Our Home’s Fox Deity Released By: NIS America Set 1 Set 2

Available from Right Stuf

Our Home’s Fox Deity Collection 2 Released By: NIS America Released: 2/22/11 Reviewed: 5/23/11 Related Reviews Rated: 13+

In the second half of Our Home’s Fox Deity, the brothers will continue to get into supernatural trouble thanks to Ku and Ko living with them. First, the second half starts with the brothers taking in a mysterious girl wrapped in enchanted cloth. It seems that she was actually to be delivered to the oni who are making a bigger ruckus than usual. After that, the brothers will get tied up with werewolves while Sakura gains a new rival for Noboru’s affections (not that he ever notices).

Good and the Bad

In the second half of OHFD, the audience gets pretty much exactly what was delivered in the first half with only a couple of new tricks added to the mix. Changing from the first half, in the second half the majority of the episodes belong to multi episode story arcs. Even if the stories are being stretched out over multiple episodes though, there are still no real changes to the flow of the series. These are still people living everyday lives and hopefully being entertaining in the process. This doesn’t end up being that true but we’ll get to that in a bit.

A couple of times in this half, the series tries it’s hand at multi episode story arcs. In these stories, the tone and pacing is the same with episodes often times feeling rushed throughout. The main issue that the series has is the way it lays its stories, and subsequently, its episodes out. Every story is laid out and written but ends up being broken up in all of the wrong places. A great example of this is the werewolf story which ends on an episode that begins with the fight and filled the last half of the episode with emotional wrap up. Had this episode ended with the fight and tightened the emotional wrap up, there could have been something really special here.

Tragically, this and every other story in this half just falls victim to a pacing that grows frustratingly worse. Perhaps it was just the increasingly draining feeling that I felt from these characters but looking back, it’s weird to think about just how quickly this series was finished and I’m not being complimentary. While the multi episode arcs had trouble with where the split the episodes up, the single episode stories have their own problems with simply rushing through each episode. Sometimes there is resolution, sometimes there isn’t but the pacing always felt like a race to get there.

What is fortunate for the series is that there is just enough ‘new’ here in order to keep the audience at least halfway awake. While Mubyo was the one who stole my heart in the first half, the second half features another character named Miyabe who is there as the rival for Sakura. Though to say that Sakura needed a rival is laughable in itself since it was already a foregone, predictable conclusion that her story was going to go absolutely nowhere.  Let’s face it, no matter how many times they might have hinted at a rivalry it wasn’t as though anyone ever thought that there was going to be any sort of romantic wrap up. It was just never going to happen and all of this time spent trying to play up that drama is a waste at best.

What’s nice about this series are the same things that kept it warm and fun in the first half. These are simple stories that anyone in the family could enjoy simply because they are cute and non threatening. At its most dramatic moments, this is a series that won’t have anyone on the edge of their seats wondering what is going to happen next. This isn’t the type of series where you ever have to worry about the good guys not finding a way to get through their latest situation. It’s just that kind of warm show that doesn’t need to challenge anyone’s intelligence. For what it is, it does it well enough.

Music

Beyond the new ending theme that starts with episode 19, there really wasn’t anything new or exciting about the soundtrack to this half. The music is a strong supporting full orchestra but there isn’t anything that ever stood out about it beyond select moments. Early in the half when Toru is watching his new friend being driven away, there is a nice violin theme and xylophone theme that accompanies the mountain scene in the final episode are both examples of momentary moments but for the most part this is a very average score for a very average series.

Extras

This collection contains all of the same extras that the first half did such as the ridiculously sized art box and hardcover character guide. Also included in this half however is a special bonus disc which contains multiple special events in Japan and original commercials.

Overall

If I really had to make a judgment call I’d say this is a series that really should’ve been kept at 13 episodes as there just isn’t enough story to keep it that interesting all the way through. However if you push past the whole inviting feeling being a little weaker and the terrible episode pacing, this is still a cute series. If you enjoyed the first half a lot, you won’t be disappointed by how things end. However if you were only on the fence about the first half, you can skip this without feeling like you’re missing out. This was an average second half that was nice to watch but won’t be revisited.

I admit it, the second half of the season wasn’t nearly as impressive as the first. While there are still a few gems poking out from the rough, it’s hard to tell with all of this fluff and rough around the edges comedy. In this half, we’ll be talking about series ranging all the way from the very boring Sket Dance all the way to the sporty Moshidora. Luckily for me, we’ll also be hitting some of the highlights of the second half including Deadman Wonderland and A Channel.

 

Sket Dance
Premiere Date: 4/7
Studio: Tatsunoko Production
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: The sket dan is in charge of making sure the students in their school lead trouble free lives. If you have a problem, they can solve it.

Where I Started: So every episode is going to be like this? This makes my head hurt.

Where I Ended: It gets better which is more than I can say for a lot of other series this season. However, when I say that it gets better I mean that in the sense that it hadn’t really set a high mark for it to beat to begin with. It’s definitely a school comedy for those who love that sort of thing but the jokes are generally so on the nose that it’s hard to consider it particularly clever. It’s a nice attempt and some people are going to respond to it. Most are going to wish that they had looked the other direction.

Verdict: Not going to do it to myself. Fail!

 

A Channel
Premiere Date: 4/7
Studio: Studio Gokumi

Summary: Four cute girls doing cute things with some occasional yuri overtones.

Where I Started: Oh yeah, I can see myself watching this.

Where I Ended: This is K-ON with music replaced by yuri. It’s the slightly racier alternative to this season’s My Ordinary Life. It’s all of those things plus a little extra thanks to being hilarious! Yet another fluff series, this is the series for those who love their moe and need another strong dose of it in comedy form. Four girls in high school doing cute things in their everyday lives isn’t going to satisfy every otaku in the audience but if you do enjoy moe comedy, this is not going to disappoint you.

Verdict: Moe comedy win! Pass!

 

Softenni
Premiere Date: 4/7
Studio: XEBEC

Summary: Four other girls have ecchi comedy fun while training to reach their next tennis tournament.

Where I Started: I have to watch more of this? 

Where I Ended: There’s a line that certain series can toe around in order to remain a fun ecchi comedy. Some series take awhile but eventually they find that line. SoftTeni found that line almost right away but ignored it anyway. From the first few minutes you know exactly what you’re getting into with this one. Bottom of the barrel humor that isn’t afraid to rely on whatever tropes it can think of to get its point across, this isn’t even ecchi comedy for those who like it to enjoy.

Verdict: Fail, fail, fail.

 

Pretty Rhythm: Aurora Dream
Premiere Date: 4/9
Studio: Tatsunoko Production

Summary: Two girls are randomly chosen to be the new stars of the Prism Show which involves magical jumps, ice skating, dancing and being an idol.

Where I Started: It doesn’t always look great but I can see where it’s going.

Where I Ended: If it weren’t for this series being such a commercial, I could actually see myself watching and enjoying this. However as someone who looks at this series and sees a price tag on everything in sight it’s hard to enjoy it nearly as much. While the animation is questionable at times, this is still a not bad shoujo series aimed at selling toys to little girls.

Verdict: I won’t be following it but this was a solid introduction and deserves a pass.

 

Astarotte’s Toy
Premiere Date: 4/10
Studio: Diomedia
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: A 10 year old succubus princess must suck life juice from men in order to survive and is given an adult human male to become friends with.

Where I Started: That wasn’t bad but still…

Where I Ended: I tried to like this one and by the end of 3 episodes I had even chuckled a bit at the various antics. This is still just a premise that I can’t get behind and won’t be continuing with. For the record, you’d expect a series of this nature to rely on fan service and sex humor a lot more than it does. This is still just far beyond the line of what moe and ecchi fans should look for in a series. Cute in its own way but be sure that you’re the type who can ignore character ages.

Verdict: Not as bad it could’ve been but still a fail.

 

C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control
Premiere Date: 4/14
Studio: Tatsunoko Production
Available via Funimation

Summary: A poor college student is offered a chance to enter the seedy financial district where he could have all his money problems solved. All he has to do is sign over his future and take part in weekly battles without going bankrupt.

Where I Started: This could be interesting.

Where I Ended: I was right, it could have been interesting had they tried just a little bit harder. While the tsundere asset was a nice addition, there isn’t enough here to make this unique premise into what it could have been. With more time, this series might go somewhere but during its initial impression it left me with little curiosity to find out more. If there is a chance that it’s going somewhere I might catch it on DVD someday but for now, this is a rainy day series at best.

Verdict: Fail

 

Ano hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi Mada Shiranai
Premiere Date: 4/14
Studio: A-1 Pictures

Summary: A dead girl comes back with a wish to bring together all of her old friends who have all grown apart.

Where I Started: Wow, powerful and beautiful.

Where I Ended: Another coming of age story, this one is one of the more powerful of the season as the lead character is just instantly likeable. Compelling writing brings together a sympathetic cast of characters in order to create a beautiful landscape of detail to get lost in. There is little about this series that one can complain about and is one that everyone should be checking out.

Verdict: A Noitamina series for everyone. Pass!

 

Aria the Scarlet Ammo
Premiere Date: 4/14
Studio: JC Staff
Available via Funimation

Summary: In a high school where students are trained to be international police, a guy runs into the elite Aria who wants him to become her partner (or as she calls it ‘slave’).

Where I Started: Where have I seen this before?

Where I Ended: Leaving behind the many times the series decides to steal the plot from the movie Speed, the series itself is a rehash of action series you’ve seen in the past. The tsundere lead is a cookie cutter of heroines who have come before her and the action is hardly worth getting excited about. The one place where this absolutely succeeded was in its music but I’m not watching a series for its soundtrack.

Verdict: Another cheap action that’s not even visually impactful. Fail!

 

Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
Premiere Date: 4/14
Studio: Shaft

Summary: A high school student moves in with his aunt and cousin, the latter of which believes that she is an alien after going missing for six months.

Where I Started: I really want to like this but damn is it hard.

Where I Ended: It took awhile but I finally came to a certain peace with this series. After so many dark series, director Akiyuki Shinbo returns with this comedy that never quite finds its footing. The artwork is the first hurdle to overcome with the writing coming in on a close second. I have faith that this series is going somewhere but these first three episodes aren’t giving me much evidence of that beyond my healthy (hopeful?) hunch.

Summary: I continue out of faith that it’s going to get better but still fail.

 

Deadman Wonderland
Premiere Date: 4/16
Studio: Manglobe
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: A kid is framed for the murder of his entire class and sent to a twisted amusement park where convicts battle for their lives in front of a live audience.

Where I Started: The grittiest series this season and I love it.

Where I Ended: Every season needs an incredibly dark and twisted series that leaves you captivated with just how far it’s willing to go. This season the title of that series is Deadman Wonderland. Dark and twisted, at one point I cursed that this series was so heavily censored but as I saw just how dark it was willing to go with its ideas, I became more and more grateful for it instead. Once you start getting into the violence and twisted story behind this series, it’s hard to take your eyes away.

Verdict: Pass!

 

[SinglePic not found]Moshidora
Premiere Date: 4/25
Studio: Production I.G

Summary: A high school baseball manager accidently picks up a business management book and uses it to coach the team towards the nationals.

Where I Started: Alright, I’m getting your point. Now make something happen.

Where I Ended: Once it stopped trying to introduce itself, Moshidora turned into a fun baseball series about doing your very best. Bringing together the best elements of sports and dramedy, this turned into a fun drama about thinking outside the box and doing something different. Then you add in some nice animation and a wonderful orchestral soundtrack and you have a surprisingly fun little treat.

Verdict: Shockingly this one is getting a pass.

So I am supremely late with this. Like really freaking late. How late am I? My deadline for this is usually the first of the month. I have a really good excuse though and that was there was just too much good anime coming out this season! Between the slice of life series proving much more interesting than previously imagined, the comedies being off the charts hilarious and the action providing more than enough to keep your eyes bugging out, I’m willing to call this the second good season we’ve had in a row. If this is what the first half of the year has brought, what will summer and fall bring?

For the first part, I’m taking a look at all of the series I was able to hit from the first half of the month ranging from Dog Days to Steins;Gate.

 

Dog Days
Premiere Date: 4/2
Studio: Seven Arcs

Summary: A foreign teenager living in Japan is summoned to an alternate world where dog people and cat people are fighting an endless war of cute. After being recruited to the dog side by the beautiful princess, he is crushed to learn that he won’t be able to return home.

Where I Started: This is so cute I think I just went into diabetic shock.

Where I Ended: This is my absolutely mindless series of the season. I can be totally upfront about this though; this is a monumentally sugary series and beyond that I can’t think of any real redeeming qualities. The story is laughably silly and the writing is shallow at even its best of times. It’s just that Seven Arcs has created such a beautiful looking world and adorable characters that it’s hard to care.

Verdict: Pick this one up! I’m going all the way!

 

Tiger and Bunny
Premiere Date: 4/2
Studio: Toei
Available via Viz Anime

Summary: Super heroes backed by corporate sponsors fight crime in a city where it is all televised on on reality TV. When an old veteran and a rookie are forced to team up, aggressive sparks fly between the two.

Where I Started: Wow, not amazing but still worth a wow.

Where I Ended: Anime mixed with western super heroes and buddy cop movies creates quite the impressive offspring. Helped in no small part by its amazing visuals, this is a series that caught critics and fans completely off guard. Unlike anything else this season, the witty writing and unique premise has won over plenty of fans including myself.

Verdict: It passes and lives to see me continue.

 

My Ordinary Life
Premiere Date: 4/2
Studio: Kyoto Animation
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: Imagine Azumanga Daioh with edge that only comes from a weekend bender.

Where I Started: I love this series.

Where I Ended: I still love this series. I love just how far outside the box this series is willing to think in all of its scenes, I love the very simple animation style and I love the two separate stories telling student life and the world of the child professor living with her robot. This is the best random school comedy since Azumanga Daioh and is easily the comedy of the season you should be watching.

Verdict: Pass!

 

Toriko
Premiere Date: 4/3
Studio: Toei
Available via Funimation

Summary: In a fantastical world, Toriko is the greatest gourmet hunter there is. With his assistant, he travels the world finding the most dangerous, exotic animals to kill with his bare hands and create his ultimate dinner.

Where I Started: Well, that was definitely a shonen series.

Where I Ended: This series is filled with so much manly gar I had to shave after watching one episode. The comedy is juvenile but the premise keeps this series clever and fun. While I’ve never been one for shonen shows, I was getting into this one by the time I was done with it. I won’t be continuing this one but anytime I need a fix of weekly manliness, I know exactly where to find Toriko.

Verdict: Pass.

 

Hanasaku Iroha
Premiere Date: 4/3
Studio: PA Works
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: A young girl is ditched by her mother and forced to live with her estranged grandmother who puts her to work in her inn.

Where I Started: This might end up being the best looking series of the season.

Where I Ended: A great looking series that is telling a strong story about growing up. As the focal point of the series, Ohana is serving as a memorable heroine that is growing up before the audience’s eyes. The emotion of the series is sweet and endearing even. The beauty of the animation only serves as a strong helper of the slowly forming story. This is worthy of being called PA Works 10th anniversary piece.

Verdict: Pass and I’m going all the way.

 

Without Wings – OreTachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai
Premiere Date: 4/3
Studio: Nomad
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: 3 stories about couples coming together under the most different of circumstances including the handyman on the search for a girl’s lost bike, an angel who doesn’t want to leave his girlfriend and cousin behind and the restaurant worker who can’t stand her her co-worker.

Where I Started: Ok, didn’t expect those panty shots.

Where I Ended: Jumping from story to story, I was hoping that this series would have something that stood out as special. No such luck even with three different tries. All three of these stories are not nearly as interesting thanks to its reliance on fan service and terribly unlikeable male leads, it can’t even write a decent romantic hook. The angel story was the closest this series ever came to hooking me in but since most of these episodes were focused on the lesser two of the three, it became a struggle to even get through three.

Verdict: Cheap drama that relies on pointless fan service. Fail!

 

Battle Girls
Premiere Date: 4/4
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: Teen girl gets transported back to alternate feudal Japan that is made up entirely of women. She then proceeds to act like an idiot and gets rewarded for it with a quest.

Where I Started: I hate this and I hate those in Japan who made me watch this.

Where I Ended: I predicted an odd mix of Sengoku Basara and Queen’s Blade, I was not disappointed. Battle Girls wants to be a lot of things: it wants to be a fan service series but can never quite pull the trigger, it wants to be a comedy but only knows how to write jokes for the idiot female lead, it wants to be an action series but doesn’t do anything memorable with the sequences. There are just not enough things in this series to make it worth anyone’s time. The writing is poor and the story has been done better.

Verdict: Fail!

 

Steins;Gate
Premiere Date: 4/5
Studio: White Fox
Available via Crunchyroll

Summary: A mad scientist accidently creates a time machine with his microwave and sets about to discover its secrets before he is killed for his discovery.

Where I Started: If this finds some focus it could really turn into something.

Where I Ended: Yeah so much for that. Never finding a focus, Steins;Gate tells a haphazard story that is meant to keep everyone guessing and searching for answers. Instead it left me confused and wondering if there would ever be a point to this series. All I knew for certain is that after a couple of episodes I was ready to say that I didn’t care about the answers. It’s hard to judge if this series will be any good but then there lies the underlying problem: it never made me care to find out.

Verdict: Maybe it’s going somewhere but I’m not sticking around to find out. Fail!

Originally published on Ani.me

Today is a special day for anime fans because Funimation has re-released the classic parody comedy Excel Saga back onto store shelves. While I consider myself one of the lucky ones who still has my ADV Imperfect Collection, there are many others out there who aren’t so fortunate. Based off the manga, the 26 episode series first premiered in 1999 before making its US DVD debut in 2002 leaving fans in a fit of laughter each time.

Finally though, Funimation is releasing this series to a brand new generation of unsuspecting fans. The fools will never know what hit them. Muhahahahahaha…. ahem, ah right, sorry. Where was I? Oh right! Now there are some of you reading this who have no idea what Excel Saga is; well among other things the main idea behind this series involves aliens named Excel and the kidnapped Princess Hyatt working for Il Pallazzo in their quest to dominate Earth. Only a team of plucky young adults on the surface can stop them despite most of them hating each other. Sounds simple enough right? Right well, you keep on thinking that.

Before you crack open that box set though, there are a few things you should know before you get started.

Bone up on your pre-21st Century anime and Japanese pop culture

This is a parody comedy that relies heavily on references to other series or events from the real world. However it’s still parody series that originally aired in the very late 90′s which means all of the references are aimed at series from the 90′s and earlier. Where Lucky Star might have been happy to take aim with moe jokes, <b>Excel Saga</b> will hit you with hardcore Leiji Matsumoto references. If you’ve never watched an anime more than 10 years old this entire series is going to fly over your head.

Every story has its place

At certain points throughout the series, the story will go on very long, winding, seemingly meaningless tangents that make no sense whatsoever. I promise that all of these scenes have a meaning and a purpose so don’t ignore them.

Dub change halfway?

If you’re listening to the English dub and are even vaguely perceptive, you’ll notice that Excel’s voice changes around the halfway mark. The character of Excel speaks at such a fast pace and for so long that the original voice actress, Jessica Calvello, damaged her vocal cords and had to be replaced with Larissa Wolcott. The change isn’t significant but if you’re paying attention you’ll definitely notice the change.

You will never see everything in this series.

Well, that’s probably an overstatement but this is a series with a very high replay value. As with many parody series, this is another great series that only gets better as you see more series and understand more of the references.

Hyper anime alert!

The pace that this series delivers its jokes and dialogue is some of the fastest to ever come out. There is NO such thing as a slow paced joke in this series and if you can’t keep up with the initial episodes you’re in for a world of hurt later. Trust me, this isn’t something to watch in the background if you expect to keep up with all of the jokes and the humor.

Well that’s it, if you haven’t already checked out this series and you consider yourself hardcore otaku than this is one series that needs to be on your checklist. Filled with insane humor and off the wall writing, this could arguably be considered one of the greatest works of Shinichi Watanabe but be ready because this one is in a class of its own.

If you’d like to add the series to your collection, it’s available now via Amazon and RightStuf.

Available via Right Stuf

Wagnaria Complete Collection Released By: NIS America Released: 3/29/11 Reviewed: 5/17/11 Rated: 13+

At a family restaurant in Hokkaido, the crew is made up of various bizarre people. There’s the newest recruit Takanashi who only joined because of the cute, pint sized, senior named Poplar. Joining them are the man fearing Inami, katana carrying head waitress Yachiou and the do nothing manager Kyoko. This sounds like this would be enough to create some crazy times but then you have to add in the head manager who is constantly on a search for his direction less wife, the runaway teenager who lives in the attic and the snarky kitchen staff all trying to get along together in an odd family type of way.

Good and the Bad

You might remember series better as Working as that was what it was called when it was first released in 2009. However, it’s not called that anymore so let’s just get used to this and deal with it even if the series is littered with references to the former title.

Much like Office Space was the movie for those stuck in cubicles, Wagnaria is the series for anyone who has ever worked a crappy customer service job. In particular, those who have ever worked a crappy customer service job in a restaurant. Based off the 4koma manga, this is a fun comedy that brings the audience in with its off the wall cast of characters in a not so off the wall setting.

Relying entirely on the characters, the humor in this series is based around the relationships between the workers and their growing affections for each other (or in some cases, murderous intent). While it has the romantic comedy angle to keep things moving forward, most of the humor here is based around these characters and the ways that their unique quirks affect their relationships with each other. In some cases, you’ll be laughing at the relationship between Takanashi (who loves small cute things), Poplar (who is a small cute thing despite her efforts to grow) and Inami (who likes Takanashi despite her fear of men). Many other times it’s Yamada attempting to keep up her false life around a crew who really want to know what her story is. At all times, it’s the interactions all of these characters share with each other keep things fresh.

With its sharp gags and off the wall crew, this series is approachable because of simple things it does within the adaptation. While the gag manga tend to be very short and to the point, the anime takes the time to create a smooth flowing story. The punch lines stay sharp in this one but the set ups are always given more than enough time to keep the audience interested along the way without making the series feel like it’s jumping from one joke to the next. This is comedy that hits its mark more than Inami hits Takanashi.

While occasionally dipping into the familiar (just how many times do we have to sit through another female character afraid of men?), Wagnaria works on another level because of the twists in each of the characters. Instead of the delinquent character being a tough teenage boy, this time it’s the manager with a doting head waitress, Yachiyo, willing to follow her to the ends of the Earth. In the kitchen, there is a blackmailer along with the stoic head chef who wishes to be seen romantically by Yachiyo but doesn’t stand a chance in her eyes. It’s different and that makes for happy viewing.

Produced by A-1 Pictures, nothing is skimped on and this creates a warm inviting atmosphere just like an actual restaurant. The character designs however have the most interesting aspect especially when you start getting into Takanashi and his four sisters. While all having a distinct look, the sibling resemblance makes for fun comparison shots as you can actually see the artist putting extra care into creating the vaguely similar looks.

Music

Beyond having one of the catchiest opening themes and animations ever, the music throughout Wagnaria kept a very easy going almost elevator feel to it. Always soft and airy, the music provides the proper amount of support while rarely being used to sell the punch lines which made it a nice addition without overshadowing any of the characters or writing.

Extras

Along with the hardcover box, the series comes included with the standard oversized fan book. Like other books, the special attraction to this book is a series of translated manga. In the manga, characters and simple story elements are introduced which serve as a nice introduction to the comedy style of the series. It makes for a lovely keepsake but you’ll likely only look at it a few times before putting it away.

Overall

Successfully in its adaptation, Wagnaria does a great job of balancing the story with its humor to create a smooth flowing final product. With the romantic plot thread manages to keep the episodes moving forward, everything else is simply able to catch on and keep the audience laughing in the meantime. This is a fun release that deserves your attention and a solid addition to your collection.

Admit it. We’re amongst friends and we can all admit that we’ve done it. By ‘it’ I’m naturally referring to putting on a pair of kitty ears either for cosplay or just for fun. What did you think I was talking about? Pervos.

No matter what though, putting ears attached to a headband on our heads just isn’t quite the experience you always hope it is. They don’t move and they slide around if you’re not careful. What we need are the really cute ears, the ones that make you really feel like you’re super cute! Introducing the most advanced and technically awesome kitty ears ever!

Introduced by Neurowear, these ears are not only functional as a cute accesssory but using the special headset can move by reading the brainwaves of its user. Just think the proper emotion and the ears will perk up, droop down or even flatten out all at the fast of a think. It’s brilliant! It’s amazing! It’s something I need to get for the girl I’m dating!

Via Reddit, Originally posted at Ani.me

How much is too much? Years ago when I first started watching new anime episodes as they aired in Japan, one of the things that surprised me the most was learning that the first airings of anime weren’t the finished products. It shocked me actually to think that what was being put on television wasn’t the final product and additional changes were made before it went out onto DVD or Blu ray. Why would anyone put a product on television only to make revisions to it later? I’ve since grown a little wiser and stopped asking that question but now I’m left with another question, how much change is too much?

The reason why I’m asking this question is due to changes I’ve seen from the Madoka Magica Blu ray release (which admittedly has gone on to sell record numbers). It’s also worth admitting that probably the only reason why I’m bringing this up now and asking the question is because of how much I loved the series. The series itself I considered an incredible work that deserves all of its success and only goes to solidify how I feel about the work of Akiyuki Shinbo right now.

However, with the release of the first volume I’m seeing a number of comparison images pop up that are making me question how I will react whenever I see the series again on DVD. In these images, it’s clear that Shaft has fixed plenty of the lower quality animation but have also made changes that could completely alter how one views the characters.

For example, in the series, I really connected with Mami partly because of how she lived. When Madoka and Sayaka appear at her place for tea and cake, Mami is living in a sparsely decorated apartment on her own. There are hardly any pieces around that indicate someone is even living there beyond the simple cups and plates. If she were take those away, there would be hardly any reason to think that anyone had lived there at all. To me, this indicated that Mami was so dedicated to what she does that she didn’t have time to decorate. She was the character who would go to school, do her job and then come home to nothing. An empty dull life that was completely different from all of the magical girls we’ve seen trying to live normal lives at the same time.

In the new animation however, Mami’s apartment is filled with little decorations and treats. She has a lovely apartment that has plenty of personality behind it. Now my image of her has changed, is she the lonely girl who wanted Madoka to become like her just so that she can have a friend? Maybe instead she’s actually an exciting life filled with danger but doesn’t get in the way of her real life that much at all.

For me, part of what made Mami so sympathetic and moe was that feeling of loneliness and vulnerability that she was barely letting show. On the surface she was trying to train Madoka to become the most powerful of magical girls but deeper down, you knew there was an ulterior motive. Perhaps a part of her that only wanted a new friend to go on missions with and share the hardships of her life. Someone that she could take under wing. Now she’s one of the ones who is romanticizing the hardships of war the girls that take on Kyubey’s contract must face. When I watch this again, will her cold words still have that same impact they once did?

It’s entirely possible that by the time I get to watch this series on DVD these concerns will have long passed and I’ll have forgotten about the ways that the early part of this series made me feel. What about those who are seeing the series for the first time? Will they feel that same way when they watch Mami throughout the first 3 episodes? Will there be a sense of apathy when she meets her cruel fate in episode 3 since that’s the life that she chose to lead? It’s hard to imagine that something so simple as knick knacks on the shelf could make that much of a difference to my viewing experience but I know that in the future, I’m always going to wonder how my perceptions would have been had I watched the series before and after it got all of its DVD changes.

A Channel
Studio: Studio Gokumi
Premiere Date: 4/7
Genre: Yuri Slice of Life

First Impression: Oh what’s the fuss about? That was cute!

Separated from her yuri love by graduation, middle schooler Tooru works hard and gets into the same high school as her best friend Run. Only she’s dismayed to find out that she’s made new friends with Yuuko and Nagi. In this episode, the four some will have to learn how to be friendly with each other as Tooru continues her quest to make sure everyone knows that Run is HERS.

Good and the Bad

That’s probably the shortest story description I’m going to write this season but what do you say about this series? Yet another slice of life school comedy, this one stands out against the rest because of its cast of characters. For once, I’m watching a series where I can’t clearly categorize the characters. I’m not describing one as the tsundere, or the sporty one. All of the characters in this series are their own unique personality that is sometimes shy, sometimes flighty (admittedly, Run abuses this one) but overall fun.

Produced by Studio Gokumi, the look of the series is one of the better I’ve seen this season. A Channel is heavy in the moe similar to the style of K-ON. The animation is crisp but it’s specifically designed to create the perfect world for the girls to be cute in. From the opening animation to the backgrounds, no spot is missed and for all of the school comedies that I’ve watched this season, this one looks the nicest.

A Channel does occasionally suffer from scenes stuttering from one to the next but it makes up for it with strong writing. Each scene is a slow build to an extreme punch line that always managed to get a laugh. Based around the still rocky relationships between the characters, the physical comedy came across as just a bit more original than the usual bonk on the head or the more extreme freak outs that we’ve seen in the past. This is the second season to make me laugh simply by catching me off guard with its humor (My Ordinary Life was the first).

Music

I was really impressed with the strong musical presence throughout this episode. Carrying a soft jazz theme, Satoru Kousaki once again creates a score that stands out on its own. Instead of matching the mood of the scene, the music creates its own mood that carries the episode from one scene to the next. Seriously, this man is talented.

Overall

A Channel is one of the cuter and more unexpectedly pleasant series of the season. With the season just crammed with school comedies and slice of life, there has to be an original element to a series in order to make it stand out. A Channel manages to find that unique angle and rides it all the way through a successful first episode. This is an easy one to pick up and enjoy.

Voice actress, singer and Twitter drama queen Aya Hirano has taken to the web again to vent her latest frustrations. In a tweet let out this morning, the actress has claimed that she is no longer allowed to appear in any new anime because the agency that she is signed with. In the tweet, Hirano says “I have lots of anime roles this season. As I am currently banned from appearing in any new anime since last year, I’m grateful for second seasons and long-running anime! I’m really grateful!”

A few months ago, I wrote my good byes to Hirano but I always held out hope that maybe she’d come back to us, the loyal who have watched (listened?) to her perform roles for years. But no, it seems that the powers that be have deemed us lowly otaku not worthy of having anything to do with her. Here’s the part where I’m confused though. Maybe this is just because I don’t understand the Japanese entertainment industry, but why not switch to another agency? I’m no genius but it would seem to me that an agency that refuses to let their talent do things to make… oh I don’t know, a freaking living, isn’t that good of an agency. In fact, it seems that this would fall into the opposite category of a bad agency.

Come on Hirano, we’ve known each other for years now. We’ve shared laughs and tears together, maybe it’s time for you to come back to the fold? Sure you have plenty of trolls who love to bait you into more drama and hysterics but you’re unique. An original even. Things just aren’t the same without you doing something in every other series that premieres each season.

Via Yararon, Reposted from Ani.me