Many people have asked me “what is it about this show that deserves such praise?” It’s difficult to put into words, but Aria remains to this day my favorite anime of all time, with Legend of the Galactic Heroes close behind.

From casually watching a few episodes the immediate response people get is, “All they do is row boats all day?” This analysis isn’t completely wrong, and for the majority of the time, the show is pretty uneventful. If I had to make a criticism about the show, it wouldn’t be it’s lack of plot, since one of the driving points of Aria is there are hidden joys in even the most ordinary things. Aria drives home the idea that, “there is beauty all around us, if only we simply look around.” And there is quite a bit of thematic presence to the show that exceeds far beyond that simple motif. Each episode contains a life lesson to be had, and audiences will be surprised with the keen insights Aria can provide. Aria does tend to be almost sickeningly saccharine, but once again, Aria doesn’t just throw rose pedals in the air and make out the world to be flawless without qualifications. Aria addresses some very profound and thought provoking subject matter, and tends to pit optimism against reality. Aria simply chooses to fall onto the optimistic side of the scale simply because the perception of reality is how you choose to see it. There is good in the world, and also the bad, but you have the choice to enjoy life to the fullest even in it’s hardest moments. Aria makes a bold claim, but the show isn’t without merit. Perhaps if Aria were to balance it’s sweet nature with some more brooding material it would attract more audiences that dislike such an optimistic view on life. For me however, it detracts nothing from the show.

Aside from themes, the production value of Aria from an objective standpoint is admirable. But I have to mention the music here. The music is top notch, and arguably one of the greatest OSTs I have ever heard. It isn’t often you come across a soundtrack that can convey such strong emotions even without the context of the show. But of course, I suggest you head down to Anime Instrumentality if you really want an in-depth review on the Aria OSTs.

But above all else, there is one facet of Aria that keeps me as a dedicated fan. Aria has the innate ability to create a sense of complete and total atmospheric immersion. Aria oozes atmosphere and creates a great sense of intimacy for the audience. The world of Neo-Venezia crosses the line from fiction, to a tangible world that is created within the minds and hearts of the audience. When a show can transcend the medium of T.V. and cross into the threshold of imagination, this is where art is created. When flickering lights on a digital screen, can induce a vivid sense of wonder. When you think to yourself, “this world feels real to me, and it feels like I am a part of this world” is when atmosphere is being properly conveyed. Aria does this better than any anime I have seen. Deliberate pacing, and character driven story is the heart of Aria. The plot never moves forward arbitrarily simply because the author forces it to. The story is open and free flowing, and comes across as an organic narrative that moves forward naturally, without redundant plot twists, or nonsensical character moments. Aria feels genuine, and most importantly the characters feel genuine even in an extraordinary context. These characters keep you grounded, and help create a sense of atmosphere even more. The world of Aria is alive, and brimming with wonder and beauty. When was the last time you described an anime like that?

Aria is a daring endeavor in the industry. There are no flashy fights, no gripping narrative, and no real hook the keep the audience coming back for more. What Aria does have, is intimacy. The ability to relate with the viewers not only on an emotional or intellectual level but on a human level. The music, the writing, and the characters: the entire world of Neo-Venezia  is deeply embedded into my conscious. There is still a deep sense of nostalgia rises up with in me as I carry on with my daily routine. I always remind myself, “Enjoy all things in life, even in hard times.” I have Aria to thank for that.

That was a profound title for a blog entry wasn’t it? No I’m joking. Now I’m not being smug believe it or not, there is some truth to the overbearing title. Also spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned, but no worries, this isn’t a manga where spoilers will have any impact on the enjoyability of the series. It is something that must be experienced, to be fully appreciated. Usagi Drops synopsis follows something like this:

Going home for his grandfather’s funeral, thirty-year-old bachelor Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a younger lover! The rest of his family is equally shocked and embarrassed by this surprise development, and not one of them wants anything to do with the silent little girl, Rin. In a fit of angry spontaneity, Daikichi decides to take her in himself! But will living with this overgrown teenager of man help Rin come out of her shell? And hang on, won’t this turn of events spell doom for Daikichi’s love life?! -yenpress

Misleading is the first word that comes to mind when I read the synopsis. Somehow you get a semblance of slapstick comedy that focuses on the mis-happenings of Daikishi. Somewhat true, but it’s definitely not the center piece of this manga. This manga focuses on the Daikishi’s ongoing struggles with parenthood, and the many obstacles that must be faced in the face of adversity. Learning to mature, learning to bond, learning to sacrifice, and ultimately learning to become content and satisfied with his life.

This manga really shines because it’s a indepth character study of so many people. Not just the story around Daikishi and his journey with Rin, but all the people that surround them and their journeys as well. I’m really interested in Daikishi’s sister and to see how she’s fairing. She was apprehensive about having children and she was to get married. It’s been 10 years, where is she now? I’m sure it’ll be addressed and that’s what makes this manga so fulfilling to read. Watching characters grow and evolve, powerful stuff. If you want a reference point Usagi Drop rings similarly to Solanin, and Ciguatera . Not in terms of tone or plot, but in the way the author chooses to focus on building up these characters, and focusing on their journey as individuals. One could also compare it to Harukana Machi-E and My Girl, that both deal with similar character studies.

The author is deals with the manga in subtle ways. Each character represents a different thought plane and allows the characters to learn from each other. This makes the interactions between characters not as a device to move the plot forward, but as a necessity that mirrors life. The characters become alive, and black and white ink becomes vivid color when combined with the imagination of the human mind. The depth, and the dimension of these characters allow people to read and to bond with these characters, learn with them, grow with them. They say the trickiest craft of writing characters, is to make them appear plausible. Usagi Drop accomplishes and so much more.

All in all Usagi Drops is a rare gem. It’s a snippet of the lives of a rag-tag collection of people with their own foibles, strengths, and fears. After reading each chapter you ask yourself “where are these characters going, where will they be in the future, and what have they learned?” These are questions that are interconnected with the reader, and thus the manga becomes personal, and in a sense quite intimate. Usagi Drops is certainly not a masterpiece in this regard, Even Onani Master Kurosawa felt far more intimate, but one must remember, Usagi Drops has a much bigger scope and deals with a far more relevant and delicate issue.

Chapter 24 is perhaps the best chapter in the manga to date, and I strongly urge anyone who is in the mood for a good slice of life manga give it a go. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Yikes, what a long winded title. With joking aside, the title of this post reflects my opinion perfect about the first episode of the Denpateki na Kanojo OVA perfectly. The psychological thriller genre is one that holds a very special place in my heart. From the early days of Hitchcock, to the masterpieces of Kubrick, I have been infatuated with the twisted inner workings of the human mind, and the profoundly dark and often times destructive nature of human beings. When it comes to films, psychological horror is dime a dozen, but when it comes to anime the genre is quite scarce, so when I first learned about Denpateki na Kanojo, I approached to OVA with high hopes, and for my faith, I was rewarded with one of the most atmospherically engrossing thrillers I have seen in a long time. While the OVA is not on par with Monster or Serial Experiments Lain, Denpateki na Kanojo remains as one of my favorite recent endeavors. Denpateki na Kanojo, is certainly treading familiar ground, but is doing it with confidence and gusto.

A brief synopsis taken from MAL: Juuzawa Juu is a delinquent high school boy who just wants to be left alone. One day, he is approached by Ochibana Ame, who claims that she knew him in a previous life, and now wants to serve him as his “knight”. At first Juu wants nothing to do with Ame, but after a classmate is murdered, he accepts her help as he looks for the killer.

The story is something we’ve seen before in some form or another. But where the story lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for it with atmosphere. Very rarely does a show have tha ability to really grip the audience without clonking us over the head with blatant and in your face plot twists. It takes quite a bit of skill to move a story forward with atmosphere, excellent pacing, and masterful characterization. If these three concepts are understood and successfully executed, then we have a great show on our hands. The plot, as important as it is, will become second nature, and flow more naturally. That said, there are plenty of plot driven anime that deliver the same enjoyment, but that’s not where I’m looking today.

What I’m looking for is an anime that oozes atmosphere from every orophous and has the ability to make my hairs stand on end without so much as a word from the main characters. Oddly enough Denpateki na Kanojo does NOT, accomplish this. Putting in the same cateogry as Aria (which has unbelievable atmosphere) and Monster (which not only provides a dark, brooding tone, but also a masterfully crafted story), would be a diservice to these masterpieces. However, Denpateki na Kanojo does try it’s hand at this difficult artform and comes out with impressive results.

Although it’s a step behind the masterpieces mentioned before, it does take a step forward when compared to the countless anime that are released every season. It surely isn’t a masterpiece, but it is definitely something to look into. Every once in a while, taking the road less traveled with produce rewarding results.

There are two things that have prevented me from purchasing a dakimakura in the past.

1. The outrageous price.
2. Very few dakimakura designs appeal to me.

With that said, a few weeks ago while watching the third episode of Higurashi Rei, I was doing some research and was made aware of a certain Rika dakimakura that would come bundled with the Limited Edition DVD of the third episode of Rei. At 104 dollars, the price was no laughing matter, but temptation got the best of me, and I decided to go ahead and purchase it. There were a few factors I used to justify this otherwise outrageous purchase. I reasoned with myself that dakimura cost upwards to 100 dollars to begin with, so the fact that this bundle comes with the actual Higurashi Rei DVD would only be a plus, after all, I wasn’t buying the DVD for the pillowcase. That would be absurd…= P

In any case, it ended up being a huge impulse buy that I soundly regretted later. Even so, I buckled down and accepted my sordid mistake and vowed never to buy otaku goods on a whim ever again; a bitter lie, coming from a man without a cent left in his pocket. In the end after I finally received the shipment, I ended up being quite happy with my purchase. Don’t get me wrong, snuggling with a Rika dakimakura is something I have only DREAMED of, but a poor college student needs to put his priorities straight. Rika, or rent, that’s one hell of a tough call. In any case, none of you actually care about the process in which I bought my dakimakura, so  I’ll show off some pictures now since that’s all you folks probably want to see.

This is the actual box the DVD came in, and is actually quite small. I was expecting something…more hefty? You can spy some of the artbooks in the background too. I guess that’s an added bonus.

As you can see, my pillow isn’t actually the right size. It’s a tad bit smaller than the case itself. Pity, I’m still not willing to cough up 30 dollars for the pillow itself though. Maybe in a few months I can actually get the right one.

A closeup of the face. You can still see creases in it, as the cover hasn’t been aired out yet, so to speak. The material is similar to that of the cheaper dakimuras that come bundled with magazines, but is far softer, and much easier on the skin. It doesn’t feel anywhere near as cheap.

I like the other side of the pillow more. Personal preference I guess? In any case, i’ll post a simple gallery for the rest of you folks.

All in all, I really dig the pillow case, and I’m happy to say that I plan to build my Higurashi Rei DVD collection since it seems like the logical next step. I wouldn’t really recommend for everyone to go out an spend 100+ dollars on this limited edition set, but if there are any fans of Higurashi you might want to consider this one. I think it’s the only
“pseudo official” Rika Dakimakura that is avaiable on the market now.

You say you want a bigger version of the chart? Sure! ->CLICK HERE! <-

Finals are done, school is out, and I finally get a much needed breather. The summer season is almost upon us, so now is a good time to look at this season’s line up, and hope for the best. Truthfully I haven’t been too into the last two season’s offerings. There were a few hits, but a lot of misses, but this summer seems to showcase a great deal of new shows, as well as some returning heavy weights, and promises to be one of the more hypefilled seasons of the year. With that said, let’s dive into it, and see what hidden gems we can expect in the months to come.

Plan to Watch

Tokyo Magnutide 8.0

Synopsis: An apocalyptic look at what would happen if an earthquake of a magnitude 7.0 or greater were to hit Tokyo. Mirai, a middle school freshman girl who goes to Tokyo’s artificial Odaiba Island for a robot exhibition with her brother Yutaka at the start of summer vacation. A powerful tremor emanates from an ocean trench, the famed Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge crumble and fall, and the landscape of Tokyo changes in an instant. With the help of a motorcycle delivery woman named Mari who they meet on Odaiba, Mirai and Yutaka strive to head back to their Setagaya home in western Tokyo.

My Two Cents: There are two things that immediately grabbed my attention. Studio Bones (which has been doing some phenomenal work lately), and the balls to the wall plot. I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic, natural disaster type movies, so this goes right up my alley. What I’m hoping for is some authentic genuine human drama. I want to see the characters not only interact with each other, but create a very tense and moving dynamic that will allow us, the audience, to become completely immersed in their world. The plot offers some variety and spin on a classic storyline. Hopefully this won’t turn into your generic disaster thriller, but will actually transcend expectations and become a show about the human nature of survival, and the importance of human relationships in times of crisis. Or MAYBE I’m looking way too deep into this shit. In any case, count me in, the plot seems interesting, and it’ll be a good ride. But as a small note, am I the only one that senses a supernatural twist in this show? If aliens end up being the culprit behind the earthquake, kill me now. I hope this show stays on the realistic end of the scale.

CANAAN

Synopsis: Anime adaption of the game 428. Type-Moon’s Nasu Kinoko and Takeuchi Takashi are in charge of the anime script and character designs. They also made the script and character designs for one of the bonus scenarios in the game.

My Two Cents: I’m not a huge fan of TYPE-MOON related works, but that doesn’t mean I’m not impressed by some of the shows and games the company has been involved in. Kara no Kyoukai remains a staple of well crafted story blended seamlessly with first class and action sequences to knock your shoes off. But I always proceed with caution because I would rather be wary of the possibility of disappointment; that way I can expect the worst, instead of hoping for the best. Canaan has all the necessary pieces in play to be an amazing show, and I truthfully want it to succeed. I’m really anxious about this one, but I’m a bit apprehensive about the off chance of failure. In any case, let’s dissect this one, because it looks to be a damn good show.

The first thing that stood out to me as I researched this show was the visual novel that it’s based on, 428: Fusasareta Shibuya de. Now while I’m no expert when it comes to this sort of thing, this game has apparently received a perfect score from Famitsu magazine. That’s pretty fucking impressive to say the least. On top of that astounding achievement, let’s look at the staff involved. First we have the director, Masahiro Ando, who is well known for his works involving Bones productions. He has a solid track record, and is a heavy hitter in the industry. Ok, the director is solid. What about the script? Kinoko Nasu, the man behind many of TYPE-MOON’s previous works is in charge of that. There couldn’t be anymore more suited to write for this show. I’m sold on the script. Voice actors? Maya Sakamoto, and Miyuki Sawashiro? Good god, this project is looking to impress, and with such an all star cast, and rock solid source material, CANAAN is one to look out for this summer. A running candidate for one of 2009’s best shows, look out for this one, I know I will.

Spice and Wolf II

Synopsis: The official Japanese website of the Wolf and Spice franchise has confirmed that a second television anime season has been green-lit. Director Takeo Takahashi and screenplay writer Naruhisa Arakawa will return for Spice and Wolf II. However, Toshimitsu Kobayashi (El Hazard: The Alternative World, Fate/stay night) will replace Kazuya Kuroda as the character designer and chief animation director. Likewise, the Brain’s Base studio (MazinKaiser, The Boy Who Saw the Wind) will be animating instead of IMAGIN. The anime adapts Isuna Hasekura and Jū Ayakura’s acclaimed novel series that avoids the usual sword-and-sorcery trappings of fantasy stories and focuses on how business (and religion) gets done in a medieval world — with a wolf girl. Jun Fukuyama and Ami Koshimizu will reprise their roles as the peddler Lawrence and the wolf girl Horo who embark on a journey together.

My Two Cents: Fuck yeah. It’s about damn time. If you’ve been following my blog, you know exactly the amount of insane praise I give this show. I expect more of the same fantastic chemistry between Horo and Lawrence that was present in the first season. Even though a new studio is in charge, much of the staff remains unchanged. I don’t have much to say about this expect that I’m already swelling with excitement. One of the shows I’m looking forward to the most.

Bakemonogatari

Synopsis: The short stories in the two volumes of Bakemonogatari deal with a high school boy named Koyomi Araragi and strange students he encounters. (“Bakemonogatari” is a wordplay on the Japanese term bakemono for supernatural creatures and the term monogatari for stories.) One student, a girl named Hitagi Senjōgahara, almost literally falls into his lap, only to have him discover she has no weight.

My Two Cents: INTERESTING is the first word that comes to mind. I can already see the direction SHAFT wants to take this show. The plot allows for some extremely experimental and abstract concepts to be animated, so it’s no wonder SHAFT took this show under its wings. Of course Akiyuki Shinbou will be reprising his role as SHAFT’s lead director. I’m looking forward to this show a great deal, just to see how it will be handled. Will it have the same quirky sense of humor as previous works done by SHAFT, or will it take a serious direction like that of the -ef- series. Only time will tell. As a side note, Supercell is producing the OP for this show? That’s pretty darn cool. Count me in.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni

Synopsis: Umineko no Naku Koro ni takes place in 1986 during the time frame of October the 4th and the 5th on a secluded island named Rokkenjima. The head of the wealthy Ushiromiya family, Kinzō Ushiromiya, who lives on and owns Rokkenjima, is near death, and eleven of his family members arrive on the island to discuss how Kinzō’s assets will be divided once he is dead. Also on the island are five of Kinzō’s servants, and his personal physician. After the eleven family members arrive, a typhoon traps them on the island and shortly after people start to get mysteriously murdered.

My Two Cents: My most anticipated show of the summer. It seems the more I’m looking forward to a show, the less I have to say about it. I guess I don’t want to spend the next 4 paragraphs praising it, so I’ll just end it here by saying as a spiritual successor to Higurashi, I expect MUCH from it, and I know I won’t be disappointed. I haven’t played the games yet, but I’m already aware the Umineko is linked to the Higurashi universe directly, or indirectly. General consensus has already acclaimed the Umineko series of visual novels to be just as good if not better than Higurashi. If that’s the case, July 2^nd can’t come soon enough.

Zan Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei

Synopsis: This year’s 21st issue of Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine will announce on Wednesday that a third television anime adaptation of Kôji Kumeta’s Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei manga has been green-lit. Zan Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei will premiere on UHF television stations throughout Japan in July. Hiroshi Kamiya, the winner of the Best Lead Actor Award at this year’s 3rd Annual Seiyū Awards, will reprise his role as the world’s most negative person who happens to teach a high school class.

My Two Cents: Hello sensei, we missed you. It looks like SZS is SHAFT’s cash cow, not that it’s a BAD thing.

Taishou Yakyuu Musume

Synopsis: The first book in the series begins with Koume, the 14-year-old daughter of a Western-style restaurant owner, who commutes back and forth to an girl’s academy. One day during the commute, she is having a conversation with her friend who everyone calls “Young Miss”. They decide to form an all-girl baseball team and have a match with a boys team.

My Two Cents: Slice of life and baseball? Hey sounds good to me. And oh look, is that Noto Mamiko providing her voice? Alright you got me, I’ll be following this one.

Umi Monogatari

Synopsis: Marin and her sister Urin live in the sea. One day they find a ring fallen into the sea. They get out of the sea and meet a girl Kanon, the owner of the ring. Kanon tells them she doesn’t want the ring anymore because it was given by her boyfriend whom she just broke up with, and she throws it into the sea again. Marin thinks Kanon is still in love with him and looks for the ring. But she accidentally breaks a seal on the sea floor…

My Two Cents: I’m starting to become a sucker for punishment. Every time I see a romance related show I always tell myself. “Hey, it’ll be different. It won’t be your generic stereotypical romance story, it’ll shine above the others.” I’m usually always wrong. Let’s hope this time I’m right.

Sora no ManiMani

Synopsis: Saku Ooyagi returns to his hometown after seven years and is soon reacquainted with his childhood friend, Mihoshi Akeno. The reunion is far from merry since the last memory they have of each other is of her falling off a tree and him saving her. In any case, Mihoshi is determined to improved their relationship and forces Saku to join the astronomy club she founded.

My Two Cents: I swear I must be the biggest sucker for the slice of life genre on this planet. I just can’t get enough…

NEEDLESS

Synopsis: Year 2130, after the third world war, large contaminated areas known as “Blackspots” formed all over Japan. Large Walls were used to quarantine off these “Blackspots”. In time, signs of inhabitance appeared within these wastelands. Among the survivors who had been abandoned inside the Blackspots, labeled as “those who were unneeded”, came forth possessors of uncanny abilities — Fire, wind, brute strength…they were defined by their supernatural abilities. Others, fearful of their powers, expelled them and named them Needless.

My Two Cents: Sounds like your traditional action anime fare. But Madhouse is behind it, so I’ll take a gander. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised just like I was with Soul Eater. I’m not holding my breath or anything though.

Yoku Wakaru Gendai Maho

Synopsis: The story revolves around Koyomi Morishita, a clumsy high school freshman girl who is often mistaken for a grade-schooler because of her shortness. Koyomi becomes a disciple of Misa Anehara, a 25-year-old graduate student who happens to be one of the most powerful modern-day magicians

My Two Cents: Why do I subject myself to this torture? I must be a real glutton for punishment. Once again, I’m giving this show the benefit of the doubt. PLEASE surprise me. I beg you, don’t make me lose faith in anime any more than I already have.

Kanamemo:

Synopsis: Nakamachi Kana is a junior high school girl. Her grandmother passed away and she was left all alone. She finds a newspaper carrier station and starts working as a live-in carrier. Her room has a hole on the wall. Other female workers living next door comes in through the hole and start a wild merrymaking.

My Two Cents: Ambiguous summaries always leave me in dismay. It sounds like an extremely dramatic and moving story about a young girl’s struggles by trying to survive in today’s ever growing, fast-paced society, but that’s expecting too much. The last bit with “wild merrymaking” has me worried. I’m HOPING this show portrays a realistic representation of life’s ups and downs, but I DOUBT I’m going to get that.

GA Gejutsu-ka Art Design Class

Synopsis: The Moon Phase Comments diary reports that a NetMile Research survey has leaked the news of an anime adaptation for Satoko Kiyuzuki’s GA Geijutsu-ka Art Design Class manga. The slice-of-life manga revolves around five freshman girls in a high school art class. The manga has been running in Heiwa Shuppan’s Comic Cute! magazine and later in Houbunsha’s Manga Time Kirara Carat since 2004, and two volumes have been compiled and published. According to the web diary, Hiroaki Sakurai (Di Gi Charat, Kodocha, Cromartie High School) will direct off scripts that will be supervised by Doko Machida (Allison & Lillia, Lucky Star, Tears to Tiara). Atsuko Watanabe (Fight Ippatsu! Jūden-chan!!) will reportedly design the characters that AIC will animate.

My Two Cents: I’m not too sure about this one, but it seems quite entertaining, and will definitely have tons of, “awwwww” moments. It’s slice of life, so I’ll definitely check it out, but didn’t Hidamari Sketch already do this? We’ll see. At the VERY least, the staff looks quite respectable, so count me in.

Seitokai no Ichizon

Synopsis: A TV anime adaptation of Sugizaki Ken’s light novel series of the same name, the adaptation was announced on the cover note of the fourth volume. The members of the student council of Hekiyou Gakuen are chosen by a popularity vote. As a result, all the members are cute girls except for Sugizaki Ken, who studied hard to enter the council. This novel is about the endless chattering of the members with full of parodies of “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”, “Dragon Ball” etc.

My Two Cents: Parodies Haruhi Suzumiya? Why does that make me cringe? It’s not like I enjoyed it when Lucky Star did it, so how’s this show fare any better. Well, this show will be on probation until I see the first episode for myself. Only time will tell.

Somewhat Interested:

Element Hunters

Synopsis: In 2029, a large scale ground sinkage occurred in Mediterranean Sea and chemical elements such as oxygen, carbon, gold, molybdenite, and cobalt suddenly disappeared from the earth’s crust. Human population was decreased by 90% in sixty years. Researchers found out that the disappeared elements were drained into a planet “Nega Earth”, which located in different dimensions. To save the Earth, a special team “Element Hunter” is organized. All the members are under 14 years old because young and flexible brains are required to access to “Nega Earth”.

My Two Cents: Looks generic, I’ll pass unless initial reviews prove me wrong.

Aoi Hana

Synopsis: In the original manga’s story, Fumi and Akira were close childhood friends until Fumi had to move away. Ten years after losing touch with each other, the two girls meet again as high school freshmen. The two struggle to reconnect after so much has changed, and both deal with the trials and tribulations of high school — sometimes independently and sometimes with each other’s help

My Two Cents: I have nothing against the shoujo-ai genre, in fact, I deeply respect and admire the genre’s dedication to character development, and emphasis on relationships, but as a general rule of thumb, I’m just not really attracted to the genre all that much. Hopefully this might be the show to finally lure me in. Here’s hoping.

Hetalia Axis Powers II:

Synopsis: Based on a popular web-released manga series by Hidekazu Himaruya, this has been described as a “cynical gag” story set in Europe in the years between WW1 and WW2 (1915-1939), using exaggerated caricatures of the different nationalities as portrayed by a gaggle of bishōnen. For example, the Italia Veneziano character is into pasta and women.

My Two Cents: I never caught onto this series. It’s quirky, and it seems to be aimed at the female demographic. I just don’t get it.

Princess Lover

Synopsis: Arima Teppei lost his parents in a traffic accident. His grandfather Isshin adopted him by force and ordered him to succeed the head of Arima Group Corporation. At Shuuhou Gakuen, a high school only for wealthy students, Teppei’s new life as a celebrity starts.

My Two Cents: Unless the initial reviews praise this show for being fresh and entertaining, count me out. We’ve seen shows like this time and time again. Enough already, I’m tired of the bland same old. Give me something new damn it.

Not Interested at All:

Fight Ippatsu! Juuden-Chan!!

Synopsis: Meet Plug, an unusual girl from a parallel world. Plug is a “Juuden-chan,” capable of “recharging” people down on their luck, spreading good cheer wherever she goes!

My Two Cents: No. Just no.

Weiss Schwarz

Synopsis: The manga creator Takuya Fujima has announced in a Tuesday blog entry that a television anime adaptation of the Weiß Survive card game manga has been green-lit. The story follows the main characters Takeshi and Michi as they get lost in the Card Battle world and have to win card battles to return home. Nobuhisa Nakamoto will voice the hero Takeshi, and Izumi Kitta will play the heroine Michi.

My Two Cents: It’s not the card game aspect that bugs me, or the overly generic moemoe style animation. It’s the no name staff, no name cast, weak source material, and two minutes per episode, that really grinds my gears. Yeah, count me out.

Well that’s my short little preview thus far. I’ll be sure to make one final version of this post a week before the Summer season kicks off. I’ll add all the bells and whistles then, but for now this is just my two cents.

This is my first post in quite a while. Although I don’t have too many readers, I think it’s about time to explain my long absence.

For those who have been reading up on my blog, the time that was available for blogging, and anime in general was severely undermined by the fact that my grandmother’s condition began to worsen. I decided to take some time out of my schedule to care for her, even so I managed to write an entry or two here and there.

Sadly on April 3, 2009 my grandmother passed away. I was busy with funeral preparations as well as having to deal with a few legal disputes between overzealous family members. On top of that, I thought it was crucial to take a bit of time off in order to reorganize and re-evaluate my life, so I decided to take a break from blogging. As a result of this I had to put off some of my daily duties, most notably this blog, and my podcast, and  some new obligations as well, most notably my new writing position on the Anime Instruemtality Blog.

I can not deny that I have severly neglected my responsabilities to the site, and I would like to formally apologize to zzeroparticle, the site’s manager and chief writer. There really is no excuse for me to have suddenly droped off the face of the planet for a month without any indication as to why. I do take my responsabilites quite seriously, so I humbly apologize.

Within the next week, I will return to blogging, andreturn to a more daily routine. To the very few readers I have, I would like to give out an apology for leaving without so much as a word. It was a fault on my part. Till then.

Hurah, my glorious return to blogging. My entries may be a bit infrequent, but at least I’m back. I’ve never really been a die hard Miku Hatsune fan, but I decided to purchase the Supercell album, if only because I have heard most of the songs on the album before, most notably Black Rock Shooter, and I love the art. What I wasn’t expecting was a kickass CD, and a fantabulous mini artbook. Overall the CD is produced fairly well, with some fantastic accompanying instrumentals from Supercell, and of course Miku sounds as good as a computer synthesized voice can get. Was it worth the price? Well, nothing beats bumping Miku Hatsune on your car’s shitty sound system. The real kicker is the fact that I actually BOUGHT the CD which is unprecedented seeing as how my last ACTUAL CD purchase was sometime in 2007. That’s almost an entire year without having bought one CD. In any case, I would recommend getting the limited edition if there are any still available. Of course, there are pictures…^-^

The actual packaging. I was surprised by how well it was packaged, only later did I find out I bought the limited edition copy. I’m assuming the normal version only comes with the CD.

The goods out of the box. We have a CD, A mini artbook, and a promotional flyer, which will be hanging on my wall shortly.

The cover of the small gallery. Ack, what a paradox. Miku and all her incarnations sitting down for some beach fun. Wish I could join them…T~T

Here is a better look at the CD case itself. Looks pretty darn spiffy if you ask me. The booklet has a shiny glossy surface which really makes it look smashing.

Here is a good pic of the CD itself. Ooooooo, shiny~

And of course here is a good pic of the DVD, which comes with all of Miku’s fabulous PVs.

Overall I thought it was a well made purchase, and in the end if another opportunity to buy a Miku related CD arises, I will hop on it asap.

As for a bit of off topic news. I have been recruited as a writer on the Anime Instrumentality Blog, and will be writing a review for the two Aria Piano Collections that should be up around Tuesday or Wednesday. Be sure to check that blog for all your anime music related needs, as many of the reviews are extremely well written, and provide more than an ample amount of information for the hungering soul.

Life has a funny way of throwing you curve balls at you during very important times. For the past few months I have been preoccupied with schoolwork, so much so that I had to quit my job, and cut down on blogging. However, very recently my grandmother contracted Phenomena, and I was informed that she was slowly recovering. I brushed it off, knowing that should we recover eventually, but after I returned home from an otaku outing with friends today, I received a phone call from the Good Samaritan Hospital in L.A. informing me that she has once again been admitted to the hospital, and was unconscious. They further explained that after an MRI, they could find no definitive problem. I later discussed the matter with my parents, whom I have been on rough terms for a year or so, making the matter even more painful. Later on the hospital called me once again and informed me that my grandmother had a clot of some sort, but would not be able to undergo any kind of surgery due to her age. At this point I’m still in the dark, and plan on visiting the hospital myself tomorrow and learn what her circumstances are.

My grandmother raised me for nearly my entire childhood, and I owe her my life. As I grew older, and started to become a bit more rebellious and became an obnoxious little delinquent, I treated my grandmother insensitively to say the least. I have always regretted being unable to give her an apology. It was because of many sacrifices on her part that I could grow up happy. I wanted to show her my gratitude, and to at least pay her back in some way, So I decided to start visiting and assisting her as long as I possibly can, even if it means taking time out of my own schedule.

So for the next few months, I will be driving back and forth between here and L.A. every few days and keeping my grandmother company, making sure she eats well, and just making sure she is happy and comfortable. Because of this, as well as my increasingly important school work, I’ll have almost no time to blog. I will still update as often as I possibly can, but keep in mind that many of my actives that are associated with anime and manga will be cut down severely. I’ll be sure to start blogging feverishly when things have settled down again, but I ask you guys be patient as this blog is on a temporary hiatus.

This will be my last entry for some time, and as promised here is the Shugo Chara OP/ED collection I have amassed. I wish I could post this entry on a lighter note, but things just aren’t looking up. Be sure to give credit to kitty87 at Zero Degrees for sharing this with me.

SINGLES

Honto no Jibun – DOWNLOAD

Renai Rider – DOWNLOAD

Kiss! Kiss! Kiss – DOWNLOAD

Gachinko de Ikou! – DOWNLOAD

Rottara Rottara – DOWNLOAD

co・no・mi・chi – DOWNLOAD

So I’ll see you guys in a few months, but no worries, I’ll be sure to sneak a few entries in one time or another.

Although this is indeed the full single, I suggest you BUY it, but for those who absolutely can not wait, feel free to download the single from the link provided below, as a sampling of the single. Be sure to give a huge shout out to Dbsoul at z-degrees.net for uploading it. This is the seventh single from Mami Kawada, and is the second opening for “A Certain Magical Index”

Download Link:

1. Masterpiece
2. Jellyfish
3. Masterpiece -Instrumental-
4. Jellyfish – Instrumental-

The OP is provided below for those you are curious