Matt GAUTHIER

Now Streaming: Bamboo Blade (Sub 1-26, dub 1-4)
When you're broke (and who isn't this time of year), only one thing can make things better: cute girls doing kendo. So learns Toraji the kendo instructor, who lucks into a particularly gifted young pupil. Here's the whole thing subbed, and eps 1-4 dubbed. [discuss] 2009-12-15

Interview: Tsuguhiko Kadokawa
Kadokawa Pictures is one of the biggest names in anime production, and its chairman and CEO Tsuguhiko Kadokawa is paying close attention to the changing market worldwide. He also talks about Haruhi Suzumiya. 2009-12-16

The X Button - Counting Down
This week: the best games that went unnoticed this year! Plus Mega Man 10, this season's major Final Fantasy, changes afoot in Sakura Wars, and Todd's tale of how Fist of the North Star almost wrecked his childhood. 2009-12-16

Shelf Life - Ninja Nonsense
Erin finds out that aliens are much more enjoyable than excessively nice people.
- Nabari no Ou pt 2
- Sgt. Frog s1 pt 2
- You're Under Arrest s2 pt 1
2009-12-14

Clannad After Story Sub.DVD 2
Tomoya and Nagisa start formally building their lives and family together, but tragedy awaits, as this Key/Visual Art's title concludes. Though generally well-written and very emotionally powerful, the series pushes its drama too far and too hard, requiring a cop-out ending that will disappoint some.

Naruto Shippūden DVD 1
Gets the ball moving again after the filler of the first series, returning to the machinations of the Akatsuki and pushing its characters up a couple of levels power-wise. Slow moving, but at least it moves.

Dragon Ball DVD Season 2 Uncut Set
Here the series is in balance: an action-packed tale told with rare humor and something even rarer—a genuine sense of adventure.

What a Wonderful World! GN 2
In the long run, Asano says, we are what we choose to make of ourselves—and it is that idea, more than any particular character or storyline, that permeates this entire series.

Shonen Onmyouji DVD Boxset
Yes, it is exactly about a boy who must use his amazing powers to save the world, but such a clichéd description doesn't begin to explain the surprising layers of depth in this historical adventure.

Sgt. Frog DVD part 1
Froglike aliens attempt to invade Earth, only to wind up attached to its inhabitants, hobbies, and conveniences, in this parody-laden, family-friendly comedy series. Few series peak higher with their humor or more consistently offer healthy laughs in this highly accessible endeavor.

You're Under Arrest Second Season DVD Collection 1
Regardless of relative storytelling quality, it's always a pleasure to hang with the hep cats of the Bokutou Police Station.

Honey and Clover DVD part 1
Five art college students and one of their professors share the trials and tribulations of art, school, life, and love in this long-awaited adaptation of a popular josei manga. Despite its flaws, it shows potential, and those who survive a seemingly directionless start should find it involving.

Tears To Tiara Sub.DVD part 1
A resurrected Demon King turns out to be anything but that in this timely, good-looking 2009 adaptation of fantasy RPG console and ero games. Though most of its components are very typical for series of its type, quality lies in the cracks amidst the more mundane content.

Ikigami GN 3
"What would you do if you had 24 hours left to live?" One of the answers ends up being the series' most emotionally challenging story yet, a showdown between two flawed personalities that can only end in tragedy.

Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid DVD 1
Not much Kaname, but effective new villains, great art, a solid dub, and a healthy set of extras highlight darker, more intense, and more graphic content. A very strong start for the third FMP series.