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Overlord Limited Edition BD+DVD
Overlord's got just enough tricks up its sleeve to make it an interesting take on the "trapped in a game" scenario. Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― By this point, the fantasy subgenre of “trapped in an MMORPG” is beginning to wear thin, so what is it about Overlord that makes it worth your time? Well, if you've already written this genre off, the series isn't likely to change your mind, but if you ...
Snow White with the Red Hair Season One BD+DVD
This lackadaisical shojo fairytale offers a softer and more thoughtful take on fantasy romance. Theron Martin explores what makes this series special.
― The name for this 2015 manga adaptation comes from Shirayuki translating into English as “Snow White,” and a few pointed references to the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs do pop up: the opening line of the series is the famous “Mir...
Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Can the portable version of this addictive nostalgia-bomb live up to the success of its predecessor? That might depend on what kind of Mario Maker you're looking for.
― Every once in a while, there's a game that comes along that makes me say “who wanted this?” Well, sure, I bet there were plenty of folks out there who said “Yeah, I love Super Mario Maker, but it'd be really cool to have a portable ve...
Asterisk War: The Academy City on the Water [Limited Edition] Blu-Ray 2
Despite glossing over important information, Asterisk War's second set of episodes is still a decently entertaining magic high school story.
― The second half of The Asterisk War's first season is both an improvement on its first and more of the same. In part this is achieved by focusing a little less on series male protagonist Ayato in favor of Kirin, the younger girl introduced towards the end of t...
Seraph of the End BD+DVD Collector's Edition
The full series of Seraph of the End gets the deluxe treatment in this glossy release, but how does the show hold up overall? Theron Martin investigates.
― Note: Because I have previously separately reviewed the first half of the series, this review and its rating will almost entirely concentrate on the second half and collector's edition bonuses. The first half of Seraph of the End was passable as a...
Hunter × Hunter Blu-Ray 1
Mike Toole gets his hands on the special edition blu-ray release of Hunter x Hunter's first story arc. Does this 2011 remake of the shonen classic live up to its hype?
― Right from the beginning, Hunter x Hunter trades in adventure. The show's narrator darkly invites the viewer to seek out monsters, hidden treasures, and evil haunts. (Evil haunts are my favorite type of haunts.) It's a series rooted ...
Owarimonogatari Sub.Blu-Ray 1
Owarimonogatari’s first few arcs turn inwards, offering new insights into Araragi’s character. Nick Creamer takes a look.
― For as much as his voice often dominates the narrative, Monogatari rarely dedicates an arc to Araragi's own apparitions or history. The only arc up until now that you could truly call “his” is Kizumonogatari - drenched in self-loathing and guided by his self-sacrificing spirit, ...
God Eater Blu-Ray 1
God Eater's first half takes a bit to get going, but proves to be a pretty good watch for those with a taste for action RPG storytelling. Rebecca Silverman takes a look.
― Based on the series of popular action RPGs, God Eater's first seven episodes have the unenviable task of convincing viewers that this series can either live up its source material or stand separately from it. Since this isn't alway...
The Ghost and the Lady GN 1
From Scotland Yard's Black Museum to the battlefields of the Crimean War, The Ghost and the Lady's first volume is a fascinating piece of historical fiction with an engrossing art style.
― This is a manga about things that really happened, wrapped in a layer of things that didn't. In other words, it's historical fantasy – fictionalized historical events with a touch of the supernatural. The Ghost and...
Goblin Slayer Novel 1
As a light novel fantasy that isn't based on someone being transported to a game world, Goblin Slayer's first volume is well worth a look. Rebecca Silverman dives in.
― Goblin Slayer stands alone among other fantasy light novels released in English (with the exception of the now out-of-print Slayers novels) in that it doesn't feature a world entirely based on gaming. Yes, there is mention of “experie...
Review: Sailor Moon S Blu-Ray/DVD
One of the most beloved seasons in this classic anime is finally available to own with a brand-new dub! Rebecca Silverman explores how well Sailor Moon S holds up after all these years.
― Sailor Moon S is hailed as one of the best seasons of the five-season series, and even just from the first few episodes, you can see why. Unlike its predecessors, Sailor Moon S gets right down to business introducin...
Maria the Virgin Witch BD+DVD
This unusual historical fantasy anime might have gotten lost in the shuffle of bigger titles over time, but it's still one of a kind today. Theron Martin explores just what makes this series special.
― Maria the Virgin Witch is a remarkable series in many respects. It's nearly as raunchy as a high-end fanservice anime – even being assigned a TV-MA rating despite not having any detailed nudity – and y...
Summer Wars [Hosoda Collection] BD+DVD
The extras are insightful in this new release of Summer Wars, even if the story may not hold up the way it once did. Rebecca Silverman offers her take on Mamoru Hosoda's breakout film.
― Time is the greatest test of any work. Poems written by Heian era women over a thousand years ago are still intimately relatable to modern readers, novels by men in the 19th century still have a lot to say about soci...
Review: Final Fantasy XV
After a decade in development, the latest entry in the Final Fantasy franchise is finally here! Dustin Bailey has the lowdown on this bishounen-packed road trip.
― Every time you boot up Final Fantasy XV, it presents you with a message, calling itself a “Final Fantasy for fans and first timers.” The series' disconnected chronology has always favored reinvention, but this one takes that that further t...
Prison School BD+DVD
Prison School is a gleefully gross adventure that succeeds by embracing its own smutty soul. Nick Creamer has the details.
― It's hard to say what makes for a “good fanservice show.” After all, some of the things that people seek from fanservice run directly counter to the qualities generally valued in other shows. Gratuitous fanservice tends to ruin an audience's ability to take a story or its chara...
Psychic School Wars BD+DVD
Despite its title, this little-known 2012 movie is more character drama than action-adventure. Theron Martin takes a look at this low-key gem.
― The story behind this 2012 movie is not a recent one; it's based on a 1973 sci fi novel which saw four live-action TV adaptations and two live-action movie adaptations scattered across the '80s and '90s, but the prominent role that cell phones play in both t...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 3 GN 1
Jotaro Kujo is the latest Joestar to take up the mantle of a bizarre adventure. How does this third Jojo stack up against the previous two?
― It can sometimes feel like a shame for an author to kill off a particularly excellent bad guy. Thinking about it in that light, it's impressive that Hirohiko Araki was able to keep Dio Brando, the arch-nemesis of Jonathan Joestar and the man responsible for his...
Review: Dragon Ball Fusions
This 3DS game is a goofy mashup of characters, places, and memorable flourishes from every corner of Dragon Ball. Todd Ciolek takes a look.
― Dragon Ball Fusions says a lot in its title. It's ostensibly about the art of fusion, which in Dragon Ball canon finds two or more character blending themselves into a more powerful being. Yet it could refer to the game just as easily, as this 3DS game is a goo...
Ladies versus Butlers! Blu-Ray
This harem comedy from the late 2000s was a late bloomer for Western release, but is it still worth a watch after years in limbo? Theron Martin investigates.
― Some series are innovators within their genre, while others are mere followers. This 2010 adaptation of a light novel series is decidedly the latter. Even though it came relatively early in the wave of super-heavy fanservice shows of the late ...
Tohyo Game: One black ballot to you GN 1
Tohyo Game borrows a little too heavily from very recognizable sources for its horror plot, making this a weaker debut than it should have been.
― It isn't always easy to find the perfect metaphor for the kind of bullying that pervades the high school experience. Numerous manga authors have tried, with perhaps the most effective series being A Silent Voice due to its emotional honesty. We can't blame...
In/Spectre GN 1
Despite some organizational issues, interesting characters and premise carry the first volume of this story about individuals with unusual connections to yokai.
― According to the author's notes included at the end, this manga is actually the adaptation of a 2011 novel originally titled Invented Inference: Steel Idol Nanase, which has not, to my knowledge, even been licensed yet for an English releas...
Please Tell Me! Galko-chan GN 1
The conversations are never dull and quite often raunchy in this non-cloying take on high school girl humor.
― There's a myth that has somehow endured about how girls are less "gross," less preoccupied with bodily functions than boys. Please Tell Me! Galko-chan is here to help deconstruct that misconception. Not that this is any sort of deliberately informative work; Kenya Suzuki's short-form manga, ...
Jinsei: Life Consulting Sub.Blu-Ray + DVD
Jinsei is a bare-bones slice-of-life comedy and not much else. Nick Creamer breaks down whether this humble show is worth checking out.
― Some shows feel like they're just barely even there. You can watch them run for twelve or thirteen episodes, but by the time you come out the other end, you're not even really sure you've watched anything at all. They hew so closely to what is minimally expected of...
The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service [Omnibus] GN 1
Gabriella Ekens steps into a world of both horror and comedy with the adventures of the Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, now in special collectors' omnibus form.
― It takes something special for a procedural to stand out from the pack nowadays. When half of what comes out is some variation on “[blank] solves crimes,” you have to have something good to sell your variation on the formula. Published in...
Psycome Novel 2
Psycome loses its way a bit in a second volume that focuses too much on the "comedy" and not enough on the "psycho."
― Authors' afterwards in light novels can be anything from sneakily informative to long lists of rambling thanks, so you could be forgiven if you usually skip them. Mizuki Mizushiro's epilogue to the second volume of Psycome, however, is definitely in the former category; Mizushiro men...
Honey So Sweet GN 4
Honey So Sweet continues to live up to its title in this fourth volume, even though a bit of angst is rearing its dangerous head.
― If Horimiya is the sweetest shounen romance currently being published in English, Honey So Sweet is its shoujo equivalent. Amu Meguro's story about an adorably awkward high school couple is much tamer than its shounen counterpart and at times sweet enough to rot your tee...
Girls und Panzer der Film
The Girls und Panzer movie may not be Shakespeare, but it sure is fun! Nick Creamer discusses the dub premiere of this diamond in the rough.
― Tsutomu Mizushima is not an arthouse director. In contrast with those directors who generally leave a clear aesthetic signature on their productions, or who impart all their works with some socially relevant commentary, Mizushima's work is defined by polish, m...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2 GN 4
The finale of the Battle Tendency arc is an amazing combination of insane fighting and Victorian melodrama as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure continues to impress.
― The world of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a strange one, even by the standards of shounen or seinen battle manga. Part of this is the necessary supernatural element of the story – the hamon, the Pillar Men's powers and lifespans, and the amazing...
Sword Art Online: Progressive Novel 4
A long-overdue split between Kirito and Asuna's viewpoints results in the best and most complete novel of the series to date. Theron Martin dives in.
― Volumes 2 and 3 of the Progressive series were told entirely from Kirito's viewpoint, which I felt was a disservice to his co-star Asuna. That changes with this volume, making it the best and most complete story to date for this branch of the franchis...
Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! GN 1
As a parody of the swords-and-sorcery fantasy genre, Konosuba is worth checking out if you need a laugh. Rebecca Silverman dives in.
― They say that life doesn't always work out the way you planned. Sometimes that can be a good thing, but other times, not so much. Kazuma Sato falls into the latter category courtesy of a fate with a rotten sense of humor. Normally a teenage shut-in, Kazuma dared to ve...
My Hero Academia GN 6
My Hero Academia’s sixth volume sees the manga returning to a stable rhythm in the wake of its first true peak.
― My Hero Academia's school tournament arc was a staggering high point for the series so far. Matching clever, fast-paced battles with poignant personal stories, it further humanized a solid subset of the manga's immense cast while never letting up as immediate entertainment. It was essenti...
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Novel 2
Things keep getting worse for ol' Subaru in the second Re:ZERO novel, which also introduces everyone's favorite twin maids, Ram and Rem!
― Immortality sounds great, but it's much more of a double-edged sword. Usually we see the sadder side of it in literature, such as Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting, but sometimes an author decides to go for the more depressing or frustrating aspects of the inabil...
To Love Ru Darkness 2 Sub.Blu-Ray
One of the most successful long-running fanservice franchises rolls out its fourth season. But how does Darkness 2 stack up against shinier new fanservice franchises of today?
― With 78 episodes spread amongst OVAs and four TV series (and a 79th pending in an upcoming OVA release), To Love-Ru is now the most expansive anime harem franchise that covers one single storyline. Over the course of eight ye...
Ten Count GN 2
Ten Count is a good story for its subgenre, but this may be the point where it will lose readers less willing to forgive its twisted take on love. Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― If you're studying or practicing psychology, or are just particularly well-informed on the subject, this is the volume of Ten Count that may make your skin begin to crawl. Whereas volume one was more focused on Shirotani b...
Review: NES Classic Edition
This little console full of Nintendo nostalgia might be the most sought-after gadget of the holiday season! Todd Ciolek breaks down the NES Classic Edition and all 30 games available in its library.
― The Nintendo Entertainment System wasn't just a gray-and-black box that played video games. It was a paragon of late 1980s pastimes. Seizing an industry left vacant after a widespread collapse, Nintendo...
Super Mario Adventures GN
Super Mario Adventures is a fun trip down memory lane, but risks not appealing to those who missed out on the Nintendo Power era. It's time to do the Mario!
― Originally running over the course of 1992 in Nintendo Power magazine, Super Mario Adventures is the second of Viz's large-format, full-color collected editions of the magazine's nostalgic comics. That's really the chief appeal here – the nosta...
Cells at Work! GN 1
The immune system has never been so much fun in this educational manga about blood cells doing their jobs inside the human body.
― First there was Moyasimon, making bacteria cute. Now there's Cells at Work, anthropomorphizing blood cells as diligent workers, living inside little towns in your veins. Both manga have shared educational goals, but Cells at Work specifically focuses on the human immune s...
Rainy Cocoa Sub.DVD
Rainy Cocoa is about an hour's worth of cute and not much else. Rebecca breaks down this bite-sized oddity.
― Anime shorts can take a few different directions in terms of how they approach their stories. Some tell a complete tale in bite-size pieces, others eschew plot for random antics or sketches on a theme, and still others divide a relatively plotless story into a season's worth of episodes. Rain...
Complex Age GN 2
Complex Age continues its exploration of what a grown-up "should" be through the story of an adult woman cosplayer. Rebecca Silverman dives in.
― For many of us who technically classify as “adults,” Complex Age is somewhere between “familiar” and “unsettling.” The story follows Nagisa, a woman in her twenties who is an avid cosplayer, making her own costumes, going to events, etc. She keeps her hobby...
In Search of the Lost Future BD+DVD
This VN adaptation squanders its interesting plot in a poorly-paced bid to cram in too many other story elements. Rebecca Silverman breaks down what went wrong.
― Light novels may have overtaken visual novels as anime source material lately, but their adaptations are still around, as In Search of the Lost Future reminds us. Based on the 2010 visual novel of the same name, the story follows the six me...
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria Novel 1
This DanMachi side story explores the adventures of Aiz, but is it essential reading for franchise fans?
― The DanMachi franchise has been successful enough that a spin-off novel series should come as no surprise. And no other supporting character is as worthy of a new storyline focus as Aiz Wallenstein, the inscrutable savior, idol, and love interest of original protagonist Bell Cranel. The result i...
Tokyo Ghoul GN 7-9
Tokyo Ghoul cements its Gothic roots in these three volumes, which mark a major change for both Kaneki and the overall direction of the story.
― Tampering with the makeup of humanity, be it physical or psychological, has long been a subject of literary fascination. One of the first to take the idea in a specifically Gothic direction was Matthew Lewis' 1796 novel The Monk, which saw its lead character...
Review: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Blu-Ray
Ten years after it set the otaku world on fire, does Haruhi Suzumiya still hold up as a slice-of-life comedy adventure? Nick Creamer cracks open this time capsule.
― It can be difficult to picture now what a big deal The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya once was, with cosplay, fandom clubs, countless Hare Hare Yukai videos, and an overwhelming convention presence once dominating the scene. One of my fir...
The Rising of the Shield Hero Novel 6
As Naofumi struggles to get the other three heroes to understand that this is not a game, will he be the only one left standing when the battle's done? Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― Aneko Yusagi's The Rising of the Shield Hero light novel series has come a long way from when it began. Volume one was very much a standard transported-to-another-world fantasy with its major claim to fame being that ...
Review: A Silent Voice
Kyoto Animation's highly anticipated, lavishly-animated and epic-length adaptation of the smash hit manga A Silent Voice recently played the Scotland Loves Anime festival - and Kevin Cirugeda was there to see it!
― It's only appropriate that after announcing the plans for an anime adaptation – quickly detailed as a film – this project went silent for about a year. The idea of a beloved award-winning ...
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid GN 1
Tired of the guys getting all the monster girls? Here's a story about an unwitting female office worker who invites a dragon girl into her home!
― Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid may be yet another in the seemingly endless library of monster girl stories, but it distinguishes itself right away by being about a monster girl who moves in with an office worker rather than a young male college student. Koba...
The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan BD+DVD
In this quirky spinoff of the 2006 otaku phenomenon, Yuki Nagato finds herself in the spotlight pursuing a romance with Kyon. How does Yuki-chan's adventure hold up compared to Haruhi's?
― This 16-episode series is based on a spin-off manga of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya light novel series. It's one of those “what if” tales, imagining how things might have played out if the people around origin...
Dark Souls 3: The Ashes of Ariandel
The latest DLC for Dark Souls III sends Dave Riley to the Painted World of Ariandel, where he can't shake the feeling that he should be having a lot more fun with all this.
― Calling the Souls expansions “DLC” does them a disservice. Not at all similar to the micro transaction character skins and map addons the term calls to mind, Dark Souls' Artorias of the Abyss and Bloodborne's The Old Hunters are...
ERASED Blu-Ray 1
Erased's first half delivers an interesting take on a time travel murder mystery. Rebecca Silverman breaks down this new deluxe release.
― Many people have a moment they wish they could return to in order to do just one thing differently. Sometimes it's just to say good-bye to someone who won't be coming back, but maybe it's for a larger purpose, like to save a life. For Satoru Fujinuma, that moment ...
Horimiya GN 5
Horimiya continues to delight in its fifth volume of this angst-free look at a sweet romance. Rebecca Silverman takes a look.
― Of all of the many wonderful things about Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara's romance manga Horimiya, one of the best is its lack of melodrama. There are no huge dramatic reveals, no histrionics, no panels oozing with overly tense anticipation. Instead there's just Hori and Miyamura...
Scum's Wish GN 1
Before its anime adaptation comes out this winter, Rebecca Silverman takes a look at the dark world of sex and self-hatred in this very unusual romance.
― Scum's Wish is a difficult story. A bit like a “lite” version of Inio Asano's The Girl on the Shore, the story takes on the idea of budding sexuality and the disconnect between a physical and emotional relationship between a pair of unhappy sevente...
The Violet Knight eBook 1
This new web-novel-turned-light-novel stumbles a bit in its first volume, but it has enough potential to merit giving a second look.
― The Violet Knight is Cross Infinite World's second English-language offering, and like its predecessor, My Favorite Song, it is an officially licensed web novel with no light novel edition in Japanese. Its chief appeal is in that it is targeted at a female readership ...
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky
Departed souls are forced to duke it out in the afterlife in this unusual JRPG adventure. Todd Ciolek explores Exist Archive.
― If nothing else, Exist Archive: the other Side of the Sky poses a creative vision of the afterlife. Never mind those angel-heaped clouds, surging hellfires, or even the Norse realms that developer tri-Ace adapted into their Valkyrie Profile series. According to Exist Archive...
Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu
In this middle entry of the Kizumonogatari trilogy, things take a hyperviolent and hypersexual turn that pushes Araragi to his limits. Nick Creamer explores this provocative film.
― The key moment of Kizumonogatari Nekketsu comes after its second battle, after Araragi has just faced the half-vampire, Episode. Episode is defeated and almost killed, but Araragi can't relish the victory. Instead, he's c...
Attack on Titan Anthology
Over 30 American comic book artists and writers come together for this compilation of Attack on Titan inspired stories! From its light-hearted parodies to its haunting horror tales, how does this anthology hold up?
― While the publisher Kodansha's claim on the introductory page that the Attack on Titan manga is “the biggest hit in a generation” may be debatable, there's no question that this franchis...
Review: World of Final Fantasy (Playstation 4)
Just in time for the series' 30th anniversary, World of Final Fantasy brings together characters new and old for a lighthearted role-playing adventure that builds on three decades of legacy while crafting its own identity.
― It's been nearly 30 years since the four Warriors of Light crossed the bridge out of Cornelia and into our collective hearts, launching one of the biggest—if not the biggest—RPG ...
B-PROJECT Episodes 1-12 Streaming
B-Project is a bit like UtaPri's calmer little brother - it's fun, it's silly, and it's entertaining start to finish, even if it's nothing new in the boy idol reverse harem genre.
― A large group of uniquely beautiful and talented young men? A slightly eccentric producer? An innocuous and normal (yet secretly talented) young woman thrown into the mix? Bubbly J-pop numbers with slightly feminine chore...
A Town Where You Live Sub.Blu-Ray
What happens when you try to cram two dozen volumes of manga into twelve episodes of anime? Rebecca Silverman finds out in A Town Where You Live.
― What happens when you take twenty-seven volumes of manga and try to condense it down to twelve episodes of anime? It's an issue that we've seen many times before with mixed results, but in the case of A Town Where You Live, based on Koji Seo (of Suzuka fa...
Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon GN
Don't be scared off by the 1960s publication date - this GeGeGe no Kitaro compilation still holds up, as the yokai boy finds himself up against a variety of spooky villains!
― Drawn & Quarterly's second collection of the late, great Shigeru Mizuki's GeGeGe no Kitaro stories may be named after Nurarihyon, but he actually only features in one chapter. However, his essence definitely permeates the curat...
My Girlfriend is a T-Rex GN 1
"Dinosaurs evolve into hot humans to avoid extinction in this funny send-up of the increasingly crowded monster girl genre. Rebecca Silverman takes a look."
― If your first reaction upon looking at the title of Seven Seas' newest monster girl offering is to think, “Wow, the monster girl genre has definitely gone too far,” you could be forgiven. From the outside, My Girlfriend is a T-Rex just looks li...
Kuromukuro Episodes 14-26 Streaming
Kuromukuro does its best to resolve its many mysteries in its action-packed second half, but does it succeed? Theron Martin investigates.
― Despite Netflix breaking the series into two 13-episode blocks for its subtitled stream, there was no break in Kuromukuro's 26-episode airing in Japan. Hence it's only natural that its second half picks up exactly where last season left off with zero recap. Where...
High School DxD BorN BD+DVD
As High School DxD enters its third season, does it still have enough juice to satisfy thirsty fanservice fans? Theron Martin has the answers.
― Based on its first two anime installments, High School DxD is the standard-setter and reigning champ for raunchy harem franchises. Despite being plagued by some production and storytelling issues, its third season does little to dethrone it. The main problem...
Thunderbolt Fantasy Episodes 1-13 Streaming
Can a fantasy adventure starring a pack of puppets really capture the same thrills and chills as an anime series, even with Gen Urobuchi at the wheel? Nick Creamer aims to find out.
― When it was first announced that Gen Urobuchi would be directing a puppet drama, it was difficult to know what to expect. Having started his career in visual novels and then made his mark in anime through works like Mad...
Blood Blockade Battlefront BD+DVD
Now that a limited edition release has finally made its way stateside, how does Studio Bones' ambitiously bizarre action series hold up? Jacob Chapman takes a look.
― It seems like an impossible task to pick out the one strangest thing about Blood Blockade Battlefront, even if you limited yourself to the very first episode. The show kicks off by ripping open its universe and ushering every supernatur...
Asterisk War: The Academy City on the Water [Limited Edition] Blu-Ray 1
The Asterisk War anime was the first version of this story to reach the west, but is it the best one? Rebecca Silverman weighs in.
― The first version of The Asterisk War to make it to the west is also the last one to see a physical release – the 2015 anime series. Aniplex of America's release of the first six episodes on Blu-Ray, which also includes a music CD of various BGM pieces remixed into a si...
Review: Miss Hokusai
Hokusai painted some of the most famous works in Japanese art history - but he had a little help from his daughter. Mike Toole explores the rich slice of history offered up by Miss Hokusai, in theaters this weekend.
― If you've ever just happened across a Japanese painting, a piece of fine art on canvas, you probably didn't see Tomioka Tessai's “Two Divinities Dancing” or Hasegawa Tohaku's “Irises.” ...
Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie
Nate Adams wakes up without his Yo-Kai Watch or his memories - which means someone's been tampering with the past! James Beckett takes on this theatrical installment of the popular show, in theaters this weekend.
― Yo-kai Watch has absolutely exploded in Japan over the past few years; the most recent film managed to outdo The Force Awakens in its opening-weekend box-office, and when you can knock Sta...
your name.
Makoto Shinkai's newest movie is blowing up the Japanese box office, but what is it about this film that touches so many hearts? Anne Lauenroth reviews this unexpected blockbuster.
― Why do we wake up crying from a dream we've already begun to forget? Why does the feeling of loss linger after the memory of that dream has faded to a vague feeling of something that should be there but isn't? How can we...
Plastic Memories Sub.Blu-Ray 2
Plastic Memories may have stumbled with tone problems in its first half, but this second half delivers on the drama where it matters most in the end. Theron Martin breaks it down.
― Spoiler Alert: This review will discuss the end of the series in detail. Though it started strong, Plastic Memories was prone to bouts of frustratingly uneven content even from the beginning. These tone problems have not ...
Persona 4 GN 1
This manga may not be equivalent to actually playing Persona 4, but it's also hardly a shadow of its former self. Gabriella Ekens dives into this adaptation of the hit JRPG.
― The original Persona 4 manga – published the year of the game's 2008 release – finally made it stateside early this year. As an abbreviated version of the game's storyline, this adaptation tries to condense the enormous JRPG in...
Assassination Classroom GN 13
The truth about Nagisa's family life is revealed, leading us to question whether or not he'll really be able to kill Koro-sensei when the time comes in this unusually dark volume of the series.
― How people think of themselves doesn't always reflect what we see on the outside. That's been shown over and over again in Yusei Matsui's Assassination Classroom, as the rest of the school consistently under...
Sweetness & Lightning Episodes 1-12 Streaming
Sweetness & Lightning offers a light but consistently rewarding getaway to a land of good food and great company. Nick Creamer gets into what makes this show special.
― Early on in Sweetness & Lightning, the young Tsumugi is just about to sample another of her father's cooking adventures. Staring up at her dad, she shouts “watch me eat!” before happily digging in, munching through a heaping plate of ...
I've Always Liked You
The first of a series of movies based on a vocaloid project, this fresh fall season addition to Crunchyroll may be a typical teen romance by anime standards but solid execution is everything. Theron Martin takes a look.
― This 63 minute movie, which debuted in Japanese theaters in April and is now streaming on Crunchyroll, has a somewhat unusual pedigree. It's based on a song and light novel project ...
Rising of the Shield Hero Novel 5
The Queen's protection has come in handy for Naofumi, but a trip to the Cal Mira Islands introduces a new threat for his group to worry about along with the Waves. Rebecca Silverman explores this new development.
― After volume four's triumphant ending, wherein Naofumi the Shield Hero not only got his good name back but the scheming king and princess of Melromarc who had conspired to smear it in the ...
Overlord Novel 2
Lord Momonga ventures out into the world beyond his stronghold in the glossy hardcover second volume of this hit light novel series. Theron Martin takes a look.
― This second entry in Overlord's light novel series was directly adapted into episodes 5-9 of last year's anime version. If the first arc described Ainz and the Lost Tomb of Nazarick's transition to the new world, this arc represents their f...
Den-noh Coil Blu-Ray 2
Den-noh Coil's plot ramps up in its second half as mysteries are solved and new ideas come to light. Theron Martin explores the story's conclusion.
― The first half of Den-noh Coil thoroughly established a broad cast of characters, the setting and almost magical technology, and numerous potential story threads while the children goofed around and got into the kind of mischief expected of tech-savvy k...
A Bride's Story GN 7
A Bride’s Story slows down in a volume that doesn’t quite match the manga’s usual heights. Nick Creamer investigates.
― In the afterword to this volume of A Bride's Story, Kaoru Mori mentions how she decided to change her drawing style for these chapters, and adopt “a bit of a lighter touch than I usually do.” This shift is clear in the artwork; in contrast to the manga's usual robust blacks and dive...
Corpse Party: Blood Covered GN 2
This horror manga begins to find its feet in this second omnibus, although it's still lacking in some important aspects.
― This is the volume where Corpse Party: Blood Covered comes into its own. In what would have been volume three of the original Japanese release, the story stops playing with unsavory romance tropes and trying to reinvent itself as Higurashi: When They Cry Lite and gets down to the...
Haikyu!! GN 4
Training camp begins for Karasuno's volleyball team, as Hinata still struggles to find his place within the team. Can they get their act together before the big practice match against Nekoma High?
― The previous two volumes in Haruichi Furudate's volleyball series were mostly concerned with assembling a full team for Karasuno High School, which was really a stand-in for how shattered the team had bec...
My Pathetic Vampire Life GN 1
Is it worth it to be an all-powerful vampire with eternal life if you have to spend that life repeating the 10th grade forever? Koide's beginning to have his doubts in this slightly absurd new comedy series.
― Can you think of anything more horrible than repeating your first year of high school for 150 years? That's the fate of poor Koide, a vampire who was turned at age sixteen back in the Meiji era...
Prince in His Dark Days GN 1
BL mangaka Hico Yamanaka makes the jump to shoujo with this bleak tale of a girl living in poverty roped into impersonating a missing rich boy.
― There's bleak, and then there's Atsuko's life in The Prince in his Dark Days. Everything about her life is drenched in misery: her mother is gone, her father, unable to cope with her loss, is an angry alcoholic, and there's not even enough money for Atsuko ...
Gundam Reconguista in G Sub.Blu-Ray
Yoshiyuki Tomino returns to the director's chair for the first time in over ten years for this unorthodox Gundam series, but has the franchise's creator lost his edge? Lauren Orsini investigates.
― The confusion that is Gundam Reconguista in G begins with the name. The word comes from the Spanish reconquista, or “reconquest” in English, but has been altered for a hard “G” sound, as director Yoshiyuki...
Assassination Classroom Season One Part Two BD+DVD
In the second half of this cult shonen hit's first season, Class E faces some of their greatest challenges yet! Rebecca Silverman breaks down the highs and lows.
― I hope that I can be as effective a teacher as Koro-sensei someday. Despite the fact that he's a giant tentacular octopus who destroyed the moon and threatens to do the same to the Earth, he also truly cares about his students and manages ...
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 3rei!!
Theron Martin takes on the fourth installment of the Fate/kaleid franchise, which returns the series to a greater focus on story and action in a mysterious alternate world.
― At 12 episodes, the fourth installment of the Fate/kaleid liner franchise is its longest to date. It's apparently not the last installment in the franchise either, given the recent advertisement for an upcoming movie. That's goo...
Digimon Adventure tri. Episodes 9-13 Streaming
This nostalgic Digimon journey takes a dark turn in its third arc, but what do these melancholy twists mean for Adventure's final chapter? Jacob Chapman dives in.
― Growing up can be wonderful in many ways, but so far, Digimon Tri has just been exploring all the not-so-wonderful things about it. From Tai's realization that the war games he used to play as a child have permanent real-world consequence...
Doamygar-D Sub.DVD
Doamygar D offers simple but endearing riffs on classic super robot staples, two minutes at a time. Nick Creamer investigates.
― It's a little surprising to me that a show like Doamygar-D would get a western release at all. The show is unabashedly insular - starring a young Kyoto confectioner known as Daijiro Kyougoku, it riffs on super robot cliches from nearly half a century ago, mixing them with s...
Everyone's Getting Married GN 2
The second volume of this josei romance focuses on Ryu Nanami, who may have bigger issues than he thinks. Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― When we first met Asuka and Ryu, they were resisting falling for each other. Asuka has the old-fashioned dream of one day marrying and becoming a stay-at-home wife and mother, while Ryu, a popular newscaster, likes living life his way on his terms, none of which ...
Laughing Under the Clouds BD+DVD
This story of three brothers battling a mythological monster doesn't really take off until episode five, but once it gets going, it's worth the struggle. Rebecca Silverman explores this overlooked anime.
― Based on a six-volume manga by Karakara Kemuri (whose series Countdown 7 Days, Replica, and Takeru: Opera Susanoh Sword of the Devil have all been at least partially released in English), Laughing ...
Review: Shin Godzilla
Evangelion creator Anno Hideaki grapples with Japan's most famous radioactive monster in Shin Godzilla, a deeply political entry in the storied franchise. Mike Toole confronts the beast.
― Every time a western film studio steps into the ring to produce a Godzilla movie, it's inevitably followed by Toho spinning the franchise back up again, to show those silly foreigners how proper kaiju movies get ma...
The Heroic Legend of Arslan Season One Part One BD+DVD
This epic story of a prince who fights to regain his kingdom has great ambitions that its lead character struggles to support. Theron Martin weighs this legend's pros and cons.
― Stories about members of royalty who are violently deposed and must struggle to regain their kingdom have peppered storytelling for centuries, and anime is no different. Over the years, fantasy titles like Record of Lodoss W...
Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness
In this visual novel adventure, you take on the role of Investigator or Enforcer to help the heroes of Psycho-Pass solve gruesome cases. Can this game live up to the legacy of its franchise?
― In the future, superpowered AI monitor human psychological states, measuring their likelihood of committing criminal acts and meting out proactive justice to prevent those crimes from happening. Enforcers, dire...
Doukyusei -Classmates- Blu-Ray
This ethereal boys-love film dives right into the love confessions and intimacy and never turns back. Jacob Chapman explores what makes this Blu-Ray edition special.
― When I first heard Aniplex was going to start screening a critically and financially successful boys' love movie produced by A-1 Pictures in theaters, I was pretty puzzled. Boys' love, shonen-ai, yaoi, however you want to slice it, is ...
The Rolling Girls BD+DVD
Rolling Girls is a compelling but ultimately disappointing jumble of great ideas and rickety execution. Nick Creamer rolls out its pros and cons.
― The Rolling Girls is pretty much exactly the kind of show I want to believe in. Graced with a vivid visual aesthetic, centered on the poignant edge of adolescence, and framed as a rock and roll road trip through a fanciful alternate Japan, it breathes cre...
Goodnight Punpun GN 3
No one writes dark and difficult stories quite like Inio Asano, and the third omnibus of Goodnight, Punpun is no exception as Punpun prepares for high school.
― No one writes dark and difficult stories quite like Inio Asano. While there are tragic and depressing elements to his series, and those certainly abound in this latest omnibus edition of Goodnight Punpun, it wouldn't be fair to simply label h...
Wagnaria!!3 Sub.Blu-Ray 2
This long-running slice-of-life comedy reaches its conclusion in this volume, as burgeoning romances within the restaurant come to a head. Paul Jensen breaks down Wagnaria's last hurrah.
― Anime comedies, particularly those that overlap with the slice of life genre, often have trouble with endings. When the whole point of a series is to observe the everyday misadventures of a group of charming oddbal...
My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected Novel 1
The first novel that spawned the cult success anime series "My Teen Romcom SNAFU" is as divisive as it is unique. Rebecca Silverman weighs the ups and downs of Hachiman's adventure.
― As far as annoyingly unrealistic statements made to children by adults go, “these are the best years of your life” is probably one of the worst. Apart from the fact that you (hopefully) have a lot of life to live post-h...
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