A short update, but at least a nice one: I've got a review of The World is Still Beautiful, which exceeded my expectations and turned out to be a rather sweet little show.

We'll be back next week, hopefully with more, but I'm just happy that a 2014 TV series has finally broken three stars from me (I was getting desperate).

-Nick Browne

So yes...we are a bit tardy this week. Apologies for that, but on the bright side, this update is all-around one of the best we've had in a while.

First, I've got a short review of the new Mushi-Shi special, which came out earlier this summer and which turned out to be one of the best things I've seen this year (I'll eventually have a review of the new TV series, also). Leave it to Mushi-Shi to bring us our first five-stars of the year, I suppose.

Meanwhile, Stig is now a fan of quirky tanuki comedy-dramas, at least if The Eccentric Family is any indication (disclaimer: I also really, really like this show).

We plan on being back next week, hopefully a little less tardily. Take care!

-Nick Browne

So yeah, we got one new review for you all today. Dallas drops by with a brand, spanking new review for Hells -- full title "Hells Angels", go fig -- and finds it an adequate effort. Sadly, it's one of those "starts out strong, loses something along the way" kind of "adequate", so... take from that what you will.

Well, that's all for now. See you all next week. (Probably.)

-Stig Høgset.

Nick's part of the equation takes him within harms reach of The Archives of Dantalian, a show he found to be a massive failure in just about all respects, starring a less than stellar female lead and the guy she orders around.

Me and Tim takes a more literal approach to the whole "beast" thing with Beast Player Erin, an absolutely wonderful show about a young girl who loses her only living parent, her mother, and, through various circumstances, ends up with the opportunity to attend school. The literal part comes in the forms of a certain kind of animal that the school takes care of, and from which Erin takes a very personal interest.

How's about that for complete opposites in the quality scales. Next week, we've got... something else... for you all. See you then.

-Stig Høgset.

So yeah, both shows we got reviews for you today are about revenge. What are the odds?

I have to wonder, though; when a show about revenge is built around an MMORPG, does that seem a bit odd to you? Blade & Soul doesn't seem to think so, and shrugs at the notion of being about an assassin going on a quest of revenge for the murder of someone. Takes all kinds, I guess.

Nick's pick isn't as much about murder, unless you're thinking of one's career prospects. He reviews Skip Beat!, a rather (in)famous shoujo piece where the dish of the day is upstaging your hated enemy on an actual stage.

Which brings us to the end of this update. See you again next week.

-Stig Høgset.