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