Un-Go: The Most Under-Appreciated Anime of 2011

I don't know why I was putting off watching Un-Go for so long. I had begun watching it when it came on Hulu around February, but the plot of the first episode was rather weak and failed to rope me in. So it sat in my Queue, waiting patiently. Finally, after happening upon this video of some of Yutaka Nakamura's work, I got curious, so I gave it another shot. I love Fullmetal Alchemist, and once I learned Seiji Mizushima and Shou Aikawa were behind it, I knew it would be great.

The mysteries get better and better as the show goes on, and by the time the main plot is introduced and the AI Kazamori joins the cast, I was hooked. But this doesn't happen until the end of episode 6, and in my opinion this Anime is much too short at 11 episodes. It should have been at least 13, if not 24. It has a very interesting, Matrix-esque quality, and the music is some of the best in Anime. Both the opening and ending themes still get stuck in my head constantly, and I had to download them as soon as I could just to fulfill my craving for hearing them.

If you're going to watch Un-Go, you must also find Episode 0, which is a 60-minute prequel "movie." It answers all of the questions that the series leaves the viewer with. Now, at the time I watched the series, I didn't know about the prequel's existence, so I didn't get to watch it until after I finished the 11-episode anime. It worked for me just fine. Actually, the mysteries about Shinjuurou's past and his connection to Inga made it very compelling. I didn't feel like I'd missed anything by not seeing the prequel first. It was not released first, but rather about a month after the anime began airing, so I suppose it's intended to be watched in tandem with the series a few episodes in. But I felt like my experience with the franchise was still rich for not knowing the history; although I don't have the other experience so I have nothing to compare it to. Though the main plot and villain would have made more sense if I had seen Episode 0 before they were introduced in the anime. If you're wondering whether to watch the anime or the movie first - I'd suggest watching the first 4-5 episodes and then Episode 0, as I suppose that's how it was intended to be viewed. The anime began airing mid-October, 2011, and Episode 0 was released November 19th.

This is one that I'm extremely disappointed is only one season. Bones could easily produce another season from the way it ended - somewhat ambiguously - if there were a great enough following. From what I've read, it didn't receive such a warm reception in Japan, it is a tad off-beat compared to popular Anime - I loved the animation, but it isn't that interesting, the mysteries can be a little confusing, it doesn't make sense without the prequel - so there was never an offer to extend it into a second season. It's very unfortunate, as I really loved this anime; I find it really refreshing to watch an anime that is new and original, and not based on a Manga. It is loosely based on a novel by  Ango Sakaguchi,  Meiji Kaika Ango Torimono-chou, but it's nice to see something that hasn't been translated  panel-for-panel already by a mangaka for a change.

I for one hope there will still be an Un-Go season 2, but I won't hold my breath. This unfortunate circumstance happens so often with good Anime shows - they just don't gain enough of a following in their home country to warrant a continuation, and when they spur a fan-base in the U.S., it's already too late. 

Sexiest Men of Anime & Manga

As every fellow fangirl would agree, much of the appeal of animated Japanese pop-culture comes from the men. The juicy, sexy, pretty, strong, passionate, chivalrous men. Here are some of my top picks; I think many of my cohorts out there would concur:

Ahhhh, Sebastian Michaelis..... Smart, able, handsome, alluring, mysterious... evil. But in a good way. Being a demon, I'm sure he's more than capable of any number of horrendous atrocities, though the Sebastian we're familiar with in Black Butler is a "good" demon. His dedication to protect and serve Ciel at all costs makes him noble; and I dare say there's a bit of affection on his part for Ciel.

I'm anxious to see what he'll do when their "contract" is up - will he really devour the boy's soul? Or will he have a change of heart? I know what happened in the anime, but it is not in accordance with the manga and therefore, I don't count it.

Also, I just loved J. Michael Tatum's voicing of him in the English dub; his smooth, low cadence really added to the character (not to mention that he was the only one who could actually do a British accent...).

Grimmjow, another evil yet sexy demon-esque character. Somehow, Bleach was just never the same without him, Ulquiorra, and Nel, my other favorite characters. A Vasto Lorde Hollow turned Arrancar Espada, he may be crazy, but I think his appeal is pretty irrefutable.

I once read a blog post wherein the male author wrote that otaku girls love homicidal psychopaths. Hmmm... well given my top-two, I think he may be onto something...

Hagi, Hagi, Hagi. Probably my favorite vampire in fiction, Edward Cullen ain't got nothin' on him! His devotion to Saia, annoying though she may be, as her Chevalier is really beautiful. Despite having been in love with her, unrequited, for a hundred years, it doesn't discourage him one bit, at least, not outwardly. He stays by her side, watching and guarding, with no hopes of ever having his love reciprocated; he's happy enough just being with her. So romantic... *sigh*

Kakashi was my first anime crush. I've already written all about why, here.

Although we spent much of the first half of Bleach hating Byakuya, after the Rukia Rescue arc, he became friendly and comical. I never found him attractive, though, until the final season, when the animation and character designs changed. Unfortunately, much of that season was wasted on Xcution... I could have done with more of this Byakuya instead.

Only recently have I become turned onto Boy's Love & Yaoi - mostly manga, but I like them in anime form as well. Usually, I'll read the manga, then discover there's also an anime, and it's really fun to see the characters I've fallen in love with come to life.

Next on my list is Morinaga Tetsuhiro from Koisuru Boukun. He's so adorably sexy, sweet, and romantic, I wish he were real (and straight) so that I could date him. He's everything a girl wants: dedicated, handsome, selfless, unwavering, and he lives to please his partner. I could do without the making decisions on his own to disappear without a word thing, but nobody's perfect.

He's my favorite right now because I just love Takanaga Hinako's illustration style, but there are so many delicious men in Yaoi that I may need to write another entry just for them... Takano, Yukina, Nowaki, Ijuuin - ugh, there are just so many.....

Nura Rikuo is another big crush of mine. Although all of the 3 heads of the Nura clan are pretty damn sexy (well, Nurarihyon was, in his heyday), but Rikuo in his night (youkai) form is just irresistible. Looking, sounding and acting more in his late-teens or early twenties, he's a far-cry from his 13-year-old human form. He becomes more the leader, take-charge type at night, which is really appealing, but he also still retains his human values and personality. He has a good heart, but is mysterious and strong. At first, the hair bothered me, but I really don't mind it anymore.

Brash, hasty, and headstong, is Gurren Lagan's Kamina. But he's also idealistic, optimistic, and sympathetic. With someone like Kamina on your side, you could never lose heart. He'll keep fighting till the end, and motivate you to do the same. Ah, how I missed him when he was gone... Simon grown-up wasn't too bad, either, though he was basically Kamina 2.0

Voiced by Daisuke Ono, who was also Sebastian in the Japanese version of Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) and Shizuo in Durarara!, Brave 10's Saizou is your typical apathetic, dark, brooding, handsome type, though that changes a bit throughout the course of the show. I thought his personality shift made him less attractive at the end, but that's just my take.

By the way, there's something about these Shounen-genre guys that when they fight and get all bloodied up, it somehow makes them more attractive...

Heiwajima Shizuo may not have much of a personality besides being freakishly strong and hating Izaya, and I'm never really big on the typical, good-looking blonds in anime, but I can't help but find him attractive. His firecracker personality and his aloof demeanor make me want to know what he's thinking. Just don't get him mad, or you'll regret it...

Again, not big on those pretty-boy, blond types, but Miketsukami Soushi is another one I just can't help but fall in love with. His undying devotion to Ririchiyo, if a little creepy because of their age difference, is nonetheless heartwarming. He throws himself at her feet, with no expectations of her reciprocating his feelings, and serves her without a second thought. He would never dream of pursuing her; he's happy enough just to serve her.... *sigh* Where are the guys like that..?



So in conclusion, to be found attractive by an otaku fangirl, you must:
1. Be a little evil and psychotic.
2. Have an undying, unconditional love for a woman who may never love you back the same way.
3. Either a) relentlessly pursue your love until they love you back, or b) swear your service to your
    love unconditionally and find fulfillment by just staying by her side.
4. Be mysterious (maybe even wear a mask).
5. Have a fighting spirit that burns and motivates till the end.
6. Get bloodied-up.

Good luck, real men!

What's the Deal With Kakashi?

So you're wondering why your otaku girlfriend has asked you so many times to "please dress up like Kakashi," and you just don't get it - what's so great about a guy who hides half his face behind a friggin' mask? Who knows if he's even attractive under there, anyway? Right??

Well, lucky for you, I'm here to explain the fangirl obsession with Hatake Kakashi (whose name means  Scarecrow, by the way, in case you didn't know).

First of all, the mask is part of his appeal - it adds to his mystique. Little is known about the Jounin Sensei, except that Minato, the fourth Hokage, was his Sensei back in his Genin days, he got his Sharingan from his deceased Uchiha teammate, and he played a stint in Anbu Black Ops. His opinion of his deceased father was honorable, yet tainted by his untimely, unexplained suicide.

[and allow me to note that I do not read the Naruto manga, I just watch the anime, so I don't know if anything about him has been revealed in later volumes or not - and please don't tell me, either.]

Oh, and he likes Jiraya's smutty novels.

The rest, is an enigma. Who was Kakashi's mother and what happened to her? What was his childhood like? What were his days in Anbu like? What compelled him to join? And then, to quit? Why does he wear that mask, and will we ever see him without it? Is the reason we haven't seen him with a love interest because he's really gay (a personal theory of mine)?

All these unanswered questions - they just make us all the more curious about him. And guys here's a tip: If a girl wants to know more about you, it generally means she's attracted to you; if she weren't she wouldn't care.

You also have to consider his bravery, loyalty, morality, and sense of chivalry. He isn't afraid to put the lives and well-being of those he serves before his own, even if he knows it means certain death.

**Spoiler alert** I was in denial when Kakashi "died" during Pain's invasion of the leaf village. I just knew it couldn't be true. What would be the point of Naruto without Kakashi? It would be like Bleach without Grimmjow or Byakuya... (oh, wait....) **End spoilers**

The way he interacts with Team 7, constantly pushing them to be better shinobi, and also better friends, building their camaraderie and instilling his good values and moral code within them, is admirable (besides, it's always sexy when a man is good with kids).

He's a courageous ninja, unafraid of battle, but when it comes to matters of the heart, he's shy and seemingly inexperienced, which is super cute and endearing. He reads Jiraya's novels religiously, but when asked to read the sensual content out loud, he flushes and gets embarrassed. I watched this scene from Shippuden season 9 like 5 times in a row, I thought it was so cute and hilarious.

As far as I know, he's never been in a relationship. In the anime, there was briefly a gypsy woman, but nothing really happened between them and they ended up going their separate ways in the end. It seemed to me that she was more into Kakashi (and who could blame her?) than he was into her (thus, the gay theory), but the episode was filler anyway, and doesn't really count in the overall scheme of things. As a result, Kakashi's seeming lack of romantic indulgence only adds to his appeal (yes, innocence in love is attractive - it means 1. you don't have any deep baggage, and 2. we haven't had to share you with other women).

Plus, there's this:

I hope all this clears up some of the confusion. You're welcome ;)

A New Post!

Ahh, good to be back! I've been busy catching up on Manga, but here I am with a brand-new entry, finally.

Ok, straight to business...

A little while ago I watched We Without Wings, Under the Innocent Sky (Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai); now, I know what you're going to say.. I've read what other reviewers have said about this show, but just hear me out.

Yes, it is Harem, and Ecchi; and yes, there is a lot of fan-service in it; sure, so the first few episodes don't make a whole lot of sense; and it's heavily censored, and you know how I feel about censorship (although the censorship in this show is sexual, not violent in nature). But once you get past alllll of that, it actually is a good story. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I won't tell you what it's actually about, but once you get around episode 6 and the stories all start coming together, the fan-service lessens, and the plot really becomes clear, that's when it gets good. Although the female characters are mostly flat, archetypal portrayals of women, the male characters are quite engaging. Chitose is funny and endearing, Kakeru is colorful and funny, and the King of Gretagard is hilarious. But my favorite character is by far Dora. When the short, 12-episode series came to a close, I wanted more. I wished it had been 24 episodes, if for nothing else, more Dora.

I had read in the comments on Crunchyroll people comparing it to Durarara!!, which I had always avoided because it had never seemed interesting to me. Someone even said they both had "the same plot" (which is untrue), so it intrigued me into watching Durarara finally.

There are a few similarities between the two, but they are not the same at all. There are some double-identities going on, it takes place in modern Japan, and some of the characters are in high school. They both have an enormous amount of characters, they both make references to other Animes, they both have a couple of rival gangs, and they both have a big black guy whose Japanese isn't perfect, but that's about it.

For one thing, Durarara is neither Ecchi nor fan-service, and the female characters are much more interesting. Celty is now one of my favorite characters in Anime, even without a head, and so is Shizuo, in spite of his temper (or because of it?). Izaya is diabolically entertaining, and the rivalry between he and Shizuo is fun.

This one was the right length at 24 episodes, though the ending begs for a second season. All of the characters are compelling, with the exception of Mikado, who I think is a bit of a boring protagonist. I don't think it's coincidence that Dora in We Without Wings wears almost the exact same outfit as Izaya.

Both shows I felt were a bit lacking in the endings. I would have loved to see WWW go on for 12 more episodes, and a second season of Durarara.

If I had to pick one of the two, I'd go with We Without Wings, simply because I liked the animation style and some of the humor better. And I just love Dora so much. But I must warn that there is some very raunchy humor, too, and one sex-scene, late in the show, which caught me off-guard. But, without giving anything away, I liked the plot twist, and there were some really lovely moments. Hell, my headline on Crunchyroll is a quote from the show.

Romantic at Heart

So I've been into romances lately. Maybe so as to compensate for the - er - lack thereof in real life... But that aside, I never would have thought myself to be one for romances. Being a girl, I do like romance, generally, but I've never been one for "chick flicks" or "rom-coms" or such nonsense; so I never gave romantic Animes much of a chance in the first place. I do like when, in action or shounen Animes, romance crops up; but then let's be real - let's get straight back to the action, am I right?

With all the free time I currently have amassed, and another 30-day free trial at Crunchyroll, I began watching Inu X Boku Secret Service, unaware that it was a romance. I wasn't that interested in the first episode until the end; I thought it was just a quirky "slice-of-life" comedy about a self-deprecating emo girl. But then I found out why the apartment complex was called "Maison d' Ayakashi," and I was hooked. Sure, Miketsukami is a tad creepy, but he's also so dedicated and so sweet that I couldn't help falling for him. As for Anime men, I generally don't go for the perfect, blue-eyed (though his are two different colors), blond-haired, hero-type; but for Miketsu, I make an exception. And okay, their age gap is a little pedophiliac, but if Ririchiyo were already 18 and he 24, would it really make that big of a difference? Plus, he's just so cute with glasses! ;p

Wanting to keep up the feel-good, mushy, romance trend afterwards, I began watching The World God Only Knows. I feel the comedy in this one seems to be trying too hard sometimes, but overall it's a very cute Anime.

Keima Katsuragi may be the biggest otaku in Anime/Manga, but his unwavering determination and piercing tongue make him appealingly masculine. My favorite part of the "conquest" is always when he lays it all down and tells the girl exactly how it is, uninhibitedly. Plus, his eyes are so deep and expressive, it almost feels sometimes like he can look through the screen, straight at you. Unlike Miketsukami, I think Keima is much cuter without his glasses.

Indications are that Season 3 should be coming out around fall of this year, but that information has not been confirmed. However, the second season ended with a preview of what's to come; and I, for one, hope for a third season, as I'd like to see Keima leave the gaming world and have his heart stolen, for once. Although, the Manga is ongoing, so that is unlikely to happen in season 3. Maybe I'll have to start reading it.

So those are the two romances I've been filling my watch-time with. Now, I'm starting a different vein with Brave 10. Onward!

Nurarihyon Did Not Age Well...

This is what you have to look forward to, Rikuo! Haha ;)

Who Is Amon?

Next week on Legend of Korra, we may or may not find out who the mysterious villain Amon actually was before he became leader of the Equalists, but for now, it's fun to theorize.

Here's what I think: he's none other than Councilman Tarlok's father, Yakone.

***Spoilers Ahead***

If you have not yet seen Episode 9, "Out of the Past", skip the next section.

Yakone was a threat to republic city during Aang's rule as Avatar; a unique waterbender with the ability to bloodbend anytime of the day, without the necessity of a full-moon. He ran the underworld in RC, gaining influence and power by instilling fear in its citizens by use of his bloodbending. This also allowed him to circumvent the law for quite some time. At last, with testimony of his illegal use of bloodbending, he was tried and convicted of his criminal activities by the council, headed by the councilman of the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka. After his conviction, he went on a bloodbending tirade, nearly escaping the city, if it hadn't been for Aang in his Avatar mode. Finally, Aang was able to restrain Yakone, and was forced to take away his bending altogether.

That's what we know. Here's where the theory comes into play: Without the ability to bend, Yakone grew angry and vengeful, his hate for benders, especially the Avatar, welling inside him. Many years later (quite recently, I assume, in the Korra storyline, for otherwise he would have surfaced sooner), he gained access to the spirit world, met with Koh the face-stealer, and exchanged his face for the Avatar's ability to take bending away, thus his wearing of the mask. He then gathered anti-bender rabble-rousers to form the Equalists, training them in chi-blocking, and revealed his ability to take away a person's bending.

At first, I thought, "Wouldn't Tarlok know if his own father was Amon, and be trying to help him, rather than frame him for kidnapping the Avatar?" But something must have happened, and maybe Tarlok didn't know Yakone was alive, much less Amon's secret identity. I also had thought Tarlok was working for Amon, what with his ridiculous anti-nonbender laws and such, until he framed the Equalists for his own crime, and seemed surprised at the appearance of Amon and his chi-blockers at Korra's escape. And why would Amon take away his own son's bending? But then again, why wouldn't he, if he thinks bending is an "impurity" and no one should have the ability? He'd think he were granting Tarlok a blessing by "equalizing" him. Maybe Tarlok was on Amon's side all along, even if he didn't know his true identity, for the sole purpose of gaining control of the city for the Equalists; and maybe he thought if he did so, Amon would spare him that fate. Tarlok did say that his plan "was perfect."

***End Spoilers***

We won't know for sure which theories out there are right or wrong until the creators decide we should, be it next week, or in Season 2. I seriously doubt some of the more implausible theories floating around are right, though: Amon is Aang (pshh, come on...), Amon is a descendant of Firelord Ozai (Ozai would never have slept with a waterbender, nyah, I don't think so) Amon is Aang and Katara's nonbending son Bumi (unless something really tragic happened to split the family, I don't think there's any evidence of that), or Amon is Jet's son (although this one makes more sense than the others, Jet never had a son before he died, but then again, we didn't actually see him die, did we...). So far, Amon is Yakone makes the most sense. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 

A Second Chance for Trigun

I'm finding that I often need more than one episode to get into an Anime. Some of my favorites have all been ones whose first episode I would describe as, "not exciting" me into watching the rest of the show. Natsume Yuujin-chou, Naruto, InuYasha, just to name a few. Now, I can say the same thing about Trigun.

I was resistant to it at first because a) it's on Netflix and I hate dubs and 2) the first episode was not exciting to me. But, not having internet (so right now Netflix is my only source of Anime) I decided to give it another shot.

Now, only 6 episodes in, I'm actually really enjoying it! I like how Vash always seems to find himself inadvertently involved in maelstroms of disaster and mayhem. I like how he seems to wiggle out of them, though it's never clear whether his escape was intentional or purely by accident, and I like that on top of it, he also manages to save the town and everyone in it, somehow.

It is an old show, and in this day it's painfully obvious in the animation, and Vash's American voice gets on my nerves sometimes, but all that can be forgiven; it's just pure fun. I do hope to watch it in Japanese, at some point, though.

[*Edit*]
I hated the end. It should have had more episodes or another season. And Hulu now has it in Japanese, fyi.

Another

I've been obsessed with Another. I love Japanese Horror, and this Anime is like Final Destination meets Scream, Anime-style. It's creepy as hell, and gave me several good starts. Although I wish it hadn't been censored, the censorship of this one is light, unlike Mirai Nikki, and I wasn't all that bothered by it - there's still plenty of gore, even with the few moments of censorship. I'm not really spoiling anything when I say that it ends in an all-out bloodbath worthy of the best of the genre.

The characters are well-developed and sometimes can surprise you.

Reeeeeally hoping that Kadokawa does a second season. I would be very interested to see it.

Sasuke Sucks

Since we get a bunch of filler flashback episodes, about Sasuke (I guess he's coming back into the picture), I decided to write an entry about Sasuke. Namely, why I hate the guy.

***Warning**Spoilers Ahead***
If you haven't watched through at least Shippuden episode 216, you may not want to read on.

So he lost his entire clan, okay, that's rough. But he goes on being a spoiled, entitled jerk about it. He mopes, passing the buck and blaming Naruto for all his problems. "If I hadn't been stuck with Naruto," "If Naruto weren't so strong," "Why can't I surpass Naruto?" I mean, seriously, quit whining, build a backbone and take some responsibility already. Unlike Naruto, who strives for and uses his power to protect, Sasuke just wants power to kill his older brother. So he does, and after Itatachi is dead and he learns the truth about the slaughter of the Uchiha clan, what does he do? He blames Naruto! Well, he blames the Leaf Village, but Naruto gets the brunt of his anger, because Naruto had the nerve to keep trying to bring Sasuke back to the light. Because Naruto never wavered in his affections for Sasuke as his friend. The nerve.

Alright, so Itachi's actions were a teensy bit on the extreme side.. sure, no one's arguing that. But in everything he did, his love for his little brother, Sasuke, was always the first thing on his heart, and that endeared him to me. But instead of following in Itachi's footsteps in protecting Konoha, the Leaf Village, when he realized the love and the sacrifice of his brother, Sasuke takes all those emotions and mixes them up into hatred for and blaming of the Leaf, and his arch-nemesis Naruto. What a selfish, spoiled jerk! Destroying Konoha is NOT what your brother would have wanted! Itachi is dead because YOU refused to see the truth, and YOU killed him, you JERK! It's nobody's fault but YOURS!!

*ahem*

So after he acquires part of Itachi's power and the Susano'o starts corrupting him, he becomes bloodthirsty. He changes into a completely different person from the not-so-bad-bad-guy we'd known. He becomes pure evil. Suddenly, he just wants blood, and he doesn't care whose. Well, that's all fine and dandy; if he wants to be a villain, he should go right ahead.

***End Spoilers***

The thing that bothers me the most is Naruto's undying faith in him. "Because we're friends," he keeps saying, and Sasuke keeps responding that he broke their bonds of friendship. Now Naruto believes that if the two of them fight they will both end up dying, but I don't think that's going to happen. Deep down, he still thinks he can save Sasuke while the jerk refuses to be saved; that's why he keeps chasing after him. Naruto just can't let him go. But he's a JERK who neither appreciates nor DESERVES your devotion, Naruto! Just get OVER him!!

Anyway, that's why I hate Sasuke. Plus, I just hate those brooding, woe-is-me, emo characters; get over yourself ;)

Break Time - Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

I believe that if you're a nerd about one thing (like Anime), you're predisposed to nerddom in other areas. Like me, I'm a nerd-of-all-trades.

So I took a little break from Anime to devote some time to Zelda. Last year I re-played Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (which I hadn't actually finished before). This year, in lead-up to Skyward Sword, I played through Twilight Princess again (still such a good game), and a few days ago, I beat Skyward Sword. All I can say is.. wow. Wow. This game is epic.

Why am I posting about this here? Because, as you know if you're a Zelda fan, the story is extremely intricate and long, like an Anime; it being a Japanese game, the voices and character design are Anime; but the new one, Skyward Sword, in particular was the most reminiscent of Anime yet, in my opinion. So this experience combined two of my most favorite things - video games and Anime - and made it a unique endeavor that made me feel like I was participating in an Anime! Talk about FUN! I think this is my new favorite Zelda!

Now before you get all "what about Ocarina" on me, let me offer some food for thought: The story is completely new and unique, in that the Link here isn't the Link we've come to know and love yet, this being a prequel to the rest of the series. The worlds and peoples (aside from the Gorons, it seems) are totally new, with new dungeons and music. I won't go into too much detail here, as I'd rather talk about its qualities that make it akin to an Anime.

For one, the characters and character development: You can't deny that Groose is one of the best new characters in the Zelda-verse. Secondly, I consider a great Anime one that connects to me emotionally and makes me cry - no video game has ever done that before this one. I got misty-eyed twice while playing. Also the writing, especially the dialogue, is the best of the series, I think. Twilight Princess had good writers, too, so some of them must have signed on to write this one as well. And finally, it's the story to establish all the stories to come, you can't very well beat that; Now we know why there's a bird in the Hylian crest, why link always wears a green tunic and cap, how the master sword came to be, and who Zelda and Ganondorf really are. It ties everything up just so nicely.

I love me a good Zelda game, and I think this one now tops my list. Can't wait for the next one!

Natsume Yujin-cho

Truth be told, I wasn't excited about this show after watching the first episode. But after giving it a second shot, I was hooked. This is probably the sweetest Anime ever made, and I can't get enough of it. I'm almost done with the third season before moving onto Natsume Yujin-cho Shi, and I don't want it to end!

I absolutely love the relationship between Natsume and Madara/Nyanko-Sensei, even though Madara says he doesn't like humans and the only reason he's hanging around Natsume is to eventually eat him and take the Book of Friends - but we all know that isn't true. Their friendship deepens with every episode, and I have the feeling that Madara was once close to Reiko, Natsume's grandmother, in the same way. Madara is absolutely hilarious when he's in his Maneki Neko Nyanko-Sensei form, and has me laughing out loud constantly.

I love an anime that touches me emotionally to the point of making me cry, and this one is one that does. But unlike Jigoku Shoujo, which induces tears because it is so heart-wrenchingly sad, Natsume makes me cry because it is just that sweet. Episode 8, "Fleeting Light," about Hotaru the Firefly was one such and just so happens to be my favorite episode thus far. The ending may have been somewhat bittersweet, but it got to me in such a way that made me feel good, not sad.

I can't wait to see what happens to Nastume and his Youkai, and to learn what happened to Reiko and just who she really was.

[*Edit*]
There had better be a Natsume Season 5 coming! I intend to read the Manga to get the answers to my questions that Yujin-cho Shi neglected to give. But still, I want to see it in Anime! *hmph*

Subs vs. Dubs?

Because I got into Anime by watching an American show (Avatar: TLA) on Netflix, the next Animes I watched were Netflix recommendations. Now, most Anime on Netflix is dubbed, with a few exceptions. I started with Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl), which just so happened to be dubbed. Netflix only had the first season, though, so when I went online to watch the following shows, I had to watch the third season subbed. Because I'd gotten used to watching it dubbed, this annoyed me; the voices were different, the translation was different, and I couldn't multi-task, as I had to sit there the whole time and read the subtitles. It wasn't until much later that I learned to like subs better, when I got into Naruto Shippuden, and dubs were no longer available.

[Note: By the way, I always hated Naruto's American voice - I thought she was way to gravelly. I like Junko Takeuchi much better. But I liked Might Gai's and Rock Lee's voices better dubbed; they were so funny.]

As it is now, I can't stand dubs. I feel like sometimes something is lost in translation with dubs. But the thing that bothers me most is the pronunciation. You'd think there would be a language coach teaching these people how to pronounce Japanese words correctly, but I guess not, as they're allowed to butcher words to their hearts' content, apparently. The only dubs I don't really mind are the ones with few Japanese words in them to begin with, like Canaan or Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler), or ones that actually take the time to teach their actors to pronounce things the right way, like FLCL.

[Note: I actually love J. Michael Tatum's Sebastian in Kuroshistuji, but he's the only American voice I thought did any good in that dub, mostly because he can actually do a British accent.]

Recently, after watching Kuroshitsuji dubbed on Netflix, I thought, "Well, maybe dubs aren't quite as bad as I thought..." and tried to watch D Gray-man... which I thought was a little ridiculous and couldn't make it past the third episode. But besides the fantastical story, what bothered me most was how everyone in the dub kept saying "uh-KOO-muh" instead of "AH-ku-ma." Annoyance shot through me like a jolt of lightning every time they said it, and I just couldn't take it!! COME ON, American voice actors, you could at least try a little bit, right?!

I recently finished InuYasha, including the movies, and decided, "What the hell, maybe I'll watch the dub now," but aside from just preferring especially Inuyasha's Japanese voice to the American one, the mispronunciation drove me insane! "kuh-GOH-may" instead of "KAH-go-meh", "nuh-RAH-koo" instead of "NAH-ra-ku"... ugh. It's like when people say "nuh-ROO-toh" for "NAH-ru-to", annoyance lightning.

Japanese is not a very complicated language, and it irks me beyond words when Americans butcher it. If you're going to voice a Japanese show, the least you could do is ask someone if you're saying the Japanese words right... right? I think so. It just seems so... American to me, to mispronounce foreign words so ignorantly.

[Note: Also the way some of the characters in Feudal Japan spoke, like Kaede - "Who be ye?" - was just annoying. Like in the Spice and Wolf dub, where they try to make the English sound dated because of the time period. I find that obnoxious. It's a cartoon, nothing will be lost by speaking modern English, imo.]

Mirai Nikki

Delving into more new Anime territory, between new episodes of Bleach and Naruto, and finishing off the first series of Natsume Yujin-Cho, I discovered Mirai Nikki (The Future Diary) on Hulu.

It has been likened to Death Note, and when I started watching it, that's the first thing that popped into my head, although it's quite a bit more exciting, and more violent, than Death Note.

I wasn't very intrigued by the description:

 "One day, Yukiteru discovers that his cell phone "diary" can now tell him the events of the future," was all that was given on the Hulu Plus channel on my Wii; but that changed after I watched the second episode. The first episode is a far cry from the rest of the series, basically just setting up the events to follow; after watching the second, I was hooked - it's an edge-of-your-seat thriller with complex interwoven story-lines, multi-dimensional characters, and beautiful animation. The only character I think could be better-developed is the main protagonist, Yukiteru Amano. He seems to stay pretty true-to-form and doesn't experience much of a character arc (to date, maybe that will change, I haven't read the Manga), but as he is "the observer," I guess that's to be expected. When I started watching, I didn't realize this show was ongoing - and I'm dying to see what happens!

The only thing that bothers me is the choice that Funimation made to censor it. It's obviously a violent Anime, even with the censorship, and preceding each episode on Hulu, there's a disclaimer stating that it's intended for mature audiences, but then it's censored... I hate censorship - with all the violent/adult Anime out there, they think we can't handle it? It's condescending - not to mention distracts from the viewing experience. For example, at one point, a character has her forearm cut off, and I had to rewind it because I didn't know what had been cut; or when entire images are edited out for gore, making it indiscernible what the character is seeing...

I think it's one of the best thrillers since Death Note, and I don't really understand people's complaints about it - sure Yuki is a little flat and dense; so ignore him and enjoy the beautiful animation, intricate story, and gory fight scenes. There are plenty of other dimensional characters to redeem the show of Yuki. I guess we'll have to wait for it to be released on DVD to see it uncensored, but until then, I look forward to the finale!

Avatar: The Legend of Korra

EEEEK! Avatar is baaaack! I just watched the leaked first episode, and although it isn't Aang, Katara, and Sokka getting into misdeeds whilst running from the Fire Nation, it's still Avatar and I can't wait to see what becomes of Korra. It's still funny, as is to be expected of Avatar, and I love Korra's fighting style.

This show was literally what got me into Anime in the first place (although I know it's an American show in the style of Japanese Animation, and not technically "Anime", it still can't be discounted from the ranks of the best Animes out there). I'm sooooo excited! I can't wait to watch it again in HD when it actually premieres on April 14th, and I can't WAIT to see what's in store!

What Happened to Byakuya?

Now that I'm finished with InuYasha,  I can catch up on my ongoing animes: Naruto and Bleach. Naruto is always good; I can't wait to see him fight with the Kyuubi's chakra! As for Bleach - it has never been my favorite show, especially since my favorite characters are no longer in it: Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Nel... and I was starting to get seriously tired of the Xcution storyline... But now it's getting good again!

I was missing the other Shinigami, and I'm glad Renji, Rukia, and Toushiro are back, finally! Plus, who'd have thought Byakuya would have become so cool? Byakuya, with the stick up his ass - cool? I'm a big fan of a lot of all the character design changes, but especially of the change in Byakuya's headgear, the hair, the new Shihakushou... when he appeared with the rest of the gang, through the Senkaimon, I did a double-take. He looked... kind of... (dare I say it?) ...hot. It feels almost wrong to say it... but it's true, as surprising as that is - Byakuya Kuchiki - hot. I'm happy that there's finally another aesthetically pleasing male character on Bleach since Grimmjow.

InuYasha, A New Favorite

My new obsession has been InuYasha. I know it's an oldie, but I just discovered it on Netflix, and it's such a goodie! I can't stop watching it!

Before I watch a new anime, I look it up on CrunchyRoll to see what people are saying about it. I'm surprised this one is so unknown; it doesn't even have 400 fans, and the page for it only has about 27 comments, be it all positive ones. I put off watching it because of this, and also because it's so long - 186 episodes - and when I get engrossed in an anime, I can think or do nothing else until I'm finished with it. Plus, it being on Netflix is a deterrent because the animes on there are usually dubs, and I prefer to watch the subs. CrunchyRoll doesn't have it, and I was without Internet for awhile...

Anyway, I'm glad I started! I freakin' LOVE this show! My prediction was right, and I haven't been able to stop watching it; after only a couple of days, I'm already into the 100's. Sure, the animation is a little crude at the beginning; the fight scenes are not very complex, filled with a lot of action-stills with flashing backgrounds; there are a lot of googly-eyed stills; but what the show lacks in animation, it more than makes up for in character development.

The story is your typical textbook shounen anime: a schoolgirl and a half-demon have to scour the countryside of feudal Japan in search of shards of a sacred jewel, which they need to assemble to defeat the story's main antagonist, the demon Naraku. But the characters are really why you watch this one. Although it's technically considered a shounen anime (and it definitely fits that category, with the action and violence), I think there are some elements of shoujo in there too, what with the main protagonist being a young girl and all the romance that ensues.

Of course, Kagome and Inuyasha fall in love; I mean, how could they not, spending every minute together? But it gets more complicated with the appearance of Inuyasha's dead ex-girlfriend. Love triangles abound in InuYasha, and make for some very emotional moments, not to mention great fun.

It's super funny, too, and has me laughing out loud constantly. Unlike with shows like Naruto, I don't mind the filler episodes in InuYasha because they're rife with the character, romance, and comedy that are the reasons I love this anime. And the reason all fangirls watch animes: the hot guys - I dare you not to fall for Mikoru, despite his lecherous actions. While Inuyasha himself I wouldn't consider 'hot', he's kind of cute when he's in human form, but it's his devotion to Kagome, and even Kikyo - though I hate her, that makes him so sweet you can't help but love him.

[edit - I don't think he's as smart or thinks things through as much as Kagome gives him credit for ;)]

So while I finish watching the last 80 episodes and get started on my Sango cosplay, have a good weekend :)

Animenia!

So here's my new anime blog. I watch a lot of anime and I have so many opinions to share that I had to create a blog about it. If you're an anime lover like myself, look forward to some fun discussions in the near future!

xox,
Beckett