Archive for the ‘Anime Review’ Category

Anime Review – Casshern Sins

Posted by Kiba On January - 27 - 2010

Casshern Sins
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Description: Casshern, a subordinate of Braiking Boss, was sent to assassinate Luna after she appeared as a savior to the human race. After the assassination, Casshern disappears with his memory lost. Years later, he resurfaces to fight off anti-human robots in a post-apocalyptic Earth where humans and robots are dying due to “The Ruin”, an unknown phenomenon which kills off robots by rotting their bodies while forcing humans to survive by hiding.
Episodes: 24 | Year: 2008

Anime Review – Katanagatari

Posted by Kiba On January - 27 - 2010

Katanagatari
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Description: A swordfight story taking place in Edo era (17th – 19th century). Yasuri Shichika is the seventh head of the Kyotou school of Japanese sword martial arts and lives in Fushou Island with his sister Nanami. With the order from a female samurai general Togame, he sets out for a trip to collect the twelve treasured swords created by a legendary swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki.

Episodes: 1 | Year: 2009

Anime Review – Inuyasha

Posted by AnimeCrusade On July - 31 - 2009

InuYasha
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Title: InuYasha
Genre: adventure, comedy, drama, fantasy, romance
Premier: October 16, 2000
Director: Masashi Ikeda (eps 1 to 44), Yasunao Aoki (eps 45+)
Animation Studio: Sunrise
Original Creator: Rumiko Takahashi
Series Composition: Shigemi Ikeda
Character Design: Yoshihito Hishinuma

This anime has 167 episodes

Cast:

Kappei Yamaguchi as Inuyasha

Satsuki Yukino as Kagome Higurashi

Akiko Yajima as Kohaku

Houko Kuwashima as Sango

Ken Narita as Sesshoumaru

Kenichi Ogata as Myoga

Kouji Tsujitani as Miroku

Kumiko Watanabe as Shippo

Mamiko Noto as Rin

Noriko Hidaka as Kikyo

Rieko Takahashi as Miroku (young)

Taiki Matsuno as Kouga

Toshiyuki Morikawa as Naraku

Covers:

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Higurashi Kagome, after being pulled down a well by a demon, finds herself in Feudal Japan, where she learns that a powerful jewel has been reborn inside her body. After the jewel shatters in an attempt to retrieve it from one of the many demons who was after its power, Kagome must join forces with the half-demon Inu Yasha (also after the jewel’s power) to track down the shards of the jewel before its power falls into the wrong hands.
The series follows the adventures of a a time-traveling high school student, a half-demon, a lecherous monk, a fox demon, a demon slayer, and a nekomata during the Sengoku period as they seek to find all the fragments of the Jewel of Four Souls and to keep them out of the hands of evildoers, especially Naraku.

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Submitted by Tobikage.

Anime Review – Hellsing

Posted by AnimeCrusade On July - 31 - 2009

Hellsing
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Title: Hellsing
Genre: action, drama, horror, supernatural
Premier: October 10, 2001
Director: Kaoru Suzuki
Animation Studio: Kino Production
Original Creator: Kouta Hirano
Series Composition: Yoshiyuki Fudetani
Character Design: Toshiharu Murata

This anime has 13 episodes

Cast:

Fumiko Orikasa as Seras Victoria

Jouji Nakata as Alucard

Yoshiko Sakakibara as Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing

Motomu Kiyokawa as Walter

Covers:

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The Hellsing Organization is an integral part of the true power-structure of Great Britain. The organization is tasked with defending the country’s shores from any and all supernatural threats, using any methods necessary. The organization was founded by Abraham Van Helsing, and the Hellsing Organization is traditionally headed by Abraham’s descendants. The current leader of the Hellsing Organization is Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, and she is aided by the vampire Alucard.
Alucard is an ancient vampire who has served the Hellsing family for generations. Together with Sir Integra and the Policegirl-turned-vampire Seras Victoria, He works to defeat the forces of evil and bring order to the country.

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Submitted by Tobikage.

Anime Review – Bleach

Posted by AnimeCrusade On July - 30 - 2009

Bleach

Title: Bleach
Genre: action, comedy, drama, supernatural
Premier: October 5, 2004
Director: Noriyuki Abe
Animation Studio: Studio Pierrot
Original Creator: Kubo Tite
Series Composition: Masashi Sogo
Character Design: Masashi Kudo

This is an ongoing anime

Cast:

Fumiko Orikasa as Rukia Kuchiki

Masakazu Morita as Ichigo Kurosaki

Hiroki Yasumoto as Sado Yasutora

Kentarou Itou as Abarai Renji

Noriaki Sugiyama as Ishida Uryuu

Yuki Matsuoka as Inoue Orihime

Covers:

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Kurosaki Ichigo is a young man living in Karakura Town. What makes him special is his ability to see and communicate with the spirits of dead people. His life is without major incident, until one day, a female Shinigami named Kuchiki Rukia pays him a visit. She is followed by a monster, called a Hollow, which attack Ichigo’s family. Ichigo is forced to obtain Shinigami powers from Rukia in order to save his family.The story continues to show how Ichigo uses his Shinigami abilities to save his friends and fight the forces of evil.

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Submitted by Tobikage.

Anime Review – Naruto

Posted by AnimeCrusade On July - 30 - 2009

Naruto

Title: Naruto
Genre: action, comedy, drama, fantasy
Premier: October 10, 2002
Director: Hayato Date
Animation Studio: Studio Pierrot
Original Creator: Masashi Kishimoto
Series Composition: Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Character Design: Hirofumi Suzuki and Tetsuya Nishio

This anime has 220 episodes

Cast:

Chie Nakamura as Sakura Haruno

Junko Takeuchi as Naruto Uzumaki

Noriaki Sugiyama as Sasuke Uchiha

Kazuhiko Inoue as Kakashi Hatake

Covers:

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The story revolves around the life of Uzumaki Naruto, a resident of the Konohagakure village. Although he appears to be an ordinary boy, Naruto actually has the nine-tailed fox sealed inside him. The nine-tailed fox is a monster that attacked the village, causing massive destruction until it was sealed inside Naruto (who was a baby at the time) by the Fourth Hokage, who died in the process. Naruto becomes a ninja along with team mates Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, led by Hatake Kakashi. Hated by most of the villagers for having the nine-tailed fox inside him, Naruto decides that he will take the position of Hokage to earn everybody’s respect.

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Submitted by Tobikage.

Anime Review – Air Gear

Posted by AnimeCrusade On July - 30 - 2009

Air Gear
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Title: Air Gear
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Tournament
Premier: April 4, 2006
Director: Hajime Kamegaki
Animation Studio: Toei Animation
Original Creator: Ito Ōgure
Series Composition: Chiaki J. Konaka
Character Design: Masayuki Sato

This anime is 25 episodes

Cast:

Kenta Kamakari as Minami “Ikki” Itsuki
Hikaru Midorikawa as Kaitou
Hitoshi Bifu as Issha “Fat Buccha” Mihotoke
Kokoro Kikuchi as Akito/Agito
Mariya Ise as Ringo Noyamano
Masami Kikuchi as Onigiri
Noriko Shitaya as Ton-chan-sensei
Rie Tanaka as Simca
Rieko Yoshimoto as Yayoi Nakayama
Seika Hosokawa as Mikan
Yukiko Hanioka as Shiraume Noyamano

Covers:

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In the near future, advances in the field of nanotechnology resulted in the creation of a tiny engine which is capable of producing massive power. These engines have been adapted by teenagers to power inline skates, hence creating Air Trecks. This anime follows the growth of the delinquent Minami “Ikki” Itsuki from a beginner into the legendary Sky King.

Itsuki minami, also called “The babyface” of the “East side Gunz” was a typical delinquent until he got into a fight with a gang whose members rode air trecks. He steps into the world of Air Trecks himself to get revenge, and soon realizes the freedom given by the Air Trecks. He forms his own team, and aims for the top of the Trophaeum Tower, where he must fight someone close to him to be acknowledged as the best.

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Submitted by Tobikage.

Anime Review – Kanamemo

Posted by admin On July - 5 - 2009

Kanamemo
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Title: Kanamemo
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Slice-of-Life, Ecchi
Premier: July 5, 2009
Director: Shigehito Takayanagi
Animation Studio: Feel
Original Creator: Shoko Iwami
Series Composition: Rika Nakase
Character Design: Shinichi Tatsuta

This anime is set to be 13 episodes

Cast:

Aki Toyosaki as Kana Nakamachi
Aya Endo as Yuuki Minami
Eri Kitamura as Hinata Azuma
Kaoru Mizuhara as Saki Amano
Rie Kugimiya as Mika Kujiin
Ryou Hirohashi as Yume Kitaoka
Yui Horie as Haruka Nishida

Covers:

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Nakamachi Kana is a junior high school girl. Her grandmother passed away and she was left all alone. She finds a newspaper carrier station and starts working as a live-in carrier. Her room has a hole on the wall. Other female workers living next door comes in through the hole and start a wild merrymaking.

The story centers on Kana Nakamichi, a middle-school girl who had already lost her parents and just recently lost her only remaining relative, her grandmother. As a result, she ends up living and working at a newspaper delivery office. Everyone else living at the office are all charming, self-assertive bishōjo. The manga follows Kana’s daily life in the fast-paced yet joyous environment.

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Anime Review – Umineko no Naku Koro ni

Posted by admin On July - 5 - 2009

Umineko no Naku Koro ni

Opening Theme: “片翼の鳥 (One-Winged Bird)” by Akiko Shikata

Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Originally I was wishing that they’d stick with the novel’s opening, but after listening to this, I applaud Akiko Shikata for another excellent opening theme. The sequence was also rather fitting, though sometimes I felt that something more unique would have made it amazing (Higurashi’s OP comes into mind, that was one of the best sequences I’ve seen in an anime). Bits of Episode I and II of the sound novels are featured. My favourite part was definitely Maria in the Halloween scene and her ’smile’.  Who am I kidding? I love the whole OP, even lost track of how many times I rewatched it.

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One night, Kinzo Ushiromiya cries the name Beatrice in agony, wanting to see her smile once more before his life comes to an end. 4th October, 1986, the Ushiromiya family gather on Rokkenjima (technically it’s Rokken Island, but I’ll stick with Rokkenjima because that’s how its romanized in the novels) for their annual gathering/family conference. Battler, having not seen his family in 6 years, reunites with his cousins George, Jessica and Maria, as well as the rest of the family: Rudolph & Kyrie (Battler’s parents), Eva & Hideyoshi (George’s parents), Krauss(left) & Natsuhi (Jessica’s parents) and Rosa (Maria’s mother) and servants: Shannon, Kanon, Genji(right), Kumasawa & Gohda (Dr. Nanjo is also shown, but for some reason he never gets his introduction. Anyway, he’s the plump old man in the shot with Krauss & Genji). George notes the absence of seagulls around the island, which Jessica says may be due to the reported typhoon that was approaching. Maria points out the missing shrine on the nearby rocks, which she trates as a sign of bad luck. As they walk to the mansion, Maria sees an unhealthy rose in the garden, which George marks with a candy wrapper so that she could take care of it till they leave. In the mansion, Battler notices a large portrait that was absent in his memories. It is the witch, Beatrice, and Kinzo had her portrait painted 2 years ago.

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After lunch, the parents get right to their objective. Rudolph, Eva and Hideyoshi gang up on Krauss, accusing him of embezzling their father’s money for his business. Unhappy with such accusations towards her husband, Natsuhi tells Eva to leave immediately. Eva puts Natsuhi in her place, telling her that a mere “borrowed womb”, who does not even have the One-Winged Eagle, symbol of the Ushiromiya family, on her body does not have such right to speak like that. Natsuhi leaves the room in tears when Krauss does not back her up. Meanwhile, Battler & the cousins look at the epitapth engraved next to Beatrice’s portrait, which is said to lead to Kinzo’s hidden gold, all 10 tonnes of it. The other siblings propose that Krauss accept a set of terms they made in exchange for allowing him to handle the distribution of assets, all of which lead to Krauss having to pay them each a portion of the hidden gold. Krauss turns the tables on his siblings by revealing their problems which involve them needing money. To spite them, he suggests that they instead work together to solve Kinzo’s epitaph. At the beach, the cousins discuss the epitaph, which gets rather gruesome as they read on. Battler and Jessica laugh off the existence of witches and the gold, which infuriates Maria who strongly believes in them. She gives Battler and Jessica scorpion charms said to ward off bad magic.

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On their way back, Maria notices that her rose with the candy wrapper is missing. Despite searching, no one seems to be able to find it, but Maria keeps insisting that it is there. Rosa joins the search, and loses her temper with Maria and her “U-uu” noises and slaps her to shut her up. Battler, George and Jessica decide to not meddle in ther family problems, and Rosa tells Maria to keep searching and walks away, regretting her actions. Rain begins to pour, as Kinzo announces the beginning of his banquet with Beatrice, and tosses his ring out of the window. Later, Maria is found with a white umbrella, whom she says was lent to her by none other than…

Photobucket“Beatrice!”

Ending Theme: “la divina tragedia~魔曲~” by Jimang

Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket No complaints here, I actually find the song to be rather Kinzo-esque, so its all good. The sequence started with a really awesome chess theme which accompanied the chaotic start of the song, the rest were mostly background scenes with effects matching the song.

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