October 2013 Rankings

Happy Halloween, y'all. I ended up watching more shit than I thought I would. Goddammit. I'm going to The Met tonight so I'm posting this without seeing anything that aired today. Also, does anyone know what the hell is up with Pupa these days?



GOOD TIER

Pendant Light: Boogiepop and Others. The Imaginator and Myself.

I have a stranger relationship with Boogiepop Phantom than I do any other anime.



It is entirely possible I may not have an association with any other piece of media in the rather particular way this series and I have danced around each other over the years.

Seishun Otoko seychelles dress novels

"I think it's about time I talked about Kiss-Shot-Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. I believe it's something I have to do. I met her in the spring break between my second and third years of high school. That meeting had such impact, and was also quite devastating."" - (Taken from ANN) Type: Movie Produced by: Shaft Director: Shinbo Original Creator: Nisioisin The Positives: Do you remember that very misleading OP of Bakemonogatari? Now that was actually a teaser for the Kizumonogatari movie, the sequel to both Bakemonogatari and Kizumonogatari. The thing is that I read in an interview once that Nisioisin doesn't like to repeat himself, which is something I really like, even though I'm definitely not a fan of his writing style that overemphasizes wordplay and takes ages to get anywhere. Still, this will very likely be full of really nice eye candy and animation, on top of that it seems much more action-packed than what Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari were. The Negatives: That pacing still worries me though. Shaft does have an actual budget for this series now, and they'renot producing way too many series any more like when Bakemonogatari was aired, but I still need to run into a -monogatari adaptation that I really liked.



"The story follows a "time researcher" and a group of children in a depopulated world that finds itself stuck in time. In order to save humanity, some of the characters are chosen to travel to the future (depicted in the anime), and others to the past (depicted in the manga), while those who are deemed unsuitable for the technology stay in the present (depicted in the novel.)" - (Taken from ANN) Type: OVA Produced by: Madhouse Director: Yuzuru Tachikawa Screenplay: Hitoma Iruma Other Notable Staff: Satoru Kousaki (Music) The Positives: This is an ambitious project: it's going to be both a manga, light novel and anime at the same time, penned by the guy who wrote the Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko novels, and I'm curious what his work is like without Shinbo dancing all over it. And really: this sounds very interesting with a story that deliberately spans different mediums. The director will also have his first full-on directing job, and he sounds like a solid Madhouse director here, having worked on an episode of Mouryou no Hako, Kurozuka and Steins;Gate in the past.

many assassin creed 3 conners costume

"I think it's about time I talked about Kiss-Shot-Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. I believe it's something I have to do. I met her in the spring break between my second and third years of high school. That meeting had such impact, and was also quite devastating."" - (Taken from ANN) Type: Movie Produced by: Shaft Director: Shinbo Original Creator: Nisioisin The Positives: Do you remember that very misleading OP of Bakemonogatari? Now that was actually a teaser for the Kizumonogatari movie, the sequel to both Bakemonogatari and Kizumonogatari. The thing is that I read in an interview once that Nisioisin doesn't like to repeat himself, which is something I really like, even though I'm definitely not a fan of his writing style that overemphasizes wordplay and takes ages to get anywhere. Still, this will very likely be full of really nice eye candy and animation, on top of that it seems much more action-packed than what Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari were. The Negatives: That pacing still worries me though. Shaft does have an actual budget for this series now, and they'renot producing way too many series any more like when Bakemonogatari was aired, but I still need to run into a -monogatari adaptation that I really liked.

"The story follows a "time researcher" and a group of children in a depopulated world that finds itself stuck in time. In order to save humanity, some of the characters are chosen to travel to the future (depicted in the anime), and others to the past (depicted in the manga), while those who are deemed unsuitable for the technology stay in the present (depicted in the novel.)" - (Taken from ANN) Type: OVA Produced by: Madhouse Director: Yuzuru Tachikawa Screenplay: Hitoma Iruma Other Notable Staff: Satoru Kousaki (Music) The Positives: This is an ambitious project: it's going to be both a manga, light novel and anime at the same time, penned by the guy who wrote the Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko novels, and I'm curious what his work is like without Shinbo dancing all over it. And really: this sounds very interesting with a story that deliberately spans different mediums. The director will also have his first full-on directing job, and he sounds like a solid Madhouse director here, having worked on an episode of Mouryou no Hako, Kurozuka and Steins;Gate in the past.
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monogatari season 2 episode 15 Rant!

what the fuck was the point!



this is going to have slight spoilers so if you haven't seen it yet then go watch it.

Madame Marmalade's Mysterious Puzzle Question Version, Love Affair, Beyond the Memories, Jinroh Gemu, Madoka Magica The Movie

This week was a back to work week after having fun at festivals. It has been pretty quiet for the most part but due to my schedule I have been able to catch up with a lot of anime I had intended to watch from the . The first impressions are going to come in bits and pieces because I have a lot of film reviews to write and I am also taking part in a read-along for the fantasy novel . It has been over a year since I took part in the last one and I enjoyed it a lot. The group I am a part of get a set of questions every Saturday and then post their answers on a Monday so there goes my review schedule. More posts during the week to bore you with



Reviews? Well I wrote two this week, both for a Kore-eda film. The first was for and the second was for . Both films are rather good and I'd urge anyone unfamiliar with Japanese cinema to watch them.

Indiana Jones and the Shaft Crusade

When Steven Spielberg was making Raiders of the Lost Ark and the other Indiana Jones films he pulled from many B grade adventure movies he saw in his youth. The first three of Indie's adventures take place in the 1930 s because most of the B movies made then were adventure films like Tarzan the Ape Man. In making the Indiana Jones films, he showed that B-movies, for all their camp and cheesiness, could be great given the budget and talent of an A-grade movie. Likewise, by making the Monogatari series, NisiOisiN and Akiyuki Shinbou somehow managed to extract the potential locked deep within the harem genre.



But Usny, you argue, harems are mediocre at best despite frequently being loaded with famous voice actresses that play hot as fuck girls who are the only reason anyone ever watches those shows; the Monogatari series couldn't possibly be a harem. Let's go through the list of common harem traits, shall we?

Cool Products Friday, October 25, 2013

For the new update, we've got some excellent products from Japan for you. You can view all new J-List products by clicking .



TODAY'S NEWTo Love-Ru Darkness.

Nonsense and Sexuality: Kill la Kill and the Secret Genius of Hiroyuki Imaishi

So Kill la Kill arrived, it was everything it promised to be, the people cheered, anime was saved (from wha - SHUT UP ANIME WAS SAVED), and the haters proclaimed it to be to the worst thing since Attack on Titan (everyone's least favorite show, amirite guys?). But one quite common, and I suppose expected, refrain is "what's with the ridiculous uniform?".



Ten times out of ten I'd be with them, but this eleventh time is the drill that pierces the heavens and breaks the scale, and instead I'm breaking out a phrase I normally reserve only for Bakemonogatari, Madoka Magica, and Evangelion: "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT".

Six Edgy or Action Anime Set in a Normal Tokyo

Tokyo is as important to anime as New York is important to movies.Everything tends to get set there and iconic landmarks are shown again and again.It is also interesting how school based anime set in parts of rural Japan / other Japanese locations always have students go "Oooh.The new transfer student is from Tokyo," even though a quarter of the Japanese population lives in the greater Tokyo area.



Shinjuku at Night

Cool Products Friday, October 18, 2013

For the new update, we've got some excellent products from Japan for you. You can view all new J-List products by clicking .



TODAY'S NEW & RESTOCKED ITEMS

Fall 2013 Recommendations

After , this fall season that follows feels really stable and full of a lot of smart, touching, comedic and action-packed series that manage to cover every possible genre with something worthwhile.I like to keep my watch list around ten or so and after viewing the first episode of everything that's airing this season I expected that assembling this list into a reasonable number was going to be much more difficult than it actually turned out to be.With two solid years of blogging under my belt and my third year getting started, perhaps I'm finally finding my groove and getting better at determining what's going to impress and what will end up flopping.



1. COPPELION

Hangers: Autumn Anime, Week Two

THIS WEEK: Kill la Kill, Nagi No Asukara, Miss Monochrome, Coppelion, Monogatari Series: Second Season, Non Non Biyori, Gingitsune: Messenger of the Fox Gods, and Gundam Build Fighters.



The problem with deciding to write about currently airing shows this season is I found myself convinced into picking up three more, even if they won't all be week to week affairs (that's what I like to tell myself).

Autumn 2013

This week: newfound respect and appreciation for Nadeko in MONOGATARI SERIES SECOND SEASON, comparisons of KILL LA KILL to Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking, the mismanaged emotional aspects of COPPELION, and questioning how the profession of modeling impacts the themes of heroes and justice in SAMURAI FLAMENCO.



Best episode of the week: KYOUSOGIGA (TV)

The Anime Music Tournament 2013 Bracket Alpha &Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo Round 2 "Analysis"

We move into the second round, where some of the competitors have been weeded out, the rounds and time between them are shorter, and we start to get a little tired of some of the songs already presented. The five polls have already been set up, and I'll try to get to them as fast as I can, starting with the brackets here.



BAR2P1

Cool Products Friday, October 11, 2013

For the new update, we've got some excellent products from Japan for you. You can view all new J-List products by clicking .



TODAY'S NEWGate, Demon Queen Maoyu, Rei from Vividred Operation + more.

Japanese Films at the Leeds International Film Festival 2013 Part 1: Anime

The takes place from NOVEMBER 06TH TO THE 21ST and there is plenty of anime getting screened on theon SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH. There are so many Japanese live-action films that they will get a separate post. Here is the selection of anime titles on offer and these are just as great. Just click on the titles to get more information such as times and ticket prices:



11:00 A.M.

IS: Infinite Stratos 2

Adapted from the light novel series by Izuru Yumizuru, the anime returns with more harem silliness and mecha action. While the first season of "IS: Infinite Stratos" is not without fault because it succumbs to the usual pitfalls and issues most franchises in the harem genre suffer from, it was nonetheless a very enjoyable series full of cute girls.



"IS: Infinite Stratos 2" is a fun series to watch when you keep in mind that next to a sci-fi action show about girls doing battle in flying mecha suits, it is at its core a predictable harem series. Its strong suit however is a main cast of lovely girls that are the staple of their character type.

Hangers: Summer Shutdown 2013

THIS WEEK: Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club, Watamote, Silver Spoon, Attack on Titan, Monogatari Series: Second Season, Miss Monochrome, and Uchouten Kazoku



While we're into October, Summer anime season for 2013 has now officially closed up shop for the year and it's time to lock all the toys back in the box and do at least a little light clean up before we have company over for Fall season and get everything strewn about right and proper all over again.

Toeing the Boundary; Impressions of Kyoukai no Kanata

Time to talk the first episode of the promising Kyoukai no Kanata! Now with 100% more exploding youkai.



Three things immediately stand out about Kyoto Animation's new effort, Kyoukai no Kanata (or Beyond the Boundary.) The first is the animation, which true to the studio's standards is expressive and first-rate throughout. The second is that OP and ED are both fantastic stylistically (though closer to standard j-pop musically.) The third is the show's focus on "dark fantasy," a clear deviation from the majority of KyoAni's work. Rejoice, those sick of school life hijinks, cute girls and low stakes! Kyoukai no Kanata has girls who conjure swords out of their blood, monsters that explode into green goo and the fight scenes you've been waiting for since Nagato cleaned house in the first episode of Haruhi. The show even has a sense of humor! But don't worry KyoAni fans, all those school life hijinks and cute girls are right there where you last saw them, with the exception that the characters are now fighting for their lives. With all this in place, you'd think that Kyoukai no Kanata stood a chance of being not just the most unusual KyoAni series in a while, but one of the best anime of the year.

Otaking 8

Talk about the Occult. Maybe it's a popular subject within the anime genre. With that in mind, any type of genre concerning fantasy is the norm anyways so I shouldn't be suprised. I liked Occult Academy so why not this right?



What the heck does a "Tsundere" character mean? Ooooooh...