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All posts for the month October, 2010

Monthly Summary: October 2009

Posted by Alex on October 31, 2010
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October 2009

End of October means happy Halloween to everyone who reads this xD In an idea blantly stolen from other anime blogs, we’re going to start doing monthly summaries of the top five  shows we’ve been watching individually since we’ll never agree on anything together =D

Alex’s Top Five

#5 Kuragehime


I really like shows with this kind of premise. Bias, yes, but with only two episodes Kuragehime’s been amusing and engaging to watch and follow. The sheer creativity and energy each character has been bundled with could alone carry the show in my opinion, and when they’re all together, the potentials for a comedy masterpiece get born.

#4 Pokemon: Best Wishes!


It might just be because i’m feeling slightly nostalgic over the whole thing and it hasn’t yet hit me that this series is a complete waste of time, but putting the issue of Satoshi aside, I really love how unique this series has been ever since it started. It handled the first 6 episodes in a manner which was completly unlike any Pokemon series, and it actually made some of the Pokemon which aren’t called Pikachu amusing to watch.

#3 Densetsu No Yuusha no Densetsu


Ah, the fantasy genre. How impossible it is to get it spot on and how easy it is to screw it up. The way Densetsu handled itself the past month (forgetting ALL about that Iris special episode…) was almost pure genius. It may have some very cliche’d badguys and some people may angst and whine too much, but at heart this series is about Ferris and Ryner, and it was a great month for the pair of them. With what can only be an awesome next episode on the horizon, I can actually see this show redeeming itself and making a decent complete package.

#2 Shiki


Whilst I may not seem like the type, I love a good horror which is actually scary. It’s VERY hard to get scared when your behind a computer screen, in your comfy chair which has been padded with leather cushions, but when it happens, it really works. It’s unique art style and completely amazing soundtrack make the scenes just that bit more epic, and well…yeah. It’s almost saved the name of vampires from that pop culture image that spreads nowdays.The way the atmosphere which the show spent several seemingly dull episodes carefully crafting got drawn to life and shattered in this last week is something very haunting and makes a very delightful anime.

#1 Tegami Bachi REVERSE


Ever since this show first started airing way back in S1, I always knew that the premise had promise, and I stuck with it. I stuck with the ungodly filler episodes that didn’t show me any sign of the plot, and they developed Lag and Niche into some of the best characters i’ve seen. The one reason this got rated higher than Shiki is for the charm which each episode brings. On paper, they seem nothing special, but the characters and the creativity put into each of the cases really grab the viewer. With all the makings of a classic, this show reaches higher and higher every episode.

Mimi’s Top Five:

#5 Otome Youkai Zakuro

Sometimes, I feel like I’m the only one who enjoys this anime so much. Sure, the premise isn’t new, and the characters have their annoyances (the tsundere, the coward, and the twin girls), but I can’t deny how charming this show really is. What immediately attracted me were the singing, the dancing, and the beautiful art. Now the characters are starting to appeal to me, and the episodes are growing a bit darker in nature. There are already so many mysteries to consider by the 4th episode. I won’t go as far as to say that this is the greatest show of the season, but I believe that it’s much more decent than people have given it credit for. It has potential, right?

#4 Star Driver

There are a lot of things about Star Driver that make it feel so exotic: the island, zero space, cybodies, maidens, magical potions, the glittering crux brigrade, the galactic pretty boy…and more to come. I thought that Kuroshitsuji II and Code Geass were the most ridiculous anime until this came along. It’s an incredible rollercoaster ride from the very beginning and has the most stunning visuals this season. This is just meant to be entertainment, and it does an excellent job at that. The only thing I don’t care for is the fanservice, but I’ll live.

#3 Kuragehime

Only two episodes in, and Kuragehime is already trying to steal the season away. Every single character has a quirky personality and obsession that is portrayed in a very amusing way. I love to watch them interact so closely, especially when the cross-dresser is around to stir things up. I don’t know where this series is planning to go yet, but I’m sure that we’ll be in for lots of surprises and entertainment.

#2 Shiki

Shiki took a very long time to build up, and then it went on hiatus for a month. I was one of those people who just forgot about the show. Ever since its return though, you can really see the buildup paying off. Shiki has such a solid story and an eerie atmosphere that you can’t help but get pulled back in. Out of all the vampire anime I’ve ever tried, this has to be the best one so far. I’m very curious about Natsuno’s future role in the series, and I’m expecting to see some really awesome stuff in the last nine episodes.

#1 Tegami Bachi REVERSE

Woah, what’s this? Letter Bee is really getting somewhere interesting with the plot now, and I’ve been waiting for this since S1 (thanks to Alex for pushing me to watch). I had huge expectations before starting it; how can you not after seeing Noir in the trailers? So far it has mainly been filler, but it’s not really the bad kind. We get the first plot-driven episode by episode 5, and I’m crossing my fingers for the series to keep this up. And of course, the fact that I’m a Gauche/Noir fangirl has nothing to do with this being my number 1 show~ o 3o Squee~!

Shiki Episode 13

Posted by Alex on October 30, 2010
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Thirteenth Tragedy


Summary:Natsuno dies.

Alex:This week in your everyday peaceful countryside village, everyone left alive is slowly and painfully dying or being toyed with as everyone else dies.Talk about one sided D: The humans can’t do anything anymore…EVERYONS GONNA DIIIE D:

Because honestly, that’s about it. The shiki are clearly toying with people now, and they’re killing off the rest of the village, and this episode is dedicated to the gloom and doom of the village.

Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu Episode 17

Posted by Alex on October 30, 2010
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“Lino Doue”

Summary: Epic stuff went down.And Ferris x Ryner is no more D:

Alex:Oh..wow. I wanted to just leave my post with an O.O face to show what face I had throughout the whole episode, but apparently that’s not allowed.But I don’t actually think i’d be able to write words which does this justice.

The guy from the OP makes his debut, “Tiia”. At first glance he is an over-the-top badguy, but he does it so well that I don’t really mind @_@ Miran meets someone who can fight toe to toe with him, and it turns out to be none other than that happy freak from Milk’s comedy brigade.Never saw that coming…

But okay, seriously. This episode made up for all those annoying moments, all those moments where I was rolling my eyes, everything. I said last week that it pushed the awesome switch, this week it cranked it all the way up to top and even further. Its not often I can admit to being glued to a screen holding my breath with modern anime, but i’ll happily say that this episode was perfect.And judging from the preview for next week…

Kuragehime Episode 2

Posted by Alex on October 30, 2010
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“Sukiyaki Western Matsusaka”

Summary: The cross-dresser tries to get along with the group of female otaku.

Mimi: I couldn’t wait for this episode, and it turned out to be just as awesome as I had hoped. The silly and intimate ways in which the characters interact are really entertaining, especially when they all go shopping at the grocery store and have a “hot pot” for dinner. Their otakuness follows them everywhere, as Mayaya just can’t stop comparing every little thing she sees to The Three Kingdoms. But when the cross-dresser mingles in with them with his bright and sociable personality, they turn to complete stone. The slightest thing he says gets on their nerves, like by calling Jiji a “light eater” or addressing Mayaya as “honey.” Simply put, it’s really tough on their comfort zone to hang around this guy. How do you act around an outsider who notices every little thing about you, talks so much, and lives in a totally different sphere? Considering that I only hang around a group of anime otaku, I can relate a bit.  =P

The cross-dresser definitely interests me the most out of anybody though. We find out that he lives in a mansion, and he is expected to dress normally at home, especially in the presence of his father. What kind of guy is he? He also has a brother who appears to be the ideal son, so if I wonder if they get treated differently. I really want to find out more about his lifestyle. I’m thoroughly enjoying this series, and I’ll pull my hair out if this gets delayed ever again. Same goes for you, Shiki!

Pokemon Best Wishes! Episode 7

Posted by Alex on October 29, 2010
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Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!


Alex:So in what would otherwise be a completely boring post about a filler episode where Satoshi gets obsessed over kidnapping this poor Snivy which only wanted a little bit of food, lets talk about Dento and Iris instead. For a Pokemon series, Dento’s such a bishie. But sadly, he just fell into the Brock hole this episode in where he pulled an entire kitchen out of nowhere and started cooking food which came from nowhere. I’ll admit that he is a slightly more interesting character than Brock…if only for the fact that he has eyes.Iris is a remotely interesting character as in she doesn’t fit any clichéd character archetypes  because she’s tsundere, hyper, overly friendly to everyone when she feels like it, and a complete know-it-all.Kinda like the creators had no idea what they wanted Iris to be so just made her a little bit of everything, but i’m not gonna complain. It could be much much worse.

But anyway, is Satoshi a complete idiot or is he just acting? SMUGLEAF DOESN’T GET CAUGHT BY JUST ANYONE YO.Especially when your feeling weird and throw Poke Ball’s at it from the middle of nowhere without even weakening it…wat. It was interesting for a filler if only for the fact that it made it very clear why Snivy is an internet meme of its own already.

Dropped:The World God Only Knows Episode 4

Posted by Alex on October 28, 2010
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“FLAG 4.0 On a Crusade”


Alex:With two girls captured and a lot more to go, Keima takes a break from hunting loose spirits to crack on with this new game he’s obtained.Displaying amazing feats of intelect such as dodging traffic and being a know-it-all in class whilst saving a heroin is a feat only suited to the self proclaimed gaming god…however, even the gaming god has one weakness and one alone…a bug in the game.

Determined to save this 2 dimensional character, Keima bullies Elcea into helping him try every single possible event and every single flag until he’s tested every single combination. With a glitched save feature. I feel really sorry for Elcea about now…

Yeah, the episode was a filler and had completely nothing to do with advancing the plot, but it was a pretty funny episode,if only because watching that ridiculously buggy game being played was often hilarious.Yet it’s not something I’d want to watch anything if only for the sake of keeping the jokes fresh.Nope, i’d rather see a lengthy conquest of a girl who’s actually harder to capture than Mio.

Otome Youkai Zakuro Episode 4

Posted by Alex on October 26, 2010
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“Timid Distance”

Mimi: You know how anime always have that one random episode about the poor little child whose mother was killed right before their very eyes? Well, we have a story like that here, but for once it’s not overdone or forced to be the main focus. If anything, it links to a mystery in the plot, and it also helps to move the development along between Hotaru and Riken.

They go on a mission to a shop downtown, and they meet a cute little spirit girl named Mugi. She introduces them to her master (a human), named Orikata Aya. Her story is that a mysterious woman gave her a sword one day because she believed that it was cursed. Aya accepted it due to its high quality, but no one would ever buy it from her shop. Now she wants the Spirit Affairs to look into it; however, Hotaru has a panic attack and instructs Riken not to touch it.

After Hotaru recovers herself, Mugi shows her a pretty comb. When Hotaru touches it, she feels a sudden sweep of emotion and can see a flashback of her mother being murdered by a guy wielding a sword. Mugi doesn’t remember this, but Hotaru’s power is finally revealed; she can strongly empathize with objects and people. Later that day, she goes off to help Mugi do something when the sword tumbles over into her hands. She becomes possessed, seeing horrible flashbacks of someone using that sword to murder tons of people. Hotaru suddenly turns on Mugi to attack her, which jogs her memory of the past, and Riken intercepts. They duel it out until Riken gets hurt, and Hotaru snaps out of it by sensing his warm, concerned feelings towards her. This once dangerous situation turns into the sweetest moment between them~ Squee~ :3 Well done.

And that’s not all. We see a small clip of the woman who delivered the sword to Aya, murmuring under her breath, “It won’t be long, Zakuro.” Interesting. Now we have the mysterious woman, events related to the sword, the cloaked people, Zakuro’s mother, the fox spirit, and Hanadate to think about. I have my theories, but hopefully they will be proven wrong because they’re a bit simple. ^^! I suppose we’ll have an episode dedicated to the twin girls soon, but I look forward to their arc the least. Hopefully it’ll be more interesting than I think~

Nurarihyon no Mago Episode 17

Posted by Alex on October 26, 2010
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“The Sublime Spirit Burns Crimson”

Mimi: Did anyone else go “o_O” at Kiyotsugu’s laugh? That guy sure can get excited… xD

Anyways, the concept of this episode is intriguing. One of the Seven Phantom Travelers called Lord Sodemogi has a specialty to kill local deities. Rikuo finds out that a number of shrines have been destroyed lately, and this can lead to bad consequences. It is explained that the local deities attract the fears and beliefs of humans, supporting the foundations of the Nura Clan. If they’re destroyed, then people will turn to the Shikoku Youkai to appease their beliefs and fears. Rikuo sends out his members to the remaining shrines to guard them. Once he locates Lord Sodemogi, the rooster youkai and the big strong one appear. The best fight of all is between the crows and the rooster since they use aerial attacks; fire vs wind. At last, he meets his doom in one big firework explosion. And awww at the little girl! :3 Though I’d have nightmares for a month..

Oh and finally, Rikuo’s grandfather does something. He gets in a fight with an old youkai friend I guess, and he stumbles upon the Kingpin of Shikoku’s Youkai Clans, aka their headquarters. He sits down to have a drink with Inugamigyobu-Tanuki, but that’s all we get to see for the moment. Looks like he’s getting to the heart of the matter.

Dropped:Bakuman Episode 4

Posted by Alex on October 25, 2010
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“Time and Keys”

Mimi: Alright, time to get into the technical details! And boy do I love this (to my surprise). This episode briefly touches up on the use of different ink pens and their effects on paper, screen tones, editors, assistants, etc. As Mashiro finally begins to draw, he realizes that there are so many things to consider already. For now, he’s trying to master drawing with G-pens, which are harder to control and easily get caught up on the paper. His uncle used a kabura pen because it was easier, but pros typically use G-pens that allow their artwork to have more “flavor and atmosphere.” So Mashiro stays up all night drawing, becomes extremely sleepy the next day during midterms, and shows Takagi his hard work after school. His artwork is fairly impressive to Takagi (detailed background art and people drawings), but they still need a bit of work.

As if the two kids aren’t inspired enough, they find out that a 15-year old kid named Niizuma Eiji recently became the semi-finalist prize winner for the Tezuka (manga) award. Hey, if he can do it, then they can do better! Heh, after witnessing how Niizuma acts like a crazy animal over the phone and only gets praised for his artwork, I think I have full confidence in our main leads to surpass him (especially in content). ^_^! Later on, Mashiro tells his partner a little story about a really good editor, and they decide that they’ll show him their first manuscript. Oh wait, they need just a little boost! -insert last minute clip of the oh-so-beautiful Azuki passing Mashiro on the street- Ok, now they’re ready. :3

I love how this series is also showing what other kids are up to besides them. There’s one particular classmate who draws character’s faces well and brags about his ‘skills’, but one girl asks why they always look the same and gaze in the same forward direction. Personally, I used to do a fair amount of drawing myself, and they always looked like that. I could never draw the head sideways or at any other angle. -sigh- xD

Pokemon Best Wishes! Episode 6

Posted by Alex on October 25, 2010
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Dreams by the Yard Full

Alex:With what was easily the best episode of this season of Pokemon so far, I suppose you could say that they’ve shown excatly how they want to change the series, and well…generally shown what they’re willing to do in the 6 episodes so far. I’m looking at it like this episode wraps up the introduction, you’ve got Iris with Axew, Satoshi with Pikachu, Tepig and Oshawott, and Dento with Pansage as a team now, and they’ve all got enough of an interesting personality to make them stand out from all the other lame companions who just tried to copy Misty -coughMayandDawncough-

The episode concluded the gym battle, giving Satoshi the win in some very clever tactics with Oshawott’s Shell Blade attack, and then showed a story (albeit a short one) of a mistreated Pokemon who had the power to turn dreams into energy with Dream Smoke.It was much darker than something i’d expect from Pokemon, and even though it got wrapped up abit quickly and with a cheesy conclusion, i’m happy because Team Rocket actually achieved something for once 8D

My reservations about this show just being more Pokemon havn’t disappeared yet, but within these six episodes, they’ve certainly dimmed a little.It’s looking like there’s hope for this series after all ^.^