Anime Blog 94: Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku

Lucky Star Wiki

Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku is a 10 episode OVA spin-off series of Lucky Star!
(to read my Lucky Star post click HERE)

The story is simple: Hikage Miyakawa lives with her older sister Hinata. Hinata is an otaku...and she constantly spends all of their money on otaku items (mostly doujinshi...).

This show is so friggin adorable! The episodes are really short (between 5-7 mins I believe) and so it's very easy to get through. My favorite part is that they pay for the ending song themselves so it doesn't actually get finished until episode 6!

The show is super-cute and even has some cameos of the Lucky Star cast :D

The art is just like Lucky Star's:

Hinata and Hikage

The ending is totally one of my faves now!

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Lucky Star spin-off
• Short episodes
• Cute art
• OTAKU LIFE!
• Ending song :D
• Friggin Hinata!

Cons:

• Ha! none.

So all-in-all, if you are a fan of Lucky Star--watch this! It's cute and won't take up too much of your time!

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 93: Mirage of Blaze

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage_of_Blaze

Do we need a shonen-ai warning?

Mirage of Blaze is a 13 episode Shonen-ai series with a 3 episode OVA series.

So I'm going to start by saying that I borrowed the DVD set for this from my brother's girlfriend and watched it in college...and strangely, I don't remember too much about it other than that I didn't much care for it and felt confused a lot...

That said: the story follows Takaya, a normal high schooler, who finds out he's actually not that normal; he's the reincarnation of Lord Kagetora (some dude from the past) and this other guy (Naoe?) who awakens Takaya's memories (well some of them) and then the 2 are fighting a war? Preventing a war? I really don't know. Some ancient battle from the past is involved somehow.

I do recall Takaya having a lot of split personality issues (which is probably why I was confused a lot) and then there were some shonen-ai moments...I really can't remember them for some reason...hmm I'll have to YouTube it.

Then the OVAs, from what I can recall, are like a sequel to the show and the ending just sucked. It was another one of those "alright this is what we're going to do!--END" kind of things that drive me insane!

But oh well. I only watched it because my brother's girlfriend suggested it...never borrowed anything from her again.

So, art! (sorry, not the best pic)

Naoe and Takaya

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• hmmmm...it was short?
• Shonen-ai (as always?)

Cons:

• Confusing
• Not memorable at all

So there you have it. I'm sure the show is fine. Just wasn't my cup of tea.
Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 92: Maiden Rose

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_Rose

Ah the good ol' Yaoi warning. Here it is.

Maiden Rose is a 2 episode Yaoi OVA series.

So basically: fictional world WW1 involving the main characters: Klaus and Taki. Now when watching this show in 2011, my understanding of the plot was as follows: Klaus is Taki's knight and yet they're kinda like Romeo & Juliet because they're actually on opposite sides of the war but it seems like Klaus has betrayed his side and gone over to Taki's...also way too much rape involved. (and that's what it is...most of that didn't look totally consensual--just sayin').

What really kills me is Klaus' chin...I don't know why that bothers me so much but I just don't like it. Made me angry the whole show. Also, Klaus is played by Kazuhiko Inoue...whom I adore as a VA. :)

OH YEAH! and the chibis were cute!

So that's really all I have to say about this show. And other than Klaus' chin, the art wasn't bad:

Klaus and Taki

So, pros and cons:

Pros:

• Yaoi, as always
• Decent art
• Apparently the manga had (has?) an interesting storyline
• Kazuhiko Inoue

Cons:

• Klaus' chin
• Rape
• Confusing...

Only Kakashi-sensei made this worth watching for me :)

Thanks for reading everyone! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 91: MAR: Marchen Awakens Romance

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%84R

MAR is a 102 episode Shonen anime.

The story follows Ginta, a kind of geeky kid with glasses, who constantly dreams about a fantasy world called MAR: Heaven. Well, in the middle of class one day, Ginta gets sucked into the aforementioned fantasy world :D

Upon arriving in MAR: Heaven, Ginta suddenly gains super-strength and no longer needs his glasses. He meets a witch named Dorothy and after a little adventure (no spoilers!) he gains a special ARM (pronounced air-um--a special accessory that is imbued with magic power) named Babbo (he's special because he can talk and has a will of his own).

MAR: Heaven is in danger. There is a group, called the Chess Pieces, who are trying to take over MAR: Heaven. Ginta travels with Babbo and his goal is to defeat the Chess Pieces. This is done tournament-style (Mortal Kombat anyone???). Ginta gains many allies and enemies along the way.

I really love this show. I watched it when it came on Toonami but I finished it my Freshman year of college. Honestly the whole time I was watching it in 2010 I was like "dude...I feel like Alviss sounds like Sasuke from Naruto..." Lo and behold, he's played by Yuri Lowenthall!
But moving on, I loved the idea of the bad guy's rank being based on Chess Pieces...that's actually how I learned what the pieces on a chess board were (shhhh...don't tell anyone that!).
I didn't like Ian at first but by the end he was one of my favorite characters and I love Alan's aversion to cats! There were just so many awesome characters!
AND: just to list a few big names, Spike Spencer plays Ginta, Wendee Lee plays Dorothy, Dave Wittenberg plays Kannochi, and Vic Mignogna Plays Alibaba.

There are so many fairy tale references in this show, it's fun to pick them all out! To name just a couple obvious ones from the list above: Dorothy & Toto from The Wizard of Oz, Alibaba from Alibaba and the Forty Thieves, and Alviss' companion fairy, Belle from Peter Pan.

Such a fun show! So, time for art!

Jack, Dorothy, Snow, Ginta, Babbo, Alviss (Belle above Alviss' shoulder), Nanashi, Alan, and Edward (the dog)

The English ending for MAR is one of my favorites of all time! "GENTLEMAN-I COMMAND YOU!" & "SIC'EM TOTO!" are the best lines EVER!

Time for pros and cons!

Pros:

• Great story
• Good art
• So many awesome characters
• Lots of great VAs
• Good ending (very important to me!)
• Great Eng. Ending

Cons:

• ummm...well. The only con I can think of is the typical: Those doggone annoying characters that I really don't like...and there were a number of them...Phantom, Halloween, Candace, Peta, Chimera...basically the whole Knight Class!

So, my opinion: watch it! Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 90: Lucky Star

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Star_(manga)

Lucky Star is a 24 episode Shonen with an OVA episode.
**there is also a 10 episode OVA spin-off series called Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku

I'm going to start by saying that I ADORE this show! It's just so cute!

Lucky Star really doesn't have a cohesive plot line. It's episodic and that's what I love about it, each episode can really stand alone for the most part :D The show is SUPER slice-of-life and I just love that it's an anime that makes fun of anime.

In the English dub, the main character Konata is played by the same woman who plays Yoruichi in Bleach! And both her Japanese and English voice actresses played Haruhi Suzumiya as well :D

So the story follows 4 high school girls, Konata, Tsukasa, Kagami, and Miyuki. Other girls are introduced later in the series. That's pretty much the whole story right there :D So many Haruhi Suzumiya references!

So, art!

Tsukasa, Konata, Kagami, and Miyuki

Ayano, Patricia, Tsukasa, Yutaka, Konata, Kagami, Minami, Miyuki, Hiyori, and Misao

Also, Lucky Star has one of my favorite anime openings!

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• SOL
• ADORABLE!
• Episodic
• Anime making fun of anime
• Awesome opening!

Cons:

• ...cons...hmmm....

So there you have it! It's really cute and easy to watch! Don't forget to watch the endings for the after the credits specials!

Thanks for reading! Until next time!

~Kei

Anime Blog 89: Ichigo Mashimaro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Marshmallow

Ichigo Mashimaro is a 12 episode Seinen with 5 OVAs.

The show follows Nobue, a 20 year old still living at home, her sister Chika and Chika's friends Miu, Matsuri, and Ana (Ana is an English girl who has lived in Japan so long she can no longer speak English).

The show is very slice-of-life, it just follows the 5 girls throughout normal daily life doing everyday things (going to school, not doing summer homework, building a snowman around Christmas...etc.)
It's so friggin KAWAII! The show honestly doesn't have much substance but it's just cute, light, and fluffy. Episode 12 almost made me cry because Matsuri still believes in Santa and although the rest of the girls don't, they try to make sure Matsuri keeps believing. XD

The OVAs were a sequel to the show itself and they're really cute. The only problem is that I could only find links on YouTube and all of them are Spanish Subbed. I can get the gist of it...but I totally wish they were English Subbed... :(

All-in-all, super cute show. And it's short so it's good to watch, especially after watching lots of serious stuff :D

ART!

Miu, Matsuri, Ana, Chika, and Nobue

So, pros and cons:

Pros:

• Cute, fluffy
• SOL
• Cute art
• Adorable characters
• Short and easy to watch

Cons:

• I can't think of any cons for this show :D
• Except maybe Miu...I would so NOT be her friend :D
• OVAS NEED ENGLISH SUBS!

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 88: Loveless

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loveless_(manga)

Loveless is a 12 episode Shonen-ai that has 6 little mini-OVAs titled "Good Morning Loveless-kun!"

The show follows Ritsuka, a 12 year old boy in this very strange world of cat ears and tails. In this world, people have cat ears and tails until they lose their virginity (they are then considered adults). There's also this confusing fighting with words aspect of the show that I didn't really understand too well while I was watching it. But it's important because the fighting is done in a team using a sacrifice (in this case Ritsuka) and a fighter (in this case a 20 year old named Soubi).

Ritsuka meets Soubi and Soubi claims to have known Ritsuka's brother (who died before the show starts), they form this fighting team and stumble their way through, because although Soubi is experienced at this, Ritsuka is brand new. These people have "true names" that are used in this fighting, Ritsuka's is Loveless (TITLE DROP!) and Soubi's is believed to be Beloved because it is carved into his neck (if you read the wiki page you'll discover that this is however, incorrect and it will tell you the real answer, not that it mattered in the anime).

The OVAs are little shorts about 2 minutes long. From what I recall they were kind of recaps and just little funny moments. They're sort of in a chibi-esque style. I can't remember where I watched them but I did find them on YouTube (Spanish subbed) and they're all there.

I watched this because a friend of mine suggested it...I didn't care for the ending (I suppose it left space for a sequel...) and that always ruins my impression of an anime. Overall I just thought this was weird.

ART:

Ritsuka and Soubi

So, pros and cons.

Pros:

• Decent art
• Unique
• KITTY FEATURES!

Cons:

• Hard for me to understand the plot
• Bad ending
• Does this show count as Shota??? (12 year old and a 20 year old...)

Yeah. So. It's not on my "I highly recommend this" list...

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 87: Love Stage!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Stage!!

So, here's the yaoi warning!

Love Stage!! is a 10 episode yaoi with 1 (ADORABLE) OVA.

The story goes that Izumi is the son of 2 famous showbiz parents...but he wants to be a mangaka (despite failing at art)...when he was a child his parents starred in a wedding commercial, but the girl who was supposed to be the flower girl didn't make it so the cast dressed Izumi as a girl for the commercial. He played alongside a little boy by the name of Ryoma. Ryoma is now a super-model! and has always been in love with the little girl from the commercial...the network decides to do an anniversary commercial using the same actors as before just all grown up...this relationship begins.

Also involved is Izumi's older brother, Shogo, who is a rock star. And the family's butler/assistant? Rei. Apparently there's a secret relationship there....oooooh.

I REALLY love this show! The art is friggin awesome, the story is cute, and all-in-all...I just want more of it. I like this show so much that the manga is on my Amazon Wishlist...I want to own it.

Also for those who watch the show, don't forget to watch the OVA, it's so cute and just really makes me happy!

As for the important bits...ART!

Shogo, Ryoma, Izumi, & Rei

Now time for pros and cons:

Pros:

• Great art
• Cute story
• Izumi in a wedding dress
• Ryoma
• RyomaXIzumi
• This whole show

Cons:

• MORE PLEASE!

There are no other cons to this show. So for all fans out there...WATCH IT!

Thanks for reading, Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 86: Level C

My Anime List.com Page

HERE'S THAT YAOI WARNING!

Level C is a 1 episode Yaoi OVA.

The story is simple: Salary-man Kazuomi shacks up with High School-age model Mizuki. There you go. Whole story in one simple sentence. The sad thing is there really isn't much more to say about this show...that really is all there was to it. On the fun side however, this show is unique in the fact that the penis' are invisible...yes. Invisible...hahahahahaha! This was my greatest source of enjoyment for this show...made me laugh so friggin hard!

So to quote myself once again from my anime list: YOU JUST MET THE GUY! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM!? NOTHING! THAT'S WHAT! Otherwise…invisible penis…lol.

That's how I felt about the show right after watching it. So there really isn't more to say on that subject.

But, art!

Mizuki and Kazuomi

Time for pros and cons:

Pros:

• Yaoi, as always
• Does invisible penis go here???

Cons:

• SERIOUS lack of plot
• Sadly not memorable for anything other than the invisi-penis...

...that's about it for Level C. If you're a die-hard Yaoi fan, watch it. If not...just watch the clip with the invisi-penis; it's the only good part.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 85: Lesson XX

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesson_XX

Lesson XX is a 1 episode yaoi OVA (HERE'S THE WARNING!)

Lesson XX wasn't the most interesting of yaois to watch but it was ok from what I remember. Kind of like a typical 2 best friends falling in love story. The two characters, Shizuka and Sakura, are sorting out their feelings for one another...and that's basically the whole storyline.

I've mentioned my anime list before and just to throw out there, my comment on Lesson XX was " But for real...who has a communal sized shower in their house? Nobody, that's who..."
After reading the wiki page I discovered they were at a boarding school...which somehow I didn't pick up when I was watching the show...

So it's from 1995 so the art is...eh...

Shizuka and Sakura

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Yaoi
• Kind of cute

Cons:

• Pretty much no story

That's about it, well thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 84: Legend of the Blue Wolves

Anime News Network

Alright, Legend of the Blue Wolves (AKA: Hot Space Cowboys) is a 1 episode Yaoi OVA (HERE'S YOUR YAOI WARNING!)

So...humans living in space, fighting aliens bit. Jonathan, a soldier, is passed around the base as a sextoy (from what I recall) and ends up sleeping with this really fat guy...ugh that was disturbing...
I can't remember exactly how he falls in love Leonard but he does and the two have a relationship which ends in them being sent to separate places due to the alien war. I'll just say now that the show doesn't end happily and makes me feel even worse for Jonathan than I already did...

Now this show is on the level of Sensitive Pornograph in that it is graphic and is not censored. Just wish that hadn't wasted that on the nasty dude...just saying.

This is another one of those shows that I watched just because I was on a kick in 2012 to watch every Yaoi anime out there (I've almost succeeded BTW). This isn't something I think I'll ever watch again...IMO.

So. Art:

Leonard and Jonathan

Now for pros and cons:

Pros:

•  Yaoi, as always
• ...Space Yaoi???

Cons:

• That nasty dude
• Crappy ending
• ...no seriously...I really dislike the ending

So, That's it for this one. Next up is a long string of Yaoi anime (because for some reason they all fall alphabetically...???) Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 83: Kono Danshi, Sekika ne Nayandemasu

AnimeNewsNetwork Page

Alright, Kono Danshi, Sekika ne Nayandemasu is a 1 episode yaoi OVA that I watched subbed.

Another show in the "Kono Danshi" series, this one follows high schooler Tamari who had to repeat the school year due to a weird illness he has that makes parts of him turn into crystal when he gets really emotional. This makes it hard for him to interact with his classmates. However, his homeroom teacher, Onihara, has a fascination with geology & loves crystals so Tamari talks with him about his illness.

It's a really cute story and I like the way it progresses. It's my second-fave in the "Kono Danshi" series (the first of course being the Boy who fell in love with the Merman) :)

Also, the VA who plays Onihara (Daisuke Hiragawa) is the VA who plays Rei in Free!, Rei in Love Stage!!, & Irie Naoki in Itazura na Kiss!

So, as usual, art! Which is still swirly & kinda pointy :)

Tamari & Onihara

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Cute Story
• Interesting idea
• Yaoi (as always)

Cons:

• I just wish there was more! :)
• And by Yaoi we all know I mean Shonen-ai...if 1 kiss counts :)

Thanks for reading, Until Next Time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 82: Kono Danshi, Ningyo Hiroimashita

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14190

Alright Kono Danshi, Ningyo Hiroimashita (This Boy Caught a Merman) is a 1 episode Yaoi OVA that I watched subbed (There's that warning).

The episode follows Shima who has lost his grandfather and lives alone accidentally drops the picture of his grandfather into the ocean. He jumps in to save it and almost drowns. He is saved by a merman that he later names Isaki. Shima pours his heart out to Isaki and Isaki promises to stay by his side so he moves in to Shima's house. (He has the cutest little pools!). Their relationship develops from there :D

It was super cute! And it made so much more sense than Kono Danshi Uchuujin to Tatakaemasu...so much more sense...

The art style is similar:

Isaki and Shima

So. Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Yaoi...(well at least according to the manga...this was more shonen-ai)
• Merpeeps!
• Cute story
• Cute art

Cons:

• Why there no more!?

So that's it for now! Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 81: Kono Danshi Uchuujin to Tatakaemasu

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=13312

Kono Danshi Uchuujin to Tatakaemasu (AKA: This Boy Can Fight the Aliens) is a 1 episode "yaoi" OAV (There's the warning...even though it doesn't really need it)

So forgive me if I'm a little rusty, I watched this OAV in 2012. But I do recall that the world is under attack by aliens and this guy (named Arikawa) finds a dude on a hill whose name is Kakashi (I remember that due to Kakashi-sensei from Naruto!) and apparently Kakashi can defeat the aliens...but he has amnesia and can't recall how to use his power.

There was only 1 episode and it didn't do a very good job explaining the story (from what I remember) but my favorite part of the show/the best part IMO (*SPOILER*) was at the very end when Kakashi's phone finally comes back on and he finds out the reason he hasn't been getting messages, and thus the reason he thinks no one misses him, is because he forgot to pay the phone bill! (*END SPOILER*)

So, it was kinda cute, def. not Yaoi but cute. The art was interesting. Not bad. Just interesting.

Arikawa and Kakashi

So Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Funny phone thing
• Interesting art designs

Cons:

• Confusing as all get out

Nah. That's about it. Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 80: K-ON!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-On!

K-ON! is a 2 season 36 episode Seinen series with 2 special episodes, 2 OVAs, a movie, and 2 series of shorts. (it's longer than I recall it being...it was just so good it didn't seem that long I guess!)

So. A group of girls: Yui, Mio, Ritsu, and Mugi, re-start a music club at their high school (there used to be one in the past but it hadn't had members so it basically didn't exist anymore). They name their band, Afternoon Tea Time. Yui is on guitar, Mio is on bass, Ritsu is on drums, and Mugi is on the keyboard. Their advisor Sawa-chan-sensei was a member of the music club when she was at the school...of course then it was a lot different...(if you've seen it, you know what I mean...)

The next year, the girls have to get at least 1 new member to stay a club. Azusa joins :D (or Azu-nyan according to Yui) and she plays guitar as well. The show is just so doggone cute and the music is adorable! It's a good, graduating and passing on the club, story :D

So, ART!

L-R: Mugi, Azusa, Mio, Yui, and Ritsu

K-ON! also has one of my favorite openings!

Pros and Cons!

Pros:

• Cute cast
• Cute music
• Slice-of-Life
• Sawa-chan-sensei
• Cute story
• JUST PLAIN FRIGGIN CUTE!

Cons:

• ...cons...cons...nope, not ringing a bell ^_^

So there you have it! Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 79: Kodomo no Jikan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodomo_no_Jikan

Ok. So Kodomo no Jikan is a 15 episode Seinen anime with 4 OVAs that I watched subbed. It's also a loli...just as a warning :D

So. Aoki is a fresh-out-of-college elementary school teacher put in charge of a 3rd grade class. Rin, a 3rd grader, is in love with him and constantly tries anything and everything to get his attentions. This includes lifting up her skirts, making inappropriate comments, awkwardly falling from trees and landing on his face...etc.

Also, Rin's best friend is in love with her so there are some shojo-ai aspects as well.

So I know this is weird but by the end of the series I was actually rooting for this couple =_=

There is a censored version (which I watched) and an uncensored version of the anime. Yeah, have fun with that :D

So, as per usual, art!

Aoki and Rin

It's just so wrong that it's almost right...

SO, pros and cons!

Pros:

• Do you see that art!? friggin adorable!
• Rin is just so cute!
• I actually love Aoki's character
• Does loli go here???
• Telling you, by the end I was convinced!
• BTW show is friggin hilarious!

Cons:

• Does loli go here?
• What about fanservice? Does that go here or up there???

Yeah. So all-in-all not a bad thing :D

Thanks for reading! Until next time!

~Kei

Anime Blog 78: Kirepapa

Yaoi Wiki

HERE'S THAT YAOI WARNING!

Alrighty, Kirepapa is a 2 episode Yaoi OVA that I watched subbed on YouTube!

The story goes: Chisato has a son named Riju. He thinks that all of Riju's friends are out to molest him (Riju) so he has fun chasing them all off. One of Riju's friends, Shunsuke, doesn't fall for it and sticks around.

Well, it turns out that Riju has a boyfriend named Kakeru who is an actor in a TV drama based on Chisato's favorite author's series. Turns out, Shunsuke is actually that author. And all those friends who wanted to rape Riju (supposedly)...NOPE! They were after Chisato the whole time because he doesn't look a day over 18.

Chisato and Shunsuke begin their relationship just to find out that Shunsuke's father was Chisato's sempai in school...lots of emotions running rampant there...

To learn more...WATCH THE SHOW! IT'S AWESOME!

I've mentioned before my database notes. For Kirepapa it says: "Irony. This is an example of it." I really need to make better notes :D

So, art!

Chisato and Shunsuke

So. pros and cons.

Pros:

• Yaoi, as always
• IRONY!
• ART
• Cute story
• Riju is so adorable :D
• Did I mention the Irony?

Cons:

• I was going to say: "NEED MORE" but then I remembered that it ended on a pretty decent note...huh...

So there you have it! Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 77: Kimi Ni Todoke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimi_ni_Todoke

Kimi Ni Todoke is a 37 episode anime with a season 2 special episode and a Live Action Movie.

To start off I want to say that I read the first chapter of the manga when it released in Shojo Beat! when I was in high school and loved the idea. Then when it became an anime I fangirl screamed...

So the story goes that Sawako unfortunately looks like Sadako (the scary/creepy chick from The Ring) and so everyone thinks she's weird and avoids her except for her 2 friends: Ayane and Chizuru, Shota Kazehaya; a boy who she gave directions to on his first day of school, and Ryu Sanada (friends with Kazehaya and Chizuru).

It's a little obvious where the crushes lie but I think it's just so doggone cute! And realistic.
I don't know, maybe I just like slice-of-life way too much but I really liked how the storyline progresses and I even felt like the anime had a good ending :D

Now for the Japanese live action adaptation. I thought it was great! They picked really good actors (easy to do when everyone looks Japanese :P ) and I felt it was a good adaptation of the story. Definitely one of the best live actions I've seen :D

So, art!

Back Row: Ayane, Chizuru,& Ryu
Front Row: Kazehaya &Sawako

Live Action:

Left to Right: Sawako, Kazehaya, Chizuru, Ayane, Ryu, & Kurumi

So pros and cons.

Pros:

• Slice-of-life
• Realistic
• Adorable
• Love the characters
• Happy ending

Cons:

• There's always that one annoying character...

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

~Kei

Anime Blog 76: Ki*Me*Ra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimera_(manga)

Ok, so Ki*Me*Ra is a 1 episode Yaoi OVA (HERE'S THAT WARNING!) That I watched subbed.

I know I've mentioned before that I keep a database for my anime and that I make notes about each one. Well this was my note for Ki*Me*Ra: Well. Vampires, Hermaphrodites, and Androgyny…what more can a girl want? Very confusing.

So this guy named Osamu comes into contact with this androgynous vampire named Kimera. There are 2 other vampires in the show, one who wants to kill Kimera and one who wants to mate with him (her?) to produce babies since their race is dying.

Basically Osamu falls in love with Kimera (who BTW apparently is male but you get of shot of him(?) naked and it's completely like a Ken doll...) and refuses to kill him.

That's basically it. The story doesn't explain any more that it has to and it doesn't really lead to anything in the end. I feel like it's one of those "now go read the manga" things like Fish in the Trap (see anime blog 42).

So art:

Kimera and Osamu

So Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Yaoi (?????)

Cons:

• Confusion of story
• Androgyny

Yeah...that's kinda it.

So thanks for reading! Until next time!

~Kei

Anime Blog 75: Kekkaishi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kekkaishi

Kekkaishi is a 52 episode Shonen anime that I watched Dubbed on Cartoon Network when it aired in 2010 :D

Alright so the story is that Yoshimori and his neighbor Tokine are both Kekkaishis. Meaning they use barrier-type techniques to combat Ayakashi (basically demons) to protect a sacred land called Karasumori. Yoshimori and Tokine are rivals and of course each one has their merits. They also each have a demon dog that helps them and serves their families. Yoshimori's is Madarao and Tokine's is Hakubi (the dogs are rivals too).

There is an evil organization that is trying to take over the sacred land and also a group of demons forms for the same purpose. There is also another character who is part demon, named Gen. I really liked him. He was a pretty neat character. *SPOILER* I was super-sad when he died :(

But you really watch Yoshimori grow over the course of the show, and that really reminded me of Naruto and thus, I enjoyed it :D Also! The grandparents from each family are friggin hilarious! They too are rivals and are always bragging that their grandchild is the better one :D

I'll admit the reason I watched this show was 1: it came on Cartoon Network...so yeah. & 2: It looks almost like Kakashi :D

Random Trivia! In the English version, Yoshimori is played by Vic Mignogna.

So, art!

Tokine and Yoshimori

Also, Kekkaishi has one of my favorite anime openings! I just think the song is really cute and the opening is actually a good intro for the show.

Alright so time for pros and cons!

Pros:

• Interesting story
• Character growth
• Sounds like Kakashi XD
• Nice art
• Does Vic go here?
• Gen
• GRANDPARENTS!

Cons:

• *see SPOILER above*
• Love interest not fulfilled...grrr...I hate it when that happens!

So all in all, it's a really good show!

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 74: Kaze to Ki no Uta

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaze_to_Ki_no_Uta

Alright so here's the Shonen-ai warning!

Kaze to Ki no Uta is a 1 episode shonen-ai OVA that I watched subbed.

Honestly...the reason I watched this was: I was on a kick to watch all of the yaoi/shonen-ai anime that existed (basically). This was one that was listed and I found someone on YouTube who had it so I watched it...bad choice.

I'm not 100% what the point of the show was. I just remember that it took place at a Catholic school. And the main character, Serge, had to deal with a roommate, Gilbert, who was very questionable. He constantly snuck out, no one seemed to like him very much. The beginning heavily implies that he's sneaking out to have sex with other guys.

Gilbert apparently has a tortured background that explains why he acts the way he does but don't they all??? And to be honest. *SPOILER!!!!!* If I hadn't read the YouTube comments I wouldn't have understood that Gilbert had died and that's why Serge was coming back to visit the school and having all of these emotional flashbacks...didn't get that from the episode itself at all...

So. Art.

Gilbert and Serge

Those eyes man...creepy. It's like they have crazy beams in them!
Not the biggest fan of the art. It creeps me out for some reason.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Shonen-ai?

Cons:

• Creepy art
• Super-confusing story
• Gilbert
• Creepy eyes

Yeah...just don't watch it unless you've read the manga...then maybe it'll make sense :D

Thanks for reading! Until Next Time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 73: Excel Saga

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excel_Saga

Alright. Excel Saga is a 26 episode Seinen that I watched subbed.

If you've ever seen FLCL...this for some reason makes me recall that show with fond memories of not knowing what the heck was going on the entire time and not really caring...even by the end :D

So...Excel is a member of an organization called ACROSS that's goal is world domination. The leader of the group is Ilpalazzo who constantly either kills Excel or just throws her down trapdoors. Excel's kohai, Hyatt, is constantly dying and then reviving but she at least accomplishes her mission...or she would if Excel didn't mess it up...

Then there's this whole side story with the civil servants being knock-off power rangers lead by this guy with a weird mustache who apparently knows Ilpalazzo...??? Whatevs. But one of the civil servants, Watanabe, is in love with Hyatt but doesn't know she's working for evil!

Then there's another side story involving Pedro, a migrant worker, his son Sandora, his Sexy Wife (that's her name), That Man (seriously...they couldn't come up with a better name for this guy!?), and the Great Will of the Macrocosm (who is awesome and can randomly reset the storyline of the show if she wants to...).

And all of this is happening with both the director (Nabeshin) and the original creator (Rikdo Koshi) in the show themselves!

Also...Menchi (the dog) is an emergency food supply...so be sure to keep up with her!

This show was hilarious! I had a fun time watching it and actually just finished it about 5 mins ago :) (that's why I can write so much about it!). The last episode is seriously insane. They were going for "most offensive thing on TV"...well I wouldn't go as far as to say that it was the most offensive thing on TV but maybe it was in Japan...I'm American...we see stuff like that all the time :P

So. Random fun-facts: Shioji (the crazy loli-con scientist who keeps making Ropponmatsus) is played by Kazuhiko Inoue (who plays Kakashi-sensei in Naruto! Whom I ADORE!) and the main character, Excel, is played by Kotono Mitsuishi who is the voice of the original Sailor Moon (and she reprises her role in Sailor Moon Crystal :D )

So...ART:

Excel and Hyatt

I decided to just keep it simple and go with the main characters because otherwise it would just get confusing...

So, Excel Saga also has one of my favorite anime openings...why? Because it's just so strange and explains nothing...except maybe the lyrics...they make a little sense at the very end of the anime.

So time for pros and cons!

Pros:

• Hilarious!
• Good length
• All the gags
• Menchi
• Kazuhiko Inoue
• The Great Will of the Macrocosm (every anime needs one of these!)

Cons:

• Not 100% sure I understood the whole story...but who really cares!?

So, my suggestion: watch it. You'll at least get some good laughs :D

**Also. I totally ship ExcelxIlpalazzo**

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 72: Kannazuki no Miko

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannazuki_no_Miko

Alright, Kannazuki no Miko is a 12 episode Yuri that I watched subbed.

The story is that Himeko and Chikane attend the same high school. Turns out they are reincarnations of priestesses (Himeko - Solar and Chikane - Lunar). There's an ancient demon that awakens that the 2 are destined to fight. They regain their lost memories. And ultimate fight till the end, yadda, yadda...you get the point (ha! take that spoilers!)

Now what I absolutely love about this anime is a total spoiler...so BEWARE! That's your warning. What I love is that in the end the two girls lose their memories of each other but their feelings still exist. So when the 2 are reincarnated, they instinctively know they're supposed to be together. Turns out all these years they've kept finding their way back to each other to be together until the end. And I just think that is the most beautiful thing.

Now that the spoilers are done...art!

Chikane and Himeko

So. Pros and cons.
Pros:

• Beautiful story
• Really pretty art
• Does Yuri go here?
• Did I mention the beautiful background story?

Cons:

• There were some scenes...

So yeah. This show was really pretty and I definitely suggest it!

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 71: Kamichama Karin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamichama_Karin

Alright, Kamichama Karin is a 26 episode Shojo that I watched subbed.

So this story was kinda confusing from what I remember of it. Karin is in the 7th grade and she finds out that her mom's ring allows her to turn into the goddess Athena. There's also a boy named Kazune that has the ring of Apollo.

...what's really sad is that I recall lots of fight scenes (so this was probably similar to a Magical Girl) but I can't recall the plot whatsoever. All I really remember is that it was super cute and hard to understand at the time that I watched it. Everything else I remember about it would be spoilers o_o and we know how I feel about those!

So now for the real reason I watched this show....the ADORABLE ART!

Karin and Kazune

So, pros and cons.

Pros:

• ADORABLE art
• Interesting story concept
• GREECE!

Cons:

• Not very memorable...plot-wise

So yeah. That's that! Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 70: Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maid_Sama!

Alright, Kaichou wa Maid-sama! (Maid-sama) is a 26 episode anime with 1 OVA that I watched subbed.

The story goes, Misaki (the female student council president), is one tough cookie. She is very serious about her job. Due to her family's circumstances, she works part-time at a maid café. Uber popular guy at school, Usui, sees her there. And so the fun begins...

The story is really cute and it's an all-around fun anime to watch. Misaki and Usui have known each other forever but come from different circumstances and that makes it really cute and interesting. Also, this was another anime that made me hungry while watching it :D

I just wish they would've confirmed a certain coupling in the end (HA! TAKE THAT SPOILERS! I AVOIDED YOU!)

The OVA was cute too. It had to do with the dog. (watch it, you'll see who I mean).

So, as usual: ART!

Misaki and Usui

So time again for pros and cons:

Pros:

• Adorable shojo art
• Cute story
• MAID CAFE!
• Usui's hilarious...
• Good length

Cons:

• No confirmation...

Yeah...that's kinda it...

So, my advice...WATCH IT!

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 69: Kachou no Koi

http://animanga.wikia.com/wiki/Kachou_no_Koi

Here's that YAOI warning!

Alright. So I watched this 3 years ago so I'm a little rusty on it. But I do recall that it was a Flash Animation and it was only 1 episode.

The story follows Odakara (the boss) who is over 30 and has never had a girlfriend. The company hires a new guy named Harada and it's due to this guy that Odakara realizes he's gay. The two start a relationship and I recall the episode being cute but I've mentioned that I make notes on my list about shows right? My comment was: " So bad it was good" yeah...

So the art is ok...

Harada (back) and Odakara (front)

So yeah.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Yaoi (as always)
• Cute story
• The doggone squirrel!
• Funny

Cons:

• Flash Animation...
• Not very memorable...

So all together. It's cute and funny so if you like Yaoi, it's short and not hard to watch. You'll at least get a good laugh :D

Thanks for reading! Until Next Time!

~Kei

Anime Blog 68: Junjou Romantica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junjo_Romantica:_Pure_Romance

HERE'S YOUR YAOI WARNING!

Alright, so Junjou Romantica is a 3 season, 36 episode anime, with 1 OVA that I watched subbed.

The story follows 3 different (but connected) couples:

Junjou Romantica: Usagi is a famous author and Misaki is the younger brother of the love of Usagi's life. Although...things don't really turn out that way and somehow Misaki ends up living with Usagi...(who's real last name is Usami...) And don't get me started on Usagi's family...XD

Junjou Egoist: Nawaki is trying to become a doctor and happens to meet Hiro (Misaki's lit. professor and Usagi's old friend). They hit it off...or do they? They seem to fight a lot...

and Junjou Terrorist: Miyabi (Hiro's coworker) is divorced. His ex-wife's younger brother, Shinobu, is in love with him...there's a 17 year age gap...Miyabi says no. But Shinobu says yes!

I tried not to give anything away for those who haven't seen it (OMG WHY HAVEN'T YOU!?) But yeah :D

**UPDATE! I finished watching Season 3 and well, Funimation is the reason we got season 3...and with that...there are no sex scenes in season 3 like there were in 1 & 2. The screen just blacks out and the story moves on. This is regrettable but at the same time, I'm glad season 3 happened. The storyline was pretty cute :D

Also I forgot to mention...Miyagi is played by Kazuhiko Inoue...who plays Kakashi-sensei!!! (can't believe I forgot to mention that...I LOVE that man's voice)

So time for art again (not a fan of her seme's chins...)

L:R: Nowaki, Hiro, Misaki, Usagi, Miyabi, and Shinobu

But yeah...so pros and cons!

Pros:

• Yaoi
• Usagi
• Usagi's house
• All the adorable animals!
• Nowaki
• Cabbage (if you've seen it, you'll get it)
• The fact that all the characters are connected

Cons:

• Constantly switches from couple to couple...can be a bit disorienting at first
• The whole Usagi or Usami thing
• DOGGONE IT MISAKI...GET OVER IT!

YUP! Also, if you like this one, watch Sekaiichi Hatsukoi. It's a spin-off series (with more connecting characters!)--I'll eventually make a blog about that one too...

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 67: Itazura na Kiss

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

As a warning, this blog is gonna be kinda long.

Alright, Itazura na Kiss (INK) is a 25 episode anime with 4 different Live Action Drama series that I watched subbed and that I own the anime of.

The basic story is F class Kotoko has a crush on A class Naoki. She gives him a love letter, he rejects it. Due to circumstances her family moves in with him and from then on, many different emotions develop. Due to his genius nature, Naoki is cold and doesn't understand the concept of love whereas even though she isn't smart, Kotoko loves him no matter how mean he is. Naoki's mother tries to get them together and Kotoko's classmate Kin-chan loves her the same way she loves Naoki. LOVE TRIANGLE!

I really love this show! I've seen all the adaptations of it and some I love whereas 1 I dislike and 1 I think is weird :D

I'll also state here that the author died before she completed the manga. 3 of the dramas came out before the conclusion of the anime (where the author's husband found her notes and released the planned ending) so they have no conclusion in respect for the author.

So to start with the anime art!

Kotoko and Naoki

 

Then the first Japanese LAD was also titled Itazura na Kiss. It came out in 1996 and was only 9 episodes long...it went nowhere...I didn't really care for it.

Kotoko and Naoki

The next LAD was the Taiwanese series: It Started with a Kiss (30 eps) and it's sequal They Kiss Again (20 eps). I loved this series! It really did the story justice!

Zhi Shu (Naoki) and Xiang Qin (Kotoko)

Then the next LAD was the Korean series: Playful Kiss which ran for 16 episodes with a 7 episode sequel series. There was also a special 16 "episode" thing called Baek Seung-jo's Diary. This series was...for lack of a better word...weird. But it wasn't bad and I liked it well enough.

Oh Ha-ni (Kotoko) and Baek Seung-jo (Naoki)

Then the newest addition is the new Japanese adaptation that incorporates the actual ending. Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo just finished airing last month (?) It ran for a 16 episode S1 and 16 episode S2 along with a special episode titled: Mischievous Kiss: Love in Okinawa. This series really fights hard to beat ISWAK in my book. I really loved it too! It was AMAZING! I honestly can't pick a fave between them o_o

Naoki and Kotoko

 

So time for pros and cons!

 

Pros:

• So good it has 4 dramas
• ISWAK
• Love in Tokyo
• Awesome story
• Irie's mother
• Christine!
• All around AMAZING show!

Cons:

• well, it had to end didn't it? :(

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

 

~Kei









Anime Blog 66: It's a Family Affair

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6994

THIS IS YOUR HENTAI WARNING!

Now that that's out of the way. It's a Family Affair is a 2 episode Hentai OVA that I watched subbed (duh).

Now for the story: Keisuke has sex with his 10 stepsisters. That is all. Pretty simple storyline. Each sister has a different type of scenario (cars, at work in the daytime, at work at night, bondage, porn video, bathtime, lactating sister, android, on the roof at night, with and without toys, and even on a crowded train...)

Now as to why I watched this. I saw a picture of the art that wasn't a pervy pic...and clicked on a link. SOMEONE TRICKED ME AGAIN! But, ah well. Once I start watching something, I'm gonna finish it. Esp. if it's only 2 eps.

So, ART!

I decided to use this collage I have on my computer since it has everyone's names. But in case you can't read them top to bottom is: Momoko, Kaourko, Ringo, Kotona, Lemon, Rulisa, Keisuke, Anne, Mikan, Tokiko, and Biwa. And as a side note, this puts the sisters in order of age, not order of when he slept with them :)

 

So yeah,

 

Pros and cons!

 

Pros:

• Pretty art
• Story easy to follow...?

 

Cons:

• Serious incest...
• Weird situations...

 

Not sure where to put hentai...still can't decide if it's a pro or a con...

 

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

 

~Kei

Anime Blog 65: Ikoku Irokoi Romantan

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

Here's your usual Yaoi warning XD

Ikoku Irokoi Romantan (IIR) is a 2 episode yaoi OVA that I watched subbed (duh)

So the story goes, Yakuza son Ranmaru is getting married aboard this cruise ship. His wife's a b*tch...Ranmaru goes to the bar and meets Al, the Italian captain of the ship. And they hit it off right away,{ they start living together, he'd come home, they'd have dinner, he'd fix him his drink and then he found out, not only was he married...oh no. he had 6 wives, one of those Mormans ya'know? Then that night when he came home from work, he fixed him his drink, as usual...ya'know some guys just can't hold their arsenic...} I'm bullsh*ting you in the brackets...sorry. As soon as I typed "hit if off right away" I just couldn't help myself--I apparently had Chicago on the mind :D

So back to being serious. Ranmaru and Al do hit it off and some serious stuff goes down involving the yakuza...but hey, things always work themselves out in a yaoi anime right?

So, as for what really matters in my world...ART!

Ranmaru and Al

So, for pros and cons!

Pros:

• Yaoi, as always
• Pretty art
• Interesting plot...??
• Actual Yaoi...not Shonen-ai pretending to be Yaoi :D
• PASTA! (...took this opportunity to make an Italy reference)

Cons:

• Plot...??

Yeah...that's about it.
Remember Kids: YouTube is that friend of yours who constantly supplies you with Yaoi to watch...we love that friend :D (until of course someone ruins it for us all by deleting part 2/3...curses...)

Well thanks for reading and sorry for this being so scatterbrained! Until next time,

~Kei

**from now on: on shows that are not yaoi (or are and have multiple couple options) I'm going to add a section titled: I ship... Just because I feel like it! I will also be adding this section to the older posts if you're curious**

Anime Blog 64: Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy:_Legend_of_the_Crystals

Alright, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (LoC) is a 4 episode OVA that I watched subbed.

Let me first start out by saying that before I watched this, I beat Final Fantasy V (which this show is the "sequel" to)...And when I say beat, I mean MAXED EVERY JOB CLASS! on top of defeating the game...

So, when I watched this. About a minute or so in all I could think was "EVERYTHING I WORKED FOR IS RUINED! WHYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!" and so on and so forth...

The plot here is years after the end of FFV, the world (or I should say, the crystals) are in peril again. It's up to the descendants of Bartz to save the world (AGAIN). All-in-all, I don't see the point of this show. It was 4 episodes of "well you beat the game but then there was this bad guy who totally destroyed your peeps and is back to destroy the world...blah blah blah..."

If you can't tell I wasn't really a fan here...

So, to move on to the SERIOUSLY 90's art:

Prettz and Linaly (She's Bartz's descendant)

Seriously...what kind of chocobo is this!?

 

My real peeps! L:R:B: Faris, Bartz, Galuf. F: Krile, Mid, Cid, and Reina)

So, Pros and cons

Pros:

• Final Fantasy related
• ...Linaly's cute

Cons:

• It's existence
• The whole "glowing butt" thing
• ALL MY HARD WORK FOR NAUGHT!
• ...art??? (idk about this one)

So all-in-all, just leave it alone...

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 63: Hybrid Child

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

Hyrbid Child is a 4 episode Shonen-ai OVA series (subbed) by the same creator as Junjou Romantica.

I watched this fairly recently on Aarinfantasy. I really enjoyed it.

Each OVA follows a different couple (excepting the last 2) but they all connect in the end. The "Hybrid Child" is a machine that grows like a human the more love it receives. Each couple deals with this in different ways. The first being between a young boy (Izumi) and his hybrid child (Hazuki) who's life is running out. The second being about a swordsman (Seya) who is trying to cope with his actions and his hybrid child Yuzu. And finally the last 2 focus on the creator of the Hybrid Child (Kuroda) and his inspiration/best friend Tsukishima.

It was really cute and VERY sad. I would seriously recommend it to shonen-ai fans :D

So, what really matters. ART!

(T-B, L-R: Tsukishima, Kuroda, Yuzu, Seya, Hazuki, and Izumi)

You can totally tell it's by the same woman as Junjou Romantica...look at the chins... (lol)
I chose a picture with all the characters so sorry it's not the usual type of picture :D

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Shonen-ai
• Beautiful story
• Good art

Cons:

• Sad
• NEVER WANTED IT TO END!

Which aren't real cons anyway :D

Well, thanks for reading!
Until next time,

~Kei

Anime Blog 62: Holy Knight

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

Alright, Holy Knight is a 2 episode OVA that I watched subbed.

Because it's so short I don't really have too much to say about this show.

The story (from what I recall) goes something along the lines of this guy (Shinta) goes to a missionary school and a half-Romanian girl (Lilith) transfers in. He falls in love with her and then finds out she's a vampire and he's a descendant of vampire hunters...or something like that.

I actually really liked the show, it was cool. I just wish it was longer. From what I remember there were lots of cool characters and lots of confusion :D (it's one of those "read the manga if you wanna find out!" ones)

Oh, and I almost forgot the nudity...yeah...how'd I forget that one...?

So as we all know what really draws me to shows, ART!

Lilith

Shinta

 So yeah. Pros and cons!

Pros:

• Nice art
• Interesting story

Cons:

• Confusing
• Short

(where does nudity fall on these things???)

Also, Holy Knight has a really good opening (IMO) that doesn't really explain anything and yet says so much about the show itself:

So yeah, it was really good. Needs more :D

Thanks for reading! Until next time!

~Kei