Anime Blog 58: He is my Master

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He_Is_My_Master

He is my Master is a 12 episode Shonen that I watched subbed.

So, premise of the story: 14 year old boy (Yoshitaka) is uber-rich since his parents died. He fires all of the maids at his mansion and puts out an ad for new ones. 2 runaway sisters (Izumi and Mitsuki) take the job. Yoshitaki is an obvious perv and is (strangely) a genius when it comes to sewing...however he makes lots of cosplay outfits that he makes the girls wear and all the skirts are just barely long enough to cover the important parts...

This show was hilarious! The younger sister (Mitsuki) has a pet alligator named Pochi...why you ask? WHY NOT!?

Then of course there's Anna...She's the 3rd maid that shows up at Yoshitaka's house...and she's in love with Izumi...yup and she's crazy :D (Izumi disapproves of course, otherwise where would all the drama be?)

So I really enjoyed this show. It was funny, it was ecchi, it was adorable. It ended well (from what I recall) and the art was cutsey. So what's not to like?

So, art!

(LtoR: Anna, Izumi, and Mitsuki)

So time for pros and cons!

Pros:

• Cute
• Nice art
• Cosplay outfits!
• Just pervy enough without going too over the top
• Pochi (I mean who wouldn't want an awesome pet alligator?)*

Cons:

• I can't think of any :)

All in all, I say watch it if you're into a little bit of ecchi :D

*I don't mean a real alligator of course, that would be a bit dangerous :D

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 57: Haru wo Daiteita

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embracing_Love

Alright, (here's your yaoi warning!) Haru wo Daiteita is a 2 episode OVA that I watched subbed (of course!)

The story follows 2 porn stars, Iwaki and Katou as they audition for a role and also maintain a relationship. It's funny because I don't really remember this anime very well, however I do remember Winter Cicada (a blog for another time) which is actually the show the 2 actors are auditioning for. So Winter Cicada is the drama that the 2 of these characters are playing in...it's like anime-ception except of course...never mind, way too complicated...

As I've mentioned before, I keep an anime database (and if I haven't mentioned this before...oops) and in this database I also write down thoughts I have about the show. The thought for this show was: "This was cute :D My fave part was the end w/ the whole "Why are you so stupid!?" It was adorable!"

So apparently it ended well!

I do remember bits and pieces but the art sorta bothered me with this show. It wasn't bad but I think it was the chins...

art!

(L-R: Katou and Iwaki)

So yeah. Time for pros and cons!

Pros:

• Yaoi, as always
• Interesting idea to use the porn industry
• Connection to Winter Cicada
• Not bad art

Cons:

• Not very memorable.

That's really all I've got for cons so I'd definitely say: Watch It!

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 56: Hand Maid May

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_Maid_May

Hand Maid May (HMM) is a ten episode series with 1 OVA that I watched subbed.

So, no lie. I watched this because of the clip from AMV Hell 3 that paired this show with the song Faded by Soul Decision. [if you're curious it's anime #43 and it's from 13:05-13:15 in between Read or Die and Super Sentai) XD

So basically this college kid (Kazuya) wants to create a robot. His classmate gives him a computer program that's apparently awesome. It's a virus. While trying to remove it from his computer, Kazuya accidentally orders a "cyberdoll" Hello May! Of course Kazuya can't pay for her so the company sends more "cyberdolls" to either retrieve May or Kazuya's money. They all fall in love with him of course...and it just goes from there :D

The OVA was an episode where Kazuya receives a box of 5 Mini-Mays...that all with different parts of her personality :D

1 college guy + 3 (4?) hot robots + jealous neighbor/girlfriend = shonen anime in a nutshell :D

I really liked this show, it was really cute and my persona (Kei) is actually the name of one of the Cyberdolls. (yes...it's sorta where I got it...it's more complicated I suppose but w/e)

So, as is what's really important...ART!

(LtoR: May (with Kazuya's Doraemon on her head), Kei, Kasumi, and Rena)

 

 

It's just so pretty :D

 

So, pros and cons:

 

Pros:

• Really cute shonen
• Kei
• Pretty art
• Interesting story
• ...AMV Hell 3 clip...

Cons:

• Little confusing at times

That's about it from what I recall :D

 

Well, that's it for this go round!

Thanks for reading, until next time,

 

~Kei

Anime Blog 55: Black Butler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Butler

Alright so Black Butler is a 46 episode series with 7 (minus book of murder) OVAs and a Live Action film that I watched subbed.

So BB. Rich English kid(Ciel)'s parents are killed, he's kidnapped and tortured, he summons a demon (Sebastian) who becomes his butler and will devour his soul once Ciel's revenge is complete. Story in a nutshell. There's more to it I suppose but saying anymore just ruins half the plot.

So this has been on my "to watch" list for over 3 years...just finished watching it. Overall my impressions:

• Season 1: "this show is pretty good actually. Especially considering all the hype it got a couple years ago. I'm enjoying this."
• Season 2: "I really don't like this guy (Alois). OMG this just turned into some raunchy sh*t with all this hand/fingers-in-mouth BS. Why am I watching this in the living room again!? Wow...what a twist of an ending. Poor guy. HA!"
• Season 3: "Oh this is cool. Although I hate it when a season actually takes place in the middle of a previous season but hey, the whole circus idea is neat." At the End: "well that was a completely pointless season..."

At least the season 2 OVAs were hilarious :D

So as for the live action film...FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T WATCH IT!
It's not even Ciel, it's some girl pretending to be a boy and there's some weird storyline involving illegal and experimental drugs. It doesn't take place in Victorian England but in some weird futuristic Eastern city. It basically took everything that made season 1 of the show so good and threw it out the window. It's also apparently made by Warner Brothers Japan. I didn't even know there WAS a WBJapan...The fight scenes were cool...I guess?

But for all of you who have been reading this blog...what really matters is the art :D

(Ciel and Sebastian)

I decided to go with a pic of just the main characters :D

And surprisingly I really enjoyed the opening for Book of Circus:



So yeah. Pros and cons!

Pros:

• Really nice art
• Intriguing plot
• Sebastian...
• Demon-involvement
• KITTIES! (if you've seen BB, you know what I mean!)
• OVAs = hilarity

Cons:

• Season 2
• Alois
• The Live Action Movie

Yeah, so my advice. Watch seasons 1&3. Look up S2 spoilers.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 54: Gravitation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitation_(manga)

Ah, Gravitation. This was the first Shonen-ai manga I ever read. Then I discovered it had a 13 episode anime series with 2 OVAs. I've seen this both dubbed and subbed :D

So the story goes: a high-school boy (Shuichi) becomes a rockstar and falls in love with a romance novelist (Yuki) who just happens to be a jerk all around. Shuichi's work is 9 times out of 10 completely related to how the relationship between he & Yuki is going. The show also includes a rival band (that Shuichi idolizes) and crazy-secret-backstory!

The anime wasn't bad. I still don't really understand why Shuichi's hair is pink...but whatever. They definitely could have followed the manga better, but all in all it was a good adaptation. Also, the songs are AWESOME!

AND may I mention that Kazuhiko Inoue (who plays Kakashi-sensei on Naruto) plays Yuki in the sub....OMG I LOVE HIM!

Now, the only thing I have to say about the OVAs...NEVER, even in dreams, give Yuki a whip...it's just not right :D

So, ART!

(L:R: Sakano, Fujisaki, Hiro, Yuki, & Shuichi)

AND MUSIC!

(I picked my favorite song: Spicy Marmalade)

So, pros and cons:

Pros:

• Shonen-ai (as always)
• Good adaptation
• Awesome songs
• Really nice art
• ShuichiXYuki
• OMG love the manga
• The comedy in this show...
• There's more but I just can't put the "feels" in words :D

Cons:

• Should've followed the manga better (but what can we poor avid anime-fans do?) :D

Well that's all folks!
Thanks for reading!
Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 53: Bleach

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleach_(manga)

Alright, because the English dub of Bleach finally ended, I'm going to do my blog on Bleach this go round. The anime is 366 episodes over 16 seasons. There are 4 movies and 2 OVAs along with 8 different types of Omakes (the shorts at the end of the episodes).

So we all know the story of Bleach. Guy named Ichigo meets a "soul reaper" named Rukia, gets powers from her, fights hollows, and becomes the strongest character in the existence of characters ever...simply because he beats everyone else. (exaggeration? maybe)
[If you don't actually know the premise of this story, just read the wiki page because I don't feel like talking about it since the show isn't very cohesive story-line-wise)

I just want to start out by saying that I really enjoyed the first season of Bleach. Then when weird arcs started appearing (the bounts, that weird one with the new captain of squad 3, the fullbring.......) I got annoyed with the show. I can't believe it took 15 seasons to kill butterflaizen! (if you don't know who that is...Google it...seriously). By the time I reached season 16...I was done. The only reason I watched the crappy fullbring arc was because I knew it was the last season and I'm a slight completionist. The final arc sucked. But at least the ending was good.

Overall I liked the show for it's amazing cast of characters. I loved the zanpakuto arc (to an extent...the story on that one sucked) and I take pride in knowing such a large cast of characters by name (AND their zanpakutos!)

As for the art (since you all know how I feel about art), it definitely got better as the show went on.
So art comparison!

(Ichigo: Season 1 (L) & Season 16 (R) )

I decided just to use one picture of Ichigo...there are just too many characters in this show and I can't find one that I like of all of my favorites :)

Bleach also has some openings and an ending that I really like the music to!

Season 1 Opening:

Season 1 Ending:

Opening 5:

These are my faves!

Now it's time again for pros and cons:

Pros:

• Great cast of characters
• Typically good music for openings/endings
• Much improved art!
• Yoruichi & Urahara! (faves!)
• Zanpakutos
• Good first couple of seasons
• Good ending
• Omakes galore!

Cons:

• Got way too long
• Filler arcs had no connection and made no sense (esp. the Karakurizer crap...)
• Butterflaizen...enough said
• It just plain got ridiculous
• No cohesive storyline connecting all the arcs/seasons

That last con is a big one for me. There is another long show that I'll blog about later on (not mentioning it's name...*cough* *cough* it involves ninjas *cough* *cough* where at least it forms a cohesive storyline if you connect it all (esp. if you consider the filler as flashbacks). But whatever, that's for another blog.

It is a good show. I just personally don't care about a lot of the arcs...they were just a bit over-the-top...Glad it's over. Honestly the omakes were better than most of the show & that's just sad.

Well thanks for reading! Until next time!

~Kei

**Shipping addition: I ship IchigoXRukia, RenjiXRukia, ToshiroXMomo, UraharaXYoruichi, and sometimes IchigoXRenji (or vice-versa)...**

Anime Blog 52: Good Witch of the West: Astrea Testament

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Witch_of_the_West

Alright. Good Witch of the West (GWW) is a 13 episode Shonen series that I watched subbed.

The story revolves around Firiel Dee and her best friend Roux Liskin. Firiel's mother had passed away and on her 15th birthday she received her mother's necklace as a gift. In this kingdom a ball is thrown for the Queen's birthday and all 15-year-olds are invited. Firiel wears her mother's necklace. The necklace is recognized at the party as belonging to the royal family, making Firiel a princess and inserting her into the line for the throne. She is sent to a school where all who are in line for the throne attend where everyone is trying to come out on top.

I really like this show. It was one of the first series that I ever watched. I really like Roux and his bug-eyed glasses :D It was an adorable and romantic story with plenty of "OMG MEAN GIRLS" happening. And cutthroat people trying to attack the candidates for the throne. Plus the art was really cute!

ART:

 

 Firiel

 

 

Roux

 

 Adel (Firiel's friend)

THE ART IS SO CUTE!

Anyway, time for pros and cons.

Pros:

• Cute art
• Adorable story
• Roux's glasses XD
• Short with a good ending

Cons:

• There was 1 really nasty character that I didn't like...but that's just how anime goes :D
• That's really it though.

So Watch it!

Thanks for reading! Until Next Time!

~Kei