first case involves a man who wants to keep the secrets hidden in his wife’s brain, but when the truth comes out, a sorry love tangle is found. Provided it doesn’t do a Shigofumi, this should make for a good episodic series, although there do seem to be hints of HARD GAY between the two main characters.

Itazura na Kiss 2-3: Desperate to make Irie notice her, Kotoko decides to study extra hard for exams so that she can get into the top fifty- a first for any Class F student. As it turns out, Irie is roped into tutoring her, and for a moment it seems that he might soften- at least until an unknown party publicly reveals that they are living together. Then it’s all rivalry again as the classes compete against each other on Sports Day- the one event where Class F usually shines. Yes, it’s still generic light entertainment, but I’m sticking with it for the ‘after marriage’ part of the story.

*NEW* Kaiba 1: With all the raving over this, I was prepared not to like Kaiba, but for once I’m with the intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals- the series is great, if a little reminiscent of the infamous Dead Leaves. Anyway, beneath the simplistic yet oddly adorable character designs, Kaiba is beginning to unravel the tale of a world where memories are stored in conical chips for transfer between bodies- where disembodied personalities await their own flesh and ‘non-contributors’ can be deleted at will. This is the sci-fi world I’ve been waiting to visit, and I look forward to spending more time in it.

As good a reason as any to delete someone.

*COMPLETE* Kaiji 26: Kaiji has finally come to an end, and what a gory end it is, for in his attempts to play the chairman, Kaiji finds himself played- and the price he must play is all four of his digits. Having obeyed narrative convention throughout, I was surprised to see Kaiji fall flat on his face in the final episode (especially given the consequences), but I’m also glad that the ‘easy win through cheating’ didn’t pan out as Kaiji intended. Now, if only there was a second season to continue the story…

“Haven’t you watched any Disney films?”

Kurenai 3: Even though there was a strong element of harem-building in this episode of Kurenai, that doesn’t mean the series is beginning to disappoint- because against all expectations, I love Murasaki (in a completely legal, platonic fashion). Her exploits at school and the crossed wires with Shintaro were hilarious, whilst the later interaction between the two was worth the price of admission alone- is it better to stand up for what’s right, or just not rock the boat too much?

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 2: Episode one may have set the tone for comedy, but this week KKN injects something a little more serious in between the zaniness. It’s shakedown time for the new ‘family’, but for Yuuka, all is not well- her nervousness has earned the scorn and ridicule of her classmates. Even though this part of the story is (temporarily) resolved in a suitably crazy way, it does serve to inject a tone of poignancy into the proceedings, and although I’ve read spoilers regarding the actions of the Suigintou-like character who appears at the end, it will be interesting to see where this series goes next.

Mnemosyne 3: I actually watched this last week, but for some reason even sitting through 45 minutes of Mnemosyne wasn’t enough to remind me to write about it. Anyway, I’d like to recount what happened in this episode, but aside from noting that time has jumped ahead to 2011, I’ve completely lost what vestiges of the plot I had (did I really praise this series so much in episode one?). I must, however, comment on a rather uncomfortable and completely gratuitous HARD YURI scene with Mimi- yes, I know she’s immortal and older than she looks, but that hardly made it a welcome interlude.

*NEW* Real Drive 1: In the spring preview, I was really looking forward to Real Drive, but after episode one I have to admit I have only the barest grasp of what’s going on- yes, there’s a Meta Reality, a guy who was in a coma for fifty years and various other things, but so far it doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Could this be the Ergo Proxy of 2008? Will I ever actually finish watching Ergo Proxy?

Shion no Ou 19: At long last there’s another episode of Shion no Ou to watch, and as we all surmised, Hani Meijin seems to be the killer (although his motive remains unclear). By this point, of course, the once hateful Satoru is now a sympathetic character, and if he can rescue Ayumi from the HARD GAY clutches of his brother, they might have a chance of exposing the culprit, Poirot-style, by episode 22.

*NEW* Soul Eater 1-2: I hadn’t really wondered what it would be like if Studio Bones attempted an SJ-style Shaman King/Bleach fusion, but as it turns out, Soul Eater is pretty much the result. A series about weapons masters trying to turn their living weapons into certified Deathscythes, Soul Eater has thus far saved itself from shounen mediocrity by having a sense of humour and solid production values. Each episode here focuses on a different pairing, with episode three also set to introduce further new characters, and aside from the predictably of our leads failing at the last hurdle and having to collect 99 more souls in the episodes to come, it has been a generally enjoyable experience.

Wagaya no Oinari-sama 2: Kuu-chan has come home to live with the boys, but if s/he wants to use her full power, she’ll have to seek out the local god first. As well as a chance to get a proper look at male Kuu in action, this episode is another entertaining slice of supernatural action, cementing the series’ place as Shrine of the Morning Mist’s spiritual successor.

xxxHOLiC Kei 2-3: To my surprise, I’m still enjoying xxxHOLiC Kei, perhaps because a) it’s just good to see these manga chapters animated and b) this part of the series has some ongoing threads instead of being entirely episodic. These two episodes pretty much wrap up the Watanuki’s eye arc, which means we’ve got the thunder god, the truth about Himawari and the spirit medium girl (already seen on TV in episode one) to come- and after that I need to catch up on the manga so I know what’s coming.

Zoku Sayonara Sensei 11: In true ZSZ style, the first two segments of this episode take us to an alternate universe- one where Sensei is a detective who only solves his cases after everyone has been murdered. Even though I usually prefer the ‘real world’ segments, this one was highly entertaining, whilst the last part about wishes coming true in the next life was also amusing. Even so, the impending end of the series has left me in despair!

MANGA

*CATCH-UP* Chi’s Sweet Home 2-41: After reading so many chapters of Chi’s Sweet Home, I can only say that I love it even more- the cuteness levels are off the scale, and every little vignette of Chi’s life is a joy to read about. From one-off escapades to ongoing threads such as the mysterious giant black cat who Chi befriends, this series is nothing short of delightful, and has fast become one of my favourites.

*NEW* Roman Club 1-2: Since I love Aria so much, I’ve been wanting to read Kozue Amano’s earlier works, and at long last the first two chapters of Roman Club have been made available. Set in a contemporary high school, the titular Roman Club is an after-school club which investigates strange phenomena. So far, we’ve met the four members- main character Katori who possesses second sight, club leader Ayano Kouji (who later appeared as Woody in Aria), stone spirit and all-round cute fairy Koron-chan and quiet girl Tsukuyo. The artwork is a bit rough around the edges when compared to Aria, but it’s still proving to be an entertaining series thus far, and I look forward to reading the rest of it.

Tsubasa Chronicle 188: We’ve finally reached the ruins, a place where time has stopped completely, and I’m more confused than ever- apparently Syaoran had to pay Yuuko by having his time turned back from adult to child some years ago, all so that he could save Sakura at some point in the past. Aagh, I think my head is going to explode- someone draw a timeline for me that shows me how it all makes sense.

Anyone who’s ever been anywhere near this blog must surely know that I love Aria- or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I adore it. The manga and the first two seasons of the anime were greater than I ever dared imagine, transporting me to the calm, gentle world of Neo Venezia, a place where fat cats could become presidents and a slower pace of life ruled. With that in mind, I would have hated to see Aria go on forever and gradually lose quality, but at the same time, knowing that there was only one thirteen episode season left meant that I would have to savour every moment before the end.

Up until this season, Aria had always been in a sort of ‘eternal summer’- time passed, to be sure, but everything pretty much remained the same. Akari and her friends practised rowing, interacted with friends and discovered the sights of Neo Venezia, but the world they lived in was an idyllic one, where life passed at a leisurely pace. That didn’t detract from the excellence of the series, but with Origination, it was time for that ‘eternal summer’ to end- for our characters to finally develop and mature as we all must inevitably do at some point. This time around, we wouldn’t be allowed to forget that our heroines were, after all, aiming to become Primas, and that the time had come for them to start achieving their goals.

With this in mind, Origination was all about pushing for that moment we had all been waiting for- the day when Akari would finally get to take off her other glove and take her place amongst the Primas of Neo Venezia. It was, however, important to stress that such an important goal was not one that could be achieved easily, and so it was that we saw events such as the Traghetto, where Singles get to practise for the day, and where Akari could measure her skills against strangers from the other companies- including those who had tried and failed the Prima exam already. Fortunately, all those hours of training with Aika and Alice had indeed paid off, but would it be enough to go from student to master?

Of course, when you have three people aiming for the same goal, not everyone is going to get there at the same time- an outcome that is first hinted at in a flashback to Akira’s Single days. Unlike Alicia and Athena, Akira does not have outstanding skill in any one area, and when the other two become Primas before she does, she is left with the fear that she might not be able to make it. Fortunately, it is a young Aika who gives her the impetus to carry on, but it’s a situation we can all identify with- the doubts and insecurities that assail us when we face a particularly momentous obstacle, and the fear that no amount of determination and willpower can help us breach our limits.

As we see later in the series, however, going on ahead can sometimes be as difficult as being left behind. As the first person in history to go straight from Pair to Prima, Alice has her own issues to deal with as she adjusts to a busy schedule of guiding customers around Neo Venezia. Not only are the old days firmly over for her, but she begins to become increasingly isolated from her friends; without practise to go to, she can’t really think of an excuse to see them- although as she learns, you don’t need an ulterior motive just to see your closest friends.

Next to ascend to the level of Prima is Aika, who feels so bad about leaving Akari behind that she hides her gloved hand for a while before finally revealing it and tearfully apologising. Fortunately, Akari is not left as the only Single for long- she too takes and passes her exam with flying colours, only to learn that Alicia is now due to retire. The ending of Aria was always going to hard enough, but there was an added sadness upon seeing Alicia leave Aria Company, even though this was mitigated a little by an anime-only ending that caught up with everyone a few years later and came full circle with Ai coming to Aqua to train under Akari.

Much as I’ve discussed the change in tone and plot development that came with this season, those who love ‘classic’ Aria should not despair- there are still plenty of those character pieces and healing moments that we’ve come to love the show for. From making us care about such simplicities as a broken glass chocolate container to seeing some Aika X Al development after they get stuck down a well, everything that made us love Aria in the first place is still intact- with its gentle tranquillity offering the perfect balm after a difficulty day. And there’s even time left over to concentrate on those unsung heroes- the feline presidents of the gondola companies. Whether it’s Maa tucking into bananas or Aria once again trying his luck at winning Hime’s heart, there are plenty of cat scenes that will send the cuteness and huggability scales off the charts.

From settings to character designs, Aria has always been a beautiful series, and whilst budget constraints have sometimes meant the anime has lagged behind the original manga, Origination largely gives its all when it comes to the animation. Everything from President Aria to Neo Venezia itself is pleasing on the eye, whilst the background music follows the same tranquil selection of themes that we’ve come to know and love.

Final Thoughts

Despite the bittersweet quality of having to say goodbye to one of my favourite anime series, Aria the Origination delivered not only to my high expectations, but over and above them. A series that is entertaining yet inspirational, amusing yet poignant, Aria may not quite reach the heights of perfection, but it gets so close that you can forgive its few tiny flaws. Whether you just have this series to watch, or need to start way back at the Animation or Natural, don’t delay- President Aria and the undines of Neo Venezia are waiting for you.

Tier: Platinum

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 1-2, Amatsuki 1, Chi’s Sweet Home 7-8, Crystal Blaze 1, Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino 6, Kurenai 2, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 1, Tower of Druaga 2, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 1, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 10

…and in manga: Akagi 10-11,Chi’s Sweet Home 1, Doujin Work 20-22, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 12

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Kaiji (1) – ざわ, ざわ…
2. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (2) – the state of modern society has left me in despair!
3. Chi’s Sweet Home (3)- litter tray
4. Kurenai (4) – Murasaki
5. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (-) –fox trap <-new!
6. xxxHOLiC Kei (5) – wow, it’s actually good
7. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (-) – family frenzy <- new!
8. Amatsuki (-) – the new Tactics/Shounen Onmyouji <- new!
9. Persona Trinity Soul (6)- I really should catch up with this
10. Shion no Ou (7) – Hani Meijin’s secret videos
11. Allison and Lillia (-) – a bit disappointing <- new!
12. Itazura no Kiss (8) generic so far
13. Tower of Druaga (9) – don’t lose the humour!
14. Blassreiter (10) – dropped!
15. Crystal Blaze (-) –here today, gone next week

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Tetsuko no Tabi (1)- is this ever going to be subbed?
2. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (2)- kaleidoscope
3. Himawari!! (3) – needs less plot
4. Love GetChu! (4)- light entertainment
5. Shounen Onmyouji (5)- end in sight?

*NEW* Allison and Lillia 1-2: Everyone knows how eagerly I search for the next Last Exile, and this series (or rather pair of series fused together) from the author of Kino’s Journey seemed like the perfect candidate- at least until I started watching it. It seems that Lillia is on the backburner for this half of the series, which instead focuses on Allison and her friend Wil as they enter enemy territory to rescue a kidnapped young man. Unfortunately, everything from the story to the animation is as generic as it comes, putting me in mind of the likes of Pumpkin Scissors and its ilk. I’ll be sticking with it for now, but my initial high expectations have been revised downward.

*NEW* Amatsuki 1: As I said in my season preview, this series is about a high school student who fails at history and has to take up a make-up course in the form of a virtual simulation of the Edo era- only to end up really going back in time and getting stuck in the past. With that in mind, the series makes a mildly entertaining start, but ultimately it looks like it will be yet another in a long line of Edo era supernatural series. Still, unless it reaches Shounen Onmyouji levels of mediocrity, it can stay on the viewing list.

Chi’s Sweet Home 7-8: The great expedition to buy kitty litter is here, but what sort of litter should Dad buy, and even when he chooses, will Chi understand that her ‘playbox’ is a litter tray? Next up, Chi finally gets her name (which in fact means ‘wee’), and there you have it- more development in the space of five minutes than some series manage in twenty-six full episodes.

*NEW/PROBABLY DROPPED* Crystal Blaze 1: What is it with the word ‘crystal’ that makes me want to investigate a series? Truly it was a mistake this time, because what I hoped might be a follow up to the “not so bad after all” Heat Guy J actually turned out to have very little to recommend it. This season’s Rental Magica, the series sees generic Detective Agency of Bishie Leader, Little Brother and High School Assistants take on a job to protect Mysterious Young Woman With Special Powers. If I had all the time in the world and nothing to do with it, maybe I would watch this series, but as it stands I can’t be bothered.

Gunslinger Girl – Il Teatrino 6: It’s been so long since I’ve watched an episode of this that I really don’t care anymore- the manga is so excellent that this anime seems superfluous to requirements. In this episode, a chairwoman has to be protected, whilst Henrietta’s kaleidoscope breaks and must be fixed, with both stories coming together in a mildly unexpected way.

Kurenai 2: Kurenai continues to score highly on both the content and presentation front as we move into the second episode, in which Lead and Murasaki continue to adjust to living together, complete with missed phone calls, unpredictable neighbours and a trip to the public baths. Despite some worry at the back of my mind that this could turn into another Seirei no Moribito, it’s proving to be a strong series so far, so perhaps I should just get on with enjoying myself and taking each week as it comes. After all, it even has a black cat.

*NEW* Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 1: Many years ago, the evil Enka attempted to destroy the world, and whilst it failed, its spirit lives on in various different beings. Now, all those beings must be gathered together as a family in an attempt to quench any latent desires to annihilate the planet- but what exactly happens when you put a paranormal investigator, a catgirl goddess, a jellyfish, a lion, a combat robot, a loli and a HARD GAY guy together? Presumably that’s what we’ll be finding out over the course of the series, and although I’m not entirely sure this will something I want to follow until the end, for now it looks promising- this could be what Disgaea and Kamisama Kazoku might have been like if they’d actually been funny.

Tower of Druaga- Aegis of Uruk 2: The humour is over, and Tower of Druaga is settling down into the kind of generic fantasy that makes me not really want to watch it. I’ll probably give it another episode or so, but with more series flooding in every day, it’s hardly something I want to devote a great deal of time to.

*NEW* Wagaya no Oinari-sama 1: Horo the wolf goddess is gone, but in its place we have this series about an unsealed fox god who becomes the guardian of two young members of the Miduchi clan- the only trouble being that s/he can’t even remember his/her original gender! I doubt this will be an overly complex series, but this could well be the next Tactics/Shrine of the Morning Mist, which is another series that I’ve been searching for. And of course, a nice fox-girl/guy always scores extra points.

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 10: This time around, Sensei ends up in despair because of detuning (deliberate toning down), try to make the impractical work by saying “well, maybe it does” and the need to make the show friendly to first-timers. Although the second segment was a bit dull, the first and third parts were entertaining enough to make up for it, but I’m in despair that the despair will be ending soon. 

MANGA

Akagi 10-11: We’re into volume two now, but still on the match against Yagi, who manages to take the lead with a Baiman hand, only to be suckered in by Akagi’s bluff in the very next round. As always, we’ve already seen this in the anime, but since that was a while ago now, it’s good to refresh the memory.

*NEW* Chi’s Sweet Home 1: It may only be the first episode of the anime in eight colour pages, but I’ll take all the Chi’s Sweet Home I can get. Now, if only the manga could surge ahead of the anime.

Doujin Work 20-22: It’s time for another brief burst of Doujin Work, and again the manga is more perverted than the anime. Chapters 20-21 see Sora trying to claim Justice as her own by going on a date with him, only to end up hitting him so that he transforms from gentleman to pervert (fortunately nothing illegal happens). Then it’s on with the story as Tsuyuri persuades Najimi to draw an ero-manga, prompting Kaneru to try her hand at some adult works as well.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 12: Anime viewers will recall Commodore Perry, the man who feels compelled to open everything, and this is his chapter in the manga. For some reason, I found this segment far more hilarious second time around, so bring on more manga.

This cat was my favourite part of the series.

Shizuru and Mizuki Hibara are a pair of sisters with a rather unique family condition- Shizuru can see monsters and spirits from the other side, whilst Mizuki is highly susceptible to being possessed by them. With their parents disinterested in the supernatural, Mizuki and Shizuru end up living under the protection of their grandfather, but the greatest lesson he has to teach them is that they must learn to deal with mystical matters on their own.

Episodic tales of magic and the supernatural have always appealed to me, and so it was that last autumn I was highly looking forward to Mokke- surely it would be the latest in a long line of enjoyable gold and silver tier series. Unfortunately, even the involvement of the vaunted Studio Madhouse couldn’t disguise the fact that ultimately, Mokke was more mediocre than anything.

Ironically enough, the problem wasn’t that Mokke was just a series of episodic tales about different monsters and supernatural phenomena- the real trouble was that the whole attitude of the series was so gloomy and pessimistic. The main culprit was the girls’ grandfather, whose constant warnings about leaving well enough alone put a damper on everything- even things which seemed harmless or even beneficial were bound to turn out to have a sting in the tale by the end. There were only a handful of episodes where you actually felt motivated to care about the situation- the rest of the time you were just waiting for something to inevitably go wrong.

Despite being a largely episodic series, there are one or two ongoing threads in Mokke, although none of them really amount to anything. The main recurring theme appears late in the series, when Mizuki takes up judo after visiting a relative, although there are other unresolved issues, such as the girls’ mother’s aversion to talk of all things supernatural.

With most characters being of the one shot or forgettable variety, the focus of the series is squarely on Shizuru and Mizuki, who pretty much alternate between being the main character for an episode. As the older sister, Shizuru is the typical reticent worrier type, whilst Mizuki is the more hotheaded of the two, apt to throw caution to the winds and run headfirst into any situation- provided her sister and grandfather are around to back her up. Both girls mature a little over the course of the series, although their development is hardly significant- blink and you’d miss it. Meanwhile, Grandpa plays the typical ‘grumpy on the outside, plays cruel to be kind’ old man, although his hairstyle and smoking habits suggest that he may be an older Ginko from Mushishi.

Despite being left in the capable hands of Studio Madhouse, Mokke is hardly the most impressive series visually- character designs are generic and the overall look is of something produced on a limited budget (much like Yume Tsukai a couple of years ago). Background music generally fits the tone of the series, but it isn’t something you’re going to particularly remember or want to listen to on its own.

Final Thoughts

A mediocre series all round, Mokke only makes things worse by having such a bleak and pessimistic outlook- you can’t enjoy yourself or root for the characters when you know that everything will almost certainly go wrong by the end of the episode. It may not be all that bad to watch, but neither is it particularly worthy- it’s the kind of thing you use to fill time when there’s nothing better to do.

Tier: Bronze-

Fumika is a mail carrier, but not your average one- the mail she delivers is no ordinary correspondence. Instead, her duty is to deliver Shigofumi, the last letters of the recently deceased to members of living. Together with her companion and talking staff Kanaka, Fumika steadfastly carries out her tasks, but what is the truth behind Fumika’s past and her appointment as a mail carrier?

When I first talked about Shigofumi in the obligatory season preview blog post, my initial reaction was to peg it as the successor to Shinigami no Ballad, a series with a rather similar premise (just replace mail carrier and talking staff with a shinigami and talking cat visiting various characters of the week). Unfortunately, much as I love the manga, the animated version of Shinigami no Ballad had always felt a little underwhelming, and my hope was that Shigofumi would manage to get the formula right.

And indeed, when it started, it seemed as if Shigofumi might just be able to blow all other competition out of the water, with an opening two-parter than started as a tender character piece before taking an unexpected twist that turned it into something very different. If every arc could have the well-crafted impact of this one, we’d be well on our way to seeing one of the first contenders for the best anime of 2008- or so it seemed at the time.

Unfortunately, it was a honeymoon period which was not to last, for Shigofumi was about to prove that the one thing it lacked was consistency. Even the last minute editing of a couple of episodes could not disguise the fact that later stories lacked the impact of the first, instead going down less engaging routes such as father who takes a class hostage (edited to make it look like he was just a disembodied head) in an attempt to understand why his son committed suicide, or a recently deceased old couple who want their Shigofumi delivered to their cat. Perhaps it would have been entertaining enough under other circumstances, but Shigofumi had set itself a high standard, and now it was failing to live up to that.

Unexpectedly, however, it was not the episodic stories that got the bulk of the series’ attention- instead, the main plot focused more on Fumika and the truth behind her past. Now, in previous reviews I have complained about main characters such as Mononoke’s medicine seller receiving absolutely no character background, but on balance I prefer that to the other extreme- revealing far too much. Instead of giving us perhaps an episode or final two-parter about Fumika, her story is introduced as early as episode four, and it soon begins to dominate the more interesting material. Even I, who welcomed what promised to be a tantalising mystery, soon got bored of it by the time we reached the second half of the series, and when it all culminated in a lacklustre finale, I couldn’t help feeling cheated of what could have been something great.

With so much focus on Fumika and her background, it should come as no surprise that the series builds up a number of supporting characters connected to her. Unfortunately, none of them are particularly inspiring- we have the abusive, mentally unstable father; the obligatory male and female love triangle members, and so forth- a most inoffensive bunch, but hardly an inspiring one. In fact, it is the one shot characters who prove to be more interesting, and so again it is a shame that the focus was not more on the episodic stories.

Visually, Shigofumi has a handful of appealing character designs, but the rest are rather generic, whilst animation quality is more adequate than impressive. In spite of the same old Ali Project song for the OP, however, the soundtrack is one of the better aspects of the series, with plenty of poignant, atmospheric and memorable themes that stand well even outside the context of the series.

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately for all concerned, Shigofumi showed us what it was capable of in its very first arc, leaving very little room for improvement. Instead, it chose not to live up to its potential, wallowing in average stories and spending far too long on Fumika’s back story for its own good. We can only hope that a better episodic series will be along soon to wash away the bitter taste this one left in the mouth.

Tier: Bronze+