DVD Review: Big Windup! – Part One (Episodes 1-13)

The new anime series Big Windup! is one of the select few sports-related anime series to ever get released in America. Based on the manga by Asa Higuchi, the show is now available on DVD in a Part One set collecting the first 13 episodes. This drama about a fledgling high school baseball team is filled with appealing characters, good sports action, and strong character development. Whether you're an anime fan, a sports fan, or neither, Big Windup! certainly entertains.

The story begins with Ren Mihashi, a student who has transferred from the private Mihoshi Academy (which his grandfather owns) to the public Nishiura High School. As the ace pitcher for Mihoshi's baseball team in middle school, he was blamed by the team for their losing record. Many felt that nepotism was the only reason Mihashi was the ace in the first place.

Mihashi is a character you will either feel sorry for or hate with a passion. He's a bit of a mess who startles easily, acts awkward around others, and is prone to crying. When he's recruited for Nishiura's new baseball team, he's paired with the team's catcher, Takaya Abe. Abe is pretty much the complete opposite of Mihashi. An intelligent, confident player, Abe is easily annoyed by Mihashi's quirks. However, he's also the one who realizes the true extent of Mihashi's talent.

One of the major strengths of Big Windup! is the way it handles its characters. The first major arc of the series, where the team takes on Mihashi's former teammates at Mihoshi Academy in a practice game, is a good example of this. The show doesn't take the easy way out and completely vilify the Mihoshi team. Instead, it shows things from both teams' perspectives. It lets us get inside the characters' heads and find out their thoughts. As a result, the arc's ending has a bit more resonance than just simply a win or a loss.

Fortunately, the show is not too serious for its own good. There is a good amount of humor, much of it coming from the awkward relationship between Mihashi and Abe. They clash, as one character notes, “like an old married couple.” There are also some homoerotic undertones that produce both intentional and unintentional laughs. Things don't get too silly as to disrupt the drama, though.

This DVD set contains both English and Japanese language tracks (with available English subtitles). The English dub is quite good and the voice actors are well cast in their roles. Listening to the show in English makes some of the more technical scenes easier to digest. The extras on the set are few, consisting only of textless versions of the opening and ending along with some trailers.

Watching Big Windup! makes you wonder why more sports-themed anime aren't brought over. It makes the sport of baseball appealing in a way that's not unrealistic or over-the-top. It also gives non-fans and casual fans a good idea of how much effort really goes into the game. This Part One set definitely leaves you wanting more and with the Part Two set also available, you don't have to wait long.

If you're interested in checking out the show without buying the DVD set, the first four episodes of the show are available to view on a number of sites including Hulu, YouTube, Anime News Network, and Funimation.com.

[Note: Look for the review of the Part Two DVD set to appear on Blogcritics very soon.]

DVD Review: Death Note - Volume 2 Box Set

The anime version of the popular Death Note manga concludes in the Death Note Volume 2 Box Set. The series comes to an end but not before a flurry of new characters, twists, and shocking character deaths.

[Note: If you are not familiar with Death Note, you should probably check out the review of the Volume 1 Box Set first to learn about the characters and premise.]

When we last left the characters of Death Note, Light had relinquished ownership of his notebook in order to lose all his memories of it. He did this in order to gain L's trust and eliminate suspicion that he was Kira. He even arranged it so that another person, an exec at a large corporation, could continue killing as Kira in his absence. The episodes on the Death Note Volume 2 Box Set begin with L and Light working together to find the current Kira.

The current Kira is caught in dramatic fashion but when Light touches the man's notebook, all his memories involving the notebook return (as well as his evil personality). Light kills the current Kira and resumes his plans to stop L from within his organization. L and the task force also learn of the existence of shinigami, the gods of death that normally use Death Notes.

Much happens over the course of the episodes on this set. Light triumphs against one foe only to gain a brand new one just as suspicion of him grows in the Japanese anti-Kira group. He grows colder and more sinister in his attempts to keep enemies off his trail and further his goals for a new world. He manipulates a shinigami's feelings to make it do his dirty work. He exploits the affections and admirations of two different women to get them to kill as Kira. He considers killing his own sister when her kidnapping threatens his plans. He even uses his own father to attempt to kill one of his enemies. The scene with Kira in the hospital with his father shows how evil Light has truly become.

These episodes also give us a look at how the world has reacted in the years since Light first used the Death Note. Tasteless TV producers make programs appealing directly to Kira and his fans. One man even claims to be Kira's official “spokesperson” and organizes a riot against the headquarters of the new group going after Kira. People's names make them vulnerable as criminals refuse to reveal their names and kids threaten bullies with the promise of putting their names on the Internet. Even whole countries aren't immune to Kira. The President of the United States receives a call from Kira and gives in to his demands.

There are many interesting themes and questions within Death Note. However, the simplest one is that absolute power corrupts absolutely. At the beginning of the series, Light is a brilliant young man with a bright future. By the end of the series, he is a shell of his former self. He has become a sociopath with a God complex who is hellbent on ruling a new world with only those he judges worthy. The contrast between the the young man he was and the man he has become are what make the final sequences of the series so haunting.

The five-disc Death Note Volume 2 Box Set is packaged in a handsome digipack with a slipcover that mirrors the Death Note Volume 1 Box Set. Inside, you will also again find representations of the instruction pages of the Death Note (the text is different this time around). The first four discs of the set contain the episodes. The fifth disc is a brand-new bonus disc exclusive to this set.

The excellent presentation from the last set is carried over to this one with little to complain about transfer-wise. The episodes are available with both Japanese and English audio with available English subtitles. Unfortunately, the ridiculously long sequence before the main menu remains on these discs. However, the sequence is also skippable like the previous set.

There are a nice amount of extras on this set. The first four discs each feature a behind-the-scenes featurette with voice actors for the English dub of the show, audio commentary on one episode each with people involved with the English dub, and production art. The first disc also has the clean version of the show's second opening and ending.

The extras on the fifth bonus disc revolve around the original Japanese version of the show. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette with the Japanese voice actors along with an interview with the the show's animation director and character designer. There are also conversations with the Japanese cast and crew as well as the original Japanese interstitials and a larger gallery of artwork.

If you enjoyed the first Death Note anime box set, then you will likely enjoy this one too. These episodes leave you at the edge of your seat until the very end. Although things get a little confusing at times, the journey to the show's conclusion is often exciting. While this is the end of the anime series, there is plenty more Death Note out there including three Japanese live-action films, a companion novel, the original manga series, and a Hollywood remake potentially on the horizon. This is likely not the last time you'll ever hear of Death Note.

DVD Review: Death Note: Volume 1 Box Set

If you had the power to kill anyone just by knowing their name and face, what would you do with it? That's the premise behind the anime series Death Note, now available in its first box set. Containing the first 20 episodes of the series, this set takes you on an dark and entertaining ride.

Based on the manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note focuses on a brilliant Japanese high school student named Light Yagami. Despite his popularity, considerable intelligence, and loving family, he is bored with his life and the world. Things change, however, when he finds a mysterious notebook called a "Death Note." Inside the book, he find instructions to use the book to kill a human. All that's needed is a name and that the person writing that name in the book have the person's face in their mind. Conditions, causes, and even time of death can be dictated by writing them next to the name. If nothing else is written, the person dies of a heart attack within 40 seconds.

Curious about the note's power, Light tries it out first by writing down the name of a criminal holding a school hostage. Although the criminal dies just seconds after he writes down the name, Light isn't really convinced until he uses the note to kill a man attempting to rape a young woman in front of his eyes.

When he realizes that the note truly works, he becomes mad with power and decides to rid the world of all the people he thinks are bad. He writes down the names of many major criminals and, in an attempt to gain notoriety, has them all die of heart attacks. Light's deeds bring him a visit from the Death Note's actual owner, a shinigami (god of death) named Ryuk. With Light coming into possession of the Death Note, the two are connected. Only Light and those who have touched the Death Note can see Ryuk.

As Light continues to kill criminals, the world at large starts to take notice. People take to calling the unseen force "Kira" and devote websites to him. The U.N. brings in a mysterious, freelance detective known only as "L" to find and capture Kira. What follows is a war of wills as L and Light try to stay one step ahead of the other. In the process, Light's father, the Japanese police, the FBI, and even a "second Kira" are all caught in the crossfire.

Death Note could have easily been a disturbing horror series (imagine what someone like Jigsaw could do with a Death Note) but it works well as a suspenseful drama/mystery. The show has a very dramatic feel from the use of choral music in some scenes to surprising camera angles. There are times when it almost veers into self-parody (a scene involving Light and a bag of potato chips has to be seen to be believed) but the show doesn't take itself too seriously to keep it from being entertaining.

Apart from the sometimes twisty plot, the various character relationships are what makes this show good. The unusual connection/not-quite-friendship between Light and Ryuk is unique. Ryuk stays pretty neutral but is amused by what Light does. He's the only person Light can talk to about the perils of being Kira, although that doesn't stop Light from trying to manipulate him when he needs to. Then, there is the relationship between Light and L. The two of them are similar in that they are brilliant minds who can't be themselves and must stay a bit detached from the rest of the world.

The animation, done by famed studio Madhouse, is pretty good for a TV series. The character designs match the manga well and the color palette is surprisingly varied at times for a show like this. The English dub is solid with good vocal performances all around. If there is one gripe to be had, it is about the opening menu on each disc. The menu takes far too long to get to the main screen. Fortunately, it can be skipped.

The Death Note Volume 1 Box Set contains the first 20 episodes from the 37-episode anime series across five discs. The discs are housed in a handsome digipack with the inside artwork replicating instruction pages from the Death Note. All the episodes feature either English audio or Japanese audio with English subtitles.

There are a good amount of extras in this set. Each disc features a behind the scenes featurette with a different English voice actor from the series and production artwork from the series. Each disc also has one episode available with audio commentary by people who worked on the English dub. In addition to the extras mentioned, disc one features clean versions of the opening and ending, disc two features an interview with the Japanese director and character designer, and disc five has a trailer for the live-action movie version of Death Note.

The Death Note Volume 1 Box Set is great for fans of dark, suspenseful drama or those who may have missed the show when it aired on Adult Swim. Considering that it packs the first five individual volumes in one set at a better price, it's also a great deal for fans of the show who have yet to pick it up on DVD. By the time you finish this set, you'll be looking for the rest of the show just to see how it all ends. The inevitable Volume 2 Box Set can't come soon enough.

DEATH NOTE based on the comic "DEATH NOTE" by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
originally serialized in "WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP" published by SHUEISHA Inc.
© Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/Shueisha
© DNDP, VAP, Shueisha, Madhouse

New Anime Thoughts (Part Two)

Finally, here is the second part of my Fall 2008 Anime thoughts:

Yozakura Quartet: To me, this is a good example of middle-of-the-road. I watched the first episode and it wasn't bad...and it wasn't good either. The premise of the show, a group of teens protecting a town where spirits live among humans peacefully, is interesting. There's just nothing special in the execution and few things to make it stand out.

Kannagi: This show has a tired premise (boy has to deal with girl who comes out of nowhere) but it actually makes it work quite well. The opening is great but the show itself is enjoyable too. I like the gentle humor, the appealing character design and animation, and the interaction between the characters. I will definitely continue to watch this one.

Kyou no Go no Ni TV: Also known as Today in Class 5-2, I'm intrigued by this show but the jury is still out on it for me. I like slice-of-life anime so this show, with its multiple short segments per episode, caught my attention. I like the fact that the kids in this show often act like kids (the superball contest and the broom guitar scenes from the first episode are good examples). At the same time, it's not as funny as Azumanga Daioh and the light sexual comedy is a little cringe-inducing. However, I'm willing to give it a shot.

(As a side note, I watched the original OVA version of this show recently and all I have to say is...thank goodness I didn't see that one first.)

Earl and Fairy: Ladies and gentleman, I bring you the worst anime I've watched this season. I've watched my fair share of bishie-heavy anime with my sister (La Corda d'Oro, Neo Angelique) but at least those shows had decent animation, nice character designs, and good execution. This show isn't as bad as it could be but it's a step below other shows of its type. The character designs are a bit uninspired (the main male character looks like an "evil" Tamaki from Ouran) and the story isn't all that interesting. The only thing I really like about this show is the talking, drinking, two-leg-standing fairy cat. We need more of him, now.

Tytania: I haven't watched a whole lot of "space operas" so I didn't really know what to expect from this show. From I watched, it doesn't seem like it's going to be that bad. I've been intrigued by these types of shows for a while (I was very close to buying Toward The Terra sight unseen). My ultimate thoughts on the show are still out but I'm going to keep watching it unless it goes from interesting to boring.

One Outs: This is a fun show that's probably going to be a guilty pleasure for me. For the most part, I like sports anime and I like this show. The idea of mixing baseball and gambling (at least initially) is interesting and the way the show critiques elements of Japanese culture is unique. I'm looking forward to watching more.

Skip Beat: Yay! A good shoujo show this season! I've only watched the first episode so far (I'm watching this show with my sister) but it looks like it may be a winner. I like that the main character seems like the opposite of Kotoko from Itazura na Kiss. Kotoko was hard-working to get the affections of the man she loved. The girl from Skip Beat is energized to become a star as a "Screw You!" to the man she once loved and sacrificed for. This should be a very good show.

This concludes the fall 2008 anime thoughts. As I watch more of these shows, I may give an update on how I feel about them.

New Anime Thoughts (Part One)

This is part one of a two-part post featuring my thoughts on a variety of new anime series that premiered this fall.

Toradora: I wasn't sure if I was going to like this show in part because the whole "bitchy girl who is sweet on the inside" thing kind of annoys me. However, this show actually puts a fresh spin on it and I actually enjoyed it. I liked the first episode but the second episode is what sold me on the show. I'm going to keep watching it.

Casshern Sins: This show has been a really nice surprise so far. Even though it's a dark show and outside the type of stuff I usually watch, it's very well done. I like the retro character designs, the beautiful backgrounds and dark color palette, and the nice animation. This could quietly be one of the best anime series airing this season.

Tales of The Abyss: Although I have never played the game, I am enjoying this fluffy action series. Watching it, I can see why this is a popular game (and why it got a TV series as opposed to the OVA series that Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Symphonia got). Even though there are times when it feels like a video game that's been animated (monsters popping out of nowhere for a battle scene), it's light entertainment.

Vampire Knight Guilty: I liked the first season of the show and I am liking this season so far. I have read up to volume 5 of the manga (following Viz's trades) and I kind of like how the anime has moved some events around.

Kuroshitsuji: This is probably the most intriguing of all the anime I've watched thus far. The first episode pulled off a tricky combination of humorous and serious tones along with some horror and hints of interesting mysteries and secrets to come. It reminds me a bit of the early episodes of the original Hellsing anime. This show has style to spare and I can't wait to see how it unfolds.

This concludes part one of my fall 2008 anime thoughts. Look for thoughts on Tytania, Yozakura Quartet, Skip Beat, Earl and Fairy, Kannagi, and Kyou no Go no Ni TV in part two.

What's Old Is New Again In Anime

It's been almost five years since I left NU and one of my favorite things about that time was the days I spent in NU Anime.

Two of the shows I first saw at that anime club are getting revived.

Today, ANN reported that The Slayers was getting a brand-new series with an anime-exclusive story. The Slayers was a fun show that, for whatever reason, always closed out the anime club showings. It will be interesting to see if a new Slayers show would actually be decent or somewhat disappointing (like Tenchi Muyo Ryo-Ohki).

ANN also reported that a Trigun movie would be getting released in Japan next year, also with an anime-exclusive story. Trigun is one of those shows that I really enjoyed but not enough to buy on DVD. It was a pretty cool show and I loved the music. In some respects, it seemed to get overshadowed by Cowboy Bebop even though the two were quite different from each other.

The news of the Trigun movie really excites me. It probably won't be the most artistic anime but it should be action-packed, beautifully animated (Madhouse, who animated the show, is also doing the movie), and a lot of fun. I hope that it comes to the big screen when it comes to America.

Anime Thoughts 2008

With the writers' strike still going, I've lost a bit of interest in TV. I still watch plenty, but now I'm spending more time either on the computer or watching other stuff. This “other stuff” includes anime.

I've been getting some great use out of my Sansa TakeTV to watch some anime. Here are my thoughts on the shows I'm currently watching:

Dragonaut: For some reason, I'm really enjoying this show. It's a fun action show with nice (if not exactly realistic) character designs, and a plot that should be ripe with interesting possibilities. It's not too serious for its own good and that helps it immensely. I've watched the first six eps so far and I'm looking forward to watching more.

Kimikiss Pure Rouge: Sometimes, I'm a sucker for a good romantic high school anime. I count His & Her Circumstances and Fruits Basket among my favorite shows. I guess that's why I kind of got sucked in by Kimikiss Pure Rouge. It's a cute show with great designs and likable characters. I'm only a few episodes into the show, but I like the way the relationships are so far and the potential for drama. It's also animated by J.C. Staff, a company whose work I usually enjoy.

Gundam 00: I've only watched the first couple of eps, but I like what I see. The animation is really nice and the idea of a third party trying to stop all war by using force is really intriguing. Since I've watched so little, I can't really say too much more than that.

Persona Trinity Soul: I have never played a Persona game but I do like this show so far. Video game shows usually suck but this one doesn't yet. I like the dynamic of the brothers living together and the supporting characters are okay so far (points for the guy with the afro). It's a little bit confusing for me at times since I am a complete neophyte to the Persona universe, but I'm sticking with it.

It's Anime Thoughts Time!

With summer here and the normal TV season done, I've been catching up on some anime watching.

Hayate no Gotoku (Hayate The Combat Butler) is hilarious. I watched the first episode and enjoyed it quite a bit. Then again, when a show actually features the words “Combat Butler” in the title, it's destined to be funny. The thing I liked most was the way the show broke the fourth wall. Those types of gags always get me. This looks to be a really fun show and I can't wait to watch more.

Darker Than Black seems to be tailor-made for anime fans. It's from Studio Bones (Wolf's Rain, Full Metal Alchemist). It's got a cool hero who wears a black trenchcoat. It has music by Yoko Kanno. Fortunately, all of that wasn't wasted on a show that sucks. So far, this show seems pretty interesting. Like Hayate no Gotoku, I have only watched one episode. However, that one ep definitely makes me want to watch the rest.

One show I was kind of surprised I liked was Ookiku Furikabutte (or Oofuri for short). It's a sports show (baseball) and those can be hit-and-miss. However, I have enjoyed what I have watched so far. This doesn't seem like your typical sports anime (at least not yet). It's a bit more relationship-driven, especially in the way the main characters (the pitcher and catcher) relate to each other. Yes, it screams “OTP!” but that helps set the show apart. There is a little more here than “We're going to try to win!”

That's it for my anime thoughts this time around. I'm going to take a look at Reborn and Guren Lagaan soon and probably write about those as well.

A Sorta Review Of Jubei-Chan 2

Even though I literally have hours of fansubbed anime on my computer I have yet to watch, the anime I'm enjoying at the moment is Jubei-Chan 2: The Counterattack Of Siberia Yagyu. It's the sequel to Jubei-Chan The Ninja Girl, which was about a young girl who, with the help of a heart-shaped eyepatch, becomes the second incarnation of the great swordsman Jubei Yagyu.

Both the original and its sequel were directed by Akitaroh Daichi, one of my favorite anime directors. He has this unusual ability to go from wild comedy to serious drama in the same show without missing a step (see Fruits Basket for the best example of this).

I picked up all of Jubei-Chan 2 on a whim from The Right Stuf a couple of months ago (they had all four disc at only $9.99 each). One of the things that makes this show interesting is that it's a sequel to a show that had an ending that nicely wrapped up all the loose ends. You never would've suspected that the original Jubei-Chan would get a sequel, but Daichi (who is not just director of the Jubei-Chan shows but also creator) found a way to make a sequel without it feeling forced.

Jubei-Chan 2 is in some ways better than the original and in some ways worse. The animation is a lot better in the new show, but that's due to animation getting better in the five-six years between shows. Also, the show (thankfully) has moved on from the breast jokes that permeated the first show. There is a bit less comedy this time around and that's one of the things that got a little worse. The comedy is almost completely confined to the characters who were comic relief in the last show. That comedy is really, really silly but also quite hit-and-miss. When the comedy goes beyond those characters, it usually succeeds.

Why did I call this a “sorta review”? Well, I am still three episodes away from completing the series. This means that as soon as there's nothing on TV, I'll probably finish it off. The show started off slow for me but I breezed through discs 2 and 3 and now I only have the final disc to watch. I'm looking forward to seeing how Daichi wraps everything up this time. I wonder if he'll leave things open for a Jubei-Chan 3.

After I finish this show, I won't have any unwatched anime shows on DVD. I'm debating whether or not I should buy another show after I finish this. Part of me kind of wants to buy a brand-new show of some kind (one that isn't a sequel or reboot of something I've already seen) but I'm probably not going to do that. I want to see the newest Tenchi Muyo OVA as well as at least some of the newest Ah! My Goddess series. I'm also looking forward to seeing some of the shows I have fansubbed on DVD. The minute Ouran High School Host Club is announced for DVD, my order is going in.

New Anime Thoughts

I watched the first episodes of two new anime series recently. Can you believe neither one of them was Death Note?

The first one I watched was Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion. In theory, this could've been great. You get CLAMP character designs for a Sunrise mecha show. Unfortunately, it was a bit underwhelming. The show takes place in the future where the evil Western empire of Britannia has fought a war with Japan (using mecha, of course) and has taken it over. Japan is stripped of its name and seven years later is now “Area 11.” The Lelouch in the show name is the main character, a smart student who vowed as a child to destroy Britannia.

The main problem with this show is that its premise is a ripoff of Gundam Seed. When Lelouch encounters a Britannia soldier who is actually his childhood friend Suzaku, I was reminded a whole lot of the scene in the first episode of Gundam Seed where Athrun and Kira meet again. The animation for this show is very nice and the action sequences were good. Despite that, the “been there, done that” feel of the story keeps it from being more than so-so.

The other show I watched was Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (aka The Wallflower). Imagine Ugly Betty as a wacky anime comedy with bishounen and you'll pretty much describe this show. Four guys all live together in a huge house owned by a rich woman. The woman offers the guys a deal. If they can turn her niece into a “magnificent lady” then they will be able to live in the house rent-free. The guys agree and the lady leaves on an around-the-world search for love. The guys meet the woman's niece, Sunako, and are scared to death of her. After being rejected by a guy because of her looks, Sunako became somewhat of a weird recluse. She wears her hair very long, wears cheap clothes, hates “beautiful” things, gets nosebleeds when she sees something beautiful, and loves horror movies. Oh, and let's not forget that she's actually ugly.

For the most part, I liked this show. I enjoy anime comedies (Azumanga Daioh and Excel Saga are two of my favorite shows), and this one is wacky and fun. I liked the fact that all the scenes with Sunako were treated kind of like a horror movie. The male characters on the show are overdramatic and over-the-top. The character designs, which match the style of the manga, are a little off-putting, though. There's something kind of disturbing about anime characters with lips. This show doesn't scream “new favorite” the way Ouran High School Host Club did when I first watched it, but I think I'm going to keep watching it.

Next time, I will finally watch Death Note, Busou Renkin, and D-Gray Man and see if they're any good. Or maybe I'll watch something else. Who knows?

Anime Thoughts: Cross-Dressing Special

In between other things, I've been able to watch a few episodes of anime here and there. This edition of anime thoughts focuses on two animes I've begun watching that both deal with cross-dressing in som way.

First up is Princess Princess. This show is about a guy who transfers into an elite, all-boys private school. Upon his arrival, he knows something is off about this school when the guys all lovingly look at him. He soon finds out that his school has an unusual practice. To keep the guys from going nuts (after all, there are NO girls in the school), the most beautiful and feminine-looking first years are chosen to become “princesses.” They get made up and dressed up as women to add the “female” support this all-boys school is lacking. This premise is quite ridiculous but the show is kind of fun to watch. I liked the one character who was pretty much “forced” to be a princess. He actually has a girlfriend and in the two eps I watched, seemed to really dislike the whole idea of being a princess. Considering that anime haters and even some anime fans say that male characters in anime often look too much like women, it's interesting to have a show where the male characters have an actual reason to look like girls. I don't know if this show is just an excuse for girls to see guys dressed like girls or if it's poking fun at the way anime and manga look at gender. Somehow, I bet it's probably the latter.

Now, Ouran High School Host Club is an example of that great shoujo convention...the girl who dresses up like a guy. In this show, the girl doesn't even have a reason to dress like a guy...she just doesn't give two craps about her appearance. At the ultra-exclusive Ouran High School (do all anime take place in private high schools these days?), main character Haruhi stumbles upon the school's Host Club while looking for a quiet place to study. The Host Club is basically a club of guys who use their good looks and personality to play the rich girls at the school. The club includes every single bishounen archetype: the flirty one, the twins, the quiet and stoic one, the old one who looks really young, and of course, the all-powerful and somewhat calculating one. Haruhi ends up in debt to the club and seeing as she has no money, she ends up serving (and eventually joining) the club. This show is really funny and has some nice (and very bright) animation. The people behind this show also animated Full Metal Alchemist and it shows. I liked this show a bit better than Princess Princess.

So, this concludes another edition of Anime Thoughts. Next time, my thoughts on Powerpuff Girls Z and a couple more animes.

Worst. Anime. Ever.

I'm just speechless at how bad this anime is...

Back Into Anime

Now that I have a better Internet connection, I've gotten back into the practice of downloading fansubs. When I was in college, I downloaded a lot of fansubs even though my computer at the time had some trouble playing them. Now, I have a newer computer that can play them with ease and I am enjoying watching them again.

I've downloaded a good amount of stuff recently, but I haven't had the chance to watch a lot of it. Also, since I've been out of the fansub game for so long, there were times that I didn't know where to begin. I haven't bought a new anime since Azumanga Daioh and there are many shows that are now on DVD that I have not seen so much as one second of. I also don't really catch shows on Adult Swim that much. I guess it's funny that the first fansubbed show I've gotten into as of late is a new incarnation of a show I already liked.

That show is Digimon Savers, the newest version of Digimon. It's one thing to be a fan of kids' animated shows. There are plenty of adult fans of shows like Spongebob Squarepants. However, there are fewer people who will admit to being fans of a kids' anime. I have been a fan of Digimon for a while. Even though it's a show about kids who partner up with creatures from the Digital World (or in the case of the fourth season...turn into the creatures themselves), it's always been fun to watch and a lot better than other kids' anime shows like Pokemon or Beyblade.

Digimon Savers breaks some of the traditions of the previous Digimon shows. The hero doesn't wear goggles (all the others did). The characters are older in general (teenage instead of 11 or 12). At the same time, it returns the show to the partner/digimon dynamic that wasn't in the previous season. Overall, it feels like it was made for a slightly older audience than the previous shows. There is still a good amount of humor, but it's not as goofy. I've watched the first three episodes so far and I'm liking what I see. Even though the typical anime archetypes are in this show, that doesn't stop it from being enjoyable.

I've downloaded eps of a couple of shoujo series (Princess Princess and Ouran High School Host Club) along with two shows based on mangas I've read (Eyeshield 21 and Air Gear) and an action series (the recently licensed Black Lagoon). I plan to watch these shows in the coming days and give my thoughts on them here.