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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: horror
Creepy horror manga? The Enigma of Amigara Fault is the answer
Halloween is fast approaching and it’s time to indulge in some frightful Japanese horror. Sadly, it’s not a genre that translates well to anime and manga, but having recently discovered the abnormal works of manga-ka Junji Ito, there may well … Continue reading
The hyperbole of Mononoke
Having been seduced by its eccentric visual style and the positive word-of-mouth, this past weekend was spent haplessly indulging in seven episodes of Mononoke’s surreal feast. To you, I present these humble findings. Mononoke is good. Continue reading
Demonic rumbles as claymores get squished in episode 21
I’m really digging Claymore at the moment and each episode is ending on the kind of gut-wrenching cliff hanger that so tempts me to gorge on manga spoilers. Episode 21 is no different; Ligardes is one of the coolest awakened … Continue reading
The end of Death Note: a poison, creating wicked hearts
Death Note is a “… poison, creating wicked hearts”, said the concerned prudes at Chinese schools after some ‘corrupted’ kids were discovered to be using their home-made murder pages to curse fellow students. This was back in 2005; the first … Continue reading
Claymore – Searching for humanity in a violent world
I’m really enjoying watching Claymore at the moment (as of episode 4), yet oddly, I’m finding it hard to pin down exactly what I like about it. It’s probably the setting; I just really like the European medieval period — … Continue reading
Death Note – 15 – It’s been all sorts of fun, L
It’s around about now that we realise Death Note is becoming more than a very good anime series. It’s becoming one of those “OMFG-WTF-CLIFFHANGER!?!” types. I can feel the hysteria surging within me. 15 episodes in and the twists and … Continue reading
Berserk – 3 – The Hawk that soars ever higher
The moustache twiddling decadence caused by extended aristocracy is an issue central to the narrative of Berserk. Regardless of social standing, we all like to dream that we are destined for greatness, to achieve something worthwhile. Aristocracy exists to elongate … Continue reading
Red Garden – Only in death do they find true happiness
I’ve been an advocate of Red Garden since the first episode, but until this past weekend I hadn’t seen beyond episode three. Red Garden isn’t easy to watch – if the characters aren’t paralysing my brain with screaming, tearful grief, … Continue reading
Berserk – 2 – Sparks fly as the wheels of fate spin
Episode two introduces us to the important characters that make up the “Band Of The Hawk” – in other words, the personalities that dominate the rest of Berserk. The dark-skinned Casca is an exceptionally talented swordsman who just so happens … Continue reading
Berserk – 1 – An introduction to obsession
I’m just going to come right out and say it — Berserk is my favourite anime of all time. I became an anime fan because of Naruto, but Berserk and its alluring quantities of bloody violence, epic action and tragic … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged Berserk, fantasy, guts, horror, kentarou miura, medieval, violence
10 Comments
D.Gray-man – 12 – Limitless sacrifice?
Like most of its Shonen Jump brethren, D.Gray-man is weakly balanced on a thin line between generic and fun. Just this evening I’ve caught up to episode 12 and feel torn by the somewhat superficial character development. Moody bishonen Kanda … Continue reading
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
Reflecting on Kemonozume – Too cool for otaku
It’s fair to say that the creative staff “working on” (more like playing with) Kemonozume must have had so much fun, from flying heads and sexed up monkeys to a perverted old man shoving a pair of severed female arms … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged animation, crazy, horror, kemononzume, kung-fu, science fiction, sex, violence
15 Comments
Kemonozume – 10 – Sex-starved monkeys and eating fish with giant detectives
Since we’re now hitting the final couple of episodes, Kemonozume is building up to an action packed climax. The villain, or “big boss”, has turned out to be the fat Ohba – I liken his bizarre appearance to that of … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged animation, crazy, horror, kemononzume, kung-fu, science fiction, sex, surreal, violence
3 Comments
Red Garden – 3 – Theatrical heart break
Episode 3 of Red Garden is the best yet; the viewer leaves this instalment drenched in suspense, mystery and blood, and all the while we’re slowly beginning to understand what’s happened to the girls – or rather, how they died! … Continue reading
Kemonozume – 9 – Old habits die hard
Still on the run from the Kifuuken, we join the love birds Yuka and Toshihiko aimlessly wandering down vast and empty roads when they are offered a lift by an old married couple. Their journey (squeezed inside a white van) … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged animation, crazy, horror, kemononzume, kung-fu, science fiction, sex, surreal, violence
2 Comments
Kemonozume – 8 – Hard violence, hard sex, hard feelings
At the beginning of this episode a boy student is excitedly kissing his innocent girlfriend for the first time. They hold each other in an emotional embrace, it is a pivotal moment in their lives, “Ah the day has finally … Continue reading
Red Garden – 2 – Expensive shirts and werewolves
I do love mysterious horror stories, especially when the viewer is as much at a loss as to what is going on as the characters themselves. The supernatural Red Garden is growing with this creeping intrigue, it’s bizarre and confusing … Continue reading