Alessandra CHIARI

Buried Treasure - The Phoenix: Karma
Rintaro directs what is easily the most popular story in Tezuka's life's work. Possibly the best Tezuka anime ever made, and yet nobody here knows it even exists. 2009-10-15

The X Button - Hard Corps
This week: a grunting and manful Contra Rebirth review, plus Shenmue's humble return, Ar Tonelico III, and a bunch of those anime-based games that the kids seem to like. 2009-10-14

Anime News Nina! - 2009-10-14
Montezuma takes his revenge on the gang. 2009-10-14

Chicks On Anime - Seme Like it Hot
This week, we butt heads over whether seme/uke BL relationships are acceptable, and if there's a double standard. 2009-10-13

RIGHT TURN ONLY!! - What a Wonderful Gundam
Whether it's explosive robot action in Gundam 00, or quiet slices of life in What a Wonderful World!, or slice-of-life robot action in Karakuri Odette, RTO!! has you covered. It's true, they have a manga about everything! 2009-10-13

Shelf Life - Changing of the Guards
After seven years, it's time to hang up the Shelf Life skates. 2009-10-12

Hot Gimmick -VIZBig Edition- GN 2
Ryoki spends an awful lot of time telling Hatsumi how stupid she is…and by the time Miki Aihara's Hot Gimmick reaches the halfway point, you may well be inclined to agree with him.

Glass Mask Episodes 1-26 Streaming
Glass Mask has been adapted onscreen on numerous occasions. The most recent came in 2005 with the 51 episode televised anime series from TMS Entertainment—and I am happy to report that it is an adaptation that does the vigor of Suzue Miuchi's original story, if not sadly, its visual beauty, justice.

Blood+ Novel 2: Chevalier
Spanning episodes 16-25 of the anime series, this novelization's mediocre writing merits and slavish adherence to the original story make it unlikely to be of much interest to those who have already seen the better anime version.

NANA GN 16-18
Volumes sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen may well be the beginning of the end of NANA…and boy is it going to be one absolutely wild, unforgettable ride.

True Tears Sub.DVD
As the series wears on it builds a scattershot appeal, mainly on the backs of its supporting cast, displaying a periodic tear-jerking power that belies its dreadful beginning.

Aoihana Episodes 1-11 Streaming
There are worse eleven-episode anime series out there, by far, and as yuri anime it is admittedly hard to find better than Aoihana

He is my Master DVD
Two sisters seeking a new home and employment find themselves as maids to an orphaned young teen living alone, only this one is seriously perverted and has an evil streak, in this fan serviced-laden 2005 comedy from Gainax. Despite many typical elements, it has a feisty spirit and delivers on the laughs.

Flock of Angels GN 1-3
Wings as a metaphor for homosexuality? Don't laugh. It almost works.

Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden GN 9
Reading at the best of times is like being transported to another world, and in that this manga succeeds spectacularly. And although the inevitable end is undeniably on the horizon, you will not ever want to leave Genbu's land.

Pluto GN 5
Once again, Pluto continues to impress with its multi-layered plot and suspenseful pacing, even though the key villain still refuses to show himself fully.

Shrine of the Morning Mist DVD 1
After watching this show, you'd never doubt that the Japanese priestess outfit offers form and function for any situation—from sweeping to shopping to fighting, even to riding a bike.