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!

On a side note, don’t expect the likes of Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop and Evangelion to appear on here. Whilst the first two at least are certainly solid enough, they appear on recommendation lists throughout the land, and it’s time they stood aside to let worthier series get some of the spotlight.

The Grand List Part One: A to L

Of course I wanted to include Dennou Coil on here, but since it hasn’t finished airing yet, it’s a bit too early to pass final judgement.

Air

What’s it about?: When travelling puppeteer Yukito comes to a new town, his only thought is earning enough to eat, but in short order he finds himself drawn into the mysteries of the inhabitants. Based on an eroge by Key, Air is split into three arcs- the Summer arc, in which Yukito becomes entangled in the life and back story of the various female protagonists; the Summer Arc, which goes back a few centuries and explores the lives of the previous incarnations of the protagonists, and the Air arc, which concentrates on main girl Misuzu as sickness threatens to consume both her life and her bond with her adoptive mother.

Why watch it?: Far more than a simple harem series, Air unites a likable lead with a group of girls whose stories are far more compelling and heart-wrenching than the standard “mother died and father disappeared” of so many series. Coupled with the beautiful visuals and poignant music, the series creates an atmosphere that inevitably draws you into its world and makes you care about what is happening onscreen (unless of course you happen to be Owen).

Devil’s Advocate: With only twelve episodes to fit everything in (the thirteenth and final episode is a mere recap), it isn’t surprising that the anime has to proceed forward at a brisk pace, sometimes to the detriment of letting a point sink and truly make sense. Even so, when you consider that 24-6 episodes could have made the whole thing painfully slow, and that the Summer arc at least got two special episodes to help expand it a bit more, maybe its current incarnation is all for the best.

Final Verdict: Atmospheric and beautiful- an eroge adaptation done right.

Akagi

What’s it about?: One rain-soaked night in the 1960s, a teenager named Akagi Shigeru lights up the underworld by winning a high stakes mah-jongg match- despite having never played the game before. From then on, Akagi’s rare talent and unique genius for risking everything blazes a trail through the underworld as he becomes involved in a series of increasingly high-stakes matches.

Why watch it?: An entire series based around mah-jongg may sound dull, but Akagi proves to be a compelling series that draws you into its world regardless of whether you have any prior knowledge of the game. With its expertise at creating tension, Akagi can make you care far more about the flip of a single tile than some series do about the death of a major character.

Devil’s Advocate: Yes, it’s ugly, MANLY and the ending is inconclusive, and for this reason most people will be put off before they even begin. Even if such things aren’t to your taste, however, I must urge you to put aside your preconceptions and at least try the first few episodes.

Final Verdict: It may look like an unattractive testosterone fest, but Akagi’s extreme mah-jongg action can draw anyone into its world. Sit back and enjoy the ride- and maybe learn something about the game along the way.

Aria

What’s it about?: On the terraformed planet Aqua (formerly Mars), beautiful gondoliers known as undines ply the canals of Neo Venezia, a recreation of Earth’s Venice. Having come to Aqua from Earth, Akari Mizunashi works and trains hard for the day when she too will become a full-fledged undine, although on the way there is plenty of time for her and her friends to explore the secrets and wonders that their world has to offer.

Why watch it?: Aria is the epitome of slice-of-life- gentle, tranquil, charming and yet never dull. Thanks to the sense of wonder that infuses the entire series, even the simplest of actions seems fresh and new once again, and with such delightful characters exploring a beautiful city, it seems impossible to tire of their adventures. Oh, and there’s a fat cat too- what more can you ask for?

Devil’s Advocate: For those who aren’t as enamoured of the genre, Aria may seem a little slow and boring, even the most dedicated of followers cannot deny that there are moments when the whole thing becomes a little too saccharine and sweet.

Final Verdict: Though not quite perfect, Aria is still very good, and if you have any liking at all for quieter anime series, you must absolutely give this a try.

Azumanga Daioh

\r\nWhat’s it about?: Six very different girls are attending high school together- ten-year-old prodigy Chiyo, loud and energetic Tomo, completely spaced out Osaka, hard-working Yomi, quiet cat-lover Sakaki and sports jock Kagura. Accompany them through their high school years and experience everything from everyday events to the downright bizarre.

Why watch it?: It may not be Pani Poni Dash or early School Rumble, but Azumanga’s randomness and running gags are a lot of fun. Even though on the surface it doesn’t seem to go anywhere, Azumanga guides us through three years of high school antics, whilst sparking all sorts of oddball encounters and random conversations through the combination of six very different personalities.

Devil’s Advocate: The way the series moves from one short skit to another will not sit well with viewers looking for something more continuous, and even fans may have to admit that showing similar events occurring in the girls’ first, second and third years is more a route to repetitiveness than amusement.

Final verdict: Yes, not every part hits the mark, but when you consider that each episode is divided into five five-minute sketches, it is still quite impressive that so many of them manage to amuse.

Beck

What’s it about?: Koyuki is a bored fourteen-year-old who feels distanced from life- at least until her meets the dedicated yet eccentric Minami Ryuusuke, a young man looking to set up his own band, Beck. Gradually, Koyuki finds himself drawn into the world of rock music, eventually joining Beck as the band struggles to make a name for itself.

Why watch it?: Most music-based anime are hopelessly idealistic, with the lead becoming a star mere moments after they first pick up a microphone- not so with Beck, which aims to give a more realistic portrayal of the difficulties of breaking into the industry. Victory is not inevitable here, and so for once you can really throw your lot in with the characters as you long for them to overcome the odds and finally succeed.

Devil’s Advocate: On the flip side of the coin, because things can and do go wrong so often, it can sometimes be a little painful wondering if the band’s latest success will only be a fleeting one.

Final verdict: Even if you don’t like rock music, I urge you to give this a try- unless you are completely apathetic and dead to the world of music, you will find yourself drawn into the world of Beck.

Berserk

What’s it about?: Feared as the Black Swordsman, the mighty warrior Guts roams the land in search of revenge on the powerful Griffith- yet once, Guts and Griffith were comrades and fellow mercenaries in the Band of the Hawk. What was it that drove the two men apart?

Why watch it?: Berserk may look like a sausage-fest of manly men wielding large swords in an age of gore, but beneath this off-putting exterior, it truly is very good. An immersive tale of the lives of its characters, Berserk may be explicit, but such things seem vital to the nature of the story rather than gratuitously included for the shock value. Just like Guts’ bulging muscles and mighty sword, this is a story that is solid as iron and substantial through and through- you’ll get so drawn into its world that you will absolutely need to keep watching.

Devil’s Advocate: Admittedly, with all the gruesome monsters and bloody battles going on, this is not for the faint of heart, and there are many who dislike the turn taken by the conclusion of the story (although personally, whilst those scenes are quite disturbing, I accept them because that it where the story was going all alone). Also, the anime only covers the flashback arc of the manga, with the ongoing present day events left out through lack of time.

Final verdict: One of the rare series that manages to be MANLY yet worthy, Berserk will gleefully welcome you into its world of extremes, and may never let you go.

Big O

What’s it about?: Forty years ago, a disaster occurred that changed the face of the planet and left the survivors without any memory of their past; now, gathered together under the domes of Paradigm City, humanity tries to live as best it can, but fragments of memories have a way of resurfacing. As a Negotiator, Roger Smith acts as a mediator in various cases throughout the city, but when things turn ugly, he must rely on the assistance of Big O, a giant robot that answers to his call.

Why watch it?: Big O is one of those delightfully complex series that packs in everything from giant robot battles to a deeper mystery that examines the nature of self and memory. From memorable moments such as Roger re-spraying his car on the fly to elude pursuers to the deeper questions as to what the whole series was about (whole internet sites are devoted to this topic), Big O certainly leaves you with enough food for thought to mull over long after you finish watching it.

Devil’s Advocate: By the same token, Big O is confusing- so much so that it’s debatable whether anyone other than the writers knows what it was really meant to be about. This is not a series that takes well to casual viewing- you will need to invest a bit of effort to get the best out of it.

Final verdict: It may be confusing, but with such uniqueness in both storytelling and visual style, it stands apart from the crowd and is thus worthy of attention.

Binchou-tan

What’s it about?: Binchou-tan is a tiny girl who lives on her own in the forest and spends her days gathering necessities from the surrounding area, heading into the nearby town to work, or just taking time out to relax. Join Binchou-tan and her equally diminutive friends as they fill their days with both work and play.

Why watch it?: Binchou-tan is epitome of “simple yet sweet” slice of life, whose quietly charming approach and beautiful settings make it addictively cute rather than saccharine. With each episode only running to ten minutes in length, it never has time to get boring or outstay its welcome.

Devil’s Advocate: That being said, just because I didn’t find it dull doesn’t mean others will take to it as warmly- Sasa for one lost interest in it early on, and others may find themselves put off by the moe aspect and extremes of chibiness.

Final verdict: It’s not Aria, but nor is it as sickeningly cute as you might think- instead, this is a nice little slice-of-life series that should satisfy most fans of the genre.

Boogiepop Phantom

What’s it about?: Something changed the night the white light was seen in the city. People started evolving, gaining new abilities beyond those of normal humans, whilst all across the city, strange phenomena began to appear. What triggered these changes? What is the truth behind the mysterious Towa Organisation and their interest in evolved humans? And just who or what is the shinigami of urban legend known as Boogiepop?

Why watch it?: A series that combines horror, mystery and the supernatural, Boogiepop Phantom is just one part of a much larger franchise, but even taken on its own, it proves an intriguing and absorbing series. With individual stories told from different perspectives and often encompassing different time periods, Boogiepop slowly but skilfully builds up the bigger picture whilst simultaneously delivering content that works on an episodic basis.

Devil’s Advocate: Unsurprisingly, this is another series that only rewards concentration and multiple viewings- without them, it can be hard to even remember the bulk of what happened, let alone grasp the overall story. It also has to be admitted that not all the episodic elements are up to par- episode three in particular stands out as a poorly done and largely pointless piece.

Final verdict: It is a bit inconsistent in places, but overall Boogiepop Phantom is a quirky and unique series that stands as one of the better horror and supernatural offerings out there.

Le Chevalier d’Eon

What’s it about?: The year is 1742, and the body of Lia de Beaumont has just been found in a coffin floating down the Seine- and for her brother d’Eon, it signals the start of a journey. Possessed by Lia’s restless soul, he finds himself driven to find the cause of her death, and in so doing, he and his comrades find themselves travelling across Europe and uncovering conspiracies and agendas that permeate even the highest of authorities. Can d’Eon survive long enough to uncover the truth, or will he fall victim to mysterious powers possessed by the many forces seeking to advance their own agendas?

Why watch it?: Historical series always have the appeal of letting us relive another time and place, and Chevalier is no exception, combining drama and politics with a splash of fantasy for generally positive results. It may teeter on the edge of the realms of cheese, but somehow it always pulls itself back from the brink with strong performances that bring a little piece of 18^th century France, Russia and England to life.

Devil’s Advocate: Much as I love it, I would be the first to admit that Chevalier is not without its flaws. On close inspection, several key story elements seem questionable (especially the ending), and certainly those looking for more mindless action and less introspection may find themselves disappointed- it also won’t go down well with the ‘history is dry and boring’ crowd.

Final verdict: A series that encourages you to overlook its flaws rather than dwell on them, Chevalier is the kind of series that breeds new addicts to historical fantasy.

Crest of the Stars

What’s it about?: When Jinto was just a boy, his father handed his world to the Abh Empire, a mighty stellar force of genetically modified human who believe their empire is the best buffer against instellar war. Flash forward a few years, and Jinto is now an honorary Abh being given the same off-world education as any noble in the Empire. On his way to military college, however, he not only undergoes a fateful meeting with the beautiful and proud Abh Lafiel, but becomes embroiled in the forefront of events when the so-called United Mankind decides to declare war on the Abh.

Why watch it?: Set in a well-realised sci-fi universe, Crest of the Stars proves to be an adept hand at presenting close-up character drama alongside space opera on a grander scale. Whether you like coming-of-age stories or simply yearn for aliens, politics and tense space battles, Crest of the Stars has it all, and it all makes for compulsive viewing.

Devil’s Advocate: Take on its own, thirteen episodes is really only just enough to get the series going rather than wrap everything up- for more of the same you’ll have to progress to the sequel series Banner of the Stars.

Final verdict: It may be getting on in years, but sci-fi fans will eat this one up.

Fafner

What’s it about?: The remote Tatsumiya Island is one of the last outposts left to humanity in its war against the alien Festum. The children of the island remain completely unaware of this, however, until the day a Festum attacks and the truth of their world is revealed. Now recruited into the battle against the Festum, teenager Kazuki Makabe and his friends must learn to pilot the Fafners, giant robots capable of holding their own against the enemy, but at a terrible cost to the pilot.

Why watch it?: I almost judged Fafner not quite good enough for this list, but even though objectively it can be considered a flawed and incomplete work, there is just something about it that makes it curiously compelling. Perhaps it is the glimpses of sheer potential seen in such moments as the death of a pilot, maybe it is simply the top notch presentation of battles between Fafner and Festum, but the series exerts pull beyond that of most mecha series, making one desperately want more.

Devil’s Advocate: Whilst I wouldn’t quite call it the bastard child of Evangelion and RahXephon as so many do, Fafner does suffer from a lack of overall cohesion- interesting story ideas are woven in, but inconsistent writing often makes it hard to penetrate the intent of a scene, or why the series as a whole took a particular direction.

Final verdict: Far from perfect, but possessed of an addictiveness few mecha series achieve and thus more memorable than the bulk of the genre.

Fantastic Children

What’s it about?: Throughout history they have a appeared- a group of white-haired children wise beyond their apparent years, searching for something they once lost. Who are they, what are they looking for- and why does their quest seem so intimately involved with that hazy and forbidden realm that separates the living from the dead?

Why watch it?: Although it’s hard to explain the story without giving away too much vital information, in some ways it is enough to merely say that Fantastic Children is sheer excellence. A carefully woven mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the end, Fantastic Children entices without frustrating as it slowly but surely places its cards on the table. With its strong characters and adeptness at handling everything from tense action scenes to lighter moments, Fantastic Children makes good use of every single minute of screen time.

Devil’s Advocate: The simplistic character designs may make the series look a little childish at first, but spend enough time with them and you will begin to appreciate their odd attractiveness.

Final verdict: One of the finest examples of anime to date, it may not have the visual allure of other series, but the story really packs a punch.

Fruits Basket

What’s it about?: When high school student Tohru Honda becomes a housekeeper for the Sohma family in exchange for a place to stay, she discovers that they are afflicted with a most unusual curse- when hugged by members of the opposite sex, they transform into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac! It may seem comical, but their unique condition has led this family to experience their own problems of fear and isolation; can Tohru’s optimism and kindness help them to open their hearts to others?

Why watch it?: It’s hard to find someone who has watched Fruits Basket and doesn’t love it, and even now it remains one of the best character dramas out there- delivering heart-wrenching serious content whilst knowing when to lighten up without destroying the moment or feeling too flippant.

Devil’s Advocate: Since it aired whilst the manga was still ongoing, the series covers less than eight of the story’s twenty-three volumes, but whilst this leaves it definitely unfinished, it has to be admitted that it prevents the anime from experiencing the same decline as the manga. There’s also some odd pacing in the last quarter of the series, possibly because these later episodes are drawn from the manga in a changed order.

Final verdict: If you can put aside the disappointment of the later manga volumes and just focus on the anime alone, this remains a worthy series.

Gankutsuou

What’s it about?: Loosely based on The Count of Monte Cristo, Gankutsuou takes the classic tale of revenge and sets it in a space-faring future. When the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo returns to Paris, young Albert de Morcerf is very taken with the rich and enigmatic noble, but beneath his fabulous wealth and genial outlook lurks a hidden past, and a deep need for revenge on those who once wronged him.

Why watch it?: Gankutsuou immediately captivates with its unique visual style and use of patterns and textures, but beneath this there is also plenty of substance. Yes, the sci-fi elements give away the fact that staying true to the book is not the series’ prime concern, but even so, it retains a strong and compelling story with an entire cast of distinctive characters.

Devil’s Advocate: Book purists will no doubt be put off by the sci-fi setting and changes to the original story, but overall there is little to say against this series.

Final verdict: Unique, stylish and one of Gonzo’s better efforts- why can’t all of their adaptations be like this?

Genshiken

What’s it about?: It’s not the anime club, and it’s not the manga club- this is “Genshiken”, the Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture. Looked down upon by their fellow university students, this eclectic bunch nonetheless strives to embrace the otaku side, indulging in everything from cosplay to doujinshi.

Why watch it?: Ever wanted to peek into the otaku lifestyle? Perhaps you just want to be reassured that, compared to some, your obsession with the hobby is really quite mild. Either way, Genshiken will do the trick for you, offering an amusing yet often disturbingly realistic glimpse into the lives of various otaku and the people closest to them.

Devil’s Advocate: The only downer is not from Genshiken itself, but from the accompanying Kujibiki Unbalance OVA, which is meant to parody various anime but actually comes across as quite dull and generic in the process.

Final verdict: Always good fun, Genshiken mixes memorable characters and apt observations to make a solid final product. Look forward to the upcoming second season.

Gungrave

What’s it about?: Harry McDowell is the chief of the criminal organisation Millennion, a powerful man who fears only one thing- his resurrected nemesis Brandon “Beyond the Grave” Heat. Yet these two men were once the best of friends- what could have happened to change things so?

Why watch it?: In its first sixteen episodes or so, Gungrave has the makings of a masterpiece, a tale of friends who must inevitably turn against each other, driven by ambition, ideals or just a desire to protect. The dialogue is incredibly well-written, layering each scene with a variety of intents and meanings, whilst the mafia setting allows for a healthy dose of action as well.

Devil’s Advocate: Sadly, once it hits the home stretch, Gungrave turns from a top notch character drama into a straight-out adaptation of the first game, thus offering little more than a series of successive boss fights. Yes, there are still good moments, but compared to what came before, it feels like a bit of an anticlimax.

Final verdict: Although it is let down by its later episodes, the mafia drama of the earlier arcs is enough to warrant investigation.

Gunslinger Girl

What’s it about?: Italy’s Social Welfare Agency- on the surface, it is an organisation dedicated to helping disadvantaged children and giving them a new lease of life. Whilst this not strictly inaccurate, however, what few people know is that the girls taken in by the Agency are actually turned into cyborgs and given training and conditioning designed to turn them into deadly assassins. The girls seem happy enough with their new lives, but can anyone justify robbing them of their childhood and turning them into mere tools to be used and discarded? Or is this the only way the Italian government can hope to fight back against the terrorists who would go to any length to ensure their message is heard?

Why watch it?: A strong character-driven piece, Gunslinger Girl combines the trials of adolescence with the unique condition of being a cyborg, trained to kill and show utter devotion to one’s handler. The true meat of the series comes from exploring the different cyborg-handler relationships, with a healthy dose of action and intrigue thrown in for good measure. Production values are also top notch, bringing Italy to life through both visuals and music.

Devil’s Advocate: Admittedly, some of the political elements are somewhat forgettable, and minor characters don’t really get much development- an unfortunate consequence of only covering the first two manga volumes. Happily, a second season is on its way.

Final verdict: Beautiful in every sense of the word, Gunslinger Girl is a must-watch for anyone who considers themselves an anime fan.

Haibane Renmei

What’s it about?: It started with a dream of falling, and then she woke up in a new world with no memory of what had come before. Given the name Rakka by her peers, the young woman grew wings and gained a halo, thus becoming a Haibane. Together with her fellow Haibane, Rakka begins living and working in this mysterious land within the walls, but it cannot last forever- for one day each Haibane must undergo the Day of Flight and finally move on…

Why watch it?: As well as carrying deeper themes that will give the viewer much to think about both during and after the series, Haibane Renmei is to be commended for its incredible attention to detail. Every piece of this world has been painstakingly brought to life, and you can do no less than completely immerse yourself in it from start to finish, sharing the emotions and experiences of its characters.

Devil’s Advocate: This is not a series for those who like clear, definitive answers, because for the most part, it leaves you to draw your own conclusions. Certainly it isn’t hard to put together an interpretation of the series, but if you yearn for explicit explanations of every single aspect of the series, then you will be left feeling frustrated.

Final verdict: Touching and heart-wrenching, Haibane Renmei is a series to be drunk in and remembered in all its vivid detail for a long time to come.

Hikaru no Go

What’s it about?: Whilst rummaging around in his grandfather’s attic, Shindo Hikaru gets more than he bargained for when he comes across an old Go board- a board that just happens to be possessed by the spirit of Heian Era Go player Fujiwara-no-Sai. Since his last chance to get out of the board and play some Go came over 140 years ago, Sai instantly takes the opportunity to possess Hikaru in the hopes of being allowed to participate in a few more matches. Unfortunately, Hikaru is not at all interested in Go, but as he reluctantly indulges his ghostly partner, he begins to discover a new appreciation for the game.

Why watch it?: I know what you’re thinking- a Shounen Jump series about a board game you’re probably unfamiliar with can’t be any good, right? Think again, for Hikaru no Go not only sidesteps the usual SJ conventions by offering a likable cast who are more than mere stereotypes, but it is also filled with an infectious love of Go that will make you want to play too. Instead of sighing at the cliché adventures of Hikaru and his friends, you’ll be urging them on.

Devil’s Advocate: Sadly, the later volumes of the manga are not covered by the anime, and even a New Years special only takes the story partway through the final arc. Another complaint which can be equally levelled at the original material is that the ever expanding cast means that certain characters get forgotten along the way, although efforts are usually made to check up on them later.

Final verdict: “SJ done right”; my favourite Shounen Jump series and a truly addictive one at that.

Honey and Clover

What’s it about?: Takemoto, Mayama, Morita, Hagu and Yamada are all attending art college and experiencing the same problems as students everywhere, from assignments and lack of money to deciding on a career and sorting out the love life. Join them as they go through the turbulent years that separate education from the “real world”.

Why watch it?: The events of Honey and Clover will ring true for anyone who has gone through even vaguely similar life experiences, ensuring that you cannot help but empathise with the characters as they undergo their own struggles. At times simple, funny, touching or just plain quirky, Honey and Clover always knows how to deliver on the emotional front.

Devil’s Advocate: The second season, sadly, is another matter, spending too long on minor characters and transforming some of the leads into simplistic caricatures (such as Mayama’s stalker tendencies). It’s also a sad fact that this series won’t even appeal to everyone in the first place- if you lack similar experiences, then you simply won’t “get it”.

Final verdict: A burst of nostalgia for those college years.

Hunter X Hunter

What’s it about?: After learning that his father is not only alive, but also a prestigious Hunter, Gon Freaks becomes determined to follow in his footsteps. At age 12, Gon leaves his home in order to take part in the Hunter Exam, a rigorous assessment of skill and stamina where even making it to the next exam is a test in itself. Together with the friends he makes along the way- hot-headed Leorio, logical Kurapica and youthful assassin Killua- Gon becomes determined to meet all the challenges that come his way, and prove himself capable of becoming a true Hunter.

Why watch it?: Another decent Shounen Jump series, HxH may get off to a slow start, but once it finds its feet, it proves to be a worthy adventure that combines elements of action and fantasy. With a fast pace that avoids the drawn out fights of other series whilst still getting in more detail and development than the manga version, Hunter X Hunter continually goes from strength to strength, proving to be an addictive experience fronted by likable rather than annoying characters.

Devil’s Advocate: The pace does slow a little in some of the later arcs such as the Sky Arena and Yorkshin auction, but this is only a temporary blip.

Final verdict: It may not be especially sophisticated, but HxH is plain good fun that rarely drags.

Ichigo Mashimaro

What’s it about?: Most sixteen (or rather twenty in the anime) year olds would choose to hang out with people their own age, but Nobue Itou is a little different. She would much rather spend time with fifth and sixth graders from elementary school- to be precise, her sister Chika, next door neighbour Miu, and friends Matsuri and Ana. Join this unlikely group as they while away the days amusing themselves with games, banter and all the other minor diversions that crop up in day-to-day life.

Why watch it?: Even though it isn’t really about anything and there’s no plot in sight, Ichigo Mashimaro manages to entertain rather than bore thanks to some smart pacing and comic timing. The observations are always amusingly apt, the jokes never drag on past their sell by date and the characters are most certainly distinctive and memorable.

Devil’s Advocate: The loli factor will certainly put off some (and indeed, Nobue’s obsession with the girls is a little disturbing at times) but if you can look past these moments, there’s a good slice-of-life series to be had.

Final verdict: It looks like it’s about nothing, but give it a chance and it proves to be an amusing experience.

Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu

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What’s it about?: After the summer vacation, a new student transfers into Asaba’s class- a mysterious girl named Iriya. A friendship quickly builds up between the pair of them, but as Asaba soon discovers, there is more to Iriya than meets the eye- for she is the pilot of the Black Manta, and the last line of defence in a war between aliens and humans that has secretly been going on for decades.

Why watch it?: Whilst the series may seem like a carbon copy of Saikano, Iriya brings its own unique flavour to the concept of a high school tied in with an alien war. A touching story set in an almost dreamlike environment, Iriya layers light and simple high school content like eating contests and club activities with darker undercurrents running just under the surface.

Devil’s Advocate: Due to its brevity, it is left to the reader to connect all the dots and figure out everything from the information presented, which means at least two viewings will be needed to gain a solid understanding of the series. It is also difficult to decide afterwards whether the ending was genuinely touching and emotional or just plain cheesy.

Final verdict: It may not always be clear just what is going on, but Iriya is nonetheless a compelling OVA that is more than the Saikano-clone it first appears to be.

Kare Kano

What’s it about?: A self-professed “Queen of Vanity” with an insatiable hunger for praise, Yukino Miyazawa spent years playing the model student, her facade so convincing that only her close family members knew the truth. When she enters high school, however, she finally meets her match in Soichiro Arima- an accomplished classmate who appears to be the real deal when it comes to being a paragon of virtue. Desperate to retain her position at the top of the class, Yukino declares Arima her bitter rival, but when Arima finds out the truth about her, it seems that matters can only get worse…at least until her anger and resentment start giving away to deeper feelings of friendship and even love.

Why watch it?: A cut above your average high school romance, Kare Kano takes strong characters with interesting quirks and back story, and puts them in a situation where they can naturally grow and mature. Nothing is abrupt or jarring0 instead, matters develop in a natural manner, with a healthy dose of comedy thrown in to prevent the series from ever getting bogged down in deep drama.

Devil’s Advocate: Not only does the anime stop rather abruptly less than halfway through the manga story, but budget issues mean that the animation is extremely short-changed, with much of the series relying on stills and other money-saving tricks. Although the inner excellence of the series still shines through, this lack of proper animation takes some getting used to, and early on it can even the alienate the viewer from onscreen events.

Final verdict: It may be a mere taster of what the manga can achieve, but that doesn’t stop it from being very good.

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien

What’s it about?: When Mitsuki helped her best friend Haruka to get together with classmate Takayuki, what she didn’t count on was falling for Takayuki herself- and when Haruka ends up in a coma after a car accident, she ends up being the one to help Takayuki get through it. Now, three years later, Mitsuki and Takayuki are an item, but when Haruka awakens from her coma with no knowledge of how much time has passed, he is to find himself torn between his past and his present.

Why watch it?: One of the rare worthy eroge adaptations, KimiNozo somehow takes a situation that should be totally laughable and ridiculous, and turns it into one where you actually find yourself on the edge of your seat as you wait to see what will happen to the protagonists. With its mastery of emotion, the series can make you laugh and cry in the same episode without ever feeling that the changes in tone are forced or abrupt.

Devil’s Advocate: That being said, there are many who find the entire series angsty and overdramatic, and indeed, even those who love it can see their point of view.

Final verdict: Like Marmite, you’ll either love it or hate it, but there’s no real way to guess which until you try it.

Kino’s Journey

What’s it about?: Kino is a traveller who journeys from country to country on her talking motorcycle Hermes; by her own rules, she must stay in one place no more than three days, but whilst there, she makes an effort to see everything it has to offer. Join Kino and Hermes as they turn up all the weird and wonderful things to be seen across the world.

Why watch it?: Although it is entirely episodic in nature, Kino’s Journey is hardly lacking in depth, with each episode introducing a new country and leaving the viewer with plenty to think about. With so many sights to see, and Kino acting as a thoughtful yet sardonic guide with a distinctive personality and back story of her own, it is impossible not to appreciate all the sights the series has to offer.

Devil’s Advocate: Although I can’t vouch for it myself, apparently the anime only draws from a mere fraction of the novel material, with some of the best stories to be found only in the original books.

Final verdict: A memorable series that leaves the viewer with plenty of food for thought, Kino’s Journey comes highly recommended.

Koi Kaze

What’s it about?: Koshiro and Nanoka are siblings, but thanks to their parents’ divorce and twelve year age gap, they haven’t seen each other since Nanoka was a baby. All that is about to change, however, for once she starts high school, Nanoka will be moving in with Koshiro and her father to avoid a lengthy commute each morning. Now, Koshiro will have to learn how to cope with this unexpected intrusion into his life- but will his relationship with Nanoka evolve into something beyond what is considered normal for a brother and sister?

Why watch it?: Incest is not something that very many viewers will be in favour of, but despite its controversial subject matter, Koi Kaze proves to be a highly worthy series. A touching tale of taboo feelings and the two people who struggle with them, Koi Kaze is so powerful that you will actually find yourself rooting for Koshiro and Nanoka in spite of their situation. To quote what I said in my original review, “The gentle music, minimal art and softly spoken characters weave a magic akin to that of any slice-of-life series, the perfect veneer for the tangled web of emotions that lurks beneath”.

Devil’s Advocate: There’s not really much to say against this series, unless you take such a violent exception to incest that a fictional and non-graphic depiction of such feelings cannot even be countenanced.

Final verdict: A series that all mature romance fans should try.

Kurau Phantom Memory

What’s it about?: When she was a little girl, a science experiment gone wrong saw the body of Kurau Amami fused with a pair of Rynax- life-forms from an alternate dimension. Years later, and the strange abilities Kurau has gained from the fusion have enabled her to become a special operative, but when the second Rynax emerges and takes a body of her own, the two women must go on the run from an organisation seeking to harness their unique power.

Why watch it?: A top notch sci-fi series from Bones, Kurau has everything- action, special powers, strong characters and an absorbing story. Instead of starting well and going downhill as so many sci-fi series are wont to do, Kurau goes from strength to strength, creating dramatic and emotional moments without ever going overboard, and including a memorable soundtrack to enhance every scene.

Devil’s Advocate: Finding fault with this series would be being picky for its own sake, so I won’t even try.

Final verdict: The best sci-fi series anime has to offer, and perhaps even one of the best series overall, even among its peers on this list.

Last Exile

What’s it about?: Claus and Lavie are best friends who dream of flying the farthest skies in their vanship like their fathers before them, but when they end up rescuing young Alvis Hamilton from a wreck, their lives are changed forever. Drawn into the battle that rages across the skies of their world, Claus and Lavie are taken on a journey filled with friends, foes, adventure and mystery.

Why watch it?: Another of Gonzo’s better efforts, Last Exile takes us to a whole other world, whose marvellous settings are limited only by the imagination. With everything from distinctive characters to tense airship battles, Last Exile weaves a compelling story filled with painstaking attention to detail.

Devil’s Advocate: Aside from the matter of a rather disappointing ending, Last Exile is one of those series that feels as if it just doesn’t have enough episodes- with so much potential in this world, it really needed more time to be explored further. The direction taken by certain characters is also questionable and a bit disappointing.

Final verdict: Although not without its flaws, Last Exile paints such a compelling world that I cannot help but love it anyway.

Come back tomorrow for part two of this article, covering Mahou Shoujotai to Zipang!

Sorry for the lateness in posting this, it will probably won’t happen again.

Reviewed this week: Baccano 1, Cazador 17, Darker than Black 17, Dennou Coil 8-11, Doujin Work 4, Higurashi Kai 4, Ichigo Mashimaro OVA 3, Mononoke 1, Mushi-Uta 3-4, Romeo X Juliet 16, SaiMono 16, Zetsubou 3, Seirei 16

…and in manga: Emma Bangaihen 10, Shinigami no Ballad 2, Solanin 8-9, Spiral 42-3, Spiral Alive 7, Tennai 26-7, Tsubasa 162

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Dennou Coil (1) – to infinite 1337, and beyond!
2. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (2) – needs more Sensei
3. SaiMono II (3) – the arc surges forward again
4. Darker than Black (4) – we can’t afford a plotless arc!
5. Baccano! (-) – intriguing <- new!
6. Mononoke (-) – middling fare <- new!
7. Tetsuko no Tabi (6)- train adventures
8. Romeo X Juliet (7) – Hermione comes, Hermione goes
9. Doujin Work (8) – this is becoming a guilty pleasure
10. Mushi-Uta (5) – senseless but watchable
11. Seirei no Moribito (9) – an exercise in monotony
12. Koutetsu Sangokushi (11) – HARD GAY
13. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (12) – inoffensive
14. El Cazador de la Bruja (13) – redefining dull

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Shounen Onmyouji (1)- a new episode after so long
2. Sisters of Wellber (-) – demoted to slow
3. Love GetChu! (2)- light entertainment
4. ROTK (3)- hilariously bad

OVA RANKINGS

1. Ichigo Mashimaro (1)- a slice of enjoyment <-complete!
2. MariMite (2)- more HARD YURI than ever
3. Mai-Otome Zwei (3)- more fat cats, less nipples please

*NEW* Baccano! 1: I’ve been looking forward to Baccano for a while, in the hopes that it would be parody material, Chevalier US, or both, and whilst this isn’t the best of starts, I am still intrigued. The first half of the episode sees the Vice Director (whoever he is) and his assistant try to pinpoint where the story began and who the main character is, before we enter the gangland wars of 1930’s America, complete with too many named characters to get a handle on, at least some of whom have superhuman healing abilities. I’m not entirely sure where all this is going, but like early Iroha, it’s well directed enough to make you want to continue with the series and see where it ends up.

El Cazador de la Bruja 17: Once, I thought I understood the meaning of the word dull, but then I watched El Cazador de la Bruja, and I came to realise that I had but the vaguest understanding of the sheer grey monotony the world is capable of. With this in mind, this particular episode, which I would once have considered boring, doesn’t actually seem too bad, offering a change of pace by letting bounty hunter Nadie actually pursue a bounty for once. Of course, every named character randomly shows up, and Nadie is revealed to be so useless that even the generics Mireille and Kirika killed every week could beat her, but the point is that this is an ever so slight change from the tedious formula that brought us the infamous Amigo Tacos episode.

Darker than Black 17: At the risk of being overly informal, what the hell is going on with this series? Once it was one of the Best Things Ever, but ever since Havoc breathed her last, the whole thing has been in a slow decline, resulting in this “break from the plot that never was” episode, in which Hei befriends a Benign Yakuza and eats dinner with his generic neighbours. I’d like to say more, but aside from disturbing Doll-service, that’s all that really happens here- all in all, this series seems to have followed Iroha in starting out by oozing masses of potential, only for it all to slowly leach away into the soil.

“Here’s your free naked apron girl!”

Dennou Coil 8-11: Is it my birthday? Is it Christmas? No, it’s something even better- four consecutive releases of Dennou Coil to make up for those empty weeks without it. Happily, unlike certain other series, Dennou Coil shows absolutely no signs of getting dull in its middle episodes; in fact, if anything, it seems to be going from strength to strength. Between them, these four episodes cover the local summer festival, a test of courage during an overnight stay at the school, a ‘treasure hunt’ following a map Haraken sees in a dream, and finally the disastrous sequence of events that occur when Daichi tries to raise an Illegal in the hope of getting metabugs from it. As well as proving highly entertaining in themselves, these episodes continue to flesh out both the characters and the world they live in, with Daichi especially growing beyond the “annoying antagonist” he started off as. Also of note is that Illegals come in more than one type- up until now, we’ve only seen ones that devour metabugs, but the one Daichi raises is more interested in eating textures. I could ramble on for a while longer, but only one thing really needs to be said- and that’s how much I love this series.

Doujin Work 4: There wasn’t as much laughing (or even chuckling) out loud in this episode, but somehow Doujin Work continues to entertain- and with such light content, 14 minutes is the perfect length to ensure that it doesn’t outstay its welcome. In this episode, Najimi reveals that, far from earning her fortune, making doujins has forced her to take on a part-time job just to cover the cost of printing- and upon following her, her friends discover that her place of work is actually a catgirl café. Naturally, things proceed predictably from there, but it still proves to be enjoyable- this series may well turn out to be the season’s guilty pleasure.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai 4: Watanagashi is here (again), and whilst Rika worries that the same tragic events will occur and bore the audience in their repetition, Satoko continues to suspect that something is up with her best friend- even if everyone else thinks the problem is with her. Once again, there are no extremes of good and bad to point out in this series, and so it remains watchable in its inoffensiveness.

*COMPLETE* Ichigo Mashimaro OVA 3: The Ichigo Mashimaro OVA comes to an end with this anime-original episode that sees the girls take a trip to Izu so that Nobue can violate them in the woods spend good, wholesome time with them. After the slightly below expectations middle episode, this one is back on form in terms of humour, whilst Miu haters will be pleased to hear that she spends eight hours stuck in the boot of the car when Nobue takes a wrong turn. It’s just a shame that the OVA has to end here, because I’m suddenly ready for more of the same.

*NEW* Mononoke 1: Ayakashi may have been dull, but even so, this spin-off featuring the medicine seller seemed worth trying- and indeed, whilst it isn’t overly engaging, nor is it too bad so far. In this episode, medicine seller stays at a inn where all is not as it seems, and when a pregnant woman starts seeing a talking doll, it seems like time for the main character to step in. In all honesty, it would have been better for the pacing if they had chosen to make this a self-contained single episode story instead of leaving the conclusion until next time (or maybe even the time afterwards), but for now I am content to keep watching in the hopes that it will fulfil my need episodic supernatural horror stories.

Mushi-Uta 3-4: With four episodes under my belt, I have to admit that Mushi-Uta’s fusion of regular high school antics and bug brawling is generally senseless, but it’s because of this that I can continue watching it. Since I don’t really have much of an idea of what’s going, it makes the series easier to watch than if it was entirely transparent, and for that reason, even though I feel I should drop it, I’m going to continue with the series. At least the character designs are nice to look at.

First this guy was Hakuoro, and now he’s Yuuichi.

Romeo X Juliet 16: Sick and tired of Romeo’s adventures down the mine shaft? Then you’ll be glad to hear that this episode swings more towards Juliet’s side of the story- at least until I fill in a few more details. For whilst Juliet is angsting over news that there was an accident at the mines, Hermione decides to muscle her way into the plot by confronting the wicked hussy who stole her fiancé’s heart- only to go home again the next morning, having accomplished precisely nothing. It’s hard to say what the plot is aiming for other than wasting time before the final arc, but having come this far, I may as well keep going.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 16: After half an episode of angst on Yougetsu and Kourin’s part, Eigetsu is brought back to life, although the cost is that Yougetsu is now dormant. With that over, it is time for the story to start moving forward again, and when the decision is made to hand over Sa Province’s governorship to Kai You, it ends with Shuurei being stripped of everything but her title as an official. Where will our lead go from here? Of course, having read spoilers I know, but whilst it was disappointingly plain from the start that the Sa Province position had to be temporary, it will still be interesting to move onto the next part of the story. Meanwhile, although I also knew that Eigetsu wouldn’t die, the way in which he magically comes back is not only overly convenient, but it also undermines the lengthy setup about his death- not that I’m not glad to have him back, of course, but I will miss Yougetsu.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 3: After its flying start, Sensei lost a bit of steam for me in this episode, for whilst Nozomu and his bleak humour remained as entertaining as ever, far too much of the episode was spent on two underwhelming new characters- a foreigner with a split Japanese/gaijin personality (mildly amusing) and an illegal immigrant (somewhat irritating). I’m hoping this is just a temporary blip and that my wholehearted love for the series will be back next episode, but I’ve learned to be wary.

Seirei no Moribito 16: Thirteen episodes ago, the Eight Evil Men were sent after Balsa and Chagum, and now, after confirming that the prince is indeed still alive, Shuga decides to take the drastic and unprecedented action of, well, sending the Eight Evil Men after Balsa and Chagum. Seriously, though, why have we been messing around for half a series if all that’s going to happen is that we reset to where we were at the beginning? Okay, so Chagum has shorter hair now and some peasant friends, but ultimately, do we even care anymore? The monotony has surely dulled our senses long before this.

MANGA

Emma Bangaihen 10: Minor maid Polly gets her turn in the spotlight in this chapter, as she and one of the German maids (I forget her name) go out on a shopping spree in London. Once again, this is an interesting chapter that shows that even the most minor characters in the Emma universe can be developed successfully.

Shinigami no Ballad 2: It’s lucky that each chapter of this manga is long enough to justify the endless wait between them, although as it turns out, this story is one that featured in the anime anyway. Still affected by the death of his older sister, Asano is a little too preoccupied with death, but can a new friend at school and a little encouragement from Momo help him to enjoy life again? This was far from my favourite episode of the anime, but whilst its manga isn’t outstanding, knowing what to expect actually makes it more enjoyable second time around. Roll on chapter three.

Solanin 8-9: It was Meiko who first had the idea of finding a new direction in life, but now Taneda is the one who has made the choice to quit the workaday world and pursue his dream of making it big with the band. Whether he will make it is as yet unknown, but after wrestling with self doubts, he seems ready to have a go at risking everything in order to attain what he truly wants. He at least has found a path worth following, but what about Meiko? She knows she doesn’t want to settle for just being an office lady, but what path will she choose?

Spiral 42-3: Ayumu is about to give up and conclude that killing Kanone is truly the only option remaining, but Hiyono isn’t having it- just because it’s what Kiyotaka planned cannot mean that there is no other way. With that in mind, Hiyono goes forth to buy Ayumu a little time, but can he come up with a plan in the minutes remaining to him? I have to say that I’m glad Ayumu wasn’t forced into dirtying his hands, and equally curious as to how this arc will pan out. It’s also good to see Hiyono taking action, something which bridges the gap between what we know about her now and what I’ve read in spoilers.

Spiral Alive 7: The second volume of Spiral Alive begins in this chapter, which re-introduces Kousuke and Ryouko as Kiyotaka draws them into the music box murder case. It’s good to get a glimpse into the past of these two characters (along with a glimpse of Kanone), and even better that the main plot hasn’t gone away just for the sake of cameos from some familiar faces. The next chapters can’t come soon enough.

Tenshi Nanka Janai 26-7: Akira has gone on a three month leave of absence, leaving Midori to pine for him and realise that he was The One after all; meanwhile, Akira’s mother reveals some details about his past and Mamiya and Takigawa finally get together. It’s all pretty standard shoujo fare as always, generally readable and mildly enjoyable, but with Yazawa’s trademark of including panels where it isn’t entirely clear what is going, or why we should care about the antics of the supporting characters.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 162: As Fye and Kurogane continue to fight, a little more of the truth comes out, as Ashura reveals that Fye’s curse was a “one time only” deal that he wished to save for himself, presumably because he feels bad about being a psychopathic killer. Really, who cares anymore- this barely makes sense.

OVA: Three more episodes of Nobue and co.
Post TV-series OVAs tend to come in two forms- either they pick up where their predecessor left off and fit quite naturally into the franchise, or they cover a new and generally quite uninspired storyline that makes you wish they’d just left well alone. Fortunately, the Ichigo Mashimaro falls into the former category, and indeed, if you didn’t know it was an OVA, you might just think what you were watching were episodes 13-15 of the TV series.

As always, the appeal of Ichigo Mashimaro, whilst certainly present, is somewhat hard to explain- just what is that makes a tale of the minutiae of everyday life so absorbing? Most likely, it stems from the interactions between the characters, as they let themselves get carried away on an amusing tangent, or make a surprisingly apt observation through their random discussions. Either way, the results are usually enjoyable to watch, and whilst the second episode in particular does drag in places, overall the OVA delivers some solidly entertaining material in keeping with the rest of the series.

Where the first two episodes are just about sewing together some of the later manga chapters, however, the third and final instalment tries something a little different, creating an original story where the girls go on an overnight trip to Izu. Despite a “we’re not on TV now!” moment where Nobue is caught scooping up Matsuri in the middle of the night and Miu kisses Chika in retaliation, the episode is generally entertaining, and those who dislike Miu will be more than happy to learn that at one point she spends eight hours in the boot of a car.

Visually, the OVA retains the clean and bright animation from the TV series; it may not be the flashiest or most complex thing you’ll ever see, but it still looks good and fits the tone of the series. Background music is reused from the series, with even the new OP and ED following the same style as their predecessors.

Manga volume five [end]
It’s something of a shame that the manga had to come to an end at this point, because it was really in this volume and the last that it started to find its feet, with Barasui finally getting a handle on comic timing, improving his artwork and generally losing the random panty shots. This is truly the Ichigo Mashimaro that those who started with the anime have come to know and love, and it just seems a shame that, having taken so long to reach this stage, we couldn’t have had a few more volumes of the series at its best.

In terms of content, these chapters are basically what went into the first two OVA episodes, so there’s nothing new to see; however, for the first time with this series I found myself preferring the manga version because I could take it at my own pace. As to be expected, there is of course no real ending, with the last proper story seeing the group explore the idea of what it means to be friends and even best friends (it’s less sappy than it may sound here), before the closing chapter puts together some short 1-2 page jokes to round the whole thing off.

Final Thoughts
Despite its somewhat shaky start in manga form, Ichigo Mashimaro was one series that was able to pull up from a less than impressive beginning to offer both genuinely amusing later volumes and a memorable animated adaptation. Sadly, unless the few remaining unused manga chapters and some more original content are tied together to make another OVA, this seems to be the end for Ichigo Mashimaro, so from now on we’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got.

Whilst the new domain picks up steam, what are people looking at over on the old Wordpress blog? Naturally, the Uta game FAQs remain popular (you’d think everyone who wanted to would have played the games by now), but Winter Cicada is also getting a lot of views. Does hard yaoi have the staying power over mere HARD GAY?

In other news, my new laptop has arrived; not only is it the laptop of the gods but it’s also one of the few that doesn’t force Vista on you straight out of the box.

Reviewed this week: Aria 24, Iroha 25-6, Bokurano 4, Cazador 6, Ichigo Mashimaro OVA 2, KouSang 5, StrikerS 6, Nodame 16, SaiMono II 6, Seirei 6, Emma II 2-3

…and in manga: Bokurano 42

ANIME

Aria the Natural 24: It’s a rainy day episode of Aria this time around, as our three undines to be hold a study session in Aika’s room, and learn a few unpleasant truths about how generics can become jealous of accomplished named characters. Whilst hardly the most exciting or memorable episode of Aria, this instalment is still as soothing and sweet as it should be, with some nice President Aria moments.

*COMPLETE* Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 25-6: After many erratic bursts, the subbing of Iroha is finally complete, and we can look back on a series that started out as incomprehensible, before turning compelling and then throwing it all away in a somewhat laughably ridiculous denouement. In these final two episodes, Akidzuki enters the contrived and senseless final boss castle to face Kakunojo and Soutetsu. It is certainly gold in the parody arena, but unintentionally amusing as the finale was, it does bring into question the point of the entire series. Oh well, it was a fun ride, if a far from perfect one.

Bokurano 4: Zearth’s second pilot, Masaru Kodama, is a pragmatic boy- his father is a corporate tycoon, and he has learned from him that life is divided into the chosen ‘haves’ and the unimportant ‘have nots’, whose very lives are unimportant. And when the time comes to step into battle against the latest enemy, this perspective is surely going to colour the way he fights.

At the risk of repeating myself, I have to admit that the pace remained slow in the first half, and it was only in the second half that it truly picked up and became gripping instead of feeling like a slow recap of what I’ve already experienced. Of course, as a reader of the manga the big reveal at the end wasn’t news to me, but knowing what I know now about the true nature of the enemy made certain parts of the episode more poignant than they would have been to the uninitiated. Nonetheless, I may put the anime on hiatus for a while, as it doesn’t bring me anything the manga cannot offer in less time and with more impact.

El Cazador de la Bruja 6: In principle, it should be a welcome change to have an episode that differs from the normal routine, but when it comes to trying a new story, Cazador somehow manages to mess it up even more. In this episode, Nadie runs into Miguel, an ex-boyfriend of sorts who once double-crossed her, and having learned her lesson in the past…she promptly lets herself get tricked by him again. Unfortunately, what the writers have failed to grasp is that in order for such a story to be believable, you have to build up a strong relationship between the people involved, whereas Miguel and Nadie seemed to be barely acquaintances, and I certainly couldn’t swallow that she had deep feelings for such a one-dimensional sleaze ball. In short, it was a disappointingly out of character episode for Nadie, and like Kanon, I probably wouldn’t still be watching this if not for parody.

On a more positive note, however, the animation actually looked a lot better this week, although that may be because I’ve switched to a monitor that isn’t breaking down.

Ichigo Mashimaro OVA 2: It’s time for another round of pointless yet somehow addictive antics with the IM gang, and whilst this episode seemed even more random and slightly less compelling than usual, it was still another dose of inexplicably enjoyable entertainment. I was hoping the salesman segment from manga chapter 31 (my favourite chapter) would feature, but hopefully this will feature in the next OVA episode.

Koutetsu Sangokushi 5: It’s time for another round of Three Kingdoms style cheese in this episode, although at least some of the worst elements like arrows from nowhere and generic purposeless enemies are gone, ensuring that this episode is at least an improvement on its predecessors. Unfortunately, there are still some questionable decisions going on (why does Liu Bei look like a little girl with a pink afro, for example), but the series has at least settled down now, and I’m quite looking forward to seeing what happens next.

*DROPPED* Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS 6: In this laughably pointless episode of Nanoha, the New Characters undergo some more training, Evil Scientist does some vaguely evil things and an infinite array of side characters appears for no real reason. To be fair, it was less excruciatingly dull than some of the earlier episodes, but then again, so is waiting for a bus.

Nodame Cantabile 16: Whilst Chiaki and his orchestra practise an oboe concerto, Nodame’s teacher desperately tries to get her to stop skipping his classes- but can these two conflicting personalities ever get along? Whilst there were a few too many magical changes of heart in this episode, overall it was a solid instalment, and I hope that we’ll see Nodame learn and grow as a pianist from now on.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 6: It’s conversation heavy episode even by SaiMono standards this week, as Shuurei meets up with Kai You, and Eigetsu visits Hei Taishi to discuss a method of preventing the mysterious illness. It is clear that Eigetsu’s time draws near, and although I have basked in spoilers this past week, there is still more I need to know and see in anime form. In other revelations, it turns out that Doushu was actually a genius doctor, but he gave that up to go and work ‘in the field’, so to speak, whilst Kai You was Eigetsu’s guardian for a time. Kai You has turned out to be something of an amiable ladies’ man- I have to admit I had anticipated him being more cunning and disagreeable, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Seirei no Moribito 6: Seirei continues to draw me in with its lush settings, although luckily it’s still proving that it has the content to back up the visuals. In this episode, Balsa and Chagum begin their flight from the Emperor’s search teams, but with the Eight Evil Men chasing after them, how far can they get? All in all, this another strong instalment that seems to indicate that Seirei will easily be making it into the picks of the season.

Victorian Romance Emma Second Act 2-3: Although it initially sounded unfamiliar, at least some (and perhaps all) of the scenes in episode two proved to be from the manga, as we see Eleanor and the Jones family visit the Crystal Palace, whilst Emma continues to settle into her life at Molders’ House. Even though episode one was hardly bad, this still managed to be several degrees above it; at the point where Emma started crying over William and the life she left behind, I couldn’t help but feel for her in a way much more genuine than the level of emotion most series are able to invoke.

Even so, episode three manages to raise the bar yet again, using some superbly placed music and sound effects (I always notice and love the sound effects in the best series) to really bring the world of Emma to life. In this instalment, Emma and her mistress go to visit a certain ‘Mrs. Trollope’, who also happens to be William’s mother, whilst William himself is finding it hard to get on with his life with the memory of Emma so fresh in his mind. Any lingering doubts I may have had about whether the series would succumb to ‘second season syndrome’ are totally erased in this episode, which perfectly drew me into its world and left me desperate for more- despite having already read the manga. Bokurano, Death Note and the rest take heed- this is how you do an anime adaptation.

MANGA

Bokurano 42: The anime may still be near the beginning, but at the cutting edge of the Bokurano story, Anko’s tale is coming to an end. In this poignant wrap up to the arc, the fight with the enemy is concluded, even as we see the distance between Anko and her father, and how desperately she wanted to close the gap. This is the point I hate, however- the wait for the next chapter, and ultimately for the ending, whatever it will be.

Most sixteen year olds would choose to hang out with people their own age, but Nobue Itou is a little different. She would much rather spend time with fifth and sixth graders from elementary school- to be precise, her sister Chika, next door neighbour Miu, and friends Matsuri and Ana. Join this unlikely group as they while away the days amusing themselves with games, banter and all the other minor diversions that crop up in day-to-day life.

Easy as it is to dismiss Ichigo Mashimaro as a series for those who, like the lead, have an unhealthy interest in little girls, the anime showed us that you didn’t have to be a lolicon to enjoy it. A charming tale of the often amusing and ironic trivialities of everyday life, Ichigo Mashimaro may have made you feel a little guilty and afraid of arrest whilst watching it, but chances were that if you were a fan of slice of life series, you would enjoy it anyway. Would the manga have the same effect, or would it just be an even more blatant loli-fest?

As it turns out, the loli factor of the IM manga does indeed seem far higher than the anime- not due to anything adult, but simply because of such unnecessary inclusions as the girls flicking each others skirts up to see their panties. Such things could be forgiven if the content was up to the standard of the anime, but unfortunately, this is not really the case. It is only in the most recent volume that the mangaka really gets into his stride and manages to produce something comparable to the animated version, with earlier instalments feeling a lot rougher around the edges. Where the anime polished the stories and gave them impeccable delivery and timing, these earlier chapters often feel more meanderingly pointless than simple and charming, even though they largely cover the same content as the animated version.

At the heart of the series lies its five main characters, who, as individuals, can be summed up very easily as “the lolicon”, “the straight foil”, “the irritating one”, “the shy meganekko” and “the foreigner”. Since they are rather basic personalities on their own, it is only their interaction as a group which makes them worthy, as they play off each other and spark the events and conversations that drive the series forward. Unfortunately, the main impetus for the series also happens to be the most annoying one- namely Miu, who is the sort of heedless, hyperactive and insensitive child that most people would want to give a good slap. Although her presence is undoubtedly necessary to the series, her generally irritating nature does reduce the overall enjoyment of the series somewhat.

Since the first chapter of IM was produced over a year before subsequent instalments, the artwork, like the story, takes some time to find its feet. In the earliest chapters, Nobue and Miu bear little resemblance to their later forms, and it is generally quite difficult to tell characters apart at first. Fortunately, the artwork improves over time, whilst cover art and various bonus pages showing the girls in different costumes are always well drawn and visually appealing.

Final Thoughts
Since it is not really up to the standard of the animated version, I would hesitate to recommend the Ichigo Mashimaro manga as readily as the anime. If you’re a lolimoe fanatic or a huge fan of the franchise, then you’ll want to read this regardless of anything I say, but for everyone else, the anime is the way to go.

I need to take a moment to discuss this figure of Eri. It’s not a figure I like, and I wouldn’t have given it a second thought had ANN not written a surprisingly positive review about it. Am I the only one who dislikes this figure? It doesn’t capture the essence of Eri for me at all, and even if I had no idea who she was, the only thing I would like about it is the skirt.

Reviewed this week: Aria 20-21, Iroha 16, Busou Renkin 23, Chevalier 15-16, Deltora 4, Gargoyle 10, Ichigo Mashimaro OVA 1, Kanon 23, Nodame 8, SaiMono 34

…and in manga: MariMite 22, School Rumble 216, Tsubasa 146, xxxHOLiC 10.3

ANIME

Aria the Natural 20-21: It’s been far too long since I last visited the charming and addictive world of Aria, and these two episodes serve to reawaken my love of the series and remind me of everything I’ve missed in the months without it. Whilst episode twenty sees the tale of an eerie woman who spirits away undines seem about to come true for Akari, she gets a rather more pleasant surprise in twenty-one when Cait Sith sends her a ticket for the mystical Galaxy Railway. Despite the long wait for these episodes, the power of Aria has in no way diminished, and it is a pleasure to once again feel the old longing to visit Aqua for oneself (if only that were possible).

Aika begins to worry that Akari has a crush on President Aria.

Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 16: Having praised the series so consistently for weeks, it is an unfortunate turn of events to admit that this is one of the weakest episodes so far, featuring as it does a largely throwaway story that has little point to its existence. Akidzuki and Kakunojo’s party is doubled in size when they pick up not only the historically well known Hijikata, but also a young man named Sounosuke, who proves to not only be the standard rookie personality, but also a one shot character whose final fate most viewers will probably care less about. Meanwhile, Kakunojo slips back into the disappointing weak and useless female role, with her only merit coming from the times when she is possessed by her Moontear sword. Add in a poorly chosen order of scenes which makes the story feel as if it is erratically jumping from one point to the next, and this episode’s chief worth lies in its parody potential.

Busou Renkin 23: These days, it seems that getting towards the end of the series means that you have to have an ‘episode off’ from the main storyline before you enter the final arc, and this is that episode. Kazuki and Tokiko return to school after the summer vacation, the supporting characters get some screen time, budget saving stills are used, and the Tokiko x Kazuki angle is finally pushed- all in all, a somewhat dull selection. Still, next episode we’ll be going to the moon, so whatever happens before that can only seem sensible and grounded in comparison.

Le Chevalier d’Eon 15-16: Having watched the end of the series in raw, it’s slightly strange to go back to the England arc, but nonetheless, Chevalier is good enough to merit such treatment. Although the best is yet to come, this pair of episodes is solid enough, featuring the end of the creepy if undeveloped Whitehead and the effective separation of Durand from his comrades as it becomes clear that those in power have darker agendas than initially assumed.

Deltora Quest 4: After yet another lacklustre budget saving episode, I’ve decided to put this show on hiatus until I start parodying it, so don’t expect any sort of promptness of reviews from now on. In this episode, our party starts making their way to Witch Tegan (the next boss), only to be stopped at a bridge by an ogre. At this point, you might expect a fight, but even swinging a sword a few times is beyond this series, so instead the ogre poses everyone a riddle- cue a rather boring and poorly translated twenty-five minutes.

I hear you, brother.

Gargoyle of the Yoshinagas 10: Despite its formulaic nature, I’ve enjoyed Gargoyle so far, but unfortunately episode ten brings us a blip in quality. A tale of the Yoshinaga’s attempts to help revitalise the local shopping district, this episode generally failed to engage, and the chaotic melee it descended into in the second half did little to redeem it. An uncharacteristically weak episode, but at least the preview keeps my hopes high for the next instalment.

Ichigo Mashimaro OVA 1: Ah, Ichigo Mashimaro, your talent at making a story about nothing in particular has in no way diminished since the original TV series, and so this effective episode 13 is entirely satisfying- even if you aren’t into lolis. Like the TV series, there really isn’t anything you could call a plot, but if you liked the amusing antics and observations of the simpler things in life that characterise the series, you won’t go wrong by indulging in another dose of it.

Kanon 23: After all the weeks of dullness and disappointment, at long last an episode has appeared that actually has some measure of power. It’s not that the content has significantly improved, but rather the effect of some well-placed background music, adding emotion to the scenes in which Yuuichi is unwilling to accept the loss of Ayu. I have to admit, though, that I wasn’t expecting to see the real Sawatari Makoto randomly show up at this point- or rather, I wouldn’t have been expecting it if Hinano hadn’t already mentioned it.

Nodame Cantabile 8: It’s another off-kilter visit to the world of Nodame in this episode, and unfortunately for me, the story revolves around Stresemann, who remains by far my least favourite character. Although there are moments when the series becomes interesting or entertaining, the bulk of it just fails to hit the mark for me due to the irritation I feel every time the womanising and inconsistent Stresemann appears onscreen.

Saiunkoku Monogatari 34: The selection ceremony for the head of the Sa clan is here, and that means it’s time for Kokujun to step up to the plate and fulfil the purpose of his character. This is certainly an interesting enough episode in terms of his character, but in return the once manipulative Sakujun seems to have lost most of his strength in one fell swoop- although the ‘shadow game’ he starts with Seiran is interesting in spite of its resemblance to early Yu-Gi-Oh.

MANGA

Higurashi Onisarashi-hen will be covered next week (if at all). Does anyone else even read the Higurashi manga anyway?

Maria-sama ga Miteru 22: A new volume begins with this chapter, which skips ahead to the New Year story that commenced the second season, and sees Sei invite herself and Yumi over to Sachiko’s house. That’s pretty much all that happens in this set-up chapter, but hopefully events will pick up soon.

School Rumble 216: What’s this? Did something just happen in School Rumble? Whilst Harima seems resigned to the fact that he cannot recover from losing his manuscript (for five minutes, anyway) and the ever oblivious Tenma tries to redraw it for him, Yakumo decides to go out and look for him- only to end up admitting out loud that Eri is in love with him. For the second chapter in a row, it actually feels as if the story is going somewhere, with Yakumo acknowledging that she and Harima will never be a couple and paving the way for an Eri X Harima ending.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 146: Whilst the fight between Syaoran and Hikaru continues, Fye gets a message from Chii warning him about the danger from Ashura if he stays in one world too long. After the various revelations of last chapter, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that this one is mostly about CLAMP illustrating action scenes- after all, they wouldn’t want the pace to pick up too much. Apparently in the next chapter we will learn who wins the Syaoran vs. Hikaru bout- now, I wonder who it could possibly be.

xxxHOLiC vol 10, chapter 3: As Watanuki seems to be gradually realising that Yuuko’s warning about Himawari was more than mere jest, he receives a visit from the spirit of Doumeki’s grandfather- but just as the plot (such as it is) seems about to go somewhere, the chapter derails into a lunch date with Kohane, the girl with mystical powers from volume nine. There is a cliff-hanger ending, however, so I should probably get on and catch up with the latest chapters.