Kamichu!

Synopsis:

14 year old Yurie Hitotsubashi wakes up one morning and realizes that overnight, she has become a god... literally. Not one to question a new deity, her friend Matsuri Saegusa decides to test Yurie's power but instead they end up accidentally causing a typhoon. A storm violent enough that threatens to not only damage her home town but also destroy the outdoor clubroom of her secret heart-throb Kenji Ninomiya who is the president and also the only member of the school's calligraphy club. Although Yurie is able to calm the storm she also confesses her love to Kenji but amongst the chaos it falls on deaf ears. With the help of the local gods, Yurie learns to control and use her new found power to restore the town's faith in religion and at the same time balance her school life and her feelings towards the young boy known as Kenji and hopefully get the courage, and confess again.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 16


Review:

At first, Kamichu's presentation just didn't make any sense to me. When Yurie said she was a god, no one said anything, no one called her crazy or insane, no one made fun of her, everyone just accepted this fact and the show moved on. At first I was finding myself asking "Wait... what?" but instead of wondering why this anime didn't bring up all these complicated factors I decided to just shift gears and roll with it. And you know what? When I quit trying to over-analyze the show it became quite enjoyable and interesting at the same time with it's tale of local gods and what happens beyond what the eye can see. Not only that, but the character depth is about right for this series as it helps explain everyone's involvement in Yurie's life and even shed some light on their past and present emotional status but at the same time, keeps Yurie out of the overall scope of things making her somewhat of a mystery the entire time. Put this with the overall cuteness of the plot and you're left with a very relaxing atmospheric yet entertaining anime. Although the animation didn't impress me, the new angle of storytelling put with mild humor and an underlying romance that's nicely strung along through the entire series and builds itself up to a satisfying and... adorable... conclusion that makes it stand out. I'd recommend this show to anyone looking for an easy-going series that offers a little something extra with it's tale of divine power in the hands of a shy, soft spoken, yet friendly young girl and the friends that help her every step of the way with her new found divinity.

Kamichu! (opening)

Recommendation: |Above Average|

Otoboku - Maidens Are Falling For Me

Synopsis:

Mizuho Miyanokouji has agreed to grant his grandfather's request bestowed upon him in his will. To attend Seio Academy... for girls. Before he fully realizes what he just got himself into, childhood friend Mariya Mikado is at the ready with her bag of cosmetics and is more than helpful in bringing out Mizuho's... feminine side. With full compliance from the head of the school, Mizuho attends Seio Academy incognito which is met with unexpected popularity.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 13


Review:

Okay, so by the title you're probably thinking that this is some run-of-the-mill ecchi/harem comedy with some doof that doesn't know what the hell is going on. Not so, Otoboku is the exact opposite as Mizuho is an extremely and maturely feminine trap throughout as the show sets out to be relaxing and just a whole lot of fun to watch from beginning to end. Through the show Mizuho helps each girl deal with issues in real life or to excel in school or even just to wear a favorite hair ribbon without being condemned by the student council president. All of this is presented with an enjoyable atmosphere that has a 99.9% predominantly female cast and never takes the story and swings the drama one way or another to any extreme but rather holds a middle ground that is very easy to watch.

The all female cast also does a remarkable job of just being undeniably cute, so much to the fact that you just want to claim each girl for yourself. Even if you see a girl with a sad face your heart will practically sink until she's wearing a smile again which is usually thanks to Mizuho's involvement somehow. The animation also stands out in that it blends both old and new school styles and puts it all together with bright, vibrant colors that accentuate the feminine disposition that the show holds over the viewer.

Although there really is no overall plot other than Mizuho hiding his true identity which really isn't much of an issue as dude looks like a lady and there is very little character depth, that doesn't prevent Otoboku from being a top notch presentation. Otoboku knows how to be hilarious without resorting to ecchiness, it uses quick resolve conflict, and gives you one of the most adorable cast of ladies ever to grace a 13 episode run making for one hell of a great time. This series should not be passed up whether you're a fan of yuri or not and no... I don't get the title either as it doesn't really fit the overall scope of the show at all.

Otoboku (opening)

Recommendation: |Very High|

Kannazuki no Miko

Synopsis:

They say on the moon there is a shrine. Why? Uh... hell I don't know. This wasn't really touched upon in the beginning so let's just skip ahead and meet Himeko Kurusugawa and Chikane Himemiya who are about to share their 16th birthday, on the same day. However instead of being a day to celebrate, an ancient evil that has vowed to destroy the Earth awakens called the Orochi and it's worshipers whom of each posses a mecha of mass destruction. One of these worshipers is Himeko's friend Souma who at first is determined to kill Himeko but by some realization he decides to protect her and becomes defiant to the god he unwittingly follows and in turn attacks the other worshipers. After a destructive battle, Himeko is left homeless and Chikane offers her a place to stay in her mansion. After the Earth shaking turn of events Souma's older brother Kazuki, who is also priest, explains to Himeko and Chikane they are the target of the Orochi because they are the only ones who can summon The God of Swords and stop the Orochi from annihilating humanity. With Souma's help, the girls start the series of events in motion to save humanity and planet Earth.


Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 12


Review:

Seems like alot of story there eh? Well, you're right. That's kind of the problem you're going to encounter with this series, it tries to do far too much in too little time. So much to the fact that it almost feels like you're being jerked around in the story and alot of what you watch starts to become an incoherent blur and doesn't mesh well with the rest of the story elements that are being presented to you. Kannazuki no Miko wants to be a yuri romance and a mecha action battle anime at the same time and unfortunately fails at trying to mix these together making the mech battles seem practically unnecessary. For one, there are just too many of them for this short run making for roughly one battle per episode which contains nothing more than alot of yelling and fast scrolling backgrounds that ends with a one-two punch resolution. Through this chaos you're also watching Himeko and Chikane's relationship blossom but the odd appearance of huge ass mechs out of thin air and causing trouble starts to become more of a nuisance because the romance gets put aside so you can watch some over glorified fight with big robots.

I'll say this, Kannazuki no Miko is one of the few animes that has a bizarre cast of people bent on destroying Earth as they all had very colorful personalities. The sad thing is that nothing, NOTHING, is explained as to why they hate humanity so much other than a still frame showing some agony in thier life and that really could have been dwelled upon and even showed their side of the story and maybe stir up a little inner conflict in the viewer but alas... you get nothing. This is one anime that could have gone into the 20+ episode region and garnished more interest but as it is, it remains a confusing rush of plot devices that are just being way more complicated than they needed to be. Even the romance aspect between Himeko and Chikane gets sidetracked sometimes and if it were not for the over-dramatized final episode this anime probably would have fallen deeper in the realm of "wait... what?"

Recommended? Not really... even though the animation is decent, the mechs, action, yuri (lesbianism), magic girls, just don't work together very well here. Other than the catchy opening and closing music by Kotoko... there's not much here to get you through the series without losing interest.

Kannazuki no Miko (opening)

Recommendation: |Below Average|

Grave of the Fireflies

Synopsis:

As we all know, World War II was a grim time and everyone was affected, even Japan. After a firebombing air raid, siblings Seita and his younger sister Setsuko are left homeless after their home is burnt down and their mother is a victim to the fires and passes shortly their after. With no place to go the two move in with the only relative they know, an aunt in a nearby city who glady takes them in. Even though Seita sends letters to his father in the Japanese Navy to come get him, his cries for help go unanswered and as time moves on Seita's main concern of caring for his sister becomes more of a burden as he tends not to help out around the house and doesn't provide any income and starts to seem more of a freeloader than anything else. Tired of the constant ridicule from his aunt, Seita and Setsuko pack up and leave to try and survive on their own in the harsh reality of a worn-torn country that shows no mercy.


Reviewer: Endosanity


Review:

Grave of the Fireflies has a really good premise and it immediately tries to get the viewers sympathy towards the main characters of Seita and Setsuko but as the series drags on you feel like that you want a refund for emotions wasted. The film shows the overall hardships that affected Japan in World War II by putting two kids in a harsh reality that they have no choice but to accept. The only problem is that Seita is of age that he should know what he has to do to survive but he comes off as lazy and resorts to petty theft, sponging off his dead mothers remaining earnings, and even looting during bombing raids as a way to provide sustenance for his sister and the spite he has towards his aunt is almost uncalled for as she is in the right that Seita should work and assist with household chores and help with income for food and shelter. It's a great tragic story but you almost can't help but feel that the overall outcome is his own fault, true... it's a harsh reality during that time but then again you need to do what you can to survive even if it means using some elbow-grease and not looking for the easy man's way out. Worth seeing at least once but it's easily forgettable... in other words, rent it first.

Grave of the Fireflies (trailer)

Recommendation: |Low|

Vexille

Synopsis:

In the year 2060 robotics technology has advanced far more than anyone had imagined to the point now that cybernetics are now being developed. For fear that this new wave of technology is moving too quickly the U.N. declares a ban on further development until the rest of the world can come to terms with the current state of robotics. However the leader of current robotics technology, Japan, strongly opposes this current turn of events withdraws from the U.N. and isolates itself from the rest of the world and deports all foreigners. While Japan still allows trade with other countries, no one is allowed in or out of the country and has also set up a protective field that blocks all satellite signals. For the next ten years the current state of Japan remains a mystery but when an influx of worldwide banned technologies is discovered in various parts of the U.S. the agency named SWORD is assigns a few select officers to infiltrate Japan and put an end to the mystery of it's isolation. Officer Vexille is one of the few assigned people to the dangerous task.


Reviewer: Endosanity

Review:

Vexille is a CGI anime with a different spin on it. It focuses more on storytelling than over the top action which I'm kind of used to with this type of show. It does give us the fair share of gun-fights, explosions, and even high speed chases, but a good portion of the movie is spent delving into the political aspect of future county relations and what could happen if that delicate balance is disrupted. Although the story may seem intriguing the plot seems to sort of drag once you find out what's been happening with Japan for the last ten years, leaving you feeling sort of let down by the overall turn of events. That's not saying it's bad but just ends up being sort of a let down in the overall scope of things leaving you with a movie that just ends up being... okay.

The computer animation is great, the plot is interesting but flaky when looking at the big picture, and the characterization is next to nil giving the viewer an uninspired group of heros, I still recommend this movie. Check it out.

Now an off note, since most of the movie focuses on American soldiers, when listening to the Japanese language and cultural difference influences in the speech it came across as really bizarre and seemed out of place. I say that even though the dubbing is bleh... it just seems to sit better with the whole scenario.

Vexille (trailer)

Recommendation: |Average|

Appleseed: Ex Machina

Synopsis:

After World War III, the world has become a desolate place save for one nation called Olympus. It's a technological utopian metropolis but it's not without it's fair share of problems. Keeping the peace are E.S.W.A.T. members Deunan Knute, who is one woman you don't want to mess with, and her cyborg partner Briareos. During a hostage rescue mission Briareos is injured from a blast that hospitalizes him leaving Deunan without a partner. To fill Briaros's place a bioroid (genetically engineered human) named Tereus is assigned to her that looks exactly like Briareos did before he became a cyborg. Both are then assigned as security for an International Conference that would put all nations' satellites under Olympus' control however by doing so the technology that's used to protect humanity now becomes the tool to destroy it.


Reviewer: Endosanity


Review:

Appleseed: Ex Machina is a CGI sci-fi action flick from producer John Woo and I'll tell you right up front, he does not disappoint the masses. From the highly detailed computer animation to the magnificently choreographed gun fights Ex Machina is a thrill ride from start to finish that barely gives you a chance to catch you breath before the barrage of bullets starts flying again. With it's highly original depiction of a futuristic utopia to the intriguing but not overly complicated plot and it's cast of hardcore action heros this is one movie that is very easy to enjoy and will appeal to you even if you're not a fan of CGI. However, Ex Machina is a sequel to the 2004 movie Appleseed so you're not going to get alot in the way of character depth for Deunan or Briareos but in all honesty... you won't miss it as you don't even need to see Appleseed to enjoy Ex Machina as a stand alone movie. Simply put, you'll be so caught up watching these two kick ass and take names, that worrying about their past will be the last thing on your mind. Luckily, Ex Machina doesn't rely on action alone as it has a fairly decent plot that may be a bit typical but works extremely well in not burdening the viewer to have to think very hard so as the plot can be enjoyed along with the action and characters in equal doses.

Highly recommended even if you have or haven't seen the original Appleseed, it's still one remarkable movie and one hell of a great time.

Appleseed: Ex Machina (trailer)

Recommendation: |High|

Karas: The Prophecy & Karas: The Revelation

Synopsis:

Karas is the story of humans and demons living in alternate realities however they run parallel to each other, in other words the demons are there... you just can't see them. Some demons have started to reveal thier existence however and started lashing out and killing humans for thier blood. To maintain the peace between the two worlds is Karas, a warrior created by the spirit of a city called Yurine, which resembles an albino cat-like girl, who uses the soul of one human to act as Karas. This time she has chosen Otoha, a former Yakuza member that is second to none when it comes to wielding a sword. The source of the recent demon attacks in the human realm is traced back to Eko, a former Karas who after 400 years has grown tired of protecting the city and the human world altogether and thier arrogance towards demons and takes it upon himself to erradicate humanity.


Reviewer: Endosanity


Review:

Let me tell you, Karas is one fantastic looking anime and that's also the problem... it's one fantastic looking anime. This two part movie (which is actually 6 episodes spliced together) is all flash and lacks any substance what-so-ever which only has you looking forward to the next fight to get started. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the focus was supposed to be all action and didn't reside in the 3 hour span but alas Karas tries to tell a story of sentient beings who lived on our planet long before us but you probably won't care as this story just doesn't match up well with the level of action being presented. The whole thing comes off as confusing sometimes and when things are being explained in dialog a huge fight breaks out and then you lose track of what was going on as you'll be caught-up in the next melee battle and when it's over you forget what anyone was talking about.

I found Karas relatively average, just because an anime looks good doesn't mean it is good. The movie can't seem to explain itself in 3 hours mainly because it spends most of the time dazzling the viewer but damn if it ain't one slick looking show. I'm not sure if I can recommend Karas as I was growing bored with it amongst all the destruction going on there wasn't much of a point of why it was happening. If you want to watch full body armored samurai fight to the death then give it a shot but if you want a story driven movie with great characters to match then you'll want to pass... this isn't it. But if this may be up your alley then grab Karas: The Prophecy and Karas: The Revelation at the same time as it's one long movie from start to finish.

Karas (trailer)

Recommendation: |Below Average|