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

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

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

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

***SPOILER SECTION***

The Espoir, a Nice Gambling Boat of Hope

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

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

The Human Derby, where balance is important

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

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

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

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

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

E-card, because card games are still in

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

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

Tissue box raffle, and how not to cheat

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

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

***END SPOILERIFIC RAMBLINGS***

Audiovisual

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

Final Thoughts

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

Tier: Gold-

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

As good a reason as any to delete someone.

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

“Haven’t you watched any Disney films?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

Oh, it’s only tear gas, is it? That’s okay then.

Reviewed this week: Blassreiter 1, Chi’s Sweet Home 5-6, Itazura no Kiss 1, Kaiji 25, Kurenai 1, Tower of Druaga 1, xxxHOLiC Kei 1, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 8-9

…and in manga: .hack//Alcor 1-5. .hack//Link 2, Elfen Lied 84, REC bonus chapter, Spice and Wolf doujin, Tsubasa 187

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Kaiji (2) – ざわ, ざわ…
2. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (3) – the state of modern society has left me in despair!
3. Chi’s Sweet Home (7)- litter tray
4. Kurenai (-) – Murasaki <- new!
5. xxxHOLiC Kei (-) – wow, it’s actually good <- new!
6. Persona Trinity Soul (5)- I really should catch up with this
7. Shion no Ou (6) – Hani Meijin’s secret videos
8. Itazura no Kiss (-) generic so far <- new!
9. Tower of Druaga (-) – hahaha <- new!
10. Blassreiter (-) – one man, one generic quest <-new!

SLOW RANKINGS

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

*NEW* Blassreiter 1: I don’t know why, but because Gonzo’s titles happen to be streaming on crunchyroll, it makes me feel “oh, I might as well watch that”. Anyway, Blassreiter seems to be some sort of Bubblegum Crisis wannabe, featuring Amalgam machine-creatures who can absorb, assimilate and generally go on rampages, and the one man who must fight them- ex motorcyclist Gerd. After losing the ability to walk and having to quit at the top of his career, Gerd chooses to take an untested drug that will give him the ability to walk again, albeit at the cost of also enabling him to turn into a machine monster. It has mediocre stamped through it, but I may watch it until better series arrive to fill my anime viewing time.

Chi’s Sweet Home 5-6: Only four minutes or so of Chi this week, but our cute little kitty has run into a new problem- getting into the hang of using the litter tray. Having mistaken the newspaper filled tray for a bed, Chi believes she is doing the right thing by relieving herself on soft objects such as laundry- will the purchase of some proper kitty litter help the situation? Has the subject of cat toilet habits ever been of so much interest?

*NEW* Itazura no Kiss 1: Had I not heard that the latter part of the series focuses on the main couple after they get married (unique enough to warrant a look), I probably wouldn’t have bothered with Itazura no Kiss, because so far it is playing out like a generic romance. Having been rejected by Lead Male, Lead Female declares her hatred for him in public, only to end up staying with his family when her house falls down; not only is the ease with which her house collapses rather disturbing, but so far there’s nothing to mark this out from the crowd. Here’s hoping for some improvement in the coming weeks.

Then he must be HARD GAY!

Kaiji 25: It’s been a few weeks, but the penultimate episode of Kaiji has been tackled, with most of the episode dedicated to build up before Kaiji and the chairman make their first draw. Naturally, our hero is relieved when the chairman draws a blank lot, but when he reaches his hand in to cheat, the pre-placed winning lot isn’t there! With the safety net of cheating now gone, the emotion finally ramps up, and even though it seems unlikely that Kaiji would lose four fingers, I now eagerly await the outcome.

*NEW* Kurenai 1: Despite my fears that having a little girl come and live with a high school student would turn this series into Chokotto Sister mark II, Kurenai has actually made a strong opening foray. Although I can’t really pass judgement until we see how the character dynamic between the two leads pan out (I’m also getting echoes of Seirei no Moribito here), so far the series has offered drama, tears and even a touch of comedy. Hopefully it will build on this start, although I’m a little wary of getting my hopes too high before the ‘shakedown period’ is over.

*NEW* Tower of Druaga 1: Last week, Machi said this was worth a try, and so despite my pre-season fears about what the bastard son of Gonzo and generic fantasy would turn out to be, I boldly ventured into the titular Tower of Druaga. In fact, episode one was rather refreshing, because even though it turned out to be a dream sequence, it was more ‘Monty Python does generic fantasy’ than anything else. With heroes dying the moment they dared announce they wanted to get married when they went back home, and a Dark Lord who turned out to be about three feet tall, the episode was largely entertaining, and I only hope the series can keep up the comedic tone.

*NEW* xxxHOLiC Kei 1: I know I swore that I would never dip my toes into the dull seas of xxxHOLiC anime again, but when Hige claimed that the opening episode of Kei was actually rather watchable, I decided to throw caution to the winds and give it a try. Luckily, it seems that lessons have been learned from season one, with crisper animation (still not perfect, but much better than before) and the start of the Watanuki’s eye arc heralding an upturn for an anime that was once so dull it caused me to lose the will to live. Here’s hoping the rest of the anime can use the later manga material to keep on the right track.

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 8-9: It’s great to be in despair once again with two more episodes of Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, complete with all sorts of hilarity as Nozomu is suspected of being a spy no matter what he does, promises come undone in a month and nothing is quite as 50/50 as it seems. Admittedly, parts of episode nine are a bit underwhelming, but episode eight is so amusing that it more than makes up for it. Roll on the next few episodes.

MANGA

*NEW* .hack//Alcor 1-5: The .hack franchise grinds on with this single volume manga (of which I have one chapter left to read) about a World:r2 character named Nanase who longs to be up there with the named characters of GU. As always, the artwork is nice, but after reading it I was left with the feeling that the story hadn’t really gone anywhere, with all development saved for the last chapter. Ah well, it makes for a nice diversion and I’ll read any amount of .hack manga as an alternative to watching more Roots.

.hack//Link 2: Meanwhile, in The World:rX, Tokio has a fateful meeting with none other than the legendary player Kite, who despite having God Mode skills is still lacking in one thing- unlike Tokio, he isn’t physically in the game. Due to his unique status, Tokio is now the only one who can save The World (and perhaps the world too) from the latest threat, but can he really manage it when he doesn’t have the first clue what he’s doing? Stay tuned to find out.

Elfen Lied 84: It’s showdown time as Lucy turns psychotic and goes after the Diclonius clones, with yet more blood, ripped off body parts and the realisation that I’m slowly losing my grip on what’s going on. How can there be almost three more full volumes before this series concludes?

REC special chapter: A bonus chapter from volume four in which Matsumaru and Aka believe they have been asked to record voices for a Shin Angyo Onshi anime- although the actual script seems suspiciously different to anything from that series. It’s mildly amusing, and presumably more so if you’re familiar with Shin Angyo Onshi and kanji jokes.

Spice and Wolf doujin- Wolf Road: I don’t usually read doujins, but since manga offered to send me this, I figured it was worth a look. Like most doujins, the main aim is to get the main characters to sleep with each other (albeit this time with a twist in the tale, or should that be tail in Horo’s case?), but the artwork was good and the author seemed to capture Horo’s character well. Just don’t read it if you’re not a fan of, er, bodily fluids showering everywhere.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 187: Even though it means all the generic villagers will melt away and die, Syaoran and the others have made the decision to leave Groundhog Day town and head to the ruins where Sakura awaits. Of course, at the current pace it takes the entire chapter to walk out of the village, leaving any exciting developments for next time…or the time after that.

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 12, Clannad 21-2, Darker than Black 26, Himawari!! 3, Kaiji 24, KgNE Next Season 2, Minami-ke Okawari 10-12, Mokke 19-23, Moyashimon Microbe Theatre Deluxe 1, Shigofumi 11, Spice and Wolf 13, Zoku SZS 6-7

…and in manga: Busou Renkin 39, HxH 274, Twin Spica vol 2 flashback 1

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – Prima
2. Spice and Wolf (2) – wolves
3. Kaiji (3) – ざわ, ざわ…
4. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (5) – I’m out of despair!
5. Shigofumi (6) – Fumi+Mika=Fumika
6. Persona Trinity Soul (7)- Mushi-Uta’s successor
7. Shion no Ou (8) – Hani Meijin’s secret videos
8. Clannad (10) – Nagisa’s play
9. Mokke (12)- cats level up to bakeneko
10. Minami-ke Okawari (9)- not quite the same
11. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (11)- Marco

SLOW RANKINGS

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

Aria the Origination 12: I don’t care how much I’ve fangirled over Aria these past couple of months- this episode has increased my love for the series a hundredfold. When Aika shows up for practice one morning without her glove, it is plain that she has become a Prima- and upon hearing about it, Alicia decides that Akari should take the Prima exam the next day. I wasn’t actually expecting this part of the story to appear until next week, but even though I knew exactly how it would pan out from reading a manga summary, it was still wonderful to see it enacted on screen. This episode was everything anime should strive to be, and I wish to bask in its excellence forever whilst hugging a giant, squishy President Aria.

*COMPLETE-ish* Clannad 21-22: Well, the main story of Clannad is complete, at any rate- we still have the HARD GAY special episode 23 and DVD-only 24 to come, but let’s keep things simple here and call it the end. Anyway, after learning that her parents gave up their career dreams in order to raise her, Nagisa has one of those major anime crises of confidence right before she has to perform her play- can her nearest and dearest convince her not to fall at the final hurdle? It’s not a bad ending, but ultimately I’m left with mixed feelings about the series- I enjoyed it more than Kanon, but the pacing was all over the place and the story wasn’t as well executed as it could have been.

*SPECIAL* Darker than Black 26: The series has finished, but at long last the DVD only episode 26 is here, and as expected, it’s a mildly entertaining but largely pointless instalment. In this one-off story, the various factions are in pursuit of a password, but after a series of comic mishaps, everyone ends up losing their memory of the last few days- explaining why this episode has nothing to do with everything. At least there are some amusing cat shots.

Himawari!! 3: When a new teacher with a pleasing character design transfers to ninja school, she catches everyone’s eye- but could it be that she might be secretly evil? It’s another instalment of the monster of the week format that this season has adopted, but whilst the laughably stupid back story (our villainess has a hatred of okonomiyaki due to something Hayato once said to her when they were children), I’m not disliking this series as much as I expected to.

Kaiji 24: The time for Kaiji to challenge the chairman has arrived, and although IKnight has already written an excellent post about it, I too must weigh in with my thoughts. In order for our hero’s biggest gamble ever to pay off, everything must proceed as planned in episode twenty-three, but can Kaiji really succeed against a seasoned pro? Do we really want him to win via such a simple cheat when it will deprive us of any satisfaction if victory is claimed? Or would it just be better if he won, thus earning a significant sum of money and avoiding having four of his fingers sliced off? Stay tuned to find out.

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ~Next season~ 2: When I was told that this OVA would cover the Haruka route, I was expecting, oh I don’t know, for it to focus on Haruka, mayhap? In fact, this rather boring mid-section of the OVA sees Mitsuki move in with an old acquaintance and then relate the long and monotonous tale of how she and Takayuki ended up breaking up- interspersed with equally uninteresting scenes of Takayuki and Shinji having a drink together. What a waste of time.

Minami-ke Okawari 10-12: Okawari descends to new depths with the incredibly monotonous episodes 10-11, two instalments so incredibly exciting that I have to admit I’ve already forgotten much of what happened in them (except that Kana faked a cold and then ended up with a real cold- further proof of how annoying and Miu-esque her character has become this season). Although hardly of any notable quality, episode 12 is a slight improvement, not least because the hated Fuyuki finally moves away. Just one episode to go and then this parade of mediocrity will be over (and I absolutely dread the restoration of the status quo that will probably occur after the angst of next episode).

HORSE before HARD GAY.

Mokke 19-23: Five more episodes of Mokke have been cleared, and once again they offer fairly average entertainment. First up, we have an instalment in which Mizuki breaks her arm by falling incorrectly in judo, leading her to spend her days with a spirit in a skull that promises to help her get better at resisting possession. Next, we switch to a minor character who becomes intrigued by Shizuru’s tale of a lightning creature known as a Raiju- a creature which he may have encountered once before in his past and hopes to meet again. Then, it’s back to Mizuki as she prepares to take her green belt test in judo, but victory leaves a sour taste in her mouth when her opponent lets her win. Next, we have a more cat-orientated episode as Mike the cat goes missing, leaving the two sisters to wonder why she left, and even risk asking a bakeneko to help find her. Finally, we have our first proper Shizuru episode in a while, as a sick friend forces her to consider whether her future lies with Granpda or in Tokyo. I must admit that I like the way that judo has become a recurring theme, as it adds more cohesion to the series as a whole, and of course cat episodes are nothing to be sniffed at, but overall this series has been mediocre- and it seems unlikely that the final episode will do anything to change that.

*NEW* Moyashimon Microbe Theatre Deluxe 1: If you liked the microbe sections at the end of each episode of Moyashimon, you’ll eat up Microbe Theatre Deluxe, which takes us inside the human intestine to introduce us to all the bacteria that dwell within. Yes, it might sound like a particularly unpleasant biology lesson, but remember that all these microbes have been given cute and appealing forms.

Shigofumi 11: In the hospital, Fumi-chan has just awakened, and as far as Mika is concerned, this is time to finish it- by having her other self shoot her and end her existence. Naturally, the supporting characters do not want this, but will they be able to prevent the determined mail carrier from ending her own existence? It seems fairly obvious that everything will pan out and tie up nicely in episode 12, which leaves me in two minds about the series as a whole- it had its moments, but in offering such greatness it built up my expectations for a series that was ultimately silver tier rather than the gold it once appeared.

Yes, I know episode 12 has been released and I’ve even acquired it- I just forgot about watching it until this minute.

*COMPLETE-ish* Spice and Wolf 13: Well, DVD-only episode 7 may have left a gaping cavity in the middle of the series, but Spice and Wolf is effectively complete, with this episode seeing Lawrence and Horo emerge triumphant over those who tried to betray them. I’ve enjoyed this series from start to finish, but it’s left me with a desperate hunger for more- could someone get the novels to me as soon as possible, followed by news of a second season?

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 6-7: To get two more episodes of despair must surely be considered a blessing, especially as season two seems to be going from strength to strength. In these episodes we once again flit from one source of amusement to the next, from a dream world where everyone has the opposite personality to a delightful magical girl/Lucky Star parody- and even a sequence involving a plethora of different animation styles. Much as I’d like to call out “Zetsubou shita!” just for the sake of it, I have to admit that watching these episodes leaves me in anything but despair.

MANGA

Busou Renkin 39: The battle against the Futakoi Alternative rejects continues in this episode, with Kazuki showing off the immense destined power of a main character with a black kakugane implanted in him (oops, by the manga timeline I’m not supposed to know that yet).

Hunter X Hunter 274: Gon has finally reached Pitou, but she has no interest in fighting him- instead she must use all of her energy to heal Komugi. Watching from the sidelines, Killua can see that Pitou means no harm, but will Gon be able to see past his anger? I must admit that seeing the main characters makes this chapter better than its predecessors, but nothing can recover the quality that was lost so long ago.

Twin Spica vol 2 flashback 1: In this volume’s flashback, we see Asumi’s teacher/Lion-san’s ex-fiancée lead her class out on a field trip even as she grapples with whether she is doing the right thing by sticking with a teaching career. I’ve seen all this in the anime already, so again there are no surprises, but these flashbacks are always good for fleshing out the characters.

Actually, this post has nothing to do with Easter- I was just too lazy to get it finished on Friday.

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 11, Clannad 20, Kaiji 23, Spice and Wolf 11-12, Tsubasa OVA 3, Zoku SZS 5

…and in manga: Hunter X Hunter 273, Minami-ke 22, Shion no Ou 13-16, Tsubasa 185

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – never give up
2. Spice and Wolf (2) – wolves
3. Kaiji (3) – ざわ, ざわ…
4. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (5) – I’m out of despair!
5. Shigofumi (6) – Fumi+Mika=Fumika
6. Persona Trinity Soul (7)- Mushi-Uta’s successor
7. Shion no Ou (8) – Hani Meijin’s secret videos
8. Minami-ke Okawari (9)- not quite the same
9. Clannad (10) – drop kick
10. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (11)- Marco
11. Mokke (12)- rainy season

Aria the Origination 11: Dear Aria, let me worship you and bask in your excellence forevermore, for once again but a single twenty-five minute episode has captured my heart. This week’s episode covers two themes- looking at the one who was promoted ahead (Alice) and her friend who was left behind (Aika). Akira knows that Aika is nearly ready to become a Prima, but at the same time she can’t help worrying that her protégée will have become demoralised by Alice’s promotion- although in fact, Aika feels inspired and energised by the progress of the “genius girl” Alice. Meanwhile, Alice’s new busy schedule has taken her away from her friends, but she feels she can’t just call them up for no reason- will Athena notice her growing loneliness? There are so many emotions and undertones in this episode, reminding me not only why I love this series so much, but developing Akira’s character in a way it never has been before. I want to see the triumphant conclusion and bask in its inevitable excellence, but at the same time I wish it would never end.

Clannad 20: I know I’m getting behind on Clannad, but bear with me- it’ll all be over soon enough anyway. Anyway, this episode sees Tomoya and Nagisa try to identify the story that Nagisa wants to turn into a play, but when it comes uncomfortably close to uncovering a skeleton in the Furukawa family closet, Akio decides to let Tomoya in on a secret. There’s a reasonable mix of drama and humour in this episode, but as always, the highlights for me are Sanae and Akio- I just love their character dynamic.

Kaiji 23: It’s a rather slow week for Kaiji, for whilst the tissue box raffle has at least made it into this season, it isn’t going anywhere fast. This instalment is basically all about Kaiji demonstrating to his generic allies how he plans to cheat at the tissue box raffle, whilst they help him refine his plan by pointing out the flaws in it. There’s something anticlimactic about the whole plan depending on cheating from the start- I suppose there’s some interest in the strategy of cheating, but it’s more enjoyable when a character is pushed to cheat after the game has begun, if they must do so at all.

“That would be nice- is it like those scuba diving holidays?”

Spice and Wolf 11-12: According to Duncan Bannatyne, an entrepreneur in debt is also one that’s in business, but obviously no one wants to remain in debt forever, and so it is that Lawrence decides to go for the riskiest venture ever- smuggling gold in the stomachs of Nora’s sheep. Unfortunately, when you choose to embark on such an endeavour, problems are bound to follow, with everything from treachery to wolves threatening to derail the entire plan. Will Lawrence and Horo emerge victorious by the end of the series? Can we viewers possibly continue in a world where no new Spice and Wolf is airing? The answers will be revealed soon enough.

*COMPLETE* Tsubasa Chronicle Tokyo Revelations 3: The Tsubasa OVA is now complete, and whilst it wasn’t anything special, it was at least leagues better than the TV series that preceded it (and only really hampered in content by the original manga). This episode sees Fai become a vampire and Sakura go off for her FFX-2 adventure, the latter of which seems to have been spiced up from the basic “Antlion battle” of the manga. There are some oddities, such as the random appearance of Card Captor Sakura towards the end, but overall this has been a solid adaptation- even though the manga becomes near-nonsensical from this point onwards, I wouldn’t mind more OVAs to continue the story in animated form.

No, you don’t have to- honestly, why do criminals always make these excuses?

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 5: The lack of new episodes has left me in despair, but no longer, for episode five has appeared at long last. In this episode, the randomness seems back down to season one levels as our despairing sensei and his pupils plan how to divide everything into science, liberal arts and athletics, before discussing leftovers and how people only do favours in order to look good. It’s a solid episode overall, and another chance to despair and laugh at human nature.

MANGA

Hunter X Hunter 273: What can I say this week that I haven’t said before? As always, the battles between minor characters creep ahead slowly, although at the end of this chapter Gon and Killua finally show up again. At this rate, Togashi may well pass on before this arc even finishes.

Minami-ke 22: Another short chapter, unsurprisingly, this time focusing on Kana trying to be nice to Chiaki in order to curb her violent responses. After the disappointment of Okawari, it’s nice to get back to the original source and experience the humour that made season one enjoyable.

Shion no Ou 13-16: Another four chapters of Shion no Ou bring us up to the start of the open tournament, and as before, it’s very much like the anime. If you’ve already watched these events, you probably won’t want to bother rereading them, unless of course you’re like me.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 185: Lest anyone take action too quickly, the team decides to experience another couple of cycles of their Groundhog Day-esque situation, complete with apples. It seems this isn’t even Groundhog Day but actually Groundhog Two Hours, with everyone falling asleep before the reset, and Kurogane complaining of pain in his artificial arm. Hopefully this is leading up to something.

Sometimes I just can’t help being evil; telling children about the slaughterhouse whilst they’re playing Harvest Moon, persuading them that complete Iliana rings can just be mined straight out of the earth, arguing that Albel is HARD GAY for Fayt- is there nothing I won’t do? Then again, sometimes interesting things spring from my madness- for example, my sister has taken a liking to the nickname “Pink Supervisor”.

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 9, Clannad 19, Kaiji 21-2, Minami-ke Okawari 8-9, Mnemosyne 2, Mokke 16-18, SaiMono II 37, Shigofumi 9, Shounen Onmyouji 23, Spice and Wolf 9

…and in manga: Busou Renkin 1-37, Chokotto Sister 58, Claymore 78, Elfen Lied 83, HxH 271, Moyashimon 2, Tsubasa 184

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – banana peel
2. Spice and Wolf (3) – spice and lamb
3. Kaiji (2) – ざわ, ざわ…
4. SaiMono II (4) – Ran clan
5. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (6) – mind-altering drug
6. Shigofumi (5) – Fumi+Mika=Fumika
7. Persona Trinity Soul (7)- Mushi-Uta’s successor
8. Shion no Ou (8) – die, Satoru!
9. Minami-ke Okawari (9)- not quite the same
10. Clannad (11) – drop kick
11. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (10)- Marco
12. Mokke (12)- rainy season

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Tetsuko no Tabi (1)- is this ever going to be subbed?
2. Himawari!! (2) – needs less plot
3. Sisters of Wellber (3) – predictable but fun
4. Love GetChu! (5)- light entertainment
5. Shounen Onmyouji (4)- end in sight?

Aria the Origination 9: Alice has just graduated from school, and so Athena suggests they go out for the day, but what our young Pair doesn’t know is that she is being tested to see if she is move onto the next level. Although it’s a shame that Alice ultimately moves beyond Akari and Aika in this episode, it nonetheless remains a powerful instalment that sees the birth of the Orange Princess. There’s also plenty of President Maa for cat lovers.

Clannad 19: The theatre club has finally got a part-time share in Koumura-sensei, but whilst Nagisa is keen to put on a play, Tomoya feels his part is done- at least until he moves in with the Furukawa family to get away from his father. Given that most of the theatre club members are just there to make up the numbers, I can’t really care much about their efforts, but Akio and Sanae are always entertaining.

Kaiji 21-2: What awesome MANLY GAR! The time for the final round of E-card is nigh, and Kaiji seems certain he can pull off another win, but will Tonegawa see through his strategy? The odd thing about this episode is that while I spent the majority of it secure in the narrative convention of Kaiji pulling off another victory no matter how much Tonegawa tried to second guess him, the moment the episode ended on a cliff-hanger, the tension skyrocketed and I became uncertain of the outcome.

Fortunately, episode 22 is quick to resolve the outcome of E-card, but when Kaiji demands that Tonegawa kneels down and apologises for all those who died, the chairman decides that the only way to get a sincere apology is to have him kneel on a roasting hot steel plate- not an easy sight to watch. It seems, however, that we will have time for the tissue box raffle arc at the end (or at least the beginning of it, I have no idea how long the arc is in the manga).

Minami-ke Okawari 8-9: Just as I thought I was building up tolerance to Okawari, watching two episodes in the same day has broken it right down again- for whilst Fuyuki was blessedly absent here, these instalments seem to typify the problems with this season. If the original series was a stream of clear water, then Okawari is a stagnant pool, running tired old jokes into the ground instead of picking up a thread and building on it. Whilst episode eight is a lacklustre pool episode, episode nine lacks much in the way of appeal, combining such randomness as Kana dreaming of the future and Makoto trying to give up being Mako-chan yet again. I actually began to manifest physical symptoms related to boredom and irritability in this episode, something that hasn’t happened since Bartender episode 2.

Mnemosyne 2: Another instalment of Mnemosyne has finally come our way, and whilst it lacks the sheer awesomeness of the first episode, it is still worth a watch. The OVA seems to be settling into a “cyberpunk for the 21^st century” role, with this episode featuring HARD YURI, the search for a rare stamp and a mysterious yet deadly angel. Meanwhile, we now know that both Rin and her friend gained immortality when time spheres entered their bodies, but this only goes for women- their effect on men is to turn them into violent, short-lived angels who immortal women are irresistibly attracted to.

Mokke 16-18: Three more episodes of Mokke have been cleared, and once again they offer rather mediocre fare. Episode sixteen is the best of the bunch, as Shizuru befriends a transfer student with a habit of skipping classes to hang out in an old music room- an unremarkable story, but one that is at least more upbeat than the usual instalment of Mokke. Meanwhile, seventeen sees Mizuki discover a strange tree whilst looking after a neighbour’s visiting grandson, whilst in eighteen both sisters and their grandfather go to stay with a family who have been plagued with strange noises ever since they picked up a particular rock.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 37: I know I’m a week behind with SaiMono, but the situation will have to persist until next week. This time around, Ryuuki meets up with the spirit of Riou’s sister and must face up to the fact that he is still not considered the best candidate for emperor- should he step down, or can he prove himself worthy? It seems that it is finally time for Ryuuki to grow up, but that may well mean making an important decision between committing to the throne and pursuing Shuurei. Would Jyuusan-hime be a better partner for him after all?

Shigofumi 9: Shigofumi lapses back into the unremarkable with this instalment, which combines the standard holiday episode with some back story for Chika. I suppose I should care about Chika’s life being tragically cut short just as her lover was about to propose to her, but when I saw him in the first scene I thought he was her father, so thinking of him as a lolicon generally spoiled the moment.

Shounen Onmyouji 23: It’s all about getting to the end in an efficient, business-like manner with Shounen Onmyouji right now- the series has dragged on so long and been so unremarkable that I don’t really care about anything other than completion. In this episode, Masahiro must angst for a bit before deciding to accept the power that can kill Guren- who will reincarnate, but without his memories of the series. Is that truly such a bad thing, I wonder- I certainly wouldn’t be too disadvantaged without said memories.

Spice and Wolf 9: I’ve toned down my praise for Spice and Wolf over the last couple of weeks, but with this episode I’m ready to fangirl in full force once more. This week, Lawrence and Horo hire the services of a young shepherd girl to escort them to the next town, but how will Horo react to the ‘new woman’ in Lawrence’s life? Not only does this episode introduce a new character who briefly appears in the ED, but it truly exposes the awesomeness of Horo- any time when she seems to be acting predictably tsundere she’ll suddenly laugh it off and prove that there is much more to her than any stereotypical character.

MANGA

*CATCH-UP* Busou Renkin 1-37: The effort of reading some Busou Renkin manga has finally been made, with the first four of ten volumes now cleared. So far, everything is proceeding as per the anime, with these volumes covering the Papillon arc and taking us well into the LXE arc; what remains to be seen is how the latter volumes differ from the animated version.

Chokotto Sister 50: Volume six concludes with this short chapter, in which Choko goes to play at Yurika’s house for the day (complete with obligatory fanservice and a scene in which Choko finds that all of Yurika’s bras are too small), whilst Chitose passes up the opportunity to romantically pursue Haruma in order to nurse the sick Konatsu instead.

Claymore 78: Deus ex machina has arrived in the form of Clare and her allies, and it seems that their combined abilities might just be enough to combat Agatha. Naturally, the action in this chapter follows the usual “few slashes- opponent is sliced to pieces” pattern, but I’m still enjoying the series more than I once did.

Elfen Lied 83: The forces of evil have forced their way into Kohta’s home, but when they start playing rough with his harem, they risk awakening the beast that slumbers within Nyu. Although I hardly wanted our protagonists to be attacked in their own home (which somehow makes it seem worse than all the extreme violence that has come before), it’s good to see the series moving up a gear and pushing the plot ahead towards its conclusion.

Hunter X Hunter 271: Togashi has been propped up and pumped full of drugs (or whatever the situation is), and so HxH is back for another ten weeks, in which the story should advance infinitesimally. In this chapter, the mysterious narrator gives us an excruciatingly slow blow-by-blow account of the various battles that are occurring, to which one can only respond “who cares anymore”? The only interesting thing to note is the way the artwork can vary from detailed to scribble from one page to the next.

Moyashimon 2: The second chapter of Moyashimon pushes us into episode two of the anime, covering Hasegawa’s attempts to test Sawaki’s abilities to the limit, before he detects the unmistakable evidence of brewing. There’s not much more to say, since we’re just mirroring the anime.

Tsubasa Chronicle 184: Syaoran, Fai and Kurogane have made it back to Clow Country, but everything seems strangely peaceful and uneventful- at least until it becomes plain that the country is trapped in some sort of Groundhog Day-esque phenomenon. I was hoping this arc meant that the end of the series was near, but I should have known- it’s clearly going to be dragged out for as long as possible.

Simoun DS
As we’ve seen recently, there’s a game for everything, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have room for more. One significant omission is a Simoun game for DS, a combination of dating sim and action game. You take on the role of a young sibylla who has just been assigned to Chor Tempest; off-duty you can chat to your fellow sibylla and try to build up relationship points with them, and then when the time comes for battle, you and your chosen pair can take to the skies. Your relationship score will affect your stamina in battle, whilst special Ri Maajon moves can be drawn with the stylus, unleashing the true power of the Simoun! Does anyone have the drawing power to manage the legendary Emerald Ri Maajon? Find out when Simoun DS hits the streets!

Shion no Ou 16

Man…

…or woman?

“It was fun while it lasted, but people are starting to give me funny looks.”

“I will teach you what it means to be a man…”

“…through constant HARD GAY!”

“It will hurt at first, but in time it will become pleasurable.”

“Just watch what I do, and you’ll soon pick up the technique.”

“Now, prepare to feast your eyes on my Zhuge Liang!”

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

The latest entrepreneurs to brave the Den are business partners Tonegawa and Kaji, who are looking to sell what they call “the Kaiji Gambling Experience”. Events-based companies are notoriously hard to work with, so will they have that something special the Dragons are looking for?

Tonegawa: Greetings, Dragons, today we have a unique business proposition for you- the Kaiji Gambling Experience! Our company offers a range of games aimed at those in deep debt, all designed to give them the hope of paying off their creditors. So far we have released Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors, the Human Derby and E-Card, all of which Kaiji here has participated in.

Cardinal: Ah yes, I’m familiar with those events.

Tonegawa: Our hope is that, with your investment, we can expand the scope of our company, perhaps bringing out more games and of course reaching more people.

Mikoto: Well, debt is at an all-time high in Windbloom, so I have to admit that the market is there for it, but wouldn’t it be better to focus on selling one product rather than diversifying so much that you overstretch yourself?

Kaiji: Each game naturally leads onto the next- it’s like one huge product, really.

Aria: Punyu? [Could you explain these games to us in more detail?]

Tonegawa: Of course.

Having made his initial pitch, Tonegawa offers the Dragons the detail they need by showing them a range of video clips.

Aria: Punyu! [This looks rather dangerous and inhumane, so I’m out.]

Mr Tibbs: I’m not sure the bank and I really want to solve the problem of debt, so I’m out as well.

Two Dragons are already out! Can Tonegawa and Kaiji persuade the remaining three that they really are worth investing in?

Admiral: The thing that worries me is the high death rate- surely it damages your long-term profits to decimate the market?

Cardinal: Now, now, casualties are only to be expected. Tonegawa, I love your idea and I’d like to make you an offer.

Tonegawa: We’d be happy to have you on board.

Tonegawa’s games have appealed to the Cardinal’s ruthless streak, landing him with an offer from arguably the most powerful Dragon of the group. Well done.

This Week in Anime

Now presenting- the Turn A moustache.

Young Haruhi cosplayer explains how she got the look just right,

Forget Starbucks- all the cool people are going to Starbobs.

“I support bananas!”

“This is how you show those apples who’s boss!”

These days it’s possible to buy anything- even your own personal loli.

Is this Shaman King or Ren and Stimpy?

Grapes prepare to escape the fruit bowl.

“We aren’t HARD GAY, we’re just experimenting!”

“Yeah, and I’m actually reading Go strategy, not sneakily looking at porn.”

“Don’t be afraid to embrace your HARD GAY side!”

President Aria invests in the bowling industry.

“The discerning man drinks Boozer.”

Prepare for the brand new series- Athrun no Go!

No, not more Harvest Moon!

“I have mastered the game of Fantavision, and enlarged my Kadoya!”

Dog counsellor proves popular.

Flash Game Review: Eyezmaze
I first discovered Eyezmaze when someone started a forum thread on the Grow Cube game, and from then on, I was addicted. The Grow games remain my favourite offering on the site- the basic premise behind all of them is that you add components in a certain order so that they all reach their maximum level- a seemingly simple task that can sometimes be fiendishly difficult. The other games are of the more straightforward colour-matching/catch falling objects class, although the Chronon puzzle remains memorable for its seeming impossibility.

Reverse Harem of the week: Himeno Awayuki (Pretear)
Yet another in a long line of destined magical girls, Himeno not only became the legendary Pretear, but also gained the services of seven Leafe Knights, a group of bishies and shota whom she had to “prete” (fuse) with in order to use magical powers. Any excuse for it, eh?

Harem
Hayate: The brooding main love interest- tall, dark, handsome and taciturn.
Sasame: The carefree and laid back one, who harbours his own secrets.
Go: The straightforward strong man of the group.
Kei: The vain, effeminate narcissist.
Mannen: Oldest of the shota, the cool and pragmatic one.
Hajime: The second shota, the unmemorable, bookish type.
Shin: The quintessential blonde shota.

Rivals
Mawata: One of Himeno’s two stepsisters; the quiet, troubled one who wanders around angsting.
Mayune: The other stepsister; a comic relief character who continually tries to seduce the male characters.
Takiko: The “Princess of Disaster” and previous Pretear, with romantic links to both Hayate and Sasame.

The making of Azure Flame: Tuesday Rumble
In an oddly circular turn of events, in this Tuesday Rumble we will discuss how Tuesday Rumble is created. The first stage is generating ideas, which occurs through random trains of thought, MSN conversations and throwaway comments on other blogs. These ideas are all written down in a special Word document, which also lists the various articles in the right order for consistency.

Each week, the top ideas for each section are transferred to the current Tuesday Rumble, in the following order-

“Main article”- random ideas based on the world of anime and manga. I used to do two per week, but now it’s down to one.

Screencap parody- based on whatever screencaps I saved to the appropriate folder

Short parody/Random Thoughts/Dragons’ Den

This Week in Anime

HARD GAY/HARD YURI Corners/Anime or Game World Tour/Flash Game Review

OST Spotlight (not currently featuring)

Mini-rant/editorial

In Your Reflection/Harem of the Week

Fashion Police (not currently featuring)

The making of Azure Flame/Amusing Search Terms+Spam

Now the individual sections can be worked on over the weekend or on Monday and Tuesday, until the finished product is ready to be released. Sadly, tiredness, lack of time and the dreaded lack of internet can all conspire to make sure that some weeks have to go without a Tuesday Rumble.

It’s a unique opportunity to be able to post this on February 29^th, which also happens to be the day when we girls can propose- possibly why they told me not to come to dancing on Fridays anymore.

Reviewed this week: Aria 8, Himawari!! 2, Kaiji 20, Persona 6, Shion no Ou 17, Shounen Onmyouji 21-2, Spice and Wolf 8, Sisters of Wellber 12

…and in manga: Elfen Lied 82, Erementar Gerad (Elemental Gelade) 27, Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies 9, Nodame 107-8, Ten 1, Tsubasa 183, Twin Spica 8, Yostuba&! 53

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – banana peel
2. Kaiji (3) – ざわ, ざわ…
3. Spice and Wolf (2) – drunken wolf
4. SaiMono II (4) – Ran clan
5. Shigofumi (5) – Fumi+Mika=Fumika
6. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (6) – mind-altering drug
7. Persona Trinity Soul (7)- Mushi-Uta’s successor
8. Shion no Ou (8) – die, Satoru!
9. Minami-ke Okawari (9)- not quite the same
10. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (10)- Marco
11. Clannad (11) – drop kick
12. Mokke (12)- rainy season

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Tetsuko no Tabi (2)- is this ever going to be subbed?
2. Himawari!! (4) – needs less plot
3. Sisters of Wellber (3) – predictable but fun
4. Shounen Onmyouji (5)- mediocre
5. Love GetChu! (6)- light entertainment

Aria the Origination 8: Yet again I am saddened by the impending conclusion to this series, because this Athena and Alice-centric episode only proves how much more there is to experience in Neo Venezia. This week, Alice becomes upset when Athena is too busy to go on a picnic with her, leading to Athena epically slipping on a banana peel and pretending to lose her memory. It’s not the best episode of the season, but is an enjoyable outing nonetheless, with plenty of Martian cat action from Presidents Maa and Aria, whilst next episode promises the emergence of the “Orange Princess”.

Himawari!! 2: It’s time for another episode and another bizarre enemy as Himawari!! presses on- this time with a weird mushroom that spells disaster for Hayato and Shikimi (when will people learn not to eat strange mushrooms?). There are starting to be hints that some of the mysteries set up by the first scene of season one might actually be addressed this time around, and while I’m not too hopeful on that count, it would at least make up for having a shadowy villain and some sort of main plot this season.

Kaiji 20: At the beginning of this episode, Kaiji is busy getting violent in the bathroom- has he finally lost it, or is it part of a plan to frustrate Tonegawa’s cheating? It’s funny to think that one round of a simple card game can be elevated to such tension-inducing heights, but that’s exactly what Kaiji excels at, and even though it isn’t hard to guess the outcome, it will take a particularly disconnected person not to get pulled along on the emotional ride. Bring on episode twenty-one.

Persona Trinity Soul 6: It’s time for an episode away from the main plot (or indeed any plot at all), as Megumi and Kanaru become ‘Chief for a Day’ at the police station to replace an idol who cannot make it, and Ryou dons a bear suit with which to anonymously fight off minor villains. It’s throwaway in the general scheme of things, but it does provide a welcome let-up from the more serious side of this series.

Shion no Ou 17: The fated rematch between Shion and Satoru is here, and it’s time to inject a bit more depth into Satoru’s character- he may be a complete and utter bastard, but he has issues. There’s also an interesting revelation when Shion starts regaining her memories, and although I’m still more interested in the shougi side of things, this twist makes the murder storyline more appealing than it has been up to now. Surely the series can’t be ending soon- my appetite for it is only increasing.

Shounen Onmyouji 21-2: Another two episodes of Shounen Onmyouji have been cleared, and now the forces of evil have managed to take control of Guren, ensuring that there will be a massive mid-boss and final boss showdown come the end. It’s as mediocre as ever, but the end is now in sight, and those evil demons will surely be vanquished.

Spice and Wolf 8: If you’re wondering what happened to episode seven, wonder no longer- for some reason it’s a DVD only episode that we won’t be seeing until the end of May (why they couldn’t just call this episode 7 and make the DVD only one episode 6.5 or move it to 13, I can’t explain). Anyway, it doesn’t make much difference to this episode, in which Horo consumes copious amounts of alcohol before helping Lawrence profit in his pepper sales. Coincidentally enough, I’m currently reading a book on ‘behavioural economics’ at the moment, which includes a chapter on relationships based on market norms and social norms; who knows, I might start analysing Lawrence and Horo’s relationship and become a full fledged member of the blogworld intelligentsia instead of an irreverent faker!

Wellber no Monogatari ~Sisters of Wellber~ 12: This is one of those episodes that makes you wonder what the point of everything that preceded it was, for having spent most of the season running away from Sangatras and trying to reach Greedom, Princess Rita now attempts to end things by giving herself up. Will she be able to sway Gernia, or will his ruthless father and mother-complex conspire against her? Well, we all know nothing too drastic can happen, or there wouldn’t be a second season.

MANGA

Elfen Lied 82: It’s the calm before the storm in this episode as everyone comes home for a quiet dinner together, and Nozomi awaits the results of her music college entrance exams. It’s one of those chapters where nothing really happens, but it gives readers a pleasant break right before the action steps up again.

Erementar Gerad 27: Volume seven finally begins, and it is clear that the manga is about to go head and shoulders over the anime from now on. Whilst Viro continues to be evil in quiet corners, Coud and the party trek through the woods until they reach a broken cable car- can Coud use his mechanical skills to fix it? It may not sound like much, but as it is better paced and presented than the anime, it already has my seal of approval.

Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies 9: After deciphering the secret message in “Mozart’s lullaby”, Beethoven and the others are led to the statue of Prince Tomino- a character from The Magic Flute- but what about this statue could be so important that one person has already lost their life trying to uncover it? It’s been hard to maintain the flow of this series with chapters coming out so slowly, but nonetheless the mystery is still intriguing enough to keep me coming back for more.

Nodame Cantabile 107-8: Having missed her recital, Chiaki can’t help feeling guilty, and after apologising to Nodame, he invites her to come to Vienna with him- but with both their lives getting steadily busier, is it folly for Chiaki to think Nodame will always be around for him? Meanwhile, these two chapters also see the reintroduction of Kiyora Miki, who is still having problems breaking past the barrier of good playing and achieving a truly great competition-winning performance.

*NEW* Ten 1: Set twenty-three years after Akagi, Ten tells the tale of a very different mahjongg player- an easygoing man who nonetheless has the balls to cheat even yakuza. In this first chapter, Ten meets and plays a young man whose cold and logical skills make him seem more like a computer, and after losing to him time and again, Ten has to pull his cheating move in the last round. It’s not quite as exciting as Akagi’s actual skill, but you can’t help admiring the blatant cheating whilst hoping Ten has more tricks up his sleeve.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 183: The time has come to return to Clow Country (yes, that’s where it all began, and like me, you might wonder why we bothered to actually go anywhere in the first place), and in order to get our heroes back there, Yuuko and the Mokonas must expend all their energy, whilst Fei Wong waits patiently in his chair. That’s pretty much all that happens in this episode- after all, we wouldn’t want to take things too quickly now, would we?

Twin Spica 8: As volume two concludes, the evil Beruze teacher continues his plan to get Asumi to drop out of space school, calling her up for a private meeting and destroying her self-confidence with some unpleasant home truths. The evil teacher is my least favourite part of the series, so I hope that we can move on from him soon.

Yotsuba&! 53: Yotsuba and Jumbo have been left to look after the house together, but when Yanda comes round, the usual brand of randomness ensues. This isn’t among my favourite chapters, but it’s still a strong instalment- it hardly seems as if this series can do any wrong.

Reviewed this week: Aria 7, Clannad 18, Kaiji 19, Mai-Otome 0 S.ifr 1, Minami-ke Okawari 7, SaiMono II 36, Shigofumi 6-7, Shion no Ou 16, Shounen Onmyouji 20, Sketchbook 13, Sisters of Wellber 11, Zoku SZS 4

…and in manga: Doujin Work 1-19, Minami-ke 1-21

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – the Single life
2. Spice and Wolf (2) – wolf in the sewers
3. Kaiji (5) – ざわ, ざわ…
4. SaiMono II (4) – Ran clan
5. Shigofumi (3) – Schrödinger the cat
6. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (6) – mind-altering drug
7. Persona Trinity Soul (8)- Mushi-Uta’s successor
8. Shion no Ou (12) – die, Satoru!
9. Minami-ke Okawari (7)- not quite the same
10. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (10)- Marco
11. Clannad (11) – drop kick
12. Mokke (13)- rainy season

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (1) – lots of cats <- complete!
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (2)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Sisters of Wellber (3) – predictable but fun
4. Himawari!! (4) – needs less plot
5. Shounen Onmyouji (5)- mediocre
6. Love GetChu! (6)- light entertainment

Aria the Origination 7: If you’ve ever wondered about the humble beginnings of the mighty President Aria, then this is the episode for you. Before he built up his multi-million pound empire he was just a naked cat looking out to sea- until the fateful day he met with a young Himeya undine known as Akino (known to us as Grandma). Alongside this flashback, we also meet Alicia’s senpai Anna, who worked for Aria Company until she got married and had a child, and just like Akari, I can’t help realising how much there is I still don’t know about Neo Venezia, and how much I just want to stay there forever. In some ways, this is my favourite season of all, and I shall unashamedly bask in fangirlish emotion about it.

Clannad 18: It only just began, but Tomoyo’s arc is wrapped up in this episode, whilst Ryou gets “friends” compatibility with Tomoya and even Kyou bursts into tears. I can’t help feeling it was a bit pointless setting everything up with an air of importance in the last episode just to arbitrarily wrap it all up here, whilst the baseball challenge felt like the biggest plot cop-out ever. How are we supposed to care about these generic, overly fast-paced events?

Kaiji 19: There are four rounds left, and three more millimetres for Kaiji to wager; if he wants to keep his eardrum, he’ll have to win at least once, but how can he beat the ‘invincible’ Tonegawa? Fortunately, all is not as it seems, and even though the explanation behind what’s going on seems a touch farfetched, who can’t love the prospect of Kaiji making a comeback? And even though the preview shows the side of his face bleeding, we can assume that’s deliberate misdirection.

“With it, he could tell the time!”

*NEW* Mai-Otome 0 S.ifr 1: I don’t know why, but I’m feeling benevolent towards Mai-Otome at the moment, and so despite this new OVA’s lack of fat cats or any real story, it somehow didn’t seem as bad as the forgettable Zwei. A prequel to all previous Otome stories, S.ifr focuses on a new set of characters, including the titular Sifr/Sifuru, various Otome, King Bruce of Windbloom and a young Rena. For antagonists, we have the younger John Smith and his Schwarz allies up to their usual tricks, plus a brand new android for our heroines to fight. I can’t say it’s good, but it’s still the best thing the franchise has offered in a while.

Minami-ke Okawari 7: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and so our named characters all decide to get together at the Minami house and make chocolate. Again, this is a rather standard piece in the grand scheme of episodes, making it mildly entertaining in the way of most episodes this season- although the sight of Mako-chan in a maid costume cannot be missed.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 36: Three episodes before the series ends for good, and sadly we are unfortunate enough to be landed with the season’s third recap episode. Worse yet, this is a recap that goes right back to the first season, covering Ryuuki’s experiences of being Emperor ever since we first met him. Yes, there are some cute pandas for him to talk to, but come on, let’s end the series on a bang rather than a whimper.

Shigofumi 6-7: Episode six seemed to promise a return to form for Shigofumi, with a story about bullying and abuse that is actually quite difficult to watch (although that may be because of my feelings on the subject). Unfortunately, whilst episode seven promises further unravelling of Mikawa’s past, it is let down by her over-the-top father, a character obsessed with beauty and perfection. I must admit to feeling for his newly-appointed editor, however, simply because her bosses think she’s useless.

Wait, didn’t we have this game in Kaiji?

Shion no Ou 16: Ayumi’s mother has died, and with her passing there is no further need from him to cross-dress, but will he still keep up the shougi? I’ve been wanting Ayumi to come clean for a while now, and so a change that will let him play honestly is most welcome, even though he looked good as a trap.

Shounen Onmyouji 20: I’ve finally managed to fit in another episode of this series, and it must be said that it was as underwhelming as ever. This time around, we learn that the main villain has an entirely predictable past connection with Seimei, but that skeletons in the old family closet mean that he has, of course, turned mindlessly evil. Now to resolve the confrontation with him in the next six episodes.

*COMPLETE* Sketchbook ~full color’S~ 13: Sketchbook has finally come to an end, with a reflective episode in which Sora spends an afternoon alone in the afternoon, painting her friends whilst they pass through. I know I have accused the series of trying too hard throughout its run, but nonetheless this was a worthy conclusion to the series, with Sora finding the strength to grow a notch or two at the end. I guess I wouldn’t be averse to a second season after all, especially if it has cats.

Wellber no Monogatari ~Sisters of Wellber~ 11: Months after my last Wellber experience, we come to this episode, which tells the past story of Galahad and Jamille in what is probably meant to be a touching build-up to their inevitable confrontation in a duel. What a shame, then, that it is all so predictable and on the rails that no one could really care- all I can say is that it’s a good way to waste an episode.

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 4: There seems to have been an element of randomness missing from my week of late, but luckily it’s back for the moment, with another instalment in the crazy life of one Itoshiki Nozomu and his off-kilter class. This time around we meet a couple more new characters (including one who can read anything- even hearts) and learn what happens when you diverge from the main point. There are no laugh out loud moments this time, but there is consistent entertainment, and that will do for me.

MANGA

*CATCH-UP* Doujin Work 1-19: My experience with 4-koma has been a bit hit-and-miss so far, but happily Doujin Work is proving to be one of the better ones of the bunch. Although it takes much the same overall course as the anime, some of the specifics are different, with the overall effect being to replicate the feeling of light entertainment without seeming stale.

*CATCH-UP* Minami-ke 1-21: Whilst not a 4Koma, Minami-ke does go for the short chapter approach that many comedy series use, and this time it is just like the anime- or at least season one of the anime. So far, then, it is proving to be just as entertaining, but many more chapters will be needed.

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 6, Clannad 17, Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino 5, Kaiji 17-18, Koutetsu Sangokushi 23-5, Minami-ke Okawari 6, Mnemosyne 1, Mokke 15, SaiMono II 35, Shigofumi 5, Shion no Ou 15, Sketchbook 12, Spice and Wolf 6

…and in manga: Loveless 9.3-5, Moyashimon 1, Shion no Ou 1-12, Spice and Wolf 5, Twin Spica 6-7

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – the Single life
2. Spice and Wolf (2) – wolf in the sewers
3. Kaiji (5) – ざわ, ざわ…
4. SaiMono II (4) – Ran clan
5. Shigofumi (3) – Schrödinger the cat
6. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (6) – mind-altering drug
7. Persona Trinity Soul (8)- Mushi-Uta’s successor
8. Shion no Ou (12) – die, Satoru!
9. Minami-ke Okawari (7)- not quite the same
10. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (10)- Marco
11. Clannad (11) – drop kick
12. Mokke (13)- rainy season

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (-) – lots of cats
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (1)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Sisters of Wellber (2) – predictable but fun
4. Himawari!! (3) – needs less plot
5. Shounen Onmyouji (4)- mediocre
6. Love GetChu! (5)- light entertainment
7. Koutetsu Sangokushi (6) – purely ridiculous <-complete!

Aria the Origination 6: How does the perfect Alicia-san deal with Akari’s mistakes and clumsiness? It’s a question that Alice wants to know the answer to, but will spying on the goddess of perfection give any clues? Whatever the case, the results make for entertaining and President Aria-filled viewing, although things continually going wrong for Akari at the beginning seemed a bit of a back step- over these last few episodes we’ve seen her start to mature and grow up, so to have her being all clumsy and ditzy is a bit disappointing.

“I’ll get you this time, Aria-shachou!”

Clannad 17: It’s a fusion of storylines this week as we switch from Kyou/Ryou to Tomoyo in the space of an episode, whilst Nagisa drops out for a while due to illness. Unfortunately, I’m at the stage where I only want to see Nagisa’s storyline, so this filler-ish episode didn’t really do much for me- it passes the time, but achieves little more.

Gunslinger Girl –Il Teatrino 5: This episode covers a manga chapter I read a while ago, in which Marco’s ex-girlfriend Patricia teams up with a reporter to find the truth behind the Social Welfare Agency. As you’ll have heard me say quite often by now, the manga already did it better, and the need to ‘recap’ Artland’s version of flashback scenes that Madhouse already did better didn’t really help the pacing at all.

Kaiji 17-18: After having to go without it for a bit, Kaiji and E-card are back with a vengeance, and our intrepid hero seems determined to risk his eardrum against the unflappable Tonegawa. Unfortunately, Kaiji can’t seem to gain the edge in this psychological battle, making for a white knuckle ride as that pin moves ever closer to his eardrum. Narrative convention says that Kaiji must ultimately triumph, but right now that seems a distant dream- and all we can do is wait impatiently to see what happens next.

*COMPLETE* Koutetsu Sangokushi 23-5: At last the HARD GAY nightmare has ended, with Lu Xun inevitably defeating both the Liu Bei dragon and the evil meteor that was about to destroy the world (no, I’m not getting my shows mixed up). Of course, by this point, no ridiculousness seemed too much, with the writers indulging their desires to write some sort of sentai/Otome style conclusion. All I can say is that I will enjoy reviewing this.

Minami-ke Okawari 6: It’s a snowy day in the Minami neighbourhood, which means the girls are stuck at home- not too bad a prospect, perhaps, if not for the fact that they have no electricity, no gas and only odds and ends to eat. Again, this episode doesn’t really inspire the love that the first season did, not least because of the focus on dull new character Fuyuki- let’s get back to the personalities that enlivened the first season.

*NEW* Mnemosyne 1: I’d like to post a fangirl alert here, because to my surprise, I totally fell in love with Mnemosyne after just one 45 minute episode. With everything from a fat cat to Alias style action, Mnemosyne would have been strong under any circumstances, but to cap it all off we have Asogi Rin, a lead with looks, attitude and invulnerability- I love her already. The animation is also so slick that you won’t even hear me complaining about fanservice and ‘evil’ nipples- just bring me episode two.

Mokke 15: It’s the rainy season, and Shizuru is feeling depressed because at this time of year she can see even more supernatural phenomena than ever. It’s this kind of miserable attitude that typifies the series as a whole, but at least by the end Shizuru learns to cheer up a little, and maybe we can hope that that’s a good sign for the future

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 35: The series picks up again in this episode, as we delve into Jyuusan-hime’s tragic past, meet another character in the form of the Ran province governor and see Ryuuki get depressed as he wonders if he is worthy enough to be king. With all these threads being woven in, it is rather sad to realise that there are only four episodes left, but without any new novel material until May, this is the way it has to be.

Ryuuren shows off this spring’s new fashions.

Shigofumi 5: In a rather bizarre turn of events, both Fumika and fellow mail carrier Chiaki are assigned to deliver a Shigofumi to a cat in this episode, something even I, as a cat lover, wouldn’t bother to do (like the cat even cares about you when you’re no longer able to feed it). I’m also a little weary of cats being named Schrödinger- trust me, once you’ve studied many-particle quantum mechanics, such jokes lose their sheen.

Anyway, light feline stories aside, the episode does provide more insights into Fumika’s Kanon-esque situation, leading to a solid episode if not one that can recapture that brilliant opening arc (can anything?).

Shion no Ou 15: This sort of shogi-filled episode is exactly why I’m watching Shion no Ou, and so I have no complaints about watching the tense match between Shion and her father. When the series focuses on shogi rather than the murder case, I find myself becoming addicted to it as I once did to Hikaru no Go, ensuring that I continue to crave more- and the icing on the cake this week was that Satoru actually got ‘pwned’ by Shion’s father, which always guarantees satisfaction.

Sketchbook ~full color’S 12: In the penultimate episode of the series Sora and her friends head into the city to buy art supplies, and whilst they all invest in new sketchbooks, Sora can’t help thinking about the dynamics of brother-sister relationships. Again, the series tries a little too hard to achieve what Aria can accomplish without any apparent effort, but this is the kind of inoffensively enjoyable episode that the word ‘nice’ was made for.

Spice and Wolf 6: When Horo and Lawrence reach a dead end in the sewers, there’s only one thing for our heroine to do- switch to her immense wolf form. Just as Horo craves apples, so do I crave more and more from this series, and whilst this wasn’t my favourite episode thus far, I still greatly enjoyed it. We can’t be halfway through already- I refuse to believe it.

MANGA

Loveless vol 9 chapters 3-5: After a couple of chapters of downtime in which Soubi and Ritsuka kick back and visit a shrine for the New Year, the latest chapter gets the main story back on track, revealing the names of the Septimal Moon members (not that it means much), and preparing the story to move ahead. Ritsuka wants to forgive Seimei and bring him home, but can everything his brother’s done really be erased that easily?

*NEW* Moyashimon 1: The time has come to pick up Moyashimon, although as I suspected, the first chapter of the manga is basically the same as what we saw in the first episode of the anime- albeit with rougher artwork (the hairstyles in particular seem oddly amateur). Even so, the temptation with this manga, as with so many others, is to eventually move past what we saw in this anime and breach original territory.

*CATCH-UP* Shion no Ou 1-12: As with Moyashimon above, the Shion no Ou manga has proven to be largely the same as the anime, with these first two volumes taking us up to Satoru’s introduction to the story. Nonetheless, whilst I am in the grip of my odd addiction to this series, having the manga to read will help with the cravings.

Spice and Wolf 5: The manga continues to follow the same course as the anime in this chapter, which covers the sale of the marten/ermine furs and the beginning of the silver coin investigation. Of course, with the beautiful artwork and some additional summary pages talking about the original novels, I have no intention of complaining about covering the same material again.

Twin Spica 6-7: Volume two continues apace as Asumi settles down in space school, only to attract the attention of the evil teacher ‘Beruze’- quite possibly my least favourite aspect of the series. We’re still deep within anime territory, but as it’s been a while since I watched it, that’s no big problem.