Hirotaka HONDA

RIGHT TURN ONLY!! - Tales of the Monster Hunter
RTO!! goes game crazy this week with Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, a Tales of the Abyss spinoff, and new Monster Hunter Orage. But who's the real winner when it comes to being a decent manga? 2011-09-13

Shelf Life - Dantalian Wine
Erin discovers her own yokai-summoning powers this week.
- Kasimasi collection
- The Mystic Archives of Dantalian ep. 1-8
- Natsume Yujincho ep. 1-6
2011-09-12

The Mike Toole Show - The Least Essential Anime
Mike dredges up some anime probably best left forgotten. Trouble Chocolate, anyone? 2011-09-11

Yuruyuri Episodes 1-7 Streaming
You want to know what nothingness feels like? The pure absence of sensation, the black void of total thoughtlessness? You don't have to die or get stranded in deep space. All you have to do is watch Yuruyuri.

Mardock Scramble: The First Compression DVD
A troubled teen prostitute returns from the brink of death as a cyborg in this trilogy-initiating short movie. It eventually proves to be the kind of graphic, imaginative, and super-charged fare which got many enthusiastic about anime in the first place.

Animal Land GN 1
Makoto Raiku says in the afterward that he is trying to tackle difficult issues not often seen in manga and that he is somewhat surprised to find himself writing an animal story. But branching out can often reap large rewards, and that is definitely the case here as Raiku sets out into uncharted territory.

Black Bird GN 8-10
Black Bird has never really aspired to be literature, but in at least two of these three volumes it also loses the right to call itself “good.” The disturbing aspects of Kyo and Misao's relationship far outweigh the romantic ones, making this an almost textbook example of what you don't want in your daughter's love life.

Mystic Archives of Dantalian Episodes 1-6 Streaming
A rich slice of atmosphere wrapped in a thin veil of sleuthing. Plenty tasty most of the time, but leaves you feeling kind of empty in the end.

20th Century Boys GN 16
Each new installment is declared "the most important one yet!" Volume 16, however, is one that actually lives up to the hype ... telling the villain's side of the story.

Higurashi: When They Cry GN 14
The final volume of the first of Higurashi: When They Cry's answer arcs is a heart-wrenching, gut-churning compilation of images that will remain burned into your eyes long after the final page is turned. Ryukishi07 does answer the central questions posed in the “Cotton Drifting Arc," but not the main mystery behind the entire series of Hinamizawa murders.

Higurashi When They Cry: Demon Exposing Arc GN
You do not have to be a follower of Higurashi to understand the story. For regular readers, some of the people and events will make more sense, but if you're curious about the series and don't know if you want to commit to it, this is a good way to find out.

Gantz Blu-Ray/DVD (live-action)
Hiroya Oku's dark, violent manga comes to life in a stripped down version which looks surprisingly good and packs solid action content but is also weakly acted and makes some unwelcome changes.

Tiger & Bunny Episodes 14-20 Streaming
While Kotetsu is grappling with his future, Barnaby is grappling with his past, and when the two collide, their lives upend themselves—along with the series.

Speed Grapher DVD 6
The final volume may not escape the problems plaguing the previous ones, but does at least bring the series to a pleasing (if predictable) conclusion while revealing Suitengu's full scheme. Not great, but it does have spots of better content.