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.

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.

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.

Tadayasu Sawaki isn’t your average college student- unlike other people, he has the ability to see microbes with his naked eyes, in the form of cute, self-aware chibis. A strange power under any circumstances, perhaps, but when he and his friend Kei start at Agricultural college, they discover that there are many more bizarre things in the world. Whether it’s an eccentric old professor with a penchant for brewing sake and experimenting with rotten foods, or a college festival quite unlike any you may have experienced before, Sawaki’s life seems destined to be packed with all kinds of craziness.

The noitaminA block seems to be the natural home for series based on college life; in Honey and Clover, we went to art college, Nodame Cantabile took us to music school and now Moyashimon furthers the set by showing us life at agricultural college. This time around, however, things were to be a little different, with the slice-of-life elements reduced in favour of comedy, craziness and the science of brewing sake.

With that in mind, it is clear that Moyashimon is a rather unique experience, and it is that that acts as both its strength and weakness. There is no doubt that the ability to see microbes as cute floating chibis is a novelty that will attract viewers regardless of content, and certainly the other unusual elements such as the crazy school festival will remain memorable long after other series have faded from the mind, but at the same time, there is something about the series that just doesn’t click. The various random and bizarre happenings of the series make it harder to connect with the characters and appreciate their story- in effect, the viewer superficially glides along the surface without really appreciating any of the deeper character and story dynamics.

With only eleven episodes to work with, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that Moyashimon can’t quite contribute as much as it should to character development. Over the course of the series, we are introduced to many distinctive and borderline eccentric personalities, but try as it might, the series doesn’t have time to do much more than establish their backgrounds. We know that Oikawa is a neat freak with a liking for older men, that Hasegawa went to college to escape the demands of her rich family and so forth, but we never really have the chance to progress forward with these ideas. Other revelations also seem quite rushed- for example in the latter half of the series Sawaki’s friend Kei takes a leave of absence, and the next time we see him he is dressed as a gothloli trap who is working through his gender issues. Having thrown us this unexpected curve, however, the series merely comes to an end, leaving us to wonder what would have happened next.

Visually, Moyashimon opts for a clean and bright style that sticks with realistic designs but gives them enough impact to be memorable (and let’s face it, who’s going to forget Hasegawa’s revealing leather outfits any time soon?). The microbes themselves are not only surprisingly cute, but even get to have a star turn in their own ‘Microbe Theatre’, the series’ equivalent to ‘Tachikoma Days’. Background music is largely forgettable, although the live-action OP with microbes floating around in the real world is a nice touch.

Final Thoughts
Despite having criticised it above, I don’t want to conclude by saying that Moyashimon is bad, because it most certainly is not. It’s just that somehow, despite a strong basis, something fundamentally felt lacking- perhaps simply due to a lack of episodes in which to properly settle down. If that is the case, then surely a second season is exactly what is needed to give this series a chance to show its true potential.
Tier: Silver-

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 3, Clannad 14, Gunslinger Girl- Il Teatrino 2, Kaiji 15, KgNE Next Season 1, Minami-ke Okawari 1, Mokke 8-10, Moyashimon 7-11, Persona 1-3, Shigofumi 1-2, Sketchbook 7-10, Spice and Wolf 3, Aquarion OVA 2, Tokyo Marble Chocolate, Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations 2, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 2

…and in manga: Bokurano 43-7, Mushishi 12, Spice and Wolf 1-4, Tenshi Nanka Janai 30-1, Tsubasa 180, Yotsuba& 51-2

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (1) – the Single life
2. Spice and Wolf (2) –invest in apples, trade silver coins
3. Shigofumi (-) – the dead never lie <- new!
4. SaiMono II (3) – close those eyes!
5. Kaiji (4) – zawa, zawa
6. Moyashimon (5) – cute microbes <-complete!
7. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (6) – first rumba, then tango
8. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (7) – lots of cats
9. Minami-ke Okawari (-)- not quite the same <-new!
10. Persona Trinity Soul (-)- Mushi-Uta’s successor <- new!
11. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (8)- Pinocchio
12. Clannad (9) – the world is made of invisible harps
13. Shion no Ou (10) – tournament time
14. Mokke (11)- magical cat

Aria the Origination 3: I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I adore Aria and I want to go and live in Neo Venezia immediately. Okay, now that the ritual is over, I have to admire how the series made a good episode out of heart-shaped chocolates and a one-off character, but somehow it managed it, transporting me to the far-off world of Aqua for a lesson on the packaging of chocolates (don’t use glass, boys and girls). In the meantime, President Aria seems to be taking his role as a Dragon more seriously when he starts reading the newspaper and taking an interest in construction, whilst Akari is growing up and new undines are set to appear next week.

Clannad 14: Kotomi’s arc comes to an end in this episode, and despite promising us a ‘theory of everything’ in the title (which I was hoping to steal and submit as a PhD thesis), it turns out that her parents had actually bought her a teddy bear. Anyway, after helping out with yard work, Tomoya and the others try to make Kotomi’s miserable life a bit more bearable so that they can put her aside and move onto the next arc. I’m sure I’m supposed to feel more emotional about all this, but all I could think was that Kotomi didn’t really the teddy bear in the first place.

Gunslinger Girl- Il Teatrino 2: After last week’s disappointment, this episode, whilst still not up to the level of the first season, is at least something of an improvement. Sadly, this may just be because the episode was almost entirely devoted to starting Pinocchio’s arc, and therefore had just a single scene with the girls at the end. I’m still highly disappointed by the animation, but the background music is beginning to grow on me, and this arc should provide plenty of story to distract from the presentation.

Kaiji 15: The long trek across the beam has come to an end, but unfortunately only Kaiji survived it, and thanks to his plea for the power to be switched off a couple of episodes ago, he won’t be getting any money. Instead, he must enter the next gamble, another card game involving three different types of card, in the hopes of finally making enough money to clear his debt. It’s strange- at this point in the series I still love the GAR MANLY w1n of it all, but at the same time the games themselves are pretty simplistic, and all this talk of cards puts me in mind of Yu-Gi-Oh (albeit a more badass Yu-Gi-Oh) once again.

*NEW* Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ~Next Season~ 1: As a Mitsuki fan, I was happy with the way KgNE ended, but by putting aside my irrational love for the TV series, I was finally able to watch and enjoy the first episode of the OVA. Under these conditions, the episode was quite enjoyable- Haruka seems a little more ‘with it’ than before, the visuals are nice and the runtime is pitched at the right length to prevent boredom. I’m actually looking forward to the next episode.

*NEW* Minami-ke Okawari 1: The time to move onto the second season has arrived, and as with so many things, it has proven to be a little difficult to adapt to the changes in visuals and atmosphere, so that whilst there are still moments when I laugh out loud, it just doesn’t feel quite the same. Even so, some Minami-ke is better than none, and I don’t have any intention of giving up just because of these alterations.

Mokke 8-10: The Mokke catch-up continues with three more episodes completed; first Mizuki must cope without her sister and grandpa on a field trip, then Shizuru befriends a girl who is obsessed with the other world, and finally Mizuki spends time with a weasel who is trying to learn how to use the sickle power of his clan. There’s nothing particularly wrong with these three episodes, and indeed they are enjoyable enough, but I can’t help feeling that this series is just a poorly disguised rehash of stories I’ve seen before- it really doesn’t offer anything unique or interesting enough to differentiate it from the bronze tier crowd.

*COMPLETE* Moyashimon 7-11: Moyashimon is finally complete, and what a strange, microbe-filled journey it has been. The series certainly had its fair share of enjoyable, thoughtful and even crazy moments, and yet overall something didn’t quite click for me- for all that I wanted to, I couldn’t quite connect with the characters. Even so, the microbes were fun, and a more detailed review will follow in due course.

*NEW* Persona Trinity Soul 1-3: Even though I intend to someday, I haven’t played Persona 3 yet, which puts me at something of a disadvantage when watching this sequel anime. Nonetheless, and in spite of the fact that most RPG adaptations are completely awful, Persona is actually proving to be enjoyable, offering as it does a Mushi-Uta mix of high school life and a bizarre alternate world of battles, monsters and secret organisations. There’s also some solid parody potential here- look out for a dedicated post soon.

*NEW* Shigofumi 1-2: When I first previewed it, I said that Shigofumi felt as if it would be the new Shinigami no Ballad- and as it turns out, I wasn’t far wrong. Instead of a shinigami and her cat visiting people, we now have mail carrier Fumika and her talking staff delivering letters from the dead (the titular Shigofumi), and so far, this new combination has proved to be more enjoyable than SnB was in animated form. The first two episodes cover an arc which begins when a girl’s father dies and Fumika is instructed to deliver a shigofumi to her lover, a role which her best male friend decides that he must fill. What looks to be a sweet tale of friendship and romance is soon turned on its head by the end of episode one, however, as the tale takes a darker and more twisting turn that proves you shouldn’t assume anything. Even though episode three has been altered for TV broadcast in case the evils of anime corrupt more innocent young minds, I’m looking forward to seeing more.

Sketchbook ~full color’S~ 7-10: The eternal process of catch-up has finally brought me to Sketchbook, with four more cat and art filled episodes bringing me up to date with the subtitled releases. Although there is still that air of trying too hard to accomplish what Aria and the like can achieve effortlessly, Sketchbook is still enjoyable enough in its own tranquil way, even weathering the introduction of the typical blonde foreign girl. And with episode eleven promising another feline bonanza, there is all the more reason to keep watching.

Spice and Wolf 3: I hope no one will mind if I fangirl about Spice and Wolf every week from now on; after all, if you’ve been reading this blog for any significant length of time you should be used to the fangirling by now. Anyway, I cannot help but love this series, from the atmospheric OP, through the beautiful setting, likable characters and story filled with financial twists and turns (don’t ask why, but I’ve had a taste for this sort of thing ever since I took a course in financial physics at uni), all the way to the delightfully nonsensical Engrish ED. This week, Horo gains a taste for apples and negotiation, whilst Lawrence continues to pursue the potential for profit when the silver purity of a particular currency is altered. I think I’ll have to send both of them into the Tuesday Rumble Dragons’ Den at some point.

*COMPLETE* Sousei no Aquarion OVA 2: After an uninspiring start, the Aquarion OVA makes up for its issues with a worthy second episode packed with action, story twists (that won’t surprise any TV series viewers) and an ending that means it does indeed tie into the original as a prequel. It could have perhaps done with a bit more orgasmic gattai with which to help us recall the original, but overall this turned out to be a worthy OVA that has reminded me why I love Aquarion so much.

*OVA* Tokyo Marble Chocolate 1-2: Many thanks to both Necromancer for recommending this and Hige for writing such a positive review about it, although to be honest this is the kind of thing I would have watched on the strength of the title alone. A double episode OVA that covers the same day from the perspective of its two protagonists, Tokyo Marble Chocolate tells the story of a young couple- each of them has had an unlucky time with the opposite sex and it may be that this relationship is about to go the same way, unless the intervention of a mini-donkey can change things for the better. A charming tale about romance with a whimsical and beautiful visual style, Tokyo Marble Chocolate scores another hit for Production I.G., whilst reviving my faith in the power of the OVA.

Tsubasa Chronicle ~Tokyo Revelations~ 2: It’s rare that I prefer an anime adaptation to the original manga, but I have to admit that this OVA episode actually cleared up some of the more confusing aspects of the manga, and even though various plot holes remain gaping open, at least I understand the whole clone Syaoran thing a bit better now. I could actually watch more of these OVAs.

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 2: The insanity continues in the second episode of Zoku SZS, starting with half an episode of complete randomness with puns, incoherent talk and a guy who likes opening things (stop opening it all! Some things must stay closed!), before moving onto a discussion of ostentatious decoration and the importance of the old- everything from old friends to Old Mother’s Day. It’s at times like this when I don’t know if I adore a series or have merely just had my brain fried by a cocktail of drugs and flashing images, but at the core of it, Zoku SZS seems to prove that there are people out there who can reach the same bizarre wavelengths that I sometimes tap into. I may be random and completely crazy at times, but I’m not alone!

MANGA

Bokurano 43-7: At long last I have some more Bokurano to get my teeth into, although of course it is never enough. These chapters cover Kanji’s arc as he goes into battle against an enemy with long-range capabilities, forcing him to come up with a unique and painful strategy to overcome it. Meanwhile, more details on who signed the contract are revealed, alongside indications that one person may not be all they seem. Give me more, now!

Mushishi 12: At long last I have a new chapter of Mushishi to look at, and although it just covers the same material as episode eight (the tale of a man who cannot let go when he loses his wife at sea), Mushish is such a great series that I can be exposed to its stories over and over without complaining.

*NEW* Spice and Wolf 1-4: Having fallen in love with the anime, the logical next step was to immerse myself in the manga as well, and whilst these chapters cover much the same content as the first two episodes, I still enjoyed them immensely. With a beautiful art style and an improvement in the scene where Horo shows Lawrence her true form, it is clear that the manga has much to offer- all I need now are the original novels.

Tenshi Nanka Janai 30-1: The generic shoujo-ness of this series is pushing all my buttons at the moment, and not in a good way. Just as Midori angsts over Akira’s absence, he phones her up to say that he must settle things with Masashi before he can come home and live happily ever after. The predictability of it all has become so trite and sappy that I almost don’t care anymore; however, since I’m on the penultimate volume I shall see it through to the end.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 180: Never before has Tsubasa stretched ahead into infinity like this, for apparently, unlike the Syaoran-clone, the Sakura-clone had a copy of the original’s heart as well as her body- and if she gets destroyed, Fei Wong can just make another one and start the whole feather scattering over again. Nonetheless, real Syaoran wants to save both real and clone Sakura, but Yuuko will once again require payment- hopefully her price will be the immediate cessation of the Tsubasa manga.

Yotsuba& 51-2: It’s time for the culture festival at Fuuka’s school, and Yotsuba is looking forward to sampling some cake- but will she be impressed with simple pound cake? And once that’s over, a typhoon sweeps into town- what better time to brave the rain and go outdoors? As always, all I can say about this is that it’s as amusing as ever- long may Yotsuba’s reign continue.

Reviewed this week: Aria the Origination 2, Clannad 13, Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino 1, Kaiji 14, Mokke 7, Moyashimon 5-6, SaiMono II 32, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 10-12+Zoku 1, Shion no Ou 5-11, Spice and Wolf 2

…and in manga: Akagi 9, Chokotto Sister 49, Tsubasa 178-9

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

1. Aria the Origination (2) – the Single life
2. Spice and Wolf (8) –spicy wolves make for interesting chilli
3. SaiMono II (4) – close those eyes!
4. Kaiji (5) – ISHIDA!!!!!!!
5. Moyashimon (10) – cute microbes
6. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (-) – more despair <- new!
7. Sketchbook ~full color’S~ (12) – lots of cats
8. Gunslinger Girl- Il teatrino (-)- why, god, why? <-new!
9. Clannad (13) – Kotomi
10. Shion no Ou (11) – tournament time
11. Mokke (14)- magical cat

SLOW RANKINGS

1. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (1) – I’m in despair! <-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. Koutetsu Sangokushi (5) – pure HARD GAY
6. Shounen Onmyouji (6)- mediocre
7. Love GetChu! (7)- light entertainment
8. Romeo X Juliet (8) – WOOD

Aria the Origination 2: I don’t know why (actually I have a good idea, but let’s not go there), but I never appreciated the healing properties of Aria as much as I did with this episode. This week, Akari’s services are requested by a customer, prompting much speculation from the others as to why anyone would choose a Single rather than the legendary Alicia. Worries aside, Akari goes ahead and does an excellent job on what is hopefully the first step towards to becoming a Prima at the end of the season. And if that wasn’t enough, you have President Aria’s ever-hilarious antics, but shame on him for eating all the doughnuts.

To be fair, he did offer Akari half of this last one.

Clannad 13: The childhood friend angle is pushed some more as Kotomi’s tragic past is revealed- her parents died in a plane crash, taking the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone some world-saving discovery with them. As a result, Kotomi grew up a little unbalanced, and now only her newfound friends can save her- Tomoya works tirelessly in the garden (as you do), whilst the girls buy her a violin for her birthday, only for it to get damaged in an accident. This violin-related accident is surely a blessing in disguise given Kotomi’s ability with the instrument, however. I want to parody this episode, but DS has already done such a good job that I can but link him instead.

Yes, and in space there are giant rubber ducks that orbit the centre of the galaxy.

*NEW* Gunslinger Girl- Il Teatrino 1: I love Gunslinger Girl with a good portion of my heart and soul, and I will always remember Madhouse’s top notch work on the first season- which is why I was already apprehensive at the news of cast, staff and studio changes- would Artland really be up to the job? And when any remaining optimism I had was blown away by the blogworld’s reaction to the first episode, I was reluctant to even watch this, but watch it I felt I must. Having prepared myself for the worst, the resulting experience was not as bad as I had feared, but it was still lacking in many things- gone is the impeccable visual style and atmosphere, replaced with a world where the cars are ugly, the budget is tight and the handlers look like they’re still attending high school. Where season one was gold tier, this is merely bronze.

Kaiji 14: Last time on Kaiji, Kaiji and his friends were walking across a long, narrow, electrified beam- and this week, they’re still there. Even so, and in spite of the setting, the series manages to remain GAR and MANLY as we delve into the depths of the human psyche- who needs a psychotherapist when an episode of Kaiji can go so quickly to the heart of your issues? Most memorable, however, must be the moment of Ishida’s silent death, which brought combined sadness and a feeling of “damn, Kaiji went to all the trouble of saving you for this?”.

“Help, my eyes are melting! Melting!”

Mokke 7: My enthusiasm for Mokke isn’t all that great these days, which is why I’ve only watched one more episode since last I spoke of it. This time around, Mizuki finds herself possessed by something that winds around her neck- could it be something to do with the scarf lost by a friend? This wasn’t a bad episode, it’s just that my appetite for average supernatural series has cooled in the face of other things to occupy my time.

Moyashimon 5-6: Hopefully I’ll have the rest of the series watched by next week, but for now all I’ve got through is this pair of episodes, which introduce a new character and plenty of new microbes. Aside from some indications that Tadayasu isn’t the only one with special microbe abilities, the series never really goes anywhere, but it’s still fun to accompany it.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 32: SaiMono continues in the Dynasty Warriors theme this week, with named general battles, Shusui losing her free will and Shouka opening his eyes to reveal their evil redness . Meanwhile, Shuuei agonises over the length of his ‘sword’ and concludes that he isn’t fit to service his lovers- although Ryuuki feels otherwise.

“This is why I keep my eyes closed.”

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 10-12 + Zoku SZS 1: The start of the second season made me realise that I should get my finger out and finish watching season one, and happily it proved more the same bleak, zany and largely amusing humour. I won’t deny that there are segments that fail to amuse me, but there are also plenty of good parts, such as the ‘guilt complex’ or blaming the failure of an adaptation on sticking too closely to the ‘original way’.

Season two kicks off with a fresh injection of cash for the animation budget, with the success of the first twelve episodes also making SHAFT feeling more comfortable in ramping up the zaniness. Whilst the new OP is all about the rumba (appropriately enough I watched it on the way to dance class), the first eight minutes of the episode were either epic or a total sweet potato dango-fest- was it the animators who were on drugs, or was there something hallucinogenic in the chocolate I had eaten before watching? We then moved onto material I was more familiar with from the manga, introducing ‘normal girl’ Nami and her amusing attempts to stand out in a class full of misfits, before the drugs took over again by the end.

Shion no Ou 5-11: When it’s just about the shogi, I enjoy Shion no Ou- tournaments about board games are my thing, after all, even when they are arranged by blonde bastards with dubious motives. Unfortunately, whenever the whole murder storyline rears its head again, it spoils the series for me- everything about it is just so forced and generic that all I can do is sigh and wait for it to get back to the shogi. Meanwhile, in other news, even ‘evil’ old Kamizono has turned out to have his own tragic past and medical condition, although it has to be said that his deceased lover Kyoko looks more like a man than a woman.

Oh, there’s no need to explain- everyone does it.

Spice and Wolf 2: I know I should write about what happened in this episode, but really all I want to do is fangirl about this series, because somehow it feels like the promised anime I was always waiting for (please ignore all the other times I have said this in the past, this time I mean it). The characters, the visuals, the atmosphere, the ambience and of course the content- I love it all, and I just want to watch more and more of Horo and Lawrence.

MANGA

Akagi 9: So we’re finally at the end of volume one, and Akagi and Yagi are still at it, but to deflect attention from the fact that I don’t have much more to say about this manga than I did last week, I’ll just mention that the group scanlating this series are now set to start on Ten. This is excellent news, given that Ten obviously has no anime adaptation as yet, so watch this space for reviews on that series as well.

Chokotto Sister 49: Now that Haruma is spending all his time nursing the sick Konatsu, Choko can’t help feeling jealous- after all, isn’t she meant to be the main girl? Anyway, it seems that Yurika is ready to move the plot on a little, but that will have to wait until next chapter.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 178-9: Readers, bear with me for a moment whilst I indulge in such internet actions as lol, roflmao and pmsl…okay, you can come back now. You see, some time ago, we learned that Syaoran was a clone, then later on, we learned that Fai was actually the twin brother of the real Fai (deceased)- and in this chapter we learn that the Sakura we’ve known and disliked all this time is actually…a clone created by Fei Wong. See, you’re laughing at the ridiculousness of it all now too, aren’t you? Anyway, said clone has just been stabbed by one of the Syaorans, whilst Kyle has showed up again to take away the real Sakura (I think). Why, CLAMP, why?

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

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

STILL RUNNING FROM 2006

Asatte no Houkou

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

Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto

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

Busou Renkin

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

Le Chevalier d’Eon

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

La Corda d’Oro

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

Death Note

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

Kanon

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

Mai-Otome Zwei

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

Red Garden

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

Saiunkoku Monogatari

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

Shounen Onmyouji

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

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

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

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

Ichigo Mashimaro OVA

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

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

Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA

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

Nodame Cantabile

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

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

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

Claymore

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

Darker than Black

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

Dennou Coil

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

El Cazador de la Bruja

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

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

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

Koutetsu Sangokushi

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

Lucky Star

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

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

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

Oh! Edo Rocket

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

Romeo X Juliet

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

Saiunkoku Monogatari II

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

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

Seirei no Moribito

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

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

Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica

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

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

Victorian Romance Emma Second Act

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

Wellber no Monogatari ~Sisters of Wellber~

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

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

Baccano!

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

Doujin Work

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

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai

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

Mononoke

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

Mushi-Uta

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

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

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

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

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

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

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

Clannad

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

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

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

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

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

Kaiji

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

Minami-ke

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

Mokke

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

Moyashimon

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

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

Shakugan no Shana II

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

Sketchbook ~full color’S~

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

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

Kaiji’s take on Rock-Paper-Scissors

Rock-Paper-Scissors is a staple of anime, but even the tournaments of Hunter X Hunter couldn’t elevate it much beyond a simple game of luck. With that in mind, could any series possibly make something more of rock-paper-scissors, and if they did would anyone actually be interested enough to watch it?

Enter Kaiji, a series that promised to once again unite the abilities of Studio Madhouse and mangaka Nobuyuki Fukumoto as the successor to last year’s Akagi. Dripping with manliness and yet oddly compulsive nonetheless, Kaiji offered a whole new angle on what was once a straightforward game- “Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors”- ensuring that instead of switching off in boredom, the game had enough twists and turns to keep you watching for episode upon episode.

How to play Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors

1. Get into serious debt with the Yakuza, and agree to spend a night gambling on their ship, the Espoir.
2. Before you even find out what you’ll be playing, borrow anything from one to ten million yen from your hosts- this money (plus interest compounded at 1.5% every ten minutes) must be paid back alongside the original debt at the end.
3. Now the game proper begins- each player receives three stars and twelve cards (four rock, four paper, four scissors). To “survive”, you must get rid of all your cards whilst retaining at least three stars within the game’s four hour period. Stars and cards can be bought and sold, but losing all your stars or destroying cards results in instant disqualification and two years spent in a forced labour camp.
4. Happily, you don’t have to just rely on luck- team up with other desperate people, manipulate or scam them, and you too can come out on top. Just be warned that everyone else will be trying to do the same to you, and pay special attention to named characters- they will pose more of a threat than generics.

So there you have it, a fun and wholesome party game that can be enjoyed by you and your friends! Join us after Kaiji’s next arc for some more gaming ideas.

How Minami-ke made beach episodes good again

Beach episodes, cross-dressing and other events in the daily life of three school age sisters inexplicably living without their parents- hadn’t we seen all this in anime before? And by now, weren’t we all more than a little fed up with the clichés they entailed? It seemed as if that must surely be the case- at least until Minami-ke came along. Just like Ichigo Mashimaro before it, Minami-ke takes everyday situations (everyday in an anime context, anyway), and uses distinctive characters, well-timed delivery and a healthy dose of humour to make them oddly interesting and addictive to watch.

Recipe for three sisters living on their own

1. Who needs older relatives? Don’t bother explaining where parents or guardians might be; everyone knows school age children can support themselves without any significant source of income- in fact, only the unluckiest ever have to take on occasional part-time jobs.
2. Get things started with a smart and sarcastic younger sister- wise beyond her years, her vanilla taste is curiously addictive, but when mixed with the other sisters, it produces an even worthier combination.
3. Flavour with a loud and boisterous middle sister; her presence will spice up any situation, but overuse can lead to a food fiasco..
4. Balance the taste with an older sister who is motherly, caring and generally unaware of her effect on other people. Her delicate flavour can only be brought out by including her with the others.
5. Finally, stir in a bunch of assorted friends, classmates and potential love interests- leave to simmer and see what happens.

Remember Kanon vs. Air? How is Clannad faring?

Hard as it is to accept that so much time has passed, a little over a year ago, I pitted Kanon against Air, and concluded that while I enjoyed the latter, the former did very little for me. Now, however, a third “KeyAni” contender has entered the ring- the much anticipated and almost constantly talked about Clannad. Forget sad girls in summer or sad girls in snow- these are sad girls in springtime, and it is once again up to one man to tie all their stories together. Seven episodes in, and Clannad has established itself as somewhere in the middle of the road- it lacks the emotional impact of Air, but somehow manages to keep me entertained far more than the underwhelming Kanon ever did. Even Tomoya, despite being something of tease and practical joker, lacks the aggressive sarcasm and browbeating of Yuuichi, making him into a far more likable lead.

Tomoya’s Harem Diary

Having read up on all the exploits of the harem masters who came before me, I’ve decided not to pursue this whole thing too aggressively- down that road lies madness and far more stress than I want to deal with right now. Besides, what none of the others realised is that the girls don’t need to be reeled in- they’ll just come to you of their own accord. Certainly it’s working for me right now, and besides, if I play things casually I can easily extricate myself from any unwelcome relationships. My only worry is that no one is going to care about my situation because it’s just a rehash of stories that have been used before- how many times can comatose girls in hospitals send out their spirits to roam the local area?

Why Shogi isn’t grabbing me the way Go and Mah-jongg did

To the unitiated, the idea of watching a board game based anime must surely sound like the last refuge of those with nothing better to watch. As it turns out, however, both Hikaru no Go and Akagi are highly regarded amongst their fans with good reason- distinctive characters, well thought out pacing and some interesting situations all came together to prove that yes, you could watch many episodes of people playing Go and Mah-jongg, and still be up for more.

As the third title in this unofficial set, Shion no Ou instantly commanded high expectations, but would a shougi anime prove to have the same appeal? So far, it would seem not.

Whilst it surely doesn’t help that I know even less about shogi than either Go (which I can actually play, albeit not well) and Mah-jongg (which Triad kindly led me through the nose with regards to the basics), Shion no Ou’s problem seems to be that it doesn’t even know exactly what it wants to be. Is it the tale of a prodigious shogi player, or a murder mystery spanning eight years? The answer seems to be both- and neither. Whilst the shogi side of things is often glossed over (one minute you’re in the middle of a match, the next thing you know it’s all been resolved off screen), the mystery elements are equally frustrating. Everything from the staid detective and all-too-nosy reporter to the creepy stalker, everything is just a little too by-the-book. Still, it’s early days yet, so perhaps Shion no Ou can still pull it out of the bag.

Some ideas for other board game based anime

1. Snakes and Ladders: a tense game with everything to play for- can our hero roll the right numbers to make it up the huge ladder, or will his dreams be crushed by a slithering snake?
2. Cluedo: our hero begins solving the whodunit murder mystery, only to realise that it echoes the mysterious death of his own father seven years ago.
3. Scrabble: join in the stress and excitement of trying to master that all-important feat of putting down all seven letters on a triple word score.

Looking for your next dose of the mystical?\

There’s something about supernatural series that always seems to draw an audience, but separating the wheat from the chaff (or at least the mildly palatable chaff from the completely dry stuff) can often be a painful process. To help you along, here’s a quick guide to some of the new supernatural series on the market this autumn.

The one to avoid- Rental Magica: With a milquetoast lead who can invoke god mode powers when the plot demands it, and a supporting cast of powerful girls with past issues and a crush on said lead, it was clear that this tale of renting magicians was never going to be much more than mildly entertaining. Unfortunately, it quickly slipped from even that mediocre position to something so unexciting that even paying attention to an episode became a chore. Don’t watch unless you have unexpectedly high amounts of time on your hands.

The one to try- Mokke: It may not be anything special, but Mokke at least has one thing to its credit- aside from the incredibly boring episode five, its episodic tales of the supernatural are at least entertaining. There’s nothing particularly ground-breaking or original here, but it’s typical bronze tier material.

Why cats will always make anime worth watching

Aria and YKK perfected slice-of-life, and it seems hard to imagine that anything could ever top them, but even so, it’s nice to dabble in other entries from the genre from time to time. One such series is Sketchbook ~full colour’S~, a peaceful tale of quiet girl Sora and her time in the school art club. To be perfectly honest, Sketchbook does try a little too hard to recreate the gentle atmosphere of a slice-of-life series, but it does have one trump card to play- a glut of furry, huggable felines. For a cat lover like myself, seeing so many of them is a real treat, and it truly proves the old adage that “fat cats make anime better”.

Microbes can be cute too

If someone had told me a few months ago that I would ever find microbes cute, I would tell them that they must have had a bit too much to drink- surely the likes of Aspergillus oryzae could never be described as such? Then Moyashimon came along and my outlook was changed completely- unrealistic as it may seem that anyone could see microbes, if they could, at least they had a certain charm. As the latest entry in the legendary noitaminA block, Moyashimon had to live up to the likes of Honey and Clover, and whilst it isn’t quite up in that tier, it is holding its own so far.

Second seasons: the good and bad

These days, every season seems to bring a sequel to a popular (or not so popular) series, and Autumn 2007 is no exception. Given my unhealthy fascination with second seasons, it seems only right to rate the current crop.

The Good- Genshiken 2: Watching the exploits of a group of otaku university students was never as entertaining as it was in Genshiken, and after so many false starts with regards to a second season (first we had a Kujibiki Unbalance TV series, then an all too brief OVA), fans finally got what they had been waiting for. With even its filler episodes proving to be enjoyable, Genshiken 2 has managed to keep the series very much alive and well, developing characters both old and new along the way.

The Bad- Shakugan no Shana II: Whilst it seemed good enough at the time, I have to admit that in retrospect, the animation was really the only thing I loved about Shana. The villains were underwhelming, the jokes and harem elements a little too repetitive- all in all it wasn’t bad for watching once, but it wasn’t something I wanted to buy on DVD to see again and again. Nonetheless, with franchise completion at stake, I resolved to try the second season, only to discover that it was a fillerific experience with little new to offer. The action scenes that might have saved the series were nowhere in evidence, whilst the good old love polygon was beginning to tire thanks to the introduction of a “not so new really” new character stereotype and a “you didn’t hear me confess, let’s pretend it never happened” moment.

If you enjoyed this, also try…

Can’t get enough of the Autumn 2007 anime season? Well, you could of course watch more episodes, but why not spend your time reading the doubtless superior posts my fellow blogworld members have constructed instead? Here are some links to get you started.

a stone and a small ripple | Anime Diet | What is eternity doing tonight? | The End of the World | Hige Vs. Otaku | far away no where | nirai kanai | Cruel Angel Theses

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

…and in manga: Tenshi Nanka Janai 29

Everything else to follow next week.

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How not to fill in a CV.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The long-haired naked guy scares me.

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

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

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

City of the Ran clan, or Neo Venezia?

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

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

Rosenberg returns in his latest role.

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

MANGA

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

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

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