After War: Gundam X – DVD Review

August 25, 2016August 25, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

I got to review both volumes of After War: Gundam X for Shelf Life on ANN. Check out the full writeups below!

“I enjoyed my time spent with Gundam X, even if the show took its sweet time getting on my good side. It’s hardly without flaws, and it’s never quite as smart or compelling as it wants to be, but the series ends up doing a fine job in spite of itself. I can’t give it my fullest endorsement, since so much of this show’s quality is dependent on the viewer’s patience and tolerance for cheap-looking animation, not to mention a heaping helping of 90s flavored cheese.” Continue reading “After War: Gundam X – DVD Review” →

Taboo Tattoo – Episodes 5-8

August 25, 2016August 25, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

My reviews for Episodes 5-8 of Taboo Tattoo are up on Anime News Network. For my full thoughts, check out the links below!

I won’t lie to you, ladies and gentlemen. This show has absolutely gone to hell.

It’s a damned shame too, because it started out with a lot of promise. It was an overplayed setup, of course, and its potential was always limited, but TT’s first few episodes showed a lot of potential. This could have been 2016’s “Enjoyably Stupid Popcorn Action Series”. There are worse labels to get stuck with, after all.

One such label would be “Most Embarassing Descent into Gibberish”, which Taboo Tattoo is apparently gunning for, and with gusto. Continue reading “Taboo Tattoo – Episodes 5-8” →

Streaming Reviews - Summer 2016

Taboo Tattoo – Episodes 1-4

July 27, 2016August 25, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

My reviews for Episodes 1-4 of Taboo Tattoo are up on Anime News Network. For my full thoughts, check out the links below!

Episodes 1-3

Episode 4

Overall, this show is…okay? Honestly, it’s essentially what Big Order would have been if it actually knew how to tell a story, write characters, or otherwise be, you know, not terrible.
The choreography for the fight scenes is definitely the reason to be watching at all, since everything else is simply passable at this point.

Still, I can actually tell you what’s happening in the story, which is more than I can say for some shows. Are you a fan of Taboo Tatoo so far? Do you hate it? Let me know in the comments!

Streaming Reviews - Spring 2016

Twin Star Exorcists: Episodes 1-14 Archives

July 14, 2016August 25, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

Twin Star exorcists has concluded it’s first batch of episodes, and with the arrival of a new opening and ending theme I figured now was a good time to add my ANN write-ups for episodes 1-14 to the site. I meant to keep them updated episode by episode, and that is the plan for all subsequent releases, but time just got away from me.

Check them out here!

Continue reading “Twin Star Exorcists: Episodes 1-14 Archives” →

Streaming Reviews - Spring 2016

Big Order : Complete Series Archive

July 14, 2016July 14, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

In honor of the beginning of a new season of anime, I’m posting my reviews of Big Order for ANN here in bulk. I originally planned to keep these updated on here as well, as they were written, but the timing just didn’t work out. Still, Big Order represents a fairly big landmark for me as a writer, in two ways:

1. It was one of the first series I was assigned to review for Anime News Network.

2. It’s one of the most monumentally terrible things I’ve ever seen in my life.

Big Order is legitimately one for the books, ladies and gentlemen, and I want to keep the record of my suffering journey preserved for future generations. Below are all of my reviews for Big Order’s 10 episode run. Continue reading “Big Order : Complete Series Archive” →

DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews

Blu-Ray Review: When They Cry KAI

July 14, 2016August 25, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

A review for the When They Cry KAI Blu-Ray release is up on ANN!

“When I reviewed the first season of When They Cry back in March, I was struck by how much I liked the show, given its rough first impressions. The animation and character designs were pretty ugly, and the story was presented in a rather unique way that nonetheless created some noticeable pacing and tonal issues. Continue reading “Blu-Ray Review: When They Cry KAI” →

DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews

DVD Review: Lupin III – Alcatraz Connection

July 14, 2016August 25, 2016 James BeckettLeave a comment

A new review for Lupin III – Alcatraz Connection ‘s is up on ANN!

“Lupin the Third, both the character and the media franchise revolving around him, is a cornerstone of Japanese popular culture who hardly requires an introduction. Most anime fans have had some interaction with the snarky thief, be it through films like Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro, Adult Swim reruns of the second anime series, or more modern interpretations of the character like Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. I’ve always been fond of the adventures of this ragtag group, so I was excited to dig into this Lupin TV special, produced over a decade ago but available for the first time in English this month. Continue reading “DVD Review: Lupin III – Alcatraz Connection” →