Tigerkinney's Anime Reviews

Tigerkinney · August 4, 2015

As I'm entertaining my niece for the next fortnight, and re-watching stuff with her, whilst also keeping up with the G-1 Climax- I don't have much time for 'new' anime, so in terms of the anime reviews thread, I'm concentrating my efforts on getting phase 1 of the rebuild project completed.

Phase 2 is for the older reviews, that I feel could do with a full overhaul and not just a case of shifting them around into the new format. R and S has been done, and reformatted reviews have been completed for....

Reformatted Reviews completed for:

Rio Rainbow Gate:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=524

Robotics;Notes:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=732

Sabagebu! Survival Game Club!: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=779

School Days: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=727

Sekirei/Sekirei Pure Engagement: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=672

Sengoku Collection:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=421

Servant x Service: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=552

Speed Grapher: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=658

Squid Girl:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=490

Steins;Gate: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...8&postcount=91

Strike The Blood: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=674

Summer Wars:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=684

Infernalmiko · August 7, 2015

Interesting to see you enjoyed School Days more than I did.

I finished Haruhi Suzumiya, both TV series and movie. I have to say I've never seen an anime movie so perfectly matched to the TV show. Most anime movies are just cash grabs that have nothing to do with the TV series or continuity except for the characters. Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya instead builds on events from the TV show into some big events that finally force the main character to make some tough choices. I'm getting the novels next.

I'm currently watching Nyarko-san when time allows. Lovecraftian monsters meet harem comedy. Really enjoying it so far.

BTW, I'm baaaaaack!

Timber · August 7, 2015

Ah School Days, when the bad ending gets put on film. I liked it quite a bit more than Tiger and i do recommend it for any anime fan to watch. It's brutal.

Nyarko-san is one of my surprise favorites of any show i've watched. The shear insanity that the show is makes me tell anyone that will listen to watch it. I tend to re watch it every so often. It's just so good and so funny.

Sekirei/Sekirei Pure Engagemen: is just pure fanservice but i liked it well enough. The girls are great and the MC isn't quite useless.

Strike the Blood is a paint by numbers anime show. MC isn't too over the top and the show moves along at a good pace, it's very cliche'd and average but worth watching just for those reasons. It's not bad at all just average in every way.

Good stuff is out there.

Tigerkinney · August 8, 2015

I finished Haruhi Suzumiya, both TV series and movie. I have to say I've never seen an anime movie so perfectly matched to the TV show. Most anime movies are just cash grabs that have nothing to do with the TV series or continuity except for the characters. Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya instead builds on events from the TV show into some big events that finally force the main character to make some tough choices. I'm getting the novels next.

I'm currently watching Nyarko-san when time allows. Lovecraftian monsters meet harem comedy. Really enjoying it so far.

BTW, I'm baaaaaack!

Good to see you back on the boards Miko

I'm desperately waiting for a Season 3 of Haruhi Suzumiya (that Disappearance of Yuki Nagato-chan thing doesn't count:p),but that's looking increasingly unlikely as each year passes. Anyway Disappearance is a good spot for the anime adaptation to end, as it's where as you say Kyon is forced to make some tough choices and realise what he's got. If they do ever get round to making a third season, I would want them to do it properly and adapt all the way to end of the Light Novels. In all honesty though what's left of the Light Novels beyond Disappearance, has enough material for two series or alternatively another series and a movie.

Things should pick up again in this thread, after next week, but as I've already said, I've got the niece staying over for a fortnight and I'm re-watching 'old' stuff with her. Not that I mind, she's the only one in my family who shares my anime interest and I don't have any local friends to share my interest either (Pretty much all my friends are long distance; either from people I've met through gigs/conventions/online or are from where I used to live). It's just that having time to watch 'new' stuff has ground to a halt.

LordofGustav · August 8, 2015

I was looking at a wikia of School Days. Never played the visual nor saw the anime.

I feel the urge to meet Otome Katou and tell her straight out while holding my wooden baseball bat:

STAY AWAY FROM KOTOHONA OR ELSE I'LL SEND YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO SLEEP SIX FEET UNDER.... PERMANENTLY

Rickymex · August 8, 2015

I was looking at a wikia of School Days. Never played the visual nor saw the anime.

I feel the urge to meet Otome Katou and tell her straight out while holding my wooden baseball bat:

STAY AWAY FROM KOTOHONA OR ELSE I'LL SEND YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO SLEEP SIX FEET UNDER.... PERMANENTLY

I just checked the wikia as well. I determined almost everyone significant there is a rapist, yandere, or sociopath.

Timber · August 8, 2015

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Tigerkinney · August 14, 2015

Nearly done with the rebuild project, here are the reformatted reviews for T and U.

Tantei Opera Milky Holmes:http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=611

Tonari No Seki Kun: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1991539&postcount=597

Toradora!: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=664

Trigun:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=435

Tsuritama: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=622

Uchouten Kazoku: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=545

Un-Go: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=578

I should also have a proper 'new' review up next week, as the 'Otaku in Training' is going back to her parent's tomorrow.

Tigerkinney · August 15, 2015

Phase 1 of the rebuild project is complete- Here are the final set of reformatted reviews.

Vividred Operation: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=678

Wanna Be The Strongest In The World: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=537

'WataMote': http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=628

Wolf Children: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=792

xxxHolic:

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...&postcount=455

So moving forward, anything in Blue in the index, are reviews that are in the current format, and reviews I'm satisfied with.

Anything in Black, are the older reviews that I feel need to be revisited at some point, as in my own self critical opinion, I don't think those reviews (especially the really old ones) are all that great. Though once again, I'm grateful that enough people thought they were good enough at the time to help get the thread up and running.

I'm not completely dismissing those reviews, and in most cases my opinion of the shows I reviewed at the time, probably wouldn't have changed all that much. But I just don't want readers, to hold those reviews in the same regard, as the later (Blue) reviews.

Tigerkinney · August 17, 2015

<div style="text-align:center;">Waiting In The Summer

(aka- Ano Natsu de Matteru)

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/data:image/jpeg;base64,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<img 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Genre: Romanatic Comedy Drama with a twist of Sci-Fi.

Studio: J.C Staff Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai Writer: Yosuke Kuroda Source: Anime Original.

Original Broadcast: January- March 2012 Episodes: 12 (+ 1 OVA)

Synopsis: Highschooler Kaito Kirishima is trying out the vintage 8mm motion camera he inherited from grandfather, when suddenly he witnesses a flash of light. That flash of light turned out to be the crash landing of an alien spaceship, and the explosion causes Kaito to sustain fatal injuries. However the ships beautiful female pilot, revives Kaito using nano-machines.

The female pilot, calling herself Ichika Takatsuki then reappears at Kaito's school as an exchange student. Circumstances leads to Ichika, living with Kaito, where along with Kaito's friends they spend the summer break working on a film project, and it is during this summer break with the arrival of Ichika into their group, that Kaito and his friends come to terms with their true feelings for each other.

Recommended Viewing Age: Teens (approx 14+) and up- There's plenty of mid level fanservice, with the female characters often in skimpy outfits, panty shots and some implied nudity- but there really isn't anything that explicit, and there is also some 'adult' discussion and hints between the characters in regard to sexual relations (but as with the fanservice, this is never explicit). In all honesty most teens should be mature enough to handle the 'contentious' content that is served up here.

Action Level: Fairly Low- The final few episodes are pretty action packed with the gang of protagonists, being heavily chased down and shot at by pursuers after Ichika. However the episodes prior to that have virtually not action to speak of.

Moe/Kawaii Level: Fairly High- The principal cast has it's fair share of 'cute' highschool girls, with some typical moe traits.

Animation Quality/Art Style: J.C Staff aren't always the best when it comes to the quality of the art and animation in the series that they work on, as they are one of those studio's that tend to churn out a lot of anime, often working on multiple projects per season. Every so often however, they do turn out a series of considerable quality in regards to it's visual aesthetic.

Waiting In The Summer, is one such series where the artists and animators at J.C Staff have brought their 'A-Game'. The Nagano prefecture countryside that the story largely takes place in has been attractively recreated, whilst the real triumph of the animation is when the scene's are through the viewpoint of Kaito's 8mm camera, effectively recreating the imperfections to be found with those movie cameras.

The character designs are admittedly a bit 'generic' but are attractively rendered and remain fairly memorable, inspite of the 'safe' art style.

Music: Both the Opening song 'Sign' sung by Ray (Reina Nakayama) and the ending theme Vidro Moyo sung by Nagi Yanagi, pretty much fall into the category of standard fare J-Pop, with the opener being a bit more peppy and up-beat and the ending theme packing a bit of an emotional punch, without really falling into ballad territory. Both are largely forgettable and disposable after you've finished watching the series but are a relatively pleasant listen when watching the series.

The soundtrack composed by Maiko Ikuchi, along with other members of Japanese techno/trance production group 'I've Sound' generally fitted the anime pretty well - mostly being calming electronica.

Plot & Characters: The plot of Waiting In The Summer, primarily revolves around a bunch of highschool friends, who due to the co-main protagonist (Kaito) inheriting an 8mm film camera, decide to make an amateur movie over the summer break. The twist however, comes in the form of a mysterious new transfer student, who just so happens to be a humanoid alien from a distant planet. Her arrival into the group of friends, shakes things them up and in turn forces the group of friends, face up to feelings they have for one another, that go beyond mere friendship.

Kaito the co-main protagonist of the series, is a slightly wimpy looking (though his wimpiness is never actually played up, he just looks like the type who would meekly give up his lunch money to the school bullies, rather than put up a fight) highschooler, who lives with his somewhat neurotic older sister, with his parents having passed away in an accident. Anyway he is out testing the 8mm camera, that is a family heirloom, but becomes collateral in an accident, that is revealed to be the crash landing of an alien space craft.

The ships pilot, a beautiful humanoid alien calling herself Ichika, revives Kaito and then transfers into his school, as an upperclassmen (Senpai). Kaito becomes immediately drawn to Ichika, and can't help filming her. With encouragement from his best friend Tetsuro, he invites the mysterious Ichika to be part of his film. Later on with nowhere to stay, Ichika ends up persuading Kaito to have her as a lodger at his home. As well as being beautiful and with a body that would make most adolescent boys go wild with excitement, the alien visitor further charms with her kind and polite personality, though her cooking combinations are somewhat odd (though in a twist on the 'cordon bleurrgh' chef trope, her odd combo's actually end up being edible).

Over the course of the series Kaito and Ichika, discover that they have feelings for one another, though their chance at romance is always under threat due to the fact that at somepoint Ichika will be required to return to her home planet.

Among Kaito's group of friends is Kanna, a feisty girl who has long had a crush on Kaito but has never acted upon her feelings, and it takes the arrival of a 'love rival' in Ichika, to make her realize that she no longer just yet the status quo of just looking at Kaito as a friend drift along. Then there is the aforementioned Tetsuro, Kanna's childhood friend, who is able to easily smooth talk various females, but is not in a relationship, perhaps because the girl he likes, has their eye on someone else. Completing Kaito's circle of friends, is Mio a generally sweet and innocent girl, who holds feelings for Tetsuro, that he is unaware of.

Interjecting themselves into the groups film project, is a fellow upperclassman that Ichika befriends, in the form of the strange pint sized girl Remon (who for some unexplained reason, gets away with wearing a different school uniform to everyone else). It is hinted that this mischievious girl, with a penchant for manipulation ( a running gag see's Remon often getting the group to drink an alcoholic drink, and then filming their drunken behaviour) isn't all she seems and may well not be highschool age at all.

Rounding out the supporting cast is Kaito's over-emotional older sister, Manami an attractive older woman that frequently quarrels with her husband, who one day whisks Kaito away, making Ichika feel the same feelings of jealousy that Kanna has been having to deal with since her arrival into Kaito's life (spoiler: it is revealed that Manami is Tetsuro's older sister), a couple of girls that cause further complications for the gang on a trip to Okinawa (spoiler: one of which is revealed to be Kaito's, childhood sweetheart) and finally last but not least Rinon, Ichika's non humanoid alien companion, who despite looking like something from another planet, gets accepted by the gang as their 'pet/mascot'.

Analysis: It's not immediately apparent by the title, but 'Waiting In The Summer' is by all accounts, the latest installment of the Please!/Onegai! franchise that see's humanoid aliens crash land in Nagano prefecture. In fact Waiting In The Summer's, basic premise is near identical to Please! Teacher- both see an attractive 'Mary Sue' land from outer space, and then start a relationship with the scrawny bespectacled teenager, they almost killed when they crash landed, the difference being that, the intergalatic immigrant is posing as an upperclassmen student instead of a teacher. The other point of difference is the fact that the plot, also largely revolves around the fact that the protagonist is making an amateur movie with his friends.

The fact that both the Please! franchise, come from the mind of the same writer (Yosuke Kuroda), means that Waiting In The Summer, cannot be called a rip-off. Even if it's not officially recognized as part of the Please! series, it's evidently obvious that 'Waiting In The Summer' is in effect, a remake/reboot of Please! Teacher, approximately a decade on from that series, with the advancement of animation technology and methods at the creators disposal and using an art style, that follows the current modern trend.

So of course comparisons are going to be made, and those who have seen Please! Teacher may well feel that Waiting In The Summer, is going over old ground and may well be a 'lazy' remake from a screenwriter, struggling for new idea's- albeit one with superior art and animation, as one should expect from a series produced in 2012, as opposed to one that came out in 2002. However a decade on, it's highly likely many anime fans wouldn't have seen or even be aware of Please! Teacher, so perhaps 'Waiting In The Summer' should after all be judged for it's own merits. So regardless of originality, is Please! Senpai, as it could easily be called, actually any good?

On the whole, I found 'Waiting In The Summer' to be a enjoyable rom-com, though one that isn't beyond criticism, and certainly not something one should be deeming a masterpiece of the genre.

Ultimately what the story boils down to is that an outsider interjects themselves into a group of friends, and leaves a big enough impression, that they end up changing the dynamic of that group (mostly in a positive manner). The fact that the outsider, happens to be an alien is largely inconsequential and the fact that Ichika, is from another planet only really comes to the fore during the surprisingly action packed final set of episodes- that not only amp up the action factor, but also interject a dose of emotional poignancy, as the series draws to a close. The final stretch of episodes pack enough of a punch, that 'Waiting In The Summer' becomes deceptively a better series than it actually was during the the majority of the series. It's not that for the most part 'Waiting In The Summer' was bad, it was just a largely average rom-com that would occasionally serve up the odd amusing moment.

The most amusing moments of comedy, are largely served up by Remon, the oddball upperclassmen with an equally odd laugh, who's manipulative ways often instigate much of 'Waiting In The Summers' more impactful moments of comedy. Take Remon's prescence away, and the story wouldn't be anywhere near as amusing. In fact without Remon, Waiting In The Summer, could have found itself dragged down in angsty teen drama, cultivated from a ridiculous romance set up, where z likes y, but y likes x, but x likes w etc.

Such a premise works fine in a farcical comedy such as <a href="http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum...7&postcount=81" rel="external nofollow">School Rumble</a>, but here where the romance element is supposed to be taken seriously it comes across as forced and ridiculous. Had they just stuck with the fact that Kaito and Ichika have feelings for one another, but one of the other female friends be it Kanna or Mio, also have feelings for him- then that element would have worked, but sadly they ended up going overboard with the fact, that the principal cast end up harbouring unrequited romantic feelings.

Rather than as a romance, where 'Waiting In The Summer' does end up succeeding and finding a real sense of poignancy, is that the amateur movie the gang of protagonists end up making- becomes a document of what would become an 'unforgettable and life changing summer' for them. That very idea of capturing 'memories' on film, before a loved one moves on, is something that should resonate with and become touching to many viewers and on the whole the dynamic between the protagonists ends up being much more convincing, as a group of teenage friends, than as romantic rivals.

Final Verdict: The final stretch of episodes, which succeed in being both surprisingly action packed and poignant, lift what is for the most part an enjoyable but middlling romantic comedy with a twist. In the end, Waiting In The Summer's strong finish isn't quite enough to raise it above a mild recommendation, but it's certainly worth a look for those looking for a relatively easy going series.

Mildly Recommended

Is the Dub Any Good: Sentai Filmworks have the North American license for the series, but have yet to produce an English Dub. Given that the series in now three years old, this may well be a Sentai acquisition, that we won't be seeing a dub for.

Timber · August 17, 2015

Seeing as this is on Cruchyroll, i think i'll give it a shot, 12 eps is not too long. I could use a short rom/com.

Timber · August 22, 2015

I finished watching Waiting In The Summer, and i'll have to admit that i liked it over all. From your review it seems you wanted to give it more than the Mild Recommendation, and to be honest i'd go full on for recommending it to anyone that likes rom/coms that are good. This is a good and solid show. I feel that i didn't waste my time and by the last episode i was almost certain to start yelling till the show was over. To explain, i've seen more than my fair share where the ending is just garbage and it seemed to be going that direction. The Feels were real and then it saved itself for me at the end. The whole show over all isn't too over the top with the romantic cross overs and drama, the drama is there but the show spaces it out and doesn't drag on it. With only 12 eps it's short but effective. I do think the plot was good and as you said it really doesn't matter what Ichika is, she's the lever that moves the show and gets things rolling as the others are just slowly moving forward.

The ending works, sorta. I would really like to see an OVA or second season of the show just to see where things go from here. I do have to really agree that Remon is such a laugh, her sly style and FuFuFu! laugh really got to me. She's awesome.Not to spoil things but i would dig a side OVA that just focused on Remon, that would awesome. As much as i liked Ichika, i must say that i dug Kanna the most. Guess i like the tomboy girls. Kaito himself is a good MC, not an action guy but just a dude in high school. I didn't find him annoying or lame. Mio seemed to be the shy reserved girl but gets to be deeper than that. Tetsuro is the cool dude that all the ladies love and he gets some good development as well.

The show was satisfying and ended well. I've watched a ton of anime like this that end either a wave of the hand or the crappy harem ending. It's nice that this is one of the exceptions and all the better for it. So a hardy go watch this from me.

Thanks for the review because i'd miss this little gem.

Carry on good sir.

Tigerkinney · August 24, 2015

I finished watching Waiting In The Summer, and i'll have to admit that i liked it over all. From your review it seems you wanted to give it more than the Mild Recommendation.

You were right to pick up on the fact, that I was leaning more towards wanting to give it the Full Recommendation, but feeling like there were just enough weaknesses there for me not to go any higher than a Mild Recommendation.

Should have the next review up in the next couple of days, it's just that it's one of those more complex shows, that I enjoyed watching but are sometimes a pain to review.

Tigerkinney · August 26, 2015

Gatchaman Crowds

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/data:image/jpeg;base64,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

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action

Studio: Tatsunoko Production Director: Kenji Nakamura Writer: Toshiya Ono Source: Anime Original.

Original Broadcast: July- September 2013 Episodes: 12

Background: The Gatchaman superhero franchise has been going since 1972, with the original series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman being the 'source material' that would be adapted into the Americanized 'Battle of the Planets' a cartoon series that may be remembered fondly by those who grew up in the late 70's/early 80's.

Synopsis: Living among the residents of Tachikawa City in the greater Tokyo area, are the Gatchamanm superheroes, that gain their special powers from the NOTE (which is the physical manifestation of a beings spiritual powers), working in secret away from eyes of the public, they protect the citizens of Tachikawa City from rogue aliens, with their latest 'nemesis' being the mysterious entity known as 'MESS'.

The current team of Gatchaman, are pretty much going through the motions cleaning up the 'MESS' but things get shaken up with the arrival of an enthusiastic and unpredictable new team member in the form of 16 year old highschool girl Hajime Ichinose, whilst things get shaken up even more with the re-appearance of a dangerous shape shifting antagonist, that has long been a thorn in the side of the Gatchaman.

Meanwhile a social networking craze known as Galax and its developer believes it can help 'update the world' and that the concept of superheroes are not needed.

Recommended Viewing Age: Approx 12 and up- There is little in the way of fanservice to speak of- Hajime is noticeably busty and Usutu's main outfit chose is little more than bra and panties, but the show rarely if ever draws attention to the fact. Some ultra conservative types may also be concerned about younger viewers watching a show that features a number of cross dressing and effeminate gay characters, but firstly this is the 21st century and secondly ultra-conservative types generally feel that most anime is a corruptible form of media.

The show does also feature the odd bit of relatively bloody violence, that keeps it out of the reach for recommending it to children.

Action Level: Medium- Gatchaman Crowds has it's fair share of action, which given the strange aliens known as the Mess, the 'Crowds' app and the various abilities of the Gatchaman is delivered in rather unique fashion but this is not a series that delivers a non-stop stream of action and thrills, one might expect from a series centred upon a team of superheroes.

Moe/Kawaii Level: Fairly Low- Both Hajime (the Genki girl main character) and Utsusu (who fit's the emotionless girl trope) could be seen as having moe like personalities, but in general Gatchaman Crowds has more of an oddball vibe, than a cute/moe one.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Gatchaman Crowds was produced by Tatsunoko Production, who also produced the original Gatchaman series in the 1970's. Since 2010 Production I.G have been a minority owner in the studio, and there influence can certainly be seen here with the style of art and animation, plus the high quality production values that can be seen in Gatchaman crowds.

Making effective use of a colour palette that combines both bright and muted tones, Gatchaman Crowds is a visually striking series, with unique character designs that don't just stand out in comparison to other series but are all distinct from one another.

The animation itself shows flashes of brilliance in comparison to the visual aesthetic set up by Gatchaman Crowds art with some beautifully produced action set pieces, but there are times where the budget catches up with the show's resource straining ambitions, this comes particularly evident when one of the episode's (down the final stretch) is effectively a recap episode.

Music: Opening song 'Crowds' by White Ash, is an energetic slice of alternative rock that is pretty catchy and does a solid job of getting the viewer pumped up for what lies ahead. Ending theme 'Innocent Note' is sung by Maaya Uchida, the seiyuu for main protagonist Hajime and is a more mellower slice of J-Pop, that provides a nice contrast to the opening theme.

Taku Iwasaki's soundtrack stands-out for one track in particular, the suitably cheesy Gatchaman theme, with it's pumping beat and repeated 'GATCHA-MAN.....GATCHAAA- MANNNNN!!'- It does end up getting a bit over-used making the soundtrack a little repetitive, but one cannot deny that it doesn't leave an impression.

Plot & Characters: Based in Tokyo's second metropolis, The Gatchaman are a team of mythical superheroes that defend the earth from alien invasion. Though there are those who believe the Gatchaman exist, they have never actually been seen by anyone, and only those chosen as Gatchaman, can see the alien invaders that they fight due to the Amnesia effect ability, when transformed. The Gatchaman's mission's are always decided by the forecasts of J.J Robinson the 'Guardian of Earth' and it is he who also decides who will become the next Gatchaman.

One day the hyperactive highschool girl Hajime Ichinose (who also has a bizarre fetish for stationery) comes in contact with J.J Robinson and is the latest person to be assigned the powers of the 'Gatchaman'. Instead of being over-awed by being assigned these powers, Hajime cannot contain her excitement. Her carefree spirit and inability to follow orders whilst on duty, initially put her at odds with the more serious members of the G-Crew but eventually her fresh outlook on being a Gatchaman, is just what the team needs and her arrival not only changes the dynamic of the team but also the individual outlook of each member.

Her way of doing things appears to be 'irresponsible' at first glance, but the team soon begin to believe in her more and more as a Gatchamna, when her way of doing things begins to bring positive and unexpected results.

Initially assigned to partner up with Hajime, whilst she learns the ropes is Sugane a dutiful young man, who takes the task of being a 'Guardian of Earth' very seriously, much like a samurai, so naturally Hajime's 'irresponsible' behavior, intially does not sit well with the stoic youngster.

Leader of the G-Crew team is Paiman, an irritable alien with the appearance of a miniature panda, who always wants to do things by the book and never stray from the plan. As the oldest member of the G-Crew and the team leader he demands respect from his peers, which puts him at odds with the team's care-free new member Hajime.

Other members include the Tokyo University graduate Joe Hibiki, who has become jaded with doing his job as a Gatchaman, Utsusu, a girl with low self esteem who finds it hard to open to others (as she fears getting close to others, because she thinks her powers would scare them away) and finally O.D, an effeminate gay half human/half alien that never goes out on missions and largely plays the roles of the teams surrogate 'mum'. However it is later revealed, that O.D has restrained himself to the 'support' role, because he fears the scale of his own powers.

Meanwhile the social networking craze known as GALAX is sweeping across Tachikawa City. Invented by the enigmatic cross-dresser Rui Ninomiya (known to Galax users as LOAD), he believes that the world does not need superheroes and believes that current society is flawed and should do more to solve it's own problems, rather than 'waiting for a hero'. With the assistance of GALAX's faithful artifical A.I 'X', Rui Ninomiya launches his plan to 'update the world' by rolling out a new app, known as 'the Crowds' which allows select Galaxers, to control an A.I that can do carry out tasks a normal human wouldn't be able to perform. As it turns out, there is more to 'The Crowds' app than initially meets the eye, and will Rui end up by being an ally of the G-Crew or a foil that wants to be rid of their existence?

Whilst it is initially the mysterious alien lifeforms known as 'The MESS' that are causing trouble for the Gatchaman, it is the reappearance of their long time foe, the shape shifting androgynous alien Berg Katze, whose taste for schadenfreude,truly shakes things up and poses a grave threat to not just Tachikawa City but the entire World.

Analysis: Gatchaman Crowds is the first installment in the superhero team, franchise for over a decade, though in all honesty you wouldn't really need prior knowledge of the Gatchaman franchise, to understand or enjoy what is going on with Gatchaman Crowds. The series manages to work both as a entity in it's own right or as a 21st century update on the Gatchaman story.

Whilst old school otaku, who remember the original Gatchaman series may get extra mileage from what is here by taking in the various nods to the original series, Gatchaman Crowds is an entirely different beast- those expecting another installment of 'Super Sentai' style action, where our team of heroes largely spend their time battling a 'monster of the week' may well be left sorely disappointed. It's not that Gatchaman Crowds is entirely devoid of action, but it takes the Gatchaman template and moulds it into something a little more cerebral.

It quickly becomes apparent when watching the series, that the story isn't so much about superheroes protecting the world from evil, but more a commentary that everyone can become a 'hero' if they have the drive and the will to do so, and that even 'small' contributions as part of a team effort can be just as heroic as big flashy ones.

The show also presents a kind of possible 'utopia' where democracy is a more fluid process and information is much more freely distributed- but for those who feel that such a presentation of idea's is too idealistic, it does present the flip-side when such processes can end up in the wrong hands and lead to a state of anarchy.

The two key characters throughout the entire series are Hajime Ichinose and Rui Kimoniya, the former shakes things up with their unorthodox outlook, the other has their own unodorthodox outlook, shaken up and redefined by the end of the series.

Hajime is a character that dominates the screen, a typhoon of energy that would make Haruhi Suzumiya look like Yuki Nagato in comparison, and there's a touch of the 'Mary Sue's' and a idealistic nature about her character that may well annoy the most cynical among viewers. Hajime is the sort of character that can make or break a show for a good number of people- some people will love her quirky energy and positive outlook, whilst others will be extremely irritated by exactly the same thing.

Meanwhile Rui Kimoniya's parallel story is all about someone putting the weight of the world on their shoulders, mixed in with a faustian twist of doing a deal with the devil in order to make things happen, in regards to their arc. Despite there being very little in way of explanation in regards to Rui/LOAD's backstory, that was never necessarily needed in order to effectively tell her story, within the current 'present' of the story being told.

Of the supporting cast the rest of the G-Team are on the whole more typical character archetypes than anything else, Sugane is the stoic, Joe is the 'I'm too cool for this shit' character, Utsusu is the 'Rei Ayanami Expy' near silent 'moe-blob'- sure they experience some growth sparked by coming in contact with Hajime's sun like pull, but on the whole their characters remain largely static throughout the series.

Paiman and O.G show a little more depth and development, that isn't entirely reliant on coming in contact with Hajime. Paiman's over officious demeanour, demands of respect from the G-Crew and his exasperation over the new recruits reckless methods, are a front for an inferiority complex of his leadership skills and cowardice, whilst O.G initially on the surface appears to be little more than an effeminate 'comedy' gay character, but reveals a more sombre and serious side as the plot progresses.

There isn't really a lot of depth to the series main villain Berg Katze, other than he's doing it all for the LOLZ, which to be honest makes him an effective big bad, as his reasons for the chaos and destruction he sets out to cause, makes him a suitably irritating 'big bad'.

I suppose one criticism that could be levelled at Gatchaman Crowds, is that sometimes it finds itself being pulled between two stools of wanting to be an energetic sci-fi action series in keeping with the Gatchaman franchises origins and being a more serious thought provoking slice of 21st century social commentary- with many feeling that the show doesn't pack enough of a punch with the former and doesn't go deep enough with the latter, but in all honesty it's this slightly confused nature that makes Gatchaman Crowds an intriguing show.

Even if in terms of the story it is trying to deliver, Gatchaman Crowds doesn't quite hit it's targets dead on, it immediately dazzles with a strong presentation due to an interesting visual aesthetic and a catchy soundtrack. It gives Gatchaman Crowds a look and feel that the show is going to be at the very least 'interesting' and for the most part the show delivers exactly that.

Final Verdict: Gatchaman Crowds is a visually pleasing and interesting update on the Gatchaman franchise, but sometimes gets caught between being trying to be faithful to the franchises 'superhero' roots, whilst also delivering 21st century social commentary.

Recommended

Is the Dub Any Good: Sentai Filmworks English dub, isn't a disaster and is serviceable enough but compared to the original Japanese, veers wildly from a little over-acted to a little bit flat in places, depending on each character.

Veteran voice actress Jessica Calvello, does a good job of matching Maaya Uchida's equally spunky performance in the original Japanese dub, and has experience of playing these borderline obnoxious roles, having played Excel from Excel Saga.

Elsewhere the performances are a bit more hit and miss, Clint Bickham's O.D is over camp in comparison to the subtler performance of his Japanese counterpart (Daisuke Hosomi) and whilst I'm normally a fan of Luci Christian's work, her Paiman manages to be more irritating than Aya Hirano's take on the midget panda- turning him into a sort of excruciating character that you wish would meet their impending doom.

Timber · August 27, 2015

I've been on the fence with this show. I've seen it on CR for a while but always skipped over it, gonna take some time and watch it.

Dragonmack · August 27, 2015

there's actually a second season of this airing on Crunchyroll this season.

Tigerkinney · September 2, 2015

The Devil Is A Part Timer!

(aka: Hataraku Maou-sama!)

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy Action

Studio: White Fox Director: Naoto Hosoda Writer: Masahiro Yokotani Source: Light Novels by Satoshi Wagahara

Original Broadcast: April-June 2013 Episodes: 13

Synopsis: Facing defeat at the hands of the Hero Emilia, the demon overlord Satan and his general Alciel, escape from the world of Ente Isla through a portal, that see's them land in modern day Tokyo.

However due to the lack of magic on present day Earth, Satan and Alciel change into regular human forms. Having been forced to adjust to the ways of this world, in order to survive- Satan who now goes by the name of Sadao Mao takes up a part-time job at a branch of the fast food restaurant chain MgRonalds, whilst Alciel (now calling himself Shiro Ashiya) finds his time being spent as Sadao's 'housekeeper'.

Satan and Alciel were not the only one's to make it through the gate however- the hero Emilia ( who now goes by the name of Emi Yusa) followed them to Earth but having wanted to eliminate Satan and prevent him from returning to Ente Isla, finds that he is now an upstanding member of society and a model employee of MgRonalds.

Recommended Viewing Age: 12 and up- There is some light fanservice,references to Chiho's above average bust size and some slightly adult humour that will sail over the heads of little ones. The action sequences also have a bit of blood, but nothing gratuitous. All in all there is enough here to provide some caution when considering if the series is suitable for anyone younger than their teens.

Action Level: Medium- Though there are a number of episodes that concentrate entirely on the 'fish out of water' comedy aspect of the story, a fair number of the episodes concentrate more on the fantasy action aspect of the story, in the end Devil Is The Part Timer, provides a finely tuned balance between it's two sides, and viewers will have to live with each side being given pretty equal billing.

Moe/Kawaii Level: Medium- Devil Is A Part Timer isn't the most 'moe' show out there, but it does have enough 'moe' characters in it's cast, for it to exist as an aspect of the show's vibe. Sadao's MgRonalds co-worker Chiho Sasazaki is a cute highschool girl, with a considerable bust size and a somewhat clumsy and ditzy personality and pretty much fills the shows moe quota all by herself, whilst Suzano who dresses in traditional clothes and uses outdated mannerism's, is also quite 'moe' in her own way.

Animation Quality/Art Style: It's coming harder to find fault, with many of today's anime offerings when it comes to the visual side of things, on the other hand though because the general bar has been raised, many anime end up looking unremarkable when compared to everything else- The Devil Is A Part Timer, is one of many shows that fall into this problem.

There really is nothing obviously wrong with the art and animation on offer here. The character designs are nice enough to look at, but by the whole look like the kind of designs you would see from many other series that have come out over the last couple of years, the background art and colours are nice enough to look at, without being particularly inventive, whilst the big action scenes are solidly animated without being particularly remarkable. It's pleasant enough to look at, the art and animation isn't going to be hurting anyone's eyes but it's just a bit generic.

There is however one area of the art and animation, where 'Devil' manages to shine, and it's an area that also helps with the delivery of what becomes the shows strongest element, it's punchy comedy- and that strength is the facial expressions of the characters. The expressions the characters pull as they re-act to the often farcical situations they find themselves in, are always spot on and it's truly refreshing to see a comedy that does not reduce itself to cheap and tacky looking 'face fault' animation in order to try and deliver the laughs that it is shooting for.

Music: Opening theme 'Zero' by Minami Kuribayashi is a pretty generic slice of rock tinged J-Pop- it's perfectly fine and gets you reasonably pumped up for what lies ahead, it just doesn't really have any defining characteristic that makes it particularly memorable.

Pop-rock band Nano Ripe provide three ending themes for the series, the most memorable of which is 'Gekka' (Moonflower), not only because it is the one that ends up getting used the most, but also the fact that it's a 'mellow' grower of the song that gets better the more you listen to it.

Kimiko's slightly off-key 'cutesy' singing is slightly grating at first but it works much better if you imagine her singing from the perspective of Chiho (even if the singer of Nano Ripe didn't actually play the part). The song also seems to take on a more heart felt resonance when matched to the visuals presented during the ending of the shows second half and certainly triggers theories that the inhabitants of Ente Isla may be figments of Chiho's imagination.

Ryosuke Nakanishi delivers a varied and well judged soundtrack- that whilst none of the individual 'tracks' are particularly memorable by themselves, they fit together to form an enjoyable whole. One enjoyable touch delivered by the soundtrack, is the way that the music often seems to be building up to an 'epic' moment and then suddenly cut out and fail, when such moments end up suddenly swerving into farcical comedy.

Plot & Characters: The Devil Is A Part Timer, follows the 'fish out of water' 'adventures' of Satan and various other 'demons' and 'heroes' , who have come to Japan via a portal from the parallel world of Ente Isla.

Due to the lack of magic in our world, the inhabitants of Ente Isla end up taking the form of normal human beings, though as the series progresses Satan etc do find a way of getting their power back, though when they are able to replenish their magical abilities, they find that they no longer want to use those powers for their original goals, be that subjugating our world or finding a way back to Ente Isla.

On Ente Isla, Satan and demon army were feared by the people of the land and were the respresentation of pure evil. However at the start of the series Satan and his army are defeated by the hero Emilia, but before the people of Ente Isla can be rid of Satan once and for all, he hastens a retreat through a magical portal.

With his trusted servant Alciel at his side, he lands in Tokyo but finds the two demon lords find that they are bereft of their powers. The pair soon come to terms that in order to survive in this world, they need to adjust to modern Japanese life, and most of all in order to make their way to the top they need money.

Fast forwarding a little, after the culture shock of arriving from a entirely different world- Satan now going by the name of Sadao Maou and Alciel now going by the name of Shiro Ashiya, have adjusted to living life as normal humans.

That being said Sadao has managed to make a smoother adjustment than Ashiya- the former having landed a part time job at fast food restaurant MgDonalds, whilst the latter is forced to play the role of 'housekeeper' having been fired from every part time he went for.

Ashiya is fiercely loyal to his master, but anytime he fails to do his duties, he tends to break down and become extremely disapppointed in himself. As time wears on, Ashiya also becomes increasingly tight with the household budget- this leads to episodes such as him eating out of date food and becoming sick, all because he wanted to save the valuable commodity of money for himself and his master.

Instead of wreaking havoc and being a hell-raiser like you would expect of some who is the demon lord Satan, Sadao Maou as he is now known as, is a model employee of MgDonalds- always keen to do his very best, which brings much admiration from his fellow co-worker Chiho, a well endowed, cute and clumsy high school girl who has a hard time hiding the crush she has on Sadao. Initially wanting to dominate both his world and find a way back to Ente Isla and re-take that world, the more time he spends on Earth Sadao's goals and attitude appear to have changed and now he finds himself driven by being the best that he can for the company he has found employment with.

Sadao's new peaceful existence however, is shaken up when he find that the hero Emilia, has followed him via the portal to Earth. Emilia, who now goes by the name of Emi Yusa and works at a Customer Service Call Centre, wants nothing more than to kill satan and avenge the atrocities he and his demon army committed on Ente Isla. However the Satan, she is faced with on Earth is as well mannered and hard working fast food restaurant employee and hardly the harbinger of death that she knew.

As Emi ends up spending more time with Sadao, she continues to claim to everyone that he is her sworn enemy but in reality Emi finds her attitude changing towards her sworn enemy, having shown that he is no longer the epitome of evil he was back on Ente Isla. Whilst Sadao has taken on a polite and friendly manner in his human form, Emi often finds herself being the one that looks rude and aggressive at times and far from having the impeccable behaviour you would expect from a 'hero'- something that does not get lost on 'Satan'.

It comes as no surprise, that as soon as Emi appears on the scene, Sadao's co-worker Chiho, becomes rather jealous of this 'new' female arrival- especially as Emi is both beautiful and appears to have/had a close relationship with Sadao. Eventually Chiho does learn the truth about Emi, Sadao and Ente Isla. Spoiler: But despite learning about who Sadao really is, continues to have a crush on him and become jealous of any other female that gets near to him.

As well as Satan, Alciel and 'the hero' Emilia, making their way through the portal from Ente Isla- others eventuallly arrive too, notably amongst these are Lucifer, who takes the form of a NEET that spends all day on the computer/playing video games.

Whilst another major character is Sadao's eventual next door neighbour, Suzano Kamazuki- a girl with very old fashioned mannerisms and customs (as though she was from a bygone era of Japan), however there is much more to her than initially meets the eye and plays a considerably bigger role than being the odd neighbour/another 'love rival' for Chiho to get jealous over.

Making up the supporting cast are Emi's inquisitive call centre co-worker Rika, Mayumi the branch manger of MgDonalds, Olba an Archbishop of the church of Ente Isla, Emerelda and Albertio Ende, comrades of Emi back on Ente Isla, Miki Shiba the obese land lady of the apartment building where Sadao lives (and who appears to have some knowledge of the inhabitants of Ente Isla) and Mitsuki Sarue the creepy new manager of the rival Sentucky Fried Chicken, that opens up across the world- as with Suzano who plays a major role in the second arc, there is more to Mitsuki than simply being the irritating manager of a rival fast food chain.

Analysis: The Devil Is A Part Timer, has one of those ridiculous premises (in this case Satan coming to Earth, losing his powers and working as a burger flipper) that looks great fun on a paper but most of the ends up disappointing (see: I Couldn't Become A Hero...). Luckily enough 'Devil' consistently deliver on it's promising set up, offering up a well balanced blend of sharply observed comedy and fantasy action thrills.

The first episode, is one of the best opening's to a series I have seen, and perfectly sets the story up for the rest of it's run. We are initially introduced to a rather generic RPG fantasy world set up, with Demon's wreaking havoc and heroic human's rising up against them, but the twist soon comes when Satan and one of his trusted servants are chased through a porta, to end up in modern day Japan.

And here's where the brilliant part comes in, instead of retaining the power he had from the generic fantasy world called Ente Isla, the demon's lose their powers and immediately find themselves thrown in at the deep end and watching the demon lord Satan's rapid fall from grace leads to moments of great hilarity.

The second moment of genius, can be found in the fact that it doesn't end up milking the immediately hilarious fish out of water comedy to death, and quickly moves on to what feels like a completely original scenario, that see's Satan adjusted to this world. Now going by the name of Sadao, he is now a part time fast food restaurant worker and seeing the demon who once wreaked havoc, being driven by working his way up the ranks of a burger chain, ends up being just as amusing, as watching his initial struggles as a clueless immigrant.

The cast of characters, do tend to be dominated by one or two traits, which can make them seem a little 'shallow- Emi is your typical Tsundere, Chiho is the clumsy 'moe' airhead with a blatant crush on the lead, Ashiya is cripplingly loyal and tight fisted, Ushihara is a games addicted NEET and Suzano is a 'Yamato Nadeshiko' clueless about the modern world. However it's the interactions between the characters and the series impeccable comic timing that makes the show work.

The comedy dished up here, also has a universal appeal that should be able to resonate with western anime fans, as much as it would with the shows original audience in Japan, without ever reducing itself to a constant stream of low-brow prat falls and 'sex' gags. Sure there's a bit of low-brow stuff here and there but it's mixed in well with cutting observations of modern life.

The shows deconstructions of both the supposed villain being a generous and reliable hard worker, and the supposed hero being short fused and bad tempered, also add to the rich flavour of the show, and bring an added flavour of dramatic spice to the story, as Emi struggles over her memories of the murderous Satan she fought against in Ente Isla and the seemingly harmless Sadao she see befores her, and over the course of the story you can see Emi's trust and opinion of Satan/Sadao gradually change.

Now Sadao/Satan's switch from destructive evil overlord to a friendly and helpful regular guy, is maybe one of the area's that may be a little hard to swallow for some people, but it certainly doesn't become a deal breaker. In conclusion, Satan's 'sudden' personality switch has kept purposely vague, and though he has 'changed', he probably wasn't as evil as he was reported to be back on Ente Isla. This can be evidenced by the fact we are presented with the typical 'crooked church' angle to make us think that maybe he wasn't really the big bad in Ente Isla, but on the other Sadao does also mention at one point that he didn't realise the feelings of humans, and treated them like bugs, until he came to Earth.

I was a little worried, that when Satan began to get clued into how he could bring back his magical powers, and that the story looked to be shifting more into the fantasy action genre, that the show would quickly dive into a generic slice of RPG inspired fantasy and forget about what made the show amusing in the first place. Those fears thankfully were not realized, and instead 'Devil' managed to find a way to combine the 'Ente Isla' fantasy elements and the sharply observed comedy on lower wage scale modern Japanese living without ever feeling disjointed or ever undermining the points where the plot needed to be taken somewhat seriously.

Often stories that try to mix fantasy action with comedy, end up as an unfocused mess but 'Devil' emerges with much credit, in being able to bring the two together, even if the consistently amusing comedy regularly outshines the slightly lackluster action.

If one real criticism could be levelled at 'Devil', apart from the fantasy action being rather run of the mill- is the fact that the second arc is pretty much a rinse and repeat of the first arc- both of which see's some new arrivals from Ente Isla cause trouble for the inhabitants of Tokyo, forcing Sadao and Emi to reluctantly (well more in Emi's case) to join together and deal with the problem. That being said, even if the plot itself does become a little repetitive, the shows biggest strength the comedy and it's characters remained consistent throughout. After all the second half delivers the show's funniest running gag (a deadly photo of Miki Shiba in a swimsuit- that we never fully see and can only imagine 'the horror') and one of the highlights of the cast in the cluelessly old fashioned Suzano.

The ending itself may well frustrate some, as it is essentially one of the 'read the manga' variety, that leaves many possible plot threads open. But I myself wasn't left fully unsatisfied, the 'threats' in both arcs were dealt with, the final episode actually gave some nice little nods to the opening episode and personally the fact that any possible 'romance' wasn't neatly wrapped up into a bow, has no effect on the show what so ever.

In all honesty, I'm split on desiring a second season of 'The Devil Is A Part Timer! being delivered at some point in the future. On the one hand, I think a second season runs the risk of diminishing returns, but on the other hand I think the show's storyline still has plenty of mileage and besides considerably more average fare has given the green light for a second season.

Final Verdict: The Devil Is A Part Timer! offers up a well balanced mix of razor sharp comedy and fantasy action, that actually manages to deliver on the intrigue of it's ridiculous situation.

Recommended

Is the Dub Any Good: Funimation did a really commendable job with the English dub for this series, to the point that I would actually recommend it above the original Japanese track, despite primarily being set in modern day Japan.

Whilst both dub-tracks invent a new language to be spoken by the inhabitants of Ente Isla, Funimation's English dub it has to be said handles it better. Special credit should go to Jamie Marchi, who worked hard on the English dub version of the Ente Islan language, which ends up being delivered at a smoother cadence by the actor's, compared to the somewhat stiff delivery by the Japanese actors in the original dub. Whilst Marchi's adaptation also manages to add an extra dose of sharply infused wit to an already amusing scripts.

Josh Grelle (Sadao/Satan), Anthony Bowling (Alciel/Ashiya) and relative newcomer Felicia Angelle (Emilia/Emi) all deliver solid performances in three of the four main roles, whilst Tia Ballard delivers one of the better English dub renditions of 'moe' with her performance as Chiho.

However all get outshone by Aaron Dismuke's amusing turn as Hanzo/Lucifer and newcomer Alex Moore who is a revelation as Suzano, with Moore's dry,somewhat stilted delivery as Suzano really helping to make the character's old fashioned speech patterns stand out from the rest of the cast.

Tigerkinney · September 5, 2015

Sound of the Sky

(aka: So Ra No Wo To)

Genre: Slice of Life Comedy-Drama/Post Apocalyptic/Military

Studio: A-1 Pictures Director: Mamouru Kanbe Writer: Hiroyuki Yoshino Source: Anime Original

Original Broadcast: January-March 2010 Episodes: 12 (+2 OVA)

Synopsis: In a world that has been left in tatters following an apocalyptic war, lies Clocktower fortress, home to the 1121st Battalion of the Helvetian Army. The newest recruit to the 1121st is Kanata Sorami, a 15 year old who enlisted to learn how to play the bugle.

As a child Kanata was saved by a beautiful female soldier and was inspired by the sound made by the soldier's trumpet, and from that day forward Kanata aspired to play music like the soldier who saved her.

Recommended Viewing Age: 12 and up- The show is fanservice free and most of the series is fluffy and light-hearted, however the final third gets considerably darker, as the war theme becomes more prominent- that results in a more serious/depressing mood and the odd bit of blood being spilt that won't be ideal viewing for younger children.

Action Level: Low- Until the final stretch of episodes Sound of the Sky is pretty much low key slice of life fare. The final episode (of the TV run) does ratchet up the action a fare bit with the girls forced into engaging into tank based warfare but for the most part this isn't a series for those who will be looking for their action fix.

Moe/Kawaii Level: Fairly High- Sound of the Sky has been described in some quarters as K-On! military- that's because the principal cast that make up the 1121st battalion consists of five 'moe blobs'. However the bleaker turn that the series takes, counterbalances the feeling that the series is little more than throwaway fluff that is jumping on the moe bandwagon.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Sound of the Sky features attractive art and animation from the consistently reliable A-1 Pictures (who rarely put anything out that isn't at least up to reaching a fairly good standard, when it comes to the visual delivery side). The character designs are admittedly rather unoriginal, and some look like thinly veiled doppelgangers of the cast of K-On! but on the other hand you couldn't call the character design unattractive.

More impressive is the background art, which features plenty of detail and depth and brings to life a world, that whilst isn't desolate is gradually trying to claw it's way back from the ruination's of war.

One thing to note is that the title sequence and retelling of the town's flame maiden legend, use an art style inspired by the paintings of Gustav Klimt. This isn't the first time that Klimt's unique painting's have been referenced in anime, the considerably different Elfen Lied did the same six years earlier.

Music: Opening theme is 'Hikari No Senritsu' by Kalafina, the baroque pop trio, whose songs are always composed by Yuki Kajiura, it's pretty much like all their other stuff- but their dramatic singing and Kajiura's composition does do a decent job of setting up the idea, that there is more than meets the eye to the show, beyond 'cute girls playing at being in the army'.

The ending theme 'Girls Be Ambitious' is a lively slice of ska influenced pop punk, that ties in more with the lighter side of the show and the comraderie between the 1121st battalion.

The song Amazing Grace, is the song that Kanata heard being played on the trumpet, and it ends up featuring rather heavily, as a key component of not only the series soundtrack but also as part of the story.

The soundtrack composed by Michiru Oshima, which often keep things simple with just a Spanish guitar playing is a truly stunning soundtrack, that is the crowning achievement of this anime. Often giving off a feeling of being bleak yet beautiful at the same time, Oshima's soundtrack perfectly helps to not only compliment but also build the underlying atmosphere prevalent throughout Sound of the Sky.

Plot & Characters: Set in a world that has been left decimated by years of devastating war, that has seen the world regress to technology and living standards akin to the beginning of the 20th Century, Sound of the Sky revolves around a small battalion stationed at the town of Seize in the Republic of Helvetia, during a period when peace talks are on-going between the Helvetians and their enemy the Roman Empire.

The main protagonist of the story Kanata Sorami joins the 1121st, in order to be able to play the bugle, after hearing it being played by a mysterious female soldier that once came to her rescue. Optimistic and dedicated but somewhat on the clumsy side, Kanata initially lacks musical prowess playing the bugle, but through determination and under the tutelage of Rio, Kanata becomes a better bugler.

Rio Kazumiya is the no nonsense Master Sergeant of the 1121st battalion, and like Kanata a fellow trumpeteer. The strict but fair Rio, is the one most responsible for training and improving Kanata both as a bugler and as a soldier. It is revealed that Rio also has history with the mysterious soldier that inspired Kanata to join the army in order to take up the bugle, a history that reveals Rio's standing in this world is more important than that of a mere army sergeant.

The platoon leader of the 1121st is Felicia Heideman, who ranks as a Second Lieutenant. Felicia has a kind and gentle nature, and tends to stray away from military convention, doing away with such conventions as addressing members by rank and instead encouraging everyone to address everyone by their first name. Despite the somewhat lax and casual atmosphere she has created at Clocktower fortress, the 1121st are still highly dedicated to their duties and when things need to be taken seriously, Felicia is more than up to the task, whilst her happy go lucky nature may well be a 'defence mechanisim in order for Felicia to deal with the horrors of war, of which she has seen first hand whilst part of a tank battalion.

Felicia's unconventional way of doing things however, do not entirely sit well with the youngest member of the team Kureha Suminoya, who takes her duties as a soldier extremely seriously. She idolizes tank commanders, particularly a legendary one known as 'the Desert Wolf', who she believes to be the regular military courier Major Claus (Spoiler: As it turns out Claus is just a look-a-like, who couldn't bring himself to break Kureha's heart by telling her the truth about his more humble existence within the military). Also due to the fact that she herself lost her parents when just a child, Kureha has an affinity with the orphans, taken in by the church.

The final member of the 1121st is the sleepy (due to often working late nights) and unsociable Noel Kannagi, who is the designated pilot and mechanic, that is working on bringing back the platoons battle tank the Takemikazuchi back to working order. The arrival of the cheerful Kanata, helps Noel to gradually come out of her shell, a shell that she has built up due to feeling guilt over her genius being used to develop weapons that caused some of the biggest atrocities of the war.

The story very much starts out with the 1121st dealing with the relatively uneventful goings on of being in a Battalion during a period of ceasefire, however tensions are still at a head between Helvetia and the Roman Empire, and as the story heads towards it's conclusion we learn that there are those who are still hell bent on continuing the war. Meanwhile a strong thread throughout the story, is the town's legend of the 'Flame Maidens' that once saved the town from disaster- in the end the legend plays both into Seize's past and it's present.

Analysis: Sound of the Sky, is a perfect example of why you should try and persevere with something, after initial impressions. Dismissed as 'K-On! Military' by many, after the first couple of episodes, Sound of the Sky gradually reveals itself as a an altogether different animal, than Kyoto-Animation's moe cash cow.

It's easy to understand why so many would dismiss the show as blatantly not only jumping on the moe bandwagon brought to the fore-front by K-On!'s success but even worse a blatant rip-off at that show- one could certainly make a case for the prosecution by comparing the two show's principal casts.

For a start we have a group of 5 girls, with the main protagonist character being a clumsy, airhead learning to play a musical instrument, initially isn't very good at it but rapidly improves to be a certified genius at playing their respective musical instruments- and the comparisons are only strengthened by the fact that just like Yui, Kanata has short(ish) brown hair and sports a hair clip.

The uncanny comparisons do not stop there, on initial first impressions Rio is essentially Mio, minus Mio's shy/easily scared side, Filicia is Tsumugi- the ditzy but caring blonde and Kureha is Azusa, the pigtailed youngest member of the group that takes things more seriously than her more carefree 'senpai's. The only one you can't say is an expy of the other is Noel with Ritsu, but even then Noel is just one in a long line of the Rei Ayanami/Yuki Nagato emotionless girl clones, that is a well trodden moe archetype in itself.

Of course as the show progresses the characters of Sound of the Sky, do come into their own and reveal themselves to be considerably different characters in comparison to their K-On! counterparts.

Rio in the end is nothing like Mio, apart from the fact that both sport long black hair and are considered to be beautiful in-universe, Filicia's carefree demeanour is more of a front/defence mechanism to cope with the difficulties of the situation they find themselves in, in comparison to that being how Tsumugi naturally is in K-On! and Kureha is considerably more brasher than Azusa, and whilst Noel admittedly remains yet another 'Rei Ayanami expy' her backstory showing that she is more emotionally repressed than simply emotionless, does manage to add depth to her character. The only you could make an argument for being something of a poorly disguised copy by the end of the series, is the lead character Kanata- who essentially is Yui Hirasawa in military uniform with a trumpet instead of a guitar.

The first portion of the show is admittedly a rather meandering 'cute girls doing cute girls things' slice of life fare, albeit all taking place in a slightly depressing setting with the threat of war consistently looming on the horizon. The show fails to really sparkle at that point and it has to be said many shows (K-On! included) did the cute girls slice of life thing better.

Speaking of the setting, it's a rather strange hodge podge of real life locations- that leaves you being not quite sure if the story takes place in the past, the future or is just some kind of alternate version of this world. What you have is a fortress town, based on a location in Spain inhabited by Japanese people observing Japanese customs (though there is also what appears to be a catholic style church), in a country whose name Helvetia is another name for Switzerland, at war with the Roman Empire who actually all speak German, whilst an English Christian hymn (Amazing Grace) has an important role to play in the plot.

To get back to the observation of the somewhat mediocre opening portion of the series, that being said things do pick up from around episode 5- an amusing field trip into the mountains that see's the junior members of the team forced to lug around heavy back-packs- for the first time the situational comedy actually manages to be funny, but we also get a glimpse into the darker direction that the show is about to take, when the girls observe the bleakness of 'No Mans Land'. The series lighter first half then concludes with another amusing episode, revolving around the 1121st running an illegal alcohol business on the side.

It's during the second half however that Sound of the Sky, really comes into it's own and reveals itself to be a much more thought provoking and emotionally engaging series, that you would have ever thought possible from the opening set of mediocre heavily slice of life based episodes. During the second half, we really get to dig deeper into the respective girls personalities and their individual experiences that have shaped them during what appears to have been a long dragged out period of conflict, that has left this world in tatters.

It's most resonating observation is saved for the final stretch of episodes, as it hammers home the point that nationality does not really come into it, when it comes to what kind of person you are. In the end the Helvetians and Romans may have been at war at one another, but most want the fighting to end and it's only a select war mongering few, insistent on trying to force their will over the other, that has sent the world into chaos.

The prevailing mood and message coming out of Sound of the Sky, appears to be one of holding onto your hopes and dreams, even when things appear to be hopeless- and whilst the most cynical among us may find such inclinations to be a little cheesy, I for one appreciate the story revealing itself to have a lot of 'heart', as it drew towards it's conclusion.

Final Verdict: Even though Sound of the Sky, ends up being a heartfelt commentary on not losing hope and making it through even the toughest of times, the mediocre start and 'poor man's K-On!' comparisons cannot be ignored. If you are able to persevere past the largely bland opening third, then I can safely say, that unless you are chronically cynical you will be rewarded for your perseverance.

Mildly Recommended

Is the Dub Any Good: Nozomi Entertainment have the North American license for this series, but an English dub has never been produced for it, and at this stage it seems highly unlikely there will ever be one.

Tigerkinney · September 14, 2015

For those wondering about the lack of update lately, I will admit that I have been distracted by things other than keeping up with the anime reviews- though like any on going project, every once in a while it's good to step away for a bit, as it helps to fight off 'burn-out'.

However I'm ready to jump back in, and should have a new review up by the end of the week.

Timber · September 16, 2015

No problem. We all know how it's easy to get burnt out on these things.The last few reviews haven't been my cup of tea but i'm always glad to find new stuff to check out if nothing else.

Rickymex · September 16, 2015

I've heard good things about Sora no Woto so I might have to give it a try along with Stein;s Gate.

Tigerkinney · September 20, 2015

Xam'd : Lost Memories

Genre: Sci Fi/Fantasy, Mecha, Action

Studio: Bones Director: Masayuki Miyagi Writer: Megumi Shimazu/Yuichi Nomura Source: Anime Original

Original Broadcast: July 16 2008- February 2009* Episodes: 26

* Note: In a unique move Xam'd was actually originally released as an online series that could be downloaded on the Playstation network, and was actually premiered in the U.S before Japan.

Synopsis: During a time of conflict, Sentan Island is a remote, peaceful, safe-haven where highschooler Akiyuki Takehara and his friends Haru and Furuichi reside. One day when boarding the school bus, they are joined by an odd white haired transfer student.

The transfer student turns out to be a suicide bomber, blowing up the bus- during which Akiyuki becomes implanted with a jewel known as a Haruko that turns him into a superpowered being known as an Xam'd.

Before the Xam'd completely takes over Akiyuki's existence he is rescued by Nakiami and then whisked away to the 'postal' ship where she works. No longer able to return to his ordinary life as a high school student, Akiyuki now finds himself at the centre of a complex war, where the fate of the world is at stake.

Recommended Viewing Age: Teens (approx 13+) and up- Kicking off the series with a suicide bombing, isn't exactly the most kid friendly way to introduce the story and there's the heavy cloud of war throughout, with the characters suffering both physical and emotional trauma. There are shows which go into such things much deeper and much heavier but the story of Xam'd is dark and serious enough that most pre-teens probably aren't going to be suitable for a story such as the one on display here.

There's the odd bit of mildly bloody violence, and a little bit of fanservice (the character of Kujireika, where's a cleavage revealing outfit at one point, and there is a rear view nude shot- nothing too explicit but still fanservice non-the-less).

Action Level: Fairly High- Whilst far from being devoid of story, Xam'd is also a rather action packed affair, giving action junkies plenty of superpowered showdowns, explosions and airborne chase sequences along the way.

Moe/Kawaii Level: Very Low- Very much a non 'moe' show, the most 'Kawaii' character in the story is the 'mascot' pet character of Roper.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Visually Xam'd is a striking series, one that can certainly hold it's own against the most visually impressive series coming out today, and one that would have certainly been even more eye-catching during the late 2000's period that it was produced.

The relatively realistic proportioned character designs are similar in vein to an earlier Bones production, Eureka Seven. Each human character is able to distinctly stand out from one another, whilst the designs of the 'monsters' are also strikingly unique.

Background art is rich and detailed, whilst the action sequences are smoothtly animated and engaging throughout- it's nothing less than to be expected from a studio (Bones) that were excelling at making shonen action that managed to be both thrilling and intellectually engaging during this time period (this after all was the same studio that adapted Full Metal Alchemist).

Music: Xam'd: Lost Memories features one of the strongest opening/ending pairings I have heard for any anime series. The opening theme 'Shut Up and Explode' from electronic rock band The Boom Boom Satellites, does an excellent job of getting the viewer pumped up for a series that isn't short on explosive action.

Meanwhile ending theme Vacancy sung by Japanese-American vocalist Kylee in English (and I truly do mean English and not badly constructed 'Engrish') is on paper generic pop-rock but it's heartfelt delivery and thematically well matched lyrics that put the ending over the top. From my understanding Vacancy was specifically written for the series, rather than as a promotional tie-in and the way the song's lyrics truly capture the very essence of Xamd's story certainly point towards that being the case.

Michiru Oshima's, often understated orchestral soundtrack isn't as striking as either the opening or ending themes, but does manage to not support the story but also happens to subtly enhance each scene. It's the kind of soundtrack that you couldn't call a masterwork but it efficiently does the job that it's supposed to do.

Plot & Characters: Xam'd is set in a world where the human race has the ability to harness supernatural power into turning humans into weapons of mass destruction, known as 'human form weapons', that has lead to an on-going war between the Southern and Northern governments.

Living in the neutral zone area of Sentan Island is highschool student Akiyami- however things drastically change for Akiyami when he becomes the victim of a terrorist attack, whilst boarding the school bus- however instead of being killed in the attack, he is left with a mysterious jewel in his arm kwown as a hiruko. The hiruko gives him the ability to turn him into a human form weapon known as an Xam'd- however having such incredible power quickly turns into a double edged sword, as those who turn into Xam'd can quickly forget who they are and eventually turn into stone.

Before Akiyuki becomes completely taken over by the hiruko, that's inside him- he is rescued by a mysterious and stoic young woman known as Nakiami, who whisks him away from Sentan Island and onto the Zanbani Postal Airship. The Postal ship then becomes Akiyuki's new home, becoming a member of a crew, as he learns to come to terms with his new existence as an Xam'd. With Nakiami's help and guidance, Akiyuki finds a way to co-exist with the hiruko inside him, though all he really wants is a return to a peaceful existence and be back with his girlfriend Haru.

Akiyuki's rescuer Nakiami, is a fairly emotionless girl, originally from Tessik village, nick-named the Cloud Rider because she is always going out on her Kayak (sky-sled), Nakiami want's to save the human form weapons plaguing the world, rather than simply destroying them- remembering that inside these abominations were originally human beings- however her unconventional methods often put her at odds with the captain of the Zanbani, the hard drinking, heavy smoking Ishu. Despite her tough love approach to Nakiami, Ishu deep down truly does care for her, and the same goes for the rest of the Zanbani's rag-tag crew. It also turns out that Akiyami is not the first Xam'd to have been resident on the Zanbani, with a photographer known as Raigyo having been another Xam'd rescued by Nakiami.

Whilst most of Xamd's story is either action driven or drama to be taken seriously, the minor supporting characters of the Zanbani Postal airship provide a dose of light relief- among them harmless pervert Akushiba and the series mascot character Roppa.

With Akiyuki whisked away, Sentan Island has now been taken over by the Mainsoul Military, lead by Commander Kakisu. Aided by his morally ambiguous secretary Prois and the mad scientist Dr Kanba, the hell bent on conflict Kakisu, appears to be overlooking experiments to create Xam'd of their own, in order to quell extremist threats such as the terroist attack on Sentan Island.

With their highschool destroyed, Akiyuki's friends Haru and Furuichi enlist in the Mainsoul Military. Haru joins because knowing that Akiyuki is alive, she feels doing so will help her find a way to re-unite with her boyfriend- however in joining the military, her eyes become opened up to their ruthless methods and she soon becomes at loggerheads with the Commander.

Meanwhile Furuichi turns into a ruthless soldier, who will stop at nothing to eliminate anything that gets in his way- however his evolution into a cold-hearted jerk, is driven by more than simply being brainwashed into a ruthless soldier and is in fact driven by dark feelings of jealously.

Also playing an important role in the story on Sentan Island are Akiyuki's estranged parents, his mother Fusa and his father Ryuuzo a doctor that runs a local surgery but appears to have a mysterious past that involves Commander Kakisu. Then there is Haru's disabled sister Midori (forced to walk with a crutch, after a car accident that also took their mother's life)- who at first appears to be a fairly unimportant side character but her feelings of inadequecy compared to a sister end up turning her into a key component in the second half of the story.

As the story continues to progress, we are introduced to several inhabitants of Tessik Village, including a religious cult- that end up playing a major part in the story. Though to reveal much about the characters introduced in Xamd's second half, would be giving away too much of the stories complex plot.

Analysis: It's hard to know where to start with Xam'd: Lost Memories, as it's a series that definitely has it's problems but still ends up being a largely enjoyable affair- just one that won't be the cup of tea of those who can't handle wildly incorehent, rambling plots that appeared to have been made up on the fly.

Xam'd's story veers off in many directions, introduces a stockpile of characters some of them important to the plot, some of them not and throws at the viewer all kinds of random happenings, which again some largely have little point in the grand scheme of things, whilst others end up being key to the complex plot, revolving around a conflict where to be honest neither side exactly come out smelling of roses.

By all accounts Xam'd is the kind of series that has so many twists, turns and a roll-call of characters that you could fill up an entire notebook to try and keep track of- that it seems like the kind of story that would be more suited to being fitted to approximately 50 episodes, rather than the 26 we have here. It tries to do too much with too little time, but the constant ADHD of the writers, as the focus of Xam'd darts around, makes for a series that could never be accused of being dull or boring, apart from those who would find such random focus to be far too wearing.The closing run of episodes are rushed, messy and a little bit insane, but by that point such an ending seems rather fitting and for all of it's insanity. That being said though plenty is left unexplained, the ending itself provides a concrete end that leaves the viewer in little doubt that the story has reached a natural conclusion.

Where Xamd's biggest strength lies is with the characters- sure there ends up being too many of them for us to care about, but the main characters and core supporting cast (made up of the residents of Sentan Island and the crew members of the Zanbani postal airship) introduced from the early episodes of the story, are some of the most well rounded and realistic characters to be found in any anime, especially one that is still at heart, a shonen action series. While the plot itself ends up going off the rails, the series strongly written characters manage to keep the viewers invested in their respective fates and the story on track. Perhaps most pleasing of all among the characterizations, is that we have that all too rare thing of having an anime and/or manga story, where not only are parents visible, but the welfare of their own children is at the forefront of their minds, and actually has a role to play.

For all Xamd's complex plot, revolving around experiments gone wrong, weird religious cults and a confusing war that makes little to no sense what so ever from beginning to end- at the very heart of the story, is a tale of love both in terms of the romantic sense of the word, and the more platonic sense of the word. Akiyuki isn't so much driven to survive, because he necessarily wants to be the hero, but he does what he has to do in order to be with the one's he love, most evidently in his girlfriend Haru.

Haru likewise is steadfastly determined to do what she has to do in order to be with Akiyuki again- sometimes her decision's and rationale, come across as a little foolish but when making decision's from the heart, sometimes logic and rationality go out of the window, and it's that kind of realistically flawed characterization, throughout the cast that is to be really appreciated.

Nakiami spends just as much time with Akiyuki, as he does with Haru if not arguably more- but it's refreshingly evident that she is not a rival love interest, and their relationship is purely one of trust and friendship, as Akiyuki goes from somewhat begrudgingly being in debt to Nakiami and to some extension the rest of the Zanbani Postal Airship crew, to creating a strong bond with them.

Whilst it's not hard to spot Xamd's influences, namely Bones earlier project Eureka Seven and the works of Studio Ghibli, in particular Nausicaa (though technically that wasn't Ghibli) with the character of Nakiami, drawing strong comparison to the titular character of that film. However whilst those influences are visible, Xam'd never comes across as plagarizing them, more tipping a hat to those stories and blending them together in something completely of it's own making.

Admittedly Xam'd is also helped profusely by it's striking production values, highlighted by the fact that it has some of the strongest visuals for a series of it's vintage. Had the art, animation and soundtrack not have been such a strong plus point, then perhaps Xam'd would have been a harder sell as recommended viewing.

Final Verdict: For all it's messy flaws the positives of Xam'd (strong production values, well written characters) end up outweighing the negatives. If you are willing to accept that this series has it's warts so to speak, then for the most part Xam'd provides the viewer with an action packed but also heartfelt sliced of sci-fi fantasy, driven by characters that make it easy for viewer to invest in the admittedly sometimes nonsensical plot.

Recommended

Is the Dub Any Good: Xam'd is the kind of series you would have expected to have been picked up by either Funimation or gone to one of the L.A dubbing studios such as Bang-Zoom/Geneon.

However in something of a slight surprise it Houston based Sentai Filmworks that picked up the U.S License for this one. Unike the consistency shown by their fellow Texan's Funimation, Sentai's dubs can be rather hit (good) or miss (mediocre).

Whilst I wouldn't call the dub a home-run, and there is the odd awkward performance scattered here and there, overall the English dub for Xam'd is fairly good.

Of the trio of main characters, Blake Shepherd is in his usual decent but unspectacular turn as lead character Akiyuki, whilst the consistently reliable veterans Monica Rial and Luci Christian put in solid turns as Haru and Nakiami.

Timber · September 22, 2015

I watched this off of Cruchyroll a while back. I didn't make it through the whole thing as it just wanders and wanders around with too much exposition and never seems to end. IF the show was about 12 to 15 episodes it would have been pretty good. As it stands, it's not worth it to go through the whole thing for little reward.

crownsy · September 22, 2015

I watched this off of Cruchyroll a while back. I didn't make it through the whole thing as it just wanders and wanders around with too much exposition and never seems to end. IF the show was about 12 to 15 episodes it would have been pretty good. As it stands, it's not worth it to go through the whole thing for little reward.

My issue with it was in alot of places it feels like "Here's a darker version of our hit, Eureka Seven!"

Eureka Seven was excellent, one of my top 10. Without spoilers, here are things Xam'd seems to....borrow to much from E7.

- The Main Male Character is a Human who is overwhelmed by an event beyond there control and is rescued by the crew of an airship

- The Love interest is a young girl who is more than she seems

- The Airships crew at first appears to be just a bunch of slackers, but it turns out they are freedom fighters

- The Freedom fighters at first seem to be totally invested in the Main Character, but it turns out they have hidden motives

- The Main Character's ability is super helpful, but will eventually require him to sacrifice themselves/innocence

- Art style is very, very similar.

Not saying they are exactly the same, but Xam'd just borrows so heavily from E7 that it's tough to avoid comparing them in your head if you've seen both.

Tigerkinney · September 23, 2015

In all honesty I did flip-flop between giving Xam'd either a mild recommendation or a full recommendation, because it does have it's problems but in the end despite it's flaws, I personally enjoyed it enough to give it a full recommendation. As I've probably already alluded to in my review, Xam'd is a slightly bonkers whirlwind of an anime, that just about keeps it self together, rather than completely falling under it's own weight of ADHD addled insanity.

Most of what you said crownsy in regards to being a little too similar to Eureka Seven, I'm not going to dispute- though there are a couple of points, I will come in defence of......

- The Love interest is a young girl who is more than she seems

If you're talking about Nakiami, who I would think you would be comparing to Eureka- then she was never really the love interest. Sure Akiyuki, comes to care for Nakiami but there is never anything romantic going on between them. Haru is the romantic love interest, right from the start of the story to the end of the story and Akiyuki's heart never veers away from that fact, despite the fact that they spend much of the series separated from each other.

Art style is very, very similar.

Just Studio Bones ripping off their own work

Not a major issue for me, I always think it's worse when you get an anime from another studio and there clearly ripping off a series produced by someone else.

I just look at it, as an art style that Bones like to use, and to be honest with the odd exception here and there, most of their work seems to within that same sort of realistically proportioned but instantly recognizable as anime ballpark- when it comes to the art style for their characters. And to be honest, I kind of like it when a studio has a recognizable art style as opposed to just randomly churning out whatever is the flavour of the year, when it comes to character design.

Finally to answer Timber who felt that Xam'd would have done better to be a one cour (12/13 episode) length series- Xam'd honestly needed to be longer, not shorter....unless you're saying that they should do away with about half the cast

In all honesty it's storytelling and pacing problems, stem from the fact that they are trying to pack too much into one series, even at two cours length, and if they tried to squeeze it into anything less than the 26 episodes it was already given, it would have been an incoherent mess. As it is, the show does teeter on the brink of being an incoherent mess but with 26 episodes, it's given just another rope not to completely fall off the cliff.

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