Autumn 2013 – Week 7 Anime Review

This week: further analysis on Mako’s character, helping proving her true value in KILL la KILL, an exceptional, cunning and innovative moment in BlazBlue: Alter Memory, questioning why all scientists are crazy in anime based from Kakumeiki Valvrave (S2), and complaints of Shounen Fight Syndrome in Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta.

Autumn 2013 – Week 6 Anime Review

This week: how the sexiness in KILL la KILL has lost its impact, appreciating the contrast in work between Gotou and Hazama in Samurai Flamenco, discovering a purpose for Aoi in Coppelion, and how character development and story progress made this the best episode of Magi: The Kingdom of Magic in at least 20 episodes.

Autumn 2013 – First Impressions (Part 3)

This post reviews: BlazBlue: Alter Memory, Tokyo Ravens, Galilei Donna, and Samurai Flamenco.

Magi – 25 (Finale)

One of the most fundamental and essential concepts present throughout all of Magi is the romance of adventure.  The romance of adventure is not an idea that unifies the romance between two characters with the genre of adventure (although one could argue that a powerful bond existed between Aladdin and Alibaba), but one that quantifies the stylization and presentation of adventure that is largely romantic and idealistic.  Whether it was questing through treacherous dungeons, relying on the help of mystic, majestic djinns and their phantasmal magic, fending off monsters and assassins alike or hunting for treasures of unimaginable wealth, the image and feeling of adventure in Magi was portrayed as glamorous, glorious, rewarding and extremely passionate.  Magi wanted to show these elements of adventures through this distinctive perspective which then helped enthuse and entertain the audience.  As you can imagine, this concept had a significant and permanent impression in Magi.

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.

Jormungand – 10

Despite the constant presence of humor throughout the series, Jormungand is an anime founded in a serious nature.  Without this essential backbone providing structure to the entire series, the whole setting about an arms dealer and her band of bodyguards would feasibly collapse.  And due to this relationship linking the setting, story, and characters together, the main cast can partake in only limited amounts of comedy before it starts to undermine what the anime originally stands for.  But Scarecrow and Schokolade are immune from this restriction and are able to flourish where others cannot.  What is it about this duo that allows them to contrast with the rest of the characters in Jormungand so greatly?

Needless – Chapter 102

Anytime a manga, anime, or other series does something you don’t anticipate, weren’t prepared for, or goes in a direction you don’t want, it quickly becomes a shocking or sensitive subject.  What suddenly becomes more important than the actual developments is how this delicate topic is handled and what satisfaction or salvation can be gained by those in disagreement to what’s happening.  The events of Needless Chapter 102 were able to solve most of these issues but not all of them. **Warning: spoilers below**