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April 14, 2012
I have many a faint and fond memory of Eureka Seven, but wasn't sure how to feel about news of its sequel. It ended with a quite profound sense of finality, after all. Everything that needed to be said, was, an…
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Sexuality in anime: Mine Fujiko and Faye Valentine
April 7, 2012
Like any potentially great anime, the new Lupin the Third: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna has given us much to talk about already. It's a beautifully animated, adult series the like of which we haven't seen in TV a…
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Tag Archives: drama
Again the fate of the world is in the hands of 14 kids (Bokurano)
Its been a while readers, 7 days to be precise, and as we all know, 7 days on internet may as well be a lifetime. I won’t labor you with the details, but suffice to say that this gradual slow … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged bokurano, drama, horror, Manga, mecha, mohiro kitoh, neon genesis evangelion, science fiction
6 Comments
Welcome to the NHK! – (Never) Learning to Fly
Having just finished watching episode 19, this must be the first time I’ve left off Welcome to the NHK feeling happy! It was fantastic to see a smiling Torotoro-san biking around and about the streets of Tokyo; you can see … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged black comedy, drama, geeky, hikkimori, slice of life, Welcome to the NHK!
3 Comments
Welcome to the NHK! – 16 – The Ultimate NEET
There was always going to be a twist behind the real world identity of Mia. “She” was too perfect, Satou loved her too much, and NHK! isn’t about Satou being in love. I certainly didn’t see it being Yamazaki though … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged black comedy, drama, geeky, hikkimori, slice of life, video games, Welcome to the NHK!
1 Comment
Welcome to the NHK! – 14 to 15 – MMORPGs destroy lives… mmmk?
The relentless waves of depression continue unabated with these two episodes as Satou (hardly recovered from his suicidal exploits) stupidly falls foul to the life sucking world of MMORPGs. These highly addictive and never ending online games are undoubtedly one … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged black comedy, drama, geeky, hikkimori, slice of life, video games, Welcome to the NHK!
3 Comments
Mushishi – 26 – And so ends a landmark anime production
As if to confirm its audacious brilliance, central character Ginko hardly even appears in this final episode and it was still one of the highlights of the Mushishi TV series. Again bursting with its trademark melancholic tone, this was yet … Continue reading
Welcome to the NHK! – 13 – In a word, depressing
For some odd reason, I was expecting Satou to be the hero of this episode, but today I doubt he will ever be a hero – just like Yamazaki says, people “like him” aren’t suited to dramatic ends. In a … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged depressing, drama, geeky, hikkimori, slice of life, Welcome to the NHK!
8 Comments
Pumpkin Scissors – 1 – Faith in humanity after all
I’m getting worried about the fall anime season; there is too much to watch. Putting aside the immediate favourites like Death Note and Black Lagoon (these two are unmissable in my eyes) the likes of Pumpkin Scissors and D.Gray-man have … Continue reading
Honey & Clover II – Wallowing in the aftermath
It was always going to be one of those dreaded moments when Honey & Clover finally finished up – an empty feeling, my mind swirling in miscellaneous doubt and irritating confusion. What do I watch now? I had my ups … Continue reading
Welcome to the NHK! – Anime or manga? Yawn
Anime or manga, one is inevitably better than the other – whether it’s just another case of elitism or not, you can always bet on the jumped up manga fans hating the anime adaptations of their favourite stories. This is … Continue reading
Posted in Editorials
Tagged black comedy, drama, geeky, hikkimori, Manga, slice of life, Welcome to the NHK!
13 Comments
Welcome to the NHK! – 9 – Sparkling festival fireworks
An unusually positive and uplifting instalment of NHK!, I wasn’t planning on commenting on this episode but the sparkling festival fireworks always get me. So bright, so beautiful, so romantic. Even Yamazaki gets some lovin’. This is so far the … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged black comedy, drama, geeky, hikkimori, slice of life, Welcome to the NHK!
2 Comments
Mushishi – 25 – Even without eyeballs, tears run
Although it would be harsh to say Mushishi had been in the doldrums of late, I must admit that the episodes succeeding number 20 have often flattered to deceive. It still looks as gob-smackingly beautiful as ever, but feels like … Continue reading
Welcome to the NHK! – 8 – Meet the parent
It’s time to meet the parents, only Satou doesn’t have a girlfriend, or a job, or a life outside of his apartment, making the whole arrangement pretty awkward from the get-go. If only Robert De Niro was his Dad – … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged black comedy, drama, geeky, hikkimori, slice of life, Welcome to the NHK!
5 Comments
Elfen Lied – 8 through 10 – Subverting the cute
Again Elfen Lied defies it’s pretty style and delivers a trio of episodes that are anything but. Subverting the look of its cute characters, it clearly delights in extreme mental and physical abuse — the disgusting bludgeoning of a helpless … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged cute, drama, elfen lied, horror, science fiction, supernatural, violence
3 Comments
Welcome to the NHK! – 7 – Is Misaki Real?
Although it’s not nearly the “best” series airing at the moment, I often watch Welcome to the NHK! as soon as it’s downloaded. I have the first 6 episodes of Bokura Ga Ita stocked up, another four of Legend of … Continue reading
Honey & Clover II – 7 – Bleeding with a flickering hope in life
As far as hyperbole goes, this was quite possibly my favourite episode of Honey & Clover II. No doubt I could say that after every episode- but this seventh instalment particularly deserves praise for violently jamming the second season in … Continue reading
Noein – And so we reach the end
I feel like I’ve been watching Noein for years now and writing this entry is daunting. Complex multi dimensional time travel, heart breaking tragedy and gut wrenching friendships. Here is a series bursting with ideas and without breaking into an … Continue reading
Mushishi – 24 – Bound for Bonfire Field
Another episode that was only average in comparison with Mushishi’s previously sky-is-the-limit standards, “Bound for Bonfire Field” showcased one of the more deadly mushi Ginko has come across but failed to deliver the profound human empathy I’ve come to expect … Continue reading
Welcome to the NHK! – 17 – The pyramid scheme of dreams
Just once I’d like to see Satou out smart someone. Now I know that he is a hikkimori with zero self confidence, but by the end of this episode – in which he is heartlessly conned out of precious rent … Continue reading →