Shinkurou Kurenai is a high school student with a unique part-time job; under the auspices of his boss, benefactor and mentor Juuzawa Benika, he’ll do anything- no matter how dangerous. And yet administering rough justice to the thugs and lowlifes out there is nothing compared to Shinkurou’s latest task, for now he must become both carer and bodyguard to seven year old Murasaki, a daughter of the Kuhouin family who desperately wants to defy the rules that say she must never see the outside world. Will Shinkurou be up to the challenge of keeping Murasaki safe whilst teaching her about the outside world?

When I first heard of Kurenai, my main worry was that it was going to turn out to be another Chokotto Sister; but upon watching the first episode, it was clear that the rich kid-bodyguard dynamic was going to be more reminiscent of another series- namely Seirei no Moribito. This was still a cause for concern, however, for although it had started out well enough, by about a third of the way through, Seirei no Moribito had lost my interest. Would Kurenai succeed where its spiritual predecessor had failed? The answer, fortunately, was to be a resounding yes.

Although early impressions pegged it as more of an action series, in fact, the bulk of Kurenai has more of a slice-of-life bent, as the isolated and imperious Murasaki learns about the outside world with the help of Shinkurou and his somewhat eccentric neighbours. Never too heavy-handed, the series showcases a masterful command of dialogue and character interaction, bringing us everything from humour (“is university a place where you go to catch men?”) to more poignant moments as we delve into the fears and insecurities underpinning the various cast members.

Underneath this tranquil veneer, however, a darker story is brewing, and by the last quarter of the series, it is ready to show its hand. Driven by the “only in anime would you find this” circumstance of only being able to breed by incest, the Kuhouin family are desperate to recover Murasaki, so that by the time she turns thirteen, she can starting bearing her brother’s children. Not only does this disturbing revelation colour everything we’ve already learned about Murasaki’s origin and her parentage, but it adds an extra note of urgency to our heroes’ efforts to keep her safe.

Unfortunately, with all this going on, it seems no surprise that twelve episodes simply isn’t long enough to come up with a good conclusion- instead, we get an ending that is “as good it could be under the circumstances” rather than genuinely worthy. Somehow, our main characters level up enough to defeat previously untouchable enemies, whilst one speech from Murasaki is all it takes to seemingly change the long-held practices of a powerful family. Not that I can complain too much- the series bought us so much greatness and enjoyment in the preceding eleven episodes that I can forgive it for not having time to wrap everything up in the finale.

As with many twelve episode series, Kurenai has more characters than it can properly develop, yet even so, it’s hard to complain when they’re all brought to life so well. From Shinkurou’s classmates to his neighbours, everyone has a distinctive voice to bring to the series, and their interactions- both subtle and overt- elevate the series even further. Central to it all, however, is the relationship between Shinkurou and Murasaki, and although there could be an air of creepiness about it, somehow the series manages to convey the depth of emotion between them without making it seem weird or disturbing.

Visually, Kurenai tends to play it a bit fast and loose with the animation, resulting in a mix of fast and fluid action scenes with moments that look like they’ve been hastily scrawled on the back of a napkin (take filler episode six, for example). Nonetheless, overall the style is attractive and well complemented by the background music.

Final Thoughts

Although it has a few flaws that prevent it from quite reaching the hallowed halls of Platinum tier, Kurenai is nonetheless a masterful series and a real class act with content so good that we can forgive its flawed conclusion. One can’t help feeling that once the end of the year rolls around, we’ll be remembering this as one of the best series of 2008.

Tier: Gold+

Allison and Lillia’s handbook for life

Do you have difficulty in social situations? Do you just not know what to do when put on the spot? Luckily, Allison and Wil have put together a convenient handbook that will sit snugly on your bookshelf right next to “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.

• When old men tell tall tales, don’t hesitate to believe them. Who knows, their wild stories of war-ending treasures might just be true, and if not, at least you got a nice cup of tea for your efforts.
• When suspicious old ladies offer you a cup of tea, drink it without reservation. Even if she locks you in her cellar, it shouldn’t be too hard to get out.
• When dictators attack, don’t leave it to the highly trained security guards. Remember, he’ll invariably flee for the roof of the nearest building, and then you can just blow him off with the wake from your plane.
• When mysterious majors order you to attack military trains and tanks, just go along without question. Remember, tanks are super-fast vehicles with a low rate of fire, whilst armoured trains are no match for a standard service revolver.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei: the lost chapters

Sensei takes his class to the canteen.

Chiri: Sensei, why are we here? It’s not lunchtime yet!

Sensei: Class, today we’re having a special lesson on how to eat difficult foods! We’ll start with spaghetti.

Sensei tries to eat some spaghetti, but it goes wrong.

Kafka: Don’t worry, Sensei- if you can’t twirl it, just cut it up.

Sensei: But that’s not acceptable in polite company! Zetsubou shita! These hard to eat foods have left me in despair!

• Precariously arranged restaurant dishes where you don’t know where to start.
• Meat that can’t be cut because the knife is too blunt.
• Unsliced bread that requires a steady hand to make a perfect slice.
• Cream puffs that leak out as you bite into them.
• Seafood and shellfish that defies access.
• Working inwards with the cutlery, only to realise it’s been mixed up to catch you out.
• Trying to spoon food on your plate and getting one bean at a time.

Shion no Ou 21

“I don’t have time for Pleasure right now!”

“…when we will have a Pleasure extravaganza!”

“I’m just going to have Hyper Self Pleasure tonight.”

“I don’t want them to catch me at it.”

“If I decide to have full Pleasure, I’ll let you know.”

“I think he did it because he was a transvestite, but everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.”

“I admit it- I practised with Hyper Self Pleasure!”

Kurenai 12

Yayoi contemplates trying a new HARD YURI technique.

“Eh? You want to get adventurous?”

“I may not be able to control it.”

“Don’t worry, I’m ready.”

“Then let me show you the heights of Pleasure!”

This Week in Anime

Thanks to loli_slayer for sending in the last two images.

Zetsubou shita! These notes have left me in despair!

Zetsubou shita! Marco’s face has left me in despair!

But which is better- small orange fruit or large green fruit? There’s only one way to find out….FIGHT!

It seems that small orange fruit has won, against all the odds.

Wide angle shots return!

From now on, Tuesday Rumble will be spotting rubber ducks as well.

World’s most athletic fat cat spotted.

“Ballroom, latin or freestyle?”

“…a Zhuge Liang?”

It was love at first sight…

…but would their relationship last?

Classic PC Games: Raptor- Call of the Shadows

Take on the role of a mercenary and battle against the forces of an evil organisation in this top scrolling shooter from 1995. With nine levels in the shareware version and additional regions to unlock in the full version, Raptor throws wave upon wave of enemies at you, from the straightforward to the fiendishly complicated. Fortunately, the more money you earn, the more you can upgrade your ship with shields and killer weapons- and if you can’t get enough first time around, then you’ll be sent back to the beginning with your bank balance intact to start saving up for the next purchase. Overall, it’s good fun, and even though it can get repetitive whilst trying to save up, it also proves addictive in brief bursts.

Harem of the week: Hino Kahoko (La Corda d’Oro)

With her magical violin, she set out to win a music competition despite having no previous experience, but along the way she would meet her fair share of musically inclined bishounen.

Harem

Tsuchiura: A good friend from the ‘normal’ section of the school, he gave up the piano and focused on soccer until the plot dictated otherwise.

Tsukimori: The cold-hearted overachiever who also studies the violin- can Kahoko melt him even a little?

Yunoki: The most popular bishounen in the school- talented, relaxed and universally adored.

Hihara: The easygoing senpai who’s a little rough around the edges.

Shimizu: The sleepy and often detached blonde-haired ‘shota’.

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 10-11, Chocolate Underground 1, Kaiba 8, Kurenai 11-12, Mnemosyne 5, Toshokan Sensou 11

…and in manga: FMA 1-84, Minami-ke 30-1

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Kurenai (1) – masterful
2. Chi’s Sweet Home (2)- Chi plays
3. Kaiba (3) – who am I?
4. Nabari no Ou (4) – clan massacre
5. Soul Eater (5) – Bones does shounen
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) – fox trap
7. xxxHOLiC Kei (7) – typhoid Himawari
8. Persona Trinity Soul (8) – catch-up, start!
9. Real Drive (9) – they’re dogs, and they’re on the internet!
10. Itazura na Kiss (10) – hospital
11. Amatsuki (11) – the new Shounen Onmyouji
12. Himitsu (12) – faceless
13. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (13) – shinigami
14. Toshokan Sensou (14) – library wars
15. Allison and Lillia (15) – yawn
16. Chocolate Underground (-) – chocolate is forbidden <- new!

Allison and Lillia 10-11: The stupidity of Allison and Lillia reaches new heights as this arc continues, starting with Allison and Wil witnessing the murder of the conductor, before allying with the clearly suspicious Major Stork to fight off a military train with a pistol (no, really) followed by a tank that can somehow keep up with a train. I want to spend time making intense fun of it, but that must be left for the parodies.

*NEW* Chocolate Underground 1: With its 3-5 minute episodes, it hardly seemed like too much of an investment to tuck into the first instalment of Chocolate Underground, a series about a world where the use, sale and distribution of chocolate is now illegal. Naturally, in this Prohibition-esque era, bootlegging is rife, but there isn’t much of excitement in this episode, which basically serves to introduce the main characters and the world of constant health food ads that they inhabit. It’s hardly stunning stuff, and it was made even worse by the fact that the sound was out of sync for much of the episode.

Kaiba 8: The plot ramps up in this episode, with important revelations about Popo and Warp changing the playing field of the series once again. Although Popo is part of a group that forbids the use of memory chips and body swaps, we know that he has changed bodies at least once- and he’ll even go so far as to forsake his own mother in order to keep his secret hidden. Meanwhile, the kind Warp is a man who has had hundreds of copies of his body made, only a few of which contain his true powers. Currently, the king is in one of the inferior bodies, but the one that Kaiba started out in is the ‘true’ body that he needs. And what of the memory eating plant, which has continued to devour planets? Can it be stopped?

*COMPLETE* Kurenai 11-12: With Benika, Yayoi and Shinkurou having resolved to take back Murasaki, the time has come for an assault on the Kuhouins, and that is just what episode eleven delivers- all the slick and fast-paced action that you could have ever hoped for. It is a masterful stroke in an excellent series, but unfortunately it is also one that leaves episode twelve with the unenviable task of having to wrap it all up. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that the series can only end ‘as well as expected’, failing to live up to its predecessors with narrative conveniences such as Shinkurou and Yayoi magically levelling up to defeat previously untouchable enemies and Murasaki vowing to single-handedly challenge the all-powerful Kuhouins, but nonetheless there are some good moments, and overall a pleasant taste is less in the mouth. And yet, was this series Gold+ or Platinum?

Mnemosyne 5: The year is 2055, reality and the internet have merged and Teruki Maeno has a daughter- but happened to Rin? As it turns out, even being shredded by the engine of a plane wasn’t enough to keep her down forever, but with her regeneration taking the better part of a decade, she has been left without a memory. Even so, now that Rin is an office lady, who is the Rin lookalike who is going around murdering immortals? This is a mildly interesting episode, but the gratuitousness is still present, and to be honest there’s little that can enhance my reduced interest in the series other than a proper explanation of what’s going on followed by a solid conclusion.

Toshokan Sensou 11: The Media Enhancement Committee are ready to launch their attack on the controversial artwork, so it’s up to the Library Forces to defend it- with their lives if necessary. As always, there’s just something that doesn’t hang right about the combat, leaving me feeling disappointed and unfulfilled. Oh well, just one more episode to go.

MANGA

*CATCH-UP* Fullmetal Alchemist 1-84: I’ll be reviewing it properly in due course, but suffice to say that at long last I am up to date on the FMA manga, and it’s proved to be rewarding if frustrating (I need to know hoe it’s going to end). With key difference in the Homunculi and their creator, the FMA manga promises a deeper and more involved story than the anime could manage, with the latest chapter ending on a cliff-hanger that I absolutely must see resolved.

Minami-ke 30-1: It’s time for two more brief stays in the Minami-ke world with this duet of chapters; first up, we get to relive Hosaka developing an interest in Haruka and thus taking up cooking, before we see how utterly futile it is to try to argue with Chiaki.

Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 9, Itazura na Kiss 9, Kurenai 10, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 7, Nabari no Ou 9-10, Real Drive 6, Soul Eater 10, Toshokan Sensou 9, xxxHOLiC Kei 10

…and in manga: Claymore 80, REC 38

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Kurenai (1) – just a mistake?
2. Chi’s Sweet Home (2)- Chi scratches
3. Kaiba (3) – feelings and memories
4. Nabari no Ou (4) – clan massacre
5. Soul Eater (7) – Bones does shounen
6. Wagaya no Oinari-sama (6) – fox trap
7. xxxHOLiC Kei (5) – Kohane-chan
8. Persona Trinity Soul (9) – catch-up, start!
9. Real Drive (8) – book report
10. Himitsu (10) – everything at or below this line is poor
11. Amatsuki (11) – the new Shounen Onmyouji
12. Itazura na Kiss (12) – stalking
13. Toshokan Sensou (13) – library wars
14. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (14) – senseless
15. Allison and Lillia (15) – yawn

Allison and Lillia 9: With it being a nigh impossible task to top the ridiculousness of the last episode, the writers instead decided to kick off this latest arc with an episode so bland and inoffensive that no one could have strong feelings about it. Our heroes have boarded the Trans-Continental Express for some rest and relaxation, but with generic bad guys already plotting, it seems that this will be no straightforward train ride. Wake me up when something happens.

Itazura na Kiss 9: I actually watched this episode last week, but so fascinating was it that I completely forgot that I was also supposed to write about it. This time around, the ever tenacious Kotoko wants to take Naoki to the movies, but he has no intention of accompanying here- on the other hand, when black-haired girl asks, he finds himself unable to refuse her. After some ‘amusing’ stalking by Kotoko and the tennis coach, Naoki does show that he isn’t a complete bastard after all, but his actions are too little, too late, and thus seem a little too false and empty to me.

Kurenai 10: With episode nine being such a tour de force, it was hard for this episode to reach the same heights- although despite its more subdued tone, it was still very good. Whilst a dejected Murasaki is taken back home, Shinkurou wallows in a mixture of despair and disbelief, but what should he do next? As far as Benika is concerned, her job was only to show Murasaki the outside world for long enough to experience love, so wouldn’t it be fine for Shinkurou to dismiss his failure to protect her as an unfortunate mistake and move on with his life? Of course, things can’t end like that, but still we have to have the obligatory soul searching and ‘friends rally round’ episode before the finale kicks in, but whilst this instalment smacks of convention, at least it still presents itself very well. I don’t want it to be over in the space of two episodes- give me a second season!

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 7: When a young assassin tries to give up his trade and become a chef, things don’t go quite as planned- for some reason, his customers all die after tasting his food. Naturally, this is the sort of situation Kyouka loves to interfere in, and whilst it is certainly a cut above the dire monkey arc, this episode is more ‘watchable’ than entertaining.

Nabari no Ou 9-10: Nabari no Ou takes a Naruto-style twist as we learn that Raimei’s brother Raikou massacred their entire clan- and now that he’s back on the scene, she must confront him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go well, with Raikou defeating her and taking her sword, but although he seems to think he has his reasons for what he did, did his disagreement with the family really have to end in killing? Couldn’t they have discussed their differences over a nice pot of Earl Grey? Meanwhile, Yoite’s condition is worsening, whilst Rokujou reveals that he would rather use his ability to grant the dying young man’s wish than seal it away forever as Thobari wants. Despite the somewhat uneven pace, the series remains highly worthy, and I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

Real Drive 6: It’s time for another largely plotless episode of Real Drive as Minamo has to make up for her lack of cyberbrain by doing a book report- and after the first book she checks out from the library has pieces cut out, she goes for her grandmother’s recommendation of ‘Love Letter’, a book that supposedly has everything, but then leaves the ending open for the reader to write a letter to their most precious person. For some reason, Minamo becomes obsessed with finding the letter that the previous reader wrote (isn’t the point to write your own letter, not leech off other peoples?), during which time I found her quite stupid and annoying for not just writing her own letter and the report in the time it took to track the letter down. Hopefully we can get back into the Metal soon- episode five was a fun filler episode, but episode six was lacking in the charm.

Soul Eater 10: It’s time for a Black Star and Tsubaki story as the pair are sent to deal with the “Fey Blade” Masamune, who, predictably, has something of a past with Tsubaki. Even though there are standard past revelations for both characters, I remain impressed as to how Soul Eater just oozes with style- I see in it what I suspect attracted many people to its sister series Eureka Seven. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to last the course with this one, but now I’m actively looking forward to devouring more episodes.

Toshokan Sensou 9: In the last couple of episodes we’ve had interrogation and cover-ups, but now the tone has relapsed into lightness as Kasahara starts feeling awkward about Dojo being her Prince Charming, resulting in both parties coming to believe that the other hates them. This is an entirely by the numbers episodes, but I have to admit I prefer this sort of no-brain predictability to the times when the show tries to be more serious.

xxxHOLiC Kei 10: A lot has been cut out from the manga in order to wrap up the Kohane arc in this episode- gone is her mother’s breakdown on live TV, and of course the whole thing about Kohane getting some of her abilities from one of Sakura’s feathers has been snipped, leaving a rather dull and pedestrian animated conclusion in which everyone starts liking Kohane again for no real reason. Still, this series has been strong overall, and even this weaker instalment is better than season one, so I can forgive it.

MANGA

Claymore 80: Following the revelations of last month, it’s time for everyone to relax and have a drink before they get launched into the next arc, but even as the Claymores kick back, elsewhere, an older Raki and a little girl revisit his old home town- where he cuts down a Yoma. What has happened to Raki, and who is the girl who now travels with him? Can we wait to find out?

REC 38: A somewhat pointless chapter this time around, as a mangaka and closet Aka fan gets one of his series made into an anime and chooses Aka to play the lead role. Of course, there’s a somewhat predictable twist at the end that renders this more of an omake chapter than anything else- perhaps an indication that the series has run its course.

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

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crossdressing aside, I want a dress like that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

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

Reviewed this week: Chi’s Sweet Home 29-32, Himitsu 4, Itazura na Kiss 8, Kaiba 5, Kurenai 8, Persona Trinity Soul 10, Real Drive 5, Shion no Ou 20, Toshokan Sensou 7

…and in manga: Minami-ke 23-8, Nodame Cantabile 114-9, Potemayo 1-8, Tennai 32-3, Tsubasa Chronicle 190

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Shion no Ou (1) – final match
2. Tetsuko no Tabi (2)- is this ever going to be subbed?
3. Love GetChu! (3)- light entertainment
4. Himawari!! (4) – needs less plot
5. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (5)- licensed
6. Shounen Onmyouji (6)- I’ll watch the last two episodes soon

Chi’s Sweet Home 29-32: When having to stay at home to watch Chi all the time becomes a little inconvenient, the Yamadas decide to try going out and leaving her to house-sit- albeit after a stressful few hours of running around trying to make sure the place is safe. Although I was a little surprised that Mother was okay with leaving Youhei at home on his own at one point, on the whole this was another entertaining slice of feline life, although I’m waiting for the black cat from the manga to make his appearance.

Himitsu 4: “Oh dear” is all I can say about this latest episode of Himitsu, as our heroes become even more bland and stupid than they were previously, just in time to solve a case about a man who gets rid of troublesome grandpas for families who don’t want them anymore. “Highlights” of the episode include Aoki’s father going into hospital “Hmm, my dad’s just collapsed, oh well, back to that report”, the main villain wearing a Robin Hood hat and singing “If you’re happy and you know it…[kill your grandpa]” and an exchange in which a mother tells her son he will get his own room when grandpa dies, so to pray for him to hurry up and pass on. In the meantime, the soundtrack has become particularly lazy, and indeed would sound more at home in a 16 bit game.

Itazura na Kiss 8: Kotoko and Irie’s university days have started, but in typical fashion Irie is being as much of a bastard as ever, brushing off Kotoko in favour of spending time with a ‘perfect’ witch queen from his own department. Much as I would like Kotoko to give up the fight to land this cold-hearted piece of human scum, she just won’t, leading to another episode of meaningless struggle for the heart of a man who quite frankly, just isn’t worth it.

Kaiba 5: There’s a quality of vivid nightmare in this instalment of Kaiba, in which our eponymous hero manages to lose the hippo body (I never liked that form anyway) and ends up meeting Patch, a mad inventor who designs new bodies. Patch’s mind is so crammed with memories that he just can’t form any new ones, causing him to get stuck in an endless cycle of creating useless bodies to mock the people who buy them to follow the latest fashion. There’s a lot of interesting stuff in this episode, including Patch’s dog, which he unwittingly made from the memories of the woman who loved him despite never being noticed. It’s disturbing and thought-provoking stuff at the same time.

Kurenai 8: The Kuhouins may have found out Murasaki’s location, but for now we still have time for some peaceful antics, as Shinkurou gets permission to take Murasaki to a minor shrine for her Shichi-Go-San (a celebration for children aged 3, 5 and 7). Whilst the bulk of the episode highlights how much I’ve come to like all the characters of the series, in the background giant wheels are beginning to turn, with Evil Young Man of the Kuhouin family deciding to take action and Ginko discovering that Murasaki isn’t even listed as a member of the Kuhouins. What does it all mean? How will it all turn out? Can Shinkurou really stand up to such a powerful adversary, even with Benika’s aid?

Persona Trinity Soul 10: I was slightly confused upon starting this episode to be greeted with a scene from the beginning of episode nine, but after a few indecisive minutes of not knowing what was going, I realised that this was meant to be what was happening to everything else whilst Shin was out for the day. Whilst Megumi tries to teach Takurou how to use his Persona, Yamazaki brings lunch over to the Kanzato house, only to end up staying to eat with them before taking in a movie. There’s a bit more to it than that, but the series is staying consistently average for now.

Real Drive 5: If last episode was all about orgasms, then this time around the focus switches to sunglasses, as Minamo tries to track down a rare brand known as Sous-Marin (or at least an equally rare and better quality knock-off), only to end up in the path of “Iron Schwartz” the combat android as he goes on a rampage. Aside from the inevitable pain of seeing two sets of sunglasses get ruined in the course of the episode, this is a reasonably good outing that entertains whilst adding nothing to the series- and I have to admit some of the background music and the fuss over glasses reminded me of Dennou Coil.

Shion no Ou 20: It’s time for the final match between the increasingly evil Hani Makoto and our heroine Shion, but even as everyone runs around behind the scenes trying to prove that the Meijin is the murderer, what will happen on the shogi board? I’m slightly amused as to how the Meijin is now being portrayed as a “gwakaka, I killed them for fun” villain, but of course I’m looking forward to Shion trouncing him in the game.

Toshokan Sensou 7: I found myself largely unable to pay attention to this episode of Toshokan Sensou, so uninspiring was it. Whilst Shibasaki discusses book-burning and a Library Committee cover up, Tezuka’s evil older brother decides to put some kind of villainous plan in motion, culminating in a cliff-hanger that sees Kasahara taken off for interrogation. Within the space of an episode, the library authorities have become some kind of faceless evil, but it all feels too extreme a shift for a series that had our heroine worrying about a visit from her parents just two episodes ago.

MANGA

Minami-ke 23-8: It’s time to recall the simple fun of Minami-ke with this batch of chapters, which includes Christmas, New Year and Valentine’s Day, as seen in the first season of the anime. It’s always refreshing to have some Minami-ke to read, but it leaves me with the desire for more.

Nodame Cantabile 114-9: When Nodame needs to practise her Beethoven, Chiaki decides to focus on helping her- a major step forward in their relationship that even includes a kiss. Then it’s back to work for Chiaki when Nodame decides she must go the last stretch alone- but jealousy rears its ugly head when she realises that means he’ll be spending time with Rui. Everyone’s come so far since the beginning, but there’s still a lot of potential for the series to stretch ahead into the future.

*CATCH-UP* Potemayo 1-8: Since the Potemayo manga is practically identical to the anime, there isn’t much to say about these eight short chapters- the content is identical, but the 4Koma format and lack of colour and movement mean that for once I prefer the anime. Nonetheless, I need to get to the point where it picks up where the anime left off.

Tenshi Nanka Janai 32-3: It took a couple of weeks to psych myself up for it (I don’t know why, but I find early Yazawa a little headache inducing to read), but I’ve finally made it through two more chapters of Tennai, in which Akira discovers that Masashi is his half brother before finally returning home to Midori’s arms. It actually feels like the series could end here, but there’s more to come.

Tsubasa Chronicle 190: It’s time for a leisurely flashback in this episode, as we see how Syaoran Jr met Sakura-hime and realised that incest is okay if the girl is from another world. That’s all, really.

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

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

OH

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

ANIME

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

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

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

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

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

Boys and girls, this is why we have goggles.

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

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

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

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

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

The Hakuoro look is back in this summer.

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

Allison and Wil wake up in a cellar.

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

Allison and Wil leave the cellar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

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

…and in manga: Bokurano 48-52

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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