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Kumamiko - Girl meets Bear ‒ Episode 7
"Kumamiko isn't the most daring show in the world, but it's making its familiar set of jokes work."
Bungo Stray Dogs ‒ Episode 7
What's interesting about this episode is not so much the actual plot, which is really fairly basic as mystery/action stories go, but how it highlights the different world views of Dazai and Kunikida.
Kamisama Kiss: Season 2 DVD
Kamisama Kiss' second season is just as delightful as the first, taking Nanami to meet the other gods in Izumo and delving deeper into both her past and Tomoe's.
― There is something delightful about Kamisama Kiss, no matter what form it takes. For fans of Julietta Suzuki's original manga, the anime is less like watching a new adaptation of the story and more like simply seeing the manga move and spe...
Joker Game ‒ Episode 7
"Episode 7 goes out of its way to cement that Joker Game is not very serious by historical fiction standards."
One Piece ‒ Episode 741
"The Dressrosa arc is going to end one of these days, I swear."
Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III ‒ Episode 33
"Who would have thought that Sailor Moon Crystal was capable of a genuine cliff-hanger ending?"
Maken-Ki! Two BD+DVD
The second series for this fan service fest is a slight improvement over the first, but that isn't saying much.
― Heavy fan service shows may have gotten more sophisticated in their characterizations and storytelling over the past few years, but that is only on the average. The classic big, dumb booby show still pops up on a regular basis because they still sell well enough on both sides of the Pacif...
The SPJA Needs to Change This Policy
The new SPJA Youth Protection Policy might seem like a good idea, but it could well destroy Anime Expo.
― On Tuesday, at an SPJA board meeting, the SPJA board of directors will be making a very important decision that could have long reaching consequences for Anime Expo. During this meeting the board will decide how to address problems with their new Youth Protection Policy, problems that many AX par...
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- ‒ Episode 7
"...episode 7 marks the first time that it has taken itself completely seriously for a whole episode."
My Hero Academia ‒ Episode 7
"Whether MHA graduates from its currently modest scope stands as my only real concern, but knowing how this show has been operating so far it'll probably have an answer to that worry soon enough."
Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto ‒ Episode 5
"At this point, Sakamoto himself can best be described as a predictably unpredictable character."
Flying Witch ‒ Episode 6
"Flying Witch seems to understand that Chinatsu is its most charming character, as she got plenty more focus in this week's episode."
High School Fleet ‒ Episode 6
"High School Fleet tries to do a little more than it has time for this week, and the result is an episode that feels pretty disjointed."
The Asterisk War ‒ Episode 19
"This episode gives off all the vibes of a penultimate episode, and yet we're only halfway through the season."
Tanaka-kun is Always Listless ‒ Episode 6
"If you've ever wondered what depths someone would sink to in order to achieve ultimate laziness, Tanaka's got you covered."
Ace Attorney ‒ Episode 7
"Move over, Phoenix Wright. This week's Ace Attorney episode was all about Miles Edgeworth."
Kiznaiver ‒ Episode 6
"...one of the best episodes the show's pulled together to date."
The Lost Village ‒ Episode 7
"I keep expecting this show to go truly off the rails in a way that isn't entertaining to watch, but it actually seems to be getting more confident over time."
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable ‒ Episode 7
"This is one of those twenty minute episodes that feels more like five."
Ushio & Tora ‒ Episode 33
"Ushio & Tora has become wildly affecting, bringing a powerful story to life."
The List - 6 of Anime's Less-Than-Finest Officers
When you're in trouble, call the police - just hope you don't get any one of these particularly unqualified officers.
― Incompetent cops are a common foil in Western fiction, especially if the main character is a vigilante superhero or the victim of a crime that's gone unpunished. It isn't nearly as common in anime though, where blue bloods are filled with types like Akane Tsunemori, Natsumi Tsujimo...
The Other Side of Secret GN 1
Blending fanservice with an interesting plot, The Other Side of Secret's first volume shows some potential even as it spends most of its time setting up.
― Don't let the boobs on the cover turn you off – underneath the fanservice element (which will be an added appeal for some readers) is an interesting story about mysterious doors and dark otherworlds. While I wouldn't call this a tame book (althoug...
Shōnen Maid ‒ Episode 5
"At this point, I think the show could stand a little more depth, but I'd hate to see it stray too far from its slice-of-life roots."
Concrete Revolutio ‒ Episode 19
"Concrete Revolutio is finally coming together and living up to its lofty goals."
Big Order ‒ Episode 5
"We still have 5 episodes to go, and I fear that the descent into the bottom of the barrel is only beginning."
Answerman - What Determines Whether Songs In Anime Get Dubbed?
When an anime has a musical number or an insert song, they're only occasionally dubbed into English - why is that, and how are those decisions made?
― Dustin asks: The English dub of Love Live! transitions from English dialogue to the original song performances of the Japanese seiyuu. In other cases like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the insert songs are sung in English. What's the process of d...
Anime Time Travel: Who Got It Right?
Anime has a ton of different ways to travel through time, but which one of them seems the most plausible? Paul Jensen straps in to determine which method makes the most sense, from Haruhi Suzumiya to Re:Zero!
― Re:Zero has been making a bit of a splash this season, thanks in part to its time-bending premise. Every time the main character dies, he gets a chance to go back and try again, sort of like h...
Assassination Classroom season 2 ‒ Episode 18
"This episode's success hinges on Assassination Classroom's ability to deliver a serious, compelling action scene, and the show does exactly that."
Sword Art Online Novel 7
Theron's favorite part of Sword Art Online shows up in its original light novel form, and he finds the experience a little diminished from its anime adaptation.
― The seventh novel in the core SAO storyline corresponds to episodes 18-24 of Sword Art Online II, which in my evaluation is the best SAO story arc released in the U.S. to date. I expounded on the merits of its storytelling in great detail i...
Naruto Shippuden ‒ Episode 460
"In addition to delving into Kaguya's past, we get an extended glimpse of what the show's world was like before the advent of ninjutsu."
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress ‒ Episodes 4-5
"Episode 5 finally gives us the deeper look into Mumei's character that viewers have been waiting for, without putting the brakes on Kabaneri's nonstop action."
And you thought there is never a girl online? ‒ Episode 6
"With some recent heavier concerns out of the way, episode 6 takes a more purely comedic turn."
The X Button - Bandai Namco's Anime Wave
This week: Bandai Namco’s staggering anime videogame lineup of Jojo’s, Sword Art Online, One Piece, and more! Plus Persona 3, Phoenix Wright, and the best new Pokemon!
― When the Pokemon craze enveloped children everywhere in the late 1990s, comedians and parents and cultural pundits opined that it would soon give way to some other fad. I wonder if any of them still predict that. Bolstered by Ninten...
Review: Harmony
After the flawed but entertaining Empire of Corpses, the second film in the Project Itoh series is a pretty serious letdown. Nick Creamer does the postmortem.
― The first film in the Project Itoh series, The Empire of Corpses, was a fairly well-composed adventure romp. Its attempts to use zombies to speak to the nature of the human soul were somewhat half-baked, but those issues couldn't prevent it f...
Bungo Stray Dogs ‒ Episode 6
"The pacing is so jumpy in this episode that it feels like we barely have a chance to register the story's importance."
Twin Star Exorcists ‒ Episode 6
"This episode was a return to form, even if that form had a few rough edges to begin with."
Answerman - Would An American Creator Have Control Over Their Anime?
If JK Rowling agreed to an anime adaptation of Harry Potter, how much creative control - or even input - would she really have? Justin gets into it.
― Branko asks: Japanese authors appear to have a lot of control over how their works get adapted into anime. However, that is not true everywhere especially in Hollywood. So if an American author, like say George R.R. Martin wanted to produce an anime a...
Manga vs. Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist
The debate about which version of Fullmetal Alchemist is the best one rages to this day - we break down all the arguments to determine which one is actually better, the manga, the 2003 anime, or Brotherhood?
― For every popular anime based on a manga, there's the age-old question: which version is better? This is especially true with any anime that diverges significantly from its source material. Som...
Spice & Wolf Novel 17
One of the most unusual and mature fantasy franchises to come out of Japan comes to a conclusion with this epilogue and accompanying short stories. Theron reminisces.
― For those who might be contemplating skipping ahead to this novel to see how the story ends, much of what happens in “Conclusion,” the main part of this novel, will not make a whole lot of sense unless you have, at the least, read bot...
Joker Game ‒ Episodes 5-6
"Now that the year is 1939, and we've found ourselves following a newly Axis-allied D-Agency, Joker Game has taken on a decidedly different tone of transition."
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Apr 29-May 5
Re:Zero shoots up the charts and threatens the top two spots - see how all your other favorite shows are faring in our weekly user rankings!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Spring 2016 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are ...
Review: Garo The Animation BD+DVD
Garo the Animation is an archetypal but thrilling and often beautiful adventure.
― Garo: The Animation is an interesting property in a variety of ways. For one, it's an “adaptation” of a very established tokusatsu series - but instead of mirroring the modern format of its parent series, it's actually a period drama riffing on a fantasy version of the Spanish Inquisition. Its head writer Yasuko Kobaya...
Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III ‒ Episode 32
"The Witches 5 are nearly gone, which means that the time is approaching for bigger bads to actually enter into the fray."
Kumamiko - Girl meets Bear ‒ Episode 6
"What it lacks in laugh-out-loud humor, this episode makes up with a surprisingly sentimental story that develops the relationship between Machi and Natsu."
Answerman - Why Do Older Funimation DVDs Have Multi-Angle Credits?
One reader uncovers an ambitious DVD extra from years and years ago, one forgotten by time that makes little sense to modern man. Justin explains the mystery.
― Chris A asks: A handful of my older Funimation DVDs (“Rumbling Hearts” and the 2003 “Fullmetal Alchemist” come to mind) will show an English or Japanese logo in the opening titles based on what the selected audio language is. They accomplish...
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- ‒ Episode 6
"The series is consistently finding a nice balance between its lighter fare and more grim content, and the transitions are smoother than normal too."
One Piece ‒ Episode 740
"I don't know if Toei is just excited to move onto the Zou arc, but whatever it is that's whipped them into shape these last few episodes, I don't want it to stop."
Shelf Life - C3
The fanservicey supernatural drama of C3 baffles and intrigues Gabriella Ekens, but is it enough for a recommendation? PLUS: all of this week's new anime releases!
― About once or twice a year, I find myself putting off watching the last few episodes of an anime series for an unreasonably long time. It's almost never because the show is bad, but rather because I have a subconscious desire for it to ...
Earl and Fairy Sub.DVD
Discotek's release of this 2008 shoujo series has an appealing blend of historical romance and British folklore, plus it covers different material from the original light novels than the previously released manga. It looks a little dated, but the story definitely holds up.
― Based on the light novels of the same name by Mizue Tani, Earl and Fairy is a combination of cute, romantic, and dangerous. Set...
My Hero Academia ‒ Episode 6
"Characters like Bakugo go a long way to making My Hero Academia feel a little bigger than just Midoriya's story."
Series Premiere: Tanaka-kun is Always Listless (Episodes 1-5)
The always-listless Tanaka-kun has drifted into our Daily Streaming Reviews lineup by popular demand! Here's Rebecca's review of the first five episodes...
Flying Witch ‒ Episode 5
"Flying Witch seems like it'd be a pretty dangerous show to watch in the lazy hours of the afternoon."
Fairy Tail GN 53
The Alvarez Arc officially begins as Fairy Tail learns the secrets of its past. There may be more set up than action, but this is still a compulsively readable volume as Mashima plays with some old folkloric ideas.
― Spoiler Warning for Fairy Tail Zero True Love: for thousands of years of folklore, it has been upheld as the ultimate power, and even in today's fiction it occupies a mythic place in ter...
High School Fleet ‒ Episode 5
"Concerns over the teenage mutant ninja hamsters aside, I don't see this series going off the rails any time soon."
The Asterisk War ‒ Episode 18
"Since the hunt for Flora plot seems to be spinning its wheels, the character development at play is more interesting."
Ace Attorney ‒ Episode 6
"This week doesn't just present original takes on existing scenes, but even presents some of its own scenes that weren't in the game."
Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto ‒ Episode 4
"Although the stories remain as simplistic as ever, the jokes are incredibly sharp, the timing is pitch-perfect, and the material is presented with genuine enthusiasm."
Ushio & Tora ‒ Episode 32
"Just in time for Mother's Day comes a bittersweet reunion between Ushio and his mother."
Kiznaiver ‒ Episode 5
"It's time for a training camp! Home cooking, steamy confessions, and tests of courage are all in attendance as Kiznaiver churns its characters around in one more classic anime scenario."
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable ‒ Episode 6
"How do you warn people about an episode that features animal cruelty that later turns out to not actually be animal cruelty?"
The Lost Village ‒ Episode 6
" All told, I'm still considering The Lost Village the breakout comedy of the season."
Shōnen Maid ‒ Episode 4
"Now that the key players have settled into their respective roles, it feels like the show—and its stories—have a lot more breathing room."
The List - 7 Twisted Wishes Gone Wrong
The monkey's paw rules are simple: you get one wish, anything your heart desires, but there will be horrible consequences as a result. It's happened at least seven times in anime!
― Last week's list was all about lovable monkeys, but this week I'm taking on a side of our furry relatives that's a whole lot more sinister: the Monkey's Paw. Thanks to a famous short story by William Wymark Jacobs, this ...
Big Order ‒ Episode 4
"Compared to the inconsistent and messy affair we've been working through the past few weeks, this episode of Big Order was a legitimate breath of fresh air."
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Novel 5
Danmachi's fifth volume takes us deeper into the Dungeon than ever before as Bell finds himself out of his depth and Hestia breaks a major rule to find him.
― What is it that keeps Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon's Bell Cranell from being an obnoxiously overpowered hero? He certainly has many of the traits of those Gary Stu like figures from other series: insane luck, amazing abiliti...
Concrete Revolutio ‒ Episode 18
"This episode demonstrates one of the show's core themes better than any episode before it."
Naruto Shippuden ‒ Episode 459
"The battle against Kaguya has been a long time coming, but there isn't much action this week."
ANNCast - RahXephon
Zac, Jacob and a special guest revisit the beautifully composed and thoughtfully constructed Evangelion-alike RahXephon after putting it off for way, way too long.
― ANNCast Episode 258: RahXephon Zac, Jacob and listener Alexander Smit (Twitter @BioD42) revisit the beautifully composed and thoughtfully constructed Evangelion-alike RahXephon after putting it off for way, way too long. You can listen ...
Answerman - Why Do American Companies Bother To Release Filler Episodes?
Everyone's irritated by filler, so why do American companies even bother dubbing those episodes and releasing them? Justin gets into it.
― Oni asks: Why do American companies dub, and show, filler episodes? I'm talking like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, why do they bother? These shows have MASSIVE backlogs, both Naruto and One Piece are like 4-5 years ahead of the US Toonami broadcasts at this point, w...
The Takarazuka Experience: Rurouni Kenshin
All about Japan's legendary all-female theater troupe, which has delighted audiences for generations with lavish, impeccable stage productions of some of your favorite anime - including Rurouni Kenshin!
― Anime fans might not think about this too often, but there have been stage productions of popular anime, manga, and video game titles as early as 1966 with Sazae-san; such productions became dramati...
Monster Musume: I ♥ Monster Girls GN 1
It's a licensed collection of doujinshi about Okayado's Monster Musume! It's an odd release, but for fans of the original, there are definitely stories to enjoy.
― I'll admit that it's a bit of an oddity – Okayado's harem comedy Monster Musume is already rife with fanservice and largely functions as a slice-of-life story about everyman Kimihito's forced coexistence with a variety of hot monster girl ...
Assassination Classroom season 2 ‒ Episode 17
"Instead of a cheesy inspirational moment where everyone falls in line with Nagisa's idea, the show embraces the reality of good people having different opinions on the right thing to do."
And you thought there is never a girl online? ‒ Episode 5
"This was the make-or-break moment for the show and it soars rather than stumbles."
The X Button - Import Roundup With Gundam Breaker
This week: it’s an import recap with Gundam, Digimon, and a deadly, mist-filled castle! Plus The King of Fighters, Cave shooters, and Nintendo’s next move!
― I think I'll get my inevitable Valkyrie Profile update out of the way at the start of this column. I'm still playing Valkyrie Anatomia, the mobile-game series prequel that hit Japan last month, and I'm still enjoying it. I concluded long ago th...
Twin Star Exorcists ‒ Episode 5
"This week was easily Twin Star Exorcists's weakest entry so far, and a troubling red flag for what the future of the series might hold."
Review: Doukyusei -Classmates-
This ethereal boys-love film, appearing in a limited theatrical engagement beginning May 6th, dives right into the love confessions and intimacy and never turns back.
― When I first heard Aniplex was going to start screening a critically and financially successful boys' love movie produced by A-1 Pictures in theaters, I was pretty puzzled. Boys' love, shonen-ai, yaoi, however you want to slice it, is...
Bungo Stray Dogs ‒ Episode 5
"This may have been a one-shot interlude episode designed to introduce us to the character of Edogawa Rampo rather than to further the overall plot, but it's also one of the most enjoyable thus far."
Answerman - Are Japanese Bento Boxes Really So Extravagant?
Increasingly elaborate and beautiful bento boxes show up in anime all the time - are they really that over-the-top and difficult to make?
― Jake asks: I have watched a lot of anime and I have noticed something interesting with the food most characters eat. It seems like a lot of time and attention is put into the average breakfast and bento box lunches, which appear to be really extravagant. I might...
What's The One Beloved Anime You Just Don't Get?
Everyone's got one: the enormously popular and beloved anime series or movie that they just didn't fall in love with like everyone else. Our critics confess theirs, and we're dying to hear yours!
― This question can be tough to answer: what's the one beloved anime masterpiece, the show or movie or OVA or whatever it is where you feel like you're the only person who just doesn't get it and didn't fall...
Fairy Tail BD+DVD Part 19
The Eclipse Spirits arc remains lackluster in its finale, but the rest of the filler episodes on these discs are pretty funny as Fairy Tail indulges in some lighter fare before things get serious next set.
― It's the little moments that make this set of episodes, which finishes up the Eclipse Spirits storyline and then embarks on a series of one-off episodes (plus a two episode mini-arc), none of whi...
Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III ‒ Episode 31
"And the Most Awesome Transformation of the Week prize goes to…Sailor Mercury!"
One Piece ‒ Episode 739
"The One Piece anime has been on a roll lately as we power through all the post-arc shenanigans."
Can You Name 10 More Anime from the 90s?
How well do YOU remember the anime of the 1990s? Here are 10 more classic shows - but can you recall them all?
―
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Apr 22-28
The Spring 2016 season rolls along and while Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress hangs on to its #1 position in the cumulative rankings, there's a new challenger to the #1 spot in the weekly chart!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Spring 2016 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) o...
Date A Live II BD+DVD
Despite some frustrating aspects, this second series is, overall, a slight improvement on the first.
― With nine months in between its first and second parts, Date A Live II is more a second series than a second season. Either way you look at it, it is still a direct continuation, one which assumes intimate familiarity with earlier material and provides recap only in bits and pieces. Hence I do recom...
Kumamiko - Girl meets Bear ‒ Episode 5
"This episode exemplifies Kumamiko's problem of being unsure what kind of show it wants to be: not quite a goofy comedy or an ongoing personal dramedy."
Answerman - Why Do Manga Artists Prefer To Stay Anonymous?
Famous mangaka for series like Death Note can be famously withdrawn from the public eye, rarely granting interviews or even pictures. What's with that?
― Federico asks: Why in recent years are manga artists so obsessed with privacy, to the point we know next to nothing about them? Decades ago they had no problem in being interviewed, filmed, photographed, and mostly anyone who was interested in thei...
Shelf Life - Eden of the East Limited Edition
Eden of the East made a huge splash back in 2009, but how well has its techno-thriller storyline aged? James checks out Funimation's fancy new special edition. PLUS: this week's new releases!
― As amusing as I find Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto, I'm increasingly convinced that I'm primarily watching it as an excuse to enjoy its opening theme once a week. It's cool, cooler, coolest. Before we dive ...
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress ‒ Episode 3
"Like all great blockbusters, Kabaneri's not afraid to take things a little bit stupid with a whole lot of style."
Joker Game ‒ Episode 4
"Episode 4 is a major step up from everything that's come before in terms of raw, undiluted commentative bite."
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- ‒ Episode 5
"After a couple of milder episodes, the visuals have gone back to being quite graphic, and the musical score is certainly hitting its stride."
High School Fleet ‒ Episode 4
"This episode remains harmlessly watchable even in its slowest moments, but it lacks some of the impact that helped earlier episodes stand out."
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