Romance, Comedy, and Jellyfish!

Alternate Title: Kuragehime (海月姫)

Studio: Brain’s Base

English Liscensor: FUNimation Entertainment

Episodes: 11

Demographic: Josei

Genres: comedy, romance

Related Content: Princess Jellyfish (manga)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

ONE IS ALL, AND ALL IS ONE.

Alternate Title: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST)

Production: BONES
English Liscensor: FUNimation Entertainment
Episodes: 64
Demographic: Shonen
Genres: adventure, drama, fantasy, mystery, comedy, action, psychological
Related Content: Fullmetal Alchemist (manga)
                            Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos (movie)
                            Fullmetal Alchemist (1st anime adaptation)
                            Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium Collection (OVA)*
                            Fullmetal Alchemist: the Conqueror of Shamballa (1st FMA movie)*
*These follow the plot of the first anime adaptation.

Soul Eater

A sound soul dwells within a sound mind and a sound body.

-Maka Alburn, Soul Eater

Alternate Title: ソウルイータ

Studio: BONES

English Liscensor: FUNimation Entertainment
Episodes: 51
Demographic: Shonen
Genres: action, adventure, comedy, supernatural
Related Content: Soul Eater (manga)
                         Soul Eater: Monotone Princess (Wii game)
                         Soul Eater: Plot of Medusa (Nintendo DS game)
                         Soul Eater: Battle Resonance (PS2, PSP game)
                         Soul Eater Not! (manga side-story)

Blank Slate - Manga Review

Alternate Title: Akusaga (悪性 -アクサガ)
                       L'empreinte du mal (French)
Creator: Aya Kanno
Publisher: Hakusensha
English Publisher: Viz Media
Volumes: 2
Demographic: Shojo
Genres: adventure, mystery
Related Content: Blank Slate GN 2

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Alternate Title: Seirei no Moribito (Japanese)

Guardian of the Sacred Spirit

Studio: Production I.G.
English Liscensor: Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc.
Episodes: 26
Demographic: Shonen
Genres: adventure, drama, fantasy
Related Content: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (novel)
                                         Seirei no Moribito (manga)

Summary:
In order to make amends for the deaths of eight loved ones, Balsa the Spear-Wielder has dedicated her life to saving eight others, serving as a traveling bodyguard. On what is to be her eighth mission, she becomes entangled in a complicated web of mystery and magic surrounding the prince and the royal family. After saving prince Chagum from a freak accident, his mother, the Second Queen of Yogo, pleads for Balsa’s aid in protecting her son from the Mikado’s (emperor) assassins. It turns out that Chagum has become the guardian of the water spirit, which threatens to bring great calamities should it be safely delivered to its birthplace. Balsa decides to take on the assignment; as a result, the young prince is forced to become a fugitive, and slowly begins to learn the ways of the world outside the palace walls. All the while, Chagum’s tutor, the Star Gazer Shuga, looks into the mystery surrounding Chagum’s possession.

Review:
This series has beautiful music, masterful animation, a well-developed plot, a unique heroine, and meaningful episodes (none of that filler stuff!) – not to mention amazing (English dub) voice acting talents, courtesy of Bang Zoom! Entertainment. The show, despite being classified as fantasy, is not riddled with flashy fight scenes between super-humans, but is instead made to have a more realistic feel with the characters’ sophisticated fighting styles, helpful 3D effects, and picturesque backgrounds.

Among my favorite characters is Balsa, the strong female bodyguard with a sharp mind and deadly fighting skills. She is disciplined, caring, devoted, and brave – best of all, her character retains a sense of respectability I feel is lacking in many female anime characters that exist only to be ogled by the fanboys and girls. Chagum is my second favorite since he is neither an overly-arrogant stereotypical prince, nor an immature coward. Although he does possess a sense of superiority one might expect from a noble, he quickly changes his attitude and realizes the severity of his situation. Throughout the series, he develops into a more responsible and admirable character challenged by the dangers he and Balsa face. The viewer has other characters to look forward to seeing, such as Tanda, Balsa’s childhood friend; Madame Torogai, an eccentric old witch and Tanda’s teacher; Shuga the Star Gazer, Chagum’s tutor and effective catalyst within the series; and Balsa’s mentor, Jiguro Musa. Though Jiguro appears briefly, I still consider him a very important, interesting character.

Some may not like the overall slow pace Moribito has in comparison to other anime; however, I believe it finds a good balance between action and dialogue. Though it does not rely too heavily on it, the plot is also infused with supernatural phenomena and mysticism, which I’ve always found fascinating. This, coupled with a setting heavily-influenced by medieval China, makes for a unique approach to history. I have to say, I really like the ethnic feel the show has to it as well. Kawai Kenji’s soundtrack only serves to intensify the mood and ethnic feel of Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. This anime is exceptional in just about every way imaginable and I definitely recommend it.

Review:««««

Click HERE to watch the entire series.

Azumanga Daioh! - A Manga Review

Why so moe?

Alternate Title: “Great King Azumanga” (あずまんが大王)

Creator: Kiyohiko Azuma
Publisher: MediaWorks
                Shogakukan (re-release)
English Publisher: ADV Manga (former)
                           Yen Press (current)
Volumes: 4
Demographic: Shonen
Genres: comedy, slice of life
Related Content: Azumanga Daioh! (anime)
                          Azumanga Web Daioh! (ONA - original net animation)
                          Azumanga Daioh – The Very Short Movie
                                      (Sample preview of the anime)
                          Azumanga Daioh: Supplementary Lessons (extra chapters)

No Foolin', it's Cool!

What has bizarre dream sequences, an eccentric guitar-wielding “Vespa woman”, baseball, giant robots, and a nearly incomprehensible storyline?

Why, it’s FLCL of course!

Alternate Title: Fooly Cooly (OVA)

                           Furi Kuri (フリクリ)

Studio: Gainax / Production I.G.

English Liscensor: FUNimation Entertainment

                           Geneon Enterainment (USA) Inc. (soundtrack)

Episodes: 6

Demographic: Shonen

Genres: comedy, romance, science fiction, drama, mecha

Related Content: FLCL (manga)

Gurren Lagann

Alternate Title: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (天元突破グレンラガン,)

                                                       Heaven-Piercing Gurren Lagann

Studio: Gainax

English Liscensor: Bandai Entertainment

Episodes: 27

Demographic: Shonen

Genres: comedy, drama, mecha (super robot), science fiction, action, adventure

Related Content: Gurren Lagann (manga)

                          Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Gurren-hen (movie)

                          Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Rengen-hen (sequel)