Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka!

Type: Anime
Status: Complete (12 episodes)

Premise: After being brutally murdered by a serial killer Ayumu Aikawa is resurrected as a zombie by a girl he had only recently met; she never speaks or shows emotion only communicating through a notebook that she keeps with her. Eucliwood Hellscythe is the source of all magic in this world; an immortal being that holds almost unlimited power, she must maintain strict control over her emotions for fear of losing control and never speaks because her words manifest physically weather she wishes it or not, she is alone and all around her will wither and die given time. Ayumu now indebted to this girl for saving his life promises to stay with her, loneliness needs company after all.

Thoughts: This is not quite as I described it actually, everything I said was true but the tone of this anime is actually rather light and fun (I kind of wish it took this darker root though). I actually rather enjoy this anime for its humor and some truly interesting characters.

Prose: Well animated, great sense of humor and a solid concept makes for an enjoyable viewing experience.

Cons: Beware the frilly pink dress! God I hate that thing! Wouldn't have minded a little darker atmosphere to this anime personally, bring out some more development of characters over the humor and I think we would have had a great concept going (personal views, not to be viewed as actual criticism to the anime!).

-Notes: Subbed only. The ending is a little abrupt and I personally thought that it could have done with a few more episodes.

8/10          (The protagonist of this anime is a zombie, do not try this at home!)

Dragon Crisis!

Type: Anime
Status: Complete (12 episodes)

Premise:  Lost preciouses are ancient magic devices that have a variety of abilities, but the strongest among them are those that are related to dragons. Ryuji is a kid who who is average in almost every way, except his is among the top 7 users of lost precious in the world. When his cousin Eriko comes back into town after a long time and asks him to help steal a lost precious from a group of thieves he is startled to find that this lost precious is actually a young girl, even more shocked after she blows the thieves up and burns the building to the ground.
Boy meets girl. Girl likes boy. Girl blows up mobsters chasing boy. Boy figures out girl is a dragon..... GIRL LIKES BOY.

Thoughts: This is a cute little anime that follow the romance of two little kids in love. Nothing really happens throughout the entire series but it was mildly entertaining.

Prose: Well animated and a decent enough idea behind the story. Nothing sensational, but appropriate for a 12 episode anime.

Cons: Rather forgettable, the plot is stereotypical and uninteresting. Nothing really original here but again its only 12 episodes.

-Notes: Subbed only.

6.5/10          (Oh the little mutant babies....)

Freezing

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Ongoing     Manga - Ongoing

Premise: Humanity is under attack from beings from a parallel dimension, once every 8 or so years a giant creature appears at random and destroys all in it path; code-name Nova. After successfully destroying a rampaging Nova scientists managed to create a weapon to fight against these beings, by implanting the tissues of the dead creature into the backs of children they were able to create soldiers with abilities similar to that of the enemy; boys manifested the ability to "freeze" areas effectively upping the local gravity, while women became stronger and faster, these women are now being trained as the last line of defense; they have been named Pandora.

Thoughts: WOW......... uhhhhh, yah. This anime is rather........ explicit, its rated 18+ and you can rely see why within the first couple of minutes. They are unafraid to show excessive blood and gore, gratuitous nudity and mature themes (in the same episodes I might add); they even went as far as showing people being dismembered an those "classic" shower scenes except without the strategically placed steam. GRATUITOUS, that about spells it out, but thats not always bad....

Prose: Action, boobs, dynamic plot, diverse characters, more boobs...... whats not to like?

Cons: I hated it for all the reasons mentioned above.....

-Notes: Subbed only at this point, and might be one to leave for a while so as to let it have a few more episodes come out.

8/10          (Pandora ability: Regenerate damaged clothing.....)

Infinite Stratos

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (12 episodes)     Manga - Ongoing

Premise: The IS exoskeleton is a piece of technology only usable by women. Developed by Japaneese scientist, due to its immense destructive power a treaty is signed to never use them in war. In this new era of peace insured by the theory of MAD (Mutuality Assured Destruction) it is now possible to train in the use of IS's for sports and other such activities; the academy is an institute located in Japan that accepts equal numbers of applicants from all around the world in order to insure balance. Now we follow Ichika Orimura, the first boy ever to display the ability to control an IS and what happens when a boy tries to attend an all girls school.

Thoughts: This anime is rather entertaining for the shear fact that its fun to watch Ichika scwerm. Imagine if you will a guy being chased by hoards of women all of whom have access to military hardware and are being trained to fight with it. A guilt pleasure,but a pleasure all the same.

Prose: Funny, with some action thrown in for good measure.

Cons: Not serious in the slightest, so don't watch it for the plot.

-Notes: Subbed only with a manga that is lagging behind the anime. Might be a good idea to let this one percolate for a while so as to build up a few more episodes before getting into it.

8/10          (Ahhhhh young love)

Last Exile

Type: Anime
Status: Complete (26 episodes)

Premise: Prester's two rival nations are at war with one another. Separated by a vortex of unstable weather they are forced to engage in battle using the code of chivalric combat, which is being forced upon them by a superior 3rd party known as the guild for their own amusement. The guild supplies technology to both sides of the conflict in order to maintain control of these games. The story revolves around a brother and sister who work as couriers in they vanship (a flying machine that resembles an old fashioned luxury car) but get caught up in dangerous affairs after accepting to transport a mysterious young girl from a dying pilot.

Thoughts: Heavily influenced by WW1 fighter pilots this is a wonderful setting rich in detail and well thought out from beginning to end. There is a real gritty aspect to it as well as these machines break down and we see the inner workings and how they supposedly work.

Pose: Visually stunning, well dubbed, good story, and a unique world makes for a great change of pace.

Cons: There are several "Why the hell did they do that?" done for story related reasons, but they are few and far between.

-Notes: This anime was intended to show that modern CGI can be integrated into classical anime animation and they did a wonderful job, the first episode was approximately 75% CG compared to standard practice which is around 15%. It creates a vary fluid feel to the story, not so many talking heads. SPIN OFF ALERT! Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam is a spin off bringing back a couple of character and the setting but depicting a different struggle for humanity. It is rather good and enthusiasts of the setting will like the continuation of the story but we have lost most of the cast (most not all, a few have come back).

7.5/10          (Screw aerodynamics!)

Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen

Type: Anime
Status: Complete (4 episodes)

Premise: This is the story of a samurai assassin who while fighting to overthrow a corrupt regime finds something worth fighting for.

Thoughts: This anime is one of the best samurai titles I have seen blending bloody action with deep character development without becoming gratuitous. It is also one of the most fluid fighting animations I have witnessed in that it does not resort to freeze frame to give a sense of speed nor does it play up the fighting, it is quick and brutal but never over the top.

Prose: Action, character, plot, animation it has it all and is a true gem.

Cons: The dubbing lacks a certain amount of accuracy, which kind of threw me off at first. It may actually be better to watch it in the subbed format, it gives it a certain feel....

-Notes: THERE IS A DUB, it took me 2 episodes to find it but there is one. This is actually the OVA to the series of Rurouni Kenshin which is a long running series in its own right, the thing is that I HATED the other series. Between the 2 series they change art styles and it becomes a happy go lucky party with friends type anime that completely threw me at first, I never finished it. Rely you should watch the full anime first and then re-visit this one as a kind of "how he became this way" prequel, but to be completely honest this OVA is by far the best part of the series and can be viewed on its own and still be extremely enjoyable.

8/10          (Let the blood rain fall)

Blood+

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (50 episodes)     Manga - Complete

Premise: This is the story of Saya, a girl like any other girl if you were to ask her except that she is unable to remember anything about herself beyond the last 2 years. Her happy life is shattered after being attacked by a creature known as a Chiropteran and she is plunged into the war she has forgotten that has plagued her life for the last 200 years.

Thoughts: This title is rather interesting in that it takes a new twist on a clasic vampire storyline, blurring it to an extent to be almost unrecognizable. To be hones not a gem but worth a look into it for an interesting storyline and well implemented animation and dubbing.

Prose: Well dubbed and animated, main adversary is scarily twisted and interesting storyline that intertwines real life events with a dark twist.

Cons: Sometimes tends to drag on with the "poor me" storyline, but rely it was required in the end.

-Notes: Fully dubbed! I would suggest reading the manga only after completing the television series, they tend to be side stories that require a certain familiarity to understand. Also I hear there is a full length animated movie for this (unconfirmed) as well as a live action (I hate when they do that), will look into it and report back.

7.5/10          (By the end of this the family tree will make you want to cry)

Fairy Tail

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Ongoing     Manga - Ongoing

Premise: Fairy Tail is based in a factitious world were 1/10th of people born have magic powers, these people naturally gather to others of like mind and as such a system of magic guilds have formed where magic users can find work on odd jobs/quests, while being presided over by a ruling council. Fairy Tail is one such guild comprising mostly of trouble makers and near-do-wells is known to have a..... colorful reputation. We follow the trials and adventures of several of the guild rats including Natsu the Dragon-slayer, Lucy the Steller Spirit mage, Grey the Ice-crafter and Ezra "Queen of the Fairies (Titania)".

Thoughts: This story is reminiscent of "One Peace" in its handling of itself, aka. doesn't take itself to seriously, extremely funny, great characters, same art style, and all in all a great work of fantasie.

Prose: Well defined world with inspired magic powers, great characters, HILARIOUS, and a plot that develops slowly but steadily without dominating the entire series.

Cons: Doesn't take itself to seriously, so don't expect gritty plot developments or realistic physics etc..... If you are looking for hardcore gritty storytelling keep looking.

-Notes: Anime is subbed only, and I personally haven't even bothered to watch it. This is the kind of story that lends itself well to the manga format and I have never bothered to re-watch what I have already read.

8.5/10          ("Fairy Tail mages specializes in property destruction" -Natsu)

Ubel Blatt

Type: Manga
Status: Ongoing (98 volumes and than it stalled)

Premise: 20 years ago 14 knights set out to defeat a great evil that besieged the land, they were named the the 14 Lances; 3 died on the journey they were named "The Honored Dead", 4 abandoned the cause and were cursed as "The Lances of Betrayal", and 7 completed the mission and returned "The 7 Heroes". Under the benevolent ruler-ship of "The 7 Heroes" the land prospers and a new age of prosperity dawns, but not all are happy under the ruler-ship of these "benevolent" heroes and rebellion rustles in the fringes of society. We now follow Koinzell, a young boy who quelled the rebellion in a single night not for "The 7 Heroes" but for his own vendetta.

Thoughts: This manga is quite the piece of work, it has extremely dark overtones and plays upon the motivations of the characters heavily. It is an action packed fight for survival from the get go, the entire series revolves around a single minded determination for revenge but from a character that would normaly not be described as spiteful.

Prose: Strong action, exciting storyline, and a one man (army) on a mission. This is one bloody manga so take that as you will, but the that comes with the territory of a truly good sword fight.

Cons: This story is more than a little unnerving; severed limbs, nudity, murder, insanity, a couple of instances of cannibalism, not to mention that Koinzell is more than a little creepy all on his own. If you start be prepared for some messed up moments but these are not done as a fan-service, they are all intended to give you a deeper meaning to the characters and the world.

-Notes: I waned you, but this is actually one of the best sword fighting manga's I have ever read. The manga had stalled for the better part of a year and a half, but recently we received a new chapter so the series might be gearing up again soon. UPDATE: The series is back up and running! It is on a bi-monthly release schedule, so torturous slow, but it is back with new and exciting plots and fights.

8.5/10          (Sex, Swords, and a Mandolin!)

Kazan

Type: Manga
Status: Ongoing

Premise: After his village of nomads was wiped out by a malevolent water demon and his best friend stolen away, Kazan an 8 year old child now wanders the deserts in search of clues surrounding the circumstances of this disaster. Accompanied by his pet/companion white eagle and a strange girl possessing the ability to produce water from her hands as well as several characters picked up on rout the only thing keeping them going is quick whits and Kazan's desperate will to live.

Thoughts: This Arabian Nights inspired setting is rather different from most others which sets it apart in my eyes, it is vary realistic in its portrayal and incorporates a good mystery, action, survival and the supernatural seamlessly resulting in a vary enjoyable read.

Prose: Its different, characters are interesting and mysterious, something is always happening and a strong plot hook drives this manga forwards.

Cons: None really

-Notes: For some reason or another a couple of the scans on the site I use are pretty bad (readable but bad)

8.5/10          (There is only one rule in the desert; Survive...)

Black Rock Shooter

Type: Anime?
Status: Complete (50 minutes TOTAL)

Premis: There is none. There I said it. Well you could say this is about two highschool freins that drift apart after they are put in seperate classes in their second year..... but I wouldn't.

-Notes: Alright there are a few things you need to be told going in hence my change in format. THIS IS NOT AN ANIME, THIS IS A MUSIC VIDEO. This OVA series was originaly the music video produced by a Japenease rock band named Supercell, they found the original illustrations (art depicting the fight scenes) on a blog by a guy named Huke and the band were inspired to write a song entitled "Black Rock Shooter" in its honour (I guess). There were originaly 3 short clips strung together forming the video but it was expanded to a full length OVA when the song took off, they re-released the entire thing in OVA format flushing out a modest plot and providing the music themselves. (ALL HAIL WIKIPEDIA! ALL HAIL WIKIPEDIA!)

Thaughts: Don't expect much, but do watch it. There is no inspireing story here and they never explain what is actualy happening you just kind of take a leap of faith. Basically watch it for the excellent soundtrack, interestning art style and decently heartwarming plot. It's only 50 minutes it won't kill you.

Prose: Soundtrack rules as you would expect from a music video, also the fight scenes are well coriagraphed, the artstyle for them is interesting as well.

Cons: Be prepared not to understand what the hell is going on, EVER. They never explain what exactly hapens at the end nor how it resolves itself.

7/10          (ROCK ON)

High-school Of The Dead (H.O.T.D.)

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Ongoing     Manga - Ongoing     (These appeared to have stalled...)

Premise: 5 Japanese high-school kids and the school nurse are trying to survive after a zombie apocalypse, no one knows how it all started or how to stop it the only goal is to survive. Standard weak shambler type zombies, blind but good hearing, infected by bite, immune to pain, die if their head is destroyed, no animated severed limbs, etc...

Thoughts: Got to love a good old fashioned zombie survival title.

Prose: Well defined and simple rules behind the zombies, allowing for a "clean" plot (no fooling around with inconsistencies). Great characters each dealing with the situation differently. Good mood and well thought out end of the world mentality.

Cons: No real insight in this plot, we are here to survive that is all.

-Notes: Subbed only. Somewhat bothered by their "infinite supplies", they do mention running low on things like ammo and food but always seam to replenish out of scene (would have liked to see more development on this in the future).

8/10          (Lock & Load)

Break Blade (Broken Blade)

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (6 episodes)     Manga - Ongoing

Premise: In a world where oil and metals are scarce humanity has developed their technology around the manipulation of quartz crystals. Each person is born with the limited ability to manipulate the crystals through they own will allowing them to use machinery that makes use of the quartz. We follow an unlucky boy who was born without this innate affinity, called an un-sorcerer a 1 in 1 000 000 occurrence. When war breaks out between the neighboring country he is summoned by his school friend (now king of the country) to assist in a project that could shift the balance of power. This story is that of a boy not a soldier, fighting not to protect his country but those he is leaving behind.

Thoughts: This Mecha with a twist is wonderful, an interesting mix of character and action that builds an interesting world around itself but retains its gritty feel. Filmed in 50 minute mini movie format it is a true visual treat.

Prose: Lovely animation, deep and meaningful plot, wonderful world building, and believable characters all come together to make quite the experience.

Cons: The anime hasn't gotten up steam yet, meaning it might be a little early to start this one. Wait until a few more episodes are released to allow it to have a well established plot, (or start with the manga).

-Notes: Subbed only at this point, makes 50 minutes feel longer.

8.5/10          (The power to defy fate.)

11 Eyes

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (12 episodes)

Premise: 6 high-school students are being pulled into a world of monsters residing under a jet black moon, The Red Night. Their only chance of escape is to defeat the 6 lords of this domain before they are killed themselves.

Thoughts: A pleasant surprise this one was, wasn't expecting much to be hones but this short series has a sinister ending! I hope you will be as surprised as I was.

Prose: Delicious plot twists and interesting characters with strong personalities that evolve as the plot progresses.

Cons: Light on world building but covers the necessities just enough for the 12 episode time frame, this results in allot of telling you whats happening instead of letting you figure it out on your own.

-Notes: Anime is subbed only. The manga that appears to be lagging behind the anime, that doesn't hapen often....

7.5/10          (A pleasant surprise after some bitter disappointments lately!)

Ghost In The Shell

Type: Anime & Movie
Status: Complete (52 episodes + movie)

Premise: In a distant future robotics has outstripped medicine and it is now possible to replace any part of the human body with a mechanical prosthetics which is stronger and more durable dramatically increasing both physical and mental capabilities. In this era of advanced computers and android bodies cyber-crime has flourished and cyber-terrorism has become the name of the game. To combat this new breed of law breakers a special unit of police has been established to fight against the hackers at their own game, they are called Section 9.

Thoughts: This anime is thought provoking which is what attracted me to it in the first place, it presents us with a vary possible future scenario where humanity must re-evaluate what being human entails and at what point does "the ghost in the machine" stop being valid. It poses us the question "If every part of your body is now a machine, from your feet to your face, even your memories are now digitized into your new cyber-brain, are you still human? Knowing that your consciousness is now just a compilation of 1's an 0's how do you know that what you remember is your own memory at all and not something added in later? (or even that it wasn't a copy to begin with?)"

Prose: Beautifully animated and voice acted, along with dynamic action and strong character development. A pleasure to watch.

Cons: The main plot is sluggish to develop in both seasons, each episode is its own mini mystery with overtones relating to the season wide plot but it does become frustrating at times when there is little advancement over an entire episode. You should watch every episode closely to gather clues and hazard guesses for the final episodes but it takes time.

-Notes: "Ghost in the machine" refers to philosophical argument over the presence of a soul over a purely biochemical life form. In short are human beings merely highly complex biological machines going about their preassigned routines based off of preprogrammed instructions, or is there a "spark of life" a soul which governs our self awareness and individual personalities?

8/10          (The ghosts that haunt us all)

Full Metal Panic!

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (38 episodes + side story 12 episodes)     Manga - Ongoing
   
Premise: Human technology has taken leaps and bounds in recent years resulting in extraordinary new technologies being developed in record breaking times, but only a select few know the true reason behind the advances.... Black Technology. The discovery of certain individuals containing vast stores of previously untapped knowledge has lead to a desperate race for these children who poses this "genetic memory". Each child demonstrates a prodigal knowledge of a single type of technology far beyond the current capabilities of mankind, and eventually begin to access it around puberty. One of these "Whispered" named Kaname Chidori is discovered by a "do good" mercenary organization known as "Mithril" before she awaken to her talent and is placed under the protection of her new bodyguard Sosuke Sagura; a military prodigy with ABSOLUTELY NO personal skills outside of combat but a good natured person none the less.

Thoughts: This is vary much the "classic" anime, I would suggest it to anyone just starting out with the genre as it embodies the subtle mix between giant robots/action/character/slapstick comedy that so defines anime. It is an enjoyable title that has something for everyone.

Prose: Vary easy to watch and does many things well (if nothing superbly), there is nothing left out from this title hitting all that you would expect, from high school character development to high stakes mecha combat. The story begins slowly but steadily builds momentum (ignoring Fumoffu, the side story), reaching its hight in the manga where everything goes to hell (In a good for the audience kind of way).

Cons: Suffers from a lack of focus, the main plot sometimes takes a backseat to filler episodes and overly simplified explanations. Beware if you do not enjoy silly slapstick comedy as 50% of the story revolves around "Socially Inept Sagura".

-Notes: UGHGG! Beware Fumoffu (the 12 episode side story), it has no bearing on the main plot whatsoever and serves as a lighthearted slapstic series. Skip it if you want plot, watch it if you want "character". The series gets steadily more and more intense as the series progresses, concluding well at the end of season 2 BUT if you want to go farther the manga takes it up a level into a true gritty character driven storyline (highly recommended for those who want the most out of the developed plot).

8/10     (actually, Season 1; 8/10, Side Story (Fumoffu); 5/10, Season 2; 8.5/10, Manga; 9.5/10)

Soul Eater

Type: Anime + manga
Status: Anime - Complete (51 episodes)     Manga - Ongoing
   
Premise: The grim reaper has retired. FEAR NOT he is training the next generation to kill in his name! In order to fight against witches, monsters and corrupt humans Lord Death has started an academy of students who uphold humanity and collect the souls of the wicked. Maka Albarn along with her weapon partner Soul are working together to become the greatest team in the history of the academy but they must combat against (and alongside) Lord Death's symmetry obsessed son, a little red demon, a SUPER STAR! and the deep and all consuming void of madness.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this title quite a bit, between the interesting world they have created, well crafted tong-in-cheek references to popular culture and a general attention to detail it all comes together into a well polished anime that balances dark storyline with slapstick comedy.

Prose: A rich world, excellent soundtrack of modern music, inspired plot and lovely characters all comes together for an enjoyable watch.

Cons: So many ideas, so little time...... the anime was bursting with original ideas for the setting but suffered from never exploring them to a satisfactory level, this may be rectified in time due to the fact that the manga is ongoing and I have great hopes for the future.

-Notes: The finale is rather disappointing in the anime, mostly due to the fact that it was not supposed to be the end of the series. The anime follows the story of the original manga faithfully until the final episodes but when the show was discontinued they adapted this ending from the original story line, this resulted in a rather lack luster finish but not bad considering it was done on the fly. The story continues in its proper format in the manga but you will need to backtrack a little to get back into the story at the wright place.

9/10     (Watch it or I'll take your soul!)

D. Gray Man

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (103 episodes)     Manga - Ongoing
   
Premise: At the turn of the 20th century there exists an organization responsible for the preservation of the human race from a grave threat known as the Millennium Earl, they are known as The Black Order. The Earl, praying on human weakness, offers to resurrect peoples loved ones allowing them to say fair-well before having them murdered by those they sought to bring back and being transformed into Acuma; evil daemon like creatures that thrive on the pain and fear of those they kill. The Order, using a mythical "god given" substance called Innocence battle against them to put these tormented souls to rest. We follow a young boy named Allan Walker as he develops as an "Exorcist" (Innocence user) and what secrets his humble past contains.

Thoughts: This title is an excellent blend of humor and serious story telling which makes me enjoy it all the more. To be completely honest the main plot doesn't really take off until relatively late in the series and truly reaches its stride in the manga, but it is a truly enjoyable ride the entire way through.

Prose: Another amazing setting to sink your teeth into, along with characters that are both noble and funny. Good music, good animation, a truly solid production.

Cons: Contains "Filler" that has absolutely no bearing on the plot, enjoyable yes, but if you hear the name "Comlin" you can basically skip the episode without missing anything.

-Notes: The story continues in the manga seamlessly where it left off in the anime, only problem being that the manga is a monthly release schedule so you have some time to kill between entries.

9/10     ( I wish it would hurry up and publish faster!)

Code Geass: Lelouch of Rebellion

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Complete (50 episodes)     Manga - Ongoing?

Premise: Lelouch Vi Britania has lost everything, his mother was murdered under suspicious circumstances that all lead back to his father, Emperor of the Holly Britanien Empire, if you look hard enough. His baby sister Nanalee was crippled and blinded in the same incident, her survival being unlikely at best. Lelouch flees with Nanalee to Japan beyond The Empires reach hoping that they will be left to live unhindered by the politics that have consumed his family. Now Japan no longer exists, The Holly Britanien Empire invades bringing with it their new weapon the Knightmare Frames completely crushing the Japanese in a mater of days in order to secure more resources and further strengthen their might. Under the rule of the Britaniens the Japenease people were stripped of their wrights and their country was reduced to a mere number, Japan is now only "Area 11". This is the story of Lelouch's desperate struggle to take his revenge on the world.

Thoughts: This anime has the strongest (and saddest) plot of any title I have ever seen. Every nuance has been explored, every character developed into someone who you love, every action has a consequence. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster if you decide to watch this, YOU WILL get hooked, and YOU WILL NEVER forget the ending.

Prose: The story is the be all and end all of this anime, it will grip from the start and never let you go. The story only becomes stronger as it is also backed up by wonderful animation and music.

Cons: It is important to note that this plot is EXTREMELY TRAGIC, and that you will become attached to the characters even as they slowly die off. It becomes difficult at times to continue watching because there is no happy endings just lose lose situations and "aww... we lost another main character". (Bare with it, it will be worth it trust me)

-Notes: Fully dubbed! YAY! The second season sparked some mixed reviews among the fans; some call it a complete and utter disgrace to the series, and the rest call it a beautiful conclusion (I among them).The manga is actually an alternate timeline to that of the anime (the anime came fist then they wrote the manga) so DO NOT READ IT FIRST! The manga spoils some crucial details as well as throwing most of what the anime has done out the window, worth a read but it could become VARY confusing if done in the wrong order.

9.5/10      (WATCH IT!)

Darker Than Black

Type: Anime & Manga
Status: Anime - Complete (30 episodes total)     Manga - Ongoing?
 
Premise: The world is not as it should be, 10 years ago the anomaly known as "Hell's Gate" enveloped several square miles of Tokyo and another "Heaven's Gate" appeared in South America killing all who were present and blotting out the stars around the world. In this place the vary laws of physics no longer apply and strange occurrences that boarder on supernatural are commonplace, shortly after the emergence of the Gate's people manifesting unusual powers began to emerge, they are known as Contractors. Contractors possessing a singularly cold and calculating mind are sought after by rival nations to be trained and used as assassins, these new tensions resulted in "Heavens War" were all sides vied for control of Heaven's Gate resulting in its destruction along with most of the continent and the fall of the United States as a super power. The story centers around a contractor named Hai who lives in Tokyo while working for a shadowy organization known only as The Syndicate.

Thoughts: Wow... this is by far one of the best anime I have seen, it is fast paced and gripping in its story telling resulting in an extraordinary world being built as you watch. Be prepared for a dark and twisted storyline that delves deep into the worst mankind has to offer.

Prose: Fast and brutal fight scenes, rich character development and characters that you truly come to love, an intricate storyline that leaves as many questions as answers, exquisite world building, I could go on....

Cons: Its long, really long, and you will not want to stop watching once you start. Be prepared to spend good portions on your time devoted to it once you start so my suggestion is do it over a break.

-Notes: The fist season is dubbed but the following interlude and second season are only subbed. The manga are all available online and I highly suggest you read them they add another level to the depth of story that is to die for.

9.5/10     (Asian Electric Batman)

And So It Begins.....

Hello! High There! Good To See Ya!
My name is Oz and I am an avid watcher/reader of Anime/Manga and have been told by friends to write a blog reviewing the shows I watch. This is my first blog EVER so bear with me as I learn the ropes.

My intention is to write a review for every title I watch/read and give a review of it detailing the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of each in order to help people chose the type of entertainment they enjoy. I will avoid spoiling events in the stories as much as possible, so please refrain from it as well; this site is meant to pool our experiences on different titles for others to enjoy at their own pace so discretion is appreciated.

Thanks, and enjoy the ride!