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Synopsis:
Marin and Urin are two sisters that live in the sea. Always exploring new areas, Marin happens across a ring sinking from the surface of the water. She notices how beautiful the ring is and that it must have been dropped by accident and decides to find the owner of the ring. Thinking that this would be a great time for a new adventure, Marin puts on a bracelet that will allow her to breathe air and heads to the visit the "sky people" (that's us land lovers) and Urin, being her sister, follows her. However, what they encounter in the world above is not like the stories they've heard among the sea people.
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 12
Review:
Here we have these sisters that... (sigh) They're from the sea or some such and... and... there's this ring and, (yawn) aaahhh, it's the darkness but magic girls save the... the day, yeah. (yawn) G'night.
Zzzzzzzzz...
Recommendation: |Below Average|
Oh, uh... sorry, sorry. I was just thinking about this show and started to doze off, my bad. Umi Monogatari ~Ana... screw it, let's just go with Sea Story, is a show that suffers from one major problem... it's boring. I don't know how many times a nodded off while watching this anime but the strange thing is that it's really not a bad show. But, it moves so freakin' slow you might be tempted to just stop watching it. As it opens you're even greeted with a very soft melody that is practically a lullaby to your ears but, if you make it through that what you'll get is a show that presents itself in a very laid back and calming fashion. This anime relies heavily on love, goodness, and friendship to bring everyone together making it rather cheesy in the overall scope of things. Now, you might be thinking that this is the premise of all magic-girl styled anime but even that angle is isn't really emphasized as the girl-to-magic-girl transformations are very short and the so called powers they have don't ever seem to have as much of an effect of ridding evil as much as a hug and saying "I love you!" Ridiculous, but true.
The characters didn't really stand out and displayed no individuality but you'll still like them just the same as the shows main message is really to just tell a tale of love and peace and how that is all that's needed to overcome sadness and evil. The animation is blah, the story is schmaltzy, but you can't help be put at ease by the overall relaxing atmosphere. Do I recommend it? Sure, if you find turtle races exciting. I mean... the show moved along like molasses in January and it's one that's not worth a second viewing, let alone a first.
Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~ (opening)
Synopsis:
When racing downhill on her bike against her friends, Rika pulls ahead but is struck by an oncoming truck and killed. When Rika wakes up this time though the world she is in is now a sinless version of her own. Keiichi never came to Hinamizawa, Rena's parents never divorced, Satoshi never disappeared, and Satoko's and Rika's parent never died. Rika realizes she finally has arrived in the perfect world she's been trying to reach for so long but each time it resulted in her own death. Rika must now chose to stay in this new world forever or commit the first sin and return to her own reality.
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 5
Review:
Okay, first of all, if you haven't seen Higurashi no Naku Kori ni (When They Cry) or the sequel Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai then stop reading this. Just stop. Because if you haven't seen the rest of the series then this 5 part OVA series isn't gonna make much sense watching it as a stand alone mini-series. Now, saying that, let's get started.
In it's traditional sense, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei (Damn that name is a pain in the ass to keep typing. Screw it, I'm just gonna truncate it to 'Higurashi') starts off with one episode dedicated to portray it as a comedy which by now you know it's not. But, what is the 'Higurashi' series without a few episodes of comic relief? Don't worry, after the first episode the creepiness settles back in as the next few episodes put Rika into that perfect world she's always wanted to obtain by constantly altering the events that took place leading to her death each time but now she's stumbled into it by being killed... yet again. Most of the characters make a return with different attitudes and lifestyles and in just a few episodes you begin to see that the reality that Rika's been trying to achieve all this time might be... too perfect.
Even though the the original Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is notorious for it's high level of violence, this installment into the series sidesteps the violence just as the second season did. Which I guess it doesn't really matter because this time it's just a small story of being handed something that you've always wanted but didn't have to work for it. This is a nice addition to the series even if it's only a few episodes long and it still boasts the same great animation, characters, and intriguing storytelling as it's full length counterparts making this a must see if you're a fan of the 'Higurashi' series as I am.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei (opening)
Recommendation: |Very High|
Synopsis:
Paranoia Agent begins with a story about a woman named Tsukiko Sagi who is under alot of pressure at work to create a new character for a plush toy. She's had a huge success with her current one called Maromi but the higher-ups demand more. On her way home one night however she drops her Maromi-on-a-keychain figurine but when she kneels down to pick it up she looks up to see a young boy wearing golden in-line skates bearing down on her as he swings a metallic bat knocking her unconscious. With this, detectives Keiichi Ikari and Mitsuhiro Maniwa are assigned to the case to find out more about this street assailant. With no leads and no witnesses the two detectives are to the point of giving up hope and blaming the incident on Tsukiko herself considering it a cry for attention but then they receive a report that the mysterious Shonen Bat, or Bat Boy, has claimed another victim...
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 13
Review:
For this short and strange series Paranoia Agent really doesn't have that much of a story to tell as it's coming at you with a new presentation as far as animation is concerned. When you watch this show you shouldn't try to connect yourself with the characters or over analyze the plot because that will only make you wonder what in the world is going on. Actually how it's best enjoyed is that when one person is talking what you'll be seeing is what that character is perceiving the in their mind at the same time so while they are talking the world around them is changing and the viewer is the only one who is seeing what's running through anyone's mind at any given time. This can seem hilarious at times or just downright confusing every now and then. You'll also see how an urban legend manifests itself from a simple rumor into a city-wide phenomenon through story-telling and gossip and how people view the Shonen Bat as he contorts his appearance to match the stories being told.
The animation leans toward being more realistic than the classic anime style that I prefer but it's still a good series. The only thing is that it's *supposed* to be confusing kinda like watching one long episode of The Twilight Zone so don't expect to really follow the plot completely. You just have to keep in mind that what you're seeing is what's going through a persons mind and how they perceive the Shonen Bat whether he be a demon or a savior. Not sure if I can recommend this one as I liked it but it wasn't a series I could really get into. Available for rent, hard-to-find-purchase (Geneon is out of business), and shown on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim check it out if you have a taste for the bizarre.
Paranoia Agent (trailer)
Paranoia Agent (promo)
Recommendation: |Average|
Media type: DVD
From: Geneon
Spoken languages: English;Japanese
Subtitles: English
Synopsis:
By no interest of his own, Miharu Rokujo, learns that he is the sole possessor of the Shinra Banshou. The most powerful secret art of the ninja world. But the thing is, he doesn't doesn't care and even though every ninja clan is out to claim his power their own if he could just give his power away... he would. But one ninja, Yoite, with the power to hurt others at the expense of his own life-force pleas with Miharu to use the Shinra Banshou and erase his existence so that he will not be remembered. Miharu decides to help Yoite's and decides to learn to use his new found power to honor Yoite's request.
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 26 (Yeah, I managed to sit through the entire show for you guys just for me to tell you DO NOT WATCH! Be grateful to grandpa Endo.)
Review:
"The ninja world is at war. Whatever." This is FAILimation's marketing 'slogan' that might have you thinking 'So, it's like a ninja show with cool ninja dudes that kick ass and don't give a shit? Cool!' Sorry, no. Here, let me rephrase it and put a little more truth to the matter. "The ninja world is at war. But for now some punk-ass bitches will whine about their existence for the next 26 episodes." There we go, that about sums it up. What one has to do with the other... I don't know, but I do know that Nabari no Ou manages to do two things that no anime has done before as it both annoyed me to no end and was also extremely boring. At the beginning there are a few ninja fights but after Yoite hits the screen this anime tries to get the audience to become empathetic towards him by constantly hammering you with the 'his power is killing him' angle by dropping that bomb in every conversation. Then, Yoite speaks up for himself by whining to have Miharu erase his existence with his 'almighty' power. But it gets better as he *constantly* bitches about wanting to be erased... for the entire fucking show! At some point you'll be begging for someone, anyone, to kill the whiny little shit just so he'll shut the hell up about it.
But no. What you're gonna see is Yoite and Miharu get much closer turning your ninja anime into a yaoi (homosexual) ninja anime. Oh don't worry, this happens to some of the other male characters also turning this anime into a bromance of sorts and by this time the whole ninja aspect of the show has all but been killed off. None of the characters are noteworthy other then the fact that the constant bitching of "I wish I was never born!" "I don't want this!" and all the boo-fucking-hooing *will* grate on your nerves. The animation is lacking and everyone is drawn to look like they are suffering from Buhlemia. And there is nothing even remotely interesting about the overall story leaving you with an ending that makes you glad that it's finally over if you even made it that far. Almost makes you sad to think that anyone would actually buy this thinking "Hey, this looks cool!" Appearances can be deceiving.
Nabari no Ou (opening)
Recommendation: |Less than zero!|
Online viewing: At FAILimation's website
Nabari no Ou (subbed and a few dubbed episodes)
*Note - Y'know, it's pretty fuckin' bad when FAILimation doesn't even bother putting up the rest of their own shitty-ass dub version to stream but only a few dubbed episodes amongst the subtitled version. It's like they couldn't be bothered with trying to overcompensate for this fuming pile of crap that no one in their right mind should be watching anyway.
Media type: DVD
From: FUNimation
Spoken languages: English;Japanese
Subtitles: English
Synopsis:
Tomoki Sakurai wants nothing more than to lead a peaceful, quiet, life without interruption. One evening he comes across a large gaping hole in the sky one night, a large ball of light shoots out of it and it almost hits Tomoki. As he inspects the large crater that it left behind Tomoki notices an unconcious girl with wings at the bottom. As debris also starts falling from the large void in the sky Tomoki decides that he doesn't want to get involved and runs for cover but doesn't get far before he realizes that he can't just leave her there. Tomoki rushes back and tries to carry the strage winged girl as best he can but he doesn't get far before he sees a large pillar coming right down on him. But just as Tomoki is about to meet his demise he suddenly notices he is high above the ground being flown saved by the strange girl he tried to rescue moments ago. As they land, she imprints a chain onto Tomiki and claims him as her master. Well, so much to Tomoki's quiet and peaceful life.
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 13
Review:
Soro no Otoshimono or, Heaven's Lost Property, is a perfect example how to completely waste the potential that a series has. You've got a great story that could have been used with an angel coming down to earth and swearing loyalty to the guy that tried to save her. Followed by other angels who are out to bring her back to the heavens above. The thing is, you don't learn much about "the heavens" but all you really get is a sneak-peak at the travesty that takes place above and the humiliation that these angels endure. No, what they've done is take the intersting part out and laced the show with ecchiness. Now, I like ecchi stuff as much as the next guy but here it feels like a tacked on after-thought that was used to try and make the show appeal a larger core group of fans but instead it ends up ruining the shows presentation. What you get in return is an annoying main character, big boobs, a loli, and lots of flying panties which makes for very low-brow humor that doesn't fit well at all. But, as I was watching I couldn't help but hope that things would change and the gutter humor was only an introductory way to relax the audience and I would eventually learn more of Icarus or Nymph. But no, that hope was dashed as the show kept going down the same road that completely overshadowed the real story that could have been so much more had a little more thought had been put into it because the story was there but this anime was afraid to actually use it.
Sora no Otoshimono is probably also the first anime that I can actually say that I despised the main character to no end. Tomoki is beyond annoying and has practically zero redeeming factors to keep you from wanting to hurl a brick at the guy. He's lewd, perverted, and just plain stupid with a voice that makes you wanna smack the shit out of the guy every time he opens his mouth making him horribly out of place amongst the shows characters. Another thing is that the animation puts too much emphasis on using chibi style (or migitizing) imaging to try and accent the humor which is just not needed and looks downright pathetically emphasized most of the time.
All in all, as a whole, Sora no Otoshimono was still an "okay" show but there is nothing here to make you watch it more than once or even make it a memorable viewing experience.
Sora No Otoshimono (opening)
Recommendation: |Average|
Online viewing: No longer available, Cruchyroll lost the license 30 days after the show ended.
Media type: Free internet streaming
From: Crunchyroll
Spoken languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English
*Note - Cruchyroll has lost the license to this show and it has now been picked up by FUNimation. Really? This? Who was the brainiac that decided to license this turd? I mean, I can see maybe offering it as a free stream but if the show goes gold, that would be downright stupid. But after they dub it and give it the shiny treatment, about 1 or 2 years from now, the show will flop and they'll dump the idea of picking up the second season that's already been announced. But this has been the fate of many of FAILimation's other shows.
Synopsis:
Vampires and werewolves are the stuff of legends, just a myth, right? Well, that's what everyone thought until a young girl named Mina Tepes announces that she is the queen of vampires and has just paid off Japan's national debt and procured land as a haven for vampires to exist in called the Bund. As Mina integrates vampires into society, not everyone is willing to accept such a merger. There are those of the human race that do not want to even acknowledge the existence of monsters but also vampires that want to display their superiority. This, of course, puts Mina in a dangerous position with the constant threat of death from those who wish to oppose Mina's ways but along with the protection of her loyal followers she has chosen one boy, Akira Kaburagi Regendorf, to protect her as her personal bodyguard. The only thing is, he has no idea why. Akira's about to discover something about himself that he forgot long ago.
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes: 12
Review:
Werewolf and vampires and... other things, oh my! Dance in the Vampire Bund is the complex story of how such beings would live along side us mortals and the rules which govern their lifestyle and... oh wait. I'm thinking of the manga, silly me. Let me start over. Dance in the Vampire Bund, the anime, is the tale of the queen of vampires that resembles an underage girl who's in love with her amnesiac werewolf bodyguard Akira. In the anime's defense though, there is so much going on in the manga that you really couldn't hope to fit much of it into a measly 12 episodes so they chose to loosely base the story off the source material focusing on what most people wanted, the relationship between a young man and an eternally underage girl. Hey, she's the ruler of all vampires. But as the anime tends to jump around from one situation to the next you see what Akira has to deal with to be Mina's guardian and he meets all the challenges head-on and he starts to become quite the likable character. Eventually you start to see how Mina's bull-headed and almost sadistic ways offset him perfectly which makes them a well matched pair despite the physical age difference. The only thing is that this tends to push everyone else aside and practically makes them non-existent in your mind putting the world around Akira and Mina as just a blur.
A dark tale of vampiric proportions? No. If you want that then go read the manga. I can't believe I just said that but it's true. No, what the anime version of Dance in the Vampire Bund is an almost unprogressive forbidden romance that is constantly interrupted by real world events that, at times, you just won't care about. Why? Mainly because of what Dance in the Vampire Bund really encompasses in no way can be portrayed in a mere 12 episodes making the plot seem like it's jumping all over the place with no steady flow to it. What you're left with is an average anime that doesn't give you much more than you started with making for a very medicore viewing experience. It doesn't help that Shaft's presentation was nothing more than an extreme close-up of someone's eye 50% of the time. That's not the usual head-trippy Shaft that I'm used to.
Dance in the Vampire Bund (opening)
Recommendation: |Average|
Online viewing: Available at FUNimations website -
Dance in the Vampire Bund (subtitled)
*Note - You may have to verify your date of birth to watch due to adult content. Also, the only version available is with TV station censorship but as an added bonus you also get FAILimation's own censorship and edits to go with it, YAY!
Media type: Free internet streaming
From: FUNimation
Spoken languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Synopsis:
Yorito Morimiya is a photographer at heart, but he especially loves taking pictures of the sky any time of the day at any time of the year. While taking more pictures of the sky very early in the morning Yorito notices a strange girl trying to get a can of tomato juice out of a vending machine. Yorito helps her while trying to strike up a conversation with her but by the time he gets the juice out of the machine he turns to notice that the girl is mysteriously gone. Yorito manages to run into the strange girl a few more times during the night over the next few days and learns that her name is Matsuri Shihou. But when he decides to go looking for her he finds that she has been taking shelter in an abandoned church only to happen upon a confrontation between her and a man weilding a sword.
Reviewer: Endosanity
Number of episodes watched: 15
Review:
Ah yes, the "sudden girlfriend" genre of anime. It never gets old. Why? Because we all wish it would happen. But, Sola takes a different approach to this tried and true plot device and puts a little spin on things that are not apparent at first but as the story progresses you see the overall impact of it's outcome. Sola adds an extra level of complexity to it's tale by leading the viewer along a predetermined path that you practically feel that you've been down before and know what to expect. However, your predictions are cast aside when Sola goes off in a completely different direction from what you had thought leaving you saying to yourself "This wasn't supposed to happen... " With it's minor but impacting plot changes it takes the audience away from it's comfort zone and leaving them wondering what is really going to happen now?
This is what I liked about Sola as I was being set up from the beginning and at the end I was thrown the emotional curve-ball and I was shown that not all anime in the same genre follow the same path. The animation is done well, the plot may seem typical, but don't be fooled by Sola's apparent simplicity. There's another side to the story that you're just not seeing until it's too late and the series comes to an open ended yet, satisfying close.
Sola (opening)
Recommendation: |Above Average|
Media type: DVD
From: Bandai Entertainment
Spoken languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English
