Summer 2013 – First Week Impressions (Part 1)

This post reviews: Free!, Stella Jogkuin Koutouka C3-bu, Danganronpa, Love Lab, Kitakubu Katsudou Kiroku, and Servant x Service.

Spring 2013 – First Week Impressions (Part 3)

This post reviews: Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san, Shingeki no Kyojin, Zettai Bouei Leviathan, Suisei no Gargantia, and Yuyushiki.

Robotics;Notes – 15

It seems as though the spirited and cheerful Airi, the shining, sunny personality we knew and loved, is no longer with us in Robotics;Notes.  And though it seems like a cruel and heartless event to occur in the series, essentially the death of a character with her artificial intelligence being lost to digital nothingness, it does serve an ultimate purpose in the series from this point going forward.  That is to say, her character has fulfilled her duties and her intended purpose and now, is no longer necessary.

Robotics;Notes – 14

Robotics;Notes can be split right down the semicolon into essentially two separate parts.  The first is the ‘Robotics’ half which tells of Aki’s story and the construction of GunPro-1 and now, GunPro-2.  The latter piece is the ‘Notes’ side of things, focusing in on Frau’s story and the conspiracy linked to her mother’s sudden disappearance.  Although there is some overlap between the two halves, mainly due to Kai’s character playing fundamental roles in each, there have been two narratives developing throughout the anime that examine two distinct and dissimilar stories.  In doing so, Robotics;Notes has found itself some positives and some negatives.

Magi – 13

Within the Balbadd story arc, a specific hierarchy has been successfully established.  No, no, this isn’t about the monarchy, class structure, or social order in Magi but instead about how the fighters and fighting is ordered into certain tiers based on the various acquired powers and intrinsic abilities present.  With Alibaba now controlling and utilizing the flames of Amon, we’re able to better understand how powerful the magoi and djinn are and comprehend the difference in fighting capacity between these characters.

12 Days of Anime (2012) – Day 1 – The Pinnacle of Character Development: Cruz Schild in Needless

Earlier this year, the 100^th chapter of Needless debuted, a remarkable milestone for any manga, especially for one that is published monthly.  Not only did the chapter serve as a landmark for the manga itself, but it corresponded with the crowning achievement of the series protagonist, Cruz Schild, commonly known as Yamada.  As Needless has progressed through these past nine years, the story has evolved into one that emphasizes the growth and maturity of its central, most-dynamic character.  It has literally become the story of a boy becoming a man (while dressed as a girl), and the events and adventures over the entire manga easily demonstrate the greatest exhibition of character development that I have ever witnessed in my limited history of anime/manga and is a viable candidate for the greatest of all-time.

Autumn 2012 – First Week Impressions (Part 1)

This post reviews: Shin Sekai Yori, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, Kamisama Kiss, and K.