Laura PALACIOS

Now Streaming: Negima! OAVs - Spring & Summer (subtitled)
I'd try to talk about Negima's whole magical academy plot and everything, but who cares about all that? Both of these episodes are extended beach scenes! If you're in it for the boobs, look no further. [discuss] 2009-11-09

Chicks On Anime - Girls Night Out
We talk yuri this week with Erica Friedman, president and founder of Yuricon. 2009-11-10

RIGHT TURN ONLY!! - Mage in the Shell
Kodansha Comics makes its American debut with a shiny new reprint of Ghost in the Shell! Also, check out fresh reviews of Negima!, Waqwaq, and a little-known gem by Satoshi Kon. 2009-11-10

Shelf Life - Bringing the Heat
Erin gives us her predictions for the distant future, and gives us some pointers on combat armor.
- Daphne in the Brilliant Blue collection 1, 2
- Devil May Cry complete
- Heat Guy J complete
- Yayoi Kusama I Love Me (LA)
2009-11-09

The Gallery - Vusc
Mana, also known as Vusc, drops in to talk about the art community in Japan vs. the USA, and what it means to "draw outside the lines" on a professional level. Plus: a reader question about anime-inspired fine art! 2009-11-07

Evangelion 1.01 - Win It Before You Can Buy It
Win one of 5 DVD copies of Evangelion 1.01: You are (not) Alone. 2009-11-01

Dragonaut: The Resonance DVD part 1
A young man becomes obsessed with a young woman who can transform into an alien biomechanical dragon in this weak effort from Gonzo. While not a total disaster, it does not give much hope for the rest of the series.

Rosario + Vampire GN 9
If this is the kind of stagnation and dullness that permeates the monster world, then we should all be thankful for being human.

Battle Angel Alita: Last Order GN 12
Alita is back and even more powerful than ever, but aside from a couple of fantastic scenes the story progression lacks the sense of excitement and anticipation commonly seen earlier in the series. Seeing one of the all-time-great sci fi action series in such a storytelling decline is saddening.

Legends of the Dark King Sub.DVD
Gory bottom-feeder entertainment with the IQ of a slimy and not particularly gifted mud puddle.

Popotan DVD
This license-rescued series about three sisters who travel across space and time to talk to dandelions uses fan service like a crutch, which may allow it to limp through the weaker early parts and hold viewer interest until the stronger later ones. If nudity is not your thing, though, then look elsewhere.

The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya (hardback)
How does one possibly write a sequel to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya? For Nagaru Tanigawa, the answer was simple: do it all over again.

Beast Player Erin Episodes 1-25 Streaming
A well-thought-out children's fantasy centered around a pleasant and intelligent girl. Hardly spectacular, right? Wrong.

Andromeda Stories GN 1-3
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away… Whoops. Wrong trilogy. Or not.

Ghost Hound Sub.DVD 1
Found anime titles to be too generic of late? Ghost Hound may be the series for you. This psychology-laden story about boys who learn to manipulate out-of-body experiences is wholly unlike anything else in its genre and can be impressively creepy.

Saki Episodes 1-25 Streaming
Saki takes two tired-out genres (Epic fighting tournament! Schoolgirls galore!) and freshens them up by putting them in an unlikely context.

Lucky Star DVD 2
If stream-of-consciousness clips about nothing scattered with rampant otakucentric references tossed off by cute girls do not appeal to you then this volume is unlikely to work any better for you than the first one. Others, however, will just find more to love.