Hetalia Axis Powers - Episode 23

Episode twenty-three of Hetalia: Axis Powers introduces us to yet another new country/character - This time around it's Liechtenstein, a tiny country sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland, and in the context of this particular anime's parlance we see a cute female Liechtenstein both relying on and wanting to be like her big brother Switzerland in every way (yet still looking distressed when she's mistaken for a boy).


Italy hogs the limelight with some throw-away hilarity for the remainder of the episode - First mentioning a disgusting pizza he ate before revealing (quelle surprise) that it was made by England, before sharing a bed with his brother and making a phone call to Germany that could (and in this case was) misconstrued in all the wrong ways. Yes, I have a filthy mind too so it made me chuckle.

Yet again, what we have here is another improved episode of Hetalia, complete with a couple of gags that made me laugh - What more can you ask for in a five minute running time?

Shangri-la - Episode 13

After a brief reminder of Kuniko's rise to the head of Metal Age over the series so far, we're granted a rousing speech by the new girl in charge as she prepares to lead an all-out assault on Atlas - So begins episode thirteen of Shangri-la. Unlucky for some perhaps?

The subtitle of this particular episode is Flying Girl, and if I'm quite honest a flying girl would most likely have been more believable than many of the facets of the plot of this particular instalment. After some of the usual banter between Momoko and Takehiko (with the latter threatening to throw the former out of a thirteenth floor window - Is there some kind of fund we can contribute to so that actually happens?), the big game changer for Kuniko's plan is revealed - A stealth fighter. I tried my best at this point to figure out how on Earth Metal Age have enough money to buy (or even hire) a stealth fighter, or how they'd manage to do so without somebody of import noticing, but such thoughts were soon banished to the back of my mind as Kuniko began her offensive against Atlas... In broad daylight. Now, I'm no military strategist, but I can't help but feel that using a big black stealth fighter on a sunny day isn't really the best deployment of your assets - Needless to say, it isn't long before the plane is caught on camera by Atlas' defence forces, bringing about some inept use of missiles and machine guns from said forces.


If the plausibility quota for the episode was already stretched thin, then it was soon taken into the red by Kuniko's incredible ability to run along the wings of her rented stealth fighter without any problems, while also throwing her boomerang around like a mad woman. This then progressed to jumping between fast moving airborne objects, and the liberal use of jet packs. Oh yes, I forgot to mention all of the Metal Age "troops" involved with the operation had their own personal jet packs to use. With the amount of money spent on military hardware in this episode alone, why didn't Metal Age just put that cash into building their own version of Atlas, but complete with hookers and blackjack?

As I think the above has amply demonstrated, this particular episode of Shangri-la works best if you switch off your brain, remove it, pickle it and donate it to science - As pure out and out action goes it had something going for it, but I really couldn't help myself but to pick holes in perhaps the worst invasion plan short of stealing a single tank and trying to invade Paris. Still, as episodes of Shangri-la go this was certainly fun-filled if action is what you seek, and for that I can be thankful as at least the adrenaline-fuelled thrills and spills can cover up for the plot holes you could drive a fleet of buses through.

Minami-ke Betsubara OAD

Complementing the release of the final volume of Minami-ke Okaeri on DVD came this single episode OVA (or OAD as they like to call them these days) as something of a bonus episode to the series. Seeing as I've religiously watched the Minami-ke franchise through good times and bad, it would be remiss of me not to check it out.

The episode begins with Hosaka once again looking for a way into Haruka's heart, and as per usual food is the answer that he comes up with. What follows is perhaps one the funniest moment of the episode, with Hosaka espousing the wonders of the much-maligned carrot in the middle of a supermarket, in front of a bemused Chiaki. Still, it's enough to get her to start eating carrots at last, filling Haruka with joy in not quite the way Hosaka would have intended as it gives her free reign to create as many carrot-related dishes as she pleases. Ninjin loves you yeah!


From here we get some more gender confusion angst from Mako, who worries that Yoshino has discovered his secret, a concern not exactly helpoed by Kana who manages to persuade him that Yoshino is clearly some kind of sadist who is deriving pleasure from inflicting psychological torment upon our hapless lad in a dress. By the time this chunk of the episode is out, gender confusion has simply turned into outright confusion, leaving us with a final Valentine's Day related segment to the episode. To cut a long story short this state of affairs ends with what is quite possibly the happiest moment of Fujioka's life as he receives some chocolate from Kana - Sadly for him, what he views as Valentine's Day chocolate is in fact "eat when tired" chocolate, with Kana forgetting what day it is completely. Oh well, free chocolate is never a bad thing no matter the circumstances.

Overall, this episode was pretty typical Minami-ke fare - Not wall to wall laugh out loud funny, but with a pretty likeable bunch of characters and a few amusing moments to see it through. Indeed, the overall properties of this OAD fits into the modus operandi of the series it accompanies perfectly - As I'm sure I've said before this franchise is no Lucky Star or Hidamari Sketch, but there are less entertaining ways to while away half an hour or so. Speaking of such things, it's time to go and watch some more Shangri-la...

Hatsukoi Limited - Episode 12 (Completed)

By the end of episode eleven, Hatsukoi Limited couldn't really be any better placed to wrap up and resolve most of its various relationship issues. Who will end up with who? This being anime, will anybody end up with anyone?

One thing we do discover very quickly is that while the girls are having a whale of a time at a hot spring while chasing their counterparts across the country, things couldn't get much worse for the guys themselves, with only one sleeping bag between them and no money to do anything but camp outside, and their food supply soon dimished entirely thanks to some surreptitious overnight snacking. Yet despite all this, they soldier on with their roadtrip, reaching what I suppose you could call a point of enlightment (although I'd just call it cheesy) where all three of them feel liberated enough to shout out to the world about their loves at the edge of the ocean. If only they'd looked over their shoulder first, to see the inevitable bunch of girls stood behind them....

What follows from here is a succession of "Ahhhhhhh" moments, as everything comes good to some degree or another with our troupe of characters - No scenes of absolute happiness and bliss (this is first loves we're talking about after all), but moments that definitely count for something in the grand scheme of things.


So, all's well that ends well, as we come to the conclusion of what has been an intriguing little series really - It's pretty rare for a show such as this which fills itself with fan service to exhibit any real emotional depth, yet at times Hatsukoi Limited actually managed to make a pretty good fist of doing just that. Sure, I'm still not entirely convinced by the Kei-Kusuda relationship which made up a pretty big chunk of the series, but even then I can't particularly fault the way their particular dynamic was depicted, while some of the side stories featuring the likes of Dobashi and Chikura were not far short of wonderful as standalone tales which got the old romantic within this cold, hard exterior quite misted up.

When all is said and done the show's closing thought that what's on the inside is more important than looks is idealist in the extreme but hey, I'm not going to argue with (or complain about) the concept itself as there's a lot to be said for it. That aside, where Hatsukoi Limited perhaps excelled is in its portrayal of a first love itself - It feels like the most important thing in the world at the time, but in reality it is usually nothing more than an experience to be enjoyed, savoured and learned from; a grounding for the trials and tribulations of human relationships to come. Somehow this series managed to show this side of a first love without either belittling the emotions behind it or overplaying them as anime so often does into making a first love seem like an only love. That more balanced view of young love, if nothing else, is worthy of praise, and J.C. Staff delivered it here in an occasionally compelling way. That it managed to do so with panties and breasts on show as well is perhaps one of the more confusing juxtapositions of content that I'll have to get my head around this year.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 13

After receiving a "unique" welcome from their teacher last episode, it looks as though the Elric brothers confession that they attempted human transmutation is likely to put an end to the aforementioned reunioin, as Izumi expels her pupils and sends them home. However, with a little prompting, they soon remember what they came to Dublith for and realise what they need to do, and it isn't long before that particular relationship is restore.

Izumi's advice to help the brothers regain their original bodies is to look deeper inside Alphonse's memories, as they most likely hold the key to the "truth" of alchemy that Ed and his teacher both saw glimpses of.


It seems that they aren't the only ones with that idea though, as the brothers find themselves under the watchful eye of some distinctly interesting characters - Namely Greed, a Homonculus, and his band of Chimera followers. This group set out (and succeed) first at capturing Al, before luring Ed to their den in the hopes of finding out the secrets he holds regarding the transfer of a human soul between objects. Needless to say Edward is none too forthcoming with this information, and despite the danger to both himself and his brother he engages in what is one of the more spectacular fight sequences to come out of this series so far, with Edward taking on Greed despite the latter's regenerative abilities and a handy side-line in "armour" of his own.

With the introduction of Greed comes the beginning of a pretty major story arc, and although the plot progression comes thick and fast in this instalment it never runs away with itself - Indeed, the pacing of the episode works nigh-on perfectly to offer up an action-packed instalment with a natural focus on the Elric brothers, but not without neglecting the progress of either Scar or Roy Mustang. The only real disappointment here is the animation quality, which seemed to take a pretty major dive in places, but that aside this proved to be a most entertaining episode, even if we're a week or two away from some truly new storylines as Brotherhood finally looks to depart from the original TV series and follow the paths laid by the manga.

Natsu no Arashi - Episode 13

I suppose given that Natsu no Arashi (rather bizarrely) began with a filler episode, it's only right and proper that it should end with a filler episode too - What do you know, that's exactly what we get, complete with plot aspects that you won't be entirely unfamiliar with if you've seen that opening instalment.

Of course, this series wouldn't be daft enough to bring us an entire episode based around a strawberry "bomb" again, oh no.... This time it's a cherry "bomb". Thankfully there's more to this episode than just that, with the now almost infamous discussion about spoiled milk and what happens to it if you take it back in time reaching new and even more mind-bendingly hilarious heights. That aside, we're also granted the sight of the main cast members in a number of ridiculous (and a few rather alluring) costumes, for reasons that are probably beyond explanation (although Jun certainly reverting to dressing like a girl at the cafe goes equally unexplained, which to my mind is a far bigger question).


It's difficult to know what to say about this episode beyond these rather oddball goings-on, which mix in with the occasional jump through time to close out the series in a way that I suppose I can only really label as "different".

I suppose "different" is probably a pretty decent label for Natsu no Arashi as a whole, being as it is a series that has little difficulty in breaking with convention. Indeed, this show almost constantly felt like it didn't know what it wanted to be, moving from comedy to a very different take on time travel through to the horrors of war in a surprisingly effortless (and occasionally effective) way - These constant switches arguably made the series a jack of all trades and master of none, but you have to give it points for effort if nothing else. Above all, Natsu no Arashi will probably live long in my memory for a depiction of wartime Japan that was the most beautifully and starkly rendered since Grave of the Fireflies (albeit in a very different way, of course) - Seeing the horrors of firebombing raids through the eyes of first Hajime and later Jun were harrowing yet incredible moments that really defined this series as more than a fun little comedy series, and some of the human aspects of the war which went alongside such scenarios were also well played.

Those juxtapositions of comedy and seriousness, mixed in with Shaft's unique visual style, really does mean that Natsu no Arashi defies summarising in a snappy and concise way - Thus, I'm not even going to try; it's a fascinating series that you really have to experience for yourself to cast any kind of judgement on.

Saki - Episode 13

With Hisa's game over, episode thirteen means that it's finally time for Nodoka to step up to the plate in the fourth round of Kiyosumi's qualifying game, where she finds herself pitted against an arch-rival (despite being decidedly unaware of that fact herself).

However, despite the high-profile billing of this particular round, it ends up largely proving itself to be a war of attrition, with nobody able to gain a definitive upper hand and plenty of exchaustive draws witnesses as nothing goes the way of any one player. Having said that though, it's Nodoka who slowly, surely and efficiently ekes out a lead for herself, proving to be the only player to win any hands outright once she gets into "the zone". The game isn't quite over as this episode finishes however, meaning that there's still room for Touka Ryuumonbuchi to get her much yearned for moment in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Koromo talks as though she's swallowed a copy of Lord of the Rings on occasion, as she waits for her own game against Saki and the final round of this qualifier.


If this episode has demonstrated one thing to me, it's that I still haven't got a clue about the game of Mahjong and how it works - You'd have thought I might have picked up a thing or two by now, wouldn't you? That aside, the actual playing of set game is still pretty compelling, lost as I am with its nuances, and it seems that no amount of stupid flashes, explosions and fan service fantasies can really detract too much from the core tenet of the series, which remains oddly exciting to me. I'm starting to wonder just how much can be fitted into a twenty-five episode series though, given that we're still not at the end of the qualifying tournament for the national finals - Are Gonzo angling for a second series of this show?

I liked Eden of the East so much...

...I made a t-shirt.


(Apologies for the terrible picture by the way, but I can't be bothered to take anything better right now)

Valkyria Chronicles - Episode 12

After putting together arguably one its less coherent plots last episode, it's time for Valkyria Chronciles to explain its reasoning, which I suppose it does in this twelfth episode in fairness... somewhat at least.

The last episode saw both Princess Cornelia and Alicia (of course, when does she not get into trouble at every turn?) kidnapped as part of some kind of conspiracy, and this time around we learn the reasoning behind it - To fake the princess' defection to the Federation, thus cementing a relationship between Gallia and said Federation. While this does make sense in its own terms, it's rather confusing given how well the two sides were getting on in the first case, leading me to wonder why they'd bother with the risky business of a kidnapping and destroying that relationship entirely in the first place? This state of affairs also goes some way to explaining the prescence of Selvaria and Radi at the party, although again you have to wonder why they were initially willing to sit back and merely observe a chain of events which would have disadvantaged the Empire.


Anyhow, with Alicia missing, Welkin is naturally keen to go after the kidnapper pair, and with some information from the unlikely source of their sworn enemies, he ends up suggesting a "symbiosis" between the two, asking for their help to rescue both Alicia and the princess for their mutual benefit. Radi agrees, and so they set off in what was a pretty run-of-the-mill "find the kidnappers, engage in a car chase, jump between vehicles and stop them just in the nick of time" scenario, punctuated only by Alicia managing to convince Princess Cornelia to fight for her own fate and future rather than simply accepting it. So, all's well that ends well for both our favourite group of militia soldiers and the Empire, and they all live happily ever after. Or do they? Things just got one Hell of a lot more tense between Welkin and Faldio...

As you've probably noticed, I'm not entirely convinced by the plot progression of this particular story arc - It would be unfair to label it as full of holes, but it does seem to walk along the tightrope of plausibility while coming dangerous close to crashing down to the ground at several points. It seems that this series does making military operations seem fun better than it does domestic terrorism and conspiracy. Still, the human elements of Valkyria Chronicles are certainly getting more interesting thanks to the last couple of episodes, so it isn't all bad, and perhaps we can get back to some "real" fighting (or at least about as real as this series gets) to celebrate the show reaching its half-way point.

K-ON! - Episode 13 (Completed)

With the series proper finishing last week, K-ON!'s "extra" thirteenth episode treats us to one final slice of life with the girls of the light music club... Although there seems to be a rather melancholy feel in the air, with everybody preoccupied with something or other.

Indeed, the situation is so severe that even the opportunity for a hotpot on a cold winter's day at Yui's house is turned down by the rest of the gang, all of whom have other things to do. This then gives us a rare glimpse of the girls on their own and doing their own things, in many cases trying to be that little bit more mature than perhaps they are - Thus, Mugi gets a job, Asuza tries to look after a friend's kitten, and so on.


If nothing else, this episode is masterful at reminding us just how much life has been imbued into the show's characters over the course of the series - It was actually really quite upsetting to see things going wrong for the girls, before of course they all pull back together in a final scene of abject happiness.

Really, that point is probably the biggest one in favour of K-ON! - Marketing machine it may be at its core, and I know some have felt disenfrachised with it as an actual piece of entertainment as the weeks have drawn on, but if nothing else the series has succeeding in pulling together a group of lovable characters even ignoring those much-discussed "moe elements". Cute figureheads of that aforementioned marketing machine they may be, but beyond that they also exist as characters that you'd really quite like to spend some time with as genuinely fun characters. It's that sense of fun that permeates through K-ON! from beginning to end, making it an enjoyable slice of life series in it's own right - Yes, this show is no Haruhi (and indeed I think the return of that particular franchise has thrown this show's capabilities into sharp relief in recent weeks), nor is it a study of up and coming musicians as some seemed to expect; it certainly isn't KyoAni's best work, but is watching a series just because it leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling and a handful of good laughs every week such a bad thing? I would suggest that it isn't, and measured by those terms K-ON! is nothing if not a relative success.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Season 2 - Episode 3 (aka Episode 13)

I'm sure we've all had one summer that we wished could last forever, but what if that period of time really did last forever more?

After having my wrists slapped by commenters on my last entry regarding this series for calling it "filler", despite being dimly aware that something was afoot beyond simply filling up an episode slot, so the true story behind that episode comes to light here, as we go through the entire thing again, with Kyon noticing an odd sense of deja vu during the various fun activities being undertaken by the SOS brigade.


The reason for this is that is that Kyon and company have been doing the same things over and over again... Thousands of times in fact, living out that endless summer dream until the moment of realisation where the whole thing becomes a nightmare. Of course, Kyon's experience is probably nothing compared to Nagato's - Not only has she been through those activities tens of thousands of times, she remembers every single occurrence too. Still, more fool her for not thinking to mention it to anybody, despite her orders only being to observe any goings on.

So, with the scene set, this leaves us with a delicious question for the coming episodes - Will the other SOS brigade members find a way to break out of this endless summer, and if so how? Who knows (well, if you've read the relevant light novel then I suppose you do know), but as always Kyon is no doubt the key.

I suppose some kudos has to go to KyoAni for what must have been a difficult episode to script - You have to make everything basically the same for a large chunk of the episode to give the viewer a realisation of what is going on, but without reaching the point of boring them. This was actually achieved pretty well, thanks to slowly blending in that realisation via the vehicle of deja vu (and of course those signs of Nagato's boredom which did rouse my suspicions somewhat last episode), while also using some excellent changes of colour palette to accentuate the change in mood as the truth behind this loop in time comes to light. Beyond that, there's little more to say about this episode, as really it serves simply as a foil for the real story to come. I for one can't wait for more of it.

Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo - Episode 25

With Leopard on the rampage and Nerval looking to save the inhabitants of Kirkwood, it looks like it's all change as we reach the penultimate episode of Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo.

It doesn't take long at all for us to reach a full-on conflict between these two giant brain colonies, and while Nerval might normally have been expected to triumph, this fully upgraded and decidedly evil version of Leopard has plenty of power at his disposal, enough to do some serious damage to his rival. With Imoko still at Nerval's side however, Akiha once again makes a rash decision, racing off to try and save her friend with nary a thought of the consequences, with Honoka and Itsuki having to reluctantly follow her to back up her foolishness.


After the briefest of reunions, Akiha and Imoko are separated once again, with the former ending up face to face with Nami, who it's fair to say is still in none too pleasant a mood. Thus, Nami attacks her sister, and comes close to finishing off Akiha before extraneous events turn things around until eventually she simply has to turn tail and run. She'll be back soon enough though, this time with the backing of Leopard as Akiha finally accepts her position as "the girl who leapt through space" of the series title.

So, we're all set up for a grand finale that has blurred the lines between good and bad palpably in some cases to leave us wondering just who we should be rooting for. Personally, I'm thoroughly looking forward to see how the series it pulls everything off, given how its improved throughout its run so far - Let's hope that it goes out with a bang rather than a whimper.

Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 23 (Completed)

After finally (after one abortive attempt) finishing off the series proper last episode, what wonders does this final instalment of Kurokami hold for us?

A recap episode, pure and simple... To be honest, I've never quite fathomed why they bother with these things, as there's something vaguely depressing about seeing the twelve or so hours of your life you've sunk into a particular series shrunk down to about twenty minutes. In fairness, this particular offering did offer up some new animation, and slightly different takes and points of view of key events, but trying to squeeze so much into a short time frame was always going to feel rushed and jumpy, and so it proved to be here. Still, it did also serve to tie up the series final loose ends, albeit via the rather surprising revelation that Kuro doesn't seem to age at all - Either that or she's a rather sexy pensioner.


As for Kurokami as a whole, it's been very much a show of two halves - The first half of the series was frequently rather ponderous and seemed to lose its edge almost entirely after a bright start, not helped by Keita's moodiness and constant whining. Once we fast-forwarded six months into the second half of the series however things became much brighter, and Kurokami found its groove as a relatively stylish action series which delighted in ever more ridiculously large battles and set pieces that meshed into the story that was being told quite nicely. Certainly, you could argue that this series has never been anything other than generic, but when it hit its run of form it pulled off the succeeded in all of the ways you'd expect for just such a show, eventually making for a pretty enjoyable experience all in all. Kurokami might not be a classic, but if action-oriented shows are your thing it's certainly worth a watch if you can take a deep enough breath to plough through that slightly off-form first half.

Basquash! - Episode 12

After all the build up in the last episode, this twelfth instalment of Basquash! brings us to the beginning of the Open City Basketball tournament... Not that there's much point referring to it by its official name, as everyone has taken to calling it Basquash anyway.


This particular episode is actually split into two sub-episodes, for no reason other than to be cool and different I suppose. Anyhow, the first half of the instalment chronicles Dan, Sela and Iceman Hotty's first game, against a set of triplets who rely upon magic and illusion as their primary tactic. Although Dan and Sela are drawn in by their slight of hand, Iceman Hotty sees through it all, thus thwarting their opponent's plans at the last moment and turning the tables to allow them to grind out a 1-0 victory. Not the most thrilling of games your likely to see despite the attempts to be clever, that's for sure.

The second half of the episode is billing as Eclipse's debut in the tournament, but as they win before the credits on this section even finish rolling there's nothing to see here. However, there's more than a slight suggestion that both Eclipse's prescence and the entire tournament are simply part of some wider (if unbelievable) plot going on in the background. What could the plot in question be? I have an idea or two, but we'll have to wait until the next episode at least before we can say for sure. That is, assuming that Turbine City can stay standing long enough to complete the tournament - It's certainly taking a pounding at the moment...

As Basquash! episodes go, this was a pretty average affair - It wasn't bad, but the whole thing seemed somewhat shorn of its usual dose of attitude, taking on a rather more sedate and thoughtful aura which is rather at odds with its subject matter. Indeed, this was even reflected in the tactical nature of the Basquash game depicted in the episode, which was more "Code Geass meets basketball" than the kind of high octane stuff we're used to from this series.

Unfortunately, this is also coupled with the fact that the visual aesthetic of the series has definitely slumped in the last couple of episodes - Although this instalment wasn't quite as terrible as episode eleven was in place, it still feels like a far cheaper production than the almost sumptuous animation quality we've been used to with this show. Overall then, I fear that the staffing changes to this anime are leaving it to hang out to try, breaking the formula which seemed to be working so well for the series and replacing it with something far more bland and generic. Fingers crossed I'm wrong about this though, it would be a real shame to lose the "real" Basquash! to market forces.

Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 22

Well, it looks like I was slightly premature when it came to labelling Kurokami's main, over-arching storyline as over - No sooner was Reishin dead, and the Masagami seemingly dead with him, than those pesky evil spirits find yet another way to come back to life.

The good news about this turn of events is that it gives us one final action packed chunk of episode, complete with literally chopping the Holy Land to bits and even more ridiculously over-blown yet ultimately enjoyable to watch events. This time the Masagami are laid to rest properly, and the world returns to normality as everybodies Tera is restored. Hurrah!


Wait.. not quite, because we still aren't done with this series. Despite defeating the Masagami, the Doppeliner system still proves itself to be in full effect, right in front of Keita's eyes no less. The cause of this? The fact that Kuro is still alive, with the Doppeliner system only really dying along with her. Of course, if Kuro dies so does Keita, leaving us with difficult decisions all around... Until the series decides to forgo all of those tough decisions and instead just make up some other stuff that doesn't even vaguely fit in with what we'd been told just five minutes earlier.

Yes, that's right, once again we have the curse of the anime cop-out rearing its ugly head (which in turn looks set to treat us to a filler episode to end the series), as the sands shift from Kuro needing to die to lift the curse of the Masagami to her jiust needing to pack her bags and go away. It makes no sense, but no major character dies, so this is apparantly "a good thing". Not to my mind it isn't it has to be said, but I guess that's why they don't get me to write scripts for these things as I'd probably cause depression rates to soar amongst anime viewers.

So, that's Kurokami done and dusted to all intents and purposes, but I'll save my final thoughts for the last episode proper and hope they don't get contaminated by what looks likely to be nothing but fluff to please the fans.

Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo - Episode 24

So, not only did the last episode of Sora wo Kakeru Shuojo manage to cop out somewhat by revealing that Imoko isn't actually dead at all, but now it makes us feel like idiots by pointing out how ridiculous such a concept would be? Seems like this series didn't intend to pull any punches when it came to pointing out that particular point.

Anyhow, despite my still finding her survival unlikely, Imoko finding herself alive and well and under the care of Nerval (along with Nami) certainly serves to keep things interesting here - Naturally, Akiha's first thought is to go and see Imo, a move which would almost certainly put her in danger from Nerval, thus causing Kazane to lock her up within Leopard rather than risk her safety. Ignoring the logic of this move however, both Honoka and Itsuki look to rescue her from her captivity and help her in turn rescue Imoko.


However, this idea ends up being put on the back burner as Leopard... well, goes a bit loopy really. With all of his upgrades in place, the ghosts of his past come to revisit him in the form of Leopard's "evil" side. Yes, it's a big fat cliche, but it leaves us with a new look Leopard who cares little for his human "cargo", and even less for Benkei who passes by to return a mirror to Leopard. Come the end of the episode, Leopard has rashly made his way to Kirkwood, only to be faced by Nerval in a decidedly The Empire Strikes Back-esque moment...

I have to confess that a few holes are beginning to appear in the plot at this late stage, between Imoko's survival and Leopard "turning bad", but thankfully the series is also moulding these aspects of the story into something intriguing in its own right - Indeed, this episode in particular has effectively turned the tables on our expectations, with Nerval seemingly playing the "good guy" who wants to co-exist with humans (although he really does need to drop the whole box thing if he's going to do that) while Leopard now cares only for his own powers. Throw in a handful of wildcards such as Akiha and Nami, and we could be in for a fascinating final couple of episodes.

Shangri-la - Episode 12

After Karin's period in the spotlight last time around, the main focus of episode twelve returns to Kuniko, the new leader of Metal Age. It isn't too long before she has yet further reason to take action against Atlas either, as the new Prime Minister Ryoko goes against her initial promise regarding moving people into Atlas, suspending the settlement programme to instead focus on building Atlas first. An unelected Prime Minister going back on promises made only a few weeks before? You'd never see such a shambolic state of affairs here in UK politics, that's for sure...

So, with anger rising against Atlas, Kuniko reveals her plan for a full-on attack of the settlements. Naturally, such an audacious plot is going to require some serious hardware, which means a trip to Akihabara. No, please, anywhere but there! Sadly, despite my protestations we get another dose of those annoying cosplaying shop-keepers (although they have put together a nifty Kuniko figure, which is pretty sweet), although thankfully they manage to keep the stupidity to a relative minimum this time around.


Kuniko isn't the only one on a shopping spree in the district as Karin, buoyed by the events of the last episode, goes out herself, albeit disguised as a bear in the hope that nobody will talk to her. Probably not the best plan I've heard recently, but never mind... After trying to buy Akihabara itself, she ends up running into Kuniko, before running away - I'm sure that won't be the last time those two meet, and indeed that thought is backed up by Sayako paying a visit to Ryoko to inquire about Lady Mikuni's status as the future ruler of Atlas, only to be told that she isn't the only candidate for the position. Hmmm, I wonder who the others could be? Oh, and of course all this is without Momoko finally escaping her captors, thanks to the help of an old friend.

In all fairness to Shangri-la, it does at least seem to have got a grip on itself over the last few episodes, pulling itself up by the bootstraps from the utter ridicule it was facing to present something slightly less ridiculous for the time being. Yes, Lady Ryoko and Sayako are both tiresomely cliched evil characters (although I did enjoy the latter's hacking attempt using only the opening titles to Blockbusters for guidance), and the whole plot of the series is messy at best, but perhaps Shangri-la has done itself a favour by being so terrible for so long - Now it's just "quite bad", in relative terms it almost feels like a quality effort.

Hatsukoi Limited - Episode 11

I think it's fair to say that the end of the last episode of Hatsukoi Limited left us with Kusuda not so much putting his foot in his mouth as his entire body and soul, blurting out (completely falsely) his hatred for Kei without thinking. To make matters worse, rather than apologising properly himself, he chooses to run away instead. Has this guy learned nothing from Shinji Ikari?

Of course, Kusuda isn't the only one feeling the pinch of a love story gone horribly wrong, with Zaitsu and Sogabe, who are both still well and truly in the doldrums from their own problems. Before they know it, the trio of depressed males have decided that there's only one thing for it... To go on what can only be described as a "road trip". However, if there's one thing that can be guaranteed of a hastily arranged men only holiday, it's that it'll be shambolically organised, and so our intrepid trio set off with no money, no idea where they're going and nothing but snacks for food. Funnily enough, it's a bit difficult to "find yourself" when you're been chased by wild boar too.


If only the guys knew who else was chasing them - After finding all three absent from school, and furthermore learning about the letter Zaitsu had left for his brother, Ayumi, Kei, Koyoi and Chikura set off (with a few clues as to their whereabouts) to find the boys and bring them back, with Kei in particular having something important to say to Kusuda despite everything that transpired between them before.

If nothing else, this episode sets us up for a very interesting finale to this series, most likely bringing together three of the major male characters with their respective crushes, while also throwing myriad spanners in the works regarding some of the show's other pairings. Indeed, it seems that only Dobashi and her relationship will remain safe from being shaken up in some shape or form. I really have no idea how things are going to turn out in Hatsukoi Limited's climax, and that in itself should make it an enjoyable watch, even if this particular episode didn't have quite the emotional impact that we've seen from some previous instalments.

Hetalia Axis Powers - Episode 22

After taking up portions of so many previous episodes, the conclusion (well, for now at least) of Italy and the Roman Empire's love affair is the sole focus of episode twenty-two of Hetalia.

After so much time simply looking at one another from afar, the Roman Empire's farewall before leaving Italy turns into something from a romantic novel... Well, assuming you can find a romantic novel that features the line "I've liked you since the 900s" and the giving of a wooden brush as a sign of affection. And they say romance is dead...


Those two surreal yet amusing moments are easily the highlight of this particular instalment, but they do go some way to show how this series has improved both its comic sensibilities and sense of timing as the show has progressed. I wasn't so sure that Hetalia deserved a second season even fairly recently, but I'm certainly starting to warm to the idea of more of the same.

Natsu no Arashi - Episode 12

With Yayoi able to walk again and Kanako overjoyed as a result, surely we've reached more or less the natural conclusion of Natsu no Arashi by this point? Well, not quite, for there are still two more episodes to go including this twelfth instalment of the series.

Of course, with Yayoi and Kanako back in the present, the top priority is to save Arashi from fading away entirely, which the pair do, but seemingly at the cost of their own ethereal lives. Despite being prepared to make that sacrifice, the power of Arashi and Kaya and their respective "contractees" means that they have power to spare, leaving us with a happy situation where all of the show's ghosts can remain alive and kicking. But how can Kanako and Yayoi repay all the kindness and help that has been bestowed upon them? By working as maids in the cafe of course!


From here, we drift off on threads of love and jealousy - Firstly, in an entirely fictional form as Jun's friend (and fellow model) Youko drops in to the cafe, posing as Jun's girlfriend in the process and thus causing Hajime to unleash his wrath upon Jun for "cheating on" Kaya. However, Hajime than faces some similar problems of his own, as Arashi bumps into a guy who swears he recognises her and invites her out on a date - A state of affairs which Hajime is none too pleased about, but all's well that ends well, leaving us with a happy ever after scenario come the end of the episode.

Realistically, and right down to the "fin" in the closing titles, this both looks and feels like the final episode of Natsu no Arashi proper, leaving the final episode to be a "bonus" instalment of sorts no doubt. It's certainly been an interesting ride as anime series go - It has to be said that it's been a pretty hit and miss show at times, but generally speaking its concepts, characters and aesthetic have all grown on me since those early episodes where I was none too impressed by what I was seeing, bringing me to the point where I genuinely found myself looking forward to new episodes each week. As an overall body of work Natsu no Arashi is no classic, but on an individual basis it's provided both some fantastic episodes, as well as some stunning scenes within those episodes. I'll reserve my final judgment for the complete end of the series, but my overall feelings at this point are more positive than negative.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 12

Despite their distractions during the last episode, the twelfth instalment of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood finally sees the Elric brothers meet up with their master in Dublith, a woman who is of course thrilled to see them. Or perhaps not. Meet Izumi Curtis, alchemy expert and tsundere supreme.


In many ways, this visit to their former alchemy tutor is simply one disturbing revelation after another, starting with Izumi informing her pupils than an alchemist going by the name of Hohenheim had paid her a visit, iscussing the Philosopher's Stone in the process. Who is this mysterious man? None other than Edward and Alphonse's father, that's who. The episode concludes with (for the brothers at least) an even bigger revelation, as their master confesses that she too has broken the tabboo of human transmutation in an attempt to resurrect her stillborn child, thus explaining her constant state of illness and ability to perform transmutations without a circle.

Inbetween all this, Ed's memory floats back to the brother's first meeting with Izumi, as they desperately beg her to take them on as students, followed by the month long period where they were abandoned on a deserted island by her and left to fend for themselves, with the use of alchemy banned. After struggling initially, they eventually learn how to live and forage for themselves, and in turn come to understand just how the "circle of life" (cue songs from The Lion King) works.

Once again, it's difficult to really rate or criticise episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood such as this one as it continues to simply retread the paths already laid by the original series. After threatening to get a bit too over-bearing on the comedy side of things early on, this instalment ended up settling down into a solid bit of story-telling, complete with emotional climax that actually worked quite well. I'm never a huge fan of flashbacks in anime as it can be a lazy plot device, and arguably the memories which surface here didn't require an episode to themselves, but it still flowed reasonably well while leaving us looking forward to some juicier morsels in the next episode.

Saki - Episode 12

Given that she hasn't really had much attention cast upon her, it was nice to see club captain Hisa get some time in the spotlight, and that continues to some degree in episode twelve of Saki as we take in the second half of her particular round of the qualifier.

Having said that, there isn't all that much Mahjong to be played here, with Hisa using the intimidating presence she built up in the first half of the round to good effect, effectively grinding her way through to keep Kiyosumi in the lead until the end of her portion of the match without ever really going on the attack.


Elsewhere, Nodoka's penguin gets repaired and returned to her (putting an end to my sleepless nights worrying about the fate of Etopen), and her concerns that Saki hadn't even bothered to wake up to watch her forthcoming round of the qualifier is assuaged at the last meaning, setting us up for some even more intense gameplay in the next episode. That aside, a little more of the relationship between Hisa and Mihoko is revealed (although I do worry about that girl's eye sight - Keeping one eye closed all the time can't be good for you), and Koromo's past and circumstances also have a little light cast on them.

Do I care about any of this though? Not all that much to be quite honest... Just keep on playing Mahjong so that my slightly bizarre interest in a game I don't understand can continue unabated!

K-ON! - Episode 12

As we reach the final "proper" episode of K-ON! (next week's bonus episode aside), so we also reach yet another school festival, meaning another big performance for the light music club now officially known as After School Teatime. However, illness continues to deprive the club of an important member when it comes to rehearsing for the big day.

After Ritsu's absence last time, now it's Yui who is suffering in bed with a cold (although she does at least benefit with feverish dreams of delicious eyebrows by way of compensation), and with the festival only days away there's concern as to whether she'll be fit and healthy again in time. Thankfully, such worries seem short-lived as Yui turns up at the club that very day... But what's this? A Yui who can play the guitar flawlessly? Methinks there's an imposter afoot.


With Ui's identity revealed, the actual Yui staggers through the door, but still too ill to play - Thus, she begins her race against time to be ready for the big show, and I'm sure it isn't too much of a spoiler to say that she makes it, albeit after one more obstacle in her path.

This was always going to be a pretty saccharine episode I suppose, and thus this episode didn't disappoint, really pumping up the importance of the girls friendship to their musical dynamic and in turn helping to remind us why they're such a lovable bunch. We actually got rather more by way of seeing the girls actually playing at the gig this time too, for which I have to finally give KyoAni some kudos after complaining about it for most of the series. This may have not been a laugh out loud finale from beginning to end (although it did have a couple of great comic moments), preferring instead to simply be cute and sweet.... to be honest though, that's the target that K-ON! has been aiming for all along.

Eden of the East - Episode 11 (Completed)

Amongst my list of favourite stock phrases, "from the ridiculous to the sublime" is up there as one of the best. However when it comes to Eden of the East, and in particular its final episode, both ridiculous and sublime sums it up perfectly.

With the plot to fire sixty missiles at Japan uncovered, the real question posed in this finale is how (or indeed if) Akira can save the countless people who would otherwise die this time... or perhaps the real question should be whether he even wants to given how we was betrayed last time around?


If you were a little confused as to what had happened on and around Careless Monday before this instalment, then it all becomes patently clear here thanks to Saki's explanation of exactly what Akira did and how the 20,000 NEETs fit into the picture, right down to why they hated him and why he shipped them all off to Dubai. Of course, those NEETs have now returned, giving the rest of the Eden team a bit of a problem having left the laptop containing the data sent by Itazu in the midst of the freshly returned (and thoroughly naked) crowd now rampaging through Akira's shopping mall. So commences some hilarious scenes, not least those as Saki and Mikuru made their way into the mall to try and do their bit to stop the attack.

As it turns out, Akira has it all under control, and the moment of truth as the build up to the missiles being fired really pins down what this series is all about - Making use of the best and brightest people on offer, even if they don't fit into what is societally accepted as "the norm". Thus, the NEETs save the day... on this occasion at least. But what is to become of Akira, and indeed Saki? Well, looks like we're going to have to wait for the two movies for the answer to those questions. Regardless, Mr. Outside's game is far from over (and who else wants to put a bet on that taxi driver that took Saki and Mikuru to the mall being Mr. Outside?).

So, ridiculous and sublime pretty much sums up this closing episode of Eden of the East, but if you're looking for a one word appraisal then "magnificent" would have to be that word. This series hasn't always got it right, but you can't doubt its ambition, nor can you doubt the fact that this is one of the finest anime series to see the light of day in recent years. In a way, this final instalment is a testament to the series as a whole, shifting effortlessly from farcical comedy to touching emotions (the scene where Saki offers her hand to Akira without saying a word was beautiful in its simple intensity), from insane conspiracy theories to even more insane conspiracy theories that come true, and at the heart of it all lies a firm yet even-handed message on 21st century modernity. Is modern technology isolating us from one another in society? Yes. Is it redefining the way people think, behave and make decisions? Yes. Is this a bad thing? It doesn't have to be, and Akira's unswerving confidence in the NEET "hive mind" he assembles couldn't make this point any clearer.

Whether you agree with the show's core perspective or not, Eden of the East is a stunning spectacle in pretty much every way you look at it - Visually, conceptually and in terms of story, it currently reigns supreme as the best series of 2009, and it's going to take a lot to supplant it. The first Eden of the East movie simply can't come soon enough.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Season 2 - Episode 2 (aka Episode 12)

New episodes of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya are like buses - You don't get any for years and then they all start turning up at once. So, with Kyoto Animation still intent on maintaining chronological order for all episodes, we've had to wait a little while from that first new episode (episode eight of the series in full) until the second brand new instalment titled "Endless Eight", which slots in here as episode twelve of the show as a whole.


While it may be brand, spanking and indeed new, I think it's only fair to classify this particular episode as filler - With school out for summer, there's nothing at all for the SOS Brigade's members to do to pass the time... Until Haruhi intervenes that is. With a couple of weeks of the holiday left, she assembles the group with an ambitious plan of fun (yet surprisingly normal) activities for them to partake in until the end of the summer.

So, we get to see Haruhi and company at the swimming pool (read: fan service), catching bugs, going to an Obon festival, messing around with fireworks (kids, don't shoot fireworks from your bikes!), playing baseball and so on. In essence, this is The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya as a slice of life series - It's almost as though an episode of K-ON! has somehow been injected into it. Surprisingly, this also seems to make Haruhi very happy despite its lack of weirdness, although there is an melancholy to the end of the episode, leaving us with the feeling that there are still things which Haruhi wished to do.

As filler goes this was a passable episode, but after the joys and wonders of that first new episode I found it a little difficult to get too enthused about this effort. Still, this should mark the beginning of a concerted period of new episodes, so the next few weeks should (if the rumours are correct) sate our The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya for a while well and truly.

Valkyria Chronicles - Episode 11

It's party time for Alicia and company in episode eleven of Valkyria Chronicles, as they find themselves invited as guests to a most important and high-class engagement. Yes, I know, this does sound like prime filler material at first glance, but fear not because there's more to this episode than first meets the eye.


For starters, we get to meet the Gallian princess Cordelia, who I can only really describe as Clannad's Kotomi Ichinose cosplaying as Flipper. That aside, the real story begins as we see Selvaria and Radi Yaeger all dressed up and ready to attend the party too, albeit in "disguise" - And I use that term loosely complete with inverted commas, because this really is quite possibly the worst attempt at a disguise ever mustered. Incredibly, nobody seems to notice two of the Empire's top soldiers waltazing into the palace of the country they're at war with... At least, not until they bump into Alicia, who recognises Selvaria immediately. However did she see through that cunning disguise?

These concerns are quickly forgotten however as the speeches and giving of medals (to Welkin and Faldio for their sterling work over the bridge at Vasel) begin - However, it soon becomes clear that the Empire's prescence here is about more than simply getting some free booze out of Gallia, as the episode ends with a kidnapping taking place, complete with help from "the inside".

I have to confess that I'm still trying to wrap my head around firstly the fact that nobody recognised Selvaria or Radi at the party aside from Alicia (inside job or not, there's some pretty shabby security there), and secondly the fact that Alicia, Welkin and company did nothing about it, preferring instead to continue with the festivities. If top members of the enemy are in the building of your royal family, shouldn't you put down the champagne glass for two seconds and, you know, raise the alarm? Someone take Welkin and Faldio's medals away for being utter morons in the face of duty, and punching a big, fat plot hole in what was otherwise a pretty forgettable episode. Please guys, don't start turning this series into the new Allison to Lillia...

Hatsukoi Limited - Episode 10

After that really quite beautiful episode last week, the tenth instalment of Hatsukoi Limited returns to more traditional fare, with a focus on rivalries. Oh, and breasts. We can't go forgetting those, can we?

As this episode covers two different individuals and their troubles, so both stories are underpinned by the aforementioned cleavage. On one side of this episode we return to the world of Meguru, who is still having some issues relating to the size of her breasts. This is only made worse by the appearance of her younger rival "Q" - No, not from James Bond, it's the nickname for Kyuma, a girl who is determined to beat Meguru at something. Her choice of event for this momentous win is swimming, which only serves to further knock poor Meguru's confidence, leaving her to wonder what she has left in her life. After trying to live her life making the most of her ample bosom, she finally (and thanks in no small part to her crush Watase) finds her comfort zone, albeit in a slightly cheesy fashion.


The real interesting stuff however comes in the form of who else but Kei and Kusuda, with the latter seemingly set to be lured away by the top-heavy president of the drama club, who is looking for someone to play a kappa in a performance for the school's freshman, and what better man than "the kappa" himself Kusuda to play the role? Naturally, Kei Enomoto is none too happy at the thought of "her" kappa being snatched away, building up another rivalry while Kei swings predictably to extremes in her love/hate relationship with Kusuda, almost ruining everything completely before possibly saving the day by apologising while looking over-bearingly cute. Don't you just hate it when girls manage to do that, leaving you powerless to reject their apology?

Anyhow, while this episode was entirely too breast-centric for my liking (indeed, I'm sure I've never written the word "breast" so many times in three paragraphs in my like), and both sides of the story told were a little cliched (particularly compared to the fabulous previous episode which will live long in my memory), there were some moments to enjoy here, not least the comical attempts to lure and ensnare Kusuda using a trail of cucumber. Even at its most ridiculous (and yes, I still say they'd never last together although I know some may disagree), the Kei-Kusuda relationship is pure car crash anime viewing, as you're always guaranteed some drama as everything goes off the rails and ends in disaster, only to be reeled back at the last moment. Not a classic episode of this series then, but a passable effort from a show that can do much, much better than this when it really puts its mind to it.

Basquash! - Episode 11

It's probably a little early to start discussing what impact the change in director and the reshuffling and replacement of various other staff members on the Basquash! project will have, but one thing is for sure - There were some occasionally disastrous lapses in animation quality here that were truly jarring against the normally superlative inducing quality we've come to expect from this series.

Thankfully, these issues don't seem to have extended to the actual plot itself too much, although this is admittedly a slower episode than we've been used to seeing from the series. After resolving his issues last episode, Dan and the rest of the team have been on a roll, tearing up teams left, right and centre and well and truly cementing their place in the public psyche. The net result of this is an invitation for them to play in the OCB at Turbine City, a city.... well, full of turbines basically, relying as it does on wind power to generate vast amounts of electricity.


So, while "Alan" is scouting out the town and trying to get to grips with its unique nature ready for the forthcoming matches, so everyone else seems somewhat distracted - Sela has some history to revisit in the town (despite her denials that she's ever been there before), while Iceman Hotty once again finds himself with a need to go back on some history of his own, visiting Falcon for some reason or other. Indeed, Dan seems to be the only one unfazed by the anything, casually wandering around basketball in hand, and only really showing any interest when the prize for winning the OCB tournament is revealed - A chance to play in the Lunar League.

In all honesty, this episode was only ever going to be about scene setting ready for the big tournament, and it manages to do this pretty well (thanks once again to some gorgeous backdrops for this instalment) while also delving a little more into Sela's previously unknown past and adding a little more frisson to the rivalry between Iceman Hotty and Falcon. So, no complaints on that front, but I really am disappointed by those aforementioned lapses in animation quality on show in this episode - Not what I wanted to see the week after an announcement that the character designer for the series is no longer working on the show. Will we be seeing more cost-cutting from this series? After so many episodes of top-notch animation it is perhaps inevitable, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, and even by normal standards the drop in quality here was a step too far.

Hetalia Axis Powers - Episode 21

Episode twenty-one of Hetalia: Axis Powers has managed to cement a place in my heart for one reason and one reason alone - It features Sealand at the centre of much of its subject matter!


Whilst it's a bit of a push to call it a country no matter what its owners might say, I've always held a bit of a curiosity and love of the underdog about the place, so I got a real kick out of seeing it feature Hetalia style - Not to mention that the part about it always springing leaks isn't so far from the truth given that the real Sealand has suffered from fires and the like in recent times. Anyhow, in this episode poor old Sealand tries to do its bit at a world conference, but forgets that no other country recognises it as a nature - A sad day indeed.

That aside, we get a brief return to Chibitalia at the start of the episode, with the Roman Empire struggling to leave Italy behind, and Italy showing its true spirit as Germany goes off to Russia in World War II... By surrendering. Who cares though, this episode is all about Sealand.

Shangri-la - Episode 11

After shocking and amazing me by delivering an episode that wasn't bad last time around, it seems that Shangri-la has decided to play it safe for the duration of episode eleven by boring the pants off me lest I find anything to make fun of.

As the episode begins, it seems that once again an attack on Medusa has been foiled, with Kunihito and his crew left stranded on a life raft for the entire episode after their ship was sunk. Now, if only they had Takehiko around to help them - He'd soon have dug a tunnel to save them from their current perils.


However, the main focus of this episode is Karin, who finds herself first coming into the possession of a cat which appears from nowhere, before receiving a mysterious visitor who urges her to go outside and break free from her current life stuck in the front of a keyboard all day every day (hmm, that sounds familiar to me...). After a couple of visitations, Karin takes this advice, and we get to see the birdcage in which she's been trapped for so long. Indeed, the bird and canary references run throughout this episode, in what turned out to be a pretty lazy theme for this instalment. That aside, we're also beginning to see some further evidence that ties the major characters (Kuniko, Karin, Mikuni and Kunihito, as well as Karin's strange visitor) together, although again this felt like a rather clumsy and/or lazy addition as presented in this episode rather than anything worthy of real intrigue or deep plot development.

Really, it seems as though Shangri-la has swung from one extreme to the other - While previously it tried way too hard to pack in the action, adventure and plot progression, now it almost seems to be scared to move things forward, instead preferring to frame everything in simple terms and throwing in the odd important moment just to keep things ticking along. In short, it remains a horribly badly paced series that feels like it doesn't know what it wants to do with itself, and thus ends up making a ham-fisted attempt at everything that it turns its mind to.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 11

After the sadness and shock of Maes Hughes' death in the last episode, we were arguably in need of a rather lighter pick-me-up for this eleventh instalment of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and that's basically exactly what we get here.

This entire episode takes in the Elric brothers and Winry's stop-off on the way to Dublith at the behest of the latter so that she can take in the joys of Rush Valley - The Automail equivalent of Tottenham Court Road. Or something. Naturally, Ed's own Automail gets more than a little attention from the locals... A little too much attention, as he soon realises that the pocket watch which denotes his status as a State Alchemist has been stolen. Our trio soon take off to try and catch the culprit, a young girl with some nifty Automail of her own named Paninya, and before they know it they end up in this hospitality of a family including an Automail mechanic genius and a pregnant wife. It's the latter that causes all of the problems however, going into labour in the middle of a storm and leaving Winry having to rely heavily on what little she remembers from her upbringing amongst parents who were doctors.


While this probably can't strictly be labelled as filler episode (it brings us a few important smidgens of character development, not least for Winry), it's hardly hugely vital to the story at this point, although as I mentioned at the start of this entry the need for something a little happier after the goings-on in episode ten should probably be most welcome. I do worry sometimes that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is almost laying on the humour a little too thick in recent episodes (and certainly its joke to outright laugh ratio is pretty small), but then again perhaps it would all be too despresingly dark without it. At the end of the day though, this isn't really an episode that you'll kick yourself for missing in the grand scheme of things, although it has been nice to see a bit more of Winry in recent episodes.

Natsu no Arashi - Episode 11

From being threatened with a knife by Kanako to zipping back through time to World War II with a mentally and physically unstable Yayoi - This must almost be the definition of "out of the frying pan and into the fire" for young Hajime?

Anyhow, this is exactly the scenario that he faces, after accidentally connecting with Yayoi and the pair of them being sent back in time to an unknown year. This is all too much for Yayoi, who already holds so much terror from that time in her heart, and she passes out, leaving Hajime to wheel her around while going it alone. Things only get worse out in the open, as a Yayoi comes around to plead with former friends to escape their future fates (demonstrated and delivered in typically unhinged and terrifying style by Shaft's animators), before ening up face-to-face with the Kanako of that time, at a period before the pair were friends.


What follows however is a chain of events which literally changes the course of history, cementing the otherwise non-existent friendship between Yayoi and Kanako (thanks in some small part to Hajime) while also allowing Hajime to get a glimpse of the actual World War II era Arashi - Interestingly, she seems to recognise him... Could this foreshadow something from a future episode, as this era's Arashi would never otherwise have known him?

It really does seem like Natsu no Arashi is getting better by the week at the moment, and I found myself both enjoying and moved by this episode. We're so used to series where changing the course of history has catastrophic effects, and it's that which makes this show something of a breath of fresh air, presenting a world where changing history makes it a better place. A lot of respect should also be directed at Natsu no Arashi's depiction of World War II, which drills in to the psychological toll it takes more than relying on the physicality of its destruction - An interesting route to take, and one that is pulled off with aplomb here. It feels almost surprising to talk in such terms about a series that has been so frivolous during other episodes, but such is the unique nature of this show - Perhaps this juxtaposition of humour and more serious topics isn't a bad thing, but it certainly makes Natsu no Arashi hard to describe or classify.

Saki - Episode 11

We haven't really seen anything much of the club president Hisa in terms of actually playing Mahjong, but this episode makes up for that deficiency in spades, featuring as it does her attempts to overturn the deficit currently facing Kiyosumi in their qualifying match.


First and foremost, this means that we get to find out about her playing style, which is a mix of logic topped with a hefty dose of what seems to be utter superstition, picking some of her moves at what would normally be the worst possible time in each hand. Superstition, super power or whatever, this confusing style of play wreaks havoc with her opponents, and before we know it (and at the half-way point in her particular round) Kiyosumihave jumped from last place on the leaderboard to first. Not bad going, all things considered.

Meanwhile, much ado is building up over Etopen, Nodoka's cute, fat penguin mascot who was snatched from her while she napped and is now doing the rounds passing from hand to hand in some kind of flightless bird equivalent of pass the parcel. This insanity soon takes on an even more serious air, as an argument over poor old Etopen leaves him sans a wing. Disaster!

So, once again I find myself cheering along this series simply on the basis of its oddly compelling Mahjong action - Thankfully, Hisa's "special power" seems somehow in the realms of believability which also assuages any irritation I may have with such things, leaving me to really rather enjoy this episode. With a few more little flashbacks into the background behind some of the characters, there's really nothing I can complain about in this episode, although I swear that Nodoka's shirt has somehow shrunk since she started her nap last episode - Does she really grow that quickly?

Valkyria Chronicles - Episode 10

After our little Empire-related interlude last episode, the tenth instalment of Valkyria Chronicles brings us right back to the activities of Welkin and Alicia - And within seconds they find themselves in a tight spot. Just what have they gotten themselves into this time?

We then rewind to the scenario leading up to this state of affairs - A scouting mission postponed by an impending snowstorm, leading our intrepid duo to find a nearby abandoned hut for shelter. Of course, in an inevitable turn of events the two of them wind up sharing a blanket to weather the storm, followed by some deep and rather maudlin conversations about their respective families (or lack thereof) before the two come somewhat close to sharing a kiss before Welkin decides that sleep is more important.


This rather cosy state of affairs is rudely interrupted by the appearance in the hut of an enemy combatant, complete with rifle and grenade with the pin pulled on it, causing a rather nervy and protracted stand-off between himself, Welkin and Alicia. Eventually, Alicia's sheer persistence wears down this soldier (you can make your own jokes about men being worn down by a woman's persistent nagging here, I value my life too dearly), who allows the wounds he's carrying to be treated by her while still grimly holding on to his grenade. As the cause of this soldier's wounds become clear, so the mood between the trio changes, and all is resolved amicably and happily for all concerned in the end. Well, apart from the soldier who dies of his wounds, but ho-hum - That's what you get for not being a major character in a war-based anime.

As episodes go this was a pretty decent little affair, which serves primarily to warm up the dynamic between Alicia and Welkin considerably while also showing how relatively well they can work as a team despite their obvious personality differences. If only the stand-off between them and the enemy soldier had been infused with a little more dramatic tension somehow though - It never really felt like there was any genuine danger in the situation, although perhaps that's the fault of this series as a whole and its rather warm and fuzzy portrayal of armed conflict.

Evangelion 1.11 - You Are (Not) Alone

Seeing as I afforded plenty of time and space to voice my thoughts on Evangelion 1.01, I'm not going to spend too much time dissecting the Blu-Ray release of Evangelion 1.11 - You Are (Not) Alone for obvious reasons, namely that basically all of my points made on that occasion still stand with this release.


It probably sounds obvious to say this, but seeing the Evangelion universe and characters in full 1080p is an awesome experience - One or two scenes which looked a little wobbly or less well mastered aside, the entire viewing experience is undoubtedly enhanced by Evangelion 1.11's High Definition treatment. Even some of the CGI scenes which I previously expressed doubts about having watched 1.01 seem to blend in and work far better here - No question about it, this is the best-looking Evangelion yet.

As far as the additional scenes thrown into this release are concerned, I can't really compare them with the changes between 1.0 and 1.01 as I never saw the original theatrical release, but for me (and I was as surprised as anybody to feel this) they all actually helped tremendously with both pacing the story better and sewing up loose ends with a view to the forthcoming movies. While 1.01 occasionally felt as though it was skimming over certain points, 1.11 tries harder to make everything feel like part of Gendo's and/or SEELE's grand plan - Revisionist history you could argue, but it somehow helps justify the more ominous tones that You Are (Not) Alone exhibits against the early episodes of the original series.

Evangelion nut that I am, I was never really going to complain about yet another excuse to watch my favourite anime in its latest incarnation, but I seriously have to say that this 1.11 release does the job better (albeit subtly so) than its predecessor. With 2.0 on the way very soon (with lots of changes I feel a great deal of trepidation about), hopefully this will see an end to anybody messing with 1.x any further - It's a shame that the US release coming soon appears to be sticking to the original 1.0 release, we'll be missing some good stuff.

Eden of the East - Episode 10

For a few episodes now, I've been questioning how Eden of the East can answer all of the questions it has posed in what little time remains of the series proper (assuming it doesn't all spill over into the expected movie, which I'm imagining it will still have to) - Well, I guess this is how... In short, episode ten was packed to the rafters with mind-blowing revelations.

After receiving his mysterious phone call at the end of the last episode, Akira remains on the platform as Saki and Mikuru board the last train. Again, this gives us some fantastic moments which sum up Saki and Akira's current relationship without uttering a word - Saki moves forward to step off the train and stay with Akira, then changes her mind and lets him go alone while seeming to instantly regret her decision. This seems to be enough to finally give her the impetus to call him and voice her concerns, to which Akira has no real answers - Regardless, he advises her to stay on the line and listen to his next moves to see what transpires.


What does transpire is an invitation from Seleção number I (the man responsible for killing Itazu of course), who promises to reveal the truth about Akira's lost memories and even the identity of Mr. Outside. As you might have expected, Mr. Outside's real persona is suspected to be a wealthy buisinessman with huge political influence, but what you may not have expected is the revelation that he is most likely already dead (in the eyes of Seleção I at least), with the gain continuing apace despite its creator's demise. In essence, number I's plan is to win the game by becoming Mr. Outside himself, a plot which he is following with the help of two other Seleção, not least the man responsible for Careless Monday.

This is where things get really interesting, as the plot unfolds for another, larger scale missile attack on Japan from these Seleção, while Akira finds out why (or at least partly why, I suspect there's more to it than simply one thing) he wiped his memories. The issue, as posited by Seleção I, is that Akira was betrayed by the people who he saved from those missiles - Despite going out of his way to ensure nobody was killed, the populace still wished for something bigger and "better" (or worse, depending on how you look at it) to happen in their lives. Even all of these revelations are without the sudden appearance of a ship loaded with crates of naked men outside Akira's shopping complex...

With so much going on in this single episode, it's difficult to know where to start, but all I can really say is that I loved every second of it. There are so many intriguing ideas brought in via this episode that you could probably write a book on them alone, from Seleção I and his cohorts plan to improve Japan by essentially wiping out the elderly and the lazy (an evil scheme if ever I've heard one) to the feelings of entitlement and/or helplessness felt by the country's younger generation, right through to the concept of Akira being betrayed by the people he saved as they still weren't satisfied despite escaping death. This latter point is what really threw my mind into overdrive - With wall to wall news coverage of disasters, bad news has to all intents and purposes become entertainment, to the extent where we actually welcome huge disasters as a way to break up the everyday mundanity of life and let us live vicariously in a world of danger and sadness.. with this in mind, is there a subconscious part of us that revels in and enjoys watching these horrors unfold through our TV screens and web pages, feeling safely distanced from them even when they occur in our back yard?

So, with one episode to go, there still seems like a lot to cover, but I'm feeling a little more comfortable that this final episode should be able to shoehorn in a reasonable amount - I'm sure we'll be left hanging for the movie (such is the nature of the cogs within the marketing machine), but I now feel like I almost know enough about what is going on in this series to be satisfied with that outcome. Whatever happens in the finale of this series, I'm ready and waiting to come along for the ride wherever it's going to take us.

K-ON! - Episode 11

As another school festival rolls around once again, it seems like the light music club are lurching from one crisis to the next as they prepare for said festival.

For starters, and as per club tradition, Ritsu has forgotten to hand in the paperwork to book the auditorium for the band's performance, which in turn raises another question - Just what is their band called anyhow? There's little time to worry about that though, as Azusa notices the shocking state of Yui's guitar, which is in dire need of some maintenance. So, off to the guitar shop the group trudges, leaving Mugi to save the say once again on account of Yui's... err... "lack of common sense", let's just politely say.


So, Yui's guitar is fixed, but the same can't be said for some of the relationship's within the club, as Mio and Ritsu's friendship becomes strained seemingly to breaking point, until one day Ritsu simply stops turning up to the club. Have things really gotten that bad between the pair of them? This is K-ON!, of course it isn't that bad!

It may be lacking in the actual music department, but once again this (seemingly penultimate) episode of K-ON! contained everything you could ask for from it, giving you that wonderful warm and fuzzy Friday feeling in which it delights while also serving up some genuinely funny and/or sweet moments during the course of the episode (with my personal highlight this time around being Yui's revelation that she dresses up her guitar... like you do). It may not be a classic in the same way of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya or Lucky Star, but in its own way K-ON! is proving itself worthy of its intense fan adoration much of the time, not just for being "moe", but for being a genuinely warm and funny slice of life series. Now, if they can just finish it off with a closing episode depicting the girls school festival performance, in full and without cutting away to anything else, then we can all go away exceedingly happy. How's that for a deal, KyoAni?

Valkyria Chronicles - Episode 9

We haven't really had an instalment of Valkyria Chronicles that focused entirely upon Maximilian and the Empire's point of view thus far, but episode nine does away with Alicia and friends entirely to focus on this singular point of view, which actually makes for a refreshing change of pace to be honest.

What we learn from this episode is that all is not well within the Empire, for there is currently a power struggle going on regarding who will succeed the current King, and it appears that the war against Gallia is simply a part of this struggle when it comes to the crunch. We learn of all this through the eyes of one Karl Oswald, a young man transferred from Central to assist Selvaria... or at least, that he's told to pretend to be there for, while in truth his purpose is to keep her away from Maximilian as he is forced to return to Central to inform the king of the reasons for the Empire's recent poor performances in the war effort.


Of course, Maximilian's return is all part of the plots against him in that aforementioned power struggle, and Oswald ends up effectively switching sides after finding himself betrayed by his employers, spilling the beans to Selvaria as they race to warn and save Maximilian... Not that he's exactly the type to need saving.

As I just mentioned, this switch to a different perspective offers a refreshing change of scenery for this episode, while also putting paid to any cliched "Gallia good, Empire bad" thoughts - Selvaria clearly isn't just an evil witch when it boils down to it, and even Maximilian is shown via flashback saving Selvaria in her youth, so I guess even he has days when he's not an apathetic elitist asshole. While I really don't understand why the conspirators who roped in Oswald would want to kill him that quickly (why not wait until they'd actually killed Maximilian?) and thus partially ruin their own plans, that aside this was a pretty solid episode that serves to make the coming continuations of the war around which the series set all the more interesting, and certainly succeeds in making the Empire's interest (or at least some of its key players) to be a little further short of completely evil than we may have initially believed.

Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo - Episode 23

With Akiha and company able to make it back to Leopard safely, Benkei onside to help with the fight against nerval and Xanthippe at least temporarily on the retreat, all is looking well for the forthcoming struggle as this episode begins.

However, there is still much work to do - Benkei's hyperjump will doubtlessly have alerted Nerval as to the location of Leopard, who is himself still incomplete and in need of further parts, while Akiha remains in a state somewhere between denial and distress at the demise of Imo. Leopard's uncaring attitude towards the "boiled potato" hardly helps matters, although such emotions have to take a back seat once Xanthippe returns, sporting Existence and all, in an attempt to recapture Akiha before dealing with Leopard.


After wavering in the face of being "boxified again" on account of her distraught state of mind, Itsuki (of all people - how much she's grown as a character during this series) snaps her out of it, while the return of Honoka with Professor Fon in tow and the completion of Leopard's upgrade/repair work turns the tide in their favour. Thus, Xanthippe is repelled and her plan left in tatters, while the fate of Imo is suddenly called into question....

So, once again Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo proves itself to be magnificently entertaining here, pacing itself near perfectly to keep both the action and emotional content flowing effortlessly, while keeping that almost "old school" science fiction anime feel in tow which somehow adds to the charm of the offering as a whole. I do have to admit that my eyes almost rolled clean out of my head at the news that Imoko isn't dead however - After using it to fuel the last two episodes almost entirely from an emotional perspective, it feels like a very cheap and nasty cop out. That's a pretty hefty black mark against a series that is otherwise succeeding yet further at burrowing a small place in my heart.

Hetalia Axis Powers - Episode 20

Episode twenty of Hetalia: Azis Powers begins with Germany trying to teach Italy how to throw a grenade. Errr.... good luck with that plan...


From here we see England springing up with some fantastic inventions to make boiled egg eating and beer drinking better than ever before (because we're good at that kind of stuff, y'know), before finally embarking on the second part of the "America's Storage Cleaning" storage, which was strangely subdued and emotional by Hetali standards. Still, I guess making jokes about the Revolutionary War is kind of hard.

Despite that segment being a little predictable, I did get a kick out of Germany and England's exploits, so I guess that pretty much makes up for it in the grand scheme of things.

Hatsukoi Limited - Episode 9

As Hatsukoi Limited continues to "do the rounds" of the various girls in the centre of this series, so we finally come to Nao Chikura, a girl who hasn't featured prominently all that much at all up until now. Of course, one thing we do already know about Chikura is that she's caught the eye of Hiroyuki Sogabe, who is thrilled and delighted at the start of this episode as he gets to walk home with the object of his affections.

The trouble is, Chikura is in love.... with a painting. Or rather, to start with she's in love with a painting, a beautiful scene of cherry blossoms painted by someone who has already left and moved on to high school. This being anime of course, next thing she knows the guy responsible for this work of art is in the same room as her, as he pays a visit to his old middle school haunts. Next thing we know, he's helping Chikura out with her own painting on a daily basis while he waits for his high school graduation ceremony, with Chikura later learning that once he has graduated he'll be flying off around the world on voluntary work, most likely never to return to Japan again...


While I've been impressed by a few of Hatsukoi Limited's story arcs so far, this particular episode has easily blown me away as the most beautiful and poignant of the bunch. Chikura's love developing from a simple painting might sound like a fanciful plot device, but it reverberated with me entirely - If someone shares the same interests and passions as you, falling for someone based simply upon their manifestation of those interests (be it writing or painting or something else entirely) is more than possible, as is those feelings being confirmed when you meet and find out more about that person after your initial impressions based upon their work. Compared to some of the arguably shallow bonds which join some of the other characters in this series, Chikua and Yukito Renjou's relationship felt very close as far as it went, and that served to make the ending (inevitable though it was) all the more heart-breaking. Yes, I did cry, before you ask.

It's funny really how a series that has at times laid the fan service on thick still seems to be just as capable of tugging on the heart strings and delivering relationships or yearnings for others that resonate in their sense of reality - Even the most unlikely of pairings (read Kei and Kusuda) work in their own eccentric ways, and when more genuinely compatible elements are thrown together the result is both sweet, entertaining and (in this case) utterly beautiful too, rolling up the good and bad, the heart-warming and heart-breaking, into one single package.

Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 21

After episode twenty turned everything around 180 degrees, I guess it's time for us to start cheering on Reishin now that the nefarious villain has turned out to be a nice guy who was "only" completely screwing up the world to save Kuro from death. Still not the best game plan if you ask me, but I guess that's why they haven't put me in charge of some ancient tribe with fantastic powers.

Anyway, Reishin has more important things to worry about than the ethics of his plot now, with the two embodiments of Masagami (the third being Kuro herself of course) now released from their prison and free to rampage... which, funnily enough is exactly what they choose to do in good old-fashioned fire and brimstone fashion. However, despite being self-described Gods, this pair struggle against Reishin, who ultimately defeats them, only to find that they can regenerate their bodies. Things only get worse once they manage to take control of Kuro, employing her in the final piece of Masagami's God-like jigsaw puzzle.


Of course, what happens from here is pretty predictable, with Keita managing to call out to Kuro to renounce her part of the Masagami triumverate, so that she can take her turn to fight and defeat them alongside Reishin, albeit at the cost of the latter's life. So, the world is saved and (I guess) the Doppeliner system is in tatters... Yet we still have three episodes left to go? Goodness knows how they're going to fill up that much time.

Predictability aside, this was pretty much what you'd expect from an episode like this, consisting as it does almost exclusively of a huge set piece showdown between Reishin (and later Kuro) against the embodiment of Masagami. Somehow I prefer it when Kurokami's battles are a little more "intimate" than these huge, sprawling and ridiculously powerful affairs, but I suppose it still worked pretty well and fitted quite nicely into a single episode without feeling either rushed or badly paced. I can't help but feel that the story could have ended here, with maybe one more episode to wrap things up, but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how they're planning to fill three more episodes now that the show's big story seems to have been resolved. I just hope they aren't going to do anything ridiculously cheesy like bringing Reishin back to life...

Shangri-la - Episode 10

With Momoko captured and her state unknown, and Kuniko missing after coming face to face with the death of her former prison-mates, there's only one thing Takehiko can do to resolve these pressing situations... Gardening. Yes, that's right, as we all know a little weeding will put right even the most worrying of kidnappings. I suppose it beats digging a huge tunnel over the course of three episodes only to find that nobody needs it after all.


Joking aside, Shangri-la is at last making some attempt at stitching togther the myriad plot points it currently has running, albeit in a slightly haphazard way. Of course, Kuniko and Momoko respectively take up chunks of the episode, as the former tries to decide upon her future path (looking to past conversations and the like with Momoko for guidance) while the latter finds herself the subject of torture and interrogation, but manages to turn the tables on Sayako by figuring out more about her than she would have otherwise let on. Who would have thought Sayako had a daughter? Hmm, I wonder who she might be.

Speaking of which, Lady Mikuni is playing up, demanding another trip to the surface and eventually trying to sneak outside on her own before soon succumbing to the sunlight, but not before she hears a voice in her head that portends major upheaval ahead. Upheaval is also the word of the day around Atlas, as the Prime Minister is removed and replaced by (who else?!) Lady Ryoko - This woman really loves her job swaps. Mind you, if she fancies deposing another inept Prime Minister who's past his sell-by date, we have some ripe fodder here in the UK right now...

Ryoko's first promises as Prime Minister are to speed up the building of Atlas and the repatriation of all those living on the surface (not the most believable of claims on the latter point given her reputation), while her first actual action looks towards shutting down MEDUSA. To be fair, I won't be too sad to see the back of that stupid dragon thing myself. Anyway, as the episode ends Kuniko finally decides upon her future, causing literal reverberations in multiple places as the scene is set for her next mission.

It may surprise some of you to hear this coming from me, but this was actually an okay episode of Shangri-la. Yes, it still feels like it's staggering all over the place like a raging drunk as far as the plot goes, but the raging drunk at least seems to be sobering up a little and making some coherent sense here and there. Once some of the mystical mumbo-jumbo gets mopped up and rationalised, we might actually have a more enjoyable series on the cards now that Kuniko is running the show as far as Metal Age is concerned and Ryoko has taken her rightful place as being more evil than anyone else. My word, am I almost praising this series? Quick, somebody pinch me....

Basquash! - Episode 10

After the relative success of their game against the idols of Eclipse, Dan finds himself to be reported as a man in decline, suffering a slump in form on account of his personal issues. I'm sure it goes without saying that all of those issues spring forth from Coco's accident, no matter how long gone and in the past that may be...

These issues are thrust well and truly into the spotlight on two counts during the course of this, in part due to actions taken by Slash (the mysterious white-haired person who has been hanging around for a fair few episodes now, and whose purpose is now starting to be revealed) but mostly due to Rouge, one of the idols of the aforementioned group Eclipse who seems to have taken rather a personal interest to Dan. This interest culminates in a one-on-one match between herself and Dan, in an attempt both to show him the root of his problems and to lift that particular "curse" from his play.


While this wasn't a bad episode, perhaps too much introspection and inner turmoil don't really suit Basquash! so well - Shorn of some of its "in your face" attitude even the basketball segments seemed to struggle a little to really hold anything special for the viewer. Still, that aside this was a part of the story that needed to be told I suppose, and with that out of the way (and OCB enjoying a resurgence despite Haruka and her merry band's mutiny) there's still plenty of promise here, and I fully expect this series to be back to its best again next time around.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 10

With Al's psychological issues resolved, the Elric brothers thoughts can turn back to the issues at hand, namely what was going on at the now destroyed laboratory where there injuries were caused in the first place, and where to go next in their hunt for the Philosopher's Stone.

However, Ed's discussion with Major Armstrong and Lieutenant Hughes is interrupted by a visit from a most unexpected quarter, in the form of no less than Bradley himself. It seems that the man at the top of the State Alchemist tree is already well aware of the invesigations being undertaken by this group, including Ed's search for the Philosopher's Stone, which leads to him warning them all to desist from their current investigation and say nothing to anybody about it.


Despite these orders, and as Ed and Al set off for Dublith and a meeting with their former alchemy tutor, Hughes soon comes across evidence of a plot even larger than first imagined - A discovery which ultimately costs him his life, bringing him as it does to the attention of the Homunculus who stop him from talking the only way they know how. Despite cutting off this information at its source, Roy Mustang (the man Hughes tried to contact just before his death) realises that something big is afoot and swears to uncover it for himself in his fallen colleague's memory.

As episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist go, the death of Maes Hughes was always going to be a big one in terms of both content and significance, and it has to be said that it was handled excellently here - There were no spectacular or needless flourishes on show, this instalment simply let the story and scenario do the talking, and it worked wonders right the way through to the tear-jerking funeral scenes which (from my memory) actually seemed better presented than in the original series. All in all then, another excellent episode of Brotherhood, although we're still waiting to really branch off from the path the original series took us down at this juncture.

Saki - Episode 10

After Yuuki's efforts last episode, this tenth instalment of Saki revolves around Mako's round in the tournament qualifier, while also delving a little more into some of the other characters.


After Yuuki's (eye-rollingly bizarre) taco power last time around, Mako's "special power" seems to be far more reasonable - If she takes off her glasses, she can compare the current state of play in a game to previous hands that shes seen from her many years as a child living with her grandfather in a Mahjong parlour. Unfortunately, that power really doesn't do much at all for her on this occasion, as her comparisons are thrown completely out of whack by the prescence of an almost complete beginner at the table, with her illogical moves giving Mako nothing from her past to compare to. Thus, things really aren't looking up for Kiyosumi as club captain Hisa takes to the table, in an appearance that worries some from the competing schools - It seems that Hisa has more of a reputation behind her than we may have thought. Meanwhile, Sali and Nodoka spend most of this episode sleeping in the rest room, although this could signal the end for Nodoka's penguin lucky charm...

Once again, the focus on actual Mahjong playing for a reasonable chunk of this episode (or at least, it felt like a decent chunk) made for a more entertaining viewing experience, while we were also spared too much in the way of crazy "super powers" or the like to leave this episode's feet firmly planted on the ground - A state of affairs which I can only be grateful for, as I quickly learned last episode that my suspension of disbelief for this particular series doesn't seem to extent to tacos as power-ups or Sharingan-esque Mahjong abilities. Episode elevn looks like it'll be keeping things relatively normal too, so here's to another oddly compelling round of Mahjong action there.

Natsu no Arashi - Episode 10

After fluctuating between time travel and other, more light-hearted affairs, the last episode of Natsu no Arashi finally brought us our first real cliffhanger of the series, and without a scrap of the aforementioned time travel in sight.

With Kanako attacking Arashi to drain her of her "life force" (for want of a better phrase), and Hajime unable to do anything about it despite having his life saved by the show's infamous private detective (whose appearance turns out to be serendipitous in more ways than one), Arashi is left in a decidedly tight spot, unconscious and with her life seemingly fading fast. Hajime's only option is, with the help of said detective, to track down Kanako and somehow persuade her to bring Arashi back to life.


To achieve this, Hajime plans to kidnap and take hostage Kanako's "partner in crime" Yayoi, but his best intentions are soon tempered by the revelation that both Yayoi and Kanako know Arashi (and Kaya for that matter) from before their stint as ghosts, as they attended the same school back during World War II. This means that much of the episode is taken up with filling in this back-story through the eyes of Yayoi, allowing us to learn more about both her own and Kanako's character before their deaths - A past which it looks like Yayoi is inadvertently going to be revisiting in a decidedly unplanned fashion.

I have to admit I was expecting this particular story arc to be resolved (or close to it) this episode, but it appears that these goings-on are going to take a little longer to resolve. Not that this is a bad thing per se, as it finally gives Kanako and Yayoi some time in the spotlight beyond comic relief (with Kaya and Jun superbly taking their place at the end of this instalment) while also giving us the most focused continuing story line of the series so far. The climax to the episode (yes, that's right folks, looks like they've finally gotten a taste for cliffhangers in this series) opens up plenty of promise for episode eleven, meaning that I'm once again looking forward to the next instalment, although I do have to confess that Arashi's absence beyond her current comatose state does take something away from the overall "feel" of the series - I hadn't really even noticed quite how much of a likeable character she is until she disappears for a while. Anyhow, roll on episode eleven!

Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 20

The climax to the last episode of Kurokami saw Keita and Kuro seemingly left for dead at the hands of Reishin and Akane... Is it the end of the road in their bid to stop the evils of Masagami from being unleashed upon the world?


Although the pair aren't in fact dead, it does seem that way as Reishin makes his way unobstructed to the Holy Stone and prepares to "do his thing" - But is his real goal to gain Masagami's power? Perhaps not, as he looks to deal with the evils he unleashes using his powers, although it seems that many of them simply make a bee-line for Kuro instead. Why such an interest in our heroine? All is explained in the second half of this episode, right the way back from Reishin killing his mother onwards. In short, Kuro is in fact the "evil one" here, for it is her that carries the sign of Masagami as the crest on her wrist, and Reishin's entire plot from beginning to end was all designed with saving Kuro and freeing her from her curse in mind.

This is all well and good, but I have to confess that between sacrificing a single person (whether it's your sister or otherwise), completely screwing up the entire world and the Doppeliner system upon which it rests and killing countless people in the process seems like a rather... "counterproductive" way of going about things. In fact, as plot twists go, it borders on the ridiculously daft - You'd have to have a pretty deep sister complex to kill your mouther and spend years rampaging around doing all kinds of "bad stuff" just to help her out. But hey, I'm an only child and thus I've never had a sister who houses a potent and evil being, so what do I know?

I suppose I should be grateful for this turn-around in the series for mixing up the typical "good versus evil" battle we get used to with such things, but I have to admit I was far happier with the status quo before this episode started as it actually made a modicum of logical sense to me. Still, this isn't exactly the kind of series I watch for realism or deep, highbrow, thought-provoking entertainment, it's produced and pure adrenaline-fuelled fun, so after rolling my eyes for a bit and scratching my chin for a while I'm happy to simply nod in ascension and let Kurokami get on with doing whatever it wants to do while I tag along for the ride.

Eden of the East - Episode 9

After spending so much time trying to find out about his past and why he wiped his memory, Akira Takizawa finally starts to get some answers in episode nine of Eden of the East. However, in the typical style of this series, those answers only beg even more questions for the viewer...

These answers come courtesy of Yutaka Itazu, the pant-free NEET genius who he was introduced to last episode, and after proving his Seleção credentials by basically deciding who should win the baseball championship for, he finally has himself an ally with the ability to unlock the historical data stored on IV's phone.


What this reveals is that, far from being the instigator of Careless Monday, it appears that Akira was actually the hero of the day, diverting civilians away from the areas that the missiles would hit using any means possible to ensure that nobody was killed. This phone's history also confirms what we already knew about the 20,000 NEETs, who were all kept fed and then shipped to Dubai for some unfathomable reason (although given Akira's tendency to cheer on this generation of shut-ins as the future of Japan, it could well have been some kind of massive character-building exercise on his part). Some more digging reveals which Seleção did arrange Careless Monday, and indeed we get to see him with our own eyes during this episode as he appears to be on the tail of Akira for some reason - A state of affairs which proves terminal for Yutaka, although not before he sets a data transfer running which could be about to shake things up massively for Japan.

So, that's that then, Akira really is the hero of Eden of the East... Or is he? We still have questions about the assumed names we now know he operated under thanks to the Eden system, where numerous people seem to have a grudge against him to put it mildly, we still don't know why he chose to wipe his memory on that fateful day in front of the Whitehouse, and I'm still not entirely sure how he knew enough about Careless Monday to prevent any deaths - Sure, he would have seen most of the plans of that plot from his phone's history, but was that really enough to know exactly where they'd land? Call me paranoid, but I think there may be more than meets the eye to this one.

Once again, Eden of the East seems to succeed at telling its story almost effortlessly, from the way it introduces new characters and builds up relationships through to the way it handles existing ones (Saki's character has become a wonderfully understated examination of a girl who both trusts and doubts Akira to a massive degree almost simultaneously over the past couple of episodes). Again, I have to ask how they're expecting to resolve this series in just two more episodes, surely that's just plain impossible given the number of questions it's still throwing up, but no matter how many of those questions it poses I still simply can't get enough of this magnificent series.

K-ON! - Episode 10

It's the Summer break once again for the girls, which also means that it's time for the light music club's second training camp... Actually, I suppose I should put that "training camp" in inverted commas, as training is hardly high on the agenda when it comes to this lot.

Naturally, this lack of focus causes Azusa some consternation, matched only be her amazement at the levels of Tsugumi's family wealth (which now appears to extend to butlers and private ships), but once the girls hit the beach it seems that Azusa is the one that has the best time - She certainly manages to snag a tan unlike the others.


So, all in all the camp is a learning experience for the light music club's newcomer, but not in the way she expects, as she learns little musically but plenty about the characters of her new-found friend - That means that we still don't really get to see much of the girls actually playing their instruments (to my eternal chagrin), but by the same measure it makes for another light, fluffy and fun episode of the kind that makes you wish that you were there and that you knew characters like these... Which is pretty much the point of K-ON! when it comes down to it. Bonus points should also be awarded for the best use of cabbage in comic situations during this episode, although to be fair all in all it had a few laugh-worthy moments to keep up this series reputation as being nothing but eminently watchable.

Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 19

The end of the last episode of Kurokami managed to land us with the mother of all surprise cliff-hangers, introducing Akane as the contractee of Reishin. Only one thing was ever going to follow on from this devlopment, and that was an episode of kick-ass action... and whaddya know, that's exactly what we get here.


After setting everything up perfectly, it's no surprise at all that episode nineteen concerns itself exclusively with the battle between Reishin and Kuro, supported by Akane and Keita respectively. Why has Akane chosen to partner with Reishin? Was it even her choice? These are all questions for another day as this instalment chooses to focus solely on ever more powerful bug action set pieces. In a sense, this particular battle isn't as spectacular to watch as some of the others we've seen recently on account of Kuro and Reishin's respective powers (both of which basically come down to "make a really big explosion with my fists"), but as the episode moves along everything ramps up nicely, accompanied by that ever-improving soundtrack, to turn into exactly the kind of action fest you'd hope for from this particular match-up.

As pure action-oriented episodes go this works pretty well, but in a sense my attention has been deflected from the sheer spectacle of it all by the questions about Kuro, Reishin and Akane that this episode (and indeed the instalment that preceeded it) throw up - There's certainly still plenty to be covered by the series beyond simply powerful Mototsumita beating seven bells out of one another, and I'm suitably intrigued as to what these revelations might be. For now though, Kurokamisimply gets to enjoy its crown as the most enjoyable pure action anime that I'm currently watching, which leaves me once again wishing it had managed to find and utilise the qualities it now possesses from the very start of the series.

Chi's Sweet Home: Chi's New Address - Episodes 13-36

It's been quite a while since I last sat down to catch up on Chi's Sweet Home, but now finally I'm back up to speed with the show after a marathon session of cuteness that could have quite possibly threatened the fibre of my being. Or something.


To be honest, "cute" is pretty much the only word required to sum up the show, from Chi's efforts in learning how to use a cat flap through to getting lost (yet again) and other typical highlights of cat-like behaviour such as trapsing through the house and over clean washing with filthy paws. Not that I'm bitter about such flagrant disregards for humankind displayed by our feline friends or anything. No, the mud and dirt on my blanket as I write this is no problem at all...

Anyhow, I digress... Aside from Chi's solo adventures, our favourite kitten's new home puts her in the vicinity of some interesting new neighbours, from a posh Scottish Fold cat through to a typically raft daft (if obedient dog), and a rabbit that to be quite honest freaks me out a bit for some reason.

Regardless, it's all good, clean (well, apart from Chi's paws) and honest fun which I can't get enough of, even if watching over twenty episodes in one sitting probably isn't the recommended way to digest this particular series despite its short episode times.

Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo - Episode 22

For all its light-hearted frippery, the climax of the last episode of Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo took us to a surprisingly upsetting place, with Imoko sacrificing herself to save Kirkwood from what would have been a lethal attack ordered by the Lunar Congress. I just hope they aren't going to cop out at this point and resurrect her somehow in a later episode.

Imoko's fiery destruction probably looks quite tempting to the inhabitants of the Moon right now, as Nerval's response to their attack is both swift and decisive; freezing both the attacking fleet of ships as well as the entire Moon itself - A state of affairs which looked pretty cool I have to admit. Do you see what I did there? Frozen? Ice? Cool? Hahaha. Ha. Ahem.


Anyhow, after that tragic end to the last instalment, this episode does seem to take on a somewhat darker tone overall, with Akiha almost entirely unable to come to terms with her loss, while we learn more shocking information about the fate of those who have been "boxified" - Numerous people are dying early and mysteriously within their boxes, while those that have been granted escape (by hidden away members of the Shishidou Elders council on Kirkwood) yearn to return to their boxes and the simple safety and luxury that it provides.

It isn't all death and misery however, as there's still plenty to cheer you up here - Honoka's direct approach in "persuading" Professor Fon to return to Leopard with her is a particular highlight, while Benkei's scuffle with Xanthippe and everything that involves is also a neat little blend of action and slapstick comedy.

I don't want to "big up" this series too much, as it's still no classic... Hell, it's not even the new Code Geass. However, it does seem to be improving almost episode upon episode, extending its emotional remit without losing the sense of fun and action that have turned the series from merely bearable into something that's actually watchable. The last couple of episodes have confounded my expectations somewhat in killing off Imoko and digging deeper than the "happily ever after" ending was perhaps expecting, and they've managed to do so without ruining the series - You know, I think I might actually start missing Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo when it finishes airing a month from now.

Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 18

It's been a little while since I've been able to watch an episode of Kurokami, but at last it's time for me to enjoy another dose of this ever-improving action series.

With Reishin still on the rampage, the race is still on to reach him before he does something liable to endanger the entire planet, while other Mototsumita converge on the island with more selfish thoughts in mine, namely grabbing the power of Masagami for themselves. Indeed, it's yet another pair of such individuals that make life difficult for Kuro and Keita this episode, with the Mototsumita in question using his powers to control nearby plant life - Not really the kind of opponent you want to face in a jungle full of the stuff, if I'm frank. Despite their burgeoning powers, it looks like the end for Kuro, until something cataclysmic happens which leaves those who witnessed it in shock... well, those who survived it anyway. Exactly what happened? Methinks that's going to be a question for another episode.


Meanwhile, Excel is also in the hunt for Reishin, complete with her new contractee Mikami (remember her from much earlier in the series?). As you might expect, Excel's powers have been "levelled up" quite substantially since we last saw her, but is it enough to beat this most powerful of opponents? Possibly not, and we get to see why thanks to a big old cliffhanger of an ending...

Despite Kuro being saved by what seems to be a big, fat deus ex machina in this episode (although one which in fairness it seems will be explained in due course), this was another episode of the new-look Kurokami which has continued to play to its strengths ever since its half-way mark, eschewing too much emotional or plot-related depth in favour of keeping things moving and moving fast, with lots of stylish action to keep the attention. It may be a very simple way of drawing in the viewers, but to be honest it works, and as a straight-up action series you could well say that Kurokami is going from strength to strength. Add to that a cliffhanger that is (although perhaps slightly unlikely) "interesting" to put it mildly, and you have a series that I'm really keen on seeing through to its climax. I just hope it doesn't let me down and slip into its dull old ways again before we reach that point - There's certainly little sign of it at present.

Hatsukoi Limited - Episode 8

Oh, what tangled webs we weave.... Episode eight of Hatsukoi Limited brings us to Valentine's Day, and if the various situations full of unrequited love weren't complicated before this episode begins, they sure as Hell are by the end of it.

Despite the forever tense and decidedly odd atmosphere between the two of them, Kei and Kusuda's relationship actually looks pretty simple compared to this lot - We have Ayumi who is in love with Mamoru, who is himself in love with Yamamoto. Then we have Koyoi whose brother complex is taking on ever-more worrying depths (a chocolate wedding cake as a Valentine's Day gift? Uh-oh...), despite the fact that his thoughts are constantly with... you guessed it, Yamamoto.


It's this love dodecahedron (or something) which is the focus of this episode, as Yamamoto (who is herself in love Ayumi's brother Yuuji) has to decide whether or not to give any chocolate to the object of her affections; a decision made more difficult as both Mamoru and Koyoi's brother's feelings towards her becomes clear. And why does she even love Yuuji anyway, does she even have a reason? Does she even need a reason? Such is the question that this episode posits, with the answer seeming to be that what you instinctively feel is more important than what you think. Hmm, I'm not so sure about that one to be honest. Anyhow, this whole situation comes to a head as Ayumi and Koyoi plan a way of breaking the hearts of their loved ones (which seems pretty counter-intuitive when it comes to getting someone to like you to me) by showing them Yamamoto giving Yuuji her chocolates, a situation which becomes even more disastrous thanks to a good old-fashioned slapstick chocolate mix-up.

I guess it's a testament to this series, and this episode in particular, that it can throw together so many relatively complicated relationships and yet somehow make it all stick together in a coherent and actually pretty entertaining manner. While it's no classic, this instalment proves to be amusing enough while also throwing in a few thoughts on the absurdities of love and how to show your feelings into the process. Perhaps the biggest "hurdle" (and I use inverted commas as it doesn't bother me but I'm guessing it will others) this series is facing is that it makes it difficult to decide who you want to root for in all of these tales of love with so much going on. Still, that aside there remains something slightly refreshing about the way this series has played the "love game", despite its blatant moments of fan service, and I suppose it's that that has kept me watching with any degree of interest.

Basquash! - Episode 9

As Dunk Mask and company continue their travels, so they come across their next Basquash opponents, a trio of players who come from a rather unlikely source as they look to branch out from their day jobs as idols. Still, that concept works pretty well for me, as not only do we get a rather nice segue into the episode's opening credits, but we also get to enjoy a performance from Megumi Nakajima (best known as Ranka Lee in Macross Frontier) as one of those idols into the bargain too.

Anyhow, I'm getting ahead of myself somewhat here, as before all of this we have the inevitable hot spring segment (you didn't think Basquash! would be immune to hot spring-based fan service, did you?), although there's really not much point in comparing breast size when you're sharing a bath with someone from the moon - If ever Sela and Miyuki needed more motivation to make it to the moon, Haruka seems to provide it in spades.


Before even that however, Dan gets knocked down by some mysterious girl who proceeds to kiss him as a diversion to escape a chasing mob... Or so it seems. The girl in question is in fact Rouge, one of that trio of idols (known as Eclipse), and the kiss is all part of their grand plan to take on Dunk Mask, Sela and Iceman Hotty at Basquash. Of course, the plan works out perfectly, but the result not so much, thanks to both a change of heart on the Eclipse girls part and the in-depth knowledge about the band shown by "Alan" (ohh Rie Kugimiya, is there anything you can't do?).

I've been holding back this thought for a few episodes now, but I really can't any longer - I simply can't get enough of Basquash! It's fun, it's sassy, it looks great in terms of both animation and character design, it has a top-notch soundtrack and.... well, quite simply, it rocks. Even when the episodes are somewhat self-contained the series has enough sheer energy and enthusiasm to keep it running, making for one of the most enjoyable series to watch this season. It may not have the smarts of Eden of the East or the cute factor of K-ON!, but Basquash! knows exactly what it's doing, and boy does it do it well.

Hetalia Axis Powers - Episode 19

The quality of Hetalia: Axis Powers does seem to have been on the up as of late, and although I can't really class episode nineteen as the heights of hilarity it did have a certain amount of amusement value to it.

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether the series is simply being surreal or making a statement, and so it goes when China's colleagues manage to build a city from nowhere inside the Allies conference room. Well, either way it made me laugh a little. Equally, the reference to the "invisible" Canada (the fact he's only really cropped up nineteen episodes in says it all) made me smile, as did Italy's sudden appearance at the Allies "top secret" conference. It makes you wonder how things would have ended up if World War II really had been this slapstick...


With a second season on the horizon this summer to immediately follow the first, I suppose it's perfect timing that I'm starting to enjoy this series a little more. It's definitely no comedy classic, but it does have its moments.

Shangri-la - Episode 9

After possibily the most ridiculous prison escape plot in the world last episode (matched only by the ineptitude of the guards on-hand in said prison), it was hard to imagine how Shangri-la could top itself in its ninth episode. Well, imagine no more, for the answer is - By deflecting bullets using a whip.


This little miracle occurs after Kuniko is reunited with Momoko, just in time to (coincidentally) stumble across Lady Mikuni's solar eclipse playtime. Naturally, the nearby guards and Sayoko try to stop their escape (particularly in the case of Momoko, who they want to capture for some reason - "Should I capture her dead or alive?" queries one particularly slow-witted guard), leaving Momoko no choice but to make use of her special sexual harrassment moves.. plus, of course, the whip that can deflect bullets. Just in case you were still taking this action sequence too seriously at this point, Sayoko gets turned on in the middle of the fight and Kuniko's boomerang has a coming together with Miiko that had be laughing out loud with its comical hilarity. The upshot of all this is that Momoko is indeed captured, where presumably she'll be forced to sit and watch all the transsexual jokes she's made throughout this series as punishment.

Everything feels like a bit of a blur after the "intensity" of all this, but in short Kuniko escapes, finding time to meet up with Takehiko who is still digging in his ridiculous plan to save her. Luckily, although nearly three episodes too late his efforts aren't all in vain, as Kuniko joins him to rescue the rest of the girls in the prison, although of course as we already know they're all dead, a discovery which leaves Kuniko naturally distraught.

You know, the more I watch of Shangri-la the less I understand what they're trying to do with it - On the one hand we have harrowing scenes of a prison yard full of dead girls, yet on the other we have Momoko defeating guards by rubbing his/her breasts in their face. Shangri-la may not be the first show to mix humour and darkness by any stretch of the imagination (see my comments on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's ninth episode for proof of that), but while some series pull off this juxtaposition admirably in the case of Shangri-la it simply feels embarrassing or otherwise entirely out of place. Whereas other series make you laugh when you know the comedy is deliberate, during this episode I occasionally found myself laughing and wondering whether the moment in question was actually meant to be funny, or simply a disaster of poor animation and dialogue. I'd like to try and be positive and imagine it to be the former, but... well, I just can't. I swear at one point (and it could just be the final vestiges of my sanity departing) I heard a cow mooing in the background, and somehow that bizarre and completely out of place moment sums up my bemused reaction to this episode perfectly. Moooo.....

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 9

Ed and Al may have escape from the alledgedly shut down laboratory number five before its collapse at the end of the last episode, but both Elric brothers are left bearing wounds from that particular adventure which take the full duration of this episode to heal.

In Edward's case, the wounds are purely physical, as he recovers his health whilst giving Winry a call (still in the dark about her little maintenance error that compromised the strength in his artifical arm) to ask her to come and fix up his Automail once again. However, things are far more difficult for Alphonse, who is still trying to come to terms with the thoughts pushed into his head that he may be nothing more than an artificial being. Rather than confronting Al about it, he simply lets things stew, only causing them to get worse inside his head until they inevitably spill over.


Thank goodness then that Winry is there to the pieces back together once Ed and Al apart, undrestanding more about Ed's worries and mental weaknesses than Al gives her credit for. Thus, the most brotherly of arguments doesn't last for too long before all is well once again for the Elric brothers. All, that is, apart from a pending reappearance from Scar as he too recovers from injury...

Given Al's dark mental state coming into this episode, it is perhaps surprising just how light-hearted the vast majority of it was, keeping the episode afloat almost purely on humour and silliness alone. However, when the time comes to enter that darker territory, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood does so with aplomb, genuinely bringing a tear to my eye as Ed and Al argue before Winry steps in to smooth things over whilst clearly affected herself by what she's seen before her both now and in the past. It's a beautifully realised and poignant moment, that more than makes up for what was otherwise an almost overly jovial and slow-moving instalment - A true reminder of the emotional power than this series can hold when it really puts its mind to it.