“…because quite frankly, I’m too cheap to buy her anything.”

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 8, Amatsuki 6, Baccano! OVA 3, Chi’s Sweet Home 33-6, Himitsu 5-6, Kaiba 6-7, Kurenai 9, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 6, Nabari no Ou 8, Persona Trinity Soul 11, Shounen Onmyouji 25-6, Soul Eater 7-9, Spice and Wolf 7, Toshokan Sensou 8, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 7-8, xxxHOLiC Kei 7-9

…and in manga: Chi’s Sweet Home 42, Minami-ke 29, Spiral Alive 17-18, Tsubasa Chronicle 191

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Kurenai (2) – if I can’t do this much…
2. Chi’s Sweet Home (1)- Chi scratches
3. Kaiba (3) – feelings and memories
4. Nabari no Ou (4) – sayonara, Frosty-san
5. xxxHOLiC Kei (5) – Kohane-chan
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) – fox trap
7. Soul Eater (8) – Bones does shounen
8. Real Drive (7) – sunglasses
9. Persona Trinity Soul (9) – catch-up, start!
10. Himitsu (12) – everything at or below this line is poor
11. Amatsuki (14) – the new Shounen Onmyouji
12. Itazura na Kiss (13) – I hate Naoki
13. Toshokan Sensou (10) – library wars
14. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (11) – senseless
15. Allison and Lillia (15) – yawn

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Shion no Ou (1) – final match
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (2)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Love GetChu! (3)- light entertainment
4. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (5)- licensed
5. Shounen Onmyouji (6)- done and dusted after all these months <-complete!
6. Himawari!! (4) – needs less plot

Allison and Lillia 8: if the stupidity of an episode ever had to be seen to be believed, then it was in this case, for this arc-ending instalment has truly broken the boundaries of sense- so much so that I now know I would be derelict in my duty if I didn’t parody it. Anyway, with the help of an engraved medallion and a cufflink, Fiona manages to persuade the crowd (who seem to represent the country’s entire population, or at least the only ones whose opinions actually mean anything) that she is Princess Francesca, and that Nihito is the one who killed her family. Our villain of the arc then decides to make his escape by kidnapping Fiona, pulling some knives out of nowhere (courtesy of the JML Insta-Knife) and heading for the roof, where escape is waiting nothing is waiting except a dead end. Nonetheless, the wake from Allison and Wil’s hastily launched plane is somehow enough to blow him off the roof and to his doom, enabling Fiona to become Princess Francesca even though she is actually Francesca’s previously unmentioned twin sister (the royal family only being allowed to have one child for some reason). To be honest, it would be easier and quicker to list all the valid plot points than it would be to point out all the holes.

Amatsuki 6: Given all the disappointing episodes of anime that have appeared lately, this instalment of Amatsuki actually didn’t seem too bad in comparison, even if it can’t be said to be particularly good. After some exposition scenes about how being a weak person can actually be turned into a strength, Shinshu implores Toki to break the curse on the Princess, but since he can’t use his geass at will, he calls upon Bonten instead, breaking the shrine’s barrier in the process. Since Toki hasn’t yet agreed to go out with him, Bonten isn’t about to provide unconditional help, but he does offer a clue as to what to do next, thus ensuring that the plot won’t stagnate. Given the length of the series, I’m assuming the rest of it will be about breaking the curse and then going home to modern day Japan, which shouldn’t be too painful to watch.

*COMPLETE* Baccano! OVA 3: The Baccano! OVA is over, and it has brought with it as much fun and insanity as the series that preceded it. In this episode, we see the outcome of the great domino set-up (no, really, catch up with Rachel and Rail Tracer, and get back to the people who were wondering about the main character way back in the very first episode. It finally feels like everything’s come full circle, and it’s been an enjoyable ride indeed.

Chi’s Sweet Home 33-6: In this next batch of episodes, Chi takes an interest in sitting up at the window and looking outside- hardly desirable when the Yamadas live on the first floor and cats are forbidden. Having read this part in the manga, I knew what was coming, but nonetheless it’s an entertaining segment with an inspired solution.

Himitsu 5-6: After the laughable disappointment of episode four, my hopes weren’t high for the next arc of Himitsu, although as it turned out, it was at least better than its predecessor. In this arc, the team investigate the brain of a serial killer who has just died in prison, but as they delve deeper into his past, it seems that he may not have been the culprit after all. Cue a rather unpleasant series of revelations that could have come from any episode of CSI, and you have an arc that barely scrapes ‘solid enough’.

Kaiba 6-7: Kaiba is still travelling in Chroniko’s body, and when you’re a man in the body of a woman, your biological rhythm can get a bit messed up- something that Gel, a woman in the body of a man, knows all too well. Gel is immediately drawn to Kaiba, but is there more to their connection than either of them realises? And could Kaiba really be Warp, the cruel prince of this society? Whatever the case, when Kaiba and Vanilla are named as accomplices in a terrorist act, they have no choice but to go on the run on a water planet, but in the face of relentless pursuit, sacrifices will have to be made. Not only were these two episodes highly enjoyable (and thanks for the tip on rewatching episode one, Machi, I’ll give that a go this weekend), but they really added something not only to our protagonist, but to Vanilla, transforming him into something more than a hulking, intellectually challenged law enforcer.

Kurenai 9: Kurenai has always been good, but the intensity of this episode has moved it up a notch, and even secured it a place amongst my all-time favourites. The idyllic days are over, and Shinkurou and Murasaki have no choice but to leave the apartment behind, but the first the terrible truth behind Murasaki’s place in the Kuhouin family must be revealed. For reasons that could only be plausible in anime, the Kuhouins can only breed amongst themselves, and thus the women are sequestered in the Inner Sanctuary and forced to breed their relatives’ children from the age of thirteen, whilst the men take an ‘official wife’ to disguise the truth of their actions. Not only does this cast a whole new light on Murasaki’s own parentage, but it spells a terrible future for her, and one that her brother is determined to make sure she obeys. With that in mind, the tension is high in this episode as Shinkurou unwisely risks one last night at the apartment with Tamaki and Yamie, and surely than can be no one who isn’t desperate to see how things work out in the next few episodes.

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 6: I should have known better than to think KKN was going to bring us an amusingly zany brand of humour, because in the vein of Kamisama Kazoku, Disgaea and all the rest before it, it has become disappointing, dull and downright juvenile (aagh, stop this alliteration!). This episode resolves Yuuka’s capture and the monkey situation by having Kyouka win them over with fine foods, leading up to the most ridiculous deus ex machina ever in the last two minutes (was that meant to be Gekka?). In the old days, I would have dropped the series at this point, but for some reason I feel chained by completion of late.

Crossdressing aside, I want a dress like that.

Nabari no Ou 8: The time has come to confront Mr Frosty and steal the technique of delicious ice lollies assassinate him, but does Thobari really have it in him to take another’s life, and what is Oda’s motivation for wanting to bring the Frost(y) Company down anyway? Although there was something slightly unrealistic about alternating between the brief bursts of action and standing around waiting for the next turn to come around, this was a strong episode overall, as well as a reminder that everyone has their own secrets and motivations that may well put them at odds by the end of the series.

Persona Trinity Soul 11: Unbeknownst to everyone else, Kanaru has become addicted to shadow-stripping/extraction, and now all her friends can do for her is try to help her break the habit. It’s nice to see Kanaru being given something to do other than hover around as a supporting character, although the addiction storyline is dealt with a little heavy-handedly, with lines such as “we just got her clean!” coming across as amusing rather than serious.

*COMPLETE* Shounen Onmyouji 25-6: Shounen Onmyouji is finally done, and as you might expect, these last two episodes wrap up the final confrontation and conclude the Chishiki no Guuji arc with the evil man defeated, Kazane dead and Guren/Mokkun left without memories. The final battle is amazingly (even refreshingly easy), and even the last three Shinshou get a couple of lines- their first contribution to the series. With only two arcs covered, I’m sure there’ll be a second season at some point, but until then we can put this mediocrity aside.

Soul Eater 7-9: Soul Eater takes a more sinister turn in episode 7-8, as Maka and Soul stumble upon a weapon who has been fused with his master, creating a being that could become a Demon God at any time- and what no one realises is that Shibusen’s Doctor Medusa is the one responsible. Whilst the end of this arc spells trouble in the future for Soul, however, in episode nine Kid and Black Star go off on a more light-hearted adventure to find the legendary sword Excalibur- only to discover just why even Stein couldn’t master it. I’m still enjoying the series at this point, which is a good sign for the future.

*SPECIAL* Spice and Wolf 7: Since this episode had too many apples for TV, it became a DVD-only release and an annoying gap in my schedule- until now. An enjoyable return to the world of Spice and Wolf, the episode sees Horo trying to eat a hundred apples, whilst Lawrence heads out to buy her some new clothes with a little trading on the side. I can’t say I understand how selling items at a loss can also be considered a massive profit (unless it’s something to do with groundwork for future transactions, or a knock-on effect on prices?).

Toshokan Sensou 8: Whilst Kasahara is whisked off for interrogation, some other things happen, but it’s hard for me to care anymore- the only thing of note is that our heroine finally discovers the identity of her Prince Charming, something we all saw coming about five minutes into the first episode. Other than that, this series has become incredibly pedestrian, but I’ll see it through since it should be ending soon.

Wagaya no Oinari-sama 7-8: Episode seven ups the cuteness factor by having two young foxes come to stay with the family for a while, whilst a clam monster targets Tohru. The next episode picks up the threads from that episode as the god of the neighbouring region shows up in search of the Reversed Circle, an item stolen by the clam- only to become convinced that it has somehow become lodged in Tohru’s head. Although nothing special, it’s entertaining stuff, and like Shrine of the Morning Mist, it seems that we aren’t meant to take the antagonists too seriously.

xxxHOLiC Kei 7-9: Episode seven sees Watanuki asked to fetch water from a well, but with a strange woman looking out of a nearby window, his constant worry is that he’ll get caught. In the manga, the water was for the X world of Tsubasa, but in order to erase any connection with its bastard cousin, here it’s to rescue a drowned kitten. Meanwhile, episode eight jumps ahead in the manga, leaving the “Himawari brings bad luck” story as we turn our attention first to a girl who wants her house to stop being scary, and then to poor Kohane-chan, who is receiving abuse and hate mail. Oddly, unlike in the manga where this happened after she disagreed with other psychics, this time people start hating her for no reason, and only then does she start disagreeing with the others. Still, it’s a decent enough adaptation and much better than season one, so I’ll go with it.

MANGA

Chi’s Sweet Home 42: When the landlady drops by unexpectedly, it seems that the Yamadas might finally be caught- can they hide away Chi in time? Although I do wish that somehow the rules about keeping cats would be relaxed so that the Yamadas don’t have to worry anymore, this was an entertaining chapter, if all too short.

Minami-ke 29: It’s time to meet Mako-chan in the manga, and although Okawari generally made me tired of that joke, here it’s fresh and new again. Hopefully the manga can continue to heal the damage caused by the anime’s second season.

Spiral Alive 17-18: Whilst the villain behind the incident with Amane’s family nine years ago makes a move and the Blade Children fend off an assault at their apartment, the time has come to wonder- has Kiyotaka made a rare error in judgement, or is her playing a game too complex for anyone else to grasp (oh come on, it has to be the latter). With the plot thickening like this, this is no time for chapters to come slowly- the mangaka must be made to work on it day and night so that we can know the truth.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 191: It’s another flashback to Sakura-hime and Syaoran Jr’s early days in this chapter, before the Tsubasa manga takes a break so that CLAMP can ‘collect data’ (that’s hastily make up new plot twists for you and me). In the meantime, Syaoran Jr only has seven days to spend in Clow Country before he has to go back, but what happened to get things to the stage they were in chapter one? And can it possibly ever make sense again?

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 7, Amatsuki 5, Baccano! 15, Chi’s Sweet Home 25-8, Himawari!! 4, Itazura na Kiss 7, Kurenai 7, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 5, Nabari no Ou 5, Persona Trinity Soul 9, Toshokan Sensou 6, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 6, xxxHOLiC Kei 6

…and in manga: Akagi 12-13, Elfen Lied 85, xxxHOLiC 121-57

OH

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Chi’s Sweet Home (1)- Chi scratches
2. Kurenai (2) – singing
3. Kaiba (3) – memory chip
4. Nabari no Ou (4) – ninjas are cool again
5. xxxHOLiC Kei (5) – Kohane-chan
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) – fox trap
7. Real Drive (7) – a better orgasm
8. Soul Eater (8) – Bones does shounen
9. Persona Trinity Soul (9) – catch-up, start!
10. Himitsu (10) – HARD GAY and siscon
11. Toshokan Sensou (11) – library wars
12. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (12) – disillusioned
13. Itazura na Kiss (13) – everything at or below this line is generic
14. Amatsuki (14) – the new Shounen Onmyouji
15. Allison and Lillia (15) – yawn

SLOW RANKINGS

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

ANIME

Allison and Lillia 7: Even by A&L standards, this week’s episode is a particularly pointless instalment, in which our heroes steal a plane (not that they particularly needed to) and spend the entire episode flying to the capital so that Fiona can claim she’s the princess- even though she isn’t really the princess. Meanwhile, the Benedict X Fiona angle is predictably played upon, and next week some people question whether this random girl who has just shown up is really the princess she claims to be! How dare they!?

Benedict: I have to tell you the truth…I’m actually a woman!

(second half of sentence may not have appeared in actual episode).

Amatsuki 5: Another episode of Amatsuki comes and goes without too much fanfare, as the Princess reincarnates into her reverse trap body, Kuchiha has some flashbacks about the past, and some other stuff happens that I can’t even remember a mere day after watching it. Even the villains don’t seem to be taking their role seriously, so I’m not really sure how or even if I’m expected to.

Baccano! 15: The Baccano! OVA continues to improve in this episode, in which we get some insight into Nice and Jacuzzi’s past (including how she lost the sight in one eye), before flashing forward to just after the Flying Pussyfoot incident. Jacuzzi’s gang has taken in Chane, but when she gets kidnapped by the new character (who has mistaken her for Eve Genoard), Jacuzzi rises from his hospital bed to get her back- because that’s what friends do. It was actually refreshingly different to be able to follow what was going on for once, although that didn’t diminish the quality at all.

Boys and girls, this is why we have goggles.

Chi’s Sweet Home 25-8: When Chi starts scratching the sofa and Dad’s vintage jeans, the family decides something must be done, but in typical fashion she doesn’t understand what her newly-purchased scratching post is for. In the end, the family is forced to clip her claws, which I don’t really like to see done to cats, but other than that quibble, this is as entertaining as ever.

Himawari!! 4: Another episode of Himawari!!, another monster of the week, and this time around it’s Himeji who’s targeted- by a group of micro-ninjas. With the ninjas invading her body, it’s time for a Fantastic Voyage style trip into her body to fight them off- a story that, if not particularly good or inspiring, is at least better than the last few instalments.

Itazura na Kiss 7: It’s not like I’ve really liked Irie up to this point, but in this episode he really crosses the line- which is a shame as the series was finally ready to graduate from high school romance to, well, college romance. Anyway, trouble starts when Classes A and F end up having their graduation dinner at the same restaurant; naturally this leads to Irie insulting Kotoko in front of his classmates and Kotoko responding by showing everyone the photos of young Irie dressed as a girl. Anyway, the upshot of it all is that Kotoko finally seems to realise that Irie is a bastard who isn’t worth wasting time on, but in a manipulative turn of events, he decides to make it harder to forget him by kissing her. Kotoko, defy the story and leave him! Find a decent guy!

Kurenai 7: Each week, Kurenai brings me more reasons to love it, and this instalment was no exception. Whilst Shinkurou is away, Tamaki decides to show Murasaki a little more of the outside world by taking her into college; a place where Tamaki is well established as a man-eater who scorns women who are desperate to hang onto their boyfriends. After getting dumped by her latest conquest, however, even Tamaki has to admit that she is no different from those women. In the midst of all this, we have an interesting range of both amusing and poignant dialogue, before moving onto a flashback about Murasaki’s mother and the revelation that an ally of the Kuhouin family has finally tracked down our diminutive heroine. I’m not sure if I’m ready for this turn of events (especially if it means we have some Seirei no Moribito-esuqe Eight Evil Men coming after her), but I’ll place my trust in the series not to let me down.

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 5: It’s finally time for the honeymoon, but after the obligatory family beach scenes, a troupe of evil monkeys attacks the hotel and abducts Yuuka. It’s clear the series isn’t going to live up to my early expectations for a worthy crazy comedy that could break the mould, but at least it’s watchable enough for now.

The Hakuoro look is back in this summer.

Nabari no Ou 7: We’re ready to move ahead into the next section of the story with this episode, as the head of another village approaches our heroes and offers to give them the scroll they need if they’ll just assassinate an evil CEO named Mr Frosty (no, not the crushed ice maker). And if that wasn’t a good enough deal for them, she also has a special ability that lets her read minds and expose people’s darkest secrets. Despite the lack of action, this is a worthy and indeed interesting episode, although I have a hard time believing that our heroes will actually be able to kill Mr Frosty when it comes down to it.

Persona Trinity Soul 9: Jun gets to go out with an older woman in this episode, which otherwise doesn’t see a great deal happen beyond the revelation that Jun actually has transplanted tissue from his sister’s brain, explaining his alternate personality in the way that only anime can. Still, I must forge ahead if I’m ever to catch up with and then finish this series.

Toshokan Sensou 6: When this episode started with Komaki and Kasahara in the middle of a face-off with the Media corp, I wondered if I’d missed something as the last episode certainly hadn’t ended on a cliff-hanger. Fortunately, a cut to flashback reassured me that I wasn’t going mad, and that our heroes were trying to protect the Book of Prophecy, a banned tale of a society in which books are banned (possibly Fahrenheit 451). Unfortunately, it all got a bit messy as the current story was blended with a flashback to one of Dojo and Komaki’s early missions, with the result being a ‘decent enough but nothing special’ episode.

Wagaya no Oinari-sama 6: I’ve revised my expectations for the series down once again- it’s now firmly in the light entertainment category that housed MagiPoka, Himawari! season one and its ilk. Anyway, this episode takes more of a harem slant on the series, with Misaki worrying so much about Kou and Kuu living with her beloved Noboru that she decides to invite herself over to his house. Cue speeches about friendship, cooking disasters and various other anime staples, all presented in a generally entertaining but occasionally painful format (how many times do we have to see Kou and Kuu breaking things?).

xxxHOLiC Kei 6: Although the series somehow manages to make an entire episode out of mahjongg this time around, I don’t mind- after all, I did watch and enjoy Akagi. It’s all pretty predictable stuff, with Yuuko, Mokona and Doumeki completely thrashing the beginner Watanuki, but it’s still entertaining enough. Meanwhile, next episode’s water gathering was originally for the sake of the Tsubasa X world, but I hear the Tsubasa connection has been removed for the anime.

MANGA

Akagi 12-13: Well, the first arc is finally over, but Akagi is ready to plan for his second match- provided that the wager is high enough to hold his interest. After writing such a long post about Kaiji and his character, it’s interesting to go back and consider Akagi once again, a man who can win by abandoning his fear of death and putting everything on the line where others would be too afraid.

Elfen Lied 85: A surprisingly long 95 page chapter this time around, in which we get a glimpse into Lucy’s past, and how she befriended a girl, only to watch her get killed when the authorities came hunting for Diclonii (hmm, who would have guessed?). Meanwhile, in the present Nana’s “Papa” has become a little unhinged after the death of Mariko, the villains continue plotting and everyone moves into Yuka’s mother’s place (I think), although she has an instinctive mistrust of poor Nana. It’s all par for the course, really.

*CATCH-UP* xxxHOLiC 121-57: Cheer, everyone, for after many months of hiatus, I have finally caught up with xxxHOLiC, and apart from a little too much crossover with Tsubasa, it remains good. The artwork is as stylish and high contrast as ever, whilst the number of stand-alone stories has drastically reduced in favour of storylines about Watanuki’s lost memories, his link with Syaoran, and the spirit medium Kohane. Dare I say that I actually enjoy reading it, which is more than can be said for Tsubasa these days.

Reviewed this week: Alice the Adventure 1, Allison and Lillia 6, Baccano 14, Chi’s Sweet Home 21-4, Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino 7, Himitsu 3, Itazura na Kiss 6, Kurenai 6, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 4, Mnemosyne 4, Nabari no Ou 6, Persona 7-8, Real Drive 4, Soul Eater 3-6, Toshokan Sensou 4-5, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 4-5, xxxHOLiC Kei 5

…and in manga: Claymore 79, Hunter X Hunter 279-80, Tsubasa 189

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Chi’s Sweet Home (2)- Chi goes to the vet
2. Kurenai (3) – singing
3. Kaiba (4) – memory chip
4. Nabari no Ou (7) – ninjas are cool again
5. xxxHOLiC Kei (5) – Kohane-chan
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) –fox trap
7. Real Drive (8) – a better orgasm
8. Soul Eater (10) – Bones does shounen
9. Persona Trinity Soul (12) – catch-up, start!
10. Himitsu (9) – HARD GAY and siscon
11. Toshokan Sensou (13) – library wars
12. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (11) – disillusioned
13. Itazura na Kiss (14) – everything at or below this line is generic
14. Amatsuki (15) – the new Shounen Onmyouji
15. Allison and Lillia (16) – yawn

SLOW RANKINGS

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

*NEW* Alice the Adventure 1: I’ve finally got around to starting the Mahou Shoujotai OVA, consisting of six episodes (or rather twelve half episodes) that were meant to air with the TV series, but had to wait until DVD to see the light of day. In this first instalment, Alice, Eva and Sheila take a visit to a mobile library that travels between dimensions, but when Eva tries preparing a recipe from one of the books, the resulting spell transforms their heads into fish. Although the whole fish-head thing is a little creepy, this is an entertaining episode that only serves to remind me how much I loved the original series.

Allison and Lillia 6: Way back when, the first arc of Allison and Lillia seemed poorly plotted, but no longer, because the second arc is giving it a good run for its money. Having drugged Allison and Wil and thrown them into a cellar for being slightly suspicious, the villagers then sit back and do very little whilst our heroes escape, meet up with Benedict and recruit “Fiona” (aka Princess Francesca) to the active party. Then, for reasons which probably wouldn’t have been clear even if I was paying attention, everyone in the village decides to drop their grudge against the main characters, apologise for their harsh treatment of them and send them on their way. Yawn- next please.

Grandma: Mwahaha, these people seem slightly suspicious! Let’s invite them in for tea and then drug them. Here, have some herbal tea- the herbs are to disguise the drugs!

Allison: Thank you- I see nothing strange about this oddly bitter-tasting tea.

Allison and Wil wake up in a cellar.

Allison: Hmm, there’s an exit right above us- let’s go.

Allison and Wil leave the cellar.

Grandma: Sorry about that whole drugging you thing- it’s just our way of saying hello.

Allison: Don’t sweat it- it’s in the past.

*OVA* Baccano! 14: It’s been a while, but more of the fast-paced controlled chaos that is Baccano is always welcome. This time around, we see plenty of named characters playing dominoes, before moving onto a new psychopath who gives Ladd a run for his money is terms of sheer insanity. I’m still hoping for a second season set in one of the series’ other time periods, but for now this OVA helps me to remember why I enjoyed Baccano so much, even though I hardly ever know what’s going on.

Chi’s Sweet Home 21-4: No matter what other disappointments occur during the week, one thing you can always count on is the power of Chi’s Sweet Home to make it all better again. In this set of episodes, Dad takes Chi to the vet for a check-up, and as you might expect, she isn’t quick to forgive him once they get home again. How many times can I fangirl over the greatness of this series without sounding repetitive, yet what else can I say when it’s so cute and entertaining?

Gunslinger Girl- Il Teatrino 7: It’s been ages since I last saw an episode of Il Teatrino, and since it was a series I didn’t much care for in the first place, the long hiatus doesn’t help. This episode delves into Franca’s past whilst also seeing her get captured in the present, and somehow fails to make it at all interesting at the same time. How have Artland sucked all the life out of what was once such a great manga? Now that FUNi have licensed the series, will anyone actually buy it? These are the mysteries of the week.

Himitsu 3: Even I wasn’t expecting the turn the episode took this week, as the writers strove to prevent me parodying the undertones in the series by making them explicit. As far as the President Reed case goes, a little more digging into his memories reveals that not only was his daughter’s boyfriend a terrorist, but that the President had HARD GAY feelings for him. Meanwhile, Maki is revealed to have killed his best friend and probable HARD GAY lover in the past, whilst Aoki moves out of his parents’ home in order to escape the illicit feelings he holds for his sister. I’m not making this up, really!

Itazura na Kiss 6: It’s another average episode of romantic comedy this week, as Irie prepares for his entrance exams whilst Kotoko tries to sweeten him up with some Valentine’s chocolate. It’s largely standard stuff, although the end of the episode does mark an important progression in the relationship between our leads.

Kurenai 6: It’s time for a break from the plot this week, as Shinkurou and the named characters all get roped into practising a play for an upcoming festival. Cue immense amounts of singing, amusing character interplay and the realisation that I absolutely need Yamie’s skirt. Yes, it’s fairly pointless overall, but at least it’s fun in the process.

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 4: It’s back to craziness and Excel Saga-style insanity this week on Kyouran Kazoku Nikki as Kyouka-sama starts planning her honeymoon. There are some amusing parts, but it’s mixed up with the white noise of generic craziness, something I feel I’ve probably had enough of with the likes of Pani Poni Dash. If push comes to shove, I wouldn’t mind putting this series on hold, but whilst I have the time to watch it I’ll keep with it.

Mnemosyne 4: I still don’t really know what the whole point of Mnemosyne is, and with only two episodes to go after this one, I doubt we’ll ever find out. Anyway, this time around we jump ahead to 2025, where Maeda’s son runs into a little trouble when a girl from virtual reality somehow shows up on his doorstep and promptly gets murdered. Enter Rin, Mimi, the obligatory gratuity and a plot that doesn’t make a great deal of sense, and there you have it- another episode of Mnemosyne. In truth, this instalment wasn’t all that bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either, although the character designs remain worthy and there was nice piece of background music that I absolutely must acquire somehow.

Nabari no Ou 6: Rokujou has just been abducted by Yoite, but his captor has a strange request- he wants our lead to use his powers to erase him from existence. Since the other option is to let Yoite use his powers to kill all his friends, Rokujou agress to go along with it. I’m amazingly happy to see Yoite become more than a generic invincible bad guy, whilst this week I find myself appreciating the watercolour style backgrounds.

Persona Trinity Soul 7-8: Yes, I’ve progressed as far as watching two more episodes of this, in which our main characters first head off for an obligatory beach/inn episode, before returning to school in time to meet a new transfer student whose arrival coincides with some bizarre “twisting” at the school. Although the soundtrack of this series really makes me want to go and play some video games, the rest is generally average.

Real Drive 4: It’s time for some more explanation about the nature of the Meta-Real, and as it turns out, it’s a virtual reality that was created to allow humans to experience better sex. With that in mind, Haru is asked to rescue a pervert who was using a female avatar to enjoy multiple orgasms in virtual reality, but can he navigate the man’s powerful whirlpool of desires? This isn’t really what I was expecting from the series, but I suppose it fits in with human nature.

Soul Eater 3-6: Whilst episode three concludes the prologue by introducing us to ‘Death the Kid’, the obsessive compulsive son of the Grim Reaper and his two weapons Liz and Patty, the next three episodes forge ahead with the story. First up, Soul, Maka, Tsubaki and Black Star face investigate a zombie created from their former teacher, leading them to the home of one Doctor Franken Stein, a mad scientist. After that, Kid decides to enrol in the Shibusen school, causing Soul and Black Star to decide to pick a fight with him. This is the shounen series I always wanted, one that’s slick and stylish, but knows not to take itself too seriously.

Toshokan Sensou 4-5: Having left us on a cliff-hanger at the end of episode three, the fourth instalment of Toshokan Sensou sees Kasahara end up in the middle of a hostage situation- albeit one that is resolved rather easily over the course of the episode and doesn’t seem to have much bearing on anything. Next up we have the obligatory parental visit episode, with Kasahara desperate to keep secret the fact that she’s more than a simple librarian. Although mildly entertaining, this episode is also predictable to the point of being painful, but still I feel an odd desire to watch more.

Wagaya no Oinari-sama 4-5: It’s time for more light supernatural entertainment with the next two episode of Oinari-sama, and while it isn’t the greatest thing ever, it is nice to have the next Tactics/Shrine of the Morning Mist here at last. In episode four, Kou’s painful attempts to help out at home are beginning to get her down, but can she prove her worth when a supernatural being threatens Tohru? Next up, Kuu-chan decides to perform a ceremony that will let Tohru meet his mother’s spirit- but the catch is that such an act is strictly forbidden, and it seems certain that Ebisu will be along to claim a price.

xxxHOLiC Kei 5: It’s time for xxxHOLiC Kei to move onto the next arc with this episode, which properly introduces Kohane-chan, the tragic spirit medium girl with an ‘evil’ mother. Kohane features prominently in the manga from hereon in, so whilst this may just seem like a basic character introduction episode, it’s laying the groundwork for what’s to come (including some headache inducing revelations almost as bad as those in Tsubasa).

MANGA

Claymore 79: There are important revelations in this chapter of Claymore, as we learn that the world of the series is actually just a small island in a larger continent on which a war has been raging for generations- and Awakened Ones are just experimental soldiers being tested for that war. I’m not usually a fan of revelations like these since it means that the original premise has run out of steam, but I’ll stick around for now.

Hunter X Hunter 279-80: Yawn, who cares anymore? There’s more fighting between minor characters, and Knuckle falling into his opponent’s trap- and that’s it, because the series is going on hiatus again. This arc has bitterly disappointed me, and I just want to see the series end now.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 189: Everyone, are you ready for the latest revelation to be thrown into the pot? This week, we discover that Syaoran-Tsubasa is actually the son of Sakura and Syaoran from CCS, and that in return for giving Yuuko her baton, Sakura paid for Syaoran to travel from Japan to Clow Country, in order to meet Sakura-Tsubasa. Don’t ask me why, we haven’t got to that just yet.

Fellow anime fans, heed my words- never, ever let a massive backlog build up, for it will crush your very soul. Sadly, there is still much I have to catch up on, but in the meantime enjoy my coverage of what I have managed to get through since mid-December.

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 1, Baccano! 13, Clannad 8-12, Dennou Coil 21-6, Genshiken 2 7-12, Himawari!! 1, Kaiji 7-13, Minami-ke 7-13, Oh! Edo Rocket 21-6, SaiMono II 27-31, Spice and Wolf 1, Tsubasa OVA 1

…and in manga: .hack//Link 1, Akagi 7-8+108-9, Chokotto Sister 48, Clannad 5, Claymore 75-6, Elfen Lied 79-81, HxH 267-70, Kaiji 1, MariMite 23-4, Meine Liebe 7-8, Nodame 94-9, Oniisama E… 10, REC 34-6, Risky Safety 2-3, Solanin 10-28, Spiral Alive 11-16, Spiral 60-66, Tsubasa 172-7, Yotsuba& 49-50

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Dennou Coil (1) – a great series from start to finish <- complete!
2. Aria the Origination (-) – PUNYU! <-new!
3. Oh! Edo Rocket (2) – I love this show! <- complete!
4. SaiMono II (4) – Jyuusan-hime rocks!
5. Kaiji (3) – human racing
6. Minami-ke (6) – Ichigo Mashimaro II <- complete!
7. Baccano! (5) – the end of the line <- complete!
8. Spice and Wolf (-) –spicy wolves make for interesting chilli <-new!
9. Genshiken 2 (7) – graduation <- complete!
10. Moyashimon (8) – cute microbes
11. Shion no Ou (9) – it’s a trap
12. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (11) – lots of cats
13. Clannad (12) – sad girls in springtime
14. Mokke (10)- magical cat

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (1) – I’m in despair!
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (2)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Sisters of Wellber (3) – predictable but fun
4. Himawari!! – needs less plot <- new!
5. Koutetsu Sangokushi (4) – pure HARD GAY
6. Shounen Onmyouji (5)- mediocre
7. Love GetChu! (6)- light entertainment
8. Romeo X Juliet (7) – WOOD

*NEW* Aria the Origination 1: Having a new season to watch is so great that I just want to roll around like President Aria, but instead I will try to put those feelings into words. Spring is coming to Neo Venezia, and even though the snow hasn’t quite melted yet, Alicia gets a gift of sakura tea and jam which she decides to share with everyone. Cue a nice, fluffy tea party in which the amazing feats of the three Primas are discussed, from stopping an idiot falling overboard to cheering up a baby with funny faces. And as the icing on the cake, President Aria is up to his usual antics, although his poor flabby stomach has already been bitten twice.

Remember, don’t eat too fast.

*COMPLETE* Baccano! 13: The tale of immortality and numerous characters in the 1930s finally draws to a close in this episode, which ties up the insane number of plot strands in the best way it can, sees justice served to certain characters, and ends on a high in the way only Isaac and Miria can manage. Yes, it was confusing along the way, but with so much packed in it was also highly entertaining- I can’t request a second season enough times.

Clannad 8-12: Episodes 8-9 see the conclusion of the Fuko arc, with everyone slowly forgetting about her in the run-up to the wedding- can they remember in time to show up? Whilst it was hardly enough to make me cry, I did feel a pang of emotion at this arc, which made going into the next one a bit of an anticlimax to start. This time around, the focus is on genius girl Ichinose Kotomi, who seems almost unbelievably socially ill-adapted to start with, but whose story is slowly picking up now. It does seem a bit of a sci-fi

*COMPLETE* Dennou Coil 21-6: I already reviewed Dennou Coil in its entirety, so all that’s left to put here is how satisfying the ending turned out to be. Yes, if there was more time some elements could have been expanded upon, but the later revelations were still a lot more substantial than many other series, and overall there was a feeling of satisfied completion rather than a need for more. A most excellent series indeed.

*COMPLETE* Genshiken 2 7-12: Genshiken 2 is over, and it’s something of a bittersweet ending- practically everyone has settled on their future career and is ready to commence life in the ‘real world’, although of course they’ll never forget their otaku roots. There’s still content here for those looking for comedy, but an almost Honey and Clover-esque feel crept into this season- university graduates should be able to identify with it.

*NEW* Himawari!! 1: At long last, the second season of Himawari!! is being subbed (yes, I could watch the raws but I’m being lazy), and although I have little hope of it proceeding at any speed, it can fill a gap here and there. Unfortunately, whilst meeting up with the characters is like slipping back into a comfortable old set of clothes, the fact that this season seems to contain a main villain with his underling monsters of the week does not fill me with optimism. I like Himawari when it’s just episodic light entertainment, but introducing low-budget enemies such as this episode’s gum-chewing boy adds an air of tedium to the whole thing.

Kaiji 7-13: The Espoir arc finally concludes in episodes 7-9, with Kaiji suffering both betrayal and the Room of Naked Men before finally coming out on top- at least until he realises the whole thing has left him with twice as much debt as before (poor guy). Then, after an episode of trying and failing to fit in with normal life, our hero is whisked off for another night of gambling, only this time he is the horse in a ‘Human Derby’. The even sees Kaiji and other debt-ridden young men walk across a thin beam suspended over a twelve foot drop, but even if you manage to get across without being pushed off, there’s worse to come when they have to do the same again across and electrified beam suspended between the twenty-second floors of two high-rise buildings. It’s addictive, MANLY stuff, but are we really halfway through already?

*COMPLETE* Minami-ke 7-13: I finally found the time to watch the second half of Minami-ke’s first season, and happily, it was everything I expected it to be. As the adventures of the Minami sisters continue, more amusing everyday antics ensue, more friends get drawn in, and they even meet another Minami family consisting of three brothers and a younger sister who Chiaki adopts as her little ‘brother’. Not since the days of Ichigo Mashimaro has everyday life been so entertaining, but I’m approaching the second season with trepidation- how will the staff changes affect the tone of the series?

*COMPLETE* Oh! Edo Rocket 21-6: Another excellent series goes out with a bang (no pun intended) as Oh! Edo Rocket draws to a close with a packed final stretch that showcases everything that is so great about the series. From comedy and hilariously out of place pop culture references to darker and more serious storylines, Oh! Edo Rocket somehow manages to have everything, and it even achieves an ending entirely appropriate to the tone of the series. Move over FLCL and Pani Poni Dash- this is how it’s done.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 27-31: The overload of new characters arc has finally come to an end as the anime moves into new territory with the arrival of Shuuei’s sister Jyuusan-hime. Jyuusan-hime has been sent to become Ryuuki’s concubine, but with assassins after her life, Shuurei ends up becoming her body double (sometimes even main characters get the short straw). Despite my aversion to having so many new characters dumped on us of late, Jyuusan-hime is a most welcome addition to the cast- she’s beautiful, tough and more mature than the still naïve Shuurei, and since she’s also adopted, her apparent feelings for Shuuei aren’t as incestuous as I first thought. Meanwhile, poor Shusui seems to have fallen under the influence of the voices in her head- what will become of her? Whatever the case, the anime is not only almost at an end but has also drawn level with the novels- so we’ll either have to have a huge break before any potential third season, or move into the realm of occasional OVAs.

SaiMono goes all Dynasty Warriors.

*NEW* Spice and Wolf 1: For a multitude of shallow and tenuous reasons, I loved this series before I even watched it, and happily I still feel the same way after episode one. Having completed Okami the night before I watched this, I was all too ready for more content about wolf goddesses, and so when trader Lawrence Craft found one in his cart, it made for interesting viewing (even with the random fanservice). Provided it doesn’t turn into the new Sisters of Wellber, this should be a great series, and since the original material is apparently about economics, it’s like entertainment’s next step from Dragons’ Den.

*NEW* Tsubasa Chronicle Tokyo Revelations 1: My relationship with the Tsubasa TV series ended in a filler fest of pain and suffering, but with Production I.G. taking over the reins for this three episode OVA covering the X-Tokyo arc, I figured it wouldn’t be so bad (let’s forget that they did that pointless movie). Happily, unlike Bee Train’s efforts, this version of Tsubasa actually has revolutionary new concepts like proper movement and animation, and whilst the story is essentially flawed, this is the fault of the original manga and not really something the studio can do much about. If the rest of Tsubasa must be animated, let’s keep it to OVA format (I notice that the final image in the closing appears to be from the Infinity arc- a sign of things to come?).

In the latest manga chapters, Mokonas’ earrings actually have previously unmentioned plot importance.

MANGA

*NEW* .hack//Link 1: Although it might sound like a .hack/Legend of Zelda crossover, the franchise’s latest cash-in manga is set in a brand new iteration of The World- R:X. Tokio is the typical annoying shounen hero who has cleared every other game around and wants to play the newly relaunched The World, but since access is restricted, he can’t get his hands on a copy of the game. Fortunately, a new transfer student at school lets him use her copy- but it proves to be an edition of the game that transfers him into The World itself! I don’t see this offering anything new, but it should be interesting enough to follow.

Akagi 7-8, 108-9: Like the anime, the Akagi manga doesn’t seem to feel the need to rush anywhere, and so we’re still on Akagi’s first match- although we’ve just reached the point when Akagi is playing rep player Yagi with their fingers at stake. For a beginner at Mah-jongg, watching this sort of thing in animated form is easier than slogging through explanatory text for each match, but even so it’s still an enjoyable manga.

Meanwhile, an anonymous scanlator has decided to pick up where the anime has left off, so I’ll be covering that as well. 108-9 commence volume 13 and cover the last part of the anime, where Akagi throws away his blood and challenges Washizu to play for the last part of his fortune. Having waited so long to see what happens next, we are now on the verge of this exciting new territory, and hopefully it will be as good as ever.

Chokotto Sister 48: When Konatsu catches mumps and falls in, it becomes a perfect opportunity for her to slip into a Flashback Mode, in which she relates a typical tragic past of being abandoned by her parents and Haruma promising to always be by her side (which she takes to be one of those standard childhood marriage proposals that have so much more meaning in fiction than real life). Everything is proceeding along the rails for the moment, but I’m becoming increasingly disturbed about Choko’s origin- just where did she come from? (Smart alecks need not respond).

Clannad 5: When I read the first four chapters of Clannad, the anime was months away from airing, but to go back and try another chapter in the middle of it run is a slightly strange experience. Fortunately, whilst Clannad the anime is nothing special to me, watching it seemed to make this chapter seem better than its predecessors, even though it only covers the early anime content of Tomoya trying to help get the drama club off the ground.

Claymore 75-6: As it turns out, the blinded Galatea wasn’t hiding from the organisation- she wanted them to send Claymores out to her so that they could help her defeat the latest Awakened Being- former number 2 Claymore Agatha. As the battle begins, however, it remains to be seen if they will offer assistance or just blindly follow orders, culminating in a cliff-hanger ending for chapter 76. As always, I’m not particularly impressed by the action scenes, but I’m still interested in seeing what happens next, and oddly having just one chapter a month helps to enjoy the series since I’m always hungry for more.

Elfen Lied 79-81: We may be getting close to the end of the series, but the story is still ready to throw us a few more twists and turns- not to mention some fresh characters. Whilst Kouta laments the loss of his harem due to the disappearance of Lucy/Nyu, Nana and Mayu, elsewhere yet more plans are being made to recapture Lucy- using obedient clones of Mariko. In charge of them is the latest eccentric scientist and his tough-as-nails bodyguard- it’s a familiar formula but hopefully this is all slowly building towards a conclusion.

Hunter X Hunter 267-70: Having put all his efforts into getting the chapter count up to a nice round number, Togashi has retired to his deathbed once again, leaving the series on yet another indefinite hiatus. Perhaps it’s just as well, as the excruciatingly slow pace and intensely detailed narration of the first phase of the attack on King has really put me off this arc, to the extent where I have to wonder if I even care any more. All I want now is for the series to properly end, but at the current rate I could be in my thirties before that happens (a scary thought indeed).

*NEW* Kaiji 1: As with Akagi, the Kaiji anime has basically followed the manga word for word, so all this first chapter provides is a recounting of how Kaiji came to be offered a place aboard the Espoir, with less technically accomplished art. Even so, it’s an enjoyable enough way to relive the series, and hopefully more chapters will be available soon.

Maria-sama ga Miteru 23-4: We’re already at the start of season two, with Yumi, Yuuki and Rosa Gigantea spending the night at Sachiko’s house for the new year, complete with some “Kashiwagi is HARD GAY” and Sei teasing Yumi scenes that never made it into the anime. As always, this manga complements the anime nicely, but I’m increasingly noticing the poor standard of the artwork compared to the anime character designs, whilst for some reason Yuuki has black hair in this version.

Meine Liebe 7-8: First off, a big thank you to “Meine Liebe Project” for picking this up- it may not be the best manga in the world, but I at least want to read the second half of it. Anyway, chapter seven sees Erika get picked to be Orphe’s dance partner for his grandmother’s party, but much to my disappointment, no actual dancing was seen- surely a whisk or throwaway oversway wouldn’t have been too much to ask for? Wasted opportunities aside, as we go into chapter eight, it becomes clear that Erika’s feelings for Orphe are deepening, but with the likelihood that he may be her brother ever increasing, romance could turn to incest. In fact, since it’s being played so obviously, they probably aren’t related, but we’ll see in the coming chapters.

Nodame Cantabile 94-9: Chiaki’s goal is to move ever onwards and upwards, but when his father shows up at one of his performances, it puts him off guard- and proves that Chiaki isn’t as indifferent towards his parent as he might claim. Meanwhile, poor Nodame is beginning to feel like she is left behind- if Chiaki’s goal is his father, then her goal is Chiaki. Even though the “estranged parent” storyline is nothing new, I’m still intrigued by the continuing development of Chiaki and Nodame’s characters as they enter another growth phase. In particular, Chiaki seems determined to move far ahead in order to accomplish his goals, but at the same time he seems to expect Nodame to be waiting for him, even though she is busy with her own agendas. Are they just not destined to be together?

Oniisama E… 10: The second volume of the angst-driven manga continues as Kaoru gets injured during a basketball match and Nanako fangirls over Saint-Juste some more- it will all be familiar to anime viewers, but told in a much abbreviated form. Now to wait another year or so for the next chapter.

REC 34-6: If there’s one thing you can count on with REC, it’s that if something can go wrong, it will. Take Matsumaru, for example- all he wants to do is help Ao get through a cold, and the next thing he knows she’s undressed him whilst he’s asleep, taken a nude picture for Photoshop purposes, and left the door open so Aka can walk in. Naturally, Ao isn’t just your typical ‘other woman’- she has past issues, but it’s all so painfully predictable- and yet somehow I can’t just give up the series and walk away.

Risky Safety 2-3: I can’t even remember when I read the first chapter of this (memory supplies a date of around August 2006), but I’ve finally tracked down another two instalments of the series. Unlike the anime, the manga isn’t exclusively about Risky and Safety- in fact, they don’t appear at all in these two chapters. Instead, we get two stand-alone stories- one about a puppet girl named Fuzzy who will become a real human if she can just make one boy happy, the other about a mysterious new transfer student who may be attacking fellow classmates with demon blood. As short stories, they are both enjoyable (if much like various similar manga), but the chances of reading more any time soon seem slim.

*COMPLETE* Solanin 10-28: I’m happy to report that at long last I’ve been able to finish this manga, and that it was good enough to be worth the wait. With a spoilerific twist at the end of volume one that I can’t reveal, the second half of the series sees Meiko put in a position where she must make a decision about her future, but will she choose something constructive? I don’t want to give away too much here, but suffice to say that this is one series worth reading, and that a proper review to that effect will appear soon.

Spiral Alive 11-16: Whilst Kanone and Eyes step forth to make an appearance, the story continues to move on, and it all seems to be centred on a particular file that can disclose the identities of the hidden and dangerous Blade Children. It’s good stuff (although I wish Kousuke would let Ryoko help out instead of trying to protect her), even if there are a few too many feints and conflicting motives to get to grips with at the moment.

Spiral 60-66: This is the point I feared, where the series starts to lose its way, for whilst Hizumi makes a move by killing Kanone (NOOOOOO!!!!!!), the truth about Ayumu and Hizumi’s origin seems about to come to light, and it seems something of a cop out. Thanks to Hinano, I long knew it was coming, but even so it’s like that infamous spoiler from Star Ocean 3- you just don’t want to believe it until you’re confronted with it. Oh well, the artwork is still nice.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 172-7: I don’t really know what’s going on in Tsubasa anymore, and the sad fact is that I can’t even say that I particularly care (but I must keep reading, for like Macbeth I’ve come too far to go back now). After randomly showing up, Syaoran-clone decides to pick a fight with the real deal, whilst Fei Wong decides he only wants Sakura for her body (understandable, since her mind isn’t up to much). It’s just a shame that CLAMP have got so into drawing epic fight scenes (large explosions, tiny characters) that they’ve forgotten about the concept of including a plot.

Yotsuba& 49-50: Fifty chapters in and I’m still far from tired of Yotsuba- after all, we still have to see her go to school. In these two chapters, we see Yotsuba still enchanted with the farm after coming home, before she and her father head out to a restaurant for lunch, with the usual hilarious consequences.

In 1931, the Flying Pussyfoot sets off on a transcontinental train journey across America, but what few people realise is that this is to be a more eventful trip than usual. For aboard the train are numerous factions who are all pieces in a larger web of events that began over two hundred years ago, when a select group of people discovered the secret of immortality.

Prior to Baccano, the star of the historical series had begun to rise once again- Chevalier had sidestepped cheesiness in order to deliver excellence, and despite never really living up to its potential, Iroha at least made a memorable impact. Baccano had a lot to live up to, and all that remained was to see if it too could deliver. Fortunately, it could, albeit in its own unique way.

“Baccano” means ruckus or commotion, and right from the start it was clear that the series was going to live up to its name. With a plethora of named characters with laughably Engrish names (Jacuzzi Splot being the most amusing) and a story that jumped around to different times and perspectives, Baccano was never the easiest series to follow, to the extent that most of the time it was hard to get a handle on what was supposed to be going on. Nonetheless, that didn’t make it any the less enjoyable- with its slick action scenes and sheer vitality of delivery, every scene was somehow entertaining to watch, even if it was hard to place it in the context of the larger story.

In the midst of piecing together what exactly is going on, however, it is clear that there is plenty of content to get your teeth into. From the comedic antics of the lighter-hearted characters to mafia confrontations, gory killings and a near bloodbath of slaughter, all sprinkled with a touch of fantasy content. The fact that Baccano manages to pack so much in without ever making its changes of mood feel forced or contrived is yet another testament to the presentation skills of this series.

As mentioned above, Baccano is hardly short on cast members, and although it would be nigh impossible to develop them all in the space of thirteen episodes, it has to be admitted that the series does its best. By far the most memorable characters are the flamboyant Isaac and Miria, whose sheer ebullient naïveté makes everything they do fun to watch. Others like the homicidal megalomaniac ‘Rail Tracer’, villain Szilard and his female homunculus Ennis and the deceptively youthful Czeslaw are just a few of the other notable personalities to add their distinctive mark to the series- in fact, overall the interesting characters outweigh the dull generic types like the Gandor brothers. And somehow, for all the times that I’ve complained about too many characters being packed into thirteen-episode series, Baccano seems to be the one case where going to such an extreme made it all work- instead of feeling frustrated that we didn’t see more of a particular character, everyone got the time they needed to communicate their personality and back story.

Visually, Baccano is always slick and well-animated, with surprisingly good action scenes and some impressive special effects for the revival and ‘eating’ of Immortals. Realistic colour tones are used for designs throughout, but even without large eyes and brightly-coloured hair, the characters are distinctive and generally attractive. Background music isn’t the most memorable overall, but the catchy OP and selected tracks are actually rather worthy, and certainly the score complements the series well.

Final Thoughts
Often confusing yet always enjoyable, Baccano lived up to its name and delivered thirteen episodes that were packed to the brim with action and drama. We can only hope that the later novels will also get the anime treatment in due course, because they certainly deserve it.
Tier: Silver+

It’s been a year of ups and downs, of anime gems and utter disappointments- a year when I’ve alternated between craving more and feeling utterly fed up with the continuing deluge of episodes that take no account of the fact that people might have other things to do than stay in and watch all day. Nonetheless, in true years-end tradition, we must review all the new series in an Annual Round-Up, a project which I meant to periodically update through the year but ended up writing at the last minute again.

As always, red titles are those which were dropped, and blues are the picks of the year. Come back on Tuesday for the New Year Rumble, in which we take a look at the year in the life of Azure Flame.

STILL RUNNING FROM 2006

Asatte no Houkou

The beginning of the year saw the end of Asatte no Houkou, a series that had started as a strong character drama and slice-of-life piece, but lost it somewhere with its slow pacing and plot contrivances. Ultimately, the series was a ‘curate’s egg’, good in parts but sorely lacking in others.
Final words: The series may have been called ‘The Direction of the Day After Tomorrow’, but sadly the plot sometimes lacked direction.

Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

Last year, I labelled the emerging Iroha as a tentative pick of the year, but in retrospect, it was more silver than the gold tier it seemed at first. Despite remaining generally enjoyable throughout, the series got mired in a repetitive storyline, numerous historical cameos and an ending that defied sense and explanation.
Final words: Good for those who like action or historical series, but sadly not worthy of entering the hall of classics.

Busou Renkin

Ah, Busou Renkin, a series replete with cheesiness, ridiculous special abilities and Shounen Jump clichés- on the surface of it, hardly something worth writing home about, and yet an important series in its own right. A prime parody candidate, every week of Busou Renkin brought more hilarity than the creators had ever meant to include as Kazuki found himself torn between the worlds of HARD GAY, STRAIGHT and BI.
Final words: I wouldn’t actually watch the series ever again, but parodying it was a lot of fun- blogging hasn’t been the same since.

Le Chevalier d’Eon

At the end of last year, Chevalier was going strong, and it lost very little of its appeal as it moved into its closing episodes. Yes, the ending didn’t make a great deal of sense on close inspection, but with strong characters, worthy action scenes and an unfaltering sense of historical atmosphere, Chevalier remained enjoyable throughout.
Final words: Good enough to parody twice.

La Corda d’Oro

Last year, I had an optimistic view of Corda; this time around, the tale of a Neoromance reverse harem would surely have decent characters and some kind of a plot- or so I thought. Unfortunately, it was not to be- whilst our lead cheated her way through the music competition with a magical violin, the shallow supporting characters and slow pacing did nothing to disguise the general lack of substance.
Final words: Another game adaptation hardly worth writing home about.

Death Note

I enjoyed the Death Note manga, but in anime form, it wasn’t a series that could work for me- the long exposition scenes never seemed suited for an animated format, and attempts to bring the story to life only made Light seem overly theatrical under his red spotlight. After many episodes of thinking “well, the next arc will be better”, I decided to terminate my relationship with the series.
Final words: It didn’t flourish in animated format.

Kanon

As we must all know by now, after the first few episodes, Kanon failed to do much for me- Yuuichi was always too sarcastic and cruel to the girls, who were in turn too one-dimensional to do anything about it. Despite the series’ attempts to tug at the heartstrings, overall it failed to ignite for me, ending up as only another excuse for parody.
Final words: Sad girls in snow don’t make me cry.

Mai-Otome Zwei

Most trainwrecks have the grace to stop and let the rescue crew hunt for survivors, but not Mai-Otome- it just keeps rumbling on. Aside from one or two good action scenes, this whole OVA proved to be a waste of time, introducing a pointless enemy and filling every spare moment with character cameos and fanservice. There was no real reason to expect anything else, but why do I keep getting sucked into this franchise?
Final words: Why do I already know I’ll be watching the next sub-par Otome OVA?

Red Garden

Despite attempts to make its mark with a distinctive art style and a New York setting, Red Garden managed to utterly fail at either the horror or character drama it was presumably aiming for. With four angsty leads who spent most of their time whining or crying and a mystery that dragged on into a totally ridiculous conclusion, Red Garden was a largely dull experience that never rewarded the patience of those who dared to persevere with it.
Final words: Don’t bother with it. Really. It doesn’t get better later on.

Saiunkoku Monogatari

On the strength of its first season, SaiMono established itself as one of my favourites; far from the reverse harem series it first appeared, it actually proved to be an absorbing tale of intrigue, politics and character interaction as one woman chased her dream of becoming her country’s first female official. Of course, the attractive character designs don’t hurt, but to consider this series shallow just because of that would be to do it a great disservice.
Final words: I don’t see why anyone reading this blog wouldn’t have watched SaiMono yet, but if you haven’t, get to it now.

Shounen Onmyouji

A fairly generic tale of a young onymouji being sent to fight the strongest demons just because he happens to be the main character, Shounen Onmyouji was often pointless and rarely very good, but somehow managed to retain interest by having twelve spirit summons who were gradually introduced over the course of the series- and with many of them having little more than a basic appearance, the series even seemed to demand a second season in which to adapt more of the novels.
Final words: Large casts usually work against a series, but in this case it was a draw for an otherwise average series.

WINTER 2006/7
Winter is traditionally a slow month for anime, but could the fledgling 2007 break the curse of the cold months? Sadly, with only a couple of worthy series that were worth following to the end, it seemed that it could not.

Deltora Quest
Despite numerous failures, I’ve always kept my eye out for decent fantasy series, but sadly, Deltora Quest was not one of them. Despite being so packed with cliché and unintentional hilarity that it could have made a good parody candidate, the fact that the series needed to resort to budget saving flashbacks and stills as early as episode four was far from a good sign, and when the next episode proved to be even more dull and uneventful (consisting as it did of answering riddles), the series was quickly shelved, never to be touched again.
Final words: Classic fantasy in anime needs drastic reinvention.

Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight
School comedies have always been hit or miss for me, and Manabi Straight struck right out in its first episode. With an energetic and clueless lead who somehow becomes school president, Manabi Straight didn’t do a great deal for me, and was quickly assigned to the Recycle Bin.
Final words: Not for me.

Ichigo Mashimaro OVA

Basically a continuation of the TV series, the Ichigo Mashimaro OVA offered three more episodes of Nobue and the girls’ everyday adventures. Despite dragging a little in the second episode, overall the OVA was as entertaining as the TV series, with apt observations and polished delivery and timing turning basic activities into a source of amusement and entertainment.
Final words: A nice coda for a strong TV series.

Les Miserables Shoujo Cosette
As an attempt to adapt the original novel to a fifty-episode series aimed at the younger audience, Cosette seemed determined to make life hard for itself, and the results were appropriately unspectacular. With its emphasis on the Cinderella-esque life of Cosette, the series dripped with twee sentiments and overused plotlines to the exclusion of the good parts of the story.
Final words: Almost painful in its execution.

Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA

Prior to this OVA, I liked MariMite- despite all the angst, it managed to deliver a worthy tale of school life with a sprinkling of HARD YURI. Unfortunately, it was not a format that could make the transition to fifty-minute OVA episodes with any grace- everything became terribly long, drawn out and dull, whilst the HARD YURI content took advantage of its newfound freedom to reach new and unforeseen heights.
Final words: I’ll still be trying season four, but this OVA was a major setback for the franchise.

Nodame Cantabile

The only real noteworthy TV series from the winter season (aside from Hidamari Sketch and Himawari!!, both of which I still need to start), Nodame Cantabile promised to be ‘Honey and Clover with music’, but instead became tantalisingly inconsistent. At times, its insights into its two leads- one a technical genius, the other an intuitive talent- made it compelling viewing, but all too often the off-kilter humour and wacky side characters ruined the mood, whilst an air of Shounen Jump “let’s level up and make the strongest orchestra!” always lurked in the background. Despite these flaws, however, Nodame was overall a worthwhile investment of time, and with the manga still ongoing, a second season would be welcomed.
Final words: Snatches of greatness kept the series appealing even as the wackier elements suggested switching off would be the way to go.

SPRING 2007
Spring is usually the best season for anime, and indeed there were lots of promising contenders right out of the gate. When it came to the long haul, however, which would make it to the finish line, and which would run out of steam?

Bokurano
As readers may know, I love, adore and worship the Bokurano manga, and so I was delighted to hear that it was going to be adapted into an anime…right up until the moment I heard Studio “adaptation trainwreck” Gonzo would be handling it. Nonetheless, I went into the series with an open mind, only to find disappointment with major story changes and a complete lack of tension in the pacing- worse yet, the director himself claimed that he didn’t even like the original! I took his advice and chose not to watch any more.
Final words: If someone tries to pretend this anime even existed, I shall stick my fingers in my ears and sing loudly.

Claymore

I’ve managed to upset many Claymore fans by not rating the manga very highly, but let’s face it- faults aside, I’m still reading after seventy-four chapters and I do want to know how it’s all going to turn out. The same could not be said for the anime, which bucked me off like a recalcitrant horse after a mere eleven episodes thanks to uninspiring characters, dull fight scenes and a washed out colour scheme.
Final words: Give me Berserk any day.

Darker than Black

During its early episodes, I had the highest of hopes for Darker than Black- it seemed slick, well directed and packed with the perfect mix of exposition, mystery and action. Unfortunately, despite such a strong start, the series soon began to flounder, adopting a pacing more suited to a fifty-episode series as it introduced minor characters, packed in last minute explanations and generally failed to live up to those early days. Even Yoko Kanno’s work on the music didn’t seem up to her usual high standard, ensuring that no aspect of the series really lived up to its potential.
Final words: Darker than Black it may be, but it wasn’t better than good.

Dennou Coil

Ah, Dennou Coil, how much more can I praise you? I accept that this series wasn’t perfect, but if you’ll excuse the lapse into informality, it was damn close. Never before has a series so deserved to be lavished with internet praise along the lines of 1337, awesome and w1n, all thanks to an intriguing setting and story, combined with memorable and well developed characters. Mere words alone are not enough to praise this series, which was surely the best offering of 2007.
Final words: I worship at the shrine of Dennou Coil, and encourage others to join.

El Cazador de la Bruja

Better known as “El Caza-bore”, this third instalment in Bee Train’s girls-with-guns series did indeed contain girls and guns, but not in any combination that produced action. Instead, what we got was the most dreary road trip through a version of Latin America that contained only cacti, roadside diners and various other dusty clichés. Just watching all twenty-six episodes was an effort in itself, and one I only pursued for the sake of creating a superior parody version of events.
Final words: You haven’t experienced boredom until you’ve watched El Cazador.

Heroic Age
A series about a character named Age rather than an age of heroes, Heroic Age tried to create an epic setting involving space battles, legendary tribes and the like, but somewhere along the line it all became a dull universe populated by rejects from other Xebec series. With even the cameraman opting to stay well back from the action, there seemed little reason for anyone else to try to examine it closely.
Final words: Another average offering from Xebec.

Hitohira
A series about a shy girl who gets so nervous that she can’t speak (yet somehow gets into the drama club due to her occasional ability to shout), Hitohira was something I stuck with for a mere two episodes, before deciding that it wasn’t going to bring me anything particularly worthy. With forgettable characters and hints of HARD YURI, Hitohira seemed to patch together elements of other series like Tsuyokiss and Gokujou Seitokai- hardly a recommendation.
Final words: Like its lead, Hitohira remained quiet and unnoticed.

Koutetsu Sangokushi

As a fan of the Three Kingdoms era, I was looking forward to a series that would surely present it better than the forgettable 1990s effort- but sadly, despite superior production values, Koutetsu Sangokushi was not to be that series. Although Koutetsu should be praised for focusing on the kingdom of Wu, it loses points for its extreme levels of ridiculousness, from a super-HARD GAY gender-confused cast to the inclusion of special sentai powers for the main characters- somehow I just don’t remember these things happening in the original novel.
Final words: As far as historical adaptations go, this one is just laughably ridiculous.

Lucky Star

A series that attracted both hate and adoration in adoration, Lucky Star did very little for me; I didn’t despise it, but for me it just did very little- episodes would pass by and I would sit in front of them, almost completely indifferent to them. Occasionally I would laugh, but much of the series was just white noise.
Final words: Ichigo Mashimaro and Minami-ke make everyday life amusing, but Lucky Star just rambles on and on.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS
The first two seasons of Nanoha weren’t great, but they won me over with their attractive character designs and worthy action scenes; sadly, the first thing StrikerS did was to introduce new characters to an already bloated cast and throw out actual battle in favour of training against robots. Whilst the leads were forced to wear limiters to remove their God Modes, everything was left in the hands of the newbies, whilst what had once been a simple world of magical girls fighting evil became tied up in pointless bureaucracy. It may have improved later on, but after six episodes, I bailed out.
Final words: No more Nanoha for me.

Murder Princess
An OVA from Bee Train, Murder Princess told the tale of a princess and a bounty hunter who rather randomly end up swapping bodies, but unfortunately, what looked like it would at least be a mildly entertaining fantasy series was ruined by ridiculous elements such as a mad scientist and his two loli androids. In the end, even a mere six episodes of this seemed like too much.
Final words: Nice character designs, shame about the rest.

Oh! Edo Rocket

With its low profile and childish-looking character designs, Oh! Edo Rocket initially didn’t seem like something worth watching- but how wrong I was. After some positive recommendations, I reversed my position and took the plunge, and it was eminently worth it. A series so crazy that you cannot help but love it, Oh! Edo Rocket is nominally about a fireworks maker trying to create a rocket that can go to the moon, but there is much more packed into it- from secret ‘Men in Black’ with special powers to aliens, monsters and a metric ton of pop culture references. It’s crazy, hilarious, sometimes a little dark, and a cut above pretty much every other anime that relies so heavily on humour and parody.
Final words: If Dennou Coil is the best series of the year, then this one must deserve the silver medal.

Romeo X Juliet

Adaptations come from many sources, but could anime really make something out of a Shakespeare play? Whether or not it could, Gonzo was determined to try, and in their usual fashion, they glanced at the original, threw it out of the window, and created a version that involved magical trees, flying horses and an aerial city that just happened to be named Neo Verona. Despite the general lack of similarity to the original, the series started well enough, and seemed as if it would go down as inoffensive light entertainment; unfortunately, as it progressed, the plot became ever more lacking and ridiculous, whilst the leads hardly inspired one to care for their plight. In the end, it found its greatest worth in the parody arena.
Final words: Romeo X Juliet? More like Ridiculous X Joke.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II

After such a strong first series, was it any surprise that I wanted more SaiMono? Unfortunately, with subs having dried up, I had to go it alone into the domain of raws, which for such a dialogue-heavy series meant relying on Impz and usagijen to help me through. Unfortunately, this approach distances me a little from the action, so that whilst I still enjoy the series and think it is good, it just doesn’t hook me in as it did before. Is it the complex web of storyline that I can’t follow in raw, the introduction of a few too many new characters, or the decision to slow down the pacing a bit to accommodate the fact that the series is catching up with the novels?
Final words: I love it, but I want to spend more time exploring the main characters- maybe a full immersion in the world of the series is what is needed.

Sakura Taisen New York
Having enjoyed the first two Sakura Wars OVAs and the TV series, I felt it was high time to branch out into the later OVAs- only to discover that with New York, I had chosen a poor place to start. With a brand new lead and his harem of shallow girls, this failed attempt to recapture the original Sakura Taisen magic completely and utterly fell flat, forcing me to abandon it by its second episode.
Final words: The original cast cannot be bettered.

Seirei no Moribito

It had the most beautiful of settings, but after a strong early start, that ultimately seemed to be all Seirei no Moribito could offer. Although its slow and tranquil pacing satisfied some, for me it was a case of being a series where not only did nothing ever happen, but it took a long time about not happening. There were a few worthy action scenes, but the rest of the series was drenched in sitting and talking- and so many episodes of static conversation can grow stale.
Final words: Instead of making anime, let’s just sit and talk about it.

Shining Tears X Wind
RPG adaptations are renowned for not being up to much, and when the source material is reputedly “the worst RPG ever” (and its sequel), you can’t really expect much. Even so, Shining Tears somehow managed to achieve new levels of awfulness, with its pointless and forgettable leads, incongruous elements (tanks and lasers in a fantasy kingdom) and general lack of anything that can be praised. I once considered Disgaea to be the worst anime ever, but this series has taken that spot.
Final words: It was a pile of Shining Tears X Wind.

Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica

Despite having encountered disappointment with the likes of YoakeNa, I still found myself drawn to eroge and visual novel-based series with worthy character designs- hence my brief relationship with Polyphonica. Unfortunately, even the lovely Corticarte could not disguise the fact that Polyphonica was pretty much entirely pointless filler- and when a beach episode appeared as early as episode three, I knew it was time to bail out.
Final words: Have I learned my lesson this time? I hope so.

SKULLMAN
Skullman, Skullman, does whatever a skull can…sits motionless, on a shelf- well, you get the idea. Based on a retro manga and series, SKULLMAN was not a series well-adapted for life in the twenty-first century, and by its first episode it was already floundering. With spoilers on wikipedia recounting a miserable background and fate for the eponymous anti-hero, it hardly seemed watching any more.
Final words: He’s a man… with a skull for a head! Bet you couldn’t guess that from the title, eh?

Victorian Romance Emma Second Act

The first season of Emma was highly enjoyable, but the fact that it only covered two volumes of the manga left the story hanging. With that in mind, a second season seemed a true blessing, although ultimately it was not one that was handled as well as it could have been. Despite having a further five volumes to cover and only twelve more episodes to do it in, Second Act began with a filler episode, before proceeding to cut out large chunks of the story (although admittedly the manga storyline of Emma being kidnapped and taken to America had seemed a little farfetched at the time). All in all, it was still a highly worthy series, just not as good as it could have been.
Final words: You can’t go wrong with Emma, but this still didn’t quite live up to its potential.

Wellber no Monogatari ~Sisters of Wellber~

The tale of a thief and a princess trying to flee one country and make it to another before a deadline, Wellber was another of those series that didn’t seem to bring anything original to the table, but nonetheless appeared entertaining enough to watch. Unfortunately, elements such as predictable storylines and a talking tank conspired against it, but overall it just managed to pull through as a piece of light entertainment- not least because of the unintentional hilarity that cropped up in most episodes.
Final words: Mildly entertaining.

SUMMER 2007
In principle, summer is when everyone is enjoying themselves in the great outdoors- and so why bother to air much in the way of good anime? Still, given the poor showings of summer 2005-6, 2007 might just have the edge over them with its single digit selection.

Baccano!

With a wealth of named characters and a timeline that jumped back and forth through early 1930s America, Baccano was never the easiest series to follow, and indeed, even now I cannot say I had much of a clue what was going on throughout large chunks of it. Even so, the sheer enthusiasm and attack which the series brought to our screens was so infectious that one could not help but enjoy it- whether it was a tense shootout or just Isaac and Miria getting up to their usual antics, Baccano was always entertaining- and with many more novels left to adapt, hopes for a second season are high.
Final words: Every season needs a good historical series, and this was the summer’s candidate.

Doujin Work

A short series focusing on a young woman who believes she can make her fortune drawing doujinshi, Doujin Work was never going to be anything very special, but despite the budget animation and predictable jokes, it was somehow entertaining. And with the actual episodes running at only fourteen minutes (the rest of the time slot was taken up with a live action guide to making doujinshi), it isn’t a huge investment in time either.
Final words: Light entertainment done right.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai

After the first season, Higurashi had generally failed to impress, but having embarked upon the franchise, I felt I had to carry it through- a feeling that eroded with every week of watching Kai. Everything just felt so drawn out and over the top, especially Satoko’s situation (I would applaud the series for at least having a go at tackling the difficult subject of child abuse, but then again, is that something I really want to watch for entertainment?). Even the introduction of Hanyu to the mix couldn’t save the plot, and in the end I decided to leave the citizens of Hinamizawa to their miserable fate.
Final words: It fails in the execution.

Mononoke

Having been largely bored by Ayakashi, I approached its spin-off with caution- what if it was more of the same excruciatingly slow pacing? Nonetheless, having watched and enjoyed Requiem from the Darkness right before it started to air, I decided to take the plunge, and although Mononoke did indeed have its weak points, it turned out the be the right decision. With an intriguing lead character, unique art style and slicker direction than its predecessor, Mononoke managed to hit all the right notes for supernatural fantasy. A second season would not go amiss.
Final words: It succeeded because it didn’t have ‘Ayakashi’ in the title.

Mushi-Uta

Call me shallow, but the whole reason I wanted to watch Mushi-Uta was because the title seemed to label it as the bastard son of Mushishi and Utawarerumono. In fact, aside from a masked character who resembled Hakuoro, it bore very little resemblance to either, but after a shaky start, Mushi-Uta finally came up with the goods. Although the mixture of giant bug battles and high school life was often confusing, and in spite of the fact that I could barely get a grip on the characters’ names, the story slowly drew me in, to the extent that I even cared about the fate of a minor character. As with several other series this year, it needs a second season.
Final words: Sometimes randomly picked choices can work out well after all.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Since the blogworld once had its own Hopeless Sensei, this anime seemed almost destined to be watched, and happily it was a series well suited to SHAFT’s randomness. A classroom comedy with a twist of bleak despair, Sensei was much like any other comedy- funny when it hit the mark, but somewhat random and a little tedious when it didn’t. Coupled with a distinctive high contrast art style, it made the series memorable and unique, but not always for the right reasons.
Final words: Somewhat inconsistent, but with some highly worthy moments.

Tetsuko no Tabi
It’s hard for me to really appraise Tetsuko no Tabi since out of thirteen episodes I’ve only seen a badly subbed version of the first one, but nonetheless I’ll include it for completeness. A series based on actual train journeys, Tetsuko no Tabi had an interesting enough first episode, but without more material to work with, I can’t really form a proper opinion on this.
Final words: Won’t anyone sub this?

Zombie-Loan
DearS never looked promising, and Peach-Pit had already disappointed me with Rozen Maiden, but nonetheless for some reason I just had to try Zombie-Loan. Unfortunately, the series proved to lack much in the way of appeal, coming across only as an inferior version of xxxHOLiC and Tokyo Babylon.
Final words: CLAMP already did it better.

AUTUMN 2007
Like the spring, the autumn is meant to be replete with series worth watching, but let’s face it- Autumn 2007 was a big fat disappointment. Yes, there were some good series, but somehow the preponderance of mediocrity combined with circumstances in the outside world ensured that anime enthusiasm reached new and previously unexplored lows.

Aria the OVA ~Arietta~
For those of us who needed more Aria to keep us going, this brief OVA would have to make do between the long-finished second and upcoming third seasons. There’s not much to say about it, really, other than that it was another gentle and tranquil half-hour of life in Neo-Venezia, and in fact proved to be so worthy that I sat and watched it without even wanting to disturb my concentration by taking screencaps.
Final words: Punyu!

Clannad

I enjoyed Air and disliked Kanon, so it seemed likely that Clannad would fall somewhere in between, and indeed, so far it has. With a more likable lead than Kanon, it immediately scores over its predecessor, but unfortunately there seems to be a limit to the number of “sad girls” stories one person can swallow before becoming a little blasé about the whole thing.
Final words: It’s not bad, but I just can’t fangirl over it.

ef- a tale of memories
Whilst Owen and the others raved over it in their multi-post extravaganza, ef for me was a title that needed to be put on hiatus after episode three- the idea of someone being unable to retain their memories for more than thirteen hours was intriguing, but watching ef felt like following three different series, of which only one was worth following. I shall one day go back and watch the rest of the season in one go, but it wasn’t something where I wanted to put the effort of watching weekly.
Final words: I’ll get back to it…later.

Genshiken II
I enjoyed the first season of Genshiken, and so it seemed a foregone conclusion that the second would strike gold as well- after all, it had the rest of the original manga to work with. And indeed, Genshiken 2 quickly launched back into familiar territory, with familiar situations, character development and the sad realisation that many of our favourite personalities were graduating and moving on.
Final words: Now onwards to the manga.

Gundam 00
After Seed Destiny, my relationship with the Gundam franchise hit something of a rocky patch, so much so that it would take something far better than the usual Sunrise fare to repair it. Sadly, Gundam 00 wasn’t about to do that for me, and after a few episodes of pointless factions and a group who planned to enforce world peace by instigating wars, I decided to put the whole series on the heating element behind the normal back-burner.
Final words: Watching it can wait until 2008.

Hero Tales
With a name like ‘Hero Tales’, it was pretty obvious that this series wasn’t going to be up to much- even the FMA mangaka couldn’t really weave a good story about a boy with a destined sword. After watching an episode to assess its parody potential, I decided that even the gods of parody couldn’t expect me to watch something so boring in aid of a few laughs, and so it was put aside.
Final words: As original as its title.

Kaiji

Series dripping with GAR MANLINESS aren’t usually my thing, but having enjoyed Akagi so much, it seemed only logical to see what Madhouse could make of one of the mangaka’s other works- ‘Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji’. Whilst Kaiji is more emotional and less cold than Akagi, the twists and turns of his story are still worthy viewing- although one cannot help feeling a little sorry for poor Kaiji as his mammoth efforts in trying to win games dreamt up by sadistic yakuza only seem to result in him getting ever more in debt. I fear that twenty-six episodes won’t be enough for this series.
Final words: This series should be shown to everyone who finds themselves in danger of incurring debt.

Minami-ke

Keen for an extra dose of Ichigo Mashimaro, I went forth into Minami-ke, a similar tale about the everyday lives of three sisters. Despite trepidation that it would turn into another Lucky Star, Minami-ke had the required wit and delivery to make it entertaining rather than dull, and already a second season (albeit a retelling rather than a sequel) is set to air this January.
Final words: Forget choco cornets, melon pan and taiyaki, this year’s in-food is cream stew.

Mokke

Ever since enjoying Shrine of the Morning Mist, I’ve been on the lookout for the next entertaining silver/bronze tier supernatural series, and Mokke seems to be it. It may not be anything special, but the episodic tales of a pair of sisters- one who can see spirits, the other who gets possessed by them- has largely proven to make for enjoyable viewing, and the addition of a cat with special powers is just the icing on the cake.
Final words: Bronze tier entertainment.

Moyashimon

As the latest series to air in the vaunted noitaminA block (I know it’s ‘Animation’ spelt backwards, but it still sounds like some kind of vitamin or mineral to me), Moyashimon had a lot to live up to, but fortunately, all it needed was its uniqueness to make it a hit. Unappealing as a series about microbes may sound, when you take into account the fact that to our lead these microbes look rather cute, the whole thing takes on a new dimension; in fact, you wouldn’t go far wrong if you were to watch the series for this novelty alone. Fortunately, the rest of the content is solid enough, even if the characters are a little wacky.
Final words: I never once thought I’d say that I wanted a plushie of Aspergillus oryzae, but I want one.

Rental Magica
Where the search for supernatural light entertainment brought some successes in 2007, it also racked up a few failures, and Rental Magica was one of them. Populated by rejects from other series, Rental Magica seemed sure to at least mildly interest with its episodic tales of a company of magic users solving problems, but apart from a master of cat shikigami, there was little to engage the viewer.
Final words: Something to go back to when you have absolutely nothing else to watch.

Shakugan no Shana II

Even though I enjoyed it at the time, in retrospect the original Shakugan no Shana had a lot wrong with it- not least of which were the pointless and uninspiring villains. Even so, a second season would surely forge ahead into interesting and unknown parts of the novel series- or maybe not. For instead, Shana II decided to diverge into an uninteresting game-based tale that seemed determined to shake off all but the most devout of fans. With last season’s confession revoked and the love polygon once again taking hold, it seemed as if this was one series worth bailing out of.
Final words: There’s completion, and then there’s masochism- watching Shana II was surely the latter.

Sketchbook ~full color’S~

Every year needs a good slice-of-life series, and whilst Sketchbook was not to be in the Aria/YKK class, it was still an enjoyable series, not least because of the high volume of cats and fat chickens contained therein. Although it times it seemed as if it was trying too hard to capture a calm atmosphere that should just come naturally, Sketchbook was still worth watching, and after initially thinking little of the shy and quiet lead, after a while I began to identify with her- all too often I end up thinking a lot more than I actually end up saying (but no more! Now I shall never shut up!).
Final words: Full of cats.

And so, 2007 has shown us both good and bad (much like every year, really) and all we can do is await 2008 and the offerings it shall bring us. See you next year!

Reviewed this week: Baccano! 12, Clannad 6-7, Mokke 5-6, Romeo X Juliet 23, Sketchbook 4-6

…and in manga: Chokotto Sister 47, Claymore 74, HxH 265-6, Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies 9

Consider Higurashi Kai dropped for now; I might go back and watch the second half of the series at a later date, but I can’t work up the enthusiasm for it right now.

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Dennou Coil (1) – they’re coming to get you!
2. Oh! Edo Rocket (2) – I love this show!
3. Kaiji (3) – nice gambling boat
4. SaiMono II (4) – art thief
5. Baccano! (5) – there ain’t no getting offa this train we’re on
6. Minami-ke (6) – Ichigo Mashimaro II
7. Genshiken 2 (7) – secret otaku
8. Moyashimon (8) – cute microbes
9. Shion no Ou (9) – it’s a trap
10. Mokke (10)- magical cat
11. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (11) – lots of cats
12. Clannad (12) – sad girls in springtime

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (1) – I’m in despair!
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (2)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Sisters of Wellber (3) – predictable but fun
4. Koutetsu Sangokushi (4) – pure HARD GAY
5. Shounen Onmyouji (5)- mediocre
6. Love GetChu! (6)- light entertainment
7. Romeo X Juliet (7) – WOOD

Baccano! 12: It’s perhaps a little worrying that we’re one episode from the end and I still don’t have a firm handle on everyone’s motives (at least I can remember their names now), but nonetheless Baccano weighs in with a worthy entry for its penultimate instalment. Whilst the various factions continue their ever escalating conflict aboard the Flying Pusyfoot, a past confrontation between named characters continues to unfold. Memorable moments include Czeslaw recalling how he sadistically tortured to test his immortality, Rail Tracer’s rather disturbing arguments to justify his place at the centre of the universe (don’t argue with a man who’s soaked in the blood of others) and Isaac and Miria’s much needed and always welcome comic relief. It’s a shame that such a unique series will be ending shortly.

Clannad 6-7: Fuko’s story continues in these two episodes, and although I was expecting the arc to be concluded by now, there’s at least one more instalment to go to wrap it up. Although, as I said last week, it’s hard to get involved in what feels like quite a formulaic Key tragic girl story, I do quite like Fuko, and the moment where her sister didn’t see her was quite a sad one even for the hard of heart. On another note, I’m also feeling quite benign towards Tomoya, for even though he’s a bit of a prankster, he somehow lacks the evil of the hated Yuuichi.

Mokke 5-6: A few years ago, I came up with the concept of “Episode five syndrome”, an inevitable condition whereby the fifth episode of a series (often the first instalment on the second DVD) always seems to be dull and subpar. Although such a condition has been in abeyance of late, Mokke turned out to be afflicted with a bad case of episode five syndrome, with the instalment in question featuring a forgettable minor character using teru teru bozu to clear up the rain before a baseball match. It’s dull episodes like these that lead to series being dropped, but luckily episode six had something better to offer, with Mizuki being given a Keseran-Paseran (a white hairball that brings good luck) to raise. Although I thought this would turn into a standard cautionary tale about relying on charms for good luck, it actually turned into a demonstration of why anime parents are so often absent, for when the girls’ parent show up, it becomes clear that their mother hates the whole supernatural side of their lives. All-in-all, then, it isn’t particularly outstanding, but at least episode six was good enough to take away the unpleasant taste of its predecessor.

Romeo X Juliet 23: RxJ is slowly grinding to a close, and now that final boss Montague has been dispatched with ease, all that remains is for Juliet to nip off and take Escalus’ place. Naturally, Romeo isn’t about to let his one true love leave him for a tree, and so the two confront each other in the crumbling depths of Neo Verona Keep. It probably should be heartfelt and dramatic, but it’s just somewhat bizarre.

Sketchbook ~full colour’S~ 4-6: Sketchbook has become a sort of slice-of-life lite for me; it doesn’t hold the allure of Aria and its peers, but at the same time it is too enjoyable to merely put aside. Whilst episode four sees Sora take a trip on a rainy day and episode six features an overnight stay at school, the true highlight of this triple bill is the cat-centric episode five, which follows the exploits of the felines of the series. Without their huggable presence, the series would no doubt seem much closer to average, so it’s nice to see them showcased in the way they deserve- in fact, I demand a full spin-off series just for the cats.

MANGA

Chokotto Sister 47: If you like fetish cosplay, then this is the chapter for you- having decided that Chitose should try to seduce Haruma, Makoto dresses her in various revealing and sexy outfits- and that’s pretty much all that happens. Despite the high level of fanservice, however, this series manages to retain some kind of hold on me- just because I need to see where the characters go next.

Claymore 74: We’ve had a few months of welcome side stories, but now it’s back to business for Claymore, and the series wastes no time in pitting Miata against Galatea- right in the middle of the holy city of Rabona. Despite my earlier criticisms of the series, this is actually a rather enjoyable chapter, although how I’ll fare on just one instalment per month remains to be seen.

Hunter X Hunter 265-6: I have to admit that I’m almost at the point of not caring about HxH anymore. With each chapter being bogged down by narrative and each character’s thoughts on the situation, the battle only moves forward incrementally, ensuring that this lengthy arc is less than enthralling. Let’s just get it over with and finish the series.

Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies 9: As Beethoven and Sirene continue to investigate the mystery surrounding Mozart’s death, they find themselves trying to crack a code that may turn a meaningless message into an important clue- but when all signs indicate that the scale of the mystery might be larger than anticipated, just how safe will it be to keep poking around? Meanwhile, it becomes clear that those closest to Beethoven are worried about his hearing loss, but will the cranky composer react well to their concerns? As always, this is an enjoyable chapter, but the gaps in between instalments do interrupt the flow of the story.

Reviewed this week: Baccano! 11, Clannad 4-5, Dennou Coil 20, Genshiken 2 5-6, Minami-ke 5-6, Moyashimon 3-4, Romeo X Juliet 22, SaiMono II 25-6, Shion no Ou 3-4

…and in manga: Tenshi Nanka Janai 29

Everything else to follow next week.

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Dennou Coil (1) – they’re coming to get you!
2. Oh! Edo Rocket (2) – I love this show!
3. Kaiji (3) – nice gambling boat
4. SaiMono II (4) – art thief
5. Baccano! (5) – there ain’t no getting offa this train we’re on
6. Minami-ke (7) – Ichigo Mashimaro II
7. Genshiken 2 (6) – secret otaku
8. Moyashimon (10) – cute microbes
9. Shion no Ou (9) – it’s a trap
10. Mokke (11)- magical cat
11. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (12) – lots of cats
12. Clannad (13) – sad girls in springtime
13. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (16) – Takano meets Hitler

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (-) – I’m in despair!
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (1)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Sisters of Wellber (2) – predictable but fun
4. Koutetsu Sangokushi (-) – pure HARD GAY
5. Shounen Onmyouji (3)- mediocre
6. Love GetChu! (4)- light entertainment
7. Romeo X Juliet (-) – WOOD

Baccano! 11: There’s more action, violence and plot development as Szilard makes his move against Maiza, Ladd and Chane continue their battle on top of the train, and Rail Tracer gets up to some rather blood-soaked experimentation with inflicting pain on Czeslaw, all packed into but a single episode of Baccano. The blood and body count seems to be rising all the time, but with everything else that is going on, this is far from senseless violence, and even though there’s the air of futility at being constantly stuck in a train arc, this series is remaining enjoyable overall.

Clannad 4-5: Nagisa is still determined to get the theatre club up and running, but until they get three actual members, the student council won’t even recognise it as an active group, which, unsurprisingly, is something of a setback. After Tomoya and various other named characters try to help, the story switches over to focus on Fuko, whose storyline is so similar to Ayu’s from Kanon that I can’t really bring myself to care about yet another spirit of a girl in a coma. All in all, then, the Clannad effect has completely failed to kick in, leaving me mildly interested but not moved to any extremes of emotion.

“They, like, totally used that in Kanon already!”

Dennou Coil 20: Why does this series ever have to end? When I watch it, nothing else matters (slight exaggeration, perhaps, but let’s go with it)- it truly must be the “best anime evar”. In this episode, Yasako, and ‘Aunty’ go after Haraken, who is somewhere on the mysterious other side, but can they make it before the authorities swoop in and perform a major reformat on the region? Even though this episode didn’t raise the awesomeness as much as previous instalments, it was still consistently good, leaving me desperate to spend much more time in the Dennou Coil universe.

Genshiken 2 5-6: If life imitates art, then anime must surely imitate parody at times, and indeed, Genshiken 2-5 is a perfect example of that. Taking a break from actual story development, the episode features Ogiue fantasising over Sasahara and Madarame having a HARD GAY relationship, complete with gasping sounds and awkward scenes that will ensure that the last thing you want are family members wandering in whilst you watch it. Nonetheless, this is the most entertaining filler episode ever, setting the scene for Ogiue’s desire to produce her own doujinshi.

Onwards to episode six, and it’s time the winter Comi-Fes, which an embarrassed Ogiue decides she must attend in disguise. Naturally, the usual sequence of events ensues when she gets recognised by old friends before bumping into the members of Genshiken, but despite the rather by-the-book nature of events, this is still a worthy entry in the series. I must finally get to reading the manga soon.

How not to fill in a CV.

Kaiji 6: Poor Kaiji- every time he gets a great idea that could end this arc, something else goes wrong. This time around, his plan to buyout all the papers in addition to the rocks founders when no one else wants to play his team, and thinks only get worse when Funai, the guy who scammed him way back in the beginning, decides to get even with his own counter-plot that could scupper Kaiji’s chances forever. I am enjoying the series, but I’m about ready to move onto a new arc now, so I hope this latest hiccup can be resolved soon- and that the slimy Funai gets everything he deserves.

Minami-ke 5-6: If, like me, you groan inwardly every time you hear the words ‘beach episode’, then you’ll be happy to learn that in this age where every anime cliché seems to have been done to death, it is still possible to find a good beach episode- and Minami-ke episode five is one such example. Never before has a visit to the beach been so entertaining, and in keeping with the standard set by the episode, the next instalment takes another worthy take on a tried and tested storyline. This time around, Chiaki’s classmate Makoto manages to annoy her so much that she refuses to invite him around anymore, forcing him to enlist Kana’s aid in posing as the female “Mako-chan” so that he can come to the Minami house and admire Haruka. If ever there was a worthy successor to Ichigo Mashimaro, this has repeatedly proven itself to be it.

Moyashimon 3-4: The influx of cute microbes continues in these two episodes, which begin by introducing a new female character who hates microbes and is obsessed with cleaning and antibacterial products, before moving onto detailed information about making sake (interesting if not especially useful). Next up is an episode which sees Sawaki and the other first years get started on their courses, and with their duties ranging from planting crops to getting up close and personal with the rear end of a cow, all I can say is that I’m glad I never wanted to study agriculture.

Oh my god, they misspelled its! I mean, oh my god, he has his hand in a cow!

Romeo X Juliet 22: The RxJ train is slowly pulling into the station as we get to the last few episode, and this time around the revolution that took so long to instigate grabs an amazingly easy victory against Montague, who pulls a number of amusing faces before being stabbed in the back (literally) by Mercutio. All that remains now is to get the series over with, really.

Saiunkoku Monogatari 25-6: My mixed feelings about SaiMono continue with these two episodes; it’s not that I don’t like what I’m seeing, but with each arc we seem to be going further and further away from the characters who were prominent early on, in favour of introducing yet more cast members- I miss the days when Kouyuu, Seiran, Shuuei and Ryuuki got more than snippets of screen time. Instead, this arc is more about Shuurei interacting with the new characters and learning the sad fact that idealism and hard work, which in principle should be enough to get along in life, is not enough to progress in the world of politics. Can Shuurei possibly learn the ways of tactics and manipulation, or will she retain her Achilles’ heel of naïveté? This is the kind of thing editorials are made from, so expect some random SaiMono thoughts to be thrown together in the near future.

Shion no Ou 3-4: Four episodes in, and it’s still clear that Shion no Ou isn’t entirely sure what it wants to be- one minute it’s in the middle of the murder mystery, with death threats, Shion regaining her memory and stereotypical policemen and reporters, and the next we’re in the middle of a shogi tournament with Shion facing our trap anti-hero. It’s not that I’m not enjoying it, it’s just slightly disconcerting watching what feels like two different series sandwiched together, whilst I have to admit that the shogi elements don’t grab me in the way that HnG’s Go and Akagi’s mah-jongg did.

MANGA

Tenshi Nanka Janai 29: It seems as if the time has come to sort out all the relationship issues for the supporting characters so that the last couple of volumes can focus on the leads and their angst, and so this time around the Takigawa love triangle is pretty much resolved, whilst all other minor characters suddenly express romantic desires in each other that ensure that everyone will ultimately be paired up nicely. If there’s one thing you can count on with this series, it’s that generic shoujo is the name of the game- from start to finish.

Reviewed this week: Baccano 9-10, Dennou Coil 19, Genshiken 2-4, Kaiji 4-5, Minami-ke 3-4, Mokke 4, Moyashimon 2, Rental Magica 3, SaiMono II 22-4, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 9, Shion no Ou 2, Sketchbook 2-3

…and in manga: HxH 263-4, Nodame 89-93, Tsubasa 170-1

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Dennou Coil (1) – they’re coming to get you!
2. Oh! Edo Rocket (2) – I love this show!
3. Kaiji (3) – nice gambling boat
4. SaiMono II (4) – art thief
5. Baccano! (5) – eternal life
6. Genshiken 2 (6) – how to get an otagirl
7. Minami-ke (7) – Ichigo Mashimaro II
8. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (8) – I’m in despair!
9. Shion no Ou (9) – it’s a trap
10. Moyashimon (10) – cute microbes
11. Mokke (11)- magical cat
12. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (12) – lots of cats
13. Clannad (13) – sad girls in springtime
14. Rental Magica (15)- episode seemed to go on forever
15. Koutetsu Sangokushi (16) – pure HARD GAY
16. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (17) – Takano meets Hitler
17. Romeo X Juliet (20) – what’s the point anymore?

Baccano! 9-10: It’s back to the train for another two episodes of Baccano, and at long last the tangled web of events and characters is beginning to make sense as individual strands are teased out. Amidst a veritable buffet of bloody violence and surprisingly worthy action scenes, we see the origin of Rail Tracer, watch Dallas and his buddies get a taste of immortality, catch up on everyone’s favourites Isaac and Miria, and generally learn just what everyone was trying to achieve on the train in the first place.

Dennou Coil 19: Have I mentioned how much I love Dennou Coil lately? I don’t really care if I have, because I want to declare my devotion to the series once more (if it keeps this up, it’s going to be my favourite anime of all time, bar none). Now that the series has taken a darker turn, it reminds me a lot of Fantastic Children, with all the quality that that implies. I got shivers down my spine as Yasako and Fumie ran from the humanoid Illegals, carrying Kyoko’s data-less body with them; I cheered for Kyoko as Densuke carried her to safety on his back, and overall, I had a great time watching this episode. I also need to praise the excellent soundtrack, since I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it before.

Genshiken 2 4: To everyone else in Genshiken, it seems as Tanaka and Ohno must be going out- but are they really an item? Ohno certainly wishes they were, but what will it take for two shy otaku to overcome their inhibitions and actually get together? It’s nice to see the series boldly take some steps forward in terms of story and character development, and even though I knew what was coming from manga spoilers, this was still an entertaining episode. Keep it up, Genshiken, you haven’t failed me yet.

Kaiji 4-5: Life sucks- you think you’ve got the perfect winning strategy for Rock-Paper-Scissors, then someone beats you to it and before you know it, you’re backed into a corner. That’s just what happens to Kaiji in this episode, as his perfect plan is foiled by a man who seems to be his long lost blonde brother. It’s a shame, as Kaiji had a worthy plan, but the cliff-hanger ending leaves me desperate to see how he’ll escape this latest twist.

Fortunately, Triad came up with the goods with a super-fast job on episode five, resolving Kaiji’s latest showdown with blonde clone Kitami. Like Akagi before him, Kaiji doesn’t just figure out how to play the game- he also has an intuitive handle on his opponent’s psychology, and it is this that makes the series about more than just ‘trusting in the heart of the cards’ and winning because you happen to be the main character. Such a climactic showdown could easily have been the end of the arc, but there’s still more to come on the ‘nice boat’, as our intrepid hero and his friends aim for three more stars to complete their required amounts.

Minami-ke 3-4: It’s time for another double bill of Minami-ke, and the Ichigo Mashimaro vibes are still going strong, ensuring that the everyday lives of the Minami sisters are entertaining rather than dull (*cough* Lucky Star). Episode three mainly focuses on Kana, who must not only deal with less than ideal test scores, but is still subject to being misled about classmate Fujioka’s feelings for her; meanwhile, episode four carries the relationship theme along a bit with Haruka getting an admirer, another girl in Kana’s class planning what to do about her own feelings for Fujioka and a random friend of the family turning up at the Minami house when his girlfriend dumps him. There are plenty of amusing moments to be found in all this, from Kana’s attempts at cooking to a TV-drama based videogame that turns out to be a beat-‘em-up.

Mokke 4: Poor Mizuki’s role in life seems to be to get possessed, and this time around she ends up at the mercy of the ‘Laughing Darkness’, a continual sound of laughter that taunts her every time she makes a mistake. Grandpa insists that she and Shizuru find a way out of this by themselves, but will Mizuki ever be free of this irritating laughter? This is another solid episode, if nothing outstanding, cementing Mokke’s middle of the table position.

Moyashimon 2: It’s a hard life when you can see microbes, but it looks like our lead might be able to make some money when a pair of second-years approach him with a business proposition- if he can use his ability to cultivate pure samples of certain microbes, they can sell it for a high price. I have to admit that two episodes in, the supporting characters are generally tiresome, but it is the cute inventiveness of the microbes that keeps me interested.

The long-haired naked guy scares me.

*HIATUS* Rental Magica 3: The latest series to be pushed aside until some unknown later, Rental Magica’s offence was a third episode so unexciting that I could barely bring myself to pay attention to it. Featuring a boy who was put into an ageless sleep when he tried to summon a god and the obligatory sister who wants to put things right, the episode seemed to meander about a lot without ever really proving anything. Characters set out to prove themselves only to need deus ex machina, generic looking gods come down to be exorcised, and other things happen in the spaces when you can’t be bothered to pay attention.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 22-4: I’ve been incredibly slack with SaiMono lately, but I bit the bullet and sat through a triple bill of raws before heading over to THAT to get a better handle of what was going on. Anyway, episode 22 concludes the art thief arc, with Santa going off and promising to become a man worthy of a marriage proposal (hard to care when he’s so new to the cast) and Karin revealing her identity as a member (and next head) of the Heki family.

23-4 kick us off into a new and better arc, albeit one with even more new characters to keep track of- some bishie, others less so. Together with Suou and new character Riku Seiga, Shuurei has been put in charge of the no-hopers of the officials, the usual group of losers that a plucky lead has to whip into ship. Can Shuurei manage it, however- after all, even those closest to her have to admit that she is somewhat too naïve for the capital. I really hope that Shuurei can come through on her own strength, but what will this coming of age spell for her personality?

City of the Ran clan, or Neo Venezia?

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 9: I have to admit that Sensei has not returned to the early heights as I had hoped, meaning that this episode was part-bland, part-entertaining. The first half, in which Sensei encourages the class to list all their mistakes, seemed like a throwaway rehash of a joke that is getting stale, but things picked up in the second half as Sensei became paranoid as to whether anyone in his class was who they claimed to be.

Shion no Ou 2: Shion is ready to step into the world of female pros, but there are those who want her taken out- permanently. I have to admit that I find the creepy stalker guy who seems to be the one who murdered Shion’s parents quite disturbing, so much so that I don’t want him to spend the whole series menacing our heroine. Meanwhile, Saori realises that her shougi is too ‘kind’ and instantly corrects that in a single off screen match, whilst our resident trap is still in it for the money. I’m still not sure what to think overall, although I need to stop expecting ‘Hikaru no Go 2’ from this series.

Rosenberg returns in his latest role.

Sketchbook ~full color’S~ 2-3: It may not be Aria or even Binchou-tan quality, but Sketchbook delivers another instalment of gentle charm in this double bill. First up, Sora sees what happens when she doesn’t follow quite her usual routine for the day, followed by a summer festival episode that will surprise no one. Despite the almost spaced-out “my pace” nature of the lead and the general lack of originality in content, this cat-filled series continues to offer a burst of tranquillity- it won’t blow your mind, but nor will it bore.

MANGA

Hunter X Hunter 263-4: Another short and unfulfilling pair of chapters this time around, in which god mode Netero descends from above to rain shining dragons down on the palace. Not much else to say, really, except to start waiting for Togashi’s next effort.

Nodame Cantabile 89-93: It’s déjà vu all over again as Chiaki rubs the Roux-Marlet Orchestra the wrong way with his demands for perfection- when is he ever going to learn? Meanwhile, Tanya makes a decision about her future; ultimately it’s an enjoyable few chapters that don’t advance the story a great deal but make you want to read onwards.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 170-1: Seishirou is here, but whilst he and Syaoran start fighting over who gets possession of his feather, there are more pointless revelations to be made. Apparently, between Fye and Tomoyo paid the price for letting the group go to the relative safety of Nihon country after Celes, all part of the Great Plot Contrivance that is hopefully going somewhere, someday.

Damn you anime, I want to live! Due to an unmanageable amount of releases this week, some titles have been postponed until next round-up.

Reviewed this week: Baccano! 8, Doujin Work 8-12, ef- a tale of memories 1, Gundam 00 1, Kaiji 1, Koutetsu Sangokushi 14-15, MariMite OVA 5, Mokke 1, Mononoke 10-11, Oh! Edo Rocket 19-20, Rental Magica 1, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 8, Shana II 1, Shounen Onmyouji 19, Sisters of Wellber 10

…and in manga: Chokotto Sister 46, Claymore ES 4, Spiral 58-9

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Dennou Coil (1) – the best of the best of the best, sir!
2. Oh! Edo Rocket (2) – I love this show!
3. SaiMono II (3) – four men in a closet
4. Baccano! (4) – eternal life
5. Kaiji (-) – gambling boat <-new!
6. Mushi-Uta (5) – best episode yet
7. Mononoke (7) – bake-neko
8. Mokke (-)- seven flowers of autumn <-new!
9. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (6) – I’m in despair!
10. Clannad (9) – sad girls in springtime
11. Gundam 00 (-) – double balls <-new!
12. Doujin Work (10) – light entertainment that was actually entertaining <- complete!
13. Rental Magica (-)- generic but new light fun <-new!
14. ef- a tale of memories (-)- three shows in one? <-new!
15. Koutetsu Sangokushi (11) – pure HARD GAY
16. Shakugan no Shana II (-)- way to reuse old events <-new!
17. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (12) – Takano meets Hitler
18. Seirei no Moribito (13) – the egg must hatch
19. Romeo X Juliet (14) – what’s the point anymore?
20. El Cazador de la Bruja (15) – the end is in sight

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Tetsuko no Tabi (1)- is this ever going to be subbed?
2. Sisters of Wellber (2) – predictable but fun
3. Shounen Onmyouji (3)- mediocre
4. Love GetChu! (4)- light entertainment

Baccano! 8: It’s back to the train as the main focus in this episode, although there’s also plenty more going on as usual. This time around, we get another look into the exploits of the delightfully eccentric Isaac and Miria, who among other things, once robbed the Genoard house. I’m probably speaking too soon, but I’m slowly getting a handle on what’s going on, and happily, it still remains as enjoyable as ever. I want more right away, and more than that, I’d love to read the original novels, which look delightfully complex in their mix of characters and timelines.

*COMPLETE* Doujin Work 8-12: The light fun continues apace in this unprecedented five episode spree that brings this short summer series to a close. First up is an episode which sees Najimi and Nidou compete once again to sell the most copies, before everyone heads to the beach for a spot of relaxation that swiftly turns into an unproductive doujinshi drawing camp. Meanwhile, the final three episodes set up a short arc of sorts, in which Hoshi’s manga editor brother shows up, causing Hoshi to persuade him that Najimi should be given a chance to debut as a professional artist. As always, it’s on the rails stuff with a predictable outcome, but unlike most series that try to offer light comedy, Doujin Work has actually been funny. I wouldn’t actually mind a second series of this.

*NEW* ef- a tale of memories 1: I should have known it was a mistake to look forward to this one too much, for although I didn’t dislike it as much as I feared after reading Hinano’s write-up, but even so, what the hell is going on? I feel like I’m watching three different shows here, each of them populated with rip-offs from Air, Kanon, Tsukihime and Polyphonica. The animation is also rather strange; not just because of the odd visual quirks that are SHAFT’s stock-in trade, but because everyone seems to have massive eyes (even by anime standards) stuck onto thin faces. Anyway, from what I can gather, there’s a girl who hangs out at an abandoned station and randomly meets a guy there, and her two older siblings, one of whom is a secret manga artist. He too randomly meets a girl, and so the stage is set for our various story threads, wherever they may lead. And what was up with the random Touhou playing?

*NEW* Gundam 00 1: Ah, good old Gundam Double Balls, I was determined not to like you, but I have to admit the first third or so of this episode at least was actually rather good. Then of course it degenerated into the usual confusing mass of factions, mobile suit battles and an organisation who wishes to put a stop to war- by beating everyone to a pulp with their mobile suits. Still, overall this opening episode wasn’t too bad when compared to expectations, but I have to ask- does anyone else experience what I have decided to call “mecha blindness”? For sufferers of this condition, it becomes nigh impossible to understand the convoluted underlying plots of mecha series such as Gundam due to character and faction overload.

Kaiji 1: Akagi was legendary, awesome, MANLY and GAR, and now that it has long concluded we have its brother series to enjoy- Kaiji, another Madhouse production originally created by the same mangaka. This time around, our lead is Itou Kaiji, and unemployed, disillusioned bum who amuses himself by vandalising cars- at least until he gets saddled with a 3.8 million yet debt from acting as guarantor for a friend’s loan. Desperate to get it paid off quickly, Kaiji agrees to board a special boat where he can gamble against other debtors in the hopes of winning the money he needs- but what kind of unpleasant surprises await him on board? It’s obvious that this is going to be slow-paced like its predecessor, and I do hope that the entire series isn’t about this boat, but this was nonetheless a good opening episode, and I’m confident this will be one of my favourites of the season.

Koutetsu Sangokushi 14-15: It’s a double bill of HARD GAY this time around, and somehow the series is still managing to break new boundaries without ever becoming true yaoi. In episode fourteen, everyone mopes over Zhou Yu’s death and the fact that he is only good for CORPSE now, whilst fifteen sees Zhuge Liang set up the country of Shu with Liu Bei et al, whilst Lu Su plans to steal the Lord’s Cube in order to earn his idol’s affection. I guess there is a vague adherence to the broadest of historical events, but the amazing HARD GAY-ness of this show has to be seen to be believed- what other show could make Loveless, Meine Liebe and even Busou Renkin look STRAIGHT?

*COMPLETE* Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA 5: Well, this has been out for ages already, but thanks to my completely failing to notice, I’ve only just got around to subjecting myself to the final fifty minutes of HARD YURI antics from the girls of Lilian. This time around, the second-years are off for a school trip to Italy, and whilst it lacks the out-and-out bizarre-ness of the school festivals, I never realised it was possible to make a visit to Italy so boring. In between all the angst, HARD YURI and hotel room scenes (not as corrupt as they sound), however, it is quite a tedious fifty minutes, with the only consolation being that this marks the end of this long and drawn out OVA. I only hope the return to TV series format in the fourth season will help this series return to form.

*NEW* Mokke 1: When I heard that Mokke was a series about a girl who can see spirits and her sister who gets possessed by them, I had high hopes for it- surely it would another Someday’s Dreamers. In retrospect, it could easily have turned out to be as awful as Yume Tsukai, but if this first episode is anything to go by, it is closer to the worthy end of the scale. In this episode, the younger sister is desperate to collect the ‘seven flowers of autumn’ for her grandma before the imminent harvest moon viewing, but in order to get the last one, she will have to venture into the mountains, home to a dark force that can suck away the life of the unwary. It’s too early to assess Mokke’s full potential, but this is a promising first episode, and if the series continues in this vein, it should be another charming magical outing. It also helps that Grandpa reminds me a lot of an older version of Mushishi’s Ginko for some reason.

Mononoke 10-11: The final arc of Mononoke begins here, and in an homage to Ayakashi, the Bake Neko is back. This time around, the feline strikes on a train journey, isolating six passengers who all have a connection to a mysterious suicide- can the medicine seller figure out the truth behind it? Although this won’t rank as my favourite arc, this has the right level of mystery and creepiness, and will ensure that I want a second season of this series as well.

Oh! Edo Rocket 19-20: Oh! Edo, in my eyes you can do no wrong- after all, who can’t love a series that’s joking around with pop culture references one minute, and then showing the villainess casually ripping out someone’s eye the next? Anyway, in this double bill, Akai’s actions are exposed and we learn the truth about the blue beast’s crimes, before that particular storyline is resolved in an appropriately flashy and completely-out-of-place-for –a-historical-drama fashion. Now all that remains is to send Sora home, but are Seikichi and his friends up to the task? In a series where even bullet-proof vests can show up, anything’s possible.

*NEW* Rental Magica 1: In the first few minutes of Rental Magica, we see magicians-for-hire Astral hunt down a dog monster in an action-packed car, broomstick and other vehicle chase, and for those few moments, I thought that maybe this wouldn’t be too bad after all. Unfortunately, after a promising opening, the series lapses into something safer and more generic, with Astral taking on a new job on behalf of a girl who lost her grandfather. That’s not to say it isn’t watchable, but at the same time, everything about this series seems to have been derived from somewhere else, with such character types as the weak harem lead President of Astral, who is useless until he exposes his bizarre right eye (I’m guessing his dead father gave it to him). So far I count Ghost Hunt, Aria and Shrine of the Morning Mist amongst the show’s influences, although there must be more.

This guy uses cat shikigami.

Young Alicia from Aria lands a new role in this series.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 8: Although this was certainly better than the last episode I watched, my relationship with this series seems to have cooled a bit- it remains entertaining, but I no longer feel any need to laugh out loud the way I did with the first few episodes. This time around, Sensei ends up in despair about how deeds can so easily be overshadowed- all the while failing to notice that one of his own students is so insignificant that no one ever notices him. The second half of the series focuses on ‘criticism training’- the idea of criticising someone so that they will get used to it. I have to admit that the first half was better, whilst the second seemed rather distasteful even for dark humour.

*NEW* Shakugan no Shana II 1: It’s a new season of Shana, which means more addictively excellent animation and a whole new wave of depressingly mediocre story- which isn’t even from the novels this time around. To kick off, we have a lacklustre introduction in which Yuji gets trapped in a world that repeats events from the first season (I once joked that Friagne would be back, but I never imagined that it would actually happen); also, depressingly enough the romantic situation has been reset, and will now be put on repeat for the entire series. I think I will watch this one raw- having to concentrate and not understanding it all should improve the experience.

The animation is the only thing I like.

Shounen Onmyouji 19: After the pointless episode we had last time, I was hoping for something of a return to the main plot here, but even though we get back to the antics of Kazane and her boss, it still isn’t very exciting. Whilst Seimei provides a bit of obligatory back story on this most heinous of villains, Kazane opens a gate to the underworld and Masahiro is left to protect everyone, despite only being a junior onmyouji. It looks like this episode is starting the slow build-up to the final confrontation of the series, but worryingly, we haven’t even met three of the Spirit Summons yet. Mediocre as this may be at times, I still want to see another season.

Wellber no Monogatari ~Sisters of Wellber~ 10: What happens after two lead characters decide to go their separate ways? If you answered “they angst about each other until a convenient series of events allows for forgiveness and reunion”, give yourself a gold star, because that’s exactly what happens in this episode. With the help of some returning characters from earlier episodes, Tina tries and fails to get on with her life doing honest work with another woman, whilst Rita learns that she mistakenly accused Tina- the only problem is, now they only have a single day to reach Greedom. Can they make it in time?

MANGA
Chokotto Sister 46: The fanservice breaks new records in this chapter, despite the inclusion of a completely useless police tape censor on one double page spread. This time around, Choko and Konatsu apprehend a thief who had made off with Kakeru’s sister’s bag (it’s a small world), thus earning themselves a free trip to her family’s bathhouse- complete with all the nipple shots and gratuitous nudity you could hope for.

Claymore ES 4: At long last, it’s the story I’ve been waiting for- Claire’s life after she first joined the organisation. Here we get to see her both in training and on the day when she took the test to become a true Claymore, and as always, these side stories interest me far more than the main series.

Spiral 58-9: In a rather bizarre turn of events, Ayumu’s destined rival Hizumi actually comes to live with him at this point, leading to a chapter of him settling in before starting at Ayumu’s school. There, Hizumi quickly gains popularity with his generic classmates, and even the usually unpopular Ayumu is able to ride the wave and enjoy being in the limelight for once. It seems like an oddly light turn for the series, but the darker undercurrents thankfully remain.