Review: Lovely Complex (TV)

Running time: 24 minutes
Number of episodes: 24
Vintage: 2007-04-07 to 2007-09-29
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of life
Animation Production: Toei Animation

Source: Anime News Network

Kansai-ben. Good old kansai-ben. The inherently funny dialect that some of the funniest human beings on Earth speak. I’d love to end my review here, but then you wouldn’t really know why I think Lovely Complex is good enough to be on your watchlist.

Lovely Complex tells the story of Koizumi Risa and Ootani Atsushi, both freshmen at Maido High School. There’s nothing out of the ordinary between these students other than the fact that Koizumi Risa happens to be 170cm tall, and therefore she’s taller than most guys. Ootani Atsushi, on the other hand is only 156cm tall, so he’s about the same height as most girls. They each have a “complex” about their height and it’ll cause problems for both of them as you can surely expect.

A new school year begins for Koizumi so she is all fired up hoping to find a boyfriend. As is typical of this type of shoujo, girl’s are depressed when they’re single and begin high school so they desperately seek companionship. This is precisely when she ends up confronting her seemingly destined rival at life, Ootani. They constantly fight and bicker and never fail to mention things that usually lead to jabs at their difference in height. You won’t exactly know why they fight so much intially, it just happens. However, Otani sees an opportunity to use his “enemy” Koizumi to his own benefit, while at the same time letting Koizumi have her way with perk for herself. You wouldn’t expect this kind of truce in the middle of a battlefield at school, but when there’s something to gain, I suppose it’s worth it. Things quickly backfire on them both (don’t they always?) and they’re back to square one, each being single. Yet again, as fate would seem, they both have very aggressive and competitive personalities so, crazily enough, they decide to make a competition to see who gets a girlfriend/boyfriend first.

The fun starts when Koizumi and Ootani become closer “friends” than they think while everyone else around them perceive them as a couple. They are constantly together or thinking about bumping into each other, and are commonly referred to as the All Hanshin Kyojin comedy duo. Their hobbies are all too similar, they like the same food, heck they even like the same music by Umibouzu, a rapper in the anime. Things are a little too perfect when they’re together even though they actively deny any affection towards each other because of their height.

If there’s a shoujo cliché you can think of, it’s in here in some form. That said, it doesn’t detract from the show since the delivery is spot on every time taking into account it’s little bits of originality with the comedy. It’s one thing to follow a story about a couple falling in love, but another to follow an incredibly unorthodox couple that just somehow seems so right for each other, are funny as hell together, but just can’t shake the embarrassment of being seen together!
If you’re like me and can’t get enough kansai-ben these days and need a good laugh and a bit of joy, you need to add this to your list of shows to watch! You’ll definitely be laughing throughout the entire thing, and the classic happy ending is a well done payoff to remember. If you’re a fan of shoujo you should definitely try this one out. It’s a refreshing new twist on high school love comedy with 100% concentrated fun. Say it with me! Nande ya nen?!

Review: Ouran Koukou Host Club (TV)

Running time: 24 minutes
Number of episodes: 26
Vintage: 2006-04-04 to 2006-09-26
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life
Animation Production: BONES

Source: Anime News Network

Ouran Koukou Host Club is one peculiar shoujo to say the least. A fair warning should be said about this show though, which is, it’s a real shoujo. Hardly any aspect of this show can overlap with any other tastes, so unless you’re prepared to be wrapped in male eye candy with some comedy romance drama, you should rethink your decision to watch this show.

Now with that out of the way, Ouran Koukou Host Club tells the story of a first year student named Fujioka Haruhi at the Ouran Academy for the rich and the elite. This student is quiet and very reserved, in part because this person does not have any affluent characteristics at all. As such, this student is known as the special scholarship student that got into this super-rich school entirely on academic strengths and no other merits.

On a regular day in high school, the student in question tries to find a quiet place to study and strolls into a music room that doesn’t seem to be in use. Much to this student’s surprise, the music room hides the presence of a peculiar group of people — the Ouran Koukou Host Club. These people did not quite expect to see Haruhi walk into their lair so nonchalantly. Just like every good story, Haruhi ends up in a bind and is “trapped” (yes, I meant it) in the world of the Ouran Koukou Host Club to pay off a debt of several million yen for a tiny accident in the music room.

Because Haruhi can’t even afford the school uniform’s exuberant price, the little accident in the music room is no joke. The payment for the trouble caused ends up being Haruhi’s torment of having to form part of the Ouran Koukou Host Club. Haruhi’s duties start out as lowly errands, but soon “he”… or should I say “she”… becomes a real host. I’ll let you find out about this legendary trap’s real story on your own.

The Host Club is simply a group of guys that for an hour or two a day, dedicate their after school time to entertaining women with their innermost desires. They’re also some of the most powerful sons of the super rich socioeconomic world, and as such they are both rich and handsome. They speak directly to the hearts of women with soft and enchanting words. They whisper delicately into their ears and wash away their qualms and take them away to their dreamlands. In other words, the Host Club is a club these guys made for women to come by, drink tea, and marvel at them. Add a ton of “moe” fetishes that they play out to further reach these young maiden’s hearts -and- pockets, and you have the Host Club. Give or take a few details of course, that you’ll have to find out on your own if you’re interested.

The Host Club itself is fairly complete, although, once again, it’s not necessary to “get” all the little details. What I’m referring to is the nuances of shoujo and female oriented manga that tends to go to “other” extremes you wouldn’t understand if you’re used to shounen stuff. I’m not going to try to sound like an expert, because I’m far from one, but if you know the difference between an uke and a seme, you’ll probably find this show more refreshing than most from your “usual” material.

Even if you’re not into the homoerotic gags early on, the show will stem away from most of that later and can be tolerable for those of us that don’t really like that kind of stuff. In the end, I stuck with the show because it was incredibly funny almost consistently. There’s tons of comedy acts and the mix of characters seem to pull it off well. They break the 4th wall from time to time by making fun of us commoners a lot. Rich school anime is never complete without pauper life being subject to ridicule for the littlest of things, and it’s pretty good throughout. There’s also some banana slips… maybe a little too many banana slips!

The show makes fun of, but also makes use of a lot of moe fetishes too. It’s good that you don’t have to be into the moe to enjoy the scenes, since after some long winded explanation, some other character will break the ice and bring the show back to its goofy self.

The ending is quite nice, although it’s of the fairly generic -yet- expected happy kind. If you’re feeling experimental, or just want to get to know the cutest reverse trap in the history of anime, I wholeheartedly recommend Ouran Koukou Host Club. It can’t get much more shoujo and funny than this. The few heartwarming scenes can’t be ignored either, especially in the presence of one fine trap!

Review: Ookiku Furikabutte (TV)

Running time: 25 minutes
Number of episodes: 25
Vintage: 2007-01-11
Age rating: ???
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, Sports
Animation Production: A-1 Pictures Inc.

Source: Anime News Network

I’ll be honest for a moment and say that there have been times when I really wished I was born in a different place, a different time, and as a completely different person with a different nationality. The moment after I finished Ookiku Furikabutte was one such time, even if it was for a short while.

Ookiku Furikabutte is a baseball anime that shows how a group of boys spend their summer months preparing for baseball matches against equally hardworking teams across their prefecture. Every single one of them is tough, and every single one of them is determined to reach their ultimate goal — the Koshien.

Unlike many parts of the world, in Japan the Koshien is the single greatest sporting event of the year. Everywhere else, such as in the US, all the big dollars will go towards pro players making millions of dollars in baseball, amongst many other big budget sports. However, in Japan, the Koshien is open only to high school students. These are guys that spend their hard earned summer vacation in crazy concentration camp-like training grounds where they perfect their game, bond as a team and as friends, and ultimately better their chances to reach the promised battleground known as the Koshien.

When I think about how hard it is, and yet how awesome it is to be able to be seen on TV and rooted by everyone, I have to wonder what’s the big deal about pro sports. Sure, it’s difficult to become a pro player, make the big bucks, and win half the time, but there’s even more difficulty to reach the Koshien. You only have 3 years of your life to make it. You either make it as a Freshman, a Sophomore, or a Senior. Then it’s over. Sure you can keep playing ball and make it to a pro team and be admired by lots of people, but you won’t ever play at the Koshien. That’s what makes it so special in my opinion, and that’s what made me wish I had such an opportunity to spend a part of my life on. The way the show drew me in with how every character fought with high levels of determination, I felt as if I needed to be there. I needed to not cheer them on, but be on the field, keen on my position and supporting the team from within.

Ookiku Furikabutte’s main character is Mihashi Ren, a highly timid freshman that was his middle school baseball team’s star pitcher. He was able to take the ace number he wanted so badly through connections, since his grandfather manages the team. The players resented him, and although he was hardworking, he felt as if his selfish ways let his team down.

Now Mihashi is going to his first year of high school at a new school. He convinced himself he’d only watch the baseball club, and not join them, as he approached their field. As you might have guessed, he unwillingly got put up to try out for the team since the coach was having trouble getting a full team put together. The coach ended up being a very peculiar girl named Momoe Maria. She’s a very docile and caring woman half the time, but can turn into a scary and violent tough-girl when she wants to. When asked, Mihashi stated his name and his position, and surprisingly Mihashi seemed to be the only pitcher present. The only catcher, Abe Takaya put Mihashi to the test and he observed that Mihashi had an incredible amount of skill in his pitching. Although his pitches were slow, they were accurate, almost too accurate. Not only that, his “fastball” had an alarming backspin that not even Mihashi seemed to be aware of.

Mihashi eventually takes the ace number for his new team and tries to make up for the past, depending solely on his skills and hard work. As he learns to cope with his new team members and their aspirations, Mihashi takes it upon himself to battle his emotions on the inside and the game of baseball on the outside. Unfortunately, Mihashi is a first-class crybaby, and you’ll have to cringe at him crying at every little thing that happens. He worries a lot and is constantly aware of making mistakes. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s plain stupid, but it will always reflect who Mihashi really is — a hardworking individual. As a result, Mihashi’s personality can be a bit annoying at times, but thankfully Abe takes care of him for us. Even so, Mihashi will win you over from time to time on the field. Fortunately, everyone else on the team is fairly normal.

The baseball team eventually molds together little by little and they finally enter the summer competition. An entire team composed of freshman students coached by a girl is extremely rare, and everyone else underestimates Nishiura, Mihashi’s high school baseball team. You’ll need to watch it yourself to see how it all unfolds.

The end of Ookiku Furikabutte is incredible to say the least, and as a result it is the best baseball animation I have ever had the chance to enjoy so far. I loved the first season of Major, but this show is a lot more condensed and fair. The main story is much more compact, and therefore the details stand out more. Although the show ends abruptly without going as far as I and most likely others would like, the point where it stops is very symbolic. You can almost “finish” the show yourself with the pieces left behind at the end. You’ll soon find out Mihashi and his friends have what it takes to survive and that they’re “just starting.”

Review: Nodame Cantabile (TV)

Running time: 25 minutes
Number of episodes: 23
Vintage: 2007-01-11 to 2007-06-28
Age rating: ???
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life
Animation Production: J.C. Staff
Music: Nodame Orchestra
Music Collaboration: EPIC Record Japan
Music Production: Fuji Pacific Music Publishing, Sony Music Entertainment

Source: Anime News Network

Close your eyes for a moment. Picture yourself in an auditorim. Listen to the void of the hall as it prepares to engulf you with the waves of aural enchantment. As it begins, you are instantly drawn in. The first note is enough, as you resonate strongly with the bold introduction. The intensity binds you with a chord and hits you repeatedly. Then it continues on to a strong -yet- delicate heart-piercing arpeggio. The force is enveloped by the emerging sound of the orchestra. How strangely, through the hollows, glows this piano introduction like a dull red morning light! Into the deepest gorge it flows, scenting abysses in their night. There vapor rises: here the orchestra sweeps, now like a fragile thread it creeps, now like a colored fountain it plays. Here the vast length of a piano passage winds its way, in a hundred veins, down the vales, and all at once, it swept you away to a golden world!

Nodame Cantabile is just like the first paragraph of this review, hard to picture but a beautiful experience. There’s many layers of intriguing things to find in this unconventional yet amazing shoujo. Nodame Cantabile is strictly a show about classical music and how a very special group of people end up living and experiencing it in ways that many of us may never have the opportunity to do so. If you’re put off by classical music, don’t worry. I was put off at the beginning and now I’m a fan of Rachmaninov!

Nodame Cantabile is a true shoujo at heart, and the main female character is named Noda Megumi. Noda Megumi likes to be called Nodame for short for some reason, hence the name of the show. She’s a piano major at a conservatory in Tokyo called Momogaoka College of Music. Together in the lime light with Nodame is Chiaki Shinichi. He’s the perfectionist number one piano major at the same conservatory where Nodame studies. He is not only gifted with musical talent, he is also gifted (or cursed, however you look at it) with looks that make all the ladies fall for him.

Although the show is called Nodame Cantabile, much of the focus is on Chiaki and his turmoils towards success. This makes sense in a shoujo, since his appearance, skills, and personality is the eye candy. Nodame does get developed a bit later on, but it was a little surprising how quickly Nodame’s spotlight disappeared in the beginning. She’s always a part of the show in some form or another, so my comments about her participation might be a bit moot.

As for the premise, it’s fairly simple. Chiaki, being a son of a famous pianist, was able to travel to Europe as a child and experience some of the world’s greatest musical performers on stage. He was smitten since then and he vowed to return to Europe one day to become Vierra-sensei’s student and become a conductor like him. He played the piano and violin early on as a child, and wished to hone his skills and become a conductor proficient in piano, that can also play the violin! The problem is that Chiaki soon developed a fear of flying -and- a fear of sailing ever since two seemingly cursed events formed his paranoias. He’s now a grown man, yet he’s emotionally trapped in Japan and cannot reach the outside world to fulfill his childhood dream.

As his world continues to fall apart to the point where he even considers quitting music and just getting a typical salaryman job, he meets up with the strangest girl on the planet — Noda Megumi. Noda Megumi, Nodame for short, is just weird. I won’t list her peculiarities, since it’s part of her charm, but for now just picture the the weirdest girl you know. Now take that image and multiply it by 100, that’s Nodame.

As strange as she is, Nodame was able to get Chiaki back into caring about music and working towards his goals without depending on studying overseas. A bit of luck and help from the outside brings Nodame, Chiaki, and a ton of hard-working students at the Momogaoka College of Music in contact with a very special foreigner. As you can expect, it boils down to Chiaki not being able to go see the world, so with the help of Nodame and a little luck, he brought the world to him. There’s plenty more to discover in Nodame Cantabile, especially since the story takes on a new direction after one of the best high points in the story. Chiaki’s goals take on a new direction, and Nodame takes the talent that Chiaki saw in her and puts them to the test. All of this unfolds in interesting ways all the way till the end.

Nodame Cantabile is exceptionally funny along the way, yet it takes pauses to exemplify the rich serious tone when it needs to. There are a few high points in this show that are just beautiful, and although it’s always a known classical piece, for me it was always a scene of musical discovery and appreciation for yet another work of art so pure that I never took the time to appreciate. You will be tempted to watch the high points of the show at least more than once, given how much of an impact they create. Very few shows can make me want to watch them over and over, but this one did.

The end of Nodame Cantabile is an open ending that won’t exactly compare to the shows other high points, but it does deliver a solid reaffirmation of closure and new beginnings for all of the characters. The unsolved mysteries are pointed out in manga-style shorts that are both informational, witty, and out-right funny. This show won’t make you do anything drastic like get your friends to play instruments so you can conduct an orchestra, or make you change your major to piano, but it will open your eyes to some really beautiful music if you make the effort to appreciate it.

Hidden within the magic of music is a very comical romance story that will definitely hold your interest. It’s amazing how well things are so obvious to some characters, while others remain completely oblivious — or at least want to be. The way things unfold bit by bit until the end will at least give you a few laughs in between the music and the rest of the insanely good gags.

If you need any more convincing, piano, violin, oboe, cello, -heck- an entire orchestra is to Nodame Cantabile as guitar is to BECK. Maybe rock music as a whole to NANA. You can even throw in Hirano Aya’s performance in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu if you want to stretch it a bit. If you were swayed by fictional character performances in these anime shows, Nodame Cantabile is yet another experience you shouldn’t miss. The bond between the viewer, the characters as performers, and the music has only been achieved at this level in very few instances like these.

Watching: Lovely Complex (TV)

I currently have: 2
Running time: 23 minutes
Number of episodes: 26
Vintage: 2007-04-07
Age rating: ???
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shoujo
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Production: Shueisha, TBS

Source: Anime News Network

My impressions:

Yep. Another shoujo. I think it’s about time I admit that I’m a sucker for quirky romance stories, especially when every single character in the story speaks in kansai-ben. Man do I love kansai-ben.

Anyway, for those of you who care to know more about Lovely Complex let me put it this way. In a regular school there’s a girl named Koizumi Risa that’s taller than most guys at 170cm and a guy named Ootani Atsushi that’s shorter than most girls at 156cm. It’s the start of a new school year and Koizumi is all fired up hoping to find a boyfriend and ends up confronting her seemingly destined rival at life, Ootani. They constantly fight and bicker and never fail to mention things that usually lead to jabs at their difference in height.

Koizumi and Ootani form a truce when they agree to help each other in the first episode. Koizumi offers to help Ootani get close with one of her close friends, Tanaka Chihara, while Ootani in return gets Koizumi closer to the new guy in class Suzuki Ryouji. Things quickly backfire on them (don’t they always?) and they’re back to square one each being single. They both have very aggressive and competitive personalities so they decide to make it a competition to see who gets a girlfriend/boyfriend first.

The fun starts when Koizumi and Ootani basically become closer “friends” than they think (everyone perceives them as lovers) and are constantly together or thinking about bumping into each other. Their hobbies are all too similar, they like similar foods, heck they even like the same bands! Things are a little too perfect when they’re together even though they actively deny any affection towards each other. There’s some things getting in the way early on in the plot (as expected of any good shoujo) that are both entertaining and drive the romance forward. I’m wholeheartedly enjoying LoveCon for its complete shoujo narrative, excellent comedy, and the kansai-ben. Can’t get enough kansai-ben these days! nande ya nen?!

Review: Naruto (TV)

Running time: 23 minutes
Number of episodes: 220
Vintage: 2002-10-03 to 2007-02-08 (Japanese)
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Shounen
Animation Production: Studio Pierrot
Broadcaster: TV Tokyo
Music Production: Aniplex, SME Visual Works
Production: Studio Pierrot, TV Tokyo

Source: Anime News Network

For most anime fans out there the shounen genre is probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of anime that they can associate with. Many of us grew up with some kind of highly successful and grossly commercialized anime that we just couldn’t get enough of. There was the Dragonball series, Hunter X Hunter, Rurouni Kenshin and many others, but now there’s Naruto.

Naruto, brought to life by Masashi Kishimoto, assimilates all that is good about its largest inspiration, the Dragonball series, and takes it to a new level. Like all good things, it builds upon its main inspiration while injecting its own flavor. Take everything you know about ninjas and throw it away because Naruto changes ninjas forever. From design to application, Naruto is a full-on recreation of ninjas and really pulls it off with its own style and flavor.

The story, for the two of you who don’t watch Naruto — shame on you, is incidentally about a young boy named Naruto. He lives in Konoha Village, a ninja village that forms part of the five great ninja villages. In the world of Naruto peace is upheld by the five great nations with their military power that is manifested in the form of ninjas and consequently their ninja villages that train them. Naruto is scorned by others in the village for reasons unknown to him so most of his childhood was rough. He doesn’t let it get him down, however, because his personality is more explosive and energetic than anyone else’s. He’s determined to become a real ninja and protect the village of Konoha some day, thus becoming acknowledged by the village and be allowed to hold the position of the village’s Hokage. A Hokage is the leader of the village upheld for his strength, wisdom, and protection that he or she must bestow upon the people of Konoha. Naruto dreams to take that very spot in order to fill the void in his heart and to give back to the village even after his wretched experience as a young orphan child.

Of course, things aren’t that easy and you’ll quickly be taken through a wild ride where many other characters have their own objectives and motives to do better and become stronger. Joining Naruto early on are Sasuke and Sakura, two other ninja candidates that form part of Naruto’s team in the academy. Sakura is a lively girl with a crush on Sasuke while Sasuke is the number one student with more than a conceited genius. While rivaling Naruto, Sasuke hides a dark past that becomes more evident in later episodes.

Naruto may be the main character, but there’s a large amount of characters in the story that makes everything much more interesting. The diversity of characters goes beyond different faces and sizes thanks to the divisions of power and strength in the show which are essential to the drama. All the ninja are divided in classes, and starting from the bottom are the kids in the academy. Graduating from there will make them a Genin which is the rank Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and others, attain early on in the story. Beyond that is the Chuunin, Jounin, ANBU (comprised of both Chuunin and Jounin ninjas), and the Hokage. It can get even more complex when you consider the divisions of power outside of the village.

Aiding the story is Naruto’s soundtrack which is a crucial piece of the experience and really helps immerse viewers into the show. The upbeat remixed Japanese music sticks in your head and fits the theme of the anime perfectly. Every character’s individual theme is memorable and communicates who they are. The music helps transcend beyond words and delivers meaningful aural information about the personality of the characters. In addition, the high points in the story really shine when every major fight or event is scored by a truly complementing melody or riff that will keep your blood boiling.

Naruto’s first arc is a little slow but it does well to teach the nuances of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu — the three basic ninja techniques. The highs and lows of the action are all excellent and give way to a good array of episodes. The show becomes increasingly dark and convoluted as the characters become stronger and attain more skills. From individual skills to ninja military tactics, there’s a certain level of intelligence that really pleases the mind when you’re sailing through watching it. At times it will get a bit too sensational with little return, but when it’s good, it’s really good. If you’re not quite sure why people watch Naruto I would point you towards Naruto’s second arc. It’s one of my favorites and it really pulls off what the show is all about.

Naruto isn’t without major faults, as any self-respecting person who enjoyed the show would have to admit to. Naruto was plagued with the very disease that a lot of shounen anime face at some point in their lifetime — catching up to the manga. Once Naruto caught up its source material, Studio Perriot was faced with very few choices. They could have stopped airing Naruto, but that would of slowed down the momentum the show had and could have destroyed the marketability of the show later on. So instead we endured the pain and suffering of the studio diverging from the main story and inserting “filler” that is irrelevant to the greater story by mangaka Matashi Kishimoto. To be honest not all of the filler is terrible, a few episodes were good enough to watch, but a year of filler is hard to digest regardless. I skipped over a lot of it since it was, for the most part, pretty forgettable. This review only covers from the first episode to episode 135. Episodes 136 to 220 are a bunch of nonsense that ends with a remixed version of episode 135.

We should be thankful, however, because it could have been worse. Whether this was planned or not, I don’t know, but the filler came in at just the right spot with just the right twist to make it negligible. Dragonball Z also faced the same problem by catching up to its manga but not only did they employ filler (that thankfully wasn’t as bad as Naruto’s) they purposely made an arc longer than it needed to be just because they needed more time to get more story out of the manga. For those of you who’ve seen Dragonball Z, those 5 minutes on Planet Namek were the longest 5 minutes ever for a reason.

Ignoring the downhill catastrophe of filler episodes, for all the good stuff Naruto has brought to us in bountiful doses I can’t complain overall. The show was fun and entertaining with a good mix of action, suspense, and cool new ninja antics. Let’s hope Naruto Shippuuden, the sequel, is every bit as good and more in the vein of Dragonball to Dragonball Z.

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Review: Eureka SeveN (TV)

Running time: 25 minutes
Number of episodes: 50
Vintage: 2005-04-17 to 2006-04-02
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Genres: Adventure, Drama, Mecha, Romance, Science Fiction, Shounen
Animation Production: BONES
Production: Bandai Entertainment, MBS, Project Eureka

Source: Anime News Network

“Don’t ask for it; go win it on your own. Do that and you’ll succeed.” Truer words were never spoken by characters in this anime that reflect the real reception that Eureka SeveN has garnered. As many of you know, Neon Genesis Evangelion has become a staple in mecha anime and is largely acclaimed for its influence and success in the anime industry. Eureka SeveN, on the other hand, may be one the more recent mecha anime to cultivate and evolve beyond the Evangelion formula allowing it to present us a very special blend of mecha storytelling.

The story begins when the main character, Renton Thurston, a 14 year old kid, is stuck in a fairly boring and crappy town. His father was a hero that conducted advanced scientific research but he died in a strange event that changed the world. Consequently, his sister went on a journey because of what happened to their father and Renton hasn’t seen her since. Thus, for a very long time Renton has been stuck in Bellforest with his grandfather, Axel Thurston, who’s a top notch mechanic. Renton spends his time trying to learn to ride trapar waves with his ref board, a sport that became popular due to the changes the world endured after what Renton’s father helped create. He also idolizes Holland, a so-called genius at ref boarding who’s also in charge of ‘Gekko State,’ a rebel group that is against the military. Renton and the rest of fans get their information by reading, Ray=Out, a magazine that anonymously publishes the things that Holland and his ‘Gekko State’ accomplish.

Soon enough circumstances will take Renton out of Bellforest and onto a journey that will not only change his life but the rest of the world too. One day he meets a very special girl named Eureka who’s a member of Gekko State. As the story unfolds Eureka and Renton will grow and become entangled in a series of events that lead to the very end where their choices are what will make or break the very existence of humanity. Eureka and Renton eventually develop a mutual need for each other and that goes beyond any responsibility to the rest of the world. They bond on many levels emotionally and try their hardest to close the gap that keeps them apart in an effort to fulfill not only their desires, but the desires of the entire planet.

The comparison to Evangelion isn’t necessarily a comparison on a structural level of its narrative, but rather the breath and scope of the storytelling. Eureka SeveN actually leaves behind the mecha to a secondary position and focuses more on the characters in a way that’s easy to understand. The mecha are only a means to an end, but the people are the reason behind that end. There’s plenty of abstract scenes with confusing interpretations, but unlike Evangelion you can understand what’s going on without getting a headache. At its core it’s still about kids finding their way into the cockpit of a giant mecha, but the way the rest is told and constructed is refreshingly different and simpler in comparison to Evangelion.

Eureka SeveN is riddled with all kinds of inspiration from sea life and part of that makes the show special. Rather than mush together a bunch of similes, the inspiration goes a step further and integrates into the overall presentation and story. Trapar waves, ref boarding, sky fish, and more. These things may be foreign to you, but once you watch the show and understand their meaning you’ll soon understand that Eureka SeveN mimics a vast ocean in the air and goes even further in the second half of the story.

The length of an anime can really hurt it if there is not a balance between the episodes and the amount of plot. Thankfully, Eureka SeveN is not too long and not too short either. The first season takes a plot device and expands it until an end is reached, or rather, a change that begins the next season which expands even further and develops a new angle from which to view and understand Eureka SeveN. This means the characters will change and grow on the show revealing more about themselves and tearing apart the veil of mystery in the beginning all the way until the loose but effective end.

The end of Eureka SeveN is subtle but complete in its own way. Hopefully there’s something in the works to flesh out the ending, but what was used is effective. In contrast to Evangelion, the end will not make your head hurt since it’s a little more explicit about what is going on and how the characters feel. However, there’s no denying that for those of us that enjoyed Eureka SeveN until the end it would of been nice to have the show leave a bigger footprint in history rather than take it a little safe. Whether there’s an OAV, a movie, or even a sequel planned to expand the story, a fairly complete narrative was paved on a path towards a pleasant conclusion.

If there is an anime that can be compared on equal footing to Evangelion this is it. It’s longer and may drag on a few times, but in the end it can stand almost as empowering and compelling as Evangelion.

Watching: Nodame Cantabile (TV)

I currently have: 1
Running time: 25 minutes
Number of episodes: 23
Vintage: 2007-01-11
Age rating: ???
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life
Animation Production: J.C. Staff
Music: Nodame Orchestra
Music Collaboration: EPIC Record Japan
Music Production: Fuji Pacific Music Publishing, Sony Music Entertainment

Source: Anime News Network

My impressions:

Nodame Cantabile is a very good start for anime in 2007. The first episode really goes all out in presenting a silly but special situation between a guy and a girl where music is what ties them together. Chiaki, the guy, is a thoroughbred musical genius aiming to become a conductor. He used to live in Europe but then his parents got divorced and he got shipped to Japan. On his way to Japan he endured psychological trauma when he experienced a belly landing. From that day he can’t get on a plane so he’s stuck in Japan. He can’t get on a ship either because he almost drowned too… so he’s a bit of an extreme fellow. On the other side we have Megumi Noda, who likes to call herself “Nodame,” and is a messy girl but has a latent genius for piano that even Chiaki is able to appreciate. Forces beyond Chiaki’s control puts him in a music class with Nodame and he now has to deal with her shortcomings and her genius. The way things got set up in the first episode I can see really good things in the future coming from this anime. It definitely is a shoujo anime and the romance, comedy, and slice of life elements should really shine in future episodes… hopefully.

The music is good, although most of it is classical stuff so far. Even if you’re not into classical music it is still enjoyable because of what the characters do to get those results. The words of encouragement and the acknowledgment of the beauty and pleasure the characters feel when playing the piano really just seeps into you whether you’re into the music or not.

For those who know me, I’m a BECK fanboy. This may not be quite like BECK but it should still be very funny and very exciting to watch since it has music at its core. I’m looking forward to more episodes.

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Beyond the Review: Koi Kaze

WARNING: This post assumes you have watched Koi Kaze.

When Koi Kaze finally ended I was quite disappointed at first. I really expected a sad ending after all that was developing in the last episode, but it just didn’t happen. In spite of this, like always, I kept thinking about what was going on and I actually have to agree that Koi Kaze ended on good footing. It would of been much more difficult to explicitly say what the ultimate outcome of this love story really was and satisfy everyone.

When you think about it, on the surface it can feel like the promises these characters are making are empty and will never truly be fulfilled because of the exterior pressure of society that overwhelms their innate feelings. When Koushiro decides to leave his father’s house and live on his own, Chidori makes her way into his life. Although on the surface it seems like Chidori has innocent reasons for meddling in Koushiro’s apartment, there’s no denying what she had in mind while being hopeful of its development. When Chidori goes back to Koushiro’s apartment to get her I.D. card and finds Nanoka there, she’s immediately struck with surprise and discontent. Her underlying reason for lying to Nanoka wasn’t so thin just to protect Koushiro and Nanoka’s status as siblings, but also to protect what she was after. When Koushiro confronts Chidori and she lets loose her demons, its clear to Chidori that Koushiro has made his decision, as despicable and disgusting it may be to others.

In the last episode, Koushiro and Nanoka decide to go back home to visit their mother. It is here that Koushiro finds out that during her childhood Nanoka wanted to be a beautician like her mother, get married, and have lots of kids. She planned to call her father, mother, and brother and they would all live together. Nanoka’s mother tells them Nanoka’s husband is going to have a hard time and Koushiro just laughs it off. Their trip to their mother’s place ended in disaster because they could not bare to tell her what they felt for each other. They were able to show face, but that was as far as their resolve could take them. Nanoka suggested they commit lover’s suicide, which of course, wouldn’t accomplish anything. Koushiro is burdened by the fact that he can’t choose their path and decide firmly on what to do. Nanoka easily suggests that they go home and think about it and reaffirms that as long as she’s with him she’s fine with whatever happens.

Once they go back, they are still unable to decide what to do. Nanoka’s friend, Futaba-chan, seems to have put one and one together and is afraid that what she believes is Nanoka’s problem is rooted the in small talk she used to have with Nanoka about her brother. Nanoka’s mood changed to a state where she seems to be in deep thought all the time, which oozes the possibility that she’s in love. Everyone teased and mocked Nanoka for having a brother complex, but it’s probably only Futaba-chan who may have realized the truth. It’s not easy to deal with such a strange affair even with your closest of friends and Futaba-chan was likely afraid of confronting what she was pushed away from for good reason.

Koushiro went back to his father’s house and apologized, but he never met him in the last episode. His apology is likely tied to his longstanding relationship with his father and the damage he was doing to their family. This also ties with the fact that he asked his mother what she would do if he made Nanoka unhappy and she said she wouldn’t let him get off easily. Koushiro narrates that he is clinging on to every waking moment he spends with Nanoka and he is affirming that he doesn’t want to let go of her.

In the following scene Saeki Zensou, Koushiro and Nanoka’s father, is talking to some business men about turning the park into a suburban shopping mall. A key aspect of their conversation is that Zensou says that if the park were to be gone a lot of people would be sad, but the unnamed acquaintance says there are more people in favor than opposition. Koushiro and Nanoka’s problem is very much like that, no matter how beautiful their love is, there will always be more people in opposition that they can’t fend off.

It seems that when Koushiro goes with Nanoka to the park and play in the mud, lots of what he had lost came back to him. Nanoka is his sister after all. He is approached by a child who tries to give him a cup of mud as a drink. He drinks it knowingly, accepting the gesture as he once did with Nanoka years long ago he had forgotten. When Nanoka comes back, he pauses and takes a good look at her. There’s no evidence of this, but I’m sure he was thinking of her future and how he would never be able to give Nanoka a family.

Nanoka decides to sneak into the amusement park at night, which is where they had their first date. They ride the Ferris wheel but Nanoka is disappointed that it doesn’t move and allow her to see the view of the city at night. Koushiro tells Nanoka to pray and see if they could make it move solely on their prayers. The Ferris wheel did move, if only a little bit, and it surprises them. Even though it moves, Koushiro says that they should stop because what they were doing was stupid, but Nanoka cheers them on. The possibility of moving a Ferris wheel on sheer willpower and prayer is about as equal to Koushiro and Nanoka living life the way they wish they could.

When day breaks and they are on their way out, Nanoka sees a sakura tree among the row of other trees at the park. She grabs a stone and draws an umbrella and writes her family name, Kohinata, on one side, leaving the other side open for Koushiro to write his family name, Saeki. He does so, understanding the purpose. Nanoka tells Koushiro they should come back again and Koushiro agrees. However, Nanoka would like to come every year when it’s spring, and yet again Koushiro agrees. Nanoka accepts it as a promise and Koushiro once again agrees to keep it. Little do they know that the park will be closed and a shopping mall will reside in its place by next spring, once again highlighting the little chance of happiness together they have.

Eventually Nanoka decides to go back home to her father’s house. Koushiro asks if she wants to take a bath first before going, but Nanoka insists she’s fine the way she is. As she is leaving Koushiro stutters as if he has something to say and Nanoka asks him what it is, but Koushiro says it’s nothing. Once Nanoka walks away into the distance he says the words he wanted to say to her but couldn’t find the resolve to do so, “I love you.”

The genius of this open ending is in the fact that Koushiro is clearly serious about trying and so is Nanoka, although forces behind the scenes will tear them apart very soon. No matter how happy your conclusion may be, it is clear that their fate is not to be together as a couple and the damage to their families, Kohinata and Saeki, will leave a scar forever. Koushiro is absorbed in his life with Nanoka but I believe he is contemplating his next move. The intent to change is apparent in his decision to quit his job, the one he chose because he believed if he worked with couples he would be able to bear his lack of feelings by taking in others’ happiness. Now that he’s experienced the emotion he yearned for he doesn’t need to work arranging couples anymore. I’m willing to bet the final scene is the last time they see each other and that Koushiro moves far away with the guilt of abandoning his sister, his family, and his one true love.

This is only one of many interpretations, some of yours may be much more sad involving suicide or an accident, while others may decide to end it with happiness and bet on the slim chance they will be together. One of these may be true, it is all in the juxtaposition of the subtle details of doom for the relationship versus the ongoing hope to succeed. This is why the open ending is such a good fit for this show since everyone has different opinions of incest and everyone will want a different outcome based on those opinions or beliefs.

Review: Koi Kaze (TV)

Running time: 23 minutes
Number of episodes: 13
Vintage: 2004-04-01 to 2004-06-17
Age rating: Mature (May contain sex, drugs, and extreme graphic violence)
Genres: Drama, Psychological, Romance, Slice of Life
Animation Production: A.C.G.T.
Broadcaster: KIDS STATION, TV Asahi
Music Production: Lantis
Production: Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc., Geneon Entertainment, Inc., Rondo Robe, TV Asahi

Source: Anime News Network

Koi Kaze takes a journey into the mindset of two people very much in love but torn by the exterior pressures that they must face if their love should ever be the way they wish it to be. Before even trying to lay out the storyline, it’s important to warn you what you’re up against. Koi Kaze tells a gritty tale of two siblings who fall in love without knowing they were siblings when they meet several years after separating. They are then are smitten by the crime of forbidden love and work hard to suppress these feelings they have while trying to live a normal life together. I don’t necessarily condone incest in real life, but after witnessing the way things unfold in Koi Kaze as a fiction story, you can’t help but blind yourself to certain parts of this equation because of how true and meaningful the feelings these two people have towards each other are.

The main characters are Saeki Koushiro and Kohinata Nanoka. Koushiro is a 27 year old man that lives his life as a regular salaryman. He has never once in his life been truly affectionate about something or someone which has lead to his current slump. His girlfriend breaks up with him because she doesn’t feel like Koushiro really has feelings for her. Koushiro isn’t surprised by her actions because he himself doubts what he truly feels about her and lets her go easily.

One day on his way to work, Koushiro notices a cute 15 year old high school girl named Nanoka on the same train with him. The girl suddenly gets off the train once it reached a stop, but in the middle of pushing her way out she drops her I.D. card. Koushiro quickly fumbles through the chaos, picks it up, and gets off the train so that he can give it back. He calls out to her and she turns around to face him. In the midst of their confrontation sakura leaves blow right past them and in the few seconds it lasts they are in a profound sudden rush of emotion. They part ways with a smile once the good deed was done. As fate would have it, they meet again the next day when the same girl is passing by Koushro’s workplace by coincidence just as he’s about to leave. Koushiro received some tickets to an amusement park and he decides to give them to Nanoka. Nanoka happens to need to kill some time while waiting for someone so she decides to go with Koushiro. Thus, they end up taking a quick innocent date at the park. While they spend time at the park they slowly open up to each other and say the things that have been bothering them in their lives to cool off. The quality of the voice acting and the detail in the music helps transmit the emergent sensations that these two people feel and how they connect while being together at the park.

When the day is finally over and they are about to part their separate ways, a much older man yells at them from a distance. This man happens to be their father, Saeki Zensou. He’s happy that they are together and jokes around since he’s convinced they knew they were siblings and that’s how they ended up together. Obviously, Koushiro and Nanoka are really surprised by this and the path down a bumpy road begins from here.

Rather than focus only on the pure emotions these characters feel, the show instead takes a more direct path down the reality of two people in love. It’s not always about how they felt when they first met, or the beautiful things they may say, but the gritty truth that they just can’t be apart. In real life the layers of desire, emotion, and temptation all unfold in humanly ways, thus real life is not beautifully scripted like in a sugar coated fiction love story. In those stories characters say what they mean with certain levels of eloquence and confidence while also doing the right things that trigger the beauty of their profuse love; this doesn’t happen in Koi Kaze for the most part and instead we get to see a more rough yet truer transmission of feelings and emotion. The fact that people make mistakes and let their emotions get the best of them is not an understatement and it is well presented here.

While the show is very powerful and delivers an emotional drive of taboo love, once it ends it’s a little less explicit. I must say the end of Koi Kaze employs a level subtlety that’s very effective but may require re-watching to fully understand it. It won’t change your views on the subject matter at hand, but once you pick up on the details you’ll be able to piece it together and create your own conclusion. I really enjoyed Koi Kaze despite the shortcomings of assimilating a scenario of blood related siblings falling in love. The music and the voice acting helped elevate the delivery of quality on the whole package. If you can swallow the premise and accept the consequences, you will most likely enjoy Koi Kaze.

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Review: Bokura ga Ita (TV)

Running time: 26 minutes
Number of episodes: 26
Vintage: 2006-07-03
Age rating: ???
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life
Animation Production: Artland
Production: Marvelous Entertainment, Pony Canyon, Shogakukan Productions Co., Ltd.

Source: Anime News Network

For those of us that don’t really care we’ll get swept into the pace of any particularly good anime regardless of what type of audience it’s intended for. Bokura ga Ita, being an excellent shoujo anime, is a good example of this. The heartwarming love between a regular girl and a regular guy in high school can be as effective on guys as it is on girls. For this reason Bokura ga Ita becomes one of the better shoujo anime I’ve been able to like from start to finish.

One of the first things I need to mention about Bokura ga Ita is its animation, which frankly, is a disaster. The reason is simply because it hardly animates. In addition to that the art has a striking style that has that “love it or hate it” vibe. As the scenes unfold in video form, much of the intentions of the pages in the manga are retained. In other words, when you’re watching Bokura ga Ita it’s almost like flipping through volumes of manga with voice-overs, sound effects, and music instead of reading. To be honest I don’t have a problem with this because it’s still effective at what it wants to do most, but many people take lack of animation seriously. It can be a barrier when trying to get sucked in the show, but if you can look past it there’s lots to be enjoyed.

The story starts off with Nanami Takahashi who one day begins her first year of high school. She’s hopeful of a good thorough experience even though she’s completely new and has no friends yet. She successfully mingles with a few people and learns that a really popular guy is in her class. The guy is Yano Motoharu, known for his striking personality and his handsome features which turn him into a chick magnet. Little did Takahashi know that she would meet Motoharu for the first time in the hallway and know exactly who he was without him ever telling her his name.

Typical as it may be, as time goes by Takahashi is involved in things that put her in direct proximity to Motoharu constantly. Her strange ways of thinking and pursuing things has her thinking and obsessing over Motoharu until there’s finally a path paved for them to walk across together. Rather than cling to each other like everyday companions, Motoharu and Takashi take things a little more seriously and truly devote themselves in heart and soul to reach happiness together. However, as in most shoujo anime, there’s lots of cracks on their path they’ll constantly trip over. Motoharu himself carries with him a burden of overwhelming proportions that completely changed his life. Although he’s perceived as calm, cool, and collected in most other peoples’ eyes, he’s actually surrounded by guilt and sorrow of an event long ago. This eventually reaches Takahashi who, being the way she is, ends up creating a turmoil of mixed feelings that hinder progress of a beautiful relationship. It’s one of those “love hurts” situations caused by uncontrollable circumstances that become like unbreakable thorns in their feelings. As much as you’ll agree with one side, the other side has an equally compelling argument that throws you off balance. I certainly applaud the story because sometimes you can’t help but feel torn between what’s right and what’s wrong.

Although the story revolves around Takahashi and Motoharu, there’s plenty to go around. There’s also Yamamoto Yuri, an old acquaintance from Motoharu’s middle school who is in Takahashi and Motoharu’s class. Then there’s Motoharu’s best friend since 6th grade, Masafumi Takeuchi, whom also takes part in the story. Typical things will happen with this mix of characters if you want to take a few guesses, but as a shoujo drama it is to be expected. However, it’s the way things unfold that counts and I have no complaints as far as originality and execution are concerned. The love between the characters is genuine, an attribute I consider very important. There’s no doubt that these characters are in love and their feelings are communicated in happiness and in suffering.

The end of Bokura ga Ita is satisfactory in my view, but there’s no doubt that there could have been much much more. The good news is that the manga ends almost exactly the same as the anime, and there’s more story coming since the manga is still being serialized. If the manga continues to be as engrossing as it has been continuing 3 years after the end of Bokura ga Ita, I’d love a new anime season with a more fleshed out end. Since Bokura ga Ita is such a popular shoujo manga among girls in japan, I’d be willing to bet on the certainty that there is demand and interest to continue the TV series in the future. For those of you on the fence still, it’s great! Go watch it!

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Review: NHK ni Youkoso! (TV)

Running time: 24 minutes
Number of episodes: 24
Vintage: 2006-07-09 to 2006-12-17
Age rating: ???
Genres: Comedy, Psychological, Romance, Slice of Life
Animation Production: GONZO

Source: Anime News Network

Strange. Weird. Odd. Peculiar. These are words you’ll likely use to describe NHK ni Youkoso! (Welcome to the NHK!) when you first start watching it. It immediately takes you into the mind of Tatsuhiro Satou, a 22 year old hikikomori. Being a hikikomori Satou is self restrained and is not able to handle society. His anxiety locks him in his one-room apartment and he can’t leave without feeling remorse and pressure from the outside world. This condition forced him to drop out of college and live off allowance from his parents. This situation also makes him a NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) and thus his life revolves around him and the things in his room. His TV, computer, and air conditioner are the only things that allow him to live a comfortable life in seclusion.

To top things off, Satou believes there’s a large conspiracy of epic proportions behind all of his mishaps in life. He calls the sinister secret organization after him the N.H.K., Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai, or “The Japanese Hikikomori Association.” (It’s pretty obvious this is a parody of the Japanese TV station N.H.K. for mass producing otaku’s) Thanks to this he’s conflicted and confused in his head which leads him to sleep 16 hours a day at irregular hours. All of this is happens while in total isolation from the rest of the world. There’s no doubt you’ll quickly agree that something isn’t right about Satou and his behavior, yet you may find similarities between yourself and Satou.

One day a cute high school girl arrives at his door accompanied by an older woman. The woman seems to do soliciting from neighbors to become aware of social problems and join some kind of religious group. The woman tries to get Satou interested in a booklet that has an article on the very problem he is experiencing. He quickly denies being a hikikomori or a NEET, but reflexively blurts out the truth in the process. Surprisingly, the cute girl just smiles at him. His hikikomori state of mind throws him into a turmoil of confusion and he decides he’s going to try to get a job. He thinks the neighborhood is aware of his situation, so getting a job and going to work for a while should be able to fool them. Shaved, clean cut, bathed, and armed with his resume, he sets off to a nearby manga cafe called Comic Break that is looking for part-time employees. Shockingly, he meets the same cute girl he met before at the shop and finds out she’s working there. He instantly gets nervous the moment he makes eye contact and makes a quick attempt to leave the shop. In the process of leaving he drops his resume on the floor.

Back at his apartment Satou is even more troubled and burdened by his luck of meeting the one girl that exemplified the type of person he wanted to fool by getting the job in the first place. After a while Satou hears the doorbell ring again but this time he doesn’t answer. When he finally decides to look through his door’s peek hole he notices the girl from the shop showed up at his apartment. She dropped off his resume with a note on the back that said to meet her at a park by 9PM that night. Satou always goes to that park to relax because its the only place besides his apartment where he can be alone and think. He has trouble deciding if he’s going to go to the park or not, since he would of gone whether or not he got the invitation, but he eventually ends up at the park anyway. Surely enough, the girl is there and she welcomes Satou into her project that she assures him will cure his hikikomori way of life.

From here on the project to cure Satou begins, for better or for worse. The adventures and misadventures of Satou, Misaki, and a few other characters have many interesting developments. Although the show alludes to being about hikikomori and NEET’s, it will soon introduce new characters and new social problems. Everyone in this show has some kind of issue and it’s explored in interesting ways. The journey is long but hard earned, and many surprises are sure to be revealed.

Watching NHK ni Youkoso! is undoubtedly a unique and refreshing experience. Many of us who enjoy anime can admit to being a little secluded at times, and some of us are also on the extreme of being real hikikomori. To keep up with most of the anime that is pumped out of Japan we need a lot of free time. I’ve had the experience of being a NEET and staying at home for months, which has lead to the creation of this blog. This is one of the reasons I instantly related to this show. Those of you who live more vivid and social lives and watch anime more casually may not notice anything that will grab your attention at first, but later on there’s plenty of diversified content you may find interesting.

The very core of NHK ni Youkoso! is all about troubled youth and their perception of the world. The most enjoyable aspect of it is seeing how these problem ridden people cope with each other and the rest of society. Because of their similarities you’ll find the characters form special bonds within their small circle of friends, and in a special case this allows for the strongest human emotion to flourish. Watching everything unfold in NHK ni Youkoso! is most of the fun, so I don’t want to give away too much, but I’m sure you’ll eventually agree that NHK ni Youkoso! is an interesting concept that hides a very special romance story. The real cure to a hikikomori state is found somewhere between these very strong feelings the characters develop. In retrospect, this show serves as a good lesson to us all who suffer from some kind of social anxiety.

Unfortunately, I did not find the conclusion to the show to be fulfilling enough, especially after such a grand beginning. However, if there is ever a case where the journey is better than the destination, this is one such example. I really enjoyed the story and how most of it unfolds, especially since I could find some way to relate to many of the characters’ troubles. Too bad it gets derailed several times, but at least it doesn’t lose its quality of storytelling. If you’re a passionate anime fan who’s had your share of lonely time, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. I wholeheartedly enjoyed it and you should too.

Thanks Zaitou for the recommendation; you’re spot on as always!

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Naruto filler ends! Naruto Shippuuden begins February ‘07

Guys, today is a glorious day indeed. I am so glad to be able to post this incredible awesome spectacular news. Yes… finally THE FILLER IS GOING TO END. No more stupid D rank missions, no more chakra stones, no more rasengan and kage bunshin over and over and over again. Naruto Shippuuden is the name of the new season that follows Kishimoto’s original story in the manga. It loosely translates to Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles. Hurricane Chronicles is also the name of the 4th Naruto movie that is going to debut next year in the summer that has events that occur post filler, so it’ll be batshit awesome.

If you don’t remember what happened at the end of 135 here you go, it contains important details that help set the stage for the new season:

RECAP OF VIDEO ABOVE (SPOILERS?): As you can see Naruto was in bed recuperating from his injuries after the fight he had against Sasuke. He talks to Shikamaru and learns everyone on the mission made it back safely. He also makes sure he tells Sakura that he will fulfill his promise to her no matter what. Jiraiya visits Naruto at the hospital and lets him know of really important details such as the fact that Akatsuki is after him for the Nine-tails, and Orochimaru is not able to take Sasuke’s body yet since his jutsu requires a refresh time of 3 years. He transferred before Sasuke could make it in time, so Orochimaru is forced to stick with his current container until he can get Sasuke’s body. Jiraiya offers to train Naruto for the 3 years that Akatsuki and Orochimaru are going to be inactive so that he can be prepared.

This is what sets the stage for what fans have called “Naruto 2,” which now has the official name of Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles. According to followers of the manga there is an intermediary story arc called “Kakashi Gaiden” that occurs before the time skip. Basically the Kakashi story begins, then Naruto leaves the village with Jiraiya, and then he comes back 3 years older and Naruto Shippuuden begins. The anime has been very faithful to the manga in the past, so its likely that everything will be included.

Kishimoto finally got the word out, and it seems it was planned to be like it is. Any hint of the real story coming at any date would hinder the ratings so they left us guessing every week. Now that we know, the ratings won’t be affected because there’s barely any filler content left. Episode 214 and 215 will be a Christmas special, and after that there will be no more Naruto for 2 weeks since they’ll be on a break. That means December 28th and January 4th won’t have any new episodes. Naruto Shippuuden begins in February, but Kakashi Gaiden needs to be shown before that, so it’s possible that between Janaury 11th and 25th (3 weeks, 3 episodes) we could potentially get the arc. 3 episodes might be enough to tell that story. If they need more episodes they have the 1st, 8th, and the 15th to finish because at most by the 22nd of February 2007 we should be watching Naruto Shippuuden.

Banzai!!

Source: Anime Nation, NarutoFan

Update 02/02/2007:

Shippuuden preview shown at the end of episode 219, date again confirmed Feb 15 and now confirmed to be a 1hour special!

Summer 2007 movie trailer.

Naruto Shippuuden: Narutimate Accel PS2 game trailer. (May be too spoilerific for some of you)

Done: NHK ni Youkoso! (TV)

I currently have: 19
Running time: 24 minutes
Number of episodes: 24
Vintage: 2006-07-09
Age rating: ???
Genres: comedy, Psychological, Romance, Slice of Life
Animation Production: Gonzo

Source: Anime News Network

Holy fucking shit this show is F-U-C-K-I-N-G awesome. NHK ni Youkoso! is going to be a classic. Definately. Undoublty. Absolutely. No buts about it. Wow… I just can’t stop saying Wow! Every episode is like a carefully crafted mix of hikikomori life, romance, and a little bit of just about every element of a true otaku’s life. If you don’t know what a hikikomori is just look it up on wikipedia. The anime explains a shitload about what it is to be a hikikomori. If you watch this show expecting some kind of GONZO animation classic, you’ll be disapointed. However, the animation is good at times, but what matters more is the incredible amount of storytelling. Studying every element presented in NHK ni Youkoso! I became aware that I am in fact a hikikomori right now. This particular stage of my life is fairly irregular so I am able to relate to everything a hikikomori goes through. It’s really interesting to see how I can compare and contrast this anime’ story with my own life. I don’t want to spoil much, but hopefully I end up with my special someone (cough) who’ll provide me with her hikikomori counseling services. Love definately is the cure for any ailment.

Bokura Ga Ita (TV)

I currently have: 18
Running time: 26 minutes
Number of episodes: 24
Vintage: 2006-07-03
Age rating: ???
Genres: Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life
Animation Production: Artland

Source: Anime News Network

This is a heart warming drama dealing with school life romance. The protagonist is hella cute and the storytelling is very subdued but effective. The animation could use some work, but the considerable use of manga-style stills is effective here and there when used correctly. I’m loving it so far.