Wednesday, July 30, 2014
H.J.Freaks. 'Nuff said.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Story:
Karin Hanazono is an orphan, living with her relatives. Her life has never been easy, her studies are not well, she is not the best in sports and technically she is miserable. Left with only a ring as a memento from her departed mother, she suddenly finds her life changed, as she was mourning her pet cat, Shii-chan. On that night she met a strange boy, Kazune Kujyou. After that event, she experiences several mysterious incidences that soon led her to find out that she is a little goddess. Finding others like her she soon sets out to understand herself better as her mysterious powers grow and she becomes beset by opponents. In the beginning, I really did find it strange, since the story began in medias res. Along the way, however, things will unravel by themselves.This anime deals quite a bit with Greek mythology, so it would be more interesting if you already had background knowledge on the topic, but even if you do not, it won't be a hindrance from the enjoyment of this anime. I do hope you guys don't think too badly of the concept of time travel or something similar to it given its such a headache to think about. It really does have a nice story. And wonderful transfor- oh wait, I'll let you guys find out for yourselves.
Characters:
This anime has a wide variety of characters, especially to accommodate for the different Greek gods and goddesses. The anime is also part comedy, so you can expect punchlines and jokes from most of the characters in the series. The characters are also very cute... well most of them. However, their powers to be shown in the series are not to be trifled with.
Art and Animation:
As you can see from the photo here, the art is... well, maybe not exactly the best you've seen ever especially in comparison to most of the more recent anime released, but to be fair, this anime aired in 2007. Yes, 7 years ago. While the art isn't perfect (given the ridiculously large eyes and other features), the animation makes it okay to look at. Especially the powers (I loved that part).
OP/ED:
The OP, Ankoku Tengoku (Darkness Heaven) is quite... well, it fits the title. It is in fact somewhat dark in nature and honestly, doesn't suit my taste. The OP does however show their transformations (yes, I said it. They transform.) and is, regardless of the nature of its OP, actually interesting. Both endings 1 and 2 have a more upbeat and calming tone in contrast to the OP.
Overall: 8/10
The anime really is more suited to girls ages 8 (yes I lowered it) and above (gahd why did I even). The anime is relatively comedy and romance inclined than the action part. I honestly just watched this for the transformations and the cute characters. It's a good anime, but there are definitely better (considering my age group and gender. HAHAHAHA ._.)
If you're an 8-year-old girl who wants something pretty and cool at the same time for your age group, then you'll enjoy this. If you're part of the rest of society... don't judge me. ;n;
Here, take this gif as compensation.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
You thought I forgot?
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
VTEC just kicked in yo!
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Before anyone
comments about it, yes, this is one of those
anime. For some reason I have been recently watching these yuri slice of life
anime recently. There is just something about girls doing the most random
things that I somehow find extremely entertaining, and this anime is no
exception.
Story:
Yuyushiki is about the daily lives
of the three main girls. It is more focused on the ridiculous conversations that these girls make. The
conversations usually start all serious but it shifts to the most random
conversations of all time. Give this show 5 minutes and they have already
discussed 3-6 topics already. It kind of reminds me of three other idiots that
I know…
Characters:
The story is mainly focused on three characters:
Yuzuko, Yui, and Yukari. Yuzuko is a fun and bubbly girl who usually initiates
the various humorous situations that Yuyushiki has, while on the other hand,
Yui is more serious and tries to keep the conversations somewhat grounded.
Lastly, Yukari, well, she is just an airhead, a very adorable airhead.
Art and Animation:
To truly appreciate the art of this anime, I
recommend two things: Learn Japanese, and stare at the faces of the characters.
I can’t tell you how many times I pressed “pause” just to stare at the weird,
and sometimes adorable, faces that these characters make.
OP/ED:
The opening theme and ending theme
are extremely lighthearted. It is soothing yet fun enough to be interesting.
The best way I can describe the theme songs is that it is one of those songs that you want to fall asleep to. Is that a good thing? Or is it a bad thing?
You will have to be the judge.
Yuyushiki is your
typical slice of life anime. The characters make jokes, pull pranks, all
typical slice of life clichés, but somehow they still made it interesting. Some
of the jokes may not appeal to those outside of Japan, but do not let that turn
you off. Give it a chance, you will not regret it.
OVERALL RATING: LUCKY GIRL! out of 10.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
When Araragi Tsukihi and Old Spice Guy Meet
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Actually that's pretty normal. A room full of dudes hugging Dakimakura, Japanese body pillows printed with anime characters.
Now that's what I call WTF.
Konbanwa! Rotfuchs here with another anime review, and this time it's Area 88 (Series).
Before I get started, I just want our dear readers to know that I'm a HUGE fan of military aviation. I know a substantial amount about fighter planes, bombers and military aircraft from pretty much every human conflict where aircraft are involved. So it's only natural for me to review this series. Yoshi! Ikuzo!
Story
Area 88 is about an aspiring airline pilot, Shin Kazama. One day he was betrayed and duped by his jealous childhood friend (who is also aspiring to become a pilot) into signing a three-year military contract. As stated in the contract, our man has to become a mercenary pilot in the middle eastern Kingdom of Arslan which is engaged in an armed conflict. Shin is assigned to one of the kingdom's military bases, codenamed "Area 88". In order to complete the contract and earn his freedom, he has to amass $1.5 million from shooting down enemies in the span of three years (the quicker the better). If Shin refuses, he will be executed for violation of the contract. Shin accepts his fate and becomes a fighter pilot, forced to fight to earn his freedom. The main story is mostly told from the perspective of Makoto Shinjou, a war photographer assigned to the base. Later in the series Makoto plays a major part in the plot. The story also branches out and focuses on the past lives of the other pilots from Area 88, giving the series a fresh feel. The story is very interesting from my point of view. We see our protagonist transform from a mister nice-guy airline pilot into a cold-blooded fighter ace bent on earning his freedom, and revenge. The plot is very well laid out and the twelve episodes were enough to tell not only the main story, but also a few side stories as well.
Characters
The characters of Area 88 are unique and lively, even if they face the reality of dying anytime every single day. All of them accept the dangers of their livelihood (they're mercenaries after all), and all of them emanate an aura of a badassery. Sometimes though, when there are no sorties to fly, the pilots lounge around the base, giving the series a carefree vibe. But when the sortie/air raid alarm sounds though..
Art and Animation
The series premiered in Japan during 2004, so you can expect that the art and animation isn't like what we are used to today. However this does not mean that the they're bad. I say it's alright. Kinda like that of Gundam SEED. You get my point right? Good.
OP/ED
The OP in my opinion is one of the very best I've heard. This comes from a dude who listens to hard rock n' roll and K-On! most of the time, so I can assure you that I have *good* taste for music (at least that's what I think..). Back to the OP, it combines a fast beat and classical elements. It's the type of song that gets your blood pumping when you're about to do something badass, like shoot down a plane. The ED is a different story; it has a late-night jazzy vibe accompanied by the sexy voice of a female singer. Both the OP and ED are awesome IMHO.
Overall: 8/10
In all it's glory, Area 88 is a must watch for military aviation fans like me. I also recommend it to action fans who would like to watch a quick twelve episode series with a good story and full of airplanes blowing up. The depiction of military aircraft is just awesome, and the dogfight scenes are a joy ride to watch. Overall, I rate this series an 8 out of 10.
One last thing. Area 88 first came out as a manga during the 70's and as an OVA in the 80's. So if you are interested, you can read and watch those. I've yet to read the manga or watch the OVA, but the I've heard that the story is pretty much the same except for some differences on the endings.
Thanks for the time folks! Comments and opinions are very much welcomed, just post 'em below. Before I take off in my badass interceptor and shoot down incoming bogeys, I'll share this awesome GIF where one of the Area 88 pilots score a MiG - 21 (NATO reporting name: "Fishbed") kill.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Hey everybody! This is my first review, so I wanna make it count. (Hehehehehe).
So this is my favorite anime of all time, Seitokai Yakuindomo. This anime actually has no significant plot whatsoever, but it's just LOADED with jokes so green the Wicked Witch of the West would be ashamed.
If you're the open-minded type of anime enthusiast (like me), then this anime will leave you dying of laughter within the first 5 episodes (as far as I can remember). However, if you're the closed-minded type who finds concepts such as sex, masturbation, and the like as offensive then be my guest and jump off the nearest bridge because this anime is NOT FOR YOU.
Contrary to public opinion, this anime, while loaded with ridiculously green jokes, actually contains no explicit sexual material. In other words, they don't actually do it. Everything's implied. There are also jokes mixed in that involve mistakes in Japanese characters that give off a misunderstanding. These are not so many, so you don't have to worry so much about it. Now then, go to your nearest torrenting website (or anime streaming website if you're a streamer like me) and get this series because I swear, you won't regret it.
PLOT:
The anime pretty much revolves around a male student, namely Takatoshi Tsuda. Tsuda eventually gets put in the Student Council (many thanks to the President, Amakusa Shino). The anime then focuses on the daily activities of the Student Council, with the occasional activities of the individual members.
CHARACTERS:
They stay the same all throughout, and most of them are introduced way early in the series.
Art and Animation:
It's alright, though there are definitely anime with better art and animation. Characters often turn chibi-mode from time to time. They're almost always at school, if not their individual homes.
OP/ED:
The first one, Yamato Nadeshiko Education, is way catchy, along with the scenes shown in the OP, it gives a perfect idea of what the rest of the series is gonna be like. The ending is not as catchy but gives a fun vibe as well.
OVERALL RATING for me is 10/10.. Though I suppose it's somewhat biased since I favor the comedy genre. I'll let you guys find out for yourselves.
じゃ、またな〜
Yeah, the title kinda gives it off.
"Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance" or "Blade Dance of the Elementaler" is written by Shimizu Yuu. Currently, it has thirteen volumes. The illustration of the light novel is done by Sakura Hanpen and is published by MF Bunko J.
Well then, let's get started!
PLOT: Its plot is the typical ecchi-harem one, wherein the only male lead is either the wimpy kind or the OP kind. This one falls the latter. It has a similar setting to Infinite Stratos, as the male lead is the only male student in a magical school. Many of you might get the wrong impression that this one is one of those stories whose plot is easy to guess, and is also plain. WRONG! The plot, specially when it reaches volume 10, gets more deeper and interesting. Questions like "What did he wished for?" or "What is his existence for?" will get more questions rather than answers. I just hope that the author won't overextend it that he would not be able to answer all of those questions.
The character's dialogues to each other is also humorous to the extend that one cannot help but to laugh at their satirical talks. Don't even make me get started with the hilarious "accidental" scenes and ecchi moments! Too many to mention!
CHARACTERS: In a typical ecchi-harem type of anime, this one also has all the girl personality. I ain't overestimating when I said all. You have the typical loli-tsundere girl with red, pig-tailed hair. We also have the classy ojou-sama type, the kuudere, the yandere, and the overly zealous, strict, and disciplined girl. Heck, the author even put a direct-approach type of girl, and the air head one. If this was food, I would get the entire vitamins and minerals contained by the food groups!
ILLUSTRATION: Hands down to Sakura Hanpen for the beautiful illustrations that made this light novel a legitimate eye candy, a nutritious meal for my visual sensory. Beautiful girls, absolutely beautiful girls! Forget about the plot for a moment, and just adore the voluptuous curves and oppais of the girls! One of the main reason to watch this... in anticipation *drools*.
OVER-ALL: Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance is one of the good light novels around. Also, with its funny antics, and ecchi moments, any ecchi-harem fans, such as myself, will really appreciate this work. So what are you guys waiting for? What? Where can you read its english translation? Be grateful, for the good people in the Baka Tsuki Translation community translated it for us non-japenese readers!
Follow this link: Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance English Translation
(Credits to the Baka Tsuki Translators, A job well done folks!)
RATING: INFINITE STRATOS-ISH! out of TEN!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Watch AE86's ripping up Tsukuba Circuit. Also that NA sound is just awesome!
Yo! Rotfuchs here, and I'm gonna do a review of Tamayura. Please note that this is the first time I've done something like this, so please bear with me. Also please note that this review is about the four episode OVA, released before the two twelve episode series. I might make a follow up review of Tamayura: Hitotose and Tamayura: More Aggressive in the future.
So, Tamayura. Watching this Slice o' Life anime left a warm and fuzzy feeling inside me. It's so light and heart warming that it turns anyone's frown into a smile. The setting, music and characters really come together to well, basically make you "feel good" after watching it. And who doesn't want that?
Story:
Tamayura is about the "healing story" of a girl who lost her dad. One day she discovers her father's camera, and decides to take pictures with it. Having found a special connection with her late father through the photos she took, she later decides to move with her mom and younger brother to the town her father loved to visit when they were younger. It's heartwarming and inspiring. The show is light on the comedy side of things, but the jokes are hilarious and the funny moments are well thought out.
Characters:
The characters of Tamayura are well laid out. There's the cliche' SoL characters normally present with the genre, like the childhood friend, wise old lady, etc., but the thing that makes the characters stand out from other SoL series is that each of them have a warm, lovable aura radiating from them. This gives the series its dreamy, warm and cute vibe.
Art and Animation:
The city of Takehara (in Hiroshima prefecture), the setting for Tamayura, is well portrayed and illustrated. The backdrops have a very dreamy feel to them, and the animation is fluid. The photos took by the protagonist are very realistic, and give you a 'fuwa fuwa' feeling inside, which is great.
OP/ED:
Ohh, the soundtrack.. The music of Tamayura is just awesome. The very calming OP and ED plus the background tracks are really mellow and puts the viewer in the right mood, and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Overall, I rate this four episode OVA 5/10. Why the rating after that review? Well, simply because the sequels to it are just better. I enjoyed watching the OVAs, and I enjoyed watching the two series after them even more. I highly recommend this to Slice o' Life fans who needs to escape the monotony and dullness of everyday life. So if you want to cheer up, go watch this!
Story:
Yuru Yuri is about the daily lives
of the Amusement Club and sometimes, the Student Council. Simply put, the show is all about the
girls having fun. The story is unpredictable, and this is one of the reasons why it is funny. You can watch this show out of
order and still be able to enjoy every last minute of it.
Characters:
The show has contains a diverse
amount of characters. In fact, this is the whole selling point of the show.
Want someone who is center of comedy? She is there. Want someone to play the
“straight guy”? She is also there. Want a tsundere? Yes, you guessed it, she is
there.
Art and Animation:
The art style of the anime is generally flat,
and I mean that in a good way. It is not as flashy as the other shows, but it
does not matter. The art style makes good use of the moe-ness that this show
gives off. It is almost like looking at a puppy (or kitten, for the cat lovers)
from a pet shop window.
OP/ED:
Yes. Just, yes. The opening theme
and ending theme are one of the best parts of the show. When I was watching the anime, the theme songs were the only things that stuck on
my head. I even sang it unconsciously while taking a test. It is addicting, and
I seriously mean this. Be prepared to sing the themes for the next
couple of days.
Yuru Yuri is an easy-going, moe slice-of-life anime. The girls’ daily lives give a handful amount of entertainment, the characters are lovable, the art style is cute, and the theme songs are just a complete win.
OVERALL RATING: TOSHINO KYOUKO! out of 10.
Monday, July 7, 2014
 |
| KromedFox |
Hey guys,
what is up? KromedFox here. As this is my first post, I deemed it proper
that I will start off with a short introduction. So, who exactly am I? Well, I am
just a lover of all things tech, as simple as that.
I have
been quite fond of technology ever since I was little. When I was around 4
years old, I started building those Tamia Let’s Go cars (does anyone still
remember these?) without any instructions. Albeit, the mechanism of those cars were not really complicated, but for a 4 year old, it seemed to be like a surgical procedure. It was really quite an amazing experience, or at least I
think it was.
So why
did I talked about that? Well, it was the stepping stone to my current life. As years passed by, I
have developed a particular fondness to computers and to cars. I want to know what makes them tick. And basically, that is what I will be blogging about. I will be talking about the all the things that I like: tech, cars, games, and just recently, anime. If it is something I like, I will talk about it.
So, sit back,
buckle up and enjoy the blog. Because I tell you, it is going be one hell of a
ride.
 |
| Rotfuchs |
Yo, Rotfuchs here! I'm another side to this blog. I like Anime, games, cars and modern history. I also draw, but mostly scenery. I like Slice of Life anime, and I dream of one day living in the Japanese countryside.
This blog is about our journey to the promised land, where the sun rises and geisha roam the streets. But, it will also be about our interests, namely about Japanese culture, cars, tech and more.
 |
| Frane |
Hey people, how's everyone doing? This is Frane, the third face of this blog! I am the Light Novel expert between the three of us, and I am also the one who propose on making this blog!
I am quite similar to the two guys above, for I am both a lover of anime and tech stuff. We three belong to the same cult of "Japan Lovers" and wish to live in that country. I quote Rotfuch: "If other people have the "American Dream", then we have the "Nippon Dream"".
So what should you guys expect from this blog? Well, first would be daily updates to our progress and what we do in order to achieve our ultimate dream: Living permanently in Japan. Second, there will be anime, manga, and light novel reviews every now and then. But wait! There's still more! Since we also have other hobbies and interest, like cars and tech stuff, we will also post with topics not related to Japan!
The path that we are traveling on is rough and bumpy, but as to every bumpy road, it also leads to the smooth, cemented road!
 |
| LightningHex |
こんにちわみんあさん！I'm the latest addition to the team, LightningHex! よろしくおねがいします。Let's see... I do wish to go to Japan soon, as well. Japan is home to all the things I enjoy: anime, manga, Jpop, and a lot of other things. The first anime I've ever watched was Shugo Chara (yes, the one with the pink-haired teenager who can transform into different aspects of herself).
I have a somewhat strange attraction to shoujo anime, but I do have my fair share of shounen. Comedy is still my favorite, though. Anime for me is my escape from the harsh reality that is life, so don't judge me, please.
I'll be adding reviews of anime I've seen, as well, so I hope you'll enjoy your stay (at this site)! またね〜
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Konbanwa! Rotfuchs here with another anime review, and this time it's Area 88 (Series) . Before I get started, I just want our dear...