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

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

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

Remember, don’t eat too fast.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SaiMono goes all Dynasty Warriors.

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANIME

CURRENT SERIES RANKINGS

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

SLOW RANKINGS

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

OVA RANKINGS

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

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

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

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

“Here’s your free naked apron girl!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MANGA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That damned patch worker should die for everything he’’s done to us…wait, who is he anyway?

So there I was, with plenty to do on Thursday evening, when I managed to add even more tasks to the list by deciding to move to ikimashou.net. At the same time, I’m also dealing with a new Phantom Brave addiction- will there ever be enough time to get everything done and work on the HiME RPG?

Reviewed this week: Iroha 23-4, Cazador 5, Claymore 6, DtB 5, Koutetsu 4, Nanoha StrikerS 5, Nodame 15, RxJ 4-5, SaiMono II 5, SKULLMAN 1

…and in manga: Chevalier 3, Mai-Otome Arashi 1, Solanin 7, Tsubasa 152

It should come as no surprise that Heroic Age has been officially dropped.

ANIME

Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 23-4: Iroha draws even closer to its finale with this duet of episodes, which sees the end of the English chess piece team and the fruition of Soutetsu and Enomoto’s evil plans- complete with floating final boss castle. To be honest, by this point in the series, it’s become less about what it actually delivers and more about the hilarious parody interpretation, in which Akidzuki fights for a world of HARD GAY even as Enomoto and Soutetsu try to convert everyone to BI.

El Cazador de la Bruja 5: If there’s one thing that can be said about El Cazador, it’s that it’s amazingly consistent; which, when cast in a more negative light, means that every episode follows the exact same pattern. First, Nadie and Ellis stop off at a building or town that contains generics (who assist them for no other reason than that they are the main character), then some semi-generic bounty hunters come after them and the whole thing culminates in a care chase whilst Ellis uses plot powers and L.A. films it all. Meanwhile, back at the base of evil, Rosenberg enters chat rooms to ask for cybersex, and Blue Eyes gets a line or two of dialogue along the lines of “Gwakaka, Rosenberg, your plans are sure to fail!”. Sadly, it was dull the firs time, and it only gets worse with each subsequent replay- would it be too much to ask that something happened, or that the irritating generics actually died for once?

Claymore 6: Teresa’s story continues in this episode of Claymore, which continues to feature a refreshing lack of Raki, but is somehow not quite as satisfying as last week’s instalment. Teresa is still “1337″, “awesome” and “w1n”, but the bandit situation in the face of the “Claymores can’t kill humans” rule seems overly contrived. I can understood the Claymore organisation not wanting these powerful women abusing their powers against normal humans, but surely there must be provisos that allow them to defend themselves against the various bad guys out there, or at least some sort of “court martial” if their powers are used against humans, to decide whether it was justified or not?

Darker than Black 5: Even when I’m watching it right before bed and partially falling asleep in the process, Darker than Black still proves to be a worthy experience. The opening episode of the latest two part arc slips in some not so subtle references to Alias and Lost as it focuses on Havoc, a “Lost” contractor who can no longer use her once deadly powers. As always, the series skilfully blends action and exposition, and it soon becomes clear that Havoc is the key to understanding a good portion of the workings of the DtB world, as well as providing some insight into Li/Hei’s character.

Koutetsu Sangokushi 4: Although I would like to one day see an ROTK related series that is actually good, Koutetsu Sangokushi seems to prove that all they are good for is unintentional hilarity. This episode sees a boss battle of sorts between the Wu generals and the evil not-quite-generics who murdered Sun Ce in episode one, with even “I want to be a civil servant” Lu Meng and “I don’t want to be on the front lines” Zhuge Jin getting in on the action. If there’s one thing that can be said for it, it’s that this series is consistent parody white gold.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS 5: Nanoha, how long can I continue to watch your dullness before admitting that challenging you to do your worst in the spring preview was not the nest of ideas? Even though the end of last episode saw our heroines about to attack the enemy, it takes thirteen minutes and no fewer than six transformation scenes (five naked, nipple-less girls and one clothed shota) before the fight actually begins, and by the time it does, it’s hard to actually care about the New Characters and their Engrish speaking weapons. Even the Evil Scientist revealed at the end of the episode is depressingly generic, although his magic CCTV set up puts many of his contemporaries to shame.

Nodame Cantabile 15: Although it make a slow start, Nodame 15 soon kicks into gear when Chiaki and Nodame return to college- but whilst Chiaki is busy organising The Strongest Orchestra, Nodame runs into difficulties when she is assigned a new instructor. With this episode, we finally get a glimpse into Nodame’s past, and, brief as it is, it quickly becomes clear that the relentless ambition of her father(?) is most likely what turned her away from studying music seriously.

Romeo X Juliet 4-5: The course of true love never runs smooth, especially when you’re hopelessly enamoured with your flying horse- a fact that Romeo and Juliet soon discover in episode four. As before the series remains solidly entertaining, not to mention drenched in stunningly beautiful architecture and odd blushes whenever our lead couple gets anywhere near the horse; amusing as this is, however, the plot takes a more serious turn in episode five, as the generic Montague soldiers of evil menace evil citizens in an attempt to track down the Red Whirlwind. It’s actually rather enjoyable in its own way, although it would be even more so if the irritating Conrad didn’t exist.

Saiunkoku Monogatari II 5: Before I discuss the episode itself, I should say that everyone who is hungry for SaiMono details should try either usagijen’s superlative season two summaries, the SaiMono LJ community or these novel summaries. Anyway, getting back to this episode, Hyou Riou has finally stepped forward into the plot, with a confrontation with Shouka that stretches back to the past, when Shouka took Riou’s “bara-hime” (Shuurei’s mother) from him. Meanwhile, after thinking it through, Kouyuu is finally able to put aside his stress about being told to marry Shuurei by not letting himself be rushed into a decision, and Eigetsu and Kourin finally admit their feelings for each- right before Eigetsu leaves to do something meaningful with his last days. It seems that Yougetsu was once a separate person who went into Eigetsu’s body to save his life, whilst apparently Doushu had half of Eigetsu’s soul- I’m not sure how this latter works or fits in with everything else, but it seems that Doushu’s death is an indication that Eigetsu’s time is near. I hope that there’s a way for him to live on, since whilst he isn’t my favourite character, that’s no reason to want him to die, especially just as he’s making some progress with both his career and his love life.

“I am too bishie for most people to endure.”

*NEW/DROPPED* SKULLMAN 1: Have I mentioned before that Skullman has a skull for a head? It’s just that I’m not entirely sure that everyone is clear on that point yet, or how having a character with a skull for a head must immediately make a series dark and gritty. Unfortunately, where I was hoping that this series would therefore either be laughably cheesy or actually good, it turned out to be largely boring, following the unremarkable exploits of a flat-capped reporter as he tries to ferret out the truth behind Skullman. Accompanying him is a girl who has similarly poor taste in headwear, although unfortunately I’m not quite clear on whether she’s his little sister or just some unknown who tagged along to be the token female. Whatever the case, these two hardly make for fascinating viewing, with the only good part of the episode being Skullman’s appearance at the end (he spends most of the episode off polishing his skull). Even then, I cannot really hold out much hope for it, since it seems he’s meant to be a sadistic mutant who got burned to death in the original rather than the tortured yet honourable anti-hero I was hoping for.

Seirei no Moribito 5: It says a lot about the ambient quality of Seirei that I can sit and watch what is effectively a half-exposition, half-setup episode and enjoy it more than the best instalments of the average anime. In this episode, shaman Torogai gives us some detail on the exact nature of the water spirit living in Chagum, whilst Balsa is forced to plan her next few moves when the Emperor organises a large scale manhunt for the woman who supposedly burnt down the Second Palace- it may be straightforward, but it’s also strangely addictive.

MANGA

Chevalier 3: When a formerly illiterate baker magically gains the ability to read and write, it is clear that something is amiss, and so it is that d’Eon is sent to investigate what seems to be the emergence of a new Poet. Unlike the lacklustre opening, this chapter is actually quite worthy, and whilst it is clear that the manga will never grab me in the way the anime did, I’m more enthused about reading it now.

*CATCH-UP* Elfen Lied 1-75: At long last, I’ve made the effort to get up to date with the translations of the Elfen Lied manga, although disappointingly it doesn’t hold the same appeal as the anime did for me- for where the anime used superior presentation to override my basic dislike of gratuitous violence and fanservice, the manga just drenches the whole thing in unpleasant bodily fluids. The only consolation is that by volume 8, we have finally gone beyond the anime, and so I remain interested to see where the manga version of the story will go from here.

*NEW* Mai-Otome Arashi 1: No matter how much I struggle, I can never be truly free of the monster that is Mai-Otome, and so it is that my long absence from its manga incarnation has come to an end with the first chapter of this sequel to the original manga. With evil Sergey long gone, Manshiro is enjoying a life of being pressed against his harem’s breasts at Garderobe, when Nagi’s previously unmentioned younger brother Arashi shows up to demand that he and “Queen Mashiro” get married- thus setting the stage for a whole new adventure packed with nudity and over the top fanservice that makes most other series look tame.

Solanin 7: After many months, we finally get a new chapter of Solanin, and it’s crunch time for our lead as she realises her dwindling finances mean she will have to make a decision about her life soon- but did she quit in the first place just to see how it would affect her relationship with her boyfriend? Although the last couple of chapters took a bit of an unexpected detour into the lives of side characters, the story is now back on track and as strong as ever, although I’ve suddenly come to notice how ugly the character designs can look at times.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 152: Just as Fye is about to give up the sight in his remaining eye, the power of friendship kicks in, and Syaoran-real, Kurogane and Mokona all agree to come along with him and pay a quarter of the price as they head to Celes to recover Sakura’s body. In the meantime, the long absent Fei Wong stops watching Sky Movies to pay attention to his magic CCTV, in which he notes that the original course of events was to have Fye stab Syaoran-real, and that when Fye gets back to Celes, he will find himself bound by another curse (the first one having apparently been broken). I still don’t know where the story is going, but let’s hope it gets there soon- although it must be said that I’m hopeful this arc will be better than the last three.

It’s all change behind the scenes this week, as Wordpress brings out a new dashboard; I think it’s supposed to be an improvement, but I have to admit that as far as actually managing the blog goes, I prefer the old one.

Hataraki Man has been put on hiatus until I feel motivated to watch it again.

Reviewed this week: Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 2, Busou Renkin 4, Chevalier 8, Code Geass 3, Death Note 4, Kanon 4, Keroro 62, Red Garden 3, ROTK 28, YoakeNa 4

…and in manga: Bartender 1, Hataraki Man 1, Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies 2-4, Phantom Dream 2, Solanin 6, Tactics 7b, YoakeNa 2

ANIME

Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto 2: Bakumatsu is an odd series; I don’t really know what’s going on, but I’m still able to derive some enjoyment from it anyway. This time around, our destined lead aids the acting troupe in their quest to get revenge on production line bad guy Genba Hario. It’s a reasonable episode with some good (if brief) combat scenes.

Busou Renkin 4: The earlier generals of evil were dispatched quickly, but the pace slows down here as Kazuki and Tokiko’s search for the papillon mask creator leads into final boss confrontation part one, followed by a lengthy exposition scene and the return of the third general of evil. As always it’s nothing special, but for now it continues to be averagely entertaining.

Le Chevalier d’Eon 8: Russia has finally been reached, and it seems as if everyone there is plotting some scheme or another. Whilst the series justifies its parody fodder status by including a special cross-dressing masquerade ball, various threads are set in motion for what will hopefully be a top quality story arc.

Code Geass- Lelouch of the Rebellion 3: Killing his half-brother Prince Clovis is all in a day’s work for “I have a special eye” Lelouch, and so he goes back to school to continue his normal life- albeit with a familiar-looking new student in his class. Focussing more on the characters than mecha battles, this is the best episode so far, making me actually want to watch the series instead of merely thinking that I must see the next episode at some point in order to find out what’s going on.

Death Note 4: My earlier comments about the Death Note anime still stand, but nonetheless I’m continuing to watch; where NHK was “how could they do this to the story?”, Death Note is more of a case of “it’s a good series, it just doesn’t need to be animated.” This episode sees Light enact a plan to snare the agent who has been following him of late; ideally I’d like to see the series move onto the events of around volume three, but for now I’ll take each episode as it comes.

Kanon 4: Much as I want to enjoy Kanon, episode four follows three’s trend of just not hitting the right notes for me. Once again, the series seems to be switching between too many girls for me to really care about any of them; Makoto is irritating, Ayu is lolimoe overload, and the other girls haven’t had enough development yet. I do feel slightly sorry for Nayuki, however, for being the default “only concentrate on when no one better is around” character.

Keroro Gunso 62: The ‘slightly better than before’ trend continues in episode 62, as Keroro’s second season moves ever forward. In the first half, Momoka, Natsumi and Mois attempt to steal a painting being guarded by Fuyuki, Keroro, Tamama and Giroro, whilst the second half sees Keroro fill the house with a breathable water atmosphere for some swimming fun. It’s nothing special, but it is reasonably entertaining.

Red Garden 3: Red Garden becomes slightly more interesting this week, as the girls discover more about the true nature of their predicament. I’m still not feeling much for any of the characters, but the story continues to leave unanswered questions that compel me to continue watching.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 28: Those who have read the novels or played “Guan Yu’s escape” in Dynasty Warriors will already be familiar with the content of this episode, which sees Guan Yu chop his way through several gates guarded by Cao Cao’s minor generals in order to make his way back to Liu Bei. Whilst not up to the level of episode 27, this is nonetheless an amusing instalment that continues to make the series watchable.

Yoake Mae Yori Ruriiro Na 4: I want to continue saying that this series is light fun, but unfortunately “light nap” would be a more apt way of describing my feelings after episode 4. The episode begins with a tiresomely predictable sequence in which Feena attempts to rescue a drowning dog, before moving on to a bizarre and ridiculous section in which the leads overreact to a few bugs flying around in Tatsuya’s father’s study. At least the animation has stabilised a little; an increased use of chibi mode means that the characters can at least look decent in their normal forms.

MANGA
To demonstrate how astute and on the ball I am, I have to admit that I went to Entropy-manga’s site the other day and realised that not only had I completely overlooked chapter 2 of Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies (released in August) but that Caramel Milk Tea only has four chapters, and that I have been waiting in vain for the nonexistent chapter five. Ah well, live and learn (or in my case, live and continue to make the same mistakes).

*NEW* Bartender 1: The first episode of the Bartender anime was marred somewhat by its oddly staged presentation, but fortunately the first chapter of the manga brings us the story of that episode as it was meant to be. In this version of the tale, not only does the eponymous bartender have an actual personality, but rather than serving at a legendary bar, he is looking for a job just after returning to Japan. When combined with the faster pacing of the manga, these little changes help to make the series more effective and enjoyable in manga form.

*NEW* Hataraki Man 1: If I enjoy an anime, I want to read the manga, and if I don’t enjoy an anime, I want to read the manga anyway (after all, it may be better). Since Hataraki Man falls into the latter category, it is fortunate that the manga does improve on the anime a little bit; the lead seems like a slightly stronger personality, and Tanaka gets more exposure. Nonetheless, many of the flaws seen in the anime remain, but I’ll give the series a little longer in which to prove itself.

Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies 2-4: Following the death of a local sheet music shop owner, Beethoven and his student Czerny find themselves drawn deeper into the mystery surrounding ‘Mozart’s Lullaby’, but just what kind of sinister secrets lurk beneath the serene surface of the world of music? Building on the strong start made in chapter one, Mozart Doesn’t Sing Lullabies offers an absorbing blend of music, mystery and character drama, not to mention the appealing historical setting and aesthetically pleasing artwork. It’s hard to say when the next chapters will be available, but I’m eagerly looking forward to reading more.

Phantom Dream 2: When Tamaki and Asahi meet a boy with a strange affinity for butterflies, they realise that he is gradually being overcome by an evil spirit- but exorcising it could kill him. As an early work from the Furuba mangaka, Phantom Dream isn’t short on drama and emotion, but unfortunately it is also a bit rough and confusing in places, especially as the character designs show little variation. A promising series, but not up to the level of pre-decline Furuba.

Solanin 6: The leads take a backseat in this chapter as the focus moves to their friend Ayugawa. Now in his sixth year at university (shades of Mayama, anyone?), he ends up on a dinner date with a fellow student where they discuss their shared love of music. It may be short and simple, but it’s an enjoyable tale nonetheless, although it’s now hard to see where this series is headed.

Tactics 7b: It’s been a while since I read the first half of this chapter, but finally the conclusion to the tale of a sick fortune teller and her sister is available. Whilst the ending is a little rushed, and Kantarou is as dislikeable as ever, this is an enjoyable chapter overall; it’s refreshing that the anime and manga have the same premise, but different individual stories.

Yoake Mae Yori Ruriiro Na 2: Whilst still not particularly good, the second chapter of YoakeNa seems to be slightly better than the first in terms of artwork and content, covering Feena and Mia’s arrival at Tatsuya’s home. Hopefully the series will pick up further once the story actually gets going.

It’s been a comparatively slow week, particularly for the rather sparse manga section, which blows my tentative plan for making the round-up twice weekly out of the water for now. In the meantime, I’ve cobbled together a pathetic excuse for a poll which can be accessed from the sidebar- if you enjoyed my Weed parodies and want me to do the same for the prequel series Gin (or alternatively, if you want to stop me from doing anything of the sort), then be sure to vote. Poll removed due to lack of functionality and interest.

Reviewed this week: Aria, Higurashi, H&C II, Keroro, ROTK, School Rumble, NHK, xxxHOLiC, Innocent Venus (Ouran will be back next week for double, or possibly even triple fun, along with some new additions to the roster)

…and in manga: Fruits Basket, Solanin

ANIME

Aria the Natural 14: It’s all gondolas, all the time! The latest visit to Aqua sees Akari attempting to design a palina (think a patterned mooring pole) for Aria Company. As always, the sweet simplicity of Akari and President Aria’s actions brought a smile to my face- no matter how simple or trivial an event may be, Aria always manages to turn it into something fascinating. And similarly, no matter how many times the same handful of tracks are used, I may never tire of the gentle and soothing tones of the background music.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 19: It’s “enter psycho Shion” this week, complete with whip, taser and fully established alternate personality. An absorbing and oddly cathartic episode that keeps the series close to the top of the pile (oddly I’ve only just realised that the anime has just two of the four ‘answer’ arcs).

Honey and Clover II 7: Another excellent episode of H&C, a ‘past chapter’ focussing on Morita’s father and the demise of his company. Coincidentally, the episode touched on a concept I’ve been thinking about lately, that of those without natural talent eternally trying to catch up with those who have; as always, H&C hits the right emotional chords and manages the rare feat of giving the viewer something to think about.

And then, at the end…what happened to Hagu?

Keroro Gunso 50-52: Fifty is not up to the level of 48-9, but is a solid and entertaining episode nonetheless. Inspired by a video of their pre-invasion press conference, Giroro gets fired up and convinces the platoon to secure their hold on the Hinata home; unfortunately, this leads to problems when Natsumi comes down with a fever shortly after the Kerons smash all the telephones and erect an electric barrier around the house. Naturally, Giroro is the one to force his way through the barrier in search of a cure for his beloved, whilst Keroro and the others attempt to clear up their latest mess.

Sunrise and sweet potato dango- I’m not imagining it when I say there’s a link.

51 marks the end…of the first season, at least, and even though the existence of over sixty more episodes obviously meant that everything would turn out okay in the end, I couldn’t help feeling a pang of emotion when Keroro and his platoon said goodbye to their Earth-bound friends.

Season two kicks off with episode 52, which felt oddly like returning home and finding the furniture rearranged- it’s familiar, but not quite the same as before. After the obligatory series recap, Keroro seems to have returned to his old ways after retrieving the Kero Ball, whilst the second half sees Fuyuki attempt to rescue Momoka from the clutches of ‘black Tamama’. A few laughs here, but not a particularly strong episode overall.

OP2 impressions: I like the character montage but the song is awful- gravel-voiced Japanese singers have never been among my favourites.

ED2 impressions: The spiritual successor to ‘Afro Gunso’ (but without the catchiness), this should have been left in the days when disco was ‘in’.

Gym Ghingnham forsees a promising outlook if his application to join the Keroro platoon is successful.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 17: Cao Cao manages to get the better of Lu Bu, but when Lu Bu goes to Liu Bei for assistance, the righteous lord of justice and destiny cannot say no. Can the evil and grasping Cao Cao hope to undermine Liu Bei and Lu Bu’s alliance? I was worried that the hilarity of the last episode meant we were in for another dull patch, but this instalment was a consistently amusing outin

School Rumble 2^nd Term 19: Somehow, Harima has finally managed to finish his script, but before he hands it in to his editor, he wants to let Tenma read it. Cue a lot of running around, and the usual brand of misunderstandings, but once again, I have to admit that it was a weak instalment- to the point of being painful in places. Oh look, Tenma has just forgiven Harima for one misunderstanding, but now he’s just messed up in some other way- didn’t we see this kind of thing in Love Hina?

Welcome to the NHK 5: I wouldn’t say I’m happy with this by any stretch, but somehow this instalment was inoffensive enough to grant NHK a stay of execution. The episode covers Satou’s brief reunion with his old sempai (now accompanied by her own personal pharmacy) and his acceptance of Misaki’s contract; it can’t be said that a great deal happens, but at least the anime didn’t mess up any significant jokes this time, and I even found myself chuckling at the “robust serpent” scene. The animation seems to have stabilised from “full drug trip” to “mild aftereffects”, although in place of the distorted shapes we’re gifted with an overabundance of stills. The series remains in the red zone, but contrary to my expectations, I will be sampling episode six.

xxxHOLiC 18: Much like NHK, xxxHOLiC manages to effect something of a comeback this week, moving from utterly awful to tolerably average. This instalment covers the Demon Parade chapter from the manga, and whilst the story has been stretched a little to fit the full episode, it nonetheless manages to be many times more entertaining than the previous episode. Unfortunately, the animation is still weak; close-ups are looking better now, but most of the scenes from the parade look as if they were doodled by elementary school students.

Believe it or not, this is a screencap from xxxHOLiC. Watanuki and Domeki are at the centre.

DROPPED

Innocent Venus: I tried my utmost to give this a fair chance, but in the end I had to accept that a) I didn’t have a clue what was going on, and b) I didn’t particularly care about what was going on anyway. This time around, Jo gets emo, annoyingly stereotypical pirates show up, ugly mecha deploy, and army officers of evil make villainous plans. Possibly the biggest collection of stereotypes since Kiba, hence the bonus section below.

Special bonus- series ripped off by IV: Last Exile, Wolf’s Rain, Kurau, Hunter X Hunter, Burst Angel, Mahou Shoujotai, Arc- Twilight of the Spirits, Stand Alone Complex, Gasaraki, .hack//Roots, RahXephon

MANGA

Fruits Basket 131: When I opened this in CDisplay, a “Warning! Garbage at the end of the zip file” message popped up, which I took to be related to the content of this chapter. In all seriousness, this wasn’t too bad a chapter, covering the story of the first juunishi banquet and the fact that everyone is free, although typically now they are angsting over the fact that the curse is gone. Apparently Takaya plans to end the series “within the year”, by which I hope she means the year 2006.

Solanin 5: Given the low page count per chapter, instalments of Solanin feel especially few and far between, but they are rewarding in the main. This time around, we get a glimpse into the life of Meiko’s friend “Billy” as he works in the local shop; recommended for all fans of Honey & Clover.