Shelf Life - The Sweet Life Erin has her cake and eats it too when she reviews two sugary shows, and one about dead people.
- Ghost Hound collection 1
- Sugar: A Little Snow Fairy collection 1
- Yumeiro Pâtissière ep. 1-8 2009-11-23
The Gallery - Comitia 90 This week, we head to Japan's largest convention devoted to original manga! On tap: how portfolio reviews are done in Japan, talking donuts, and a handy manga guide to "real" Japanese culture. Fun!
2009-11-22
Anime Festival Asia 2009 Justin's blog of the Singapore anime scene comes to a close with a look at AFA itself, the big consumer show boastin 45,000 attendees. Updated 11/232009-11-20
ANNCast - This One's About Reviews! It's an entire show about the dizzying highs and terrifying lows of reviewing anime with Mike Toole, Japanator's Brad Rice, and Anime World Order's Clarissa Graffeo. Plus: we mess around with the mixing board, and Witchblade on Bluray!
2009-11-20
Hey, Answerman! This time in Answerman-land: Pseudonyms? Germany? Shonen tragedy? Yes! And more. Like, Hey Answerfans, to be exact.
2009-11-20
S.A Sub.DVD Despite a flimsy premise and lackluster male lead, this story about a girl doomed to perpetually finish second to a chief rival who has secretly fallen in love with her (mostly) succeeds for two simple reasons: it is often quite funny and occasionally endearingly sweet.
Claymore GN 15 The Whole Truth comes out, but other parts are actually more interesting, as Norihiro Yagi answers many long-standing questions and orients the series for its next climactic run. Although certain parts may be a letdown, there is still a lot to like.
Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee Episodes 1-6 streaming This is an anime for those of us whose inner child does not dream of conquering the world, but simply making it a better place ... one delivery at a time.
Comic Party: Revolution DVD Another in the growing field of otaku-life comedies. Although perhaps comedy is the wrong word. Aren't comedies supposed to be funny?
Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk DVD Forget that it was based on a game only two generations removed from Pong; this is unexpectedly involving popcorn fare with a wickedly circular sense of humor. Good stuff all around.
Blue Drop Sub.DVD Complete Collection An amnesiac girl enrolls in an all-girl boarding school where she meets and forms a tumultuous relationship with a secretly alien beauty in this sci fi-themed yuri series. Despite its gimmicky foundation, this nearly-overlooked gem is elegant in execution as it focuses more on developing its characters and relationships.
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie Blu-ray Fullmetal Alchemist is a series for the ages, and even if this part of it doesn't quite live up to its earlier incarnation, it's well worth watching and definitely worth owning. Fans will deeply appreciate this better-looking re-release.
Hayate the Combat Butler Sub.DVD Part 2 The (small) boost in emotional content notwithstanding, this is still the series to hit up for a watching experience that is consistently fun and never taxing.
Magikano: The Complete Series DVD This is a collection of gags in search of a plotline, and when it finally does find a story to tell, the change in tone is so abrupt that you end up wishing it had stayed pointless and stupid.
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.
Ikki Tousen DVD 4 Unbelievable fights and even more unbelievable fanservice ... but it's then thrown away in one of the most anticlimactic endings to ever close out a fighting series.