Anime You Should Watch But Haven't!!

This week I decided to do something different because..... I wanted to! :D So yeah, I was thinking about some anime that not alot of people in the states have watched either because they never heard about it or because they might have started to watch it but got bored along the way. One anime that I found alot of Otaku have never heard of was the,
"Gankutsuou-The Count of Monte Cristo"

Animation Produced by: Gonzo
Genre: Suspense, Romance, adventure, drama, science-fiction, thriller
Released in America on DVD by Geneon: October 2005-September 2006- Was re-released by Funimation this year and a complete box set is currently available.
Rating: Pg13- R (nudity, drug use, graphic violence)

This is classic worthy anime at it's best!! Gankutsuou-The Count of Monte Cristo is based on a french novel only titled The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. It's tale of revenge, stolen love and maybe even the naivete of youth. The original novel takes places in France during the 1800's; the anime on the other takes place during the 51st century A.D. primarily in France but also in other worlds and other galaxies.

The tale begins with a young man named Viscount Albere de Morcef and his friend Baron Franz d'Epinay on Luna looking for some fun. They meet a charismatic self made nobleman by the name of the Count of Monte Cristo and befriend him. Albert thinks that the Count is an amazing and kind individual and their meeting ends up leaving a strong impression on Albert. So strong in fact that when the Count visits Paris, Albert ends up acquainting the Count with the city's most powerful families. Therefore setting things in motion for the Count's plans...

This series is beautiful...The cover shot up there is basically what the series looks like. Everything has beautiful textures! From the fabrics on down to the jewelry, all the textures and colors are eye popping. And I've got to say also that the costume design was by Anna Sui, a well known costume designer and the quality shows. Granted there was one dress that one of the characters wore which irritated me but everything else looked immaculate.

This series was critically acclaimed and many people both praised and bemoaned the the eye popping textures and coloration used throughout the series. Seriously, there are times when the bright colors and textures can make watching it a pain after watching a few episodes. But the story is awesome and by the middle your anxiously waiting to see who else will fall by the sword that is the count's revenge and also how... It's a must see and like I tell anyone who watches anime and wants to watch something truly epic; watch Gankutsuou~ The Count of Monte Cristo and prepare to go on the best roller coaster ride!!!!! EVER!!!!

Kampfer-A guy turning into a girl!! uuhhh...

Title: Kampfer
Genre: Action, reverse harem, romance, comedy, ecchi
Animation Production: Nomad
Premiered: October 2009 on Japanese television
Rating: Pg-Pg13

This week I am reviewing this interesting/weird/yuri-esque-but-not-really anime called Kampfer. Kampfer starts off weird by the first episode. A boy named Natsuru Senou thinks he was just dreaming when he realizes that he was a girl fighting another girl who was shooting at him/her. Well when he wakes up and finds that his body has gone through some additions as well as a notable subtraction well...things get weird. Turns out that he was chosen to be a "kampfer" which is an elite who was born to fight but the thing is a kampfer can only be female. So unfortunately (or is it fortunately) Natsuru is transformed into a girl whenever another kampfer is nearby.

At first I was worried that this would be another fanservice laden anime with the Ranma 1/2 aspect of guy turning into a girl but it's really funny. The characters insult each other by saying things like "you a person who sounds like Yui Horie!" Yui Horie is a voice actress and other things more along the pop culture side like "Even though you are a kampfer you're not a mobile suit!", because the girl was dodging all the other girl's bullets. It's funny and they go through the trouble of explaining some of names and such!

I've watched up to the 2nd episode and it looks like girl-girl/guy relationship is going to develop so something to look forward to any yuri fans out there...It's just odd because one character is both a girl and guy but the girl is in love with the girl and not the guy...So yeah.

At the moment the music is not anything memorable to me it's just there so I will not be scouring the internet for music from this series. As far as the animation goes it is impressive and fluid. It's not Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0 but it's is cool and when a fight happens it isn't the cliche still scene followed by another still scene, there is animation and it's cool.

Right now Kampfer has my attention so I will be watching more episodes of this if nothing stupid happens. My rating is a 3 out of 5. It's not life changing but it's definitely amusing to watch.

Bakemonogatari 13- secret episode

Title: Bakemongatari "Ghost Story"
Animation Production: SHAFT
On TV: in Japan in October 2009. Episode 13 Exclusively online 11/3/2009
Genre: supernatural, school life, ecchi, romance,
mystery



Konbanwa!! This week I'm sorta taking a break from fall 09 anime previews and instead I am reviewing episode 13 part 3 of Bakemonogatari.

The newest episode which premiered online only on Nov.3 is the third part of the Tsubasa Cat Arc. I thought we would see more development in Senjogahara and Araragi's relationship but for the most part it's more fanservice with Araragi escatic over having such a pretty girl as Senjogahara as his girlfriend in addition to bits and pieces of story relevent information. I gotta say though...when Araragi randomly runs up to Hachikuji and starts talking lolicon-ish things I got scared and alot weirded out! I mean seriously!! You're not supposed to be like that!! Put little Hachikuji down and stop molesting her!!!

But yeah...episode 13 was still awesome and cute but it was also fanservice central. First with Hachikuji and then with Hanekawa in her kitty pajamas and cat ears, attached to her head. I hope the series continues onward and at the moment it seems like another episode is slated to be released. The question is when and if it's going to be an online exclusive or maybe even the premiere for the next season. And right now SHAFT is being extreemly quiet when it comes to answering those questions.

This episode gets 4 out of 5!

Get ready to get Xam'd!

This weeks review is on an anime called "Xam'd: Lost Memories" or Bounen no Zamudo. X'amd was created by studio Bones, the revolutionary animation studio behind
great animes such as Full Metal Alchemist and Eureka Seven. So far I have only had the chance to watc one episode of what looks like an amazing anime and I want to watch more!

The summary behind X'amd is the story about a normal high school boy named Akiyuki and how his life isn't so normal anymore. On the island of Sentan a war is happening between the military and those with the Hiruko called "Xam'd". One day Akiyuki is on his way to school when suddenly a terrorist attack occurs on the busand he is splattered with some glowing green goo. Next thing we know his arm transforms into this huge thing and he later transforms into some monster like thing called a X'amd. With his friend from high school and a Tessikan woman named Nakiami he learns to control the X'amd while also trying to avoid transforming into stone.
X'amd reminds alot of Eureka seven probably because of how it looks and just how it animates. The thing that Akiyuki ends up transforming into has the same color scheme of Renton's Mirvash so I would not be surprised if the creator of Eureka Seven also created this.

Unfortunately since I only was able to watch the first episode I will not be able to rate at this time. But over time I will more episodes and talk about it on this here blog! :) So stay tuned!!!

So in the meantime please watch this trailer which tells us that Xam'd used to be available only to watch on the PS3 network :D

Fall Anime~ Letter Bee- Tegami Bachi

Title: "Letter Bee" or Tegami Bachi
Animation Producer: Studio Pierrot
Premiered: October 2009 in Japan
Genre: Supernatural, Steampunk, adventure
Manga?: is currently being sold in bookstores in the US.

Another great anime that has premiered in Japan this fall season is Tegami Bachi or "Letter Bee" in english. The show is about a boy named Lag Seeing whom it seems was abandoned by his mother. A Letter Bee, named Gauche Suede, finds him and deems him a letter that must be delivered to a town so his aunt can look out for him. The time that Lag spends with the Letter Bee really makes him feel a deep admiration for him and what he does so he decides to become a Letter Bee while also making a promise to himself to find his mother.

So far I have watched the first five episodes online and absolutelutely love this anime. It's funny and the characters are endearing. Especially with the introduction of Niche who is a little girl who has animal like characteristics. She can jump really high and run very fast and her hair also turns into swordlike tendrils that cut into anything. Plus there's a scene where Lag is trying to get her to wear underwear under her dress, because she was running around without it for however long; it's just the cutest/funniest thing.

The music is pretty good also. Not quite memorable but the kind of music you find yourself humming along to when it comes on.

When it comes to how it looks, it really reminded me of .Hack//Sign. Maybe because of how the characters look or even how the landscapes are laid out. I don't know...or it could be the silver haired guys running around that remind me of Tsukasa.

All in all "Letter Bee" is looking to be a promising anime so I will definitely be watching this every week and I hope you guys will watch it too. :) My temporary rating is 4.5 out of 5. Definitely try and watch this!!

The fall season brings new colors and new anime to watch!

Hey good people of the internet! It feels like it's been a minute since I updated and I apologize for that. I've been a bit busy with real world stuff as well as just finding worthwhile anime to watch and share with you guys....

But enough on that! Like the title says, about this lovely season called Fall, it's also the time in Japan for a new anime lineup. Some of these titles that I have watched are Letter Bee/ Tegami Bachi and Seiken no Blacksmith. There are tons more to talk about but that will have to wait until the next update, which I hope to be sooner rather than later.

First!

Seiken no Blacksmith
Genre: Harem-esque, action, adventure and Fantasy.
Now Showing: On tv in Japan as of Oct 2009

The story takes place after a huge war overruns the land. Our main character Cecily Campbell is the daughter of a nobleman but she's also a knight. One day a mysterious man appears brandishing a sword or more appropriately Katana, that cuts through another sword like it was butter. Yeah..it's that serious.
We later find out that the mysterious man has an amazing power that no longer is easily found...

So far I've watched the first two episodes and I was entertained. The thing that really wowed me was how the animators went through all the trouble of animating the foot work of a character losing her balance or a character evading an attack.

The character designs also are cute/cool also and it generally looks like it'll be fun to watch.
I don't want to rush in giving it a rating just yet since I did only watch the first 2 episodes. So as time goes I will post a rating at a later date.

Next Update: Tegami Bachi

Bakemonogatari-Ghost Story with some romance mixed in

Title: Bakemonogatari/ "Ghost Story"
Produced by: Aniplex, Kodansha, and SHAFT
Animated by: SHAFT
Original Creator: NisiOsin
Runtime: Just finished airing on tv in Japan. Available to watch online.

I came across "Bakemonogatari/Ghost Story" a month or so ago and put a sticky note in my mind to come back and review it when I got the chance. Then I forgot about it. But I went online and seen it up in the ongoing series section and remembered my sticky note and proceeded to watch all 12 episodes in the space of 3-4 days! I love love love this series!!! Ever since watching "Mononoke" over a year ago I became a huge fan of supernatural/ horror anime so I was pleaseantly surprised with "Bakemonogatari".

Taking leave from my absolute gush-fest of this anime the synopsis of this anime is as follows. A boy named Koyomi Araragi is almost back to normal after being bit by a vampire over spring break. Araragi having a close call with an "oddity" himself is very sensitive when it comes to matters of the supernatural. Because of his empathy he comes across several girls who are all victims of demons, ghosts, and a slew of other craziness. And like all other harem anime the girls tend to stick around afterwards and flirt with the main character.

The first thing that caught my eye in the first episode was the way it animates. The way it moves is so smooth! Every step they take even every word they speak is well animated! The backgrounds in every episode are all very dynamic! The anime also has alot of word play in it and that contributes to the cool factor of the show.

My one gripe with the series is that it obviously relies on fanservice a bit too much. Even though I am unfamiliar with the original light series novel so I don't know if it had alot of fanservice but the anime seems to be bogged down by it. It isn't as gratutious as say..."Queen's Blade" but it does hold a presence. In fact in the first scene of the first episode it's there. Then by episode 3 the loli meter starts to go up and by episode 9-10 it hit's the roof! Just...loli...so much loli...

But I'm glad I stuck with it. The twelth episode kinda has a cliff hanger to it as far as the status of the two characters relationship...But I want more Bakemonogatari!! I want stories about crab spirits taking someone's weight away! I want more demons, ghosts, and kami stories!! I don't want fanservice but what can be done...

Trailer to come soon...

Bakemonogatari- 5 out of 5!! Go watch it Noooowww!!!