Tastes vary, I know – but honestly, I think you people are kidding yourselves… At long last, we have an anime about girls in the performing arts that’s honest, free of tropes and pandering, and infectious in its love of the art (which it gets just right). It’s called “Aki […] Read more
There’s an awful lot that’s familiar here, for better or worse. For a while it seemed as if Kyoukai no Rinne was going to be orphaned altogether in the English-language market, which seems a bit of a travesty for a Takahashi Rumiko series – even second-tier Rumiko. But CR has […] Read more
That was one fascinating mess. Kekkai Sensen has been one of the great unknowns of the Spring schedule for me, a series from a great studio (Bones) with a hugely promising young director (Matsumoto Rie, Kyousousgiga) from a legendary mangaka (Nightrow Yasuhiro, author of Trigun). The staff and cast are […] Read more
It’s just not possible to overstate how good it feels to have Baby Steps back. OP: “Believe in Yourself” by Mao Abe (阿部 真央 If you’re not aware of how much I love Baby Steps you must be new around here – I’ve been extolling its virtues since long before […] Read more
This is definitely not A-1’s finest day. Gunslinger Stratos – 01 My attachment to Gunslinger Stratos was always pretty tenuous – basically, Urobuchi Gen’s tangential involvement in drafting the scenario for the game the anime is based on. I went into this story about a future where Japan is split […] Read more
This is the first premiere that really needs to be good if Spring 2015 is going to have a chance. So is it? Yep. The hate I’ve seen directed towards this adaptation of “The Heroic Legend of Arslan” is almost as epic in proportion as Tanaka Yoshiki’s novel series. That’s […] Read more
I certainly didn’t expect this to be the most enjoyable preview so far. Here’s a snapshot of my initial reaction to Owari no Seraph: “Damn, it’s great to hear Miyu Irino again.” “Hey – did I stumble into a Tomm Moore film?” Speaking of shows that are not mass-produced models, […] Read more
I hardly know where to begin with that one. This is the first premiere I was really looking forward to with something like genuine burning curiosity – and it both did and didn’t disappoint. Plastic Memories was one of my sleepers for the season, and as there aren’t many of […] Read more
Now that’s what I call food porn. OP: “Kibou no Uta” (希望の唄;Song of Hope) by ULTRATOWER The premiere of Shokugeki no Souma was pretty good, but not as entertaining as the reactions of viewers who didn’t know what they were getting. Yes, this is a WSJ adaptation – but it’s […] Read more
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Nope. I really should trust my instincts more, but somehow I wanted to think this might be better than the usual LN “fantasy” wish-fulfillment tripe with an endless title. The best I can say is I’ve seen worse, but DanMachi is pretty grim. […] Read more