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November 28 2011, 11:37 AM

Ain't Misbehavin'

Go Nagai is still, undeservedly, an obscure name in American fandom, even though his role in shaping anime and manga as we know it is as large as Tezuka's. That's probably why most folks didn't know what to make of the manic comedy Dororon Enma-kun Meerameera. But if you ever wanted to find out the connection between porn and clever comedy, you should read my review and then watch Brain Base's excellent adaptation. (Since I wrote the magic "P"-word in this news-item, I fully expect triple the viewership this time around.)

Stig chose to take on Arashi no Yoru ni, which shows us all what happens when you let someone goat you into going against the pack, but the two are not about letting each other becoming a horn in their sides.

It's a serious movie, though. No, really.

Be sure to follow our Twitter feed if you're using the magic tweeting box like all the other cool kids, since Facebook is for the grandparents now.

Until next week,

Bradley

 
November 21 2011, 3:09 PM

Mixed Bag Week

Another three titles this week but with next to nothing in common. We have the time-travelling epic Steins;Gate, the beautiful art tales of Mononoke and the utter crap of Hidan no Aria. Adieu,

~Aiden Foote

(NOTE: Due to its being licensed by FUNimation, Hidan no Aria has been renamed Aria the Scarlet Ammo to reflect its North American release name.)

 
November 14 2011, 3:41 PM

Putting the Spotlight on Masaaki Yuasa

I always like to praise good work when I see it so this week I give you the three series of director Masaaki Yuasa: Kemonozume, Kaiba and The Tatami Galaxy.

Read, go watch and enjoy. Adieu,

~Aiden Foote

 
November 13 2011, 1:57 PM

The Book of Bunny G.I.s.

And, we close this frenzied week with a review for an anime whose title I'm technically not allowed to say on this site. I am, however, at liberty to say that it's somehow both entertaining and strangely average....read the review to find out why.

We resume weekly updates tomorrow, with Aiden bringing us a new piece of his.

Until next time,

-Nick Browne

 
November 12 2011, 7:38 PM

...But I Would Very Much Enjoy A Side Dish Of Rolls

Most of you probably remember when Makoto Shinkai's Voices of a Distant Star came out, back in 2002. Critics (rightfully, I think) lauded Shinkai for making such a strong piece with almost no outside help and no previous experience in the film industry, and he's since gone on to have an acclaimed and promising career.

Let's hope that the director behind today's highlighted piece someday meets the same success, as the story behind its creation is quite similar, and in spite of some open-endedness it's an utterly astounding little movie. Read the review to find out exactly why.

Did I call Amazing Nuts an oddity? Tomorrow, I'll have a review for something even stranger than that.

See you soon.

-Nick Browne

 
November 11 2011, 12:35 PM

No Thanks, I Prefer Hazelnuts Myself

Hi all. Today, I've got a review of one of the oddest and most obscure products of the anime industry, a collection of featurette-style music videos called Amazing Nuts. Now obscurity is a funny thing, since many works of art slip into oblivion for reasons entirely unrelated to their quality, but sadly, this title fell through the cracks entirely on its own faults. Read the review to find out more.

Tomorrow, I'll be back with another short and under-exposed piece, but a much better one this time. Stay tuned.

-Nick Browne

 
November 10 2011, 9:57 AM

In the Bleak Mid-Century...

Let us go back to time in Japanese history where the old and new met, where steam trains were filled with bowler hats and kimonos and sailor suit clad school girls existed outside of the otaku's mind and animé collection...

If Mouryou no Hako is to be believed, mid-twentieth century Japan was filled with madness and the odd bit of murder too. Maybe you should check it out.

Tomorrow you will hear from our newest reviewer, Nick. Be good to him.

Till we meet again.

~Aiden Foote

 
November 9 2011, 8:52 AM

She Kissed a Girl... I Didn't Mind it.

Vapid, superficial, glossy, saccharine but enough about me, today's treat is Yuru Yuri: a show so soft and edgeless that it should fold in itself on screen. Only in Japan could you have a show solely populated by lesbians be this uncontroversial.

No complaints about that, though. I just wish it were a little funnier...

Till tomorrow,

~Aiden Foote

 
November 8 2011, 9:06 AM

Cry Kawaii! And Let Slip the Moé of War

There is a question that troubles the discerning animé viewer: can a moé aesthetic coexist with serious, intelligent storytelling? Can real expression be found in blasting walls of unrelenting cuteness?

Trust SHAFT and Shinbou to try and find the answer with Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko. I hope you are as happy with that answer as I was.

Till tomorrow,

~Aiden Foote

 
November 7 2011, 12:25 PM

Another kind of colorful.

Well, adding this title to our list was interesting, because there is already a review on Colorful by Tim Jones. Don't worry, though, because Diane returns to review a very different kind of Colorful, namely the Colorful movie. Which, thankfully, has nothing to do with the series Tim reviewed.

We'll be back tomorrow, actually. As Tim mentioned, our recent addition to the staff roster has a whole lot of material that will be added throughout the week. So look forward to that.

- Stig Høgset.

 
 
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