There once was a magical time in anime dub history where North American anime licensors dubbed over Japanese opening and ending songs. These eight songs represent the very worst the English anime song genre has to offer. ― Lynzee Loveridge is on a short hiatus, so this week we're reprinting a classic List. New columns will return next Saturday! There once was a magical time in anime dub history wher...

review

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UQ Holder! GN 4

Apr 23, 10:08

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manga

UQ Holder finally finds its feet in this volume, demonstrating far more drama, fun, and creativity than ever before. ― I knew this manga was worth believing in. In spite of its lackluster early volumes, I knew Akamatsu had it in him to make a truly satisfying shounen manga, one that demonstrated all the passion and creativity that occasionally glimmered through in Negima. It's taken a while, but UQ H...

feature

5 comments

The Real Legends of Magi: The Kingdom of Magic

Apr 22, 11:20

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anime

The next season of the Arabian Nights-flavored action-adventure hit Magi is on the way to Netflix; learn the folkloric history behind the show's heroes and get a refresher on seasons past. ― The Arabian Nights' Entertainment. 1001 Nights. Whatever you call it, the collection of Middle and Far Eastern folklore collected around the 13th century in Persia (now Iran) has had impressive reach in all corne...

review

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ALDNOAH.ZERO Blu-Ray 4

Apr 22, 10:46

15 comments

anime

ALDNOAH.ZERO tries just a little too hard to wrap everything up in a bow in these last six episodes, and while it works, it lacks any major impact. ― I very rarely say this, but in the case of Aldnoah.Zero, I firmly believe it: the show should have ended after episode twelve. While it would have been a depressing ending, it also would have made a point and kept its characters fairly interesting and r...

column

25 comments

The X Button - Interview: Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness

Apr 21, 12:00

25 comments

anime

This week: Star Ocean producer Shuichi Kobayashi talks sequels, scandalous attire, and Valkyrie Profile! Plus Let it Die, Nier: Automata, and a dangerous new direction for games. ― Welcome to another edition of the X Button. I must interrupt your regularly scheduled Valkyrie Profile updates for some news about Sony's new PlayStation 4. Yes, some solid rumors point to Sony releasing an upgraded versi...

review

12 comments

C³ BD+DVD

Apr 21, 11:08

12 comments

anime

C3 is a surprisingly entertaining take on some well-worn action-fanservice territory. ― Released five years ago now, C³ was one of Silver Link's earliest productions, before they were renowned for… well, making a whole lot of shows exactly like C³. The show falls in the timeless “action-fanservice adaptation themed around torture/bondage gear” subgenre, which has more recently featured the legitimate...

feature

31 comments

Why We Love Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Apr 20, 11:24

31 comments

anime

Fans have clamored for a Phoenix Wright anime for years - the one we finally got left a little to be desired. Jacob Chapman explains what makes the game series so special... and why the anime might not stack up. ― This spring, after over a decade of waiting and hoping, Phoenix Wright fans finally got the TV anime adaptation they always wanted. Well, sort of. After the first episode of A-1 Pictures's...

review

26 comments

Review: The Empire of Corpses

Apr 20, 10:23

26 comments

anime

In select theaters now, The Empire of Corpses succeeds as a rip-roaring adventure story, even if its philosophical pretensions aren’t quite up to snuff. ― The easy, almost foolproof way of testing your appetite for The Empire of Corpses would be to ask: are you a fan of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman (the comics, not the film)? Does that kind of turn of the century steampunk aesthetic entice y...