Review
— Archives —
- All
- •
- Anime
- Manga
- Novels
- Games
- Music
- Merch
- Events
- Industry
- People
- Live-Action
Text-only Compact View
Text-only List View
Text-only Grid View
List View with Images
Grid View with Images
Kamigami no Asobi: Ludere deorum Sub.Blu-Ray
Kamigami no Asobi may play fast and loose with mythology, but it's still one of the more enjoyable and interesting reverse harem anime in recent memory.
― Who needs fractured fairy tales when you can have mangled mythology? Welcome to Kamigami no Asobi, an otome game-based series that throws together gods from the Shinto, Greek, Norse, and Egyptian pantheons in a magical high school setting alongside...
Your Lie in April GN 1
Your Lie in April has good intentions, but it doesn't seem to quite understand how to pull its story off emotionally.
― Your Lie in April's first volume is a difficult book. Not in terms of being readable or confusing; rather this is an emotionally complicated tale that at times feels well-intentioned and sweet and at others feels unintentionally mean. At its heart it is about a traumatized boy learn...
Tsukimonogatari: Yotsugi Doll Sub.Blu-Ray
Araragi returns to the spotlight in an arc that firmly demonstrates why Araragi does not belong in the spotlight.
― Koyomi Araragi is a problem. His personal existence reflects and embraces all of the fanservicey, indulgent stuff that makes Monogatari divisive. When an arc centers itself on his perspective, you can be fairly sure it'll be rife with lechery, incest jokes, and “I love little girls.” If...
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Blu-Ray
Yoshiaki Kawajiri's spectacularly animated gothic adventure finally comes to bluray, but after 15 years, does it still hold up?
― Bloodlust is the 2001 follow-up to the original 1985 movie Vampire Hunter D. Whereas the first movie adapted the first novel of the source series by Hiyuki Kikuchi, this one loosely adapts the third novel, in the process adding in a couple of new elements while discarding ...
Game Review: Afro Samurai 2: Kuma's Revenge
Afro Samurai gets resurrected as a video game, this time an episodic sequel to the 2009 Xbox 360 game. Dave Riley thinks maybe they should've left this one in the oven a little longer, though.
― Afro Samurai has always been a curious case, a rare piece of major Japanese media that reciprocates American hip hop's pointed interest in Asian pop culture. A self-funded manga from an indie Japanese creator...
One-Punch Man GN 1 & 2
One of the most anticipated anime of fall 2015 is out now in manga form. Rebecca takes a look at the first two volumes.
― One thing you can say about ONE and Yusuke Murata's One-Punch Man: the title does not lie. The shounen parody, which began life as a web comic both written and illustrated by ONE, follows the adventures of Saitama, a young man who got sidetracked on his way to a job interview thre...
Turn A Gundam Sub.DVD
Turn A Gundam returns in a second half that flies to the moon and back in search of a lasting peace.
― When I last left Turn A Gundam, the Dianna Counter and Militia forces were still sparring on earth, with various side groups like the Rett squad and Corin Nander occasionally throwing wrenches into their already-fraught attempts at negotiations. Those earlier episodes dithered around somewhat, with ...
Chiro - The Star Project GN 1
Chiro - The Star Project is an unlikely title to get a license rescue, but its story of a pampered girl learning that her looks won't get her out of everything has enough potential that it may yet prove itself.
― You never can quite tell what series cut off in their prime will get a license rescue. Some make perfect sense, while others feel a little more random. Netcomics' reissue of Hyekyung Baek's ...
Naruto, Vol. 71
This is it: the second-to-last volume of Masashi Kishimoto's magnum opus, one of the most popular manga of all time. Can you believe it?
― The entirety of Naruto Volume 71 of is devoted to the showdown with Kaguya, who's been released from her sons' seal as a result of the Divine Tree's resurrection. The volume opens on a needlessly complex info dump courtesy of Black Zetsu, who reveals his true iden...
The Irregular at Magic High School Sub.Blu-Ray 2
The Irregular at Magic High School's second arc suffers from glacial pacing, but it still manages to relay some important information.
― This may be just my opinion, but I rather thought that competitions, when portrayed in a visual medium such as anime, ought to be as tense and exciting as possible. We should be on the edges of our proverbial seats as the talented groups compete for supremacy, or at...
IDOLM@STER (Episodes 1-25 Streaming)
The Idolmaster combines an engaging cast with jaw-dropping production to create a show worth watching for anyone with any interest in idols and anyone who loves animation for its own sake.
― The Idolmaster is based on a rhythm/”raising” game, where you take the role of a producer of a new idol or group of idols as they attempt to make it in the idealized but still fairly dog-eat-dog world of professi...
Super Mario Maker
The good news: Mario Maker is a great tool that lets anyone design Mario levels. The bad news: Mario Maker is a great tool that lets anyone design Mario levels.
― It's pointless to try and review Super Mario Maker like most other games, because it's not as much of a game as it is a tool. Sure, there are a handful of pre-made levels on the disc to mess around with, but ultimately most of the fun from ...
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Novel 3
The third novel in the series that spawned the hit anime (and the boob string) is important reading for franchise fans, but feels a little light on content.
― Whereas the anime version of DanMachi spent three episodes each adapting the first two of the original novels, it only devotes two episodes (7 and 8) to the third novel. Given the story and character development territory that this novel covers...
Love Live! The School Idol Movie
Fresh from an incredible run in Japanese theaters, the Love Live movie hit American theaters like an extinction-level meteor made of cute girls and catchy pop music this weekend. Nick Creamer survived the experience... but was the movie any good?
― Love Live! has never been the most emotionally scouring or thematically challenging production. It's grasped at drama, with both of its seasons attempting...
Alice in Murderland GN 1
Kaori Yuki's take on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland owes as much to American McGee as Lewis Carroll, but if you're not sick of Alice manga, it's worth checking out.
― The world's collective obsession with Lewis Carroll's 1864 children's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland does not look to be dying out any time soon, and Japan's manga industry is one of the more interesting producers of Alice ret...
A Silent Voice GN 2
A Silent Voice moves towards a more conventional dramatic structure while maintaining the nuanced character writing that makes it great.
― A Silent Voice's first volume told a heavy and largely self-contained story of childhood bullying, establishing the sad circumstances of Shoya and Shoko before eventually ending on the slightest note of hope. Fortunately, volume two doesn't try to repeat this tric...
A Bride's Story GN 5
A Bride’s Story gathers all its considerable strengths for a fifth volume that demonstrates the series at its best.
― The twins' wedding has come at last, and it seems like no one is more excited for the occasion than Kaoru Mori herself. As the first half of this fifth volume proceeds from wedding preparations to ceremonies to intimate moments between the brides and grooms, Mori is given a perfect op...
Haikyu!! Part 2 Blu-Ray
Haikyu's second half ups the pace and the tension with the boys entering the Inter-High tournaments in hopes of going to the Nationals.
― Not enough tournament action for you in the first half of this shounen volleyball show? That will absolutely not be a problem in the second half, where the Karasuno team heads off for the Inter-High games. Where the previous set was all practice games and learning ...
Blood Blockade Battlefront GN 5-7
Gabriella Ekens dives in to the last three available volumes of Yasuhiro Nightow's explosively strange manga while waiting on the anime's long-delayed finale.
― These are the final three volumes of Blood Blockade Battlefront's source manga to have been released in English. There's been renewed interest in this series since the anime (directed by Rie Matsumoto) came out in Spring. So how does this lat...
Vampire Hunter D Blu-Ray
The '80s cult classic movie is finally available on Blu-Ray and looks better than ever. Theron takes a look at what has - and hasn't - held up over time.
― The original Vampire Hunter D movie from 1985 is one of the few anime movies which could legitimately be considered a cult classic even outside of Japan. It earns that honor in part because of its style – it was a ground-breaker in terms of introd...
My Hero Academia GN 1
My Hero Academia rides the classic Jump formula to predictable but satisfying results.
― Shonen Jump has a very dependable formula for whipping up reliably serialization-ready adventure fare. Take one unassuming boy who dreams of greatness, add a quirky power and can-do spirit, and let simmer. Season this base with a grittier or glasses-pushing male rival and energetic love interest, while being sure...
Komomo Confiserie GN 1
Komomo Confiserie takes a while to get going in a first volume that suffers from a hero and heroine who aren't as likable as they could be.
― Readers of Maki Minami's other English-translated works, Voice Over! Seiyuu Academy and Special A, may be surprised by her latest heroine. Where the stars of those previous two series were poster girls for the plucky, determined protagonist, Komomo Confiserie's...
Mega Man Legacy Collection
The Legacy Collection ably captures Mega Man's first great heights as well as his slide into mediocrity, and even that mediocrity is enjoyable.
― Mega Man wasn't meant to survive. As longtime series producer Keiji Inafune relayed, Capcom's heads initially didn't want to make a sequel to the original 1987 Mega Man. They were content to leave it an impressive but not particularly profitable stand-alone...
Review: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
The Phantom Pain takes Metal Gear Solid into the open world, but loses some of the series' essential personality in the process. Also: there's a dog.
― Snake (aka "Big Boss") wakes up from a nine-year coma in 1984 with blurry vision and the lo-fi crackle of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World blaring from a nearby boombox. The beginning of The Phantom Pain burdens this weakened Snake, and his pl...
Wish Upon the Pleiades Episodes 1-12 Streaming
Wish Upon the Pleiades is a classically styled magical girl story sponsored by Subaru. Don't worry - it's actually quite good.
― There have been some strange production team-ups in entertainment history, and Wish Upon the Pleiades is one of the latest: a magical girl show co-produced by famed anime studio Gainax and Subaru. That's “subaru” as in the car company, and no, the show is not about magical ...
Assassination Classroom Episodes 1-22 Streaming
A bunch of students try to kill their teacher, an alien who blew a hole in the moon, while learning important life lessons. You know, pretty typical for an anime.
― Of the two series to air in 2015 which focus on unconventional teachers helping troubled students (the other being Ultimate Otaku Teacher), this manga adaptation from the winter and spring seasons is the superior one based on nearly any m...
Tokyo Ravens BD+DVD part 2
This sometimes overly-complicated fantasy action series draws to a close, and it's packed with more magical duels and potentially confusing plot turns than you might think.
― Are you a fan of elaborate magical duels, ones where casters constantly have to throw out their best gimmicks to counter and attack their opponents? Then the second half of this 2013/2014 anime series is worth checking out even ...
Kaze Hikaru GN 23
Emotions are heating up in the 23rd volume of Kaze Hikaru, even if we're not at a fascinating point in history.
― To speak in very generalized terms, there are two basic approaches to writing historical fiction: to loosely base around a famous event or time period or to go into much more detail about that event or era. Taeko Watanabe takes the latter route in her shoujo historical Kaze Hikaru, and as...
Core Scramble GN 1
Core Scramble's first volume offers an interesting BL story in a world that blends science fiction and fantasy.
― We don't see nearly the level of manhwa translated into English as manga, which is a shame. Now that NetComics is back in the physical publishing game, however, there are some new titles appearing on the market, and whether you're a fan of manhwa in general or just looking for a series th...
Senki Zesshō Symphogear
Once you give in to the absurd, over-the-top ridiculousness of Symphogear, you'll never look back.
― Symphogear isn't a “traditionally good” show. Its dialogue is ridiculous, storytelling somehow simultaneously cliche and incoherent, and drama laid out with the subtlety of a writer who has literal hams for hands. It is a very silly show based on a very silly idea, and yet, in spite of its absurdity, ...
A Silent Voice GN 1
A Silent Voice examines childhood bullying with uncommon frankness, telling an engaging story of cruelty and responsibility.
― A Silent Voice's first volume is not a comfortable read. It's slow and mean, full of small violences that make you wince and characters you just want to shake. That's not necessarily a bad thing though; in fact, it's often the best stories that make you uncomfortable, that ma...
Terra Formars GN 7
Terra Formars shifts gears to expose its heroes to a new threat...from back on Earth.
― Spoiler Warning: This Review Contains Spoilers for Volume 7 There's a good possibility that this volume of Terra Formars, which really does up the plot factor to the point where our heroes are no longer just fighting increasingly powerful roachmen but actually dealing with some of the other repercussions of being ...
Review: Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
Ultra Despair Girls takes Danganronpa into the third person shooter genre, with decidedly mixed results. Some of the things you love about Danganronpa are still here, but there's something amiss...
― Taking place between the first and second Danganronpa games, Ultra Despair Girls is a sidequel starring ultra-generic series lead Makoto Naegi's ultra-generic sister Komaru Naegi. Komaru, kept as a hosta...
Gugure! Kokkuri-san Episodes 1-12 Streaming
This raunchy comedy that draws from Shinto folklore may not be for everyone, but if it winds up being for you, you might have a great time.
― Between Gugure! Kokkuri-san and Hozuki's Coolheadedness, 2014 was a good year for shows rooted in Japanese mythology. These series can do decently in Japan, but often struggle to find an audience stateside because of the knowledge base required to get the jokes...
Spell of Desire GN 5
Spell of Desire finishes on a stronger note than it started on, with Kaoruko finally doing something of her own volition. It's pretty romantic, too.
― A complaint about Tomu Ohmi's previous series to get an English-language release, Midnight Secretary, is that her heroine went from being strong to just another heroine under the romantic sway of a powerful hero. Whether or not you agree with that sent...
Kagerou Daze Novel 1
Kagerou Daze isn't off to the strongest start with this dense novel. Is it still worth reading?
― The term “light novel” can be misleading. While it is generally accepted as the term for the Japanese equivalent of Young Adult fiction (and as anyone who's read any English-language YA can attest, they're often very heavy), it's also hard not to just assume that the books themselves will be “light:” the...
Blood Blockade Battlefront GN 1-4
It was one of the biggest hits of the spring season, but the manga's been around for years. Gabriella Ekens catches up and discovers what you might've been missing.
― Dark Horse licensed Blood Blockade Battlefront – the second series by famed Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow – way back in 2011. It was an obscure property, however, until this year, when Studio Bones released an anime adaptation (direct...
Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works Limited Edition Bluray Box 1
Nick Creamer's original review of the first 12 episodes of Fate/stay night is updated with an in-depth look at the new bluray box set, a review of the English dub and some new insight from included interviews.
― Unlimited Blade Works is a tricky one to approach, both structurally and due to its place in a broader, creakier canon. The show technically adapts the second of three routes included in the ...
Ultimate Otaku Teacher - episodes 1-12
He's a hardcore otaku who claims he can only do what he burns with passion for, but when he becomes a teacher, all bets are off. It's a sitcom with a painfully unlikable main character - strap in!
― The unconventional teacher who finds ways to reach out to and motivate troubled students has been a recurring story element for decades in live-action movies and TV shows, and anime has certainly had its ...
What Did You Eat Yesterday? GN 9
Shiro's emotional and comfort level progress are made more apparent as he faces new trials like familial illness, standing up for Kenji, and, worst of all, the impending closure of his favorite grocery store in this latest volume of Fumi Yoshinaga's slice-of-life series.
― Time has been passing slowly over the course of Fumi Yoshinaga's quiet slice-of-life series What Did You Eat Yesterday, something...
Yuki Yuna is a Hero Bluray 3
Yuki Yuna wraps up with a conclusion that might not satisfy everyone, but Ponycan's release includes some insightful commentary.
― The non-fighting parts of the first two-thirds of Yuki Yuna is a Hero establish each of the five members of the Hero Club and build strong bonds of love and friendship between them. Although that development was quite satisfying on its own, the final four episodes show ex...
Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE! Blu-Ray 1
This lighthearted confection about a team of magical boys comes to bluray with a bevy of extras and an oversize case, but is it worth the price?
― From the director who brought you Daily Lives of High School Boys comes another comedy about high school boys...who have to dress up in frilly outfits to save the world. Cute High Earth Defense Club Love, winner of winter 2014's unwieldiest title, is a str...
Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto GN 1
Are you ready to meet Sakamoto? He's an incredibly charismatic, amazingly skilled new kid at school, and he's got a solution for everything in this very funny spoof of high school manga.
― Who is Sakamoto? No one seems to know, but they can all agree on one thing – he is preternaturally awesome. Recently transferring to an average, everyday high school from someplace known as “Innocence,” Sakamoto is...
Demon Prince of Momochi House GN 1
It may feel like a reiteration of several other supernatural shoujo series at first, but by the end of the volume, Aya Shouoto's latest series is well on its way to standing on its own two metaphorical feet.
― Aya Shouoto has officially Made It in the English manga market: The Demon Prince of Momochi House marks her third series licensed and released in under a year. Falling somewhere in-between Kiss...
.hack//Roots DVD
We have enough high quality "stuck in an online game" shows now where maybe we don't need to rely on ol' .hack//Roots anymore.
― In this third series in the overarching .hack franchise, which is comprised of anime, manga, light novels, and games, you have to wonder if it's worth going back into Cyber-Connect's MMORPG “The World.” At least in part this is because, based on the events of the show, it a...
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend
This meta-riffic harem show demonstrates a writer who seems to be holding themselves back, which is a very specific and aggravating kind of disappointment.
― There's been a bit of a trend towards self-awareness and meta gags in anime these last few years, particularly among shows based on a certain kind of light novel. Shows like Outbreak Company or My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute don't just fill...
Plastic Memories Episodes 1-13 Streaming
This sci-fi romantic dramedy about a society dealing with the implications of realistic human androids begins with a whole lot of promise. It's what happens next that drags it all down.
― Plastic Memories starts out very promising. The first episode boasted of an intriguing sci-fi premise, with robots built purely for companionship, but only lasting for a small amount of time. It's like having a cat ...
Atelier, Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky Blu-Ray
"The Atelier game franchise gets its first anime...and they chose the middle game of a trilogy? That and some poor pacing choices make this a less than stellar viewing experience, although it is awfully pretty."
― Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky marks the first time a game in the Atelier franchise of incredibly pretty RPGs has gotten an anime adaptation, and I must say that it feels ...
Fragments of Horror GN 1
Junji Ito’s new horror collection has its ups and downs, but always reflects Ito’s singular vision of the weird.
― Horror can be about fear of the unknown, but it can also be about turning the mundane into the unknown. About taking an everyday truth you rely on and making it something unsteady, something you can no longer trust. We trust our bodies, we trust the houses we live in and the people we lo...
Maid Sama! [Omnibus] GN 1
Back from the land of the unfinished, it's Hiro Fujiwara's shoujo tale of a girl leading a double life: as a hard-hitting student council president and a...maid?
― If you just look at it on the surface, Maid Sama!, the chosen abbreviated title of Hiro Fujiwara's shoujo manga Kaicho wa Maid-sama, is an odd choice to get a license rescue. The story follows Misaki Ayuzawa, a girl who hates men because o...
First Love Monster GN 1
First Love Monster wants to be a comedy, but this romance between a fifth grader and a high school first year doesn't quite pull it off.
― There are crushes, and there are crushes – some you're more likely to act on than others, and some you know are just secret emotions that are better kept to yourself. That last distinction is a little difficult for the heroine of First Love Monster, fifteen-year-o...
Umineko When They Cry Episode 5: End of the Golden Witch Volume 1 GN 10
Beatrice is down for the count but the game goes on. Can Lambdadelta and Bernkastel help Battler see the mysteries of Rokkenjima in a different light?
― Episode five in Ryukishi07's Umineko: When They Cry mystery series (or perhaps “serial” would be the better term) is the first to truly move the story solidly into the realm of mysteries, specifically those written during the so-called “Golden Age” o...
A Bride's Story GN 4
A Bride's Story takes a break from the drama for a little levity, and the story is none the weaker for it.
― A Bride's Story has always been a manga heavy on vignettes and digressions, but Smith's exit from Amir and Karluk's family back at the end of volume two has expanded its scope without really heightening the drama. In fact, with him on the road, the story has become a bit of a genre-shifting tr...
Review: Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'
The latest Dragon Ball Z movie brings back an old villain to once again test Goku's strength, but maybe they should've dug up a more credible threat to everyone's favorite Saiyan god and his grumpy partner.
― Dragon Ball Z is in an interesting place right now. For many fans, the story had been functionally over for a long time. Akira Toriyama's manga had concluded and we were content to believe that ...
Gyo [2-in-1 Deluxe Edition] GN
Junji Ito's death-stench horror gets the deluxe treatment with a new hardcover omnibus, but the subject matter might not work for everyone.
― Junji Ito is inarguably one of the masters of horror manga, utilizing both horror (physical revulsion) and terror (psychological reaction) to create gut-churning tales of the world gone mad. To a degree, he carries this out in his two-volume series Gyo from 200...
Noir Blu-Ray
Bee-Train's 2001 girls-with-guns classic returns on Blu-Ray, and holds up surprisingly well, despite some mediocre animation.
― Not all older series deserve the Blu-Ray treatment. For some it is because the show just isn't as iconic as people might like to think, while for others it's because the quality was never BD worthy in the first place. Noir, fortunately, does hold up well enough that its tran...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders Egypt Arc [Episodes 1-24 Streaming]
Egypt Arc is JoJo in peak condition, as memorable and engaging an adventure as you could hope for. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is back.
― When we last left our heroes, they'd just arrived on the shores of Egypt, escaping the literal jaws of defeat in order to finally save Jotaro's mother. The journey there had been a lengthy and sometimes inconsistent one, with their various adventures indeed being plen...
Sword Art Online: Progressive Novel 2
Kirito's adventures continue in Reki Kawahara's second Progressive novel, which delves into the mechanics of the game much more than the show ever did.
― The second volume of Reki Kawahara's ambitious reimagining of Sword Art Online offers plenty of intriguing content, but perhaps none more so than its Afterword. In the Afterword for the first volume, he mentioned an intent to average about two floor...
Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 DVD
I hope you like the '90s not only because this show is the most '90s thing ever, but also because it just doesn't have a whole lot else going for it.
― Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 definitely has an aesthetic. Now, whether it has a good aesthetic or not, that's the question. I hope you like the '90s. Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 is intensely, aggressively '90s, from its tone to its overall aesthetic to...
Aldnoah.Zero Blu-Ray Vol. 1
Earth and Mars go to war in the first volume of creator Gen Urobuchi's sci-fi action hit, now in English and loaded with extras, but is this 6-episode single release worth the investment?
― What sets people apart from each other? That's a question that gets asked almost everyday, with various answers like “color,” “religion,” or “country of origin” all getting tossed around. In the world of Aldnoah Z...
Tokyo Ghoul GN 2
Tokyo Ghoul's second volume slows down the pace a little to examine what happens when the line between "monster" and "human" gets a little blurry.
― One of the greatest tropes in horror literature is the fear that the monsters might look just like us. I call it a trope due to its widespread use, but it remains an effective one, and in the second volume of Tokyo Ghoul, Sui Ishida takes that device and...
Ultraman GN 1
Straight to you from 1966, it's Ultraman! Luckily you don't have to have seen the original TV show to enjoy this surprisingly non-campy sequel to the famous fighter's adventures.
― There's a good chance that readers outside of Asia aren't as familiar with Ultraman as those within it. While the 1966 show is available on DVD in English, it doesn't have the widespread recognition of, say, The Mighty Mor...
Noragami BD+DVD
The story of a typical high school girl who falls in with an obscure god dealing with troublesome spirits. You know, normal high school stuff.
― The title of this 2014 adaptation of a shonen manga literally translates as “stray god,” which is a fitting description for its male protagonist and central character. (That “nora” means “stray” also becomes important in reference to another character who fi...
Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine
The second season of Netflix's exclusive CG anime continues the sci-fi drama you've come to expect, but the ending may leave something to be desired.
― The second season of Knights of Sidonia picks up almost exactly where the first season left off, with no recap whatsoever. Hence at least reviewing the events of the first season before beginning this one is strongly recommended, or else the first epi...
Denki-Gai Collector's Edition Blu-Ray Vol. 3
The adventures of the Umanohone bookstore crew come to a conclusion (or maybe they just stop) in the final volume of PONYCAN's limited edition release.
― Denki-Gai has never really followed a set pattern for its storylines or episodes, sort of flowing freely from one weird scenario to the next, picking characters to spotlight at random, and generally just running with it. This third and final set of ...
Persona 4 the Golden Animation Blu-Ray Vol. 1
All that extra material in Persona 4: The Golden gets animated, but it's for diehard Persona fans only; newcomers to the franchise need not apply. Gabriella Ekens takes a look.
― Persona 4 came out in 2008 and has been printing money ever since. Persona 4: The Golden Animation is an animated collection of scenes exclusive to the game's enhanced re-release, Persona 4: The Golden. It's meant to be inse...
Twin Star Exorcists GN 1
Two kids with great talent as onmyoji are told that they must marry and have a child; needless to say they aren't thrilled with the idea in the first volume of this action romance from the creator of Good Luck Girl.
― Raise your hand if you've heard the name “Abe no Seimei.” Chances are good that if you've ever read or watched something based in the Heian period or involving exorcists or onmyoji, you...
Demon from Afar GN 1 - 3
Kaori Yuki of Angel Sanctuary fame spins a yarn that draws from the macabre origins of children's rhymes, while still showing off the kind of sexy angels and demons she's famous for.
― Children's tales are deceptive. Many people know that “Ring Around the Rosy” is about the bubonic plague, that “Rock-a-Bye Baby” involves the death of an infant, or that “Little Red Riding Hood” is thought to be a rape...
Soul Eater Not! BD+DVD
Somehow both a prequel and a spinoff of the original series, Soul Eater Not! is decidedly more low-key and goofy than its parent series, but is it worth your hard-earned cash?
― This 12-episode 2014 series is both a spin-off and veritable prequel for the shonen action series Soul Eater, and indeed, numerous characters who have prominent roles in that series have either cameos or recurring appearances...
Turn A Gundam Sub.DVD
Yoshiyuki Tomino's long-unlicensed eccentric darling Turn A Gundam is finally out on DVD in the US, and Nick Creamer was tasked with making sense of it all.
― Turn A Gundam is certainly a strange one. Set on a unique and compelling parallel earth, it stands somewhat apart from the convoluted chronology of Gundam's usual universes, giving it a very specific personality. And beyond its setting, its sty...
Review: Attack on Titan: Part I (Live-Action Movie)
Attack on Titan makes the leap to live-action, and in doing so also makes the leap from shonen action to straight-up nightmare-inducing gruesome psychological horror. Hope Chapman survived to tell you all about it.
― There's a colossal problem in the way for any live-action version of a larger-than-life comic book. What works as a drawing doesn't always work in the flesh, and few premises make a bett...
The Irregular at Magic High School Blu-Ray 1
Tatsuya is the most gifted and extraordinary guy around, but the phonies at his magic school won't realize it until he shows 'em. Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― The Irregular at Magic High School is not a series best judged by its first episode alone. Adapted from the popular light novels by Tsutomu Sato, the story is a strange mix of science fiction and fantasy, taking a basic staple of the fanta...
The Isolator: Realization of Absolute Solitude Novel 1
Reki Kawahara has improved in both writing and storytelling in his latest novel series, the story of a traumatized young man and the strange alien powers he gains.
― Few light novel authors have gotten the Western exposure that Reki Kawahara enjoys. With the publication of his latest novel series, The Isolator: Realization of Absolute Solitude, all of his novels are now available in English, he has f...
Review: Sword Art Online II Blu-Ray 1
Kirito and Asuna return in the first installment of Aniplex's sequel to one of the biggest hits in recent memory. This time they have guns! And Kirito is a girl, sort of!
― Like it or hate it (and my, did it evoke passionate responses both ways!), the first Sword Art Online anime series was a major hit on both sides of the Pacific. Between that and a wealth of already-existing additional material to ...
Chaika: The Coffin Princess GN 1
An encounter with a mysterious girl carrying a coffin on her back stands to change the life of Toru Acura, a young soldier lost without a war to fight in the manga version of Ichirou Sakaki's original novels.
― Some readers may already be familiar with Chaika: The Coffin Princess from the anime version. While the manga is not the original form of the story – it began as a light novel series – it does...
Please Teacher! DVD
Once upon a time, this romantic comedy about a student in love with his (alien) teacher was an enormous hit. Has time been kind to it?
― The series still commonly-known under its original Japanese name Onegai Teacher is an original anime production from director Yasunori Ide and scenario writer Yousuke Kuroda (Hellsing Ultimate and Mobile Suit Gundam 00, among many other prominent titles). It first a...
Nisekoi: False Love Sub.Blu-Ray 4
The final volume of Nisekoi starts dabbling in drama amdist all the comedy, but is it enough for a satisfying finale?
― The fourth Blu-Ray release for Nisekoi covers episodes 15-20, which constitutes the final quarter of the first series. Unlike the ending of the second season, it actually makes one key progression in the relationship dynamics – i.e., getting Chitoge to admit that she may actually be...
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer GN 5-6
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer continues to pick up speed, challenging its characters and upgrading its execution in its triumphant third collection.
― From the first collection to the second, Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer ramped up significantly in storytelling ambition and execution. A narrow story unfolded into an ambitious ensemble one, and compelling themes regarding family, adulthood, and the ...
Monster Musume GN 6
Kimihito is already living with a harpy, a mermaid, a spider woman, a centaur, a slime girl, and a lamia. Could he possibly have room for a dullahan too? And what could possibly go wrong with a grim reaper in the house...?
― If there's one thing that Okayado's Monster Musume is, it's unashamed. There are bare breasts (and nipples) in proliferation, orgasms induced by a variety of thoughts and things,...
Wanna Be the Strongest in the World! [Limited Edition] BD+DVD
Take it as a paean to joshi puroresu and Wanna Be the Strongest in the World fares pretty well. Take it any other way and, well... you'll see.
― Female pro wrestling in Japan (referred to as joshi puroresu) has existed to some degree since 1948, most typically as an independent promotion from male pro wrestling. Like pro wrestling in the States, Japanese pro wrestling is typically scripted, although ...
Magi DVD 2
With Magnoshutatt on the brink of war, can Aladdin convince its leader that non-magicians are human too?
― There is a style of literature known as “Naturalism,” which, in its simplest form, expresses the belief that it is impossible to overcome or rise above the situation you are born into. It isn't always seen in anime, and it certainly wasn't part of the first season of Magi, The Labyrinth of Magic...
Nobunagun BD+DVD
Oda Nobunaga, Jack the Ripper, Isaac Newtwon, and other historical greats pass on their talents to E-Gene holders to fight aliens. Wait, where are you going?
― There is something to be said for owning your concept. Nobunagun is essentially about giving descendants of mankind's greats access to their progenitors' abilities so that they can fight off aliens who have an uncanny knack for evolving, and h...
Maria the Virgin Witch Episodes 1-12 Streaming
An underappreciated adventure series that explores the life of a witch during the Hundred Years War who has a decidedly complicated relationship with her virginity.
― What do you get when combine magical girls, medieval history, a thesis on religion and female sexuality, penis jokes and dancing owls? You get Maria the Virgin Witch, the sleeper hit of the winter 2015 anime season. This show came out o...
Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-Ray
Miyazaki’s thrilling first film arrives in a special edition worthy of the title.
― Before Studio Ghibli, before Nausicaa, before Oscar honors and western fame and general anime elder statesman-dom, Hayao Miyazaki worked on the very first Lupin III series at A Pro, along with his longtime Ghibli partner Isao Takahata. Though he'd shift from this work to the renowned Heidi, Girl of the Alps and then F...
Naruto Shippuden Uncut Set Volume 22
The Fourth Great Shinobi War is just getting heated up in this collection of episodes.
― Naruto Shippuden's 22nd DVD set (episodes 271-283) is a mixed bag, but it rarely disappoints. With the Fourth Great Shinobi War finally off the ground, there are countless battles to showcase and many, many stories to tell. While a number of the mini arcs featured in this volume do a commendable job of showcasing...
Kamisama Kiss GN 18
Nanami is back from the past and off to Okinawa in this volume of Julietta Suzuki's story about an ordinary girl who becomes a goddess.
― For many book series, manga or otherwise, the fulfillment of the romance plot or subplot marks the end of the story. In Julietta Suzuki's Kamisama Kiss, that does not appear to be the case – volume seventeen got Tomoe to finally admit his feelings while Nanami lear...
Dream Fossil: The Complete Stories of Satoshi Kon GN
This collection of early short stories by the late great Satoshi Kon offers a rare glimpse into the creative mind that would go on to create some of anime's most memorable films.
― Paprika. Tokyo Godfathers. Millenium Actress. Memories. Whatever you know Satoshi Kon's work from, chances are you know his films, and while that was his primary creative medium, he also penned manga which shares the same ...
Review: Ping Pong the Animation BD+DVD
Ping Pong the Animation brings together Masaki Yuasa’s stunning visual language and Taiyo Matsumoto’s focused, insightful storytelling in a triumph of a production.
― Masaaki Yuasa is an animator's animator. Whether it's through contributing evocative slices to the shows of others in Space Dandy or Adventure Time, staking his own creative territory in originals like Mind Game or Kaiba, or crafting on...
Hyperdimension Neptunia [Limited Edition] BD+DVD
If you've ever dreamed of an anime where your favorite game consoles came to life in the form of adorable anime girls, this is it. Just don't think about it too hard.
― The anime version of Hyperdimension Neptunia is based on a series of video games of the same name, which were released in Japan beginning in 2010. (PC versions of them have started to become available in the U.S. as 2015 has progresse...
Yuki Yuna is a Hero [Collector's Edition + CD] BD+DVD 2
The saga of Yuki Yuna continues in volume 2 of Pony Canyon's limited edition release. The show remains strong, but is that price point worth it?
― The middle third of the series, which covers episodes 5-8, is a study in dramatic contrasts. Its content varies from intense battles to placid, occasionally comedic slice-of-life and back again before ending with (comparatively speaking) grim revelations. ...
Yakitate!! Japan Sub.DVD
Things go international in the second part of Yakitate!! Japan as Azuma heads to Monaco for a competition. Can Pantasia rise above its rivals?
― Bread may seem an unlikely topic for a shounen tournament show, given that it's a multi-hour process to prepare and bake it and that battles need to be fast-paced and exciting. And yet somehow Yakitate Japan manages to pull it off in a second set of twenty-s...
.hack//Legend of the Twilight DVD
This chibi-sized comedy followup to the smash hit .hack//sign seemed like a good time to one unsuspecting Nick Creamer. That all changed the minute he started watching...
― It was quite a shock, jumping from .hack//SIGN to this one. SIGN was a compelling series with a variety of debilitating flaws; it was creative and impassioned, but held down by serious failings of structure and storytelling. The s...
Review: Spirited Away BD+DVD
Studio Ghibli's most decorated and internationally renowned film finally comes to bluray in the US. Does it still hold up after all these years?
― Let's get this out of the way first: Spirited Away won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film back in 2002. As of this writing it's the only animated film from Japan to have ever won that honor, which means that among people who pay attention to a...
Review: The Cat Returns BD+DVD
Bamboo is whisked away to a fantasy kingdom by the Baron in one of the last remaining Studio Ghibli films to finally get the bluray treatment.
― It's difficult to talk about Studio Ghibli films without comparing them to one another. Whether they're directed by Hayao Miyazaki or not, everything is perpetually compared and contrasted. In that regard, for those who are keeping score, The Cat Returns is ...
The Devil is a Part-Timer! Novel 1
The novel that spawned the hit comedy series about the devil himself working in fast food finally hits shelves. Theron Martin investigates.
― The anime adaptation of this light novel series by Satoshi Wagahara was one of the best and funniest series of 2013, with a concept well-suited to American audiences, so its source material eventually making its way to the States is no surprise. And while the h...
Amagi Brilliant Park
Kyoani's until-now-unlicensed series about a self-centered teen who winds up saving a theme park with the help of a few lovely ladies is finally on Crunchyroll, and Theron Martin takes a look.
― In one episode of the anime version of The Twelve Kingdoms, heroine Youko pretended to be an actor portraying an evil visitor from another world to hide the fact that she actually was the “evil” visitor that ...
For all articles, see the archives