The show may have a new title, but the important thing stays the same – Lag is still a major crybaby. In fact, there are loads of tears in this one – not just from Lag but Sylvette, too. But the little miracle of Letter Bee is that it doesn’t […] Read more
Bakuman is an anime with a pretty amazing pedigree. It’s one of the best-selling manga properties in Japan, a regular in Shounen Jump and brought to you by the creative team behind the legendary (I would also add overhyped, but still very good) “Death Note”. But all is not well […] Read more
One of the many wonderful things about living in San Francisco is the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, held each autumn in Golden Gate Park. Last year 800,000 people attended what is surely the greatest free concert anywhere in the world. I didn’t get a chance to make it down Friday […] Read more
In reviewing the sixth and final season of “Major”, I suppose I should say a word about the first five – because in many ways, the continuity of the series is such that all the episodes can be viewed mostly as one long season. For my tastes, the first season […] Read more
That ending came on pretty suddenly – so much so that I suspect the original plan was to animate a 7th season for the final chapters of the manga. Instead they landed up in an epilogue and we’re left to await an OVA with the last manga volume for Major’s […] Read more
Honesty compels me to admit that I had serious doubts about this one going in, despite the initial fan buzz. I’m pretty much a Gainax otaku – I’m in awe of their best work and pretty much willing to give any series a chance simply because it’s Gainax. And the […] Read more
Continuity is a fine thing when you’re talking about a series as likable and genuinely hilarious as Sora no Otoshimono. And judging from the first episode, the second season will carry on in much the same vein as the first. Things start off handsomely with another massive morning “problem” for […] Read more
Yawn. Boring recap episode is boring. Not much to write about here – 13 was a recap episode. And not just that, but a recap of the Gyuuki arc – which already took up too much time, according to some manga readers. A curious choice to have a recap ep, […] Read more
A somewhat quiet episode this week, leading up to the finale of the season. And the series? Who knows. There’s an OVA (Major’s first) due in December, along with the last manga volume. In theory, we should probably have one more season to finish up the manga – but the […] Read more
Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin was the best show of the summer for me, on balance. I loved Mitsudomoe and I’m enjoying Shiki a lot, but for my money Occult Academy had the best overall package. Tremendous production values, courtesy of A-1 pictures. Phenomenal voice cast. The most intricate, clever and challenging […] Read more